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CPDI successfully launched websites of 5 districts of Punjab

ISLAMABAD (BMZ REPORT )

Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) has successfully launched websites of 5 district Governments in Punjab during first quarter of 2014. Remaining district websites will also be launched in the upcoming phases. Talking to media Syed Kausar Abbas, Program Manager of Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) told that CPDI has launched the websites of districts governments in 5 Districts of Punjab. These districts include Jhelum, Rahim Yar Khan, Muzaffar Garh, Lodhran and Chakwal. Now citizens can access to information of the public departments by logging in to www.jhelum.gop.pk, www.rahimyarkhan.gop.pk, www.muzaffargarh.gop.pk, www.lodhran.gop.pk, www.chakwal.gop.pk . He said that the purpose of launching websites is to share the day to day updates with citizens and to share updates information with the citizens. Kausar Abbas said that this is a step towards the transparency in the affairs of public departments at district level. He said that CPDI initiated the project of website development of the district governments of Punjab to facilitate them to introduce the concept of e-governance at district level. He also told that the websites are handed over to district governments and now they are responsible to update the regular information on the website of district government. Kausar Abbas said that the district governments should put all the public relevant information on the website to promote public participation and as well as promote transparency in the process of district governments. He also urged the District Coordination Officers to regularly monitor and update the websites of district government to share maximum information with citizens.
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LG elections urged

Rawalpindi: Syed Kausar Abbas, programme manager at the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold local government elections on immediate basis in all provinces.

Talking to journalists here on Thursday, he said that provincial governments are violating Article 140-A of the Constitution by delaying local government elections.

Degree Colleges in Dhoke Syedan still lying incomplete

Rawalpindi

Two degree colleges in Rawalpindi Cantonment Area Dhoke Syedan are still pending after spending Rs42 million in fiscal year 2008-9. The project was inaugurated by former chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and former law minister Muhammad Basharat Raja in 2007.

A Degree College for Boys and Degree College for Girls was proposed in the project and Rs42 million were released and spent on the colleges, but still government has not initiated classes in both the colleges.

Talking to ‘The News’, Syed Kausar Abbas, Program Manager, Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI) said that the Government of Punjab still not able to start classes in two degree colleges of Dhoke Syedan Chowk, Rawalpindi. The project of construction of two degree colleges in Dhoke Syedan Chok was started in year 2007. He said Rs42 million funds were released and spent on the construction of college buildings, but still the buildings are incomplete. These two colleges are the only colleges in the surrounding of NA-52 and NA-54. Both the National Assembly constituencies are owned by well-powered elected representatives, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and MNA Malik Abrar Ahmad.

It is a pity that thousands of young boys and girls travel a long distances to get the higher education due to incompletion of these degree colleges in Dhoke Syedan Chowk Rawalpindi. Number of campaigns have been launched to highlight the issue of degree colleges, but still the government of Punjab is not paying attention towards the completion of these colleges.

Hamayun Ashraf Director Colleges when contacted, committed to start the classes in the month of September 2014. He said that the government should pay attention to the educational institutions, which lack basic facilities and provide all necessary facilities to the educational institutions to provide quality education to the students.
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Fair elections: Students call for electronic voting

Pakistan should move from manual voting systems to electronic ones to remove the possibility of bogus voting in elections.

Students demanded this at a consultative meeting at Peer Meher Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi on Thursday. The event was organised by the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) and Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), said a press release issued on Thursday.

The students also expressed serious reservation on the performance of the elected representatives and demand the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to do strict scrutiny of all the contesting candidates.

It was also demanded that there should be an option for voters to reject all candidates.

The students also proposed deploying the army to maintain security during elections. Some of students also suggested enhancing the authority of presiding officers to maintain discipline at polling stations.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7th, 2014.

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