Dawood Public School sealed after seizing sex-related literature

On the directives of senior minister for education and literacy Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, director private schools Mansoob Siddiqui and coordinator Naved Zuberi raided the Dawood Public School in Sharafabad Karachi, sealing it after impounding immoral, un-Islamic sex education books and literature.

The minister had ordered taking notice of complaints against it. The raid team after recovery of immoral, un-Islamic sex education books and literature from the school decided to seal it till inquiry report in this regard.

Provincial education minister also took serious notice of introducing disputed textbook and curriculum in school without approval. He said some private schools are teaching immoral books in their schools and the government is mulling over to cancel their registration as per laws and rules.

City nazim on CNG bus trip with citizens

Passengers of CNG buses have lauded newly plied CNG buses that are being operated on two routes. The passengers have also offered their gratitude to the City Nazim Mustafa Kamal for his efforts to change the repugnant transport culture that has been tormenting millions of passengers, particularly women.

The passengers expressed these views while they found Kamal was travelling with them as a passenger early morning on Saturday.

After attending a ceremony held for distribution of certificates among CNG bus drivers on completion of their training at Surjani CNG Bus terminal on Saturday, he decided to oversee the experience personally. He bought tickets from a local boot and got on the bus. The passengers recognised him and interacted with him liberally. The best part of the new transport system is that there are no bus conductors, while the drivers are educated and behave modestly. There is no violation of traffic rules and regulations and the bus stops only on the prescribed stops throughout the trip, commented a passenger.

We have learned it is useless to ask the drivers for favours such as making a stop, which is not prescribed because it is contrary to the preset guidelines by the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) and Capital City Traffic Police Department, claimed many others.

However, a few of the passengers said that the existing number of CNG buses available to the citizens were less than one percent of the citizens’ needs while there are hundreds of routes in the city where the same operations are required on priority basis. It is also important that the CDGK has assured not to lay burden on citizens by increasing transport tariff once for every quarter. These buses are environment-friendly and comfortable.

Kamal said that he had dreamt of introducing a benevolent and civilised transport culture in the city and he has started it by launching ‘CNG Bus Pilot Project’ with 50 vehicles.

With the induction of further 1,600 CNG buses, the fate of the city would become more promising because the existing rotten transport culture would be entirely replaced because citizens of this mega city deserve facilities as per international standards, he commented.

A handful of notorious elements have tried to terrify the passengers of the CNG bus service as they had attempted to set ablaze and destroy some CNG buses. It is a clear message for such elements that they should not challenge the writ of the government, he warned. This transport service is launched with no u-turn and the fleet would be increased according to the needs of the citizens, he vowed. Kamal said that around 80 citizens can travel at a time.

Altaf challenges constitutional experts for debate on Article 6

Chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain has said that he is ready to debate on any TV channel with all the constitutional experts who demand trial of former President General Pervez Musharraf under Article 6.
In a telephone address to a convention of Local Government representatives at Pakka Qila grounds in Hyderabad city under the auspices of MQM, the party chief said: If the constitutional experts succeed in defeating me, then I will not continue with my present stance. However, if they fail to defeat me, then they should desist from misleading the public about the issue.
He also asked: If Musharraf’s action on 3 November 2007 was wrong, then under which Quranic verse or constitutional clause is the action of 12 October 1999 being held legitimate? “The honorable judges who refused to take oath under the PCO on the 12th October 1999 must not support those who issue wrong statements or make wrong demands”, Altaf advised.
Chief of MQM raising an important issue of trial and punishment pointed out that: The country’s law and justice demands that punishment must be given not only to a single person who commits a crime but that those persons involved as supporters and partners in that crime must also be punished.
Altaf Hussain further said: Today, all the people throughout Pakistan are now demanding that the present Local Government system must not be terminated, but must be continued so that democracy is promoted and the undemocratic sphere of politics owned by a few families be terminated forthwith.
He further reasoned that: If the government or opponents feel there were some wrongs in the system, the same must definitely be removed, and we will not have any objections against it, but the system must not be terminated. (NC Report)

Energy crisis biggest problem for Pakistan: Holbrooke

Visiting United States Special Envoy for Pakistan & Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke says the biggest problem for people of Pakistan is ``energy crisis’’ and assured U.S. help for solving it.
U.S. Secretary of State Ms Hilary Clinton will visit Pakistan in next six weeks, he said in separate meetings with Governor, Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad, members of Cabinet, an MQM delegation led by Federal Minister, Dr. Farooq Sattar, industrialists, businessmen intellectuals, educationists, bankers, legal experts yesterday at Governor House.
Holbrooke lauded development projects carried out in which City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal’s performance was appreciable. He said U.S. will take special interest and assist in solving power crisis in Karachi. Holbrooke viewed with concern a recent survey which said that people of Pakistan had ``negative thinking about the US’’ and felt over past decades U.S. had provided lot of aid to Pakistan and wants to provide more aid and enhance bilateral cooperation.
U.S. Envoy said mother of President Barrack Obama had stayed at a village near Lahore; President Obama visited Pakistan in 1980s, enjoys Pakistani dishes and appointed him (Holbrooke) as Special Envoy to Pakistan he has visited five times in last six months.
Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad said coalition parties in Sindh government were progressive and moderate. The overall development and stability of Karachi is development and stability of entire country, he observed.
Senior Minister Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq representing Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said thanked U.S. for providing assistance to Pakistan. He said coalition government in Sindh was working satisfactorily. PPP and MQM were liberal parties and under guidance of Governor Issues were resolved amicably.
MQM delegation led by Dr Farooq Sattar included Federal Minister Babar Ghauri, Provincial Ministers Raza Haroon, Dr. Saghir Ahmed, Sardar Ahmed and Mustafa Kamal. US Ambassador, Anne Patterson and US under Secretary Juditch Mchale were also present during these meetings. (NC)

