Mirpurkhas Mango Festival to boost small growers

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, would distribute prizes at the concluding ceremony of three-day Golden Jubilee Mango Festival being organized at Mirpurkhas on June 6. 

Provincial Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Sikandar Mendhro, will also attend the Mango Festival which will be inaugurated by Senior Provincial Minister for Education, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, on June 4. 

This was announced by Deputy Commissioner, Mirpurkhas, Rasheed Ahmed Zardari, after having presided over a meeting to review the festival arrangements held on May 21. He revealed that the Mango Festival would be held at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Exhibition Hall (Fruit Farm) while the concluding ceremony has been scheduled at the auditorium of State Life Building. 

According to him, the festival is being held for the betterment of small growers and urged the growers to attend the even in large numbers. 

The Deputy Commissioner urged the Festival Management Committee to motivate small growers to set up their stalls at the festival to promote better environment, style and attraction. He said that apart from Mirpurkhas, the growers belonging to other district including Matiari, Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar and Nawabshah would also be invited to set up mango stall here. 

The meeting was attended, among others, by Addl DC-1 Muhammad Usman Mehsood, Chairman Mango Management Committee Mango Festival Haji Umer Bughio, Deputy Director Agriculture Yar Muhammad Khaskheli, members Mansoor Chhema, Choudhry Ehsanul Haque, Fazal Illahi Memon, Mir Zafarullah Talpur, Karim, AC: Shujabad Abdul Hafeez Laghari, Faukh Anwar Gondal and others.

Mirpurkhas to host Golden Jubilee Mango Festival

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Deputy Commissioner, Mirpurkhas, Rasheed Ahmed Zardari, has vowed to make the upcoming Golden Jubilee Mango Festival a successful event to attract the exporters side by side with the small growers. 

"The festival would help in developing the mango farms on modern lines with increased mango exports to other countries,” he said while chairing a meeting of the Family Musical Programme Sub-Committee formed in connection with Mango Festival to be held at Mirpurkhas from June 4 to 6.

Rasheed Zardari remarked that mangoes of Mirpurkhas are an iconic symbol of this area and famous for their taste and variety not only in Pakistan country but in many world countries. He called upon the district administration and citizens to play their role in introducing the symbolic mangoes of Mirpurkhas. 

He described the Family Musical Show an important part of the Mango Festival and said all of them have to play their respective roles for its success. He informed that the Musical Show and the Family Festival would be organized at Police ground in order to provide entertainment for children and woman folk. 

He stressed that strict security arrangements would be made at the Police ground during Mango Festival and Rangers would be deployed alongwith police for the purpose. 

The Deputy Commissioner advised the Secretary of the Mirpurkhas Arts Council, Raees Ahmed Khan, to keep the museum open on the occasion in order to provide entertainment and create an awareness among more and more people about the cultural heritage. He also directed to make arrangements for floats to manifest the importance of Mango Festival. 

On the occasion Assistant Commissioner Taluka Shujabad and in-charge Family Musical Show, Abdul Hafeez Laghari briefed the meeting and said that famous singer and comedian Ahmed Mughal, singer Deeba Sahar, Marul Group, Shafi Faqeer, Mistri Jogi, Khushboo Laghari, Liaquat Faqeer and local famous singers would perform at the Family Musical Show. 

The meeting was attended by Mango Festival Sub-Committees members Karim Memon, Mansoor Cheema, Raees Ahmed Khan, S A Khan, Mirza Masroor Baig, Aftab Qureshi, Additional Deputy Commissioner-1 Usman Mehsood, Assistant Commissioner and Chief Municipal Officer Arshad Qayoom Barki, AC Shujabad Abdul Hafeez Laghari, Jamil Ahmed Khan, Azhar Abbas, Furqan Ali, Choudhry Rafique Aamir and others.

SSUET confers first Ph D degree to Dr Rabia Enam

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

With the Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Karachi, making fast strides in the fields of engineering education, achieved another milestone with Assistant Professor of Computer Engineering Department, Dr Rabia N, Enam, having become the first lady to be conferred with PhD degree in Computer Engineering from this institution. 

