Author: admin

  • Elevate blood sugar linked with negative changes in sexual functioning

    Elevate blood sugar linked with negative changes in sexual functioning

    Data presented at ENDO 2025 in San Francisco, California suggest that metabolic health factors may be the primary driver of changes in sexual function among healthy aging men.1

    Increases in HbA1c were shown to have a greater influence on sexual wellbeing than age alone.

    Specifically, the investigators found that in healthy aging men without developing diabetes mellitus, modest increases in HbA1c were linked with declines in sperm motility and erectile function. This increase in HbA1c was shown to have a greater influence on sexual wellbeing than age alone.

    “Although age and testosterone levels have long been considered an impetus for men’s declining sexual health, our research indicates that these changes more closely correlate with modest increases in blood sugar and other metabolic changes,” explained lead author Michael Zitzmann, MD, PhD, professor and doctor of medicine at University Hospital in Muenster, Germany, in a news release on the findings.2 “This means that men can take steps to preserve or revive their reproductive health with lifestyle choices and appropriate medical interventions.”

    Data for the study were collected as part of the longitudinal FAMe 2.0 study, which began in 2014. The trial recruited 200 healthy patients (no history of cancer, cardiovascular events, or diabetes mellitus) aged 18 to 85 years at baseline. In 2020, 117 patients returned for follow-up. For the study, participants completed assessments on the Erectile Function domain of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) questionnaire as well as the Aging Male Symptoms (AMS) score.

    Results showed that, over time, hormone levels and semen parameters (volume, total sperm count, concentration, vitality) remained within the normal range with no significant decline. However, decreases in serum concentration of total and free testosterone were observed in patients who experienced increases in BMI (P = .004 and P = .002, respectively) or HbA1c (P = .003 and P = .001, respectively). Further, declines in progressive sperm motility were associated with age, with significant declines observed in patients over the age of 65 years (P = .002). This decline was associated with increases in HbA1c (P = .008; all total values remained below the 6.5% HbA1c diabetes threshold).

    Data also showed that erectile function declined in men over the age of 45 years (P = .001), but only in those who experienced increases in HbA1c (P = .002). Erectile function was not associated with changes in total (P = .52) or free testosterone (P = .47).

    However, decreasing levels of total (P = .04) or free testosterone (P = .003) were significantly associated with worse AMS scores, specifically in the sexual subdomain (loss of libido). According to the authors, this association was correlated with increasing HbA1c levels (P = .002) but not aging (P = .57).

    The authors noted, “Healthy men without deterioration of the metabolic state experience minimal declines in fertility, sexual wellbeing, and sex hormone levels with age.”

    Overall, these findings suggest that sexual functioning in healthy aging men could be preserved with adequate lifestyle choices.

    “We’re hopeful that the information gleaned from this study will help doctors and their patients formulate effective male sexual health maintenance plans,” Zitzmann concluded in the news release.2 “We now know that it’s in our power to retain sexual and reproductive wellbeing in men, even as they age.”

    REFERENCES

    1. Zitzmann M, Krallmann C, Cremers J, Kliesch S, Bier S. Healthy ageing men experience decline of sexual function and fertility dependent on increases of HbA1c within the normal range: the longitudinal FAMe 2.0 study. Presented at: ENDO 2025. July 12-15, 2025. San Francisco, California. Abstract SAT-169. https://www.newswise.com/pdf_docs/175157430185708_Zitzmann%20Abstract.pdf

    2. High blood sugar may have a negative impact on men’s sexual health. News release. Endocrine Society. July 8, 2025. Accessed July 14, 2025. https://www.newswise.com/articles/high-blood-sugar-may-have-a-negative-impact-on-men-s-sexual-health/?sc=mwhr&xy=10016681

    Continue Reading

  • Pilgrims to Iraq must use registered organizers from next year: Naqvi

    Pilgrims to Iraq must use registered organizers from next year: Naqvi

    Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that from next year onward, Pakistani pilgrims will travel to Iraq exclusively under registered Zaireen Group Organizers, rather than individually.