Disabled Welfare Association (DWA)

Association's Introduction

We are please to introduce our organization M/s Disabled Welfare Association (DWA) situated in the heart of Karachi on M. A. Jinnah Road at No.42 Al-Amna Plaza, duly headed by a team of truly committed and devoted individuals, DWA has come a long way since its establishment in 2000. Practically all those involved with DWA are true workers of the society, who have chosen this difficult path on their own to fight for the various causes and welfare of the disabled community, not only in our beloved city of Karachi, but are now on our way of expanding our services to other towns and cities of Sindh.

With Mr. Jawed Raees as DWA's founder President, and his team of committed volunteers, the DWA has made significant strides in promoting, raising as well as accomplishing at least some of the goals, for which the DWA was first established some 6 years ago.

Our Aim is to build “inclusive, barrier free and right base society” for all (UNESCAPE)

Our Objectives May we point out that some of the most important objectives and goals which we have chosen to pursue for the benefit and welfare of the disabled community include:

Obtain due rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)
Promote Independent Life concept in PWDs
Working for accessible environment such as ramps, accessible transport etc.,
Poverty alleviation by promoting self-employment, financial support, and loans
Work for inclusive society by participating mainstream events
Provide medical and physical rehabilitation
Provision of assistive devices such as wheelchairs, tricycle, crotches, and accessible motor bikes
Expanding recreation and sport facilities for PWDs
Accomplishments: In our endeavors to fight and raise vital and crucial issues pertaining to the disabled community, the Disabled Welfare Association (DWA) has Alhamdo-Lillah made significant accomplishments, that you can observe in the our activites section.

Founder & President of DWA Mr. Javed Rais
Mr. Javed Rais was born in 1976 in Tando Adam district Sanghar a small town of sindh. He contacted with Polio on very early age but with exercises and self confidence he can walk without any assistive device. At the age of 7 year he moved to Karachi with his family and joined Fatima primary school. Later he moved to boys’ secondary school, New Area and passed his F.A exams from Urdu college in 1994.

Being from a middle class family, rural background and having congenital deformity of one limb he experienced difficulties faced by a person with disability. This makes him realize that there are a lot to do for the betterment in the life of disabled persons. In child hood he liked to take part in social activites, and was always eager to extend a little helping hands to support others.

He observed that most of the organizations working for disabled persons are managed by non-disabled persons, and their base for work is “pity for disabled persons”. However being a disabled person Mr. Javed never likes this practice and he knows the hidden talent of disabled persons, and he believe on equal right and independent life for disabled persons.

From 1994 till 1999 he keeps himself busy in social work at individual level. As he was an active social worker, many and many disabled persons were contacting him for support, and he realized that he can not do a lot at individual level, and he needs a team to work for persons with disabilities. Therefore in 2000 he established an organization for the welfare of PWDs and named it Disabled Welfare Association (DWA). As believing in Impowerment of PWDs he got success to obtain government job at NADRA in 1999. In 2004 he decided to dedicate his life for disability movement and resigned from the government job and became a full time comarade of disability movement.

He experienced life as a middle class person with disability. He traveled in public transport, and he faced the behavior of bus drivers and mainstream society in public transport. Since then moving around independently and with ease was his dream.

Under the leadership of Mr. Javed Rais DWA become very popular in Karachi city, and PWDs from rural Sindh also start contacting him. In 2003 he registered DWA with social welfare department and get tax exempted from income tax. Now he expands his horizon to rural Sindh Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Larkana, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas etc. His tireless efforts gave a new hope to disabled persons in all over Sindh.

DWA was working well, from annual giveaways in the form of eatables, clothing, cash, wheel-chairs, medicines, to the regular awareness rising programs, walks, demonstration, and many other activities. But for Mr. Javed Rais, these things though were great but not a “life chaining”, his dream of “moving around independently and with ease” was still a dream and he knows without having independency in mobility physically challenged persons can not achieve a lot.

He often thinks about his dream, he done a personal research too that proved mobility is the most import need of physically challenged persons. DWA was raising fast but still lack of funds not allows it to launch any expensive project. In 2005 World Bank announce support for innovative project for disabled persons. And Mr. Rais submitted his dream project “mobility” with the hope to win grant from World Bank, and the dream come true when his project got selected for grant out of 220 applied projects.

Now Mr. Javed Rais is happily working hard for his dream project. His specially designed “accessible motorbike” is mobilizing the physically challenged persons, enabling the disabled, and his dream of moving around independently and with ease become true, not only for himself but for many other PWDs who he provided accessible bike. These accessible bikes not only let them move independently but also bringing a mean of earning as many of them use it for business or for self-employment activities.

Today Mr. Javed’s name is equally known in the NGOs’ circle of Pakistan, as well as in International NGOs. And his organization has become a trusted NGO just in a few years. This show his ability, dedication and leadership. Now he is working for “total independent life”, he sighted a new dream of equality, he demand equal right not pity for persons with disabilities. You can watch him on various TV channels, and in news papers with PWDs members, fighting for rights of PWDs.

