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NAVY SAYS TERRORIST ATTACK ON DOCKYARD FOILED, TWO RAIDERS KILLED
BALL IN SHARIF’S COURT AS GOVT, PTI DISCUSS PROPOSALS g
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Tuesday, 9 September, 2014 Zul Qida 13, 1435 Rs 17.00 Vol V No 72 16 Pages Lahore Edition
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DAR SAYS AGREEMENT REACHED ON ALL POINTS EXCEPT PM’S RESIGNATION, WHICH IS NON-NEGOTIABLE QURESHI SAYS PTI TEAM HAS CONVEYED PARTY’S FINAL POSITION TO GOVT COMMITTEE STORY ON PAGE 02
NAVY STATEMENT SAYS A PETTY OFFICER WAS ALSO KILLED WHILE SECURITY AGENCIES TOOK FOUR TERRORISTS INTO CUSTODY ON SATURDAY NIGHT STORY ON PAGE 04
AFGHAN ELECTION TALKS STALL AS ABDULLAH REJECTS OUTCOME OF AUDIT g
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SAYS ‘HE WAS AND IS THE WINNER OF THE ELECTION BASED UPON CLEAN VOTES’
Caught in troubled waters
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STORY ON PAGE 04
Water level continues to rise at Head Trimmu, Panjnad, Guddu, Sukkur as 700 villages washed away in Punjab with more than 205 casualties Flood spreads to southwest areas of country as emergency declared in 10 districts of Balochistan
STORY ON PAGE 03
A man sails on drums in the flooded Rana Town area on the outskirts of Lahore on Monday. INP
FLOODS BRING SHARIF, MODI CLOSER ARAB LEAGUE Sharif wants ‘disaster management’ MINISTERS AGREE to be part of dialogue with India TO CONFRONT Pakistani PM thanks Indian ISLAMIC STATE counterpart for showing concern for n
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flood relief, offers him assistance for victims n
Sharif, Modi meeting expected in New York on the sidelines of UNGA session STORY ON PAGE 03
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STORY ON PAGE 05
AFGHANS, PAKISTANIS SEEKING TO JOIN IS ARRESTED IN IRAN STORY ON PAGE 03
02 NEWS
Tuesday, 9 September 2014
Judiciary to ensure everyone remains loyal to constitution CJP says judiciary’s task is to protect, preserve and defend the Constitution and make sure no one rises above it ISLAMABAD
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PEAKING on the eve of the new judicial year Monday, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Nasirul Mulk made it clear that no person or institution can elevate itself above the Constitution and it is the judiciary’s task to ensure that all state functionaries maintain their fidelity towards the Constitution. The CJP said that judges do not merely interpret the words of the Constitution but also have the duty to preserve and protect it against any moves designed to defeat the scheme of the Constitution. CJP Mulk held that the primary obligation of every judge is to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution”
which should be undertaken “without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.” No consideration or obligation can rise above the judges’ loyalty to the text and spirit of the Constitution, he added. The CJP observed that progress, security and development could not take place in the absence of safeguards provided in the Constitution. “No society can survive in a constitutional vacuum where fundamental rights of the people are not guaranteed or protected. Restrictions by the State functionaries on the freedoms of the people are open and subject to Judicial Review, which tests the restrictions so imposed upon the bar of constitutionality. However, under no circumstances should it be assumed that rights granted under the Constitution are absolute as they remain subject to reasonable qualification and reasonable restrictions.”
BUGTI MURDER CASE: ‘AILING’ MUSHARRAF FAILS TO APPEAR BEFORE COURT QUETTA inp
Former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf failed to appear before an antiterrorism court (ATC) in Quetta on Monday in a case relating to the murder of Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti. Following court summons for Musharraf, strict security measures were adopted by the administration to avert any untoward incident during the hearing but Musharraf’s counsel Nazeer Ahmed Cheema informed the court that his client was ill and could not appear before the court. He requested the court to hold a separate hearing of the case for the former president. Meanwhile, two guarantors for the former military dictator — former interior minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and former Balochistan home minister Shoaib Nowsherwani — appeared before the court. ATC-1 judge Nazeer Ahmed Langove subsequently adjourned the hearing of the case until October 13. Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Advocate Sohail Rajput, counsel for petitioner Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti -the son of late Nawab Akbar Bugti — said that despite repeated orders of the honourable court, the former military dictator had failed to make an appearance. He said that Musharraf had failed to appear before court despite clear court orders in this regard. Bugti was killed in an operation in Balochistan’s Kohlu District. His son had nominated Musharraf, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz and other high-ups in the murder case of his father.
GAS PIPELINE BLOWN UP IN DERA BUGTI QUETTA staff report
Militants have blown up a 24-inch gas pipeline in Balochistan’s resource-rich district Dera Bugti, an official said on Monday. The militants had planted explosive materials close to the gas pipeline in Pir Koh area of Dera Bugti district. A security official who requested anonymity said, “The explosives went off with a big bang, blowing up the gas pipeline.” The blast rocked the entire area causing panic among people and suspension of gas supply from Pir Koh to the purification plant. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. However, the security official suspected Baloch separatists to be behind the attack. Sabotage of gas pipelines is a characteristic tactic of tribal militants and is frequently witnessed in Balochistan. However, the province also suffers from attacks carried out by the Taliban.
It is the task of the judiciary to ensure that rights in a democratic society are balanced with counter-imposed duties, he said, adding that the unique position of the Supreme Court stems, in large part, from the deep commitment of our nation to the Rule of Law and to a Constitutional government. He said that the Supreme Court had demonstrated its determination to preserve and protect the written Constitution, thereby protecting and promoting democracy and good governance in Pakistan. The Supreme Court and the judiciary of Pakistan shall forever endeavour to dispense justice to all, without being affected by any interest or extrinsic considerations, he added. Moreover, Mulk said, “A path which deviates from Constitutionalism regresses into an age of apathy, where no Rule of Law exists. As a democratic
society, it is incumbent upon all citizens to collectively promote respect for and obedience to the Constitution.”
Ball in Sharif’s court as govt, PTI discuss proposals DAR SAYS AGREEMENT REACHED ON ALL POINTS EXCEPT PM’S RESIGNATION, WHICH IS NON-NEGOTIABLE
QURESHI SAYS PTI TEAM HAS CONVEYED PARTY’S FINAL POSITION TO GOVT COMMITTEE
ISLAMABAD staff report
The government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) concluded their twelfth round of negotiations on Monday night, with both sides reaching an agreement on almost all points put forward by the PTI team, except the demand for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s resignation. Talking to reporters after the meeting, lead government negotiator, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that PTI team had expressed its final position on one of their demands while the other, the PM’s resignation, is non-negotiable for the government side. “We will discuss the PTI’s ‘other demand’ with our leadership and allied parties and get back to them, however we have made it clear to them that there will be no discussion on the PM’s resignation,” said Dar. Meanwhile, PTI’s lead negotiator, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said they had completed discussions on the papers that they had exchanged and that PTI had conveyed their final position to the government commit-
tee. “It is now up to the government to take a final decision,” he said, without elaborating the ‘other’ point which would be discussed by the government and its allies. Earlier in the day, Shah Mehmood Qureshi had told journalists that progress had been made on various points of PTI’s demands although some issues still had to be resolved. The PTI leader said that his party supported democracy and wanted to strengthen it by their reforms agenda. He said that PTI was pursuing dialogue process with a positive approach and his party had
I’LL CALL OFF SIT-IN IF GOVT AMENDS CONSTITUTION: PAT CHIEF
shown flexibility at various levels to avoid deadlock. PAT WANTS TO TALK, IQBAL URGES FLOOD RELIEF: Separately, as Monday’s round of negotiations between PAT and government ended, PAT leader Raheeq Abbasi told the journalists that PAT wanted the problems to be resolved through negotiations. Flanked by his talks partner Sardar Asif Ahmad Ali and the government’s side comprising Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal and Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Abbasi told the press conference that that his party had realised the problems of the people living in the flood-hit areas and will do everything on party level to help the victims. The planning minister endorsed PAT leader’s views, saying that both sides wanted the issues to be resolved through negotiations and another round in this regard will be held today at 4pm. “We should set aside our disputes and focus on helping people affected by floods and rains,” the minister said, emphasising that the first priority should be to help the flood-hit people.
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ISLAMABAD: Submitting its response in the Supreme Court on Monday, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) said the petition relating to sit-ins and extra-constitutional steps in the federal capital was not maintainable for hearing, adding that the May 2013 elections were rigged and that the court should review the constitutional status of the National Assembly. Earlier last week, the apex court had directed leaders of political parties to submit their suggestions to end the ongoing political stalemate during the hearing of the plea against protests by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT). PML-Q counsel Abdul Raziq submitted the response on behalf of the party in the court on Monday. Maintaining a similar stance as the PAT, the PML-Q’s response said that holding sit-ins in the federal capital was a political matter in which the court should not intervene. The reply said that the court could not take a constitutional review of the protests as it was a political matter. Earlier on September 2, the apex court had issued notices to all parliamentary parties as requested by Zulfiqar Naqvi who had petitioned that all parties be summoned so that the deadlock can be resolved. staff report
STOP ‘HIDDEN ACTIVITIES’ IN BALOCHISTAN, START DIALOGUE, SAYS SIRAJ ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Sirajul Haq has stressed that all kinds of “hidden activities” in Balochistan should be stopped to pave way for peace in the province. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad after a visit to Quetta, he said that in order to bring the political and non political leadership of Balochistan into the mainstream, the operation must be stopped and talks started with the Baloch leadership while adding that the Baloch leaders would not trust the dialogue till the establishment joins the talks. An independent enquiry should be held into the assassination of Nawab Akbar Bugti, said Haq. The JI chief said that the provinces must be granted the rights guaranteed to them under the 18th amendment. “During the last 67 years, no government in Balochistan has been allowed to work independently and instead the provinces are being run by the federal authorities through remote control,” said Haq. He said that Balochistan province had suffered the most because of Russian and US attacks on Afghanistan as “former president Pervez Musharraf yielded to a single phone call from Washington”, adding that attempts to cow down the people of Balochistan through threats and assassination of Bugti added fuel to the fire. The JI chief said that there was no secession movement in Balochistan rather thousands of Baloch youth had gone up the hills because of lack of basic civic facilities and jobs. inp
MAMNOON HAS NOT LOST HOPE FOR ‘DETRACTORS OF DEMOCRACY’
ISLAMABAD Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri has said that he would call off his party’s anti-government sit-in if the government introduces an amendment in the Constitution that no case will be filed against the rulers even if they commit murder, a private news channel reported Monday. “The government is continuously violating the Constitution,” said Qadri, referring to the Model Town tragedy in which around two dozen people, mostly PAT workers, were killed by Punjab police. Oppression and injustice have become a norm in this country, he said. Qadri said that the judicial commission’s report has declared Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif the culprit of the Model Town tragedy in which unarmed and innocent people were targeted by the police. Wielding a copy of the Constitution in his hand, Dr Qadri said that children were deprived of basic right to education. He said that the Constitution does not allow anyone to be deprived of their basis rights. “Rulers should take my life, but give these poor their due rights,” said the PAT chief.
MAY 2013 ELECTIONS WERE RIGGED, PML-Q TELLS SC
Regretting the tendency of agitating political differences on roads, President Mammon Hussain has expressed confidence that those who have gone outside the ambit of the Constitution and democracy would return. Speaking at the 6th Rice Export Trophy Awards in Karachi on Monday, the president said that no country could develop without political stability. He said that political differences and issues should be resolved in the Parliament and not on roads. He said it was encouraging that all the parties were holding dialogues to resolve the issues. The president said that the present government had inherited a number of problems and it was trying its best to overcome these challenges. He urged all segments of the society to pay their due taxes and launch a crusade against corruption. Hussain said that the federal government was providing full backing to the provincial government in overcoming the problem of law and order in Karachi. He appreciated the fact that Pakistan exports rice to 103 countries but called for exploring more markets. He said rice export constitutes 10 percent of the country’s export earnings and there was potential to increase the share further.
Tuesday, 9 September 2014
NEWS
caught in troubled waters WATER LEVEL CONTINUES TO RISE AT HEAD TRIMMU, PANJNAD, GUDDU, SUKKUR AS 700 VILLAGES WASHED AWAY IN PUNJAB WITH MORE THAN 205 CASUALTIES LAHORE/KHUSHAB/GUJRANWALA/ MUZAFFARABAD
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EAvY monsoon rains and flooding in Punjab, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan have claimed at least 205 lives and destroyed around 700 villages only in Punjab while more devastation is feared as authorities forecast massive inflow of water in major rivers of the country in the coming days. In order to save Trimmu Barrage, breaching the Athara Hazari Barrage is being considered as 750,000 cusec flood influx is anticipated. According to a NDMA official, a huge amount of flood water has accumulated in the Qadirabad headworks on River Chenab whereas the Trimmu Barrage is receiving 177,000 cusecs water on River Chenab. A flood alert posted on the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) web-
MAJORITY OF PAKISTANIS FAVOUR DEMOCRACY OVER MILITARY RULE: SURVEY ISLAMABAD: A substantial 67 percent of the country’s population believes that democratically elected governments constitute the best system for Pakistan, revealed a Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development (PILDAT) survey. The appetite for another Army rule in the country remains low as only 19 percent Pakistanis see another military rule as the best system for the country. The survey commissioned by PILDAT upon the completion of the 1st year of national and provincial assemblies and governments in office in May 2014 to gauge public opinion across the country on quality democracy revealed that 65 percent of Pakistanis believe that elected LGs are “somewhat very important” in solving the local problems faced by Pakistanis. Only 32 percent Pakistanis asserted that elected LGs are “not important” in resolving the problems faced by citizens. Seventy one percent of Pakistanis say that holding Local Government (LG) polls nationwide is “somewhat very important”. The nationwide poll conducted during July 16 to August 6 reveals that only 27 percent of the country’s population believes that holding LG elections is “not very important” or “not important at all”. The survey revealed that 63 percent of Pakistanis believe that General Election 2013 was “somewhat to completely transparent and fair” whereas 37 percent respondents see the Election as “somewhat rigged to completely rigged”. inp
TWO PAKISTANI ENGINEERS KIDNAPPED IN AFGHANISTAN KABUL: Unidentified gunmen have kidnapped two Pakistani engineers and their Afghan driver in northern Jauzjan province, Afghan officials said. The two Pakistani engineers had been working on a road construction project in the region. Police chief in Jauzjan province, Faqir Muhammad Jauzjani, told reporters that the three men were kidnapped on the Shiberghan-Dasht-e-Lili road on Sunday afternoon. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident while Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied Taliban involvement. Afghan officials say Pakistanis may have been kidnapped for ransom. nni
FLOOD SPREADS TO SOUTHWEST AREAS OF COUNTRY AS EMERGENCY DECLARED IN 10 DISTRICTS OF BALOCHISTAN
site stated that due to the second flood peak in River Chenab, the peak at Trimmu is likely to persist for another 2448 hours with a maximum flow of 8,00,000 cusecs. The exceptionally high flood level may continue until September 12 (2100 PST), the PMD stated in a press release. As a consequence, Sargodha, Khushab, Jhang and Toba Tek Singh districts are likely to be inundated. Water level is constantly rising in River Ravi and high alert has also been imposed. Sahiwal, Harappa and Chichawatni have been evacuated whereas a warning has also been issued in 40 villages in Kabirwala. Water level is rising in Kundasang and red alert has been issued in Pakpattan and vehari. High flood in River Sutlej has engulfed the villages in the vicinity of Kasur. Considering the sensitivity of the situation, emergency has been called in the area and efforts are being carried out to transfer people to safe havens.
