KPK Updates

[Syed Haider Imam]

DEC 09 2015

[h=1]Over 30,000 govt schools to be provided with facilities[/h] KOHAT: Provincial Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Department Mohammad Atif Khan has announced that over 30,000 government schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be provided basic facilities through the parent-teacher councils (PTCs).

Addressing a function here on Tuesday, the minister said that for this purpose Rs43 billion had been earmarked, while Rs10 billion had already been released. These institutions would be provided with computer labs, classrooms, water, latrines and other facilities.
He said that under the government policy of implementing equal education system and making the government schools and colleges educationally attractive, many IT companies had been contacted to install attendance system both for the students and teachers in all the schools.

---

[h=4]Minister says Rs43bn to be spent through parent-teacher councils[/h]

---

Managing director of the Elementary Education Foundation, Allah Nawaz Soomro, was also present on the occasion. He said that importance would be given to enforce same dress code in schools throughout the province so that the children should not feel marginalised.
He said that without competent teachers the schools and colleges could not excel despite all facilities. He said that attention was being paid to hiring highly-qualified staff on good salaries.
290 SUSPECTS HELD: The district police launched a grand operation against the criminals, their hideouts and facilitators and arrested 290 suspects, including a proclaimed offender, on Tuesday.
Bomb disposal squads, elite force, APCs, sniffer dogs, lady police and vehicles mounted with heavy machine guns have been moved from the city to the areas which have borders with Attock and Mianwali areas of Punjab.

The action was launched in line with the National Action Plan to ensure safety of citizens, said a statement issued from the office of DPO Sohaib Ashraf.
Two operational teams each headed by SHO Lachi Razi Gul and SHO Shakardarra Nazir Hussain have been formed to purge the remote areas from criminals where normal police manoeuvers could not be taken on routine basis.
During the action in Wali and Mandoori areas the Lachi police arrested a fugitive, identified as Spin Gul, and seized illegal weapons from his possession. He was wanted in murder and attempted murder cases.
The Lachi police also checked 120 houses, nine hotels and eight bus stands and booked 23 people. Besides, 485 motorcyclists were fined for not having registration documents and 84 drivers for tinted glasses of their cars.
The statement said that the operation along the tribal belt remained effective in stopping shifting of stolen vehicles, drugs and weapons and a permanent checkpost had been established there.
It claimed that as a result of this operation the northern, western and north-western sides of Kohat bordering tribal areas had been secured.
Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2015

http://www.dawn.com/news/1225178/over-30000-govt-schools-to-be-provided-with-facilities

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

DEC 10 2015

[h=1]Frequent amendments to laws show KP lawmakers’ ineptness

[/h] PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has frequently been introducing amendments to several laws of public importance as apparently these laws were not properly deliberated in and outside the house before their passage.
Experts on the subject believe that lack of expertise of the lawmakers in legislation and incompetence of bureaucracy are some of the reasons for this phenomenon. “Actually bureaucrats of the respective departments draft the bills while sometimes such bills land in the assembly directly from Bani Gala,” an official said on the condition of anonymity.
The laws being amended time and again include: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act, 2013; The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission Act, 2014; The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act, 2013 and The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act, 2015.
Awami National Party’s parliamentary leader in the provincial assembly, Sardar Hussain Babak, told Dawn that the government had been making laws which suited its interests rather than that of the masses.
“The bills are passed without the required debate inside the house and consultations on draft bills outside the house,” he said.
Mr Babak said that the draft bills should be discussed in seminars and workshops and shared with the media for incorporating public opinion before their tabling in the assembly for passage. However, such process was never adopted in legislation which had been causing frequent amendments and litigation, he said.

---

[h=4]ANP’s Babak claims bills are passed without proper debate[/h]

---

“The government wants to take credit for more legislation that is why it often passes the laws in a hurry and even without in-house debate during the passage,” he said.
Besides other laws, Mr Babak said that six amendments had been introduced recently in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act, 2013. So many amendments in only two years speak volume for the government’s inefficiency.
The consequent litigation and repeated amendments in the laws put the assembly in an awkward situation, he said, adding that most of the amendments had shown the ulterior motives of the ruling parties.
Mr Babak said that the latest amendment in the LG law was against the spirit of democracy. Under the amended law, if a nazim of the district or tehsil/town council fails to approve the budget, he/she has to seek fresh vote of confidence from the council concerned. If the nazim fails to get the vote of confidence, then he will cease to hold the office, he said.
When told that the opposition members are also not playing their due role in legislation, he said that Speaker Asad Qaiser was not giving proper time to them to criticise the quick process of the lawmaking. “The Speaker is not impartial rather he has been playing a role of PTI worker,” he claimed.
However, the provincial government has been defending such amendments in laws.
Spokesman for the provincial government Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, when contacted, took the credit for more legislation in his government’s tenure. He said that new laws had been introduced in the province for reforms in several government departments as recommended by the working groups set up by the government in early days of its formation.
“We practically implement each law. Sometime flaws in a law surface when it goes for implementation in the field,” he said. The spokesman said that making legislation and amendments was an ongoing process.
Giving an example, he said that on the recommendations of the working group, drastic amendments were introduced in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act, 2012, mostly regarding the appointment of vice-chancellors. “But we are going to amend that law again by relaxing criteria for VCs’ appointment as under the existing law the candidates hardly fulfil the criteria,” he said.
Asked why the draft law was not put for discussion in the media or seminars, the spokesman said that these forums were also good for discussion, but each draft bill went through a proper consultation on the department level.
Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2015


http://www.dawn.com/news/1225397/frequent-amendments-to-laws-show-kp-lawmakers-ineptness

[h=1]Launched with fanfare, home for street children in KP still empty

[/h] PESHAWAR: Zamung Kor, a project to provide shelter to street children, was launched by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government earlier last month with great fanfare, however it is likely to take at least three more months to become fully functional.

Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had inaugurated the project on November 20 on the occasion of Universal Children Day. However, a visit to Nasapa flats on Charsadda Road on the outskirts of the city shows that no children are living there as all the rooms are padlocked.
The huge complex comprising 11 blocks of 216 residential flats is completely empty except some policemen and social welfare department guards, who are deputed there.
The policemen, deputed at the residential complex, told Dawn that about 40 street children were brought there in a bus but they left the same day after the inauguration ceremony. “They even did not spend a single night in this building,” a policeman said.

---

[h=4]Official says project was not launched formally and would take about three more months[/h]

---

Another guard said that the children were taken to another government facility in Hassan Ghari locality of the city. The institution was likely to become functional on January 1, he said, adding that presently there was no gas connection in the complex.
However, a relevant official in social welfare and women development department, told Dawn that the project was not formally launched then and was likely to take around three months to become fully functional. “That was just a soft launch for public awareness and knowledge. It is not so simple to pick up street children and put them into some institution,” the official said, adding that they were working on a plant to make it a self-sustaining institution.
He said that there were many legal and procedural formalities to follow to make the model institution fully functional. “It is not just a hostel, rather we are trying to provide a family environment to these children,” he said.
The official said that they set up dining hall, kitchen and classrooms in the building and telephone connection was also provided to the complex. He said that 29 children were currently living in welfare home for protection. He said that model street children home was a big project and they planned to set up a state-of-the-art institution. “We have also acquired 100 kanals in the vicinity of the project,” he said.
The official said that street children were not normal children and their rehabilitation and integration process would be a long one and the officials working at this facility needed to be properly trained to handle them.
He said that the residential complex, which was handed over to social welfare department, would have residences, sports and recreation facilities, outdoor games and computer laboratories for street children. “It is a model institution and not something temporary,” the official said. He added that they were also legislating to give legal cover to the institution.
The official said that although no official figures of street children in the provincial capital were available, yet estimates from various surveys put their number around 25,000. However, presently, only 29 children were staying at the welfare and beggar home jointly.
The project would cost Rs449 million to the provincial kitty to host about 1,000 street children.
MPA Begum Meraj Humayun Khan, focal person for the project, told Dawn that in November the project was only announced and its formal launch was scheduled in January.
She said that 29 children were taken there from child protection unit Faqirabad and were also given gifts. She said that many legal and procedural issues were involved in making an autonomous institution which they were trying to overcome. “It is not a project, rather a programme aimed at taking out all children from streets,” she said.
The MPA said that a nine-member board was also formed for the institution and its meeting would take place on December 17. “The board will select its chairman and also approve institution’s rules and regulations,” she said.
Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2015

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

DEC 11 2015

|

[h=1]PDWP okays Rs12bn projects

[/h]PESHAWAR: A meeting of Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr Hammad approved here on Thursday 14 projects with an estimated cost of Rs12.089 billion.
The meeting was attended by PDWP members including the respective administrative secretaries.
The forum considered 20 projects pertaining to health, elementary and secondary education, higher education, irrigation, communication and works and public health engineering departments for uplift of the province.
The approved project included 200 higher secondary schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Phase-I), establishment of GDC at Manki Sharif, Nowshera, construction of additional academic infrastructure in government colleges, provision for contractors accrued Liabilities and uncashed cheques, planning and monitoring cell, construction of protection structures on right side of Kabul River and Nowshera-Mardan Road Bridge, construction of flood embankment on right side of Kabul River, reconstruction of causeway on Bara River, Warsak gravity canal in Peshawar, improvement of canal patrol road along lower Swat canal, providing and improving irrigation infrastructure flood works, water channels through gravity and storage in Barawal area, District Dir (Upper), rehabilitation and improvement of canal patrol road Bakhshali Disty Chura minor and Machai branch including bridge Shabaz Garhi, Mardan.
Published in Dawn, December 11th, 201

[h=1]Court stops NAB from arresting Mardan university’s VC

[/h] PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench on Thursday stopped the National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, from arresting or harassing Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Vice Chancellor Dr Ihsan Ali in a case of the alleged appointment of 700 people to the university without fulfilling legal formalities.
Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Irshad Qaisar directed the NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to file comments within a fortnight in reply to a petition filed by the VC challenging the issuance of a call-up notice to him by the bureau in the case.
They directed the petitioner to join the NAB investigation into the case.
Dr Ihsan Ali, a noted archeologist, was earlier arrested on Sept 15 by the NAB along with several other academicians in a case of misusing authority by giving affiliation to an illegal medical institution in Abbottabad. He was granted interim bail by the high court in that case on Sept 23.

