Sir Syed University admission test 2009-2010

Sir Syed University admission test for academic year 2009-2010
Karachi, Oct 27: The admission test for Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) for academic year 2009-2010 will be held on November 8th, at 10 am in the convocation ground of the university. The SSUET has deputed some additional staff to manage the large number of students expected be taking the test.

The Registrar of the SSUET made it clear that all the admissions would take place on merit and that merit list is prepared as per laid down procedure according to a computer programme. No provincial or non-local quota has been allocated

The Registrar further said that after the completion of test and interviews, the merit list would be issued on December 2nd, 2009 and admission letters would be sent to candidates through courier service. The news

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Karachi university admissions for BS honours
Karachi: The Admission process for the BS honours first year and third year and master's programmes at the University of Karachi would commence on Oct 28, a spokesperson for the university announced on Monday. The last date for submission of admission forms is Nov 7.

Meanwhile, the department of visual studies has extended the date for the submission of application forms till Oct 27 (Tuesday). According to a department announcement, application forms are available at the counter of the United Bank at the university's Silver Jubilee Gate.

The lists of the eligible candidates will be released on Oct 29. Aptitude tests for admissions will be held on Nov 1 at the department. Classes will start from January 1, 2010. APP

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'Penniless' Unesco chair set up at KU for halophyte research
Karachi: Pakistan may face an Ethiopia-like situation in the coming years if no efforts are made to overcome worsening food, water and fuel shortages and increasing land degradation. In these hard times, the government needs to consider the successful results of research carried out on halophytes that offers solutions to many problems.

These were some of the important points made at a ceremony held on the campus to launch the establishment of the Unesco (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) Chair in Sustainable Halophyte Utilisation at a Karachi University institute on Monday. Ironically, no initial capital, or seed money, was allocated for what was described as the first Unesco chair on halophytes in the world.

Highlighting the significance of the event, speakers said the initiative in a way was an acknowledgement of the high-quality research being done at the university in the relevant field.

"Pakistan is leading the world in halophyte research. Recently, the European Union's committee on science and technology has launched a programme on halophyte research. At the KU's Institute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilisation (ISHU), however, scientists have been engaged in research for over seven years and have achieved success in many areas," said Dr M. Ajmal Khan, the director of ISHU.

What makes halophytes special Briefing the audience on halophytes, Dr Ajmal said the plant had become a major focus of research over recent years throughout the world, especially in countries where increasing water scarcity, soil salinity, pollution, mismanagement of freshwater resources presented a bleak scenario for human development.

"Halophyte species that grow in saline soil on brackish water can be used in producing fodder for livestock, edible oil and bio-fuel as well as for medicinal purposes," he said while explaining why more and more countries were turning to research on halophyte species.

At ISHU, he said, the species had been successfully utilised in producing fodder for livestock without compromising the meat quality. "With the help of this research, Pakistan can not only meet its meat and dairy product requirements, but can also earn foreign exchange," he said, adding that good management was required to grow the grass, which was probably the best fodder grass for the sub-tropical regions of the world as it grew both in coastal and inland regions.

Halophytes, he said, grew all over Pakistan. With over 400 species, the country had almost 15 per cent of the total halophyte cover in the world. Elaborating how halophytes can help reduce the import bill on edible oil, Dr Ajmal said the higher levels of unsaturated fats made the oil quality of halophytes comparable with conventional edible oils such as those extracted from sunflower and canola.

Halophytes, he said, were also proving a good source of bio-fuel as they did not need freshwater and fertile land for cultivation. Prof Dr Javed R. Laghari, chairman of the Higher Education Commission, said Pakistan was fortunate to have both knowledge and resources for development and the need was to invest in science and technology.

"For two years, there have been cuts in both the development and recurring grants of universities. The government has now promised to increase funding, but it remains to be seen how much the research institutions actually get," he said.

Praising Dr Ata-ur-Rehman's services, Dr Laghari said it was all because of his hard work that today foreign funding agencies had recognised HEC as an autonomous body and trusted it. Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, the KU vice-chancellor, stressed the need for a linkage between the research institutions and the industry, and said that universities needed to generate resources on their own.

Dr Shahana Urooj, the dean of the science faculty, and Prof Dr Bilquees Gul, assistant professor at the KU's botany department, also spoke. No money for the chair No initial funding has been provided to the Unesco chair by the HEC. The launch had already been delayed for a year mainly on account of unavailability of funds. Still, no money is forthcoming and ISHU plans to raise funds through holding workshops and other means.

Under the four-year agreement that the KU signed with Unesco, all expenses for the chair's activities would be borne by the university. However, wherever possible, Unesco will try to provide 'seed money'. But for such a contribution a separate agreement is required to be signed. The purpose of the chair is to promote an integrated system of research, training, information and documentation in the field of halophyte utilisation and eco-physiology. Dawn

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CDGK, CAA awareness campaign for children
Karachi: The City District Government Karachi (CDGK) and Child Aid Association (CAA) have agreed to start an awareness campaign regarding child health in the schools working under the CDGK.

In this regard, a delegation headed by Prof Nizamul Hasan, President Child Aid Association, met with the City Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil here on Monday. Speaking on the occasion, Jalil termed students as the future of the country and said that special attention should be paid on the health of the students."A huge responsibility lies on the parents as well as the teachers to educate the children regarding the hazardous affects of betel nut, Gutka, and other dangerous products", she said.

She further added that the use of such products lead to harmful diseases such as oral cancer and the youth must be given awareness in this regard. The delegation informed Jalil that the Child Aid Association had registered 2500 children suffering from oral cancer and half of the young patients had been treated successfully. The news

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TCD to launch road safety plan for kids
Karachi: The Transport and Communication Department (TCD) of City government is working out on some schemes to promote Road Safety Education and awareness among the commuters especially children.

In this regard, a plan had been conceived by the TCD to promote Road Safety Education messages through art, drawings, images and illustration, it has been learnt. Informed sources in the TCD told this scribe that the department had sent a communique to the head of commercial designing of Central Institute of Arts and Crafts (CIAC), Imran Qaiser, seeking his help to promote road safety education messages through visual art.

The DO of TCD, Syed Ameer Hussian, when contacted confirmed that the plan has been prepared and the help of the visual artists community has been sought to promote the artists. He said that the TCD had requested the head of CIAC, Imran Qaiser, to work out and provide proposals for enhancement of traffic awareness among school children through paintings, drawings, images and illustrations and this may be carried out at his institute or relevant school, he said.

Ameer said that the head of CIAC had assured the department that whatever help possible in this regard would be provided to create awareness about road safety education through artists community.

It may be noted that since massive development in the road infrastructure and improvement in the traffic system, fatal road accidents are increasing in the City each day. According to the TCD and traffic police own statistics, since 1990 more then 700 persons were killed in the City every year which was an average in the traffic related accidents, while around 2,000 people were injured. Among the killed, 51 per cent were pedestrians and out of them 26 per cent were school-going children.

These statistics are horrible that 26 per cent school children are killing every year in the City since long and no one in the City is paying heed on this issue. But now some measures are being taken by the TCD by seeking help of visual artists community to launch various road safety education programmes, sources said. The nation

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Ex-SU student dies in Cuba
Hyderabad: Dr Doulat Kumar Ram, an alumnus of Sindh University, died in an accident in Cuba a couple of days back. His last rites were held at his native town Umerkot on Sunday. Tahir Abbas Zaidi of the Higher Education Commission received his body at Karachi airport on Saturday and took it to Umerkot. Dr Daulat Ram was a scholarship holder under the "1,000 Cuban Scholarships in General Comprehensive Medicine" project. Dawn

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