Polio campaign next week
The five-day national polio eradication drive will start all over Punjab from Monday, November 20, Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Kh Imran Nazir said on Thursday. The government wanted to build immunity of every child before the polio high-risk season start in May next year, he said. Secretary P&SH Ali Jan Khan said the campaign would be focusing on high risk areas like Rawalpindi, Lahore and South Punjab. Punjab’s Emergency Operation Coordinator Dr Munir Ahmed said although a polio case and consistent positive environment samples have been a cause of concern but not a setback to efforts to eradicate the virus. The provincial emergency operations centre has constituted over 44 thousand teams who will go door to door to vaccinate over 18.5 million under-five children. They include teams deployed at major bus stands, inter-provincial borders, airports, railway stations and hospitals. Dr Munir said parents may contact helpline if polio teams do not turn up in their areas. Punjab has had no polio case in 2016 but with the beginning of 2017 a child was paralysed by the virus in Lodhran, leaving the family devastated. –Staff Reporter
NPT remembers Pak Movement worker
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Sartaj Aziz has said the Two Nation Theory can be justified in the face of plight of Muslims in India. He was speaking at a condolence reference to mark 11th death anniversary of worker of the Pakistan Movement and former federal minister Mahmood Ali. The reference was organised by the Nazaria-e-Pakistan Forum at the Academy of Letters Auditorium on Friday. Sartaj said Mahmood had dedicated his life to propagation of this theory. He never recognised Bangladesh and strived for reunification of two wings of Pakistan throughout his life. He said Mehmood Ali was his best friend and he always found him a man of principles. Ali had worked under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam as a young man and he kept preaching philosophy of the Quaid throughout his life. He promoted Pakistanism and the new generation should study his life to set the direction of their future, he said. In his written message, NPT Chairman and former President of Pakistan Rafique Tarar said Mahmood Ali was not an individual but a movement who devoted his life to an ideology. He was a strong supporter of united Pakistan throughout his life. Dr Salahuddin Mengal called him a diehard Pakistani who sacrificed his nationality for Pakistan. Dr Nadeem Shafique Malik, Zafar Bakhtawri and NPT General Secretary Shahid Rasheed also spoke on this occasion. –Staff Reporter
Man killed by ‘friend’
A man was shot and killed allegedly by his friend during a clash in Manga Mandi police precincts Friday. The shooting took place in Mohalla Peer Colony shortly after both the friends exchanged harsh words over some dispute, police said. The deceased was identified as Ali Haider. His family told the police that Haider was shot dead by his friend Yasir. A police official said that the alleged killer was arrested by police following the incident. A murder case was also registered against the suspect and the police were investigating the killing. Also, police claimed to have arrested 20 gamblers in Shahdara Town. Police said they also seized Rs 70,000 cash, 11 motorcycles, and 23 mobile phones. A team of Shahdara police raided at the den run by Nasir Niazi on a tip-off. The suspects were arrested red-handed and they were sent to the police lock-up. The police also registered a criminal case and the gamblers and the owner of the den. Further investigating was underway. –Staff Reporter
Chaudhry Rehmat Ali remembered
The Government Islamia College Railway Road has marked the 120th birthday of Chaudhry Rehmat Ali. At a special sitting, speakers paid tribute to the veteran and youth was apprised of Chaudhry’s role in Pakistan Movement. Principal Prof Tahir Javed also shared memories with the students. Prof Arshad Buttar, Prof Sarfraz Ahmad and Prof Dr Ejaz Ahmad were among speakers while a good number of students attended the event. –PR