E paper pdf (22 08 2015) (lhr) by Pakistan Today

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afghanistan warns of hot pursuit inside pakistan afghan ceo advisor says they know about terrorist hideouts and afghan forces will cross durand Line to eliminate terrorists for its ‘national security’ if pakistan doesn’t

Afghanistan seethes at Taliban meetings ‘held in Pakistan’ STORIES ON PAGE 02

Saturday, 22 August, 2015 | Zulqad 6, 1436 Rs 17.00 | Vol VI No 54 | 16 Pages | Lahore Edition

INDO-PAK TALKS IN LIMBO OVER HURRIYAT PAKISTAN EXPRESSES DISAPPOINTMENT AFTER INDIAN FO SPOKESMAN SAYS UNILATERAL IMPOSITION OF NEW CONDITIONS AND ‘DISTORTION OF THE AGREED AGENDA’ CANNOT BE THE BASIS FOR GOING FORWARD

SWARUP SAYS SARTAJ AZIZ’S MEETING WITH HURRIYAT LEADERS WILL ‘NOT BE APPROPRIATE’

PAKISTAN REJECTS INDIAN ‘ADVICE’, SAYS WILL MAKE NO COMPROMISE OVER MEETING WITH HURRIYAT LEADERS

STORIES ON PAGE 03

Hurriyat leaders’ detention likely in Delhi North Korea declares ‘quasi-state of war’ on South

First phase oF LG poLLs in punjab, sindh on oct 31

Kim orders troops to ‘enter a wartime state’ and be fully ready for any military operations starting Friday evening

STORY ON PAGE 04

STORY ON PAGE 05

OBAMA AND MODI NOW ON A HOTLINE

STORY ON PAGE 03

02 NEWS

Saturday, 22 August, 2015

AfghAnistAn wArns of hot pursuit inside pAkistAn AFGHAN CEO ADVISOR SAYS THEY KNOW ABOUT TERRORIST HIDEOUTS AND AFGHAN FORCES WILL CROSS DURAND LINE TO ELIMINATE TERRORISTS FOR ITS ‘NATIONAL SECURITY’ IF PAKISTAN DOESN’T KABUL

AGENCIES

FgHANISTAN’S Chief Executive Office (CEO) has warned Pakistan that if it fails to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries, Afghanistan, with international help, will directly hit militant hideouts on the other side of the Durand Line.

In an interview, CEO Cultural Advisor Sayed Aqa Hussain Fazel Sancharaki said that the Afghan National Unity government (NUg)’s stance was clear towards neighboring countries, especially Pakistan. “We often told Pakistan to demonstrate sincerity in fighting against terrorism otherwise Afghan Security Forces are capable of eliminating militants’ sanctuaries inside and outside the

RIGHTS GROUPS URGE SENATE TO GRANT THEM A HEARING ON PROPOSED CYBER CRIME BILL ISLAMABAD: A group of civil society, rights bodies and service providers have filed a petition in the Upper House of Parliament over the government’s failure to take all stakeholders on board for consultations over the new cyber crime law as per its commitment. Despite the formation of a sub-committee to finalise the new cyber crime bill, right activists, members of civil society and representatives of service providers claimed that they have been excluded from the process. Members of the opposition in Senate too had raised their objections regarding the bill. The group, which includes Reporters without Boarders, Free Network, Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (ISPAK), Bytes for All, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Bolo Bhi and others, has made National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information and Technology a party in its petition. STAFF REPORT

THREE HANDCUFFED IN KHANZADA ATTACK CASE ISLAMABAD: In a suicide attack case which claimed Punjab Home Minister Shuja Khanzada’s life, Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Rangers arrested three Dhoke Chaudhrian residents, Qari Imdad, Qari Irshad and Shoukat, in a joint raid conducted on Friday at a religious seminary in Sector F/8 near Faisal Mosque. The detainees have been shifted to an undisclosed location for interrogation. On August 19, intelligence agencies arrested two suspected militants from Faisalabad in connection with the attack. According to initial findings, most wanted terrorist Matiur Rehman is also likely to be involved in the attack. Rehman is wanted for the attempted assassination of former president gen (r) Pervez Musharraf in 2003. He was also wanted for attacks on former prime minister Shaukat Aziz and the suicide bombing on Sheraton Hotel in Karachi. STAFF REPORT

country. Afghan security forces would go and eliminate terrorists that posed a threat to our national security,” he said, adding that Afghanistan and the international community knew about terrorist training centers and hideouts. According to him, the Afghan government wanted Pakistan to bring the Afghan Taliban to the peace talks table and to stop supporting them in their war against Afghanistan. Afghanistan has continually emphasised its hope for friendly relations between the two countries within the framework of national interests, but it considers the fight against terrorism a common task for all countries in the region, Sancharaki said. After the recent bloody attacks in Kabul and insurgent activities in other

provinces, relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan soured considerably, leading the NUg leaders to take a firmer stance against Pakistan, he added.

AFGHANISTAN SEETHES AT TALIBAN MEETINGS ‘HELD IN PAKISTAN’ KABUL

Pakistan for a spate of deadly bombings in Kabul, the leadership tussle has dashed short-term hopes of a new round of Taliban peace talks. The council of clerics will rule in the next few days on whether Mansour should remain the Taliban’s chief, said sources in the movement, who declined to be identified as the topic is sensitive. Deeper rifts are likely if Mansour and his supporters decline to accept a negative outcome. He is also backed by Al-Qaeda and the powerful Haqqani network. It took the clerics several days to track down Mansour, prompting them to warn his deputy that the delay threatened the movement’s unity. Spokesman Mujahid blamed security concerns for Mansour’s lack of response. New Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor called for unity in the movement in his first audio message released after him taking the new responsibilities.

AGENCIES

The new leader of the Afghan Taliban has met influential clerics seeking to heal a rift after the death of founder Mullah Omar, a gathering which has angered the Afghan government — which accuses Pakistan of allowing militants to meet on its territory. Several key Taliban commanders pledged allegiance to Mullah Akhtar Mansour after his swift appointment to lead the armed movement in July, but other senior figures, including Omar’s son, reject the way he was selected. “These clerics tried to remove differences between Mansour and other Taliban members,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters, referring to Thursday’s meeting. “They listened to each other’s viewpoint, but didn’t reach a conclusion.” Combined with a chill between the neighbours after Afghan President Ashraf ghani indirectly blamed

“We should all work to preserve unity, division in our ranks will only please our enemies, and cause further problems for us,” he had said in the recording released by the group. Afghan fury: The Taliban is fighting a war against the Afghan government, which says Pakistan should do more to stop top leaders and supporters it believes are openly meeting around cities such as Quetta since Omar’s death was announced last month. “What would be the feeling of the people of Pakistan if the Pakistani Taliban held meetings in big cities of Afghanistan, such as Jalalabad?” asked foreign ministry spokesman Shakaib Mostaghni. An Afghan delegation met Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last week and gave him the names of specific sites where the Taliban leadership held meetings. Pakistan says it believes the leadership councils have been meeting in Afghanistan.

BARTON SEEKS ACCESS TO THIRD SUSPECT IN IMRAN FAROOQ MURDER CASE MONITORING DESK British High Commissioner Philip Barton Friday called on Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and held a discussion pertaining to the Dr Imran Farooq murder case, a news channel reported. The meeting took place at Punjab House, Islamabad, during which the British envoy discussed affairs relating to Imran Farooq murder case and granting British investigators access to the third suspect in Pakistani custody. Apart from this, the two figures held an exchange of views on Pak-UK ties, bilateral cooperation and the regional situation. On the occasion, Nisar said Pakistan attaches great importance to the all-out cooperation and ties between the two states.

NAB TO HAVE ITS CLOSETS SEARCHED OVER OGRA CHIEF’S ESCAPE ISLAMABAD: A three-member Supreme Court (SC) bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Jawwad S Khawaja and comprising Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Friday decided to form a commission to monitor the performance of National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The commission members will be announced in the court order. During the hearing, NAB Prosecutor general Waqas Qadeer Dar told court that the NAB authorities conducted enquiry against two officials who were allegedly involved in the escape of former Oil and gas Regulatory Authority (OgRA) chairman Taqueer Sadiq. No one has been proven guilty in the matter and both officials have been restored to their services. When asked about his position on the report, the NAB prosecutor told Justice Isa that he could not support or oppose the report in a situation where only nothing has been found in the enquiry against the officials. Upon asked by the CJP, the prosecutor cited NAB chairman’s status as ‘on medical leave’. The CJP reckoned NAB’s report on Sadiq’s escape “merely a pretention”. He said that millions were spend for bringing him back to the country. He said that if the apex court deemed fit, it could reinvestigate the matter. The SC adjourned the hearing till next week and announced that it will form a commission to monitor NAB’s performance. APP

US WON’T STOP PAK’S COUNTER-TERRORISM SUPPORT FUND WASHINGTON SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

The spokesperson for United States (US) State Department John Kirby has said that no decisions have been made with respect to decertification of counter-terrorism support fund to Pakistan which would stop US military aid to fight against terrorism. Replying to a question, Kirby said that the matter pertained to the Department of Defence but from the State Department’s perspective, it is important to help Pakistan deal with this “very real threat inside their own borders, and the border area writ large”. “From the State Department, nothing’s changed about our strong commitment to supporting Pakistan’s effort to eliminate terrorist threats in the border area and throughout Pakistan. We welcome the consensus from the highest levels of the Pakistani government about the importance of combating all terrorists,” he said when asked if decertification would complicate diplomatic relations with Pakistan, especially ahead of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Washington to meet with US

President Obama and also in terms of efforts to help secure the region along the Afghan border. The US spokesman said, “Bilaterally, we’re still going to continue to work very hard at this relationship, which we know is very important. It is complicated but there are common challenges in the region that we want to continue to work with Pakistan to combat.” Kirby said it is important to remember that Pakistan has also paid a heavy price because of terrorism inside their borders. “They’ve lost civilians and citizens. They’ve lost soldiers. It’s not a theoretical exercise for them, terrorists; it’s right there. And we’re going to continue to work with them on that.” About Haqqani Network, Kirby said they have raised the issue regularly as part of their engagement with the Pakistan government. He said Pakistan has made it clear that it does not differentiate between militants. He said this is a commitment from Pakistan’s prime minister that they will not allow Pakistani soil to be used as a safe haven for militants to attack other countries.

PAKISTAN TURNING AWAY FROM US, WARMING UP TO MOSCOW: WSJ NEW YORK INP

Changing geopolitical dynamics and the shift of Washington’s focus from Pakistan to India, which the US is viewing as counterweight to China, has encouraged Moscow and Islamabad - which stood in a tough opposition to each other in the 1980’s over Afghanistan, “to mend fences”, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) said in an article published on Thursday.

“On Thursday, Pakistan said it would buy four Russian Mi-35 attack helicopters for an undisclosed price, after a spate of high-level visits between the two countries,” the report said, adding that a $2 billion natural-gas pipeline project was also in the works. It recalled that Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who attended a summit conference of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Russian city of Ufa at the beginning of last month, said at a meeting with Russian

President Vladimir Putin that he wanted a multidimensional relationship with Russia, which would encompass defence, trade and the energy sector. The WSJ quoted a former senior Pakistani diplomat as saying that Pakistan had decided it was “no longer an American-client state”. “Pakistan has decided that although America will remain important, it must have other alternatives,” said the diplomat, Zafar Hilali. The 1,100 kilometers-long pipeline that will be built by the Russian govern-

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ment-owned amalgamation Rostec is the most graphic symbol of the rising new relationship between Pakistan and Russia, the article said. The pipeline will carry imported natural gas from Karachi to Lahore, thus helping Pakistan cope up with the current energy shortages. The new pipeline is to be completed by 2018. It will be able to carry 2 billion cubic feet of gas a day. This is equivalent to about a half of Pakistan’s current gas production from its domestic fields.

“The Russian pipeline would represent Moscow’s first major project in Pakistan since the early 1970s, when the Soviet Union helped build a steel mill in Karachi during a brief warming of relations that followed the election of a leftleaning leader in Islamabad,” the WSJ said. “The two countries are now discussing ways that Russia can upgrade the mill, Pakistani officials said.” According to the WSJ, Rostec officials say the amalgamation will raise the funds needed to the pipeline project.

Saturday, 22 August, 2015

NEWS

indo-pAk tAlks in limbo over hurriyAt PAKISTAN EXPRESSES DISAPPOINTMENT AFTER INDIAN FO SPOKESMAN SWARUP SAYS SARTAJ AZIZ’S PAKISTAN REJECTS INDIAN ‘ADVICE’, SAYS SAYS UNILATERAL IMPOSITION OF NEW CONDITIONS AND ‘DISTORTION MEETING WITH HURRIYAT LEADERS WILL MAKE NO COMPROMISE OVER OF THE AGREED AGENDA’ CANNOT BE THE BASIS FOR GOING FORWARD WILL ‘NOT BE APPROPRIATE’ MEETING WITH HURRIYAT LEADERS ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI

AGENCIES

NDIA on Friday called off National Security Adviser level talks scheduled with Pakistan on Sunday, saying Pakistan was deviating from the agreed upon agenda, the Press Trust of India reported, but the government-run news agency immediately toned down its rhetoric saying the talks had become “unlikely” after recent developments. The National Security Advisers from Pakistan and India were scheduled to meet on August 23 in New Delhi. Sartaj Aziz and his Indian counterpart were scheduled to meet in New Delhi for the first time on August 23 to discuss terrorism-related issues. However, India’s External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup on Friday said unilateral imposition of new conditions and “distortion of the agreed agenda cannot be the basis for going forward,” after Pakistan officially rejected India’s advice of not holding a meeting with sep-

aratist Hurriyat leaders in Delhi. The likelihood of talks between the NSAs on Sunday and Monday appear to be extremely remote, according to the Indian news agency. But neither side was formally calling off the talks. Responding to India’s statement, the Foreign Office in a press statement said: “We are deeply disappointed at the statement of the Spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, putting forth pre-conditions for official talks to take place with Pakistan at the level of the National Security Advisors.” The Foreign Office said Pakistan’s invitation to the Kashmiri Hurriyat leadership to a reception in honour of the Sartaj Aziz on August 23 was an “established practice and tradition” and “sees no reason to depart from it”. “After all, the Kashmiri Hurriyat leaders are genuine stakeholders in efforts to find a lasting solution of the Kashmir dispute.” Pakistan said India’s refusal to engage in talks with Pakistan on this pretext was a repeat of what it did when it cancelled foreign secretary level talks in

August last year. Earlier on Friday, Pakistan had conveyed to India that it would not be possible for it to accept the Indian government’s advice regarding National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz’s meeting with Hurriyat leaders. Spokesperson of Indian Ministry of External Affairs Vikas Swarup in a series of tweets had said that Sartaj Aziz should not hold any meeting with All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) representatives, and termed any such a meeting as “not appropriate”. A high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif later on Friday decided that Pakistan will make no compromise over scheduled meeting with Kashmiri leaders ahead of NSA-level talks with India in New Delhi. The meeting was also attended by Army Chief general Raheel Sharif. A message later conveyed to the Indian High Commissioner by Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry said that Pakistan is willing to go ahead with the meeting of

in Ufa, that all outstanding issues, including Kashmir and other disputes, as well as, terrorism issues and other Confidence Building Measures will be discussed between the two countries. Last year, the Indian government had called off foreign secretary talks, reason being that Pakistan had “consulted” with Kashmiri separatists before the talks. In a statement on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesman Qazi Khalilullah clarified: “there is nothing unusual in such meetings and it has been normal practice for Pakistan to consult Hurriyat leaders prior to high level meeting with India”. The statement came after three Kashmiri separatist leaders were placed under house arrest but were later freed. INDIA MAKING EXCUSES: Commenting on the development, Federal Information Minister Senator Pervaiz Rashid said that India was making excuses for avoiding talks with Pakistan. “India has made excuses before and refused talks. They are making excuses again,” Rashid said.

