Survey has been conducted by different NGOs in Mansehra and
workshops were held revealing that Mansehra district has the highest
disability rate. Saiban Development Organization, Handicap
International World Vision etc organized the workshops to create
awareness among the people however they have pointed out few reasons
e.g. contaminated water, cousin marriages, use of narcotics. I will
request the Provincial Government to make the media coverage along
with the print advertisement for the peoples to get know how to
control it, because in future it will become a big problem and issue
for the government to tackle it.
I further request the Public Service Commission authorities to fix
the special quota for these areas people to be recruited on
disability basis. There is need of quick action of Health Department
to control these serious issues and I am sure the next generation
would be free of such problem but possible only due to the
government policies and active role. —Peshawar
World Diabetes Day
Rabia Shakir
World Diabetes Day is celebrated each year on 14 November. It was
introduced in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the
World Health Organization in comeback to the alarming rise of
diabetes around the world. Diabetes Mellitus is a disorder in which
body either fails to appropriately respond or does not make enough
insulin-a hormone produced in the pancreas. Many people have
diabetes for several years but by the time they diagnosed, a great
many have already started to upsurge the complications of illness
like visual impairment, kidney failure, heart disease, and nerve
damage. The International Diabetes Federation estimates that 285
million people around the world have diabetes. This total is
expected to rise to 438 million within 20 years.
World Diabetes Day is a crusade that is highlighted on a new theme
each year chosen by the International Diabetes Federation to cope
with issues regarding diabetes globally on the way to promote
awareness of the risk factors and warning signs of diabetes, and
encourage best-practice allotment in diabetes prevention. The theme
for 2009-2013 is Diabetes Education and Prevention. On this World
Diabetes Day get yourself vigilant of the facts that how to prevent
and cure this illness. Public and professional awareness of the risk
factors for and the symptoms of diabetes are an important step
towards its control and prevention because prevention is better than
cure.
Doing so is important both in terms of quality of life and life
expectancy because diabetes have been shown to be a major menace on
fitness. It is the high time to implement effective strategies and
policies for the prevention and management of diabetes to safeguard
the health of the people globally. —Karachi
Human trafficking
Paras Shakir
The dilemma of human trafficking has gained significance as one of
the most imperative issues. It is the practice of people being
mislead, lured, removed from their country, and then compelled to
work with no or low payment or on terms which are highly
exploitative. It is a form of irregular migration, which may on the
surface look like a perfect legal entry. Human trafficking is a
multidimensional and complex phenomenon in nature being involved
origin, transit and destination countries that poses several
challenges for the Government and the civil society. An “origin
country” is a country from which people are trafficked, a “transit
country”, is a temporary stop for journey to the country where they
will be enslaved and a “destination country” is one where trafficked
persons end up.
A common misconception is that trafficking only occurs in poor
countries. But every country in the world is involved in this
rebellious, lucrative system. However, this practice is elevating in
Pakistan day by day, usually females and children are the victims of
trafficking smuggled from rural and urban areas for various reasons
including sexual motive, forced marriages, overseas employment and
domestic work and children for the purpose of camel jockey races,
domestic work, beggary, sexual assault and slavery. The people that
have been falling continuously to this act are those belonging to
poor and backward areas of Pakistan. The coastal belt between
Karachi and Gwadar is consider to be a bliss for traffickers to
transport people for Gulf States by road to the border of Iran and
for Greece, Italy and Spain via sea. Human trafficking is becoming
one of the most serious organized crimes being committed all over
the world. An integrated approach to combat human trafficking is
required by government based on prevention, prosecution of
traffickers and protection of the victims. —Karachi
Finance Division unlawful decisions
Anwar Hussain
I intend to bring to kind notice of the Honourable Chief Justice
Supreme Court and the Honourable Chairman Federal Service Tribunal
Islamabad that a few Policy decisions of the Finance Division’s
being discriminatory / unlawful are liable to be amended to meet the
ends of justice. Here I give two examples as under:-
(i) That the Honourable F.S.T in the light of the Judgement of the
Honourable Supreme Court Islamabad Passed in Civil Petition No 1350
of 2002 titled Ch Abdul Ghafoor Versus Secretary Finance, Government
of Pakistan Islamabad and the Federal Service Tribunal’s Judgement
reported as 1989 PLC (CS) 546 titled Mian Ghulam Qadir and 2 others
Versus Secretary, Establishment Division, Rawalpindi and 10 others
have decided in MISC Petitions No 1174 and 371 / 2008 in Appeals No
981 (R) CS/2004 and 1417 (R) CS / 2005 that the Petitioners are
entitled to annual increment for the retiring year.
