Dr Firdous visits KPC, vows to resolve APP pensioners’ issues

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News and Features Services)

The Federal Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, during her visit to the Karachi Press Club (KPC on July 22, listened to the problems being faced by the media industry and the journalists’ community of the country.

The Federal Minister held meetings with the delegations of the KPC, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) and All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (APNEC) besides Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Employees Union. 

The office-bearers of the KPC, PFUJ, KUJ and APNEC presented the cases of media persons particularly in Karachi and elsewhere in Sindh including retired employees of APP Karachi. 

Two of the former Presidents of APP Employees Union Sindh, Ehsan Qureshi and Masood Sattar Khan, informed the Minister about non-payment of dues to retired employees since 2008, pension increase as announced by federal government, non-payment of medical bills and non-availability of medical facilities including hospitalization for retired and old employees whose outstanding services for this premier agency of Pakistan can be reckoned with.

She was communicated that while millions of rupees were paid to current regular employees, the retired employees of APP Karachi and interior of Sindh were being totally ignored notwithstanding the financial conditions they were passing through. 

The small delegation of the APP pensioners appealed to Dr.Firdous Ashiq Awan for justice for the golden old employees of the national news agency. 

The Information Minister showed her utter surprise over non-payment of long standing dues of retired journalists of the APP.

She told the media people that Prime Minister Imran Khan was most concerned about their well-being and desired to resolve all their problems. 

The media persons present on the occasion were shocked to learn that the Federal Information Minister was being kept in the dark regarding the issues concerning the APP by officials of their own Ministry. 

The APP, being the leading news agency of the country, has been the mouthpiece of the government all along and it’s one of the most important organs of the Federal Ministry of the Information and Broadcasting, now headed by Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan.

Railways stalwarts concerned about rising train accidents

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 
(Pakistan News and Features Services) 

Former Railways bigwigs and stalwarts have taken exception to successive railway accidents claiming many precious human lives and described the same as utter professional mismanagement and overloading of railway system caused by launching of new trains with old rolling stock just for political reasons. 

“The recent spate of accidents on PR’s network reflects the breakdown of an intricate system put in place to ensure safety of train operations. These horrific accidents are reflective of utter mismanaged and a quickly deteriorating and overheated system, adversely affecting the safety of train operations,” the former senior railway professionals observed while offering their comments on railway accidents one after the other. 

The tragic accident occurred at Walhar station, near Sadiqabad, on July 11 in which about 24 precious lives were lost and more than 70 passengers injured, some of them critically. Akbar Bugti Express, on way to Quetta, had rammed into a stationery freight train, a nightmare for any operating system. 

An equally horrific had accident occurred a few days ago near Hyderabad when another passenger train rammed into a freight train. 

“These accident reflected the breakdown of the administrative, technical and operational framework put in place to ensure the safety of train operations,” one of the former Pakistan Railways high-ranking officials remarked, fearing that the nightmare may continue unabated unless adequate safety measures were put in place immediately. 

Another former Railways official, while commenting on safety aspects of train operations, pointed out that it’s a crucially important aspect of any railway system as the maintenance of the already weakened infrastructure had been completely neglected for the past year or two. The condition of the already dilapidated track has further deteriorated with the load of more passenger trains introduced by the current political leadership. 

Moreover, mandatory inspections of stations, track and rolling stock, maintenance facilities, essentially required to ensure safety of train operations, has lost its priority with the PR management. Their focus, unfortunately, has been diverted to arranging frequent inaugural functions for the political leadership. 

Complete track renewals, which were considered routine on the main line, are a thing of the past and short term track rehabilitation projects take ages to complete due financial suffocation and lack of proper supervision. 

Another senior railway official of the past was of the view that routine maintenance of rolling stock has also been criminally ignored as the attention of the mechanical staff, especially at MGPR workshops, washing lines and sick lines has been diverted towards rolling out refurbished passenger coaches for facilitating introduction of new trains being announced on a monthly basis, in compliance with policy directives of the Minister for Railways. 

Most of the newly introduced trains are financial disasters and do not even meet the fuel costs, he claimed Though fully convinced of the adverse financial, operational and safety effects of the newly inducted trains, the railway management has somehow failed to convince the Federal Minister for Railways. 

Yet another very senior ex-railway man opened that regular training of human resource, particularly operating staff like drivers, firemen, station staff, guards, signal staff and track maintenance staff is vital for the safety of train operations. This aspect of capacity building of operating employees has been ignored and is not a priority with the railway management. 

