LAHORE:
The Punjab government moved on Thursday to quash rumours that the laptops distributed among college and university students, were being sold by the recipients.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Punjab government spokesman Senator Pervaiz Rasheed said no such complaint had been received so far. He said the Punjab government had made students sign an undertaking while receiving the laptops under which they cannot sell them. A student of Kinnaird College for Women confirmed signing the undertaking.
The Punjab government has now issued directions to shopkeepers and presidents of several market unions to refrain from dealing in these laptops. The government also directed the police to monitor computer markets in the city.
Second hand laptop and computer dealers in major computer markets admitted that students had made inquiries about the price of the laptops. However, they said they had not bought any. They said most of these students had come to their shops to install Windows operating system in their laptops.
A shopkeeper at Hafeez Centre, one of the biggest mobile phone and computer markets, said the market president had issued strict orders in this regard. He said they were told that strict action would be taken against those who were found involved. The penalty might include registration of an FIR against the shopkeeper, he added.
He complained that after the government order the police had “literally” started following youth into the shops. This, he said, was frustrating for the shopkeepers.
Hafeez Centre market president Shahid Bhatti told The Express Tribune that 140 shops at the Centre dealt with laptops. He said none of them had been reported to have bought these laptops.
He said since Linux was not common in Pakistan, most of the students did not know how to operate it and therefore visited the market to install the Windows operating system.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 7th, 2012.
COMMENTS (20)
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i am a student of vu.as you know laptop is most necessary for m.cs student.kindly help me my father is so poor.
@adeel ahmed: Its good that the laptops have been loaded with linux. Its a better than windows.
I think CM has taken a laudable initiative. There are others too, like prizes Guard of Honor for the toppers. Who thinks that the intelligent ones shouldn't be commended??
Those who are yelling for nothing can never understand.
I thnk laptops with linux loaded OS is great.Let the student learn this wonderful OS instead of Windows which is useless and is for only comman people.All students who got laptop should go with linux OS as it will be good for them in there future job hunting.I still wish instead of gaving laptops to individual it should be gaven to institutions so more and more people can get the benefit out of it.But never than less its good that deserving students are getting it free.Its now duty of those individual to use it in constructive way instead of chating and watch movies
@adeel ahmed Linux was installed because its 'Free'. Windows cost ~PKR 5000. DELL does not sells pirated copies hence Govt would have had to pay additional cost per unit to get Windows.
They left it to students, who'd port the pirated copy of windows anyway without government having to deal with that issue.
You dont need a techncal consultant for these decisions, you just need common sense.
these laptops work efficiently on ubuntu (linux operating system). bluetooth device on windows does not work. it is a single core processor with simple VGA card. Even the service center of the concerned company do not know how to over come bluetooth problem in windows
I think giving laptop could be scam but it will give the result in 10 years in Pak tech
@Bitter reality:
I hope that Punjab govt would NOT go for more of these publicity stunts. Its my money they are using to do this.
Bill Gates has himself criticized the world's largest laptop giveaway scheme (One Laptop Per Child). Here's what another official had to say:
“If teachers are telling kids to turn on computers and copy what is being written on the blackboard, then we have invested in expensive notebooks,”
Full Article: http://www.economist.com/node/21552202
CNG rickshaws for the jobless in Sindh and laptops for the youth of Punjab. Its election bribe. Punjab government is desperate to engage the youth. They are intended to dent the youth appeal of PTI.
Earlier "sasti roti" now linux laptops and more will follow as election approaches near. Please use tax money for more useful purposes like improving the infra structure of schools in rural Punjab and Sindh.
PPP and PML-N are upto the same tricks. They will not work anymore!
Just like Yellow Cab, and susti roti scams someone made billions out of this one. No audit of public funds, our Punjab's Khadim i Aala and his "business consultants" continues to operate with impunity. It is quite ingenius of them to come up with these ideas of scams in the name of public service.
http://catnet.sdacc.org/articles/tech_ID434.pdf
just check the vision of punjab government
It was a good move by Punjab Govt., Because, 1 All laptops were distributed on merit 2 students may use them in case of power outages 3 they may use it 24/7, which is not possible in computer lab case 4 If India may provide cheap computers to their students then why it looks to be a sin in Pakistan??? reference http://www.techwireasia.com/1429/india-announces-35-tablet-computer-for-rural-poor/ 5 If it was a publicity stunt I wish that Punjab Govt. should go for many more like this. 6 If universities for elite class in Pakistan recommend that each of their student should have a laptop then why it hurts when poor is getting the same???? All my media driven Pakis please learn to appreciate if something good is happening. please be positive and have positive
This is a totally irrational decision of Punjab government. this is sunk investment, Laptops will not add any value to Pakistan`s economy in return. despite investing largely on students, she should focus on youth who is unemployed. even highly educated youth is starving for income opportunities. Punjab government should design a policy which will offer loans to youth for initiating businesses. This will surely increase socio-economic development of Pakistan.
I bet the students who got the laptops are all part of the political party extended family. And it's a free world, they can sell it? It was a stupid scheme anyways. Should have given these laptops or computers directly to schools so they could set up computer labs where students could use.
Such things are bound for corruption and failure.
Some party starting campaighn that cost of laptop scheme is 12 billion with out any proof means one laptop equal to 120,000. The fact is cost of laptop is around 2 billion.
@adeel ahmed: they can't afford to buy windows for every laptop.
CM i love the way u lie
According to the bid document which is available online, the spec was to have windows 7 pre-installed as operating system. So Punjab govt didn't even check if they were delivered to their own spec?? or did someone make a quick buck? it doesn't seem possible for shabaz sharif to be involved is any scheme that doesn't turn into a scam! typical pml-n!
Also is this the best use of police. trying to stop kids selling laptops so sharif bros can save some face??
hahah LINUX, Who was the technical consultant of this scheme?
So what if corrupt students choose to give away their lap tops? In Canada many cheating students use government aid money meant for poor students education fees and instead buy clothes and material things. The government is not to blame but corrupt students are to blame. It shows some people can't be helped but it doesn't mean that the government should stop trying.