the NSAs but no pre-conditions will be accepted in this regard. The press release said India’s insistence to introduce conditionalities and restrict the agenda for the dialogue demonstrates ‘lack of seriousness to engage with Pakistan’. The statement further said that Kashmir is a disputed territory as per the UN Security Council resolutions which are yet to be implemented. It added that Pakistani leadership has always interacted with representatives of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), during their visits to India there is no reason to depart from this routine practice. The Hurriyat leaders are true representatives of the Kashmiri people of India-held Kashmir and regarded by Pakistan as genuine stakeholders in the efforts to find a lasting solution of the Kashmir Dispute, according to the press release. Pakistan has proposed and conveyed to India a comprehensive agenda, reflecting the broad understanding reached between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian Premier Narendra Modi

HURRIYAT LEADERS’ DETENTION LIKELY IN DELHI SRINAGAR

MUFTI GOVT REFUSES ARRESTING KASHMIRI FREEDOM LEADERS AS MEHBOOBA INTERVENES TO FACILITATE RELEASE OF YASIN MALIK, SYED ALI SHAH GEELANI AND MIRWAIZ UMER FAROOQ

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OPP LEADER URGES PREMIER TO REBUILD LIVES IN FLOOD-HIT CHITRAL PESHAWAR: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah has called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to alleviate the sufferings of people affected by the recent floods in Chitral. In a letter to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday, Shah said that the houses of flood affectees need to be constructed and for this purpose, the government should provide them land free of cost. Shah, who visited the area on August 12, said about 700 houses there had been completely destroyed, while 300 were partially damaged by floods. He further said that loan acquired by flood affectees from the House Building Finance Corporation as well as agriculture loans in the district should be waived-off. The opposition leader further suggested that residents of Chitral be either offered a subsidy on wheat similar to how it is being done in gilgit-Baltistan or the commodity be distributed free of cost to them as done by the government in Thar. Further, Shah, while highlighting that the literacy rate in Chitral is now 67 per cent, called on the premier to upgrade a campus to a full-fledged university, he added. He also called for enhancing the number of seats reserved for students of Chitral in engineering and medical universities. STAFF REPORT

The agency’s sources in the government have cited the possibility of the arrest of Kashmiri freedom leaders at the New Delhi Airport if they do end up reaching there for meeting Pakistan’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Sartaj Aziz, who is scheduled to meet his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval. If that happens, the Hurriyat leaders would be released only after talks between the NSAs of India and Pakistan have taken place, the sources said. The crucial talks, scheduled to be held on Sunday and Monday, were precariously positioned on Friday with India warning that any meeting between the Kashmiri leaders and the Pakistani delegation is “unacceptable”. Pakistan, on the other hand, has asserted that it will not cancel meeting the leaders. While sources at the Centre said that the effort would be to keep the freedom leaders from leaving Srinagar for Delhi, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has reportedly refused to arrest or detain them in the state capital.

The PDP has argued that no state government has ever disallowed the freedom leaders from visiting Pakistani leaders in Delhi. On Thursday, Yasin Malik, Syed Ali Shah geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq were placed under house arrest in Srinagar but were released within two hours, reportedly after Mehbooba Mufti, who heads the PDP and is the chief minister’s daughter, intervened. While the detention was described by the Centre as a signal that the separatists “cannot be a third party to talks” and that they could be detained again if they tried to meet the Pakistani delegation, the quick release was seen as the state government’s position on the matter.

GEELANI ASKS PAKISTAN TO REMAIN FIRM ON KASHMIR STANCE MONITORING DESK Senior leader of Kashmir freedom movement Syed Ali geelani on Friday said India is not serious to resolve Kashmir conflict and asked Pakistan to remain firm on its stance. Talking to a Pakistani news channel, geelani said India is not serious to resolve Kashmir conflict which is why it is resorting to delay tactics. He asked Pakistan to remain firm like a rock on its stance on Kashmir while focusing on its internal stability. Another Hurriyat leader Shabbir Shah said nerves have gotten to India, adding that the claimant of largest democracy in the world doesn’t even want a dialogue. The freedom leaders said that India will come up with new excuses every time the matter goes to the negotiation table.

OBAMA AND MODI NOW ON A HOTLINE NEWS DESK A hotline between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama as well as between their national security advisers has recently become operational, The Times of India has reported. Peter R Lavoy, special assistant to the US President and senior director for South Asian Affairs at the National Security Council of the White House said, “It [hotline has] just recently been established.” “Hotline has connotation of

some crisis management phone or system that was used during the cold war to defuse crisis. That’s not what we have. This is a secure line between two very close partners so that they can exchange views at the heads of state level…exchange views and co-ordinate approaches to solving real problems,” Lavoy added. When asked whether the two leaders have used the secure line of communication, he informed that it has not been used so far. The decision to establish a ModiObama hotline was reached during

Obama’s visit to New Delhi to attend India’s Republic Day on January 26, as its chief guest. At the joint press conference, a day before, Modi had said that the two leaders have decided to give this critical partnership its due trust and sustained attention. “For this, we have agreed that India and the United States must [have] regular summits at greater frequency. And we also established hotlines between myself and Barack and our national security advisers,” Modi had added. The two leaders are expected to meet in New York in September when

Modi comes to the US to attend the annual session of the United Nations general Assembly. India is the fourth country, after Russia, great Britain and China, with which US has a hotline. Also, for India it is the first hotline at the head of state level. In 2004, Pakistan and India agreed to establish hotlines at the level of foreign secretaries and in 2010, India and China announced to establish a hotline at the foreign minister level. However, the New Delhi-Beijing hotline is not yet operational.

LEAS SAVE THE DAY: MAJOR TERROR BIDS FOILED, MEN NABBED ISLAMABAD/LAHORE/KARACHI/PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

Thwarting terror attempts in four main cities of the country; Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar, police and the law-enforcing agencies on Monday arrested several terrorists. In a joint operation by the police, Rangers and intelligences agencies in Sihala, 22 alleged terrorists, including 13

Afghans, were arrested while weapons, binoculars and a large cache of bullets were seized. In Lahore, a suspected terrorist was arrested from Chungi Dugaij Underpass, Ring Road. Explosive material was reportedly found in the man’s possession. Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) and Elite Force cars arrived immediately upon receiving the information about the explosives. The suspect was shifted to an

undisclosed place for interrogation. In the meanwhile in Karachi, Rangers and police found 10,000 bullets during an operation called following a tip on an abandoned car in Nazimabad precincts. The police cordoned off the area and blocked all entry and exit points of the locality before the BDS approached the car and discovered the bullets. The car was handed over in the custody of the po-

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lice who say the registration details of the car were being obtained. Separately in Peshawar, a suspected terrorist, Abdul Waheed alias Abubakar, was arrested from Haji Camp by Special Police Unit. A remote controlled bomb fixed in a water cooler was also found in the man’s possession. The BDS neutralised the bomb with water charge. The arrested suspect is reported to be a member of an international terrorist or-

ganisation. He was also wanted to the law-enforcing agencies in six terror attacks martyring 42 officials in FATA and target-killing and kidnapping for ransom cases of a retired director of Intelligence Bureau (IB), deputy director, inspector and a retired DSP. Sources told that the suspect belongs to Orakzai Agency and has been shifted to an unidentified place for further investigation.

04 NEWS

Saturday, 22 August, 2015

First phase of LG polls in Punjab, Sindh on Oct 31 ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

N the Sindh and Punjab governments’ request for delaying the local government (LG) elections on the pretext of the governments’ preoccupation with tackling floods,

Non-bailable arrest warrants issued for DJ Butt in Islamabad ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

A local court on Friday issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of DJ Butt, Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf’s (PTI) former music guru, after hearing a case related to the violation of a capital administration ban on the use of loudspeakers during last year’s sit-ins. Assistant Commissioner Islamabad Waqas Rasheed heard a case against DJ Butt relating to the violation of Section 144 of the criminal procedure code (CrPC) and the Amplifier Act which he was accused of committing during PTI’s 126-day sit-in last year. The court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for DJ Butt after his failure to appear before it and directed Station House Officer (SHO) Secretariat to arrest Butt and present him before the court on the next hearing of the case which was adjourned until September 3. DJ Butt was also arrested earlier in September 2014 during PTI’s sit-in in Islamabad in relation with the same case.

law and order and security for upcoming month of Muharram, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has finalised a new elections schedule for the two provinces. Per schedule, first phase of LG polls in both provinces will begin on October 31, second phase on

October 19 and third phase on December 3. According to ECP, nomination papers will be collected from September 7 to 11 while the scrutiny will take place from September 13 to 18. Appeals against the returning officers’ (ROs) decision could be filed till September 24 and verdict on

appeals will be announced by September 30. Final list of candidates will be announced on October 2 and polling in the first phase will commence on October 31. The schedule of second phase will be released on September 3 while the schedule of third phase will be issued on September 21.

AFGHAN VICEPRESIDENT FIGHTS OFF TALIBAN AMBUSH KABUL AGENCIES

A Taliban ambush on Afghan Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum’s convoy backfired on Friday when the warhardened leader’s men fought back, killing at least four militants and capturing a dozen more on a remote highway. Dostum’s armoured vehicle was moving in a convoy along a remote highway through Qaysar district in the province of Faryab when 20 militants opened fire, said police chief Subhan Qul, who was in the convoy. Dostum’s vehicle was hit several times by shots in the gunfight that followed, Afghan media reported. “As a result of almost three hours of fighting, at least four Taliban are killed and 13 are captured alive,” an official from the vice president’s media office said. Earlier a spokesman said eight militants died. There were no initial reports of casualties among the security forces. Provincial police chief Massoud Yaqubi said that one of the killed in-

surgents was of Uzbek nationality. Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek who led a personal army fighting the Taliban regime before the 2001 US military intervention and who is accused by rights groups of involvement in war crimes, joined the political mainstream last year as President Ashraf Ghani’s running mate. He traded his suit for a military uniform last month to accompany the army and armed villagers fighting an offensive by the Islamic extremists in his northern heartland. Afghan forces are largely fighting the Taliban alone for the first time this year after all but a rump of foreign coalition soldiers left the country last year. The insurgents have made advances in the north and south but struggled to hold territory. Dostum has been itching to take the fight to the Taliban for months, but has had to tread carefully because of concerns by Ghani that his return to the front lines would drag Afghanistan back into the chaos of the 1990s when militias waged civil war.

MACEDONIA ALLOWS ‘VULNERABLE’ PAKISTANI MIGRANTS TO CROSS BORDER MACEDONIA AGENCIES

Macedonia said on Friday it would allow a limited number of “vulnerable” migrants to pass through the country after sealing its border with Greece to them, leaving thousands of refugees stuck in no-man’s land. “A limited number of illegal migrants in vulnerable categories are allowed to enter Macedonia and they may be provided with aid in accordance with the state’s capacities,” the interior ministry said in a statement. It did not elaborate on what it considered vulnerable categories, but shortly after the announcement, Macedonian police allowed in a few hundred refugees, mostly families with children and pregnant women. Police issued temporary transit documents to 181 migrants, mostly from Syria, Bangladesh and Pakistan, wanting to cross the small Balkan country on their way to northern Europe in the last 24 hours, the ministry statement said. “Police allowed us to enter into the coun-

try,” a 17-year-old Syrian called Salim told AFP, saying he was travelling alone as his family had stayed in a refugee camp in Turkey. The move however caused tensions among many of those being prevented from crossing, an AFP reporter said. Many said they had spent two days in noman’s land after Skopje decided on Thursday to seal the border and declared a state of emergency. Walking along the railroad they headed to the train station in the Macedonian town of Gevgelija, where they hope to catch a train and continue their trip towards Serbia and EU borders on the north. More than 3,000 mostly Syrian refugees are -stuck in no-man’s land near the Greek village of Edomeni in a standoff with police and troops sent by Skopje to help stem the flow of migrants attempting to cross into Macedonia. Before Macedonia declared a state of emergency on its southern border on Thursday it was issuing an average of 1,300 such documents a day, it added. More than 41,000 migrants have been processed since mid-June.

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PAF chieF leAds Airstrikes AgAinst nWA terrorist hideouts RAWALPINDI: Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman on Tuesday led an air raid as Operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan entered a critical phase. The air chief spearheaded a formation of fighter aircraft which took off from a forward operating base and participated in a mission where they bombed militant hideouts and their depots of explosives. According to pictures released by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Aman flew an F-16 (A). On the occasion, Aman also met the air and ground crew and applauded them for their service. On Tuesday, 18 suspected militants were killed as Pakistan Air Force jets bombed hideouts of terrorists. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the air strikes were carried out in Shawal area of North Waziristan. STAFF REPORT

Saturday, 22 August, 2015

NEWS

NORTH KOREA DECLARES ‘QUASISTATE OF WAR’ ON SOUTH KIM ORDERS TROOPS TO ‘ENTER A WARTIME STATE’ AND BE FULLY READY FOR ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS STARTING FRIDAY EVENING SEOUL

AGENCIES

ORTH Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Friday declared his frontline troops are in a “quasistate of war” and ordered them to prepare for battle a day after the most serious confrontation between the rivals in years. South Korea’s military on Thursday fired dozens of artillery rounds across the border in response to what Seoul said were North Korean artillery strikes meant to back up a threat to attack loudspeakers broadcasting anti-Pyongyang propaganda. North Korea’s declaration yesterday is similar to its other warlike rhetoric in recent years, including repeated threats to reduce Seoul to a “sea of fire,” and the huge numbers of soldiers and military equipment already stationed along the border mean the area is always essentially in a “quasi-state of war.” Still, North Korea’s apparent willingness to test Seoul with military

UN PEACEKEEPERS SEXUALLY ABUSED MINORS AS YOUNG AS 11 WASHINGTON AGENCIES

The UN mission in the Central African Republic has been hit by 13 cases of alleged sexual abuse by its peacekeepers, including nine that involve underage victims as young as 11, an official said Thursday. “The sharp rise in cases reported in the last three months is of concern,” said Diane Corner, the deputy chief at the country’s MINUSCA mission. Corner told reporters via video conference from the capital Bangui that the alleged victims in the nine cases involving minors are of “a range of ages. The youngest is 11.” The 12,000-strong MINUSCA force, which took over from an African Union mission nearly a year ago, has been plagued by a series of allegations of rape and other misconduct by its troops. That led UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon last week to fire the mission chief, Babacar Gaye of Senegal, declaring “enough is enough.” Three new cases of rape allegedly committed by a MINUSCA contingent from the Democratic Republic of Congo came to light this week, and Congolese Justice Minister Alexis Thambwe Mwamba said Thursday he had ordered legal action. Of the 13 cases, one dating from December 2014 was closed after investigators concluded that the claims were unsubstantiated. But the allegations in all 12 other cases remain under investigation, either by the country that contributed the accused soldiers or jointly with the United Nations. “As far as we are aware, there have not been any convictions so far,” Corner said. Morocco and Burundi are investigating allegations of sexual abuse targeting their soldiers in MINUSCA that surfaced in June, UN officials said. Under UN rules, it is up to member states to investigate and prosecute their soldiers who face accusations of misconduct while serving under the UN flag. Ban told a special Security Council meeting last week that too many countries are slow in responding to accusations against their soldiers and in some cases do not respond at all. The UN chief has denounced sexual abuse in UN peacekeeping as a “cancer in our system” and has vowed to name and shame countries that fail to take action.

