Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday announced that NCP leader Baba Siddique would be cremated with full state honours, who was shot dead in Mumbai..reports Asian Lite News
Former Maharashtra Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique has died on Saturday after being shot in Mumbai, said officials of Lilavati Hospital.
According to the police, he was fired upon by unidentified people and rushed to Lilavati Hospital. Mumbai police have apprehended two persons related to the incident.
Siddique, a three-time MLA from Bandra West, joined Ajit Pawar’s NCP earlier in February this year after quitting with Congress.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday announced that NCP leader Baba Siddique would be cremated with full state honours, who was shot dead in Mumbai.
According to the Chief Minister Office (CMO), Siddique will be given full state honours as he served as minister in the Maharashtra government during 2004-2008 and also as chairman of Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA).
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Crime Branch has registered a case at Nirmal Nagar Police Station in connection with the murder under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Arms Act and Maharashtra Police Act.
The case has been registered at Nirmal Nagar Police Station under Crime Registration No. 589/2024, Sections 103(1), 109, 125, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 3, 25, 5, and 27 of the Arms Act, and Section 37 and section 137 of the Maharashtra Police Act.
Delhi police will also send a special investigation team to Mumbai to investigate the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddiqui in Mumbai, according to the Delhi Police Special Cell sources.
It is believed that a suspected gangster’s motive behind the murder of Baba Siddiqui was to establish his influence in Mumbai, the sources added
Siddique, a leader in Ajit Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was shot at near Nirmal Nagar in Bandra. He later succumbed to his bullet injuries at Lilavati Hospital late Saturday night.
The police have also revealed the identities of two arrested accused and made some shocking revelations about their planning. The two accused have been identified as Gurmail Singh, a native of Haryana and Dharamraj Kashyap from Uttar Pradesh.
According to the police, the accused were in Mumbai for some time and were keeping a close eye on Siddiqui.
Rahul Gandhi mourns Siddique’s death
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Sunday expressed his grief over the killing of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique, who was shot dead by unknown assailants in Mumbai.
Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister and leader in Ajit Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was shot near Nirmal Nagar in Bandra. He later succumbed to his bullet injuries at Lilavati Hospital late Saturday night.
Slamming the Maharashtra government over law and order, Rahul Gandhi wrote on X, “The tragic demise of Baba Siddique is shocking and saddening. My thoughts are with his family in this difficult time. This horrifying incident exposes the complete collapse of law and order in Maharashtra. The government must take responsibility, and justice must prevail.”
Former Member of the Lok Sabha, Priya Dutt also expressed grief over the killing of the NCP leader, saying that “Baba Siddique was a brother and a dear friend.”
“Today, I’m shaken to the by the news of Baba Siddique’s tragic death, it has shocked me. Baba was more than a political associate; he was family.To my father, Baba Siddique was like a son, and to me, he was a brother and a dear friend. Throughout my father’s political journey and beyond, he stood steadfast, by his side. When I entered politics, he guided me through its ups and downs, offering his unwavering support. His loss feels like the departure of a family member. My heart bleeds for Bhabhi, Zeeshan, and Arshia. May God grant them the resilience to bear this immense sorrow. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Farewell, dear brother,” she said.
Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad also posted on X and said, “Shocked and numbed to hear about the firing at Shri Baba Siddiqui. What is going on in the city? How can this happen? At a loss of words.”
Meanwhile, NCP has cancelled all party programmes scheduled for today over the killing of Siddique.
In a post on X, the party posted, “Keeping in view the tragic death of our party colleague Shri. Baba Siddique, all party programs for 13th October, 2024 i.e. Sunday stand cancelled.”
Siddique was known for his grand Iftar parties which hosted some of the superstars from Bollywood like Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt.
He was a three-time MLA from Bandra West and had joined Ajit Pawar’s NCP earlier in February this year after resigning from the Congress. He was shot by unidentified assailants on Saturday evening. (ANI)
The Labour MP Kim Leadbeater will formally introduce a private member’s bill on the issue to the House of Commons on Wednesday…reports Asian Lite News
The UK’s highest-ranking Catholic bishop has urged churchgoers to lobby their MPs to oppose proposed changes in the law around assisted dying in England and Wales, warning people: “be careful what you wish for”.
In a letter to be read out in the churches of his diocese, Cardinal Vincent Nichols said the proposed changes risk bringing about “a slow change from a duty to care to a duty to kill” for medical professionals.
The Labour MP Kim Leadbeater will formally introduce a private member’s bill on the issue to the House of Commons on Wednesday. MPs will vote on the issue at the bill’s second reading on 29 November.
Nichols’s letter goes on to say that in countries where assisted dying has been legalised, the circumstances in which it is permitted have been “widened and widened”.
