According to the details shared by an official, all vertical vaccination programmes which were being managed by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination had been shifted to the regulations ministry on May 6.

“The caretaker government has shifted the expanded programme on immunisation to the ministry of health regulations and has also changed its name,” he maintained.

“How can you shift one health subject, for which the IPC ministry had a mandate to coordinate with provinces, to another ministry?” he questioned.

The official said the division of the departments and the federal subject had been decided by a constitutional committee headed by Mian Raza Rabbani, but this has been shifted by the caretaker premier in one go.

He said the Federal Medical and Dental College, which was supposed to work under the Capital Administration and Development Division, was also shifted to the regulations division.

Likewise, the caretaker government had shifted the National Institute of Health to the regulations division.

NIH and FM&DC were earlier working under the administrative control of the cabinet division.

Obaid Abbasi, a high court lawyer, while talking to Dawn said, “According to the 18th constitutional amendment, health is devolved and this subject cannot be given a national status. Besides, the caretaker government has no political mandate to shift institutions from one ministry to another.”

He maintained that shifting EPI and NIH was a policy decision, which could not be taken by the caretaker government, adding that, “this decision is against the spirit of the 18th amendment.”

When approached, Secretary CAD Shafqat Naghmi said.

“As per the 18th constitutional committee’s decision, it was decided in April 2011 that all federal health-related subjects should rest with the ministry of CAD.”

“However, the interest of some people led to the strange distribution of departments, and the health chapter at the federal level has been disturbed among different ministries,” he said.

He added that the caretaker government had no mandate to shift departments such as FM&DC from the cabinet division, as it was the job of the future government.

Mr Naghmi said, “Caretaker minister for CAD, Dr Younas Soomro, had taken up the matter in the cabinet division but no one listened to him. He was told that the prime minister had already taken the decision in this regard.”

Despite multiple attempts, no official of the National Health Services Regulations and Coordination was available to clarify the ministry’s position on the matter.

Similarly, the caretaker minister for regulations, Shehzada Jamal, and the spokesman of the office of the prime minister, Shafqat Jalil, were unavailable for comments.

This has put at rest all the rumours about the departure of former president General (retired) Pervez Musharraf from the country before the formation of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government.

ATC Judge Syed Kausar Abbas Zaidi observed that since former president was facing charges of terrorism therefore, he was not entitled to bail at this stage when the proceedings in the case were yet to be commenced.

The court now begins hearing in the case from June 1.

Interestingly, the announcement to withdraw the case by lone complainant Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam Ghumman did not give any relief to the former military ruler.

Advocate Ghumman did not appear before the court to formally withdraw his petition that sought legal action against Musharraf for confining 60 judges of the superior courts for more than five months after imposition of emergency on November 3, 2007.

He told Dawn that he had announced not to pursue his case in the ‘national interest’. “It is up to the State and the court whether they wanted to keep this case alive,” he added.

The Secretariat Police had registered the case on August 11, 2009 on the complaint of advocate Ghumman and initially booked former president under section 344 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The offence under this section was bailable with three years imprisonment.

However, IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui on April 18, rejecting the pre-arrest bail petition of Gen Musharraf, directed the police to insert terrorism related sections in the FIR as according to the judge restraining the judges from administering justice was an act of terrorism.

Opposing the post-arrest bail plea of Gen Musharraf before the ATC Judge Zaidi, the police prosecutor Amir Nadeem Tabish on Wednesday informed the court that the police had booked the former military ruler under section 6 d-i-m and Subsection 2 of the Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) of 1997.

According to him, the maximum punishment under the sections of ATA was life imprisonment and the accused Musharraf facing similar offence was not entitled to bail.

He said that former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani soon after his oath taking in March 2008 made a speech in the Parliament House in which he ordered the release of 60 judges of the superior courts. He also produced the compact disc (CD) of the Gillani’s speech to the court.

If the judges were not under any confinement then why the former premier issued the order for their release and subsequently all the judges were set free, he added.

Musharraf’s counsel, Ilyas Siddiqui on the other hand contended before the court that there was no evidence on record according to which his client could be held responsible for detaining the judges.

“Former president under the article 48 of the constitution acted on the advice of then cabinet and he never passed any order for confining the judges”, he claimed.

“If there was any written order for keeping the judges under house arrest it may be brought before the court,” he added.

He said that the former military ruler left the presidency in 2008 after receiving ‘guard of honor’ and later went abroad in a graceful manner and nobody at that time raised any complaint against him.

The previous government took oath by Gen Musharraf and nobody tried to impeach the former president for his alleged wrongdoing, he pointed out.

Similarly, the counsel said, the Supreme Court in its judgment of July 31 declared the imposition of November 2007 as unconstitutional but not a single judge mentioned in the order that they were ever detained by Gen Musharraf during the emergency.