Therefore the Secretary to Government of Pakistan, Ministry of
Finance’s Islamabad and another, Petitioner’s appeals against the
said Judgement had been dismissed by the Honourable Supreme Court of
Pakistan in Civil Petitions Nos 1019 and 1020 / 2009 on 22-06-2009.
Now it has become a precedent / Law for others in a similar nature
case. Reliance in this respect is placed upon the Honourable Supreme
Court’s Judgement reported as 1984 SCMR 286 titled Chairman,
Pakistan Railways Lahore versus Muhammad Latif and others.
2. In another case, the grant of benefit of Rs 300/- and Rs 100/-
for Pensionary benefit to those who retired up to 30-11-2001 and
non-grant of the said benefit to others in a similar nature case who
retired in the Revised Pay Scales of 2001 or onwards being based on
discriminatory treatment is violative of Article of 25 of the
Constitution of 1973. In this case, the contention of the Finance
Division is that those who had opted the Revised Pay Scales of 2001
are not entitled to avail benefit of ad hoc relief of Rs 400/- for
Pensionary emoluments on the grounds that as per Para 3 of the
Finance Division’s OM No F.1 (5) imp/2001 dated 04-09-2001, the ad
hoc relief being allowance had been withdrawn. While as per the
Honourable Supreme Court’s Judgement reported as 2003 SCMR 1037
(Managing Director, Pakistan Railways, Carriage Factory, Islamabad
Versus Muhammad Asghar, the Adhoc Relief of Rs 300/- being permanent
increase in the Pay Scale would be reckonable towards the Pensionary
emoluments. In the end, the Honourable Chief Justice of Supreme
Court of Pakistan and the Honourable Chairman F.S.T are humbly and
respectfully requested to take SUO MOTU notice of the said cases in
the interest of Justice. —Islamabad
Separatism voices in India
Tanveer Jafri
The Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra state witnessed a very sorry
situation when Abu Asim Azmi, a legislator of the assembly was
manhandled by the legislators of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)
just because he was taking the oath in Hindi.
It is to be noted that a week earlier, the chief of the MNS, Raj
Thackeray had ‘directed’ all the legislators of all parties to take
the oath in Marathi language only. He also threatened if any
legislator would take the oath in any non-Marathi language, its
consequences would be seen by the entire house. At last, the warning
of Thackeray proved right. The legislator Abu Azmi ‘violated the
direction’ of Thackeray and he faced its consequences. In fact, this
doesn’t seems to be a small incident.
The legislators of the MNS didn’t object to those who took the oath
in English instead of Marathi. Why only the legislator taking the
oath in Hindi, was targeted? During this shameful incident the MNS
legislators showed a black banner on which those states such as
Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Gujarat,
were mentioned where their respective regional languages are spoken.
Therefore, Raj Thackeray’s MNS is spreading the venom of separatism
not only in Maharashtra but it is also trying to evoke the
chauvinist elements of other states too. The Marathi love of Raj
Thackeray becomes clear from the fact that his children study in a
well reputed English medium school in Mumbai. Not only his, the
children of all the Marathi ‘lovers’ of MNS are getting their
education from English medium schools. All these people watch Hindi
movies, are making profits from the business arising out of the
Hindi films.
Even to spread their message in the entire country, they use the
Hindi media. Despite this, what is the reason of their opposition of
the country’s official language, Hindi? What compelled the MNS
legislators to act in such an insulting and shameful manner? In
these circumstances, the need of the hour is that the Central
Government take legal measures against these narrow minded and
divisive forces and it is the duty of the people to understand the
motives behind activities of such people. In our country, respect,
dignity and identity is based on the principle of Unity in Diversity
and there is no place for narrow things like regional chauvinism.
—India