Balochistan government on its part has declared flood emergency in ten districts while Sindh government has issued instructions to the concerned staff to ensure that flood water passes through the province without major losses. WIDESPREAD DEVASTATION: Heavy floods along rivers Chenab and Jehlum have wrecked 215 villages in Bhalwal whereas 80 villages have been submerged due the breakage of the security barrage in Hafizabad. The high flood trending from River Chenab has caused massive destruction in the rural areas from Marala Headworks in Sialkot to Qadirabad Headworks in Hafizabad. Myriads of villages in Sambrial, Zafarwal, Pasrur, Chiniot, Wazirabad, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Jalalpur Jattan, Phalia and Pindi Bhattian have been submerged due to the flood in Marala, Khanki and Hafizabad. The floods have also cracked the roads and damaged many bridges and installations. The high water influx has also triggered land-slid-
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LAHORE: Rescue workers shift a man and his belongings from the flooded Rana Town area on the outskirts of Lahore. onLine
death toll in Azad Kashmir has risen to 63. Over 16,000 people have been rendered homeless, approximately 2,000 homes have been destroyed and another 4,000 badly damaged. Flash floods in Neelum and Jhelum rivers have inundated several districts including Bagh, Muzaffarabad and Hattian. Flash floods in Peer Panjal Range caused damage in Kotli, Poonch, Mirpur, while huge loss of life and property was reported in Rawalakot. In the meanwhile, the army has rescued more than 12,000 people from the flood affected areas.
ing in Punjab and Kashmir. Flood water has ruined the crops stretched across thousands of acres whereas many locals of the villages have been deprived of their cattle. Road link has been cut off as Seem Nala Bridge snapped at Sahotra Road in Pind Dadan Khan. Flood in Khushab washed away five villages along with livestock and harvest causing irrevocable losses to the residents. Ahmed Kamal, an official from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), said that 131 people have died as a result of heavy rains in Punjab, 11 have died in Gilgit Baltistan whereas the
PM VISITS FLOOD-HIT AREAS OF AJK, ASSURES ALL-OUT ASSISTANCE
AFGHANS, PAKISTANIS SEEKING TO JOIN ISIL ARRESTED IN IRAN TEHRAN
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Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Monday visited the flood-hit Rawalakot in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to get firsthand account of the devastation caused by torrential rains and to review the ongoing rescue and relief operations. AJK President Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan, AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed and former AJK prime minister Raja Farooq Haider accompanied Sharif during his visit. AJK Chief Secretary Khyzer Hayat Gondal briefed the premier about the damages caused by landslides and rains. After attending a meeting where he was updated about the flood situation, Sharif said that he was concerned about the people who were affected by floods and it was the responsibility of the State to take care of them. He said every nook and corner of the country was important for him and the government would reach out to all the victims. The premier said that besides AJK, Punjab had also suffered loss of
RAWALAKOT: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif hand over a cheque to a flood survivor during his visit to flood-affected areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. inp
lives and property due to floods. He said the nation should not lose heart during such challenges. Promising sufficient provision of electricity to AJK, the prime minister proposed working out a 20-year development roadmap for AJK in all areas, including communications and agriculture. Moreover, he said the project of Pindi-Muzaffarabad railway track
would be completed in two years. He also expressed desire for construction of the Murree-Muzaffarabad Expressway on priority. He said there was a huge potential of development in Azad Kashmir and vowed to make this area a big tourist attraction. Later, Sharif distributed cheques among the affected people and expressed solidarity with them.
Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli announced Monday that Iran had detained a number of Afghan and Pakistani nationals on their way to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL). Speaking to reporters in Tehran on the sidelines of a forum of deputy governors, Fazli rejected media reports that the ISIL was recruiting forces in Iran, and said that Iran was well aware of the terrorist group’s plans for Iran and other regional countries. “The group has extensive plans and based on our documents, they planned to make an aggression against our country and other countries, but Iran is so powerful that such a small group cannot make any aggression against it,” he said. “Of course, in certain cases, there have been some Afghans and Pakistanis who intended to pass through the Islamic Republic of Iran’s borders to join the ISIL, but we have prevented their entrance or transit through our borders and have made some arrests in this regard as well,” he added. The minister said ISIL has sought to recruit Iranians through propaganda on the Internet and even contacted a number of people, but failed.
FLOODS BRING SHARIF, MODI CLOSER SHARIF WANTS ‘DISASTER MANAGEMENT’ TO BE PART OF DIALOGUE WITH INDIA ISLAMABAD aGenCies
In the backdrop of heavy monsoon rains and floods, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Monday suggested his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to include “cooperation in disaster management” as a part of bilateral talks. Sharif’s offer has come a day after the Indian prime minister offered assistance to Pakistan for the flood-hit people in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) where around 63 people have been killed. Shortly after Modi’s aid offer, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry also offered aid to the Kashmiris affected by floods in Indian-occupied Kashmir while Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif thanked his Indian counterpart for offering aid and expressing sympathies over the losses. “I gratefully acknowledge your letter of September 7, conveying deep
PAKISTANI PM THANKS INDIAN COUNTERPART FOR SHOWING CONCERN FOR FLOOD RELIEF, OFFERS HIM ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS
sympathies for the people affected in Pakistan by unprecedented monsoon rains and consequent flooding. The offer for assistance in our relief efforts is equally thoughtful. Such solidarity in the face of adversity is indeed valuable,” Sharif said in reply to the Indian prime minister’s letter, the Foreign Ministry said. Sharif Monday visited AJK and assured help to the government there. “I was anguished to see the scale of human suffering and physical destruction as I toured affected areas of Kashmir the other day,” the prime minister said, adding that the Kashmiris on the other side of the Line of Control have also faced heavy loss of life and material damage. The Pakistani premier told Modi that South Asia was one of the most disaster-prone regions of the world. “As we chart a course to advance our common goals of peace and stability, we must also focus on addressing
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the deeper causes of recurrent floods and on strengthening the preparedness and resilience of our communities against natural calamities. I believe closer collaboration in disaster management should be a part of our agenda of peace and development in the region,” the premier said. The expression of mutual concern has come after a sour episode last month when India cancelled high level talks with Pakistan over a meeting of Pakistani ambassador in New Delhi with Kashmiri leaders. Pakistan defended the meeting and said Kashmiri leaders were always consulted ahead of talks with India. SHARIF, MODI MEETING EXPECTED IN NEW YORK: In the backdrop of the cancelled meeting, Indian officials Monday hinted at a meeting between Sharif and Modi on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), with
Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj saying that the government will respond according to the situation that develops. Talking to journalists in New Delhi on 100 days’ work of her ministry, Sushma Swaraj said the government will not go to the UNGA session with a predetermined mindset concerning talks with Pakistan. The minister added that there were no full stops in diplomacy. Responding to a question concerning cancellation of talks last month, Swaraj said that there was no flaw in India’s policy concerning Pakistan which had itself called Hurriyat leaders for the meeting. Answering a query about ceasefire violations on the Line of Control, the minister said that the directors general military operations (DGMOs) of the two sides will talk when needed. Answering another query, the minister said that the government will speak only with an elected government in Pakistan.
04 NEWS
Tuesday, 9 September 2014
Navy says terrorist attack oN dockyard foiled, two raiders killed NAVY STATEMENT SAYS A PETTY OFFICER WAS ALSO KILLED WHILE SECURITY AGENCIES TOOK FOUR TERRORISTS INTO CUSTODY ON SATURDAY NIGHT KARACHI/RAWALPINDI
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STAFF REPORT
AKISTAN Navy on Monday claimed it had foiled a terrorist attack on the naval dockyard in Karachi on Saturday night, killing two “miscreants” and ar-
resting four others while a naval officer was also killed in the clash. According to a Navy spokesperson, six sailors were injured in the attack while there was no material loss and that the area was cleared for normal activities the same day. Based on questioning of the arrested ‘terrorists’, raids were carried out which led
ISPR SAYS 10 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS KILLED IN ZARB-E-AZB AIRSTRIKES
to further arrest of other collaborators and accomplices from different parts of the country. During these raids, a large quantity of arms and ammunition were also recovered, it added. Further inquiries and investigations by intelligence and other law enforcement agencies are continuing. 10 KILLED IN NWA AIRSTRIKES:
FOR DEMOCRACY’S SAKE, MPS ASSURE GOVT OF FULL SUPPORT PARLIAMENTARIANS SAY PAT, PTI SHOULD CALL OFF SIT-INS AND ASSIST FLOODHIT PEOPLE INSTEAD ISLAMABAD ONLINE
Members of Parliament assured their full support to the government to protect the democratic system in the country as a joint session of the parliament resumed a debate on the current political situation on Monday. Taking part in the debate, Shah Jee Gul Afridi said Pakistan Awami Tehreek and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf should abandon sit-ins and use their energies to help the flood-stricken masses, adding that the nation should unite in the face of calamity. DON’T GO NAWAZ, WE’RE WITH YOU: Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the members of Parliament are united to defend democracy and the Constitution despite party differences and that “few baton-yielding people” have no right to demand the prime minister’s resignation.
KHAWAJA ASIF VOWS TO UTILISE ALL STATE RESOURCES TO HELP FLOOD-STRICKEN PEOPLE “Only the parliament can decide the PM’s fate and under the current situation the parliament has decided that PM Nawaz Sharif should not resign at any cost.” Senator Babar Khan Ghauri said that all should work together to strengthen the system and find a solution. He said that the sit-ins have caused losses of billions of rupees to the country and PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s call for civil disobedience has caused devaluation of Rupee and decrease in foreign reserves. “While the protestors’ constitutional demands should be met, the acceptance of extra-constitutional demands, such as the resignation of an elected PM, is out of question.” Reiterating his support for parliament, democracy and the Constitution, Fazlur Rehman said that the participants of sitins should postpone their protests and help the flood-stricken citizens.
PARLIAMENT JOINT SESSION PASSES RESOLUTION TO ERADICATE ILLITERACY ASIF ASSURES ALL OUT HELP TO FLOOD-HIT PEOPLE: Addressing the session, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that floods in rivers Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi have spread unprecedented havoc and pledged that the government would utilise all available resources for the relief and rehabilitation of those struck by floods. ALL FOR ELIMINATING ILLITERACY: On the occasion of International Literacy Day, the Parliament passed a resolution to eradicate illiteracy from Pakistan by utilising all available resources for educating every child. The resolution moved by Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal called upon federal and provincial governments and the private sector to adopt measures for achieving hundred percent literacy at primary level.
AFGHAN ELECTION TALKS STALL AS ABDULLAH REJECTS OUTCOME OF AUDIT Presidential candidate says ‘he was and is the winner of the election based upon clean votes’ KABUL AGENCIES
Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah said Monday that he would not accept the outcome of an internationally backed audit of a disputed election runoff and that talks over sharing power with his opponent are deadlocked. The announcement by an emotional and weary-looking Abdullah left in doubt the viability of a national unity government that US officials have said is necessary to preserve political stability in Afghanistan. Abdullah and his rival, former World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani, have been unable to agree on the details of a power-sharing arrangement despite intensifying pressure from the White House. President Obama spoke to both candidates Saturday and stressed the need to complete negotiations on the government “as soon as possible in the interest of shoring up international support for
Afghanistan and preserving Afghan stability,” according to a White House statement. Abdullah has long maintained that the June runoff — which came after Abdullah won the most votes in the first round of balloting — was marred by extensive fraud in Ghani’s favour. Addressing reporters at his residence in Kabul, Abdullah said he “was and is the winner of the election based upon clean votes.” His announcement came hours after a meeting between the candidates at which Ghani rejected Abdullah’s demand that the results of the audit of all 8 million votes cast in the June vote not be announced. “That was a red line in the sand for Dr Ghani,” said Muslim Saadat, an Abdullah campaign spokesman. The audit was completed Friday, election officials said, and results are expected to be announced within days. Abdullah, who pulled out of Afghanistan’s last election, in 2009, citing fraud in favour of then-President Hamid Karzai, did not comment on the future of a unity government, saying
that he would “consult with the Afghan people in order to reach a decision.” Saadat said Abdullah and his running mates would meet with political allies from all 34 Afghan provinces over the next week. “We value the majority decision,” Saadat said. “What the people decide, we will abide by.” US officials worry that Abdullah’s supporters will renew calls to form a parallel government, which reached such intensity in July that Secretary of State John F. Kerry made an unannounced visit to Kabul to head off such a plan. That visit led to the agreement by both candidates to audit all 8 million votes and share power in a new government, but the recount has been marred by major delays and repeated threats by Abdullah to withdraw from the process. Abdullah’s announcement Monday came a day before a national holiday marking the assassination of militia commander Ahmed Shah Massoud, a hero among many Afghan northerners for his role in the anti-Soviet resistance.
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Meanwhile, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Monday said 10 suspected terrorists were killed when army aviation helicopter gunships carried out a precision strike on a compound considered a safe haven for militants in the North Waziristan tribal region. “In a strike on a terrorist hideout, gunship helicopters destroyed
five vehicles and one explosive dump,” a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. The statement said that security forces were successfully moving ahead in various parts of North Waziristan. These claims, however, could not be independently verified as journalists have limited access to the restive tribal agency. Earlier on August 30, at least 32 suspected terrorists were killed and three militant hideouts were destroyed by army aviation’s helicopter gunships in a remote area of Bangidar in North Waziristan.
AL-AZHAR CALLS IS ‘CRIMINALS’ SERVING A ‘ZIONIST’ PLOT TO DESTROY ARAB WORLD CAIRO: The head of Egypt’s Al-Azhar, one of Islam’s highest seats of learning, said on Monday that jihadists aligned with the Islamic State (IS) were “criminals” serving a “Zionist” plot to “destroy the Arab world.” “These criminals have been able to transmit to the world a tarnished and alarming image of Muslims,” Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb said. “These fundamentalist terrorist groups, whatever their names, and their backers are colonial creations that serve Zionism in its plot to destroy the Arab world.” Al-Azhar is Egypt’s top religious authority and runs a university long seen as the most prestigious centre of Muslim learning. It espouses a different school of theology within Sunnism than the radical Salafi views of the Islamic State and other jihadist groups, and has backed a government crackdown on opposition. AGENCIES
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Arab League ministers agree to confront Islamic State CAIRO MEETING ENDORSES UN RESOLUTION TARGETING SUPPORT FOR ISLAMIST EXTREMISTS CAIRO
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RAB League foreign ministers agreed Monday to take all necessary measures to confront Islamic State and co-operate with international, regional and national efforts to combat militants who have overrun swathes of Iraq and Syria. The league also endorsed in the closing statement of its meeting in Cairo a UN Security Council resolution passed last month calling on member states to “act to suppress the flow of foreign fighters, financing and other support to Islamist extremist groups in Iraq and Syria”. Baghdad had earlier submitted a draft resolution endorsing its own efforts to
confront militants who have seized large areas for a cross-border caliphate and to condemn Islamic State’s actions as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Diplomatic sources said before the meeting that Arab foreign ministers were set to endorse a US aerial campaign against the group and Egypt’s official Mena news agency said the ministers would agree to co-ordinate with the United States. The final text did not directly endorse either the Iraqi or US campaigns but diplomatic sources said the wording clearly offered Arab co-operation and could be read as a tacit agreement to back Washington. At the opening session, several foreign ministers spoke of the gravity of the challenge posed by IS in Iraq as well as the violence that has
engulfed Libya and other regions. Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi told the session that IS successes in Iraq challenged not merely the authority of the state but “its very existence and the existence of other states” and called for a decisive res-
olution to confront terrorism militarily, politically, economically and culturally. Arabi suggested that military action could take place under the umbrella of an Arab League joint defence pact. It was not clear whether the Arab
commitment to take all necessary action against Islamic State and other militant groups would include direct military involvement in Iraq or Syria. President Barack Obama declared last week that the United States was ready to “take out” leaders of IS, and said NATO allies were prepared to join military action against a movement that he labelled a major threat to the West. US warplanes carried out four strikes against Islamic State militants threatening western Iraq’s Haditha Dam early Sunday, broadening the campaign against the fighters. Obama would like Gulf Arab states to consider military action, but also to support Sunni Muslim moderates in Iraq and Syria who could undermine the appeal of Islamic State. Secretary of state John Kerry is to travel to Saudi Arabia and Jordan in the coming week for talks with Gulf leaders to determine whether they are prepared to back up their anti-jihadist rhetoric with action.
