Challenging four inquiries (three departmental and one by Anti Corruption Establishment) against him before Lahore High Court (LHC) Qureshi said that the inquiries had been initiated by the former secretary who is now the Anti-Corruption Establishment director general.

Qureshi said he had informed the secretary that EPA laboratories were inoperative and incompetent people were working there. He said that none of the results of environmental samples were reliable. Qureshi said the agency had been submitting fake reports at courts.

He said the implementation of Administrative Penalty Rules (APR) was replete with irregularities. Qureshi said the agency had circumvented the judicial process. Qureshi said the deliberate computing of pollution loads based on erroneous results by the EPA had caused huge losses to the public exchequer.

He said industrial units in Lahore had been discharging untreated wastewater with the assistance of the delinquent agency officials. Qureshi said this had added toxic substances to groundwater and had disturbed the aquifer’s geochemistry.  He said the Faisalabad aquifer had been destroyed and rendered unfit for human consumption. Qureshi said the situation in Lahore was alarming as groundwater was the only water source in the city. He said its formations contained disturbing concentrations of arsenic and fluoride that put citizens’ lives in peril.

Qureshi said site inspection reports (SIRs) were manipulated and facts had been deliberately removed from them to favour polluters. He said corrupt agency officials were on the payroll of industrial units. Qureshi said no-objection certificate (NOC) cancellation notices were issued to factories to extort money. He said the complaint record against units causing pollution had been manipulated to win favour from industrial units.

The director said the former secretary had been nursing a grudge against him after he had informed him of the irregularities. Qureshi said he had initiated three inquires to victimise him. He said he had been suspended on May 15, 2014, but had been restored three months later. Qureshi said Rasheed had taken the matter of his suspension to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Qureshi said he was not authorised to do this. He said the former secretary had taken these initiatives to punish him for revealing irregularities in the agency.

Qureshi said he had suggested the constitution of a committee to probe the allegations of corruption and inefficiency in the EPA in the interest of the public. He suggested that a high-level autonomous task force should be constituted to carry out an independent and thorough survey across the province including Lahore, Gujranwala and Faisalabad to identify units discharging untreated wastewater.

He asked the court to stop Rasheed from passing any order against him till the completion of the departmental probe. Qureshi asked the court to direct the chief secretary to constitute a committee to carry out a departmental inquiry against the former secretary.  Rasheed told The Express Tribune that he would not comment before filing his reply as the matter was sub judice.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2015.

He has said the global community must declare due respect for all the prophets and revealed books. Anyone who blasphemes against them should be charged with crime against humanity, regardless of their faith, and be prosecuted accordingly.

The JI chief said the caricatures had caused unrest and deep concern throughout the Muslim world. “It is time that we take necessary legal measures to prevent repetition of such a practice.”

Haq said that Muslims respected all religions and prophets. They deserved to have their religion and prophet respected as well, he said.

“A small community cannot be given the right to disturb the peace of any country.” He said all religions and prophets should be accorded equal respect and every state should frame strict laws in this regard.

The JI chief also condemned bias in some European states against mosques and Muslim citizens. He said their harsh actions would only give rise to more unrest.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2015.

He was speaking to provincial assembly members (MPAs) from various districts. Sharif said a decisive war was being waged against anti-state elements that had killed innocent citizens. He said victory was the only option in the war on terrorism as it would guarantee the survival and the progress of the nation. Sharif said victory on this front would also secure the future of the following generations. He said the nation would be rid of ‘the enemies of peace and humanity.’ Sharif said the nation was on the same page regarding the need to eliminate terrorism and terrorists would find no sanctuary in Pakistan.

He said anti-state elements had saddened the nation by orchestrating the Peshawar carnage. Sharif said they would be held accountable for the bloodshed. The chief minister said the time was ripe to eradicate the scourge of terrorism from the country.

The chief minister said terrorism was a great hurdle to national development and progress. Sharif said terrorism and lawlessness had resulted in losses of billions of rupees to the national economy. He said terrorism would be eradicated and the nation would be transformed into a welfare state in accordance with the vision of its founders.

Sharif said it was incumbent on every citizen to try and restore social peace. He said the implementation of the National Action Plan would eradicate terrorism from the nation. The chief minister said concerted efforts were being made to eradicate terrorism, extremism and sectarianism from the nation. He said the nation had unanimously vowed to eradicate terrorism. Sharif said sincere efforts being made in this regard guaranteed success and Pakistan would emerge as a haven of peace and tranquillity.

