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Zardari seeks UAE assistance in free trade agreement with GCC

Pakistani Facebookers want cartoon character King Julien for President PAGE 18

PROFIT | PAGE 01

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pakistantoday.com.pk

rs15.00 Vol ii no 153 32 pages karachi edition

Zardari turns down UAE’s request on Shamsi airbase g

Internet has become ‘surveillance machine’, says Julian Assange

tuesday, 29 november, 2011 muharram-ul-Haram 3, 1433

Gilani tells CNN pakistan will maintain its relationship with US as long as there is mutual respect g ISpR DG denies reports that pakistani troops fired at NaTO choppers g

president tells UaE fM pakistan will not review its decision to get airbase vacated from US ISLAMABAD

P

MIAN ABRAR

AkISTAN formally asked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday to get the Shamsi airbase vacated from the US military and return it to Pakistan’s armed forces, Pakistan Today has learnt.

A well-placed source, who asked not to be named, said that President Asif Ali Zardari formally conveyed the message during his one-on-one meeting with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahayan here at the Presidency. “Yes, the president has conveyed to the visiting UAE foreign minister the government’s decision on the Shamsi airbase and asked the UAE to get the base vacated and hand it over to Pakistan,” said the source.

DELAY IN HANDOVER:He said the UAE foreign minister requested that the handover of the base to Pakistan be delayed until the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)’s investigations into the attack on the Salala checkpost were completed. However, the president turned down the request, said the source. “The president told Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed that the decision by the DCC (Defence Committee

of the Cabinet) was final and it would not be reviewed,” he said.

Following the one-on-one meeting, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani khar, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and other senior officials also joined the president, said the source. When contacted, Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar neither confirmed nor denied the information, saying he could only comment on the contents of the press release.

The decision by the DCC to ask the US to vacate the Shamsi airbase within 15 days has exposed the government’s previous claims about the airbase’s possession, which, according to reports, had been used as a launch-pad for drone attacks in the tribal areas. The decision is tantamount to an official admission that the airbase remains in American hands.

Since the Shamsi airbase came to the fore in year 2009, the government officials have been making contradictory statements on the status of the base. Soon after the Abbottabad raid by US special forces on May 2, Air Force Chief Rao Qamar Suleman had told a joint sitting of parliament that the Shamsi airbase was given to the UAE in 1992 on lease, who had later handed it over to the US. Continued on page 04

TORKHAM: Drivers stand beside a truck carrying humvees for NATO forces in Afghanistan on Monday after Pakistan shut vital NATO supply routes following unprovoked NATO airstrikes. afp

US ‘concerned’ as Obama sees pakistani deaths as tragedy WASHINGTON AFP

President Barack Obama sees the deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers in a NATO raid as a tragedy, the White House said on Monday, but argued that crisis-wracked US-Pakistani ties were vital to both sides.

Obama’s comments came as the US State Department spokesman expressed Washington’s concerns on how the attack will affect relations between the two countries. “Of course we’re concerned about the impact of this incident

on our relations with Pakistan,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. “We’re trying to work through this.” White House Spokesman Jay Carney said Obama believed Saturday’s attack, which threw US-Pakistani ties into turmoil, was “a tragedy,” adding that “we mourn those brave Pakistani service members that lost their lives.” “We take this matter very seriously,” said Carney, adding that two enquiries by the International Security Assistance Continued on page 04

ISLAMABAD STAFF RePORT

Hardening its stance further over Saturday’s NATO air strike that killed 24 of its soldiers, Pakistan on Monday warned the United States that it could reduce its cooperation in efforts to reconcile with the Taliban and said any apology by NATO was not enough to restore full counterterrorism cooperation. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani warned on Monday there would be “no more business as usual” with Washington after the NATO attack.

“Business as usual will not be there. We have to have something bigger that satisfies my nation and my entire country. We have to review our ties with NATO and the allied forces. This is a saturation point. We are reviewing the situation and our relationship in future with the US, NATO and ISAF,” Gilani told CNN in an exclusive interview.

“You cannot win any war without the support of the masses. We need the people with us and such incidents are making people move away,” said the prime minister.

PAKISTAN REEVALUATING: Gilani told CNN that Pakistan was reevaluating its relationship with the United States. He said the nation wanted to maintain its relationship with the US as long as there was mutual respect and respect for Pakistani sovereignty.

“If I can’t protect the sovereignty of my country, how can we say it is mutual respect and mutual interest?” Gilani said. He said in accordance with the wishes of the people, Pakistan’s relations with the US should be based on trust, equality and mutual benefit.

“We have no other option but to accept the will of the people.”