Obama to outline strategy as US expands Iraq strikes US PRESIDENT SAYS WILL NOT ANNOUNCE RETURN OF AMERICAN GROUND TROOPS TO IRAQ, AND WOULD FOCUS INSTEAD ON ‘COUNTER-TERRORISM CAMPAIGN’ BARWANA AGENCIES
US President Barack Obama has announced he will unveil a strategy to defeat Islamic State as the US expanded its air campaign against the militants, and Arab states vowed to take all “necessary measures” to confront the threat. In another critical step in the battle against IS, the sharply divided Iraqi parliament will vote on a new government on Monday. Premier-designate Haidar al Abadi is hoping to bring some sta-
bility to Iraq’s fractious politics at a time when it is struggling to combat the threat from IS militants who have seized control of swathes of the country. The US stepped up its month-long air campaign against IS on Sunday, striking targets around the strategic Haditha dam on the Euphrates River. Iraqi forces sought to capitalise on the air strikes, which have largely been limited to the north since they began on August 8, attacking militants in the area and retaking the town of Barwana. Obama made his political career opposing the war in Iraq and
pulled out US troops in 2011, but has recently drawn flak for failing to outline a strategy to combat IS. He announced he will make a speech on Wednesday to lay out his “game plan” to deal with the militants. “I’m preparing the country to make sure that we deal with a threat from” IS, Obama said in an interview aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press”. He said he would not announce the return of American ground troops to Iraq, and would focus instead on a “counter-terrorism campaign”. “We are going to systematically
degrade their capabilities. We’re going to shrink the territory that they control. And ultimately we’re going to defeat them,” Obama said. Arab League chief Nabil al Arabi, meanwhile, said the bloc’s 22 members had agreed to confront IS. “The Arab foreign ministers have agreed to take the necessary measures to confront terrorist groups including” IS, he told reporters in Cairo, without explicitly supporting US calls for a coalition to back its air campaign. Sunday’s US air strikes targeted an area that the militants
Islamic State fighters using US arms: study LONDON AGENCIES
Islamic State fighters appear to be using captured US military issue arms and weapons supplied to moderate rebels in Syria by Saudi Arabia, according to a report published on Monday. The study by the London-based smallarms research organisation Conflict Armament Research documented weapons seized by Kurdish forces from militants in Iraq and Syria over a 10-day period in July. The report said the militants disposed of “significant quantities” of US-made
small arms including M16 assault rifles and included photos showing the markings “Property of US Govt”. It also found that anti-tank rockets used by IS in Syria were “identical to M79 rockets transferred by Saudi Arabia to forces operating under the Free Syrian Army umbrella in 2013″. The rockets were made in the then Yugoslavia in the 1980s. Islamic State is believed to have seized large quantities of weapons from Syrian military installations it has captured, as well as arms supplied by the United States to the Iraqi army after it swept through northern Iraq in recent weeks.
Suicide bombers kill 10 in Iraq town SAMARRA AGENCIES
Two suicide bombers detonated explosivesrigged vehicles on Monday in a town north of the Iraqi capital that has battled militants,
killing 10 people, police and a doctor said. The blasts in Dhuluiyah – which was overrun by militants but drove them out and then put up fierce resistance when they sought to take it a second time – also wounded more than 30 people, the sources said.
Saudi Arabia jails six for going abroad to fight RIYADH AGENCIES
Saudi Arabia’s Specialised Criminal Court jailed six people for up to six years for security offences including travelling abroad to fight, adopting militant ideology and “breaking obedience to the ruler”, state media reported late on Sunday. The kingdom imprisoned dozens of people last month in security trials amid fears that the conflicts in Iraq and Syria will radicalise a new generation of young Saudis. The six sentenced on Sunday were also banned from travelling for fixed periods after their release. In February, King Abdullah decreed prison terms of three to 20 years for travelling abroad to fight and of five to 30 years for giving moral or material support
to banned groups that the government has designated as extremist. These include Al Qaeda, Islamic State, Nusra Front, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthi movement. Saudi Arabia has detained over 11,000 people since a wave of attacks from 200306 against government and foreign targets in the conservative Islamic kingdom staged by al Qaeda militants who had fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. Officials say there are more than 2,500 Saudis now outside the country who are believed to be working with militant organisations. A big proportion of them are thought to be in Syria, where Riyadh has sent arms and cash to some rebel groups fighting against President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of its main regional foe Iran, but says it has been careful not to back militants.
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have repeatedly tried to capture from government troops and their Sunni militia allies. The strikes destroyed four Humvees, four armed vehicles, two fighting positions and a command post, the US Central Command said in a statement. Pentagon spokesperson Rear Admiral John Kirby said in an earlier statement that “the potential loss of control of the dam or a catastrophic failure of the dam – and the flooding that might result – would have threatened US personnel and facilities in and around Baghdad, as well as thousands of Iraqi citizens”. Iraqi troops and militia retook Barwana, east of Haditha, from the militants, who abandoned their weapons and vehicles
in their retreat. “Joint forces backed by air support and tribesmen launched a wide attack to clear the areas surrounding the Haditha district,” security spokesperson Lieutenant General Qassem Atta told reporters. The black IS banner was lowered from the town’s main checkpoint and the Iraqi flag raised. However, the victory was marred when a mortar round slammed into the town, wounding Anbar Governor Ahmed al Dulaimi as well as Abdulhakim al Jughaifi, the administrative official responsible for Haditha, and seven soldiers. A suicide bomber then struck the convoy carrying Dulaimi to a nearby hospital, killing a soldier and wounding six.
06 LAHORE
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Tuesday, 9 September, 2014
Relief activities in floodhit areas in full swing
Train service on Lahore-Narowal section suspended LAHORE: The train service on Lahore-Narowal and Sialkot sections remained suspended on the second consecutive day due to flood near the Badomalhi Railway Station on Monday. A Pakistan Railways official said that water had inundated railway tracks on the section due to which the service was suspended. He said workers were trying to clear the track and the service would be restored by the end of today or tomorrow. On the other hand, passengers had to face immense problems and travelled by buses. APP
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LOOd relief activities are in progress at full throttle in the flood-hit areas and 126 relief camps have been setup to facilitate affectees. Punjab Chief Relief Commissioner Nadeem Ashraf Monday said that cooked food is being provided to the affectees in these camps. He said that funds have been released to the dCOs concerned of affected districts for the relief activities. He said that in eighteen affected districts, more than 23 tents, 4,000 mineral water bottles and 36,000 food hampers have already been provided. National disaster Management Authority (NdMA) has also sent about 3,000 tents to the flood affected areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). According to the NdMA officials, three thousand blan-
kets have also been sent to the affected area. Meanwhile, the Punjab disaster Management Authority (PdMA) has provided additional 2,100 tents to the flood victims besides packs of food and other essential commodities. Flood situation in Chenab, Jhelum and Ravi rivers, Chenab is in high flood at Marala, Khanki and Qadirabad but the water level is receding. According to Flood Forecasting division, water level at Marala is 127,000 cusecs, 240,000 at Khanki and 256,000 at Qadirabad. In River Chenab, peak of flood is passing Chiniot where water level is 828,000 cusecs and increasing. The peak of flood of about 900,000 cusecs will reach Trimmu Headworks during the next 12 to 18 hours. River Jhelum is in medium flood at Rasul Headworks where water level is 118,000 cusecs. River Ravi is in medium flood at Shahdra and Balloki. However, water level is increasing at both the places.
Filling the nursing care gap in Pakistani healthcare system LAHORE: The first-ever skilled nursing facility with an exclusive dialysis Lounge has opened in Lahore. Fresh Nursing Facility offers 24/7 nursing care, a low patient to doctor ratio with an emphasis on care with dignity and respect. This facility has been launched in order to fill a gap in the Pakistani healthcare system by serving as a bridge between the home and the hospital for patients of any age who need nursing, palliative or comfort care. Both long term care as well as short term respite stay patients are welcome and ensured compassionate and highly professional nursing care that is in accordance with international standards in a home-like environment. The 24/7 dialysis facility with self care offers a hygienic and comfortable experience in a lounge environment to enhance patient experience. PRESS RELEASE
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Rain takes a break Hot, humid weather to continue LAHORE: Mainly hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the country including the provincial capital during the next 24 hours, while same spirit of weather is likely to continue in the province throughout the week. According to the Met office, a well marked low pressure area is now located over India’s Vidarbha and adjoining areas, and is expected to move northwestwards and likely to weaken into low pressure area during next 24 hours. Seasonal low lies over Baluchistan and adjoining areas while weak monsoon currents are penetrating into Kashmir and adjoining areas. Weather remained hot and humid during last 24 hours. In the provincial capital maximum temperature was recorded as 33 degree Celsius with humidity level touching 62 percent on Monday. APP
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Tuesday, 9 September, 2014
Journalist fraternity condemns aggression against Geo News PROTESTERS FROM DIFFERENT MEDIA HOUSES CONDEMN ATTACKS ON GEO OFFICE IN ISLAMABAD
LAHORE: One more child suffered from dengue virus on Monday, increasing number of dengue affected patients to 27 across Punjab in 2014. According to the Punjab Health department, 13-year-old Muhammad Umar was brought to hospital from Muridke. The boy was tested positive for dengue. INP
STAFF REPORT
large number of journalists belonging to different media groups gathered in front of the Punjab assembly, on Monday, to protest against unjustified attacks on the offices of Geo TV network, Pakistan Today learnt.
Scores of journalists from the Jang Group were accompanied by various journalist organisations and fellows from other media houses to show solidarity against attacks on the Geo TV. The protest started after protestors in Islamabad have made it a routine to attack the TV channel office and its dSNGs. It has also put the employees of the group under constant fear of attack.
The journalists were holding banners and placards inscribed with their demand to relax the ‘illegal’ ban on the Geo TV. The journalists also raised slogans in favour of senior anchor Hamid Mir terming him the ‘face’ of the country. The protesters were accompanied by senior journalists belonging to different media houses. The large gathering held a walk from the Punjab Assem-
bly to Faisal Chowk and raised slogans against the aggressors. “We will continue this battle until all the ban on the Geo TV is completely lifted,” one of the protestors chanted. “The journalist community is united and onslaught against one channel will be taken as an attack against all. We demand the government to put the culprits behind the bars,” a senior journalist added.
LHC dismisses intra-court appeal seeking PM’s disqualification LAHORE STAFF REPORT
Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday rejected an intra-court appeal filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking disqualification of Nawaz Sharif and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan as prime minister (PM) and interior minister respectively. The petition was filed by PTI Lahore Vice President Gohar Nawaz Sindhu. It was stated in the petition that PM Sharif and Interior Minister Nisar lied about the role of the Pakistan Army as a mediator in the ongoing political crisis in the country and there was an attempt to defame the military. It was further stated that the two leaders do not meet the conditions stated in the Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution for an individual to hold a public office. A two-member bench comprising of
Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Faisal Zaman heard the intra-court appeal of the PTI. Justice Ijaz said that the issue is based on the choice of words by the two leaders. “Are you giving statement on behalf of the military or someone else,” he asked. Sandhu replied that he is representing the PTI in the proceeding. deputy Attorney General Waqas Qadeer dar argued that the appeal is nonmaintainable. He added that there are ways mentioned in the Constitution to disqualify a prime minister. The court remarked that the leaders are immunised for their statements in the Parliament and the statements cannot be challenged. The court after listening to the arguments dismissed the appeal. It should be noted that a single member bench of the LHC had also rejected a similar petition.
PML-N MPA Shamim Akhtar’s husband murdered LAHORE STAFF REPORT
Husband of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Punjab Assembly Memeber (MPA) Shahmim Akhtar was mysteriously murdered inside their residence in Samanabad on Sunday. The 70-year-old Mian Kabir Ahmed was found
FAISALABAD: Judge Malik Ishtiaq Ahmad has extended the remand of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Punjab Assembly Member Rana Shoaib and 6 other co-accused by two days. The court has ordered to produce the accused on 10th. Faisalabad police pleaded before the court that it needed further physical remand of the accused to get to the bottom of the incident of attacking the police station, freeing the accused and arms used in the incident. Therefore, a physical remand five more days be granted, the police pleaded. The court extended the remand by two days. ONLINE
One more child suffers from dengue
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Rana Shoaib, six co-accused remanded for two more days
dead inside his room early Monday, the police said, adding that the body had been sent for autopsy to ascertain cause of death. Akhtar said she was out of her home to attend a wedding ceremony. She accused that a suspect named Nomi poisoned her husband to death. She told the police that Nomi had been sending
them life threats for the past few days. On the other hand, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the murder incident and directed Punjab inspector general of police to submit a report and arrest culprits involved in the murder at earliest. The CM also expressed his condolences to the bereaved family.
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Gang rape victim dies in Multan MULTAN: A 22-year-old girl, who was gang raped in dera Ghazi Khan, died in a private hospital on Monday. As per reports, Saima Iqbal attempted self-immolation after she was denied justice and was shifted to Multan Nishtar Hospital where her condition was declared critical. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the incident after the girl burnt herself. The parents of the girl have demanded immediate arrest of the accused and police officers who intentionally did not arrest the culprits. INP
08 COMMENT
Tuesday, 9 September, 2014
Involving allies to resolve the crisis?
Cooperation amidst a catastrophe
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Time to relieve tensions between India and Pakistan is now
Is it such a bad idea?
RReSPeCTIve of their discords Pakistan and India face common challenges that they cannot cope with without mutual cooperation. These include challenges posed by the climate change that can alternately result in drought and extraordinary rains, at times causing floods and at others food and water shortages. Natural calamities too have at times simultaneously hit parts of the two countries, as did the 2005 earthquake. The extra heavy downpour in the catchment areas early this month has wreaked havoc in Indian-occupied Kashmir as well as in AJK, KP and Punjab. This led Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reach out to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. Modi has offered assistance for carrying out relief operations in flood hit areas of AJK. Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson has reciprocated by offering help to India to mitigate the suffering of the people of the Indian-occupied Kashmir caused by similar floods. The initial goodwill expressed by both sides after the Indian elections has yet to produce concrete results. Kashmir as usual has proved to be the stumbling block. The scheduled meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries was called off by India on account of Pakistani high Commissioner’s consultative session with a hurriyet leader. On account of the history of the two countries’ relations, ups and downs in efforts to bring the two together are not unexpected. What is needed meanwhile is to get rid of the old stereotypes and do some out of the box thinking. An attempt in the direction was claimed by Pervez Musharraf in 2006. The Musharraf plan visualised wideranging autonomy for Kashmir, with Islamabad and New Delhi jointly supervising the region. Any daring move requires a prior environment of trust between the two countries. Any suggestion from either side that helps promote goodwill should therefore be accepted. Both countries have to take measures to relieve the suffering of the Kashmiri victims of the floods on their respective sides of the LoC. Wherever mutual cooperation is required it should be undertaken without hesitation.
The Chinese president’s visit Was he? Wasn’t he?
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O, the Chinese government finally clarifies that the president was due to visit Pakistan shortly, but not anymore. It’s not as if the visit has been called off altogether, but it will be a while before new dates are settled. About time the clarification came, considering how many different sides of the story the public has been treated to; not to mention the Chinese government also contradicting its embassy here. Strangely, sad as the government seems at the postponement, it also serves as a political victory, of sorts, for the N league. The latest is that the delay is because of political uncertainty inside Pakistan, and since that uncertainty is caused by PTI and PAT dharnas¸ and since the government cried itself hoarse about just such a possibility, it will win some I-told-you-so points, even if it is at the cost of the country as a whole. The Chinese were also visibly up to scratch with their diplomacy. They are confident that Pakistanis will solve their political problems amicably, and also went out of their way to stress the extraordinary nature of our friendship. Yet they didn’t clear the uncertainty regarding Chinese investment the N league criticises the dharnas of compromising. A number of avenues are being discussed, they said, in classical diplomatic double-speak, making sure the answer doesn’t clarify much. They also didn’t explain why sit-ins of the sort Islamabad is experiencing should affect such high-profile visits, which are usually scheduled months in advance (even if this one was still without final dates, etc). If such a precedent was set, many leaders, especially western, would have a tough time travelling anywhere. Capitals were routinely choked with protestors whenever Bush and Blair would visit other countries during the war-onterror days. Similar protests were seen when the G-8 congregated to discuss international tariffs, etc. Granted, the protests have milked the economy in no small manner. But shouldn’t the government project a positive image of the country, its own inner political crosscurrents notwithstanding? It is hoped that the N league is not playing along with such delays and cancellations to make the protestors look worse. The Chinese president’s visit is extremely important. It should be facilitated as soon as possible. And the sooner the government settles its differences with PTI/PAT the better.
Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami
Arif Nizami Editor
Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad Joint Editor Lahore – Ph: 042-36375963, 042-36375965
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Yasmeen aftab ali
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he Times of India in an article published on September 3, 2014, states, “Amid escalating political crisis in Pakistan, the US has ruled out any mediation in that country and asked all stakeholders to work together to resolve their differences through peaceful democratic means.” “We’re in no way involved in the process or discussions between parties,” State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference yesterday. Pakistan’s relationship with America has been one based on love-hate, based on conflicting expectations from one another. I quite support the idea of USA refraining from interfering in a manner that is direct and may allow Pakistanis to claim the entire unfortunate development as a written script by them. That of course will not do. however, the question whether or not to gently prod or act as a go-between in a stalemate between parties in confrontation in another country is a delicate one. Intervention can have many faces like war, diplomatic pressure and negotiations. The face I talk about here is of diplomatic pressure. It is pointless philosophising whether or not diplomatic pressure to resolve a situation that may be an internal one but has the seeds within to blow into a regional catastrophe, be used or not for larger benefit. Academically speaking, yes it may be deemed as overstepping boundaries but sometimes in an onground deadlock leading to death of innocent people, damage to private and public property,
Yasmeen Aftab Ali is a lawyer, academic and political analyst. She has authored a book titled ‘A Comparative Analysis of Media & Media Laws in Pakistan.’ She can be contacted at: yasmeenali62@gmail.com and tweets at @yasmeen_9.
