KPK Updates

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: Update on KPK hydel projects

June 21 2015

KP govt threatens march on Islamabad over loadshedding

PESHAWAR: Power protesters on Saturday marched on the Wapda House in the provincial capital against the excessive loadshedding.
Holding banners and placards and shouting slogans against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and federal ministers on water and power Khawaja Asif and Abid Sher Ali, the angry mob tried in vain to enter the Wapda House on Shami Road as the gates were closed by guards.
Leading protesters, adviser to the chief minister on environment and PTI leader Ishtiaq Ormar warned the government would march on Islamabad if the prolonged power cuts in the province.
“Today we’ve come to Wapda House to register our protest against prolonged and unscheduled loadshedding, but we can go to Islamabad to hold a sit-in outside parliament against the federal government over the issue,” he said.
Ormar, who is also the PTI Peshawar information secretary, said the federal government treated the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa unfairly over electricity supply and had forced them to come onto the streets against the excessive loadshedding.
He said loadshedding during sehri and iftar hours was undue.
The adviser said if the prolonged power cuts were not controlled, then the provincial government would devise a plan of protest and political parties other than the ruling ones would be taken on board in that regard.
He said loadshedding had caused severe water shortage in different areas of the province, especially Peshawar.

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CM’s adviser leads protest in Peshawar, blames crisis on centre

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Ormar appealed to all political parties to join hands with the government to provide relief to power consumers from the excessive power outages.
The protesters later dispersed peacefully when Pesco officials assured them of taking prompt action to ease loadshedding in their areas.
Also in the day, Speaker of the provincial assembly Asad Qaisar and PTI provincial spokesman Shaukat Ali Yousafzai resented massive loadshedding in the province and urged the federal government to take corrective measures without delay.
“Our province is generating electricity more than our needs but the federal government led by PML-N is not ready to give us due share in it only for reason that the people of the province have voted PTI to power,” Shaukat Yousafzai said.
He alleged that state minister for water and power Abid Sher Ali supported black sheep in the Peshawar Electric Supply Company to ‘tease’ the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as his party, PML-N, had no stakes in the province.
“The entire focus of the PML-N government is on the development of Punjab province,” he said.
Local government minister Inayatullah Khan also complained about excessive loadshedding in the province, especially during sehri and iftar hours.
He said suspension of electricity for long hours belied the promises of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his cabinet ministers about smooth power supply during sehri and iftar hours.
PML-N Peshawar district president Abdul Sattar Khalil also expressed concern about the excessive loadshedding and declared it a conspiracy against his party by Wapda.
He said his party was popular with the people of the province but the officials of federal government departments were subjecting them to excessive power cuts to make them change political opinion.
Khalil warned if Pesco officials didn’t ensure smooth electric supply in Peshtakhara, Bara Gate, Shaheen Colony, Badbher, Surizai, Adezai and other parts of Peshawar, then his party would join anti-loadshedding protests in the province.
Meanwhile, the people, whose areas were linked to the Arbab Landi 1 and Arbab Landi 2 feeders in Peshawar, have announced they will block major road outside the Peshawar Press Club if smooth electric supply is not ensured to their areas by Monday.
The announcement was made during a meeting here where elders of Shaheen Colony, Nasir Korona, Bara Gate and Nawa Killi were in attendance on Saturday.
The elders said schedule of the protest would be announced on loudspeakers.
Also in the day, the residents of Hazarkhwani, Dalazak and Peshtakhara areas threatened agitation against the excessive loadshedding.
They said electric supply remained suspended for unspecified period making their lives extremely miserable.
The people said they paid power bills regularly, so subjecting them to the unscheduled loadshedding was unjustified.
When contacted, Pesco spokesman Shaukat Afzal claimed there’s no unscheduled power cuts in the areas covered by 126 good feeders with the minimum line losses.
He said severe loadshedding was seen in the areas covered by 220 feeders due to the massive power theft.
Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1189523/kp-govt-threatens-march-on-islamabad-over-loadshedding


KTH moves to implement modified healthcare system

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) is rapidly moving to implement a modified mechanism of health care delivery system outlined in the Medical Institutions Law.
About two months ago, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had ordered enforcement of the new law in the KTH, Lady Reading Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, and Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad, with a view to fully utilise the available resources and improve the patient care.
Though the government is yet to appoint permanent medical and hospital directors, change in the 70-year-old health delivery system is taking place through interim setup in KTH.
“We have done away with the previous system under which a single ward would admit patients round-the-clock, which created shortage of space. As a result, critically-ill patients were put on makeshift extra beds arranged on wooden benches,” KTH medical director Prof Nadeem Khawar told Dawn. He said that bed management was extremely important because some of the wards had to receive patients for 48 and even 72 hours, which caused huge load of patients.
The patients would now get the facility of hospitalisation on empty beds in the adjacent ward and would be treated from the ward which remains on call for emergency patients.
To streamline the patient care, nurses’ clusters have been established for emergency situations where few nurses in emergency wards were overburdened with work whereas their colleagues in the nearby wards would sit idle.
Clusters are meant to deploy more nurses to the wards where they are needed the most. For example, all nurses in the same cluster could be sent to any of the wards.

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New system aimed at full use of available resources for patient care

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The government had set up a 10-member board of governors, headed by Dr Faisal Sultan, chief executive of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, Lahore, for the KTH to make the desired change happen in line with the law.
Under the old system, the employees considered government job as business as usual, but the new system aims to put in place a mechanism of checks and balances.
“We are also in the process of customisation of patients’ record of admission and discharge along with history and investigation and medical notes etc,” he said. Each doctor has been given official name stamp which they affix on every prescription chit of patients and other documents. In consultation with the physicians, uniformed guidelines and treatment protocols have been established.
A monitoring cell under the resident medical officer is overseeing the staff and key performance indicators and the feedback is given to the head of the unit concerned through fast track system.
Four doctors from Pathology Department of Khyber Medical College will run the KTH laboratory. They are being hired as assistant professors with chances of promotion to the rank of associate and professor. Previously, pathologists from the KMC were supposed to work as consultants at the KTH, its affiliated teaching hospital.
Bed mangers are being appointed to ensure complete bed occupancy. Presently, about 200 beds remain unoccupied. The manager will issue updated information to the ward in-charges and other relevant staff in all wards.
The BoGs is required to hold quarterly meetings, but its members are constantly in touch with their respective hospitals via phone, SMS and email service. “The BoGs’ role is significant in taking important decisions like establishment of new ward at the hospital where more finances are involved,” he said.
Dr Nadeem says the old system has to be buried for the sake of patient care. The hospital is not going to start forcing the employees to observe new duty hours from 8:00am to 4:00pm under the law till they get facilities like boost in salaries and other benefits.
For all professionals, the system offers best chances of career building. The hospital has also developed employees’ handbook, which includes bylaws and all information regarding the new protocol.
Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1189529/kth-moves-to-implement-modified-healthcare-system


