Peace & Pakistan First
LAHORE: The Punjab Government issues instruction Monday to disburse pay, allowance and pension for the month of July 2021 in advance on 16th July 2021 due to Eidul Azha to all its employees and pensioners in the light of Punjab Government financial rules.
To implement the above decision, Secretary Faineance has issued written instructions to Accountant General Punjab and all District Account Officers in Punjab including Treasury Officer-I, Lahore.
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that free health insurance will be provided to the entire population in the province. In a statement on Saturday Usman Buzdar said that 66 percent increase has been made in the development budget and a composite roadmap of genuine development has been introduced in the province. The Chief Minister said that parliamentarians were consulted to finalize the Annual Development Programme and 25 billion rupees have been allocated for completion of mega projects. Sardar Usman Buzdar said in the past development was only shown on papers but the incumbent PTI government believes in taking practical steps to ensure indiscriminate development of all areas of the province.
LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML N) Punjab s Secretary Information Azma Bukhari has alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar belongs to a billionaire family. A tussle has been going on between the PML N leader and Punjab CM. Buzdar had earlier served a defamation notice to Azma Bukhari. It demanded Rs250 million in damages for levelling baseless and fabricated allegations against the Punjab chief minister and his principal secretary. Bukhari had alleged that the CM s office received bribes for transfers and postings of officials. The PML N leader has been asked to apologise for the baseless allegations within 14 days or face a legal action. The notice had the transcription of Bukhari s press conference attached as well. Addressing a press talk on Saturday at Lahore Azma said that no one knows how these assets were made. Imran Khan is unaware of how transfers and postings are being sold in Punjab Amza once again alleged adding that she and her party is penitent over the prerogative bill that was passed by Punjab Assembly.
LAHORE: The Punjab government has relaxed restrictions on business activities across the province from July 1, Thursday after the corona situation relented. According to a notification issued here on Wednesday, markets have been allowed to remain opened till 10:00 pm, however, necessary commodities like medical stores, petrol pumps, food takeaways, all kinds of markets would remain open round the clock while indoor weddings/functions had been allowed with maximum limit of 200 guests only for vaccinated individuals. Similarly, outdoor weddings have been permitted with maximum limit of 400 guests and strict implementation of Covid-19 SOPs. Indoor dining with 50 per cent capacity has been allowed only for vaccinated people till 11:59 pm. Likewise, outdoor dining will be permitted with the same timing and strict implementation of the Covid-19 SOPs. Cinemas throughout the province will be allowed to open for vaccinated individuals till 1 am subject to the compliance of Covid-19 SOPs.
LAHORE: The Punjab government has yet to decide about dates of summer vacation in schools of the province.
Earlier, Minister for School Education Murad Raas said the dates for summer vacation would be announced within two weeks in the province.
The Punjab government had already changed the timings for all private and public schools from 7am to 11:30am due to hot weather.
A meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre had suggested the Punjab government to announce summer vacation from July 18 to Aug 1. However, Mr Raas was planning to announce summer vacation from July 2 to Aug 2.
The participants could not decide about the summer vacation and would take up the matter in the next NCOC meeting.
Meanwhile, All Pakistan Private Schools Federation (APPSF) President Kashif Mirza has said it is impossible to compensate the educational loss of students for 18 months by closing institutions.
He said the schools would remain open between 7am and 11am and students were allowed to attend schools in casual dress rather than uniform.
FAISALABAD: The Punjab minister for energy says only renewable energy is a viable solution to meet the demands of electricity and the government has mapped out a plan to install two megawatt solar panel in 42 public sector universities.
Addressing a gathering at groundbreaking of solar plant of 2KW at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, minister Dr Muhammad Akhtar said the government had started working on converting waste into energy in different municipal corporations.
The minister also inaugurated UAF retrofitting at UAF Solar Park worth Rs71.99m under which 7,466 energy efficient fans and 20,723 LED lights have been installed and replaced with conventional inefficient alliances. It will save Rs35m annually.
RAWALPINDI: Over 400 newly passed out constables have been posted at different police stations of Rawalpindi district, said a police spokesman on Saturday. He informed that as per the instructions of City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Muhammad Ahsan Younas, SDPOs and SHOs welcomed the newly posted constables and had lunch with them. They were also briefed about law and order duties, he said. The SDPOs and SHOs, while talking to the newly posted constables at the police stations, said the trained constables could play an important role in serving the citizens. Earlier, the CPO while addressing the constables in police line headquarters said, “You have been given new responsibilities which should be fulfilled in the best possible way. ” The police are striving to change ‘Thana culture’ and young constables are the future of this force, CPO said adding, senior officers should further impart training to them to increase their capacity so that they could serve the citizens with more dedication and commitment. Newly trained constables are hope for the police department, the CPO said and expressed the optimism that their conduct would be exemplary. The constables should also be provided residential facilities at the police stations, CPO directed the authorities.
LAHORE: The Punjab government otransferred and posted officials.
Ahmad Ali Zafar secretary at the Board of Revenue, was transferred and directed to report to S&GAD. He was replaced by OSD Syed Javed Iqbal Bokhari.
(NUT Desk) LAHORE: All provinces have been asked by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to make sure doctors prescribe medicines with their generic names in the public and private sectors.
DRAP gave the instructions after public complaints on the PM’s Citizen’s Portal against pharmaceutical companies and doctors reportedly colluding to provide people with costlier medicines under a brand name.
A letter was written to the health secretaries of all four provinces, Azad Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and the Islamabad commissioner by DRAP Pharmacy Services Director Dr Abdur Rasheed.
It said citizens had complained through the Prime Minister’s Performance Delivery Unit (PMDU) against company-influenced brand-based prescription of medicines by doctors in government and private sectors.
“This practice adds to the economic burden of the country and puts financial load on patients due to purchase of pricier brands. Such practice is also against the Code of Ethics for medical and dental practitioners,” the letter read.
DRAP, therefore, directed the health authorities across Pakistan to take necessary measures to promote generic prescriptions by doctors and discourage the practice of incentivised prescription.
The Drug Act 1976, in its Section 7 “Registration of Drugs”, Clause-8, says that single-ingredient drugs (containing one active ingredient) shall be registered generally by their generic names, while compound drugs (containing more than one active ingredient) shall be registered generally by their proprietary names. Drug Lawyers Forum President Noor Mahar said doctors and pharmaceutical companies collude and are involved in the unethical practice of writing even single-ingredient drugs with their brands names in violation of the regulatory law.
For instance, he named a brand medicine manufactured with Amlodipine salt for heart patients is being sold at Rs460, while same drug with the another brand name is available for Rs49.
The Punjab Culture Day is going to be celebrated on 14th March (Sunday) for which several steps were taken in a meeting held at Punjab civil secretariat under the chair of Minister for Culture Khayal Ahmed Kastro.
For the Punjab Culture Day, a major function will be held at Alhamra where a cultural village will also be built. Stalls of Punjabi food, cultural arts and crafts will also be on display. Punjabi artists will perform folk songs and dances. A song would also be released on Punjab Culture Day. About 24 cultural floats would be taken out by different departments. The floats will leave the Town Hall and end at Gaddafi Stadium. Performances on Punjabi dance and music will be presented on the floats.
Minister for Culture and Additional Chief Secretary Irum Bukhari praised the efforts of the Information and Culture Department for preparing a Punjab Culture Day plan on short notice.
