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SC will expose the truth in memo case: Nawaz

‘Sesame Street’ turns ‘Simsim Hamara’ in Pakistan

Indian food minister gets the taste of price hike

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pakistantoday.com.pk

rs15.00 Vol ii no 149 32 pages islamabad — peshawar edition

‘Memogate’ puts Gilani on the back foot in NA Nisar presents five questions to PM as treasury bins allegations that army pushed for Haqqani’s dismissal

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ISLAMABAD

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MIAN ABRAR

HE memo controversy finally echoed in the National Assembly on Thursday with Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan raising five fundamental questions about the scandal, while Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani came up with half-answers to dodge basic queries, annoying the opposition and triggering an exchange of allegations between the treasury benches and the opposition members that finally led to a walkout by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members from the proceedings in protest against the government’s “non-serious approach”.

Allegation after allegation marred the assembly proceedings, which also echoed with slogans of “urea thieves” and “bakery thieves” from both sides of the political divide. An otherwise senior and serious Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Minister Khurshid Shah also grilled the media for siding with the corrupt, saying: “When it is about writing the truth, the journalists’ pens run dry but once

For gas to special few, everyone will pay more ISLAMABAD AMER SIAL

Benazir was not interested in NRO, Musharraf was: SC g

Court allows govt to file additional documents in NRO plea ISLAMABAD MASOOD REHMAN

someone fills their pens with ink, they start writing”.

FIVE QUESTIONS: Speaking on a point of order, Nisar raised five questions about the memogate scandal. He asked the government to explain why it kept claiming for the past six months that there was no truth to the memo controversy and no one was involved in the scam; why Husain Haqqani had resigned if he was not involved in the controversy; why the army had barred Haqqani from going back to the US; why a new envoy was appointed immediately and why Haqqani was not given a chance to Continued on page 04

Committee to probe memo | page 04

Friday, 25 november, 2011 Zul-Haj 28, 1432

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said on Thursday that former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was not at all interested in the National Reconciliation Ordinance, but former president Pervez Musharraf had made persistent efforts to bring her around.

“We even read in the press that Pervez Musharraf went to Dubai several times but could not convince Benazir Bhutto to come on board,” said Chaudhry. If Bhutto wanted to broker a deal she would not have participated in the lawyer’s movement, he added.

“You are linking Benazir Bhutto to this piece of paper. She was not only Pakistani or Asian but she was an international towering personality. Benazir Bhutto wrote in her book that she did not take any interest in the NRO. Gen Musharraf wanted this law.

She was the daughter of a father who never accepted any wrong deed,” Chaudhry told Dr Babar Awan, the government’s counsel in the NRO review plea. “This is the case of the federation, don’t involve such a great

leader in it,” the chief justice added.

A 17-member full court headed by the chief justice was hearing the government’s review petition on the infamous NRO promulgated by Musharraf. The Supreme Court allowed the federation on Thursday to file additional documents with the review petition after having earlier declined to accept them with the ruling that according to the settled rules of the apex court, any additional documents could not be accepted at the review stage. The court directed Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq to ask Awan to file the additional documents on Friday (today) if they were from the federal government.

Earlier when Awan concluded his arguments, he repeatedly requested the court to accept some additional documents which he said were the most important ones, however, the court declined.

Awan contended that the questions of facts were decided in the NRO judgement without replies. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa reminded the counsel that a written statement Continued on page 04

To enable the two state-owned gas utility companies to urgently complete gas supply schemes in the constituencies of influential parliamentarians, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has recommended an increase of 11 to 14 percent in their tariff effective from January 1, 2012.

An official source said OGRA has sent its recommendations to the government suggesting an increase of Rs 43.92 per mmBTU in the tariff of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and an increase of Rs 34 per mmBTU in the tariff of Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL). The increase in tariff has been allowed under the pretext of expansion of the gas distribution network and recovery of the unaccounted for gas losses as a result of theft. If the government approves the recommended increase, the worst affected would be domestic consumers and their gas bills will rise significantly even though their supply will be reduce because of the expansion in the distribution Continued on page 04

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02 News Today’s

Friday, 25 November, 2011

iSLamabad

NewS

wORLd view

Missing women remembered

‘Policies needed to curb violence against women’

A Pak-American reset

Story on Page 07

Story on Page 10

Quick Look

Story on Page 15

PPP warns Supreme Court against cornering party KARACHI StAFF REPORt

The PPP will not allow judicial murder of another of its leader and the party will knock the people’s court in case of any injustice, Sindh Information Minister Shazia Marri said on Thursday while reacting to NRO case proceedings underway at the Supreme Court.

“When the SC larger bench was constituted, it took up the NRO case as the first case. Only PPP leadership’s trial is being held. Is it because of PPP leadership’s affiliation to Sindh?,” remarked the minister while speaking at a hurriedly called press conference at the Sindh Chief Minister’s House.

Marri said the SC larger bench did not take up the case of 22year-old Asghar Khan and also did not consider taking up Rs 100 billion corruption case against Nawaz Sharif.

“We will not allow trial of the graves of our martyrs,” she said, adding that attempts were being made to conduct trial of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto. The PPP workers are in shock over the situation, she said.

She said they were also concerned over the behaviour (of the court) with the federal government’s lawyer Babar Awan. “We are not afraid of the situation. We will face the situation,” she said, adding that many people had got benefit of the NRO. The provincial law minister said they respected an independent judiciary, but questioned why was the Asghar Khan case not being heard. “Is the PPP leadership being punished only because of its affiliation with Sindh,” he added. He said they knew who was favouring whom over blood relations. To a question, he said it was Nawaz whose people had attacked the SC, the PPP would not do it. “This is not an issue of threat to democracy, it is a matter of conspiracy against democracy,” he said.

7 members of a family die as roof caves in SWAT ONLINE

Seven members of a family died after the roof of their house collapsed in the tourist area of Madin. Ghani Rehman and his family members were asleep on the night between Thursday and Wednesday when the roof of his house caved in. Police said seven people, including Ghani Rehman, his wife, 3 children and a nephew were killed on the spot. The victims were named Ghani Rehman, Amna Bibi, Taj Bibi, Nazir, Shahid, Mehran and Hina.

US lauds Haqqani WASHINGTON AFP

The United States on Wednesday praised the service of Pakistan’s Ambassador to Washington Hussain Haqqani, ousted after being accused of urging the Americans to stop the Pakistani military from seizing power. Spokesman Mark Toner said the State Department had not yet received formal notification from Pakistan about Haqqani’s resignation and his replacement, but acknowledged Islamabad’s appointment of democracy advocate Sherry Rehman as the new envoy. “We certainly look forward to working together with her as we continue to build a strong, cooperative relationship between our two countries,” Toner said. “We have appreciated Ambassador Haqqani’s strong support for US-Pakistan relations throughout his tenure.”

FRIENDS IN ARMS: Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers and Pakistani commandos from the Special Services Group (SSG) shout ‘Long live China, long live Pakistan’ as they wrap up their two-week military exercise in Jhelum. AFP

Rulers’ days are numbered: Imran CHAKWAL ONLINE

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AKISTAN Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday said the days of the incumbent rulers were numbered, as the present government had emerged as the most corrupt in the history of Pakistan. Addressing a public gathering, Imran said everything had changed with the passage of time and the masses had become fed up with conservative and exploitative systems. Referring to historical citations, he said due to an absence of reasonable political system, Pakistan had become a puppet in the hands of destructive forces.

“Pakistan has been endowed with every kind of capabilities of science and technology. It is full of men of letters and scholars, but due to a lack of proper planning and honest leadership, the nation is suffering more by the day,” he said. Criticising the PML-N, he said it had underground links with the ruling party for its own interests.

Imran said former rulers mercilessly spent national sources on Raiwind to convert it into a feudal estate. “How can a man who looted wealth of the nation uplift the masses?” he said.

“We would form national academic institutions where everybody would be provided with equal opportunities without any discrimination.”

Referring to Hazrat Ali, Imran said a pagan system could run the state, but the system based on injustice was impossible to sustain.

He said law and order had become pitiable, as the law was blindly imposed on the poor and helpless people while the high-ups went scott-free.

The PTI chief also offered a roadmap for reconstruction of the country entailing rule of law, equality and economic justice. “Oversees Pakistani are our real assets who are standing with the PTI to play a positive role for the progress of the country,” he asserted. He said his government would provide cheap electricity and fertilizers to farmers. Regarding the law and order in Karachi, he said innocent people were being targeted without any reason. “The PTI will invite all people, including Urdu-speaking, Pashtuns, Sindhis and Punjabis for dialogue and urge them to restore peace and tranquility in the city, which is the hub of national economy,” Imran said.

Sherry’s appointment as ambassador to US challenged in LHC LAHORE: A civil miscellaneous petition was filed on Thursday in the Lahore High Court challenging Sherry Rehman’s appointment as Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States.

Muhammad Azhar Siddique filed the application, saying Sherry’s appointment was illegal. He pleaded that she was still member of the National Assembly (MNA) which made it unlawful to appoint her on any government seat until she resigned from the assembly seat. The petitioner said the LHC was already hearing a petition seeking Sherry’s disqualification from the assembly for tabling blasphemy laws amendment bill in parliament as an MNA. He said as an MNA, Sherry was disqualified under article 62(1), 62(e), 62(d) and 62(g) of the constitution for tabling amended bill in the blasphemy act. He said article 2-A and 227 of the constitution protected religion Islam and Sherry has violated it. He said an ambassador was supposed to protect national interests of the country which Sherry could not do due to her anti-Islam stance shown to public. The petitioner requested the court to annul the government’s notification issued for her appointment as ambassador to the US. Justice Khalid Mehmood of the LHC will start proceedings on the application today (Friday). StAFF REPORt

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Friday, 25 November, 2011

News 03

FOReigN NewS

aRtS & eNteRtaiNmeNt

SPORtS

Deaths cast pall over Saleh’s exit deal

that’s one swell pout!

Misbah wants to cap series with twenty20 glory New in DC:

COmmeNt Ms Rehman has her job cut out for her.

to the SC: The Memogate saga reached the courts.

M J Akbar says: The man who said he could: A review of Imran’s book.

Qudssia Akhalque says: Truth must out: Memogate has opened all sorts of gates.

Hassaan Ghazali says: Eat dirt: After all, it’s all around you.

Story on Page 19

Story on Page 17

Story on Page 20

articles on Page 12-13

SC will expose the truth in memo case: Nawaz

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Karachi woman kills, attempts to cook husband

KARACHI AFP

Police on Thursday arrested a woman who had killed her husband and was attempting to cook his body parts after he planned to marry another woman without her permission. The police arrested Zainab Bibi, 32, and her nephew Zaheer, 22, in the Shah Faisal colony of Karachi and recovered the bowl of flesh she planned to cook, said area police chief Nadeem Baig. “They killed Ahmed Abbas, Zainab’s husband, and chopped his body into pieces and were about to cook the flesh in a bowl,” he told AFP, adding that the knife with which they killed the man had been recovered. Television networks showed gruesome footage of the human flesh in a bowl ready for the stove. A neighbour had alerted the police and investigations were ongoing, Baig said. “There could be two factors behind her intention to cook the husband. One is to destroy the evidence and the other could be her immense hatred against him”, over his plan to marry another woman, he said.

Nawaz asks SC to place Haqqani on eCL ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD Minister for Textile Industry Makhdoom Shahab-ud-din said on Thursday that granting the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India had not been finalised as yet and the matter was being looked into to address the related issues.

He said that the cabinet only approved in principle the granting of MFN status to start normalization of trade relations with India.

“Both countries are discussing many aspects threadbare, a negative list is being compiled,” he said while responding to a supplementary question during the question hour in the National Assembly.

Foreign Minister Hina Rab-

Second bank robbed in two days

StAFF REPORt

KARACHI

A day after seeking the Supreme Court’s help in probing the memo scandal, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday filed another application in the apex court requesting the court to order the authorities concerned to place Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani on the Exit Control List. Earlier, on Wednesday, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif had asked the court to identify those behind the memorandum scandal and bring them to justice. In a separate application on Thursday, he requested the court to ensure that Haqqani could not leave Pakistan until the proceedings of the case were completed. He stated that there was a chance that either Haqqani would flee the country or that he would be forced to leave in order to cause problems in the court’s adjudication, for “reasons based on malice to say the least”. Separately, three PML-N parliamentarians from Balochistan also filed a joint petition in the Supreme Court on Thursday against the memo controversy, requesting the court to summon all the respondents to explain their position. The petitioners are MNA Lt Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch, MNA Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasir and MPA Sardar Sanaullah Khan Zehri.

StAFF REPORt

MFN decision not finalised yet, minister tells NA StAFF REPORt

ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter called on Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Thursday and discussed with her matters pertaining to bilateral relations, the Afghan situation, the ‘memogate’ scandal and the appointment of Sherry Rehman as Pakistan’s new ambassador to Washington in place of Husain Haqqani.

“The US ambassador hoped in the meeting with the foreign minister that relations between Islamabad and Washington, currently marred by tensions, would improve in the wake of the appointment of Rehman as the new Pakistani ambassador to Washington,” said an official here, who asked not to be named. Meanwhile, Sherry Rehman also called on President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency. “Matters pertaining to her new assignment were discussed during the meeting,” said an official statement.

The president congratulated her o her new assignment and urged her to concentrate on enhancing bilateral relations between Pakistan and the US.

LAHORE StAFF REPORt

ATHER than being driven by a personal agenda to become prime minister or president, the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) filed the memo case in the Supreme Court in national interest to discern truth from falsehood in the matter, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday.

Addressing the key distribution ceremony for the Yellow Cab Scheme at Al-Hamra Hall on Thursday, Nawaz said those behind the memo must be exposed. He said, “Premiership, ministries and being ruler are valueless. I just want to restore the glory which Pakistan has lost due to the corruption and mismanagement of the present government.”

He said the PML-N had not tried to enter the doors of power but some elements were trying to attack the Sharifs which should be stopped. Nawaz said, “Allegations have been made that we have accumulated assets beyond our means but our most valuable asset is our nation.”

He said the PML-N would arrange mark up-free loans for youth after coming into power. He said the Punjab government scheme to provide 20,000 yellow cabs could have increased to 2 million if the federal government had backed it. He promised to distribute more yellow cabs soon.

“Apart from 3 to 4 percent bank charges, the Punjab government has not taken any mark-up on yellow cabs. We saved Rs 960 million on the yellow cabs, having negotiated a contract at Rs 50,000 less than the market rate. The credit goes to the Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif,” he said.

munter calls on Khar

bani Khar also said that MFN was a misleading term, it only meant normalization of trade ties between the two countries. “After giving MFN status to India, we will trade with them like we are doing trade with 100 other countries,” she said.

Through MFN, we will be removing discriminatory tariff regime and non-tariff barrier regimes, she said, adding that talks were under way at the Commerce secretaries’ level and the cabinet’s decision regarding MFN was just the start of the process.

Responding to another question, Railways Minister Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour informed the house that the total area of Pakistan Railways under unauthorized occupation was 3,779.98

acres. He further told the house that a project for the procurement of 150 Diesel Electric Locomotives had been approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for which technical offers were scheduled to be opened on December 14, 2011 as per Single Stage-Two Envelope bidding procedure according to the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) Rules.

Responding to another question, Makhdoom Shahab-ud-Din told the house that the European Union had delisted Pakistani fisheries exporting fish and seafood products to the EU in 2007 due to their failure to meet the European Union’s Sanitary and Phytosanitory (SPS) standards.

In the second bank robbery in as many days, bandits robbed Rs 4.4 million from a private bank branch in the Soldier Bazaar area on Thursday. However, yet another bank robbery attempt was foiled by the police. Police said that seven armed robbers entered the bank in Soldier Bazaar and escaped with Rs 4.4 million in less than five minutes. They also took away the footage of the closed-circuit television cameras installed at the bank.

“One of the bandits was in a security guard uniform and might be an employee of a private security agency,” police said. More than 25 clients were said to present at the bank when the robbers struck. “The bandits also snatched valuables from the customers present inside the bank.” Police have issued the sketches of the robbers who are stated to be also involved in six other bank robberies. According to Special Investigation Unit Senior Superintendent of Police Raja Umar Khattab, the robbers hail from the cities of Parachinar and Kohat and used a Suzuki-made vehicle in all their robberies.

On Wednesday, four armed men had robbed a bank in Gulshan-e-Iqbal of around Rs 4 million making it the latest in a series of bank robberies over the past few months. In the jurisdiction of Awami Colony police, six gunmen shot dead the guard of a private company and looted Rs 10.5 million from the cash-carrying vehicle on Thursday.

The bandits had set up hurdles on the road to stop the vehicle. Police said that a total amount of Rs 60 million was present inside the vehicle but due to the resistance of guards, the robbers escaped with only Rs 10.5 million.

Meanwhile, another attempt to rob a bank was foiled by police in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

Four armed bandits had entered a private bank branch but the police reached the spot in time and arrested two of them from the spot. However, two suspects managed to flee from the scene.

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04 News benazir was not interested in NRO, musharraf was: SC Continued From page 1 was filed by the acting attorney general at the time for not defending the NRO. Awan, however, replied that he had been trying to tell the court for the last three days that the federation had submitted earlier in the main petition on the NRO that if any wider issue emerged, a review could be filed.

“The full court has been hearing the review petition for the last three days, but you have not yet pinpointed that wider issue,” the chief justice told Awan.

“You mean to say that the persons who benefited from NRO should be protected?” Justice Saqib Nisar asked Awan, who replied that a review meant “you come back from an earlier view in any judgement including cases pertaining to criminals, commercial and corporate, etc”. “The scope of a review is not limited, but wide,” Awan stated.

“That’s why we are hearing you, but subject to the law,” Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani told Awan.

After the interval, Wasim Sajjad, counsel for former attorney general Malik Qayyum, stated that his client could not give his stance in the case, and later the court ordered filing of criminal cases against him in connection with writing letters to the Swiss government. He contended that Qayyum was not a beneficiary of the NRO and wrote letters on behalf of the Law Ministry as he was representing the federation in the case.

The court disposed of cases of Malik Qayyum, former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Naveed-ul-Hassan, NAB Prosecutor General Danishwar Malik and Additional General Baseer Qurashi and ordered the completion of enquires against them in compliance with the court’s earlier orders.

Friday, 25 November, 2011

Mutilated corpse identified as that of BRP’s Jalil Reki bRP announces 40-day mourning and three-day strike across balochistan g bNm chairman says each body ‘providing fuel for baloch struggle for independence’ g

QUETTA SHAHzADA zuLFIQAR

O

NE of the two bullet riddled bodies found yesterday were on Thursday identified as Jalil Reki, the central information secretary of Baloch Republican Party (BRP).

The party has announced 40 days of mourning and has given a call for a three-day shut down throughout the province to protest the killing of its central leader allegedly at the hands of intelligence agencies.

Reki’s family members alleged that he had been whisked away by the personnel of an intelligence agency on February 13, 2009 from the Sariab area of Quetta

while coming out of a mosque after Friday prayers.

Two dead bodies were found on Wednesday in the mountains of Sheraz Koh in Mund Bulo, the border town at Pakistan-Iran border, some 1250 kilometre southwest of Quetta. The bodies were kept at a hospital’s morgue in Turbat town for identification. Another dead body was identified as Mohammad Younus Baloch, a member of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) - a separatist group formed by late Ghulam Mohammad Baloch. Ghulam Mohammad, along with two leaders of the BRP and the BNM, was whisked away in broad daylight, and killed in similar manner.

Reki’s father, Abdul Qadeer Baloch, who had

formed the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons with other relatives of missing persons, had been observing a hunger strike outside Quetta Press Club for the release of his son and other missing persons. He claimed that about a dozen personnel arrived in four vehicles and abducted Reki. He said that his son had sacrificed his life for his

motherland Balochistan and the Baloch nation and he was proud of him. He promised to continue his struggle for the safe recovery of all Baloch missing persons and he would not give up his struggle for their safe recovery.

Meanwhile, Nasrullah Baloch, chairman of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, said the recovered bodies of Reki and Younus Baloch were a slap on the face of rulers and the organisations dispensing justice.

He asked international human rights organisations to take notice of the incidents of abduction, extra judicial killings and recovery of decomposed dead bodies of Baloch people.

BNM Chairman Khalil Baloch paid tribute to both

Reki and Younus, saying that both the political activists faced mental agony and physical torture before being killed. He said that every dead body was providing fuel for the Baloch struggle for independence.

BRP Spokesman Sher Mohammad Bugti said the recovery of dead bodies reflected the continuation of the state’s policy of genocide towards the Baloch nation. He said that Jalil and Younus had followed Baloch martyred Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, Nawabzada Balach Marri and hundred of others who had laid their lives for their motherland. He said that over 300 dead bodies of Baloch missing persons had been thrown in the streets since June 2010.

High-level committee to mustafa Khar PM appoints Gen (r) Khalid likely to join Pti investigate memo: Gilani LAHORE: Another heavy- Lodhi as defence secretary ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Thursday that the government was forming a high-level committee to investigate the memo controversy.

Responding to queries raised by reporters after addressing the participants of the second International Women Police Conference, Gilani said there was no threat to the government because of the memo controversy or any other issue and the scandal would be thoroughly investigated “at the highest level” and an enquiry committee would be formed very soon to probe the matter.

The prime minister did not comment on the composition of the enquiry committee and also did not mention any specific timeframe for the investigation. “Talking about threats to the government is a part of speculation. Even if the entire country joins the investigation into the memo issue, still there is no threat to the government.

I had promised to bring back

the ambassador. He was summoned back and was asked to resign. The matter is being investigated now,” he said.

NATIONAL SECURITY: Talking to British Home Secretary Theresa May who called on him at the Prime Minister’s House, Gilani said that national security was linked to economic security. The prime minister underscored the importance of economic stability for which the UK’s cooperation was of fundamental importance. “The world should help us through greater market access and with more trade and investment,” the PM added.

