E-paper Pakistantoday ISB 4th January, 2012

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‘Experienced’ Saad may outsmart Hamza for top Punjab slot

NATO supplies going to Afghanistan under garb of commercial cargo

US won’t give a dollar to save Europe: Romney

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PROFIT | PAGE 01

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pakistantoday.com.pk

rs15.00 Vol ii no 188 22 Pages islamabad — Peshawar edition

Wednesday, 4 January, 2012 safar 9, 1433

Implement PM snubs call for military courts NRO verdict by 10th, A SC tells govt g

Says calling out army for help erodes civilian authority g argues for Saraiki province ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Court takes strong exception to govt’s dilly-dallying on implementation of its orders

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ISLAMABAD MASOOD REHMAN

NOuGH is enough’ appears to be the mood of the judges on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) issue as the Supreme Court on Tuesday gave the last warning to the government and all authorities concerned to ensure implementation of its decision declaring the NRO unconstitutional without fail by January 10, otherwise it would not pass any more orders but would directly take action.

Taking strong exception to the government’s dilly-dallying on the implementation of its orders regarding the NRO, the apex court warned that it would “take action against those responsible for not implementing its decisions irrespective of their offices or official authority”.

“Make it clear to everyone concerned that the next date of hearing will be the last and final and the court will take appropriate action in case of non-implementation of the NRO verdict, no matter how high an authority they enjoy,” a five-member special bench, headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, ruled. On the last hearing of the NRO implementation case, the court was informed that Adnan Khawaja was appointed the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) managing director on verbal orders of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. The court asked on Tuesday if the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) would investigate the matter of Khawaja’s appointment or the court should investigate it. NAB Prosecutor General KK Agha told the court that the bureau investigated only those cases in which official authority had been misused. He said the matter pertaining to Khawaja was related to faulty appointment. “Is appointing a matriculate head of the OGDCL not misuse of authority?” Justice Khosa questioned and said NAB silence over the misuse of official authority was a criminal negligence.

The court directed the accountability watchdog to investigate the appointment and directed the NAB chairman to personally appear on the next hearing along with records and explain the appointment of Khawaja and Ahmad Riaz Sheikh, a convict and beneficiary of the NRO, who was reappointed an additional director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The court noted that Sheikh was a convict thus an enquiry into his reappointment was required. The court also summoned the acting law secretary, who had prepared the summary of Sheikh’s reappointment. When the court enquired whether a letter was written to Swiss authorities after dismissal of a review petition against the NRO verdict, Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq contended that the letter to the Swiss authorities could not be sent so far as the matter of sending such a letter was postponed because of the hearing of the NRO review petition. Justice Khosa noted that the court did not order a stay on the implementation of the NRO verdict during the hearing of the review petition against the NRO verdict.

He said enough time had lapsed since the dismissal of the review plea against the NRO judgement but the letter had still not been sent to Swiss authorities.

The attorney general then stated that the reply to this question had to be given by the law secretary, who was currently abroad. Justice Khosa noted further that during the last hearing of the NRO implementation case, the court had directed the prime minister to dispatch a new summary to the Swiss authorities, as the previous summary comprised the government’s standpoint over the matter instead of undertaking the NRO implementation. He also remarked that the law secretary, who had sought more time for a new summary, did not turn up despite being summoned. Later, the court adjourned further hearing until January 10.

N unusually charged Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Tuesday lashed out at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif, without naming him, for advocating the establishment of military courts in Karachi in the National Assembly, with members from coalition parties thumping their benches in support of the prime minister as he said the practice of calling the army in aid to civil administration “erodes civilian authority”.

Referring to Sharif’s statement, the prime minister termed it a doublestandard and questioned the rationale behind the idea, saying it was impossible in a democratic setup. “In a democratic setup, there is no room for military courts. If such kinds of courts are set up, what will be the difference between democracy and dictatorship?” he asked. He said the military should always be kept in the background in a democratic setup, otherwise civilian

authority would decrease. He said Rangers were already deployed in Karachi on the request of the provincial government to improve law and order.

Gilani also came out in the open to support the creation of a Saraiki province, stating that if he could not give recognition and rights to his people, who else would. “No one can suppress the aspirations of the people. If a Saraiki province is not created while I am here, when will it happen?” he said angrily while responding to the remarks of Sardar Mehtab Khan of the PML-N, who had claimed that whenever the prime minister visited his hometown (Multan), he made such remarks, which might disintegrate Pakistan. “These remarks are highly objectionable. We are among the creators of this country. Our forefathers contributed to its creation and they struggled besides Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and this is a historical fact,” the prime minister said.

He added that a Punjab governor, during Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s rule, was Saraiki and even when Benazir Bhutto came into power the Pakistan People’s

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani exchanges views with General Khalid Wynne and COAS General Ashfaq Kayani on Tuesday.

Party (PPP) had elected a Saraiki president. “Now a non-Sindhi and a nonBhutto is a prime minister and I am a Saraiki too. This is the respect of the PPP for the Saraiki people,” he said.

Gilani directed PPP Chief Whip Khurshid Shah to discuss the Muttahida

Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s resolution on new provinces with all parties and open a debate in this regard. continued on Page 04

‘n’ sticks to military courts stance | Page 04

RAWALPINDI: Protesters throw stones towards police during a demonstration against gas shortages and price hike on Tuesday. afp ISLAMABAD AMER SIAL

After the government agreed to reduce gas load shedding by eight hours, gas cess by 10 percent and to extend the limit of installation of certified Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) kits and cylinders in public service vehicles (PSVs) by one month, the CNG and transport associations announced an end to their strike call immediately.

An official source said the prime minister was annoyed with the Petroleum Ministry for its failure to reach an agreement with the CNG and transport associations on Monday. The petroleum secretary was told to resolve the issues with the associations and make them withdraw their strike call. After the prime minister’s directions, Petroleum Secretary Ejaz Chaudhry again convened a meeting of the stakeholders, as there was no public transport on the roads in the twin cities on Tuesday. Transporters

Govt bows to CNG pressure Agrees to reduce gas load shedding by 8 hours, gas cess by 10 percent g Govt, APCNGA agree on 2 CNG holidays a week, no one-month shut down

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tried to block the roads early in the morning but they were dispersed after heavy police deployment. CNG stations in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa observed a complete strike, which added to the commuters’ misery.

Addressing a joint news conference after a lengthy meeting, the petroleum secretary said all issues with the associations were resolved and they had decided to withdraw their strike call. He said it was decided that the CNG holidays would be held for two days and would be over by 10 pm on the third day. He said it was decided that the gas infrastructure development cess would be further reduced by 10 percent from 60 percent. Oil and

Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) would issue the notification on Wednesday. The meeting also decided to give another month to PSVs to install certified CNG kits and cylinders.

About the reduction in gas prices, he said a committee was formed to review the pricing formula to be submitted to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) for final decision, as the ministry could not make a decision on its own. He said if it was approved by the ECC, it would be implemented. All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) Chairman Ghiyas Paracha and Transport Association Chairman Farooq Awan said the government has accepted their

demands so they were taking back their strike call in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Paracha said the government had accepted all their demands and they had been assured that no one-month ban on gas supply would be enforced.

The petroleum secretary said the gas cess was imposed after consultations with all stakeholders including the APCNGA and had been implemented across the board on all sectors to end distortion in gas prices. He said the government was not trying to strangulate the CNG sector and would not shut down gas supply to CNG stations for a complete month.

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02 News Today’s

wednesday, 4 January, 2012

iSLAMABAD

NewS

CDA not in a position to launch new sectors

Haryana CM rejects Indian army chief’s request Anwar begins Malaysia tour ahead of sodomy verdict

Story on Page 05

Story on Page 10

foreiGN NewS

Quick Look

Govt to take measures for peace in Balochistan: Malik ISLAMABAD: The government will take administrative and operational measures to maintain peace in Balochistan, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Tuesday.

“The government will take all possible measures – administrative and operational – to maintain peace in Balochistan,” he told reporters outside the Parliament House. “But, we cannot hold dialogue with elements who are killing innocent people and forwarding the agenda of others to destabilise the country,” he added.

About Shahbaz Bhatti’s murder, he said, investigation had revealed that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan was involved in the murder and the government was making arrangements to bring the culprits involved in the killing back from Middle East. About Indus Water Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah, the interior minister said the ministry was investigating whether his name was on the exit-control list (ECL). He said if his name was in the ECL and he proceeded abroad, the government would take action against the airport authorities for their negligence. To a question about security for the Bangladesh cricket team, Malik said the team would be provided foolproof security. APP

Blasts cut Tarbela-Peshawar power transmission line RISALPUR: unidentified attackers blew up the Tarbela-Peshawar transmission line in Risalpur early Tuesday morning, suspending power supply to Peshawar and Hayatabad. Four back-to-back blasts at 5:41am on Tuesday destroyed the high-voltage transmission line in Baba G Kalay, Risalpur. Bomb disposal squad said that four bombs weighing five kilogrammes each were concealed in ghee containers and planted under the transmission line. ONLINE

Arms licence renewal date extended until 31st ISLAMABAD: The Interior Ministry on Tuesday extended the deadline of renewal of arms licenses until January 31. The ministry said that heavy fine would be imposed against those people, who would not submit renewal applications. The ministry already had given the deadline of December 31 to all those people who had been issued armed license before January 31, 2011.

The ministry also informed that after January 31, the ministry would cancel the licenses. ONLINE

SC resumes BB assassination case today ISLAMABAD: A five-member Supreme Court (SC) special bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa will resume hearing today (Wednesday) on a plea seeking the registration of a second FIR against former President Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf and others in the Benazir Bhutto’s assassination case.

Story on Page 15

Adviser to PM admits to embezzlement in urea import ISLAMABAD ONLINE

Confessing to embezzlement of large amounts in the import and distribution of urea at the government level, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Industries Basharat Raja on Tuesday said inquiry against the officials involved in the embezzlement was underway.

Talking to reporters, Raja said, “The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) were conducting inquiry against the officials who are involved in the embezzlement in the import and distribution process of urea,” adding that the inquiry report would be finalised in the next two to three days and the officials involved would be treated in the light of that report. However, he clarified that the embezzlement had taken place before the Pakistan Muslim LeagueQuaid’s alliance with the ruling PPP. To a query, He said 200 urea agencies had been suspended and fined.

However, he said, it should be accepted that there was a political angle to the urea distribution and those who profited should be taken to task.

THE ONLY CNG STATION IN TOWN: Drivers have green tea as they wait for their turn at a state-run CNG station in Blue Area in Islamabad. The APCNGA strike has meant lines of public transport vehicles around state-run pumps still selling CNG are huge. INp

Announce elections, Imran tells govt Says PTi CeC meeting to decide on launching civil disobedience movement g Calls PPP government ‘most corrupt’ government in history

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ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

EMANDING snap polls in the country, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday said the upcoming meeting of PTI’s central executive committee will decide on whether to launch a civil disobedience movement.

Addressing a press conference, Imran said, “Holding general elections before time will strengthen democracy in the country in a scenario when an elected government has lost the mandate to rule.” He said the political parties that took part in 2008 general elections had produced the crises in the country.

Terming the incumbent government as most corrupt in country’s history, Imran said the ruling government had forced people onto the streets to demand their rights. “Time has proven the decision to take part in 2008 elections harmed democracy in the country to such an extent that today people are recalling the days of the military dictator,” he said.

Speaking about alleged corruption in stateowned entities including PIA, Steel Mills, Railways, and energy sector, Imran said the price of the corruption of a few was being paid by people in shape of inflated bills and unprecedented gas and electricity outages.

He said as many as four million labours working on daily wages basis had been unemployed due to the closure of 1000 factory units in Lahore and Faisalabad, owing to shortage of gas and electricity. He said gas theft had also in-

creased by four percent.

Imran said Wapda has identified 0.4 million illegal electricity connections but no one had been charged for the corruption. He said in the past four years 2.8 million air conditioners were purchased but only 185,000 AC operators were paying the bill.”

He said when the government came into power, the steel mills had a surplus amount of Rs8 billion but after four years the entity was in a Rs30 billion deficit. He said Pakistan Railways revenue from sale of tickets had sunk to Rs12 billion from Rs23 billion four years ago.

He said the government had destroyed small landholders due to corruption on fertilizer import. To a question, he said the PML-N had initiated “Go-Zardari-Go” campaign but it appeared this had become a “Go Imran Go” campaign. He ruled out an alliance with Mushrraf’s APML, adding that question whether to initiate proceedings under article 6 of the constitution against Mushrraf would be decided after his arrival in Pakistan. To another question, he said the PTI favoured the division of provinces on administrative basis but not for votes.

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wednesday, 4 January, 2012

ArTS & eNTerTAiNMeNT

SPorTS

CoMMeNT

Beti B to be named on Jan 15?

Australia take charge after restricting India

Gas crisis:

News 03 Today’s

The government dragged its feet.

Remembering Taseer: Vigilantism still continues.

Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi says: The year of hope?: Will 2012 be any better?

Ali Aftab Saeed says: Justice for all, please: Otherwise it is just lipstick for swine.

Quick

Harris bin Munawar says: PTI’s propaganda techniques: Rhetoric on emotional steroids.

Story on Page 17

Story on Page 18

Look

Articles on Page 12-13

Streets speak of CNG woes as NA debates new provinces Different points of view cause splits in treasury, opposition benches g Gilani makes passionate speech in favour of new provinces

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ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

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Car with MNA plate runs over student FAISALABAD: A speeding car displaying the MNA (member of the National Assembly) number plate ran over a young student near the Government Degree College, Faisalabad. The student, who was trying to cross the road at Abdullahpur Chowk, died instantly. Other students gathered at the scene started beating the driver and damaging the car in the presence of about a dozen traffic police officials.

Cops said the car, a Honda City (Registered: ICT-Islamabad 96), was in police custody. ONLINE

HILE people on the streets continued their protest against gas outages and closure of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) filling stations for the second consecutive day, major treasury and opposition political parties in the National Assembly locked horns on the creation of new provinces, and the issue triggered new political formations as the treasury and opposition benches stood divided.

Rivalry between two coalition parties – the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) – was exposed once again as both opposed each other on the demand for new provinces. Moreover, Jamiat ulema-eIslam-Fazl (JuI-F) legislator Laiq Mohammed Khan joined the protesting MQM legislators seeking a debate on the party’s resolution for new provinces, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), FATA parliamentarians and some Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNAs also joined them by moving to the MQM benches and raising slogans for a debate on the creation of new provinces.

On the contrary, ANP leader Ghulam Ahmed Bilour resisted tooth and nail a debate over the issue on the pretext that the National Assembly could not take up provincial matters, as PMLNawaz lawmakers also supported the ANP’s position, but finally it was Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani who made a passionate speech in favour of new provinces, which led to the decision that the House would debate the MQM’s resolution on Thursday.

It was the MQM’s Haider Abbas Rizvi who, on a point of order, sought permission from the chair for a debate on his party’s resolution, however, Bilour strictly rejected a debate stating that only provincial assemblies under the constitution could pass a resolution by two-thirds majority to create any new province. Rizvi claimed all political parties were taken on board in the resolution, after which his party had submitted it. He said he could not contact Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who did not attend the session. This triggered sloganeering in the House, with MQM lawmakers in the lead. At a time when the uproar increased, Yusuf Talpur, who was chairing the session, suspended the proceedings for 20 minutes but had to resume the session as the MQM legislators started desk thumping and demanding the start of the session.

On a point of order, Rizvi said the business of the House should be suspended to discuss the resolutions. Religious Affairs Minister Khurshid Shah said his party was in favour of new provinces but proposed that it was a constitutional matter, hence, before discussing it in the House, the government would like to take on board other allied parties.

Sheikh Aftab of the PML-N suggested that before discussing the issue in the House, it should be taken up first at the Business Advisory Committee. “The matter is of great national importance and any haste in discussing it at this time will serve no good,” he said, adding that a non-issue was being made an issue. PML-Q’s Sheikh Waqas Akram supported the MQM’s point of view and said the creation of new provinces was necessary to address people’s problems

abbottabad Commission finds 187,000 documents from OBL compound g

orders translation of retrieved diaries, letters STAFF REPORT

The Inquiry Commission on Abbottabad Operation on Tuesday said it had retrieved around 187,000 documents from the compound allegedly used by al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.

“The documents recovered by the commission from the compound included diaries, letters and other important communication material,” a source said anonymously. The source said most of the documents were in Arabic and other languages and directives had been issued by the commission to the concerned authorities for their translation.

A large number of documents had already been taken away by uS-led forces that raided the compound in Abbottabad on May 2, 2011.

The commission would finalise its recommendations after getting data from the documents and eventually the body would

handover its report to the government.

It would be up to the government to decide on making the findings of the report public, the source added.

Meanwhile, the commission held an interactive discussion on Tuesday with PML-Q Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Javed Chaudhry, Tahir Khalil, Tariq Chaudhry, Ikram Sehgal, Asif Bashir Chaudhry, Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad and Kamran Ishtiaq and sought their input on the covert uS raid.

Justice (r) Javed Iqbal, former senior judge of the Supreme Court, presided over the proceedings of the commission, while Ashraf Jehangir Qazi and Lt Gen (r) Nadeem Ahmed attended. Meanwhile, in response to an invitation by the commission, Dr Mohammed Farooq Sattar, deputy convener of the MQM, conveyed regret on behalf of MQM chief Altaf Hussain for his inability to attend the discussion.

However, the MQM leader reposed complete confidence in the commission.

area beggars and all their resources were being used on development in central Punjab. He warned the Punjab government of a public uprising because of what he said was continued injustice being meted out to the Saraiki people.

He demanded the inclusion of Dera Ismail Khan in a Saraiki province.

Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, who was chairing the session at the time, expressed his gratitude to Dasti and Haider Rizvi for raising voice for the oppressed people of his city, Dera Ismail Khan. Abid Sher Ali of the PML-N made an emotional speech hitting out at Prime Minister Gilani’s claims of creating a Saraiki province. “Why don’t you talk about restoration of Bahawalpur province?” he argued. He said if the prime minister went to the market without protocol, the people may beat him up with sticks to show their anger against continued gas and power outages. “Where was your writ when around 4,000 citizens were killed on the streets of Karachi? Why doesn’t the prime minister go to remote areas of Sindh by road where no development work has been done?” he said.

Bushra Gohar of the ANP said her party supported the formation of a Saraiki province. Condemning the statement by Munir Aurakzai, she said that her party had raised its voice for the tribal people. Kamran Khan from FATA said the KP government was the most corrupt government according to the Transparency International report.

Syed Zafar Ali Shah said no migrant could claim a province. He said when voices were being raised for new provinces, the Sindhi people were afraid that someone might claim rights in their homeland.

pCNS to finalise recommendations on reviewing US ties by friday g

ISLAMABAD

in a better way.

Bilour said his party, the ANP, had never talked about the division of Sindh and Punjab, so others should also avoid talking about the division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). “Let the provincial assemblies discuss the formation of new provinces,” he said. But the MQM lawmakers kept on insisting that the issue should be discussed during Tuesday’s sitting.

Laiq Mohammed Khan said people of his area were not concerned about gas and electricity and the formation of a Hazara province was their main demand. He said his area was mineral-rich and two major dams were also located there. He said the message that was being given to the people of Hazara was that their demand was inadmissible for which a dozen youths had laid down their lives. “Today, the ANP has formally claimed responsibility for the killing of our 12 youths,” he said, adding that a Hazara province would also claim royalty from Tarbela Dam. Pervaiz Khan of the ANP said his party would not allow a debate on the issue as they had suffered for 60 long years to get recognition for a Pakhtun nation. Bahadur Khan Seeher said that by opposing the resolution for a Saraiki province, the ANP had denied the struggle of Khan Ghaffar Khan and Wali Khan for recognition to nationalist forces. Munir Khan Orakzai called for the creation of FATA province, stating that the brave people of the tribal areas had decided that they would merge with Punjab but not allow the ANP to rule them. He alleged that the ANP leadership had sold the rights of its people to the uS for millions of dollars.

Jamshed Dasti said the rulers of Lahore had made the people of Saraiki

Committee awaits finance minister’s’ briefing on cost of cutting US ties ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

The absence of Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh from the second consecutive meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) on Tuesday perturbed its members, and Committee Chairman Raza Rabbani had to assure them that the minister would attend the session today (Wednesday).

A source told Pakistan Today that the committee members were unhappy with the minister for delaying the briefing on the financial impact of a possible cut in uS aid if Pakistan decides to close NATO supply routes permanently. “Despite having no briefing on the financial impact of permanently closing down NATO supply lines, we have made headway in finalising the recommendations on the new terms of engagements with NATO and

ISAF forces which might be given a final shape by Friday,” said the source.

Talking to journalists after the meeting at the Parliament House, Rabbani said the committee would soon finalise its recommendations regarding the new terms of engagements with the united States in the wake of NATO strikes on Pakistani check posts in Mohmand Agency that killed 24 soldiers. “The committee discussed the draft prepared by the committee secretariat on the basis of the recommendations by the committee members,” the PCNS chairman said. He said the committee members were given copies of the drafted recommendations, which were to be finalised on Tuesday, but they would now be concluded on Wednesday. He said the committee had also sought input from the political leadership and the ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs. He said the secretaries of the ministries of Foreign Affairs

and Defence had held meetings with relevant stakeholders and had sent their recommendations to the committee.

Rabbani said the finance minister and secretary could not attend the committee meetings because of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting. He added that they would give their input later which would be incorporated in the final recommendations.

He said the committee would take into consideration the input of all stakeholders on the NATO issue before sending its final recommendations to the prime minister for presentation in the joint sitting of the parliament. The committee also held meetings with the stakeholders and discussed 63 recommendations, Rabbani said. Responding to a question, the committee chairman said the option of permanently closing down NATO supply routes was also under consideration.