---

[h=4]Seeks bureau’s explanation on a call-up notice issued to Dr Ihsan Ali[/h]

---

In May 2015, the NAB executive board had sanctioned an inquiry several officials of the AWKU including Dr Ihsan Ali suspecting they were involved in irregularities in appointments in both teaching and non-teaching cadres.
It alleged that more than 700 appointments were made without any codal formalities.
Lately, the board converted the inquiry into full-fledged investigation.
Qazi Mohammad Anwar, lawyer for Dr Ihsan Ali, said his client was a prominent academician and an archeologist of international repute.
He said since over a year the NAB had been looking into the case and for that purpose, the petitioner had fully cooperated with them and provided them with all the relevant records.
The lawyer said the NAB had summoned the petitioner to its regional office and he apprehended that he might be arrested.
He added that Dr Ihsan Ali was a serving vice chancellor and there was no chance that he would turn an absconder.
The lawyer said if any documents or record was required to NAB, the petitioner was willing to provide the same.
The chief justice observed that NAB had the powers to conduct inquiry and investigation against people but it should also ensure that nobody should be defamed in the name of inquiry.
He observed that the NAB should avoid summoning the people unnecessarily and if it needed any record, then instead of summoning officials, it should ask for the said record.
INTERIM BAILS EXTENDED: The bench also extended interim bails granted to several academicians including Dr Ihsan Ali in the case of misusing authority by giving affiliation to an illegal medical institution in Abbottabad.
When the bench began hearing into petitions of suspects, Qazi Mohammad Anwar, lawyer for some of them, said the NAB had filed comments in the cases.
Advocate Khalid Anwar Afridi, representing one of the petitioners, requested the court to give him time to file rejoinder to the NAB comments.
The petitioners include Dr Ihsan Ali, who is also a former vice chancellor of Hazara University, another former Hazara University VC Dr Syed Sakhawat Shah, Northern Institute of Medical Sciences Abbottabad chairman Dr Mohammad Aziz Khan, former chairman of Higher Education Regulatory Authority Professor Hamayun Zia and former principal of Ayub Medical College (AMC) Professor Mohammad Ayub.
The NAB had alleged that the petitioners had cheated public at large by luring students to get admission in an illegal and unregistered medical educational institution, NIMS Abbottabad, depriving their parents of more than Rs550 million.
Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2015


http://www.dawn.com/news/1225657/court-stops-nab-from-arresting-mardan-universitys-vc

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

[h=1]A little patience: Multiple cluster survey in 2016 to help with future LG allocations

[/h]PESHAWAR: With the last census conducted in 1998, how can the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government set up a local government system without knowing local population strength and the accompanying need for infrastructure? Speaking to The Express Tribune, the man behind the system Minister for Local Government Inayatullah Khan has shared the provincial government is conducting a multiple cluster survey that will be completed by June 2016. This survey will form the basis of allocation of funds for the local government system under the Provincial Finance Commission (PFC). A census is also expected in the same year.

Ever since the LG system has been reintroduced in K-P, it has been under scrutiny by politicians, the masses and the representatives themselves. Some complain of inadequate devolution of powers while others complain of funding problems. Inayatullah himself looks at the new system with both a glass half empty and a glass half full point of view.
A long time coming: Govt, PTI leaders okay rules of business for LG
Whose money is it anyway?
When talking of the fund allocation for the local government, he says of the total Rs144 billion, Rs102 billion is either for the salaried or non-salaried component. The manner in which the remaining Rs42 billion is spent will be decided by the PFC.
The PFC’s allocation is further broken down as 50% on the basis of population, 25% based on poverty, 20% for the lack of infrastructure and 5% on revenue.
One the other hand, 30% of the total funds distributed to the local bodies under the PFC are solely allocated for development by the district, tehsil or village councils. The District Development and Advisory Committee (DDAC) has nothing to do with them. At the same time, Inayatullah says, district and tehsil nazims are coopted members of the DDAC so there is no overlapping in development schemes.
However, these allocations to districts are on the basis of the census conducted in 1998, while poverty and lack of infrastructure are measured by an almost seven-year-old survey. As a result, questions arise on whether current distribution is based on ground realities? The multiple cluster survey, Inayatullah said, will be the solution to this dilemma.
Regardless, the increase in current allocations has been phenomenal. There are areas like Lower Chitral which was given Rs7million in the past but that figure has been increased to Rs110 million.
Nazims elected for Provincial Finance Commission
Ironing out the system
In Inayatullah’s explanation, systems take time to get established, adding the main reason for existing hurdles is the transitory phase. “Local bodies ceased to exist because of the transition from democracy to autocracy.” However, he does not deny the involvement of political forces which have been reluctant to establish local governments because of their desire for powers to be concentrated “Let’s give them time because there is no prerequisite,” he suggests.

The minister says he is well aware of the several lacunae which range from differences between political alliances in districts to complaints of non-transfer of funds.
Talking about the advantages, he cites the example of the recent earthquake. He points out that village councils formed committees and conducted surveys under the government’s instructions and these were further verified by the military in the final phase. “However, the presence of a body at the grass-roots level not only monitors, but also actively participates—and immediately—and this makes all the difference,” he believes.
Power of the nazim
Inayatullah rejects the notion that the amended K-P Local Government Act 2015 has reduced the authority of the nazims or their respective councils through legislation tilted in favour of MPAs. “[This belief] is all because of the lack of understanding,” he says.
However, local government representatives have taken to the streets in protest against the powers given to the bureaucracy. They say these are in violation to the Constitution and the spirit of the 18th Amendment which empowers local bodies. When the law was first passed, experts hinted that such an argument would arise.
The senior minister acknowledges that a power tussle exists and “it will take time to settle down”. He stressed that “guidelines” given to local government representatives are based on past experiences and exist to ensure that the budget is mostly spent on local development schemes like pathways and streets. After the devolution of districts in the aftermath of the 18th Amendment, local governments will have to manage their expenses and therefore guidelines are important.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 6[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1004666...y-in-2016-to-help-with-future-lg-allocations/


[h=1]In preparation for 2016: Three education bills to be introduced

[/h]PESHAWAR: The provincial government is planning to introduce three bills that will make it compulsory for every child to attend school and regularise private educational institutions.