Continued on page 04

karzai to persuade zardari on Bonn moot | page 04

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02 News Today’s

Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

LAHOre

NewS

wOrLd vIew

Sim Sim Hamara to revive puppet shows on TV

$150 a month to shun violence

Pakistan has had enough

Story on Page 08

Story on Page 09

Quick look

Federal cabinet to meet over NATO attack today LAHORE: The Federal Cabinet will meet in Lahore today (Tuesday) and discuss NATO strikes in which 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed, Pakistan Today has learnt. The meeting is expected to take place at the Governor’s House and will be chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani khar is likely to brief the meeting about protests lodged by Pakistan at the international forum regarding the incident. The Prime Minister will also take the cabinet into confidence over the decisions made during the Defence Committee meeting. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Chief Secretary Nasir khosa are also expected to attend the cabinet meeting. STAFF RePORT

President signs oil and gas theft bill ISLAMABAD: Following a presidential approval to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2011, people involved in the theft of oil and gas and disrupting petroleum supply will now face a maximum imprisonment of 14 years and a fine of Rs 10 million. Under Section462B of the law, any person who tampers or assists in tampering with petroleum pipelines for the purpose of (a) theft of petroleum or (b) disrupting the supply of petroleum shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment which may extend to 14 years, but shall not be less than seven years, and with a maximum fine of Rs 10 million.

Section-462C states that any person who tampers or abets in tampering with auxiliary or distribution pipeline of petroleum for the purpose of (a) theft of petroleum or (b) disrupting supply of petroleum shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment which may extend to 10 years, but shall not be less than five years, and fine which may extend to Rs 3 million. According to Section-462D, any domestic consumer who tampers or abets in tampering with any gas meter regulator, meter index or gas connection shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or a fine which may extend to Rs 100,000, or both. STAFF RePORT

Six injured in Landi Kotal blast PESHAWAR: At least six people were injured, including four employees of a law enforcing agency, in a bomb blast in the Landi kotal bazaar, khyber Agency, on Monday. According to sources, an official of the khyber khasadar force was repairing a pickup truck in a workshop when a bomb attached with a magnet underneath the vehicle exploded.

The explosion, triggered by a remote control device, injured six people, including four security personnel identified as Subedar Samarqand, Akbar Hussain, Hameedullah, and Majeed. They injured were rushed to khyber Agency Headquarters Hospital, Landi kotal. Five of them were later moved to the Peshawar Hospital for being seriously injured.

Officials of the local political administration rushed to the scene, cordoned off the area and started investigations. STAFF RePORT

LAHORe: Governor Latif Khosa and PM’s brother Mujetaba Gilani at the Walima of the sons of Syed Amir Mahboob, GM of CAA Allama Iqbal International Airport. pR

Story on Page 15

Ijaz claims conspiracy against army LAHORE STAFF RePORT

Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML -Z) chief Ijaz-ul-Haq alleged the troika of America, President Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani were conspiring against the Pakistan Army with Memogate part of the conspiracy. Addressing a press conference on Monday, he said the time has come to end all agreements with the US under the NRO. He called the present government a ‘security risk,’ and claimed the implementation of the APC resolution would have avoided the NATO attack. He said the joint opposition and judiciary could save democracy from the ‘third force.’ He said he had told Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif that his party would have to resign from both assemblies to save democracy. He claimed 25 treasury bench Members of National Assembly were ready to resign from the parliament. He claimed his recent meeting with Nawaz Sharif was positive. He said they had decided to challenge the intent of the government to grant India the status of the Most Favoured Nation (MFN). He informed media he was convening the meeting of the Defence Council on December 18 at Minar-e-Pakistan Lahore in which almost 27 political parties including the PTI, PML-N and Jamaat-eIslami and others will be invited.

SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: Elders of Mehsud and Barki Tribes attend a jirga against the NATO attack in Mohmand Agency. ONlINE

polls under Zardari will lead to bloodshed, warns Imran Khan Says PTI eyeing ‘big fish’ in Sindh, instead of giving too much importance to MQM g

SUKKUR ONLINe

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran khan on Monday ruled out the possibility of fair and transparent elections under President Asif Ali Zardari, saying polls under him would lead to bloodshed.

“Zardari has not done any job honestly in his whole life. He has done the job of PPP’s destruction.

Transparent and fair elections cannot be expected under Asif Ali Zardari. There will be bloodshed in the country if elections take place under Zardari’s leadership,” khan said in a press conference. He said the “PTI’s tsunami” had spread across Sindh and that no one could stop it. “I am happy that the people of Sindh have woken up,” he remarked.

“Even if a war breaks out in karachi on December 25, I will still hold a public meeting there,” he announced. “I ask the people of Sindh to shed their fears. I want to rid the Sindhi people of the fear pre-

vailing in the province,” he added. He said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) occupied only 18 seats in a 272-seat legislature. khan said that instead of focusing on MQM as its primary opponent in Sindh, the PTI should target the “big fish”, in an apparent reference to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). “I pledge that no armed group will be allowed to move freely if the PTI is voted into power,” the PTI chief announced, adding that the PTI was not a party of the Punjabis, Sindhis, Balochis or Pushtoons, but it symbolised the entire Pakistan.

