Zardari announces grant for child born in Rickshaw due to ‘Presidential protocol’

President Asif Ali Zardari has announced a handsome grant of Rs. 500,000 for the family, which had to undergo maternity procedures, right there in their rickshaw, stalled alongwith rest of traffic jam, due to ‘Presidential protocol’.

President Zardari also offered his deep apologies to citizens of Quetta over the inconvenience caused to them over traffic jam due to his motorcade.

The cheque for the grant to the family would be presented by president of PPPP women’s’ wing, today Saturday.

I am not an employee of Indian tycoon Meetal: Shaukat Aziz

Former ‘Pakistani PM’, Shaukat Aziz, has steadfastly denied the recent media reports that he was an employee of Indian steel tycoon, L. N. Meetal.

In an interview given to an Indian newspaper here on Friday, he strongly refuted the notion that Indian tycoon had appointed him (Shaukat Aziz) as his (Meetal’s) financial advisor.

Back pain ‘eased by group therapy sessions’

A form of group “talking therapy” is a cheap, effective way to alleviate low back pain, a UK trial has shown.

The positive effect was still seen a year after the short six-session therapy programme, The Lancet reported.

The 600 patients taking part in the trial were also offered standard GP treatment including pain medication.

The sessions were designed to tackle “unhelpful” beliefs around back pain and physical activity and help patients better manage their condition.

Usually people with low back pain – one of the most common complaints GPs deal with – are advised to keep active, offered pain relief where needed and possibly other treatments such as acupuncture.

In the study, 400 people being treated in general practice were offered the six group therapy sessions and 200 people receiving standard care were monitored for a year.

The sessions – based loosely around a technique called cognitive behaviour therapy – were set up to discuss beliefs around doing physical activity and counter negative thoughts about back pain and its restrictions as well as relaxation techniques.

The one-and-a-half-hour sessions were also designed to help people overcome “fear” of hurting themselves more and how to get active again whilst avoiding flare-ups.

A year later, the people who underwent therapy scored significantly more highly on questionnaires designed to measure pain and disability.

When looking at the costs, the team found the therapy was relatively cheap when the improvement in quality of life was taken into account, and better than the value for money offered by treatments such as acupuncture.

The researchers, from the Universities of Warwick and Oxford, said effective treatments that produced long-term results are “elusive” in low back pain.

Study author Zara Hansen, a clinical research fellow at the University of Warwick, said healthcare staff, including physiotherapists, psychotherapists and nurses, could learn how to run the course in a couple of days.

“The exciting bit here is that with a lot of back pain interventions, you’ll get a feel-good factor and patients will feel better while they’re undergoing the treatment but it’s a short-term effect.

“But we showed they improve up to six months and then this is maintained for up to a year as they learn to manage their condition.”

The team is looking at a project to roll out the programme to other areas of the country.

Abbas, the only Pakistani to represent Pak in Winter Olympics

The sole member of Pakistan’s Winter Olympics team, Muhammad Abbas, an employee of Pakistan Air Force, professionally completed his Ski run on the slopes of Whistler, Canada on Wednesday. With this Abbas, became the first ever proud Pakistani to represent the nation in the Alpine Skiing Category of Winter Olympics 2010.

In Tuesday’s event, 103 athletes form 60 countries participated in the giant Slalom event, which is considered to be maximum participation in any of the events of the Winter Olympics. Abbas secured 79th position out of 103 with a total time of 3 min and 20.58 sec, which is 42.75 sec behind the leader. It is pertinent to mention that Abbas finished 15 sec ahead of Indian athlete in the same run.

Ski Federation of Pakistan (SFP), with Air Marshal Hifazat Ullah Khan, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, PAF as its president made all efforts for Abbas to qualify for the Winter Olympics 2010. SFP has given requisite exposure of training to Mr. Muhammad Abbas by providing him Advanced Ski Training in Austria twice as well as facilitating his participation in Asian Ski Championships and international ski competitions.

Under the aegis of PAF and Ski Federation of Pakistan (SFP), the athlete had previously participated in a number of international events and had performed well.

Pakistan Air Force is the pioneer of Skiing in the country and is making all efforts in promoting the sport in the nation. Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force is Patron-in-Chief of the Ski Federation.

NA-55 Result: Rawalpindi rejects Sheikh Rashid

Shakil Awan, candidate of Pakistan Muslim League-N, is on way to a clear victory in today’s by-election in NA-55, unofficial results received from majority of the polling stations indicate.

Vote count started following the completion of polling for by-election in NA-55 constituency here amid cries of foul play by Chief of Awami Muslim League, Sheikh Rashid.

Shakil Awan was in lead right from receipt of the initial results (unofficial). His lead against Sheikh Rashid grew more and more as results continued to pour in.

During the day a couple of incidents of scuffle were reported. However, the overall law and order situation remained satisfactory.

Pakistan Muslim League-N in reaction to Sheikh Rashid’s allegations of rigging said the latter is raising hue and cry as a way of face saving in view of his defeat in sight.

Early morning rain in the city affected the polling arrangements but later voters starting coming out as clouds started to clear the sky. The turnout grew with time and picked momentum towards the end of polling hours.

