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PTI will oppose martial law, says Imran Khan

CNG kit prices jump up by 40 percent

Polemicist who slashed all, freely, with wit

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PROFIT | PAGE 08

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pakistantoday.com.pk

Rs15.00 vol ii no 170 22 pages islamabad — peshawar edition

saturday, 17 december, 2011 Muharram-ul-Haram 21, 1433

PM and COAS stress need for unity in facing challenges g US general issues affidavit seemingly exonerating Haqqani g President Zardari tells journalist Article 47 cannot be invoked against him since he is ‘OK’ g

ISLAMABAD

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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani talks to army chief General Ashfaq Kayani during a meeting on Friday.

US Senate votes to freeze $700m Pak aid WASHINGTON AGENCIES

The Us senate passed a $662 billion defense bill on Thursday that also freezes some Pakistan aid, imposes sanctions on Iran’s central bank, and approves the indefinite imprisonment of suspected terrorists. The Democrat-led senate voted 86-13 for the Defence Authorisation bill, which was passed Wednesday by the House. President Barack Obama was expected to sign it as early as this weekend after dropping a veto threat. The bill freezes roughly $700 million in aid to Pakistan, pending assurances that Islamabad has taken steps to thwart militants who use improvised explosive devices (IEDs) against Us-led forces in Afghanistan.

However, the state Department sought to downplay the Congress’ move by suggesting that the legislation does not actually cut $700 million in military aid to Pakistan. Rather, it includes a reporting requirement.

PPP MPs want heads to roll Parliamentary party demands resignations from army chief, ISI DG and SC chief justice g

ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

With the memo controversy remaining on top of everything and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) taking it as a threat to its government, a number of participants of the parliamentary party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday stood in support of their leadership and said the army chief and the chief justice should be asked to resign, and also demanded the removal of the Interservices Intelligence (IsI) chief.

A source told Pakistan Today that as the meeting at PM’s House went into session to discuss the situation, some PPP parliamentarians criticised the role of the army chief and the IsI chief by drawing a parallel between what Mansoor Ijaz had said about Husain Haqqani and

what he claimed about the IsI chief travelling to some Arab countries for support to remove President Asif Ali Zardari. They, the source said, also questioned the neutrality of the chief justice and said all the three top men – the army chief, the IsI chief and the chief justice – should quit.

“Chaudhry Ghafoor and Mumtaz Gilani demanded resignation of the army chief and the chief justice besides urging the leadership to remove the IsI chief,” the source said.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary party meeting of the PPP decided in principle to start a dialogue with the political forces, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz sharif, and fully expose those conspiring against the democratic government in the wake of the memo controversy.

Continued on page 04

TAHIR NIAZ

s the memo issue continues to rip through Pakistan’s politics, the developments on Friday suggested that the situation, which had apparently been seen as if it would end up in a confrontation between the army and the government, has diffused with Chief of Army staff (COAs) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani meeting Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and both stressing the need for unity in facing the challenges.

“The prime minister and the army chief underscored the significance of national unity to address the challenges faced by the nation,” said an official statement issued after the meeting between the army chief and the prime minister, which took place after General James Jones issued an affidavit that seemingly exonerated Husain Haqqani saying that the language used in the memo was that of Mansoor Ijaz. Taking serious note of the rumours regarding a confrontation over the memo issue, the prime minister strongly rejected the notion and reiterated that the government of Pakistan and its institutions remained committed to their constitutional roles and obligations to a democratic and prosperous future for the country.

“The government’s stance regarding jurisdiction of the court on the memo issue was still to be heard by the court,” the statement said, adding that the prime minister and the army chief also agreed that replies forwarded by the COAs and the Inter-services Intelligence (IsI) chief were in response to the notice of the court, through proper channel and in accordance with the rules of business, and should not be misconstrued as a standoff between the army and the government.

AFFIDAVIT: Meanwhile, former Us national security adviser James Logan Jones sent his affidavit to Asma Jahangir, Husain Haqqani’s counsel in the supreme Court, unambiguously saying that the former ambassador had noth-

ing to do with the memo. “Before May 9, 2011, I received a phone call from Mansoor Ijaz. I have known Mr Ijaz in a personal capacity since 2006. During the call, Mr Ijaz mentioned that he had a message from the ‘highest authority’ in the Pakistan government which he asked me to pass on to then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff, Admiral Michael Mullen,” claimed James Jones in the affidavit.

The affidavit will be submitted before the supreme Court (sC) on December 19. A ninemember larger bench of the sC headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will hear the memo case.

Jones said: “At no time during the call do I remember Mr Ijaz mentioning Ambassador Haqqani, and he gave me no reason to believe that he was acting at the direction of Husain Haqqani, with his participation, or that Mr Haqqani had knowledge of the call or the contents of the message.” He said further that he informed Ijaz that he would not forward an oral message of this type to Admiral Mullen and that if he wanted anything forwarded it would have to be in writing. He said he received an email on May 9 on his personal address from Ijaz attaching an unsigned memo.

“The memo was not marked classified or restricted. It was my understanding that this memo was related to the ongoing investigation in Pakistan,” Jones said in his affidavit.

He was of the view that the contents of the memo were similar in nature to the telephonic discussion he had with Ijaz a day or two earlier.

“Mr Ijaz again stated that the memo was authorised by the ‘highest authority’ within the Pakistan government,” Jones said, adding that Ijaz asked him to deliver the memo to Admiral Mullen. “It was my assumption that the memo was written by Ijaz, since it had essentially been put into writing in the language he (Ijaz) had used in our telephone conversation earlier.

Continued on page 04

news analysis & text of jones’s affidavit | page 04

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02 News Today’s

Saturday, 17 December, 2011

ISLAMABAD

NewS

Ahmad Nadeem qasmi remembered

Haqqani says he demanded enquiry into memo Is Panetta the right man to be defence secretary?

Story on Page 06

Story on Page 10

wORLD vIew

Quick Look

Story on Page 14

Let parliamentary committee continue memo probe: Awan LAHORE STAFF REPoRT

Law Minister Baber Awan said on Friday that a probe into the memo scandal comes under the ambit of the Parliamentary Committee on National security, and that the body should be allowed to continue its work. While talking to reporters at the residence of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Raja Riaz, he refused to comment on the proceedings of supreme Court on the memo case. He attacked the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leadership, saying it had struck agreements with past military rulers to escape the country. “Nawaz sharif only likes a parliament where his party sits alone,” Awan said, adding that if Nawaz “did not stop from hijacking the parliament, then … we will stop him, as we have a history of sacrifices”.

He said the PML-N chief had in the past conspired to end late Benazir Bhuttos’ government twice, and that he was repeating his tactics. Awan denied that there was any dissatisfaction in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, sindh and Gilgit Biltstan, as the people were satisfied with their elected representatives and democracy.

He added that only in Punjab some elements were trying to destabilise the system. He said the government would complete its tenure and would fight all conspiracies in the next 15 months.

AG set to dish out revenge on old nemesis KARACHI WAqAR HAMZA

Auditor General Akhtar Buland Rana, fully bent upon exercising old Elizabethan revenge tragedy, is going to transfer Fauzia saleem to a remote area in Quetta. sources in the Civil Aviation Authority informed Pakistan Today that Fauzia saleem, who was the victim of the auditor general’s sexual harassment when she was serving as the Controller Military Accounts (CMA) Karachi, has been made director air transport CAA on deputation last week. But the AG has called her back to the audit department after cancelling her deputation, planning to transfer her to a remote area in Quetta.

“Though she is a non-technical person for the post of air transport, this act of AG cannot be justified as it is simply an act of revenge,” the sources said.

The CAA director general has tried his best not to let Fauzia’s transfer go per AG’s plan, but has failed so far.

Earlier, it was reported that the AG was not cleared of sexual harassment charges by an internal inquiry conducted by the Controller Military Accounts (Defence Purchase). It was also reported that Fauzia had alleged that Rana urged her to accompany him on a trip and also used immoral language with her. However, Rana was reportedly cleared after swearing an oath on the holy Quran.

Akhtar Buland Rana was appointed AG in August 2011 under orders of the president in place of Tanvir Ali Agha.

SHC orders immediate release of MQM-H chief KARACHI oNlINE

The sindh High Court (sHC) on Friday set aside the detention of Muhajir Qaumi Movement (MQM-H) Chairman Afaq Ahmad and issued orders for his immediate release.

A two-member sHC bench presided over by Chief Justice sarmad Jalal Usmani issued the release orders while hearing a contempt of court case.

During the hearing, Afaq Ahmad argued that police officers had said in their affidavits presented in the court that there was no case registered against him, except 13 cases in which he had been cleared. “I was detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Act after I was released in all the cases. The additional chief secretary had come to the jail to comply with court orders but my appeal was not discussed. several conditions for release were given which were not acceptable to me,” he said.

SoldIERS IN TRAINING: Pakistani troops take part during the winter collective 10-day military exercise in Cholistan desert near Pakistan-India border on Friday. AFP

I will rebuild Jamia Hafsa: Abdul Aziz g

Lal Masjid cleric promises to defy local administration to reconstruct madrassa ISLAMABAD SAlMAN ABBAS

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HE Lal Masjid controversy may once again hit the capital as Abdul Aziz, the firebrand chief cleric of the mosque, announced on Friday that he would lay the foundation stone of Jamia Hafsa next Friday in defiance of the resistance shown by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration. “If the local administration is not ready to reconstruct Jamia Hafsa, we will take the initiative on our own,” said Aziz. “I will lay the foundation stone of Jamia Hafza next Friday.”

The previous foundation stone of the seminary was laid down by Abdul Aziz’s father Maulana Abdullah in 1992. Jamia Hafsa was built on land said to be owned by the madrassa’s administration, and was affiliated with the adjoining Lal Masjid.

But the oldest mosque of the capital become controversial in April 2007 when Abdul Aziz announced that a ‘qazi’ court composed of 10 Lal Masjid muftis would thenceforth enforce shariah law over the area under its control, and threatened suicide attacks by his followers in the country in the event of government intervention.

Upon pressure from the government at the time, the governing body of seminaries suspended the membership of Jamia Hafsa – a seminary for girls and women - as its rebel attitude continued. several incidents such as the abduction of Chinese nationals, policemen and alleged brothel owners by the seminary’s stu-

dents later resulted in the bloody Lal Masjid operation by the security forces, which cleared the mosque and the madrassa compound, the occupants of which had taken up arms.

Abdul Aziz was caught fleeing disguised as a woman in a burqa during the siege of the mosque complex. His brother, Abdul Rasheed Ghazi, refused all peace overtures and negotiation efforts and continued to fight, and was killed when commandos stormed the complex. Jamia Hafsa was destroyed after the operation.

Later, a petition seeking the reconstruction of Jamia Hafsa was filed in the supreme Court and the court ordered the authorities concerned to reconstruct the seminary. Aziz alleged that despite court orders, the local administration

seemed reluctant to reconstruct the madrassa.

“NATO supply has been closed, the dictator is no more in power, everything has been changing in the country so I also decided to reconstruct Jamia Hafsa because the students need it,” Aziz said. Lal Masjid’s deputy cleric Amir siddique told Pakistan Today that the ICT administration had its reservations with the reconstruction of Jamia Hafsa, so it was trying to stop it.

A senior ICT official, seeking anonymity, told Pakistan Today that some solid deals were required for the reconstruction of Jamia Hafsa for which Abdul Aziz had not consulted the administration. “We are not defying any court orders, we are ready to obey court orders but no one has forgotten history,” he added.

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Saturday, 17 December, 2011

News 03

FOReIGN NewS

ARtS & eNteRtAINMeNt

Putin’s popularity takes a hit ahead of vote

Comic Book is ‘don 2’ Prequel to the Sequel Pakistan look to wrap up Bangladesh series one standard for all?:

SPORtS

COMMeNt We need to tar everybody with the same brush.

The Karachi affair: The French probe opens up a can of worms.

Arif Nizami says: The civil-military chasm: Ever-widening.

White lies: We hear that a lady doctor in charge of treating the media was on the receiving end of much criticism at a recent cabinet meeting. Cabinet members especially a VVIP could not understand why the media, especially the electronic chat show hosts, were so “hostile” towards the government.

Story on Page 19

Story on Page 17

Story on Page 20

Articles on Page 12-13

PTI will oppose martial law: Imran

Flood-hit areas will be reconstructed as committed: PM

ISLAMABAD

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Pakistan Railways suspends branch-line train operations LAHORE IMRAN AdNAN

Despite a fresh supply of around one million litres of diesel, the Pakistan Railways has suspended all its branch-line train operations across the country, Pakistan Today learnt on Friday. sources revealed that the Pakistan Railways was facing serious liquidity crunch as its fuel payment checks had been dishonoured many times during recent months.

Pakistan state Oil (PsO) had been trying to maintain fuel supply even in the face of bounced cheques, but Pakistan Railways had exceed its credit limit of Rs 1 billion with the state-run oil marketing company on Thursday that virtually halted all train operations.

They revealed that after the assurance payment from Pakistan Railways’ senior management, PsO had allowed the supply of around one million litres of diesel and after the fresh supply of one million litres of fuel, total outstanding was hovering around Rs 1.25 billion.

A PR official pointed out that Pakistan Railways required a minimum 300,000 litres of diesel daily to run its squeezed operation, and it required some 400,000 to 450,000 litres of fuel if it was to run on full capacity.

The Pakistan Railways had the capacity to run over 200 trains daily, but due to financial constraints it was merely operating some 80 trains and only incurring losses, he added.

The mess had created a great problem for poor passengers. No train from Lahore division could leave on time even on Friday. Almost all trains, including Khyber Mail, Awami Express, Fareed Express, Allama Iqbal Express and Taiz Gam, from Lahore divisions were delayed for long hours.

STAFF REPoRT

IsPELLING the impression of having the backing of military establishment, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday said his party would not tolerate any unconstitutional step, including martial law, and would always favour democracy to prevail in the country.

Addressing a news conference at the PTI secretariat, Imran, flanked by former foreign minister shah Mehmood Qureshi, said his party would strengthen democracy in true letter and spirit, adding that the military dictatorship caused huge losses to the country and another military coup would not be acceptable.

However, Imran seemed reluctant to comment on any of the prevailing issues, including “memogate”, which have created political crisis in the country. Asked about the calls for resignation of IsI chief Ahmed shuja Pasha over the “memogate”, he said the matter was under trial and the court would decide its fate. “The judiciary is independent and knows better how to deal with such issues,” he said.

Regarding his meeting with the Us Ambassador Cameron Munter, the PTI chief said he maintained the public stance on war against terror and on foreign policy during his meeting with the American envoy.

“Foreign representatives might also have come to know about the acceptance of PTI in the country and that’s why they seem keen to know about my future strategy,” Khan observed.

To a question regarding possibility of his party’s alliance with the PML-N, he replied, “How can I

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPoRT

make alliance with parties who have made their political parties family enterprises? Every one has made their political party a family party and despite great political achievements, Javed Hashmi and Aitzaz Ahsan cannot become their party heads,” he said. “But the PTI would make every decision on merit.”

Commenting on the government’s failure of not completing the investigation into Benazir Bhutto’s murder, he said the PPP came to power owing to the blessing of its slain leader Benazir, but the leadership failed to find out her killers.

Regarding his party’s rally on December 25 in Karachi, he said he would force the stakeholders to ac-

cept public demands through PTI’s tsunami. “PTI candidates will have to declare their assets to get tickets and popularisation of the candidates will also be considered in the process.”

During the press conference, former MPA Chaudhry Nazar Gondal, former High Court Bar president sardar Waheed Khan, Malik Zahoor, former provincial minister Colonel (r) Malik Muhammad Anwar, former deputy attorney general Chaudhry Muhammad Tariq, Pir Abbas Mohiuddin of Makhand sharrif and several other prominent members of the legal fraternity from Punjab announced to join the PTI.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday said the flood-hit areas would be reconstructed and developed per the commitment of the government.

He was responding to a point of order raised by Yusuf Talpur in the National Assembly. Talpur said several places and areas in the flooded areas were still under water and people needed assistance of the government.

He said some areas were disconnected as roads and other infrastructure had been badly affected by the floods and the government should take notice of the situation to help the flood victims.

National Assembly speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza said the situation in many areas, particularly Umar Kot and Badin, was appalling and the prime minister should respond to the concern of the parliamentarians. Gilani said floods caused massive devastation in the last two years and the Damage Need Assessment of affected areas had been carried out. He added that donors’ money was being fully utilised for the reconstruction of rail and road networks and other infrastructure. The prime minister added that the Ministry of Communication and the National Highway Authority had been directed to accelerate work on the reconstruction of damaged roads.

Gilani also assured that the infrastructure of WAPDA damaged by the floods would also be repaired.

PTI: the party for political leftovers COMMeNt NAdEEM SYEd

Most political figures joining the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) not only lack genuine political credentials but are also the ones who were leftovers and found no future of their own in the mainstream political parties anymore, negating the impression fully that Imran Khan will piece together a genuine political leadership, if not entirely a lot exhibiting revolutionary flavour before the next elections in the country. Another striking feature of the party’s evolution in recent times, especially after its immensely successful Minar-e-Pakistan public meeting, is that the political class is encouraged to join the PTI without any methodology. so anybody is welcome in the party folds, even five or six people from one constituency. several politicians have joined the PTI recently and many more are poised to join ranks with Imran Khan in the coming days, including some so-called heavyweights while others are still weighing their politi-

cal options. But the list of those aligning with the PTI on a regular basis these days hardly inspire confidence among the public that they are capable of making any difference when the chips are down.

Most of them, in fact, are the ones not hopeful of getting a ticket from either the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) or the PML-Quaid. As such, it suits them personally to switch loyalties and find a new political abode and address – and is the PTI, a party very much on the right side of public opinion and forces that matter in the country’s politics.

“They are going to the PTI not out of any deep-rooted commitment to change, but because they are left with no option other than joining the PTI, in some cases dictated by the dictates of local politics,” said a senior politician.

For example Mian Afzal Hayat from Gujrat was almost stranded after the PPP and PML-Q electoral understanding. He expected that the party would support the PPP candidate in the coming elections as part of the agreement reached between

the Chaudhrys and the PPP leadership, and he would not be able to get a party ticket. Hence, for him it was time to say goodbye to the PML-Q and make a new start with Imran Khan. Another example is that of Col Anwer from Attock, another PML-Q leader and former provincial minister. He too found it difficult to stay in the party with little prospect of getting a ticket in the next elections in the unfolding political equation in his hometown. He, too, ditched the party to join the PTI. Political analysts say local constituency politics is influencing the decisions of the political leaders weighing their future options.

Interestingly, Imran Khan has not adopted any methodology based on the dynamics of local politics while welcoming the new inductions into the party, no matter what credentials they bring with them, such as known feudals part of every political set up, wedded to the status quo.

More than one person from the same constituency is often invited to join the party. The pitched battles between the supporters of two rival groups were witnessed when two candidates from the

same area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa joined PTI and were waiting to meet Imran Khan. Attention is not paid to other local considerations either, such as clan or caste, gathering people representing opposite interest groups. Already the new intake and responsibilities being given to them is causing a great deal of heartburn among the party old timers. The appointment of shafqat Mahmood - who tried his luck with every party after starting his political journey with the PPP and later joining ranks with a military dictator - as the PTI information secretary, replacing a party diehard Omer Cheema, has created deep ripples in the party. Insiders doubt the commitment and loyalty of such people towards the party.

The political analysts again are not sure if the presence of shah Mehmood Qureshi, another new addition to the PTI who is an ambitious person by nature, will be an asset or liability in the long run.

However, they are sure that most of the people gathering around Imran Khan would turn out to be liabilities difficult for him to shed come election time.

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04 News

Saturday, 17 December, 2011

SC deadline Gilani, Kayani for replies in memo case expires Continued fRoM page 1

Continued fRoM page 24 Haq said both of them could personally appear in court if they wanted. When asked which respondent he would defend before the court in the memo case, he said he still had not received any instructions in this regard. He said the 15day deadline given by the supreme Court for filing of replies expired on Friday.

Being the chief law officer of the federation, instead of giving his stance on the president’s immunity from criminal proceedings, he said according to some constitutional experts the president enjoyed immunity, so he was not required to file a reply in the case. On Thursday, he told reporters that the replies of Chief of Army staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and IsI Director General Lt Gen Ahmad shuja Pasha were submitted to the supreme Court through him. However, on Friday he backtracked and said both Kayani and Pasha had submitted their replies on their own. A few days ago, the supreme Court had admonished him after he had issued a statement to the media stating that he did not appear in court on behalf of the federation in the memo case on December 1, but appeared just to assist the court. The court had made it clear to him that he was the chief law officer of the federation, thus he was issued a notice and he was appearing on behalf of the dederation. The attorney general’s contradicting statements indicate sheer lack of coordination between him and the federation. Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar told Pakistan Today that the president would not file his reply as the federation has already submitted its reply on Thursday. He said the president and prime minister had no link to the memo issue, and all the political parties in parliament were members of the Parliamentary Committee on National security, which was independent to hold an enquiry into the memo issue. A few days ago, Babar had stated that the president “will submit his reply before the court even if he does not return from Dubai”.

Earlier, the federal government’s legal team had decided to file the president’s reply after examining the concise statements of the army chief and IsI chief.

The legal team had considered three options: firstly to seek more time from the apex court to file the reply, secondly presidential immunity should be claimed, and thirdly there was no need to submit a reply on behalf of Zardari as the applicants had not directly made him a respondent in their petitions.

A nine-member larger bench of the supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry is set to resume hearing of the memo case on December 19.

I do not recall whether Mr Ijaz claimed that Ambassador Haqqani had anything to do with the creation of the memo,” Jones said, adding that he had no reasons to believe that Ambassador Haqqani had any role in the creation of the memo or that he had any prior knowledge of the memo.