He said that all rival political parties had forged alliances to serve their vested interests and to protect a tyrannical system. The cricket legend turned politician said that time had come for all oppressed people to unite in response. “When I was the captain of the cricket team, no charges of match fixing were brought against any player. Allegations of match fixing were levelled against players two years before my assuming the captaincy and after my retirement from cricket,” the cricket hero said.

Sialkot teacher breaks student’s fingers for misbehaving SIALKOT: An 11-year-old student was left with two fractured fingers after being brutally tortured by his teacher at a private school in Sialkot on Monday. The student, Hamza Mushtaq, was enrolled in sixth grade at Fatima Public School, New Mianapura, Sialkot and was punished for behaving mischievously in class. The parents and heirs of the victim later staged a peaceful protest demonstration outside the school and demanded strict legal action against the teacher. Hamza’s father Mushtaq told reporters that he had submitted an application with the local police for the registration of a case against the teacher. ARIF MeHMOOD SHeIKH

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Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

News 03

FOreIgN NewS

ArTS & eNTerTAINMeNT

Divided egypt votes in first post-Mubarak poll

Mahesh Bhatt to offer ‘Jism’sequel to Sunny Leone Buoyant Pakistan prepare for Bangladesh challenge Declining vigilance

SPOrTS

COMMeNT Security in the country is not at its best

Here he comes Shah Mehmood Qureshi joins PTI, but for what?

Dr Faisal Bari says: Our flawed syllbi: What are we teaching our children?

Syed Hassan Belal Zaidi says: Hash-bowls on the frontier?: A fictional account of what might have gone wrong at Salala checkpost

Rabia Ahmed says: The dimwits: PTA sure made a debacle of a non-issue.

Story on Page 19

Story on Page 16

Story on Page 20

Articles on Page 12-13

Warraich terms Qureshi a political dwarf LAHORE

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PM nominates edhi for International Peace Prize ISLAMABAD STAFF RePORT

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday suggested the name of renowned social worker Dr. Abdul Sattar Edhi, the head of Edhi Foundation, for the International Peace Prize. Special Envoy of UN Secretary General on HIV/AIDS for Asia Dr. Nafisa Sadiq, called on Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani at PM House on Monday and discussed names for the peace prize and other issues with the premier. During the meeting the Prime Minister suggested Shaheed Benazir Bhutto for International Peace Prize for her meritorious services for the human right’s cause. . However, Dr. Nafisa Sadiq said that the posthumous Nobel Peace Prize does not exist and therefore Shaheed Benazir Bhutto does not fall in the category, according to a press release issued here.

At this the Prime Minister suggested the name of Edhi foundation’s head, Dr Abdul Sattar Edhi. She appreciated the suggestion and promised to mobilize support for Edhi.

Joint protest against NATO attack on Thursday LAHORE STAFF RePORT

The Lahore Press Club, Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ), Lahore Bar Association (LBA) and the Mall Road Traders Association will hold a joint protest against NATO aggression on Thursday. The announcement in this regard will be made today (Tuesday) at Lahore Press Club.

STAFF RePORT

ERMING Shah Mahmood Qureshi a political dwarf, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Punjab President Imtiaz Safdar Warraich said that Qureshi was targeting President Zardari to increase his political weight while he was the one praising Zardari when he was foreign minister remained busy in praising the president.

Addressing a press conference at the PPP provincial secretariat on Monday, Warraich dismissed Qureshi’s allegations of Zardari being a threat to nuclear assets. He said the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman claim that the Ghotki public gathering was a tsunami was false and people had come to see the show. He said the PPP’s policy of political reconciliation had kept up the democracy.

He warned Qureshi against using undemocratic language against PPP leadership.

He said the PML-N had double standards since the Opposition leader in National assembly held a press conference but did not condemn the NATO attack.

He said Qureshi and Imran were similar since both supported the referendum of dictators.

KHOSA: Separately, Punjab

‘Qureshi’s exit from PPP ‘treachery’, not rebellion’ LAHORE: Federal Minister for Law and Justice Maula Bukhsh Chandio on Monday said that Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s departure from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was for personal gains, and could be called “treachery” and not a “rebellion”. Talking to reporters at Allama Iqbal International Airport, he said that Qureshi used to express his unconditional support for the PPP as long as he was a foreign minister, but took a U-turn after quitting the ministry. He acknowledged that Qureshi had numerous disciples in Sindh, but added that they were spread across the province and not concentrated in a particular constituency.

Regarding Pakistan’s instructions to the United States to vacate the Shamsi airbase in 15 days, he said that it was premature to comment on the issue and that people should wait for the deadline to pass. He asked Nawaz Sharif to wait for the completion of the government’s five years term, and stop making calls for early elections. Replying to a question on the Accountability Bill, he said that not just the PPP, but the PML-N would also have to face corruption cases. Meanwhile, Federal Textiles Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin said that those trying to revive the Bahawalpur province were actually hatching a conspiracy against south Punjab.