He said changing the law could result in those who are near to death feeling under pressure to end their lives to relieve family members of a “perceived burden of care”, to avoid pain or “for the sake of inheritance”.
“The radical change in the law now being proposed risks bringing about for all medical professionals a slow change from a duty to care to a duty to kill,” he added.
The archbishop of Westminster continued: “The suffering of a human being is not meaningless. It does not destroy that dignity. It is an intrinsic part of our human journey, a journey embraced by the eternal word of God, Christ Jesus himself. He brings our humanity to its full glory precisely through the gateway of suffering and death.”
Leadbeater has said the current law on assisted dying is “not fit for purpose”, with campaigners labelling it “unbelievably cruel”.
Earlier this year, before he became prime minister, Keir Starmer said he was in favour of changing the law. He made a promise to the TV presenter Esther Rantzen, who has terminal lung cancer and is campaigning on the issue, that if he became prime minister he would ensure time in parliament to debate the issue and allow a free vote. Starmer kept that promise after his election win in July.
Those in favour of changing the legislation say people who are terminally ill or in severe pain should be allowed the choice to die with dignity and at a time of their choosing.
Sarah Wootton, the chief executive of Dignity in Dying, said earlier this year: “Assisted dying is a movement whose time has come. The prime minister has doubled down on his promise to make time for this debate, and dying people will be holding him to account; they simply do not have time to wait. As reform grows closer in the Isle of Man, Jersey and Scotland, we are on the brink of historic change across the British Isles.”
Under current law, assisting someone to end their life is a criminal offence in England and Wales, carrying a maximum prison sentence of up to 14 years. Moves to legalise assisted dying are under way in Scotland, the Isle of Man and Jersey.
This will be the first time the topic has been debated in the House of Commons since 2015, when an assisted dying bill was defeated.
The workers sacked in March 2022 were told of their fate by the company in pre-recorded Zoom video…reports Asian Lite News
Keir Starmer expressed his full confidence on Saturday in the transport secretary, Louise Haigh, after an explosive cabinet row cast fresh doubt over his Downing Street operation and threatened to overshadow a key international investment summit in London.
Government sources said the prime minister and Haigh had spoken and made up on Saturday after Starmer appeared to rebuke her on Friday for branding P&O Ferries a “rogue operator” in a statement and then calling for customers to boycott the company in a subsequent media interview.
The comments – and a description by the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, of P&O’s behaviour as “outrageous” when it sacked nearly 800 workers without notice in 2022 – led to reports that P&O’s parent company, DP World, had pulled out of Monday’s investment summit and shelved a £1bn infrastructure project at the London Gateway.
The workers sacked in March 2022 were told of their fate by the company in pre-recorded Zoom video. They were told: “I am sorry to inform you that your employment is terminated with immediate effect … your final day of employment is today.”
P&O Ferries boss Peter Hebblethwaite subsequently appeared before the Commons business select committee over the sacking scandal later that month. Darren Jones, then committee chair and now chief secretary to the Treasury, opened the session by asking: “Are you just a shameless criminal?”
Hebblethwaite told MPs the ferry business was not viable without the changes, adding: “I would make this decision again, I’m afraid.”
With DP World’s attendance at the investment summit in doubt, Starmer was asked on Friday if Haigh had been wrong to describe the company as a “cowboy operator” and to encourage a boycott. The prime minister appeared to cut her adrift, saying: “Well, look, that’s not the view of the government.”
Official sources said early on Saturday they were astonished that Haigh had been “hung out to dry” and “thrown under the bus” because she had only been echoing a government press release about new protections for seafarers, which had mentioned “rogue employers” and specifically said the measures were aimed at “preventing another P&O scandal”.
The release had been signed off by the No 10 communications team. “No 10 comms gave it the tick,” said a well-placed source.
Both Haigh and Rayner were said by insiders to be “hopping mad” that No 10 had not protected them, given that it had sanctioned the same kind of highly critical language towards P&O.
Downing Street sources later said that while the row had been smoothed over, it had been Haigh’s comments about a boycott that had gone too far and caused most annoyance to P&O’s owners.
On Saturday night, it appeared that DP World would, after all, attend the conference and that the investment of £1bn was no longer under threat. Senior sources confirmed that Haigh and Starmer had spoken on the phone and that he had expressed his confidence in her.
The Observer also understands that senior ministers, including Haigh, had not been informed in advance that DP World would be attending the investment summit, nor that they had been proposing a £1bn investment that would be announced at it.
They said the fact that they were not informed was “astonishing”, given that the government last week unveiled its key bill to improve workers’ rights and that this was highly relevant in that context.
“It shows the tension between the workers’ rights stuff and the investment stuff. This is going to keep happening unless we sort out the comms and the grid,” said an insider.
