Sindh Government, PCB Join hands to train cricket coaches

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The five-month camp for the cricket coaches, being organized by the sports department of the Government of Sindh with the collaboration of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as a part of the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Programme (BBSYDP), got underway at the Regional Cricket Academy Ground, Karachi, on May 17.

Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Secretary, Sports & Youth Affairs to Government of Sindh, presided over the opening ceremony held at the National Stadium during which he presented kits and resource material to the participating 20 coaches, including four ladies, selected from all over the province.

Syed Shahid Ali (Khairpur), Abdul Rahman (Sanghar), Shakir Ali (Sanghar), Ashdaq Ahmed (Naushero Feroze), Ghulam Murtaza Shaikh (Sukkur), Pervez Nabi Memon (Sukkur), Amjad Anjum Memon (Dadu), Abdul Waheed (Larkana), Faiz Aslam Khan (Karachi), Zaheer Imran (Karachi), Mohammad Farhan Saeed (Karachi), Talia Shamglib (Karachi), Saba Hasan (Karachi), Maimoona Dad (Karachi), Hasan Muzammail (Hyderabad), Mohammad Azhar (Hyderabad), Nabi Mohammad (Mirpurkhas), Mohammad Abid (Mirpurkhas), Shirin Naz (Karachi) and Ashok Kumar (Umar Kot) are the participants of the five-month camp.

“The Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Programme (BBSYDP) has been launched according to the wishes of Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, to pay tribute to the two-times elected Prime Minister of Pakistan,” Shoaib Siddiqui remarked in his speech on the occasion.

“The Youth Development programme has been named after her and the Government of Sindh has approved Rs 13 million for the project in which 150 youngsters will be trained in nine different sectors. Besides sports the training will also be provided to the youth in the fields of banking, insurance and taxation,” he disclosed.

“These courses will not only enlighten the trainees but will also be greatly helpful in raising their skills that could open the doors for career jobs. The youth holds the future,” Shoaib Siddiqui reckoned.

Saleem Siddiqui, Deputy Secretary Youth Affairs to the Government of Sindh, revealed that the trainees will be paid a monthly stipend of Rs 6,000 with a further monthly allowance of Rs 3,000 to be paid to the outstation coaches.

The PCB, he added, would be compensated for organizing the initial Level-1 course for the participants under the supervision of Haroon Rasheed, Ali Zia and Shahid Asalm. The PCB has also been assigned to monitor and assess the participants throughout the five-month period during which the coaches will be assigned different tasks to polish their skills.

The Sports and Youth affairs department of the Government of Sindh had placed newspaper advertisements inviting applications from the prospective coaches. The applicants appeared in a written test before a series of interviews on the basis of which 20 were selected for the camp training.

“It’s very heartening to note indeed that the applications were received from every nook and corner of the province. After carrying out the due process, with the assistance of technical hands, the candidates from Larkana, Dadu, Sukkur, Naushero Feroze, Sanghar, Khairpur, Umar Kot, Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad and Karachi have been selected for the training course,” Saleem Siddiqui observed.

University of Karachi gives one-time special exam chance

Deputy Controller, Semester Examination Section, has announced for the information of all old students (from 1973 to onwards) whose enrolment/re-enrolment have expired and they have not yet completed their degree programs due to declaration as failed in one or more courses that a One-Time Special Chance Examination - 2010 will begin from 30th June 2010. The examination form and the prescribed fee of Rs.2000/- can be submitted from 8th June to 14th June and after that with late fee of Rs.500 till 21st June. According to an announcement of the Directorate of Evening Program, University of Karachi, the students of all the departments and centers in the Evening Program who have so far not cleared their dues, are directed to immediately pay their dues.

MQM ministers submit resignations to Rabita Committee; no compromise on Hyderabad: Altaf Hussain

LONDON: Chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf Hussain yesterday said that a conspiracy has been hatched to trigger ethnic riots and sabotage the current atmosphere of harmony among permanent residents of Sindh.

This he said while speaking at the Rabita Committee’s meeting held simultaneously in London and Karachi yesterday.

He said that the MQM had been striving hard to end the rural-urban divide and to create ethnic harmony in Sindh for the past many years. However, he noted that some so-called leaders and ministers of the ruling PPP were making an attempt to start ethnic riots in the province with the help of nationalist parties. Those trying to start a clash between permanent residents of Sindh are agents of the feudalists and landlords, he remarked. The MQM chief also directed the concerned persons to remain vigilant of any plot against the people of Sindh. Hussain urged the Haq Parast people to deal with the situation amicably.

Meanwhile, sources close to the MQM said that the meeting decided that no compromise would be made on the issue of Hyderabad and if any decision is taken in this regard without the consent of the MQM, the party would part its ways.

The meeting of the MQM Coordination Committee has resolved to go to any extent to “resist moves” to change the administrative set-up of Hyderabad, sources further added. Coordination Committee would continue its deliberations today and an official statement from MQM is likely to be issued later in the evening.

