epaper pakistantoday 24 December, 2011

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Nawaz ready to eliminate army’s political role

World Bank to provide up to $5.5b to Pakistan

Bells ring out for Velvet revolution icon Vaclav Havel

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PROFIT | PAGE 01

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rs15.00 vol ii no 177 22 pages islamabad — peshawar edition

pakistantoday.com.pk

Defence secy first target for the govt ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

Coalition partners and the top Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership agreed on Friday to adopt a safe route and take action against Defence Secretary Lt General (r) Naeem Khalid Lodhi to build pressure on the military top brass, rather than initiating any steps to penalise the army chief or Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)director general.

“After the consultation process, the government has decided that rather than going for a head-on collision with the army, it will take on the defence secretary in the first step and later, action would be taken against

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani chair a meeting of federal ministers and party leaders on Friday .afp others if necessary,” said a source privy to the details of the day-long consultation process. Earlier, a series of meetings were held at the Presidency to carefully analyse the situation emerging in the wake of the

loaded political speeches delivered by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Continued on page 04

Apex court questions Haqqani’s resignation if he was not guilty g Rejects PM’s reply over contemptuous press conference by incumbent ministers g

ISLAMABAD With the government and the army facing off, the Supreme Court also jumped in the fray on Friday, throwing its weight behind the democratic system as Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heading a nine-member larger bench hearing the memo case, made a categorical statement that the question of a military takeover was out of place as the judiciary would never endorse any such unconstitutional step.

The chief justice said gone were the days when unconstitutional governments used to get extensions from the court. “There is no question of a takeover,” the chief justice remarked after Syed Ghous Ali Shah, a petitioner,

argued that after the May 2 Abbottabad raid, an impression was created that the army was behind it and wanted to take over the country.

The chief justice also noted that there was no question of any military takeover, adding that after passing a restraining order on November 3, 2007, the court had declared all actions taken by adventure as void and illegal. He said now the constitution prevailed in the country and there was rule of law and supremacy of the constitution, which was a great achievement.

He said there was no authority except the constitution and it would be implemented at all costs. He said everyone, including the army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chiefs and former ambassador Husain

There will be no military coup, assures Kayani g

opp slams pm’s anti-army outburst | page 03

SC will not endorse military takeover MASOOD REHMAN

saturday, 24 december, 2011 muharram-ul-haram 28, 1433

Haqqani, was in favour of the investigation of the memo issue. “It is because of lawyers, people and parliament that institutions are getting stronger,” the chief justice said, adding that in the Karachi case, the Rangers director general (DG) appeared in court while the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and other political forces also showed trust in the court. He said the constitution would prevail, the system would run and good times would come. The court also questioned Haqqani’s resignation if he was not guilty. The court noted that four meetings between the top political and military leadership had taken place over the memo issue, Continued on page 04

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army chief says there will be no compromise on national security Says army has and will continue to support democratic process ISLAMABAD

A

SHAIQ HUSSAIN

DAY after Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani talked about a conspiracy to send his government packing, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani denied plans for a military coup on Friday but said there could be no compromise on national security, clearly suggesting the continuation of the standoff between the government and army over the memo issue. “Pakistan Army has and will continue to support the democratic process in the country,” General Kayani told troops during a visit to the forward posts in Mohmand Agency and Kurram Agency.

Continued on page 04

army, isi have done nothing illegal | page 03

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02 News Today’s

Saturday, 24 December, 2011

iSlAMAbAD

NEWS

WoRlD viEW

Lal Masjid cleric postpones seminary rebuilding

Haqqani’s plight reflects decline of US-Pakistan ties

Why North Koreans cry for Kim Jong Il

Story on Page 05

Story on Page 09

Quick Look

Story on Page 15

6 months on, Punjab Energy Department yet to spend a penny Department was allocated Rs 9 billion for new power projects in ADP g Energy dept official says six months too short, looking at setting up 3500 MW of projects

g

LAHORE

T

UMAIR AZIZ

HE Punjab Energy Department has not spent even a single penny on any new power generation project, despite a lapse of six months when the new department was created to meet the energy requirements of the province, Pakistan Today has learnt. The 18th amendment empowered provinces to set up own power generation units beyond a production capacity of 50 MW. The Punjab government took a special initiative and created a new Energy Department out of the already established Irrigation and Power Department and earmarked Rs 9 billion for new power generation projects in the Annual Development Plan (ADP) this year. However, the Finance Department has not released even a single penny for any project so far.

NothiNg speNt: A senior Finance Department official said that the Finance Department only releases cash on requests from departments concerned, while the Planning and Development (P&D) department deals with the ADP and so far “we have not received any request for any project from them so far.”

A senior P&D official concerned with the matter said they did not have the requisite manpower to compile feasibility reports in the field and the work is being done by the Energy Department. He said the amount mentioned in the ADP was block allocation and not earmarked for specific schemes.

P&D sources however revealed that no new proposal has been received from the Energy Department, while work has been underway on five hydel power projects on different canals in the province, but “the projects are funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and these are ongoing projects from previous years and not something new proposed by the Energy Department”. They said the projects would cost Rs 10 billion and generate only 24MW after completion in 2013.

Not much poteNtiAl either? As per details, Punjab consumes 60% of the country’s energy, amounting to almost 9000 MW. Sources further revealed that Punjab did not have much capacity to build power generation units on its own.

Sources said the focus of power projects shall be on bio-mass and bio-fuel, with small coal and hydel projects, at a total maximum generation capacity of 600MW combined.

Talking to Pakistan Today, Energy Department Additional Secretary Nadeem Mahbub said the department had done a lot of spadework and had issued letters of interest to more than 40 investors from the private sector, which has shown great interest. He said it involved a long process involving the completion of feasibility reports, negotiating tariff with NEPRA and other complexities.

“Even by international standards, six months is a very short time in terms of power generation. We have begun working on more than 40 proposals and plan to set up power generation projects producing around 3500MW for Punjab,” Mahbub added.

LANDIKOTAL: Residents gather at a boys' school which was hit by a bomb on Friday. REUTERS

SC issues notices to ppp chairman in Benazir’s plea against bogus electoral rolls ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

A three-member Supreme Court bench on Friday issued notices to PPP’s incumbent chairman and general secretary over a pending petition by late Benazir Bhutto against bogus electoral rolls.

The bench of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry in its detailed verdict over a petition filed

by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan seeking preparation of electoral rolls after eliminating all 37 million bogus votes, also directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to posi-

tively complete preparation of transparent electoral rolls by February 23, 2012.

The court also issued notices to about 28 members of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies elected in by-polls when the ECP was incomplete under the provisions of the 18th Amendment, directing them to file their reply by January 10.

The court made it clear to the ECP that the deadline set for preparation of new electoral rolls would not be extended at any cost. The court directed the ECP to submit with the registrar’s office fortnightly reports over the progress on preparation of new electoral rolls. The court also clubbed a pending petition of late Benazir Bhutto filed in 2007 over the same matter

with the petition of Imran Khan.

The chief justice pointed out that in response to Benazir’s petition, the ECP was directed to complete preparation of transparent electoral rolls within one month, however, even after four years, the electoral rolls were still incomplete. He said if the forthcoming elections were held through the old electoral rolls carrying 44 percent (37 million) bogus votes, there would be bloodshed, for which the ECP would be solely responsible.

The ECP had submitted in the court a schedule for revising the electoral rolls. It was pointed that the ECP had deleted verified votes from the electoral rolls in view of the report of NADRA.

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Saturday, 24 December, 2011

ARTS & ENTERTAiNMENT

foREiGN NEWS

Putin response to protests ‘shameful’: Gorbachev Madonna’s new song leaked!

SPoRTS

News 03 CoMMENT

A flurry of denials: England series would be our real test: Misbah But they don’t put any worries to rest. the enquiry report Their version is here.

Arif Nizami says: Take-no-dictation moment?: Has the civil and military setups reached a point of no compromise?

White Lies: The Punjab Assembly has a major problem on its hand. It rarely has a quorum to pass legislation. This time, by some miracle, there was a quorum for a space of two days. The ruling party jumped on the opportunity and put up all the 21 bills it had on its agenda. 20 were passed at the speed of 10 a day like an assembly line.

Story on Page 17

Story on Page 14

Story on Page 18

Articles on Page 12-13

‘PM’s anti-army outburst bid to sabotage memo case’ Ji senator says Gilani’s statement against army just to confuse and complicate things in PPP’s favour g PPP, allies urge state institutions to remain within their constitutional ambit to avoid any mishap g Treasury, opposition lawmakers welcome Gen Kayani’s statement ruling out military coup g

ISLAMABAD

T

Nawaz’s memo petition conspiracy against democracy: Ayaz ISLAMABAD INP

PML-N member of the National Assembly from Chakwal and senior journalist Ayaz Amir has once again criticised the party’s top leadership, saying Nawaz Sharif’s petition in the Supreme Court over the memo scandal was a conspiracy against the government and democracy.

Talking to a private TV channel on Friday, Ayaz said Nawaz had learnt no lesson and forgot when he was chained after removal of his government.

He said the prime minister had rightly stated that a conspiracy was being hatched against democracy and several institutions, including the army, were conspiring to derail democracy.

He regretted that the PML-N was part of the conspiracy against democracy. Amir said the issue against democracy and the sitting government propped up after Nawaz went to the Supreme Court in the memo case. Sources said Amir has developed serious differences with the Nawaz and has moved closer to the prime minister and the PPP.

StAFF REPORt

HE opposition parties firmly believe that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s rant against the army is a calculated move of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to sabotage the memo case hearing in the Supreme Court while the parliamentarians from the PPP’s allies, including the PML-Q and the ANP, have urged all state institutions to remain within their constitutional ambit to avert any mishap.

Lawmakers from both treasury and opposition benches also welcomed Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani’s statement in which he ruled out a military coup.

Commenting on Thursday’s speech of Prime Minister Gilani, Senator Professor Khurshid Ahmed of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) said it was “uncalled for” and was aimed at sabotaging the hearing of the memo case. “It seems that the government is caught in an in awkward position over the memogate … now they want to spoil the investigations into memo case,” he said.

Ahmed said top government functionaries were aware of the fact that the army would not takeover “but the premier made the statement against the army just to confuse and

complicate things in PPP’s favour”.

PML-N Senator Mushahidullah Khan said the prime minister’s statement was inappropriate, provocative and untimely. “Why is the government asking about Osama Bin Laden now…why had it ignored the issue when it happened, why did they not take action on the issue of PNS Mehran… you cannot ignore the issue of memogate just by saying it is a nonissue… the PM’s tirade is PPP’s plan to sabotage hearing in the memo case in the apex court,” he said.

Khan said the prime minister always made contradictory statements.

“Sometimes he says that democracy is under threat… and sometimes says that the army and the civil government are on same page,” he said.

Reacting to the statement of General Kayani, the PML-N senator said the COAS was right that the government should not divert the peoples’ attention from real issues. The COAS also ruled out any possibility of a takeover.

PML-Q Information Secretary Kamil Ali Agha said in his opinion all state institutions should exhibit patience to resolve the crisis emerging from the “memogate”. “I think all institutions are crossing their limits… the executive, the military and the judiciary should remain in their constitutional ambit as a confrontation

between the institutions will ultimately harm our national interests,” he added.

Asked to comment on Gilani’s statement regarding ‘a state within the state’, the PML-Q leader said, “Everyone has its own state in Pakistan for the last 64 years… everyone in the country has been crossing its constitutional limits,” he added.

Senator Haji Adeel of the Awami National Party (ANP) said he and his party fully supported Gilani’s statement and would stand behind him.

“There is no doubt that parliament is sovereign and every institution is answerable to it,” he added.

He said there was no doubt that investigations into the memo scam should be done, which were being carried out by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security and the Supreme Court.

Adeel said according to his view, Thursday’s speech of the prime minister had nothing to do with the memo case investigations.

Zahid Kazmi, central leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and former spokesman to PTI Chairman Imran Khan said the PPP government was trying to sabotage transparent investigations into the memo issue.

“Now, after failing to resolve people’s problems, they are seeking martyrdom to win sympathies of

army and ISI have done nothing illegal: jurists ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

Top jurists of the country see nothing illegal or unconstitutional on part of the army or the ISI in reference to the memo issue that gives the impression of the army being a state within the state.

Asked to comment on the prime minister’s remarks against the army, Justice (r) Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui said the army had not taken any illegal step.

“The Supreme Court ordered them (army) and they just complied with the SC orders in the memo case under the constitution, everybody is bound to do that,” he said. The armed forces of the country are performing their duties per constitution and the prescribed rules, he added.

He was of the view that no one else but the government itself was involved in such matters which generated the impression of the government being a state within the state. The government’s policies had led to an imbalance between

the state institutions, he said.

Justice (r) Wajihuddin Ahmad said the army’s stance on the memo issue had led the government to conclude that the army was a state within the state. He rejected the impression being infused among the masses by the government, saying there was nothing objectionable on part of the army.

He disagreed with the government’s conclusion, saying it (government) wanted no one to check its corruption and misdeeds. He said the government failed in delivering to the masses during the last four years, adding that the allegations against the army seemed to be an attempt on part of the government to regain the lost electorate.

Senior lawyer, Anwar Mansoor called the PM’s statement more of a rhetoric. “There is nothing objectionable on part of the army or the ISI that may lead to the conclusion,” he said, adding that the prime minister tried to create hype on the memo issue by giving the statement.

Prominent lawyer Ikram Chaudhary, however, expressed a different point of view and blamed both the government and the army for the crisis that had led to a situation where the government was levelling allegations against a prestigious institution. He said the army had taken a stance on the memo issue which the government wanted to avoid, at least at the judicial forum.

He said the government was involved in corruption and least interested in public welfare, adding that the public also had grievances against the army, particularly on its policy pertaining to the missing persons and Balochistan issue. He said the common man felt that state institutions had collapsed and when the people have been left with no option but to commit suicide, the government must step down. “The government should announce fresh election as early as possible to avert military intervention and put the country on path of law instead of creating confusions,” he said.

the masses… but the people have understood PPP’s dirty politics and they will reject incompetent and corrupt rulers in the next elections,” he added.

He said the prime minister’s tirade against the army was mocking his previous statements in which he had been saying that the executive and the military were on the same page.

PPP-Sherpao President Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said the statement of the army chief did not signify anything new and simply reiterated the army’s previous position again.

“But it could mean that confrontation was escalating and would result in casualty in one way or the other… the confrontation is still there. It is escalating and will certainly claim a casualty in one way or the other.

But we will not support any extra-constitutional or unconstitutional step”, Sherpao added.

Senator Zahid Khan said Gen Kayani’s statement was positive and it certainly addressed the apprehensions which Gilani had expressed on Thursday. He said no one wanted a compromise on national security.

MQM’s Abdul Qadir Khanzada welcomed the army chief’s statement, terming it positive. He said the statement also accorded highest priority to national security.

Police oust PTi workers from Quaid’s mausoleum KARACHI INP

The police on Friday ousted activists of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) from the ground of the Quaid’s mausoleum and locked the gates afterwards. According to details, dozens of PTI workers were present in the ground adjacent to Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum to arrange the party’s meeting scheduled on Sunday, December 25. But on Friday morning, the police expelled the activists, locked the gates and banned the entry of political workers in the premises.

The administration has also pasted a copy of Sindh High Court (SHC) directive at the main gate regarding ban on public gatherings at the venue. On the other hand, PTI leader Naeemul Haq has said that Quaid-e-Azam Trust’s administration upon directives from Islamabad had tried to create hurdles in the way of the PTI meeting. However, he said the December 25 meeting would be held definitely and such tactics would not create problems for the PTI, as the masses were standing by the party.

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04 News

Saturday, 24 December, 2011

passport fee goes up by 50 percent

ordinary passport to cost Rs 3,000 and urgent passport Rs 5,000 g

LAHORE YASIR HABIB

The New Year will bring a 50 percent increase in passport fee, Pakistan Today learnt on Friday.

The Passport Department has jacked up the ordinary passport’s fee by Rs 900, bringing the new fee to Rs 3,000 from January 1, 2012. Similarly, the fee for urgent passport has also gone up by Rs 1000, raising it to Rs 5,000.

Rs 1,000 have also been added to the fee for the 72-page passport and Rs 2,000 to the fee for urgent passport of the same kind. The ordinary fee for the 100-page passport has

been increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000, and in the case of an urgent passport, the fee has gone up from Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000. The department has increased the fees to achieve a new revenue target of Rs 14 billion as compared to Rs 11 billion.

Irshad Bhatti, director at the Passport Department headquarters, told Pakistan Today that the increase in fee would enable the department to meet the set target.

Sources in the department said the government was planning to increase the passport fee since 2010 but could not materialise the idea. “It decided

to raise the fees by 100 percent in July 2010,” sources revealed. “Even the Interior Ministry had ordered to increase the normal passport fee to Rs 4,100, and the urgent passport fee to Rs 8,000 from Rs 4,000. The included bank fee had to be raised to Rs 100 from an existing Rs 25,” the sources said.

They said the increase in fees may also apply to Pakistanis residing abroad. However, they added that the government had stopped the Interior Ministry from increasing passport fees at the eleventh hour to avoid public anger.

Hoti, Tareen resign from NA ISLAMABAD INP

Khawaja Mohammad Khan Hoti and Jahangir Tareen on Friday resigned from their seats in the National Assembly (NA) on Friday.

Hoti had won elections from the Awami National Party’s (ANP) platform, while Tareen was successful on the ticket of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F). Both the politicians have recently joined the Pakistan Tehrike-Insaf (PTI).

Tareen was elected from the NA-195 constituency in Rahim Yar Khan in 2008 elections and was the parliamentary leader of his party until he announced to join the PTI. PTI sources said that more parliamentarians were likely to resign from the National Assembly in the next few days and announce their entry into the PTI.

Defence secy first target for the govt Continued from page 1 In the morning, President Asif Ali Zardari hosted a luncheon for the Pakistan’s new Ambassador to the US Sherry Rehman and had a detailed discussion with her on her new assignment. A source told Pakistan Today that former ambassador Husain Haqqani also joined the meeting for some time, which was held at the Presidency. He briefed Rehman on the challenges the country was facing in Washington. He also gave his input to the new ambassador on a host of other issues, the source added.

Later on, the president moved to his office and attended a meeting of the PPP top brass, also known as its Core Committee. The source said that during the meeting, some enthusiastic PPP leaders wanted action against the leadership of the security establishment.

However, things calmed down significantly after news of Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s statement that there would be no military coup reached the meeting, which the PPP top brass appreciated.

The source said Senator Raza Rabbani said it would not be wise to take action

against the army chief and ISI chief in the start, and it would be more advisable to issue a notice to the defence secretary, who had stood by the army leadership in the memo case.

“Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani also supported this idea and said under the law, the defence secretary was responsible for adhering to the orders of the chief executive but he did not follow his orders, so he should face the music first,” said the source. The source said most of the leaders agreed to Rabbani’s proposal. “In view of the proposals, the Core Committee authorised the president and prime minister to give final shape to its recommendations in consultation with the leadership of the coalition parties,” the source added.

A participant quoted President Zardari as telling his colleagues that after the prime minister’s hard hitting speeches, despite recovering from illness, he had slept well on Thursday night. Following the meeting, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Senior Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi joined the president and

shared their views about the situation. Another source said both PML-Q leaders advised the president to resolve the situation with political acumen and avoid any head-on collision with the army.

“Shujaat told the president that the army was a strong institution and any animosity against the institution may damage the PPPestablishment relations, which may take decades to repair,” the source added.

Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan and leader of FATA parliamentarians group Munir Khan Aurakzai also met the president separately and shared their views on recent political developments.

Briefing reporters about the meeting, Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the PPP leaders’ meeting that lasted for about two hours reviewed the overall political situation in the country with special reference to the most recent developments. The prime minister gave a comprehensive briefing on the overall situation.

He said the meeting reiterated its unswerving commitment to the principles of

parliamentary sovereignty, constitutionalism and rule of law and said the party and the government would uphold these principles under all circumstances.

The meeting said parliament was supreme and state institutions were answerable to it, and the party believed in and would continue to act upon the principle that power belonged to the people and to nobody else.

The meeting also reiterated that all institutions of state had to work within the ambit of the constitution without trespassing into the domain of others.

Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Rehman Malik, Mian Manzoor Wattoo, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Syed Khurshid Shah, Syed Naveed Qamar, Senator Raza Rabbani, Dr Babar Awan, Senator Jahangir Badar, Senator Sardar Ali Khan, Nazar Muhammad Gondal, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Rana Farooq Saeed, Rukhsana Bangash, Fouzia Wahab, Fouzia Habib, Mehreen Anwer Raja, Sherry Rehman and Farhatullah Babar attended the meeting.

PM’s statement about Abbottabad incident irresponsible: Imran KARACHI

P

QAZI ASIF

A K I S T A N Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan criticised Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s statement about the Abbottabad incident on Friday and said it was irresponsible and benefited the opponents of Pakistan.

He said, however, that there was no chance of the army’s interference and it should not come into power.

Speaking to a reception given by the PTI’s Women’s Wing in his honour in Karachi on Friday, Khan said the prime minister should not have issued a statement on the Abbottabad incident prior to the report of the Abbottabad Commission. He said the statement went in the favour of the enemies of Pakistan and the danger for Pakistan had been increased after the statement. He said

Gilani’s statement gave the impression that the army was protecting Osama bin Laden.

