National Examination Board examination
Majority of foreign graduates flunk UHS exams
Lahore, Jan 23: Hardly 10 per cent of the Pakistani
students who have done their MBBS and BDS from 19 foreign countries have got
through the exam conducted by the National Examination Board to test their
ability before awarding them licence to practice in the
country. The NEB was constituted by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council to
make the graduates from other countries prove their mettle, but now it has been
handed over to the University of Health Sciences, Lahore. The UHS
vice-chancellor is the chairman of the board (NEB). Accordingly,
theoretical examination was held in Islamabad on Jan 17. The registration
examination is conducted twice a year and it is mandatory for every foreign
doctor or dentist to pass this examination before being allowed to practice in
Pakistan. UHS Vice-Chancellor Prof Husain Mubashar announced the NEB
result on Friday at a press conference. "A total of 526 Pakistanis who have done
their medical graduation from 19 different countries appeared in the
examination. Only 52 got through with 9.88 percentage. However, none
of the 11 dental graduates could pass the exam," he said. He said the
NEB conducts examination to determine the professional competence of a candidate
for registration and equivalence of his/her foreign medical and dental
qualifications. He said the successful candidates would also appear in the
clinical test of the NEB. Among those who graduated from China,
twenty-two of the 157 candidates have passed the exam. From Kyrgyz Republic;
eight of the 120 students have passed, from Kazakhstan; 14 of the 83 have
passed, from Iran; three of the five have passed. A candidate each from Ukraine, Russia and Bangladesh has
got through. Sixty-two medical graduates from Afghanistan appeared and none of
them could pass the exam. "Some 22 Pakistani graduates from Allama Iqbal
Medical College, Lahore and Services Institute of Medical Sciences have been
asked to attempt the same question paper. Of them, 21 passed the exam," Prof
Mubbashar said. Pertinent to mention is the fact that the candidates
have unlimited chances to appear in the examination (conducted twice a year) to
get a licence. Jinnah Hospital's Professor of Dermatology and
Dermatologic Surgery Azim Jahangir Khan said there was a need to create
awareness among the parents not to send their children to
such countries. "The parents must check with the PMDC before sending
their children to the countries where the standard of medical education is
poor," he said. Prof Khalida Waheed said the PMDC had handed over the
task to the UHS because of its high security, validity and transparent
examination system. Dow Medical College, Karachi, Principal Prof
Salahuddin, Prof Zubair A. Khan, Maj-Gen Tasawar Hussain (retired), Nishtar
Medical College, Multan, Principal Prof Laiq Hussain, Prof Inayatur Rehman
Khalil, Prof Nazia Yazdanie and Prof Arif Zaidi were also present on the
occasion. Dawn
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PU students protest against IJT
Lahore: Students of Punjab University protested on Friday against the alleged
use of weapons on campus and the targeting of students from Gilgit-Baltistan and
NWFP, by members of Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT). The protesters claimed
that armed members of IJT assaulted students from these territories, and had
fired guns into the air around certain hostels in further attempts at
intimidation. The protesters gathered near Punjab University's Faisal
Auditorium, where leaders of various political parties were present in
connection with a seminar held on Wednesday, and recorded their protest. They
held posters and placards calling for the removal of weapons from the campus,
and requested that the Chancellor take action against the IJT in light of
events. The students further demanded that further security was provided to
students from Gilgit-Baltistan, and that all weapons be banned from the campus.
