In Pictures: Baloch Culture Day in Dera Ghazi khan

Baloch Culture Day (2-Marach)2015 in Dera Ghazi khan City, Balochistan

Punjab package for Balochistan

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that inter-provincial harmony will improve due to visit of students of Cadet College Qila Saifullah Balochistan. 

He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of students of Cadet College Qila Saifullah Baluchistan who called on him under the leadership of Vice Principal Abdul Khaliq. He said that the people of Punjab had sentiments of love and brotherhood for their Baloch brethren. 

Shahbaz Sharif announced laptops for the teachers and students of the college. He also announced water filteration plant for the college, Rs30 lakh for the management of college, Rs40 lakh for construction of swimming pool, Rs30 lakh for setting up junior school and a bus for students of Cadet College Qila Saifullah Baluchistan.

The chief minister said that Punjab government had given Rs11 billion of its share to Balochistan in NFC Award and a total of Rs55b of its share had been given to Balochistan during five years.  He said that special quota for students of Balochistan had been allocated in educational institutions of Punjab.

Addressing the students, Shahbaz Sharif said that no nation could progress or achieve a respectable place without education. He said that education, health and law& order are linked with each other.  The Punjab government has taken revolutionary steps for the improvement of education system and empowering the youth which have yielded very encouraging and positive results, he added. 

The chief minister said that allocation of special quota for the students of Balochistan was one of the important steps taken in education sector in Punjab.  He said every child has right over education and Punjab government is providing this right to them. 

The chief minister said that youth would have to play their active role along with government. He said that our elders sacrificed lakhs of precious lives for the creation of Pakistan. He said that Pakistan was achieved so that there should be supremacy of justice, honesty and equality. 

“Unfortunately, corruption, safarish, nepotism and Bradrism have been promoted in the country. Due to four martial laws, the country is lagging far behind. The country is for all of us and we all will have to play our role for its progress,” the CM held.

He said that Punjab government had given gift of a cardiac center to Balochistan and two billion rupees had been released for its construction. The students and teachers of cadet collage paid tribute to the development vision of Shahbaz Sharif and said that Punjab had played the role of elder brother in the real sense.

< The Nation >

Balochistan students highlight provincial issues at LUMS

File Photo: Punjab University VC with Baloch students during Eid Milan Party at PU

LAHORE: The students of Balochistan have expressed concerns over the issue of missing persons, lack of quality education and opportunities, aftermaths of Awaran earthquake and the long term effects of the nuclear testing in Chagai in 1998 during their visit to the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).

A delegation of students from various universities of Balochistan visited LUMS for a discussion on problems facing the province.

This event was part of an effort by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) de-radicalisation programme to reach out to young people in Balochistan who want change in their province in terms of educational and professional opportunities. At LUMS the visiting students met representatives of the Law and Politics Society and the LUMS Entrepreneurial Society.

The Law and Politics Society at LUMS is a student organisation aimed at encouraging active participation of students in the exchange of ideas with regard to political and legal issues of international and national importance.

The session was an attempt to bring students from Balochistan on a platform with students from various parts of the country to discuss the issues faced not only by the students but the whole province.

LUMS students were of the opinion that these were critical issues and must be highlighted in the media, if solutions are to be found.

The visit was coordinated at LUMS by the office of Student Affairs, and was attended by LUMS faculty as well as staff and students from Humanities and Social Sciences. Imtiaz Gul, the eminent journalist who is part of CRSS, also attended the session.

The CRSS is a think tank founded by civil society activists who are committed to the cause of independent research and non-partisan analysis to help people inside and outside the country to better understand the country.

< Daily Times >

“Baloch students are like my sons”- VC Punjab University

File Photo: VC Punjab University Dr Mujahid Kamran with Mir Hasel Bazenjo

For the first time in Punjab University (PU)’s history its Vice Chancellor (VC) Professor Mujahid Kamran took on 100 Baloch students for free education leading to PhDs with free hostel accommodation and a stipend of Rs 3,000 per month.

The VC has reserved one seat each for Baloch students in all 74 departments for national cohesion, promoting brotherly bonds and for addressing the developmental gap between Balochistan and the rest of the country.

The VC’s landmark decision has sent a positive message to all Balochis and PU has now become the first university in the country where 100 Baloch students and nearly

200 disabled students would get complete, free and best quality education in their chosen disciple.

Mujahid Karman said that he would care for the Baloch students as if they were his own children. He said he was proud of his decision and no grant or financial assistance had been sought from the government by the university.

The PU VC said that Balochistan was blessed with abundant natural resources which were sufficient for the whole country’s prosperity, the only thing the province lacked was education, which was integral for fully exploiting its natural wealth.

Punjab Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif had also reserved seats for 100 Baloch students in all medical colleges and engineering universities in Punjab for similar reasons, in his earlier tenure.

PU Chief Librarian Chaudhary Muhammad Hanif would also aid all universities and educational institutions in Balochistan to upgrade their libraries according to the latest technology.

< Pakistan Today >

Balochistan, Peshawar universities students visit PU

File Photo: Baloch Student With Punjab University VC

Tuesday, - Lahore—More than hundreds students of Balochistan and Peshawar Universities including girl students along with their teachers on Monday visited the main electronic library of the Punjab University, the largest in the country with a collection of over 550,000 books.

