KPK Updates

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

Protecting future generations: Special force to guard schools

PESHAWAR: A special force will be formed to guard educational institutes in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and the rest of the country, a senior official of the home department toldThe Express Tribune.

In the wake of the Army Public School (APS) massacre on December 16, 2014, the provincial and federal governments sat down to chalk out a comprehensive security plan for schools and colleges. Many decisions emerged as a result: building taller walls, deploying security guards, procuring walkthrough gates and even arming teachers. Now the federal government has decided to form an additional force.

The home department received recommendations to form a force made up of recently retired army personnel.
The mechanism
The official told The Express Tribune the force will be managed on a federal level by a retired major general. The country head will form teams for all the four provinces and a retired brigadier will lead each of them. Meanwhile, district-level teams are to be led by retired colonels, said the official, requesting anonymity.
“Recently retired army officers, particularly those from the Special Services Group (SSG), will be recruited for the force at the district level,” he said. The official added each colonel would assess the situation in his respective district and recruit personnel according to security needs, size of area and population.
The men who will take charge as the chief of the provincial and federal forces are yet to be decided as the plan is still under discussion, said the official. He expressed his satisfaction over the formation of the additional force, saying the K-P police lacked the strength to guard each and every school of the province.
“We have 64,000 educational institutions and the total number of policemen is just 75,000,” he said. “If we deploy a single member of the force at every institution, police stations will be empty,” he added, stressing on the need for an additional force to guard schools.
Speaking about the effectiveness of the proposed force, the official said retired army officers are security experts and know how to guard sensitive installations. The official added the federal government’s recommended plan may take another 15 days to take practical shape.
“Meetings are under way and the team heads will be selected after consultation with the Pakistan Army. The resources required for the force are also yet to be specified.”
Complying with orders from the home department, the police will also play its role by patrolling roads around educational institutions at opening and closing times.
“Security threats in the province have reached a maximum level after the APS massacre and regular monitoring of security measures by school administration is absolutely necessary,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/829161/protecting-future-generations-special-force-to-guard-schools/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements


#KPKUpdates: Breaking: Mansehra 4230 MW Dasu dam work restated after CM Pervez Khattak has cleared the major hurdle and assured the landowners whose land is being acquired for the purpose that they will be paid market price.

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

In the works: New traffic management service aims to keep wheels rolling

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) police is planning to revamp the traffic management system in the provincial capital by introducing a new traffic warden service.

According to a handout issued by the Central Police Office on Thursday, a meeting was held to discuss proposals for the new service. IGP Nasir Khan Durrani was briefed about the new scheme by the DIG Traffic and SSP Traffic Peshawar.
The traffic warden service will be launched in phases, the first of which is likely to begin in the first week of March, stated the handout. In the meantime, the provincial police plans to recruit suitable personnel for the new scheme.
The service seeks to facilitate the public and ensure transparency. “It includes a mobile traffic workshop unit, an accident recovery unit and a traffic education and awareness unit,” the handout read.
According to the dispatch, the mobile traffic workshop unit will enforce traffic rules while the accident recovery unit will tow away vehicles which have either broken down or been damaged in accidents.
“Traffic education and awareness unit will visit educational institutions to raise awareness about traffic rules,” stated the handout. “This unit will also include a mobile driving licence issuing unit which will issue learner permits to eligible citizens.”
A helpline and FM radio channel will also be launched to streamline the traffic management system, as per still unconfirmed plans.
“Citizens will be able to call 1915 or tune into FM radio channel for updates on the traffic situation in the city,” the handout said.
Under the new service, the manual system of issuing challans will be shelved in favour of a more transparent method of issuing tickets and fines through an automatic software.
“There will also be an internal vigilance unit to monitor the activities of traffic wardens,” the handout said. Lastly and most importantly, the service will be introducing the modern concept of disciplining drivers through a de-merit point system.
During the meeting, the IGP informed participants that the provincial government will be requested to establish a Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA) and ensure provision of traffic signals in the city.
Traffic congestion is a pressing concern in Peshawar and the absence of a dedicated traffic engineering body has further aggravated the problem. In order to address these challenges, the provincial government had tasked the provincial police some months ago to streamline the existing traffic management system.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 30[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/829835/...nagement-service-aims-to-keep-wheels-rolling/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

JAN 30 2015

 

[Day Dreamer]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

 

[Sniper]

Keep it up PTI KPK Government.