The British home secretary discussed with Gilani issues pertaining to cooperation in counter-terrorism and the ongoing collaboration in the fields of education, economy and security. She said the cooperation between the two countries in various fields under the umbrella of Enhanced Strategic Dialogue would be strengthened. ONLINE/StAFF REPORt

weight of Punjab’s political arena, former governor Ghulam Mustafa Khar, is going to join Imran Khan’s squad against mighty rivals like the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N). Sources in the Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) on Thursday confided to Pakistan Today that several meetings were held between Khar and the PTI chief, and the former governor would very likely make a formal announcement in a public meeting on November 26. They added that the two leaders had agreed to announce Khar’s PTI membership in a big show, either in Shujaabad, Multan or Muzaffargarh (Khar’s native town).

Sources further said that Khar’s entry into the PTI would fortify Khan’s political stature in southern Punjab, as Khar had a strong lobby in the region. StAFF REPORt

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday appointed General (r) Khalid Naeem Lodhi as defence secretary of Pakistan. Lodhi will assume charge on December 3 upon the retirement of the incumbent Defence Secretary Lt General (r) Syed Athar Ali. Meanwhile, on the recommendations of the Central Selection Board, the prime minister approved the promotions of following officers. Officers who were promoted from BS-19 to BS-20 from the Civil Engineering Department of Pakistan Rail-

ways include Humayun Rashid, Abdul Saeed Khan, Zafarullah Kalwar and Muhammad Haroon Ghauri. From Inland Revenue Service (IRS) Farzana Jabeen, Muhammad Ashraf Khan, Khawaja Tanveer Ahmed, Fiza Muzaffar, Azra Mujtaba, Shahid Anwar Khan, Muhammad Shahid Zaheer, Qaisar Ali, Muhammad Younas Khan, Shaista Abbas, Sameera Yasin, Farida Amjad, Raana Seerat, Mahfuzur Rehman Pasha and Haroon Muhammad Khan Tareen have been promoted from BS-20 to BS-21. StAFF REPORt

Pak-China cooperation not directed against any country: Kayani JHELUM: Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani on Thursday said the strategic cooperation between Pakistan and China was not directed against any other country and this cooperation was critical for peace and stability in the region. “No country should feel any threat from the strategic cooperation between Pakistan and China.

This cooperation is very crucial for the region. It will lead to peace and stability in the region,” he said while addressing the concluding ceremony of Pak-China war games, which was also addressed

by Chinese Deputy Chief of General Staff Hou Shusen. ONLINE

No suspect of Rabbani murder in Pakistan ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Thursday said no accused wanted in connection with the murder of former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani was in Pakistan. Talking to reporters, he said a 14member Afghan delegation was in Pakistan to discuss the development in Rabbani’s murder case with Pakistani authorities.StAFF REPORt

For gas to some Continued From page 1 network without a required accompanied increase in gas production.

SNGPL had sought an increase of 30 percent but was granted 14 percent, while SSGCL had sought a 14 percent increase but got 11 percent. The two stateowned entities have abnormally high unaccounted for gas losses of 13.5 percent (380 million cubic feet per day, or mmcfd) out of which 200mmcfd is lost every day

by SNGPL and 180mmcfd

by SSGCL, a source said.

The international benchmark for unaccounted for gas losses is 5 percent. The OGRA wanted to set it at a lower level but it was opposed by gas utility companies, who wanted it to be maintained at 13 percent in order for them to recover their losses. The government had pressed OGRA to increase the benchmark, the source said.

However, the real reason for the tariff increase was to allow gas companies to meet the expenditures of the natural gas supply schemes of parliamentarians under the Prime Minister’s People’s Works Programme. The parliamentarians have been demanding completion of gas supply schemes in their constituencies even though there is an extreme shortage of gas in the country. The Sui companies are interested in expanding their infrastructure, which allows them a return of 17.5 percent per year and to meet extra expenditure occurring because of the re-induction of 7,000 terminated employees.

‘Memogate’ puts Gilani on the back foot in NA Continued From page 1 clarify his position; why the defence minister implicated his own prime minister into the controversy, and why did the prime minister not tell the House about the way forward. Nisar also alleged that the government was not serious in removing Haqqani and the resignation had been sought after the army chief intervened and pushed the government.

Responding to the allegations, Gilani said he had already assured the House that the ambassador would be summoned and an enquiry would be held into the matter. He said the meeting that questioned Haqqani was held at Prime Minister’s House and not the Presidency and had taken place in broad daylight, not quietly in the darkness of the night.

He said the army chief and intelligence chief had joined him in a meeting with

a UK delegation on strategic dialogue at 1pm and following the meeting, Haqqani was summoned and he told the former ambassador to hand in his resignation so there was no chance he could influence the enquiry.

He said the decision was taken in principle to ensure a fair trial into the memo controversy because of national security concerns.

“Now the matter is with the enquiry committee for a fair probe and since the PML-N has already taken the matter to the Supreme Court, further details cannot be shared [with the House] because the matter is sub judice. To satisfy the House, I think it would be better to prove to all stakeholders that there is an opportunity here for a fair trial,” he added.

About the statement of Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, Gilani said Mukhtar had meant that the

prime minister would take the final decision in the matter. He said the minister would also explain his position before the House in person. He said the government and the ambassador had such cordial relations with the US government that they did not need a third person to convey a message.

Dissatisfied with the prime minister’s explanation, Nisar once again took the floor and said the government did not seek resignation from Haqqani until a military motorcade had visited the Presidency twice and the government summoned the ambassador under pressure from General Headquarters (GHQ).

“The decisions taken at the midnight meeting between the president, prime minister, army chief and ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) director general should be announced on the floor of the House,” the opposition

leader said, adding that the issue was far from its conclusion.

“If this government had the courage to seek resignations from its officials after they had been accused [of wrongdoing], it would have sought resignations from corrupt and NRO-tainted ministers whose cases are in court; it could have sought resignations after the Abbottabad incident, PNS Mehran attack, etc. But no one was asked to resign in the past four years,” said Nisar, adding that if Haqqani was innocent, he would not have resigned but faced the enquiry. He urged the premier to give a specific timeframe of the enquiry into the memogate scandal.

TREASURY BINS ALLEGATIONS: Nisar’s assertions triggered a heated debate, with Khurshid Shah responding to the allegations. Shah said the ruling party had never compro-

mised on principles and the prime minister was only answerable to the House and no one else.

“We don’t meet anyone in the darkness of the night.

We are not answerable to any army general, this government made generals answerable to this House. No politician went to the GHQ to answer queries,” he said.

Nisar shot back that Supreme Court orders were not being respected. “The defence minister never speaks on drone attacks but now he is pointing fingers at the prime minister,” he said, adding that the government continued to deny the memo issue for six weeks. Farahnaz Ispahani also said that all allegations were false and that she would move the US court, said Nisar, but then Haqqani resigned within three days and Sherry Rehman was appointed the new ambassador to the US within hours.

“He was also not allowed to leave for America by the army when he desired,” Nisar said, adding that the army chief had met the president and then held a meeting with the prime minister and in the third meeting, Haqqani’s resignation was sought. Nisar said the PMLN leadership had to move the Supreme Court on the matter since parliament had been turned into a rubber stamp. Khurshid Shah once again responded to the allegations made by Nisar, which shifted the focus from memogate. He reminded Nisar that from 1977 to 2000, his party had faced court cases but never attacked the courts despite being given punishments in false cases. Warning the PML-N that its corruption in Punjab would be exposed, Shah said political pointscoring would not do anyone any good.

Nisar responded by

questioning who had termed the courts “Kangaroo courts”. He said the government was non-serious and parliament had become meaningless so there was no purpose for his party to sit in the House. With these remarks, PML-N members staged a walkout from the House proceedings.

Shah once again rose and called the PML-N leaders “bakery thieves” who had taken the Punjab government Rs 80 billion in debt.

“When (former Punjab chief minister) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi left the government, Punjab was a rich province with Rs 17 billion in hand.

But they (the PML-N) have made it a defaulter,” he said.

Later, Minister of State for Industries and Defence Production Bahadur Khan Sehar told the House that provincial mismanagement had resulted in shortage of urea across the country, especially in Punjab.

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Friday, 25 November, 2011

Electrical codes only in IESCO’s official manuals Page 08

PM warns officials showing laxity in polio eradication ISLAMABAD

P

StAFF REPORt

RIME Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani ordered on Thursday a stern action against officials who had failed to show results in the national polio eradication campaign and asked provinces to double their efforts towards making Pakistan a polio-free country.

Chairing a meeting of Task Force on Polio Eradication, the PM took a strong exception to the performance of officials concerned, said an official statement issued here.

“Do not transfer them, rather sack them, if they cannot deliver,” he told the members of the task force. The PM said all possible measures must be taken to eradicate the crippling disease from the country by 2012, under the National Emergency Plan. He also appointed Begum Shahnaz Wazir Ali as focal person for Coordination and Monitoring of Polio Eradication in Pakistan. Gilani urged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor, all the chief ministers and the AJK prime minister to hold monthly review meetings on the situation and send reports to him.

Gilani had also assured the world leaders present at the Commonwealth Summit in Australia that his government would utilise all possible resources for polio eradication, said the statement.

The meeting was informed that according to the latest tally, 158 cases of polio had been detected in the country—29 in Sindh, 63 in Balochistan, 4 in Punjab and 14 in KP and the rest in AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The prime minister also told the task force to involve parliamentarians, religious leaders, local notables and NGOs with an outreach in the rural areas of the country in that regard.

Gilani directed authorities concerned to ensure better coordination between primary healthcare departments and lady health workers. He also proposed direct involvement of the media for greater awareness among the people against the disease.

He said the universities in the country should involved for third-party monitoring of the anti-polio campaign and appreciated the role of WHO, UNICEF, the government

of Japan, Bill Gates Foundation for financial and technical assistance in that regard.

He said all provinces including GilgitBaltistan should be fully prepared for implementing campaign initiative called “National Immunisation Day”, commencing from 19 December to 22 December this year throughout the country.

He said that the focus of the discussion in the meeting in Australia was on Pakistan which had reported the highest number of polio cases in the world and hence it was a cause for concern for the global community.

He stressed the need to redouble the efforts as it was vital for country’s prestige and standing in the comity of nations. He said the National Emergency Action Plan was developed in consultation with all the provincial governments and with the active support of international partners.

Gilani recalled that the president had launched the national polio eradication plan at a ceremony held on January 24, which was also attended by Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, the ambassador for polio eradication. He expressed confidence that with one hundred percent implementation on the plan, the government would be able to stop the spread of the polio virus and meet its targets. Regarding reports of polio cases from FATA, he said a special civil-military coordination committees had been formed with chapters in all the agencies of FATA. He said innovative solutions like Immunisation Plus had been successfully introduced in FATA with encouraging results.

The Pakistan army field medical camps had also made special arrangements to administer polio vaccine to the children there, the PM said. “From 42 percent districts reporting 95 percent coverage, we have now progressed to 76 % districts reporting 95 percent coverage which is a marked improvement,” he observed. The meeting was attended, among others, by Inter-provincial Coordination Minister Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani, KP Governor Barrister Masood Kausar, Sindh CM Qaim Ali Shah, KP CM Amir Haider Hoti, BISP Chairperson Farzana Raja, Begum Shahnaz Wazir Ali, provincial ministers, representatives of WHO, UNICEF, JICA, USAID, World Bank, Gates Foundation, and Rotary International.

People displaced by militancy join beggars’ brigade idPs from terrorism-ridden areas swarm twin cities to seek alms g

RAWAPINDI ARSHAD ALI

The number of beggars in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi is increasing every day as they are seen in swarms at public places like the traffic signals on busy roads. A majority of them claims to be from the militancy-hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA as they seek alms to support their families. But the authorities concerned are not doing enough to provide these displaced and downtrodden with any financial assistance and they have been forced to beg.

Most of these beggars are women and children who would tell any passer-

by about their ordeals and the events that compelled to beg. These bagging women say their males are either jobless because of law and order situation in their hometown in restive regions or have been killed in suicide bombings, leaving them with no other option but to seek alms. The beggar children also have a similar story to tell about the miseries brought to them by militancy and terrorism. A beggar woman, hailing from Swat, told this scribe that her husband had been killed in a blast and ever since she was begging to feed her little children.

She said she was also suffering from diabetes and demanded the govern-

ment’s support so that she could lead an “honourable” life. She said the government did support her family in the beginning but nothing was being given to them presently, hence she was forced to begging.Another woman, begging by a traffic signal on a main thoroughfare, said her husband was a drug addict and she had no other means to earn a livelihood. She said she would never beg if the government had provided her some employment or assistance.

A Rawalpindi resident, Sultan Zeb, was of the view that if government wanted to curb the menace of begging, it should provide those people with some alternatives including employment and even training for those who did not have any skills.

ISLAMABAD: Contract employees of PHA demonstrate in favour of their demands outside the National Press Club. STAFF PHoTo

2,700 bottles of liquor seized ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

The Islamabad Police foiled an attempt to smuggle liquor into the federal capital, as a huge quantity of the contraband was recovered from a truck during checking and arrested three persons in the precincts of Tarnol Police Station.

Police enhanced surveillance on a tip off and constituted a special team was constituted supervised by Station House Officer (SHO) Tarnol Fazal-urRehman. They stopped a truck (RIK257) at a picket near Tarnol Chowk on

the GT Road, a police spokesman said on Thursday.

Police seized 7,200 bottles of various brands concealed in cartons. The arrested persons included Javed Iqbal, Zahoor Khan and Abbas Khan, who are stated to be the residents of Havalian, Abbottabad.

A permit about the import of liquor for a local hotel was produced before the police which was found expired. Police have impounded the truck and further investigation into matter is underway. Meanwhile, Sub-Inspector Muhammad Ajmal from Tarnol police captured a drug trafficker Sartaj and

recovered 1.520 kilogramme of hashish while Sub-Inspector Saleemullah from the Women Police Station arrested Rajesh Khan over the possession of ten bottles of liquor. Police in Industrial Area nabbed two thieves, Khan Wazir and Izatullah, and recovered 14 mobiles from them.

ASI Haider Ali from CIA Police arrested Jalil Ahmed, Adeeb, Nasir Mehmud, Babar Shehzad, Mohsin Zeb Gul Rehman and Majid in over the charges of possessing of stolen items while ASI Muhammad Ali from CIA Police recovered a 30 bore pistol from Mohsin Zeb.

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06 Islamabad

Friday, 25 November, 2011

‘90 percent development work completed in i-16’ ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) completed more than 90 percent of the development work in Sector I-16 and the allottees had started construction of their houses in the area, said Chairman CDA Imtiaz Inayat Elahi on Thursday. He was briefing the members of a Senate Standing Committee, headed by Senator Kalsoom Parveen during their visit to inspect the development work in the Sector I-16, says to a press statement.

Member Engineering, Syed Ibrar Hussain Shah, Member Estate Khalid Mehmood Mirza and senior officers of the authority along with the officials of other relevant government departments were also present on the occasion.

The CDA chairman apprised the members of standing committee that development works on road infrastructure, water supply, sewage and other allied facilities were in progress simultaneously and would be completed within six months. He said the CDA had completed the lying of water supply lines in addition to the rapid progress on the Shah Allah Ditta Water Supply Project. He said the CDA would install three new tube-wells in the sector in addition to the water supply scheme from the Khanpur Dam. He said people had already been given possession of the plots while many houses were also constructed. Elahi said the CDA was focusing on the development of the stalled sectors in addition to launching new housing projects to overcome the shortage of the residential units in the federal capital. “We have revisited the priorities for development and focus is being given to addressing the basic issues of the residents.”

He apprised the senators that despite the financial constrains, effort was being made for early completion of the projects. StAFF REPORt

ISLAMABAD: Former ambassador Ayaz Wazir speaks at a talk organised by Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad on FAtA’s problems. STAFF PHoTo

‘FATA: ITs Problems And soluTIons’

Call for end to political administration in FATA g

expert stresses greater political empowerment of locals ISLAMABAD

T

StAFF REPORt

HERE are several misunderstandings among the rest of the Pakistanis regarding FATA, which is not a ‘lawless’ tribal region as it is assumed; rather the laws under the FCR there are harsher than anywhere else in the country.

It is due to the system being under the political agents (PAs) that the region could not be developed. These PAs, who are junior officials, tend to misuse their powers and act as if they were kings and they bother little about the development projects there.

This was stated by former ambassador Ayaz Wazir here on Thursday at a public talk organised by The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) on “FATA its Problems and Solutions”.

In his presentation on the subject, Wazir pointed out the demographic and geographical details of FATA, noting that it was generally agreed that there were over 7 million residents of the region, which had historically been backward and poverty-ridden.

“This situation did not change

even after 1947 and there remained a purposeful neglect of FATA. Indeed, the notorious Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) introduced in 1901 still exists and consequently the region has remained politically and economically backward and not integrated with the rest of Pakistan”, he told the gathering.

He said that despite recent amendments in the FCR laws, a lot more was needed to be done. “Moreover, they (laws) are eyewash to people, who are aware of government regulations that allow armed forces to take any action against suspected individuals without any legal reasoning. This has, instead, brought in a harsher regime to replace the amendments to the FCR,” he observed.

He said it was unfortunate that not even a senior leader of Pakistan had bothered to visit the areas and see the people of the region themselves.

The political leadership has been completely absent, and under the FCR, all powers to bring any change lie with the president of the country, he said, adding that the recent history of FATA saw many changes coming in with two invasions–the Soviets’, and more recently with the Americans’.

Indeed, he said, it was only after 2003 when the Pakistani forces went to FATA that the areas started to experience unrest.

Discussing the socio-economic backwardness of the agencies in FATA, Wazir stressed the need to empower the locals. He said the system of political agents had harmed the region tremendously since it had led to an unchecked corruption and wastage of resources, without any consultation or involvement of the people of FATA in the process. He concluded his talk by recommending short-term and long-term solutions to the problems in FATA. The short-term solutions include the rehabilitation and compensation of internally displaced people, opening of roads, and replacement of the army operation with civil society participation and the long-term political and economic empowerment of the people.

Earlier the ISSI Director General Ashraf Jehangir Qazi welcomed the speaker. He stressed that since Pakistan was going through a transformative phase and FATA was under immense focus, the security paradigm should be replaced by a development paradigm.

Education guarantees bright future ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

Federal Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan Khalil on Thursday termed better education of children as a guarantee for a bright future, saying, “If we want to become a frontline nation of the world, we need to accord a due place to the teacher and the learner.”

He expressed these views while addressing a grand ceremony held in connection with the Universal Children Day at the Auditorium of National Library Islamabad, organised jointly by the Directorate General of Special Education and CAD Islamabad. Federal Minister for Provincial Coordination Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Managing Director Pakistan Bait Ul Mal Zamurd Khan and Direc-

torate of Special Educations’ Director Syed Mustafeen Kazmi were other guests of honour.

A large number of children from various schools of Islamabad, including special children, were also present who presented patriotic songs and made speeches against terrorism and extremism which were highly appreciated by the audience. Alamgir Khan said children were an asset, adding that world organisations were playing a key role for the just rights of children and the present government was also safeguarding their basic rights.

“We as a nation have great traditions of protecting the Islamic values and human rights and the services of the current MD Pakistan Bait Ul Mal Zamurd Khan are praiseworthy, as he has taken revo-

lutionary steps for the welfare and well-being of poor and orphans and the setting up of Sweet Home is the most commendable step in the history of the country by which hundreds of children have benefited.”

He stressed the need for further systematising and improving the efforts for the well-being and education of children so that they can become responsible citizens of the country.

Children from Roots School System and City School were particularly outstanding in their performance and the federal minister gave a cash prize of Rs. 100,000 to them from his personal pocket and made exclusive mention of their talent in his speech. The federal minister also gave away shields and certificates among the deserving children while Mustafeen presented memorial shields to the the guests.

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Friday, 25 November, 2011

Islamabad 07

nowhere To go

Govt blasted over killing at Darul Aman g

adnan Khan killed his sister Faria Rubab at the state-run facility in Chakwal on 22nd ISLAMABAD

I

ASMA KuNDI

NSANI Huqooq Ittehad (IHI), an alliance of rights organisations, on Thursday expressed great concern over the death of a girl death in the state-run Darul Aman in Chakwal, as it questioned the state’s service delivery approach, which has failed to protect women against the threats that arise after raising their voices against the human rights violations.

In a statement, the IHI representatives condemned yet another security lapse at the Darul Aman Chakwal on Nov 22, which resulted in the killing of Faria Rubab, while the assassin, her

Nusrat bhutto offered unforgettable sacrifices: PYO ISLAMABAD: Begum Nusrat Bhutto offered unforgettable sacrifices for the oppressed masses of the country and democracy, said People’s Youth Organisation (PYO) Punjab President and Adviser to PM on Youth Affairs Mian Muhmmad Ayub on Wednesday.

Addressing a condolence reference, the PYO president said after the imprisonment of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and then after his martyrdom, Begum Nusrat Bhutto faced atrocities of the worst dictatorship of General Zia. When the PPPP witnessed bad time, she torched the light of democracy in the dark night of martial law, he said.

“Begum Nusrat Bhutto was a woman of substance who gave more to the world than she took from it. She lost her husband, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, undoubtedly the biggest political leader Pakistan has seen after Quaid-eAzam; she lost two young sons, Shahnawaz and Murtaza, she also lost Benazir Bhutto, an icon for not just Pakistan but also women around the world. Begum Sahiba will remain an inspiration to the political workers of Pakistan, in general, and PPP workers, in particular,” Ayub said.

He said she was a symbol of courage and a great mother of the nation, who fought against dictatorship. She received head injuries during ruthless baton charge in the regime of dictator General Zia at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, She fought for the rights of workers, labourers, peasants and women of the country, he added. Begum Sahiba would remain alive forever in the hearts of millions of people of Pakistan, he concluded. StAFF REPORt

aiOU body elected ISLAMABAD: Election for three reserved seats of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU)’s executive council (governing body) was held on Thursday at the council hall of the varsity.