We at the DWA pray for continuous good health and success for our president Mr. Javed’s endeavors and his projects for the community of disabled persons. Ameen

You can contact him at or call him on his cell number # 03009277998 he is always available for the cause of disabled persons.

Comments from Ms. Rehana Saif, EDO community development City District Govt. Karachi
"I am very much inspired and admire the efforts of the office bearers of Disabled welfare Association as they are working and enabling the disabled persons, making them mobile to engage them to get the earning themselves and their families. I on behalf of CDGK ensure to help and coordinate in this struggle".

Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases

The Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases (KIHD), is located in Block-16,Federal B Area,Karachi, became functional on June 3, 2005. It is the second cardiac care facility of the metropolis after the National Institute of Cardio Vascular Diseases (NICVD). The institute, having 120 beds, would initially have an outpatient department (OPD).

Departments and Facilities
Orthopaedic Surgery Vascular Surgery Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Heart Transplant Neurosurgery Radiology Pulmonary and criticle care Medicine General, Vascular & Laprascopic Surgery Cronic Care Unit(CCU) & Intensive Care Unit(ICU) Pathology Pediatric Surgery


Emergency
The emergency of KIHD is 20 bedded and can be extended up to 25 beds. It is a large spacious hall equipped with state of the art equipment. All the beds have ECG & BP monitors (Welch Allyn, USA), central oxygen & suction, computerized ECG machines, Defibrillator (Life Pack-20, Medtronic,
USA) with external pace maker are also available. There is a separate area for female patients.
The emergency will work round the clock. The medical and paramedical staffs are posted in 3 shifts.

CCU
The coronary care unit of KIHD is a 20 bedded unit. The CCU is also equipped with state of the art equipments. All the beds have ECG & BP monitors (Welch Allyn, USA) with some other parameters and are connected with the 3 central monitors (Welch Allyn, USA) at the nursing station.
There are central oxygen and suction lines, ECG Machines (Mortare,USA), Defibrillators (Life Pack-20, Medtronic,USA) with external pace makers and ventilators (Viasys Health Care- Bird, USA) besides other routine patient care facilities.


OPD
Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases is the first institute of cardiology of Pakistan providing separate OPD facilities for male and female patients. The entire staff of female OPD including doctors, technicians and nursing staff will be female. Both the male and female OPDs have large waiting areas, doctor’s rooms, consultant's room, ECG rooms, ETT and Echo facilities separately.

Wards
There are 3 wards each with 20 beds, Male ward I and male ward II and one ward for female patients. The private ward has 20 rooms. Each ward has been provided with ECG machine, Defibrillator with external pacemaker and other equipments.


DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES

ECG
The ECG system is of Mortara, USA providing multichannel ECG connected with a centralized computer system and accessories at predefined PC bases stations.


Laboratory
The Institute has a fully automated and computerize laboratory which is 4 working under the supervision of a Consultant Pathologist and qualified and trained staff. The laboratory is equipped with the following equipments:
• Chemistry Analyzer automatic - Selectra E (Netherlands)
• Chemistry Analyzer Semiautomatic - Microlab-300 (Netherlands)
• Electrolyte Analyzer - Beckman Coulter EL-ISE (USA)
• Hematology Analyzer - Beckman Coulter ACT-18 Channel (USA)
• Cougulometer - Sysmex CA-50 (Japan)
• Urine Analyzer- Urykon 300 (Germany)
• Microscope -MC-200 A, Micron (Austria)
• Sterlizer (Hot air/ oven) ED-53, Binder (Germany)
And other necessary equipments.


X-Ray
The x-ray department of the institute works under the supervision of a consultant radiologist. It is equipped with;
• High frequency C-Arm with fluoroscopy.
• X-Ray Machine 500 mA
• Mobile X-Ray with 100 mA
• Automatic X-ray film processor.


ETT Lab
There are four ETT machines, one for male OPD and other for female OPD. These ETT machines are fully computerized; one is Aspel and the other are Schiller ETT Systems. The ETT labs are equipped with all the necessary equipments including defibrillators and emergency resuscitation facilities. The ETT labs will function under the supervision of a trained Registrar and experienced technician.



Echocardiography
There are three Echo machines, one for male OPD and one for female OPD and one for paediatric OPD. These are the latest version of Toshiba Nemio 35, Xorio. The Echo lab has facilities for trans esophageal echo and stress echo also. This will function under the supervision of qualified and experienced staff. All the reports will be reviewed by a consultant before final reports are issued.


Ambulatory ECG & BP Lab
The ambulatory BP monitoring and ambulatory ECG (Holter) monitoring lab of the institute is fully equipped with latest equipment in the field. The system is fully computerized and both the systems are of Schillar.


Cath Lab
The cath lab is equipped with two latest versions of Toshiba Angiography machine (Infinix -CSi) with all accessories, including physiological monitoring system (Pruka MacLa-2000 GE, USA) and electronic injector. There is a recovery room of 3 beds attached with the Cath lab equipped with invasive monitoring system, ventilator and defibrillator.