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Editor’s mail
On the wrong side of history Needless to comment or elaborate the stance of three contestants on the present mega turmoil obtaining in the country, will it be wrong to surmise that they all are on the wrong side of history? Completely oblivious of national interests, the lust for violence and power are their riding horses. Self-righteousness coupled with verbosity bordering on insanity is driving the country on the edge of an abyss. Selfenamoured, none is ready to budge an inch from the hard positions of obstinacy. The sufferers were, and are, the masses and they will continue to remain in the position in future too. Pseudo-intellectuals are trying to maintain and snatch the throne of power. Advice is to sit back and ponders on the consequences of this three-sided mayhem under the light of national integrity and security. MUSTAHSAN ALI TIRMIZI Lahore
Chinese president’s visit The Chinese president has postponed his visit to Pakistan due the ongoing political crisis. According to media reports Pakistan was hoping to sign $34 billion worth of deals during his visit. The country is already facing energy crisis and it needs huge investment to boost power generation to meet industrial and domestic needs, due to which the imports and exports of the country are badly suffering which in turn, according to government estimates, has caused over Rs600 billion loss due to the crisis. Not only this, but the Sri Lankan president has also delayed his visit due to the same reason. Many important projects such as Thar coal project, LNG Terminal and its import, coalbased power projects with assistant from the Chinese and many other developments have come to a halt. According to a survey conducted by the Overseas Investors Chamber
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ior official in Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, says those close ties will only strengthen ties between Islamabad and Riyadh. “During former President Asif Ali Zardari’s tenure, relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were not really warm but as we know that PM Sharif has good relations with the Saudi ruling family and that further strengthens the bilateral ties.” (February 19, 2014) Saudi Arabia recently gave a gift of $1.5bn for Syria support recently i.e., a surety that Pakistan will not sell arms to Syria. (Arabian Business.com March 18, 2014) Can Saudi Arabia gently guide Sharif to defuse the situation? One, Sharif will be more open to an advice from Saudi Arabia. Two, if Saudi Arabia helps Sharif extricate himself from the corner he has managed to paint himself in, this may give Saudi Arabia an advantage over the relationship. Can Saudi Arabia influence Imran Khan? Imran certainly has a favourable view of Saudi Arabia placing its relationship with Pakistan on the same footing as China. Going through his interview in Asharq Al-Awsat (a pan-Arab daily newspaper) published November 3, 2008, one can read: “Q: What are your views of how Pakistan’s relationship should be with the following countries: India, Saudi Arabia, Iran, USA? A: India: One thing for sure, we will always be neighbours so we should have good relations, Kashmir will always be a problem but I think we should listen to what the people in Kashmir say. Saudi Arabia: It has been a long time supportive friend of Pakistan, as was China. USA: No doubt a superpower, I would rather our relationship with them is on a friend’s basis and not on a master/slave basis.” With the revolution ebbing in no measure due to torrential rains and harsh weather, this may peter out on its own. If not, the need for diplomatic pressure to ease off mounting tensions and civil anarchy may be the need of the day. If all else fails, is there any harm in resorting to this measure?
destruction of the law and order fabric of the society, to name a few situations, the exertion of diplomatic pressure through foreign office of a friendly state may be a good idea if all else fails. To those who oppose the thought, remember that the role and concept of arbitration in law is as old as the law itself and acceptable by countries of the world. Dr Milan Jazbec, a practitioner and researcher in diplomacy, defines it as, “Diplomacy is a skill. A skilful diplomat is nothing but a persuasive one. how to persuade would be the next question. Persuasion, understood as an approach, method, and skill, for sure easily – or at all – stands out because of personal qualities of a diplomat in question i.e., the one engaged in a process. here, we could refer to Nicholson, who claims that an efficient, or even an ideal, diplomat (meaning also a negotiator) should derive their success from moral influence, which is founded on seven specific diplomatic virtues: truthfulness, precision, calm, good temper, patience, modesty, and loyalty. (Source: Persuasion, the Essence of Diplomacy. Published 2013) In the scenario presently prevailing in Pakistan, the parties in confrontation having failed to come to a reasonable understanding, does it make sense for a friendly country to give a nudge in the right direction? On a personal level, I do not support army acting as a guarantor as it politicises the institution and may be accused of being less than partial at some point. One name that crops up in mind of a country that may play a decisive role in breaking the political logjam is Saudi Arabia. It is a fact that Saudi Arabia enjoys a special relationship with Pakistan and had played host to the present Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif in the years Pervez Musharraf reigned supreme. Iran’s desire to go nuclear and Saudi Arabia’s obvious reasons of discomfort with this makes Pakistan a favourite. The military cooperation between the two nations has strengthened as a result and includes training of Saudi pilots by Pakistan Air Force. Quoting Kokab Farshori in his piece for Voice of America, “Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also enjoys exceptionally close ties with senior members of the Saudi royal family. When Sharif was toppled in a bloodless military coup in 1999, Saudi Arabia intervened and military chief, Pervez Musharraf allowed Sharif and his family to travel into exile in Saudi Arabia. Mehmood Shah, a former Pakistani army brigadier and sen-
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of Commerce and Industries the business community has also suffered a major setback as almost half of the scheduled business meetings with overseas shareholders and regional management in Pakistan have been cancelled or postponed. The ongoing crisis has badly dented investor confidence, hurting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) prospects. The political crisis is causing serious damage to the national economy. These marches are affecting the national economy and causing political unrest which will affect foreign investment and commencement of mega projects to further strengthen national economy. It is strongly advised that the economic and foreign relations should not be affected by political tussle. I request the government and protesters to get together and resolve their issues before any major setback happens. Let’s be patriotic about this and look at the bigger picture; the sit-ins are causing damage not only to the country’s economy but to its political and foreign relations. Suffering the worst is the ‘common man’. Isn’t he the one they’re (the government and the protesters) fighting for? MAAZ ABBASI Karachi
Politics and economy Pakistan has been facing severe energy crisis for over a decade and the gap between production and consumption has been widening with every tick of the clock. Pakistan’s existing energy mix is no longer affordable as approximately 40% of power generation is dependent on imported residual fuel oil. This results in higher cost of power generation and high import bills draining country’s foreign reserves. It is high time to change our priorities and start using coal and import LNG to replace the costly furnace oil and diesel. Globally, the percentage of energy production through coal is approximately 41%. Despite sitting on one of the largest coal reserves in the world Pakistan produces only 0.1% of its power through coal, which is alarming and
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criminal negligence. Being Pakistani we should have a national agenda regardless of our political affiliations and geographical position. The national agenda should prioritise the economy as many of current problems stems from poverty, unemployment and illiteracy. An economically vibrant Pakistan guarantees welfare of its citizens. I would request the current government to expedite the Thar coal project as well as the LNG import plan so that we could cater to the rising energy needs at affordable and sustainable level. The companies which are working on such national level important projects should be supported with good policies and timely decisions to avoid further delay. Pakistan can’t afford to remain in the mess as it is in the condition right now and we should all be united on a national agenda in the larger interest of this country. FARAZ SHAFQAT USMANI Karachi
Overdose of political agitation There is flood emergency situation in the streets, towns and cities of the province and “Naya Pakistan” is in the making in rhetoric at containers in the Capital city. The sudden flood emergency situation necessitates focused and centralised government attention, joint political resources, media presence, and humanitarian assistance on ground. however we see no considerable change in the politics of agitation at work in Islamabad. The parties are not elaborating what would have been their suggested formula to deal with such situation. They are rather busy in the same trite discourse of allegations and counter allegations. It is hoped that political parties which vow to be the torch bearer for new developed Pakistan, at least for now realise in their political strategy the severity of the humanitarian situation of the country and give it a priority over political intangible issues. FARVAT MALIK Lahore
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WORLD VIEW 09
Tuesday, 9 September, 2014
Pakistani democracy on its knees New YorK TimeS
t
aLi daYan hasan
HE violence has subsided and the politicians are negotiating, but the protesters are still asking for the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was elected only last year. Democrats here, as well as much of civil society and the media, insist that the military has something to do with this crisis. They suspect it of supporting the cricketer turned politician Imran Khan and the anti-Taliban cleric Muhammad Tahir-ul Qadri, the two marginal but influential politicians behind these unprecedented demonstrations, in their bid to take down the government. This is true, but it is only half the truth. Of course, Pakistan is partly a praetorian state and the generals would like to see Mr. Sharif go. But the military has not manufactured the anger that is visible on the streets of Islamabad. Whatever the motivations of the protests’ leaders, or of their behind-the-scenes backers, the people’s grievances are only too real. Pakistani democracy is on its knees. For more than three weeks, Islamabad, the country’s otherwise pristine capital, has been overrun by tens of thousands of demonstrators. Sweltering heat, torrential rain, food and water shortages, inadequate toilet facilities, the resulting stench of excrement — nothing seems to deter the demonstrators from occupying the city’s so-called Red Zone, home to major government buildings including parliament and the prime minister’s official residence. For over two weeks, the sit-in remained peaceful. Then on Aug. 31, when protesters decided to move in front of Mr. Sharif’s residence, the government cracked down. That triggered 48 hours of violence, which killed three people and wounded at least 500, including dozens of police officers. Hundreds of protesters were arrested. Thousands of people remain on the streets of Islamabad while a delegation of opposition parties tries to broker a settlement with Mr. Khan and Mr. Qadri. (The 11 other political parties in Parliament, including the main opposition Pakistan People’s Party led
by former president Asif Ali Zardari, have rallied around Mr. Sharif.) The idea would be to leave Mr. Sharif in office, at least for now, but address the protesters’ demands for reform. Mr. Khan claims that last year’s election was rigged at Mr. Sharif’s behest and is demanding his ouster, electoral reforms and new polls. Mr. Khan is a sore loser. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, won 35 of 342 seats in Parliament and control of the government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, which borders Afghanistan. But Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which is war-torn and poor, is an inadequate vehicle for Mr. Khan’s ambitions, and so Mr. Khan has set out to dethrone the prime minister. In the process, this brazen Taliban apologist has infused ignorance and arrogance into the national political conversation. Between asinine references to his sporting career and crass allusions to Mr. Sharif, Mr. Khan has advocated tax evasion, lawlessness and money laundering as forms of civil disobedience against the state. Inconveniently for the prime minister, Mr. Khan hails from the same power base: the urban, densely populated, affluent swathe of North Punjab, which stretches from Lahore, the provincial capital, to Islamabad and accounts for well over a quarter of the seats in Parliament. North Punjab is the military’s recruiting ground and the historical beneficiary of its dominance. North P u n jabis,
roughly one-third of Pakistan’s entire population, are the country’s premier citizens. They dominate its political, military and bureaucratic elites, its unruly media, its civil society. Over the years, Mr. Sharif has gone from military protégé to ardent democrat. This transformation is popular with Punjabis, which means he is now less vulnerable to being deposed by the military. On the other hand, it has created space for Mr. Khan to represent the region’s pro-military sentiment. Had protesters, or political leaders, from Pakistan’s smaller provinces displayed as much gall as Mr. Khan has, they would have been put back in their place with swift brutality. But just as the military cannot afford to carry out a direct coup against Mr. Sharif, Mr. Sharif must tolerate Mr. Khan and his supporters. Mr. Qadri, the cleric, is an altogether more complex entity. His party boycotted the election last year, and now he is calling for a revolution to bring about genuine democracy. A fiery orator, Mr. Qadri spouts powerful rhetoric about social exclusion and disempowerment, and oversees a broadbased alliance of persecuted Shiite and anti-Taliban Sunni Muslims. His supporters — a pious and literate cross-section of society — makes up much of the crowd at the sit-in: It was the unprovoked June 17 at-
tack by the Sharif-controlled police on Mr. Qadri’s headquarters in Lahore, which killed 14 people, that provided the impetus for the protests. That murderous attack, and the government’s initial refusal to allow the victims’ families to file a complaint against the prime minister and other officials, touched a raw nerve among ordinary people: It was yet another abuse of the criminal justice system. The use of the police, judiciary and administration for partisan purposes makes a mockery of claims that with democracy comes the rule of law. And it does far more to delegitimize the democratic project than any power-grabbing plot by the military. After the election last year, Mr. Zardari, who was then president, transferred power to Mr. Sharif despite uncertainties surrounding the margin of Mr. Sharif’s victory, partly in order to forestall the possibility of a military intervention. But today the protesters regard that move, and Mr. Zardari’s support for Mr. Sharif, less as a sign of his commitment to democracy than as more wheeling and dealing within an entrenched political elite. This view would be less persuasive if the political elite had spent more time trying to fix Pakistan’s broken governance system by encouraging political participation and restructuring state institutions to be less unaccountable, partisan and violent. But the politicians have only let the authority of the state crumble further, and the citizenry is increasingly frustrated. Grandstanding about the supremacy of civilian rule is no substitute for addressing the root causes of Pakistan’s dysfunctions: the denial of justice and rights, growing inequity, insecurity, a distrust of state institutions. Pakistan needs electoral and judicial reform, an overhaul of the criminal justice system and the creation of elected local government institutions. A weakened Mr. Sharif may manage to cling on to office for a little while longer by ceding yet more power to the military. But when you preside over a bully state, eventually the biggest bully on the block will kick your teeth in. Ali Dayan Hasan is a Pakistani human rights activist.
Why is the Muslim world in thrall to conspiracy theories? New STaTeSmaN Mehdi hasan
Did you know that Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, was trained by Mossad and the CIA? Were you aware that his real name isn’t Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim Ali Al Badri Al Samarrai but Simon Elliot? Or that he’s a Jewish actor who was recruited by the Israelis to play the part of the world’s most wanted terrorist? If the messages in my email inbox and my Twitter timeline and on my Facebook page are anything to go by, plenty of Muslims are not only willing to believe this nonsensical drivel but are super-keen to share it with their friends. The bizarre claim that NSA documents released by Edward Snowden “prove” the U.S. and Israel are behind Al Baghdadi’s actions has gone viral. There’s only one problem. “It’s utter BS,” Glenn Greenwald, the investigative journalist who helped break the NSA story, told me. “Snowden never said anything like that and no [NSA] documents suggest it.” Snowden’s lawyer, Ben Wizner, has called the story a hoax. But millions of Muslims across the globe have a soft spot for such hoaxes. Conspiracy theories are rife in both Muslim-majority countries and Muslim communities here in the west. The events of 9/11 and the subsequent “war on terror” unleashed a vast array of hoaxers, hucksters, and fantasists from Birmingham to Beirut. On a visit to Iraq in 2002, I met a senior Islamic cleric who told me that Jews, not Arabs, had been responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. He loudly repeated the Middle East’s most popular and pernicious 9/11 conspiracy theory: that 4,000 Jews didn’t turn up for work on September 11, 2001 because they had been forewarned about the attacks. There is, of course, no evidence for this outlandish and offensive claim. The truth is that more than 200 Jews, including several Israeli citizens,
were killed in the attacks on the twin towers. I guess they must have missed the memo from Mossad. Yet the denialism persists. A Pew poll in 2011, a decade after 9/11, found that a majority of respondents in countries such as Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon refused to believe that the attacks were carried out by Arab members of Al Qaeda. “There is no Muslim public in which even 30 percent accept that Arabs conducted the attacks,” the Pew researchers noted. This blindness isn’t peculiar to the Arab world or the Middle East. Consider Pakistan, home to many of the world’s weirdest and wackiest conspiracy theories. Some Pakistanis say the schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai is a CIA agent. Others think that the heavy floods of 2010, which killed 2,000 Pakistanis, were caused by secret U.S. military technology. And two out of three don’t believe Osama Bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs on Pakistani soil on May 2, 2011. Consider also Nigeria, where there was a polio outbreak in 2003 after local people boycotted the vaccine, claiming it was a western plot to infect Muslims with HIV. Then there is Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, where leading politicians and journalists blamed the 2002 Bali bombings on U.S. agents. Why are so many of my fellow Muslims so gullible and so quick to believe bonkers conspiracy theories? How have the pedlars of paranoia amassed such influence within Muslim communities? First, we should be fair: It’s worth noting that Muslim-majority nations have been on the receiving end of various actual conspiracies. France and Britain did secretly conspire to carve up the Middle East between them with the Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916. They also conspired to attack Egypt, with Israel’s help, and thereby provoked the Suez crisis of 1956. Oh, and it turned out there weren’t any WMDs in Iraq in 2003 despite what the dossiers claimed. I once asked the Pakistani politician Imran Khan why his fellow citizens were so keen on conspiracy
theories. “They’re lied to all the time by their leaders,” he replied. “If a society is used to listening to lies all the time ... everything becomes a conspiracy.” The “We’ve been lied to” argument goes only so far. Scepticism may be evidence of a healthy and independent mindset; but conspiracism is a virus that feeds off insecurity and bitterness. As the former Pakistani diplomat Husain Haqqani has admitted, “the contemporary Muslim fascination for conspiracy theories” is a convenient way of “explaining the powerlessness of a community that was at one time the world’s economic, scientific, political, and military leader." Nor is this about ignorance or illiteracy. Those who promulgate a paranoid, conspiratorial worldview within Muslim communities include the highly educated and highly qualified, the rulers as well as the ruled. A recent conspiracy theory blaming the rise of Islamic State on the U.S. government, based on fabricated quotes from Hillary Clinton’s new memoir, was publicly endorsed by Lebanon’s foreign minister and Egypt’s culture minister. Where will it end? When will credulous Muslims stop leaning on the conspiracy crutch? We blame sinister outside powers for all our problems— extremism, despotism, corruption, and the rest—and paint ourselves as helpless victims rather than independent agents. After all, why take responsibility for our actions when it’s far easier to point the finger at the CIA/Mossad/the Jews/the Hindus/fill-in-yourvillain-of-choice? As the Egyptian intellectual Abd Al Munim Said once observed, “The biggest problem with conspiracy theories is that they keep us not only from the truth, but also from confronting our faults and problems.” They also make us look like loons. Can we give it a rest, please? Mehdi Hasan is a New Statesman contributing writer, and works for al-Jazeera English and the Huffington Post U.K.