She has received Ph D degree for her thesis on ‘Energy Efficient adaptive data aggregation in cluster based wireless sensor networks.’ 

Appreciating the efforts of the institution, Chancellor SSUET, Engr. Mohammad Adil Usman, observed that the SSUET has made concerted efforts in the field of engineering education and had so far produced over 13,000 graduates, capable to meet the demand of modern world. 

“The engineers from this university today hold responsible positions in reputed national, multinational organizations both within Pakistan and abroad,” he pointed out. 

He described the SSUET as a progressive institution that looked forward to meet the requirements of technical education and practices. “For this purpose, the curriculum of engineering is regularly reviewed, upgraded and improved. Besides new disciplines periodically added,” he highlighted. 

The Chancellor advised the SSUET graduates to always pursue a positive mode and think in terms of solutions. Each and every problem should be taken as a challenge and they must strive for solution in real earnest with confidence and determination. 

“Our country is going through a critical phase, having a list of challenges and we have great expectations from our young engineers that they would rise to the occasion and cope with challenges ahead,” Engr Adil Usman hoped. 

Recalling the achievements of SSUET, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Syed Jawaid H Rizvi, said that the Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology was established with a view to imparting the youth with most modern knowledge in engineering and technology through the best available human and material resources and assigns a high priority to tolerance, human values, progress, innovative ideas and research in pursuit to bring a breakthrough in technology. 

He informed that the university is pioneer in introducing Biomedical Engineering Department and Biomedical Engineers turned out by SSUET are playing a significant role in the maintenance of the equipment in the hospitals here and abroad. 

He exhorted the students to attain intellectual gain as this will always help them in future life. “The university was set up with a well planned scheme to synchronize with demand of engineers in the country,” he added. 

He said that the Sir Syed University started with the annual budget of Rs 17.22 million in 1994 which touched the figure of Rs 978.81 million in 2014-15. Pointing out that admissions in SSUET are offered purely on merit, he said this year 4990 applications were received for admission against 1700 seats. 

The university offers scholarships and financial assistance to needy students and staff members on merit basis and in this regard Rs 40 million allocated for scholarships and financial assistance to the students. The university provides ample budget to all departments to ensure that there should be no compromise over quality and performance of the labs. 

The university’s library has 100,000 books and subscribes a large number of national and international journals and magazines The enrollment in the university has already crossed 21000 while over 13000 graduates had passed out since 1998.

AIT organize engineering & IT fair

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Aligarh Institute of Technology (AIT), Karachi, organized an impressive 8th Engineering & IT Fair 2015 showcasing over 300 innovative projects, designed and produced by its students.

The fair, inaugurated by the Chancellor of the Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology (SSUET), Engr. Mohammad Adil Usman, was largely attended by the students, faculty members, corporate professionals and dignitaries. 

Speaking on the occasion, Chancellor Adil Usman observed that engineering & IT fairs reflected the result of students’ capacity, skills and experience in tangible form. 

“The event has shown how creatively charged students successfully transformed their innovative ideas and concepts into cost-effective commercially viable products,” he complimented. 

He later went round the Fair and appreciated the projects on display and highly appreciated the efforts of the students for producing best results in their respective fields of studies and applying practical use of their knowledge in a true sense. 

He urged upon the students to continuously keep themselves updated with the latest information and knowledge in the area of learning so as to be able to compete in the market and industry. 

The Chancellor described the projects on display as innovative and motivational. Technical education provides a boost to economic advancement and plays a significant role in the national human resource development creating skilled manpower, enhancing industrial productivity and improving the quality of life. 

Among others, Mukhtar Ahmed Naqvi, General Secretary, AMUOBA, Shajar Ali Hashmi, Convenor AIT, Masood Alam, Zafar Hasnain and Prof. Dr. Hilal Qureshi were also present on the occasion.

FRHD to highlight educational issues in Global Action Week

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Foundation for Research & Human Development (FRHD), as part of the Global Action Week (GAW), will organize a walk from the Scouts Headquarter to the Karachi Press Club on April 29 while a delegation, comprising of children, will meet the Sindh Education Minister, Nisar Ahmed Khoro, on April 30. 