According to results, Dr Hamid Khan Niazi, Dr Muhammad Daud Khattak and Hakim Ali Buriro were elected representatives of representatives of associate professors, assistant professors and lecturers, respectively. StAFF REPORt

iHCba seeks more judges ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) on Thursday demanded the government to increase the number of judges from seven to 10 in the IHC. IHCBA Chaudhry Ashraf Gujjar President said bar would contact the government and other political parties for legislation in this regard. APP

brother Adnan Khan, was allowed to walk away.

They highlighted that the incident puts forth some serious questions for the government department responsible for looking after these institutions, which are suppose to provide protection to the women being victimised in society.

The human rights activists lamented that support services for women survivors of violence were already very limited and without any proper resources to perform tasks assigned to them. “Incidences like these further shrinks the spaces for women to seek protection from the violations committed with them at the levels of family and society.”

They pointed out that instead of utilising the existing structures (women centres and Darul Aman) and increasing coordination among them, the few institutions functioning in Punjab were supposedly to be shut down.

They also questioned the argument of the Punjab Government that the Darul Aman and crisis centres performed the same task were proved wrong by the very incident.

“Authorities have to separate the two functions of providing protection (shelter) from other roles, like arranging the meeting and reconciliation efforts. There should be limited access to the shelter facility and meeting should only be arranged by ensuring appropriate secu-

rity measures and seeking the consent of the women.”

They were of the view that the institutions like Darul Aman were often criticised but the fact was being ignored that the staff had to work within limited resources, training and support from the government.

They were of the opinion that the larger burden of the incident should be taken by the government itself rather than holding inquiries within the shelter because it pointed to larger questions of having appropriate systems and procedures, outlining the protection for the staff and the women residents, who come to seek protection.

They questioned why the institutions

of protection like Darul Aman were the least resourced and with outdated security systems and why the security at these institutions had not been among the top priorities.

They demanded including the Darul Aman facility among the agenda but warned that it did not mean that they should be reduced to mini jails or with a restricted mobility of women.

The IHI members demanded that the issue of security must be addressed at the policy level and called upon the state authorities to provide adequate resources and train the staff of these institutions to unable them working in line with ethical and human rights principles so as to minimise the chances of such incidents.

Missing women remembered ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

‘We Can’ End All Violence against Women, a global campaign, marked the symbolic representation of Shoe Memorial Ceremony in the remembrance of 50 million missing women of South Asia on Thursday.

The ceremony also initiates the series of events across the four provinces, marking the Global Movement of 16 Days of Activism for elimination of violence against women. These events include change maker (persons who pledge not to commit any violence against women) rallies, walks, mobile vans and press conferences.

A minute of silence was observed to pay homage to the missing women and their remembrance was attributed by candle vigil and flowers. The ceremony was attended by the members of civil society and youth groups from colleges and universities. The collected shoes (ladies worn out shoes) will be handed over to women in need through charity organisations.

Hajra Pasha, the national coordinator of WECAN Pakistan, said, “WECAN is working in collaboration of partners in 36 districts of Pakistan to bring core change in mindset regarding violence against women. Throughout the country, more than four hundred forty thousand people vowed not to commit any violence against the women and they are also disseminating this message to others.”” Neva Khan, the country director of Oxfam GB, stressed the need of a change in the mindset. “The WECAN campaign is aimed at behavioural change in elimination of discriminative attitude against

women. It is a gradual process that is getting strength by time.”

She called upon political parties to play active role for legislation to eliminate violence against women from the Pakistan. ‘We Can’ End All Violence against Women is a global campaign, present in 14 countries around the

world. It focuses strongly on non-acceptance of violence in all its manifestations aiming at engaging public opinion on the issue of violence by building mass awareness based on the underlying belief that personal attitudinal change becomes the agent for social change. It functions through its implementing

partners in 36 districts and has over 440,000 change makers across the country. The campaign in Pakistan has built up a corpus of empathetic and committed individuals and groups who have spearheaded social transformation and work together through alliances to take the campaign forward.

Theatre has deep roots in subcontinent g

Lok virsa publishes book on women’s role in folk theatre ISLAMABAD MAHtAB BASHIR

In line with its ongoing efforts to document, preserve and promote indigenous folk culture and heritage of Pakistan, the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) has published a book on “Forgotten Faces Daring women of Pakistan’s Folk Theatre’ by Dr Fouzia Saeed.

The launching-ceremony of the book was organised at the Lok Virsa Media Studios on Thursday. National Heritage and Integration Secretary Faridullah Khan was the chief guest on the occasion.

In his opening remarks, Khan said, “Theatre has deep-rooted history in the subcontinent. It has been an indigenous expression for the polarities of human life, like happiness and sadness, calamities and miracles, heroes and villains, and romances and tragedies. South

Asian culture being an oral one has counted on story-telling as one of its main modes of transferring cultural knowledge from one generation to the next. The story-telling, over a period of time, has become the major source of entertainment for rural masses.”

“I think Lok Virsa has taken a right step in this direction by publishing the book, for which they certainly deserve a great appreciation”, the secretary said.

He congratulated Lok Virsa and Dr Fouzia Saeed for their efforts in bringing out the publication and expressed hope that the initiative would go a long way in acquainting our youth community not only about this dying art form but also contributions of our theatre artists in the past.”

In his welcoming speech, Lok Virsa Executive Director Khalid Javaid said, “The book in question focuses primarily on the daring women

of Pakistan’s folk theatre. Lok Virsa is a specialised culture and researchoriented organisation established in 1974 with a mandate for collection, documentation, preservation and dissemination of all forms of Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage. This includes both tangible and intangible heritage.

Over the years, this unique institute has made landmark achievements in the field of culture for which it is today known the world over.”

Khalid said the mission of Lok Virsa was to foster the excellence, diversity and vitality of all facets of tradition and to broaden public access to the knowledge. “Lok Virsa is committed to document and revive folk culture to ensure a strong link of our society with the indigenous layers of our heritage. The role of women in performing arts has been a theme which has not received the attention it deserves. Dr. Fouzia Saeed did pioneering research on this theme, when

she herself was a part of this institute.

We are proud that she, on our request, took on to further this work and add to her research”.

Lok Virsa intended to revive folk theatre and encourage folk music, folk dancing and other forms of folk entertainment, so that the youth should learn about their own roots and get inspired, he added.

Former director of Lok Virsa Dr Shamim M Zaidi, who is presently heading the Department of Communication at the Fatima Jinnah Women University, praised for the author for her contribution.

A large number of people related to the folk theatre, besides general public also attended the event. The launching ceremony was followed by live performances featuring Abida (daughter of the outstanding theatre artist of her time Balli Jatti), Naznin Mano, Fazal Jat and Saima.

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08 Islamabad Electrical codes only in 22 °C High IESCO’s official manuals 10°C Friday, 25 November, 2011

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authorities turn a blind eye to dangling power cables g Residents of underdeveloped sectors exposed to electric shock hazards g

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ISLAMABAD

T

FAzAL SHER

HE purpose of electrical codes and regulations is to ensure smooth power supply with safety. The professionals responsible for the work adhere to these codes to avert any mishaps in the form of electric shock or fire incident. These wiring safety codes are intended to protect the life and property of the consumers from electrical shock and fire hazards.

But unfortunately, the public-sector electricity providers, despite having a comprehensive electric codes and regulations, have failed to insulate naked heavy tension power cables that can bee seen dangling from power poles and pylons in many residential areas of the city.

In the underdeveloped sectors of the city including I-9, I-10 and I-8, the power cables have not been laid underground yet and they pose a

threat to the lives of the residents.

Almost the similar criminal negligence on the part of the officials of Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (IESCO) can bee seen at busy marketplaces, where people have to relentlessly avoid contact with electric boxes and a dangling maze of power cables. Most of these electric boxes are never locked and with power cables hanging out of them, the life and property of the residents remain under a constant threat.

The menace is not limited to the unprotected power boxes as one can see at power cables dangling from commercial buildings, even houses, roadside power transformers.

The problem is particularly grave in the commercial district of Blue Area, where electricity meters and naked wires are like landmines fitted along the staircases of many buildings.

Though the IESCO and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) are fully aware of all these dangers yet they have turned a blind eye towards

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the problem and that is why the recurrence of fire and electric shock incidents have become a deadly routine at the busy commercial centres.

The IESCO has so far conducted no survey whatsoever to locate most sensitive areas and the officialdom in the department has limited the officials’ work to merely addressing the complaints of the citizen. They only look into any matter when a citizen goes to them with a complaint and reports some tragic incident.

The laws require the company to move against the owner of any building where uncovered cables may pose any threat to humans, an IESCO official told this scribe.

Seeking anonymity, he said, the company could issue show-cause notice to any official for negligence in that regard. He said a separate within the IESCO division called Safety Department was responsible for the safety issues.

Some shopkeepers in the in Blue Area told this scribe that they had been there for years and no official ever bothered to visit and ensure removal of those naked power cables. They said the authorities concerned needed to take action against the owners of the buildings that were responsible for any such threats.

Adnan, a resident of Sector I-9 said the residents had lodged several complaints with the competent authorities but to no avail.

Another resident pointed out that most of streetlight poles were without any windows at ground level and cables hanging out of them were a threat to people and particularly to children. The parks and playgrounds areas are also dangerous spots in that regard where an unsuspecting could get an electric shock.

CDA Public Relations Deputy Director Ramzan Sajjid, when contacted, said the IESCO was responsible to maintain electrical safety codes in the commercial areas. He said the CDA was only responsible for streetlights. He hastened to add that the drug addicts and slum dwellers would steal the cover lids off the streetlights, thereby exposing the cables.

A TrIbuTe To mehdI hAssAn

ImPedImenT

CAPoeIrA IslTown

date: NOv 25, 2011 veNUe: KHaaS aRt gaLLeRY iSLamabad

date: NOvembeR 06 tO 28, 2011 veNUe: KHaaS aRt gaLLeRY iSLamabad

mehdi Hassan the King of ghazal by the renowned ghazal singer ghulam abbas. we are very fortunate to have ghulam abbas performing for us who is one of the leading ghazal singers of Pakistan and a senior disciple of mehdi Hassan.

'impediment' by beenish Usman & Nadia tufail.

Opens on wednesday 16 November 2011 at Khaas gallery at 5:00 p.m onwards. do come and enjoy their edgy contemporary miniatures in person! bring your friends along!

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Pages For e-paper_Layout 1 11/25/2011 1:55 AM Page 9

Friday, 25 November, 2011

News 09

Security forces accused of killing 3, holding 2 in illegal custody PESHAWAR: Security forces were accused of killing three men and holding two men in illegal custody in Khyber Agency on Thursday. Addressing a press conference, brother of killed Syed Jan Afridi, Orangzeb Afridi narrated that on 18 November, tractor diver Sher Muhammad, Syed Jan Afridi, Ata-ur-Rehman, Adam Khan and others were traveling from Ghanrezi village to main Bara when security forces opened fire on them and a bullet hit Syed Jan in the head. “After Sher Muhammad was shot and his brother Yar Wali was informed. They managed to reach the Hayatabad Medical Complex but Sher succumbed to his injuries.” “When the group returned with Sher Muhammad’s corpse, security forces opened fire again and arrested the rest,” said Orangzeb.

“On Nov 19, Sher’s dead body was returned to his heirs but the arrested men were not released,” he said, “On the Nov 20, their dead bodies turned up in Qamarabad village. The dead included Islamia Public School Principal Syed Jan Afridi and Bsc student Ata-ur-Rahman while Sher’s brother Yar Wali and Adam Khan are still in the custody of security forces.”

“Our relatives were innocent and had no association with any banned organisation, but they were targeted by security forces.

Are we not Pakistanis and patriotic?” he asked. Relatives asked the Chief of Army Staff, Chief Justice of Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zadari, Prime Minister and Governor Khyber Pukhtunkhwa to conduct an impartial inquiry and punish security personal involved. StAFF REPORt

Fm discusses Pak-US relations with Sherry

tHE WAIt FOR tHE GOLDEN tEMPLE: Sikh devotees wait for their turn enter the Golden temple in Amritsar. IRFAN CHAUDHRY

Thar coal project to become operational by 2013: Samar ISLAMABAD APP

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar received Sherry Rehman, who has been nominated as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, on Thursday. “Minister Khar congratulated Sherry Rehman on her nomination. She wished her all the success,” said a Foreign Office statement. “Bilateral relations between Pakistan and the US were discussed at length. The minister underscored the importance that Pakistan attached to its relations with the United States,” it said. StAFF REPORt

T

HE Thar coal project will become operational in December 2013, Science and Technology Planning Commission member Dr Samar Mubarakmand said on Thursday.

Talking to a private news channel, he said that the project would bring prosperity in the country. “Pakistan has enough coal reserves that can provide electricity to the country for more than 500 years,” he said. He said that development work is in progress and the first 50 megawatts (MW) gasified project has almost been completed.

He said that the project is to cost Rs 8.898 billion with a foreign ex-

change component of Rs 5.847 billion that was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council last year.

Dr Samar said that the success of the Thar coal project would lead to investment from the leading international companies. He said that several foreign companies wanted to participate in the project and had shown interest.

He said that the 50 percent coalfired power generation work has already been done, while the rest would be completed within a few months.

With the completion of this project, the nation would get cheap and sufficient power supply, thus resolving the current pestering energy crisis, he added.

He said that it was for the first time

in Pakistan that the coal gasification project was being launched on commercial basis, adding that abundant and cheap electricity would be available if it gets through.

He said that coal gasification was already producing 50,000 MW around the world, as the cost of electricity per unit is relatively low.

He said that four continents in the world were working on this project as this method has enhanced energy efficiency to 76 percent.

He said that the new growth strategy of the country was being emphasised on power generation through coal, adding that the country’s installed capacity of thermal generation is 12,000 MW against hydel generation of 9,000 MW.

Nine killed, 12 injured as van collides with bus MULTAN: Nine passengers were killed and another 12 injured when a van collided head on with a bus near Ghaziwala on Shujabad Road, 28 kilometres from Multan on Thursday.

Muzaffarabad SHO Rana Farooq told APP that a van was coming from Jalalpur Pirwala to Multan when it collided with a bus that was on its way to Shujabad from Multan.

The collision left nine passengers, including three children, a woman and the driver, dead on the spot while 12 others sustained injuries and were admitted to Nishtar Hospital Multan.

Two were identified as Muhammad Usman and Muhammad Akhtar.

Police said the bodies had been shifted to Nishtar Hospital and identity of the rest of the seven people was being ascertained. Those injured included Sagheer (8), Arshad (6), Khursheed Bibi, Iqbal, Shahzad, Rubina Bibi, Suhail and Sarfraz. Farooq said according to a witness, the van driver was driving rashly.

Police have started investigations. APP

Transforming US-Afghan ‘Strategic Partnership Agreement’ into reality BASSAM JAvED As expected, President Hamid Karzai achieved what he wanted out of the recently held four-day loya jirga, a political approval to enter into a “Strategic Partnership Agreement’ with the United States. The Afghan president, being controversial, has made a routine to hold loya jirgas for approval of issues that would generally be rejected by Afghan Parliament if lawfully routed through them. He is the only leader of Afghanistan who has called far more loya jirgas in number when compared to other Afghan leaders of the past. The participants of this particular jirga never knew why they were assembled there in Kabul till the time the president addressed them and told what was required of them in the name of advice.

And that was exactly what they delivered but that advice was projected as a formal approval by the Afghan president and the international community.

Why would not the jirga participants agree to the desires of their host, the president, who spent so much money for their traveling and comfortable stay in Kabul through official exchequer? The main strings of conditions attached with the jirga’s approval included a bar on US-led forces to conduct night raids, a bar on US nationals committing crimes in Afghanistan from claiming immunity and a demand that the US must side with Afghanistan if a third country tries to attack it. The last condition tantamount to degrade Afghan pride as born fighters for they have never sought a third party or outside

helps to fight the foreign invaders.

The 10-year ‘agreement’ that has been recommended by the Afghan jirga will definitely lay the foundation for a very long term deployment of US military boots in Afghanistan. The analysis of American ingresses elsewhere in other countries on strategic grounds reveals that they continued to stay there for prolonged periods. Japan and Germany are the examples where the Americans forces remain deployed for almost the last 66 years but neither the host countries or the US itself have ever termed those as permanent US bases. Afghanistan by agreeing to the US demands of keeping five permanent military bases beyond 2014 through ‘Strategic Partnership Agreement’ is also headed towards another permanent US strategic base.

Taliban have rejected the endorsement of Afghan elders for such a strategic partnership with the US by saying that the ‘agreement’ will be another tool that would continue to sustain the Taliban insurgency inside Afghanistan. Also, more than 1000 University students came out on the streets next day after the jirga’s nod to the agreement and vented their anger on jirga’s decision. They blocked a main highway in Eastern Afghanistan amid loud shouts of ‘Death to America. Death to Karzai’. The situation on ground in Afghanistan remains quite dire. Instead of acknowledging his nation’s apathy on continuation of American forces beyond 2014, the US puppet president Hamid Karzai continues to play on the tunes of US ambassador and American military lead-

ership in Afghanistan not only to secure his corrupt clique to power in Kabul but also to portray the US like a winner in Afghanistan until [Barack] Obama’s re-election in 2012! He is also often referred to as an American viceroy in Afghanistan who follows his handlers dictates in earnest and tries to implement them in latter and spirit for if he doesn’t, he will loose his job, which continues to be protected and funded by them.

The American State Department naturally welcomed the outcome of the loya jirga. General John Allen, Commander of the NATO led ISAF in Afghanistan has emphasised that the US-Afghan Strategic Partnership must be binding to cater for provision of advisors, trainers, intelligence personnel and also the special operators. He went on to say that there will be a security relationship that will emerge out from the ‘Strategic Partnership Agreement’. The regional and global fraternity however, did not comment on the outcome of the same. The majority of Afghans yearn to see the Americans get out of their country as soon as possible to let them avail a chance to develop peace internally amongst themselves. A very small minority that too in the shape of Karzai government functionaries however want continuation of American military presence in Afghanistan much beyond 2014.

The nod of the loya jirga and the street protests against the same reflect deep divisions amongst Afghans on the issue. It is not known whether Karzai will take the issue to the Afghan Parliament or not

but all indicators point out that the ‘agreement’ will be signed in the near future. The US has desired that the ‘agreement’ be signed before the Bonn Conference takes place on 5th of December. It may not be surprising if the Afghan Parliament gets by-passed in the process to push the deal through per American desires.

The size and the locations of the deployment bases beyond 2014 are not yet known. In all the probability the selected bases will be shared with Afghan National Forces. The rules governing the American actions post 2014 deployment are also not known even to the Afghan president. The Afghan president has also said Afghanistan was negotiating similar types of agreements with European countries as well. An unstable Afghanistan has always been a security threat to Pakistan. With the prolonged presence of US troops and other Western troops beyond 2014, the situation in Afghanistan will continue to be volatile. Nothing will change on the ground with respect to the foreign military deployment in Afghanistan beyond 2014 and the status quo as of today will continue to be maintained.

The scourge of continued insurgency therefore in Afghanistan will continue as it was born out of the Afghan tradition to fight the foreign military invaders and will only fade out upon total withdrawal of these forces. Meanwhile, Pakistani military forces, now battle hardened, are poised to confront the spill over of the insurgency that is likely to prevail even beyond 2014.

Pages For e-paper_Layout 1 11/25/2011 1:56 AM Page 10

10 News Journalists protest attack by mPa’s brother

Friday, 25 November, 2011

‘Policies needed to curb violence against women’

Prime minister directs ministries to take steps to increase women representation by completely implementing recruitment quota, investing in capacity-building of women police g

KARAK ISLAMABAD

StAFF REPORt

The journalists from Karak District protested on Thursday against the attack on a local journalist by Shah Jehan, the brother of Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Malik Qasim Khan.

The journalists, led by Karak Press Club President Nawaz Khattak and General Secretary Haleem Bukhari, began their protest march from the Baz Muhammad Chowk and ended at the Saddam Chowk. The protesters carried banners and blocked the KarakBannu road at Saddam Chowk for traffic.

Addressing the protesters, the speakers condemned the attack on Haleem Bukhari over publishing a news item in his weekly against Malik Qasim Khan. They alleged that Qasim, accompanied by other men, had also broken the camera and mobile phone of the journalist.

The speakers alleged that the MPA had been patronising gambling, adding that they will reveal the embezzlements done by him. They also demanded the Jamiat Ulemae-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) leadership to take notice of the activities of Qasim, who is a member of JUI-F, giving a 3-day deadline to the party to take action against him.

Later, the journalists met District Police Officer (DPO) Sajid Ahmad Khan Mohmand in his office and sought a First Information Report (FIR) against the MPA .The DPO assured the journalists that legal action would be taken against him.

APP

P

RIME Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday asked the Interior Ministry and police organisations to develop and implement policies to combat violence against women. He was addressing the second International Women Police Conference on Gender Responsive Policing, attended by international and national police delegates and Interior Minister Rehman Malik.

The prime minister directed the ministries concerned to take steps to increase women representation by completely implementing recruitment quota, investing in capacity-building of women police, diversifying women’s role in policing and strengthening policing to adequately deal with crimes of violence against them.

He said these priorities had already been outlined in the recently formulated Gender Strategy of Police seeking ownership and implementation for gender responsive policing. Gilani said he was proud to address a gathering of brave women, who had chosen a challenging career and protecting the life and property of citizens.

Gilani said the government was committed to empowering women and creating conditions essential for social and gender justice. “We believe in principles of equal-

ity as enshrined in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” he said.

