7th January, 2012 by Pakistan Today

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Two-thirds agree on Saraiki province, says prime minister

Former Turkish army chief in jail over anti-government plot

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pakistantoday.com.pk

rs15.00 Vol ii no 191 22 pages karachi edition

Allies agree on early polls, divided on new provinces ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

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Senate polls schedule due next week, process likely to start by 28th

HoUGH the coalition partners on Friday stood divided on a joint resolution on the question of new provinces, g Zardari sees no they agreed to the idea of holding Senate and general threat to democracy elections ahead of schedule in mid-February and but says PPP ready october, respectively. A for any eventuality source told Pakistan Today that President Asif Ali Zardari took the leadership of all coalition partners into confidence over the government’s decision to hold early elections, which was endorsed by heads of all parties in the coalition. “The president told the political leaders that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had conveyed a message to Chief Election Commissioner Justice (r) Hamid Ali Mirza to start preparations for the Senate elections, the schedule for which may be announced during the next week,” said the source. The source added that the government believed the Senate elections might start by January-end and the nomination papers may be sought by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) around January 28. “The process of appeals against nomination papers may be fixed around February 10 or 11 and polls may be held by midFebruary. However, oath to newly elected Senators would be administered on March 13,” the source added.The source said the president also called a parliamentary party meeting of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) late on Friday night and took the party legislators into confidence over the government’s decision to hold Senate and general elections ahead of schedule. NEW PROVINCES: The source, however, conceded that the coalition partners could not resolve differences on the creation of Saraiki and Hazara provinces as the PPP, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) could not bridge their differences. “Though President Asif Ali Zardari held separate talks with the delegations of MQM and ANP to understand the nature of differences between them prior to the joint meeting, he could not convince any of them to change their respective positions,” said the source. continued on page 04

cautious pml-n links early polls with request to ecp | page 04

saturday, 7 January, 2012 safar 12, 1433

Zardari ready to talk to Nawaz for early polls President says he has no personal grudge or tussle with CJP, SC or army g Says PPP itself rejected writing a letter to Swiss courts over cases g

MonItorIng DeSk Breaking his silence, President Asif Ali Zardari said on Friday that he was ready to hold talks with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on a host of issues, including early general elections in the country. “I am not afraid of early elections and am ready to talk to Nawaz Sharif on the issue,” the president said, in an exclusive interview with Geo News which will be broadcasted today (Saturday). According to excerpts of the interview, Zardari sought to negate the impression that he had a personal grudge against Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad

Chaudhry, saying: “I don’t have any personal grudge against the chief Justice of the Supreme Court, nor do I have any tussle with the Supreme Court or army,” he added. The civilian government had no problems with either the army or the judiciary, he said, and what was happening was all part of democratic evolution, adding that the extension given to Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was history now. During the interview, Zardari discussed a number of current issues that were plaguing his government. Among the subjects he gave his view on was the memogate scandal, the alleged rift between the civilian government and the military, and the

continuing tussle with the judiciary. Commenting on memogate scandal, he said unnecessary importance was given to the memo issue, adding that he would respect the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS)’s decision for he believed parliament was supreme. He said former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani, as a diplomat, was supposed to keep in contact with every influential personality and may have also met Mansoor Ijaz. To a question, he said the PPP itself rejected writing a letter to the Swiss courts over cases against him and stated further that it would be like having a trial over the grave of former prime minister Benazir

Bhutto. The president said that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s statement in parliament over continued on page 04

Mansoor Ijaz attaches strings to Pakistan visit ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

SRINAGAR: Indian police chase Kashmiri protesters during a demonstration against the killing of an 18-year-old student by paramilitary soldiers on Friday. afp

Nawaz suggests apC on Balochistan unrest PML-N chief says peace cannot prevail in restive province until those involved in injustices are punished g En-masse resignations could backfire g

QUettA ShAhzAdA zulFIqAR

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) President Nawaz Sharif has suggested a national conference on the situation in Balochistan and offered to host it in Islamabad, saying peace could not prevail in Balochistan until those involved in injustices were brought to book. Nawaz was addressing a press conference at Bugti House on Friday after meeting several nationalist leaders. After his meeting with Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) chief Talal Akbar Bugti, son of slain Baloch leader Nawab Akbar

Bugti, Nawaz admitted that the prevailing situation in Balochistan was serious and feared drastic results if immediate steps were not taken to resolve the issues. He condemned the recovery of bullet-riddled bodies of Baloch missing persons and demanded an immediate end to the practice. He expressed concern over the incidents of all types of targeted killings, adding that his party strongly condemned such incidents. Nawaz said the issue should be resolved at the earliest, otherwise the situation in Balochistan could not be stable. The PML-N chief said it was high time to address the grievances of Baloch people and the president and

prime minister should themselves take notice of the oppressions of Baloch people. He said they (Baloch people) were demanding their legitimate rights and if denied, they would go for rebellion and the situation could not be controlled. To a question regarding new provinces, the PML-N leader said they were not against creation of new provinces, but they should be on administrative basis not any other. About Senate elections, he said though the PPP wished to hold Senate elections in February, it was not possible. Nawaz said early general elections should continued on page 04

Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz, the central character in the memogate controversy, said in a letter to the judicial commission investigating the scandal on Friday that he was ready to cooperate with the commission provided his conditions were met. Ijaz said even though he could travel to Pakistan in order to appear in front of the commission for testimony before January 15, since he was currently on vacation with his family until January 9, it would be better if the commission members travelled to Britain to conduct their investigation. Ijaz said he was willing to travel to Pakistan as long as he was provided state, not private, security during his stay in Islamabad and his safe return was guaranteed. He also demanded that his arrival and movement in Pakistan be kept tightly under wraps, and that he would not stay longer than a day or two. He said if he resolved to appear before the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, which has been tasked with a parallel investigation of the controversy, that too would have to take place within the same amount of time. Ijaz also demanded that a written contract must be drawn up and signed by all parties involved in the investigation that no harm would befall the data he would present to the commission. He went on to state that in order to avoid the media, it would be better if he arrived in Pakistan in the morning and left the same evening after giving testimony. He also demanded that he be granted a visa without presenting his passport as he was reluctant to hand over his passport to officials who he felt were under Husain Haqqani’s influence. He said all important evidence that he possessed was in two BlackBerry smartphones, which he was ready to present to the commission. He said, however, that once he presented the data, Haqqani’s data would be rendered irrelevant. Ijaz said further that he and his family were receiving threats. However, in an application he had submitted to the commission earlier, Ijaz had waived privacy rights to facilitate full disclosure of the facts in the memogate controversy and demanded the judicial commission ask the same from Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani “in the interests of justice”. continued on page 04

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02 News Today’s

Saturday, 7 January, 2012

LahorE

NEwS

worLd vIEw

The New Year’s first rain falls

Musharraf to return on 25th or 27th

Obama must keep uS military in Afghanistan

Story on Page 05

Story on Page 10

Quick Look

‘PPP, MQM staging drama to divert people’s attention’ ISLAMABAD: Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Nisar Ali Khan on Friday said the PPP and the MQM wanted to divert the attention of the masses from the real issues by “staging a drama on the creation of new provinces”. Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, he said the MQM was not even ready to create a new district in Karachi but was talking of new provinces. He said the Altaf-led party could not even tolerate the release of a particular political worker and was talking about democracy. Nisar said both the PPP and the MQM were avoiding the people and creating the issue of new provinces to pave way to fulfill their covert agenda. He was of the view that the MQM was blackmailing the government. He said Punjab could absorb the shock of creating new provinces on linguistic basis but the other provinces could not afford it. STAFF REPORT

SC directs revenue departments to present fortnightly reports ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the revenue departments of all the provinces to submit after every 15 days a comprehensive report over the progress to be made in the computerisation of revenue record. A twomember bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain also held that this case would be heard after every 15 days. Besides, the revenue departments of Punjab and Sindh have been directed to assist the Balochistan revenue department and provide it technical support in the computerisation of its record. “If the revenue record in the whole country is computerised, the number of cases will drop to five percent,” the chief justice said. STAFF REPORT

Senator Babar Ghauri’s car snatched Armed gunmen on Friday snatched the car of senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Senator Babar Ghauri in the precincts of the Aziz Bhatti Police Station near the Gulshan-e-Iqbal area, Geo News reported. According to details, the MQM leader’s daughter was on her way to Gulshan-e-Iqbal when four armed men stopped the vehicle and kicked the driver and the guard out. They escaped with the car. Ghauri’s daughter is reported to be safe and unharmed. MONITORING dESK

Pakistan announces release of 180 Indian prisoners KARACHI: The government on Friday issued orders for the release 179 Indian fisherman and one civilian. There are 440 Pakistan prisoners in Indian Jail, 60 of them women, children and mentally ill. About 285 Pakistan prisoners have been acknowledged by Indian authorities and it has been disclosed that 61 Pakistani missing fisherman were also traced in an Indian jail. They were missing since 1993. This was revealed by representatives of civil society organisation, Senator (r) Iqbal Haider, Justice (r) Nasir Aslam Zahid, Karamat Ali, Mohammad Ali Shah and Shams while addressing to a joint press conference at the Karachi Press Club (KPC). STAFF REPORT

Story on Page 14

ppp Mpa seeks action against Mumtaz Qadri’s supporters LAHORE: Days after religious groups protested in Lahore against the death sentence awarded to the killer of former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, a member of the Punjab Assembly (MPA) has asked the chief justice of Pakistan to act against clerics supporting Mumtaz Qadri. Speaking in the Punjab Assembly on Thursday, Malik Pervaiz Rafique of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) said that it was regrettable that Qadri was being provided luxurious facilities in jail, while the life of Christian blasphemy convict Aasia Bibi was in danger in her prison cell. Taseer, who spoke out in support of Aasia, was shot dead by Qadri, a member of the governor’s security squad. Rafique also expressed his concerns over the security of eight million Christians in Punjab. “The Punjab government must provide them security and guard their places of worship,” he said. But Treasury members refused to allow discussion on the topic, asking the opposition members to refrain from commenting on the case until the court gives its final verdict. The opposition parties also strongly protested over the deteriorating law and order situation and blamed the police for all the ills in the province. In their hard hitting speeches, members of the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) called Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah the “patron in chief of all the banned and terrorist organisations”. PPP Deputy Parliamentary Leader Shaukat Basra said dacoits were ruling in Punjab and police was getting bribes not only from the accused, but also from those coming to file cases. He said that banned extremist and religious organisations were having a free hand and the provincial law minister was still maintaining contacts with them. At this, Speaker Rana Mohammad Iqbal expunged the remarks, saying the member was calling the law minister patron of terrorist organisations. STAFF REPORT

KARACHI: A protester returns a tear gas shell towards police at a rally on Friday. A large number of residents of Lyari took to the streets to press the government for acceptance of their demands of area issues and restoring peace. afp

Police baton-charge Lyari residents during protest g

20 injured, 50 arrested after clash between protesters and law enforcers g PM orders resolution of Lyari issues kArACHI

AAMIR MAjEEd

AKING notice of a scuffle between resident of Lyari, a strong vote bank of the PPP, and law enforcement officials during a protest, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani ordered the Sindh home minister to resolve the problems of the people of Lyari on war footing. The clash occurred when the people of Lyari tried to head towards the Sindh Chief Minister’s House to protest against the government. At least 20 people were injured and over 50 arrested during the protest. Thousands of protesters, including women and children, got infuriated when police batoncharged them on their way to the CM’s House. The protesters subsequently attacked officials, forcing them to resort to aerial firing and shelling to disperse the demonstrators. The protesters refused to turn back and started damaging public property in the area.

They also smashed windows of cars and beat passers-by. The protest ended three hours later when police allowed a delegation of protesters to go to Bilawal House to lodge their complaint. Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan later briefed PM Gilani on the situation in Lyari. After listening to the problems of area residents, the PM directed the home minister to resolve all the genuine issues on war footing and ensure security of life and property to them. Per reports, the residents of Lyari had launched the protest against the Sindh government. “We are workers of PPP and we cannot afford to be deprived of our rights,” senior PPP leader from Lyari Zaffar Baloch said. He said they were going to Bilawal House to register their protest but some people, who always tried to keep Lyari residents away from the party, asked the law enforcement officials to baton-charge the protestors. “We want jobs, security of life and property and development in Lyari and being workers

and supporters of the PPP, it is our right. The government should ensure provision of resources and security of life and property to the residents of Lyari,” he said. He also demand an early release of arrested people. Talking to Pakistan Today, PPP Karachi President Syed Faisal Raza Abidi condemned high handedness of PPP workers and supporters. “In the rein of PPP-led democratic government, it is shameful that police baton-charged, shelled and fired at our workers,” Abidi added. Karachi South Deputy Inspector General of Police Shaukat said the CM’s House, Governor’s House and Bilawal House were red-zone areas and no one was allowed to protest in the red-zone. He said PPP leaders were informed last night that Lyari residents would not be allowed to protest inside the red-zone. He said the roads leading towards the red-zones were blocked by placing containers and the police would remove the containers after the return of protesters to their houses.

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Saturday, 7 January, 2012

artS & ENtErtaINMENt

forEIGN NEwS

SPortS

News 03 CoMMENt

Norway ‘received phone threat before Breivik attacks’ jackson kids to make dad’s footprint in hollywood Clarke scripts India’s crushing defeat

The polls: Sooner than later.

defiant: Not a time for a clash.

Arif Nizami says: Before polls: Rounding up the political landscape.

White lies: Word has it that having realised his political ambitions Dr? Babar Awan has decided that actually he wants to be a celebrity who attracts the media like a magnet and lives in the hearts of the people. Hence, the dark glasses that look suspiciously like Shahrukh Khan’s.

Story on Page 17

Story on Page 14

Story on Page 18

articles on Page 12-13

Five million illegal immigrants living in Pakistan, NA told rs 33 billion subsidy to be given for import of one million tonnes of urea g rs 10.98 trillion foreign, domestic loans outstanding against Pakistan g Current financial budget deficit projected at 4.7 percent

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

UE to safe havens available across the country and failed policies of the government, around five million illegal immigrants are living in Pakistan for the past three decades, including two million Bangladeshis, 2.5 million Afghans and 0.5 million other nationals like Africans, Iranians, Iraqis, and Mayanmars, the National Assembly was informed on Friday. In a written response to a question by PML-N’s MNA Tahira Aurangzeb, Interior Minister Rehman Malik admitted that due to safe havens available in Pakistan, partition of Pakistan in 1971, Afghan war of the 1980s, poor law and order in Iraq, the illegal immigrants were living in the country.

aitzaz denies meeting dar to reschedule polls ISLAMABAD

The minister, however, outlined a 10-point strategy to deal with the illegal immigrants, but did not inform parliamentarians how many people had been repatriated to their respective countries. Meanwhile, Minister for Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said in a written reply that one million tonne of urea was being imported by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and the subsidy to be paid by the federal government on this count was estimated at Rs 33 billion. To another question, the finance minister said Rs 10,984.2 billion of foreign and domestic loans were outstanding against Pakistan. He said the government was trying to decrease the debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio to 58 percent by the end of this fiscal year and for the purpose, reforms in the tax collection system would be implemented to increase

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan on Friday denied a media report that he had worked with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Ishaq Dar to mutually determine a new schedule for the Senate and National Assembly (NA) elections on behalf of their respective parties. When contacted to confirm if he had played any role in rescheduling the Senate or NA elections as claimed by an English daily, Aitzaz said there was “no substance in the report and that I have not met Senator Dar in several months”. The report had suggested that Aitzaz and Dar had worked together to reschedule the elections and that their last meeting in this regard took place on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court was moved on Friday to seek the release of 11 prisoners allegedly picked up by intelligence agencies outside Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, just after their release on the orders of the Lahore High Court (LHC). The petition was filed by Ms Rohaifa, widow of Syed Zainul Abideen, under Article 184 (3) of the constitution through advocate Tariq Asad, making the federation respondent through the defence secretary, director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), director general of the Military Intelligence, Judge Advocate General (JAG) Department, the General Headquarters (GHQ), Rawalpindi and the commanding officer. The petitioner stated that the 11 prisoners were acquitted by the Anti-Terrorism Court, Rawalpindi on April 8, 2010. However, she added that the same day before their release, their detention orders under subsection 1 of Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public order (MPo) ordinance were issued by the district coordination officer (DCo), Rawalpindi, and their detention was extended for another 90 days by the secretary of the

REuTERS

Pakistan’s former envoy to the United States, Husain Haqqani, is no stranger to intrigue. But even he did not anticipate finding himself effectively imprisoned amid a scandal involving a shady memo, a businessman with unclear motives and allegations of treason. He is caught up in a tense standoff between Pakistan’s civilian leaders and its generals over a memo that accused the army of plotting a coup after the US raid in Abbottabad that killed osama bin Laden last May. Now fearing for his life, he has taken refuge in the opulent hilltop home of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in Islamabad. The scandal broke three months ago when businessman Mansoor Ijaz, writing in a column in the Financial Times, said

come and living standard of the people. “It is focusing on creation of decent employment opportunities and human resource development. For this purpose, National Vocational and Technical Education Commission has been set up besides the strength of lady health workers has also been doubled. Under the Benazir Income Support Programme, cash grant of one thousand rupees was being disbursed monthly to deserving families,” he said. The minister said the government had increased salaries of employees by hundred percent in the last three years. As a result of these steps, per capita income of the people had risen to $1,254. To a question, the finance minister said two billion rupees had been allocated in the current budget for the provision of 10,000 tractors to eligible farmers at subsidised rates.

SC moved for release of prisoners aSI, QESCo employee killed, two kidnapped allegedly whisked by spy agencies in Quetta

STAFF REPORT

LonDon

revenue. The minister said the budget deficit of current financial year had been projected at 4.7 percent against 5.9 percent of GDP during 2010-11. The budget deficit for the first three months of this fiscal year amounted to 1.2 percent, against 1.6 percent during the same period last year. The finance minister said to another query that the government had prepared a new growth strategy to accelerate the growth of gross domestic product (GDP). He said the new growth strategy focused on productivity and skill development, which would help increase the income of the people. It also envisages reforms for various sectors of the economy to sustain high growth rate, he added. Shaikh said the government had taken several steps to improve the in-

Punjab Home Department. She argued that the LHC set aside the detention orders and ordered their release. The petitioner said the 11 prisoners were abducted by the intelligence agencies soon after they were released from the Adiala Jail. She said the 11 prisoners included her three sons namely Abdusaboor, Abdul Basit and Abdul Majid. The other prisoners are: Dr Niaz Ahmed, Mazharul Haq, Shafiqur Rehman, Muhammad Aamir, Shafique Ahmed, Said Arab, Gul Roze and Tehseenullah. The petitioner claimed that her three sons, along with other persons, were being illegally held by the respondents. She said that three prisoners out of 11 had died during confinement. She said that Muhammad Aamir died on August 15, 2011, Tesheenullah on December 17, 2011 and Said Arab on December 18, 2011, and that their dead bodies had been handed over to their relatives in the Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. The petitioner requested the court to direct the respondents to file a complete report about the deaths of Muhammad Aamir, Tehseenullah and Said Arab, and the proceedings of trial so far conducted against the deceased and other surviving detainees.

QUettA INP

At least two people, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) were shot dead in two separate targeted killing incidents in Quetta on Friday. According to details, some staff members of the Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCo) were going to remove a technical fault in Babar Kuch area of Harnai district in an official vehicle when some unidentified armed men opened fire at them, killing a person on the spot and injuring another. The armed men also kidnapped SDo and a lineman, Levies sources said. In another incident in Nowagali, an ASI was targeted by armed motorcyclists. The assailants opened indiscriminate firing at the ASI who succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital. The attackers managed to flee. Police stared a search operation in the area.

Haqqani entangled in the web of scandal a senior Pakistani diplomat had asked that the memo be delivered to the US Defence Department for help in reining in the military. Ijaz later identified the diplomat as Haqqani, who was never liked by the military for his strong advocacy of civilian supremacy. No evidence has emerged that the military was plotting a coup and the Pentagon at the time dismissed the memo as not credible. Haqqani returned to Pakistan in November and resigned as ambassador in a bid to end the crisis. He denies that he had anything to do with the memo and says he is fighting the traditional foes of civilian government in Pakistan. “Since the 1980s, there are powerful interests within the permanent state apparatus as

well as outside who want to control the definition of what it means to be a Pakistani patriot,” Haqqani told Reuters on Friday at the prime minister’s residence. He avoided naming the powerful Directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), but it was clear he considers parts of the military spy agency responsible for his troubles in a scandal that the media has dubbed “memogate”. Pakistan’s Supreme Court set up a judicial commission last week to investigate the memo, keeping Haqqani nervous. He has some allies still in Washington. Senators Mark Kirk, John McCain and Joe Lieberman issued a joint statement on Thursday decrying his treatment. “We are increasingly troubled by

Ambassador Haqqani’s treatment since he returned home to Pakistan, including the travel ban imposed on him,” the senators said. “We urge Pakistani authorities to resolve this matter swiftly and consistent with civilian rule of law and to prevent the judicial commission investigating Ambassador Haqqani from becoming a political tool for revenge.” “I’m not a prisoner, I’m a guest. But for all practical purposes, I can’t go out, because what if someone shoots me like they did Salman Taseer?” he said. Haqqani’s former lawyer doubts justice would prevail in any legal proceedings against him. And merely associating with the man who once enjoyed Pakistan’s premier diplomatic post is seen as

risky. “I want to meet my client either in my space, my office, or the court, or somewhere I feel is relatively bug-free,” said Asma Jahangir, when she still represented him.

