Latest news with #PunjabUniversity
News18
24-07-2025
- News18
UP ‘Love Jihad' Gang's ‘Working-Style': Non-Muslim Woman Married, Divorced, Then ‘Kept By'...
Last Updated: The police rescued the Dalit girl from Rohtak from Abdul Rehman's house. She told police she was introduced to Islam, given financial help and a place to stay. The layers of the illegal conversion gang operating in Agra are in the headlines once again. In a recent case, Agra police have arrested Abdullah, Abdul Rahim and Junaid, the sons of Abdul Rehman, the alleged mastermind. This gang forcibly married a Dalit girl from Rohtak after converting her. Investigators believe this gang has ruined the lives of many girls. The question remains: how were these girls trapped? According to police, Abdul Rehman's entire family is part of the conversion racket. After Abdul Rehman's arrest, a video of his wife discussing how to bring girls for conversion surfaced online. When police raided their house again, she was missing and is still on the run. The Case of SB Krishna During interrogation, SB Krishna, a resident of Goa, revealed that she had converted to Islam and was given the name Ayesha. She was a student at Punjab University when some Kashmiri students allegedly trapped her. She was taken to Kashmir by a student named Shaba. Her family even filed a kidnapping case in Delhi. The police rescued the Dalit girl from Rohtak from Abdul Rehman's house. She told police she was introduced to Islam, given financial help and a place to stay. Later, she was deceived. Junaid, who befriended her, was already married but still kept her with him and later divorced her. After that, Abdul Rehman kept her in his house. Gang's Method of Trapping Victims Police investigations revealed a planned method: – Members spread across colleges and universities targeted women, especially students. They approached them personally and via social media, glorifying Islam and promising equality and a path to heaven. – Once convinced, women were given money, food and accommodation. They were promised job support and community help. The gang also prepared fake documents for conversion and marriage. The case highlights how the gang systematically exploited vulnerable women using financial and emotional manipulation. Police are now tracing more suspects, including Abdul Rehman's wife and other network members operating across states. view comments First Published: July 24, 2025, 14:16 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Business Recorder
04-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Syndicate holds meeting for budget recommendations of PU
LAHORE: The 1758th meeting of the Syndicate was held under the chairmanship of Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ali for the budget recommendations of Punjab University for the financial year 2025-26, in which the Syndicate recommended the Senate to approve a budget of Rs20.16 billion. On the directions of Dr Muhammad Ali, it has been recommended to increase scholarships and subsidies to reduce the financial burden of students and their parents. On the instructions of Dr Muhammad Ali, the university has increased the amount of scholarship from Rs380 million to Rs406 million compared to the previous year. In addition, scholarships will also be given to students of the university under the Honhaar Scholarship Programme, HEC and Punjab Education Endowment Fund. Due to the initiatives of Dr Muhammad Ali, the budget deficit of Punjab University has decreased for the first time. This year, the budget deficit is Rs1.2 billion compared to Rs2 billion last year. On this occasion, the syndicate members appreciated the austerity policy of the Punjab University administration. On the instructions of Dr Muhammad Ali, approval was given to increase the research grant from Rs229 million to Rs297 million to further improve the international ranking of the university and promote the research culture that has a positive impact on the country's economic and social development. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Muhammad Ali said that the university's budget deficit will be eliminated in the next 3 years. He said that the university will prioritize increasing sources of income instead of borrowing. He said that the university's endowment fund will be strengthened. For the first time, the university will receive a grant of Rs780 million from the Punjab government. According to other salient features of the budget, special students will be provided free education and free accommodation, while students who take admission on the basis of sports will be provided free education and tuition fees for Hafiz Quran will be waived. The Punjab University administration will provide a subsidy of crores of rupees to students residing in the hostel, transport while the subsidy provided towards electricity bills in teaching departments is in addition to this. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
26-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Low funding to spike varsity fee
