Day: January 13, 2023

KARACHI: Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said on Friday the provincial government was analyzing the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding the local elections of Karachi and Hyderabad while highlighting the government had respect for the decision of ECP.

He said the government had remained in its jurisdiction and any decision which was contrary to the constitution would not be taken. Mr Memon said the PPP respects the constitutional domain of ECP and mentioned he was unaware of the discussions to bring ordinance.

The minister added the army and rangers had turned down the request to provide security for the local elections while highlighting it was the prerogative of the federal government to deploy army in the elections for security measures.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Engineering Council held the 3rd Engineering Capstone Expo-2023 at Pak-China Friendship Center, Islamabad. The Capstone Expo is a project of the Pakistan Development Committee (PDC) of the PEC.

According to a statement on Friday, PEC Chairman Engr Muhammad Najeeb Haroon inaugurated the ceremony. Engr Dr Nasir Khan, PEC Registrar, Engr Dr Shakir, convener jury committee, Engr Mir Masood Rashid, PDC Convener, Engr Sardar Ali Khan, Engr Dr Mansoor Baloch, convener organizing committee, Engr Mohsin Ali Khan, Engr Mian Sultan Mahmood and different industry delegates and guests from academia attended the inaugural ceremony.

In his welcome speech, Engr Mir Masood Rashid gave a briefing on the Capstone Expo’s theme and highlighted the initiatives of the PEC for the period 2021-24, among which one is the Engineering Capstone Expo. This is the third Engineering Capstone Expo organized by the PDC. He highlighted different initiatives of the PEC and PDC committee including FYDP, OJT (paid internship by PEC), PEC E-Gateway, day trip industrial visits, SDG’s 2022-25, PEC mobile application, online payment mechanism with banks, and job placement portal.

Speaking as the guest of honor, Engr Daroo Khan Achakzai, Former FPCCI president, appreciated the initiatives and efforts that are being made by PEC. He highlighted the importance of showcasing projects and more such milestone expectations from PEC and the engineering community that is the backbone of the economy and hope for the survival of the country. He announced that his company will sponsor a visit of 15 students to Silicon Valley once all five regions’ Capstone Expo were completed. Three projects from each region will get this opportunity.

He highlighted the engineering community’s critical role, especially in such a situation in which Pakistan is currently trapped. Its continuous and consistent struggle can make a difference and bring the country back on track to complete the development journey of the country.

Vote of Thanks and Capstone statistics briefing delivered by Engr D Mansoor Baloch in which efforts of the organizing team and contributors were acknowledged in this federal Expo, a total of 37 universities participated with 235 project stalls and 1050 project participants. Over 2000 people attended the inaugural ceremony of the event whereas over 4500 persons visited the expo. In parallel to EXPO, a symposium was also held on the importance of linkages between academia and the engineering industry.

At the closing ceremony, Engr Mir Masood Rashid appreciated the efforts of all participants and especially the presentation of innovative Engineering project ideas. In acknowledgment of participants’ efforts, PEC announced free membership to all, free placement of projects at the PEC e-library, and six months on-Job training (paid internship) from PEC to all project participants.

Guest of honor Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, addressed the session with the importance of engineers’ role in society, especially in the current challenges Pakistan has been facing. He emphasized industry localization to increase exports and decrease imports.

GB member Engr Amir Zameer (Member Planning commission Pakistan) made two announcements from the Planning Commission of Pakistan for engineers. First establishing five engineering labs at different universities in Pakistan and second 24,000 internships with Rs 40,000 per month over the period of one year.

The Prize Distribution Ceremony was held at the end of the session. NUST SCEE clinched first position in Civil and allied; NUST E and ME remained first in Mechanical and allied; Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi remained first in Mining, Petroleum, Agri, Food, Chemical, and allied; NITECH Islamabad secured first position in Geo-Info and allied; while PIEAS Islamabad stood first in the field of Electrical and allied.

LARKANA: The activists of Awami Tehreek (AT) took out a rally from Yar Muhammad Colony here on Friday which after marching through various roads culminated at Jinnah Bagh against massive injustices with Sindh.

Ali Hassan Wako, AT’s provincial president, Aitzaz Gaincho of Sujag Bar Tahreek, Naveed Kalhoro of Sindh Shagird Tahreek, Muhammad Khan Chandio, Ali Muhammad Vako, Farhan Kalhoro, Babul Soomro, and others participated.

While addressing the participants they said that Sindh’s lands, coastal areas, oil, gas, formation of new committee for creating new provinces under PPP MNA Khurshid Shah, digital committee made with malafide intentions for fresh census, influx of Aghanis and other refugees, artificial shortage of flour, change of domicile policy on the instructions of PPP MNA Qadir Mandokhel are few issues which are constantly haunting people of Sindh which should be eliminated once for all.

They said had the Hamoodur Rahman Commission report been complied with the issues would not have survived. They alleged that PPP is conspiring to break the country on the instructions of anti-democratic forces. They said terrorists have been given CNICs as FIA’s deputy director had declared that millions of cards have been made to the outsiders illegally who are involved in unlawful activities in Karachi elsewhere.

They said the apex court ordered that all outsiders be deported before the 2018 elections but the rulers failed to enhance their vote bank which is a daring violation of court order. They said that according to law the census is to be carried out after ten years which is due in 2027 but it is being held on the demand of MQM without a card which is against the law to convert Sindhis into minority but the people of Sindh will never accept it until and unless outsiders are not deported.

They further alleged that a one-unit like situation prevailed in Sindh during PPP rule. They said Sindh was sunk by hand to make Sindhi people homeless and poverty-stricken so that their precious lands and natural resources could be digested. They said that now artificial flour shortage has been created so that original inhabitants could not get food and they live like Palestinians in their own land.

They said AT has always stood against atrocities with Sindh and will continue to do so as on 12th March a grand protest rally will be taken out in Karachi against high-handedness of rulers with the people, precious lands, natural resources of Sindh and against outsiders.

QUETTA: Advisor to Chief Minister for Information, Mitha Khan Kakar, has said that the popularity of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) in Zhob Division was increasing day by day, adding that development schemes, including construction of dams, roads and schools worth Rs. six billion, had been executed in Kakar Khorasan area of Zhob without any discrimination.

These views were expressed by him while addressing a press conference at Quetta Press with Abdul Rehman Mardanzai, Malik Rafiullah Kakar, and Sardar Faizu Kakar, tribal elders of Kakar Khorasan Zhob, who announced to join BAP, here on Friday.

Kakar said large number of people from Kakar Khorasan were going to join Balochistan Awami in a mammoth public meeting to be arranged in Kakar Khorasan area of Zhob in Balochistan in February, 2023, adding that party would not end if a few persons left the party. He said that no one would be allowed to take the people hostage in Gwadar, adding that everyone had the right to hold peaceful protest, but the blockade of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would not be tolerated at any cost.

He said that Moulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman, leader of Haq Du Tehreek, Gwadar did not take care of the integrity of the province and the country and provoked the people against the state. Kakar said that the popularity of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) in Zhob Division was increasing day by day, adding that development schemes, including construction of dams, roads and schools worth Rs. six billion, had been executed in Kakar Khorasan area of Zhob without any discrimination.

On the occasion, tribal elder of Kakar Khorasan Abdul Rehman Mardanzai, Malik Rafiullah Kakar, Sardar Faizu Kakar, along with large number of their tribesmen, announced to join Balochistan Awami Party.