ISLAMABAD: The Federal Ministry for National Health Services has raised objection over the registration of 10 medical colleges, which are functioning in various areas of country for the past several years. In a letter, the ministry directed the PMDC to move courts against unrecognized and unregistered colleges and file appeals against those which have started classes by obtaining stay orders from courts without waiting for the government notification. PMDC can file appeals at proper forums and resort to the Supreme Court against these stay orders,” the letter says. According to reports, an official of the ministry on the condition of anonymity said that during the last one year the PMDC approved over 10 medical colleges – two in the public sector, two are run by the army and two in private sectors. .”According to rules, the colleges cannot start functioning unless they are notified in the Gazette of Pakistan.” An official further said that some colleges have not sought stay orders and the application of one private college was rejected by the court. We have directed the PMDC to take action against the unregistered colleges and file appeals against those which have obtained the stay orders,” he said. NHS Secretary Ayub Sheikh said the ministry was doing its job in accordance with the legal opinion from the law division. Curtin University: Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan Margaret Adamson launched last night in Pakistan an alumni chapter of Australia’s Curtin University. Curtin University has more than 600 alumni in Pakistan, many of whom are working in high profile and influential positions in public, private and the not-for-profit sectors. The Alumni Chapter in Pakistan aims to work closely with Curtin University Australia and current and potential employers in Pakistan to increase employability of its graduates. They will also be working with Pakistani educational institutions to link with Curtin University. High Commissioner Adamson said that the growing number of Pakistani students living and studying in Australia underscored the strong people-to-people links between Pakistan and Australia. She noted the recent launch of the Australian Global Alumni Network in Pakistan (globalalumni.gov.au) and encouraged Curtin alumni to join. “Australia is currently the third largest international destination for Pakistani students seeking high-quality education for their professional development, with currently around 16,000 enrolments in Australian higher education institutions,” Ms Adamson said. Curtin University Vice Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry said: “We are pleased that the launch event is happening in 2017 during our 50th Celebrations. It is 50 years since Curtin’s predecessor institution; the Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT) began operating. I would also like to acknowledge the vital role the founder of the Alumni Chapter in Pakistan, Noor Aftab and her dedicated group of alumni in Pakistan have played in making the launch possible. Curtin is fortunate to have such committed graduates.” Women empowerment: Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders on Wednesday lauded the efforts of the government to empower women which is prerequisite for rapid national development. Underlining the importance of women in the society it asked to government to take more steps to create awareness regarding this issue. Patron Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders Shahid Rasheed Butt while expressing satisfaction over initiatives of the government to empower women has asked the government to take additional steps to empower women including legislation. Government should fight hunger and poverty by empowering women who have limited opportunities, he said while speaking to a delegation of businesswomen. He said that importance of grants, microloans and training and support are necessary for young women to learn economic skills and launch small businesses successfully.