Category: Karachi

KARACHI:Police on Thursday have carried out a search operation in different parts of Korangi area of the metropolis.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Korangi Syed Ali Raza on the tip-off, about the presence of criminal elements a heavy contingents of police conducted a search operation in different area of Korangi. The police official further said that the police have cordoned off the surrounding sides of the district entry and exit points of the streets were also sealed.

He said during search operation the police apprehended six suspects. Police also claimed to have recovered weapons and drug from the possession of detainees. Further investigation is underway.

KARACHI:“As you know the financial situation of the country is bad, so there will be cuts in universities’ funding too. Many universities will not be able to sustain themselves because they have no other sources of funding and they depend totally on the government. All universities in the world have to develop methods to become self-sustaining,” Dr Asim Hussain, Chairman Higher Education Commission, Sindh, advised the higher education institutions while speaking at a ceremony at the Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) feting the Sindh Medical College graduates who have received honours from the Government of Pakistan.

“Sindh Higher Education Commission is still in a quandary under the effects of 18th amendment. The funding remains with the federal and the Sindh government and Sindh HEC struggles to find its way. I think we should try and set up academic standards first. I am trying to have academic people at the HEC so we can move forward,” he said.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor JSMU Prof SM Tariq Rafi appreciated the contribution of the alumni to the service of the country and said that this event was held to inspire the current students to achieve distinction in their fields as their college’s alumni have done.

He also presented a progress report of the university. Pro Vice Chancellor Lubna Ansari Baig, an alumna herself, presented a detailed citation of the services by the distinguished guests.

A total of seven SMC alumni and two guests were awarded shields to acknowledge their recognition from the Government of Pakistan for distinguished services to the country. These included Dr Altaf Hussain Hashmi (Sitara-e-Imtiaz), Dr Shahid Ahmed Sami (Sitara-e-Imtiaz), Dr Majida Bashir Ahmed (1956-2014) (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz), Dr Saeed Akhtar (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz), Dr Javed Suleman (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz), Col Dr Muhammad Khalid Rafi (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Military), Col Dr Sharafuddin (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz), Dr Rukhsana Wamiq Zuberi (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz) and Dr Abdul Bari Khan (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Hilal-e-Imtiaz).

KARACHI:Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday stopped an inquiry committee from taking illegal steps against University of Sindh’s Vice Chancellor Fateh Mohammad Burfat.

A two-member bench of the SHC heard a plea filed by VC Burfat challenging inquiry committee steps about corruption allegations. The bench also issued notices to Sindh Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and Secretary Education.

Rafiq Ahmed Kalwar, the counsel of Burfat, submitted to the bench that according to the law, a senior grade official is able to conduct an inquiry against an officer, but the Sindh government had formed an illegal committee headed by Naheed Durrani to conduct an inquiry against VC Sindh University.

The counsel informed the bench that the Sindh government wanted to illegally remove Burfat from the VC post. He told the bench that VC wanted to face the allegations, so an inquiry team may be formed as per law.

KARACHI:Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction over the reports of Sindh Police and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) pertaining to the recovery of missing persons.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Naimtullah Phulputo, heard a set of pleas seeking recovery of missing citizens.

The court sought travel history of missing persons from FIA within a month. It also directed the police to register case pertaining to the citizen Farakh Ali Hashmi, who went missing from Karachi Airport.

The FIA official told the bench that Farakh Ali had not travelled to abroad from Karachi Airport. The bench also sought reports from Police, Rangers, FIA and other law enforcement agencies pertaining to the recovery of missing persons.

KARACHI:A girl, Payal Kumari, who allegedly got love marriage with his teacher from Thatta district after converting her religion, and later her parents said she was allegedly abducted by her teacher and forcibly converted for marriage, approached Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday for provision of protection.

Kumrai, who changed her name as Noor Fatima after conversion, approached SHC along with her husband Kamran Soomro and filed a petition in the court seeking protection. The court directed the police to record the statement of the girl.

“I am adult and have converted religion with my own wish and happiness and got married with Kamran Soomro,” Kumari told the court, adding that she and her husband had life threats by her family so she should be given protection.

However, the police arranged a meeting of the girl with her parents at SHC.

It must be noted here that about 18-year-old student Payal Kumari was allegedly abducted by her teacher Kamran Soomor from Thatta, according to the girl’s parents. She went for tuition on June 29 at 8am but did not return home by 2:30 pm, then her parents came to know that her teacher, Kamran Soomro was also missing.”