MANSOOR IJAZ BACKTRACKS: Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz on Friday claimed that he was informed by his American intelligence sources about the visits of IsI chief Lt Gen Ahmad shuja Pasha to some Arab countries and also that he talked to people the world over to get to the reality of the issue, though he was adamant not to comment on his “intelligence sources”.

Talking to the host of Geo TV talk show ‘Lekin’, Ijaz said Pasha visited several Arab countries to talk on the issue of Osama bin Laden’s death and that he did not say the general was out to get a thumbs-up from the leaders of the oil-rich region. He said further that there may be some other objectives for General Pasha’s visits.

In response to a question, Ijaz said he got to know the reality of the contents of the

memo and whatever Husain Haqqani was telling him was simultaneously being confirmed.

“By May 9, I was convinced of the claims by Haqqani about the removal of the government,” Ijaz said. He also said that Haqqani was lying to Pakistanis, “but I can prove my stance in front of the court”.

ZARDARI ARTICLE 47: Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari, talking to senior journalist Nusrat Javeed from Dubai by telephone, said he was “OK” but doctors were not giving him permission to travel. The president said Article 47 of the constitution could not be invoked against him since he was “OK”. How it could be possible, he questioned, and who would constitute the medical board and how would it be formed?

He said if Article 47 was forcefully imposed on him then he would reject it. The president said by the grace of God he was fine but his children were pressing him for complete treatment and to follow the advice of the doctors. He warned that if Article 47 was forcibly applied, the new manifesto of his party would be: “I don’t accept such a constitution”. He said as soon as his doctors allowed him, he would travel and return to Pakistan.

PPP MPs want heads to roll Continued fRoM page 1 The meeting was extraordinary in terms of the fact that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, for the first time, formally chaired the party’s meeting. Moreover, it was the first meeting of the parliamentary party to discuss the memo case.

Another source, who wished to remain unnamed, told Pakistan Today that the extraordinary meeting was held here to evaluate the political situation in the wake of the memo controversy. He also quoted Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani as telling his partymen that the army leadership should have submitted their replies on the memo issue via the Defence Ministry through proper channel, instead of directly submitting them to the apex court. Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and PPP Information secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira also came under fire in the ruling party’s meeting for not properly defending the government on memogate.

“During the meeting, MNA Nadeem Afzal Gondal suggested that there was a dire need to take PML-N chief Nawaz sharif and other antiestablishment forces into confidence over the situation and pressures being faced by the government. This proposal was also endorsed by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani,” said the source. The source added that Gondal also called for strongly defending the party’s stance at all forums, which he said was badly lacking as neither the Information Ministry nor the party’s Media Wing was doing it, and all were ducking the media critique giving an impression that the government’s version was weak.

“This triggered a debate which lasted for around an hour with most of the party MPs blasting the information minister and information wing of the PPP for not defending the party,” said the source.

Another party leader said Rehman Malik was also grilled by the party leaders for making useless claims of capturing the

killers of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. “The minister should either arrest the killers of our leader or he should avoid making a new statement each time he faces the media,” the source quoted another party MNA as saying.

The source said that one parliamentarian was of the opinion that if Husain Haqqani was made to resign, the IsI chief should also resign.

PREPARE FOR POLLS: During the meeting, Prime Minister Gilani asked the MPs to get their development schemes completed in the shortest period of time so that if elections are held before time, they should be in a good position to contest them.

“If you need more funds, I will give them to you from my special funds. But do get your schemes completed so you can win on the basis of your performance. Moreover, get your party organisations completed at the grassroots level in time to face any emergency situation,” the source quoted the prime minister as saying.

Vowing to fight the conspiracies against the democratic process, Prime Minister Gilani said there was no truth to the memo affair and this was a conspiracy against the democratically elected government.

The PPP meeting, convened by Gilani, also pledged to face all challenges and not to bow before any adversary. He urged party members to prepare themselves for the elections and gear up momentum after March. Addressing the meeting, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari termed the PPP a party that excelled in sacrifice. He said he was happy to be among the party leaders and he would learn from their experiences and advice.

He also questioned why other national issues such as the hanging of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the Kargil operation and efforts to destabilise the government were not treated as treason cases, while the memogate issue was being vociferously touted as treason.

He urged all PPP leaders to take the people into confidence over the issue.

PML-N to oppose any unconstitutional step against democracy LAHORE/ISLAMABAD

The memo controversy may lead to civil-military confrontation

INP/STAFF REPoRT

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership on Friday said the party would be totally opposed to any unconstitutional move against the democratic system, and that the only way to save the country and secure its future was the continuation of democracy. Talking to party leaders and workers in Raiwind, PMLN President Nawaz sharif held the martial law regime responsible for the fall of East Pakistan. He said the government had failed to fulfil its promises, and resultantly the country was facing corruption, plunder and price hike. He said the rulers had given nothing to the nation except electricity and gas load shedding. He said the country had never faced more dangers to its security and sovereignty than the ones being confronted today. Nawaz emphasised the need for going deep into the memo scandal to unearth the conspirators. Talking to newsmen in Islamabad, Punjab Chief Minister shahbaz sharif said there was no threat to democratic system in Pakistan.

He said the approach of Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was “very clear” and “he does not want to derail democracy in the country”. He said the PML-N would oppose any unconstitutional move to jeopardise democracy. He said Opposition Leader in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar had already rejected the statement attributed to him regarding the Interservices Intelligence (IsI) chief. He said the Memogate issue was an open bargain of Pakistani interests, and it should be thoroughly investigated.

He said the recent American incursions in Pakistan had severely damaged the relations between the Us and Pakistan.

NewS ANALYSIS Rana Qaisar There is a clear divide – the government, not President Asif Ali Zardari who has not filed his reply in the memo case, through the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior, denies its involvement in the memo controversy while the Pakistan Army and the Inter-services Intelligence (IsI) are convinced that the memo did exist and the evidence, in the light of the proof shared by Mansoor Ijaz, is substantial but it still needed to be investigated as someone, somewhere did it.

In their replies, submitted to the supreme Court, the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior not only distanced themselves from the memo but also, on behalf of the federation, took a position that the government, including the president and the prime minister, or any other one of its component had neither conceptualised nor initiated or had anything to do with the memo.

Chief of Army staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani submitted that there was nothing, in the evidence and the investigation, denying the fact that the memo existed and it was also delivered and received by the Us authorities. IsI Director General Lt General Ahmad shuja Pasha submitted that he was satisfied with “enough corroborative material” that Mansoor Ijaz had to support his version of the incident.

While General Kayani sought an examination of the facts and circumstances leading to the conception and issuance of the memo and General Pasha also asked the supreme Court to summon Mansoor Ijaz and demanded forensic examination of the computers and all cell phones used by Mansoor Ijaz and Husain Haqqani since May 2011, the government is not willing for an investigation through a commission appointed by the apex court.

The government wants the

parliamentary committee, which, it says, is fully empowered to probe into the matter, to record evidence and ensure production of any evidence as all powers of a civil court are available to it. Both the army, the IsI included, and the government want an investigation but the latter wants it through parliament.

However, the army did not clearly express its noconfidence in the parliamentary committee but tacitly suggested that this process should be carried forward under the direction of the apex court as the IsI chief submitted in his reply that he would comply with all directions of the court and render necessary assistance to its appointed commission. The IsI chief also made a point in his reply that Mansoor Ijaz also insisted that he would present the details of the evidence himself before “a commission or a court of law” if asked to do so.

The government appears to confront the judicial process as it continues to maintain that the parliamentary committee should be given the task instead of the investigation being assigned to a commission appointed by the supreme Court. What the government intends to politically achieve is evident from its position – pitch the parliament against the judiciary and emerge as a victim of a judicial coup in the evolving situation.

There is no apparent disagreement between the government and the army. Both want investigation into the memo conspiracy but they clearly differ on the procedure – judicial or parliamentary. The government’s insistence that the parliamentary committee should do the job implicitly expresses its no-confidence in the judiciary, which is already seized with some critical cases like the NRO, again involving the president.

The government’s stance is that parliament comprises the president, the senate and the National Assembly thus

moving against the president would mean moving against parliament. The political observers see a well-planned design to make the judicial investigation controversial and out of place even before it starts. Except the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), no other political party, including the government’s coalition partners, has so far opposed the appointment of a commission and supported the investigation by the parliamentary committee.

Though a lot has been discussed in the media about the memo and the replies submitted by the government (ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior), General Kayani and General Pasha, another significant aspect, which is equally important, of the memo controversy is Mansoor Ijaz’s claim that General Pasha had travelled to some Arab countries for the approval of their rulers to oust President Zardari.

This was revealed in a recent article published in a British newspaper, The Independent. The Inter-services Public Relations (IsPR) remains silent on this article that accuses the IsI chief of conspiring against the supreme commander of his country’s armed forces.

Though the Foreign Office spokesman rubbished it as “ridiculous”, no official word came from the army. A reference to this disclosure by Mansoor Ijaz also constitutes a part of the government’s reply submitted to the supreme Court.

And when the investigation, judicial or parliamentary, starts, the alleged visit of General Pasha to the Arab countries and the IsI’s role in politics – “Pakistan’s Memogate: Was there ever going to be a coup?” – will surely be questioned and examined and this will open up another Pandora’s Box. The controversy may finally lead to a confrontation between the civil and military establishments with the parliament and the judiciary also locked in it.

TEXT OF AFFIDAVIT OF JAMES LOGAN JONES James Logan Jones, under penalty of perjury, hereby deposes and says that the following is true to the best of my knowledge, information and belief:

I

am the former United states National security Advisor and a retired United states Marine Corps general. I was in private life at all times relevant to the matters discussed below.

I make this affidavit in response to a request from Pakistani counsel for former Pakistani Ambassador to the United states Husain Haqqani. It is my understanding that the affidavit may be used on his behalf with respect to an investigation currently under way in Pakistan.

A few days before May 9, 2011, I received a phone call from Mr. Mansoor Ijaz. I have known Mr. Ijaz in a personal capacity since 2006.

During the call Mr. Ijaz mentioned that he had a message from the “highest authority” in the Pakistan government which he asked me to relay

to then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff, Admiral Michael Mullen.

At no time during the call do I remember Mr. Ijaz mentioned Ambassador Haqqani, and he gave me no reason to believe that he was acting at the direction of Ambassador Haqqani, with his participation, or that Ambassador Haqqani had knowledge of the call or the contents of the message. I informed Mr. Ijaz that I would not forward an oral message of this type to Admiral Mullen and that if he wanted anything forwarded it would have to be in writing.

On May 9th I received an email from Mr. Ijaz attaching an unsigned memo.

The e-mail was sent to my personal e-mail address

by Mr. Ijaz.

The memo was not marked classified or restricted. It is my understanding that this memo is related to the ongoing investigation.

The substance of the memo was similar in nature to the phone call I had with Mr. Ijaz a day or two earlier.

Mr. Ijaz again stated that the memo was authorized by the “highest authority” within the Pakistani government.

Mr. Ijaz asked that I deliver the memo to Admiral Mullen.

It was my assumption that the memo was not written by Mr. Ijaz, since the memo essentially put into writing the language he had used in our telephone conversation earlier.

I do not recall whether Mr. Ijaz claimed that Ambassador Haqqani had anything to do with the creation of the memo.

I have no reason to believe that Ambassador Haqqani had any role in the creation of the memo, nor that he had any prior knowledge of the memo.

Upon my reading of the memo that I was asked to forward to Admiral Mullen, it struck me as highly unusual that the “highest authority” in the Pakistan government would use Mr. Ijaz, a private citizen and part-time journalist living in Europe, as a conduit for this

communication. My personal opinion was that the memo was probably not credible.

As I was in the private sector, and not working for the U.s. government in any capacity at the time I received the memo, I felt obliged to forward it, as requested, to Admiral Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff. Admiral Mullen, in his official capacity was better able to make a judgment as to the memo’s credibility and determine any future course of action with regard to the memo.

Accordingly on May 10th, I emailed the memo to Admiral Mullen. It is my understanding from Admiral Mullen’s public statement on the matter that he reviewed the memo, did not find it credible, and did not take any action.

Dated: December 12, 2011 _________________ James Logan Jones General, United States Marine Corps (Ret.)

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Saturday, 17 December, 2011

People’s call for sustained gas supply falling on deaf ears PAGe 08

Rawalpindi residents block major artery to protest gas outages ISLAMABAD STAFF REPoRT

ISlAMABAd: PTI Chairman Imran Khan addresses a press conference at the party office. sTAFF PhoTo

CDA to join hands with ADB for rapid transit system ISLAMABAD

T

FAZAl SHER

HE Capital Development Authority (CDA) is likely to sign an agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on the feasibility study of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service.

“The authority has drafted the agreement under which, the ADB will bear 80 percent cost of the designing of the feasibility study of the project and CDA will bear 20 percent cost”, an official source told Pakistan Today here on Friday. Under the 20 percent cost of the designing, the civic body would not make any payment but they will pay it in the form of transport and offices space for the ADB’s experts, he added.

He said the ADB and CDA might sign the agreement within the next few

days. In the feasibility study, the ADB would identify routs across the city for the BRT, conduct passenger count and also devise plan to install automatic traffic signals on the designated routs of the BRT and improve the existing infrastructure, he said. The official said the feasibility would suggest separate “rightof-way” for the bus on the existing infrastructure or a bus lane would spare to allow the bus to operate separately, without interference from other modes of traffic. Under the designing of the feasibility study they would study different factors to such as to either share existing roadways with other traffic, or use bus lanes that restrict other traffic from a portion of the roadway, he said.

CDA PR Deputy Director Ramzan sajjid, when contacted, said the work was underway on the expected agreement between the ADB and CDA.

Commuters anxiously waiting for CNG buses ISLAMABAD: Commuters of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are anxiously waiting for compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, which the civic body has repeatedly announced to ply. There is no organised bus service operating between the twin cities and the level of service offered by the minibuses is far below any acceptable standard, so commuters have to rely on either two wheelers or other forms of private transport. Commuters, especially students, employees of private and public sector departments coming from adjoining areas of the twin cities are facing problems due to shortage of public transport on different routes. There is no proper transport service in twin cities and commuters are compelled to travel in overloaded vans. A CDA official said that the civic body would ply 35 buses on Rawat-Islamabad route in the first phase aimed at providing luxurious travelling facilities to the passengers. APP

“Under the agreement the ADB would design feasibility study of the BRT project but ADB and CDA have, so far, fixed no date for signing of the agreement. He said that the sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (sNGPL) would provide gas needed for the project. some source said that earlier the sNGPL had refused to provide the CNG for the project owing to gas shortage. They said the CDA has demanded 25,000 cubic feed per day (CFD) uninterrupted supply of gas from the sNGPL for the project.

The official said the CDA Project Management Office (PMO) has prepared major terms and conditions for the launch of BRT under which they would purchase 32 buses worth Rs 256 million.

The civic authority has constituted a committee, consisting of representatives of the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP), Islamabad Transport Authority, the CDA

engineering wing, National Transportation Research Center (NTRC) and other related departments, he said.

He said that the committee would decide about the specifications of buses such as purchasing low-floor buses or high-floor buses and after the approval from the committee, the CDA would purchase the buses, he added. The official said that BRT is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line.

This is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling, he said.

He said the CDA allocated Rs10 million for the project in the budget 201011. Currently, the private transport sector is a major source of mobility between two cities with around 1,800 minibuses plying on 16 routes.

Hundreds of Rawalpindi residents staged a demonstration against outages and low gas pressure here at IJ Principal Road on Friday. They burnt tyres, raised slogans against the authorities concerned and blocked the road for four hours, causing a massive traffic jam that continued till evening.

The angry residents, a majority of them from New Katarian, saidpur Road, Pidora, shamsabad, and Khayaban-e-sir sayyed, Dhoke Ratta and Ratta Amral, blocked the IJ Principal Road that choked the traffic movement for over 4 hours. The motorists of the twin cities, traveling on the road, faced problem because of the demonstration.

“There is not enough gas supply even to make some tea after 6:30 am,” said Talha shakil, a resident of Khayaban-e-sir sayyed. He said life has become miserable for the residents since the onset of winter.

The protesters, around 250 in number, were holding sticks and they scuffled with the police officials who tired to disperse them.

The protest at IJ Principal Road against the low gas pressure is not an exception and it is becoming a routine matter here in the garrison city. The enraged protesters said the government was providing the gas only to posh areas like cantonment but paying no heed to the problems being faced by the lower-middle class people.

They warned that they would stage a big demonstration outside the sui Northen Gas Pipeline Limited (sNGPL) offices if the latter failed to improve the situation immediately.

The protesters also alleged that the sNGPL officials have given a number of connections to CNG stations and big plazas in the surrounding areas of Ratta Amral and Dhoke Ratta and hence choking the supply to the residents there.

They said the gas pressure in Ratta areas was too low to cook food and that more than 100,000 people residing there were using firewood and coal. They said the government was only increasing the gas tariffs every now and then without bothering to ensure its uninterrupted supply.

Munter greets Pakistani students leaving for US varsities ISLAMABAD STAFF REPoRT

Us Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter has congratulated over 100 Pakistani students who will traveling to the United states for university education as part of the Us government-funded Global Undergraduate (UGRAD) Program. speaking on the occasion here on Friday, Munter said: “We are very fortunate to have so many talented Pakistani students attending American universities through the UGRAD Program. This is one example of the Us government’s long-term commitment to the education

of Pakistanis and to increasing mutual understanding between both countries.” The UGRAD Program awards cover all costs for one semester of studies at an American university. Friday’s orientation programme, which was organised by the Us Education Foundation in Pakistan (UsEFP), which has prepared the students with the required skills, attitude, and knowledge to make the most of their experience in the United states, said a press statement issued here.

The students, hailing from all regions of Pakistan, will attend 45 universities across the Us. They will study a wide variety of academic disciplines, such as public policy, health, social

sciences and fine arts.

This one-semester programme for undergraduates was first launched in the fall of 2010 with 50 participants. The Us embassy since then has doubled the size of the programme as at least one hundred students are studying in the United states this fall. The Us Embassy in Pakistan administers the largest array of Usfunded educational, professional, and cultural exchange programs in the world. More information about Us-funded exchange programmes can be accessed on the Us embassy’s website: http://islamabad.usembassy.gov or at http://www.usefp.org.

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06 Islamabad

Saturday, 17 December, 2011

AS Rind’s paintings showcased at Tanzara Gallery ISLAMABAD

T

MAHTAB BASHIR

HE paintings of the Karachi based artist, As Rind, seem to be a favorite with gallery owners; perhaps that is why hardly after a month’s lapse Rind’s exhibition will again be on display in federal capital.

Born in Rahim Yar Khan, and settled in Karachi, A s Rind’s art is frequently exhibited here because it comprises all the art ingredients to attract art lovers with pocket friendly prices. On Friday, over 40 paintings were put on display, most of them tinted with acrylic paints on the walls of Tanzara Gallery. Rind had previously participated in more than 40 group shows in Pakistan and abroad and has nine solo shows to his credit that were held in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.

Rind draws inspiration for his paint-

ings from the poetry of Ghalib, Faiz Ahmad Faiz and other prominent poets.

He makes use of bright colours and most of his paintings display painted female faces and figures on the canvas.

Having qualified in the Fine Arts from the Central Institute of Arts and Crafts, Karachi in 1988, he worked in super realism till 1993, and thereafter, tried his hand at impressionism, cubism, as well as abstract style of painting. In 1988, he worked on Quaranic calligraphic paintings, and drew world famous mosque in them and also introduced a new typeface. Of special interest to art lovers has been his successful experiment of using colors to give effects of his embossing and carving to his paintings.

The year 2003 brought him back to the figurative style, with his work reflecting heavily the faces and moods of the women of his homeland of Rahim Yar Khan, adorned elegantly with ethnic jew-

elry in all its distinctive styles. It can be said fairly that his work carries a strong cultural influence of his area, as his paintings are certainly and deeply influenced by the regional aesthetics, splendor, colors, and motifs. Often, he has used verses of Faiz to emphasize the mood and expressions of the stylized women he paints. His paintings of this period are mostly either in acrylic or mix media.

He has held many solo exhibitions so far, besides participating in numerous group exhibitions. He has also been commissioned to work for international financial institutions. His work is displayed in galleries all over Pakistan.

Rahim Yar Khan is situated on the fringe of the Rajasthan desert that must have swallowed many an undisclosed narrative of thousands of generations is tempered by both the color as well as the hardships of the desert.

As Rind, when he traveled from

Rahim Yar Khan has done more than just survive. In the twenty two years since he started painting, which includes his work as a student, he has come up with two one man shows. In these shows he has demonstrated his urge to experiment and for ever try and final new answer to creative questions. According to his own statement he has tried super Realism, which continued till 1993, after wards he tried his hands hand at impressionism, cubism, and the abstract. In 1988, he worked on some Quaranic calligraphic paintings and introduced a new typeface.

But the sounds and smells and colours of his home town were forever hauntingly present in his subconscious.

He has returned to them through the paintings in the present collection. The jewelry and designs are gentle reminders that a son of the soil; has come back to announce his heritage and even though there has been an effort to stylize the fig-

ures and enhance the design element, the colors claim a distant relationship with the desert.

Talking to Pakistan Today, Tanzara Gallery’s owner Noshi Qadir said Rind’s canvases are rich with traditional legacy of the Rajisthani desert. “He exhibits a natural exuberance in his paintings by using a rich colour palette and a strong focus on design and pattern bring about pictorial richness to his work,” she said.

Noshi said Rind skillfully stylizes the women he paints, with strong sweeping strokes and adorns the canvases with motifs that trace ethnic patterns. The women appear long necked, voluptuous and wide eyed; often with puckered lips and embellished elegantly with traditional ornaments.

“The parrot, rose and fish often emerge, creating an aura of romance and mystery. Occasionally Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s verses appear to enhance the romance and mystique to his paintings,” Noshi observed.