    Speaking at a trilateral conference of the Interior Ministers of Pakistan, Iran, and Iraq in Tehran on Monday, he said the registration process for Zaireen Group Organizers has already commenced. These groups will be responsible for ensuring the safe return of pilgrims traveling to Iraq. He added that only individuals issued a special visa by the embassy will be permitted to travel independently.

    Mohsin Naqvi emphasized that the group organizer system will help eliminate unauthorized travel to Iraq and reduce incidents of overstaying. He said Iraq and Iran are fully aligned with Pakistan’s new system and reaffirmed their commitment to jointly curbing irregular travel and overstays. He also assured his counterparts of Pakistan’s full cooperation in matters concerning Zaireen.

    He expressed gratitude to the governments of Iraq and Iran for their continued care and support of Pakistani pilgrims.

    The conference agreed to take all possible measures to facilitate Zaireen traveling to Iran and Iraq.

    It was decided that a joint working group comprising representatives from all three countries would be established to streamline and support the pilgrimage process.

    Continue Reading

  • Deadly disguise: How candy-like nicotine pouches caused a 763% spike in child poisonings

    Deadly disguise: How candy-like nicotine pouches caused a 763% spike in child poisonings

    A new study reveals that ingestions of nicotine pouches by young children have surged in recent years. Researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Central Ohio Poison Center analyzed calls to U.S. poison centers and found an alarming 763% increase in the rate of reported nicotine pouch ingestions among children younger than 6 years old from 2020 to 2023. Nicotine pouches were also more likely to be associated with serious medical outcomes or hospital admissions than other nicotine products like gum/lozenges, e-liquids, powder/granules, and tablets/capsules/caplets.

    Nicotine pouches, which contain nicotine powder and are placed in the mouth, were not tracked in national poison center data until 2020. However, between 2020 and 2023 (the most recent year of data from the study), the rate of unintentional ingestion of nicotine pouches by young children increased at a fast rate — even as ingestion rates for other formulations of nicotine declined.

    “Nicotine pouches are a serious and growing toxic ingestion hazard among young children,” said Hannah Hays, MD, co-author of the study and medical director of the Central Ohio Poison Center.

    “The rapid increase in the number and comparative severity of nicotine pouch ingestions is a reminder of the public health challenges of the changing nicotine product market. This is why we need to continue ongoing surveillance and increase our efforts to prevent nicotine ingestions among young children.”

    The study, published in Pediatrics, also investigated other nicotine products and formulations. Researchers examined nearly 135,000 cases of nicotine ingestions among children younger than 6 years old that were reported to U.S. poison centers from 2010 through 2023. Most ingestions occurred at home and involved children under the age of 2 years. While most exposures resulted in minor or no effects, there were 39 cases with major medical outcomes and two deaths.

    The overall rate of all nicotine ingestions increased 59% from 2010-2015 before decreasing 34% from 2015-2023. This rate was primarily driven by the ingestion rate for liquid nicotine and nicotine solid formulations such as tablets, capsules, and caplets. The ingestion rate for liquid nicotine increased by 450% from 2010-2015 and then decreased by 45% from 2015-2023.

    “This abrupt change in the rate trend for liquid nicotine ingestions corresponded with the passage of both state and federal legislation, including the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act of 2015, which required child-resistant packaging of liquid nicotine,” said Gary Smith, MD, DrPH, senior author of the study and director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s. “This suggests that legislation can make a difference. However, despite this improvement, the ingestion rate for liquid nicotine remained higher than the rates for any other nicotine product, which clearly indicates that there are opportunities for further improvement.

    “Many nicotine products are flavored and sold in colorful packaging that may be attractive to a young child,” said Dr. Smith. “Banning flavors in all nicotine products helps reduce unintentional ingestions by young children as well as discourage use among teens.”