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04 News

wednesday, 4 January, 2012

Pak-US ties near breakthrough Pakistan to tax every NATo container g US to recognise Pakistan’s role as main facilitator with Taliban

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ISLAMABAD SHAIq HuSSAIN

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AKISTAN and the uS are on the verge of a ‘breakthrough’ to end the stalemate in their strained relations and for that, a formula to tax every NATO container crossing into Afghanistan through the Pak-Afghan border has almost been agreed upon by the two countries and in case of a likely announcement in this regard later this month, the halted supplies to uS-led foreign troops through Pakistani soil would be resumed.

In its reaction to November NATO airstrikes in Mohmand Agency that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, Pakistan suspended the uS/NATO supplies bound to Afghanistan. In addition to that, Pakistan also got Shamsi airbase vacated from CIA and boycotted the Bonn Conference on peace and security in Afghanistan.

However, the ongoing secret efforts by Islamabad and Washington, including the recent visit to Doha by ISI chief Lt General Ahmed Shuja Pasha to meet senior uS military officials, have paid dividends and a breakthrough is likely.

“In the next few days, important developments are likely to take place with uS coming up with public apology for the killing of Pakistani soldiers in NATO strikes, assurance of no breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty again and also that smooth flow of money under Coalition Support Fund (CSF) to Islamabad would be ensured,” said a Pakistani official requesting anonymity.

“In order to resolve the thorny issue of NATO supplies’ suspension, the uS is likely to start paying tax to Pakistan for every container meant for Afghanistan,” he said. He said Pakistan would levy around $1,500 dollars on every shipping container that would be

sent through Pakistani soil. He added that there would be separate charges for every fuel tanker that would go to Afghanistan through Pakistan.

Another Pakistani official said the move to tax the NATO containers would be under the revision of pacts that were clinched back in 2002 by the government of former president Pervez Musharraf and the Bush administration.

He said another important aspect of the breakthrough in Pakistan-uS relations was related to Afghanistan, where the uS was making hectic efforts for direct peace talks with the Taliban, besides dialogue between Kabul and the Taliban.

“The uS will recognise Pakistan’s main role of facilitator in the reconciliation process with the Taliban that has been Islamabad’s longstanding demand. This is second important aspect of the expected breakthrough in Pakistan-uS ties,” the official said.

Bhutto’s 84th birth pML-N sticks to military anniversary courts stance ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s 84th birth anniversary will be celebrated across the country on Thursday. Glowing tributes will be paid to Bhutto, who was also known as Quaid-e-Awam, for his services to the nation and country. Seminars and public gatherings will be arranged in different cities to highlight Bhutto’s services. APP

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) said on Tuesday that it favoured military courts for a specific time period to curb lawlessness and ensure peace and stability in the country.

Meanwhile, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif chaired the party’s Balochistan Coordination Committee meeting in Raiwind on Tuesday and dis-

Babus join continued from Page 24 parliamentary standing committee, in the manner determined and notified by the National Assembly in their absolute discretion.

It further proposed that prior to such confirmation, the federal government would ensure that the person under consideration for such confirmation, should make a full and public disclosure of the sources of all income, wealth, assets, any property owned, controlled by or belonging to him, or in which the person has any interest, whether directly

or indirectly, or whether held in a trust, corporation, benami or any other form in the name of such person, his spouse or relatives or associates, whether within or outside Pakistan, up to three years prior to the date of such consideration.

“Such disclosure shall be notified by the federal government in the official gazette and shall also be made available and accessible within a period of three days on the website of the Establishment Division and also placed before the National Assembly,” the bill proposes.

Opposing the draft bill,

pM snubs continued from Page 1 Gilani said it was the objective of the PPP to remove the sense of deprivation among the people of remote and underdeveloped areas, adding that had past regimes addressed the sense of deprivation in smaller provinces, Pakistan would have not disintegrated.

He said a proper mechanism should be adopted

to move a resolution for the purpose, adding that nobody could block the resolution as it was in accordance with the aspirations of the people. Gilani said he had read another funny statement that alleged that he was struggling for the creation of a Saraiki province to pave the way for his son to become chief minister of the new province. The prime minister said the demand

cussed election issues. He also deliberated on the suitability of candidates for by-elections on the vacant seats from the National Assembly and Punjab Assembly. The meeting also finalised a two-day tour of Nawaz Sharif to Balochistan. It was decided that Nawaz would go to Balochistan to hold provincial elections on January 6. Earlier, Sharif deferred the party’s Punjab elections scheduled to be held on January 4 (today). the Establishment Division in its summary argues that under rules 12 and 13 of the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules 1964, every civil servant is required to submit annual declaration of assets for every financial year ending on June 30 showing any increase or decrease of property as given in the previous declaration.

Establishment Division Secretary Khushnood Lashari says in the summary: “As far as the proposal regarding making these assets public is concerned, it will be not for any use of general public but the information might be used by the vested interests which may place a government servant in vulnerable position.”

for a Saraiki province was not a new one as Multan was the capital of Sindh some 5,000 years ago when Hindus had a different identity. Hence, it was a legitimate demand of the people of that region, he added.

The premier said if parliament ensured the rights of Pakhtuns and the people of Gilgit, Baltistan and FATA, it was impossible that it would not give an identity to his area. “Let me tell you that the demand for a Saraiki province is not to weaken Pakistan. Giving rights

‘Experienced’ Saad may outsmart Hamza for top punjab slot LAHORE YASIR HABIB

Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafiq is striving to become the party’s Punjab central president by outsmarting Hamza Shahbaz in the race for the important party slot.

Rafiq appears set to don the mantle of the central Punjab president in the upcoming intra-party election, while Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa is likely to become the party’s president in South Punjab.

Sources said all was set to name Rafiq as the new central Punjab president on January 4 (today), however, he would have to wait as the Punjab election was postponed at the eleventh hour due to the absence of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is on a visit to Turkey. Rafiq himself is in India on a tour with his fam-

ily. Hamza, considered the political successor of Nawaz Sharif, was once an unopposed candidate for the slot, the sources said. To groom and prepare himself for the highprofile slot, once held by Khosa, Hamza got busy with party organisation and official working of the CM’s Secretariat, the sources said, adding that some party lobbyists paved the way for his crowing as the provincial president. But Hamza’s gradual rise rang alarm bells

for senior party leaders, who sacrificed a lot for the party and remained loyal through thick and thin. Another lobby, emerging as a dissident group, feared that Hamza would finally encroach upon the position of the party’s provincial president which Rafiq deserved due to his political acumen. A senior PML-N leader said this led to fissures and fights within the party and forced the PMLN leadership to keep delaying party elections for two years.

Also, Hamza’s ascent could no longer go on after Javed Hashmi, once an asset of the PML-N, defected to the PTI, expressing reservation over growing nepotism in the party.

Fearing further desertions, the PML-N leadership redesigned its strategy to bring back senior leaders to the forefront by giving them leading roles in the party. under the revised plan, Hamza would be awarded the position of Lahore president, the sources said.

PML-N Secretary Information Mushahidullah Khan told Pakistan Today that it was likely that Rafiq would be central Punjab president and Zulfiqar Ali Khosa would become south Punjab president.

Dispelling the impression, he said Hamza had never been considered for the slot of provincial president and predicted that he could be elected the Lahore president.

Punjab CM meets afghanistan seeks Taliban confirm istanbul Mayor ‘initial’ deal to open pakistan’s role in peace LAHORE office overseas negotiations with Taliban continued from Page 24 STAFF REPORT

Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif met Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas to discuss investment by Turkish companies in bus rapid transit system, traffic management, solid waste management and other projects. Shahbaz appreciated the development of Istanbul and exchanged views on civic amenity provision in Punjab’s major cities and the scope service provision by Turkish companies.

CM APPRoveS 300 FoReIgn SChoLARShIPS FoR UAF: Separately Shahbaz approved 300 foreign scholarships worth Rs 3 billion for the students and faculty members of the university of Agriculture, Faisalabad (uAF). A notification in this regard has already been issued from the CM’s office. Agricultural experts and educationists welcomed the decision.

ISLAMABAD

process with Afghan ambassador seeking Islamabad’s full support for the ongoing peace dialogue between Karzai government and the Taliban.

“The Afghan envoy also discussed the important issue of proposed opening of Taliban office in Qatar with the foreign minister,” he said.

Khar and Daudzai were of the view that the opening of Taliban office in Qatar would be a very significant development and it would help in accelerating the pace of peace dialogue with the Taliban leadership, the source said.

Fo: Commenting on the proposed opening of Taliban office in Qatar, which was confirmed on Tuesday by a Taliban spokesperson, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said, “We have always supported an Afghanled and Afghan-owned reconciliation process.”

Appearing on notice, the Punjab advocate general filed a 73page written submission, stating that the present position of law as it exists in Pakistan has not allowed for the finality of a judgement to be disturbed through a presidential reference.

He said the court had held in Haji Saifullah’s case that it could not reopen any case by

exercising its advisory jurisdiction. He said it was not competent for the president to so invest the apex court through a reference, as this would clearly be an abuse of the process of the court. In Pakistan, he said, no second review was available to any aggrieved party and the question posed in the ZAB reference with respect to fundamental rights was clearly outside the purview of Article 186. He contended that the

apex court did not enjoy the appellate jurisdiction under Article 186 of the constitution to reconsider its earlier decisions and it could not convert the advisory jurisdiction into an appellate jurisdiction. Appearing on notice, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advocate general supported the federation’s stance to revisit the case under Article 186. Further hearing will take place Wednesday (today).

talks with relevant sides including Qatar” to open an office outside Afghanistan, without confirming where it would be. One of their demands would be for a prisoner exchange to include the release of Taliban inmates from the uS-run detention facility Guantanamo Bay, they said. “We’re now prepared, while having a strong presence inside (Afghanistan), to have a political office outside (Afghanistan) for negotiations,” the statement said. “And as part of this we have reached initial agreement with relevant sides including Qatar.” The Taliban, now into an 11th year of fighting President Hamid Karzai’s Western-backed government, called again for international troops to leave. “The occupation of the country must be ended and Afghans must be allowed to create an Islamic government of their choice that be no harm to any one.” The statement rejected some media reports that negotiations with the uS had begun, but according to a source in Pakistan early discussions had been held last autumn in Doha, Qatar, between uS diplomats and a small Taliban delegation led

by Tayyeb Agha, the former secretary of Taliban leader Mullah Omar. The source said Agha was the only Taliban official in direct contact with Mullah Omar, saying the Taliban’s founder was based in Pakistan.

would rather strengthen the country. We have implemented all the resolutions regarding Balochistan except the law and order situation, which is a provincial subject,” he said. Gilani said a delegation from Hazara had met him and discussed the issue of a new Hazara province. “Forthwith, I talked to ANP (Awami National Party) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan and asked him how the issue could be resolved. In response, he said if the PPP has consensus on the issue, it could be discussed in the House,”

said Gilani. The prime minister said he referred the matter to the PPP’s parliamentary party and the party fully advocated federalism. He dismissed the allegation that his party was weakening Pakistan, adding that the country was guarded by the constitution, which was given to it by the PPP and provided a guarantee for its security. Responding to the prime minister’s remarks, Mehtab said East Pakistan seceded when the PPP was in power. “We are not responsible for Pakistan’s disintegration. The

prime minister would get his answer if pondered upon. If rights were given to Bengalis, East Pakistan would not have disintegrated,” he said. He also said Nawaz Sharif’s statement was distorted by the media as his party had struggled against army rule. Haider Abbas Rizvi of the MQM hailed Gilani, stating that by endorsing the MQM’s resolution, Gilani had made the day historic. “What enmity do you (PML-N) have with the people of Karachi? You had set up military courts under which our workers

were hanged without trails.

Who is responsible for those killings? The apex court had held those courts illegal,” he said.

Referring to the military courts set up by former president Pervez Musharraf’s regime, Haider asked Nawaz how much justice he had received from military courts. “Why did he claim he was punished against the law? You don’t even bother if 15 people are killed in a day in Lahore, but if a single person is killed in Karachi, you are up in arms,” he said.

STAFF REPORT

Afghan Ambassador Mohammad umer Daudzai called on Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Tuesday and discussed with her the Afghanistan reconciliation process seeking an active role

by Islamabad for the success of peace negotiations between Kabul and the Mullah Omarled Taliban. “They discussed matters of mutual interest including increased bilateral interaction in various fields.

They also reviewed economic cooperation for which the Bilateral Joint Economic Commission would hold its eighth session at the level of finance ministers in Islamabad in the third week of January,” a Foreign Office statement said.

However, a diplomatic source said the meeting was focused on Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan reconciliation

SC unimpressed continued from Page 24

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DA Chairman Engineer Farkhand Iqbal on Tuesday said the Capital Development Authority (CDA) was not in a position to develop new sectors, adding that instead of developing new sectors, the civic body would complete the construction work in the

underdeveloped areas “within days”.

Addressing a news conference at the Jinnah Convention Centre, Farkhand said, “I cannot make any claim of opening new sectors, because the CDA cannot pay its utility bills currently due to the financial crisis.”

However, the first media interaction of the new chief of the civic body left a bad taste with Farkhand Iqbal entering into verbal clash with journalists for

Chairman farkhand iqbal admits civic body is facing a severe financial crunch necessary.

“We have another major issue that the authority could not carryout any work in public-private partnership despite the fact that many foreign investors are interested to invest in the federal capital of Pakistan,” he said, adding that he had now highlighted the case and presented it before the Planning Commission.

About the controversial LED project which the authority is allegedly trying to award to a firm which has been backed by some influential, Farkhand insisted that the CDA had a huge burden of utility bills, which stood at Rs 120 million per month, and street lights consumed major part of the amount.

“The LED light system will support the authority to save million of rupees,” he said, adding that according to the survey conducted by Asian Development Bank (ADB), Pakistan could save more than 3000 megawatt of electricity by changing current electricity system with a modern one.

Talking about the loan which the CDA has decided to take from the ADB for executing the project, he said the authority would pay the entire loan by utilising its own resources.

In the LED project, Farkhand claimed, there was no need of maintenance due to which the civic body

being around an hour late from scheduled time.

The first question asked by a journalist was what the person, who seems last bothered about the importance of time, can do about development work? To which, the chairman also got aggressive and snubbed some journalists, saying, “Let me do my work.”

But the aggression angered most of the media persons and announced to boycott the press conference. upon the failure of Public Relation officers of CDA to calm down the journalists, some senior media men intervened after which the authority’s chief succeeded to begin his talk.

Farkhand said though, the authority had scarce resources, but he would complete development work in Sector I-11.

“I am not talking about months or years; I will complete the development work in stalled sectors within few days.”

He admitted that the authority had so far failed to ensure maintenance work sufficiently, but expressed his determination to overcome all the challenges.

Pointing to the failures of previous bosses of the authority, he said many examples could be found in the past when the CDA did not carryout development work even after getting the

would also reduce the related staff by 25 percent.

The CDA chief says as the federal capital has expanded over the years, which resulted in a water crisis crippling the city, while 50 percent water is being wasted due to the leakage of pipelines; therefore, the CDA will now try hard to repair the system and construct a pipeline from Tarbela Dam to fulfil the water requirements.

Repeating all the pledges, which the previous chairman also left unfulfilled, Farkhand Iqbal made tall claims that the CDA would construct parking plazas and also renovate the public parks, which are in a bad condition.

He said the seven-star hotels, including Centaurus, would also be developed soon in the federal capital and he was also trying to provide electricity and gas connections to the said hotels. “The CDA will also construct a city centre to facilitate the middle class,” he said.

When asked whether all the work would be carried out under his supervision or by the Islamabad Task Force Chairman Faisal Sakhi Butt, who is considered as the blue-eyed boy of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, he replied that the task force was a public committee, which could only supervise the working of the civic body.

Transporters’ strike troubles commuters ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The public transporters and CNG stations owners’ strike entered its second day on Tuesday.

Normal life in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad remained disrupted owing to the shortage of public transport.

The entire public transport system, including mini-buses, was on strike while the Murree Road remained blocked for more than 6 hours.

Large groups of people, mostly students and officer-goers, protested at Faizabad and Bharakau early in the morning against the unavailability of public vehicles.

The baton-wielding protesters blocked the Murree Road at the Faizabad Interchange and the Kashmir Highway near Bharakau.

The Faizabad Interchange was the

most disturbed spot as local residents, transporters and representatives of the CNG dealers also joined the protest.

The protestors also burnt tyres at Faizabad and placed cement blocks and poles and other obstacles on Murree Road.

The protesters raised slogans against government for its failure to tackle the gas crisis. They also pelted the police and private vehicles with stones, smashing the windshields and windows of dozens of vehicles.

The police arrested 12 protesters and resorted to a light baton-charge and aerial firing to vacate the Murree Road.

However, the expressway remained open throughout the day.

A senior police official said dozens of trouble-makers had been identified and the police were after them. The Bharaku police also managed to disperse the protesters and the Kashmir Highway was reopened at 10:00 am.

Due to the transporters’ strike, many people were forced to walk to their destinations.

The taxi drivers had a field day and charged passengers triple the normal fares.

“On normal days taxis charge Rs 100 to travel from Zeropoint to Faizabad but today they were demanding Rs 400,” said Rashid Khan, a government servant.

Meanwhile, the All Pakistan CNG Association led by the association President Ghayas Paracha held a demonstration in front of the Parliament House in which around 20 dealers participated.

Ghayas Paracha said their protests would continue till the government withdrew the ban. “We want sufficient supply of gas to all CNG stations. It is unfair of the government to stop the supply.”

The protesters raised slogans against the government. PML-N lawmaker Hanif Abbasi also joined the protesters to express his solidarity.

Protests affect students’ study routine ISLAMABAD: Protests in the twin cities due to the prevailing gas crisis in the country has disturbed the study schedule of students and affected their preparations for various examinations.

As the protest demonstration and strike by transporters against the CNG price hike entered the third day, it badly affected routine of the people, especially the students. The teachers or students who travel by their own vehicles could not manage due to the violent protests, during which the protesters also damaged personal vehicles of the road users.

Majority of the students as well as teachers were also unable to attend their respective educational institutions due to unavailability of transport and blockade of several main link roads of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

“Protests have badly affected the study routine of the students who are already burdened with a lot of syllabus due to weekly offs and were attending extra classes to cover it,” Shafqat Abbasi, a teacher of a local government college, said.

Amir Shehzad, a student of class 6, said, “Protests have spoiled my study routine and reduced attendance as I could not attend the school during the protests.”

“The protests may not disturb the routine of the students of the private schools offering the facility of online study. But it is difficult for us to carry on the study smoothly,” he said. It has been observed that some of the private schools of the twin cities have extended winter vacation due to prevailing protests. APP

350 protesters booked ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

At least 350 protesters, including All Pakistan Compressed Natural Gas Association (APCNGA) President Ghayas Paracha, were booked for blocking roads and staging violent protests against the suspension of gas supply.

Industrial Area police registered an FIR against Ghayas Paracha, Rawalpindi/Islamabad Transport union President Malik Sultan, and other 200 people for blocking Islamabad Expressway and Murree Road on Monday.

Moreover, Bhara Kahu police registered an FIR against more than 200 protesters for blocking Kashmir Highway and damaging government and private vehicles in protest against suspension of gas supply to CNG stations.

Bhara Kahu police arrested 10 protesters, including Adil Abbasi, Waqas Abbasi and Liaqat Ali. However, they didn’t arrest any protester.

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06 Islamabad Diet can stop brain shrinking: study ISLAMABAD APP

A diet rich in vitamins and fish may protect the brain from ageing while junk food has the opposite effect, a research said. According to BBC, elderly people with high blood levels of vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids had less brain shrinkage and better mental performance, a neurology study found. Trans fats found in fast foods were linked to lower scores in tests and more shrinkage typical of Alzheimer’s.

The best advice is to eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, not smoke, take regular exercise and keep blood pressure and cholesterol in check, said Alzheimer’s Research uK. Researchers stated that there is a clear need for conclusive evidence about the effect of diet on our risk of Alzheimer’s, which can only come from large-scale, long-term studies. The research looked at nutrients in blood, rather than relying on questionnaires to assess a person’s diet.

Trans fats are common in processed foods, including cakes, biscuits and fried foods.

Study author Gene Bowman of Oregon Health and Science university said: “These results need to be confirmed, but obviously it is very exciting to think that people could potentially stop their brains from shrinking and keep them sharp by adjusting their diet.”

wednesday, 4 January, 2012

Commuters call for proper public transport system ISLAMABAD APP

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HE commuters of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi demanded a proper public transport system saying the transporters ignored the safety standards by fitting more than one CNG cylinder in their vehicles and putting the commuters at risk. A commuter said several fatal incidents took place in public transport vehicles as their drivers threatened human lives to earn money and make their business more profitable.

At present, there is no decent transport service for the residents who are compelled to travel in uncomfortable and overloaded vans that cover different routes. The transporters fleece passen-

gers who change different vehicles and pay more than double the necessary fare to reach their destination. Most of the public transport vehicles do not follow the allotted routes and create problems for the commuters.

Many students are forced to travel on top of the buses due to a shortage of transport available and in most cases reach their schools and colleges late. Female students said they have to wait for a long time to find a place in the public transport vehicles. They added that these vehicles had a limited number of seats allotted to them. Male passengers’ occupation of the reserved seats worsened the situation for them.

Ahmed Ahsan, a student, said due to financial problems, he could not pay the full fare of the bus and that transporters were reluctant to allow him to travel at concessionary rates. He demanded

that the authorities provide sufficient buses to the colleges, especially to women’s colleges.

The commuters also had to face problems due to the rude behaviour of the transporters.

The commuters demanded that the authorities concerned take notice of their problems and take immediate action against those who did not follow traffic rules. A private company employee said a new transport system should be introduced as the present transporters failed to facilitate the commuters. Commuters are awaiting the launch of the CNG buses, which was announced earlier.

