Day: February 6, 2022

Posted on

Not hate but harmony needed for peaceful, stable society: Ahsan Iqbal

Islamabad, February 06, 2022 (PPI-OT):The 2nd Paigham-e-Pakistan Youth Symposium concluded here at Islamic Research Institute (IRI) of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) at Faisal Masjid campus. Ahsan Iqbal, former Federal Minister and Member National Assembly was the Chief Guest of the concluding session, while opening session of the symposium was chaired by Prof. Dr. Masoom Yasinzai, Rector, IIUI. The students from various universities from Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, GB and KPK attended this symposium. The symposium concluded with the recommendations from youth, these recommendations will be forwarded to the government of Pakistan.

Ahsan Iqbal in his address highlighted various challenges that are faced by Pakistani society. He was of the view that raising hatred in society must be addressed, while harmony must be promoted to build a peaceful society. Former Minister called for encouraging inclusiveness in the society. “We need to learn that how we can disagree in an agreeable way” he maintained. He opined that we need to be united on core issues so that Pakistan can progress and we can have bright future.

He was of the view that economic development of Pakistan will depend on social peace which cannot be achieved without rule of law. He was of the view that dialogue at every level is a key for peaceful coexistence. He also asked the participant youth of the symposium to work on discouraging hate speech.

Rector IIUI, in his address said these are high times to promote peace, inclusiveness and harmony in the society and Pakistani youth through latest mediums such as social media can do wonders to achieve these goals. He opined that there is a dire need to promote and propagate the message of peace and unity. He agreed with the recommendations of the young participants of symposium that curriculum should be a continuous process, while he also hailed Government’s steps for a revamped and single national curriculum initiative.

“We are living in the age of drastic changes, we cannot afford to be stagnant rather we must be well prepared to respond to the everyday changing challenges” said Dr. Masoom. He said Knowledge and skill with inculcation of Islamic values is must for Pakistani youth. He said that narrative of Paigham-e-Pakistan is vital for society as tolerance and peace lead to stability and prosperity. He urged the youth to adopt Seerah of Holy Prophet (PBUH). He said His (PBUH) life is all about tolerance and peace. “We have no deficit of guidelines and values, Seerah is a comprehensive conduct of peace, tolerance and lover for creatures” he added.

Prof. Dr. Masoor Akbar Kundi, Vice Chancellor BZ University, Multan also spoke to the symposium. He said we must say no to Differences and yes to unity. He urged the youth to disseminate the Paigham-e-Pakistan’s message that he opined is all about Inclusiveness, peaceful co-existence and unity. He was of the view that rights of the our minorities must be protected.

Earlier, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Director General, IRI welcoming the guests, he elaborated activities of IRI under Paigham e Pakistan initiative. He shed light on the special training programs in the light of the narrative. He stated that for these training programs, the Institute has prepared customize tailor made training manuals. He added that through these training programs, various segments of the society such as parliamentarians, ulema, Faculty Members, members of the civil society, and youth are trained on peace building, peaceful coexistence, and inclusiveness in the contexts of Paigham-e-Pakistan.

At the end, Prof. Ahsen Iqbal distributed certificates among the participants. Various parliamentarians, experts and faculty members such as Prof. Dr. Abdul Qadus Suhaib Chairman department of Islamic Studies Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Mr Khurshid Ahmed Nadeem, Dr. Muhammad Khan, Dr. Rizwan and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zia Ul Haq DG, IRI were resource persons of the symposium.

For more information, contact:
Public Relations,
International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI)
Room No.118, Admin Block, New Campus,
H-10 Sector, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9019249
Fax: +92-51-9257909
Email: iiuipublicrelations@iiu.edu.pk
Website: www.iiu.edu.pk

Posted on

LUMS Vice Chancellor Named International Educator of the Year

Lahore, February 06, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Academy of International Business (AIB), the premier global organisation of international business and management scholars, has named LUMS Vice Chancellor, Dr. Arshad Ahmad, the AIB International Educator of the Year for 2022. Established in 1959, AIB’s membership spans more than 70 countries worldwide. AIB fosters excellence in education by advancing the highest professional standards in international business and management.

