SOUTH ASIA
Punjab Post Graduates In Race For Police Jobs
Amritsar: Although a candidate applying for a constable’s post with the Punjab police needs to be just a Class 12 pass out, many graduates and post graduates were seen rubbing shoulders with their juniors at the recruitment rally of Amritsar City Police at Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) sports grounds here on Monday.
This speaks of the dismal unemployment scenario in the state.
Up for grabs at the ongoing recruitment rally are 329 posts of constables with the majority of candidates being the Class12 pass outs.
According to deputy commissioner of police (DCP) AS Chahal, around 5,500 applications were received and on the first day on Monday, the physical strength of 500 candidates was tested. The entire process is expected to be completed by February 28, he added.
“Though the minimum qualification is Class 12 but we have a number of graduates as well as a few postgraduates,“ Chahal said while pointing out that after the physical screening, the candidates will be interviewed and then the final list will be prepared. All those selected will be posted in the city.
VETERANS IN THE RACE While for a majority, this was their first or second recruitment rally, the graduate and postgraduate candidates seemed quite well versed with the procedures involved as they had appeared in numerous such rallies ever since their Class 12. Though each time they faced rejection, they still have not lost hope.
Hardeep Singh, who obtained his Masters degree in political science last year and is unemployed, seemed hopeful after qualifying in the 1.6 km race and clearing the prescribed distance in the broad (long) jump. “Last year, I could not qualify in the long jump and was rejected at the recruitment rally,“ said Hardeep while disclosing that this was his 10th appearance at a state police recruitment rally. He is desperate to join the police, as his policeman father wants him to
Perhaps, one of the most qualified among the candidates who had cleared the physical test was Talwinder Singh of Dhapai village. He is a post graduate in English and also has a diploma in post graduation in computer application. Besides, he has also undergone the art and craft teacher training course aspiring to be a teacher, but failed to do so.
“My parents forced me to come here though I was not too keen. They want me to start earning some money, after which I can continue my studies,“ he said looking not too happy even after successfully completing the 1.6 km race.
“My aim is to become a college teacher and for this I have plans of sitting for the UGC test (NET–National Eligibility Test) this year,“ Talwinder said.
Gurlal Singh of Saragdev village, a graduate who will be sitting for his B.Ed examinations in April wants to become a government school teacher.
However, his parents told him to give the constable’s job a try, as there is no surety of his becoming a teacher.
“If I get through, I will join the police take admission in MA next academic session and apply for a teacher’s job whenever posts are advertised,“ he said. He has a diploma in information technology too.
SOUTH ASIA
Pakistani Anti-graft body wants travel ban on Nawaz Sharif, kin
Pakistan’s anti-corruption watchdog has asked authorities to place ousted premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law on the Exit Control List to prevent them from leaving the country.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) sent a formal request to the ministry of interior. The interior ministry officials confirmed that the NAB wrote that names of Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar should be put on the Exit Control List (ECL), which listed individuals not allowed to leave Pakistan.
The NAB argued that as the trial of the three nears its conclusion, it is feared that they would leave the country.
Earlier, a similar request to place name of finance minister Ishaq Dar on ECL was not accepted, allowing him to go to London and never return.
Sharif, 68, and his family this week filed an application with the accountability court seeking a fortnight’s exemption from personal appearance from February 19 onwards to let them go to London to see Sharif’s ailing wife. Three cases were filed against Sharif and his family last year, including Avenfield properties, Azizia & Hill Metal Establishment, and Flagship Investments.
Maryam and Safdar are accused only in Avenfield properties case. The NAB had filed two supplementary references against Sharif, his sons Hasan and Hussain regarding Al-Azizia Steel Mills & Hill Metal Establishment and Flagship Investment cases.
SOUTH ASIA
Pakistan “breaches obligations’ on nuclear arms reduction, UN court told
The Hague: Pakistan is violating its “obligations” to the international community by failing to reduce its nuclear arsenal, the Marshall Islands told the UN’s highest court on Tuesday.
The small Pacific Island nation is this week launching three unusual cases against India, Pakistan and Britain before the International Court of Justice.
Majuro wants to put a new spotlight on the global nuclear threat, its lawyers said yesterday, by using its own experience with massive US-led nuclear tests in the 1940s and 1950s.
“Pakistan is in breach of its obligations owed to the international community as a whole,” when it comes to reducing its nuclear stockpile, said Nicholas Grief, one of the island nation’s lawyers.
DeBrum warned that even a “limited nuclear war” involving the two countries would “threaten the existence” of his island nation people.
Pakistan and India have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947, two of them over the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir.
In 1998, the rival neighbours both demonstrated nuclear weapons capability.
The ICJ’s judges are holding hearings for the next week and a half to decide whether it is competent to hear the lawsuits brought against India and Pakistan — neither of which have signed the 1968 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
A third hearing against Britain — which has signed the NPT — scheduled to start on Wednesday will be devoted to “preliminary objections” raised by London.
The Marshalls initially sought to bring a case against nine countries it said possessed nuclear arms: Britain, China, France, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia and the United States.
Israel has never admitted to having nuclear weapons.
But the Hague-based ICJ, set up in 1945 to rule in disputes between states, has only admitted three cases against Britain, India and Pakistan, because they have accepted the ICJ’s compulsory jurisdiction.
Pakistan’s lawyers did not attend Tuesday’s hearings.
It did however file a counter-claim against Majuro’s allegations saying “the court has no jurisdiction to deal with the application” and insisting that the case is “not admissible”, said ICJ President Ronny Abraham.
SOUTH ASIA
Bangladesh to drop Islam as official religion following attacks on Hindus
New Delhi: Bangladesh is likely to drop Islam as its official religion following a series of attacks on people from other faiths in the country. The country’s Supreme Court is hearing a plea challenging the status of the official religion of the country to Islam.
Bangladesh, which was declared a secular country after its formation in 1971, was declared an Islamic country following a constitutional amendment in 1988.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, the plea has challenged the declaration of Islam as the national religion of the country.
The move is being supported by leaders from the minority communities like Hindus, Christians and Muslim minority Shiites.
Bangladesh has 90 per cent of Muslims, 8 per cent Hindus and remaining constitutes Christians and Muslim minority Shiites.
In last month, a Hindu priest was hacked to death following an attack on a temple in Panchgarh district. Two others were seriously injured in the attack. There have been several lethal attacks on writers and bloggers.
According to a report in the Independent, Islamist groups Jumatul Mujahedeen Bangladesh and Ansarullah Bangla Team are believed to have carried out at least seven attacks on foreign and minority people in Bangladesh in the past year.
