33rd IEEEP -All Pakistan Students’ Seminar

on 18/03/2018

Committed to raise research quality, emerging areas of eng & tech: Aslam Uqaili

Higher Education Commission (HEC) is endeavoring for enhancing the potential of higher education institutions for supporting socio-economic transformation under CPEC with a focus on development of quality human resource, civilizational harmony and knowledge inputs, said Lt-Gen (retired) Muhammad Asghar, the Consultant for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at HEC, Islamabad.

Gen. Asghar was guest of honor at the 33rd IEEEP (Institution of Electrical & Electronic Engineers Pakistan, Karachi centre) All Pakistan Students’ Seminar in collaboration with Faculty of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro.

“CUSP means a turning point that manifests transition from a historical period to the next,” he said while speaking at the seminar.

He detailed about planning parameters of Pakistan vision 2025 that there were seven pillars or priority areas including first connectivity: modernizing transport infrastructure and regional connectivity to support economy that is well-integrated with regional development like CPEC. He said that secondly, people: first concentrating on developing social and human capital and empowering women; thirdly; growth:  sustained indigenous and inclusive growth while protecting natural resources and addressing impact of climate change; fourthly governance: democratic governance, institutional reforms and modernization of public sector. He said that the fifthly security: energy, water and food security, sixthly entrepreneurship: private sector and entrepreneurship growth and the seventh and final, knowledge economy: developing competitive knowledge economy through value addition. He also highlighted planning parameters of sustainable development goals (SDGs) encompassing no poverty; zero hunger; good health and well-being; quality education; gender equality; clean water and sanitation; affordable and clean energy; decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation and infrastructure and reduced inequalities. He continued SDGs by including sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production; climate action; life below water; life on land; peace, justice and strong institutions and partnerships for the goals.

He said that CPEC long-term plan had another seven facets consisting of connectivity including infrastructure for integrated transport system and establishment of digital corridor; energy-related infrastructure; trade and industrial parts; agriculture and poverty alleviation; tourism and development of ocean economy; cooperation in areas concerning people’s livelihood and non-governmental exchanges and financial cooperation and border management.

He divided the CPEC long-term plan into timelines — short-term, mid-term and long-term from 2020 to 2030. Speaking as chief guest, IEEEP president and National Transmission Dispatch Company (NTDC) technical general manager Dr Rana Abdul Jabbar Khan said that this event gave opportunity to all young students and future engineers to present their project based research work which could lead towards conducting collaborative industrial research in order to meet indigenous technological needs of the country. He said that IEEEP recognized this significant contribution and hoped its continuity in future. He congratulated all those who were part of this institution, organizing committee, technical experts while providing technical support for arranging this mega event.

Thanking all guests and organizing committee, MUET vice chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Aslam Uqaili said that the university transformed and evolved from undergraduate degree awarding institute to research one (university) in the past 10 years. “MUET is committed to raise research quality by employing PhD’s in conventional fields as well as in emerging areas of engineering and technology,” he said. He stated that students of the varsity regularly had been participating in IEEEP students’ seminar as it is an honour for MUET to hold this event.

“IoT (Inteesnd big data are distinct technologies that have processed separately with passage of time. Recently, it is observed that these technologies are getting interdependent to each other by means of processing information through connected mediums,” Sungkyunkwan University Seoul South Korea department of computer education PhD assistant professor Dr Nawab Muhammad Faseeh Qureshi said. He stated that recent research challenges in resolving convergence problems during large-scale data processing in a distributing big data environment. He illustrated cloud, big data and IoT with examples. 

MUET Faculty of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering Dean and distinguished national professor Dr Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry who was also Chief Organizer and technical coordinator of the seminar gave awards and certificates to guests and participations, while engineer Dr Farzana Rauf Abro who was the convener of the seminar paid a vote of thanks.

Prof Dr BS Chowdhry informed that it is first time that 20 groups of final-year students belonging to 13 national and international, public and private universities presented their research papers on various topics during two technical sessions and masters’ students were also invited to submit their posters for the competition.

Later on, MUET Pro vice chancellor Dr Tauha Hussain Ali inaugurated poster exhibition held at gallery of main auditorium varsity (MUET) where he encouraged around 45 participants who were final-year and Masters students of various national private and public varsities in the country. The IEEEP Chairman Engr Irfan Ahmed thanked Vice Chancellor MUET and Dean FEECE Prof BS Chowdhry for organizing the great event in befitting manner having participation of more than 600 students, faculty members, and professional from Industry. Engr Naveed Ansari, IEEEP Vice President South announced the result of Winners in the paper and posters competition.

کچھ لفظوں کی کہانی——— ریڈیو—

on 18/03/2018

محمد صلاح الدین

مدثر سے اچانک شاپنگ مال میں مل کربہت خوشئ ہوئی
ہم ہونیورستی کے بعد آج دوبارہ ملے تھے-
وہ کچھ عجیب طرح سے باتیں کر رہا تھا،
ایک ہی جملہ بار بار دوھراتا ،ایک ہی بات مخلتف جملوں میں کرتا؛ بے تکی باتیں کر رہا تھا۔
کبھی آواز بہت اونچی ہو جاتی کبھی آہستہ
مجھے پریشانی ہوئی میں نے پوچھا، مدثرتمہاری طبیعت تو ٹھیک ہے

علاج کہاں سے کرارہے ہو؟
وہ ہنسا کون سا علاج؟
تم جو اس طرح باتیں کر رہے ہو۔
ارے وہ تو میں ریڈیو پر پریزنٹرہو گیا ہوں نااسِ لئے

Punjab turns No.1 consumer of gas

on 12/03/2018

Three power plants makes it to surpass Sindh

Punjab has emerged as the single largest beneficiary of both imported LNG and locally produced natural gas. Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority  OGRA’s Annual Report 2016-17 said Punjab replaced Sindh as the single largest consumer of gas. It utilised 47% of the total 2,915 million standard cubic feet per day (mscfd) of the fuel during the said year, compared to 42% of 2,727 mscfd last year and left Sindh behind in consumption.

