SMWA to hold election on January 7

       The meeting of Organizing Committee Sindhi Media Workers Association (SMWA) was held to discuss organizational matters and progress report of sub-committees here on Saturday December 31, 2011 at National Press Club (NPC), Islamabad.
      It was decided that the election for Cabinet of SMWA would be held on January 7, 2012. The last date for submitting membership form was fixed on January 6, 2012.
      Now you can fill membership form and submit online by visiting website: http://www.smwa111211.blogspot.com/2011/12/membership-form.html

Membership Form

SMWA committees to submit progress report in the meeting to be held on Dec 31

The meeting of organizing committee of SMWA and its sub-committees of Constitution and membership will be held at 01:00 pm on Saturday, December 31, 2011 at National Press Club (NPC) Islamabad. In the meeting, Sub-committees will submit their progress reports to Organizing Committee. If any member excluding these committee's members are interested to attend and contribute suggestions for SMWA, he can.

SMWA Membership Form

Committee to protect Journalists

Committee to protect Journalists

http://www.cpj.org/

Pakistani Journalists Face Official Pressures as 6 Papers Are Banned

The Washington Post

July 4, 1995 | John Ward Anderson | Copyright

It was after midnight when newspaper reporter Bux Ali Jamali was jarred awake by police, dragged out of his house and taken to a local hospital. There, corrupt doctors certified that he was drunk -- a serious crime in this Islamic state -- and police imprisoned him for nine days without bail.

That is the version of events related by Jamali, who said his real offense was writing tough stories about local development that enraged high government officials -- including, he and others say, the family of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

The police account is that Jamali was on his way home when an alert officer noticed that he obviously had been drinking. After confirming this …

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-842133.html

Journalist wins NPC election

       It is to inform to all members of SMWA that the Journalist Panel has won the election of National Press Club (NPC) Islamabad held here on December 26, 2011. 

Spanish agency, Islamic Relief sign deal for flood victims

ISLAMABAD: The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and Islamic Relief, a humanitarian and development organisation, have signed an agreement worth one million pounds (Rs118,382,000) for the initial recovery phase of flood response in Sindh, a statement said on Monday.

The project will focus on providing the means to save and rehabilitate lives and livelihoods of the people affected by floods in the three union councils, including Hadi Bukhsh, Dagan and Bugury of district Mirpurkhas, Sindh targeting 9,437 families, it said.

A spokesman for AECID said that keeping in view the needs of the flood-affected and displaced population in Sindh, the project, funded by the Spanish government, will focus on emergency livelihood support, provision of clean drinking water, provision of healthcare and distribution of critical winterisation items.

Spanish Ambassador to Pakistan Gonzalo Quintero said that this support constitutes a clear example of the commitment of Spain with the people of Pakistan, even in this time of economic and financial pressures for Spain, it said.

Talking about addressing the needs of the flood-hit communities, Islamic Relief Head of Humanitarian Programme Umair Hasan said that Islamic Relief is still working for the rehabilitation of last year’s flood victims across the country with an integrated approach and also responding to the needs of the people affected by floods this year.

The organisation has also conducted a situational analysis in response to this year’s flood losses and became a part of the immediate relief activities initiated by relief and aid agencies, including national authorities, said Umair.

He said onset of winter season brings more misery for the affected families and the timely contribution of Spanish agency will address the urgent and significant needs of the flood-hit communities in Sindh. 


Published in Daily The News, Daily Pakistan Today, Daily Pakistan Observer and Daily Business Recorder (Blogs) on Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Provincial quota violated in AIOU appointments

ISLAMABAD, Dec 26: The Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) violated provincial quota in appointment of employees for its main campus during the last four years.

