PESHAWAR: The health department is likely to suspend doctors who are on ‘unofficial’ leave. According to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa health department officials, authorities had earlier ordered doctors on leave to report back to their original place of duty, however, it is yet to compile data on the number of individuals who are on official or unofficial leave. “There are a number of doctors who have been working outside the country; specifically in Gulf countries,” an official said, requesting anonymity. The exact number, according to the official, was unknown. He said the department was still collecting data from different hospitals and will soon issue fresh directions. K-P Health Services Director General Dr Pervez Kamal confirmed to The Express Tribune that the data could not be gathered and remains incomplete. He added those with no-objection certificates would return once they complete their official leave. “We are concerned with those who have not obtained permission from the health department and were on unofficial leave,” said Kamal. Another health official concurred that the data of those on official and unofficial leave will be collected and then a separate list of those found absent from duty without informing the department will be created. “Once this information is compiled, those who had obtained official permission will not be asked to return, but those absent for some time without official leave are likely to be served notices,” said the official. Official health ministry sources said the department had already issued notices to some individuals. They added repeat notices were also sent to those who failed to reply, adding a third one would also be dispatched soon. “If someone fails to reply even after the third notice, those doctors’ names will be advertised in newspapers,” one of the sources said. “If they fail to take note of the advertisement as well, then their services will be suspended.” Published in The Express Tribune, May 2[SUP]nd[/SUP], 2015. http://tribune.com.pk/story/879404/awol-health-department-to-suspend-absent-doctors/
ISLAMABAD: Complying with the Supreme Court’s order, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has started reconstructing a Hindu temple in Karak, the apex court was told on Tuesday.
On April 16, the top court had directed the K-P government to ensure restoration and reconstruction of the temple and submit a relevant report in two weeks. Submitting a report on behalf of Karak’s deputy commissioner, K-P Additional Advocate General Waqar Ahmad Khan told the court on Tuesday that a long-standing dispute on rebuilding the Samadhi (shrine) of Hindu saint Shri Paramhans Ji Maharaj in Karak’s Teri town had finally been resolved.
The report said that to keep harmony between the two religious communities of the area, reconstruction has started on five conditions agreed upon by both the communities during different meetings. 1. The Hindu community will not preach their religion. 2. They will only be allowed to offer their prayers. 3. They will not be allowed to arrange huge religious gatherings at the Samadhi. 4. They will not be allowed to construct any large-scale prayer place on the site. 5. They will not be allowed to purchase any further land in the areas and will be restricted to the premises of the Samadhi. Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) patron-in-chief Ramesh Kumar Vankwani expressed satisfaction on the report. He termed it ‘victory of good over evil’. “Attacks against minorities, which result in social unrest, insecurity, violence and frustration, remain the key internal threats Pakistan is facing today.” He hoped that the shrine would once again be opened for pilgrims, saying that a PHC delegation would soon visit the site to review the situation. The shrine was constructed where the Hindu saint had died and was buried in 1919. His followers used to visit the place to pay their respects until 1997, when some Muslim fanatics damaged the temple. The saint’s followers tried to rebuild the temple on the land allegedly occupied by a mufti, even though the property belonged to the Auqaf department. Hindu elders from Sindh intervened and paid Rs375,000 as cost of the land to the religious leader in 1997. But despite receiving the money from the then minority MPA Gian Chand, the property was not vacated. Published in The Express Tribune, May 6[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.
ISLAMABAD: Complying with the Supreme Court’s order, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has started reconstructing a Hindu temple in Karak, the apex court was told on Tuesday.
On April 16, the top court had directed the K-P government to ensure restoration and reconstruction of the temple and submit a relevant report in two weeks. Submitting a report on behalf of Karak’s deputy commissioner, K-P Additional Advocate General Waqar Ahmad Khan told the court on Tuesday that a long-standing dispute on rebuilding the Samadhi (shrine) of Hindu saint Shri Paramhans Ji Maharaj in Karak’s Teri town had finally been resolved.
