ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 (APP): Five crew members and two air martials were among the 47 passengers on-board the flight PK-661 that crashed near Havellian on Wednesday.

Besides Captain S Janjua, who was flying the aircraft, the crew included First Officer Ali Akram, Trainee Pilot Ahmed Janjua, and air hostesses Sadaf Farooq and Asma Adil, sources said.

The two air martials on-board the flight were identified as Ahsan and Samee.

In addition to crew and air martials, two infants, 10 women and 30 men were also on-board the flight.

LAHORE, Dec 7 (APP): Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has set up a committee to consider increase in the quota of boy and girl students of FATA especially Waziristan in Daanish schools.

Provincial Minister for Schools Education will be the head of the committee while its other members will include Secretary Schools Education, Vice Chairman Punjab Daanish Schools and Center of Excellence Authority, Managing Director Punjab Daanish Schools and Center of Excellence Authority and Secretary Finance.

The committee will start work immediately and submit its recommendations to the Chief Minister within three days. The committee will review the existing quota of boy and girl students of FATA especially Waziristan and other federal units in Daanish schools of Punjab and submit recommendations with regard to increasing the quota of deserving students.

The Chief Minister said the Punjab government was implementing a comprehensive programme for the uplift of education sector and promotion of quality education and revolutionary measures were taken for this purpose. He said that establishment of Daanish schools was an example in this regard.

He said that Daanish schools were providing modern education to talented students of deprived segments of the society. Shehbaz Sharif said that Daanish schools had not only minimized the gulf between the rich and the poor but also played an important role in imparting modern education to the children of backward areas.

He said that quality educational facilities were being provided to talented children of the poorest of the poor segments of the society in Daanish schools where they were also being given free of cost boarding and lodging facilities.

He said that by winning prominent positions in different examinations, boy and girl students of Daanish schools had proved that they were not inferior to the students of developed areas.

He said that Daanish schools had opened new avenues of development in backward areas and children of these schools after completing education would play an important role in national development.

He said that besides education, Daanish schools were also promoting national unity and solidarity. He said that talented children of all federal units of Pakistan had been included in the educational programme of Punjab which was strengthening the federation.

He said that quota had also been allocated in these schools for deserving boy and girl students of FATA and a committee was now being formed for increasing the quota of students of FATA especially Waziristan.

ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 (APP): A spokesman of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday expressed its deep regret over the crash of its plane ATR-42 (AP-BHO) that crashed near Havelian.

In a statement, the spokesman said, “We deeply regret to announce that a PIA aircraft ATR-42 (AP-BHO) crashed near Havelian at 1642 hrs PST today, 7th December 2016. No further details of the accident are available at the moment. 42 passengers, five crew members and one ground engineer were on board.”

“Rescue efforts are under way and we are also ascertaining the extent of damage to life of those on-board the aircraft.

PIA is doing everything possible to help the families of passengers and crew members for first hand information regarding the incident and damage.

The crash site is near a small village called Saddha Batolni near Havelian,” he added.

ISLAMABAD, Dec 7 (APP): Ideological institutions are playing effective role in highlighting the positive image of the country and more efforts should be made to bring them in mainstream and get the desired result of softer image.

These were unanimous views expressed by the speakers here at One-Day national conference on “Ideological Institutions of the Pakistan;
Introduction and Performance” organized by Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).

The conference was attended by representatives of various educational,
welfare and religious institutions of the country.

Dr. Farooq Ahmed from ‘Anjuman Himayat-e-Islam’ highlighted the contribution of organization in education, health and publication sectors.

He thanked the CII for arranging such workshop which will not only help
in promoting the image of various institutions but also sensitize others for participation in welfare activities.

Dr. Shahid Hassan Rizvi from History Department of Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB) said that greater contribution has been made by the institution for development of the country.

He said several students of the IUB are performing important tasks by
holding key positions in various institutions.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Director General Islamic Research Institute Dr. Zia ul Haq, Dr. Tahir Hameed Tanoli from Iqbal Academy Lahore, Ateeq ul Zafar from International Institute for Islamic Economy, Chairman Islamiyat Department Punjab University Lahore Dr. Saad Siddiqui and Dr. Habib ur Rehman from Shariah Academy of International Islamic University Islamabad.

In the concluding session, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Law
Barrister Zafar Ullah Khan said constant change is happening around us and basic instrument to review these changes is ‘Ijtehad’ before adoption.

“By temperament, man favors inertia but nothing is constant and
changes are happening around us,” he said and stressed to resort ‘Ijtehad’ to counter challenges in result of various changes.

He said balanced approach is crucial in various matters of life and everyone should understand real spirit of Islam which is about welfare of people and justice to people.

Speakers highlighted performance of their respective institutions and
committed efforts for promoting softer image of country.

In the end, Chairman CII Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani thanked all the participants and gave a detailed lecture to counter various challenges confronted by us.

KARACHI, Dec 7 (APP): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)
organized an event here Wednesday at National Museum to mark the National Day of Voters.

The Member ECP, Ghaffar Ahmed Soomro was the Chief guest, while
Provincial Election Commissioner, Tanveer Zaki and Regional Director of Colleges Zameer Khoso were also present.

Speaking on the occasion Tanveer Zaki said that the day was being observed to bring awareness among masses regarding importance of vote.

He added that Electoral Rolls, GIS, and RMS systems have been introduced.

He informed that the training of Presiding Officers was also underway.
The students of 11-I College, Allama Iqbal College, Saudabad
College, Dehli College and others participated in speech competitions, national songs and tableaus organized on the occasion.

Later, the Member ECP Ghaffar Ahmed, Provincial Election Commissioner
Tanveer Zaki and RD Colleges, Zameer Khoso distributed prizes among the winners.

The speech competition was won by student of 11-I College, Fizza Batool, tableau competition was also won by the 11-I college while the National songs competition was won by Farwa of  Suadabad College.

The programme was arranged in collaboration of UNDP.