PU students caught with flood donations

PU students caught over plans to use donations for own use
Lahore, Aug 31: A group of students from the Punjab University, who had collected donations amounting to Rs 0.5 million for flood victims, have been busted after they had planned to use the money for personal use.

As many as five students from the Institute of Communication Studies (ICS) had set up a flood-relief camp after getting permission from the department administration. They collected almost Rs 0.5 million in donations. However, the authorities and Islami Jamiat Taliba (IJT) said that the students in question were planning to buy a new car with the money they had collected in the name of donations.

According to sources, just as the students were about to buy a new car, one of them disclosed the scam and informed a student group of the IJT about their plans, which led to the capture of Tariq Bashir, a student, and recovery of Rs 97,000 from his possession.

The IJT information secretary confirmed that the group had caught one student and recovered Rs 97,000 from his possession, adding that the ICS administration was aware of the entire scam being perpetrated by the students.

He said they had recovered the scammed money and handed it over to PU ICS Director Ahsan Akhtar Naz, who asked them to submit the donations to the Alkhidmat Foundation, a Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) subsidiary working for social welfare. He said that they did not further inquire the matter as the ICS administration had decided to handle the issue themselves.

PU Students Adviser Iftikhar Chaudhry said that although the students of the varsity were engaged in fund-raising activities, the whole process was being conducted transparently and was being officially monitored.

The PU ICS director said that although the students concerned were from his department, he could not be held responsible for what they did outside the department, adding that he would not be holding any inquiry into the matter.

Also, students at the varsity have demanded that the PU VC ask the ICS director why he had not brought to light the incident and why had he ordered the IJT to submit the donation to a JI camp, as the varsity administration should decide where the money goes. Daily times

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'PU staff providing guidance to students'
Lahore: The PU Resident Officer-I Prof Javed Sami has said that the teaching staff deputed at the two main admission stalls both at the Old and New Campus is working efficiently and diligently for the guidance of visiting students and their parents for smooth completion of admission process regarding BA/BSc (4 years programme) and MA/MSc classes.

He expressed these views during a surprise visit by the Chairman Admission Stalls Committee Prof Dr Amin Athar to the New Campus admission stall on Monday. Advisor Student Affairs Iftikhar Ahmad Chaudhry, Prof Dr Abdul Ghaffar and Prof Dr Shaukat Ali also accompanied during the visit.

Prof Javed Sami said scores of interested students and their parents are daily visiting the admission stalls where they are provided comprehensive guidance and requisite information regarding admission to 2009 vacant seats under BA/BSc programme and 2900 vacant seats available for MA/MSc classes in various disciplines.

For the first time, under the directions of VC Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, a number of signboards have also been installed at various key points on the campus so that newcomers do not face any difficulty in visiting various varsity dept.

In addition, shuttle bus service is being run, without any interruption, after each 15 minutes from Faisal Auditorium to Sheikh Zayed Islamic Centre for facility of the newcomers.

The entire varsity faculty members and students have greatly commended the admission and security arrangements made by the present administration for proper guidance and information of the visiting students and their parents. Prof Javed Sami further said that the merit lists regarding admission to BA/BSc (four year programme) and MA/MSc classes will also be uploaded on the varsity website www.pu.edu.pk so that students coming from outstation as well as local candidates do not have to take the trouble of visiting the campus to check their name in merit lists. The nation

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QAMC 'closed' amid protests
Bahawalpur: After about 12 days of continuous students' agitation, the Quaid-i-Azam Medical College (QAMC) was closed down for an indefinite period on Monday, it is learnt.

According to sources, the unannounced decision was 'informally' taken by the administration following fierce student protests during which they poured glue in the locks of college's rooms, besieged teachers' residences and locked the main campus gates to prevent the entrance of staff to various departments and sections of the college. College hostels have also been closed.

Meanwhile, on Monday students continued their protest by burning tyres on the campus and raising slogans against the principal in a rally which marched up to Fawara Chowk.

They besieged professors' residences so that they could not attend the college.

Principal Syed Ijaz Shah, whose resignation is protesters' main demand now, could not be contacted for his version of the situation.

PROBE: The judicial inquiry into torture of college students by police continued here on Monday.