Members of the civil society will be joining the children to convey a loud message to the policy makers, legislators and others implementing agencies about realization of the educational goals. 

Education is human rights, a public, good and a state responsibility.Pakistan remains obliged under various national and international commitments to provide quality education to children irrespective of their gender, class or religion. 

At the forefront of these declarations is the Dakar Framework of Action, signed by 163 other countries in April 2000 and the world’s leaders made a series of promises intended to guarantee education for all by 2015. 

The EFA goals consist of six broad objectives which include: provision of early childhood care and education, provision of primary and secondary education, improvement in adult and youth literacy rates, provision of vocational and technical education, eradicating gender discrimination and enhancing the overall quality of education. Pakistan’s progress towards achieving the goals have been slow to say the least. 

The education system of the country is emasculated by an inadequate number of teachers, insufficient infrastructure, lack of funds for the education sector and a constant threat of conflict, especially in FATA and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. According to the latest ASER 2014 report, approximately 61% of children aged 3-5 years in rural areas and 42% in urban areas are out of school. 

This is an alarming figure given the fact that most of the children who do enter school either drop out or do not progress further on thereby increasing the number of out of school children. There is a dire need for an intervention whereby the provincial governments formulate laws that will ensure that early childhood education is made mandatory and out of school children are brought back into school. 

A positive shift was seen in the budget of 2014-2015 wherein all provinces doubled the amount of funds given to their respective education departments; focusing more on infrastructural development, enrollment and retention of students. Yet more needs to be done, particularly concerning the implementation of Article 25-A of the Constitution. 

The year 2015 presents education activists with a crucial opportunity to demand the realization of the right to education for all, and to set the direction of education for another generation. This year, the world will agree new frameworks for education and for sustainable development more broadly that will help set the tone and the focus for government policy and action from now until 2030. 

As governments prepare to make this new set of promises, it is critical that civil society has a say in what is being promised, ensuring that these commitments respond to the rights, the needs and the priorities of citizens. For these reasons, the GCE members and allies will be campaigning throughout 2015 during Global Action Week (GAW).

FRHD aims to work rigorously for society

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

 

The Foundation for Research & Human Development (FRHD),a group of social activists, parliamentarians and ex-government officials having been registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860, would like to fill the research gaps in the field of human rights, child rights, women rights, labour rights, social and development rights of marginalized groups in society. Besides, it would like to develop moralized social groups by participative and self-initiated developmental programmes and schemes.

 

This was disclosed by Nazra Jehan, Executive Director, FRHD, in an interview who added that the core values and principles of the organization, on which it was found, were equality, equity, non-discrimination, dignity, respects, openness, transparency and good governance.

 

The vision of the FRHD is to have a society where writ of law would have prime consideration and justice would be delivered on the basis of equality and impartiality; where rights of individual are respected, protected, and promoted.

 

Its mission is to act to promote and protect human rights in order to empower people within the framework of recognized standards through advocacy, research, awareness-raising, outreach activities, human development and institutional capacity building.

 

The FRHD would be focussing on the areas of human rights, health, education, poverty alleviation and development, andclimate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction

 

The strategies of the FRHD include mobilization of active agents either children or adults, men and women for achieving the desired vision, goals and objectives; formation of district or community level groups/committees, but the main emphasis would be on youth and women; conducting brief scientific and empirical researches by involving academics and others so that these can contribute in policy formulation.

 

It will also be working on capacity building of active community agents for developing young cadres of social workers;coordination and liaison with government departments;advocacy at district, provincial and national level for the basic rights of excluded people; construction and repair of basic (physical) infrastructure and facilities, and networking with like minded civil society groups for creating more pressure.

               

The main objectives of the FRHD include working for the welfare of disadvantage people especially poor, to endeavor to provide moral and financial help to the unprivileged class particularly orphans, widows, children, juveniles and disable persons, enabling them to support themselves financially & live a dignified life, to provide education and health facilities to the children and to highlight & address the issues and problems of women and children mainly women prisoners and juveniles.