    Researchers also shared a few safety tips for parents and caregivers of young children. The safest choice is to keep all nicotine products out of the home. If you choose to have them in your home, you can lower the risk by following these steps:

    • Store nicotine products safely. If these products are kept in the home, store them up, away from food, and out of sight — preferably in a locked cabinet, drawer or box. While storing these products in purses or backpacks is not recommended when you have young children that live in or visit your home, if you are going to keep them in these places, make sure to store the purse/backpack up, away, and out of sight of children. Ask that caregivers around your child do the same in their homes.
    • Avoid using these products in front of children. It is helpful to not use these products in front of your children, especially if packaged to look like treats.
    • Save the national Poison Help Line number (1-800-222-1222) in your phone and post it in a visible place in your home. The Poison Help Line provides free, confidential advice from experts, 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

    Data for this study were obtained from the National Poison Data System (NPDS), which is maintained by America’s Poison Centers. Poison centers receive phone calls through the national Poison Help Line (1-800-222-1222) and document information about the exposure, which is reported to the NPDS.

    Continue Reading

  • Narcotics worth over Rs1 billion in Arabian Sea operation

    Narcotics worth over Rs1 billion in Arabian Sea operation

    KARACHI (Web Desk) – In a major inter-agency operation, the Pakistan Navy (PN), Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), Joint Maritime Information Coordination Centre (JMICC), and the Narcotics Control Wing of the Excise, Taxation & Narcotics Control Department (Sindh) have successfully conducted a joint maritime and intelligence-based operation in the Arabian Sea.

    The coordinated action involved surveillance missions and real-time maritime patrols, which led to the interception of a stateless vessel operating illegally in the region.

    A thorough search of the vessel uncovered over 500 kilograms of narcotics, including hashish and crystal ice (methamphetamine), prepared for illegal distribution.

    Illicit liquor confiscation

    In a separate intelligence-based operation, the agencies also seized a large quantity of illicit liquor concealed onboard another vessel. The confiscated contraband was intended for unlawful circulation.

    The operations were made possible through effective intelligence sharing, seamless coordination, and swift execution by the participating forces.

    Contraband worth over Rs1 billion

    Authorities estimate the total street value of the seized drugs and liquor at more than Rs1 billion.

    The recovered items have been formally handed over to the Excise, Taxation & Narcotics Control Department (Sindh) for further legal proceedings.

    The success of these operations demonstrates the enhanced operational synergy between Pakistan’s maritime and law enforcement agencies. It also reaffirms their joint commitment to combating illicit trade, safeguarding national maritime interests, and contributing to regional stability.


    Related Topics


    Subscribe Dunya News on YouTube

    ‘ ; r_text[1] = ” ; r_text[2] = ” ; r_text[3] = ” ; r_text[4] = ” ; r_text[5] = ” ; r_text[6] = ” ; var i = Math.floor(r_text.length * Math.random()); document.write(r_text[i]);

    Continue Reading

  • Brits clinging to Windows 10 face heightened risk, says NCSC

    Brits clinging to Windows 10 face heightened risk, says NCSC

    The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued a stark warning to Windows 10 users across the nation: prepare to upgrade to Windows 11 now, or face elevated levels of cyber risk in the future as Windows 10 moves into its end-of-life phase.

    The national security body today released updated recommended configuration packs for Windows 10 – part of a set of recommended configurations it maintains for the main operating systems to help organisations rapidly deploy recommended baselines, saving them the bother of evaluating all the security settings themselves.

    The NCSC said that despite its advanced age, the Windows 10 operating system (OS) still has a sizeable user base in the UK and many organisations are hesitant, or outright reticent, to upgrade. For many, said the NCSC, Windows 10 still works for their needs and does not look or feel particularly out of date.

    However, Windows 10 was released in July 2015, and has been Microsoft’s longest-serving flagship OS. With the advent of Windows 11, released in October 2021, it is now approaching the end of the road, and will fall out of support on 14 October 2025.

