KARACHI, JAN 20 (DNA) – Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) Central President Haleem Adil Sheikh has demanded that the name of Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah should be put on the ECL, in the backdrop of probe about his corruption by the NAB.

Addressing a press conference at Sindh Assembly here Wednesday flanked by Bilal Ghaffar, Dr Imran and others said that the front man of Sindh rulers Anwar Majid is involved in tractor scam and he was also given subsidy of billions of rupees in Dadu Sugar Mills and Thatta Sugar Mills.

He said these corrupt people also harmed the Sindh Bank and they are also involved in Nooriabad power plant scam.

He said probe should also be held about the assets of Fiyaz Jatoi, whose family members are officers of up to 22-Grade. Their bank accounts should also be probed. He said there is a huge corruption in Roshan Sindh Program.

He said Sharjeel Inam Memon is involved in mega corruption and the Sindh assembly speaker has included his name in Penal of Chairmen. He said these corrupt rulers devoured Rs920million in the name of castration of stray dogs. He said these people have made government schools non-functional, which are now being used as animal pens.

Haleem Adil said that since 2007 the nation is seeing that one man is involved in all corruption in Sindh, who own the portfolio of finance. He said billions of rupees received under the NFC Award have been shifted to the pockets of the corruption mafia.

He said Rs2.47 billion of pensioners also went to the corruption mafia. He said Salim Bajari and Dawach are front men of Murad Ali Shah in these corrupt practices. He said a school teacher of Thatta has already died due to mental stress because of fake bank accounts in his name in Dadu.

Talking about Maulana Fazalur Rehman, Haleem Adil said the Maulana and Nawaz Sharif sent two delegations to Israel and now Maulana is coming to Karachi to hold an anti-Israel rally. He said now the Maulana could not befool the nation. He asked the Maulana not to use the students of seminaries for his political rallies.

He said the opposition alliance is giving new deadlines after expiry of previous deadlines but they are not willing to tender resignations. He said they even would not hold a sit-it in February.

However, PTI leader Bilal Ghaffar said that his party is trying to highlight the issues of Sindh in a better way. He said Model Ayan Ali and Omni Group cases show that the looted money went to the bank accounts of Zardari corruption system.

He said officers of grade 19 and 20 are involved in this corruption. He said Hassan Naqvi has already applied for plea bargain. He said Rs2500billion were tagged for development but no one knows where these funds have gone.

However, Haleem Adil said we will expose their corruption before the masses. He said Bilawal is not also innocent. He said we will initiate a Go Murad Go protest drive. =DNA

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ISLAMABAD, JAN 20 (DNA) – Measures to protect animals and to end cruelty against animals are the need of the hour to make our planet a peaceful and inclusive habitat for all. The animals’ rights activists said this while sharing their views with the participants of webinar ‘Plight of street animals in Pakistan; state of animal rights and a need for legislation’, organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), here on Wednesday.

Representing Rabies Free Pakistan (RFP), Dr Wajiha Javed, emphasized on a multisectoral approach to sensitize the society about the animals’ rights. Instead of condoning dogs, she explained, we need to vaccinate the dogs for the rabies. Besides, dogs’ population could be controlled in a more humane way, instead killing them, or poisoning them.

“The provincial and district governments need to work with the animal protection organizations to treat the rabies infected dogs and scientifically control their population,” Dr Javed said.  She also highlighted the need to create awareness among people through textbooks by including lessons which shows compassion towards animals.

Ms Zeba Masood, Founder Lucky Animal Protection Shelter (LAPS), Peshawar, our young generation should be sensitized about the cruelty against the animals. She lamented that the absence of any act in the province is an unfortunate apathy towards the animal rights.

Animal Rights Activist, Ms Faryal Haq Nawaz, was of view that the lack of support from our legal, political, and social system has been the main hurdle in treating animal with kindness. She added further that ‘We need to take smart leverage on all the existing law and rules regarding animals and put personal effort to create a better planet for the animals.”

Founder ACF Animal Rescue, Ms Ayesha Chundrigar, was of the view that we need to work on the broader picture by changing overall behavior towards animals, along with legislations.

“we need to humanize the animals and make an inclusive planet for all creatures,” Ms Chundrigar said and added that inculcating a right sense towards animals in the young generation is the need of the hour today.

Ms Rabia Umaima Ahmed, Freelance Journalist, advocate of animal and digital rights, said that the journalists are not equipped enough to do in-depth research on animal rights.  Mr Owais Awan, Advocate Islamabad High Court on the occasion opined that we need to make Public private bodies to act as watchdog to prevent cruelty against animals. Pakistan being a signatory to OIE, which make it abide to protect animals from all types of harm and violence, he added.

Ms Ayesha Ilyas, Research fellow at SDPI earlier opined that compassion and kindness towards animals in our behavior is the key to bring a change in the society and create a better environment for all the coinheritors of the planet.=DNA

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ISLAMABAD, JAN 20 (DNA) -The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has on 7th January 2021 commenced hearings in the proceedings against Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) and 84 member mills for prima facie cartelization, in violation of section 4 of the Competition Act 2010.

Hearings were held on 7th, 8th, 11th, 15th and 20th January 2021 respectively and the CCP has so far heard PSMA and 40 sugar mills through their respective counsels.

The matter was initially fixed for hearing on 20th, 24th and 25th November 2020, however, owing to respondents’ requests adjournments were granted on various grounds.

Finally first round of hearings are underway with counsels raising their preliminary objections before the bench of CCP. Owing to importance of the matter, a full bench of CCP comprising Chairperson Ms. Rahat Kaunain Hassan and Members Ms. Shaista Bano, Ms. Bushra Naz Malik and Mr. Mujtaba Lodhi is hearing the matter.

