August 09, 2008	Saturday	Sha’aban 6, 1429

BAHAWALPUR, Aug 8: The Punjab government has slashed the annual budget for the district centre of the Punjab emergency service, Rescue 1122.

District officials have sought the help of public donations, Zakat fund, and charity from different institutions to run the service and provide emergency cover to the needy people.

District emergency officer Dr Waseeem Hassan Hashmi told reporters here on Friday that the government had so far released 25 per cent budget for the first quarter of the current financial year.

He said he feared a cut of Rs8 million out of the current year’s annual budget out of the expected Rs35 million which would hamper the emergency service.

Dr Waseem said the centre’s expenditure had increased due to the hike in prices of petrol products and the wear and tear of official vehicles.

He expressed the apprehension that the local population would suffer if the district emergency centre faced continuous shortage of funds because it would have to curtail its limit.

To overcome the fund crunch, he said the Punjab emergency foundation had been set up with its headquarters in Lahore and the people could deposit their cash donations in its account at any local bank branch.

RESULTS: The Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB) announced the results of BSc first annual examination, 2008, here on Friday.

According to the announcement, 1,707 candidates out of total 3,332 appeared in the examination were declared successful showing a pass percentage of 51.23.

Muhammad Asif Jaffer of SE College, Bahawalpur, and Aarfeen of Alpine Degree College for Women, Khanpur, stood first by obtaining 678 marks each.

Ayesha Siddique of Government Sadiq Degree College for Women, Bahawalpur, and Misal Chaudhry of Government Degree College for Women, Bahawalnagar, secured second and third positions, respectively.