Students get laptops

LAHORE

A ceremony was held in Lahore sub-campus of a university to distribute laptops in 38 MPhil students under the Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme here on Friday. 

Punjab Minister for Higher Education Syed Raza Ali Gillani was the chief guest of the ceremony.  Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Chairman Dr Mohammad Nizamuddin was also present.

The minister asked the students to use the laptop facility for improving their research skills and find solutions to modern-day challenges. He said IT had overpowered every section of society. Pakistan can also earn a huge foreign exchange by promoting its IT potential according to needs of the international market, he said. Dr Nizamuddin also spoke on the occasion. Later, the minister distributed laptops among the students.

Cultural evening: Government College University (GCU) organised a cultural evening in honour of 193 students from different colleges and universities of Balochistan visiting the provincial capital under the “Youth Mobilisation Campaign” of the Punjab government.

The evening was also marked by the melodious performances by the GCU’s Nazir Ahmed Music Society (NAMS). The officials of Higher Education Department, Punjab and senior faculty of GCU also attended the event. GCU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Hassan Amir Shah said, “We must be proud of our cultural diversity, and adopt a pluralistic approach; accept, respect and appreciate each other's culture, faith and language.” The VC said GCU was a mini-Pakistan where students from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds studied together and also learnt from each other. He said a large number of students from Balochistan also studied at GCU and were provided with extensive support and scholarships.

Earlier, the GCU students enthralled the Baloch students with traditional music and cultural dance performances. The GCU and Baloch students together presented the Balochi cultural performance at the end of the ceremony.

The guest students also visited the atomic and laser research facilities, natural history museum, Naqoosh Centre, Sports Complex and Allama Iqbal’s room at GCU.

cleanliness: Albayrak Waste Management has kicked start its cleanliness awareness campaign in collaboration with different mosques’ administrations here Friday.

Officials said an awareness drive was arranged in Kamahan, UC-249 in which Deputy Mayor Rao Shahabuddin, UC Chairman Malik Asif Babar and Vice-Chairman Ch Ramzan Mayo participated. On the request of Albayrak team, the imams of the local mosques highlighted the importance of cleanliness in their Friday’s sermons. Speaking about the current cleanliness drive being carried out in collaboration with local mosques, the project coordinator said that grassroots efforts are essential for the resolution of waste management related issues. Our mosques can play an important role in sensitising the citizens about their roles in keeping the city clean. He added that given the enthusiastic participation of local mosques, the campaign will have far-reaching impacts. Following the activity, an awareness walk was also arranged from the awareness camp to the Jamia Mosque and brochures were distributed among the locals after the Friday prayer.