Arrival of International Lions director Naresh Agarwal at Karachi

Govt asks traders to sell sugar at Rs50/kg

In the aftermath of a crackdown against sugar hoarders, Sindh government and City District
Government of Karachi have asked the wholesalers traders of sugar to supply the white sweetener at Rs48-per
kg while the retail price of the commodity should be Rs50-per kg.
The traders and mills owners have limited the supply of white sweetener in market, resulting in highest ever
increase in the prices of commodity to Rs54-per kg at retail market in the country.
While, the shortage of commodity in wholesale market also been reported in the country.
The artificial shortage of commodity has caused heated debate in Lower House of the Parliament, where
treasury and opposition benches levelled allegations against each other for hoarding.
Due to debate in National Assembly and crackdown against the hoarders’ mafia in Punjab, the Sindh Chief
Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Sunday directed the concerned administration to take action against the
traders involved in the hoarding in the province.
Sindh CM has also issued directives for ensuring supply of the sugar in market at reasonable price.
Meanwhile, a sugar broker Haji Siddique told The Nation that CDGK conducted a meeting of wholesalers, sugar
traders and sugar brokers to ensure the smooth supply of commodity on reasonable price in the City.
The CDGK officials issued directives to the concerned stakeholders to supply sugar at the price of Rs48 per kg
and Rs50 per kg in wholesale and retail markets respectively, he confirmed, adding that CDGK also instructed
for smooth supply of commodity during the holy month of Ramadan.
Dispelling the impression of shortage of sugar, Siddique said that sufficient stocks were available with the
traders, markets and private sector. “If smooth supply of sugar continued, the sugar brokers will supply the

Lyari residents protest Rehman Dakait's killing

Thousands of people from Lyari gathered to protest the killing of Rehman Dakait Sunday in a massive rally that went from Pakistan Chowk to the Karachi Press Club.

The protest was organised in part by the Peoples Aman Committee.

Rehman Dakait, as he is commonly known, was killed in what the police have said was an encounter last week. Dakait was wanted in over 100 criminal cases and was known as one of Karachi's most dangerous gangsters. Just before his death he had begun to undertake charity work in his area, winning over many of the residents, who are mostly Baloch.

The people who took part in the protest shouted slogans against SP Chaudhry Aslam, the police officer whose men killed Rehman. They demanded his arrest and their arrests for the 'extra judicial killing'.

Some of the protestors, including women and children, showed up wearing Pakistan Peoples Party flags wrapped around their heads. Others held up black flags and shouted 'Jeay Bhutto' [Long Live Bhutto].

Some of them said that Lyari had been neglected and some ministers were to blame.

President Asif Zardari performs ground-breaking of new Sindh Assembly building

President Asif Ali Zardari performed the ground-breaking ceremony of the new Sindh Assembly building here on Friday.

The ceremony was held within the precincts of the existing building of the provincial assembly.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 1.9 billion and the completion time is 30 months.

The new building will have a seating capacity of 350 members of the provincial assembly.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended among others by Senate Chairman Farooq A Naek, National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, federal and provincial ministers, members of the diplomatic corps and the elite of the city.

Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar A Khuhro presented the welcome address.

On the occasion, President Zardari said that Pakistan needs a new vision and a new relationship with the world.

He said that the country also needs a new relationship with its neighbours.

He said that there should be regional ownership to the war in Afghanistan and the regional ownership to the trade of the world which starts from Pakistan and including India, China, Turkey or the neighbour of our region should be a common market.

Zardari said that this process of thought was shared first by Benazir Bhutto in a summit where she had acknowledged SAARC as the future economical zone.

Referring to the ground-breaking ceremony of the new building of the Sindh Assembly, the president said that this honour has been bestowed upon him through the vehicle of Bhuttoism.

He further stated that the Bhuttoism gives us the people's power and the people of Pakistan the sustaining power to fight and act against all dictators.

Zardari said that it was this parliament that passed a resolution that led to the exit of a dictator from the Presidency.

He also referred to the concept of reconciliation that was given by the great leader Benazir Bhutto and said that we can see it working.

"Today amongst us sit all the political forces of Pakistan including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, the opposition, independents and that they are all here to serve the people of Pakistan," the president added.

He further stated that this is the Assembly where our founding father, the Quaid-e-Azam, gave us Pakistan due to the help of the Sindh Assembly.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat ul Ebad Khan, termed the new Sindh Assembly building project a very significant and historic one.

The governor said that in Sindh, the Pakistan People's Party, the ANP and the MQM are together and this alliance is very strong and its positive impact ensures the stability in the province as well as in Pakistan. app

Cylinder Explosion In Korangi, Boy Killed

A 12-year-old child was injured as a gas cylinder in a house exploded while a woman, with her two children were hurt here in Korangi industrial area.

According to police, the boy was identified a Aamir while woman and children were identified as Naheed, Samina and Kamil.

Injured were shifted to hospital for medical treatment, hospital sources said.

Karachi’s crime world

Amazingly, people in the funeral procession of Rehman Dakait, Karachi’s most well known gangster, began firing on people they identified as enemies. As a result, eight died in the first flush of revenge, some of them pointing to the old political rivalries in the mega-city.

The “police encounter” is already enveloped in doubt, as most encounters tend to be. Rehman, with Rs 50 million on his head, was not in hiding and not returning from Hyderabad but had gone to Gadap Town to try and sell the 50 acres he “owned” there. The gangster was in the habit of travelling openly in the city because of his political “connections”, which included “many ministers”. But somebody at the political apex had made a decision; and Rehman Dakait finally met his comeuppance.

What the TV channels showed during his funeral at Lyari was mind-boggling. The crowd was mammoth and all of them were in tears for “Sardar Abdur Rehman Baloch” and talked of the good that he had done in the vast but officially neglected Lyari They talked of the free dispensaries and training schools that he had opened for them. Women in particular were greatly upset over his death, pointing once again to his involvement in social work in the area. Abdus Sattar Edhi, who was present in the midst of his devotees, called him “mujahid”.