The row comes just days after Starmer’s chief of staff, the former senior civil servant Sue Gray, quit after weeks of bitter internal arguments and tensions inside No 10. She was replaced by another of the prime minister’s closest aides, Morgan McSweeney.
The investment summit has been talked up as a showpiece of the new government, aimed at attracting foreign money to the UK. Both Starmer and the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will attend, as well as many of the world’s leading business figures.
The Labour MP Liam Byrne, chair of Westminster’s business and trade committee, said on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday: “I think there’s a bit of a split here between the past and the future. Lou Haigh was absolutely right to say the behaviour of P&O, owned by DP World, in the past has been completely unacceptable.
“The calls for the boycott, let’s not forget, were originally made by Grant Shapps [the former Tory transport secretary] … but now we have got the employment rights bill coming through, I think we are all expecting businesses to play by the rules.”
The Dubai-based company owns the port of Southampton as well as London Gateway and was involved in the creation of some of the first of Rishi Sunak’s controversial freeports.
The latest Downing Street row comes as the government rolls out a series of announcements designed to underline its pro-business credentials before the summit.
It includes the appointment of a new industrial strategy advisory council, which will be chaired by the chief executive of Microsoft UK, Clare Barclay, as ministers unveil the first industrial strategy in seven years.
Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, said the new strategy would “hardwire stability for investors and give them the confidence to plan not just for the next year but for the next 10 years and beyond”.
He said: “This is the next step in our pro-worker, pro-business plan, which will see investors and workers alike get the security and stability they need to succeed.”
Reeves said:“I have never been more optimistic about our country’s potential. We have some of the brightest minds and greatest businesses in the world, from the creative industries and life sciences to advanced manufacturing and financial services.
“This government is determined to deliver on Britain’s potential so we can rebuild Britain and make every part of the country better off.”
The notification prohibits gatherings of five or more people, processions, and public meetings during this period. The restrictions will be in place till October 17….reports Asian Lite News
The Karachi administration has enforced Section 144 across the city for four days, starting from October 13, to ensure public safety and maintain law and order, ARY News reported.
This decision comes after a recommendation from Sindh’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon, who cited potential threats to peace as the primary reason for the restriction.
The notification prohibits gatherings of five or more people, processions, and public meetings during this period. The restrictions will be in place till October 17.
The IGP’s letter to the Karachi administration noted the possible disruption to peace that protests and rallies could cause. He highlighted that such gatherings could lead to inconvenience for citizens, posing significant security risks. The ban on public gatherings is meant to protect the general public and maintain peace in the city during this period, as reported by ARY News.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Home Ministry has also imposed Section 144 in five districts of Punjab for three days. These districts–Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Muzzafargarh, Rajanpur, and Kot Addu–will see a ban on all political gatherings, sit-ins, and rallies until October 15.
The provincial government, citing security concerns, issued the restriction to prevent large gatherings from becoming potential targets for miscreants. The government’s focus is on ensuring public safety during the period when the risk of unrest is heightened.
This series of restrictions coincides with an announcement by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which has scheduled a protest at Islamabad’s D-Chowk on October 15. The timing of this demonstration is significant, as it will coincide with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, ARY News reported.
The presence of international leaders at the summit has raised concerns about security, with authorities seeking to minimise the risk of disruption caused by large-scale protests during the high-profile event
‘Political terrorism’
Pakistan Minister for Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal, has condemned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party’s call for a protest at D-Chowk in Islamabad on October 15, coinciding with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
He described the protest as “political terrorism,” accusing the PTI of attempting to malign the country’s image and stop its development and economic progress, as reported by Dawn.
The PTI had suspended its protests in Punjab and announced a nationwide call for party leaders and workers to gather in Islamabad on October 15. Besides, they sought immediate access for their leaders and family members to Imran Khan, the party’s founder, who remains incarcerated in Adiala Jail.
The government had earlier banned visits to prisoners in Adiala Jail until October 18 for security reasons in view of the SCO summit.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Iqbal expressed disappointment over the timing of the PTI’s protest, which he said undermined the country’s prestige during the summit. He drew a parallel between the political unrest and terrorism, saying, “Now there is no doubt, that terrorism in Karachi and political terrorism protest calls are similar,” as reported by Dawn.
Iqbal suggested that the “scriptwriter” behind these actions was the same person using both terrorists and political forces to disrupt Pakistan’s progress.
He urged PTI supporters who genuinely wanted change to recognize the damage their party’s actions have caused, recalling how previous protests in 2014 delayed the Chinese president’s visit to Pakistan.
He warned that the PTI’s current actions were aimed at undermining the government’s economic recovery efforts and stressed the importance of avoiding destructive politics, stating, “Just because PTI’s leader is jailed doesn’t justify chaos.” (ANI)
Bilawal Bhutto proposed the establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court with equal representation from all federating units. …reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has shared the party’s draft constitutional amendments and sought “meaningful feedback” from the people.