The minister, who is also the president of PPP-Punjab chapter, supported the formation of South Punjab as a separate province. In response to a question on Nawaz’s demand to revive the Bahawalpur province, he lashed out at the Punjab government for allocating less money for south Punjab in its annual budget. He said that Lahore’s annual development budget was 10 times higher than that of south Punjab. STAFF RePORT Governor Sardar Latif khan khosa criticised Qureshi for joining the PTI and said his political future would not be different to other turncoats who left the

party. He said it was strange that Qureshi, removed from office for poor performance as foreign minister, was finding faults with leaders of his former party.

Burglars steal rs 10m valuables from former CCPO’s uncle LAHORE: Burglars on Monday looted valuables worth more than Rs 10 million from the house of former police chief Pervaiz Rathore’s uncle. Naseem Rathore, a resident of Faisal Town, told police that he and his family members were out to attend a marriage ceremony, however when they returned, they found out that someone had broken into their house. He claimed that the thieves had stolen valuables including gold jewellery, savings certificates and Rs 300,000 in cash. Police officials said they were collecting circumstantial evidence and had started investigations.

Talking to reporters, the uncle of the former capital city

police officer (CCPO) complained that the cops had reached his house one hour after he reported the crime. Separately, a private school’s principal allegedly raped a 12-year-old student of grade-5 in the kot Lakhpat Police precincts. The victim, kiran Adil, was a resident of Chungi Amr Sadhu and was studying in Class 5 at the Al-Muhammadi Model Science High School. Her accused the school principal, Shahbaz, of raping her daughter. Police sent the girl to the General Hospital, but did not register a case. kot Lakhpat Police said they would register the case after receiving the girl’s medical report from the hospital. STAFF RePORT

‘Boy’ kills SSG commando LAHORE STAFF RePORT

A teenager killed Pakistan Army SSG commando Muhammad Arshad, 27, over reasons yet to be determined in the Nawankot Police precincts on Monday.

The deceased was a resident of Chunian district kasur. Arshad joined the Pakistan Army two years ago and was trained for Special Services Group (SSG). Arshad was performing security duty at the Tarbela Dam. Late on Sunday night, Muhammad Arshad and an unidentified friend, estimated to be 18 years of age, checked into Lahori Hotel room number 6 in the Nawankot Police Station jurisdiction.

Around noon on Monday, the hotel administration knocked at the door but received no response. Upon suspicion, the administration opened the door with a duplicate key and found Muhammad Arshad dead. The hotel administration informed local police from mobile number 03324226761 about the mishap after which a heavy contingent of police reached and shifted the body to morgue for autopsy. Meanwhile, Army officers reached the site and collected circumstantial evidence from the crime scene. Nawankot Police late on Monday night registered a case against Muhammad Arshad’s unidentified friend on the complaint of the deceased’s father Muhammad Hussain and started probing the matter.

Hussain told police they had no enmities. SP Iqbal Town Muntazir Mehdi said they had started investigating the matter but had yet to fix the motive of murder. He said it appeared as if Arshad’s friend hit his head with bricks and escaped from the scene. Lahore Police sources said the boy was much younger than Arshad. A source said the killer was 18 years old and adept at repairing fridges. Sources said the killer had repaired the hotel fridge late on Sunday night but no one knew anything else about him. The source said the murder could be a result of a sexual assault attempt from the deceased. Hotel sources said when they entered the room after opening the door, they saw Arshad’s brick hit forehead after entering the room.

MQM chief phones Zardari KARACHI STAFF RePORT

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Monday telephoned President Asif Zardari and discussed important national issues, said a handout issued by the MQM. The press release said that both leaders condemned the recent NATO attack on two Pakistani border posts, while paying rich tributes to the troops martyred in the attack. They also asserted that Pakistan is an independent and sovereign country, and the United States and NATO must show respect for its sovereignty, the statement said, adding that Zardari praised the “Pakistan Solidarity and Stability Day” observed by the MQM on Monday. The president urged the need for similar national spirit and unity in order to face the challenges confronting Pakistan. The MQM chief said the entire nation was standing by the Pakistan Army to defend the country.

Secy asked to ensure salaries to teachers ISLAMABAD STAFF RePORT

Declaring the government’s proposed decision of winding up the Basic Education Community Schools (BECS) project unlawful and in violation of various constitutional provisions, the Supreme Court on Monday again directed the finance secretary to ensure payment of salaries to teachers and other staff of the BECS within a week and submit compliance report. In its detailed verdict, a three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez held that the government’s proposed action of closing down the project was illegal and in violation of Article 25-A of the constitution.

The court also held the government’s proposed act of winding up the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) unconstitutional and of no legal effect and directed the commission to continue to perform the duty of providing basic human rights to the citizens.

