LAHORE, March 4: Punjab Education Minister Imran Masood says the federal government is trying to confront with the provincial government with regard to the Aga Khan Board.

Speaking at a news conference here on Friday, the minister said all BISEs had been established under the Act of Punjab Assembly and the government had a right to protect their sovereignty.

He said the AKB had not even bothered to talk to the Punjab government. He also asserted that the provincial government would not allow the AKB to affiliate those institutions blacklisted by the education department. The AKB should only go for giving affiliation to federal government schools in Punjab.

The minister said the secondary school annual examinations for 2005 were beginning on Saturday. An examination monitoring cell had been established under the chairmanship of the additional secretary (academics). It would report to the education minister and the chief minister. The government had also constituted special squads to monitor the exams, he said.

He said some 1.554 million students were appearing for the secondary school examinations from all eight boards in the province. From Lahore board alone, he said 345,028 students were appearing.

He said the eight boards had established 2,731 centres - 637 by the Lahore board - to conduct the examinations. BISE Chairman Prof Dr Zikariya Butt and secretary Haji Mohammad Dogar were also present on the occasion.

CONSTRUCTION: Construction of a double-storey building to house a 10-bed emergency ward and a modern diagnostic centre started at the Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH) on Friday.