AIOU admissions continue across country ISLAMABAD MAHTAB BASHIR

ISlAMABAd: PMl-q President Shujaat Hussain and others cut a cake in connection with Christmas at the party office. sTAFF PhoTo

Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi remembered

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPoRT

The International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) arranged Friday a seminar on the life and achievements of famous Urdu writer and columnist Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi.

The first session of the seminar was chaired by Pakistan Arts Council Chairman Attaul Haq Qasmi, and inaugurated

by IIUI Rector Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik while the second session was chaired by renowned poet, Intizar Hussain. Attaul Haq Qasmi said Ahmed

Nadeem Qasmi was a great poet, intellectual and lover of human beings and the gap left by his death could not be filled.

Intizar Hussain said that Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi was a man of great calibre and personality. He said that his death created a huge gap in the field of urdu literature. Dr Anwar Ahmad said that Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi was a progressive, intellectual, great journalist, a man of commitment and remained committed through out his life to his principles. He said that Professor Fateh Malik in his book “Nadeem shanasi” has excellently presented Ahamd Nadeem Qasmi as a great poet of Urdu Literature.

Professor Fateh Malik said that Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi played a pivotal role in projecting the problems of the people and that of the society. He said late Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi was a great poet and national asset.

Fateh Malik presented university crest to Intizar Hussain while Dr Mumtaz Ahmad presented university crest to Attaul Haq Qasmi. IIU President Dr. Mumtaz Ahmad, National Language Authority Chairman Dr Anwar Ahmad, Language & Literature Faculty Dean Dr Rasheed Amjad, female campus director Qaisareh M Alvi also paid homage to Ahamad Nadeem Qasmi. Meanwhile, Dr sadia Tahir, Dr Rawish Nadeem, and Dr Nawazish Ali presented their research papers on Qasmi.

Admissions of Ms/M.Phil and PhD programmes of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) for spring semester 2012 are in progress simultaneously across the country.

Admission forms and prospectuses are available from the main campus of university as well as from its 36 regional campuses around the country, said AIOU Director Admissions syed Zia-ul-Hasnain Naqvi.

Naqvi said passing NTs (general) for Ms/M.Phil and NTs (subject) test for Ph.D programmes was compulsory.

He added that as per policy of the Higher Education Commission, the admission of only those candidates who had already passed the NTs GAT (general) for Ms/M.Phil and NTs GAT (subject) for PhD programmes.

Applications of only successful candidates would be processed for interview, he further stated.

For further detail, applicants can visit AIOU website www.aiou.edu.pk.

Call to place PAL under Cabinet Division ISLAMABAD STAFF REPoRT

All literary organisations and men of letters on Friday demanded Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to place the administrative control of Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) under the Prime Minister’s secretariat or the Cabinet Division so that it should continue to serve writers’

community in a befitting manner.

While making this demand, Imdad Aakash, addressing a gathering of writers and representatives of all literary organisations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, said the present status of PAL and consequential issues have necessitated placement of PAL under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division.

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Saturday, 17 December, 2011

Islamabad 07 NFSA conducts 1,060 DNA tests to help detect crimes ISLAMABAD APP

National Forensic science Agency (NFsA), Islamabad, has so far conducted more than 1060 Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA) tests at its lab, established to ensure quality investigation and crime detection.

The agency, working as an autonomous body, has been receiving biological samples from law-enforcement agencies (LEAs) across the country, check them and send back DNA results for further proceedings. A senior official at NFsA on Friday said that after successful setting up of a DNA lab, the agency is also in process of launching some other forensic services for detection and identification of illicit drugs, accelerants used in arson cases, firearms, explosives and gunshot residue and forged documents to enhance rule of law through use of modern scientific tools.

He said staff for the new initiatives has already been hired and is being imparted training to get better and authentic results. He said the NFsA, also providing guidance to other similar bodies within the country, had been established to improve criminal detection facilities in Pakistan and also to enhance the capacity of lawenforcement agencies through modern scientific tools, training and equip them with latest criminal investigation techniques.

ISlAMABAd: Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Syed Karam Shah calls on Federal Minister Manzoor Wattoo in the federal capital. oNLINe

Sacrifices of police in war on terror hailed ISLAMABAD

T

STAFF REPoRT

HE capital police have rendered many sacrifices in war against terrorism and its personnel averted many threats with courage and even sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

“We are proud of martyrs of Islamabad police who have written golden chapter with their blood and ensured protection to the lives and property of the citizens,” said IGP Bani Amin Khan while addressing a passing-out parade of the 7th batch of Anti-terror-

ist squad at Police Lines Headquarters here on Friday.

The IGP said that role of anti-terrorist squad is important to combat the menace of terrorism and successful operations against 58 terrorists were ensured in this year by these trained personnel.

Around 42 officers and jawans of capital police embraced martyrdom in the fight against terrorism.

He said that 2008-09 were challenging years for Islamabad police force but effective policing brought success in year 2010-11. He also called for enhancing professional capabilities of policemen to cope with the chal-

lenge of terrorism.

A total of 40 policemen including officers and jawans passed out this course who also staged a mock demonstration to counter any terrorist activity. The squad has also been given training for conducting any rescue operation in case of any emergency.

The IGP said that Islamabad police foiled the nefarious designs of several terrorists this year and appreciated the role of personnel of Islamabad police in combating terrorism. He said that government has awarded the highest number of medals to this force due to the best performance and also thanked for enhancing

‘Pakistani women say no to domestic violence’ ISLAMABAD: Uks Research Centre, Islamabad, on Friday launched its annual desk diary 2012 titled ‘Women of Pakistan: saying No to Domestic Violence’.

The Uks focused on domestic violence in its 2012 desk diary, with the aim of enhancing awareness of this extremely sensitive and important issue. Being a media advocacy group, the Uks also keeps a constant

eye on the relationship between the media and social issues. Accordingly, this year’s desk diary looks at domestic violence through the eyes of the media – how and to what extent editors, columnists, reporters, photographers and cartoonists have acknowledged and taken up domestic violence as a major social issue. People belonging to different sectors of the society, ranging from print and electronic media, civil society, NGOs, and other organisations’ representatives were present at this event. The launch began with an introduction of the Uks and the 2012 diary. Uks Director Tasneem Ahmar spoke about each year’s desk diary being based on one particular theme – ranging from women and politics, health, education and entrepreneurship. she also spoke of the extensive research that goes into the making of this diary every year and explained how this handy document gives a wellrounded view of the theme for a particular year, essentially related to women development.

The Uks has focused on domestic violence this year. STAFF REPoRT

the salaries of the force.

Later, the IGP distributed certificates and medals among the passing out candidates as well as senior Instructor and other instructors.

A total of 681 policemen including two DsPs, 37 Inspectors, 42 sub-Inspectors, 30 Assistant sub-Inspectors, 64 Head Constables, 469 Constables and 37 Lady Constables have so far passed out in various ATs Courses.

DIG (Headquarters) Ahmed Mukaram said that 40 participants of this course were given training about Weapon Handling, Firing Techniques, VVIP protection and other professional skills. He

also appreciated the efforts o Instructors who worked hard to impart effective training among the cops.

A smartly turned out contingent of Islamabad police presented guard of honour to the IGP Bani Amin Khan who also observed the parade.

DIG (Headquarters) Ahmed Mukarram, AIG (Establishment) Ashraf Zubair siddiqui, AIG (Operations) sultan Azam Temuri, senior superintendent of Police (ssP) (Headquarters) Zubair Ahmed Hashmi, ssP Islamabad Muhammad Yousuf Malik, ssP (Traffic) Dr. Moeen Masood, and other police officials were also present on the occasion.

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08 Islamabad

People’s call for sustained gas supply falling on deaf ears

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SNGPL authorities unmoved by daily protests by residents of twin cities

PRAYeR tIMINGS Fajr Sunrise 05:40 06:10

Zuhr 13:30

Asr 16:00

Maghrib Isha On sunset 19:00

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114 111-786-786

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI

A

MAHTAB BASHIR

T a time when the country’s ruling elite and the media are preoccupied with the Memogate saga, national politics, NATO’s attack on Pakistani forces and war against terrorism, the common man, dejected and disgruntled, is finding it hard to cope with the challenges of every day life.

The masses’ problems such as inflation, low natural gas supplies and inflated utility bills, only to name a few, may seem petty issues to those who are at the helms of the affairs, yet their daily ordeals are getting the best of their life.

While the stakeholders in the government are making all possible efforts to salvage a decaying political system just to buy the time until its tenure’s official end, the masses are struggling to fight price-hike and energy shortage that are taking a toll on the country’s already fragile economy.

As elsewhere, the shortage and low gas supply is badly affecting the life of the residents of twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, particular in the evening and morning hours, when, in a freezing cold weather, they run out of the very commodity they need to keep their homes warms and cook their meal. The low sui gas pressure is hitting hard the domestic as well as CNG consumers. some angry residents while talking to Pakistan Today on Friday demanded Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Federal Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain should immediacy take notice of the situation.

The residents of the twin cities come to roads daily in order to record their protest against the shortage and outages of the gas supply but the authorities concerned are paying no heed to their plight. On Friday as well, over 200 residents of sector G-7 blocked several roads in their neighborhood as they staged a demonstration against the government’s apathy.

As the weather is turning cold every day, residents of areas such as sector G-7, G-9, I-10, Khayaban-e-sir syed, Chuhar Chowk,

Meharabad, Muslim Town, Lalkurti, Tench Bhatta, sabzazar and Lalazar are continuously facing a low gas pressure and they have been complaining that the gas pressure drastically decreases between the midnight till dawn. They say that during the rest of the day the gas supply remains suspended. similarly long queues of vehicles can been at the CNG stations in various localities of Rawalpindi and motorists there are unable to get the CNG for their vehicles even during days, which are officially exempted from the outages.

Though the resumption of gas supply to the CNG stations has enabled the citizen’s mobility, it has compelled many people to leave for their workplaces without any breakfast when there is no gas to cook. It has been learnt that after the supreme Court’s directive to restore gas supply to the CNG stations, the domestic consumers of the twin cities are facing worse gas outages since the onset of the present winter season.

The residents are forced to use firewood for cooking, heating water and other purposes. “I have to collect a bundle of dried firewood daily to meet the energy demand of my household.

What else can I do, when my gas stove, geyser, heater and other appliances become useless,” said Muhammad Irshad, a resident of Bhara Kao. He said the locals face trouble daily, especially early in the morning when the gas pressure becomes too low to cook food. A large number of restaurants and bakery owners in the twin cities have also complained about how their business is facing huge losses.

The authorities concerned, on the other hand, are claiming that the resumption of supply to CNG stations under a court’s order have caused the gas shortage for the domestic consumers. sharing their grievances with the Pakistan Today, several restaurant owners said they had been facing a plethora of problems due to gas shortage. “We have reduced the dishes from our menu since it is no longer possible for us to cook a variety of food items in such conditions,” said Muhammad Aslam, a restaurant owner. He said their income was low he was finding it hard

Akcent Live in isLAmAbAd

to run his business. sajid, a cook working at a local restaurant, told this scribe that he was already living from hand to mouth, but presently he was thinking about trying some other line of work.

He said it was getting difficult for him to support his family.

Lalarukh Farooq, a resident of Lalazar locality in Rawalpindi, said that it was a matter of concern for every citizen that the government was unmoved by all the problems the Pakistanis had been facing.

“Numerous applications about low gas pressure have been sent to the sui Northern Gas Limited offices in Islamabad and Rawalpindi but to no avail,” she complained.

Osama Pervaiz, a resident of sector I-10, said the problem of low gas pressure would start early in the morning and continued till nightm leaving people to worry about their meal and heating system. The motorists said the CNG outlets in the area could not provide gas to consumers citing the same problem.

People of other areas especially from G-9 and I-9 of Islamabad, Muslim Town and Cantt Area of Rawalpindi also complained about the unavailability of gas This scribe also came to know that the same problem was troubling residents in other areas including Dhari Hassanabad, Dhoke Khabba, Qasimabad, Khurram Colony, Chungi Number 22, Tench Bhatta, Peoples’ Colony and Dhoke saydian. In order to avoid gas outages and to low pressure, some sui Gas consumers have illegally installed special compressors on their lines to boost the gas pressure. such installations are, however, causing trouble for other law-abiding citizens.

When contacted, a sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (sNGPL) official said the gas supply to some areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad had been shut down owing to some damaged main pipeline. He said the sNGPL officials were working day and night to repair the damaged lines and restore uninterrupted gas supply to all areas.

An iLLustrAtion of pAkistAn

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: tUeSDAY DeC 27, 2011 6:00 PM veNUe: ISLAMABAD

DAte: NOv 29 - DeC 25, 2011 veNUe: ISLAMABAD

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

Do you have a passion for photography?

Are you the one whose click could change how we see things? what about using your passion for a greater cause?

If YeS is the answer here’s your chance!

DAte AND tIMe: eveRY FRIDAY 6:30-7:30PM veNUe: KHAAS ARt GALLeRY ISLAMABAD Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dancing, ritual combat & music in a unique synthesis of self defense and rhythm.

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Saturday, 17 December, 2011

News 09

Gilani kicks off polio eradication campaign g

elahi, Farooq, Mirza remain absent ISLAMABAD STAFF REPoRT

P

RIME Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday urged the political leadership to work together as a nation and build a future where polio could no more inflict the children of Pakistan.

“It is our national duty to play a role in this regard as the future of our children rests on our efforts to give them a polio-free environment,” the prime minister said while addressing the launching ceremony of national anti-polio campaign.

However, his call went unheard as leaders of his government’s major coalition partners, PML-Q senior minister Pervaiz Elahi, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Farooq sattar and National Assembly speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza mysteriously remained absent.

The script of Gilani’s speech had the names of those leaders which mentioned that all the three

Pakistan’s reaction has impact on Afghan strategy: Grossman WASHINGTON INP

The strong reaction by Pakistan in the aftermath of the November 26 incident, in which 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a NATO crossfire, is having an immediate impact on the American strategy in Afghanistan, Us special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman said on Friday, but showed confidence that they would overcome these challenges in the long term.

“Well, it had the impact because of so many things as government of Pakistan decided to close all lines of communication, which were very important to the supply and re-supply of our troops in Afghanistan,” Grossman told the Afghan media.

“They took various other steps as well.

They are quite publicly evaluating their relationship with the Us and we have given space to have that revaluation,” he said.

Grossman argued, over the longer term, Pakistan and the Us would recognise that in areas like counter-terrorism, peace and future of Afghanistan, economic relations, especially trade not aid, good relationship with India, a strong Pakistan in the region – all those were the interests that they

Presidency denies spending Rs 260m on kitchen renovation ISLAMABAD: The Presidency on Thursday rejected as “incorrect” reports of spending Rs 260 million on the renovation of its kitchen, saying it was contrary to the president’s directives of avoiding extravagance at the public’s expense. spokesman to the president Farhatullah Babar said President Asif Ali Zardari had rejected the proposal, when it was brought to him as it was “too costly” and asked to revise it and to bring it down significantly.

“Neither the revised proposal has been received in the Presidency nor any work on the project undertaken,” Babar said. He said the president disdained extravagance at public expense and was highly conscious of the expenses incurred whether on proposed renovation works or on the events held in the Presidency. “That is why he has disallowed use of government funds on personal and party related events held in the Presidency,” he said. He recalled that when a proposal was submitted to him sometime ago to erect a bulletproof glass wall around a certain area for security, the president said that instead an ordinary brick and mortar wall be constructed.

Babar said the president distributed his salary among the low paid employees of the Presidency and also defrayed expenses on his food from his own pocket. APP

shared and they had to be able to act all together.

To questions about the recent strain in relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Grossman hoped it would improve soon.

He was quick to refer to the April visit of top Pakistani leadership to Afghanistan wherein they said that they supported Afghan-led reconciliation process.

“I think, among the things that happened during the year which was positive,” he said, adding a few weeks later (in June 2011) President Hamid Karzai visited Islamabad.

“I think, the fact that both the countries are talking about Afghan-led reconciliation process, is a positive development,” he said.

“May I also say the creation of the core group of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Us is also a positive development? I am very sorry that it had not met since the terrible assassination of Professor Rabbani while I hope it will meet again soon,” he said.

“Because it is the way for Pakistan and Afghanistan to talk about the future of their relationship, they have and the support that the Pakistanis can give to Afghan-led reconciliation,” said Grossman.

Govt-army rift a serious challenge: JI PESHAWAR STAFF REPoRT

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief senator Professor Ibrahim on Friday said the country was confronted with a serious challenge due to the ongoing rift between the government and the army over the memo issue.

Ibrahim was speaking to journalists during the weekly Mulaqat Program at Peshawar Press Club. KP Union of Journalists President Arshad Aziz Malik and Peshawar PClub President saiful Islam saifi were present on the occasion. Ibrahim said it was impossible that Asif Ali Zardari will remain president due to his health problems and the political situation.

He said only a only a revolutionary party could take the country out of the challenging scenario. He asked the PPP-led coalition government to resign and hand over affairs to a caretaker government.

Regarding the restoration of Muttahida Majlis-e- Amal (MMA), he said he did not want alliances like the past and was in favour of long term bonds between religious political parties.

He said that the JI had several options for future political alliances and seat adjustments and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was a possible option due to a shared stance on drone attacks.

had confirmed their participation in the function. However, they did not turn up.

Flanked by his assistant on polio eradication shahnaz Wazir Ali, Gilani also administered polio drops to half a dozen children, kicking-off the campaign starting from December 19. The three-day campaign will cover 84 districts across the country through 40,000 teams, targeting over 19 million children.

Reiterating his government full support to make the campaign sustainable, the premier said no stone would be left unturned to achieve the goal of making the country polio-free which was a vision of slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto.

“We will continue to make sustained efforts unless every child has been immunized against the risk of suffering from this deadly infection. I will personally monitor the polio eradication campaign and would offer full support in meeting all the challenges,” he added.

He called upon all chief ministers, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa gov-

ernor and the Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister to keep this issue on top of their agenda and ensure their personal involvement in running the anti-polio campaigns in their respective domains and areas. He also urged the parliamentarians, belonging to all political parties, to lead the antipolio campaigns in their respective areas.

Gilani said the country’s children were hugely gifted in terms of talent and aptitude and warned that polio could hamper many children from realising their true potential.

He regretted that unfortunately polio virus still threatened the society and expressed the belief that no threat could defeat a noble mission with strong political commitment behind it. He mentioned that in the beginning of the current year, the federal government developed a National Emergency Action Plan in consultation with all provincial governments and with the support of international partners.

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10 News

Saturday, 17 December, 2011

‘Had we learnt from Dhaka, it would have ended military coups’ g

Haqqani says he demanded enquiry into memo

Parliamentarians deliberate over the legacy of the break-up of Pakistan on its 40th anniversary ISLAMABAD STAFF REPoRT

H

AD Pakistan learnt the lesson of the separation of East Pakistan from West Pakistan 40 years to this day, no further coups would have been undertaken in the country. Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) Member of National Assembly (MNA) Berjees Tahir on Friday said to the National Assembly (NA) on the anniversary of the fall of Dhaka. speaking on a point of order in the NA, Tahir said “Military dictators have always claimed they came into power to save the country but half the country left us but military generals continued to topple civilian governments. Today I ask them a question: which frontiers have they protected?”

“The picture of Quaid-i-Azam in front of me is questioning us what did you do with the country I gave you?” Berjees Tahir said. He said General Niazi had surrendered to Indian General Arora and the Hammoodur Rehman Commission was constituted to probe the separation of East Pakistan but it was not made public.

“Had that commission’s report been made public and those responsible punished, neither the 1977 coup nor the exe-

cution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto would have taken place. Maybe even Musharraf would not have dared to topple the civilian government,” Tahir said. He said the situation today was not different from that fateful December 16 and the lesson of December 16 1971 must be learnt on December 16 2011.

PML-N MNA Ayyaz Amir lamented the 1971 incident which split the country split into two states. Without directly referring to the memo controversy. Ayaz said there was no conformity between what was going on outside parliament and in the House. He said the government needed to probe any conspiracies outside the parliament.

Referring to memogate, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA Fouzia Wahab said all that was going on outside parliament was based on assumptions while what was going on inside the NA was real. she said had the parliament been active, the fall of Dhaka could not have happened because the problem in 1971 was that federating units were denied their rights.

PML-N MNA Abdul Qadir Baloch said there were around 49 federal secretaries in the federal government but no one was from Balochistan province. He said not even a single chief executive officer of national corporations was Baloch and none of

the recently promoted bureaucrats from grade 21 to grade 22 was from sindh or Balochistan. He said Balochistan was being discriminated against and 4 mutilated dead bodies had been recovered from Khuzdar.

He said the legacy of East Pakistan demanded the government revive all development projects in the province.

Meanwhile, responding to a call attention notice, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Human Rights, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar told the NA that legislation was being made to check the incidents of domestic violence against women. He said after the passage of 18th Amendment, provinces were authorized to legislate on the issue of domestic violence against women and the federal legislation would cover the area of the Islamabad Capital territory. He added that a Gender Crime Cell had been established in the Ministry of Interior to check such incidents which could be registered at women police stations.

Moreover, Amir Muqqam said he had resigned as minister which had not been accepted yet. He asked the government to probe the Dir issue in which people had been killed yesterday.

Another PML-N MNA Anusha Rehman asked the speaker to take notice of delay in the presenting the Accountabil-

ity Bill languishing in the standing Committee of Law and Justice for the last three years.

Munawar Lal MNA expressed concern over the murder of Hindus in sindh. He asked the Prime Minister to release funds of the Ministry of Inter-Faith Harmony for the renovation and repair of the places of worship for minorities.

