Newspaper Pakistantoday

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Veena Malik ‘bares it all’ for Indian magazine

Gulf Sunni monarchies fear ‘Shia Spring’

Judiciary lacks moral authority, says Asma Jahangir

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Rs15.00 Vol ii no 157 22 pages islamabad — peshawar edition

pakistantoday.com.pk

It’s final, Pakistan is not going to Bonn ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

Any chances of Pakistan’s participation in the Bonn Conference at any level ended on Friday as the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, endorsing the decisions of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) and the federal cabinet, rejected the Pakistan People’s PartySherpao (PPP-S) and the Awami National Party (ANP)’s arguments in favour of Islamabad’s participation in the international moot on Afghanistan’s future, with Committee Chairman Raza Rabbani observing

that under the rules of business the parliamentary body could not overrule the decision of the federal cabinet.

The committee members unanimously endorsed all decisions of the DCC and the federal cabinet to cut NATO supplies and get the Shamsi airbase cleared of United States control within 15 days.

A source told Pakistan Today that the PPP-S and ANP leaders suggested reversing the cabinet’s decision to boycott the Bonn Conference, which, they argued, would not only isolate the country diplomatically but would also send a very negative signal to the Pakhtuns living in Pakistan

and Afghanistan. “Since the Pakhtuns in Pakistan and Afghanistan are bearing the brunt of the Afghan war, they might see Pakistan’s boycott as a bid to dent the peace process. As the APC (All-Parties Conference) has already passed a resolution to give peace a chance, it is mandatory for Islamabad not to leave any international forum unattended and it would be wise to attend the Bonn Conference to strongly protest against the NATO attack,” a source quoted Aftab Sherpao as saying in the committee meeting.

The source said that ANP representative Senator Afrasiab Khattak

supported Sherpao’s stance and called for a review of the decision to boycott the conference, arguing that the enemies of the country would further exploit this situation in their interest. However, the source said, Rabbani told the participants that the rules of business did not allow the parliamentary body to overrule the cabinet’s decision. The PPP-S and ANP leaders did not press to reverse the cabinet decision thereafter.

The source said when the prime minister was asked whether the US administration was determined

Saturday, 3 december, 2011 Muharram-ul-Haram 7, 1433

Pakistan to revisit security paradigm PM blasts recent tendency to project Pakistan not as ‘partner’ but as ‘problem’ g

ISLAMABAD

Continued on page 04

STAFF REPORT

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LAHORE: Protesters burn an effigy of US President Barack Obama during a protest on Friday against the cross-border NATO airstrike on Pakistani troops in which 24 soldiers were killed. afp | story on page 24

Us senate imposes restrictions on pakistan aid WASHINGTON

army denies pakistan gave green signal to nato airstrike

AFP

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The US Senate on Thursday approved a vast military spending bill that tied strings to military aid to Pakistan and aimed to stem the spread of shoulderfired anti-aircraft missiles from Libya.

The $662 billion annual Defence Authorisation legislation also included a murky compromise on the issue of whether the US government may hold suspected terrorists, including American citizens, indefinitely without trial. The bill, which sailed to passage by a lopsided 93-7 margin, included tough new sanctions aimed at cutting off Iran’s central bank from the global financial system in a bid to force Tehran to halt its alleged nuclear programme. The legislation included a provision by Democratic Senator Bob Casey aimed at blocking counterinsurgency aid to Pakistan until Islamabad takes aggressive steps to curb the use of roadside bombs blamed for the deaths of US soldiers in neighbouring Afghanistan.

The Pakistan Army on Friday rejected a US media report that it was Pakistani officials who gave the green signal for the NATO airstrike in Mohmand that killed 24 troops, not aware that their own forces were present in the targeted area.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the US officials said while giving their first detailed explanation of the worst friendly-fire incident in the 10-year-old war that an Afghan-led assault force that included US commandos was hunting Taliban militants when it came under fire from an encampment along the border with Pakistan. “The commandos thought they were being fired on by the militants, but they turned out to be Pakistani military personnel who had established a temporary campsite,” they were quoted as saying. “According to the initial US account from the field, the commandos requested airstrikes against the encampment, prompting the team to contact a joint border-control center to determine whether Pakistani forces were in the area,” a US official was quoted as saying. The border-control centre is manned by US, Afghan and Pakistani representatives. But the US and Afghan forces conducting the November 26 commando operation had not been notified the centre in

Pakistan refusing to join US probe: Pentagon MONITORING DESK: The Pentagon says Pakistan is refusing to participate in the US investigation of last week’s NATO attack in Mohmand Agency that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, Geo News reported on Friday. The private TV channel quoted US Department of Defense Spokesman George Little as saying the US had asked Pakistan to be part of the investigation, but that the Pakistanis had “elected to date” to not participate. advance that they planned to strike the Taliban near that part of the border, the officials said.

“When contacted, Pakistani representatives at the centre said there were no Pakistani military forces in the area identified by the commandos, clearing the way for the airstrikes,” the US officials had said. A Pakistani security official, however, categorically denied the newspaper report and said the aircraft had already engaged when Pakistan was contacted.

ALLING for complete national unity, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Friday that Pakistan would revisit its national security paradigm following the NATO strikes on its border posts in the dead of night as this incident was an attack on the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

“The terms of our engagement with the United States and NATO/ISAF have to be revisited on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual interest and mutual respect.

Our continued cooperation in this regard can only be premised on a partnership approach that is consistent with Pakistan’s national interests and scrupulous respect for Pakistan’s sovereignty, independence and absolutely zero tolerance for any transgression against Pakistan’s state frontiers,” said the prime minister in his opening remarks at the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security.

The prime minister said the national interests were supreme.

“All policies, positions and actions should conform to safeguarding and advancing of our national interests… Our security and counter-terrorism policy needs to be pursued in a manner that suits Pakistan’s national interests… I look forward to your recommendations in this regard,” he said.

‘PROBLEM’: He said that in recent months, there had been a tendency to project Pakistan not as a ‘partner’ but as the ‘problem’. “Our enormous sacrifices and contribution in the campaign against militancy and terror have not been adequately acknowledged. What is worse is the tendency to make Pakistan into a scapegoat for failings of international policies in Afghanistan,” he asserted.Gilani said while Pakistan continued to protest against the drone attacks, which were clearly illegal and counter-productive, the country had also been subjected to numerous cross-border attacks by militants from sanctuaries and safe havens in Afghanistan. Brushing aside the notion that Pakistan was seeking aid or economic assistance from the United States, Gilani said: “Pakistan does not seek economic assistance or aid from the US. What we seek, in fact demand, is respect for our sovereignty and territorial integrity; a firm and categorical commitment on the inviolability of our borders and on non-recurrence of such incidents,” he added.

“Our efforts to improve our relations with Afghanistan and support for Afghan-led and Afghan-owned efforts for reconciliation and peace have been misconstrued and actively subverted by certain quarters,” said the prime minister.

LIMIT TO PATIENCE: He said there was a limit to Pakistan’s patience as cooperation could not be a one-way street. “Under these most challenging and difficult circumstances, Pakistan has maintained a principled approach and exercised utmost restraint,” he said, adding that it would be a grave miscalculation for anyone to believe that stability and peace in Afghanistan could be restored or maintained by destabilising Pakistan. “Under no circumstances, will we allow Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity to be jeopardised by illconsidered and rash actions such as the attacks on our territory

by NATO/ISAF. Our patriotic people and valiant armed forces will spare no sacrifice in the defence of their motherland.

Instructions have been issued to all units of the Pakistan armed forces to respond, with full force, to any act of aggression and infringement of Pakistan’s territorial frontiers,” he added.

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02 News

Saturday, 3 december, 2011

NewS

iSLAMABAd

today’s

wOrLd view

Painting exhibition at Rohtas mesmerises viewers No protocol extended to PML-N leaders: SC

A missed opportunity in Islamabad?

Quick Look

Story on Page 9

Story on Page 08

Story on Page 15

Commission can be formed without issuing notice to govt: Aitzaz ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

In contradiction to the government’s stance that only the executive has the constitutional authority to appoint a commission to investigate the memogate issue, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Aitzaz Ahsen said on Friday the practice and precedents of constituting enquiry commissions, like the commission formed by the apex court on Friday, by the Supreme Court without issuing notices to the federation was on file. Ahsen told reporters at the SC premises that the government was inordinately delaying every matter. “Had the government started investigation of the memogate issue, the Supreme Court would not have intervened in the matter,” he said.

Khar confirms Bonn boycott to British, German ministers ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Friday called her British and German counterparts to apprise them of of the decision of the Government of Pakistan not to participate in the Bonn Conference on Afghanistan following the attacks on Pakistan Army border posts in Mohmand Agency. Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar received a telephone call from UK Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Secretary of State William Hague and apprised him of Pakistan’s concerns.

A TETE-E-TETE AT THE PRESIDENCY: JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman called on President Asif Ali zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad.

PML-N will boycott joint sitting if held in-camera: Nisar g

Opp leader says PML-N’s petition in memogate case not aimed at declaring president as traitor ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Pakistan bent on self destruction: James Jones MONITORING DESK US General James Jones, who was confirmed as the conduit between Pakistan-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz and former US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Admiral Mike Mullen in the memo controversy, said in an interview with Charlie Rose on Bloomberg TV on Thursday that Pakistan was a country hell-bent on self destruction and refused to listen to advice that might help it. In a statement that sharply contrasted with Ijaz’s claims in several interviews that Jones was a “close friend” of his, the general also said Ijaz was a mere acquaintance. Responding to a question about the memo controversy, he said he had played a small part in it.

Afghan fuel supply stopped PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

In a bid to intensify pressure against the US-led allied troops, Pakistani authorities also stopped fuel supply towards Afghanistan by returning a number of tankers from Pak-Afghan border Torkham on Friday. NATO Oil Tanker Association spokesman Israr Shinwari told Pakistan Today that Torkham authorities had justified the act on the pretext that fuels was being supplied to NATO vehicles inside Afghanistan. According to Pakistani authorities, NATO troops shall face an acute fuel shortage after the disconnection of supply after the Mohamand Agency incident in which around two dozen Pakistani troops were killed. every day 15 to 20 oil tankers were supplying fuel for commercial and domestic transportation to Afghanistan. Pakistani authorities told transporters at Torkham that NATO troops were using the fuel for the last few days.

D

eMANDING the government first implement previous resolutions passed by parliament on national security in letter and spirit, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Friday said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would boycott the upcoming joint sitting of parliament if the session met behind closed doors. “We will also not become part of any parliamentary resolution until the PML-N is taken into confi-

dence over the fate of resolutions adopted with consensus by parliament earlier,” he said while talking to reporters in a reception given by Parliamentary Reporters Association (PRA).

Nisar said the forthcoming joint session of parliament should be open to let the nation know about the facts. He said if the session was held in-camera, the PML-N would not attend it.

He said the PML-N would be part of any new parliamentary resolution only after brainstorming over it, as it had serious reservations over what the government did with the previous resolutions. The opposition leader also rejected the perception that the

PML-N had played the role of friendly opposition so far, claiming it had remained vibrant.

He accused the government of rendering parliament ineffective by not implementing its resolutions and pointed out that parliamentary proceedings had lost the charm even for the media, which was not giving the proper coverage to parliament. On the memo case, Nisar said the petition by the PML-N in the Supreme Court was in national interest and had nothing to do with politics. Nisar brushed aside the “propaganda” that President Asif Zardari had been declared traitor in the petition.

After all else fails, Punjab govt demands rent from Naval War College g

Authorities concerned refuse to vacate ‘sensitive ’building despite repeated requests LAHORE UMAIR AzIz

The Punjab government has finally demanded rent from the Naval War College after all its efforts to move the “sensitive” building from the residential area over security reasons failed to bear any fruit, Pakistan Today has learnt.

Sources privy to the development revealed on Friday that the decision of shifting government offices, whether sensitive or other-

wise, from the residential areas was taken after blasts at the Naval War College on The Mall in 2008.

They said the decision was taken in a very high-profile meeting in which the chief secretary, the police inspector general and other top bureaucrats took part. However, the government’s efforts did not yield any result and the authorities concerned refused to vacate the building despite repeated requests.

The sources also revealed that the recent move came in a meet-

ing when the Punjab government decided to demand rent for the building located on one of the most prime properties adjacent to GOR-I. “Another important reason for taking the decision is because of the high profile people residing in the nearby GOR-I… after the blasts at the War College, the residents raised a hue and a cry because of the security risk involved due to the presence of such a sensitive building in the area. Almost three years

have lapsed without any effect and hence the government has decided to raise the issue of the rent to put on some more pressure,” the sources added.

Per the details, Naval authorities have not paid rent for the past 10 years which has accumulated to more than Rs 20 million. Moreover, the Naval authorities have requested the Punjab government not to get the building vacated and assured the government that the rent will be paid.

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Saturday, 3 december, 2011

FOreiGN NewS

ArtS & eNtertAiNMeNt

SPOrtS

Suu Kyi raises hopes in landmark Clinton visit

Ace Khan all set to conquer the small screen

PCB gets clearance for India series

News 03 COMMeNt Taking it to the SC The ball is now in the Court

What is going on?

A rather secretive lot

Arif Nizami says: Beleaguered: A series of most unfortunate events

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad says: Perception of justice: Almost as important as justice itself

Raoof Hasan says: Corrupt and corrupter?: The master stroke rests with the judiciary

Story on Page 19

Story on Page 17

14 militants, 7 others killed in KP HANGU/PESHAWAR AGENCIES

In four separate clashes with militants, 14 militants and seven others were killed on Friday.

Six militants were killed when militants attacked a check post in Upper Orakzai Agency.

According to a private television channel, some miscreants overnight assailed at a security check post located in Tasakhel area of Upper Orakzai Agency, injuring a troop. On this, security personnel forcefully retaliated, killing six terrorists.

Separately, at least seven militants were killed and five security officials injured in a clash when Taliban militants attacked a security check point in Chitral.

Commandant Chitral Scouts Colonel Nasir Jadoon said that Taliban militants targeted a border post of Chitral Scouts at Ursoon area with mortar shells from Nooristan province of Afghanistan. He said five Chitral scouts jawans were injured in the gun battle, he informed. The soldiers returned fire and killed seven attackers. Jadoon said the five injured soldiers had been airlifted to a hospital in Timergara in Dir lower district.

Separetely, at least six persons including one militant was killed in armed clash between two groups of militants in Khyber Agency.

Sources said a clash took place between the defunct Lashkar-e-Islam and banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in the Millo area at Terah valley.

One militant and five others, including two children were killed in the exchange of fire. In another clash between an Aman Lashkar and militants in Tehsil Landi Kotel, 2 Aman Lashkar personnel lost their lives while 2 were injured.

Story on Page 20

Articles on Page 12-13

‘Judiciary lacks moral authority’ g

Former SCBA president says country’s judiciary media-driven ISLAMABAD

Asma to represent Haqqani in ‘memogate’ case

STAFF REPORT

C

RITICISING the judiciary and military of the country, former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Asma Jahangir on Friday said the judiciary was media-driven and lacked moral authority, while most of its decisions had been attracting the media. She said army chief General Ashfaq Kayani was at the helm of affairs of the country, not the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

Speaking at a reception given to her by the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) at IHC, she said the judiciary could only resolve civil cases, but had failed to ensure the implementation of its decisions against the government. “The judiciary will have to eliminate the sentiments of discrimination from all its decisions, as it is the only way to create moral authority,” she added. Asma was of the view that there

ISLAMABAD: Former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Asma Jahangir will represent former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani in the Supreme Court in the “memogate” case. According to Asma, Hussain Haqqani’s wife Farahnaz Isphani called her and requested her to appear in the Supreme Court as counsel for her husband. When Asma was contacted, she said, “Yes, I will represent Hussain Haqqani in the ‘memogate’ case being heard by the Supreme Court.” Asma is a leading Pakistani lawyer and an eminent human rights activist, who works both in Pakistan and abroad for women’s rights and for prevention of exploitation of children. APP

were many flaws in judges’ appointments, saying the shortage of judges was a cause of concern for the top judiciary of the country. “Appointment of judges on the vacant posts is not the responsibility of the government but of honourable judges and such delay in judges’ appointment without any

reason is beyond comprehension,” Asma said. “Is their not any competent lawyer in our community who can be appointed a judge,” she questioned, saying the feudal mindset should not be the criteria of the judiciary. Commenting on the status of the PPP-led government, Asma said, “A number of toothless lions are roaming around the country and the PPP is also one of them, but besides being toothless, this lion is caged as

well.” Asma said vote was the only power of common masses and the army in-dignified the people of Pakistan several times by snatching their right to vote. We criticise the incumbent government and will continue criticism, but we are still in favour of democracy,” she said. Praising the protests of lawyers against NATO attacks, Asma said lawyers would must raise their voice against all forms of violence.

Zardari, Fazl discuss political, security issues

A VIGIL TO REMEMBER IMAM HUSSAIN (RA): Boys lighted candles and prayed at Sardar Hassan Imambargah in Peshawar. onLIne

ISLAMABAD : President Asif Ali Zardari and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman on Friday discussed the overall political and security situation in the country. Both leaders discussed a number of issues ranging from “memogate”, the NATO attack, PML-N’s petition in the Supreme Court to the overall political situation in the wake of what is being seen as a political crisis in the country, sources in the JUI-F said. The two discussed the scandalous memo and its possible fallouts on the political horizon. The sources said Fazl assured the president his party’s support in face of any undemocratic threat to the PPP-led government in the Centre. STAFF REPORT

Senators doubt govt’s resolve to stick to stance ISLAMABAD TAHIR NIAz

The opposition senators on Friday doubted the government’s resolve to partially withdraw the country’s support to the allied forces fighting terrorism in Afghanistan in the wake of the NATO attack on Pakistani checkposts, as the House passed a unanimous resolution to condemn the attack and demanded resistance against such attacks in future amidst demands of getting other Pakistani airbases currently under use of the US vacated.

The resolution unanimously passed by the House said, on November 26 NATO attacked Pakistani checkposts in Salala in which 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed.

“The House condemns in possible terms the US aggression which is an attack on the country’s sovereignty and integrity.

The barbaric bombardment is no more tolerable,” the resolution said.

It said the attack was in violation of all humanitarian and international laws and demanded befitting reply to such attacks in future.

The resolution demanded the govern-

ment fully implement the resolutions passed by the joint sessions of parliament and the all parties conference.

The Upper House of parliament suspended other business to discuss the ‘memogate’ and NATO attack on Pakistani checkposts as it met in a requisitioned session at Parliament House.

Taking part in the debate, Leader of the Opposition Abdul Ghafoor Haideri endorsed the government’s decisions but doubted its firmness in this regard adding any U-turn would be a loss and disappointment for the nation.

He also demanded the government get other airbases currently under US use such as Shahbaz Airbase, Dalbadin Airbase, Pasni Airbase and Khalid Airbase in Quetta immediately vacated.

He also criticised Pakistani High Commissioner in UK Wajid Shamsul Hassan’s request to the UK authorities for mediation between Pakistan and the US. On the memo issue, Haideri said those involved in it should be brought to justice. Senator Salim Saifullah also cast doubts over the government’s determination to resist US pressure on cooperation in the war on ter-

ror, and feared after 10 days, the US would get the government’s stand reversed. He asked the government to remain firm on its stance. He said the government should revisit terms of engagement with the US and NATO keeping in view the sentiments of the people on the Mohmand Agency attack. He said drone attacks must also come to an end as they were killing innocent people across the world. He criticised former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi for declaring the country’s nukes at a risk in the presence of Asif Ali Zardari as president of the country.

Treasury senator, Haji Adeel demanded the government resist such attacks in future. He lamented the US attitude towards Pakistan, saying neither they (US) apologised over the incident nor did they include Pakistan in the investigation process.

He endorsed the government’s stand for not attending the Bonn Conference and hoped the government would show firmness in this regard.

Adeel defended the government’s position on the memogate issue, saying if the issue was used against the president, his

2,673 foreign students studying in madrassas in Pakistan, Malik tells Senate ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik told the Senate on Friday that 2,673 foreign students were studying in religious seminaries in Pakistan of which 1,273 students belonged to Afghanistan alone. Responding to another question raised by Ismail Buledi of the JUI-F, Malik told the House that the FIA disposed of 491 corruption cases in the last three years. He said FIA Islamabad disposed of 31 corruption cases, FIA Punjab 341 corruption cases, FIA Sindh 61 corruption cases, FIA Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 49 and FIA Balochistan disposed of 8 cases of corruption, adding that the total amount recovered was Rs 2060.822 million. In another written reply, Malik told the House that the total number of new platoons of Frontier Constabulary set up during the last two financial years was 49. Malik said 198 officers were working in the FIA in the country while 784 posts were vacant in the agency. Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan told the House that the government had provided Rs 5.5 million to the Information Ministry in the financial year 2011-12 in the head of account “A05270”. “This amount is meant to provide financial assistance to the press clubs, journalist organisations and the deserving journalist, which is too meager for this purpose,” she said. STAFF REPORT party would fight the establishment.

He expressed concerns that efforts were on to launch a ‘Bangladesh Model’ government in Pakistan. He criticised the ISI chief for not taking permission from the PM before visiting Mansoor Ijaz in the

US. He also demanded the Supreme Court to appoint a non-controversial person as head of the commission to investigate the memogate. He said the SC must summon Mansoor Ijaz as his role was dubious in the whole controversy.

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04 News

Saturday, 3 december, 2011

Impossible to destabilise govt, says Gilani

Munter briefs NAtO envoys over Mohmand attack ISLAMABAD ONLINE

US Ambassador Cameron Munter on Friday briefed ambassadors of NATO countries on Friday on the NATO attack on Mohmand Agency last Saturday. At the dinner briefing attended by ambassador of NATO countries, including Germany, France, Australia, the UK and others, the American ambassador requested NATO associates to help persuade Pakistan to attend the forthcoming Bonn Conference. Sources said that the ambassadors of NATO affiliated countries, however, did not respond in any manner whatsoever.

