BAHAWALPUR: The Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department has launched a fresh inquiry into an alleged scam of laboratory machines and other equipment worth Rs130m in Dera Ghazi Khan Medical College through a committee headed by Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH) Medical Superintendent Dr Shahid Faraz.

According to BVH MS, the department secretary, Syed Najam Shah, had formed the committee that also included the Punjab Institute for Cardiology director finance and procurement specialist. An inquiry was already held into the scam.

Dr Faraz said new the inquiry would be completed within three days after the committee’s visit to DG Khan college.

LHC: Bahawalpur High Court Bar Association President Syed Nawazish Ali Peerzada endorsed the decision of the Lahore High Court (LHC) full court that rejected the establishment of new benches in the province.

The bar president said the existing LHC benches, including Bahawalpur bench, should be strengthened and made more effective.

E-COURT: District and Sessions Judge Rana Masood Akhtar inaugurated an e-court on the district courts premises and one-window information centre in the Sessions Court Complex.

With the opening of an e-court here, the LHC CJ in Lahore would be able to directly monitor the lower court proceedings. Besides, the court proceedings could be conducted through a video link and the statements of witnesses from far-flung areas and outside the country could also be recorded by the court.

Through the one-window information centre, the applicants and litigants would be able to collect information regarding their cases being heard by the courts.

BILLBOARDS: One hundred and thirty seven billboards out of 261 were declared flawed and substandard in the city.

Commissioner Saqib Zafar issued orders to dismantle such billboards besides ordering legal action and fine against the contractors concerned.

District Coordination Officer Dr Ehtasham Anwar Mahar in a meeting informed the commissioner that no substandard billboard would be erected in the city in future.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2016