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

jan 31 2015

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

FEB 01, 2015

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

FEB 02, 2015

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

No doctors for children with gastro issues in K-P

PESHAWAR: As many commercials on national television today depict, children complaining about stomach aches, digestion issues or anorexia are commonplace. Unfortunately, there is not a single paediatric gastroenterologist in the entire province who can help cure a child’s stomach woes.

In the absence of a physician who deals with intestinal and stomach disorders of children, parents are compelled to take their offspring to hospitals in other provinces. Lahore, Punjab is the usual destination. Parents are forced to bear travelling and accommodation expenditures. Despite receiving free medical assistance at public health facilities there
Shahbaz Khan, a resident of K-P who was attending to his nephew at Children’s Hospital, Lahore, lauded the Punjab government for saving his nephew’s life. The child complained of pain in his liver and was admitted to Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) where after 24 hours the paediatrics department staff informed Khan the required treatment facility was not available.
“I had to rush him to Lahore before his condition deteriorated further. Had I been in Peshawar, accommodation would not have been an issue. Here I have to stay in a hotel as long as the treatment lasts,” Khan said.
Gastroenterological assistance is a ‘luxury’ only adults can enjoy at LRH and Hayatabad Medical Complex amongst all the hospitals of K-P. “Hospitals are already overburdened with the influx of patients. They do not even have posts for paediatric gastroenterologists,” said a health department official while talking to The Express Tribune. The official said 30 gastroenterologists are present in the province, but owing to a dearth of staff and designated departments at teaching hospitals, these specialists are forced to serve as general physicians and medical officers.
Postgraduate Medical Institute Dean Dr Riaz Anwar told The Express Tribune the introduction of these posts was sanctioned last year and that advertisements will soon be issued.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 30[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/829840/no-doctors-for-children-with-gastro-issues-in-k-p/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

Hot property: 20% of Auqaf dept land encroached

PESHAWAR: Around 20% of the land owned by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Auqaf, Hajj, Religious and Minority Affairs department is occupied illegally across the province.

According to a report submitted with the K-P Assembly standing committee, the department owns around 49,470 kanals of which over 10,000 kanals have been encroached by the land grabbing mafia. Though, other government departments are also involved in the murky business and have occupied approximately 700 kanals and 105 shops illegally.The department is also yet to reclaim an additional 36,000 kanals in light of an order of the Supreme Court in June 2014, given in response to a petition filed 20 years ago.Meanwhile, in the provincial capital, department-owned land is held by the Peshawar cantonment board and the education department.Notices have been issued to all occupants, however, the delay is apparently due to a lack of support from law-enforcement agencies and the civil administration itself.​

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31[SUP]st[/SUP], 2015.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/830328/hot-property-20-of-auqaf-dept-land-encroached/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

[h=1]The tiny heart: K-P without cardiac surgeons for infants

PESHAWAR: If your infant weighs less than 10 kilogrammes and suffers from cardiac issues, there is not a single cardiac surgeon in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) who can perform a heart surgery if need be.