ISLAMABAD

P A DAY FOR THE DISABLED: Disabled women hold a protest organised by the Special Social Organisation outside Hyderabad Press Club on Friday. Inp

seeking foreigner’s Parliamentary body’s decision on help objectionable, memo superior to not treason: Haqqani that of SC: Khosa LAHORE AGENCIES

Punjab Governor Latif Khosa has said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) considers the decision of Parliamentary Committee on National Security’s decision regarding the “memogate” scandal superior to that of the Supreme Court. Khosa made this statement on Friday, announcing that his party will initiate its “Wafaq Bachao Tehreek” in protest against the SC’s order to form a commission to probe the scandal without hearing the stance of the federation.

MONITORING DESK Former US ambassador Husain Haqqani on Friday said he believed that if a Pakistani citizen asked another country to intervene in national affairs, it was not an act of treason, though the move would be certainly objectionable.

Asked in an interview with Geo News whether he thought the contents of the memo were a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, Haqqani said, “If an American citizen sends a memo through another American citizen to yet another third American, then it’s not treason according to the American law.

But if a Pakistani citizen asks another country to intervene in their national matters, it is cer-

tainly objectionable, though not an act of treason.”

The former ambassador to Washington said he was innocent because no one had proven him guilty and he was sure of emerging clean-handed if any trial was conducted against him.

Haqqani said he would present all facts before the parliamentary committee that is investigating the “memo” issue. Asked why did he resign if he was sure of his chastity, he said he took the desperate decision because his credibility as ambassador was challenged. Defending the stance he took in his much-debated book, he said it was a formula of change written by a patriot Pakistani.

UK arrests 22 ‘anti-drone’ protesters LONDON: British police arrested 22 suspected members of a banned Islamist group on Friday during a protest outside the US embassy in London against the use of drones, Scotland Yard said. The demonstrators were believed to be from the “Muslims Against Crusades” group, which was outlawed in Britain last month amid fears it would burn poppies on Armistice Day celebrations, sources said. A spokesman for London’s Metropolitan Police said it had arrested 20 people “for further investigation around being suspected of being a member of a proscribed group.” “There were two further arrests, one for obstruction, one for violent disorder. They are currently in custody,” the spokesman told AFP, confirming that the arrests were outside the US embassy. A police source said the banned group was Muslims Against Crusades. The Press Association news agency said the demonstration was in protest against attacks by US drones targeting militants in Pakistan and that a number of demonstrators remained at the scene. AFP

‘Parliament competent forum to take decisions regarding political affairs’ ISLAMABAD

APP

R I M e Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday said the parliamentary system had gained strength in the last four years and dismissed the impression that it was facing threats of destabilisation by any “undemocratic move”.

“Destabilising the government is next to impossible,” the prime minister told reporters when asked about the possibility of general elections before the upcoming Senate election in March.

Gilani said it was the testimony of a strong democratic system that the government was in place

despite several undemocratic attempts against it. He said the conspirators were now trying hopelessly to destabilise the government by pushing for general polls before the Senate election.

“They can do no harm to us. I want to give this message loud and clear,” he said.

Gilani said the democratic system was not established in a single day and was the result of numerous sacrifices by great leaders, including Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto.

“This system has come to stay and it will not be destabilised through any democratic or undemocratic move,” he said, adding that those who called par-

liament a rubber stamp should clear their mind.

He said the entire nation, civil society and media were supporting democracy to prevail in the country.

“All conspiracies are destined to fail. We are running the government effectively for the last four years despite conspiracies,” he said.

Addressing a conference on Competition enforcement: “Challenges and Consumer Welfare in Developing Countries” earlier, the prime minister said despite challenges of floods, energy and security situation, the country had been able to build strong economic fundamentals due to timely interventions by the government.

GNI

expressing its concern on hearing of and deciding the matter of political nature by the Supreme Court in favour of one party to the prejudice of another, the Pakistan Bar Council’s Central Free Legal Aid Committee has resolved that parliament is the only competent forum to take decisions with regard to political affairs.

During the meeting, committee’s Chairman Ramzan Chaudhry drew the attention of the members towards the prevailing situation in the Supreme Court with reference to the political cases including the “memogate” case and apprised them that the Pakistan Bar Council, being the apex body of the legal fraternity, could not shut its eyes regarding the situation wherein one institution was transgressing and encroaching upon the powers of other institutions.

‘Champions of pakthun rights earning pakthuns a bad name’ USAID, Lasoona hold orientation session with press

MINGORA HAROON SIRAJ

Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) KP Chapter President Amir Muqam said the so-called champions of the Pakhtuns’ rights only earned a bad name for the Pakhtuns and were the cause of their demise. He accused ANP leaders of massive corruption and

said they were followers of Mohandas Gandhi, non-violent Indian freedom fighter and Indian National Congress leader, and were against the creation of Pakistan. Muqam was addressing to public in Khuwajabad ground at Mingora on Friday where Shahab Nagar resigned from the ANP and joined PML-Q with his workers.

SwAT: The United States Agency for International Development and local NGO LASOONA organised an orientation session with representatives from national and vernacular press and electronic media.

The purpose of the extended session, held under the entrepreneurs Project, was to introduce the participants to the USAID-funded Market Linkages for embellished Fabrics Project aimed at revitalizing economic opportunities for 6,000 women embellishers in Swat and adjoining areas. STAFF REPORT

It’s final, pakistan is not going to Bonn Continued fRoM page 1 to destroy Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, he told the participants that a high-powered delegation had assured him that the US did not want to destroy Pakistan’s nuclear programme as it was in safe hands.

DGMO: The source said Prof Khurshid Ahmed and some other members also strongly criticised the armed forces, asking the Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Major General Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad why the NATO attack was not properly responded to despite the military leadership having assured the joint sitting of parliament after the May 2 incident that no lapses would be made in future.

“The communication lines had broken down and the reinforcements sent from another post also came under attack. And It is for this reason that all officers have now been directed not to wait for com-

mand orders to counter any aggression,” the source quoted the DGMO as saying.

Senator Ishaq Dar and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman held the government responsible for the NATO attack, saying had the government implemented previous resolutions of parliament this situation could have been avoided.

When the committee members asked the prime minister how long the NATO supplies would remain suspended, the prime minister candidly responded that the government wanted a policy shift and the committee members should suggest “red lines” which would later be taken to the joint sitting of parliament and then would become a policy guideline for the government.

MEMO CONTROVERSY: Another source said the committee would again meet on Thursday to review the memo

controversy. He said that it was decided that the government should also get all its airbases vacated from US/NATO forces. He said there was a difference of opinion on whether there was a need to summon a joint session of parliament on the NATO strikes, but later it was decided that the meeting would be held within the next fortnight.

He said some members, including Senator Dar and Prof Ahmed, also raised the memo issue and asked the government to take the committee into confidence over it.

However, the prime minister said the committee might summon another meeting to discuss the issue in detail.

Later, Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan told reporters that the committee took up a single-point agenda and no other issue, including the memo case, was taken up. She said the DGMO would brief the cabinet mem-

bers on the prevailing security environment at a special sitting to be convened after the 10th of Muharram.

Asked whether NATO supplies would remain suspended on a permanent basis, the minister said endorsement of the cabinet decisions meant that the supplies would remain suspended on a “permanent basis”. She said the committee chairman had asked the members to send their proposals to the committee, which would be put before the joint sitting of parliament.

Responding to a question about the army’s strategy to thwart any attack on Pakistani soil in future, she said it had been decided to respond to any aggression and not to adopt a “wait and see” policy.

The government, she said, would support the army’s decisions on strategic and operational levels to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.

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Saturday, 3 december, 2011

Faisal Mosque needs some attention PAGe 08

PIMS unable to deal with HIV/AIDS patients world AidS day being observed across the globe today, however, things are getting worse in Pakistan g initially, there were three doctors working in the related department of the hospital, but contract of one of them expired on wednesday, while another is set to leave on december 30 g Number of registered patients currently stands at 1,160 g

ISLAMABAD

A

ASMA KUNDI

LTHOUGH the world is all set to mark the ‘World AIDS Day 2011’ today (December 1), the HIV/AIDS Department at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) faces the shortage of doctors to treat the 1,160 registered patients as there are only two doctors while the job contract of one of them is going to expire on 30th of this month.

The devolution of Ministry of Health has affected the treatment facilities badly at the federal level as even the PIMS, a major government-run hospital, does not have sufficient number of doctors to treat the AIDS patient effectively.

An official told Pakistan Today that initially, there were three doctors but

one of them was sponsored by the UNICeF, but she left the job after her contract expired on Wednesday (November 30), while the term of another doctor, sponsored by the National HIV/AIDS Control Programme, would end on December 30; therefore, she was also getting prepared to leave as there were no chances of contract renewal, despite several attempts.

When contacted, Dr Rizwan Qazi, the head of HIV/AIDS Department, said after the devolution process, the things were not clear yet and their department had also been affected badly.

“Before the devolution of Health Ministry, we were working in a coordinated system, as the ministry was playing the role of a supervisory body and coordinating between all stakeholders like WHO, UNICeF and national pro-

gramme but, unfortunately, the entire system is now shattered and the patients have to suffer ultimately.”

He lamented that they were facing the shortage of working force and he was the only doctor working on regular basis, whereas his two colleagues were working on contracts. One had already left the hospital after her contract got expired and another would leave this month. “No one works with motivation when they do not have job security,” he added.

Dr Rizwan said the quality of treatment was also affected after the devolution, adding that the strength of other staff like councillors, trained nurses and supporting staff was also unsatisfactory and they could see no future in the department.

While talking about the AIDS patients he said it was difficult to treat the

drug addicted patients as they did complete the process, adding that the irregular treatment resulted in manifold increase in drug resistance and they consulted again when their condition worsened.

On the other hand, the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a message on this special day to highlight the importance of healthcare providers in dealing with patients who have to face discrimination in accessing health services. The message said stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV and those at increased risk of HIV transmission still existed to varying degree across the region.

“Of particular concern are stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings and by healthcare workers. These are major impediments when it comes to encourag-

ing stigmatised population groups to seek and access health services and adhere to health interventions,” the message said.

WHO Regional Director Dr Hussein A Gezairy said that the men, women and children living with HIV in dire need of surgery had been denied this right. “even with non-invasive procedures, some healthcare workers have refused to care for people living with HIV. Public and institutional measures have enacted mandatory HIV testing on individuals upon their admission to healthcare services, often resulting in denial of access to those who test positive, unnecessary isolation or, at the least, gossip,” he said.

He said that was reason why the regional theme for the World AIDS Campaign 2011 was “Stigma and Discrimination in Health Care Settings”.

Body recovered from UBL building ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Urban Search and Rescue Wing of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Friday recovered the body of a person who was burnt in the fire that erupted in the United Bank Limited (UBL) building on Thursday.

The CDA officials recovered the body of Ghulam Fareed son of Abdul Kareem, a resident of Attock district, from the eighth floor of the UBL building. The search and rescue team of the CDA which found the body during a rescue operation shafted it to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for autopsy.

The body was handed over to the deceased’s relatives after completing the legal process. The hospital sources said that the body of the deceased had been completely burnt.

The fire broke out on the eighth floor of the UBL building located at Jinnah Avenue near Red Zone at 8:45am along the right side of the building and engulfed the other storeys soon. Apparently, the fire erupted due to short circuit. The chief commissioner, however, ordered an enquiry and the real cause of the fire would be ascertained after the completion of the probe. The fire completely destroyed two floors of the building and damaged the other floors partially.

ISLAMABAD: Bardasht Chairperson Senator Nilofar Bakhtiar addresses a seminar titled ‘Women’s Protection Legislation in Parliament’. Liaquat Banuri, Mubeen Kayani and Humaira Masiuddin are also seen. onLIne

IHC seeks Cng station owners’ reply ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday sought reply from the CNG owners working in the capital city, on a petition filed against them by Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) for allegedly stealing gas from the system. According to the petition, the CNG stations and the equipment installed there sucked gas from the system which resulted in its acute deficiency for domestic consumers. The SNGPL, in its petition, also sought vacation of the stay granted to the CNG stations by the same court, exempting

them from the three-day CNG closure under the gas load management plan.

Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan heard the petition. Counsel for the SNGPL, Asim Hafeez advocate, submitted that gas pressure in main lines had declined considerably after the court orders suspending the Petroleum Ministry’s load management plan, and due to the increased gap between demand and supply of gas. He stated that domestic consumers had been left at the mercy of the CNG stations. He added that the CNG stations owners had concealed the fact from the court that the stay order would affect domestic consumers.

The counsel for the SNGPL prayed

to the court to vacate the stay, enabling it to close the CNG stations in accordance with its schedule. After hearing his arguments, Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan issued notices to the CNG owners and adjourned hearing until December 8.

IHC SEEKS REPLY fROM CDA ON STP ISSuE: In response to a petition filed by five housing societies of Sector e-11 against the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for not connecting their sewerage lines with the city’s main sewerage system, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a notice to the civic agency’s chairman.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddique

heard the case. National Police Foundation (NPF), Multi-Professional Cooperative Housing Society (MPCHS), Federation of employees Cooperative Housing Society (FeCHS), Pakistan Medical Cooperative Housing Society (PMCHS) and Services Cooperative Housing Society (SCHS), in their petition, submitted that during the development work in their housing schemes, they came to know that the construction of sewage treatment plant (STP) was not technically feasible for them which could cause blockage of sewerage lines in their societies The IHC sought reply from the CDA chief on the issue.

New timings at Monument Museum ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Lok Virsa (National Institute of Folk & Traditional Heritage), Ministry of National Heritage & Integration, has announced new winter timings for the Pakistan Monument Museum, adjacent to National Monument at Shakarparian.

According to an official notification issued

by Lok Virsa, the museum will remain open from 10am to 7pm daily with break from 1pm to 2pm for Zohr prayers. The museum will, however, observe weekly holiday on Monday.

Also the Pakistan National Museum of ethnology, popularly known as Heritage Museum, at Lok Virsa Complex as well as Pakistan Monument Museum (PMM), adjacent to National Monument, Shakarparian, will remain closed on December 6 (Yaum-e-Ashoor).

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06 Islamabad

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Sindhu Bachao Tarla protest against WB g

Flood-affected people slam taunsa Barrage rehabilitation Project ISLAMABAD ASMA KUNDI

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HILe observing a hunger strike, scores of Sindhu Bachao Tarla (Save Sindh Appeal) activists submitted a memorandum to the World Bank representatives here on Friday.

They were protesting outside the World Bank office here against Taunsa Barrage Rehabilitation Project, which they said had been a cause of “unending” sufferings for them.

They also refused the World Bank representatives’ invitation for talks to resolve the long-standing issue and said there won’t be any dialogue until their de-

mands were included in the agenda of any such meeting.

They also warned that they would launch “Occupy World Bank” campaign in near future if their demands are not positively responded.

These protesting activists are those who had been affected by the World Bank-funded project. They chanted slogans in favour of their demands and against the projects funded by the World Bank. They said that it was the failure of newly rehabilitated Taunsa Barrage, which was funded with a foreign debt worth Rs 10 billion that led to the devastation of Muzaffargarh District in Punjab during last year’s floods.

They were of the view that the bar-

rage had failed to guard against inundation of vast areas nearby because of its flawed design, lack of attention given to strengthening the protective embankments, “dysfunctional” computerised control system of floodgates and bad hilltorrents managements.

Farooq Mehram, a folk singer, who was also present at the demonstration, said the purpose of their hunger strike was to highlight their suffering and plight caused by the World Bank-funded Taunsa Barrage project.

“It is an attempt to wake the World Bank administration from their deep slumber and tell them the projects they had been funding had bad impact on the area and community and their sufferings

multiplied during last year’s floods,” he observed.

Fazal-e-Rab Lund, a leader of the SBT, said their hunger strike was meant to highlight their following “key” demands: First, both the World Bank and provincial government should initiate the process of accountability in the light of the report of the Punjab Judicial Flood Inquiry Tribunal. The report clearly relates the structural failure and subsequent devastating floods in Muzaffargarh District with some ill-designed aspects of the World Bank funded Taunsa Barrage Rehabilitation Project.

Secondly, the World Bank should cancel the loan of Taunsa Barrage Reha-

bilitation Project with the commitment of provincial government allocating it for the rehabilitation of severely affected local communities.

Third, the World Bank should stop financing the newly-started rehabilitation project at Jinnah Barrage. Not only the project deliberately ignores cost effective alternative options but it is also bound to cause huge financial losses to local communities due to the prolonged and irregular irrigation supplies during the construction phase. Fourth, the World Bank should ensure the fulfilment of its all commitments with respects to compensation of losses made in the resettlement plan of Taunsa Barrage Rehabilitation Project.

Climate change greatest threat to modern times ISLAMABAD APP

ISLAMABAD: Aged men prepare the string of a bedstead as they sit on the median of a road. onLIne

Climate change is the greatest threat to modern times and is greatly affecting socio-economic sectors like health, food production, energy consumption and security and natural resource management.

The most recent scientific assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that the global averaged surface temperature on earth will increase by 1 to 3.5øC (about 2 to 6øF) by the year 2100, with an associated rise in sea level of 15 to 95 cm (about 6 to 37 inches). effects of global warming can be witnessed in Pakistan as well. Few years ago, December was considered the coolest month of the year. But this year, though there is a bit chill at night but days are hot.

Sometimes the days are so much hot that people have no choice but to put off their warmer clothes. Talking to APP, Chief Meteorologist Ghulam Rasool said, “As compared to previous years, November was much dry this year and December will also remain dry and no major weather system is expected in coming days.” The harmful impacts of this global warming are already manifesting themselves around the world in the form of extreme weather events like storms, tornadoes, floods and droughts, all of which have been mounting in frequency and intensity.

As a result, the world today suffers around 400-500 natural disasters on aver-

age in a year, up from 125 in the 1980s.

According to the Fourth IPCC Assessment Report, the evidence of predicted impacts of climate change is slowly unfolding.

Crop yield growth rates are declining in most parts of the world, partially as a consequence of rising temperatures, while increases in prevalence of climate-induced diseases have also been recorded.

There is also evidence of accelerating recession of most glaciers on earth, rainfall variability and changes in marine ecosystems.

Another serious threat arising from climate change is to freshwater availability which is projected to decline especially in large river basins and adversely affect more than a billion people by the 2050s.

Climate change is also likely to have wide-ranging and mostly adverse impacts on human health. The projected increase in the duration and frequency of heat waves is expected to increase mortality rates as a result of heat stress, especially in areas where people are not equipped to deal with warmer temperatures. To a lesser extent, increases in winter temperatures in high latitudes could lead to decreases in mortality rates. Climate change is also expected to lead to increases in the potential transmission of vector borne diseases, including malaria, dengue, and yellow fever, extending the range of organisms such as insects that carry these diseases into the temperate zone, including parts of the United States, europe, and Asia.

Painting exhibition at Rohtas mesmerises viewers ISLAMABAD MAHTAB BASHIR

A show of an art group, comprising give young artists, Ahsan Anwari, Amra Khan, Maria Khan, Mohsin Shafi and Sarah Ahmed, at Rohtas Gallery on Friday with the theme ‘Nothing is Perfect’ in this World’ mesmerised its viewers Talking about the title, the young artists from National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore, the Punjab University, College of Art and Design, Lahore, in a joint statement said: “We often dream something that is so absurd that it cannot possibly be true, and yet at the time it makes perfect sense. every new work is a new venture, with highly emotive narratives of distress and violence.”

They said a picture is but a space in which various images exist, blend, fight and clash. “We indicate the profound ridiculousness that is precisely the truth and we can only imitate a gesture that is always beautiful, yet never ‘perfect; we are reminded that the world is a dangerous, painful place and still flawless with all its imperfections.”

Ahsan Masood has been a committed artist since his graduation form the National College of Arts Lahore in 2008 with distinc-

tion from the department of communication design.

Starting with inks, he has worked with acrylics, watercolours and a combination of such with digital medium. He previously worked with an NGO, dealing with the male street children and their manifested sexuality.

He is also a part of the visiting faculty at NCA, teaching theory classes and supervising the conceptual physical development of the thesis student in the communication department.

Ahsan has accumulated a modest experience in showcasing his work in a number of galleries where as he was recently part of an international artist’s residency at ‘The Great More Studios’, Cape Town, South Africa. Amra Khan, born in Islamabad, lives and works in Lahore. She graduated from National College of Arts Lahore with distinction in painting in 2008. She is doing her masters in visual art from National College of Arts Lahore. Currently, she completed a semester at ecole Nationale Superieure des BeauxArts, Paris, France.

Skilled in oils, acrylics and miniature painting, she often expresses her talents through sculptures and video installations. Her work tends to work around having two poles and different ideas or

personalities living in the same body, conflicting gender, power and identity.

She has exhibited her works in galleries across Pakistan and was recently part of the Studio RM Alumni show ‘Silsila’ at Koel Art Gallery, Karachi, and at other places such as Alhamra Art Gallery, Zahoor-ul-Akhlaq Gallery National College of Arts, Rohtas 2, Nairang Gallery in Lahore; Rohtas Gallery Islamabad and Karachi Arts Council. She Maria Khan, born in Lahore, lives and works at his birthplace.

She is a graduate from the Punjab University, College of Art & Design Lahore, with distinction in painting in 2009. In 2010, she was given the best young artist award by the Punjab Arts Council.

She has exhibited her works in galleries across Pakistan, Including Alhamra Art Gallery and Zahoor-uI-Akhlaq Gallery at National College of Arts. She is highly skilled in oil painting and drawing. Sarah Ahmed Mumtaz, born in Lahore, lives and works at his birthplace. She is also a graduate from National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan, with a degree in printmaking.