A CDA official said the civic body would introduce 35 air-conditioned and environmentfriendly buses on the Rawalpindi-Islamabad route in the first phase to provide passengers proper travelling facilities, including a nominal fare structure, uniformed drivers and security guards.

Over 7,041 outlaws arrested in 2011 RAWALPINDI APP

Police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested as many as 7,041 outlaws in 18,445 cases registered during 2011 at 26 police stations of District Rawalpindi.

A police spokesman told APP that 97 gangs were busted during the said period arresting 402 outlaws against whom 426 FIRs were lodged in various police stations.

Giving break up, he said a total of 2,161 cases of illegal arms were registered during the year while 2,169 persons were sent behind the bars. 3,585 drug peddlers were held by the district police in 3,489 cases seizing 61,258 liquor bottles, 2,480 kilogrammes of charras, 26 kilogrammes of heroin and other drugs.

Police also recovered 266 pistols, eight rifles, 20 cars, 31 mo-

torcycles, 10 other vehicles and more than Rs 14.2 million from criminals and challan against them were presented in courts.

During 2011, total 77 robbery cases were registered while 65 criminals were held and police recovered costly items worth over Rs 35 million. Moreover, 562 cases of various street crimes were registered and 401 persons were arrested. There were 976 cases of car theft in which 214 car lifters were held and police recovered vehicles worth over Rs 670 million, 781 FIRs about motorcycle theft were registered, 146 motorcycle lifters were arrested and motorcycles worth over Rs five million were recovered.

In addition, 250 FIRs of various vehicles theft cases were registered and police held 50 persons recovering Rs 13.5 million vehicles.

Police spokesman claimed that due to the efforts made by the

district police, now considerable reduction is being noticed especially in vehicles lifting cases.

He informed that police patrolling to control crime rate was made more effective in 2011 and among the gangs busted during 2011, three members of Malang Khan gang were arrested and police recovered Rs 3.5 million with three motorcycles from them.

Other gangs whose members have been arrested include Hafeez alias Hafeeza gang, Waseem gang, Bishu gang, Parado gang, Asad ullah alias Charai gang, Eidu gang, Waseem Kiani gang, Azam Khan gang and Zariab gang and valuables and vehicles and motorcycles worth millions of rupees were recovered.

Police also busted a big gang and its six members were held while 2124 gram gold worth Rs nine million was recovered.

Sales gala held at NUML ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The National university of Modern Languages (NuML) Faculty of Management Sciences will hold the ‘7th NuML Sales Gala 2012’ at Kehkashan Hall on 7th and 8th January. The event will be organised to provide marketing students the opportunity to hone their entrepreneurial skills.

The gala will open at 10:00 am and will continue till 08:00 pm for two days. The students of MBA and BBA (Marketing) and Mass Communication will offer different products, including garments, jewelry, handicrafts, antiques and paintings for sale and will employ their entrepreneurial skills to market their products. Invitation cards/passes are available with the NuML Faculty of Management Sciences and Madina Cash and Carry Shopping Mall.

Anjuman Faiz-ul-Islam re-elects its president RAWALPINDI APP

Mian Siddique Akbar was re-elected as president of Anjuman Faiz ul Islam for next three years during election held at Faizabad Campus of the organisation.

A three-member committee headed by Qazi Arif Hussain conducted the elections that are held after every three years.

According to the results, the newly-elected Executive Committee

included Raja Fateh Khan (General Secretary), Prof Aziz Ahmed Hashmi (Senior Vice-President), Dr MD Khan and Engr Abdul Razzaq (vicepresidents), Maj (r) Basharat Ahmed Kiani (Joint Secretary), Raja Sabir Hussain (Financial Secretary) and M Badr Munir (Publicity Secretary).

Siddique Akbar, while addressing the body, reiterated continuation of his mission of retrieving orphans and destitute from deprived segment of the society and to help them through moral-oriented

education to become useful citizens.

Anjuman Faiz ul Islam is a social welfare and academic organisation of broadminded and moderate social workers from different walks of life working since 1943 to provide shelter and necessities of life to destitute Muslim children. Its first batch comprised thirty destitute Muslim children from the riot and famine stricken Bengal, raised on advice of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Mian Siddique said the pioneers of the Anjuman and

Islamabad lawyers’ strike irks litigants ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Creating severe difficulties for the litigants, the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) on Tuesday observed a strike against the killing of the father of a lawyer Sher Afzal Khan in a terrorist attack in Lakki Marwat.

“It has now become routine for lawyers to observe strike despite the fact that there are many other ways to condemn the injustices,” said Jamal Ahmad, a private employee who came to the IHC in connection with the hearing of a case.

He was of the view that people visited hospitals and courts to get some relief but it was not possible for them to get early justice if the lawyers continued their practice of observing strikes on every other day.

A lawyer, who wished not to be named, told this scribe that the office bearers of the bar association could also register their protest after the closing time of courts and conveying their messages through media.

“But strikes are not against the government or terrorists but against the poor people who visit courts from the far-flung areas, but fail to get any help from judiciary due to the absence of lawyers,” he said.

Talking to Pakistan Today, IHCBA President Chaudhry Ashraf Gujjar said they were aware of the problems being faced by the citizens, but lawyers could not compromise on some issues.

He said the father of Sher Afzal Khan was the chairman of a peace committee in Lakki Marwat and his killing showed the failure of government to protect the lives of citizens.

their followers had since been playing a reconstructive role for national and humanitarian cause. He informed that the body was presently providing necessities of life and facilities of formal and technical education to over 1000 orphans and destitute children, enrolled from different regions of the country in its six welfare centres in and around Rawalpindi. General Secretary Raja Fateh Khan briefed on a number of construction plans completed during the last three years.

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wednesday, 4 January, 2012

Islamabad 07 Taliban terrorists held in islamabad ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Farooq H Naik and National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza inaugurate a souvenir shop at the National Assembly. ONLINE

Musician Nashad remembered ISLAMABAD APP

Shaukat Husain Haideri ‘Nashad’, a composer and a musician of the highest cadre, was remembered on his death anniversary on Tuesday. He was born in Delhi, India, in 1923 but moved later to Bombay, where he made his debut in 1947 as a music composer for the film ‘Dildaar’. In 1949, he used his given name and composed songs for the film ‘Dada’. In 1953, film director, Nakshab, changed Shaukat Ali’s name to Nashad. Nashad’s last film in India as a music composer was the 1962 film the ‘Flying man’.

He migrated to Pakistan and debuted as a composer in the 1964 film ‘Maikhana’.

He went on to compose music for over 60 Pakistani films and was regarded as one of the most successful film composers of the 60’s and 70’s. Two of his sons also composed music for films. Nashad died in January 1981 at 58 years of age.

Police nab seven

Senate body to ascertain breach of privilege Senator Nayyer Hussain Bokhari says Quaid-e-Azam University Vice Chancellor Dr Masoom Yasinzai had passed derogatory remarks against parliamentarians during a gathering at the varsity

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KASHIF ABBASI

ENATE Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges on Tuesday was not satisfied by the Quaid-iAzam university (QAu) vice-chancellor’s clarification regarding a privilege motion moved against him

by Senator Nayyer Hussain Bokhari of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and sought four nominees from each side.

The meeting was held at the Parliament House with Senator Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi in the chair.

In a privilege motion, Nayyer Bokhari stated that the QAu was located in his constituency. On Septem-

ber 21, 2011, an Eid Milan Party was arranged by the QAu’s Employee Welfare Association, which was attended by more than 500 people and ViceChancellor (VC) Dr Masoom Yasinzai.

Bokhari said Dr Masoom passed derogatory remarks against the PPP, federal ministers and parliamentarians, including him, while addressing the gathering.

“Dr Masoom publicly ridiculed and passed derogatory remarks against the federal ministers and myself, thus committed breach of privilege of the Parliament and its members,” the senator said in his motion.

However, in his reply to the committee, Masoom claimed that he did not utter even a single word against any

parliamentarian at the said Eid Milan Party.

He said some office bearers of Employees Welfare Association, who had taken to task for their silly attitude towards their official duties, were misquoting him and trying to create problems.

“I got my education from the best education institutions of the world. I have been working in many prestigious academic institutions of the world. I can’t even think about using derogatory language.”

He said his comments at the gathering had only the best intentions keeping no malice, ill will or malevolence against the prestigious PPP, august parliamentarians and honoured federal

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The city police on Tuesday arrested seven outlaws from various areas of the city for their alleged involvement in robberies, bootlegging and for possessing illegal weapons.

The police also recovered 40 bottles of liquor, four 30-bore pistols and looted items worth thousands of rupees from their possession.

An Islamabad police spokesman said the Shehzad Town police acted on a tip-off and arrested three dacoits during a raid near the highway.

The dacoits were identified as Jaffer Khan, Imran and Ishfaq. According to the police, three pistols were also recovered from the arrested accused who confessed to their involvement in several robberies. Moreover, the Koral police arrested Sajjad for possessing a 30-bore pistol while the Islamabad CIA police apprehended Gul Alam for possessing a 2-bore carbine.

Separately, the Islamabad CIA police also arrested Kashif Masih and recovered 40 bottles of liquor from him. The Anti-Car Lifting Cell of the Islamabad police recovered a snatched car worth Rs 1.8 million.

Two alleged terrorists, affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), were arrested from Shakrial, a suburb of the federal capital, police said on Tuesday.

A senior police official said the arrests were made in the precincts of the Shahzad Town Police Station, when Crime Investigation Department (CID) raided a house on a tip-off. According to police, the terrorists, identified as Akbar Ali and Ali Gul, hail from Khyber Agency. The official said on the information obtained by the two terrorists, their accomplice, Musa, was also captured from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by local police.

Police sources said the arrested terrorists wanted to carry out a suicide attack at a mosque in Islamabad and they were waiting for their accomplice, who was in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to bring a suicide vest for them.

When contacted, a police spokesman confirmed the arrests of two alleged terrorists but said no explosives or weapons had been recovered from them.

ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Imran Khan addresses a press conference at the party office. STaff pHOTO

ministers. “I want to reiterate that I have used no such language against any party or individual,” the VC clarified.

Despite the clarification, the committee decided to further probe into the matter and asked Senator Bokhari and the QAu VC to give four nominees, who attended the said party, so that their version could be ascertained. The meeting was also attended by Senator Mian Raza Rabbani (PPP), Senator Syeda Sughra Imam (PPP), Senator Dr Saeeda Iqbal (PPP), QAu Registrar Dr Shafiqur-Rehman and HEC official Riaz Qureshi.

During the meeting, Senator Mian Raza Rabbani smoked cigar, causing problems for others; however, chair did not take any notice of the issue.

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MAHroof iNT PiMS PoLY CLiNiC CDA SHifA iNTerNATioNAL ALi DiSTriCT HQS ULTrASoNiC CLiNiC HoLY fAMiLY

ISLAMABAD MAHTAB BASHIR

S soon as one enters into the luxurious building of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), a welcoming female voice echoes in the air, saying, “Welcome to the Pakistan National Council of the Arts.

PNCA is the jewel in the crown of Federal capital. This deluxe building is your second home, hence it is your responsibility to take care of its interior and avoid taking eatables inside and also abstain eating chewing gum.”

Contrary to this piece of advice, when one crosses the walkthrough gate of the National Art Gallery (NAG), just behind the auditorium of PNCA, there are two separate washrooms - one each for ladies and gents - with the instruction inscribed on both doors, “Washrooms are temporarily closed for repairing. Please use cafeteria washrooms”.

“These washrooms are not functional for some days or weeks.

They are useable for almost a year now. I wonder, why the administration of PNCA is not paying attention for swift repair work, as a number of visitors on a daily basis register their complaints over the issue,” an official of PNCA told Pakistan Today.

Quoting an old saying “The discipline and cleanliness of a house is adjudged by two things, kitchen and toilet, the official maintained that interestingly, Major (r) Owais was the person concerned, responsible for the maintenance of the whole building. “It is often debated army officials whether retired or in-service takes much responsibility contrary to a civilian person,” the official added.

According to the official, it is a responsibility of the Administration Section, which has assigned the task to Owais, who is currently working as security and maintenance in-charge.

“He is already a retired person and the PNCA high-ups in a sheer violation of Supreme Court ruling on not giving extension to any government employee, revive his contract after every six months,” the official alleged, adding that Owais was also working as deputy director (DD) project development coordinator (PDC).

He also said that Owais’ tenure for the DD PDC had expired on December 31, 2011, but, hopefully, he would manage to get further extension as a summary for his rehiring had already been moved.

When asked, why these washrooms are not repaired within few days, the official said it was not just because of the lethargic attitude not of Owais, as the management of PNCA was also responsible for it, which added to the miseries of visitors. When this scribe visited the washrooms near cafeteria, the urinal and toilet angled towards Ka’aba Sharif. “It is unfortunate to observe such mistakes in the construction of washrooms. Almost every employee offers the prayers during the office hours, but no one has raised his voice over the matter,” the official said regretfully.

Apart from the washrooms, this scribe observed that a giant billboard of ‘National Drama Festival-2011’, which concluded on December 28, 2011, was still hanged on the outer wall of PNCA building and not removed, while the filthy car parking area around the building was also causing innumerable problems to the visiting art lovers. It does not stop there, as two escalators inside the PNCA building are also not functioning. The interior walls are also losing its whitewash from various galleries and offices in the council, while the working of fire extinguishers equipment, hanging on the walls of PNCA, is also questionable.

The capital has some marvellous masterpieces of architect – like Faisal Mosque and President’s House – which exude the feelings of utmost refinement and elegance. To further grace the already enthralling serenity, the city is adored with the majestic eye-popping grandeur of the PNCA building, but it is fast losing its attraction because of the lethargic attitude of PNCA’s department concerned. The National Art Gallery (NAG) of PNCA is stowed with every modern facility at its disposal as it has a state-of-the-art auditorium, an open air theatre, 14 exhibition halls, administrative and teaching areas and cafeteria. In March, 2007 by recognising the status of arts in society, the NAG was completed on 140,000 square feet of area in a record time of 19 months from a bare structure while it was inaugurated in August, 2007 to promote the bond of friendship between the people of Pakistan and the world at large using the art and culture as a tool. When Major (r) Owais was contacted for his version, he refused to receive the call.

CiTY DireCTorY

PoLiCe eMerGeNCY AMBULANCe reSCUe HiLAL-e-AHMer eDHi foUNDATioN BoMB DiSPoSAL fire BriGADe CeNTre CiViL DefeNCe

wednesday, 4 January, 2012

117 9273614 1333

Mansoor rahi's exhibition

caPoeira isltown

CoLLeGeS / UNiVerSiTieS iNTerNATioNAL iSLAMiC UNiVerSiTY 9260765 BAHriA UNiVerSiTY 9260002 NUML 9257677 QUAiD-e-AzAM UNiVerSiTY 90642098 AriD AGriCULTUre UNiVerSiTY 9290151 fJwU 9273235 riPHA iNTerNATioNAL UNiVerSiTY 111510510 NCA rAwALPiNDi 5770423 PUNJAB LAw CoLLeGe 4421347

DATe: JAN 26 - 29, 2012 VeNUe: NUST, H12 oPPoSiTe To PoLiCe LiNe

DATe: DeC 22, 2011 - JAN 05, 2012 VeNUe: GALLerY LoUVre iSLAMABAD

After two highly successful intra-NUST episodes, NUST now invites you to its first ever All Pakistan event- NUMUN 2012. This January, we'd like to welcome you here at H-12 and change all that you know about this place for the better.

Gallery Louvre islamabad invites you to the solo exhibition of Mansoor rahi. The exhibition will be showcasing all three sketching school of thought by the artist Synergy; a mix of harsh and soft sketching medium iconography: a sketch developed by singular line without ant support or color.

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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wednesday, 4 January, 2012

Pakistan to draw lines in US cooperation ISLAMABAD

P

AFP

A K I S T A N is reviewing future cooperation with the uS as relations flounder between the shaky allies in the wake of a deadly NATO strike, senior military and government officials said on Tuesday.

Showing the deep mistrust between the two countries whose cooperation focuses on the uS-led war in Afghanistan, a senior security official speaking anonymously said “lines

should be drawn” in all future ties.

“This is what experience from the recent turn of events suggests,” he said.

“From now on, every understanding will be in black and white. We will ensure that everything is well documented.” uS-Pakistani relations have nosedived since the secret raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May and uS air strikes on November 26 that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers near the border with Afghanistan.

Pakistan has rejected the findings of a joint uS-NATO investigation that concluded that errors on both sides led

to the soldiers’ deaths.

“The parliamentary committee is reviewing the state of the relationship with the uS and the kind of relationship that we should have with Washington in future,” said a senior government official privy to developments. “One thing that I can say is that the relationship in future will be transparent and there will be new terms of engagement with the uS in counterterrorism.”

According to a report in the New York Times, uS officials believe the counterterrorism alliance can survive

News 09 Drunken cook crushes boy under police van BAHAWALNAGAR STAFF REPORT

only in a limited form, complicating the ability to launch attacks against Islamic extremists based in Pakistan and move supplies into Afghanistan.

Analyst and retired general Talat Masood said that the authorities had concluded that a more limited relationship was the best way forward.

“I think the army has come to the conclusion that neither the people of Pakistan are satisfied with what has been happening nor is the uS satisfied” with the alliance agreed by former President Pervez Musharraf, said Masood.

A drunken man driving a police vehicle crushed a boy in the Nizampura area and injured pedestrians late on Wednesday night. Police officials said that Rashid, personal cook of the Sadar deputy superintendent of police (DSP), was driving the police van late night while the DSP was away. Rashid hit the pedestrians and killed Muhammad Omer, a resident of Nizampura, and injured Faisal and Javed, who lived in the Sadaat Colony. The cook was illegally driving the vehicle (Registered: BNG-2424), which was sanctioned to the DSP. Police officials said they arrested Rashid and his medical report proved that he was heavily drunk.

Munter meets PML-Q leaders ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

uS Ambassador Cameron Munter on Tuesday called on Pakistan Muslim LeagueQuaid (PML-Q) leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Mushahid Hussain Sayed and discussed matters of mutual interest. During the meeting, Pak-uS relations, matters relating to improving Pakistan’s economic condition as well as regional peace were discussed between two sides, a press release issued from Shujaat’s residence said. Pakistan’s current political situation also came under discussion between the PML-Q leadership and the uS ambassador.

Police foil terror bid at Taxila WAH CANTT APP

The Taxila Police foiled a terrorist attack on Tuesday by arresting two terrorists.

Holding a press conference, DSP Raja Taifoor Akhtar said that on a tip-off, police checked a car bearing registration number JGA-445 and recovered arms and ammunition, including three repeater guns, five pistols, one gun of 44 bore and 2,500 bullets and arrested two accused Amjad Hussain, a resident of Hafizabad and Tanveer Ahmed, resident of Sargodha. Police registered a case against the accused and started investigation.

METAL-WORKS ON THE ROADSIDE: A blacksmith works at a roadside stall in Multan. INp

towards Provincial education

‘Unbiased curricula essential for progress’ educationists want curricula to cater to local environments, go beyond ideologies and religious faith g

PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

unless curricula are framed in according with local environment, needs, over and above political ideologies, religious faiths and beliefs, no one can ensure achieving the goals of progress and prosperity, educationists and representatives from civil society organisations said in a dialogue arranged by Peace Education and Development (PEAD) Foundation in Peshawar on Tuesday.

Debate over curricula reform: The dialogue was meant to discuss the anomalies in the curricula, pointed out by PEAD through a survey and to build up consensus on positive proposals for reforming or framing the curricula on realistic grounds. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Minister Sardar Hussain Babak was the guest speaker, while educationists like Prof Dr Qibla Ayaz of Peshawar university, Dr

Fazal Rahim Marwat, chairman Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Text Book Board, Haroon of Religious Council, Dr Jehanzib Khan and Dr Hamid ullah Khan of Text Book Board, Mohammad Zubair and Zarmina Rafique expressed their views and took stock of proposals.

Imtiaz Gul of PEAD Foundation highlighted the purposes, which was to drive attention of the educationists, authorities and other stakeholders towards anomalies in the curricula. He said after the passage of 18th Amendment, the provinces would go for adopting or framing curricula of their choice. On such grounds, he said, it was the right time to make provincial authorities realize their responsibilities.

Bring in the mother language: Speaking on the occasion, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Minister Sardar Hussain Babak said, “The provincial government is aware of its responsibilities and

working on curricula, which is according to the interests of the province and its people.”

He pointed out that “our government is giving maximum importance and priority to mother languages in the new education curricula”, making it clear that along with Pashto, the government has directed for teaching in other languages like Hindko, Seraiki, Khawar and Gojri in areas dominated by such communities.

Commenting on the passage of Mother Languages Bill by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Babak said the bill “reflected wishes, expectations and needs of the people from all over the province without any discrimination”.

According to a survey by PEAD Foundation, the existing curricula is based on glorification of war, twisting of religious-cultural norms, discrimination of women and minorities and portraying Muslims as superior.

Brig (r) Imtiaz’s allegations baseless, says Haqqani MONITORING DESk A spokesman for Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the uS, has said that Brigadier (r) Imtiaz’s baseless allegations and concocted stories did nothing but further discredit the former intelligence henchman notorious for his hatred of the PPP. Responding to a story published by various newspapers, the spokesman said, “Imtiaz seems to be working to gain media attention by making such allegations, as he is simply irrelevant in today’s Pakistan.”

The spokesman added that Husain Haqqani does not need any certificate from a discredited individual to prove the level of trust bestowed on him by Benazir Bhutto, adding that “Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in her last book, Reconciliation, had acknowledged Haqqani as a loyal friend and that is sufficient for him”.

He said the interview of the con-

troversial retired brigadier at this crucial time proves that he was trying to play someone else’s game.