Dr. Ahmad is the first recipient from a South Asian university to receive this prestigious award. He joins eminent colleagues from Europe, North and South America, Australia, and China who have previously received this high distinction. Dr. Lorraine Eden, Dean of the AIB Fellows, congratulated Dr. Ahmad for his contributions “to enhancing transdisciplinary, global learning and education among students, scholars, managers, and leaders worldwide”. Thanking AIB, Dr. Ahmad said, “This Award is a tribute to 35 years of excellence at LUMS and its relentless commitment to innovation and the transformation of education through inclusive, global learning networks.”

Since joining LUMS in 2018, Dr. Ahmad has strengthened the University’s unique mission of ‘Learning without Borders’ which always aspires to transcend academic, geographic, and socio-economic boundaries. LUMS provides an ‘academic haven’ for bright, young students from across Pakistan’s diverse landscape. LUMS takes students on an educational journey that transforms their lives by exploring knowledge across disciplines by showing them how to investigate compelling global challenges, and by developing the leadership values and skills they need to create a better world.

Mr. Shahid Husain, Rector, LUMS and Dr. Tariq Jadoon, Interim Provost offered their sincere congratulations. Dr. Alnoor Bhimani, Honorary Dean of the Suleman Dawood School of Business at LUMS said, “Dr. Ahmad is transforming the educational landscape in South Asia and beyond. His transdisciplinary learning initiatives that interconnect subjects bring about the most positive student-teacher experiences. His ideas make him a world-class educational leader.”

AIB’s efforts to promote impactful interdisciplinary research and policy collaboration is visible in several achievements made by LUMS centres of excellence. These high-impact centres collaborate with industry and government to offer practical solutions to some of the grand challenges facing Pakistan and the region. For example, Pakistan’s Electric Vehicle Policy was designed at the LUMS Energy Institute and adopted by the federal government. In addition, the government will save USD 2 billion annually in the power sector for the next 10 years. Similar interventions in smart agriculture, digital heritage preservation, and child protection services are effectively changing people’s lives.

Syed Babar Ali, the founding Pro Chancellor of LUMS, and a staunch advocate for building a better Pakistan expressed his delight, “Heartiest congratulations on the AIB Award that brings honour to Dr. Arshad Ahmad, to LUMS and to Pakistan. May his leadership continue to be recognised.” Dr. Ahmad will be inducted into the AIB Fellowship on July 8, 2022, at AIB’s annual international conference in Miami, USA.

For more information, contact:
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35608000
Fax: +92-42-35725048
Website: www.lums.edu.pk

Posted on

The 2021 ICPC Asia Topi Online Preliminary Programming Contest

Swabi, February 06, 2022 (PPI-OT):GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology successfully organized “The 2021 ICPC Asia Topi Online Preliminary Programming Contest” on 25-26 January, 2022. The event was held over a period of two days, such that a mock round was conducted on 25th January, 2021 and the actual contest was held on 26th January, 2022.

The event was inaugurated with a tech talk “End to End ML: Prototype to Production” by Engr. Suleman Kazi, Software Engineer at Google. This informative and enlightening zoom session of about 1.5 hours was followed by a Hi-Tea for all faculty members and staff (TAs/ AD and above). The talk and the Hi-Tea both were sponsored by Axis Mall and Toyota Khyber. After the refreshments a three hour long online mock session of the contest was conducted. NU-FAST Karachi (Team Trojans 1), Muhammad Ali Jinnah University (Team Maverics), and Punjab University College of Information Technology (Team Algo Geeks) made it to the top three positions, respectively, in the trial session.

Around 143 teams,429 contestants, from 17 different universities across Pakistan participated in The 2021 ICPC Asia Topi Online Preliminary Programming Contest. It would be worth mentioning here that Capital University of Science and Technology showed active participation by registering 36 teams while FAST Chiniot- Faisalabad Campus registered a total of 21 teams from their Institute.

The first prize in the Preliminary Contest was bagged by Omar Kashif Majeed, Muhammad Zulfiqar Ali and Hamza Hasan Ellahie (Team Pentateuch) from GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, mentored by Mr. Jalees Ur Rahman. The second prize was won by Shams Arfeen, Ali Haider Rizvi and Fasih Hussain (Team Yoshsin) from Habib University, the team been coached by Mr. Waqar Saleem. Vikash Kumar, Laksh Kumar and Mohit Kumar (Team Pegasus) mentored by Mr. Muhammad Rafi from NU-FAST Karachi won the third prize.