Facing financial constraints in pursuing research and development projects, several big government universities in Lahore are considering a hike in their fees. According to the budget documents, the Punjab government has allocated Rs18 billion for the 51 public sector universities in the province for the coming year. As compared to that, the Sindh government has allocated Rs42 billion for its 32 universities. The government universities in Punjab, especially the large institutions, may face problems in promoting research and development because of shortage of funds. Sources in the higher education sector said the big government universities in Punjab were already facing shortage of funds and are now thinking about increasing their tuition, examination, hostel and transport fees from the coming academic session. On the other hand, university teachers say the government should increase the budget to avert a financial crisis for the institutions. The administrations of the universities are also concerned about the impact of the low allocation of funds on their thousands of students. An increase of about 20 per cent in the fees would result in a large number of students finding higher education unaffordable. Some government university student groups were already protesting against increase in fees. The Punjab University, University of Engineering and Technology, Bahauddin Zakaria University and Government University Faisalabad were already by increasing their fees ilarecent years. The sources said the Punjab University had been allocated Rs70.8 million in the budget for the coming year, while Sindh government has allocated Rs3.5 billion for Karachi University. About 54,000 students are enrolled at Punjab University, while the number in Karachi University is 45,000. "The universities in the world are only recognised due to research activities and contribution but what can we do when there is shortage of funds," said Dr Munawar Sabir, a Professor of Punjab University. He said the university had faced delay in salaries last year the situation might worsen now, making university education more difficult for the middle class. He said most of the students of the government universities were from remote areas and poor families who could not afford expensive education, but it would be difficult to run the government universities without increasing the fees. The Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association has also expressed concerns over the budget allocations and its members have also tried to persuade Punjab government to increase the funds for the public sector universities. FAPAUSA President Dr Amjad Magsi said the teachers were disturbed over the low budget allocation for the universities. He said grants from the Punjab government were essential for the universities to meet their research, development and operational costs. He said it was already difficult for the universities to function effectively with itching their financial allocations. Better funding is critical not only for sustainability but also for maintaining global standing. Punjab University has been ranked among the top 5.2% universities in the world, according to the independent Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR). Sustaining and improving this position requires strategic investment in faculty, research infrastructure and student support systems, he said. The leader said the association had also voiced concern over the federal government's proposal to withdraw the existing 25% income tax exemption for teachers and researchers, warning that such a move would discourage research, innovation and knowledge production, which were pillars of progress.
Indian Express
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
The Emergency, 50 years on: Those dark days of 1975 when government and police jailed anyone, anywhere, anytime
Written by Satya Pal Jain It has been 50 years since the Emergency was imposed on the country, but I still remember the day I was arrested from Panjab University. At the height of Jayaprakash Narayan's movement, the Allahabad High Court on June 12, 1975, set aside Indira Gandhi's 1971 Lok Sabha election. As calls for her resignation grew, she declared Emergency late on the night of June 25. By the next morning, key opposition leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Morarji Desai, Charan Singh, and Devi Lal were jailed under MISA. Authoritarianism puts self-interest above all else. Indira Gandhi not only imprisoned opposition leaders but also senior Congress figures such as Chandra Shekhar and Krishan Kant. Thousands of innocents were jailed, livelihoods destroyed, and families left desperate. Yet across the country, people stood firm and resisted the Emergency. I was only 23 years old at the time and served as the general secretary of the Punjab University Students' Council and the president of the Punjab and Chandigarh Students' Committee, part of the movement led by the late Jayaprakash Narayan. On July 13, 1975, when I went to seek admission to the Law Department of Punjab University, I was denied admission despite being on the merit list. As I came out of the interview room, I was arrested. A false case was registered against me, alleging that I had organised