The rail experts unanimously reckoned that train operation is an intricate business where each department has to contribute to the system with commitment. This dedication, coordination and commitment is completely lacking, somehow. 

According to them the employees and supervisory staff have lost faith in the officers at the operational levels; and the junior officers have lost faith in the senior officers; worst of all the senior officers have no love lost for the political leadership of PR. 

The staff is disgruntled at the lack of strategic leadership. In the process, the organization is suffering as mandatory operating rules are ignored, resulting in derailments, train parting, fire in trains and head-on collisions. They noted that preliminary inquiries into the recent accidents at Walhar and Hyderabad point to not only technical failures but also to human failure in the form extremely indifferent attitude of the operating staff like, drivers, assistant drivers, station staff, signal staff, etc. 

The PR’s system is almost fool proof and all failures, whether human, electrical and mechanical or track related have to be in place in order to avoid accident. These accidents indicate some kind of tempering with the system. 

For an accident to happen, a combination of human and technical failure in track, rolling stock or signalling is required. The current overload of the already compromised track and rolling stock, by introducing nonproductive and financially nonviable trains has added to the chaos. 

They asserted that focused attention, through inspections and field visits, on day to day basis, of infrastructure and rolling stock facilities, punctuality of trains, safety of train operations, and crash refresher courses for operating staff will definitely reduce the current trend of accidents.

As accidents are a reflection of a failed system. The farce of introduction of new passenger trains on rickety tracks need to be stopped immediately. Running of more passenger trains, and that too loss making is a disservice to PR and causing over heating of an already compromised and weak system. 

They alleged that PR has been an unfortunate story of neglect in the form of deferred maintenance of its three main assets, namely, infrastructure, rolling stock and its human resource. Way forward is to concentrate on immediate implementation of upgradation of ML-1 project’ under CPEC; a once in a life time opportunity but slowly fading away due to mishandling at the political leadership level?

One word of caution though, PR and the government needs to concentrate on proper maintenance of the existing track till the time the ML-1 project is completed in five to six years. 

They advised that infrastructure engineers need to remain on line rather than in the comfort of their offices, especially during the upcoming monsoon season, so as to cater to minor track defects and to protect the track from flash floods. 

Going back to the elaborate framework of operating and safety code, rules and procedure would definitely reduce the frequency of accidents. The frequency of meetings on issues not related to train operations , especially at the highest levels, needs to be drastically curtailed enabling the officers to focus on basic things like punctuality, safety of operations, track and rolling stock maintenance and revenue generation. This is not a tall order. 

Referring to an important aspect of the up gradation project, under CPEC, is human resource development, senior former professional said adding that the Chinese can be of help in immediate upgrade of the training facilities at Walton so as to facilitate immediate training of operating and signalling staff, to avoid critical over load of the system and to reduce expenditures, stop running of new loss making passenger trains.”

Sir Syed Express inaugurated in Karachi

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Divisional Superintendent, Pakistan Railways, Karachi Division, Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, got the much talked about the newly introduced Karachi-Rawalpindi Sir Syed Express inaugurated on July 4 through Muhammad Suleman, the first passenger to have booked the ticket from Karachi. 

Talking to media on the occasion, he informed that the train having a total capacity of 646 seats, offers three classes of AC Sleeper, AC Business and Economy. It had 100% booking for the opening day. The train, branded as luxurious, had the facilities of dining car and wi-fi.

The train will reach its destination in 21 hours via Faisalabad. Upon completion of ML-1, the travel time of the train will reduce to 10 hours. 

Besides facilitating passengers it’s being expected to earn the much-needed revenue for the Pakistan Railways. 

The train, named after the legendary scholar and thinker, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, is an important addition to passengers’ service as it would serve three different segments of the passengers market with a focus on economy class service (72%).

The Divisional Superintendent remarked that the train aims at facilitating the passengers from Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir who travel to Karachi and other southern cities of the country. 

DS Syed Mazhar Shah told PNFS that at present some 60 trains operate Up and Down from Karachi Division out of which 40 were mail and express trains.

According to him, on 100 percent booking, the Sir Syed Express will generate an income of Rs two million on one side in a day. 

Mazhar Shah said that in Karachi Division alone some 1.2 million passengers were added to an existing roughly seven million passengers during the last financial year contributing to the railway's exchequer. 

Earlier the Sir Syed Express was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister, Imran Khan, during a high-profile ceremony in Rawalpindi.

Eminent engineers conferred IEP Lifetime Achievement awards

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

In accordance with its traditions, the Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) celebrated the Engineers Day in a befitting manner and recognized some of the eminent engineers of the country. 

