4 percent GDP allocation to education

NA Standing Committee for allocating 4% of GDP to education
Islamabad, Nov 20: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights on Thursday underlined the need to allocate atleast four percentof the Gross Development Product (GDP) to education sector which is minimumprescribed ratio by UNESCO.Chairing the meeting Chairman Standing Committee on Human Rights Riaz Fityana also took strong notice of building Cadet College which cost approximately 400 million whereas approximately rupees two million are required for constructing 158 schools.

The meeting also expressed concern on increase of tuition fees of private schools/colleges and universities and desired to make mechanism for check and balance.

The committee expressed regret for political influence/pressure for posting and transfer of teachers and desired to provide playgrounds and clean water to students. It also desired to constitute Madrasah Committee and School Management Committee with the representation of local citizen/civil society from all school of thoughts to resolve the problems and issues.

There should be separate education cadre for Teachers/Lecturers, the meeting sought and desired to make single curriculum for all. It also expressed concern over situation of Baluchistan where single teacher is teaching in each 10,000 schools.

The committee appealed to achieve ratio of at least 10 percent literacy by 2015 as per Millennium Development Goals. The committee emphasized for need of Academy at Federal/Provincial level for capacity building of teaching faculty.

The Committee appealed all educational Institutions of the country to celebrate December 10 as Universal Human Rights Day and organize speeches, seminars special programs to draw attention of public.

The Committee also desired to introduce self finance scheme in educational institutions of the country. The Committee asked HEC/Ministry of Education to constitute guidelines for check and balance of advertisement by private people in newspaper for imparting education abroad. The Committee expressed concern and displeasure that Provincial/Education Secretary Punjab has not attended the meeting and unanimously agreed to issue warrant as per Rule 227 of the National Assembly for Secretary Government of Punjab to appear before Standing Committee meeting on Human Rights to be held on December 25.

The Committee directed Ministry of Interior, Ministry of religious Affairs and Ministry of Education to prepare detailed working on issue of Madarsah reforms by consulting all school of thoughts etc.

The Committee appealed Constitutional Reform Committee National Assembly to declare literacy and primary education as Fundamental Human Rights. The Committee expressed concern that reportedly schools in Cantonment area of Rawalpindi are paying Rs. 5500 to Female teachers and asked Ministry of Defence to probe the matter and report to the standing Committee.

It appealed to the Government of Punjab to release its share of Rs. 25 million for women in distress and detention funds.

The Committee unanimously passed resolution regarding arrest of Dr. Afia Siddiqui and her children by US administration and  said it was serious violation of Human Rights.

Makhdoom Muhammad Javed Hashmi, Mrs. Farahnaz Ispahani, Mrs.Samina Mushtaq Pugganwala, Mrs. Shakeela Khanam Rasheed, Mrs. Yasmeen Rehman, Ms.Fauzia Habib, Dr. Mehreen Razaque Bhutto, Capt. ® Muhammad Safdar, Dr.Sumaira  Yasir Rashid, Dr.Araish Kumar, Mrs. Kishwar Zehra, .Mr Javed Iqbal Warraich, Dr.Attiya Inayatullah, Syed Mumtaz Alam Gillani, Ex-Offico Member were also present in the meeting. APP

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Authorities handed over the case of KUST VC kidnapping
Kohat: Authorities have handed over the case of kidnapping of the vice-chancellor of the Kohat University of Science and Technology to the military due to its sensitive nature, sources said.

The military has blamed Taliban commander Tariq Afridi for kidnapping vice-chancellor Dr Lutfullah Kakakhel.

According to the military authorities controlling Darra Adamkhel from where the vice-chancellor was kidnapped, the victim was first taken to Matani and then shifted to the Ghiljo area in upper Orakzai Agency.

"We are not 100 per cent sure as yet about his whereabouts, but are investigating the case from all angles to ascertain the real cause behind the kidnapping of the VC, whose director administration and driver were not taken away by the armed men. If the purpose of kidnapping was to put pressure on the government for release of the arrested militants or ransom, the director, who was accompanying the VC at the time of the incident, would also have been kidnapped. But surprisingly, only the VC was taken away along with the official vehicle," military sources said.

Police sources, however, claim the vice-chancellor is in the custody of a criminal gang belonging to the Matani area of Peshawar. They, too, are surprised why only the vice-chancellor was kidnapped.

So far, the vice-chancellor's family or law-enforcement agencies have not been contacted by the kidnappers.