One of the bills will also regulate the hiring process of government school teachers who will be recruited in the same area as that of their residence. This was stated in a handout issued on Sunday by the K-P government.
A meeting was held at the department of education and was attended by high-ranking officials.
Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif Khan, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Higher Education Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and Chief Minister Pervez Khattak co-chaired the meeting.

The moot was also attended by secretaries of the concerned departments and a team of Department for International Development (DFID), UK, which was represented by its Islamabad-based head.
The bigwigs at the meeting also decided the universities model act, currently being considered by the vice chancellors, will be implemented by March 2016 to effectively administer activities of public sector universities in the province.
The newly established Women’s University in Mardan will also become operational starting March 2016 and provide quality higher education to women from across the province.
While highlighting the party’s commitment to develop the education sector, Imran Khan emphasised the need to improve the standard of higher studies in the province.
“The provincial government must take immediate and necessary steps to make college-level educational institutions fully autonomous,” the handout quoted him as saying. He said since colleges are feeding universities, the standard of education in the colleges must also be raised and college administrations, including the principals, should also be made answerable. Imran urged the K-P government officials to excel at their job and do what “the other two parties, who had been in power for six times,” could not do.
Meanwhile, CM Pervez Khattak thanked DFID for helping improve the education sector in the province and said the provincial government is providing all financial support required. The government is “spending about 29% of its development budget to improve the state of education and have not taken a single penny in loans for this purpose,” he added.
There will be no primary schools with less than six rooms and at least as many teachers, Khattak said. He added teachers are available round the clock for their students and the government will hire teachers from the same area the schools are located in to eliminate absenteeism.
He also asked for the acceleration of ongoing work on Chitral University and ordered the provision of a transport facility for teaching staff of government colleges within the current month.
Sahibzada Muhammad Saeed, head of the Strategic Support Unit of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, said the law department had vetted the draft legislation to make school education compulsory for all children in K-P and it would be implemented by June 2016.
He said a draft of the universities model act had been sent to the VCs for their input and its implementation was planned by March 2016. He further stated that merit would be established for school-based recruitment of teachers and postings/transfers will be checked. Meanwhile, the availability of teachers would be ensured through another proposed law which had been sent to the law department for vetting and would be implemented by April 2016.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 7[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.



[h=1]Billion for betterment: First development budget presented by city district council

[/h]

Rs1,306.9m announced with bulk of funds for education, roads. CREATIVE COMMONS


PESHAWAR: The city district government announced its first development budget of Rs1,306.9 million. The budget was presented by district nazim Muhammad Asim Khan on Tuesday.
“The total estimated income of the city district government is Rs490.7 million while the estimated expenditure is Rs440.1 million,” said district convener Syed Qasim Ali Shah at the budget session held at District Council Hall in the city on Tuesday.
Education and road works were allocated Rs163.25 million each. The nazim said Rs81.62 million has been set aside for health. “Out of the amount [for health] Rs20 million will be spent on basic health units for rural areas,” said Asim. Furthermore, Rs40.8 million has set aside for agriculture purposes and Rs81.6 million for water and sanitation services in the district.
“Rs40.8 million has been allocated for women’s development and youth affairs and sports respectively.” Besides, the nazim, said Rs102.39 million has been set aside for elected district members and Rs204.06 million as discretionary funds. He added Rs1.113 million will be given to each district council member.
Income generation
Asim said the city district government generates income from 11 areas. “Rs48.5 million has been generated from rent of property,” he said, adding Rs1.5 million have been received as transfer fees from shops and Rs270 million from terminals that come under the city district government.
Moreover, Asim told participants at the session Rs4.5 million was generated from public latrines.
“We have increased the funds for special education,” said Asim. He added the city district government gives Rs251.99 million in salaries to workers in the municipal administration.
Meanwhile, members of the opposition protested outside the District Council Hall.
Pakistan Peoples Party’s Razaullah Khan Chagharmatti said treasury members did not give an opportunity to members of the Opposition to talk on the district council floor. He said they have not voted for the budget to be passed. “The budget includes the income received from the general bus stand, although the bus stand comes under Town-I and towns have a separate budget.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 9[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1006341...-first-development-budget-presented-for-city/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

KP has done well': provinces must prepare own growth strategies: Pasha

Former Advisor to Prime Minister, Dr Hafeez Pasha Friday said Khyber Pakhtunkhawa has done well in terms of foreign remittance, per capita income and employment as compared to other provinces and emphasised that provinces must prepare their own growth strategies on annual basis. Speaking at the launch of Institute of Policy Reforms brief on growth and provincial economics, he stated that in Punjab growth and production of crops declined while in Sindh industrial growth has slowed.

He added that KP economies have done well in terms of foreign remittances, per capita income and employment. He said time has come now that federal and provincial bureaus of statistics should undertake preparation of data and accounts on provinces. Pasha said that trouble in Karachi was causing an estimated loss of Rs 400 billion annually while serious problem of governance was manifested in poor social indicators of Punjab and Sindh provinces and KP was the only province which showed continuous increase in literacy.

He added that literacy fell from 60 percent to 58 percent. He felt that planning in Pakistan must reorient to a bottom-up approach whereby provincial development plans must aggregate into a national plan. He presented estimates of provincial GDPs for the 15-year period between 1999-2000 and 2014-15. He said that his study of provincial GDPs also deepened knowledge about drivers of growth and their geographical location.