Bilawal Bhutto proposed the establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court with equal representation from all federating units. He said that this court would serve as a platform to address fundamental rights, interpret the constitution, and solve federal and inter-provincial disputes.
Sharing a post on X, Bhutto wrote, “PPP’s initial proposal in order to complete the Charter of Democracy’s unfinished judicial reforms agenda. We propose the creation of a Federal Constitutional Court, with equal representation of all federating units. The court would address all issues pertaining to fundamental rights, constitutional interpretation and federal/inter-provincial disputes. We also propose ending the process off appointment of the judges, by the judges and for the judges.”
He added, “Instead, by merging the judicial and parliamentary committees we give an equal role to Parliament, Judiciary and legal fraternity. Please see below our draft that was shared with the government months ago, with JUI weeks ago and recently in our high powered parliamentary committee. I welcome legitimate meaningful feedback back from the public on how to further improve our proposed amendment.”
Bhutto further said that in addition to seeking public feedback, the party has been reaching out to political parties, Bar associations, and civil society organisations to gain insights on the amendment.
He wrote, “The PPP has already been reaching out separately to political parties, Bar associations and civil society as part of our broader country wide engagement on this important amendment. We are currently engaged in a meaningful dialogue with JUI, a political party from the opposition benches in an attempt to form a consensus draft. We hope a joint draft can go on to form the basis of a broader consensus of political parties to pass the 26th constitutional amendment.”
Meanwhile, the Pakistani Supreme Court has set a hearing date of October 17 for a petition requesting a ruling that parliament cannot introduce or approve the government’s much-discussed constitutional amendments, the Dawn reported on Saturday.
The much-discussed Constitutional Package is a piece of legislation that suggests a number of constitutional changes, one of which is an extension of the tenure of the chief justice. (ANI)
The choice of either Robert Jenrick or Kemi Badenoch could prove that those predicting doom may not be wrong, writes Mihir Bose
The choice of Tory MPs to make the Tory leadership race one between Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick could make the Tories like the Republicans in the US or right-wing parties of Europe.
Donald Trump may win power but his Republican party is so far removed from the country club Republican party that has dominated American politics that many of the old Republicans are voting for Kamala Harris. On the continent the traditional right-wing parties have been even more marginalised.
However, to write of the Tories always seems a bit premature. In 1997 after Tony Blair’s victory Geoffrey Wheatcroft wrote The Strange Death of Tory England taking his cue from a famous book written in 1935, The Strange Death of Liberal England by George Dangerfield. That book was prophetic because the Liberals as a party of government did disappear and have only been in power once as a junior coalition partner of David Cameron’s first government. Even that proved such a disaster that they were nearly wiped out in the next elections. The Conservatives, in contrast, not only survived the Blair wave but returned to power with such vengeance that it has taken Labour fourteen years to regain power.
But the choice of either Jenrick or Badenoch could prove that those predicting doom may not be wrong.
Jenrick is clearly going for the anti-immigrant vote but while this has appeal elections are decided by how people see governments perform in delivering on the economy, NHS, welfare, public services.
Badenoch’s decision is to fight the culture wars. Culture war has taken over from political correctness as another word that conceals its true meaning. Some years ago when Calcutta became Kolkata and Bombay, Mumbai people said this was political correctness. I pointed out Bengalis had always pronounced Calcutta as Kolkata and Mumbai was the name the Kohli fisherman called the city. There is after all a great temple in Mumbai called Mumbadevi. I grew up in Mumbai hearing Maharashtrian demonstrators going down Flora Fountain shouting Mumbai Amachi, Mumbai is ours, demanding the creation of the state of Maharashtra. Indeed during one demonstration outside our house I saw the police fire on a crowd and kill a boy, I remember his body naked to the waist bathed in red blood, the first dead body I had seen. Culture wars, like political correctness, are polite words meant to say how dare you interfere with the world our European ancestors created?
Badenoch, of Nigerian origin, was born here but lived in Nigeria as a child and told the Times that her upbringing in Nigeria showed her the danger of identity politics. “Human beings will always find a difference. I grew up in a place where everybody was black, but there were different languages, there were different cultures. And you still had the same sort of vicious hatred for people who looked exactly the same, but they might dress differently or have a different religion”. Countries need a “dominant shared identity”. In the UK you had to be British. “Watering that down and encouraging everybody to find a way to split into different groups is actually quite dangerous. And I’ve seen more and more of that happening here in a way it wasn’t 30 years ago”
What she did not say was that Nigeria was created by British colonial rulers when Africa was described as the dark continent which had no history before the Europeans arrived with their civilising mission. Not to acknowledge that history means a vital part of British history is being censored constructing a sham Britishness.