Khan said the army should not interfere in the democratic process, and it would not. He said a revolution was afoot in Pakistan and the march towards change had begun. Corruption had destroyed the institutions and a small group held all the resources of the

country, he added.

The PTI chief said there was a need for peace in Karachi. “The issue of Karachi is not a linguistic but economical issue. Punjabi, Sindhi, Pakhtun, Baloch, Muhajir, all are poor,” he said.

Without mentioning any names, Khan said that a big party of Karachi was very upset because of his presence in the city. “I want to clarify here that a big group of that party will announce that it is joining the PTI in the public meeting on December 25,” he added.

He said he would speak about Makhdoom Javed Hashmi joining the PTI on Saturday. He said he would make a big disclosure at the public meeting about who was joining the PTI. PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said in his speech that the civil society should join the PTI. “This will be historical movement, which will write a new history,” he said.

There will be no military coup, assures Kayani Continued from page 1 General Kayani strongly dispelled speculations of any military takeover and said: “These are misleading and are being used to divert focus from the real issues.”

An official statement from the prime minister’s office after his meeting with some parliamentarians on Friday once again said the legislators extended full support to the prime minister on his clear message that a state within a state was not acceptable and all institutions should perform their responsibilities in accordance with the constitution.

In a clear snub to the civilian rulers, General Kayani said: “The army is fully cognizant of its constitutional obligations and re-

sponsibilities.”

He emphasised that the issues of national security needed to be considered on merit alone. He concluded by saying that “irrespective of all other considerations, there can be no compromise on national security”.

He said the men and women of Pakistan Army were performing their duty of defending Pakistan in accordance with the oath they had taken. “They will continue to do so with the support and prayers of their countrymen, regardless of the cost,” he said.

Tensions between the civilian government and army leadership have risen since the emergence in October of an alleged memo purportedly handed over by President Asif Ali Zardari to

the US administration through former ambassador Husain Haqqani asking for help in averting a military coup in May in the wake of a secret US raid in Abbottabad that killed al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.

Husain Haqqani, who is considered a close aide of President Zardari, resigned last month over the memo issue under reported pressure from the military leadership to face an enquiry into the memogate controversy.

The issue is, however, in the Supreme Court where Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz chief Nawaz Sharif and other petitioners have sought an enquiry into the matter, which they believe is aimed at undermining the country’s security.

SC will not endorse military takeover Continued from page 1 Haqqani was called back and then his resignation had been handed in. The court said if Haqqani was not guilty, his resignation had come without proper procedure or enquiry.

On the contention of Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) Senator Ishaq Dar that the issue of whether the memo was written was not controversial anymore because almost all of the petitioners and respondents were agreed on the fact that the memo was written, the chief justice noted that it had yet to be decided. On another contention of Dar’s that the ambit of the Parliamentary

Committee on National Security was limited and it could not probe the memolike issues as it was formed through a parliamentary resolution, Justice Mia Saqib Nisar observed that parliament was performing its duties and the court could not be barred from performing its constitutional functions.

Dar stated that not only the parliamentary committee but even the entire parliament could not collect forensic evidence in the memo issue. He said so far, not even a single document over the memo issue was submitted to the parliamentary committee by the government. He said four resolutions passed by parlia-

ment had not been implemented yet. He said there was no law that could punish the government for not implementing the parliamentary committee’s resolutions or orders.

Meanwhile, the court rejected the prime minister’s reply over the assertions made by incumbent ministers in a press conference on December 1, 2011, ridiculing the judiciary and criticising the court’s orders to form a commission to probe the memo issue. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had stated in his reply that the point of view taken in the press conference was not of the government, but of the PPP in the historical per-

spective. When the court asked what the ‘historical perspective’ was, the attorney general stated that it was, over the period of time, what the party said inside and outside court.

“We want simple and clear reply of the prime minister,” Justice Jawwad S Khawaja said, adding that the PM’s statement showed that whatever the party leaders said in the press conference was right. “The PM cannot blame his party, but if he does so, he should know the consequences,” the chief justice remarked.

Justice Khawaja said if it was the point of view of the party, then according to the principles set by the consti-

tution, no party could utilise the public buildings. He observed further that the party should have arranged the press conference at private premises such as hotels.

“The reply purportedly filed by Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq on behalf of the Prime Minister is evasive because there should be a categorical stand taken by the prime minister or the federal government in this behalf instead of shifting the burden upon the political party under the garb of historical perspective,” the court ruled. The court told the attorney general that contrary to it, the president, who himself was the cochairman of the ruling PPP,

while submitting a reference under Article 186 of the constitution to revisit the case of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had recognised and accepted that the judiciary in Pakistan was independent and playing a proactive role in the cases of public importance, which suggested that instead of making an ambiguous statement, the federal government ought to have taken a clear stand.“The reply so filed is not acceptable,” the court said and directed the attorney general to seek fresh instructions from the prime minister and file a comprehensive and clear reply by Dec 27.

“We are of the opinion that government premises

could not be allowed to be used for holding a press conference wherein, prima facie, the judiciary was ridiculed and insulted,” the court ruled. The court also issued notices to the president, prime minister, ISI chief and all other parties to submit their replies over a constitutional petition filed

by Shafqat Ullah Sohail, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin. The court also sought content-wise comments of the federation on the reply of Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, ISI DG Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha, Haqqani and Mansoor Ijaz. Later the hearing was adjourned until December 27.

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Saturday, 24 December, 2011

No regulation for driving schools

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Lal Masjid cleric postpones seminary rebuilding g

Jamia Hafsa students warn government of dire consequences ISLAMABD SALMAN ABBAS

W

HILE putting off their scheduled plan to lay the foundation stone of Jamia Hafsa, around five hundred Lal Masjid male and female students on Friday gave their “final warning” to the government to reconstruct the seminary.

Otherwise, they said, the government must brace itself for the “recurrence of the bloody events of 2007 because thousands of students were prepared to embrace martyrdom”.

Led by the spouse of Red Mosque cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz, Umme Hassan, who has been recently released, hundreds of female students clad in black veils shouted slogans of “Al-jehad Aljehad, Labbaik Labbaik”, and “Ghazi tere khoon se inquilab aayega”. They recalled the scenes of what had happened around four years back when a conflict took place between the Lal Masjid students and country’s military forces that resulted in 154 reported deaths.

Lal Masjid controversy appeared to once again cripple the capital city when, on last Friday, Maulana Abdul Aziz had vowed to start rebuilding Jamia Hafsa within a week.

But the students who swarmed in great numbers at Lal Masjid to attend the inaugurating ceremony of Jamia Hafsa on Friday were disappointment when the cleric announced in his Jumma sermon that negotiations were underway with the

government representatives and he was extending his deadline to the next week.

Separately, Umme Hassan said on Friday strongly criticised the government and the country’s armed forces. She said all the female students of Jamia Hafsa were ready to confront the military, if the latter ever tried to launch any operation against them. Talking to the reporters here, she said Malik Riaz, a business tycoon, had warned them, citing an army officer named Brigadier Imtiaz, that the forces were planning another ‘massacre’ of the students.

“We are ready to die but how an army, which fled from the Kargil battlefield, can defeat the women of Jamia Hafsa,” she said, adding that the students

had seen enough bloodshed and they had no fear of any military offensive.

“We had given the government one week to make arrangements for the reconstruction of Jamia Hafsa and it will be harmful for the country if the authorities failed to do so,” she added. Hassan said that if the government could provide big pieces of land to universities such as COMSAT, NUST and others, why it was against the construction of Jamia Hafsa.

The chief cleric of the Red Mosque, Maulana Abdul Aziz, told Pakistan Today that he had had talks with Interior Minister Rehman Malik and that was why he postponed the reconstruction work for another week. He said it was strange that the authorities concerned were reluctant

to rebuild Jamia Hafsa despite the orders of the superior judiciary.

An official source in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), however, told this scribe that land on which the Jamia Hasfa was constructed was meant for a public library and it was still the property of the Education Ministry.

He said the local administration was ready to allocate a piece of land for the seminary at a different location but still the matter was a bone of contention between the authorities and the seminary administration.

Abdul Azizi, when asked whether he was ready to accept a piece of land for Jamia Hafsa at some other location, said he was ready to accept that offer only if

the new plot would be of the same commercial value as of the old one. He said the price of land at the present location was about Rs 10.8 million for one kanal.

Back in 1992, Maulana Abdullah, the father of Maulana Abdul Aziz laid the foundation stone for Jamai Hafsa and the seminary was built on the land adjoining the Red Mosque.

In April 2007, Abdul Aziz set up a controversial ‘qazi’ court comprising 10 Lal Masjid muftis, who were tasked to enforce Shariah laws over the entire neighborhood. The events that followed led to a bloody operation by the security forces, which later cleared the mosque and the madrassa compound, the occupants of which had taken up arms.

Gas protesters block Expressway for four hours RAWALPINDI ARSHAD ALI

The capital police Friday resorted to batoncharge and teargas shelling to disperse the protesters who were staging a demonstration against gas outages and had blocked the Islamabad Expressway for over four hours. They also set on fire two police armored personnel carriers (APCs).

The gas supply in all different localities of twin cities decreased causing problems for the residents who are holding protests almost daily and blocking major roads including Kurri Road and Islamabad Expressway. On Friday, hundreds of angry residents including women and children, young and old, took part in the protest. The protesters were holding placards and banners inscribed with “restore the gas immediately”. They were also chanting slogans against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL). Heavy contingents of police were deployed to tackle the crowd and the policemen on duty resorted to baton-charge and tear-gas shelling when the protesters refused to end the Islamabad Expressway blockade and instead set two police APC on fire. The protestors burnt tires and used stones and sticks to confront policemen and block the traffic. Hence hundreds of vehicles remained stuck on both sides of the busiest artery between the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The protesters chanted slogans against the government and demanded immediate action to resolve the problem. They said this year the Sui Gas pressure problem emerged with the onset of winter and now they are facing full-day outages.

A protestor Shaukat Ali complained that they were faced with the problem for the last several weeks. “The pressure is too low and it takes hours to make some tea. In some areas there is little or no gas but at the end of every month, we receive inflated bills,” he added. Even the stuck up motorists started scuffling with each other, as the traffic police were not there to ensure the smooth flow traffic.

ISLAMABAD: PML-Q leader Farrukh Khan, MNA Nafisa Shah, Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Pir Karam Shah, J Salik and others sit on stage during a seminar on ‘Quaid Azam Ka Pakistan’ at a local hotel. STaff phoTo

IESCo disconnects power supply to CDa’s main office g

Electricity restored on assurance by civic body’s high-up to clear overdue bills ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) on Friday disconnected power supply to the main office of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) over nonpayment of its huge overdue power bills.

“We cut power supply to the CDA office after its outstanding dues crossed

millions of rupees. We had served notices on the civic agency to pay their dues or face action,” an official said.

The official said the company would disconnect electricity supply to all the offices of the CDA, including old navel complex and the building near Melody Market housing the main offices of the civic body if it failed to clear the bills. In the past, the CDA used to make pay-

ments timely, but now the civic body was facing a financial crunch, an official of the civic agency said.

When contacted, CDA spokesman Ramzan Sajid confirmed that the IESCO had disconnected power supply to the authority owing to its outstanding dues.

He disclosed that total dues of the IECO currently were Rs 223 million. He pointed out the CDA had started making

payment of the IESCO bills, adding Rs 57 million would be paid to the IESCO next month . He, however, pointed out that major portion of the outstanding dues pertained to street lights.

Meanwhile, the CDA high-ups assured the IESCO of paying the dues as soon as possible on which the power supply was restored to the civic agency’s office.

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06 Islamabad

Saturday, 24 December, 2011

iHC rejects plea of Norwegian fugitive ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s task Force on Islamabad Chairman Faisal Sakhi Butt and PPP Women Wing President Nargis Faiz Malik distribute ration among the members of Christian community at G-8 Media Foundation. oNLINE

PEMRA issues fM radio licence to SZAbiST ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

Pakistan Electronic Media Regularity Authority (PEMRA) has issued a license for the campus FM Radio Station 106.600 of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science & Technology (SZABIST). The institute will soon start its transmission for public in general and students in particular. The development came during a meeting between PEMRA Chairman Abdul Jabbar and SZABIST Director Syed Asad Hussain at PEMRA office here on Friday.

Jabbar said PEMRA has given a number of FM licenses to different institutions with an aim to provide prompt and wide ranging information to the people of Pakistan.

Highlighting PEMRA’s objectives, he said the authority was endeavoring to facilitate and promote growth of media so that an independent and free media could play its true role in creating awareness among people, educate them and contribute to overall national development. The SZABIST director said the campus radio station would have a very vast range of objectives, as the transmission would not only cater the academic needs of the students but also enlighten the common man.

He added that the FM radio would focus on entertainment and other interesting programmes for people of all ages so they could be provided with a mix flavour of knowledge information and entertainment.

He said SZABIST would hire services of professionals who would train students and guide them in producing quality documentaries, talk shows, script writing and uphold the true standards of educational broadcasting.

ANf seizes contrabands weighing 574kg islAmABAD: Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has seized 574 kilograms of contrabands from different parts of the country during December. An official told APP here on Friday that four persons were also arrested during different raids. Details show that over 120 kg hashish was seized from Mianwali from an accused. While 18 kg heroin was seized from Peshawar and Kohat and 16.700 kg heroin was also seized from Lahore. Around 100 kg opium and 100 kg morphine was also seized from Chagai, 10 kgs heroin from Rawalpindi and 90 kg opium from Quetta. APP

Plan to upgrade special education schools on cards ISLAMABAD APP

F

EDERAL Directorate of Special Education (FDSE) has planned to upgrade schools of special education working in the capital within a few months.

The high schools would be upgraded to Secondary Schools and secondary schools to higher secondary schools to facilitate special persons, said an official of Directorate General of Special Education (DGSE) here on Friday. Talking to APP, he said that before the devolution, 30 centres around the country were running under the FDSE, but now as the provincial centres were handed over to the provinces only eight centers were left with Federal Directorate of Special Education (FDSE).

The official said that all these centres were being upgraded, so that academic facilities could be encouraged enabling more children with disability to become active members of the society.

He said this year more than 70 students got admissions in special children schools in the capital. The DGSE official further said they were also working to enhance the concept of inclusive education, and added that the number of students getting admission in various schools under this cover would be doubled within a year.

The capacity of special education centers had also been enhanced and vacant posts were filled to improve service standard of these centres, he stated.

FollowiNg QuAiD’s teAchiNg A must For

NAtioN’s prosperity: Quaid-iAzam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a great leader who succeeded to create an Islamic and welfare state for the Muslims of the Sub-Continent through his energetic and active leadership.

“We have to follow the golden principles of unity, faith and discipline envisaged by Quaid-i-Azam for development and integrity of our motherland.” These views were expressed by Chairperson of Social Organization, Bardash, Senator Nilofar Bukhtiar while addressing as chief guest at speech and national songs competition held at Anjuman Faiz-ul-Islam, Faizabad Campus here.

The girl and boy students of educational and technical institutions of the Anjuman participated in the contest.

She said that the situation would be totally different, if Quaid-e -Azam would not have left this world soon after the creation of Pakistan. Nilofar Bukhtiar urged the students to work hard and concentrate on education and extra-curricular activities if they wanted to become successful citizens.

President of the Anjuman, Mian Siddique Akbar said that each and every aspect of the life of Quaid-i-Azam was role model and beacon of light for the entire nation. He said that the country needs such a leader who posses high moral and qualities like father of the nation.

He informed the audience that the Anjuman started its welfare activities in 1943 on the directive of Qauid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah adding that they are serving the orphan and destitute

and providing them food and shelter with the missionary spirit. He pointed out that founders of the Anjuman played a key role in Pakistan movement so that there was a link between the Anjuman and Pakistan movement.

Earlier, Chairman Education Committee, Prof Niaz Irfan shed light on the objective of speech and national songs competition while judges were Prof Naeem Fatima Alvi and Mrs. Iftikhar.

According to unanimous decision, Hafiz Muhammad Wasim and Usman Pervez from Faiz ul Islam Technical Training Institute (FTTI), Faizabad were declared first and second respectively in speech competition. Hajira Farooq of Mandra Girls Campus remained third and Tasawwar Ali and Owais Qamar of Mandra Boys Campus were given certificates for their encouragement.

In the national songs competition, Iqra Mazhar of Mandra Girls School stood first, Bilal Ahmed, Ali Shan, second and Arsalan Khalid and Arsalan Haider secured third position. Mohammad Farooq and Muhammad Mubassahar belonging to Doberan Kalan were given certificates.

In the tableau contest, Bilal Jehangir of Doberan stood first, Zeeshan of Faizabad Campus stood second and Kamaran Hanif of Pakka Khooh was declared third. Ismael of Mandra school was given certificate.

Later, Chief Guest, Nilofar Bukhtiar, Mian Siddique Akbar, andMrs Prof Tasleem Iqbal Mansoor distributed awards, trophies and certificates among the winning contestants.

Justice Mohammad Azim Khan Afridi of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday disposed of the case of a Norwegian fugitive of Pakistani origin, who was sentenced by an Oslo court in 2008 to two-year imprisonment, saying that the accused can be extradite in accordance with law.

Mohammad Aslam was under arrest in Adiyala Jail on the charges of defrauding the Norwegian government of over $3 billion.

According to the court documents, Aslam, born in Tehsil Kharian of District Gujrat, migrated to Norway at the age of 15. There he prospered in his private business until 2008 when an Oslo court sentenced him to two-year imprisonment for robbing the government of over $3 billion in tax evasion, false accounting, money laundering, forgery and embezzlement. After hunting for him for almost four years, the Norwegian authorities finally traced the fugitive to his hometown in Pakistan. Aslam was arrested recently on an Interpol warrant in Kharian.

The Norwegian authorities, however, persisted with their efforts for his extradition with the Interior Ministry. They also got registered an FIR against him in Gujrat and another with the FIA Special Investigation Unit (SIU) in Islamabad.

The counsel for the Aslam, Nasim Sabir Chaudhry, submitted that the crime of his client was not that serious for his extradition. He added that Pakistan had no formal extradition treaty with Norway. However, the Interior Ministry and the FIA) requested the court in writing not to entertain his petition because he was a fugitive of a Norwegian court and law. On which, the court directed the concerned authorities to deal the accused in accordance with law and disposed off the case.

AioU donates Rs 2.3 million to flood victims ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Nazir Ahmed Sangi presented a cheque worth Rs 23,00,000 to Senate Chairman Farooq H Naek for the relief and rehabilitation floodaffected people of Sindh during a meeting at his office.

Dr Sangi said the money was contributed by employees and academic staff of the University, while an amount of Rs 4.2million was given to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani for this purpose last year.

Sangi briefed the Senate chairman about achievements of the university during the last two years and said carrying forward the vision of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Farooq H Naek thanked Sangi and said the AIOU was progressing rapidly under his dynamic leadership.

CNG owners lose case against gas closure ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday dismissed a petition filed by compressed natural gas (CNG) owners against the three day gas closure.

Around 47 CNG owners on November 18 filed the petition against the three-day CNG closure, on which the court suspended the load management

plan of the Petroleum Ministry. After the court order, most of the CNG stations in the capital remained open for the whole week. On December 13, the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) submitted before the court that the way the CNG gas station owners interpreted the Islamabad High Court’s November 18 stay order on the management of gas supply had led to the low gas pressure for domestic con-

sumers in the city.

On Friday, Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan resumed the hearing of the case between the CNG owners and the SNGPL authorities. The counsel for the CNG owners, Makhdoom Ali Khan, contended that in talks with the petroleum secretary on Wednesday his clients offered closure of their stations for two days. He added that 2 million vehicles were running on CNG and

around 3,000 CNG stations existed in the country.

Counsel for the Petroleum Ministry said the CNG owners misinterpreted the court’s previous order and their refusal to act upon the load management plan resulted in severe gas shortage for domestic consumers.

After hearing the arguments, Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan dismissed the case of the CNG owners.

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Saturday, 24 December, 2011

Services of Christian policemen lauded islAmABAD: Islamabad Deputy Inspector General (DIG) (Headquarters) Ahmed Mukarram said Friday that the minorities in the city, including Christians are contributing significantly to the local policing and they are rendering valuable services to the department. This he said while addressing Christian policemen at a ceremony held here at the Police Lines Headquarters on Friday. The event was arranged in connection with the Christmas celebrations, said a press statement issued here. Almost all the Christian employees working in the Islamabad police were invited to the ceremony. Headquarters SSP Zubair Ahmed Hashmi, DSP Malik Tahir, DSP Bakhtiar Ahmed Lillah, Priest Rehmat Hakim, MPA Chaudhry Tahir and some other police officials were also present on the occasion. “We are with you on this festive occasion and your duties in Islamabad police are fully acknowledged,” said the DIG. He said there was a need to promote interfaith harmony in the society and the Friday’s event was a part of that. The DIG also distributed cakes and cash gifts among the police Christian employees. He said Christians and other minority people were diligently working in the various wings of the Islamabad police. He said there had never been any discrimination against them and they always performed their duty with great responsibility. Meanwhile, SP (Traffic) Mir Vais Niaz also distributed cash gifts and sweetmeats among the Christian employees serving in Islamabad Traffic Police. He said all Pakistanis are equal and there should not be any discrimination among the countrymen. StAFF REPORt

Dream of genDer equality

Journalists call for improved reporting ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

J

OURNALISTS from print and electronic media on Friday stressed that media should the highlight matters related to gender equity and improve reporting on the subject like other issues, in order to raise awareness among general public.

