Imtiaz Gorar
LARKANA: The Free and Fair Election Network (FEFEN) plans to launch countrywide media and advocacy campaign for structural reforms in the education sector of Pakistan as part of its new project ILM IDEAS-Education for All-Making it Possible.
Speakers while addressing orientation meeting here on Saturday, among Naveed of Indus Resource Centre (IRC) Khairpur and Amjad Gadani of Free and Fair Election Network(FAFEN) Islamabad told about the plans to lunch a countrywide media and advocacy campaign for structural reforms in the education sector of Pakistan as part of its new project ILM IDEAS-Education for All-Making it Possible.
The campaign, which will be simultaneously run on Radio, Electronic and social media, is aimed, is aimed to advocate for constructive and sustainable reforms in the education sector in Pakistan so that access to quality education for children can be increased. The campaign will be designed after consultations with the primary stakeholders and on the basis of research data.
This campaign will be based on successful voice and accountability interventions in education sector implemented in 18 districts in Balouchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad Capital Territory(ICT) and Gilgit-Baltistan. It will designed with the engagement of education and Communications experts keeping in view social, political, cultural and institutional diversity while 15 success stories will be documented to verify and validate successful interventions through an independent beneficiary analysis.
Under the project, FAFEN will choose a select of voice and accountability models that have been successfully implemented in different parts of the country to highlight the poor state of education. These models will be replicated at the national level to advocate for reforms in education governance structure, increase in budgetary allocations by provinces for education along with proposing non-fiscal solutions and effective role of district governments in ensure provision of facilities in educational institutions.
Though FAFEN will consult with relevant segments of the society especially teachers, children and parents, however, its primary goal is to engage the political parties, elected representatives governments officials at provincial, district and constituency levels and policymakers so that they can play their positive role for translating the campaign conclusive messages into concrete actions. It also seeks to build pressure on the federal and provincial governments to take concrete steps for reforms in education governance which is crucial to ensuring access to quality education for children aged 5-16 under Article 25-A of the constitution.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of various NGOs of Larkana district including Professor Mukhtiar Samo, Yaseer Jatoi, Afzal Shaikh, Amman Pirzado and others.
First underground coal gas power plant to start in April next
Correspondent
Islamkot: Underground Coal Gasification (UCG), taking unprecedented lead in producing electricity on coal gas energy, is going to launch its first power plant in Thar in April 2015.
Talking to media Dr Mohammad Shabir, Managing Director UCG, at project site near Islamkot on Saturday said that the project was conceived by Asif Ali Zardari during his tenure as president has reached to its production stage.
Under the scheme, the Sindh government has alloted Block-5 of Thar Coal filed to UCG led by Dr Samar Mubarak Mand to generate underground coal gas known as Syn gas to produce electricity.
Dr Shabir said the project started in 2009 but due to problems in releasing required funds the project could not take off in time. “Thanks to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah that he took his personal efforts and got the funds released in 2012 and we started work,” he said.
He said “underground coal gasification was a new project, therefore wide criticism started squarely. But we did not succumb to pressure but continued our efforts,” he stated.
He further said “in the first phase an experimental structure was raised under which pipes were drilled down160 meters deep into the coalfield to reach the coal bed. After pumping out underground water lying near coal bed fired the coal underground and produced coal gas. The gas was supplied to the experimental plant and lit the flame. With the grace of God the project succeeded.”
Dr Shabir recalled that in the originally scheme under the UCG, 100 MW power plant was to be installed at a cost of Rs9000 million but the government was short of funds, therefore it was launched as a pilot project to install 10 MW power plant. “Initially we are launching 4 MW electricity and within a month its capacity would be enhanced to 10 MW and then to 100 MW,” he said.
Dr Shabir who is originally an atomic scientist said “we have installed power plant with four power engines’. Entire internal connecting cable net work has been completed. Coal gas generation is in progress and only it is at the finishing stage,” he said and added a Chinese team would arrive in March to start the turbines imported from China and the project would be formally launched.
“We are going to organise an impressive launching ceremony on desert of Thar with Prime Minister as chief guest, Asif Ali Zardari to preside over the function and chief ministers Qaim Ali Shah as guest of honour to kick of this unique project of the country.,” he said proudly and added this project is bound to change the destiny of the people of Pakistan in general and people of Thar in Particular.
RENOWNED PERSON KILLED IN ROAD MISHAP
Waheed Phulpoto
SHIKARPUR: Renowned person killed in road accident near Wazir abad on Sukkur-Shikarpur National highway within the jurisdiction of Lakhi Ghulam Shah Police Station on Friday late night.
According to reports a renowned person and landowner Agha Shoaib Khan coming from Karachi to Shikarpur on their car with family suddenly they collided with Tractor Trolley at Sukkur-Shikarpur National highway near Wazirabad and he was killed on the spot and other family members were received injured.
Tractor Trolley driver managed to flee from the scene.
Area police reached on the spot and injured persons moved to Taluka hospital Lakhi Ghulam Shah for medical treatment.
Injured family members are reported out of danger, doctor said.