The IEP organized the Engineers Day 2019 ceremony at the NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, on June 29 and the auditorium was packed to capacity as 20 engineers, having distinguished themselves in different vocations were conferred Lifetime Achievement awards. 

The accomplishments of the award winners, picked by a jury headed by Engr Prof Dr Sarosh Hashmat Lodi, Vice Chancellor, NED University, were narrated loudly and clapped generously as they reached the podium to receive the shields. 

Those conferred IEP Lifetime Achievement awards on the occasion included Engr Syed Raza Akhlaq, Engr Amir Farooq, Engr Muhammad Saleem Raza, Engr Syed Salahuddin Ahmed, Engr Neelofar Hameed, Engr Asif Rizvi, Engr Salman Ansari, Engr Abdul Rauf Tabani, Chairman, Engr Taufiq Bilwani, Engr Muhammad Khan Minhas, Engr Syed Khalid Mahmood, Engr Muhammad Ali Shehaki and Engr Farhat Ishtiaq.

The presentation party on the stage included Engr Sohail Bashir, Chairman, IEP, Engr Prof Dr Sarosh Hashmat Lodi, Vice Chancellor, NED University, Engr Syed Jamshed Rizvi, Senior Vice Chairman, Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) and Engr Muhammad Shafique, Vice Chairman, PEC. 

In his welcome address, Engr Sohail Bashir, Chairman, IEP, recalled that the Institution was established on May 7, 1948 at Chittagong, the then East Pakistan with the blessings of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

“Every year we celebrate the founding day as Engineers Day throughout Pakistan. Presently our headquarters is located in Lahore. We have more then 50,000 members in 11 centres including one in Saudi Arabia. We also have a very active sub-center in Bahrain and a new sub-center at USA-Tri States comprising of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut,” he informed. 

“The IEP caters for all disciplines of engineering and it represents Pakistan in the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), Federation of Engineering Institutions of Islamic Countries (FEIIC), Federation of Engineering Institutions of South and Central Asia (FEISCA), Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council (ACECC) and Commonwealth Engineering Council (CWC). We also have collaboration agreements with more then 40 engineering institutions around the world,” the IEP Chairman added. 

“Engineers are the catalyst of change and engineering does provide a noticeable physical change in the surroundings of the society through manifestation of improved industry and national assets which are developed and maintained to satisfactory working condition to the benefit of the society,” he remarked. 

“I take this opportunity to emphasis that self-reliance should be the corner stone in all scheme of works. The Institution is more than willing to advise the government on all relevant aspects for the optimal utilization of local human and material resources in the national projects,” Engr Sohail Bashir declared. 

Engr Prof Dr Sarosh Hashmat Lodi, Vice Chancellor, NED University, also delivered a thought-provoking speech on the occasion, in which he advised the policymakers to seek input from the engineers in particular for working out solution to the economic issues confronting the country. 

“The engineers have spearheaded the turnaround in many countries. They can do the same in our country if pressed into service. Time and again the engineers have delivered as they primarily happen to be trouble shooters,” he reckoned. 

Paying tribute to the galaxy of engineering luminaries, who were recognized at the night, the Vice Chancellor of the NED University looked forward to continue producing many more stalwarts from engineering institutions in future.

Khawaja Naveed clarifies news report

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News and Features Services)

Khawaja Naveed Ahmed, the defence counsel for accused in the 530 acres of land illegal allotment case, has clarified a news item appearing in a section of the press and electronic media alleging that he helped two accused in the case to abscond from the court after their interim pre-arrest bail order was recalled by a Division Bench of the Supreme Court. 

Khawaja Naveed, one of the most respected lawyers of the country, has clarified that the accused were on an interim pre-arrest bail for the last about two years and had attended Supreme Court as well as trial court at every hearing. 

According to him five witnesses in this case had been examined and the two accused had never missed any date of hearing. 

He stated that after recall of their interim pre-arrest bail, they were going to trial court to surrender themselves where the case was proceeding. 

He further stated that there was no point of their absconding because they had submitted cash security of Rupee five lac each which is still lying with the court. They could not imagine to abscond as their security was already with the court. 

Khawaja Naveed described the news as misleading and said the fact has been twisted to make it sensational. He said it’s a normal practice and we surrender the accused after their pre-arrest bail order is recalled or may be rejected.

Sindh government rolls out typhoid conjugate vaccine

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The children in the Lyari neighbourhood of Karachi, one of the areas worst-hit by the typhoid outbreak in Sindh, are receiving their first dose of the typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV), the latest vaccine to be included in Pakistan’s routine immunization programme. 

