E-paper PakistanToday 7th April, 2012

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Nawaz Sharif ‘still prays for forgiveness of Zardari’s father’ PAGE | 03

Boy in China sells kidney to buy iPhone

Obama urges Iran to accept civilian nuclear program

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Rs15.00 Vol ii no 280 22 pages islamabad — peshawar edition

Saturday, 7 april, 2012 Jamadi-ul-awal 14, 1433

Four Balochs rescued from ‘jaws of death’ Justice Chaudhry says men lying dead like animals across Balochistan g High crime figure in province indicates failure of govt, its functionaries

QUETTA

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QUETTA: Security personnel escort four Baloch youths out of the court after presenting them before a Supreme Court bench on Friday. The four youths were among seven people allegedly whisked away by intelligence agencies on March 1. inp

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no more chances for Husain Haqqani

Holding former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani “in disobedience of the tribunal’s order and his own affidavit submitted before the Supreme Court”, the memo commission on Friday directed the ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs to ensure his presence on April 12 (Thursday) at the Islamabad High Court for recording statement in the memo scandal.

The commission still ‘expressed

great restraint’ and did not avail the four options available with it that included issuance of his warrants for arrest, attachment of his property in Pakistan, initiation of contempt of court proceedings and criminal proceedings for disobeying the commission’s orders. The commission earlier, provided Haqqani a number of opportunities to appear before the commission but he declined to come to Pakistan first due to security reasons and then on medical grounds.

The commission ordered Haqqani to be present on the next date of hearing with his two Blackberry handsets that were in his use during his tenure as ambassador in the US and later went missing. A notice in this regard will be served at his house in the USA through Pakistan’s embassy in Washington, the commission ordered.

Memo commission asks ministries to ensure former envoy’s presence on 12th g

Haqqani ordered to present himself at hearing along with his two Blackberry handsets ISLAMABAD TAhiR NiAz

Earlier, when Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq did not take a clear stance on the procedure to bring Haqqani back to Pakistan, chairman of the commission, Justice Qazi Faez Isa remarked: “What impression would the world get when the government of Pakistan is unable to bring its former ambassador to the country. What credibility it would have when it cannot produce its former ambassador for recording the statement before the commission. It is a complete insult of the authority of the government of Pakistan”.

Director General (Americas) of the Foreign Office (FO), Sohail Khan, told the commission that the former ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, visited London in the first week of May last year without getting formal permission Continued on page 04

I know how to deal wIth the SharIfS: ZardarI LAHORE STAFF REpoRT

President Asif Ali Zardari continued his onslaught against the Sharif brothers for the second consecutive day in their hometown and bastion of political power. Speaking to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) workers in Lahore on Friday, Zardari said he was aware of the Sharif brothers’ might, and that he knows how to deal with it. “I will visit all district headquarters prior to the elections; the political rulers of Punjab will know when we will come to power (in Punjab),” said Zardari. Political analysts say Zardari has set the tone for the upcoming elections and gave a

message to PPP workers that they should get ready for the elections and should not worry about the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). “The People’s Party is going to give a tough time to the Sharif brothers in Central Punjab,” Zardari said. “Forcing Musharraf out of the country was my first target. I had let the line loose on the Sharifs only to be able to force Musharraf out,” he said. “The country’s current political scenario requires that political parties stand united. But the Sharifs will shake hands with no one,” he added. On Thursday, the PPP cochairman had lashed out at Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif during a speech at the Governor’s House.

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ShAhzAdA zUlFiQAR

HIEF Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Friday declared that the dead bodies lying on roads in Balochistan gave the impression that there was no difference between human being and animals, as the police produced four missing Baloch tribesmen allegedly whisked away by intelligence agencies in court.

The CJ, who is in Quetta with Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Pervez, made these remarks while hearing the constitutional petition filed by SCBA President Hadi Shakeel regarding deteriorating law and order of Balochistan.

The CJ said police seemed under pressure and took no interest in recovering missing citizens rather they had joined the abductors. He also gave a strict warning that if a citizen was whisked away, the SHO of that area would be placed under suspension.

After warning about the suspension of IG police on the previous hearing, Quetta police eventually produced four of the seven missing people belonging to the Marri tribe before the Supreme Court bench on Friday. These seven persons were allegedly whisked away by intelligence agencies from Sariab Mill area of Quetta on March 1.

The CJ passed strict remarks over the recovery of two mutilated bodies on Friday from Mastung. He expressed his strong resentment

over the absence of Attorney General Pakistan and directed him to appear on the next hearing and said he had already directed the AG on pervious hearing to ensure his presence.

Chief Justice Chaudhry ordered the suspension and arrest of New Sariab SHO Nur Baksh Mengal for his false statement before the court on previous hearing showing his ignorance about the missing persons.

Inspector General of Frontier Corps Balochistan Major General Obaidullah Khan Khattak also appeared before the court and categorically denied the charges against his force of being involved in whisking away citizens and killing them.

He said that he had already contradicted the allegations. “The contradictions are not enough and every next day we read news against FC of its involvement in kidnappings and dumping bodies,” the CJ said. The court said the FC was present to assist the police and Balochistan Levies and its involvement in such acts would create serious problems for the force. The court directed the FC IG to appear before the court along with complete report in this regard on the next date of hearing. The sister of Ghaffar Langov, who was whisked away and was later found dead, appeared before the Bench and submitted that her brother Ghaffar was abducted by personnel of intelligence agencies and later his body was dumped after execution.

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02 News Today’s

Saturday, 7 April, 2012

iSlAMAbAd

newS

lok Mela kicks off at lok Virsa Complex

pTi striving for change, not power: imran Khan

Story on Page 10

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cArToon

Quick Look

Masses to get maximum relief in forthcoming budget: Gilani HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday said the government would provide maximum relief to the common man in the next budget for the fiscal year 2012-13. Talking to reporters, Gilani said, “The Ministry of Finance has been directed to provide maximum relief to the common man in the forthcoming budget.” To a question about the restoration of NATO supply vis-à-vis new terms of engagement with the US/NATO/ISAF, the prime minister said, parliament would decide the matter, which was currently being discussed in the Parliamentary Committee on National Security. To a question about the law and order in Balochistan, the prime minister said the Baloch were very patriotic and had rendered numerous sacrifices for Pakistan, adding that injustices were done with the Baloch in the past and the government wanted to compensate them for it. About the summoning of Hussain Haqqani by the Memo Commission, the prime minister said though the matter was sub-judice, he was of the opinion that Haqqani should also be extended the same facility (video conference), as given to Mansoor Ijaz, who was not even a Pakistani citizen. Ijaz also refused to appear before the parliamentary committee, which was contempt of parliament, he said. To a question about the criticism of the PML-N, Gilani said the PML-N, which had its own manifesto and programme, besides having its government in Punjab was also playing the role of an opposition at the federal level. About US bounty on Hafiz Saeed, the prime minister said besides a policy statement issued by the Foreign Office, he had also expressed his viewpoint on the floor of the House during the joint sitting of parliament on Thursday and stated that it was Pakistan’s internal matter. App

Train kills four, including 2 Pakistanis, on crossing near Athens ATHENS: An elderly Greek couple was killed by a train outside Athens on Friday when their car became stuck on the tracks, along with two Pakistani migrants who were also on the scene, the semi-state Athens News Agency said. A third Pakistani migrant was injured and taken to hospital, ANA said. Investigators believe the Pakistanis may have been trying to rescue the stranded couple when the train running from Thessaloniki to Athens crashed into them, the agency said. The accident occurred just after midday near the semirural town of Kryoneri, some 24 kilometres from the capital.

The illegal forcing of train crossings is a regular source of rail accidents in Greece. AFp

3 PPP activists killed in Karachi KARACHI: Three activists of the Pakistan People’s Party were shot dead while one man was injured by unidentified assailants near Urdu Chowk in Orangi Town on Friday.

Police said the four men were sitting in a shop when armed motorcyclists opened fire on them and fled. All the four injured were rushed to hospitals, but three of them died before reaching there. One injured, Rana Gulzar 40, is still in critical condition. Ambulance sources said two men were rushed to Abbassi Shaheed Hospital while two other to Civil Hospital. They have been identified as Farhan, Guddo and Jano. Meanwhile, shops were closed in the area after the firing incident. App

Karachi SSP names colleague as Malir blast suspect

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QUETTA: Christians commemorate Good Friday in the provincial capital. ONLINE

KARACHI STAFF REpoRT

Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Rao Anwaar Ahmed Khan on Friday named a fellow police officer as an alleged suspect in Thursday’s targeted suicide attack at a police convoy at Malir Halt. The SSP accused four suspects, including a police inspector Azam Mehsud and his brother, who he claims could be behind the targeted attack. The senior police officer told the media representatives that he had information about the attack beforehand.

Rao Anwar Ahmed Khan said he had unspecified ”evidence” showing that the three officers were involved in the blast Thursday that killed four people. He said he had filed a criminal case against them. The men he accused were not immediately reachable for comment. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for Thursday’s attack against Khan, who has pledged to battle extremism in the city. The attack on Thursday targeted the SSP, but Anwar remained safe while four other were killed and 17 wounded.

Militant chief with US bounty helping de-radicalise jihadis: official ISLAMABAD REUTERS

An Islamist leader who had a $10 million American bounty placed on his head this week has been helping Pakistan de-radicalise militants under efforts to stabilise the strategic US ally, a top Pakistani counter-terrorism official said on Friday.

Hafiz Saeed, suspected of masterminding an attack by Pakistan-based gunmen on India’s financial capital Mumbai in 2008 that killed 166 people, including six Americans, met government officials from the Punjab province and pledged his support for the drive, the official said. “Hafiz Saeed has agreed with the Punjab government programme of de-radicalisation and rehabilitation of former jihadis and extended full cooperation,” the counter-terrorism official told Reuters. The counter-terrorism official said that Saeed had not been paid for his de-radicalisation activities.

A senior police official in Punjab province, who is closely involved with investigations into militant activity, confirmed that Saeed and his supporters were helping efforts to transform militants into law-abiding citizens. “Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) were consulted, and they approved the deradicalisation plan. They assured us of their intel-

lectual input and resource materials. They also offered teachers,” he told Reuters, referring to the charity Saeed heads. Yahya Mujahid, the JuD spokesman, said the group had not participated in the de-radicalisaton programme.

Hafiz Khalid Waleed, another senior JuD member, declined to comment on whether the Islamist leader had been directly assisting the government in de-radicalisation. But he said Saeed and his followers were promoting non-violence.

“Hafiz Saeed was one of the first religious leaders to denounce militancy and suicide bombings,” said Waleed. “Our schools and madrassas (religious seminaries) are urging peace.”

SPOTTING IDLE MILITANTS: Under the

programme, former militants are urged to develop technical skills that could give them long-lasting employment to keep them from taking up arms against the state again. Experts also try to reverse what Pakistani officials call brainwashing by militants who preach holy war against the West.

To help the deradicalisation programme, Saeed identifies former militants who may still be recruited for jihad because they are jobless and idle and he helps steer them toward the programme, said the counter-terrorism official.

Waleed mocked the decision to place a bounty on Saeed. “President Barack Obama’s election symbol was a donkey and his government is acting like one. They have no evidence against Hafiz Saeed and are scrambling to make up stories,” he told Reuters. Saeed agreed to support de-radicalisation because he felt that former militants should find jobs and re-join mainstream society, said the counter-terrorism official, who has been at the forefront of efforts to fight militancy in Punjab.

The counter-terrorism official, who engineered the project, said 200 former militants had participated this year in Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, including some from Saeed’s militant group. Another 100 will be completing the programme by June.

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Saturday, 7 April, 2012

foreiGn newS

ArTS & enTerTAinMenT

SPorTS

Thousands rally for Salafist in Egypt vote

Katy perry: 'i'm tired of being famous'

Misbah, Whatmore meet to discuss future plans

News 03 coMMenT Fever pitch?: Too early for electioneering.

The general’s statement: Following orders, eh?

Arif Nizami says: In election mode: The president not very presidential.

White lies: As politicians go, last week definitely belonged to Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the pretty as picture member of the Raiwind Sharif clan.

Story on Page 15

Story on Page 17

Story on Page 18

Articles on Page 12-13

Nawaz blames military intervention for country’s problems g

PMl-n chief says military dictators did nothing except disintegrating nation, political parties PESHAWAR

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ShAMiM ShAhid

OMING hard on military dictators who derailed the democratic process from time to time, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif Friday held the military rulers responsible for the existing problems of the country, particularly economic disorder, terrorism, militancy and the deteriorating law and order.

“The military dictators did nothing except disintegrating the nation, particularly the political forces and its workers,” Nawaz remarked while addressing a well-attended PML-N gathering at Pearl Continental Hotel Peshawar on Friday.

The gathering was hosted by former federal minister and ex-provincial pres-

2 bullet-riddled bodies found in Mastung QUETTA: Two bullet-riddled dead bodies were recovered from Mastung district, some 40 kilometres south of Quetta, on Friday. According to details, the Levies received information that two decomposed bodies were lying near the highway in the Kanak area of Mastung district. A team of Levies personnel reached the site and found the bodies, and shifted them to a local hospital, where they were identified as Baigh Mohammad and Abdul Manan – residents of Kanak.

Doctors confirmed that both the bodies were decomposed and had bullet wounds, while their hands and feet were tied from behind. STAFF REpoRT

ident of PML-Q Engineer Amir Muqam.

At the outset of the PML-N gathering, Engineer Amir Muqam announced joining the PML-N along with his supporters from all over the province. MPAs Sardar Sana Ullah Miankhel, Rishad Khan and Fazal Ullah were prominent amongst them.

After welcoming Muqam and his colleagues to the party, Nawaz focused almost all of his speech on the outcomes of dictatorial regimes, his previous PMLN government’s performance and achievements and a rejoinder to President Asif Ali Zardari.

However, he also expressed severe concern over US government’s decision of announcing bounty on Lashkar-e-Tayyaba founder Hafiz Mohammad Saeed.

“Such act on the part of the US government is an expression of no

confidence in your (PM Gilani’s) government,” Nawaz remarked while diverting attention of the audience towards his recent telephonic conversation with Gilani.

“I told Gilani that Hafiz Saeed was a respectable citizen of the country and the US must hand over details of cases registered against him.” He believed that such type of acts on the part of the US government were illegitimate and unrealistic.

Advocating for the democratic process, Nawaz even termed the 1985 party-less polls an act of “disintegrating the nation and political forces”.

Strange when Nawaz had not only backed those elections but even became the Punjab chief minister after them.

Nawaz even held military dictators responsible for disintegration of Pakistan in 1971. “Only for power, they ig-

nored sacrifices rendered by people of former East Pakistan in the independence movement.” He alleged that toppling of his party’s government in 1999 not only led to halting of every sort of development, uplift of economic and investment process but even led to existing terrorism and militancy which had cost life to thousands of innocent people.

In a rejoinder to President Asif Ali Zardari, Nawaz said nothing in reaction, but accused the PPP government of breaking all previous records of corruption and malpractices.

“The present government did nothing in the last four years, except fuelling tension and crises.” He appreciated Punjab government for distribution of laptops among students and questioned the performance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Punjab governments in this respect.

nawaz Sharif ‘still prays for JUP leader shot dead forgiveness of Zardari’s father’ in Quetta QUETTA STAFF REpoRT

Unidentified armed assailants shot dead a leader of Jamiat Ulemae-Pakistan (JUP) in Quetta on Friday. Police officials said Maulana Mohammad Qasim, the head cleric of main Noorani mosque, was heading to the mosque on Sariab Road to lead the Friday prayers when armed persons opened indiscriminate fire on him. As a result, he received critical wounds and was being shifted to Civil Hospital Quetta when he succumbed to his injuries.

Police said investigation into the killing was underway to ascertain the motive behind the killing. However, no arrest has been made in this connection so far. The deceased was said to be related to the leader of JUP Maulana Abdul Qadoos Sasoli.

As Federal Minister for Information Firdous Ashiq Awan on Friday dispelled media reports about President Asif Ali Zardari targeting Mian Sharif, father of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, Nawaz told a gathering in Peshawar he still prays for the forgiveness of Zardari’s father Hakim Ali Zardari. Speaking to media on Friday, Firdous said that the president didn’t speak about Mian Sharif and reports regarding it were completely false and baseless. She said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Zardari had a lot of respect for Mian Sharif and the president offered fateha at his grave during his visit to Raiwind. Meanwhile, addressing a gathering in Peshawar, Nawaz said that he even went to the hospital to see Zardari’s father when he was unwell. NEWS dESK

over 7 million children in Pakistan don’t attend school ISLAMABAD oNliNE

An estimated 7.3 million primary school aged children in Pakistan do not attend school, depriving them of their right to education, and preventing them from reaching their full potential, the UN children fund said Friday.

Around 20 million children in Pakistan, including those of primary school-age, are not in school, the UNICEF said.

“The realization of Pakistan’s vision for social and economic development depends on the success of its education system,” said UNICEF Pakistan Representative Dan Rohrmann.

“Investing in children and their education is both a right in principle and in practice due to the positive impacts it has on so many socio-economic dimensions. It is therefore vital that all children in Pakistan, both boys and girls, have the opportunity to attend and complete their schooling.”

With the start of the new school year now underway, UNICEF is encouraging parents and communities around the country to ensure that all children of primary school-age are enrolled in class.

UNICEF is supporting the nationwide ‘Every Child in School’ campaign, which encourages parents and communities to ensure that all primary school aged children are enrolled for the new school year.

A special focus is being placed on enrolling girls, who represent 57 per cent of primary school aged children who are not attending school. Girls from poor families in rural areas, for example, receive just over one year of education, on average, compared with boys from wealthy urban families who receive an average of more than nine years of education.

The right of children to receive an education is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The 18th Amendment of the Pakistan Con-

stitution is providing an added opportunity to realize this right as Article 25a requires the State to provide free and compulsory education to all children between the ages of five and 16, as determined by law.

“The disparities in education are influenced by multiple factors such as wealth, gender, ethnicity, geographic location, early learning opportunities, access and quality of learning and it is therefore critical that all those that can positively influence children’s learning opportunities put their best foot forward to ensure that this year’s start of schooling will be more successful than ever,” said Rohrmann.

“We must ensure that all children are in school. Free and quality education for all children, especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged – and which is utilized by all children – is essential to Pakistan’s economic and social development. An investment in children is an investment in Pakistan’s future,” added Rohrmann.

MUzAFFARABAd: Activists of the defence Council of pakistan set fire to a US flag during a demonstration to condemn the $10 million bounty on the founder of lashkar-e-Taiba militant group. AFp

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04 News

Saturday, 7 April, 2012

Suicide bomber kills Afghan peace envoy

Head of government’s High Peace council in Kunar, his son and bodyguard killed g

ASADABAD AFp

A suicide bomber assassinated an Afghan peace envoy and former mujahedeen commander on Friday, in the latest blow to stuttering reconciliation efforts in the violencewracked country.

Maulavi Mohammad Hashem Munib, the head of the government’s High Peace Council in Kunar province, was killed along with his son and a bodyguard, the presidency said in a statement.

“He was on his way home from Friday prayers when he was attacked by a suicide attacker,” provincial police chief Ewaz Mohammad Nazari told AFP. One witness said both Munib and the attacker had been torn to pieces, with body parts littering the scene.

Kunar, an eastern province bordering Pakistan, is a stronghold of the decade-long Taliban-led insurgency against President Hamid Karzai’s government and its Western allies.

Karzai condemned the attack, saying that “the enemies of the people of Afghanistan have martyred one of the messengers of peace”.

“The terrorists are trying to undermine the role of elders who are working for the good of Afghanistan, but they should realise that they can never achieve their evil goals by such heinous acts,” he said.

The national head of the

High Peace Council, former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani, was assassinated last year by a purported Taliban envoy who hid a bomb in his turban.

Rabbani’s murder — Afghanistan’s most high-profile political killing since a USled invasion ousted the Taliban after the September 11, 2001 attacks — was a major setback to Karzai’s hopes of securing a deal with the militants. As well as trying to negotiate with insurgents, the High Peace Council tries to reconcile them with offers of money and jobs.

But in a report last month the International Crisis Group questioned the organisation’s “efficacy and legitimacy”, citing “the predominance of mujahedeen and factional leaders” appointed to it. Munib – also a member of Afghanistan’s Ulema Council, a governmentfunded Islamic authority – was a former senior commander of Hezb-e-Islami, one of the major Afghan mujahedeen groups that fought Soviet troops in the 1980s.

It is now sometimes regarded as the second-biggest insurgent organisation in Afghanistan after the Taliban, but Munib left it before Karzai took power and he had never taken up arms against the current government.

Mohammad Masoom Stanikzai, a senior official in the Peace Council, described Munib as an “influential figure”, saying he had “drawn

many insurgents to lay down arms and join the peace process” and blaming the Taliban for his death.

The Taliban could not immediately be reached for comment.

Progress towards peace negotiations in Afghanistan has been long, slow and complicated, with no sign that substantive talks are underway.

Kabul has said several times that it is in negotiations with the Taliban, who insisted in turn that they were only prepared to talk to representatives of the United States. Washington says the process should be Afghan-led.

NATO’s US-led International Security Assistance Force has 130,000 troops in Afghanistan helping fight the insurgency and train Kabul’s forces, but the bulk of them are due to be withdrawn by the end of 2014.

Analysts say there is a risk of the conflict deepening afterwards without a sustainable peace deal.

In its report, the Brusselsbased ICG said the government’s reconciliation programme “has taken on the look and feel of a large intelligence and mercenary operation aimed at establishing militias as a bulwark against the insurgency”.

It added that it was “foundering in the wake of increased violence and targeted assassinations of leading political personalities”.