The chief minister said terrorists had mercilessly killed citizens including officials of the law enforcement agencies and the military. Sharif said eradicating terrorism was the need of the hour. He said the war on terrorism was being fought with fortitude. Sharif said the army was fighting terrorists with courage and determination and the nation was on the same page regarding the need to deal with such elements with an iron fist.

He said all religions stressed the need for love when dealing with children but the perpetrators of the Peshawar massacre had paid no heed to this and executed the brazen attack.

The chief minister said no leniency would be shown to those responsible for the incident.

Sharif said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had adopted a unanimous strategy regarding the war on terrorism after the national leadership had arrived at a consensus.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2015.

The protesters gathered outside the hospital, pelted rocks at the building, breaking windows and damaging furniture.Talking to newsmen, Ali Asghar, one of the protesters, said Hasan Mehmood, a resident of Abdullahpur Colony, took his wife to the hospital in Samanabad during her final term. He said doctors had told him that the mother and the child were in a critical condition and a surgery was needed to save their lives.

Asghar said a doctor had operated on the mother. He said the child had died during the surgery. He said the child had been born premature and should not have been birthed so early. The protesters chanted slogans against the doctor and demanded her arrest. A police team visited the scene and assured the protesters that the matter would be investigated and action would be taken against those responsible. The family dispersed on their assurance.

Health Executive District Officer (EDO) Rana Muhammad Waqar Sadiq told The Express Tribune that a committee had been formed to probe the matter. “If the child died due to the doctor’s negligence, action would be taken against her,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2015. 

LAHORE: The Joint Stock Companies registrar has directed the Lahore Gymkhana Club secretary to amend Articles of Association regarding elections and tenure of club directors saying that these are contrary to the Companies Ordinance 1984.

The registrar had written a letter to the club secretary on January 14 advising him not to hold elections in contravention of Section 180 of the Companies Ordinance that states that an elected member shall hold office for three years unless he resigns before that or becomes disqualified to be a member.

The Committee of Management (CoM), in its extraordinary meeting on December 22, 2014, had approved an article proposing that CoM members should be elected for a year. The proposal was sent to the registrar for approval.

Traditionally, annual elections are held during the last week of December to elect 12 CoM members.

The CoM had received a similar letter in December 2013 when the election campaign was in full swing, but that letter was not taken seriously, the members The Express Tribune spoke to said.

Three panels – one headed by business tycoon Mian Misbahur Rehman and two led by retired bureaucrats Kamran Lashari and Tasneem Ahmed Noorani – are preparing to contest annual elections.

Rehman, the incumbent CoM chairman, said the committee would meet on Saturday to discuss the registrar’s instructions.

“All 12 CoM members will have to resign to hold elections now,” Rehman said. “Elections cannot be held if one of the members refuses to resign.” Mian Samiuddin, one of the candidates from Noorani’s panel, accused Rehman and the registrar of disputing elections. “This is a conspiracy to delay polls. We will protest against this at a forum,” he said.

He said club members would send a resolution to the registrar for holding elections early. “The incumbent CoM members have been elected for a year. Letting them continue to run the club affairs for another two years is not justified,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2015.

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday asked the federal officials to submit the findings of an inquiry conducted by the federal government into the petrol crisis and minutes of the Oil Advisory Committee’s meeting held in December 2014.

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah was hearing two petitions filed about the shortage of petrol.

During the hearing, the petroleum ministry’s legal director stated that the secretary, joint secretary and the director general of oil could not appear before the court as they had been suspended from service.

The officer said that oil prices had decreased by Rs28 during the last five months. “This caused a serious disparity in the supply and demand of petrol. The Oil Advisory Committee had held a meeting in December, 2014 to review the supply situation,” he said.

The judge expressed dissatisfaction over the failure of the official to submit the minutes of the meeting.

An executive director of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) told the court that the authority had the mandate to issue licenses to oil companies and monitor their functions. “Oil companies determine prices on their own,” he said.

The deputy attorney general stated that a mechanical fault at Parco and significant decline in petrol prices were the main reasons behind the shortage. “The sale of petrol rose dramatically after the prices declined,” he said.

Justice Shah, however, termed the explanation unsatisfactory and directed him to submit the government’s inquiry report. The judge adjourned the hearing till February 6.

