LAHORE: Punjab government has decided to give awards and cash prizes to schoolteachers and officials of the School Education Department (SED) based on their performance. For the purpose, Punjab SED released lists of 500 teachers and officials who have been nominated for the awards.

According to the eligibility criteria, the prizes would be given on the basis of CM’s Roadmap Ranking compiled by the Programme Monitoring & Implementation Unit (PMIU), Punjab Examination Commission (PEC) grade 5 and 8 exams, matriculation and intermediate examinations.

The awards will be distributed in a ceremony being held on October 5, 2017 on World Teachers’ Day and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is expected to distribute the awards among the selected individuals.

The notifications are sent separately to all 36 districts for each of the categories. The notifications said that the awards are based on the performance for the academic year 2016-17 and the list is compiled after the approval of the selection committee.

According to the Star Officers awards, which are based on the overall performance of the district, Okara has been ranked first by getting the top position in the CM’s Roadmap Ranking. This award will be given to the District Education Authority (DEA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Second position was awarded to Jang, third to  Pakpattan, fourth Muzaffargarh, fifth Chiniot, sixth Kasur, seventh Vehari, eighth Hafizabad and Rajanpur got tenth position.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Punjab SED Secretary Dr Allah Baksh Malik said, “The CM decided that people who are performing extraordinarily in the field of education, especially teachers, will be recognised for their services and for this, awards are being given to the selected teachers and officials.”

He said that a total of 500 selected teachers and officials were being awarded based on set criteria and 95% of the awardees are teachers and the rest are managers and administrators.

He said, “250 recipients of the awards are female and 250 are male, whereas these awards are based on the performances of our officials in the PEC and Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) examinations as well as the CM’s Roadmap Rankings.”

He said that the awards would be conferred on the World Teachers’ Day and the department had star-shaped badges manufactured for the performers.

He said that all the selected teachers and officials would receive a certificate attesting to their performance, a star and a cash prize. He said that the cash award has been set at Rs10,000 but it could be increased. “We plan on increasing the award next and the CM might also announce some increment for the award winners,” he added.

Punjab Teachers’ Union (PTU) lauded the initiative. PTU Secretary Rana Liaquat Ali said that it was a good initiative that appreciated the performance of teachers.

It was also a demand of the union that the government should recognise their performance the same way it punishes teachers, he added. “We thank SED Secretary, School Education Minister and Chief Minister for the initiative.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2017.

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LAHORE: The enemy wants to create unrest in the country, but people should unite to foil such efforts by promoting tolerance and religious harmony, stated Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

He presided over a meeting of the Provincial Cabinet Committee on Law and Order and reviewed security arrangements made in Lahore and other parts of the province for Ashura. Addressing the meeting, Shehbaz said all-out measures have been taken to ensure peace during Muharram and a four-layer security plan has been made for all majalis and mourning processions.

He said the security plan for Muharram should be implemented at any cost. He added police and officials of security agencies should perform their duties till the conclusion of majalis and mourning processions.

The CM continued that the code of conduct for Muharram should also be implemented and there would be no room for negligence. He said food should be provided to police officials performing security duty. Shehbaz stressed that religious harmony, brotherhood and unity needed to be promoted to make Pakistan a true welfare state.

Provincial ministers Rana Sanaullah Khan and Ayub Ghadi were present on the occasion as were the, chief secretary, additional chief secretary for home, the IGP and senior officials of law enforcing agencies. Administrative Officers, officials concerned and provincial minister Jehangir Khanzada attended the meeting via video link.

In his message for Ashura, Shehbaz said that the incident of Karbala teaches patience, tolerance and reminds people of the great sacrifice of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He said the martyrs of the Karbala raised the flag of justice and truth by rendering a sacrifice that remembered till the day of judgment.

The chief minister said the great sacrifice of Imam Hussain (R.A) teaches people not to surrender to falsehood. He said the whole nation should unite on one platform against terrorism and eliminate it.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2017.