SEOUL: Activists burn effigies of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Friday.

strikes and its recent warning of further action has raised concern because South Korea has vowed to hit back with overwhelming strength should North Korea attack again. Pyongyang said it did not fire anything at South Korea, a claim Seoul dismissed as nonsense. Kim ordered his troops to “enter a wartime state” and be fully ready for any military operations starting yesterday evening, according to a report by Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency. North Korea has also given Seoul a deadline of today to remove border loudspeakers that, after a lull of 11 years, have started broad-

casting anti-Pyongyang propaganda. Failure would result in military action, Pyongyang said, but Seoul has vowed to continue the broadcasts. A North Korean media report said that “military commanders were urgently dispatched for operations to attack South Korean psychological warfare facilities if the South does not stop operating them.” South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, citing an unidentified government source, yesterday reported that South Korean and US surveillance assets detected the movement of vehicles carrying short-range Scud and medium-range

Rodong missiles in a possible preparation for launches. The South Korean Ministry of National Defense said it could not confirm the report. North Korea said South Korean shells fired on Thursday landed near four military posts, but caused no injuries. No one was reported injured in South Korea, either, although hundreds were evacuated from frontline towns. The loudspeaker broadcasts began after South Korea accused North Korea of planting land mines that maimed two South Korean soldiers earlier this month, which Pyongyang denies. North Korea on Thursday afternoon first fired a single round believed to be from an anti-aircraft gun, which landed near a South Korean border town, Seoul said. About 20 minutes later, three North Korean artillery shells fell on the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two nations. South Korea responded with dozens of 155mm artillery rounds, according to South Korean defense officials. South Korea’s military yesterday said that North Korea must refrain from engaging in “rash acts” or face strong punishment, according to South Korea’s Defense Ministry. South Korea raised its military readiness to its highest level. South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Jeon Hakyu told a televised news conference that South Korea is ready to repel any additional provocation.

Erdogan to call snap election ANKARA AGENCIES

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Friday he would call snap elections after the failure of coalition talks and a rise in tensions over military action against Kurdish rebels. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had abandoned efforts to form a coalition government earlier this week when talks ended with two smaller parties. Political analysts say discontent has been growing because of renewed fighting with the PKK Kurdish rebel group. Erdogan, who suffered a rare setback in inconclusive June polls, said he would meet the parliament speaker on Monday to make arrangements and formally call new elections, likely for November 1. “After that, we will take our country to early elections,” Erdogan said. “God willing, on Nov. 1, Turkey will go through what I like to call repeat elections.” InterIm government: The

Turkish leader also said he would form an interim government to lead the country to the election, and that he had no intention of giving Turkey’s opposition leader - Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the second-placed Republican People’s Party (CHP) — a mandate to do so. After Prime Minister Davutoglu failed to agree to an AKP-led coalition this week, Erdogan did not offer the CHP the chance to do so. Renewed fighting with PKK rebels after a two-year cease-fire came weeks after the AKP lost its majority in the June general election, leading to growing skepticism about the motive for the return to hostilities. Opponents have accused Erdogan of seeking early elections all along and meddling in coalition talks in the hope that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) would benefit by being seen as the only way to peace. Davutoglu’s AKP lost its 12-year majority rule in June elections mainly due to the success of the newly created pro-Kurdish HDP.

IS in Syria demolishes ancient Mar Elian monastery DAMASCUS AGENCIES

Islamic State (IS) militants have demolished the ancient Christian monastery of Mar Elian in the central Syrian town of al-Qaryatain.The militants had also moved Christians taken captive in the town to their stronghold of Raqqa, according to a UK-based monitoring group. IS captured al-Qaryatain from government forces some two weeks ago. Separately, at least four people have died in an Israeli strike on a Syrian-held section of the Golan Heights. Israel has carried out a wave of strikes in the area, which lies in southwestern Syria, after rockets fired from Syria struck its territory on Thursday. The rockets set fire to scrubland but did

not cause any casualties. Israel’s military has accused Palestinian militants from the Islamic Jihad group of firing

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the rockets, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack had been ordered by Iran. Islamic State mil-

Israel’s ‘retalIatIon’ kIlls sIx In syrIa

DAMASCUS AGENCIES

Israeli airstrikes in southern Syria killed six people and wounded seven, Syrian state TV reported on Friday, in retaliation for a rocket attack on Israel that Jerusalem blamed on militants backed by Iran. Four rockets exploded in an open field in northern Galilee on Thursday. There were no injuries but it was the first time since the 1973 Mideast war that rockets from Syrian territory have slammed into Israel. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Syrian state TV said an Israeli drone strike Friday targeted a “civilian car” close to a busy market in the village of Kom, killing five. Ahmad Sheikh Abdul-Qader, governor of the southern region of Quneitra, said the attack happened on the road leading to the village of Khan Arnabeh, near Kom, and destroyed the car. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the country’s war, said the five dead were members of progovernment National Defense Forces. It did not elaborate. State TV also said an Israeli air raid overnight in Quneitra killed a soldier and wounded seven. The Israeli military did not comment on the reported casualties but said it carried out a raid Friday morning on “part of the terror cell responsible for the rocket fire at northern Israel.” Israel said it had credible information that Iran, a key backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad, was behind Thursday’s rocket attack. The foreign ministry said in a statement that a commander who heads the Palestinian division of Iran’s elite Quds Force, identified as Saeed Izaadhi, orchestrated the attack that was carried out by the Islamic Jihad group. “The military struck the cell that carried out the shooting and the Syrian forces that allowed it. We have no intention of escalating events,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. But he added: “Those countries that are quick to embrace Iran should know that it was an Iranian commander who endorsed and directed the cell that fired at Israel.” In Gaza, the Islamic Jihad group denied involvement in the attack. Syrian TV, meanwhile, said the air raids aimed to “boost the morale of terrorist organizations,” claiming that Israel is backing militants in the area. Israel and Syria are bitter enemies. Israel has avoided taking sides in the Syrian civil war, which pits Assad’s government against an array of militants, including the brutal Islamic State group.

itants in al-Qaryatain, in Homs province, reportedly used bulldozers to demolish the Mar Elian monastery. It was founded more than 1,500 years ago. IS has also transferred more than 100 captives - including Christians seized when they overran al-Qaryatain - to Raqqa, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a group that monitors the conflict using a network of contacts in Syria. The captives include Jacques Mourad, a prominent local priest who had been working at the Mar Elian monastery. IS regards Christians as infidels. The threat of violence and persecution from the militants has forced many Christian communities from their homes in Syria and northern Iraq. Al-Qaryatain was captured in the militants’ first major offensive since May, when they seized the historic town of Palmyra, famed for its Roman-style ruins. More than 230,000 Syrians have died in the civil war, which began after anti-government protests in March 2011. Rebel groups that originally fought against the government of President Bashar al-Assad have also been battling each other in an increasingly complex and bloody conflict.

06 LAHORE

Saturday, 22 August, 2015

WEATHER UPDATES

Tutor abuses minor students, coerces them into ‘sex education’ MONITORING REPORT A private tutor arrested on Wednesday has admitted to sexually abusing his students in the name of “sex education”. According to local media reports, Hussein Ahmed Khan admitted that he sexually abused up to seven female students – all under the age of 13 - in various academies he taught at in the past six years. A police raid revealed more than 30 videos and photographs in the tutor’s house. To avoid the possibility of the clips being procured by or sold to porn web sites, the

police have sealed them and the photographs, which will be produced as evidence at Khan’s trial. A resident of Lahore and a science graduate, Khan also admitted to blackmailing students into bringing their friends to the academy. The incident is the second such case in child abuse scandals in Pakistan. Less than a month ago, reports from Kasur brought the ire of the nation on authorities when it was revealed that a child porn gang had raped, drugged and beaten more than 280 children in the area.

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Farmers won’T leave, be iT rains or sunshine PAKISTAN KISAAN ITTEHAD SAYS WOULD NEGOTIATE DEMANDS WITH CM OR PM ONLY LAHORE

HASSAAN AHMED

He commuters were in trouble for the second consecutive day as the traffic remained suspended due to the ongoing protest by farmers from all over the province under the banner of Pakistan Kisaan Ittehad (PKI), at Mall Road’s Faisal Chowk and surrounding areas. The protesting farmers offered symbolic funeral of what they claim to be already ‘dead’ agriculture sector of the country on Friday and raised anti-government slogans. The farmers took to the Mall Road on Thursday noon and blocked it and had not vacated the area till the filing of this report on Friday night. Worse traffic jam was witnessed on the adjacent roads and commuters decried the blockade of traffic on the Mall. Rauf Ali, who was stopped by the protestors from passing through chairing cross with his family, said that the blockade of traffic on the Mall is a matter of routine and the government should rename this chowk as “protest chowk” or allocate some other place for the protests.

Nauman Malik, a student who wanted to go to the Jinnah Library had a scuffle with the protesters for not letting pass through the chowk said that the sit-in culture in Pakistan is harming the country economically and socially. In the meanwhile, the leadership of the PKI held a meeting with the Punjab chief secretary which ended in a deadlock. Khalid Mehmood Khokhar, Central President of the PKI, told Pakistan Today that the farmers are not going to end their sit-in until their demands are met. Khokhar was of the view that the PKI will only negotiate their demands the chief minister or prime minister. He claimed that in the past, government ministers had given them false assurances that their grievances would be redressed but later, didn’t walk their talk compelling the farmers to take to roads to press for their demands. Talking to Pakistan Today, Ayub Ahmad, a farmer from District Qasur, said that he has willfully joined the protest to fight for his due rights. Sharing his grievances, he said the Sugar mills owners owed cultivators a huge amount of Rs 2.5 billion. He urged the government to stop import-

ing vegetables and fruits from India as Pakistan produces these items in surplus, adding that the trade with India is a murder of local farmers. He further said that the farmers community demands of the government to grant subsidy of Rs 100 billion on agriculture products, fix the rate of cotton at 4,000 per maund and also grant subsidy on agriculture tube-wells. Punjab Agriculture Minister Dr Farukkh Javaid was not available for comments and his per-

CM ORDERS AUTHORITIES TO BEEF UP SECURITY LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has issued instructions to departments concerned to beef up security arrangements across the province. He said that the present situation demands emergent measures, therefore, the police and law enforcement agencies should perform their duties with

commitment and efficiency for foiling the nefarious designs of the enemy. The chief minister directed Cabinet Committee on Law & Order that all out steps should be taken for the protection of life and property of citizens and a watchful eye be kept on anti-social elements. He said that timely and effective measures are being taken under the National Action Plan (NAP) for

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rooting out terrorism and efforts in this regard should be continued. He said that indiscriminate action should be taken over publication and distribution of objectionable literature while the ban on the use of loudspeaker and wallchalking should be strictly implemented. He said that a watchful eye should be kept on entry and exit points of the province.

sonal assistant said that the minister was in a meeting. It is pertinent to mention here that the minister himself is a resident of Pakpattan and a number of protesters are also from his district. Punjab former governor and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Punjab Organiser Chaudhry Sarwar, Jamaat-eIslami leader Liaquat Baloch and Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Mian Mehmmodur Rasheed also addressed the participants.

LAHORE 07

Saturday, 22 August, 2015

Disabled murder convict to be hanged from his wheelchair NEWS DESK

death-row convict who is unable to mount the scaffold as he lost the use of his legs having contracted Tuberculosis one year after detention is set to be hanged from his wheelchair, according to The Telegraph. Abdul Basit, 43, was convicted of murder in 2009 and developed tuberculosis one year later, leaving him paralysed from the waist down. The death warrant issued on July 29 came in the wake of the lifting of the moratorium on

death penalty that has raised many questions over the ethical and some practical aspects of Basit’s execution. Basit’s lawyers and human rights activists have already started battling to stop his execution. The 43-year-old’s final appeal will be heard on August 25 and if that fails, he will be executed within days. The problem facing the jail authorities is how to execute Basit since the prison regulations say that the convict must be able to ‘stand’ on the scaffold for the execution, an argument raised by

Four PoLice consTabLes arresTeD over susPicion oF Ties wiTh banneD ouTFiTs LAHORE STAFF REPORT

At least four policemen including two suspended constables were arrested over suspicion of having alleged ties with defunct organisations. Two vehicles, millions of rupees cash and secret documents were recovered from their possessions.

The police arrested three including Police Constable Pervaiz from Lakshmi Chowk where he was living in a flat with two suspended police constables. Constable Saeed was arrested from Qurban Lines over reports of his relations with banned outfits. The detained constables Saeed and Pervaiz were deployed in flying squad.

Basit’s lawyer that can change the verdict. The jail’s handbook read, “The condemned prisoner shall mount the scaffold and shall be placed directly under the beam to which the rope is attached, the warders still holding him by the arms,” leaving questions over the practicality of Basit’s execution.Since Basit is not able to support his weight and body, he wouldn’t be able to stand on the platform where execution takes place. Campaigners are trying to get the execution stopped because it involves risks, whereas the au-

‘CLIMATE CHANGING ADVERSELY AT ALARMING RATE’ LAHORE STAFF REPORT

The climate is changing adversely at an alarming and the whole world should pay attention on to the issue. This was stated by a

participant who attended a workshop on Climate Change on August Friday organised by Individualland Pakistan in Lahore. The importance and significance of Climate Change was discussed in the workshop as well as

Incessant rain inundates low-lying PML-n Mna ch arif areas, disrupts power system disqualified over fake degree

LAHORE: Incessant rain inundated several low-lying areas in the city on Thursday. Over 130 feeders tripped due to the rain and gale, disrupting the power system. As a result, the power supply was suspended in Green Town, Muslim Town, Ichhra, Samanabad, Model Town, Town Ship, Harbanspura, Batapur, Shalamar, Sabzazar, Thokar Niaz Beg, Ravi Road, Bund Road, Johar Town and Wapda Town. The power lines also broke down due to falling of trees in several areas. A LeSCO spokesman warned the people not to touch a power switch bare-footed. He said that work on restoring the supply would start after stopping of the rain. STAFF REPORT

MULTAN: The election tribunal on Friday disqualified Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) National Assembly Member (MNA) Chaudhry Arif for possessing a fake degree. He was elected an assembly member from NA-144 Okara. Fayyaz Ahmed Ghauri, an independent candidate, had filed a petition against him and contended that the Arif possessed a fake intermediate certificate. The hearing of the petition continued for about two years. The election tribunal in Multan declared Arif disqualified, ordering re-election in NA-144. STAFF REPORT

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thorities seem pre-occupied over thinking how to carry out the execution. Clive Stafford Smith, director of the legal action charity, Reprieve, said, “In the name of all that is decent, it is time for the Pakistan president to call a halt to this grisly experiment with the gallows.” Basit’s case might be unprecedented in Pakistan but many such cases have emerged in other countries in the past. In the United States, Virginia once executed 39-year-old Charles Stamper who was left ‘extremely disabled’ owing to acute spinal injuries he got in a prison fight.

its effects and repercussions. A similar sensitisation workshop was earlier held in Karachi on August 19, 2015. One of the participants from Karachi was of the view, “Climate change is occurring so rapidly that one minute it is hot and suddenly it starts to rain heavily due to which the weather becomes quite cold. The current floods in Punjab are an example of this due to which thousands of people have become homeless.”