Safdar Shaheen Pirzada and Gohar Nawaz Sindhu had filed the petitions. They alleged that the shortage of petrol was an artificial one. They stated that the shortage could lead to anarchy. The petitioners said that the government had tried to protect the people responsible for the crisis and was delaying the inquiry. They asked the court to order a judicial inquiry.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2015.

LAHORE: A child was injured when police baton-charged protesters in front of Government Islamia High School Bhati Gate on Thursday.

An inquiry committee, constituted on orders of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, later said that the child had not been hit by a baton. They said he had received injuries after he fell on the road.

Hundreds of students at the school and their parents had staged the protest demonstration demanding that the school, which had been run by a trust for several years, not be handed over to the government. Police were called in to break up the protest. They baton-charged the protesters, injuring a grade 3 student in the process. The child’s father took him to a hospital for treatment.

Mian Usman Manzoor, the father of a student, who was present at the protest told The Express Tribune that the police swooped in on them and beat them up. “Fahad Ilyas was injured in the clash,” he said.

Police officials later said that the child’s father had given Bhati police a written statement that his son had been injured in the melee that had ensued after police clashed with the protesters. He said that he did not want to pursue an inquiry against the policemen.

City SP Asad Sarfraz Khan visited the school later and apologised to the children their parents and distributed sweets among them.

In a statement issued later, DIG Haider Ashraf said that the police did not use batons to disperse the protest. “We have a duty to maintain law and order. Our SOP to disperse protests does not include baton-charge.”

Manzoor, whose son studies in grade 1, said the parents of students at the school had become frustrated over the prolonged closure of the school. He said the Ghazi Education and Welfare Trust had been running the school efficiently for several years. The school closed after the December 16 attack in Peshawar and there were rumours that the school might be taken over by the government, he said. “We don’t want the government to take over the school…we want classes to resume without further delay.”

Mian Kashif, another student’s father at the protest, said the school had closed in the middle of examinations and did not reopen on January 12 because of security issues. “Our children’s studies are being affected. We do not want the government to take charge of the school.”

Students carried placards demanding that the school reopen.

A banner hung at the school gate announcing that the school would reopen from January 22. It also carried the cell phone of the new principal.

Muhammad Ramazan became principal of the school two days ago. He said that the Ghazi Education and Welfare Trust had been running the school for eight years but did not want to continue. “They recently asked the government to take the school back,” he said. The trust’s officials said that they could not manage the affairs of the school any longer.

“The school has always been a government institution…it was only being run by a trust,” he said. The government cannot force the trust to manage it, he said.

Regarding the protest, Ramazan said most of the parents who had shown up at the demonstration, were residents of the area who had close ties with the teachers employed by the trust. Since these teachers have been let go, they have egged the parents to protest, he said.

“We told the teachers that they would be accommodated at other schools,” said Ramazan. He said 30 new teachers had been hired for the school and the government had completed security arrangements there. “The school is now open. Regular classes are set to commence,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2015. 

Fesco Engineers’ Association had challenged the appointment process, alleging that the ministry had violated the rules set by the court. Petitioner Azhar Siddique argued that board of directors was the competent authority to appoint the company’s CEO and MD under the Companies Ordinance 1984.. However, he said, the ministry had bypassed the rules and had directly advertised the vacancies.

The counsel asked the court to stop the appointment process. A counsel for the federal government and the Fesco sought time to submit their replies. Justice Shahid Karim adjourned hearing till February 6.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2015.

Schools Education Secretary Abdul Jabbar Shaheen and EDO Pervaiz Akhtar met with the trust’s administration. It was decided that the government would make foolproof security arrangements. Al Ghazi Foundation Trust head Chaudhry Arshad said the trust would continue to strive to run the school well.

Education Minister Rana Mashhood said no school administration could be allowed to urge students take to the streets.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2015.

A spokesman of the Health Department said an agreement in this regard had been signed between the Qatar Foundation and the Punjab government.

Under the agreement, four small hospitals will be built in other areas of the district. As many as four ambulances would also be handed over to Bhakkar, the spokesman said. The agreement was signed by CEO Saeed Al-Hajri from Qatar Foundation and Health Secretary Jawad Rafeeq Malik and Education Secretary Abdul Jabbar Shaheen on behalf of the Punjab government. The Qatar Foundation will bear cost of construction and operational expenditures of the hospital. The spokesman said providing health facilities were a top priority of the government. 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2015. 

