Uch Sharif

Uch Sharif: A Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) worker on Tuesday committed suicide in protest over delay in Benazir Bhutto’s murder investigation.

According to police, The worker named,  Riaz, 60, was a resident of Gilani Colony of Uch Sharif, a sub-district of Bahawalpur, and had been a member of the PPP since the party was formed by Benazir’s father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

“He had been weeping in frustration for the past two days and refused to open his shop,” Riaz’s brother Sajjad said. “In the morning, his door was found locked from inside.”

Eventually, family members broke the door down and found him hanging from the ceiling fan in his room.

His brother Javed told media that when Benazir died, Riaz refused to talk to anybody for 10 to 15 days.

“He used to say that, to pay tribute to Benazir, he will do something that will make everyone remember him for all of time,” The Express Tribune quoted his brother as saying.

Riaz’s body has been taken into custody by ASI Rana Khalid Mehmood and sent to a rural health centre in Uch Sharif for an autopsy. ASI Mehmood confirmed that the man had killed himself and there was no evidence suggesting otherwise.

Another report said that some 20 to 25 workers of PPP attempted to commit self immolation at Garhi Khuda Bux this morning in protest against non-acceptance of their demands.

Its our respectability that where we live there place is clean.But we don,t know about its.

You know that the people whose see our city on web or internet they see only our Saint!

But they don,t know that their citizens are not keep clean these place.its our duty that we clean our city like

those peoples hows ware neat and clean there homes.Its not a city its our home where we live.

So think about this lines like a educated people.

A openly Massage By Uch Sharif  Web Developers hows make our city neat and clean on internet.

Multan—Director General Pakistan Postal Services has deputed Assistant Deputy Director General Law, Ch Aslam as an inquiry officer to probe into a scandal involving embezzlement of millions of ruppes. According to Post office sources, over Rs 16 million were misappropirated from Benazir Income Support Programme, saving bank accounts and utility bills.

Embezzlement of Rs 8.1 million was detected in BISP in Hasilpur and Jamalpur and saving bank accounts in Uch Sharif while Rs 8.2 million of utility bills were misappropriated by the officials of the aforementioned post office branches. The post office soruces said that investigation has been started adding that after completing investigation, report would be sent to DG office.—APP

Urs of Hazrat Makhdoom ul Makhadeem Hazrat Makhdoom Jalal ud Din Hussain Jahanian Jahangashat R.A Uch Sharif was ended with prayer today at 4:00 pm at the tomb of said sufi saint in Uch Sharif. His urs was started on the day of Eid ul Azha every year in Uch Sharif.

AHMEDPUR EAST - The Local Administration has established two Ramazan Sasta Bazaars and 12 Fair Price shops here in Subdivision Ahmedpur East to provide the public with daily-use items on subsidised rates.

This was stated be Assistant Commissioner (AC) Imtiaz Ahmed Khan while talking to newsmen here on Wednesday. According to AC Ahmed, two Sasta Ramazan Bazaars, one at the Eastern Gate of Mehmood Park Ahmedpur East and the other one at the Canal Rest House Uch Sharif had been set up. In addition, 12 fair price shops at Ahmedpur East, Chanigoth, Uch Sharif, Mubarakpur and Hateji have also been set up by the respective local administration.

While talking to the newsmen, AC Ahmed also told that all the essential commodities were available on cheaper rates at the Sasta Bazaars and Fair price shops. He added that sugar was available at the rate of Rs68 per kg and 10 kg wheat flour bag was being sold at Rs210. AC Ahmed further told that Market Committee Ahmedpur East had also set up a fair price shop while the Agriculture Department established green channel at Ramazan Sasta Bazaar Ahmedpur East where fruits, vegetables, meat and all other commodities were being sold at fixed government rates.

He also revealed that local philanthropists had opened Dastar-khawans in Jinnah Hall Ahmedpur East and Town hall Uch Sharif where Iftar dinner would be served to poor people during the holy month.

UCH SHARIF:

Goat owners presented dozens of animals in the show and the animals were decorated in elaborate head dresses as well as paint. Owners of the animals paraded the goats in front of a large crowd on the occasion. The animals being featured in the show were shown in several categories including kid goats, female and males. The festival also featured a stall for farmers who sold goat milk and local cheese craftsmen.

Sass Kutni’ won a Rs5,000 prize at the goat fashion show featuring hundreds of prized goats in Uch Sharif. PHOTO: DAILY EXPRESS

Over 700 people came to the festival and local musicians also performed on the occasion. “People need to realise that livestock doesn’t only refer to camels, cows and buffaloes. My family has been selling goat cheese for over ten years and this industry needs to be promoted,” said goat herder from Rahim Yar Khan, Asim Kharal.

