JI to rename minorities Pakistani community: Siraj

LAHORE : Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq on Sunday said that he would like an amendment to the Constitution so that the word “minorities” was substituted with the “Pakistani community”, giving a distinct and elevated status to the minorities.

Talking to the media after the Khatm-e-Bukhari ceremony of the Jamia Islam, Hubb, Balochistan, Sirajul Haq said the word “minorities” created a sense of deprivation and a separate entity which could be ended.

JI Balochistan chief Abdul Haq Hashmi, Hafiz Muhammad Ismael, the chief of the Jamia Mufti Muhammad Zubair were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, he said there was more corruption in Balochistan than in other provinces and added that there was no foolproof system to check the evil. He said the JI had always raised voice for the rights of the people of Balochistan. He said the feudal lords and capitalists had defamed democracy in the country.

On the occasion, several local dignitaries announced joining the JI. Sirajul Haq said that MMA had been formed to forge unity in the Ummah and the nation. He said the colonial powers and the international establishment had always attempted to divide the Ummah. He said the MMA wanted a system in which the poor could get justice at their doorstep and the rulers were the public servants.

youth convention: Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Liaqat Baloch said that the youths were the best asset of the country and development and peace could not be achieved without resolving their issues.

Addressing a gathering at the semi-final of the “Jeevay Pakistan” cricket fair organised by the JI Youth, Liaqat Baloch said the corrupt ruling elite of the country had given rise to despair and anxiety among youths, and added that the JI with the under the MMA’s leadership would solve their problems on priority basis. He said that the JI Youth had mobilised thousands of young men by organising cricket tournament. He said that a historic youth convention would be held in the Punjab capital on 8th April. The JI secretary general urged youths to break the status quo. He said that the country’s elite mostly spent their lives outside the country but exploited the masses to come to power. He said the MMA would change the patron of the country’s politics and time was not far of when the corrupt would be in the dock.

PU workshop ends: A six-day international workshop on research proposal writing organised by Punjab University’s Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) has concluded.

According to a press release, in the last session, PU Centre of Excellence in Applied Molecular Biology Director Dr Nadeem Sheikh delivered a lecture on reference manager and threw light on various reference managing techniques using modern software and information sources.

Prof Dr Rubina Zakar said the international workshop on research proposal development was organised for young faculty members and MPhil/PhD scholars at ISCS for their capacity building. She said trainers from Germany, the US and Pakistan were the resource persons of the workshop.

diseases: Several important deliberations were held on the last day of the 25th Biennial Convention of Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) at Aiwan e Iqbal.

According to a press release issued here on Sunday, in a special session, "Medical Profession - Issues and Challenges", PIMA experts highlighted major issues in Pakistan. They stressed prevention of diseases by prioritising provision of clean water, environmental safety and vaccination. PIMA urged the government to ensure transparency in admissions to medical colleges, solve the scarcity of doctors, improve coordination among the PMDC, CPSP, doctor bodies and the government.

Federal Health Minister Saira Afzal Tarar announced the "National Health Vision" to improve all such problems. She said the government was striving to improve coordination between the Centre and provinces. She invited the doctor bodies to help government reach the masses for effective polio vaccination and women health. The speakers included Prof Iqbal Khan, Prof Wasay Shakir, Prof Abdullah Muttaqi and Muhammad Owais.