Pasha stated that Punjab has a 54 percent share in the national economy, followed by 30 percent Sindh, 13 percent KP, and 3 percent Balochistan. Share of each province has changed in the 15 years under review. The most pronounced shift is in KP whose share has increased from 11 percent in 2000 to 13 percent in 2015, whereas the share of Balochistan declined from 3.8 to 2.9 percent. Looking at productive sectors, Punjab's share in agriculture production is 62 percent, Sindh 23 percent, and KP has a share of 10 percent. In industry, Punjab's share is 40 percent; Sindh has a share of 42 percent and KP 14 percent, he added.

He said during 2000-08 when the economy grew rapidly, Sindh was the best performing economy with high growth in large-scale industry but provincial economic growth declined during the two succeeding periods of 2008-13 and 2013-15. Punjab grew faster than other provinces during periods of slow growth and throughout these periods, the KP economy has maintained a healthy rate of growth of 5 percent or above.

Pasha added that growth in production of major crops in Punjab, which accounts for 75 percent of national value added to these crops, has declined while deteriorating law and order in Karachi coupled with power shortage has slowed industrial growth in Sindh with its effect on national growth. Since 2008, industry in Sindh has actually contracted while KP economy has done well, however, sustainability of its growth is open to question. Foreign remittances have largely driven KP growth, where 20 percent of household income comes from remittances. The corresponding figures for Punjab and Sindh are 10 percent and 3 percent. KP has acquired the characteristics of a remittance led service economy with limited indigenous production base, he added.

Balochistan has had the slowest economic growth where 'real per capita income may have actually fallen'. Insurgency seems to be the major reason for this. Agriculture, however, has been buoyant in Balochistan. Increase in provincial resources after the 7th NFC Award may have begun to have some impact on the province's economic growth rate. As per report, shifts in per capita income among provinces are profound. In 2000, Sindh had the highest per capita income among provinces. Today, it has slipped to third place with Punjab at number one. KP ranked fourth in 2000, moved to third place by 2008 and is currently second highest. Employment has moved in a similar way. Between 2000 and 2008, Sindh had the highest growth rate of jobs of 4.5 percent. Currently, KP has the highest growth rate.

With increase in per capita income in KP, inequality among provinces has fallen, especially as Sindh has lost growth momentum in recent years. Balochistan remains a concern as slow growth may have increased inequality with other provinces. Inequality in household income within each province is highest in Punjab and lowest in KP. Balochistan has the second highest inequality and Sindh is at number three. Report on 'Growth of the Provincial Economies' was prepared by Hafeez Pasha.

In his address of welcome, IPR Chairman Humayun Akhtar Khan stated that the Institute's research launched today was the first in-depth study of provincial economies in the country. He stated that increased financial and administrative powers with the provinces, since the last NFC Award and the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, meant that national growth is now an outcome of local and provincial growth.

This realisation seems to have been lost. Each province must have a development and growth strategy for its economy. However, planners are at a disadvantage, as Pakistan does not prepare provincial accounts. He said that given paucity of data on sub-national economies, IPR's research is truly exceptional. The IPR plans to fill the data gap and find a mechanism to construct provincial accounts in the coming years.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2015




http://www.brecorder.com/business-an...ate=2015-12-05

 

[Admiral]

نسوار پر ٹیکس؟؟:13::13: لگتا ہے ان کا
اگلا الیکشن جیتنے کا کوئی ارادہ نہیں

NOV 23 2014

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Dec 12 2015

نواز شریف کے پشاور انے پر پشاور کا بیڑا غرق

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

DEC 13 2015

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

DEC 14 2015

|

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

DEC 15 2017

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

dEC 16 2015

Khattak launches health insurance scheme

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak here on Tuesday launched a health insurance scheme under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sehat Sahulat Programme for the deserving and poor patients in the province.

The programme, initiated with the financial and technical assistance of the German governments development bank, Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KFW), will ensure provision of health cards to the needy poor who will be able to receive medical assistance of up to Rs25,000 per person annually.
The health cards would be awarded initially in four districts, including Malakand, Kohat, Mardan and Chitral, and then the programme would be expanded to the whole province, announced the chief minister while addressing as chief guest at its inaugural ceremony.

---

The programme is funded by the German govt

---

He said that the initiative was first of its kind in the whole country and it was also a major step of the provincial government towards changing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said that his government would continue to support such innovative programmes and extend the programme to all districts of the province so as to achieve the goal of universal health coverage.
Mr Khattak urged the KfW to consider extension of eight million euro Tuberculosis Control Programme which had successfully covered 100% drug needs of 200,000 TB patients over the last five years.
Ambassador of Germany Ms Ina Lepel, health minister Shahram Tarakai, Pakistan-based director of KfW, chairperson of State Life Insurance and secretary health also spoke on the occasion.
The chief minister criticised the irresponsible attitude of the health sectors public servants and disclosed that all 57 staff members of a Mardan-based hospital were found absent from duty during a visit of a minister. He said that the elements who had adopted such behaviour towards public services were not doing justice with the motherland nor were they serving the ailing humanity for which they were being paid.

Mr Khattak appreciated the assistance of German government for the programme and hoped that it would continue cooperation to improve the state of health in the province. On this occasion, he also handed over the first health insurance card to a deserving patient.
Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2015


http://www.dawn.com/news/1226678/khattak-launches-health-insurance-scheme

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

DEC 17 2015

[h=1]Doctors prefer clinic over hospital[/h] LAKKI MARWAT: All doctors except two were found absent from duty when additional assistant commissioner, Lakki Marwat, Mohammad Yaqoob Burki paid a surprise visit to the Government City Hospital here on Wednesday.