PA session likely on december 8 LAHORE STAFF RePORT

The government is likely to convene the Punjab Assembly session on 8 December to discuss provincial development projects and the political situation, Pakistan Today learnt on Monday. The Punjab Assembly sources said a summary with the proposal to call the session was sent three days ago but no confirmation had been received.

However, they expressed the hope that the summary would be received within the next one or two days. Assembly sources said the Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal will chair the session of the house probably on Thursday morning.

Political analysts said the session would be stormy since opposition and treasury are at odds and the opposition will try to table resolution in favour of a separate province in South Punjab.

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04 News

Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

LHC admits plea against Haqqani for regular hearing Federal govt assures LHC that former Pakistani ambassador won’t leave country before completion of inquiry into ‘memo scandal’ g

LAHORE STAFF RePORT

PeSHAWAR: Shias flagellate themselves on the 2nd day of Muharram on Monday. ONlINE

US ‘concerned’ Continued from page 1 Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan and US Central Command would examine what took place.

“As for our relationship with Pakistan, it continues to be an important cooperative relationship that is also very complicated,” Carney said. “It is very much in America’s national security interest to maintain a cooperative relationship with Pakistan because we have shared interests in the fight against terrorism,” Carney said.

WAR EFFORT: Meanwhile, the Pentagon said the US military would press ahead with its war effort in Afghanistan despite Pakistan’s decision to cut off supplies to NATO-led forces after the lethal air strikes.

“The war effort continues,” press secretary George Little told reporters. Asked how long US and coalition forces could operate without supplies from routes running through Pakistan, he said: “I don’t have a time line to share. But the important point to focus on is the war effort will continue. Everyone realises we have an enemy to engage in Afghanistan and the US military is prepared to carry on.” The top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General John Allen, had asked US Central Command to lead an investigation into the air strikes, Little said. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) sent an initial assessment team over the weekend to the border to collect facts surrounding the

incident, he said.

Both Allen and the military’s top-ranking officer General Martin Dempsey spoke to Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq kayani about the incident, he said. “Obviously they did express their condolences and regrets but I think everyone realises the facts need to be collected, analysed and that the investigation needs to unfold,” he said.

The Pentagon spokesman also said he could not confirm reports that Pakistan had banned US government aircraft or ordered the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) out of the Shamsi airbase, which has reportedly been used for US drone strikes against militants. “I’m not aware of any US military personnel at that base,” Little said.

Abbottabad body to interview Haqqani, Asif today ISLAMABAD STAFF RePORT

The Inquiry Commission on Abbottabad incident will interview ex-ambassador Husain Haqqani, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader khwaja Muhammad Asif and president of the National Defence University NDU today (Tuesday). The meeting of the Inquiry Commission would be held at the Cabinet Division under the chairmanship of Justice Javed Iqbal, former senior judge of the Supreme Court, who is also the president of the commission. The meeting would also be attended by commission members Abbas khan, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi and Lt Gen (r) Nadeem Ahmed.

Zardari turns down Continued from page 1 On the contrary, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar had told the National Assembly in 2009 that the US was using the Shamsi airbase (for logistical support), but the government was not satisfied with payments for its use.

Shamsi airbase, also called Bandari, is a PAF’s airbase located near Washki (about 200 miles southwest of Quetta) in the Balochistan province. The United States has been using Shamsi airbase to station unmanned Predator drones that have been used to attack targets inside the country’s tribal areas, an unnamed senior US official

had told Fox News recently.

Shamsi was used heavily for launching the war in Afghanistan in late 2001, and later served as the base for the US drone programme. Set in sparsely populated desert in the western Baluchistan province, Shamsi is highly controversial within Pakistan for its association with drones, which Islamabad officially condemns. The DCC also announced that the government would “revisit and undertake a complete review of all programmes, activities and cooperative arrangements” with the US and US-led forces in Afghanistan, “including diplomatic, political, military and intelligence”. In 2009, media

reports alleged that the airfield was used by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as a base for predator drone attacks on militants in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

The airfield was constructed at an unknown date and used for years by Arab sheiks from Saudi Arabia, UAE and other Arab countries for falconry trips. During the war in Afghanistan, US special forces used the airfield as a base between 2001 and 2006. On January 9, 2002, a United States Marine Corps kC-130 aircraft crashed on approach to Shamsi.

All seven crew members were killed in the crash. In February 2009, A London-based news-

pakistan toughens its stance Continued from page 1 In the interview, however, Gilani highlighted incidents such as the killing of the Pakistani troops and a US raid into Pakistan to kill Osama bin Laden as violations of his country’s sovereignty. Previously, he said, there was the issue of Raymond Davis and later there were accusations from Afghanistan on the killing of Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani.

“These are some of the blame games. There is no political space left for the political leadership of Pakistan and the military lead-

ership. How can we then cooperate in this difficult situation? We are part of the solution. We are not part of the problem,” said Gilani.