They also called for information sharing between media personnel and NGO employees working on the issue. Media persons said there was still room for improvement in reporting about gender issues.

They were sharing their experiences at a sensitisation session organised by Individualland Pakistan in collaboration with the Aurat Foundation and USAID under the title of “Focus Group Discussion with Media Personnel”.

The session was aimed at receiving feedback from media personnel who had attended previous media sensitisation sessions on gender equity in Is-

lamabad. The objective of the initiative was to sensitise the electronic and print media regarding the issue of women empowerment and use it as a medium for advocacy.

The participants also stressed the need for an action to spread awareness about prevailing gender inequality.

The discussion also focussed on the sensitivity of communicating the women-related issues through media and selection of appropriate messages.

The journalists stressed that the trend of confusing women’s rights with human rights should be discouraged.

At the same time, they said in rural areas of Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, gender equity was a major issue of human rights.

They said the non government organisations needed to held similar programmes in the rural areas of the country for effective campaigning.

During the discussion moderated

by Shaukat Ali Ashraf of Individualland Pakistan, the journalists welcomed the initiative.

Some journalists said it was very

Kurri Road housing Scheme from March 2012 ISLAMABAD APP

The much-awaited development activities at Kurri Road Housing Scheme will start from March next year and completed by April 2014, an official of Ministry of Housing and Works said on Friday.

He told APP that physical possession of 90.8 acres land had been taken over and an amount of Rs 445 million was already paid to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) as a cost of land.

He further said the design consultant had been appointed on August 3, who was working on the detailed specifications, layout, design, elevations and cost of the project.

To a question, he said devastating earthquake of October, 2005 established a need for revision of Building Code to make the building earthquake resistant. He said Ministry of Housing in consultation with experts revised the code and prepared Building Code of Pakistan (Seismic Provisions-2007 which was now a mandatory reference for Engineers and Architects.

All attached departments of Ministry of Housing and Works, Pakistan-PWD FGE Housing Foundation and Pakistan Housing Authority have already adopted this code, he said adding all buildings are designed and constructed in conformance to Seismic Provision 2007 since then.

Artist Depicts ‘Buy oNe get oNe’ iN liNes: A solo show on drawings on paper

Islamabad 07

‘Buy One Get One’ by Hasnat Mehmood was put on display Friday at Rohtas Art Gallery.

“The works reveal truth about the marketing of ‘Buy One Get One’ that refers to signage advertising trends in which nothing is actually free but only made to appear as if it is,” the artist said.

“I have seen so many tags for Western brands on which is written ‘Made in Pakistan’ or ‘Made in Sri Lanka’ or the name of some other developing country. This body of work emerges out of noticing these tags,” he said, adding, “I took this phenomenon from the business world and translated to the art world.”

On one level, the images are simply copies of famous art works, but the inscriptions inserted are equally important.

The text tells a story of the pictures and their origins or influences. “In doing so, I try to expose the system of dominance and reliance during the time of European colonialism. At the same time, I explore the importance given to some art works over others,” he stated.

The images trace the history of foreign rule that marks this region. The images are carefully selected to pose questions and highlight relationships between colonialism and neo-colonialism that defines the contemporary moment.

The show will continue till December 31.

Meanwhile, the Nukta Art Studios will hold an exhibition and award ceremony of all Pakistan Art Competition on December 25.

The event will be organised under the theme of “Vision of Jinnah”.

Man assaults 12-year-old niece islAmABAD: A man allegedly assaulted his 12year-old niece here in the Dokh Kashmirian area on Friday. The sordid incident was reported in the Tarnol police precincts.

Local police, quoting the mother of the victim, said the accused, Rafiqu Rehman, allegedly raped Safia Bibi, who along with her mother was staying at Rehman’s home.

Police said Jamsheda Bibi and her daughter were visiting the accused and had arrived at his place two days ago. On Friday, police said, the accused allegedly committed the rape when Jamsheda Bibi had gone out for some shopping. StAFF REPORt

difficult to work on gender-based issues due to cultural and social taboos, while the importance of the subject was not appreciated by media organisations in particular and the society in general.

The participant were of the view that the problem of gender inequity existed mostly in rural areas rather than in urban centres and asked the NGOs focus on less developed regions.

Individualland, with the partnership of Aurat Publication and Information Service Foundation under the USAID supported Gender Equity Programme (GEP) in collaboration with the Asia Foundation, has initiated a project to sensitize the media personnel belonging to print and electronic media, regarding gender equality. The project will encompass interviews and surveys, trainings and focus group discussions of media personnel. It is envisioned that, the media will act as a tool for public outreach, to positively change the perception of the society, on gender equity and women empowerment.

US seconds increased trade with Pakistan ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

Featuring two prominent PakistaniAmerican businessmen, the United States (US) embassy organised a roundtable for local entrepreneurs and business students on Friday.

The forum “Building Bridges through Business” promoted ideas to increase Pakistan’s economic development and move the US-Pakistani relationship from aid to trade. Entrepreneurship, with its focus on boosting job creation, is an effective way to improve economic growth and business connections between Pakistanis and Americans.

US Embassy Mission Director of Communications Thomas Miller noted that his country promoted increased trade to help Pakistan meet its economic and social development needs, a mutual interest of the bi-national relationship.

Prominent Pakistani-American businessmen Awais Khan and Shahid Ahmed Khan shared their insights with local entrepreneurs on the occasion.

Currently, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) supports several projects helping Pakistanis meet their economic needs. One such project helps small and medium-sized business owners in Punjab, Sindh, FATA, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan build their businesses and create jobs in the community.

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08 Islamabad

No regulation for driving schools

WEATHER UPDATES

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ASMA KUNDI

N the absence of a regulatory body, a large number of private driving schools are flourishing with a sole purpose of minting money in every nook and corner of Islamabad, leaving the people unsatisfied.

There is no law for the estimated 50 private driving schools in the city, thus they are free to make money. Students also often complain that the trainers are not qualified enough and charge extremely high fee for the courses. The fee normally ranges from Rs 2500 for a 15-day course and can go up to Rs10, 000 for a month. This excludes the extra fee for teaching traffic rules and road signs. Ahmed Murtaza, a student of a driving school at G-9 Markaz, while sharing his experience told Pakistan Today that his experience had not been useful. He enrolled himself twice, but only became proficient after practicing on his own car.

“These driving schools have no standards.

Their only interest is making money.”

He said, “They only provide you the driving seat for 15 minutes with dual control and do not allow the student to practically control the car and learn driving.”

“They should firstly teach the driving techniques in open grounds and give the aspirant drivers full control of vehicle to make them confident enough about driving,” he explained.

A female driving instructor, on request of the anonymity, while talking to Pakistan Today said, “Even though I am a driving instructor but honestly speaking there is no scope of learning for the students as we keep the full control of vehicle with dual control.”

She claimed that it was just another business as she had not find any student satisfied while leaving the school and many girls extended their stay with a hope that perhaps they would learn

driving.

Tahira Abid, 23, a student at a private school, was of the opinion that she had not been taught any theory. “I am into my 12th day and have still not acquired the confidence to drive on busy roads,” she said.

She added that the instructor carried three to four students in the vehicle in a single go, which wasted the time of other students as they provided only 15 minutes for driving, but consumed around one hour.

“The presence of other girls, who remain busy in gossips, make it difficult to concentrate on driving. It was much more hard for me as I am a shy person and do not feel comfortable in

aJK best in child protection, punjab way behind ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

A two-day consultation on “Adapting System Approach to Child Protection in Pakistan” concluded with a consensus between the provinces to share the modules and Standards Operating Procedures (SOP) in order to get benefit from the positive experiences of each other.

Organised by Child Rights Legal Centre (CRLC) in collaboration with Save the Children, the session noted an important fact that the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) apparently had a lead in child protection mechanism with its Child Welfare Department actively involving stakeholders in various projects.

Moreover, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government was also working on many projects for child protection. The representatives of KP government asked the AJK authorities to share their experiences so that they could also follow its footsteps.

One of the lamenting facts that came into limelight is that the Punjab government, who has taken the initiative of child protection a decade ago, is now lagging behind all the provinces.

Having a centralised system to provide child protection services was the another suggestion that managed to build the consensus. The participants of the consultation believed that instead of working in small segments that costs resources, it was better to have a central-

ized system which would also avoid duplication and would increase efficiency.

Addressing on the occasion, the chief of KPK Child Protection Unit (CPU), Ijaz Khan, said they had managed to introduce KPK Child Protection Act 2010 in which they tried to cover the children at risk.

“We have introduced CPU in provincial capital (Peshawar) in which these centres have been established in eight districts.”

While sharing the challenges in the implementation of law, he said there were many issues that were been related to PPC. “I think some of the issues should be dealt separately rather they require a separate legislation,” he added.

AJK Social Welfare Secretary Farhat Mir said there was no doubt about the fact that the issue of child protection was directly linked with law and judiciary but the responsibility of parents, guardians and society could not be ignored.

He said the situation in AJK was somewhat different from other provinces as majority of people were sensitised due to various factors, including the higher literacy rate.

Dr Naeem Zafar from Punjab said that the most devastating act was to hand over the Child Protection and Bureau to the Home Department. He stressed the need for a supervisory body to monitor the various projects on child protection and to play its effective role in activating the dead projects.

akcent live in islamabaD

such a mess. I informed my instructor about the problem, but she didn’t pay any attention,” she lamented.

On the other hand, the owner of a private driving school in F-10, denied the allegations and said they were following the proper procedures.

“It is impossible for us to ask them drive the vehicle on their own, as it is difficult for them to get full control in the beginning.”

He said due to the fuel prices and CNG shortage, it had become difficult for him to run the school and could not teach the student one by one; therefore, the students from same locality learnt at the same time.

HEC, USAiD fundraising event for varsities staff concludes ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

The Higher Education Commission (HEC), in collaboration with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), organized a workshop for fundraising and resource mobilisation for the staff of 11 public universities.

The closing ceremony of the three-day workshop, attended by 28 participants, was held here at the HEC Secretariat on Friday.

The workshop was designed to help universities strengthen their ability to sustain their operations and diversify income. The resource persons addressed the issues like optimization of human resources and economic difficulties and resource constraints for education.

The one-third of the total revenues of Pakistan’s public sector higher education institutions comes from nongovernment funds, such as tuition fees, college affiliation fees, exam fees or hostel charges. Only a small share of public university revenues is generated through contract research, commercial ventures, fundraising, endowments or other philanthropic sources.

Speaking to the participants, Dr. Riaz Hussain Qureshi, Adviser (Human Resource Development) HEC stressed that the involvement of local community is essential for generating scholarships for needy students.

The workshop was organised under the USAID-funded Merit and Needs based Scholarship Programme that funds scholarships for talented but needy students pursuing higher education at 11 Pakistani universities.

Through this programme, USAID has funded more than 1,800 scholarships for Pakistani students since 2004, thus helping to double the number of gifted but financially needy students studying at participating 11 institutions. The programme has also supported establishment of University advancement office at HEC.

an illustration of pakistan

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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, 24 December, 2011

MPs vow to support PM in dismantling ‘state within state’ ISLAMABAD ONLINE

Parliamentarians on Friday extended their support to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on his stance on dismantling what he called a “state within a state”, the Prime Minister’s office said.

They also agreed with Gilani’s stance that all institutions should perform their responsibilities in accordance with the constitution The parliamentarians stood firmly behind him for “safeguarding and promoting democracy which is the essence of the ideology of Pakistan”.

They also expressed satisfaction over the fact that all political leaders were pro-democracy and opposed any unconstitutional move.

MNA Sajjadul Hassan requested release of funds for the Interchange and Okara Bypass. Gilani approved the projects and said he would lay the foundation stone at his earliest convenience.

Fauzia Wahab, in the context of the current political situation, asserted that the prime minister’s speech in the National Assembly was an excellent exposition of the position of the state institutions and the government led by Gilani under the parliamentary system of democracy.

Chaudhry Saeed Iqbal said encroachers had occupied state land for several years. “It should be vacated by the Evacuee Property Trust Board and brought under public use,” he said.

Javed Iqbal Warriach requested for release funds for the Allama Iqbal University Campus in Rahim Yar Khan. Gilani accorded approval and asked the MNAs to complete the other projects in time.

News 09

Haqqani’s plight reflects decline of US-Pakistan ties g

Philadelphia inquirer report says Haqqani not a traitor, ‘he understood the need to prevent a US rupture with Pakistan’

T

MONItORINg DESK

HE scary decline of relations between the United States and Pakistan is illustrated by the perilous plight of one man, a report in the Philadelphia Inquirer states.

Husain Haqqani was, until recently, the savvy and energetic Pakistani ambassador to Washington, dubbed by Bloomberg “the hardest working man in DC”. His job was thankless: trying to maintain ties between two countries that deeply distrust each other. According to the paper, the military disliked Haqqani because of his long-standing opposition to its ties with Islamist groups. (He wrote the best book on the subject.) He was also regarded as too “proAmerican”. But the generals apparently recognised that only someone like Haqqani could ease tensions with Washington and keep the US aid flowing.

So they let him keep working to prevent US-Pakistani ties from breaking. Until now.

Haqqani has resigned and returned home. He’s accused by the military and the media – no formal charges – of drafting an unsigned memo asking Washington in May to help block a military coup in Pakistan. In return, the government supposedly would

have cracked down on its military and the ISI. Haqqani is forbidden to leave the country, and could be charged with treason. But the “Memogate” affair is so bizarre, one has to ask whether it’s merely a pretext for the military to unseat the government and rupture ties with the US. The more details that emerge about this alleged scandal, the more fishy it looks. A Pakistani American businessman named Mansoor Ijaz passed the memo to President Obama’s former national security adviser, Jim Jones, in May 2011, Jones gave it to Adm Mike Mullen, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Ijaz ignited the firestorm by writing about the memo in the Financial Times in October. He says he was following Haqqani’s instructions to convey a message from President Asif Ali Zardari, he claims he has text messages that back up his story.

But the tale is full of holes.

Haqqani denies he had anything to do with the memo. Jones denies Ijaz ever mentioned Haqqani. And Mullen says he paid the unsigned document no attention. But even putting all that aside, the story makes no sense.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer report, for one thing, Zardari had tried once before and failed miserably to gain control

of the ISI, neither he nor Haqqani would have been likely to court another failure.

Moreover, the memo was passed just after the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden, which left the military weakened and unlikely to make a coup.

Most telling, the well-connected Haqqani had no need to use an unreliable cutout to deliver messages. Which brings us to the central weakness of the story: the credibility of Mansoor Ijaz.

Ijaz, who once managed an investment

Nawaz, Saifullah demand snap polls ISLAMABAD ONLINE

Railways’ disconnected numbers not of PTCl ISLAMABAD PRESS RELEASE

The Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has rejected a report with regards to suspension of outgoing telephone facilities to Pakistan Railways Headquarters and Punjab division offices owing to nonpayment of dues.

In a statement issued here today, PTCL authorities said that Pakistan Railways’ disconnected numbers are not PTCL numbers. In fact, these numbers belong to and are charged by a different telecom corporation, which only uses PTCL infrastructure to provide its services.

firm, had cultivated well-placed political friends in both parties. He seems like a clone of Walter Mitty, the Thurber character who had heroic daydreams and tried to convince others they were true.

This month Ijaz claimed, in a Newsweek interview, that the United States told Haqqani and Zardari in advance about the raid on bin Laden. Given the intense secrecy in which this raid was held, such a claim is ludicrous. It undercuts everything else Ijaz has said.

Yet the military and intelligence leaders are fanning the Memogate furor, which further inflames anti-Americanism in their country. They seem unaware that their hot pursuit of Haqqani (and Zardari) is likely to boomerang against their own interests, and their country’s interests as well.

Pakistan needs to maintain its ties with the United States, no matter how fragile. If they break, Pakistan loses military aid that won’t be replaced by China. Without strategic cooperation between the two countries, neighbouring Afghanistan will collapse into chaos after US troops leave, a chaos that will blow back into Pakistan.

Haqqani was no traitor, he understood the need to prevent a US rupture with Pakistan. His forced resignation could bring that rupture closer, the report says.

ISLAMABAD: Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi called on President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday. INp

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) chief Nawaz Sharif and PML Likeminded President Senator Salim Saifullah on Friday demanded the government announce general election after senate election under an impartial caretaker set up.

A PML Likeminded statement said the two leaders believed that the rulers had brought the country on the verge of disaster and if they continued to be in power, they would throw the country into a quagmire.

Both the leaders discussed in detail the alliance of various factions of the PML and hoped that very soon the PML-N, PML LM and PML-F would make an alliance and fight election from a single platform.

They also discussed the country’s political situation and expressed support for democracy. They were of the view that the rulers were not innocent, and if they were, they should announce election to know their acceptance among the public. Saifullah urged the rulers to quit the government as they were not capable to run it further.

after Sharifs, Gilani too falls to ‘Imranophobia’ ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

Following PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, it seems Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has also been caught up with “Imranophobia”, as the chief executive of the country has been hurling indirect criticism against the Imran-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) during the past fortnight.

During an interaction with a select group of reporters on Saturday, the prime minister had made indirect attacks on the PTI, which is fast emerging as a political force to be reckoned with as influential “electables” are joining Imran’s bandwagon.

Surprisingly, the PM for the first time hit out at Imran Khan’s party, terming it an “old wine in a new bottle”, claiming the politicians joining Khan “were rejected by the people” and had been “associates of dictators”.

Gilani has time and again said that the PML-N leadership was afraid of the rising popularity of Imran Khan during the months of September, October and November. However, soon after the joining of former PPP leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the PPP leadership realised that Imran was not only a blow to the PML-N, but to the PPP also.

Political analyst Hassan Askari Rizvi said Gilani perhaps was perturbed about the PTI due to two major factors - the foothold of PTI in south Punjab and the impression of Imran’s support by the establishment.

“Though there is no circumstantial evidence about the support of establish-

ment to Imran, such rumors might have been created to keep pressure on the government regarding the memo controversy,” Rizvi said.

He said Gilani’s tirade against Imran was also an expression of solidarity with PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, as many rebel Q leaguers have joined ranks with the PTI. Moreover, what the prime minister forgot to tell the media was that those joining Khan were not the major supporters and comrades of dictator Pervez Musharraf and rather they were actually sitting along the prime minister, including senior minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, who had claimed publicly in year 2007 to “get elected General Musharraf in uniform even ten times”.

During his one-and-a-half hour long interaction with the media, the PM, visibly perturbed with the popularity of Imran Khan, tacitly criticised the PTI.

“Those talking about bringing a change are actually old wine in a new bottle. Opportunists are joining a new party.

But let me tell you that in next elections, no party would have an absolute majority and situation would remain the same as it persists today. Those who are calling each other thieves would have to form a coalition government after next elections with the very people. Such people should realise this fact,” the prime minister had said.

During the interaction, the reporters got a clue of the worries of the chief executive about the rising popularity of Khan’s party. When a journalist asked the prime minister about his comments over an incident in which an ISI officer had allegedly contacted a minister of state and asked him to join the PTI, Gilani said he had no knowledge about such an incident.

He said change would be possible

through a sustainable political process and continuity of elections. “Whatever big public meeting he (Imran Khan) holds in Karachi, I challenge you that his party can’t win even a single provincial assembly seat from the city,” he claimed.

Coining a new phrase for caretaker setup, chair-takers, Gilani said, “These people to which I call chair-takers can’t bring change overnight. Today those joining a specific party had also joined Musharraf. We resisted such temptations and did not seek plea-bargains and rather fought against the dictator. We are committed with an ideology. The PPP is a federal party. Those joining the new party are mostly people rejected by the masses,” he said, but forgot to note that at least three sitting MNAs and two senators had joined the PTI, besides some provincial ministers, while many ministers are in close contact with PTI chief and would join him soon.

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10 News

Saturday, 24 December, 2011

yousaf Gilani a ‘remote-controlled’ PM: Sheikh Rashid

gUJRANWALA StAFF REPORt

Calling Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani a “remote-controlled prime minister”, Awami Muslim League (AML) President Sheikh Rashid Ahmad on Friday said Pakistan had never experienced such a corrupt and neglected chief executive.

Addressing party workers at the inaugural of AML office here, the former minister said that Gilani had tried to provoke the military in his recent gathering in Karachi, but Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani responded in the best possible way.

The AML chief said the prime minister was trying to provoke the army so that it could go back to the people as a “martyr of democracy”. He added that after the army chief’s statement that there would be no coup, the government would have to face a totally different scenario. He said the Supreme Court was hearing cases on Rental Power Projects, Railways, Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC), Haj scam, and several other acts of corruption done during the four years of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government. He hoped that the judgement on these cases would expose the real face of the “corrupt government”.