Locals in the area said that they really enjoyed the festival. Announcer Shahid Qasim said that he relished the opportunity to present the animals to the public. “I talked to the owners and they told me the names of the goats and I made up fun stories about the animals. The winning goat was Sass Kutni. She was painted red and I told them she had won purely because of her name,” he said.

“The festival has been a success and we also got to showcase local culture and music. A lot of people bought goat cheese from several stalls,” said organizer Muhammad Irfan. “We put this show together because we wanted to provide entertainment for the people as well as showcase the animals and the three winning goats for the Best Male, Best Female and Best Kid goats have each won Rs5000 for their owners,” he said.

“My goat ‘Shahi Sawari’ won me Rs5000,” Sargodha based goat herder Rehmat Ali said. “I have been raising goats since I was young and we were able to sell several of our goats on this day,” he said. “I have also sold a large stock of goat milk and cheese so the event has been a success,” he added.

Spectators at the ‘fashion show’ said that the event was packed with stalls. “There were goat milk stalls and goat cheese stalls. There was also an entire section where breeders were selling goats at an auction before the show,” said Uch Shaif resident Mehmoona Badar. “The animals were all dressed and painted in bright colours. I personally came up with costumes,” said Mujahid Bukhsh. “There was also a street theatre performance with several goats, dogs and monkeys who worked with performing animals in street theatre,” he said. Bukhsh said that his son used to put on shows in Uch Sharif with ‘dancing goats’ and had brought his animals to the festival. “I have earned a good amount of money today. Lots of people watched the performances and they seemed to enjoy it a lot,” Mansoor Bukhsh said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2011.

THE Punjab government has drastically cut down the annual budgetary allocation for Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department in the provincial budget 2011-12 by 46 per cent earmarking a total of Rs 150 million for the current fiscal year against an amount of 276 million allocated for the previous year.

A major chunk of this allocation, Rs 85 million will be spent on the ongoing schemes including construction and upgradation of shrines and provision of different facilities to pilgrims across the province. 

The remaining 65 million rupees will be spent on new schemes being undertaken in Lahore, Chiniot and Khanewal. 

According to budget document, the biggest chunk from the ongoing schemes’ allocation is Rs 30 million, which will be spent on construction of Seerat Academy Lahore. Rs 24.071 million will be spent on upgradation of public facilities at the shrine of Madho Lal Hussain, while 5 million rupees will be spent on re-flooring of the courtyard of Badshahi Masjid Lahore. Besides, Rs 20 million will be spent on upgradation of public facilities at shrine of Hazrat Makhdoom Rasheed at Multan, Rs 4.026 million will be spent on conservation and restoration of shrine at Uch Sharif, Bahawalpur, and Rs 1.903 million will be spent on public facilities, washrooms, kitchens and dispensaries at shrines according to customised modular design. 

Four new schemes have been identified for the current fiscal year including construction of a mosque at the shrine of Hazrat Miran Hussain Zanjani at Lahore, with Rs 20 million, restoration and conservation of Mosque Wazir Khan Lahore with 5 million rupees, while rupees 3 million will be spent on construction works at Mosque Eid Gah, block No 11 Khanewal and construction works at a mosque attached with the shrine of Pir Mohammad Shah Hammbu Anna at Chiniot with Rs 4 million.

LAHORE

THE Punjab government apathy towards the vital sectors of information, culture and youth affairs remains the same as the annual budget 2011-2012 allocations for these sectors have been made Rs 170 million, the same meagre amount allocated in 2010-2011 budget. 

For the fiscal year 2011-12, Rs 170 million allocation has been made with a visibly downward trend in supporting, patronizing and boosting the culture of the province. It is quite evident that promotion of the culture of the land of the five rivers, and affairs of its youth do not have priority while allocating money as Rs 170 million have been allocated this fiscal year against Rs 170 million of the last year’s budget for this vital sector with the last year’s decrease of 26 percent being carried forward this year too. It seems that nobody in the power corridors is interested in the promotion of Punjab’s culture and the wellbeing of its youth.

The fiscal year 2011-12 budgetary allocations is an indication to the fact that the Punjab government has put the culture and youth affairs on the bottom of its priorities list with no concern towards the mental and physical wellbeing of the people of this province.

The present budget has been more of a rude shock to the custodians and supporters of cultural and youth related activities in this already suffocating and terror-stricken bleak atmosphere. 

This year’s priorities on the budgetary papers issued on Friday include re-construction of Murree Arts Council, construction of auditorium in arts councils at Sargodha, DG Khan, Gujranwala, preservation/restoration of fortification wall of Shujabad, construction of Information and Cultural Complex in Rawalpindi, conservation and development of Katas Raj Complex, construction of conservation lab in Bahawalpur Museum, which are all ongoing schemes, being carried forward from the previous year.

The new initiatives being taken in the budget 2011-12 included archaeological survey and documentation of forts and important monuments of Cholistan (PC-II), development of parking and public utility area at Shalamar Garden, preservation and restoration of shrine of Bibi Jiwindi Tomb Complex, Uch Sharif, master plan for preservation and restoration of Shahdara Complex of Monuments, Jahangir’s Tomb.

