52 get freedom

Additional District and Sessions Judge Lahore Afzal Faheem Thursday visited Camp Jail and ordered the release of 52 prisoners involved in petty offences. The judge visited different parts of the prison including kitchen, hospital and different barracks. Camp Jail Superintendent Asad Javed Warraich accompanied the District and Sessions judge.–APP

Passenger held at airport

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested a passenger at Allama Iqbal International Airport on Thursday for travelling on fake documents. According to FIA spokesman, the passenger namely Ijaz Ahmad, a resident of Pindi Lala Khaas district Mandi Bahauddin, arrived at the airport by flight No PK-248 and presented his emergency passport for immigration. During the process, the passport was found to be fake. Legal action is under way against the accused. –APP

FIA arrests three POs

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Lahore on Thursday arrested three proclaimed offenders (POs) from different parts of city during a crackdown. An FIA spokesman said the arrested POs were: Mudassar Hussain, Jahangir Qureshi and Muhammad Jasim, all belonging to Lahore. They were wanted in different cases and absconding for long.–APP

Writer visits OPC offices

Intellectual, poet, writer and columnist Amjad Islam Amjad Thursday visited the office of Overseas Pakistanis Commission (OPC) Punjab. Vice Chairperson OPC Shaheen Khalid Butt and Commissioner Afzaal Bhatti welcomed the distinguished guest. They informed him that a comprehensive policy is being followed to solve the issues of overseas Pakistanis and therefore 60% of the received complaints of overseas Pakistanis have been resolved amicably.–APP

PKLI non-clinical services to be outsourced

Punjab Government will outsource non-clinical services at Pakistan Kidney, Liver Institute and Research Centre (PKLI) to foreign companies. Delegation headed by Secretary Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education (SH&ME) Najam Ahmad Shah arranged a road show to attract Turkish companies and investors to provide services at PKLI and other mega institutes. Companies having experience of providing janitorial, pest control, laundry, catering and other services attended the event. Najam Ahmad Shah said that services of janitorial, hygiene, housekeeping, pest control, laundry & other non-clinical departments at PKLI would be outsourced to the companies & organisations having vast experiences in these fields. –Staff Reporter

Muhammad Tariq new ETPB secretary

Additional Secretary Shrines Muhammad Tariq on Thursday took charge as the new secretary of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). According to ETPB spokesman, he will also look after Shrines section of the department. –APP

IGP orders strict monitoring

Punjab Police Inspector General Arif Nawaz Khan on Thursday said that monitoring of inter-provincial and inter-districts check-posts should be made more tightened and proper functioning of CCTV cameras over remote search points should be ensured. He further said that for inspection of inter-provincial and inter-districts check posts, special vigilance teams should be constituted who will visit and provide report of uninterrupted provision of internet and working of CCTV cameras, and if any camera was found dysfunctional then in-charge check-post and also respective DPO will be held accountable for this negligence. The police chief expressed these views while addressing a meeting at the central police office on Thursday. Additional-IG Amjad Javed Saleemi, Aamir Zulfiqar Khan, Muhammad Tahir, DIG Ghulam Mehmood Dogar, AIG Muhammad Kashif, Rai Babar Saeed and other officers were also present in the meeting. Amjad Javed Saleemi informed the IGP that the inter-provincial and inter-district check posts were being monitored strictly. He also claimed that 18 proclaimed offenders and 42 suspected criminals were arrested by police during security monitoring. He said that at least 21 stolen cars and motorbikes were seized during the checking.–Staff Reporter

Township college girls gleam

The convocation of Government College Township (a community college) Lahore, was held Friday. The highlight of the convocation was that a large number of girls received gold medals for achieving distinctions in their programmes. The Government College Township was placed in the “W” category by the Higher Education Commission after evaluating the performance of selected colleges in Punjab in 2013. The guests of honour were Prof Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin, Chairman of Punjab Higher Education Commission, and Professor Dr Kamran Asdar Ali of the Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Lums. The event was attended by a large number of parents and staff. The convocation was held for students who graduated 2015 and 2016 in BS, BSc, MA and MSc, of which 210 students were from the Masters discipline while 281 got Degrees for Bachelors. Of the 21 students who received gold medals13 were female and 8 males.114 students were awarded Roll of Honors; the Department of Mass Communication took the lead with 82 students. While the girls were at the forefront of the awards in their subjects, an exceptional story at the convocation was of Colonel (r) Sultan Sarwar Ghumen who at the age of 66 completed his Masters in Mass Communication.–Staff Reporter

Shrine custodian passes away

Chura Sharif shrine caretaker Syed Shahid Hashmi Shah passed away on Thursday. His funeral, led by Chura Sharif shrine successor Qamarul Mashaikh Pir Syed Ahmad Mustafeen Haider Shah Gillani, was attended by many spiritual leaders and people from different walks of life. Yousuful Mashaikh Pir Syed Muhammad Kabir Ali Shah Gillani prayed for the departed soul and paid him tribute for his services for Islam and Ummah. Hasmi served Chura Sharif shrine in Attock for years.–Staff Reporter

Lent period starts, Christians observe fast

Ash Wednesday which marked the beginning of the period of Lent began with Christians across Pakistan fasting the other day. Special prayers were held in all churches and chapels. Before Easter, Christians observe a period of Lent. This is treated as a period of reflection and a time for fasting from food and festivities. It symbolises the days which lead up to Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and subsequent resurrection, when Christ spent 40 days and nights alone in the Judaean Desert being tempted by Satan. Lent lasts 46 days, but Sundays are not included in the overall count. That means it is observed for 40 days in the run-up to Easter, and is time when people fast. No weddings and celebrations are held during the period of Lent. Christians avoid eating meat during Lent. On Ash Wednesday Christians mark the occasion by making cross on the forehead with the ash. The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are made from the burning of palms from Palm Sunday the year before. Members of the clergy distribute the ashes in the form of a cross smudged on the forehead of people. "Remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return," priests tell parishioners. Outside of Easter and Christmas, the ritual is one of the most attended in the Christian calendar Ash Wednesday prayers were led at the Lahore Cathedral by the very Reverend Shahid Mehraj in morning and in the evening.–Staff Reporter