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04 News

Saturday, 7 January, 2012

Nawaz suggests apC continued from page 1 be held in the country as it was the demand of the people who wished to see change through polls. He said he met Baloch leader Sardar Attaullah Mengal in Karachi and suggested holding a national conference on Balochistan issue in Islamabad. He said he wanted to make the same suggestion to the leaders of National Party, Dr Malik Baloch and Mir Hasil Khan Bezinjo and President of JWP Nawabzada Talal Akbar Bugti. They agreed to his idea because

Balochistan’s issues needed immediate attention. After meeting National Party President Dr Abdul Malik Baloch at MPAs hostel, the PML-N leader said the people of Balochistan should be given their rights and the incidents of recovery of decomposed bodies, targeted killings and kidnappings should end. He said that the focus should be shifted to improving the health and education facilities in the province. Nawaz said the government did not take action against the people involved

in the murder of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, Kharotabad incident and Baloch missing persons. He said a case should have been filed against the murderers of Nawab Bugti by the government and asked why Gilani did not take any action to bring the murderers to justice. Separately, Nawaz said in an interview with a private TV channel that collective resignation by his party could backfire. overruling the risky proposal, he opined that “resignations could also backfire instead, strengthening the government”.

Mansoor Ijaz attaches strings continued from page 1 He also told the commission that he would be available for testimony from January 16 to January 20, 2012. Ijaz also requested the commission to direct the Counsel General of Pakistan at its High Commission in London to immediately issue him the necessary visa to visit Pakistan, and the relevant agencies of the federation to take all possible measures for his safety, security and similar concerns as he was coming to depose contrary to an apparently conflicting point of view with the federal government. “My safe return may also be ensured by this commission after making this deposition,” he requested further. He also showed his willingness to submit his handsets to the commission for forensic investigation under an agreed-upon procedure with the commission’s forensic specialists. Through his counsel, Ijaz submitted an application to the commission on Friday to identify the forensic specialist and suggested that it would be much faster if the commission directed the specialist to visit the CEo of Research In Motion (RIM) at the site of its server for European communications at Berkshire, England and at Irving, Texas, US for collection of the requisite

data. He requested the commission to issue process to the telephone service providers of Haqqani (presumably AT&T, Verizon or Sprint) in the US to obtain records of his telephone calls made during the periods in question (April 22, 2011 to November 30, 2011). He asked for these records to be requested for both his numbers, +1-202270-2570 and +1-617-9532835. Ijaz also told the commission that he would instruct his service provider in Britain to provide a copy of the relevant telephone records directly to the commission upon his presence in front of it. He voluntarily and willingly waived his privacy rights with regard to his two PIN numbers as they related to all communications that took place with the two PIN numbers allegedly belonging to Haqqani. His numbers included the PIN used between May 9 to 12 for BBM chat exchanges (2100A04F) and the PIN used from october 28 to November 4 for chat exchanges (21A5EC74). The application said the PIN numbers used by Haqqani were 2326A31D (used from May 9 to 12 for BBM chat exchanges) and 287EF1E9 (used from october 28 to November 4 for chat exchanges). Ijaz said it may be faster to issue processes to RIM Chief Legal officer Karima Bawa, Head of

European operations Stephen Bates and to the head of US operations in Irving, Texas where the two data servers were located, which held the technical data and record of communications between Haqqani and him that the commission sought access to. He also expressed suspicions that communication records of all PIN numbers through which the communications took place had been deleted by Haqqani. However, he added, the data continued to be available on RIM’s servers even if the communicating parties deleted it from their own devices. He stated that the process of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA)’s forensic examination might not be possible sooner than Monday, January 16, on which date - and up to January 20 Ijaz undertook to remain available for his testimony before the commission. He said he was also willing to submit his handsets to the commission for forensic investigation under an agreed upon procedure with the commission’s forensic specialists. US STATE DEPARTMENT: Meanwhile, the US State Department said in a late night statement that it was closely monitoring the situation in Pakistan and was also in contact with Haqqani’s wife.

Debate in Na on new provinces unconstitutional, says Rabbani ISLAMABAD INP

Senator Raza Rabbani, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS), on Friday opposed the idea of debating the creation of new provinces in the National Assembly (NA).

Talking to journalists outside the Parliament House, Rabbani said that debating the idea of forming new provinces in the lower house was reflective of a “centrist mindset”. He said a debate in the NA on the resolution to form new provinces was “unconstitutional and illegal”.

Rabbani who headed the committee for the 18th constitutional amendment said the constitution required that a resolution over the formation of a new province should first be passed in the respective provincial assembly and then be brought for debate in the parliament.

allies agree on early polls continued from page 1 DIFFERENCES: The source said the PPP leadership wanted legislation for the creation of a Saraiki province and it had no interest in a Hazara province. on the other hand, the source added, initially the ANP leadership was interested in the creation of a Saraiki province but the accelerated pace for the creation of a Hazara province by MQM and PML-Q had compelled the Pakhtun leadership to think twice before lending support to a Saraiki province. “The ANP leaders now are in a fix and they are more inclined towards the PML-N’s stance on new provinces rather than the PPP,” the source said. The ANP leadership told President Zardari that the demand for a Hazara province was a conspiracy being hatched by the MQM and PML-Q lead-

ership, which were remnants of a dictatorship against the democratic parties of ANP and PPP. “ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan told the president that a province was being claimed which would prove to be the smallest in terms of area and population, which had no basis and no rationale. He said this was just a conspiracy against the recognition of the Pakhtun people, which was given to them only a year ago,” the source quoted the ANP leadership as telling the president. on the other hand, the source said the MQM delegation told the president that they were raising the voice for the people of Hazara and south Punjab, who had been ignored and kept underdeveloped. Finally, the source said it was decided that any move on new provinces would be made

in the National Assembly after reaching a consensus over separate bills for Saraiki and Hazara provinces. NO THREAT TO DEMOCRACy: Separately, President Zardari, co-chairing a meeting of PPP senators and MNAs later in the evening, said he saw no threat to democracy but no matter what happened the PPP would not disappoint the nation and the people would find the party fully prepared to face any eventuality with courage and determination. Briefing reporters about the meeting, Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the meeting renewed the party’s commitment to strengthen democracy and the democratic institutions in the country and to continue to resist any attempt that sought to undermine democracy and

Cautious PML-N links early polls with request to ECP LAHore YASIR hABIB

c a u t i o u s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has linked any headway with early elections to the submission of a request by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)led coalition government to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) at the earliest as testimony of surety that the PPP Core Committee decision was not a ‘political stunt’ but a pragmatic step to serve democracy amid soaring apprehension about establishment manoeuvring to play out its own game plan. Hashing out a strategy to deal with the development, the PML-N leadership has started working on formulation of preconditions to develop a roadmap for Senate and general elections likely to be held ahead of schedule. “Under fresh ‘terms of working’, the PML-N has prioritised the prerequisite of official request to the ECP by the government, warning that any dilly-dallying would help throw a spanner in the works,” a sen-

ior PML-N leader told Pakistan Today on Friday. Claiming that there were back-channel talks between PPP senior leader Aitzaz Ahsan and PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar to find a workable formula for snap polls, he said communication between the two parties had been in process for a couple of months, climaxing last month. Finally, he said, they had agreed on the viewpoint ‘united we stand, divided we fall’, fearing a pre-emptive move by a third force to nail the system or impose its own handpicked party. He said both ace leaders weighed up various options including in-house change, the minus Zardari formula, besides en masse resignations and chain of protest rallies to hold early elections. Eventually, they reached the decision that given the critical circumstances, the best solution lay in early elections to cool down the political temperature and silence the guns of all political forces. Sources revealed that the PML-N had also begun inviting suggestions from various political and religious parties for an interim setup and independent election commission,

Zardari ready to talk to Nawaz the responsibility of giving osama bin Laden a visa was directed not at the military itself but rather towards former president Pervez Musharraf’s military dictatorship. on the subject of Musharraf, the president stated that a trial against him was not held because it would have a demoralising effect on the armed forces. The president rejected that national entities such as PIA, Railways and WAPDA were inching towards collapse. “The media thinks it is so, but I don’t think so, these entities have only weakened,” the president said. The interviewer, veteran journalist Hamid Mir, asked him about the certainty behind the speculations going on that Zardari’s sister was going to start an airline by the

name of “Indus Airlines”. Zardari said his sister was preoccupied with politics and did not have time for anything else. “But if such a time comes,” Zardari said, “I will ask the defence minister to cancel the licence given to Indus Airlines.” Zardari also said he had forbidden party workers from using the slogan “ek Zardari sab pe bhari”. About why Zulfiqar Mirza parting ways with the PPP, Zardari said he was unaware of what provoked Mirza to take such a step. President Zardari also passed a caustic remark that Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) cylinders in a huge vehicle such as a Land Cruiser was not safe, making a tongue-in-cheek reference to affluent people using the fuel meant for everyday commuters who cannot afford petrol.

civil institutions. “We are aware of our obligation to fulfill our commitments to the people who have never been heard and would take all measures that promise to fulfill the aspirations of people of the country,” he quoted the president as saying. The president said the party had initiated a consultative process with its political partners and allies on matters of creation of new provinces, as well as Senate elections. He said appropriate legislative measures would soon be undertaken for the creation of a Saraiki province in consultation with coalition partners. He said the government had decided to hold by-elections for all the vacant seats at the earliest, thereby completing the constitutional requirements in this regard. Addressing the participants of the briefing, the prime minister said the govern-

ment’s decision to support a private member’s bill that made it binding upon all public servants to declare their assets as the parliamentarians did was a major step to ensure across-the-board accountability of all. “However, efforts made in this regard in the past were foiled on tenuous grounds,” he said, adding that declaration and publication of assets of all those drawing salaries from the public exchequer was a historical step that would be pursued to its logical conclusion, and any attempt to subvert it would be exposed and resisted. Discussing the power and energy crisis, the president said power and energy challenges were amongst the greatest challenges that continue to haunt the people of the country, and the government was taking all possible measures to address these issues.

continued from page 1

including those which were not part of parliament. Sources said that Jamiat Ulema-eIslam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman had initiated and conveyed his recommendations for structuring an “acceptable interim disposition”. The PML-N leadership has also decided to form a committee to consider the recommendations at length and it is likely that PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif would call a high-powered meeting in a couple of days. PML-N Senator Pervaiz Rahsid, a close ally of the Sharifs, told Pakistan Today that the PPP and PML-N were parliamentary parties and always remained in contact. “Despite conflicts and difference of opinions on multiple issues, both often deliberate on various matters relating to functioning of the democratic system, politics and the country. Mincing his words, he said Dar and Ahsan might have held informal talks on early elections and as a result, the PPP decided to go for it. However, the senator said the PMLN had not made formal negotiations in this regard so far. He said further that the

PML-N did not believe in covert “deals” or “agreements”. “If the stage arrives, the PMLN would like to make it in broad daylight before the media to ensure transparency and honesty,” he claimed. Rashid said if the PPP-led coalition government processed an official request to the Election Commission of Pakistan, the PML-N would take positive action to actualise the plan. He said the PPP had lost its trust by giving people the slip on judges’ reinstatement, ending load shedding, implementing parliamentary resolutions regarding foreign policy and drone attacks and above all, the implementation of the NRo verdict. Rashid alleged that the PPP had the mastery to change its position, action and statements according to the situation. “To me, it appears to be a mere political statement, which stands untrue until the PPP takes a practical step by asking the ECP for early elections,” he added. In order to fulfil various prerequisite of early elections, he said the government had to discuss it with National Assembly opposition Leader Nisar Ali Khan to chart the entire programme.

Jamal Laghari joins PtI LAHORE: Senator Jamal Laghari of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid announced his decision to join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf on Friday. PTI Punjab President Ahsan Rasheed and Laghari held a joint press conference in which Rasheed said Leghar had joined the PTI after submitting his resignation in the Senate. He said the PPP government had failed to deliver, adding that instead of holding Senate polls, the government should go for general elections as soon as possible. Laghari said he and his family had a long affiliation with the PML-Q and the PPP but they felt that the PTI was really working for the welfare of Pakistan. He swore that he and his brother Awais Laghari had no pressure from any quarter for joining the PTI. He said they had joined the party because they were impressed by Imran Khan’s agenda. STAFF REPORT

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Saturday, 7 January, 2012

PML-N snubs arbab’s CM condition asking for too much? 06

Jammed in the middle!

■ Life paralysed in Clifton, defence, II Chundrigar road, Lyari and Keamari as PPP government, jiyalas come face-to-face kArACHI

AAMIR MAjEEd

S the residents of Lyari – considered faithful of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) – took to streets against their own government on Friday, routine life in Clifton, the Defence Housing Authority, the II Chundrigar Road, Lyari and Keamari remained paralysed for almost four hours due to the blockade of roads. The protesters, led by Zafar Baloch and Shahid Rehman, had announced a protest march towards Bilawal House against the government’s failure in resolve the problems being faced by the residents of Lyari. The provincial government, meanwhile, ordered the police to seal off all roads leading to the Bilawal House, the Chief Minister’s House and the Governor’s House to stop the movement of the ‘rebels’ from Lyari. Utilising all its resources to restrain the protesters, all the roads leading to government enclaves were blocked in the night by parking oil tankers and placing containers. Due to the placement of containers, not only office-goers but also rescue services found it difficult to take the patients to the Civil Hospital and the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, located in the proximity. Facing immense difficulties, the people could not reach their workplaces because of the road blocks. However, the citizens also had to bear the brunt

of the situation as events took an ugly turn when the protesters turned violent and police had to move in. The office goers, who had managed to reach their destinations, failed to find the way back home due to the stampede caused by police’s baton-charging and shelling. Angered over the highhandedness of law enforcers, the protesters damaged the passing by vehicles. Many ambulances were also seen stuck in the traffic mess at MA Jinnah Road and II Chundrigar Road. An official at the Edhi Foundation Control

Room told Pakistan Today that the ambulances could not reach their stations despite booking due to road blockades and traffic jams at alternate routes. Talking with Pakistan Today, a rickshaw driver narrated: “I am a resident of Keamari and was going to drop the son of my nephew to a [medical] clinic in Kharadar as he is suffering from fever.” “I have been stuck at the Native Jetty flyover for the past one hour and cannot go ahead due to the blockade of road,” he said. “My nephew had re-

quested me to take his son to a doctor as he could not spare time in his busy schedule, but I have also failed.” “I am now returning home as I feel that the roads may not be opened for vehicular traffic before evening,” the rickshaw driver added. As the protesters turned violent, two children were seen hiding with the holy Quran in their hands between two parked cars. Hamid and Rehman, residents of the Wazir Mansion on the MA Jinnah Road, said they were returning home after attending recitation classes in a mosque.

(Left) Children caught in the middle of the showdown between the law enforcers and protesters from Lyari near II Chundrigar road on friday. (right) a policeman fires a teargas shell. (top) Containers were unable to stop many. aSIM RehMaNI

SINDh aSSeMBLY SeSSION

‘follow Imran’: ShC clears Oops! Shajra, get your facts straight path for Musharraf’s rally ■ on the note of getting rid of laws made in British era, Sindh rehabilitation minister interjects ‘PPC drafted by Zulfikar ali Bhutto’ ■ Sindh Public Property (removal of Encroachment) (Second amendment) Bill, 2011 enacted kArACHI ISMAIl dIlAWAR

Many in the Sindh Assembly were left scratching their heads on Friday when the provincial Rehabilitation Minister Muzaffar Ali Shajra, during the question hour, rose up to inform the house that the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) was formulated by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) founding leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and not the British. Speaking out of turn, the minister started answering a question from Arif Mustafa Jatoi and Dr Muhammad Ali Shah asking the Sindh law minister whether or not the domestic laws, including PPC, formulated by the Englishmen some “150 years” ago would ever be changed. Shajra’s response,

Muzaffar Ali Shajra

however, did not sit well with Ayaz Soomro, who exclaimed that only the minister concerned should respond to the queries during the Question Hour. The question and answer session started at 11:00 am and lasted only 30 minutes. “We inherited railways, canal system and the PPC from the British and have gotten rid of the first two, but when will we get rid of the third one,” questioned Dr Shah. After censuring Shajra on his interjection, Law Minister Soomro replied: “Amendments in these laws [PPC] are carried out from time to time and a continued democratic process would contribute positively.” Earlier, amid calls for justice in what the lawmakers from PPP termed the “judicial murder” of PPP founder Bhutto in 1979, the Sindh Assembly unanimously passed the anti-encroachment bill into law. The PPP-dominated provincial legislature, called to order by chairman Dr Sikandar Ai Mandhro at 10:50 am, enacted the Sindh Public Property (Removal of Encroachment) (Second Amendment) Bill, 2011. The amended act provides for the appointment of presiding officers, and tribunals and special courts to deal with

the encroachers of public property in the province. The changes in sections 12 and 23 allow the executive – Sindh government – to appoint district and session judges (also additional ones) as presiding officers in tribunals and special courts. Having a two-and-half-year extendable tenure, the presiding officers would be appointed by the government in consultation with the high court chief justice, with their services being liable for termination prior to the completion of his term. According to the law’s subsection 2 of clause (2) and (1), it is a prerequisite for the presiding officers proposed to have worked as an advocate in the province’s high court. Clause 5 bars the courts other than special courts, constituted under Section 25 of the antiencroachment law, from taking cognizance of an offence punishable under the act. on the legislative front, the provincial legislators also voted in favour of the deferment of Sindh Sales Tax on Services (Amendment) Bill, 2011 until Saturday (today) on the request of the provincial law minister. Separately, a resolution under Rule 2011 was jointly moved by lawmakers in the legislative house to pay rich tributes to PPP founder on his 84th birth anniversary. In their speeches, the PPP women legislators, Shamim Ara Phanwar, Humera Alwani and Sussi Palijo, called on the judiciary to let justice take its course in regard with the “judicial murder” of

their leader. Palijo said the PPP-led coalition government has given a great opportunity to the Supreme Court, restored after the lawyers’ movement, to correct its “historical mistake” and remove the decades-old stigma from its face. Before calling it a day at 12:30pm, the deputy speaker declared that discussion on the resolution would continue on the next day. POINT OF ORDERS: Clearly irked by Dr Muhammad Ali Shah’s warning, on a point of order, that a dialysis centre in Naushero Feroze is on the brink of closure due to shortage of funds, Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah said that 50 percent funds – over Rs 5 million – were released by his department only a couple of days ago. Another Muttahida Qaumi Movement lawmaker Muqeem Alam drew the house’s attention towards the 610 secondary teachers, whose contractual appointment was about to expire. The law minister assured that the government would not let anyone to be unemployed. Soomro also replied in the affirmative when Dr Nasrullah opined that the said teachers be granted the same salary increments as given to other Sindh government employees. Meanwhile, Kulsoom Chandio demanded that the dilapidated roads in the Dadu district be rehabilitated.

kArACHI STAFF REPORT

Disposing of the petition, the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday ruled that the Pervez Musharraf-led All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) may hold its political gathering on Sunday (tomorrow) at exactly the same place where the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had held a rally on December 25, 2011 and the exact terms as laid down in the high court’s order on PTI’s petition earlier on a similar issue. The SHC division bench including justices Munib Akhtar and Salman Hamid heard the petition filed by the APML asking the court to restrain the authorities concerned from restricting the party from holding its public meeting on January 8. Seeking an order to direct federal and provincial government

not to create any impediments in the party’s gathering near the Mazar-e-Quaid, AMPL Sindh general secretary Haris Nawaz had submitted that on behalf of his party, he wrote a letter to the Karachi commissioner on December 22, 2011, seeking permission for organising the rally at the Quaid’s mausoleum. Citing Sindh Home secretary and the Karachi commissioner as respondents, the APML leader submitted that they were delaying the issuance of permission. Appearing before the bench, the Deputy Attorney General submitted the letter written by the provincial Home additional secretary, stating that the venue of the proposal gathering is a property managed by Quad-e-Azam Mazar Board Management under the National Heritage Ministry and as such the Sindh government is not allowed to grant such requests.

dude, where’s my car! kArACHI STAFF REPORT

A vehicle in use of Federal Ports and Shipping Minister Babar Ghauri’s family was snatched by unidentified gunmen on Friday. The daughter of MQM’s minister, along with the driver, had gone to a market situated in Block 17, Gulshan-e-Iqbal when four unidentified motorcyclists intercepted them at gun point. The gunmen also looted cash and other valuables from them and drove off with the car. Aziz Bhatti police have registered a case (13/12) under Section 392 against unidentified suspects.