PM’s adviser takes notice of reported threats to Asma, Haqqani PRESS RELEASE Advisor to the Prime Minister on Human Rights Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar has taken serious notice of a news item appearing in “Dateline Islamabad” on Friday captioned “Asma, Haqqani threatened”, wherein Asma has been quoted that she was being threatened along with her client Hussain Haqqani.

According to a press release issued on Friday, the advisor took a serious notice of the report and asked the interior minister, the Punjab chief minister, and police chiefs of Punjab and Islamabad to thoroughly investigate the matter in order to provide foolproof security to Asma and the former diplomat.

PESHAWAR: Students look at research poster seminar at the University of Peshawar on Friday. STaff phoTo

‘People looking towards army, judiciary for relief’ SWAt

P

HAROON SIRAJ

AKISTAN Muslim League-Quaid Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Amir Muqam on Friday said the people of the country would not have been looking towards the army or judiciary for relief had those in the government realised their responsibilities earlier.

“If the country’s president visits America to sell out his integrity by letting them attack his state’s sovereignty…” it was only logical that the country was passing through such a critical stage, he said.

“Had they honestly ruled, the people of Pakistan would have supported President Asif Ali Zardari and his Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, but they have failed to provide relief to the already stressed masses and jobless citizens, who were running after basic ne-

cessities of life,” Muqam said while addressing a massive public gathering in Besh Bund area of Swat.

He said the incumbent government had broke all previous records of cor-

ruption and the rulers were still busy looting the national exchequer by planning embezzlements in every government institution without showing mercy to the people, who were already facing a number of hardships.

“I am worried about the poor masses, how will they manage to spend their life in Pakistan if this government prevails?” he said. Muqam said a majority of people was moving from Pakistan to other countries and many were planning to settle in foreign countries because they have been exhausted by the conditions in the country.

He criticised the ANP’s government for spending public funds for their political campaigns.

“The ANP government is making a fool out of the people of Malakand division who have been deprived of their rights. The provincial government had destroyed all institutions and embezzled a major portion of public funds,” Muqam added.

Reports of would-be suicide bomber panic people in Swat SWAt HAROON SIRAJ

The people of Charbagh tehsil of Swat were forced to say weekly Friday congregational prayers inside their homes following the breaking out of news that a suicide bomber had entered the area and could target any local mosque during Friday prayers. The locals received information from intelligence agencies that a suicide bomber had entered the area or was planning to do so, forcing scores of peoples to say Friday prayers at home. Organisers of a rally to be addressed by PML-Q KP President Amir Muqam also abandoned work and vacated the area after the news and Muqam had to postpone the gathering after receiving information about the suicide bomber.

Security forces also closed road for all kinds of traffic for some time, but later reopened them for traffic. The forces and police also cordoned off the area and launched a search operation, however, they found no suspect. A senior police officer told Pakistan Today that the “presence of the would-be suicide bomber was yet to be established”.

Top Chinese diplomat on pakistan visit Malik asks NADRA to BEIJINg REUtERS

China’s senior diplomat Dai Bingguo arrived in Pakistan on Friday for talks with the country whose relations with key backer, the US, have gone from bad to worse, state news agency Xinhua said.

Dai will meet Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a daily briefing.

Dai is a state councillor who steers foreign policy for China’s top leaders. He outranks Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, who answers to Dai. The visit is meant to mark 60 years of diplomatic ties and will “take relations to a new high”, Liu said.

Both sides will use this visit to “discuss the future development of practical cooperation and exchange views on other issues of mutual concern”, Liu said, without elaborating.

“China is satisfied with the present course of bilateral relations and has total confidence in prospects for future cooperation the future,” Liu added.

Liu did not give other details on Dai’s trip.

Beijing has voiced support for Islamabad during months of worsening Pakistani-American relations, which were shaken by the US incursion in May that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden near a Pakistani military base, and a cross-border attack by US forces that mistakenly killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last month.

Pakistan has been trying to move closer to Asian powerhouse China as ties with the United States have suffered.

China and Pakistan call each other “all-weather friends” and their close ties have been underpinned by long-standing wariness of their common neighbour, India, and a desire to counter-balance US influence across the region.

China invested more than $200 million to help build the deep-sea Gwadar port on Pakistan’s Arabian Sea coast, partly with a view to opening an energy and trade corridor from the Gulf, across Pakistan to western China.

China also helped Pakistan build its main nuclear power generation facility at Chashma in Punjab. Two reactors are in operation and two more are planned.

fire its corrupt officials islAmABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Friday asked the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to identify and expose corrupt officials within its ranks in order to rid the organisation of corruption. Chairing a high-level meeting at his office, the interior minister told the NADRA chairman to review the authority’s work procedures, and point out the grey areas being exploited by criminals. The meeting was attended by the federal Interior secretary, NADRA chairman and deputy chairman in addition to several other senior officers of the ministry and NADRA. The interior minister also reviewed the ongoing process of registration of voters. He praised NADRA for issuing 89 million computerised national identity cards and registering 95 percent of the adult population. He further directed the NADRA chairman to ensure that the remaining five percent were registered before the 2013 election. He told the NADRA chief to fully assist the Election Commission of Pakistan in completing the voter list under the Supreme Court’s orders. StAFF REPORt

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Saturday, 24 December, 2011

Editor’s mail 11 Dear Mr imran Khan

More about power, less about education For all intents and purposes, the devolution of the Federal Ministry of Education is being regarded as an attempt to merely insert the word 'education' on papers in the provinces. Skepticism still abounds on the devolution process with the centre being criticised for its reluctance to cede control.

Meanwhile, independent experts opine if the process is not smoothened out, the quality of education will tumble tremendously and will also affect commitments made with international donor agencies. Technically, the 18th Amendment did not require a complete abolition of the Federal Ministry of Education.

It simply stopped the federal government from undertaking any legislation relating to education. The Ministry of Education could have been retained as a platform for the provinces to share views and voluntarily harmonise their policies, and this would not have been against the spirit of 18th Amendment.

In fact, even now, the provinces have not been given control of the federal min-

istries' various departments and sections.

They have only been given powers to deal with the educational matters of kindergarten to grade 12.

Provinces would have to start from the scratch. For development of strong educational mechanisms for the provision of basic education at the elementary level, provinces have to rebuild everything from policy level to human resources and institutions. On the other hand, future of the employees of Federal Ministry of Education is unsure at best.

One province may decide to review and raise the level of its standards or modernise its curricula. On the same pattern, another province may follow a more liberal policy and may either simplify its curricula or may decide to keep them static. This may result in variations among the terminal competencies of matriculates from different provinces, and widening of development gaps between different areas.

Since there will be no uniform curriculum in the country, the provinces are

likely to go for their own independent curricula thus creating a hotchpotch affecting the quality of education as well as uniformity in the subjects. This will raise complications relating to equivalence.

Many officials are worried about coordination of education departments with the international bodies. A UN official said that achievement of Millennium Development Goals and Education For All have received constitutional support through the newly-inserted Article 2S-A (Right to Free Education), but if there is no monitoring mechanisms in place, progress towards these targets would be affected because of the devolution.

Who will take care of the international commitments like MDGs and EFA since federal government would need quantitative data and qualitative information on various indicators and issues for preparation and presentation of reports? The federal government was supposed to annually provide educational data to international organisations which is then used for Human Development

Index and for other global instruments.

However, no agency was given the task to compile and provide this data to international organisations.

The donor coordination, specifically with respect to United Nations agencies working in education sector, has already been affected since it has to approach every province separately now. The provinces may not spend more on education during their annual budget allocations thus leaving the subject on the backburner and ultimately affecting the educational system of the country.

What role can the federal government play after the 18th Amendment?

Which organ of the state will monitor the provision of this constitutional right to all children of age 5 to 16 in Pakistan?

It's these issues that should be sorted out before the devolution progresses further as there is more at stake than a mere ministry or department – it's the future of millions of children across Pakistan.

ZAINAB JAVED BUTT Lahore

Privatise Wapda Since 2008, Wapda has continuously under-performed. In the past three years, they have not been able to supply us electricity 24/7. With loadshedding of more then 12 hours and Wapda screaming about shortage of production capacity, we only find out in 2011 that the shortage of production capacity was created by Wapda, when they failed to pay relevant dues for fuel imports. With hundreds of cases of corruption, mismanagement and just plain laziness of Wapda employees, the government has finally decided to privatise the whole department.

I request the federal government and the politicians not to give in to Wapda employees’ pressure. They should privatise the organisation within six months.

To make matters simple, Wapda should only be involved in licensing and with maintenance of the national grid. Private companies should be allowed to produce and sell electricity through the Wapda grid and Wapda, for which Wapda will get a fixed monthly rental payment.

Countries like Canada and UK have adopted similar technique and this has created a competition among various energy providers, helping the consumer get the lowest competitive price for their electricity.

At least it would stop the unprecedented, unethical and immoral monthly price increases of Wapda and Nepra.

AZKA JUNAID Lahore

Despite hurdles Fighting a disease and yet performing at the best possible level is really something only champions can do.

Though suffering from a rare disease ‘Duchene Muscular Dystrophy’, my son Ali Bashir has maintained excellent record throughout his school and college life. He has written papers, done research work and won acclaim in debates and seminars. He is an honours student in an American university now.

I want to take an opportunity and congratulate him that he despite his hardships, he has never let us down; rather, he has made us all Pakistanis proud with his achievements.

JAVAID BASHIR Lahore

Dual nationality bar The Election Commission has banned the dual nationality holders from contesting elections. This is a good decision, but more is needed in this regard.

The ECP must scrutinise the assets and income of politicians. Those politicians that are involved in corruption or criminal activities should be banned for life.

Parliamentarians should assist the ECP in this regard. There should also be a bar on the politicians doing politics from abroad. Those politicians, who change the party for personal gains, should also be banned because these politicians are maligning the image of the country. The ECP should make necessary changes in election procedure with the help of parliamentarians and judiciary.

TARIQ HUSAIN KHAN Karachi

I was at Minar-e-Pakistan on 30 October with a bunch of my lady friends, none of whom had ever dreamt of attending a jalsa without a chaperon in Pakistan. My husband went with his friends, and we actually left a will behind as our four-year-old was being watched over by my parents.

Words cannot describe what we experienced at the jalsa. I speak for all of us when I say that we witnessed history and felt a new-found hope rising in a nation that we thought had given up.

However, the real test of PTI’s credibility started post-30 October. PTI stands for the ideology of freedom of expression, justice and rejecting status quo.

I am taking this opportunity of using the first one here to talk about the other two.

The ideology can come true with fresh faces, not the old tried and tested ones.

Yes, PTI needs polished politicians to understand and help with the political scenario, especially the rural areas. No one can be stopped from joining a political party. But their overnight switch in ideology from another one to yours should not be rewarded with positions of top rank.

They do not represent the true spirit of PTI. The old PTI patriots, who have faced the music and ridicule but stood fast; those who have given their heart and soul in bringing PTI where it is today, represent the true spirit. The new members need to first prove themselves and earn that position.

Sir, I don’t see Bilawal Bhutto or the Gillanis in the PM House bringing a change in Pakistan. I don’t see the Sharifs managing to change anything while pulling the strings from their mansion. I don’t see Altaf Hussain bringing a change over a telephone call. But I do see the hopeful common man, the passionate youth, the true Pakistan we saw at Minar-e-Pakistan, bringing a real change from your platform. If the PTI is not capable of considering and revising a decision that is causing unrest and anxiety among its loyalists, I fear the ideology of justice, freedom of expression and rejecting status quo may lose its true essence sooner than the critics have forecasted.

MAIRA OMAIR RANA Lahore

ban on porn websites

growing resentment among the public on this issue. Such a move on part of the government creates a paradox that while on one side the public is being asked to cut down their budgets, save energy and other resources, the country’s money on the other hand is being spent lavishly on the decorum and maintenance of places that are under the personal use of high government officials.

Perhaps yes, it might be important to maintain the outlook of certain arenas up to the international standards, but isn’t it the roots of the country we need to focus on first? In a state like Pakistan, torn by

an economic crisis, suffering from natural calamities, victimised by terrorism and marked by poor infrastructure and educational standards, there is a dire need on part of the authorities to set their priorities right.

For a huge proportion of our population, whose entire day’s efforts circle around the acquisition of a decent ‘onetime’s meal’, what benefit can a kitchen renovation project offer to them, even if it acquires the capacity of serving 600 VIPs at a time?

WAJIEHA WAHEED LUMS, Lahore

It is good to know that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has taken an action to curb immoral material on the internet because now our youth and kids could be saved to visit such websites that are harmful for them.

Parents are very much conscious of allowing their kids to use the internet for long hours despite the fact that it is vital due to its beneficial aspects. However, it has disadvantages as well.

But as it is witnessed traditionally, rules and regulations are not followed in our country. There are many ISPs who are still providing access to websites which should have been banned after issuance of such an order. Surprisingly, PTCL has not blocked websites on its internet service as it was confirmed by media reports as well which is a condemnable act.

I request the PTA to enforce ban on all websites having indecent content forever and check all internet service providers for strict censorship on their networks.

AMNA KHAN Lahore

social customs, traditions, moral degradation etc.

Women are mostly suffering from economic vulnerability. Economic dependence at times puts many a female fall an easy prey to malicious traps set by criminal agents. Domestic oppression is the most common form of injustice against the female gender. A female may be denied the right to get due education or the right to marry a suitable partner according to her liking. Similarly, work pressures, oppressive demands upon a female to perform well in every corner of life can also be put in the category of violence against her.

Honour killing is another of the primary forms of violence existent in our society against our womenfolk. Though primarily prevalent in urban masses, this form of oppression previously went un-

noticed. Illiteracy, gender discrimination, religious alienation, stagnant and stale moral values are some of the triggering factors behind this atrocious practice.

Flesh trade is another example of an equally oppressive and shameful practice against women. It exists and flourishes in our society. Many criminal agents with mercenary and untamed sensual motives abuse the fairer gender through this dirty practice.

Marriage issues make up another variety of an oppressive channel against women. Despite social advancements and progress, a woman faces much acridity once she stands for any issue regarding her marriage right or any separation issue.

Khula, property issues, child claim rights and many others lead many a woman to suffer even after being hurt

emotionally as well as mentally. When the religious doctrines secure a female’s right to make her decisions regarding her future life, then why should cruel social practices plague her happiness?

The need of the hour is to strengthen religious moral frameworks of our society. In this way, we will not only protect the females but our future generations will also be able to breathe freely and exuberantly in a more comfortable relaxed atmosphere. No form of violence can be justified against her outside any religious or legal framework. Her tenderness if employed correctly can provide nourishing benefit, not only to one individual but to the whole society. For, this is her innate nature to groom and nurture the other beings.

NOOR-UL-AIN Kinniard College, Lahore

2012 BC No gas, no electricity. It seems Pakistan is on the path of regression instead of progress. One of the biggest issues of our governance is that adhoc and short-term measures are preferred instead of long-term measures. Take the gas load for instance. The conversion of vehicles was touted much by the previous governments without paying any heed to what would happen a few years down the line. Similarly, the load shedding

Renovating a kitchen The project for the renovation of the presidency kitchen is likely to get approved with the allocation of 260 million rupees as proposed by the Capital Development Authority. The very proposition of such a plan is striking in itself given the high amount of budget that is expected to be allocated for this project and the likelihood of its acceptance despite the already high expenses of the Aiwane-Sadar.

Moreover, as portrayed on television and forums on net, there has been a

crisis is also being managed on an adhoc basis. When the people rioted, funds were released on an emergency basis but we’re back to square one now that those funds have been used up. If we do not fix the structural problems that beget these crises, then we’ll surely be sending ourselves back to the stone ages.

ADIL HASEEB Lahore

The second sex “Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety”.

Many centuries back, William Shakespeare paid a rich and an equally honest tribute to the fairer creature of our Lord i.e., the woman. In the same vein, this praise holds true not only for present times but for all times to come.

Violence is perhaps the most shameful and appalling human rights violation and it is perhaps the most pervasive. It knows no boundaries of geography, culture or wealth. Sadly enough, though, this fair creature suffers much despite her tenderness.

She is made a victim of oppression, torture and injustice. The principles of morality and ethics have not been adopted in order to protect women in our society. Consequently, women undergo inhumane treatment due to prevalent ill

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 A flurry of denials but how to make that smell go away?

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onventional wisdom says that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, talks like a duck, one should go out on a limb and call it a duck. But we could hold out passing a judgment on the story that Reuters filed the other day about the military wanting the president out of the current dispensation, though without a coup.

Immensely respected a news agency it might be, one not known to be lax with journalistic standards and protocols, it is still not above making a mistake or even having malafide intent. If the army denies it, who is to arbitrate on the matter?

The veracity of the story notwithstanding, it does represent the deep rooted malaise present in the republic at the moment. And the whole thing does sound familiar (the slew of “minus one” conjectures from 2008, anyone?)

The news item speaks of a “legal” way to oust the president. That would be a bit of a problem. Because even if they manage to stick something on to the president, there is the issue of his immunity, a bulwark that will come in handy even in case of an unsavoury verdict in the memo case. The only legal way of removal would be impeachment. That is not going to happen. True, the ruling coalition (specially the PML-Q and the MQM) are a jagged alliance, but the PPP legislators are more than one-third of the parliament even without the steadfast ANP. The statements from both the military and judicial top slots rubbishing talk of a coup were in response to the premier’s uncharacteristically unrestrained outbursts from the day before. Both the institutions seem to have been caught off-guard by the nature of the language used.

It is unlikely the aforementioned responses are going to put anyone at ease in the government. Because they deny possibilities of coups and military rule. What are allegedly being contemplated here are not the gardenvariety martial laws of yore but neither-fish-nor-fowl mutant models of government. A consensus government (an oxymoron if there ever was one) has always been a penchant of many. Many within the government fear that the powers that be are infatuated enough with the idea to take a crack at it.

The enquiry report Sharing blame?

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he Pentagon enquiry into the deadly Nato strike on Salala military posts inside Mohmand Agency last month has been finalised. The tragic incident which led to the killing of 24 Pakistani troops naturally caused a strong reaction in Pakistan. The government banned trucks carrying vital supplies for Nato forces fighting in Afghanistan. The US was told to vacate the Shamsi Airbase from where the US had operated its drones. Upping the ante subsequently, Pakistan army bolstered its air defenses along its Afghan border, including deploying shoulder-to-air missiles. Gen Kayani told commanders along the border that they could return fire without awaiting permission from central command, as had been the case in the past.

The Pentagon report has concluded that mistakes by both American and Pakistani forces had led to the airstrikes. While acknowledging for the first time some American responsibility for the clash, the report maintains that the air-strikes were conducted in selfdefense. According to the findings, Pakistani soldiers were the first to open fire on a joint team of Afghan and American special operations forces operating along the frontier between Afghanistan and Pakistan. As opposed to the position taken by Pakistan’s DGMO that the attack was a pre-planned conspiracy, the report maintains that there was “no intentional effort to target persons or places known to be part of the Pakistani military.”

A statement by the ISPR has however rejected the conclusions of the investigation for “being short on facts.”

As Pakistan had declined to be associated with the probe, some of the vital facts might have escaped notice of the Pentagon team. With the American side not totally exonerating itself, the possibility of reconciling the positions taken by the two armies cannot altogether be ruled out. There is need on both sides to resolve the issue.

With a virtual end to the exchange of information between the two sides, militants are having a field day as the Friday TTP attack on a paramilitary fort in Tank, killing a soldier and kidnappings 15 others amply indicates.

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, 24 December, 2011

Take-no-dictation moment?

Now, eyeball to eyeball

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By Arif Nizami

rime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani – usually soft spoken and compromise-seeking – thunderously declaring “there can be no state within a state” has raised alarm bells. Has the military and the civilian setup reached a point of no compromise? An elected prime minister having the audacity of telling an increasingly obtrusive military and the ISI leadership to fall in line has few precedents in our chequered political history.

Has the ‘take no dictation’ moment arrived for Gilani as it did for Nawaz Sharif who took on a meddlesome President Ghulam Ishaq Khan in April 1993 by taking the nation on board in a hard hitting nationally televised speech? Sharif was dismissed the same evening by a president armed with Article 58-2(b) of the Constitution.

Not quite the same thing is bound to happen now. At that time, the military establishment and the president, both tired of Sharif’s shenanigans, were on the same page. Quite the opposite situation now. This time around, contrary to speculations, the president and the prime minister are on the same page regarding the military.

The minus one formula that was being touted in some circles is not going to work. If the war gamers are hoping that the Supreme Court will wash their dirty linen by moving against Zardari and paving the way for his dismissal, it is not going to easily happen.

The PPP, after kowtowing to the military establishment to the point of being accused of obsequiousness, has decided to fight back politically. Babar Awan’s (the official court jester) fulminations against the apex court are part of a bigger game plan. The situation will be clearer on Tuesday when President Zardari is expected to go public at late Benazir Bhutto’s fourth death anniversary at Naudero.

There is no easy way of ousting Zardari and Gilani and keeping the constitution intact. In the good old days, all army chief General Waheed Kakar had to do was

to call on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif giving him a polite ultimatum to resign and advising the president to do the same. The matter was resolved within forty eight hours. Both the president and the prime minister sent packing, a new caretaker government under a US citizen was formed and engineered elections heavily loaded against Sharif were held.