Rehman spread around a lot of unspecified wealth. He could kidnap for ransom and come into a lot of money whenever he wanted. He hitched his power to the politics of the PPP and legitimised himself. Lyari, with its majority Baloch population, has been a PPP stronghold; and politicians have added to their muscle power by protecting his gang. Not much was hidden because the legend of the drug gangs of Lyari is public property; and Rehman Dakait was doing what his father used to do, only with more sophistication.

Rehman was aware of the changing trend in PPP politics. It was becoming apologetic about him, signalling to him to mend his ways. In response, he had begun financing marriages of the poor girls of Lyari and started social service in real earnest. But vendettas kept snapping at his heels; he had killed too many people. He was also not completely free of the new gang wars erupting in the city. A conflict between the Baloch and the Katchi community was fomented in Lyari.

Rehman had escaped from custody a number of times, clearly because of his political connections. He soon developed his network of informers within the administration and was able to terrorise the police too by killing their officers. Only last year a Karachi police officer had recommended “peace talks” — sounds familiar? — rather than arrest and trial of the great dacoit. He was the Veerappan of Pakistan.

But he was not the only one. His death nearly synchronised with the death of Baitullah Mehsud whose funds too came from drugs and kidnapping for ransom and who had a “syndicate” of criminal activities based in Karachi. The chain of madrassas that supported him also did a lot of social service by offering boarding and lodging to the children of the poor. Before his death, it was feared that he could take over Karachi any time he wished.

There is the “international” figure of an Indian don allegedly luking in the backdrop of Karachi, owning properties the same way as Rehman Dakait and disposing of killers he can activate at will. Stories about the gang war that killed some of his close associates have been published in Pakistan to the embarrassment of the government which denies — not very credibly — allegations from India that the gent is in Pakistan. In the case of all the gangsters of Karachi, some direct or indirect linkage with the state has always come to light.

Let’s be frank. So dominant is the trend of patronising gangsters in Karachi that it is no longer possible to do politics in the city without an army of killers on your leash. People in Karachi need protection as they do in Swat and Waziristan and Quetta. Their allegiance will go to the person — it no longer matters if he is a gangster or a terrorist — who gives them protection or spares them when killing others. Karachi votes along these patterns; and these days the only mode of political communication there is “target-killing”. (Daily Times)

7 killed as Karachi echoes with gunshots

Tension grip the City as the funeral of Rehman Dakait and three of his accomplices including Waja Aqeel, Nazeer Baloch and Aurangzeb Baba was held at Kalakot in Lyari Town on Monday.
Seven people lost their lives in separate incidents of firing, including those who were killed after unknown armed men targeted the funeral participants at different neighbourhoods.
It is important to mention that Abdul Sattar Edhi has also reportedly attended the funeral.
According to details, after offering final prayers at Nawalain, Rehman Dakait’s body was being taken to Mawach Goth cemetery, when miscreants started firing injuring Khair Bux, Naushad and Qadir, who were shifted to the Civil Hospital.
In another incident, two young men Naeem Baloch and Salman Baloch were killed by aerial firing at Old Golimar Manghopir Road within the precincts of Pak Colony Police Station.
The duty officer of the police station say the victims were on their way to attend the funeral of Rehman Dakait when some unidentified men opened fire on them, while some sources in police say that the assailants might belong to the Dakait’s rival group.
Another man lost his live and his friend was injured seriously when armed men resorted to indiscriminate firing at the procession within the jurisdiction of Baghdadi Police Station. Noman (30) and Majeed were rushed to the Civil Hospital where Noman succumbed to his injuries while Majeed’s condition is said to be critical.
One more death has been reported in firing incidents at the participants in different areas. Similarly, an activist of MQM was shot dead within the limits of Baldia Town Police Station along the route of Rehman’s funeral procession.
Police said the MQM activists were sitting near a graveyard when the funeral procession of Rehman Dakait was heading towards Mawach Goth. Some unknown assailants resorted to firing and injured Rafiullah alias Raju, Anwar Hussain and Muhammad Shehzad, who were taken to local hospital in a critical condition where doctors pronounced Raju as dead.

Lyari gangster Rehman Dakait killed

By Kamil Arif

KARACHI: Hundreds of Baloch residents of Lyari attended the funeral of legendary gangster Rehman Dakait Monday evening.

Dakait and Aqeel were buried in Mawach Goth and Aurangzeb and Nazeer were laid to rest in Mewa Shah after their funeral prayers were offered at Cheel Chowk's nearby Eidgah, Lyari. Charity pioneer Abdus Sattar Edhi and the Lyari town nazim attended the funeral.

Most of the day Baloch-dominated areas Malir, Gadap and Pak Colony stayed shut and protests sporadically erupted after Dakait and his three accomplices were shot dead Sunday night in Steel Town.

The seemingly invincible Rehman Dakait, whose legend as a Lyari gangster was so strong that the word ‘dacoit’ had become his surname, was shot dead with three of his men in Steel Town Sunday night at Kathore Morr on Link Road. The bodies, which were being kept at the Edhi Morgue at Sohrab Goth, were finally released after a large crowd protested outside the morgue. The protestors, many of who were women, were family and Dakait supporters who arrived in buses and vans in large numbers. A heavy contingent of police was deployed.

The bodies were taken to Lyari via Mauripur in a procession that passed the Lyari Expressway, escorted by the police, to keep traffic flowing smoothly.

After the shooting, the bodies were taken to Jinnah hospital for a post mortem and so far, the only report that has been released is that each of the dead had been shot three or four times. There has been no report on approximately when they were shot, or from what range. The full report on the post mortem is expected later.