WE HAVE 10 DAYS TO SAVE THE UNION Telegraph, UK It is now at least conceivable that a fortnight from today negotiations will be under way to administer the break-up of the United Kingdom. Such a prospect seems scarcely credible after 401 years of monarchical, and 307 years of parliamentary, union. Yet for the first time in the Scottish referendum campaign that began 18 long months ago, an independently commissioned opinion poll put the Yes side marginally ahead by 51 per cent to 49 per cent. This was only the second occasion in the 70 or so surveys carried out since the question on the ballot paper was settled that the No side had been behind: the previous poll suggesting a majority in favour of independence was organised by the SNP. Most alarmingly for the pro-Union camp is that the pollsters YouGov have tended to be among the least encouraging for the separatists: a month ago, the organisation gave the No side a 22-point lead. The latest poll, therefore, represents an extraordinary turnaround in just a few weeks and could hardly have come at a more critical moment in a debate that has been rumbling on for 40 years or more. Several caveats need to be entered, however. This was just a single poll and the outcome was within the margin of error. Another opinion survey gave the No camp a four-point lead; and there are still a number of Don’t Knows, most of whom may, in reality, be No voters. But these are straw-clutching observations. There appears to have been a significant, if not necessarily decisive, move of public opinion towards independence over the summer, just as Alex Salmond, Scotland’s First Minister, envisaged when he settled on the September 18 date for the referendum. He anticipated that a succession of events, from the 700th anniversary of the victory at Bannockburn to the successful staging of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, would both remind Scots of their proud history and encourage them to believe that they could once more stand on their own two feet. This appeal to national sentiment has superseded the anxieties many Scots felt when confronted with concerns about their ability to make their way in the world economically. Fundamental arguments over whether living standards will rise or fall, which currency a new country would use and whether membership of the EU would need to be applied for anew have been fought almost to a standstill, even if they remain unanswered. Now, with 10 days to go, the final appeal – as Mr Salmond intended it should be – is to the heart and not the head. This was always going to be the most dangerous moment for the No campaign. Their slogan is Better Together and yet the overwhelming tenor of their approach has been “worse apart”. Rather than extol the positive virtues of the Union, as Boris Johnson does, too great an emphasis has been placed on the negative potential of independence. Mr Salmond has succeeded in neutralising the fear factor around independence, by simply denying there is any cause to be worried. But this does not entirely explain the apparent transformation in public opinion in the space of just a few weeks. The voters that have moved most towards separatism are predominantly Labour supporters, under 40, working-class and women. Why have these particular categories hardened in favour of Yes? One reason is anxiety over the future of the NHS, an issue that featured strongly in the second TV debate between Mr Salmond and Alistair Darling, the former Labour chancellor and leader of the Better Together campaign. Yet fears of a privatised health service have been fomented largely by the Labour Party, who for many years assiduously encouraged the view in Scotland that a Conservative government at Westminster was just about the most appalling prospect imaginable. Labour is now reaping this whirlwind, despatching Ed Miliband, the party leader, and disinterring Gordon Brown, the former prime minister, at the weekend in a desperate 11th-hour attempt to shore up the house they helped undermine. This is supposed to be a non-partisan campaign on the No side and a united front will be presented by the mainstream parties this week, with the publication of specific proposals for devolving additional powers in the event of a No vote. But this risks looking like panic; it needs to be accompanied by a clarion call for the continuation of the western world’s most successful political partnership. Conservative voters in Scotland – and at the last general election there were 412,000 compared to the SNP’s 490,000, not that you hear that statistic very often – are overwhelmingly in favour of staying in the Union and are most likely to turn out. So it is incumbent upon Labour, who have run the Better Together campaign often to the deliberate exclusion of the Tories, to get their supporters to the polls next Thursday to save the Union. As Mr Darling said, this is not a protest vote. Once decided, there is no going back.
10 BUSINESS
Tuesday, 9 September, 2014
IMF chIeF sees world growTh aT 'jusT over Three' per cenT PARIS
T
APP/AFP
HE head of the International Monetary Fund Monday hinted that the global lender could downgrade its forecast for world economic growth this year when it releases new figures next month. "We are in the process of updating our forecasts. World growth should be just above three per cent this year between 3.0 and 3.5 per cent," Christine Lagarde told French business daily Les Echos. The IMF had previously forecast global growth at 3.4 per cent for this year and will release new projections on
October 7. Lagarde said world growth was "too weak, fragile and uneven" and there were "several geopolitical risks" stemming from the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East. The IMF chief urged France to "continue the path of budgetary consolidation" and appeared to warn French authorities not to use the current low level of inflation as an excuse to put off its efforts at deficit reduction. "Even if inflation is weaker than usual, it cannot be used as a screen to put off the necessary efforts on spending," Lagarde emphasised. Last week, in an exclusive interview with AFP, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin hinted France might not meet its budgetary targets due to a low level of inflation.
CORPORATE CORNER pTcl coMMITs To resTore servIces In Flood aFFecTed areas ISLAMABAD: The recent floods have affected a large part of the PTCL network in the flood affected areas. Flood waters have not only flowed into the exchanges, but cable system has also been damaged by the gushing water, resulting in temporary disruption of services to the customers. With a commitment to restore services at the earliest, PTCL has designated special teams to survey the affected areas and as soon as the flood waters begin receding, the repair and service restoration work shall be commenced. Regretting the inconvenience caused, PTCL urges its customers to report on 1218, any service interruption, line and equipment damages they may witness during this period. PRESS RELEASE
saMsung brIngs ITs vIsIon For ‘hoMe oF The FuTure’ To IFa 2014 KARACHI: The President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Boo-Keun Yoon today delivered the opening keynote speech at IFA 2014, calling on the consumer electronics industry to agree on open industry standards so that the ‘Home of the Future’ can meet the demands of people and adapt to their unique needs and lifestyles. “The home of the future is not about the technology, nor is it about being smart and connected,” Mr. Yoon said. “It’s about humanbased innovation. It’s about technology that isn’t overwhelming and works discretely behind the scenes to adjust to consumers’ needs at the right time.” PRESS RELEASE
Major Gainers COMPANY Unilever Foods Wyeth Pak Ltd Exide (PAK) Philip Morris Pak. Hinopak Motor
OPEN 8385.00 4198.39 915.00 733.80 520.00
HIGH 8385.00 4198.40 952.64 733.80 541.86
LOW 8385.00 4198.39 900.00 699.09 518.00
CLOSE CHANGE 8385.00 385.00 4198.40 199.92 952.64 45.36 731.00 31.91 541.86 25.80
TURNOVER 20 60 14,200 3,600 25,600
10400.00 3234.00 1006.90 1044.00 248.50
10380.00 3182.50 912.00 998.00 229.71
10390.00 3228.28 912.00 1003.19 229.71
180 380 200 840 64,900
"We can't have the same targets with an inflation that is becoming very low," Sapin told AFP, in response to a question on whether the target of cutting 21 billion euros ($28 billion) in public spending next year could be jeopardised. France has promised to get its public deficit down to the European Union ceiling of three per cent of gross domestic product next year but this looks increasingly difficult given stagnant growth in the eurozone's second largest economy. The France's government has predicted a deficit of "around four per cent" of gross domestic product this year, an upwards revision from the 3.8 per cent forecast previously. President Francois Hollande's plan
China to become world's largest economy by 2024
to get the French economy moving again, known as the Responsibility Pact, sees some 50 billion euros in spending cuts up until 2017.
EXPORT OF NON-TEXTILE PRODUCTS DIPS
ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Export of non-textile products witnessed a negative growth of 17.40 per cent during the first month of the current fiscal year from a year ago. Exports proceeds in July 2014 reached $0.76 billion as against $0.92 billion in the corresponding month of last year. Export of non-textile products reached $11.40bn in 2013-14 from $11.42bn in the previous year, showing a decline of 0.18pc. There was a decline of 76.33pc year-on-year in export of petroleum products. Petroleum products and naphtha led the decline in the petroleum sector’s export. Last year, export of these products witnessed a substantial growth. Export of carpets and rugs witnessed a growth of 29.93pc during July 2014 period of the current fiscal year from a year ago. However, export of sports goods dipped by 2.52pc year on year during the months under review. Foreign sales of footballs also declined by 7.44pc. Export of tanned leather witnessed a negative growth of 25.38pc in July 2014 from a year ago. Leather products’ export increased by
16.18pc, while export of leather garments rose by 21.22pc during July 2014 from a year ago. Export of gloves also witnessed an increase of 5.09pc during the period under review. Export of footwear swelled by 36.33pc, mainly driven by 61.04pc growth in export of leather footwear. The growth in leather manufacturers and footwear was mainly because of preferential market access in the EU market because of GSP+ scheme. Export of surgical goods and medical instruments went up by 0.67pc. However, export of engineering goods dipped by 13.55pc during the period under review over last year. Year-on-year export of gur was up by 35.62pc, molasses 100pc, furniture 8.57pc and jewellery 153.19pc in July 2014 from a year ago. However, export of cement fell by 33.55pc during the month under review. In the food basket, export of rice witnessed a decline of 15.85pc in the first month of the current fiscal year from a year ago. The decline was witnessed in export of both basmati and non-basmati rice. Export of oil, fish, pulses, vegetables, and fruits witnessed a decline during the period under review. In the budget 2014-15, a support package was given for nine value-added non-textile products. However, it is yet to be implemented. The products identified for support include leather manufacture, footwear, sports goods, surgical, engineering goods, furniture, meat and meat products, fish products and cutlery. An official of the commerce ministry said that decline in non-textile products was mainly owing to energy shortages. The overall decline in exports from these sectors was due to decline in exports of cement and gur.
ISLAMABAD: A report has revealed that China is set to become the world's largest economy by 2024. A global industrial data and analysis company in London, IHS, said in a press release that with an anticipated nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of 28.25 trillion US dollars, China will record the highest GDP, overtaking America (27.31 trillion US dollars), China Daily reported. The company said that China's share of world's GDP was expected to rise from 12 per cent in 2013 to 20 per cent in 2025. Rajiv Biswas, chief Asia economist at IHS, said that the country was expected to re-balance towards more rapid growth in consumption over the next 10 years which would bolster the structure of the domestic economy and the growth of the Asia Pacific region as well. The report said that the Chinese consumer spending was expected to grow at an annual average rate of 7.7 per cent per year becoming a crucial engine of global consumer demand and world growth. This means that Chinese consumers' expenditure will rise from the current three trillion dollars to 11 trillion dollars by 2024. Biswas said the upcoming meeting of the World Economic Forum's New Champions in Tianjin, China will focus on three key areas: science, technology and innovation. APP
About 15.1m cotton bales production expected ISLAMABAD: About 15.1 million cotton bales production is expected during the current crop season as cotton sowing witnessed 4.5 per cent increase in Punjab and 5.8 per cent in Sindh province. The Punjab province had achieved over 94 per cent of crop sowing target set for the current crop season, said cotton commissioner in the Ministry of Textile Industry Dr Khalid Abdullah. Talking to APP on Monday, he said the crop was cultivated over 5.68 million acres as against the set targets of 6 million acres which was up by 4.5 per cent as compared to the sowing of same period last year. He said cotton production in Punjab was expected to reach over 10.5 million bales as the area under crop production has registered significant increase. Meanwhile, in Sindh province crop production was expected to reach 4.5 million bales as the province had achieved 92 per cent of the set sowing targets, he added. Crop had been cultivated on about 1.48 million acres of land as against the set targets of 1.6 million acres for the recent crop season, he added. The cotton commissioner said that filed formations had reported 25-30 maund crop output per acre in Sindh due to favourable weather conditions which was indicating a healthy crop. He said crop position in Fasilabad, Multan, Sahiwal, Rahimyar Khan regions of Punjab was satisfactory and up to the mark where plant population also increased with better development and less Cotton leave curl attacks. Dr Abdullah said that Gothki, Sarkand and Mirpur Khas regions of Sindh had also witnessed better crop out-put during the recent season. APP
Major Losers Rafhan MaizeXD Bata (Pak) Island Textile Murree Brewery Gadoon Textile
10400.00 3205.00 1006.50 1020.00 248.00
-172.50 -121.72 -46.99 -46.81 -12.09
Volume Leaders TRG Pak (R) Faysal Bank TRG Pak Ltd Pak Elektron Ltd Maple Leaf Cement
2.58 16.67 11.91 33.75 29.31
2.58 17.28 12.09 33.89 29.35
2.20 16.63 11.71 32.90 28.60
2.51 17.14 12.01 33.03 28.93
0.93 0.57 0.43 -0.41 -0.03
Interbank Rates USD GBP JPY EURO
PKR 102.1385 PKR 164.6166 PKR 0.9714 PKR 132.2081
Forex UK Pound Sterling Euro US Dollar Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Saudi Riyal U.A.E Dirham China Yuan
BUY
SELL
164.75 132.5 102 94.75 93.50 0.972 27.1 27.7 16.45
165 132.75 102.25 95 93.75 1 27.35 27.95 16.6
11,279,000 7,691,000 6,694,000 5,168,500 3,380,500
FORBES ENLISTS PSO IN WORLD’S TOP 2000 FIRMS KARACHI STAFF REPORT
The state-run oil giant Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has joined the prestigious club of world’s biggest publicly-traded companies on the Forbes 2000 list. The honour was bestowed upon Pakistan’s oil market leader on the basis of its extraordinary business performance, said the PSO officials. Forbes screens companies in four metric: sales, profits, assets and market value with a minimum cut off value in order for a company to qualify. In terms of revenue in comparison with that of US Fortune 500 companies, the PSO, as Pakistan’s largest company in terms of turnover, would rank around 211th on the Forbes list. In FY14, the PSO’s sales revenue crossed the landmark of Rs 1 trillion and achieved turnover worth Rs 1.4 trillion. This showed a growth of nine per cent compared to FY13. The company’s profit after tax increased to Rs 21.8 billion representing an increase of 73 per cent compared to the previous year. At the close of FY14, the PSO achieved a market share of 61.9 per cent
comprising 73 per cent share in Black oil and 53 per cent share in White oil. Hence, the PSO retained leadership position in the oil market establishing itself as a brand of choice for customers. The company crossed Rs 100 billion mark of market capitalization to be one of the few Rs 100 billion plus ‘large cap’ companies of the Karachi Stock Exchange, and its outlook was upgraded by PACRA from ‘stable’ to ‘positive’ with AA+ and A1+ long-term and shortterm credit ratings. During the year under review, the launch of SMS Service for smart fuel card holders, value-added bundle of balance transfer and conversion of strip based fuel cards into smart chip based fuel cards by the PSO showed continuous persuasion of enhancement in customer services through improvement, innovation and technological advancement. The objectives of market development, market penetration and strategic partnership initiatives were ensured through increase in number of retail outlets and expansion of
HBL ATM network. As one of the country’s largest taxpayers, the PSO made its highest ever contribution of Rs 289 billion to the government exchequer in the form of duties and taxes during FY14 which was 10 per cent higher than that made during the previous year. Besides playing its role in the economic prosperity of the country, the PSO as a responsible corporate citizen is also fulfilling all duties and responsibilities towards internal and external stakeholders by supporting the deprived segments of society. The state-run oil-giant proudly participated in relief activities for the earthquake affected populace in Balochistan as part of corporate social responsibility efforts. The company also has donated approximately Rs 40 million to the prime minister’s relief fund for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the militancy-hit North Waziristan in addition to donating a portion of its employees’ salaries for this noble cause.