PFa seals ZeniTh meaT Processing uniT LAHORE: In another of its series of operation against food outlets and eateries, the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Friday raided Zenith meat processing unit located at Raiwind Manga road and sealed it. Director Operations Ayesha Mumtaaz, accompanied by a PFA team, launched an FIR against three persons over the charges of not possessing a medical certificates and poor hygienic conditions. A Shalimar Town team imposed fine on Fazal Sweets near Nakhuda Chowk over the charges of not mentioning expiry dates on cakes and poor storage room. The same team also inspected Faraz Bakers in China Scheme and sealed it due to operating without license. STAFF REPORT

08 COMMENT

Saturday, 22 August, 2015

Slum demolition

Zardari’s confidence and concerns More tests for PPP

Sif Zardari remains confident about his party’s present political position since, according to his latest interview, control of the Sindh government and Senate are proof enough of its potency. yet he was forced to accept the breakdown in Punjab. Perhaps that explains his rather passive than usual body language. the ‘jewel in the crown’ – as his interviewer referred to the province – must be troubling the cochairman as PML-N government’s tenure runs its course. in hindsight, standing by democracy at the time of the dharna crisis might have done the PPP about just as much good as the ruling party. Who knows who would have taken advantage of the void in Punjab when PPP was still struggling from the ’13 election fallout? there are, of course, enough precedents to back Zardari’s claim of the PPP backing the democratic process to the hilt. that makes it easier for the leadership to play down the election threat. for now they are deflecting probing questions by playing around the process. that is why Zardari comfortably said they would do (in Punjab) what they have always done; swing into action around campaign time and accept the people’s verdict, even if it’s in favour of another. But deep down he knows that losing more ground in Punjab means being written off at the centre for far longer. Significantly, while he did admit that different factors – including dictators, biradri system and worker discontent – were at the centre of the problems in Punjab, he did not seem to have a viable solution. Already he has tried, twice, to come here and solve problems himself. He has even played the Bilawal card, but to no avail. With things in disarray, his remarks about certain military officials could have been better timed, even though he continues to insist they were misinterpreted. With time running out, Zardari sb cannot afford to take his eye off the ball, especially since Bilawal has yet to assume complete leadership of the party. He must, therefore, restructure the party immediately, and then remove internal discontent before moving to present a manifesto for the future.

alienate the minorities. Media’s responsible role is also very important in such cases. it should not just be “covering” the story but should also convey the right message through to the people. Showing one side of the picture without laying out the facts could be rather damaging for the general health of the society. the people saw on their television sets how big bulldozers went about demolishing dozens of one-room mud and thatched houses in sector i11. tear gas was used and the unarmed protestors were chased after by the baton wielding police. they were beaten, dragged and arrested, while the women were left crying and wailing. Such had been the media projection, which only led to invoking sympathies in favor of squatter settlers. No doubt these immigrants and illegal settlers have been an economic and demographic burden and an eye sore for an otherwise immaculate landscape of the capital, but after having them displaced they are now even more dependent on others for shelter, food and water, hence a bigger burden for the government to deal with. Also previously the suspected potential risk elements were present at one place, now they are more dispersed and much harder to manage and locate. there is also a huge possibility that the extremist organisations might try to cash in on the opportunity and win support of this vulnerable populace by offering them means and incentives for their sustenance. Desperation may lead these people to grab on to any option they may came across that guarantees their survival, hence creating bigger security risks for the state. the state authority needs to realise that the heavy cost will not only be paid by the slum dwellers but by the state too. comprehensive security will be guaranteed only if the demolition plan is paired with a legal framework and post operation rehabilitation. At the moment it looks like a poorly thought out eviction plan aimed at displacing the population. One ends up wondering if this attempt at ensuring the internal security would create much bigger security risks. May be it is not too hard to tell after all.

Security fortified or compromised?

S Sadia Kazmi

ecurity concerns remain at the forefront of Pakistan’s policy agenda. Whether it is the internal or external security issues, the state authority is continuously grappling with the task at various levels. in a bid to remove all types of security risks in the capital, the islamabad High court recently sanctioned the clearing of slum settlements. A look at the cDA operation against the slum dwellers reveals that the eviction plan is driven by the need for security measures to be ensured in the federal capital. these slums are seen as a source of potential risk for the peace and security owing to the fact that most of these people are not the local citizens but unregistered and unidentified immigrants who have outstayed their welcome and have turned into a menace by refusing to leave their semi permanent abodes built on someone else’s land. Hence not only could they serve as a likely place of refuge for miscreants and criminals but can also be a potential breeding ground for the population with the same attributes. in such a scenario, they don’t

leave any other option to the authorities but that they be razed and removed forcefully so that peace and security could be maintained. the operation might be justified on the legal grounds but the way the plan is being carried out raises serious questions: Will it actually help achieve the targeted goal or will it just be another cosmetic measure aiming at restoring the pristine look of the capital? What significant points were overlooked by the authorities? How is the state going to deal with the possibility of the displaced poor population becoming a pawn in the hands of terrorists? Lastly, could this operation back fire and further aggravate the security situation? Lack of proper planning can inadvertently impact the security environment. the policy implementation should always be preceded by a process of securitisation i.e., to create awareness about the existence, nature and intensity of a particular threat. Since no such measures were taken, the general public was left wondering as to why the poor residents living in deplorable condition were being uprooted. the action meant for the protection of larger population only served to antagonise them against the authorities. unfortunately this nontraditional “social” dimension of security is usually overlooked by the authorities in Pakistan who fail to recognize the potential of its negative ramifications. Such non kinetic security challenges could be dealt with if the government makes efforts to sensitize the masses through a step by step process of identification of risks, its reinforcement and securitization through the speech act. A large number of Pakistani citizens belonging to christian minority class also reside in these slums. the state has a responsibility to provide them with alternative shelter. But no resettlement plan has been announced. this problem could be addressed if the government and the private sector come together for the quick and early relocation of the displaced citizens. the state is already finding it hard to deal with the ethnic and sectarian problems and cannot afford to further

The writer is Senior Research Associate at the Strategic Vision Institute Islamabad and also pursuing PhD research work at the National Defence University, Islamabad.

Law against hate speech The present 24-point code is a good ﬁrst step

eActiNg to a speech by Altaf Hussain in which he had made certain remarks against the Armed forces, PeMrA had issued a warning to private tV channels in May against broadcasting hate speech. this had led to a debate regarding what really constituted hate speech. Didn’t the speeches delivered during the islamabad sit-in come under the purview? Didn’t the remarks against a certain religious minority aired by a tV anchor constitute hate speech? Aren’t unverified accusations against politicians or judges on tV channels liable to be treated as mischief? there was no answer to these questions. Meanwhile, electronic media continued to act as the proverbial tower of Babel where everyone was free to air his views with little responsibility and no accountability. the good thing about the present 24-point code is that it has specified in detail what constitutes hate speech. the media managers and practitioners would now have a clear understanding of their freedoms and limitations along with the rationale for these. the code prohibits any attacks on the constitution, system, security and integrity of the country and on religious, sectarian and ethnic minorities. it prohibits glamourisation of violence and crime. further, it ensures that the media is not used for promoting the terrorist entities. Airing of baseless allegations against individuals or organisations too stands prohibited. One would have liked PeMrA to also specify what it precisely means by the ‘ideology of Pakistan’. Does Jinnah’s 11 August, 1947, address enshrine the ideology of Pakistan, or is to be found in the pronouncements of military dictators or the edicts of clerics whose forebearers opposed the creation of Pakistan? it remains to be seen if the rules are followed firmly and in their entirety, rather than selectively. if applied without discrimination, these would make anchor persons, guests, politicians and clerics speak more responsibly. What is more, these would exercise the much needed control over broadcasts and put brakes on the unhealthy race for ratings, at times at the expense of social order.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad Joint Editor Lahore – Ph: 042-36375963, 042-36375965

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. Fax: +92-42-32535230 E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan today exclusively

Editor’s mail Brutal killing of Shuja Khanzada

colonel (retd) Shuja Khanzada, Punjab’s interior Minister, didn’t know from Adams what fate had in store for him on August 16, 2015. Shuja Khanzada became target of two heartless suicide bombers while addressing a meeting of local people, at his hometown in Attock, who had come to express their condolences on the death of his cousin. in the brutal suicide attack not only col. (retd) Shuja Khanzada but 19 other innocent people, including DSP Hazro circle, Shaukat Shah were martyred. the number of people who were injured in the blast was not small either. As reported in the media, over 23 people were seriously injured in the tragedy. col. (retd) Shuja Khanzada was a bold, honest, upright, dedicated and competent officer. His love and concern for the downtrodden people of the country have always been an example for others to emulate. On the fateful day of August 16, 2015 he was with the people of his constituency; meeting them, listening to their grievances and, as always, assuring them of his full support in the resolution of their problems. Shuja Khanzada, it is said, used to visit his home in Attock, every week, particularly for meeting the people of his constituency. this is something that elected representatives of the people rarely do in our country. His political career has been equally notable. He has been a member of the Punjab Assembly since 2002 and an active member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Khanzada was extremely vocal on the issue of terrorism. He has, in fact, been very active in crackdowns on the militants and taliban insurgents in the province of Punjab. that perhaps is also one of the reasons why he fell victim to the ruthless attack of the militants and lost his valuable life in the bargain. Pakistan has paid heavily in its war against terrorism. Lives of thousands of innocent men, women and children have been sacrificed in this war. the valiant armed forces of Pakistan are bravely fighting a war against the militants in North Waziristan. its successes in this regard are worthy of genuine appreciation. time has come to further gear up our efforts to root out the militants from

Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 Fax: 021-35381208

the soil of our beloved country, once and for all. this is all the more essential if we are to contain the massive toll that terrorism has already taken on our people, and also if we are sincerely desirous of putting Pakistan back on the path to economic development and prosperity. M FAZAL ELAHI Islamabad

LHC to help across the border All those who are questioning presence of Let/JuD’s chief — Hafiz Saeed, father-oftaliban — Sami ul Haq and Harkat-e-Mujahideen’s leader — Syed Salahuddin, during the funeral of gen(r) Hameed gul, should not be surprised by the news coming from Lahore. Punjab’s Lahore High court (LHc) has banned screening of an indian movie — Phantom over Hafiz Saeed’ complaint. Movie is based on a fiction “Mumbai Avengers” wherein those allegedly behind the 2008 Mumbai attack/ siege are targeted. Needless to say, Hafiz Saeed who carries a $10 million bounty as announced by the uS for his alleged role in masterminding the Mumbai attacks, is the one enshrined in the movie. But what’s the point in banning a movie; all those in Pakistan who want to watch it will go for pirated copies or for its internet version. earlier Maharashtra government also banned screening of Bajrangi Bhaijaan; did that ban stop the movie making record sales across the globe? if answer is no, then LHc, instead of investing it’s time in movie matters, should ask the government why it’s so reluctant to issue an official list of banned outfits in Pakistan. yes, only because such a list will prove to be a can of worms — whether or not to include Hafiz Saeed’ JuD and Jalal ud Din’ Haqqani network. Some movies always helps people to ponder upon events going around them — did india ban ‘Haider’ which highlights the high handedness of indian security forces in Kashmir, or ‘Maachis’ which brings the Sikh insurgency and its background in the lime light? there were many indians who worked hard to get these movies banned; but perhaps LHc was not available to help them out! Let’s be truthful to ourselves — we created

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

irritants to wage proxy wars in the neighboring countries. time changed and now these irritants have grown into monsters, looking for human blood to survive, no matter if it’s their creator’ blood! the earlier we recognize this bitter truth, the better for Pakistan. Sadly that’s not the case — after losing a brave soldier such as Shuja Khanzada, Pakistan’ hawkish interior minister is still protecting Lal Masjid clerics and Hafiz Saeed under his wings. MASOOD KHAN Jubail, Saudi Arabia

Ostracising the nikab i have been teaching in one of the most well known and sought after institutions of Lahore since the last 5 years. i enjoy teaching, i love interacting with youth, and my enthusiasm is reciprocated by my students. 3 years ago, i started wearing the abaya and nikab included. the choice was my own and not forced upon me. it was in no way a hindrance in my pedagogical skills. the administration of the school has an amazing reaction to the turn of events. from trying to convince me indirectly of the unnecessary nuisance of my chosen avatar, to being hidden away from public eye as if i have indulged in a crime, there was no stone left unturned. i put up with all with patience and perseverance. Last year, the head i report to was obviously impressed with my A type personality, and gave me hints of a promotion. Being a single mother, i pushed myself beyond the call of duty to make this promotion absolutely possible. When the time came, i was told that the higher-ups do not allow nikabis to be promoted. i would have been fine with their decision, but what really pinches me is that the increments i receive are equal to that of the teachers who really just dodge work. Demotivated by the turn of events, i applied to other institutions. All of these institutions were only too happy to read my cV but the moment they saw me, they asked me directly to take my nikab down if i wanted to teach. Being a citizen of the second largest Muslim state, it is an honour for me. But unfortunately it seems like this nation is embarrassed of having a hard working practicing Muslim as its citizen. A TEACHER Lahore

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Saturday, 22 August, 2015

HurrIyat HometrutHs PAKISTAN HAS ALL ALONG SHOWN CONSISTENCY IN ITS STAND. IF THERE HAS BEEN INCONSISTENCY AND COURSE CORRECTION OVER THE LAST ONE YEAR, IT HAS COME FROM INDIA ouTLook

PRaNaY sHaRMa

HE India-Pakistan national security advisor level talks slated for next week is fast being over-shadowed by the discomfort in South Block over the All Party Hurriyat Conference leaders'—widely seen in India as representatives of Kashmiri separatism—presence in the capital. The Pakistani high commissioner Abdul Basit has invited them for a round of discussions with the Pakistani NSA, Sartaj Aziz, before he goes into talks with his Indian counterpart, AjitDoval. India which had called off a scheduled foreign secretary level talks between the two sides last year because of a similar meeting Basit had called in Delhi with the Hurriyat leaders has described the latest Pakistani move as an attempt to scuttle the NSA talks. But the Indian charge notwithstanding, at no point

Keep paKIndIa talKs afloat TrIbunE, ChandIgarh The emergence of the Hurriyat factor is the latest test of resolve for India and Pakistan as they struggle to keep afloat this Sunday's talks between their National Security Advisers (NSAs). The two governments have so far not allowed localised but highly provocative incidents such as cross-border firing, the Gurdaspur siege and the Udhampur ambush to influence the holding of Indo-Pak dialogue. They now have another spanner with Hurriyat leaders planning to meet Sartaj Aziz when he arrives here for the talks. Exactly a year ago, India had cancelled the planned Foreign Secretary-level talks after the Pakistani envoy in Delhi had invited Kashmiri separatist leaders for consultations ahead of the meeting in Islamabad. Unlike the last time, the Prime Minister's Office has reacted to the Pakistan’s invite to the Hurriyat leaders with a few days to spare. This has given it the margin to take corrective measures. The first was the now abandoned attempt to put Hurriyat leaders under house arrest. A meeting with Hurriyat leaders is crucial for Sartaz Aziz. Even if nothing substantial is discussed, the images of Hurriyat leaders with Aziz will help Nawaz Sharif counterbalance his critics for not explicitly mentioning Kashmir in his joint statement with Narendra Modi in Russia. The publicity from the house arrest seems to have partly helped Sharif achieve this purpose. But Islamabad still retains the excuse to walk out of the talks if the Hurriyat meeting does not take place. New Delhi has little scope for maneuvering because one year ago, it had called off talks between the Foreign Secretaries on the same grounds. This calls for some innovative solutions. For instance, Pakistan cannot complain if the Hurriyat leaders meet Aziz after he has held talks with AjitDoval. After all, it describes the NSA talks as an icebreaker or the beginning of a series of meetings. It can always act on Hurriyat’s counsel at subsequent interactions. India will also have no complaints about this format. And if the hardliners in Hurriyat boycott an interaction with the Pakistanis after the NSA talks, they would be further marginalising themselves.

did Pakistan assure the Indian leadership that it would desist from talking to the Hurriyat leaders, especially before a crucial round of talks between the two countries. In fact,Pakistan has all along shown consistency in its stand. If there has been inconsistency and course correction over the last one year, it has come from India. PM Narendra Modi broke new ground in May 2014 when he invited Pakistani PM, Nawaz Sharif and other South Asian leaders to his inaugural ceremony. But despite rising hope in the two countries on a renewed attempt to sustain the dialogue process, it was India that called off the talks because of Basit's decision to meet the Hurriyat leaders. India decided to renew the dialogue after a meeting between the two Prime Ministers in Russia's Ufa in July this year. The scheduled NSA level dialogue is part of that agreement. However, throughout this entire period, Pakistan has remained consistent. It has neither expressed its

WORLD VIEW 09

desire to stay away from talks with India nor gave any indication that before future talks between the two sides it will not have prior consultations with the Hurriyat. So whatever else Pakistan may be blamed of, it cannot be accused of inconsistency. Irrespective of whether India acknowledges it or not, it knows that Pakistan will not be able to hold any dialogue with it unless it keeps the Hurriyat in the loop. The practice of holding meetings with the Kashmiri leaders was accepted by India, and it is now extremely difficult for either side to break away from it. From Pakistan's point of view no meaningful dialogue with India can take place by ignoring the Kashmir issue. To desist from a meeting with the Hurriyat before a crucial meeting with the Indians in Delhi will be interpreted by hardliners in Pakistan as an attempt to dilute the "core issue" of Kashmir. Additionally, it has become extremely crucial for Pakistan to bring back the issue of Kashmir to the centre stage of India-Pakistan dialogue now. This is the 70th anniversary of the UN General Assembly and the Pakistani leadership is keen to bring the unresolved Kashmir issue in the speech of its Prime Minister when he addresses the General Assembly in New York in September this year. This becomes as important strategy for Pakistan to divert attention

from what it feels will be India's attempt to push for an expansion of the UN Security Council in which Delhi wants to get in as a permanent member. If the Indian leadership has shown maturity to come to the decision that it needs to engage with Pakistan to normalise relations between the two neighbours, it will have to overlook the Hurriyat's presence in the periphery of the dialogue process. However, the Modi administration which had taken a moral high ground last year while calling off the talks, now finds itself in a spot. It knows the concern among the international players will be high if the two estranged nuclear neighbourscontinue to stay away from the talks table. The decision to return to talks with Pakistan stems from that assessment. But in an attempt to paper over its own inconsistency in dealing with Pakistan, it is now trying to show the Hurriyat's presence as a Pakistan attempt to scuttle the talks. However, its own incoherent policy is now coming back to put India in an embarrassing position. Though it may be premature to judge the outcome of the NSA dialogue—which many feel is likely to end up in series of dossiers being exchanged between the two sides followed with charges and counter charges of abetting and supporting cross-border-terrorism—before soon India may have to broaden its dialogue with Pakistan. Stressing on the need to focus only on the issue of terrorism may be good point to sell to the domestic audience. But a sustained dialogue, insulated from domestic pressure, is the only hope of improving India-Pakistan relations.