She has worked as a teaching assistant from 2006 to 2010 at National College of Arts and is presently doing her masters in vi-

sual arts from NCA. She is skilled in all printmaking techniques, currently experimenting with embroidery and live artist performance. She has exhibited her works in galleries across Pakistan such as Alhamra Art Gallery, Nairang, Zahoor-ul-Akhlaq Gallery National College of Arts and also internationally.

Mohsin Shafi has been prac-

tising visual arts since his graduation form the National College of Arts, Lahore, in 2008 with honours. He has exhibited extensively in Pakistan and has his solo show in Dublin, Ireland, in 2009.

Shafi has been a part of the Visual Communication design faculty at Beaconhouse National University and at Pakistan School of fashion Design. His

work is a blend of Photography, Printmaking, digital and manual collages, installation and video art. The use of text is a chief component visible in most of his work Sahfi is currently enrolled in the Masters program in Visual arts at National College of Arts, Lahore. The exhibition will continue at Rohtas Gallery till December 11.

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Saturday, 3 december, 2011

international day of persons with disabilities today

Religious parties rally against NATO g

Call for severing ties with US, NAtO countries and india ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD APP

United Nations’ International Day of Persons with Disabilities will be observed today (Saturday) under the theme of ‘Together for a Better World for All’ across the globe including Pakistan.

The day focuses to increase the understanding of the issues around disabilities and attention to the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.

People with disabilities make up an estimated 15 per cent of the world’s population. Almost one-fifth of the estimated global totals of persons living with disabilities, or between 110-190 million, encounter significant difficulties.

Furthermore, a quarter of the global population is directly affected by disability, as care-givers or family members.

On October 14, 1992, the UN General Assembly proclaimed December 3 as the International Day of Disabled Persons.

This day was first observed on December 3, 1992. On December 18, 2007, the assembly changed the observance’s name from the ‘International Day of Disabled Persons’ to the ‘International Day of Persons with Disabilities.’ The new name was first used in 2008.

The goal of full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in society and development was established by the World Programme of Action concerning disabled persons, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1982.

Many events are held on and around the International Day of Persons with Disabilities each year. Many of these events aim to involve groups of people from all sections of society in upholding the rights of persons with disabilities and to celebrate the contributions by persons with disabilities to their communities.

Other events take the form of protests to highlight the difficulties disabled people have in playing a full role in society. examples of events include: forums with experts and disabled persons, public discussions, the presentation of information campaigns, exhibitions of art created by disabled people, social gatherings, and fundraising activities to raise money to support disabled people.

Islamabad 07

MAHTAB BASHIR

V

ARIOUS religious parties including Jamaat-ud-Dawaa, Jamaat-e-Islami and Sunni Tehrik staged protest rallies on Friday against recent NATO attack on a Pakistani check-post along the Afghanistan border.

Central leader of the banned religious outfit, Jamaat-ud-Dawaa (JuD), Ameer Hamza said Friday that the government should close down over 250 rented houses occupied allegedly by CIA’s operative. He warned that the JuD would be “compelled to shut them down itself” if the government failed to do so.

Addressing the participants of a protest rally, which taken out to condemn the NATO attack on Pakistan forces’ check-post that left 28 Pakistani troops were martyred, he said the UNSC had become a “destructive council”. earlier hundreds of protesters on Friday took out a protest rally from Aabpara Chowk to protest against NATO’s aggression. The JuD leaders also urged the participants to prepare for jihad since the NATO attack “left them with no other option”. They also criticised government’s decision of giving India the status of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) and argued its sagacity citing Indian forces’ atrocities in Kashmir.

They also cited killing of over 45 thousand innocent Kashmiris, demolishing of Babri Mosque, India’s illegal dams on various rivers.

Students, lawyers, traders, members of civil society and thousands of common people were also present on the occasion. They were holding JuD flags and banners inscribed with slogans against the USA, NATO and India.

PML-N leader Siddique-ul-Farooq, Alhaaj Said Batvi, Malik Shuja-urRehman, Ajmal Baloch and other religious, political and trade leaders also addressed on the occasion.

Farooq, in his brief address, said the

NATO attack was an attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty and that the aggressors wanted to know whether Pakistani people were united or not.

Talking about the Memogate saga, Farooq said one of the 6 points of memorandum was about closing down Pakistani nuclear programme.

“If we rolled back our nuclear programme we would be finished. That was why PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif went to Supreme Court,” he said.

He urged the participants to take to streets if the government failed to implement the SC’s verdict in that case.

They were holding placards with slogans against NATO forces and the MFN status to India . Saeed Batvi, Mailk Shuja-ur-Rehman, Ajmal Baloch, and others also spoke on the occasion.

They said jihad was the only solution

against terrorism of every kind including drone attacks and attacks on Pakistani check posts. “The US has never been an ally but an enemy. The rulers should force all the US citizens to leave Pakistan instead of just issuing statements of condemnations, they said. Meanwhile, the Jamaat-e-Islami workers also staged a demonstration on Friday against the recent NATO a attack on Pakistan check post.

JI leader Mian Muhammad Asalm was leading the protest rally, which started from the Nation Press Club.

Aslam while condemning the aggression by NATO forces said the armed forces should respond strongly to this attack and warned if the government didn’t take a stern action, the entire nation would throw the government out of power. He said there was a need to dispel the impression that Pakistani forcers

AiOU postgraduate classes’ exam from 12th

riphah University’s 6th convocation today ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Riphah International University, Islamabad is holding its 6th convocation today (Saturday) at 10:00 am at Jinnah Convention Centre. Renowned scientist Dr Samar Mubarik Mand would be the chief guest on the occasion, a press statement issued here said. “Around 1,000 graduates and postgraduate students of the university will be awarded degrees in various disciplines at the convocation. These students would be from the departments of Health and Medical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Management Sciences, engineering and Applied Sciences and Computer Sciences,” said the statement. It said 22 Zulfiqar Gold Medals and 18 Chancellor’s Gold Medals will be awarded to the graduates and post graduates for obtaining top positions in the examinations and securing distinction for their best performance in their academic fields. The president and the prime minister, in their separate messages have congratulated Riphah International University and the graduating students for their academic achievements and prayed for their success in practical life. The University is running programmes such as MBBS, BDS, BS (electrical engineering), BSc Bio Medical engineering, MS electrical engineering, BS (Se), BS (IT), BS (CS), MS Computing, Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Physical Therapy, MBA, BBA, MSc/MS in Mathematics and post graduate and undergraduate degrees in Media Sciences.

It is relevant to mention here that the Higher education Commission (HeC) has placed Riphah International University in “W” category as one of the best private sector universities in Pakistan.

and intelligence agencies were mercenaries. Separately Sunni Tehrik also staged a demonstration in the garrison town of Rawalpindi: The ST workers had gathered at Chuhr Chowk, from where they took out a protest rally, burnt tyres and torched the USA flags.

ST’s Political Committee President Malik Abdul Rauf said the NATO supply line must be cut down for good and all the airbases be reclaimed from US forces immediately. “the political and military leadership must act upon the resolutions unanimously passed by all parties conference and Parliament,” he said.

He said NATO attack was an effort to divert the attention of Pakistani people from Memogate saga. “It will be in the best of interest to the US forces to evacuate all airbases and leave Afghanistan as well,” he observed.

RAWALPINDI: Pir Naquib-ur-Rehman speaks during a meeting with Ulmaa to show solidarity with the Pakistan Army. onLIne

ISLAMABAD: The examinations under the postgraduate programmes of the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) for the Semester Spring, 2011 would be held simultaneously across the country from 12 December, said university’s examination controller Munawar Sulehri here on Friday In a press statement issued here, Sulehri said the roll number slips were being dispatched to all the eligible/enrolled students to their given addresses through regular mail. “Those who may not receive their slips by 5 December are advised to contact the nearest regional office of the University or postgraduate result section superintendent for issuance of the duplicate document,” he added. The controller said students seeking duplicates were required to bring two passport-size photographs duly attested by any gazetted officer. He also advised students “in their own interest” to read the instructions mentioned on the slips carefully before entering their examination centres. STAFF REPORT

PNCA’s puppet theatre team concludes KP tour ISLAMABAD STAFF RE PORT

A National Puppet Theatre (NPT) team of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) has returned to the federal capital after two weeks of visit to various cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

There team showed puppet performances to children of various schools. The team held shows for 12 days in various parts of the KP province to create awareness about spread the dengue fever, natural calamities like floods and tremors, health, environ-

ment, social and economic issues, said NTP Director Zulfiqar Ahmed while talking to Pakistan Today. He said the shows conveyed the message of patriotism and love for the country.

“Over the years, the NPT team had developed entertaining stories with didactic themes. One of its most popular dramatic programs is the ‘Story of Pakistan’ which has been presented before many heads of states and other dignitaries and has been highly commended,” he added.

Talking about his recent visit to KP, the NPT in charge said the 12-day visit

to KP included cities like Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan and Sawabi.

“The school children of terrorismhit areas took special interest in colourful puppet shows. Most of the children were enthusiastic and they expressed their overwhelmingly appreciation of the puppet shows,” Zulfiqar observed.

He said that through colourful puppets, the children could learn a great deal about social issues in an entertaining way and popular folk tales, skits and national songs were a great medium to educate them while putting to use their imagination.

He said that till-date the NPT has given more than 20,000 performances not only in the major cities of Pakistan but also in small towns and villages. The programme has been extended even to the remotest areas of the country.

Besides providing entertainment, the programs under this recent visit aimed at educating adult people as well.

“Adults and children gain knowledge from these interesting musical shows through puppets and get inspiration from the moral and historical stories acted out by puppets, said the NPT director.

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08 Islamabad

Faisal Mosque needs some attention

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hile people are criticising the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for showing indifferent attitude towards maintenance of infrastructure and facilities like roads and parks, the civic body seems least bothered about the preservation of Faisal Mosque.

The agency had demanded the government to replacement the carpet in the mosque at a cost of Rs 14.1 million while Rs 100 million were sought for other maintenance-related works in the current financial year. As a result of the negligence of shown by the CDA’s concerned directorate, the condition of the flooring is deteriorating rapidly while the old carpet in the lawn has also not been replaced yet. Similarly, the cleanliness problems in the areas adjoining to the main complex are worsening and the exterior of the mosque is fast losing its attraction with the fading whitewash while the cemented plaster inside the hall does not give a good look.

The large crescent at the top of main structure and four small crescents at the minarets (pillars) of the mosque also found in rough condition, as the brass the crescents have not been polished for the last many years.

Security arrangements in the parking areas are also not up to the mark and many of vehicles in recent past months have reportedly been lifted. Poor planning in the parking area of the mosque is also creating problems for the visitors.

People, while talking to Pakistan Today, expressed their concerns described the mosque as an asset of the country and symbol of modern architecture and said the CDA was not giving proper attention towards its maintenance. “It is not only a mosque to offer prayers but an attraction for visitors who come here for leisure but their number is rapidly declining because of the CDA’s improper performance,” said a visitor.

The Faisal Mosque (also known as Shah

Faisal Masjid) is an exceptionally large and unique landmark, the construction of which was completed in 1986,. Designed by a Turkish architect who won an international competition for the honour, the Faisal Mosque is shaped like a desert Bedouin’s tent and has attained the informal status of the national mosque of Pakistan.

It is located on an elevated area of land against a picturesque backdrop of the Margalla Hills. This enviable location represents a great importance and allows it to be seen from miles around day and night. The interior of the main tent-shaped hall is covered in white marble and decorated with mo-

saics, calligraphy by the Pakistani artists.

The prayer hall can accommodate 10,000 worshippers. The grave of former military dictator General Muhammad Ziaul Haq is an adjacent lawn of the mosque. The Faisal Mosque was the largest mosque in the world from 1986 until 1993, when it was overtaken in size by the completion of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco. Subsequent expansions of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) of Makkah and the Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet’s Mosque) in Medina during the 1990s relegated the Faisal Mosque to fourth place in terms of size.

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dAte: tUeSdAy deC 27, 2011 6:00 PM veNUe: iSLAMABAd

dAte: NOv 29 - deC 25, 2011 veNUe: iSLAMABAd

the band is set to visit Pakistan once again, this time to it's capital. Performing smashing hits like "that's My Name", "My Passion", "Stay with Me" & the new track " Feelings on Fire " they are sure to set the stage ablaze and make you sway.

do you have a passion for photography?

Are you the one whose click could change how we see things? what about using your passion for a greater cause? if yeS is the answer here’s your chance!

dAte ANd tiMe: every FridAy 6:30-7:30PM veNUe: KhAAS Art GALLery iSLAMABAd Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dancing, ritual combat & music in a unique synthesis of self defense and rhythm.

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Saturday, 3 december, 2011

Govt blocking memo inquiry: SM Zafar ISLAMABAD

T

ONLINE

He government’s reaction to a petition in the Supreme Court reflects its intention to block inquiry into the memo scandal, former law minister Senator SM Zafar has said.

Zafar said the Supreme Court wanted investigation into the scandal but the government response to the matter was unprecedented. “The reaction seems to be a move to create hurdles,” he said. He said the memo scandal had now gone to a higher level and the Supreme Court wanted a thorough investigation and that was why a notice to the top military leadership had been issued as they were nominated in the case. He said a positive solution to the issue was expected and the investigation would also expose many things. He advised the government to approach the Supreme Court if it had reservations.

PML-n politicking under cover of institutions, says firdous ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Friday said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was doing politics under the cover of institutions. Talking to reporters outside Parliament House, she said the government’s stance on the memo issue would come after its thorough examination, as the PPP’s legal team was looking into the matter at the moment. She said the government respected and honoured the courts and the issue should not be politicised in any way. She said if an officer of grade 22, the brother of Punjab chief secretary, headed the memo probe commission, the PPP had a legal right to express reservations and noconfidence, as his brother is under the influence of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. She regretted that the supreme forum, parliament, had been bypassed on the memo issue by the PML-N, which was against the sanctity of this national institution. She said the 17-member parliamentary committee comprising all political parties was not given time and opportunity to investigate the matter. STAFF REPORT

Newly-constructed NhA bridge on quetta-Karachi road collapses MASTuNG: A newly-constructed bridge by the National Highway Authority (NHA) on Quetta-Karachi main highway collapsed in Mastung on Friday causing traffic to stop. Official sources confirmed the incident and said that the newly constructed NHA bridge on Quetta-Karachi highway had been opened to traffic only a few days back. “Millions of rupees were incurred for the construction of the NHA bridge,” they said. According to preliminary investigation, the cause of the collapsing of the bridge was the utilisation of more sand and mud than cement and iron. APP

PML-q minorities’ leader joins Pti PESHAwAR: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader for minorities Mobeen Shareef Bhatti announced his decision to join Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and expressed full confidence in party chief Imran Khan. Speaking at a news conference on Friday, he said the PTI chief Imran Khan was the only leader who could pull out the country of present crises. Flanked by advisor to Imran Khan on political affairs, Shaukat Yousafzai and Mamoor Khan, Bhatti said the pro-America policy had put the integrity and sovereignty of the country at stake. He said his former party (PML-Q) had abandoned its ideology and joined the ruling party to enjoy privileges of government. Welcoming Mobeen along with members of other parties belonging to Hindu, Christian and Muslim community, Shakaut Yousafzai said Imran Khan was the only hope for the people. STAFF REPORT

62% believe US influence increased in PPP govt ISLAMABAD: The results of a Gilani Research Foundation Survey carried out by Gallup Pakistan revealed that the majority (62%) of Pakistanis believe American influence in Pakistan rose during the PPP government while 31% disagree. Among those who disagree 19% believed it had declined while 12% were of the view that it remained the same as before. A nationally representative sample of men and women from across the four provinces was asked, “Would you agree or disagree with the view that American influence has increased during the PPP government, or would you say that there has been no change?” Responding to this 62% agreed that US influence had increased, 19% disagreed whereas 12% believed that there was no change in it. While 7% did not offer a view. PRESS RELEASE

Behead the three pakistani murderers, orders saudi court MAKKAH ONLINE

A verdict to behead three Pakistani money launderers was confirmed by the Makkah High Court on Wednesday. The men are to receive the punishment for killing another Pakistani man and two Indonesian women, one of whom was pregnant via dultery.

According to press release issued on Friday, the case had inflamed public opinion as the gruesome details were recounted before the court. The gang had killed the fetus of the pregnant woman in a cruel manner.

The murder took place in Ramadan in the Central Area near the Grand Mosque in Makkah several years ago. The gang had initially been laundering money though the remittance of millions of riyals to Pakistan and later turned against another gang member and decided to kill him. They lured him to a house in the Central Area and served him a sedative-laced drink.

When he fell asleep, they strangled him and chopped his body into pieces. However, when they were engaged covering the body, an Indonesian woman who was having an affair with the victim, entered the house and saw the scene. In panick the gang killed the woman and put her body in a garbage bag and buried her in Arafat.

However, another Indonesian woman phoned several days later to ask where her Indonesian friend was, to whom they admitted the woman was with them. When the second woman, pregnant by one of the gang members, came to the residence, they strangled her and cut the fetus out of her womb. They put her body and that of the fetus in a plastic bag and buried them in the run-down house. The house was then abandoned but the owner discovered the bodies when he came to renovate the house. An investigation was launched immediately, which led to the arrests of the gang members. The three confessed before the Shariah court.

News 09

MeMo cASe

no protocol extended to pML-n leaders: sC ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the allegations levelled against it by the PPP leaders, including Babar Awan, at a press conference that armed security guards accompanied PML-N leaders in the Supreme Court and special protocol was given to them by the SC administration upon their arrival in ‘memo’ case.

A press note issued by the SC clarified that per usual practice, all litigants including the leaders of PML-N entered the SC building through the public reception gate and after security clearance they were given visitor cards to enter Court Room No-1, where the ‘memo’ case was being heard. It said no one was given any protocol or any special favour as far as entry into the court premises or in the Court Room No.1 was concerned, adding that the security personnel as well as court officials on duty were trained and instructed to treat litigant parties and advocates with dignity and respect without any distinction or discrimina-

tion whatsoever. The note said a careful review of CCTV cameras footage installed in the SC building also revealed that no armed private guards accompanied the PML-N leaders in the court, as wrongly alleged in the press conference. “To this extent, the contents of the press conference are totally false, misleading and contrary to the facts” the press note said, adding, “We hope that baseless allegations will be avoided in future and the dignity and respect of the apex court will be maintained.”

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10 News

Saturday, 3 december, 2011

FATA’s tribal people to get a voice: governor

PESHAWAR

K

STAFF REPORT

HYBeR Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar on Friday said the advent of democratic process in FATA will not only strengthen democracy but enable the tribal people to join the national political stream and play a role in national politics.

Talking to a delegation of elders of Utmankhel tribe of Bajaur Agency at Gover-

nor’s House, he said, “Tribal people should participate in political activities by joining a political party of their choice.”

Delegation members including Malik Zahir Shah, Mufti Muhammd Tayyab, Malik Bakht Rawan, Malik Amir Jamal, Malik Dost Muhammad met the governor.

Kaussar said the process of change in FATA had started and tribesmen would witness more people friendly actions from the government. He said the extension of Political Parties Order and amendments in the FCR were the two basic initiatives to signal the new democratic era in FATA. He said the FATA administration was being made responsive to people’s problems. He said FATA had been severely damaged due to the militancy. He said the FATA development outlay had increased to Rs 15 billion. He paid tribute to the people of Bajaur Agency for their sacrifices to curb militancy and repeated his commitment to compensate them. He said a Technical Training Centre was being established in every tribal agency to train the youth according to market requirements.

A REMINDER OF EARLIER TIMES: A man on horseback crosses the River Chenab in Chiniot. Inp

Communication breakdown to blame, not PAF: iSPr ISLAMABAD: The army on Friday defended the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) for its reported lack of response during the recent NATO airstrike in Mohmand, saying the communication break down prevented the fighter planes from scrambling to defend the troops on ground.

Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that the letter of Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani with regard to Pakistan Air Force was distorted to give a wrong meaning. “General Kayani said with the inclusion of the PAF, the forces action will be additionally reinforced. The decision could not be made on time owing to the lack of coordination,” the statement said. “A timely decision could not be taken due to breakdown of communication with the affected posts and, therefore, lack of clarity of situation, at various levels, including the Corps Headquarters and GHQ,” the statement said. STAFF REPORT

Khan’s vanguard haunts nawaz’s soldiers ISLAMABAD IRFAN BUKHARI

As the youth prove to be the vanguard of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) – the third political force in the making – the “concerned” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has sped up efforts to rope in the disappointed youth, asking its think tank to chalk out strategies for winning over hearts of 103 million Pakistani youngsters.

The Lahore rally, which opened new vistas of success and triumph for the previously dubbed ‘Tonga Party of Khan’, was in fact an exhibition of mistrust by the students and youth of the country on the forces of status quo.

According to the UNDP, an estimated 103 million Pakistanis, or 63 percent of the population, fall under the age of 25.

More than the charisma of Imran Khan and slogans coined by PTI’s intelligentsia, it was persuasion skill of the youth and its passion which attracted thousands to attend a procession which consequently changed the decades-old political landscape of the country.

Dejected with unending unemployment, poverty and lack of justice and fair play, the helpless youth of the country has attached hopes with Khan’s slogans of change with a renewed streak of passion.

Ralph Waldo emerson once said: “Passion rebuilds the world for the youth. It makes all things alive and significant.”

Mindful of such trends and its disastrous effects on the prospects of the PML-N, particularly in urban Punjab, the Sharif Brothers have increased contact with the youth of the country and the launch of numerous schemes for the welfare of students by the Punjab government can be attributed to the PML-N’s move of depriving Khan of his advance guards.

Last week, a delegation of youth called on PML-N President Nawaz Sharif.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and other party leaders were also present in the meeting.

Talking to the delegation, Nawaz said the Punjab government had launched various pro-

grammes for making youth skilful and creating job opportunities.