Establishment of girls schools in Karak demanded

KARAK: The association of retired professors has demanded establishment of girls’ high schools in the backward areas of the district.
The demand was made at a meeting here on Saturday chaired by the association’s district president Professor (retd) Bakht Jamal.
They regretted that backward areas of the district were still deprived of girls’ high schools which was an impediment to women education.
They pointed out that construction of girls degree college, Sabirabad had been completed about two years ago, but college was yet to be made functional. They said that the already completed girls colleges should be made functional from the upcoming academic session commencing in September.
The retired professors regretted that due to lack of facilities of girls education in the district parents had to settle in big cities for education of their daughters.
They further demanded that the shortage of staffs in the already established colleges should also be overcome without delay.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1189530/establishment-of-girls-schools-in-karak-demanded

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

June 22 ,2015

Political debut?
PTI may field Reham Khan in NA-19 re-polls

HARIPUR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is banking on a double strike in the Haripur re-election ordered by the Supreme Court in the NA-19 constituency. The Imran Khan-led party not only hopes to win the constituency but also wishes to ease the PTI chief’s wife Reham Khan into office.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNA Omar Ayub Khan was unseated on the orders of a three-member bench of the apex court. He had won the seat after an election tribunal ordered re-balloting at seven polling stations. PTI’s Raja Amir Zaman had originally won the constituency in the 2013 general elections, but his victory was challenged by the ruling party.
While the election commission has yet to announce the schedule for the by-poll, the mainstream political parties are trying to hammer out a policy to secure them a guaranteed win.
Read: Re-polling NA-19, Haripur: Supreme Court ends 16-month legal battle
Since Imran is keen on his wife playing a more practical role in the PTI, the party’s high command has proposed helping Reham make her political debut in a district from where her maternal family hails, claimed a source. “In all likelihood, Bhabi (Reham) will be fielded against Omar because Zaman might be given some important party office during the next couple of months.”
Still, he believes that Zaman is the best choice for the seat because he has a strong vote bank and his family wields a lot of influence.
“But then again anyone whom the party decides to nominate as a candidate will be successful,” said Zaman. He, however, stopped short of disclosing who the PTI would field against Omar. “Bhabi is the best choice because her maternal grandmother belongs to the Pani family of Panian village in Haripur,” claims PTI member Nasir Khan.
Read: SC rejects request for re-election in NA-162
“We are fed up of the Tareens and the Rajgans and also the Sardars of Kot Najibullah. We want a change, and Reham can be that change for the people,” said social activist Abdul Ghafoor. According to former district president of the PTI, Kamal Ghaznavi, the party’s parliamentary board has the final word on the next NA-19 candidate. “Nobody – not even Imran – can make a decision in this regard.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 22[SUP]nd[/SUP], 2015.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/907615/political-debut-pti-may-field-reham-khan-in-na-19-re-polls/



Unhook the kunda: PESCO says 75% customers benefit from uninterrupted power

PESHAWAR / SWAT / HARIPUR: The Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) has said it has maintained continuous and uninterrupted power supply for at least 75% of its consumers, particularly during Iftari and Sehri. Nonetheless, angry protests continued in the provincial capital and other parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa against power outages for the third consecutive day, leaving dozens injured.
The utility company issued a statement on Sunday, saying only 200 feeders in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which ran at high losses, faced excessive outages. The company blamed that on kundas or direct hooks.
“Pesco is trying its best to solve the problems of its consumers but at the same time we expect support from them,” Pesco Public Relations Director General Shaukat Afzal. “People use kundas to steal electricity from the transmission lines; these cause the feeders to trip,” said Afzal. “Areas connected to those feeders then face a power breakdown in addition to routine load-shedding,” he added.
“We have shifted load from overloaded feeders so consumers have uninterrupted electricity supply during Sehri and Iftari. We request consumers to reduce their usage at these times and do not use air conditioners.”
Saturday evening’s wind and rain storm affected the transmission lines of Hazara Circle which affected Havelian, Abbottabad and Mansehra. However, the statement added, Pesco staff restored transmission by 1pm. Similarly, storms affected the Bannu Circle and interrupted power supply to Karak and Bannu.
Over 40 booked
Criminal cases were registered against more than 40 people for blocking the Khanput-Taxila Road as part of their protests, police said on Sunday.
According to North Haripur Neighborhood Council No 2 Vice Chairman Imran, protesters demanded the replacement of a 200KV power transformer supplying electricity to Mohallah Afzalabad. Imran said the road was blocked for an hour and police resorted to baton charging which left over a dozen people injured.
Peshawar’s problems
Protests against prolonged power outages continued in the city on Sunday.
Residents of Afghan Colony, Dalazak Road and connected areas demonstrated on Dalazak Road, shutting it down for traffic. Enraged power consumers threatened to lay siege to the Wapda office if their concerns were not addressed. They shouted slogans against Wapda authorities, the Ministry for Water and Power and the government.
Residents of areas surrounding Charsadda Road blocked it for traffic and demanded an end to power outages during Ramazan. The protesters pointed out the government promised reduced load-shedding but was going against its word. They added the lack of electricity created a water shortage in their houses and mosques.

“Our women and children are burning in the sweltering heat as they have no access to open spaces for relief from the blistering summer,” said Muhammad Danish, one of the protesters. He said consumers have given Wapda three days to sort out the situation otherwise “they would hold a sit-in all around Wapda House”.
Seething in Swat
Hundreds of protestors from Matta tehsil blocked Kalam-Mingora Road for hours as they were without power for an extended period of time on Sunday.
Locals from Koza Dureshkhela and Dherai blocked the path for three hours, leaving passengers and tourists stranded. The demonstrators marched towards the local grid station, however, Matta police station official Syed Ahmad Khan calmed them down by promising he would raise the issue with authorities and Pesco officials. The power consumers were convinced and opened allowed the road to be reopened.
Protesters said officials had promised no more than eight hours a day of load-shedding, but outages lasted as long as 16 hours.
The Swabi solution
To tackle the recent protests in Swabi over the same issue, K-P Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser called a meeting in his chambers for Monday (today).
The Pesco chief executive, along with other officials from the power utility, Wapda and the Swabi district administration, would take part in the meeting which would also discuss the problems faced by Chota Lahor.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 22[SUP]nd[/SUP], 2015.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/907541/...5-customers-benefit-from-uninterrupted-power/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: Update on KPK hydel projects

K-P Assembly excluded from RTI Act

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was not included under the ambit of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information (Amendment) Bill 2015 when it was passed unopposed on Tuesday. As a result, no one can extract information about assembly proceedings under the new law.
Through an amendment presented in the house, Minister for Information Mushtaq Ghani left K-P Assembly from the purview of the act.
When contacted, the Assembly Secretariat told The Express Tribune the legislature is exempted from the RTI because it would conflict with the Privileges Act 1975, a separate legislation for lawmakers.
The amendments that were passed include placing a public information officer in every government department instead of information officers. The number of members of the Information Commission was also reduced to two from three. The third amendment gives the right to appeal the decision of the commission in the court of a district and session’s judge.
The assembly also passed two other bills and a supplementary budget of Rs26.390 billion.
Minister for Law and Parliamentary affairs Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi opened the session presenting Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Police Order Amendment Bill 2015 and The Establishment of Civil Mobile Court Bill 2015.
However, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Lissaail-e-Wal Mahroom Foundation Bill 2015 was the main bone of contention. Qaumi Watan Party members Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli and Meraj Humayun walked out over the bill which was presented and subsequently passed. This gave the treasury benches the opportunity to unanimously pass all the remaining bills as no amendments were proposed by the opposition.