Jointly briefing the visitors, PU Chief Librarian Chaudhry Muhammad Hanif and Haseeb Ahmad, Deputy Chief Librarian told them the centrally air-conditioned library has now been equipped with the latest information technology “Wi-Fi” to facilitate researchers, teachers and students.

They further informed that on the special directive of VC PU Prof Dr.Mujahid Karman, entire data of books had been uploaded on its website “www.pulibrary.edu.pk” for users worldwide. He said that all researchers could use their personal laptops and varsity laptops by using the free latest technology of Wi-Fi system on the library premises which, they added, is a good addition and special facility to researchers.

He said that it was also the largest electronic library in Pakistan with 550,000 rare books and special collections. He said that it had now become a real centre of learning for teachers, students, researchers and scholars.

He said that all latest facilities of IT, Internet and website were available to users without any discrimination. Chief Librarian said, “We have rare collection and volumes of books and scripts which have been saved”.

He said reference books were also available on all subjects for indoor study.

< Pakistan Observer >

In Picture: UET Lahore Welcome Party Of `12 Session Baloch Students

A great get together of Baloch Students of Lahore welcoming the new session honored by special guests:

Baloch girls break a taboo

File Photo: Students of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University,Pakistan’s third Women’s University

TAXILA, : For Shazia Bugti, her conservative background will not become a hindrance to achieving her goal — to become a CSS officer.

“It is my dream to become an officer and serve my people to get them out of deprivation and extreme poverty”, said the Grade 10 student while talking to this reporter at Heavy Industries Taxila Education City (Hitec).

It was hard to believe that the young girl with bright eyes and confident look belonged to remote and far flung area of Balochistan where for woman getting education is considered a sin.

Shazia Bugti is among 187 students who are getting education at this prestigious institution under federal government development programme for Balochistan and Fata.

As hopes of bright future sprouting in her eyes she said that most of the schools in her area are closed due to lack of staff and other facilities, besides uncertainty in the area. As a result of which the doors of education are closed especially for girls.

Sila Khan, another girl belonging to Lora Lai area of Balochistan, is the youngest among the Baloch students studying at Hitec and is living in the hostel.

She said she felt sad when she left her parents but the motivation of becoming an educated and well groomed youth of Balochistan overcame her sadness.

She said that she was lucky to be selected for studying at Hitec as it would change the fate of not only her community but the whole tribe.

Sumreen, a girl from far flung and remote area of Barkhan District located in the north-East of the Balochistan province said that it was first time that she came out of her district.

She said that the Hitec had given her confidence and power to speak. She said that now during short span of time she was able to fluently speak Urdu and English.

She praised the idea of equipping Baloch youth with quality education so that they could become an agent of change for Balochistan.

Rashida from Naseerabad, daughter of a small farmer, while talking to this reporter said that selecting students from remote and less developed areas and bringing them into a mainstream was a laudable idea of the present government which would remove sense of
deprivation among them.

Brig (retired) Taj Iqbal, Hitec administrator said that the education city was providing quality education under a team of dedicated and professional educationists.

He said Hitec was ready to accommodate more students from Balochistan.

< Dawn >

Baloch in Punjab: Latif Khosa, Governor Punjab

Sardar Muhammad Latif Khosa is the Governor of Punjab, and a politician representing Pakistan People's Party.

A former senator and a former Attorney General of Pakistan, Latif Khosa was appointed as the Governor of Punjab by the President of Pakistan after the murder of late-Governor Salman Taseer on 11 January 2011

 He was appointed the Attorney General on 19 August 2008, remained at this post till10 October 2009.

He has also served as Advisor of Information Technology of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Latif Khosa is a cousin of the former Governor Sirdar Zulfiqar Khosa, former Chief Minister Dost Mohammad Khosa, Inspector General Police Tariq Khosa, Chief Secretary Nasir Khosa

Baloch in Punjab: Baloch Officers in Punjab Government

The News report "Punjab welcomes officers from smaller provinces"mentioned the name of other province officers serving in Punjab govt, here we mentioned only Baloch officers with their designations:

> Noorul Amin Mengal, DCO, Lahore;

> Dawood Beraich, Special Secretary Health;

> Saquib Aziz, Special Secretary Local Government;

> Aslam Tareen from Quetta, serving as Additional Inspector General in the province;

Baloch in Punjab:Noorul Ameen Mengal appointment as Lahore DCO

File Photo: Cm Punjab with Cm Balochistan

Lahore, The Punjab government on Monday transferred District Coordination Officer Ahad Cheema and appointed him Lahore Development Authority director general.

The government has appointed Noorul Ameen Mengal (special secretary at the Chief Minister Secretariat) as DCO.

Noorul Ameen Mengal belongs to Chaghi District of Balochistan. He is the first DCO belonging to Balochistan in the history of Punjab and the basic purpose of his appointment as Lahore DCO is to express solidarity with Balochistan where a sense of deprivation already prevails among the people regarding merit and resources distribution.

Earlier, Ameen Mengal has served as Gwadar DCO and additional secretary finance in Balochistan. He has also worked as political assistant, Dera Ghazi Khan, and special secretary to the Punjab chief minister.

<Dawn News>