Obama urges Iran to accept civilian nuclear program NEWS DESK

U

S President B a r a c k Obama reportedly sent a secret message to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei expressing a willingness to accept an Iranian civilian nuclear program if Iran can prove it will not pursue nuclear weapons, The Washington Post reported Friday.

According to columnist David Ignatius, Obama sent Khamenei the message via Turkish Prime Minister Recap Erdogan, who was in Iran last week. The message, sent ahead of next week’s scheduled nuclear negotiations, was meant to emphasize that “time is running out

for a peaceful settlement,” Ignatius wrote. A proposal allowing Iran a safeguarded, civilian nuclear program in exchange for stringent nuclear safeguards would not be new. According to the Arms Control Association, in the aftermath of the 2003 Iraq war, the George W.

Bush administration rejected a proposal from Iran that would limit its nuclear program to energy production.

Negotiations between Iran and key European countries in 2005 led to several proposals, ultimately rejected over the subject of Iranian uranium enrich-

PM okays retirement of five generals

Four Balochs

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, on the recommendation of the chief of army staff, has approved the retirement of five General Officers from the Pakistan Army on completion of their tenure.

The army officers include Lt Gen Sardar Mahmood Ali Khan, HI (M), Punjab, Maj Gen Noor Hussain, HI (M) S Bt Baloch, Maj Gen Syed Shakeel Hussain, HI (M), Sitara-e-Esar, Baloch, Maj Gen Jehangir Khan HI (M), FF and Maj Gen Muhammad Shahid, HI (M), EME. oNliNE

She said her other brother, Dr Naseer and his two friends Hafiz Rudini and Akhtar Lango, were picked up from Killi Ismail in Quetta on April 3 by the same personnel.

The bench took notice of this incident and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain directed Saddar SP Tariq Manzoor to ensure the safe recovery of these missing persons by April 10, otherwise a case would be registered against him.

Balochistan Home Secretary Naseebullah Khan informed the court that as many as 1,056 people, includ-

Continued fRom page 1

ing 227 personnel of Frontier Corps and 196 police personnel, had been killed in Balochistan in different terrorism-related incidents since 2009, while 250 were killed in targeted sectarian attacks.

The CJ expressed his anger by saying such a high figure indicated the failure of government and its functionaries.

“The crimes are rising and there is no one to control it and protect common citizens,” he remarked.

“Until crime prevails, no one will be scared of committing crime and the govern-

ment, to ensure Iran’s nuclear program had no military aspect.

Updated proposals surfaced in 2006, 2008 and 2009, including variations that would allow uranium “fuel swaps” to rid Iran of its excess enriched uranium or set Russia as a low-level uranium supplier.

ment should establish its writ,” he said. He further said that police had become incompetent.

Meanwhile, a young Baloch lady who introduced herself as the daughter of a missing person Balakh Sher Marri, claimed that four persons who were produced before the court during the hearing had been kept in a dark room by intelligence personnel in illegal custody.

Talking to reporters outside the court, she thanked the chief justice for helping the missing persons’ families recover their missing relatives.

Deadlock persists in domestic violence bill debate ISLAMABAD iNp

FAiSAlABAd: The All punjab Textile Associations Council has installed huge billboards across the city to protest against electricity load shedding in the province. OnLine

While the special parliamentary committee failed to clear “Domestic Violence Bill”, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah expelled a number of women from the meeting who tried to gate crash the committee room under the leadership NGO chief Farzana Bari.

The NGOs tried to attend the meeting without an invitation that annoyed Khursheed Shah and he ordered the security guards to expel them.

He also admonished PMLN MNA Tahira Aurangzeb for bringing them to the meeting.

no more Continued fRom page 1 from the authorities concerned, as no record in this regard was available with the Pakistan’s embassy in Washington. He said the two handsets that were in use of the former ambassador and later went missing were the property of the government of Pakistan.

The commission asked the DG Americas whether Husain Haqqani reported to the Foreign Office whenever he met or contacted on phone Mansoor Ijaz during his stay in Washington as

ambassador of Pakistan. He told the commission that he had gone through the ‘fresh receipts’ adding there was no mention of Haqqani either meeting Mansoor Ijaz or talking to him on phone.

The commission asked the Foreign Office official whether it was required under the rules by the ambassador to formally inform the FO about any important and significant meeting, telephonic conversation with some one else. He replied usually the ambassadors did so, however, he

On being expelled from the meeting, Farzana Bari and other women representatives of various NGOs strongly protested outside the Parliament House and raised vociferous slogans against members.

The atmosphere of the meeting became violent when PML-N’s Ayaz Sadiq and JUIF’s Attaur Rehman sought to know the identity of some women in the meeting and questioned at whose invitation they were attending. Shah expressed his ignorance but Farzana Bari said they had come with MNA Tahira Aurangzeb. At this, the chairman took a strong exception and said no woman or man could attend

the meeting without an invitation or permission of the committee and ordered them to get out of the Parliament House.

The deputy secretary of the National Assembly summoned the sergeant at arms and directed him to take the ladies out of the building. This infuriated the women and they strongly protested the treatment. However, they were forced out of the building. Meanwhile, the deadlock persisted on different sections of the Domestic Violence Bill. Fazlur Rehman strongly opposed the bill while Syed Khursheed Shah said that they would not allow western culture in Pakistan and would not get dictation from anyone.

PMl-n, JUi-f Continued fRom page 28 added it was the discretion of the ambassador to inform the FO or not.

The commission also asked the Foreign Office to inform it whether Haqqani had reported losing his two Blackberry sets in question.

The FO officials presented a copy of the contract agreement of Husain Haqqani as ambassador to the commission under which Official Secret Act, Civil Servant Rules, Civil Service Regulations and other rules and orders issued from time to time shall apply on him.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa said according to clause four of the agreement, the ambassador upon recalling or transfer was supposed to handover all the government property in his use to the Head of Chancery and questioned whether Haqqani handed over the two Blackberry sets. The FO DG said he would check from Washington embassy in this regard.

Counsel of Mansoor Ijaz alleged that Haqqani was still using secret fund available at the discretion of the

ambassador for a ‘cover up’ of the memo scandal upon which the commission sought details of the utilization of the said fund during April 2011 to the end year that the commission would go through in-camera due to sensitivity of the information.

The commission asked the counsel of Haqqani to convey his client to submit waiver consent to RIM for obtaining data containing communication record of messages between Haqqani and Mansoor Ijaz.

He advised the Sharifs not to respond to Zardari’s taunts.

Earlier in the day, Chaudhry Nisar said he had made his stance clear to his party and the leadership of other parties in the opposition about the restoration of NATO supplies.

The PML-N leader claimed that he had been informed by reliable sources that there were certain federal ministers who were actively lobbying for the resumption of the NATO supplies through Pakistan. He urged the opposition leaders to take all stakeholders on board before taking any decision in this regard.

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Saturday, 7 April, 2012

News 05

US terms Nides’ visit constructive to future engagement WASHINGTON

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oNliNE

HE United States has said it sees Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nide’s visit to Islamabad constructive in terms of diplomatic engagement with Pakistan and looks forward to moving the bilateral relations forward upon conclusion of the parliamentary review.

Deputy Spokesman at the State Department Mark Toner described Nides’ visit - coming at a time of biateral tensions and differences over drone strikes in Pakistani Tribal Areas - as “productive and constructive” but

would not go into any specific details of his talks with Pakistani leaders.

“We’re obviously waiting for the end of the parliamentary review process so that we can engage with Pakistan on a way forward,” the spokesman said at the daily briefing.

Pressed to explain how Nides’ visit was perceived as productive, Toner referred to the remarks both by Pakistan and American diplomats and saw a positive tone towards re-engagement between the two countries.

“They had real substantive discussions. And overall, the message was that – and of course I can refer you to Deputy Secretary Nides’ public remarks – is that we value our relation-

ship with Pakistan, and we respect their parliamentary process, and we’re looking, once that’s completed, to engage with them.”

Toner was also questioned repeatedly about timing of the annoucement of the $10 million bounty on Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed for his alleged role in 2008 Mumbai attacks, but he denied that the timing had anything to do with either Nides’ visit to Islamabad or President Asif Ali Zardari’s upcoming visit to India.

“We’ve talked about this upcoming visit (by Presisdent Zardari to India).

We’ve talked about the fact that we’ve had some high-level US officials in Pakistan – Deputy Secretary Nides, for

example. And I was very clear that none of this is related to any of those visits, any of those interactions.”

He also sought to clarify that the US Rewards for Justice programme was a separate process and that it took place in our diplomatic security channels over long time.

“It is indeed a long process to evaluate these individuals. So there is no relation here. We certainly don’t want it to impact on his (President Zardari’s) visit to India — we’re certainly — we want to see — to us, it’s a win-win situation when Pakistan and India are engaging in dialogue, are talking to each other and are building better cooperation.”

PTi striving for change, not power: imran Khan ISLAMABAD iNp

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday said his party was striving to get rid from corruption, load shedding, price hike and unemployment and not for the sake of power. In an interview with a private TV channel, Khan said both the PPP and the PML-N were safeguarding their own interests and were doing nothing for the welfare of the common man. He said the country’s sovereignty was at stake as both the ruling and opposition parties could not afford to disobey the United States. He said his party was not struggling for the sake of power but to provide relief to the deprived class of the society. Khan said he was optimistic that the PTI would win the next general elections as people would reject all corrupt leaders and their parties. He also said his party would provide solution to masses problem at their doorsteps. The PTI chief said youth were the asset of his party and they would not be “trapped” by the Punjab government’s “laptop scheme”. He said the PTI was being strengthened, adding that the PPP, PMLN, PML-Q would face defeat even if they jointly contested in the general elections against it. He said both the PPP and the PML-N were responsible of all problems like load shedding, corruption, lawlessness and unemployment and both parties would stand accountable after the election.

Parliament to decide terms of US ties: firdous ISLAMABAD NNi

lAhoRE: president Asif Ali zardari presides over a meeting of the ppp information Wing at punjab Governor’s house on Friday.

Zardari for mobilising all divisional, district organisations of PPP LAHORE NNi

PPP Co-chairman President Asif Ali Zardari has said that time had come for mobilizing all divisional and district organizations of the party, particularly in Punjab, to gear up for the elections which would be held on time.

The president said he himself would undertake visits throughout the province to mobilize workers and his visit to Lahore was part of that exercise. The president said Faryal Talpur would also assist the party in completing the organizational structures up

to the ward level. He said this during a series of meetings held separately with various party wings, including women, information, labour and other office-bearers at the Governor’s House Lahore on Friday. Zardari asked district presidents and party ticket-holders to point out problems faced by the masses as well as the workers in their respective districts and constituencies so that their grievances could be addressed on priority basis.

Commenting on transparency in elections, the president said the Election Commission of Pakistan in consultation with all political parties had undertaken the task of

correcting voters’ lists, adding that a law had already been framed to make CNIC mandatory for every voter.

He said with these reforms, no one would be able to hijack elections in the country, adding that the bane of manipulated elections would be banished for ever.

The president said the PPP was proceeding with a well-thought-out and calculated political course. It was part of this policy that he transferred all his powers to the parliament and embarked upon a policy of reconciliation shunning political vendetta and victimization. Zardari said the PPP had adopted a policy of reconciliation per the vi-

sion of the Benazir Bhutto. He said the reconciliation policy had helped strengthen democracy. Zardari said the political opponents in Punjab lacked patience and tolerance, whereas the PPP had shown large heartedness.

Commenting on the challenges facing the government and the party, the president said “we should not fear anything except the act of being afraid”.

Addressing the workers, the president said the PPP was proud of the noblest traditions of sacrifice and service set by great PPP workers and leadership for democracy and emancipation of the people.

Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan said Friday the parliament would decide the new terms of engagements with the United States‚ NATO and ISAF. Talking to reporters, Awan said it was for the first time in the history of Pakistan that the parliament was devising the country’s foreign policy.

To a question‚ the minister said that Pakistan wanted to resolve all outstanding issues with India, including Kashmir, through dialogue.

Girls school blown up in Mohmand Agency PESHAWAR oNliNE

Suspected militants blew up Government Girls Primary School in Mohmand Agency on Friday. The school building in the Zargar area was partly damaged. Sources said militants have so far destroyed 92 schools in the last three years.

Sensitive topics off table as Zardari visits india NEW DELHI AFp

President Asif Ali Zardari will on Sunday become the first head of state since 2005 to visit India when he makes a trip that includes lunch with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

During what officials from both sides describe as a “private” one-day visit, Zardari will be the guest of the Indian premier in New Delhi before heading to an important Muslim shrine in Ajmer to offer prayers.

The trip, which was confirmed this week after leaks in the press, has received a cautious welcome from analysts who

say it reflects some improvement in ties since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

But they warned little progress could be expected on sensitive topics such as Kashmir and militant activity against India that make the cross-border relationship one of the most dangerous in the world.

“Zardari expressed a desire to visit India primarily for a pilgrimage, and it is only correct that we welcome him to the capital,” G Parthasarathy, a retired Indian diplomat and former high commissioner to Pakistan, told AFP. “There will be talks and I expect the prime minister to raise issues such as our concerns over terrorism. Relations were

rock bottom in 2008 so they have improved.”

Zardari’s visit comes shortly after the United States issued a $10 million bounty for Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the founder of LT who lives in Pakistan.

A United States official praised the planned rare talks between India and Pakistan, describing them as a “win-win situation” for the US and said it did not want the bounty “to impact” on Zardari’s visit.

“We’re not playing some sort of strategic game here,” State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said. “We’re just trying to prosecute this individual.”

Brahma Chellaney, an analyst at New

Delhi’s Centre for Policy Research, said of the visit: “This is a largely symbolic occasion and contentious subjects will be avoided.”

Pakistan foreign policy is seen as preserve of the powerful military, and Chellaney said Zardari wielded little real power in the country.

“You can’t have substantive talks with someone who doesn’t run anything,” he told AFP. Trade is one area of discussion that the two leaders may find fruitful as Pakistan moves to normalise trade ties by phasing out major restrictions on Indian imports by the end of the year.

In 1996, India granted Pakistan

“most preferred nation” trading status, while Pakistan last year agreed in principle to match the move.

Sources in Islamabad said among the 40 members of Zardari’s family and staff expected to accompany him on the trip will be Interior Minister Rehman Malik, potentially undermining its “private” status.

“Zardari could just go to Ajmer and back home, so meeting Manmohan Singh makes it significant even though it’s not official,” Pakistani political analyst Hasan Askari told AFP. “This means that relations are in a better state, otherwise the prime minister could ignore the visit.”

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Shujaat, elahi discuss political situation with PM ISLAMABAD NNi

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Senior Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi called on Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani here on Friday, and discussed the political situation of the country. Shujaat said his party would continue its support for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government. He assured Gilani that the PML-Q, along with other coalition partners, would formulate a strategy to come out of the existing crisis facing the government. The prime minister appreciated the continuous support of the PML-Q, saying his government valued their cooperation, as it was in accordance with its policy of reconciliation.

china places six Uighurs on ‘terror’ list BEIJING AFp

China has placed six men from the Uighur ethnic minority on a “terror” list, accusing them of involvement in terrorist training camps and of inciting attacks in the restive western Xinjiang region. China’s Ministry of Public Security said the men, whose names identify them as Uighurs, were members of the outlawed East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), blaming one for orchestrating violent attacks in the city of Kashgar last July. Chinese authorities have accused the ETIM, which wants an independent homeland for Xinjiang’s Uighurs, of orchestrating attacks in the region on many occasions. The United States and the United Nations have listed the group as a “terrorist” organisation, and China has previously said it has operations in Pakistan as well as Afghanistan. The public security ministry said in a statement late Thursday it had frozen the funds and assets of the six men, whose whereabouts are not known.

Xinjiang has been under heavy security since July 2009, when Uighurs launched attacks on Han people — who make up most of China’s population — in the regional capital Urumqi. The government says nearly 200 people were killed and 1,700 injured in the violence, which shattered the authoritarian Communist Party’s claims of harmony and unity among the country’s dozens of ethnic groups. Many Uighurs remain angry at the harsh crackdown that followed the violence. Xinjiang, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, is home to around nine million Uighurs, but the number of Han living there has increased dramatically over the past decade. Government critics say this results from a policy of migration to dilute any Uighur nationalist tendencies and has bred resentment in the region.

pEShAWAR: pakistan Muslim league-Nawaz president Nawaz Sharif addresses a public gathering on the occasion of joining of former pMl-Q leader Amir Muqam and his supporters in the pMl-N on Friday. inp

PML-N not to enter into alliance with PPP, PML-Q: Nawaz LAHORE

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STAFF REpoRT

H E PML-N has decided not to enter into an alliance with the PPP and PML-Q, nor will it make any seat adjustment with these two parties in the coming elections, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif said in a special interview on Friday.

The PML-N chief, however, clarified that his party would consider seat adjustment with the JUI-F and Jamaat-e-Islami in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

To a question, Nawaz said the PPP government had not taken any step to solve the problems of the common man, instead, it had indulged in large scale corruption and destroyed the national economy.

Nawaz said after coming to power,

the PML-N government would give special attention to resolving the energy crisis that had brought life to a standstill in the country.

“For this purpose, the PML-N government will build small dams and set up gas fired power plants to provide cheap electricity to the people,” Nawaz said.

“Technology and technical and vocational education will be provided at all levels to help fight unemployment in the country. By promoting education, we will be able to export trained manpower to the Middle East and other countries,” he said. To a question, the PML-N chief said his party would also introduce reforms in the transport sector in order to provide cheap transportation to the public.

He said the PPP government was openly defying Supreme Court orders which showed how serious it was

Zardari ruining PPP: PML-N ISLAMABAD: PML-N Secretary Information Senator Mushahidullah on Friday said President Asif Ali Zardari was ruining the PPP himself. In a statement issued on Friday, he said those who were looting the country with both hands could not give concession to others. He said the people could better judge the performance of the government. Senator Mushahidullah said why was the PPP claiming it was trying to arrest the killers of Benazir Bhutto as General Musharraf, who was allegedly involve in this heinous crime, was given guard of honour and safe exit by the PPP government. He said the government had failed to defend the country’s sovereignty as it was following all dictations from the US. The PML-N leader said the Sharif brothers spent one year in prison and almost eight years in exile, adding that Zardari had a different standard of bravery. He came hard on Zardari for talking about the funeral of Mian Muhammad Sharif. iNp about establishing rule of law and constitution and democratic norms in the country. “People are hankering for change and the PML-N government

will strive sincerely to improve the condition of the common people as it did in the past,” the former prime minister added.

civil-military relations on the wane: PildAT ISLAMABAD iNp

The civil-military relations showed serious deterioration during the year 2011 and Pakistan’s policies and its deteriorating relations vis-à-vis the United States can be largely seen as the cause of a growing wedge between the elected government and the army.

A report carried in quarterly monitor of Pakistan Institute of Legislative and Transparency (PILDAT) says the issue of the alleged memo, seen by some as the civil government’s wish-list to contain the army, and by others who, albeit are in fewer numbers, as a storm in a tea cup, came to be at the heart of the estrangement in civil-military relations at the end of 2011.

“The same elected government, which continually came to the public rescue of the military after the killing of Osama bin Laden, US targeting of the ISI and the NATO attack, resorted to an open confrontation with the army,” it adds.

The government appeared to be most disturbed at the position taken by the army

in the memo controversy as it is diametrically opposed to that of the civil government.

“Year 2011 also witnessed a relatively weak civilian prime minister breaking the sound barrier on civil-military relations in Pakistan by obliquely referring to intelligence apparatus or the military as a ‘state within the state” – an open public position that has never before been taken by even the most powerful Prime Ministers of Pakistan,” the report says.

While his words may continue to change, the 13th National Assembly of Pakistan recorded an elected prime minister deprecating the dominant role demanded by the armed forces and the associated intelligence apparatus in national policy making.

On January 9, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, in an interview to a Chinese news agency, said the chief of army staff and ISI director general had submitted replies to the Supreme Court without seeking approval of the competent authority and their statements carried no legal import.

This statement was replied to by a press release issued on January 11, by the military

which warned that such allegation can have “serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences for the country”.

The PILDAT report says for some time following the dismissal of the defence secretary, the exposed cleavages between the elected government and the military seemed reminiscent of the Kargil controversy in 1999 in which either the elected government could be sent packing or the military commanders’ tenures could be curtailed. “Eventually, however, better sense prevailed and both sides pulled back from the brink.”

Developments in judicial investigation of the memo scandal indicate that proving that the memo has been written by Hussain Haqqani on the behest of the president of Pakistan will be extremely difficult. The commission’s deadline to complete its inquiry has been extended twice during this period.

Meanwhile, there have also been reports in the media that an understanding has been reached between the civil and military leadership on the memo controversy, the report says. About NATO attack and strained PakUS relations, the report says that what has

been termed by the Pakistan Army as a “deliberate” attack of NATO on Pakistan’s security posts on November 26, 2011 resulted in the Prime Minister ordering an immediate closure of the NATO/ISAF logistics supply lines, US vacating the Shamsi Airbase and Parliamentary Committee on National Security to review Pak US relations.

The relationship between the US and Pakistan had begun to sour following the Raymond Davis saga and worsened after the May 2 US attack on Pakistan’s sovereign soil and the subsequent unfolding of events within Pakistan, pronouncements in Congress and by the military top brass in the US. In Pakistan’s peculiar civil-military relations, it is a popular perception that major foreign policy decisions, especially relevant to India and the US, are taken only after the agreement of the armed forces.

“It is also believed by a sizeable public opinion that Pakistan’s elected representatives have had almost no role to play in influencing, guiding or even overseeing Pakistan’s foreign policy,” the report says.

