Bajaur, Charsadda: Protests against lack of teachers

KHAR: Students of Government Postgraduate College, Khar protested against the lack of teaching staff and hostel accommodation on Wednesday. They gathered in the college grounds and marched towards Khar Bazaar, shouting slogans against Governor Shaukatullah Khan. The college has been understaffed since some time and was now unable to admit new students, claimed student leaders. Such conditions negatively affect our education, said one of the leaders. "Protests will continue if our demands are not met." Political Administration official Khalid Khan arrived on the site to negotiate with the students and assured them steps would be taken to alleviate their problems. Meanwhile people from Harichand, Charsadda demanded the K-P chief minister and education minister take note of the lack of teachers at the local primary school. According to locals, there is only one woman teacher for 200 students at the moment.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2013.

Road accidents: 31 injured in separate mishaps

CHARSADDA / NOWSHERA: At least 31 people were injured in two separate road accidents in Charsadda and Nowshera districts on Thursday.

In the first accident, a vehicle fell on its side near Sardaryab bridge in which 24 people, including seven women and three children, were injured. An official of Prang police said the pick-up was en route Mohmand Agency for a wedding when it fell near the bridge. The injured victims were taken to DHQ Charsadda while five critically injured were taken to Lady Reading Hospital. Meanwhile, three vehicles on GT Road, near Azakhel Nowshera, collided, injuring seven passengers.

Azakhel police official Naseem Khan said the incident occurred around 1pm when a tractor, driven by Fazal Maula, took a U-turn after giving an indicator. A Suzuki, driving behind, collided with the tractor followed by a passenger bus. Seven people were injured and taken to Rashid Shaheed Memorial Hospital in Pabbi while the driver of the truck escaped. A case was filed against the truck driver for negligence.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2013.

Da Israr Atal Khkule shairi

Da Angoor botay pa chopaal ba che rakhoor wo dalta..
yawa koota me wa da khato daa me koor wo dalta..

da kali myanz ke yaw jumat wo pa shareeka zamung..
na jang jagara..na geela na ba peghor wo dalta..

dagha da toot wona che khkari da khandaro myanz ke..
da mu hujra wa hara shpa ba tang takoor wo dalta.

saada jwandun wo da dunya lalach ba na wo pake.
da zroono mena wa har kas da bal kas roor wo dalta..

tanoor ba yaw lamba kedo dalta pa tool kali ke.
peghle ba toole te rataw we jor ba shor wo dalta..

da wran godar ba tal abad wo pa mastai da juno.
mung ba pa kor ke awredo da bangro shor wo dalta..

hagha speengeere masharan ba pa jergo kenastal.
drane khabare da pukhto somra zor wo dalta

"ATALA" somra ba khwage we da mangi uba me..
garwanj ba dak wo pa mango jaam ba naskoor wo dalta.

Courtesy

The way forward: Alumni encouraged to reach for their dreams

ISLAMABAD: 

I am a proud daughter, a committed officer and a grateful human being.

This was stated by a native of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda district, Tajalla Mahmood. She completed her Master's in Business Administration from the Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar, through financial assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Merit and Need-based Scholarship Programme four years back.

"Today I'm the sole breadwinner of my family and it was made possible by the scholarship that helped me complete my education," said Mahmood, an assistant director at the National Database and Registration Authority and one of 1,807 students benefitting from the programme launched in 2004.

On Thursday, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and USAID invited alumni to attend a "Career Orientation Workshop" at the HEC. The workshop was held for underprivileged students studying business administration or agriculture at one of 11 Pakistani universities.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, chief guest, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said, "It's your responsibility to pay back by working towards the development of your country."

According to Iqbal, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government was focused on education as envisaged in Pakistan Vision 2025 and a five-year plan, which are to be finalised by December 31.

The minister said there were positive signs like an active judiciary, democratic transition, freedom of expression and an emerging civil society. "All these indicate that Pakistan is maturing as a successful democracy."

To graduates, he said, "Don't play like Shahid Afridi who either hits a six or loses the wicket," Iqbal said. "Life is not a T-20 match. It's a test match and you have to have the patience and stamina for the whole game."

During the ceremony, HEC Executive Director Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said, "Only around eight per cent of Pakistanis in the 17 to 23 age bracket have access to higher education which is less than or equal to that of Sub-Saharan Africa." India has a higher access rate of around 14 per cent for higher education he added.

USAID Education Director Thomas LeBlanc said the scholars' collective hard work and commitment was commendable. LeBlanc told participants they should be confident and seize opportunities that come their way.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2013.

Rs500m for flood relief in Charsadda

CHARSADDA, Sept 26: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao said that Rs150 million would be spent on construction of schools and Rs500 million on flood relief activities in the district.

Addressing a kuli kutcheri here on Thursday, he directed government officials to make public service their duty and resolve problems of people on priority basis. He said that time had passed when decisions would be taken on the basis of nepotism. The government would not allow anyone to mint money in the name of resolving issues of people, he added.

The minister, who is also provincial chief of Qaumi Watan Party, listened to the problems of residents of PK-17 and PK-18 constituencies and assured them of resolution of the issues.

MPAs Khalid Khan, Sultan Mohammad and Arshad Khan, Deputy Commissioner Tahir Zafar Abbasi, DPO Shafiullah Khan and officials of irrigation, health and Wapda were also present on the occasion.

The people complained to him about shortage of schools and doctors in the area, inappropriate behaviour of police and district administration, power loadshedding and over-billing by Pesco.

The minister said that gas would be supplied to Nastha, Dosehra and adjacent areas soon. QWP chairman Aftab Sherpao would soon inaugurate the project, he added.

The minister asked Pesco authorities to resolve the issues of low power voltage and unscheduled loadshedding and ensure installation of power transformers and panel rooms within 30 days.

ACCIDENT: About 24 passengers wounded as a vehicle carrying wedding guests turned turtle near Sardaryab area on Thursday.

The vehicle was going from Mardan district to Ambar area of Mohmand Agency. It turned turtle near Sardarayab owing to over- speeding.

Some of the injured were identified as Aurangzeb, Shahista, Kainat, Hamza, Lal Bibi, Nazia, Zubiada, Shehla, Shahida, Muslim Khan, Imran Khan, Zahidullah and Nasir Khan. Four of them were referred from the district headquarters hospital to Peshawar in critical condition.

 

Dawn