A panel of nine judges presided the contest while Dr. Syed Fawad Hussain from GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology chaired the session as a Chief Judge. Dr. Yasir Niaz Khan, Dr. Muhammad Hanif, Dr. Raja Hashim Ali and Dr. Usman Habib also joined from GIK Institute. The judging committee further comprised of Dr. Umar Suleman and Dr. Syed Farooq Ali from University of Management Technology, Dr. Syed Atif Mehdi from University of Central Punjab and Dr. Arshad Islam from FAST-NUCES Islamabad.

ICPC Asia Topi appreciates the relentless efforts of its core team Dr. Masroor Hussain, Director ICPC Asia Topi, Sarah Sajjad, Deputy Regional Contest Director, Shakir Ahmad and Usman Haider as Systems Co-chairs. We also admire the valuable support from the judging committee for their significant contribution into the event. A special thanks to Saad Ismail from Estonia, Systems Co-chair without whose timely assistance the event would not have been possible. We are highly indebted to Prof. Dr. Fazal A. Khalid, Rector GIK Institute, Prof. Dr. Wasim A. Khan, Pro-Rector (A), Sardar Aminullah Khan (Pro-Rector A and F), and Dr. Ahmar Rashid (Dean FCSE) for their overwhelming support and cooperation in organizing the event.

Special thanks to our sponsors for being the backbone of the event viz Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), Tech Destination Pakistan, Ministry of IT and Telecom, Higher Education Commission Pakistan, UWorx, Geniteam, Airlift Express, Noon, Axis Mall and Toyota Khyber.

For more information, contact:
Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKI)
Topi 23640, District Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Tel: +92-938-281026
Fax: +92-938-281032, +92-938-281041
Website: https://www.giki.edu.pk/

Posted on

Today, Sindh and Balochistan are facing water scarcity, because no one except the PPP government has ever paid attention to this issue: Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

Nasirabad, February 06, 2022 (PPI-OT):Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that PPP is ready to start with the agenda they had been working on. We will leave Karachi on February 27 and will go to Islamabad. It’s time for the selected government to be scared and present their justifications.

Addressing a grand inaugural meeting of influential political figure Sardar Ghulam Rasool Umrani in Tamboo Tehsil of Nasirabad District of Balochistan, the PPP Chairman said that people don’t have confidence in the present government and now the confidence of Parliament should also be broken. The revenge of democracy will be to defeat the selected government in a democratic way, to defeat it in the same National Assembly from where they got power. He added that the relationship between PPP and the people of Nasirabad is not of today, but is three generations old. And now together, they will complete the mission of their elders.

“PPP has always served the people of this country,” said Chairman PPP. “While Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave free agricultural land to poor farmers across the country, he also distributed 500,000 acres of agricultural land among the farmers of Nasirabad, while the foundation of the water supply infrastructure in this area was also laid by Quaid-e-Awam.”

Today, Sindh and Balochistan are facing water scarcity, because no one except the PPP government has ever paid attention to this issue. When the PPP gets the responsibility of the government again, we will solve the water problem. He further said that when an attempt was made to damage the lower riparian of the Indus river, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had called a sit-in on the Sindh-Punjab border and foiled the conspiracy. We believe that when Sindh will get water, then Balochistan will also get water.

“We do not beg anyone, but we are demanding our rights and we know how to snatch back our rights,” he added. Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto loved the people of Nasirabad. Regarding the people of Nasirabad, she used to say that you are the neighbour of Larkana, and the rights of the neighbors are paramount. Her dream was to provide free electricity to the people of Nasirabad. We will fulfill this dream in the same way that free electricity is provided to Islamkot, Tharparkar.

If the PPP government of Sindh can build world class hospitals like NICVD, SIUT and Gambit Institute in Jacobabad, Larkana, Sukkur and Gambat, the adjoining areas of Nasirabad, then it will also provide such free healthcare in Nasirabad. The system can be set up, after which the people here will not need any health card.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that whether it was Quaid-e-Awam, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, or President Asif Ali Zardari, they took steps to eradicate poverty from the country. He said that 70% of the population of Nasirabad is forced to live below the poverty line, adding that due to the selected Prime Minister, poverty and inflation have increased in the country.