BHAKKAR / FAISALABAD: Hundreds of people came together to protest against publication of offensive caricatures by French magazine Charlie Hebdo.

The protests were organised by various religious organisations. The protesters carried placards inscribed with slogans against the publication of the caricatures. They condemned the publishing of the caricatures and said they would not hesitate to sacrifice their lives to protect the honour, prestige and esteem of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him (PBUH).

Tehreek-i-Ahle Sunnat chairman Qazi Muhammad Faiz Rasool Rizvi said non-Muslim residents of western countries had tested the patience of Muslims by having the temerity to publish the caricatures. He said they had conspired to incense Muslims by publishing the caricatures in an effort to alter the ideology of Islam. Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Islam Faisalabad president Abdus Shakoor Rizvi condemned the publication of the offensive caricatures. He said anti-Islam elements should stop hatching such conspiracies or be ready to face the music.  Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Islam district ameer Syed Muhammad Zakariya, addressing another rally, said Charlie Hebdo had hurt the sentiments of Muslims once again by publishing the offensive caricatures on the pretext of freedom of speech. He said such antics could spark another world war.  Separately scores of students from the Punjab Medical College came together on Friday to stage a protest demonstration against the publication of offensive caricatures by French magazine Charlie Hebdo. The demonstrators marched from the college to Allied Mor where they staged a sit-in. They carried placards inscribed with statements against the French publication. Pakistan Medical Association general secretary Muhammad Irfan condemned the publication of the caricatures.  Irfan warned Americans and Zionists from hurting the sentiments of Muslims across the world on the pretext of media freedom. He said press freedom and freedom of speech were not absolute. Irfan said these could not be used to denigrate religious beliefs of others. He urged the government to break relations with France over the episode. Separately, thousands staged a protest demonstration in Bhakkar.

The demonstrators marched from Masjid Umer Farooq to the Old Ghalla Mandi. The speakers said blasphemy should be declared a universal crime. They said the government should not hold religion hostage at the behest of anti-Islam powers.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2015. 

“The government decided to establish the SPU unit to protect foreigners, especially Chinese nationals working on various development projects,” he said.

“Currently, 267 SPU personnel are deployed at Nandipur Power Plant, 66 at Iron Ore Plant Chiniot, 59 at Jinnah Barrage near Mianwali and 120 at Quaid-i-Azam Solar Plant, Bahawalpur,” said Nafees.

He said the SPU headquarters was being established at Farooqabad Police Lines and would be operational soon.

“The SPU will be headed by a DIG and have two SSPs, four SPs, 10 DSPs, 60 SIs, 100 ASIs, 100 head constables and 2,000 constables,” he said.

“After selections are completed for the unit, it will be made independent from the district police,” he said.

Nafees said SPU officials would be provided Elite Force training and their salaries would be equal to those of the Elite Force personnel.

“SPU officials will not be transferred to another branch,” said Nafees.

Requesting anonymity because the details have not been finalised yet, a senior official said that the SPU was expected to take over the security of seven more development projects in the next phase.

“The provincial government has allocated Rs1.2 billion for procurement of automatic weapons, vehicles, wireless sets, night vision goggles and other modern security gadgets for the force to make it operational,” he said.

Elite Force DIG Muhammad Tahir, who has the additional charge of the SPU, is currently leading the new force.

A Finance Department official told The Express Tribune that 482 foreigners from various countries were working on different projects in the country.

“The government had decided to form a new unit to ensure foreigners’ security in March, 2014,” he said.

He said most foreign experts had been reluctant to work on the development projects because of security concerns.

“This delayed several projects and increased their cost. The SPU will provide foolproof security to foreign engineers and technicians working on projects across the province. Providing such security will be essential for restoring the confidence of foreign companies, encouraging them to invest in the country,” he said.

The official said that the government was focusing on bringing Chinese investment to Pakistan. “They have now agreed to increase their investment in Pakistan to $34 billion,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2015. 

The JuD continues to raise funds and run its ambulance services; its leaders and activists are also moving freely. The outfit’s flags are still seen waving atop several buildings across the city days after the Interior Ministry banned the outfit and 10 other organisations.

JuD chief Hafiz Saeed led Friday prayers and delivered a fiery sermon followed by a protest by hundreds of his supporters on Lake Road near Chauburji Chowk.

Saeed delivered a speech against India, America, Israel and France. He also condemned the government of Pakistan for freezing his bank account and for banning the JuD and the FIF. Instead of taking action against the protesters, police provided them security.