He said the government recognised the value of women’s participation in public affairs and was therefore committed to gender equality reforms. Gilani said social action programmes during Benazir Bhutto’s tenure were launched with a view to reduce gender disparities and improving women’s access to social services.

He said the government had taken a number of steps that reflected its commit-

ment to mainstream women’s issues in public policies.

In this regard he said December 22 was now being celebrated as the National Day of Women to commemorate the achievements of women and acknowledge their role in the national progress.

Gilani said women needed to be empowered, adding that the Benazir Income Support Programme, the country’s largest social safety net, was aimed at helping them stand on their own feet.

13 die in Khanewal after consuming poisonous liquor KHANEWAL StAFF REPORt

2nd round of Pak-australia security dialogue begins ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Khalid Shameem Wynne, along with Australian Chief of Defence Force (CDF) General David Hurley on Thursday initiated the second round of Pak-Australia 1.5 Track Security Dialogue.

“This dialogue encompasses a whole range of issues from mutual cooperation to war on terror and host of other areas. During the current session, the progress made on the benchmarks set in the last session was also reviewed,” said an Inter-services Public Relations (ISPR) statement.

The Australian CDF, in his concluding remarks, appreciated the role played by Pakistan Armed Forces in the fight against terror and hoped the relations between the two Armed Forces will be further enhanced.

Gilani said besides direct cash transfers to underprivileged women, BISP’s various initiatives impart technical training, health insurance and interest-free loans.

The prime minister also mentioned the enactment of the Protection against Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010. “I am personally looking after its implementation as I regard women and minorities as my core constituencies,” Gilani said. Gilani said the enactment of bill would put an end to inhuman and un-Islamic customs against the women besides further empowering them to take charge of their lives. He said Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Centres for Women had been increased so that immediate relief might be provided to the female victims of violence.

Gilani said the government had also established the office of ombudsperson to address the complaints of women. Mussarat Hilali, a woman rights activist, was appointed as the ombudsperson. He said the government has de-listed the First Women Bank from the privatisation list enabling it to continue to play its due role in the economic empowerment of women. The government had also approved the induction of lady naval officers and lady pilots in the Air Force.

“The current parliament has a good number of women parliamentarians who have been playing their due role in pushing for pro-women legislation,” he said.

PREPARING FOR MuHARRAM: An elderly painter paints a tazia for the coming month of Muharram. INP

Thirteen people died in Khanewal district on Thursday after consuming toxic liquor in the districts chak no 80/10R, Pirowal area.

Per details, the incident occurred in the village, 10 kilometres away from Khanewal, when residents of Pirowal and Khanewal purchased the liquor from the area’s main supplier Muhammad Ali Kamboh.

The men gathered at the home of Niaz alias Gabbo on Wednesday evening.

As they started taking the liquor, several of them complained of uneasiness and were rushed to a local doctor.

Due to fear of being apprehended by police, most of the affected people were not shifted to Khanewal DHQ Hospital.

The dead were identified as Niaz, Shahzad, Jamal, Hameed, Manzoor, Kumhar, Rana Mano Khan, Naveed, Pathan, Akram, Shabbir and Zahid Doli, all residents of chak no 80/10R, Pirowal.

Aslam Nazir, who was also among the dead, belonged to Khanewal.

Khanewal DPO Muhammad Waqar Abbasi said the supplier, Muhammad Ali Kamboh, had been arrested and a huge quantity of liquor had been recovered from his possession. He said police would take stern action against drug traffickers in the area and those responsible of would be punished accordingly.

Ignoring primacy of children’s registration distressing ISLAMABAD ARIF tAJ

It is certainly distressing to know that around 99 percent of children, including 99 percent in Balochistan and FATA, make up the list of unregistered children in Pakistan each year and cast doubts on our ability to protect the rights of our children.

The three million figure is not negligible by any stretch of human mind, so cannot be ignored and needs immediate corrective measures, otherwise children may continue remaining vulnerable.

The figures also adversely impact national data, like the ongoing and subsequent censuses in the country.

The concern of the UNICEF, the UN agency for the rights of the children, over the issue could not be underplayed providing one or the other excuse as situation is extremely worrisome.

The UNICEF said in its World’s Children Report 2011 that only 27 percent of total births in Pakistan between 2000 and 2009 were registered, suggesting that the situation in Balochistan and FATA was even graver, as only one per cent of the children were registered at birth.

One percent registration is too low to be counted at all and the Planning Commission of Pakistan must look into the matter if it seeks to flawless planning for its future projects.

According to the UNICEF, the figures for birth registration in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and Punjab were also low.

It said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has 20 percent registration of children, Kashmir 24 percent and Punjab had a higher rate of 77 percent, which is closer to the universal registration mark. Registration at birth is a right of every child and the UN declaring the Children’s Day this year as ‘‘Make Every Child Count” speaks of the importance of registering children at birth, as it serves to be a vital instrument in protecting the rights of children.

Karen Allen, UNICEF Pakistan’s deputy representative, had rightly stated on November 19, “It is absolutely vital for every child’s future well-being and the fulfillment of their rights that they are

registered at birth.”

According to the UNICEF, birth registration is the first right of every child born in Pakistan, because it established the existence of a child under law and provided the foundation for safeguarding many of the child’s civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child specifies that every child has the right to be registered at birth without any discrimination.

The reasons for low birth registration are varied and complex, yet lack of awareness, cost factors and geographical distance cannot serve as an excuse, as children without birth registration may be denied access to ID card, passport, bank account, the ability to vote, access to education, health and other social

services, which most of us take for granted. Karen Allen was very right in pointing out that excuses could not be entertained at the expense of the rights of the children.

“Without such registration, it is almost impossible to fully protect the rights of adolescents, or to prosecute cases of unlawful premature entry into adult roles such as marriage, or the labour force, when the exact age of the child or adolescent cannot be determined. In addition, birth registration provides the government with essential population information needed to plan for community amenities like schools and hospitals. It is every child’s right to have their birth registered and for children to take their rightful place in Pakistan society,” Allen had said.

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Friday, 25 November, 2011

Editor’s mail 11

myths regarding mFN status to india The Most Favoured Nation status conferred upon India is the talk of the town nowadays and a lot of hue and cry is being raised on it. Certain misconceptions about it have made it controversial.

The very first thing is that the term is a misnomer. It does not mean that India will become a more favoured country.

This only implies that Pakistan will give the same treatment to imports from India as it does to imports from the US, China, Sri Lanka or Thailand, etc. Hence, granting of MFN status would not mean that India will have preferential treatment over any other country.

Presently, Pakistan allows import of all items subject to customs duty and other import duties but India does not have the right to import all these items as we have maintained a special positive list of about 1100 items that can be imported. After the MFN status is conferred, this list would be replaced by a negative list of items whose import would remain restricted. This means that

all other items that are not included in this list would be allowed to be imported at normal tariffs as is allowed for all other countries of the world.

The notion that India may be the main beneficiary, while Pakistan with a smaller economy may be at losing end is also misplaced. The experience of many other smaller economies, which developed closer trade relations with bigger ones through Free Trade Areas or Customs Union or otherwise, shows that it is a “win-win” situation for both sides but the smaller economies have in general benefitted more from such arrangements. Bangladesh has been at win-win situation since it entered into a Free Trade Agreement with India.

Then there is a fear that India has a stringent import policy (with many nontariff barriers) and would be able to increase its exports at a greater pace than imports. In this regard, one should not be oblivious of the fact that India has no Pakistan specific non-tariff barriers. Its

Outcome of afghan jirga economy was closed till 1990 but since it started on the liberalisation process in the early 90’s, on average its imports have grown at an average of 34 percent whereas its exports have grown by about 18 percent.

Another impression that some industries in Pakistan such as automobiles and pharmaceuticals may find it difficult to compete and may have to close down need to be dispelled. Let’s believe the truth in the fact that Pakistan’s automobile and pharmaceutical industries are much less competitive as compared to India’s and if Pakistan were to allow open competition, it may not be able to compete. The answer of this misconception is that Pakistan does not have to open these sectors necessarily and can continue to maintain the same restrictions as it is doing for other countries.

Then comes the mother of all misconceptions associated with MFN status to India. Pakistan has kept linking grant of MFN status with solution of Kashmir

issue, but this strategy hasn't born any fruits. Bangladesh opened trade with India and then has successfully resolved its long-standing border dispute. The two countries recently concluded a land boundary agreement to demarcate their 4,000km shared border.

It quite misplaced to say Pakistan has taken this decision in haste. Rather, Pakistan has taken a long time to come to this decision. During the last 20 years, it conducted several studies to see the impact of opening trade with India. India granted MFN status to Pakistan in 1996 and it has taken over 15 years to consider giving reciprocal status. It is not a decision being taken in haste. However, where it is almost certain that this move is going to benefit both the neighbours, one should not be oblivious of the fact that granting of MFN status would not mean opening of trade overnight. It will take time to develop to its full potential.

TASSAWAR BOSAL Mandi Bahauddin

Corruption and its impact Corruption is authority plus monopoly minus transparency. Our society is facing a very grave problem of corruption that has threatened the basic foundations of our society. It is a cancer that will gobble up all the socio-economic and political achievements.

The major reason of fast creeping corruption are political instability, poverty, unequal structure of society, unemployment, lack of accountability, weak political institutions and absence of rule of law. Resultantly, they are affecting political stability, equal distribution of resources and power, confidence of local and foreign investors and political institutions.

Although corruption has wide-ranging deleterious effects on society and governance but its most deadly impact is always on the poor.

It undermines democracy, hinders in good governance and weakens the democratic institutions. It hampers the economic growth and sustainable developments. Increase in corruption in any society is inversely proportional to good governance.

If these suggestions and practical measures are taken, the cancer of corruption can be cured to reasonable extent. Institutions should be made strong for proper working of the democratic system. Proper system of accountability and check and balance should be implemented.

Justice delayed is justice denied. In time justice can minimise corruption practices. Salaries and wages should be increased in order to decrease the chances of corruption.

Education system must be revised and improved according to national needs. Stable governments are essential to provide justice and to uproot corruption, and public awareness is must to eliminate corruption.

As it is a multi-faceted problem, it should be countered on all possible fronts with sincerity. We must reform ourselves. Only proper planning and strictly implemented policies with public support can bring it to a halt.

ZUHAIB ODHO Karachi

where are we?

This is an era of competitive world.

Every country wants to progress and make its economy stronger. Pakistan is considered among the economically developing countries but it seems Pakistan is going down instead of going up. We are busy in criticising other countries, particularly those with which we have no match whatsoever.

The foreign reserves of our neighbour countries are shockingly high. India has 332 billion dollars in foreign reserves while China has 3.2 trillion dollars foreign reserves. Pakistan has only approximately 18 billion dollars of foreign reserves. While our government claims ever so often that our foreign reserves have increased, we can clearly see where we stand.

The government must start projects that can help our economy grow instead of just playing politics on this issue.

MUHAMMAD ADEEL Karachi

Drowning in a sea of problems Pakistan is a special case as far as social evils and other problems that plague its social, political and economic life are concernd. From politics to education, to economics and defence issues, we have one or another problem that keeps rearing its head on a recurring basis, if not persistent. Due to terrorism, security from internal and external threats and a proper law

attack on FC The attack on the FC convoy in Musa Khel is indicative of the fact that the security situation in Balochistan is once more in a state of unintelligible chaos.

The FC forces are being termed as the bad guys for being the ones behind disappearances of innocent civilians. Therefore, they are brutally murdered by the custodians of the liberation rights of the people of Balochistan. Similarly, the security forces are busy maintaining some semblance of sanity in the province through brute force as such a state becomes an open invitation to suppressed criminal elements to become active and to operate freely, thus adding to the chaos.

This mutual hate process is enabled and kept alive by forces on either side of the power fence and the victims are always innocent people. The only ones keeping mum over the ongoing mayhem is the political regime that ought to be the most affected by such violent episodes of criminality.

It must be realised that these internecine feuds merely perpetuate ageold grievances embedded in the local memory. And the only means of progressing peacefully, if there is a political will, is that the real cause of the turmoil is ascertained by entering into dialogue.

This will expose reality in its true form.

Whether the myriad of nationalist groups are genuinely interested in attaining an equal status for the people of Balochistan or are merely towing the separatist agenda for the sake of personal and

and order mechanism appear to be totally absent from the national scene. As long as we don’t counter these issues, we cannot make steadfast progress on any other front. This must be a top priority for the government.

RAMLA SHAH Lahore

vested interests, can be exposed. This may be instrumental separating and banning the groups that are busy igniting anti-state sentiments from others.

Furthermore, the case of the missing persons is something that ought to be addressed in a holistically profound manner that has not been done so far. Who are these people who disappear? Do they have any affiliations with terrorist and militant or anti-state groups as claimed by the security forces?

What rationale do the security forces have for killing people at random? Does the strict tribal and sardari culture play a role in it? What about the Ferrari camps on the border areas? Has the law ever tried to trace the whereabouts of these people in these militant camps in or across the porous border?

Each and every case ought to be investigated thoroughly and followed till the very end to trace the real perpetrator behind this crime. But does anyone care?

Why doesn’t the provincial and federal government come up with a plan of replacing the FC with a more effective civilian policing force in Balochistan instead of turning most of the area into ‘B Area’?

Balochistan has turned into a huge question for the authority that screams out to be answered immediately. But is someone interested? Is someone listening? Is something being done? Nobody can address the situation except the government by exercising its authority and resuming control of the province if it has one at all.

LUBNA HAMEED Rawalpindi

Operation against Haqqani The latest ‘Memogate’ controversy has surely made ambassador Hussain Haqqani quite popular as prior to this episode not many Pakistani were aware of his identity as such a significant personality.

With a majority of people claiming that they had heard about him and that he was someone as dangerous as OBL – a public opinion poll aired on a national TV channel – displays the fact quite perfectly.

Since the Americans were hell bent upon Pakistan for eliminating the Haqqani Network’s presence in Pakistan, it is surely the only reason why the poor public has linked only terrorism and deception with the name. Can anyone blame them?

Surely not. Pakistan, it seems has taken the task provided by the US to heart and has opened up an honest operation against Haqqani. Well, does it matter which Haqqani network it is as long as it threatens the nation and compromises the state’s sovereignty?

One thing is sure in this backdrop that an operation launched against the Haqqani Network would become a full fledged war for Pakistan. How correct our political and security analysts had been?

This is just the first part of the battle, the real show is yet to follow. Let’s hope the nation emerges out of it triumphantly.

PROFESSOR KABIL KHAN Peshawar

The Afghan jirga has concluded by allowing the presence of American troops in the country for 10 years beyond 2014. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has set and provided the US with terms and conditions for a long term troop presence in Afghanistan.

On one hand, he wants and demands for national sovereignty to be given back to him while on the other hand is ready to allow indefinite foreign invasion and troop presence are antithetical to each other. That the demands of discontinuation of night raids that become instrumental in the killing of thousands of innocent Afghanis and controlling the activity of civil-military presence in the garb of development workers are pre-conditions that he has posed for such an eventuality.

Such demands, it needs to be noted, have been made by Karzai for a long time now. Either his voice is not reaching the US ear or his tone lacks substance is something that needs to be pondered upon as it has made no difference in the US operations in Afghanistan. So how can Karzai ensure that the preconditions will not be flouted once again? Conditions or no conditions, allowing extended US military presence in the region is something that will affect the entire South Asian region.

Prospects of further extension in the insurgency can surely be guaranteed as the Taliban have already made this amply clear. And that its aftershocks will prevent peace in the tribal areas of Pakistan that is inextricably linked to the security situation in Afghanistan is inevitable.

One thing is for sure keeping in mind all previous endeavours made towards attaining a peaceful resolution in Afghanistan that views of every group either in minority or majority, need to be accommodated and the objectives that are to be achieved should also be presented in a clear transparent manner. Does the fact that a prolonged military presence be beneficial in training the Afghan National Army enough reason for doing so or is there more than what meets the eye?

DR SAFA RAHMAN Islamabad

Rotting relief goods Reports are pouring in from various upper and lower Sindh districts, which experienced super floods for two years, that the warehouses full of goods for the flood victims are in a bad condition.

Goods in them are rotting and many of them have expired but not utilised.

Obviously, along with the Mother Nature our insensitive rulers, inept bureaucrats, crafty technocrats and thick skinned local and national NGO activists have been unkind to these calamity-hit people.

The careless and callous rulers have no time for the victims, and the ineffective and incompetent bureaucrats have no idea of the miseries of these people.

How can they evaluate the intensity of their miseries, the shrewd technocrats consider such disasters as opportunities to fatten their own pockets whereas the money crazy local and national NGOs’ activists do not leave any stone unturned to hatch such schemes which become the cause of ruthless wastage of resources only in beautiful breakfasts, lovely lunches and delicious dinners at the start and in the end of the daylong workshops after workshops for the participants.

I am of this firm opinion if the available resources and the relief goods, which are rotting or sold out in the black market at a throwaway price, are distributed or used judiciously and uprightly among the rain and flood-ravaged victims, they would not be in such a plight as the one they are in now.

Is there any humane and God-fearing in the corridors of power and politics to take notice of rotting relief goods inside the warehouses, misuse of money and other resources being misused in non-productive activities and corruption of bureaucrats, technocrats and local and national NGOs in the flood and rain-affected upper and lower Sindh districts?

HASHIM ABRO Islamabad

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

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12 Comment New in DC No right way to do this job

S

he has her job cut out for her. If she thought the travails of running the information ministry were tough, Sherry Rehman has another thing coming when the initial rush of the ambassadorial appointment wears off and the bleak realities that come with the job sink in. To call it a tight-rope walk would be oversimplifying it.

Since 2008, our diplomatic assignment to the US has suffered the fate that their counterparts in India had been facing all along: to be looked at with suspicion if you were actually good at your job. The job in question being diplomacy, that ancient craft replete with the laws of takalluf, whispered suggestions and sugary eloquence.

When it comes to situations of conflict in India – and, increasingly, the US - the establishment back home doesn’t want any expert use of wry understatement but a Wagah-like goose step. And in situations of goodwill, a recall is expected because genuine goodwill with a country like India (and now, a terror-focused US) is indicative of the diplomatic corps doing something wrong somehow.

That all ensures Ms Rehman will have, regardless of how she does her job, her share of detractors both within the country and without. If she makes effective statements of solidarity in the shared struggle against terror, she becomes “America’s ambassador to America.” On the other hand, a pursuit of the policy of smug indignation which demands aid without having any progress on the war on terror front to show for it would peeve off the US state and defence departments.

Truth be told, both Ms Rehman and her boss, foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, like most of the professional foreign service itself, exist only to soften the blows. Even an expert dexterity at this courier-like assignment can go only so far in keeping one’s country out of harm’s way if those who call the shots back home insist on a march of folly.

to the SC now the memo saga isn’t over yet

D

espite Hussain Haqqani’s resignation and replacement by a new ambassador, the issue of Mansoor Ijaz’s memo continues to reverberate.

With the deadline given by Nawaz Sharif for the appointment of an investigation committee ending, the PML(N) has taken the matter to the SC. Nawaz has declined to carry out his threat of PML(N) resigning from the assemblies if the demand was not accepted. He has decided not to take the issue to the parliament as he believes the forum’s decisions remain un-implemented.

The PML(N) has also cancelled its Gujranwala rally to enable its leadership to be present at the court.

Interestingly, Nawaz has declined to make the prime minister a party in the petition, instead calling upon the apex court to summon Zardari, Kayani, Pasha, Haqqani, Mansoor Ijaz and foreign and interior secretaries as respondents. The PML(N) can, thus, claim that it is keen to ensure the continuation of the system . The petition maintains that those who were involved in any way in the production of the memo have conspired to weaken and demoralise the armed forces and are thus disloyal to the state.

Till Wednesday morning, the government was undecided over the investigation committee it had promised to set up. Reportedly, the matter also popped up during the one-on-one meeting between the president and COAS on Wednesday. In case, the SC decides to take up the petition the government might find that has been overtaken by events. The SC alone can decide if it can send a binding summons to a foreign citizen and call a president enjoying immunity under Article 248 from being answerable to a court. It would be the first time in the country’s history when a COAS and a DG ISI are made to appear before any court.

While the issue is now before the SC, what one expects is that all stakeholders would work towards strengthening the system. There is only one way in which this can be done: following the constitution in letter and spirit. One hopes all institutions would work together to fortify the democratic process initiated after 2008. Among other things that need to be done is to ensure that the principle of military subservience to the civilian authorities is completely upheld so as to dispense with any possible reason on the latter’s part to look for external props.

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

Friday, 25 November, 2011

The man who said he could “Because a dream has no time frame…”

third Eye

By M J Akbar

B

etween Oxbridge and partridge, Imran Khan could have lived happily ever after, milking the first and shooting the second, a Lord of Swing wafting on privileges due to a legitimate national hero who brought home the World Cup in 1992. He could have taken the soft route to power.

Zia-ul-Haq invited him to join his cabinet.

Imran refused, a singularly sensible decision, not least because the fundamentalist dictator was dead within a few weeks of his offer. Instead, Imran Khan chose to test his commitment and fortitude in the deadly chaos of Pakistan’s electoral politics. This book is the story of how a big boy who also played at night grew up to become Man of Destiny. The odds are good that he could lead his country’s government in 2013.

You cannot be a serious candidate for the White House without an autobiography on the store shelves. No such intellectual strain is demanded of Pakistan’s aspirants.

Long-term despots like Ayub Khan and Pervez Musharraf preferred to publish after being booed out of office, when they were finally able to sort out the difference between friends and masters. The third general who ruled for a decade, and could possibly thereby deserve the adjective decadent, Zia-ul-Haq, was prevented from literary endeavour due to a sudden recall by the Almighty. Benazir Bhutto patched together something in exile, but it was only an abject plea to Washington for help on grounds of gender affirmation in an “Islamic” world overburdened with burqas. So Imran Khan’s effort is as rare as it is welcome.

