Textbooks of Punjab Textbook Board are not available

No textbooks despite start of new academic year
Rawalpindi, Apr 09: The new academic year has started from April 1 but many textbooks of Punjab Textbook Board are still not available in the market, causing immense problems for the students of government schools.

Parents have urged the concerned authorities to ensure the availability of textbooks in the market, so that children could start their studies without wasting time.

According to a survey conducted, many textbooks of Punjab Textbook Board including mathematics books of Class 3, 7 and 8, science book of Class 7, and books of chemistry, physics and biology of Class 10 are not available in the market, whereas parents and students are trying their level best to find these unavailable books, as teachers are forcing the students to bring books at the earliest.

Waseem Ahmed said that his son is studying in Class 10 in a government school and searched the books of physics, biology and chemistry in almost all markets of Rawalpindi, but these books are not available. He said his son is extremely worried, as his teachers have ordered all the students to bring books as soon as possible.

He urged the concerned authorities to ensure the availability of textbooks in the market and also requested the schoolteachers to at least understand the issue of unavailability of books and not force the children to bring them.

Aslam Khan, another father, said the new academic year has started without the availability of textbooks in the market. He said he has been searching for the mathematics book of Class 8 for the last one week, but all in vain, as the book is still not available anywhere.

Booksellers in Urdu Bazaar and Saddar said that the parents' complaints about the non-availability of books is correct, adding that they were informed in March that the books would be provided to them in a few days but they are still waiting for their arrival.

When we contacted the official spokesperson of Punjab Textbook Board Muhammad Abid, he said only the textbooks of Class 5 are not available in the market, as we have released all textbooks and they would be available in all cities after one day. He also claimed that the textbooks of Class 3, 7, 8 and 10 are available in the market, as these books were released in time.

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Students hold rally for Seraiki province
Islamabad: A large number of students belonging to various educational institutions of the twin cities staged a rally here on Thursday to push their demand of a separate province for the Seraiki people, who according to them, are still yearning for their identity at the national level.

Carrying placards inscribed with slogans in favour of the Seraiki province, the participants of the rally urged the government to accept their 'genuine appeal' for a separate province and incorporate it into the 18th Constitutional Amendment, which is going to be passed in the parliament.

They alleged that the Seraiki people living across the country are being denied their 'legitimate right' of identity and they are subjected to political, social, cultural, economic and administrative subjugation. They lamented unending deprivation and alienation of the Seraiki people and asked the government to reconsider the constitutional draft package for incorporation of their demands for creation of a separate province, awarding quota in services and educational institutions and giving appropriate representation at all national forums.

They appreciated the government's decision to make poverty a criterion in resource distribution, but they were apprehensive of sincerity of the Punjab government to allocate proportionate development fund to backward and poverty-stricken Seraiki region.

Speaking on the occasion, Mutahir Malik, a student of the Quaid-i-Azam University, said that they congratulate people of all provinces on securing provincial autonomy and their due share in the National Finance Commission Award, but it is also necessary to consider them equal to other nationalities by creating the Seraiki province.

"It was shocking to find that the parliamentarians did not consider plight of the Seraiki people, hence leaving the constitutional package incomplete and ineffective for them. We are afraid that without giving us right to rule ourselves, they have put us at the mercy of the Punjab administration which is always bent to suppress their genuine voice," he said.

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Grammar School celebrates spring
Rawalpindi: Teachers of Grammar School, Rawalpindi, gathered at Chaklala Branch to celebrate spring and mark the start of Faiz Ahmed Faiz's centenary year.

The colourful event was enriched by 'ghazals', songs and poems of Faiz and other national poets that were sung and recited by the school faculty and guests.

Tauqeer Nasir, director general of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), appreciated the contents of the colourful programme alongside the ambience, poetry and melodious singing, and termed it an appreciative celebration of spring. He later distributed prizes among the winners of different games and competitions.

On the occasion, special guest Dr. Salman Asif highlighted the importance of Urdu language in our lives as a symbol of our identity. He lauded the school's efforts for holding the event and emphasised the significance of reading poetry (especially Faiz) and literature in the current context, as it would facilitate in strengthening our spirit.

Earlier, Grammar School Director Nasreen Iqbal welcomed the guests and appreciated the remarkable role played by teachers in the holistic development of the students. She said that spring is a time of renewal, celebration and change, therefore, "we must renew our efforts to bring enrichment in the lives of our children for a brighter and more meaningful future for them".

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IIU seminar
Islamabad: The International Islamic University (IIU) will hold a one-day seminar on 'Educational Vision: Aims and Objectives-A Critical Examination of National Education Policy-2009' on April 10 (Saturday). The seminar is being arranged in connection with its silver jubilee celebrations at Faisal Mosque Campus of the university.

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Students exhibit artistic streaks on third day at PMAS-AAUR
Rawalpindi: The third day of the ongoing Students' Week at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) here Thursday saw students take part in an art exhibition and drama competition.

A large number of students, visitors and faculty members visited the art exhibition and appreciated the efforts of fertile minds of the young artists. They were of the view that such types of competition encourage amateur artists to further develop their artistic skills and imagination.

More than 20 students participated in the art exhibition that displayed glass paintings, jewellery boxes, gift boxes, handmade cards, dry leaf cards, traditional handicrafts, fabric paintings, calligraphic work, cartoon, sculptures, abstract art, posters and coin collection by the students.

Bilal Hassan of AAUR's Agriculture Faculty secured the first position while Humera Khatoon and Sidra Kiran of Women Division secured second and third positions respectively for their artworks.

In the inter-faculty drama competition, seven teams participated to convey the message of love, peace and harmony among humanity, and presented that now it's Pakistani youth's responsibility to play their due role for the country's peace, progress and prosperity. The audiences appreciated the efforts of the amateur student performers and their acting skills.

The judges of the drama competition were Salman Tahir Shah and Muhammad Khalid Jalal of Rawalpindi Arts Council. The Women Division team got the first position while the teams of Agriculture Faculty and University Institute of Information Technology (UIIT) got second and third positions respectively.

A three-day book fair, organised by the University library as part of the Week, also concluded on Thursday. A large number of students visited the book fair that displayed around 30,000 books. The students bought books of their interest on natural, social and management sciences, agriculture, information technology and other topics. A large number of books of Indian, European and American authors were also available for sale.

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Distinction in Human Resource Development
Islamabad: Lieutenant Colonel (r) Muhammad Asif Khan has been awarded PhD degree in Human Resource Development by the National University of Modern Languages, says a press release. The dissertation of Muhammad Asif Khan has been supervised by Professor Dr. Rashid Ahmed Khan, and evaluated and approved by six national and two eminent professors from USA and UK.

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Three schools blown up in Peshawar
Peshawar: Militants blew up three government-run schools in the suburban areas of the provincial metropolis early Thursday, police sources said. They said the first blast occurred at 2 a.m. in the Government Girls High School in Landi Arbab, which damaged the building. Likewise, the sources said, unidentified terrorists blew up the Middle School for Boys in Sufaid Dheri soon after the first explosion. The third explosion occurred at Government Primary School, Bacha Garhi situated in Regi Lalma area. Police officials said the blast badly damaged walls, rooms, windows and doors of the classrooms of the school. No casualty was, however, reported in all the three incidents. The news

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