He said jobs would be created for the youth through programmes like distribution of loan on soft terms, steps for promotion of technical education, distribution of laptops to the talented students and Yellow Cab scheme.

Speaking on the occasion, Shahbaz said the Punjab government was implementing a comprehensive programme for elimination of poverty and unemployment from the province.

He said solid steps were being taken for the promotion of technical education and equipping the young generation with modern knowledge.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has finalised criterion to select talented students and high achievers to provide 100,000 free of cost laptops at a cost of Rs 2 billion. The students of all public sector medical and dental colleges, government engineering universities, public sector universities, government law colleges, students of BS Honours in public sector institutions and students of government postgraduate colleges would be considered for the gift of laptop under the scheme.

Under the scheme, students who have obtained 60 percent or more marks in annual examination and 70 percent or more marks in the semester system would be eligible to get free laptop.

Moreover, 100 top achievers in secondary school certificate examinations from each education board would also be rewarded with a laptop.

On the other hand, PTI leader Zahid Kazmi claimed that the distribution of laptops among students would further popularise Imran Khan’s movement among youngsters, as it would enable the youth (affiliated with the PTI) to use social networking sites and internet for spreading Khan’s message of change and justice.

To counter PTI’s popularity among the youth, Nawaz has also launched his daughter Mariam Safdar’s career in politics.

Mariam’s frequent visits to women’s colleges and universities and her close interaction with students are aimed at pulling the youngsters away from Imran’s charisma.

Talking to Pakistan Today, Rasul Bakhsh Rais said the Sharif Brothers would be trying to target the youth “but I think they cannot stop the wave of change and will fail in capturing the emotions of youngsters”.

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Saturday, 3 december, 2011

Editor’s mail 11

istanbul initiative shattered The trilateral summit of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkey concluded in Istanbul on a positive note with the three countries signing agreements and MoUs for cooperation in different areas and expressing willingness to join hands to build a combined partnership to ensure peace and security in the region. Though the summit went well in pinning expectations and raising hopes for the future of this area, and the upcoming December 5 Bonn Conference in Germany was being considered to be a culminating event towards formulating a final strategy for the post-withdrawal Afghanistan, yet the November 26 US-NATO attack on Pakistan’s Salala check post in Waziristan put at risk the peace process in the entire South Asia.

It was not a quick air assault that claimed 24 Pakistani soldiers, which could be chalked down to logistical mistakes, but it was an attack that lasted al-

PPP’s Sindh card

most two hours. While the jets and helicopters pounded the installations, Pakistan army contacted their NATO counterparts. They asked for a ceasefire but it continued. Islamabad made a strong protest to the US, NATO and Afghanistan, and told the world that the NATO chief’s ‘regret’ was not enough.

Analysts believed that this attack “can have grave consequences.” The Guardian observed that it was “the costliest strategic mistake the United States has made in the war in Afghanistan.”

Reports say the already scheduled official visits of high-level Pakistan military delegations to the US have been cancelled while Washington too has been told that its military officials are also not welcome in Pakistan, at least for now.

Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan would reassess its arrangements with NATO and ISAF, and “its relationship with the US can only continue with mu-

tual respect and mutual interest”. However, those who plead for adopting a pragmatic approach opine that our national stakes in the situation as it tends to evolve are so critical that the recent DCC decisions, though quite tough as they appear to be, are essentially symbolic in nature and may not seriously impact the emerging Afghan endgame scenario.

“While the government swung into action on the diplomatic front, in private it was hinting that the incident did not spell the end of Pak-US relations as has been predicted in the aftermath of the NATO attacks.” That’s why the need for holding thorough investigations into the incident has been doubled as the NATO commanders must be worried about their own image and of their organisation’s viability as an international policeman.

Back home their people are fed up with fighting a lost war in a distant area and their politicians agreed to bring home

their troops without delay. But probably NATO generals and lobbies that benefit from wars collaterally, want to keep fighting in league with the native Afghan commanders.

No wonder then most of the tension on the Pak-Afghan border is the making of Afghan commanders. If the recently held Loya Jirga voted for foreign military bases, it is what the Afghan commanders wanted which the Loya Jirga readily conceded. Therefore, the government is rightly advised that “there must be a well-conceived, concerted plan to muster international support for Pakistan’s position, especially now that Kabul-New Delhi axis is working strenuously to shift the blame of coalition’s impending failure to Pakistan.” Otherwise, the Istanbul initiative would not work in its true letter and spirit.

F Z KHAN Islamabad

After the NrO The honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan rejected the government’s National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) review petition. Now it is necessary for government to implement the verdict in letter and spirit. If the government uses delaying tactics as it did in the past, the judiciary should take firm action because rulers are playing with Court’s verdicts.

If the Supreme Court had taken any action against them in the beginning, they would have not dared violate its orders. It is the responsibility of the judiciary to see whether its verdicts are being implemented or not.

No one is above the law. Our religion Islam treats everyone equally. Islamic history shows even the caliphs being brought before the court. The parliament should make amendments in the constitution to remove the immunity offered to the president, PM and other government functionaries.

TARIQ HUSSAIN KHAN Karachi

Failed anti-polio campaign What is this fuss about the failed or not so successful polio eradicating programme? It was pointed out at the programme’s start about its expected failure due to the non-available cold chain. Let us be informed that the cold chain implies a definite refrigeration facility from the time the vaccine is produced till the time it is administered.

You do not have to be a genius to understand whether it is possible in our country to keep the vaccine thus protected. The most scandalous is that no refrigeration arrangement is available on any air or sea port in Pakistan. Some people have done this con job depriving the government of Pakistan and international agencies of unlimited loss to the exchequers.

ZAFAR OMER Lahore

The leadership of the PPP has so frequently abused the Sindh card that it has now become counterproductive. What this party has forgotten is that ZAB never ever resorted to such measures and his power base was in Punjab, KP and Sindh.

Mohtarma Benazir also ensured that the PPP under her watch should never be portrayed as a regional party by exploiting provincial or ethnic sentiments. even in the present National Assembly the PPP has over 60 MNAs, on elected and reserved seats, from Punjab and without this support the party could never have formed a government in Islamabad.

The PPP has itself to blame for its failure to serve the people who voted them into power. While hundreds of thousands were rendered homeless by floods in Sindh for two consecutive years, the party leadership found it appropriate to go on useless foreign trips instead of remaining in Pakistan and ensuring that rehabilitation work was carried out efficiently.

It was in Karachi on 18 Oct 2007 that Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s rally was attacked and over 180 party activists killed.

She escaped this attacked but fell to the assassins’ bombing in Rawalpindi. The attack in Karachi was deadlier than the one that took her life in Rawalpindi. Her killers have not been caught but instead the Sindh card was abused and what was a national tragedy was portrayed as the victimisation of a Sindhi leader.

What we have forgotten is that when ZAB was killed on orders of a military dictator, it was Jiyalas from Punjab and KP who self-immolated themselves in protest. When BB returned after her exile during the dark days of Zia-ul-Haq, millions came out in Lahore to welcome her.

Ironically, while hundreds were dying in Punjab of dengue virus, the PPP led by Asif Ali Zardari was only seen to be mocking at their plight instead of offering concrete support from the federal government. They forgot that many from Punjab had voted for them in 2008.

SYED JAWAID HUSSAIN Multan

Fashion

Another increase The recent increase in oil prices is not going to help the economy already burdened by a high rate of inflation. It is true that the international market for oil is volatile and the government has to follow suit but it can come up with a strategy so that these price shocks to the public are phased out.

The blow has to come but it would help if the government

Nuclear apartheid “The IAeA passed a resolution submitted by the five permanent and 13 other Security Council members for a deep and increasing concern on Tehran’s suspected efforts to develop nuclear bomb.” A column on 11-8-2011 said, “For 20 years, as we learnt only recently, the US Air Force was quoting from the Bible

could soften it with the formulation of proper policy because this is something that is not just the price increase in one commodity but something that has ripple effects on all sectors of the economy and political economy.

SAMINA A Lahore

to motivate its young missile officers to prepare for a nuclear war.”

Z A KAZMI Karachi

Backtracking specialists?

'If the US does not vacate Shamsi airbase we will not allow drones to take off [to kill our own citizens]', [Ahmad

Mukhtar, 30 Nov ]. Never trust our political gurus: they eat their own words without the slightest embarrassment and often spin lies to please their masters and to fool us. This statement could be another act of playing to the gallery and we can soon expect a denial from Mr Mukhtar.

TARIQ RANA Islamabad

That our Pakistani fashion industry is flourishing day by day is a good thing.

Pakistani designers are becoming renowned in international markets is a good thing too but we should not forget our culture, our norms and values.

It’s our duty not to forget our religion, norms and culture. But I feel sorry to say the trends which our fashion industry is adopting are not according to our social and religious values.

MARYAM PERVEZ KHAN Rawalpindi 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 may be edited for length and clarity.

It would be appreciated if letters were addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively.

no compromise on sovereignty

By Heena Khan

J

innah laid out the foundation of our relations with international world about 62 years ago, saying that: "Our object should be peace within and peace without. We want to live peacefully and maintain cordial friendly relations with our immediate neighbours and with the world at large."

–Lahore, August 15th, 1947 Now it is high time to look into that foundation. In its vow to bring peace and harmony into the volatile region of South Asia, Pakistan has suffered much. Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has rightly said that Pakistan has suffered much more than any advantage that it may have gained by participating in the war on terror.

The international world cannot and should not be oblivious to the human sacrifices that Pakistan has made as it has lost almost 3500 of its soldiers. If interna-

tional world tries to compute this loss with the dollars, then it is highly erroneous.

In the comity of nations, countries establish strategic partnerships on the basis of equality.

Today's global world requires our functioning on the basis of mutual cooperation and collaboration, if humanity wants to accrue benefits from the huge scientific and technological advancement that has taken place.

Pakistan also wants to grow in the world on the basis of mutual cooperation and coordination but on the firm foundation of respect and sovereignty. Any encroachment on sovereignty would not be tolerated just because of the fact that we are economically not fully developed. Our economy has suffered because of extremism and terrorism. Now, as our Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar puts it, "enough is enough ... We will not tolerate the spilling of blood of any of our civilian".

The recent attack of NATO

forces which took the lives of twenty four of our soldiers was a blatant attack on our sovereignty.

Though in the eyes of many people, this was not the first instance of its kind.

Before that, the Abbottabad incident was prelude to it. But, it also needs to be understood that in order to survive among the comity of nations, we have to show tolerance towards many things that we do not like sometimes. But, we cannot allow it to become a trend.

In order to break any misconceptions anyone might have had, our government has come up with a quite apt and firm stance.

The PM promptly called an emergency meeting of the DCC and reviewed our security situation. Setting aside all other issues, the whole cabinet focused on this issue and took some very important decisions that have helped us put forward a united front and a collective response to the outside world.

The PM stated that there could

be no compromise on Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity nor on the nation's resolve to safeguards its frontiers no matter what cost. The recent decisions of Pakistan of blocking NATO supplies and asking the US to vacate Shamsi airbase within 15 days and not attending Bonn conference are significant for our future.

These decisions are not only being taken to register our protest with the international world but also to bring a change in our foreign policy. This does not mean at all that we will opt for isolation or would not work for the peace and harmony in our region. In this regard, the PM has clearly stated that Pakistan reaffirms its support for stability and peace in Afghanistan and importance of an Afghan-led process of reconciliation.

The PM has also assured the Afghan president that his administration would extend full cooperation in the investigation of Professor Burhannuddin Rab-

bani's assassination. This shows Pakistan's genuine will for peace and harmony but not at the cost of the severe violation of our sovereignty.

Now, when the US has called for an investigation while hawks in the US administration are still calling for disruption of aid and review of agreements with Pakistan, they need to make careful analysis of the situation. In order to get safe access to Afghanistan and coming out of this Afghan imbroglio, they need Pakistan support. About half of NATO supply passes through Pakistan which saves them millions of dollars. The alternative route through Central Asian states is not feasible as the hilly area is covered with snow and winters are approaching fast.

Besides, if the US wants to come out from Afghanistan in 2014, they need to have a reconciliation process including all stakeholders i.e. the Afghan government, Northern Alliance, Pashtuns and Pakistan. No peace

process can yield results without including all the stakeholders. We share with Afghanistan the world's most porous border as well as cultural ties with the country. How can we be sidelined from the process?

Today's globalised world does not allow any nation to isolate itself but the fact that fate of many countries is interlinked does not give powerful countries the right to aggression. The US should be well aware of its standing in the international world and this could do incontrovertible damage to its image. That its image is deteriorating is evident from the fact that Russia has also threatened to close supply routes. If the world sentiment turns against the US, it could hardly be beneficial for it. Therefore, our government has rightly called for strategic partnership with US on the basis of equality and mutual respect. Revisiting the basis of our bilateral relationship with the USA is the need of the hour.

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12 Comment taking it to the SC the ball is now in the Court

T

he tendency among the political class to seek the removal of their rivals from the political scene through courts rather than normal democratic practices has harmed democracy in the past and is likely to do so again. During the 1988-99 period, the practice was to cook up false cases of corruption against the opponents. This time, the PML(N) has taken a different route, taking the memo case to the SC hoping that it might help it get rid of the government before the March Senate elections.

The government had already referred the memo scandal to the parliamentary committee on national security which was scheduled to initiate proceedings on the matter sometime at the end of next week. The committee is headed by a Senator known for independent views. In a nascent democracy like Pakistan, there is a need to strengthen the parliament and its committees instead of questioning their authority as Nawaz has done during the hearing of his plea. He said he had no confidence in parliament, where till recently one of the PML(N) stalwarts was the leader of opposition and chairman of public accounts committee and from where its members have yet to resign. Another petitioner belonging to his party objected to the parliamentary committee as having no constitutional backing. This is ludicrous in view of the fact that another parliamentary committee, despite lacking constitutional backing, had formulated amendments through consensus that led to the 18th and 19th amendments restoring the constitution to its true form.

The SC has accepted the petition for regular hearing.

In rapid and decisive moves, the court has sought replies from the respondents including the President, COAS and DG ISI within 15 days. It has also appointed a one man enquiry commission, directing him to collect evidence on the memo and submit report within three weeks.

A number of PPP leaders have maintained that the case is a conspiracy against President Zardari. Gilani has however overruled them maintaining that the judiciary is keen to preserve the system. Meanwhile, one expects much more than efficiency on the part of the SC while haring the case. With political polarisation on the rise, the court needs to be seen to be completely above political strife. This would be the best way to silence the critics.

Beleaguered A series of most unfortunate events

T

By Arif Nizami

what is going on?

A rather secretive lot

T

he Brahmanisation of matters military in the country has effectively barred everyone from commenting on them. Not because of a perceived fear when touching upon this prickly subject but because of a lack of actual ground knowledge on the issue. Apart from perhaps one or two, defence analysts in the media (the best gig around) grapple in the air regardless of which side of the pro/anti military divide they are on. Much is made of the lack of financial scrutiny of the military by civilians; no attention is paid to how little external scrutiny skills, preparedness and protocols undergo. Not many have any idea what they are talking about.

For instance, what to make of the COAS’s recent, much touted directive to his forces to suspend the chain of command and respond to any possible future attack?

Would this imply that earlier all actions even in very localised theatres had to be approved by authorities all the way up? Conventional wisdom would assume that clear-cut parameters would have been laid down when it came to engaging foreign forces that were clearly encroaching on our territory. If indeed that was not the case, why wasn’t the SOP changed back when the Abbottabad operation took place? Or even earlier than that? The Salala incident, after all, wasn’t the first of its kind.

The Wall Street Journal’s recent report about how the military had actually authorised western forces to operate in the said area of the Mohmand agency is troublesome if true. It will take more than an ISPR refutation to convince the public that this was not the case. After all, weren’t the allegations about the Shamsi airbase denied with vehemence as well?

Civilian oversight is a missing ingredient when it comes to these matters. It would be hard to imagine the engineering departments in Pepco or Pakistan Railways eluding the seemingly unaware but deceptively intelligent gaze of the political class. The army should be no different.

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, 3 december, 2011

he Supreme Court finally taking cognizance of Memogate and constituting an inquiry commission headed by a former FIA head has thrown a spanner in the works. This might prove to be the proverbial last straw for the Zardari government.

Normally calm and composed, Babar Awan – flanked by PPP stalwarts like Firdous Ashiq Awan, Qamar-uz-Zaman Kaira and Khursheed Shah – returning from a hurriedly called meeting at the presidency immediately after the Supreme Court’s issuing of the edict pressed the panic button.

He declared that after sending three prime ministers from Sindh in a casket back to Sindh, the stage was being set to dispatch the fourth casket; the casket being that of the president this time.

Babar’s severe denouncement of the apex court can be interpreted as a strategic decision by the PPP to play the Sindh card.

It betrays a certain sense of desperation about the state of affairs. The PPP-led government feels cornered from all sides. Obviously, it perceives that Zardari is the real target while Haqqani is merely a decoy.

As if Memogate was not enough, the possibility of re-opening of the Swiss cases against Mr Zardari as a result of the Supreme Court rejecting the government’s review petition against declaring the NRO null and void hangs like the sword of Damocles over the president’s head.

An overtly confident Nawaz Sharif personally appearing and speaking in favour of his petition on Memogate and the court’s severe edict leave little room for optimism for the government. The chief justice’s ‘advice’ to Sharif to invoke the example of former president Richard Nixon who after being indicted in the Watergate scandal was ultimately forced to resign was a clear hint that the president should not take his immunity under the constitution for granted.

The Supreme Court’s direction to the parliamentary committee on national security to forward all details of the memo issue to the commission which has been given a time frame of three weeks to submit its report renders the parliament’s role in probing the matter as secondary.

In this context, Nawaz Sharif’s re-

marks at the Faisalabad rally on 20 November that the present government has rendered the parliament irrelevant and toothless assume special significance.

Perennial conspiracy theorists suspect an emerging alliance between the ubiquitous military and intelligence establishment, the courts and the opposition to undo Zardari. In hindsight, Shahbaz Sharif chanting “Go Zardari go” at the top of his voice at the Lahore rally on 28 October was not without a purpose, they contend.

There is a definite method to the madness. The PML(N) panicking in the face of Imran Khan’s meteoric rise and its own dismal performance in the Punjab now seems in a hurry to see the back of Zardari even if it means sleeping with the enemy.

Now it is well known that the ISI chief General Shuja Pasha specially flew in to London for a one-on-one with whistleblower Mansoor Ijaz on 20 October. Armed with documentary evidence provided to him by Mansoor Ijaz, he was apparently convinced of Haqqani and his backers’ role in composing and getting the memo delivered to the then US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen.

The incriminating evidence coupled with Imran’s juggernaut probably induced the Sharifs to make peace with the establishment – their erstwhile nemesis. Obviously if elections were held sometimes in the end of 2012 or early 2013, this would further decimate the PML(N) in its citadel.

The PTI needs time to reorganise itself and to co-opt better candidates in its folds.

It also wants younger voters which it considers its support base to register. Hence, it is the Sharifs who are in a hurry and not Imran.

Some analysts have contended that the recent NATO attack on a military checkpost in the Mohmand agency gunning down 26 Pakistani troops was a US ploy to divert attention from Memogate in order to bail out the beleaguered civilian government. The theory seems far-fetched, and even if true has not worked.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Kayani has belatedly announced suspension of the “command and chain system” and has directed the ranks and cadres of the military to give a befitting response to any foreign aggression. We are told now that the decision was taken at a crucial meeting of the COAS with his military commanders a day after the NATO strike.

The question that begs an answer is

that why was there such inordinate delay in announcing this important decision. On Tuesday, the Director General Military Operation (DGMO) Major General Ashfaq Nadeem held a high level briefing for media persons at the GHQ in the presence of the Chief of General Staff, General Waheed Arshad. This was an appropriate forum to disclose such vital information to the media.

On the contrary, responding to a volley of questions, General Nadeem admitted that a military response to an unprovoked and deliberate NATO-ISAF attack was not a choice “owing to technological disparity”.

He also disclosed that the NATO-ISAF intruders violated the SOPs of coordination despite opening of all communications channels. The DGMO admitted that the scrambling of air force was possible but was deliberately not done as it would have meant “escalating the scale of the incident”.

Now we are told a different story by the ISPR. According to the latest information, a befitting response could not be given owing to breakdown of the communication system as a result of the NATO strike and was not a strategic decision as declared by the DGMO. There is a lot of confusion surrounding this issue and this flip-flopping is not going to help dispel it. The ISPR needs to come up with a cohesive response so it can deal with the situation and all the info flying around out there. For instance, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Pakistan army had given permission to NATO to conduct operations in the border region attacked. Reports like these need to be refuted and a clear picture needs to be given, which Major General Nadeem failed to do.

Obviously, Major General Nadeem strictly sticking to his brief had its limitations. That is why in response to a barrage of questions from media persons, he gave the perfunctory response that the answer was beyond his brief. On one or two occasions, the CGS attempted to answer questions regarding lack of response from the military, but he too for obvious reasons was restrained.

Had General Kayani been present at the briefing, he could have given the correct picture. And the ISPR would not have to issue a response the day after to clear the air. Although media persons had been told that the COAS would be present to answer their questions, for some inexplicable reason he did not attend the briefing.

The writer is Editor, Pakistan Today

whiteLIES S By ess Aich

ometimes the country can go into such a panic mode that even a simple news strip (and news strips are meant to be brief) can trigger the imagination and start a rumour. On Thursday, a few channels carried the patti “General Kayani suspends chain of command system” without adding “to allow officers to take timely action against aggression.” Well that brief half baked info was enough to activate dooms day sooth sayers and start a chain of phone calls and SMSs. Who had been suspended from the chain of command? Who was being sent home? Dr (?)