“The review by the Parliamentary Com-

mittee on Pak-US relations and general foreign policy, therefore, is the first of its kind review and can not be considered a small feat for parliament that the prime minister desired parliament to guide him in developing a policy to be followed by Pakistan in relation to the US.” During the course of developing its recommendations, the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) asked the government to submit the record of all cooperation agreements with the US, whether written or otherwise.

Nine pacts signed by the Musharraf regime after 2002 with the US with regards to the war on terror were presented to the committee by the Ministry of Defence. The 16-point recommendations of the Committee, called “Guidelines for Revised Terms of Engagement with US/NATO/ISAF and general Foreign Policy” can be termed as a constructive and comprehensive framework for improvement of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

A number of recommendations by the committee arrogate various rights to parliament such as use of Pakistani bases or airspace contingent on parliamentary approval.

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Paul wants steps for minorities’ uplift ISLAMABAD STAFF REpoRT

iSlAMABAd: Jamaat-ud-dawa and Jammat–e-islami activities shout anti-US slogans during a rally outside the National press Club. STAFF pHOTO

canada to construct college, school in Hattian dopatta ISLAMABAD App

Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ross Hynes, visited the Union Council of Hattian Dopatta to break ground for the construction of a Government Girl’s Degree College and a Government Boy’s High School. This college and high school are part of a $ 20 million Canadian program to reconstruct up to 42 schools destroyed in Hattian Doppotta following the earthquake of 2005 says a press release issued here Friday.

The project is being managed by CDM Constructors Inc. funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). “The tragic earthquake of 2005 had a devastating impact on the lives of millions of people in Pakistan, particularly among school children. Canada responded generously through CIDA, and has been working closely with Pakistan’s Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) to ensure that these young girls and boys will have a safe place to go to school,” said Hynes. The ceremony commemorated the initiation of construction of the first four schools by Banu Mukhtar Contracting (Pvt) Ltd (formerly known as Izhar(Pvt) Ltd).

Transporters fleecing passengers in capital ISLAMABAD App

The local transporters in twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have started overcharging without any official increase in the fares following surge in the fuel prices.

It is observed that the transporters have started violation of routes and fleecing the commuters on their own.

The commuters waiting on Faizabad bus stop said that transporters ask for more fare that is unfair as they are bound to follow the current rate list until it is revised.

They said most of the transporters operate on gas but they adjust fare according to the petrol prices.

Underpass at Chaklala railway track approved RAWALPINDI

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App

HE Punjab government has approved construction of an underpass on railway track in Chaklala to link residential area of Shah Khalid colony to commercial area.

All the necessary proceedings have been started to assess the cost of construction of underpass besides obtaining No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Pakistan Railway. Government of Punjab will bear all the expenses pertaining to the completion of the project.

Rawalpindi District management will monitor the construction work.

The project was the demand of the residents of Shah Khalid Colony as Railway track has divided the colony into two parts and they have to go to markets after crossing the railway track and due to this several accidents have taken place. The construction of the underpass will resolve problems of the area, said Shoail Ahmed a resident while talking to this agency.

DAwAH ACADEMY BOOKS APPROvED fOR PUNjAB LIBRARIES PROjECT: The Punjab Schools Libraries Project Lahore has approved 26 publications of Dawah Academy of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI).

According to a IIUI press release, up to 9800 copies of each of the title will be provided by the academy to the said project for onward provision to the Schools Libraries Project. An agreement in his regard was signed last week according to which the books will be provided to the Project by May 30.

Hairan Khattak, former Deputy Director Publication, singed the agreement with the authorities of the project in Lahore. It is worth mentioning that

Dawah Academy has already supplied a total of 30 books to the project in the previous two phases.

IESCO POwER SUSPENSION SCHEDULE : The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) on Friday issued a power shut-down programme for various areas due to necessary maintenance and routine development work. According to an IESCO Spokesman, power supply of the areas fall under the following grid stations/feeders would remain suspended as under:- April 7 (Saturday): From 12am to 5pm, Fazal Ghee feeder, Pak Steel, Capital Steel, U-fone, ISI, Atomic energy, Khabrian Akbar, Gali No.1,2,3,6, I-10/3, Main Road, I-10/3.

From 9am to 2pm Park view feeder, Mohra Nagial, Sawan camp, Morgah, from 9am to 4pm Industrial feeder, Pirwadhai feeder, Mangtal feeder, Hali Road feeder, Bagh Sardaran feeder, DM Textile Mill feeder, Quaid Abad feeder, From 10am to 2pm Shahdra feeder, Desto feeder, Angori feeder, Shahdra Village, Shah Pur, Nai Abadi, Kot Hathial, Spring Valley, Sarl Chowk, PTV Colony, Babri, Malata, Sakreela, Behaki Gali, Desto Lab. DRINKING GOOD AMOUNT Of MILK KEEPS TEETH HEALTHY: Drinking milk regularly provides good amount of calcium and keeps teeth healthy. Talking to Pakistan Television (PTV), Dr Shabeer Ahmed Dehraj said that there was no difference between dairy and fresh milk as both were rich in calcium. He said that brushing the teeth after breakfast and before sleeping for a minimum duration of at least three minutes daily prevents bacterial attacks against the teeth. He said that during brushing, the position of the tooth brush head should be at an angle of 45 degrees towards gum line. He said that milky teeth remains six to eight years

and after that permenant teeth replace them. Care for teeth should be adopted from early age and parents can help the kids in that matter. He said a visit to a dentist can provide sufficient information about dental care plan.

It is found that most people use their teeth for different kinds of activities. These include using the teeth as a tool and sometimes as a can opener.

Using the teeth for activities like these can cause the enamel to erode, crack and loosen the teeth from its base, he said. Smoking cause stains on your teeth that are un-removable. Gum diseases affect smokers more than nonsmokers. Make it a habit to visit your dentist once every six months, he can guide you and tell you about the status of your teeth and can do some professional cleaning once in a while, he said.

NDMA PLANS TO SET UP RISK ASSESSMENT NETwORK: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is planning to establish National Hazard and Risk Assessment Network to provide a forum for information sharing, avoiding duplication and synergizing all activities being undertaken for hazard and risk assessment in the country.

An NDMA official told APP Friday that the authority was working to devise a mechanism for establishing the Disaster Safety Net and introducing insurance of the communities particularly living in disaster prone areas.

He said various options were being explored for risk financing. the NDMA was working on risk assessment model which had already been tested successfully in a number of countries.

This risk assessment would contribute towards improving resilience against disasters and improve the response by the government in time of calamities, he added.

National Harmony Minister Dr Paul Bhatti has called for steps to end poverty, illiteracy and overpopulation to uplift minorities and bring them in the mainstream.

According to a press release issued on Friday, Bhatti was addressing a delegation of Vatican University, Italy, here on Friday. The delegation, headed by Professor Basti, called on him to exchange views on interfaith harmony, inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue. The Italian ambassador was also present at the meeting.

Dr Paul Bhatti also held Good Friday lunch in the honour of the Italian delegation of professors who are teaching culture, religion and interfaith harmony at the University of Vatican.

The delegation, led by Professor Basti, is visiting Pakistan to demonstrate solidarity with the efforts of Dr Paul Bhatti to promote interfaith relationship, dialogue and harmony in a bid to bring peace, prosperity and economic uplift of the Pakistani society.

Dr Paul also nominated Professor Mubeen as All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) president in Italy.

Mubeen is also accompanying the delegation. The APMA president is already working in Canada, America and Spain.

The Good Friday lunch was attended by a large number of members of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, civil society members and journalists.

Good Friday was observed by the Christian community on Friday to commemorate crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which is an important part of the Christian faith.

Unicef’s project provides chance to learn ISLAMABAD App

A Taleem-ul-Amal programme, being run by the United Nations International Children Fund (UNICEF) in different areas of the country is receiving a good response of the community.

The programme, launched in various areas of Pakistan, is aimed at helping child labourers to obtain an education and become an educated citizen and lead a respectable life.

UNICEF Pakistan Media Coordinator Sami Malik said centres have been established in Lahore, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujranwala and Faisalabad in collaboration with the business community and other implementing partners.

Sami Malik, who recently visited some centres in different areas of Punjab, told APP on Friday that there was sadness in the eyes of 12-year-old Chand Khushi Muhammad when he recalled walking the streets, collecting garbage in Sialkot, a city known for sporting goods manufacturing. “I used to collect garbage and pieces of metal from the streets to sell for about Rs 100 to 200 at the end of the day. Most children of my age in this locality did the same,” Chand said.

“Watching children going to school in clean uniforms fascinated me. But I knew that I could not go to school. My father was dead and mother could not afford sending me to one. But thanks to the intervention of a caring teacher that I am now a student at the Taleem-ul-Amal Centre,” he said with a heavy voice.Malik while quoting the teacher said when she spotted him collecting garbage one morning, she followed him home and convinced his mother to let him obtain a free education at the centre.

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iSlAMABAd: pTdC Md Mir Shahjahan Khetran with the members of pakistan Motorbike Travellers Association who reached islamabad after covering a distance of 2,600kms in 10 days from Karachi to islamabad. STAFF pHOTO

Residents demand cleanliness of Nullah Leh RAWALPINDI / ISLAMABAD

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App

HE residents living along Nullah Leh on Friday demanded cleanliness of the nullah as it is full of filth, silt and garbage.

They said Nullah Lai is overflowing due to the negligence of the concerned authorities as garbage and filth gather there and no proper arrangements have been made to clear silt and solid waste from it. The residents of low lying areas particularly Waris Khan, Glass Factory, Mokh Singh State, Dhoke Khaba, Umer Road, Nadeem Colony, Dhoke Elahi, City Sadar Road, Dhoke Charg Deen, Pirwadhi, New Katrian and Dhoke Naju demanded city district government to take solid for redressing grievances of people.

Gawalmandi area should especially be focused during the cleanliness drive, said a resident Malik Naseer, adding, due to surrounding populus locality, a large quantity of garbage and filth is thrown in the nullah and no one is paying heed towards this issue. The PML-N leader and Incharge Monitoring Cell of Development Works, Sardar Nasim stated that he would discuss the situation with the Punjab Government and convince it to allocate funds for cleaning and dredging of the Nullah.

CAMPAIGN TO PREvENT DIARRHEA AMONG CHILDREN CONCLUDES: In a bid to address health problems of

disadvantaged mothers and children, lady health workers are visiting door to door in 12 union councils and 14 slums of the federal capital to provide basic healthcare facilities to them in a week-long 'Mother and Child' campaign to be concluded on Saturday.

According to details, the campaign is focusing on prevention of diarrhea among the children, distribution of ORS and zinc syrup, immunization of children against communicable diseases under two years, tetnus toxoid vaccination for pregnant women, providing counseling services to pregnant women, provision of iron and folic acid tablets to the mother and children for overcoming anemia and mal nutrition among children, providing family planning services, promotion of personal hygiene, washing hands, prevention of pneumonia.

District Health Department, Islamabad, Capital Territory Administration (ICT), in co-ordination with UNICEF and Capital Development Authority (CDA) is observing the Mother and Child Week in the Federal Capital from April 2 to April 7, with a view to address the health problems of disadvantaged mothers and children by raising the awareness and strengthening the health system to become more responsive.

The lady health workers are visiting door to door in the 12 union councils and 14 slums of Islamabad and would provide these basic health care facilities to the disadvantaged families.

They are registering pregnant women for all the requisite health care services. Health education of disadvantaged families is also an important part of week long activities.

The lady health workers are observing this week with full dedication and devotion and addressing the health problems of disadvantaged mothers and children by visiting and spending their time with disadvantaged mothers in slum settlements and remote rural areas of 12 union councils of Islamabad.

PAL CHIEf CONDOLES SARfRAz MIRzA’S DEATH: Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) Chairman Abdul Hameed on Friday expressed grief over the sad demise of the prominent intellectual and researcher Prof Dr Sarfraz Hussain Mirza.

In a condolence message, the Chairman said the death of Prof. Dr Sarfraz Hussain Mirza has created a gap in the literary circle which cannot be filled.

Abdul Hameed said Dr Sarfraz Hussain was the author of many books regarding History of Pakistan.

These books are a precious asset for the new generation and will remain the part of history. Chairman PAL, Abdul Hameed prayed for the salvation of soul of the Prof Dr Sarfraz Hussain Mirza and patience for his siblings.

UNHYGIENIC OffICE DESKS SPREAD SICKNESS: STUDY Employees who prefer to eat their lunch at their desks instead of taking a lunch hour out of the office are ap-

OMG! [OH MY GIG!]

MONstEr truCk IN IsLMabaD

parently putting their health, as well as the health of their colleagues, at risk.

A new study by office supplies firm Viking has revealed that hygiene levels are shockingly poor in hundreds of offices across the UK; with germs reportedly found in nearly two-thirds of computer keyboards, some of which also had mould growing under them, Live Science reported.

The reason for the growth of germs and bacteria in the office desks is that almost two-thirds of the office employees in the country eat at their work station but do not clean up afterwards; thereby implying that there are chances of some sickness spreading throughout the office.

After having comprehensively analyzed the swabs sent in by hundreds of office workers from across the UK, Viking arrived at the conclusion that computer staff, accountants, and lawyers were seemingly the most unhygienic office workers in the country; with social workers being the most likely ones to have moldy food on their desks.

Terming the `unhygienic desks' revelation as ‘very worrying’ Dr.Lisa Ackerley a chartered environmental health practitioner said since employees working in open-plan offices generally start coming down with illnesses this time of year, "keeping equipment such as keyboards, phones and desks as germ-free as possible is even more important during the cold and flu season".

DruMMING CIrCLE

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 And TiMe: APr 07, 2012, 6:30 PM VenUe: KUcH KHAAS (iSlAMAbAd)

dATe: MAr 20 - APr 21, 2012 VenUe: f-9 PArK, iSlAMAbAd

dATe And TiMe: 05:00 PM, weeKly eVenT VenUe: THe cenTre for ArTS & cUlTUre

And the performers for this edition of oMG! are: drumroll Special Performances by: 1. rap engineers 2. XX1 3. Taray.

The band members are students of the prestigious lUMS, specially coming all the way from lahore to perform in Kuch Khaas. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fivr3iqgfcA entry fee: rs.100 (non-Members) free entry for Members

Monster truck in islamabad.

our drumming circle is a (free!) ongoing event and is held every friday from 5 to 6 p.m. we are having a great time, and want to share the good time with you! our drumming circle has children ...

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Saturday, 7 April, 2012

Islamabad 09 better healthcare services for elderly people stressed ISLAMABAD App

RAWAlpiNdi: Shia Ulema Council activists protest against the Chilas incident outside the press club. STAFF pHOTO

Islam offers best concept of culture, civilisation: Prof Ahmad

ISLAMABAD MAhTAB BAShiR

W

ELL-KNOWN scholar Professor Ahmad Rafique Akhtar showed a new path for understanding relation between culture practices and Islam in a lecture that he delivered at the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA).

The scholar’s interpretation of the holy Quran and our religion was quite different from the forbidding edicts

against culture practice given out by quite a few religious personalities.

Delivering a lecture titled ‘Deen Aor Saqafat Ka Rishta’ at a packed auditorium of PNCA, Prof Akhtar said that Islam is a very simple religious. All it asked its followers is to believe in the Oneness of God Almighty and the last prophet of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), and five times daily prayers and keeping fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

“And one could do what he likes provided he does not transgress the limits set by Allah Almighty”.

In fact, Islam gives a better concept of civlization while other religions speak of customs, habits, and mythology.

“Islam admitted no mythology- its stress on the oneness of God cannot sanction myths about the creator, Prof Akhtar said. He denied that Islam is against painting because in the holy Quran God has been mentioned as the Most Supreme Artist, Allah-hu-Jamilun, Wa Yu Hibbul Jamaal (God is beautiful and he loves beauty).

The scholar then flayed those who decry poetry because the holy Prophet (PBUH) on several asked that poetry be read to him, although the holy Prophet being Ummi who could not read and write - himself could not recite poetry well.

The lecturer cleared one more myth

about music and singing and games (not games of fortune). He said the Prophet (PBUH) encouraged girls to sing and he listened to them with patience.

Once a lady came to him and said “O Prophet of God - may peace be on you -I have taken a vow to please you with a performance on daff (an instrument) and he gave attention to her. Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Usman and Hazrat Ali came and also listened; she stopped performing upon the arrival of Hazrat Umar, because Hazrat Umar was very strict in his behaviour,” said the scholar.

He added that Hazrat Umar was a good singer and he sang ballads while going on a journey and while riding a horse, and he would attract a crowd who would flock to hear his ballads. “Why do you come and hear a sing and do not come so readily when I recite the Quran in the same pleasing voice? he chastised his fans. That took care of music and singing performances. Some other religious teachers show antipathy to this view.

However, in the view of Prof Ahmad Rafiq, the holy Prophet’s life did not disapprove these branches of fine arts.

In spite of gruesome difficulties and denials as an orphan, the holy Prophet was a generous and was most accommodating of persons and he was not a kill joy, as he is made out to be.

When a person said he did not like to offer his daily salat, his reply was then don’t do it. “If one loved Allah and his Prophet then one would come readily to prayers, and without hesitation.”

We have to give priority to the commandments of Allah and his Prophet (PBUH)) and if we establish this priority we can solve all problems. The scholar said since the last two centuries the outside world is trying its best to create a wedge among Muslims and drive them away from the love of Prophet (PBUH).

We need to avoid that traps that have been set for the Muslim, he warned.

Prof Ahmad Rafique Akhtar is a notable Islamic scholar. He is from Gujar Khan. A graduate of Government College, Lahore, he has been associated with teaching for years. Finally, in Gujar Khan, near Islamabad, he started delivering lectures on different Islamic and philosophical topics and this eventually grew to such an extent that he had to travel all over the country and different places in the world.

Many of his lectures have been published in books.

Speakers at seminar on Friday urged the concerned quarters to ensure provision of better healthcare services to older people of the country by utilizing all available resources.

They were addressing a seminar on ageing and health, jointly organized by World Health Organization (WHO) and Help Age International in connection with World Health Day being observed on Saturday. They asked for inclusion of ageing and older people in plans, strategies and programmes to combat noncommunicable and communicable diseases. They said it is vital that the health sector at all level addressed older people’s health and care.

Dr Summaiya from World Health Organization (WHO) said it is a high time that policy makers should revise the policies for proper taking care of older people. She said the government, society and communities as a whole, need to act now and plan together responsibly for health services and supportive environments favorable to graceful healthy ageing. Acting Country Director, Help Age, Syed Moeez ud Din said there is an immediate need to recognize and take comprehensive timely action to address population ageing through systematic integrated health care and social services complemented with continued family support and respect. He said quality of life should remain a high priority and due consideration must also be given to account for gender realities and specific needs. Dr Amjad from Help Age said older people made important contributions as family members, volunteers and are active participants in the workforce besides a significant social and economic resource. He said the main health challenges for older people everywhere are non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease. Other speakers said older people in low- and middle-income countries currently face up to four times the risk of death and disability from non-communicable diseases than people in high-income countries. They stressed the need for urgent action to ensure that at a time when the world’s population is ageing rapidly, people reach old age in the best possible health.

They said poor health is not the only concern of people as they grew older.

Stigmatizing attitudes and common stereotypes often prevent older people from participating fully in society, they said.

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10 Islamabad

Saturday, 7 April, 2012

Lok Mela kicks off at Lok Virsa Complex g

Ghurki says traditions and cultural values are identity of a nation ISLAMABAD

A

MAhTAB BAShiR

10-day folk festival of Pakistan, popularly known as Lok Mela, started here at Shakarparian. This mega cultural event has been organised by Lok Virsa - National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage - from 6 to 15 April. The inaugural ceremony was performed by Ministry of National Heritage and Integration Federal Secretary Asaf Ghafoor as chief guest. In his address, the secretary assured full cooperation to Lok Virsa and the festival participants on behalf of his ministry for holding the event successfully.

Asaf Ghafoor said: “this event is a true depiction of rural Pakistan. The direct beneficiaries are rural folk including craftspeople, folk artists, musicians and other performers participating from each and every corner of the country. The festival, therefore, serves to disseminate the dynamic creativity of our countryside and gives rural folk a pride in their identity”.

“Artisans and folk artists are our national assets. While performing abroad, they act as our ambassadors to the visiting countries. No one else than these folk artists can effectively project our culture in the outer world. They have an important role to play in promoting our soft image at the international level through their skills and performances. Our ministry would certainly facilitate them in carrying out this national task”, he maintained.

The secretary congratulated Lok Virsa officers and staff for their dedicated efforts to bring this mini-Pakistan at the federal capital to enrich its attractions and beauty and also highly lauded their contribution towards projecting true identity of Pakistan.

In her message on the occasion, Federal Minister for National Heritage and Integration Samina Khalid Ghurki, who is also the minister incharge of Lok Virsa, said: “Traditions and cultural values are the identity of a nation. Changes over the time can diminish them but they cannot be wiped away. Lok Virsa is doing a great service to the nation in this respect as it

PiMA suggests six-point health plan ISLAMABAD STAFF REpoRT

April 7 is celebrated as the health day worldwide. The World Health Day provides an occasion for the countries to look at their health care system and plan accordingly to meet the millennium development goals (MDG).

Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA), on the eve of the World Health Day suggested a six-point plan to improve health care of Pakistani people by governmental and non-governmental interventions.

The points include: more expenses on health, focus on primary prevention, nutrition is important than medications, strengthening basic health unit, improving public awareness, providing free vaccines and cheaper drugs.

