Punjab university incident inquiry

PU incident inquiry starts, six students suspended
Lahore, Jan 28: The Punjab University has initiated an inquiry into the incident in which two rival student groups clashed with each other in front of the Hailey College of Commerce, resulting in injuries to some students.

According to a press release on Wednesday, the PU spokesman said the PU Students Affairs officials immediately provided first aid to the injured students on the spot and shifted them to the Jinnah Hospital for further medical treatment.

He said Hailey College of Commerce Principal Prof Dr Liaquat Ali chaired an emergent meeting of the senior faculty on Wednesday and unanimously decided to suspend Rehan Khan, Mamoonur Rehman, Umar Farooq, Hafiz Wajid Ali, Zubair Sabir, students of BCom (Hons), and Hafiz Farhat Abbas, a student of MCom, with immediate effect for being involved in the clash.

The suspended students had also been directed to appear before the college disciplinary committee on February 2.

The meeting also decided to call the suspended students' parents and seek written undertakings from them to the effect that if they would be involved in any such illegal activities in future, they would be expelled from the college without any intimation to their parents.

He said as far as students belonging to other departments were concerned, the Hailey College administration would make recommendations to the University Disciplinary Committee for appropriate legal action against them.

The spokesman further said that on the basis of a medico-legal report, an FIR had already been registered with the New Muslim Town Police Station. Terming the students' clash hooliganism, the spokesman said that a handful of students were bent upon disturbing the peaceful environment of the university by indulging in illegal and negative activities. He said that such an attitude towards the oldest and largest seat of learning on the part of certain activists was regrettable.

Referring to the manhandling of a student from Gilgit in Hostel No 16, the spokesman said the administration was still awaiting a formal written complaint from the aggrieved party on the basis of which the University Disciplinary Committee, comprising senior most teachers, would be asked to confirm the culprits involved in the incident for their expulsion from the university without any further delay.

The PU spokesman urged the students to devote their precious time and energies to leaning knowledge instead of wasting them in negative activities, jeopardising their future.

Later, Dozens of Insaaf Students Federation (ISF) workers Wednesday staged a peaceful demonstration against the Islami Jamiat Talaba members for beating their fellows in the Punjab University.

The demo was held outside the Lahore Press Club.

The demonstrators were holding banners and placards inscribed with demand for arrest of IJT accused member. They chanted slogans against Jamiat and its alleged violent activities.

The ISF protesters condemned the torture of the ISF members.

They demanded immediate arrest of the IJT members for allegedly violating law and order.

The ISF student leaders said any activity of torturing students in or outside the university area was a highly condemnable act.

Protesters warned the university administration that the situation could worsen on the premises if no action was taken against the accused. They appealed to the Lahore High Court chief justice to take notice of this and clean the university from weapons.

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PU admission forms
Lahore: The Punjab University Examination Department has issued the schedule for submission of admission forms for professional diploma in Textile Designing (One Year Duration) for the deaf, annual examination 2009.

The last date for submission of admission forms with single fee is 30-01-2010 while the forms can be submitted with double fee till 02-02-2010. The exam will commence from February 10, 2010. Detailed schedule is also available on PU website www.pu.edu.pk

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MPAs criticise policy of handing over government schools to NGOs
Lahore: Members of the Punjab Assembly – including the provincial minister for prisons – on Wednesday strongly criticised the provincial government's policy under which educational institutions are handed over to non-government organisations, and called for the accountability of NGOs.

MPAs said NGOs were "taking over costly government school buildings on the pretext of improving education". In line with the MPAs' demand, the speaker referred the matter to the Punjab Assembly Standing Committee on Education.

MPA Arifa Khalid Pervaiz had asked if it was correct that NGOs managing government schools "harass the regular staff and try to get them transferred". She had also asked if NGOs were using school buildings for commercial purposes. "If the reports are true, does the government intend to retake control of such schools?" she said.

Punjab Education Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman – reading out the department's reply to the question – said the reports were not true, as NGOs only had the authority to file an application against teachers. "Nobody has complained that these NGOs are using school buildings for commercial purposes," he said.

However, Arifa said a House committee should be formed to look into the affairs of NGOs managing government schools. She also questioned why government schools were being handed over to NGOs when an education department existed.

