Another flyover approved

LAHORE: The Punjab government Friday approved construction of flyover at Shaukat Khanum Chowk along Khayaban-e-Jinnah at the estimated cost of Rs947.314 million.

The scheme was approved in the 39th meeting of Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) of current fiscal year 2017-18, presided over by P&D Chairman Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan.Secretary P&D Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, all members of the Planning & Development Board, provincial secretaries concerned, Assistant Chief P&D Coordination-II Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal and other senior representatives of the relevant provincial departments also attended the meeting.

healthcare: The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government will establish a healthcare regulatory body on the lines of the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC), and the commission will extend its support for establishment of the body.

This was agreed at a meeting held here on Friday. Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman and Justice (r) Aamer Raza Khan led their respective delegations. The GB team comprised Minister for Works Dr Muhammad Iqbal, GB Council members Ashraf Sada and Arman Shah and Health Secretary Saeed-ullah Khan Niazi. PHC Commissioners Dr Muhammad Amjad Saqib, Bushra Ejaz, Prof Dr Rukhshanda Rehman and Dr Zafar Iqbal Qureshi attended the meeting. A joint coordination committee comprising senior officials of GB and PHC experts will be constituted to ascertain legal and technical needs.

This was the second meeting between the two sides. Earlier this year, PHC Chief Operating Officer Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan had held meetings with the GB CM and Chief Secretary. Dr Ajmal briefed the GB CM about the working of the commission, and its achievements. He said Punjab was the first in the SAARC region to establish a healthcare regulatory body. “For improving healthcare service delivery, PHC has conducted 350 trainings for over 10,000 healthcare establishments and inspected about 9,500 HCEs,” he said.

mushaira: A mehfil-e-mushaira was organised at Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) in connection with the ongoing International Punjabi Conference at the varsity on Friday.

According to a press release, Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal was the chief guest in the function in which various poets and poetesses from India, Canada and Pakistan including Dr Shahida Dilawar, Dr Mujahida Butt, Sukhider Singh, Dr K. J. Cheema, Irshad Khokhar and Mudassar Mehmood Naru participated and presented their poetry. A large number of scholars, students and art lovers attended the festival. Rana Muhammad Iqbal said peace and harmony would be prevailed by arranging such literary and cultural activities. “We need to acknowledge each other’s cultures. This conference will promote cultural harmony,” he said.

Vice-Chancellor Dr Uzma Qureshi said Punjabi was a sweet language. “Nations practicing their customs and levies especially mother tongues are far more progressive and attainable towards the enlightenment of society. Punjabi is extremely effective and so far most sustainable language with respect to literature.” she said.

Chief Organiser and Chairperson Punjabi Department Dr Mujahida Butt said such events provide an encouraging platform for educational institutes. With the participation of foreign scholars, it has become possible for the natives to enhance and broaden their vision and excel in the field of research.

Honoured: The BBA (Hons) students’ team of Business School of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences stood 1st in DICE Mega Event of Innovation and Entrepreneurship held at the Mirpur University of Sciences and Technology, Mirpur, Azad Kashmir. According to a press release issued Friday, over 23 public and private universities participated with more than 100 projects under four categories.