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PakistaN today

06 karachi

Saturday, 7 January, 2012

PML-N snubs Arbab’s CM condition ■ former chief minister had offered to join the party if it nominated him provincial chief executive kArACHI

qAzI ASIF

HILE negotiating with the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N), former Sindh chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim wanted the join the party on the condition that it would nominate him the provincial chef executive if it comes into power, but it was turned down. The PML-N has become active in Sindh and some important political personalities of the province might announce joining the party. The N-League has formed a committee

headed by Rana Mashhud and Ismail Rahu to talk with political personalities of the province to woo them into joining the party. According to sources, the committee has started negotiating with Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, former federal minister Liaquat Jatoi, former provincial minister Maqbool Shaikh, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid central leader Ghous Bux Maher and others. It was difficult for the PML-N to accept Rahim’s condition as its other leaders, who have remained loyal to the party, would object over this move. An insider told Pakistan Today that the PML-N has geared up its recruiting ef-

forts before Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf takes the lead. The PML-N is unsure that it would be able to rope in Maqbool Shaikh and his colleagues because they are already in talks with the PTI. With party slots available, the province’s feudal class is careful in its negotiations so as to fetch a ‘full price’ for changing loyalties. The sources disclose that PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has agreed to take Liaquat Jatoi into his party’s fold and PML-Q’s Ghous Bux Maher has also agreed to join PML-N and announce his decision soon. The PML-N committee is also in talks with the ‘habitual party-switcher’ Murad

Ali Shah of Naushehro Feroze. Shah has remained in power during every government’s tenure, but this time, he could not avail the chance because he was defeated in the 2008 election. He is also expected to join the PML-N.

5 Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz men indicted kArACHI STAFF REPORT

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) indicted five Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) activists on Friday in the Juma Goth blast case. Police produced Hameed Shar, Mubeen Shar, Faial Wagan, Ismail Kolachi and Sadaruddin Kolachi before ATC-II Judge Khalida Yasin. The special prosecutor submitted that the five men are involved in the Juma Goth blast in which a man named Zulfiqar Kolachi was killed. The accused men pleaded their innocence and said they are political activists and were arrested from their homes. The judge later ordered the witnesses to appear before the court on January 12.

PooL aNYoNE? this open-air snooker club under the NIPa flyover attracts many to spend their leisure time. STaff phOTO

photo exhibition to highlight pak-German cooperation kArACHI APP

A photo exhibition would be organised from January 9 at the Goethe-Institut Karachi to highlight Pak-German development cooperation over the past five decades. According to a press release, the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Karachi and the Goethe-Institute in Pakistan are presenting the collaborative photo exhibition titled “50 years of PakistanGerman development cooperation”. Consul General of Germany in Karachi, Dr Tilo Klinner would inaugurate the exhibition that would run until January 31. Development cooperation between Pakistan and Germany goes back to 1961 with the funding volume to date totalling some 2.3 billion euros. Pakistan was thus one of Germany’s first partner countries. Financing for the Mang-

hopir cement factory in Karachi was the first of many Pakistan-German cooperation projects and programmes that have contributed to Pakistan’s development. Funding was initially provided for the energy, industrial, transport and telecommunications sectors.

Today, the priority areas of Pakistan-German development cooperation are good governance, energy, health and basic and vocational education. over the past five decades, Pakistan and Germany have implemented numerous development projects.

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karachi 07 862-pillar and 350-girder strong Banaras Flyover goes 2-way this week Saturday, 7 January, 2012

Government depts asked to set example by paying their power bills

PakistaN today

■ KMC administrator says work on adjoining roads, the abdullah College roundabout and shifting of water and sewerage lines will also be completed soon kArACHI STAFF REPORT

kArACHI STAFF REPORT

The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has demanded that the government should ensure its departments pay the dues they owe to power utility. According to a press release issued on Friday, the KESC has recently disconnected power supply to various defaulting federal and provincial government departments including customs, public health, forest, finance, communication and works and education. The power utility pointed out that the EDo of elementary education has to pay Rs 47.3 million, while the provincial government’s Directorate of Education owes Rs 25.6 million to the KESC for 144 connections to various schools and colleges. The KESC asked the education authorities of federal and provincial governments to play their due role in paying the outstanding bills of educational institutions. The power utility pointed out that the education sector needs to demonstrate exemplary attitude in respect of paying bills on time, so as to

educate their students for preparing them as responsible citizens. In terms of the overall unpaid power dues, the federal government owes Rs 1.66 billion to the KESC, while the provincial government customers’ outstanding amount comes to about Rs 23 billion. The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board has to pay the largest amount – Rs 15.94 billion - while the city government’s unpaid bills come to Rs 5.18 billion. other departments and bodies’ outstanding bills amount to Rs 1.56 billion. The KESC demanded that government departments should support the utility’s drive against bill defaulters and those involved in illegal use of electricity, since the two issues have been causing great hurdles in the way of providing uninterrupted supply of electricity to the city’s population. Huge outstanding amounts coupled with theft of a little less than a third of the total generated electricity have been the main reasons behind load shedding and the shortfall of cash inflow to pay to fuel providers, adding to the circular debt.

HE Banaras Flyover will be opened for twoway traffic this week, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed said on Friday. “Work on adjoining roads, the Abdullah College Roundabout and shifting of water and sewerage lines would also be completed soon,” he added. Syed was talking with Technical Services Director General Altaf G Memon and other officers of the Works and Services Department about the ongoing development works, especially the Banaras Flyover. The administrator directed that the road at Abdullah College Roundabout should be completed on preferential basis so that the flow of surrounding traffic could be maintained. Syed also instructed that water and sewerage lines should shifted within two days so that the construction of road could be completed as soon as possible. Memon informed Syed

Ebad for a more effective CPLC kArACHI APP

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad asked the Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) on Friday to play an effective role for curbing street crimes. He was talking to the newly notified CPLC members, who, along with the committee’s chief Ahmed Chinoy and other office-bearers, called on him at the Governor’s House. Ebad said the CPLC has played an exemplary role in controlling kidnappings for ransom. “The common man is affected because of street crimes and the CPLC should come to the fore in this regard in collaboration with the law enforcement agencies,” he added. He said with the help of a database, the available technology and surveys regarding crimes, the CPLC should play a role towards elimination of street crimes. The governor asked the CPLC members to enhance their social welfare activities and venture into academic fields also and be active in adopting government schools.

that the pace of development work on both the ends of the Banaras Flyover - from the Abdullah Girls College to orangi Town No 5 - and the repairing and reconstruction of roads beneath the flyover and the U-turn is satisfactory and the shifting of water and

sewerage pipelines would also be completed in two days. “The shifting of underground utility lines would make the road durable in the future,” he added. The administrator said the construction of adjoining

roads was made part of the project in order to solve the traffic problems in the area. The Banaras Flyover has a length of 1,644 metres and a width of around 27 metres. A total of 862 pillars and 350 girders have been used in its construction.

The journey of progress in Karachi will continue and the KMC is making all possible efforts to speed it up. The opening of the Banaras Flyover for two-way traffic would felicitate millions of people residing in its nearby localities,” Syed said.

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PakistaN today

08 karachi wEathEr UPdatES

25°C high

Clear skies

14°C Low

15% humidity

SUNdaY

MoNdaY

tUESdaY

25°C I 13°C

25°C I 12°C

Saturday, 7 January, 2012

In the village of Marri Jalbani, reviving the tradition of Mach Kachehri

PraYEr tIMINGS fajr 5:57

Sunrise 7:17

Zuhr 12:38

asr 3:38

Maghrib 5:58

Isha 7:19

Starting time in Karachi

CItY dIrECtorY ■ wwf-P organises ‘chat around bonfire’ to ‘add to the beauty of rustic life and boost folk literature’ kArACHI

EMErGENCY hELP PoLICE 15 BoMB dISPoSaL 15, 99212667 fIrE BrIGadE 16, 99215007, 99215008 EdhI 115, 32310066-2310077 KhIdMat-E-KhaLQ foUNdatIoN 36333811 rEd CrESCENt 35833973 GovErNor’S hoUSE 136 ChIEf MINIStEr’S hoUSE 99202051 MotorwaY PoLICE 130

hoSPItaLS aBBaSI ShahEEd CIvIL JINNah NICvd aGa KhaN taBBa

99260400-09 99215749, 99215960 99201300-39 99201271-6 34930051 36811841-50

AMAR GuRIRO

HE hooting of owls echoed in the darkness of the night and the winter breeze made the shadows of giant trees ripple. A group of people were sitting around a bonfire under a decorated canopy with traditional quilts hanging from it. Among them, a man was singing Bhittia’s Vai while others played traditional indigenous musical instruments. This was a scene in the small village of Marri Jalbani located near Pai Forest, where World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Nature-Pakistan’s “Indus for All Programme” had organised a Mach Kachehri or “chat around bonfire” to revive the decades old cultural tradition of Sindh. The speakers on the occasion emphasised the significance of culture in promoting the message of

humanism, love, fraternity, equality, spiritualism and sustainable use of natural resources. They said cultural gatherings give birth to folk wisdom, which is vital for harmonising human life with different aspects of nature. They demanded that deforestation and illegal occupation of forest lands in the province should be stopped to save precious natural resources. Unique species of birds and other animals are disappearing in the region and the situation needs immediate attention of all stakeholders concerned including government departments and civil society members, they added. The speakers pointed out the important role that media can play in tackling environmental degradation and irrational attitude of human beings towards exploitation of natural resources. “All living things including trees and birds need to be loved and cared

for,” writer Siddique Mangio said at the kachehri. “The people have been deprived of their rich cultural heritage in the name of development and technological advancement,” he added. WWF-P Programme Coordinator Nasir Ali Panhwar said the bonfire culture adds to the beauty of rustic life and boosts folk literature. ”A great number of myths, folk stories, cultural poetry and proverbs are transferred through the oral tradition,” he added. “Culture and environment are closely linked with each other. Changes in one domain affect the other.” Panhwar was of the view that many mythical stories, fairy tales, riddles and other literary elements are associated with forests, wetlands and biodiversity. “Forests are the lungs of Earth, but due to multiple factors forest coverage is shirking,” he said. He demanded that illegal encroachments on forest land should

be halted and policymakers should take into consideration environmental issues while formulating development plans and residential schemes. Conveying his message to the audience, poet Waseem Soomro said that the social evils of terrorism, extremism, illiteracy, child abuse and violation of women rights can only be mitigated by promoting cultural gatherings. “The Indus eco-region is rich in bio-diversity and natural resources which can only be saved by contribution of local communities and awareness should be created in youth to struggle for conservation of nature,” he added. Folksinger Jay Ram Jogi and poets enthralled the audience by reciting spiritual and cultural songs of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. Participants were engrossed in ecstasy while listening to music of flute. They danced and enjoyed the classical poetry by the native singers.

BLood BaNK hUSSaINI fatIMId Pwa

32238405-8 32225284, 32258656 99215740, 32735214

CoMPLaINt KESC PtCL KwSB CdGK SUI GaS

118 1218 1339 134 1199, 99231603

raILwaYS INQUIrY CItY StatIoN CaNtt StatIoN

117, 99213565-6 99213538 99201118

aIrPort fLIGht INQUIrY PIa rESErvatIoN

114 111786786

CoLLEGES / UNIvErSItIES KaraChI UNIvErSItY NEd UNIvErSItY fUUaSt dUhS SMIC faSt-NU SZaBISt IoBM IBa IvS

99261300-06 99261261-8 99244141-9 99215754-7 99217501-3 111128128, 34100541-7 111922478 35090961-7 111422422 35861039-40

ThREE IN A CROWd

SAEEd AKhTAR

hAdIA/KIRAN/SOBIA

Art eXHIBItIon StArtS JAnUArY 7 At 05:00 PM VenUe: ArtCHoWk gALLerY

Art eXHIBItIon StArtS JAnUArY 7 At 05:30 PM VenUe: ArtSCene gALLerY

Art eXHIBItIon StArtS JAnUArY 10 At 05:30 PM VenUe: CHAWkAnDI Art

Atif Khan, Sophiya Khwaja & Zaira Ahmed’s ‘Three in a crowd’ from January 7 to 21 at ArtChowk-the Gallery. Call 35300481 for more information.

Saeed Akhtar’s exhibition of charcoal drawings from January 7 to 14 at the ArtScene Gallery. Call 35843961 for more information.

Hadia Moiz, Kiran Saeed and Sobia Ahmed’s art exhibition from January 10 to 18 at the Chawkandi Art gallery. Call 35373582 for more information.

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Saturday, 7 January, 2012

Elections will be held in 2012: fazl

Ties with India, Pakistan not a zero sum game: Pentagon g

Spokesman says success in afghanistan depends on strong relationship with Islamabad WASHIngton

HUB INP

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman said on Friday that elections would be held in 2012 and he had given some suggestions to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif about forming an independent election commission and acceptable interim government. He told reporters at the residence of JUI-F district chief Ghulam Qadir Qasmi here that he was in favour of more provinces on administrative basis and fully supported the creation of a Hazara province in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said early elections were not unconstitutional but in doing so, democracy should not be destabilised. He said there was no need to give special importance to Senate elections. It was the duty of all the political parties to take decisions with responsibility so that the system was not derailed, he added. Referring to the memogate scandal, the JUI-F chief said the contents of the memo were sensitive and all the stakeholders had agreed that the matter should be investigated.

News 09

INP

BSERVING that its relationship with India and Pakistan is not a zero-sum game and that it values ties with both, the Pentagon on Friday said safe havens that existed in Pakistan were still an obstacle to ultimate success in Afghanistan. “I would tell you that with respect to both countries, it’s not a zero-sum game for us,” the Pentagon spokesman, Navy Captain John Kirby, told a bloggers’

round table on Thursday, in response to a question. “We value and very much want deep strategic partnerships with both countries, because both of them are vital to the Central and South Asia regions. There’s no question about that,” he said. Kirby said Pentagon had long said and believed that its success in Afghanistan was very much dependent on a strong constructive relationship with Pakistan. “That relationship is troubled. There’s no question about that right now. But that doesn’t mean that we

don’t, both sides, recognise the importance of working our way through this and getting to better cooperation and coordination across that border,” Kirby said. “The safe havens that exist in Pakistan are still an obstacle to our ultimate success in Afghanistan, and we’re continuing to work at that,” he said. India also has a very, very strong role to play, he added. “This is a country which is a growing economic power not just in the region but globally. It’s a nation with whom we’ve had a very strong military partnership going back decades.

India planning 11 tunnels on Pakistan, China borders neW DeLHI INP

Sub-inspector killed, 8 militants arrested in Mardan MArDAn STAFF REPORT

A police sub-inspector and a militant were killed on Friday in clashes, during which police arrested eight militants. Reportedly, the clashes broke out in the Bakhshali area of Mardan, where heavy firing was witnessed when police was conducting search operations. Sub-Inspector Zarnoosh Khan was killed in the fighting after which police retaliated, causing serious injuries to Bawar Khan, the father of a militant named Tariq. He was rushed to Mardan District Headquarters Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. Police arrested eight militants after the exchange of fire and took them to an undisclosed location for interrogation.

PEShAWAR: People move around under umbrellas as the city received its first winter rain on Friday. STaff phOTO

US regards Kashmir as disputed territory, but takes no position g

State department urges all parties to seek peaceful resolution to dispute WASHIngton NNI

The United States has refused to give in to an Indian government demand that the official US maps show Jammu and Kashmir as part of India, saying the Himalayan state is a disputed territory that must be resolved peacefully. Following a strong Indian protest against previous maps showing Azad Kashmir as part of Pakistan, the State Department posted on its website and travel-related sites what it called were new and corrected maps of India. But the new maps still reflected the unresolved nature of the boundaries, including the Line of Control in Kashmir. “There is an asterisk on this set of maps, which is also consistent with our standard policy when we are trying to make clear that there is a dispute here,” State Department spokeswoman Victorial Nuland said at the daily news briefing. She was re-

“And they as well, the Indians, desire to play, and have been playing, a constructive role inside Afghanistan, conducting some training for Afghan troops and also showing a willingness to help out economically in Afghanistan,” Kirby said. “So we don’t look at this, in any nation in that part of the world – and this includes Afghanistan – we don’t look at this as one up, one down or one against the other. “We want good, strong relationships with all the nations there. And more importantly, we want them to have strong relationships with each other,” Kirby said.

sponding to a series of pointed questions from Indian journalists. “And it says that the names and boundary representations are not necessarily authoritative, meaning that they are in dispute and we are not taking a position,” she clarified. When a journalist pointed out that India claimed the region to be its integral part, and did not view it as a disputed territory and that the US position acknowledging Kashmir’s disputed status would not please New Delhi, the spokeswoman said, “Well, again, it is consistent with longstanding US policy.” The new maps, she explained, reflect the fact that the US “takes no position on the dispute and urges all the parties to seek a peaceful resolution to resolving the claims”. “What you’ll see on the maps is consistent with what the US geographic position has been consistently, that there is a dashed line representing the 1972 line of control, reflecting Kashmir’s unresolved sta-

Pakistan rejects India’s assertion J&K is its integral part ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday rejected India’s assertion that Jammu and Kashmir was its integral part, saying it was a disputed territory and its final status was yet to be determined. In response to a question pertaining to Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ statement of January 4 regarding depiction of map of India on the US State Department website, the Foreign office spokesman said, “The government of Pakistan rejects the assertion made in the afore-mentioned statement that the entire State of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.” In a statement, the spokesman said the correct position, as established by the United Nations in accordance with its relevant resolutions, was that the State of Jammu and Kashmir was a disputed territory, the final status of which was yet to be determined. STAFF REPORT tus. We neglected to actually label that dotted line in the last round of maps. It has now been labeled,” she added. Questioned whether Washington favoured international intervention to resolve the lingering conflict or Pakistan and India should continue with

bilateral efforts towards settlement of the South Asian conflict, she said, “The US believes that this issue is best solved in bilateral channels. We’ve been very supportive of the work going on in bilateral channels, and we’d like to see it continue.”

The Indian government is planning to build 11 tunnels in strategically important road stretches close to the country’s borders with Pakistan and China, while two tunnels will be built in Uttarakhand to improve connectivity in the hilly state. These all-weather tunnels, which will be built by the Border Road organisation (BRo), would cover a distance of around 89 kilometres. These tunnels are expected to help rapid mobilisation of troops and equipment besides providing better connectivity to local residents, officials said. At a recent review meeting about the progress of road projects implemented by BRo, the road construction wing of the Indian army, told the Highways Ministry officials that the feasibility studies of three projects were under progress. Two of them - the 12km Zojila and the 6.5km Z Morh tunnels - fall in Jammu and Kashmir and are crucial to connectivity between Srinagar and Leh. These two regions often remain cut-off during winter as snow covers the highway connecting the regions. The third project has been planned near Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand. The BRo is likely to undertake the feasibility study of another nine tunnels in Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. India had stopped road building activity in regions close to the Chinese border after the 1962 war with a view that better road networks could help the Chinese forces spread out in case of an invasion. But that doctrine has been changed and several road development works are being undertaken by the BRo, which are funded by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). The BRo will take up construction of two tunnels, totaling 25.4km in length, on thre Balipara-Charduar-Tawang Road, which would improve connectivity to the Tawang region throughout the year. Supply of troops to the region is currently being met by helicopters. Two more crucial tunnels have been planned in Sikkim, which are located only 19.3km and 24.6km from the Line of Control respectively.

OBITuARY Qazi Zafarul Haq, father of Qazi Mahmoodul Hasan, founder of Iqra schools and colleges, and Qazi Saeedul Hasan, deputy director administration National Census organization, passed away on Friday. His Qul will be held at his native village Noshera.

