Denso Hall Facade Cleaning Festival from April 14

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The historic Denso Hall Facade Cleaning Festival would be organized jointly by the Heritage Foundation Pakistan and Rotary Club Karachi New Central from April 14.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting held under the chairmanship of the Commissioner Karachi, Itfikhar Shallwani, on April 1.

The founder of the Heritage Foundation and a renowned architect, Yasmeen Lari, briefed about the campaign which she described to be an effort to bring back the glory of Karachi. 

As a first step, the Heritage Foundation, is embarking on scientific cleaning of facades of Karachi’s historic buildings, beginning with the historic Denso Hall (1886) and then facades of all buildings located on Marriott Road will be taken up one at a time every Sunday as a voluntary movement for safeguarding Karachi’s heritage, and creating livelihood opportunities through pedestrianizing Marriott Road. 

The Rotary Club Karachi New Central has partnered in this noble venture and the government has ganted it its blessings. Architect Yasmeen Lari made a detailed presentation on the method for gentle scientific cleaning of Karachi’s beautiful buff coloured stone to heritage volunteers. 

It provides an opportunity to the Karachiites to participate in taking care of our heritage, Yasmin said, reminding that on various occasions Karavan Karachi’s streetfest activities were successfully carried out every Sunday, over seven months in 2001, from music to street theater to sketching. During this facade cleaning festival such activities will also be revived. 

On the occasion, the Commissioner Karachi stated that the Sindh government was making all out efforts for city's development and beatification and those from civil society who want to contribute would be considered a great support and encouraged by providing all possible support in this respect. 

He was of the opinion that the Façade Cleaning Festival would help the government to carry out its programme to bring back the city's past glory. He hoped the programme would be helpful to create greater public awareness regarding various environmental aspects and also define the way forward through cooperation of government agencies and civil society to make Karachi not only the cheapest city but among the most livable cities . 

Shallwani directed the officials of KMC, DMCs, and Traffic Police and other concerned agencies to extend all possible support with regard to the cleanliness and beautification work conceptualized by the Heritage Foundation’s programme Karvan Karachi for rehabilitation work of historic buildings and streets. 

The Commissioner was informed that it would be a scientific cleaning of facades of historic buildings and cleaning and greening of streets as a voluntary civil society movement which will show the enthusiasm of the Karachiites to begin taking care of their city's environment. 

The administration will provide security and traffic arrangements for the convenience of the general public for regular Sunday Karavan Karachi street festivals which will showcase Karachi's diverse cultural heritage and provide entertainment for families including youth and children.

Police’s sacrifices in peace maintenance highlighted

By Rashid Zia Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Inspector General Police, Sindh, Syed Kaleem Imam, has stated that peace was being maintained in the province through the sacrifices of police personnel of different cadres from senior to constable level.

"Some 2,500 police personnel sacrificed their lives while on duty and thousands others were injured,” he said while talking to police officials and city elites at DIG Office in Nawabshah. 

Kaleem Imam informed that a proposal has been sent to the Sindh Government seeking promotion of constables from grade five to seven and head constables from seven to nine grade for approval. 

He added that the quota for lady constables would be increased and induction of 2,500 lady constables has been recommended while steps are in hand for restoration of son quota. 

He described policing as a hard task and revealed that it received 77 alerts during recent war-like situation in which police played dedicated role while special measures were taken for protection of the CPEC projects. 

The IGP disclosed that a policy is under formulation for grant of interest free loans to police personnel. 

Speaking on the issue of 22-A, he stated that it is not being scrapped. However out of 19,000 complaints filed in different courts during 2018, around two thousand applications were accepted on which investigation was in progress. 

He was optimistic that following the reforms in police department, a common man would get justice at his doorstep. He described the performance of DIG Mazhar Abbas as outstanding. 

The ceremony, attended by Senior Superintendent of Police, Tanveer Tunio, and other senior officials, concluded with the unveiling of Complaint Resource Mechanism and Information Technology Lab by IG Syed Kaleem Imam. 