PSMA and its members are being provided with an opportunity of hearing to plead their cases with reference to the prima facie violations indicated in their respective Show Cause Notices (SCN) issued in November 2020.

As per enquiry report of the CCP, PSMA and 84 sugar mills have been found to be in prima facie violation of the Act of 2010 by controlling domestic stocks/supplies through the determination of export quantities, creating zonal divisions in Punjab to coordinate on sales, stock positions and production quota to monitor and control quantity to be sold.

It was also found that PSMA’s platform in Punjab Zone was used to share sensitive commercial stock information having a direct bearing on current and future prices of white refined sugar. Furthermore, certain mills are alleged to have used PSMA’s platform to take a collective decision to divide amongst themselves the quantity of sugar to be supplied for 02 USC tenders.

Another allegation is that 15 mills in Punjab Zone collectively decided to cease crushing activity from 30th December 2019 to 11th January 2020.

Further hearings in the matter are scheduled in the following weeks. The bench of CCP will pass an order after hearing the respondents’ pleadings in the matter.=DNA

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ISLAMABAD, JAN 20 (DNA) – President Arif Alvi has said that Pakistan highly values its close and fraternal ties with Libya and wants to further promote bilateral relations in all areas of mutual interest. He gave these remarks while talking to the Ambassador-designate of Pakistan to Libya, Major General (R) Rashad Javeed, who called on him, Aiwan-e-Sadr, today.

While congratulating the Ambassador-designate on his appointment, the President urged him to take steps for improving commercial relations with Libya and work for the welfare of Pakistani diaspora. He welcomed the cessation of hostilities in Libya and said that Pakistan stood by Libyan people in their quest for peace and prosperity.

He asked the Ambassador to work for improving the image of the country as well as expose India’s real face which had unleashed a reign of terror against the Muslim population of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Later, the High Commissioner-designate of Pakistan to Rwanda, Mr Amir Muhammad Khan, also called on the President. Talking to the High Commissioner-designate, the President said that Pakistan and Rwanda enjoyed cordial relations which needed to be further enhanced. He stated that both countries had great potential for enhanced trade and economic relations.

He stressed the need for initiating bilateral political consultations with Rwanda and exchange of visits at the Ministerial level that would help in further strengthening bilateral relations.

Appreciating the Government’s decision to open five new Missions in Africa after a long time, he expressed the hope that the opening of new missions would further solidify relations with African countries under the “Engage Africa” policy of the present government.=DNA

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ISLAMABAD, JAN 20 (DNA) – Pakistan today conducted successful flight test of Shaheen-III surface to surface ballistic missile, having a range of 2750 kilometers. The test flight was aimed at re-validating various design and technical parameters of the weapon system.

The successful flight test, with its impact point in the Arabian Sea, was witnessed by General Nadeem Raza, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), Director General Strategic Plans Division, Commander Army Strategic Forces Command, Chairman NESCOM and the scientists and engineers.

President, Prime Minister of Pakistan, CJCSC and the Service Chiefs have congratulated the scientists and engineers on successful conduct of today’s missile test.=DNA

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ISLAMABAD, JAN 20 (DNA) – The new Undergraduate Education Policy 2020 and the PhD Policy are aimed to protect students’ right to acquire quality education and to increase the value of higher education degrees nationally and internationally.

This was stated by Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Mr. Tariq Banuri while addressing a news conference here on Wednesday.

The Chairman said that there was a mismatch between the education system and the industry needs, which rightly raised concerns pertaining to a lack of marketable skills in the graduates produced by Pakistani universities.

He said that the Undergraduate Education Policy 2020 has been formulated to address these concerns, adding that the policy will promote practical competence and general education skills in addition to the tradition focus on discipline-based curriculum”. “To promote practical competency of students, the universities will ensure that their graduates acquire a nine-week internship in addition to going through an extracurricular training before obtaining degrees.”

Mr. Banuri said that the universities must be committed to produce qualified graduates, whose overall level of knowledge and competence is up to the mark. He informed the media persons that the professional accreditation councils are being strengthened to improve the quality of disciplinary education. “Our intention is to improve the quality of our graduates and the confidence of employers in the worth of our degrees.”

Regarding the structure of undergraduate education, he said that the two-year BA/BSc and MA/MSc programmes have been phased out to shift towards four-year BS programmes, and the Associate Degree programme, a credit-based system, has replaced the two-year BA/BSc degree, however the students who want to continue their studies can have a bridge to the four-year BS programme.

Elaborating the new PhD Policy, Mr. Banuri said that it has been upgraded in line with the international best practices and is applicable from 1st January, 2021. He said that the BS graduates can now directly take admission in PhD programmes and in a different discipline if universities find them ‘prepared’ and ‘committed’.

The Chairman explained that preparedness means that the students have enough knowledge, competence, and previous academic training enabling them to succeed in a PhD programme. “The universities will also assess the applicants’ commitment to the discipline,” he added.

Apart from the admission criteria, the PhD students will have to go through a thorough evaluation before they complete their studies. Likewise, the teaching and mentoring system has also been reorganised on the pattern of ancient Sufi episteme, so that students may better benefit from their teachers and mentors.

He said that the universities may choose to have BS or MS/MPhil as the minimum criteria for admissions, however, the minimum requirement for admission in PhD programmes is a BS degree. If the PhD students come directly from BS programmes, they may be required to complete a larger number of credit hours compared to those who have previously completed MS/MPhil degrees.

The policy requires the scholars to study 50 per cent of courses in the university that covers two years in residence, so that the students can closely interact with their supervisors. The Chairman informed the media that the two policies were formulated after thorough deliberations and consultations with the relevant stakeholders including Vice Chancellors, professors, and educationists.=DNA

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