Haqqani is aware of such lowly tactics by his detractors and is confident that their lies won’t be entertained by anyone but their own illusions, the spokesman added.

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10 News

wednesday, 4 January, 2012

New York leaders condemn Queens mosque attack MONITORING DESk New York leaders have condemned a series of firebomb attacks, including one on a mosque, which police say they are investigating as a hate crime, BBC has reported. The Imam Al-Khoei Foundation in the borough of Queens suffered damage to its front door, but no-one was hurt. In a statement, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the bombings “stand in stark contrast to the New York City of today that we’ve built together”. He said the city’s hate crimes unit was “moving at full steam to investigate”.

There were no reported injuries and little damage as a result of the bombings.

According to the mosque’s assistant imam, Maan al-Sahlani, about 80 worshippers were there when the firebomb was set off.

“We were very surprised,” al-Sahlani said.

“This has never happened here before.”

Shortly before the firebomb hit the Al-Khoei Foundation, a corner shop known as a bodega was struck with a similar device, consisting of a still-undetermined inflammable liquid in a glass Starbucks cafe bottle, according to a police spokesman. A source close to the investigation said the employees at the bodega were Muslim. Just over two hours later, two bottles were also thrown at a house police said was used for Hindu worship services. Those bottles did not explode. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo also expressed outrage at the incident. “Attacks such as this have no place in our open and inclusive society and we must do all we can to ensure New York remains a safe and tolerant place for all,” Cuomo said. Bloomberg also said the hate crimes unit and the city’s 103rd Precinct detective squad were also looking for “connections to incidents outside New York City”.

AFTER THE BLAST: Rescue workers search the site of the blast in Peshawar. STaff pHOTO

MQM condemns Nawaz statement on military courts kARACHI ONLINE

Sindh Minister for Commerce and Industries Rauf Siddiqui has condemned PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s statements in which he said his party could again establish military courts in Sindh if voted to power in the next general election. In a statement, Siddiqui said Nawaz had made the statement merely out of lust for power.

He said Nawaz should explain on whose directives was he making such promises.

Siddiqui said Nawaz’s own cases should be taken up by military courts.

Karachi school named after Malala Yousufzai kARACHI APP

Government Girls Secondary School Mission Road, Karachi has been renamed as Malala Yousufzai Government Girls Secondary School with immediate effect. A notification in this regard was issued by the Sindh Education Department on Tuesday.

cross-border Pursuit

Pakistan charges Iranian border guards with murder g

iran says guards crossed border ‘unintentionally’ in pursuit of drug traffickers QUETTA

P

AFP

AKISTAN police on Tuesday charged three Iranian border guards with the murder of a Pakistani man shot dead on Sunday in a cross-border attack in the country’s southwest.

The three guards were held late Sunday in Balochistan along the Iranian border after they allegedly crossed the frontier and shot at a car, killing a Pakistani national. Police said they had charged the Iranians following a written complaint from the father of the victim.

“We have registered a murder case against the three Iranians and will present them in court,” said Abdul Malik, officer in charge of the Mazan Sar Mashkail area, where the three were arrested. A brother of the victim was also wounded by gunshots in the incident, police said.

The Iranians reached the area in Washuk district, three kilometres inside Pakistan, where they opened fire on a vehicle they were chasing, according to officials in the insurgent-hit province.

Mazan Sar Mashkail is around 600 kilometres southwest of Quetta. Pakistani officials said the Iranian guards were trying to take both Pakistani nationals back into Iran.

Malik said the three Iranians were in the custody of the Frontier Corps and a request has been sent to hand them over to police.

‘UnIntentIonAL CRoSSIng’: Meanwhile, the commander of Iran’s police border guard said the Iranian border guards had “unintentionally” entered Pakistan in pursuit of drug traffickers.

“Three Iranian border guards pursued the drug traffickers and unintentionally and due to darkness entered Pakistani territory and were arrested by Pakistani forces,” Hossein Zolfaqari was quoted as

saying by the ISNA news agency. Two smugglers were killed in the incident and another was wounded, he said, without giving their nationalities. He said 500 kilogrammes of drugs were seized. Zolfaqari denied any Pakistani civilian was killed in the incident.

Zolfaqari said a delegation of Iranian border guards had spoken with Pakistani officials asking for the release of their colleagues and that more talks were scheduled. He noted that the border is poorly marked. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast, asked about the incident, told reporters on Tuesday: “We do not have precise details. usually such incidents do occur in the borders but it will be solved with discussion by both sides.”

Iranian officials say 3,500 members of their security forces have been killed in clashes with traffickers over the past 30 years, mainly in areas bordering Afghanistan or Pakistan.

6 militants killed in orakzai operations HANGU ONLINE

At least four alleged militants were killed in an operation by security forces conducted overnight in upper Orakzai Agency, officials said on Tuesday.

Security forces also shelled two militant hideouts and destroyed them overnight.

Meanwhile, two militants and one National Lashkar volunteer killed in an armed clash in Khyber Agency on late Monday. Officials said the clash between lashkar and terrorists took place in Khyber Agency Tehsil Landi Kotal.

Two freight trains to be run to Amritsar RAWALPINDI ONLINE

Pakistan Railways (PR) Rawalpindi Division on Tuesday announced it will run 2 freight trains to India and the PR management had approved the project.

The trains will carry cement from Taxila to Amritsar. PR authorities said the trains will be profitable and engines for the trains had been provided.

no sPecial favours to their generals

Haryana CM rejects Indian army chief’s request to change location of plot MONITORING DESk INDIAN Army chief General VK Singh, whose statutory complaint to change his date of birth has been rejected by the Defence Ministry, has faced another turndown — this time from Haryana over a plot he wanted swapped, the Hindustan Times reported Gen Singh, who was given a one-kanal (420 sq metres) plot under the Haryana government’s “preferential allotment” policy at

a discounted rate in Panchkula, later sought a corner plot instead in the area. He spoke to CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda for allotment of the corner plot, citing his mother’s ill health as the reason. “His (Gen Singh’s) request was received through the chief minister. But the plot had been allotted to someone else and could not be given to the army chief. The government was informed about this two months ago,” said a Haryana urban Development Authority official.

“Besides, the preferential allotment pol-

icy has no provision for alternative plots,” added the official. “Once the government agreed with this view, the army chief was also informed.” In December 2010, Gen Singh was allotted plot 75 in Sector 4 of Mansa Devi Complex at Rs 22 lakh. The market price for the plot then was more than Rs 1.5 crore. under the “preferential allotment” policy, the government gives residential plots to domiciles of Haryana who have distinguished themselves in arts, culture, science and technology, social service, judi-

ciary, defence or sports.

Gen Singh, who belongs to Bapora village in Bhiwani district, was allotted the plot out-of-turn after he approached the CM. After depositing 25 percent of the allotment price in April last year, he then requested for the corner plot. “My mother is not keeping good health due to her acute breathing and other health problems. Living in a plot which is one side open and surrounded by plots from three sides would add to her health problems,” he wrote to the CM.

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wednesday, 4 January, 2012

Editor’s mail 11

The Pakistani pentagon Wondering what’s the Pakistani pentagon? The 9/11 attacks that levelled parts of the Pentagon building in Washington DC also gave birth to the Pakistani pentagon. Our pentagon is figurative taking the lead from the geometric shape rather than a concrete structure and consists of poverty, inflation, law and order, politics and terrorism. These are responsible for the hastened crumbling of our country’s already weak and cracked structure and if not rectified in time would lead to irreversible damages and far reaching consequences.

Poverty has always existed but in the past three to four years has reached distressingly high levels, like an incurable cancer. Starting from difficulty of making ends meet, coupled with the ongoing recession it has now become a hassle to even find work. uNICEF statistics show daily deaths due to poverty at almost 2200.

Inflation has led us to a drastic fall

Jamat Ali Shah flees in lifestyles and made people’s lives very difficult due to reduction in spending capabilities. Pakistan is currently facing a 13.1 percent inflation rate. Everyday there are huge price hikes. This leads to severe damage to the country’s economy as people have no confidence in the currency and save more, spending only that needs to keep life going.

The law and order situation is worse than ever. Just take a close look at the state of affairs in Karachi; almost 1500 killings last year. Inter-group fighting all just for proving the ideology of ‘might is right’. Families are torn apart, human lives are lost but nothing seems to matter, anything at all as long as the selfish desires of those responsible are fulfilled.

Our political scenario is like a rainbow, instead of colours however this rainbow consists of greed, corruption, betrayals, leg pulling, two-timing and all matters of moral ambiguities. Though there are shades of grey in politics worldwide ours, in our brief history,

have demonstrated one characteristic seen in no other democratic state, though on the face our ruling bodies are democratic, behind the scene it’s a power struggle between political families who for generations have held the reins of power not allowing for fresh blood to come in and breathe new life into our dead democracy, treating politics like a fight for a throne between two dynasties.

Terrorism has destroyed lives, hopes and ambitions. People live in constant fear, suffering the distress brought about by the massacres and tragedies that have become an everyday occurrence. Our economy is in shambles. Any and all sources of earning like tourism have completely been eradicated while peace is nothing more than a fading memory.

Was this the Pakistan the Quaid-eAzam had dreamt of, fought so valiantly against all odds to create, the nation for which he sacrificed his own well being?

Every Pakistani citizen covers in fear never daring to hope but pleading against all odds for the return of some sense of normalcy. But the road to recovery is not easy and far from our grasps for in order to succeed we need to take responsibility, be true to ourselves and our work and most importantly love and live for our nation not ourselves.

Revolutions take decades but they are worth it if steered in the right direction by people with the right intentions.

Holding back and drowning in one’s own miseries won’t help, steps in the right direction will.

Though the road ahead is long and treacherous, as long as we stay steadfast and true in our aims nothing can stop us. The great Roman Empire was neither built in a day nor with ease but when it finally came about it was a wonder to behold. If the people of that time could achieve all this, that why not us?

NIMRA HAMID Kinnaird College, Lahore

Asma’s decision It must have badly hurt the lawyers’ community when Asma Jahangir, the counsel for Hussain Haqqani, expressed no trust in the Supreme Court as well as the commission constituted to probe the memo.

What surprises the most is her logic that how it is possible that out of a ninemember bench none of them wrote any dissenting note. This simply reflects how minutely the honourable judges went through the case and were of the same opinion. Memo is not just a piece of paper, it is conspiracy against the state to weaken the armed forces so that the country is weakened beyond repair.

As an eminent lawyer she should know that there are no equal matches in judiciary, one party has to loose. Traditionally, in Pakistan any party that looses battle in the Supreme Court starts talking foul against the judiciary. No lawyer has moral ground to cast aspersions on the Supreme Court because they fail to get decision according to their wishes.

Since lawyers have fought a prolonged war in restoration of judiciary and Asma Jahnagir was one of them (which she regrets now), therefore to presume that the Supreme Court would consider their struggle for their restoration and give a favourable decision in their favour is rather expecting too much. Judgment of the Supreme Court is always in accordance with the law. By saying that she was forced to think whether it was the judiciary of the people or judiciary of the establishment is in a bad taste.

Our all institutions have collapsed.

Let us not ridicule the higher judiciary because we failed to get judgment of our own choice. under the prevailing circumstances, let us be cool instead of showing anger. Let us wait for the outcome of commission.

MUKHTAR AHMED Karachi

Teenagers’ problems Adolescence is a phase of dramatic transformations. Teenagers most of the times feel immense pressure to do well at college, at house and in communal groups. Simultaneously, they do not have the experience and understanding of life that allows them to realise that problematical circumstances do not remain forever.

Psychological problems usually linked with teenagers, like depression, play a vital role in motivating them to commit suicide. Some of these issues, or a blend of them, can possibly turn out to be such a cause of grief that they look for their release in suicide.

In spite of this people are unwilling to talk about it. This is partially because of the disgrace, remorse or humiliation that surrounds it. Sadly, it also stops individuals from openly discussing about the grief or anguish they suffer from. If helped in the right way, the ratio of suicide among teens can be lowered. Therefore, to save the asset of our country we must make sure that we infuse our youth with self-assurance and confidence so they can pave their way to success.

MIAN SUFYAN AHMED Lahore

As reported today by the media that Jamat Ali Shah, former Indus Water Commissioner, has escaped to Canada despite being on ECL for acting as an agent of India by irreparably damaging the water interest of Pakistan in giving a free hand to India in building a 57-meter high hydropower project in Leh district (Nimoo Bazgo).

Additionally, 42-meter high Chuttak hydroelectric power project is also being completed on the Suru River, a tributary of Indus in the Kargil district of the Indian Held Kashmir.

The said projects will reduce the flows of Indus River, the lifeline of Pakistan. On top of the above treachery, India has also managed to get approval of carbon credits amounting to $482,083 in seven years ($68,869 per year) from the uN for the two projects after showing that it has got the clearance report on trans-boundary environmental impact assessment of the said projects, from Pakistan.

Now if the Memogate can have ramifications of Article 6, why can't this treason of compromising vital water interests of Pakistan by the highest officials of the government and those responsible for allowing the main culprit of this scandal (Jamat Ali Shah) to leave the country after he was put on ECL, be also treated for high treason?

It is very astonishing why the PM or the government has not taken any action against those responsible persons who allowed him to flee from the country.

This is another fit case for last hope of Pakistan i.e., the judiciary, to immediately take suo motu action against the fifth columnist traitors, who sold vital interests of Pakistan to bring it on its knees before India, and those who allowed the traitors to flee from the country.

SYED NAYYAR UDDIN AHMAD Lahore

Unique ‘gain’ “Washington: Afghan President Karzai is negotiating the terms of a longterm uS presence in Afghanistan that could involve uS troops,” said a news item.

Procedural noora-kushti asides, the superpower finally gained its purpose of coming to Afghanistan where, in the last two centuries, two ex-superpowers failed in their attempt.

Z A KAZMI Karachi

Rulers’ expenses Pakistan is a developing country. Half of our population is living below the poverty line. The irony is that the masses are poor but the rulers are rich. The rough estimation shows that the government has one hundred ministers and advisors. The government is spending a lot of money on these ministers and advisors.

When we compare our country with other countries of the world, we find that the world’s largest and rich countries have only fifteen to seventeen ministers. For instance, China is the

will Musharraf join PTi? PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that the decision of forming an alliance with former President Pervez Musharraf will be taken after looking at the ‘circumstances’. Musharraf, who formed his own party by the name of All Pakistan Muslim League in 2010, has announced that he would return to Pakistan in January 2012.

Is it now the one-time all powerful Musharraf’s turn to seek shoulder of Imran Khan, as the latter was once offered by the then strongman during referendum? Or is it a bid by SMQ to dent the image of PTI which is already being

largest country and has only seventeen ministers. Similarly, our neighbouring country India too has sixteen ministers and the uSA has roughly the same number. Our government is printing two billion currency notes daily to meet its expenses. I appeal to the PM and president to cut the size of the cabinet. Reduce unnecessary expenses and utilise the rest of money on welfare schemes for education and health respectively.

TARIQ HUSSAIN KHAN Karachi

criticised for accepting the turncoats to its fold? The level of trust on Imran Khan can shatter but there seems no other way for him to sweep the election and earn a clear majority to form a government.

MARYA MUFTY Lahore

Corruption in PCB When Pakistan Cricket Board’s former Chairman Ijaz Butt was leaving his post, he claimed that he had left five billion rupees in the PCB bank accounts and another six billion rupees were to be deposited to the accounts by the end of 2012.

Least interested

But now the current PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf has said that the bank balance of PCB was around four billion rupees when he took the charge and he didn’t see any chances of getting the other six billion rupees.

The different statements given by Ijaz Butt and Zaka Ashraf show that something fishy is going on in the PCB. I appeal to the Patron-in-Chief of PCB, President Asif Ali Zardari to look into this matter. And I hope he does not take this issue as a conspiracy against the PPP government and orders a probe into this matter as soon as possible.

MUBASHIR MAHMOOD Karachi

The Balochistan issue has aggravated due to incompetent and incapable provincial and federal level leadership.

Chief Minister of Balochistan Mr Raisani is always busy in giving hilarious statements like ‘degree degree hoti hai asli ho ya naqli’. He is least concerned about solving the issues like target killing. Once he said if few among the hundreds of citizens were being killed it was not a big issue. It only shows that he is not serious and is not getting the Balochistan problem.

Leadership at federal government is also busy in minting money and is not addressing issues like gas and electricity loadshedding. How can anyone expect from them that they will handle the Balochistan issue? All of the political and other segments need to come closer to tackle the Balochistan crisis. For that the political leadership has to think beyond its interests.

DR HASNAT NABI Islamabad

heritage, it is of utmost importance to keep the people and the country in peace, harmony and unity. This task is surely difficult and demanding. Only a person who is sensitive to the feeling of all the people and knows how to honour their values can bring them to a platform where they perform as a nation.

This humongous task has not been accomplished in the history of Pakistan by an individual or organisation, except by the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto. Her character, her personality and her role as a mother and the prime minister of Pakistan is a source of inspiration for many. Not only did she hold the four

provinces in a united state but also worked for the improvement of women in a male dominated society. She upheld her progressive views and worked tirelessly to bring about a change in a society marred with discrimination against women and prejudice against various ethnic groups.

I strongly feel that the example of Benazir Bhutto should be followed in all walks of life. One does not have to be a woman to follow in her footsteps. She has laid down golden principles for all.

She is a beacon of light even after her martyrdom.

ZAINAB MEHMOOD BALOCH Kinnaird College, Lahore

Benazir Bhutto: an inspiring woman Benazir Bhutto excelled at asserting her right to rule. In a male-dominated Islamic society, she rose to become her father's political successor, twice getting elected as prime minister of Pakistan. She would also be exiled twice. In the end, Bhutto was better at rallying people to the idea of her power than at keeping them inspired by her use of it.

She was a child of privilege and took the mantle of power from her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the fiery and magnetic founder of Pakistan Peoples Party, who himself would become a martyr of democracy when he was executed in 1979 by military dictator General Ziaul-Haq. She inherited her bearing and

physical presence by her mother Nusrat Bhutto, who came from a distinguished Kurdish family from Iran. Educated at Radcliffe College at Harvard university, she would also study law at Oxford university. Her family and close western friends know her as "Pinky".

As a Muslim woman leader, Bhutto was almost an iconic figure in the West.

But her actual career in office was only a populist spectacle and achieved little accomplishments. She said in her own words, "I am not one of those leaders who sell lies and buy time.” She also said, "No leader, no dictator could do what I have done."

In a land so rich with diversified

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

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12 Comment Gas crisis Bounded rationality

T

hey want it all and they want it now. The ability of public discourse, fuelled by the media, to hold several contradictory positions all at the same time is phenomenal. The outcry following the gas shortage crisis demands for (a) uninterrupted gas to be provided to the country’s industrial units, (b) for gas to be provided to the households and (c) for gas to be provided to the transport sector. And the cherry on top is the expectation – nay, vehement insistence – for the tariffs to remain the same as well.

If the above is an example of bounded rationality on an issue of national interest, the APCNGA’s decision to announce an indefinite strike is an example of bounded rationality in a matter of self-interest. Ordinarily, an association, union or trade group’s principal leverage comes from the threat to close shop. Here, that is exactly what the government wants in the first place. Would this be the first strike in history where, barring the scuffles with law enforcers, the government is going to be happy?

For a media dominated by journalists belonging to the urban middle-class, the insistence of providing CNG to vehicles might make sense. But if they don’t limit this insistence to public transport or, perhaps, government mandated CNG rickshaws, it is actually an elitist demand; the poor travel by public transport and the lower-middle-class by motorcycles. A CNG kit in a car is an expensive proposition.

But what about the scores of working class CNG pump attendants that would lose their jobs, could be a response.

Yes, a problem, but the number of people from the working class that would lose their jobs if gas-powered industrial units were to shut down would dwarf the quantum from the pumps.

Lastly, Dr Asim Hussain’s words on the issue might sound measured and sensible but it is not as if this government has been the last word on effective policy. True, the move towards CNG vehicles was not on this government’s watch but this was a crisis that could have been predicted as soon as the government took charge in 2008. Far from calling it out, the incumbents kept on issuing CNG pump licenses and made some incorrect calls on the LPG and LNG fronts as well.

The government rightly demands the media and public to respond to the crisis like grownups. It would have been helpful had it shown some maturity of its own earlier on.

remembering Taseer intolerance lives

T

he murder of Salman Taseer, the outspoken liberal politician and Governor of Punjab, was a testimony to the depth of extremist sentiment in the country and the inefficacy of the ruling class. Taseer was gunned down by one of his own guards from the elite police force. Shortly afterwards, the murderer handed himself over to police, beaming with pride in front of cameras while confessing that he had killed Taseer because of his opposition to the blasphemy law. It is painful to remember that Qadri was not alone to rejoice in the barbarous act. As many as eight Facebook fan pages sprang up within a few hours, pronouncing Qadri a "hero" and a "son of Pakistan". Clerics announced that Taseer's death can't be mourned because he supported a blasphemer. In one breath, television anchors described his death as a great loss at this time of political instability and questioned his stance on the blasphemy law.

The hate campaign against Taseer had started a month earlier when he expressed sympathy for Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was an accused in a blasphemy case. This gave birth to fiery speeches by a section of the clergy who also issued edicts that justified Taseer’s s killing. Instead of bringing the perpetrators of the hate campaign to law, both the federal and Punjab governments ignored the provocations. This emboldened the handful of extremists agitating over the issue who then took out processions. The policy of appeasement continued even after Taseer’s murder when extremists were allowed to mob the court where the case was being heard. The judge who sentenced him to death received death threats and had to leave the country along with his family. Taseer’s family received another shock when his son Shahbaz Taseer was kidnapped in broad daylight in the last week of August and still remains untraced, another example of the apathy and incompetence of the administration.

