Suzuki Bolan gifted to Gulistan Disables

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Wazir Ali Khoja, Director, Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited, gifted a Bolan vehicle to the Mirpurkhas-based Gulistan Disables, a welfare organization engaged to service to humanity.

 

In a brief speech on the occasion, he observed that the vehicle would be helpful to end sense of deprivation from the disable children and they would feel easy to reach this institution from their homes and highlight their capabilities. 

He vowed that government should implement on service of 2% quota for disable persons. He appealed philanthropists to extend financial help and media to highlight the working of this organization. 

The Patron of Gulistan Disables, Qamaruddin Malik, threw light on the working the institution and said that they were gifted Bolan by Pak Suzuki after their untiring struggle to establish this institution for 12 long years. 

The Pak Suzuki Regional Head, Mumtaz Shaikh, Irfan Tariq, Inam Abbasi, and Deputy Director Anti Corruption, Mir Nadir Ali Abdro, also attended the ceremony, alongwith elite of the town.

Mirpurkhas Mango Festival set for inauguration

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

 

The 50^th Golden Jubilee Mango Festival set to be organized in a style that would attract national and international markets for the export of mangos of Mirpurkhas.

 

These views were expressed by the Commissioner, Shafique Ahmed Mahesar, while presiding over a meeting of Mango Festival M anagement Committee for taking final account of arrangements. The festival will be held from June 4 to 6.

 

He said that it’s an honour for Mirpurkhas to be the centre of producing mango, the king of fruits, which has huge demand locally and internally. He advised the the Mango Festival Committee members to work with dedication to make the three-day event successful.

 

Later final touches were given to the festival programme arrangements. The meeting was also attended by DC Rasheed Ahmed Zardari, ADC-1 Muhammad Usman Mahsood, AC Revenue Muhammad Asim, Chairman Management Committee Umer Bughio, Deputy Director Agriculture Yar Muhammad Khaskheli, Horticulturist Shafiqur Rehman Memon, member Karim Memon, DO Social Welfare Khair Muhammad Dahri, DO Sports Muhammad Arshad Arain and others.

Motorcycles distributed to vaccinators in Mirpurkhas

 

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The government of Sindh is spending a substantial part of its budget on the betterment of health sector but there are little or no signs of improvement in this particular sector.

This was stated by MPA Khairunissa Mughal while addressing on the occasion of distribution of motorcycles to vaccinators at DHO Office in cooperation with the USAID in Mirpurkhas. 

She regretted that the percentage of protective vaccination in urban areas was 29% while in rural areas it was 14%, which should have been 100%. 

She said that government was taking practical steps to bring improvement in the sectors of education and health. She advised the vaccinators to discharge their duty with the sense of responsibility. She directed the officials of health department to keep an eye on the working of vaccinators and suspended them if found negligent in duty. 

Addressing the occasion Depauty Commissioner, Rasheed Ahmed Zardari, said that District Health Department was giving special attention on the betterment of health department. 

The USAID Programme Manager for Mother and Child Health, Dr Duleep Kumar, said that 550 motorcycles are distributed among vaccinators of 15 districts of Sindh by USAID in order to complete the vaccination task by 100%. District Health Officer Dr Ghulam Ghous Khan, doctors and vaccinators were present on the occasion.

Tale of missing forms in Elections 2013

By Rashid Zia Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

 

Form 15 were mysteriously found missing from 1298 electoral bags of of 610 polling stations of District Shaheed Benazirabad.  

 

According to informed sources, on the directive of Judicial Commission  bags of election 2013 for two national and five provincial assembly seats were opened under the supervision of District and Sessions Judge, Mushtaque Ahmed Kalhoro . 

 

It was revealed that Form 15 were not present in hundreds of bags and the sources added  that for  NA-213 and NA-214 and  PS-24, 25, 26, 27, 28 Form-15 were missing in 551 out of 1,298 bags . 

