F.P. Report
Karachi: President Dr. Arif Alvi has urged the Federal Urdu University, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training to expedite the process of appointment of a regular Vice-Chancellor of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences & Technology (FUUAST) Karachi.
The President made these remarks while chairing a meeting of Federal Urdu University’s Senate at Governor’s House, Karachi, today. The meeting was attended by the Senate members of the University, representative of Ministry of Federal Education and Chairman HEC via video link.
President Dr. Arif Alvi urged the Senate of FUUAST to take consensus-based decisions by factoring inputs and suggestions of each member of the senate and relevant stakeholders on matters relating to promotions, non-payment of salaries, appointment of Vice Chancellor and constitution of nomination Committee for next Senate of the University.
The meeting also appointed Dr. Muhammad Ziauddin as Acting VC of the University who will continue to perform his duties till the appointment of a regular Vice-Chancellor. The Acting VC will, however, refer the policy-related matters to HEC for legal vetting.
The meeting also appointed HEC Chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed as Chairperson of the Search committee constituted for the appointment of a regular VC. The committee was advised to proceed on a timeline basis to recommend the appointment of the regular vice-chancellor.
The meeting decided that an overview of the decisions would be made after four months.
The President for transparent distribution of aid to the flood victims: President Dr. Arif Alvi while talking to the media during his visit to the relief camp in Nawabshah and Dadu, Sindh, has underlined the need for setting up a transparent system for receiving and distribution of aid for ensuring it reaches the flood-hit population in a fair, effective and verifiable manner.
The President said that perhaps the current floods were the most catastrophic in nature so far faced by Sindh and witnessed by the people which led to loss of precious lives, livestock, livelihood of the people, besides the destruction of crops and vital infrastructures. He called for the construction of delayed action dams and large water storage bodies at appropriate locations to harness flood water and prevent the loss of livelihood, livestock and destruction of infrastructure in the future.
He said that the Federal Government, provincial governments, their institutions, international community, NGOs and well-off people in Pakistan were doing their level best to provide rescue and relief services to the flood-affected people on a priority basis. He said that flood victims were being supported financially through BISP program.
He said that the flood-hit areas were so large and the flood victims so many in number that the relief efforts would have to continue for a prolonged period of time to shield the flood victims from large-scale devastation caused by global warming-induced super floods across the country.
He said that the economy of Pakistan which first suffered from COVID-related lockdowns, later hit hard by supply chain disruption in wake of the Russian-Ukraine war and now by a gigantic natural catastrophe in the form of floods. He said that the floods were due to global warming and climate change and Pakistan had a meagre share in exacerbating global warming. He emphasized developed world, being major contributor to global warming and climate change, should help Pakistan in providing rescue and relief to the victims of the floods and play their role in the rehabilitation of flood victims and restoration of destroyed infrastructure.
He also called upon the privileged members of the society to come forward and help their brothers and sisters, especially women and children, who had lost their shelters and livelihoods and were in dire need of assistance to survive in these hard conditions.
He said that there was a need to introduce and develop a farmer-friendly crops insurance system in Pakistan to save the farmers from crops losses and destruction of crops through manmade and natural calamities.
The President also announced financial assistance of 50 million each for NawabShah and Dadu which was given by the Punjab government. He visited various parts of the relief camps and enquired the flood victims about aid being given to them. The local administration also briefed the President about the devastation of the floods in the area.
The President also took an aerial view of the flood-affected areas of NawabShah, Dadu and adjacent areas. He expressed his grave concern over stagnant flood water and submerged crops, houses and infrastructure. He said that it would take a lot of effort and coordination among various departments to drain out the flood water which, he said, would then enable the government to start the rehabilitation phase in these areas. He asked the relevant authorities to ensure safety and wellbeing of women, the elderly and children in the flood-hit areas.