This is, of course ,a pan-European thing and is well demonstrated in the whole debate about the environment. It is wonderfully analysed by the historian Sunil Amrith in The Burning Earth (Allen Lane £30) which looks at the environmental history of the last 500 years but reinterprets a history previously been seen from a Euro and anthropocentric viewpoint into a global viewpoint.
The Chinese in the 15th century then the mightiest power did not want to expand and paid the price when the Europeans came knocking on their doors. There is the story of Madeira the Atlantic island which became the largest producer of sugar in the world just as 12.5 million humans were enslaved and transported across the Atlantic between 1492 and 1866. In Madeira vast expansive land was turned over to growing a single crop. “There was nothing unprecedented in the speed with which the forest of Madeira were razed by the new settlers. “To exhaust the land” was the imperative of Chinese provincial governors in Ming and Quing times. But their aim was always to secure food for a growing population. Investors in Portuguese sugar ventures wanted something else- they wanted to extract the maximum profit in the shortest time”.
He also links the British bringing railways to India, something the British are very proud of, with even more famines taking place because the railways constructed to transport British troops did not reach remote areas. In the 1970s India’s National Sample Survey found that still 72% of all journeys in rural India were made on foot. The British absolved themselves of any responsibility for the famines blaming it on Indian society and even today cannot accept any blame for the second world war famine that killed three million Bengalis in the worst 20th century famine in south Asian history.
But I do not suppose Badenoch would read it as it would not help promote her idea of Britishness which she hopes will win her power. Should the Tories buy her very selective view of Britishness this time they could become marginalised.
Mihir Bose is the author of Thank You Mr Crombie Lessons in Guilt and Gratitude to the British.
Interestingly, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has advised Pakistan to adopt India’s scheme ULLAS to fix its dysfunctional education system and impart quality training to its citizens, writes Dr Sakariya Kareem
Pakistan’s collapsing education system is a grim reminder of the state of affairs in the country. The shoddy picture of the education scenario is evident from recent data that shows approximately 25 million children are out of school and the nation’s literacy rate is only 60 per cent.
A complete transformation is immediately needed to reform the setup holding to ransom the future of the country.
The financially struggling country recently hosted a crucial meeting of the federal Education Task Force which proposed increasing funding, enrolment and the overall literacy rate but the question of improving quality remains unanswered.
Upgrading the quality of facilities cannot be the only solution to all problems. The country needs inspirational teachers.
Voicing the need to improve the quality of teachers, Pakistan’s leading daily The Express Tribune wrote: “Putting billions into laptops while teachers struggle to make ends meet is a reflection of our broken system. The priority on this front must be teachers’ salaries and training.”
The editorial urged the need to create better federal-provincial coordination in the field of enhancing education quality.
“Better federal-provincial coordination is also needed because the promised benefits of devolution under the 18th Amendment have been undercut by duplication of work in some areas and lack of synergy in others. Not only does this leave gaps in quality and facilities, it wastes precious funds,” the editorial said.
The federal and provincial governments should immediately start working together to ensure the school dropout figure can be reduced.
The government should also focus on removing other hurdles on the path of enhancing education.
The government should shape the syllabus in such a way that it helps people improve their critical thinking skills and modern technological competencies.
Another leading Pakistani newspaper Dawn News wrote in the editorial that addressing socio-economic barriers that keep children out of school, such as poverty and gender inequality, must become a central part of the government’s education strategy.
The editorial said: “Without sustained investment and innovative solutions, Pakistan risks falling further behind on its educational goals. The time for rhetoric has passed. Pakistan needs actionable, well-researched plans that not only address immediate challenges but also build a resilient, forward-thinking education system, which is capable of preparing its youth for the demands of the modern world.”
An improved education system will help Pakistan create a brighter future for its children who can shine in their own fields. Pakistan wants to create a sustainable and strong future of its own and in securing that state the country should focus more on improving its healthcare and education system.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in May this year declared an ‘Education Emergency’ across Pakistan to enrol around 26 million out-of-school children and promote literacy to make the country regain its lost space.
“Today, with iron conviction, and the support of provinces, we will handle the challenge of 26 million out-of-school children. We will bring them back to school…I declare from this moment an Emergency in Education all over Pakistan…The way we did it in Punjab, we will do it in Pakistan,” the prime minister said addressing the National Conference on Education Emergency, according to Associated Press of Pakistan.
The report quoted Unicef Representative in Pakistan Abdullah A. Fadil as saying over 70% of children of age 10 in Pakistan could not read or understand text. Despite constitutional guarantees, education in Pakistan was neither yet compulsory nor free.
Interestingly, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has advised Pakistan to adopt India’s scheme ULLAS to fix its dysfunctional education system and impart quality training to its citizens.
The Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) was launched by the Government of India in July 2023 to help non-literates and adults, who missed out on formal schooling.
Now ADB advises Pakistan to adopt that scheme.
The Manila-based lender’s recommendation came in response to Pakistan’s request for financial support to improve its education system and impart education to all out-of-school children, according to a Business Today report quoting The Express Tribune.
Fighting battles against political rivals should not be the only focus of the current government. Rather, if measures are taken to improve the quality of education and help younger generations, people will remember the current politicians as saviours of the falling system that has rotten to the core.
28 Million Out of School
Recently Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai expressed concern over Pakistan’s education crisis. In a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, she wrote “Currently, 26 million children — predominantly girls in the poorest districts of Pakistan — remain out of school. Furthermore, more than 200,000 teachers’ seats are vacant nationwide.” “This gap is severely affecting the functioning of schools and negatively impacting student retention and quality of schooling. Our collective aim should be to design a measurable, realistic plan to bring these numbers down significantly over the course of your term,” she added.
Although through her letter Malala has highlighted the crisis in Pakistan’s education sector, the actual number of out-of-school children in the country stands at a startling 28 million, somewhat more than what she has quoted. Despite tall claims made by successive governments to enroll out-of-school children, the number of such kids continues to grow at a rapid pace.
Pakistan’s education crisis is marked by a shockingly large number of out-of-school children, very low learning outcomes, wide achievement gaps and inadequate teacher efforts.
In January this year, a report on the performance of the education sector was released by the Pakistan Institute of Education, a subsidiary of the education ministry revealed a lack of funds, poor pupil-teacher ratio, missing basic facilities as well as 26 million Out of School children (OOSC) in Pakistan. The report highlighted that an alarming 26.21 million – basically, 39 percent of children in Pakistan are out of school. OOSC are defined as children of school going age that are not going to school. The compulsory range of school going age is stipulated as five to 16 years under article 25-A of the Constitution. The number of OOSC stands at 11.73 million in Punjab, 7.63m in Sindh, 3.63m in KP, 3.13m in Balochistan, and 0.08 million in Islamabad. The percentage of out-of-school children decreased from 44 percent in 2016-17 to 39 percent in 2021-22.
More than 50 per cent of all school going age children are out of school in 17 out of 28 districts in Balochistan. District Shaheed Sikandarabad has the highest proportion of OOSC in Balochistan at 76 per cent, with Sherani following at 70 percent of out of school children between the ages of five and 16 years.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, district Kohistan has the highest proportion of OOSC at 60 per cent.
The results from key assessments conducted by the National Assessment Wing, specifically the Trends in International Mathematics & Science Study (TIMSS) and the National Achievement Test (NAT), highlighted the urgent need to improve learning outcomes among students. The report said that in 2021-22, spending on education remained 1.7percent of GDP.
In terms of enrolments, these happen later than required, with a lack of emphasis on early childhood education leading up to class 1. Drop outs start to happen between 9-11 years of age. The dropout ratio rises steadily with age. However, the proportion of children who have never attended school remains overwhelming at all age levels.
Large schools across Pakistan simply lack toilets, potable water among other basic facilities. As per the report, only 23 percent of primary schools in Balochistan have access to potable water. Only 15 percent schools in Balochistan have electricity. In terms of toilet facilities scarce in all primary schools, across Pakistan, Balochistan fares worst with 77 percent primary schools, 31 percent middle schools, and four percent high schools not having toilets for students. In Sindh, 43 percent primary schools do not have toilet facilities. In Balochistan, the situation is alarming. In Azad Kashmir, 58 percent primary, 34 percent middle, and 23 percent high schools do not have this facility.
OOSC in Pakistan can be compared to that in the Sub-Saharan countries. It is one of the major challenges faced by the education sector of the country. Poverty and lack of awareness were major factors behind this issue. According to a teacher from Islamabad, “In most of the cases, the kids do labour work to help their families and the children will not be able to join schools till this issue is resolved.” Governments have highlighted very slow progress on education participation, completion and closing of the gender gap”, and successive cabinets have approved plans for bringing OOSC to schools, but practically no serious steps have been taken to handle this crisis.
Furthermore in terms of the quality of education. Consider this statistic. The result of the last CSS examination, announced on September 18, 2023 reflects the quality of graduates being produced by our higher educational institutions (HEIs). The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) conducts a competitive examination, commonly known as CSS, for recruitment of officers at the starting stage in the civil services of Pakistan. As per the FPSC, at least 20,000 candidates attempted the written part of the examination, of whom only 393 candidates, or 1.94 percent, passed.This reflects the falling standards of Pakistan’s education over several years. One of the FPSC reports states that many of the candidates were not even familiar with elementary mathematics. Many candidates “did not even know the direction of a simple compass, confusing north with south and east with west.” Almost all its reports complain about the absence of analytical skills among the candidates who mostly reproduce “crammed knowledge.”