    In practice, this means that while the software will still function, it will no longer receive any security updates, and nor will Microsoft’s customer service teams be available to provide technical support for it. “Organisations now have just three months to urgently update their devices and hardware before Windows 10 reaches end-of-life status putting their security at greater risk,” said Ollie Whitehouse, chief technical officer at the NCSC.

    “While Windows 10 was released more than a decade ago, it is still used widely by enterprises, and not upgrading is akin to incurring a debt at a high interest rate – with the threat of forced repayment at a future date,” he added.

    “The NCSC implores any organisation that has not already migrated to a more modern system to do so to help address security vulnerabilities in your devices and ensure overall cyber resilience. This is essential as demonstrated by the requirement to maintain supported software in Cyber Essentials.”

    The NCSC said the risks of delaying the upgrade beyond October are manifold. In addition to the difficulties that users will experience from being out of support, outdated systems that are not receiving patches for vulnerabilities will be prime targets for threat actors, as was seen in the WannaCry ransomware incident of 2017 in which unpatched versions of Windows XP were exploited.

    It added that Windows 11 offers significantly enhanced security features through Microsoft’s secure-by-default approach, including several features that had to be manually turned on in Windows 10 but are not automatic – including BitLocker encryption, Virtualisation-Based Security and Secure Launch. Other new cyber features include native passkey management, improvements to the Windows Hello identity and access management service, and changes to how default features like Credential Guard operate.

    Microsoft’s guidance is to install Windows 11 on PCs that meet the system requirements and are eligible to upgrade or consider buying a whole new machine. Those who really need more time before moving to a Copilot+ PC or Windows 11 device can buy access to a 12-month Extended Security Update programme for $30 (approximately £22).

    Continue Reading

  • CJ Yahya Afridi announces free legal aid for low-income litigants

    CJ Yahya Afridi announces free legal aid for low-income litigants

    QUETTA (Dunya News) – Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Yahya Afridi, has announced that all low-income litigants will be provided free legal representation at the state’s expense in every court of the country.

    During his visit to Quetta, the top judge presided over a high-level meeting at the Supreme Court’s Branch Registry.

    The meeting reviewed cooperation and institutional coordination between the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan and bar associations in Balochistan.

    The meeting was attended by Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court Rozi Khan, Supreme Court Bar Association President Mian Muhammad Rauf Atta, representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council, Balochistan Bar Council, Ministry of Law and Justice, Law Commission, and senior officials from the Balochistan government.

    Addressing the participants, Chief Justice Yahya Afridi acknowledged the critical role of bar associations in the justice system.

    He pointed out the lack of effective coordination between district bar associations and the Law Commission, despite the availability of resources which, he noted, have not been optimally used for the betterment of the district judiciary.

    To address this gap, the Chief Justice announced the appointment of a senior representative in each province who will be based at the High Court to maintain direct contact with district bars, identify their priorities, and oversee ongoing development projects.

    He said that bar associations will now be able to propose development plans through District Development Committees. These projects will also involve representatives from federal and provincial development agencies to ensure timely completion and efficient use of resources.

    Justice Afridi urged bar leaders to spread awareness about these reforms and work together in improving the justice system. He also stressed better organization of federal government-provided facilities to ensure their effective use.

    Read also: Chief Justice Yahya Afridi arrives in Quetta on first official visit

    Highlighting the issues faced by underdeveloped districts, he called for targeted action to improve access to basic services, electricity, and digital infrastructure.

    As part of the new initiative, Chief Justice Afridi announced that lawyers providing legal aid to low-income litigants will be compensated up to Rs50,000 through district legal empowerment committees. Bar associations will be authorized to nominate eligible lawyers for each court.

    He further encouraged bar members to participate in the Federal Judicial Academy’s Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs and instructed that the training schedule be widely shared.

    Focal persons from bar associations will also be nominated to maintain regular communication with the Academy.