The overall situation remained peaceful throughout the polling except for a few separate incidents of fights reported during the day.

Blaming the state machinery for alleged rigging, Sheikh Rashid said PML-N may go ahead and do whatever it wants, he will prove himself a tough competition.

Meanwhile, Jamat-e-Islam candidate Dr. Kamal expressed satisfaction on the election process and advised Sheikh Rashid to come forward with evidence of the alleged rigging.

Tendulkar sets world record with double-century

India’s Sachin Tendulkar became the world’s first batsman to smash a double-century in one-day internationals, achieving the feat against South Africa on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old was unbeaten on 200 in the last over.

Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar and Zimbabwe’s Charles Coventry had jointly held the record with 194.

Anwar made that score against India in May 1997 while Coventry hit 194 not out against Bangladesh last year.

Shakeel Awan leads in NA-55 by elections

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Shakeel Awan is leading in the initial vote count at NA-55 followed by chief of Awami Muslim League Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, reported ARY NEWS here Wednesday.

None of the other 20 candidates tested their luck in today’s bye-election have so far secured highest votes in any of 105 polling stations results of those have been announced. Awan is leading in the vote count declared so far while Ahmed is trailing behind with a little margin, the channel added.

Shakeel Awan is leading with 29101 votes while Sheikh Rasheed is trailing behind with 21005 votes in 105 polling stations where the vote count has been done, the channel reports.

Around 250 polling stations were established with 597 polling booths to facilitate 334,000 voters of NA-55. The polling started at 8:00 am and continued without any major interruption till 5:00 pm, however, the voters who entered the polling station premises before end of time were allowed to cast their votes.

The overall polling atmosphere remained peaceful and under control without any major outbreak of violence. However, supporters of Sheikh Rashid and PML-N’s Shakeel Awan scuffled at some polling stations in noon, causing suspension of voting there. Later, the polling resumed and ended peacefully as security was tightened at affected sites.
More than 5,000 police personnel and Rangers were deployed to ensure smooth conduct of the poll. ARY news

MA/MSC result of Ajk university announced

The University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir has announced the result of MA, MSC annual examination-2009.

Click here to see the result.

AIDS test to be required before marriage in Pakistan

AIDS Protection Bill has been tabled in the National Assembly today, which contains a suggestion that AIDS test be mandatory before marriage for both the girls and boys.

The bill was moved by Dr Azra Fazal, Dr Donya Aziz and Yasmin Rehman. Meanwhile, amended Citizenship Bill and Bill on Criminal Code were also tabled, which were handed over to the concerned committees.

Speaking on the floor, Aftab Sherpao warned that Pakistan would have to face starvation if India’s water theft went on unchecked.

Stay single, stay slim

A new study conducted by the University of North Carolina says that the loving relationship between married couples increases their waistline too. Couples start piling on the pounds in about 12 months after getting hitched.

Two researchers, Penny Gordon-Larsen, an associate professor of nutrition, and Natalie The, a nutrition doctoral student, both with the University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Global Public Health, found out that couples who are married, face the risk of becoming obese than compared to people, in romantic relationships, who are not living together.

Nutritionists and doctors feel that when women get married, they undergo a lot of physical and psychological changes. And this is manifested both internally and externally. “Once a girl gets married, she also undergoes many emotional and hormonal changes. They also develop a general sense of well-being, that comes with having sex with the person you love. And all this increases one’s appetite,” says gynaecologist, Dr K Madan.

Nutritionist Shikha Sharma opines that there are more reasons to why women gain weight after marriage. “After marriage couples get invited to a lot of lunches and dinners by family and friends. There is a lot of unrestricted eating. Also women tend to let go their dietary control after they are married as they are at ease, with a sense of settlement, and their diet goes awry.” Grooming expert, Meyhar Bhasin also blames it on the post wedding dinner invites and the poor starved bride who had to be picture perfect for the wedding photos. Once all the pressure of the wedding is over, the women just indulge in whatever comes their way.

One would think that the urban woman would rubbish such thoughts, and aver that they follow a strict diet. But surprisingly, many of them concur with the experts’ views.
“I guess that is true, people who are married are happier and satisfied. They don’t have the pressure to look good all the time, and they stop worrying about their waistline. And then, the babies come along. And at some point down the line, they become less conscious about their appearances” explains Swapna Thomas, who works in FICCI.

Meenakshi Sud Dutt, who was a professional model before she got married, gained a lot of weight post marriage. But she’d like us all to believe that it’s all about loving your husband. “Following his lifestyle, preparing whatever he likes, eating together, going for parties together, all this tells on the figure,” she says.

Richa Arora, a housewife, gained weight post marriage, and says that after marriage she did feel more relaxed and settled and did not feel the need for shaping up, “Women are happy and once they get married there is a satisfaction that you don’t have to keep up with the whole ‘keep-in-shape’ routine everyday. Also after they get married, women usually think ab toh options khatam ho gaye and they don’t feel the need to lose weight. And the husband has to like you the way you are. Do they have a choice?” she quips.