KARACHI:The graduation ceremony for the first batch of Pakistani students of Transportation Engineering was held at the College of Transportation, Southeast University, China under the auspices of China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) Scholarship Programme.

The Higher Education Commission and CRBC had inked a Document of Understanding for this Masters Studies programme for Pakistani students in 2017. It is the first postgraduate level plan in transportation sector for countries along the Belt and Road Initiative and is strongly supported by the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission and HEC Pakistan.

Mr. Ye Chengyin, Deputy General Manager CRBC, Mr. Ren Lijian, Vice Principal, Southeast University (SEU) and other distinguished guests attended the ceremony wherein 10 Pakistani students were issued the graduate certificate and were awarded special souvenirs.

Currently, the second batch of 29 Pakistani students is also studying in SEU while the third batch of another 29 students is planning to study for Masters degree from September 2019.

Speaking during the ceremony, Mr. Chengyin said that under the guidelines of Belt and Road Initiative, CRBC will try its utmost to be a pacesetter in infrastructure connectivity as well as pioneer and contributor in enhancing people-to-people ties.

CRBC started cooperation with HEC and Southeast University in 2017, initiating the programme “Inherit Pak-China Friendship, Hundred Talents Study Financing Programme” which will fully fund 100 people including in-service staff members for higher education in China. It aims at developing professionals in transportation field in Pakistan and cultivate senior technical and management personnel for CPEC construction.

Lijian said that SEU is a first-class university in China, which pays great attention to cooperation and exchanges with countries along the Belt and Road Initiative.

Representative of Pakistani students, Qamar Zaman Bhatti said that SEU is his second hometown where he was kindly treated by teachers and students, learnt many new skills, made new friends. He said that he would make all-out effort to contribute for development of CPEC as well as China-Pakistan friendship.

KARACHI:Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that he had allocated Rs600 million to control the spread of HIV and established a Rs1 billion Endowment Fund for rehabilitation of HIV affected people.

This he said while presiding over a meeting of American-based Gilead Sciences delegation led by Clifford Samuel Vice President of the organization. The others in the delegation were Ms Hema Srinivasan Senior Director South Asia, Caludio Lilienfeld Senior Director Government Affairs Asia Pacific and Osman Khalid Waheed CEO of Ferozsons Lab.

The chief minister said that when he heard presence of some HIV affected people in Naudero of Larkana district he dispatched special teams to conduct screening. “We preferred to screen the population of the area instead of putting the matter under the carpet,” he said.

Shah said that 32,151 people were screened, of them 936, including 770 children and 166 adults, were detected with HIV positive. He added out of 936 patients, 47 percent were male, 53 percent female.

Disclosing the age bracket of the HIV patients, the chief minister said that out of 936 HIV positive cases, 56 percent patients were of five years age, 26 percent between 5 to 14 years, 16 percent 15 to 45 percent and two percent of 45 years and above.

Talking about his government response, Shah said that a new Pediatrics Treatment Center had been established at Children Hospital Larkana and another similar center was being set up at THQ Ratodero. Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA) has launched operation against illegal blood banks, and quack clinics have been sealed. He added that vertical programmes such as Lady Health Workers, EPI, nutrition, MNCH, Hepatitis have been actively engaged at Ratodero and Larkana. “We have introduced auto-lock syringes at Larkana,” he said.

Shah said that international NGOs and UN agencies like UNICEF, WHO, UNAID, GFATM, USAID-JSI had been taken on board for technical support. He added that Aga Khan University hospital, SIUT and other institutions had been made involved in providing support in treatment, screening, capacity building of concerned medical officers and technical staff.

It was also pointed out that WHO Mission visited Larkana, Ratodero for one week and focused on testing and treatment and disseminated hands on training to physicians at HIV Treatment Centers.

The chief minister thanked WHO for arranging three missions in response to HIV outbreak and providing necessary medicnes for 600 HIV positive children for three months. He also thanked UNICEF, NACP, Global Fund, UNAIDS, UNFPA, USAID, Nai Zindagi Trust, AKUH, SIUT, DUHS and APLHIV for giving full support to his government for containing HIV spread and treatment of the affected people.

Gilead Sciences Vice President Clifford Samuel offered Sindh chief minister of his organisations support. The chief minister directed Secretary Health Saeed Awan to hold a follow-up meeting with the Gilead Science delegation and discuss where their support was required. “I don’t want duplication in services but it must be specified where needed,” he said.