The report said that to keep harmony between the two religious communities of the area, reconstruction has started on five conditions agreed upon by both the communities during different meetings. 1. The Hindu community will not preach their religion. 2. They will only be allowed to offer their prayers. 3. They will not be allowed to arrange huge religious gatherings at the Samadhi. 4. They will not be allowed to construct any large-scale prayer place on the site. 5. They will not be allowed to purchase any further land in the areas and will be restricted to the premises of the Samadhi. Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) patron-in-chief Ramesh Kumar Vankwani expressed satisfaction on the report. He termed it ‘victory of good over evil’. “Attacks against minorities, which result in social unrest, insecurity, violence and frustration, remain the key internal threats Pakistan is facing today.” He hoped that the shrine would once again be opened for pilgrims, saying that a PHC delegation would soon visit the site to review the situation. The shrine was constructed where the Hindu saint had died and was buried in 1919. His followers used to visit the place to pay their respects until 1997, when some Muslim fanatics damaged the temple. The saint’s followers tried to rebuild the temple on the land allegedly occupied by a mufti, even though the property belonged to the Auqaf department. Hindu elders from Sindh intervened and paid Rs375,000 as cost of the land to the religious leader in 1997. But despite receiving the money from the then minority MPA Gian Chand, the property was not vacated. Published in The Express Tribune, May 6[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.
PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has approved three major housing projects in the province and authorities have been directed to execute them at the earliest.
According to a handout issued by the government on Wednesday, the approval was given during a meeting with Chief Minister Pervez Khattak in the chair. The meeting reviewed progress made on New Hangu City and the model towns of Peshawar and Nowshera.
The CM directed the housing department to increase the number of plots in Hangu City from 500 to 2,000 by reducing the proposed size of each plot from one kanal to five marlas. The aim was to ensure there is housing aplenty for low-income groups at an affordable price.
He also directed the revenue department to transfer 1,420 acres of land proposed for Hangu City to the provincial housing department. Khattak also approved a five-kilometre, three-lane access expressway from Tarujaba on GT Road to Model Town in Nowshera. He directed the width of the access road range from 280 to 320 feet. According to the royalty-based plan of Peshawar Model Town, land owners were offered 13,000 kanals for acquisition. Uniformity
In another meeting chaired by Khattak, standardised designs were approved for new buildings of schools and colleges. The government claims the exercise could potentially save millions which are being paid by the provincial government to designing consultants.
The meeting was told the designs, prepared and financially mapped out by the K-P Communication and Works Department, would also reduce recurring costs of buildings.
Speaking at the meeting, the CM directed authorities to equip all education institutions with solar power and avoid the use of wood for window frames. Published in The Express Tribune, May 7[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.
PESHAWAR: The three-day-long Digital Youth Summit 2015 kicked off on Thursday at Sheraz Arena. This was the second summit arranged by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board (KPITB) with the help of the World Bank and other organisations.
According to Faisal Khan of Peshawar 2.0, the organisers were working on making the provincial capital a city of innovation, technology, art and design. He added 60 people from across the world will participate in panel discussions and share their success stories with the youth of Pakistan. The event was inaugurated by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, World Bank country chief Rashid bin Masood and IT minister Shahram Tarakai. A large number of aspiring youngsters from the IT sector attended the first day of the summit. They came from all parts of the country. In his inaugural speech, Khattak urged participants to share their ideas and success stories. “Through your active participation, we can better plan for our future socioeconomic challenges,” said the chief minister. Khattak added times have changed and nothing is possible without trained youth in information technology. He said KPITB, along with Code for Pakistan, has produced several innovative concepts that have proven rather helpful. The CM said the country was preparing itself for this era of ingenuity. The World Bank, which is organising the event for the second time in Peshawar, stated DYS15 aimed to prepare the next generation of IT innovators. “We have given them opportunities to innovate, to make money and share their ideas with the world,” added Masood. “K-P, and especially Peshawar, is facing several challenges but there are also a lot of opportunities,” said Masood. He added 60% of the country’s population was below 30 years of age. “They have to be equipped with technology to make things happen.” The first lecture of the event was given by Shabbir Ali, who was invited from San Francisco. He pointed out that little importance is given to IT education in Pakistan. Published in The Express Tribune, May 8[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015. http://tribune.com.pk/story/882719/techies-unite-digital-youth-summit-draws-it-wizards/
