ISLAMABAD, DEC 2 (DNA) – Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has uploaded merit lists for merit-based programs offered in autumn 2020 semester including M.Sc Sustainable Environmental Design, M.Sc Public Nutrition and M Sc Mass Communication.

The university is dispatching admission information letter to the selected candidates at their postal addresses. The candidates may verify their admission from the university website (www.aiou.edu.pk).

Upon the special directives of the Vice Chancellor, AIOU, Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum, the process of finalization of admission into merit-based programs has been expedited to observe academic calendar of the University and to save precious time of the students.

It is pertinent to mention here that the university has offered admissions in various merit-based programs including PhD, M Phil, M Sc, MBA and BS programs. Merit lists for MA TEFL and M Sc Forestry Extension programs will be uploaded very soon.=DNA

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ISLAMABAD, DEC 2 (DNA) – OIC ministerial standing committee on scientific and technological cooperation (COMSTECH), Islamabad and International Foundation for Science (IFS), Stockholm, Sweden have selected seventeen research projects from 10 OIC member states – Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Togo and Uganda for the session 2020. A total funding of US$ 210,197 has been granted to these projects.

These projects have been granted in the fields of animal production, crop science, food science, forestry/ agroforestry, natural products and social science.

Project funding granted in this session ranges from US$ 7,000 to 15,000 each project. Four Pakistani scientists have won grants worth Rs. 7.806 million for their research projects in this session.

COMSTECH-IFS has so far financed 358 research projects in various disciplines of science and technology in 32 OIC member states by providing US$ 3.898 million funds.

The 358 research projects from Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somali, Sudan, Suriname, Togo, Tunisia and Uganda have been financed under this program.

COMSTECH and IFS agreed in February 1998 to enter into a collaborative program to strengthen the capacity in developing countries which are members of OIC to conduct relevant and high-quality research in sciences related to the management, use and conservation of biological resources. The program is funded in equal parts by COMSTECH and IFS.=DNA

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ISLAMABAD, DEC 2 (DNA) – A delegation of officers from Press Information Department (PID) Lahore visited the Virtual University of Pakistan head office on Wednesday.

The delegation was received by GM Marketing Virtual University Ms. Rubina Ali. The officials in the delegation included DG PID Mr. Saeed Sheikh, Deputy Director Ms. Uzma Saleem, Deputy Director Ms. Ishrat Akhtar and Information officer Ms. Sameera Liaquat.

PID Officials attended a meeting chaired by the Rector Virtual University Mr. Naeem Tariq along with GM Marketing VU Ms. Rubina Ali and GM VTV Mr. Babar Ali.

Matters related to news media and improving coordination between the Press Information Department and Virtual University were discussed. The delegation visited various departments of the University and was also given a presentation on the functioning and rapid growth of Virtual University. PID delegation acknowledged the important role of Virtual University for the provision of quality education across Pakistan and abroad.

They also appreciated the role of Virtual University for providing access to the knowledge through learning opportunities to the students across the country.

GM VTV Mr. Baber Ali briefed the guests about the Virtual University’s Television Network during the visit of guests to the TV Department. PID Officials appreciated the standard of education set by Virtual University and its network all over Pakistan.=DNA

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ISLAMABAD : Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday approved Civil Servants Efficiency and Discipline Rules, 2020 to ensure transparent and effective internal accountability of civil servants.

To speed up the process of ensuring efficiency and discipline among the civil bureaucracy, the tier of Authorized Officer has been eliminated, leaving only two tiers, which include Authority and Inquiry Officer and Committee.The two-tier process will resolve the issue of the decision of disciplinary proceedings at a lower level by awarding minor penalties by the Authorized Officer, without seeking approval of the authority.

Timelines have been introduced at every step of the proceedings, which include ten to fourteen days for submission of a response to charges and sixty days for completion of an enquiry. The Authority has to decide the case within thirty days as previously, no fixed timeframe to conclude the proceedings was available that resulted in cases lingering on for an extended period.

To facilitate just decisions of cases, an opportunity of personal hearing shall now be provided by the Authority or Hearing Officer.

For the first time, plea bargain and voluntary return have been included in the definition of misconduct and such civil servants shall now be proceeded against. Procedural issues relating to provision of record, slackness on part of departmental representatives, suspension, proceedings against officers on deputation, leave, or scholarship have been clearly provided in the new rules.

The Establishment Division has been authorised to issue subsidiary instructions and clarifications to avoid any delays. In case of multiple suspected officers in a single case, the restriction of appointing a single Inquiry Officer has been imposed to ensure transparency and avoid different decisions in a single case.

In case of Police Service of Pakistan and Pakistan Administrative Service officers posted in provinces, a two months’ timeline has been provided to a chief secretary for submission of fact-finding report, failing which the Establishment Division can proceed on its own.

ISLAMABAD : The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned further hearing on appeal of the Sindh government in Daniel Pearl murder case, until tomorrow (Thursday).

Sindh government seeking suspension of the Sindh High Court (SHC) verdict of acquitting four convicts in the American reporter’s murder case.A three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Justice Mushir Alam, hearing appeals filed by the Sindh government and the parents of victim Daniel Pearl challenging the April 02 high court verdict that overturned the sentences of four convicts in the case.

Farooq H. Naik representing the Sindh government said that a man met Daniel Pearl at a hotel in Rawalpindi. The man had booked the hotel room with the name of Muzaffar Farooqi but he met with Pearl introducing himself as Bashir, the counsel said.

Another man, Arif, who is absconding, had led the US reporter for meeting with Muzaffar Farooqi. Arif asked at hotel reception for meeting with Muzaffar Farooqi, which proves that Arif knew that Omar Shaikh was staying in the hotel with the name of Muzaffar Farooqi, the counsel argued.

“Omer Shaikh’s hiding his identity,  is a proof of the conspiracy”, Naik said.

“When the identification parade was held,” Justice Sardar Tariq Masood questioned. “The identification parade was held in the presence of a magistrate in the court,” the counsel replied.

“Daniel Pearl’s murder was a part of the international terrorism, Omar Shaikh himself had stated, he will be handed over to the United States,” the lawyer said.

In an earlier hearing Farooq Naik said that four accused including Ahmed Omer Saeed were arrested, while seven others were at large.

The accused had hatched kidnapping plot of Daniel Pearl, a US national reporting for the Wall Street Journal, in a Rawalpindi hotel, Naik said. “They sent an email to the victim’s wife after kidnapping and demanded ransom money,” the counsel further said.

The accused brutally slain Daniel Pearl after their demand was not met, Sindh’s counsel said. They also released the video of the slaughter causing fear and harassment among public.

Four convicts in the murder case, British national Ahmed Omer Saeed, co-accused Fahad Naseem, Salman Saqib and Sheikh Adil had moved the SHC in 2002 challenging their convictions handed down by the Hyderabad Anti-Terrorism Court after finding them guilty of abducting and killing American Journalist Pearl.

The 38-year-old South Asia bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pearl, was researching a story on religious extremists, in January 2002 in Karachi when he was abducted and slain.