The staff from Aga Khan University (AKU), working in partnership with the Sindh government, will inoculate over 100,000 infants and children between the ages of six months and 15 years by administering the vaccine at public and private sector schools and hospitals based in one of the city’s most densely populated towns. 

“This is the first step in a mass immunization campaign for Sindh. The vaccine is the most effective way to curb new cases and to protect children from a disease which is becoming increasingly expensive and difficult to treat,” Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Sindh Health minister, remarked. 

Pakistan is the first country among low-income nations eligible for funding from GAVI, a global, public-private partnership committed to increasing access to immunization to include TCV in its nationwide schedule of vaccines against 11 preventable diseases. 

The decision is in line with the country’s commitment to end outbreaks of water-borne and communicable diseases in its efforts to meet goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

“Deaths and complications from typhoid were rare over the past 15 years but the ongoing outbreak has put an unprecedented number of children at risk,” Farah Qamar, an associate professor in paediatrics and child health at AKU, stated. 

“Efforts are underway to address the root cause of the outbreak failings in our water and sanitation system but in the meantime this vaccine represents the best way to save lives,” she added. 

Researchers from the AKU will analyze the data from the Lyari drive to understand factors determining the acceptability and efficacy of the vaccine which, in turn, will enable its successful rollout across the country from October 2019. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has disclosed that over 5,000 cases of XDR typhoid have been reported in the province to date. 

The scale of the outbreak led the Sindh government and private sector partners, such as the AKU and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, collaborating to launch an emergency vaccination drive in Hyderabad in January 2018. 

The faculty and staff at the AKU microbiology laboratory first detected the typhoid outbreak in blood culture tests from Hyderabad in October 2016. They collaborated with epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists from the University’s department of paediatrics to bring the matter to the attention of local government, the WHO, the US National Institutes of Health, the Sabin Vaccine Institute and the UK-based Wellcome Sanger Institute. 

Since then, the university’s researchers and its partners have collaborated on a number of studies to understand the genetic make-up of the typhoid strain, to ascertain risk factors for its geographic spread and to assess the safety and efficacy of TCV in an emergency outbreak situation. 

Data and policy implications stemming from these studies were shared with the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan and the federal government’s National Technical Advisory Group. 

This led to a successful application for funding from GAVI and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation resulting in the permanent inclusion of TCV in the country’s nationwide immunization programme, a win-win situation for stopping the spread of a preventable disease.

KMC directed to facilitate displaced shopkeepers

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Commissioner Karachi, Iftikhar Shalwani, has advised the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to finalize the issue of 403 shopkeepers of Zoological Garden Market displaced during anti-encroachment drive launched on the orders of the Supreme Court.

“Concrete measures must be taken to provide alternate place to the affected shopkeepers for their business on priority basis,” he said in a meeting with the representatives of the affected shopkeepers of the Zoological Garden Market at his office. 

The delegation was led by its Vice President, Misbah-ul-Shams, General Secretary Asif Shahzad, Joint Secretary, Muhammad Munaf, Muhammad Intizar and Muhammad Asif. Deputy Commissioner South, Syed Salahudduin, and Deputy Director, KMC, Muhammad Alamdar, were also present on the occasion. 

The delegation apprised the Commissioner about their grievances and informed that they were displaced from their businesses on January 5 with a promise that they will be provided alternate place for their business.

However, despite the lapse of six months, they have not been compensated as yet nor accommodated at any other place. 

Commissioner Karachi, Iftikhar Shalwani, gave them patient hearing and assured that their problems would be solved on priority basis. 

He told them to remain open minded to accept the substitute place as per policy and record which will be given to them after due verification. 

He directed Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) to check the available record and submit report in this regard.

He also directed DC South to identify the alternate place for placement of affected shopkeepers. 

The Commissioner directed KMC to hold a meeting of affected shopkeepers with the Mayor and Municipal Commissioner to sort out their issues and to conduct a proper survey for alternative places. 

The DC South was told to keep vigil against illegal encroachments and check fruit carts near parking plaza, which might turn a permanent market and create problems in future.

Railways chief assures KCR revival in time

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Federal Secretary, Ministry of Railways, and Chairman, Pakistan Railway Board, Sikandar Sultan Jalal visited Karachi and held a meeting reviewing the ten-day ongoing anti-encroachment drive for revival of the Karachi Circular Railway KCR) under the directives of Supreme Court.

The Secretary Railways, in his remarks, stated that he’s regularly receiving progress reports with regard to ongoing ant-encroachment campaign to clear tracks for the KCR. 