Walkout

The Lissaail-e-Wal Mahroom Foundation Bill 2015 drew the ire of opposition leaders. The new law calls for the establishment of Lissaail-e-Wal Mahroom Foundation, an organisation which can cater to the needs of people from underprivileged backgrounds.
When Adviser to the Chief Minister on Social Welfare Meher Taj Roghani presented the bill, the speaker insisted the bill should be passed as no amendments have been proposed by the opposition.
In response, Tahirkheli raised her objection, saying they could not propose any amendments because they had not been given sufficient time to read the bill. However, Qaiser ignored her remark and proceeded to pass the bill.

A matter of procedure

Earlier, Minister for Finance Muzaffar said presented the supplementary budget of Rs26.390 billion.
Tahirkheli voiced her reservations about the supplementary budget and termed it an “unhealthy, but constitutional trend which should be avoided.”
She said, “I can’t find any difference in the current and previous budgets. The expenditures are much higher than development funds in the current supplementary budget.”
According to the QWP leader, the government should make accurate calculations rather than rely on supplementary budgets.
In response to Tahirkheli’s objections, the finance minister said that as compared to the previous year, the budget volume has decreased. “We plan to control it further this year,” he said.
According to Said, unforeseen incidents such as the Army Public School attack resulted in some changes for the government’s estimates for expenditure.

Money matters

The house also passed 53 supplementary demands for grants to various government departments without any cut motions being moved by the opposition benches. The police, health, education and population departments demanded billions of rupees worth of grants. Other departments — including labour, information technology and wildlife protection — made demands for grants which were as low as Rs50.
The speaker quipped with the Minister for Labour Shah Farman that he could have paid the Rs90 from his pocket rather than requesting it through a lengthy procedure.
The assembly session will convene on July 28.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/908664/k-p-assembly-excluded-from-rti-act/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: Update on KPK hydel projects

Ehtesab Commission asked to explain why AWKUM was under investigation

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court issued a notice to the Ehtesab Commission on Thursday to explain why it was running a concurrent investigation into Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan.
The National Accountability Bureau Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had been looking into alleged illegal appointments in all ranks at AWKUM.
The Ehtesab Commission had issued several notices to the university on different dates, asking the administration to provide information regarding appointments made between 2010 and 2014.
The university approached the high court, stating since NAB was already investigating the case, the provincial commission has no jurisdiction to initiate a second one.
The court issued a notice to the commission to explain its position.
Thousands of appointments
“We received several complaints regarding irregularities in the appointments, starting from lower grade to lecturers’ level,” an official of NAB told The Express Tribune at the high court, wishing anonymity.
“We are investigating why procedure was not followed and have asked the university to provide a complete record of appointments made during this time-frame.”
The official said the bureau was investigating about 1,400 appointments, which it considers were made by using unfair means.
He said the university was not providing them with the record. It was only after it received an order from the high court that it shared its records.
“NAB’s Peshawar office shall provide in writing the list of documents with particulars which they require from the university. The university shall provide the documents within 10 days from the date of receipt of the written request which shall be handed over in person to the NAB,” the petition says quoting court order.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/909788/ehtesab-commission-asked-explain-awkum-investigation/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: Update on KPK hydel projects

In government use: Details on non-custom paid vehicles collected

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has collected details of non-custom paid vehicles used by employees of various government departments.

According to a handout issued on Thursday, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Excise and Taxation department obtained these details following directives from the federal and provincial government.

“The department has collected details on non-custom paid vehicles used by government employees in the province, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Provincially Administered Tribal Areas,” it added.
Furthermore, the government has been provided data of all non-custom paid vehicles impounded by police.

The department has also shared the names of people who have been arrested in this regard.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, a department official said a majority of people were arrested for using government number plates on these vehicles.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/909795/government-use-details-non-custom-paid-vehicles-collected/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: Update on KPK hydel projects

ECP announces results, by-polls in local govt elections

PESHAWAR: Each time the dust seems to settle over the local government polls controversy, another development creates a stir. The Election Commission of Pakistan announced incomplete results 25 days after Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa voted in local representatives; many results were withheld and over 4,000 seats will hold by-polls.

In a 7,000-page document issued on Wednesday (also available on ECP’s website), winners of 1,862 district and tehsil council seats and approximately 33,000 neighbourhood and village council seats were announced. By-polls on over 4,000 neighbourhood and village seats, four district and one tehsil seats will be conducted after Eidul Fitr.

Results of all 23 districts, excluding Kohistan [bifurcation of which is sub judice], have been notified. Results of those seats where RO and DROs recommended re-polls due to irregularities, have been withheld by the commission.

As many as 349 non-Muslim candidates contested polls on Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s total 3,339 minority seats. In all 84,420 candidates vied for 41,762 seats in polls that were blanketed by irregularity and rigging allegations.

Costly replay

“The schedule for the by-polls will be announced in the coming week,” an ECP official requesting anonymity told The Express Tribune on Tuesday.

“Of the count, more than 2,000 seats for non-Muslims were left uncontested after the May 30 polls.” He said, “Four district and one tehsil seats will also be polled again, where elected candidates have either died or were disqualified.”

When asked, the official said re-elections would be held in those polling stations where irregularities and mismanagement were noted and respective returning officers submitted their applications regarding issues.

Addressing grievances

At least 92 election tribunals have been set up across K-P and “they will start functioning after official notification is issued”. He added, “District and sessions judges and additional district and sessions judges will see the grievance petitions which should be submitted by candidates within 20 days of the notification.”

Khattak’s hometown

Chief Minister Pervez Khattak’s hometown Nowshera district witnessed the highest number of irregularities as the ECP has withheld results for 21 of its 47 wards. Out of the 21, seven are in Jehangira tehsil and Pabbi tehsil each and eight are in Nowshera tehsil.

Besides Nowshera, results for Abbottabad’s seven wards were also withheld – six in Abbottabad tehsil and one in Havelian tehsil.