‘It is not easy to mend relations after rhetoric, rioting, displacement’ IndIan ExprEss Q: Where does the title of your book “Creating a New Medina” come from? What does this metaphor signify? VD: It comes from a phrase used by MaulanaShabbir Ahmed Usmani, a Deobandialim aligned to Jinnah and the Muslim League. Usmani asserted that Pakistan was going to be only the second Islamic state in history, the first being Medina created by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Usmani, who was later acclaimed as Pakistan’s Shaikhul Islam, and the man who presided over Jinnah’s state funeral, pointed out that the Prophet (PBUH) had not created the first Islamic State in his native Mecca since there was significant opposition to his teaching there. Instead, he had migrated to Medina for that purpose thus demonstrating that a truly Islamic state could be created only in an area where Muslims had sovereign power. Using this analogy, Usmani argued that in an undivided India where Muslims would be under Hindu domination, there could never be an Islamic State even if the provinces were given maximum autonomy. Only where the Muslims were in a majority and would enjoy sovereign power could such a State be created. Hence the necessity of creating Pakistan. Moreover, Usmani happily prophesized that just as Medina became the focal point for Islam’s spread and rise as a great global power, Pakistan would herald Islam’s triumphal rise as the ruling power in the subcontinent and indeed as a great power in the world. Pakistan would emerge as a successor to the defunct Ottoman Caliphate that had ceased to be the Islamic world’s leader at the end of World War I. Moreover, Pakistan would unify all Muslim countries to create a grand Islamic State. Now Usmani is a major figure whose lasting contributions to shaping of the idea of Pakistan have not yet been acknowledged in history since we are so obsessed with Jinnah. He created JamiatulUlama-i-Islam, that continues as one of Pakistan’s two main religious parties- the other being the Jamaat-iIslami of Mawdudi. This organization campaigned hard for the Muslim League during the 1945-46 elections that became a referendum on Pakistan. He was the biggest alim that Jinnah had on his side, a man who after Pakistan’s

creation, was the driving force behind the Objectives Resolution passed by Pakistan’s Constituent Assembly that proclaimed that sovereignty belonged to Allah alone and that the authority He had delegated to the State of Pakistan through its people would be exercised within limits prescribed by Him- thus indicating that Pakistan would be some kind of an Islamic State. Q How has your research put forth a totally different view from the prevailing historiography on partition? VD: Partition has been looked at in two ways so far. First, you have historians who focus on the tactics, the motivations, and actions of the top political players in this game — Jinnah, Gandhi, Nehru, Mountbatten etc. They are mainly interested in pinning the blame on who was responsible for the Partition. An influential figure here has been the historian Ayesha Jalal who in her 1985 book argued that Pakistan was never Jinnah’s real demand and that he was using it as a bargaining counter to secure for the Muslims political equality with the numerically preponderant Hindus in an undivided India. The Cabinet Mission Plan, she says, was what he ultimately wanted but the Congress rejected it and forced Pakistan down an unwilling Jinnah’s throat. She thus places the blame of partition on the Congress leadership. Jalal’s opponents on the other hand have tried to show that it was not the Congress leadership but Jinnah who was responsible for the Partition. But the focus here too is on the actions of top actors, and this sort of History is primarily based on the twelve massive Transfer of Power volumes containing declassified documents of the British government that were published in the 1980s. The Subaltern school in Indian history started another way of understanding the Partition- from the viewpoint of those who suffered, refugees, women, children…Toba Tek Singh, protagonist of Manto’s famous story, becomes their mascot. But what is striking is that there remained a fundamental consensus between these two sides- that Pakistan was a vague idea in the public mind. Nobody knew what it was about: just a vague emotional slogan behind which Indian Muslims rallied without being aware of its meaning or implications. My book questions this dominant idea and shows

how the idea of Pakistan was articulated and debated in public sphere and how this was crucial for popular mobilization that was behind the successful realization of Pakistan. If you look at the evidence in the press, public meetings, election campaigns, pamphlets and books, you see a very rich, contentious, and sophisticated debate on Pakistan. Its meaning and implications are thrashed out in public– whether it is good or bad for Indian Muslims, and how is it going to play out in international context. The Muslim League is able to sell Pakistan to its supporters by arguing that it is going to be the largest and most powerful Islamic state in the world, that it would play a dominant role in Islam’s global regeneration and renaissance in the 20th century. Q Jinnah has been often portrayed as a secular person who somehow ended up creating a Muslim state. How do you appraise Jinnah? VD: Even if in personal life Jinnah was an unobservant Muslim, he had no qualms in employing religious rhetoric quite regularly or utilizing the services of the Ulama in his quest for Pakistan. Several times Jinnah talks about transfers of population between Hindustan and Pakistan as if people are cargo which can be transported hither and thither. To describe Jinnah as a secularist is quite misleading and I would argue that his 11 August speech, often hailed as the shining example of his secularism was more of a tactical statement in the context of enormous violence. Remember, in December 1947 when asked to open the doors of the Muslim League to all of Pakistan’s communities, he said that Muslims were not ready for it yet. So if you wanted to be a member of the Muslim League, you still had to be a Muslim. Q Your book analyzes at great length the role of Dr. B.R Ambedkar in defining the terms of public debate on Pakistan. Can you say something about it here? VD: Ambedkar is the forgotten pioneer of partition studies. His Thoughts on Pakistan, published in 1941, truly inaugurates a sophisticated, intelligent and coherent debate on Pakistan. Ambedkar positions himself as a realist chastising a sentimentalist, starry-eyed Congress leadership for refusing to accept the reality of Pakistan. He exhorts the Congress leadership to concede Pakistan saying that it is

going to be good riddance. If India did’nt let go of Pakistan, it would be reduced to the Sick Man of Asia. He puts up a series of arguments as to why Congress should concede Pakistan and here, one of the reasons he says is that the army dominated by Punjabi and Pashtun Muslims could not be trusted to be loyal to India. He also saw the Muslim League as a retrograde organization whose communal, backward brand of politics would thwart the birth of secular and modern politics in India. Moreover, he assailed the Muslim League’s ever escalating set of demands saying that its demand for a 50 percent share in everything would not just reduce the Hindus from a majority to a minority in India but also cut into the rights of other minorities, including the Depressed Classes or Dalits. Q. Do you see any parallels between communal mobilization in UP between 1937 and 1947 and contemporary Indian politics? VD: Yes, we do see an attempt at mobilization of communities and communal polarization, using emotive symbols. We need to be extremely careful as this is a rather slippery slope and it is not easy to again mend relations after a whole lot of rhetoric, rioting and displacement of population has taken place. You have seen riots in part of Western UP and this is something to be greatly concerned about. Mobilisation along communal lines must be shunned and the story of creation of Pakistan is a cautionary tale India would well do to heed.

AMERICAN ISIS SUICIDE BOMBER DETONATES IN IRAQ Long War JournaL Caleb Weiss

American suicide bomber, identified only as Abu Abdullah al Amriiki, reportedly detonated himself during an assault on pro-government positions in the central Iraqi city of Baiji. A photo and subsequent details of the suicide operation have been released by the Islamic State

and distributed online. According to the jihadist group, the American drove a “four wheel drive vehicle loaded with explosive materials and detonated in the Rafidi [Rejector] Army barracks” in the southwestern sector of the city. The American was used in a coordinated assault on pro-government positions in the area. Three other suicide bombers were deployed, includ-

ing two Tajiks and an Iraqi. According to the Islamic State’s statement, the bombers were targeting a “railway area” to the west of the city. This is not the first American suicide bomber used by the Islamic State. Earlier this year, the jihadist group said that Abu Dawoud al Amriiki detonated a car bomb on Iraqi positions near the city of Samarra. Another American, Moner Moham-

mad Abusalha, who was also known as Abu Hurayra al Amriki, carried out a suicide attack in Syria last year. Abusalha, who was from Florida, was a member of Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s branch in Syria. Al Nusrah is a rival to the Islamic State. Abusalha rammed a truck packed with 16 tons of explosives into a Syrian military position as part of a multipronged operation.

10 BUSINESS CORPORATE CORNER eFu life and askari Bank sign Bancatakaful Distribution agreement

Saturday, 22 August, 2015

Foreign selling plagues Kse For 5th straight session KARACHI

KARACHI: EFU Life Assurance Ltd and Askari Bank Ltd – Islamic Banking Services have entered into a distribution alliance for EFU Life’s Window Family Takaful Products under a dedicated brand “Hemayah”.Askari Bank Limited is a leading commercial bank of Pakistan with a fast growing Islamic Banking network. EFU Life is a leading life insurance company in Pakistan and is the first Window Family Takaful Operator licensed by SECP. The signing ceremony was held at Askari Bank Ltd – Islamic banking services Head Office in Lahore and the agreement was signed by Mr. Mohammed Ali Ahmed, Chief Strategy Officer & Executive Director EFU Life and Mr. Fahd Sardar Khan, Country Head- Askari Bank Islamic Banking. The ceremony was also attended by senior officials of both organizations. Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Mohammed Ali Ahmed, Chief Strategy Officer & Executive Director EFU Life, said “I am delighted to start our bancatakaful partnership with Askari Bank Ltd - Islamic Banking.There is a huge potential in Shariah Compliant takaful solutions for Pakistan and introduction of Bancatakaful products through Askari Bank a step towards providing Shariah Compliant investment and protection solutions to the bank customers for their long term impending financial needs.” PRESS RELEASE

aman tech launches first coed textile course KARACHI: Pakistan’s leading vocational training institute, AMANTECH,launched a brand new trade geared towards the textile industry and for female participants. The Stitching Machinist course, in conjunction with USAID and Yunus Textile Mills (YTM), is Aman Tech’s first demand driven course for female as well as male participants andwill cater to the rising demand of the textile industry. Mohammad Ali Tabba, CEO, Yunus Textiles Mills, endorsed AMANTECH’s initiative and said: “Yunus Textile Mills’ collaboration with AMANTECH and USAID for the Stitching Machinist Course is a huge step towards enhancing the lives of the underserved youth of this country. Home Textiles is amongst Pakistan’s most successful businesses, and developing specialized trades to satisfy the human capital need in this industry is essential to creating employment opportunitiesfor the underserved and further enhancing the capacity of this industry. The ribbon cutting today symbolizes YTM’s proactive step towards developing its own labor requirements as well as creating a more employable Pakistan.” PRESS RELEASE

al habib asaan aCCount offers free life insurance KARACHI: Bank AL Habib has introduced ASAAN ACCOUNT to encourage individuals to open a bank account with Rs. 5/= with convenience and a host of value-added services such as free Life Insurance, free SMS Alerts, free Internet & Mobile Banking and free E-Statements.AL Habib Asaan Account also offers excellent rate of return of 5.5% on Savings Accounts and free ATM/Debit Card on Current Accounts. PRESS RELEASE

nBp BoD approves half yearly statements KARACHI: The Board of Directors of National Bank of Pakistan in their meeting held on August 21, 2015 at the Bank’s Head Office Karachi approved the financial statements of the bank for the six months period ended on June 30, 2015. Pre-provision profit for the six months period amounted to Rs. 22.3 billion compared to Rs. 15.6 billion of corresponding period last year registering an increase of Rs. 6.7 billion or 43%. Pre-tax profit amounted to Rs. 15 billion which is higher by 23% from the corresponding period last year. Due to recent budgetary changes, the bank had to record prior year tax charge of Rs.2.3 billion due to which pre-tax profit growth was not translated into after tax profit growth. After tax profit amount was Rs.7.5 billion as compared to Rs 8.1 billion for the same period last year. Earnings per share are Rs.3.54 as against Rs. 3.82 of the corresponding period last year. Despite reduction in interest rates, net interest income increased from Rs. 19.4 billion in 1H 2014 to Rs. 24.1 billion in 1H of 2015 reflecting a healthy increase of 24% due to increase in balance sheet size and high yielding investments. The current and savings account (CASA) ratio improved to 75% compared to 72% at December 31, 2014 which helped in reducing the cost of funds and in improving NII of the bank. Non-interest income amounted to Rs. 19 billion, higher by Rs. 3.8 billion or 24.5% mainly due to increase in capital gains. Compared to June 2014, deposits increased by Rs 135 billion. The bank is focusing on reducing the non-performing loans through restructuring. The bank is strongly capitalized with capital and reserves of Rs. 168 billion, which translates into break- up value per share of Rs.79/- per share. M/s JCR-VIS Credit Rating Company and Pakistan Credit Rating Agency (PACRA) has re-affirmed the bank’s standalone rating of “AAA / A1+”, one of the highest by the company for any bank in Pakistan. PRESS RELEASE

STAFF REPORT

HE Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) declined for fifth straight day on Friday as local investors followed the suit of foreigners. The benchmark KSE 100-Index slumped by 1.99 per cent or 699.82 points to 34,519.77 points on Friday when compared with 35,219.59 points reported on Thursday. During the week that ended on August 21, the main index plummeted by 1,417.56 points with all the five trading sessions ending in red territory. The KSE All Share Index plunged by 1.67 per cent or 410.85 points to 24,128.62 points, the KSE 30-Index depleted by 2.37 per cent or 512.05 points to 21,108.19 points,

whereas the KMI 30- Index slipped by 2.15 per cent or 1,265.41 points to 57,563.20 points.During Friday’s trading session, the key index touched an intraday high of 35,278.88 points as against an intraday low of 34, 275.45 points. Market volumes improved by 11.64 per cent or 32.787 million shares to 314.498 million shares on Friday as against 281.711 million shares posted on Thursday, the capitalisation dipped by 1. 67 percent or Rs 126.981 billion (1.269 billion US dollars) to Rs 7.464 trillion (74.646 billion U.S. dollars), whereas the trading value swelled by 29.74 per cent or Rs 3.193 billion (31.934 million US dollars) to Rs 13.932 billion (139.323 million US dollars). During the week that ended on Friday, the top Pakistani bourse witnessed total vol-

IRKED BY POWER OFFICIALS’ DEFIANCE, AHSAN MOVES PM’S OFFICE ISLAMABAD AMER SIAL

Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal on Friday ordered sending complaint letters to the prime minister and power minister against mandarins of the ministry of water and power and its subsidiary National Transmission and Despatch Company who skipped to attend an important meeting convened to discuss new energy projects in the country. “Why are we sitting here if they have not bothered to attend this meeting?” the minister said angrily while leaving the meeting. The meeting was convened by the planning division to review progress on various energy-related projects under the Vision 2025. Briefing the meeting, Member Energy Akhtar Ali said the Planning Commission had planned construction of Dassu Power Project and Diamir Bhasha Dam in Vision 2025 and it would be appropriate if the implementation agency NTDC gives its brief on the progress.