LEISURE 11
Tuesday, 9 September, 2014
HaGaR tHE HoRRIblE
aries
taurus
gemini
A momentary boost to ego and confidence, a brief reminder of how good you can be when you're on target with the things you do and believe in. Observation now of the small details will allow you to accomplish similar goals with greater regularity, but remember how you did it so it becomes a habit.
You are more perceptive than usual. You see other people's true colors with clarity, and you may discover a secret or the hidden aspect of some situation. Something lost, hidden, or forgotten may come to light. Take your time when trying to deal with this as you may jump to the wrong conclusion.
Acting on impulse, changing your usual routine, improvising and using your intuition rather than following a prescribed, logical way of doing things is called for now. The tempo of your life accelerates now. Expect a rather inconstant, unpredictable, but interesting time.
cancer
leo
virgo
Take a look around you today, you may appreciate and discover the beauty in your life and in those around you. At the same time, everything could take on added value and importance. Be careful that you don't overspend or indulge too much just now. Enjoy.
Tension in your home sector and career zone continue to highlight the see saw nature of your feelings at present. You're swinging between the two areas of your life and probably are wasting a lot of time and energy in making a decision, on either/or. It's probably a case of simply allocating amounts.
A lack of communication will be the problem, if any, today. Avoid arguments so you'll be able to stay balanced. You could become the subject of some gossip or criticism that could be upsetting to you but you know the truth in your heart. Do not get drawn in to these sorts of mind games.
dIlbERt
GaRFIEld
liBra
scorpio
sagittarius
You just may have to give a friend a second chance, even though the greater part of your being says it's time to move on. You do however, owe it to yourself and them to make certain that you're not over-reacting. After all, its always a good idea to give a decent person a second chance.
A sure confidence that all will be well, whatever happens, fills the air, and faith in yourself and others is exactly what will make that come true. A great day for starting things that require sustained confidence and follow-through. Mutual assurance breeds conviction and a platform for all to share.
Try to concentrate on what is really happening in your own back-yard before worrying what is going on anywhere else! You have some amazing opportunities to get into while they are young, and any dilly-dallying could only postpone your future success.
baldo
capricorn
aQuarius
pisces
Clear demands are more easily met and you know where you stand when the possible and impossible are sorted out. Your limitations become clear, so they become easier to work around. Sudden realization of overall requirements and dimensions can give you a better handle on what's really going on today.
This is a busy time for you. You have so much to do and what may seem like not time to do it in. If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed, take a step back from everything and sort your tasks in order of importance. Some things may have to wait, but if you handle the critical responsibilities first nothing will be lost.
Your ability to concentrate and focus on your work is very good now. This is a time to attend to details, take care of practical business, and to make your life more stable and secure. It would be beneficial to consult advisors on investments and long-range plans, and to put your affairs in order.
cRosswoRd
sUdokU
woRd sEaRcH
ACROSS
bRIdGE
How to play fill in all the squares in the grid so that each row, column and each of the squares contains all the digits. the object is to insert the numbers in the boxes to satisfy only one condition: each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the digits 1 through 9 exactly once.
Today’s soluTions
tEst yoUR dEFEnsE
cHEss white tO PLAY AND MAte iN twO MOVes
DOWN 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
chess solution
A
1.Rb3! cxb3 [1...Qa5 2.Qb8+ kd7 3.rb7+ ke8 4.re7#] 2.Qxb4 *
1
sudoku solution
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Tuesday, 9 September, 2014
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SIBLING BULLYING INCREASES DEPRESSION RISK
9/11 museum shows seAL’s shirt from Bin LAden rAid in PAkistAn NEW YORK
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Being bullied regularly by a sibling could put children at risk of depression when they are older, a study led by the University of Oxford suggests. Around 7,000 children aged 12 were asked if they had experienced a sibling saying hurtful things, hitting, ignoring or lying about them. The children were followed up at 18 and asked about their mental health. Previous research has suggested that victims of peer bullying can be more susceptible to depression, anxiety and self-harm. This study claims to be the first to examine bullying by brothers or sisters during childhood for the same psychiatric problems in early adulthood. Researchers from the Universities of Oxford, Warwick and Bristol and University College London sent questionnaires to thousands of families with 12-year-old children in 2003-04 and went back to them six years later to assess their mental health. If they had siblings they were asked about bullying by brothers and sisters. The questionnaire said: "This means when a brother or sister tries to upset you by saying nasty and hurtful things, or completely ignores you from their group of friends, hits, kicks, pushes or shoves you around, tells lies or makes up false rumours about you." 'Twice as likely' Most children said they had not experienced bullying. Of these, at 18, 6.4% had depression scores in the clinically significant range, 9.3% experienced anxiety and 7.6% had self-harmed in the previous year. The 786 children who said they had been bullied by a sibling several times a week were found to be twice as likely to have depression, self-harm and anxiety as the other children. In this group, depression was reported by 12.3%, self-harm by 14%, and 16% of them reported anxiety. Girls were slightly more likely to be victims of sibling bullying than boys, particularly in families where there were three or more children. Older brothers were often found to be responsible. On average, victims said that sibling bullying had started at the age of eight, the study said. More than teasing: Lead author Dr Lucy Bowes, from the department of social policy and intervention at the University of Oxford, said although they couldn't say sibling bullying caused depression, the result were significant. "We need to change the conversation we have about this. If it occurred in a school setting there would be repercussions. "It may be causing long-term harm. We need to do more research, but we also need parents to listen to their children. She added: "We are not talking about the sort of teasing that often goes on within families, but incidents that occur several times a week, in which victims are ignored by their brothers or sisters, or are subjected to verbal or physical violence." Emma Jane Cross, from the bullying prevention charity, BeatBullying, said: "Being bullied as a child can have a devastating effect which lasts a lifetime. Parents who are concerned about this issue should speak to their children as early as possible before the problem escalates. "It's important to tackle the underlying issues behind more frequent bullying behaviour rather than dismissing it as normal sibling rivalry." COURTESY BBC
AGENCIES
HE shirt a Navy SEAL wore in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden and a special coin given to a CIA officer who played a key role in finding him are being displayed at the Sept. 11 museum, adding potent symbols of the terrorist attacks’ aftermath days before their anniversary. The items went on view Sunday at the ground zero museum, where leaders see them as an important and moving addition to a collection that often uses personal artifacts to explore the events and impact of 9/11. “The death of Osama bin Laden is a huge part of the history, and we have an absolute obligation to tell it,” National Sept. 11 Memorial Museum President Joe Daniels said Saturday. The display, he said, “allows millions of visitors the chance to recognize the extraordinary bravery of the men and women who sacrifice so much for this country at home and abroad.”
The shirt and coin will join an existing display with a brick from the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, where the terrorist at the helm of the attacks was killed. The uniform shirt, tan with camouflage sleeves and an American flag patch on the right shoulder — stars
forward to invoke the historical role of a flag-bearer leading a charge into battle — belonged to a now-retired member of SEAL Team Six, which put an end to the long manhunt for the world’s most wanted terrorist. The garment “connects us in a powerful and immediate way to that operation,” Mu-
FOR A LONG LIFE, YOUR WAISTLINE SHOULD BE HALF YOUR HEIGHT: RESEARCH The key to living longer is having a waist measurement no bigger than half your height, according to research. Scientists have devised a simple formula which predicts how many years of life someone will lose to obesity. And they claim the rule applies regardless of age, gender or ethnicity. It is worked out by measuring around the waist – technically between the lowest rib and hip bone – making sure you do not breathe in. As long as this is half your height or less, you should live to the average life expectancy – which is currently around 81. But for every few inches over, you face losing months or even years of life. For example, an average 30-year-old man who is 5ft 10in tall – or 70 inches – should have a waist size no bigger than 35 inches. A 30-year-old 5ft 4in woman should have a waist size of 32 inches or under. But if the man’s waist size expands to 42 inches – or 60 per cent of his height – it will knock 1.7 years off his life, according to the formula. Likewise if the woman’s waist grows to 38.4 inches she will lose 1.4 years. This may not sound much but it quickly adds up if someone is severely obese. A 30-year-old man of 5ft 10in with a 56-inch waist can expect to lose 20.2 years from his life expectancy. Similarly a woman with a 51-inch waist
will die 10.6 years earlier. The researchers at Cass Business School at City University, London, came up with the calculation after looking at records of more than 300,000 adults spanning 20 years. Dr Margaret Ashwell said it should be used as a simple health check that anyone can do at home. She added that waist circumference is important because it shows the amount of central fat in the body – which is linked to high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease. She also believes the waist-toheight ratio is a far more reliable predictor of ill health and obesity than the Body Mass Index (BMI) – which is widely used by doctors. ‘People are living in false hope if they rely on their BMI figure. We have got to measure the right thing,’ she said. The BMI compares a person’s weight to their height. Professor Les Mayhew, who was also involved in the study to be published by the Public Library of Science, said: ‘There is now overwhelming evidence there should place greater emphasis on waist-to-height ratio as a screening tool.’ However Dr Rachel Pryke, clinical spokesman on nutrition at the Royal College of GPs, said it was unclear whether ‘worrying people about their weight actually motivates them to make a long-term commitment to lifestyle changes’. COURTESY VIA MAIL ONLINE
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seum Director Alice Greenwald said. The red, white and blue coin was made to commemorate its conclusion. The coin bears the date — May 1, 2011, in U.S. time — on one side and a red “X” on the other. It was owned by the CIA officer, known as “Maya,” who formed the basis for the main character in the Oscar-winning 2012 movie “Zero Dark Thirty.” The museum is keeping both donors’ identities secret. The museum, which opened in May and has drawn more than 900,000 visitors so far, has faced controversy over some of its exhibits. Atheists unsuccessfully sued over the “ground zero cross,” a beam from the trade center wreckage; Muslim advocates complained that a film about the rise of al-Qaida unfairly linked Islam and terrorism. Given the complex reactions bin Laden’s death spurred around the world, the new exhibit may “engender discussion,” Daniels said, but “I think most people will believe it belongs there.” “It is a part of the story, whatever you think of its symbolism or its meaning.”
MOTHERS WHO EXPERIENCE STRESS OR WORRY BEFORE PREGNANCY 'MORE LIKELY TO HAVE BABIES WHO CRY FOR LONGER'
Anxious mothers are more likely to have babies who cry for longer, according to latest research. Women who experience stress, worry or panic attacks before becoming pregnant are more than twice as likely to report that their child cried ‘excessively’. It is not known why this link exists, but researchers said mothers suffering from anxiety may have a more ‘intrusive’ parenting style that could cause babies to cry more. Experts also suggest a baby’s excessive crying may be due to the mother’s production of stress hormones during pregnancy, which may cross the placenta and affect the development of a child’s brain. They are calling for women suffering from anxiety in pregnancy to be supported during early motherhood. Dr Clare Bailey, a parenting specialist, said: ‘Mothers can easily get into a traumatic negative cycle when worrying about a newborn child. The more they worry, the less they sleep and calm themselves down and the more they worry. ‘Anxiety can make them hyper vigilant, distressed by crying and even rejected by their child. ‘It intuitively sounds likely that a calm mother feeling relaxed, comfortable and confident will be more likely to help a child regulate its crying, while an anxious mother may be less likely to help a baby to self-settle. Babies can pick up emotional cues very early on.’ The study, published in the journal Archives Of Disease In Childhood, looked at nearly 300 women who were in the early stages of pregnancy. They were asked about their history of anxiety and depression, and were interviewed during their pregnancy and until their child was 16 months old. Ten per cent of the women reported excessive crying following the birth. Further analysis found that babies born to women with an anxiety disorder were significantly more likely to cry for longer periods. Child health specialist Dr Harriet Hiscock, from the University of Melbourne, warned that the role of the father also needed to be examined and cautioned against adding to ‘a mother’s day of worry by blaming her for her infant’s crying’. COURTESY DAIL MAIL
Tuesday, 9 September, 2014
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Fawad on ‘Khoobsurat’ promotion: TAlkinG Too muCh ABouT mySelf iS BoRinG
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HY and reticent Fawad Khan is not having an easy time promoting his debut Bollywood film ‘Khoobsurat’ as it requires him to be talkative, which he says is out of his character. Fawad, 32, says he was not aware that publicity for a film in India is done at a huge level, which needs him to give radio, print and television interviews, promotional visits to functions and reality shows, all in a single day and had he known about this earlier, he would have thought twice before signing ‘Khoobsurat’. “This is not me, talking so much about myself. I find it boring. I am a quiet person. In Pakistan, I had consciously stayed away from promoting my shows. When things used to get crazy at times, I would do some interviews because my producers would ask me to do but otherwise I never felt the need to do that. “Here it is the norm of the industry. You have to go out and promote yourself. It is an exercise for me. Frankly, I am testing myself, though I believe testing oneself is not fair always. But I had to become an extrovert for this,” Fawad told an Indian news agency. “Back home, I would come on sets, be quiet and do my work. I was used to that and even people around me were fine with it. But here I come and suddenly everything is so different, I had to come out of my character totally and I would say initially it was difficult,” the actor said. Fawad says he had no plans of for-
Scarlett Johansson will be a great mother: Robert Downey Jr
aying into Bollywood and was quite content with his work in Pakistan, until ‘Khoobsurat’ came his way, which excited him. “I always maintained that if I get something interesting, which I think I can do justice to, I would do but until then I was happy with things in Pakistan. There was no plan or strategy. Though I believe everything happens for a reason, there was no conscious effort to go and work in India,” said the actor, who is testing waters with ‘Khoobsurat’, which hits the-
atres on September 19. ‘Khoobsurat’, directed by Shashanka Ghosh, also stars Sonam Kapoor, Ratna Pathak Shah, Kirron Kher and is jointly produced by Disney-UTV and Rhea Kapoor. “Sonam is popular, Disney’s reach is wide and it’s a classic romanticcomedy so it obviously makes for a safe launch in a new industry. I like to read my audience, I like to keep their likes and dislikes in consideration. “I don’t like fans dictating an actor always but as I am here because of them, I
feel it is important to see what they want of me. The response to my role in ‘Khoobsurat’ will tell me what to do next,” he said. The actor, who has been approached for films in India and Pakistan, has decided to stay away from television for some time, even as some think he is acting pricey. “People might think I am acting pricey because I have got a launch in Bollywood but that’s not the truth. It might even appear unfair on my fans who have
PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE EXPECTING SECOND CHILD LONDON
loved me for my plays, but I am sure they don’t want my death as an actor,” the star said. Fawad wants to stay away from repetitive roles offered to him on TV as he believes he will hit a dead end as an actor. “I can’t completely exit from TV because it gave me birth as an actor but till the time something refreshing does not come up, I would do films. “TV content needs to grow here. So many great things are happening in the West. I would like to do something like ‘True Detective’. If I get a nice love story told in a cinematic way, I would do it. I want to give my fans cinematic experience within the comfort of their homes,” he said. Fawad, who is positive and confident about ‘Khoobsurat’ given his increasing popularity in India, says he is well prepared if the film fails at the box office. “If the movie fails, I will just take it as an experience and would see if I get good work in India because I would like to do a lot more here. I am not worried about ‘Khoobsurat’ working or not as it was an interesting and learning journey for me and I would take it that way,” he said. The actor said he would love to do a big-budget masala Bollywood film but not at the moment. “I would like to do as many different type of roles as I can. I won’t do a ‘Singham’ or a ‘Dabangg’ right now. I first want to establish myself as an actor. These stars have already proved themselves as actors. I want to get the act right but later I would love to do such films,” the actor said. AGENCIES
George Clooney to get married to fiancée Amal Alamuddin in two weeks
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Superstar Robert Downey Jr feels that his close friend and ‘Avengers’ co-star Scarlett Johansson will be a doting mother. Johansson, 29, gave birth to a baby daughter with her French fiancé Romain Dauriac last week, reported E!Online. “I think she’s going to be a great mom. Boy, oh boy! I can’t believe that she was so preggers during Avengers too. Now she finally had the baby so she’ll remember those as the good old days,” he said. Meanwhile, Downey Jr’s wife Susan is expecting their second child and the couple are hunting for good names. AGENCIES
Brad Pitt and Jolie take self defence classes
Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate are “very pleased” to announce that they are expecting their second child, Kensington Palace said on Monday. The prince’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth II was said to be “delighted” at the news, which comes less than 14 months after the birth of the couple’s first child, Prince George. Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, is again suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, a form of very acute morning sickness that caused her to be hospitalised when she was pregnant with George. The duchess, 32, is currently being treated by doctors at the couple’s London home in Kensington Palace, a spokesman said. She was due to attend an official engagement in Oxford on Monday but cancelled because she has morning sickness, the palace said. “Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that
The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their second child,” the statement said. “The Queen and members of both families are delighted with the news.” Prime Minister David Cameron was among the first to offer his congratulations to the cou-
ple, saying he was “delighted by the happy news that they’re expecting another baby”. William and Kate’s first child, George Alexander Louis, was born on July 22, 2013 in London’s St. Mary’s Hospital, weighing eight pounds and six ounces (3.8kg).
Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney has revealed that he and his human rights lawyer fiancee Amal Alamuddin would tie the knot in Venice in two weeks. Clooney, 53, revealed the news when he and Alamuddin attended a charity gala in Florence, reported Ace Showbiz. “I met my lovely bride-to-be in Italy (and) will be marrying (her) in a couple of weeks, in Venice,” he said during an appearance at a charity gala Celebrity Fight Night in Florence. Alamuddin was also present at the event which was held in support of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation and the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center. She wore a black strapless gown by Dolce & Gabanna. The ‘Gravity’ star and his girlfriend announced their engagement back in April after seven months of dating. The pair reportedly obtained marriage license in London at Chelsea Town Hall in August. A few days ago, Alamuddin was spotted at Alexander McQueen’s headquarters in Clerkenwell, East London. She was accompanied by her mother Baria for a trip to Michael John hair salon before heading to the fashion house for a 90minute appointment. AGENCIES
Ileana D’Cruz signed opposite Shah Rukh Khan for ‘Fan’ Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are taking self defence classes. The couple - who married in France last month - have been practising a form of Israeli self defence called Krav Maga to help them prepare for their upcoming movie 'By The Sea'. Brad is believed to have lost more than 10 pounds after participating in the intense militarystyle exercise classes for just three weeks and is even letting his kids join in the fun. A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: ''The whole family are learning the moves, even the little ones are doing modified kids' moves but Brad has been doing it for 45 minutes a day and has dramatically lost weight and beefed up his muscles for the film.'' CourtESy VIA BANG SHoWBIZ
Shah Rukh Khan may be busy with the promotions of Farah Khan’s ‘Happy New Year’ but the actor will soon start working for the Yash Raj film ‘Fan’. Though the names of many actresses have been floating around for the role of a leading lady, we hear that it is Ileana D’Cruz who has bagged the role opposite Shah Rukh Khan. If this turns out to be true, then this will be the first time that Shah Rukh Khan will be paired with Ileana D’Cruz who made her debut in Bollywood with Anurag Basu’s Barfi! From Vaani Kapoor of ‘Shuddh Desi Romance’ fame to Parineeti Chopra, many names were being tossed around. In fact, recently Vaani even mentioned that she is doing a Yash Raj film however, she refrained from divulging any more details. Ileana D’Cruz shot to fame with
her Bollywood debut Barfi! and later was seen romancing Shahid Kapoor and Varun Dhawan in ‘Phata Poster Nikla Hero’ and ‘Main Tera Hero’ respectively. Currently, the actress is busy wrapping up the Saif Ali Khan – Kalki Koechlin starrer ‘Happy Ending’, directed by the duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K. ‘Fan’, to be directed by Maneesh Sharma and written by Habib Faisal, is slated to go on floor in October and the film is supposedly based on the story of a fan who is on a mission to meet the one he has idolized for long. Though Fan was slated to go on floor later this year, the film got pre-poned and Shah Rukh Khan who was supposed to complete Excel Entertainment’s (Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani) Raees, decided to wrap up this Maneesh Sharma directorial. AGENCIES
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14 SPORTS
Tuesday, 9 September, 2014
o'Keefe Named iN australia's test squad
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WALES FULL OF CONFIDENCE, SAYS BALE SPORTS DESK Wales forward Gareth Bale is confident his team will start their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign on a positive note against Andorra on Tuesday. Chris Coleman's men head into their Group B opener in Andorra La Vella upbeat about their chances of reaching a major tournament for the first time since 1958. Real Madrid star Bale is aware of the importance of starting on the right foot and Andorra, who are 199th in the FIFA rankings, should pose little threat to Wales. "We are looking to get three points, which is vital," Bale said to faw.org.uk. "We need to get off to a good start. "We want to win every game we go into, whether we're underdogs or favourites. "We feel we have a great team that has now been together for a while, and we're full of confidence." The Welsh will face fierce competition to finish in the top three of their pool. Top two seeds - Belgium and BosniaHerzegovina, both of whom competed at the World Cup in Brazil this summer are favourites to clinch the two automatic qualification places. Cyprus and Israel are expected to challenge Wales for a third-place finish, which could mean a play-off spot. BosniaHerzegovina head into Tuesday's game against Cyprus in Zenica determined to qualify for a second major tournament as an independent nation. Safet Susic's side were hopeful of progressing past the group stages in Brazil after a strong qualifying campaign, but suffered a firstround exit following defeats to Argentina and Nigeria. "We will do our best to qualify for Euro 2016 and to achieve a better result than the one in Brazil," Susic said. Belgium and Israel begin their campaigns on October 10, after their game which was scheduled for September 9 was postponed until next year because of security concerns. The Belgians, who were eliminated by Argentina in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, will take on Andorra in Brussels, while Israel - coached by former player Eli Guttman - begin against Cyprus in Nicosia.
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PINNER Steve O'Keefe could finally be given a chance at Test cricket after being named in Australia's squad to play Pakistan in the UAE in October. O'Keefe was named as part of a 15-man Test squad that also includes allrounder Mitchell Marsh, who is yet to make his Test debut, while Phillip Hughes was included as the backup batsman and Glenn Maxwell as a spin-bowling allrounder. However, Australia's major selection issue could be yet to come, with captain Michael Clarke still recovering from the hamstring injury that forced him home from the one-day series in Zimbabwe. Clarke has been named in the squad and with six weeks until the first Test in Dubai, he has time on his side, but the increasing frequency of his hamstring injuries makes him far from a certainty. The incumbent No.3 Alex Doolan retained his place in the squad despite not fully making the position his own during the tour of South Africa earlier this year. His main rival for a place in the side will be Hughes, who is in strong form after a winter spent mostly with Australia A but will travel to the UAE early to work on his batting against spin with coaching consultant Muttiah Muralitharan. There is also the possibility that Australia could choose Marsh as a second all-round option alongside Shane Watson, although including both in the XI would risk unbalancing the side. Marsh will also depart for the UAE with strong recent form behind him, and not just from the one-day series in Zimbabwe; he and Hughes both made first-class double-centuries for Australia A this winter. Marsh's chances of playing alongside Watson might increase if the selectors wanted two spinners on the turning pitches in the UAE, in which case debutant O'Keefe could join Nathan Lyon. O'Keefe, 29, has long been overlooked by Australia's selectors despite his strong statistical record at domestic level, but he was the only logical selection for this trip after topping the Sheffield Shield wicket tally last summer with 41 victims at 20.43. A left-arm orthodox bowler and
NEYMAR IMPRESSED BY DUNGA SPORTS DESK
useful lower-order batsman, O'Keefe would be the 14th spinner to play Test cricket for Australia since Shane Warne if he makes his debut in the UAE. He could be considered unfortunate to have been that far down the list given his first-class record of 128 wickets at 24.72, which is superior to several of his predecessors including fellow left-armers Xavier Doherty, Michael Beer and Ashton Agar. O'Keefe's only previous international experience has come in the Twenty20 side, when he played seven matches from 2010 to 2011. However, he will have to compete with Maxwell for the position as second spinner behind Lyon after Maxwell was included having not played Test cricket since Australia's ill-fated tour of India early last year. "We have picked Steve O'Keefe as the extra spinner for the Test tour," national selector Rod Marsh said. "We are unsure what pitch conditions we will encounter in the UAE but we need to be prepared to play two spinners. Steve was the highest wickettaker in the Sheffield Shield last season and we are confident he can perform at the next level. "Glenn [Maxwell] is a talented allrounder who enjoys playing on dry pitches. Phil [Hughes] has been in excellent form and has been rewarded with a place in the Test squad. His at-
titude to his game has been first rate and he thoroughly deserves this opportunity. "Mitch Marsh is a player of immense talent and is a bright prospect for the future of Australian cricket. His form with Australia A has been fantastic and he carried that through to the recent Zimbabwe tour. If he gets his opportunity, we know he will make the most of it." A 14-man one-day international squad was also chosen for the three matches against Pakistan, with uncapped New South Wales allrounder Sean Abbott the most notable inclusion. Abbott, 22, topped the Ryobi Cup wicket tally last summer with 16 victims at 20.93 and after a solid Sheffield Shield season as well, he won the Steve Waugh Medal as his state's best player for 2013-14.
SQUAD TO PLAY PAKISTAN IN UAE: TEST SQUAD: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Alex Doolan, Michael Clarke (capt), Steven Smith, Shane Watson, Phillip Hughes, Brad Haddin, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Johnson, Steve O'Keefe, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon. ODI SQUAD: David Warner, Aaron Finch, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke (capt), George Bailey, Steven Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Brad Haddin, James Faulkner, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon. T20 SQUAD: Aaron Finch (capt), David Warner, Shane Watson, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Brad Haddin, James Faulkner, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Kane Richardson, Cameron Boyce.
No ChampioNship for pieterseN SPORTS DESK Kevin Pietersen will not play Championship cricket for Surrey in the closing weeks of the season, with the county's promotion challenge out of their hands. Last month it was suggested that Pietersen would return to first-class cricket for the final two matches of the season, partly to help Surrey try and get back into Division One and also because of the realisation that he needed to find more cricket than had been possible as a T20-only player to maintain his form. Further discussions were had between Alec Stewart, the director of cricket, and coach Graham Ford this week but it has been decided that with Surrey's chances of going
'DID I REALLY NOT CONTRIBUTE FOR MY COUNTRY?' SPORTS DESK Abdur Razzak, the Bangladesh left-arm spinner, has hit out at sections of the media for their excessive criticism following a slump in his form this year. Razzak, who is Bangladesh's leading wicket-taker in ODIs, has taken only three wickets in six games this year at an average of 112.33 and an economy rate of 6.24. Across formats, in 13 games this year, Razzak has taken only eight wickets. "The manner in which certain sections of the media have written against me in the recent past, sometimes makes me question myself, did I really not contribute at all for my country?" Razzak told the Daily Star. "I don't think anyone believes that my record [Bangladesh's highest wicket-taker in ODIs] is a big deal." Razzak believed the criticism began after
Neymar is very happy with the way returning coach Dunga is guiding Brazil and hopes to stick to the winning path at the expense of Ecuador in New Jersey. After securing a 1-0 triumph over Colombia thanks to a solitary Neymar goal, the Selecao continue on their road to redemption after enduring a seriously embarrassing end to their World Cup campaign. Brazil will have to cope without David Luiz (knee) and Maicon, who has reportedly been excluded from the squad due to indiscipline. The official line from national team coordinator Gilmar Rinaldi is that there has been "an internal problem" with the Roma fullback. Neymar told reporters that Dunga, who replaced Luiz Felipe Scolari in July, has "determination and desire". The Barcelona striker said: "Our coach has proved to us that he is serious. Neither of us wants to lose any game." Meanwhile, Dunga said the victory over Colombia has lifted his team's self-esteem following the cataclysmic fall-out of their 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany in Belo Horizonte. "We were all torn up, but managed to produce an answer, a reply," said the Brazil boss. "Victories are always good for silencing your critics." Ecuador head into the match after notching a 4-0 win over Bolivia in Fort Lauderdale and Junior Sornoza, who marked his international debut with a goal on Saturday, is hoping to emulate that performance against Brazil. The Independiente del Valle forward told local station Radio La Red: "I think we can do it because we have fast players. "We hope we can do well against Brazil, although it will be a very tough match." "We are aware of their strengths and we must be intelligent. "We are happy with the way we've been doing our jobs so far. The group is united and that is very important."
Bangladesh's loss to Afghanistan in the Asia Cup game in March this year, in which he was run-out for a duck. Razzak had almost made it into the crease but did not ground his bat, leading to his dismissal. He had earlier given away 57 runs without a wicket in the Afghanistan innings. "The things that were written about me the day after that match hurt me and left me surprised," Razzak said. "Nobody even cared about the fact that I was recovering from a grade 2 injury at that point of time. That fact was not written anywhere‌ I don't know why‌ probably because I am not as big a player as Shakib Al Hasan. "I was actually scared of reading the papers the next day. Some of the articles belittled me while others looked like they were providing threats. I did not know what to expect." Since that game, Razzak played only one ODI in the three-match series
against India and two games on the tour to West Indies. "I remember discussing this issue with Wasim Akram during the Asia Cup and he told me not to pay heed to these issues and that as a spinner I have done a very good service for Bangladesh." The spinner also admitted he had been thrown off by the constant questioning over his place in the side, after his recent slump and the rise of other spinners in the country. "I have been asked this question so many times that it became really irritating," he said. "Do you (media) want me to forcibly retire? If I have to be replaced then the management will do it. I may be in bad form but I have not reached that level yet. "I personally feel that 32 to 36 is the best time for a spinner to play international cricket. There were many things in the game that I did not understand before and now I do."
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up reliant on results elsewhere - even though they lie third and play the leaders, Worcestershire, this week - they are better off planning for another season of Division Two cricket by giving young players such as Aneesh Kapil, who scored a maiden first-class hundred against New Zealand A last week, the chance to gain experience. Stewart said: "We discussed the possibility of bringing in Kevin but realistically we've only got an outside chance of promotion so it's better for the future of the club if we give the likes of Aneesh Kapil or Arun Harinath two first-class games to gain more experience to see how they can progress which will stand us in good stead for next season." Pietersen's T20 Blast season was disappointing with 225 runs at 22.50 and a high-score of 39.
SPORTS 15
Tuesday, 9 September, 2014
sereNa Williams WiNs 18th GraNd slam title SPORTS DESK
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ORLD number one Serena Williams swept past good friend Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 63 6-3 in the US Open final to move into the record books with her 18th grand slam title. It was the third straight and sixth overall US Open crown for the 32year-old American, her 18 career slams putting her alongside Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova for fourth place on the all-time list. Failing to get beyond the last 16 of the year's first three slams, Williams sailed through the US Open without dropping a set, finishing off Dane Wozniacki in a snappy 75 minutes. "I have been trying to reach it for so long, since last year," said Williams, hoisting her first Grand Slam trophy since lifting the same trophy a year ago. "I didn't really think I would get there. I just felt so good. "I definitely did not think I was going to win a slam this year. "To win the US Open, that was my dream. Every time I win here it's just a really incredible special moment for me. "I'm just a simple individual who just wants to win titles and wants to play tennis. "The reason I play is to sit at the end of the day and hold the trophy or stand and hold the trophy. For me, that's my joy." There was no joy, however, for Wozniacki. Back in a Grand Slam final for the first time in five years, it was another frustrating end to a promising fortnight for the 10th seed as she once again left Flushing Meadows empty-handed, a major championship just beyond her grasp. The title came with a massive pay-day for Williams, who pocketed
the $3 million winner's purse along with a $1 million bonus for winning the US Open Series of hard court tournaments that form the buildup to the year's last Grand Slam. As Williams received her cheques she was joined on court by Navratilova and Evert, who presented her with an 18-carat gold Tiffany bracelet as the newest member of their Grand Slam club. Margaret Court tops the list with 24 followed by Steffi Graf (22) and Helen Wills Moody (19). "I just could never have imagined that I would be mentioned with Chris Evert or with Martina Navratilova, because I was just a kid with a dream and a racquet," said
Williams. "Living in Compton, this never happened before. "I just never could have imagined that it could have ended -- not ended. I'm just beginning." The most difficult part of the match for Williams appeared to be beating a player she calls one of her best friends. Williams and Wozniacki vacationed together this summer and the world number one said she exchanges text messages with the Dane daily. But once the match began, Williams, who has often had to face off against her sister Venus, again proved there are no friendships on the court as she simply overpowered her 24-year-old opponent, firing 29 winners to just four by the Dane.