Muhammad Islam, the District and Sessions Judge, heading the one-man tribunal, recorded the evidence of the government officials, including police.

QAMC students' counsel said that so far about 100 students, including girls, had recorded their statements, in person or in writing, with the tribunal. He said some 25 more students would voluntarily record their evidence with the inquiry tribunal. Dawn

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Admission criteria for BS (Hons) finalised
Lahore: The admission criteria for BS (Hons) 4 years programme in 26 government colleges have been finalised by the Punjab Higher Education Department. The department has made all preparations for opening admission in BS 4 years from September next.

According to the criteria likely to be followed, students who will secure 45 per cent marks or above in the Intermediate examination will only be eligible for admission. The candidates have to appear in entry test and interview for admission.

The candidate must have age 22 years or less than that. The principals could grant age relaxation with the approval of vice chancellors for one year to male and two years to female candidates in special cases.

The percentage of aggregate marks and marks obtained in the relevant subject in which a student applies for admission and marks in the college admission test and interview will form the merit for admission.

Only sixty students will be accepted on merit basis in a discipline of BS 4 Years Science and Arts. If a student has not studied the subject in which he/she desires to take admission, the percentage of that subject in which applied will be omitted lowering the weight-age in the competition.

The merit will be strictly followed in the admission which centers round the overall marks, the marks in the relevant subject in Intermediate and the test and interview.

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Prof Asad appointed as pro-VC KEMU
Lahore: The Punjab government on Monday transferred and posted four officers, including one, who has been repatriated to Islamabad. Prof Asad Aslam Khan has been appointed as pro-Vice-Chancellor King Edward Medical University.

The services of Captain (r) Mian Adil Iqbal, Officer on Special Duty with the Services & General Administration Department have been repatriated, to Establishment Division, Government of the Pakistan, for further orders. He has been also relieved of his duties in Government of the Punjab forthwith.

District Officer (Human Resource Management) Bahawalnagar Shaikh Aziz Ali has been transferred and his services have been placed at the disposal of Director General Anti-Corruption Establishment Punjab for further adjustment. DDO (Revenue) Haroonabad Ashfaq Ahmad Khan has been transferred and his services have been placed at the disposal of DG ACE Punjab for further adjustment.

District & Session Judge/Presiding Officer, District Consumer Court, Gujranwalla, Mazhar Hussain Chaudhry has been allowed to hold the additional charge of the post of Presiding Officer, District Consumer Court, Faisalabad, during the leave period of Ijaz Ahmad Buttar, who has been granted 20-days ex-Pakistan leave with effect from 27.08.210 to 15.09.2010 for performance of Umra, and to visit Germany, under the Revised Leave Rules, 1981. The nation

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Schools to mark flood relief week
Lahore: The Punjab in-charge minister for education has announced that the first week after summer vacation in educational institutions will be spent for the collection of relief items and edibles for the flood-hit.

Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman said the students were playing an active role in the relief and rehabilitation of the flood-affected people.

The minister was speaking at a function held in connection with dispatch of relief items for the calamity-hit people of Rajanpur, arranged by Educational Welfare Association (EWA) for private schools on Monday.

With the efforts of the higher education department and Youth Commission, the minister said, the first consignment of 13 truckloads of relief items worth Rs5.425 million had been sent to the calamity-hit areas. He said five trucks of relief items were being sent by the EWA. He said relief activities would accelerate after the reopening of schools at the end of summer vacation.

The minister said it was a matter of satisfaction that students of private schools belonging to lower-middle class had collected one kilogram ration each and sent five truckloads of relief items for the calamity-hit people that vividly reflect their humanitarian spirit.

MNA Saad Rafiqe said a survey had been started for the assessment of losses in the affected areas and students would also be taken on board in the exercise and rehabilitation process. He said about 3,000 students would perform various duties in the affected areas under this programme.

Moreover, he said, interest-free loan of Rs5 million would be given to the flood-affected with the cooperation of Akhuwat Foundation and Khwaja Rafique Shaheed Foundation for the provision of employment opportunities to the affected people.

MPA Muhammad Yasin Sohal and office-bearers of the association also spoke on the occasion. Dawn

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