The minister expressed his resentment after he was informed that nobody from the power ministry and NTDC had bothered to turn up at the meeting notwithstanding that they had assured sending their senior officials to the meeting. “Immediately write complaint letters to the prime minister and minister for water and power on lack of responsibility shown by the senior concerned officers of the ministry and NTDC,” he directed his staff. “We cannot plan for future with this kind of irresponsibility,” he further commented. In his introductory remarks, the minister said that there were a number of officers everywhere in the system but sadly for the last 15 years nobody ever raised a red flag over the coming energy crisis. “If officers had been responsive, we should not have been in the ditch we are now,” he added. He said the Asian Development Bank had approved a financing of $ 3 billion for improvement in the power transmission and distribution network, but nobody bothered to utilise it properly.

umes of 1.432 billion shares at average daily turnovers of 286.495 million shares. Among 378 active scrips on Friday, prices of 302 issues declined, 58 managed to advance, whereas values of 18 other companies stayed unchanged. Karachi Electric Limited continued to lead the top traded companies with volume of 37.985 million shares, followed by Jahangir Siddiqui Company Limited, TRG Pakistan Limited SPOT, and Dewan Cement with turnovers of 14.616 million shares, 12.355 million shares, and 12.295 million shares, respectively. Indus Dyeing was the top price gainer with increment of Rs 53.52 (53.52 U.S. cents) to Rs 1,140 (11.40 U.S. dollars) while on the flip side Colgate Palmolive led the major price shedders with decrement of Rs 40 (40 US cents) to Rs 1,450 (14.50 U.S. dollars).

SBP exhorts exchange companies to control dollar KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Friday directed all the exchange companies to control the dollar in open market and further allowed them to import dollar if needed, the spokesman of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said while talking to Pakistan Today. Despite the efforts of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to control the greenback in the kerb market, it traded at Rs 104.20 on Friday widening gap between Interbank and Kerb markets to Rs 2 per dollar. “Taking notice of increasing dollar rates in the open market, the SBP director convened an urgent meeting of all the directors of exchange companies on Friday in which they were asked to overcome the greenback,” the spokesman said. The spokesman said: “The SBP is closely monitoring the exchange companies and it further asked them to import dollar from abroad to meet the local demand.” The central bank has allowed all exchange companies (A category) for importing dollar from Dubai and other neighboring Gulf countries as the dollar rates are continuously out of control and moving upward direction in Kerb market. The market experts claim that the greenback is going up in the open market because of the Haj flights started last Monday. STAFF REPORT

LOI SIGNED WITH CHINESE COMPANY FOR 1320 MW PROJECT AT THAR ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The signing ceremony of Letter of Interest (LOI) with M/s Shanghai Electric Group Company Ltd (SEGCL) for development of 2 x 660 MW indigenous coal-based power project at Thar was held on Friday at the ministry of water & power. Federal Minister for Water & Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Secretary Water & Power Mohammad Younus Dagha, Managing Director PPIB Shah Jahan Mirza and other senior officials of PPIB, NTDCL and ministry of water and power witnessed the ceremony. The LOI was signed by Shah Jahan Mirza, Managing Director PPIB, and from the company’s side it was signed by Meng Donghai, Director of SEGCL. Shanghai Electric Group Company will develop a project

of 1320 MW (2 x 660 MW each) utilising indigenous Thar lignite coal to be supplied by Sino-Sindh Resources which is the lease holder of Thar Block-I. The sponsors of the project had signed equity investment agreement with China Coal Technology and Engineering Group Corp and Joint Venture Agreement with Shanghai Electric Group Company Limited during the visit of the

Chinese president to Pakistan. The project is a proof of the government of Pakistan’s sincere interest of utilising Thar-coal for power generation and its development will reduce Pakistan’s dependence on costly oil-based power generation thus saving millions of dollars of foreign exchange. It is expected that the project will start its commercial production during the year 2018.

The said 1320 MW Thar coalbased power project will be using steam turbine technology and selling power to National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) on signing of a 30 years term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). It is pertinent to mention here that the Shanghai Electric Group Company is in the list of Priority Projects of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif said the abundant coal resource largely which remains unexploited till date are estimated at around 186 billion tons out of which 175 billion tons are found in Thar alone. Our government is committed to develop Pakistan’s local coal resources and utilise them for power generation, thus realizing our dream of making Thar the energy capital of Pakistan in the coming years.

Cto Zong visits ptCl network operations Center ISLAMABAD: A four member delegation from Zong, led by the Chief Technical Officer (CTO), Miao Qiao and senior technical experts visited the state-of-the-art Network operations control center of PTCL in Islamabad. The delegation was received by Sikander Naqi, Chief Business Development Officer PTCL; Jamshed Masood, EVP Carrier Services & Wholesale PTCL and Kamran Sharif, General Manager Network Operations Center PTCL. PRESS RELEASE

LAHORE: Coca Cola Beverages Pakistan General Manager John Matthew Galvin and Lady Willingdon Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Zafar Yusuf pose for a photograph after inaugurating a water filtration plant at the hospital. PR

LEISURE 11

Saturday, 22 August, 2015

HaGaR tHE HoRRIblE

aries

taurus

gemini

There's no reason to waste words rationalizing your actions now, since it appears the more you share your thoughts, the less clear others become. It isn't that you're on a wrong track; it's just that you.

You wish you could garner more support from your coworkers today, but you might be feeling so outrageously confident that you inadvertently ask for too much. Thankfully, your charming nature is quite endearing.

Your coworkers might wellintentionally make promises that are impossible to fulfill today. Rest assured no one is trying to mislead you on purpose; it's just easy to be swept up in a moment of sheer optimism..

cancer

leo

virgo

You can make even the most boring chore sound like a ton of fun today, but it will still be a drag, no matter how much you dress it up. Your natural ability to dramatize the facts might also be useful.

Although you are usually quite exacting in how you put facts together like puzzle pieces, you're tempted to bend reality in your favor today to make them fit. Ironically, you might not even be aware of.

libra

scorpio

sagittarius

Although your senses may be overstimulated today, your irrational fascination with a new idea could steer you into the weeds. The attractions of your key planet Venus are still pulling you all over the.

You are tempted to sweeten a bitter pill with a spoonful of sugar today because you think you might have a better chance of being heard if you're extra nice to everyone. But your strategy of playing the.

You might not think you can reach your goals now, especially if you let self-doubt creep into the picture. Normally, your unflagging confidence carries you through periods of uncertainty so you don't feel.

dIlbERt

GaRFIEld

baldo

capricorn

aQuarius

pisces

Your current enthusiasm about your latest new project might stir a lot of interest today. Nevertheless, you must have valid data to support your plan or others will abandon you just as quickly as they.

Following a hunch out of the blue often works in your favor, but today a sudden change of direction might create more trouble than it's worth. You can visualize the potential in almost every situation.

Your unflagging loyalty is a real gift to your closest friends, but your exuberance can grow out of hand now. Although everyone appreciates your vote of support, it's wise to save your approval until you.

cRosswoRd

sUdokU

woRd sEaRcH

ACROSS

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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.

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Today’s soluTions

MIsplayEd, Etc.

cHEss white tO PLAY AND MAte iN three MOVes 8

crossword solution

7 6 5 4 3 2

chess solution

1.Qxd7 Qxd7 2.rdxd7 g6 3.rxe8+ rxe8 *

sudoku solution

1 probable (6) 4 demonstrated (6) 8 construct (5) 9 perils (7) 10 ramble (7) 11 wood used in model making (5) 12 longing for something past — isn't a goal (anag) (9) 17 social outcast (5) 19 be entitled to (7) 21 backside (informal) (4,3) 22 crypt (5) 23 balance of mind (6) 24 hold tenderly (6) DOwn 1 sex drive (6) 2 one of a warlike species in star trek (7) 3 shelf (5) 5 Fashion accessory (7) 6 change direction as if on an axis (5) 7 gloomy (6) 9 dad's cider (anag) — chucked out (9) 13 excess (7) 14 beached (7) 15 drinks noisily (6) 16 scurry — iconic small car (6) 18 unprepossessing (5) 20 cut off (5)

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Saturday, 22 August, 2015

ARTS

Pakistani Man’s thank you notE to hony goEs viral a NEWS DESK

Malala acEs o’lEvEl ExaMs LONDON: Child activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousufzai made the country proud once again as she cleared her O’Level examinations with flying colours. The Nobel laureate’s father tweeted her result, showing she scored six A*s and four As in her O-level examinations. The 18-year-old secured A*s in Maths GCSE, Maths IGSE, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Religious Studies. While she scored As in History, Geography, English Language and English Literature. Proud of his daughter’s achievement, Malala’s father, Ziauddin Yousufzai tweeted, “My wife Toor Pekai and I are proud of Malala getting 6A*s and 4As. #education for every child.” Nothing that Malala Yousafzai achieves seems startling anymore but she continues to make Pakistan proud. The youngest-ever Nobel laureate has also been a part of George Washington University’s Leadership Programme and appeared in Jon Stewart’s show. Malala also made it to Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential List twice. AGENCIES

astEroid will not dEstroy Earth nExt Month: nasa WASHINGTON: The world can breathe easy. A giant asteroid is not hurtling towards Earth about to wipe out much of the Americas, NASA has felt compelled to explain following a swirl of online rumours. Blogs and off-beat news sites have claimed a major asteroid will impact earth in mid-to-late September near Puerto Rico, causing major destruction throughout the region. But that theory is entirely baseless, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in a post this week, trying to damp down the Doomsday predictions. “There is no scientific basis — not one shred of evidence — that an asteroid or any other celestial object will impact Earth on those dates,” said the manager of the Near-Earth Object office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Paul Chodas. The lab explained that all known hazardous asteroids have a less than .01 percent chance of impacting Earth in the next 100 years. “If there were any object large enough to do that type of destruction in September, we would have seen something of it by now,” he said. AGENCIES

Pakistani man’s post on Humans of New York’s (HONY) Facebook page thanking photo-blogger Brandon Stanton for visiting the country and portraying its positive side has gone viral. Hasan Saeed, like so many Pakistanis, was grateful to Stanton for showing a different side of the country which is rarely shown in the international media and his message eloquently summed up what many Pakistanis are feeling right now. “I just wanted to thank you for coming to my country and breaking the negative image we have abroad, one picture at a time. Thank you for holding a mirror to this society to help us realise the privileged life we lead,” the post read. It added, “Thank you for showing the hardships the people of this country face. Thank you for showing that the basic necessities of life, that we take for granted are luxuries for others. Thank you for approaching drug addicts, asking about their life story. We shun them but you, who doesn’t even speak the same language approached them and

talked to them. You have single handedly furthered the eradication of bonded labor in this country than anyone else in years.” “In the words of the world’s greatest detective, “A hero can be anyone, even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat around a young boy’s shoulders to let him know the world hadn’t ended.”In this case, you are the hero who is changing

the world one picture at a time.” Stanton captured the hearts and minds of Pakistanis over the past few weeks. On Wednesday, he left the country with one final word on Pakistan and the key issue we face as humans in a global community. A few days after the photographer’s haunting images of Pakistanis trapped in bonded labour triggered an outpouring of donations to help end the prac-

tice, Stanton summed up his final thoughts on Pakistan in an eloquent post on how the country, like many others, is a victim of negative publicity. Stanton, aware of the violence and extremism in Pakistan said the media unfortunately only shows one side of the country — the negative one. The photographer wrote, “Imagine that every time you have a lapse in judgment, it gets printed in newspapers around the world: every time you lose patience with your children, every time you scream at someone in traffic, every time you drink too much and do something you regret. Each time you slip up, everyone hears about it. The world is never notified about the 99.99% of the time that you are a completely normal, productive, law-abiding citizen. The world only learns about you when things go wrong. Now imagine what the world would think of you.” Stanton endeavored to show the positive side of Pakistan and his posts about the ordinary people of Pakistan has touched hearts not only in Pakistan but all over the world. And, if the comments on his posts are to believed, he has successfully changed many people’s mind about Pakistan.

Indian ad gives victory to Pakistan for Indo-Pak war in 1965

NEWS DESK A blundered advertisement in India has rewritten the entire history of the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war and virtually handed over victory to Pakistan, according to a report in Indian Express. A full-page advertisement was published in major Hindi national dailies, with major blunders in its text. The text spoke about the role of the 15th Infantry division during an attack near the west of Ichhogil canal, stat-

ing the “Indian Army responded to the Pakistan attack with fear”. The same ad published in English dailies had similar blunders. “Pakistan’s first armoured division pushed an offensive towards Khem Karan and by September 10 nearly 100 tanks lay destroyed in what is now known as the Battle of Asal Uttar.” The text evidently takes away credit from the Indian Army as there is no mention of its role in the famous battle.

According to officials, the advertisements were part of the Narendra Modi led government’s plan to celebrate the golden jubilee of the 1965 Indo-Pak war, which India had never celebrated in the past. The ads were aimed at publicising the victories and efforts of the Indian Army during battle. However, the ads have instead given credit to Pakistan. The office of the Additional Director General, Public Information of the Army headquarters, which is responsible for releasing such advertisements, upon contact said, “It was an error on the part of the media houses and we are taking corrective measures.”In response, an officer added that “They cannot put blame on media houses for such blunders. It is their job to look into what should be printed as ads.” The Battle of Asal Uttar was one of the largest tank battles fought during the Indo-Pak War of 196, fought between September 8 and 10.

Banksy’s “Dismal Land” is taking over the internet NEWS DESK The initial images for UK artist Banksy’s “Dismal Land” have graced our screens and the verdict is in: It’ll ruin your childhood, and you’re going to love it. A disheveled Cinderella hangs lifelessly from the window of her overturned carriage as men in motor cycle helmets snap pictures for tomorrow’s feature story. A grim reaper – complete with scythe and black robes – grins for the camera as he drives a bumper car. A distorted Ariel graces the filthy pool outside a broken down castle. And in one of the most haunting displays a boat full of dirty

children are stranded in a large body of water. The displays are part of the five week art display called “Dismal Land” which features work by Banksy, Damien Hirst, Jenny Holzer and others. Eerie and thought-provoking, the art-show has taken the internet by storm. Speculations about the interpretations of the displays have already started, like the similarities between this display featuring Cinderella, and the murky details regarding the death of humanitarian Lady Diane, former Princess of Wales. Or whether or not this display, featuring an overcrowded boat of

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children being met by a military vessel, is a depiction of the plight of illegal emigrants. The artist has been described as a pseudonymous English graffiti artist, political activist, film director, and painter. His works of political and social commentary have been featured on streets, walls, and bridges of cities throughout the world. Talking about ‘Dismal Land’, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported that the artist called it “a family theme park unsuitable for children”. The show will be inside and around a building in Westonsuper-Mare, in Somerset, England.