Taseer’s killing is a big blow for all who are working for an enlightened and progressive Pakistan. His murder is a message to everyone in the country who stands for justice and humanity, that unless all institutions of the state as well as civil society are mobilised to stem the tide of the intolerance, extremism and vigilantism could devour society and the state.

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

wednesday, 4 January, 2012

The year of hope?

We’ll muddle through…

W

ill 2012 be the year of hope or despair? It is difficult to give a categorical response to this question. However, the probability is that the New Year will be a period of more hope and less despair.

It is going to the year of change for some improvement, although this is going to be far below the expectation of people.

The general elections are expected to be announced any time after July and these are likely to be held before the end of the year.

The PPP’s current concern appears to be the holding of the Senate elections by mid-March 2012. They would like to give the election budget in June in order to win back the lost popular support by offering some economic concessions. This is expected to set the stage for the next general elections.

Meanwhile uncertainty and confusion will persist and the PPP-led federal government will continue to struggle for survival in the face of lopsided opposition by the PML(N) and the fallout of politically loaded cases before the pro-active Supreme Court that appears to be determined to root out all deficiencies and corruption from the political system.

Even if the Supreme Court gives an adverse judgment for the federal government on the memo, the federal government is not expected to collapse except if the National Assembly decides to remove it or some extraordinary crisis makes it dysfunctional. It is likely to manage until midyear but it is not expected to have an easy ride partly because of its incapacity to overcome its deficiencies and partly because the PML(N) and the PTI

By Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi of Imran Khan will continue with their efforts to dislodge it.

The military top brass may not be happy with the federal government and they diverge from the federal government on the memo. They do not have a practical option available to them to dislodge it and assume power directly or install a government of their choice. The military top brass will encounter more serious problems in handling domestic issues and foreign policy in the absence of an elected civilian government. They may like to clip the wings of the federal government and wield influence from the sidelines.

The last year (2011) was a difficult period for Pakistan so far as governance, political management and handling of foreign policy and security issues were concerned. Karachi experienced violence for several months. The federal and Balochistan governments gave reasonable attention to development of Balochistan by im-

plementing the “Aghaz-e-Haqooq-eBalochistan” programme, recruiting more Baloch to the army, stopping the construction of new cantonments and turning some military facilities into academic institutions for all. However, as long as kidnapping and killing of politically active Baloch is not checked, no amount of development work will reduce alienation and dissident activity.

Islamic militancy and Taliban-related terrorist incidents and suicide attacks declined as compared to 2010. The continuous counter-terrorism in the tribal areas by the army and paramilitary has reduced the autonomous space for the extremists who are not able to easily train suicide bombers as they used to do in the earlier period.

This is despite some high profile terrorist incidents like the killing of the Punjab Governor and a federal minister and the attack on a naval base in Karachi.

However, one negative development is the resurgence of overt political activity by Islamic militant groups (including some banned organisations) in the Punjab in the form of anti-uS public rallies. It seems that the military-intelligence establishment has encouraged them so as to show to the international community that the Pakistani populace is outraged at American attack on the border security posts in November 2011. This may help to achieve some immediate political objectives but these very groups will be an obstacle for the military and the civilian government when they decide to normalise their relations with the uS. Religious extremism and terrorism will continue to be serious challenges but the frequency and level of violence is not expected to be higher than the last year.

Pakistan will work towards improving relations with India in 2012. It will also pursue the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project and take steps to get electricity from there. Despite the floods in Sindh in 20102011, agriculture is expected to show increased production that will keep the rural economy in a reasonable shape. In addition to foreign remittances some professions like banking, food and catering, telecommunication, information technology and real estate/construction will provide opportunities for earning reasonable

livelihood.

The political and societal situation is not expected to decline further. Rather, it will recover somewhat and the federal and provincial governments will be forced to pay greater attention to the problems and issues of the common persons because of the forthcoming general elections.

Pakistan is expected to disappoint the prophets of gloom or doom who talk of the collapse of the state and society. Pakistan is expected to continue facing internal contradictions and problems but it will move onwards. Society has enough resilience and good agricultural crops help rural economy and protect against starvation.

Its enterprising people inside and outside of Pakistan are a major source of support to the economy which is likely to continue.

International financial and diplomatic support is another source of strength.

These factors will enable the state to maintain itself.

A recently published book The Future of Pakistan edited by Prof Stephen P Cohen (Brookings Institution, Washington DC, December 2011) contains 17 excellent articles by different writers from the uS, the uK, Norway, India and Pakistan on Pakistan’s direction in the near future.

Making a concise review of historical background, current issues and challenges and how it has dealt with domestic and foreign policy and security issues, different trajectories have been identified for the future.

The general consensus is that the “current establishment-dominated state” is likely to muddle through its problems rather than collapse.

The signs of “muddling through” are going to be more noticeable this year as Pakistan addresses its multiple crises in an uncertain and conflict prone internal situation and troubled regional environment.

Some hope for change is the surge in the appeal of Imran Khan and the realisation on the part of the two major parties – the PPP and the PML(N) – that they need to respond to the demands from within the party and relate with the aspirations of the people in a meaningful manner.

The writer is an independent political and defence analyst.

Regional Press

The unappreciated ally Daily Pashtun Post

P

akistan fought well in the ongoing war on terror in Afghanistan with dedication. This is reflected in the losses in both men and material it has incurred, and continues to incur, during the course of the war. In the post-9/11 scenario, Pakistan has rendered many sacrifices and extended its cooperation to America at great cost to itself. The country even went ahead and provided its airports and airbases for use to the American forces.

The prevailing war has resulted in more losses for Pakistan compared to all the other participating allies, by any yard stick. The country, unfortunately, has also had to face the fury of natural calamities in the shape of unprecedented floods that shattered national infrastructure. This damage to infrastructure has not only been compounded by uS military activities in the country (such as damage to roads being used as supply lines, American incursions) but also by the backlash of terror attacks such as suicide bombings all over the country.

The losses and damage have not stopped as, despite all of its efforts, Pakistan has not been able to appease America. Hence,

America has often laid the blame for its failures in the war at the feet of Pakistan and relations remained rocky. Pakistan allowed Raymond Davis, an American that killed two Pakistanis in Lahore, to go back safely to his country and also had to bear the Abbottabad operation. Above all, it also bore the unwarranted Nato strikes on Pakistani checkposts in the Mohmand Agency.

All these factors have culminated into forcing Pakistan to reassess the basis of its relationship with America and to evaluate as to what America wants from Pakistan. Duplicity on both sides has made this relationship very difficult to sustain.

Pakistan, as a sovereign country with responsible power, rendered sacrifices for others in the war on terror. It also braved every challenge thrown to the security of its nationhood and boundaries.

But it seems that the country has had enough. Peace in the region and in Afghanistan in particular can only be achieved if both the countries cooperate meaningfully in this regard and America does away with some of its harmful policies (such as finger-pointing at Pakistan).

– Translated from the original Pashto by Abdur Rauf Khattak

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wednesday, 4 January, 2012

Comment 13

Justice for all, please pTI’s propaganda techniques For the attention of our revered judges, with utmost respect

By Ali Aftab Saeed

I

t seems the infamous memo had indeed threatened to tear down the very security of this country; I wonder why our enemies never figured out this way of neutralising our security apparatus. I am sure our honourable justices know their law very well, and would doubtless have painstakingly stuck to it while reaching their decision of admitting Nawaz Sharif’s petition and constituting the judicial commission to probe into the mystery. The thing with justice is that in addition to being done, it must also be seen to be done. On that count, the Supreme Court’s dispensation of justice in this matter in such an urgent manner raises more than an eyebrow or two, to put it mildly. Also, justice has to be across the board, or else it is not justice to begin with.

On the issue of justice, perceptions are very important. Post 1971, Bhutto, Junejo, Benazir, and Sharif were prematurely removed from office; only Nawaz Sharif was restored by the honourable courts! This history doesn’t make the job of the present justices (although most of whom had nothing to do with these decisions) any easier.

Even if this history doesn’t justify these perceptions, it at least explains them somewhat. Similarly, there is a growing perception among the people that legal cases against say Nawaz Sharif cannot be heard in Pakistan, especially the Punjab, hence the

unfortunate LHC(N) and SC (Sharif Court) insinuations. I am sure it is not true of the new unbiased judiciary, but this perception is there nonetheless, and something has to be done about it. Resolution of these perceptions is an uphill task, but we are looking towards the collective wisdom of our honourable justices to achieve it.

Justice Chaudhry, by refusing to buckle under the pressure of a military dictator in 2007, earned genuine and unprecedented respect from the whole nation. What he did wasn’t easy and he could easily have lost his life while standing up to Musharraf and his whole military machinery.

Justice Chaudhry displayed both courage as well as wisdom by not giving in to a bully, something that even the otherwise pugnacious Dr Khan couldn’t do. Justice Chaudhry’s defiance was a source of pride for every Pakistani, and he is still widely respected and popular for that.

Like Justice Chaudhry, Sharif also remains popular despite the latest tsunami that has hit the Asian subcontinent. There is, however a big difference between Sharif and Chaudhry: Sharif is a Pakistani politician and, therefore, is neither expected nor obliged to conform to the highest levels of consistency and transparency. Justice Chaudhry, being the deserving head of the highest court of justice, is.

The Supreme Court not only must not dabble in politics (I am sure it doesn’t), it must also be seen not to be doing that. The army chief and Sharif are widely credited – perhaps accurately – for the restoration of wrongfully deposed judges. However, if the free judiciary is seen to be soft on the two parties, it gives an ironic twist to the whole process of restoration of free judiciary, doesn’t it? We already have an institution that can't keep itself away from

politics, despite it being none of its bloody business. We sure can do without another one.

I am delighted to note that the court of Justice Chaudhry has banished, once for all, the doctrine of necessity. It will be a great day when the bogeyman of national security will also be dispensed with, and petitions such as Asghar Khan’s regarding the ISI’s dispersion of Mehran Bank funds for the benefit of Sharif also start receiving similar attention from the judiciary.

Asma Jahangir is correct about the big elephant in the room that goes unnoticed remarkably regularly. So much so that Yahya Khan (of all generals!) was buried in national colours, and Musharraf was given a 21 gun farewell.

True, the judiciary was not free in Yahya’s time but now, thankfully, it is. In case of Musharraf’s crimes, it is still not too late. Who knew, for example, about the secret agreements, the air bases, the NRO guarantors, amongst his close aids? Consistency would demand a thorough investigation, as well as putting the names of a few generals on the ECL until free and fair legal proceedings conclude.

Someday, maybe!

With thousands of legal cases of ordinary citizens waiting to be heard for years on end, and the ordinary man having lost all trust in the institution of judiciary for redressing his legal troubles, the judiciary has its plate full in terms of things to do. With this background, urgent dispensation of selective high profile cases is not only justice that won’t be across the board, it will also be nothing more than putting lipstick on a pig as far as the legal troubles of the ordinary Pakistan are concerned.

The writer is a member of the band Beygairat Brigade that has recently released the single Aaloo Anday.

Pathos and bathos

“T

he conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organised habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society,” according to Edward Bernays, the man behind the idea that American war efforts in the World War I were meant to ‘bring democracy to Europe’, and the man behind the philosophy that the choices people make can easily be influenced because they are not rational but emotional. “Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.”

Imran Khan’s recent rise would not have been possible without the support of that “invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country”. The ways in which that invisible government has engineered public opinion in favour of a number of actors over several decades are so typical that they can now be identified in Imran Khan’s media campaign: The 18-crore argument: People are persuaded to make a choice because everybody else is making it too. People are told that a particular ideology, party or movement is winning because so many people have joined it that it is impossible for it to lose. This has two implications – one, that so many people cannot be wrong, and two, that if the subject does not join in, he or she will be left out.

This technique has recently been overused by a number of opposition political parties and journalists. Each one of them claims to represent

By Harris Bin Munawar 18 crore people, which is the entire estimated population of Pakistan. That leaves zero supporters for the popular political parties now in government.

Actually, of the 18 crore people who live in Pakistan, less than 8 crore are adults who can vote. About a fifth of them voted for the PPP in the last elections. Imran Khan, investigative journalists, and a politician from Rawalpindi who has lost elections twice in a row cannot represent 18 crore people.

Simple solutions: Pakistan’s very complex problems are simplified by being blamed on one particular person or one particular policy.

That person is usually the president.

For example, Imran Khan claims the sole and simple reason for corruption in governance is that the man on top, President Asif Zardari, is corrupt. On other occasions, for example when asked why he has welcomed politicians accused of corruption in his own

Man bites Dog

party, he would say corruption is a complex problem and there are no angels. If Imran Khan cannot find honest politicians, how can Zardari?

Imran Khan’s party also claims terrorism will simply end if Pakistan stops cooperating with the united States. Pakistan’s policy of intervention in Afghanistan, the military’s ties with terrorist groups, and sectarian violence in Pakistan are seen as irrelevant.

Ideology of Pakistan: The Ideology-of-Pakistan technique involves use of words and phrases linked to concepts that have high emotional value. When political premises are linked to such terms as the ideology of Pakistan, honour and sovereignty, they are approved without thinking. That also makes it impossible for political rivals to question the validity of such arguments because they do not want to hurt public sentiment.

Imran Khan says he will make Pakistan an ‘Islamic welfare state’. It is impossible for a popular politician in Pakistan to disagree with that, or to ask what an Islamic welfare state is and what interpretation of Islam and what welfare mechanism he is talking about. He is free to interpret Islam the way it suits him, and anybody who questions his interpretation will be seen as questioning Islam.

Celebrity endorsement: A number of popular musicians have recently endorsed Imran Khan, not because they believe any particular solutions he has proposed would work, but as a matter of lifestyle and using such keywords as youth, vigour, passion and future.

What they say in Imran Khan’s favour might as well have been said verbatim about any other political party in Pakistan. A song that says ‘Dehshatgardi Murdabad’ – or death to terrorism (sic!) – is tautological. Another one that says all politicians are corrupt and Pakistanis are fed up can be played at virtually any political gathering, including those in the ruling alliance.

Quaid-e-Azam’s heir: A form of this propaganda technique was used by the PPP when it would call its opponents ‘Zia ki Baqiyaat’ – the remains of Zia. Lately, Imran Khan’s public meetings feature Jinnah and Iqbal on one side of the stage backdrop and Imran Khan on the other, to suggest he is the successor of the founding fathers.

It took Quaid-e-Azam many years to rise to the position where he could claim to be a representative of a majority of Muslims in India, and eventually of all Pakistanis. Somehow, his hard work and shrewd moves were all transferred to Imran Khan, who began his political career as the chairman of the party of which he was the only key member for about 10 years.

What Imran Khan’s rivals in government have not been able to understand so far is, “The best defence against propaganda,” according to Edward Bernays, was “more propaganda.”

The writer is a media and culture critic and works at The Friday Times. He tweets @paagalinsaan and gets email at harris@nyu.edu

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14 Foreign News

wednesday, 4 January, 2012

Scandal-hit German president faces resignation calls BERLIN AFP

German President Christian Wulff, an ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, faced calls for his resignation Tuesday over a home loan scandal and allegations he tried to hush up the story. Wulff, 52, has been hit by accusations he intervened to try to stop mass circulation newspaper Bild revealing details last month of a personal loan he had received from a tycoon friend’s wife. He left a furious message on the voicemail of Bild’s powerful editor Kai Diekmann threatening legal action and also reportedly contacted the chief executive of Bild’s publishing house Axel Springer and its main shareholder. According to media reports, the president told Diekmann that if Bild wanted to “wage war”, they could discuss it when he returned from a trip to Kuwait, from where he made the call. Amid rising anger at a perceived attack on press freedom, the Financial Times Deutschland said he should step down. “Everything taken together, it’s slowly becoming too much ... his credibility has been hit by this plethora of mistakes. A man who is dragging around such a burden can no longer remain president,” the FTD said. In a hastily called four-minute television statement in December, Wulff had tried to draw a line under the scandal, admitting he should have disclosed a loan from the wife of business leader Egon Geerkens. While governing the state of Lower Saxony, he denied having business ties to Geerkens despite having accepted the loan at an advantageous interest rate from his wife to buy a home.

Merkel has thus far defended Wulff. Her office, contacted by AFP on Tuesday, declined further comment. However, the Weser-Kurier regional daily said: “At some stage, the chancellor will have to make the cold calculation that his presence in the office is harming her and the country more than a second resignation.” Germany was rocked in May 2010 when then president Horst Koehler suddenly stepped down after appearing to suggest German troops abroad were defending Berlin’s economic interests.

Merkel invested a great deal of political capital to push through Wulff’s subsequent election, which turned into a debacle for her, as members of her own coalition broke ranks and refused to vote for him in parliament. A resignation “is the last thing she (Merkel) needs at the start of a difficult year during which she will be struggling to contain the euro crisis,” noted news weekly Spiegel on its website. The embattled Wulff faced criticism even from the deputy head of his own Christian Democratic union (CDu) party in Lower Saxony.

BIR ABD: An Egyptian woman shows her ink-stained thumb after voting at a polling station in the Sinai village of Bir Abd, some 300 kilometres north of Cairo, during the third and final round of landmark parliamentary elections on Tuesday. afp

Iran warning to US warship sends tensions soaring g

Navy spokesman says US carrier will face ‘full force’ of iranian navy if it returns TEHRAN

I

AFP

ran’s military on Tuesday warned one of the uS navy’s biggest aircraft carriers not to return to the Gulf, in an escalating showdown over Tehran’s nuclear drive that could pitch into armed confrontation.

“We advise and insist that this warship not return to its former base in the Persian Gulf,” said Brigadier General Ataollah Salehi, Iran’s armed forces chief. “We don’t have the intention of repeating our warning, and we warn only once,” he was quoted as saying by the armed forces’ official website. The uS carrier would face the “full force” of the Iranian navy if it returns, a navy spokesman, Commodore Mahmoud Mousavi, told Iran’s Arabic television service Al-Alam. The ominous message came just after Iran completed 10 days

of naval manoeuvres at the entrance to the Gulf to show it could close the strategic oil shipping channel in the Strait of Hormuz if it felt threatened. In the climax of the war games on Monday, Iran test-fired three missiles — including a new cruise missile — designed to sink warships. The aircraft carrier Salehi was referring to is the uSS John C. Stennis, one of the uS navy’s biggest warships. The massive, nuclear-powered vessel transports up to 90 fighter jets and helicopters and is usually escorted by around five destroyers. It is close to finishing its seven-month deployment at sea. The carrier last week passed through the Strait of Hormuz heading east across the Gulf of Oman and through the zone where the Iranian navy was holding its manoeuvres. The uS Defence Department called its passage “routine”.

The potential for an Iran-uS conflict sent a shiver through oil markets

Tuesday, pushing oil prices up around $2 a barrel. There was no sign of a letup in the tensions. At the weekend, uS President Barack Obama signed into law new sanctions targeting Iran’s central bank, which processes most of the Islamic republic’s oil export sales. The European union, which is mulling an embargo on Iranian oil, is expected to announce further sanctions of its own at the end of January. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said he was convinced Iran was pursuing nuclear weapons, and he wanted to see “stricter sanctions” applied on Iran. The Western sanctions add to four sets of uN sanctions imposed over Iran’s nuclear activities. The united States and many Western nations believe Iran is developing an atomic arsenal. Tehran denies that, saying its nuclear programme is exclusively for energy production and medical isotopes.

arab league says syria monitors helping, activists sceptical BEIRUT REuTERS

LAGOS: A motorcycle passes by burning tyres in Lagos in support of a protest against the removal of petroleum subsidies by the government on Tuesday. afp

The head of the Arab League said its peace monitors were helping to ease a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in Syria but activists said the organisation was being manipulated by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.

Nabil Elaraby, SecretaryGeneral of the 22-member Arab League, said Syria’s military had withdrawn from residential areas and was on the outskirts of the cities, although gunfire continued and snipers were still a threat.

“The latest telephone report said there is gunfire from different places, which makes it hard to say who is shooting who,” Elaraby said in Cairo on Monday. “Gunfire should be stopped and there are snipers,” he said. “We call upon the Syrian government to fully commit to what it promised.”

Activists said at least 12 people were killed across the

country on Monday. The grassroots Local Coordination Committees said the Arab League monitors were unable to end the violence or reach an independent assessment of its causes. “The Arab League has fallen victim to the regime’s typical traps in which observers have no choice but to witness regime-staged events and move about the country only with the full knowledge of the regime,” the LCC said in response to Elaraby. “This has rendered the observers unable to work or move independently or in a neutral manner.”

Army defectors, whose armed insurgency has threatened to overshadow the peaceful popular uprising, captured dozens of members of the security forces by seizing two checkpoints on Monday, the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Army defectors also clashed with security forces at a third checkpoint, killing and wounding an unspecified number of troops loyal to Assad, it said. Assad is

struggling to defeat a popular uprising and avoid becoming the latest leader to be toppled by “Arab Spring” revolutions, after those of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen.

After nearly 10 months of violence in which the united Nations says more than 5,000 people have been killed, mostly unarmed civilians, an Arab League monitoring mission has spent the past week assessing Assad’s compliance with a peace plan.

PeACe PLAn: The League’s plan calls for Assad to pull troops and tanks from the streets, free detainees and talk to his opponents. Elaraby said the monitors had secured the release of 3,484 prisoners and succeeded in getting food supplies into Homs, one of the centres of the violence. “Give the monitoring mission the chance to prove its presence on the ground,” he said. But many Syrian opposition activists are sceptical that the mission can put real pressure on Assad to halt the violence.

Turkey ex-army chief named suspect in anti-govt case ANkARA REuTERS

A former chief of Turkey’s powerful armed forces has been named as a suspect and called in for questioning by investigators probing an Internet campaign to discredit Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party, state media said on Tuesday. General Ilker Basbug, who retired in 2010, is the highestranking officer to be caught up in a widening investigation into the so-called Ergenekon network, an ultra-nationalist group accused by prosecutors of conspiring to topple the government. The Ergenekon case is seen as part of a power struggle between AK, which has roots in a banned Islamist party and swept to power in 2002, and the secularist armed forces, which have ousted four governments in 40 years.

