Punjab to pass bill to eliminate corporal punishment in schools, seminaries

Punjab will soon table a bill in the provincial legislature to outlaw corporal punishment from the schools and seminaries of the province.

This was stated by Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi on Wednesday on the request of Nobel laurate Malala Yousufzai in their meeting in Lahore. “Physically punishing students in schools and madrassas is not acceptable at all,” he said, as he promised to bring about a law on this this month.

To enhance education, he said that they were in the process of hiring primary school teachers for Punjabi which will help improve the overall level of literacy in the province. Moreover, he said that they were working on a program to provide free education to students.

Elahi added that they were aiming for a 100% increase in the honorarium for students in South Punjab. During the meeting, Malala spoke about the plans and educational initiatives funded by the Malala Fund in Pakistan. She also discussed Punjab’s efforts to support girls’ education. The two discussed girls education and STEM education. She appreciated the educational reforms undertaken in the province.

Elahi also praised initiatives undertaken by the Malala Fund in the education sector. The chief minister of Punjab also extended an invitation to Malala and her family to visit the province and explore its tourist attractions. Malala had arrived in Lahore on Tuesday along with her parents and husband.

Upon landing in Lahore, she said that the feeling of returning home to Pakistan “never gets old”. CM Elahi allocates 700 kanal for journalists’ society Phase II: Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi on Wednesday allocated 700 kanal land for the construction of the Phase II of the journalists housing society. The Punjab Journalist Housing Foundation was told by Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) Chief Operating Office about the allocation of 700 kanals of land in phase one of RUDA on the Chief Minister’s orders. Lahore Press Club President Azam Chaudhry and PFUJ secretary general Rana Mohammad Azeem welcomed Parvez Elahi. Press Secretary to the Chief Minister, Iqbal Chaudhry and DGPR Directorate Rao Pervez Akhtar were also present.

CM directs health facilities for Fort Munro, DG Khan: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi on Wednesday directed to upgrade the Sakhi Sarwar THQ Hospital and said that a Rescue 1122 center would be established in Fort Munro. Chairing a meeting at CM office, he said that a trauma center equipped with modern medical facilities would also be built in Fort Munro. He said that the government was working to provide health facilities in Dera Ghazi Khan and other remote areas.

Provincial Minister for Primary and Secondary Health Dr Akhtar Malik, secretary primary and secondary health, Air Commodore Shehryar Khan and others attended the meeting. Asad Qaiser calls on CM Parvez Elahi: Former National Assembly speaker and PTI leader Asad Qaiser on Wednesday called on Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and former federal minister Moonis Elahi at CM Office and discussed matters of mutual interest, economic and political situation of the country.

Asad Qaiser appreciated the people-friendly measures of CM Parvez Elahi and said that the extension of Rescue 1122 to the tehsil level and the start of the motorcycle rescue service were exemplary achievements. CM reviews food court project: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi on Wednesday reviewed the food court project adjacent to Lahore Zoo. Chairing a meeting at the Chief Minister’s Office, here, he said that modern facilities would be provided in the double-storey food court including a dancing fountain and circular stairs for the visitors.

The CM said that safari visits would be organized in the wildlife park and boating safari on the lake would also be introduced. A safari train would take children for a visit in the wildlife park. A food court would also be established in the style of Lahore Zoo in the wildlife park, he concluded. Provincial Minister Ali Abbas Shah, Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Khan Bhatti, secretary finance, secretary wildlife, commissioner Lahore, DG PHA and others attended the meeting.

11 mother and child hospitals being built in Punjab: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said on Wednesday that 11 mother and child hospitals were being built in province. Chairing a meeting at the Department of Primary and Secondary Healthcare here, she said that lives of thousands of mothers and children would be saved after completion of these hospitals. Dr Yasmin said a state-of-the-art mother and child hospital with 200 beds was being built in Mianwali also, and instructed the Infrastructure Development Authority Punjab (IDAP) to complete the hospital on time. Accompanied by Health Minister Dr. Akhtar Malik, she reviewed the progress on the mother and child hospital Mianwali.

The health minister said that the mother and child emergency had been made fully functional at Gangaram Hospital Lahore. Health Secretary Dr Arshad Ahmed, Deputy Commissioner Mianwali and IDAP officers gave a detailed briefing to the ministers. Secretary Health Dr Irshad Ahmad, Additional Secretary Development Sajjad Ahmed, Deputy Secretary Development Noor-ul-Ain Qureshi and IDAP officers also participated.