Babar Awan did not help. With the backdrop of his impassioned talk of a fourth coffins being prepared just a day earlier, the rumour factories made their own interpretation of the patti. We hear that some people were actively looking for their sherwanis and others furiously working on their contacts. Well it all turned out to be a misunderstanding. However, the mobile business made a packet and Imran Khan’s Tehrik-e-Insaaf gained a batch of new members. Now that is the power of a patti. It should not be taken lightly.

I

t used to be a father to son affair with rare exceptions but what is this growing phenomenon about daughters and political dynasties? We know that this trend was initiated in India and Sri Lanka and imported into Pakistan much later, but now it is almost an epidemic. every daughter wants to be her father’s heir but some it seems have to tamper with history to create a throne. Take last week’s Children’s Literature Festival in Lahore, courtesy ITA, an NGO with remarkable services to free quality education, partnered by OUP a publishing house that has stimulated literary

activities for decades. The last day of the fest had a panel for discussion on a book written

by Dr Hamida Khurro on the history of Sindh or, as it turned out, history rewritten of Sindh.

Apparently, the last chapter of the book titled “Children’s History of Sindh” invited severe criticism from a woman member of the panel who happened to be an educationist of considerable standing, owner of a school chain in Islamabad and consultant to various international NGOs promoting education in Pakistan. The lady pointed out that this chapter listed the late Ayub Khurro as the main leader

of the Pakistan movement.

Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was not even mentioned. However, The Quaid’s picture (unnamed) was included at the bottom of a page along with several others including that of Gandhi. Obviously, daughter Khurro would have us believe that her father was the founder of the Pakistan movement and The Quaid supported him much as Gandhi did. Now daddy’s girl really needs to brush up on Pak history. As for the publisher, surely he needs to fire the editorial board that approved such a literary scam.

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

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Saturday, 3 december, 2011

perception of justice Almost as important as justice itself

By Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

S

oon after delivering its judgment in the NRO case, the Supreme Court has taken up the case of the memo sent by Mansoor Ijaz to Mike Mullen. The PPP has expressed fears that Zardari is being made the target in both cases. In the first case, the Prime Minister is to move the Swiss government to initiate the legal proceedings against the President. Gilani has taken the stand that President Zardari enjoys presidential immunity and cannot be proceeded against in any court.

The issue is finally to land up in the SC. Some of the PPP stalwarts led by Babar Awan have resorted to innuendos that convey that the apex court is prejudiced against Zardari.

There is a need on the part of the government to carry out the apex court’s orders irrespective of whether it considers them right or wrong.

Unless this is done, there would be anarchy in the country. The court has, however, to conduct itself in a way that it is seen to be impartial.

This is all the more needed in a situation where a nascent democracy is struggling to come out of the shadow of the army, parliamentary committees are trying to grow and function, and the political scenario is rife with excessive polarisation between the rival parties.

There is no doubt that the court displayed unique judicial restraint in a number of cases, particularly the NRO case, where it had to face dilatory tactics on the part of the government’s legal team. The court even allowed the government to change the counsel with a relaxation of rules.

Important procedural questions, however, are being highlighted by both the legal community and the media which need to be taken note of. Foremost among the expectations from the court is that it would act in a transparent manner. Among the matters that need transparency is the fixing of the priority of the cases to be taken up. How does the apex court decide which one of the cases has to be attended to immediately?

Is the choice dictated by well defined and clearly spelled out parameters or subjective assessments? What considerations dictate the choice, particularly in cases with important political ramifications? Why are cases considered by many to be of great national importance remain unheard for years while

till 1999. The last hearing of the case took place on October 11, 1999, a day before Pervez Musharraf’s military coup. All subsequent attempts by the aging Asghar Khan to get the hearings started failed to move the SC. The case, as Cowasjee put it, has remained morgued amidst thousands of pending cases lying with the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

How come that the NRO case was given priority and no similar alacrity shown in taking up similar cases against another category of politicians, particularly the stay cases involving billion of rupees belonging to public?

When the judges speak too much, problems are bound to arise. The judges would do well to let the judgments speak for themselves.

During the proceedings of the

There is a need on the part of the government to carry out the apex court’s orders irrespective of whether it considers them right or wrong. Unless this is done, there would be anarchy in the country. others are taken up immediately?

A human rights petition was filed by Air Marshal (rtd) Asghar Khan in 1996 in the Supreme Court against the retired COAS General Mirza Aslam Beg, the former ISI Chief Lt-General Asad Durrani and Younis Habib of Habib and Mehran Banks, relating to the disbursement of public money and its misuse for political purposes. On the basis of Asghar Khan’s letter, attached press clippings and an affidavit signed by Asad Durrani listing the politicians to whom money had been paid, the SC decided to register a case under Article 184(3) of the constitution. The list included major politicians from the PML(N) and Jamaat-e-Islami as well as right-wing journalists. The hearings continued after prolonged gaps

case regarding the memo, remarks referring to the Watergate scandal or the observation that the president could be punished for conspiring against the state and the army under Article 5 of the constitution are likely to raise concerns at an early stage of the hearings.

The importance of public perceptions regarding the courts’ decisions is recognised in the maxim “Justice should not only be done but also seen to have been done”. Perceptions about the conduct of a case play an important role in the evaluation of the judiciary by the general public. Any perception of partiality would be damaging to the court’s prestige.

The writer is a former academic and a political analyst.

Comment 13

Corrupt and corrupter?

The master stroke rests with the judiciary

L

et’s have two things straight. The lack of delivery of the PPP-led government, the mammoth dossier of corruption of its hierarchy and the consequent woeful abdication of governance has resulted in a definitive shift of the power balance in the country. A democratic set-up can find strength only in the fulfilment of its manifesto through a credible, efficient and transparent implementation mechanism. In its absence, and in a country where the power base tends to rest more with the forces of the establishment, the shift becomes inevitable over a period of time. Its manifestations have been visible in the post-May 2 incident and, more noticeably, in the unfolding events after the NATO’s recent attack on our border posts that killed 26 soldiers.

Let’s not be influenced by the hype that the incumbent government may have created with regard to its firm stance against the US and NATO. It has neither anything to do with the formulation of this policy nor with its dissemination. It is solely manufactured in Rawalpindi and the government had little option but to embrace it. Why should I be saying that? The answer is not difficult to fathom for anyone familiar with the manner of induction of the existing concoction into the power echelons and the heavy baggage they have carried as a consequence.

The NRO was not crafted for charity. The powers that interceded between the former dictator and the PPP leadership to put it in place wanted a subservient government in Pakistan that would not only be willing to carry forward the servile agenda of its predecessor, but would add to it in terms of efficiency and bite. The US and its international allies would not

By Raoof Hasan have found a better candidate for playing the lead role in any such formulation than Mr Zardari who, for years, had been fighting innumerable cases of corruption and misdemeanour both within the country as well as outside, most notably Switzerland.

While the NRO took care of those cases initially with the help of the kangaroo courts that the former despot had hoisted, the movement for the restoration of an independent judiciary changed the ground rules. With the parliament refusing to turn the ordinance into law, the NRO was declared void ab initio by the SC and all the cases were duly restored. Because of the constitutional immunity, though, the president has remained safe from the clutches of law. In a crude demonstration of defiance, he has exercised his powers injudiciously to grant pardon from conviction to some of his close cronies who also hold critical positions in the cabinet.

Now, to the other factor. The discovery of the memo and the subsequent developments appear to be the last straw that may break the camel’s back.

Like I wrote in one of my previous articles, former ambassador Hussain

Candid Corner

Haqqani’s resignation would not have been secured if incriminating evidence had not been furnished by the concerned agencies. Asking for resignation from proven errant members of the ruling fraternity has not been a common practice with possibly the most corrupt government that Pakistan has had in its entire history. But, the memo affair is directly linked with the security and sovereignty of the country and its reins are perceived to have been pulled by none other than the president himself. Isn’t it, therefore, incumbent upon him to have his name cleared through appropriate bodies so that he may survive with a modicum of legitimacy to his rule?

Having been forced to seek the former ambassador’s resignation, and in spite of demands for constituting a credible judicial commission to investigate the matter thoroughly, the government first dithered endlessly and then came up with a toothless parliamentary commission to look into the accusations. Sensing blood, a petition was moved before the Supreme Court by the PML(N) leadership to investigate the matter on the plea that it contained serious charges regarding efforts to infringe national security and sovereignty. The apex court, having accepted the plea for hearing, has appointed a one-man commission of its own for a thorough probe. Concurrently, it has sent out notices to the president, the COAS and other respondents to depose before December 15 which has been set as the next date for hearing the case. That put the government on the mat as a judicial enquiry is expected to be thorough and may bring out in the open any complicity of the president and other state functionaries in the now infamous effort to secure foreign help.

The post-NATO attack activism should also be judged in the context that the government may have ventured to affront the US, its lord and master, in the hope that it would bury the memo controversy.

A soft investigation through a hand-picked parliamentary commission would have done the needful, but the judicial intervention has spoiled all that. The response from the government was vicious as its stalwarts unleashed a venomous assault on the movers of the petition as well as the apex court itself. The vituperative outpouring was replete with symbolism of a fourth martyr being despatched and the trappings of another break-up. There were also the usual innuendos to an assault on democracy by the rulers of Punjab who had played act 1 of the Bangladesh model.

The matter of the memo is too serious an affair to be sacrificed at any altar. It must be probed extensively and its perpetrators brought to justice, one and all. No saints themselves, the rulers of Punjab could not have wished for a better opportunity to either completely dismantle the corrupt edifice leading to early elections, or negotiate their pound of flesh. While a gruelling contest is keenly envisaged between two equally corrupt outfits and their appendages, the master stroke rests with the judiciary.

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, 3 december, 2011

Egypt awaits delayed election results CAIRO

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AFP

GYPT awaited Friday the delayed publication of results for the opening phase of its first post-revolution election, with the rise of hardline Islamists causing unease among the liberal elite. The date for results has been pushed back twice from their initially scheduled time of Wednesday evening, with the delay blamed on high turnout estimated at above 70 percent in Monday and Tuesday’s vote.

Two demonstrations were also called on Friday — one against the army leaders overseeing the country’s promised transition to democracy and another to support the regime — but turnout was low by recent standards. Millions of egyptians embraced their new democratic freedoms this week in Cairo and second-city Alexandria in the first election vote since the toppling of the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak in February The results at 1800 GMT are expected to show the Muslim Brotherhood, a moderate Islamist movement banned for decades by Mubarak, as the dominant force after it said its party had taken at least 40 percent. Hardline Islamists who follow the strict Salafi brand of Islam are expected to have beaten secular liberals for second place and could emerge with as much as 20 percent of the vote, according to local media projections.

The results are for only the first part of a parliamentary election taking place in three stages, but the results will reveal the political trends that will shape a country that has not had a free vote in 60 years. Only a third of constituencies voted on Monday and Tuesday in the election for a new lower house of parliament. The rest of the country will follow on December 14 and then on January 3. The prospect of an Islamistdominated parliament raises fears among liberals about civil liberties, religious freedom in a country with the Middle east’s largest Christian minority, and tolerance of multi-party democracy.

“My father is seriously thinking about sending me and my brothers elsewhere because he thinks we won’t have a future in the country with the Salafis,” Nardine, a Christian banker in her twenties, told AFP. A leading Salafi candidate to be the next president, Hazem Abu Ismail, aired his hardline views on society and religion in a television interview on Thursday evening. Asked if he would allow his son to marry an unveiled woman, he replied: “I would tell him not to marry her...

All Muslim women want to be veiled, but those who are not simply haven’t had the strength.”

CAirO: egyptian worshippers perform their Friday prayers before an anti-military rule demonstration in tahrir Square on Friday. afp

gulf sunni monarchies fear ‘shia spring’ DOHA AFP

The Sunni Muslim monarchies of the Gulf fear that Shias on the Arabian peninsula will rise up against their rule, inspired by the Arab Spring, community leaders in the region say.

“They want to transform the Arab Spring into a ‘Shia Spring’,” said Abdellatif al-Mahmud, a Sunni cleric in Bahrain, where a protest movement led by the Shia majority was crushed in March. The Arab Spring, which has swept the region and toppled three autocratic leaders, “has whetted the appetite of Shia in our region,” Mahmud told AFP on the sidelines of a Doha seminar on the role of religious diversity in the Gulf. Walid Tabtabai, a Kuwaiti Sunni, was even more viru-

lent. “Since the Shias are the majority, they are attacking Sunnis,” he said, citing the case of Iran, as well as Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein’s Sunni regime in 2003.

But Sheikh Ali Salman, the head of Bahrain’s leading Shia opposition formation, Al-Wefaq, rejected “this inappropriate approach.” “The Arab Spring involves all faiths and all communities, including the Amazigh,” or Libya’s Berbers, who helped to overthrow Moamer Gaddafi’s regime, he said. Bahrain’s crackdown on Shia protests, carried out with the help of other Gulf monarchies, raised tensions in countries with Shia minorities, including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, where four people were killed last month in clashes with security forces. “The problem is political, and

not confessional,” said Ali Salman, whose group calls for democratic reforms to ensure equality and eliminate discrimination among Bahrainis.

His analysis is shared by Kuwaiti intellectual Mohammed al-Rumaihi, said it is necessary “to promote the sense of citizenship” in order to get rid of religious and tribal communalism. Fawzia Hani, a Saudi Shia human rights activist, agreed. “A weak sense of citizenship promotes sectarianism and creates a gap between the state and people,” she told the seminar.

However, the proximity of predominantly Shia Iran raises concerns and suspicion in its Arab neighbours who fear their own Shia communities are being influenced by Tehran, which has clear ambitions to establish itself as a regional power.

Biden urges assad to quit, lauds turkey’s ‘real’ leadership ANKARA AFP

US Vice President Joe Biden urged Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to quit, in a Turkish interview published Friday, adding to global pressure on the regime over its bloody repression of protesters. “The United States’ position on Syria is clear. The Syrian regime must end its brutality against its own

people and President Assad must step down so a peaceful transition that respects the will of the people can take place,” Biden told the Hurriyet daily.

Biden, who arrived in Ankara Thursday from Iraq, called for a peaceful transition in Syria and broader global sanctions over the regime’s brutal crackdown that has claimed more than 4,000 lives according to UN figures. “Syria’s stability is important. That is exactly why we are insisting on change — it is the current situation that is unstable,” Biden said in response to emailed questions from the newspaper. “Lasting stability can come when there is a government that listens to its people and addresses their needs, rather than turning their guns on them.” europe and the United States tightened economic

sanctions on Syria Thursday, including bans on exporting gas and oil industry equipment and trading Syrian government bonds in an effort to choke off funding. Biden said Turkey had been a “real leader” under Prime Minister Recep Tayyip erdogan on the Syria crisis. “I commend Prime Minister erdogan’s recent call for Mr Assad to step down because of the regime’s treatment of its people, as well as Turkish leaders’ calls for others in the international community to support the Syrian people.”

The United States and its Western allies are leading a campaign to isolate Assad over the regime’s near nine-month crackdown on protesters. Turkey, a traditional NATO ally of Washington, announced tough sanctions on the Syrian regime including a freeze on commercial transactions and a break in links with the Syrian central bank. Ankara also hosts Syrian army defectors and an umbrella opposition group, the Syrian National Council. “We also welcome the government’s giving space in Turkey to the political opposition,” said Biden. “It is time for all in the international community to join in isolating a regime that has systematically violated human rights and repressed peaceful protests,” he added. “We look forward to the broaden-

ing of international sanctions as a means to bring about change in Syria.” Several countries, including Turkey, have raised fears that Syria is sliding towards civil war. “Civil war is the last thing that we would want to see in Syria,” Turkish President Abdullah Gul was quoted as saying by the private NTV television.

Biden met parliament speaker Cemil Cicek and Gul on Friday for talks also focused on Turkey’s fight against Kurdish rebels based in northern Iraq and Iran’s disputed nuclear drive. Gul said Turkish-US cooperation against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) “will continue in a stronger way,” the Anatolia news agency reported. In the interview, Biden said Washington and its european allies would “continue to keep the pressure” on the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and the european Union. On Iran, Biden encouraged Ankara to impose sanctions. “We continue to support a diplomatic solution to our concerns with Iran,” he said. “However, we also believe that putting pressure on Iran’s leadership is necessary to secure a negotiated settlement, and that is why we encourage our partners, including Turkey, to take steps to impose new sanctions on Iran, as we have continued to do.”

Iranians stage new anti-British rally TEHRAN AFP

Iranians in Tehran staged a fresh antiBritish demonstration on Friday in support of the storming of Britain’s diplomatic compounds earlier this week, the official IRNA news agency reported.

After attending Friday prayers in Tehran University, worshippers flocked to central enqelab (Revolution) Square, chanting “Death to Britain” and “(We) support the seizure of the second den of spies (the British embassy),” said IRNA. They also condemned what they called Britain’s hostile policies toward the Islamic republic, and finished up their demonstration by setting British and Israeli flags on fire. IRNA did not say how many people attended the rally.

Foreign media in Tehran were told Thursday that covering all anti-British, pro-regime protests was now forbidden — an unprecedented restriction that adds to many other reporting curbs already in place. Another anti-British rally in front of Qolhak Garden — Britain’s diplomatic residential compound — was reported Thursday by Mehr news agency but no further details were given. The rise of a new antiBritish campaign in Iran comes after London, along with other Western nations, placed sanctions against Tehran’s central bank over its nuclear programme. On Tuesday, hundreds of angry protesters ran amok in Britain’s diplomatic mission in Tehran, prompting the evacuation of all British diplomats for their safety. Britain in response ordered the closure of the Iranian embassy in London, with its diplomats told to leave the country by 1400 GMT on Friday. During the main weekly Muslim prayers on Friday, a senior cleric, Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, warned other Western countries not to follow in the footsteps of Britain. “We advise the europeans not to entangle their fate with that of a decaying Britain — or else our nation’s hatred toward Britain will also befall them,” Khatami said. He instructed worshippers to add “Death to Britain” to their cycle of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” chants. He did not, however, directly mention Tuesday’s pillaging of Britain’s embassy.

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Saturday, 3 december, 2011

Israel Mps slammed over supreme Court attacks

Foreign News 15

Suu Kyi raises hopes in landmark Clinton visit YANGON

A

UNG San Suu Kyi voiced guarded hope Friday that democracy will come to Myanmar as the opposition leader warmly welcomed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the home that was her prison for years. In scenes unthinkable before Myanmar’s recent reforms, Suu Kyi took Clinton by the arm and escorted her through the garden of her crumbling lakeside villa in the commercial hub Yangon where she was locked up until a year ago.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner said she supported Clinton’s trip a day earlier to Myanmar’s remote capital Naypyidaw and believed the nation earlier known as Burma had reached a “historic moment”.

“I am very confident that if we work together... there will be no turning back from the road to democracy,” Suu Kyi said next to a beaming Clinton on a back porch surrounded by potted plants. More needed to be done by the new militarybacked government, “but we hope to get there as soon as possible”, Suu Kyi added.

Clinton, who is the first US secretary of state to visit Myanmar in more than 50 years, nodded in agreement and said she saw “openings” during her three-day trip that “give us some grounds for encouragement”. The wife of former president Bill Clinton has spent decades hobnobbing with the world’s most powerful but was visibly excited to meet Suu Kyi, repeatedly embracing the democracy champion and kissing her on the cheeks. Clinton and Suu Kyi, two of the world’s most prominent women, also met away from aides for an

JERUSALEM AFP

The president of Israel’s Supreme Court has lashed out at ministers and MPs for waging a campaign of incitement against the judiciary aimed at undermining its independence. “A campaign is being waged that gathers speed from year to year, with the goal of weakening the judicial system and the Supreme Court at its head,” Dorit Beinish told a legal conference on Thursday, with her remarks making headlines in most of Friday’s papers. “This is a campaign of delegitimisation led by a number of politicians, MPs and even cabinet ministers who exploit their immunity and give the general public false and misleading information that has deteriorated into incitement against the court, the justices and the judiciary’s work,” she said. Her remarks, which were described as “unprecedented,” drew an angry response from right-wing parliamentarians and a mixed reaction from commentators, some of whom suggested she had overstepped the bounds of her authority. In her address, Beinish lashed out at MPs who have been trying to push through various laws aimed at curbing the court’s independence, including a bill seeking to grant legislators the right to vet Supreme Court nominees. Supreme Court judges in Israel are not appointed by political process, and opponents say the move is an ideologically motivated attempt to bring in justices seen as more amenable to the ruling right-wing coalition’s agenda.

nine men deny terror plot charges in Britain LONDON AFP

Nine men pleaded not guilty in a British court on Friday to plotting terror attacks on targets in London including the Houses of Parliament and the US embassy. The suspects, aged between 20 and 29, from London, the central english town of Stokeon-Trent and the Welsh capital Cardiff, were arrested in a series of raids by counterterrorism officers on December 21 last year.

Appearing at Woolwich Crown Court in London to enter their pleas, they also denied conspiring to cause explosions likely to endanger life or damage property between November 1 and December 21, 2010. The nine men, who are mainly of South Asian origin, also denied they were preparing for acts of terrorism between the same dates.

They are accused of agreeing targets, discussing materials and methods, carrying out reconnaissance work, attending operational meetings and downloading and researching files “containing practical instruction for a terrorist attack.” Five of the men are also accused of possession of a document “containing information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing for an act of terrorism”. Four are accused of possessing two editions of the Al-Qaeda magazine “Inspire” and a document titled “39 Ways to Serve and Participate in Jihad.”

AFP

yANGON: Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi holds the hand of visiting US Secretary of State hillary Clinton following their meeting at Suu Kyi’s residence on Friday. afp

yemen bloodshed raises fears for power transfer

AFP

Islamists from egypt to Morocco are reaping the rewards of new democratic freedoms brought by the Arab Spring, with the more moderate citing the Turkey as their template for the future.

“They look at Turkey as a model.