They also distributed pamphlets amongst faculty and students highlighting the
issues and condemning the presence and use of weapons in an educational
institution. The protesters claimed that members of the IJT had
physically attacked students from Gilgit-Baltistan a couple of days ago, and
that they fired their weapons into the air around Hostel No 16, to further
intimidate students. It was also claimed that IJT Punjab University Law College
Nazim Ihsan Butt, son of a former Jamaat-e-Islami MNA, had beaten a hostel
employee from Gilgit for not serving him dinner before official
timings. Others asserted that members of the IJT had
opened fire on students the previous year, leading to several injuries with
police subsequently recovering weapons from certain hostels. Action has not been
taken against the IJT despite protests, with students claiming secret deals were
struck between university officials and the IJT. Punjab
University IJT Nazim Qaiser Sharif denied a link between his party and the
firing incident at the hostel, saying that IJT members were victims as well. He
claimed that any involvement of IJT was being propagated by Gilgit students
belonging to Shia sects, and also by Gilgit-Baltistanis that were neither living
in the hostels nor students. He said that both parties – Gilgit-Baltistani
students and IJT members – had approached him for reconciliation. Punjab
University Student Advisor Iftikhar Chaudhry said that university Chancellor
Salmaan Taseer and other members of the administration had been made aware of
the incidents in question, and that Gilgit-Baltistani students had been
approached to submit an application. He said that the university's disciplinary
committee would then take action towards responsible parties accordingly, as per
university rules and regulations. Daily times
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Punjab varsity STC seminar
Lahore: Faisal Auditorium of the Punjab University (PU) echoed with "Go
Zardari Go" slogans when a PPP leader came on stage to address students on "Aey
Quaid! Ab Kisay Rahnuma Karay Koi" here on Friday. The seminar was
arranged by PU Student Teacher Centre (STC), which besides others was also
addressed by PML-N central leader Javaid Hashmi and Jamat-e-Islami's (JI) Dr
Fareed Paracha. According to PU invitation, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief
Imran Khan, PPP Secretary General Jehangir Badr and PML-Q Secretary General
Mushahid Hussain Syed were also scheduled to speak on the occasion. However,
none of them attended the function. Speaking on the occasion, Javaid
Hashmi urged all the political leaders to bring back their assets from foreign
countries to steer the country out of the financial crisis. He said some
part-time politicians had also jumped into Pakistani politics, adding there was
need that the political leaders first correct themselves. The PML-N
senior leader also expressed concern over presence of Black Water saying the
organisation might be involved in recent incidents of terrorism in different
parts of the country. "Interior Minister Rehman Malik had stated before a Senate
Standing Committee that he would resign if it was proved that Black Water was
operating inside Pakistan", he said adding, "Its presence in Pakistan has now
been confirmed by US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates." Javaid Hashmi
further said Quaid-e-Azam was an enlightened and a courageous leader, adding the
country would progress by leaps and bounds if the leaders follow rules. "They
should realise that they have failed", he added. He urged the in their practical
lives. He said education was more powerful than atomic bomb. Fareed Paracha said
big tragedies took place in the country during rule of dictators, adding that
the country was forced to beg from other countries despite having great
potential. He said it was unfortunate that despite having great resources of
coal and potential of wind energy, the rental power project was introduced.
He said US, Israel and India had joined hands against Pakistan, adding
the drone attacks were the results of Kerry-Lugar Bill. He regretted that
bureaucracy, feudal lords, capitalists and despotic forces made the country a
hostage soon after the demise of father of nation. He said the present poverty,
illiteracy and disease was the direct outcome of the past misrule of vested
interests. He remarked that if our political leadership brought back the
country's plundered wealth amounting to billions of dollars from abroad, the
plight of poor masses could be improved radically. He stressed for unity
and harmony among the political parties in the larger interest of nation and the
country at this critical juncture. The PU auditorium however echoed with "Go
Zardari Go" slogans when PPP leader Ch Ghulam Abbass came on stage to deliver
his address. He made an appeal to the Chief Justice of Pakistan that he
should take a suo motto notice of the statement of former Supreme Court Chief
Justice Nasim Hasan Shah that they were forced to send Shaheed Zulifkar Ali
Bhutto to gallows. He said he might be questioned as to which political leader;
gun or threatening messages had left no option for him but to hang the country's
elected Prime Minister. He said appointment of PCO judges was the greatest crime
committed in the country, adding the Chief Justice should expose all those
characters involved in the drafting and promulgation of PCO. Ch Ghulam
Abbas asked the political leadership to join hands for beginning a new journey
by burying the obsolete and rotten feudal and capitalist system which had
subjected most of population to abject poverty. PU VC Prof Dr Mujahid
Kamran and former student leader Iftikhar Feroze also spoke on the occasion
while a large number of PU students attended the seminar. The news
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1-month winter vacation in edu institutions demanded
Lahore: Public circles have urged the government to allow at
least one month winter vacation in the educational institutions during intense
cold as it always allows summer vacation in the hot summer. Pakistan is known
for intense summer and winter weather. The two months of summer i.e. June-July
and two months of winter i.e. December-January are usually intensive hot and
cold respectively. The winter season has further become intense beyond the
affordable limit of the inhabitants. The weather cycle has changed due to
unusual phenomenon of El-Nino and La Nino. Statistics shows that the temperature
in plains of Punjab particularly in the cities of Lahore, Sialkot, Okara, Mandi
Bahauddin and Rawalpindi-Islamabad was lower than Murree in the first week of
January this year. It was below freezing point last year and the year 2008. The
dry and excessively cold weather also cause unprecedented fog in which the road
transport also come to standstill during the school timings in the morning and
after the sunset when evening classes in colleges and universities are progress.
