By Neelum Wali The word COVID-19 stands for coronavirus disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”. COVID-19 is linked to the family of viruses as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Different viruses are given their names according to their genetic structure. The virus was named as SARS-CoV-2 on February 11, 2020, due to its genetic …

By Ashiq Ali Broghil, the most neglected valley in Hindu Kush Mountains, need government attention The Pamiri Wakhi people live in the remotest and mountainous regions around Pamir Knot in four countries of High Asia — Afghanistan, China, Tajikistan and Pakistan. In Pakistan the Wakhi people live in three regions – Chitral’s Broghil Valley in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Hunza District’s Gojal Sub-Division, …

Mushtaq Ahmad There is a long history of global pandemic and epidemics, but there is also evidence that all these have been challenged by man. Consequently, there have been great losses of human lives coupled with social and economic vicissitudes as well. At the same time, every major crisis brings opportunities to rethink our systems and make them stronger to future …

Global community unites to celebrate “tourism and rural development” High Asia Herald Report Summer holidays used to be the peak season in Gilgit-Baltistan. file photo The 2020 edition of World Tourism Day, with the theme of “Tourism and Rural Development”, celebrates the unique role that tourism plays in providing opportunities outside of big cities and preserving cultural and natural heritage all …

$6.5m Third-Party Verification Immunization Coverage Survey was conducted to assess gaps and bottlenecks in Pakistan’s immunization programme High Asia Herald Report Islamabad:  Health experts and researchers have expressed concern at the prevalence of poliovirus in Pakistan and called for enhanced efforts to strengthen immunization coverage. Participants at the launch of the Third Party Verification of Immunization Coverage Survey in Islamabad. …

High Asia Herald Report Islamabad: The office-bearers of Pakistan Optometry and Vision Sciences Association (POVSA) and Pakistan Optometric Society (POS) have demanded a separate regulatory body for the profession to deal with this cadre. They have proposed the nomenclature of the proposed body as Pakistan Optometry and Vision Sciences Council. In a joint statement the POS Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa President Hanifur Rahman …

by Dr Aziz Baig The Coronavirus, perhaps the deadliest in the last century that surfaced in Wuhan city of China in November 2019, has now spread to about 188 countries of the world affecting over 27 million people and claiming over 0.8 million lives. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it pandemic on March 11, 2020. In Pakistan, the first two cases of COVID-19 …

GB students are struggling to remain connected with digital world By Ramish KhanThere seems to be no one to understand the traumatic situation the students like me have been passing through for the last three months. If I start to jot down the stressful moments I have been through and how badly I have lost my mental peace, it will …

Covid-19 has exposed the myth of neoliberal free-market economic model Herald Report The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the world is at breaking point, and the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the free market and deep divisions in society, calling for a new global deal to combat climate change, forced migration, diseases, patriarchy and racism. Inequality, an issue …

News Desk Shirin Nazirmadova, a doctor from southern Tajikistan, has been saving for years to afford the hajj pilgrimage that all able Muslims are required to make once in their lives. But like millions of others, Nazirmadova’s dream journey of a lifetime was shattered when Saudi Arabia decided last month to bar international visitors from making the pilgrimage this year …

By Wajidul Islam   The National Finance Commission (NFC) is a resource-sharing mechanism between the federal government and federating units. It was constituted under Article 160(1) of the 1973 Constitution. It is mandatory to constitute and hold the NFC meeting in every five consecutive years. The purpose of the award is to review the collection of revenues by the Centre …

YDA demands protection from hooligans and corona and provision of facilities at hospitals Herald Report GILGIT: Doctors and paramedical staff have threatened to suspend emergency services at the Provincial Headquarters (PHQ) Hospital in protest against rising incidents of violence against health workers as well as lack of facilities in hospitals. We will not resume emergency services until and unless our …

Naba Basar discovers the secrets of healthy, organic and innovative mountain cuisine from Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral. She shares her experiences of the mountain regions adventure, hospitality, social customs, lifestyle in a series of features for The High Asia Herald readers. Chilpindok – large chapattis spread with pai, homemade yogurt and qurut dried yugart and butter/apricot oil, stacked in piles. It …

Naba Basar discovers the secrets of healthy, organic and innovative mountain cuisine from Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral. She shares her experiences of the mountain regions adventure, hospitality, social customs, lifestyle in a series of features for The High Asia Herald readers. Soups   Don’t expect to find the Chinese soups you are accustomed to in cities. You may or may not …

Agricultural village in Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Photo by Christopher Wilton-Steer/UCA Herald Report In Pamir mountains of High Asia region with limited agricultural lands, rugged topography, and large gradients, the preservation of agrobiodiversity and an appreciation of traditional knowledge about food systems are essential ingredients of a sustainable future. Hence the University of Central Asia’s Mountain Societies Research Institute (MSRI) has begun …