On the occasion a number of lady police personnel submitted applications of their grievances to the IG.

Entry and transfer of votes

By Rashid Zia Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The entry and transfer of vote is being be done at temporary or permanent address mentioned in Computerized National Identity Card according to Section 27 of Rule 2017 of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The District Election Commissioner, Shaheed Benazirabad, Zahid Hussain Bhutto, has explained that in case of being a government employee, his and family votes can be entered at temporary or permanent address as mentioned in CNIC and can also be entered at the place of employment. 

Addressing a meeting of councilors at his office, the DEC stated that 16 display centers have been established throughout the district for the purpose of entry and transfer of votes. 

Four such display centers have been opened in Talukas Nawabshah, Qazi Ahmed, Daur and Sakrand, each headed by an Assistant Registration Officer. 

He added that a voter can now transfer his address at place mentioned in CNIC if earlier it was entered at some other address. 

He informed that after the expiry of stipulated date of March 31, 2019, the address other than mentioned at CNIC would be automatically deleted. 

He advised the councilors to create awareness among voters of their respective wards for entry of votes at their temporary or permanent address by the deadline of March 31, 2019.

Caravan-e-Bhutto train march warmly welcomed in Nawabshah, proceeds to Larkana

By Rashid Zia Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Caravan-e-Bhutto train march led by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, reached Nawabshah on its way to its destination of Larkana. 

He was warmly welcomed by party workers at the Nawabshah Railway Station as he was showered rose petals while the station was profusely decorated with colorful banners. 

The Caravan-e-Bhutto had kicked off from Karachi's Cantt Station on March 26 saw many senior PPP leaders joined Bilawal Bhutto in his journey to Larkana to attend the 40th death anniversary of the party founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, a former Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Addressing party workers from the compartment of his train, the PPP chairman said the late former premier and the party founder had sacrificed his life but did not take a U-turn. 

Bilawal Bhutto remarked that practical steps were necessary for bringing stability to Pakistan's economy instead of collecting charity. 

He was of the view that the accountability should be for everyone but instead a series of revenge process has been started in the name of accountability. He questioned about the accountability of Aleema Khan and asked whether the wealth was taken back from her.

Canada, UAE collaborate in space exploration

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Canadian Business Council (CBC) Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with the Embassy of Canada in the UAE, organized a conversation with the UAE Space Agency (UAESA) Director General, Dr Mohammed Nasser Al Ahbabi, and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) President, Sylvain Laporte, at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island on March 20. The event brought together the delegates of the UAESA, CSA and Global Space Congress and members of CBC Abu Dhabi. 

Masud Husain, Ambassador of Canada to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), presented the welcome address in which he spoke at great length of the growing relationship between Canada and the UAE and their collaborative efforts in space exploration. 

Gregory Zoughbi, Chairman of CBC Abu Dhabi, welcomed and introduced the speakers, noting on CBC’s role in promoting business relations, commerce and investment between Canada and the UAE through its Communities of Interest (COI) initiative. 

Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor-in-Chief of The National opened the discussion by how the investment in space will benefit different sectors such as energy, construction, education, media and others; and what opportunities it may have to offer to society.

It was a historic moment for the UAE when it launched its first Emirati-made satellite in 2018. Dr Mohammed Nasser Al Ahbabi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency, shared how this vision came into reality because of the country’s dedicated leadership who foresaw the future of this nation as well as the region. 

The UAE’s space programme has various initiatives such as hosting the Global Space Congress and teaming up with different countries, such as Canada, with the same passion for space exploration. 

Sylvain Laporte, President of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), talked about the many lessons learned throughout this programme, mentioning a country could not do space exploration without international collaboration. 

The CSA chief expressed great appreciation of how the UAE’s Space Agency, within a short span of tim,e has been able to achieve great milestones.

The topic on Canada’s commitment to the Lunar Gateway by providing smart robotic system was also discussed wherein he explained how this system will work and how Canada has taken advantage of the technologies from the two Canadarms. 

