South Georgia - WWF Seabirds

This stamp issue, produced in association with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), recognizes some of the lesser-known species of seabird breeding on South Georgia. The species depicted are part of the rich biodiversity found in South Georgia's unique environment. WWF is one of the world's leading organisations who work towards conservation and sustainability. In addition to the set, there is a Souvenir Sheet showing a Juvenile Southern skua (£3.50p) and a sheetlet of 16 (4 sets in staggered format) with face value of £13.20p. The stamps in the sheetlet ‘bleed off’ at the edge.

Pakistan The World Youngest Microsoft Certified Professional Arfa Karim (1995-2012)

Arfa Karim Randhawa (2 February 1995 – 14 January 2012) was a Pakistani student and computer prodigy, who in 2004 at the age of nine years became a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), the youngest in the world until 2008. She was invited by Bill Gates to visit the Microsoft Headquarters in the USA. A science park in Lahore was named after her, the Arfa Software Technology Park

Arfa was born to a family from the village of Chak No 4JB Ram Dewali in Faisalabad, Punjab. After returning to Pakistan from a visit to Microsoft headquarters, Arfa gave numerous television and newspaper interviews. On 2 August 2005, Arfa Karim was presented the Fatimah Jinnah Gold Medal in the field of Science and Technology by the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shaukat Aziz on the occasion of 113th birth anniversary of Fatima Jinnah.  She also received the Salaam Pakistan Youth Award again in August 2005 from the President of Pakistan.  Arfa Karim is also the recipient of the President's Award for Pride of Performance, a civil award usually granted to people who have shown excellence in their respective fields over a long period of time. She is the youngest recipient of this award. In recognition of her achievement Arfa was made brand ambassador for Pakistan Telecommunication Company’s 3G Wireless Broadband service named EVO in January 2010. 

In 2011, at the age of 16, Arfa Karim was studying at the Lahore Grammar School Paragon Campus in her second year of A-levels. On 22 December 2011 she suffered a cardiac arrest after an epileptic seizure that damaged her brain, and was admitted to Lahore's Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in critical condition.

On 9 January 2012, Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, contacted Arfa's parents and directed his doctors to adopt "every kind of measure" for her treatment. Gates set up a special panel of international doctors who remained in contact with her local doctors through teleconference. The panel received details about her illness and provided assistance in diagnosis and treatment.  Local doctors dismissed the option of moving Arfa to another hospital owing to her being on a ventilator and in critical condition.  Members of Arfa's family have lauded Bill Gates for offering to bear her treatment expenses. 

On 13 January 2012, Arfa Karim started to improve and some parts of her brain showed signs of improvement. Her father, Amjad Karim Randhawa, said Microsoft had raised the possibility of flying Arfa to the US for care.

On 14 January 2012, 16-year-old Arfa Karim died at 9:50 PM (Pakistan Standard Time) at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Lahore. Her funeral prayer was offered in Cavalry Ground Lahore at 10 AM on 15 January 2012, and later at Faisalabad the same day. The funeral was attended by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif. She was buried at her ancestral village in Faisalabad. 

On 15 January 2012, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced that the name of Lahore Technology Park would be changed to Arfa Software Technology Park.

Monthly Universal Post for the month of February 2012 has been printed.

Monthly Universal Post for the month of February 2012 has been printed. This magazine includes philatelic information. You will find here the information regarding new issue of Pakistan and World Wide. If you are interested to purchase this magazine kindly contact Malik Sadiq, Editor Monthly Universal Post. Email:universalpost@hotmail.com

150th Anniversary of St. Patrick’s High School, Karachi Pakistan.

150^th Anniversary of St. Patrick’s High School, Karachi. Commemorative Postage Stamp December 31, 2011:- St. Patrick’s High School began a hundred and fifty years ago with only three students on the rolls. The old school building shifted its site three times and at one time stood where the St. Joseph’s Convent play hall now stands. In 1948 it moved into the Primary building which already existed since 1937, and two years later it expanded to the main building which was completed in 1950. The middle building better known as the “E” Building was constructed in 1954.

Now, a hundred and fifty years and twenty three principals later, we have over five thousand students and three hundred and fifty staff. Admission to the school was much sought after and in a city with a growing population and few academic institutions of quality, there was great pressure for admission. To cater for its students educational and trade needs over those years the school, added a few more branches: The O’Levels in the early fifties, the Teachers Training College in 1951, the Technical Section in 1964, the Afternoon Shift in 1973 and the A’Levels in 1979.