They look at Turkish success because it improved the life of Turks,” Shadi Hamid, director of the research at the Brookings Doha center, told AFP. “So they look at

Us hands key base over to Iraqi control BAGHDAD

SANAA AFP

AFP

A small girl was among four people killed on Friday as troops loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh pressed an assault on Yemen’s second city of Taez that has left 20 dead in 24 hours, medics said. The persistent bloodshed prompted recriminations between the government and the parliamentary opposition, which signed a hard-won power transfer agreement in Saudi Arabia last month that had raised hopes of an end to the violence.

The child, identified as Nuria alHumairi, was hit by a shell before dawn as loyalist tanks and artillery on the city’s outskirts pounded central neighbourhoods held by pro-opposition troops and tribesmen, officials said.

The other three people killed were attending funerals for some of the 16 people killed on Friday, they added. Five loyalist troops were among the dead in Thursday’s fighting, security sources said. Prime minister-designate Mohammed Basindawa, chosen by the opposition to head a government of national unity under the power transfer agreement, has threatened to resign unless the loyalist offensive in Taez stops. And opposition spokesman Mohammed Qahtan accused Saleh loyal-

The United States on Friday handed over to Iraqi control the sprawling Victory Base Complex near Baghdad, the main base from which the US war in Iraq was run, a US military spokesman said. “The Victory Base Complex (VBC) was officially signed over to the receivership of the Iraqi government this morning. The base is no longer under US control and is now under the full authority of the government of Iraq,” said Colonel Barry Johnson, a spokesman for United States Forces - Iraq (USF-I). “There was no ceremony, just a signing of paperwork akin to the closing of a home sale,” Johnson said in a statement emailed to AFP. Lieutenant Colonel Angela Funaro, a spokeswoman for USF-I, said that US troops had pulled out from VBC in advance and that just five US bases in Iraq now remain to be handed over.

ists of blocking the formation of a key commission also stipulated by the accord that is to be given the task of reuniting the deeply divided security forces. As well as Taez, dissident troops also control a big swathe of the capital Sanaa and there have been repeated deadly clashes with loyalist units, some of them commanded by Saleh relatives.

“The regime is delaying the establishment of this commission, perhaps out of a desire to take revenge as they have

been doing in Taez, or in a bid to rid themselves of the agreement entirely,” Qahtan charged.

“The formation of the military commission is absolutely basic at this stage,” he added. But Deputy Information Minister Abdo al-Janadi, a Saleh loyalist, denied the opposition charge. “The president’s camp is not blocking the formation of the commission as Mr Saleh wants the Gulf plan to succeed,” he said.

emerging arab Islamists look to ‘turkish model’ CAIRO

expansive dinner Thursday night at the US diplomatic mission whose chef prepared foods especially chosen to please Suu Kyi. Clinton’s aides said she even brought from the United States a chewy toy for Suu Kyi’s small but energetic dog. Suu Kyi nonetheless gave Clinton a friendly warning that her dog was sometimes aggressive towards strangers. Clinton on Thursday hand-delivered a personal letter from President Barack Obama that thanked Suu Kyi for her “inspiration” to people around the world and said the United States would stand by her “now and always”.

Despite the warm atmosphere at their meetings, Clinton and Suu Kyi both warned of serious worries in Myanmar.

Activists say anywhere from hundreds to more than 1,500 political prisoners remain jailed and that rape and forced labour remain common in ethnic enclaves torn by decades of war. “All hostilities must cease within this country as soon as possible,” Suu Kyi said. Suu Kyi repeatedly urged the rule of law, demanding that all political prisoners be released and “that no more are arrested in the future for their beliefs”.

Wrapping up her visit, the top US diplomat announced $1.2 million in new aid aimed at civil society to support microfinance, healthcare and help for the victims of landmines in the war-torn country. Clinton said she told the country’s leaders that the United States was assessing progress by the new leadership before it considers ending sanctions. “We will match action for action, and if there is enough progress, obviously we will be considering lifting sanctions,” Clinton said, but added: “We are still at the very early stages of this dialogue.”

AKP (the ruling Justice and Development Party) and they want their success,” he added. The moderate Islamist ennahda party that won in the first post-revolution elections in Tunisia openly expressed its admiration for the “Turkish model” represented by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip erdogan, a pious Muslim. erdogan did a tour of Arab Spring countries in October, visiting Cairo where the formerly banned Muslim Brotherhood is set for electoral success and Tunisia where he met the head of en-

nahda, Rached Ghannouchi. In the Tunisian capital, he declared to great acclaim that “Islam and democracy are not contradictory” and that “a Muslim can run a state very successfully.” The appeal of his party is partly its Islamist roots and partly the way in which it has managed to wrest control from the army, the traditional power centre in the country which has toppled several elected governments.

A fast-growing economy has raised standards of living and given the country bigger diplomatic clout that it is be-

ginning to flex. “The AKP has become a sort of guide for the Islamist parties,” says Abdel Bari Atwan, editor of the AlQuds Al-Arabi daily based in London.

“They want to imitate it after seeing how it has transformed Turkey into the 17th biggest economic power in the world with growth rates that would make europe green with envy,” he said. But while the AKP party has Islamist roots, Turkey is officially secular — a concept the Islamists emerging in Arab Spring countries seem unwilling to embrace.

protesters demand ‘saving’ Jordan from corruption AMMAN AFP

More than a thousand Jordanian protesters demonstrated Friday in central Amman calling for the country to be saved from corruption and demanding regime reforms. “Saving Jordan from corruption is a national duty,” read a banner carried by the protesters, including opposition Islamists and youth groups, who marched from Al-Husseini mosque to the nearby city hall in the city centre. “Jordan is not for sale. The people want to reform the regime,” they chanted as they carried a large national flag. “So far, there is no reform. Jordanian will not stop unless they see real reforms,” Jamil Abu Baker, spokesman of the powerful Muslim Brotherhood, told AFP. The demonstration comes a day after Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh won a comfortable vote of confidence for his government from parliament.

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Saturday, 3 december, 2011

Veena Malik

in liMelight

for Indian magazine cover MONITORING DESK

A

C T R e S S Veena Malik, known for enraging conserv a t i v e sections of the Pakistani society following her participation in the Indian reality TV show Bigg Boss 4, has allegedly bared it all for the men's international lifestyle magazine, FHM (For Him Magazine).

According to Times of India, Veena has done a strip photo shoot for FHM India and even tattooed her arms with 'ISI'. The issue

also has her talking about controversial topics like veil in Muslim societies.

Veena shot to fame in India when she entered the Indian reality TV show Bigg Boss season four 2010. The actress, who cosied up with male contestants on the show and flaunted her curves unabashedly, drew sharp condemnation and criticism from Muslim clerics and conservative media in Pakistan.

After returning to her country, she engaged in a fierce debate with a Muslim cleric, who decreed that

Veena had displayed "immoral behaviour" as a contestant on Bigg Boss. In her defence, Veena said that she was an artist and she wore the same clothes and behaved in the same fashion back home. She snubbed the cleric by giving him a taste of his own orthodox medicine. She asked him if he had not violated the Islamic law by watching a strange woman (Veena in the Bigg Boss show) more than once.

The news about Veena's strip off photo shoot has gone viral on the web and among her Pakistani fans and critics.

The Times of India report quoted Veena while speaking during the photo shoot: “It’s tough standing on one leg, while trying to cover up with one hand and running the other through my hair – you guys are going to pay for this.”

Not only has the picture got the online community talking, Pakistani diva, Meera – who had earlier called Veena a “cheap girl” – was active on Twitter commenting on the picture: “TheMeeraJee Hhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaa OMG” “TheMeeraJee what the f……………………”

“TheMeeraJee Completely mad woman” This is not the first time that FHM India has been accused of manipulating photographs.

According to reports, Indian actress Kajal Agarwal had accused the magazine of “morphing” her pictures taken at a photo shoot for the September 2011 issue.

Meanwhile, Veena’s public relations manager Sohail Rashid has denied that the actress had posed for a nude picture for FHM. Sohail said that the photo was fake and she was not part of any such photo shoot. He also said that Veena knows her limits and can’t go to that extent.

Prince William, Kate Middleton

LOS ANGeLeS: George Clooney and Anne hathaway (r) attend National Board of review Awards Gala.

MUMBAi: hrithik and Susanne roshan attend Arjun rampal’s birthday. tOKyO: tom Cruise, director Brad Bird, and actress Paula Patten, wave after a press conference for their latest movie ‘Mission impossible: Ghost Protocol’

MUMBAi: deepika Padukone poses during a promotional visit to 92.7 Big FM radio station.

Jones and Paltrow are

Shah Rukh has a

least influential People of 2011

are Olympic Ambassadors LONDON: Prince William and Kate Middleton seem to have it all, and now they can add being Official Ambassadors for Great Britain and Northern Ireland-based Olympic athletes in London’s 2012 games. Prince Harry has also been named an ambassador along with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

“Catherine, Harry and I are honoured to be Ambassadors for Team GB and Paralympics GB. London hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will inspire so many people — particularly the young — to be the best they can be,” Prince William commented. AGENCIES

LOS ANGELES: editors at Gq magazine have followed up Barbara walters' annual list of the 10 Most Fascinating People of the year by creating their own compilation of celebrities who have failed to contribute something of “value” to the world, and both blonde beauties were nominated for the shameful honour.

Jones was one of 25 selected because the latest season of her hit tv show ‘Mad Men was delayed from airing until 2012 and Paltrow was named for “unleashing her awful cookbook on the world”. Also noted were musicians Bono and the edge for spending a wasteful $65 million on the making of Broadway musical ‘Spider-Man: turn Off the dark’, veteran harrison Ford for creating box office flop ‘Cowboys and Aliens’, and ‘terminator’ star Arnold Schwarzenegger for engaging in an extramarital affair. AGENCIES

in Kristen Stewart

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17 Scorsese, Clooney & Swinton

sweep LOS ANGELES SiNGAPOre: US film director Michael Bay posses at the media preview for ‘transformers: the ride’ at Universal Studios.

.

S

National Board of Ferrari unveils Review awards diamond-encrusted biography

AGENCIES

CORSeSe picked up the Best Director prize when the honours were announced on Thursday. George Clooney took home the Best Actor trophy for ‘The Descendants’ and his ‘Michael Clayton’ co-star Tilda Swinton was honoured with the Best Actress prize for harrowing drama ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’. Clooney’s movie daughter Shailene Woodley picked up the Best Supporting Actress award.

Meanwhile, cancer survivor Will Reiser was handed the Best Screenplay accolade for his honest ‘50/50’, which recounted his battle with the disease and starred pal Seth Rogen. The National Board of Review members also announced their top 10 films of 2011. The countdown features ‘Hugo’, Oscars favourites ‘The Artist’ and ‘The Descendants’, ‘Drive’, ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2’, ‘The Tree of Life’, ‘The Ides of March’, ‘War Horse’ and ‘J. edgar’.

NEW DELHI AGENCIES

The full list of NBR winners is: Best film: ‘Hugo’ Best Director: Martin Scorsese, ‘Hugo’.

Best Actor: George Clooney, ‘The Descendants’.

Best Actress: Tilda Swinton, ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’.

Best Supporting Actor: ‘Christopher Plummer, Beginners’.

Best Supporting Actress: Shailene Woodley, ‘The Descendants’.

Best Original Screenplay: Will Reiser, ‘50/50’.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, ‘The Descendants’.

Best Animated feature: ‘Rango’.

Breakthrough Performance: Felicity Jones, ‘Like Crazy’.

Breakthrough Performance: Rooney Mara, ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’.

Debut Director: J.C. Chandor, ‘Margin Call’.

Best Ensemble: ‘The Help’.

Spotlight Award: Michael Fassbender (‘A Dangerous Method’, ‘Jane eyre’, ‘Shame’,’ X-Men: First Class’) NBR freedom of Expression: ‘Crime After Crime’ NBR freedom of Expression: ‘Pariah’ Best foreign Language film: ‘A Separation’ Best Documentary: Paradise Lost 3: ‘Purgatory’ Special Achievement in filmmaking: The Harry Potter Franchise.

Italian automobile manufacturer Ferrari unveiled its official biography ‘The Ferrari Official Opus’ — the diamond-encrusted volume is priced at USD 250,000 (approx Rs 1.3 crore) making it the costliest book to be sold in India. The book, of which only 4,100 copies have been printed, weighs 37 kg.

The book was released at the Ferrari showroom in the capital, the company announced. The cover bears the logo of a diamond-studded prancing horse. The book has been personally signed by Ferrari F1 world champions, racing legends and current F1 drivers. Antonio Ghini, Ferrari’s longstanding communications director and editor-inchief of The Ferrari Official Magazine was the creative advisor of the book, which was edited and designed by a team led by ezster Karpati. The book has brought together articles by some of the finest auto-sports writers, photographers and illustrators. The 852-page book features more than 1,000 images to bring alive the history of the iconic Ferrari.

ace Khan all set to conquer the small screen MUMBAI AGENCIES

Aamir is to host and produce a show that will bring real stories of people on the small screen.

“I am sure I will face difficulties when it comes to television. It is a field I know very little about.

Fortunately, the people I am interacting with are very bright minded. So I am getting to learn every day. I am trying to absorb as much as I can,” Aamir says. The actor’s production company Aamir Khan Productions will co-produce the show with Star India.

The production of the yet-untitled show will start early next year and Aamir says he made an early announcement to put speculation to rest and it should not be seen as his new marketing strategy. “A lot of rumours were coming up for some time now; so we thought we should put these speculations to rest. We made the announcement

LOS ANGELES: hollywood's fascination with Bollywood stars continues. the latest to join the list is 'twilight' star Kristen Stewart, who is a huge fan of Shah rukh Khan. She calls him an "epitome of romance" and says that she would love to work with him. “well, i am a big fan of Shah rukh Khan who is an epitome of romance in Bollywood,” Kristen. Given a chance, she said he would be the one with whom she would love to do the second part of her movie ‘the twilight Saga: Breaking dawn’.

“And not just hollywood but i would love to work with him in Bollywood movies too and for that i am also looking forward to learning hindi,” said the 21-year-old who rose to fame playing Bella Swan in the vampire saga ‘twilight’. “i have also seen the promos of his latest movie 'ra. One' which are very impressive and i just loved his look in the movie. i'll definitely watch the movie also. he is truly an inspiration to me,” she added. AGENCIES

without a fixed date so we could at least give a brief insight to people as to what the show is going to be like. But calling it also a marketing strategy would be wrong,” he said. “I would want more and more people to watch my show just like my films, but that doesn’t mean I will add something extra to increase the TRP. I would rather focus on the subject and grab eyeballs. I can’t think of adding ‘masala’ or anything in the format for TRPs. I am sure our TRPs will be good,” he said. He added: “I don’t understand these terminologies. I don’t know what USP means. I am not a very good marketing person. I just know my prime responsibility is to make way into people’s heart.” Aamir is not the first big Bollywood star to bow on the small screen. From Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan to Preity Zinta and Madhuri Dixit, all have made their presence felt on TV in the last one decade. Known as Mr Perfectionist in Bollywood, Aamir says, “I do not think my entry on tel-

not selling Beti B's pictures: Amitabh Bachchan

evision is late. I feel everything has a right time. My venture into television is not calculated. There is nervousness, but I am excited and charged up about the show. I was sure that if I would do something on television then it has to be different. It has to be something that will connect with the audience.” The 46year-old brought the change in promotional activities of movies with his Oscar nominated home production ‘Lagaan: Once Upon A Time’ in 2000 and rest is history. In his over two-decade-long career Aamir has seen both highs and lows. After facing flak for ‘Mann’ and ‘Mela’, Aamir reinvented himself as a thinking actor-filmmaker and has given the industry cinematic pieces like ‘Tare Zameen Par’, ‘Peepli Live’, ‘Dhobi Ghat’ and ‘Delhi Belly’, which are creative powerhouses.

‘The Dirty Picture’ is Naseeruddin’s

spiciest role since ‘Tirchhi Topiwale’ act

MUMBAI: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has denied reports he is planning to sell pictures of his son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya’s first child. “Media is trying to build up story of sale of baby picture...ha ha ha ... good try media, it will never happen," Amitabh posted on micro-blogging site twitter, following reports that the family will follow hollywood's trend of selling baby pictures. Aishwarya gave birth to a baby girl Nov 16, and the Bachchan's brought the daughter home Nov 22. the family is yet to decide on a name for its bundle of joy.

AGENCIES

MUMBAI: ‘The Dirty Picture’ is Naseeruddin’s spiciest role since `Tirchhi Topiwale` act: Vidya Balan Mumbai: Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has essayed varied roles in his 36year-long career. Vidya Balan, his co-star in ‘The Dirty Picture’, says his character in this film is his spiciest role since ‘Tridev’ where he had featured in the fun song ‘Tirchi Topiwale’. “It was great fun to work with him again.

After ‘TirchhI Topiwale’, this is one spicy role he has done.

So he was having a lot of fun working on his character. I was having more fun because I was seeing Naseerji in a new light,” said Vidya who has worked with Naseeruddin in ‘Ishqiya’. The 33-year-old actress also talked about Emraan Hashmi and Tusshar Kapoor, who are a part of the film.

“Tusshar and I are very fond of talking, so we used to keep talking all the time. Emraan talks very less, so the only conversation we had was in front of the camera. But I liked the track with him because it starts with hatred, but like you know, hatred is the first step to love, so it’s a mature take on that,” she said during a promotional event. In ‘The Dirty Picture’, the otherwise reserved Vidya will be seen at her boldest ever avatar, as she essays the role of a 1980s dancing star. AGENCIES

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Saturday, 3 december, 2011

wozniacki hires Sanchez as new coach Page 23

PCB gets clearance for India series

Kaneria keen to know his fate

PcB honours blind, women’s teams

LAhOre: PCB Chairman PCB Ch Zaka Ashraf during the reception hosted in honour of the women’s and blind cricket teams at National Cricket Academy. staff pHoto LAHORE

P

ASHER BUTT

CB chairman Zaka Ashraf has got clearance from the government to visit India this month, where he will speak to the BCCI about the revival of bilateral cricketing ties. Ashraf, who is due to visit in India in the next ten days, said he had informed the foreign office of his trip and also sought advice from the government on what could be done to revive cricket between the neighbouring countries.

Zaka Ashraf is confident that the PCB will meet the security standards set by the ICC committee formed a couple of months ago.

Talking to journalists here at the National Cricket Academy, Zaka said that the ICC formulated a committee of board members to give their recommendations for the revival of the cricket in Pakistan but the final

decision of the committee is yet to come and the PCB is ready to meet the standards set by the ICC to bring the international cricket back to Pakistan. “I had a detailed talk with the Indian and Bangladesh board officials during the ICC meeting in Dubai and they have invited me to have a thorough discussion on the revival of cricket in Pakistan,” he added. According to the ICC's Future Tours Programme, Pakistan are scheduled to tour India for three Tests and five ODIs in March-April 2012, but there is uncertainty over whether that series will take place as the Indian government has not yet cleared it. "It is unfortunate that we broke our ties and I want to revive them," he added.

Zaka said: “By the announcement of the revival efforts of the Pakistan and India series, the fans from across the border have shown great interest. All I want is the revival of the bilateral series no matter where it is played be home, neutral venue or in

India. Similarly, Bangladesh official said that he want to to discuss the series with his board and then come up with the final decision,” said Zaka. “I had positive talks with Haroon Lorgat who wants good working relations with the PCB,” he maintained.

He further said that the PCB was moving towards the election process.

Zaka while elaborating the security division, said that he wanted a senior police official in the division who could understand the requirements of the job and would coordinate with the ICC anti-corruption unit to keep the game clean. On the appointment of new coach, the PCB chairman clarified that there were no issues. He said: “We won’t to have the best available options in all the three departments of the game and local coaches will be attached with them so that we would have our own trained manpower who could be used in the academy,” said he.

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board on Friday honoured the national women’s team and the blind team at the National Cricket Academy for their recent performances. The national girls and the members of the blind cricket team were also awarded Rs 100,000 each. The Pakistan women’s team qualification for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 and the blind cricketers’ glaring win in a series against India have come as pleasant welcome for the new PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf. Apart from the members of both the women’s and blind cricket teams, officials of the PCB, chairman Zaka Ashraf, and other officials were also present on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Nida Dar praised the efforts of the PCB for the uplift of the game. She further said that he was happy to see the team move to the finals of the World Cup. “I am looking forward to win the World Cup,” she added.

Speaking on the occasion, Blind cricket team captain Abdur Razzak said that his team will always strive hard for the glory and would look for the PCB for its support. STAFF REPORT

Bangladesh’s second lowest against pakistan stats corner S. PERvEz QAISER

Bangladesh achieved their second lowest total against Pakistan in limited overs internationals by scoring just 91 in 30.3 overs in the first match of the three-match series at at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, on Thursday (December 1). It was Bangladesh's ninth lowest total in ODIs. Their lowest against Pakistan is 87 runs in 34.2

overs at Dhaka on June 2, 2000.

— As many as 184 runs were scored for the loss of 15 wickets in 56.1 overs in this match which was the lowest match aggregate between the two teams. The previous record was 192 runs for the loss of 13 wickets in 67.4 overs at Moratuwa on March 31, 1986.

— Shahid Afridi recorded his best bowling performance against Bangladesh by five for 23. His performance was third best by a Pakistani bowler against Bangladesh after six for 35 by Abdur Razzaq at Dhaka on January 25, 2002 and five for 17 by Umar Gul at Lahore on September 15, 2003.

Shahid Afridi's previous best against Bangladesh was three for 11 at Dhaka on January 24, 2002.

— Tamim Iqbal became the fifth

Bangladeshi batsman to get 11 or more ducks in one-day internationals. Bangladeshi opening batsman's 11th duck came in the 107th innings of as many matches.

— Pakistan's victory with 146 balls to spare was the second biggest in terms of balls against Bangladesh. Pakistan's 10-wicket won with 182 balls to spare at Karachi on July 4,2008 is the

biggest in terms of balls remaining.