Parliamentary secretary Azeem Daultana laid before the House “The Airports security Force (Amendment) Bill, 2011” to further amend the “Airports security Force Act, 1975”. The statement of objects and reasons said that there was great disparity between the rank structure of AsF and other agencies like FIA, ANF etc. The new legislation would give legal cover to redesignation of posts in AsF.

Military dictators have always claimed they came into power to save the country but half the country left us but military generals continued to topple civilian governments. today I ask them a question: which frontiers have they protected?

BERjEES TAHIR

ISLAMABAD PRESS RElEASE

Former ambassador to the United states, Husain Haqqani has said that he was the first to demand an enquiry into the memo affair and offered to resign in his November 16 letter to president simply because Pakistan needed an ambassador in Washington who was not being subjected to a media trial at home.

In a short statement, Haqqani responded to “a politician from Rawalpindi who has decided to try and regain stature lost at the last election by abusing me”. Haqqani said that he returned to Pakistan to clear his name and defend the credentials of the democratically-elected government he served “honourably”. “Unfortunately, some people have decided to play prosecutor, witness and judge all at the same time, presenting claims as evidence and statements of one man with clearly questionable credentials as fact.”

PML-N MNA

LHC extends detention of Malik Ishaq for 30 days

Air Mashal Nur Khan’s laid to rest ISLAMABAD oNlINE

The funeral prayers of Air Marshal (r) Nur Khan were offered at 1030am on Friday at cricket ground PAF Complex, sector E-9 Islamabad. He was later buried with full honour at 4pm at his native town Tamman (Talagung), Chakwal. Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Chief of the Air staff Rao Qamar suleman expressed grief on the demise of PAF legend and one of the founding fathers of the modern PAF, Air Marshal Malik Nur Khan. suleman said Air Marshal Malik Nur Khan had ably and bravely led a small Pakistan Air Force to achieve a resounding victory against the four times larger Indian Air Force in 1965 war. Air Marshal Nur Khan was a well-decorated officer. Among his decorations are Hilal-e-Jurat, sitara-iPakistan and sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam.

He was also awarded the Order of Istiqlal (2nd Class) by the King of Jordan, and decorated as Commander of the National Order of the Cedars by the President of Lebanon and Grand Officer in the order of Range Nassau with swords by the Dutch Government.

Mansoor lobbied for Israel in 1999: Khurshid Shah ISLAMABAD STAFF REPoRT

Casting doubts over the credentials of Us-based Pakistani Mansoor Ijaz, Federal Minister for Hajj Affairs syed Khurshid shah on Friday said the “dubious character” had lobbied for Israel in 1999.

Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, he said two days before the 1999 coup, Mansoor Ijaz held a meeting with sartaj Aziz to convince him to recognise Israel.

“Unfortunately, our people have given him much importance,” he added.

He said the Us citizen was hatching a conspiracy against the country through the memo controversy. However, he said the conspirator would get eliminated himself. shah said Nawaz sharif approached the supreme Court after demanding a probe into the “memogate” by parliament.

LAHORE STAFF REPoRT

MoURNING loSS: Relatives attend the funeral ceremony of Ghulam Hussein Ansari, who was killed during an operation in Kurram during an army operation against Taliban militants, in his hometown Hyderabad. INP

A three-member review board of the Lahore High Court on Friday extended the detention of Malik Muhammad Ishaq, leader of banned outfit sipah-e-sahaba Pakistan (ssP), for another 30 days under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) due to concerns for law and order. The review board of Justice Nasir saeed sheikh, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik and Justice sheikh Ahmad Farooq also extended Ishaq’s close aide Ghulam Rasool shah’s detention for 30 days. On Friday, both Ishaq and Rasool shah were produced before the LHC board amid tight security. The board, after being satisfied with the plea of a Punjab Home Department officer, extended their detention for another 30 days.

40-year roller coaster for Bangladeshi Hindus DHAKA AFP

When Bangladesh became an independent nation after a bloody nine month battle with Pakistan that ended 40 years ago Friday, Narayan Chandra Das, a Bengali Hindu, had high hopes for his new country.

As a Hindu, Das had been branded an “agent of India” during the war and fled when the Pakistani army burned his village in the eastern district of Comilla to the ground. But when the war ended on December 16, he came straight home to the new Muslim-majority nation.

Forty years after independence, creeping Islamisation, discriminatory policies and a series of violent attacks on Hindus, have, he says, made him wonder whether it was the right choice.

“My brothers fought with Bangladeshi freedom fighters in the war of independence. I joined mainstream political parties as I believed in the idea of a nation where all citizens were equal,” he told AFP. “After all these years, I can say it’s not

the Bangladesh I dreamt of. In many ways, it’s quite close to Pakistan,” said Das, 55, who manages a pipe manufacturing company in Dhaka.

Bangladesh was founded as a secular republic under its 1972 constitution, proclaiming equal rights for all faiths. At the time, Muslims accounted for 80 percent of the population, with Hindus making up most of the remainder.

The country’s founding leader sheikh Mujibur Rahman, popularly referred to as sheikh Mujib, was an avowed secularist who sought to woo the country’s large Hindu electorate.

He abolished the Enemy Property Act, a Pakistani-imposed law that allowed the government to seize property of Hindus who fled to India.

But after sheikh Mujib was assassinated in a military coup in 1975, the new military rulers began amending the constitution — replacing secularism with “absolute faith in Allah”, legalising religious-based political parties, and making Islam the state religion.

“It was the beginning of creeping Islamisation,” subrata Chowdhury, a lawyer and prominent Hindu activist, told AFP. “The Enemy Property Act was revived, albeit with a different name,” he said.

Throughout the politically turbulent 1990s, the Hindu community came under attack when sectarian tensions flared, particularly during a bout of post-election violence in 2001.

“These attacks triggered a new wave of migration. I know hundreds of families who moved to India,” Das said, Official data shows the Hindu community has shrunk from 15 to 10 percent of the population since the 1970s. since the current secular Awami League government - led by sheikh Mujib’s daughter, Prime Minister sheikh Hasina — came to power in 2009, it has rolled back some of the religious inroads made by previous military regimes.

In a series of constitutional amendments it restored the principle of secularism but kept Islam as the state religion — a decision experts have slammed as con-

tradictory and confusing.

It has put 1971 alleged war criminals on trial — including for specific attacks on the Hindu community — and pledged to prosecute people identified in a new report as carrying out post-election attacks on Hindus in 2001.

Moreover, last month it passed a landmark bill, enabling the return of property seized by the government from Hindus — a move that, if enforced, could transform the economic fortunes of the Hindu community.

“Finally, we see some hope,” said CR Dutta, a freedom fighter and leading Hindu activist. “There is a change in mindset. Hindus are now more confident... the Islamisation process has been halted,” he added. Returning some properties will be difficult. Many of those seized under previous governments have been cultivated and developed by their Muslim neighbours. “In effect, my Muslim neighbours now own my family’s old land. Can the government really enforce the law to evict them?” Das said.

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Saturday, 17 December, 2011

Editor’s mail 11

New generation of politicians Many of Pakistan’s main political families are launching their sons and daughters to keep the political power in their families and protect the status quo.

In the land of the pure, politics has become a lucrative family business.

As 40 percent of voters are between the age of 18-35 years, these new children of political leaders are launched to attract young voters with false promises and hopes, the art which their elders have mastered.

Bilawal, son of President Asif Ali Zardari, has already started getting briefs from his party. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has launched his two sons and a daughter into politics. Nawaz sharif has launched her daughter to head the women wings of PML(N) and shahbaz sharif’s son is already a member of the National Assembly. There are also

close relatives of Nawaz sharif in politics.

Former Foreign Minister shah Mehmood Qurashi’s son Zain will be contesting the election on the seat (NA148) vacated by his father. Dr Zulifqar Mirza’s son will be contesting by-election on his father’s vacated sindh Provincial Assembly seat from Badin.

Moonis Elahi, the heir of Chaudhrys of Gujrat, is a member of Punjab Assembly. PM’s son Qadir Gilani and Moonis Elahi are already tinted with corruption charges but as corruption is no more considered unethical or immoral in the land of the pure, they are likely to be the future political leaders. The prevailing election system protects dynastic politics and encourages constituencies-based elections.

The majority of seats in the National and Provincial Assemblies are from rural

Rotting relief goods areas of the country where majority of voters are illiterate, poor and depend on feudal lords for their livelihood.

The pertinent question is: Do these new generation politicians have a vision of future direction that the nation must take and the goal that it must aim at? Did they have a deep comprehension of the historical and cultural ethos of the nation and an understanding of the regional and international environment within which they have to operate?

Are they able to inspire the nation through persuasion and personal conduct to follow them in pursuit of the goals that they have set for the nation?

Do they have the organisation skills to guide the military and civil bureaucrats to the realisation of the national aims and objectives through the adoption of appropriate policies in various fields?

Leaders are made not born but unfortunately here the political leaders are born with a belief that wisdom resides in them alone, and that they have the rights to rule the poverty ridden masses, although they prove to be mediocre, incompetent, selfish, having no vision of leadership and knowledge of good governance.

They are immune to the use of reason of logic when approaching any matter or issue relating to statecraft or for that matter to anything that pertains to Pakistan’s existence. Although the new generation politicians are well-educated but lack worthwhile experience, moral integrity or any natural talent that could get the country going in the right direction.

S T HUSSAIN Lahore

Passport office The people of Muzaffargarh are highly thankful to their government for the establishment of a passport-issue office here. But unfortunately despite the passage of about a year since its inception, its working is yet to be streamlined.

It is housed in a remotely situated street where its location is not even publicly marked by any signboard. Come rain or shine, the applicants are made to stand outside in the narrow street to suffer the vagaries of the elements.

Only one day a week, Thursday, is reserved for receiving the applications. The computers here are not looked after properly as no stabilisers are attached to them so that they burn out frequently as is the case currently. some of the other deficiencies here are: no system for turnwise calls for interviews, no functioning telephone inquiry number, no noticeboard outlining instructions for applicants’ guidance, and lack of any public seating facility.

Worst of all, absolutely no concern is shown to the senior citizens who are made to suffer the frantic hassle that generally prevails here. The net result of all this is that the applicants are forced to seek the assistance of the ubiquitous passport agents who are said to be in league with the passport office staff and for an extra large fee and are always ready to help the harried applicants. And that means huge private money pouring regularly into the pockets of the passport staff. The worthy Interior Minister, Mr Rehman Malik, is requested to order rectification of the pandemonium prevailing at the Muzaffargarh passport office immediately.

JAN MUHAMMAD Muzaffargarh

Better late than never It is good news that a new vice chancellor has finally been appointed for UVAs nine months after the expiry of tenure of former vice chancellor. The unfortunate tension between CM and chancellor was the root cause of such delay.

However, finally light has dawned on the authorities that to select a career professor of brilliant record would be inspiring for the teaching community of UVAs that one of their own has been appointed as vice chancellor.

Dr Talat Naseer Pasha had been proactively associated with the establishment of UVAs since its inception a decade ago and is a well-known expert in Animal Production field which is a crucial part of livestock sector. He combines in his personality traits of sustained hard work and patience under trying circumstances. As such, he would prove to be a real asset for the UVAs. The Livestock profession feels gratified at the judicious decision of the Punjab government.

DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI Lahore

Cap on price hike The price of petrol has soared to Rs 88 per litre and at this rate it is likely to go up to Rs 100 per litre very soon. The people of Pakistan should protest against this hike in petrol price. The federal and provincial governments should be made responsible for the rising price of petrol and there should be some sort of a cap on how much prices can be increased.

MUHAMMAD AQEEL Lahore

Our friendly country Thailand stands out for its donation of rice, around ten thousand tonnes, for the last year’s super flood victims in the sindh province. so far only three thousand tonnes have been distributed among the affected people. It is estimated that seven thousand tonnes of rice are rotting in various godowns in Maripur, Karachi. similarly, other edible and nutritional items, especially for newborns, children and pregnant women, which were donated by a number of friendly countries from around the globe, are reported to have gone rotten.

The victims do not have anything to eat; they do not have even potable water to quench their thirst. They are dying of hunger and malnutrition but they are not being given the donated edible and perishable items.

The apathy, indifference, inability of our venal bureaucracy, laxity and lethargy of our technocrats of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and the insensitivity of our political administrators and that of our rulers towards the victims is, indeed, despicable.

In this dismal scenario, I appeal to the President and Prime Minister to take notice of the situation so that the donated edible and clothing items which are rotting in the godowns may be distributed among the victims of floods.

HASHIM ABRO Islamabad

Maligning institutions Must we drag our security institutions in a global meaningless debate after Memogate saga? We should not forget that Mansoor Ijaz is the same person who time and again has advocated declaring IsI a rogue element, beyond the control of successive Pakistani governments.

Memogate has nothing to do with Hussain Haqqanin or Asif Zardari as it is a conspiracy to malign our sacred state institutions. It is primarily for this reason that the government did not move court against Mansoor Ijaz.

IFRA RAYAAN Lahore

Beware of quacks There are a lot of fake doctors and quacks operating in the city and they pose a great danger to the public. They operate with impunity and even advertise their services widely and openly. The health department should take serious note of this practice and plan a crackdown on these people who are operating without proper licences and playing with the health and wealth of people.

RPPs’ value Electricity crisis in Pakistan is a severe challenge for the whole population.

Not only regular consumers but industries have been affected resulting in heavy losses and eventual closure. Unemployment is rampant and the already frail economy is suffering.

Protests are constantly held and even though masses call out for immediate help, nothing is being done to rectify this situation. Every section of society, from students to hospital patients, are suffering but the government does not meet their demands as there is a shortage in power generation.

The government continues to state that long-term projects to enhance power generation are in place, which will take four to five years to start. The government has also claimed that it has undertaken hydel projects that would ensure 26,000 MW in 10 years time.

Even though there are hours of loadshedding, the electricity generation units

Not only should they be fined and their practices curtailed, various media outlets such as newspapers, cable television channels etc should also be warned against carrying their advertisement as it misleads people. The public should also be vigilant and not fall for these conmen.

KAMIL HASSAAN Lahore

are getting more expensive. Pakistan’s energy production relies heavily on expensive furnace oil and there is also increased load on gas. With interruption in supply of furnace oil and gas loadshedding it becomes impossible for energy generation to continue at the required pace.

The circular debt has not been dealt with for the fourth year in a row which, in turn, accounts for periodic inability of oil marketers to import fuel for the generating plants leading to over 16 hours of loadshedding. Also the government does not focus on reducing transmission line losses which lead to energy shortfall.

The best solution for tackling this energy crisis is the utilisation of rental power plants (RPPs). Not only these RPPs help in meeting the energy shortfall, they will also generate employment for our local population.

RPPs utilise resources in the optimum manner; they take up no land, will not utilise tank lorry traffic and there are

No gas? Be an eskimo

Mr Leon Panetta, you have rightly said that stable Pak-Us relations are critical for success in Afghanistan. However, you must remember that stability of our relations won't come over the blood of our martyred soldiers. We will not offer the other cheek, if slapped on one.

The Us must understand our psyche before even thinking of building stable relationship with Pakistan. The only way to reach out to Pakistan for its cooperation and friendship is to first recognise what it has sacrificed for your imposed war and then deal on mutual and equal terms. Else, our doors are shut for you permanently.

SYED NAYYAR UDDIN AHMAD Lahore

The other day as I was driving home, I heard on the radio a public service message, which said that the use of gas heaters is extremely dangerous and so we should refrain from their usage and wear warm clothes instead.

The message ended by saying that in case of any problem, sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (sNGPL) should be contacted.

It is no secret that Pakistan is currently facing a dire shortage of gas and it is because of this scarcity that the government had ordered a two-day closure of the CNG stations and a threeday closure of industries.

Therefore, it is ironic that in conditions like these, we are now being warned of the hazards of using gas heaters in winters. such messages are ridiculous and the authorities are only playing with our emotions.

In the summers, we are made to sweat because of the shortage of electricity, and in winters we are expected to dress as Eskimos even in our houses because our country does not have sufficient gas and the government lacks the sincerity and inclination to even try and do something about it.

MUHAMMAD MUSSAB AQEEL Karachi

health reasons.

The fact about how the government official got that information was not known. This clearly shows that the PPP regime is under constant danger, which can lead to its downfall. It is a common practice that ideas are floated first, in order to see the response of the public and then take action.

The people are dissatisfied with the military regime as well as the PPP government. It is probable that this satisfaction will be expressed at the polls, in the coming year. The military can only be

kept aloof if the party can build trust within the civilians, and ensure that they are being given the right news. This will reduce uncertainty and enable people to trust the government.

It is about time for the politicians to promote the idea of democracy, like Nawaz sharif is doing. He has cleverly used the tactic of placing the blame upon the army, and the idea of supporting the civilian government’s right to rule would surely strengthen that.

MIQDAD SIBTAIN Karachi

no transmission line losses. They are also typically implemented within 4-6 months.

MASOOMA IMRAN Karachi

Rightly said, but…

Rumours abound The political forces of a country play an essential role in promoting political gossip. The recent visit of our very own President Asif Ali Zaradari to Dubai on December 6, gave rise to many rumours and speculations, stating the cause of the visit. The establishment further supported these rumours to express its contempt against the president. This was a perfect opportunity for the Pakistan People’s Party to use truth as a tool against these speculations but it did not. Various reasons were given by the party stating the cause of this visit. It claimed that the

president had gone there to meet his children and for some medical tests.

Later, when this claim did not hold, it was admitted that the president was suffering from minor heart issues.

The status quo was further worsened when an online blog, associated with an American magazine Foreign Policy, published some other details too. It pointed out that a former American government official said that the president sounded bewildered in a television conversation with the Us president and said that he would give up his presidency due to

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 One standard for all? what is good for the goose...

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hey might have gone too far, the ANP’s Bushra Gohar and the PML(N)’s Chaudhry Nisar, in demanding the resignation of the IsI chief but their logic does not have any internal inconsistencies.

The military and the elected government are clearly not on the same page here. As the two sides prepare their cases in the supreme Court, there is much amiss.

The army, for instance, believes in the “reality” of the memo and that it was a conspiracy launched against the national security of the country. The civilian government, on the other hand, which had been maintaining all along that the memo did not exist and that Us-national Mansoor Ijaz is a dubious character whose word should not be trusted, has appended the same person’s later claim concerning General Pasha.

Both sides have been picking and choosing within Mansoor Ijaz’s statements.

The spin doctors have already started coming out of the woodworks. A series of one-step-forward-two-stepsback arguments are being made to distinguish these two claims made by the same person. There is much doublethink.

The republic is never exactly a swiss watch even at the best of times, but there is palpable political uncertainty in the federal capital at the moment. The political class is often the target of much ire when it comes to governance. That all stems from the political parties’ inability to cultivate within them the capacity for responding to the challenges of the times. And that is not possible when elected governments are constantly watching over their shoulders, even if needlessly, and wondering whether they will be able to complete their terms in office. The people of the country deserve better than this.

the Karachi affair Another skeleton in an already-rattled closet

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he car bomb that rocked the streets of Karachi on May 8, 2002 and claimed the lives of eleven French engineers and three Pakistanis has led to former French minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres being charged with “embezzling public funds.

He is also expected to face trial for his role in “the Karachi affair.” The French engineers were in Karachi to help build one of the submarines. French former defence minister Charles Millon subsequently confirmed the existence of kickbacks in the arms deals with Pakistan, whose cancellation allegedly resulted in the deadly Karachi bombing. It was alleged that kickbacks from the deal were used to fund the campaign of a French presidential candidate in 1995.

Gen Musharraf who ruled Pakistan at the time of the Karachi killings would have treated the incident as a god-sent opportunity to malign the PPP leadership if he had found even a shred of evidence against it. In fact, certain interested circles were implicating Benazir and Zardari also in the scandal. Musharraf hesitated because he presumably knew the true story being an insider.

A number of navy officers were already being accused of involvement in the scam. Last year, former DG Naval Intelligence Commodore (retd ) shahid Ashraf named a few officers he wanted to proceed against but was disallowed by his superiors in the navy.

Former naval chief Mansurul Haq who was at the time preparing to take over as CNs was sacked by the sharif government in 1997 and finally stripped of his rank and privileges by the Musharraf regime after he negotiated a plea bargain on corruption charges. However, the admiral was not punished for crimes associated with the Agosta deal. As before, the killings continued to be ascribed to the some unknown militant organization.

The findings of the probe in France provide an opportunity to the government to hold an impartial enquiry into the affair to find who really received $40 million in kickbacks in Pakistan. This is also needed to clear any names that might have been unjustly mentioned. The probe would set a healthy tradition of making those in high quarters accountable. What is more, it would improve the image of the country abroad.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor

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

Saturday, 17 December, 2011

The military-civilian chasm Who will fall through?

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By Arif Nizami

hat was common knowledge is now official.

Going by the replies filed by the Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, IsI Director General Lt-Gen shuja Pasha and the federation with the supreme Court in the Memogate hearing, the civilian government and the military leadership are not on the same page.

When the apex court hears the petition filed by Nawaz sharif on Monday, the stage is set for the memo scandal to inject further uncertainty into the already highly charged political atmosphere. The government has taken the plea that the parliament has the supremacy to take up the matter and hence the Court should dismiss the petition.

The military leadership, on the other hand, has pressed for a thorough investigation of the memo. Neither Kayani nor Pasha has named Zardari as the author of the memo in their affidavits.

General Pasha after meeting Mansoor Ijaz in London in October explicitly states in his reply that he is satisfied about the authenticity of the memo to the extent that Husain Haqqani is its author. He has also demanded that the Court take the Blackberry and laptop computer belonging to the former ambassador to Washington for forensic examination.

Ijaz, the unabashed publicity hound, has thrown another spanner in the works by stating that Pasha had visited saudi Arabia to seek approval for a coup against Zardari. Interestingly, the federation has appended The Independent’s story filed by its Pakistan correspondent which made the fantastic claim. The supreme Court should examine the authenticity of this claim as well if it considers claims about the memo ostensibly written by Haqqani to be prime facie worthy of a probe.

