Punjabi Taliban

IT is difficult to say who is guilty of hurting the Punjabi sensibility and compromising Punjab`s security more. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has warned Interior Minister Rehman Malik against using the term `Punjabi Taliban`. The federal minister initially gave the impression that he was ready to take on Mr Sharif over the issue, going so far as to declare he was not a subordinate of the chief minister. But then he capitulated in the manner his party, the PPP, seems to have perfected. Mr Malik has promised Mr Sharif an explanation; however, others may not share the interior minister`s compulsion and would be more tempted to raise the critical question of what is so irritating about the term `Punjabi Taliban` that has made the chief minister livid. His angry response – time and again – to the `Punjabi` tagging of terrorists betrays a lack of understanding that does not quite suit the head of a provincial government. There is no insinuation that the Taliban enjoy the active support of the entire population of a province. It is only Mr Sharif`s interpretation that appears to give that sinister, all-encompassing meaning to a term a set of terrorists – many of whom have received training in Waziristan – have boasted of in recent times.

Rather than taking it as an attack meant to be countered forcefully, the mention of the Punjabi Taliban should lead to a bit of searching of the soul and territory at Mr Sharif`s command. There have been far too many allegations for him to continue to ignore the issue. The pamphlet left at the site of Minister Shahbaz Bhatti`s murder in Islamabad recently had the Taliban from Punjab claiming responsibility for the dastardly act.

If this is not the right time and the right sign for Punjab to act, there never will be. A lack of action on the part of the provincial government will only add to the impression that it, or some of its members, had a soft corner for terrorists on a killing spree. Their victims include people from all ethnic groups and a number of politicians and political activists belonging mainly to the PPP and the Awami National Party. During his attacks on Mr Malik, the chief minister has once again, and rightly so, pointed out that it was irrelevant as to which ethnic group a terrorist belonged to. He would be doing Punjab, and coincidentally Pakistan, a great service if he could move beyond simply cleaning up the Pathan areas in Lahore in his attempt to pre-empt terror strikes. He must look deeper and must not discriminate.

Education is India’s only advantage over us: CM

By Rahib Raza

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan lags behind India only because of a lack of education facilities here, but expressed confidence that the nation’s young people would tackle this issue.

Kinnaird students celebrate at the 74th convocation in the college amphitheatre on Tuesday.

“I don’t have any doubts that you will become the leaders, that you will show your expertise to the world and that we will confidently hand over our duties to you,” Shairf said in his speech at the 74th convocation of Kinnaird College for Women University at its Perin Boga Amphitheatre on Tuesday night.

The chief minister lamented that Pakistan was living on “leftovers” – a reference to the schools and universities set up by the British and by missionaries, which account for most of the country’s top institutions.

He said he had initiated the Danish schools programme in the province to set up institutes that would cater to children from all backgrounds. “The Danish schools will provide the best primary and basic education to the children who have never seen the inside of an institute before,” he said.

Some 500 post-graduate students, 473 graduate students, 19 academic gold medallists, 15 co-curricular gold medallists, 68 students on the principal’s honour list, and 34 from the 2006-2010 session and 30 from the 2005-2009 session with a CGPA of 3.80 or above were honoured at the convocation.

Dr Alexander John Malik, the bishop of Lahore and chairman of the KCWU Board of Governors, presided over the ceremony. He congratulated the students and told them they should look to their futures with enthusiasm and commitment.

He said KCWU had shown it was the best college for girls. “That’s why parents turn to KCWU to find their daughters-in-law and organisations look here for future leaders, PhDs and researchers,” he said.

Principal Rukhsana David in her speech tried to motivate the fresh graduates to make their mark in Pakistan. She also spoke about the new developments at the institute. The day ended with a formal dinner with parents, faculty members and teachers.

Farooq Altaf, the law secretary; Fakir Aijazuddin, the principal of Aitchison College; Haseeb Athar, the education secretary; Ahad Cheema, the district coordination officer; Mujahid Kamran, the vice chancellor of Punjab University; Marcia Grant, the vice rector of FC College; and former KCWU principal Mira Phailbus also attended the convocation.

Crowd control

Heavy security and low capacity meant many students and their parents were unable to find seats for the convocation at Perin Boga Amphitheatre and so had to sit on staircases and walls.

The ceremony began two hours late as visitors were vetted at the entrance by security men. The corridors leading to the entrance were packed. The doors were closed once the chief minister arrived, leaving many people stranded outside. “The timing was poor. Many people didn’t get the chance to join in. They should have told us to be at the venue three hours early,” said Saba Alam, a student.

The crowded venue also meant that the graduating students could not walk up to the stage to receive their degrees. Instead, their names were announced and they stood at their seats. Many students left afterwards, before the chief minister’s speech.