 

It also has a plan to empower children by promoting and protecting their rights in conformity with the international standards, to conduct research on issues of public importance, to protect and promote rights, privileges and economic interest of the people, to constitute sub-committees at district level to strive for  promoting and protecting the rights of people, to conduct advocacy and lobbying for promotion and protection of the rights of people to educate masses on human rights and to build capacities of partners and stakeholders.

The FRHD will give special consideration to children because they were unheard and they did not have right to even claim for their basic rights.

The FRHD Children Board will work for the promotion of the rights of children in Pakistan. Its objectives would be to work for the enabling environment in which child rights are express and they have right to express and make associations.

Sarfaraz Ahmed receives Jumbo Karachi Guide in Adelaide

Pakistan News & Features Services

Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was one of the top performers during Pakistan’s campaign in the recently concluded ICC World Cup Cricket Tournament 2015, hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand, was pleasantly surprised when presented a copy of Jumbo Karachi Guide by its Chief Editor, Abdul Qadir Qureshi, in Adelaide.

This presentation of Jumbo Karachi Guide in Adelaide indeed looked quite incredible because both Sarfaraz Ahmed as well as Abdul Qadir Qureshi belonged to Karachi and they had gone to Australia in connection with the World Cup. 

Abdul Qadir Qureshi, who had flown to Australia for the World Cup coverage, later revealed that the presentation of Jumbo Karachi Guide wasn’t a planned event and it just took place by chance. 

“Actually I was staying at my daughter’s place in Adelaide. Sarfaraz, who was in brilliant form throughout the tournament, was missing the cup of tea he was used to having in Karachi. So I invited him to come over for that elusive tea of Karachi flavour in Adelaide at the residence of my daughter,” Qadir Qureshi disclosed. 

“Sarfaraz accepted my invitation right away and dropped in the same evening to have a cup of tea with our family. He heaved a few sighs of relief at sipping the kind of tea he was unable to get after having left the shores of Karachi quite a few weeks ago. The enterprising cricketer didn’t conceal his delight at getting it finally thousand of miles away from our home city,” he added. 

“Just as the extended tea was coming to a close I availed the opportunity by presenting Sarfaraz a copy of Jumbo Karachi Guide which he was very glad to receive. He just went through its pages quickly and complimented us for the good work. He promised to read the contents of the guidebook in detail at a later stage,” Qadir Qureshi concluded.

Hanif Gohar nominated in FPCCI committee

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Mohammad Hanif Gohar, a prominent figure in the construction industry, has been nominated as the Senior Vice Chairman of the Urban Development Standing Committee of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) for the year 2015. He had served in the same capacity with distinction last year as well.

Hanif Gohar, who was elected as the Vice Chairman of the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) in 2013-14, has been known and respected for his contribution in boosting the trade. 

He expressed the confidence that the Urban Development Standing Committee of the FPCCI will continue working proactively for the growth of the construction sector in order to create greater employment opportunities for the people.

SSUET organize convocation with traditional zeal

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

 

The Chancellor of the Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology (SSUET), Engr Mohammad Adil Usman, revealed that their institution has so far produced 13,000 graduate engineers in various disciplines.

 

“These graduate engineers  are capable to meet the demand of modern world and holding  responsible positions in reputed national, multinational organizations both within Pakistan and abroad,” he observed while  addressing the SSUET’s 18^th Convocation held at the Expo Centre on March 14.

 

Around 1,100 graduates from the disciplines of Computer, Electronics, Civil, Telecommunication and Bio-Medical Engineering and Computer Science besides those having completed their Masters were awarded degrees at the most fascinating event of their life yet.

 

Chancellor Adil Usman described the SSUET as a progressive institution which, he said, looks forward to meet the requirements of modern engineering practices.

 

“In order to achieve this objective the engineering curriculum is regularly reviewed and upgraded besides introducing new technologies on periodical basis.”

 

Extending felicitations to degree recipients and their parents, Engr Adil Usman hoped that young graduates would pursue high values of professional ethics and focus on nation building efforts.