The ECP has also proposed re-polls in 10 wards of Mardan and one of Battagram. Results of nine out of Bannu’s 49 district councils and one in Buner have been withheld.
Out of Charsadda’s 49 wards, results of 16 have not been notified.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/909132/ecp-announces-results-by-polls-in-local-govt-elections/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: Update on KPK hydel projects

Dawn 22 , 2015

Dropout rate of girl students decreases in Mansehra


MANSEHRA: The dropout rate of girl students had decreased in the district because of the effective role played by civil society and parents, said District Education Officer Nagmana Sardar.
“I would appreciate the efforts of civil society organisations for sensitising parents. Now dropout rate of girl students has been decreased and admission ratio increased in the district,” she said while speaking at the monthly meeting of parents alliance, constituted by Sarhar Rural Support Programme (SRSP) under its Alf Ailan initiative here on Sunday.
The parents from across the district attended the meeting and shared their views about admitting more students to the schools and reducing the dropout percentage.
Besides others, the district education officer male, Safaraz Khan, and SRSP regional programme manager Shakeel Ahmad also spoke on the occasion.
Ms Sardar said that government was addressing the issues faced by schools in far off areas and in such circumstances awareness regarding importance of education for the girls through Alf Ailan played an important role.
“Now parents are taking their daughters to schools in remote areas,” she added.
Speaking on the occasion, Sarfaraz Khan said that parent teachers councils constituted at every school in the district were proven highly effective as funds meant for the welfare of students were being spent fairly.
He said that government was addressing the issues faced by students and pointed out by PTC and funds in that regards were released to schools concerned.

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Official credits civil society, parents for increase in number of enrolled students

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A committee was also constituted in the meeting which would take up the issues of schools and education department with local lawmakers and high-ups of the government.
Speaking on occasion, Shakeel Ahmad told the meeting that ‘every child in school’ drive last month was underway and the desired results were being achieved.
He said that under the drive an awareness walk was also organised in Naran the other day which was attended largely by students, parents and local people.
Mr Ahmad said that under the Alif Ailan initiative his organisaiton was focusing on Article 25-A of the Constitution which gave equal rights of education to men and women without any discrimination.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1189701/dropout-rate-of-girl-students-decreases-in-mansehra


Power outages meant to defame KP govt: PTI leader

CHARSADDA: The unscheduled and prolonged power loadshedding was a conspiracy of the federal government to defame provincial government, alleged PTI leader Fazl Mohammad Khan here on Sunday.
Addressing a hurriedly called press conference, he threatened to march on Islamabad if the ‘artificial’ power loadshedding was not ended.
The unscheduled and prolonged loadshedding was a conspiracy of the Nawaz government in the centre to defame the PTI-led coalition government in Khyber Pakhunkhwa, he said.
Flanked by PTI local leaders Tariq Azam Khan, Mian Waheed Bacha, Mohammad Sadiq Khan, Falak Niaz Khan, Wiqar Ahmed and Saleeman, Mr Khan urged the inspector general of police to take notice of the torture and cases registered against power protesters in Swabi, Charsadda and other parts of the province.
He demanded action against those police personnel, who were responsible for manhandling the protesters. He said that protest was the right of the people, who were braving illegal and unjustified power outages.
The PTI leader threatened to lead a protest movement and march on Islamabad if the federal government didn’t stop what he called stepmother attitude with Pakhtuns.
Mr Khan said that people of the province were facing the worst kind of power loadshedding despite the fact that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was generating electricity.
He said that federal government was deliberately observing loadshedding to tease the people of the province for voting for PTI.
Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1189708/power-outages-meant-to-defame-kp-govt-pti-leader


Patient care improving with biometric attendance system

PESHAWAR: The installation of biometric attendance system has been benefiting the patients visiting the teaching hospitals for treatment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“The new attendance system installed some three months ago at the teaching hospitals of the province has ensured presence of doctors and support staff. This has benefited the poor patients who cannot afford visiting private clinics of the doctors,” a senior physician told this correspondent.
He said that initially there were some reservations about the new mechanism, but now things had settled down and the attendance of medical staff was improving. According to earlier practice, the specialist OPDs would start operations at 10:00am at the teaching hospitals and these were supposed to run through 2:00pm. However, senior doctors would sit there hardly till midday after which the patients were either seen by junior doctors or they would visit private clinics in the evening.
“Many patients advised certain investigations at OPD would face utter disappointment when they would see that doctors were missing from the OPD after they had returned with the desired investigations,” he said.
But all this was happening before the biometric system was put in place as now the OPDs remain open till 2:00pm with the presence of all staff from professors to the ward boy.

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OPDs of teaching hospitals remain open till 2:00pm

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Prior to the biometric system there was no mechanism to check the presence of doctors in wards. Every ward at the teaching hospitals has at least 30 doctors, including professors, associate professors, assistant professors, senior and junior registrars, medical officers, trainee medical officers and house officers.
In-charge professor of each ward had the authority to check their presence through verbal inquiries as there was no attendance registers for doctors as opposed to nurses, paramedics and class-IV staff who would put their signatures in attendance registers before the biometric system.
“When the professors and other senior doctors were away from the wards in connection with meetings and lectures in medical colleges, the juniors would have a field day and would left the wards at their sweet will,” said an administration officer at one of the teaching hospitals.
Requesting anonymity, he said that they had become sick of complaints regarding absence of doctors from the ward and the ward boys would continue to locate the on-duty doctors in hostels, but the new system had helped them to ensure doctors’ attendance.
He claimed that before the biometric system about 6,000 patients were examined at the Khyber Teaching Hospital, Hayatabad Medical Complex and Lady Reading Hospital, but now the number of patients had gone up to 10,000.
Still, some doctors and other staffers dodge the administration even in presence of the new system, but they were being corrected, he said.
“They affix thumbs on biometric machine at 8:00am in the morning and then leave the hospital and come at 2:00pm to affix their thumbs again to show their presence but such employees were now being traced,” he said.
A senior professor at the LRH said that the new system was meant to make the patient care effective. He said that the government hospitals had human resources enough for the diagnosis and treatment of the patients if these were utilised judiciously.
Upon success of the attendance system, the government has started extending it to the directorate of health and other hospitals, he said.
Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1189703/patient-care-improving-with-biometric-attendance-system

Unregistered medicine stores, clinics sealed in Dir

TIMERGARA: The provincial health regulatory authority has sealed unregistered and unauthorised medical stores and clinics here.
Sources in the health department told Dawn on Sunday that a senior inspector of HRA, Asadullah, along with drug inspectors raided different markets in Munda, Mayar and Samarbagh on public complaints.
The medical stores and laboratories without licences were sealed while the others were served show-cause notices as they closed their shops before the raid.
Talking to reporters on the occasion Mr Asadullah said unauthorised and unlicensed medical stores and laboratories won’t be allowed to play with lives of people.
However, the owners of sealed outlets alleged that those having political affiliation have had their medical stores and laboratories spared.
They demanded indiscriminate action against all unregistered medicines stores and laboratories.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1189704/unregistered-medicine-stores-clinics-sealed-in-dir

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: Update on KPK hydel projects