The informative discussion concluded with the point that the UAE and Canada have driven inspiration for the youth to get involved in space initiatives as both the countries encouraged innovation, commercialization and diversity in space. 

The Canadian Business Council Abu Dhabi (CBC) promotes business relations, commerce and investment between Canada and the UAE with a particular focus on the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA), established in 1989, is responsible for coordinating all government-funded space activities in Canada and some of its more high-profile projects include its robotics, most famously the Canadarm and the Canadarm 2. 

The UAE Space Agency is a federal agency, created to take care of the space sector including all projects, activities and programmes related to outer space. 

It is focused on the development of policies, strategies and plans related to the space sector that are approved by the Council of Ministers.  

The Global Space Congress, hosted by the UAE Space Agency, is a strategic gathering of global space industry leaders. 

Promoting the worldwide industry of space, the Congress brings together over 600 key space agencies, commercial space, academia and end users of space services to evaluate the biggest opportunities in the space sector.

New evidence about post-miscarriage infection

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

New international guidelines on how to provide treatment for women having miscarriage surgery are needed after a large-scale international trial has provided new evidence.

The trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, involved thousands of women at hospitals across four low and middle income countries, including the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi and 12 other hospitals across Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda. 

The findings of the study show that administering antibiotics prior to miscarriage surgery had a possible benefit when pelvic infection was defined by global standards. 

“Before the trial we had no idea what the right thing was, to reduce the serious complication of pelvic infection. We finally now have the highest quality evidence that a single, cheap, preventative dose of two commonly available antibiotics was not only safe but also appeared to reduce pelvic infection if the infection was diagnosed using strict international criteria,” lead researcher Dr David Lissauer of the University of Birmingham, remarked. 

Infections following miscarriage surgery are more common in low and middle income countries like Pakistan versus higher resource countries.

“In Pakistan, access to resources to care for women who do develop complications after miscarriage surgery is poor. The findings of this study will lead to improved treatment outcomes for women,” Dr Rahat Qureshi, associate professor, department of obstetrics and gynaecology at AKU, and one of the authors of the study along with Dr Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, the founding director of AKU’s Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health, stated. 

“Globally there are concerns about the irrational and widespread use of antibiotics which can fuel antibiotic resistance. 

This practice is rampant in Pakistan as well which is why quality processes within our health system must be initiated to prevent infections. In addition, a balanced use of antibiotics will improve practices and reduce the risks of emergence of resistant bacteria,” she added. 

Prior to this study, there were only four trials conducted on antibiotic use in women undergoing surgery for miscarriage. These trials were conducted at single centres, used different antibiotics and assessed different outcomes. This study, however, was a multi-country, multi-centre randomised trial, the findings of which will call for a reassessment of international guidelines on the use of antibiotics in miscarriage surgery. 

A miscarriage is the most common complication of early pregnancy, the loss of a baby before 20 weeks. However, sometimes not all the residual pregnancy tissue is dispelled through the womb after a miscarriage so often a surgery is required to remove it. Miscarriage surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures carried out around the world. 

The study’s findings have implications for global efforts to achieve targets under goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals which call for specific measures to reduce the maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births. 

The study was funded by Medical Research Council UK, Wellcome Trust and UK Aid, and led by researchers at the Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, the Institute of Applied Health Research, and the Health Economics Unit at the University of Birmingham.

SBBU students celebrate Basant festival

By Rashid Zia Qureshi 
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The two-day Basant festival, organized by the final year male and female students of the Information and Technology department of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University (SBBU) to welcome spring season ended on March 12.

The students wearing colorful and traditional dresses organized various beautiful programmes which included the department decoration, trade tactics of small businesses stalls, kite flying and exhibition of cultural costumes. 

Besides musical events, stalls of eatables, mobile selfies competition, mehndi designs, acting competition, humour poetry, face painting and holding of local traditional games also marked the occasion. 

The students staged Balochi, Sindh and Punjabi dances on the drumbeat and chanted slogans of BO Kata during kite flying competition. They welcomed the guests coming to their stalls and briefed them about the festival. 