Opposition MPA Amna Ulfat said she had "proof" that NGOs were misappropriating funds, and they did not allow public representatives to check their records. "They even stop public representatives from entering schools." She demanded the formation of a House committee to look into the matter. MPA Asad Ashraf said nobody among officials was monitoring what NGOs were doing with schools handed over to them.

Chaudhry Ali Asghar Manda said enquired about the law under which schools had been handed over to NGOs. He also asked for the number of schools that had so far been handed over to NGOs.

"If NGOs are interested in improving the education standards, why are they not taking over schools in remote areas and are instead focussing on institutions in Lahore?" asked some of the MPAs.

Punjab Prisons Minister Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor said NGOs using school reforms as "cover want to seize government school buildings". He said an NGO in his village was also involved in the same exercise. "The NGO in my village has somehow obtained an order to overtake the Rs 250 million bui8lding."

MPA Rana Muhammad Afzal, however, said all NGOs were not the same, as some had even made donations for their schools. But the prisons minister said, "It is just a tactic to grab government land." He demanded that the matter be handed over the standing committee on education.

The education minister said 1,164 schools – 340 in Lahore – had been handed over to NGOs. He said the previous regime started the practice of handing over government schools to NGOs under the Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2001. He said the current government was handing over only those schools to NGOs that lacked basic facilities.

The speaker of the House, however, referred the matter to the House committee on education. Daily times

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PPSC appointment
Lahore: The Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has recommended 123 candidates out of 169 candidates for appointment to the posts of Sr. Headmistress/Dy. District Officer (BS-18) in the Punjab Education Department (School Wing).

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Art contest for children
Lahore: The Oasis Golf and Aqua Resort has organised an art competition for the schoolchildren of Lahore on Wednesday.

Students of various schools, including Aitchison, Lahore Grammar School, International School of Choueifat, Salamat School System, participated in the contest, aimed at exploring hidden talent of young creative minds.

Children from all age groups took part in the competition. Display and prize distribution ceremony for the art works will be held next month at The Oasis Golf and Aqua Resort.

Schools managements and students along with their families will be invited to the ceremony.

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Anwar Masood poetry
Lahore: Anwar Masood, the greatest living poet of Punjabi humorous poetry, has and will continue to inspire generations to come through his unique style and his command over Punjabi and Urdu languages.

This was the opinion of hundreds of people who were highly impressed by the two-hour solo recitation of his poetry. This unique show "Tu Ki Janay" was organised by Geo Television Network and it was a part of Geo's on-going series of special programmes on living legends and literary giants of our country.

Before Anwar Masood took over the floor, renowned columnist Ataul Haq Qasmi and Amjad Islam Amjad spoke about their experiences with this great man. In their rich tributes paid to Anwar Masood as a poet, Qasmi called him a simple and loving human being. Amjad Islam Amjad compared him to the likes of classical poets and grand masters of humorous poetry Nazeer Akbarabadi and Akbar Alahabadi. Amjad called Anwar Masood a great asset to the literary world and a bright star.

Anwar Masood, a humble man by nature and an academician by profession spoke a little about himself in his over two-hour long sitting in front of cameras and hundreds of his beaming admirers." My experiences are public-oriented. I have seen life as a common man and have lived it as a common man. My thoughts are not limited to geographical boundaries."

Anwar Masood recited his famous poems and made the audience laugh their guts out. He touched almost all raw nerves of our society and all pertinent issues including the menace of loadshedding, scarcity of flour and sugar, controversies over Eid moon sighting, the begging attitude of our governments towards USA , atrocities committed against masses by martial law regimes and during the so-called democratic regimes. The entire show was an educating experience.

His poetry freshened old wounds and took audience to a refreshing tour down the memory lane as he reintroduced the long lost culture which we have forgotten. His Urdu and Punjabi poems served as a refresher course in our cultural heritage and Punjabi language terms.

The set designed by Geo team headed by its Executive Producer Abdul Rauf and Producer Muhammad Farooq and Director Haider Ali Jibran was another glaring example of the dedicated and committed efforts by the Geo team that won many applause and tributes by audience on this innovative and truly Punjabi culture-oriented set.

The show would certainly go down in history as a great attempt for the revival and preservation of our cultural heritage. This show can be used for the benefit of millions of Pakistanis all over the world particularly young generation living aboard who are still unaware of our true cultural and literary assets. The progamme has been planned to be aired after a week's time in four to six segments. The news

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