According to documents available with Dawn, the university made 798 appointments at its main campus between January 1, 2007 and January 31, 2011. Out of these, 298 were regular in basic pay scale (BPS) 1 to 21 (233 from BPS 1 to 16 and 65 from BPS 17 and above), 78 appointed on contractual basis and 422 employees were hired on daily wages in BPS 1 to 15.
According to rules; 7.5 per cent of the employees should be appointed on open merit and the remaining through provincial quotas: Punjab 50 per cent, Sindh rural 11.40 per cent; Sindh urban 7.60 per cent, KP 11.50 per cent, Balochistan 6.7 per cent, Azad Jamu & Kashmir 2 per cent and Fata/Fana 4 per cent. Besides, all staff in grade 1 and 2 should be appointed from Islamabad.
The documents, however, showed that 43 regular appointments were made in BPS 1 and 2, but only eight of them belonged to Islamabad while 30 were from Punjab, four from KP and one was from AJK.
Out of the 100 regular appointments In BPS 7; 15 were from Islamabad, 69 from Punjab, 15 from KP and one was from AJK. However, Sindh, Balochistan and Fata/Fana were ignored. In BPS 16; total 38 permanent employees were appointed out of whom four were from Islamabad, 24 from Punjab, five from KP and only one was from Sindh.
In these inductions, Balochistan was again ignored. Among the officers in BPS 20, nine were appointed on regular basis – seven from Punjab and two from Sindh.
Out of the total 298 regular officers/officials, only one was from Balochistan and six came from Sindh.
As many as 78 appointments were made on contractual basis: six from Islamabad, 56 from Punjab, 11 from KP, three from Sindh and only one was from Balochistan.
Of the 422 daily wagers; 58 were from Islamabad, 277 from Punjab, 59 from KP, 14 from Sindh and only two from Balochistan.
In most of the appointments, Punjab got the lion`s share compared to its quota. Besides, KP also got its quota in some cases but Sindh and Balochistan were mostly ignored.
An official of the university on the condition of anonymity said: “The management of the AIOU violated the rules due to which persons who deserved to get the jobs on merit were ignored. Due to these steps, there is resentment among the employees as well as people belonging to small provinces and the federal capital.”
Usually, tens times more applications were received for limited number of vacancies, so the management cannot make an excuse that they had appointed the employees from other provinces because of unavailability of applications. If there are few applications against the quota of any province, then the vacancies should be left vacant, another official added,
When contacted, the public relations officer of AIOU, Ubaidullah Mumtaz said according to general rules 50 per cent appointments are made directly and the remaining through internal hiring. He said the university strictly followed the provincial quota.
The selection board has to get the approval of appointment from the executive council which cannot allow anything against the law because representatives of chief justices of the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court also participated in the meetings of the council, of which the president of Pakistan is the chairman.

Published in Daily Dawn Islamabad on December 27, 2011

SMWA assures all members

        It is regretted that some members of SMWA did not receive the message of the last meeting which was held on December 24, 2011 at National Press Club (NPC) Islamabad. It happened because the first meeting's attendance sheet was misplaced.
        Niether contact of nos of members was saved in the coordinator's mobile, nor available in database of SMWA's members.
        From Now, SMWA assures all members that they will receive message any activities of SMWA to be held in the future.
 

3-member sub-committee constituted

       The meeting of Sindhi Media Workers Association (SMWA) was held here on Saturday, December 24, 2011 at National Press Club (NPC) Islamabad and all organizational matters including suggestion on manifesto and membership fee were discussed. 
       The 3-member sub-committee was constituted which will work for enhancing membership and collecting its fee and the members of sub-committee are Ghous Khaskheli Bureau Chief Daily Wachan Karachi, Islamabad, Sarfraz Kandhar Associated Press Of Pakistan (APP), Islamabad and Inam Soomaro Producer Radio Pakistan, Islamabad.
        On this occasion, fateh was offered for the demise death of Senior Islamabad-based Journalist Asad Shar"s Father.

SMWA expresses its condolence to Senior Journalist

Sindhi Media Workers Association (SMWA) has expressed its condolence to senior Islamabad-based Journalist Asad Shar Reporter Daily Sobh Karachi over the sudden death of his father. SMWA prayed to God to help the family to bear such big loss and demise's soul may be in peace in heaven. Ameen! 

Meeting of Organizing Committee SMWA held on December 18

        The meeting of Organizing Committee of Sindhi Media Workers Association (SMWA) was held here on December 18, 2011 to review the organizational matters. On the occasion, the decision was taken that all members should submit their recommendations for the manifesto of SMWA to the committee in next meeting to be held at 1:30 pm on Saturday, December 24, 2011 at National Press Club Islamabad.

SMWA formed for walfare of Sindhi Journalists, Media Workers on December 11

        The meeting of Islamabad-based Sindhi Journalists and Media Workers was held here on December 11, 2011 at National Press Club, Islamabad. After consultation with all participants, the Sindhi Media Workers Association (SMWA) was formed and 4-member Organizing Committee with one-coordinator was constituted which will work for organizing structure and constitution of the Association. Organizing Committee members are Zulfiqar Baloch Bureau Chief Islamabad, Daily Awami Awaz Karachi, Bux Ali Jamali Bureau Chief Islamabad, Daily Soth Karachi, Muslim Mirani Producer Islamabad, Radio Pakistan, Asghar Khanothi Bureau Chief Islamabad, Daily Ibrat Hyderabad and Sahib Oad Reporter Islamabad, Associated Press Of Pakistan (APP) as the Coordinator of SMWA.
         On the occasion, Fateh was offered for demise death of Atta Rajar Bureau Chief Islamabad, Sindh TV News and Niece of Haq Nawaz Bhutto Reporter Islamabad, APP.