 

The record showed that out of 316 bags of NA-213 Form 15 was missing in 107 bags while out of 333 bags of NA-214 there was no Form 15 in 148 bags. 

 

It was  disclosed that in PS-24, 76 bags in PS-25, 48 bags, in PS-26, 56 bags, in PS-27, 64 bags and in PS-28 52 bags were found without  Form 15 . 

 

The sources informed that a comprehensive report with regard to examination of these bags has been sent to the  Registrar of the Sindh High Court.

KPT signs MoU with Chinese department

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

A six-member delegation of the Guangdong Province, China, led by Liu Zhigeng, Vice Governor, Guangdong Province, visited the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for strengthening of port and shipping connectivity and for establishing cooperation between Guangdong Provincial Transportation Department and the KPT.

The MoU was signed by the Chairman KPT, Vice Admiral Shafqat Jawed, and the Director General, Department of Transport Guangdong Province, China, Zeng Zhaogeng. 

The MoU acknowledged the existing friendly relations between Pakistan and China and pledged the desire of strengthening the existing friendly relations through cooperative activities at ports in Guangdong Province and Karachi Port which are transportation hubs of the two countries. 

The MoU envisaged promoting cooperation in port and shipping logistics, strengthening communications and establishing closer ties between the two countries. 

Among others, the ceremony was attended by the Minister for Ports and Shipping, Senator Kamran Michael, and other top officials of the Ministry of Ports and Shipping and the KPT besides the members of visiting delegation. 

During the ceremony it was informed that both the KPT and the Guangdong Province ports have mutually agreed to cooperate in the field of freight and logistics, especially in port and shipping industry, thus serving the import, export and transhipment of goods from Guangdong province. 

They agreed on jointly studying policies for promoting the development in freight and logistics of both the signing parties for strengthening freight and logistics information connectivity for facilitating and accelerating customs clearance for the reduction of companies’ logistics cost. 

It was also agreed that both the parties will boost all round cooperation in investment and operation by the port logistics of their respective countries. With regards to improving professional and management skills of the managers of the port and shipping industry, it was agreed to carry out professional education and training in the field of port and shipping and logistics. 

Provision has been kept for further consultations on cooperation and other issues of common concern as both the parties have endeavored to engage the administrative authorities and industry associations of the respective two countries for maintaining constant contact and for sending their representatives to visit each other for communication advancement. 

The signatory countries undertook to strengthen friendly relations and cooperation in port logistics which will eventually promote extensive communication and cooperation in the economy of the districts where the ports are located.

SSUET Academic Council meets

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Academic Council of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), which met under the chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dr Jawaid H. Rizvi, approved the recommendations made by the Joint Board of Faculties and Board of Advance Studies and Research.

The boards had their meetings earlier to formulate their recommendations for consideration by the Academic Council. The recommendations mainly included regarding courses of studies, semester and admission rules for the purpose of include in the prospectus for the academic year 2016. 

These recommendations will now be put up before the Board of Governors which is scheduled to meet sometime next month. The BoG will also consider the recommendations of SSUET’s Finance and Planning Committee which met recently to discuss the university budget proposals for 2015-16. 

It may be mentioned here that the SSUET Board of Governors comprises of eminent personalities like Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, Lt Gen (Rtd) Moinuddin Haider, Prof Dr Ata-ur-Rehman, Justice Sadiq Hussain Bhatti, President KCCI, Secretary Education and others.

Mirpurkhas teachers found engaged in cattle business

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

 

As a part of the drive to streamline matters and put things in order, the Taluka Education Officer, Jeewan Mansha, conducted raid at different schools of Mirpurkhas in order to trace the teachers absenting from duty.

 

It was astonishing that the teachers bound to attend schools were found in cattle den engaged in their own businesses.

 

On the special instructions of the Secretary Education Sindh, the Taluka Education Officer Primary (Male), paid surprise visits of different schools and found teachers absent from duty.