    Related Topics


    Subscribe Dunya News on YouTube

    ‘ ; r_text[1] = ” ; r_text[2] = ” ; r_text[3] = ” ; r_text[4] = ” ; r_text[5] = ” ; r_text[6] = ” ; var i = Math.floor(r_text.length * Math.random()); document.write(r_text[i]);

    Continue Reading

  • Every Best Buy store will have Nintendo Switch 2 consoles on July 17th

    Every Best Buy store will have Nintendo Switch 2 consoles on July 17th

    It’s been over a month since the Switch 2’s record-breaking launch, and the console is becoming easier to get with each restock. However, if you’ve been waiting for the launch of Donkey Kong Bananza to buy one, Best Buy sneakily announced that its next in-store restock will happen Thursday, July 17th, the game’s launch day. Every Best Buy location will have consoles in stock.

    Best Buy’s in-store restock announcement doesn’t mention whether both the standalone console ($449.99) and Mario Kart World bundle ($499.99) will be available, or if one will be available in higher quantities than the other. It only states that stores will have “limited quantities.” We’ve reached out to Best Buy for more specific information, and we’ll update this story if we receive a response.

    Continue Reading

  • Preview, schedule, where to watch

    Preview, schedule, where to watch

    2025 Equestrian Jumping European Championship: athletes to watch

    With 18 nations in the team competition and only three medals up for grabs, the margins in Casas Novas will be razor-thin.

    Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat is the man everyone will be chasing. The reigning European champion and Paris 2024 individual silver medallist made history in 2023 with the lowest score ever recorded at a European final (in show jumping, a lower score means fewer mistakes). Now ranked sixth in the world, he returns with Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte, aiming to add yet another gold to a career already sparkling with Olympic and team titles.

    On his heels are German powerhouses Christian Kukuk, the Olympic champion in Paris 2024, and teammate Richard Vogel, riding United Touch, a pair that’s already tasted victory on Spanish soil at the Nations Cup Final in Barcelona. Ranked fourth and tenth in the world, respectively, Kukuk and Vogel headline a team targeting both individual and team podiums, despite narrowly missing out at their home event in CHIO Aachen last week. Kukuk, Vogel, and fellow teammate Sophie Hinners all reached the jump-off in the Grand Prix, though minor faults kept them outside the top five. Still, the consistency is there, and expectations are high.

    Guerdat’s compatriot Martin Fuchs, the 2019 European champion and current world number seven, arrives with momentum after his recent victory at the 2025 Grand Prix in CHIO Aachen. He’ll be riding Conner Jei, the horse he hopes will carry him to a sixth European Championship medal.

    Also riding a wave of success is Great Britain’s Ben Maher on Point Break, the highest-ranked rider in the field at world number two. Already a European silver medallist and Olympic champion, Maher comes into A Coruña in top form after a win in Aachen and is hungry for that elusive continental gold. Alongside him, teammate Scott Brash adds further depth to the already impressive British squad.

    From across the Irish Sea, Team Ireland brings serious firepower with four riders ranked inside the world’s top 20. Cian O’Connor, an Olympic bronze medallist, leads a team full of Olympians, including Daniel Coyle, Darragh Kenny, and Bertram Allen, all strong contenders capable of delivering clean rounds when it counts.

    France’s fan favourite, Julien Épaillard, fast, fearless, and fresh off a World Cup Finals win in Basel with his horse Donatello d’Auge, returns to Casas Novas as a serious podium contender. Belgium, too, arrives with a well-rounded squad featuring the likes of Gilles Thomas, Pieter Devos, Nicola Philippaerts, and Thibault Spits, a mix of seasoned competitors that could shake things up in both the individual and team standings.

    Spain’s top medal hope lies with Mariano Martínez Bastida, a speedy and stylish rider known for thrilling the home crowd. Meanwhile, Dutch fan favourite Maikel van der Vleuten arrives with serious championship pedigree, including two Olympic bronzes and a team silver, and rising star Kim Emmen hopes to continue to make waves on the international stage.

