Making KEMU a college again | PU okays syllabus changes

'Making KEMU a college will be strange'
Lahore, April 14: All political parties supported upgrading the King Edward Medical College (KEMC) to a university, and again converting it into a college would be a strange decision, KEMU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Zafarullah Khan said on Monday. He was addressing a gathering of students and doctors at the KEMU campus. He said the institute was given the status of a university in 1999, and all political parties had welcomed the decision. "A middle school can be made high school, a college can be made a university, but making a university into a college is strange," the VC said. He said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was being given invalid information regarding the KEMU. The VC also urged the students to raise their hands if they wanted KEMU to retain the status of a university. The entire student body raised its hands before dispersing peacefully. Khan said the university was providing transport, clean water and girls' hostels to the students for the first time. He said the university's first convocation in December 2008 was marked by the prime minister's visit, when he offered to resolve any problems the university was facing. He said the only demand put before the prime minister was construction of female hostels. Daily Times

KEMU status to be ratained: CM
Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that present status of King Edward Medical University will be maintained and it will be made a best university. He also directed to constitute a high level committee for this purpose which will submit its recommendations within two weeks for making King Edward Medical University a prestigious university of the world. This was decided in a meeting held regarding KingEdward Medical University at Chief Minister's Secretariat, here today, which was also attended by MNA Sardar Ayyaz Sadiq, Secretary Health, Dr. Amir Aziz, Vice Chancellor, professors, senior teaching staff and students. Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that King Edward Medical College had an important place in the world and this college produced prominent doctors who are rendering their services throughout the world. He said that now King Edward Medical University should be given the same status as was acquired by this college and in this regard it is the responsibility of Vice Chancellor, Principal, Medical Superintendent and all other concerned staff to take all possible measures for granting it status of best university of the world. He said that a committee is also being constituted for making the performance of King Edward Medical University exemplary which will review all aspects regarding improvement of university and will submit its comprehensive recommendations in this regard. Earlier, participants of the meeting, teaching staff and students informed about their suggestions. F.P. Report

KEMU VC shows medics the door
Lahore: An unpleasant and embarrassing situation was created when King Edward Medical University (KEMU) Vice Chancellor Monday humiliatingly asked Principal Allama Iqbal Medical College and president KEMColian International Forum Prof Dr Javed Akram, Dr Amir Aziz and some other prominent doctors to leave the King Edward Medical College building. The doctors, mostly against giving King Edward Medical College a university status, went to KE to attend an emergency meeting convened to deliberate upon the varsity issue.

The KEMColian office bearers, former senior teachers and students gathered in front of the VC office and registered their strong protest against the varsity VC and administration. The media men invited to cover the proceeding of the meeting too were asked to leave the institute. It is worth-mentioning that KEMColian is a body of former and present students of KEMC. This body recently had elected Dr Javed Akram elected its president.

The Saturday's incident also drew new line between the medical community, brought the pro-varsity and anti-varsity groups face to face.
Soon after the incident, the situation got worsened when students from the both sides came face to face and exchanged hot words blaming the seniors of each other's group for the unpleasant happening. The matter was, however, resolved on the intervention of the senior doctors when the clash was imminent.

KEMColian president Prof Dr Javed Akram, senior vice president Prof Dr Amir Aziz, Prof Dr Amjad and a large number of former medical teachers including Prof Mahmood A Malik, Prof Ghulam Sarwar, Prof Abdul Aziz, and scores of students later gathered outside the VC office and addressed a press conference against Vice Chancellor Prof Zafar Ullah Khan.

Addressing the newsmen, Dr Javed said that they were invited by Prof Zafar Ullah Khan as guests to attend a joint meeting in which the present and former students and doctors of the university have been invited to discuss the issue of varsity status for the premier medical institute.

He said he along with other doctors was waiting for the commencement of the meeting at Council Room when Vice Chancellor, KEMU appeared there and asked them to leave the place immediately.

Dr Javed told when Dr Zafar Ullah was asked why he was asking them to leave the place, he responded: "I will not allow anybody to talk to the media men without seeking prior permission from me. Being head of the institute I have the right only to talk to the newsmen on the issue."