BALAKOT: Tourists flocked to Kaghan Valley after an access route leading to the region was partially opened, residents and police officials told The Express Tribune on Wednesday. The route was opened on May 2 and a group of 70 tourists from Punjab visited Naran. According to an insider, the road from Balakot to Kaghan was blocked due to heavy snow and landslides between the last week of November and December 15. As a result, the region remained inaccessible for a little over four months which dealt a critical blow to the hotel industry. So far, the National Highway Authority (NHA) has made efforts to clear the road between Ghanool and Kaghan. However, several other routes are likely to remain covered in snow until the end of May or the first week of June. Prime attraction According to Muhammad Asif, a tourist guide, a large number of tourists began visiting the valley after the NHA cleared Balakot-Naran Road. “Tourists have visited in groups,” he said. “The first group of over 70 tourists came from Punjab and visited Naran on May 2.” Asif added that a group of youngsters also visited Lake Saiful Maluk which is frozen over at the moment. The lake, which is situated 11,000 feet above sea level, is completely covered in snow and is an ideal tourist attraction, he said. “Tourists will continue to visit the lake until mid-June when the snow begins to melt.” Ali Hussain, another tour guide, told The Express Tribune. “Kaghan Valley is a prime attraction at this time of the year. It has the potential to entice local and foreign tourists, provided roads are cleared and the security situation is under control.” Enticing deals President of Naran Hotels Association, Seth Matiullah, confirmed the road had been cleared as far as Naran city. “Tourists have started visiting the valley,” he said. “Access to these areas will help promote tourism and generate income for the government, local traders and hotel owners.” Matiullah appeared to be optimistic about the growth in tourism. “Improvements in the security situation will encourage more tourists to visit Kaghan Valley until October. The hotels association has also decided to offer special Ramazan packages for them.” Amid delays A 15-kilometre-strip of Naran Road has been closed since the first snowfall in December. It was likely to be reopened for traffic by April 5 to make way for expected tourists, however, the initiative was delayed due to heavy rain in the area. “We have cleared about seven kilometres from Rajwal during the last few days,” Najeeb Khan, an NHA official, said. “We will be able to make a jeep track by clearing the other strip of eight kilometres provided there is no more snow and rain.” Published in The Express Tribune, May 8[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015. http://tribune.com.pk/story/882817/...ghan-valley-welcomes-tourists-with-open-arms/
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PESHAWAR: Documents submitted to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Friday showed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and other senior leaders of the party used provincial government helicopters on two occasions. These flights ended up costing the provincial exchequer a large sum of money, over half a million rupees.
Details shared with lawmakers in response to PML-N MPA Saleh Mohammad Khan’s query show that the PTI chief and other leaders used K-P government’s MI-17 choppers twice last year – on July 28 and August 7. The July flight details show an hour and 45 minute-long flight from the helipad in Bani Gala to Kohat and Peshawar. Passengers included Imran Khan, Naeemul Haq, Shah Farman, Mushtaq Ghani, Faisal Javed, Javed Chaudary, Arshad Sharif, Fareeha Awais, Shahram Tarakai, Shaheen Sardezai and Khalid Masood. Details for August 7 show that Imran Khan, Pervez Khattak, Naeemul Haq, Amin Aslam, Aun Chaudhry, Imran Ismail and Murad Saeed flew from Bani Gala to Matta and Mingora in Swat as well as to Peshawar. The flight time was three hours and 25 minutes. The establishment department calculated the cost of an hour-long flight is Rs105,836. At this rate, the more than five hour-long flights of the PTI chief and his entourage amount to over Rs520,000. Flight hours of government officials on the MI-17 chopper are shown to be 116 hours and 27 minutes. At the rate of Rs105,836 per hour, the total cost of these hauls is calculated to over Rs12 million. The MI-17 made about 60 sorties from July 1, 2013 to October 1, 2014, while the AS350B3 chopper, which was later grounded, flew 41 sorties of about 82 hours and 25 minutes from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014, costing the province over Rs2.1 million. Published in The Express Tribune, May 9[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.
ISLAMABAD: Exasperated by the poor quality of candidates it has been receiving for jobs in the provincial government, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission has called for a drastic overhaul of the education system of the province, warning that the government must do so “before it is too late”. “In the modern world it is not tanks and aircraft nor guns which determine the strength and power of a country. It is knowledge and education which ultimately determine a nation’s position in the world,” states the PSC’s latest annual report. “We intend to analyse the causes of the downfall of our education system and what should be done before it is too late.”