Source said Agha Shoaib had gone to Karachi for shopping of marriage of his elder son.
After conducting post-mortem body of the deceased handed over to his relatives.
Area police impounded tractor trolley and further police investigation are in progress.
Later on he was laid to rest his ancestral graveyard after offering funeral prayers.
FIR was not registered till this news was flashed.
CONDOLENCE REFERENCE HELD AT AMROTI HOUSE SHIKARPUR
Waheed Phulpoto
SHIKARPUR: A condolence reference was held at Amroti House Shikarpur for victims of terrorist attack on Army Public school Peshawar on Saturday.
Prayers were offered for the departed souls condolence reference was held under the chair of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) Member of Sindh Majalis-i-Shora and Member of Dargah Alia Qadria Hafiz Syed Shah Wali Ullah Amroti on the occasion he said that killers of children are killers of all humanity he urged to government to take stern action against the culprits of the brutal act.
Expressed the solidarity with the bereaved families Wali Ullah Shah condemned the attack on Army Public School in Peshawar he further said that the hidden hands behind this be exposed.
Duas were offered in Amroti house Shikarpur for the souls of the martyred students of Peshawar incident.
Qari Muhammad Naeem, Agha Muhammad Shafique, Sajad Ahmed and several citizens of Shikarpur were also present on the occasion.
Lack of facilities in Civil Hospital Badin creates difficulties to Poor patients
OUR CORRESPONDENT
BADIN: Lack of the medical facilities in Civil Hospital Badin created difficulties to poor patients of Badin to get medical facilities.
In the details, Lack of medical facilities in Civil Hospital Badin created difficulties for poorest people of Badin district to avail the medical facilities from civil hospital Badin.
No any Gynecologist & Special Doctor is available in the hospital when many positions are vacant but these positions yet could not fill.
Dialogist & ventilator machines are out of order due to non-usage from long time which compelled poor patients to move Karachi or Hyderabad.
Sources informed that sub-standards medicines are being provided to patients even though there is reserved budget in account of Zakat for poorest patients of Badin but unfortunately these forms are being issued to persons violating the criteria of the form provision.
Sources also shared that usually blank Zakat form are issued to poor patients for getting medicines in account of Zakat as medical store owner can be facilitate to write amount of his choice. Moreover, it is noted that transfer & posting are being done of higher positions of Civil Hospital frequently.
The citizen of Badin demanded from higher authorities to take action & provide relief to people of Badin.
Seminar to stress community awareness for vaccination of children timely
Sawan Khaskheli
BADIN: Participants of Seminar stress to run community awareness campaign to vaccinate children against the fatal disease.
According to detail, UNICEF has organized one day seminar at Badin Press Club titled “Importance of Polio vaccination & child immunization”. While addressing the participants, Dr. Noor Muhammad & Fayaz Ahmed Abro said that timely vaccination of children is very importance which can save the children from various fatal diseases.
Speakers shared that 40% death of children in Pakistan occurred due no vaccination & more than 07 lack children died yearly because of no children vaccination.
They said that Polio disease is being increased world-wide especially in Pakistan & we have to initiate fight against same fatal disease. Media should play its role to save the children from death caused of polio disease.
The Seminar was participated by President Badin press Club, Tanveer Ahmed Arain, Shoukat Memon, General Secretary, Badin Press Club including senior Journalists Abdul Latif Zargar, Abdul Majeed Mallah, Sawan Khaskheli, Imran Abbas, Akhtar Shah, Sulleman Mandhro, Ashfaque Memon, Hussain Soomro, Dodo Panwhar, Ashraf Memon & other citizen.
Khursheed Shah visits CMH inquired health of injured children of Peshawar attack
\
Shakeel Khan
SUKKUR: The Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah has visited central military hospital (CMH) and inquired about the health of the injured children of Army Public School (APS) peshawar who fell pray to heinous brutality of the terrorists ever seen in the country.
Besides, opposition leader visited to fourteen grieved families in different part of peshawar city and its suburbs like Gulbahar colony, Shadbagh, Kotla Rashid, Shaikhabad, Afshan colony to offer Fatiha and condolences despite security threats.
There were moving scenes at all the dwelling places of the children who sacrificed their lives in the path of light of knowledge and dignity. All the grieved families and their well wishers demanded complete elimination of terrorism to save present and future generations of the country.
Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah consoled the grieved families and told them that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will leave no stone unturned for the elimination of this brutal scourge along with all the partners in this crusade against terrorism. He further said that the PPP has assured full support to Government to take hard line against terrorists and PPP will give full support to government’s stance in his concern.
The children whom families were visited include Muzammal Umair, Huzaifa Aftab, Uzair Ahmed, Hammad Aziz, Hmayun Iqbal, Muhammad Awais, Muhammad Tayyab, Aziz Shakil, Mubeen Aslam, Muhammad Yasin,(the only son of their parents) including Usama Zafar, Ahmed Elahi, Abdullah Zafar and Sehr Afshan teacher who set a shining example of bravery and sacrificed her life while saving the lives of children in army public school.