— Shahid Afridi received 27th man of the match award in 331 one day internationals. Only Saeed Anwar (28 awards in 247 matches) won more such awards than Shahid Afridi for Pakistan.

It was Shahid Afridi's third man of the match award in 16 one-day internationals against Bangladesh.

BEST BOWLING FOR PAKISTAN AGAINST BANGLADESH FIGURE 6-35 5-17 5-23 5-35 5-38

BOWLER Abdur razzaq Umar Gul Shahid Afridi Saqlain Mushtaq Saqlain Mushtaq

VENUE dhaka Lahore dhaka Northampton Colombo

DATE 25-01-2002 15-09-2003 01-12-2011 31-05-1999 16-07-1997

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

In a bid to revive his international career, discarded leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has met the newly-appointed Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Zaka Ashraf. Kaneria has been sidelined by the PCB since last year as its integrity committee has suspicions about the spinner’s role in a spot-fixing investigation that was held in england.

"Kaneria had requested for a meeting with Zaka Ashraf and was given a hearing," a PCB official said. He said that Kaneria had presented his case before the PCB Chairman and informed him that despite having submitted clearance certificates from the ICC and essex police, he was being ignored by the selectors. "The chairman listened patiently to Danish and also asked chief operating officer, Subhan Ahmad to join the meeting. "Subhan informed Ashraf that the only issue the board had with clearing Danish was that it wanted to be sure about the interview the essex police had with him and whether he was required any longer in the spot-fixing trial or not," the official said.

Sources in the PCB said that Kaneria would know his fate not before January when the spot-fixing trial of his essex teammate, Mervyn Westfield concludes in england. "In January the board will know when the trial ends whether Danish is required for any further questioning by the police or not," a source said.

Incidentally, out-of-favour wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal also met the PCB chairman this week to plead his case.

Kaneria, who has taken 261 Test wickets, was hopeful of getting justice soon and said so far he has not taken any decision on whether to file a petition in the Lahore High Court or not. "I am consulting my lawyer and will take a decision soon as I am desperate to get my name cleared," he said.

Ponting leads Australian fightback against Kiwis BRISBANE AFP

Ricky Ponting, searching for an elusive century to save his Test career, led an Australian fightback on the second day of the first Test against New Zealand at the Gabba on Friday.

Ponting, without a century in his previous 28 Test innings and under pressure to keep his place, had a few close shaves to have Australia in reasonable shape at 154 for three in reply to New Zealand’s 295 at stumps.

The former skipper, whose last big innings of 209 against Pakistan in Hobart was almost two years ago, was unbeaten on 67 with his successor Michael Clarke not out 28.

Ponting narrowly avoided being run out before he had scored when Brendon McCullum’s throw just missed the stumps at the non-striker’s end and he also survived a video referee’s referral for lbw on 63.

Ponting, who turns 37 later this month, unfurled some of his classic drives and pulls among his 11 boundaries to look back in scoring nick.

“Ricky’s one of the legends of the game,” Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon said.

“We all have confidence in him and we’re going to back him up right to the end of the day. He’s awesome, so hopefully he can go on and get a big one tomorrow.”

Clarke on 23 had a huge slice of luck when in the 42nd over he played Doug Bracewell on to his stumps only for Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf to check for a no-ball.

Replays showed that Bracewell had overstepped the popping crease giving the Aussie skipper a reprieve.

Ponting and Clarke’s unbroken 63-run stand rescued the home side after the loss of David Warner (3), Phil Hughes (10) and Usman Khawaja (38) for 91 runs.

Twenty20 specialist Warner’s Test innings debut lasted just three balls before he was out in the over before lunch when he failed to get out of the way from a superb lifting Tim Southee delivery and was caught off the gloves by wicketkeeper Reece Young.

Hughes was out to a great diving catch

by Martin Guptill in the gully off Chris Martin and Khawaja again failed to go on after a start when he was run out on the first ball after tea.

SCOREBOARD NEW zEALAND 1st innings (overnight 176-5) B. McCullum c Warner b Starc 34 M. Guptill c Haddin b Siddle 13 K. Williamson c Khawaja b Lyon 19 R. Taylor b Pattinson 14 J. Ryder c Warner b Starc 6 D. Brownlie not out 77 D. Vettori run out (Hussey) 96 R. Young c Clarke b Siddle 2 D. Bracewell c Clarke b Lyon 0 T. Southee c Hussey b Lyon 17 C. Martin b Lyon 1 EXTRAS (9b, 1lb, 3w, 3nb) 16 TOTAL (all out; 82.5 overs) 295 Fall of wickets: 1-44 (Guptill), 2-56 (McCullum), 3-78 (Williamson), 4-93 (Taylor), 5-96 (Ryder), 6-254 (Vettori), 7-256 (Young), 8-259 (Bracewell), 9-290 (Southee), 10-295 (Martin) BOWLING: Pattinson 15-1-64-1 (2nb, 2w), Siddle 24-8-57-2 (1nb, 1w), Starc 20-1-90-2, Lyon 21.5-1-69-4, Hussey 2-0-5-0.

AUSTRALIA 1st innings D. Warner c Young b Southee 3 P. Hughes c Guptill b Martin 10 U. Khawaja run out (Williamson) 38 R. Ponting not out 67 M. Clarke not out 28 EXTRAS (1lb, 1w, 6nb) 8 TOTAL (for 3 wkts; 46 overs) 154 Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Warner), 2-25 (Hughes), 3-91 (Khawaja) BOWLING: Vettori 9-2-23-0, Southee 12-5-31-1, Martin 12-2-38-1 (1w), Bracewell 10-2-50-0 (5nb), Guptill 1-0-6-0 (1nb), Brownlie 2-0-5-0 Bad light ended play at 4:38pm (06:38 GMT) TOSS: New zealand, UMPIRES: Aleem Dar (PAK) and Asad Rauf (PAK), TV UMPIRE: Nigel Llong (ENG), MATCH REFEREE: Andy Pycroft (zIM)

BriSBANe: Australian batsman Michael Clarke (r) cuts a ball as New Zealand wicketkeeper reece young (L) looks on. afp

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Saturday, 3 december, 2011

LCCA League matches postponed due to Muharram LAHORE STAFF REPORT

The all league matches of the LCCA Super Cricket League have postponed due to Muharram-ul-Haram till Dec 10 while the match between Lahore Gymkhana and Young Prince Club will be played on December 11 at Bagh-e-Jinnah ground.

Shining Club outplay Model town whites LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Shining club won the initial round match of the 15th Tauseef Trophy Cricket Championship when they outplayed Model Town Whites by four wickets played at Model Town ground the other day. Fine batting by M Waheed, Mudasar Anwar and equally good bowling by Moazaam were the main feature of the match.

Scores: Model Town Whites 155-7 in 20 overs (Mudassar Anwar 54, Saad Ali 31, Shujah Haider 31*, Moazaam 4-20, Aftab 2-29).

Shining Club 156-6 in 19.1 overs (M Waheed 46, Usman Wali 32, Kashif 2-37).

Punjab Law College’s another distinction

Sports 19

cHAMPIonS troPHy Hockey

Favourites wary of resurgent Pakistan AUCKLAND

A

AFP

USTRALIA are aiming to secure a historic fourth straight win at hockey's Champions Trophy starting in Auckland today. The reigning Olympic and world champions go into the eight-nation tournament as favourites, keen to assert their dominance ahead of the London Games.

Pakistan, the lowest-ranked team, performed well to secure a 1-1 draw in a warm-up match against world No. 2 team Germany and will hope world record-holding goal scorer Sohail Abbas can help end a 17-year Champions Tro-

phy drought.

Australia has held the Champions Trophy since 2008, a feat they have achieved once before -- in 1983-85 -- and which has been equalled only by West Germany (1986-1988).

The tournament venue was switched from New Delhi to Auckland in September after a row between the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and Indian officials over who runs the game in the country.

As a result, New Zealand took India's spot at the tournament. Pakistan and South Korea were both given wild cards in the expanded event, which this year features eight teams instead of six.

Host nation New Zealand are full of

self-belief after ending a 12-year losing streak against Australia in Hobart last month, but had mixed fortunes in warmup games, with a 3-1 win over Great Britain and a 4-3 loss to Spain.

Coach Shane McLeod said the home advantage would provide a major boost for his experienced team, which boasts 2,125 caps.

"Having the support of a local crowd and the benefit of playing on our home pitch will really help -- it's something we've never had before at this level," he said.

Pakistan, once the power house of hockey, returns to the fold of elite Champions trophy hockey tournament after six years.

Khalid, Ikram inflict innings defeat on Karachi Blues KARACHI APP

Abbottabad’s teenage left arm fast medium bowler, Ikramullah Khan finished with career best match figures of 12 wickets to inflict an innings and 188 runs defeat on Karachi Blues in their eighth round match of Quaid- e-Azam Cricket Trophy Division-I at the National Stadium here on Friday.

Besides Ikram, left arm spinner Khalid Usman also emerged as the hero of the day for the winners as he claimed four wickets in four balls including a hat-trick to trigger the collapse in Karachi Blues second innings. The four-day match ended on the third day.

Khalid grabbed the wickets of Sohail Shakil, Khalid Latif, Wajihuddin and Farrukh Rizvi on the first four balls of his dramatic first over. He finished with the figures of five wickets for 36 runs in 13 overs.

The 19-year-old Mianwali-born bowling sensation, after taking 8-51 in 24 overs of Karachi Blues first innings in his only 7th first class game, snapped up four wickets for 42 runs in

13.3 overs while polishing off the tail as Karachi Blues were bundled out for 96 in their second innings.

Left arm slow bowler Khalid Usman grabbed five wickets for 36 runs in 13 overs to extend great support to Ikramullah, who got the match haul of 12 for 83.

International opener Shahzaib Hasan made 39 in 39 balls with half a dozen boundaries and captain Muhammad Sami scored 24 with five boundaries. earlier in the day, Abbottabad resuming their second innings score of 110-3, added exactly 100 runs before being bowled out for 210. Muhammad Naeem Senior again emerged as the top-scorer with 64.

SuMMARISED SCORES: Abbottabad 216 (M.Naeem Sr. 65, Wajid Ali 41, Khalid Bilal 31 not out, M.Sami 5-60) & 210 all out in 50.5 overs (Naeem Sr. 65, Ramiz Ahmed 47, Wajid Ali 43, Sohail Khan 582, Tanvir Ahmed 3-56) Karachi Blues 142 (Wajihuddin 35, Muhammad Sami 32, Ikramullah Khan 8-51, Wajid Ali 2-2) & 96 all out in 28.3 overs (Shahzaib Hasan 39, M.Sami 24, Khalid Usman 5-36).

Collingwood eyes england comeback LONDON AFP

qasim hassan (C).

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Punjab Law College’s student Qasim Hassan participated in Inter-school and College Games and won gold medal in boxing. He has brought another prestige for the college as well as for himself.

Former england one-day captain Paul Collingwood is hoping stints at domestic level in Australia and India can help him force his way back into his country’s limited overs set-up. Collingwood, now 35, retired from Tests after the triumphant Ashes series last winter and has not played for his country since the World Cup in March.

However, he believes he can still play a role for england both in one day internationals and in the Twenty20 format. england’s selectors have brought in a handful of promising younger players in recent months as they look to the future, but Collingwood aims to make his case with spells in the Big Bash -- Australia’s domestic Twenty20 tournament -- with Perth Scorchers, followed by the Indian Premier League, where he represents Delhi Dare-

Farhan, Nasir, Roshna, Saadia in Rangers Squash finals KARACHI APP

Farhan Zaman, Nasir Iqbal, Roshna Mahboob and Saadia Gul advanced to the men and women’s finals of the 5th DG Rangers Sindh National Squash Championship after winning their respective semi-finals here at Rangers Jahangir Khan Squash Complex on Friday. Farhan of PAF dropped the second game before ending fine run of play by unseeded Sheikh Saquib with 3-1 victory after an under an hour contest. Third seed Nasir Iqbal of WAPDA halted the fine runs of qualifier Tayyab Aslam with straightforward 3-0 victory. Tayyab offered a stiff challenge but losing the extended opening game 14-12, he faded out in the next two.

Among the women, fourth seed Roshna Mahboob of ZTBL and unseeded Saadia Gul of WAPDA set up the title clash after winning their semis without much trouble. Roshna beat Sammar Anjum of Punjab 3-0 in half-an-hour and Saadia beat Faiza Zafar of Sindh.

After the first two games, Faiza conceded the match due to unknown injury. All the finals will be played on Saturday starting at 11.00 a.m. Semi-final results: Farhan Zaman (PAF) bt Sheikh Saquib (Punjab) 11-4, 9-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, Nasir Iqbal (WAPDA) bt Q. Tayyab Aslam (Punjab) 14-12, 11-6, 11-4. Boys U17: Asim Khan (Punajb) bt Aqif Zaib (KPK) 13-11, 11-4, R/h, Salman Zaib (PAF) bt Babrak Khan (KPK) 11-4, 11-7, 11-3. Boys U15: Abbas Shaokat (PAF) bt Zeeshan Khan (PAF) 11-7, 8-11, 1210, 9-11, 14-12, Israr Ahmed (Punjab) bt Hamza Bhatti (Punjab) 11-9, 12-10, 7-11, 11-7. Boys U13: Ahsan Ayaz (PAF) bt Kashif Asif (Punjab) 11-13, 11-5, 11-8, 11-4, Mehran Javed (PAF) bt Hammas A. Tarar (Sindh) 11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6. Boys U11: Ali Karamat (PAF) bt Salman Jilani (KPK) 11-5, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8, Fawad Khalil (KPK) bt Zeeshan Gul (PAF) 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 117.Women: Roshna Mehboob (ZTBL) bt Samar Anjum (Punjab) 11-9, 11-7, 116, Saadia Gul (WAPDA) bt Faiza Zafar (Sindh) 11-5, 11-7. Girls U15: Madina Zafar (Sindh) bt Tehreema (Sindh) 11-1, 11-1, 11-1, Fatima, Muneer (Punjab) bt Mayral Sheikh (Sindh) 15-13, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8.

devils. “I still have the ambition to play oneday and T20 for my country,” Collingwood said. “If I have a really good six months you never know what can happen. I’ll be out in Australia for six or seven weeks playing against some of the world’s best cricketers then playing in the IPL. “This is an exciting opportunity for me. Although I’m 35 it is a fresh challenge. “I’m looking forward to playing in the Big Bash, it’s a big stage and that is where you want to be.”

Lahore to face rawalpindi in National women’s Cricket semis LAHORE STAFF REPORT

The semi-finals of the U-19 National Women’s Cricket Championship will be played today at the Country Club Muridke.

In the first semi-final Karachi Region will face Rawalpindi Region with Kosar Shah and Afia Amin being the umpires.

Sohail Khan is match referee and Azhar Hussain is scorer.

In the second semi-final, Lahore will take on Multan. Shakeela Rafiq and Humaira Farrah will be the umpires, Ashraf Ali match referee and Azhar Hussain scorer. In the last league match of the event, Lahore completed Quetta’s 10 wicket rout. Lahore first bowled Quetta for 49 and then completed the score five overs.

Scores: quetta region U-19 –49 in 17.2 overs: (Ayesha Sidiqa 16, 17 balls, 3x4s, hafsa Amjad 4-4, Saba Nazir 2-4, Farwa Babar 2-12) Lahore region U19 – 50-0 in 5 overs: (Namra imran 25*, 13 balls, 5x4s, Fareeha Mahmood 19*, 17 balls, 3x4s) Player of the Match: hafsa Amjad (Lahore region) result: Lahore region U-19 won by 10 wickets toss: quetta region U-19, Umpires: Kosar Shah & Shakeela rafiq, Match referee: Sohail Khan, Official Scorer: Azhar hussain.

Advani, Chawla in world Snooker semis KARACHI APP

Former world champion Pankaj Advani of India and his compatriot Kamal Chwala advanced into the semifinals of the IBSF World Snooker Championship in Bangalore (India) on Friday but Pakistan's Imran Shahzad went down in last 16 round on Thursday night.

Pankaj, who defeated former Pakistan cueist Saleh Muhammad in the final of World Championship in China six years ago, defeated Peter Bullen of Belgium 6-2 in the quarterfinals.

Kamal Chawla also beat Belgian cueist Kevin Van Hove-Spetincdix in fully extended quarterfinal 6-5.

Lee Walker of Wales, who eliminated Imran Shahzad 6-2 in the last 16 round, shocked former World Champion Thepchaiya Un-Noh of Thailand 6-2 to reach the last four stage while Hossein Wafaei Ayouri of Iran beat Brenden D'Donoghue of Ireland in the fourth quarterfinal.

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20 Sports KrL thrash Lahore ravi in quaid trophy

Saturday, 3 december, 2011

VISAKHAPATNAM: Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma(R) and Ravidra Jadeja come out of the ground after winning the second One Day International (ODI). AFP

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

KRL defeated Lahore Ravi by 10 wickets on day three in the Division II Quaid-i-Azam Trophy match here at the LCCA ground on Friday.

Resuming the innings at 55, KRL achieved the score in 18.4 overs. Saeed Anwar Jr (63) and Zain Abbas (69) completed the score and remained not out to earn comprehensive win for their team.

Meanwhile, at the Gaddafi Stadium, PIA after resuming their inning at 252 reached 390 runs in 123 overs. Kamran Sajid and Faisal Iqbal with their centuries made the score possible. And by the close of play ZTBL were at 116 for three.

SCORES: ZtBL 178 in 62 overs (imran Nazir 36, 43 balls, 6 x4s, Zulqarnain haider 43, 135 balls, 7 x4s, Junaid Zia 65, 99 balls, 10 x4s, Anwar Ali 3-35, Ziaul-haq 3-31, Akhtar waheed 2-69) and 116-3 in 30 overs (Shahid yousuf 38) v PiA 390 in 123 overs (Kamran Sajid 136, 305 balls, 15 x4s, Faisal iqbal 125, 217 balls, 14 x4s, Shoaib Khan 39, rao iftikhar 3-52, Junaid Zia 3-75, Shahid yousuf 2-48 ) Overnight Score: PiA 252-2 in 92 overs toss: PiA Umpires: Saleem Badar & ihtsham-ul-haq referee: Azizur rehman Scorer: Najamus Saeed At LCCA Ground, Lahore. Lahore ravi 180 in 64.2 overs(Mohammad irfan 41, Asif Ashfaq 41, Mohammad Zohaib 27, yasir Ali 4-40, Azhar Ali 2-31) and 175 in 62.3 overs (Usman Salahuddin 42, 94 balls, 4 x4s, Mohammad irfan 35, 78 balls, 5 x4s, Ali Zaidi 31, 37 balls, 5 x4s, Nayyar Abbas 4-53, yasir Ali 2-39, Azhar Ali 2-11) v KrL 224 in 69.5 overs (yasir Arafat 78, 114 balls, 8 x4s, 2 x6s, Zulfiqar Jan 23, 61 balls, 3 x4s, yasir Ali 34*, 44 balls, 4 x4s,1 x6s, Asif Ashfaq 4-50, waqar Ahmed 3-63) and 135-0 in 18.4 overs (Saeed Anwar Jr. 63*, 56 balls, 9 x4s,1x 6s, Zain Abbas 69*, 57 balls, 12 x4s, 1 x6s) result: KrL won by 10 wickets.

Overnight Score: Lahore ravi (second innings) 55-2 in 13.2 overs toss: KrL; Umpires: Akbar Khan & Kamal Marchant; referee: Khalid Niazi; Scorer: Abdul hameed.

Rest in peace Gary Speed g

Paying tribute to one of the greats of the Premier League era and vying to figure out who’ll follow Steve Bruce in the sack race of the Champions League. Villas-Boas’ future rests on that match against Valencia; if he fails to invoke the desired result, he might well be shown , what is now fast becoming a revolving door for managers at Stamford Bridge.

Apart from those two, Martin Jol, Owen Coyle and Mick McCarthy need results as well. Or else the accumulating pressure might become too cumbersome for them to manage at the helm.

ePL crystaL BaLL KUNWAR KHULDUNE SHAHID The footballing world has been jarred this week by the news of the demise of one of the most respectable midfielders of the Premier League era.

The speculations and the reasons engulfing Gary Speed’s death will not be dealt here; the column would rather pay homage to one of the leading figures who were synonymous with the english Premier League’s upsurge in popularity around the globe and especially in our part of the world.

Gary Speed was one of those rare breed of footballers who make optimum use of their footballing prowess. Starting off at Leeds United, where he came through the ranks and gradually lit up the league with his pace and wing-play, he gradually matured into a combative central midfielder at the tail-end of his stint at Newcastle and then at Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield United. Such was the versatility and all-round savoir faire of Speed that he played in nine of the ten outfield positions in his career.

His exploits at Leeds, set the foundation of his play where he was a part of the midfield that had the likes of Gordon Strachan, Gary McAllister and David Batty – arguably one of the greatest midfield lineups in the english game; especially in the 90s. Speed was pivotal in Leeds United’s title winning 1991/92 season, where he played all but one of their league encounters. He was also instrumental in guiding Leeds to 1996’s League Cup final.

Speed was an everton fan since his childhood, and when everton came up with a 3.5 million pounds bid (a hefty amount in those days) in the summer of 1996, Leeds could not refuse. Although Speed scored the only hat-trick of his career in everton’s colours in a 7-1 thrashing ofSouthampton, his time at everton bore a picture of unfulfilled promises.

Kenny Dalglish came calling in 1998, as Speed signed for Newcastle United. By that time, Speed had adapted into a more conventional central midfield role, and he enthralled the Magpie faithful with some commanding displays in midfield.

1999’s F.A Cup final and the Champions League run in 2002/03, were the highlights of his time at Newcastle.