    Sweden may be without their biggest names, Henrik von Eckermann, Peder Fredricson, and Malin Baryard-Johnsson, but don’t count them out just yet. In a surprise move, Chef d’Equipe Henrik Ankarcrona has opted to field an all-women’s team in A Coruña to give more riders valuable championship experience ahead of next year’s Olympic qualifier. The defending team champions will now be led by Petronella Andersson and Wilma Hellström, with Amanda Landeblad, Erika Lickhammer, and Angelie von Essen rounding out the line-up.

    With team medals decided on Friday and the individual title on Sunday, consistency across all rounds will be key for those looking to leave A Coruña with gold around their necks.

    Continue Reading

  • A lawsuit against Tesla and its driver-assistance technology goes to trial in Florida

    A lawsuit against Tesla and its driver-assistance technology goes to trial in Florida

    George McGee was behind the wheel of his Tesla Model S in April 2019 when the car sped through a T intersection near Key Largo, Fla., crashing into a parked SUV at more than 50 miles per hour.

    “I was driving, I dropped my phone, and looked down,” McGee told police at the scene. “I ran the stop sign and hit the guy’s car.”

    Before the crash, McGee had engaged the system that Tesla calls Autopilot, which can steer, brake and accelerate the car on its own.

    But that didn’t stop the Tesla from slamming into the parked Chevrolet Tahoe. The impact of the crash killed 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon, who had been standing next to the parked SUV with Dillon Angulo. Angulo was severely injured, while Benavides’ body was found about 75 feet away.

    More than six years later, a lawsuit brought by Angulo and the Benavides family is set for a federal jury trial starting Monday in Miami. The plaintiffs have already reached a settlement with the driver.

    This is one of many lawsuits against Tesla that question the safety of the company’s driver-assistance systems and accuse the company of exaggerating their capabilities. But few of these cases have actually gone to trial, with Tesla often settling claims outside the courtroom.

    An undated family photo of Naibel Benavides Leon, who was 22 years old when she was killed in the 2019 crash.


    / Courtesy of Benavides family


    Courtesy of Benavides family

    Tesla insists its cars are safe as long as drivers remain attentive. When used correctly, the company argues, its driver-assistance technology is preventing crashes and saving lives.

    Federal safety regulators have opened multiple investigations into Tesla’s driver-assistance systems, including Autopilot and a more sophisticated system known as Full Self-Driving (Supervised).

    Lawyers for the plaintiffs accuse the company of overpromising what its technology can do in order to sell cars.

    “Tesla advertised Autopilot in a way that greatly exaggerated its capabilities and hid its deficiencies,” they say in court filings, “encouraging Tesla drivers to over-rely on its Autopilot system.”

    Tesla denies that allegation.

    The company’s website warns that Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) are “intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable over time, the currently enabled features do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

    But Tesla has also made bolder claims about what its technology can do. In 2016, the company posted a video of what appears to be a car equipped with Autopilot driving on its own.

    “The person in the driver’s seat is only there for legal reasons,” reads a caption that flashes at the beginning of the video. “He is not doing anything. The car is driving itself.” (Six years later, a senior Tesla engineer conceded as part of a separate lawsuit that the video was staged and did not represent the true capabilities of the car.)

    Tesla’s lawyers asked a federal judge to dismiss the wrongful death lawsuit filed after the 2019 crash in Florida. But U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom denied their request.

    In allowing the case to proceed, Bloom wrote that “a reasonable jury could find that Tesla acted in reckless disregard of human life for the sake of developing their product and maximizing profit.”

    Tesla did not reply to NPR’s request for a comment.

    But the company has discussed the incident on X, the social media platform owned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. In a post from 2023, the company says that the driver of the car, George McGee, has acknowledged responsibility for the crash. And the company defended its driver-assistance systems.

    “The data strongly indicates our customers are far safer by having the choice to decide when it is appropriate to engage Autopilot features. When used properly, it provides safety benefits on all road classes,” the company wrote.

    Musk has publicly defended Tesla’s safety record too.

    “Human driving is not perfect,” Musk said at a shareholder meeting last June, noting that roughly 40,000 people are killed every year on U.S. roadways. “What matters is, like, are we making that number smaller? And as long as we’re making that number smaller, we’re doing the right thing,” Musk said.