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10 News

Saturday, 7 January, 2012

JI protests against load shedding, price hike in Gujranwala gUJrAnWALA STAFF REPORT

The Jamaat-e-Islami staged a protest on Friday to denounce the extensive load shedding and price hike in front of Gujranwala GEPCo office and afterwards moved to Sui gas office to stage a sit-in. JI General Secretary Liaqat Baloch said the corrupt government had fooled the nation with the slogans of ensuring provision of food, clothing and shelter but in reality they had “snatched the livelihood of the masses”. He said extensive load shedding had crippled the industrial sector which had resulted in a drastic increase in unemployment. Baloch said inefficient policies of the government had resulted in deterioration of the economic sector and an increased class-conflict in the society. He alleged that every government institution, from the Presidency to lower class, had become the hub of corruption and exploitation of the poor, adding that done nothing good could happen for the poor if an across-the-board accountability was not carried out. He said price hike had increased manifolds and the poor were forced to commit suicides while the government officials were busy bagging huge commissions. Baloch said the Rs 300 billion fertilizer scandal had stolen the limelight which revealed the involvement of federal ministers, which was shameful.He said the corrupt rulers could not get away scot-free the JI would pursue them until justice was done. The JI leader demanded the Supreme Court take notice of the corruption.

lOWER dIR: Youths head to their destinations during heavy snowfall in the Talash Saraye area on Friday. ONLINe

Pir Pagara admitted to ICU of private London hospital

Afghan govt stresses on Afghan-led peace talks kABUL

NNI

HE Afghan government stressed that peace talks must be led by Afghans, warning that Afghanistan is not the country it was ten

years ago. Emal Faizi, the chief spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai, said that the Afghan government had not had role in the talks that had been held between the United States and the Taliban. He said the Afghan government only supported an office for the Taliban in Qatar, but it would not support talks

that are held between other countries and the Taliban. It comes as the United States and the Taliban have agreed about the Taliban office in Qatar. There have also been reports of direct talks between Washington and the Taliban. “Some countries have held talks with the Taliban without involvement of the Afghan government. We have always emphasised that any negotiations and peace talks must be led by Afghans,” Faizi said. Faizi said holding talks with the Taliban without involvement of the Afghan government would not have positive results and would not be acceptable. It comes as sources close to Presi-

dent Karzai have told some media that the president was not satisfied with the way talks had been held between the US and the Taliban, as he felt the Afghan government had been marginalised. Sources at the presidential palace have told the Al-Arabia news that as soon as the Taliban’s Qatar office was opened talks would begin under the leadership of Afghans. Meanwhile, Afghan Taliban leader Mullah omar also confirmed that the group had been in talks with Washington. Whether the US will be involved Afghanistan in the process or it will do it independently is something that will be clear after talks officially start in

LonDon INP

Qatar. on Saturday the Taliban in a statement expressed willingness to hold talks with the US, but called for release of Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo Bay. But the State Department Spokeswoman has reportedly said that no decisions have been made whether to release the Guantanamo prisoners. A spokesman for the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, however, said that talks continued over the release of prisoners. “Release of Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo Bay is one of our main demands and it is being discussed,” Mujahid has said.

Musharraf to return on 25th or 27th, says would be acquitted in three hearings DUBAI INP

All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) chief and former military ruler Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf has hoped that he would be acquitted after two to three court hearings after coming to the country on 25th or 27th of this month. Speaking at an event late on Thursday, he said all cases against him were registered on political basis, adding that he was not held accused by any court under any article of the constitution. “The court issued arrest warrants against me due to my failure to appear before the court in Benazir Bhutto and Akbar Bugti murder cases,” he said. Musharraf said he would face all cases registered against him in the country and according to the law, he hoped that he would be acquitted after two or three court hearing. The former military ruler said that putting his life on risk he would land in Pakistan on January 25 or 27, adding that he would resolve all crises faced by the country and the people. He said he would again pave the way for development in the country. Musharraf claimed that about 500 to 600

people from all over the world would accompany him on his return, adding that he was ready to face the courts. He said he had always played with danger in his life and he had practically played with death in the battleground during his army services, but had never been afraid. “I would return to Pakistan because people of the country need me in these critical times,” he said. He said he wanted to return to Pakistan one-and-a-half years ago, but his party was

not formed at that time and he wanted to resolve the crises facing the country under one platform. The former military ruler said the masses were supporting and waiting for him in Pakistan, while a handful of people were not supporting him. Musharraf said the power of the people was with him. “I will come to power through the power of masses, not with the help of any foreign power, the ISI or army,” he added. To a question, Musharraf said two major political parties had completely failed to serve the masses, due to which the people were joining and supporting PTI chief Imran Khan as a third option. He said state institutions had been destroyed due to wrong policies of the current democratic government, adding that rich people were fleeing from the country and the poor were left to face problems. “I am not a common man, I receive full protocol everywhere in the world whenever I visit any foreign country,” said Musharraf, adding that he would contact those countries for strengthening the economy of Pakistan when he came to power. He said he would go back from Pakistan if the people did not support him.

Pir Pagara, the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and spiritual head of Hurs, has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of a private hospital in the British capital immediately upon arrival by air ambulance. Pagara’s son Pir Sadruddin said doctors were carrying out various tests and would decide the nature of treatment after receiving the results. He hoped that by next month Pagara would return to Pakistan. Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamsul Hassan said the condition of the PML-F chief was out of danger. A larger number of followers gathered outside the hospital and prayed for the swift recovery of the spiritual leader.

President meets Sherry

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Pakistan’s Ambassador-designate to the US Sherry Rehman on Friday called on President Asif Ali Zardari at the Aiwan-e-Sadr and discussed her future role as the envoy to Washington and matters pertaining to her diplomatic assignment. The president, while reposing full confidence in her, expressed hope that she would prove herself worthy of the challenging assignment. Sherry thanked the president for the trust and confidence reposed in her and assured that she would accomplish her responsibilities with full devotion while focusing on augmenting Pakistan’s bilateral relations with the US and defending interests of Pakistan at all international forums.

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Saturday, 7 January, 2012

Editor’s mail 11 PtI: a third force?

US-taliban peace talks Mullah omar has confirmed that the Taliban have engaged in peace talks with the US. Apparently, this time around one should not expect the Taliban representatives to be impostors fooling the eager Americans. The opening of a Taliban headquarter in Qatar with aims to engage in dialogue the West is also being welcomed. Mullah omar, the Taliban commander considered as the key to the insurgency, a spiritual symbol had been the one to order jihad against the infidels. It had been predicted by various Taliban officials that he was the one uniting force and without him religious rationale for the fight would largely vanish with the movement splitting into groups fighting along tribal, regional,

and ethnic lines and the insurgency could shatter into a chaotic mess of warring factions. But does he still have that kind of control over the insurgency? Why the need for a peace deal if that is still the case? The statement issued by the top militant factions under the command of Afghan Taliban leader Mullah omar as they pledged an end to attacks on the Pakistani government's forces and are instead going to unite in fighting against Nato's troops in Afghanistan, comes in quite a contradiction to what the TTP spokesman has said, warning of an increase in attack s on the Pakistani security forces in the coming days. Ground realities also point to the fact that there is no change in the security

situation as scores of Pakistanis are still dying in militant attacks. In this backdrop, it becomes difficult to accept the varied statements emanating from different Taliban quarters. Which Taliban faction is responsible for the opening an office in Qatar, does it truly represent the Afghan Taliban and how much influence does it have on the ongoing insurgency? The announcement of dropping the pre-condition of withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan by the Taliban holding political office in Qatar does not align with what Mullah omar has demanded as pre-conditions to talk with the US; release of Afghan prisoners from Guantanamo Bay detention facility and a complete pull out of US-led forces from

Afghanistan. The peace process too might take a lot longer to actually begin where the on ground situation can also improve. To convince the Taliban foot soldiers to stop what they have been doing for over a decade will certainly be tedious job for the Taliban commander. But for the time being, however, all focus ought to be directed towards dialogue and a political solution of the insurgency. Had the Americans had the foresight to see that the ultimate solution to the Afghan imbroglio was a negotiated settlement with the Taliban, then this step ought to have been the first rather than the last one. LUBNA HAMEED Rawalpindi

women empowerment Despite numerous commitments to gender equality in the past, Pakistan has made no sufficient progress. Instead, a woman is always seen compromising in terms of health, education and employment benefits. A society where youth population is large as compared to others, we should realise the fact that women in the role of mothers and guardians can play a vital role in the development and growth of the young generation. In order to have a more responsible and nurtured youth, Pakistani government as well as the society should focus more on women. Meeting their education and health requirements can lead this country to progress and development. AROOSA SHAUQAT Lahore

Prisoners’ plight

This is apropos of news of Nawaz Sharif wherein he expressed to set up military courts in Sindh to eliminate violence and crime. I am at a loss to understand that even after 10 years of exile, nothing changed in Mian Nawaz Sharif. Supreme Court had already declared these courts illegal as it is tantamount to creating a parallel system of justice. It is a highly immature attitude of Nawaz Sharif to stick to this hackneyed idea of

speedy justice through military courts even though he himself is a law graduate. It is a fact that military intervened in 1999 because civil institutions were weakened and the last PML(N) government in Punjab invited military people to search ghost schools and power theft cases. This shows inefficiency of civil institutions and mismanagement by top brass of these institutions. It is not a solution to make more courts to eliminate dacoit rule in Sindh. It is high time that Mian Nawaz Sharif changed his mindset and grew up and avoided repeating same old mistakes which resulted in his ouster from power corridors earlier. The solution to the problem is that criminal justice system and police force investigation system should be revamped and restructured and made more effective to curb crime in the country. Military courts were never a panacea to law and order situation; instead, they were contrary to the spirit of democracy. FAROOQ BASHIR BUTT Lahore

It is an occasional occurrence in Hollywood action movies for the authorities to say the following statement before arresting a suspect, ‘You have the right to remain silent; anything you say can and will be used against you.’ However, one is not likely to find a Pakistani policeman issuing the same warning as no statement, written or verbal, produced by a suspect in the custody of the Pakistani police is admissible in courts. The reason being is that the Pakistani police have a habit of forcing out confessions from suspects by use of force. The use of torture, however, is not restricted for the purpose of getting confessions. It is used as a habitual and systematic way of constructing police superiority; maintaining order; forcing submission; and who knows, exploring various sorts of sadistic leisure activities. The horrific methods and consistency of torture used by the Pakistani police is not only disturbing at a whole new level but also a blatant disregard for fundamental human rights; something our constitution vows to protect. In 2010, at the Toba Tek Singh district prison, the authorities stripped three prisoners, taped their genitals to prevent them from urinating and forced each to drink three or four litres of water. The tape was removed four hours later, by which time all three had developed renal ailments. An inquiry was launched against the prison superintendent but he was cleared in no time, apparently at the testimony of others allegedly involved in the torture. other common torture techniques rampant in Pakistani prisons include ‘falaka’ (whipping feet with a rod); pulling out fingernails with pliers; rubbing red chillies in eye; and a gruesome practice called strapado, where the victim is hung by the wrists from the ceiling until the shoulders dislocate. It is a shame that these practices continue to exist despite Pakistan signing the UN convention against torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It is imperative that tangible measures be taken to stop the inhumane treatment of prisoners in accordance with universally accepted human rights. ABDUL AHAD AYUB LUMS, Lahore

Similarly, one can see this wastage outside the banks for the payment of four utility bills which are intentionally spaced throughout the month making sure that either you or your servants line up for this sacred duty. Then there is no dearth of spending the taxpayers’ money at the sweet will and comfort of the high-ups. They would like the hapless people to tighten up their belts while enjoying the luxuries at the fullest. There are numerous examples which may be quoted. There are always ways and means by which these rulers make sure that the rules are made to suit their pockets and vested interests. For instance, one such

rule was made very recently in which the grade 20 to 22 officers are sanctioned over Rs 65,000 to Rs 95,000 in lieu of their personal staff cars which were totally misused for all type of private jobs; shopping, kids' pick-up/drop, meeting friends and relatives anywhere and anytime etc. It is believed that the govt will be saving about Rs one billion yearly. But, it is feared that most of the officials will keep using some official pool cars and cars from affiliated organisations. So eventually, where a poor clerk cannot dream of two square meals, these high bureaucrats have perhaps befooled the nation by getting a huge pay raise in

the form of car allowance. Then there are funds running to billions to feed the poor by the PPP in the form of BISP. A couple of thousands provided to poor families as income support even if it appears to be a good gesture, is more of a wastage of huge sum (probably over 25 billions), which could be more usefully utilised in setting up at least 25 manpower intensive industries thereby ensuring employment of a million poor people, enabling the poor to earn as well as ensuring increase in Pakistan's productive capacity manifold. RASHID MAQSOOD Lahore

remembering taseer Is there any limit to our immorality? What could be more audacious than an uncontrolled protest by the religious quarters on The Mall Road in favour of a self-confessed murderer Mumtaz Qadri on the death anniversary of late governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer. The road was blocked today due to protest. It is so shameful that the governor of a province was killed and the killer confessed his crime and yet he has not been punished. Instead, lawyers rain flowers over him and enchant slogans against Taseer and against arresting Qadri. The judge who passed verdict against Qadri had to flee from Pakistan and the cleric who offered funeral prayers of the governor also fled from the country because of lack of security. Is this democracy or what our religion teaches us? Killing someone in the name of Islam and then organising rallies and protests for the release of the self-confessed murderer? or threaten those who speak against the murderer? It seems we are living in an intolerant society where morality has vanished away. SYED FOAAD HASSAN Lahore

another good joke! The SECP has made it mandatory for the listed companies to have a functional website by April 1, 2012 to facilitate minority shareholder to have prompt access to various information. Having a website costs huge initially on its establishment and then its maintenance including special staff on large salaries as webmaster, programmers etc. SECP has since long established its own website and has a webmaster drawing a good salary but perhaps nothing to do. It is about now three weeks I am trying repeatedly to contact SECP as a minority shareholder through its email address complaints@secp.gov.pk, enquiries@secop.gov.pk which all come back to me undelivered. Keeping intentionally or unintentionally a website non-functional, a webmaster’s despite getting salaries not keeping the website approachable by the minority shareholders tantamounts to “mal-administration” taking cognizance of which is the domain of the Federal ombudsman on which the nation is spending huge too. This joke can happen only in our beloved land of the pure that the communication sent to him on his website also is coming back perhaps for the same reason as with the SECP website. JAVED Karachi

In reference to the Prime Minister’s message to Nawaz Sharif that in case of the government’s collapse, a ‘third force’ might come into power and they need to defend democracy by coming together. The two parties have repeatedly downplayed PTI’s chances in the upcoming elections with various leaders of PPP and PML(N) making numerous remarks about the party being a ‘lota’ party. Let us not forget that Imran Khan has been in the political arena for over 15 years maintaining his stance for justice and against corruption. Maybe it is this struggle that has finally paid off with the addition of experienced and popular leaders like Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Javed Hashmi. Perhaps, it is time for both parties to acknowledge the fact that PTI is emerging as a major political force in the country. After witnessing successful rallies in Lahore and Karachi, the comments like ‘old wine in a new bottle’ or ‘party made overnight that will end overnight’ will not change the fact that it is hard to write-off the party so easily. WALEED MUNIR Lahore

Out of gas The gas crisis has made life miserable for the common man. It can be added to the already long list of issues that has been mishandled by the PPP government. It is true that none of these problems are of the incumbent government’s making (the blame for encouraging reckless use of a scarce natural resource lies with the previous one) but it is also true that they have been aggravated by its indifference and wrong policies. For example, the gas shortage has been staring the admin in

food for thought As the drawdown of US troops from Afghanistan steps up in 2012, NATo military planners are trying to figure out the logistics of how to ship out the massive quantities of alliance vehicles, weapons and other equipment from the mountainous landlocked country. According to a report, the operation requires the removal of $30bn worth of state-of-the-art military gear by the end of 2014, when the US and other coalition troops are to end their combat role. Most of the American equipment will be shipped to military depots in the US for refurbishment and then redistributed to bases around the country, but some assets will go to bases in Europe, primarily Germany, or in Asian nations such as South Korea. Maybe emerging scenario of withdrawal of equipment worth $30bn makes obama administration realise in what kind of a quagmire the extreme right Republicans in the grip of myopic, dogmatic and over egoistic Manichean mindset has driven America in to, by

the face for quite some time. But they only decided to act on it when it hits them squarely on the head. It is high time that the government rationalise gas prices, initiate a policy of responsible use both in industries and households and import some at reasonable prices as soon as it can. The government is already coming to its senses too late. KAMIL HASSAAN Lahore

forcing obama to aggravate the conflict of relationship with Pakistan at this juncture. A candid admission of the folly of killing brutally soldiers of a close ally, tendering an unconditional apology and adding flow of the compensation for losses of Pakistan instead of suspending the one already committed, would have mitigated the situation. Enough food for thought for obama's team. FAROOQ KHAN Peshawar

Nawaz Sharif’s demand

Manpower squandered In our dear country where our manpower is an asset, the rulers have made sure that millions of man hours of the countrymen are wasted due to poor governance and insensitivity of those who are ‘great’ planners. For instance, look at hundred of vehicle owners who for want of saving a few hundred for their depleted bread and butter are seen at over 3000 CNG filling station all over the country wasting an average of three hours per vehicle per week or 12 hours per vehicle per month. No one has ever complained or raised this issue at the National Assembly or in the provincial assemblies.

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. Fax: +92-42-36298302. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk. Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively.

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12 comment the polls october it is

t would have been with a hint of satisfaction that the ruling party’s core committee decided to hold the polls in october this year instead of 2013. Ever since the incumbent government came into power, it has been the subject of many rumours of its premature demise. Talk of the government not making it to a single year morphed into talk of “mid-term polls” and this mutated into the grapevine resonating with rumours of polls following an ouster in the third year. None of that worked; the government stayed put. In the end, the opposition will remember in disdain, because that is what they saw fit. And the move is conciliatory. The opposition wanted polls ahead of schedule and ones held in october qualify. Though there is usually much rhetoric against the government for wanting to maximise its time in office (after, gasp, winning the polls!) it has let another possible couple of months go willingly. Before the thrill of october come the senate polls early this year. For the first time ever, both halves of the senate would have been elected in the same sitting national government. Yielding the ruling party a majority in the upper house would also translate into legislative leverage many years into the next government; something that could always come in handy if they are in opposition next time. The issue of the general polls is going to be a tricky affair. Law and order, never a dream in the republic, is going to be far from ideal in these times of terror. Liberal parties, like the PPP and specially the ANP, have been made the target of militant groups in the last polls and the upcoming ones are also going to be marred with violence attacks. It is of paramount importance for the law enforcement agencies to ensure a peaceful and safe election and pre-election campaign for all political parties.

defiant Not ideal given the turmoil

he defiant note struck at the PPP’s core committee meeting is likely to jack up confrontation between the executive and judiciary, a situation that needs to be avoided. Responding to the Supreme Court’s order to implement its decision declaring the NRo unconstitutional without fail by January 10, the committee ruled out sending a letter to the Swiss authorities. It maintained that there was no need for the court to interpret Article 248 of the constitution as the provision regarding immunity to the president was clear and selfexplanatory. This was meant to be a response to an earlier observation by the court that anyone seeking immunity has to bring the matter to the apex court. The committee also ruled out President Zardari’s appearance before the judicial commission probing the Memo issue maintaining that the Federation’s reply to the memo case is enough to explain the stand of the federation’s head. The stand taken by the core committee raises concern as it come sin the wake of the unguarded statements by Babar Awan. The PPP complains that it is being subjected to bias and is being discriminated against. Cases are being taken up against it while many important applications that can harm its political opponents have been allowed to gather dust. The SC on the other hand has at several times castigated the government for employing dilatory tactics to delay the implementation of its directives. It took serious notice of a press conference by PPP leaders where harsh language was used to criticise one of the apex court’s decisions. A second press conference by Babar Awan however was equally abrasive, leading the court to issue the former law minister another contempt notice. The confrontation between the two important institutions of the state needs to be defused. Instead of defiance, it has to employ a conciliatory attitude towards the SC. Irresponsible outbursts have to .be discouraged. It is the courts’ duty to deliver justice. Equally important for the court is to ensure that it is also seen to be even-handed and non-discriminatory.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36298305-10 Fax: 042-36298302 Karachi – Ph: 021-34330811-3 Fax: 021-34330900 Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287414-6 Fax: 051-2287417 Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Saturday, 7 January, 2012