Things are no longer that simple. At that time, politics was a zero-sum game with the opposition willing to get rid of the sitting government even if it meant sleeping with the enemy. No longer so.

Zardari is defiant and not quite ready to throw in the towel and go home. He will play the Sindh card if he is forced to. As for Sharif, he does not trust the military, nor is he their favourite horse, as he was once upon a time.

The question which begs an answer however is why did Sharif append his name to a petition in the Supreme Court which is being blatantly used as an instrument to nail the PPP government. Is it another example of the PML(N) supremo never thinking through the consequences of his actions? A PTI leader close to Imran unconvincingly claims that the petition had been lying with them a few days. After their refusal to file it, Nawaz was chosen for the job.

The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has announced his party’s support for Gilani in the parliament, declaring that the PML(N) would oppose any undemocratic move against the government or the parliament. Sharif will have to decide quickly where does he stand? Whether he is with the democratic forces or against them.

It is obvious that his political interests and that of the military establishment coincide where the Senate elections not being held on PPP’s watch is concerned. These elections, like in the past, have been made into an unnecessary watershed.

The PPP and its coalition partner’s majority in these elections is not assured. Even if it is able to eke out a majority, in this age of a fiercely independent superior judiciary and an intrusive media, the coalition government is in no position to bring about any unilateral change in the constitution.

PML(N) wants early elections before Imran Khan further erodes into its constituency. On the other hand, the PTI chief

thinks he is prime minister in waiting. He needs more time to get more electable candidates on board and elections under fresh electoral rolls to co-opt fresh voters.

It is axiomatic that the interest of the mainstream parties lies in maintaining the status quo. None of them would want the apple cart to be upset by an ISI engineered change directly or indirectly. This does not of course include the religious right recently re-launched by the establishment.

With the affidavits placed before the apex court by Generals Kayani and Pasha, it has become amply clear that the military and civilian leadership are not on the same page on the Memo issue. The DG ISI has denied having visited some Arab capitals to pave way for a coup against Zardari. The information is based on a BBM whose author is the same Mansoor Ijaz who claims that Haqqani dictated the memo to him on Zardari’s orders. It is being said that efforts are afoot to turn Haqqani into a Masood Mehmood but that is a far cry from reality.

The times are different now and Mr Haqqani is no Masood Mehmood.

Judging by his past record and purely on the basis of his credibility, Mansoor Ijaz’ claims are dubious to say the least. It is for the apex court to decide whether they can withstand legal scrutiny.

The Supreme Court has also to deal with the defence ministry’s written reply in the memo case in which it has stated that it has no operational control over the military or the ISI. As the ultimate interpreter of the constitution, the exalted judges should give a verdict: Who is supreme? The military or the civilian government and the parliament?

Under a democratic dispensation, the answer is (or should be) obvious. But ground realities in Pakistan are different where the military has perennially suffered from a messiah complex bordering on Bonapartism.

As is evident from Memogate, the malaise has become more acute. The memo case has opened a can of worms pitting the military and the civilian dispensation in an eyeball to eyeball confrontation. If not arrested, this will have unpredictable but definitely unfortunate consequences. Perhaps our honourable judges can play an honourable role, a clear break from the past!

The writer is Editor, Pakistan Today

whiteLIES T

by Ess Aich

he Imran Khan cum Khurshid Kasuri jalsa last week made it abundantly clear that while politicians rant about caretakers and takeovers, it is the chair takers that are grabbing the spotlight.

Last week Kasur, that home of Bulleh Shah proved to be home to some of the most skilled looters. This lot barely waited for Imran Khan and Kasuri to get out of the way before they unleashed a dangal of their own, the prize being the thousands of plastic chairs laid out for participants, all this caught on camera. If the embarrassed organisers are to be believed the whole episode was part of a charitable act where chairs were gifted away after the show but than comes the counter charge: it was a really a rent-a crowd, the rent being as many chairs as you can grab at the end of the jalsa.

Whatever the explanation, the jalsa may be a trend setter of sorts. In future, organisers will have to hand out little gift boxes and have thousands of security personnel to guard their equip-

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pparently, The Punjab Assembly has a major problem on its hand. It rarely has a quorum to pass legislation. The parliamentary secretary spends his life enticing people to come. The problem is they rarely listen to him. This time, by some

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ment and that is an added expense. Politics for the richer, no doubt about that.

miracle, there was a quorum for a space of two days.

The ruling party jumped on the opportunity and put up all the 21 bills it had on its agenda. 20 were passed at the speed of 10 a day like an assembly line. This we hear

t seems that impressed by the way her Filipino nanny managed to make her case against her and spurned by a young politician from the Raiwind clan, a lady called Ayesha Malik has taken things into her own hand.

She has opened an NGO for the protection of women’s rights and hired a journalist to make sure she and her cause get ample projection in the media.

Unfortunately, though, the first instalment of 15 lakh rupees has been paid, the lady has not become a star nor has any awareness programme been launched by the baby NGO. The lady we hear is now complaining incessantly that there is no work done by the hired hand. Well she can always fire the help but then remember the case of her Filipino nanny.

is a new record for this parliament or any other. Of course, the speed was such that it did not allow time for discussion. But, then, who cares? Except those who cry hoarse that the National Assembly has become irrelevant owing to non-performance.

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

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Saturday, 24 December, 2011

our political puppeteers they run the show still…

By Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

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hat the armed forces and the ISI constitute a state within a state is no secret. That they intend to remain so has also been made abundantly clear by them during the past four years. Unhappiness has been shown whenever the elected government has tried to assert itself even though half-heartedly and with no preparation. Gilani knew this very well when he occasionally mouthed phrases like ‘complete harmony’ existing between the civil government and the military or spoke about ‘all institutions of the state’ being ‘on the same page.’

These were hollow words meant only to keep up appearances and paper over the cracks.

These cracks have always existed. This time again, the army leadership is determined not to allow the civil government to make any inroads into the fairly expansive turf they have carved out for themselves on issues like Kashmir, nuclear weapons, Afghanistan, Balochistan and several other matters. Zardari’s desire expressed soon after the PPP victory in 2008 to resolve the issue of Kashmir after improving economic relations with India was strongly resented. So was the announcement to send the DG ISI to India after the Mumbai terror attack and the move to bring the ISI under the control of the interior ministry.

The clause in the Kerry Lugar Bill that required the government to bring the army under civilian control made the military high command furious.

The attempt by the government to probe the Abbottabad shame was considered an unpardonable act. A need was felt to create a ruse to get rid of the

meddlesome government.

This led to the creation of the memo affair which was blown out of proportion. There is hardly any military government in the past which has not conspired with the US to deprive Pakistanis of their basic rights. In return for US support, Ayub, Zia and Musharraf gave the superpower concessions with grave implications for national security. At times, civil governments were dismissed after an understanding with the US or at its instigation. Another civilian government is now being threatened on the basis of a claim by a foreign citizen who has frequently maligned the army and the ISI in the past.

It goes to the discredit of the PPP government that it never made any serious attempt during its tenure t to contain the army within its sphere. The best way was to concentrate on improving the economy and the wellbeing of the people. This would have created a groundswell of public goodwill for the government besides providing it sufficient prestige. This is how Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) consolidated the civilian hold in Turkey where there has been a long tradition of military rule.

The PPP instead relied on keeping in power through dependence on thoroughly unscrupulous allies like the MQM and PML(Q). This was bound to lead to bad governance and make the party unpopular. The PPP leadership evolved the idea of reconciliation with all political and non political forces on the basis of live and let live. In practice, this meant giving the allies a freedom to indulge in all sorts of illegalities provided they continued to support the government.

The army will not remove the government through a coup this time for a number of reasons: a backlash of hostile public opinion, the fear of the opposition joining hands with the PPP and rejection by the SC of any unconstitutional act.

The idea behind Memogate was to create a conducive atmosphere before administer-

ing the coup de grace. The memo affair is supposed to create hostile public opinion. It is like the artillery barrage softening the enemy’s position before the foot soldiers come in.

The PML(N) leadership was the first to take the bait.

While professing to be opposed to any military coup, the party is bent upon getting rid of the PPP government before the March Senate elections.

PML(N) leaders took the memo issue to the SC. The party is bound to find soon that it has been complicit in the overthrow of a civilian government.

The government need not fear the SC which despite the haste shown in launching an enquiry into the memo affair is bound by constitutional considerations. This shows why it has again reiterated its opposition to any military takeover.

There is no constitutional way to remove the PPP government other than a no confidence move in National Assembly. Whenever the offstage players feel they have done enough to kick up an anti-PPP sentiment, they will take recourse to the move.

They have enough levers to make many MQM and PML(Q) parliamentarians withdraw support from the government.

They are in no hurry.

The preparation of fresh ‘error free’ electoral rolls, their publication and other formalities will take four to five months. All that needs to be done meanwhile is to indulge in political engineering, a routine exercise for the ISI. Part of the exercise has already been undertaken as can be seen from the beeline made by Musharraf loyalists and scores of political castaways to the PTI. The elections will see a downfall of the PPP and a trouncing of the PML(N). Once Imran Khan comes riding the ‘popular wave’, the state within the state will again face a challenge from the newly elected leader. Whatever else Imran may be, he would be loath to be taken for granted.

The writer is a former academic and a political analyst.

Comment 13

State within a state With escape routes blocked, how comes the end?

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he prime minister’s outbursts of December 22 have dashed any prospects that may still have lingered with regard to the government and the military continuing to co-exist. There is little to say by way of blaming the military for pushing the confrontation to a breaking point. As we recede back to square one, the surprise is not that we are there after all. It is what took us so long.

I say this not because I happen to be one of the group of eternal cynics. On the contrary, I say this because, ever since its induction into power, the government and its cronies did just about everything to provoke intervention, whether from the judiciary or the military. The manner in which it has persistently and blatantly flouted the Supreme Court’s injunctions with regard to innumerable irregularities and misdemeanours of the gravest nature gave enough reason to the judiciary to invoke the extreme. Its intransigence in refusing to restore the apex judiciary in open violation of the public pronouncements of its leaders and the subsequent long-march literally offered the government on a platter to the military.

The systematic madness that has been on display in pushing all state institutions to the brink of destruction made a solid case for its ouster. Its presidentially-reprieved ministers and advisors continued to pour venom on the judges of the SC, but they somehow escaped contempt notices. The gross plunder that its functionaries have perpetrated, besides denuding the ruling political mafia of all legitimacy, raised serious doubts about the relevance and efficacy of the democratic system itself. The parliament was rendered completely irrelevant and the rule

By Raoof Hasan of law shred into bits.

The initial reverberations of discord were felt at the time of the appointment of Husain Haqqani to the coveted post of ambassador to the US. With a track record that smacked of a perceptible bias against the establishment, the rulers were rightly expected to have exercised restraint in nominating a controversial person. The bias became more pronounced during the formulation of the Kerry-Lugar Bill that contained clauses inimical to the way the military functioned in Pakistan. When a protest was registered by the concerned forces, a deceitful effort was unleashed to cloud the differences. The issuance of hundreds of unauthorised visas to the US functionaries became a serious bone of contention between the government and the security agencies. But the present collision course started taking shape in the wake of the US attack near Abbottabad. There were fears expressed that the president and some of his close associates were in the know of things. Under pressure because of the doubts expressed, the govern-

Candid Corner

ment plunged into a more-vociferous-than-usual support of the military and the security agencies. But the memo scam took the lid off the niceties that had hidden the government-military divide. While the military considers the memo a conspiracy against the security interests of the country and wants the SC to investigate it thoroughly, the government questions the very jurisdiction of the apex court in the matter and, instead, wants its hand-picked parliamentary commission to do the needful. The government tried vainly to force the military to change course. Its media barons even tried to give a convoluted twist to the PM-COAS meeting by projecting it as a tri-partite session including the president, but a one liner from the ISPR the next day belied that claim effectively.

There are other factors that need to be considered. Why was resignation from the former ambassador to the US secured when such has not been the practised tradition under the incumbent government? No one has ever resigned in the wake of scores of corruption scams unearthed over the last four years. Why Haqqani? Obviously, there was incriminating evidence. I also believe that the government could have lived with that by sacrificing a key member of its team, but fingers are pointed in the direction of the president and his close associates regarding their complicity in the matter. This is where the cookie began to crumble and the president took to falling sick – or, did he actually fall sick as he could not take the damning pressure? He did come back but, understandably, he is a defeated man seated uncomfortably in his corner waiting for the count. Will he have the mental and physical strength to stand up and fight?

The prime minister’s somersault is nothing more than a belated attempt to scare the perceived coup-makers away. Actually, no one is conspiring against the government. Its own deeds have become its worst adversaries. Whenever its corrupt functionaries have pushed it to the brink, it has cried foul raising the alarm bells that democracy was being assaulted. It survived only because the military was simply not interested in taking over. But, that does not mean that a government whose commitment to the country is seriously doubted should be allowed to continue without a transparent and exhaustive enquiry into the whole affair. That is where all the stakeholders including the leading political parties and the security establishment are agreed upon.

Why is the government dithering and trying to give it a twist as if democracy were under assault? Simply because it has been a party to the nefarious attempt to weaken the state and its principal security institutions as also because it wants to run a ‘state within a state’ that would be above and beyond the precincts of the rule of law and where its members would be immune from accountability!

In Faiz’s inimitable words: “Surely this caravan of pain / Will come to a stop / Somewhere, sometime”. (Translation: Khalid Hasan) 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, 24 December, 2011

Putin response to protests ‘shameful’, says Gorbachev MOSCOW AFP

The last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said Friday he was ashamed of Vladimir Putin and felt Dmitry Medvedev’s career was finished by his refusal to find fault with Russia’s fraud-tainted vote. Gorbachev’s rebuke came in an interview with the opposition Novaya Gazeta paper — which he part owns — on the eve of new protests over December 4 elections that the ruling party narrowly won despite dwindling support. “This is shameful. And embarrassing. I, for example, am ashamed,” Gorbachev said in reference to a television appearance last week in which Putin compared the white ribbons worn by Russian protesters to condoms. “I feel tied to Putin in the sense that at first, when he came to power, I actively supported him everywhere — both here and abroad. And now look.” Former KGB agent Putin and Medvedev — suspected of more liberal leanings when he replaced his mentor as president in 2008 — have both dismissed the fraud allegations and linked protests to shadowy funding from the West. The vote saw their ruling United Russia party narrowly retain its majority despite allegations of widespread voter irregularities in Moscow and ballot stuffing across other regions of Russia. The socalled “ruling tandem” intend to swap jobs after March presidential elections in arrangement where Medvedev is to become Putin’s prime minister. But Gorbachev said Medvedev had lost his credibility as a politician by refusing to question the election results. “He said that he had no complaints or doubts about the elections.

And with that, Dmitry Anatolyevich I think drew the curtain on his career,” the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize winner said.

Three aid workers shot dead in Somalia NAIROBI

JERUSALEM: Israelis rally in protest against gender discrimination towards women and the disappearance of women’s pictures in advertisements across Jerusalem’s public spaces on Friday. afp

More than 30 dead in Damascus suicide bombings

AFP

A gunman on Friday killed three aid workers including two World Food Programme employees in central Somalia, a WFP official said, the latest attack against humanitarian officials in the war-torn nation. “An individual opened fire killing outright one WFP staff member and a man working for a cooperating partner. A second WFP staff member was shot and later died as a result of his injuries,” WFP said in a statement. Local residents identified all three as Somalis. The attack took place near the settlement of Mataban, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the Ethiopian border in central Somalia’s Hiran region, a frontline area between hardline Shebab Islamists and rival militia. “The individual then gave himself up and is currently in the custody of the local authorities,” WFP said. WFP has temporarily suspended its operations in the area, where it has been working since 2009. The motive of the attack was not immediately clear, but the area is awash with rival militia groups and close to areas controlled by the Al-Qaeda linked Shebab.

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officials blame al Qaeda for attack on two security service bases DAMASCUS

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AFP

UICIDE bombers hit two security service bases in Damascus on Friday killing more than 30 people and casting a pall over the first day of work of an Arab observer mission intended to oversee an end to nine months of bloodshed.

The bombings, which officials blamed on Al-Qaeda, were the first attacks against Syria’s powerful security services in the heart of the capital since the uprising began and overshadowed new protests against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. One bomber tried to ram a vehicle packed with explosives into the compound of the General Security Directorate, Syria’s most important plainclothes security service, in the Kfar Suseh neighbourhood of Damascus, witnesses said.

A second blew up a vehicle outside a nearby military intelligence building.

State television showed pictures of a huge crater at one of the bomb sites and pools of blood on surrounding pavements. Bystanders were seen carrying away charred and mangled bodies wrapped in makeshift shrouds.

“There are more than 30 dead and more than 100 wounded in today’s two attacks,” Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad told reporters at one of the bomb sites. “On the first day after the arrival of the Arab observers, this is the gift we get from the terrorists and Al-Qaeda but we are going to do all we can to facilitate the Arab League mission,” he added. Meqdad was accompanied to the bomb site by Arab League assistant secretary general Samir Seif al-Yazal, head of the observer mission’s advance team which flew in on Thursday. Yazal offered his condolences to the families of the dead. “What has happened is regrettable but the important thing is that everyone stay calm,” he told reporters. “We are going to press on

with our work. We have started today, and tomorrow (Saturday) we will meet (Foreign Minister) Walid Muallem.”

Yazal heads a nine-strong team which is making the necessary logistical arrangements for the arrival of a first 30 observers on Sunday. The mission will eventually number between 150 and 200. The mission is part of an Arab plan endorsed by Syria on November 2 that also calls for the withdrawal of the military from towns and residential districts, a halt to violence against civilians and the release of detainees. The Syrian foreign minister has said he expects the Arab observers to vindicate his government’s contention that the unrest is the work of “armed terrorists,” not overwhelmingly peaceful protesters as maintained by Western governments and human rights watchdogs. There was no let-up in the bloodshed on Friday with human rights activists reporting at least 12

civilians killed by security force fire.

Three people were killed in Daraa province, south of the capital, cradle of the protest movement against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement received by AFP in Nicosia. Six more were killed in the flashpoint central city of Homs and three in the eastern oil province of Deir Ezzor, the Britain-based watchdog said. The Observatory released a grisly video to back its claim that security forces committed a massacre Tuesday in the town of Kafer Awid in Idlib province in the northwest, close to the border with Turkey.

The video zooms in on the faces of at least 49 men, some of them completely disfigured, before panning out to what appear to be rows of corpses. The opposition Syrian National Council charged on Wednesday that regime forces had killed 250 people in 48 hours in the run-up to the observer advance team’s arrival.

Turkey accuses france of genocide in armenia row IStANBUL AFP

The war of words between France and Turkey escalated dramatically on Friday, when the Turkish premier accused Paris of committing genocide in Algeria and of stirring hatred of Muslims.

Furious that French lawmakers had voted on Thursday to outlaw denial of the 1915 Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hit back directly at France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy. Earlier, Turkey’s ambassador to France had left Paris and Ankara had announced diplomatic sanctions — banning political visits between the countries — and frozen military ties between the nominal NATO allies. “France massacred an estimated 15 percent of the Algerian population starting from 1945.

This is genocide,” Erdogan told reporters, accusing Sarkozy of “fanning hatred of Muslims and Turks for electoral gains.”

“This vote that took place in France, a France in which five million Muslims live, clearly shows to what point racism, discrimination and Islamophobia have reached dangerous levels in France and Europe,” he said.

Paris appeared to have been caught off guard by the fury of Turkey’s response.

Sarkozy, in Prague where he was at the funeral of late Czech president Vaclav Havel, was on the defensive. “I respect the views of our Turkish friends — it’s a great country, a great civilisation — and they must respect ours,” he said. “France does not lecture anyone but France doesn’t want to be lectured. France decides its policy as a sovereign nation. We do not ask for permission. France has its beliefs, human

rights, a respect for memory.” But back in France, Foreign Minister Alain Juppe admitted that France’s vote on the genocide law had “without doubt been badly timed”.

He urged calm, while adding that “certain declarations have been excessive”.

France fought a long guerilla war between 1954 and 1962 to try to hang on to its Algerian colony. Estimates for the number of dead vary wildly. Algeria puts it at more than a million, French historians estimate 250,000. Citing earlier French action against Algerian rebels in the aftermath of World War II, Erdogan said Sarkozy’s father had been a French legionnaire in Algeria in 1945 and should be able to tell his son of “massacres”. In 1915 and 1916, during World War I many Armenians died in Ottoman Turkey. Armenia says 1.5 million were killed in a genocide. Turkey says around 500,000 died in fighting after

Armenians sided with Russian invaders.

France is home to around 500,000 citizens of Armenian descent and they are seen as a key source of support for Sarkozy and his UMP ahead of presidential and legislative elections in April and June next year.

France recognised the 1915 killings as genocide in 2001 and on Thursday the National Assembly approved a first step towards a law that would impose a jail term and a 45,000 euro fine on anyone in France who denies this The law will now go to France’s upper house, The Senate, and could become law next year — although Turkey will lobby hard to prevent this. “We are really very sad. Franco-Turkish relations did not deserve this,” Ambassador Tahsin Burcuoglu said before taking a flight home. “When there is a problem it always comes from the French side.” “The damage is already done. We have been ac-

cused of genocide! How could we not overreact? Turkey will never recognise this story of an Armenian genocide.