He said that the prosecution did not have an iota of evidence against Gen Musharraf and this was the reason that the police had failed to submit complete challan in the court despite arresting Gen Musharraf since April 18.

According to him, the police under the law were bound to submit the challan within 14 days after the arrest of any accused.

Sources told Dawn that the prosecution had raised a number of objections on the incomplete challan of the judges detention case because it lacked tangible evidence against the former military ruler.

On the basis of existing challan, Musharraf would easily be exonerated because it did not include the important evidence such as statement of judges or their family members who remained under house arrest during the imposition of emergency and the statements of the ministers in the Musharraf’s cabinet.

According to the sources during the investigation, Gen Musharraf claimed that the emergency on November 3, 2007 was imposed on the advice of then federal cabinet and quarters concerned.

Abbasi’s residence in Satellite Town is frequented by voters and supporters where the PML-N leader receives and talks to them.

Spokesperson for PTI Dr Sherin Mezari and some local party leaders have given a broad hint that Imran Khan, who has won three seats, is thinking to keep Mianwali and vacate Peshawar and Rawalpindi.

Though PTI and PML-N have not finalised their candidates for NA-56 by-election, Hanif Abbasi would definitely try his luck as, according to him, he ‘would teach a lesson’ to PTI in the election.

“I strongly believe that some hidden forces have defeated me in NA-56 but if I am given one more chance, I would defeat the forces and the PTI,” Mr Abbasi told Dawn on Wednesday.

He is determined to clinch the seat and according to him, his win in by-poll would put an end to the popularity of PTI.

“I am still campaigning. I am in touch with the residents of the area. People still approach me for their problems. I would continue to serve the people, even if I am not an MNA,” he maintained.

He blames a heavyweight of PML-N in Rawalpindi for his defeat as, according to him, he gave covert support to PTI candidate, the issue he had discussed with Shahbaz Sharif, during his visit to him a week back.

“I have been robbed by my own people. I cannot name the PML-N leader but he had even sponsored installation of PTI’s banners in my constituency. This is a really a setback for PML-N and me,” Abbasi told Dawn and declined to name the PML-N leader.

But things are not smooth for Mr Abbasi. Residents in NA-56 who have voted for PTI are still determined to once again vote for Imran Khan’s candidate in the by-poll accusing that Hanif Abbasi is behind Pashtun-Punjabi division in the area.

Majority of Pashtun population reside in NA-56 and have registered their votes in the constituency and in the past they would vote for Sheikh Rashid instead of Mr Abbasi.

“During his last election speech, Hanif Abbasi had boastfully said that ‘scavengers’ are too weak to defeat him,” Yunus Khan, 31, a shopkeeper in Mohanpura complained and added that outsiders including Kashmiris, Pashtuns and even minority groups were not happy with the attitude of Abbasi.

However, Mr Abbasi refutes this notion and says that he respects ethnic and minority groups in the town.

PTI leader in Rawalpindi and former District Nazim Tariq Kiani asserted that NA-56 would remain a stronghold of PTI no matter even if it is contested by someone other than Imran Khan.

“People will vote for Bat and will reject Tiger,” he added.

The Kabul police and its foreign office declared Roohullah an Afghan national a claim, which was contested by the investigating team.

The investigators told them that he was Pakistani. Though his wife is an Afghan national, she also uses Pakistani documents, including CNIC and traveling (passport).

Besides, the investigators also informed the Afghan authorities that the alleged killer was using the Afghan passport of his paternal cousin, Fazal Ahmad Khan, as both were identical. However, the authorities response is awaited, the officers added.

“An Afghan parliamentarian is providing protection ever since he escaped from District Headquarters Hospital Rawalpindi on July 29, 2012,” they added.

The investigators are still in touch with the Afghan police and keep informing them about the locations of the alleged killer during the last two months, which changed twice, but action is not taken against him yet, the officers said.

Although there is no extradition treaty between the two countries, the investigators acted on the assurance of Afghan ambassador in Islamabad that his government would assist the police in arresting the alleged killer.

After the assurance, a team dashed to Afghanistan and met governor and police chief of Nangarhar province. Besides, it also met the senior officer of Afghan Foreign Office and representative of Interpol (international police) there.

The police team informed the location of the killer and also visited the area along with the local law enforces where Roohullah was hiding. The local police of the area – a rural area located few kilometers away from Jalalabad – was also gave guidelines over the action against the killer which led to his arrest.

In March, the alleged killer was hiding at a residence of an Afghan Senator from Kabul, located few kilometers away in a rural area near the city of Jalalabad.

The 15-year-old girl was on her way to school in Ghareebabad (Chaklala) when she was picked up by her paramour in a taxi and was taken to the house where four other persons had already been present.

The father of the rape victim said in his repot registered with the Airport police that his daughter, a 9th class student, had developed friendship with a boy through cellphone. He said on Tuesday his daughter left for school but did not return home in the afternoon on time.