The Technical Section, which prepares its students for the Technical Board examinations in the four Technologies: Metal Work, Electricity, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning, Auto-Diesel Mechanics and Electronics. Very lately the section has agreed to a joint venture with Toyota Company called T-TEP. Toyota instructors come to the school to train the students in updated methods of assembly and repair in latest car engines. Only recently, the Technical section has started a Body and Paints Department, which is being ably managed by the Crises Management team in collaboration with ICI Paints.

The Afternoon Section, which was initially started as the brainchild of Bishop Lobo in 1973, helped to alleviate the pressure of the Morning Section with regard to the excessive admissions that were pouring in. It was clear that the masses held the institution in high regard and were not willing to wait to get admission in the morning shift; hence the introduction of the afternoon shift solved that problem for all. With quality education still being imparted, there’s no wonder why the afternoon shift still has a handsome enrollment of students till now.

The St. Patrick’s College of Education, which was founded in 1951, has catered to the needs of CBE schools by providing the training teachers with great help and also to overcome the obstacles that they face in joining professional institutions. The training teachers do the B.Ed course over a period of two years, during which time they are given practical exposure through teaching schools as well as being sent up north for training there too.

The O’ and A’ Levels, which prepares students for the General Certificate of Education Examination of the Cambridge University has been outstanding over the past few decades and has brought great recognition for St. Patrick’s High School. The O’Levels was started in the early 1950’s and since then there has been no looking back. With impressive showings from the students right from its inception the O’Level section of St. Patrick’s set a benchmark for the other schools that were also functional during the same time. In 1979, Bishop Lobo decided to take the Cambridge University educational system a step ahead and thus, he started the A’Level’s section. Both these additions to the school have taken the educational standard to a new level and this has been proven from the results that have been earned.

To commemorate 150^th Anniversary of St. Patrick’s High School, Karachi, Pakistan Post is issuing a commemorative postage stamp of Rs. 8/- denomination on 31^st December 2011.

On The Eeve of Tthe 100th Meeting of The Federal Cabinet of Pakistan. Issue Date:- 18-01-2012.

On The Eve Of The 100^Th Meeting Of The Federal Cabinet Commemorative Postage Stamp January 18, 2012:- Article 90 of the Constitution of Pakistan, envisages that the Executive Authority of the Federation shall be exercised in the name of President by the Federal Ministers, which shall act through the Prime Minister, who shall be the Chief Executive of the Federation. Article 91 of the Constitution, envisions a Cabinet of Ministers, with the Prime Minister at its head, to aid and advise the President in the exercise of its functions.

2.                  The present Government assumed power in March, 2008. The Federal Cabinet held its 100^th meeting in the city of Quaid on his 135^th Anniversary to pay homage to the father of the Nation, it was a unique honour, in the history of Pakistan, for the present Government to hold a meeting on the birth day of the Quaid.

3.                  The present elected Government made all out efforts to translate the vision of the Quaid-i-Azam into reality. The Cabinet held its meetings not only Islamabad but also in Lahore, Quetta, Gwadar, Peshawar and Karachi, which is a symbol of national harmony and integration. The decision making process of the Government remained well structured as it was based on mutual consultation and sense of unanimity. The achievements of the present Government include an independent judiciary whose decisions, orders and judgment are respected by it, the NFC Award, the 18^th Constitutional (Amendment) and above all restoration of the 1973 Constitution. Holding All Parties Conference, indicate the Government’s sincerity for mutual consultation and national reconciliation. Free media and sovereign Parliament are the results of the selfless and dedicated efforts of the Government. The Government has vowed to carry on the mission of the Quaid to make Pakistan a progressive, democratic Islamic State. All the aforementioned decisions were ratified by the Federal Cabinet.

4.                  The performance of the present Government was keenly monitored by the Prime Minister during its 45 months period, who was pleased to order meeting of the Federal Cabinet on fortnightly basis.

5.                  In compliance to above, regular meetings of the Cabinet have been held on alternative Wednesday. One hundred meetings of the present Cabinet is unprecedented in the history of Pakistan. The Cabinet deliberated upon 891 different issues of vital importance and 1101 decisions have been taken and that the rate of implementation of these decisions is 81%.

6.                  The aforementioned facts, reveals that the Cabinet under the Prime Minister is carrying forward the agenda set forth by the Parliament for the democratically elected Government including approval of few structural changes. It has tried to resolve each and every problem being faced by the people of Pakistan. A Task Force was formed to address energy related issues. The year of 2012, has been dedicated to address the rights of the people of Balochistan. The Cabinet dedicated to ensure complete and honest implementation of Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package, to provide all fundamental rights to the people of Balochistan, under the Constitution.

On the eve of the 100^th Meeting of the Federal Cabinet, Pakistan Post is issuing a commemorative postage stamp of Rs. 8/- denomination on 18^th January 2012.