DAWN 23 JUNE 2015

Kohat water project shelved after years of delay

KOHAT: The project of clean drinking water for all, which was initiated in 2005-06 and was to be completed in 2015, has been shelved after facing many delays, Dawn has learnt.
The PC-1 of the project was prepared in 2004 at a cost of Rs115 million, which was revised costing Rs495 million. But the project has been abandoned for unknown reasons since 2007, Wahid ur Rehman, the district finance officer, who had worked on the project for five years, told Dawn.
He said initially the project was named as clean drinking water initiative and later it was renamed as clean drinking water for all.
The official said millions of rupees were wasted on the feasibility of the water supply project, but those responsible failed to execute it. The official said the project was planned after the Korean International Corporation, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, and WHO conducted tests on samples and declared the water in Kohat as contaminated and unfit for human consumption.
Under the project, said the official, the government had planned to install filtration plants in all the union councils. But, he added only one filtration plant could be installed in the cantonment area. The official said elected representatives of the district councils could not agree on the location of the filtration plants.
The water being supplied to people of the Kohat city by the tehsil municipal administration and the Kohat Development Authority has high levels of contamination as pipelines have become rusty, water tanks dilapidated and drain water is getting mixed with the potable water.
As a result, diseases like hepatitis, kidney swelling, diarrhea, clotting of blood leading to heart diseases and other stomach ailments are common among the residents. The polluted water is also resulting in early baldness and growth of grey hair among children and youth.
Even the water in Women and Children Hospital and Kohat divisional headquarters hospital is not safe for drinking, and doctors bring their own bottled water with them for consumption during duty hours. Similarly, the water in city courts is also not fit for consumption owing to dilapidated water tanks and polluted underground water. The Kohat University of Science and Technology in 2007 conducted 450 tests on samples of water and declared it unfit for human consumption.
POLICE SACRIFICES: The Commandant Frontier Reserves Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shehzad Aslam Siddiqui on Monday said restoration of peace in the province was the result of sacrifices rendered by the policemen in the war against terrorism.
Addressing a darbar at the police lines here, he said steps were being taken for welfare and capacity building of the police to enable them to face new challenges head on. He said police were performing double duty of providing security of lives and property to people and fighting against terrorists.
He advised the policemen to wear bullet-proof jackets, helmet and turn off warning lights of vehicles except in emergencies. He said a policy was being devised to take back those employees who had been expelled from the department due to their prolong absence from duty.
Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1189848/kohat-water-project-shelved-after-years-of-delay


Upper Dir a major tourist attraction during Ramazan

UPPER DIR: Tourists from within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as other parts of the country have thronged the hilly Upper Dir district along with families for spending the summer season, especially since the start of the fasting month of Ramazan, for a respite from scorching hot weather.
Many tourists have rented houses in Kumrat, Kohistan, Usheri Dara, Brawal, Lowari Top, Dir town and other areas of Upper Dir.
The visitors said keeping fast in their own towns during the current scorching hot days was very difficult and therefore, they had opted to be in Upper Dir to spend most of Ramazan.
They said during their stay in the district, they didn’t feel that they’re fasting.
“Keeping fast at such a place with pleasant weather is very easy,” said Ehsan Khan of Peshawar.
A friend accompanying Ehsan said he could fast in the area even if it lasted 20 hours a day.
Haji Wali Mohammad of Mardan said he had been visiting Upper Dir in the summer season with family for many years to avoid hot weather in hometown.
He said previously, he stayed in Usheri Dara, Brawal, Thal and Jagam but that time around, he opted for Qulandi, which was close to Lowari Top.
“Lush green hills, forests, beautiful springs, clean and cold water of rivers and scenic tourist spots make Upper Dir are popular with tourists like me,” he said.
For tourists, a tent village has been set up in the picturesque Komrat valley.
“We charge up to Rs200 per tent,” said owner of the tent village.
Some visitors complained tourist spots and valleys in the district lacked basic facilities like roads, hotels and cellphone networks.
Chaudhry Naveed of Lahore said he had come to the area with business friends to relax.
“We went to Komrat before the start of Ramazan and spent some memorable time there. We caught and had delicious trout which, I think, is a local treat for tourists,” he said.
He said if someone wanted to see heaven on earth, then he should visit Komrat.
Visitors praised locals for hospitality.
Hameed Khan of Nowshera said he had come to Patrak with family to spend Ramazan but pleasant weather, natural beauty and local people’s lovely behaviour had made them stay put for the whole summer season.
“A man has offered us his house without rent, while others give us butter, curd and desi ghee free of charge. They all serve with all their heart,” he said.
Visitor Hameed Khan also praised locals for being honest and straightforward.
He complained the roads in the area were in bad shape by and large.
Visitors demanded development of Upper Dir to attract tourists from within the country and abroad.
They said the government should repair and rebuild roads and build new to reach Jazz Banda, Saidgai and other areas to promote tourism.
Local people demanded establishment of motels and provision of basic facilities in the area.
Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1189849/upper-dir-a-major-tourist-attraction-during-ramazan


Fruit orchards play key role in Swat economy

MINGORA: Although trade activities have been affected badly in Swat during the holy month of Ramazan owing to prolonged power outages, yet fruit orchards have become a source of income for thousands of daily wagers in the district.
Known for its delicious fruits, the orchard-rich Swat valley provides some of the best peaches to the country’s fruit markets from late May to September.
Besides tourism, horticulture is another sector which plays key role in the economy of Swat. Swat valley is one of the major peach producing areas in the country.
According agriculture extension department, having over 13,000 hectares land for cultivation of different fruits, Swat produced up to 100,000 tonnes of fruits in 2014. Of the total production, 23,940 tonnes were peaches.
Ashmat Khan, owner of peach orchards in Charbagh, told this scribe that he earned handsome income from his orchards. He said that he himself dealt everything related to the orchards.
“Peaches of Swat have high demand in Karachi, Rawalpindi, Lahore and other fruit markets. We send an average of 200 boxes daily to the fruit market. The peaches of my orchard are easily sold at over Rs800 per box,” Mr Khan said. However, some the orchard owners complained of lack of interest by the government in the fruit orchards.
Bakth Alam, an orchard owner, who lives in Jahanabad area of Manglawar, has been working in the field for more than 15 years.
He said that business of peaches was beneficial but it needed hard labour for good production.
“It needs good fertilisers, pesticides and other medicines which are very expensive. The government should support us in this regard,” he told Dawn.
Mr Alam said that he sent his produce to the fruit markets of Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Peshawar.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1189850/fruit-orchards-play-key-role-in-swat-economy