Usually calm and unflappable, PM Yousaf Raza Gilani while addressing the senate a day earlier to the filing of the replies to the apex court hit back at, “conspirators who took the memo issue to the supreme Court”. The prime minister also warned that “if democracy was

uprooted, we would not see another election in our lifetime.”

The basis of the prime minister’s premonition that the government is being sacked and the parliament sent packing is not known. However, even if one discounts the ‘après moi, le deluge’ syndrome which generally afflicts our ruling elite, why does Gilani perceive the democratic system to be under grave threat?

Whatever the facts about the memo and events surrounding it, it underscores a deeper malaise – the ever widening chasm between the civilian and the military leadership. General Pasha shopping around Arab capitals preparing grounds for a coup d’état, if true, is equally condemnable and abhorrent as writing a memo to a foreign government about our own military.

The PPP-led government has been meticulously careful not to ruffle feathers in the GHQ. Zardari, perhaps conscious of the fate of previous civilian governments, including that of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and those of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz sharif, has ostensibly given the impression that the khakis’ wish is a command for him.

Whether it was the issue of giving extensions of service to General Kayani or Pasha or following the security paradigm of the military, diktats were slavishly followed. Or so it seemed to the ordinary observer.

Efforts to bring IsI under civilian control in the aftermath of the Mumbai carnage in November 2008 were abandoned. similarly, whether it was the Raymond Davis case, the Abbottabad incident or policies towards the UsA, India or Afghanistan, the military had its way.

Then what has gone wrong? Plenty it seems if Mansoor Ijaz is telling the truth (which is yet to be determined). It is obvious that although the accompaniments of democracy – a free and vibrant media, independent courts and a functioning parliament – are in place, the democratic ethos is still missing.

Philosophically speaking, the military shies away from accepting civilian supremacy. Nor are the civilians capable or willing to assert it. The army mistakenly thinks that security and foreign policy are its domain and keeping an eye on politicians is the business of the IsI. Dabbling in strictly civilian affairs follows from this.

Nawaz sharif believes that the IsI is

meddling in civilian affairs and trying to engineer the political system. He has openly laid this charge in the presence of senior journalists more than once that Imran Khan is being heavily funded and propped up by the IsI, much more so now than he was once upon a time. Imran has vehemently denied the charge.

It will not be setting a bad precedent if the apex court summons the IsI record for a forensic examination to determine which politicians and media persons have been funded by the premier intelligence agency in the past and present.

Those who are talking about a coup should realise that a soft coup has already taken place. A weak and maladroit civilian government is crumbling under its own weight. The military does not need to dismiss it and impose the much discussed Bangladesh model, a model which General Kayani himself acknowledges has failed in Bangladesh.

The manner in which the government has kowtowed to the army chief to forcefully defy the Us is also a manifestation of its efforts to please the military leadership. Whether our present strategic defiance is sustainable will be known in the not-too-distant future.

President Obama desperate to resolve the Afghan imbroglio in his election year will have to soon decide which course to take. With the Pentagon and the CIA headed by an influential retired general calling the shots, the state Department has been marginalised. How indispensable is Pakistan to Us strategic goals in the region will determine Washington’s future course.

President Zardari, recuperating in Dubai after his recent episode of bad health, is gravely disappointed with Washington. According to reliable accounts, senior Us diplomats told him that since Memogate was an internal affair for Pakistan to resolve, Washington was not in a position to rein in Mansoor Ijaz.

According to some observers, this could be construed as Washington abandoning its support for Zardari. As a Us analyst recently wrote, this could be the Ayub Khan moment for the president.

Under General Ayub Khan, Islamabad was the closest ally of the Us until abandoned after the sino-Indian conflict in 1962. In its aftermath, he wrote his autobiography, Friends Not Masters.

The writer is Editor, Pakistan Today

whitelIES W By ess Aich

e hear that a lady doctor in charge of treating the media was on the receiving end of much criticism at a recent cabinet meeting.

Cabinet members especially a VVIP could not understand why the media, especially the electronic chat show hosts, were so “hostile” towards the government. None of the cabinet members had a clue on why the media was constantly airing political and corruption scandals when they could be entertaining people with alternatives like saas bahu serials. None could understand why our lady doctor could not tackle such irritants.

However, our doctor’s skills are not to be under estimated. she promptly replied, “How can I deal with a situation where the opposite party has such deep pockets?” she then went on to claim that every major chat show host was paid before the show was aired. several figures were mentioned and one of them was rupees

I

mran Khan is planning to commemorate The Quaid’s birthday with a jalsa at the founding father’s mausoleum in Karachi and it seems the sindh government after initial reluctance has agreed to let him. The real issue before the

“two and a half crores per show”. The name was also flashed. That shut up her critics and made everyone happy. Yes, it felt good that it was the opposition grease fund, not the government’s own performance that was responsible for all their problems.

sindh government, we hear, is not the law and order in the province but the uneasy situation where two main leaders of the coalition would be out of the country, one in Dubai and the other at his permanent address in London.

Now how does that work out for Mian Nawaz sharif? We hear he has plans to spend his birthday (which he incidentally shares with The Quaid and with The Christ) away in his second home, London.

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

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Saturday, 17 December, 2011

Imran’s Tower of Babel?

A motley crew, to say the least

By Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

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n order to achieve the ambitious target of fielding 1,000 candidates in the next general elections, Imran Khan is collecting all sorts of politicians that he considers electable. The lot he has collected so far is a motley crowd of highly educated professionals including doctors and lawyers as well as tribal maliks, clan figures, spiritual healers, big landlords, former bureaucrats and retired military and intelligence personnel. some of these are widely known turncoats who have changed loyalties several times in their political career with the sole aim of being a part of the government. They now maintain that to err is human and that after having lost the way again and again, as any mortal could, they have finally reached the destination that they had all along been dreaming about, the PTI. The integrity of the new entrants poses no problem to Mr Clean. Like Zardari, Gilani, Nawaz sharif, Ch shujaat et al, they have declared their meagre assets several times. The car they drive is a gift from a friend in Dubai and the palatial house they occupy belongs to their wife.

Delving into the accounts, declared or those secretly stacked in foreign banks, is no ordinary task. Imran Khan cannot hire hundreds of income tax specialists going through the data collected by scores of sherlock Holmes in the short period before the next elections. It is after all Imran Khan who has to finally determine whether the assets declared by a politician have been reported

honestly.

The colourful lot Imran is bringing together is in a way typical of the country where sedan cars run alongside tractor trolleys, minibuses running on combustible gas, rickshaws, bicycles and donkey carts, all on the same road. This explains the high accident rate in Pakistan.

Every variety of the new entrants has its peculiar ideas and demands. These are often diametrically opposed to one another. This explains why Imran remains an enigma to many. Like a good pir, he is required to give a lollipop to every devotee. To the modernised youth looking for change, “the real ray of hope” lies with Imran who they think is a leader who will wipe out the forces of the status quo. He promises them a movement akin to a tsunami that would demolish and wash away the structures of the past to the open sea. He tells them his party would “bring a true revolution in the country in a bid to eliminate the corrupt and provide justice to everybody.”

To take the youth along, he has changed the style of his public meetings. He is the first leader to introduce bands on the stage, popular among the youth particularly from upscale English medium schools. During his one hour long well choreographed performance at Minar-e-Pakistan, half the time was consumed by music which changed as he hopped from subject to subject.

Imran has, however, to cater to an altogether different type of clients also. A day before, a group of leaders of belonging to Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamaat-ud-Daawa was to meet him, the PTI leader announced he was in fact working for Khilafat-e-Rashida.

Liaquat Baloch told the media after the meeting that they had invited Imran to participate in the Defence Council of Pakistan moot organised by these parties on December 18th. As Imran traverses the thorny path that leads to the glorious Khilafat,

he hopes the rigours would be lightened in the company of shireen Mazari, Maleeha Lodhi, Marvi Memon, Maria B, Neelum shah, shafqat Mahmud and Ibrarul Haq who have either joined him or have declared their whole hearted support for the PTI. With every new entrant, Imran has to extend the list of his objectives. To minorities, he has promised “peace and harmony.” Perhaps he knows that under the sharia law that operates in a Khilafat, the minorities have to be declared zimmies and are required to pay jizya, a special tax levied on non-Muslims.

Imran stands for democracy. He complains that corrupt politicians sometime get elected. However, like every good democrat he is confident that the problem would be remedied if the elections are held on time for a few decades.

Imran also has an eye on the voters of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PATA and FATA where remnants of tribalism continue to exert themselves. He is, therefore, all praise for the jirga system and the instant and cheap justice it provides. It remains unclear if Imran supports a special status for PATA and FATA with an alternate judicial system for the region or is for the integration of the tribal belt with the rest of the country as demanded by the more enlightened people in tribal areas. Perhaps, he his waiting to see which stand will fetch him more voters.

A party of the type with contradictory pulls and pressures can work well as a demolition squad. But to able to run the country from Islamabad, the party needs to have a single voice rather than be seen as the Tower of Babel.

One hopes to see some sort of an agreed document on December 25 that can keep together all the heterogeneous element that seem to have been yoked together by force.

The writer is a former academic and a political analyst.

Comment 13

out in the open The government and the military stand apart

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hen the president left the country amid wild speculation regarding the state of his physical and mental health, there was not as much as a single credible statement issued by his numerous handlers. Instead, the crisis has been compounded by glaringly contradictory and insipid interjections stating a million things at the same time. All this was happening in the wake of the rejection of the NRO Review Petition by the supreme Court and the hearing of the notorious memo case where the apex court had asked the respondents including the president to submit their replies by December 15, since extended to December 19 – the date the court takes up the case again. The COAs, DG IsI, former ambassador Haqqani, Mansoor Ijaz and others have filed their responses, but not the president. Instead, he has questioned the court’s jurisdiction in the matter. Tightening the screws further, the court has fixed January 2 as the date for the president, the prime minister, the NAB chief and other respondents to submit reports on the implementation of its verdict against the NRO. Drawing rooms are churning out rumours by the dozens ranging from the president being effectively ‘caged’ to the prospect of a ‘soft coup’ to ‘judicial intervention’. The prime minister presents a pitiable demeanour that keeps changing from morning to afternoon to evening. On the floor of the senate, he was recounting a grave threat to democracy saying that if his government was ousted, no one would be able to form another government and ‘there will be no elections in our lifetime’. He did not have to reveal the centres of threat that his government

By Raoof Hasan faces as the statements by various respondents submitted before the sC have exposed the vast gulf that separates the perceptions of the executive and the military: while the COAs wants the apex court to investigate further to unearth the author(s) of the infamous memo and the intentions behind it, the executive wants the court to quash the case, thus allowing its own innocuous parliamentary committee to probe the matter over the next million years.

In a sad continuation of its humiliating track record over the last four years, the government is unwilling to accept responsibility of having brought the country to this miserable pass.

Whether it be allegations of mass corruption or dismal absence of governance, systematic destruction of all state institutions or a woeful loss of credibility internally and externally, blatant affront of the judiciary or abnegation of the rule of law, compromising Pakistan’s strategic interests, even its sovereignty, or bartering its security paradigm for a few miserly dollars, the government and its bunch of cronies have only one response: there is a conspiracy afoot against democracy.

Candid Corner

There is palpable panic in the echelons of power and I would not be surprised if many of the government’s henchmen may already be thinking in terms of deserting a sinking ship, most notably the ones given presidential reprieves. After all, their hands are the most soiled and their deeds the most corrupt. There are also some who may be thinking in terms of letting the errant go as long as they leave the country alone. But, they don’t realise the debilitating damage that has already been done and the need for the guilty to be forced to own it up and make them cough out the national wealth. If rule of law is to be brought to the country, let it roll out now. If that does not happen, the existing bunch of criminals would only be replaced by a bigger gang of thugs to continue desecrating the prospects of turning Pakistan into a civilised society.

With each passing day, the chances of the president’s return to the country are diminishing on two counts. If he is actually sick beyond a manageable limit, he becomes unfit for the coveted office and may be removed on the ground of health. But, if his hands are actually tarnished in the memo scam on the basis of circumstantial and other evidence that is made available, the physical illness could turn out to be a mere cloak that he is wearing to save himself from possible prosecution. But, this can only be a temporary phase as he would not be permitted the luxury of a permanent residence abroad, or do we expect another NRO? Condi Rice has already pulled the rug from under the feet of the so-called champions of ‘democracy’ stating in minute detail the desperation with which Benazir pursued a compromise with the sitting dictator and her eagerness to having herself, her husband and party colleagues immunised against multiple corruption cases and ‘securing’ her ‘right’ to becoming the prime minister a third time. so, pursuit of ‘democracy’ was, in fact, nothing more than pursuit of personal reprieve from crime.

Multiple failures of the experiments in democracy raise serious questions about its relevance in the existing environment and its efficacy in terms of delivery at the grassroots level. What is it that makes the vast cross-section of the political elite shoot itself dead every time it gets a chance to prove the cynics wrong? It appears to be a quality that is deeply and irretrievably ingrained in their psyche.

It is a wild penchant to be seen elected as ‘democrats’ but rule as cruel and corrupt dictators.

Is democracy for another time and another kind of people, or is it that the system has to be rendered workable by providing it the right ingredients especially in terms of people who engineer and operate it? The inveterate cynics would instantly go for the former option while the optimists may still repose their faith in the latter. That being the preferred remedy, who would create the right conditions to make the system work? If ever things were to come to that, all eyes would look in the direction of the apex judiciary.

The writer is a political analyst and a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. He can be reached at raoofhasan@hotmail.com

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14 Foreign News

Saturday, 17 December, 2011

Syrians hold mass rallies to demand Arab action DAMASCUS AFP

Hundreds of thousands of syrians protested nine months into their uprising on Friday, demanding the Arab League hasten its response to a bloody crackdown on dissent, activists said. The protests came after Russia, a longtime ally of embattled President Bashar al-Assad, drew a guarded response from Western governments to signs of toughening its stance on syria at the UN security Council. The syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 200,000 protested in the besieged central city of Homs alone, venting their frustration at the Arab League for postponing a meeting on syria scheduled for saturday. “More than 200,000 demonstrators came out in several neighbourhoods of the city after Friday prayers,” the Britain-based organisation said in a statement sent to AFP in Nicosia.

Demonstrators also took to the streets of Damascus and the protest hubs of Daraa, Deir Ezzor and Hama, among others, according to the Local Coordination Committees, which organises the protests.

Organisers had urged protesters to press the Arab bloc over its postponement of saturday’s emergency foreign ministers’ meeting to give more time for Damascus to agree to a deal to end the bloodshed to avoid sanctions. They had set the slogan for the protests as: “The Arab League is killing us — enough deadlines.”

SToCKPoRT: A man cycles through the snow along a path at lyme Park in Stockport, north-west England, on Friday. Afp

UK court upholds english-speaking rule for immigrants LONDON AFP

A High Court judge on Friday dismissed a legal challenge to a new immigration rule that requires people to be able to speak English before moving to Britain to live with their partner or spouse. Judge Jack Beatson said the language test, introduced in November last year as part of the coalition government’s efforts to slash immigration, did not interfere with the human rights of three couples who brought the challenge.

Immigration minister Damian Green said he was “very pleased” at the ruling, which was handed down at the High Court sitting in Birmingham, central England. “We believe it is entirely reasonable that someone intending to live in the UK should understand English, so that they can integrate and participate fully in our society. We are very pleased that the courts agree with us,” he said. The challenge was led by Briton Rashida Chapti, 54, and her Indian husband Vali Chapti, 57, who have been married for 37 years and have six children but currently live apart.

Russia signs preliminary deal to sell 42 jets to India MOSCOW AFP

Visiting Prime Minister Manmohan singh and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday oversaw the signing of an agreement to sell to India 42 su-30 jets in kit form as the Kremlin scrambles to retain ties with its sovietera arms purchaser. The agreement comes after India, the biggest importer of military hardware among emerging nations, had earlier this year rejected Moscow’s bid to supply its traditional ally with 126 multi-role combat aircraft in a deal worth about $12 billion (9.2 billion euros). The two leaders sought to play up progress in bilateral ties, stressing they withstood the test of time. “Our cooperation with India in the military technical sphere has reached an unprecedented level,” Medvedev said in comments released by the Kremlin.

Bloody clashes overshadow Egypt vote count g

36 people wounded as soldiers repeatedly attempt to break up sit-in outside cabinet’s offices CAIRO

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AFP

GYPTIAN troops clashed with petrol bomb-throwing protesters against military rule in Cairo on Friday, as the worst violence in weeks overshadowed the count in the second phase of a landmark general election.

At least 36 people were wounded as the soldiers repeatedly attempted to break up a sit-in outside the cabinet’s offices demanding an immediate transition to civilian rule, the official MENA news agency reported. state television reported that 32 security forces personnel were wounded in the clashes, including an officer hit by birdshot it said came from the protesters. The clashes, which raged since dawn, were the bloodiest since five days of protests in November killed more than 40 people just ahead of Egypt’s first parliamentary elections since the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak in February.

The violence erupted after a bloodied protester said he had been arrested by soldiers and beaten up, infuriating his comrades who began throwing stones at the soldiers, witnesses said. Protesters also threw petrol bombs as the clashes continued through the morning with troops and military police repeatedly charging the crowd, AFP correspondents reported. “The people demand the execution of the field marshal,” they chanted in reference to Hussein Tantawi, the head of the supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which took over following Mubarak’s ouster.

In early afternoon, the military police pulled back to a side street but the demonstrators were pelted with stones by men in plain clothes from another government building and responded by smashing the windows of transport ministry offices. Blogger Mostafa Hussein said that, at one point, demonstrators managed to

Yemenis protest against amnesty for Saleh SANAA AFP

Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis demonstrated Friday across the country rejecting an amnesty given to President Ali Abdullah saleh against prosecution in a deal that eases him out of office. “A trial is a must and amnesty is rejected,” chanted demonstrators in sanaa’s sitin street, close to Change square — the focal point of protests that broke out in January demanding saleh’s departure after 33 years in power. similar demonstrations were staged in 18 cities and towns across Yemen in response to a call by the central organising committee of protests, as protesters insisted saleh and his top lieutenants should face justice over the killing of demonstrators. “There should be punishment for shedding the blood of the youth,” said cleric Waheeb al-sharabi in his Friday sermon in Taez, the second largest city of Yemen and a major flashpoint in the conflict with forces loyal to saleh.

Dutch Catholic Church abused ‘tens of thousands’: inquiry THE HAGUE AFP

CAIRo: Egyptian protesters use makeshift shields to approach the Shura Council building during clashes with the army on Friday. AFP reach the lobby of the cabinet offices after breaking down the front gate, before being pushed back by a large number of troops. An AFP correspondent saw bloodied protesters being carried away by comrades and a string of arrests made.

Troops later released some of the detained demonstrators. Leading activist Nur Nur, son of former presidential candidate Ayman Nur, emerged from behind the military police cordon limping and with a cut and large bruise to his head. “When the military police rushed us, a girl behind me tripped up and fell,” he said.

“I stopped to help her, and the soldiers beat us with sticks for about two minutes and then dragged us off into the parliament building.” A military official told AFP soldiers involved in the clashes had been tasked with protecting the cabinet and did not try

to break up the sit-in. He blamed the protesters for the violence. The demonstrators have been camped outside the cabinet offices since November 25, when they branched off from larger demonstrations in nearby Tahrir square, the nerve centre of the 18 days of protests that led to the downfall of Mubarak.

They objected to the military’s appointment of a new caretaker prime minister, calling on the generals to transfer power fully to a civilian government.

The military has said it will only step down once a president has been elected by the end of June following a protracted series of phased parliamentary polls. The count was under way on Friday in the second stage of elections for the lower house of parliament. A third stage next month will be followed by a similar three-phase election to the upper house before the presidential vote.

An independent Dutch inquiry into child sexual abuse committed by Catholic priests said Friday it found “tens of thousands” of victims since 1945, identifying 800 alleged perpetrators. Tens of thousands of minors were exposed to “mild, severe or very severe sexual behaviour” by clergy or lay workers in the Dutch Catholic Church over a 65-year period between 1945 and 2010, the commission said in its final report.

“Based on 1,795 reports, the commission could find the names of 800 abusers who work or have worked for” Roman Catholic bishops in The Netherlands, the report said. Most were priests, but the figure also includes lay workers. “Of these 800 people, 105 are still alive.” “It’s an absolutely enormous figure,” said former education minister Wim Deetman who chaired the six-person commission including a former judge, university professors and a psychologist that began its inquiry last year. Deetman said it was up to prosecutors to decide if the surviving alleged abusers should face criminal charges. Claims of alleged sexual abuse examined by the inquiry went from “light physical contact to penetration,” he said.

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Saturday, 17 December, 2011

Foreign News 15

Putin’s popularity takes a hit ahead of vote MOSCOW

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AFP

ladimir Putin’s approval ratings have declined to historic lows, polls showed Friday, as liberal media suggested the powerful prime minister was growing out of touch after Russia was swept by protests.

The day earlier Putin gave one of his trademark strongman performances at his annual phone-in with Russians, joking that he mistook the white ribbons on protesters’ lapels for condoms and saying he was learning to play ice hockey during the largest rallies of

Last Us base handed to Iraq ahead of pullout

his 12-year rule.

Russian media said that despite efforts to present to the Russians a newer, more democratic version of himself, the 4 1/2-hour phonein only exposed a gap between society’s expectations and Putin’s inability to change tack.

“His style looked outdated and jokes not funny,” Vedomosti business daily said in an editorial. “Comparisons of the white ribbons to condoms and accusations of being paid to demonstrate were not pretty or smart.” Prominent commentator Mikhail Fishman added in the same newspaper: “Putin does not realise that the rising tide is largely directed against him personally.” The opposition and observers say Putin’s ruling United Russia party cheated its way to a slim majority in parliamentary polls this month, with public anger culminating in a series of mass protests across the country last weekend.