The slogan of the Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was that it is the need of every human being to be provided bread, cloth and housing. But today’s situation is that the “Kaptan” is snatching away bread, cloth and housing. Imran Khan has robbed the people’s vote, stomach and pockets. We can no longer tolerate this situation. We have declared war against the selected, government and we will leave Karachi on February 27 and go to Islamabad to give people their rights.

Chairman PPP said that no one else has faced as much oppression as the people of Balochistan have endured. But they are patriotic people and have always raised the slogan of long live Pakistan. My family has also faced similar suffering. My maternal grandfather was hanged and martyred, so my mother went ahead with the slogan of long live Pakistan. My mother’s two brothers were also martyred, yet she chanted “Long live Pakistan”. He pointed out that when Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was martyred, President Asif Ali Zardari and I also raised the slogan of Pakistan Khappay and said that democracy is the best revenge.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari appealed to the youth of Balochistan to support him. “I am also young like them, angry and have suffered a lot, but the solution to all the problems is in democracy and the democratic struggle,” he maintained. “We will struggle together. We believe in the power of the vote, not the weapon. Give me a chance, trust Pakistan Peoples Party.”

He said that we are federalists. We believe that when all the provinces get their rights, their resources and their representatives, the federation will be stronger. If Allah Almighty gives us a chance, we will give Balochistan its due and solve their problems. You need to have faith in the ideology of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

Our five guiding principles are that Islam is our religion, democracy is our politics, equality is our economy, the source of power is the people and martyrdom is our destination. If you agree with these principles, join us. Meanwhile, during a grand rally, Sardar Ghulam Rasool Umrani, a political figure from Tamboo Tehsil, Nasirabad District, Balochistan, formally announced his joining the PPP.

For more information, contact:
PPP Media Cell (Sindh)
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)
Peoples Secretariat Shikarpur Colony,
Behind Mazar-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Karachi, Pakistan
Cell: +92-305-3370383
Email: contact@ppp-tu.com
Website: https://www.ppp.org.pk

Posted on

Tee Off to Save Thousands of Children Struggling for Life

Karachi, February 06, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Indus Hospital and Health Network (IHHN) partnered with Pakistan’s leading and most trusted electrical cable manufacturer Fast Cables to host an exciting fundraising event that offered a thrilling game of golf for the distinguished players participating. IHHN organized the seventh Golf tournament on February 6, 2022, at the Karachi Golf Club. Shahbaz Yasin Malik, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hilton Pharma, was the Chief Guest. Kamal Amjad Mian, Director Fast Cables; Dr. Abdul Bari Khan, Chief Executive Officer, IHHN; Dr. Muhammad Fareeduddin, Chair, Pediatric Services, IHHN; and Syed Mashhood Rizvi, Executive Director, IHHN were also present at the event.

Teams of 4 balls competed in a Texas Scramble Format. One hundred thirty-six players participated in the tournament. The Winners of the Golf Match, with a 54.3 Net, were Nadeem Iftikhar; Faisal Mukaty; Muhammad Qasim; and Hamza Ghani. The Runner-ups, with a 54.8 Net, were Fahad Ishtiaq; Bilal Shaukat; Rizwan Merchant; and Rahim Amin.

With a 55.9 Net, the Second Runner-Ups were Bilal Rafi Muneer; Mujtaba Bilal; Omer Bayat; and Commodore Abdul Rehman. Dr. Muhammad Fareeduddin, Chair of Pediatric Services, IHHN, provided an overview of IHHN’s Pediatric services.

“At the Indus Hospital and Health Network, Korangi Campus, we have approximately 135 dedicated beds for pediatric patients. All pediatric services are being provided except pediatric neurosurgery and pediatric cardiac surgery. We are catering to nearly 1,200 patients daily at the Korangi Campus alone. Once the new hospital building is completed, we expect to receive about 4,000-5,000 pediatric patients daily.”

In his thank you note, Dr. Bari said, Indus Hospital and Health Network has been working to improve the country’s health indicators for the last 14 years. He lauded Dr. Fareeduddin’s extensive work in pediatrics and discussed the capacity-building efforts of IHNN. In addition, he expressed his desire to see the new hospital building in Korangi being completed that will further help in serving the people of Pakistan.