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LAHORE: The ritual washing (ghusal) of the shrine of Hazrat Ali Bin Usman Al-Jajveri, popularly known as Hazrat Data Gunj Bukhsh, was held on Saturday ahead of his 974th annual urs.

Data Darbar Religious Affairs Committee Chairman and Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, provincial ministers Bilal Yasin, Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Religious Affairs Director General Dr Tahir Raza Bukhari and several devotees jointly performed the ritual washing of the shrine.

The shrine washing ceremony got underway with a recitation from the Holy Quran. Data Darbar Khateeb Ramzan Sialvi led special prayers for peace and prosperity of the country. Later, the shrine was washed with over five mounds of rosewater.

Special pakwans and sabeels were distributed among devotees in and around Data’s shrine. Mehfal sana and naat khawani was also organised in which renowned naat khawans from all across the country participated.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Aslam Gujjar, a devotee, said he came from Kasur to attend the ceremony because he has strong faith in Data Sahib. “Despite all internal and external threats and challenges, Pakistan is becoming stronger and growing only because of the miracles of these Sufi saints. Otherwise, politicians, media and globalisation have shattered the entire social fabric of the country,” he underlined.

District administration and city police had made tight security arrangements in and around Data’s shrine, which is held on the ninth of Muharam-ul-Haram every year ahead of the three-day annual urs celebrations from Safar 18 to 20.

Police closed roads leading to the shrine for all kinds of traffic as Data Darbar is located very close the main Imambargah of the provincial capital, Karbala Gamay Shah. Walkthrough gates and metal detectors were used to screen devotees before allowing them to enter the shrine premises.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2017.

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LAHORE: The main procession of 9th Muharram started from Pando Street Imambargah after Fajr Prayers. After passing through Alamgir Road, Main Bazaar Islampura, Civil Secretariat Old Anarkali, Jain Mandar, IG Office, Civil Secretariat, Dayanat Road and Alamgir Road, it concluded peacefully at Imambargah Pando Street.

The procession started after religious scholars of the Shia community talked of the sacrifices and mission of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA). When the procession reached Alamgir Road, Ziyarat of ZulJinnah was brought forth.

The mourners performed Zanjeerzani at the spot and Zuhrain near Noori Building. Afterwards, the procession again started moving forward and it reached main bazaar Islampura, passing through Civil Secrtetrait, Old Anarkali and Jain Mandar before reaching the IG Office.

At the IG office, they offered Maghreebain. The procession got under way again and stated the journey of passing through Civil Sectariat, Dayanat Road, Alamgir Road and reached Imambargah Pando Street.  Various smaller processions joined the main one.

Throughout the route, stalls for cold water and milk were set up, while food was distributed. Medical camps were also set up by Hussainian Scout, Rescue 1122 and Edhi Foundation. They provided first aid treatment to those mourners who were injured.

Strict security measures were made on the occasion. The route of the procession was sealed with barbed wires, containers and barricades. Participants were allowed entry after checking at four points; physical frisking, going through metal detectors and walkthrough gates.

These were also monitored through 360 CCTV cameras. Drone cameras were also used to look for any suspicious person of activity. There was a complete ban on pillion-riding throughout Punjab and mobile services were suspended in areas near the routes. Blockade of roads and suspension of mobile services caused a nuisance for many people.

All the shops and markets on the route were shut, while police and other law enforcement agencies had also closed down the windows of surrounding houses.

No one was allowed to stand on the rooftops of these houses. Snipers were deployed on nearby buildings to keep an eye on any suspicious person or activity.

The route was cleared by the Bomb Disposal Squad, sniffer dogs and Special Branch before the beginning of the procession. Teams of Dolphin Squad, Police Response Unit and Elite Force kept patrolling the routes nearby the procession.

Senior police officers remained on patrol to review security arrangements.

The processions had been geo-tagged and monitored through control rooms set up at DIG Operations Office, CCPO Office, City District Government Office and Safe City Authority.

As far traffic arrangements were concerned, 1,260 wardens, 56 patrolling officers, 69 inspectors, 6 DSPs and two SPs, under the supervision of the CTO, performed duty on the 9th and 10th of Muharram.