No FIR has been lodged yet, confirmed the Steel Town SHO. The police cited this as the reason for not releasing the bodies to their families. However, the bodies were released after a large crowd protested.

SP Chaudhry Aslam confirmed the news of the encounter to the media at Jinnah hospital along with police chief Waseem Ahmed.

Dakait was notorious as Karachi's most feared gangster who ruled a sprawling network of guns and drugs out of the congested neighbourhood. His main rival Arshad Pappu is in jail.

According to CCPO Waseem Ahmed, Rehman Dakait was wanted in more than 100 cases, including the murders of some 80 policemen and the kidnapping and torture of Inspector Nasir Ali. Ahmed added that Dakait had previously been arrested but had escaped. He termed Dakait’s death an achievement for the police and said that the Sindh governor and the Sindh home minister had announced rewards of Rs 1,000,000 each. The sum will be divided among the members of SP Aslam’s party, according to their involvement in the encounter.

He claimed that with Dakait gone, the police will be able to bring law and order to Lyari and create a sense of normalcy for the residents of the town. SAMAA

Govt can take action against Musharraf by invoking Article 6: Aitzaz

Former President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Aitzaz Ahsan has said that the government can take action against Pervez Musharraf by invoking Ariticle-6 of the constitution, saying he (Musharraf) was a coward person.

Addressing in Karachi City Court on Saturday and later talking to media, Aitzaz Ahsan said that the former President had played a role regarding to remove evidences in murder of Benazir Bhutto and Karsaz tragedy.

He said that its up to court to give punishment to former President Pervez Musharraf.

Praising the role of media in the movement for the restoration of the judiciary, Former President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Aitzaz Ahsan has urged lawyers’ fraternity to change thinking of people by following principles to be based on non-violence.

Addressing in Karachi City Court on Saturday, Chaudhary Aitzaz Ahsan said that after the start of historical lawyers movement, the people had started to see a dream of welfare state and lawyers objectives to be achieved when Pakistan to become as a welfare state.

He said that July 20 was a historical day but a dictator had arrested 60 judges and suspended the constitution, saying Pervez Musharraf had taken decision whatever he wanted but the denial of CJ Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary had changed Pakistan’s scenario.

According to Aitzaz, it was the lawyers’ movement which created hope of Pakistan to be a welfare state, adding, all institutions of the country were following Musharraf’s orders and Musharraf were making laws on his choice.

Paying tributes of martyrs of May 12 incident, Aitzaz Ahsan said that it has brought revolution in Pakistan and people who were responsible for violence now writing letters to the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

Mentioning the sacrifices rendered by Karachi lawyers, the former President SCBA said that lawyers belonging to Karachi rendered most sacrifices and they had traveled from miles away to the capital in the long march, saying the struggle by Karachi’s lawyers had guaranteed the success of the movement.

Commending the role of media, Aitzaz Ahsan said that the media played an important role for the independence of the judiciary, adding media men and lawyers are inevitable for each other and urged journalists to support lawyers in achieving their objectives, adding out of 17,000 lawyers in Lahore, only 10 or 15 following violence.

The veteran lawyer specially mentioned the services of cameramen who with their heavy equipments covered long marches and rallies in scorching heat.

He said that lawyers in small number involved in violence do not represent the lawyers’ community.

Special tribunals for land grabbing cases in the offing

By Razzak Abro

The Sindh government plans to set up special tribunals for awarding strict punishments to those involved in encroachment of government land through summary trials, keeping in view that this issue is one of main reasons behind the incidents of target killings in Karachi.

Senior member of the Board of Revenue, Ghulam Ali Pasha, said this while briefing the Sindh Minister for Revenue, Jam Mahtab Dahar, who has recently been assigned the portfolio of the revenue department.

“A summary is being prepared for the approval of the Sindh chief minister. It would be sent to the provincial assembly that will envisage the establishment of tribunals, summary trials and punishment for those involved in encroaching government land”, he said.

Dahar was previously the provincial population minister. Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah while introducing changes in his cabinet had allotted him the revenue ministry replacing Jam Saifullah Dharejo.

Talking to the media on the occasion, the revenue minister said that the land grabbing business in the city is not a secret and it has continued since a long time.

He added that it was one of the main reasons behind the current bloodshed in the city. The minister said that his department has also prepared a bill for presenting it in forthcoming session of the assembly under which an anti-encroachment force would be established to curb this menace.

The revenue minister said that he has set three priorities after taking the new task. They include computerisation of the revenue record, regularisation of villages falling under the Gothabad Scheme, and making the relief department more active and effective.

He said the computerisation of the revenue record would minimise land disputes, land grabbing and encroachment in the province, especially in Karachi. He directed revenue officers to take steps for early computerisation of the record.

Mahtab also stressed for early completion of the probe into the general complaints, which the department had received about distribution of substandard wheat in Thar. The minister said that he has accepted the new responsibility as a challenge, and he would welcome all suggestions and proposals for succeeding in his goals, and for the betterment of the department and relief to people.

Earlier while presenting his briefing senior member BoR, Ghulam Ali Pasha informed the minister about the composition, functions and working of various sections of the department.

He said that more service centres would be established at taluka registration offices. He also informed the minister about the relief camps set up for facilitating the displaced people of Swat and others parts of the NWFP and FATA in Karachi and Hyderabad, and about their return process to their native areas.