The investigation, carried out by state prosecutors, centres on allegations Turkey’s military set up websites to spread anti-government propaganda with the intent of destabilising Turkey. The armed forces have seen their influence decline in recent years. Reforms aimed at strengthening civilian rule and winning Turkey’s membership of the European union have curbed the power of generals.

State-run Anatolian news agency said an Istanbul prosecutor had sent a notice to Basbug, who was chief of general staff from 2008 to 2010, calling him to answer questions as a suspect. Television news channels said Basbug would appear on Thursday. The so-called “Internet Memorandum” case is just one of many strands of investigations into Ergenekon that began five years ago. Several hundred defendants, including retired senior officers, lawyers, academics and journalists, have been put on trial in cases relating to the investigation. Opposition parties have accused the AK-led government of using Ergenekon to go after its critics.

5 islamists killed in Yemen fighting ADEN REuTERS

Yemeni troops killed five fighters on Tuesday from an Islamist group that has controlled the capital of a southern province since May, a local official said. The official said the army shelled the fighters from a group calling itself Ansar al-Sharia and exchanged gunfire with them in Zinjibar, in Abyan province. Yemen’s central government says the group is linked to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which has plotted abortive attacks abroad from the country. Opponents of Ali Abdullah Saleh who has agreed to step down as president after nearly a year of protests pushed the country to the brink of civil war - accuse him of ceding territory to Islamists to bolster his assertion that his rule keeps al Qaeda in check.

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wednesday, 4 January, 2012

iran sentences former president’s daughter to jail TEHRAN REuTERS

The daughter of influential former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was on Tuesday sentenced to jail and banned from political activities for “anti state propaganda” dating back to the 2009 disputed presidential election, Iranian media reported. The Islamic state has piled pressure on the opposition ahead of a parliamentary election in March 2, the first test of the clerical establishment’s popularity since the 2009 vote that critics say was rigged to re-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Rafsanjani, who heads a powerful body that resolves disputes between parliament and a hardline clerical body, sided with the pro-reformers after that vote, which brought tens of thousands of people onto the streets during eight months of protests. Daughter Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani went on trial last month on charges of “campaigning against the Islamic establishment”, student news agency ISNA said. She was arrested and briefly detained after addressing supporters of candidate Mirhossein Mousavi when they gathered near the state television building in Tehran in defiance of a ban on opposition protests in the aftermath of the election. “My client has been sentenced to six months in jail and banned from engaging in any cultural and political activities for five years,” ISNA quoted her lawyer Gholam-Ali Riyahi as saying. She has 20 days to appeal.

Thousands of people, including senior members of the reformist bloc, were detained after the vote for fomenting unrest. Most of them have since been released, but more than 80 people have been jailed for up to 15 years and five have been sentenced to death. Iranian media reported on Friday that Iran had blocked the former president’s website for carrying pro-reform statements. Mousavi, a former prime minister, and Mehdi Karoubi, a cleric and a former parliament speaker who led the opposition, have been under house arrest since February and denied any contact with the outside world.

US won’t give a dollar to save europe: romney MILAN REuTERS

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney told an Italian newspaper that Europe must solve the euro zone debt crisis without any help from the united States.

“The u.S. must take care of its own crisis, and won’t give a dollar to save Europe,” Romney told La Stampa. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, said he was aware that a collapse in Europe would have “enormous repercussions” for the world’s economy and that it was in Washington’s interest to avoid it. “But it is not our job to avoid it.

Europeans have a duty to solve their crisis with the means at their disposal,” he was quoted on Tuesday as saying. “Germany, France, Italy all have the resources to pay back their debts, solve the confidence crisis, invest and start growing again, ideally through a real market economy.” Iowa Republicans cast the first votes of the 2012 White House campaign on Tuesday, with Romney, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul in a high-stakes battle to win the party’s kick-off nominating contest.

Foreign News 15

Egyptians vote in final phase of landmark polls SHARM EL-SHEIkH

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AFP

GYPTIANS were voting on Tuesday in the final round of a landmark post-revolution election that has propelled Islamist movements into the centre stage of politics.

Around 15 million eligible voters have the chance to cast their ballots for the first parliament since an uprising overthrew veteran president Hosni Mubarak in February last year. The third round of voting which takes place over two days in nine of the country’s 27 provinces is unlikely to change the outcome of the election, which has so far seen Egypt’s main Islamist parties claim a crushing victory. Small queues began to form outside polling stations when

they opened at 8:00 am (0600 GMT) in the Nile Delta, the south and the tourist resorts of South Sinai.

Voters had to pass through metal detectors before entering polling stations in the Red Sea resort of Sharm elSheikh, tourist mecca and site of Mubarak’s second residence. In the Nile Delta province of Qaliubiya, the turnout appeared low compared with the first rounds with only dozens standing outside a school waiting to vote, an AFP correspondent said. “I’m incredibly happy today, I feel like my country is seeing a huge change,” said Amira, 25.

In the southern city of Minya, with a large Coptic population, voters trickled into polling stations in a relaxed atmosphere, an AFP reporter said.

The first two rounds of voting saw Islamist parties emerge as winners, mir-

roring a pattern in the region since the Arab Spring uprisings overthrew authoritarian secular regimes. The powerful Muslim Brotherhood, the country’s best organised political movement which was widely expected to triumph in the polls, has claimed the lead through its political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP). But the surge of Al-Nur, which represents the ultra-conservative Salafi brand of Islam, has raised fears among increasingly marginalised liberals about civil liberties and religious freedom. The Islamists’ victory has also raised concerns about the future of the country’s lucrative tourism industry. “God willing, the FJP will win.

They are good people. Tourism is their priority, they will never shut it down,” said one of the voters, umm Mohammed, a government employee

whose husband works in tourism in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Her friend, umm Esraa, said “most FJP people here work in tourism so they would be the first to be scared for its future.” The Islamists’ liberal rivals — including the country’s oldest party Al-Wafd and liberal coalition the Egyptian Bloc — have fared badly in the first two rounds of voting. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which took power when Mubarak was ousted, has repeatedly pointed to the elections as proof of its intention to hand the reins to a civilian government.

But the vote has exposed a deepening rift among Egyptians. Some see them as the first step to democratic rule, while others say the new parliament — whose function remains unclear — leaves control in the hands of the military.

PYONGYANG: A television screen grab taken from North Korean TV on Tuesday shows thousands of North Koreans as they hold a mass rally in support for their country’s policies and new leader Kim Jong-un at Kim Il Sung Square. afp

anwar begins Malaysia tour ahead of sodomy verdict kUALA LUMPUR AFP

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim embarks Tuesday on a nationwide tour ahead of a verdict in his long-running sodomy trial, to declare his innocence and campaign for a change of government. The trial, which opened nearly two years ago, is the latest crisis for the former finance minister who was sacked and jailed on separate sodomy charges a decade ago, only to make a comeback at the helm of a resurgent opposition. Ahead of the January 9 verdict which could see Anwar jailed for up to 20 years, he will visit eight states in a whirlwind six-day tour beginning in southern Johor state and ending in a courthouse rally. “I am making a call for change, enough of this arrogance of power, the abuses of the ruling party, we need change so that such baseless accusations, the persecution of individuals like myself, do not continue,” he told AFP. “The tour is not only to declare my innocence but to convince the people that it is time to vote out Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government so as to move towards greater democracy and openness.” Najib has until March 2013 to call general elections, but is widely expected to go to the people this year with hopes of winding back the stunning gains the opposition secured in the last polls in 2008.

Anwar’s opposition alliance, led by his Parti Keadilan Rakyat, won an unprecedented one-third of parliamentary seats in that ballot, stunning the Barisan Nasional government which has ruled for half a century. The new sodomy allegations, levelled by a young former

aide, were lodged soon after, fuelling Anwar’s allegations that the charges were concocted to destroy his political career. Anwar’s tour begins in the ruling party’s bastion of Johor before heading to the central states of Negeri Sembilan and Malacca on Wednesday, and the opposition’s stronghold of Kelantan in the north on Thursday. Event organisers say they are expecting several thousand supporters at the late-night event in Johor to hear Anwar speak. Anwar is famed for his eloquence and charisma and typically draws large crowds keen for a display of his caustic wit and fiery rhetoric.

Top US diplomat in China for N. Korea talks BEIJING AFP

Senior uS diplomat Kurt Campbell arrived in Beijing on Tuesday to discuss North Korea after the death of Kim Jong-Il, a uS embassy spokesman said. Campbell, the assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs, is the first uS diplomat to visit North Korea’s closest ally since the leader of the Stalinist state died from a heart attack on December 17. Kim’s death has sparked concerns over the stability of the isolated, nuclear-armed nation, where famine killed hundreds of thousands in the 1990s and where severe food shortages persist. A spokesman for the uS embassy in Beijing told AFP Campbell had arrived on Tuesday evening. He said Campbell would meet senior officials on Wednesday “to discuss a range of important bilateral, regional, and global issues, including the latest developments related to North Korea and Burma.” China is a key ally of Myanmar, also known as Burma, which has made tentative steps at reform by opening talks with the opposition and ethnic minorities. But the future of North Korea is likely to dominate Campbell’s trip, which will also take him to South Korea and Japan before he returns to Washington on Saturday. In the hours after the announcement of Kim’s death on December 19, China’s Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi held phone talks with uS Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the importance of ensuring security on the Korean peninsula.

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16 ‘Sherlock’ stars deny homosexual wednesday, 4 January, 2012

undertones between Holmes, Watson LONDON

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AGENCIES

HE lead actors in BBC’s ‘Sherlock’ have once again insisted that there is no onscreen romance between the legendary detective Holmes and his sidekick Dr John Watson. The nature of the relationship between Sir

HOLLYWOOD’S MOST CHARITABLE CELEBRITIES 2011 The Goodwill Ambassador for uNICEF, Shakira is at the 11th spot of the Top 20 Celebs Gone Good of 2011.

There is she is!

Lady Gaga sits right at the top of the Top 20 Celebs Gone Good of 2011.

Arthur Conan Doyle’s duo has long been a subject of intense speculation, and the latest television adaptation - starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman - has again set tongues wagging.

From the original books to the current films starring Robert Downey Jr, some people have perceived there to be an underlying tone of homoeroticism. The author himself raised eyebrows in the 1893 short story ‘The Adventure of the Yellow Face’, when he referred to the duo as two men “who know each other intimately”, taken by some to mean they were homosexual. As the latest series got under way, Cumberbatch, who plays Sherlock Holmes, said they have been forced to deal with constant speculation on whether the characters are lovers. “Much as Sherlock adores John, and he’s fond of him, there’s no love, there’s nothing sexual – all the jokes aside,” the Daily Express quoted him as saying. “The problem is, [the jokes] fuel the fantasy of the few into flames for the many. People presume that’s what it is, but it’s not,” he said.

Freeman, who plays Dr Watson, said he did not think there was anything sexual in the relationship. “There are a lot of people hoping that our characters are rampantly at it. If you want to think that they are secretly at it, then you can, but we’ve never played anything like that,” he said.

Helena Bonham-Carter to receive top British honour LONDON AGENCIES

Actress Helena Bonham-Carter will be honoured with top British honour Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and she is dedicating it to her father. Bonham-Carter, who has two children with film director partner Tim Burton, said she is dedicating the honour to her father, who suffered with serious illness for 25 years, after being diagnosed with brain tumour. “I am wondering does it mean I get to command, because at the moment it’s my four-year-old daughter who does the commanding in our household.

Must inform her of the change in situation,” dailymail.co.uk quoted her as saying. Other show business personalities, who will receive a CBE honour this year would be comedian Ronnie Corbett and broadcaster Clive James. TV presenter Lorraine Kelly receives a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) along with former TV host Stuart Hall. Actor David Harewood will also get an MBE honour.

Rihanna and Chris Brown fuel speculations of

reunion WASHINGTON: Almost three years after their highly publicised breakup, Brown and rihanna stirred up speculation about a reunion on Twitter last week. Brown was sentenced to five years of probation, six months of community service and one year of domestic violence counselling for assaulting rihanna the night before the 2009 Grammy Awards. However, last week Brown tweeted, “Love U more than u know!” to his nearly 6.7 million followers including rihanna, who quickly tweeted back, “i’ll always love u #1LoVe.” The exchange sparked rumours of a reconciliation that were bolstered by a December 15 tweet by Brown’s mom, Joyce Hawkins: “HeLLo LADY i MiSS YoU AND LoVe YoU!!!!! YoU KNow wHo YoU Are!!!!”

Soon after, rihanna tweeted “Miss+Love u 2.”

Despite hints of a possible reunion, the two singers kicked 2012 off separately with Brown planting a public smooch on model girlfriend Karrueche Tran. rihanna, on the other hand, rang in the New Year at P Diddy’s party in Miami wearing a sheer lace dress that left little to the imagination. even if the two are hoping for a hook-up, they’ll have to head back to court or wait for the court-mandated restraining order to expire in 2014. AGENCIES

Last year at the 10th spot, Justin Bieber’s charitable work has landed him at the second spot this year.

The wizard boy Daniel Radcliffe continued his involvement with The Trevor Project and is at the seventeenth spot.

The versatile actor George Clooney secured the third position on the Top 20 Celebs Gone Good of 2011. Notably, George is a key celeb advocating human rights in Sudan.

The International pop sensation Miley Cyrus is at the 18th position of the Top 20 Celebs Gone Good of 2011.

Her support for the Starkey Hearing Foundation was notable this year.

Salman

chooses Imran over Hrithik for ‘Bigg Boss 5’ finale MuMBAI: Even as Bollywood hunk Hrithik credits Salman Khan for being his inspiration behind the super fit body that he flaunts, the dabangg of Btown refuses to forgive Hrithik for his past mistakes. And remember, once anyone dare rub Sallu the wrong way, pardon is the last thing one can expect. So when on the Grand Finale of ‘Bigg Boss 5’, Hrithik was supposed to grace the show thereby promoting ‘Agneepath’, Salman put his foot down. It can be recalled that Hrithik’s comments on Salman’s outburst about Sanjay Leela

Bhansali’s ‘Guzaarish’ did not go down too well with the latter. So, when he was told that the team of ‘Agneepath’, which included Hrithik, Priyanka Chopra and Sanjay Dutt, would grace the grand finale of ‘Bigg Boss’, Salman refused to entertain them. Instead, Sallu asked Imran Khan to promote Karan Johar’s next production ‘Ek Main Aur Ek Tu’ on the grand finale. Of late Sallu’s been quite caring of Aamir Khan’s nephew and has been rather vocal with his praises for the younger actor.

ZEENEWS

MUMBAi: recently when porn star Sunny Leone got eliminated from the ‘Bigg Boss’ house, her fans and followers were quiet shocked as her popularity has only risen since she landed on indian soil. However, now that Sunny is out of the BB house, she is all set to start working on her first Bollywood venture with the Bhatts. But the item girl and motor mouth can’t stop herself from making a dig at Sunny as well as Mahesh Bhatt. rakhi said: "i’m really amazed as to how did this happen!

Aakhir yeh chamatkar hua kaise!

Logon ko toh ashleelta (nudity) kaafi pasand hai! especially when it comes to seeing others’ sisters and daughters sans clothes, people are quite gungho. Lagta hai logon ko naye saal mein akal aagayi. Der aaye durust aaye! if people have rejected nudity on telly, then i am really glad!" She further said, "Mahesh Bhatt is signing Sunny Leone for ‘Jism 2’ - only for her nudity.

After all, it makes things easier for the filmmaker. in any case, he makes his heroines shed clothes, so it will make things easy for him because Sunny has already shed her clothes long back!

Mahesh Bhatt ka kaam aasaan ho gaya!” ZEENEWS

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17 The global ambassador for IFAW’s Animal Action education program, Leonardo Dicaprio is at the 5th spot.

to be named on Jan 15?

MUMBAI AGENCIES

It's been a while now that Baby B daughter of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan - has come into this world, but the adorable bitiya is still nameless. If news is to be believed, there is going to be a grand naming celebration on January 15 on Makar Sankranti, post the on-going inauspicious Kharwas period. The Bachchans are known to be superstitious, and won't do anything that could have an adverse effect on their little one. It is heard that he family hasn't zeroed in on any name yet, though there has been a short-list of names beginning with 'A'. Well, let's wait and watch what this little bundle of joy is going to be called.

PARIS AGENCIES

in a row in which about 8.5

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he Louvre cemented its position as the world's most-visited museum with a record 8.8 million visitors last year to the Paris home of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and other masterpieces. The Louvre saw a five percent increase in visitors in 2011, after three years

million people had visited the museum, it said in a statement. The museum said it enjoyed "a strong return of American visits and a more and more marked presence of visitors from emerging countries." Visitors from abroad accounted for 66 percent of the museum's attendees, led by tourists from the United States, followed by

Brazil, Italy, Australia and China.

The number of visitors to French museums is expected to have grown overall by more than five percent last year to about 27 million, French heritage officials said last week.

According to a survey by Londonbased The Art Newspaper, the second most-visited museum in 2010 was the British Museum, with 5.8 million visitors, followed by New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art with 5.2 million.

‘I want to be there for my kids’ g

Imran Khan in an exclusive interview on fatherhood, friends and films MUMBAI

Talk of charity and Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie will always be there! The internationally famous couple donated a whopping $340,000 to the Humanitarian Initiative Just Relief Aid in Somalia.

After Veena, Sunny Leone is Rakhi’s latest

victim

TOI

How 2011 was for you? “It was a great year. I had two releases – ‘Mere Brother Ki Dulhan’ and ‘Delhi Belly’; both did exceptionally well. I got married early 2011 and that was one of the happiest moments of my life. There's a sense of calmness and confidence that I have now embraced. It comes from knowing that there will be ups and downs and you got to know that life goes on.” How do you stay grounded in an industry dominated by box-office collections and a constant spurt of newcomers?

“The fact that I have a life outside the industry helps. I have my close set of friends

who don't obsess about trade figures and the Saturday drop. We prefer talking about music, books and stuff that isn't even remotely related to the industry. I recharge my batteries by engaging myself in such conversations. I cannot go back home sitting and cracking my brains over who is making how much money.” Do you turn to Aamir for advice when it comes to choosing films? “Not really. There's something Aamir told me early on, 'If you want, I will hold your hand till the very end, or else, you jump into the deep end and swim on your own'. I have learnt to deal with the effects of both success and failure over the last three years. I have come to realise that along with failure, dealing with suc-

Amitabh

most followed Bollywood celeb on Twitter

MuMBAI: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has surpassed Twitter queen Priyanka Chopra, emerging as the most popular celebrity on the micro-blogging site with 1,850,903 followers. Bachchan, who joined Twitter in 2010, is an avid user of the site and has tweeted 11,108 times till date.

The 69-year-old took the number one spot after beating last time winner Priyanka, who now stands second on the list with 1,841,804 followers and 5,693 tweets. The actress follows 138 people among which are Shahrukh Khan, Big B and Hrithik Roshan. Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar came

third on the list with 1,786,243 followers and Shah Rukh Khan landed on the fourth position with 1,612,989 followers. Actor Aamir Khan, who has given hits likes 'Taare Zameen Par' and 'Dhobi Ghat', came fifth with 1,506,083 followers on Twitter and 'Dabangg' star Salman Khan ranked sixth with 1,485,203 followers.

AGENCIES

cess is also important otherwise you end up being an a**hole.” With the family welcoming a new member (Aamir’s son), do you have any plans to start a family soon?

“I am in no rush to become a father. It is something that I definitely look forward to, but it will be a couple of years down the line. At the moment I have no time for anything but work. Besides, I don't want to be the dad who isn't there for his child. I want to be there for my kids and it's something I would never compromise on.

Frenzied fans drive Bipasha to lock up in

storeroom NEW DELHI: Looks like Bong beauty Bipasha Basu is suffering from a serious case of paranoia. Bips, who is usually quite a sport when it comes to interacting with people, was scared out of her wits when she spotted a thronging mass of fans right outside a jewellery store she came to launch in Bangalore. An eyewitness reported that no sooner did she see the crowd Bipasha rushed into the storeroom and locked herself in. She refused to come out outside unless she was provided with more security. A source said, "There were 25 bouncers at the venue already and the event was running late. But the actress absolutely refused to step out unless they arranged for more security, which obviously put the organisers in bit of a jam." The event was not just delayed but even cut short. The organisers apparently were quite helpless and could do little but provide her with what she wanted. "The event venue wasn’t that big and nobody really anticipated such crowds. Thankfully, by the end of it, all things were sorted," said the source. ZEENEWS

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wednesday, 4 January, 2012

Clijsters comes back from the brink Page 21

Australia take charge after restricting India SYDNEY

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SCOREBOARD

REuTERS

AMES Pattinson took four wickets as Australia bundled India out for 191 on the opening day of the second test Tuesday, before coming through a top order crisis of their own to finish a frenetic day on 116 for three.

Michael Clarke (47) and his predecessor as skipper Ricky Ponting (44) put on an unbeaten 79 for the fourth wicket to put Australia 75 runs behind after India's Zaheer Khan had removed their top three batsmen with just 37 runs on the board.

As in their 122-run first test victory in Melbourne last week, Australia had pace bowlers Pattinson (4-43), Peter Siddle (355) and Ben Hilfenhaus (3-51) to thank for constricting the world class Indian batting line-up.

Siddle ended the India innings with his 100th test wicket after Hilfenhaus had mopped up most of the tail but it was 21year-old Pattinson who again caught the eye in just his fourth test.

Bowling with genuine pace, Pattinson took just three balls of the morning to take the wicket of Gautam Gambhir before adding those of the other opener Virender Sehwag and dangermen VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar.