JuD activities

The JuD has set up 15 ambulance booths in the city and its suburbs, including Muridke and Rachna Town. The booths are located at Shahdara Chowk, Iqbal Town’s Moon Market, Gulshan-i-Ravi, Defence’s Main Boulevard, Model Town, Khokhar Chowk in Johar Town, Wapda Town, Liberty Chowk, Raiwind, The Mall, Bedian Road and Walton Road.

As many as 31 FIF ambulances are operated from these booths. Most of the booths have been established over the last two months. Two such centres have been set up in Lahore after the December 16 terrorist attack on Army Public School in Peshawar.

The JuD continues to run a campaign to raise funds that it said would be spent on the welfare of the victims of a famine in Tharparkar.

To attract donors, the JuD has installed banners and hoardings at its ambulance camps and at Markaz Al-Qadsia, its headquarters at Chauburji.

Donation boxes that the FIF had placed at several general stores are still there. The JuD had also donated fans for the Kot Lakhpat jail and installed sheds for visitors in front of Camp Jail. It has also arranged a camel cart to take visitors from the entrance of the Kot Lakhpat jail to its main building.

“We have not received any instruction to act against the JuD and the FIF after they were banned,” an SP in Lahore told The Express Tribune. “We have not received any directive to even restrict the movement of JuD leaders,” said the SP who did not want to be named.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2015.

LAHORE: The Punjab government has set a six-slide benchmark for official presentations given to the chief minister on development projects, policy concepts and initiatives to improve governance in the province.

On January 11, the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) issued orders on the directions of the chief minister to the Planning and Development Board chairman, the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team, Board of Revenue members, administrative secretaries, commissioners and the inspector general of police to avoid unnecessary details during presentations on projects.

The order says the rule is meant to save time.

The order noted that it had become routine for officers to make lengthy presentations. It said sometimes presentation became so lengthy that the participants pf the meeting stopped paying attention.

Officials were asked to restrict their presentations to six slides, instead of the average 10 to 15 slides.

The order said, “The chief minister has desired that presentations made by departments and officers should not be more than six slides on multi-media. The chief minister has further desired that they should be brief and focused on salient features and specific issues on which decisions are required from the authority.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2015.

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday issued a verdict prohibiting the construction and demolition of all buildings in the Walled City without the prior permission of the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA).

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah was hearing a petition filed by Asif Ali Mirza, a resident of Kashmiri Bazaar.

Mirza had challenged the construction of a plaza next to his house, saying that this would damage an old imambargah standing next to his house. He said digging for the plaza basement had caused cracks in the wall of the imambargah.

The court also directed the capital city police officer (CCPO) to take notice of any ongoing construction activity in the Walled City. He was asked to coordinate with the WCLA for the purpose.

WCLA legal adviser Khurram Chughtai told the court that permission for the plaza construction was obtained through the town municipal authority. He said the Lahore Development Authority also bore responsibility for approving construction maps.

WCLA Communication Director Tania Qureshi told The Express Tribune the court’s decision would make it easier for the authority to protect heritage sites.

She said the verdict applied to both commercial and residential properties. It would help the WCLA remove encroachments that had taken set up over the years.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2015.

LAHORE: Two weeks have passed since the reopening of schools after they beefed up security in the wake of the Army Public School attack in Peshawar. Barbed wire, metal detectors, CCTV cameras and armed guards have become a familiar sight at many schools. Psychologists have urged school administrations to use effective counselling to prevent anxiety among students.

“If school environment is affected, it also alters a child’s personality,” says Nazia Parveen, a clinical psychologist at the Department of Youth Affairs. She says that children are in the process of comprehending the situation around them. “If they are not informed properly, the increased focus on security might cause fear. At times, they fear may turn into anxiety,” she warns, adding that children’s interest might shift away from studies if they got too absorbed in their surroundings. Parveen believes intervention aimed at a better understanding of the situation is pertinent. The department, she claims, is in the process of planning orientation sessions at schools. “Instructions from law enforcement agencies can certainly not be ignored in the current security situation. It is necessary to instill confidence in children and parents regarding what is going on,” says child rights activist Iftikhar Mubarak.

“As new security measures are taken, children are left wondering what is going on around them and whether their schools and classrooms are safe?” says Mubarak, adding that it is essential that psychological counselling is offered to children.