He said Pakistan had always supported an Afghanled and Afghan-owned peace process but this support would not be at the cost of Pakistan’s sovereignty, as anything that harmed the sovereignty and stability of the country would not be acceptable.

The prime minister said he had referred the Mohmand Agency attack issue to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, which would deliber-

ate and give recommendations to him. A joint session of parliament would also be convened on the issue, he added. Gilani also said Pakistan had not yet decided whether to boycott next month’s Bonn conference on the future of Afghanistan.

ISPR DG DENIES: “The NATO strike can have grave consequences for the level and extent of our cooperation,” said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj General Athar Abbas. Talking about regrets extended by NATO over the killing of Pakistani soldiers, Abbas said in a statement: “We think this is

paper had announced that it had obtained Google Earth images from 2006 which showed predator aircraft parked outside a hangar at the end of the runway. The investigation was in response to a statement by US Senator Dianne Feinstein that the CIA was basing its drone aircraft in Pakistan. The US company Blackwater was also reported to have a presence there, hired by the CIA to arm the drones with missiles. In June 2011, Pakistan publicly ordered the US to remove all of its personnel from the airfield. The US and Pakistan announced a few days later that drone operations from the airfield had actually ceased in April 2011.

not enough and we do not accept it. Such raids have also been conducted in the past. Such attacks are unacceptable.”

Another Pakistani official said that after the Mohmand Agency attack, the US and its other NATO allies should not expect the continuation of cooperation from Pakistan in fighting terrorism and also any help from Islamabad for the success of the ongoing reconciliation between kabul and the Taliban, which was backed by Washington.

“The US will have to tender a formal apology, assure a thorough probe, stern action against the culprits and also a firm guarantee that no such attack will be carried

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HE federal government on Monday assured the Lahore High Court that former Pakistani ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani would not leave the country before the completion of inquiry into the memo scandal.

Two deputy attorney generals (DAGs) appeared before the court as Justice Umar Ata Bandial admitted for regular the petition seeking for directions to federal government to place Haqqani’s name on the ExitControl List (ECL) and initiate high treason proceedings against him on charges of violating the constitution.

The law officers of the federal government also informed the court that the investigation in the memo scandal would be carried out under the supervision of Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) chairman Senator Raza Rabbani. The judge directed the law officers to submit their

SC may take up Nawaz’s plea this week ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court is likely to take up this week the petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif seeking a probe into the memo gate issue, as the apex court’s Registrar’s Office numbered the plea after scrutiny on Monday.

In his petition, Nawaz has requested the court to summon the respondents, including President Zardari, Husain Haqqani, Mansoor Ijaz, COAS kayani, ISI chief Pasha and the foreign secretary to explain the memorandum allegedly sent to the US government. STAFF RePORT out in future,” he said, adding that only after that could any review of the decision to suspend NATO supplies to its forces in Afghanistan and to ask the US to vacate the Shamsi airbase within 15 days could take place. Abbas also denied reports that NATO forces in Afghanistan had come under fire from Pakistani side before they launched the attack. He said the attack lasted two hours despite warnings given to the assailants from the Pakistani border posts.

“They were contacted through the local hotline and also there had been contacts through the director general of military operations, but despite that the attack con-

written replies and adjourned the hearing until December 9. The judge ordered the petitioner, Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafree, to include the names of interior and foreign secretaries as they might have more relevant information about the memo scandal.

A citizen Iftikhar Rajpoot thorough his counsel Jafree had filed the petition and made parties to Cabinet Secretary Nargis Sethi, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Nisar Ali khan, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Attorney General of Pakistan Maulvi Anwarul Haq in the petition.

He said Haqqani sent a derogatory letter to former US military chief Mike Mullen through a US-based Pakistani businessman Mansoor Ijaz against the Pakistan Army and the ISI. By doing this, he said Haqqani tarnished the image of both Pakistan and its armed forces and made an attempt to pledge Pakistan’s sovereignty to the US. He said Haqqani was holding dual nationality.

Later, Haqqani changed

party and joined the “Zardari group” and got the lucrative post of Pakistan’s ambassador to the US. Lahore Bar Association (LBA) President Shahzad Hassan Sheikh on Monday demanded the government declare the US “the most unfavoured nation” after NATO’s brutal attack on two army checkposts in Mohmand Agency.

Addressing a press conference, Sheikh said if the federal government could decide to declare India “the most favoured nation” it could also declare the US its biggest enemy with a permanent ban on NATO supply.

He announced that the LBA would organise a protest rally on December 1 against the NATO attack.

He said parliament had passed a unanimous resolution refraining America from violating the integrity of Pakistan but that was without the backing of any power or confidence necessary for the resolution implemented.

“Taking advantages of the situation, the US is free to act on his own without any hurdle.”