An inclusive education does not discriminate by gender, language, religion, etc. On gender, discrimination is manifest at the outset when income constrained families spend more to educate sons than daughters. Children whose home language is not English or Urdu cannot acquire elementary education in their own language even if their parents want. The exclusion of languages such as Sindhi and Balochi means not only their slow death but also the withering of their associated cultures and identities.The religious content of one religion is diffused throughout textbooks prescribed for secular subjects. This practice is justified by the argument that Pakistan is overwhelmingly Muslim (97.5 per cent), which makes it alright to propagate predominantly Islamic content.
Thus, Pakistan’s school education is neither inclusive nor equitable and is departing further from these objectives. Because Pakistan’s ruling elite is just playing along with the UN? One of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) obligates the country to provide inclusive and equitable education for all. The SDGs were preceded by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for 15 years. None were attained in Pakistan without any analysis of the reasons for the failure. Instead, the country signed on to a new set of goals with a fresh lease of 15 years during which officials would continue to hold meetings and participate in conferences. Meanwhile, the people in whose name the exercise is being conducted are largely excluded from the conversation.
The summit’s security measures extend beyond businesses…reports Asian Lite News
Ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, Islamabad and Rawalpindi will see the temporary closure of restaurants, wedding halls, cafes, and snooker clubs for five days, from October 12 to 16, as part of heightened security measures, The Express Tribune reported.
To ensure compliance, Station House Officers are collecting guarantee bonds from owners, who are also being summoned to police stations to fill out surety bonds. Additionally, all cash-and-carry marts across the city will remain closed during this period.
The summit’s security measures extend beyond businesses. Suspects at Adiala Jail will not be presented in court for five days, and courts have started rescheduling important cases for hearings after October 16, as reported by The Express Tribune.
For added security, commandos and sniper shooters will be deployed on the rooftops of multi-story buildings throughout the city.
According to The Express Tribune, a complete ban on pigeon flying and kite flying has been imposed within a 3-kilometer radius around Noor Khan Chaklala Airbase, and operations to demolish pigeon nets on the rooftops of houses and plazas have begun.
With the help of female police officers, the authorities have removed pigeon nets from 38 rooftops. The District Officer for Civil Defence stated that all areas will be completely cleared of pigeon nets by Friday, October 11.
During the SCO summit, a decision has been made to tighten security in the twin cities. Following this, the government has announced a three-day public holiday in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, from October 14 to 16, to ensure the smooth organization of the upcoming SCO summit.
This decision, ratified by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, aims to facilitate the summit’s preparations and execution. As a result, all educational institutions and government offices in the twin cities will remain closed during this period.
Notably, the SCO summit, chaired by Pakistan, will be held in Islamabad on October 16 and 17, with various heads of state, including Chinese Premier Li Qiang, in attendance.
The SCO summit is a significant Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance established in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Since then, the organization has expanded to include India, Pakistan, and Iran as full members, while Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia hold observer status.
Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is expected to visit Pakistan for the SCO summit, marking his inaugural trip to the country on October 15. This will be the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly nine years, with Sushma Swaraj being the last to make the trip in December 2015. (ANI)
State Minister M.B. Rajesh said if such an attempt becomes a reality it will weaken the federal structure of India and compromise the country’s diverse parliamentary democracy….reports Asian Lite News
The Kerala Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution opposing the Central government’s approval of the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal recommended by the Ramnath Kovind Committee.
With Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan indisposed, the resolution was introduced on his behalf by the State Parliamentary Affairs Minister M.B. Rajesh under Rule 118 of the Assembly Procedures which said this was “undemocratic” and “unconstitutional”.
In the 140-member Assembly, there is not a single BJP legislator nor any party of the BJP-led NDA alliance and therefore it was a foregone conclusion that the resolution will be unanimously passed.
Minister Rajesh while presenting the resolution said if such an attempt becomes a reality it will weaken the federal structure of India and compromise the country’s diverse parliamentary democracy.
He also said that the Kovind committee report mentions reducing costs, but later said that there are other ways to do so and this is nothing but an attempt to centralise power, which is the agenda of the RSS and BJP.
The Opposition benches also did not doubt that this is impractical for Indian democracy.
Incidentally, both CM Vijayan and Leader of Opposition V. D. Satheesan had echoed similar opinions last month and it was very clear the passing of the resolution was a mere formality.
Incidentally, the CPI, the second largest party in the ruling CPI-M government, has taken a strong position and they said this was a ploy by the Sangh Parivar forces to impose homogeneity in all spheres of life.
“After one tax, one language, one culture, one religion, they are trying to move in the direction of one election, one party, and one leader has been their repeated statements,” they said.