It is also sensationally sincere.

Any Pakistani politician would count the votes before expressing such public disdain for Saudi-sponsored Wahabi brand of Islamisation. It is easier, in the political calculus, to rage at American drones: Imran is livid at Bush’s “insane” war on terror, which has “decimated two countries, Iraq and Afghanistan, and brought a third, Pakistan, almost to the verge of collapse”. But it needs confidence, in oneself and one’s faith, to take on hard-line clergy.

Imran Khan has never disguised his strong commitment to Islam. He prays in the congregation of his local mosque, along with his son. At one

point his close friend, the irreverent Yousaf Salahuddin, grandson of the poet Iqbal and inheritor of a splendid haveli in Lahore, began to wonder if Imran would go the way of Fazal Mahmood, the pin-up Pak cricket captain who grew a long beard and turned to God. But Imran has never confused religion with religiosity. He has become the face and voice of an emerging Pakistan that is as tired of humbug clerics as it is of an American war that seems to have lost all purpose except the propagation of time lines for domestic reasons.

I hope Imran’s sincerity survives his upward mobility; candour is considered bad manners in politics. Many of his peers, particularly in media, with a familiar and caustic cynicism, have labelled Imran stupid because he is transparent. He is caricatured as “Im the Dim” by those who are not always sure about the difference between wit and twit.

Imran does open himself up to intellectual disdain when he describes his faith in clairvoyants, particularly those who foresaw him as saviour of his country. He was once as skeptical about them as any of the party crowd. But in 1987, after he had retired from cricket and was on a shooting trip north of Lahore, he met a village pir called Baba Chala, with piercing eyes and happy face, who told him he would return to cricket, and informed Imran’s hunting companion Mohammed Siddique exactly how and to what extent he was being defrauded in a business deal. The next year Imran met Mian Bashir, “the single most powerful spiritual influence on me” and the man who would “completely change my direction in life”. Bashir died in 2005, still a poor man, so there is no chance that he will influence policy if Imran is sworn in. An-

other celebrity might have kept such matters private for fear of ridicule. It would be uncharacteristic of Imran to do so.

Liberals who laughed last year are shaking their heads at the prospect of Imran Khan as prime minister next year.

[There is no danger of Imran being coopted by the establishment before that because he believes the Zardari government to be the worst in Pakistan’s history.] Fundamentalists who once wanted to ban cricket coverage on TV because the sight of Imran rubbing a red cherry on his trouserfront was titillating many a feminine libido, are scratching their beards in wonder.

Imran remains unfazed. He does not give his critics the pleasure of revenge; he ignores them with an aristocratic hauteur that doubtless doubles their rage. It isn’t that he is icy cool by temperament. He once came close to hitting me when I asked an awkward question during a TV interview in which Gavaskar was the other guest. Fortunately, he preferred restraint and our friendship survived. This is probably the moment for full disclosure. He has praised my book, Tinderbox: The Past and Future of Pakistan, handsomely in this autobiography. I cannot say that this review is immune from affection.

But it is no exaggeration to note that Imran is a man with significant achievements and splendid ambitions. Irrespective of what he does in the future, his finest work will be, in the opinion of many, the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital, which specialises in cancer care for the poor, and is a tribute to his mother, who died after a long and painful struggle with cancer in 1985. Imran raised the funds personally, rupee by difficult rupee.

Imran’s track record in politics would have destroyed anyone with less confidence. He has lost more elections than he is ever going to win, some so comprehensively as to be humiliating.

He once contested from seven different constituencies and lost all. When, in an Army-controlled general election, he did get through, Musharraf rather spoilt the limited pleasure by disclosing that he had rigged the results.

Imran says that he led his team to victory in the 1992 World Cup when all seemed lost and he was playing with a cartilage in his shoulder, because he had lost the fear of failure.

Such courage has helped him survive till this moment, when his popularity has suddenly acquired critical mass.

His former wife Jemima once asked him how long he would pursue politics despite such abject failure. “But I couldn’t answer,” writes Imran, “simply because a dream has no time frame.”

It is time for that dream to come true.

The columnist is editor of The Sunday Guardian, published from Delhi, India on Sunday, published from London and Editorial Director, India Today and Headlines Today.

Regional Press

Strict security during muharram Daily Khabroona

F

ollowing the example of the past couple of years, strict security measures have been adopted to avoid any kind of untoward happening – be it sectarian or extremism or a sabotage act – in the capital city Peshawar in the wake of Muharram-ul-Harram.

Personnel of law enforcing agencies now appear at every corner of main city areas and the suburban sensitive localities and entrances and exits to the capital city have been taken particular care of with considerable number of blockades being put in place at these points.

The security personnel have learnt to be vigilant and keep an eye out for suspicious figures in the city. To up the ante, they are also carrying out raids on occasion in this regard. Sensitive areas, most prone to acts of terrorism, have also been cordoned off carefully and are being watched through close circuit cameras placed at strategic places.

But despite all these ‘preventive’ measures, people are

still live in fear of acts of terrorism, sectarian brawls and other untoward happenings during Muharram. It is because even though such security measures were taken in previous years, they were unable to stop untoward happenings and acts of violence occurred despite these stringent measures and innocent lives of citizens were lost as a result.

The pertinent question to ask of the government is whether this heightened level of security will be able to control and maintain peace during Muharram. Surely, before that start of Muharram, law enforcers can be witnessed at various points of the city but will they continue with their call of duty when the going gets tough. Masses expect the incumbent government to do the needful without causing too much inconvenience to the public. The government has taken substantive steps to maintain peace during Muharram in Peshawar but the real work is ensuring that nothing untoward happens despite all these measures.

– Translated from the original Pashto by Abdur Rauf Khattak

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Friday, 25 November, 2011

Truth must out Memogate exposes a royal mess within

Cross Currents

By Qudssia Akhlaque

T

he unsigned confidential memo delivered to top American military leader Admiral Mike Mullen allegedly at the behest of President Zardari on May 10 (seeking US help to avert a possible army takeover) underlines the inherent distrust between Pakistan’s civil and military leadership and the inevitable US factor in the country’s politics. The memo promises a carte blanche for the US Administration to pursue its goals in Pakistan in return for intervention in aid of civilian control of Pakistan’s security establishment. Simple sum of this complex equation: we are willing to compromise on territorial sovereignty if you help us protect ourselves from the defenders of this territory!

The alleged author of the memo, Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, Mr. Hussain Haqqani, who has denied any link with it, was compelled to resign on Tuesday to clear way for a detailed probe. He did so after meeting with the troika amid mounting pressure and ‘evidence’ of his supposed involvement gathered by ISI chief Gen Shuja Pasha.

Aptly titled ‘Memogate’, the controversy has been marked by denials, ambiguity, blamegame, hysteria and conspiracy theories – typical ingredients of any scandal in Pakistan and the deafening din it creates. The contents of the memo are undoubtedly shocking but what is more distressing is dumbing of truth in the din of political rhetoric of the past week and an apparent resignation to the fact that truth will never be known.

The government simply

tried to sweep the matter under the carpet at first. When that didn’t work, it used the foreign office to deny it. The presidency stepped in to rubbish the issue when it refused to die down. Finally, when the existence of the memo and its receipt were confirmed by Mike Mullen’s spokesman, the go-between Mansoor Ijaz disclosed it was conceived by Ambassador Haqqani. All hell let loose with his claim and indication that the ambassador had the go-ahead from his ‘Big Boss’.

The explosive contents of the memo were leaked and splashed all over the media with spin doctors at both ends doing their job. Pressure from the army, parliamentarians and media eventually forced government to summon the man in the line of fire – Ambassador Haqqani, who refuted all allegations point blank. Dismissing Mr Ijaz’s claims, Mr Haqqani was quick to point to his controversial past and lack of credibility. Haqqani's assertion on Ijaz is shared by even Haqqani's detractors. Others have however recalled Haqqani’s controversial past too, including his readiness to switch political loyalties to further his personal ambitions.

Embarrassing as it may be for Pakistan, if allegations of its ostensible author and clearance from the real author’s ‘Boss’ are proven, it would expose the duplicity of the present government.

That it granted extensions to the army and the ISI chiefs at home and sought US help to tame them behind the scene. If true, it only points to innate weakness of successive governments in Pakistan that invariably turn to foreign powers particularly the US for support in internal affairs.

Critics of the memo call it a serious breach of national security or even treasonable but cynics insist that the contents of the memo are long-known symptoms of the Pakistani political malaise. It exposes the underlying tension between the so-called democratic forces and the army or the civil-military divide and reflects the tendency to sacrifice national interest and

patriotism at the altar of political exigencies and self-preservation.

Perhaps, the truth lies somewhere in between. While a credible inquiry is in order it is important that it is transparent and its findings be made public.

That it is not hijacked by powers that be in the name of national security. It must not become another exercise in futility to buy time to let another explosive issue push this one on the back burner.

The concern of the truth never surfacing is not ill-placed given a pattern of inquiry commissions in the past on matters of national security. The nation is still in the dark about the truth about Dr A Q Khan’s unceremonious ouster, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, Raymond Davis’s pardon, journalist Saleem Shahzad’s murder and Osama Bin Laden’s presence and assassination in the garrison town of Abbottabad.

Signed or unsigned, ‘secret memos’ are a self-defeating exercise. Such clever-by-half devices are by no means a solution to our internal problems. It is in Pakistan’s best interest to narrow down the civil-military divide and not to aggravate it.

The assumption should always be that even the communication marked as ‘Confidential’, ‘Secret’ or ‘Classified’ is vulnerable to leaks. If anything WikiLeaks is evidence of the fact that, sooner or later, it all comes out. For those holding public offices and in position of authority it is better to play it straight and clean from the outset than be devious and face humiliation later. Intrigues, deceit and double-crossing may bring momentary gains but end in shame and utter disgrace. History is replete with such examples.

The writer is a senior journalist and has been a diplomatic correspondent for leading dailies. She was an Alfred Friendly Press Fellow at The Chicago Tribune in the US and a Press Fellow at Wolfson College, Cambridge, UK. She can be reached at qudssia@hotmail.com

Comment 13

Eat dirt the real environmental hazard

W

e've all heard of schemes for environmental improvement in urban areas of Pakistan but the Punjab has always taken the lead.

Perhaps all this environmental consciousness is borne from the growth rates this Province sustained just over five years ago but we've fallen on hard times since then. From waste management to natural gas powered buses, our ecological initiatives may be few and far between, but they all have a remarkable tendency to start stinking faster than they can be churned out by all the Oompa Loompas working at that Chocolate Factory on Lahore's Mall Road – the Punjab Civil Secretariat.

The few times we have managed to pull off some miracle of environmental improvement, we've followed elitist agendas that not only absorb the resources that would have been better (mis)spent elsewhere but create inequitable and ghastly partitions in our cities. Just look at the civil works taking place in and around the city of Lahore nowadays and you would wonder if just one city should be allowed to gobble up what some other town contributed to the provincial kitty. Definitely not. But while contractors and their commission agents would be happy with this state of

By Hassaan Ghazali affairs, your favourite columnist is grumbling.

While we are mulling over an ecological crisis, I think it’s time citizens came to realise that their greatest environmental challenge is probably not the internal combustion engine or some paper factory's smoke stack at all but something far more humble. To my mind, the dust in our urban environment is far more dangerous as it affects more people and it's unavoidable. You practically swim in it every day. Whether you are jogging in the park or driving down a road with the window open, dust will find you. So here are some reasons why you should be carrying face masks wherever you go.

Road dust in our urban areas is not just a nuisance for pedestrians and thousands of unenclosed commuters using motorbikes or cycles, its killing them. For the humble grains blowing hither and tither carry a lot more than simple organic matter when they enter your respiratory system. After all dust serves us a sinister cocktail of sil-

Purely Pakistan

ica, aluminium, toxic metals, and bacteria – all garnished with dead skin cells from my fellow countrymen. It sounds yummy but it isn’t. This particulate matter, especially the tiny stuff, doesn’t just settle down with the moisture in our mouths or nasal passages and adversely affects human health by venturing much further. Particles that evade being filtered out in the nose or throat can collect in the lung tissues, causing injury to the lungs. How badly they do so depends entirely on the amount of dust and kinds of particles involved.

So it appears the first thing the government needs to do if it has the political will to control dust is to analyse it, especially in communities situated in and around industrial or construction activities. If composition can be determined scientifically then that in itself is a major step forward. To actually reduce the dust in urban areas however will require a multi-pronged strategy if it is to succeed and no manner of half-baked arrangements would do.

We know that the major sources of dust in Pakistan are unpaved roads, uncovered construction materials and wind blown dust. Yet we allow this dust to first settle and then be re-suspended up to several hundred feet in the air whenever a vehicle goes over it. If you can see it, chances are that you are breathing it. But seeing it in itself may not be such a bad thing after all. We can put pressure on the government to control dust only when we can see it with our own eyes. But the more important issue would always be the fine particles which we don’t see. So let the government tell us what is the dust composition and we can decide on a course of action for ourselves. Until then, if you must feel absolutely compelled to breathe in our cities, don't inhale.

And if you have come to accept dust as something that you just have to live with every day, you would do well to remember the video footage from 9/11 when dust had its way with the people of New York City. God forbid such a horrendous event should occur here but we have no need of Bin Laden to subject citizens to this form of torture.

Perhaps it is time for governments to make meaningful improvements in our lives and stop paying lip service to public health and the environment.

The writer is a consultant on public policy.

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16 Foreign News

Friday, 25 November, 2011

Syria agrees to let in Arab League monitors

g

arab ministers gather to discuss Syrian sanctions France calls for humanitarian zone to protect civilians g

CAIRO

S

REutERS

YRIA has accepted an Arab League plan to send monitors to observe an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad and will sign a protocol to that effect, Iraq's foreign minister said on Thursday.

Syria's acceptance of a proposal it has previously sought to amend appeared to be a last-ditch attempt to fend off sanctions being discussed by Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo. "Syria has agreed fully to the protocol," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told reporters in Cairo.

There was no immediate confirmation from Syria and Arab League officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

Meanwhile, Arab foreign ministers gathered in Cairo on Thurs-

day to discuss imposing sanctions on Syria for failing to implement an Arab League plan to end a crackdown on protests against President Bashar al-Assad.

The League, which for decades has spurned ordering action against a member state, has suspended Syria and threatened unspecified sanctions for ignoring the deal it had signed up to.

Syria has turned its tanks and troops on civilian protesters, as well as on armed insurgents challenging Assad's 11-year rule. The United Nations says more than 3,500 people have been killed.

"Syria has not offered anything to move the situation forward," said a senior Arab diplomat at the League, adding that it was considering what kind of sanctions to impose.

"The position of the Arab states is almost unified. We all agree ... that the situation does not lead to civil war and that no

Two killed ahead of Arab league meeting on syria NICOSIA: At least two more civilians were killed in Syria on Thursday, activists said, as the Arab League prepared to meet to discuss measures against Damascus over its bloody crackdown on dissent. It said heavy machinegun fire blasted the city of Rastan following a one-hour clash early on Thursday between soldiers and army defectors. Ahead of the Arab League meeting in the Egyptian capital, Lebanon's Foreign Minister Adnan Mansur said Beirut would not endorse any potential sanctions against Syria.

"Lebanon will not endorse any sanctions by the Arab League against Syria," Mansur, who is backed by the Shiite militant group Hezbollah which is supported by Damascus and Tehran, said before heading to Cairo. AFP foreign intervention takes place," he said. Khaled al-Habasi, an adviser to Arab League SecretaryGeneral Nabil Elaraby, said the body was "working on uniting the Syrian opposition on a vision regarding the future of Syria during the transitional period" and draw-

ing up sanctions.

Earlier this month, the League asked Syrian opposition groups to submit their ideas for a transition of power ahead of a planned bigger conference on Syria's future.

These included imposing a

travel ban on Syrian officials, freezing bank transfers or funds in Arab states related to Assad's government and stopping Arab projects in Syria, he said.

France called on Wednesday for a "secured zone to protect civilians" in Syria, the first time a major Western power has suggested international intervention on the ground.

After the uprising erupted in Libya, the League suspended Tripoli and also called for a no-fly zone that paved the way for a U.N. Security Council resolution and NATO air strikes. Arabs have shown no appetite so far for following a similar route with Syria, which neighbours Israel and lies on the faultlines of several interlocking conflicts in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, facing its worst economic crisis, Syria is banking on boosting self-sufficiency to overcome sanctions, Economy Minister Mohammed Nidal al-

Hamas-Fatah talks begin in Cairo

North Korea rejects UN ‘smear campaign’ on rights

CAIRO: Top-level talks between Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas and Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal got underway at a Cairo hotel on Thursday in a bid to resolve issues blocking implementation of a unity deal. The two leaders were seen entering a room to begin talks in their first meeting since May, when they signed a surprise reconciliation deal aimed at ending years of bitter rivalry.

Izzat al-Rishq, a Hamas leader from Damascus, said the talks "will start with a face-toface meeting between Abbas and Meshaal which will last about two hours." The meeting would then be opened up to delegations from the two factions, he said late on Wednesday. On the agenda are key issues including the adoption of a unified Palestinian strategy, forming an interim government, reform of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and agreeing on a date for elections. Under terms of the May agreement they were to have worked on setting up interim government of technocrats to pave the way for presidential and parliamentary elections within a year. AFP

SEOUL AFP

Pyongyang Thursday rejected a United Nations resolution condemning human rights abuses by North Korea, denouncing it as a smear campaign led by the United States.

A foreign ministry spokesman said that no matter how ferocious the campaigns by "hostile forces", they would not shake the "faith in socialism firmly rooted in people's minds". "The resolution circus... is a typical smear campaign repeated every year by the US and sycophants hostile to us," the spokesman was quoted as saying

by Pyongyang's official news agency. "We, as always, strongly reject the resolution, a summation of double standards in human rights issues, which is full of falsehood and fabrications." Record numbers of countries voted Monday in favour of UN General Assembly resolutions condemning human rights abuses in Iran, North Korea and Myanmar.The North Korea vote was passed with 112 votes in favor, 16 against and 55 abstentions. The assembly raised "very serious concern" over the "torture" and "inhuman conditions of detention, public executions, extra-judicial and arbitrary detention" in North Korea. It also condemned the "existence of a large number of prison camps and the extensive use of forced labour".

quartet urges israel to release Palestinian funds atHeNS: Protesters scuffle with riot police outside the data centre of the state-controlled Public Power Company (PPC), as riot police ended a five-day union occupation of the centre carried out to prevent the collection of an unpopular property tax through electricity bills. AFP

Cairo clashes pause, but protest continues g

tens of thousands mass in central square egypt military apologises as truce agreed g

CAIRO REutERS

Clashes between Egyptian riot police and protesters stopped overnight for the first time in days on Thursday, though demonstrators occupying Cairo's Tahrir Square vowed to stay put until the army relinquished power.

"We want to stop these clashes, people are dying...they are young kids throwing stones at the police," said 30year-old protester Osama Abu Seree.

In the first significant pause in violence since Saturday, clashes stopped at midnight in Tahrir and elsewhere after protesters agreed with police to stay in the square. But the thousands who thronged the square were undeterred in their determination to protest at the deaths of more than 30 people in the violence and reject the army's offer of a referendum on its rule. "He goes, we won't," declared one banner in a reference to the head of the military council, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi. The army and the Muslim

Shaar said in an exclusive interview Thursday.

"This is not an easy crisis. It's the worst in our recent history because it is immediately affecting the Syrian citizen -- it's affecting the street, it's affecting factories, it's affecting the business community," Shaar said.

"It's affecting everyone and this is definitely not fair at all."

"We don't expect all Arab countries to yield or participate in sanctions," he added. "In fact, we are almost certain that some Arab countries will not participate."

But as sanctions close in on the regime of Bashar al-Assad, Shaar is adamant Syria can look inwards for a way out.

"What we need today is to make ourselves more efficient in our self-sufficiency by distributing more efficiently our resources and factors of production, by better management of our trade and factories," he said.

egypt army says leaving power now would be ‘betrayal’ CAIRO: Members of Egypt's ruling military council on Thursday rejected calls to step down immediately, saying it would amount to a "betrayal" as anti-military protests entered their seventh day. "The people have entrusted us with a mission and if we abandon it now, it would be a betrayal of the people," said General Mukthar al-Mulla, a member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces which took power when veteran president Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February. "Our goal is not to leave power or to remain in power, but it's to implement our commitment to the people," Mulla told reporters. He confirmed that the first elections since Mubarak's ouster will go ahead on schedule on Monday. AFP Brotherhood, which expects to do well in the election, says it must go ahead but many protesters are unwilling to trust the army to oversee a clean vote and hand real control of the country to the winner. The generals' popularity has waned in the nine months since they nudged President Hosni Mubarak from office and swore to steer the country towards civilian democracy, as sus-

picion grew that they were manoeuvring to stay in power beyond elections.

"The military council must leave and hand power to civilians. They don't want to leave so that their corruption isn't exposed," said 23-yearold student Ahmed Essam.

He said he joined the protests when he saw riot police raining blows on peaceful demonstrators on Satur-

day. "Everything is like in Mubarak's time," he said.

In Tahrir Square, protesters on Thursday prevented anyone from entering and chanted "go back go back". There had been marches in the square since Wednesday afternoon calling for an end to bloodshed. What started as a sit-in on Saturday night has turned into a mass demonstration reminiscent of the 18-day uprising against Mubarak as Egyptians appalled at the mistreatment of protesters joined them in solidarity. The Health Ministry said 32 people had been killed and 2,000 wounded in disturbances across the country of 80 million.

Meanwhile, Egypt's military rulers apologised on Thursday for the deaths of demonstrators at the hands of police as a truce brought calm back to the outskirts of Cairo's Tahrir Square, scene of days of deadly clashes.

