Experts concerned over increasing rate of child, maternal deaths BAJAUR—Tribesmen and health experts on Friday showed concern over increasing rates of child and maternal deaths in the tribal areas and called upon the government and non-governmental organization to accelerate efforts for providing basic health facilities to the women and children of the agency. They were speaking at a day-long sensitization seminar on mother and child health, the first ever event of its kind organized by FATA, KP health programme in collaboration with USAID, here at Agency head quarter hospital. Large number of tribesmen, elders, political worker, religious scholars, female activists, senior officials of the administration, health department and representatives of world health organization and Unicef attend the seminar. They said that condition of existing health facilities in the agency was very poor and insufficient and it did not meet the need of population. They said that maternal mortality ratio in the agency had been increased for the last several years and currently Bajaur was on the top for its highest ratio of maternal mortality. Agency Surgeon Dr Zakir Hussain while speaking at the seminar pointed out QUETTA: Chief Minister of Balochistan, Dr Abdul Malik awarding shield to a next of kin of a martyred journalist during that large number of women in the entire agency particularly in the remote and farMedia Day function at a local hotel. flung areas died during and following pregnancy and child birth due to lack of proper health care facilities.
Dacoits loot gold ornaments
MUZAFFARGARH—Unknown dacoits allegedly looted gold ornaments, cash, mobile phones and other valuables from a house at Mehmood Kot, some 25 km away from here on Thursday midnight. According to police, three unknown armed dacoit barged into house of Akhtar Farooq in the limits of Mehmood Kot police station on Thursday midnight and held the family hostage at gun point. They allegedly looted 4-tola gold ornaments, Rs 20,000 in cash, two mobile phones and other valuables from them and fled. On receiving information, police reached the spot and started investigation.—APP
Lack of access to skilled medical care during child birth, societal infrastructure, social barriers and lack of awareness are the major causes of increasing maternal mortality ratio in the Agency,” said Dr Hussain. He stressed the need of creating awareness among the people about family planning as it plays a key role in provision of reproductive health services in the agency. “As solid step to control increasing population is the need of the hour and this is the responsibility of every citizen particularly the elders, religious and political leaders to come forward and highlight the importance of family planning in their area as proper interval in children is vital for the durable development of agency,” he added. Notable religious scholars Maulana Mohammad Hanif and Maulana Ahmed Noor have highlighted the importance of family planning in Islam. In the seminar Dr Misal Khan Afridi Coordinator of Fata, KP health programme in Bajaur briefed the audience about the activities of this programme. He said that this USAID funded programme which recently launched in Bajaur was working in seven districts of Malakand Division and four tribal agencies of FATA. He said that the programme only focusing on mother and children health care facilities. He informed the participants that
through the programme 20 women from various remote and far-flung areas have been selected for an 18 months long basic training of maternity services and after completion of the training they would be capable to run maternity clinics in their areas. He added that reasonable stipend will be given to the trainees that would continue after six months of completion of their training and they would also provide free of cast equipment and medicines. Speaking on the occasion Additional Political Agent Tariq Khan said the government making its efforts to improve mother and children health care facilities in the agency. He admitted that population growth rate in agency remained very high during last few years and resultantly people in the region particularly women and children had been facing shortage of basic health facilities. He claimed that most of health care units and hospitals that had been destroyed during militancy had been reconstructed while several new health units in the remote and far flung areas would be established soon. He asked the nongovernmental organization to cooperate with the government for provision of basic and modern health facilities to the tribesmen as only government can’t provide basic health facilities to the people.—APP
ANF recovers Rs338m heroin, Seven involved in Air pollution kills 7m in 2012 power stealing charas, arrests 13 persons sent to jail I SLAMABAD —Air pollution contributed to breathe,” she added.
ISLAMABAD—Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) re- ered 440 gram of fine quality heroin tactfully
covered over 3 kilogram of heroin, 291 kg cha- concealed in cloth. The parcel was sent by ras, 1.5 kg methamphetamine and 10800 psy- Begum Noor r/o Sultanabad, Karachi and was chotropic tablets with arresting 13 drug peddlers. destined for cyprus. ANF Rawalpindi arrested Muhammad ANF conducted seven operations in the provinces of Punjab, KPK and Sindh, said a Mumtaz r/o Tramari Chowk, Islamabad and recovered 1.05 kg charas from his personal pospress release. ANF Peshawar road check team seized session, while he was traveling on a motorcycle truck registration No. TKA-723 and recovered registration No. BM-ICT-665. The accused was 280 kg charas, tactfully concealed in secret cavi- arrested near main gate of Benazir Bhutto Hosties of the vehicle and arrested two persons, pital, Murree Road, Rawalpindi. ANF Lahore arrested Sultan Muhammad r/ namely Lal Haider r/o Jamrud, Khyber Agency and Haji Haider r/o Jamrud, Khyber Agency o Peshawar and Muhammad Siddique r/o Qasur and recovered 2.40 kg charas from their personal have been arrested at the spot. ANF Karachi airport team arrested possession. The accused were arrested near Niazi Muhammad Shaban r/o Orangi Town, Karachi Bus Stand, Band Road, Lahore. ANF Lahore arrested Jan Sher r/o Khyber and recovered 3 kg heroin, 10800 psychotropic tablets and 1.50 kg methamphetamine from his Agency, Anwar Ali r/o Lahore and Shahzad Anjum r/o Lahore and recovered 6 kg charas hand baggage. The drugs were tactfully concealed in a trol- from their personal possession. ANF Lahore arrested three persons near ley bag. The accused was to travel from Karachi to Bangladesh by PIA flight No. PK-266. On Niazi Adda, Band Road, Lahore and recovered further investigation, his accomplice namely 1.2 kg of charas from their personal possesr/o Kamari, Karachi was also sion. FAISALABAD—A car mela will Naseer-Ud-Din Cases against all the accused persons have arrested near Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Karachi. be held at D-Ground under disANF Karachi intercepted a parcel at Fed- been registered in ANF Police Stations and furtrict government on April 6, said Ex office Shahrah-i-Faisal Karachi and recov- ther investigations are under process.