Chitrali girls studying in Peshawar seek accommodation

From Saif ur Rehman Aziz

CHITRAL: The Chitrali girls studying in Peshawar-university are said to be in deplorable condition who have been left to languish in a single room of a university hostel.

Talking to local journalists, the parents of a number of affected students said that as many as 24 girls have been constrained to live in the common room of Benazir Hostel.

They said that previously they were lodged in the hostel of Forest college but later shifted to the present hostel without any reason.

They said that there are only two months left in the commencement of their final examination and they needed a peaceful atmosphere for their studies and preparation of examination.

They parents said that just for a period of two months, the students are forced to pay as high as 12000 rupees which is another injustice with them.

They have demanded of Governor NWFP Owais Ghani and vice chancellor of Peshawar University to look into the matter, and resolve the accommodation problem of their children.

‘No final decision about early market closure’

Karachi: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Karachi General Secretary Taj Haider has said no announcement was made on government level to close markets in Karachi at 8:00p.m., and a decision in this regard would be taken after taking traders in confidence.

Presiding over a meeting with Karachi traders in the office of Alliance of Market Associations Karachi here Sunday he said in the meeting last week in the Chief Minister House no ‘final’ decision was taken regarding early closure of markets from March 15. He said all news published in this regard were baseless.

He clarified that the government had held meeting with traders to discuss the issue of closing markets and bazaars at 8:00 p.m to save 400 megawatts electricity and end load shedding in residential areas of Karachi during evening hours.

He said before implementing this plan, the KESC would be made bound to ensure no load shedding in Karachi markets from 8:00am to 8:00pm and after one week this issue would be again taken up with traders and their assistance sought to close markets at 8:00p.m.

He said the government is trying to compensate the affected traders of Bolton Market and M A Jinnah Road arson as soon as possible.

He said the government is also trying to pay wages of the employees of affected shops.

Alliance of Market Associations Karachi President Attiq Mir, chairman of Old City Traders Alliance Jameel Ahmed Piracha and representatives of all major market associations of Karachi were present.

Transporters oppose move: Karachi public transporters have opposed the government decision to close markets in Karachi at 8:00pm from March 15, saying would seriously affect their business and earnings.

Karachi Transport Action Committee and Anjuman-e-Ettehad Bus Malikan Karachi leaders Muhamad Ashraf Banglori, Chaudhry Mazhar Hussain, Lala Sultan, Tanzeem Khan and others said it was another anti-people decision of the government to order closure of shops and markets at 8:00 p.m. - PPI

Woman dies after giving birth in rickshaw

SIALKOT: A woman died due to non-availability of proper medication after giving birth to a child in a rickshaw at a closed railway crossing gate in Sialkot city’s congested New Mianapura locality here.

Reportedly, Fazeelat Bibi (33) and a relative woman were going to a local hospital for delivery case in a rickshaw when the rickshaw remained struck in traffic due to prolonged closure of railway crossing gate at New Mianapura near Roras Road Sialkot. Due to the prolonged delay in re-opening of the closed railway crossing gate, Fazeelat Bibi gave a birth to a son and died there in the rickshaw instantly due to non-availability of any medication.

Later, the newly born baby was admitted at Govt. Allama Iqbal Memorial DHQ Civil Hospital Sialkot, where his condition was also stated to be critical. When contacted, the Sialkot based concerned officials of Pakistan Railways said that the said railway crossing gate was closed for ensuring safe passage of a local train. However, they ordered a strict departmental probe against the concerned railway gate keeper for opening the gate with inordinate delay. - PPI

Tons of fish die in River Chenab

SIALKOT: Hundreds tons fishes have died due to the closure of water by India towards River Chenab, as these fish farms have also dried up like the bed of the Chenab and water sacristy was also badly affecting the seasonal crops in the fields along the banks of river across Punjab.

Almost 400 out of total 450 fish farms have already been closed by the farmers due to water shortage. Out of these fish farmers have been bulldozed and converted into the fields by their owners along the banks of River Chenab near Head Marala, Bajwat, Sialkot and other areas of the region due to shortage ofwater.

President Fish Farmers Association Punjab Rana Ejaz disclosed this while talking to the newsmen here Sunday expressed grave concern over this nasty situation and said that the flow water in River Chenab remained from 40,000 to 35000 cusecs usually in the past years during the November but this year, now there was flow of water in River Chenab was 5000 cusecs, which was also receding day by day.