University of Karachi

By Prof. Dr. Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui

Vice Chancellor

Spread over 1200 acre of land, the University of Karachi was established through the parliament as a Federal University in 1951. However, through another act of the parliament in 1962 its status was redefined as university of the province of Sindh. On 23rd October, 1950 the Karachi University Act was passed and after an amendment in 1951 it was enacted and Prof A.B.A Haleem was appointed as its first Vice Chancellor. For the first two years, the University of Karachi remained as an examination University for the affiliated colleges. In the year 1953 it started its teaching and research activities at two Faculties of Arts and Science. Opened with an initial intake of 50 students, the university is now a sprawling structure of 53 Departments and 20 world class and highly reputable Research Centers and Institutes, under eight faculties of Arts, science Islamic Studies Pharmacy Commerce & Business Administration, Law, Education and Medicine. At present the enrolment of a regular student at the Campus is slightly over 24,000. There are about 700 teachers and more than 2500 supporting staff.


The University in the beginning was housed in small buildings was housed in small buildings adjacent to the Civil Hospital. Meanwhile, due to rapid expansion, it began to be felt that the space in which the university was functioning was not enough for its needs.


Moreover the atmosphere of the congested and polluted area was not conducive to higher education and research. Thus a plot a of a1279 acres of land was acquired on the Country Club Road (now University Road). On 18th January 1960 the university was shifted to the new campus. Thus began a new phase in the life of the university. The day is still commemorated by various old students’ Association and the University administration jointly.


Karachi University always proudly mentions the names of renowned educationists and scholars associated with this institution of higher learning like, Dr. I. H. Qureshi, Dr. Mahmud Hussain, Dr. Salemuzzaman Siddiqui, Dr. Afzal Hussain Qadri, Dr. M. M. Ahmed , Dr Mujtaba Karim, Prof. M. Ilyas, Prof. Q. Fareed, Dr. Ibadur Rehman Khan, Prof Muntakhib ul Haq, Prof. Memony, Dr. S. M. Yousuf, Dr. M.A Wali, Dr. Karawala. The faculty was drawn not only from Pakistan but also included eminent educationists form Europe and America.

Karachi University today

The Karachi University today is the biggest university of in the country. It comprises eight faculties with which all the colleges of the city are affiliated B.S, M.S, M.Phil and Ph.D classes under five of these faculties Arts, Science, Pharmacy, Commerce and Islamic Learning are conducted on the campus, while under the Faculties of Medicine, law and Education it examines the students admitted to their affiliated colleges. Research programmers leading to M.Phil and Ph.D Degree are offered under all the faculties.

Science

The Science Faculty which consists of 23 departments and five research Institutes can be said to be the biggest scientific centre in the country. The Research Institutes include the HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, which is world renowned and has also been designated World Academy of Science. It is the prime research institutes of the country and has high level research faculties for chemical science particularly Natural Product Chemistry.

Other Institutes are Dr. Punjwani Centre for Molecular Medicines and Drug Research, Khan Institutes if Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Dr Afzal Hussain Qadri Biological Research Centre, which is a common research facility for all the biological science departments; the Marine Resources Collection and Research Centre, which is the biggest repository of marine life from the Arabian Sea. National Nematological Research Centre, which undertakes research in plant pest control. Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology, a federally founded centre for the study of marine fauna of the Arabian Sea; the Institute of Environmental Studies, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Umair Basha Institute of Information Technology which is going to become operational after up gradation of the present department of Computer Science.


It is noteworthy that the number of M.Phil/Ph.D in science produced by the Karachi University far exceeds the number produced in any other university of the country. So far, about 600 M.Phil, 300 Ph.D, 7 D.Sc and 7 D.Litt. degrees in Science have been awarded by the university. The University teachers are also involved in various research projects and contribute regularly to publications of home and abroad. Only in 2006 the number of published research papers by the reaching and research faculty of the university is 506.


Library
The library of the university is one of the largest libraries in the country. Housed in spacious building, it has a collection of 360,000 books, and 110,000 copies of national and foreign journals and periodicals.

There is also a microfilm section which has copies of rare manuscripts from the British museum, the India Office Library and the Bodleian and Cambridge University libraries.

A highlight of the library is the Quaid-i-Azam’s personal collection of books, many of which carry his own signature. Copies of the All India Muslim League papers are also available. Work is in progress for setting up a resource centre, equipped with internet and scanner microfiche. Now the Central Library is being gradually digitalized and will be able to cater the larger number of students. The LEJ National Science Centre is the most significant addition to the Karachi University which is a recent development.

The centre not only houses one of the largest digital one libraries of the mechanism and capacity to assist other campus library by resources and provide leadership in the application of technology to help the researchers, scientists, scholars and students of academic and R&D institutions of Pakistan Facilities of video conferencing are available and fully operative. Beside the central library, every department also has its own seminar library equipped with the necessary books.

Evening Program

The University of Karachi introduced the Evening program in 195 to provide an opportunity to the in service peoples and professionals to pursue higher education in the evening initially at a few departments The program started while gradually the number of departments offering degree courses in the evening has increased.
Four Year Degree Program: The latest development this year is the introduction of four year degree program at the University to bring the university education at par with the International standards. In the revised curricula of four years program a number of new subject have been added to enable the passed out students to have wider opportunities in the job market.

New Era of Development

The University of Karachi witnessed a new era of speedy developments in all spheres when Dr. Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan took over as Governor of Sindh and Chancellor of the universities in the province. His deep personal interest and commitments in the university affairs is an ongoing source of continued interest in academic, research and managements activates at the intellectual growth at the campus.