The SBBU Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr. Tayyaba Zareef, Prof Dr Liaquat Zardari and others visited different stalls and joined students during kite flying. The teachers were wearing cultural dresses and colourful scarf to welcome spring.

On the other side students of Information and Technology Department highlighted the culture by wearing Balochi and Sindhi Paghdi. 

The Basant festival, for a change, ended with Qawali sessions instead of musical programme. 

Addressing the gathering, Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Tayyaba Zareef remarked that it’s the university manifesto to take along all with love and cultural ethics. 

She observed that the students of the SBBU were instrumental in spreading the message of love far and wide.

“Our students care for each other, which has boosted their own confidence and built a very cordial atmosphere at the campus,” she reckoned. 

“The SBBU students have clinched positions and distinguished themselves in all areas and I hope that they will continue doing so. Promoting our culture and spreading of peace, love, good manners and best education would last for life,” she added.

Police action against drugs, illegal arms in interior Sindh

By Rashid Zia Qureshi 
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Police of different police stations of District Shaheed Benazirabad, on the directives of SSP Tanvir Tunio, raided various places and arrested 10 culprits following recovery of drugs and illegal arms and ammunition and registered cases against them.

In this regard Kazi Ahmed Police arrested accused Ayub Khoso and recovered 1.1 kilogram of charas. 

The Police arrested six accused following recovery of cash and cocks involved in cock fight gambling in village Maal Maher. They were identified as Gul Bahar Umrani, Ashraf Mirasi and Mitha Khan Mirasi. 

During checking at Shahdadpor road, the Gupchani police arrested accused Abdullah son of Abdul Aziz and recovered a pistol with bullets. 

The Airport Police Nawabshah arrested accused Imran alias Bhooro Arani and recovered five kilograms of charas. 

The A-section police arrested Noman alias Nomi Awan near Golimar Phatak and recovered 3 bottles of liquor. They also arrested Ghulam Murtaza in Taj Colony following recovery of four bottles of liquor. 

The Sakrand Police raised a distilled liquor factory near Teen Ghat and recovered large quantity of raw liquor. The operator of factory, however, managed to escape.

Sindh govt takes fresh water initiatives

By Rashid Zia Qureshi 
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Sindh Government is taking appropriate steps for supply of clean potable water to common man and more filter plants are being installed for better facilities in this regard.

This was stated by the Secretary of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Syed Hassan Naqvi, during his visit of Asia’s largest Water Ultrafiltration Plant, water checking centre, Sewerage Treatment Plant and Sakrand Water Supply Scheme. 

He disclosed that all the water supply and drainage schemes were handed over to the PHED. 

The PHED Secretary instructed officials to play role in provision of clean potable water to common man as it is their basic right. 

He advised the officials to activate all filtration plants and any negligence in this regard would not be tolerated. 

He also instructed them to complete all the ongoing development schemes of drainage and water supply schemes. 

Later the Secretary visited Water Checking Plant at Peoples University of Medical and Health Science and collected information. He was accompanied by the Deputy Commissioner, Abrar Ahmed Jaffar, and officials of the PHED.

Nawabshah hawkers elect consensus candidates

By Rashid Zia Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Muhammad Ashraf Quureshi and Abdul Malik were elected as the President and the General Secretary of the Akhbar Farosh Union of Nawabshah on March 12. 

The elections were held after the meeting of the general body, presided over by senior hawker Ashraf Qureshi while Farooq Memon and other hawkers were also present on the occasion. President Ashraf Qureshi, 

General Secretary Abdul Malik, Vice President Akram Shaikh, Joint Secretary Rizwan Qazi, Treasurer Mansoor Soomro and Office Secretary Aqeel Malik were elected with consensus for a period of two years. Abdul Khaliq Malik was elected member for Central Governing Body of the All Pakistan Akhbar Farosh Union. 

The Central Secretary General of the All Pakistan Akhbar Farosh Union, Tikka Khan Abbasi, has congratulated the newly elected office-bearers of Nawabshah.