The status of public health in Pakistan is at the lowest level in the world. Our infant mortality rate is 90/1,000 and maternal mortality due to delivery complications is 45/10,000. One out of three babies is born with low birth weight. We are spending less than one per cent of our GNP on health. The federal budget allocated Rs 240 per person for health in the previous budget. The amount of the federal health budget is less than the amount of the revenue collected from tobacco companies.

Hundreds of thousands of people die of preventable infectious diseases and gastric infections due to unclean water and poor nutrition. According to a survey, one-thirds of population above 45 is suffering from high blood pressure, and about 10 per cent population is carrier of hepatitis. These figures are alarming and demand an urgent action. Death toll due to smoking alone is twice more than 2005 earthquake-related deaths.

is striving hard to preserve our indigenous folk traditions, promote them and project them at the international level.

This is not only important but also an essential need of the hour”.

The minister further added: “We can defeat terrorism and extremism by promoting our cultural heritage. By projecting it properly, we can highlight the soft image of Pakistan all over the world. It is policy of the government to give equal representation to all provinces and regions in safeguarding their traditional culture”. The minister said: “I am glad that Lok Virsa, which was founded by Quaid-e-Awam, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1974, has grown to such an extent that it is now known the world over for its landmark achievements in the field of culture”.

In his welcome address, Lok Virsa’s executive director Khalid Javaid gave a brief overview of the concept and objectives of the festival with special reference to the mandate of Lok Virsa. He assured that artisans, folk artists and musicians coming from all the provinces, GilgitBaltistan, Azad Kashmir and other remote areas will be given a very warm hospitality at Islamabad during the festival period.

He said: “The major thrust of the festival is the focus on provincial harmony and national integration highlighting the contribution of our people in building future of Pakistan.”

Khalid Javaid apprised that festival aims to reviving endangered traditional arts of Pakistan. It will provide an opportunity to craftspeople not only to display their workmanship at a central place at the federal capital but also to sell their products to public without involvement of middleman, thus contributing a lot towards poverty alleviation among poor rural community. The folk artists and musicians will also win recognition of their talent at this important forum. The festival also serves to afford an opportunity to the diplomatic community and residents of Rawalpindi/Islamabad to witness authentic folk musical and cultural entertainment for 10 consecutive days besides buying traditional items on reasonable prices.

More than 500 artisans and artists from different parts including remotest regions are participating in the festival, bringing with them their creativity in arts, crafts and innovation, the Lok Virsa ED maintained.

The festival includes a number of important features such as artisans-at-work exhibition, provincial cultural pavilions, folkloric song and dance ensembles, rural musicians, cultural evenings, promotional stalls by public organizations and NGOs, general assembly of craftspeople, an exotic craft bazaar, traditional food cuisine, food stalls and special attractions for children amusement.

During the inaugural ceremony, vibrant cultural performances were also presented by each of the participating provinces/regions showing national solidarity and proving that this unique festival is a symbol of federation’s recognition and patronage to our rich cultural diversity and active participation of the people of Pakistan. The performers were Raza Alan from Sindh, Saleh Baloch from

Balochistan, Qurban Niazi and Sain Mushtaq from Punjab and Javed Khan from Gilgit Baltistan.

According to the tradition of in Lok Virsa, the festival opened with a “Chadar Poshi” of an established female craftswoman from Sindh province in the field of Hurmuch (Sindhi embroidery) namely Mst Naseem Sultan. The chief guest performed her chadar poshi by placing a chadar on her shoulder.

‘Dastarbandi’ is a symbol of Lok Virsa’s sustained campaign to keep the heritage of Pakistan alive and continuing.

A turban in folk mythology of Pakistan is synonymous to doing great honour.

When you place a turban on some one’s head, you have placed your complete trust in that person’s wisdom and his/her stature in life. This is Lok Virsa’s way of showing that the craftspeople and folk artists have importance in national life and they have made a great contribution to our culture. After the turban is placed on the head, a poetic composition called “Sehra” is recited to honour the master

Oxford University trains pakistani teachers

artisan/artist. Drums resound proclaiming his attainments, and coloured balloons go up in the air.

A large number of people from different walks of life including art and craft experts, cultural personalities, diplomats, media persons, students and general public attended the ceremony and enjoyed the thrilling performances of the artists.

Earlier on arrival, a warm welcome was given to the secretary by Lok Virsa.

Folk dance groups, attired in colourful regional costumes, escorted the guests from main entrance to the venue of the ceremony in a traditional way.

Later, the chief guest paid a visit to the cultural pavilions, witnessed indigenous folk entertainment and met participants coming from every nook and corner of the country bringing with them their creativity in arts, crafts and innovation.

The festival will continue with all its colours till 15th daily from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm at Lok Virsa Complex, Garden Avenue, Shakarparian.

deadly breast cancer has genetic diversity: study ISLAMABAD App

ISLAMABAD App

Oxford University teachers have imparted training to 105 Pakistani teachers in latest English language methodologies in nine sessions here.

Elna Coetzer and Patrick Manuel Shortt from the University of Oxford, Department of Continuous Education are currently on their first ever, 6-day visit to Pakistan, says a press release here Friday.

They have transmitted knowledge and skills to teachers of PakTurk International Schools and Colleges at Islamabad before proceeding to Lahore and Karachi.

After training sessions, the trainers informed that Oxford University, one of the top ten universities in the world, has decided to send trainers to different countries for professional development of teaching staff. After being apprised of the latest methods, the teachers would submit reports to Oxford University where decision regarding certification would be taken after thorough evaluation.

At the occasion, Mr Kamil Ture, Director Education, PakTurk emphasized on importance of using advanced teaching techniques. He underlined the greater role of love and care in teaching profession.

Motivation and enthusiasm are prerequisites to become an effective teacher, said Ture adding that teachers who have learned techniques to make their teaching interesting and effective should utilise their skills in best possible way.

He said that Turkey believes that education is one of the best investments in the future of any country. Turkey will con-

tinue to support Pakistan to become a developed nation. fDE TO CONDUCT ADMISSION TESTS ON 10TH: The admission tests for session 2012-13 at all the Islamabad Model Colleges and Schools will be conducted on April 10 and the merit list will be placed after one week.

The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) announced the admission schedule for Class I in mid March and the last date for submission of forms was April 4.

After conducting tests, the merit list will be placed on April 18 while the classes would start from April 23. The admission tests for class I will be commenced in Islamabad Model Colleges for Boys in the sectors including F-8/4, F-7/3, G-10/4, F10/3, I-10/1, I-8/3, F-11/3, F-11/1, G-11/1 and Islamabad College for Boys in G-6/3 and Islamabad Model Colleges for Girls in the sectors including F-6/2, G-7/4, F10/2, F-8/1, G-10/2, I-8/4, I-10/4, Korang Town and Islamabad College for Girls (ICG) F-6/2. Evening shift is available in all model colleges except IMCB, F-11/3 and IMCB, G-11/1. However, the directorate will issue the registration forms for Class Prep from April 11-20 and receive from April 12-23 while the written tests will be conducted on April 26. The merit lists will be placed on May 2 and the classes would start from May 7. About the eligibility, the directorate said the parents of children must be the residents of Islamabad while those living in Rawalpindi but serving in government/semi-government organizations in the capital are also eligible to apply for the admission.

According to FDE, the age limit must

be at least four years but not more than five years as on March 31 according to `B’ form issued by NADRA and the admission forms must have attested copies of relevant certificates or documents.

The admission forms can be obtained from Islamabad Model Colleges for Boys (IMCB) in the sectors G-6/3, F-8/4, G10/4, F-10/3, F-11/3, G-11/1 and Islamabad Model Colleges for Girls in the sectors including F-6/2, F-7/2, F-10/2, F8/1, G-10/2, I-8/4 and also from Islamabad College for Girls (ICG) F-6/2.

Evening shift is not available in all the model colleges except ICB G-6/3 and IMCB F-8/4. Principal Islamabad College for Boys G-6/3, Professor Anwar Ali Khan is the convener of admissions.

BUILDING MUSCLE REDUCES DIABETES RISK: Increasing muscle mass and working out can help lower the risk for type 2 diabetes and other blood related deceases.

Researchers from Colombia University, USA analyzed data from 13,644 adults who took part in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, BBC reported. They found that for each 10 per cent increase in the Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI) the ratio of muscle mass to total body weight, there was an 11 per cent reduction in insulin resistance a precursor to diabetes.

There was also a 12 per cent reduction in pre-diabetes, a condition characterized by higher-than-normal blood sugar levels.

The findings suggest that beyond focusing on losing weight to improve metabolic health, there may be a role for maintaining fitness and building muscle mass.

A group of scientists have found that triple negative breast cancer has genetic diversity in its tumors, which may change the way it is treated.

The findings, published by Journal Nature, may also help explain why triple negative breast cancer, which represents 16 percent of all breast cancer, is so difficult to treat.

An international team of 59 scientists, including four from Vancouver-based Simon Fraser University (SFU) had this discovery after carrying out the largest genetic analysis of what were thought to be triple negative breast cancer tumors.

They expected to see similar gene profiles when mapping on computer the genomes of 100 tumors, but eventually found no two genomes were similar, let alone the same. ‘Seeing these tumors at a molecular level has taught us we’re dealing with a continuum of different types of breast cancer here, not just one,’ explains Steven Jones, an SFU molecular biology and biochemistry professor that is co-author of this study.

These findings prove the importance of personalizing cancer drug treatment so that it targets the genetic make up of a particular tumor rather than presuming one therapy can treat multiple, similar-looking tumors,” added the professor.

Scientists consider triple negative breast cancer the most deadly form of breast cancer because it did not respond well to modern drug therapies, which knock out receptors found in most breast cancers but not this one.

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Saturday, 7 April, 2012

Editor’s mail 11

change attitudes, not the uniform I would like to highlight that some senior police officials have come up with the idea that the black uniform is the root cause of all the ills prevalent in their force. They are of the opinion that if only their uniform was changed all of a sudden, then their force would be transformed into an efficient one.

Such thinking lacks the requisite soul-searching and urge to carry out a critical analysis of dismal performance of the police. I will not compare our police with the police of the US or the UK but

The 10m dollar man

with those of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who are a truly professional force.

They are maintaining admirable peace and tranquillity throughout the length and breadth of the Kingdom. Their traffic police are equally efficient. One can notice how efficiently they regulate the traffic during the peak season of Hajj. The crime rate in the Kingdom is probably lowest in the world. This is because the police there are scrupulously clean.

They are led by men of integrity who are God-fearing. They are neither greedy

nor have any lust for amassing wealth by means fare or foul. Culprits are taken to the gallows, no matter how influential they may be. Just to give an example how safe their highways are, you can crisscross the Kingdom with your family in the pitch dark nights fearlessly and no harm will come to you. This force is modestly paid.

They put on decent uniform and I know for sure that for the last 30 years their uniform has not been changed.

What our police force needs is a

demonstration of leadership. Merit should be the hallmark of induction into the police force. Greed and avarice should be shunned. This trait can be instilled through example from the top.

The police should be made an independent force totally insulated from the influence of their political masters.

The image of the police can be enhanced by formulating their attitude and not by changing their uniform.

IQRA SOHAIL Karachi

PTcl, new and improved I have always opposed privatisation on various grounds but my recent visit to the PTCL Customer Facilitation Cell has changed all my thoughts. The changes brought about by the privatisation of PTCL, once a white elephant, needs due appreciation.

I happened to visit a PTCL Customer Facilitation Cell located in Islamabad after a lapse of around 3 years. I was astonished to see the dedicated, facilitating and cordial environment. The first thought that came to my mind “Is this really the PTCL that I have known for so long?”

The shabby building, rude staffers, and manual tasks were replaced with AC equipped, clean office, a helpful and considerate staff with all modern gadgets at their disposal. The complaint which I thought could have taken my whole day and probably weeks to resolve was looked into considerately and resolved within minutes.

The post-privatization PTCL is a new breed indeed with changes so impressive that it has rightfully earned all the appreciation for its services and a happy customer.

NASIR MAHMOOD Islamabad

Sky high fares After rapid increase in fuel prices, the high fares of transport is a serious problem our citizens are facing nowadays.

Rising inflation has already incapacitated the poor and now the fares of transportation, both public and private, is touching the sky. For citizens with no increase in salaries, mobility has become exceedingly difficult.

Students already pay high fees for their studies and now they are facing public transport problems as well which is certainly not fair. The recent increase in public transport fares has forced the poor into adopting alternative ways to reach their places of work and other destinations.

Many people have started using bicycles and motorbikes. A few days ago, I heard the news that now people prefer tongas to reach their destination.

By controlling the increase in fuel price, this problem can be solved. Not only should government try to control the price, it should educate the public about fuel conservation and money saving techniques like car-pooling etc.

The government should think about this problem and must try to solve it as it is causing a large section of the society much trouble.

TAZEEN FATIMA Karachi

The announcement of bounty for the capture of Hafiz Saeed gives the impression that the United States is helpless or just wants to badmouth Pakistan.

Hafiz Saeed participates in different demonstrations against United States and NATO. Since the US knows where he lives in Pakistan, one wonders if there is any need to announce the bounty? I can say with conviction that the United States is just using its old pressure tactics.

MUHAMMAD WAQAS GUJJAR Lahore

American tactics The news about further restrictions on PIA flights to USA deserves strongest response from Pakistani government, on the grounds that such restrictions are not imposed by the USA on any other airline.

It seems America wants to punish Pakistan for buying US made aircrafts against European models, that too at an exorbitant price.

Under the circumstances, Pakistan must give a jaw crushing reply to America by immediately stopping supplies to NATO forces allowed under the garb of humanitarian grounds and by shutting down Pakistani airspace for all flights to Afghanistan.

Pakistan must talk to America in the language it understands best.

SYED NAYYAR UDDIN AHMAD Lahore

our education sector

Railways going nowhere Another important part of the infrastructure of the county has collapsed due to mismanagement and corruption. The Pakistan Railways has all but virtually folded.

Nobody is actually affected other than the lower middle class, as the affluent can easily avail flights and buses themselves. It seems nobody is bothered even to find out what went wrong with this important, money-generating state institution. In the entire world, railways are used to make profits whereas in our country it is in perpetual loss. The

goods train are a prime means of earning revenue elsewhere in the world, whereas in our country these trains are also in loss.

I think we need honest people to emerge and clean the rot. Here’s to hoping that the Government of Pakistan would look into this serious issue as developing the railways is an integral part of developing the economy.

MUHAMMAD JALAL Karachi

bans-in-futility

on Gilgit-baltistan

Pillion riding (double sawari) has been banned in Hangu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to stop target killings. Mobile service was blocked in Tank District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

It seems that law enforcement agencies instead of giving relief to people are merely torturing common people in the name of security purpose.

There are thousands of ways to catch terrorists but, instead of doing something meaningful, the government is imposing this ban and blocking those things which are directly related and useful to common people.

While the banning of pillion riding may be acceptable on some grounds (even though it also causes inconvenience to the common person) but the blocking of mobile service is not justified at all and it should be opened at the earliest.

MUBASHIR MAHMOOD Karachi

The situation in Gilgit-Baltistan is very saddening and simultaneously frightening indeed. We have neglected that area of our country (much like what we did to East Pakistan and Balochistan) and we have failed to curb the forces that our wreaking havoc with the societal fabric over there.

This problem is a mix of much that is wrong with our society: centrist tendencies of the state, sectarian hatred, violence, lack of social development, etc.

There are many dimensions to this problem and they have been long in the making. If the incumbents thought that they had done their job by merely declaring Gilgit-Baltistan a province, they must think again. This will be only a decoration on paper if what this provincial status entails is not implemented on the ground.

Many people living in what is considered ‘mainland’ Pakistan or mainstream urban centres mistakenly believe that

these forces of hatred only operate in (and originate from) the ‘backwaters’ of the country i.e. the tribal areas and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Whereas actually, these extremist elements not only operate with such impunity in areas where the government’s writ is visibly absent but they are also eroding the writ of the government in a large swathe of the country including in South Punjab, urban Sindh etc.

Gilgit-Baltistan is an area that is instrumental to many of our economic and political concerns. It is our link with China, Afghanistan and Central Asia. It also houses the fountainhead of our lifeline, the Indus. But this is not the reason why we should pay attention to it. It is a part of our unfortunate republic and deserves peace and stability like any other area of the country. The people over there are Pakistanis too and their blood is no less dearer than those living in other areas.

ALI RIZVI Islamabad

Through your paper, I would like to draw attention to the dismal condition of Pakistan’s education sector. In the Human Development Report, Pakistan is placed at 136th position as only 49.9 percent of its populace is educated.

The primary completion rate in Pakistan, as given by the Data Center of UNESCO, is 33.8 percent in females and 47.18 percent in males, which shows that people in the 6th largest country of the world are unable to get the basic education.

The education sector faces countless issues. Firstly, the educational system of Pakistan is not uniform. There are parallel systems operating, dispensing very different kinds and qualities of education.

Secondly, regional disparity is also a major problem. The schools in Balochistan are much worse when compared to the rest of the country. In tribal areas (FATA), the literacy rate is deplorable standing at 29.5 percent in males and 3 percent in females.

Thirdly, gender disparity is also a big issue.

Our education system can only be improved if the government takes this issue seriously and allocates more funds to it. We cannot develop without improving our education sector.

HUMAIRA MOHSIN Karachi Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan fax: +92-42-36298302 E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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

Brace yourself, 2014 is coming…

T

he real and tragic failure in Afghanistan would be a return to the civil war that erupted after the Soviet Union withdrew after its foolhardy intervention. The ensuing struggle between the warlords led to the emergence of the Taliban and their violent conflict with the Northern Alliance for the control of the country that lasted till 911. Today the situation is somewhat different with the US and NATO still in Afghanistan but under enormous pressure to withdraw.

There is very little doubt that the prospects for any sort of decisive military victory in Afghanistan have all but disappeared. President Obama's 'surge' and the counter insurgency strategy of General Petraeus may have helped but these

have not led to the conclusion that was sought. The transformation of Afghanistan into a democracy has also not happened. The failings are too numerous to mention but there is consensus on two key issues: the capacity of the Afghan Security Forces is inadequate and the Afghan state has very little capacity for effective governance. This is the outcome after billions of dollars have been spent. The blame for these shortcomings cannot be placed on sanctuaries across the borders of Afghanistan.

So far there have been 96 US/NATO fatalities this year and of these 17 have been due to attacks by soldiers of the Afghan Security Forces on their trainers and allies.

A string of unsavoury and despicable acts have inevitably led to this

'green on blue' confrontation and the overall environment of hate against the foreign military forces in Afghanistan and their allies. These incidents are well known; the so called 'kill teams' killing Afghans for sport, the cutting off of fingers for trophies, the urination by US Marines on Afghan corpses, the torture of prisoners, the night raids on Afghan homes and the massacre in Panjwai by a US soldier acting alone or in connivance with others.

The hate that these incidents have spawned has led the Afghan President to demand an end to night raids, withdrawal of all civilian security contractors, Baghram prison to be under Afghan control and a

speeding up of the exit from Afghanistan. He obviously could not remain silent as that would have made him complicit in all US/NATO actions in Afghan eyes – not a situation he would want to be in now or after 2014.

According to a survey, in the US almost 69 percent are not in favour of the US presence in Afghanistan. Obviously, the cost of the war in men and dollars has had an impact on domestic public opinion. There are large numbers of soldiers suffering from PTSD (post traumatic stress syndrome) and growing numbers of amputees because of IED attacks. A survey in Afghanistan has established that

almost 82 percent want peace in spite of the fact that factions are arming themselves just in case Afghanistan descends into the chaos of a civil war post 2014 – worst case contingency planning. A civil war in Afghanistan after 2014 would be disastrous for Pakistan and not even the Taliban would want such an outcome.

With a reappraisal of its initial expectations the US has focused on developing Afghan capacity as rapidly as possible and, in tandem with that, a push for the peace process through reconciliation.

This strategy has Afghan and Pakistani support – something that has to be ensured and made sustainable by addressing their concerns. Right now the talks are stalled because of the Taliban but

there are indications that the process started in Qatar may pick up traction after the Taliban return to talks. A strategy that has night raids and drone attacks as its main components would make many enemies and deliver little. An accelerated exit without a successful peace process would make civil war a certainty. The endgame should be a planned exit timed for execution with the success of the peace process, the enhanced capacity of Afghan forces and government and a reset relationship with Pakistan.

Spearhead Research is a private centre for research and consultancy on security, headed by Jehangir Karamat. Spearhead analyses are the result of a collaborative effort and not attributable to a single individual.

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12 Comment fever pitch?

Too soon, too vacuous

T

hough the decorum of Pakistani politics has never quite been the graduating ceremony of a ladies’ finishing school, the barbs are really flying all over the place at the moment.

The salvo that started the current spat was the incendiary speech of the president at the death anniversary of ZA Bhutto at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh. Never one for respecting the decorum that comes with being a non-political symbol of the federation, he let it rip at the Sharifs’ expense. Some crass remarks about the brothers being outsiders who migrated to Lahore (as if nativism and neonativism were too good a phenomenon to restrict to Karachi). He also said that the League head honchos’ sheen was his to take back, as it was given to them at his discretion. The PPP co-chairperson also made his intention clear to team up with the other League in the upcoming election and take a swing at the Punjab government.

The N-League isn’t a stickler for decorum either. It is only the president’s periodicity that might make his statements stand out in contrast to the Punjab premier’s more regular foamings at the mouth every so often about the former, always using a dreadfully interesting choice of words: lynching, dragging through the streets etc.

Members of the provincial government greeting the head of state wouldn’t really have been killing the foe with kindness: it is expected of a dignitary of the provincial government to greet him regardless of what the federal-province relation is. This was followed by leader of the opposition in the NA, Chaudhry Nisar’s diatribe against the PPP, which placed a youngster, then underaged even to cast a vote, to preside over the party.

