Ulema role sought in population control

LAHORE:Considering the importance of Ulema as agents of change, Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Center (MSNC), P&D Board in collaboration with Population Welfare Department, Auqaf & Religious Affairs Department and UNFPA organised a dialogue on the importance of breastfeeding, family planning and high population growth with Ulema and Khateeb at local hotel here on Thursday.

The event included participation of all key stakeholders, prominent religious scholars, Ulema, Khateeb, government departments and development partners. Addressing the occasion, Auqaf and Religious Affairs Minister Pir Syed Saeedul Hassan said, “Multi-factorial determinants of breastfeeding require supportive measures at various levels in various departments. Breastfeeding is not the sole responsibility of a mother it is a collective responsibility of a family, society and government to provide opportunities and environment to breastfeeding mothers. Malnutrition and promotion of breastfeeding remains a top priority agenda of the current government. I believe that Ulema could play a pivotal role in guiding the communities on population planning and breastfeeding. With the help of Ulema, we could fight the age-old prejudices against planned families.

He said MSNC will lead the path the department needs to take – through a multi-sectoral approach and the international best practices. Dr Sohail Saqlain, member HNP, Executive Director MSNC, P&D Board said Ulema play a crucial role in forming a public opinion on any topic therefore they are requested to sensitise the masses in their sermons about the importance of breastfeeding and family spacing.

He said there is a dire need to aware individuals, families, communities, healthcare givers, policy makers and general public on the importance of breastfeeding and its critical linkage in natural way of controlling over population.

In his speech, Ali Bahadur Qazi, Secretary Population Welfare Department, said that population control doesn’t fall under the sole jurisdiction of Population Welfare Department, rather it is multifaceted issue thus requires a multi-sectoral approach to addressing.

Dr Rubina Suhail, Professor of Gynae & Obs Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr Tayyaba Waseem Professor of Gynae & Obs, Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad and Maulana Muhammad Ramzan Sialvi also gave their comments and suggestions to the participants. Dr Muhammad Nasir, Consultant SUN Secretariat Punjab, Shoaib Shehzad, representative of UNFPA gave a brief presentation on the issue.

CS: Punjab chief secretary has taken notice of non-display of rate lists at shops in Multan, Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur and sought a report about the three districts from the Special Branch and Urban Unit that were tasked to monitor the price control measures throughout the province. Presiding over the daily review meeting on price control, the chief secretary said that it was the responsibility of the administrative officers to ensure display of the price lists at shops, and the deputy commissioner concerned would be held answerable for violations, if any.

Wasa MD: To learn about the latest techniques applied by Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Lahore to counter urban flooding, Wasa Quetta managing director visited Wasa Lahore head office on Thursday.

Wasa Quetta MD Jahanzeb Khan was given presentation by Aslam Khan Niazi, deputy managing director of Wasa Lahore, about Lahore’s water supply and drainage system as well as the measures taken by Wasa Lahore to counter urban flooding during the recent monsoon.

UET protest: Teaching Staff Association (TSA) of the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore has completed arrangements for its October 24 protest demonstration against the Punjab government. A meeting of the UET-TSA was held on Thursday which finalised the arrangements for the protest against the government for ignoring UET’s financial situation and not providing technical allowance to the UET teachers. It was also decided that after Oct 24 protest outside the Punjab Assembly, the UET-TSA would go for academic boycott if the government did not accept the demands of the teachers.