a massive student rally outside the Law Department and declared that we would overthrow the Indira Gandhi government. In December, the then Judicial Magistrate Hans Raj Nagara discharged me from the case and ordered my release. Later, on 27 January 1976, I offered satyagraha at the Punjab University and presented myself for arrest. I was taken into custody, and at night, was taken to the police lines in Sector 29, where I was tortured. Thin copper wires were tied to my right-hand fingers, and electric shocks were administered. For a moment, I felt it could be the last night of my life. But with God's grace, I survived. During the Emergency, all fundamental rights were suspended. Courts were shifted to jails, with judges ordered to conduct hearings inside prison walls. The police and government functioned with complete impunity, jailing anyone, anywhere, anytime on false charges. Bail for political prisoners was legally banned. Around six months after the imposition of the Emergency, the RSS, Jan Sangh, opposition parties, and other non-Congress organisations launched a movement against it. Thousands of people defied the dictatorship of the Prime Minister by offering themselves for arrest. Those days were indeed very dark. Relatives and friends were afraid to meet us. Fear and terror hung heavy in the air. With radio broadcasts censored, people secretly listened to BBC news for information. The entire country resembled an open prison — a landscape dominated by cruelty, dictatorship, and fear. People lived in dread of the police. At times, we doubted whether we would ever come out of the jail alive. When Indira Gandhi convened Parliament to pass the Emergency Bill, it marked the first and only instance in Indian parliamentary history when all opposition benches were empty. Only MPs from parties supporting the Emergency attended. It was also perhaps the first time that a Prime Minister recommended Emergency to the President without Cabinet approval. The then President, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, accepted the unconstitutional recommendation. The Cabinet was informed only the next morning. Drunk on power, Indira Gandhi believed that no political party or leader could challenge her. In January 1977, under pressure from foreign countries and the growing opposition movement, she suddenly announced elections, hoping to deal another blow to her critics. But the people's patience had worn thin. They rose in open defiance. The slogan coined by Jayaprakash Narayan — 'Every vote cast for Congress will prove to be a handcuff and a shackle for your feet' — resonated powerfully. Indira Gandhi and the Congress party suffered a crushing defeat. Emergency was lifted only after this electoral loss. When Indira Gandhi went to the then President B D Jatti to submit her resignation, he advised her to first withdraw the Emergency. Otherwise, the new government could use the laws enacted during the Emergency against her. Acting on this advice, she recommended lifting the Emergency before leaving office. Even today, the mind trembles at the memory of those days. But the people of India possess immense resilience, and Indian democracy is strong enough to withstand even the gravest crisis. Today is a day for the entire country to take a solemn vow: governments may come and go, but no dictator shall ever again dare to trample upon our Constitution or our democracy. The writer is former MP of Chandigarh, and presently Additional Solicitor General of India
Express Tribune
23-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Varsity employees demand budget hike
The Federation of All Pakistan Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) has demanded and increase in the budgetary allocations for the varsities in Punjab and criticized the federal government's decision to revoke a 25 per cent tax rebate for researchers and teachers. Addressing a press conference at Punjab University, leaders of FAPUASA and the PU Academic Staff Association leaders expressed concern over meagre funding for the universities and the revocation of the tax relief. Former FAPUASA president Dr Amjad Abbas Magsi said that despite being the largest province with the highest number of universities, Punjab government has allocated only Rs18 billion as recurring grant for its 51 universities, while 32 institutions in Sindh have been allocated Rs42 billion. The leaders demanded increase in the allocation of grants for the public sector universities in Punjab. They said 75 per cent income tax rebate introduced in 2006 was aimed at promoting research and academic retention. It was reduced to 40% in 2013 and now the government was abolishing it. They said the rebate was a lifeline for university faculty and researchers who routinely pay out of their pockets for journal publication fees, fieldwork and academic travel. Its abolition will demoralise scholars, reduce research productivity and accelerate the brain drain. The university employees' leaders said that despite the federal budget growing from Rs5.9 trillion in 2018 to Rs17.5 trillion this year, the grant for higher education has remained frozen at Rs65 billion.