However, she returned home in the evening and narrated her ordeal she had passed through.

The investigating officer in the case said that one of the accused, who was a college student, had been nominated in the FIR.
However, his four other accomplices were yet to be identified.—Staff Reporter

The rise in the mercury level in Islamabad, which is already over 41 Celsius, has become unbearable for residents, especially students.

Electricity loadshedding has further aggravated the problem, and with each passing day, attendance in educational institutions is becoming thinner, Dawn has learnt.

According to the notification of different schools available with Dawn, exams of the first term would commence on 24th or 27th May, and would end by 5th June.

The results would be handed over on 7th June (Friday) and the summer holidays would officially start from 10th June.

Students have been instructed to come along with their bags, as exams would be held in the first two periods and routine studies would continue thereafter.

An officer of CAD, on condition of anonymity, said that as per past practice summer vacations are declared for around 65 to 70 days.

CAD has been considering two models for the summer vacations due to which official notification regarding summer vacations could not be issued.

“The first model suggests vacations would start from June 10, and educational institutions would open on August 15. The Eidul Fitr would be on August 8 or 9, and students will be able to avail the Eid holidays during summer vacations,” he said.

“The second model is that early vacations would be announced (by 5th June) and schools would open on August 13 because educational institutions have to provide around 4,000 students for the 14th August celebrations,” he explained.

The CAD officer maintained that if holidays were announced till 14th August, parents would not send their students for the preparations, and the ministry would be in an awkward position in front of the newly formed government.

A teacher requesting not to be identified said, “Apart from the extreme heat and suffocation in the crowded class rooms, the long hours of loadshedding and unavailability of water has added to the miseries of the students.”

Another teacher said the junior students were hit the worst by the shortage of water, as they had to visit the toilet more often and the shortage created serious hygiene issues. There have also been reports of students fainting and blood sprouting from their nose.

“In the absence of electricity, we find it hard to breathe, what to talk of concentrating on the studies,” said Mohammed Osama, an eight grade student.

Joint Secretary CAD Rafique Tahir, while talking to Dawn, said, “I am aware of the condition of the students and have decided to call a meeting on Thursday to decide about the summer vacations.”

Earlier, IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui had, on April 24, suspended the orders of the transfers and postings of top FBR officials.

Sources in the department told Dawn that the transfers were made after senior officers opposed the decision of their chief, who was insisting on arranging insurance worth Rs40 million for all NH&MP personnel with the State Life.

The officers considered this illegal as the insurance of the NHMP personnel was already covered under the budget of Reward and Welfare.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Motorway Zone Abbas Hassan Malik was removed from his post and made an Officer on Special Duty (OSD). Similarly, Assistant Inspector General Nasir Satti was removed from his post and transferred to Chakri as the sector commander, while Sector Commander Chakri Asim Gulzar was transferred to Rahim Yar Khan.

Sources said the officers had resisted the IGP’s order which involved at least Rs40million from the welfare funds of the organisation. They further added that the insurance was being arranged only to provide benefit to a woman close to the IG, as she would earn a handsome commission in the process.

IG NHMP Zaffar Iqbal Lak, when contacted, said the transfers and postings were a routine matter, and the apex court’s order was not being violated. He said certain posts were empty, and the transfers were made to fill the vacancies.

Referring to DIG Malik, he said the officer had applied for an ex-Pakistan leave, and thus was made an OSD. He said the proposed insurance scheme would benefit the department personnel, as the State Life would provide them with more profit.

When DIG Malik was asked about his refusal to obey the IG’s directions, he neither denied nor confirmed it. Replying to the question of his leave, he said he needed the break to attend a course. SSP Satti also said it was a routine transfer, and had nothing to do with the insurance decision.

SSP Satti had assumed charge of AIG 45 days ago, but was removed without the completion of his tenure (two years), which was a violation of the SC’s orders given in the Anita Turab case.

A CDA official told this agency on Wednesday that at present there were 178 small and six big parks but as the population had increased they were not sufficient to cater to public needs. — APP

The sweltering summer and lazing sun does not prevent them from attending Kabadi matches, weight lifting competitions and oxen races.

The 100,000 prize money was won by Sahot Budhaal team.

Earlier a weightlifting competition was quite captivating where both the young and the old were seen trying their muscles.

A 75 years old Chaudhry Mahbood alias Pahari Cheeta (hill tiger) lifted weights and performed, like a skilled acrobat shifted the load on his hands and feet, proving age is as much mental as physical.

On the other side, Chaudhry Ummar of Sahot, a 19 years old boy lifted over 3.3 mound stone making his old grandfather Chaudhry Sikhwat dance with joy.

Chaudhry Sikhwat said that he had been a proud weight lifter in such shows when he was not so old (90 years), and passed on the tradition to his son and then grandson Ummer, who won the prize.