“The lack of awareness has created a sense of confusion,” says Sana Khawaja, the project coordinator at the Punjab chapter of the Pakistan Girl Guides Association (PGGA). “Lack of understanding of a situation, especially in an environment where protection and security have become integral, can have negative impacts on children and teachers,” she says.

She says that more than 40 PGGA trainers have initiated training sessions at government schools to explain stress management to teachers. “You need to train teachers to avoid panic in classrooms,” she says.

A threatening letter was found from the premises of a government girls’ school in Rajgarh last week. Khawaja says it is important how teachers are trained to tackle such situations. “We have reports about parents sitting outside schools. This is why counselling is required across the board,” he says.

Teams have been established by the government to make surprise inspections to monitor the security situation at educational institutions. Food Minister Bilal Yasin was present at the Rajgarh Government Girls High School where the threatening letter was found last Thursday.

On Sunday, Yasin claimed that due to completion of security measures in educational institutions, there would be an increased sense of security at schools. “The students’ morale is high. It is necessary that all segments of society cooperate to ensure a peaceful atmosphere at educational institutions,” he said.

A similar resolve was expressed by 16-year-old Arooj Arif, a grade 9 student. “It is not about fear. It is about clarity. What is being done, why it is being done and will it make us safer?” she inquires. “We go to schools. We hear about threats and then we are told they may be closed again. That does not stop us from coming back, but it does confuse us,” she says.Dr Asir Ajmal, a clinical psychologist, believes visible measures ensuring security are reassuring. “Visual symbols of security are good. Right now we need symbolic actions that can help people feel safe and secure,” he says. He also calls for counselling. “Group sessions held by teachers in which they can help children cope with worries and fear can be helpful. Fear and anxiety are natural responses in a state of war and conflict,” he says.

“The anxiety is due to terrorists, not the measures taken to protect us from them,” he stresses, adding that the security situation will have to improve for negative emotions to be prevented in the long run.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2015.

SARGODHA: One more child died at Sargodha’s District Headquarters (DHQ) hospital on Saturday morning bringing the death toll to 83 in the past two months, Express News reported.

The child allegedly died due to insufficient oxygen supply in one of the wards.

Earlier on January 7, two newborns also passed away at the Sargodha’s DHQ hospital.

RELATED POST: Public Health: 2 more infants die at Sargodha Hospital

As many as 2,241 infants have died so far, some owing to alleged negligence of hospital staff and some due to lack of incubators or intensive care.

The Medical Superintendent Dr Pervaiz Haidar had acknowledged that the hospital faced staff and equipment shortage.

“Due to overcrowding, the hospital administration is facing severe problems. Complicated cases from private hospitals and clinics are also referred to the hospital at the last minute. This raises the mortality count,” Haidar added.

LAHORE: Former sessions judge Ghulam Hussain Awan, who was appointed as head of an inquiry committee formed to probe alleged rigging in 2013′s elections, noted certain irregularities in the NA-122 constituency.

As per Awan’s statement, recorded in front of Election Tribunal Lahore Judge Kazim Malik, counterfoils of 30,000 ballot papers were not signed, and ballot papers of different colours and sizes and ballot boxes with broken seals were included in the report.

Earlier, an audit report of the NA-122 constituency revealed 519 discrepancies in the election record, including 23,639 unsigned or unstamped ballot papers and 3,642 invalid ones.

RELATED POST: NA-122 audit: 23,639 votes unsigned or unstamped, says report

A local commission was appointed by the election tribunal to scrutinise the constituency. The commission had said that it found 519 discrepancies from the both sides: the record of PTI chief Iman Khan showed that 275 counterfoils of his votes were without thumb impressions, while 232 counterfoils found in the record of National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq were without thumb impressions.

Judge Kazim said if the findings of the report are true, he would inspect the NA-122 ballots and would take action against rigging in the constituency’s polling stations as per law.

The tribunal judge has summoned 150 witnesses on January 31.

He was leading a WHO delegation that had called on Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khwaja Salman Rafique. Thierin said the organisation and the international community were perturbed regarding the presence of polio in the nation. He appreciated the initiatives taken by the government to eradicate polio in the province. Thierin commended the Health Department for taking special measures to prevent Ebola virus in the Punjab. He said the WHO and the international community attached great importance to polio eradication. Thierin said efforts in this regard should focus on conducting anti-polio campaigns and routine immunisations. He said the province had taken the lead regarding this by nominating Health Services Director General Zahid Pervaiz as the focal person for International Health Regulations.