The parties, it seems, are in election mode, with all the mudslinging sloganeering that accompanies the exercise. Since the election activity works itself into a feverish pitch, blocking all other public discourse, one wonders whether the timing - a full one year before the polls - is appropriate.

On the other side of the world, the Republican primaries are set to conclude in the US, with Mitt Romney in the lead. Now the level of debate in the GoP is laughed at within the American media establishment. But despite that, an observer from Pakistan would look with wistful envy at the fact that, though the primaries weren’t without their bit of character assassination and ad hominem attacks, the primary points of debate were actual, policy issues.

Ones that were well-debated.

The general’s statement raises many questions

T

he statement before the memo enquiry commission by the former DG ISI raises a number of questions of public importance. The retired general has stated that he had taken every step with the approval of the military high command “from the beginning of the investigation to his meeting with Mansoor Ijaz and the decision not to probe the issue any further.” Pasha briefed Kayani about his interview with Ijaz on October 24. The latter, however, brought the matter to Gilani’s notice three weeks later on November 13. Why did the COAS and DG ISI keep the PM in the dark while preparing a case that could lead to the government’s removal?

In his statement before the Supreme Court the COAS maintained that “the memo episode has an impact on national security as inter-alia (it) unsuccessfully attempts to lower the morale of Pakistan Army whose young officers and soldiers are laying down their lives for the security and defence of territorial integrity and political independence and sovereignty of Pakistan.”

Broad sections of the media went haywire over the ‘revelations’.

Mian Nawaz Sharif took the matter to the Supreme Court.

Ambassador Haqqani was called home and made to resign. A judicial commission to probe the memo affair was set up and was twice granted extensions to complete the probe. The way statements by the COAS and DG ISI were filed led the PM to dismiss the Defence Secretary. Gilani’s interview to a Chinese daily led the ISPR to issue a threatening statement underlining that it would have “very serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences for the country.” The level of tensions rose so high that the army chief’s meeting with top commanders raised speculations about the future of the government. There were rumours of a coup being imminent and the COAS had to issue a statement denying any threat to democracy.

And now we learn from Pasha that the probe was suddenly called off. Did the army decide not to pursue the investigation any further because it became convinced that a case could not be made out of it? Or did it decide that the issue was not that much of a threat to national independence and sovereignty as it had been considered earlier?

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor

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

Saturday, 7 April, 2012

in election mode No one’s pulling any punches

By Arif Nizami

S

uddenly, President Zardari has switched to election mode. Preferring to remain above the fray, he had been ignoring the not-too-infrequent vitriolic and personal attacks of his opponents. After making the ritualistic political speech at Naudero on the death anniversary of the PPP’s Founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, President Zardari has gone after the Sharifs not sounding very presidential anymore.

The younger Sharif who also happens to be the chief minister of the largest province has never held his punches saying he does not even recognise Zardari as the president of Pakistan. Calling him corrupt and inept, Shahbaz Sharif has even gone to the extent of saying that Zardari would one day be dragged in the streets of Lahore and Larkana.

Even the elder Sharif has never spared Zardari and his cohorts. But he has always kept his criticism within the limits of decency, pointedly desisting from using vitriolic language against the president. He recently counselled his brother to desist from using harsh language against the president as such scathing criticism did not sit well with their constituents.

And now sitting right in the citadel of the PML(N), President Zardari, making no distinction between the two brothers, has boasted that he has given the Sharifs their shine and can take it back any time. It is apparent that everyone is now going into election mode and the gloves are off.

The jewel in the crown is Punjab.

Whoever takes a majority of National Assembly seats in the province in the forthcoming general elections - with or without allies depending on the results - will form the next government.

Contesting the elections alongside PPP’s erstwhile nemesis but now

favourite ally the PML(Q), Zardari has claimed that he will form the next government in Punjab. Ground realities, however, militate against such optimistic projections.

Punjab was once the mainstay of the PPP. No longer so. The party has consistently ignored the province. With its leadership antiquated and decimated, and organizational structure weakened, the PPP has ostensibly decided to hitch its wagon with the PML(Q).

A quisling party created by former dictator Musharraf from defections engineered mainly from PML(N), the PML(Q) is presently in disarray. The Chaudhrys of Gujrat and a few others are now its mainstay. After defections in the form of the so-called Likeminded group, the Unification bloc in Punjab and the recent high profile desertions to the PTI and the PML(N), nothing much will remain of the erstwhile King’s party, come election time.

Hence for the PPP to merely base its future projections in the province on the basis of seat adjustments with the PML(Q) will be a folly. Despite Shahbaz Sharif deluding himself that Imran’s tsunami is over, Punjab is going to be a three-way contest in the next elections.

Imran Khan will be able to field candidates, some of them winnable bets, in most constituencies of Punjab.

On paper, it sounds good that the PML(N) and the PTI will cancel each other in a hot contest in the province and the PPP will be the ultimate gainer.

But, ground realities are different.

All is not well with the PML(N) in Punjab. Wasteful schemes like the sasti roti, yellow cab, Daanish schools and Ashyana Housing have been a big strain on the provincial exchequer, pushing Punjab into a deficit. Indiscriminate distribution of laptop computers at heavy state expense also betrays a sense of insecurity on the part of the Sharifs and an anxiety to woo the potential young voters of the PTI. Having said that, it is still not easy to dislodge the Sharifs in Punjab where they have ruled five times in the past 25 years. Lahore remains their bastion.

Imran might make a few inroads in the city but to imagine that the PPP is going to sweep in the provincial metropolis is nothing more than wishful thinking.

President Zardari coming to Lahore after a long gap specifically to look after the affairs of the party is a welcome move. Better late than never. But he will have to pay a few more visits to the

provincial capital for the party to get its act together.

Presently, the PPP is virtually leaderless in the province. Its present high command is no match for the Sharifs well-oiled political machine. The party not in power in the province has very little political patronage to dole out.

Furthermore, it will have to defend its not-too-enviable governance record against a two-pronged attack from the PML(N) and the PTI. Relying merely on the PML(Q) for winnable candidates in the province will be a folly. Come election time, there might not be many left in the Q fold. If one goes by some recent opinion polls, they do not make good reading for the PPP or for the PML(N). All of them show Imran Khan catching up with the rest. But the major loser of support in these polls is the PPP. In order to eke out a workable majority in the next elections, Zardari and Gilani will have to work doubly hard.

There is not much time left to squander. Both of them are politically savvy and know the ropes well.

The PPP’s record on political reforms, building democratic institutions and reaching out to their opponents is second to none. It is no mean feat that a political government has survived to hold elections on its own watch. The first to do since Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s government called elections itself in 1977.

In this context, the remarks of the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali about Bilawal Bhutto in the joint sitting of the parliament were in poor taste and uncalled for. Why attack Bilawal when progenies of the Sharifs and other politicians are actively taking part in politics?

PML(N)’s advice to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) linking the restoration of NATO supplies with the release of Pakistani scientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui is also tantamount to a hardening of positions.

Knowing well that this is not going to happen, it is merely playing to the galleries.

Even though everyone has switched to election mode, they must avoid this kind of posturing. Vital national interests should not be sacrificed at the altar of electioneering. This will amount to throwing the baby out with the bath water.

The writer is Editor, Pakistan Today

whiteliES A by ess Aich

s politicians go, last week definitely belonged to Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the pretty as picture member of the Raiwind Sharif clan. She was featured on the cover of Newsweek (the Pakistani version) and answered even some silly questions, rather intelligently. Verdict: She has the looks, confidence and everything else going for her.

It is obvious that her political grooming is in process and the best that money can buy are on this task. However, the question being asked is who will tutor the Captain who never makes a public or media appearance without letting out the secret. That he desperately needs lessons in the art of politics.

W

e hear that the Lahore Governor House is awash with jiyalas and this lot is known not only for their political commitment but also their ‘enthusiasm’. Now we

hear that the guv mansion’s staff is getting some rough handling by these constant visitors. Complaints and grumbling among the staff are common occurrence. It is a “fish market”

they say. In fact, some are asking for a transfer and at least one staffer, the caretaker himself, has left in a huff. Apparently, he cannot take the roughand-tough jiyala ways any more.

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

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Saturday, 7 April, 2012

Comment 13

Looking to Turkey

parliament against people

A lesson in what to do

humiliations galore, it is way past antibiotics time

By Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

T

urkish politicians have succeeded in an area where their Pakistani counterparts have singularly failed: reining in the army. For one, unlike Pakistani politicians, Recep Tayyip Erdogan had no skeletons of financial scams rattling in the cupboards. What is equally important is the fantastic improvement of the national economy, domestic law and order and the rise of Turkish prestige in the region and the world at large under the rule of the Justice and Development Party.

Unlike Zardari, Erdogan had inherited no political mantle. Unlike the Sharifs, he owned no factories or lands.

What is more, he did not enjoy the support of any of the mainstream political parties. It was through a realistic vision supported by sheer hard work that this graduate from Marmara University’s Faculty of Economic and Commercial Sciences got himself elected Mayor of Istanbul, the economic and social capital of Turkey, in 1994. He had a brief stint in jail towards the fag end of his tenure. Within three years of his release, he founded the Justice and Development Party in 2001. The party contested the elections next year and assumed power with nearly two thirds majority in Parliament in 2003.

Erdogan single-mindedly set himself on two tracks: improvement of the economy and turning Turkey into a genuinely democratic country. The first step towards the goal posts was setting up a clean government, which has never been a hallmark of the successive governments in Pakistan. He brought no relatives or cronies into the

cabinet nor did he promote any blue eyed boys in bureaucracy.

His two successive tenures were totally scam free. The same is true about the recently begun third tenure.

The generals had dominated politics since 1923 when Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey, assumed power. Till 1946, the country had a single party system alien to democracy. Even the late introduction of the multiparty system was looked at with distrust by the generals who staged three military coups, executing one prime minister in the process. During the last military coup in 1980 alone, fifty people were executed and half a million arrested, hundreds died in jail, and many more disappeared in three years of the military rule.

The natural growth of the political system was thus stunted.

The parties who came to power often ruled through unstable alliances. Both under the military rule and political governments, the economy suffered and jails were filled with dissenters.

Erdogan had to work hard to prove that his policies and style of governance could deliver where the generals and rival politicians had failed the nation. Only then could he challenge the generals. By the time Erdogan contested for the third time he had emerged on the scene as the most powerful Turkish leader since Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Erodogan’s trump card is the management of the economy. Up till a decade ago, the country lurched from one crisis to another, with sky-high inflation and interest rates and a feeble currency. Under Erdogan, the Turkish economy has tripled in size since he took over in 2002, the largest economic growth in Turkish history. Today, Turkey enjoys economic growth rates close to China's, its companies competing successfully in the EU, the Middle East and increasingly further afield, in Africa and Central Asia.

Turkey's independent foreign policy now has provided it a higher profile on the interna-

tional stage. Turkey is creating a place for itself in the Middle East through vigorous engagement with its immediate neighbours. It is also hosting the Pak-Afghan dialogue. Its economic performance is the envy of the European Union which had rejected Turkey’s overtures of join it.

Erdogan did not, therefore, bat an eye when the chief of Turkish armed forces along with heads of ground, naval and air force offered to resign last year. On Wednesday, retired General Kenan Evren, along with a former airforce chief, the main surviving architects of the last military coup in 1980, have been put on trial. A decade ago, the actions would have been enough provocation for the army to step in.

The Turkish army has enjoyed enormous prestige due to its leading part in the creation of modern Turkey. With the exception of Musharraf, the Pakistani generals who staged coups were on the other hand the products of the colonial British army. Keeping these dictators in mind, the much decorated Pakistani General Tajammul Hussain reminisced, “We were all trained as real mercenaries who were only concerned with their own bread and butter. It was regarded as none of our business to think about what happened to the rest of the country. Our job was solely to protect the British Empire and to stand to attention every evening when retreat was sounded and the Union Jack was brought down from the official buildings, or the regimental band played to the British Empire Anthem ‘God Save the King’.”

It would have been easier to bring the army under control if the Pakistani politicians had acted honestly and wisely. The Turkish Spring which has arrived after more than eight decades of cold winter brings with it the message that it is never too late for the politicians to set their house in order to able to rein in the army.

The writer is a former academic and a political analyst.

U

nderstandably, the parliament is elected by the people and it is their will it should serve.

If, however, there is an issue that, in the parliament’s greater wisdom, requires a dispassionate and highly intrusive discourse and is constrained to take decisions that may not reflect the dominant will of the people, it should present a broad rationale for following the course that it did and also highlight how it was likely to serve the larger state interest. Has that been the case in Pakistan?

If one reviews the number of crises that the country has endured and the manner in which the parliament has either been rendered irrelevant, or apparently coerced into taking positions contrary to the express will of the people, it would require volumes to be projected. However, it would not be incorrect to say that, on most occasions, the will of the people was either not taken into consideration at all, or simply rubbished at the altar of compromises for protecting and promoting the specific interests of individuals and the broader considerations impacting the profit-related proclivities of the ruling mafias. It would, therefore, not be inappropriate to say that the parliament has, in fact, become an instrument in the hands of the ruling conglomerate to subvert the will of the people.

Take the manner in which the issue of PakistanUS relations with particular reference to the reopening of the NATO supply routes is being conducted. Strictly speaking, the matter falls within the professional domain of the foreign office that should act in conformity with safeguarding the broad national security paradigm as enunciated from time to time. If, however, the government is sincere in its pronouncements that the shape of the

By Raoof Hasan Pakistan-US relations would be decided by the parliament, it should also show the courage to put it before the parliament. No effort should be made to scuttle its authority or its relevance by constituting committees or commissions as cover-ups to deliberating the matter elsewhere and then bringing it before the house for cosmetic authentication. It is this lack of openness that has jeopardised the legitimacy of the parliament and, hence, that of the government as well as the policies it formulates.

There is another even more damaging fear. Because of its incessant and grave failings (remember the NRO?), the government may feel that it does not command the trust of the people to present its case in an open house and, therefore, it may adopt means that are not in keeping with the spirit of parliamentary democracy. It may be forced to take recourse to authoritarian practices by sidelining the de-jure organs of the state and replacing them with smaller, select groups artificially created and invested with the authority to define

Candid Corner

the course of national policies, thus limiting peoples’ participation and ownership. This may help the government survive in terms of time, but it does not help in legitimising a system that, with all its countless inherent limitations, still remains the preferred form of governance.

Unfortunately, decisions pioneered in such circuitous manner are usually shorn of peoples’ support resulting in pitting a key instrument of the democratic dispensation against an entire nation’s will. It is this expression that has the potential, particularly in societies where a bulk of the people remain heavily deprived, to gain in intensity, relevance and ultimate effectiveness, thus replacing the more traditional and peaceful instruments of change in a democratic regimen.

Pakistan seems just about headed in that direction. The manner in which the review of PakistanUS relations has been undertaken may constitute a serious ingredient, but the countless underlying deprivations that the people have to suffer as a matter of routine are the real reasons behind the festering discontent that is boiling over onto the streets of the country. This agitation is being further fuelled by the raging ethnic, sectarian and economic divide that has consistently worked to the detriment of a vast majority of the liberal (a tradition that is fast waning!), hard-working and peacehungry people of the country who have been hopelessly sidelined by the more violent and obscurantist voices representing nothing beyond their self-interest, and the interests of the mafias they are aligned with. The government has abominably failed to reign in these ravaging demons simply because it seeks their support in the parliament – a factor that has deprived the government of its democratic authority to control these vagrant elements and has, instead, become a part of the deep-set malaise that afflicts the national body-politic. This has sadly resulted in complete abdication of governance. It is this surfeit of administrative, moral and intellectual bankruptcy that has further aggravated peoples’ woes.

Is there still room for administering antibiotics for remedy? I am afraid not. It is a case of massive haemorrhaging where the body has been completely drained of even its feeble life signs. It has to be literally carried to the operating table with few options for revival: the first and foremost being a change of mindset and the elimination of all its ‘democratic’ attenuations. Obviously, it is not possible to forge a turn-around by employing the trick of coexistence among equally corrupt outfits sticking together for safeguarding common stakes. The only chance is through initiating a process, no matter how painful, of urgently infusing a dose that attacks the breeding grounds of the malaise – be it corruption, violence, religious, ethnic and sectarian divides, extensive deprivations and grave humiliations that the common people are routinely subjected to. It is an unholy of alliance among all these constituents that has rendered the system untenable.

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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Saturday, 7 April, 2012

SOCIETY

LAHORE: Maria Khan recently showcased her Prêt Spring Flair Collection 2012 at Ellemint PRET.

PR

launches ‘direct from the designer’

fashion platform

C

NEWS DESK

ITYBLIS.COM is pleased to announce the launch of a new social fashion platform, backed by government bodies both in Europe and the US. The Cityblis community has been developed to enable designers around the world to reach out to new markets while giving fashion savvy consumers the opportunity to buy unique pieces from international designers. Cityblis curates designers and brands including fashion for women, men, and children, with an emphasis on ‘Be Unique’. Cityblis differentiates itself by personalising each webstore so that every store has an intimate feel. “We do not believe in a one size fits all solution” says Christopher Price, chief operating officer.

“Every store is unique - Every brand has a personality – and every designer has a story to tell. Shopping is an experience…an event to be enjoyed… and online shopping should not be any different.” Cityblis removes the middle men to give consumers better access to current season apparel and accessories ‘direct from designers’ in the US, Sweden, the UK and Australia. Designers from new countries will be added in the coming months. Most Cityblis designers create limited amounts of each collection to keep with the unique feeling of their brands. Cityblis is working with hundreds of designers such as Gordana Gehlhausen from Project Runway All Stars, Masih Zad - protégé to Bijan, Fore!! Axel & Hudson, Amelia Powers, Emerson and Sacha London. All designers are screened for uniqueness, professionalism and brand story.

Afreen and Sofia Naveed Lari

Huma Ejaz and afreen Shiraz

Afreen Shiraz and Sumeha Khalid

KARACHI: Rang Barsay exhibited its collection at Brands Just Prêt.

PR

Rang Barsay exhibits collection at Brands Just Prêt NEWS DESK Nida Ali, one of Karachi’s most promising and upcoming designers, recently showcased her Rang Barsay collection at Brands Just Pret, the city’s newest and most exciting multi brand store at Dolmen Mall, Clifton. Rang Barsay is Nida Ali’s Spring/Summer line and is based on a riot of colours, patterns and graphics. The collection is based on a vibrant and distinctive colour palette ranging from a bright red to a blush pink to a canary yellow. These colours are based on international predictions of runway trends, which Nida Ali has translated into her Spring/Summer line.

“This collection is one of my favourites because it’s exciting and vibrant,” said Nida

Iconic actor’s

troubled daughter stalks Shahid

Ali, the designer who has been designing since 2007. “The idea was to create clothes based on detailing and minimal but effective embellishments.” The Rang Barsay collection has more than 20 designs, with varying shirt lengths but overall the shirt length has become shorter, explained the designer. Nida Ali’s collection is stocked at Brands Just Prêt and new designs are added on every two weeks including on the web store www.BrandsJustPret.com where a purchase can be made using any credit/debit card and the product shipped at your doorstep within 2-3 days. Brands Just Pret is located at Dolmen Mall Clifton, and stocks around 35 designers including a jewelry designer, a shoe and bag designer besides a wide range of clothes.

MUMBAi: Shahid Kapoor has had his share of female admirers, but there is a certain fan who has left him rather disturbed. She has been accosting him at odd hours, claiming to be his wife and even dodging security to ring his doorbell in the wee hours of the morning. Shahid, so far has been trying to deal with it cautiously, since the woman happens to be the daughter of an iconic yesteryear actor. but her name is withheld to protect her identity. The latest in the string of incidents, was on wednesday, at around 3 am.

According to eye-witnesses, the woman, who lives in the adjacent high-rise, scaled the boundary wall, managed to dodge the security and ran up to Shahid’s apartment and began pounding on his door. As soon as the actor realised who she was, he called up the security, and four of them rushed upstairs and escorted the woman away. The woman, in her early 30s, has had a troubled life.

According to some of distant relatives, she could never quite recover from the twin blows of her father’s death and professional disappointments. “in fact, a few years ago, she made her debut in a b-grade flick, where her role was drastically reduced. it was a huge blow for her,” said the family member. Her obsession with Shahid is about six-months old, say her relatives. A reason why she even shifted home to be closer to her favourite star, who she claims is her spouse. “Shahid, who is aware of her background, has been sensitive enough to ignore these incidents so far, but wednesday night was a little serious and he has decided to highlight this as a security breach with his society,” added the actor’s friend. AGENCiES

Najia and Nida Ali

Maria, Nida Ali and Uzma

Maham, Nida Ali, Sabeen with firends

Nida Ali and Ghazanfar Ali

Karisma’s marriage

on the rocks MUMBAi: while Karisma Kapoor’s professional life is gaining a lot of momentum given her return to bollywood with ‘dangerous ishq’, the actress seems to have fallen prey to a non-working marriage. while the actress is all set for her big return on the silver screen, the grapevine is abuzz with stories of a fragmented marriage. The svelte and charming Karisma Kapoor, according to the buzz, is filing for divorce from her entrepreneur husband Sunjay Kapoor. while ‘dangerous ishq’, which would mark Karisma’s comeback in bollywood, is in its shooting stage, her home seems to be bearing the brunt of her profession. After marriage Karisma had moved to delhi to concentrate on her home and children, and life seems to have come full circle for her now. while she left her career to take care of her domestic life earlier, her marriage apparently is now at stake due to her return to the industry. That Karisma’s marriage was not all good is a known fact now, and the couple had earlier tried reconciliation.