The federal and provincial governments set up three imported gas-fired power plants with total capacity of 3,600 megawatts in Punjab. They They have luckily come online and are believed to increase production with availability of more gas into the system. Sindh largely failed to take benefit of the imported LNG, as its share in total consumption fell to 43% compared to 46% last year.  KPK and Balochistan’s ranks in consumption remained unchanged at third and fourth position, respectively. However, KPK’s consumption fell to 7% from 10%, while Balochistan consumption remained unchanged at 2%.

Recently, the provincial government has initiated the fourth LNG-fired power plant of 1,200MW.  Federal government has recently tasked the two gas utility firms; Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) to lay down the third gas pipeline from Karachi to Punjab to increase gas transportation to LNG-based power plants and CNG filling stations and commercial and industrial users.

Pakistan needs 7 billion cubic feet per day  of gas to meet its requirement. Out of this, 3.9 bcfd is covered by domestic production and 1.2 bcfd comes through imports. Surprisingly, the share of Punjab in total gas production remained negligible at 3% in both years; FY16 and FY17. This, however, was standing at 5% two years ago in FY15.

Despite a notable drop in consumption, Sindh maintained its number one rank at 56%, compared to 63% last year. Balochistan produced 13%, compared to 17%, while K-P generated 12% compared to 7%.The share of imported LNG gas in total gas supplies stands at 16% in the year, the regulator said.

On the contrary, Sindh which remains the single largest producer of gas and facilitating transportation of imported gas to Punjab, continued to face gas outages and low gas pressure in the province, particularly at commercial (including CNG filling station), industrial zones and residential areas.

OGRA reported that the power sector emerged as the single largest consumer of available gas in the country. It utilised 32% of the gas in FY17, followed by fertiliser and residential at 21% each. Captive power plants used 11%, general industry 9% and transport utilised 5% of the total gas in the year.

Human resource the biggest issue of Balochistan

on 11/03/2018

Pakistan lacks specialized skilled resource for CPEC: Gen. Muhammad Asghar

 A consultant of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Lt. Gen. (R) Muhammad Asghar has said lack of human resource is the biggest issue of the country especially in Balochistan, where the successive provincial governments have failed to invest in education and skill development sectors over the many years. In such a situation, he believes Balochistan will be running out of its people when CPEC related activities will be generated in the province.

Gen. Muhammad Asghar who was the guest of honor at the IEEEP All Pakistan Students Seminar in Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro said, while talking to Engineering Review that Balochistan required a shift in its attitude otherwise no change would take place in the province.

He put forth an example from the US which according to him developed after inviting people from all over the world. Balochistan needs skilled people and unfortunately it does not have at home because of the lack of education. The manpower in Balochistan is not sufficient thus CPEC initiatives will require more people who should be invited from other provinces, he says. Besides Baloch, Balochistan houses Pakhtoon population also which will be employed will

yed but still Balochi

 

stan will be running out of men to respond to the demand of CPEC.

“Punjab’s population is reluctant to go to Balochistan due to security issues”, he said. “Also there was already a lot of potential for them in Punjab”.The lack of skilled human resource in Pakistan has forced Chinese to bring their men for the works Pakistanis are not prepared for? It seems so if one listens to Gen. Asghar. “Chinese would come for the sectors we are not skilled for”, he said claiming “But still over 60 thousand Pakistanis are working on CPEC projects in the country.”

Gen. Asghar who gave a detailed briefing on CPEC’s potential for future engineers to a houseful auditorium of the university was keen to respond to the concerns as regards Balochistan. “Balochistan is on the verge of a huge generation of activities under CPEC and now it’s up to the people of the province how they reap its benefits. Balochistan has a larger part of Pakistan’s coastline where 5 to 6 ports would be developed and all benefits are sure to go to Balochistan,” he says. “The subsequent revenue will go to Balochistan; not to Punjab. Now it is up to the people of Punjab especially youth how they get benefits.”Gen. Asghar said the HEC was making all out efforts to produce human resource—the job Pakistan should have begun with from 2007, a decade back from today. We are lagging behind and now trying to bridge the gap. Dwelling over the lacking, he revealed there were many fields in which Pakistan did not have expertise. For instance, we are going for US$8.2 billion railway project but we don’t have experts in railway engineering. While launching master course in UIT we came to know about just one PhD. in the field. Pakistan will have a series of ports right from Gwadar to Keti Bundar in Sindh but the education link is missing since we don’t have ports management and handling engineers. We now have Orange Line in Punjab but don’t have mass transit management experts.

Gen. Muhammad Asghar was sure there was huge scope for engineers in CPEC. For such a purpose, Pakistan’s universities are being linked with Chinese universities. He announced MUET would soon be the part of consortiums of engineering universities. He told the audience that over 20 thousand Pakistanis are enrolled in Chinese universities in various education programs.