Shah says Khan’s ‘long march’ can derail entire system

ISLAMABAD: Opposition leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah has expressed reservations on the long march announced by Imran Khan, saying that it could derail the entire system, Geo News reported.

Speaking to media here, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader advised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to take all the political parties into confidence in the prevailing situation.

Khursheed Shah said: “There is contradiction in the stance of Tahirul Qadri. He does not believe on election, while PPP wants stability of the democratic institutions”.

He said Qadri and Chaudhry Shujaat had invited PPP to attend All Parties Conference (APC), however, his party decided not to participate in it.

Govt working to streamline system: Khaqan

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Sunday said the government was working to streamline the system.

He said the PML-N government after coming into power had to face many challenges, adding that all out efforts were being made to address the issues and making progress in every field. Talking to a private television channel, he said present government was committed to resolving the problem of loadshedding.

He said action was being taken to control gas and electricity theft cases. He urged the people to pay the gas and electricity bills to avoid serious action against them.Abbasi said there were some challenges in streamlining the system in the power sector. He, however said steps were being taken to bring improvement in the system.

To a question, he said people will hear a good news regarding CNG.The federal minister said efforts were being made to produce energy according to the needs of the country.Replying to a question, he said general election was conducted under an impartial chief election commission and caretaker government.Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the election was held transparently and the people had reposed full confidence in the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government.

Govt to transform country’s educational system: Mamnoon

ISLAMABAD: Reiterating commitment of the present government to promoting quality education at all levels, President Mamnoon said Monday that the education sector was not only a government’s priority but was being treated as a national emergency with focus on developing an educational system compatible with the requirements of a knowledge-based economy.

“The country needs skilled, highly educated and motivated youths to compete in the present global environment and keep Pakistan progressing on the path of development”, President Mamnoon noted.

During a meeting with a group of vice chancellors and rectors of the leading universities of the country, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, he said that well-educated and trained youth could convert all prevalent challenges into opportunities. The heads of universities who called on the president include Vice Admiral (R) Shahid Iqbal, Rector of Bahria University, Islamabad; Imran Rahman, Vice Chancellor, Institute of Space Technology, Islamabad; Dr Muhammad Aslam, Rector Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad; Prof Javed Akram, Vice Chancellor, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad and Prof Dr Ali Asghar Chishti, Acting Vice Chancellor, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad.

Engineer Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani, Chairperson of Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Prof Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, Executive Director were also present during the meeting.On the occasion, the president stressed the need for the universities and educational institutions to maintain the spirit of excellence and generate new avenues of sustainable growth with focus on developing a knowledge-based economy. He said that in today’s era of technological development where technological innovations and new scientific knowledge were becoming prime divers of economic progress, the role of universities had become even more critical.

The president urged upon the heads of the institutions to rise to the globally changing environment, make pace with the global scientific and technological development and play its critical role in the human, social and economic development of Pakistan.

Non-appointment of HEC chairman a slap for judicial system: IHC

ISLAMABAD: Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) observed on Monday that the failure to appoint the Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman was a slap on the face of the judicial system.

He issued an order to appoint the HEC chairman in 15 days. “If the government fails to appoint the chairman within the stipulated time, a Pandora’s box about a rift between ministers will open up in the court,” the judge stated. “The names of those who are presently behind the curtains will be revealed.”

The secretary education told the court that the prime minister, after rejecting the summary for the appointment of HEC chairman, had formed a new committee. The IHC remarked that the HEC chairman couldn’t be appointed in nine months despite an assurance from the government, and the situation posed a challenge to the judicial system. He further said the treatment meted out to the country’s largest educational body reflected the pathetic state of affairs of national institutions.