Over 24,000 people have already said on Facebook they would attend a new protest on December 24, an uncomfortable prospect for Putin as he heads into his campaign to return to the Kremlin in March presidential elections. The most recent polls showed Putin’s popularity has taken such a dive he will not be able to secure victory in the first round. Putin will win only 42 percent in the first round, for the first time needing a second round against his Communist challenger, said a poll by the state-controlled All Russian Public Opinion Centre (VTsIOM). such a rating would mark a serious erosion in his once invincible support which in his last presidential election victory in 2004 saw him win over 70 percent of the vote.

However his nearest rival Gennady Zyuganov is still lagging far behind on 11 percent, leaving Putin almost certain of victory in the second round.

2011 topshots

NASIRIYAH AFP

Iraq took control of the last American military base in the country on Friday, a day after Us forces marked the end of their mission, bringing a divisive war to a low-key conclusion. The transfer of the sprawling installation on the outskirts of the southern city of Nasiriyah is a final step ahead of a complete Us withdrawal from Iraq in the coming days. The Imam Ali Base, known to the Us military as Camp Adder, housed 15,000 American troops at its peak and was officially signed over at a ceremony attended by Us Colonel Richard Kaiser and Hussein alAssadi, the Iraqi official in charge of base transfers. “We proudly announce to the Iraqi people today the handover of the last American military base,” Assadi said after the signing. “Today we are turning the last page on the occupation.” The base, which will now be used by Iraq’s fledgling air force, lies on the edge of the ancient city of Ur, the Biblical birthplace of Abraham. “It’s an honour to have been the commander of this base, and to be the one to sign over the last large base in Iraq,” Kaiser told AFP. “It’s truly an honour... I feel very proud of all the work we’ve done together” with Iraq. After the two men signed documents transferring the base to Iraq, Iraqi Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Hakim Abboud said it marked “a day of freedom.” “We promise to our people to be faithful to our army, our Iraq, and to work for its unity,” said Abboud, the commander of air force units on Imam Ali Base.

Russia seizes radioactive material bound for Iran MOSCOW AFP

Russia on Friday seized a consignment of the radioactive isotope sodium-22 at a Moscow airport from a passenger who was to travel on a flight to Tehran, the customs service said. “Tests showed that the sodium-22 could only have been obtained as the result of the work of a nuclear reactor,” it said in a statement. “A criminal enquiry has been opened and the materials transferred to prosecutors.” Customs had been alerted by a warning system at sheremetyevo airport ahead of the Moscow to Tehran flight that background radiation in the departures hall was 20 times the norm. A passenger’s bag was then searched. “Eighteen metallic objects of industrial origin were found, packed into individual steel boxes,” it said. “Tests then found that the objects were in fact the radioactive isotope sodium-22 that had been machine-produced.” No further details were immediately available on the consignment or the identity of the passenger who was carrying the materials.

ERCIS: Rescuers carry two-week-old baby girl Azra Karaduman from the rubble of a collapsed building in Turkey’s eastern province of Van on october 25. Crowds cheered and applauded as 73-year-old Gulzade Karaduman was carried into an ambulance, hours after her tiny granddaughter Azra and then her daughter Seniha Karaduman were pulled free from the wreckage of the family home in the eastern town of Ercis. AFP

Britain says to attend Assange request for appeal granted, eU pact talks as ‘equals’ set for Feb 1: court LONDON AFP

LONDON AFP

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was Friday granted permission to appeal against extradition from Britain to sweden over rape allegations and a hearing will start on February 1. “The supreme Court has granted permission to appeal and a hearing has been scheduled for two days, beginning on 1 February 2012,” said a statement from the supreme Court, the highest court in England. The decision means Assange will spend a second Christmas at the country mansion of a wealthy supporter in Norfolk, eastern England, as his legal battle stretches into a second year. The 40-year-old Australian was arrested last December on a European arrest warrant issued by sweden after two women made allegations of sexual assault and rape.

Britain will attend talks on a new EU pact as “equal participants” despite Prime Minister David Cameron’s veto of a planned treaty to solve the eurozone crisis, a spokeswoman said Friday. “You need people there from all the 27 to work out how to implement (the deal agreed at a summit last week),” the spokeswoman for Cameron said, referring to the 27 members of the European Union. The delegation would attend the talks “to ensure that the views of the UK are represented and our national interest is maintained,” she said. Cameron received phone calls on Friday from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk to discuss the role of the EU institutions and the next EU summit, to be held in January or early February. Britain rocked the EU last week when Cameron vetoed a proposed treaty on measures intended to boost integration and save the beleaguered euro. The other 26 EU nations agreed to press ahead with an inter-governmental pact instead.

Cameron has said that proposed new regulations governing financial services were not in the British national interest.

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SOCIETY

KARACHI: Designer Saba waseem exhibited her label La Chantal’s designs at an exclusive fashion show at ‘the Designer’.

– break away from Lollywood

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new Lollywood film, by Jarrar Rizvi, was launched on Thursday night at PAF cinema in an event attended by several actors. The film ‘son of Pakistan’ has been produced by Chaudhry Hameed Alam, and directed by Jarrar Rizvi, while the cast has many Lollywood stars playing different roles including shamyl Khan, Babrik shah, Laila, sana, Meera and Chaudhry Hameed himself. Among one of the heroes was TV actor Bilal Khan, who died this year on August 11, as a result of a gas explosion on the set of a Hum TV drama ‘Dastaan’.

The film is a step away from typical Lollywood practices. For one, the director’s idea of the message was far more open minded and secular than are most of others. In an interview with Pakistan Today he said that he wanted to portray Pakistan in the film as a peaceful and tolerant nation.

“The world is calling us a terrorist nation, and they are wrong,” says Rizvi, who has extensive experience in film making in the Pakistani cinema, and is known to have a unique vision. He said the film industry is suffering more because of the attitude of many of the stars rather than anything else.

“It is sad that when India produces a new film, they travel all around the world trying to promote it. Here, unfortunately, they don’t even come to promote their own film, because they are busy doing something else,” he said. “We are not to blame for the films doing badly at the box office; it is not India’s fault on whom many people within the industry conveniently lay the blame. It is our own fault. If India does a Punjabi film and asks our own actress sana to come, she will readily go, but she won’t have time for our Punjabi film projects,” he said slightly annoyed.

Film actresses, Meera, sana and Laila were not seen at the red carpet, neither were film stars Babar Ali and shafqat Cheema. The only actress present was new comer silla Hussain and Babrik shah. shah expressed his happiness at the film’s release to Pakistan Today: “I am sure that the film will do well at the box office and I feel happy and proud to be associated with such a project,” he said.

‘son of Pakistan’ was also unique in the aspect that it promoted nationalism, rather than radical and volatile Islamism, which goes against India. In fact, sikhs and Christian characters were shown in the film, and both of whom were protagonists. Rizvi tried his best to depict Pakistan as a hub of religious harmony. Not many would agree, but in a fictional film being produced by Lollywood, which often blames India for everything, and upholds an all-Muslim ideologue, this is original and if this trend catches on, it may push for change among people.

The most important part was that of the militants who live on the Pak-Afghan border, and are the true villains of the film. Abu Zayed (played by Babar Ali) who had the support of the West, Isaac (played by shafqat Cheema). Also rather than the Pak Army as the tradition and typical heroes, Rizvi has shown ordinary cops to be the heroes. These ‘sons of Pakistan’ were sP Islam played by Chaudhry Hameed, and his brother Hussain played by Babrik shah. Of course there is a strong pun intended with regard to their names.

The songs and music of the film were also laudable. Though the film could not do without its typical song and dance routine, the songs were much less erotic and vulgar than for example a syed Noor film. The shots were much less suggestive, and in fact the music also seemed to be a progression in terms of composition, and arrangement.

Once again, though the camera work was shaky, and in some points in the film the horizon was tilting, it was impressive that almost all the shots were framed very well, with excellent lighting in all areas, indoors and outdoors.

The lighting was smooth and soft, rather than harsh or overly dim.

If there was one area where the film did not make it, it was the script and the screenplay. The script and dialogues were extremely tedious, using long formal words and language, which were overly bookish, and not colloquial enough; many long speeches were not delivered properly by actors, while at one point the film dragged because of being stretched too much. All in all, the film was a commendable effort by Rizvi and his crew at least for a start.

Rizvi is hoping to work on another film with a nationalist twist called ‘Maili Aankh’.

‘Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu’ is a

perfect date movie MUMBAI: there are many films to look forward to in 2012 and one of the movies we are excited to see is ‘ek Main Aur ekk tu’. the romantic comedy, directed by newcomer Shakun Batra, stars the new on-screen pairing of Kareena Kapoor and Imran Khan. though some may think this is a bit of an odd pairing, judging from the promos, they have a fabulous chemistry. Producer Karan Johar evidently agrees because recently he said the the USP of ‘ek Main Aur ekk tu’ is the pairing of Imran and Kareena, “what’s unusual is what’s different and what’s different is what is working today. So, I think Imran and Kareena being unusual is the USP of the film.” In the film Imran plays Rahul Kapoor a straitlaced, serious architect living in Las vegas.

He meets Riana Braganza aka Kareena a bubbly, fun-loving quick-witted hairstylist and the total opposite of him. they meet, they drink way too much and well they get married. what happens that night and on the way to get the marriage annulled as they argue, they laugh and of course fall in love is the rest of the tale of ‘ek Main Aur ekk tu’. Karan Johar says, “It’s a great slice-of-life love story and it’s a perfect date film for everyone out there.” the film hits the big screen on February 10. AGENCIES

Monika, Mehrin, Nadia, Konen, Fozia, Marvi, Saba, Ayan and Zaiba

Monika and Konen Marvi, Aamir, Saba and Ayan

Saba, Zaiba with friends Ayan

Hijab and Pinki with friends

Aisha and Saba

Uzma, Nilo and friends

Douglas to receive

Monte Cristo Award loS ANGElES: veteran actor Michael Douglas is set to be honoured for his career achievements by bosses at his former theatre company in Connecticut. the ‘wall Street’ star will receive Monte Cristo Award by the eugene O'Neill theater Centre in recognition of his glittering Hollywood career. Douglas has a long association with the theatre company. He acted there for three years in the 1960s and has been a member of the board since 1980. the actor will accept the prize from his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones during the Monte Cristo gala. AGENCIES

MUMBAI: the script of the sequel to his 2008 film ‘Dostana’ is locked and the movie is ready to go on the floors in 2012, with Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham back in the frame, informs filmmaker Karan Johar. “‘DOStANA 2’ is definitely starting next year. the script is locked. Abhishek and John are ready! the boys are back! Director tarun Mansukhani is all set,” Johar posted on his twitter page. the original, youthful romantic comedy, about three friends, featuring Priyanka Chopra in the female lead, was a blockbuster. the boys are the same for the sequel, but for Katrina Kaif has replaced Priyanka as the female lead. AGENCIES

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release in January LAHORE XARI jAlIl

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Saba, Asad and Ayan with friends

Sheree and Laiba with friends

AJAHAT Kazmi’s film ‘The Dusk’ will be releasing in January 2012 world over in various film festivals, while in Pakistan the film will be released by February, he said in an exclusive interview with Pakistan Today.

Kazmi, whose cousin Zeeshan is directing the film says that the film was a middle budget film (UsD 95,000) and incorporated a completely new crew, to revive the film industry of Pakistan. But he refused to be connected in any way with Lollywood. “We are independent film makers, who are not connected with Lollywood, no one has heard about us, and we had no sources to support us through the project,” said Wajahat in his typical candid style of talking.

The film is about a doctor who is kidnapped some days

The Golden Globe Award nominations were announced.

Ryan Gosling was nominated for lead actor in both the drama and comedy and musical categories, though neither of those nods was for ‘Drive’. There were a number of standard choices for the awards. ‘The Artist’ lead with six nominations, followed by ‘The Descendants’ and ‘The Help’ with five each, and ‘The Ides of March’, ‘Midnight in Paris’, and ‘Moneyball’ with four nods.

Among the actors, Tilda swinton got a lead actress (drama) nomination, Michael Fassbender earned a lead actor (drama) nod for ‘shame’, ‘Bridesmaids’ and ‘Midnight in Paris’ up for Best Picture (comedy or musical), Charlize Theron got a lead actress (comedy or musical) nomination for ‘Young Adult’, ‘The skin I Live In’ up for Best Foreign Film, and Albert

Brooks got his nod for supporting actor for ‘Drive’ (drama).

The Golden Globes will air live on January 15. The list of nominations is:

‘Descendants’ ‘Help’ ‘Hugo’ ‘the Ides of March’ ‘Moneyball’ ‘war Horse’

Glenn Close, ‘Albert Nobbs’ viola Davis, ‘the Help’ Rooney Mara, ‘the Girl with the Dragon tattoo’ Meryl Streep, ‘the Iron Lady’ tilda Swinton, ‘we Need to talk About Kevin’

George Clooney, ‘the Descendants’ Leonardo DiCaprio, ‘J. edgar’

Angelina Jolie's script finalised

New film ‘Paanch Ghantay Main Paanch Crore’ directed by Faisal saif and produced by Dr Joginder singh Padam and Dr Charan Paul singh is expected to be released on December 25, 2011.

The film has already been surrounded by controversies regarding the war between Pakistani superstar Meera and filmmaker Faisal saif, when Meera alleged to have been ‘molested’ by the director. Nevertheless she is still part of the cast, the rest including Abhishek Kumar, shawar Ali, Kavita Radheshyam, Ranjit, Nasir Abdullah and others. The soundtrack of the film has been released by Worldwide Records (India) and contains 9 songs by various Artists. The music of the film has already gained popularity with the song ‘Kya Wajah Thi Tere Jaaney Ki’.

‘The Artist’ leads, Gosling gets two AGENCIES

‘Dostana 2’

a bold stance about the American role in ruining our country with drone attacks and so many missing people,” he said.

“No one has shown Pakistan being subject to drone attacks, so ours will be the first film in the world to do this. Also no one dwells on missing people and the horror their family faces and what everyone feels once they return after being tortured.”

He says that besides this, he

LAHORE XARI jAlIl

GoLden GLobe AwArds Announce nominAtions

LOS ANGELES,

Konen

after his wedding. He goes missing, and it is his journey that is followed along with his return back home and the circumstances he faces.

“It is inspired by cases of missing people with similarities to Dr Aafia’s case, but it is not based by any one person’s story,” Wajahat clarified. “It is a film showing Pakistan in a post 9/11 scenario, and it will be a bit controversial because we have taken

has also tried to show the media’s role in the entire process. “We all know what politicians are, so I did not need to show their corruption and involvement, but I want to show the media anchors that pose and garner respect on TV yet in reality they are nothing by pawns and touts of different parties.”

The film took about a year to shoot. It has been shot in many locations including Gujrat, Kashmir, Lahore and Islamabad. Unfortunately however, the film’s release is still uncertain in Pakistan thanks to the monopoly of a few groups in the censor and license boards.

“I am not really unhappy about this because India has shown interest in buying the film and we are ready to sell it.

We are not going to run after the censor board and distributors.

If this film is released in India and not here, they themselves will be at a loss.” Release dates will be finalised by the first week of January 2012, he said.

latest film

slammed as 'racist' loS ANGElES: Angelina Jolie's latest film 'In the Country Of Blood And Honey' has been termed racist by protestors who want it to be banned. the actress' film, which has also won a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, is about a Serb soldier who finds his ex-lover, a Muslim Bosnian woman, among sex slaves in a camp. Serbs from Bosnia Herzegovina are furious that the movie shows their people raping Muslim women prisoners in the 1990s Balkan war. Branislav Dukic from the Serb Association Of war victims said that they would do their best to ban the movie. “we'll do our best to ban the film,” the Daily Star quoted him as saying. AGENCIES

Michael Fassbender, ‘Shame’ Ryan Gosling, ‘the Ides of March’ Brad Pitt, ‘Moneyball’

‘50/50’ ‘the Artist’ ‘Bridesmaids’ ‘Midnight in Paris’ ‘My week with Marilyn’

Jodie Foster, ‘Carnage’ Charlize theron, ‘Young Adult’ Kristen wiig, ‘Bridesmaids’ Michelle williams, ‘My week with Marilyn’ Kate winselt, ‘Carnage’

Jean DuJardin, ‘the Artist’ Brendan Gleeson, ‘the Guard’ Joseph Gordon-Levitt, ‘50/50’

Ryan Gosling, ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’.

Owen wilson, ‘Midnight in Paris’ ‘the Adventures of tintin’ ‘Arthur Christmas’ ‘Cars 2’ ‘Puss in Boots’ ‘Rango’ ‘the Flowers of war’ (China) ‘In the Land of Blood and Honey’ (USA) ‘the Kid with A Bike’ (Belgium) ‘A Separation’ (Iran) ‘the Skin I Live In’ (Spain)

woody Allen, ‘Midnight in Paris’ George Clooney, ‘the Ides of March’ Michel Hazanvicius, ‘the Artist’ Alexander Payne, ‘the Descendants’ Martin Scorsese, ‘Hugo’

woody Allen, ‘Midnight in Paris’ George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau willimon, ‘the Ides of March’

Michel Hazanavicius, ‘the Artist’ Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, ‘the Descendants’ Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, ‘Moneyball’

Ludovic Bource, ‘the Artist’ Abel Korzeniowski, ‘w.e.’ trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, ‘the Girl with the Dragon tattoo’ Howard Shore, ‘Hugo’ John williams, ‘war Horse’

‘American Horror Story’, FX ‘Boardwalk empire’, HBO ‘Boss’, StARZ ‘Game of thrones’, HBO ‘Homeland’, Showtime

‘enlightened’, HBO. ‘Glee’,FOX. ‘Modern Family’, ABC ‘New Girl’, FOX,

Comic Book is ‘Don 2’ Prequel to the Sequel MUMBAI: It’s now been 5 years since the remake of Amitabh Bachchan’s 1978 blockbuster cult film ‘Don’, captured the attention of many around the world. Fans were especially excited at release of the comic book that serves as the prequel to ‘Don 2’. “the book will give an insight into the back story of the mesmerising criminal Don,” said director Farhan Akhtar. Co-producer Ritesh Sidhwani said: “In these five years, many people have shown curiosity in knowing how ‘Don’ came into being. this original story will help them understand him and also offer a background on other characters like Roma and vardhaan.” the Comic book was released at the city’s first ever Comic Con express, which was held at the world trade Centre but it will also be replicated to the mass market and sold at kiosks at railway stations across India. ‘Don 2’ will set screens ablaze on 23 December. AGENCIES

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teen thompson keeps lead in Dubai Page 23

Pakistan look to wrap up Bangladesh series DHAKA

P

Mohsin might get PCB notice for giving interview KARACHI

DHAKA: Pakistan’s cricketer Umar Gul (R) stretches with his teammates during a team training session. AFP Test, and named fast bowler shafiul Islam in place of injured Rubel Hossain.

Batting was Bangladesh’s main worry in the last Test, with debutant opener Mohammed Nazimuddin alone giving a good account of himself with a defiant 31 in the first innings and 78 in the second. “Our main target is to put in an improved batting performance. We are planning to bat session by session,” said Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim. “If we can score a good total

then our bowlers will have better opportunity to defend it. Our batting should have been better in the first Test and I hope our batsmen would learn from the mistakes.”

The hosts expect more from their specialist batsmen like shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Rahim in a bid to test Pakistan.

BANGLADESh (FROM): Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Mohammad Mahmudullah, Tamim Iqbal, Mohammed Nazimuddin, shahriar Nafees, shakib Al

Hasan, Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain, Elias sunny, shahadat Hossain, sohrawardi shuvo, Robiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, shafiul Islam.

PAKISTAN (FROM): Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, Younis Khan, Azhar Ali, Asad shafiq, shoaib Malik, Adnan Akmal, saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Mohammad Talha, Aizaz Cheema, Mohammad Khalil.

Education key to beat fixing, says Gillespie LEEDS AFP

AGENCIES

Pakistan’s interim cricket coach Mohsin Khan is expected to get a show cause notice from the PCB for stating that he was not willing to accept any position with the national team other than being the head coach. According to media reports, Mohsin, who is presently with the Pakistan team in Bangladesh, had hinted that he would reject any offer to become the batting coach of the national team. “I’m always ready to serve Pakistan but with grace and dignity,” the former Test batsman said. “I’ll not avail an opportunity at the cost of my self-respect. I’ll refuse any offer which ignores years of service for my country as a cricketer, selector and coach.” A reliable source in the board said the PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf was not very pleased with the comments. “Mohsin is likely to be issued a show cause notice for speaking publicly on a sensitive issue in the midst of an ongoing Test series and indirectly saying he would only accept the post of head coach and nothing less,” the source said.

KARACHI AFP

Pakistan and Afghanistan will play their first ever one-day international cricket match in sharjah next February, the PCB announced Friday. It will be Afghanistan’s first one-day against a top international team, taking place in the UAE on February 10, shortly before Pakistan begins a one-day series against England, the PCB said. Cricket was made popular in Afghanistan by refugees who spent years living in Pakistan when soviet troops invaded their country in 1979. since then, Afghanistan has made lightning progress in the sport, finishing fifth in the World Cup qualifiers in 2009 and earning one-day status the same year. The run of positive results has continued, as they won the World Twenty20 qualifiers, which allowed them to play top teams in the World Twenty20 in the West Indies last year.

Afghanistan are now placed ninth in the ICC Twenty20 rankings. They toured Pakistan in May for three unofficial one-days against a second tier team on the first visit of an international side since gunmen attacked the sri Lankan team in March 2009, suspending international cricket in Pakistan. They have previously played 18 one-day internationals against associate and affiliate teams such as Canada, Ireland, Kenya, the Netherlands and scotland. The PCB also announced the venues and dates of England’s two side games ahead of the three-Test series against Pakistan. “From January 7-9, England will play an ICC combined associate and affiliate members XI while on 11-13 January, a PCB XI will take on England both the matches in Dubai,” the PCB said.

