Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), facing difficulty in running its chain of educational institutions countrywide, has decided to withdraw subsidy of Rs 120 million annually being given to them.
The basic objective of withdrawing subsidy is financial constraints as the OPF intends to engage the leading organisations involved in the education sector to promote proposed Public Private Partnership which would help meet the expenditures and ensure quality education.
An official at OPF on Wednesday informed APP that this act of partnership with private organizations would not affect status of employees as only the management of the institutions would change while ownership will remain with the Foundation.
It may be mentioned that Ministry had given Expression of Interest (EOI) in a section of press on May 17, demanding partnership from private companies to run its 25 educational institutions in Islamabad, Gujrat, Lahore,Karachi, Peshawar, Hangu (KPK), Khuzdar (Balochistan) & Mirpur (AJK).
After appearance of EOI, teaching and non-teaching staff of both boys and girls colleges protested against this proposed privatization.
When contacted, College Principal of OPF School and College Campus at F-8, Shaheena Masood expressed her concern over the decision of ministry. “We have no clear picture regarding the policy of privatization, as we were not taken into confidence on the proposed move. She further informed that the Director Education Division OPF Head Office, Islamabad held a meeting with the College staff in which staff presented their demands.
The staff members also assured the Director to bring further improvements in the performance of the institutions but no clear policy has been given to us as yet,” Shaheena added.
Another senior teacher OPF College also expressed her reservations about benefits and future of faculty if plan of pubic-private partnership is implemented.
She also questioned as how issues including gratuity and provident funds of those staff members will be resolved who are serving here for last 20-25 years.
ITP provided assistance to 3880 road users this year: The Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) provided assistance to as many as 3880 road users during the current year whose are facing multiple problems during travelling.
According to a spokesman, ITP help unit, which has been working round the clock provide assistance in various shifts. Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Dr Moeen Masood has said the ITP officers and jawans are working in the help unit to facilitate road users and provide them help in case of any emergency on roads. He said the road users, facing any problem, can call 1915, the help unit’s contact number, so that they could be provided immediate assistance.
He maintained that the policing was a service-providing job and every possible effort was being made to maintain close liaison with the people. ITP help unit repaired 1912 vehicles, changed the tyres of 250vehicles, pushed 210 vehicles and provided pick and drop service to 120vehicle owners. He said 133 vehicles were provided assistance after running out their fuel, while 199 pedestrians were also provided help by this unit of ITP. Action was taken against 402 drivers of public transport vehicles for route violation, 161 drives of these vehicles have to face action for misbehaving with passengers, 97 for over-charging and eight drivers were fined for dangerous driving.