Before the polls Many a slip between the lip and the cup

By Arif nizami

he PPP core committee jointly chaired by the president and the prime minister has ostensibly struck a defiant note on the legal front. It has decided not to write to the Swiss authorities for reopening cases against Zardari. The committee declaring that everyone had the right to criticise court verdicts also decided not to yield to the apex court’ s notices of contempt of court to the government’s legal eagle, Babar Awan. on the political front, however, the PPP has struck a conciliatory note by accepting the opposition’s demand of an early election. Although Nawaz Sharif has ruled out a meeting with Zardari, if media speculations are to be believed, a back channel between the PPP and the PML(N) has already been reactivated. An understanding on the holding of Senate elections in February and general elections in october would mean that the PML(N) has been accommodated more than half way. Both the PPP and the PML(N) stand to gain seats in the upper house as a result of these elections. However, the ruling coalition stands to gain more by eking out a majority as well as having its own chairman. But as they say, there is a many a slip between the lip and the cup. The PML(N) had felt let down in the presidential elections. It will be hard to salvage a deal without iron-clad guarantees from the PPP. Presently, multifaceted challenges are beleaguering the government. Rightly or wrongly, it perceives a nexus between the higher judiciary and the military against it. Instead of putting a strong legal defence on the memo issue and the NRo, it seems to have decided to strike a note of defiance. Babar Awan’s diatribes can only be explained in this context. None other than the president himself while addressing the public rally on Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary at Naudero last week singled out the judiciary for targeting the PPP. But apart from legal challenges with a time frame attached to them, the government faces acute economic challenges as well. Notwithstanding the prime minister’s tall claims at the core commit-

tee meeting that the economy is stable and inflation is under control, endemic energy shortages and collapsing infrastructure is taking the country towards a near anarchic situation. In this situation, it suits the PPP government to reach out to the opposition. But why should the opposition play ball? For starters, the political opposition in the parliament has a stake in preserving the status quo. Nawaz Sharif would not like the PPP-led government to be ousted or more correctly hounded out at this late stage and be made into a martyr. Despite the failure of the Bangladesh model in Bangladesh itself, the war gamers and their cohorts in the political minefield are still clamouring for “a government of technocrats”, expecting a little help from the higher judiciary. The conventional wisdom (or lack of it in this case) is to form a military-backed caretaker government of technocrats initially for at least a year to sort out the economic mess. of course, the idea can only work sans Zardari and Gilani. And if such an option has to be given legal cover, no matter how dubious, it has to be sanctioned by the courts. Whether the apex court will give such a carte blanche is debatable. It is certain, however, that such a dispensation will have a very fragile political base and will have the usual turncoats joining it. It will naturally be unacceptable to the PPP and, for that matter, to Nawaz Sharif. Even Imran Khan, who is branded as the establishment’s new kid on the block, cannot support a government of technocrats. After his public support has increased by leaps and bounds since his rallies in Lahore and Karachi, it will be tantamount to committing political harakiri to be associated with such a dubious arrangement. After Nawaz Sharif’s consistent refusal to play ball, the ubiquitous establishment not willing to learn from its past mistakes decided to put its eggs in the newly created basket of Imran Khan. Now it will have to deal with three political forces instead of two, not to speak of MQM, the ANP and the maulanas. Nawaz feels challenged by the tsunami of the PTI in the PML(N)’s heartland. He genuinely believes that Imran has been launched by the ISI to

dislodge him. Imran is poaching electable candidates from the mainstream political parties with the exception of the MQM. That is not a good sign for either the PPP or the PML(N), who till now had assumed that, despite their rivalry, they could take turns to rule. The adverse reaction across the political spectrum to Sharif’s recent remarks about the possibility of re-introducing military courts in Karachi amply demonstrates the distaste for anything to do with the army. Apart from the revulsion in the media, the independent but highly politicised apex court had to declare such a possibility as unconstitutional. The PML(N) supremo has been criticised in some quarters for petitioning the Supreme Court on Memogate. Whether he did it without thinking it through or to corner Zardari, only time will tell. Some critics accuse him of doing the military’s bidding while according to some legal experts he preempted the army by taking the matter to the apex court. The end result has been an ample demonstration of the fact that the military and the civilian government are not on the same page. This is nothing new where a meddlesome military in the past has never left the civilians alone. No matter how much things change, they remain the same. Memogate was the traditional last straw for the top brass. Without his passport and being put on the notorious exit control list (ECL), Husain Haqqani is being treated as being guilty as charged. He has gone to the extent of alleging that he would be killed like Salmaan Taseer if he stepped out of the PM house where he is ensconced for the past month. These are serious allegations worthy of a probe by the Commission determining his guilt in the memo case. Despite the multifarious challenges, it will not be easy to wrap up the system. The military being challenged by the Taliban, not to mention due to its spat with the US, neither has the stomach nor the capacity for an overt intervention. It should resist the temptation (if any) of trying to engineer the political system. There have been calls to bring the ISI under civilian control. An idea perhaps still not practicable, but whose time has come! The writer is Editor, Pakistan Today

whitelIES By Ess aich

ord has it that having realised his political ambitions Dr? Babar Awan has decided that actually he wants to be a celebrity who attracts the media like a magnet and lives in the hearts of the people. Hence, the

e hear that last week after a certain lady gate-crashed into the Punjab Assembly, the speaker interrogated the security staff. He learned that the gatecrasher came in a huge car and was ac-

dark glasses that look suspiciously like Shahrukh Khan’s in the promo of one of his recent movies. Not surprisingly, some black coats have started addressing him as Don Babar Awan

companied by several body guards, she seemed important and then she said she was Mrs Hamza Shahbaz. The security staff was severely reprimanded, warned but not sacked. We hear

hey say the Lahore Gymkhana election, due next week, is as hotly contested as any general election. There are several elements that play a make-or-break role. There is the bureaucrat panel affectionately known as the civil serpents and then there is the politicians group that adds the political partisan flavour, the chronic committee member junkies who are so addicted to the game that they cannot live and breathe without it. Then there are the card room politics and any one who has a grip on them is much sought after by contestants that is if he is not one himself. There is the “Shoppe” and “Gymnasium” politics or rather scandals that keep surfacing periodically and “Catering” has actually cooked more scandals than meals in recent years. But each election brings a new issue and a new punching bag. This time it seems it is a civil serpent who has assumed an important role. We hear some body just got promoted from additional chief secretary, Punjab to the CM’s principle secretary and now he is being looked on as a king maker.

the special branch women squad that normally operates inside the assembly has now been posted outside as well. Let’s see what disguise the lady adorns next.

For feedback, comments, suggestions and, most importantly, tips, contact us at whitelies@pakistantoday.com.pk

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Saturday, 7 January, 2012

Reading the tea leaves Those who matter have made up their minds

By Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

hat those who matter have decided to axe the government before the March Senate elections should be clear to all who read the newspapers. Which of the several weapons in their armoury is to be employed is yet to be decided. What remains to be seen is whether they want to wrap up the system also, thus throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The military establishment has never been happy with a civilian government in this country, even when it willingly hands over a significant portion of its turf to it as was done by the PPP-led administration. It is understood that being an elected leader would turn the head of even a dyed-in-thewool establishment fan who would then make claims considered by it to be preposterous. Even if the civilian leader subsequently recants and promises not to repeat the mistake, he is not forgiven. Thanks to its abysmal performance vis-à-vis the felt needs of the people, the PPPled coalition has already made the task of the establishment easy. The new government made itself vulnerable in no time, and for good reason. out and out bad governance, insensitivity to the sufferings of the people, the outrageous pretence that corruption didn’t simply exist and should not be a part of the public discourse, the penchant for taking on institutions, losing friends and creating enemies were some of its biding traits. The evil the PPP-led coalition has done will live long after it while the good like the 17th amendment, the commonly agreed NFC award and pro-women laws would be interred with its bones.

The PPP could have had a smaller government with improved governance if it had not discarded the PML(N) for unreliable allies like the PML(Q) and MQM. What is more, with a partner having a common agenda spelled out in the Charter of Democracy, it could have moved more confidently towards changing the balance of power more in the favour of the civilian government. It could have better managed the economy by sharing the manpower resources with the PML(N). With comprehensive planning undertaken right at the start of the ruling coalition’s tenure, it could have managed the gas-cum-power shortages that have broken the back of the common man and taken toll on the economy. With total reliance on establishment’s tested and tried tools, a wink from it and PPP’s coalition partners will desert the coalition, letting the government fall. The PPP’s opponents will relish its administration being stewed in its own juice. Everyone will clap his hands – Nawaz, Imran, Fazlur Rehman – the day the government falls. They would all rue the day and that too not long after. Every military rule has been different from its predecessor in detail. What remains constant is total subservience of the administration to the military leadership. Unlike Ayub Khan, Zia refused to undon the uniform and did not rely more on civil bureaucrats. Unlike his more liberal predecessor, he was a religious fanatic or at least acted as such. Musharraf relied more on political engineering undertaken through ISI and NAB than on military courts, public hangings and lashes. In essence, all the three administrations were the same. The military ruled the roost. The new military rule could be in civilian garbs. It could take the form of two or three dependable parties ruling as a coalition though everyone would prefer to exclude Nawaz and Zardari from it. Imran Khan maintains that he will not allow military to over-

rule him. He has also promised to shun wheeling dealing needed to hammer together coalitions. He insists he would form the government only if his party gained clear majority, which he is not likely to get. But once he wins a sufficient number of seats, he is likely to go back on his words. In fact, he has gone back on so many strongly held positions and publicly owned commitments (take his position on MQM) that one can safely predict that he would go back on this one also. The rare variety of job hunters he has collected – Qureshi, Kasuri, Sardar Assef et al – have not joined his bandwagon to sit on the opposition benches once they see the goal within reach through a coalition with say PML(Q), MQM and the independents, all acceptable to the military establishment for possessing vulnerabilities that it has used in the past as reliable levers to keep them under its thumb. They will all go for the coalition and hail it as it victory won out of the jaws of defeat. Those who matter have yet to decide which of the Plans A, B or C is to be implemented once the government is packed off. It could be a rule through technocrats who sell expertise and hold no convictions. The can prove that Kalabagh dam is feasible and also that it is not with equal felicity without any qualm of conscience. It all depends on who has employed them. It could be a version of the Bangladesh template with the army pulling strings from outside. It could be a rule through an unstable coalition. Whatever the results of the next elections, the powers that be would ensure that no party, not even PTI, manages to win an absolute majority. The loser would be the federation, as it has always been, for under all military rules characterised by the total centralisation of governance, the genuine demands of the smaller provinces are invariably neglected. The writer is a former academic and a political analyst.

comment 13

a reckless pursuit On conflict course, the government fights for survival

he reported decision by the People’s Party high command not to abide by the directive of the SC and refusal to write to the Swiss authorities regarding the re-opening of the cases involving the president reflects a tragic continuation of the policy of perpetuating the growing divide between the government and the judiciary. Having realised that its end may be well nigh and with nothing to fall back on in terms of soliciting support from the people, the PPP leadership appears desperate to be ‘ousted’ from power to assume the mantle of a ‘martyr’. The three principal institutions of the state – the executive, the judiciary and the military – appear to be on a conflict course. While the government is determined to continue affronting the judiciary as a means to save the cochairperson of the party, its depositions regarding the memo are at a variance to those of the military and the premier intelligence agency of the country. If this divide were to escalate, as appears to be the case at present, how would it impact the functioning of the government as well as its long-term survival? The prime minister would have us to believe that nothing is wrong in the country and all pillars of the state are on the same page. Yet, he indicts the military for having harboured osama and demands of it to produce the visa that was given to him to enter the country. He would also have us believe that the government is in compliance of all SC adjudications. He would have By raoof Hasan us believe that the memo is only a piece of paper signifying nothing, yet he makes the former ambassador to the US resign and then confines him to the four walls of the PM house. He proclaims complete innocence in the matter of the purported conspiracy to weaken the military and the intelligence outfit, yet spearheads a vilification campaign against the constitution of the judicial commission to initiate a transparent and credible enquiry into the alleged memo. Instead, he would want the parliamentary committee to strangulate the matter to death. While the country is besieged by the energy crisis and people are on the streets, he encourages his partners-in-arms to raise relatively unimportant questions in the assemblies to divert attention from his government’s miserable failure. Is there any method to this wanton madness? In order to treat an ailment, one has to go to the cause(s) that may have triggered it. Also, if and when it becomes a grave sickness, one may have to resort to emergency procedures. The govern-

Candid Corner

ment, caught in the act of its illegitimate birth vide the NRo, and its deceitful efforts to fight its horrific aftermath, has pushed the country to the brink of an implosion. Various organs of the state are up in arms. The economy is on a nosedive and cost of living is becoming unbearable. Corruption is rampant. National institutions have been inflicted with the death blow. Billions are being siphoned off through dubious welfare schemes. Conspiracies are being allegedly hatched to weaken the state security paradigm. Life is virtually grinding to a halt as the government treacherously preaches politics of ‘compromise’ - the principal victim of this ‘compromise’ being the state itself. There is a growing consensus on the need to oust a government that may have compromised Pakistan’s credentials for survival, but the advocates appear besieged by the ‘constitutionality’ of the method to be followed. While the government is affronting every legitimate edict of the SC, it wants those advocating change to follow the method as prescribed. While it considers itself as being outside the domain of law, it wants every other actor to subscribe to it in letter and spirit. It is this fundamental paradox that needs to be resolved if the country were to come to grips with the severest existential threat that it confronts today. The stakes are multifaceted. In the immediate future, the government wants a smooth sailing with the Senate elections where it hopes to gain a majority. For the long run, it wants to put in place a mechanism that would bring it back into power. This effort comprises articles both fair and foul. It hopes to exploit the weaknesses of the incumbent procedures encompassing the electoral lists, the selection of the interim government, the environment it would create on the election-day and the wanton use of the presidency and other state institutions to tip the scales in favour of the ruling party and its associates. That not being the desirable course, are the state institutions headed towards a mortal conflict? Apparently, and notwithstanding the prime minister’s proclamations to the contrary, that is the case. The fundamental need is to enforce the rule of law on all actors of the state including the government. In this context, the president’s immunity factor needs to be looked into urgently because if the head of the state is alleged to be involved in matters pertaining to the security of the state, this immunity is rendered untenable. We have a president if there is a country. What if the country was rendered insolvent? Will we still have a president to live with? All eyes are riveted on the SC and the course it takes at this defining moment in Pakistan’s history. The writer is a political analyst and a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. He can be reached at raoofhasan@hotmail.com

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14 Foreign News

Saturday, 7 January, 2012

PIETROSANI: Romanians compete during the traditional celebration of Epiphany on Friday. horse owners from Pietrosani gather every year on Epiphany, after the religious service at the local church, on a field next to the village to baptize their horses and to compete in a horse race. afp

Norway ‘received phone threat before Breivik attacks’ oSLo

Deadly bombing hits Syrian capital g

The Norwegian government received a phone threat just months before July 22 twin attacks that killed 77 people, but police were not alerted to the call, public radio NRK reported Friday. A man with the same refined tones as the gunman Anders Behring Breivik spoke calmly about shooting members of the youth wing of the Labour Party, said the radio station. He also mentioned a manifesto during the phone call to the government in March 2011. Due to the disturbing contents of the call, the receptionist detailed it on a written note, but this was never transmitted to police, the Norwegian government services centre said. “The call was never considered as a real threat but more like a vague and incoherent conversation,” Margot Vaagdal, head of the centre’s communications, told AFP. It was only after Behring Breivik’s attacks that the police were alerted as the centre “found that a part of what was said was perhaps relevant for the case,” said Vaagdal, although she would not confirm details of the call. on July 22, the 32-year-old right-wing extremist first set off a car bomb outside government buildings in oslo, killing eight people. He then went to Utoeya, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) northwest of oslo, where, disguised as a police officer, he methodically shot and killed another 69 people attending a summer camp, most of them teenagers. on the same day, he published on the Internet a lengthy manifesto in which he expounded his Islamophobic and

DAMASCUS

anti-multicultural views. According to NRK, the receptionist had detailed the nature of threats, the name of the caller, his phone number and date. The government services centre said it did not know if the caller was Behring Breivik himself, and that the note was somewhere in one of the buildings hit by the extremist’s bomb. Meanwhile, newspaper Aftenposten said that the gunman rang a ministry in May or June 2010 to obtain a list of the movements of different political parties’ youth wings. Quoting details from a police hearing of an official from the ministry, the newspaper said that the information requested by Behring Breivik was not released to him as the ministry did not have such details. Court-appointed psychiatrists have concluded that Behring Breivik was criminally insane and therefore not accountable for his actions. He is currently being held under provisional detention while awaiting the trial which opens April 16.

AFP

SUICIDE bombing hit Damascus on Friday, killing 25 and wounding dozens of mostly civilians, state media said, blaming “terrorists” for the second such attack on the Syrian capital in two weeks. State television said the “powerful explosion” struck in the historic Midan quarter in the heart of the capital. The attack, which took place in a heavily populated neighbourhood near a school, killed 25 people and wounded 45 others, the television said, adding the casualties were mostly civilians and also some security personnel. It showed gruesome footage of rescuers gathering body parts in the streets and placing them in plastic trash bags, in an area where damaged cars and buses could be seen splattered with blood. Angry residents were at the scene shouting and denouncing the bombing as the work of “terrorists”. The Local Coordination Committees, an opposition activist group which has organised anti-regime protests since March, said in a statement sent to AFP in Nicosia that another explosion was heard in the Damascus suburb of Tal. And the official SANA news agency reported that a “terrorist group” had blown up an oil pipeline between the central city of Hama and Idlib in the northwest. The powerful December 23 bombings sparked a swirl of claims and counter-claims over who was responsible, with the authorities saying they were likely the work of Al-Qaeda and the opposition pointing the finger at the regime. The latest attack came ahead of mass

protests called by pro-democracy activists to demand an Arab League observer mission, in Syria for two weeks, admit its failure to stem nearly 10 months of bloodshed and hand over to the United Nations. The privatelyowned Dunia television channel, which is close to the authorities, said that an observer team went to the scene of the bombing but made no comments to journalists at the scene. The Arab League observer mission has been in Syria since December 26 trying to assess whether President Bashar al-Assad’s regime is complying with a peace accord aimed at ending its deadly crackdown on dissent. But there has been no let-up in security force fire against civilian demonstrators with two killed on Friday in Hama and 10 wounded in the southern city of Daraa, cradle of the protests that erupted in midMarch, the Syrian observatory for Human Rights told AFP in Nicosia. Protests were also reported in Syria’s second city Aleppo and third city Homs, in the port city of Latakia, in Deir Ezzor in the northeast and in Douma on the northern outskirts of the capital. In Homs, a 36-yearold was killed by a security force bullet while sitting on his balcony, the observatory added. The head of the rebel Free Syrian Army has called on the Arab League to admit the mission has been a failure and urged the bloc to seek UN help to end the bloodshed. Colonel Riyadh al-Asaad, in a telephone interview with AFP in Beirut on Thursday, said: “We hope they will announce that their mission was a failure. “We call on the Arab League to step aside and let the United Nations take over responsibility as it is more apt to find solutions.”

Gulf states brace for unwanted US-Iran war DUBAI AFP

The Arab states that lie just miles across the Gulf from Iran are nervously eyeing the prospects of a war between Tehran and the West that none of them want and all know could devastate their economies. This very real fear is prompting the oil-rich states to enhance their defences while hoping that diplomacy can rein in Tehran’s regional ambitions and put an end to its worrying nuclear programme. “No one in the Gulf States wants war but everyone is preparing for the possibility that it might happen,” said military analyst

LonDon AFP

25 killed, dozens wounded as govt blames ‘terrorists’ for second such attack in two weeks

AFP

editor’s assistant held in UK phone hacking probe

Riad Kahwaji. Tension has escalated as the West continues to squeeze Tehran over its nuclear programme, with the EU threatening a total ban on Iranian oil imports. Iran has threatened to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz — which links the Gulf to the Arabian Sea and through which 20 percent of the world’s sea-transported oil flows — if its petroleum sales are blocked. The United States, whose navy’s Fifth Fleet is based in the Gulf state of Bahrain and which has a military presence in a number of other countries — has told Tehran bluntly that it will not tolerate any such move. These staunch Washington allies would be sucked into war with Iran if

Tehran targets them, said Kahwaji, who runs the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (Inegma). “The clock is ticking, and we in the Gulf do not have control over it,” said Kuwaiti political analyst Sami al-Faraj in reference to a potential American or Israeli strike against Iran. Many times in the past, Iran has warned that it would attack US military facilities in the Gulf Arab states in the event of war. In addition to the Fifth Fleet, Qatar hosts the US Central Command, there are around 23,000 US troops based in Kuwait and some 2,000 US military personnel in the United Arab Emirates. The “Mashreq” website, which is close to Iran’s Revolu-

tionary Guards, has said targets in the Gulf have already been selected, according to the pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani, whose country has tried in the past to bridge the gap between Tehran and Gulf nations, said the latter should contribute to resolving the crisis. “I think all of us have an interest in not having any conflicts in the Gulf,” he said recently, saying the Gulf states are “obviously worried” by the rising US-Iranian tension. “We have experienced military conflicts and we all know that there is no winner in such conflicts, especially for the countries around the Gulf,” he said.

British police probing the phone-hacking scandal at Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World arrested the former personal assistant of Rebekah Brooks, the exeditor of the paper, reports said on Friday. Scotland Yard said officers from the hacking investigation had arrested a 47-year-old woman at a house in Essex, east of London, on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice. British media identified her as Cheryl Carter, a former personal assistant to Brooks. Brooks edited the paper from 2000 to 2003 and was then chief executive of News International, the UK newspaper arm of Murdoch’s empire. Carter was arrested over allegations that emails at News International were deleted, reported Sky News, which is part-owned by Murdoch. Brooks resigned in July after she too was arrested over the scandal. Murdoch closed the 168-year-old tabloid in July amid a public outcry over allegations that the paper had hacked the voicemails of a murdered British schoolgirl. The arrest was the 17th in the investigation. Scotland Yard refused to identify the arrested woman, saying only in a statement: “officers from operation Weeting have this morning arrested a 47year-old woman at an address in Essex (east of London).

