ABBOTTABAD: Students of the University of Punjab, Lahore, lifted the trophy of 22nd annual bilingual declamation contest organised in the Army Burn Hall College for Boys, Abbottabad, on Wednesday.

In a close contest, the University of the Punjab lifted the trophy whereas Islamia College University, Peshawar, stood runner-up.

English individual prizes were clinched by Wahab Fazal of Cadet College, Hassan Abdal, who stood first, Masooma Fatima of University of Punjab second, and Umar Anwar of Islamia College University, Peshawar, who settled for the third spot. In Urdu speech contest, Ahmed Gulzar of University of Punjab stood first, Talha Anwar of Islamia College University, Peshawar, second, and Adeena Maryam of PIPS-Girls College, Abbottabad, secured third place.

The competition was aimed at invoking patriotic spirit among the students besides development of their communication skills.

Former principal retired Brig Irshad Arshad asked the students to work hard for achieving their aims.

Meanwhile, the students and faculty members of Army Burn Hall College, Abbottabad, visited the Supreme Court of Pakistan and presented donation for the Bhasha Dam fund to Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar. The CJ lauded spirit of the students and remarked that this gesture showed that the nation always welcomed all those actions which were taken in the best interest of country.

DEMONSTRATION: People of Salhad village and its surrounding areas held a demonstration and demanded proper compensation for their houses and land acquired for a road project.

The people, including women and children, said that they were being paid peanuts for their properties acquired for the CPEC project. They said that they had held meetings with the high-ups of NHA and district administration over the issue.

They said that during the meetings they were told that the land price would be paid to the owners in line with market rates, which was around Rs250,000 per marla, but instead they were being paid Rs5,000 per marla.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2018