Most campuses near Gaddafi Stadium closed

LAHORE:While the District Education Authority (DEA) had directed public and private schools to observe school timings till 11am on Friday in the wake of Pakistan-Bangladesh T-20 series, most of the private schools and colleges situated in the vicinity of Gaddafi Stadium preferred to keep their campuses closed.

The students of the schools which followed the revised timings had to face problems especially during schools’ closing hours because of traffic mess on different roads particularly near the Gaddafi Stadium which the traffic police had to close ahead of the first match on Friday as a security measure.

Among others, Beaconhouse School’s Garden Town branch remained closed. The school administration had already announced a holiday on Monday. Similarly, people approaching private health facilities, including hospitals and clinics, in the vicinity of Gaddafi Stadium had to suffer till the match concluded and roads were opened to routine traffic.

A citizen, Khalid, said he was unable to reach a hospital to consult a doctor for which he had already secured an appointment. A source in the hospital said that in the wake of the situation of roads leading to the hospital many consultants had cancelled their outdoor appointments scheduled for Saturday (today).

Owing to strict security measures to ensure safety to the visiting Bangladeshi team, the government schools situated near Gaddafi Stadium and other areas were directed by the DEA Lahore to observe timings till 11am on Friday, Saturday and Monday.

It is pertinent to mention here that the district government is using the parking lot of FC College situated near the Gaddafi Stadium as parking for the visitors’ vehicles. The FC College will also remain closed on Monday.

campaign for girls’ education: The opening ceremony of Oxfam in Pakistan's education campaign “Alif Say Uraan” was held in connection with International Day of Education here on Friday.

The campaign aims at establishing the demand for improved enrolment and allocation of resources for the education of girls across Pakistan.

Oxfam Country Director Muhammad Qazilbash in his keynote address said Pakistan currently had one of the largest numbers of out-of-school girls in the world with more than 22.8 million out of school children living in the country.

“This is especially aggravated for girls as they face considerable barriers to education. Poverty, social norms, insecurity and escalating incidents of armed conflicts and violence have led to decrease in girls' enrollment and an increase in gender disparity in education,” he added.

“Today, on International Day of Education, Oxfam in Pakistan is launching “Alif Say Uraan” to bring together all the stakeholders so that together, we can work towards a future where every child in Pakistan can go to school and carve out a better future,” said Muhammad Qazilbash. The event also featured a performance “Humain Kitaab Chahiye” by schoolchildren.

Lecture: Developed countries in the field of medical and research in the world have paid special attention to research and development while medical experts and research scholars have contributed a lot of research to latest trends in medical science.

According to a press release these remarks were made in a lecturer on the Methodology & Article Writing of Research Work for medical students at Lahore General Hospital by Prof Dr Khalid Saeed Khan, from the UK. Principal Postgraduate Medical Institute Prof Dr Sardar Mohammad Al-Freed Zafar, faculty members PGMI/AMC’s students were present on the occasion. Prof Khalid Saeed further said that there was no shortage of talent in Pakistani doctors and specialists who were providing services in different countries.

Prof Al-Freed Zafar appreciated the visit of British professor Dr Khalid Saeed Khan at his own expense to facilitate free education and training for PG and undergraduate students at PGMI/AMC.

UET: The annual alumni event of the University of Engineering & Technology (UET) was held here on Friday evening.

UET Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mansoor Sarwar, CEOs of different companies and a large number of alumni of the university attended the event. Speaking on the occasion Prof Dr Mansoor Sarwar said UET graduates were playing a leading role in the progress and development of the country. Among others 94-year old Ch Nazar Muhammad, the oldest graduate of the UET, session 1946, when the UET was known as Maclagan Engineering College, attended the event.