"I'm loving it," Pattinson told reporters. "I'm honoured to be out there playing against some of the best batsmen in the world and getting Sachin out is something I'll remember for the rest of my life, it's an amazing feeling."

Tendulkar came out to a huge ovation and had looked by far the most comfortable Indian batsman before he chopped a widish Pattinson delivery onto his stumps for 41, as he was thwarted in his latest quest for a 100th international century.

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was to hit a team-high 57 not out, won the toss and elected to bat on a hot, sunny morning at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

It was, perhaps, a good toss to lose as Pattinson, Siddle and Hilfenhaus

INDIA, 1st innings: 0 G. Gambhir c Clarke b Pattinson 30 V. Sehwag c Haddin b Pattinson 5 R. Dravid c Cowan b Siddle 41 S. Tendulkar b Pattinson V.V.S. Laxman c Marsh b Pattinson 2 V. Kohli c Haddin b Siddle 23 57 M.S. Dhoni not out R. Ashwin c Clarke b Hilfenhaus 20 0 Z. Khan c Cowan b Hilfenhaus 0 I. Sharma c Cowan b Hilfenhaus 0 u. Yadav c Haddin b Siddle EXTRAS: (b3, lb6, w2, nb2) 13 191 TOTAL: (all out; 59.3 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Gambhir), 2-30 (Dravid), 3-55 (Sehwag), 4-59 (Laxman), 5-96 (Kohli), 6-124 (Tendulkar), 7-178 (Ashwin), 8-178 (Zaheer), 9-186 (Sharma), 10-191 (Yadav) BOWLING: Pattinson 14-3-43-4 (1nb, 2w), Hilfenhaus 22-9-513, Siddle 13.3-3-55-3 (1nb), Hussey 2-0-8-0, Lyon 8-0-25-0 AuSTRALIA, 1st innings: D. Warner c Tendulkar b Zaheer Khan 8 16 E. Cowan lbw b Zaheer Khan 0 S. Marsh c Laxman b Zaheer Khan R. Ponting not out 44 M. Clarke not out 47 1 EXTRAS: (lb1) 116 TOTAL: (for 3 wkts; 26 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Warner), 2-8 (Marsh), 3-37 (Cowan) BOWLING: Zaheer Khan 9-2-26-3, Yadav 8-1-42-0, Sharma 60-30-0, Ashwin 2-0-11-0, Sehwag 1-0-6-0 Toss: India Crowd: 35,510 umpires: Marais Erasmus (RSA) Ian Gould (ENG) Video umpire: Bruce Oxenford (AuS) Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)

SYDNeY: Australia's James Pattinson (back 3rd L) celebrates taking the wicket of india's Gautam Gambhir (r) during the second test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. REUTERS Virat Kohli and Tendulkar reprised their Melbourne barcombined to ease the crisis berage of pacey, good length defore they were separated by a liveries on a pitch with a slight peach of a delivery from Sidgreen tinge to it. dle, which the former edged to "I think we have to give Brad Haddin behind the the Australian bowlers credit stumps for 23. today, they bowled some good Tendulkar, whose average line and length and put our at the SCG was a shade over batsmen under pressure," 221 runs per innings, continIndia coach Duncan Fletcher ued to pick his shots but back said. came the irrepressible Pattin"We did that first up but son to end the 38-year-old's inPonting and Clarke batted nings. Dhoni and Ravi Ashwin well at the end. It's important put on 54 for the seventh that we get back to those lines wicket before Hilfenhaus fiand lengths tomorrow."

Embattled opener Gamb- SYDNeY: Sachin Tendulkar is bowled by Australia's James Pattinson. REUTERS nally got reward for his efforts with the wickets of Ashwin hir will be disappointed with (20) and Zaheer (0) from sucthe jab at a Pattinson delivery ing Sehwag (30) and Laxman (two) that had him caught in the slips for a quickly followed the lefthander back to cessive balls.

After missing out on the hat-trick duck but he was not alone. the pavilion to leave the tourists lanafter the tea break, the dependable quick Rahul Dravid (five), a jittery-look- guishing on 59-4.

soon had Ishant Sharma out for a duck and Siddle performed the coup de grace on umesh Yadav (0).

Zaheer soon had the Australian batsmen in all sorts of trouble, however, removing David Warner for eight when Tendulkar took the catch after a Laxman juggle in the slips.

Laxman made no mistake on Zaheer's next ball in his following over, Shaun Marsh taking the long walk back to the dressing room with a cartoon golden duck for company and the paceman steaming in for his own hat-trick chance.

It was not to be, but Zaheer did not have to wait too long for his third wicket when Ed Cowan was beaten for pace and trapped leg before for 16.

"We're in a great spot as a bowling group," Pattinson added.

"Hopefully tomorrow the batsmen can dig in and get a bit of a lead on it."

england keen to challenge Misbah’s men pattinson savours Sachin’s wicket in Test haul

LONDON AFP

England captain Andrew Strauss believes only by succeeding away to Pakistan and Sri Lanka will his side convince the whole of world cricket they deserve their number one Test ranking.

Last year England completed a 3-1 Ashes series win in Australia, all their victories coming by innings margins, before returning home to depose India from the summit of the International Cricket Council's Test standings in a crushing 40 whitewash.

However, it is more than 10 years since England last won Test series in the subcontinent, with Nasser Hussain leading the team to 2-1 and 1-0 win victories away to Pakistan (2000/01) and Sri Lanka (2001) respectively.

But their upcoming tours offer a chance to improve that record, even though their three Tests against Misbahul-Haq's improving Pakistan will be played in the united Arab Emirates.

Conditions, for a series taking place in the Middle East because no major matches have been staged in Pakistan since gunmen attacked Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore in March 2009, are though set to mirror those in the subcontinent.

"If you want to be regarded all round the world as the best side in the world, then you've got to win in all conditions," said Strauss, speaking at the team's Heathrow Airport hotel here on Monday ahead of their departure.

"England cricket teams' record in the sub-continent has been patchy," the opening batsman added.

"I think it's a really good time for us to have a lot of sub-continental cricket

SYDNEY AFP

because we've done well over the last two years or so and this is a kind of new frontier for us, to win and hopefully win consistently in the subcontinent.

"It's just what we need as a side but we are not under-estimating the size of the challenge," said Strauss, whose team also face home Tests involving the West Indies and South Africa in a packed 2012 schedule culminating with four Tests in India -- where England last won a series in 1984/85.

Pakistan have been successful in their temporary home since Misbah took over as Test captain from Salman Butt, jailed by a British court in November along with fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer after the trio were found guilty of spot-fixing by conspiring to deliberately bowl no-balls during the 2010 Lord's Test against England. under Misbah they have won Tests against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, with Pakistan starting to show a degree of consistency unusual for a side routinely labelled 'unpredictable'.

And in Saeed Ajmal they have one of the best spinners around. "They are probably one of the form teams in world cricket at the moment," Strauss said.

"They seem to have a production line of good quality bowlers and Saeed Ajmal in particular has done well in those conditions. "They have got a good balance to their side and they are playing some good, smart, cricket at the moment."

The upcoming series will be the first between England and Pakistan since the spot-fixing scandal. But the 34-year-old Strauss insisted: "I think the spot-fixing stuff is something we are desperately keen to move on from. What's happened before is water under the bridge.

"I hope both sides can play in the right spirit and produce an entertaining and exciting Test match series."

One concern for England is the batting form of their captain, who in 2011 averaged under 29 in eight Tests with no hundreds. That contrasted with the Middlesex left-hander's career Test average of 41.98.

James Pattinson continued to grow in stature as the new spearhead of Australia's pace attack with another haul of prized Indian wickets including Sachin Tendulkar in the second Sydney Test on Tuesday. The 21-year-old paceman, playing in only his fourth Test match, snared the wickets of Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, V.V.S. Laxman and Gautam Gambhir to finish with four for 43 off 14 overs. "Getting Sachin out today is something I will remember for the rest of my life. It's an amazing feeling," Pattinson said. "Obviously it was quite unlucky today for him, chopping one on. It was quite a wide delivery.

"If you can build enough pressure on him then something like that can happen.

"He plays so well, he's got so much time when you bowl to him ... even if you bowl a good ball the defensive shots look so good and it's hard to get past him." It has been a fast-tracked Test career for the speedster, who has already claimed two man-of-the-match awards in three Tests and is well on the way to another one.

Pattinson took four wickets and scored an unbeaten 37 on the decisive fourth day of last week's Melbourne Test and was influential in Australia polishing off a 122-run victory in the first of four Tests against the second-ranked Indians. "I just concentrate on bowling line and length," he said. "One of the greatest fast bowlers, Glenn McGrath, had a good talk to me the other day and he said that's all you have to worry about, the pace will take care of itself.

"It's pretty good advice from him and something I'll definitely listen to."

Pattinson triggered the tourists' slide on Tuesday when he had opener Gambhir out off the third ball of the Test, nudging an outswinger

to first slip Michael Clarke for a duck to continue his poor series. Sehwag was his second wicket, enticing the uninhibited opener to nick to wicketkeeer Brad Haddin for 30 in the 19th over. Pattinson, bowling with beautiful shape, tempted Laxman to drive, only to edge to Shaun Marsh at third slip for two. It was a rare batting failure for Laxman at the SCG, which statistically is his most productive scoring venue outside of India with three hundreds and an average of 96.20 coming into this Test.

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Master Paints, PiCiC advance in BoP Cup Polo LAHORE

Visa issued: Whatmore set to take over coaching

STAFF REPORT

Master Paints and PICIC Insurance won their matches of the Bank of Punjab Polo Tournament here at the Lahore Polo Club ground on Tuesday.

Master Paints defeated Olympia 7-5 with the help of Shah Qublai Alam, Saqib Khan Khakwani and Sufi Muhammad Haris while the losing side scored through Hamza Mawaz Khan and Agha Murtaza Ali Khan.

PICIC Insurance thrashed Lahore Garrison 11-2. Santiago Mendivil, Ahmed Zubair and Bilal Hayat Noon made this big win possible while the losing team’s two goals came from Fahd Aziz and Maj Omer Minhas. umpires for the matches were Raja Temur Nadeem, Sameer Oberoi, Bilal Haye and Hussain Iftikhar.

Pain makes me stronger: federer DOHA AFP

Grand Slam record-holder Roger Federer believes that his capacity for playing through pain is one of the reasons why he can challenge for the top titles again in 2012. Speaking the day before starting the defence of his Qatar Open title, Federer cut an optimistic figure as he contemplated life on an increasingly taxing tour well into his 31st year. "I'm happy to see I'm holding up well. You know, I definitely think that's a key to success, as much as playing well and being well prepared," Federer said. "But also one looks at the big picture, longevity, not just thinking in the very moment. "I didn't panic after some really tough losses through the summer.

"I was able to actually not only just maintain a good level of play but I almost increased it towards the end of the season," he added, referring to the sequence of 17 wins and three titles with which he ended last year. "I never worry at moments like now that I won't hold up for the entire season, because I do, I think, plan decently and well, so I manage all the expectations for myself.

"Sometimes you just go through tougher moments.

"It's also part of a good player, being able to put that aside and still play good tennis.

I promise you I had a lot of pain throughout my career, and I've managed to play with it." Federer also made hopeful noises about being able to continue his unbeaten run, citing geography, conditions, and mindset as reasons why he can start the year well. He felt that the distance from his last tournament, in London, was not that great, and that his confidence levels are high enough to adjust to the difference between playing indoors in Europe and outdoors here.

Sports 19

LAHORE

D

STAFF REPORT

AV Whatmore has been issued a visit visa by the Pakistan embassy in Canberra, it was learnt on Tuesday.

The visa would clear the way for his scheduled visit to Lahore this month where his contractual terms with the Pakistan Cricket Board will be finalised.

A PCB official confirmed that the board through proper channels has managed to get a visa issued for Whatmore, who is presently in Canberra.

"He will be first going to India to wrap up his agreement with the Kolkata Knight Riders before coming to Lahore. It should be around January 14 or 15," reports said.

A source also confirmed that Whatmore's visit to Lahore would be purely to finalise the terms of the agreement that he will sign with the PCB. "In principle he is the sole candidate for the position of head coach of the national team and since he has resigned as KKR coach he could well be joining the Pakistan team for the Asia Cup tournament in March in Bangladesh," the source said.

For the time being the PCB has retained former Test player Mohsin Khan as the interim coach of the national team for the upcoming series against England in Dubai.

The source said that the PCB had obtained due clearance from the concerned quarters, including the interior

ministry before inviting Whatmore. "until now all negotiations on behalf of the board with Whatmore were carried out by former Test captain Rameez Raja, who is assisting the committee formed by the board to scrutinise, identify, shortlist and recommend the names of potential coaches to the PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf," the source said.

The source informed that Rameez had held all negotiations with Whatmore and had recommended him finally to the board along with the committee. Rameez had also played an instrumental role in the hiring of late Bob Woolmer as head coach in 2004 after the Pakistan team lost to India at home that led to the sacking of Javed Miandad as coach.

But some in the Pakistan cricket circles are still skeptical about the way the board is approaching the whole issue of appointing a new head coach to replace Waqar Younis, who resigned last September due to personal and health reasons.

Since then Mohsin has been the interim coach.

"The board should take all senior players into confidence and also wait for the England series to get over before taking any decision. What happens if Pakistan wins this series?" asked a former Test captain.

Mohsin himself has expressed his interest in continuing on permanent basis as head coach.

england series most important for us: Mohsin LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Pakistan’s cricket coach Mohsin Khan has said that the series against England is most important for his team. Khan said that he was concentrating on England series and want a victory against the No. 1 team and was not worrying about his coaching future amid speculations that Dav Whatmore will likely take over as the country’s head coach.

He was named interim coach after Waqar Younis stepped down in September due to health reasons, and his tenure was later extended for the Bangladesh and England series. It is to be mentioned here that Pakistan Cricket Board is all set to hire Whatmore, who resigned as the Knight Riders’ coach recently.

Camp for england series from today LAHORE STAFF REPORT

The brief conditioning camp of the Pakistan cricket team will start here at the Gaddafi Stadium from today (Wednesday). The team will hold two sessions of training daily. In the morning session the team will work physical fitness and in the evening the team would undergo training in the net and practice in other departments of the game. The camp will be supervised by interim coach Mohsin Khan while Naveed Akram Cheema will manage the team’s other affairs.

family first as Beckham rules out pSG move DOHA AFP

David Beckham will not join Paris Saint-Germain for "family reasons", the big-spending Qatar-backed French club's sporting director Leonardo said on Tuesday, amid reports the club will now try to lure either Kaka from Real Madrid or Pato from AC Milan.

"He will not come to PSG," said the Brazilian, citing "family reasons" for the 36-year-old former England captain's decision not to relocate from Los Angeles to the French capital.

"It's over," Leonardo was later quoted as saying by lequipe.fr.

"It's a shame. But the well-being of his family in Los Angeles and the desire to not change everything in his life weighed heavily."

Club president Nasser al-Khelaifi added: "We are disappointed a little bit, of course, that he is not coming.

"But we are agreed it would be better for everyone if that were so."

Leonardo's announcement brings

to an end months of speculation linking Beckham, whose contract with Los Angeles Galaxy finished on December 31, with a transfer to PSG, which on Friday named Italian Carlo Ancelotti as new coach.

"It's not Carlo Ancelotti's arrival that changed everything," Leonardo was quick to stress.

PSG, which play AC Milan in a friendly in Dubai on Wednesday, earlier trained under the watchful eye of new owner, Qatar's Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad alThani, and club president Khelaifi.

Following the close-season purchase of the club by wealthy in-

vestors Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), headed by the crown prince, rumours had been rife in the French press that the deal for Beckham was as good as done.

But other sources close to the former Manchester united and Real Madrid star had long kept their distance, saying the player, his wife Victoria and four children were happy and settled in Los Angeles, where he won the MLS Cup title with the Galaxy last season.

QSI strode into the French capital and bought a 70 percent controlling stake in PSG in June, with Khelaifi promising "to make the club a great team and a

strong brand on the international scene". They promptly spent 85 million euros in the summer to attract new talent including a massive 42 million euros forked out to Italian side Palermo for 22-year-old midfielder Javier Pastore.

A QSI source told AFP Tuesday that Ancelotti will now target AC Milan's Brazilian duo Kaka and Alexandre Pato, whom the Italian previously coached at the San Siro in a deal set to cost some 61 million euros.

Pato, who has a rocky relationship with Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri, would cost 38 million while Kaka would reportedly be available for 23.5 million - if Real coach Jose Mourinho sanctions a deal.

PSG's first competitive match under 52-year-old former AC Milan and Chelsea boss Ancelotti, who won the Champions League twice both as a player and as a coach with AC Milan, will be a French Cup last-64 tie away to Brittany amateur outfit Locmine on January 8.

Zamora sinks Arsenal as Fulham fight back LONDON AFP

LoNDoN: Arsenal's robin van Persie (r) vies with fulham's defender Philippe Senderos (L) during the english Premier League match. afp

Bobby Zamora struck an injury-time winner as Fulham stunned 10-man Arsenal 2-1 to derail the Gunners' recent Premier League resurgence on Monday. Zamora swept home the winning goal in the third minute of stoppage time at Craven Cottage after Steve Sidwell had struck an 85th-minute equaliser to cancel out Laurent Koscielny's 21st minute opener.

Arsenal paid the price for failing to capitalise on a dominant first half when they carved out a series of clear chances only to be denied by some superb keeping from David Stockdale.

Fulham's grandstand finish came after Johan Djourou was sent off for a second bookable offence 12 minutes from time, a red card which encouraged the Cottagers to swarm forward in pursuit of an equaliser. Furious Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger blamed his team's profligacy and refereeing decisions for the defeat. "We missed many chances

and had some bad decisions from the referee today. The two together made the difference," Wenger said, decrying Djourou's dismissal as a "joke."

"I felt the referee got it all wrong," he said. "It's very difficult to swallow because I don't think we deserved to lose today." The defeat was only Arsenal's second reverse in 13 games and saw Wenger's men drop down to fifth after Chelsea scored a dramatic late win at Wolves, Frank Lampard striking an 89th-minute winner in a 2-1 win.

A feisty encounter saw Chelsea take the lead through Ramires on 54 minutes, and Chelsea's players celebrated by racing over to embrace under-fire boss Andre Villas-Boas in a show of support for the Portuguese manager. However Wolves looked to have grabbed a share of the points when Stephen Ward struck six minutes from time only for Lampard to rescue Chelsea at the death. "It's a massive win. Everyone knows we are having a tough time but the determination shone through and I think we deserved

it," Lampard told the BBC. "The character showed as we battled through to the end and that is what the players are all about." Villas-Boas meanwhile refused to single out Lampard for praise.

"The players were magnificent today, no matter who scores," VillasBoas said. "It's a good solid team win."

Elsewhere, Blackburn were brought down to earth following their away win over Manchester united at the weekend after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Stoke at Ewood Park, Peter Crouch scoring twice for the visitors.

Blackburn looked to have got off to a dream start only for Christopher Samba's early effort to be ruled offside.

Stoke then went ahead with Crouch netting his 100th league goal from close range after Blackburn failed to deal with Dean Whitehead's chip forward. Crouch then doubled Stoke's lead with his second of the match on 45 minutes to leave Rovers staring at their eighth home defeat of the season.

David Goodwillie scrambled one back in the 69th minute to give Rovers

hope but the home side were unable to find an equaliser. Aston Villa's feelgood factor from their win at Chelsea was also shattered, with newly promoted Swansea scoring a 2-0 win at Villa Park. Swansea went ahead after only four minutes, Nathan Dyer punishing some slack defending from Stephen Warnock to dart forward and finish past Brad Guzan. Former Villa old boy Wayne Routledge then doubled Swansea's lead two minutes after the restart, punishing a poor clearance from Guzan after Danny Graham's shot crashed back off the post.

QPR captain Joey Barton was hero and villain at Loftus Road as Rangers crashed to a 2-1 loss to Norwich, a defeat that edged Neil Warnock's side ever closer to the relegation zone.

Barton shot Rangers ahead on 11 minutes, drilling in a low finish from Clint Hill's cross. But Barton's joy turned to despair on 36 minutes, when the midfielder was sent off for an apparent head butt in a confrontation with Bradley Johnson.

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wAPDA in final of National Baseball LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Defending champions WAPDA qualified for the final of the 19th National Baseball Championship, outclassing Police 14-4 in the second semi-final at the Iqbal Park Sports Complex here on Tuesday.

Now the reigning champion will again meet the last year’s runners-up Army in the final on Wednesday.

Both WAPDA and Police failed to score any run in the first two innings as they were defensive. However, WAPDA scored three runs in the third innings through usman, Waqas and Imtiaz Butt.

In the fourth innings WAPDA had consolidated the lead with six more runs against two they conceded. For WAPDA usman, Zubair, Asif, Waqas, Adnan and Imtiaz contributed one run each. For Police Ahsan and Nasir Butt earned one run apiece but just to reduce the margin of the lead.

In the fifth innings WAPDA could not add any more runs while Police scored one through Shabbir to make the score 9-3. In the sixth innings, WAPDA were again on the run-spree collecting five more through Zubair, usman, Azhar, Asif and Mukkaram. For Police Shahzad Butt scored one run to make the tally.

Before the final on Wednesday, Police will take on Punjab in the third-place match. President Pakistan Federation Baseball Shaukat Javed will be the chief guest.

Lahore victorious in inter Academy Hockey SIALkOT STAFF REPORT

As many as four matches were played in the second PHF Inter Academy Hockey Tournament at the Sialkot Hockey Stadium Tuesday. Lahore beat Quetta by eight goals after leading the match by three goals at half time while the remaining three matches ended in a draw.

Lahore’s goals scorers Awais-ur-Rehman (6 goals 7th & 8th minutes (PC) & 19th, 34th, 35th, 40th minutes), Shahbaz (51st minute) and Rana Asif (55th minute).