Extra virgin olivE oil linkEd to lowEr blood sugar, cholEstErol NEWS DESK Compared to other kinds of fat, extra virgin olive oil may have healthier effects on levels of blood sugar and bad cholesterol after meals, according to an Italian study. That may explain why a traditional Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil is linked to lower risk of cardiovascular disease, researchers say. “Lowering (post-meal) blood glucose and cholesterol may be useful to reduce the negative effects of glucose and cholesterol on the cardiovascular system,” lead study author Francesco Violi, a researcher at Sapienza University in Rome, said by email. Violi and his colleagues tested the effect of adding extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) to a Mediterranean diet based on fruits, vegetables, grains and fish, with only limited consumption of dairy or red meat. On two separate occasions, researchers gave 25 healthy people a typical Mediterranean lunch. For one meal, they added 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons) of extra virgin olive oil, and for the other, they added 10 g of corn oil. Blood tests done before and two hours after the meals found that blood sugar rose after eating in all the participants, which is normal. But blood sugar rose much less after a meal with olive oil compared to one with corn oil. That’s in line with previous research linking EVOO to elevated levels of insulin, a hormone that helps convert glucose into energy, Violi said. It’s unclear, though, why the blood tests after meals with olive oil also showed lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the bad kind of cholesterol that builds up in blood vessels and can lead to atherosclerosis, blood clots and heart attacks. “Lowering (postmeal) blood glucose and cholesterol may be useful to reduce the negative effects of glucose and cholesterol on the cardiovascular system,” Violi said.

Saturday, 22 August, 2015

ARTS

IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED WILL SONGS FROM COKE STUDIO EPISODE 2 MAKE IT TO YOUR WEDDING SOUNDTRACK? NEWS DESK Last week, Coke Studio's kick-off was dominated by Atif Aslam's reinterpretation of 'Tajdar-e-Haram' that polarised the show's listeners. What has Episode 2 got in store for us? A wedding theme by the looks of it. Young rockers Ali Zafar, Umair Jaswal and Quratulain Baloch join giants like Suraiya Khanum and Anwar Maqsood in this week's line-up. Umair Jaswal and QB will perform a popular Punjabi duet 'Sammi Meri Waar', which is a Punjabi wedding highlight. The tune will be interwoven with flute and mandolin. Veteran singer Suraiya Khanum will sing the popular 'Chirya Da Chamba', a performance that will also feature a reading by Anwar Maqsood. The song will move gently on the beat of an earthen matka, and Anwar Maqsood's poem about the parting of a father and daughter at her wedding will move listeners. However, Ali Zafar's track will provide a break in the wedding theme with his original song 'Rockstar', which is about a musician's journey in the industry. Ali will not only sing the song, he'll also be seen in three different avatars. Qawaals Rizwan and Muazzam will provide their traditional touch with 'Sakal Ban', which is the kalaam of Amir Khusrau.

OUNG Bollywood beauty Alia Bhatt who is reportedly dating her Student Of The Year co-star Siddharth Malhotra, says 32 is the right age to get married. “I am just 22 and I think 32 will be right age to taste the wedding pulav. I have not tasted shaadi ka ladoo, so hopefully I will not regret,” Alia said at the launch. Speaking about the qualities she would look for in her groom, Alia said she wants him to have a good sense of humour. “He must make me laugh, then obviously come good looks, good looks and good looks,” she said impersonating Kareena from Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. “I will not tell him how to impress me, the person

who loves me should know how to impress me,” she added. Asked about her emotional outburst after watching Siddharth Malhotra’s Brothers, she said: “I did not cry but I am a very sensitive girl and, yes, sometimes I get emotional. When there is a lot of emotion, I get shaken and get emotional about films as well.” On the work front, Alia and Sidharth will be seen together in Shakun Batra’s Kapoor & Sons. The film also stars Pakistani heartthorb Fawad Khan and Rishi Kapoor. Apart from this, she will also be sharing screen space with Shahid Kapoor in their upcoming film Shaandaar.

Religion not necessary to direct a movie: AKSHAY KUMAR NEWS DESK

MARRIAGE IS INSANE: MATT DAMON

Hollywood actor Matt Damon thinks marriage is ‘insane’. The 44-year-old believes the concept of bonding your life to another person is a “crazy idea”, but he adores being married to Luciana Borroso, reports femalefirst.co.uk. Speaking on Entertainment Tonight, Damon said: “I think marriage is insane. It’s a crazy idea. But I love being married to my wife.” The Bourne star who has stepdaughter Alexia, 17, and daughters Isabella, 9, Gia, 7, and Stella, 4, with Borroso, believes his secret to having a happy marriage is to always feel ‘lucky’ to be with his spouse of almost 10 years. “I wouldn’t tell anybody anything else about their relationship. I’m lucky I found my wife. If there’s any secret it’s that. It’s to feel lucky,” he said. COURTESY IANS

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Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, who plays a sardaar in Prabhudeva’s lastest directorial Singh is Bliing, says religion has no bearing on a person’s directorial skills. This is the second movie after Rowdy Rathore in which Prabhudeva is directing Akshay. Asked how it was for a south Indian to direct a movie on Sikhs, Akshay said: “Religion is not necessary to direct a movie. Singh Is Kinng, which was also based on a ‘sardaar’, was directed by Anees Bazmee, a Muslim. Singh is Bling is being directed by a south Indian, Prabhudheva.” “It is not at all necessary that a movie on a ‘sardaar’ needs to be directed by a Punjabi. In India, all castes are one and we understand each other very well. Prabhudeva has done a very good job,” the actor added. In Singh Is Kinng, Akshay had come under attack for sporting a trimmed beard, but this time, he has taken required steps to be on the safer side. “I’ve taken care of things that I had not done during Singh is Kinng. I don’t want to show anything that would cause the Sikh community or any other Indian community hurt, like in Singh is Kinng. I had said ‘sorry’ then as well. This time I had one person from the committee to keep a check on the movie,” explained Akshay. Akshay has already cleared the air that his new movie, releasing on October 2, is not a sequel to Singh is Kinng.

ONE DIRECTION'S NEW MUSIC VIDEO IS LITERALLY OUT OF THIS WORLD LOS ANGELES: One Direction has literally gone to space post-Zayn Malik. The British boy band unveiled their latest music video Drag Me Down in which they team up with NASA Space Centre in Houston, Texas. At the end of the video, the quartet strap into a special space shuttle while NASA’s staff cheer them on from the control room. We certainly missed seeing Zayn Malik, 22, in the music video, but he’s there in spirit! The band masquerade can be seen in the avatars of astronauts in the video. The four members of the band are seen running around NASA’s Johnson Space Center in preparation for their space mission. The video which was released online Thursday night is trending on top on Twitter. Fans seem to be loving the new song. AGENCIES

RAWALPINDI: Model Ayyan Ali arrives for a hearing at customs court in a money laundering case. INP

PAKISTAN'S EMBATTLED COMEDIANS SPIN TROUBLES INTO PUNCHLINES ISLAMABAD AGENCIES

The crowd exploded into laughter as Pakistani comedian Shehzad Ghias Shaikh threw them his final punchline, gripping the microphone as he roasted the dating app Tinder and traditional South Asian family matchmaking. “I don’t want an app to find me random girls to sleep with!” he cried. “I want my mother to find me random girls to sleep with!” Shaikh, 26, has just returned from New York and is trying to reinvigorate live comedy in Pakistan. It’s a difficult, sometimes dangerous quest. Aside from the usual financial struggles and small audiences, Pakistani comedians face harsh blasphemy laws and a barrage of death threats if their jokes offend the wrong person. One of Shaikh’s close friends, Sabeen Mahmud, a rights activist and the founder of The Second Floor venue he played this week, was gunned down in April. A man arrested for her murder has said she was targeted for championing liberal, secular values. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid,” said Shaikh with a wry smile. “I’m not going to censor myself … the least I can do is joke about it. That’s the only power I have.” Shaikh and his improvisation troupe, the ‘Bhands’ or the ‘Entertainers’, use comedy to make the audience laugh – and

then think – about society in their nuclear-armed nation of 190 million, plagued by crime, militancy and corruption. “I’m not telling them what to think, but how,” he said after Sunday’s show. “My job is to pose questions … we don’t have a tradition of critical thinking.” DArk humOur: Pakistani satirists like Luavut Zahid also want to make their audience curious – and angry.

A year ago, she and two others launched Pakistan’s answer to The Onion, The Khabaristan Times. Writers cracks dark jokes about violence and lampoon those they hold responsible. Hackers have attacked the site repeatedly. “We’re not just trying to make people laugh, we’re trying to make a point, although sometimes it can be really dark,” Zahid said. “Satire is a way of looking at the world and screaming ‘What is wrong

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with you?’” A recent article on violence against women was headlined “Shameless man won’t kill anyone if sister decides to go on date”. While corruption, politicians, crime and culture are all regular fixtures on the comedy circuit and satirical shows like the televised Banana News Network, some subjects remain taboo. Pakistani law stipulates blasphemers be put to death. No one’s been executed so far, but those accused are often lynched or imprisoned on flimsy evidence. Blasphemy accusations against Christians are so common that The Khabaristan Times reported “Newborn Pakistani Christians to be vaccinated with mild blasphemy accusations.” A senator, professors and popular journalists were all recently accused of blasphemy. Popular liberal journalist Raza Rumi, who defended minorities and denounced the law, was shot last year. “Religion is just a no-go area these days … There are just too many nutjob vigilantes,” said Pakistani comedian Sami Shah, who now plays sell-out shows across Australia after moving there three years ago. BOmBiNG iN PAkiStAN: Shah used to write weekly columns in Pakistan and was deluged with hate mail after mocking suicide bombers “who put the error in terrorism”. But it wasn’t just threats that drove

him abroad. He needed bigger audiences. “In Pakistan, the audiences for comedy are very small. You can bomb once, but if you bomb twice, it’s tough,” he said. “Out here (in Australia) I’m doing four or five shows a week. There (Pakistan), I’d do a corporate event every month. You need to perform more regularly to be good.” Saad Haroon, a popular comedian now working in New York, says Pakistani artists are going online to get around the scarcity of venues and small audiences. “There’s lots of development on social media. It’s clandestine, guerrilla comedy,” he said. Yet even Internet distribution has problems. Comedian Ali Gul Pir posted his first song about the corrupt children of wealthy landlords on YouTube in 2012 after radio and television rejected the racy lyrics. It got a million views in three days. Three months later, the government banned YouTube, after a provocative film about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sparked deadly riots. Pir hit back with an expletive-laden song about the ban, mocking Islamic school students who rioted as sexually frustrated and politicians who implemented the ban as corrupt hypocrites. “Open the ban, thief,” he sang as hapless policemen chased down a person in a YouTube costume. “These are our rights.”

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Saturday, 22 August, 2015

PCB rules out early return for Butt, asif KaRaCHi

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AKISTAN Cricket Board today ruled out an early return to international cricket for the disgraced trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif ahead of the imminent expiry of their spot-fixing bans. The players are eligible to return to the sport on September 2 after serving five-year bans for bowling no-balls to order during a Test match in England in 2010. But the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) chief selector Haroon Rasheed effectively ruled out their return against England in October or in a proposed series with India, both in the United Arab Emirates. “No time frame can be given by the selection committee at this point in time with regards to their future involvement in cricket at any level until and unless proper policy guidelines are issued by PCB,”

fifa PresiDential CanDiDate Denies ‘BriBinG’ PaKistan SEOul aGenCies FIFA presidential candidate Chung Mongjoon said on Wednesday that payments he made to Haiti and Pakistan in 2010 were “charitable donations” and any attempt to use them as part of a reported ethics investigation was “cynical and unethical”. Responding to media reports that world football’s governing body was investigating the South Korean billionaire over the ‘disaster relief’ funds, Chung said in a statement he had been donating money to causes at home and abroad since the 1990s. “Recent media reports allege that FIFA has started an investigation into FIFA Honorary Vice President Dr. Chung MongJoon’s 2010 donations to disaster relief funds to Haiti and Pakistan,” said the statement. “If these reports are true, we condemn this as a cynical and unethical effort by FIFA to misrepresent even charitable donations for political manipulation.” FIFA’s ethics committee declined to comment on the matter, following their policy of not discussing any cases, or potential cases. It is not the first time that Chung’s name has been raised in a potential ethics case. In November, Chung featured in FIFA’s Ethics report into the bidding process for the World Cup in 2018 and 2022, in which South Korea made a bid to host. The report followed an investigation led by US lawyer Michael Garcia and looked into letters that Chung sent, in late 2010, to FIFA executive committee members about a proposal to establish a “Global Football Fund” supporting football development. “According to those letters, Korea intended to raise US$777 million from 2011 to build new football infrastructure and renovate existing facilities,” said the report, which added that the fund was linked to South Korea’s 2022 bid. The Ethics report concluded that: “There are certain indications of potentially problematic conduct of specific individuals in the light of relevant FIFA Ethics rules.” It added that FIFA ethics judge HansJoachim Eckert “trusts that the Investigatory Chamber will take appropriate steps if it deems such measures appropriate and feasible.” A spokesman for Cornel Borbely, head of the Investigatory Chamber, declined to comment on whether any such steps had been taken.

Rasheed told. They were charged with violating the ICC code of conduct by receiving money in return for arranging deliberate no-balls during the Lord's Test against England in 2010. Amir has already made a steady, if unspectacular, return to domestic cricket and he, Butt and Asif have all expressed a desire to eventually return to the national side. But Rasheed, a former middleorder batsman, said that could take some time. “After having been out of cricket for the last five years, one cannot judge them merely on some good performances in a couple of matches,” he said. Amir was cleared to play domestic matches in January this year after the ICC amended its code of conduct which allowed banned players to feature in home matches six months prior to end of their punishment.

MUKUHLANI REPLACES MANASE AS ZC CHAIRMAN SPORTS DESK Tavengwa Mukuhlani has been elected chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket after defeating interim chairman Wilson Manase on Thursday. Mukuhlani's election comes at a time when cricket in Zimbabwe, on the field and off it, is on the upswing and his challenge will be to retain the confidence of the ICC and sponsors. Mukuhlani, who was vice-chairman of ZC when Peter Chingoka headed the board, was a late entrant to the election race. It seemed that Manase would be elected unopposed after former ZC managing director Ozias Bvute - who is seen as close to Mukuhlani - said last week that he would not run. Mukuhlani then announced his candidature on the morning of the election. Manase did not make it to the new board. During his term, it appeared Manase had gained the confidence of the ICC after presenting to the world cricket ruling body what he labelled a revival strategy for the game in the country. His diplomatic and negotiating skills were evident in the appointments of Alistair Campbell as managing director and Dav Whatmore as coach. He seemed to have ended the frequent player strikes over

LOOKING FOR A LEAD OF 100 RUNS: B ARUN SPORTS DESK India bowling coach Bharat Arun has said India will be satisfied with a lead of around 100 runs because of the condition of the P Sara Oval pitch, which he said would offer both bounce and reverse swing. The Indian bowlers kept Sri Lanka down to under three runs an over in their first innings on the second day, as the hosts ended on 140 for 3, still 253 runs behind. "We are probably looking for a lead of about 100 runs… If we get a lead of 100 runs on this track, it is beginning to wear and there was sign of spinners extracting some turn," Arun said. The P Sara pitch, regarded as the most seamer-friendly in the country, is not offering the carry that it has been known to but Arun said the track, "was a lot harder than what we had at Galle. It has a lot more bounce to offer as the game progresses, but not so much turn." The decision to play Umesh Yadav over Varun Aaron, who bowled at a good pace but conceded 107 in his 18 overs in Galle, had to do with Umesh's better dexterity with the ball, both when it would be new and old. Arun said India had benefitted from having a variety in the bowling attack on this tour, giving the team "much more freedom" to choose the attack made for the surfaces they faced.