The PSC report highlights five main reforms that the commission believes will help improve the quality of education in the province. It recommends revamping the curriculum to include a greater emphasis on the social sciences and technical and scientific disciplines, making at least primary education completely free for all students, recruiting better teachers, strengthening the enforcement mechanism for standards and policies regarding teacher attendance, and introducing a better management system to ensure that any reforms introduced are sustainable in the long run. On the teachers’ front, the PSC recommends hiring people with either a master’s degree or at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline like education. The commission points out that it received 19,000 applications from people with graduate degrees for 338 advertised positions, suggesting that there are more than enough people who would meet that criterion to be hired as teachers in the public schools in the province. In order to attract those candidates to teaching jobs, the commission recommends increasing salaries. Over 90% of the province’s children attend government-owned schools, where the standard of education is often abysmal. Teacher absenteeism is rampant and most teachers have absolutely no incentives to do their jobs properly, or disincentives to shirk their responsibilities. Promotions are based on length of tenure, not competence. All teachers get promoted after serving the requisite number of years, without any evaluation of their performance at all. Part of the problem is that supervisory mechanism itself is highly lax, with District Education Officers and lower staff hardly ever inspecting schools at all. To fix this problem, the provincial government had introduced a management cadre, but to be eligible for a job in the management, one has to currently be a teacher in the already crumbling system, most of whom have no incentive to change the way things are running. This means that no outsiders can join as managers to fix the system. The commission recommends abolishing this rule to allow new people to join the management of the province’s education system. The PSC report also highlighted the need for curriculum reform. “There is a paramount need for curriculum review and reforms to bring them into conformity with the needs of modern times, be it in the fields of social sciences, technical and scientific disciplines, information technology and computer sciences, language and literature,” states the annual report. The commission also calls for making primary education in the province completely free, including providing students with the requisite books for their curriculum. It recommends initiating these reforms in a small number of schools, including teaching technical subjects in English, before spreading the reforms to other parts of the province. Published in The Express Tribune, May 9[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015. http://tribune.com.pk/story/883425/...ruiters-call-for-drastic-educational-reforms/
PESHAWAR: After completing 60 sessions successfully, the Digital Youth Summit 2015 concluded on Saturday. Technology professionals, specialists and entrepreneurs from across the world participated in the event put together by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board and World Bank. Students from different educational institutions and techies from across the province flocked to the three-day event. Kashif Azhar, a University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Peshawar student, said the summit provided an ideal opportunity to share ideas and learn how the new media and digital communication are shaping up our lives and fostering growth. He said the province’s law and order situation has never been the most welcoming for start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures. “Our universities train us in finance, marketing, accounting and education sectors only. Entrepreneurship has never been part of the curriculum,” he said, adding if the government provides incubation infrastructure, the sector can create thousands of employment opportunities. “I felt encouraged after attending the seminar conducted by Dildar Ali of KADO I-Tech.” Haseeb Awan, a resident of Peshawar, shared details about his venture BitAccess. The co-founder said the application makes Bitcoins – digital currency – easily accessible. “Make your customers the face of your product,” he said, during a session moderated by World Bank’s Ravi Kumar. Awan said starting a venture from scratch is never easy and requires a lot of hard work and determination. “A creative and able team is extremely important for a start-up to do well,” he said. IT firm DPL’s CEO Syed Ahmad was the keynote speaker at the summit. During his address, Ahmad said one needs to be fully prepared before embarking on the journey. “Trial and error will eventually teach you how to do it right,” he said. Also speaking on the occasion, World Bank consultant Raza Shah said technology is being used around the world in order to improve the lives of citizens. “Service delivery through e-governance benefits the people immensely,” he added. Published in The Express Tribune, May 10[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015. http://tribune.com.pk/story/883841/dys15-it-boards-three-day-conference-concludes/
Naya KP - Exercising Right of Information Bill and Recovery of 5.6 Billion from GOP
Demanding more: K-P finds funds released by Centre to be insufficient
By Sohail Khattak
Published: May 10, 2015
PESHAWAR: Although the federal government has released billions of rupees to the province of its share in net hydel profit arrears and other funds, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government is unhappy with the allocations. It claims the money is insufficient to meet K-P’s needs.
A fuller bank account According to information collected by The Express Tribune using the K-P Right to Information Act 2013, the federal government has provided Rs5.6 billion to K-P for its net hydel profit arrears till March 2015. The amount includes Rs5.4 billion for the previous fiscal year (2013-2014) and Rs200 million for the ongoing year.