The Punjab government has planned to spend Rs 131.095 million on 13 ongoing schemes and seven devolved projects in the fiscal year 2011-12. A sum of Rs 38.90 million has been earmarked for five regular schemes in the province with a block allocation of Rs 17.90, included in this allocation.

The major ongoing schemes include conservation and development of Katas Raj Complex with a budgetary provision of Rs 10 million, construction of auditorium for Sargodha Arts Council (Rs 1 million) and construction of auditorium for the Guranwala Arts Council (Rs 1 million), digitalisation and upgrade of library of Lahore Museum (Rs.9.07 million). A sum of Rs.21 million has been provided for the ongoing Rs 300 million Five Year Programme of Preservation and Restoration of Shalamar Garden.

Similarly, Rs 21.50 million have been earmarked for the preservation and reconstruction of the Lahore Fort, Rs.21.73 million for the construction of auditorium for the DG Khan Arts Council.

Sadly, this year’s budgetary allocations again tell an entirely different tale which does not correspondent to the ‘vision, policy and priorities’ of the Punjab government in reality. The statement pasted right on the forehead of the budgetary documents of the Information, Culture and Youth Affairs Department, under the heading of ‘Vision’ reads, “To create conducive environment for the promotion of language, art & culture and to provide adequate institutional framework for national solidarity.”

However, in the prevailing bleak atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, the recreational facilities and healthy physical and mental exercises are the only antidote to the menace of terrorism.

Moreover, the general public, which has been deprived of any new recreational facilities on the Punjab government’s part, is already facing hardships in the existing public parks and meagre recreational spots. 

The contradiction is evident in the stated words and deeds of the Punjab government towards the mental and physical wellbeing of the people of the province.

Thanks: The News International Lahore

BAHAWALPUR:A Special Branch survey has revealed that with security arrangements at 14 ‘sensitive’ religious sites including shrines, churches and an Ahmedi place of worship in southern districts of the province are inadequate.The survey conducted in February said that most of these places lacked closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras and walkthrough gates. It also said that the number of guards deployed at these sites was inadequate to ensure foolproof security.The list included Darbar Baba Gharib Shah, the Catholic Church, the PCF Church, Baitullah Mubashar Ahmed (an Ahmedi place of worship), Imambargah Haidery Trust in Rahim Yar Khan, Muhammad Mharvi Dargah and Dargah Naj Sarwar Shahid in Chistiyan, Markazi Imambargah in Bahawalnagar, Darbar Syed Jalalud Din Surkhposh and Darbar Mahboob Subhani in Uch Sharif, Darbar Khawaja Khuda Bakhsh in Khairpur Tamaywali, Darbar Baba Muhammad Shah Rangeela in Hasilpur, Darbar Khawaja Muhkamud Din Seerani in Khanqah Sharif and Catholic Church in Bahawalpur.Special Branch in charge SP Rao Saleem said most of these places were under the Auqaf Department. He said that after the release of the survey report, some shrines had beefed up security on there own.

Police satisfied with arrangements, admins express mixed response. PHOTO: EXPRESS/IJAZ MAHMOOD

Bahawalpur district police officer Babar Bakht Qureshi, however, expressed satisfaction with security arrangements. He said he had recently increased the number of officials deployed at religious sites. “We have also installed more CCTV cameras and walkthrough gates on these sites,” he said.

Rahim Yar Khan DPO Sohail Habib said security agencies were on the alert and were monitoring security arrangements at religious sites including an Ahmedi place of worship around the clock. Habib said he believed the deployment was sufficient. He said walkthrough gates were overrated as a security measure, “They can’t provide protection against a suicide bomber or someone who may through grenades from beyond.”

Administrators at several religious sites expressed mixed responses.

Father Samuel Sammy at Dominican Church Bahawalpur said they had four security guards but no walkthrough gates or CCTV cameras.

He said he was satisfied to the extent that police were cooperative and had beefed up security on special occasions including Christmas and Easter services.

Father Sammy however said security at other churches in Bahawalpur was not adequate. He said there were no security guards permanently deployed over there.

Iftikhar Gillani, at the Pir Mahboob Subhani shirne in Uch Sharif, said there were three security guards and a camera installed recently at the shrine.

He said the guards were not appropriately trained to perform duties at such a sensitive place. He said the shrine drew devotees from across Pakistan and India in huge numbers and needed better security. He said one of the entrances to the shrine through Shams Mahal was a security threat. He said he had requested the Auqaf Department to seal the entrance but had not received a response.

Auqaf secretary, he said, had sought an application from him but nothing had been done in that regard yet.

Najeeb Awaisi, at the Seerani Sharif in Bahawalpur, said he was satisfied with the security provided by the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2011.