Punjab University out of course paper protests

BCom students protest against PU administration
Rawalpindi, June 15: Students of Punjab University (PU) left their examination halls on Monday in protest against what they called out of course paper and blocked Sixth Road. Workers of Peoples' Students Federation (PSF) also joined in their protest later.

According to details, students of B Com Part-II came out of their examination hall, as they found four questions out of syllabus in the paper of Advanced Accounting.

They gathered outside the examination center and chanted slogans against PU administration.

They then marched towards Benazir Road. In the meantime police reached the spot and prevented students from marching forward.

Talking to media men after the protest, the students said that on seeing the paper they felt their hard work spanning over a year was ruined.

The students demanded PU Vice Chancellor that they be given full marks in the paper otherwise they would again come onto the roads. The news

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BCom students protest out-of- course paper
Lahore: BCom Part-II students, who are taking annual examination at Punjab University examination centre Wahdat Road, staged a protest demonstration opposite to the VC office against the out of course paper of Advance Accounting held on June 11. They protested the same day and again on Monday where allegedly the varsity security guards opened fire on them. Two of the students were injured in the police baton-charge.

Earlier the students chanted slogans and pelted stones at the VC office on which the university guards tried to disperse them. Adnan of Islamia College Civil Lines was injured after which the students created bonfire and blocked the traffic.

A student said question No 1, 4 and 6 of the paper were out of course which would affect almost one lakh students.

Meanwhile the Punjab University student advisor while condemning the incident said the students manhandled PU security staff during the agitation. They also injured security officer Shaukat Ali and nine other guards during the protest. The spokesman said negotiations were in progress among a seven-member delegation to redress the grievances of BCom students regarding the said paper in VC office committee room when the attack was launched.

The chief security officer informed the meeting that at about 12:00 noon on the instigation of IJT activists comprising Tayyab and Zain of Statistics Department, Ahsan of Law College, Adnan Khalid of Geology, Islamic Centre ex-student Rashid Manzoor, expelled student Atif Gujjar and other almost 200 students of Punjab College of Commerce, Superior College and Science College forcibly broke open the locked gate No 2 of the varsity. They severely thrashed and manhandled the security staff on duty. Resultantly, Security Officer Subedar (r) Shaukat Ali, besides other security guards including Shahbaz, Wajid Hussain, Ramzan Asghar, Eman Ullah, Muhammad Asif, Talib Hussain, Sarwar and Zain received serious injuries.

Later the protesting students marched towards the Administration Block and broke the doors and flowerpots of the VC office and threw stones at windowpanes of various offices. After seeking medico-legal report of the injured staff from Jinnah Hospital, an application has been filed for registration of an FIR against the assailants with the New Muslim Town police station.

During the negotiations it was agreed the BCom students' demands would be sympathetically considered in the meeting of PU Board of Studies for Commerce fixed for June 17 next and a decision will be taken to redress their grievances keeping in view their best interest.

The students delegation which took part in the negotiations consisted of Muhammad Faheem-ur-Rehman of Superior College and Ali Arsalan, Faiza Irfan, Saba Tariq and Khadija Khan of Punjab College of Commerce. The nation

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HEC, French Embassy launch joint programme
Islamabad: The Higher Education (HEC) and the French Embassy in Pakistan have launched a joint programme for research mobility, which aims to help the development of cooperation between French and Pakistani scientific organizations, engaged in R&D programmes of all the scientific and technology fields.

The fellowship programme is intended for highly qualified Pakistan doctoral and postdoctoral scientists and offers them an excellent opportunity to do research in France for six to nine months.

HEC and the French Embassy have invited applications for Split PhD Scholarships and Post Doctoral fellowships.

Scholarships details and application forms can be downloaded from www.hec.gov.pk and www.ambafra-pkorg or in the Campus France Desks in Alliance Francaise at Islamabad, Lahore, Faisalabad or Karachi.

Last date for submission of application form is December 31, 2010 and starting date of the fellowship is June 2011 onwards. The news

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Degrees of another 228 lawmakers being verified
Islamabad: The Election Commission has sent degrees of 228 lawmakers to National Assembly's Standing Committee on Education for their onward transmission to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for verification, It was learned on Monday.

The NA panel headed by Abid Sher Ali ordered the unusual step after a number of lawmakers were found to be holding fake degrees, with reports suggesting that up to 150 of them could be involved in the wrongdoing.

The committee has decided to get the degrees of all lawmakers verified and asked the Election Commission to provide copies of the certificates which would be sent to the HEC for verification.

The Election Commission sent degrees of 872 lawmakers to the committee on May 24 and has now sent another 228 degrees available with it.