"When she's on her game it's not fun to play her," said Wozniacki, whose only other grand slam finals appearance also came at Flushing Meadows in 2009. "She's so strong. She has a good serve and she puts pressure on you straight away. "When she needs to she can pull out that big serve. She has the power. She can push us back on the court and take the initiative. "She definitely has the experience now, as well. I think that makes it even harder, because maybe back in the day she might have made not the right choices. "Now she knows what she needs to do out there, and it makes it even harder to beat her." The showdown between the current and former world number ones was hardly a showcase of tennis excellence, particularly in a ragged opening set that featured five consecutive breaks. Williams, dressed in the same leopard print tennis dress she wore to open the tournament, held her first serve before the two players struggled through the run of breaks with the American taking a 5-2 lead. Not until the eight game did Wozniacki finally hold serve but by then Williams had begun to settle into the match, clinching the opening set with a blistering backhand winner. Williams would keep up the pressure with a break to open the second and by the end had an exhausted Wozniacki running from corner-to-corner. "After not playing the way she wanted in the first three (slams), I think she wanted to prove to herself and even play better in this one," shrugged Wozniacki. "Unfortunately I was the one on the other side of the net today. "I would have liked maybe to have more of a chance today, but I didn't. Hopefully I'll get another one in Australia."
KITTEL CLAIMS OPENING STAGE, CAVENDISH THIRD DESPITE CRASH SPORTS DESK German powerhouse Marcel Kittel won the first stage of the Tour of Britain on Sunday, outsprinting British rival Mark Cavendish after an eight-lap 104.8km ride around the streets of Liverpool. The Giant Shimano rider made light of a strong head wind to beat Italian Nicola Ruffoni of Bardiani CSF while Omega PharmaQuickstep's Cavendish was able to contest the finish despite suffering a mid-stage crash. Defending champion Bradley Wiggins of Team Sky finished comfortably in the peloton. "It's always pretty difficult if just before the last kilometre there is a downhill section. The bunch becomes very fast and you almost cannot hold your position and you have to come pretty late," Kittel said. "Me and my team were pretty lucky that we still could pass on the right side. That was nice and I am very happy with what we did today. It's good to win the first stage." The day's breakaway contained four riders who attacked on the opening lap and were able to open up a gap of one minute 44 seconds. Their attack proved futile however as the peloton, marshalled at the front by Kittel's team, ate into their lead and eventually swallowed them with 3.4km remaining. The expected sprint showdown between Kittel and Cavendish never materialised as the 29-year-old Cavendish, just back from a shoulder injury that ended his Tour de France after stage one, was left with too much ground to make up. Kittel, who won four stages at this year's Tour de France, timed his final attack perfectly to claim the stage victory ahead of Ruffoni. Monday's second stage is a 200.8km route from Knowsley to Llandudno in north Wales.
DELIBERATE? I JUST MADE A MISTAKE, SAYS ROSBERG SPORTS DESK
SUAREZ IS CALM AND GENTLE, SAYS RAKITIC SPORTS DESK Ivan Rakitic has given an insight into life as a Barcelona player and a teammate of Luis Suarez, who he says has vowed to be on best behaviour. Suarez is banned until the end of October after biting Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup, the third biting incident of his career. Speaking while on international duty with Croatia, Rakitic, who joined Barca from Sevilla this summer, explained how the day starts as a Barca player. “There are always hundreds of people at the training ground,” he said, according to Sport. “You have to get there half-an-hour early because I know I’ll spend 20 minutes taking pictures with fans. “I enjoy every moment. Every day I go to training with a smile on my face knowing that I’m with the best players in the world.” Regarding Suarez, Rakitic suggested that the public perception of the Uruguay forward is wide of the mar. “Suarez is very calm, gentle and quiet,” he said of the former Liverpool player. “He’s a nice person and has our full support. He’s told us that what happened at the World Cup won’t happen again. “He’s apologised and vowed it won’t happen.”
Nico Rosberg felt sore enough at losing Sunday's Italian Grand Prix without then having to face conspiracy theories suggesting he had done it deliberately. The Mercedes driver, who finished second after making a mistake at the first chicane while under pressure from winning team mate Lewis Hamilton, could scarcely believe anyone would suggest such a thing. "I've heard about that, but what would be the reason for me to do something like that deliberately?," asked the German, who saw his lead cut to 22 points with six races remaining. "There is no possible reason. There is no reason why the team would ask me to change position, or something like that. "The only thing in people's minds could be Spa, but Spa was a mistake which I've apologised for," added the German, who hit the back of Hamilton's car on the second lap of the Belgian Grand Prix two weeks ago. Hamilton said after that race that Rosberg had "done it on purpose" but he was certainly not accusing him of any such intent in Italy. Rosberg accepted blame for the Spa incident, which led to Hamilton's race retirement, and was handed an unspecified punishment from his angry team who reminded their drivers they could race each other but must not make contact on the track. If there were some wondering whether a restitution of points might form part of that penalty, an idea that was discussed and swiftly dismissed by some paddock pundits post-race, the driver and team ridiculed the very thought. "It's not something where I have to give back something. Mistakes, errors happen, and that's the way it is, (I make) an apology and on we go," said Rosberg, who braked late and continued straight
on at the chicane. He then had to slow and zig-zag to get back on track. "It's not like we now start shuffling and things like that, so there is no reason why I would do something like that on purpose," added Rosberg. Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff found the idea even more mindboggling after being asked by BBC pundit and former team owner Eddie Jordan. "I said to Eddie that only a paranoid mind could come up with such an idea," he said.
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"I think there was lots of pressure on Nico because Lewis was so quick yesterday and you could see that today as well," he added, explaining also that Rosberg had to miss the chicane because the alternative was to damage the tyres. Television images also showed Wolff smiling apparently as Hamilton took the lead after Rosberg's error, providing more fuel for the conspiracy theorists, but he dismissed any suggestion the two things were linked. "Whoever picks that up and tries to interpret anything in such a picture must
be out of his mind," said the Austrian. "First of all, it's not live. "It wasn't synchronised with the picture." Wolff explained that he had smiled when his two drivers were closing up, with Hamilton chasing down Rosberg, out of a sense of 'here we go again' and anticipation of sparks to come. The footage was then spliced into the live action later. Hamilton had started from pole position on Sunday, with Rosberg second, but fell to fourth at the start after a problem with his car's race start settings.
SPORTS Tuesday, 9 September, 2014
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SPORTS DESK
HE uncertainty over Lahore Lions' participation in the Champions League Twenty20 has come to an end after the team was issued their Indian visa. Lions are Pakistan's domestic Twenty20 champions and earned a spot in the CLT20 qualifiers to be held in India later this month but the fragile political relationship between India and Pakistan had thrown doubt over their ability to take part in the tournament. Lions are led by Mohammad Hafeez and have other big names like Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad in their lineup. They begin their qualifying campaign against Mumbai Indians on September 13, before taking on Sri Lanka's Southern Express and New Zealand's Northern Districts in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The team will depart for India on the morning of September 9. "We are departing with confidence," Hafeez said. "We all know how important the first stage is so we are focusing on qualifying for the next round. We, as a team, have been playing some exciting cricket in the last two years and the squad has gutsy players from our domestic circuit so we have an ability to fight at the top level." "With a recent spell of heavy rain we weren't able to get the practice we required but we have done ample indoor sessions so there should not be any problem," Hafeez said. "We have the experience of six international cricketers and have quality players from our first-class set-up, who have an urge to represent Pakistan. So we have the right spirit in the team and we are ready for the challenge." Faisalabad Wolves, Pakistan's domestic T20 champions last year, participated in the Champions League in 2013 and had a nightmarish experience during their stay. They were forced out of their city hotel in Chandigarh and were moved to the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium because their visas were valid only for Mohali.
Lahore Lions aLL set to roar across border
Hafeez, however, was not worried. "Both India and Pakistan love cricket and we are hoping to have a very good time there," he said. "We are going there with a message of love and I know how much they love Pakistan and its cricketers. Our aim is not only to play good cricket but also to play well off the field." When asked if the absence of the Pakistan players from the Indian Premier League had affected the level of T20 cricket in Pakistan, Hafeez said that although the players were missing out on the experience of playing in the league, there had not been an impact on the quality of cricket played by the side. He stated that Pakistan were ranked No. 3 on the ICC rankings and that the presence of Pakistani players in the IPL would lift the standard of the league. "It's not the big gap but still we do well at the highest level, doesn't matter if we are not playing the IPL," Hafeez said. "There is no doubt that the IPL is a platform where the players enhance their skills in all aspects of the game and as cricketers we know that it's always great to come and play the IPL. "For the last five-six years, the Pakistan players are not playing and we are missing that as cricketers but I don't think it is in any way affecting Pakistan cricket because the talent is always there. We are still No. 3 in this format in the world. So our performance is always great in that form. But yes, if the Pakistan players come to the IPL, it will boost the standard of the league and the players will also enjoy playing in India." Lions will be the
FINCH NAMED AUSTRALIA'S T20 CAPTAIN
third team from Pakistan to participate in the Champions League, after Wolves in 2013 and Sialkot Stallions in 2012 in South Africa. Both teams had failed to qualify for the main round. If Lions progress to the main phase of the CLT20, their main team will have to miss out on the National Twenty20 Regional Tournament, which starts in Mul-
SHAMI, UMESH, AARON KEY TO INDIA'S WC CHANCES: SHOAIB BiRmingham AGENCIES
SPORTS DESK Aaron Finch has been named as Australia's new Twenty20 captain, succeeding George Bailey, who stepped down from the role on Sunday. Finch, 27, will become the seventh man to lead Australia's T20 team when they take on Pakistan in a one-off match in Dubai on October 5. As captain of the Melbourne Renegades for the past two Big Bash League campaigns, Finch has acquired plenty of T20 captaincy experience, and he has also led the Pune Warriors in the IPL. The No.1ranked T20 international batsman in the world, Finch also led Australia A against the England Lions last year and the selectors were pleased with his performance. "When George indicated that he was stepping down from the position, we thought Aaron was the obvious choice to succeed him," Rod Marsh, the national selector, said. "We know he will relish the opportunity to lead his country. "He has a task ahead of him. He is taking on a young side that is currently ranked fifth in the world. His first challenge will be building consistent performances as they head towards the ICC World Twenty20 in 2016." On Sunday, Bailey endorsed Finch as a potential successor, describing him as the kind of player who thrives on the leadership. Finch said he was looking forward to leading his country for the first time. "Having the honour to captain your country in any form of the game is something that all young cricketers dream about," Finch said. "It came as a big surprise but it was a very nice phone call to receive from Rod Marsh. I never imagined when captaining in the past that it would lead to national responsibilities. "I've just set out to be the best player that I can and luckily an opportunity like this has come my way. I have been fortunate enough to play under some fantastic captains, including Michael Clarke and George Bailey and I have learnt a lot from them. It goes without saying that I will do my utmost in this role as we lead into the ICC World T20 in about eighteen months' time. It's going to be very exciting."
tan on September 15. In that case, Lahore Lions' B team will take part in the regional tournament, but if Lions are knocked out early from the CLT20, players from the main team will return to participate in the domestic competition. RIAZ'S PARTICIPATION IN DOUBT: There is uncertainty over Lahore Lions bowler Wahab Riaz's partici-
Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar, once a nemesis of many a top Indian batsman, has said that Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron will be key to India's 2015 World Cup defence. "Shami, Umesh (Yadav) and (Varun) Aaron are the ones. Keep them fresh, well trained and give them proper practice from the World Cup's point of view. If these three bowlers can be fit and firing in the World Cup then India will be unstoppable," Akhtar said on the sidelines the limited-overs series between India and England. Shoaib, who turned to coaching with the State Bank of Pakistan in the upcoming first-class season, also gave some food for thought to the Indian think-tank that has been using Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar like workhorses over the past year or so. "Atleast one month before the World Cup is to begin India should give its main fast bowlers optimum rest. Rotate them, take care of them and then bring them up to match fitness slowly. "If they play a long tour in
Australia, then they will get jaded and fatigued. So train them away from international cricket and then slowly give them match fitness. Make sure they don't look for match fitness in the World Cup. Keep them fresh for the World Cup," opined Akhtar. Sharing his concern for Indian bowling, Akhtar sounded pretty optimistic on evidence of the five-match ODI series in England that the Men in Blue won by a 3-1 margin. "India's death bowling is improving. Shami has been very good in this ODI series. The problem is that they do not have someone at mid-on and mid-off telling them what to do. India is missing experience in its bowling. "They need to have a Pakistani mindset for bowling. Wasim Akram and I have been helping them whenever they have approached us with questions, but we can only help so much. This is a slow process, but definitely they are getting there in terms of death bowling," he said. India will be playing a full series versus West Indies at home and thereafter going on a full tour to Australia. They will spend five months Down Under, playing four Tests, a tri-series against
Australia and England, and then the World Cup in Australia-New Zealand. "The Indian bowlers only need to concentrate on their pace. They shouldn't worry about movement. They have got the ability to move the ball but they don't have pace. You should always do new things in the nets and look to add what weapon is not there in your armoury. "So they should keep looking to work on their pace, looking to increase it. If they try to maintain their current pace, it will come down because of fatigue as they play too much cricket," said the tearaway fast bowler, who holds the record for the quickest ball bowled in international cricket. The 39-year-old Rawalpindi Express also urged India to nurture cricketing relations to keep the game healthy. "People from both countries want to see the political issues between our two countries resolved. But even if they are not resolved, we should not stop sport, particularly cricket, because it brings the two countries together," said Akhtar. Things might turn for the better with Pakistan T20 side Lahore Lions being issued an Indian visa for participating in the Champions League event starting September 13. Akhtar said that cricket needs Pakistan to survive and vice versa. "Cricket should happen between our two nations. India should play Pakistan because Pakistan cricket needs their support. And world cricket needs Pakistan cricket to stay alive," said a hopeful Akhtar. India and Pakistan are slated to meet in the 2015 ICC World Cup and as per the new FTP they are also expected to engage in a full series in December next year and Akhtar feels that Pakistan should never be ignored in future FTPs.
Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore.
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pation in the Champions League. Riaz's newly-born daughter is unwell and the bowler, who was set to leave with the squad, needs more time to decide if he will depart with the squad or not. Lions had been practising at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore and were forced to train indoors because of excessive rains.
Bryan brothers secure historic 100th title with Flushing Meadows win
SPORTS DESK American twins Bob and Mike Bryan became the first doubles pair to win 100 titles together after they beat Spain's Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez 6-3 6-4 in the US Open final on Sunday. The world No 1 duo broke the 11th seeds once in each set to claim their fifth U.S. Open title and take their 16th grand slam title together. The top seeds made their move in the fourth game of the opener and when they broke in the seventh game of the second set there was no way back for the Spanish pair. Left-handed Bob Bryan served out for an historic victory. The win gave the 36year-old brothers a first Grand Slam title of the year and they have now won at least one Grand Slam title together for 10 consecutive years.
‘Misbah should remain captain till WC2015’ KARACHI: Former Chief selector of Pakistan, Iqbal Qasim refused the idea of replacing the captain of national cricket team by saying that “there isn’t any reason of changing captain before World Cup 2015”, a news channel reported. Speaking to media in Karachi today, Iqbal Qasim said that removing Misbah-ul-Haq from captaincy because of defeat in Sri Lanka wouldn’t be wise. “Players should work on crisis management to get out of difficult situation”, he added. Misbah has been ODI captain since May 2011. And PCB persisted with Misbah as captain despite Pakistan being whitewashed 3-0 in South Africa in 2012-13, and performing poorly in the 2013 Champions Trophy in England. AGENCIES