While speaking at the event, Shahbaz Yasin Malik said, “IHHN is providing a great service that is immeasurable. It is a terrific effort that is saving the lives of the people of Pakistan. I thank everyone for their kind support and generosity supporting IHHN.” Kamal Amjad Mian, Director Fast Cables, distributed the prizes among the winners. Abdul Karim Paracha, Chairman, Board of Directors, IHHN, gave a vote of thanks.

The event was very well-participated. Business heads and other dignitaries participated in the tournament. It provided an opportunity for corporate leaders to showcase their commitment to IHHN’s cause. Media Partner ARY Network covered the event. The objectives of organizing the Golf tournament were to promote healthy activities; to create awareness about the work of IHHN amongst the golfing community; to provide a networking opportunity to the golfing community; and raise funds for pediatric services.

The annual Golf Tournament is Indus Hospital and Health Network’s flagship sports event which was started in 2016. The annual event has earned a significant position in the corporate sector and golfing community. After successfully holding the event in Karachi, IHHN organized the first tournament in Lahore in 2020. In 2022, IHHN will be holding its first Golf tournament in Islamabad. The International Partners of IHHN have also organized three tournaments in the UK and one in Canada.

This year, in Karachi, IHHN will be rallying the golfers to raise funds for Pediatric Cardiology; Pediatric Physical Rehabilitation; and Cochlear Implants. IHHN started pediatric cardiology services in 2011. The Pediatric Cardiology service caters to infants and children with heart and blood vessel diseases. IHHN’s qualified team of cardiologists performs all the necessary assessments, diagnoses, and treatment. So far, IHHN has treated 362 children, with 250 children benefitting from cardiac catheter services annually. After expanding the Korangi Campus, the hospital will start surgical services.

Indus has been offering free Cochlear Implant services since 2014. The program is managed by a team of speech and language therapists, audiologists, and psychologists to address the child’s developmental needs once the ENT team has placed the implant. One hundred one children have received Cochlear Implants to date.

The Physical Rehabilitation services for children are dedicated to enhancing and restoring functional ability and quality of life to children with acquired or congenital physical impairments or disabilities affecting the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. So far, 3,736 pediatric patients have benefitted from the physical Rehabilitation services, while 6,587 have been fitted with devices.

For more information, contact
The Indus Hospital (TIH)
C-76, Sector 31/5, Opposite Darussalam Society,
Korangi Crossing, Karachi – 75190, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-35112709-17
Fax: +92-21-35112718
Email: crd@indushospital.org.pk
Website: http://www.indushospital.org.pk/

Posted on

Major split in PML-N Gujrat, important leaders of PML-N including Alhaj Amjad Farooq join PML

Lahore, February 06, 2022 (PPI-OT):Major split in PML-N Gujrat. Former PM Nawaz Sharif’s close associate and PML-N key pillar in Gujrat, Alhaj Amjad Farooq, among others joined Pakistan Muslim League. Alhaj Amjad Farooq’s personal home was the stronghold of PML-N in Gujrat. The PML-N leaders announced their joining in the presence of Acting Punjab Governor Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain and Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi.

Addressing the gathering, Ch Parvez Elahi said that Imran Khan is honest and has good intentions. He wants to do something for the country. We as allies are and will stay together at every stage. Ch Parvez Elahi said that even if no one likes it, however, we will continue our efforts for construction of new Rescue 1122 stations in Gujrat, betterment in Wazirabad cardiology, hospitals and improvement of health sector because only by working for the welfare people’s hearts can be won.

The Acting Governor Punjab said that our projects were so power full that no one could stop them. In our time, medicines and treatment in hospitals were absolutely free but unfortunately Shehbaz Sharif destroyed the health sector. He said that some people thought that Pakistan Muslim League should end; now we are the ones who have put them in trouble. Allah Almighty knows the intentions, if the intention is clear then the help of Allah Almighty is obtained and difficulties are lessened.

For more information, contact:
Mediacell, Pakistan Muslim League
30-C, Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi Road,
Gulberg-II, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35878428
Fax: +92-42-35877329
Website: www.pmlmediacell.com