Election Commission spokesman Muhammad Afzal Khan confirmed that copies of 1,100 degrees had been sent so far to the HEC for verification through the NA body.

He said the total number of lawmakers in the country, including members of provincial assemblies, stood at 1170.

"We have sent degrees of all but nine lawmakers," he said, adding that the commission had no record of the rest as graduation degree was not a condition for contesting by-elections.

Though the NA body wants to get the certificates verified as quickly as possible, sources in the HEC said the exercise would take some time. The number of lawmakers with fake degrees continues to swell with many of them re-occupying their lost seats by contesting by-elections. Dawn

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Foreign university to confer degree on former HEC chairman
Islamabad: The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand, has decided to confer upon an honorary doctorate degree to the former chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman.

Prof. Rahman has become the first distinguished personality from Pakistan to be awarded this honorary degree, a letter from the AIT revealed.

The award is in recognition of Prof. Rahman's contribution as an academician and for bringing improvements in the higher education sector in Pakistan by reforming the erstwhile University Grants Commission.

The degree will formally be awarded on the occasion of the Institute's 114th graduation ceremony on December 17.

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Change of designations irks senior schoolteachers
Islamabad: The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has changed the designations of all deputy headmasters and headmistresses to secondary schoolteachers and vice principals to senior schoolteachers.

The FDE has changed the designations of around 174 deputy headmasters, 200 deputy headmistresses, 120 male vice principals and 150 female vice principals. The designation of deputy headmaster and headmistress has been changed to secondary schoolteachers, whereas the designation of vice principal has been changed to senior schoolteachers.

Sources said that many deputy headmasters and vice principals of grade 18 were managing administrative affairs of their academic institutions, but the change of designations would create problems for them.

A vice principal, on condition of anonymity said that the decision to change the status of 120 male and 150 female vice principals would create many problems for them, as most of them were responsible for administrative affairs and it is very difficult to start teaching again.

He said that they have requested the concerned authorities to withdraw the decision and restore the designations of all vice principals and headmasters.

When contacted to FDE Director General Dr. Shaheen Khan to get her version, she refused to comment over the issue. The aggrieved teachers have threatened to launch a protest against the FDE decision.

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IMDC launches Blood Donor Society
Islamabad: The Islamabad Medical and Dental College (IMDC) launched its Blood Donor Society on the occasion of World Blood Donor Day here on Monday.

The IMDC Blood Donor Society, which includes students and faculty members, is headed by Dr. Tahira Zafar, professor of Haematology at IMDC, and will be managed under the patronage of Dr. Ghulam Akbar Niazi, chairman, and Prof. Naseemullah, dean of IMDC.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Tahira said there is a dire need for regular blood donors in Pakistan. She said thousands of people give blood donations on June 14 but these should not just be limited to World Blood Donor Day and should continue throughout the year. She stressed the importance of awareness-raising among the society to donate blood, three to four times a year. "This can help in minimising blood-related diseases which are caused by infectious blood transfusion. Over 70% of all blood collected in Pakistan is given to patients with Thalassaemia," she shared.

In Pakistan, the major chunk of blood donors comprises replacement donors (70%) while voluntary unpaid donations make only 20%. "It is extremely important to raise the number of voluntary unpaid donations, which provide the safest blood," Dr. Tahira said.

A single donation of blood can save three lives as preparation of components from this include red cells, plasma and platelets. Blood donations are used in hospitals for thalassaemia, hemophilia, anemia, cancer, kidney failure, dialysis, liver failure in hepatitis C, bleeding after child birth, cardiac bypass, surgery and heavy bleeding in emergencies and road traffic accidents.

The students of IMD also joined the blood camp organised at Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT). Officials from various governmental and non-governmental organisations, students and people from different walks of life participated in the event and donated blood to express their gratitude to voluntary blood donors and highlight the significance of regular blood donations for safe blood supply.

World Blood Donor Day provides an opportunity to highlight the fact that voluntary non-remunerated blood donors are the foundation of a safe blood supply because they are associated with significantly lower levels of infections that can be transmitted by transfusion. Screening for transfusion-transmissible infections is essential, but the safest donations come from the safest donors.

Millions of people owe their lives to people they will never meet - people who donate their blood freely and without any reward. However, the overwhelming majority of the world's population does not have access to safe blood. Over 80 million units of blood are donated every year, but only 38% are collected in developing countries where 82% of the global population lives.

In addition, many countries remain dependent on donation by families or friends of patients who require blood and, in some countries, blood donors still receive payment. Yet, evidence from around the world demonstrates that voluntary unpaid donors are the foundation of a safe blood supply because they are least likely to transmit potentially life-threatening infections, such as HIV and hepatitis viruses, to the recipients of their blood. It is to these unsung heroes that World Blood Donor Day is dedicated.