They set diversions on the route sites and traffic entering in Lahore from Shahdara was diverted to Railway Station from Azadi Flyover. Meanwhile, traffic from Multan Road Chuburji was diverted to Commissioner Office, while vehicles coming from Traffic Court Street were sent to Outfall Road and Bund Road. Traffic entering from Kahna Kasur was diverted to Chauburji Mor, Samanabad, Gulshan-e-Ravi and Bund Road. No traffic was allowed entry from Sagginan Bridge to Katchery.

Traffic from Circular Road was diverted to Mori Gate, Urdu Bazar, Timber Chowk and Neela Gumband. Traffic from Masti gate U-turn to Lahore Fort and Texali Chowk was blocked. Similarly, traffic was blocked from Chowk Milad to Andaroon Dehli Gate and Masjid Wazir Khan. It was also blocked from Pani Wala Talab to Rang Mahal.

On Muharram 10, the main procession will begin from Nisar Haveli at midnight and after passing through the walled City, will conclude at Karbala Gamay Shah.

It will pass through Mohalla Chehl Bibian, Imambargah Syed Wajid Ali Shah, Chowk Nawab Sahib, Koocha Qazi Khana, Imambargah Maulvi Feroz Ali, Koocha Miskeenan, Mohalla Peer Gillanian, Imambargah Syed Rajab Ali Shah, Chauhatta Mufti Baqir, Chowk Kotwali, Kashmiri Bazaar, Sonehri Masjid, Dabbi Bazaar, Gumti Bazaar (Rang Mahal Chowk), Said Mittha Bazaar, Tehsil Bazaar, Bazaar Hakimaan, Ucchi Masjid, Bhaati Chowk and conclude at Karbala Gamay Shah. Various smaller processions will join it.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2017.

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LAHORE: Punjab University (PU) has awarded 5 PhD degrees to scholars. Saira Sharif D/o Muhammad Sharif in the subject of Statistics after approval of her thesis entitled “Nonlinear Regression After Spline Transformation”, Razia Majeed D/o Abdul Majeed  in the subject of Urdu after approval of her thesis entitled “Urdu Shaery Maen Muslim Nash’At-E-Sania Kay Anasir (1857 TA 2012)”, Iram Aziz D/o Abdul Aziz in the subject of Biological Sciences after approval of her thesis entitled “Cloning and Characterisation of Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase and Fructose 1, 6-Bisphosphatase from Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Pyrobaculum Calidifontis”, Aamna Ishaq D/o Muhammad Ishaq Malik in the subject of Botany after approval of her thesis entitled “Taxonomic Diversity of Some Rusts and Smuts of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and Adjacent Hills of Pakistan” and Qutab ul Haq S/o Muhammad Hussain in the subject of History after approval of his thesis entitled “A History of Islamisation in Pakistan, 1977 to 1993: A Reappraisal” were awarded the doctorate degrees.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2017.

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FAISALABAD: On the directives of Punjab government, the National Disaster Awareness Day will be observed on October 8. Addressing a meeting, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Revenue Muhammad Shahid said all the departments have been issued instructions to complete their necessary arrangements for observing National Disaster Awareness Day. He said that awareness seminars, meetings, conferences, rallies and walks would be arranged besides displaying banners, steamers and posters to educate the general public how to reduce the effects of natural disasters and save people.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2017.

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LAHORE: On the eve of Moharram, Pakistan Rangers Punjab in coordination with all Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) was making all out efforts to maintain law and order through enhanced security measures. During the last 48 hours, Rangers along with Police have carried out patrolling/flag marches in important areas of major cities and Quick Reaction Forces have been placed near sensitive locations to ensure timely/effective response in case of any eventuality. Aerial surveillance of the processions was also been carried out. In order to deter and neutralise the terrorists, extensive Intelligence Based Operations (IBOs) were being carried out in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Multan, DG Khan, Lahore, Sialkot, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2017.

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