The University has now embraced upon a gigantic process of multifaceted progress with emphasis on capacity building and quality enchantment. Ever since its inception, it is in this era that constitutional and statutory bodies of the university are holding their meeting with regular intervals, further bolstering the process.

Regular holding of Selection Boards has enabled the University to add more than two hundred new teachers to various faculties and departments in 2006 07. Many departments in faculties of science and Arts where strengthened by modernizing facilities recently to enhance their quality and productivity.

These include Departments of Physics, Chemistry, Statistics Food Science and Technology, Biotechnology, Computer Science and Mass Communications. For common facilities for science in various scientific disciplines a centralized science lab has been established. It has further enhanced the capabilities for scientific research. Some noteworthy developments which serve as land marks in the university include a highly sophisticated and well equipped Herbarium for research in plant science.

Already completed Botanical Garden is first of its kind in the country. The Garden adds plenty of beauty to the campus on the one hand while on the other it serves as an open lab for the Plant scientists.

Construction of hostels for the visiting faculty and research scholars and additional facilities for M.Phil/Ph.D scholars, have further enhanced chances for quality and speedy research. The perennial residential problems at the campus is also expected to solve partially with the completion of new blocks of the staff apartments.

All these and many other successes were due to active encouragements the university received from the Higher Education Commission and the Chancellor of the University.

A number of new developments projects are on the anvil while many others are at various stages of completion. The University is now moving fast on the path of developments playing its due role in the national development.

Imambargah’s caretaker shot dead in Orangi

A 47-year-old caretaker of an Imambargah was gunned down on Wednesday near his house in Raees Amrohvi Colony, a locality in Section 11½ of Orangi Town.

The Iqbal Market police said that the victim, Imran Ali Bangash, son of Akbar Ali Bangash, was shot dead by two attackers on as many motorcycles at around 11.15am near Riaz More.

They said that the victim, the father of four, was the caretaker of Salman Farsi Imambargah in the locality and worked as a watchman at a chemical factory in Site.

The police said that the victim was going to buy medicines for his ailing wife when he was ambushed.

Tension and panic gripped the locality as enraged people burnt old tyres on the streets and pelted vehicular traffic with stones in protest over the targeted killing.

However, a heavy contingent of police and Rangers rushed to the troubled parts of Orangi Town and brought the situation under control.

Later, the body was shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where sources in the medico-legal section told Dawn that the victim was hit by seven bullets. They said that the victim was also shot to his head from a very close range and the wound proved fatal.

The police registered a case (FIR 226/2009) against unidentified assailants under Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the victim’s brother, Habib.

The police said that they secured five spent bullet casings of a TT pistol from the crime-scene.

Young man shot dead

A 21-year-old man was shot dead and his friend wounded by unidentified attackers near Mateen Complex on the National Highway in the jurisdiction of the Shah Latif police station.

The body and the wounded man were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where the deceased and the injured victim were identified as Abdur Rehman, son of Mohammed Jamal, and Shahid Ali, son of Haider Ali, respectively.

Sources at the hospital’s medico-legal section told Dawn that Rehman was hit by three bullets, one each in the chest, head and right ankle. They said that the wounded man was hit by a bullet in the abdomen and was still in a precarious condition.

The police said that both the victims were residents of Ammar Yasir Colony, a locality near Jinnah Square in Malir Colony.

The deceased’s brother, Nauman, told police that Shahid, a worker at a garment factory in Malir Colony, was the friend of his brother who was jobless.

He said that Shahid had arranged a job for his brother in his factory and he took Rehman from their house at around 9am to the factory.

However, the victim’s brother said, the two friends did not reach the factory and later the family was informed of the incident.

Quoting the deceased’s brother, the police said that the young man was not associated with any political or religious party. However, the police said that the wounded man was a supporter of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

They said that no case was registered till late as the victim’s family was busy in funeral

Karachi University produced 1,240 PhDs in 42 years

Vice Chancellor Karachi University (KU), Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, has said that the KU has produced 1,240 PhDs so far since its inception and on the top among the other varsities of the country in this regard.
“However, 49 public and private universities have produced more than 5,665 PhDs in the country, while KU is on the top among them, he said, while giving an interview to The Nation last week.
Dr. Pirzada pointed out that University of Punjab had awarded 1,266 PhD degrees since 1937, while the Karachi University produced 1,240 PhD scholars since 1957. This figure can help people to measure the standard and excellence of the largest institution (KU) of the country.
The varsity’s research and other academic activities are the real proof of its superiority over other educational institutions in Pakistan, he said.
“KU is trying to promote further research activities; the set-up of 17 research institutes/centres at the KU is the clear instance. Karachi University has produced about 600 MPhil, 300 PhD, 7 DSc and 7 DLit degrees only in science faculty that exceeds the number produced in any other university of the country. Our teachers are also involved in various research projects and contribute regularly to local and foreign publications.
Only in 2006, the number of published research papers by the KU teaching and research faculty was 506. The creation of the Institute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilisation at KU is another example of the varsity’s stance to encourage research education at higher level.

Qaim Ali Shah orders survey of dilapidated buildings

In the wake of collapse of a building in Karachi's Mithadar area on Friday night, the Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, has ordered a survey of all the dilapidated buildings in the metropolis.
In a statement here on Friday night, the Chief Minister directed the concerned officials to conduct a survey of the dilapidated buildings in Karachi.
He further instructed that steps be undertaken in this connection on priority basis so that no such incident could recur in future.