“There are limits. A country like Turkey cannot be treated like this,” he declared.

Turkey will now boycott an economic committee meeting in Paris in January — a move that will worry business leaders in both countries fearful for the fate of 12 billion euros ($16 billion) in annual trade. And the freeze in military and political ti s will hamper France’s ambition to work with fellow NATO power Turkey to bring stability to Afghanistan and Syria and to face down Iran over its nuclear programme. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian thanked France, which had “once again proved its commitment to universal human values”. Franco-Turkish relations are often tense — Sarkozy is opposed to allowing Turkey to join the European Union — but 1,000 French firms work there.

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Saturday, 24 December, 2011

Foreign News 15

Afghan rights campaigner dropped from commission KABUL

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AFP

FGHANISTAN’S most outspoken human rights activist has been dropped from the national rights commission, President Hamid Karzai’s spokesman confirmed Friday. Nader Nadery had been working on a 1,000-page report documenting atrocities committed over the past three decades and

many of those implicated are now in prominent positions of power. One rights campaigner described the decision as “another blow to the efforts for democracy and human rights” in Afghanistan.

Nadery, 36, made many enemies during his five-year term in the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, speaking out on issues including electoral fraud, corruption and abuse of power. The international community has put pressure on the

country to stamp out widespread corruption and strengthen good governance. Karzai’s spokesman Aimal Faizi dismissed reports that Nadery has been fired. “He has not been fired, his fiveyear term was over and the president did not renew his term,” he said.

“The president according to the law can choose to not to renew the term of a commissioner and in Mr Nadery’s case this is what has happened. “We also dismiss reports that they have been fired over a

report they were working which was said to be criticising government officials.” The decision not to renew his term was taken in a meeting attended by Karzai and senior officials Thursday, and another two of the nine commissioners, Fahim Hakim and Mawlawi Gharib, have also been let go, according to reports.

Nadery, who also runs the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan, questioned the process by which he was dropped but declined to comment further.

“I’ve not been notified officially yet,” he said. “But whatever happens we need to observe the proper processes and standards. “Anything that undermines the principles and procedures, that would result in weakening the independent institute of the human rights commission is not acceptable.” The commission was set up in 2002 and its members are appointed by the government, supposedly after consultations with human rights and civil society organisations.

Suu Kyi registers party, makes first parliament visit NAYPYIDAW AFP

Myanmar’s democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi registered her opposition party and visited the national parliament for the first time on Friday, as she prepares to enter the mainstream political arena.

The visit in the capital Naypyidaw included a meeting with lower house speaker Shwe Mann, number three in the previous ruling junta and still one of the most powerful men in Myanmar, who said he was “glad” to hold the talks. “We have to work together as unity is strength,” he told reporters. Suu Kyi, 66, earlier went to the Union Election Commission office to register her National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which must now wait at least a week to be officially endorsed. “They have signed for their party registration already,” a commission official told AFP, referring to Suu Kyi and other senior party members. The NLD was given the green light from authorities this month to rejoin mainstream politics, paving the way for the Nobel laureate to run for a seat in the new parliament. “If she reaches parliament, we will see her continually,” Shwe Mann said after their meeting, at which they mainly discussed the functions of the political body. A quarter of parliament’s seats are taken up by the army while the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which is packed with former military men, holds about 80 percent of the remainder. Upper house speaker Khin Aung Myint, who also met Suu Kyi on Friday, described her visit as “auspicious”. “We wanted this to happen a long time ago and we welcome her.”

Ukraine rejects appeal against Tymoshenko jailing KIEV AFP

A Ukrainian court on Friday rejected an appeal by former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko against her seven year jail term on charges of abuse of power that sparked a crisis in relations with the EU. “The sentence... is to be left unchanged,” Kiev appeals court judge Olena Sitailo said in her ruling, an AFP correspondent reported, after a process that was already boycotted by Tymoshenko’s legal team. Prosecutor Lilya Frolova said she was satisfied with the verdict by the appeals court and said that the defence had the right to appeal the ruling at the high court within the next three months.

But Tymoshenko had said the day earlier that she and her defence lawyers would boycott the entire appeals process, which she said had degenerated into a “shameful” travesty of justice. “Seeking truth and justice in the Ukrainian courts is completely futile,” she said in a statement from her prison.

Neither the former prime minister nor her lawyers were present in court for the ruling by the Kiev appeals court. Frolova said that it was Tymoshenko’s right to go to the high court and she would have to go through all judicial instances if she is to take her case to the European Court of Human Rights.

But the opposition leader has repeatedly made clear she believes she has no chance of obtaining justice in Ukraine and has accused her rival President Viktor Yanukovych of ordering the persecution of herself and her allies.

PRAGUE: People watch the funeral service of former Czech president Vaclav Havel on giant tV screens at Prague Castle on Friday. afp

Bells ring out for Velvet revolution icon Vaclav havel PRAgUE AFP

Bells rang out and sirens blared on Friday for Velvet Revolution icon Vaclav Havel as world leaders and ordinary Czechs bid an emotional goodbye to the dissident playwright turned president.

World figures including Bill and Hillary Clinton and former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright bowed their heads for a minute’s silence that marked the start of the funeral service for Havel in Prague’s St Vitus Cathedral. Across the country, the nation came to a standstill in memory of Havel who in 1989 led his nation through the bloodless revolution that toppled Soviet-backed communism in the then-Czechoslovakia.

Crowds of people, many wearing tricolour ribbons in the Czech national colours of red, white and blue crossed by a tiny black sash of mourning, gathered in the historic centre of Prague to watch the requiem mass on large screens set up close to the cathedral. In a letter read out by Cardinal Giovanni Coppa, Pope Benedict XVI paid tribute to the president, who died on Sunday aged 75, recalling “how courageously Mr Havel defended human rights at a time when those were systematically denied.”

Describing him as a “giant”, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he “made eastern Europe swing towards democracy” and had “always stood up for the reunification of the continent”. Many of those present on the streets of Prague had travelled long distances to pay their respects.

“It’s like the loss of someone very close,” said Alena Bartonova, who drove to Prague with her husband and six-year-old son from Karlovy Vary, a town 120 kilometres (75 miles) west of the Czech capital, bringing a large bouquet of red flowers.

Neighbouring Slovakia also declared Friday a day of national mourning, with flags flying at half mast. Czechs filed past Havel’s coffin as it lay in state in Prague Castle’s Vladislav Hall late into Thursday night before authorities finally closed the doors. Tens of thousands of Czechs had paid their respects since Monday at a former church in central Prague and then in Vladislav Hall.

Czech President Vaclav Klaus, foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg and Czech-born Albright were due to speak at the ceremony at the 14th century cathedral where Czech kings were traditionally crowned. Outside the cathedral, 38-year-old Jan Zufnicek from Prague stood with his friend, both dressed in black. “Maybe people

will now finally take Havel as a philosopher, not only a politician.

There hasn’t been room for that up to now,” he told AFP. The playwright served as president of Czechoslovakia from 1989 to 1992 and subsequently the Czech Republic from 1993 to 2003 when the former federation split peacefully into two states.

On Friday evening, a rock concert dedicated to the rock-loving Havel will be staged at the Lucerna Palace, a sprawling edifice built at the turn of the last century by Havel’s grandfather, a construction magnate. Havel’s body will be cremated after the funeral in accordance with his family’s wishes. Czech daily DNES quoted Havel’s secretary Sabina Tancevova as saying his ashes would be entombed after Christmas, possibly on December 27, at a family crypt in a Prague cemetery. The funeral is taking place in the same building where a Te Deum — an early Christian hymn of praise — was sung in Havel’s honour after his election in the aftermath of the Velvet Revolution. St Vitus’ Cathedral was founded in 1344 by Czech king Charles IV (1316-1378) of the Luxembourg dynasty, who also founded Prague’s Charles University. Meanwhile, Gdansk in northern Poland on Friday paid its own tribute to Havel by naming an avenue after him.

Iraq mired in dispute after deadly bombings BAgHDAD AFP

Crisis talks between political leaders set for Friday, a day after Iraq’s worst attacks in four months, were cancelled amid a worsening row that has seen its premier threaten to dissolve power-sharing. Sunni Vice President Tareq alHashemi, who is wanted on charges of running a death squad, blamed the crisis on Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, and accused the Iraqi leader of behaving like now-executed dictator Saddam Hussein. Maliki, meanwhile, has called for his Sunni deputy Saleh al-Mutlak to be sacked, and the Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc, to which both Hashemi and Mutlak belong, has boycotted both parliament and the cabinet.

Tensions were further heightened on Thursday, when insurgents carried out coordinated attacks in Baghdad that killed 60 people and wounded nearly 200, while violence elsewhere in the country claimed another seven lives. In an interview with the BBC’s Arabic Service, Hashemi blamed Maliki for starting “a national crisis, and it’s not easy to control.” “Iraqis have a right to be worried,” he added. Hashemi, who has denied the terror charges against him and is currently holed up in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region, said Thursday’s attacks occurred because the authorities were too busy chasing “patriotic politicians”.

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Saturday, 24 December, 2011

LAhORe: Celebrities view collections at the PFDC L'Oreal Paris Bridal Week.

Mr and Mrs Ramzan

PhOTOgRAPheRs: IRFAN Ch & FAIsAL FAROOqI

shahzad Raza with guests

Noshy and Mareeyam

somi, Reda and Raheela

Maleeha goher and Noshy with a guest

hina Najam with guests

Momina and Nail

Amna haq, Kamiar Rokni, Amina sheikh

Amina sheikh with a guest

shabeen sahgal, Nosheen sahgal and saba sahgal with a guest

Demi Moore to produce

Neil Nitin to take

women's flying

show LOS ANGELES: Actress Demi Moore is likely to produce a Tv show for women. Moore will launch an interview series, ‘The Conversation’, next month, with british Tv personality Amanda de Cadenet as the host. Moore, who recently split from husband Ashton Kutcher, is a producer of the show, but she might appear on camera too. "it's been an emotional year for her, and people want to hear what she has to say," said a source close to Moore. AGENCIES

lessons

MUMBAI: Neil Nitin Mukesh is all set to enrol himself in a flying school. A source says, "Air planes and helicopters have always fascinated Neil.” the urge to take flying lessons was fuelled when he shot a crucial helicopter scene for Abbas Mustan's Players in New Zealand. He was even trained for a couple of hours to manoeuvre it. this was the first time Neil shot in a helicopter and he is now addicted. the scene was shot in a restricted air space as New Zealand is one of the busiest airports. the thrill of seeing the skyline of New Zealand was a mesmerising experience and ever since that flight, Neil’s interest in taking flying lessons has been renewed. He has already made enquiries about some flying schools in India and abroad and plans to take admission soon." Maybe Kunal Kapoor can give him advice.

Or even Shahid Kapoor.

AGENCIES

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17 Book launched

Mr and Mrs Khalid Maqbool

on journalist Abdul Karim Abid LAHORE StAFF REPORt

KARACHI tABISCH A. ALIEM

A

Maheen and Reja

Amna haq with a guest

Imran Khan turns

MIDST the norm of the music underground of not playing tunes that they can carry, not having original compositions to offer at shows, and a seemingly unfailing custom of putting a foot in the cover-songs being attempted, the show held on December 16th at Le Café De Fumée came as a breath of fresh air.

The group that held the modest but impressive gig has come to be called the Qaiser Zain-ul-Abedine Project.

It is led by a drummer who has been around since 1998 when an underground outfit ‘Autopsy Gothic’ used to prowl a few select venues in Karachi catering to the sensibilities of those whose cup of tea were foreign groups like ‘Six Feet Under’, ‘At The Gates’, ‘Sepultura’ etc. This drummer started out as an underground musician playing styles of rock that stood out on the edges of the spectrum of the popular music market. He played at several functions and for a circuit of friends to learn the rudiments of professional drum-playing schedule and to get on the circuit. Gradually he had the good fortune of playing in the mainstream market and can now brag a splendid portfolio that includes famous Pakistani artists like Ali Azmat, Strings, Noori, Fuzon, Aaroh, Karavan, Atif Aslam, Junoon, Jal, Najam Sheraz etc.

After having had this project on his mind for five years, Qaiser finally began work on it two years ago with the first gig having been dished out last month. This second gig came to feature talents of some undiscovered artistes who should reach the limelight sometime. The ‘Project’s’ house-band currently comprises of guitarist Sean Arnaz, Adeel Mirza on keyboards and

electric bass guitar by Bradley D’Souza who is the son of Russell D’Souza; one of the most prominent names Karachi has managed to produce on the bass-playing circuit.

The curtain-raiser of the evening came with the currently popular chart-number

by Hoobastank's ‘The Reason’ done by Adeel on keyboards followed by Sean’s rendition of ‘Afterglow’ by INXS. This paved the way for the V-Sell Band to perform an original called ‘Mera Sapna’ and a medley of two 1980’s Indian songs- Ajit Singh’s ‘Woh Beete Din’ and Kishore Kumar’s ‘Inteha Hogayi Intezaar Ki’. A commendable job was done in bringing out the Rock n’ Roll and Rhythm n’ Blues elements compositionally inherent in these songs.

Faisal Ali Khan also sang an Indian classic ‘Tu Hi Ray’ and one of his originals, ‘Sohni Meri’, whose video is to hit airwaves soon. During his act another female vocalist Heidi Dean was called upon to sing the currently popular Indian number ‘Aj Ki Raat’.

Heidi also proficiently sang ‘Genie in a Bottle’ by Christina Aguilera. One found it incredu-

lous that an Aguilera tune could sound so stirring but that is just how Heidi put it across. ‘Bolo Na’ of Indian pop singer Sona came next as did the legendary Nazia Hasan’s ‘Boom Boom’ and had the crowd in full swing.

Azal another new act did remarkably well with two of their originals ‘Zehar’ and ‘Aisi Taisi’. Both of the latter sections encased Qaiser’s unmistakably piercing beats along lines of Thrash-Metal and Hardcore-Punk. Justice was done too, to Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali’s ‘Sun Charkhay Di’.

Heavy metal music lovers also got songs to sink their teeth into. But a certain Salman Rasheed failed to impress by singing Deep Purple’s ‘Smoke on the Water’ for someone who aims to have vocals of the likes of Ian Gillan.

However, he did much better with The Beatles’ ‘Hey Jude’.

The show took a surprising drift as Qaiser Zain-ul-Abedine took hold of the microphone to sing an original composition ‘Khirkiyan’ with Heidi Dean, which showcased his compositional skills besides his technical prowess.

Adeel Mirza brought back old memories when he gave a solo

Ajay, Rohit all set for

performance of ‘Yeh Shaam’ of the Vital Signs right after.

The star of the evening was Tanseer Ahmed Daar whose arrival had impatiently been awaited by some hardcore rock fans amongst the audience. His arrival marked the frenzy that the QZA Project had been waiting to build all evening. The covers he sang were executed on far better lines than one is used to hearing at underground gigs. He performed the U2 number ‘Is Just a Dime a Dozen’, ‘Where The Streets Have No Name’ and Whitesnake’s ‘Here I Go Again’. However, U2’s work has been stereotyped after having been played at numerous underground gigs. The crowd grew restless and started to shout for the band to play the Karavan song ‘Gardish’.

Farsaad Ahmed Khan sang an unplugged version of his original song ‘Soona Dil’ which proved to be something of a calm after the storm. Sean Arnaz gave a convincing performance of the Foo Fighters number ‘Everlong’. The soundconstruction within the moderately sized venue slipped the design that would have fit and sounded right in that space, but the group’s own inter-playing finely managed to gell enough to compensate that lack.

Since Qaiser’s name has run ropes through the mainstream music circles in the country, this QZA Project can be a platform for current as well as future musicians to develop their professional and artistic aptitude.

The show also deviated from the norm that underground artists opt to work only on material that comes from western rock music.

However, artists need to understand that not taking up local music should not be the way to become better musicians as most seldom pay attention to developing basic R n’ B playing skills that are the key to playing rock music right.

A book launch was held for ‘Abdul Karim Abid- Aik Shakhs Aik Ehed’.

The book is about the late personality who was a well-known, senior journalist and the editor of many national news papers during his time. The book has been compiled by his son Salman Abid, a columnist and a political analyst.

The book contains sixty articles by various intellectuals and gives an account of Abdul Karim Abid’s journalistic career of 50 years and his attachment with democracy. Special articles by Mujeeb ur Rehman Shami, Safdar Meer (Zeeno), Hussain Naqi, Abdul Qadir Hassan, Ata ur Rehaman, Anwar Qudwai, Altaf Hussain Qureshi, Syed Qasim Mahmood, Dr Anwar Sadeed, Syed Munawar Hassan , Saleem Mansoor Khalid, Mirza Adeeb, Dr Muskeen Hijazi are worth reading. The book pays tribute to the ideological commitment and journalistic life of Abdul Karim Abid. It has been printed

by Jumhoori Publications.

Madonna’s

new song leaked!

LONDON ZEE NEWS BUREAU

Spanish police have arrested a man and charged him with illegally leaking an early version of a new Madonna song, from her latest album.

The 31-year-old had allegedly put a demo of ‘Gimme All Your Luvin’ on the internet in November. The investigation began after lawyers traced the recording to Spain. The man, who is yet to be named and described by police as a big fan of the singer, was arrested in Zaragoza. Police have not named the man arrested, but confirmed his initials as J.M.R. Madonna’s first studio album in five years is due for release in late March, with the first single out next month. Officers in the northern Spanish city said they found recordings of the song in a search of the suspect’s belongings. The 53-year-old singer, was said to have been “very upset” when the song first surfaced on the internet last month. Her manager, Guy Oseary, had tweeted about the incident and urged fans to help police stop any further leaks. The singer’s upcoming album, her first since 2008’s ‘Hard Candy’, has already been completed and will be released as part of a new three album deal with Interscope Records.

Sonam Kapoor’s mantra

‘Golmaal 4’ - be friendly!

MUMBAI: He's done away with the huge belly, red 'n' white Santa costume, the long white beard and the reindeer. The new-age Santa is lean, stunning and zips around in his red-hot wheels. imran turned Santa for a bunch of underprivileged kids, and he lugged along his sack of goodies too. Talking about the experience imran said: “it was a great day. i like talking to kids. They have no agenda, no questions.

They're so naive, they ask simple things. Even if i ask them who their favourite actor is, they won't turn and say - imran Khan. in fact, it's always Salman Khan. in my experience, the kids are all over Salman. They don't care about being politically correct. They are true fans.” He said the best Christmas gift he ever received was a toy ferrari. “it was state-of-the-art. With turning wheels and opening doors... the works. And now i have a real one.

That is a wish come true.”AGENCIES

MUMBAI: After a lot of speculation, actor Ajay Devgn and filmmaker Rohit Shetty have decided to go ahead with super hit franchise ‘Gomaal 4’. Apparently, Ajay will start shooting for ‘Golmaal 4’ once Rohit completes his upcoming project with Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor starrer ‘Chennai Express’. talking to a daily, a source said, “However, now all is well between Devgn and Rohit. they are as thick as before. the shoot of ‘Bol Bachchan’, a project they are working together, is going smoothly”. While rest of the cast is yet to be finalised, Kareena Kapoor will reprise the female lead in ‘Golmaal 4’. We are sure the fans can’t be more delighted! ZEENEWS

MUMBAI: in an industry where people play the numbers game, actress Sonam Kapoor believes in being friendly. "Almost all of my directors are my friends. be it Rakeysh omprakash Mehra or Punit Malhotra, they all are dear friends. Even all my male co-stars are my friends," Sonam said at a recent event. As for her female friends in b-Town, she said: "i am most close to Jacqueline (fernandes) and Asin (Thottumkal). in fact, these two are doing a movie (‘Housefull 2’) together and i am so jealous of them!" The actress, who is looking forward to her film ‘Players’, is set to don the garb of Santa, and play peacemaker between two friends on the Tv show ‘Superstar Santa’. "My episode has two girls whose friendship is broken due to misunderstanding. My job is to bring them together and try to understand what went wrong," said Sonam, who insists she tries her best to be there for her own friends despite being busy. "i have a huge bunch of friends and i am always there for them whenever needed," she added. AGENCIES

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Saturday, 24 December, 2011

Serena set for brisbane international Page 22

Akram: MCG will expose injuries Comment SOUMItRA BOSE With the Indian camp keeping fitness updates on its fast bowlers Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma under wraps, former speedster Wasim Akram says conditions in Melbourne will reveal chinks in the Indian armoury on Day 1 itself. Speaking to ESPN from Karachi on Friday, Akram said MS Dhoni will be a worried man because his two spearheads, Zaheer and Ishant, are yet to give him positive vibes ahead of the Boxing Day Test. “Whoever is carrying an injury or niggles is surely going to be exposed at MCG. The wickets are hard and the outfield very demanding. Hence everyone has to be in peak fitness. The news from the Indian camp doesn’t seem to be very convincing at this stage,” Akram said. The former Pakistan skipper is not convinced about the “bowling fitness” of the Indian pace attack. “Until and unless you bowl 15-20 overs in a practice game and do rigorous nets, you are not fit enough to go into a Test match. I am not sure whether Ishant and Zaheer have done that in the warm-up games,” said Akram.