Sources further said that Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik who is in London yesterday met with some MQM leaders including Dr. Farooq Sattar , Babar Ghouri and Muhammad Anwer who went to offer their condolences over the demise of his mother-in law.

A meeting between Rehman Malik and MQM leadership in party chief Altaf Hussain can not be ruled out today with a view to easing down the charged atmosphere, hinted some sources. Sources further claimed that the provincial and federal ministers belonging to MQM yesterday submitted their resignations to the Coordination Committee in protest against the possible restructuring of Hyderabad district by its coalition partner, Pakistan Peoples Party.(NC Report)

Karachi traffic police directed to be polite: CCPO Karachi Waseem Ahmed

CCPO Karachi Waseem Ahmed directed on Sunday to officials of City Traffic police to improve their attitude with the public.

Karachi CCPO, addressing to the officials of city traffic in Karachi Arts Council, directed police to improve their image in the public by behaving politely with them.

He ordered the police to act without discrimination against violators of law.

At around 40 places in the city with the help of 200 cameras command and control systems have been established by which performance of police is analyzed, he added. (SAMAA)

AGHA SIRAJ DURRANI VISITS CDGK HEAD OFFICE

Minister for Local Government Sindh Agha Siraj Khan Durrani has said funds for all district councils including Karachi has been released and the Sindh Government was also coordinating on it with federal government. No funds for current financial year will be allowed to lapse instead they will be used in development works.

He expressed these views while talking to media representatives during an unscheduled visit to city government’s head office at Civic Center on Wednesday. Administrator Karachi Fazlur Rehman was also present on this occasion.

The provincial minister said that he was receiving such news about the stop of work in the city and that the Administrator did not attend his office and the people were facing problems due to this situation. He said that is why he paid surprise visit today without giving prior intimation to Administrator but here he found no such thing as the city government was doing its work routinely and the Administrator was also in his office. He said that he will also visit towns and water board office without prior intimation. Any negligence or carelessness will not be tolerated and action will be taken against the officer concerned.

Replying a query the provincial minister said that a special anti-encroachments cell was being established which will be represented by all concerned organizations as well as police. This cell would have constitutional protection from the assembly and the encroachers will be arrested.

He said that we will go to the election commission only after finalization of legislation for local government laws for which efforts are being made to take all the coalition partners in confidence. The nation gets the benefit of coalition government. We will make amendment in the local government laws only after taking all of our coalition partners in confidence. He further said that we had also a meeting with the Governor of Sind regarding finalization of local government laws.

Earlier the provincial minister Agha Siraj Khan Durrani was received by Administrator Karachi Fazlur Rehman in his office at Civic Center at 10:00 am in the morning. He also talked about the problems faced by city government and progress of development projects.

The provincial minister directed Administrator Karachi to solve the citizen’s problems on preferential basis and complete all development projects on time, adding that the city government would have full support and backing of provincial government in the development of city.

Reduction in power supply only for a month: KESC

Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) has announced 300-Megawatt (MW) reduction in power supply to Karachi; however, the spokesman of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) said the reduction is for only one month.
According to spokesman KESC, the reduction has been accepted on a condition that it will be implemented for a month only.
The KESC will continue to observe three-hour load shedding on 50 per cent of electricity feeders in the city; four-and-a-half hours of load-shedding on 26 per cent of feeders (those with increased instances of power theft); and no load-shedding at 24 per cent of the feeders in the city. —

CITY GOVERNMENT TO COMPLETE 5 FLYOVERS OF CORRIDOR-IV IN FIVE MONTHS

City Government Karachi will complete the construction of five flyovers on signal free corridor-IV during next five months with a cost of Rs1.5billion after which these flyovers would be available for signal free journey to and from Kemari to Malir.

This was stated by Executive District Officer Works & Services Department City District Government Karachi Rasheed Mughal during an informal talk with the media representatives at his office on Tuesday.

He said that development work on the flyover from Tipu Sultan Road to Sharae Faisal has already been started with the provision of alternate routes to vehicular traffic and the piling work was being initiated while tenders for construction of flyovers at PIDC and Jinnah Terminal Sharae Faisal will be invited in next two days.

All of these projects would be completed within four months.

EDO W&S further said that the laying of girders of under construction flyovers from Lucky Star to Jinnah Hospital will be completed in next two days after which road carpeting work will begin and the flyover will be available for vehicular traffic in next 15 days.

He said that the laying of girders on PAF Chapter Flyover at Mehmoodabad will also begin in next four days.

EDO Works and Services said that presently shortage of funds was not a problem in these projects and the delay in their start was only due to some technical problems. City Government will finish all this work on time by working on round the clock basis.

He said that the pace of work on city government's development project has been quite satisfactory and they have been completing on scheduled time.

EDO W&S said that city government was continuing the journey of development to solve all the traffic related problems in the city while more new projects were also being planned.

He said that good news will be given to citizens in few months. PC1for all those roads which were still under completion or not started have been prepared after conducting the survey and the development work on these projects will also begin on gradual basis.