Category: National

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PM: (No safe havens in Pakistan for any terrorist outfit: PM Abbasi)

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that Pakistan has fought the war on terror with its own resources and suffered hugely in terms of human and economic losses.

In an interview, he said the government has taken a clear and unanimous stance over the US leadership’s statements, which has been appreciated and acknowledged by the world.

The Prime Minister reiterated that there are neither any safe havens for any terrorist outfit in Pakistan, nor any attack took place from Pakistan on Afghanistan soil.

He said Pakistan has deployed about two hundred and fifty thousand troops on its western border and completely dismantled all hideouts of terrorists.

Speaking about political situation in the country, the Prime Minister categorically stated that the government will complete its term so that democratic process could move forward.

He called upon all political parties to demonstrate their sincerity to Pakistan by adhering to democratic system. He said holding sit-ins and sowing seeds of unrest in the society will only undermine the country. He urged all parties to concentrate on the general elections to be held this year.

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Sindh Govt decided to procure vaccine, kits for H1N1 influenza

KARACHI: Sindh Health Department has decided to procure 20,000 doses of Trivalent (preventive vaccines against H1N1 virus), diagnostic material and kits on urgent basis while the WHO & Unicef will also be requested to provide 80,000 dozes of the vaccine.

This was decided in meeting chaired by the Special Secretary Health, Akram Ali Khowaja to cope up with and initiate the measures for the prevention of the predicted epidemic situation in Sindh.

The representatives from WHO, Health Department and other public and private actors attended the meeting held other day in Karachi.

The H1N1 (swine flu pandemic) strain, has affected 38 people in less than a month in Karachi.

A recent outbreak of H1N1 influenza has been paid the prompt attention by the officials from the Sindh Health Department which has come up with the strategy to prevent prevalence of the disease in the province.

“We are taking all possible measures to ensure that no such incidence could occur in the Sindh. We are regularly monitoring the situation and collecting information from Hospitals on daily basis. In case there are reports for such cases, rigorous measures would be taken in the vicinity and the necessary arrangements will be safeguarded,” said Khowaja during the meeting.

“For the investigation of particular cases, the Provincial Disease Surveillance Response Unit (PDSRU) and Regional Disease Surveillance Response Team (RDSRU) have been activated. PDSRU will cover the rural areas of Sindh while RDSRU will cover the region of Karachi. Awareness Campaigns through different plate forms including newspaper, electronic and social media will be launched immediately.

An Advisory for Prevention and Control of Influenza will also be communicated to general masses through different medium. The hospitals will display banners, pamphlets and posters in the premises,” Khowaja added.

The forum decided to procure 20,000 doses of Trivalent (preventive vaccines against H1N1 virus), diagnostic material and kits on urgent basis. The WHO & Unicef will also be requested to provide 80,000 dozes of the vaccine. The isolation rooms shall be established / activated at Taluka Headquarter / District Headquarter Hospitals and other teaching hospitals, Khowaja concluded.

During the meeting, Director General Health Dr Akhlaque Ahmed Khan said that all the public and private hospitals will furnish ‘Zero Reporting’ on daily basis to the department and there shall be ‘Control Rooms’ at all districts headquarters and DG offices which will be monitored by the senior official of the Department.

The meeting was also attended by Dr Sharifa Akhtar, PTL – WHO Sindh; Dr Tahir Aziz Shaikh, DHSK; Dr Kamran Rizvi, Deputy Director Preventive DHSK; Dr M. Asif Syed, Technical Officer; and Dr. S Zafar Mehdi, Officer on Special Duty.

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SMIU to send faculty members to foreign countries for PhD programs

KARACHI: Dr Mohammad Ali Shaikh, Vice Chancellor of Sindh Madressatul Islam University has said that the SMIU will send its faculty members for PhD programs to its partner countries from the current year. The SMIU is also starting faculty development program.

He said this while addressing a meeting with newly appointed faculty members of various academic departments of the university at Senate Hall of the university.

Dr Shaikh said: “SMIU offers all opportunities for elevation of faculty, but in response, they have to perform their duties with honesty and dedication. SMIU is providing world class education to the students of lower class and has emerged as one of the best universities of the country.”

“SMIU believes in merit system, this is why it has made all appointments on merit, Dr Shaikh said and added that the teachers have a very significant role in shaping lives of young people through education. Hence, they have to understand their basic responsibility and perform accordingly.

The meeting was attended by deans and heads of various departments of SMIU.

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United Alliance nominates Abdul Quddus Bizenjo as new Chief Minister

QUETTA: United Alliance in provincial assembly has named Abdul Quddus Bizenjo as New Chief Minister of Balochistan has said that he has been named for service of people. It is hoped that new Chief Minster would prove better for the province. In the new setup National Party and PMAP as well as angry members would be contacted to make them part of the government.