    Lawyers for the plaintiffs in the Florida case also accuse Tesla of withholding data produced by the Tesla Model S during the crash, which the company denies.

    “Tesla’s had this data all along,” they told the judge last year, “and they have engaged in a scheme to hide it from us.”

    A lawyer for Tesla denied that, telling the court that the company was not deliberately concealing data from the plaintiffs.

    The jury trial is scheduled to last three weeks.

    Copyright 2025 NPR


    Continue Reading

  • Revamped Federal Constabulary not a police force, state minister Talal Chaudhry clarifies – Pakistan

    Revamped Federal Constabulary not a police force, state minister Talal Chaudhry clarifies – Pakistan

    Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhary on Monday stressed that the revamped Federal Constabulary (FC) was not a police force.

    President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday promulgated an ordinance empowering the federal government to transform the FC, a border security force, into the Federal Constabulary to maintain law and order, supplement the law enforcement agencies, and address the diverse security needs in a coordinated manner.

    According to the ordinance, the Frontier Consta­bulary was originally established to maintain law and order in frontier and border areas, ensuring the security of these critical regions, and preserving public peace in remote territories. However, the changing dynamics of national security, the increasing frequency of emergencies, natural disasters, civil unrest, and other emerging threats necessitated a more adaptable and versatile force to respond to such challenges.

    Before this ordinance, the use of force by the government for VIP security often attracted criticism, but now, under the name of protecting “escort”, the force can be freely used for the personal security of the elite.

    Addressing a press conference today in Faisalabad with FC Commandant Riaz Nazir Gara, Chaudhry said: “The Federal Constabulary will be the Federal Constabulary. No one should confuse it with the federal police.”

    He said the Frontier Constabulary was being restructured and renamed only to bolster internal and national security. The minister said that the revamping was an institutional necessity to improve coordination, compensation and capability of this force across all provinces and territories.

    “It is purely a defence-related issue to strengthen national defence by providing support to the law enforcement agencies,” he added.

    He said that the FC had played a pivotal role in maintaining peace and security within the country and along its borders for nearly a century, yet the force was not accorded the recognition and benefits comparable to other security forces in Pakistan.

    He lamented that despite limited salaries and fewer privileges, FC personnel had consistently served the nation with unwavering dedication.

    “Now, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi have decided to transform FC into a federal force to address the disparity with upgraded structure and scope under the new name of Federal Constabulary,” he added.

    He clarified that while the name was being changed, the identity and core function of the FC as a constabulary remained intact. “The restructuring would help ensure that its personnel receive salaries, training and benefits equal to those of other national security forces,” he added.

    He said that the FC had a long role in combatting drug trafficking, smuggling and supporting civil law enforcement agencies during sensitive events such as Muharram, elections and anti-polio campaigns.

    “Now it will continue to carry out these responsibilities under its new federal framework,” he added.

    Chaudhry said that with the reorganisation, the jurisdiction of the Federal Constabulary would be expanded to include all four provinces as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir.

    He said that recruitment would be opened to all citizens from across the country and the federal government would bear all operational and financial responsibilities, relieving the provinces of any budgetary burden.

    The development prompted concern among opposition parties and human rights groups that it could be used as a tool of political repression.

    The announcement came after the PTI said it would stage nationwide protests starting on August 5, the second anniversary of party founder Imran Khan’s arrest. Several such protests since his August 2023 arrest have turned violent, in some cases paralysing the capital Islamabad for days.

    PTI leader Zulfikar Bukhari said the changes should be subject to parliamentary discussion.

    The new force “should not be used as a gimmick to silence political opponents, as has been previously witnessed when the government applied such laws against a large number of the PTI leadership and supporters”, he said.

    His concern was echoed by Haris Khalique, secretary of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

    “We are alarmed by the changes being made to the security and law enforcement structure of the country without any debate in parliament,” Khalique said.

    Continue Reading