"An agreement has been reached between security forces and protesters to halt confrontations between the two sides," the cabinet said in a statement on Facebook.

JERUSALEM: The international diplomatic Quartet late Wednesday called on the Israeli government to release "without delay" tax revenues due to the Palestinian Authority which it is withholding. "I continue to call on the Israeli government to release the clearance revenues it is withholding from the Palestinian Authority without delay and resume their transfer on a regular basis," a statement from Quartet Middle East envoy Tony Blair said. "The funds are vital for the functioning of the PA and Israel's withholding of these Palestinian funds threatens the salaries of some 180,000 employees, including Palestinian security officials who are working to provide security in the West Bank," it added. AFP

China to offer social security to tibetan clergy BEIJING: China will start paying pensions to monks and nuns in its Tibetan areas, the official Xinhua news agency said Thursday, after a run of self-immolations by Buddhist clergy protesting religious repression. Beijing has come under mounting international criticism over its treatment of Tibetan Buddhists in recent months, with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calling on China to "embrace a different path". Eleven monks and nuns have set fire to themselves this year in what rights groups say is a sign of the desperation felt by Tibetan Buddhists in China, where some have been subjected to religious "reeducation" and even torture.

China, which has invested heavily in development in its ethnically Tibetan regions, maintains that it has brought modernisation and a better standard of living. AFP

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Friday, 25 November, 2011

Foreign News 17 two shot dead in renewed Saudi Shiite protests RIYADH AFP

Two men were shot dead as protests erupted among the Shiite minority in Saudi Arabia's oil-rich east, the government said on Thursday, in clashes that prompted leaders from both sides to call for calm. The deaths bring the toll since Sunday to four, with at least nine other people wounded, including two policemen and one woman, said the interior ministry.

Sunday's deaths triggered clashes the following day, when demonstrators took to the streets in the mostly Shiite Qatif region of Eastern Province to protest the suspicious death of 19-year-old Nasser alMheishi, whose wounded body had been found near a police checkpoint in the town of Shweika. On Thursday, the government and Shiite leaders warned against the escalating tensions. In a statement carried

by SPA state news agency, the Saudi interior ministry called on leaders in Qatif to control "those who are misled to avoid innocent casualties." In response, Shiite clerics and activists warned against the dangers of a "deteriorating situation." Shiites in oil-rich Saudi Arabia often complain of being marginalised.

Several killed in ethnic Nigerian clashes SaNaa: Yemeni anti-government protesters react after President ali abdullah Saleh signed a deal transfer power. Saleh signed a gulf and UN-brokered deal to hand over his powers after 33 years in office, ending months of delay that had seen protests that erupted in January degenerate into deadly unrest. AFP

Deaths cast pall over Saleh’s exit deal SANAA AFP

L

OYALISTS of President Ali Abdullah Saleh shot dead at least five people in the Yemeni capital on Thursday casting a pall over a hard-won deal for his departure after 33 years in power.

The shooting by gunmen in plainclothes came as tens of thousands gathered for a mass protest against promises of immunity from prosecution for Saleh and his family under the UN-backed accord signed with the parliamentary opposition.

Thirty-four other people were wounded, the medics said.

The anti-regime protesters came under fire as they marched towards the city centre, with the demonstrators blaming the attack on Saleh's "thugs."

Activists behind 10 months of protests had called for a huge protest rally against the promises of immunity under the deal which the veteran president finally signed in Riyadh on Wednesday after months of prevarication.

The protesters also chanted slogans against the Common Forum parliamentary opposition bloc led by the Islamist party Al-Islah which was the first to sign up to the plan drawn up by impoverished Yemen's wealthy Gulf neighbours.

After the latest killings, the marchers returned to Change Square as pro- and anti-Saleh gunmen deployed across the capital, sending tensions soaring. In Yemen's second-largest city Taez, another centre of the protests against Saleh, "hundreds of thousands" took to the streets on Thursday with similar demands, organisers said, without reporting any early clashes.

Protester slaps indian minister NEW DELHI AFP

A demonstrator slapped Indian Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who is also president of the International Cricket Council, in the face Thursday in a protest against corruption.

The attacker landed a blow on Pawar's cheek before being pulled away by security staff. He then brandished a small knife as he shouted insults at the minister, who was unhurt by the assault. "You are all corrupt... People are fed up," the man said, adding that the Indian government must adopt a tough anti-graft law being considered by lawmakers. The same attacker, who was detained by police on Thursday, had on Saturday assaulted a former minister in a court in New Delhi after a judge handed down a fiveyear prison term to the politician over a 1996 corruption case. Other Indian politicians have also recently had shoes thrown at them.

Under Wednesday's deal, Saleh is to hand his powers over immediately to Vice President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi and hold office on an honorary basis only for the coming 90 days.

But the youth, as the driving force of the protest movement in the face of a bloody crackdown that has left hundreds dead since January, are demanding Saleh and his family face prosecution and that the whole regime be dismantled.

"We will stage a million-man march today to reject the guarantees given to Saleh," said Walid al-Ammari, a spokesman for the youth activists.

Ammari said Saleh's agreement to hand his powers to the vice president made no real difference.

"We will continue until we have toppled the rest of the regime," he said.

"We did not start a revolution to keep half of the killers."

Hadi, Yemen's low-profile vice president for the past 17 years, is "just another arm of Saleh," Ammari said.

Wednesday's agreement provides for Hadi to assume "all powers necessary... for organising early elections within a 90-day period."

The opposition is to nominate a candidate to head a government of national unity charged with holding talks with the youth activists.

World leaders have called on both sides in Yemen's protracted power struggle to seize on the opportunity of the Riyadh agreement to end the bloodshed.

Saleh's long equivocation over signing the Gulf transition deal saw the protests slide into deadly clashes between loyalist and dissident troops and tribesmen that have riven the capital and left the armed forces deeply divided.

Chinese navy to carry out Pacific exercises BEIJING AFP

China has said it will conduct ‘routine’ naval exercises in the Pacific Ocean, in the week after a major diplomatic campaign by US President Barack Obama to assert the United States as a Pacific power.

The defence ministry said the exercises, to be held later this month, did not target any particular country, but the announcement comes against a background of growing tensions over maritime disputes in the Asia-Pacific region.

Obama, who has dubbed himself America's first Pacific president, said last week the US would deploy up to 2,500 Marines to Australia and tighten air force cooperation, a move seen as a response to China's growing regional might.

China's freedom of navigation "shall not be subject to any form of hindrance", the defence ministry said in a brief statement late Wednesday announcing the naval exercises in the western Pacific.

"This is a routine drill arranged under an annual plan, does not tar-

get any particular country or target, and complies with relevant international laws and international practice," it added.

China's Premier Wen Jiabao has warned against interference by "external forces" in regional territorial disputes including in the South China Sea, a strategic and resourcerich area where several nations have overlapping claims.

China claims all of the maritime area, as does Taiwan, while four Southeast Asian countries declare ownership of parts of it, with Vietnam and the Philippines accusing Chinese forces of increasing aggression there.

The competing claims have led to periodic outbreaks of tension between China and its neighbours in recent years, including with the Philippines and Vietnam in recent months, and with Japan in late 2010.

China's People's Liberation Army, the largest armed force in the world, is primarily a land force, but its navy is playing an increasingly important role as Beijing grows more assertive

about its territorial claims.

Earlier this year, the Pentagon warned that Beijing was increasingly focused on its naval power and had invested in high-tech weaponry that would extend its reach in the Pacific and beyond.

Recent trials of China's first aircraft carrier underlined the scale of Beijing's naval ambitions, sparking jitters in the United States and Japan. China, which publicly announced around 50 separate naval exercises in the seas off its coast over the past two years -- usually after the event -- says its military is only focused on defending the country's territory. Asia-Pacific leaders held talks on the disputed territories at a summit Saturday, in a major diplomatic coup for the US, which had pushed for the topic to be raised, despite objections from Beijing.

China's official comments on Obama's trip were muted, but state news agency Xinhua said Asian suspicions would be raised by the plan to base troops in Australia and by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's declaration that the 21st century will be "America's Pacific century".

JOS AFP

Clashes between Muslim and Christian ethnic groups in central Nigeria Thursday caused "enormous" destruction, with a number of people dead and houses burned, a military officer said.

"Lives have been lost, houses have been burned," Captain Charles Ekeocha said, adding that exact details were not known "but the loss is enormous." The clashes appeared to result from reprisals carried out for violence that had occurred over the previous weekend. Plateau state lies in the so-called middle belt region between the mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south of Africa's most populous nation..

thailand asks Facebook to delete 'offensive' content BANGKOK AFP

Thailand has asked social networking website Facebook to delete more than 10,000 pages of content containing images or text which it claims are "offensive" to the monarchy, a minister said Thursday. The news comes a day after a Thai court jailed a man for 20 years for sending four text messages deemed insulting to the monarchy, alarming critics who say the kingdom's strict lese-majeste laws hamper free speech.

"There are more than 10,000 URLs which seem to insult the monarchy," the country's information minister Anudith Nakornthap said, adding that people should not click "Like" or comment on "offensive" posts as this would be considered indirect dissemination of the material. Under Thai law, anyone convicted of insulting the king, queen, heir or regent can face a prison sentence of up to 15 years for each offence. Even repeating details of an alleged offence is illegal.

Six feared dead in small plane crash in arizona WASHINGTON AFP

A small plane carrying six people crashed in a fireball in the Superstition Mountains near Apache Junction, Arizona on Wednesday, and those aboard were feared dead, local authorities said. "We just know there were six people on board. Given the nature of the crash and where it happened, it is highly unlikely that anybody survived," Elias Johnson, a spokesman for the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.

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Friday, 25 November, 2011

‘Sesame Street’ turns

‘Simsim Hamara’

IN LIMELIGHT GOA: Shah Rukh Khan speaks during the inauguration ceremony of the 42nd International Film Festival of India.

in Urdu adaptation LAHORE

StAFF REPORt

A much awaited event will launch the first official adaptation of Sesame Street in Urdu, for Pakistani children. The project is a collaboration between the Rafi Peer Thea t r e Group a n d the

USAID. The event is to be held at the Marquee Studio on Raiwind Road at 11:30 am.

It has been organised by the Pakistan Children’s Television and Rafi Peer. The name of the program has been changed to ‘Simsim Hamara’. The event will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2011.

PaRiS: a satin evening gown that Napoleon bonaparte's wife Josephine wore estimated between 60,000 to 80,000 euros will be sold off by the Osenat auction house on december 4.

mUmbai: Kangana Ranaut poses during a promotional event for tru trussardi eyewear. beRLiN: antonio banderas and Salma Hayek arrive for the german premiere screening of animation film ‘Puss in boots’ they voiced.

John gets nervous dancing in front of ex Bipasha MUMBAI zEENEWS

It can be tricky when one has to perform in front of your ex, especially when you haven’t parted on good terms. Recently John Abra-

ham was in a similar situation because of friend and co-star Akshay Kumar. At an award function, John and Akshay were performing their ‘Desi Boyz’ act on the stage. A source informed, “Akshay was shut-

‘Desi Boyz’

tling between the audience and the stage during the performance. He first went to Shah Rukh Khan who was sitting next to Rekha.

He then moved on to his ‘Ajnabee’ co-star Bipasha.

Akki sat down next to Bipasha and gestured towards his co-actor John.

John came and stood with Akshay but he was visibly uncomfortable. While Akshay danced to the ‘Desi Boyz’ number, John just stood there and watched.

He then tried to pull Akki back on the stage.” The signature pelvic thrust that the boys were required to do left John in an uncomfortable situation in front of his former girlfriend.

is nothing like ‘Dostana’: Deepika

New YORK: Singer avril Lavigne attends the Picksie 2.0 launch party.

New YORK: taylor Swift performs onstage during the ‘Speak Now world tour’.

Emraan Hashmi

‘upset’

with Vidya Balan

MuMBAI: Deepika Padukone speaks about her upcoming film ‘Desi Boyz’ and her equation with Akshay Kumar and John Abraham. there is a general perception that ‘Desi Boyz’ has a ‘Dostana’ hangover. Says Deepika, “Not at all! In fact the first film that comes to my mind when I see Akshay Kumar and John Abraham together is ‘Garam Masala’ because that got them together for the first time. But let me tell you that ‘Desi Boyz’ is not in the same space as ‘Dostana’ or even ‘Garam Masala’. Just because it’s a film about male bonding, it doesn’t have to be like ‘Dostana’.”

After two films with Akshay we were expecting your pairing with him over John. “Exactly! Even the audiences would have assumed the same which would have made it a predictable casting. So director Rohit Dhawan thought there would be fresh chemistry with the pairing of John and me.” How pampered were you by the Desi Boys? “Oh, I was extremely pampered, especially by John who likes taking care of everyone close to him. Akshay Kumar of course has been a great support.” Without being diplomatic and if you had to choose only one - who would you say is hotter between Akshay and John? “I think it’s an invalid question because both are good looking guys and extremely charming.” AGENCIES

MuMBAI: actor emraan Hashmi, who has managed to carve a niche for himself, isn’t quite pleased with the promotions of ‘the dirty Picture’, or so we hear, what with vidya balan being treated to all the limelight thanks to her raunchy character. emraan, known for his on-screen kisses and fantastic songs that always make it to the top of charts, suddenly finds himself at the wrong end of the stick. but the unit members and the director, milan Luthria, deny every such triviality. “emraan has made himself available for every possible promotion. all actors knew the scope and length of their characters, and each and every one of them has an important part to play. why then would they sign the film to begin with? emraan has no inhibitions whatsoever and is as excited about the movie as anyone else involved in it,” says one from the crew. when we contacted emraan, he kept it short with, “it’s all nonsense” and went on to narrate what a fantastic time he had shooting with milan Luthria. AGENCIES

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19 Kareena Kapoor gets to choose her man in MUMBAI

mUmbai: vidya balan poses during a promotional event on the set of television serial ‘bade achche Lagte Hai’.

MIRROR

J

UST a few days before the film goes on floors, the cast of Madhur Bhandarkar’s film ‘Heroine’ has undergone a change, thanks to leading lady Kareena Kapoor. According to sources close to the project, the actress refused to get intimate with actor Arunoday Singh on screen. And Randeep Hooda had to fill in Singh’s shoes. Arunoday had been a part of the project from the very beginning. At that time, Singh was to share screen space with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. An excited Arunoday had then said, “Why feel the pressure? I am not going to fight a battle.

To work with Aishwarya would be amazing and I am looking forward to it.”

First ever violin album of Pakistan launched LAHORE XARI JALIL

mUmbai: Sonakshi Sinha poses during an event for FHm india magazine's fourth anniversary issue.

Will never fall in love with my co-stars:

Gerard Butler LONDON: Scottish actor Gerard Butler, who is looking for lasting love these days, says he is determined not to fall in love with movie co-stars after his previous on-set alliances ended in “disaster”. Butler, 42, who has been linked to a string of Hollywood beauties including his ‘the Bounty Hunter’ co-star Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz, admits it is too easy to become infatuated with an actress while at work, Contactmusic reported. “that’s a dangerous path. When you’re making a film with someone, you get to know them very well indeed and it’s too easy to develop a sort of obsession with them that you think at the time might be love.

But it isn’t. Earlier in my career, I had a couple of relationships with co-stars and both times it was a disaster,” he said. AGENCIES

Ghulam Ali Lahooti launched the first ever violin album of Pakistan in a small ceremony on Wednesday. The album has been named ‘The Voice of Soul’.

Lahooti has been playing violin since 20 years and planning to release an album since a long time. The album has been sponsored by Dr Ehsanul Haq of the Recovery Foundation while Akhtar Javed organised the ceremony. “The entire album comprises of 12 tracks out of which one has vocals while the rest are instrumental. The violin remains the lead instrument in the entire album,” he said. The album is also Lahooti’s first album. He has also opened Pakistan’s first violin school called the Ghulam Ali Lahooti Violin Music School, which has been established at Siddique Trade Centre.

“Violin schools are everywhere in the world but there was no such school here,” says the musician. His album tracks incorporate the use of Italian, Arabic and Scottish music elements with Raag Kalapati and some other folk songs played on the violin.

Radcliffe

The decision to replace Arunoday with Randeep has however, come as a surprise.

Hooda, in his Bollywood career spanning a decade, has carved a niche for himself in films that are generally tagged as ‘different’. The five film old Singh too entered the same space, eight years later. But leading lady Kareena seems to prefer Hooda to the newer actor. “Kareena approved of Randeep filling up for Arunoday. She was also informed at the earlier stage when Randeep was being approached,” informed our source. “Randeep is very happy to work with Bhandarkar and UTV. ‘Heroine’, after all, is a big film. He will be playing a cricketer in it,” added the source.

Bhandarkar confirmed, “The role was changed. Randeep suits it more now. Arunoday is a very talented guy. I am looking forward to working with him in the future.”

Learn from Shakespeare, study tells doctors PARIS AGENCIES

That’s one swell pout!

Woman desperate to look like Jessica Rabbit gets world’s biggest lips after 100 injections LONDON MAIL

A woman desperate to look like Jessica Rabbit has won the dubious honour of being in possession of the world’s biggest

crying at guilty forPotternotpremier LONDON: daniel Radcliffe admits feeling guilty about not crying at the world premiere of the final ‘Harry Potter’ film like his co-star Rupert grint, but insists he was very relieved to bid farewell to the movie franchise. thousands of fans had gathered to watch Radcliffe, grint and emma watson at London’s Leicester Square as the last installment, ‘Harry Potter and the deathly Hallows: Part 2’, was unveiled in July. However, while grint and watson broke down in tears on the red carpet, Radcliffe admits that he wasn’t so emotional, since he couldn’t help but feel glad to be “moving on”. “when you’re doing these insane press days where you do a few interviews then the red carpet and it’s just mad, i have a slight tendency to shut down and go on autopilot just to get through it and not feel completely weirded out by the whole thing,” Contactmusic quoted him as telling mtv.com. “what was strange to me was, in a way, i felt slightly bad because i wasn’t getting upset like everyone else was. i’ve seen Rupert grint cry once, on the last day of filming, when i was also in bits (upset), but i’ve never seen Rupert get emotional like he did at the premiere. i cannot go on enough about how much i loved my time on Potter.” AGENCIES

lips after having 100 silicone injections.

Kristina Rei, 22, was convinced her thin lips made her ugly so she opted to have them enlarged in the style of her favourite cartoon character, at a cost of more than £4,000. Now the nail technician admits she has an addiction, but still plans to have her so-called trout pout made even more outrageous. Each injection costs roughly £40 and is “extremely painful” but Kristina, from St Petersburg, Russia, insists nothing will stop her. She said: “I think I look fantastic and it makes me happy. Sometimes strangers shout names at me in the street - like big lips - but I don’t care. I want to go more extreme. I want to look like a cartoon character. I am addicted to it. I love it.” Kristina said she always believed her lips were too small and used to compare them to those around her. At school Kristina was bullied because of her looks. She said: “My classmates called me ‘ugly’. They didn’t tease me because of my lips specifically but I believed big, full lips would make me beautiful.” Kristina, who is single, recently reduced the frequency of the injections to once every few months.

Doctors should read up on Shakespeare, according to an unusual medical study that says the Bard was exceptionally skilled at spotting psychosomatic symptoms. Kenneth Heaton, a doctor at the University of Bristol in western England, trawled through all 42 of Shakespeare’s major works and 46 genre-matched works by contemporaries. He found Shakespeare stood out for his ability to link physical symptoms and mental distress. Vertigo, giddiness or dizziness is expressed by five male characters in the throes of emotional disturbance, in ‘The Taming of the Shrew’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘Henry VI Part 1’, ‘Cymbeline’, and ‘Troilus and Cressida’.

Eleven instances of breathlessness linked to extreme emotions are found in ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’, ‘The Rape of Lucrece’, ‘Venus and Adonis’ and ‘Troilus and Cressida’. Grief or distress is conveyed through symptoms of fatigue in ‘Hamlet’, ‘The Merchant of Venice’, ‘As You Like It’, ‘Richard II’ and ‘Henry IV Part 2’. Disturbed hearing at a time of mental crisis crops up in ‘King Lear’, ‘Richard II’ and ‘King John’. Meanwhile, coldness and faintness, emblematic of deep shock, occur in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘Julius Caesar’, ‘Richard III’ and elsewhere. Shakespeare can help doctors today who face patients whose physical state masks underlying emotional problems, Heaton suggests.

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Friday, 25 November, 2011

aisam-bopanna out of atP world tour Finals Page 23

Misbah wants to cap series with Twenty20 glory

Khalil to replace injured Junaid

Pakistan almost indomitable against sl in T20s The only Twenty-20 match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be played at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Friday (November 25). This day/night match will start at 21.00 hours (PST).

Pakistan, who won the five-one day match series 4-1, are favourites to win this match too. It will be the seventh T20 match between the two teams. The former World Champions also have a good record against Sri Lanka in T20s. They have won four and lost two in six encounters.

It will be the fifth T20 match and first between the two teams at this ground. Pakistan have lost both T20 matches at this ground, against South Africa in October last year.

HIGHEST INNINGS TOTALS: Pakistan recorded their highest total against Sri Lanka when they scored 189

for six in 20 overs at Johannesburg on September 17,2007. In the same match, Sri Lanka made 156 for nine in 20 overs which is their highest against Pakistan.

LOWEST INNINGS TOTALS: Pakistan made 131 for nine in 20 overs at Lord's on June 12,2009 which is their lowest against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's lowest against Pakistan is 120 in 18.1 overs at Colombo on August 12, 2009.

HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL SCORES : Kumar Sangakkara's unbeaten 64 at Lord's on June 21, 2009 is the highest individual score for Sri Lanka against Pakistan. The record of highest individual score for Pakistan against Sri Lanka is held by Shoaib Malik who made 57 at Johannesburg on September 17, 2007.