Karzai to speak to Zardari over NaTO strike, Bonn moot ISLAMABAD Afghan President Hamid karzai will soon speak to President Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the recent NATO strike and suspicion that Pakistan may stay away from the coming Bonn conference on Afghanistan, Afghan embassy sources said on Monday.

Pakistan on Sunday lodged protest with Afghanistan over use of its territory by NATO forces to attack Pakistani territory. The Foreign Ministry had asked the US-backed karzai government to ensure that NATO does not use Afghan soil for attacks in the future. The deadly attack which killed 24

soldiers in Mohmand Agency on Friday night has also created doubts over Islamabad’s participation in the Bonn conference on December 5. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Monday Pakistan had not yet made a decision to boycott the conference. Afghan diplomatic sources said President kaarzai would express condolences over the death of Pakistani soldiers and will insist on Pakistan’s participation in the Bonn moot as Pakistan’s role in Afghan stability assumes key role. Also in kabul, the deputy spokesman for President karzai said that the participation of Pakistan in the Bonn Conference was of special importance for the government of Afghanistan.

tinued. At this point, NATO and Afghanistan are trying to wriggle out of the situation by offering excuses.

Where are their casualties?”

He said the two military posts, named “Volcano” and “Golden”, were located on a ridge in Mohmand around 300 metres from the border with Afghanistan. He said their exact location had been provided to NATO and that the area had recently been cleared of militants.

CHINA EXPRESSES SHOCK: In what is seen as addition of a new element to Pakistan-US tensions and also a diplomatic boost for Islamabad, China expressed its shock over the NATO strike. Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani khar spoke to

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Monday to brief him on the NATO/ISAF attacks and the decisions taken by the Defense Committee of the Cabinet on Saturday. khar also spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and briefed him on the attack on and the subsequent decisions of the DCC. “She underscored that besides being a gross violation of established international norms, such attacks posed a threat to regional peace and stability as well,” said another statement from the Foreign Office. The Russian Foreign Minister expressed sympathy for the loss of life and said he completely understood Pakistan’s position.

ONLINe

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Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

SSgC’s schedule rejected as soon as it is announced Two-day CNg holiday 07

Don’t bring out your weapons till 13th of Muharram, orders Wasan ■ display of arms banned under Section 144

Policemen guard the office of the Aalmi Majlis Tahaffuz Khatm-e-Nubuwwat on Monday. IMRaN alI

KARACHI

F

STAFF RePORT

OLLOWING the murder of two scouts at Numaish Chowrangi a day earlier, Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan on Monday ordered a complete ban under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) on display of weapons in the city.

“There will be a ban on display of arms, including licensed weapons, in the city for the next 12 days of Muharram.

However, the guards of religious scholars will be exempted from these restrictions,” he said, while talking to journalists on a visit to the crime scene of Sunday afternoon.

Wasan said at least 51 people were arrested by law enforcers and interrogations are underway to arrest the assailants involved in killing the two security volunteers. “karachi is the economic hub of the country and some anti-Pakistan elements are involved in disrupting the city’s peace,” he said. “[But] police and Rangers will foil the conspiracy with their joint efforts.”

Replying to a query, the provincial home minister said the FIR of the incident will be registered and action taken

against anyone, even law enforcement personnel, if found guilty.

Later, Wasan visited the Liaquat National Hospital to inquire about the health of Ehsan kohati – reporter of a private television channel – who suffered bullet injuries in the ensuing violence after the Numaish shooting.

Lauding the services of journalists in the line of duty, the minister gave the reporter Rs 25,000 as compensation.

Earlier, presiding over a meeting held at the Chief Minister’s House to review the law and order situation in the province particularly karachi, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah directed that all out preventive, protective and precautionary measures be ensured to combat criminals, anti-social elements and mischief mongers involved in criminal activities during Muharram.

“Anti-state elements will try to disturb peace with their condemnable acts,” he said and stressed upon the law enforcement agencies to foil the attempts of spreading religious hatred.

Expressing deep grief on the death of two scouts, the chief minister announced compensation for their heirs and made it clear that the administration will remain fully non-partisan and not take sides with any sect, group or party.

Shah said that stern action will be

taken against those involved in disturbing peace in the province and no one will be spared.

The meeting was attended by Sindh Home Minister Wasan, Inspector General of Police Muhstaq Shah, Additional Inspector General of Police karachi Shabir Sheikh, Additional Inspector General of Police Special Branch Ghulam Nabi Memon, Chief Secretary Raja Muhammad Abbas, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Waseem Ahmed, Rangers’ Brigadier Zafar khan, karachi Commissioner Roshan Ali Sheikh, all police DIGs and deputy commissioners of the karachi zone.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Rangers, Sindh arrested at least 23 suspects in search operations across the city and recovered 22 weapons from the possession of the alleged accused.