These views were expressed by PML-N MPAs Sarfraz Bugti, Jan Mohammad Jamali, Sardar Saleh Bhotani and others at a joint Press conference as assembly chamber here Thursday.

Nominated Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, MPAs Ghulam Dastgir Badini, Asim Kurd Galloo, Syed Agha Raza, Sardar Sarfraz Domki, Prince Ahmed Ai, Molvi Maazullah, Mufti Gulab, Amanullah Notezai, Abdul Majid Abro and MNA Osman Badini were also present.

United Alliance members said prior to moving no trust motion against former Chief Minister there was a success and we held consultation for new leader of the Hose and held a joint meeting. All the members’ openly decided that new leader of the House would be former Deputy Speaker MPA Abdul Quddus Bizenjo. They said all the friends are on one page to further this process and it is our desire to make him successful. He said present government would completes its tenure in constitutional manner and would run Government till June.

They said first priority of the present government would be law and order, end to unemployment and establishing atmosphere of love in the province. They said Abdul Quddus Bizenjo has also honor that he would be first and young Chief Minister in Balochistan History and would end unemployment and appoint young men against 35 thousand vacancies on merit.

Abdul Quddus Bizenjo thanking United Alliance and Opposition members said that such consensus decision would prove fruitful for the province. He said the way people have reposed confidence in him and nominated him as leader of the House, he would not disappoint his friends and would end backwardness and unemployment from th e province. He said all the members either form PML-N or from ML-Q or other parties particularly Opposition parties for their cooperation and supporting us in difficult time.

He also thanked Sarfraz Bugti for taking step against former Chief Minister and sacrificed his ministry. He paid tribute to him.

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JIT: (JIT formed to probe incident of minor girl murdered at Kasur: Shahbaz)

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Chief Minister Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that the accused of raping and murdering a minor girl at Kasur will not remain unpunished.

In a statement from Lahore, on his return from Kasur after meeting the bereaved family, he said that he has directed the police to arrest the accused immediately, so that he may be punished as per law.

He said that action will also be taken according to law against the police personnel who resorted to firing at protesters without any reason.

The Chief Minister said that a high level JIT has been formed to probe the incident, which is comprised of members from both civil and Army institutions.

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Zaka-ur-Rehman appointed as PMSA DG

KARACHI: Rear Admiral Zaka-ur-Rehman has assumed the command of Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) as director general.

The admiral was commissioned in operation branch of Pakistan Navy in 1988. He has been appointed on various command appointments including commanding officer of Destroyer and commander of 25th Destroyer Squadron.

During his illustrious career, he served on various staff appointments at Naval HQs and Chief of Staff to the Commander Coalition Task Force-151 in Bahrain.

Rehman has also served as naval attaché at Embassy of Pakistan in Ankara, Turkey.

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Infection serious threat to developing countries

KARACHI: Dr Nizam Damani an expert on infection control has called for not to use antibiotics unnecessarily as the community at large may soon develop resistance against antibiotics with no alternate remedy in the near future.

Dr Damani who is a senior consultant at the Infection Prevention Control Unit of WHO in Geneva was speaking at a two-day seminar on infection prevention and control organized by SIUT.

Dr Damani who is a former graduate of Dow Medical College is currently a part of WHO decision making team on infection control in his inaugural address dwelt with two major topics with global perspective which included proper use and stewardship of antibiotics and importance of infection control in providing quality medical care.

Discussing the overall health scenario in developing countries he said there is a need of proper sanitation, hygiene and infection control not only in hospitals but also at community level.

WHO official in his presentation deeply regretted that infection control system in developing countries including Pakistan is in pitiable condition. He said the management or control is either nonexistence or totally ineffective. Infection specialist pointed out that whole exercise is cost effective as by spending 20 per cent one can cover 80 per cent of the population.

This basic step Dr Damani noted cost little but achieve durable and tangible results.

He reminded that infection control is an integral part of patient’s safety and quality care in developed world. The importance of hand hygiene is paramount in curtailing cross infection.

SIUT as a premier tertiary care institution of the country with several specialties has offered its services to become a hub institution for control infectious diseases declaring infection control on WHO guidelines as high priority agenda.

On the opening day of the seminar other speakers who spoke included Dr Shamim Khan from King’s College London who made a presentation on infection control for transplant patients. Dr Tahir Aziz of SIUT, Dr Shehla Baqi from Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi Dr Faisal Mahmood of Aga Khan University, Dr Asma Naseem, Dr Sunil Dodani and Dr Ali Nadeem all from SIUT discussed various aspects of infection control.