With the absence of paediatric cardiac surgeons at the Paediatric Cardiology Ward of Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), parents or relatives have to travel long distances to find treatment for such children.
Most of these tiny patients are either taken to cities like Lahore or the federal capital for the procedure, which is risky enough without the additional aspect of travelling in a pressurised cabin or a tricky train journey.
Needless to say, it is an expensive and gut-wrenching process.
Understaffed, underequipped
The province’s lone paediatric cardiology ward, able to offer surgeries, was inaugurated about three months ago at LRH. It provides services to not only K-P, but also the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and even takes in cases from neighboring Afghanistan. As a result, the staff finds it difficult to manage as the 15 beds in the ward prove to be insufficient. One LRH employee said Hayatabad Medical Complex is also not equipped to conduct cardiac surgeries on infants—or even on adults—and all procedures are performed at Lady Reading.
According to a staff member requesting anonymity, there is not a single cardiac coronary care unit (CCU) at the paediatric cardiology ward at LRH.
The ward also faces an acute shortage of staff despite the fact that it has been established at the province’s most well-equipped hospital. Seven to eight surgeries are performed there in a week and all of this is being managed by a single specialised surgeon.
One of the staff members says positions for three medical officers have been approved, but have not been appointed yet.
Home is where the heart is
Children with heart diseases like Ventricular Septal Defects (VSD), Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) and Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) are mostly admitted to LRH where most of them are treated without surgery. However, when it comes to performing surgery on a child weighing less than 10 kilogrammes, parents are advised to shift the patients outside their home province of K-P to Lahore or the federal capital.
The staff members say the government’s claims of providing free medicines are baseless as even vials for collecting blood are purchased by parents from outside the hospital. They say the only medicines available at the ward are antibiotics.
“We are overburdened, and feel sorry for parents who are advised to take their kids elsewhere for surgery,” says Assistant Professor and LRH Paediatric Cardiac Ward In Charge Dr Ijaz Hussain. However, he adds the best cardiac surgeons for adults are at this medical facility.
He says the LRH administration extends its complete support by providing the ward with space for paediatric cardiology. Minister for Health Shahram Tarakai and Secretary Health Mushtaq Jadoon could not be contacted despite several attempts.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2rd, 2015.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/831322/the-tiny-heart-k-p-without-cardiac-surgeons-for-infants/
[/h]

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

[h=1]Of a feather: Wildlife dept cracks down against illegal sale of birds

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Wildlife department carried out an operation against the illegal sale of birds on Sunday.
The department stated birds cannot be captured and sold in the markets unless the shops are licenced by the authorities.
Sub-divisional Forest Officer Sardar Ali said the operation was conducted at Bacha Khan Chowk, Board Bazar, Karkhano Market and Kohati Bazaar. These, he said, are the main centres of the illegal sale and purchase of birds. “We will register cases against the culprits to prevent them from capturing these animals in the first place,” said Ali.
Such shops are not new and have been operating without licences for decades, while authorities have been mostly ineffective in stopping the trade despite tall claims and regular raids. Vendors regularly buy myna birds to sell in small cages on the streets.
Although there is an official ban, different types of birds are available for sale due to which a number of them are becoming endangered. Under the law, only people with licences from the department can adopt this trade.
Under the newly-constructed flyover in Gulbahar, a new centre has opened where birds have been caged and are available for sale. “We will conduct raids in every part of the province,” claimed the officer.
Ali added steps have been taken to stop this trade for the sake of the environment.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2rd, 2015.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/831313/...pt-cracks-down-against-illegal-sale-of-birds/
[/h]

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

Soft targets: School vans, buses remain vulnerable to terror attacks

PESHAWAR: Security may be heightened at campuses in the city after the Army Public School massacre, but one of the reactionary measures ordered is still a matter of contention—security guards on school transportation.

Outside one of the bigger schools on Warsak Road, the sound of the bell is followed by the rush of students who had been restlessly waiting for ‘home-time’. Although it is not practical to secure every nook and corner using manpower, the congregation of students outside can prove to be another soft target as can the vehicles transporting them.
On January 8, the provincial government issued security guidelines to protect educational institutions, including the hiring of guards for vans and buses by school administrations. However, the guideline is yet to be implemented as majority of the institutes are unable to hire security guards.
According to the rules, it is mandatory for schools to deploy two security guards on each bus and at least one in each contracted Suzuki van. Van drivers and owners say they cannot afford to hire a security guard for themselves.
“We have no contracts with the schools,” claims Gul Khan, a school van owner. “We are directly responsible to the parents who pay us.” He drops children to Tehkal Payan from a school on Warsak Road. Khan laughed at the thought of hiring a security guard for his Suzuki van which carries 33 children to their schools and homes in two shifts.
“The bus owners can afford security guards and should have them. Our monthly income is less than a security guard’s salary,” he added.
“Why would I drive a school van if I have to pay the guard from my own pocket,” asked Mohammad Aslam, another van driver. The school owners say it is impossible to guard all the vehicles transporting students due to financial constraints.
“Each security guard will cost Rs15,000 a month and a school with 15 buses will have to hire 30 of them which amounts to Rs450,000,” says Private Educational Institution Management Association (PEIMA) President Yawar Naseer. “Either the parents have to pay the cost or the security suggestion has to be reconsidered.” Naseer adds the Peshawar chairman of the Board of Secondary Education has been asked to take up the subject with the provincial government.
Nearly all private schools charge less than Rs2,000 as monthly fee from each student and it is impossible for them to meet such a requirement. “We are ready to arm our school bus conductors with a pistol, but not a larger firearm as the conductor will be forced to either take care of the weapon or the children. The same applies to vans.”
According to Naseer, PEIMA represents around 7,000 private schools in 22 districts of the province and all of them are following the security measures prescribed by the government.
When contacted, Home and Tribal Affairs department Special Secretary Siraj Khan refused to comment on the matter, saying the DC and his teams visit schools to inspect security measures. However, he did say school vans were relatively soft targets compared to the schools themselves.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 3[SUP]rd[/SUP], 2015.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/831739/...ns-buses-remain-vulnerable-to-terror-attacks/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