HC inquires about Central funds for Wayanad
The Kerala High Court on Thursday sought the Central government’s response on funds for disaster relief in the state’s landslide-hit Wayanad.
The court, which had initiated a suo moto case in the wake of the disaster, orally told Additional Solicitor General A.R.L. Sundaresan, appearing for the Centre, to “get some positive action from the Central government because we need to get Wayanad back on rails as soon as possible”.
The division bench of Justice A.K.Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. had previously noted that the National Disaster Management Response Fund and the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund have not released any amounts for disaster relief to Kerala, after the deadly Wayanad landslides. In the court, it was pointed out that states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have received allocations from the State Disaster Management Response Fund (SDRF) and the National Disaster Management Response Fund (NDRF). However, Sundaresan sought time until October 18 (Friday) to obtain instructions from the Centre and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The landslide disaster on July 30 left four villages in Wayanad totally destroyed. As many as 231 people lost their lives while 47 people continue to be missing. As many as 145 homes were fully destroyed, 170 homes were partially destroyed, 240 homes were declared uninhabitable, and 183 homes were washed away.
Meanwhile, the state government filed a statement detailing lands that are suitable for the resettlement of affected people. “The land has been examined by an expert body and was found suitable for settlement,” the bench was told.
Brinda Karat slams Kerala Governor
Senior Leader and Polit Bureau member of Communist Party of India (Marxist) Brinda Karat on Thursday hit back on Kerala Givernor Arif Mohammad Khan for seeking report from CM Pinarayi Vijayan over his recent remark on the “nature of anti-national activities” and actions taken against those involved.
Speaking to ANI, Karat said that, “It’s very unfortunate to make such remark as it seems that Kerala governor is a serial offender for the violation of the Constitution propriety and his constitutional role.”
“Governor Khan has absolutely no right under the constitution of India to comment, or to ask in a written demand from the CM about any remark he may or may not have made. The very fact that he is acting like this is because he is not acting as Ambassador of constitution of India but as the ambassador from Delhi Raj in Kerala repersenting the narrow interest of BJP,” she told ANI.
On October 8, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had issued a letter to the Rajbhavan stating that summoning officials without informing the elected government is beyond the constitutional authority of the governor.
Earlier, Governor Arif Muhammad Khan summoned the Chief Secretary and DGP to Raj Bhavan for direct explanations on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s remarks regarding gold smuggling in Malappuram and those funds being used for anti-State and anti-national activities and on phone tapping allegations by PV Anwar MLA
Kerala Police Chief Shaik Darvesh Saheb and Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan did not appear before Governor Arif Mohammed Khan.
On September 30, a media report attributed remarks to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan concerning gold smuggling in the Malappuram district. The Chief Minister’s office later issued a clarification, stating that the quotes had been wrongly attributed to him. (ANI)
As per the statement, this tax devolution includes one advance installment, in addition to the regular installment due in October 2024…reports Asian Lite News
Ahead of festive season, the central government has released over Rs 1.78 lakh crore to the states as devolution of its tax revenue, against the normal monthly devolution of Rs 89,086.50 crore, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday.
As per the statement, this tax devolution includes one advance installment, in addition to the regular installment due in October 2024.
The decision was taken in view of the upcoming festive season and to enable States to accelerate capital spending, and also finance their development/welfare-related expenditure, as per the statement.
The biggest chunk of the fund went to Uttar Pradesh at Rs 31,962 crore, followed by Bihar at Rs 17,921 crore, Madhya Pradesh got Rs 13,987 crore, and West Bengal at Rs 13,404 crore.
This disbursement highlights the central government’s focus on maintaining a steady flow of financial resources to states, ensuring they have the means to undertake crucial development initiatives.
The Ministry’s decision follows a high-level meeting with the Finance Secretary and the Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs.
State governments will benefit from this enhanced financial support, enabling them to accelerate their capital expenditures, including critical infrastructure projects such as road construction, public facilities, and other development initiatives.
The Finance Ministry has provided a detailed state-wise breakdown of the funds released, ensuring each state receives its fair share to meet its specific development needs.
Among the states, Andhra Pradesh got Rs 7,211 crore, Gujarat received Rs 6,197 crore, and Tamil Nadu received Rs 7,268 crore.
Among the Northeast states, Meghalaya received Rs 1,367 crore, Tripura got Rs 1,261 crore, and Manipur got Rs 1,276 crore.
As India continues to navigate the complexities of global economic dynamics, the central government’s focus on providing financial support to states is crucial for sustaining growth and fostering development of the country.
Devolution of taxes is the process of distributing the net proceeds of taxes between the Union and the states in India. The Finance Commission makes recommendations on how to distribute the taxes between the Union and the states, as well as among the states. The state’s share of the taxes is released based on the recommendations of the Finance Commission. (ANI)