Prof Javed said that it was perhaps the first incident ever occurred in the history of the KEMU when a VC humiliated most respectable medical teachers including Prof Mahmood A Malik. He said the way the VC tried to disgrace the senior medical teachers and the students was not tolerable at all.

Addressing on the occasion, Prof Mahmood A Malik, KEMColian pattern in-chief, criticized Dr Zafar saying it is a very shameful attitude shown towards medical teachers by a VC.

Prof Dr Amir Aziz and Prof Amjad told the newsmen that Prof Zafar Ullah himself invited them in the meeting as guests late night on Sunday. They said that an emergency meeting was convened on Sunday night in which the VC requested them their support for university and also pledged his support in favour of the restoration of KEMC too.

As soon as they reached the university, they said, Dr Zafar Ullah Khan taking 'U-Turn' from his stance and without any reason asked them to leave the institute.

"His act is highly condemnable", they said and added, "They would take up the issue with the Chief Minister".

Interestingly, some professors of the KEMU including Prof Dr Arshad Cheema were also present at the Press conference in the support of the KEMColian office bearers. The same professors were earlier the supporter of Dr Zafar on the KEMU issue. Medical Superintendent Mayo Hospital Dr Zahid Pervaiz was also among the victims and attended the Press conference held in protest against the VC's attitude. The Nation

Former KEMU students criticise VC
Lahore: KEMC (a union of former KEMU students) on Monday criticised the King Edward Medical University (KEMU) vice chancellor for holding a 'political' procession by suspending the classes and forbidding paramedical staff from performing their duties.

KEMC President Dr Javed Akram, Dr Amir Aziz, Dr Sarwar Chaudhary, Dr Salman Kazmi, Dr Amjad, and others strongly criticised the KEMU VC for bringing out students from their classes and holding a procession in the Library Hall. They demanded that the college should be restored for under-graduate students and the KEMU should work on research and post-graduate projects. Daily Times

Post your comments

Punjab University okays syllabus changes
Lahore: The Punjab University Academic Council meeting held on Monday approved the recommendations of Advance Studies and Research Board regarding revision of syllabi of different subjects on Bachelor, Master and M Phil levels in order to make them on a par with the modern requirements.

According to a press statement, the meeting chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran also approved a recommendation regarding change in the degree nomenclature from 'BSc Engineering in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering' to 'BSC Electrical Engineering.'

Moreover, the meeting approved the change in the department name from "Psychology and Applied Psychology" to Department of Applied Psychology. It was also decided that M Phil degree could be awarded in lieu of MSc (Hons) degree if a candidate completes BSc (Hons) three years and MSc (Hons) two years degree. Such a candidate has to complete one year course work and research for an M Phil degree. The News

PU Academic Council meets
Lahore: Punjab University Academic Council meeting held on Monday under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamrna at New Campus. The meeting approved the recommendations of Advance Studies and Research Board regarding revision of syllabi of different subjects on Bachelor, Master and M.Phil level in order to make them at a par with the modern requirements. The meeting also approved a recommendation regarding change in the degree nomenclature from "BSc Engineering in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering" to "BSC Electrical Engineering". Moreover meeting also approved the change in the department name from "Psychology and Applied Psychology" to Department of Applied Psychology.

PU organizes condolence reference
Lahore: Punjab University Oriental College'sDepartment of Urdu organized a condolence reference in the memory of late Dr Sohail Ahmad Khan. Dean Oriental Learning Prof Dr Saleem Mazhar presided over the reference. Prof Dr Muhammad Akram Shah, Prof Dr Mazhar Moen, Prof Dr Asmat Ullah Zahid, Prof Dr Moen Nazami and Tariq Zaidi were chief guests on the occasion. Prof Dr Tehseen Firaqi, Prof Dr Fakhar ul Haq Noori, Dr Naheed Pasha, Marghoob Hussain Tahir and Dr Shoaib Ahmad in their speeches paid rich tribute to the services of Dr Shohail Ahmad. F.P. Report

Post your comments

BZU names PhD programme after Gilani
Multan: The Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) has named its PhD scholarship programme after Prime Minister Syed

Yusuf Raza Gilani's name. Under this program, 100 scholarships will be offered to those eligible for the Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani foreign scholarship programme, which will cost Rs 870 million.