 

He advised the graduates to always pursue a positive mode and think in terms of solving the issues and challenges with confidence and determination.

 

“Our country is passing through a critical phase and we have great expectations that our young engineers would rise to the occasion and cope with challenges ahead,” the Chancellor stated..

 

The SSUET was established with a view to impart the youth with most modern knowledge in engineering & technology by the best available human and material resources and assigns a high priority to tolerance, human values, progress, innovative ideas and research in pursuit to bring a breakthrough in technology.

 

Addressing the ceremony Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Syed Jawaid Hasan Rizvi, remarked that the Sir Syed University has been making efforts to increase the number of seats to accommodate ever growing number of admission seekers  and also introduce new technologies.

 

Last year, he said, three new technologies of Software Engineering, Bioinformatics and Architecture were introduced while this year Electrical Engineering started keeping the fact in view that Pakistan is facing electric power crises affecting all sectors of the economy and the various segments of the society.

 

Now the University is now providing BS Program in ten disciplines and Master’s program in six disciplines.while PhD programme is available in Computer and Electronic Engineering.

 

He informed that the University is pioneer in introducing Biomedical Engineering and Biomedical Engineers from this university were playing a significant role in the maintenance of medical equipment.

 

Prof Jawaid Rizvi recalled that the Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association (AMUOBA), as sponsors, had established Sir Syed University in 1994 which today is significantly contributing towards consolidating the socio-economic and technological development of Pakistan.

 

The enrollment in the university has already crossed 21,000 and we have produced more than 13,000 graduates since 1998, he informed.

 

Earlier, in his welcome address, Registrar, Engr Syed Abrar Ali, congratulated the students and their parents, and wished them a prosperous future. He said that higher education has now become a tool of economic growth.

 

On the occasion, students winning top positions were decorated with gold, silver and bronze medals for their outstanding achievements.

 

Amber Ashraf of Computer Engineering, Muhmmad Obaid Ashraf of Electronic Engineering, Warda Ali Shah of Telecommunication Engineering, Anum Wasim Biomedical Engineering, Muhammad Aqeel Ahmed of Civil Engineering and Muhammad Ahsan Shaikh of Computer Science received gold medals for securing 1^st position.

 

Recipients of silver medals for securing second position included Ariba Aslam of Computer Engineering, Muhammad Hassan Bashir of Electronic Engineering, Sadia Parveen of Telecommunication Engineering, Hina of Biomedical Engineering, Kashan Khan of Civil Engineering and Rabia Khan of Computer Science.

 

Mohammad Usman Ghani of Computer Engineering, Haider Ali of Electronic Engineering, Hira Tariq of Telecommunication Engineering, Maleeha Mehboob of Biomedical Engineering, Javeria Saleem of Civil Engineering and Yasir Ali of Computer Science were awarded bronze medals for securing third position in their respective disciplines.

SSUET reviews convocation arrangements

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology (SSUET) has made arrangements to organize its Convocation 2015 on March 14 at the Karachi Expo Centre and a meeting to review the preparations was held at the campus.

The meeting was presided over by Chancellor Engr Mohammad Adil Usman and it was attended by Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Syed Jawaid H. Rizvi, Registrar Syed Abrar Ali, chairpersons of the various departments and other concerned officials. 

The chancellor reviewed the proposals and options for the security arrangements and administrative measures and gave necessary directions for holding convocation in a peaceful manner. 

Around one thousand graduating students of the university would receive their degrees on the engineering disciplines of Computer, Electronics, Civil, Bio-Medical and Telecom besides Computer Science. 

During the meeting Chancellor Adil Usman pointed out that knowing the fact that the engineers play a pivotal role for changing the destiny of the nation, the SSUET was producing skilled engineers, well equipped with the required technical education of modern era during the last two decades. 

Meanwhile a meeting of the Board of Governors of the SSUET will be held one day prior to convocation on March 13. 

The SSUET has been growing rapidly and four new technologies, electrical engineering, software engineering, architecture and bioinformatics, were introduced within a short span of time besides six existing technologies. A new 4-storey building has been completed and the work to construct the Sir Syed Tower has already commenced.