PU failed to prevent IJT moot | BZU backing 'outsiders'

PU official fired for failure to stop IJT from holding moot
Lahore, Mar 28: The Punjab University (PU) vice chancellor removed Resident Officer (RO-I) for failing to prevent Islami Jamiat Tulaba (IJT) from organising an "unauthorised" event on the varsity's New Campus on Friday.

Sources in the PU administration said that VC Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran warned the recently appointed Chief Security Officer (CSO) Maj (Retd) Taif over his failure to stop entry of "unwanted elements" in the university. He asked the CSO as to how Jamiat activists succeeded in organising the event at the varsity's main corridors at New Campus, they added.

It is pertinent to mention here that Assistant Professor Shahid Mehmood Gul of the Philosophy Department was given charge of RO-I in place of Dr Bashir Ahmad of College of Pharmacy.

The sources further said "back channel" talks were held between Jamiat and PU administration a few days ago in which the student organisation was allowed to organise the event at a hall situated at Islamic Centre while Jamiat insisted to hold the function at the Faisal Auditorium.

In a bid to show "power", the Jamiat activists organised the event at main corridors at New Campus, they said adding, "The incident challenged the writ of the university".

A PU official, on condition of anonymity, said RO-I Dr Bashir Ahmad was supposed to be in constant contact with the VC and CSO over the developing situation. He however did not take interest owing to which the situation went out of control, the official added. A senior PU faculty member was of the view that the abrupt decision to remove RO-I was evidence of rapidly changing "political" scenario at the university. He said Dr Bashir was from the VC's camp, adding his sudden removal had raised many eyebrows in the university.

He further said it was strange that the PU administration was no more firm in its resolve against Jamiat like in past.

When contacted, Dr Bashir said he was in constant contact with the VC over the developing situation. He said his removal from the post of RO-I was a routine matter and had nothing to do with Jamiat's issue.

Meanwhile, according to a press statement, the PU chapter of Islami Jamiat Tulaba organised "Seerat ul Nabi" conference in main corridors at New Campus. Renowned religious scholar Dr Aslam Siddiqui, former MNA Hafiz Salman Butt and IJT PU chapter Nazim Qaisar Sharief address a large number of students on the occasion.

The students who took first second and third positions in the "Seerat Quiz" held on March 24 were also given cash prices of Rs 10,000, Rs 5,000 and Rs 3,000 respectively.

Distinction
Punjab Law College's Afia Rafiq, Roll No 465, got 422 marks and attained first position in the Punjab University Annual Examination of LLB-III. The News

Meeting reviews arrangements for Punjab University book fair
Lahore: Punjab University (PU) Vice Chancellor Prof Mujahid Kamran chaired a meeting at New Campus on Friday to review the arrangements for the PU book fair 2009. The conveners of the book fair's sub-committees and deans of faculties attended the meeting, which discussed the matters of the booking of stalls by publishers and booksellers as well as security arrangements. The PU administration would organise the book fair from April 9 to11 in the main corridor of the Institute of Education and Research (IER). App

Post your comments

BZU accused of backing 'outsiders'
Multan: A student leader of the Islami Jamiat Tulaba (IJT) has accused the administration of the Bahauddin Zakariya University of avoiding the interference of '"outsiders" backed by politicians, including Ahmed Mujtaba Gilani.

IJT leader Mulazim Hussain told a press conference here on Thursday that 150 armed "outsiders" had disrupted the examination at the BZU Engineering and Agriculture College. The university administration was reluctant to take action against them. He said the intruders were based at Hamza Hall and they had also held a student, Mehr Amjad Rauf, hostage on Tuesday night and tortured him.

He alleged the university administration had forced Rauf to reconcile with the attackers and that the discipline committee had been made non-functional for the last one year.

He said Sociology Department student Hasnain Raza was also tortured by a student group and the administration expelled Raza when he insisted for an action against the attackers. Mr Gilani rejected the allegations and said that he had never interfered in students' affairs. Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Zafarullah also called the allegations base less- Staff Correspondent. Dawn

Post your comments

Orders for recruitment of educators on merit
Lahore: Secretary School Education Punjab Nadeem Ashraf has said that with a view to raising the educational standard of government schools, meritorious recruitment of educators will be ensured.

Violation of recruitment policy under political influence will not be tolerated and stern action will be taken on the complaints of favoritism.

These instructions were issued by him while presiding over a high-level meeting held to review the recruitment process of educators.

The meeting was attended by Additional Secretaries of School Education Department and Project Director PMIU of Education Department Capt (r) Asif.

The meeting was told that the process of recruitment of 34000 educators was in progress in 35 districts of the province in transparent manner.

The process of recruitment was being carried out under a recruitment policy approved on 29-12-2008 by the then government.

It was further stated that the recruitment was being made as planned in Education Sector Reforms Programme (ESRP). This programme was being funded by the World Bank for the promotion of quality education in Punjab.

Nadeem Ashraf said the programme of educator selection would be supervised at district and divisional level by DCOs and Commissioners respectively.

He stressed the departmental officers that whole process should be completed strictly in accordance with the merit which included display of merit list to obviate any external interference or influence. The News

Police to upgrade teaching syllabus
Lahore: The police has been instructed to upgrade the training syllabus at the Police College Sihala, educate officials on countering terrorism and how to properly preserve evidence at crime scenes, sources in the Punjab Police said on Friday.

They said the police syllabus was being upgraded for the first time. They said the Elite Force was the only operational force trained to engage in an encounter with terrorists.

According to government statistics, two four month courses – Advanced Class Courses (ACC) and Upper Class Courses (UCC) – are taught at the college. Most sub-inspectors and several assistant sub-inspectors undergo the UCC as part of their training. It is mandatory for all inspectors and deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) to take the ACC as part of the mandatory requirements for a promotion. Currently, the ACC and UCC comprise 12 subjects – the Pakistan Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, Law of Evidence, Local and Special Laws, Medical Jurisprudence, Finger Prints, Police Public Work, Psychology, Scientific Aid, Security Criminology, etc.

Untrained: The sources said mostly when a terrorist attack occurred, an untrained station house officer (SHO) or the investigation in-charge damaged the evidence. They said the current syllabus did not train the SHOs or the officials of the Investigation Wing of such situations. They said it was necessary to upgrade the syllabus to develop an effective counter to terrorism. They said untrained police officials caused for evidence to 'vanish' when former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007. They said untrained police officials also 'wasted' evidence from the 3/3 attacks on the Sri Lankan cricket team at Liberty Chowk.

Syllabus: Police Studies Director Hashim said that the necessary paperwork to upgrade the syllabus at the college was currently under process, adding that the teaching plans of the current courses would be reviewed and some chapters would be added by April 10. He said community policing, crime prevention, interviewing, interrogation, research work and practical evidences in an established courtroom would be reviewed. He said the syllabus would be upgraded soon, adding that it would lay the most emphasis on countering terrorism. He said the syllabus had been formulated by special teams in the United States, adding that it would be sent to the Punjab inspector general of police for final approval. He said the courses' duration might also be increased. He said the following components would be added to the syllabus regarding terrorism: Profiling (to categorise various terrorist attacks), Post Blast (how to investigate various aspects from a modern point of view), Explosive (information regarding all forms of explosives), films of police officials defusing bombs and being killed while defusing bombs would also be shown to the trainees. He added that foreign faculty would also start teaching at the academy. Daily Times

Post your comments