—APP DCO Noorul Amin Mengal while addressing a press conference here Thursday.He said that Executive, performer, sports, rare, luxury cars will be placed in the Mela being organized first time in the history of city.MPAs Muhammad Nazaw Malik, Faqeer Hussain Dogar, Haji ABDUL KHALIQ QURESHI Hazara Bar has produced num- Mansehra, Battagram, Khalid Saeed, Director Lyallpur ber of stalwarts who are known Kohistan, and other areas also Museum Mian Attiq and others ABBOTTABAD—Justice Mian for their integrity and profes- attended with officials of diviwere also present on the occasion. Fasih-ul-Mulk, Chief Justice sional skill. sional administration. Muhammad Nawaz Malik Peshawar High Court has This he said while addressChief Justice paid rich will be chairman of the event. asked the young lawyers to ing a reception arranged by tributes to the lawyer’s comDCO said that all arrange- follow the footsteps of their Peshawar High Court Bar As- munity for their role in the ments have been finalized to elders who were an icon of the sociation Abbottabad Circuit restoration of judiciary and hold the event.—APP this noble profession as bench in the honour of outgo- said that nobody can suppress ing Chief Justice of Peshawar the voice of the masses who High court Mr. Justice Mian sacrifices their lives for the Fasih-ul-Mulk who is going to delivery of justice to the retire on April 7, 2014 here at crushed peoples. Bar Club the other Mr. Justice Fasih-ul-Mulk day.Meanwhile, the new nomi- told that recruitment of civil nated chief justice of Peshawar judges in the province will be High Court Mr. Justice Mazhar shortly started to fill the vacant Alam Khan Miankhel also at- seats in lower judiciary. He intended the reception along formed that 53 Kanal land has judges of Abbottabad Circuit been acquired for the judicial Bench Mr. Justice Waqar complex at Havelian and after Ahmed Seth and Justice completion of the initial reMrs.Irshad Qaiser. quirements of funds will be Officials of lower judiciary made available for the confrom Abbottabad, Haripur, struction of the complex.
Car mela on April 6
Lawyers’ role in restoration of judiciary hailed
PESHAWAR—Seven accused allegedly involved in power stealing by using direct hooks were sent to Central Jail Peshawar on judicial remand. The Pesco checking teams with collaboration of Police Station Peshawar, arrested seven more accused involved in power stealing by using direct hooks. They were produced before the PESCO’s Special Magistrate who sent them to Central Jail Peshawar on judicial remand. The accused include Hazrat Shah resident of Faqir Kali, Niaz Ali of Pajjagi Road, Shafa-Ud-din of Sharbat Qila, Zahoor of Tehkal Payan, Abdul Manan of Daman Afghani, Sajad of Ghari Hamza and Azirur-Rehman resident of Ghudi Kali. Similarly, the disconnection teams of Hangu division disconnected power supply to 21 villages due to non-payment of Rs 260million and removed 2710 direct hooks. Power supply from nine different categories distribution transformers were disconnected to village Doaba Hangu due to non payment of Rs.10million. PESCO management warned electricity stealers to stop power pilferage otherwise strict action would be taken against them.—APP
an estimated seven million deaths worldwide in 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. The United Nations health agency said that polluted air is the cause of about one in eight deaths and has now become the single biggest environmental health risk, Press TV reported. Air pollution-related deaths are most commonly from heart disease, strokes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is also linked to deaths from lung cancer and acute respiratory infections, it added. Maria Neira, head of the WHO’s environmental and social public health department, warned against the risks from air pollution, saying they are now far greater than previously thought. “The evidence signals the need for concerted action to clean up the air we all
The body says developing and emerging countries in Southern Asia, South East Asia and East Asia are mostly affected, with 3.3 million deaths linked to indoor air pollution and 2.6 million deaths to outdoor air pollution in 2012. The WHO puts the blame on unsustainable policies in transport, energy and waste management sectors, as well as in industry. The UN health body has urged governments and health agencies to devise appropriate policies to reduce risks caused by air pollution, especially for vulnerable children and the elderly. Indoor pollution is mostly caused by cooking over coal, wood and biomass stoves, while outdoor pollution is mainly due to transport, power generation, industrial and agricultural emissions and residential heating and cooking.—APP
HYDERABAD: Relatives of Zohaib Qureshi addressing a press conference against non
arrest of his murderers. Rs150m released for Afridi for potable water development in F —The governFATA region ment has released Rs 150 milAISALABAD
lion for the provision of potable water in FDA City. A spokesman for Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) said on Friday that work on the project had started and drinking water would be provided to the city within three months.—APP
STAFF REPORTER I SLAMABAD —Minister for
Textile and Industries Senator Abbass Khan Afridi on Friday underlined the need for development and streamlining system in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). He said that no attention was paid in the past for the progress and development of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas region. Talking to Pakistan Television channel, he said that there is need to focus on the developmental projects in the area so that the people could take the country forward in a proper manner. He claimed that population of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas is more than the province of Balochistan. Minister said that peace and progress in Federally Administered Tribal Areas would benefit the people living across the country. Abbass Khan Afridi vowed that all out efforts would be made to provide the FAISALABAD: Director Lyallpur Museum, Mian Attiq briefing MPA Khalid Saeed, MPA basic amenities of life to the Najma Afzal and DCO Noor ul Ameen Mengal about the Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Museum masses living in this part of the region. after inaugurating it at Art Council.