8 Nato troops killed in afghanistan blasts kABUL AFP

Eight NATo soldiers have been killed in a series of bomb attacks in southern Afghanistan, while six children and a man were killed in a bombing in Uruzgan on Friday. Three soldiers died on Thursday, another lost his life in a blast on Friday and four more were killed in second attack later the same day. NATo’s US-led International Security Assistance Force did not release the nationalities of the soldiers, in keeping with policy. Meanwhile, at least six children and one man were killed when a bomb planted in a garbage bin exploded Friday in Tirin Kot, capital of Afghanistan’s southern province of Uruzgan, police said. Four other children who were playing nearby were wounded, said spokesman Fardi Ayel. “At around 3:00 pm today there was an explosion in Tirin Kot city, initial information we have is that six children and one man have been killed,” he said. There was no obvious target for the bombing, although the home of a local police commander was nearby, he said.

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Saturday, 7 January, 2012

Kabul closes Canadian security company for gun smuggling kABUL AGENCIES

The Afghan government has shut down the operations of one of the largest foreign security companies operating in the country after detaining two of its contractors on suspicion of gun smuggling. After months of growing tensions between the government and foreign security contractors, the decision marks a sharp escalation into public action by the Afghan authorities. The Afghan Interior Ministry said it was immediately withdrawing the company’s licence, although the company, GardaWorld, a private Canadian security outfit, said it was in discussions with the government and hoped to be able to continue to operate. The ministry said the contractors, two Britons, who were detained on Tuesday after being found with an arsenal of unlicenced Kalashnikov assault rifles in their sport utility vehicle, were among the 341 Afghan guards and 35 foreign contractors employed by GardaWorld in Afghanistan. At a news conference in Kabul, the authorities put on display the two Britons as well two Afghans who were detained, their driver and their interpreter. Seddiq Seddiqi, an Interior Ministry spokesman, said the rifles had been found wrapped in blankets inside a metal box in the trunk of the vehicle. The rifles, which the government said had their serial numbers scratched off, were also shown to reporters at the news conference. In a statement, GardaWorld said that it did not yet own the weapons and that its guards were taking them to a rifle range for testing. “The weapons in question were being taken to be tested at a firing range before being purchased and properly licenced by GardaWorld,” the company said, adding that in its discussions with the government it hoped to clear up what it implied was a misunderstanding and “rectify the situation as soon as possible”. The ministry said the company had contracts to work in Kabul, Herat, Kandahar and two other cities, and that GardaWorld was one of 46 security companies licenced to operate in Afghanistan until March 2012.

Foreign News 15

Gunmen kill six at Nigerian church kAno

AFP

UNMEN have opened fire on worshippers as their eyes were closed in prayer at a Nigerian church, killing six in the latest of a series of attacks on churches in Africa’s most populous nation. The attack on the outskirts of the northeastern city of Gombe comes after an ultimatum issued Sunday by a purported spokesman for Islamist group Boko Haram for Christians to leave the country’s mainly Muslim north within

three days. There was however no claim of responsibility for the attack on Thursday night at the Deeper Life Christian Ministry Church. Police said an investigation was ongoing and declined to say whether Boko Haram was suspected. Church pastor John Jauro said confusion broke out when the gunmen opened fire and that his wife was among the dead. The number of attackers was not clear. “It was around 7:30 pm,” Jauro said. “I was leading the congregation in prayers. our eyes were closed when some gunmen stormed the church and opened fire on the congregation. “Six people were killed in the attack and 10 others were wounded.”

Gombe police spokesman Ahmed Mohammed confirmed the attack and death toll, but said the gunmen had fled by the time authorities arrived at the church. A hospital source said four of the victims were dead on arrival while the other two died later. The injured sustained serious gunshot wounds, the source said. The attack comes amid intensifying concerns over the potential for renewed sectarian clashes in Nigeria, whose 160 million population is roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south. While Boko Haram has been blamed for increasingly deadly attacks for months, including an August suicide bombing of UN

headquarters in Abuja that killed 25, the violence has taken on a different dimension with recent church attacks. A wave of Christmas bombings that killed 49 people, most of them outside of a Catholic church as services were ending, led to intense fear and outrage in Africa’s largest oil producer. There have been fears of reprisals from Christians, and Christian leaders have warned they will defend themselves if attacks against them continue. President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency on December 31 in parts of four states hard hit by violence blamed on Boko Haram, but there has been no halt to the attacks. Gombe is outside the areas included in the state of emergency.

SOFIA: Bulgarians dive into icy water as they compete to catch a cross in the middle of a lake in Sofia as part of Epiphany day celebrations on Friday. afp

UN agencies launch massive operation in South Sudan former turkish army chief in jail over anti-govt plot geneVA AFP

The United Nations on Friday said it is launching a massive humanitarian operation to help an estimated 50,000 people hit by inter-ethnic conflict in South Sudan’s Jonglei state. “The United Nations is launching a massive humanitarian emergency,” said the media spokeswoman for the office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (oCHA), Elisabeth Byrs on Friday. The programme is aimed at helping thousands of people to return home after

clashes between the Lou Nuer and Murle communities, oCHA said. During the last 72 hours, UN experts have assessed the situation in Pibor Likuangole, Boma and Walgak. “The needs are great, of course,” Byrs said. “It is currently estimated that 50,000 people are affected by violence in the region” of South Sudan. “Thousands of people now need food, water and shelter. Aid agencies are assessing their needs,” Byers added. “The situation in humanitarian terms is grim,” said UN Humanitarian Coordinator Lise Grande via video link. A top local Sudanese official said more than 3,000 peo-

ple were killed in brutal massacres last week. “There have been mass killings, a massacre,” said Joshua Konyi, commissioner for Pibor county in Jonglei state. “We have been out counting the bodies, and we calculate so far that 2,182 women and children were killed and 959 men died.” United Nations and South Sudanese army officials have yet to confirm the death tolls and the claims from the remote region could not be independently verified. If confirmed, the killing of 3,141 people would be the worst outbreak of ethnic violence ever seen in southern Sudan, which became a

separate nation after splitting from Khartoum in July. A column of some 6,000 rampaging armed youths from the Lou Nuer tribe last week marched on the remote town of Pibor, home to the rival Murle people, whom they blame for abductions and cattle raiding and have vowed to exterminate. The Lou Nuer attacked Pibor at the weekend, torching huts and looting a hospital, and only withdrew after government troops moved in. More than 1,o00 children are missing, feared abducted, while tens of thousands of cows were stolen, added Konyi, who is himself an ethnic Murle.

BAGhdAd: Iraqi army MIA1 Abrams tanks march under the victory Arch landmark during a parade to mark the 91st Army day on Friday, weeks after uS troops completed their pullout. afp

IStAnBUL AGENCIES

Former head of the Turkish armed forces General Ilker Basbug has been remanded in custody to face charges over an alleged plot to overthrow the government. The former army chief was taken to Istanbul’s Silivri prison early on Friday morning after a health check. “The Republic of Turkey’s 26th general chief of staff has been remanded in custody for forming and directing a terrorist group. I leave it to the great Turkish nation to judge,” Basbug said as he was lead from the courtroom. Gen Ilker Basbug, who retired in 2010, is the highest-ranking officer to be caught up in a widening probe into the so-called Ergenekon network. Prosecutors say in 2003, the hardline nationalist group tried to bring down PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government. Gen Basbug rejects the allegations. Some 400 suspects are already on trial. “We can say it is really tragicomic to accuse somebody who commands such an army of forming and directing a terrorist group,” Turkey’s NTV network quoted Gen Basbug as telling prosecutors. “To hear such an allegation hurts my pride as a general who has done his duty to the country and state with honour. Accusing a chief of general staff of forming a terrorist group is the biggest punishment I could be given,” he was quoted as saying. Basbug’s lawyer said he would challenge the decision to jail him pending trial, state-run Anatolian news agency reported. The Ergenekon trial is one of several involving accusations of anti-government plots by the military and secular establishment. Some military officers already charged in the case have said they acted in a chain of command. Turkish state-run media said it is the first time a former army chief has been referred to a court as a suspect.

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Saturday, 7 January, 2012

‘The Iron Lady’

SOCIETY

lAhORE: The MMA Polo Cup final match was held at the Polo Club.

should have been delayed LonDon

AFP

rime Minister D a v i d Cameron said Friday "The Iron Lady" should have been delayed until after Margaret Thatcher's death, as the film showing the former premier's descent into dementia opened in Britain. The biopic shows Thatcher as a frail, sometimes confused old ladyshe is now 86 and is rarely seen in public-looking back at her career with the ghost of her late husband Denis looking on. Cameron, in his first comment on the film, said he had been impressed by Meryl Streep's portrayal of Britain's first woman prime minister, who like him was a leader of the centre-right Conservative party. But Cameron questioned whether it was right to make the film while Thatcher was still alive. “It's a fantastic piece of acting by Meryl Streep but I just can't help wondering why do we have to have this film right now?” he told BBC radio. “It is a film much more about ageing and elements of dementia rather than about an amazing prime minister, and my sort of

sense was-a great piece of acting, a really staggering piece of acting, but a film I wish they could have made another day.” Streep has said she relished the “opportunity to play someone at the waning of her life... and that interested me too because there aren't very many films that pay attention to older ladies.” The American actress, who is tipped to win the third oscar of her career for her performance, was due to speak to media in Paris later Friday to promote the

film, in which she is reunited with ‘Mamma Mia’ director Phyllida Lloyd. Critics in Britain have praised Streep's acting, but have generally given the film a cooller reception, complaining that it skims over the tumultuous politics of the time and focuses too much on Thatcher's personality. others have said the film dilutes Thatcher's power as a politician by attempting to portray her as a feminine icon, when in fact she rarely included any women in her cabinet, and preferred the company of men. The Times' reviewer Kate Muir criticised the film's “emphasis on feminism over politics” which left the Thatcher years “almost unrecognisable.” Michael White, a journalist for the left-wing Guardian who covered Thatcher at the height of her power, suggested that the film should have been called “The Rusty Lady”, given its unsparing portrayal of Thatcher in later life. He, too, took issue with the attempts to portray Thatcher as something she was not, saying she was “not a satisfactory feminist icon. She could have promoted women... but didn't”.

Zaineb, Hajrah, Rizwana and Komal

ra Imran and Sa

Taimur, Samir, Iram and Ali

Alishah, Fatima and Zahra

r Affan Umer and D

atiqa Odho to get in shape for film neWS DeSk Actress Atiqa odho has joined a fitness club to mark her come-back in the Pakistani film industry after 12 years. odho is to play the lead actress in the upcoming film ‘Teri Meri Kahani’. Atiqa odho is a versatile actress who has garnered a reputation as a talented actress and entrepreneur with her participation in the television and film industries and now in politics. She is paying special attention to her figure because she has to appear as a mature but seductive woman in her forthcoming the story of which revolves around a young boy who falls in love with a beautiful elderly woman.

Abiha, Laraib and Shahid

Waqas and Zermina

The Bachchans to host

Drew Barrymore

Engaged to Will Kopelman lOS ANGElES: drew Barrymore will be walking down the aisle with boyfriend Will Kopelman. The actress and art consultant got engaged while on a 10day vacation in Sun Valley, Idaho, during the holidays, a source told People magazine. But it is unclear what day the engagement actually took place. “They are very happy together,” the source told People. Kopelman, 34, reportedly proposed to Barrymore, 36, with a Graff “colourless radiant-cut diamond,” according to the magazine. The couple has been seen together throughout the past year. This will be Barrymore’s third marriage. She was previously married to comedian Tom Green and bar owner jeremy Thomas. AGENCIES

Mehar and Ali with guest

Justin Timberlake

Oprah Winfrey? 'serious' about Elton role

MuMBAI: oprah winfrey is all set to come to India. first, she'll be attending the Literature fest in Jaipur, and second, she's keen to interview her friend and spiritual Guru, deepak Chopra for her chat show. a trip to Mumbai is on the cards and that an invitation by the Bachchans has already been extended to her. the connection? well, aishwarya has appeared on the oprah winfrey show not once, but twice - the second time with husband abhishek Bachchan. It will be a private affair with just oprah, and the Bachchans, and nobody from the industry will be party to this one. with ash having turned Mommy now, oprah would sure love to see the new mom and her little bundle of joy. AGENCIES

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17 Jackson kids to make dad’s footprint in Hollywood LoS AngeLeS

Alia and Sofia

AFP

ICHAEL Jackson’s three children are to sink their father’s shoes and famous sequined glove into the cement outside a storied Hollywood cinema and tourist site, organisers said. In a rare public appearance, Prince, Paris and Blanket will make their late father’s mark in the cement outside the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on January 26. The entrance to the historic cinema on Hollywood Boulevard is a major tourist attraction, with hand and footprints of movie stars and filmmakers from over the decades. The vast majority of those with prints at the Grauman’s, including icons like Fred Astaire, Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Sidney Poitier and Clark Gable, are from the movie world. The Jackson Estate, which manages the late star’s affairs, pointed out that the King of Pop was responsible for such ground-breaking short films as ‘Billie Jean’, ‘Beat It’, and the classic ‘Thriller’. “The Grauman’s Chinese Theatre forecourt is one of the most photographed tourist sites in the world, annually attracting as

many visitors as the Taj Mahal in India and the Prado Museum in Madrid,” said a statement. The ceremony will include a presentation by the cast of the ‘Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour’, a Cirque du Soleil show performing at the Staples Center in Los

Angeles January 27-29. Jackson died on June 25, 2009 from an overdose of the powerful anesthetic Propofol. His doctor Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in November and jailed for the maximum of four years.

LoS AngeLeS REuTERS

hrithik’s look as deadly as Nida and Se har

Sanjay Dutt’s in ‘agneepath’ NEWS dESK

Khatija and Mehar

lOS ANGElES: Justin timberlake is “seriously” considering being playing Sir Elton John in a biopic about his life. the British singer has previously said he is very keen to have Justin portray him in the film - thought to be named ‘rocket Man’ - and now the ‘Social Network’ star is giving thought to the huge part. a source told E! News: “Justin is taking it very seriously. he's working with his people to figure out exactly how to respond.” were he to sign up it would not be the first time Justin had played Elton - he previously portrayed his younger self in the video for song ‘this train don't Stop here anymore’. an official statement about the film is expected to made in the coming weeks, but Elton has revealed it will not be a straight-forward biopic. he said: “It's going to be a surreal look at my life, and not just a factual look at my life, more in the manner of a ‘Moulin rouge’. I just don't want it to be a normal biopic because my life hasn't been like that.” AGENCIES

Karan Johar's remake of 1990's film ‘Agneepath’, is in the news for all the right reasons. First, it was Katrina's hottest item number, ‘Chikni Chameli’, which Bollywood can't get enough of these days. Secondly, it was Sanjay Dutt's villainous looks that have stirred curiosity. Then it is the Hrithik-Priyanka chemistry recreated, last seen in ‘Krrish’ (2006), which fans are desperately waiting for. Now it is Hrithik Roshan's intense look as Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, revealed by the producer Karan Johar on Twitter. While the original 1990 blockbuster starred Amitabh Bachchan and Danny Denzongpa, Johar has roped in Hrithik Roshan and Sanjay Dutt to essay the roles of Vijay and Kancha Cheena (villain) respectively. Karan Malhotra, who has recre-

ated this popular movie with a new star cast says he shared a collaborative relationship with Hrithik. “Hrithik is a treat for every director. He loves to discuss, debate and most importantly be shocked. He thrives on such challenges. once he is on, he gives full support to the film without any interference. He doesn't work just for one character. He works for the entire film,” he said. From the attention that the first look of Sunjay Dutt got, it seemed that antagonist may overshadow the hero but now that Hrithik's macho look has been revealed, one can safely say he will have an equal deadly presence as the nemesis. Eyeing a 26th January release, this Dharma Productions's film will be distributed worldwide by Eros Entertainment whereas IMGC Global will be releasing it on minimum of 20 screens in Pakistan.

Katrina may

harry Potter conjures up a Golden Tomato It's not oscar, not even a Golden Globe. But in some circles in Hollywood, it's just as good, and British boy wizard Harry Potter pulled one out of his sorcerer's hat - a Golden Tomato. ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2’, the top box office draw of 2011, also earned the title bestreviewed, wide-release movie of 2011. Thus, it took the year's Golden Tomato from movie review website Rotten Tomatoes. While the thought of winning a Golden Tomato might bring a smile to faces, winning one is no joke in Hollywood. It is a point of pride for filmmakers and signals studio bosses and producers as to which directors are hot among critics. ‘Potter’ producer David Heyman said in a statement that the filmmaking team was “especially appreciative that this award honours the final film in the series.” ‘Deathly Hallows - Part 2’ earned $1.3 billion at worldwide box offices and scored a 96 percent “fresh”, or positive, rating from 273 reviews compiled by Rotten Tomatoes. Following it among major movies released broadly around the world were Brad Pitt-starring baseball film ‘Moneyball’, ‘The Muppets’, ‘Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol’ and ‘Drive’.

‘Winter Wonderland’ launches new talent neWS DeSk A fashion event named ‘Winter Wonderland’ launched fresh talent, including fashion designers, models and singers. Renowned fashion designer Yousaf Bashir Qureshi and model Nadia Hussain attended the ‘Winter Wonderland Fashion Event’ to encourage young talent. Well known fashion models along with fresh faces walked the ramp for the new designers. Emerging singers also got the opportunity to perform at the event.

Deepika Padukone to

romance fight Shah Rukh in Kashmir

MuMBAI: this year, Katrina Kaif moves from the dabangg Khan to Shah rukh Khan, and that too with a Yash Chopra film. while SrK is on a break after his line-up of action films, Katrina is rehearsing for her performances in award shows. But the two superstars will start shooting for their romantic film soon. the movie will be shot extensively in London, Bangkok and finally, Kashmir. Yash Chopra, who is returning to the director's chair after eight years, was apparently advised to shoot the Kashmir portions of the film in London, but refused to compromise. he will try for permissions so SrK can romance Kat in the beautiful valley. Now that's something we're looking forward to-true-blue SrK romance without the 3-d tricks and free-falls. AGENCIES

new actress to win

Ranbir Kapoor? MuMBAI: While deepika Padukone might have been cast opposite ex-love Ranbir Kapoor in Ayan Mukherji's film, she will have to fight it out with another actress before she wins him (in the film at least). While Ayan Mukherji's film ‘Yeh jawani hai deewani’ was, so far, largely being seen as a love story between Ranbir Kapoor and deepika Padukone, there seems to be a new 'angle' to the film now. And that could well make this Karan johar production another love triangle. If sources are to be believed, the makers are in hunt for a new actress to be cast opposite Ranbir Kapoor in the film, in addition to deepika Padukone. Insiders claim that dharma Productions have already started auditions for the new face and someone should be finalized soon. So for Ranbir Kapoor, it's more the merrier. Wonder if deepika Padukone feels the same! AGENCIES

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Saturday, 7 January, 2012

Kvitova too good for number one wozniacki Page 20

Clarke scripts India’s crushing defeat SYDneY

REuTERS

USTRALIA, inspired by captain Michael Clarke, crushed India by an innings and 68 runs in the second test at the Sydney Cricket Ground Friday to take a dominant 2-0 lead in the fourmatch series. Clarke's mammoth unbeaten 329 in Australia's 659 for four declared, combined with another display of aggressive pace bowling, ensured the hosts would win successive matches in a test series for the first time since March 2010. It was the sixth successive overseas test defeat for India after their 4-0 drubbing in England last year, which saw them relinquish the number one world ranking, and put paid to their hopes of a first series triumph in Australia. "I can't keep the smile off my face," Clarke, who was named Man of the Match, told reporters. "I've always said you've got to enjoy your success as a team. Tonight's going to be very special to the team, but for me personally as well. "I'm really stoked with our performance and it's a wonderful feeling to be able to score that many runs in an innings personally." India had faced a Herculean task to rescue the match after Australia declared with a lead of 468 Thursday but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the seeds of the defeat had been sewn when they were bundled out for 191 on the opening day. "We didn't put enough runs on the board," he said. "To win test matches, of course taking 20 wickets is very important but also we need to give that cushion, having those extra runs on the board so that the bowlers can plan the opposition out. "We have lost the chance of winning the series but still with two more test matches to go we can level the series so that's what we're looking to do." The series resumes in Perth next Friday before the fourth and final test in Adelaide. Some spirited batting from the Indian tailenders extended the second contest beyond the tea break Friday before spinner Ravi Ashwin was caught out for 62, a fifth wicket for Ben Hilfenhaus, to bring a close to India's second innings for 400. Sachin Tendulkar's 21st attempt to secure his 100th international century had earlier ended when he was dismissed for 80 soon after lunch, triggering a mini collapse with four wickets tumbling for 15 runs. And it was Clarke, who had shared record stands with Ricky Ponting (134) and Mike Hussey (150 not out) as he

batted through day three of the contest, making the key breakthrough with his occasional spin-bowling. Tendulkar had resumed on 70 after lunch having raced to his 65th test fifty in the morning and had added 10 runs to his tally when he got an edge to a Clarke delivery which deflected off the gloves of wicketkeeper Brad Haddin into Hussey's hands.