3 FEB 2015

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

4 FEB 2015

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

FEB 05 2015

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

State-of the-art: New general bus stand in the works

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has planned to construct a new state-of-the-art general bus stand in the heart of the provincial capital.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Municipal Corporation Peshawar Administrator Syed Zafar Ali Shah said the two-storey building will be constructed adjacent to the present general bus stand and will be equipped with facilities at par with Bacha Khan International Airport.
“Rs2 billion is the cost of the project and will be completed over a period of 18 months,” he said, adding the 155-kanal site map is already being prepared. Shah said a Lahore-based private firm will construct the stand in coordination with the MCP, adding Chowk Yaadgar, Namak Mandi and Ghanta Ghar will also be refurbished.
“A sufficient amount has been allocated in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the beautification of the city,” he said. Shah said the administration is aware of the problems commuters face, claiming the new bus stand will improve the transport infrastructure of Peshawar.
Another municipal officer said the vehicles arriving will be parked on the first floor while those departing will be parked on the ground floor. He said a passenger lounge will be constructed while ticket booths will also be set up. “The municipal corporation will generate Rs500 million annually through fares,” he added.
Transporters have welcomed the initiative. Public Transport Owners Association (PTOA) Peshawar President Khan Zaman told The Express Tribune the announcement sounds promising as the existing bus stand is in a dilapidated condition.
Zaman said the government will formulate a cargo policy and fix luggage limits per passenger. Other association members Noor Muhammad, Yar Muhammad Afridi and Zahir Shah also welcomed the move.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015

http://tribune.com.pk/story/832965/state-of-the-art-new-general-bus-stand-in-the-works/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

Unfulfilled promises: Ghost school continues to haunt Dherai residents

MINGORA: Government Girls Primary School (GGPS) in Dherai has been dysfunctional since 2009, residents told The Express Tribune.

Situated in Mankyal union council of Bahrain tehsil, the red-brick building which once taught over 200 children how to read and write, has now become a ghost school.

The red-brick school building has become a ghost school. PHOTO: MUJAHID TORWALI​

​

“There are no teachers at the school,” said Fahim, a young boy who lives in the area. “The watchman uses the premises as a warehouse.”
According to Fahim, there are many children in the area who are keen to get an education. However, the absence of a functioning school has stunted opportunities to learn.
“Some children who can afford to study end up going to school in a nearby village,” Fahim said. “However, only a few children enjoy this privilege.”
Residents have repeatedly complained of the lack of development work in their area. Some have even gone to the extent of accusing the government of deliberately neglecting the region. Amid these concerns and volleying accusations, social activists in Dherai have consistently struggled to improve the quality of education in the locale.