Rafique said the government shared the concerns of the WHO and the international community. He said the government had been striving to eradicate the virus. Rafique said special arrangements had been made to guarantee the security of polio teams in the province. He stressed the need to convene an interprovincial conference under Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to formulate a national policy to rid the nation of the scourge of polio. Rafique informed those present that the recommendations of a technical workshop held last month would be used to formulate an action plan to improve secondary healthcare in the province. He said the plan would be shared with the WHO and other development agencies after securing the approval of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Rafique said billions of rupees were required to revamp secondary health standards in the Punjab. He said funds were required to upgrade infrastructure, maintain bio-medical equipment and provide incentives to medical staff. Rafique said a spirited effort should be made to mount a comprehensive anti-polio campaign during the low polio season. He said all provinces should harness the potential of the season to rid the nation of polio. Rafique stressed the need to take national action on this front saying that polio could not be eradicated in any province in isolation.

Jamshed Ahmad of the WHO said the organisation had finished training 6,000 lady health workers in six districts of the province. He said 6,000 more lady health workers were being trained by the WHO currently.

Health Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik praised Thierin for cooperating over the holding of a workshop organised to formulate recommendations regarding secondary healthcare reforms.

Director General Zahid Pervaiz, Health Department Policy and Strategic Planning Unit (PSPU) Director Ali Bahadur Qazi and Yahya Gulzar, Aamir and Asif of the WHO were also present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2015.

He was leading a Million March against the publication of blasphemous caricatures in French magazine Charlie Hebdo. Thousands of people participated in the rally from Nasser Bagh to the Punjab Assembly.

Baloch accused the government of targeting mosques and madrassahs and arresting religious leaders on the pretext of curbing extremism. “The government wants to promote secularism through such moves.”

He said some elements were hurting the sentiments of Muslims.” He urged leaders of Islamic countries to get united in demanding laws against blasphemy.

“Our rulers should stop being apathetic. They must raise the issue of blasphemy in an effective manner,” the JI leader said. He said Muslims were the victim of the West’s partiality.  “The West has been trying to create unrest by instigating Muslims around the world. Muslims are facing many issues but they will never allow blasphemy.”

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam leader Amjad Khan asked the participants of the rally to give an undertaking that they would take inspiration from Ghazi Ilm Din against blasphemy. He favoured effective implementation of Section 295-C (hurting religious sentiments) of the Pakistan Penal Code PPC to deal with blasphemy.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Lahore president Parvaiz Malik also addressed the rally. He said the government, too, was offended with the publication of blasphemous caricatures. “The government understands and respects Muslims’ feelings.”

Protesters carried placards and banners saying ‘I love my prophet’ at the demonstration. PHOTO: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS

He said President Mamnoon Hussain had written a letter to the Fench president condemning the caricatures. The government had also raised the issue with the French ambassador. He said the National Assembly had passed a resolution condemning the publication.

He said the government had also written a letter to the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) asking the member states to reach a unanimous stance on the issue. “It will convey the protesters’ sentiments to the OIC,” he said.

Maulana Ameer Hamza criticised 40 heads of states for attending a rally to show solidarity with Charlie Hebdo.

“A group of Franco and 40 thieves had expressed sympathies with the magazine saying that ‘we all are Charlies’,” he said. “If they are Charlies, we are Muhammadis.”

He demanded that the prime minister take effective steps against blasphemy.

JI leaders Farid Paracha and Abdul Ghaffar Aziz, Pakistan Awami Tehreek leader Farhat Abbas, Jamiat Ahle Hadith leader Zubair Ahmed Zaheer, Islami Jamiat Talaba leader Syed Mustaqim and Father Philip John also addressed the protesters.

Mute but not silent

Physically-challenged members of a defunct organisation staged a protest demonstration in front of the Lahore Press Club against the sacrilegious caricatures. They demanded death penalty for the blasphemers.

A large number of mute people attended the demonstration that had been organised by Al Muhammadia Special Persons, a JuD wing.

The protesters, carrying placards and banners, chanted slogans against the United Nations, America and France.

Abu Al Hashim and Al Muhammadia Special Persons head Abu Imran addressed the protesters. The speakers called upon the government  to increase pressure on the United Nations and the European Union for making a law against blasphemy. They said blasphemy was the biggest form of terrorism.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2015.