The visit followed public complaints about doctors absence from duty. Only two doctors, including Ms Sumera and Bilal, were present in the emergency ward at the time of AACs visit. Other doctors, including the medical superintendent, had not reached the hospital till 9:30am. The outpatient department presented a deserted look as patients sitting on benches were seen helplessly waiting for doctors.
The patients and their relatives complained that doctors preferred to attend their private clinics located near the hospital. They told Mr Burki that they had come from remote rural areas, but it seemed they would return without getting any treatment. They said that doctors were present in their clinics outside the hospitals main gate, but they had no time to examine patients in the government facility.
The official took notice of the situation and directed the medical superintendent to initiate action against the truant doctors and deduct their salaries.
Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2015


http://www.dawn.com/news/1226924/doctors-prefer-clinic-over-hospital

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

نیشنل ایکشن پلان میں پولیس کی صلاحیت بڑھانے پر توجہ نہیں

پاکستان میں دہشت گردی کے خطرے سے نمٹنے کے لیے نیشنل ایکشن پلان کے نفاذ کو سال گزر جانے کے باوجود سول سکیورٹی اداروں کو جدید اور مضبوط بنانے کے ضمن میں کوئی قابل ذکر پیش رفت نہیں ہو سکی۔

اسی منصوبے کے تحت نیکٹا نامی انسدادِ دہشت گردی کا اعلیٰ ترین ادارہ بھی وجود میں آنا تھا مگر عملی طور پر اس کے پاس صرف اسلام آباد میں درجن بھر اہلکاروں اور ایک دفتر سے زیادہ کچھ نہیں۔
نیشنل پولیس بیورو کے سابق سربراہ شعیب سڈل نے بی بی سی اردو کو بتایا: سب سے زیادہ پولیس کو مضبوط کرنے کی ضرورت ہے۔ اگر پولیس اپنا کام صحیح کرے تو فوج اور رینجرز کی مدد کی بہت کم ضرورت پڑے گی۔
نیشنل ایکشن پلان پر عملدرآمد تمام اداروں کی مشترکہ ذمہ داری ہے
سیاسی چیلنجز نیشنل ایکشن پلان پر مکمل عمل درآمد میں رکاوٹ

سب سے زیادہ پولیس کو مضبوط کرنے کی ضرورت ہے۔ اگر پولیس اپنا کام صحیح کرے تو فوج اور رینجرز کی مدد کی بہت کم ضرورت پڑے گی۔ نیشنل ایکشن پلان کو آئینی تحفظ حاصل ہے اور سپریم کورٹ بھی اسے دیکھ چکی ہے۔ اس کے بعد حکومت کو اس ایک سال کے دوران کم سے کم پولیس کی تعداد اور صلاحیت کے اعتبار سے موجود خامیوں کو دور کرنے پر توجہ دینی چاہیے تھی۔نیشنل پولیس بیورو کے سابق سربراہ شعیب سڈل​

انھوں نے کہا کہ نیشنل ایکشن پلان کو آئینی تحفظ حاصل ہے اور سپریم کورٹ بھی اسے دیکھ چکی ہے۔ اس کے بعد حکومت کو اس ایک سال کے دوران کم سے کم پولیس کی تعداد اور صلاحیت کے اعتبار سے موجود خامیوں کو دور کرنے پر توجہ دینی چاہیے تھی۔
چلیں اُس طرف ابتدا ہی ہو جاتی۔ ہم کہتے ہیں کہ جی یہ ہمارا پانچ سال کا منصوبہ ہے اور پہلے سال میں ہم نے یہ کرنا تھا وہ ہم نے کر لیا ہے مگر ایسا نہیں ہوا۔
حکومت پاکستان نے چند ہفتے پہلے نیکٹا کو عملے کی بھرتی کے لیے ایک ارب سے زیادہ کی رقم جاری کی ہے مگر سرکاری ذرائع کے مطابق وزارتِ داخلہ اور نیکٹا کے حکام مستقبل میں بھی اس ادارے کا کردار محض حکومتی تھنک ٹینک یا تحقیقی مرکز سے زیادہ نہیں دیکھتے۔
پاکستان کے بعض حصوں میں غیر ملکی امداد سے پولیس کو جدید ٹیکنالوجی سے لیس کرنے پر محدود پیمانے پر کام ہو رہا ہے۔

اس ضمن میں خیبر پختونخوا میں برطانیہ کی مالی مدد سے پولیس کو جدید خطوط پر استوار کرنے کی کوشش کی جا رہی ہے۔