SCOREBOARd INdIA, 1st innings: 191 (M.S. dhoni 57 not out, S. Tendulkar 41; j. Pattinson 4-43) AuSTRAlIA, 1st innings: 659 for 4 declared (M. Clarke 329 not out, M. hussey 150 not out, R. Ponting 134; zaheer Khan 3-122) INdIA, 2nd innings: (overnight 114 for 2) 83 G. Gambhir c Warner b Siddle 4 V. Sehwag c Warner b hilfenhaus 29 R. dravid b hilfenhaus 80 S. Tendulkar c hussey b Clarke 66 V.V.S. laxman b hilfenhaus V. Kohli lbw b Pattinson 9 M.S. dhoni c and b hilfenhaus 2 62 R. Ashwin c lyon b hilfenhaus 35 z. Khan c Marsh b Siddle 11 I. Sharma lbw b lyon u. Yadav not out 0 EXTRAS: (b6, lb3, w2, nb8) 19 400 TOTAl: (all out; 110.5 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Sehwag), 2-100 (dravid), 3-168 (Gambhir), 4-271 (Tendulkar), 5-276 (laxman), 6-286 (dhoni), 7-286 (Kohli), 8-342 (zaheer), 9-384 (Sharma), 10400 (Ashwin) BOWlING: Pattinson 23-4-106-1 (7nb, 1w), hilfenhaus 32.5-8106-5 (1w), Siddle 24-8-88-2 (1nb), lyon 20-2-64-1, Clarke 9-0-22-1, hussey 2-0-5-0 Australian won by an innings and 68 runs Australia lead series 2-0 Man-of-the-match: Michael Clarke (AuS) Toss: India Crowd: 17,881 umpires: Marais Erasmus (RSA) Ian Gould (ENG) Video umpire: Bruce Oxenford (AuS) Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI).

SYdENY: India's captain Mahendra Singh dhoni chips the ball up to be caught and bowled by australia's Ben hilfenhaus. ReUTeRS

Clarke relishes key tendulkar wicket SyDNEy: Captain Michael Clarke on Friday savoured taking Sachin Tendulkar's prized wicket to send India tumbling to another heavy Test defeat and deny the tourists a first-ever series win in Australia. Clarke's dismissal of the "Little Master", in menacing form on 80, in the 79th over saw Test cricket's greatest runscorer again denied his 100th international century. Tendulkar has been stranded on 99 Test and oDI centuries since scoring 111 against South Africa in the World Cup in March. The wicket, Clarke's 14th Indian wicket in his career Test haul of 24, was the icing on the cake after the Australian skipper's unbeaten 329 in the first innings made him the undisputed man-of-the-match. SYdNEY: Mike hussey (r) catches out Sachin tendulkar (L) during the second test. ReUTeRS

Qasim Zia confirms contesting Poa polls

McDermott puts India in two-man’s land Comment MIke SeLVeY

HERE is an apocryphal story, more of a parable really, from the early days of computers. A system has a hardware failure and so the company calls in an expert, who looks for 10 minutes, marks with a cross the place where lies a faulty part, and departs. His invoice, £10,000, stuns the chief executive who insists on a breakdown of the charge. "To marking cross on faulty part, £10.00," it read. "To knowing where to put cross, £9,990.00." This, then, comes from the school of specialist expert knowledge. Then there is the other school, succinctly put by Basil Fawlty as the "bleedin' obvious", the one where wood cannot be seen for the trees. The trouble with this is that it may not be bleedin' obvious to those who cannot think for themselves, the ones who, like Watson in The Scandal in Bohemia, see but do not observe. These past couple of weeks, in Melbourne and now Sydney, the Australia bowling attack has run riot against an Indian batting side that is stellar, if increasingly only on paper. And it has seemed simplicity itself. First, provide some pitches with a bit of humour about them, nothing too ribald, but good fun. Then encourage the seamers to drag batsmen forward, get a little sideways movement in the air or off the pitch (actually much of what passes for seam movement is a modicum of late swing

James Pattinson with the ball just continuing its new path), and watch as the vultures wait in the slips to pick over the carcass as the catches fly in. The Australian trio of seamers, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus, rejuvenated after his Ashes hammering, and the new boy James Pattinson, have been exceptional in the two Tests to date, bowling as a unit and each complementing the others. A new selection process and head coach have played a part, together with the in-

jury, fortuitous rather than calamitous, to Mitchell Johnson from whom it was previously insisted that Australia would eventually get some consistency. But most of the plaudits have been directed at the new bowling coach, Craig McDermott, who appeared to have leapfrogged candidates with more established credentials but was a magnificent Test match bowler for all that. I would not pretend to know his bowling ethos but it would not require genius to work out that his preferred length is fuller than would appear to have been the norm before his arrival. The thing is this, though: which school of thought is he coming from here? Is he the expert arriving and revealing a secret known only to an enlightened few? or is he just stating the bleedin' obvious, that if there is lateral movement available of any description, then it pays to pitch the ball up (a few feet we are talking here) so that batsmen are in what Kenny Barrington used to call two-man's land, where they know they need to come forward but cannot do so with complete comfort, but neither can they play back with safety. In other words, the length that is drilled into the England team, where the ball will hit the top of off stump. of course the answer is obvious. This is no secret recipe passed down from one bowling generation to another. It is a fundamental of the game and I dare say that McDermott must be wondering what on earth it is that his predecessors have been doing instead. There is a reason for this, though, and it is that, while there are

many extremely intelligent bowlers out there (in a cricketing sense), the modern bowler is spoon-fed information. The England team have a computer analyst who will provide them with reams of data, on every single aspect of their own performance and that of the opposition. And from that they will be given a strategy, with David Saker, the England pacebowling coach, reckoning about half the input comes from him and the other half from the bowlers. It is a big part of his job the main part probably, and was instrumental in winning the Ashes. But he is all too aware that as a result many of the old skills – particularly the manner in which the very best would assess a new batsman from the way he managed his throw-downs and warm up nets, to how he emerged from the pavilion, physical stature, held the bat, took guard, played his strokes – have disappeared. Watching Richard Hadlee, say, or Malcolm Marshall work over a batsman was an education in itself. Then we get the antithesis. At the MCG, during England's disastrous Ashes tour of 2006 07, a piece of paper was discovered on the floor of the members' area, appearing to contain England's bowling plans. one such, concerning Andrew Symonds, said "bouncer essential". So whenever the seamers were on, for the entire six and a half hours it took him to make 156, there was a man back on the hook. The plan demanded it. And how many times did he hook? Go on, have a guess. I think Sir Richard might have worked that out for himself. (Telegraph)

LAHore STAFF REPORT

Pakistan Hockey Federation President Qasim Zia on Friday confirmed his that he was one of the candidates to contest for the position of the president Pakistan olympics Association. His immediate rivals for the post would be current PoA President Lt Gen (retd) Arif Hasan while Athletics Federation of Pakistan President Gen (retd) Muhammad Akram Sahi has also shown his desire to contest the elections. “I am going to contest for the position. I can’t say anything about others because the elections were just announced,” he added. “I have taken my friends into confidence and would come up with a team for other positions after discussions,” said Qasim. Qasim remained mum on support from the Prime Minister, however, pointed out that his step is for the betterment of the sports in the country. “Anyone who wants to improve the country’s sports should come forward. I have served Pakistan hockey for whole of my life, first as a player and now as the president of the PHF for three years. I think I should continue my effort to lift the entire sports of the country,” he maintained. on the PHF case against former olympians, Qasim said that he wants the culprits behind the bars. And if he has done anything wrong, he is ready for the consequences.

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Saturday, 7 January, 2012

sports 19

Foreign coach: To accept or not to accept LAHore

STAFF REPORT

HE planned appointment of a foreign coach for the Pakistan cricket has evoked mix response from the former players with Rameez Raja backing the board's move while others criticising it. Media reports have said some players did not want Dav Whatmore as coach but Rameez claimed that the majority of the players in the national squad will back such a move. He, however, did not elaborate on whether the board had taken captain Misbah-ul-Haq or other senior players

under confidence while deciding on a foreign coach. Rameez who was the advisor on the special committee appointed by the board to identify and recommend names of potential coaches said that if a vote was held in the team, 99 percent of the players would back the appointment of Whatmore. "The PCB wants the best in the business and I don't think Whatmore be a bad choice," he said while denying that he had negotiated directly with Whatmore on behalf of the board. "I don't think the players are against his appointment so the PCB won't have any issues with that," he added. But former captain and ex-chief se-

lector Aamir Sohail said he did not support the Board's decision to go for a foreign coach at this stage. "I have nothing against Whatmore but if they wanted him they should have appointed him before the England series. If reports that

he wants to go to the UAE to observe the players in the England series are true than I am afraid it will create problems in the dressing room," he said. Sohail insisted that when the Pakistan team was playing like a well oiled unit and Mohsin Khan had done a good job as coach there appeared no reason to remove him at this stage. Former test spinner Iqbal Qasim who worked as chief selector until 2010 said he didn't support the appointment of a foreign coach simply because they do not understand the Pakistan cricket culture. "our cricket culture is different. our language is different and I think the

Misbah sees discipline the key to consistency LAHore AShER BuTT

Pakistan’s cricket captain Misbah-ul Haq has revealed that it is the discipline in the team ranks that has brought consistency and with the same passion the team would carry on and on even in the year 2012. He was speaking on the occasion of a reception organised by the PCB to showcase the achievements of the national team in 2011. “It was the spot-fixing scandal that has united the team and developed discipline in their ranks and the passion with which they ate working was they will go even far,” said he. “The new year would be even more decorated if the team remained in the same pattern to follow,” he added. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hosted the function to honour their team, which kept an unbeaten record

though all Tests and one-day series in 2011 – a difficult period for the side in the wake of a spot-fixing scandal. “I believe it’s a great honour for the team and I must thank the chairman for this reception,” said he. “After the controversies the Pakistan team went through, it was a remarkable comeback. I believe that the turning point of the team was their drawn match against South Africa. That drawn game produced a confidence in the team and they started to understand that they can do anything for the win with discipline and hard work.” The Pakistan captain said that his journey and the team’s progress are similar but “what I have learnt is that never give up. I kept that in mind as a motto,” he added. Misbah said that in the team’s success, it is not only the players’ hard work but also the contribution of the selection committee, the team manage-

Jonas strike gives valencia upper hand

real Madrid need Kaka: Mourinho

MADrID AFP

The chances of seeing Kaka playing in the colours of Paris Saint-Germain receded slightly further on Friday when Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said the Brazilian still featured in his plans for the rest of the season. Sources close to PSG owners Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) have told AFP that the Ligue 1 leaders are lining up a bid for the playmaker, but Mourinho said: "I'm counting on him for the season."

Semis lineup decided in academy hockey SIALkot STAFF REPORT

Sialkot overthrew Lahore from second place in the 2nd PHF Inter Academy Hockey Tournament being played at Sialkot Hockey Stadium, Sialkot. Bahawalpur, however, remained leader of the points table after the Friday’s matches in which Bannu, Bahawalpur and Sialkot won their matches. After the last league matches the semi-final line-up was also decided. on Saturday, Bahawalpur will face Gojra in the first semi final and the second semi final will be played between Lahore and Sialkot. RESulTS: Bannu beat Karachi 3-1 (full time), 1-1 (half time), Bannu: Jamil Babar 2 Goals 14th & 44th minutes (PC) & fahad 36th minute (fG). Karachi: M. ali 5th minute (fG). Bahawalpur beat abbottabad 2-1 (full time), 1-1 (half time), Bahawalpur: Moadid ali (Capt) 14th minute (PC) & Sohail Yousaf 58th minute (fG). abbottabad: Naeem awan (Capt) 1st minute (PC). Sialkot beat Lahore 4-1 (full time), 4-1 (half time), Sialkot: Qasim ahmed 10th minute (PC), hammad Zafar 20th minute (fG), ammad Butt (Capt) 29th minute (fG) & Nohaiz Zahid 30th minute (PC). Lahore: awais-ur-rehman 27th minute (fG).

POINT TABlE PS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

TEAMS BahawaLPUr SIaLKot LahorE GoJra faISaLaBad BaNNU aBBottaBad KaraChI QUEtta

P 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

W 7 6 6 4 2 2 2 1 0

d 0 1 0 3 3 2 2 1 0

l 1 1 2 1 3 4 4 6 8

GF 30 39 21 12 12 16 8 6 3

GA 10 8 7 4 17 17 14 21 49

PTS 21 19 18 15 9 8 8 4 0

ment, the board and the support staff. When they all combine only then the road to success is laid, he maintained. “I think this success was due to the fact that all 15 players in the squad fulfilled their responsibilities and I am sure they will carry on the good work in the new year,” said Misbah. Misbah took over as Test captain in September 2010 and led Pakistan to draws in the series against South Africa and the West Indies, and notched wins over New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Pakistan now face a tough opponent in England, who rose to world number one in Test rankings last year. They will play three Tests, four one-day internationals and three Twenty20s in United Arab Emirates. The first Test starts in Dubai from January 17. “We know how tough it is going to be, so we are ready for that,” he added.

Gd +20 +31 +14 +8 -5 -1 -6 -15 -46

vaLENCIa: valencia's argentinian midfielder Ever Banega (L) vies for the ball with Sevilla's Croatian midfielder Ivan rakitic (r) during the Spanish Cup football match. afp

Brazilian striker Jonas scored the only goal as Valencia edged Sevilla 1-0 in their Spanish Cup last 16 first leg clash on Thursday while second division Cordoba surprised topflight Espanyol 2-1. Jonas found the target at the Mestalla in the 33rd minute after being set-up by French teammate Jeremy Mathieu. Argentina winger Pablo Piatti squandered a late chance to add a second goal for Valencia but he ballooned his shot over the top. Cordoba scored twice in the last 10 minutes to beat Espanyol who had taken a 38th-minute lead through Sergio Garcia. Borja Garcia (80 mins) and Carlos Caballero (84 mins) then stunned Espanyol with two late goals to give their team the edged ahead of the return leg. on Wednesday, a Cesc Fabregas first-half double inspired Barcelona to a 4-0 win over osasuna. Two-time world player of the year Lionel Messi came on midway through the second-half to add another two, his first a header set up by a Fabregas cross to give last season's beaten finalists a healthy advantage ahead of next week's second leg. Fabregas, who has been an instant success at the Spanish and European champions since his dream move from Arsenal last summer, struck twice in the opening 20 minutes. The second was the pick of them as he produced a sublime lob from a fine pass by Xavi who had also set him up for the opener.

biggest problem in appointing a foreign coach is that he will have communication problems with the players," Qasim said. Whatmore is due to arrive in Lahore around January 15 to hold final negotiations and finalise the terms and conditions of his contract. Former PCB Chairman Tauqir Zia also did not support the appointment of Whatmore or any foreign coach. "We have experimented with Richard Pybus, Bob Woolmer and Geoff Lawson and we had no big results to show from these experiments. Now when the team is doing well under Mohsin why try to change the coaching staff and bring in Whatmore," he said.

Pak manager wants controversy-free series LAHore STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan's national cricket team’s camp training is progress here at the Gaddafi Stadium with all the players preparing hard for the upcoming series against England scheduled in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The training camp, under head coach Mohsin Khan, has now entered in its third day and would continue for another three to four days. The team for the Test matches was announced on December 26 by the chief of the national selection committee in Lahore. Pakistan's former captain Shoaib Malik has been dropped from the team following his poor performance during the last couple of series and replaced by young batsman Umar Akmal. Team manager Naveed Akram Cheema said that both teams "are well balanced, thus fans will get to watch a tightly contested series." “The PCB has given specific and strict instructions to its players to focus only on the game and avoid any kind of controversy during the matches against England,” he added. The Pakistan team has been performing well and is unbeaten since September last, winning series against the West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Pakistan has been playing home series at the UAE due to security concerns at home.

rijas in BoP Polo final LAHore STAFF REPORT

The three members of the Tiwana family combined together to get the combined team of Rijas and Waste Busters a place in the main final of the Bank of Punjab Polo Cup to be played on Sunday (January 8). But on Friday, Rijas and Waste Busters with their six goals to four win over PAF (Blue) booked a place for a title fight in a rai-marred day. The Tiwanas, Ahmed Ali, Atif Yar and Ahmad Nawaz shared the sixpack of goals to undo the fight unleashed by Shaukat Ali Malik-led PAF. The losing side’s Shaukat got three of the four goals with Ahmad Khan scoring one. And the match was supervised by Saqib Khan Khakwani and Santiago Mendivil.

Ajmal’s secret delivery awaits England LAHore STAFF REPORT

Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has revealed that he has been working on a secret delivery to surprise England in the upcoming Test series. Ajmal took 50 wickets in eight Tests last year and often surprises batsmen with a doosra, a ball that drifts away from right-handed batsmen. He did not reveal his newly developed delivery on Friday, but said he would definitely try it out against England. Talking to journalists here during the camp training at the Gaddafi Stadium, he said: "We are working on a special delivery, it's not very far, you will know it.” The three-Test series begins in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 17 January, and Ajmal hopes the pitch will suit spinners. He grabbed eight Sri Lanka wickets in a Test at the same venue in october 2010. The spinner has not targeted any specific batsmen but has been watching videos of the Englishmen. "We are going for the

series fully prepared," he said. "We have special plans and we are working on that." Ajmal took 12 England wickets at Birmingham, The oval and Lord's in 2010, including a five-wicket haul in the first Test, which Pakistan lost by nine wickets. However, the series was marred by the spot-fixing scandal after which three Pakistan players were jailed. Pakistan have overcome the loss of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir from the scam over the past 18 months, with Ajmal playing a key role in series victories over Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Ajmal is the top bowler in the oDI rankings, but did not want to be compared with England off-spinner Graeme Swann. "He has his own variety and I have my own variety, but he is a good bowler because he has remained the world number one bowler in Test matches," added Ajmal. Except for Sri Lanka, Pakistan's victories in Tests have been against lower-ranked teams - West Indies, Zim-

babwe and Bangladesh - in 2011. England will be Pakistan's first real challenge since.

"Whosoever you play against, you have to take wickets," said Ajmal.

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20 sports Clijsters concedes semi-final after injury

Saturday, 7 January, 2012

CAPE TOWN: Jacques Kallis of South africa (r) celebrates after bowling Chanaka welegedara of Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the third test, (inset bottom) Kallis (L), aB de villiers (C) and captain Graeme Smith pose with their trophies while (right top) angelo Mathews plays the ball and thilan Samaraweera raises his bat to celebrate his century. ReUteRS/AFP

BrISBaNE: Kim Clijsters stretches for a forehand return before retiring injured. afp BrISBAne AFP

Kim Clijsters was forced to pull out of her Brisbane International semi-final against Daniela Hantuchova with a hip injury on Friday, but remained confident of making the Australian open. Clijsters, the defending Australian open champion, had taken the first set in Brisbane in a tiebreak but was down by a break of serve early in the second when she called for the trainer before taking an injury time out. She came back on court and tried to continue but conceded the match, the Slovak winning 6-7 (4/7), 3-1 to move into the final against Estonia's Kaia Kanepi.

Zheng sets up Pennetta showdown

aUCKLaNd: Jie Zheng returns the ball to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the semi-final. afp WeLLIngton

Kvitova too good for number one Wozniacki PertH

AFP

Unseeded Zheng Jie recovered from a set down to beat Svetlana Kuznetsova in the semi-finals of the Auckland Classic on Friday and set up a showdown with Italy's Flavia Pennetta. Fourth seed Pennetta, the form player of the tournament, waltzed into Saturday's final with a straightforward 6-1, 6-2 victory over Germany's Angelique Kerber.

Petra Kvitova helped the Czech Republic reach the Hopman Cup final on Friday, defeating world number one Caroline Wozniacki in another sign the Dane's days at the top may be numbered. The most-anticipated match of the tournament lived up to expectations, with the left-handed Czech Republic player and world number two triumphing 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-4, in two hours and 16 minutes. In the men's singles, Tomas Berdych secured the

Czech Republic's place in the final, with a straight sets win over Frederik Nielsen, 6-1, 6-3. The third match in the tie, the dead mixed doubles rubber, was not played. World number seven Berdych had shown some indifferent form in the other group ties -- 76th-ranked Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov took him to three sets in a match lasting over two hours -- but he made quick work of the Dane. In Saturday's final, the top seeded Czech duo will meet second seeds France, represented by Marion Bartoli and Richard Gasquet, who have shown impressive form in their group ties against Spain, Australia and China.

PErth: world number one and two, Caroline wozniacki of denmark (L) and Petra Kvitova of the Czech republic (r) respectively. afp

Exodus of key players could affect EPL’s balance Which of the top seven would be the most affected owing to the African Cup of Nations? EPL CRYSTAL BALL kUnWAr kHULDUne SHAHID

EPP Blatter is mulling over the possibility of moving the African Cup of Nations into June or July from 2016 onwards. And when one sees the affect that the tournament has on leagues all over the globe, the raison d'être is a no-brainer. If one team has a more influential core of African players, or even a single player who has talismanic influence over the squad; losing them for a month could take the wheels off a smoothly driven season. This could give an unwarranted advantage to the rivals of the aforementioned team, who are vying for the same position in the league. Considering the possible repercussions for EPL sides, here’s a look ahead to the aftereffects of the African tournament on the top seven of the English Premier League.