BEST BOWLING PERFORMANCES: Umar Gul's four for 13 at Kings City on October 11, 2008 is the best bowling performance for Pakistan against Sri Lanka. Kaushalya Weeraratne, who took

four wickets for 19 runs in the same match, holds the record of best bowling performance for Sri Lanka.

HIGHEST MARGINS OF VICTORY: Pakistan recorded an eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at Lord's on June 21, 2009, which is their biggest victory against Sri Lanka in terms of wickets.

Their 52 runs victory at Colombo on August 12, 2009 is the biggest against Sri Lanka in terms of runs. Sri Lanka's five wickets victory at Kings City on October 13, 2008 is their biggest against Pakistan in terms of wickets. They achieved 19-run victory over Pakistan at Lord's on June 12, 2009 which is their biggest against Pakistan in terms of runs.

PAkISTAN, SRI LANkA IN T20S HOSt PLAyED PAK WON SL WON in england 2 1 1 in South africa 1 1 in Canada 2 1 1 in Sri Lanka 1 1 total 6 4 2

Misbah, who has now won nine of the 10 one-day internationals since taking over as limited over captain in June this year, said the team’s goal was to improve with every match.

“It is good to beat a top ranked side 4-1 and I am very happy because my team is improving and performing so well. The goal is to improve day by day and we want to extend the victory sequence,” said Misbah.

The victory lifted Pakistan to fifth in International Cricket Council oneday rankings.

Sri Lanka, relegated to four from two in one-day rankings, are placed second in Twenty20 rankings and their captain Tillakaratne Dilshan was hoping his batsmen lift themselves after

failing to impress during the whole tour. “It’s disappointing to lose the one-day series and we need to quickly address our batting problems before our tour of South Africa,” said Dilshan of his team’s tour next month where they play three Tests and five one-day internationals.

“It will be a new game on Friday and a change of format, so I hope the players lift themselves,” said Dilshan, whose team will also have the services of mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis for the Twenty20 match.

Dilshan praised Pakistan team as “one of the best in the world”.

“Pakistan have more options than us and the way they played on this tour to me they are one of the top teams in

the world,” said Dilshan, who has lost three Tests and three one-day series since taking over in May this year.

SQuADS: Pakistan (from): misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Shahid afridi, mohammad Hafeez, imran Farhat, Younis Khan, Umar akmal, Shoaib malik, Sarfraz ahmed, Saeed ajmal, abdul Rehman, Umar gul, aizaz Cheema, Sohail tanvir, asad Shafiq.

Sri Lanka (from): tillakaratne dilshan (capt), angelo mathews, Upul tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, dinesh Chandimal, Kushal Janith Perera, thisara Perera, ajantha mendis, dilruwan Perera, Lasith malinga, dilhara Fernando, Kosala Kulasekera, Charmara Silva, dimuth Karunaratne.

Umpires: zameer Haider (PaK) and ahsan Raza (PaK), tv umpire: Shozaib Raza (PaK), match referee: andy Pycroft (zim)

Comment S. PERvEz QAISER

ABU DHABI

P

AFP

AKISTAN captain Misbahul Haq hopes his team improve its record in the shortest form of the game with a win over Sri Lanka in a one-off Twenty20 here on Friday.

Pakistan, the 2009 World Twenty20 champions, have lost 13 of their last 24 matches in the rapid-fire form of the game which plunged them to seventh in the inaugural Twenty20 rankings released last month.

But Misbah was confident his team will continue to improve after beating Sri Lanka 1-0 in three Tests and 4-1 in the five-match one-day series.

Misbah said the one-day series win excited him.

“It was an outstanding performance by the team,” said Mishab after his team’s narrow three-wicket win in the fifth ODI at Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. “I am confident that we will do our best in the Twenty20 to improve our ranking.”

LAHORE StAFF REPORt

Pakistan on Thursday named left-arm paceman Mohammad Khalil to replace an injured Junaid Khan in the squad for the Bangladesh tour kicking off with a Twenty20 next week.

Khan, 21, was ruled out of Pakistan's fifth and final one-day against Sri Lanka on Wednesday and returned home after injuring his abdominal muscle. "Khalil will replace Khan in the squad for Bangladesh tour," the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement. The 29-year-old Khalil played two Tests, against Australia in 2004 and India in 2005, but failed to get a wicket. He has taken five wickets in three one-day internationals but has not played for Pakistan since 2005. Khalil took 79 wickets in the last first-class season in Pakistan and has also been amongst the top wicket takers in the current season with 43.

Pakistan plays one Twenty20, three one-day internationals and two Tests on their tour of Bangladesh. The tour will start with the Twenty20 in Dhaka on Tuesday. Besides Junaid, all-rounder Abdul Razzaq is also in doubt for the Bangladesh tour with a shoulder injury. PCB has not yet named any replacement for Razzaq.

ICC women’s world CuP quAlIFIers

Pakistan reach final, Ireland, B’desh earn ODI status LAHORE StAFF REPORt

Hosts of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier, Bangladesh, have secured OneDay International status after Salma Khatun’s side beat USA in a low-scoring fixture.

Ireland defeated fellow European qualifier and ODI side Netherlands to retain its ODI status – the result means that Netherlands have lost their ODI status for the women’s side. Bangladesh and Ireland will now meet on Saturday in the 5th/6th play-off for the tournament.

In the semi-final fixtures Pakistan defeated South Africa to secure a place in the final which will be played on Saturday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS).

Pakistan beat pre-tournament favourites South Africa. Having come into the tournament ranked fifth in the world, the South Africans are certain to drop down the rankings after eighth placed Pakistan defeated the side by three wickets.

South Africa posted just 180 in its 50 overs with captain Mignon du Preez providing the most runs for the side. Asmavia Iqbal proved the pick of the Pakistani bowling attack as the fast bowler from Multan claimed three wickets for just 15 runs.

Asmavia’s run with the ball saw the 23-year-old dismiss opener Shandre Fritz, Kirstie Thomson and Sunette Loubser, while Pakistan showed its pace in the field as it ran out three of the South African middle-order.

ireland players celebrate their victory. (Right) asmavia iqbal with her player of the match award. She claimed three wickets for 15 runs.

In reply, Pakistan played a patient innings to reach the target of 181, despite losing both Sana Mir and Nida Dar for ducks. The side ensured partnerships were made and Javeria Wadood’s healthy contribution of 47 had the side well on its way to defeating Du Preez’s team.

Fittingly it was up to Asmavia, alongside Marina Iqbal to score the winning runs for Pakistan and secure it a place in the final of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier. Win or lose, Pakistan are guaranteed a rise up the Reliance ICC Women’s ODI Team Rankings at the conclusion of the tournament. Currently ranked eighth in the world, Sana’s team can rise to either fifth or sixth in the

global rankings.

Facing Pakistan will be Merissa’ Aguilleira’s West Indies after the Americas side beat Sri Lanka in a high-scoring showdown at Khanshaheb Osman Ali Stadium by 58 runs.

At the most anticipated match of the day for the hosts, Bangladesh won the toss and Salma made the decision to send the USA into bat – a decision that paid off for the home side.

Salma’s bowlers proved difficult to score runs off. Doris Francis led from the front for the Americans, top scoring for the team with 23 runs, but the rest of the team struggled to make runs.

In-form batter Shebani Bhaskar took

51 balls to make just 13 runs before she departed after being caught and bowled

by Suktara Rahaman. Things didn’t get much better for USA with Khadiza-Tul Kubra showing her great worth as a spin bowler – the 16-year-old claiming 4-20 in her allotted 10 overs.

Kubra dismissed three of the USA’s key middle-order batters, Durga Das, Nadia Gruny and Erica Rendler – tempting two of the three into striking the ball into the safe hands of Panna Ghosh and Suktara.

Bangladesh’s bowling once again proved the winner with the entire USA line-up being bowled out for just 78, but not before Francis’ side had played some

47 overs.

In response, Bangladesh lost a wicket early on after Ayesha Akhter was dismissed for just nine runs, the 27-year-old being declared leg-before off the bowling of Triholder Marshall. It was then up to Suktara and Fargana Pinky to secure another win for Bangladesh, in addition to a place in the fifth/sixth play-off and the ODI status for the first-ever time.

In the major European clash of the day, Helmien Rambaldo’s side took on old foes Ireland led by Isobel Joyce which would ultimately see one team walk away without its ODI status.

Having won the toss, Rambaldo elected to bat first and the Dutch side managed to amass 139 in its 50 overs during an average bowling performance from the Irish side. Joyce’s side gave away some 25 extras but also failed to bowl in the right areas to dismiss the Dutch for less in the first innings.

Eimear Richardson claimed two wickets, but the 25-year-old gave away some 34 runs in the process, the most economical of the Irish bowlers being the young Elena Tice who claimed 1-22 in her 10 overs. The Dutch side never managed to get going and the innings never really took off.

In response, Ireland’s top order failed to fire, struggling against Kerry-Anne Tomlinson and Leonie Bennett and also laboured in reaching its target.

That being said, Ireland still managed to finish proceedings off and retain its ODI status midway through the 32nd over. The side will now face Bangladesh in an ODI at BKSP 2 on Saturday.

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Friday, 25 November, 2011

Sports 21

Strauss wary of resurgent Pakistan LONDON

A

AFP

NDREW Strauss has told his England team they will have to prepare for their biggest challenge yet now they are a "hunted" side after rising to number one in the world Test rankings. Test captain Strauss led hosts England to a 4-0 series rout of India earlier this year as the Ashes holders climbed to the summit of the fiveday game. But England's new-found status will come under threat when they face Pakistan in a three-match series in the United Arab Emirates starting in January.

"We recognise that the next 12-18 months will be the biggest test we've had yet as a group," said Strauss, speaking at Lord's on Thursday after the announcement of a 10-year deal for financial firm Investec to become the sponsor of England's home Tests.

"It's a different mindset being the hunted rather than the hunters," opening batsman Strauss, who plays for Lord's-based Middlesex, added. "We'll have to retain that desperate desire to improve if we want to stay on top.

"There are a lot of teams below us who want to knock us off our perch."

After the Pakistan series, England

army, Customs notch wins FAISALABAD StAFF REPORt

Army, Customs, PIA and NBP won their matches of the All Pakistan NBP Gold Cup Hockey Tournament at Faisalabad Hockey Stadium on Thursday. Army beat Sindh by 5-1 after they dominated the first half by three goals. Army scored through Abdul Jabbar and captain Qasim Ikram managed two goals each while Muhammad Safeer got one. Sindh got their goal through Shujaat. Customs beat Balochistan by 6-1. Customs were leading by five goals in the first session while the sixth goal and the losing team’s only goal came in the second session. Customs scorers were Asad Bashir (2 goals), M Zahid (2) while Muhammad Asif and Waseem Abbas shared one goal each. Balochistan managed their goal when Kashif hit the board. PIA beat HEC by 4-1. PIA were leading by three goals at the breather.

PIA’s Ihsan Ullah was the star of the match with three goals while Afsar Yaqoob had one and the losing side goal scorer was Shaheryar. NBP beat WAPDA defeated by 5-3. The bankers scored two goals in the first session and got remaining three in the second half. Muhammad Atiq three goals while Naeem Akbar and Akhtar Ali were the other scorers of WAPDA. WAPDA reduced the margin through Suleman Hussain (2 goals) and M Zubair (1 goal).

quetta in trouble in quaid trophy LAHORE StAFF REPORt

Quetta crawled to 187 runs on the opening day of the Division II Quaid Azam Trophy eighth round match against SNGPL here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

Badar Ali with half century manage the score possible otherwise Yasir Shah and Azhar Shafiq with three and two wickets respectively took the charge of the match and they need another two wickets to press Quetta towards further trouble. At the LCCA ground, KRL took charge of the match against UBL after the bankers were bowled out for 121 and at the close of the play KRL were at 54 for two.

SCORES: quetta 187-8 in 77 overs (badar ali 56, ataur-Rehman 33, mohibullah 40, Yasir Shah 3-44, azhar Shafiq 2-12) v SNgPL, toss: SNgPL. Umpires: Hakeem Shah and Kamal merchant. Referee: muhammad anees. Scorer: azhar Hussain, at the LCCa ground, United bank 121 in 50.1 overs (ali asad 34, tahir mughal 24, Rahat ali 4-33, Yasir ali 3-38) v KRL 45-2 in 14 overs, toss: KRL. Umpires: akbar Khan and tahir Shah. Referee: Saadat ali. Scorer: masood ahmed.

feeling. Three-Test series have to be a minimum, if not more."

Crowds for Tests in England, even before the start of the team's rise to the top of the standings, have generally held up well, with tickets for the first four days of most matches frequently selling out well in advance.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) have repeatedly insisted the five-day game remains the pinnacle of the sport. However, the decision to delay the introduction of a world Test championship until 2017 -- it was due to start in two years' time - for commercial reasons was seen as a blow to the standing of cricket's oldest international format in an era of numerous oneday and Twenty20 internationals. "In a lot of ways in the past we've relied on Test cricket always being

complete their off-season Test programme with a two-match contest in Sri Lanka.

Next year England are at home to an improving West Indies and South Africa, who recently tied 1-1 in an exciting two-Test series with Australia, in three and four match campaigns respectively.

"We've seen a resurgence in West Indies cricket in recent times, so that will be a challenge for us," said Strauss. "Hopefully (English) early-season conditions will suit us more than them.

"And we all know about the qualities of South Africa, they've just finished an outstanding series against Australia.

Earlier Thursday, Australia fast bowler Ryan Harris said two-Test series were a waste of time.

"Two-Test series, personally in my point of view, are pointless," said Harris. "If it's 1-1 at the end of the series you walk away with an empty

around," said Strauss. "Now we must knock our heads together to evaluate what's the best way of marketing it and how to bring people to the game.

"The added context of a world Test championship or something similar is a good idea.

"I'd hate to think anyone's arrogant enough to assume Test cricket will always be around. I don't think that's the case.

"I'm buoyed by what great support there is for the game in this country, but I'm also quite aware that in other parts of the world it's less so.

"We're in a fortunate position here but it's up to administrators all over the world to ensure they keep working on the product."

Both Investec and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have refused to publicly reveal the worth of their sponsorship deal, although estimates in the British press have ranged from £2040 million.

Investec were previously a sponsor of England home rugby union Tests. But their 12-year relationship with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) ended in August -- before England's shambolic World Cup campaign in New Zealand which has reportedly alarmed sponsors concerned by a series of lurid headlines regarding the squad's conduct.

Mohsin could be named full-time coach LAHORE

StAFF REPORt

A Test and One-Day International (ODI) series-win over Sri Lanka has reportedly convinced the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) three-member coach-hunting committee to seriously consider Mohsin Khan for a full-time job. Mohsin, the former chief selector, was asked to assist the team on the UAE tour since the PCB could not appoint a head coach to replace Waqar Younis after the change in the team delayed the procedure. The committee, comprising Intikhab Alam, Zaheer Abbas and Col (retd) Naushad Ali, had sent a list of five shortlisted candidates for the position of head coach to the PCB but Mohsin's term was extended for the tour of Bangladesh that starts from November 29. "The applications we received were mostly from local coaches along with a few foreign candidates. However, we're in no rush to name the coach or the team of coaches and we'll sit down for various discussions before finalising the names," a member of the committee confirmed. Although the official did not confirm whether the team's performance in the UAE has forced a minor rethink and if the show goes according to plan in Bangladesh, reports suggest that Mohsin's appointment could be part of the serious discussions. The interim coach recently expressed his desire to take on the coaching position if offered, preferring that over his chief selector's role. "The series wins have certainly added a feather to Mohsin's cap.

We beat Sri Lanka and chances are that we'll beat Bangladesh as well and if the graph goes up then it'll be a worthwhile discussion," he added.

AGENCIES

Under pressure to retire following his prolonged lean patch, veteran batsman Ricky Ponting has vowed to fight for his place in the Australian Test team ahead of the upcoming series against New Zealand. Ponting is coming off a lean 24 months with the bat, averaging just 14 in his 13 innings before scoring a crucial 62 against South Africa in Johannesburg this week. “Of course (I want to keep playing). I really enjoy it and always have,” Ponting said after arriving home from

South Africa. “It’s a great team to be a part of at the moment. I want to be around and hopefully be able to have some sort of impact on the way the team plays If I keep doing my job, then hopefully I keep getting picked,” he added. The former skipper has not scored a Test century since January last year but his gritty knock in Australia’s record-breaking chase in the second Test in Johannesburg convinced the 37-year-old he deserves his spot. “When you know that you can contribute to wins that’s what it’s all about I guess. I felt I had a part to play in the second game,” Ponting, who is considered Aus-

LAHORE StAFF REPORt

Pakistan's spin sensation Saeed Ajmal has topped the International Cricket Council's (ICC) ODI bowlers’ ranking at the end of Pakistan-Sri Lanka series that ended with Pakistan's 4-1 victory.

Saeed Ajmal took 11 wickets in the fivematch series. Pakistan has strengthened their no. 5 ranking in the ODI list.

Ajmal grabbed that position from New Zealand's Daniel Vettori, who has retired from ODI and T20 after the World Cup 2011.

Shahid Afridi has secured the number seven position while Mohammad Hafeez number eight.

Afridi has secured the number four position in the All Rounder category. No Pakistani batsmen reportedly managed a spot in the top-ten batting list.

itF Seniors world Ranking tennis begins KARACHI StAFF REPORt

The main rounds of the 15th PSO Pakistan ITF Seniors World Ranking Tennis commenced at Karachi Club cemented hard courts on Thursday.

Karachi Club Secretary Yousuf Suleman formally opened the event. The PSO representative Amir Zaib (Brand manager), Khwaja Saeed Hai and Pakistan Seniors Tennis Association Secretary M Khalid Rehmani also spoke at the opening ceremony.

RESuLtS: 45 Plus Singles qualifying Round: Saleem Siddiqui bt Nasir Laiq 6-4, 6-2, muhammad arif bt afaq zafar 2-6, 6-5 rtd. 35 plus Singles main First Round: Shabbir gul bt Salman but 6-0, 6-0, ejaz Sarhadi bt Rafi derbari 7-6 rtd, aly Panjo bt Salman manya 6-2, 62, Noman Farid bt Suhail Farid 7-6(3),5-7, 7-6(4). 35 Plus Singles quarter Final: muhammad abdul Saeed bt aly Panjo 7-5, 1-6, 6-0, Rasheed malik bt Noman Fareed. 45 Plus Singles main First Round: qamarudin Habib bt Noorullah dhannani 6-1, 6-2, muhammad Javed bt iqbal qureshi 7-6, 4-6, 6-4, ismail Sharif w/o anjum Nadeem, akhter aliman w/o Shareefuddin. 55 Plus Singles first round: aijaz ahmed (Col) bt iqbal qureshi 6-2, 6-2.

multan victorious in women’s cricket

Ponting vows to fight for his place MELBOURNE

ajmal on top of the world

tralia’s greatest batsman after Don Bradman, was quoted as saying by ‘The Age’. Test captain Michael Clarke backed Ponting to keep his spot, saying he still has a lot to offer to Australian cricket if he can build on his most recent innings. “If I thought that Ricky Ponting or Mitchell Johnson couldn’t perform at this level, I wouldn’t be supporting them as I have done,” Clarke said. “I’ve been watching Ricky bat in the nets -- I know he’s in good nick. Under pressure the other night, he did that but the reality is that he needs to perform better than he has done of late to stay in the team.”

MURIDKE StAFF REPORt

Multan and Islamabad sneaked past their rivals in the U-19 National Women’s T20 Cricket Championship on Thursday. In the Pool A, Multan beat Faisalabad by 68 runs while Islamabad got past Abbottabad by one wicket. multan Region U-19 –131-6 in 20 overs: (areeb Shamim 54, Kiran irshad 34, amna ashiq 2-12) v Faisalabad Region U-19 – 63 in 15.3 overs: (Kalsoom Hanif 4-14) Player of the match: areeb Shamim (multan Region), Result: multan Region U-19 won by 68 runs, toss: multan Region, Umpires: afia amin and Sameera aftab, match Referee: Raj Hans, Official Scorer: Sajjad-ul-Hasan

Jayasuriya praises Misbah’s captaincy ABU DHABI AFP

Legendary Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya Thursday backed his country’s team and captain Tillakaratne Dilshan, saying they needed time and space to recover after losing both Tests and the one-day series to Pakistan.

Sri Lanka lost the fifth and final one-day by three wickets on Wednesday, which handed Pakistan a 4-1 series win. They also lost the preceding three-Test series 1-0.

Both teams play a Twenty20 here on Friday to complete the tour which Jayasuriya said had left him disappointed. “It’s a bit disappointing to lose both the series. It would have been ideal had we won at least one series,” said Jayasuriya, who is here as television commentator after retiring earlier this year. The 42-year-old former dashing opener said Sri Lanka needed time to revive

fortunes after blooding some new players.

“These are hard times for Sri Lankan cricket,” said Jayasuriya, who is also a parliamentarian in his country. “Sri Lanka is

going with a number of youngsters so you need to give them some time and space for revival.” Jayasuriya, also a former captain, backed current under-fire skipper Dilshan who has lost three Test and as many one-day series since taking over in April this year.

“He (Dilshan) is a great player and we all have seen what he can do but unfortunately he is going through a lean patch, so we need to have faith in him, he has just got the job and anybody who takes captaincy needs time. “It’s a new team, so you need to have faith in the players and the management in which there is a new coach,” said Jayasuriya of the Sri Lanka’s Australian coach Geoff Marsh who took over in September this year. Jayasuriya said he did not agree that players lacked motivation since not being paid since April this year.

“I think it’s disaapointing (not to be paid),” said Jayasuriya. “The previous Sri Lankan board made lot of mistakes and

were responsible for this mess and because of the administration problems the players are unfortunately paying. “I am sure they will get payment and also feel that when you play for your country you forget everything.

I am happy that they didn’t talk about that.

