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district briefs :

Frontier UET starts PhD in quake sciences

PESHAWAR: The NWFP University of Engineering and Technology (UET) has started its first indigenous PhD in earthquake sciences, said Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani, UET vice-chancellor, on Tuesday. Dr Qaiser Ali, a student from UET had obtained the PhD degree which was a great achievement, Mr Gilani told reporters. He said Dr Qaiser’s research would help reduce the costs of houses. He said Peshawar was placed in zone two, which mean that huge amounts should not be spent to construct earthquake resistant buildings on a higher scale. Mr Gilani said he had focused on higher academic standards and had introduced the semester system in UET to keep students busy. He said the tenure track system was followed to stop UET from losing good teachers to the private sector which attracted them with good salary packages. Mr Gilani said there were no student politics in UET. He said the UET administration had tried to clean up the hostels occupied by outsiders. “The mess has been cleared from miscreants and other people,” he added. He said the Higher Education Commission (HEC) had increased its budget from Rs 0.5 billion Rs 5.5 billion last year, and it would reach Rs 50 billion for the higher education. staff report

NWFP body suggests FCB reinstatement

PESHAWAR: The North West Frontier Province (NWFP) standing committee on cooperatives has recommended the reinstatement of the Frontier Cooperative Bank because it gave loans to farmers. Briefing reporters on Tuesday, Committee Chairman Iftikhar Khan Jhagra, who had presented the report in the house on Monday, said the Sindh and Balochistan cooperative banks still operated and obtained loans from the State Bank despite having defaulted on loans more than the Frontier Cooperative Bank. staff report

Aziz to visit Bahtar on Feb 16

FATEHJANG: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will visit Bahtar village of Fateh Jang Tehsil on February 16 and announce a special package for Attock District, particularly for his constituency. Mr Aziz will also address a public meeting during his visit. Major (r) Tahir Sadiq, Attock district nazim, will host a lunch in honour of Mr Aziz. Bahtar is Tahir Sadiq’s native village and his daughter Aiman Waseem had vacated her National Assembly seat for Mr Aziz. online

Pakistani girl to undergo heart surgery in India

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thirteen-year-old Pakistani girl Ayesha Shabas is to undergo heart surgery at a private hospital in India, a press release stated on Tuesday. Ayesha, an eighth grade student, and her father, Muhammed Shabas, a school headmaster in Lahore, would reach Thiruvananthapuram for the surgery. The treatment, costing around Rs 400,000, is being made available to the Pakistani girl under the ‘Snehasparsam Programme’ of Rotary District 321 of Thiruvananthapuram. The expenses would be borne by the Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) where the surgery would be performed, a Rotary Club press release said. Daily Times Monitor

Govt to develop agriculture in Balochistan

ISLAMABAD: Sikhandar Hayat Khan Bosan, federal food, agriculture and livestock minister, said the government was working on a strategy to develop agriculture in Balochistan. “Various schemes are under consideration, particularly agricultural research and an irrigation system,” he said. He made the comments while talking to Awais Ahmad Ghani, governor of Balochistan on Tuesday. According to an official statement, the minister said the federal government was launching a national research programme costing Rs 670 million. Under the programme training would be provided to farmers and pesticide and fibre development laboratories would be established. He said a long-term policy was being prepared to support farmers in rural areas. The minister said a plan was underway to import two hundred bulldozers for Balochi farmers. The governor of Balochistan thanked the minister and said the provincial government wanted to develop Balochistan and would cooperate with the federal government and Food and Agriculture Ministry to promote agricultural activities in province. Staff Report

SSGCL workers collect Rs 4.93m for tsunami relief

ISLAMABAD: Amanullah Khan Jadoon, petroleum and natural resources minister, presented a cheque for Rs 4.920m to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz which was contributed by the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) employees for the tsunami victims’ relief. The SSGCL has also sent relief boxes containing rice, sugar, pulses, milk, dates and biscuits to Sri Lanka and Indonesia. staff report

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