Seems like some wounds run too deep to be healed, and all we can do is hope that the two mend their differences and get back to each other. AGENCiES

MUMBAi: Actress Sonam Kapoor, who is known for style statements, is a voracious reader and would like to pen down her autobiography some day. “you know i think i am too young and inexperienced and i don’t know if i have the talent to write, but you know everybody is narcissistic. i would like to write about my life one day or the other. i am an actor after all, but i don’t know if right now i will be able to,” the 26-year-old said while launching the book ‘Two Mothers And other Stories’ by Khalid Mohamed. Known as a fashion icon, Sonam would not touch the topic she is most known for in her book. “clothes and style is just my personal choice. it is not something i am obsessed with. May be romance,” said Sonam while talking about the issues she would want to touch upon in her book. Talking about how she learnt reading, she said: “i was being read to at a very young age by my mother. She would always read fables that had a meaning. She would always ask me what was the point behind the story,” said Sonam. She will soon be seen in rakeysh omprakash Mehra’s ‘bhaag Milkha bhaag’ opposite farhan Akhtar. AGENCiES

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15 Katy Perry: 'I'm tired of being famous' LOS ANGELES Afreen and Maria with guests

S

AGENCiES

INGER Katy Perry is looking edgy as she graces the cover of Teen Vogue's May 2012 issue rocking her newly-signature blue bob and wearing a Zac Posen gown. In the magazine, Perry is asked about how she feels about her career and being famous, to which she responds: "I'm tired of being famous already. But I'm not tired of creating. Fame is, I think, just a disgusting by-product of what I do. It's quite a delicate creature-it's a wild animal

Maria Khan with a friend

Meera to launch

new prêt line NEWS DESK

of sorts. It can love you, and then it can attack you. I still want to be as approachable and relatable as possible.

When I meet fans and they're crying, I'll say, 'Calm down, there's nothing to cry about. I'm not going to bite you or attack you or grant you three wishes. Let's just hang out and have a good time.' But really, I stopped focusing on what other people think a while ago. If you try to be everything to everyone, you'll only end up completely confused." Wise words coming from the 27-year-old pop sensation.

Maria Khan Mausummery Lawn

exhibits at

launches new flagship

Apparently, a broken engagement does not mean that Meera is left broken hearted.

She says she is an actress who loves to play with challenges and has proved it as well. Soon after Meera’s engagement was broken off by her fiancé’s father, she geared up to launch her ‘Meera's Collection Brand’ next month.

Meera was engaged to Pakistani-American pilot Naveed Shahzad, but his father Raja Khalid called it off saying that Meera’s marital status was not clear. He has also asked her to return the Rs 800,000engagement ring that was given to her by his son. In response Meera tweeted, “Being single doesn’t mean you know nothing about love, IT’S WISER to be alone than with the wrong person!”Later on she tweeted, “I will be launching my Meera’s collection brand next month. The collection is really beautiful and will be for females.”

Here’s to hoping that Meera's outfit collection will not be called Outfoot.

Nicole Kidman in talks

on Grace Kelly role LOS ANGELES AFp

NEWS DESK

Nida Ali and Samar Mehdi

Somaya, Nida Ali and Sabeen

I’d like to write an autobiography

some day:

Sonam

The Lahore-based Maria Khan recently showcased her stunning luxury Pret Spring Flair Collection 2012 at the swanky Ellemint PRET. The designer exhibited an exclusive collection of laces, chiffons, silks and cottons, all beautifully crafted. The best part about the collection was the price range. There was something for everyone. The starting price was Rs 4000 and upwards. The exhibition was attended by friends and family of the designer. Afreen Shiraz, proprietor Ellemint PRET, could be seen hobnobbing with the guests at the exhibition. PR for the event was managed by IDEAS Events PR. Ellémint PRÊT stocks creations by Tena Durrani, Saira Rizwan, AyeshaSomaya, Marvi, Saim, Sana and Leena, Asima and Rushna, Ayesha Khurram, Pinx, Nida Khurram, SNL, Bailin, SRS, Madiha Ibrar, Hina Butt, Ash Nabil, Pharaohs Closet, Divulge by Aisha Motiwala and Stance.

KARACHI NEWS dESK

Mausummery Lawn recently launched a flagship store at Dolmen Mall, Clifton, making it the only lawn brand to own a flagship store in what is quickly becoming Karachi’s most well known shopping destination.

Mausummery Lawn, which has been operating since

Cricketers liked Kareena over Priyanka MUMBAi: everyone knows that Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka chopra have been bitter rivals for years, and things took a turn for the worse at the iPl opening ceremony. not just one, but two cricketers praised bebo's performance over Pc's. when emcee Gaurav Kapoor asked chennai batsman Suresh raina whose performance he liked more, he said, "i think it was Kareena. whatever she did was just awesome!" even dinesh Karthik echoed the same opinion. At a party after the event, Karthik was overheard saying, "Priyanka's performance was good, but Kareena is something else!" A source said, "The cricketers' comments left Priyanka fuming and she walked out in a huff, not even bothering to meet Kareena backstage after the performances were over." The source adds that Kareena too avoided Pc. Kareena, who flew back to bangkok after the iPl event, says, "yes, it was very sweet of Suresh and dinesh to compliment me so nicely. As far as Priyanka is concerned, i didn't meet her at the iPl at all." AGENCiES

1997, is one of the pioneers in the lawn market, and is one of the first brands to launch designer lawn in the market. Over a decade and a half, Mausummery Lawn has developed a sound reputation for innovative designs and high quality products.

Mausummery Lawn’s first store in Karachi is based on a simple and minimal design aesthetic.

The grey simple interior is the perfect backdrop for the vibrant prints, with the only embellishments in the shop being huge green plants in plain red flower pots. Prior to their shop launch in Karachi, Mausummery Lawn already has one functioning outlet in Lahore at Regency Plaza and operates through numerous agents all across the country.

loS ANGElES: r&b superstar beyonce gave fans some insight into her private life with the relaunch of her website, featuring intimate snapshots of her daily routines the singer has carefully shielded from the public until now. “This is my life, today, over the years - through my eyes. My family, my travels, my love. This is where i share with you. This will continue to grow as i do,” the singer wrote on her new website. beyonce.com features a montage of candid shots from the singer’s personal life including pictures of her on holiday, with her husband, rapper Jay-Z, and family and during her pregnancy. one 15second video shows the singer posing by a blue ivy tree during while pregnant, which perhaps provided the inspiration for her newborn daughter’s name, blue ivy carter. “it’s been a long time coming, but i finally have my own place on the web,” the singer posted on her facebook page, where she has 34 million fans. beyonce also took the opportunity of launching her new site to tweet her 3.5 million Twitter fans for first time. The ‘Single ladies’ singer has kept her private life under wraps in the past, including getting married to Jay-Z in a shroud of secrecy in April 2008 and waiting five months after the event to debut her wedding ring. but beyonce, 30 and Jay-Z, 42, who were estimated to be worth $72 million by forbes in 2011, have been slowly lifting the veil on their luxury life. The couple released intimate pictures of blue ivy through social networking site Tumblr in february, shunning the popular celebrity choice of a lucrative magazine deal. REUTERS

Australian actress Nicole Kidman is in talks to play the late Grace Kelly, the screen legend who married the prince of Monaco, in a film by French director Olivier Dahan, Variety reported. The report said Kidman, 44, is in negotiations to play Kelly in ‘Grace of Monaco’, which PierreAnge Le Pogam is producing with writer Arash Amel. The entertainment daily said "nearly every top actress in Hollywood" is seeking the role and that no deal has been signed yet. The screenplay by Amel is not a biopic but centres on the period from December 1961 to November 1962. At the time Kelly, an Oscar winner and mother of two, had already spent six years as a princess and was called upon to save Monaco from an escalating crisis with France over the tiny monarchy's status as a tax haven.

Beyonce shares

family photos

on new fan

website

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16 Foreign News

Saturday, 7 April, 2012

Thousands demonstrate in Syria as violence rages DAMASCUS

T

AFp

ENS of thousands of Syrians demanding an end to the regime took to the streets on Friday under fire from government forces, who pressed their campaign to pound rebel cities into submission, activists said.

The violence raged a day after 77 people were killed and international envoy Kofi Annan spoke of “alarming” casualties despite the regime accepting an April 10 deadline to withdraw forces from protest hubs. On its Facebook page, the Syrian Revolution 2011 activist group had urged Syrians to demonstrate in favour of arming anti-regime rebels. The Local Coordination Committees group said security forces shot at demonstrators in Douma north of Damascus, in the central city of Hama and in

Idlib in the northwest. Demonstrations were also reported in southern Daraa province, cradle of the revolt, the LCC said.

Others were staged at Qamishli in the northern Kurdish region and at Deir Ezzor in the east, as well as in Idlib province, said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Britain-baseed Observatory also reported fierce battles in the villages of Al-Tiba, AlQabu and Shniyeh in central Homs province. It said the clashes erupted after loyalist militias opened fire on seven women, killing two and wounding four.

So far, activists have reported seven people killed nationwide on Friday. The Observatory said regime forces were pounding districts of Homs city and Rastan to the north, with searches under way in Damascus suburbs after a night of clashes with deserters in which three soldiers were killed. On Thursday, the UN Security Coun-

cil, including Russia and China, joined Annan in stepping up pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to implement a sixpoint peace plan. It called on the “Syrian government to implement urgently and visibly its commitments” made to Annan to take the steps toward a cessation of hostilities, a statement said. It called for Syria to start a two-hour daily pause in hostilities and to allow immediate humanitarian access. The council also said that, depending on Annan’s progress reports, it will “consider further steps as appropriate.”

Damascus has agreed to withdraw troops and heavy weapons from cities by next Tuesday. Annan said that if this happens he will call for a complete halt to hostilities by “0600 hours Damascus time on Thursday April 12.” But Syria has said the number of what it calls terrorist acts has risen since the deal with reached with Annan.

Turkey urges Un to ‘step in’ as Syrians pour across border ANKARA AFp

Turkey urged Friday the United Nations and international community to reinforce efforts to aid Syrian refugees after a record number of them poured across the border in less than two days. “We have spared no efforts to accommodate Syrians fleeing the violence back home, but if they continue to arrive at this rate, we will need the UN and international community to step in,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in televised remarks.

Davutoglu did not specify what type of involvement his government is expecting from the UN. Some 2,800 Syrians crossed the border into Turkey in a 36-hour period to escape a helicopter-backed assault by Syrian troops, he told reporters.

Russian expedition ‘goes missing’ in Antarctic MOSCOW AFp

SARAJEVo: An elderly woman leaves a flower on some of 11, 451 empty chairs on the main street of the city on Friday. More than 11,000 red chairs, symbolizing 11541 victim of the siege, lined Sarajevo's main avenue as Bosnians marked the 20th anniversary of the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War ii with songs and remembrance. AFp

boy in China sells kidney to buy iPhone BEIjING: A teenage high-school student in China sold his kidney for an illicit transplant operation and used the proceeds to buy an Apple iPhone and iPad, state press said on Friday. The 17-year-old boy, who was paid 22,000 yuan ($3,500), was recruited from an online chatroom and is now suffering from kidney failure and in deteriorating health, the Xinhua news agency said. A surgeon and four others have been arrested and are facing charges of illegal organ trading and intentional injury. The kidney donor, only identified by his surname Wang, agreed to the April 2011 operation in the central province of Hunan without his parents consent, the report said. One of those detained was a hard-up gambler identified as He Wei, who acted as a middle-man between a hospital worker and the teenager. He was paid 220,000 yuan. Health ministry statistics show that about 1.5 million people in China need transplants, but only around 10,000 transplants are performed annually.The huge gap has led to a thriving illegal market for organs. Executed prisoners remain the main source of organs used in transplant operations due to the lack of voluntary donations, Vice Health Minister Huang Jiefu was quoted by state media as saying last month. International human rights groups have long accused China of harvesting organs from executed prisoners for transplant without the consent of the prisoner or their family — charges the government has denied. AFp

France fears new serial killer after four murders near paris EVRY AFp

Fears grew Friday that a serial killer was stalking housing estates in the suburbs of Paris, where the same weapon has been used to murder four apparently innocent citizens since November.

The latest killing on Thursday of a 47-year-old mother, shot dead near her home in the Essonne suburb, prompted Interior Minister Claude Gueant to vow every effort was being made to find the killer. All the victims were shot with the same small-calibre 7.65 mm weapon by a gunman who fled on a motorbike, recalling the methods of an Islamist extremist killed by police in southern France in March after murdering seven people. While nothing

suggests any political or religious motives in the shootings, police are probing any possible links with several other homicides in a 10-kilometre (six-mile) radius of the southern outer suburbs. “That is a concern, but in any case, as in every criminal inquiry, we are putting every effort into finding out who is behind this,” Gueant told Europe 1 radio.

A source close to the inquiry told AFP that ballistics analysis had shown that the same weapon had been used in all four attacks.

On Thursday, a woman of Algerian origin was shot dead in the foyer of her apartment block, part of a working-class housing estate in the Grande-Borne district of Grigny, south of the capital. She was a widow who worked at Orly Airport and

lived with her 18-year-old son. “Everyone is in shock,” said one of her neighbours, who asked not to be named.

“She didn’t feel threatened.

She’s a normal person, simple, no history.” She died in hospital after being shot with the small-calibre weapon, which is not widely used by the criminal milieu as it must be fired at relatively close range to be effective.

The first victim was a 35year-old laboratory assistant who was also shot dead in her building in Grigny on November 27. A man who said he was her ex-boyfriend turned himself in, was arrested and charged, but has since withdrawn his confession. On February 22, one of the first victim’s neighbours, a 52-year-old man, was shot dead in their building’s car park.

A Russian-Ukrainian crew that set sail in September on an historic expedition around the South and North Poles went missing in the Antarctic on Friday after encountering gale-force winds. A spokeswoman for the eight-person crew on board the 29-metre (97-foot) Scorpius sailboat said the team made its last radio contact on Monday night as it prepared for another treacherous leg of its journey in the South Shetlands. The mission website’s last entry said the Scorpius met gale-force winds on its way to Deception Island — a location popular with adventurers for its restless volcano.

Chinese student dead after UK police car collision LONDON AFp

An investigation was underway Friday after a Chinese student died having been knocked down by an unmarked British police car. The 24-year-old, who has not been named, died in hospital Thursday after sustaining serious head and back injuries when he was struck in Birmingham, Britain’s second city. While crossing a road, he was hit by a car responding to reports of a stolen vehicle, though the vehicle was not in pursuit, West Midlands Police said. The car was being driven by a uniformed officer who has since been suspended from driving police vehicles. The victim was studying for a masters science degree in data networks and security at Birmingham City University.

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Saturday, 7 April, 2012

Foreign News 17

turkey still ready to host Iran N-talks: tehran TEHRAN AFp

Turkey is still ready to host talks between Iran and the P5+1 group on Tehran’s controversial nuclear programme, Ankara has told the Islamic republic’s nuclear chief, Al-Alam television reported Friday.

The Arabic-language Iranian channel said Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had spoken to Iran’s chief negotiator Sayeed Jalili about the talks slated for April 13 and 14 but whose location has yet to be confirmed. “Relations between Iran and Turkey are strategic and brotherly. Turkey is ready to welcome the next negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group,” AlAlam said Davutoglu told Jalili, citing a Supreme National Security Council source.

At the same time, Davutoglu was quoted as saying that “Iran’s proposal to hold these talks in Baghdad is an intelligent one.”

After originally proposing that the negotiations be held in Istanbul, Tehran then suggested either Baghdad or Beijing as the venue. On Thursday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Iran to act honestly after its about-face on Istanbul as the location for the talks. “It is necessary to act honestly. They continue to lose prestige in the world because of a lack of honesty,” Erdogan told a televised news conference in the latest salvo in a war of words between the two countries.

pirates hijack China freighter in Gulf of Oman BEIJING AFp

A Chinese cargo ship was hijacked by pirates on Friday in the Gulf of Oman, not far off the south of Iran, state media said, citing China’s embassy in Tehran. The vessel was attacked on Friday morning near the Iranian port of Chabahar, according to the Xinhua news agency. The Chinese embassy in Iran has initiated an “emergency” operation aimed at rescuing the ship, it added. “The Chinese embassy... immediately established contact with relevant Iranian authorities demanding (that) Iran adopt all necessary measures to fully rescue the ship and crew,” Xinhua said.

It offered no other details including the nationality of the hijackers. According to China Radio International, the vessel, the Xianghuamen, is owned by Yuanyang shipping company in eastern China’s Nanjing city and was sailing with a crew of 28. The waters of the Arabian Sea, at the northern tip of the Indian Ocean, have seen hundreds of pirate attacks in recent years, with Chinese shipping vessels routinely targeted.

China shuts political websites in crackdown SHANGHAI AFp

Two Chinese political websites said Friday they had been ordered by authorities to shut for a month for criticising state leaders, the latest move in a broad government crackdown on the Internet. Officials told the Mao Flag website, named after late leader Mao Zedong, and the Utopia website, also known for a leftist political stance, to close for “rectification”, the sites said in separate announcements. Authorities said their postings had “maliciously attacked state leaders” and given “absurd views” about politics, according to statements posted on the websites. Those statements, dated Friday, were later removed. The operators could not be reached for comment and content on the sites was unavailable. The latest crackdown comes after a surge in online rumours in China, including one about a coup led by security chief Zhou Yongkang, following the March dismissal of rising political star Bo Xilai.

RAMAllAh: palestinian protesters run for cover from teargas fired by israeli soldiers in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh on Friday during a protest against palestinian land confiscation to expand the Jewish hallamish settlement. AFp

Pilgrims fill Jerusalem for Good Friday, Passover JERUSALEM

C

AFp

HRISTIANS and Jews in the Holy Land were set to begin marking their most important festivals of the year on Friday, with Good Friday and the Jewish holiday of Passover coinciding.

Jewish families were completing last-minute preparations for Passover, which begins at sundown and commemorates the Israelite’s exodus from slavery in Egypt, receipt of the Torah at Mount Sinai and eventual journey into the Promised Land.

At a festive dinner called a Seder, unleavened bread is consumed during the seven-day holiday to re-live the hasty flight from Egypt, during which

there was no time to allow the bread to rise.

Meanwhile, thousands of Roman Catholics and Protestants were packed into the narrow alleys of Jerusalem’s Old City in processions marking the crucifixion and burial of Jesus.

Orthodox Christians will celebrate Easter next Sunday after holding the Holy Fire ceremony in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre the previous day.

Many Christian pilgrims mark Good Friday by walking from the Franciscan Monastery of the Flagellation along the path where Jesus walked, now known as the “Via Dolorosa” or the “Way of Suffering.”

Sombre pilgrims, some carrying small crosses, others dragging or carrying full-sized ones, were largely silent on Friday as they walked in the proces-

sion known as the Stations of the Cross.

At each of 13 stops along the way that depict various incidents that occurred between the time Jesus was condemned to death until his burial, they would break into song, mostly in Arabic.

As the procession wound through the Old City’s main market, a group of Sri Lankan women wearing bright colours stopped for a quick break in a shop selling gold jewellery.

“This is a very special day when my Jesus died,” said Shamli Nonis, who works for an Israeli family as a care giver. “It is a very sad day for us.”

Hundreds of Israeli police and border police carefully watched over the processions under the blazing sun.

Police said they arrested three Jewish right-wing activists carrying a young

thousands rally for salafist in Egypt vote

goat near the Old City walls, which they apparently intended to sacrifice in the vicinity of the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, known to Jews as Temple Mount.

“They had a goat with them that they planned going with to the Old City,” police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP. “Probably they would have gone to the Temple Mount.”

He said the three, along with a group of minors, were being questioned by police on Friday afternoon but would probably be released later.

Israeli media named one of the group as Noam Federman, a wellknown religious nationalist and West Bank settler, and said he intended to reenact the Passover sacrifice as performed in biblical times.

He made a similar attempt last year.

25 indonesian maids on death row in Saudi: report RIYADH AFp

CAIRO AFp

Thousands of people rallied in central Cairo on Friday in support of a Salafist candidate who could be ruled out of Egypt’s presidential election because his mother reportedly held US nationality.

Under the country’s electoral law, all candidates for the presidency, their parents and their wives must have only Egyptian citizenship. “The people want Hazem Abu Ismail! No to manipulation!” the demonstrators shouted after making their way through central Cairo to Tahrir Square, epicentre of last year’s revolt which toppled president Hosni Mubarak. The protesters, including women in full Islamic veil, carried portraits of Abu Ismail and waved their fists, angrily condemning any attempt to disqualify their candidate.

Abu Ismail launched his candidacy on March 30 with a large motorcade that took him to electoral commission headquarters in Cairo.

Commission chief Hatem Begato said on Thursday that the agency had received information according to which Ismail’s mother had “used an American passport for travel to and from Egypt” before her death.

Files will be examined on April 12-13

and any candidate not meeting the requirements informed, the commission said. Those rejected would then have 48 hours to appeal before the final list of candidates is announced on April 26. Abu Ismail advocates a strict interpretation of Islam similar to the one practised in Saudi Arabia and has become a familiar sight in Cairo, with his posters adorning many cars and micro buses. The May election will mark the beginning of a handover of power by the ruling military to an elected civilian leader, following the popular uprising against Mubarak.

Abu Ismail would compete with more moderate Islamist candidates such as senior Muslim Brotherhood figure Khairat ElShater as well as former regime figures such as Amr Mussa, an exforeign minister. Islamists have made big strides since Mubarak’s ouster, winning majorities in elections to both houses of parliament. The Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party won the most seats in parliamentary elections earlier this year, but the Salafists captured nearly a quarter themselves.

