Express Tribune Editorials 21st September 2026

Asiad opens

For Pakistan, the 20th Asian Games have begun with expectations that are considerably more modest than the size of the contingent might suggest. As athletes from 45 countries and regions gather in Nagoya, Japan, for competition across 43 sports, Pakistan has entered 23 disciplines. Yet after years of declining results, we must ask where the country can realistically challenge for medals.

All eyes, inevitably, will be on Arshad Nadeem. The Olympic champion remains Pakistan's biggest individual sporting name, and the javelin remains the clearest opportunity for a gold medal. But expectations must be tempered by his recent form. Arshad finished fifth at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship last week with 81.49 metres, while Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won with a remarkable 91.09m. The two are expected to renew their contest in Nagoya, with the javelin final scheduled for September 28. Squash may offer another meaningful opportunity. Noor Zaman, one of Pakistan's flag-bearers, enters the men's singles as the third seed and has already won the Under-23 World Championship. He and Ashab Irfan represent a younger generation trying to restore a sporting glory. Hockey remains another traditional medal prospect, although Pakistan's 11th-place finish at the recent World Cup is disappointing. The team has nevertheless targeted a place in the Asian Games final. Cricket has already delivered one disappointment. Pakistan's women defeated Thailand in the quarter-final but were eliminated by Sri Lanka in Sunday's semi-final. The green caps will now play the bronze-medal match on September 22.

At Hangzhou in 2023, Pakistan won only three medals, compared with four in 2018 and a far richer haul in earlier editions. Funding, preparation, coaching, facilities and international exposure remain recurring weaknesses. Even for these Games, reports have highlighted concerns over delayed preparations and questions about financial support for athletes. That is perhaps the most useful way to view these Games.

Fight against polio

The K-P government's anti-polio campaign, involving 35,000 personnel, needs strong support. The week-long drive, set to begin today, aims to reach 7.3 million children to administer polio drops. The focus, however, remains on merged districts and areas deeply impacted by lawlessness. Paramedics and volunteers must be respected and supported in their work, as their goal is to free society and newborns from the permanent disability caused by the virus. Peers, religious scholars - especially those in mosques - and teachers have a vital role to play by extending their support to immunisation campaigns and not being swayed by illogical assumptions.

Pakistan has been deeply engaged in the fight against poliovirus since the 1970s. The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, launched in 1994 with the WHO on board, boasts a sizeable team of 339,521 trained and dedicated frontline workers, making it the largest network of its kind in the world. This new drive comes on the heels of three special campaigns conducted over the past three months in Upper South Waziristan, Lower South Waziristan, North Waziristan and Bannu. It is highly commendable that the provincial government, despite its limited resources, has successfully recruited and deployed 2,400 doctors across 72 remote hospitals to provide free medical coverage, which includes routine immunisation.

Yet, it remains a matter of grave concern that despite these utmost efforts and extensive international assistance, Pakistan is one of only two countries, alongside Afghanistan, where the virus remains endemic. In 2026, four polio cases have been reported so far, primarily from the vulnerable districts of K-P. It is deeply worrisome that a section of society still views the vaccine as a conspiracy against their children, remaining trapped in unfounded misconceptions and keeping their wards away from compulsory vaccination. This alarming situation necessitates a complete policy overhaul to ensure healthcare workers can safely reach every child and that immunisation campaigns are free from societal resistance.

Closing the gender gap

Sindh's first Gender Parity Report is useful precisely because it makes the province's gender divide difficult to obscure. Female literacy stands at 47% against 68% for men, falling to just 27% among rural women. More than 4.08 million girls between five and 16 are out of school. Women constitute only 4.34% of the police force, 18.3% of prosecutors and 13.7% of judges. The report also records 3,085 cases of gender-based violence in 2024.

There has been progress, particularly in maternal health and political participation. Maternal mortality has fallen from 314 to 224 deaths per 100,000 live births, while the number of women contesting general elections increased from 23 in 2018 to 53 in 2024. These improvements deserve recognition. But they also demonstrate why the government must resist the temptation to regard isolated gains as evidence that the broader problem is being solved. A girl who never enters school is less likely to acquire skills, enter formal employment, control an income or participate in public life. The World Bank has similarly identified rural girls as particularly vulnerable to dropping out and argues that improving their enrolment and retention requires interventions addressing several barriers at once. This is why simply announcing more schemes will not be enough. The government needs to make the gender report an accountability instrument. Every department should be given measurable targets. Education should receive the immediate focus. The millions of girls outside school cannot be reached through conventional enrolment drives alone.

The government must also stop treating women's economic participation simply as a matter of employment numbers. Access to skills and essential services determines whether women can enter better-paid and more secure work. Sindh already knows where the gaps are. What is required now is the political and administrative discipline.