While Ishant has bowled a little over nine overs in five days of practice games, Zaheer has bowled a total of 15 (10 + 5) over two innings. This is not enough, according to Akram. “MCG wickets are so hard that they will take a toll on your body joints, especially the back, groin and ankle. You cannot afford to go into a series-opening Test match with 90 per cent fitness,” warned Akram.

Stanford fit for trial: US judge CHICAgO AFP

Financier and cricket mogul Allen Stanford is mentally competent to stand trial for an alleged $7 billion fraud, a Texas judge ruled Thursday. Stanford, 61, was found to be temporarily unfit earlier this year after he became addicted to painkillers and antidepressants following a 2009 jailhouse brawl.

During the fight just after he was arrested, he was smashed into a steel pole, breaking many facial bones, and thrown onto a concrete floor injuring the back of his head. His defense team sought to have Stanford ruled permanently unfit, arguing that he "suffers from severe loss of long term and short term memory," as a result of the beating.

But prosecutors said medical staff carried out "a sustained and comprehensive evaluation of Stanford during the past eight months at the end of which they found Stanford competent to stand trial." The staff at a North Carolina medical facility also found his claim "that 59 years (of his life) were stolen" was "not credible," prosecutors said in the court filings, maintaining he had remembered significant details in conversations with a psychiatrist. He also underwent a magnetic resonance image scan in March and there "was no evidence of damage to any part of Stanford's brain that processes memory," the documents said.

England series would be our real test: Misbah LAHORE

P

StAFF REPORt

AKISTAN skipper Misbahul-haq has said the series against England will not be easy and the team will have to give its more than hundred per cent. Pakistan will be facing England in their home series early next month in the UAE. Pakistan will play three Tests, three Twenty20s and four One-Day Internationals against England in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from January 17 onwards.

The PCB had earlier indicated that they would send their own curators to the UAE to supervise the preparation of pitches for the upcoming series against England. Misbah described his team’s performance in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka series as more than satisfactory.

Pakistan is now ranked fifth in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test table after climbing up one position following their 2-0 win over Bangladesh.

He said the England team is tough, but Pakistan know they would have to go the extra mile to clinch victory.

Misbah said his team can beat England, which is world's leading Test side, believing his side is in great form and would surprise the Poms. Pakistan returned home on Friday after routing Bangladesh in two Twenty20s, three one-day internationals and two Tests, ending the year with five Test wins and without losing a series, both in five-day matches and limited overs.

Misbah was quoted by a news agency that England will be a real test for his side, who are now fifth in Test rankings. "The series against England is important as well as very tough," Misbah told reporters.

"England are the world's best Test team but in current form we can beat any team if we keep the good form and co-ordination which we showed this year," he added. Since taking over as Test captain in 2010 following a spot-fixing scandal, which resulted in jail terms for players Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, Misbah has led Pakistan in 13 Tests. Misbah, who has guided Pakistan to six wins, six draws and a single loss, said his team needs to improve to beat England.

"Despite achieving some good results we still need to overcome some of the mistakes which we committed and the management as well as the players are determined to overcome them because England will be really tough," said Misbah. "Our targets on the Bangladesh tour were to keep consistency in our performance, overcome some of the mistakes and improve our rankings and that we achieved," said Misbah.

Pakistan also beat the higherranked Sri Lanka 1-0 in Tests and 4-1 in one-days in the UAE in October-No-

bets on Tendulkar’s 100th ton in MCG SYDNEY AFP

Indian cricketing superstar Sachin Tendulkar is favoured to bring up his 100th international century in the first Test against Australia in Melbourne, according to one Australian bookmaker. Online bookmaker sportsbet.com.au has installed the Boxing Day Test as the most likely venue for the historic milestone at odds of 9/4. Poised on 99 international centuries across Test and one-day matches, Tendulkar retired on 92 in the tourists' final day of a two-day tour match against the Chairman's XI in Canberra last week. "He is in good form with a 90-odd against the Chairman's XI already under his belt since arriving in Australia and he's a very good chance to achieve the phenomenal milestone during the Boxing Day Test," the firm's Ben Hawes said. "And if not, he can take some respite in the fact that the next game is at the SCG where he has pummelled Australia on several occasions." The Sydney Cricket Ground is the second chance favourite with punters, with odds at 3/1, followed by the third Test at Perth at 5/1 and the fourth Test at Adelaide 7/1. The prospect of Tendulkar -- who has been a perennial thorn in the side of Australia's bowlers, averaging 60.6 with 11 centuries in 31 Tests against them -completing the series without hitting his 100th century is at 12/5.

Australia v india Test factfile SYDNEY AFP

vember. Misbah said his team has gelled over the last year. "The best part about this team is that we have good coordination among the seniors and juniors, the support staff is helping players and each and every player realises his duty and that will help us against England," said Misbah.

Pakistan will have to once again rely on interim coach Mohsin Khan after failing to find a permanent replacement

for Waqar Younis who stepped down in September citing health problems.

"Now wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are part of history," Khan said. "We have to start afresh against England and need to raise our game because the next opponents are very strong and ranked number one in the world." The first Test between Pakistan and England starts in Dubai on January 17.

Factfile on the first Test between Australia and India starting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday: First Test - Melbourne Cricket Ground, December 26-30 India are bidding to win their first-ever series Down Under.

India have toured Australia nine times. On the last tour in 2007-2008 they lost 2-1.

In 36 Tests in Australia, the home team have won 22 with India winning five and nine drawn.

MCG head-to-head record: Played 10.

Australia won 7, India 2, drawn 1.

In Australia: Highest scores: Australia 674 (1947-48); India 705 for 7 (2003-04) Lowest completed scores: Australia 83 (1980-81); India 58 (1947-48) Biggest wins: Australia innings and 226 runs (1947-48), Australia 337 runs (200708); India innings and two runs (1977-78), India 222 runs (1977-78) Highest individual score: Ricky Ponting (AUS) 257 (2003-04); Sachin Tendulkar (IND) 241 not out (2003-04).

Best bowling (innings): Mike Whitney (AUS) 7-27 (1991-92); Kapil Dev (IND) 8106 (1985-86).

Highest partnership: Steve Waugh-Ricky Ponting (AUS) 239 5th wkt (1999-2000); Sachin Tendulkar-V.V.S. Laxman (IND) 353 4th wkt (2003-04).

India seek breakthrough series win in Australia SYDNEY AFP

MElboURNE: Ricky Ponting (l) faces a delivery from a child as members of the indian and Australian teams meet a large crowd at a public event. afp

India are desperate to bury their unwanted tag of being poor travellers as they bid to win their first series in Australia starting on Monday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Indians, ranked second in Test cricket, two places above Australia, have failed to win a series Down Under in nine previous tours over 64 years but face a home team in the throes of a painful transition.

India will be playing their first away Test series since losing all four matches in England in July-August in a whitewash that cost M.S. Dhoni's

men their number one ranking. India have developed an unwelcome reputation as poor travellers and a win in the four-Test series against Michael Clarke's Australians represents a career-defining goal for many of the team's ageing stars. Sachin Tendulkar, bidding for his 100th international century, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag and V.V.S. Laxman are all unlikely to get the opportunity again in their cricket careers and are motivated to succeed. The Boxing Day Test is one for the purists with the rarity of Test cricket's three greatest runscorers -- Tendulkar (15,183), Dravid (13,094) and Australia's Ricky Ponting (12,656) -- all featur-

ing in the same match. Dravid, turning 39 next month and padding up for his fourth series in Australia, has had one of his best years, scoring 1,067 runs and five centuries.

"I wouldn't have minded scoring five hundreds (fewer) or 1,000 runs less if we could win a series in Australia," Dravid said. "The greatest memory for me now is not necessarily statistical. It's not the number of runs, it's those magical moments. The series wins in Tests stay with you. "I think that's what you play for at this stage. I don't have anything in terms of my own numbers or statistics that I want to achieve in Australia, but I want to win a Test series (here) and help the

team win in Australia. "It is something that we have never done. So every time you tour here you want to get that goal.

It's not going to be easy, it never is, but I think the team's goal is to try to win a series." While India are top heavy with batting experience, it will come down to the ability of front-line bowlers Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma to bowl out Australia for India to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy they have held since 2008.

Australian bowling legends Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath have needled the Indians this week, saying India will struggle if Zaheer and Sharma are not fully fit for the gruelling series.

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Sports 19

quaiD-e-azam trophy

Seamers set up PIA’s title triumph KARACHI

P

StAFF REPORt

IA won the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division-I title beating ZTBL in the final on the fourth day of the five day match at the National Stadium Karachi.

Put into bat, ZTBL made 337 in their first innings but later crashed to 77 in which PIA bowlers Najaf Shah, Anwar Ali and Ali Imran Pasha played a pivotal role.

PIA in reply to the ZTBL’s first innings made 300 runs and then achieved the target of 110 runs losing just one wicket.

PIA with this win pocketed Rs .10,00,000 while the runners-up trophy and money of Rs 500,000 went to ZTBL. Anwar Ali of PIA was named the Man of the final match and was given Rs 50,000 while the Best Batsman was Afaq Rahim of Islamabad, bowler was Ali Imran Pasha of PIA, fielder Shahid Yousuf of ZTBL and wicketkeeper Zulqarnain of ZTBL and all of them were given Rs 50,000 each. scores: ZTBL 337 in 120.3 overs (Sharjeel Khan 24, Imran Nazir 0, Yasir Hameed 80, 93 balls, 15 x4s, 1 x6s, Shahid Yousuf 13, Haris Sohail 112, 282 balls, 16 x4s, Zohaib Khan 21, Sohail Tanvir 6, Zulqarnain 36, 188 balls, 5 x4s, Junaid Zia 17, Iftikhar Anjum 11, Najaf Shah 1-45, Anwar Ali 4-55, Kamran Sajid 2-56, Akhtar Waheed 2-113) and 70 in 27.2 overs (Sharjeel Khan 8, Imran Nazir 8, Yasir Hameed 19, Shahid Yousuf 0, Haris Sohail

PESSi in MMA Cup Polo final LAHORE StAFF REPORt

PESSI qualified for the final of the MMA Polo Cup Friday as they won their last league match of the tournament.

Olympia will take on Wi-Tribe Shahwawars in the Subsidiary game. The day started with win for Olympia who beat Marco Polo 8-4. Moin Yaqub with three goals, Ahmed Ali Tiwana and Ghulam Mustafa Monnoo shared two each with Abdul Rehman Monnoo getting one.

Bilal Hayat Noon and Raja Temur Nadeem tapped the ball home twice each but in losing cause. PESSI got through to the final beating Adisseo getting 8-7.

Cacic to revive Dinamo after lyon mauling ZAgREB AFP

Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb on Friday appointed Ante Cacic as their new coach nearly three weeks after Krunoslav Jurcic's sacking in the wake of a crushing 7-1 home defeat to Lyon in the Champions League. Jurcic was sacked within an hour of the December 7 match against former French champions Lyon -- Dinamo's worst ever defeat in European competition and one of the largest winning margins in the Champions League.

Zagreb-born Cacic, who has coached several Croatian first and second division clubs in a two-decade long career, moves from Lokomotiva Zagreb.

"Cacic is a great coach and has achieved good results with all Croatian clubs," Dinamo official Zoran Mamic told media.

"He has never won a championship since he did not have a chance to lead Dinamo or Hajduk" Split, he said in a reference to the top flight's long-time rivals.

"This is a great honor and the high point in my career," said the 58-year-old Cacic.

"I believe I can improve (Dinamo's) game and I'm certain that I will succeed."

KARACHi: PiA players celebrate their win with the trophy. oNLINE 19, Zulqarnain 0, Sohail Tanvir 0, Najaf Shah 3-19, Anwar Ali 4-31, Ali Imran Pasha 3-16) v PIA 300 in 106.1 overs (Agha Sabir 0, Kamran Sajid 13, Shaharyar Ghani 29, Faisal Iqbal 13, Fahad Iqbal 61,119 balls, 10 x4s, Shoaib Khan 61, 157 balls, 7

x4s, Sarfraz Ahmed 70, 91 balls, 8 x4s, Sohail Tanvir 3-82, Rehan Riaz 3-44, Iftikhar Anjum 4-78) and 110-1 in 21.2 overs (Agha Sabir 40*, 65 balls, 5 x4s, Kamran Sajid 34, 29 balls, 8 x4s, Shaharyar Ghani 36*, 34 balls, 7 x4s)

Result: PIA won by nine wickets.

Overnight Score: ZTBL 70-9 in 27 overs Toss: PIA Umpires: Zameer Haider and Ahsan Raza TV Umpire: Shozab Raza Referee: Khateeb Rizwan.

Manchester dominant as racism rears head LONDON AFP

Manchester was confirmed as the football capital of England in 2011 as the long-dormant spectre of racism re-emerged to cast a shadow over the sport. A quirk of fixture scheduling meant that in the space of a few memorable hours in May, Manchester City ended their 35year wait for a trophy by winning the FA Cup shortly after Manchester United had clinched a record 19th title.

The unique double triumph for the Manchester clubs underscored the new paradigm of English football, with the recently enriched City joining long-time aristocrats United at the summit of the domestic game. The pre-emimence of the Manchester duo was further emphasised by the opening months of the 2011/2012 Premier League campaign, where both teams got off to flying starts to annex first and second place. Yet United's free-scoring start to the campaign unravelled spectacularly at Old Trafford in late October when City came to visit in one of the most eagerly anticipated Manchester der-

bies in years. A brutal 6-1 drubbing -United's heaviest home defeat since 1955 -- gave City a five-point lead at the top of the table and left Sir Alex Ferguson reflecting on what he described as his "worst ever day." While the full implications of City's extraordinary victory remain to be

seen -- and United have been prematurely written off many times before -- it left many wondering whether the blue half of Manchester was now poised to dethrone their more successful cross-town rivals.

Certainly few clubs, including United, can match City's crushing dominance in the transfer market. Abu Dhabi-based billionaire Sheikh Mansour has spent an esti-

mated £800 million in the three years since he acquired City, a largesse that has allowed manager Roberto Mancini to construct a lavishly talented squad that looks capable of dominating English football for years to come. A demonstration of City's sheer financial might can be seen in the way the club handled the saga over Carlos Tevez, who was accused of failing to appear as a substitute during a Champions League match against Bayern Munich in September.

Tevez, a darling of the fans who played a key role in the successes of the previous season, has been effectively cast into the wilderness since the episode. The received wisdom of the post-Bosman era dictates that all the power resides with players, not clubs. City have bucked that trend by adopting a hardline stance over Tevez, happy to let the player rot in the reserves -- or, more accurately, on the golf courses of his homeland -- unless a suitor weighs in with an acceptable transfer offer. No other club in England has the wherewithal to allow a player paid an estimated £200,000 per week to sit idle, all in the name of making a point.

brazil risk first round exit in 2014, says Romario RIO DE JANEIRO AFP

Former World Cup winner Romario believes the current Brazil team risk failing to get past the first round of the 2014 World Cup if their form does not improve.

In a little over two years Brazil will host the football extravaganza for the first time but Romario -- now a politician with Brazil's Socialist Party (PSB) -- believes they have little chance of realistically aiming for a sixth triumph.

"If Brazil keep on playing the football they're playing right now, they risk not getting past the first round," Romario was quoted as saying in Friday's edition of O Globo. Brazil is currently in a race against time, and under pressure from football's world governing body FIFA, to have stadia and infrastructure ready in time for the tournament.

Romario, a controversial figure on and off the park when he played as a striker for Brazil and a number of top clubs in Europe and South America, has been critical of both the World Cup organisers and of FIFA. "FIFA has been trying to override our sovereignty, they want to tell us how to run the country. There are still deputies who think as I do," added Romario. At the beginning of November, FIFA warned Brazil to speed up their preparations to host the World Cup and reluctantly accepted to issue half-price tickets for students and those over 60 years of age.

England on top as fixing still haunts cricket LONDON AFP

Cricket and controversy, never far apart, were closely linked in a year where England finally achieved their long-held objective of climbing to the top of the world Test rankings. Nothing that happened on the field in 2011 rocked world cricket quite like the jail sentences handed down by an English court to former Pakistan captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif for their roles in a 'spot-fixing' scam during last year's Lord's Test against England. But the fact the case came to light as a result of a newspaper investigation left many asking what was the point of the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit.

England had gone 21 years without winning a series in Australia but a 3-1 Ashes triumph sealed in January, with all three victories coming by innings margins, ended that barren spell in emphatic fashion. Alas-

tair Cook made a colossal 766 runs in the Ashes series and the Essex left-hander carried on during England's 4-0 home Test rout of World Cup winners India, including a monumental 294 at Edgbaston. Australia's woes continued even after the Ashes, with their batsmen looking especially vulnerable against swing and seam bowling.

In November, Australia slumped to 47 all out against South Africa in Cape Town, with debutant fast-medium bowler Vernon Philander taking a stunning five for 15 in seven overs. Then New Zealand, without injured all-rounder Daniel Vettori, enjoyed their first Test win on Australian soil in 26 years. Seamer Doug Bracewell, took six for 40 as New Zealand won by seven runs in Hobart in a match where Australia had needed just 82 runs for victory with eight wickets standing, Zimbabwe, after six years of self-imposed exile sparked by a race row over selection, returned to Test cricket in August with a 130-run win over Bangladesh

-- a result that said as much about the losers as anything else. In an age of few genuine fast bowlers, South Africa quick Dale Steyn's average of 22.82 stands comparison with the all-time greats. In December he became the second fastest bowler in history to take 250 Test wickets, reaching the landmark in his 49th Test -- one more than legendary Australia fast bowler Dennis Lillee.

"There's no doubt for me that he's the best South African bowler we've seen thus far -- at least since readmission in 1991," said former Proteas seamer and captain Shaun Pollock. "His ability to swing the ball away with incredible pace is phenomenal."

West Indies cricket was overshadowed by the stand-off between Chris Gayle and Caribbean administrators which deprived a largely young team of a fine batsman.

But having gone 2-0 down in their series in India, they battled back in the Mumbai finale which ended in a draw with the scores level -- only the second time this had hap-

pened in Test history. This year saw the deaths of several prominent cricketers including former India captain the Nawab of Pataudi, Australia's Sam Loxton and ex-England all-rounder Trevor Bailey, with Graham Dilley, one of the heroes of England's '5001' win against Australia at Headingley in 1981, passing away aged just 52.

Meanwhile former Somerset captain turned cricket journalist Peter Roebuck leapt to his death in bizarre circumstances in South Africa. But in terms of their impact on both world cricket and wider society, few could match Basil D'Oliveira, who died in November aged 80.

D'Oliveira became an England allrounder after his path was blocked in his native apartheid-era South Africa, an impressive enough achievement in itself.

But he made front-page headlines in 1968 when he was included in the England squad for the tour of South Africa which was called off when the South African government re-

fused to accept his presence. It marked the start of South Africa's cricketing isolation, which would last until the early 1990s.

PDF E-Paper_Layout 1 12/24/2011 12:26 AM Page 20

20 Sports Zohair, Adil in Ubl Tennis final KARACHI StAFF REPORt

Syed Zohair Raza and Adil Kohari advanced to the final of the Junior U-18 events in the semi finals of UBL International Hard Court Tennis Championship at Karachi Gymkhana courts.

Third seed Syed Zohair Raza made the major upset of the tournament when he eliminated top seed Muhammad Muddasir of Multan without conceding a singles game 6-0, 6-0. Muddasir made numbers of unforced errors and most of his returns went out or in the nets. Syed Zohair will face Adil Kohari who won the best match of the tournament against Ahmed Chaurdary in thrilling three set match.

Top seed Syed Nofil Kaleem won the under-14 title when he eliminated Dawar Rehan of Karachi in straight set 6-3, 6-1. will participate in ATF under-14 championship at Qatar from December 24 played.

In the men’s singles event M. Mushtaq Abid from Lahore caused the major upset of the tournament when he beat second seed Yasir Khan of Karachi in a well contested match.

Men’s singles – semi-final matches Aqeel Khan beat Thangarjah Dinsehkant (SRI) 6-1, 6-2. M. Abid Mushtaq beat Yasir Khan 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Junior U-18 Singles – semi-finals: Syed Zohair Raza beat Muhammmad Muddasir,6-0,6-0. Adil Kohari beat Ahmed Chaudhary 2-6,6-4.7-5.

Boys U-14 Singles –final: Syed Nofil Kaleem beat Dawar Rehan 6-3, 6-1.

Ladies single semi-final: Maheen Dada beat Hania Naveed 6-1, 6-1. Saba Aziz beat Hasindhi Lokuge 6-1, 6-2.

Talent Hunt Tennis from Jan 1 KARACHI StAFF REPORt

The Sindh Tennis Association in collaboration with Council of Tennis Players and Sindh School Sports Association will organise the 21st SSB-Talent Hunt Sindh Ranking Tennis Championship at Naval Sports Centre KARSAZ Karachi from January 1, 2012. The Sindh Sports Board has sponsored the week long ranking championship. Events are: Men’s singles, ladies singles, under 17 singles, under 15 singles, under 13 singles, under 11 singles, under 9 singles. men s doubles, under 17 doubles, under 13 doubles, The Inter School team event will also be held from January 6 at same venue.

lahore lift inter-board Weightlifting title LAHORE StAFF REPORt

Lahore Board beat defending champion Faisalabad to win the All Pakistan Interboard Weightlifting Championship that concluded here at the University Ground Old Campus on Friday. Lahore secured 38 points to take the title while Gujranwala Board with 20 points were placed second and Faisalabad with 13 points were third.