AFP

AKIsTAN are confident of a 20 rout of struggling Bangladesh with another solid all-round performance in the second and final Test starting in Dhaka on saturday. The tourists toyed with Bangladesh in the opening Test, racing to an innings and 184-run victory with more than a day to spare in Chittagong on Monday. Misbah-ul-Haq’s side won after dismissing Bangladesh for a paltry 135 in the first innings on the first day of the match on a good batting pitch.

Pakistan’s batsmen dominated the mediocre Bangladeshi attack to help their team post a mammoth 594-5 declared, with Younis Khan hammering an unbeaten double-century and Mohammad Hafeez and Asad shafiq each scoring a hundred.

Pakistan’s bowlers never allowed the Bangladeshi batsmen to build a big partnership in the match, bowling the hosts out for 275 in the second innings. Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman emerged the most successful bowler with seven wickets in the match, while off-spinner saeed Ajmal and pacemen Umar Gul and Aizaz Cheema also kept pressure on Bangladesh.

Pakistan, who arrived in Bangladesh fresh from their success in all formats of the game against sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates, will be keen to extend their impressive run. “The confidence comes from performances. When you are performing as a team and performing well, the confidence keeps building. This is really helping us as a team,” said Misbah. “We will play with the same intensity. We want to put everything right in batting, bowling and fielding. We want to improve our performance.”

Bangladesh need to put in improved batting and bowling performances if they want to avoid their eighth successive Test defeat against Pakistan since 2001.

The hosts dropped former captain and middle-order batsman Mohammad Ashraful, who scored one and zero in the first

Afghanistan in debut one-day against Pakistan

New Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie believes it’s part of his job to advise his players against the dangers of matchfixing. Although more commonly associated with the international game -the Pakistan trio of Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif and salman Butt jailed by a British court this year for their involvement in spot-fixing during the 2010 Lord’s Test against England -- there are concerns corruption could take place at county level.

The England and Wales Cricket Board’s anti-corruption chief Chris Watts, formerly a detective with London’s Metropolitan Police, has suggested the domestic game may be more vulnerable to malpractice due to its lower profile.

Former Australia fast bowler Gillespie, speaking at Headingley on Thursday, said nothing in his previous county experience had led him to suspect foul play, but that everyone in the game had to remain vigilent.

“It’s a huge issue at the moment and it really saddens me that things have gone on,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything in county cricket to suggest anything is going on and it certainly won’t be tolerated at Yorkshire.

“It’s all about education. We’ve seen what happens when guys make bad decisions or get sucked in to that sort of behaviour and you’d like to think that is a big enough deterrent.

“But part of a coach’s responsibilities is to educate people in all aspects

of the game, and aspects of life.

“If you do that, you’d like to think your guys will make good decisions consistently.” Watts had earlier told BBC sport: “(County cricket) is where some of the risks are, more so than the international arena. International players are under far more scrutiny than players in the domestic game.”

Gillespie, capped 71 times by Australia and who played for Yorkshire as an overseas pro in 2006 and 2007, has been fast bowling coach with Australia A and Kings XI Punjab and joins Yorkshire from Zimbabwean franchise MidWest Rhinos. The 36-yearold takes on a side who were relegated from the First Division of the County Championship last season.

But he insisted: “The players are here. They’re good enough and that’s one of the things that drew me back.

It’s exciting and hopefully I can help them because we’re all here to improve and get those guys to show what they can do. “We’re going to leave no stone unturned and we’re going to make sure we’re all clear on what we want to achieve. “Ultimately you’d love to be promoted but there are a lot of things you need to do to that point. Let’s get those things in place, let’s build. If you get that right, results will take care of themselves.”

Interpol offers help to battle corruption NEW DELHI AFP

Interpol said Friday it was looking at a possible tie-up with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Indian board to help fight the growing menace of match-fixing and illegal betting. The proposal was made Ronald K Noble

by Interpol secretary general Ronald Noble during a two-day meeting in New Delhi with officials of India’s Central Bureau of Investigation and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). speaking to reporters, Noble said Interpol already had an agreement with football’s world governing body, FIFA, to promote integrity in the sport. “We’d be happy if we can implement a similar agreement with the BCCI and the ICC,” Noble said. In May this year, FIFA agreed to provide $20 million to Interpol over a 10-year period in an effort to tackle match-fixing and keep an eye on illegal betting syndicates spread all over the world. Noble said Interpol could keep a check on cricket’s “bad boys” from its research and development facility in singapore where the FIFA anti-corruption unit is also based. “Young players are easy targets for illegal gambling syndicates,” said Noble, who has been heading the world’s top organisation for police co-operation for 11 years. “We can teach players all the ways by which they can be tripped into a betting ring. Basically, we want to prevent organised crime from getting into cricket.”

Noble said he expected his proposal to get a final seal of approval when the ICC meets in Dubai on January 31. “The ICC does a great job in fighting corruption through their anti-corruption unit. We want to draw on that experience,” Noble added. Cricket has most recently been rocked by a spot-fixing scandal that saw three Pakistan cricketers jailed in November, along with their agent.

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De Villiers puts Proteas on top CENTURION

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AFP

thrilling innings of 99 by AB de Villiers put south Africa in a strong position on the second day of the first Test against sri Lanka at supersport Park on Friday. On a day when batsmen continued to struggle on a difficult pitch, De Villiers played some sparkling strokes as south Africa reached 389 for nine at the close, a first innings lead of 209.

De Villiers needed only 135 balls to make his runs before playing one stroke too many to be caught by a diving substitute, Dimuth Karunaratne, off Thisara Perera.

He had hit an imperious on-drive for four off the previous delivery and then slashed a short ball hard towards backward point.

The crowd at his home ground had their cheers for his century cut short when Karunaratne flung himself to his left to hold the ball virtually as it went to ground. The umpires conferred before giving De Villiers out. De Villiers needed only 44 balls to move from 51 to 99. He hit 12 fours. On a pitch with seam movement and uneven bounce it was an innings which compared favourably with most of his 12 Test centuries.

After being bowled out for 180 on the first day, sri Lanka competed well in hot conditions until a sixth wicket partnership of 97 between De Villiers and Ashwell Prince (39) put the home side firmly in control. Prince was dropped twice as

Navy, ZtBL advance in PPFL LAHORE STAFF REPoRT

Navy and ZTBL won their matches of the Pakistan Premier Football League Division I and II respectively on Friday. Navy beat KPT 6-3 at the Jinnah Football stadium, Islamabad, in the 8th Pakistan Premier Football League.

Navy goal scorers were Asif Buksh (1 goal, 2nd minute), Nomi Martin (2 goals, 12th and 37th minutes), Naveed Ahmed (1 goal at 40th minute), Abdul Haq (1 Goal at 62 Minute) and Jabbar Hussain (one goal 75th minute). KPT fought well but got three goals through Akhter Amul (one goal 26th minute PC), Amir (one goal at 60th minute) and Faraz (one goal, 80th minute). In the 8th Pakistan Football Federation League 2nd Division, ZTBL beat PPWD 4-2 at the Railway Football stadium. ZTBL players who made the win possible included Hikmat Ullah (three goals in the 5 PC, 11 and 43 PC minutes) and Rafi Ullah (one goal at 47th minute). PPWD scorer were sajid (goal keeper) one goal 69th minute (PC) and Muhammad (FW) one goal, 72nd minute.

JS Bank in MMA Cup Polo final LAHORE STAFF REPoRT

Js Bank and PICIC Insurance won their matches on Friday in the MMA Polo Cup and earned places in the final and subsidiary final respectively to be played at the LPC ground on sunday. PICIC Insurance defeated Lahore Chatkhara 7-3 with goals shared by sameer Habib Oberoi (three) while Ahmed Zubair and Naveed M sheikh got two each. From the losing side there was a one-man polo team, shah shamyl Alam, who got all the three goals but that effort ended for a losing cause. Js Bank defeated sakuf 7-6½ with Omer Asjad Malhi shining from the winning side. shaukat Ali Malik scored five goals for the losing side.

Malik Azam Hayat Noon, Kashif Jamal and shiraz Qureshi supported Malhi for the Js Bank win. Js Bank thus with this win qualified for the main final while PICIC Insurance were through to the subsidiary final on sunday. Raja Temur Nadeem, saqib Khan Khakwani, and Taimur Ali Malik were umpires.

Asking for apology from Gayle is ludicrous: Richards

CeNtURION: South Africa's batsman AB de villiers plays a stroke. AFP the sri Lankan fielders failed to match the efforts of their bowlers. star south African batsman Jacques Kallis was the most notable victim of a pitch with uneven bounce. shortly before lunch he ducked into a bouncer from Dilhara Fernando, which barely rose above stump height, and took a heavy blow on the left earpiece of his batting helmet.

He collapsed next to the pitch but after receiving treatment for seven minutes he carried on batting. He was on 25 when he was hit, on 27 when he was dropped by

ST. JOHN’S

SRI lANKA, first innings: 180 SoUTH AFRICA, first innings (overnight 88-1) 44 j. Rudolph c Paranavitana b Perera G. Smith lbw b Fernando 61 d. Steyn run out (Herath) 0 H. Amla c Mathews b Perera 18 j. Kallis c Mathews b Welegedera 31 99 A. de Villiers sub (Kurunaratne) b Perera 39 A. Prince c Silva b Mathews 49 M. Boucher not out 4 V. Philander c jayawardene b dilshan 4 M. Morkel c Samaraweera b Welegedera Imran Tahir not out 24 EXTRAS (b1, lb1, nb11, w3) 16 ToTAl (9 wkts, 118 overs) 389 Fall of wickets: 1-88 (Smith), 2-90 (Steyn), 3-125 (Amla), 4136 (Rudolph), 5-173 (Kallis), 6-270 (Prince), 7-303 (de Villiers), 8-344 (Philander), 9-350 (Morkel) BoWlING: Welegedera 29-4-87 -2 (1nb, 1w), Perera 24-1-114-3 (1w), Mathews 9-4-13-1, Fernando 26-2-115-1 (6nb, 1w), dilshan 7-1-17-1, Herath 23-4-41-0 Match situation: South Africa lead by 209 runs with one first innings wicket remaining ToSS: South Africa, UMPIRES: Steve davis, Rod Tucker (both AUS), TV UMPIRE: Richard Kettleborough (ENG), MATCH REFEREE: Chris Broad (ENG)

wicketkeeper Kaushal silva off Fernando and was out for 31 shortly after lunch, caught at third slip off Chanaka Welegedera. silva also dropped Prince, on 26, when the batsman got a thick edge to an attempted cut off left-arm spinner Rangana Herath. Prince earlier survived a chance to Thisara Perera at backward point off the luckless Fernando when he was on 23.

Perera struck two important blows for the tourists in the morning, having Hashim Amla (18) and Jacques Rudolph (44) caught in the slips. But he was struck for

AGENCIES

Batting great Vivian Richards has slammed the WICB for its failure to sort out the differences with Chris Gayle and said he finds the cricket board’s decision to ask the former captain to apologise “ludicrous” and “a little far-fetched”. The 59-year-old Richards said he does not agree to everything that Gayle did but felt the left-handed batsman still needs support. “I would like to believe that at present, the West Indies Cricket Board is basically making Chris Gayle out to be this villain about apologising and what he has got to do, the criteria that is required for him to be part of the unit again, and I just think that’s a little farfetched in my opinion,” he told the Antigua Observer newspaper. “Let me also take this opportunity to say that I am not in Chris Gayle’s corner (with) most decisions he makes, but I think that this whole issue is potent enough and I feel he needs some support,” he added. The 32-year-old Gayle has been sidelined from West Indies national team since the 2011 World Cup, for criticising the cricket board and its head coach Ottis Gibson in an interview with a Jamaican radio station.

three fours in an over by Kallis soon afterwards. Kallis looked south Africa’s most accomplished batsman before his injury.

Rudolph, batting with a splint on his left little finger after suffering a dislocation while fielding on Thursday, battled for 229 minutes and 140 balls for his 44.

The sri Lankans wilted towards the close, notably in an unbeaten last wicket stand of 39 between Mark Boucher (49 not out) and Imran Tahir (24 not out).

Perera finished with three for 114, while Welegedera took two for 87.

Railways, WAPdA lead table in National Women’s hockey LAHORE STAFF REPoRT

Another five matches were played in the 27th National Women’s Hockey Championship with Railways and WAPDA leading the points table on Friday.

Being held at the National Hockey stadium, Railways and WAPDA after seven matches have 21 points each but the former team had better goal average.

In the opening match of the day, sindh opened the match against Balochistan with a goal in the first half and added another two in the second to get 3-0 win. Madhia, Zaib-un-Nisa and sanum led the win for sindh Whites.

In the second match, sindh got past KPK 4-0. They managed three goals in the second half after they had to face a solid defence of KPK in the first session. sindh Colours’ samira Nasim managed two goals while sidra and Hina sarwar shared one goal each.

In the third match, Army, which is placed third in the points table, beat Punjab Colours by just one goal and that was scored by sahil Malik.

Railway, the leader of the table, cracked through Punjab Whites time and again to get another big 29-0 win.

They led the match by 12 goals after the first 35 minutes.

Maria sabir with 14 goals earned the praise of the fans and coaches while Hina Kanwal got six, Asifa Zafar and Asma Ashraf shared three each, shukria Rasheed had two and Rehana Kousar one.

In the final match of the day, Wapda, which scored record 37 goals in their previous match, managed to score just six goals against HEC. They had half of the goals in the first half.

Azra Nasir and Kanwal Aslam shared 2 Goals while Neelma Hussain and Ayesha Bashir had one apiece.

POINT TABLE PS 1.

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TEAMS RAILWAY WAPDA ARMY HEC PUNJAB (C) sINDH (W) sINDH (C) BALOCHIsTAN PUNJAB (W) KPK

Cricket, hockey fraternity mourns Nur Khan’s death LAHORE STAFF REPoRT

Messages of condolence kept pouring in over the sad demise of the country’s best of the best administrator Air Marshal Nur Khan.

President PHF Qasim Zia and secretary Asif Bajwa have offered heart-felt condolences on behalf of the PHF. Late Air Marshal M. Nur Khan had made tremendous contributions to hockey in Pakistan. During his first tenure (1967-1969) Pakistan hockey team won Mexico Olympics and in second term (1976-1986) Pakistan won Los Angeles Olympics.

Under him Pakistan hockey team performed grand-slam.

World Cup and Champions Trophy are the toughest events in the hockey, which are brain child of late Air Marshal M. Nur Khan.

Being President Pakistan Hockey Federation, he donated World Cup Trophy and Champions Trophy to

LAHORe: wAPDA and HeC players vie for the ball in the National women’s Hockey Championship. NAdeeM IjAz

the International Hockey Federation. His contribution and dedicated efforts will go down in the annals of sports history of Pakistan.

They prayed that Allah Almighty may rest the departed soul in His Infinite Mercy. They also pray fortitude for the members of the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss. Aameen.

Chairman PCB Ch. Zaka Ashraf, Chairperson PCB Women Wing Mrs. Bushra Aitzaz, and PCB COO Mr. subhan Ahmed have extended their deepest condolences to the family of Air Marshal (R) Muhammad Nur Khan on his demise.

Air Marshal (R) Noor Khan remained Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (formerly BCCP) from 1980 to 1984. He was an excellent cricket administrator and with his tireless efforts and undaunted dedication he distinguished himself as a role model for everyone who is associated with the game of cricket.

P 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

W 7 7 5 5 4 2 2 2 1 0

D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 0 2 2 3 5 5 5 6 7

GF 100 95 42 18 44 6 6 5 2 1

GA 2 0 5 10 7 36 40 47 85 87

PTS 21 21 15 15 12 6 6 6 3 0

GD +98 +95 +37 +8 +37 -30 -34 -42 -83 -86

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20 Sports Pakistan to play first Test at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium stats corner

S. PERvEz QAISER

P

AKIStAN will play their first ever test match at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka against Bangladesh from Saturday (December 17). this match will start at 8.30 (PSt).

Bangladesh have lost six and drew one in

Saturday, 17 December, 2011

seven test matches at this ground which was named after AK Fazlul Haque, one of the country’s most renowned leaders in the 1940s.

HIGHEST INNINGS ToTAlS: India's 610 for three declared against Bangladesh in 2006-07 is the highest ever score at this ground. Bangladesh's highest here is 419 against england in 2009-10. loWEST INNINGS ToTAlS: Bangladesh were bowled out for 118 against India in 2006-07 which is the lowest ever score at this ground. South Africa's 170 against Bangladesh in 2007-08 is the lowest score by the visiting team.

HIGHEST INdIVIdUAl SCoRES: Darren Bravo holds the record of making the highest ever individual score at this stadium. the west Indian batsman made 195 against Bangladesh in 2011-12. the record of highest individual score for home side is held by tamim Iqbal who made 151 against India in 2009-10.

BEST BoWlING IN AN INNINGS: India’s Zaheer Khan's seven for 87 against Bangladesh in 2009-10 is the best bowling performance at this ground. Shahadat Hossain who took six wickets for 27 runs against South Africa in 2007-08 holds the record of best bowling performance for the home side.

BEST BoWlING IN A MATCH: Indian Zaheer Khan's 10 for 149 against Bangladesh in 2009-10 is the best bowling performance at this ground. Shahadat Hossain who took nine wickets for 97 runs against South Africa in 2007-08 holds the record of best bowling performance for the home side.

TEST MATCHES AT MIRPUR, dHAKA: TEAM P W l d SUCCESS% Bangladesh 7 - 6 1 07.42 england 1 1 - - 100.00 India 2 2 - - 100.00 South Africa 1 1 - - 100.00 west Indies 1 1 - - 100.00 Sri Lanka 1 1 - - 100.00 New Zealand 1 - - 1 50.00

Chelsea’s win over City has thrown a spanner into the works g

the top five are separated by only nine points, as the title race heats up EPL CrystaL BaLL

C

KUNWAR KHULDUNE SHAHID

HELsEA’s win over Manchester City in the Monday night kickoff has squeezed in the top five close together, with only nine points separating the top five. And with the bottom two of the aforementioned pentalogy being the two North London sides; spurs – who have a game in hand, and dropped their first points for ages over the weekend; and Arsenal – who have retraced rejuvenation over the past month or so, this means that the title race can no longer be labeled as a neighbourhood matter in Manchester.

CHElSEA ARE BACK Prior to kickoff at stamford Bridge on Monday, Chelsea were 10 points behind City, and knew well that only a win against the table-toppers would be heralded as Chelsea’s return to the title race. Even though Chelsea were under the gun over the first twenty minutes or so, as City flaunted some of their best football of the season, the hosts managed to whether the storm successfully. Meireles’ goal might have evened matters before the half time whistle, but it was clear that the game was City’s to lose till the second half kicked off. The game was going nowhere in the early skirmished of the second half before Clichy’s sending off gave it unambiguous direction. The red card might’ve been the defining moment of the game, but the result is absolutely humongous for Villas-Boas

and Chelsea. The win over City has rounded off a lucrative week for Chelsea that saw them qualify for the last 16 in the Champions League and with only seven points between them and the league leaders, Chelsea are well and truly back in the title race.

CITY STIll THE FRoNTRUNNERS Man City can take a lot of heart from the fact that in spite of being on the receiving end of their first Premier League defeat of the season, they probably showcased their best football in the first half, and were clearly the superior side in terms of their play and their control of the game. Bouncing back from a loss is what defines champion teams, and with another enormous game this sunday, the gauntlet has been thrown towards City to prove their mettle as potential league champions. If City continue to play like they’ve done till this point in the season, they have no reason to have any concerns over their titlewinning credentials.

UNITEd HAVE REASoN To REjoICE Chelsea’s triumph was a victory for the red half of Manchester as well, who finally have something to cheer about. By overpowering an average Wolves side, they did their part in putting pressure on City before their match, and now with only two points between the two neighbours United are hot on the heels of City. Being knocked out from the Champions League was catastrophic for the English Champions, but if this gloomy cloud has any silver lining whatsoever, it’s probably the fact that they can focus on

retaining the league title and prevent City from winning their first league trophy for ages. Nonetheless, it’s one of those silver linings that need a really robust telescope to be perceived appositely.

SPURS jolTEd AT THE BRITANNIA spurs fans have every reason to vent their anger at Chris Foy; however, they probably need to locate the right profile and get off the back of Chris Hoy on twitter! If spurs fans were to look for Foy’s profile on twitter, sadly they wouldn’t find one. Nonetheless, while the loss was unfortunate, spurs still have the mélange of form and drive with them that should see them persist with a similar run to the one that ended at the Britannia ill-fated circumstances. The betting men might not be skewing towards spurs as league winners anytime soon, but considering the fact that spurs are only seven points off the pace and have a game in hand, and are also knocked out from Europe – again, connoting more concentration towards league action – spurs fans have every right to believe that they are in with a shout.

ARSENAl CoNTINUE THEIR RESURGENCE Robin Van Persie’s volley against Everton was indeed a thing of sporting beauty! Arsenal’s captain has singlehandedly transformed his side from being the laughing stock in september to title contenders. Yes, even the thought of Arsenal prowling anyway near the realm of a title challenge was unfathomable not so long ago but their talismanic leader – with apt support from Arteta, Ramsey, song et al – has swung their fortunes around. Arsenal are nine points behind Man City as things stand, and if they get can triumph against City on sunday that might throw another spanner into the intriguing works and we might even throw in a cat and pigeon idiom into the mix as well.