The vice-chancellor was kidnapped on Nov 6 from the Akhorwal area of Darra Adamkhel while he was going to Peshawar from Kohat.

Meanwhile, teachers and students of the Kohat University of Science and Technology on Thursday called upon the government to expedite efforts for safe recovery of the vice-chancellor. Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, they warned of launching a province-wide movement if the vice-chancellor was not safely recovered.

The political administration of Frontier Region of Kohat on Thursday arrested a tribesman involved in printing of fake computerised national identity cards for militants from Darra Adamkhel.

DCO Kifayatullah Khan, who is also political agent of FR Kohat said that acting on a tip-off the assistant political agent raided a shop in the Darra Adamkhel bazaar and arrested Manzoor, son of Tor Gul, along with machines used in making fake identity cards.

According to him, the accused helped militants by providing them with fake CNICs so they could freely travel in the country and carry out terrorist activities.

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Student run over by speeding bus on Expressway
Islamabad: The students on Thursday staged a protest demonstration against killing of their fellow in a road accident and blocked the Islamabad Expressway for more than three hours. An unknown speeding bus hit Danish, son of Muhammad Tariq, student of 9th class, Federal Government Higher Secondary School No 1, G-6/1 and a resident of G-6/1-2, near Faizabad on Islamabad Expressway.

The driver of the vehicle sped away from the scene leaving Danish in a pool of blood. The passersby shifted him to Shifa International Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, a police official said. He said the police had registered FIR against the unknown driver and started investigation to arrest him. The police handed over the body of the victim to his family after completing the legal process.

Students from different colleges of Islamabad and Rawalpindi gathered on Islamabad Expressway and started a march towards Zero Point. They blocked the road from I-8 traffic signal to Zero Point for more than three hours. They uprooted signboards of a construction company installed along the Expressway. They were holding placards demanding action against driver of the bus, which hit the student.

They also chanted slogans against the district administration. Later, a heavy contingent of police reached the place where students were staging the protest, stopped them from heading toward Aabpara Market and warned them against pelting vehicles with stones. The students demanded that police arrest the driver of the bus and award him an exemplary punishment.

They said several students from different colleges and schools of the capital had been killed in such accidents, but the authorities were taking no action against them. They also demanded that the authorities ensure transport facility to the students. The commuters badly suffered due to blockade of the expressway. They strongly criticised the district administration for not settling the issue for a long time.

"It was the responsibility of the administration to talk to the students and assure them of arrest of the driver," they said. The student dispersed when Superintendent of Police (SP) Abdul Ghaffar Qaisarani and the Assistant Commissioner assured the students that they would soon arrest the driver and prosecute him. Dawn

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Sports Week starts at Hamdard University
Islamabad: The Annual Sports Week has kicked off at the Hamdard University. It will feature cricket, table tennis, volleyball, football, and badminton matches.

Addressing students at the opening ceremony here on Wednesday, CDA Director General Civic Management and Public Relations Syed Mustafain Kazmi said that the Hamdard University was playing a vital role for the promotion of sports alongside the development of higher education through which students get confidence and develop sportsman's spirit essential for development of mind and to become a good citizen.

Hamdard University Director General Professor Dr. Masud Malik said that the academic institution carries on its tradition to hold such events annually. Games develop the spirit of competition among students. Director Administration Colonel (r) Mushtaq Qureshi thanked the chief guest.

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Students briefed on safety measures
Islamabad: Superintendent of Police (Industrial Area Zone) Abdul Ghaffar Qaisarani Thursday briefed students of the Islamabad Model College, G-6, on precautionary measures against terror activities, a police spokesman said.

He said that students must keep a vigilant eye on their surroundings and inform 'Rescue 15' and relevant police stations about any suspicious activity. He appealed to students not to pay heed to rumours and avoid sending messages through mobile phones creating confusion and fear among people.

In case of observing suspicious motorbikes or vehicles in the vicinity of their academic institution, the SP asked students to inform police.

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Work on BHUs soon
Mansehra: Provincial Minister for Religious Affairs Nimroz Khan Thursday said the reconstruction of basic health centres and schools would soon be started in Kala Dhaka.

"The Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) will soon initiate work on schools and basic health units (BHUs) in the semi-tribal area," the minister told a jirga of Kala Dhaka elders here.

He said that Rs1 billion was also being spent on roads and other development schemes in the area. Zafarullah Khan, Maulana Noor Alam, Tajur Rehman, Mohammad Luqman, Bakht Ameen and others also attended the jirga. The news

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