BIG MATCH PREVIEW: NEWCASTLE VS CHELSEA

Speed was a model professional who commanded the respect of one and all

how far is villas-Boas from Chelsea’s revolving door of managerial changes?

Approaching the twilight of his career, after losing a yard or two of pace, Speed settled down in the traditional ‘water carrier’ role and just when one and all prognosticated Speed to call it a day, he showcased his versatility and prolonged his career at the very top level, playing a decisive role in Bolton’s rise.

Speed’s dexterity as a footballer was indubitable, but what made him stand out was the respect he commanded from his peers, opponents, managers, referees and all those concerned with the english game. His resolve and tenacity made him a menacing opponent, and his esteemed persona begged reverence from one and all. He managed to translate his mélange of deference and steadfastness in his managerial career as well. He had transformed the fortunes of Wales – a nation prowling on the periphery of footballing fulfillment. And just when he looked like completing his quest of Welsh rejuvenation, the tragedy has struck the football domain.

To say that every football fan is feeling the loss of the great man is an understatement. However, football moves on, life moves on and the momentous memories of an illustrious past are immortal.

intrigues the betting men in particular. After Sunderland’s abysmal run off-late which saw them plummet all the way down to 16th, merely a couple of points off the dreaded relegation zone, Steve Bruce was rightly hogging the betting odds and the limelight in that particular domain. The fact that it took us as long as December to witness the first ePL manager to bite the dust is quite atypical to say the least – especially during the recent past when patience reservoirs have shrunk considerably. And now with Bruce gone, would the sacking floodgates open?

Of the remaining 19 ePL managers, the two hot favourites are Steve Kean and Andre-Villas Boas.

Kean’s side has only conjured up a single win during the entire season, and hence he is justifiably the overwhelming favourite to be shown the door.

The fact that Andre-Villas Boas is a Chelsea manager, and that particular creed of managers are guillotined mercilessly, makes the Portuguese’s prospects gloomy as well. AVB was touted as a long-term investment, and earmarked to bring Champions League glory at Stamford Bridge. However, the recent trade fair of his side has seen Chelsea being way off the pace in the league – losing three of their last five games – being knocked out at home in the Carling Cup, and needing a result against Valencia to filter through to the last 16

BRUCE GONE; WHO’S NEXT? The Premier League sack race is something that

As the pressure mounts for Villas-Boas and Chelsea, facing a resurgent Newcastle United off the back of a valiant display at Old Trafford is definitely not something you’d be looking forward to. After being dumped out of the Carling cup, and facing a tricky final match-day in the Champions League,Chelsea need to get their act together, or else their season maybe be derailed beyond salvation.

Chelsea do have almost their full squad available to pick and the likelihood is that Villas-Boas would opt for a front three of Mata, Sturridge and Drogba – leaving Torres on the bench. Meireles, Ramires and Lampard should be the trio in midfield, but the real question marks are over Chelsea’s defense – and not only in terms of their composition, but also more importantly as to how they would perform, after their run of the mill performances off-late.

Newcastle on the other hand would be brimming with confidence after holding out United for a draw last week and knowing that a win against Chelseawould further bolster their credentials for a Champions League spot. St James’ Park would be buzzing in the early kick off today, and Newcastle would have the onus on them to go for all three points against Chelsea – something that was unfathomable at the start of the season. even so, Newcastle would be without Tiote and Gutierrez – two of the star performers of the season so far – and hence Chelsea’s midfield might dominate matters. Nevertheless, the ethos exhibited by the Magpies is one of teamwork and camaraderie, and hence if they continue to follow their game plan against a shaky Chelsea lineup, Newcastle can bag all three points.

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Sports 21

India win as Kohli upstages Rampaul vISAKHAPATNAM

V

AFP

IRAT Kohli smashed a robust 117 to power India to a five-wicket win over the West Indies in the second one-day international on Friday despite Ravi Rampaul’s record tail-end knock. Rampaul cracked 86 not out, the highest score by a number 10 batsman in one-dayers, to help the tourists post a challenging 269-9 in the day-night match in Visakhapatnam.

India were struggling at 84-3 before passing their opponents’ total with 11 balls to spare for a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, with Kohli hitting 14 fours in a 123-ball knock for his eighth one-day hundred.

Kohli received valuable support from Rohit Sharma, who scored a solid 90 not out for a second successive halfcentury. The pair put on 163 for the fourth wicket to shape India’s 11th successive one-day win at home.

The West Indies were in deep trouble at 63-5 after being put in to bat in overcast conditions, but Rampaul and opener Lendl Simmons (78) helped their team set a stiff target.

The previous highest score by a number 10 batsman in one-dayers was an unbeaten 73 by Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi in 2009.

Rampaul gave a superb display of power-hitting during his 66-ball innings, as he bludgeoned six sixes and as many fours and put on 99 with

Kemar Roach (24 not out), the thirdhighest stand for the last wicket in onedayers.

The West Indies were 149-8 in the 31st over before adding 120 runs for their last two wickets to frustrate India.

Rampaul, a left-handed batsman and right-arm paceman, and Roach returned to trouble India with the ball as they removed Gautam Gambhir and Parthiv Patel to reduce the hosts to 292 before rain stopped play for nearly 40 minutes.

Roach struck with his second delivery when he accounted for Patel, who was caught by skipper Darren Sammy at second slip, while Gambhir fell to a superb one-handed catch by Adrian Barath in the covers off Rampaul.

Skipper Virender Sehwag was dropped twice during his 35-ball 26 before being caught by Andre Russell at long-off off part-time spinner Marlon Samuels, but Kohli and Sharma ensured the victory with a big stand.

Indian pacemen Umesh Yadav grabbed three wickets and Vinay Kumar two to do the early damage.

Simmons steadied the innings with a 56-run stand for the sixth wicket with Kieron Pollard (35), who was adjudged caught by wicket-keeper Patel off the gloves after smashing spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for two successive sixes.

Simmons was the ninth man to be dismissed, run out while coming for a second run after hitting one six and eight fours in his 10th half-century in one-day internationals.

SCOREBOARD WEST INDIES: L. Simmons run out 78 A. Barath c Patel b Yadav 0 M. Samuels c Raina b Yadav 4 D. Bravo c Ashwin b Kumar 13 D. Hyatt c Patel b Kumar 0 D. Ramdin c Jadeja b Yadav 2 K. Pollard c Patel b Ashwin 35 D. Sammy lbw b Jadeja 2 A. Russell b Jadeja 11 R. Rampaul not out 86 K. Roach not out 24 Extras (lb6, nb1, w7) 14 Total (for nine wickets; 50 overs) 269 Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Barath), 2-25 (Samuels), 3-55 (Bravo), 4-55 (Hyatt), 5-63 (Ramdin), 6-119 (Pollard), 7-131 (Sammy), 8-149 (Russell), 9-170 (Simmons).

Bowling: Kumar 10-2-43-2 (nb1), Yadav 10-0-38-3 (w2), Aaron 10-0-66-0 (w4), Jadeja 9-2-39-2, Ashwin 10-0-74-1 (w1), Raina 1-0-3-0.

INDIA: P. Patel c Sammy b Roach 2 V. Sehwag c Russell b Samuels 26 G. Gambhir c Barath b Rampaul 12 V. Kohli c Ramdin b Rampaul 117 R. Sharma not out 90 S. Raina c Ramdin b Roach 0 R. Jadeja not out 9 EXTRAS (lb4, w10) 14 TOTAL (for five wickets; 48.1 overs) 270 Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Patel), 2-29 (Gambhir), 3-84 (Sehwag), 4-247 (Kohli), 5-248 (Raina).

BOWLING: Rampaul 10-1-62-2 (w1), Roach 10-040-2 (w1), Russell 8.1-0-60-0 (w3), Sammy 4-0-30-0, Samuels 10-1-40-1 (w2), Pollard 3-0-220 (w1), Simmons 3-0-12-0 (w2).

RESULT: India win by five wickets TOSS: India UMPIRES: Tony Hill (NzL) and S. Ravi (IND) TV UMPIRE: Sudhir Asnani (IND) MATCH REFEREE: David Boon (AUS) Third one-dayer: Ahmedabad (Monday)

Holders spain face Italy, england tackle france wozniacki hires Sanchez as new coach: report COPENHAGEN AFP

World tennis number one Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark has hired Spaniard Ricardo Sanchez as her new coach, Danish daily ekstra Bladet reported Friday. Sanchez has until now coached former number one Jelena Jankovic of Serbia. He will replace Piotr Wozniacki, Caroline’s father whom she fired in August. Sanchez “has many years of experience with other players ... and we know each other well,” Caroline Wozniacki told ekstra Bladet.

She will begin the tennis season at the Australian Open, to be played January 16 to 29.

KIEv AFP

Defending champions Spain and 1968 winners Italy will clash in Group C of euro 2012 after the draw for next year’s finals in Poland and the Ukraine was made here on Friday.

The Republic of Ireland and Croatia make up the pool, with the top two sides progressing to the quarter-finals. england were drawn in Group D with co-hosts Ukraine, Sweden and two-time winners France.

In a mouth-watering Group B, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Portugal were all drawn together, while co-hosts Poland will face Greece, Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A. World and european champions Spain will tackle Italy in their opening group game in the Polish city of Gdansk on June 10. Vicente del Bosque’s side overcame the Italians on their way to victory at euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland, with Cesc Fabregas netting the winning penalty in a quarter-final shoot-out following a 0-0 draw. Group B appears to be the most finely balanced on paper. Portugal and the Netherlands famously shared an illtempered last-16 match at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, which Portugal won 1-0 in a game that featured a record 16 yellow cards and four dismissals.

Denmark, champions in 1992, last crossed swords with

Portugal in qualifying, with their 2-1 victory in Copenhagen in October obliging Cristiano Ronaldo and his team-mates to qualify through the play-offs. The opening Group D clash between england and France at Donetsk’s Donbass Arena on June 11 will probably go a long way towards determing which side finishes top of their pool. The teams previously met in the opening match at euro 2004, when two late strikes from Zinedine Zidane gave France a 2-1 victory after Frank Lampard had headed england in front. The tournament kicks off on June 8, when Poland will take on 2004 champions Greece at the National Stadium in Warsaw, with the final taking place at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium on July 1.

wAtCh it Live TEN SPORTS FIH Champions Trophy 2011 03:55AM

TEN SPORTS FIH Champions Challenge 2011 04:20PM

STAR CRICKET Australia v New Zealand Test 1 Day 3 05:00AM

NEO CRICKET Bangladesh v Pakistan 2nd ODI 12:30PM

Pakistan, B’desh play draw in SAFF Football LAHORE STAFF REPORT

The Bengal Tigers dropped two points in the opening game of the SAFF Championship after Pakistan produced a fighting performance in the opening match of the event.

The SAFF Championship opener saw tournament favourites Bangladesh being held by Pakistan at the Jawaharlal Lal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi, in a group B match. Pakistan started with their foreign based players in Atif Bashir and Adnan Ahmed while Bangladesh preferred to start with his third choice goalkeeper in Sahidul Alam. It was Pakistan who had the first shy on goal as Atif Bashir’s attempt saw goalkeeper Alam beaten all ends out as early as the second minute. Bangladesh looked to play along the ground and build the match from the back. The Tigers did earn a couple of free-kicks in the opposition’s half though goalkeeper Jafar Khan was up to the task.

Around the 40th minute, Jadeed Khan Pathan once again was the provider of a decent cross which Saddam Hussain, under no pressure, sent it over.

Bangladesh recovered before the end of the first half when Pranotosh Das’ long ranger saw Jafar Khan fumble before the ball was cleared. Star striker Jahid Hassan Ameli had a couple of opportunities to make it 1-0 after Islam Maun’s header came off the crossbar.

Bangladesh substituted two strikers for Mithun Chowdhury and Atiqur Meshu.

The move looked to have paid dividends as Meshu brought in the much needed pace and sent him some tantalizing crosses from the left. Pakistan could have nudged ahead when Jadeed Khan Pathan’s flick was just about cleared on time to keep the scores level.

Meshu and Mithun combined as the former’s cross from the left saw the latter’s first time volley being punched away for a corner by the rival custodian. The match ended with the same scoreline as neither of the teams managed to get a breakthrough. The man of the match award was handed to Jafar Khan of Pakistan.

Ruthless Nadal hands Spain Davis Cup final lead SEvILLE AFP

Rafael Nadal brushed aside close friend Juan Monaco 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 to give Spain the first point of the Davis Cup final against Argentina here on Friday.

David Ferrer and Juan Martin Del Potro meet later in the second singles rubber at the estadio Olimpico, and history suggests that Argentina can ill afford to lose it -- the last team to recover from a 20 deficit in the final was Australia in 1939.

Nadal may be suffering from mental and physical tiredness at the end of a gruelling season, but he repaid the faith shown in him by captain Albert Costa by winning in less than two and a half hours to maintain Spain’s 12-year unbeaten home record in the Davis Cup. It was the Mallorcan’s 67th best-offive-sets match on clay, and his 66th win,

with his sole defeat coming at the hands of Robin Soderling at Roland Garros in 2009. He was far too strong for his 26thranked opponent, returning superbly and not facing a single break point over the course of the match. “I played a very solid match and I am very happy with my performance,” said Nadal after his 19th win in 20 singles rubbers for Spain.

His only loss came to Czech Jiri Novak on his debut -- as a 17-year-old -- in February 2004. He is 15-0 in clay-court rubbers. “I was very positive before the match even if there was a lot of pressure. It’s an important victory. To win by such a score against a very strong player on clay is fabulous. “I was sad for him as he is one of my best friends.” Nadal also praised the crowd which carried him to victory.

“I love playing at home. The atmosphere is great, it’s like a football match.”

Monaco saved three break points in

the very first game, but was soon swept away by the six-time French Open champion in front of a hostile home crowd of 28,000.

Nadal sent down 27 winners to Monaco’s 17 while the Argentine was also undone by 35 unforced errors. The French Open champion also won seven of 14 break points. Spain are bidding for a fifth Davis Cup title, and their first since 2009, while Argentina have never tasted victory in the event despite three previous final appearances. Serbia lost out on the chance to defend their title when Argentina advanced to the final after a 3-2 semi-final victory in Belgrade last September.

On Saturday, Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez tackle David Nalbandian and eduardo Schwank in the doubles with the reverse singles set for Sunday. They will see Nadal against del Potro while Ferrer is slated to face Monaco.

SeviLLe: Spain’s rafael Nadal returns a ball to Argentina’s Juan Monaco during the davis Cup final first match. afp

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Saturday, 3 december, 2011

Just condolence from White House for now WASHINGTON APP

The White House has said it sincerely expressed condolences to Pakistan over the loss of 24 soldiers in a NATO strike, but indicated the US would wait for conclusion of investigations underway before reacting further to the border incident. “Well, we are in the middle of an investigation— actually, at the early stages of an investigation—into what exactly happened.

So I think that the expression of condolences for tragic loss of life conveys a sincere sentiment about our feelings, the president’s feelings and the administration’s feelings, and it goes to the importance of the relationship that we have with Pakistan,” President Barack Obama’s spokesman said. Press Secretary Jay Carney dismissed as “utter nonsense” the suggestion in a report by The New York Times that President Obama was refraining from making a formal apology to Pakistan due to domestic political considerations.

Questioned at the daily briefing about whether the White House had apologised over the incident that has evoked a strong reaction from Pakistan, Carney referred to the comments that President Obama saw it as a tragedy. “We need to find the results of this investigation. We have offered our condolences. We have called it what it is, a tragic loss of life. And we anticipate results of the investigation to come when they’re ready,” he said, when asked if the White House considered it premature to offer an apology. “It’s a matter of fact that I, speaking for the White House and the president, offered condolences on behalf of him, the administration, the American people, for the tragic loss of life—and it was a tragedy,” he responded to a question.

“And we have launched an investigation through CeNTCOM, as well as ISAF, to find out exactly what transpired. But— maybe I’m pre-empting what your question was, but there was obviously no apology and there was an expression of condolences,” the spokesman added.

Multan airspace goes ‘off-limits’ for two hours

Nawaz says wouldn’t have turned to SC if parliament was functioning g

PML-N chief says he did not point fingers at anyone in his plea against memo HARIPUR

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INP

PeAKING about the memogate petition hearing during a press conference here on Friday, Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif said he had not pointed fingers at anyone or said who was responsible or to be blamed.

Nawaz said parliament was a mere joke because all the important issues were not raised during its sessions, which is why he had turned to the Supreme Court. He said no one would be allowed to set up an “east India Company” in Pakistan because

Pakistan was a sovereign country.

“We will counter anyone who will conspire against the solidarity of the country,” he added. The current government was following the policies of former president Pervez Musharraf, said Sharif, adding that in order to unveil conspiracies being hatched against Pakistan he had sought the help of the Supreme Court to fulfill his national duty.

Nawaz told reporters after offering condolences over the demise of the mother of former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Pir Sabir Shah that the Musharraf government had signed a number of agreements after 9/11 and the results of the agreements could be

seen today. The PML-N chief said his party was willing to help the government and the armed forces get out of these agreements.

Sharif said he had requested the court to conduct an enquiry to ascertain who was involved in the scandal. To a question, he said: “No debate was opened on the Mohmand attack by the NATO forces and also on the memo scandal in Parliament House,” adding that the memo scandal was handed over to a minor committee of parliament. The PML-N chief said Thursday’s press conference by Pakistan People’s Party leaders against the apex court orders was regretful and a “pack of lies”.

Protests against NAtO enter 6th consecutive day LAHORE/ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR AGENCIES

KARACHI: Police patrol a street on Friday as security has been beefed up throughout the country during the month of Muharram to avoid sectarian violence. afp

KARACHI STAFF REPORT

Pakistani airspace over Multan remained off-limits for two hours on Friday, which sources said was because of an apparent secret military exercise that involved the use of air space over the city, forcing a delay in the flights of two Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) planes. According to sources, two PIA flights, PK-652 and PK-682, were denied entry into Multan’s airspace without explanation or reason citing any reasons.

The first plane was bound for Lahore from Hyderabad via Multan, but was forced to land in Sukkur, while the second was heading to Multan from Lahore, but was recalled as soon as it took off. The Pakistan Army, which has been on silent alert since the November 25 NATO attack, was said to be conducting a secret exercise near Multan, and hence wanted to ensure that all land and airspace remained free of traffic. “The planes were ordered down or diverted because of this exercise,” another source said. “This was done to avoid any mishap or disaster.”

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fear of ‘farce’ looms over afghanistan conference BERLIN AFP

A major international conference on Monday will seek to chart a course for Afghanistan after NATO troops pull out in 2014 but a boycott by the government has dealt a stinging blow to hopes for a roadmap.

The meeting will bring 100 national delegations to the western German city of Bonn. However a deadly NATO bombing raid prompted the government to scratch its name from the list, jeopardising already modest expectations. “If they (Pakistan) stick with their decision to cancel it would be a setback,” the conference’s host, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, admitted after Islamabad pulled

out in the wake of Saturday’s airstrikes that killed 24 troops.

A senior Western diplomat went further, calling it a “pretty huge blow”.

Commentators said the meticulously planned meeting, 10 years after Germany staged another international huddle on political transition following the fall of the radical Taliban, risked becoming a “farce”.

“The entire future engagement of the international community is based on the hope that the peace process between the Afghan government and the Taliban will progress, and Pakistan is the key to this process,” Die Welt newspaper noted. “The Bonn conference is turning into a farce,” wrote the Financial Times Deutschland. “If Pakistan’s cancellation is maintained, then the

conference will be virtually pointless on many issues.” “Bonn risks becoming just another of those conferences that have brought little benefit to Afghans,” the daily Berliner Zeitung added, also speaking of a potential “farce”.

German officials expressed hope that Islamabad would still be represented at some level, if not by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar. An analyst at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Christian Wagner, noted that the West and Pakistan had “differing perspectives on the political future of Afghanistan”. He said while Pakistan saw the Taliban as a potential “bulwark” against Indian influence and Pashtun nationalism in Afghanistan, “the international community is holding on to the prospect of a democratic order”.

For the sixth consecutive day, thousands of people came out onto the streets across the country on Friday to register their protest against the unprovoked NATO attacks in Mohmand Agency that resulted in the killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers last Saturday. Protest rallies were held in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sargodha, and various other cities and towns across the country. In Lahore, people rallied to the call of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) as khateebs, in their Friday sermons, condemned the NATO aggression. JI and other religious parties’ leaders told protesters that a resolute stand against the aggressors was needed. In Rawalpindi, a big rally was staged outside the press club, which was addressed by JI Secretary General Liaqat Baloch. He said this was NATO’s 14th attack inside Pakistani territory and the government had been deceiving the nation so far because drones had been taking off from the Shamsi and Shahbaz airbases to attack Pakistanis. The rally staged at Islamabad was led by JI Islamabad chief Mian Muhammad Aslam, while JI Punjab chief Dr Syed Waseem Akhtar led the rally in Multan. In Peshawar, a protest rally began at the historic Masjid Mahabat Khan led by Prof Muhammad Ibrahim. A protest demonstration was also held in Karak by religious parties after Friday prayers, demanding the government exit the US-led coalition against terrorism. The rally was led by incumbent and former MNAs Mufti Muhammad Ajmal and Shah Abdul Aziz. A JI protest rally was also held in Dera Murad Jamali led by leaders from the local party office. The participants held banners inscribed with slogans against the US and NATO forces. In Faisalabad, the JI staged peaceful protest demonstrations in which a large number of people participated. JI Faisalabad chief Azeem Randhawa, who led the demonstrators, hailed the steps taken by the government in the aftermath of the NATO attack. Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court Bar Association announced a protest rally for December 8, to be organised by various civil society organisations and unions.

Published by Arif Nizami for Nawa Media Corporation (Pvt) Ltd. Printed by Ghulam Akbar, AA & NHT Group, Plot 24, Shalimar Road, Lilly Market, Soan Garden, Islamabad.