Khattak threatens torching of Pesco HQ over outages

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Monday threatened the torching of the Peshawar Electric Supply Company headquarters in Peshawar over the excessive loadshedding in the province.
“I warn the Pesco to do justice to us and make efforts to get our province’s full share of electricity to end unscheduled power outages within a week otherwise lawmakers of both the opposition and treasury benches will not only besiege Pesco headquarters in Peshawar but put the offices of the Pesco chief executive on fire as well,” he told the provincial assembly here after the passage of the budget for financial year 2015-16.
The house passed the Rs487.8 billion budget for the next fiscal smoothly in the absence of major opposition parties, which have boycotted the session over the alleged rigging and mismanagement in the May 30 local body elections.
The chief minister said the prolonged, unscheduled power outages had frustrated the people in the province so much that they attacked Pesco installations and blocked roads. He said the Pesco chief executive’s failure to get the province’s due share of electricity from the national grid increased loadshedding duration during the fasting month of Ramadan.
Khattak said the national grid gave the province 400-500MW less electricity than the due share and that denied share was used by Punjab and other parts of the country.
Earlier, Qaumi Watan Party lawmaker Bakht Baidar Khan criticised the provincial government for rejecting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s offer to launch a metro bus service in Peshawar.
“Why the offer was not accepted if the prime minister is going to launch metro bus service in Karachi and Multan after Islamabad and Rawalpindi,” he said.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1189867/khattak-threatens-torching-of-pesco-hq-over-outages

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: Update on KPK hydel projects

DAWN 24 JUNE 2015

PA okays current fiscal’s Rs26bn supplementary budget


PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday approved the Rs26.39 billion supplementary budget being used by government departments during the current fiscal year.
A total of 53 demands for grants making up the supplementary budget were moved by ministers, advisers to the chief ministers and parliamentary secretaries of the relevant departments.
The house approved the demands in absence of opposition members, who have boycotted the budget session over the alleged rigging in the May 30 local body elections.
The major amount of the supplementary budget was granted to police, health, local government, irrigation, elementary and secondary education, home, and communication and works departments and special programmes of the chief minister.
When Speaker Asad Qaisar, who chaired the sitting, put the supplementary budget in the house for debate, only Qaumi Watan Party MPA Aneesazeb Tahirkheli was in attendance from the opposition benches.
Aneesazeb said last year, the PTI-led government had claimed to make efforts for discouraging the trend of supplementary budget.

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Bill to operationalise mobile court also gets house’s consent

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“Utilisation of the money wasn’t mentioned in the annual budget and therefore, its approval in the shape of supplementary budget is not a healthy trend,” she said.
The MPA asked the government to make the annual budget perfect after detailed discussion with stakeholders to avoid use of additional budget.
“The trend of supplementary spending in government departments should be ended at any cost,” she said.
Aneesazeb said the government didn’t care for additional utilisation and felt relaxed that it would pass the supplementary budget easily through its majority in the house.
Rejecting the MPA’s criticism, finance minister Muzaffar Said insisted the Constitution allowed the government to spend supplementary budget if the need arose before getting it approved by the assembly at the end of the fiscal year.
He said the supplementary budget for financial year 2014-15 was Rs3 billion less than that of 2013-14 and that it would be cut down further in future.
The house also passed the much-awaited Establishment of Civil Mobile Court Bill 2015 to operationalise the mobile court not functional for over a year.
The law will be applicable to the areas notified by the government in consultation with the Peshawar High Court chief justice.
In the absence of this law, a custom-built bus emblazoned with the words ‘mobile court’ has been parked on the premises of the Peshawar Judicial Complex since Dec 7, 2013.
The mobile court, first of its kind in the country, was inaugurated on July 27, 2012, by then Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan.
Provincial law minister Imtiaz Shahid tabled the bill, which was passed by the house unanimously.
The law envisages that a civil judge would preside over the mobile court.
The mobile court could take up cases for ‘recovery of money due on contract in writing, receipt or any other document; for recovery of movable property or value thereof; for compensation; for redemption of mortgaged property; for enforcement of easement rights; for restraining of waste and removing nuisance; for damages by cattle trespass etc.”
The law also provides for alternate dispute resolution (ADR) stating the court may resort to any mode of ADR as deem fit after obtaining consent of the parties involved.
It states, “Government, in consultation with High Court, may establish one or more Courts in each district or at such other place or places as it may deem necessary. Such courts shall hold sittings on rotation basis as directed by district judge at Tehsil Council or Town Council or Neighbourhood Council or Village Council or Police Station or any other place specified by the High Court.”
The house also passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information (Amendment) Bill 2015 and exempted itself from its purview.
Though the exemption was not mentioned in the bill tabled by the government, information minister Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani incorporated it in the proposed law verbally moments before its passage.
Law minister Imtiaz Shahid tabled the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Order (Amendment) Bill, 2015.
The speaker adjourned the session until July 28.
Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1190136/pa-okays-current-fiscals-rs26bn-supplementary-budget

Power outages in Gadoon to increase unemployment

SWABI: Gadoon Amazai Indusial Estate (GAIE) entrepreneurs have expressed concern over the nine-hour power loadshedding instead of the scheduled six hours daily as promised by the government, saying that they would be unable to meet demand of their clients due to the unscheduled outages. They warned that the prolonged power cuts in Gadoon would also increase unemployment.
Talking to this correspondent, Gadoon estate’s industrialists said here on Tuesday that the Peshawar Electric Supply Company had informed them through a letter that the power supply to Gadoon estate would remain suspended from 2:00am to 4:00am and then 7:00pm to 11:00pm daily. However, they said that the company had been violating its own schedule and the power outages had now reached nine hours a day.
Gadoon Industrial Association office-bearers, in a letter to the Pesco chief, had earlier stated that operating an industry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the current situation had become very difficult due to loadshedding. They have demanded reduction in the power outage so that the industry could be run smoothly without risk of loss.
Gadoon Industrial Association (GIA) president Mohammad Zahid Shah told Dawn that thousands of workers had been working in the Gadoon industry and the continued loadshedding would also affect their jobs. He and other industrialists said that when the employees would not work for nine hours they would not get the salary.

http://www.dawn.com/news/1190147/power-outages-in-gadoon-to-increase-unemployment




Properties of fraudster confiscated

PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau has frozen more properties worth millions of rupees of an accused in a multi-billion scam.
The NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Director General Shahzad Saleem issued the order of freezing of certain properties of Afzal Khaliq alias Double Shah of AK Forex Private Limited Wah Cantonment, according to a press release.
The suspect had allegedly deprived innocent people of billions of rupees through his agents in the garb of the infamous Mudarba and Musharka business. The affected people belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and central Punjab.
The statement said investigation into the case unearthed several other properties owned by the suspect in the name of Rehmanuddin of Hangu district, which were frozen by the NAB.
The frozen properties include 169 kanal 28 marla land in Hasanabdal tehsil of Attock district.
The statement said NAB had already filed before an accountability court an interim reference of claim amounting to Rs7.75 billion against the suspect and his five co-accused, including Sibtul Hassan Gilani alias Double Shah of Punjab.
Earlier, the NAB had frozen properties, including Multan Edible Oil Extraction Limited, an oil extraction company in Bahawalpur comprising 120 kanal land; 31 kanal and 12 marla land in Rawalpindi and Taxila; 795 kanal land in Rajanpur; 57 kanal and 14 marala land in Sialkot.
Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1190137/properties-of-fraudster-confiscated