اعتبار نامی اس منصوبے کے تحت صوبے میں مثالی تھانے یا ماڈل پولیس سٹیشن بنائے جا رہے ہیں۔ سات میں سے اب تک پانچ ماڈل پولیس سٹیشن بنائے جا چکے ہیں جبکہ دو تکمیل کے مراحل میں ہیں اعتبار نامی اس منصوبے کے تحت صوبے میں مثالی تھانے یا ماڈل پولیس سٹیشن بنائے جا رہے ہیں۔ سات میں سے اب تک پانچ ماڈل پولیس سٹیشن بنائے جا چکے ہیں جبکہ دو تکمیل کے مراحل میں ہیں۔
ان مثالی تھانوں میں عملے اور سائلین کے لیے پینے کا پانی، بیت الخلا، کینٹین، بیٹھنے کی معیاری سہولتیں، تفتیش کے لیے جدید آلات اور تربیت فراہم کی جا رہی ہے جبکہ پولیس کو انسانی حقوق اور عورتوں کے ساتھ یکساں برتاؤ کرنے کی آگاہی بھی دی جا رہی ہے۔
نوشہرہ کے تھانہ نوشہرہ کلاں میں ایس ایچ او نصیر اختر سے ملاقات ہوئی تو وہ نئے تفتیشی کمرے میں بیٹھے ٹی وی سکرین پر نظریں جمائے بیٹھے تھے جس پر دیوار کے پیچھے ساتھ والے کمرے میں ایک 18 سالہ افغان لڑکی کے قتل کے ملزم سے پوچھ گچھ جاری تھی۔ وہ ٹی وی سکرین پر ملزم سے ہونے والی تفتیش براہ راست دیکھ رہے تھے۔
انھوں نے بتایا کہ اب تفتیش کی کیمروں کے ذریعے ریکارڈنگ ہوتی ہے اور ملزم کو پتہ بھی نہیں ہوتا۔ سب سے اہم بات یہ ہے کہ اس سے تھانوں میں تشدد کے رجحان کی حوصلہ شکنی ہوگی کیونکہ تھانے کے ہر حصے میں سی سی ٹی وی کیمرے نصب ہیں جن کے ذریعے ہر ایک کی حرکات و سکنات ریکارڈ ہوتی ہیں۔

سب سے اہم بات یہ ہے کہ اس سے تھانوں میں تشدد کے رجحان کی حوصلہ شکنی ہوگی کیونکہ تھانے کے ہر حصے میں سی سی ٹی وی کیمرے نصب ہیں جن کے ذریعے ہر ایک کی حرکات و سکنات ریکارڈ ہوتی ہیں۔نوشہرہ کے تھانہ نوشہرہ کلاں میں ایس ایچ او نصیر اختر ​

انھوں نے بتایا کہ پہلے ہم تفتیش کے دوران ملزم کا بیان کاغذوں پر لکھتے تھے جس سے بعد وہ مکر بھی سکتا تھا مگر اب ہم اس کی ریکارڈنگ بار بار چلا کر دیکھ سکتے ہیں اور اس سے ہمیں معاملے کی تہہ تک پہنچنے میں بڑی مدد ملتی ہے۔
انھوں نے بتایا کہ ان کے تھانے کو جلد ہی موبائل فورینسک کی سہولت بھی ملنے والی ہے جس سے مقدمات کو نمٹانا بہت آسان ہو جائے گا۔
پہلے ہم فورینسک رپورٹ کے لیے نمونے پشاور یا لاہور بھیجا کرتے تھے جس کی رپورٹ آنے میں مہینوں لگ جاتے تھے مگر اب یہ کام دنوں میں ہو جائے گا۔
مگر یہ سب کچھ ملک کے چند تھانوں تک محدود ہے۔ زیادہ تر علاقوں میں پولیس آج بھی بنیادی سہولتوں، جدید ٹیکنالوجی اور تربیت سے محروم ہے۔

پاکستان کے صوبے خیبر پختونخوا میں برطانیہ کی مالی مدد سے پولیس کو جدید خطوط پر استوار کرنے کی کوشش کی جا رہی ہے نیشنل پولیس بیوریو کے مطابق پاکستان میں کشمیر اور گلگت بلتستان سمیت پولیس کی کل تعداد سوا چار لاکھ ہے جس میں سپاہی سے آئی جی رینک تک کے افسران بھی شامل ہیں۔
تناسب کے لحاظ سے اوسطاً ہر 450 شہریوں کے لیے ایک پولیس اہلکار ہے۔
نیشنل بیورو کے اعداد و شمار کے مطابق پنجاب میں ایک لاکھ 18 ہزار، سندھ میں ایک لاکھ 14 ہزار، اسلام آباد میں دس سے 11 ہزار، خیبر پختونخوا میں 66 ہزار، بلوچستان میں 35 سے 36 ہزار،گلگت بلتستان چھ ہزار اور پاکستان کے زیرِ انتظام کشمیر میں آٹھ ہزار پولیس نفری موجود ہے۔
اقوامِ متحدہ کے معیار کے مطابق ہر 350 شہریوں کے لیے ایک پولیس اہلکار ہونا چاہیے۔
ماہرین کہتے ہیں کہ پاکستان میں پولیس اور شہریوں کا تناسب اتنا کم بھی نہیں۔
پاکستان کی اندرونی سکیورٹی میں فوج کا فُٹ پرنٹ ہمیشہ سے حاوی رہا ہے مگر کئی تجزیہ کاروں کے بقول سویلین سکیورٹی اداروں کی کمزوری اور

http://www.bbc.com/urdu/pakistan/2015/12/151215_pak_security_rwa
پسماندگی کی بڑی وجہ سیاسی عزم کی کمی ہے

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

DEC 18 2015

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

DEC 19 2015

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

DEC 20 2015

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

DEC 21 2015

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

DEC 22 2015

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

Polio drive to target 5.2m children in 24 districts

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to initiate one last polio campaign in December to combat the crippling virus in those regions where monitoring is required.
Officials privy to the development told The Express Tribune, a meeting was held at Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) on Friday. It was informed that all districts were prepared to conduct inoculation drives.
Violence and insecurity keep poliovirus alive in Pakistan

They added the polio campaign will begin mid-December in 24 districts of the province and will target 5.24 million children. As per the officials, Swabi district was also included in the campaign. They have not finalised the dates for the drive in the district.
One of the officials said participants at the meeting were informed about how prepared union councils were to conduct a polio drive. He added meetings of the Union Council Polio Eradication Committee and District Polio Eradication Committee revealed the districts were ready to hold the campaign and finalise plans in this regard.