Similarly, in gas royalties, the provincial government received Rs2.79 billion for the ongoing fiscal year (till March); it received Rs3.87 billion for its general sales tax share, and for tobacco development cess, it received a little over Rs199 million for the current year (till February).
Moreover, the federal government has also given K-P Rs172.7 million as an additional 1% share of the National Finance Commission award for the fight against militancy. This includes Rs9.2 million in arrears from the previous year.
Asking for a raise
When asked if the provincial government has any projects planned to utilise this money, Minister for Finance Muzaffar Said told The Express Tribune the government is working on investing the funds in the construction of 360 small dams and feasibility reports of these projects were being drawn up.
However, expressing discontent over the released funds, Said said they were insufficient to run K-P. According to the minister, the influx of internally displaced people from the tribal areas has put more pressure on the province’s infrastructure.
“The 1% additional share that K-P gets in the NFC award for war against terrorism is also not enough to meet the province’s financial needs for countering militancy,” said Said. “We want the federal government to increase the share from 1% to 3% as K-P is suffering badly due to terrorism and is spending millions in giving compensation to victims.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 11[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.
اپنی طرف سے سازشی عناصر نے تحریک انصاف کو ٹوٹا پجا صوبہ دیا تھا . بہت سے سیاسی اور صحافتی دانشور حضرات نے عمران خان کو اس سازش سے اگاہ کیا تھا ور مفت کے مشورے بھی دے تھے مگر وہ عمران خان ہی کیا جو خطرات سے نہ کھیلے اور مشکلات سے ڈر جاتے
اپنی طرف سے انھوں نے عمران خان کو ختم کرنے کا منصوبہ ایک دهست گردی اور مسمنجنٹ سے بھرپور صوبہ دے کر مطمئن بےغیرت ٹھنڈ پروگرام کر کے بیٹھ گئے تھے
مگر
اس صوبے کی تو کایا ہی پلٹ گئی گئی
خببر پختونخوا پاکستان کا واحد صوبہ ھے جہاں حکومتی لیول پر رشوت ختم ہو چکی ہے
خیبر پختونخوا واحد صوبہ ہے جہاں محاصل اکھٹا کرنے میں پہلے نمبر پر ھے
باقی کارنامے ایک طرف ، صرف ان ٢ کارنامے پاکستان میں ناممکن تھے
اب پنجاب کی بیلنس شیٹ دیکھیں ور خیبر پختونخوا کی بھی ، آپکو خود اندازہ ہو جے گا
عمران خان صاحب کی ٹیم نے تہیہ کیا ہوا تھا کے صوبہ کے حق ضرور حاصل کرنا ہے ، وہ انھوں نے لے کر دکھایا
یہ کوئی ڈھکی چھپی بات نہیں ، خیبر پختونخوا حکومت کے متعلق صحافی اور اخبارات
Right of Information
قانون کے تحت کوئی بھی معلومات حاصل کر سکتے ہیں
ابھی ایک اخبار نے جاننا چاہا تھا کے ہیلی کاپٹر کے سفر پر کتنا خرچ آیا تھا ور کس کس نے استمال کیا تھا
حلانکے کے یہ بات حکومت کے خلاف جاتی تھی مگر پھر بھی انھوں نے معلومات مل گئیں
اب بھی عقل کے اندھے نیا خیبر پختونخوا میٹرو بس کے ذرے تلاش کر رہیں ہیں
یہ لوگ عنقریب ٹرانسپورٹ کا زبردست منصوبہ بھی دیکھ لیں گے
PESHAWAR: Vice chancellors from various public sector universities have criticised the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Universities (Amendment) Act 2015, saying the recommendations of relevant stakeholders were ignored while the legislation was being devised.