The government has already allowed ten days winter vacation from December 20
to 31st but that is not enough. The concerned circles and the parents say that
the government could reduce the summer vacation to begin from June 8 and to
conclude after August 15. The three weeks vacations in summer can be inducted
into winter vacation to complete the three and a half month vacation in summer
and winter in an academic calendar in the session. The nation
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GC univeristy contest
Lahore: Ancient civilisations from Greece to Indus Valley were depicted
through architectural models displayed during the 'History of Civilizations'
contest at the Government College University on Friday. Over 100 students took
part in the contest organised by the GCU Brett Philosophy Society. The students
displayed model homes and buildings of various ancient civilisations including
the Babylonian, Chinese, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Vedic and the Indus. Pictures
depicting Roman goddesses, slaves and citizens were also on display at the
exhibition. The Indus Valley Civilization model home – constructed by a group of
five students who used clay as their preferred choice of medium – clinched the
top position in the contest. Commenting on the Indus Valley Civilisation model,
GCU Philosophy instructor Yasir Sultan said it was very difficult to create
models out of clay. Moreover, he said, the model is a true reflection of the
culture and tradition of the Indus Valley civilisation. The Chinese Civilisation
model secured the second spot, while the model of the Babylonian Civilisation
received the third prize. The model of the Khana Kaba remained the centre of
attraction at the exhibition. Separately, an exhibition of
paintings by Amira Farooq opened at the Nairang Art Gallery on Friday. Amira's
work on the 'feminine figure' has a surreal impressionist quality, with vaguely
defined form and features that captivated the viewers. The exhibition was
inaugurated by renowned painter Saeed Akhtar. Daily times
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KC teachers case
Lahore: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif on Friday
adjourned the hearing of a petition filed by four teachers of Kinnaird College
Lahore against its administration for not allowing them to take classes despite
court's orders. A representative on behalf of the college told the court
that administration had no objection over the aggrieved teachers to take classes
if they were willing to do that. However, College's principal and Secretary
Higher Education were yet to file their replies. LHC had already ordered college
administration to include names of four teachers in the list of faculty members
and allow them to take classes after issuing a stay order against their
transfers. College principal's counsel Jawad Hassan sought more time to
file reply and the court adjourned hearing for January 22. Petitioners
Farrukh Sohail, Head of Islamic Studies Department, D. Helen Khokhar, Head of
Physics Department and two others had challenged their repatriation to higher
education department ordered by Principal Dr. Bernadette L. Dean on Dec. 23,
2009, terming it mala fide since the petitioners had filed a complaint against
the principal before the College Board of Governors. They said the action of
principal was also in violation of Punjab Kinnaird College for Women Ordinance
2002. The petitioners said they had been serving as regular faculty
members at KC since long and Punjab higher education department had issued
written orders to principal KC not to transfer any regular or contract employee.
They requested the court to declare the repatriation orders of petitioners as
illegal and suspend the operation of impugned order till the final decision of
the petitions. The Lahore High Court on Friday called
for reply from the Punjab government till February 3 on a petition challenging
the withdrawal of risk allowance to the ministerial staff of the police
department. Petitioners Sarfraz Jalal and 16 other employees of the
police department submitted before Justice Mansoor Ali Shah that they were
allowed Risk Allowance equal to one basic pay since April 2009 but finance
department issued a letter to Accountant General Punjab on January 8, saying
that ministerial staff of the Punjab police was not exposed to risk, so there
was no logic in granting them risk allowance. The petitioners said the chief
minister had already approved the allowance and barred finance department from
withdrawing it. The Lahore High Court Friday stayed the
demolition of a plaza in Sheikhupura allegedly being razed in violation of court
order and issued notices to Punjab Highway authorities, DCO Sheikhupura and
PML-N MNA Javed Latif for January 29. The court was moved by Aftab
Aslam, owner of Aftab Aslam Plaza, through his counsel Muhammad Azhar Siddique
Advocate, submitting that his ancestors were the owners of the plaza at Lahore-
Sargodha Road before the creation of Pakistan, but Highways authorities
fraudulently showed him as an illegal occupant.
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Regularisation of doctors
Lahore: The Punjab Health Department has withdrawn orders of
regularisation of 68 medical officers (MOs) working at different hospitals of
the province. Young Doctors Association (YDA) in a press statement on
Friday claimed that the medical officers did not fulfil the condition of rule 20
of the PCS (A&CS) Rules 1974, i.e. they did not have domicile of Punjab.
YDA President Dr Rana Sohail and General Secretary Dr Salman Kazmi said
after regularisation of 3,765 doctors their documents were being verified which
had revealed the issue. They further said doctors from all over the country come
to Punjab owing to more pays. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz
Sharif instructed the Health Department for completing the process of promotion
of doctors from grade 17 to 18 and from grade 18 to 19 on priority basis.
A DGPR handout said this was disclosed by Chairman Chief Minister's
Taskforce on Health and Anti Spurious Drugs Dr Saeed Elahi. He said that due to
incomplete annual reports of doctors, cases of their promotion were kept
pending. The news
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