MANChESTER CITY League leaders City are set to lose the Toure brothers. While Kolo has been a bit part player this season, since Lescott and Kompany have formed a formidable center-back duo, an injury or even a small niggle, to either one of the two could leave City short at the back. Yaya Toure has been the midfield engine for City this season, and it’s his loss that is going to impact them with the most severity. In his absence, City would most probably line up Milner alongside Barry; but De Jong and Hargreaves (if he even unstitches himself from the treat-

ment table) are other options as well.

MANChESTER uNITEd Defending Champions United wouldn’t be losing out on any of their contingent; but they should be on the lookout if City suffer a setback of two in Yaya’s absence. United have been on a conspicuous downward spiral off late, with back to back losses to Blackburn and Newcastle, and they need to get their act together before their season disintegrates.

TOTTENhAM hOTSPuR Like United, Spurs won’t be losing out on any of their influential players. Since Cameroon and Togo did not qualify, Bassong, Assou Ekotto and most significantly Emmanuel Adabayor would be staying with Spurs. Spurs are on the coattails of the two Manchesters; trailing United by three points, with a game in hand, they should up the ante and give the title a real go – as expounded in this space a couple of weeks back.

ChElSEA Customarily it’s Chelsea that has to bear the brunt of the African Cup of Nations in the past. This year round, Drogba, Kalou and Mikel would be off to Africa; and while none of the trio is exactly the backbone of the London club this year, with games coming thick and fast Andre Villas-Boas would have wanted his full deck of cards to play with. Mikel hasn’t been in the Portuguese’s plans recently, with Romeu supplanting the Nigerian; however with Drogba and Kalou leaving, Chelsea would only have Sturridge, Lukaku and Torres in attack. This could be an opportunity sent in from footballing gods for the latter, who can eradicate the miseries of an abysmal 2011 by a strong start in 2012.

ARSENAl Arsenal would be breathing a collective sigh of relief knowing that Alex Song wouldn’t be off to Africa this month since Cameroon did not qualify. Arsenal would, however, be without Frimpong and Gervinho. The former has been touted as a future star, but hasn’t been playing regularly enough to massively affect

Arsenal’s January. The latter, nevertheless, has been a great signing for Arsenal this season; and his service on the left wing could be sorely missed. Arshavin or oxlade Chamberlain should be called upon to hog the left wing in Gervinho’s absence.

lIVERPOOl Liverpool losing out on Suarez is the equivalent of missing a player whose team goes all the way to the final of the African Cup of Nations. With the Uruguayan’s eight-game ban underway, he’d be missing the entire month of January. Dalglish has recently peddled the desire to be ‘more clinical’ in front of goal – a noise that has been clamoured in Anfield for months – and even though Suarez wasn’t exactly banging in goals, his attacking impetus would be severely missed in January. The good news for Liverpool though is that Stevie G is back. And his return is always a symbol of buoyant optim i s m

for Liverpudlians – if nothing else.

NEWCASTlE uNITEd Possibly the most hard-done by side in the league, Newcastle would be losing out on indubitably their two most influential players in Cheick Tiote and Demba Ba. Tiote’s midfield dynamism and his industrious work in the center of the park – that allows Cabaye to weave his magic – will be a gargantuan hole at St. James’ Park. Couple this with Ba’s goal scoring prowess; and the hope of a veritable surge towards the top four – in the aftermath of a groundbreaking win over United – could slowly evaporate. Vuckic – who impressed in his first start a couple of weeks back – should partner Cabaye meanwhile; but Alan Pardew might need to unknot his purse strings, if he wants to make up for Ba’s goals upfront.

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Saturday, 7 January, 2012

sports 21

Kallis steers Proteas to win over Sri Lanka CAPe toWn

SCOREBOARd

REuTERS

superb all-round performance by Jacques Kallis carried South Africa to a series-clinching 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the third and final test at Newlands Friday. Kallis, having scored 224 in the South African first innings, claimed three for 35 to end an obdurate Sri Lankan second innings on 342, leaving the hosts with a nominal target of two runs to win. Kallis, playing his 150th test, also took four catches to equal the South African record for the most catches by an outfielder in an innings as well as the mark of six catches in a test set by Albert Vogler in 1909/10 and matched by Bruce Mitchell in 1931/32. South Africa's win brings to an end a run of four winless series at home dating back to 2008/9. They were held up on the fourth day by the determined Thilan Samaraweera, who scored a defiant 115 not out in 325 minutes, off 215 balls. Angelo Mathews scored 63 and the tail-enders had some fun as well as they helped the experienced Samaraweera to prolong South Africa's time in the field to nine minutes after the scheduled tea break. SERIES WIN A STARTINg POINT, SAyS SMITH: South Africa's series win over Sri Lanka was "a starting point" for a year of demanding tours, captain Graeme Smith said on Friday. Speaking after South Africa clinched the series with a ten wicket win on the fourth day of the third and final Test at Newlands, Smith said: "We have a tough year with away series against New Zealand, England and Australia. "The way we won here was important." Thilan Samaraweera made 115 not out, his second century of the series, as Sri Lanka managed to avoid an innings defeat. They were bowled out for 342, leaving South Africa needing only two runs to win the match and the series. The first delivery of the final in-

SOuTh AFRICA first innings: 580-4dec SRI lANKA, first innings: 239 SRI lANKA, second innings (overnight 138-4) 30 l. Thirimanne c Amla b Kallis 5 T. dilshan c Boucher b Philander 34 K. Sangakkara c Kallis b Tahir 12 M. jayawardene c Kallis b Morkel 115 T. Samaraweera not out A. Mathews lbw b Philander 63 d. Chandimal c Kallis b Philander 1 T. Perera c Morkel b Tahir 30 R. herath c & bowled Kallis 0 16 d. Prasad st Boucher b Tahir 14 C. Welegedara b Kallis 22 EXTRAS: (b-1, lb-15, w-6) 342 TOTAl: (all out; 107.5 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-12 2-79 3-83 4-98 5-240 6-248 7-304 8-306, 9-327 BOWlING: Steyn 20-3-56-0 (w-1), Philander 20-4-54-3, Morkel, 19-468-1, Tahir 32-7-106-3, Kallis 14.5-2-35-3 (w-1), Smith 2-0-7-0. SOuTh AFRICA second innings: A. Petersen not out 1 0 G. Smith not out EXTRAS: (nb 1) 1 2 TOTAl: (for 0 wickets; 0 overs) did not bat: h. Amla, j. Kallis, AB de Villiers, j. Rudolph, M. Boucher, d. Steyn, M. Morkel, Imran Tahir, V. Philander BOWlING: d Prasad 0-0-2-0 (1nb). Result: South Africa win by ten wickets South Africa win the three-match series 2-1

nings was a no-ball by Dhammika Prasad which Alviro Petersen pushed past the bowler for the winning run. Smith said South Africa had produced their best bowling performance of the summer in bowling out Sri Lanka twice in successive innings despite minimal help from a placid pitch. "We bowled well as a unit, each guy was able to create pressure. There's a lot to build on for the year to come." The South African captain said his team's shock defeat in the second Test in Durban, which left them needing to win at Newlands to secure their first home series win in four series, had been "a wake-up call in terms of the standards we need to produce as a team". Man of the match Jacques Kallis, playing in his 150th Test, finished off the Sri Lanka innings to claim bowling figures of three for 35.

this is the best federer pulls out of Qatar Open side I ever played in, says Younus DoHA AFP

LAHore STAFF REPORT

Former captain Younus Khan has said that he has never seen a side as good as the current Pakistan team and the credit of this unity goes to Misbahul Haq. Speaking at a function organised to celebrate the Pakistan cricket team’s glorious 2011, Younus said that it was a great thing to call upon the team and appreciate its achievements. “I have played in several countries and also played county cricket but I have never seen any team like the Pakistan team. I have played under several captains but found Misbah as the best captain to play with. He has transformed the team into an outfit everyone wanted to see,” said Younus. “It’s a great team and full of talent. Pakistan has always produced world class cricketers particularly bowlers. When we found Mohammad Aamir, we believed that he would continue to play for the country for the next 10 years but that unfortunate incident of spot-fixing led the Pakistan cricket to doom. But the way this young team has lifted itself it remarkable. The efforts of Aizaz Cheema, Wahab Riaz and Junaid Khan are commendable,” he said. “Everyone in the team is hungry to perform and contribute as much as he can,” he added. He also praised the struggle of Umar Gul after he was injured. “It was his hard work that made him the leading bowler of the team,” said Younus.

Roger Federer's hopes of a fourth successive title came to a premature end when he withdrew from the Qatar open with a bad back here Friday. The back spasms Federer felt during matches with Greg Zemlja and Andreas Seppi have not gone away despite treatment and painkillers, and he now feels the risk of compensatory injuries is now too great. He has pulled out to give himself the best chance of appearing in good shape at the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, the Australian open, starting at Melbourne in ten days time. Federer was due to have met France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the number three seed, in the semi-finals. "I'm sorry for holding this press conference," said Federer, who has been enjoying a 20-match unbeaten run. "I hurt my back in my second round match (against Zemlja) and I don't see any improvement today. "I've played through two matches in pain and don't think it's the right thing to risk anything

wATch IT LIvE STAR SPORTS Hopman Cup Tennis 10:30AM

TEN SPORTS La Liga: Real Madrid V Granada 11:55PM

STAR CRICKET Brisbane Heat V Hobart Hurricanes 03:40PM

australian high Commission visit PCB LAHore STAFF REPORT

Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan Tim Goerge visited Pakistan Cricket Board Headquarters at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on Friday. The high commissioner during his visit met PCB Chairman Muhammad Zaka Ashraf and discussed several issues of mutual interest.

azhar eager to perform against England LAHore STAFF REPORT

Pakistan’s upcoming batsmen Azhar Ali has made up his mind to do his best in the series against England. Talking to journalists during the camp training, Azhar, who comes at the crucial number three position, said he has set his targets and would play positive cricket. “The immediate goal I have set is to perform well against England. I understand the importance of one down batsman and is fully prepared to fulfil the requirements” he added. “The wickets in the UAE would give an edge to Pakistan as the conditions there too are similar to ou country,” he added.

PCB’s Golden Jubilee t20 match on 8th LAHore STAFF REPORT

doha: roger federer of Switzerland leaves the court after he retired due to injury before his semifinal match against Jo-wilfried tsonga of france at the atP Qatar open. ReUTeRS more now. It's the only right decision to make. "I've just been trying to manage the situation really. Back spasms happen and sometimes you can contain

them with massage and pain killers. But I don't want to drive myself crazy with more painkillers, and I need to do what's right to get it better."

The Pakistan Cricket Board is holding a T20 match to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Niaz Stadium Hyderabad. Patron’s XI and Chairman’s XI will face each other at Niaz Stadium Hyderabad on January 8. Chairman PCB will be the chief guest. The winner will be awarded Rs 25,000 with runner up getting Rs 15,000 and the Man of the Match getting Rs 5,000. ThE TEAMS: PATRON’S XI: Muhammad Yasin, awais Zia, rameez raja, Umair Khan, Jamal anwar, ahmad Jamal, Saddaf hussain, Imran Khan, akbar Badshah, Muhammad fayyaz, fahad Iqbal (Captain), Kashif Bhatti, Zahid Khan. ChAIRMAN XI: Mir ali talpur (Captain), rizwan ahmed, Lal Kumar, azeem Ghumman, Ghulam Yasin, Imran Chandio, Nasir awais, tabish Khan, Mir darya Khan, Sharjeel Khan, Muhammad rizwan (wK), Mohsin Khan, Jamshed Baig. Umpires: akbar Khan & tariq taufiq, Scorer: arif abdul Majeed.

England to miss Bresnan in UAE tour opener DUBAI AFP

England will be without paceman Tim Bresnan in their opening three-day tour match against an ICC Combined XI starting here from Saturday, one of two side games before the three-Test series against Pakistan. The 26-year-old paceman, who still has soreness in the elbow which was operated on last month, is likely to be fit for the second warm-up match before the first Test starts here from January 17. "Bresnan has still got a bit of swelling in his elbow as a reaction to his operation, so he's not quite ready yet," Andrew Strauss, the England captain, said on Friday. "We're aiming for the second warmup game with him." England play a Pakistan Cricket Board XI in the second side match, also to be played in Dubai, from January 11-13. Bresnan took 16 wick-

ets in the three Tests he played against India at home last year -- a series which lifted Strauss's men to number one in Test rankings. Lanky pacemen Chris Tremlett or Steven Finn can fill in Bresnan's place although Tremlett also has an eye infection, which Strauss believed would not hinder his bowling. The ICC (International Cricket Council) will be led by Ireland skipper William Porterfield and is comprised of players from Associate countries. Strauss said: "We want to get the intensity right right from the start and that is going to be the challenge for us. obviously getting used to these conditions is important as we have to find ways to take wickets, if the wicket is flat," said England captain. England will be playing in United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the first time in a series shifted here over security fears in Pakistan. "It is very important to get as much cricket as possible prior to that

first Test match but to a certain extent there is likely to be some changes between the two games. "It has always been our philosophy we got to get the starting eleven as prepared as possible before the first Test match," said Strauss whose team will play their first Test since beating India 4-0 in August last year. The second Test will be played in Abu Dhabi (January 25-29) and the third in Dubai (February 3-7). The Tests will be followed by four one-day and three Twenty20 internationals. Strauss praised the idea of putting a Combined XI from Associate countries. "I think it is a good idea from the ICC and it is a great shop window for some of the players from the associate nations and to certain extent we know some of the players but not all of them so we need to be prepared," said Strauss. Strauss said players were excited to begin a tour after a break.

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Saturday, 7 January, 2012

Govt to table bills for creation of Saraiki, hazara provinces ISLAMABAD TAhIR NIAz

ISlAMABAd: President Asif zardari chairs a meeting of the heads of the coalition parties at the Presidency on Friday. ONLINe

Taliban want US prisoners sent to Qatar kABUL AFP

Afghanistan’s Taliban insurgents have demanded in negotiations with the US that prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay be transferred to Qatar, an Afghan government spokesman said on Friday. But President Hamid Karzai’s government objects strongly to the move and wants the prisoners sent directly to Afghanistan, presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi told AFP. The Taliban announced this week that they planned to set up a political office in Qatar, a move seen as a precursor to peace talks with Washington. At the same time, the hardline Islamists demanded the release of prisoners from the US military detention centre at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba – but the statement did not specify where they should be sent. Karzai was told by the US about the demand that they should go to Qatar shortly before the Bonn conference on Afghanistan in December, Faizi said. “Several meetings had taken place between the Americans and the Taliban. It was something discussed between the two sides. “But that day, when the Americans talked to Karzai, it was the first time that they talked about the transfer of the prisoners to Qatar.” Faizi said his government was in favour of a release of Guantanamo prisoners, “but we don’t want them to go directly to Qatar – our government is strongly against it”. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP he did not want to comment on the issue, saying it “might have a negative impact on this process due to the sensitivity of the issue”.

pakistani sentenced in US over Taliban smuggling plot WASHIngton AGENCIES

A Pakistani man convicted on terrorism charges has been sentenced to more than four years in prison in the United States over a plot to smuggle a member of the Pakistani Taliban into the country. Irfanul Haq, 37, who last September pleaded guilty along with two other Pakistanis to a conspiracy to provide support to a terror organisation, was sentenced to 50 months in jail by a US federal judge in Washington on Thursday. The other two men were sentenced last month to 40 months and 36 months in prison over the same plot, carried out between January and March 2011. All three men have agreed to return to Pakistan following their sentences. “Haq conspired with others to smuggle into the United States an individual who was believed to be a member of a foreign terrorist organisation,” Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer said in a statement.

Two-thirds agree on Saraiki province: Gilani pM says people will not forgive politicians if they miss historic opportunity to create new provinces

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

RIME Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday said the government would extend all out support to the bill or the resolution aimed at the creation of new provinces in the country, and the government had achieved two-third majority consensus for the establishment of Saraiki province. Speaking in the National Assembly, he said elected representatives from Saraiki and Hazara regions had held discussions with him on the issue, adding that his party was also in favour of the creation of a new province. He said after consultations, consensus had been developed on the creation of Saraiki province and “we should not miss this opportunity to remove the sense of deprivation of the people of the area”. He said several resolutions were moved in the Punjab Assembly regarding the creation of Saraiki province, but the provincial assembly refused to discuss the issue. “Therefore, we have resorted to the

National Assembly to fulfill the demand of the people of the area,” he said. About Hazara province, the prime minister said he had referred the matter to the manifesto committee to evolve consensus on it. However, “We should not come under the influence of any spoiler to miss opportunity for the

creation of the Saraiki province,” he said. “There is complete consensus on it and if we fail this time, the people of the area will never forgive us,” he added. Summing up his debate on new provinces, Gilani said, “No province can come into existence by tabling a resolution for only making headlines.” Assuring his government’s support for the issue, the PM said he was not just in a statement gimmick; instead, the government was taking solid measures. Talking to reporters after the session, MQM Parliamentary Leader in the NA Dr Farooq Sattar said the nation should witness the consequence of a serious attempt by his party. Addressing the issue on the floor earlier, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Khurshid Shah said the PPP-led government would bring a bill for Saraiki province in southern Punjab in the next session, which after proceedings, would be sent to the provincial assemblies that have the authority to decide on such issues in accordance with the law. “If a consensus is reached on Hazara province; a bill will be tabled in this regard as well,” he added.

CJP warns against extra-judicial steps rAWALPInDI AGENCIES/ STAFF REPORT

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Friday said that nobody would dare to take any extra-judicial step in the country and that only the rule of law will prevail. Speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate the lawyers’ chambers and club, the CJP said that those who were speculating about extrajudicial steps had narrow thinking. “We will not let any opportunist to take over and no judge will take oath against the constitution,” he added. He said the judges had decided that no one will cross the lines of law and constitution. He said the Supreme Court in its July verdict had declared November 3, 2007 emergency null and void. The chief justice praised the “great sacrifices” rendered by the lawyers for the independence of judiciary. “We have proved by our

actions as to how there will be the supremacy of law,” he added. “I call November 3 emergency not an emergency, instead I describe it as a martial law,” the chief justice said. He said that judges had pledged that no one would take oath against the constitution. He also urged for a corruption-free judiciary, saying corruption in courts adversely affects and lowers the confidence of the litigant public in the judicial system. “our wholehearted efforts will come to nothing if the evil of corruption is not firmly checked,” he said, adding that transparency in the functioning of courts and eradication of corruption in all its manifestations was the cornerstone of the National Judicial Policy (NJP) 2009. He said the policy suggested strict adherence to the code of conduct by all officials of the judiciary, as well as initiation of disciplinary action against the corrupt.

Published by Arif Nizami for Nawa Media Corporation (Pvt) Ltd at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore.

Amidst allegations of double standards and demands for voting on a ‘resolution’ to pave the way for creation of new provinces in the country supported by chaotic sloganeering, particularly by members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and Religious Affairs Minister Syed Khurshid Shah told the National Assembly on Friday that the government would introduce two separate bills in the House on the very first day of the next session for the creation of a Saraiki and a Hazara province. Shah said the bills would be forwarded to the respective provincial assemblies after being passed by parliament. Cracks amongst the coalition partners are getting wider as the issue of new provinces stretches on, with two treasury parties MQM and the Awami National Party (ANP) – embroiled in a vigorous tug of war. on the other hand, the PML-N is in a fix over the issue, having publicly supported the move but at the same time hiding behind the shield of the constitution, saying the National Assembly is not the appropriate forum to initiate the process of the creation of new provinces. The PPP’s Nadeem Afzal Gondal proved to be more than straightforward in telling the wrangling parliamentarians that no new provinces could be carved out unless the ‘powers’ gave the go-ahead. He told the parliamentarians why, in his opinion, his colleagues might be feeling hesitant in saying that the military establishment and the InterServices Intelligence (ISI) was ruling the Balochistan province. The MQM’s Farooq Sattar, however, replied that if some other forces were taking decisions on behalf of parliament, all the legislatures should resign en masse. Sheikh Waqas Akram of the PMLQuaid supported the creation of new provinces and said three resolutions were moved in the Punjab Assembly but regrettably, it did not take them up for discussion and passage. The proceedings went downhill after Haider Abbas Rizvi of the MQM pressed the deputy speaker to hold a vote on the resolution his party had tabled in the House on the new provinces and the chair declining to admit it as a resolution moved in the House. Shah first said the government would soon introduce a bill for the creation of a Saraiki province but towards the end of the proceedings, as the MQM pressed the government further to consider a Hazara province as well, Shah assured the protesting parliamentarians that “we will work under the constitution”. As Sattar pleaded his case further, Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour of the ANP said his party was not against the creation of new provinces but a final decision in this regard should be taken only by the provinces concerned.