BIG MATCH PREVIEW: MAN CITY VS ARSENAl

Chelsea are back in the title race. FILe PhoTo

A couple of weeks ago no one would have given Arsenal a sniff, but the timing of their trip to the Etihad stadium couldn’t have been more opportune for Wenger and his troops. City are on the back of being knocked out from the Champions League and the first league defeat of the season; hence Arsenal might want to strike when the iron is still hot. A three point strike against City would bridge the gap between the two sides and narrowed it down to six. However, even with the contrasting fortunes of the two sides off-late it is difficult to see Arsenal returning from Manchester with three points, or even one.

As pointed out earlier, despite the irksome results City’s performances have showed no sign of diminishing, and with a perfect home record they’d be

Arsenal might find it hard to cope with Silva. FILe PhoTo a hard nut to crack or even pinch. Arsenal should go with their expected lineup of 4-3-3, with four center backs formulating their defense, and an increasingly prolific trio of Arteta, Ramsey and song in midfield.

Gervinho and Walcott should provide adept support to their captain Van Persie up top, and of course a lot depends upon his ability to pull the rabbit out of the proverbial hat. City, however, should have enough control over the match to parry away any hats or rabbits that the Dutch wizard might be hell bent upon conjuring up.

City’s lineup should be unchanged from Monday, apart from of course Zabaleta replacing the suspended Clichy. It is difficult to perceive Arsenal’s rearguard successfully dealing with the likes of Aguero, Balotelli and silva, and Milner’s dexterous wing play could trouble Vermaelen who is out of his comfort zone at the left fullback position. All the same, Arsenal do have a tailor made opportunity to proclaim their return to the title race against City, even though it is difficult to look past a City win on sunday.

Pages For e-paper_Layout 1 12/17/2011 2:18 AM Page 21

Saturday, 17 December, 2011

Sports 21

Teen Thompson keeps lead in Dubai DUBAI

T

AFP

EENAGER Alexis Thompson moved one step closer to a second professional win this season on Friday as she takes a one-stroke lead going into the final day of the Dubai Ladies Masters.

At the par-72 Majlis course of Emirates Golf Club, the 16-year-old history-maker was the only player in double digit red numbers on the leaderboard as she made a brave birdie on the final hole to close with a two-under par round of 70.

That gave her a three-day tally of 10under par 206, while playing partner sophie Gustafson of sweden, a four-time winner of the Ladies European Tour’s Order of Merit, was second at 207 following her round of 69. south African LeeAnne Pace, the reigning Order of Merit champion, shot the day’s best round of five-under par 67 to move up to tied third place along with sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg. Even if she wins on saturday, Thompson will not be able to repeat her achievement of becoming the youngest ever winner on the Ladies European Tour - as she did earlier this year on the LPGA Tour by winning the Navistar LPGA Classic in Alabama. That honour belongs to south Korean Amy Yang, who won the ANZ Ladies Masters in New Zealand in 2006 aged 16 years and 192 days. The record for the youngest professional to win on the LET is in the name of south African Ashleigh simon, who won the 2008 Catalonia Ladies Masters at the age of 18 years and 37 days. Thompson did not have the best of starts, pushing her tee shot on the opening hole behind the trees and making

DHAKA: Pakistan’s cricketers stretch during a team training session. AFP

DUBAI: Alexis thompson of the US hits a shot during the third round. AFP a bogey there. But she hung on gamely, and even though she missed several possible birdie opportunities, she did make four of them and another bogey on the 15th hole, where she three-putted from 45 feet.

“I hit it pretty well. I just left a few putts out there, but you know, a lot of girls are in contention, so it’s going to be a great day,” said the 16-year-old from Coral springs, Florida. “sure, I will be a bit nervous tomorrow...who won’t be?

But hopefully, I will keep my focus, take it one hole at a time and win this. If I do, it will be very cool.” Gustafson, who suffers from a speech impediment, said she expected a tough battle against someone who is less than half her age.

“Obviously, Alexis is going to be hard to beat, but I think if I can keep playing well, then I think I have a good chance,” said the 38-year-old swede, who is one of the longest hitters in the game. “I think the only way she does remind me of myself is her power. I wasn’t anywhere close to being as accurate as she is when I was 16.” Wie, who made a birdie on her last hole to finish on 71, said: “It was very frustrating, but at least I closed with a birdie.

That made me feel good about myself. A lot can happen tomorrow and I just need to make some birdies early on.” lEAdING THIRd-RoUNd SCoRES IN THE dUBAI lAdIES MASTERS oN FRIdAY AT THE PAR-72 MAjlIS CoURSE oF EMIRATES GolF ClUB: 206 - Alexis thompson (USA) 70-66-70 207 - Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 71-67-69 208 - Lee-Anne Pace (RSA) 69-72-67, Pernilla Lindberg (Swe) 72-68-68 209 - Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA) 68-73-68, Becky Morgan (wAL) 70-69-70, Julieta Granada (PAR) 68-71-70 211 - Michelle wie (USA) 73-67-71, 212 - Alison walshe (USA) 70-74-68, veronica Zorzi (ItA) 74-70-68, Caroline Hedwall (Swe) 75-69-68, Carlota Ciganda (eSP) 71-72-69, Maria verchenova (RUS) 69-74-69, Liebelei elena Lawrence (LUX) 7072-70, Linda wessberg (Swe) 68-73-71, Margherita Rigon (ItA) 70-68-74 213 - Louise Stahle (Swe) 72-70-71, Florentyna Parker (eNG) 72-70-71, Diana Luna (ItA) 69-73-71, Beth Allen (USA) 69-72-72, 214 - Nontaya Srisawang (tHA) 74-69-71, Kylie walker (SCO) 72-70-72, Sara Brown (USA) 71-71-72, Christel Boeljon (NeD) 69-72-73, Lotta wahlin (Swe) 66-74-74

Waleed, Aamir joint leaders in Governor’s Cup Golf LAHORE KHAWAjA PERVAIZ SAEEd

In the first round of this Millat Group sponsored, three rounds Governors Cup Golf Event, a total of 117 competing golfers teed off in the morning at the Gymkhana Golf course and though most of them were loaded with hopes of a top class performance, the demands of the highly charged atmosphere had the better of their aspirations and as the first round progressed the scores started to baloon, because of errant hitting, triggering dismay and disarray.

Yet there were others like Waleed Zubair of Gymkhana and Aamir Choudry of the host club who applied their golfing skills like champions of the occasion and

after a delightful first round ended the first day with an impressive round of five under par net 67, a score that reflects excellence and is far better than the scores their fellow competitors brought home, rewarding them with a joint top position on the leaderboard.

Waleed Zubair has certainly worked on his short game and fitness and apparent were the results of his hard work.

Perfect tee shots, accurate approach shots came with clocklike precision and except for the triple bogie disaster on hole number 7, everything else was noteworthy.

And rightly, Waleed said, "I'm delighted to have shot a net 67. It's a very satisfying round considering that Gymkhana Golf Course is not playing

easy. I've been working a lot on my putting lately and in the first round I felt very comfortable with that".

As for Aamir Choudry, he said, "I was lucky to enjoy a solid start. Before my round I aimed for an even par score so a five under net is great, thanks to good putting".

These two competitors are ahead of all the other competitors and performed really well during the first round, but although they are placed on top of the leader board, there are two contenders only one stroke behind.

Mohsin Anwar (Gymkhana) is placed at a score of net 68 and Maj Asad Zia (Gujranwala) also placed at net 68, which means that the competition is cut throat

and there can be upsets on the second day keeping in view the fact that Mohsin Anwer is a player with immense capabilities and no nerves.

Other contenders who did well in the first round are Robin Bagh (sargodha) placed at net 69, Khalid Mehmood (sargodha) also placed at net 69.

Competitors placed at a score of net 70 are sardar Murad Khan(Gymkhana), Wamiq shakeel(Rawalpindi), Mian Tariq Pervaiz(Gymkhana), M. Asim Bucha, sheharyar Anwar, and sardar M. Leghari, all three from Gymkhana and Faisal syed(Royal Palm).

The senior Amateurs and Ladies will tee off on saturday and play the tournament over 36 holes.

wATCh iT LivE TEN SPORTS South Africa v Sri Lanka Test 1 Day 3 01:30PM

STAR CRICKET Melbourne Stars v Sydeny Thunder 01:00PM

TEN SPORTS Spanish La Liga 01:55AM

NEO CRICKET Bangladesh v Pakistan Test 2 Day 1 08:30AM

HBL thrash PIA in Quaid trophy LAHORE STAFF REPoRT

Habib Bank registered comprehensive 243run win over PIA in the Division I match of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy at the LCCA ground on Friday. HBL first got 128 runs but in its second innings they added 361 runs with century from Hasan Raza and their bowlers cut PIA down to size in both the innings. They were first bowled out for 184. Although they took lead but in the second innings PIA beat the dust with just 62 runs on board, giving HBL a big win. Credit of that win went to Fahad Masood who took six wickets and was supported by Danish Kaneria and sarmad Anwar who shared two wickets each to finish of the match on the third day. Meanwhile, at the Gaddafi stadium, WAPDA resuming their innings at 186-3 in 52 overs went on to score 270 in 84.2. NBP responded with 215 runs after they scored 358 runs in the first innings taking the match over the knife’s edge.

SCoRES: At LCCA Ground, Lahore. Habib Bank 128 in 37.2 overs (Shan Masood 17, 48 balls, 1 x4s, Ahmed Shahzad 15, Fahad Masood 44, 63 balls, 5 x4s, 1 x6s, Danish Kaneria 20, Ali Imran 6-45, Kamran Sajid 3-12) and 361 in 99.5 overs(Ahmed Shahzad 81, 79 balls, 13 x4s, Hasan Raza 141*, 230 balls, 16 x4s, Shan Masood 34, Fahad Masood 48, 99 balls, 8 x4s, Akhtar waheed 6-107) v PIA 184 in 48.4 overs (Kamran Sajid 41, 65 balls, 4 x4s, Faisal Iqbal 35, 33 balls, 6 x4s, Sarfraz Ahmed 32, 66 balls, 4 x4s, Sarmad Anwar 3-60, Danish Kaneria 3-53, Fahad Masood 4-56) and 62 in 26 overs (Kamran Sajid 16, 39 balls, Shoaib Khan 14, Fahad Masood 6-28, Danish Kaneria 2-17, Sarmad Anwar 2-15 ), Result: Habib Bank won by 243 runs.

Overnight Score: Habib Bank (Second Innings) 245-6 in 63 overs, toss: PIA , Umpires: Zameer Haider & Ahsan Raza, Referee: Aziz-ur-Rehman, At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. National Bank 358 in 101.4 overs (Fawad Alam 65, 79 balls, 10 x4s, Qaiser Abbas 103, 143 balls, 14 x4s, 177 balls, wahab Riaz 84, 134 balls, 7 x4s, 3 x6s, Hammad Azam 24, 71 balls, 8 x4s, Imran Khan 5-126) and 215-6 in 40 overs (Khurram Manzoor 101, 119 balls, 12 x4s, Fawad Alam 40, Amir Sajjad 2-12, Imranullah 2-32) v wAPDA 270 in 84.2 overs (Riffatullah 94, 185 balls, 10 x4s, 1 x6s, Aamir Sajjad 41, Ali Azmat 34, Qaiser Abbas 4-54, wahab Riaz 3-69), Overnight Score: wAPDA 186-3 in 52 overs, toss: Saadat Ali, Umpires: Saleem Badar & Ihtsham-ul-Haq, Referee: Saadat Ali.

Tough Champions League draw for Chelsea, Arsenal PARIS AFP

England’s two surviving representatives in the Champions League, Chelsea and Arsenal, were handed tough ties against Italian opposition in Friday’s draw for the last 16, while holders Barcelona will come up against Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen.

Chelsea will take on Napoli, while Arsenal will meet reigning serie A champions AC Milan, with both Premier League clubs travelling to Italy first.

Chelsea have never previously faced Napoli, but they will know not to take Walter Mazzarri’s side lightly after they qualified for the last 16 at the expense of Manchester City.

The 2008 beaten finalists have also only ever won once in Italy in seven attempts. “I think that at this stage we can come up with the cliches about it being difficult, and it will be difficult because we’ve seen that Napoli were in the same group as Manchester City, so that reflects on the quality of Napoli,” Chelsea secretary David Barnard said. For Arsenal, meanwhile, the clash with Milan is a repeat of their meeting at the same stage in 2007-08.

On that occasion the Gunners won 2-0 on aggregate, with Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor scoring late goals in the second-leg at the san siro after a goalless first-leg. “It’s going to be a fantastic two games,” Arsenal

club secretary David Miles told sky sports after the draw, before admitting: “If I’m being honest there are probably some other teams we may have preferred.” Nevertheless, Milan have also been eliminated by English clubs in the round of 16 in each of the last two campaigns, losing to Tottenham last season, and to Manchester United in 2010.

Barcelona will go to Germany first to face the 2002 runners-up Leverkusen, who qualified from Group E behind Chelsea. There is history between the clubs, as Leverkusen beat Barca in the 1987-88 UEFA Cup quarter-finals, on their way to winning their only European trophy to date.

However, the Catalans will fancy their chances of gaining revenge this time as they aim to become the first club to win the Champions League in successive seasons.

“We have got Bayer Leverkusen! That’s not a bad draw! I have always enjoyed playing in Germany. The atmosphere is always great there,” Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said on Twitter from Japan, where Pep Guardiola’s side are currently preparing for sunday’s Club World Cup final against santos.

Real Madrid, who romped through the group stage winning all six games in Group D, will be heavy favourites to beat CsKA Moscow, although their Director of Institutional Relations Emilio Butragueno told Eurosport that the spaniards will not be

taking the tie lightly. “In football you never know. CsKA won at Inter in the group stages and will not be an easy team to play against,” he said.

“They will be really up for it. It will be very very cold there in February and it will be a difficult surface (CsKA play on artificial turf). “We are a great team, of course. The level of performance so far this season has been very good but it is tough to win this competition so we just need to make sure we produce the best performance we can possibly muster.” Meanwhile Bayern Munich, who are hoping to reach the final at their own Allianz Arena, will meet Manchester United’s conquerors Basel.

UNITED FACE AJAx IN EUROPA LEAGUE BOW: Manchester United will make their Europa League debut against four-time European champions Ajax Amsterdam next year after English clubs were handed a series of tricky draws on Friday.

United’s punishment for suffering a humiliating first round exit from this season’s Champions League is an awkward tie against the Dutch giants who boast one of the proudest histories in European football.

The two sides met in the old UEFA Cup in the 1976/77 season, United progressing 2-1 on aggregate. The winners of the the tie will then face either Lokomotiv Moscow or Athletic Bilbao in the last 16.

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Saturday, 17 December, 2011

sC deadline for replies in memo case expires ISLAMABAD MASood REHMAN

As the deadline set by the supreme Court for filing replies in the memo case expired on Friday, no government official is still clear on when or whether President Asif Ali Zardari will file his reply in the apex court.

Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq is giving confusing, ambiguous and contradictory statements over the president’s awaited reply, saying the president would not file a reply as the Foreign and Interior Ministry’s reply had already been filed on Thursday, which, according to him, was the reply of the federation, which the president is also part of. He said the reply of the ministries had clearly stated that the president had no link to the memo issue, besides the supreme Court had no jurisdiction to entertain petitions against the memo case under Article 184(3) of the constitution, thus the president would not file his reply. At the same time, talking to a group of reporters at the supreme Court on Friday, he said since President Zardari was out of the country, thus he (the president) would decide about filing his reply after his return. He said everyone knew the president was ill and out of country, thus this justification of not filing the reply could also be presented before the supreme Court on December 19, the date of the hearing of the memo case. He said the president personally had not been made respondent in the petitions, adding that he did not so far receive any instruction from the government about filing the president’s reply. To another query, he said the chief of army staff and the Inter-services Intelligence (IsI) chief submitted their replies as they were personally made respondents in the petitions.

Respect us, Gilani tells US g

PM tells Us envoy Washington must not go beyond Pakistan’s ‘red lines’ ISLAMABAD

P

STAFF REPoRT

RIME Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani made it clear to Us Ambassador Cameron Munter on Friday that Pakistan’s “red lines” should be respected and the Us must ensure respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country with a guarantee that transgression of Pakistan’s frontiers would not occur in future.

In his meeting with the Us ambassador, who called on him here at Prime

Minister’s House, Gilani said Pakistan wanted to work with the Us to defeat the common enemy, which he said was not only the enemy of Pakistan and the Us but also of the entire civilised world.

He said it was his primary responsibility to safeguard Pakistan’s dignity and honour, adding that respect for sovereignty and an end to unilateral action were the very minimum that Pakistan expected. He said further that credit went to the democratic government for the ownership the nation had assumed regarding the war on terror and parliament was also fully behind the government in

this regard. “No war can be fought without the support of the people,” he added.

The prime minister reiterated the stance of Pakistan, stating that an independent, prosperous and stable Afghanistan was in Pakistan’s interests.

“We will support the process of reconciliation in Afghanistan which is Afghan-led and Afghan-owned and does not destabilise Pakistan,” he stated. The Us ambassador emphasised that both Pakistan and

PESHAWAR AGENCIES

Dozens of militants ambushed troops in Orakzai Agency on Friday, killing a soldier and sparking clashes that left up to 25 insurgents dead, officials said. Members of the Frontier Corps were attacked while driving through Mamuzai area of Orakzai, the stronghold of Hakeemullah Meshud, leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

“Around 50 local militants, waiting on both sides of the road, opened fire on the convoy. One soldier was killed and more than 20 were injured,” a paramilitary official told AFP on condition of anonymity. They were ambushed at around 7:30am and ensuing clashes lasted around 40 minutes, the official said. “The troops, backed by helicopters, retaliated and killed at least 25 militants,” he added. sher Bahadur Khan, an administration official in Orakzai, gave the same casualty numbers but independent confirmation of the toll was not possible. More than 3,000 soldiers have died but Pakistan has resisted Us pressure to do more to eliminate havens used by Afghan insurgents. On the other hand, Online news agency said at least 38 militants were killed and seventeen soldiers injured in the clashes.

the Us should fully cooperate to fight the menace of terrorism. He said the common enemy must be defeated for which both countries needed to focus and cooperate with each other with commitment and single-mindedness. The convergence of interests between the two countries against the enemy provided the realistic basis and common ground to continue to collaborate and save the world from the curse of extremism and terrorism, he added.

‘India planning to build more dams on western rivers’ ISLAMABAD STAFF REPoRT

Continued on page 04

orakzai ambush kills 1 soldier, 25 insurgents

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DHAKA: Performers dressed as Pakistan Army Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi (seated R) and Indian Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora (seated L) take part in a mock surrender on Friday to mark the 40th anniversary of Bangladesh’s separation from Pakistan. ReUTeRs

PML-N asks sC to implead Wajid in memo case ISLAMABAD STAFF REPoRT

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) requested the supreme Court (sC) on Friday to implead Wajid shamsul Hassan, Pakistan’s high commissioner to the United Kingdom, in the memo case besides praying for directing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure Wajid’s presence in court for once.

It also requested that Wajid should not be allowed to leave the country until the investigations were over. In their civil miscellaneous applications filed with the supreme Court, PML-N leaders Ishaq Dar and Khawaja Asif also pleaded the court to make shaheen sehbai, group editor The News and Muhammad Malick, editor The News

Islamabad, parties in the memo case.

The PML-N leaders contended that an impression had been created by the civil authorities that Pakistan knew nothing about the Abbottabad operation until after the same had been actually accomplished. However, they stated that shaheen sehbai in his story appearing on December 8, 2011, while quoting interviews of Pakistan’s High Commissioner in UK Wajid shamsul Hassan with CNN, BBC and NDTV, revealed that Pakistan had at least eight to 10 days advance knowledge of the May 2, Us operation.

The report further revealed that Pakistan knew the operation was going to happen and Pakistan assisted in terms of authorisation of the helicopter flights in its space. similarly, the report

quoted the high commissioner’s interview, saying Pakistan knew about Bin Laden’s location and helped the Us reach him. The petitioners further submitted that in another report on December 8, 2011, by Mehreen Zahra Malik, Mansoor Ijaz alleged per an article published in December 3, 2011 issue of The Newsweek that former Pakistani ambassador Husain Haqqani and President Asif Ali Zardari had prior knowledge of the Us stealth mission to eliminate Osama Bin Laden. The PMLN leaders sated that another senior journalist Mohammad Malick, editor of The News, had authored numerous informative reports on the subject and two reports dated November 18 and November 20, 2011 were co-authored with shaheen sehbai.

India is planning to build more dams on the western rivers but has yet to share any information about its new projects with Pakistan, something it is required to do in accordance with the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960. Water and Power Minister Naveed Qamar told the National Assembly in a written reply on Friday that according to the treaty, India was obliged to inform Pakistan six months in advance before the construction of new hydroelectric plants. Responding to a supplementary question, Qamar said Pakistan has already moved the Court of Arbitration on the Kishanganga Project and any future violation of the treaty would also be taken up at the appropriate forum. The industries minister told the House in a written reply that the Industrial Policy study commissioned by the Industries Ministry for 2009-11 had put the loss to industry at 13 percent of total manufacturing sales, or nearly Rs 130 billion per year. He said an independent study conducted in 2008 by the Institute of Public Policy, Beaconhouse University estimated costs of outages to the industry by surveying a sample of 65 industrial units. The survey was conducted in four main industrial centres of the country and included both continuous and batch-making industries.

The estimated cost of load shedding for firms with self-generation facility was found to be Rs 74 billion, and for firms without selfgeneration, Rs 83 billion. Qamar told the House that currently there was no load shedding in the country because of balance in demand and supply. He said during the question hour that several large-scale power projects had been launched to meet the growing electricity requirements, and work on the Gomal Zam Dam would be completed by the middle of next year. He said this would be basically a water storage dam for irrigation purposes but would also add 17MW of electricity to the national grid. He said around 28 percent of work on the Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Power project had been completed at a cost of Rs 28.8 billion. The project would be completed by mid-2016 and it would add 969MW of electricity to the national grid, he added.