The red-brick school building has become a ghost school. PHOTO: MUJAHID TORWALI​

​

“The government has repeatedly promised to put an end to illiteracy in the region,” said Mujahid Torwali, a local social activist. “But nothing has been done yet. In fact, the education department doesn’t even know about the problems faced by the GGPS.”
According to him, the absence of teachers at GGPS has been overlooked even though several teaching positions were recently announced in the province.
Residents have urged the provincial government to take immediate steps to make the school functional so their children can continue to get an education.
Planning ahead
When contacted, Parveen Akhtar, a senior district officer in the education office, told The Express Tribune the school’s building was damaged in the 2010 floods.
“Students had been shifted to GGPS, Gornai where they are currently getting an education,” she said. “An NGO is collaborating with the education department to construct another building for the school. Once it is completed, students will be shifted to the new building.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/832978/...t-school-continues-to-haunt-dherai-residents/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: PTI's KPK Government Achievements

[h=1]Nature lovers: Where the foresters come from

PESHAWAR: Hundreds of forest officers and conservationists have passed through the halls of Pakistan Forest Institute (PFI) since its inception in 1947. It remains the oldest and most sought-after research institute in the country offering training in scientific management of forests and rangelands, environment protection and wildlife conservation.

Located within the sprawling premises of the University of Peshawar, PFI occupies 240 acres of land comprising lecture halls, offices, residential and non-residential buildings, including forest plants research nurseries, rangeland, a rose garden and medicinal plants research nurseries.
According to the PFI website, the institute was established in Faisalabad immediately after Independence in 1947. The next year, it was shifted to Upper Topa in Murree and then to Abbottabad in 1951 before it permanently settled in Peshawar in 1966.

A long history
Forest education was introduced in the Subcontinent by the British with the establishment of British Imperial Forest College in 1878. Subsequently, Indian Forest College (later renamed Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy) was established in 1938 in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
According to PFI Forest Education Division Director Asif Jah, since Indian Forest College was situated near an army academy, its students were also given physical training along with academic training. The practice continues to this day.
Jah said PFI students wake up early and undergo rigorous physical training exercises under the supervision of an instructor. It is also mandatory for them to play sports and exercise in the evening.
“Physical fitness is necessary for everyone, but forestry graduates need it the most because they traverse difficult forested and mountainous terrains. They are the soldiers of forests,” said Jah.
The director further said PFI’s uniform is very similar to the one worn by the army and many people who cannot get into the army join the forest institute to be able to wear the uniform.
The academics
PFI awards bachelors’ and master’s degrees in forestry to candidates who are recruited through all four provincial public service commissions as well as from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, and sent to the institute for training. Divisional forest officers (DFO) are recruited in grade 17 and sent to pursue an MSc while rangers are recruited in grade 16 and sent to pursue a BSc degree.

Both programmes are completed in five semesters spanning two years. “BSc students study 40 courses while MSc students study 42. There are no holidays for forestry students as there are in other institutes; they stay in the hostel and only go home on Eid,” said Jah.
For the completion of their degree, a BSc student has to submit a mandatory term paper, while an MSc student has to submit a thesis in the last semester.
According to Jah, in 1993, the institute began offering admissions on a self-finance basis for general students but discontinued it after 10 years. “The major reason for ending the scheme was disciplinary problems. Discipline is PFI’s salient feature but self-finance students could not maintain it like the students recruited through provincial commissions,” said Jah.
Students from Nepal, African countries, Middle East, Bangladesh and several others countries come to PFI on scholarships from UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, USAID and other agencies.
“PFI attempts to provide comprehensive forest education to its trainees and is divided into five major divisions, Forest Research, Forest Products Research, Biological Science Research, Sericulture Research and Forest Education that all students go through,” said Jah.
He added around eight universities across the country have opened forestry departments but were focusing solely on theory and books rather than on-the-field training which is PFI’s main feature.
In the field
Halima Saeed, an MSc student from Charsadda, told The Express Tribune she wanted to join the army but her family didn’t allow it. “So I joined PFI instead where I get to wear the army-like uniform and have adventures in the wild forests.”
Ayesha Nawaz, another trainee who belongs to Lakki Marwat, said she was recruited as DFO from Balochistan Public Service Commission. According to Nawaz, she has an MSc in chemistry from Qauid-e-Azam University Islamabad and is doing a second MSc in forestry from PFI. She said she hoped to utilise her knowledge of chemistry in future in the field.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 6[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/833582/nature-lovers-where-the-foresters-come-from/
[/h]