 

Interestingly the absenting teachers were caught red handed doing cattle business but they managed to flee from the scene, leaving behind their cattle. They were issued show cause notices.

SANA condole Abdul Wahid Arriser’s death

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Sindhi Association of North America (SANA) held a condolence meeting for the eminent intellectual Abdul Wahid Arriser, in Houston, USA, which was largely attended by Sindhi community leaders. 

The President SANA, Jamil Daudi, while addressing the condolence gathering paid rich tribute to Abdul Wahid Arriser, noting that he was a role model in his own right and persons like him were born after decades. 

The General Secretary, SANA, Noorunisa Ghanghro, also addressed the gathering and paid tribute to the deceased intellectual, observing that he will be remembered in the history of Sindh for years to come.

No fee hike at SSUET

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology (SSUET), Karachi, has denied any recent hike in academic fees.

“A news item and protest regarding fees hikes are baseless and unjustified as it may be the outcome of misunderstanding,” a SSUET spokesman clarified.  

“The SSUET has always given top priority to their students’ education and as per tradition offers a huge amount to talented and deserving students in terms of scholarship and financial assistance to help them complete their studies without any financial constraints,” he added.

The students have been advised to focus on their studies and not to waste their valuable time in useless and unfruitful activities.

FRHD bring to light issues of street children

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

A consultative dialogue meeting with street children was organized by the Foundation for Research & Human Development (FRHD) at Beach Park, Clifton, Karachi, as a part of the Global Action Week: Education for All programme.

A group of 25 street children, representatives of civil society, school children and teachers participated in the event. The aim of meeting was to urge the state took serious measures to provide shelter, health and education them accordingly existing domestic laws. 

The literacy rates among children working and living on the streets is very low during the consultative dialogue street children group shared that poverty, corporal punishment and forced begging were some of the major reasons children working on the streets have dropped out of school. 

The majority of vulnerable children disclosed that they had left school because of their family's economic status. Incidences of corporal punishment, violent behavior of peers and others also played their part in expediting dropouts from schools. 

Upon inquiry, they stated that neither did they want to enroll in school nor would their families ever let them, given the fact that they believed earning on the streets trumped educating a child. The FRHD estimates 1.5 million children on the streets of Pakistan's major cities with poverty, unemployment and other economic issues and floods of 2010 and 2011 having contributed increasing number of street children in the country. 

“A study on street children revealed that 56.5% of the children interviewed in Multan, 82.2% in Karachi, 80.5% in Hyderabad and 83.3% in Sukkur were forced to move on to the streets after the 2010 and 2011 floods. According to UNODC, 72% of the working children do not have contact with their families and 10% have no knowledge of their families,” Nazra Jahan, Executive Director, FRHD, revealed. 

She reminded that the laws prevailing to address the issues, the Sindh Children Act 1955, make the state responsible for providing custody and protection to children whilst also punishing parents and guardians who will fully neglects and abuse children. 

“The Sindh Child Protection Authority Act 2011 entailed specific provisions for child protection in the province of Sindh under the authority formed. It shall have powers to coordinate, monitor, support and establish mechanisms for all child protection issues in the province. The Sindh Right of Children to Free & Compulsory Education Act 2013 protected the right to education of every child aged 5 to 16 years,” Nazra Jahan added. 

The FRHD official felt that instead of overburdening in the sense of introducing legislation, the state should take measures to implement the existing laws for protecting the human rights, it’s a very essential obligation. 

The Programme officer Devcon, Shafiq Kandro, observed that the street children in Pakistan form a very young age group, some being no older than four years of age, and are engaged in menial jobs that do not require vocational training. 

“Moreover, these jobs offer no opportunities for advancement or improved lifestyles in the future. Many survive by prostituting themselves, stealing or smuggling and are vulnerable to a number of diseases including STDs and health ailments that are a direct result of their occupations and unsanitary conditions of workplaces,” she concluded.