While it is hoped that World Blood Donor Day will create wider awareness of the importance of voluntary blood donation and encourage more people to become regular blood donors, the purpose is not to attract a big influx of new donors on June 14. Rather, it is designed to celebrate and thank those individuals who voluntarily donate their blood without any reward, except the knowledge that they have helped to save lives, particularly those who give blood on a regular basis two, three or more times each year. It is hoped that a new generation of blood donors will follow their example, providing the safest blood possible for use wherever and whenever it is needed to save life. Youth is therefore the focus of the day.

June 14 has been selected as World Blood Donor Day by three major organisations working for voluntary non-remunerated blood donation: the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations and the International Society of Blood Transfusion. These organizations have been joined by the World Health Organization, which is co-sponsoring the event. Between them, they represent 192-member states, 181 national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 50 national voluntary blood donor organisations and blood transfusion specialists throughout the world.

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Beaconite excels in essay competition
Islamabad: Zaid Azhar, a student of Beaconhouse School System, Margalla Campus, won second prize in an essay-writing competition organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs. About 700 candidates from all over Pakistan participated in the competition. There were two categories according to age groups of 15-21 years and 22-29 years, each covering different topics. Zaid Azhar's topic of essay was 'Role of Youth in Nation-building', in category of 15-21 years age. Apart from a certificate to acknowledge his achievement, he was also awarded a cash prize of Rs30,000 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs in a ceremony held here recently. Zaid was the youngest prizewinner in this category. The event was attended by Federal Minister for Youth Affairs Shahid Hussain Bhutto.

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Urdu translation of handbook for women launched
Islamabad: Aimed at empowering women to take on leadership roles in their families, communities and societies, Aurat Foundation on Monday launched the Urdu translation of an international leadership training handbook for women titled 'Pasand ki Janib (Leading To Choices).'

The Urdu translation of culture-specific adaptations of Leading to Choices is done by Dr. Masuma Hasan. Launched by international organisation Women's learning Partnership, the manual is used to train diverse groups of women and girls in the practice of inclusive, participatory, and horizontal leadership.

The book is based on the premise that effective leadership relies on the ability to communicate, listen, build consensus, and work in partnership with allies to develop a collective vision and implement an action plan. Sharing power and respect creates a strong group identity that both empowers individuals to achieve personal goals and mobilises the group for collective action.

Leading to Choices has been used in interactive training workshops with thousands of participants in more than 25 countries, including women activists, academics, domestic workers, factory workers, NGO leaders, politicians, refugees, students, and indigenous women. The manual is currently available in English, Maghreby-Arabic, Shamy-Arabic, Assamese, French, Hausa, Malay, Meiteilon, Persian, Russian, Shona, Spanish, Swahili, and Uzbek. Bahasa Indonesian, Kokborok, Portuguese, Turkish, and Tagalog editions are forthcoming.

Advisor to Prime Minister on Social Sector Shehnaz Wazir Ali was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony attended by a large number of civil society activists and representatives of CBOs and NGOs. Other who expressed their views about the manual included feminist thinker and researcher Rubina Saigol, political and civil rights activist and academician Amar Sindhu and training specialist and gender expert Zahra-tul-Fatima. Executive Director, Aurat Foundation Nigar Ahmed chaired the book launch session.

Acting Chief Operating Officer Aurat Foundation Naeem Mriza briefed the audience about the manual and its need in enhancing women leadership in Pakistan. Referring to the manual, Zahra-tul-Fatima reiterated that in order to properly listen and understand what we listen, it is necessary to burry our already-made opinion.

She said that the main emphasis of the manual is on gender-based discrimination that is a major factor behind destruction of socio-cultural fabric of our society and consequent increase in violence in the society. She however expressed concerns that the manual does not recommend any session with men to sensitise them on gender equality and women's right to lead. Appreciating title of the manual 'Pasand ki Janib', Amar Sindhu said that women are mostly deprived of their basic right of choice in all basic human rights matters.

Robina Saigol was of the view that mentioning of national women's rights movements like 'Sindhianni tehrik' would have made the manual more interesting and effective in national context. She said instead of manuals, it was the passion and determination that makes true leaders.

Shehnaz Wazir Ali in her concluding remarks appreciated Aurat Foundation's role in paving way for women to realise their role as 'leaders,' human rights activists as well as legislators and parliamentarians. She expressed hope that such training manual for enhancing women's leadership role would strengthen Pakistani women to come forward and play their role as leaders in bringing sustainable democratic change in Pakistan. The news

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