He regarded the progress being satisfactory and appreciated the efforts of the teams undertaking the task. 

"Now we are able to submit a positive and implementable report to the SC."' he said and described as commendable the efforts being made and steps taken by Commissioner Karachi, Divisional Superintendent Railways and all team members. 

He pointed out that the KCR was most imperative for the people of this ever sprawling city and everyone involved is making efforts to pave the way for revival of the KCR within the stipulated time frame.

He pointed out that all leases issued by Pakistan Railways would be examined by DS Railway Karachi Division and legal action taken accordingly. 

The leases issued by the likes of Board of Revenue and Katchi Abadis department of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) would also be examined by respective agencies as per law and policy as per SC directives. 

Meanwhile, a 7 Members committee is being constituted with all stakeholder, departments and concerned to carry out basic homework and legal formalities for revive the KCR and to work out a most modern urban transport system on priority basis to meet the commuting needs of the people of this metropolis.

Federal Secretary Railways Sikandar Sultan Jalal lauded the efforts of Sindh government in the entire scenario and the steps taken by the Commissioner Karachi and said the Railways will extend its all cooperation to them to start the KCR project in time. 

The Commissioner Karachi, Iftikhar Shallwani, while welcoming the Federal Secretary Railway briefed him about on-going operation and said everyone involved was working for the accomplishment of this most important task. 

He assured that a positive and comprehensive report will be submitted to SC and measures taken accordingly for revival of KCR by Sindh Government for the people of Karachi.

The meeting was briefed by respective Deputy Commissioners about their progress of operation at their individual levels. 

They drew attention towards many important aspects to operation and revival of KCR. 

They reaffirmed of their determination for attainment of result oriented targets. 

The DS Railways, Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, and DIG Operation PR, Azhar Rasheed Khan, also briefed the visiting Secretary about steps taken and progress achieved so far during the operation. They hoped that the encroachments removed would not be allowed to resurface. 

Earlier Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani met the Federal Secretary and discussed important KCR related issues and its revival under SC directives. He reiterated his proposal for a trial run of a train on KCR route.

Policymakers commemorate breakthrough year for nursing, midwifery

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The government of Pakistan has designated 2019 as the year of nursing and is working to enhance the role and voices of nurses and midwives in health policymaking, in recognition of the vital part they play in promoting universal healthcare and in defending women’s rights, the speakers at Aga Khan University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery (SONAM) observed.

The school brought together policymakers, senior academics and nursing leaders at an event to celebrate International Nurses Day and the International Day of the Midwife. 

In a message submitted ahead of the event, Sindh Minister for Health and Population Dr Azra Pechuho said: “The government is taking necessary steps to recognize nurses as equal partners in the healthcare system.” 

The provincial minister noted that nurses and midwives are already playing their part in providing quality healthcare to communities across the country and called on stakeholders to encourage and facilitate efforts to deepen their impact on the healthcare system.

The learned speakers at the event discussed the launch of new initiatives following President Dr Arif Alvi’s declaration and in light of Pakistan joining the global Nursing Now initiative. 

In his keynote speech, Shabbir Hussain, Director General Nursing for Sindh, highlighted the crucial partnership between nursing schools, hospitals and regulatory bodies in Pakistan in raising the image, status and role of nurses. 

“Nursing is emerging as one of the best professions in the healthcare sector and we are collectively making efforts to improve working conditions for our nurses and midwives to ensure that they can continue to provide quality healthcare services,” he said. 

The speakers also noted that besides encouraging investment in the nursing workforce and recruiting more nurses into leadership roles, the focus has to shift to research, capacity building and the implementation of best-practice. 

Dr David Arthur, Dean of AKU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, reckoned that nurses now have a variety of career opportunities open to them. “Today’s nurses are seen as educators, researchers and counsellors in addition to working in different healthcare settings. They are also seeking specialization within nursing in various clinical areas, which further highlights their roles as front-line caregivers and strong patient advocates in all areas within a healthcare facility,” he remarked. 

Nurses have come a long way over the past few decades, are in a variety of leadership positions in the clinical and academic spheres, and stand ready to support the government’s efforts to achieve targets under the UN sustainable development goals, added Laila Cassum, a senior instructor at SONAM. 

The speeches were followed by a panel discussion on the challenges nurses and midwives face in public and private healthcare institutions. 

The panelists highlighted the need to increase the proportion of the healthcare budget allocated to the profession and called for more steps to recognize the contribution of nurses and midwives. 

Practicing nurses and midwives, students and nursing leaders from educational and healthcare institutions across Sindh were present at the event.