Suspect denied bail in Haj corruption case


PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday denied bail to the director of a private company allegedly involved in deceiving more than 100 pilgrims on the pretext of sending them for Haj.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Mohammad Daud Khan dismissed the petition of suspect Fahad Usman for his release on bail in the case, which has been pending before an accountability court.
Few months ago, the National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, filed a reference against the petitioner and his father, Mohammad Usman, stated to be the owners of Karwan-i-Hujaj Private Limited.
The NAB alleged the suspects had deprived more than 100 intending pilgrims of around Rs48 million.
The petitioner’s lawyer said his client was innocent as the said company belonged to his father, wherein other family members were also directors.
He said his client was arrested in November last year but there was no noteworthy progress in the case.
The lawyer prayed that the court order the release of his client on bail.
NAB prosecutor Umar Farooq said the petitioner was the director of the company involved in Haj corruption.
He said despite being blacklisted by the government, the company continued to receive money from people on the pretext of sending them to Saudi Arabia for Haj.
The prosecutor said the company took Rs430,000 each from intending pilgrims at its Peshawar offices but they didn’t find the petitioner and his father when they later visited the offices for passports with Haj visa.
Also, the bench dismissed bail petitions of two suspects in Modaraba fraud case.
Badshah Rehman and Naimat Khan were arrested in March 2015.
However, prime suspect in the case Mufti Noor Habib Shah is still at large.
Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1190140/suspect-denied-bail-in-haj-corruption-case

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Re: Update on KPK hydel projects

DAWN 25 JUNE 2015

KP Assembly becomes a ‘sacred cow’

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has excluded itself from the purview of the law on right to information, which it had passed in 2013 to ensure transparency and good governance, raising concerns.
Some members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf said the amendment moved by the information minister verbally in the house on Tuesday was ostensibly sponsored by Speaker Asad Qaisar.
Sources said the controversial amendment was passed despite opposition by members of the ruling party.
Asad Qaisar defended the amendment saying the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly had very limited role after delegation of powers to the districts.
“The assembly does not get funds for development work and receives budget for running expenditure and therefore, there is no need to keep it within the purview of the RTI act,” he said.
The Right to Information Commission said the amendment was done arbitrarily and that it had not been consulted.
Chief Information Commissioner Sahibzada Mohammad Khalid said three amendments were proposed to the law and that the body didn’t ask for exemption of the assembly.
He said the commission was also against the exclusion of the assembly.
Khalid said a candidate for a vacant position in the provincial assembly had sought some information under the RTI Act but despite being given several notices, the assembly secretariat was reluctant to provide the information to the commission.

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Exempts itself from the purview of law on right to information

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Official sources said members of the cabinet, including Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, was not in favour of excluding the provincial assembly from the purview of the commission though the treasury came under pressure to include the clause to exempt the assembly from RTI.
“Frankly the government was not in favour of this amendment but the speaker’s chamber had been insisting to do so,” said a member of the cabinet on condition of anonymity.
He said amendment related with the assembly would be withdrawn sooner or later.
“Let Khan sahib (Imran Khan) come from abroad. He will take a final decision in this regard,” he said, adding that the chief minister was not happy with the amendment.
Asad Qaisar however dispelled the impression that he had personal desire to exclude the assembly from the RTI law saying the government had introduced the amendment.
Information minister Mushtaq Ghani had introduced the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act (Amendment), Act 2015 in the assembly on Wednesday to make three slight amendments to the relevant law.
Under Section 24 (4) of the original law, the information commission shall comprise three other members to be known as commissioners.
Through the new amendment, the number of the commissioners was reduced from three to two.
Similarly, the government had suggested amendments to sections 26 and 28 of the law.
However, the information minister verbally included fourth additional amendment in the said bill at the eleventh hour through which the provincial assembly was excluded from the purview of the RTI.
Before its introduction in the assembly, the said amendment bill was presented to the cabinet for approval. Under the RTI Act, except Peshawar High Court, all departments of the provincial government, chief minister secretariat, directorates and subordinate judiciary are bound to provide the sought-after information to ordinary citizens.
The act was introduced to ensure transparency in the affairs of the government.
The sources said the treasury was not supporting the ‘controversial’ amendment but the speaker’s chamber insisted for its inclusion in the bill.
“Even the speaker’s chamber refused to put the bill on the agenda unless the government included the clause about exemption of the assembly in the document,” said another source.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Governance and Public Accountability (CGPA) has deplored the exemption of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly from the purview of the law on right to information.
In a statement, CGPA executive director Mohammad Anwar said not only the exemption of the assembly from the RTI ambit was condemnable but the way the amendment bill was introduced also violated the acceptable norms of lawmaking.
The final version of the bill put for voting has not been provided to anybody, and last minute addition was made to grant exemption to the provincial assembly from RTI law.
He said lawmakers should be questioned on such legislation.
Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1190333/kp-assembly-becomes-a-sacred-cow

40 policemen lose job over Dera jailbreak

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The local district police officer has terminated 40 policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector, from service for negligence in duty during the central jailbreak two years ago.
DPO Sadiq Baloch told Dawn on Wednesday that an ASI, three head constables and 36 constables were among the sacked policemen.
These officials were on duty inside the prison on the night between July 29 and July 30 in 2013 when the Taliban militants stormed the premises and got over 230 prisoners, including 23 hardened militants, freed.
Former Pakistan Air Force official Adnan Rashid, who was convicted for an abortive bid on the life of General (r) Pervez Musharraf in Rawalpindi and had escaped from Bannu jail during a 2012 militant attack, had reportedly masterminded the jailbreak.
The sacked policemen performed duty on the jail’s main gate as well as at its different portions and barracks.
The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed responsibility for the jailbreak.
The policemen have the right to file appeals against their terminations with the department as well as service tribunal.
The action was taken on the recommendation of a two-member committee formed on the order of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.
The chief minister had expressed reservation about the findings of an earlier committee and instead formed another committee comprising senior civil 40 policemen lose job over DI Khan jailbreak servant Hamada Agha and educationist Fazal Rabi for the probe.
In its initial report filed with the provincial government, the two-member committee had recommended termination from service and some other penalties against the police personnel and other officials, including one from the prison, for negligence in duty and exhibiting cowardice during the militant attack on the jail.
The police personnel had challenged the recommendations of the committee in the Peshawar High Court.
However, the court recently dismissed the petitions prompting the government to follow the committee’s recommendations.
Sources said after policemen of low cadre, action would be taken against senior police officials responsible for DI Khan jailbreak.
They, however, said the decision on the matter would be taken by provincial police chief Nasir Khan Durrani and relevant authorities.
Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1190327/40-policemen-lose-job-over-dera-jailbreak

Tough time ahead for staff of teaching hospitals in KP

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to send the employees of the four teaching hospitals in the province to surplus pool in case they don’t opt to become institutional staffers instead of civil servants.
The government has started implementation of the Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act, 2015 and asked the employees of Khyber Teaching Hospital, Lady Reading Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar and Ayub Medical Complex in Abbottabad to become employees of their respective institutions.
There are two types of employees at the teaching hospitals. Those employees, who have been hired through public service commission or director of health and sent to these hospitals by transfers, are called civil servants while those recruited by these hospitals are called institutional employees.
Currently half of the employees of these hospitals are civil servants and half of them are institutional employees.
Under the new law, the government wants all the employees to become institutional employees and give up their status of civil servants. About 4,000 employees, including 3,000 paramedics and nurses, who are civil servants, aren’t ready to become institutional employees because they don’t want to lose their status as civil servants and opt for new conditions about which they are yet to be informed, according to sources.
Currently, they are employees of the provincial government. The law states that the employees should furnish options within 90 days regarding their decision.