According to a spokesman of the BZU, under this faculty development programme, each scholar will be getting a sum of Rs8 million for his or her higher studies abroad.

He said the terms and conditions for this scholarship had been advertised and the selection process would be completed by June 30.

The spokesman said that the scholarship would be meant for four years and each scholar would have to join the BZU after completing his or her PhD abroad. App

Post your comments

PPSC recommends 93 lecturers
Lahore: The Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has recommended 93 candidates to the provincial government for their appointment to the posts of Lecturer Economics (BS-17) in the Punjab Higher Education Department. According to a press note issued on Monday the detailed result can be seen at the Commission's website www.ppsc.gop.pk. The News

Post your comments

Art exhibition begins
Lahore: An art exhibition aimed at promoting young artists has been started at art Gallery 39-K Model town here on Monday. Recent graduates of the National College of Arts (NCA) and the artists from `hunerkada' college of visual and performing arts are joining the exhibition. App

Post your comments

GCU wins team trophy
Lahore: The Debating Society of Government College University (GCU) has won the team trophy at a co-curricular contest organised by Government Training College for the Teachers of Blind Lahore. According to a press statement, Muhaib Raza was declared first in the Punjabi Takra while Adeel Anjum stood second in Urdu declamation. Wajahat Ali Dogar was stood second in English declamation.

Post your comments

Distinction
Lahore: The University of Lahore, Department of Management Sciences, took first position in the NASCON 2009 Business Plan Competition organised by FAST-NU, Islamabad, on April 11-12. According to a press statement, the other universities which participated in the competition included Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), FAST, COMNSATS, Hailey College, NUML and UET Lahore. The News

Post your comments

Religious seminaries survey
Lahore: The government has started detailed survey of religious seminaries to ascertain the strength of individual madrissas and identification of individual students and faculty members throughout the country. The survey started simultaneously along with the schools/colleges survey to get first hand information about the enrolled students and teachers for their identification. The surveys are being conducted by the police and security agencies in the wake of fresh wave of terrorism in the country particularly in Punjab. There were threats to schools/colleges and religious seminaries particularly those having co-education. The surveys are part of the overall preparation to safeguard government establishments and educational institutions under threats of subversive activities.

While the management of schools/colleges have been advised to make security arrangements of their own vis-a-vis erection of security gates, metal detectors, posting of security guards at the gates and roof tops, identification of visitors, wearing of uniform and school/college ID cards, the religious seminaries have not been asked to do so. The survey also aimed at ascertaining the strength of foreign students if any, their respective countries and tribes etc. The government agencies distributed printed questionnaire to the heads of religious seminaries to fill and return. The form, however, did not ask the funding and patronage of madrissa. The Wafaqul Madrissa and Tanzimul Madrissa have separately rejected the surveys and ascertainment of intelligence information on madrissas. They say that this is an act to harass madrissas and have vowed not to cooperate with the security agencies for such surveys.

Nazim-e-Aala Tanzimul Madrissa Dr Sarfraz Naeemi said that there was nothing to hide from anyone as madrissa enrollment system as well as studies and funds were transparent. "There are no terrorists in the ranks of students and teachers and if any, the government is free to identify and take them into custody," he added. There are at least two million students, both boys and girls, studying various levels of Dars-e-Nizami (4 years) programme equal to BA besides Hifz and Nazra Quran in 21,000 madrissas in the country. Most of the religious madrissas also provide residential facilities and food to the students who come from various parts of the country particularly NWFP, FATA and Azad Kashmir. Majority of students at these madrissas are orphan, destitute and abandoned while some of the madrissa enroll students from the affluent families. Most of the madrissas are affiliated with Wafaqul Madrissa, predominantly, a 'deobandi' sect while Sunni (Brelvi) madrissas are affiliated with Tanzimul Madrissa. Fiqah Jaffria and Ahle Hadith have also a fair number of madrissas where they teach their own fiqah and curriculum. The Nation

Post your comments