In the 56 kg class, Haris Butt (Lhr board) lifted 80kg, 100KG and 180KG in snatch, jerk and total to get gold medal.

Pak-iran Tenpin bowling soon ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

The Pakistan Tenpin Bowling Federation will be holding Pak Iran friendship Tenpin Bowling Championship. According to an official of the PTBF, Iran showed great interest in playing the championship and accepted the invitation. PTBF President Muhammad Shuja Khan and General Secretary Ijaz ur Rehman said that it was great achievement for PTBF and no doubt this championship will open the new doors for the betterment of Tenpin Bowling.

friday, 23 December, 2011

Terry comes through in Spurs draw LONDON AFP

E

NGLAND captain John Terry produced a typical block to spare Chelsea defeat in a 11 draw against Tottenham Hotspur in his first match since he was charged by UK prosecutors with racial abuse. Chelsea centre-back Terry blocked a goalbound shot from Emmanuel Adebayor in stoppage time to ensure a point for the visitors at White Hart Lane on Thursday. The draw left Spurs third in the Premier League table, two points in front of their London rivals, after Adebayor's opener was cancelled out by an equaliser from Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge. And it meant Spurs were nine points adrift of leaders Manchester City and Chelsea 11 shy of the table-toppers.

The build-up centred around Terry, charged on Wednesday with racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand during Chelsea's loss at Loftus Road in October. But Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas, speaking after Thursday's point, praised Terry's resolve "Since the situation he has improved," he told Sky Sports. "He has grown in terms of performance. He's a reference point for this team. It shows his character and strength and personality. "His effort for the collective is extraordinary," the Portuguese added. Meanwhile Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was happy enough with a draw. "In the end there were chances, some great chances at the end but certainly a point is a fair result," he said. Tottenham got off to an ideal start as Togo international Adebayor took advantage of Chelsea skipper Terry's slipshod defending eight minutes into the match by slotting home before Sturridge levelled midway through the first half.

Terry was booed by the bulk of Spurs fans as he began his pre-match warm-up, but was applauded by the away contingent. He

was jeered again as he led Chelsea out ahead of kickoff -- and with every touch of the ball. But apart from his mistake to let in Adebayor, he delivered an assured performance. Chelsea had failed to beat Spurs on their last five visits to White Hart Lane and the hosts had them on the back foot from the first whistle. And after seven minutes Spurs were ahead -- and Terry was partly at fault, after Sandro took the ball off Sturridge in midfield and sent Bale on a run down the left.

Gareth Bale sped toward the byline and just before crossing the ball into the box, Terry peeled off Adebayor to give him enough space to meet the Wales star's centre, missed by Chelsea keeper Petr Cech, for a close range tap-in. Juan Mata came close to levelling for Chelsea three minutes later, but his stinging shot was palmed into Sturridge's path by Brad Friedel and the Blues striker spooned the rebound over the bar.

Sturridge made amends in the 23rd minute as he turned in Cole's cross. The goal was met with vehement protests from Spurs players, who claimed the England left-back had handled in the build-up. Five minutes later Didier Drogba came close to firing Chelsea ahead, as he acrobatically controlled Jose Bosingwa's wayward cross before volleying against the post. Chelsea were forced into a reshuffle at the back on the half hour as Branislav Ivanovic came off with what looked like a thigh injury. Their injury problems were compounded soon afterwards when Nigeria international Jon Obi Mikel limped off the field. After the break Chelsea continued to dominate and Ramires ran onto Drogba's through-ball only to be denied by Friedel.

Tottenham had the ball in the net two minutes before the hour mark as Adebayor headed in William Gallas's flick from Luka Modric's free kick, but the 'goal' was ruled out for offside. A rare mistake from Ledley King in the 73rd minute almost resulted in a second for Sturridge after the Tottenham defender's weak headed clearance fell to the striker, but Friedel was able to keep the ball out.

Spurs should redouble their ambitions Echoing Spurs’ title winning credentials, United’s midfield solution and the racism debate ePL CrystaL BaLL KUNWAR KHULDUNE SHAHID

H

ARRY Redknapp’s downplay of his side’s partaking in the title race prior to the kickoff against Chelsea was in harmony with the Spurs display on Thursday night. Redknapp reiterated in the pre-match press conference that the two teams vying to seize the league trophy are the two Manchesters, while Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool would be slugging it out for the remaining couple of coveted Champions’ League spots. Harry Rednapp might have a pragmatically cautious approach to the second half of the season, but the fact that before Spurs’ 1-1 draw with Chelsea they were eight points behind Manchester United with a couple of games in hand portends that Spurs could afford to take their aspirations up a notch.

City are yielding a status quo transformation in Manchester, why can’t Spurs do the same in London?

One does understand that merely mathematical proximity to the summit is no reason to be buoyant about your chances to usurp the league; for, Portsmouth, Wigan, Blackpool et al have found themselves on the coattails of league leaders in November in the past as well. What makes Spurs’ laidback approach inert is the fact that on paper – evidently on the football pitch as well – Spurs starting lineup is a match for anyone in the league. The likes of Van Der Vaart, Bale, Modric and even Scott Parker would walk into the lineups of their rivals and Walker might just pip Micah Richards for the most in form right back in the league. Add an on song Adebayour, Defoe coming off the bench, Friedel in goal and King – when fit

– commanding the backline into the mix and one gets an immensely adept bunch.

We have seen lesser gifted teams run away with the league title; but then again, a purple nosed Scott has had a lot to do with that.

The early season drubbings at the hands of the two Manchester sides came under the shroud of the Modric ‘will he, won’t he’ soap opera, and their only other loss was courtesy a refereeing circus at Stoke. Barring these losses, the Spurs juggernaut has been on a roll and even if the league title is ostensibly not their final goal, Tottenhan Hotspur are undoubtedly the front runners for Champions League qualification. uNiteD’s miDFielD solutioN A regular run in the side for Michael Carrick and Manchester United’s midfield doesn’t border on a patched up catastrophe anymore. The leakage of goals has been fixed and recently goals are being banged at the other end as well.

Carrick was always the solution to United’s midfield woes, and partly owing to untimely injuries and partly due to Fergie’s neglect, the two and two took an eternity to add up. The fact that it took a driving run from the midfield, that culminated in a staggering goal, for footballing voices to take notice of Carrick’s contribution in United’s recent stability in the league, is exactly why United’s number 16 is the most underrated midfielders of modern times.

The goal he scored in West London was a one-off; similar feats would never be a regularity and hence let’s give the man some credit for what he does regularly well in lieu of waxing lyrical over the recent bolt out of the blue.

Carrick brings calmness and compo- The primary reason is obviously the fact sure into United’s expansive play, and that there is a cluster of fixtures and with while he is no Xavi or David Silva, his pass- fatigue and squad rotation prevalent quite ing repertoire from a restrained position is often the sides from the upper echelon fail what makes United’s flamboyant wing play to sustain their supremacy. As Chelsea gel seamlessly with the frontline, and pro- take on Fulham in the West London vides a stable shield in front of the backline Derby, the onus is on the home side to put to boot – see Manchester United archives in a domineering show after a couple of 11 draws. Fulham are at the back of a 5-0 (2007-2010) for further evidence. drubbing at the hands of Manchester the rAcism DeBAte While abolishing racism from the game United, and their confidence would be as of football is a noble endeavour, sometimes low as it gets. Nevertheless, Fulham would the blatantly skewed F.A takes the matter be hoping that Andy Johnson or Clint Dempsey have a trick up their sleeve – too far. Suarez has been hit with a massive the former did look lively against eight match ban, following his use of United – and manage to crack open the ‘N’ word against Evra – a permeable Chelsea defense. which again has different connoChelsea, on the other hand, need tations and interpretations in a run of victories before their minusvarious parts of the world. And cule jot of title hopes sublimates into as Suarez had already pointed oblivion. Villas-Boas needs to revert out in the immediate aftermath to his emblematic brand of atof their confrontation in October, tacking football, and possihe had called Evra something that ble start to build his the Frenchman’s own club team around the likes mates regularly call him. So of Mata, Sturridge, where do you draw the line?

Romeu and dare I If Rooney were to come up say, Torres. and utter something simiDrogba, Terry lar to Evra, in the middle of and Lampard a match with a smirk on have been great his face, would that be acservants for the ceptable? While banter club but it’s and name-calling are time to look part and parcel of a to the future. good old dogfight on Michael Carrick was Chelsea the football pitch if always the answer to should comthe English F.A is Manchester United’s fortably overthat fretful about midfield woes come their racism curtailneighbours ment, maybe on Monday; they should start however Fuloff the purge act ham might from closer to home and maybe have an look at the actions of the captain of inkling of their national side to start with. hope if a PorBig mAtch preview: tuguese fullback chelseA vs FulhAm were to be found in Chelsea’s Boxing Day games have an eerie central defense. tendency to conjure up a surprise.

PDF E-Paper_Layout 1 12/24/2011 12:26 AM Page 21

friday, 23 December, 2011

Sports 21 wAtcH It LIvE TEN SPORTS WWE: Tough Enough 10:00PM

ESPN Las Vegas Classic Baylor V West Virginia 07:30AM

Etihad continues to support Special olympics LAHORE StAFF REPORt

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has been named the official carrier for the Pakistan Special Olympics team participating in various sporting activities during the year. Etihad Airways also supported the team in last year’s Special Olympics held in Athens in which the 82-member Pakistani team bagged 17 gold, 25 silver and 14 bronze medals and participated in eight sports including athletics, aquatics, badminton, basketball, cycling, football and table tennis.

Amer Khan, Etihad Airways’ Country Manager in Pakistan said: “At Etihad Airways, we are keen to support initiatives that are designed to elevate an individual's desire to achieve. After the hugely successful event in 2011, we are delighted to once again support the many talented individuals representing Pakistan in the Special Olympics.

I wish them the best of luck and I am sure they will make Pakistan proud.”

Pakistan international Squash begins LONDON: Chelsea’s Brazilian midfielder Ramires (top) vies with Tottenham hotspur’s Us goalkeeper Brad Friedel (L) and Ledley King (R) during an english Premier League match. afp

Afghanistan kicks off its first rugby tournament

KABUL AFP

Afghanistan kicked off its first official rugby tournament on Friday, with organisers hoping the game will one day be as popular as buzkashi, a kind of polo played with the carcass of a headless goat.

Cricket and football have already gained a strong following, and regional sporting success has offered a rare glimmer of hope in the war-wracked country.

But enthusiasts believe Afghans, who have faced decades of conflict and hardship, are even better suited to the rough and tumble of the rugby field, which is more akin the national sport buzkashi, without the need for horses.

Ten teams from four different provinces gathered in central Kabul for the sevens competition, the first since the Afghan Rugby Federation won affiliation from the Asian Rugby Football Union last month.

"It's becoming popular and soon it will replace cricket and football," said Asad Ziar, the ARF's chief executive officer.

"We're a rough, tough people. We're physically set for this game, which is very energetic and fast.

"It's the new buzkashi. Our people love that game -- but we can't afford to buy a horse for every player."

With just 220 players registered with the ARF, rugby has a long way to go before it can claim to be anywhere near as popular as buzkashi, football or cricket.

Serena set for Brisbane International NEW YORK AGENCIES

Serena Williams can bank on warm support when she faces sister Venus in an exhibition at their local Florida country club. It may be a different story if Serena meets US Open champion Sam Stosur on the Queenslander's home turf at the Brisbane International.

The younger Williams arrives in Australia tomorrow week for the tournament, which starts the following day.

A dream draw would pit her against Stosur in a rematch of their Flushing Meadows final, when the American launched an explosive tirade at the umpire.

In the meantime, Serena is preparing to join hitting partner Sasha Bajin against Venus and her hitting partner David Witt at the BallenIsles Country Club for a mixed doubles exhibition early tomorrow (Aust time).

Exhibition director Trish Faulkner told the US Tennis Association's Florida website: "Venus and Serena's

fiery competitiveness on the court is matched only by how incredibly close they are off court."

The event will raise funds for Project Aspiration, a mobile learning centre

which travels the club's surrounding area. "Serena and I are looking forward to playing against each other on the stadium court in an event that will entertain members and benefit such a worthy cause," Venus said.

The Williams sisters are used to playing as a team on the doubles court.

They won the Australian and French Open women's doubles titles in 2010, but did not play together this season because Venus was reduced to only four tournaments because of illness. This month, however, the sisters revealed their intention to defend their Olympic doubles title in London.

Australian Open organisers still expect Venus in Melbourne, despite her pulling out of a lead-up event in Auckland saying she was not ready to return to competitive tennis.

She has spent the past season battling Sjogren's syndrome, a disease in which the body's immune system attacks its own moisture-producing glands, causing joint pain and fatigue.

LAHORE StAFF REPORt

The qualification round matches of Pakistan International Squash Circuit started here at the Punjab Squash Complex.

Muhammad Saqib yousaf beat yasir Sarwar 11/4, 11/7, 11/4 30 Min; Naveed Khan beat Adeel Ahmed 11/4, 11/5, 11/2 16 Min; Ammad fareed beat Aamir Khan (UAE) 11/4, 13/11, 11/7 30 Min; Aquib Hanif beat faraz Muhammad 9/11,11/8,11/2,7/11,11/8 35 Min; Muhammad Shoaib Hassan beat Muhammad Waheed 1/2,11/3,11/5 12 Min; Khwaja Adil Maqbool beat Kashif Khan 10/12,11/9,11/6,11/9 41 Min; Mujahid Hussain beat Abbas Ali 11/9,11/9,11/7 29 Min; Syed Ali Shah bokhari beat Zain Khan 11/7,11/2,11/6 30 min.

Cavendish wins bbC award LONDON AFP

World road race champion Mark Cavendish claimed Britain's BBC Sports Personality of the Year award on Thursday, beating off competition in a public vote from golfer Darren Clarke and athlete Mo Farah. The 26-year-old, also the Tour de France's green jersey winner, became only the second road cyclist to take the award, following the late Tommy Simpson's win in 1965. Northern Irish golfer Clarke, this year's British Open champion, was voted into second place with world 5,000 metres gold medallist Farah third.

Nisar notches King of the Mountain race title ABBOttABAD StAFF REPORt

WAPDA's Nisar Ahmed was crowned as King of the Mountain after winning Abbottabad to Nathiagali Cycle Race for third time in succession while the main team trophy was won by SSGCS. Nisar Ahmed of WAPDA paddled the 32 kms race in one hour and 43 minutes and 10 seconds (01:43:10) to finish first in the King of the Mountain Abbottabad to Nathiagali cycle race for the third consecutive year. Second and third positions were won by Army's sprinters as Mohammad Ismail and Mohammad Asad covered this distance in (01:43:12) and (01:43:28) respectively. Fourth to sixth spots were taken by the cyclists from Sui Southern Gas

Company (SSGC) as Habibullah (01:43:31), Zameer Ahmed (01:45:01) and Naimat Ali (01:47:05) respectively managed to record their names in the winning six. The jury awarded the team trophy to SSGC on securing maximum points as a playing unit. In all 42 cyclists from 9 teams from Sindh, Punjab, Khyber PK, Balochistan, Islamabad, FATA, Army, Railway, SSGC, WAPDA and Afghanistan contested the competition.

The race that started from the office of Board of Secondary Educa-

tion, Murree Road Abbottabad at 09:00 am, concluded at Nathiagali bazar. The cyclists mounted this 32 kms race from an altitude of 4,000 ft. sea level to 8,000 ft. sea level which is the highest in Galliyat. The race was organised under the auspices of PCF and hosted

by Khyber PK Cycling Association in coordination with the local administration under the direct supervision of DCO Abbottabad Syed Imtiaz Husssain Shah who was also present at the awards dis-

tribution ceremony. The chief guest on the occasion, Minister for Sports KPK Syed Aqil Shah, presented Lala Ayub trophy to Nisar Ahmed whereas other trophies and medals were presented to the runner ups.

Speaking on the occasion the Minister Sports lauded PCF for successfully organising the event and said that participation of Afghanistan's team will send a positive message across the sporting world encouraging them to field their teams in the various competitions being held in Pakistan. President PCF Munawar Baseer thanked the local administration. Secretary PCF Syed Azhar Ali Shah announced that PCF's next event would be Champions of the Hill Islamabad to Murree Cycle Race on December 25, 2011, that would commemorate the birthday of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

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Nawaz ready to eliminate army’s political role lAhore: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on Friday said he was ready for dialogue with political parties for a permanent end to the role of army and the ISI in politics. In an interview with German Radio, Nawaz said to strengthen democracy, it was necessary that there should be no interference in the affairs of the government by the army and the ISI. He said the forces that did not recognise democracy should also be ignored by political parties and no importance should be given to them. Nawaz said the country was faced with many problems, including the grave situation in Balochistan where it was essential to bring the estranged Baloch leadership and youth in the national mainstream for the security and integrity of the country. He said dialogue would have to be held with the Baloch leaders. He blamed the Pakistan People’s Party for not implementing the Charter of Democracy, saying that everybody was saying that the establishment was backing Imran Khan.

Nawaz said the role of various institutions, including the army and the judiciary was agreed in the CoD but the PPP violated it. He said there was a need for a new charter between political forces to prevent interference of nondemocratic forces in politics in future. INp

CENTCoM briefing to Pakistan on NATo raid cancelled islAmABAD: A briefing by the head of the US Central Command to Pakistani officials on the November 26 cross-border NATO air attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and severely strained ties with Washington has been cancelled, a Pakistani official said on Friday. News that US General James N Mattis’s visit to Pakistan had been cancelled came a day after Washington announced that its investigation into the attack found both American and Pakistani forces were to blame for the border incident. The US military blamed Pakistani soldiers for firing at NATO forces as they prepared for a mission in a remote area near Afghanistanl’s eastern border with Pakistan close to midnight on November 25. The investigation also conceded a critical error by US troops, who told Pakistan the cross-border shooting was taking place about 9 miles (14 km) away due to mapping error. Pakistan responded by saying it had no troops there. REUTERS

ISLAMABAD: Local residents burn a motorcycle during a demonstration on Islamabad Expressway against excessive gas load shedding on Friday. .oNLINE

20 troops abducted, 1 killed in Taliban attack on FC Fort PESHAWAR

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StAFF REPORt

USPECTED Taliban militants abducted more than 20 Frontier Constabulary soldiers in an overnight attack on the FC Fort in Mulazai near Tank on Friday that also left a soldier dead and two others injured.

However, seven of the abducted soldiers managed to escape in injured condition later on Friday. Taliban militants claimed responsibility for the attack through their spokesman, terming it revenge for their commander who was killed by security forces. Officials and locals told Pakistan Today that it was a wellorganised and coordinated attack on the FC Fort at Mulazai, a small town 30 kilometres from Tank, adjacent to South Waziristan. The militants attacked the

fort from three sides at approximately midnight on Thursday. Sources said more than 200 well-armed militants took part in the attack with rocket-propelled grenades and other heavy weapons before storming the main entrance - a rocket attack on which killed Sentry Yaseen Malogoree on the spot – and holding up the personnel inside at gunpoint.

Tank District Police Officer (DPO) Ijaz Abid later told reporters that the militants came on two vehicles and their number could not be determined exactly, but locals said the militants were on five double–cab pickup trucks. He said the attack was stiffly resisted for half an hour by FC personnel, who were not more than 30 in number. He added that the militants took the entire contingent hostage and fled with 16 of the personnel along with them towards the semiautonomous region of FR Tank. The DPO also said the

attackers also took with them a huge quantity of arms and ammunition from the FC Fort, which they drenched in petrol and set on fire before escaping.

Another official source said the militants had taken 22 rifles, over 10,000 rounds of assorted ammunition, a wireless set and countless hand grenades. All those kidnapped were junior commissioned officers and jawans. A Tehreek-eTaliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman, who identified himself as commander Asmatullah Shaheen, told reporters from an undisclosed location that the fresh attack was a reaction to the drone attack on October 26, 2010, which claimed the life of their commander Taj Gul. Ironically, Shaheen had announced reconciliation with the government and security forces some two years ago. He has also remained in custody of the security forces for a couple of months in 2009 and 2010.

US deal with Taliban breaks down MONItORINg DESK The Obama administration, as part of an accelerated push toward an endgame in Afghanistan, last month reached a tentative accord with Taliban negotiators that would have included the transfer of five Afghans from US detention at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the Taliban’s public renunciation of international terrorism, the Washington Post said in a report on Friday. The deal called for the prisoners to be sent to house arrest in Qatar, where the Taliban planned to open an office, and additional actions by both sides, according to US and European officials who discussed the sensitive negotiations with the Post only on condition of anonymity. Until now, no Guantanamo detainees have left the prison as bargaining chips in a larger deal.

It was the closest that the parties had come to genuine peace negotiations after nearly a year of talks, the newspaper quoted officials as saying. They said the agreement ultimately collapsed after Afghan President Hamid Karzai balked at its terms.

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