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Medics will be sent to surplus pool if they don’t opt for becoming institutional employees

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“The new decision is quite opposite to the law,” sources said. All these employees are required to give option to the government by second week of July.
Indications are that the government’s move would trigger series of strikes and litigations as the employees aren’t ready to dissociate themselves from the provincial government and opt to become institution employees.
The government has claimed that it would improve working conditions of the employees by increasing their salaries once they are merged into the institutions.
Sources said that the government should share the benefits the employees would get under the new system before asking them for an option. In the prevailing circumstance, they couldn’t be expected to give up their present status and opt to work under conditions about which they didn’t know, sources said.
They said that those hospitals were mixtures of employees because there were direct appointments made by those institutions when they got financial and administrative autonomy in 2002 and others, who were sent to those hospitals by directorate or appointed through public service commission.
Bulk of the civil servants is in KTH, LRH and HMC, Peshawar while AMC Abbottabad has about 40 civil servants.
Sources said that a decision taken at a high level meeting a fortnight ago would affect the employees from basic pay scale 1 to 21. They would be transferred to the hospitals throughout the provinces after placing them in surplus pool.
Once they opt to become institutional employees, they would work only in the respective hospitals and would have nothing with the government.
The government’s move to bring about drastic changes to improve patients’ care is likely to face stiff resistance as it is not easy for the employees to dissociate themselves from the government.
Most employees fear that placement in surplus pool will deprive them of senior positions which exist only in teaching hospitals.
The employees say that the move is aimed at harming their interests.
Once the institution gets control and authority over them, it could introduce harsh measures than the government.
The government is yet to take into confidence the employees and discuss with them the pros and cons of the new system. The move could also lead to serious issues, such as de-recognition of the medical colleges.
The government has appointed teachers through public service commission and if they are sent to surplus pool, the colleges would face the issue of re-recognition.
Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1190340/tough-time-ahead-for-staff-of-teaching-hospitals-in-kp



MoU to ensure transparent promotion of DSPs


PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and Pakistan Provincial Service Academy (PPSA) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding for introducing junior command course for transparent promotion of DSPs to the rank of SPs.
Additional IGP headquarters Mian Mohammad Asif and PPSA director general Nighat Mehroz signed the agreement at a ceremony at the central police office here, according to a statement.
It said for the first time in the country’s history the junior command course was introduced for the mandatory training of DSPs to enable them to perform their duties efficiently. The PPSA will train selected DSPs for a period of three months, and the course module will be provided by the police department.
It was stated that though a system was in vogue in the police department for promotion of constables to the rank of inspectors after getting the mandatory training, there was no such mechanism for promotion of DSPs to the rank of SP. Thus the MoU was signed with the PPSA.
The statement said the new course would go a long way in ensuring transparency in promotion of DSPs and capacity building of the police force.
Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1190325/mou-to-ensure-transparent-promotion-of-dsps


Imran okays PTI nominee for Mansehra nazim

MANSEHRA: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan has endorsed the name of Sheryar Khan, nephew of Senator Azam Khan Swati, as the party’s candidate for the office of Mansehra district chairman.
A local electoral alliance consisting of Pakistan People’s Party, Qaumi Watan Party and an independent group had jointly named Sheryar Khan for the office.
The nomination was made during a meeting attended by 32 of the total of 59 district council members.
Former PTI provincial president Azam Khan Swati, PPP divisional president Shujah Salim Khan, QWP MPA Mohammad Ibrar and former provincial minister Habibur Rehman also attended the meeting.
Former MNA Laiq Mohammad Khan, father of Sheryar Khan, thanked the relevant political parties for naming his son as their unanimous candidate for the district chairman’s office.
He said PTI had secured the required strength to install its government in the district.
Laiq Mohammad said Mansehra needed such a district government, which could ensure the people’s welfare.
“The PTI district government will live up to the people’s expectations by effectively addressing their issues,” he said.
PML-N TO FORM GOVT: Councillor-elect Malik Mustajab Khan on Wednesday claimed PML-N would form the tehsil government in Mansehra.
Malik Mustajab told reporters here that none of the political parties had gained the required number of councillors in 35 wards to form the next tehsil government.
“We, PML-N, had emerged as the leading party in the May 30 local body elections. We’ll form the government after being joined by independents,” he said.
The councillor-elect said PTI had been falsely claiming to install own government in Mansehra tehsil as PML-N had secured the required number of councillors.
He said when independents would join PML-N, they could get reserved seats, too.
Malik Mustajab said his party’s leaders, including Sardar Mohammad Yousaf, Mohammad Safdar and Saleh Mohammad Khan, were active in addressing the core issues faced by people in the district.
Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1190332/imran-okays-pti-nominee-for-mansehra-nazim


40 bus drivers held for charging high fare

KHAR: The political administration of Bajaur Agency has arrested about 40 drivers of public transport vehicles, including cabs, for overcharging commuters on Peshawar-Bajaur route.
An official said on Wednesday that action against the transporters, most of them taxi drivers, was taken following public complaints. He said that the action was launched after the inquiry committee found the transporters guilty of violating the official price list for Peshawar-Bajaur route.
He said that the committee comprising officials of the local administration and Levies and representatives of local transporters observed that the transporters were charging between Rs800 and Rs1,100 from the passengers who travelled from Peshawar to Khar instead of the official fare of Rs480.
The official said that most of the transporters were carrying five passengers in a car instead of four. He said that at least 40 drivers had been arrested while several vehicles, most of them cars, were impounded during the three-day campaign.
Answering a question, he said that some transporters had been freed on bail. He said that action against the transporters would continue and the administration would ensure that they followed the official fare list for the Peshawar-Bajaur route.
Several people who travelled to Bajaur from Peshawar in private cars confirmed increase in charges. They said that transporters were still charging around Rs1,000 per passenger.
Justifying increase in fares, the transporters said that usually the number of passengers from Bajaur to Peshawar decreased during Ramazan and they had to increase the fare to meet their expenses. They said that most of vehicles depended only on the Peshawar-Bajaur route for earning livelihood.
Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1190336/40-bus-drivers-held-for-charging-high-fare

 

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