Twenty-five Indonesian maids are on death row in Saudi Arabia and 22 others have been pardoned and sent home, local media reported on Friday, adding that Jakarta will send a delegation for talks on the issue.

“Twenty-two death row Indonesian inmates in the Kingdom have been exonerated and repatriated back to Indonesia, while 25 maids are still facing death sentences in Saudi Arabia for various offences,” the Englishlanguage daily Arab News reported. “Six housemaids are on death row in Riyadh province alone, whereas about 19 female workers have been handed death sentences in the Western region,” it quoted the Indonesian embassy’s spokesman, Hendrar Pramutyo, as saying. Jakarta will send “a 14-member presidential task force to the Kingdom on April 7 to talk to Saudi officials and to intensify efforts in cooperation with its embassy to rescue the maids,” the daily quoted Pramutyo as saying. “We have also asked permission from the host government to allow our presidential task force delegation to visit Saudi jails” where a total of 1,700 Indonesians are serving prison terms, he added. Indonesian anger over the treatment of its manual labourers in the oil-rich Gulf monarchy has grown since last year, after a spate of cases of abuse and killings. Last June, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono denounced the beheading in Saudi Arabia of an Indonesian maid and accused Riyadh of breaking the “norms and manners” of international relations.

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Saturday, 7 April, 2012

westwood’s pursuers make early Masters start Page 21

Misbah, Whatmore meet to discuss future plans

Pcb task team meeting today to finalise bowling coach

Chief coach wants Malik to lead Pak t20 side?

LAHORE STAFF REpoRT

P

AKISTAN cricket captain Misbah-ul-Haq has held a detailed meeting with the national team's recently-appointed foreign coach Dav Whatmore to plan for future training camps and introduction of new players. Reports attributing from the Pakistan Cricket Board said Misbah and Whatmore had held a meeting in which they discussed plans for a month long conditioning and training camp and the introduction of new and upcoming players in the camp.

"Basically Whatmore has prepared a short list of around 30 probables to attend the camp after watching the national super eights Twenty20 championship in Rawalpindi and he wanted to discuss them with Misbah," the source

said.

"The two apparently have consensus on most of the players shortlisted for the proposed camp in Lahore," the source added. The PCB has not ruled out the possibility of having specialist squads in future for all three formats of the sport and the source said Misbah and Whatmore were also looking into this possibility.

"Both Misbah and Whatmore are in agreement that the camp will give them an opportunity to look at the new players and those discarded from the team and prepare well in time for the coming assignments," the source said.

Chief selector Iqbal Qasim said that he would also be travelling to Lahore today to meet Misbah, Whatmore and PCB officials to discuss the proposed camp. "We need to sit down and discuss different proposals. If they are interested in having a camp,we will try to

LAHORE: Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore has backed the return of former captain Shoaib Malik to the national side for limited overs cricket and also feels he would be the best candidate to lead the national T20 team. Reports quoting source said that Whatmore was in favour of bringing back Malik as the captain of the national T20 side. "It is too early to predict things but one thing is certain that before the team goes to Sri Lanka, the Pakistan cricket Board will announce a new captain for the T20 outfit and Malik is a frontrunner now after the backing of Whatmore," the source said. The appointment of a new captain for the national T20 side has become a significant issue in Pakistan as the T20 World Cup is due in September in Sri Lanka. Many critics and fans don't favour current skipper Misbah-ul-Haq to lead the team in the T20 format in particular due to his age and different approach to the game and captaincy. "Malik impressed Whatmore who was present in Rawalpindi throughout the national super eights T20 championship with the way he led the Sialkot Stallions side to their seventh national T20 championship title," the source said. Malik not only performed well in the championship but had also captained PIA to the national one-day title earlier. When contacted Malik said he was not in a position to comment on the captaincy issue at all.

"For me right now it is a long battle to win back my place in the team as a senior player. My entire focus is on convincing the selectors and coach and captain I can play for Pakistan again," Malik said. "The captaincy is a sensitive issue and something only the board is best equipped to deal. I don't want to comment on this, for me the main thing is getting back into the team. Malik said he had worked hard on his fitness and given his best in the national one-day and T20 events to show the selectors that he could contribute to the Pakistan team as a senior player and all-rounder.

Malik is certain to be in a month long conditioning camp that has been suggested by Whatmore and captain Misbah starting later this month, especially to give a chance to them to work with the new and upcoming players. STAFF REpoRT support them as much as we can," Qasim said.

"Some of the younger players are exciting prospects and it will be good if the coaches can work with them ahead

of our next international assignment against Sri Lanka," he added.

Pakistan had emerged winner in the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup after defeating Sri Lanka by eight wickets.

kaneria ‘unaware’ Windies dream of breaking two-decade of ECb corruption hearing Aussie grip BRIDGETOWN AFp

Australia aim to extend their 19-year grip on the Frank Worrell Trophy against the West Indies from Saturday and pile on the Test match agony for the fallen Caribbean giants. Since they last hosted Australia four years ago, the West Indies have won only three of the 30 Tests that they've played while trying to rebuild their team.

Those three wins have been enough to produce series wins over England and, more recently, in Bangladesh, their first victory away since 2003. Meanwhile, Australia are on a high having had a 4-0 cleansweep over India in their last series in January.

They haven't lost a Test series since the Ashes defeat in January 2011 that led to significant changes in their structure and approach to the game. It also saw a change to the playing organization with Michael Clarke taking over from Ricky Ponting as captain and South African Mickey Arthur installed as coach. "As a playing group we can take a lot of confidence out of beating India 4-0 in Australia but conditions are a lot different here," said Clarke ahead of the first Test which starts at Kensington Oval on Saturday.

"The hardest part of playing international sport is beating teams away from home in conditions that you're not as used to." Despite their woeful recent Test record, there are signs that the West Indies may be closing the gap. They played well in both the recent Twenty20 and ODI series with neither team getting the upper

hand as both series were tied.

"For me as captain getting the guys to gel well and to execute the team plan, the more results we'll get," said West Indies captain Darren Sammy who believes that attitude was important in the recent performances in the ODIs and Twenty20s.

"The fact that we could go out on the field and look like a unit and play together and that 'never-say-die' attitude. You could see that the team is improving."

The changes for both teams in the last four years have been significant. Of the team that won the final Test at the Kensington Oval to clinch the series 2-0 four years ago, only Clarke, Ponting and Michael Hussey remain in the Test set up.

It's one fewer for the West Indies with Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Fidel Edwards the only players from that side to have been included in the latest squad. Australia won their only warmup match in the longer form of the game beating the West Indies Cricket Board President's XI by eight wickets.

Several changes to the side that played in that fixture can be expected as David Warner and Michael Hussey were rested while wicket-keeper Matthew Wade will almost certainly put on the baggy green for the first time.

West Indies named a squad of 13 for the first Test, with only opening batsman Kieran Powell and wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh having played for the President's XI in the tour game. With Marlon Samuels playing in the IPL there have been returns to the squad for Narsingh Deonarine and Ravi Rampaul.

KARACHI AFp

Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria said Friday he was in the dark about a disciplinary hearing in Britain over corruption that led to the jailing of an English county player.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Thursday that the leg-spinner and his former Essex teammate Mervyn Westfield would face a hearing next month.

Westfield was jailed for four months in February after admitting that he accepted money to under-perform during a Pro40 match between Essex and Durham in 2009.

The 23-year-old seamer named Kaneria -- arrested in 2010 but released without charge -- as the link between the bookmaker and the players.

Kaneria, who has not played for Pakistan since the Nottingham Test against

England in August 2010, said he had not been informed about the hearing.

"I just got to know about a disciplinary hearing from the media," Kaneria told AFP. "Once I get the official letter from the ECB then only I will consult with my lawyer and decide how to go about it."

Kaneria faces a worldwide ban from the game if found guilty by the hearing, where a number of Essex players are expected to give evidence.

The 31-year-old, who played 61 Tests and 18 one-day for Pakistan, is now involved in first-class cricket in Pakistan.

He led Sindh in the Pentangular Cup first-class tournament and also played in the Super Eight Twenty20 event earlier this year.

In February this year, the International Cricket Council, the ECB and Pakistan Cricket Board dismissed Kaneria's claims that he had been cleared in the spot-fixing scandal.

LAHORE STAFF REpoRT

The Pakistan Cricket Board task team headed by Intikhab Alam will meet today (Saturday) to scan the applications and prepare their recommendations for the appointment of new bowling coach of the national team.

The four-member task team, including former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja, Zaheer Abbas and Col (r) Naushad Ali will see these applications to scrutinize the list of candidates who have applied for the bowling coach position.

The vacancy was created after the PCB failed to prevent former Pakistan bowling coach Aaqib Javed from moving on to become UAE head coach. The PCB’s plan, under former chairman Ijaz Butt, was to bring in only a head coach to replace Waqar Younis, who resigned due to health reasons. But the new chairman, Zaka Ashraf, planned to form a team of specialist coaching staff. Dav Whatmore and Julien Foutain were appointed head/batting and fielding coach respectively.

Till the March 23 deadline, PCB received 10 to 12 applications from the candidates for the post of bowling coach as PCB wants to pick new bowling coach will be made well before the next series of the Pakistan team which is in Sri Lanka in June-July.

It will be a tough task for the PCB to shortlist candidates as the major requirement for the applicant is to have at least five years of experience in a similar role with elite cricketers as most of the applicants don’t fulfill this requirement.

The applicants including Ian Pont, the former Bangladesh bowling coach, Bazeegh Zaka, the Maldives coach, and former Pakistan players Jalal-ud-Din, Mohsin Kamal, Sabih Azhar and Mohammad Akram.

Mohsin Kamal has recently ended a threeyear head-coach contract with Bahrain Cricket Association and Sabih Azhar, who is currently working with the Pakistan Under-19 team, has ample experience in the country’s domestic circuit are in good books of the task committee. “We are hopeful of finalizing our recommendations before the end of this month so that the team can have a bowling coach before its tour of Sri Lanka,” PCB official said.

Pakistan junior team thrash Malaysia LAHORE STAFF REpoRT

Pakistan junior hockey team started their Malaysian tour o a positive note by thrashing the hosts 5-3 at National Hockey Stadium Kuala Lumpur. During the match player Aleem Bilal thumped the goalpost twice and Rana Umair, Dilber Hussain and Muhammad Irfan scored one goal each. In the first half, the score was 3-2.The second match will be played between Pakistan and Malaysian juniors on April 7 at 4.00 Pakistan time.

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Sports 19 Four-star Swann leads England charge Saturday, 7 April, 2012

dinda, Pune spinners upset Mumbai

COLOMBO

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SPORTS DESK Pune Warriors caused a major upset of the Indian Premier league in front of a packed Wankhede Stadium, where they defended a modest total against one of the tournament favourites, Mumbai Indians. The Warriors' spinners - of left-arm, offspin and legbreak variety - masterminded by new Ganguly, thrived on a generous pitch, picking off their victims, while Ashok Dinda offered substantial pace support. The result was a surprise because Mumbai Indians had restricted Warriors to 129 for 9, especially after their batsmen chased successfully with ease on opening night in Chennai. However, Mumbai Indians were without Sachin, who was nursing a bruised hand, and the instability at the top of the order resulted in a flurry of wickets that damaged the chase irrevocably. Mumbai culd make 100 for nine in the given overs leaving Pune won the match by 29 runs.

roach, Ponting ready for bruising reunion BRIDGETOWN AFp

West Indies seamer Kemar Roach renews his bruising rivalry with Ricky Ponting on Saturday as the home side seek to end two decades of failure against Australia. When Roach and Ponting last came face to face in a Test at the pacy WACA in Perth in 2009, the former Australian skipper was peppered with a series of short-pitched deliveries. One 146kph delivery smacked into Ponting's elbow and, although the gritty Australian soldiered on for over half an hour, he was forced to retire to nurse his wounds. "I remember Ponting making some comments some time ago about helping to launch Kemar's career," West Indies coach Ottis Gibson told the Nation newspaper on Friday, on the eve of the first Test at Kensington Oval. "I'm sure that Kemar, if he gets the opportunity on Saturday morning first up with the new ball in his hand, will be looking forward to it. Likewise, I'm sure Ricky will be looking to get back at Kemar." West Indies have gone almost 20 years without a series win over Australia but Gibson insists the current generation have nothing to fear. "I think we have at least three or four guys who will be looking forward to this series," he added.

"Everybody is looking forward to getting stuck in, and the exciting thing is that it means that there is competition for places and that brings the kind of environment which we are trying to create." West Indies have so far held their nerve against the tourists, drawing both the one-day and T20 series curtain-raisers to the three-Test series.

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FF-SPINNER Graeme Swann grabbed four wickets to leave a rejuvenated England on the brink of a serieslevelling win in the second and final Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Friday.

Sri Lanka, trailing by 185 runs on the first innings, ended the fourth day's play at 218-6 in their second knock, a lead of 33 runs with only four wickets in hand on a wearing P. Sara Oval pitch. Skipper Mahela Jayawardene stood in England's way with an unbeaten 55, showing the form that has already fetched him two centuries in the series, including one in the first innings.

England, who lost the first Test in Galle, will return for the final day's play on Saturday looking to polish off the rest of the Sri Lankan batting quickly. Andrew Strauss' men need a win to draw the series and retain their number one Test ranking.

England wicket-keeper Matt Prior said: "Hopefully we'll be chasing less than 150, but we know we've got the ability in the dressing room to chase down anything. "But first and foremost we have to take the four wickets." Prior said it was more important to make it 11 in the series than think about the rankings. "Every bloke wants to be part of the best team in the world and we want to prove that we are the best," he said.

"We want to win this Test because we want to win every Test we play, not because it counts in our rankings." Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan refused to write off his team's chances. "If we bat out the first session, there is a good chance we may win it," said Dilshan. "If we can set a target of around 150, we be-

coloMbo: england cricketer Graeme Swann (2r) celebrates with teammates after dismissing Sri lankan cricketer Suraj randiv (3l) during the fourth day of the second and final Test. AFp lieve we can win.

"It's not an easy wicket to bat on. It has turn and bounce and we have some very good spinners in our side."

The tourists were hoping for a swift closure when Swann grabbed the key wickets of Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara in the post-lunch session. But Thilan Samaraweera (47) and Jayawardene kept the England attack at bay -even for nine overs with the second new ball -- during a 90-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Swann, coming on two overs before stumps, bowled Samaraweera with his first delivery and Suraj Randiv with the third to pin Sri Lanka against the ropes.

If England fail to win, they will rue a

dropped catch off Jayawardene by Tim Bresnan at mid-on off Samit Patel when the batsman was on 20 and the hosts were still 46 runs behind. Dilshan was unfortunate to be given out, caught in the slips off Swann as TV replays proved inconclusive whether the ball had gone off the bat.

Third umpire Rod Tucker reviewed Dilshan's challenge for more than five minutes before upholding on-field official Bruce Oxenford's decision to give the batsman out. Sri Lankan coach Graham Ford immediately went up to match referee Javagal Srinath to ask why the benefit of doubt had not been given to the batsman, as is the norm in cricket.

Dilshan fined for excessive appealing COLOMBO AFp

Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan has been fined 10 percent of his match fee for over-the-top appealing during the second Test against England, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Friday. Bowling during England's first innings on Thursday, Dilshan charged towards the striker's end celebrating a dismissal even before the decision had been given, the ICC said.

When he reached the other end, Dilshan turned around and appealed repeatedly, according to the charge laid by onfield umpires Bruce Oxenford and Asad Rauf, and TV umpire Rod Tucker. Match referee Javagal Srinath said in a statement that Dilshan accepted that he had violated the ICC's code of conduct.

Dilshan is expected to lose around $500 due to the penalty. England, who lost the first Test, are hoping to secure a series-levelling win that will enable them to retain their number one ranking.

LAHORE Babar Azam steered Pakistan under-19 to a comfortable win over the visiting British University cricket team here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.

British University Charity XI, in reply to Pakistan’s total, were bowled out for 102 runs in 19.3 overs, thus giving the home side a 113-runs win.

Batting first, Pakistan juniors hammered 215 in 20 overs day and night match converted to the shortest version from an ODI after the hot conditions took tool of the visitors in the first match.

Azam in his 121 innings smashed 15 hits across the rope and two over it while facing just 65 balls. He was ably supported by opener Sami Aslam, who in the ODI match cracked a double cen-

Model Town club enter second phase LAHORE

coloMbo: Sri lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene ducks a bouncer during the fourth day of the second and final Test match at the P. Sara oval Stadium. AFp

tury, contributed 19-ball 32 and later Saad Ali with his 16-ball 27 lifted the score to authority.

From the visiting side, Mumtaz Habib, Umair Javed, Shahid Ilyas and James Wallace shared one wicket each.

In their chase, the British students fell short of the target. They crumbled to Azizullah and only Shahid Ilyas with 40 runs remained th highest scorer from the losing side while James Wal-

lace was the second best batsman of the visiting team with 18 runs.

Aziz did the main damage to the British batting line up with four wickets. He was supported by Usman Qadir with two wickets while Ehsan Adil and Babar Azam shared one wicket each.

Only four of their batsmen reached double figures while there were five ducks in British students batting lineup.

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The infra-red Hot Spot technology, which could have determined an edge, is not being used for the series. Dilshan, who made 35, has now gone 21 innings without a Test century since plundering 193 against England at Lord's in June last year. Later in the same over, Swann appealed for leg-before against Sangakkara, which Oxenford turned down.

This time it was England's turn to lose the review even though the ball clipped the off-bail. But Sangakkara did not last long as he edged Swann to Prior after making 21, with Sri Lanka still 61 runs in arrears. The left-hander, who had been dismissed first ball in two of the three previous innings, finished the series with a dismal average of 8.75.

STAFF REpoRT

Pak U-19 get easy win over British students AShER BUTT

Sri lanka 1st innings: 275 (M. Jayawardene 105, T. Samaraweera 54, A. Mathews 57, G. Swann 4-75, J. Anderson 3-62) England 1st innings: 460 (K. pietersen 151, A. Strauss 61, A. Cook 94, J. Trott 64, R. herath 6-133) Sri lanka 2nd innings (overnight 4-0): 34 d. prasad c Bresnan b Finn l. Thirimanne c Strauss b Anderson 11 35 T. dilshan c Anderson b Swann K. Sangakkara c prior b Swann 21 55 M. Jayawardene not out T. Samaraweera b Swann 47 0 S. Randiv b Swann 3 A. Mathews not out Extras: (b4, lb6, w2) 12 218 Total (for six wickets, 91 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Thirimanne), 2-64 (prasad), 3-104 (dilshan), 4-125 (Sangakkara), 5-215 (Samaraweera), 6-215 (Randiv).

Bowling: Anderson 16-6-27-1, Finn 15-1-30-1 (w1), Swann 26-182-4, Bresnan 11-5-14-0 (w1), patel 19-6-37-0, pietersen 4-0-18-0.

Sri lanka lead by 33 runs with four wickets in hand.

Toss: Sri lanka Umpires: Asad Rauf (pAK) and Bruce oxenford (AUS) TV umpire: Rod Tucker (AUS) Match referee: Javagal Srinath (iNd)

pAKiSTAN UNdER-19 Sami Aslam lbw Umair Javed 32 Babar Azam C Umair Javed B James Wallace 121 Faraz Ali C Aamer Khan B Shahid ilyas 18 Saad Ali C Spencer Crawley B Mumtaz habib 27 Ehsan Adil not out 2 Mohammad Nawaz not out 1 EXTRAS: (B : 0, lB : 2, NB : 3, WB : 4, p : 5) 14 ToTAl : (FoR 4 iN 20) 215 FoW: 1-55, 2-102, 3-200, 4-211 BoWlERS: Maxwell McAclister 4-0-46-0; Mumtaz habib 4-031-1; Umair Javed 4-0-35-1; Shahid ilyas 4-0-32-1; Will Kostoris 2-0-26-0; James Wallace 2-0-38-1 BRiTiSh STUdENT Xi Spencer Crawley run out Salman 12 Mumtaz habib b Azizullah 14 Aamer Khan c Faraz Ali b Ehsan Adil 5

Maxwell McAclister run out Azizullah 0 Shahid ilyas c zia-ul-haq b Azizullah 40 Samuel outram c Salman Afridi b Usman Qadir 0 James Wallace c Faraz Ali b Usman Qadir 18 paul Razzall not out 5 Shmail Khan lbw Azizullah 0 Will Kostoris b Azizullah 0 Umair Javed c & b Babar Azam 0 EXTRAS: 8 ToTAl: (19.3 oVERS) 102 FoW: 1-20, 2-25, 3-29, 4-54, 5-60, 6-92, 7-101, 8-101, 9-101, 10-102 BoWlERS: zia-ul-haq 4-1-14-0; Ehsan Adil 4-0-17-1; Azizullah 4-1-22-4; Usman Qadir 4-0-28-2; Mohammad Nawaz 3-0-200; Babar Azam 0.3-0-1-1 Toss: pCB Under 19s Xi won the toss and elected to bat, Man of the match: Babar Azam, Result: pakistan under-19 won by 113 runs, Umpires: Ahsan Raza & zameer haider, Tv Umpires: Shozab Raza.

Model Town Club has qualified for the second phase of Sprite Lahore League by beating Young P&T by 149 runs at Ittefaq Ground of LRCA. Model Town scored 364/4 in 40 overs by batting first. Aamir Sajjad 146 off 67 balls, Sohail Ahmed 101 runs. In reply Young P&T Gymkhana only managed 215/8 in their limited overs.