University of Peshawar VC Dr Rasool Jan said the government had made the amendments according to its own wishes and overlooked the suggestions of teachers and VCs – who are the original stakeholders. “Under the amendments, a VC must have 10 years of administrative experience,” he said. “A limited number of people possess this level of experience.” According to Jan, it will be very difficult for the government to run universities under these rules. “If vice chancellors are removed from universities, acting vice chancellors will be appointed for these universities who are unlikely to be in favour of development at the institutes,” he added. Jan said the government should strengthen these institutes and consult all teachers and vice chancellor as they are the original stakeholders who can understand the internal affairs of universities. Talking to The Express Tribune, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar VC Imtiaz Husain Gillani said government has also ignored the recommendations of the reform committee in this regard. “The government should have taken all the relevant stakeholders into confidence as they are directly involved and far more informed about these matters,” he added. Under the shadow Speaking to The Express Tribune, a VC at a university based in Peshawar, who requested anonymity, said the amendments were made to serve the narrow interest of a specific group of people. “This amendment is likely to provide an avenue for opportunists at various institutes who have been trying to be appointed VC but are not qualified for the post,” he said. “The amended law will make it easier for them to step in as it gives the government a greater say in appointment.” The new act stipulates that the minister for education, secretary higher education, secretary establishment, secretary finance and a representative of the assembly will nominate the name for vice chancellor of a university. However, the VC raised concerns about this nomination procedure. “Under this process, members of a single party will have the authority to nominate a VC,” he said. “Through this procedure, it will become difficult to appoint a suitable candidate.” The VC voiced reservations about the amended legislation and said it would have little effect beyond providing the provincial government with the opportunity to appoint its own people for the post. Minister for Higher Education Mushtaq Ghani was not available to comment on the matter. No retrospective effect The amended legislation is unlikely to reduce the tenures of current vice chancellors of 19 public sector universities of the province, officials toldThe Express Tribune. According to Clause 4, sub-section (6) of the act, a VC shall be appointed for a three-year period and on terms and conditions determined by the government. Higher Education department Deputy Secretary Naeem Khan said current VCs were hired under the Universities Act 2012 and will continue until the end of their tenure. Naeem said the new law will only apply to those hired under it. However, he denied that VCs were not consulted about the amended legislation. “The law was finalised after consultation with university teachers, VCs and education experts,” he added. Meanwhile, the amended legislation has earned the ire of faculty members at various universities. Peshawar University Teachers Association and Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association held an emergency meeting on Saturday to discuss the amended legislation. They urged the chief minister and governor to review the legislation. Moreover, they have threatened to close down all universities and take to the streets if their demands are not met. Members of the association will announce their next course of action at a news conference on Monday (tomorrow). Published in The Express Tribune, May 10[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.
PESHAWAR: Around 93,231 candidates will contest local government polls for 43,954 seats across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), a provincial election commission official told The Express Tribune on Monday. However, he said this is not the final number as lists from some districts are yet to be obtained. According to the ECP official, 103,522 aspiring candidates submitted nomination papers from across the province. However, only 93,231 were accepted.
The nomination papers were submitted by candidates for district and tehsil councils. Candidates for general, women, youth, minority and peasant seats also filed papers. “Some districts have not submitted their candidate lists; it is the responsibility of district returning officers to provide complete details to the ECP,” said the official, requesting anonymity. Contesting from Peshawar
A total of 3,762 candidates in the provincial capital have begun their election campaigns after the acceptance of their papers and allocation of election symbols. Of these 221 are aspirants for the district council, 255 for tehsil and town councils, 1,598 are contesting for general councillor seats, 419 for women’s seats, 643 for peasants, 588 for youth and 38 for minority seats. Security provisions
Of the 10,855 polling stations established across the province, 3,940 have been declared sensitive while 2,837 have been declared highly-sensitive, according to a handout issued by the police department on Monday. Moreover, before arranging a rally, candidates are required to take permission from the district administration and the police to ensure that foolproof security is provided at the site of the congregation. Anyone attending such a public gathering is required to undergo a body search, while canine units will also be deployed. IGP Nasir Khan Durrani has also directed DPOs to issue retainer permits to security guards of candidates and make the process easy for them. Policemen have also been instructed to provide security to election offices, police stations and district jails during the electioneering days.
Keeping a check
Wall-chalking, hate speech and distribution of inflammatory literature will be completely banned and police has been directed to keep in close contact with intelligence agencies and keep an eye out for disputes between candidates to thwart any untoward incident. Moreover, law-enforcement agencies have been directed to stay neutral during the election, while no policeman who is related to candidates in any way would be deployed at polling stations. The police have been directed to engage local office-bearers of political parties contesting the polls and help resolve their issues through dialogue. They have also been told to prepare a security plan for each polling station in accordance with the threats, if any, to the building. IGP Durrani has also directed that control rooms be established at district and regional level for effective coordination.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 12[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.
MINGORA: Following in the footsteps of Peshawar district, Swat has also launched a complaint system – locals can just text 8333 and their problems will reach the deputy commissioner.