“All available resources will be utilised to improve the quality of the campaign,” an official privy to the meeting quoted the EOC coordinator Akbar Khan as saying. “We will specifically focus on children who were not administered polio drops during previous drives.”
Pakistan: the last bastion of the polio virus
The official said the EOC coordinator told particpants of the meeting, “We need to emphasise on effective monitoring of high-risk districts to minimise the cases.”
Series of arrangments
Officials said around 16,442 teams, including 14,115 mobile teams, 1,507 fixed teams, 746 transit teams and 74 roaming teams have been constituted to facilitate 5.24 million children in the upcoming polio drive. They added the provincial taskforce and security coordination meetings were held on December 4 and 7, respectively, to review the status and security situation prior to the campaign.
The backdrop
Polio cases in the country have climbed to 50 in 2015 with a recent case reported in Khyber Agency on December 9. The total number of cases in tribal areas has increased to 16 while 15 others were reported from K-P. In all, 11 cases have been confirmed in Sindh, seven in Balochistan, while only one case has so far been confirmed from Punjab.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 12[SUP]th[/SUP], 2015.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/1008586...rive-to-target-5-2m-children-in-24-districts/



Talking points: CM inaugurates Rs1bn road-widening project

CM KPK addressing ground breaking ceremony of widening of Murree Road. PHOTO: ONLINE


ABBOTABAD: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said the health, education, police and revenue departments are being restructured to ensure the provision of rights and privileges to the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Rs1 billion Abbottabad-Murree Road widening project on Sunday.
“The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government’s agenda is to revamp existing rights, privileges and facilities to empower citizens and generate a positive impact on the country,” he said. “Constructing roads will not help PTI increase its vote bank. However, reforms in departments would win the confidence of the people.”

According to Khattak, officials at police stations, schools, hospitals and various government departments will have to provide facilities to the people without expecting anything in return. “Government employees have to prove they are meant to serve the public not just influential sections of society,” he said.
The CM added the provincial government will not construct new buildings for various departments. On the contrary, it will enhance facilities to ensure staff is equipped to address the people’s needs.
Land records
Khattak said the computerisation of land records of the revenue department is in progress and would be completed by 2017. “This will bring about transparency,” he said.
“There is a shortage of 40,000 teachers and 14,000 rooms at various schools, he said. “The provincial government has decided to address these concerns by spending Rs8 billion for the provision of missing facilities. The CM said a system has been put in place to ensure accountability. “At least 1,500 government school teachers who were habitually absent have been sacked,” he added.
According to Khattak, an additional package of Rs3.3 billion has also been approved to fill vacant posts of doctors. “Meanwhile, Rs5 billion is being spent to improve facilities at existing hospitals of the province,” he added.
The CM assured powers had been transferred to the grass-roots levels as per PTI’s manifesto.
“Powers once exercised by chief minister and others have been given to local government representatives in the province,” he said. “This will help bring about real change.”
Looking ahead
Khattak also urged the participants to support PTI if they wanted to rid the system of corruption. “A traffic warden system would be started in Abbottabad,” he said
The CM urged the Abbottabad DC to ensure all patwaris are performing their duties in accordance with their mandate. “If the DC fails to implement orders in this regard, I will take action against him,” he added.
He announced Rs50 million to establish more graveyards in Abbottabad city and a football ground in Dhamtor village.
VIP protocol? Shops forcibly closed down in Haripur
Shops and business centres were forcibly closed down on Railway Road in Haripur on Sunday. The decision was taken by the police in a bid to ensure foolproof security for the chief minister and his entourage.

Insiders familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune Chief Minister Pervez Khattak made a brief stopover at Haripur before visiting Abbottabad to offer condolences to former state minister for finance Omar Ayub Khan over the death of his mother.
Although police, bomb disposal unit and the Elite force personnel had been deployed for Khattak’s security, the police forced traders from Qureshi Market to Panian Chowk to pull down their shutters. As a result, businesses remained suspended for nearly two hours. Shopkeepers were allowed to reopen when Khattak’s helicopter took off from a government school.
When contacted, Haripur DSP Headquarters Ishtiaq Khan said the order only applied to vendors and not all shopkeepers.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 21[SUP]st[/SUP], 2015.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/1013491/talking-points-cm-inaugurates-rs1bn-road-widening-project/

 

[Syed Haider Imam]

KP assembly elects first ever woman deputy speaker


PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly on Tuesday elected Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) Dr Mehar Taj Roghani as the new deputy speaker — the first ever woman to take up the post.
Dr Roghani was formerly working as the special assistant to chief minister for social welfare.
Elected after secret balloting, Dr Roghani secured 77 votes while her opponent, PML-N Arbab Akbar Hayat, managed to bag 37 votes.
A total of 119 votes were polled in the assembly of 124 MPAs, due to the absence of five legislators.

The presiding officer during the polling process, KP Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar rejected four votes including that of MPA Bakht Baidar Khan as he violated the polling rule by showing his vote to the chief minister before casting it.
Office of the deputy speaker has been lying vacant since October 2014 after the then deputy speaker Imtiaz Shahid was appointed the minister for law and parliamentary affairs.
In the absence of the deputy speaker, the assembly has been in session since Oct 23, 2014.


Being a member of the ruling PTI, Dr Roghani already had an edge over her rival candidate. She also enjoyed the support of the ruling coalition’s partners including Jamaat-i-Islami and Qaumi Watan Party.
According to a Dawn newspaper report, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Awami National Party and Pakistan People’s Party had pledged to support PML-N's Arbab Akbar Hayat.

http://www.dawn.com/news/1228071/