He said that this little water was flowing in Chenab near Head Marala-Sialkotin a shape of a seasonal naullah, due to which the thousands of tons of the fish in the River Chenab has become inculcated in the sands of this river. - PPI

JI demands free, fair local bodies’ polls

Karachi: Fearing that a Karachi-based coalition partner of present government would hijack the coming local bodies’ polls in Karachi at gunpoint, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Sunday demanded free and fair polls without use of force and coercion.

Ex-City Nazim Karachi Niamatullah Khan Advocate, addressing a 'Local Bodies Convention' at Idara Noor-e-Haq here said enemies of Pakistan were bent on destroying the economic lifeline of country, Karachi, through fanning ethnic violence.

He feared that ethnic elements would try to stage a bloodbath in Karachi during the coming LG elections to intimidate voters, adding the ruling PPP would also be compelled to give them free hand due to its political and power game compulsions. - PPI

Parliamentary group of PPP meets in Gilgit

GILGIT: Pakistan People's Party held its first parliamentary group meeting here in Gilgit with leader of the house, Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan, Syed Mehdi Shah in the chair.

Ali Madad Sher, member of legislative assembly told journalists that a number of important issues came under discussion at the meeting and party matters were reviewed.

He said the party discipline and other matters were also discussed and decisions were taken accordingly.

He said the meeting reviewed its strategy regarding first elections of the upper house of the region, Gilgit-Baltistan Council, to be chaired by Prime Minister of Pakistan, where six members would be representing Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

Ali Madad Sher said that every member present in the meeting spoke and expressed views. - APP

Co-curricular activities stressed

From Akbar Saeed Khan

TIMERGARA: Sports and other co-curricular activities play a vital role in keeping students and youth away of bad society and drug abuse.

Teachers and parents should fully concentrate on building character of children to help decrease crime ratio in society.

This was stated by former district nazim Dir Lower and prominent parliamentarian Ahmad Hassan Khan while addressing a prize distribution function as a chief guest held at government high school Dherai Talash on Sunday.

The function organised by the school’s administration was attended by students, teachers, parents, educationists and elders of the area.

The school’s basketball team got first position in provincial games competition this year which were held at Abbotabad last month.

Hassan said he wanted to become a teacher as they occupy the most dignified and respectable position in every society.

“Fortune made me a pleader and then politician rather a teacher but teachers’ guidance and love was still providing light in my way,” he said and stressed on the teachers to recognise their role and responsibilities as the nation needed it.

Ahmad Hassan Khan, who is also the provincial general secretary of the PPP on the occasion pointed out that modern scientific technology and its misuse was demoralising young generation at it was the duties of teachers, social activists and parents to mould youth concentration towards positive activities.

He announced attractive prizes for students belonging to Talash and other areas of Dir Lower getting top positions in board’s examination and said he would hand over the prizes to them at their homes.

He also announced to give prizes to those teams who were getting top positions in provincial games competitions.

On the occasion he handed over Rs30,000 to the school administration for getting first position in basketball throughout the province, Rs2,000 for the best player of the tournament Muhammad Hussain and Rs5,000 for ‘bazm-i-adab’ society of the school.

8th consecutive day of milk boycott drive in Quetta

QUETTA: On the appeal of Balochistan Restaurant Association, owners of all restaurants in the metropolis have been continuing milk boycott campaign on 8th consecutive day on Sunday to protest against enhancement in milk price by Rs08 per liter by the Dairy Farmers Association.

Earlier, Raheem Agha, president Balochistan Restaurant Association had announced that restaurant owners would not accept Dairy Farmers Associations wrong decision to increase milk price from Rs42 per liter to Rs50 per liter. After a meeting, Balochistan Restaurant Association decided to go on milk boycott drive until the Dairy Farmers Association withdraws its decision.

Asif Ali, the owner of Quetta Restaurant off Jinnah Road told APP that a cup of tea is available at Rs15 at all restaurants in the provincial capital and its price would jump to Rs20 per cup if they agree to purchase milk from dairy farmers at Rs50 per liter. He regretted that rising price hike has created a lot of problems for common people and Dairy Farmers Association put petrol on fire by increasing milk price by Rs08 per liter.

Citizens have appealed to the provincial and city governments to intervene into the matter and make the Dairy Farmers Association bound to withdraw its decision which has added to their woes. – APP