They love their country,” said Jayasuriya.

The former opener also disagreed that frequent changes in Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) were damaging. “That (changes in SLC) is part of the system, every year it is changed but the players should not be worried about that. In our time we also had the same problems but we never cared about that,” said Jayasuriya, who played 110 Tests and 445 one-days. Jayasuriya praised Pakistan team’s performance.

“Pakistan have done well amidst all those accusations and controversies,” said Jayasuriya of the spot-fixing scandal which ended in jail terms for Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer.

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22 Sports

Friday, 25 November, 2011

LONDON: Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan (R) stands ready at the net as his partner Rohan Bopanna of India hits a return against Mariusz Fyrstenberg of Poland and his partner Marcin Matkowski of Poland. AFP

Pakistan to take part in armwrestling Championship LAHORE StAFF REPORt

The Pakistan Armwrestling Federation has announced the participation of its team in the 33rd World Armwrestling Championship to be held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from November 26 to December 4.

The team comprises two individuals, a player Muhammad Zameer Sultan and an official Yasir Khan.

Addressing a press conference, secretary of the federation Qaiser Khan said that the team will be leaving on November 25 and will be back on December 5.

Muhammad Zameer will participate in 65 KG weight and is right hand, left hand both categories player.

He further said that they are also in contact with the Indian Armwrestling Federation regarding series in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi.

Khosa falls LAHORE StAFF REPORt

Governor Punjab Latif Khosa on Thursday lost his balance while playing cricket as the chief guest of the Lahore Bar Cricket Tournament.

The governor wanted to hit a six during the opening ceremony of the lawyers event but when he stepped forward to hit the big shot he lost balance and nearly fell on the ground. On seeing the governor go off balance, organisers and the officials ran towards him to steady the governor.

Tendulkar on course for 100th century WESt INDIES 1st innings (overnight 575-9): A. Barath c Dhoni b Ashwin 62 K. Brathwaite c Kohli b Ashwin 68 K. Edwards c Dhoni b Sharma 86 D. Bravo c Dhoni b Aaron 166 K. Powell c Dhoni b Ojha 81 M. Samuels c Dravid b Ashwin 61 C. Baugh b Aaron 4 D. Sammy c Dhoni b Aaron 3 R. Rampaul c Kohli b Ashwin 10 F. Edwards not out 11 D. Bishoo b Ashwin 12 EXtRAS (b8, lb16, nb2) 26 tOtAL (for all out; 184.1 overs) 590 FOW: 1-137 (Barath), 2-150 (Brathwaite), 3-314 (K. Edwards), 4-474 (Powell), 5-518 (Bravo), 6-524 (Baugh), 7-540 (Sammy), 8-563 (Rampaul), 9-566 (Samuels), 10-590 (Bishoo) Bowling: Sharma 32-9-84-1 (nb1), Aaron 28-4-1063, Ojha 48-10-126-1, Ashwin 52.1-6-156-5, Sehwag 16-1-61-0 (nb1), Kohli 2-0-9-0, tendulkar 6-0-24-0.

INDIA 1st innings: G. Gambhir c Baugh b Rampaul 55 V. Sehwag b Sammy 37 R. Dravid b Samuels 82 S. tendulkar not out 67 V. Laxman not out 32 EXtRAS (b1, nb4, w3) 8 tOtAL (for three wickets; 80 overs) 281 FOW: 1-67 (Sehwag), 2-138 (Gambhir), 3-224 (Dravid) Bowling: F. Edwards 15-0-70-0 (nb4), Rampaul 12-142-1 (w1), Sammy 22-3-67-1 (w2), Samuels 11-0-48-1, Bishoo 20-4-53-0, tOSS: West Indies, uMPIRES: tony Hill (NzL) and Bruce Oxenford (AuS)

AFP

Sachin Tendulkar stayed on course for an unprecedented 100th international century as India made a strong reply on the third day of the third and final Test against the West Indies on Thursday.

The master batsman was unbeaten on 67 while Rahul Dravid (82) completed 13,000 Test runs as India reached 281-3 in their first innings at stumps in reply to the West Indies’ 590 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Tendulkar has so far

stand with Venkatsai Laxman (32 not out) with India now needing 110 more runs to avoid the follow-on with seven wickets in hand. Tendulkar’s 133-ball knock included an uppercut for six off paceman Fidel Edwards. He played handsomely, delighting the nearly 20,000 spectators in the 32,000-capacity stadium.

But he was lucky to survive on 58 when wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh dropped a difficult chance off leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo. Tendulkars 99 international centuries are almost evenly split be-

LAHORE StAFF REPORt

Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board Ch Zaka Ashraf congratulated the Pakistan team and its management over their 4-1 victory in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. With this win Pakistan gained fifth place in the ICC ODI Championship table. Now they stand fifth, one place ahead of England and this is Pakistan’s best ranking since May 2009. Chairman PCB called the Captain Misbah-ul-Haq, coach Mohsin Khan and Manager Naveed Akram Cheema and facilitated them on the commendable performance of the team in both Test and ODI series against the higher ranked Sri Lanka.

In a message he said, “Cricket is a passion in Pakistan and everyone prays for the team. The boys have made the nation proud. The credit goes to the hard work of each individual as everyone has contributed in his respective field. I congratulate the team and the whole nation on this occasion.

I am confident that if we continue with same spirit and positivity, there are many more milestones to be achieved in future.”

SCOREBOARD

mUmbai: indian batsman Sachin tendulkar plays a shot. AFP added 57 for the unfinished fourth-wicket MUMBAI

PCb chief felicitates Pakistan team

waPda, muslim Club advance in PPL tween the Test and one-day format.

Dravid batted confidently during his 149-ball knock to become only the second batsman after Tendulkar (15,153) to score 13,000 Test runs when he drove seamer Darren Sammy through the covers for four. He also completed 1,000 Test runs in the year for the third time in his career.

India lost openers Gautam Gambhir (55) and free-scoring Virender Sehwag (37) before the world’s top two run-getters, Dravid and Tendulkar, added 86 for the third wicket.

LAHORE: WAPDA and Muslim Club won their matches of the 8th Pakistan Premier Football League on Thursday.

WAPDA beat HBL 2:1 at the here Railway Football Stadium. WAPDA got win through forward and captain Arif Mahmood who scored both the goals in the 21st and 68th minutes. Muslim FC beat PMC Athletico Club 1-0 at the Agriculture University Ground, Faisalabad.

Muhammad Dawood brought the winning goals for Muslim FC in the 18th minute. StAFF REPORt

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Sports 23

Aisam-Bopanna out of ATP World Tour Finals

wAtCh It LIve TEN SPORTS Pakistan v Sri Lanka T20 09:00PM

NEO CRICKET India v West Indies Test 3 Day 4 09:00PM

STAR SPORTS Barclays ATP World Tour Finals – London 07:00PM

waPda lead National Cycling

LONdON: aisam-ul-Haq qureshi of Pakistan (R) and his partner Rohan bopanna of india (L) talk between points against marcin matkowski of Poland and his partner mariusz Fyrstenberg of Poland. AFP LONDON

T

AGENCIES

HE Indo-Pak Express of Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Rohan Bopanna continued their winless run in the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, going down to Poland’s Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski 6-2, 6-1.

The Polish duo ended their Group B round robin campaign with a 2-1 record after they beat the fifth seeds in just 49 minutes Thursday. The Polish pair were dominant in the first set, winning it in just 28 minutes and dropping only five points on serve. Aisam and Bopanna had ab-

women’s Hockey C’ship from dec 9

LAHORE

solutely no answers to the serve-volley game of the Polish pair, as they were routed in the second set with the Poles not even dropping a single point on serve.

The US Open finalists, Fyrstenberg and Matkowski, will have to wait for the result between second seeds Michael Llodra and Nenad Zimonjic and third seeds Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor to know if they have qualified for the semifinal.

FEDERER BEATS FISH TO ExTEND WINNING RUN: Defending champion Roger Federer maintained his 100 percent record at this year’s ATP World Tour Finals by completing his group fixtures with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 victory over America’s Mardy Fish on Thursday.

Federer was already guaranteed top spot in Group B and a place in the semifinals after winning his first two matches and the Swiss survived a mid-match wobble against Fish to extend his impressive run at London’s O2 Arena.

Federer’s 37th career Tour Finals victory moved him into second place on the all-time list ahead of Boris Becker and he is only two wins behind leader Ivan Lendl. His semi-final opponent is still to be decided, but if Federer can maintain this impressive form it would be no surprise to see him win the tournament for a record sixth time and equal Lendl’s tally of victories in the process.

Pakistan blinds clinch India oDI series LAHORE StAFF REPORt

Pakistan blind cricket team sealed the three-match One-Day series after beating India in the second ODI by five wickets at the Islamabad’s Shalimar Cricket Stadium.

India opted to bat after wining the toss. Their openers Parkash and Venkateish gave a solid 139 runs start but they were dismissed on consecutive balls. Parkash scored 83 runs while Venkateish scored 40 runs.

India posted 324 runs on the board for the loss of eight wickets in 40 overs. Shekhar Naik and Ganesh added 46 runs each. Muhammad Waqas took two wickets while Idrees, Masood Jan and Yasir claimed wicket apiece.

Pakistan in reply chased the target of 325 runs in 36.4 overs for the loss of five wickets. Masood Jan was the top scorer with 81 runs, Muhammad Jamil scored 69 runs, Zafar 62 and Anees remained not out on 57 runs.

Ketan and Subash Boya took one

wicket each. Masood Jan of Pakistan was later declared the Man of the match.

This was also the 26th consecutive one-day Internationals victory for Pakistan and the 7th consecutive oneday series triumph.

Director General Federal Special Education Mustafain Kazmi was the chief guest of the occasion and distributed prizes among the players. The 3rd ODI of Brien Holden Vision Pakistan-India one-day series will be played on November 26.

LaHORe: the cyclists take start for the 120Kms Road Scratch Race at Ravi interchange. STAFF PHoTo LAHORE StAFF REPORt

WAPDA lead the points table of 59th National Cycling Championship as they won the 120 Kms Road Scratch Race on Thursday.

On the 4th day of the Championship, 120 Kms Road Scratch Race was organised. The race began at 9:00 am with Rai Asghar doing the honours as the chief guest. As many as 47 cyclists (8 from each unit) contested the race that started from Burki Interchange and completed 2.5 round laps from Ravi Interchange and half a round from Wagha Interchange.

The panel of judges comprised Nusrat Khan alongwith Jawed Khan. President PCF Munawar Baseer Ahmad and Secretary Syed Azhar Ali Shah along with other office bearers closely monitored the performance of cyclists.

The cyclists could manage an average speed of 41 kms per hour due to fog and heavy wind. Following are the results of 120 kms road scratch race.

Abdul Ahad, WAPDA, 02 Hr. 56 Min. 26 Sec, Sabir Ali, WAPDA, 02 Hr. 56 Min. 26 Sec, Asif, SSGC, 02 Hr. 56 Min. 26 Sec, Mohammad Rafiqe, Army, 02 Hr. 56 Min. 26 Sec, Mohammad Zahid, Army, 02 Hr. 56 Min. 26 Sec, Asad Mahmood, Army, 02 Hr. 56 Min. 26 Sec.

StAFF REPORt

The 27th edition of the Women’s Hockey Championship will be played at the National Hockey Stadium Lahore from December 9 to 18.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation for the smooth conduct of the event has detailed the Panel of Technical Officials.

Technical Officials: Tournament Director: Parveen Sikandar Gill, Tournament Officers: Gulshan Nasreen, Uzma Rizvi, Judges: Saman Rasheed, Aasia Rasheed, Ghazala Tariq, Farhat Malik, Robina Raza, Humaira Mughal, Musarrat Jabeen, Rahat Iqbal, Najma Gillani and M Shafique Bhatti, Umpire’s Manager: Rashad Mahmood Butt, Umpires: Razia Rizvi, Chand Parveen, Shazia Yousaf, Erum Bukhari, Saima Afzal, Beenish Hayat, Saman Islam, Kamran Sharif, Muhamamd Mushtaq and Muhammad Afzal. Chairperson Organising Committee: Tanzeela Aamir Cheema. Organising Secretary: Abida Tanveer, President (Punjab Women’s Hockey Association). Chief Coordinator: Shagufta Liaqat Randhawa (Secretary, Punjab Women’s Hockey Association). According to PHF Constitution, the players who are above 30 years are not eligible to participate in the Championship. All players are directed to bring with them their Secondary School Certificates for scrutiny, an official said.

Arsenal through but Chelsea rocked by Leverkusen PARIS AFP

Arsenal reached the Champions League knockout phase with victory over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, but Chelsea were made to wait after a dramatic 2-1 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen.

After Manchester City and Manchester United had stuttered on Tuesday, it was left to the London sides to restore English pride 24 hours later.

A Robin van Persie double saw Arsenal keep their side of the bargain by beating German champions Dortmund 2-0, but Chelsea must now win at home to Valencia in their final game to be sure of a last-16 place. Dortmund lost both Sven Bender and star man Mario Goetze to injury inside the first 30 minutes at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium but the hosts were unable to capitalise in what proved to be an underwhelming first half.

The breakthrough arrived four minutes into the second period and stemmed from an unlikely source, with Alex Song weaving past three Dortmund defenders on the Arsenal left before crossing for van Persie to head home. The in-form Dutch striker tapped in his second from Thomas

miLaN: barcelona’s forward Lionel messi (C) escapes aC milan’s players. AFP Vermaelen’s flick-on in the 86th minute, before Shinji Kagawa claimed an injurytime consolation for the visitors. Marseille would have joined Arsenal in the last 16 had they not fallen 1-0 at home to

Olympiakos, with Ioannis Fetfatzidis’ 82nd-minute half-volley keeping alive the Greeks’ chances of securing a knockout round berth. At Leverkusen’s BayArena, Chelsea saw former player Michael Ballack

hit the crossbar with a first-half header before Didier Drogba broke the deadlock from Daniel Sturridge’s pass after three minutes of the second half.

Ballack then drew two fine saves from former team-mate Petr Cech as Chelsea closed in on a place in the next round, only for Eren Derdiyok to dispatch Sidney Sam’s cross and claim a 73rd-minute equaliser. Worse was to follow, as Manuel Friedrich headed home from an injury-time corner to take Leverkusen into the last 16 and leave Chelsea facing a winner-takes-all showdown against Valencia on December 6. The Spaniards moved into contention after a dominant display, with Roberto Soldado netting a first-half hat-trick in a 7-0 rout of Genk. “It’s tough for the English clubs in the Champions League at the moment but we have to put on a brave face,” said Chelsea coach Andre Villas-Boas, whose side have lost three of their last five games. “We are still in front of Valencia and expect Leverkusen to do their job (against Genk). We can go through.”

Defending champions Barcelona secured top spot in Group H after emerging with a 3-2 victory from an engaging encounter with AC Milan at San Siro.

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Friday, 25 November, 2011

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No corruption in RPP contracts, Ashraf tells SC Former minister says Faisal Saleh pursuing RPPs case because of personal grudge

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ISLAMABAD

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StAFF REPORt

ORMER water and power minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf told the Supreme Court on Thursday that Federal Housing and Works Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat had a personal grudge against him, therefore he was pursuing the matter of Rental Power Projects (RPPs) everywhere.

Appearing in court in a case against alleged corruption in the RPPs, Ashraf said Hayat was maligning him because he had strongly criticised Hayat when he had joined the government in 2002 after winning elections on a Pakistan People’s Party ticket. He said he needed the court’s protection and justice in the matter because he had been ridiculed everywhere.

Raja also said there was no corruption in the installment of the RPPs and he had simply continued the policy of the previous government. He agreed that RPPs were producing electricity at a higher tariff but there was no alternative available to overcome the power shortage in the short term. He said he had also started various hydroelectric, solar and coal energy projects to overcome the crisis.

He said previous regimes had not worked on the power sector and inde-

pendent power producers - introduced by the PPP in 1994 - were criticised by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and it tried to discourage the policy. Rejecting allegations that he had bought an apartment in London, he said he had no property or accounts in any foreign country. Ashraf said no bidder had objected over the award of RPP contracts, which showed that there was no question of transparency in these projects. “I just approved the RPPs to produce energy according to the agreement and if they would fail, we would fine them heavily,” he added.

He also said former president Pervez Musharraf had inaugurated Bhasha Dam falsely, as his regime had done nothing regarding the construction of the dam.

He said the incumbent government had initiated work on the Bhasha Dam. Waseem Sajjad, counsel for Ashraf, also said his client had tried to overcome the power shortage in the country but had failed. He said although the former minister had initiated the summary regarding the RPPs, it was the decision of the prime minister, Planning Division, Petroleum Ministry and Finance Ministry.

Earlier, the chief justice said the court would also involve the Federal Board of Revenue in the issue of customs duty on the import of RPPs, which caused losses to the national exchequer.

PML-N rifts, not memo, cost rally in Gujranwala GUJRANWALA AtIF Butt

Internal rifts among the divisional leadership of the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N), and not the memo controversy, forced the party’s central leadership to cancel its rally in Gujranwala scheduled for Friday (today), sources told Pakistan Today on Thursday.

PML-N sources told Pakistan Today that the party’s central leadership was unhappy with the divisional leadership for not contacting the people even in the final days before the rally — something which forced the top leadership to reconsider its plan of holding the public gathering. The sources said that millions of rupees were spent on the rally’s advertisement campaign and several meetings had been organised to plan the arrangements, however a lack of collaboration between the central and local leaderships resulted in the cancellation of the rally.

The PML-N’s central leadership, including Hamza Shahbaz and Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood, made recurrent visits to Gujranwala to

check the arrangements, but rifts within the local leaders became an obstacle.

Sources further revealed that the PML-N collected Rs 500,000 from each of its national and provincial legislator from Gujranwala Division for the rally.

However, all local party leaders tried take a lead over others by spending more on advertising their posters, instead of gathering people and finalising the arrangements. Malik Shakeel, a trader and activist of the PML-N, said the party’s supporters were looking forward to welcoming Nawaz Sharif but the cancellation of the rally had disappointed them.

A party statement issued on Wednesday said the new date for the public gathering in Gujranwala would be announced after Muharram. According to the statement, the memo issue was of sensitive nature and hence, it could not be left on just rallies and processions.

Punjab government spokesman Senator Pervaiz Rasheed had earlier told Pakistan Today that the PML-N had filed a petition over the issue in the Supreme Court and the party could not hold gatherings during the hearing of such an important case.

CHAKWAL: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan addresses a public gathering on Thursday.

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No arrests made in Farooq’s murder case: UK home secy g

theresa may says London police chief ‘misspoke’ on arrest of mqm leader’s suspected killers ISLAMABAD StAFF REPORt

Recent developments in the ongoing investigations into former MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq’s murder appear to have attained the same degree of complexity as the circumstances which led to his death, as on Thursday British Home Secretary Theresa May discarded a confirmation by London Police Commissioner Bernard Morgan that the alleged killers had been arrested in Karachi.

While holding a joint press conference with Interior Minister Rehman Malik, the British home secretary took a pause to hear the feed from her assistant standing beside her, looked into his eyes nervously before

mirza to present ‘evidence’ to Cameron as Fehmida heads to UK to stop him LONDON ONLINE/MONItORING DESK

As former Sindh home minister Zulfiqar Mirza said he would present evidence regarding MQM leader Imran Farooq’s murder to the British premier, his wife National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza left for London on Thursday ostensibly to try and keep her husband from pursuing the issue further. Fehmida met the president and PM before her departure, Geo News reported.

Sources said she would try to convince her husband to stop as it was creating problems for the government. Meanwhile, MQM chief Altaf Hussain told his party to initiate legal proceedings against Dr Mirza.

stating that the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police “is misspoken”.

However, she added that police was investigating the case and findings would be shared after the completion of inquiry.

Malik also denied the arrests, saying he would stick to his previous denial.

Two weeks ago, the London police chief had confirmed the arrest of two people in Pakistan. Dr Farooq was murdered on September 16 last year outside his London residence. Two suspects allegedly involved in the murder were arrested at Karachi airport on August 22 and three others were arrested in London in what was termed as a quantum leap in investigations. Interior Minister Rehman Malik had at that time denied the reports of arrests.

On a question on the arrest warrants for former president Pervez Musharraf, Malik said the government was following a formal procedure and that the authorities were in touch with Interpol on the subject.

About the improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the British home secretary said the United Kingdom was providing support and technical assistance to the Pakistani personnel in countering the threat of IEDs. Before the press conference, Malik and May held a meeting and discussed several issues such as the developments into Farooq’s murder case, the allegations of Dr Zulfiqar Mirza against MQM chief Altaf Hussain, the issue of illegal immigrants and mutual cooperation in countering terrorism.

14-year-old girl wins Pakistan’s first National Peace Prize An eighth-grade girl was awarded Pakistan’s first National Peace Prize on Thursday for her online diary reporting on the Taliban’s ban on education for girls, CNN reported.

Malala Yousufzai, a resident of Swat Valley, wrote about her frustration with the Taliban’s restrictions on female education in her town. Using the Internet, she reached out to the outside world, taking a stand by writing about her daily battle with militants who used fear and intimidation to force girls to stay at home.

“I was scared of being beheaded by the Taliban because of my passion for educa-

tion,” she told CNN. Yousufzai said she used to hide her books under her bed, fearing a house search by the Taliban. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani announced the award on Thursday, which also comes with a Rs 500,000 prize. He directed the cabinet to award the national prize every year to a child younger than 18 who contributed to peace and education in the country, a statement from his office said. Yousufzai, 14, was also one of the five nominees chosen from 42 countries for the International Children’s Peace Prize for 2011.

Although Yousufzai didn’t win that prize, she said she would still “fight for girls’ education and work toward creating a society where girls can be educated freely”. She also has big plans for the future. “I want to be a political leader, as this country needs honest and true leaders,” she told CNN. MONItORING DESK