Bannu played one-all draw against Abbottabad. Abbottabad: umar Khalid 32nd minute (FG). Bannu: Salman 59th minute (FG). Similar was the score between Faisalabad and Karachi with goals coming from Faisalabad’s Mohammad Asad 14th minute and Karachi’s Sohail Abbas 59th minute.

Sialkot and Gojra also remained evenlylocked with the same score. Sialkot’s scorer was Nohaiz Zahid 22nd minute and Gojra’s Atif Mushtaq (Capt) 15th minute.

Terry eyes legal action over cigarette image NEW DELHI AFP

Lawyers for England captain John Terry could take legal action after an apparent image of the footballer was used in a tobacco warning on cigarette packets in India, his spokesman said Tuesday.

The blurry photograph featuring the head and shoulders of a man resembling Terry appears on packets of Gold Flake cigarettes and other brands with a superimposed set of blackened lungs and the warning that "Smoking Kills".

"It would seem that the picture is of him and he has not posed for anything like this," Keith Cousins, of the Britishbased Elite Management agency, which represents Terry, told AFP by telephone.

"We don't know where the image is taken from, but he has not given his consent for this," he said. "We have consulted solicitors in London and India to investigate the matter and take appropriate action." Cousins added that Terry, who has hit the headlines in the past over drinking binges, was a non-smoker.

The Indian Express newspaper reported that the government's Directorate of Visual Publicity had created the health warning, which appears on packets of 20 cigarettes which cost as little as 96 rupees ($1.80).

CAPe TowN: Jacques Kallis (r) of South Africa plays a shot on day one of the third Test against Sri Lanka. REUTERS

Kallis, Petersen put Proteas on top CAPE TOWN AFP

J

ACQuES Kallis and Alviro Petersen hit centuries as South Africa dominated the first day of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka at Newlands on Tuesday. South Africa were 347 for three at the close after being sent in to bat.

Kallis, playing in his 150th Test match, was on 159 not out. He and Petersen (109) put on 205 for the third wicket, a record for South Africa against Sri Lanka. It was a triumphant return to his home town for Kallis after making the first 'pair' of his career during South Africa's defeat in the second Test in Durban. He was in imperious form as he reached his half-century off 37 balls and his century off 114 deliveries with 17 fours. His scoring rate slowed later in the day and by the close he had faced 215 balls and hit 21 fours and a six.

It was Kallis' 41st Test century, his ninth at Newlands - and his first against Sri Lanka. He joined Gary Kirsten, the current coach, as the only South Africans to hit centuries against all nine possible Test opponents. Petersen scored a century on his debut against India in Kolkata in 2009/10 but made only three half-centuries in eight subsequent appearances and was replaced as captain Graeme Smith's opening partner

by Jacques Rudolph at the start of this season. Rudolph was shifted to number six in the batting order to make way for Petersen, who was rewarded for strong domestic form. Petersen took full advantage of his recall with an authoritative innings which included 13 fours and a six.

He saw two partners leave early, with both Smith and Hashim Amla falling to fast bowler Dhammika Prasad, who replaced the injured Dilhara Fernando.

There was an anxious wait for Petersen, who was stuck on 99 during the tea break. But he went to his century in the first over after the resumption, off 165 balls, before playing a loose drive to be caught by Sri

SCOREBOARD SOuTH AFRICA, first innings: G. Smith b Prasad 16 A. Petersen c Dilshan b Welegedera 109 H. Amla lbw b Prasad 16 J. Kallis not out 159 A. de Villiers not out 45 EXTRAS: (nb2) 2 TOTAL: (3 wkts, 90 overs) 347 Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Smith), 2-56 (Amla), 3-261 (Petersen) BOWLING: Welegedera 21-5-75-1 (2nb), Perera 14-181-0, Prasad 18-2-85-2, Mathews 9-0-34-0, Herath 26-4-63-0, Dilshan 2-0-9-0 Match situation: South Africa are 347 for three in the first innings Toss: Sri Lanka umpires: Richard Kettleborough (ENG), Rod Tucker (AuS) TV umpire: Steve Davis (AuS) Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

Lankan captain Tillekeratne Dilshan at cover off the left-arm opening bowler Chanaka Welegedara. With the series tied at 1-1, Dilshan gambled by sending South Africa in. Hopes that a green-tinged pitch would help his fast bowlers were soon shown to be mistaken, while early morning cloud soon cleared on what became an ideal day for batting.After their early successes, the Sri Lankans seldom looked likely to take a wicket and they squandered their allocation of reviews when umpire Richard Kettleborough twice gave Kallis not out when Chanaka Welegedera appealed for leg before wicket decisions. On both occasions the umpire was shown to be right.

Prasad struck with his first delivery of the match when Smith attempted a forcing shot off the back foot and edged the ball into his stumps. He had a second success when Amla played across the line and was leg before wicket. But Prasad proved expensive and finished the day with figures of two for 85 from 14 overs. Both teams made two changes. For Sri Lanka, Prasad replaced Fernando, while Lahiru Thirimanne was selected as an opening batsman ahead of Tharanga Paranavitana.

CAPe TowN: South Africa's Alviro Petersen plays a stroke on the first day of the third Test. afp

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Clijsters comes back from the brink BRISBANE AFP

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OuR-TIME Grand Slam winner Kim Clijsters fought back from the brink of defeat to overcome Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 16, 6-3 in the second round of the Brisbane International on Tuesday.

In a match of contrasting fortunes, Clijsters stormed through the first set in imperious fashion, only to quickly surrender the second and find herself 3-0 down in the decider and facing a break point for 4-0.

But the Belgian picked herself up and fought her way back into the match, winning the next six games against an increasingly demoralised Ivanovic to maintain her perfect record against the Serbian former world No.1.

"I knew that if I could just give myself the opportunity to get back into the match I had to not give her anything for free," Clijsters said.

"If I could make her go for her winners and dictate the points then maybe there was a chance... she would start to make a few more unforced errors.

"Her serve wasn't quite as good as it had been in the second set and up until the middle of the third.

"I was able to get a better look at her second serve and dictate the point from there and try and be more aggressive to her backhand."

Second seeded German Andrea Petkovic moved into the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-0 win over Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.

Runner-up to Petra Kvitova last year, Petkovic has jumped 20 places in

the world rankings over the past 12 months to reach No.10 and said she wanted to consolidate in 2012.

"This is really a year for me to see if I can keep up with the higher expectations and if I can still improve my game and sort of just stay level headed and focus on myself," she said.

"I’m trying to change up my paces a little bit and trying to get into the net more.

"I think I have to change those things if I want to be able to win the big titles."

She remains on course for a possible semi-final against third seed Francesca Schiavone, who beat Kazakhstan's Galina Voskoboeva 6-4, 6-4.

Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova ended the run of American qualifier Vania King with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory.

rehman Malik assures security to Bangladesh team ISLAMABAD AGENCIES

Interior minister Rehman Malik on Tuesday promised comprehensive security to the Bangladesh cricket team if they become the first international side to tour the country in more than three years.

"I welcome the Bangladesh cricket team," Malik said.Malik has already talked to Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf about the proposed visit of Bangladesh in April and the minister will meet with the PCB chief on Wednesday. "I will assure him (Ashraf) full security," Malik said. "I am designing a special task force, which will do a security survey," he added.

Foreign cricket teams stopped touring Pakistan since March 2009, after an attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in which six police officials and a van driver were killed.

Last month, China's hockey team toured Pakistan and played matches in Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad without any untoward incident. Malik said the tour of the Chinese hockey team had given him confidence that the security situation has improved in Pakistan. "The situation has improved and we will take all measures to improve it further," Malik said.

Last month Ashraf briefed Bangladesh Cricket Board officials on the proposed tour in the hope that it can revive international cricket in Pakistan.united Arab Emirates has been Pakistan's main 'home' venue over the last three years. Although the itinerary of the Bangladesh tour is yet to be finalised, Ashraf had said that even a few international matches in Pakistan would help in removing the security fears of other foreign teams.

Malik said that visiting teams will be provided with "box security", which means they would travel in bulletproof and bombproof buses and be cordoned by four other bulletproof, bombproof vehicles.

BriSBANe: Kim Clijsters of Belgium punches the air after defeating Ana ivanovic of Serbia. (right) Andy Murray of Britain hits a forehand against Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan at the Brisbane international tennis tournament. AfP

watch it Live STAR SPORTS Hopman Cup Tennis 7:00 AM

TEN SPORTS South Africa v Sri Lanka 3rd Test Day 2 1:30 PM

STAR CRICKET Australia vc India 2nd Test Day 2 4:30 AM

rooney set for United return MANCHESTER AFP

Manchester united manager Sir Alex Ferguson is set to recall Wayne Rooney for the Premier League clash at Newcastle on Wednesday following the England striker's surprise absence against Blackburn. Ferguson has revealed Rooney will be available after the forward did not even make the substitutes' bench for the champions' shock 3-2 defeat by relegation candidates Blackburn at Old Trafford on New Year's Eve. It has been reported that Ferguson fined Rooney and united team-mates Jonny Evans and Darron Gibson, and forced them to train on their day off last week, after they were seen on a night out on Boxing Day. But Ferguson seems willing to hand Rooney a recall at St James' Park, telling Sirius XM radio station on Monday: "Anderson should be better, he had 45 minutes on Saturday after four months out. And Wayne Rooney will be available of course.

"We had a few training sessions which he (Rooney) missed. You've got to be fit to play in this league, you can't miss training sessions." Several British newspapers reported that Rooney was punished for a below par training session on December 27 after a Boxing Day evening out with wife Coleen and Evans and Gibson against team orders. Rooney was fined approximately a week's wages -- £200,000 ($310,000) with Northern Irish international defender Evans and Republic of Ireland midfielder Gibson also fined, the reports said.

Glowing tributes paid to late Nur Khan LAHORE ASHER BuTT

Rich and glowing tributes were paid to late Air Marshal Nur Khan for his untiring and unending services as a Pakistan Air Force official, an administrator and above all, as a sports administrator.

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday organised a function to pay tributes to the administrative legend of the country who with his vision contributed a great deal to cricket, hockey and squash. A large number of people were present in the evening. Prominent among those were former PCB chairmen, Khalid Mahmood, Lt Gen (retd) Tauqir Zia, Shaharyar Khan, Nur Khan’s former colleagues Air Marchal Zafar Chaudhary, Tahir Rafiq, Air Marshal Farooq umar and Ari Vice Marshal Nazir Mirza, Air Marshal Asad Lodhi, PCB COO Subhan Ahmed, PCB chief selector Mohamamd Ilyas, Imtiaz Ahmed, Shafqat Rana, Bushra Aitzaz, Azhar Khan, Ijaz Ahmed, Ramiz Raja, Intikhab Alam, Aaqib Javed, Shafiq Papa, Sana Mir, Shahid Hamid and PHF president Qasim Zia. Nur Khan took over as chairman PCB (then BCCP) in February 1980 and remained there for four years. And that era was the most successful in Pakistan cricket. Cricket legends Imran Khan and Javed Miandad became part of the team during Nur Khan’s tenure.

“He brought professionalism, accountability, and the cleanest of intentions to

LAHore: PCB Chairman zaka Ashraf (5-r) with the dignitaries who had gathered to pay tribute to late Nur Khan. STaff pHOTO Pakistan's cricket administration. He was also a visionary. His far-reaching achievements include making the Asia Cup an enduring reality, and being an important part of the initiative that brought the World Cup to the subcontinent for the first time,” said PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf.

“We have gathered here today to pay our respects to the most cherished administrator of the country,” said he.

“As a soldier, he brought laurels for the country and as an administrator he took sports to new heights,” said Zaka.

He said Nur Khan accepted all the challenges and handled them with wisdom. His vision and foresightedness was of a great administrator, he added.

“We can go on and on praising his

achievements and that won’t end. I found a similarity in today’s state of affairs with those of his times,” he added. “He made the challenges a reality. He was a person as the saying goes ‘success comes to those who take the pain. He was the true ambassador of the country,” Zaka maintained.

Speaking on the occasion PHF president Qasim Zia revealed that as a sports administrator he transformed Pakistan's squash and hockey teams into world beaters. “He was always focused on performance and relied on youth and never left any stone unturned to achieve the goal.”

There was an expectation that he would bring a Midas touch to cricket. Yet not everyone was enthused. How could a man who had dabbled in hockey and

squash handle something as complicated and outsized as cricket? “It was during his era Pakistan won all the hockey titles including the Champions Trophy, the Olympics as well as the World Cup,” he said. “Those were the glorious years of Pakistan hockey and we are now working on the same lines to bring back those days,” added Qasim Zia. Nur Khan’s colleagues Air Marshal Zafar Chaudhary, Air Marshal Farooq umar and Air Vice Marshal Nazir Mirza and former PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan also spoke on the occasion.

Air Marshal Zafar Chaudhary said that Nur Khan believed in no performance and result. “He was undoubtedly the best administrator and lived a resoundingly successful and glaring life,” he added.

Air Marshal Farooq umar used a slide show to highlight his colourful life, although the slideshow was in black and white but umar added colour with his commentary to the show. Former PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, also a relative of Nur Khan, said that he had the Midas touch -whatever he touched turned into gold. “He was a dynamic administrator and a very good player of soccer, squash and hockey.

But he was a brilliant organiser and when he took over the game, with his administrative skills he brought Pakistan cricket to the forefront in the world. Air Vice Marshal Nazir Mirza said that Nur Khan taught how to be a leader and he was a fine friend, physically fit and full of passion. “He has gone but will live in our hearts,” he added.

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No one should transgress limits: PM g

Gilani says all state institutions should work in close coordination, cooperation ISLAMABAD

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tain a positive trajectory and pursuer it with full confidence,” the prime minister said while speaking as a guest at a presentation “National Security Papers” at the National Defence university. He said “our institutions are stable and have a rich history and tradition”, and pointed that the media, civil service, armed forces, judiciary and above all, parliament, were all anchored in constitution, law, rules and traditions.

“There is certainly the need to maintain a positive trajectory and to pursue it with full confidence,” he said. The prime minister said Pakistan was undergoing a swift and profound societal transformation. “Democracy and democratic institu-

AGENCIES

TABILITY is essential for economic growth and democracy ensures it with all institutions performing their roles within their constitutional domain, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday.

“We believe that all institutions should perform their functions in their respective domains, efficiently and effectively… close coordination and cooperation – both vertical and horizontal – at the federal and provincial levels is important. There is certainly the need to main-

tions continue to foster change, impelled also by information revolution, internet and the microchip. It is, indeed, remarkable that our people and institutions have not only been able to cope with the peace of change but also demonstrate immense resilience to the challenges that we face.

On the social and economic front, there is a legitimate rise in expectations for a better life and for equal opportunity,” he said. Gilani vowed that while prioritising economic development to increase national strength, the government would continue to endeavour to create a stable external environment that was conducive to economic growth. He said turmoil and turbulence had engulfed various regions

of the world. “Much of the developed world is witnessing recessionary trends.

The world economy has witnessed structural changes. Fiscal deficits, widespread indebtedness, unemployment and other related issues are impacting politics and governments,” he said, adding that strife and conflict were also in evidence in various parts of the world. However, he said it was evident that Asia, as a whole, had done well economically as the economic fundamentals for Asia were positive. Gilani said there was a strong sense and sentiment that Pakistan had the capacity and the talent to work the economic miracle and be counted as a leading economy in the region.

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Taliban confirm ‘initial’ deal to open office overseas kABUL AFP

The Taliban on Tuesday announced that they had come to an “initial agreement” to open their first political overseas office, possibly in Qatar, in the first public gesture towards peace talks with the uS. It is the first time the insurgent group has publicly raised the prospect of a negotiated peace after more than 10 years of fighting the Kabul government, after previously stating they would not talk until all foreign troops had left Afghan soil. In a statement on their purported website “Voice of Jihad”, the Taliban said they had held “preliminary continued on Page 04

SC unimpressed with awan’s submissions in Bhutto case ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

PESHAWAR: School girls and pedestrians move away from the site of a bombing on Tuesday. afp

6 killed, 29 injured in Peshawar, Landi Kotal blasts

Babus join hands to give Mps the slip

PeShAWAR/LAnDI KotAL: Two people were killed and 20 others were injured when a bomb planted in a motorcycle went off at a building in Peshawar on Tuesday, and another four people were killed and nine sustained injuries in a high-intensity explosion in Landi Kotal, Khyber Agency.

Both attacks were claimed by the Tehreeke-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Eshan told CNN that a militant group called the Abdullah Azzam Brigade worked with the Taliban on the Landi Kotal attack. The blast in Peshawar, which happened at the base of the six-storey Azam Building, killed two people on the spot and injured 20 others, who were rushed to Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH). The condition of four of the wounded was stated to be critical. The blast damaged a restaurant, six internet cafes, a bakery and real estate offices situated in the building and also shattered the windows of several other shops and vehicles. According to bomb disposal squad officials, the bomb weighed around 5 to 6kg and was fitted in a motorbike. They said it was detonated by a timed device. In Landi Kotal, a bomb wrapped in a shopping bag and placed beneath two cars parked by the road at Bacha Khan Chowk went off, destroying both vehicles, killing three security forces personnel and a student and wounding nine others. The condition of two of the injured was stated to be in danger. Officials believe the attack came in reaction to the killing of Qari Kamran along with 11 others in the latest clash with security forces in the Kramna area of Tirrah valley. Meanwhile, a suspected suicide bomber detonated himself on a deserted road on the outskirts of Gujrat, police said. “It seems like he may have set the bomb off by mistake,” said police official Mudassar Ali. STaff REpORT

establishment, Law divisions advise cabinet to oppose bill seeking public disclosure of top civil servants’ wealth and assets g

ISLAMABAD IRFAN BuKHARI

The federal cabinet, which is meeting today (Wednesday), has been strongly advised by the Establishment and Law divisions to oppose a private member’s bill seeking full and public disclosure of wealth and assets of top civil servants.

According to a summary of the Cabinet Division, the Establishment and law divisions rejected a private member bill by PML-Q MNA Dr Donya Aziz and seven other lawmakers, including Khurram Dastgir, Ghulam Haider Samejo, Kamran Khan, Faisal Saleh Hayat, Ahsan Iqbal, Ghous Bakhsh Khan Mahar and Akram Masih Gill, advising the federal cabinet to oppose it. The private member’s bill, moved in February last year, had proposed amendments in the Civil Servants Act 1973 “to allow for the people of Pakistan, through their elected representatives in the National Assembly, to exert oversight in matters related to postings and promotion of civil servants”.

In a separate summary, Cabinet Division Secretary Nargis Sethi advised the federal cabinet to oppose another private member’s bill, The Capital Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2011,

moved by Khurram Jahangir Wattoo of the PPP in which he proposed five-year imprisonment and fine amounting to Rs 1 million for people involved in encroachments, unauthorised occupation, possession or construction on CDA land.

The Establishment Division had already opposed the bill in its summary prepared for the cabinet meeting held on August 10, 2011, but Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had sought the Law Division’s comment on the summary.

This time both divisions have asked the federal cabinet to oppose the “non-official” bill. Interestingly, the Establishment Division has opposed making government servants’ assets declarations public on the grounds that it would place them in a vulnerable position. The bill proposes that nominations for initial appointments, ad hoc appointments, promotions to an AllPakistan Service or to a civil service of the federation or to a civil post in connection with the affairs of the federation, to posts in basic pay scales 20 and 21 and equivalent, should be nominated in the prescribed manner by the prime minister and should require and be made after consideration by and confirmation of the

The government’s counsel Babar Awan has so far failed to establish or convince the Supreme Court how the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case can be revisited, and continues to ask the court to set a precedent by revisiting the Bhutto case.

Resuming his arguments on Tuesday, Awan submitted that the court had the authority to revisit its own decisions. Citing various cases including the case of Tikka Muhammad Iqbal, he said only courts could revisit their own decisions to settle the judicial mistakes in a judicial way. He said except courts, there was no other authority to settle a judicial mistake.

He was arguing before an 11-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, which was hearing a reference filed by President Asif Ali Zardari under Article 186 of the constitution seeking to revisit the death sentence awarded to former prime minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1979. During the hearing, the chief justice observed that the Supreme Court could only advise on the presidential reference, however it had no jurisdiction to revisit the case as its authority was restricted on this issue.

He again asked Awan to cite any case from across the world where a court had revisited such a case. “Has any president from any state ever asked the superior courts to revisit any case that has been duly decided by the court?” the chief justice asked. Awan submitted that there were two examples over revisiting: one was the case of the governor general and the other was from the Indian Supreme Court. But the court rejected his examples as irrelevant and asked him to cite

any case where appeals were rejected and the case was revisited on any presidential reference. “Right now, there were more than 300 mercy petitions pending with the president and after this reference, all of them could approach the court to revisit their cases,” the chief justice observed. Awan, however, submitted that the courts must do justice even under the worst circumstances. He said there were so many examples where the courts’ decisions were discussed in parliament and declared wrong, but this government was not willing to make any such precedent. He said Bhutto’s sentence was a judicial mistake, so the judiciary should correct it. Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed that there was no example where a case had been revisited under Article 186 of the constitution. The chief justice observed that the judiciary respected the president’s office, however it had to act in accordance with existing laws.

Awan submitted that Bhutto’s case was a unique case in judicial history, thus it must be revisited by the apex court. The chief justice observed that when an already tried and concluded case was up for revision, the court was required to decide its maintainability.

Awan stated that Bhutto’s case was transferred from the trial court to the high court without any records. He said there were a lot of irregularities in this case, thus it deserved to be revisited. Another amicus curiae, Fakhruddin G Ebrahim, submitted that in a verdict of the Indian Supreme Court, it had been held that any case in which judicial bias or injustice had been committed could be revisited. The court asked him to present supporting documents.

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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.

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