According to a press release issued on Tuesday, the system will help people send their complaints to the deputy commissioner through text messages. The deputy commissioner is bound to resolve their issues within three days. “Each officer must ensure proper solution of genuine complaints so they can be addressed on a priority basis,” the press release quoted Swat DC Mehmood Aslam Wazir as saying at a meeting with heads of district departments, including assistant commissioners from all seven tehsils in Swat.
The DC also warned of punishment for those send false complaints. “Not only will mobile numbers of false complainants be blocked by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority but legal action will also be taken against them,” added the DC. “This condition will minimise the number of false complaints.”
Wazir added the complaint service is an initiative towards good governance. Locals also appreciated the step and said the system would help them register complaints without having to personally go to the DC’s office.
MANSEHRA: Explosive material that was likely to be used for terrorist activity in the district was seized by police and intelligence agency officials in a joint raid on Tuesday. Seven IEDs planted in stationery boxes were also found. Mansehra DSP Zulfiqar Jadoon told journalists one alleged militant has been taken into custody and he is suspected to be a member of a banned outfit.
DSP said they got a tip-off and raided a house in Swatiabad, Bherkund and seized seven IEDs planted in the same number of geometry boxes; two locally-made bombs; two hand grenades; three kilogrammes of raw explosive material, ball bearings; six non-electric and one electric detonator; a suicide jacket, two submachine guns with magazines; bullets and a dagger.
A bomb disposal unit officer said all the bombs, IEDs and the suicide jacket were neutralised. He added the IEDs in geometry boxes were kept in a house surrounded by three private schools.
He stipulated the accused were planning to either target school children or plant the explosives on a roadside. The suicide jacket, added the personnel, was filled with enough explosives to could kill over 100 people. Published in The Express Tribune, May 13[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.
PESHAWAR: With 15 days left for local government elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, voters and candidates have voiced reservations about the electoral process. As electioneering nears completion, many of them claim they find the voting process confusing as they say the government has failed to guide them.
The LG elections scheduled for May 30 vary vastly from the previous LG polls. Under the new arrangement, union councils have been divided into village and neighbourhood councils, while elections at the tehsil and district level will be held based on wards. In the absence of clear and specific information, voters and candidates are faced with countless challenges. Lacking information
Rahamdad Khan, father of Inam Khan, a candidate who is contesting in the polls, told The Express Tribune his son enjoys widespread support as voters have responded well to his electoral campaign. However, “So far, we have limited awareness about the balloting process,” he said. “We are not even aware of the colour of ballot papers.” |
According to Inam, the most he can do is ask his supporters to put a stamp over the electoral symbol he has been allotted by the election commission. “I don’t know about the colour of any ballot,” he said. Inam said teachers who have been assigned duties for the day of the election have been given training. “But I can’t say anything about what voters would be expected to do.
Riaz Khan, who is eagerly looking forward to cast his vote, said he is confused about the balloting process even though he studied the LG election process in school. “If an educated person can find the process confusing, it is bound to create problems for those who are illiterate,” he added. According to Riaz, the polling staff should try to facilitate voters on May 30 and ensure they are able to exercise their democratic right. Colour bind
The government has made some efforts to clarify the confusion. The K-P Local Government department’s website states there will be seven ballots issued to a single voter. The ballot for a general councilor seat for village or neighborhood councils will be white; the colour of the ballot will be pink for women’s seats; the ballot for the youth councillor seat will be yellow while the ballot for the minority and tehsil councillor seats will be brown and grey respectively. Moreover, the ballot for the district councillor seat will be orange.
ECP Deputy Director in Peshawar, Khushal Zada told The Express Tribune they had suggested the elections should take place on a phase-wise basis. However, the provincial government insisted on holding the polls on a single day. “This will be a major challenge for the commission,” he added.
According to Khushal, the commission is aware that many voters are likely to find voting quite confusing. “With the help of NGOs and the government, we will plan an awareness campaign,” he said. However, an official privy to the matter told The Express Tribune the LG ministry was not in a position to take any serious steps to generate awareness.
Khushal also pointed out it would be difficult for most people to manage seven ballots of various colours. “We have appointed three assistant presiding officers (APOs) and a polling officer at each booth to ensure efficiency,” he said. “So far, we predict every person who goes to cast their vote will take between 10 to 15 minutes.” According to Khushal, polling will begin at 8am and will end at 5pm. Published in The Express Tribune, May 15[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.