KAUSHALSILVAMAKESTWO FIFTIESINTWOINNINGS S PERvEz QaiSER

payment issues and the recent eightyear rights deal with the Bangladesh company Total Sports Marketing would have sent a signal to sponsors that their money was in good hands. Mukuhlani inherits all of this but his role could be a factor in how the immediate future pans out. A medical practitioner by profession, he came on the ZC board in the early 2000s as the chairman of the then Mashonaland Cricket Association with a reputation for being moderate, sharp-minded and intellectual. He is also credited with making the new ZC constitution. However, his years as vice-chairman of ZC, under Chingoka and with Bvute as managing director, coincided with Zimbabwe cricket's lowest ebb between

2004 and 2011-12. Zimbabwe spent years out of Test cricket, players and coaches were not paid on time, strikes were rife and overall staff morale was at an all-time low. ZC suffered from a serious credibility issue over its transparency and accountability, and was forced to seek a multi-million-dollar loan from the ICC. He will now need to invest confidence in coach Whatmore, who accepted the Zimbabwe job after the ICC sought a guarantee from ZC at that time that his obligations would be met. Apart from maintaining sponsorship deals sealed under the outgoing board, Mukuhlani will also have to maintain such goals as rankings, completion of the Victoria Falls Test stadium project and retaining talent.

** Wriddhiman Saha and Amit Mishra added 46 runs for the eighth wicket. It was India's sixth best eighth wicket stand against Sri Lanka. Kapil Dev and Laxman Sivaramakrishnan hold the record of best eight wicket stand for India against Sri Lanka. The duo put on 70 at Colombo in 1985-86. ** Kaushal Silva's 51 was the second half century in as many innings at this ground. Overall, it was his 11th fifty plus score (two hundreds and nine fifties) in 38 innings of 21 Tests. ** Kumar Sangakkara's average against Ravichandran Ashwin in Tests after dismissal on 32 was 6.66. He has been dismissed three times by the bowler in two Tests. INDIA'S BEST EIGHT WICKET STANDS AGAINST SRI LANKA: Runs 70 64 59 51 49 46

PaRtneRs KaPil DeV/laxman mishRa/mithun GaVasKaR/Chetan Dhoni//a.mithun laxman/mithun mishRa/ saha

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BOLT, GATLIN CONTEST THE 100 METERS BEijing aGenCies

Usain Bolt and the controversial Justin Gatlin will get the world championships off to an explosive start when they take their rivalry onto the Beijing track in the 100m heats on Saturday. Bolt has dominated sprinting since he claimed a golden treble at the Beijing Olympics in the Bird's Nest stadium, winning nine of 10 individual world and Olympic sprint titles since 2008 -- his sole blip being the 100m at the Daegu worlds in 2011. America's Gatlin is the man in form but he cuts a contentious figure after serving two doping bans, latterly between 2006-2010 after a positive test for testosterone. That suspension came after he had won Olympic 100m gold in 2004 and a world sprint double in Helsinki in 2005. Since his return,

he has won 2012 world 60m indoor gold, London Olympic 100m bronze and Moscow world silver, and at 33 is riding an unbeaten streak of 27 races dating back to August 2013. Bolt leads the head-to-head against Gatlin 6-1, but the Jamaican insisted statistics, and the fact Gatlin was allowed to compete, were far from his thoughts. "Competition is competition. It's always about who's in the best form and executes," he said. "Rules are the rules, he's served his ban and he can compete. "I'm not worried. I never look at statistics. It's track and field -you never know what's going to happen." Bolt, who has held the 100m and 200m world records since 2009, said he had got over pelvic joint pain that had prevented him from employing enough flex to fully drive the power out of his long legs.

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Last month he roared back from that early-season setback, which saw him miss six weeks of competitive ac-

tion, with back-to-back 100m times of 9.87sec at the London Diamond League meeting.

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Saturday, 22 August, 2015

Persistent inDia eDGe sliGhtly aheaD on attritional Day

COlOmBO

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HE second day of the P Sara Test was almost a coming-of-age day of Test cricket for Virat Kohli’s India. They didn’t score hundreds of runs, they didn’t take tens of wickets, but they were persistent both with bat and the ball. When the runs didn’t come easily, their last four wickets ground out 74 to deny Sri Lanka a clear advantage. When the wickets didn’t come as readily as in the first Test, they refused to bowl loose balls or release the pressure, biding their time by just pegging away. At the end of the second day, India had taken three Sri Lanka wickets, led by 253, and knew the hosts will have to bat last on a surface where the odd ball began to behave alarmingly. What’s more, Kohli’s gut selection, Stuart Binny, who failed with the bat, did a useful job with the ball, holding one end up and returning figures of 11-3-24-0 while coming heartbreakingly close to taking a wicket. It was a day of attritional Test cricket. The game moved largely slowly but never flatly. There was just enough help on the pitch to keep the bowlers from getting disheartened, and enough resolve from the batsmen to keep the persistent bowlers at bay. India, enjoying some luck when they batted in the first session, dug in harder and for longer than Sri Lanka to get their noses ahead. In between, India found time for a ceasefire of sorts to welcome Kumar Sangakkara, playing his last Test, to the crease with a guard of honour. Sangakkara was made to fight harder than he is used to for his 32 off 87 before he fell to R

Ashwin for the third time in the series. While Sri Lanka will be worried wondering how to replace Sangakkara, a man replacing an Indian legend found another small step in Test cricket. Wriddhiman Saha enjoyed the kind of luck Dinesh Chandimal did while taking the Galle Test away from India, but he was more sedate and old-fashioned in scoring his second half-century this series to keep Sri Lanka in the field for more than a session. Rangana Herath started the most frenetic spell of the day by taking out India’s last two wickets within seven runs of each other. Umesh Yadav, who had bowled his last 304 legal deliveries for just one wicket and was making a comeback, bowled a perfect outswinger first ball to send back Dimuth Karunaratne but it was back to being hard work for both sides then on. Just like it had been in the morning. On a hot day Dhammika Prasad and Angelo Mathews refused to offer any freebies. Ashwin fell early to a loose shot to Mathews during a spell when only two scoring shots were played in 28 minutes, and only one boundary hit in 57 balls. Saha and Amit Mishra enjoyed all the luck - ball hitting the off stump without removing the bail, ordinary pictures reprieving Saha, what seemed like a catch at the wicket not given, edges falling short of or flying over fielders - but batted with caution to add 46 for the eighth wicket. The last three wickets fell for 26, making it 74 added for four wickets in a little over a session. It was an important effort for Saha, who is expected to be the leader of India’s reshuffled Nos 6, 7 and 8 in the absence of a sixth specialist batsman. It used to be three out of MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar

YASIR SHAH WILL BE THE KEY AGAINST ENGLAND IN UAE: AZHAR lOnDOn aGenCies

Former Pakistani all-rounder Azhar Mehmood warned English Ashes winning team against Pakistani spinner Yasir Shah and said he will be threat to them. Azhar Mehmood who is currently playing county cricket in England said that England team is in full swing these days after winning Ashes against their rivals, Australia but Pakistani leg spinner will be a great threat to English Team in the upcoming series against Pakistan in United Arab Emirates (UAE). In his column for Pakpassion.com, Azhar wrote no doubt England team is performing brilliantly these days and they have completely outclassed Australian side in ongoing Ashes series but despite of their performances in England Yasir Shah will be a clear difference between both sides in UAE. He further added that England batsmen are not good players of spin bowling specially leg spin bowling so Yasir Shah can play key role deciding the result of series. According to former all-rounder, “He [Yasir] will be the key for Pakistan. He’s been so impressive since his introduction to international cricket and is such an attacking bowler. Yasir has proved that he can handle the pressure, his confidence will be very high and he is now the leader of Pakistan’s spin attack.”

SHAFIQ VOWS TO WORK HARD TO IMPROVE ODI RECORD

sCoReboaRD india 1st innings 393 sri lanka 1st innings 1 FDm Karunaratne lbw b Yadav JK silva c ashwin b mishra 51 32 KC sangakkara c Rahane b ashwin hDRl thirimanne not out 28 19 aD mathews* not out 9 extras (b 2, lb 3, nb 4) total (3 wickets; 53 overs) 140 to batJ mubarak, lD Chandimal†, KtGD Prasad, hmRKb herath, Pht Kaushal, PVD Chameera Fall of wickets 1-1 (Karunaratne, 1.1 ov), 2-75

and Ashwin, but Dhoni has now retired, and Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar don’t enjoy Kohli’s confidence as much as they did Dhoni’s. Be that as it may, persisting with just five specialist batsmen has put Saha’s batting under the microscope a bit, and he could have easily invited more scrutiny if he hadn’t enjoyed good fortune. Similar good fortune accompanied the diminutive Kaushal Silva to the wicket. After the early wicket, he periscoped Ishant Sharma to the fine-leg boundary when on 6, and when he edged Binny through, it turned out the bowler had overstepped. Sangakkara too survived a really tough chance at slip when an edge flew off his forceful shot to Ajinkya Rahane off the bowling of Ashwin. That was just before tea when both the batsmen, who added 74 for the second wicket, were tested thoroughly by spells from Ashwin and Binny that read 5-1-11-0 and 6-2-17-0. Ashwin continued testing the batsmen after the break as Kohli gave him in-and-out fields to work with. The edge from Sangakkara duly arrived when he finally landed the ball in the perfect in-between spot, not a half-volley nor short enough to go back, and Rahane took a beauty at slip. Against

have been theirs. Friday at The Oval proved it. This is not a quick pitch, quite the opposite, but it has dried fast, the Australians have enjoyed the sun on their back and it will be warmer still on Saturday, approaching a stultifying 30C. Storms, though, are threatening later in the Test - if there still is a Test. There probably won’t be. There has not been anything approaching a close match in this unpredictable series and, with England still 175 runs short of avoiding the follow-on with only two wickets remaining, there is unlikely to be one here. Neither side has been able to fight back when under pressure. Some will blame one-day cricket. Non-stop schedules might also have a bit to do with it. It has been a series of exciting cricket and tired minds. Everything witnessed at The Oval - indeed, in London once Australia’s victory at Lord’s is taken into account - has made

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Silva and Lahiru Thirimanne - now batting in a third different position in three innings this series - Kohli persisted with the in-and-out fields, keeping the catching men in should there be a false stroke but also denying them boundaries on a hot day. If it was Ashwin and Yadav just after tea, Mishra and Binny continued to keep the pressure on. There was a spell of play when no boundary was hit in 113 balls. During that period, only 36 runs came, and Silva chose to sweep against the sharp turn of Mishra, and failed to reach the pitch of the ball, giving short fine leg an easy chance. Binny and the two spinners had kept the two big fast bowlers fresh, and Kohli has said in the past he wants a big effort from his fast bowlers when he calls on them in the final session of a long hot day. Now was the time to see how Yadav and Ishant would respond. Yadav bowled beautifully, going past Mathews’ bat repeatedly, but India couldn’t get that one more wicket that would hand them the clear advantage. Possibly there was a lesson in there: India would need much more patience and persistence if they are to win Test matches.

FEEBLE ENGLAND COLLAPSE AFTER SMITH TON For Australia, The Oval has so far staged the Alternative Ashes. If Australia prosper here, it will not be just a consolation victory, it will be the Ashes as they imagined at the airport check-in that they might unfold: Steven Smith striking a Test hundred to belie his air of innocence, Michael Clarke directing affairs with an air of contentment and Peter Siddle producing threatening seam-bowling spells fuelled only, cricket folklore will have it, by a steady diet of bananas. Instead, as Australia know only too painfully, it has not turned out like that. England, they will grouse, have rigged the pitches. After all, how can you trust a nation that just across town at the Barbican toyed with having Benedict Cumberbatch speak Hamlet’s soliloquy at the beginning of the play? Something is rotten in the state of England, they will say and, if it had not been, the Ashes would

KaRaCHi

(sangakkara, 25.5 ov), 3-114 (silva, 43.4 ov) bowling i sharma 10-2-31-0, ut Yadav 11-5-34-1, stR binny 11-324-0, R ashwin 14-2-37-1, a mishra 7-1-9-1 matCh Details toss - india, who chose to bat Player of the match - tba umpires - bnJ oxenford (australia) and RJ tucker (australia) tV umpire - Rsa Palliyaguruge match referee - aJ Pycroft (Zimbabwe) Reserve umpire - ReJ martinesz

Pakistan middle-order batsman Asad Shafiq has vowed to work doubly hard on his ODI game to make it part with his impressive Test returns. While talking to a state-run sports channel, the 29-year-old admitted that he hadn’t done enough in the 50-overs format but claimed that the constant shuffling in the order hasn’t allowed him to settle. “In ODIs I prefer to bat in the top order but I have been shuffled around over the years,” said Shafiq. “Yet I can’t make it as an excuse for my lean run. I know that I have to improve my strike rate, and develop more attacking shots like the sweep to score aggressively in the demanding format.” Asad who has seven centuries in 38 Tests wants to keep churning the runs in the longest format. “Batting at number six, I am pleased with my centuries tally and I hope to score more for Pakistan in the years ahead. Especially, in the gruelling Test schedule which can see us play at least 10 Tests in the next eightnine months.” All-rounder Shoaib Malik claimed that he still has real passion for Test cricket and would love to play the format when given a run. “I play domestic four-day cricket regularly,” said Malik. “I am happy with my performances in the limited over formats and hope that I can progress to Tests too. However, it is up to the selectors to give me a run when they feel so.” Malik added that he realised his importance for the team after Mohammad Hafeez’s bowling suspension. “I have a pivotal role of a utility cricketer for the team and understand well that I have to continue in the same vein in the games ahead.” Malik, meanwhile, also remarked that staying fit made him feel good. “I love to see myself in the mirror and staying fit helps me stare in the mirror longer,” he joked.

sCoReboaRD australia 1st innings england 1st innings a lyth c starc b siddle an Cook b lyon iR bell b siddle Je Root c †nevill b marsh Jm bairstow c lyon b Johnson ba stokes c †nevill b marsh JC buttler† b lyon mm ali not out sCJ broad c Voges b marsh ma Wood not out extras (b 1, lb 3, nb 1) total (8 wickets; 40 overs) to batst Finn

481 19 22 10 6 13 15 1 8 0 8 5 107

England’s imaginings that they might force a 4-1 Ashes win impossible to credit. Faced by a daunting Australia total of 481, England’s assembling of 107 for 8 was feeble in the extreme, the captain Alastair Cook still left with one half-century in the series, Jos Buttler destroyed by a routine offspinner and Adam Lyth, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes all surrendering to disorganised hooks and

Fall of wickets 1-30 (Cook, 7.1 ov), 2-46 (lyth, 12.2 ov), 3-60 (bell, 23.3 ov), 4-64 (Root, 24.4 ov), 5-83 (bairstow, 28.3 ov), 6-84 (buttler, 29.2 ov), 7-92 (stokes, 34.1 ov), 8-92 (broad, 34.5 ov) bowling ma starc 6-2-14-0, mG Johnson 8-4-21-1, nm lyon 9-2-32-2, Pm siddle 10-4-18-2, mR marsh 7-2-18-3 matCh Details toss - england, who chose to field Player of the match - tba umpires - aleem Dar (Pakistan) and hDPK Dharmasena (sri lanka) tV umpire - s Ravi (india) match referee - JJ Crowe (new Zealand) Reserve umpire - ma Gough

pulls. Lyth’s Ashes series sees him 105 for 8. He has looked overawed at this level. His maladroit pull to mid-on from Siddle’s second ball was one of his worst dismissals of the series. His Test chance might have come and gone. Australia, in hindsight, will rue selection decisions during the series. Siddle, so routinely overlooked that he feared he might never play another Test, gave them

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Saturday, 22 August, 2015

Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore.

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