Mian Manan remained top scorer with unbeaten 93 runs. Mustafa Iqbal picked 3/33 and Aamir Sajjad captured 2/48 for Model Town Club. Aamir Sajjad named man of the match for his all round performance

condolence LAHORE STAFF REpoRT

The Sports Journalist Association of Lahore and Railway Sports Board in an emergent meeting held at Railway Stadium Lahore condoled on the sad demise of Wife of Mr. Pervaiz Saeed Mir Director Operation Pakistan Football Federation. General Manager Railway President PRSB Shafique Ullah Khan, Vice President Saeed Iqbal Khan, Secretary Rana Ibrar Anwar, Sports Officer Rashid Mehmood Butt, Accounts Officer Akram Awan, Nayar Javeed Mufti, Syed Najam-us-saeed, Tahir Mehmood Official PRSB, Former Vice President Muhammad Irfan Gohar, Former Secretary Syed Arshad Wasti, Chief Executive PVCA Nawab Ashiq Hussain Qureshi, President LRCA Kh. Nadeem Ahmed, SPM Chief Aizad Hussain Syed, CEO Amar Cables Amer Ilyas Butt, Cricketer Promoter Syed Azhar Zaidi, International Cricket Umpire Aleem Dar, President Sajjal, Syed Ali Hashmi, Secretary Asher Butt & Electronics & Print Media Sports Generalist, Secy General PSWA Manzoor Ali Arif, Secretary Abdul Rasheed Khan and large number of sports persons expressed their grief on this great loss. The all persons prayed to Allah Almighty, rest for the departed soul and courage for the bereaved family.

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20 Sports MSSST’s role as a welfare organisation is commendable: Sitara

Saturday, 7 April, 2012

AUGUSTA: Tiger Woods hits out of the sand on the 17th hole during the 1st round of the 76th Masters Golf Tournament. aFP

PESHAWAR STAFF REpoRT

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for SocialWelfare & Women Development Sitara Ayaz appreciated the pivotal role played by Malik Saad Shaheed Sports Trust (MSSST), a social welfare organization in the province in large and specially un-develop areas of the province by providing sports, education and health care facilities to youth. She was speaking during her visit to MSSST Central office at Central Police office this morning.

On arrival she was briefed by Amjad Aziz Malik secretary of the Trust about MSSST activities and achievements so for. MSSST Member Board of Tursts Syed Ali Nawaz Gilani, Syed Tasadaq Hussain Shah apart from MSSST officials were also present on the occasion. Sitara Ayaz Provincial Minister for Social Welfare and Women Development Khyber Pakhtunkhwa mentioned that to serve every-one is not possible for the Government in present age so that vital role played by various people friendly organization in healthy sports like a Social service which is really commendable and we appreciate the MSSST’s activities and various initiative to promote Sports, Education and Health care in depraved peoples of the society. Minister Sitara Ayaz paid rich tributes to Shaheed Malik Saad and other Shaheed Police Officers and Jawans of Khyber Pakhtubkhwa Police and lauded their contribution in peace keeping of the Provice.She also lauded the rich contribution by MSSST’s during short period to time with special reference of establishment of Sports academies in far’ flung areas of the Province and FATA. Minister Sitara Ayaz offered all possible support and patronage from her Social Welfare Department Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Later on MSSST Member BOT Side Ali Nawaz Gilani presented Trust Souvenir and Annual Report to the visiting Minister and she also wrote her remarks in MSSST visitors’ Book.

How City bottled it City need a win against Arsenal to keep the title race alive, even if Mathematics might suggest otherwise EPL CRYSTAL BALL KUNWAR KHULDUNE SHAHID Mathematics can be a beast. A beast that can change appearances and make things seem different than they are. Take the EPL title race for example; being five points behind leaders Manchester United, with a game between the two neighbours at the Etihad Stadium still to be played out, you’d think that City would very much be a part of this title race - a race that they had led for the most part of the season.

However, the psychological games of a purple nosed Scott ensure that in the realm of English football, more often than not Fergie’s mind games can beat both mathematics and logic, more often than not. Hence, the primary reason why City’s locomotive seems to be on the brink of derailing is the presence of that cunning genius at the opposite dugout.

Of the many other causes behind City bottling their lead in the title race is Mancini’s inaptitude in squad management. It’s no big surprise that David Silva’s season seems to have tailed off, that has seen him without a goal since December and without an assist since January. He’s been the most overused City outfield player with 27 starts, and accordingly the aftereffects of his debut season in the EPL are taking their toll. Despite having a considerably better squad than United, it seems as if Mancini doesn’t trust many others going forward except Sergio Aguero and Silva.

This has meant that quite capable players like Adam Johnson (ten starts), James Milner (16 starts) and Mario Balotelli (13

starts) have been sparingly used, much to the detriment of their confidence. And this has led to the overuse of the likes of Silva, Aguero and Yaya Toure – who despite missing a month due to the African Cup of Nations has started 24 games.

City’s intimidating home form has been let down by a pretty lacklustre showing away from him, which has seen them win merely 2 away games since their win against QPR in November. And this has coincided with Mancini reverting to the much dreaded defensive style of play of the previous season. For a team that

spanked United and Spurs with six and five goals away from home respectively, this is indeed perplexing to say the very least. In terms of attacking wherewithal City would beat any side in the league, hence the defensive approach could only mean that there has been a lack of belief from Mancini’s side or they began feeling the heat of being the favourites for the title. The safe money is on a combination of both those aspects.

On the contrary, United have been on a roll since their 0-3 defeat against Newcastle in January. One can’t help but feel

that, it was that FA Cup turnaround at the Etihad that reinstated belief in United that led to both sides tracing opposite spirals. Had City not lost that game, or even ensured that they rebounded in the league, United might not have been as relentless. But City’s stutter gave Sir Alex the smell of blood that he breeds on; and there’d be a long queue of managers who’d vow that you should never NEVER give that man a sniff.

Now the equation is simple for City, they need to beat a resurgent Arsenal at the Emirates to be realistically in the title

hunt – considering United’s easier run of fixtures. City could be eight points behind United, when that game kicks off and hence, it would be a real test of their mettle. Arsenal themselves could see themselves overtaken at the third spot by Spurs; so they wouldn’t be short of incentives themselves. Either way, there is no one – not even Mancini himself if his latest press conference is anything to go by – who would doubt the fact that barring three points for City at Arsenal, that lady that has so long warded off diet control would sing in her awfully daunting voice.

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Saturday, 7 April, 2012

Sports 21

Westwood’s pursuers make early Masters start

watCH it Live TEN SPORTS 2ND TEST: Sri Lanka v England 09:15AM

GEO SUPER IPL-5: Royal Challengers v Delhi Dare Devils 03:30PM

5th women national Judo from 7th LAHORE STAFF REpoRT

The 5th Women National Judo Championship-2012 will start from April 7. The Pakistan Judo Federation in collaboration with Pakistan Army Sports Directorate will hold the event at Pakistan Army Sports Directorate, Gymnasium No:03, Rawalpindi.

In this event, besides the three provinces, Islamabad, FATA and 13 major departments of Pakistan are participating including Army, Wapda, Navy, Police, and H.E.C. Navy and FATA are the first participants. All the national & international female players of Pakistan are participating.

AUGUSTA: lee westwood of england hits a tee shot on the 11th hole during the first round of the 2012 Masters Tournament at Augusta national Golf club. AFp major championship and that is my primary focus AUGUSTA AFp

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ECOND-PLACE Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa made an early morning start to his second-round charge at the Masters on Friday while leader Lee Westwood waited to begin six groups later. World No. 3 Westwood, who ran off four birdies in a row in a front-nine stretch, fired a five-under par 67 on Thursday to take a onestroke lead over Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, and Swede Peter Hanson.

Oosthuizen, who birdied four of the last five holes on Thursday to streak up the leaderboard, began his second round on Friday in cool and overcast conditions with a par 4 at the first hole.

"There's still a long way to go, but I feel good," Oosthuizen said. "I'm hitting the ball really well."

Westwood has finished in the top three in five of his past nine major starts but the 38-year-old Englishman is still seeking that elusive first major title in his 55th attempt. "I came close recently and I have had a good career and all there is to win is a

Afc referees course begins LAHORE STAFF REpoRT

The predatory course for AFC Under-14 Football Festival Referees started on Friday at the Media Centre of Pakistan Sports Complex Islamabad. Secretary Pakistan Football Federation Lt. Col (Retd) Ahmed Yar Lodhi was the chief guest of the opening ceremony. Masoud Enayat from Iran and Jim Ouliaria from Australia are the instructors for this course. President, Islamabad Football Association (IFA) Dr. Fazalur Rehman and secretary IFA Mohammad Zaman were also present in the ceremony.

Speaking on this occasion, secretary PFF Ahmed Yar said that this course would be benefited for holding the Under-14 football festival as well as in holding the national events in future. Course would certainly enhance the Knowledge of the participants about the game and they would do well in the upcoming soccer events. “The PFF under the leadership of president Faisal Salah Hayat is going in the right direction to uplift the game and make sure the participant in the international event,“ he viewed.

The participants: Mansurov Naimjon, Pakhmonov Komilzn (Tajikistan), Aklometov Adylzhan, Ms. Indria Omorova (Kyrgyzstan),Noor ul Haq, Muzammil Hussain (Pakistan), Esmail Pour Sabegh Hassan, Bahonar Saied (Iran), Ali Hussain Sakizada, Aohammad Nasim Salihzada(Afghanistan), Arslam Sharif Arslan, Mujeeb ur Rehman Mujeb, Said Mohammad, Shoaib Bilal, Adnan Anjum, Rauf Ahmed and Ysair Rehman (Pakistan).

now," Westwood said.

Hanson is set to start about an hour after Westwood and alongside three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson, who opened on 74, and World No. 4 Hunter Mahan of the United States, who fired a 72 on Thursday. Rory McIlroy, the 22-year-old Northern Irishman tabbed as a Masters favorite after leading three rounds and onto the 10th tee on Sunday last year at Augusta National, is one group in front of Hanson after opening on 71.

"To come off under-par is pleasing," said McIlroy, the reigning US Open champion. "My perseverance and patience paid off." Tiger Woods, the 14-time major champion chasing the record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, opened with a 72 and will play in the day's penultimate group. He struggled off the tee on Thursday in his first competitive round since snapping a 28-month win drought last month at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

"I hit some of the worst golf shots I have ever hit out there," Woods said. "I just grinded my way around the course, stayed patient, whatever it took."

Baber records major upset in Karachi Tennis KARACHI STAFF REpoRT

Jalauddin Baber of Mirpurkhas created a major upset of the tournament when he eliminated Marib Malik in a three set encounter of boys under 14 singles of NBP Open Juniors National Ranking Tennis Championship here at Karachi Club Karachi.

Baber won with a score of 3-6, 61, 10-8. The finals of all the three categories and the closing ceremony will be held on Saturday. Nousherwan, Executive Senior Vice president NBP will be the chief guest.

RESULTS Juniors under 18 Singles Semi Finals: Adil Kohari (top seed) beat Saad Noor Sumar 6-4, 3-6, 7-6; Talha Zubair beat Nofil kalim ( Islamabad) 6-2, 6-0 Ladies Singles remaining first Round: Hania Naveed beat Kinza Ghanchi 6-0, 6-1 Ladies Singles semi Finals: Hania Naveed beat Wania Khan 6-1, 6-1; Maheen Dada beat Kainat Zulfiqar 6-0, 6-0 Boys under 16 Singles Quarters: Talha zubair beat Dawer rehan 6-4, 76; M. Raza Sawani beat Shabbir Muhammed 6-1, 6-1; Malik Hamza beat Marib Malik 6-2, 6-2; Nofi kalim beat Shahroze 6-2, 6-0 Under 16 Boys Semi final: Talha Zubair beat M. Raza Sawani 6-4, 6-3 Boys under 14 Singles Quarters: Nazif Ahmed beat Shabbir Muhammed 6-0, 6-2; Marib Malik w/o Saad M. Ali

Under 14 Boys Semi finals: Nofil Kalim beat Nazif Ahmed 6-0, 6-0; Jalauddin baber ( Mirpurkhas) beat Marib Malik 3-6, 6-1, 10-8 Boys under 12 Quarters; Shahzil malik beat Mustafa Admani 8-1; Muhammed Dada beat Umer Admani

8-3; Amin Shafi beat Hammad Gul 86; Bilal Imran Lohya beat Abdullah Imran 8-6 Boys under 12 Semi Finals; Shahzil malik beat Muhammed Dada 9-7; Bilal Imran Lohya beat Amin Shafi 8-3.

1st borjan Junior tennis in next stage LAHORE: Seeded players moved into next round of 1st Borjan Junior Talent Hunt Tennis Tournament being held here at the PLTA Tennis Complex Courts of Bagghe Jinnah THE RESULTS: Under 12 first round 1st round Haris Ul Haq beat Sameerahmad 6 2 hashim javaid qureshi bt malik hussain 6/1 shazib karim beat m bilal 6/4 sahabzada m ali beat ahmar saeed 9/7 hamza bin rehan beat ahmad Ibrahim 6/1 hafiz arbab ali 6/4 Under 10 Quarter finals Mohd. Saeed beat Shimza Tahir 6/0 Ahmad saeed beat Mustafa Mazhar 6/2 hamza bin rehan beat sameer ahmad 6/1 nalain abbass beat haider jhanzeb 6/0 U/14 quarter abdal haider beat hashim javeed 6/0 6/0 Under 18 pre quarters Ahmad babar beat Aqeel sarfraz 6/0 Abdal haider beat Saeed khawaja 6/0 Mian bilal beat hafizheraz ali 6/2 Imad amir beat nazir basher 6/0 Shoib akbar beat Maroze arif 6/3 Hasnain Manzoor saad Nawaz v 6/1 U18 quarter Finals beat mian bilal 6/1 6/1 mian bilal beat abdal haider 6/3 6/0 imad amir beat shoib akbar 6/2 6/1 hasnain manzoor beat Saad. STAFF REpoRT

Abl to face Mobilink in final LAHORE STAFF REpoRT

The final of the shapes Cricket League will be played on 7th April (Saturday) at 10 AM in Bagh-e-Jinnah Lahore. Ahsan Raza and Shozab Raza will supervise this Final, whereas Qaiser Waheed act as TV Umpire and Muhammad Kaleem Reserve Umpire.

Zahoor Alam and Muhammad Rafique will be the official Scorer. In the Final refer system will applied. ABL team will consist of Humayun Fida Hussain (Captain), Rizwan Aslm, Ali Haider, Aleem Dar (ICC Umpire), Hafiz Muhammad Khawar, Bilal Rana, Wasi Shah, Muhammad Umar Ashfaq, Junaid Maqsood, Kareemullah, Aamer Nazir, Atif Zaheer, Shahid Mahmood, Ali Yar Baig, Umer Dar and Hafiz Farooq. Mobilink Team is Ijad Rafiq Malik (Captain), Moazzam Siddiqui, Wajahat Ali Khan, Syed Shams Uddin Ahmad, Bilal Saifi, Jawad Tayyab, Syed Haider Mehdi, Tayyab Waseem, Fawad Saif, Ijaz Baloch, Kaleem Sindu, Zohaib Ali Rizvi, Abdul Samad, Ansab Javed, Imran Yousaf, Jahanzaib Mahmood. At the closing ceremony Chief Guests Khawaja Nadeem (President LCCA) and Shafiq Ahmed (Group Chief HRM ABL) will distribute the prizes among the players.

Kinnaird win Ucc women c’ship LAHORE STAFF REpoRT

Kinnaird College Club won the Ummah Cricket Lahore Women Championship 2012 by 10 wickets. The UCC Lahore Women Championship 2012 - approved by PCB Women's Wing and Lahore Region Cricket Association and organized by Ummah Cricket Club saw Ummah Girls score 80 runs for 7 15 overs. Farzana 35. Sana Mir had three wickets. Kinnaird Club chased the score in eight overs. Bismah Maroof 36 and Sidrah Amin 36 and remained not out. The final match was played between Ummah Club and Kinnaird Club at Model Town Imtiaz Academy Ground. A large number of dignitaries were present on the occasion prominent being Ali Zia, Sr.General Manager Academics National Cricket Academy, Khizer Hayat (International Umpire & Former G.M P.C.B Umpires & Referree), Shahid Aslam (Head Coach National Cricket Academy N.C.A), Mrs. Nosheen Hanif (Head Lahore Women Cricket), Mohammad Ijaz Gul (Advisor 4 Sports to Chief Minister Punjab), Mohtasham Rasheed (Fielding Coach Pakistan), Syed Ahmed Aziz Bukhari (Chief Organizer & President UCC), Ms. Ayesha Ashar (Manager Pakistan Women Cricket P.C.B), Mrs. Kausar Shah (Principal APWA College), Imran Bucha (Sr. Vice President L.C.C.A), Shoaib Dar (Secretary West Zone L.C.C.A), Tauqir Ali Shah (President West Zone L.C.C.A), Chacha Cricket, Mrs. Shehnaz Asif , Haji M Bashir, Nadeem Ghauri (Test Umpire).

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Thousands protest US bounty on JD chief

Govt decides to end CNG load shedding

LAHORE AFp

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ISLAMABAD NNi

The government Friday decided to end CNG load shedding which is currently being conducted for three days a week. According to Minister for Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain, the decision was made to provide gas to CNG stations for a week; however, a quota would be set in this regard. “It depends on owners of CNG stations to either use this quota within a week or a day,” he said. He made it clear that the CNG stations would have to pay additional tariff in case of additional usage of gas. “Provinces should also play their role for cut in price of petroleum products,” he suggested. He said the quota system would also improve pressure of gas. “Other sources will also be used. I will request the chief ministers in the energy conference to give subsidy on petroleum products,” Asim said.

KARAChi: An activist of Jamaat-ud-dawa beats a US flag with his shoes during a protest rally on Friday. AFp

India didn’t provide solid evidence against saeed: FO ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) on Friday rejected the remarks of Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna that India had provided adequate proof of Hafiz Saeed’s connection with the 2008 Mumbai attacks, saying action could be taken against him only on the basis of “solid evidence”. Reacting to comments made by Krishna in Bangalore, FO Spokesman Abdul Basit said India had not given “any solid and significant evidence” against Saeed. He said “action can only be taken on the basis of solid evidence.” Krishna said on Thursday that India had provided adequate proof linking Hafiz Saeed to the Mumbai attacks. “There is nothing concrete and maintainable. From its own Mumbai trial experience, India knows well that hearsay cannot substitute for hard evidence,” Basit said. “It is only the latter that can withstand judicial scrutiny,” he added. Meanwhile, Krishna told the media in Bangalore that the information provided

by Home Minister P Chidambaram to the Pakistan government contained “every detail of Hafiz Saeed’s involvement in the planning and execution of the terrorist attack on Mumbai.” OnLine

HOUSANDS of religious activists hit the streets of the country on Friday, demanding jihad and torching US flags to condemn a $10 million bounty slapped on the founder of militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The Defence Council of Pakistan, an alliance of right-wing, religious and extremist groups, organised the rallies to denounce the US move against Hafiz Saeed, who established the LeT group blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The day’s largest demonstration came in Lahore, a stronghold of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the charity seen as a front for LeT. Up to 2,000 rallied in the city, shouting “America deserves one treatment: Jihad! Jihad! (holy war).”

Protests were also staged in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Multan and in Muzaffarabad. In Muzaffarabad, around 500 activists shouted “jihad! jihad!” as they

PML-N, JuI-F express distrust on PCNs ISLAMABAD STAFF REpoRT

The Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) suffered a double-blow on Friday as the leaders of two major opposition parties expressed their distrust on the committee’s proceedings, and claimed that the government had already decided to reopen supply routes for NATO troops in Afghanistan.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) chief Fazlur Rehman was the first to distance himself from the PCNS, which is working to formulate recommendations on Pakistan’s terms of engagement with the United States.

Pakistan angrily blocked NATO supply routes after ISAF aircraft bombed two of its border check posts on November 26, 2011, and killed 24 soldiers. Pakistan also called for a parliamentary review of relations with the US. Besides the JUI-F chief, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also

warned the government against the restoration of NATO supply routes, warning of quitting his office if supplies were resumed. Fazl, who boycotted the PCNS’ proceedings at the Parliament House, told reporters that the government had already decided to reopen supply routes for NATO forces through Pakistan. “Since the decision has already been made to reopen NATO supplies, it is now impossible for me to attend the committee meetings anymore,” he said.

Fazl had earlier announced that the restoration of NATO supply routes, either conditionally or unconditionally, would be opposed at every forum. The JUI-F chief further said that he would not attend the parliament’s session over the domestic violence bill. He also criticised President Asif Ali Zardari for issuing remarks about the dead father of PML-N leaders Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif.

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

Editor: Arif Nizami, Executive Editor: Sarmad Bashir

marched on the city and set fire to a US flag in a main square.

Speakers urged President Asif Ali Zardari to cancel a visit to India on Sunday — the first by a Pakistani head of state since 2005 — and demanded an American apology for the bounty. “Such steps are forcing Muslims towards guns,” said Abdul Aziz Alvi, the local head of Jamaat-udDawa, which is blacklisted by the United Nations and United States, along with LeT. In Islamabad and Rawalpindi, activists of Jamaat-udDawa and Jamaat-e-Islami shouted anti-American and anti-Indian slogans. In Rawalpindi, around 150 activists set fire to an American flag, crying “death to America” after Friday prayers, while in the capital, the same number gathered outside the national press club and shouted “AlJihad and we stand by Hafiz Saeed”.

Hundreds of Jamaat-ud-Dawa supporters rallied in Karachi. They waved black-and-white flags and banners inscribed with anti-US and anti-India slogans.