According to a Rangers’ spokesman, the law enforcers conducted raids in Phool Chowk, kharadar, Dalmia, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Super Highway, NIPA, Baloch Para, Baldia, Godhra, Bhittaiabad, Awami Colony, Sherpao Colony and Gulzar Colony.

Separately in the limits of Aziz Bhatti police, a noha khwan identified as Faheem Haider was critically injured when unidentified attackers opened fire at his vehicle under the NIPA flyover.

With study time over, Bilawal ready for the job?

■ PPP chairman starts politicking in Sindh KARACHI RAZZAK ABRO

With political temperatures soaring in Pakistan, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari – the Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) – has started politicking in Sindh.

President Asif Ali Zardari had announced earlier this year that Bilawal would take on some political responsibilities in the country after September, and now that the younger Zardari has completed his education at the University of Oxford, he has started to do just that. Bilawal made his first public appearance in Larkana on Sunday.

He drove through different areas of his slain mother Benazir Bhutto’s home district and met the commoners. He listened to their problems, received their applications and forwarded them to the authorities concerned for resolving the issues of the masses.

On Monday, Bilawal visited Naudero, the native town of the Bhuttos. He visited the house of Major Mujahid Ali Mirani, one of the personnel of the Pakistan Army assassinated in the recent NATO attack on an army check-

post near the Afghan border. He offered fateha with the relatives of the slain major.

Earlier, Bilawal attended the chehlum of Begum Nusrat Bhutto at the Naudero House. He also attended PPP meetings, but it was the first time that his father was not with him. However, his aunt Faryal Talpur and party leaders, including Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, accompanied him during his activities.

Larkana is the Bhuttos’ hometown and the centre of the ruling PPP’s politics. Following Benazir’s assassination in 2007, Zardari has given more time to Larkana than his native town Nawabshah. Zardari’s sister Faryal Talpur, former district nazim of Nawabshah (now Benazirabad), also gives all her time to Larkana as she is an elected MNA from the district.

Benazir got Bilawal’s vote registered in Larkana as well. Zardari had indicated a few months ago that Bilawal would contest elections from karachi’s Lyari Town. The younger Zardari could contest from Larkana as well as Lyari since both the places have much political significance for the PPP.

Keep ‘them’ away from afaq, Kazmi asks Rangers ■ Haqiqi chief’s counsel appeals to paramilitary force to provide security to his client, who is expected to be released today; says if Afaq or any of his family members are harmed, Altaf and MQM should be held responsible KARACHI STAFF RePORT

Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi chief Afaq Ahmed’s counsel Syed Muhammad Iqbal kazmi has appealed to the Pakistan Rangers Sindh director general for providing security to his client who is expected to be released on Tuesday (today). kazmi said if Afaq or any of his family members are harmed in any way, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain and his party should be held responsible.

During a media briefing held in the Sindh High Court premises, the Haqiqi chief’s counsel said Afaq’s detention is in clear violation of court orders, and the government is eligible for a contempt-of-court hearing.

“We shall approach the upper judiciary as well as human rights organisations, at both the national and international levels,”

he added. He said following the decision of the Supreme Court regarding NRO, the accused affiliated with the MQM, including Altaf, Babar Ghauri and Farooq Sattar, should have been arrested and tried in criminal cases registered against them.

He also said cases of corruption registered against Pakistan People’s Party leaders and government officers were reopened and proceeded to the NAB courts, but criminal cases against MQM leaders have not been reopened due to the influence of the party and reconciliatory politics. kazmi said as per the Supreme Court’s orders, all no-go areas should be finished. He said Afaq would not take part in any political activities during Muharramul al Haram.

Responding to a question, the counsel blamed MQM for Sunday’s incident. He said it was the party’s conspiracy to sabotage Haqiqi chief’s possible release.

Sold! 800 posts in CDGK’s Edu Dept auctioned off ■ 800 personnel recruited, half of them on backdates, with each slot worth between rs 150,000 and rs 200,000 KARACHI AFTAB CHANNA

In its last days of administration, the now-defunct City District Government karachi (CDGk) appointed at least 800 people – half of them on backdate – in its Education Department on a bribe ranging from Rs 150,000 to 200,000, Pakistan Today has learnt.

Well-placed sources in the new administrative set-up told Pakistan Today that all the illegal appointments were made by a single senior education department officer in connivance with the department’s junior staff.

The appointment of around 400 personnel was cancelled by the CDGk administration when it passed an order regarding termi-

nation of services of all its contractual employees, but the positions of the other 400 remained safe as they were appointed on backdates i.e. 1997, 2007 and 2009.

“These appointments were made in the then 18 towns of the city in return for a heavy bribe ranging between Rs 150,000 and Rs 200,000,” sources in the karachi Municipal Corporation (kMC) told Pakistan Today.

The illegal appointments were made by Education District Officer (DO) khurram Arif in connivance with pay-sheet clerks Salim kk, Umer Salim, Nadeem and Jilani. Salaries, bills and all other related documents of those appointed on backdates were also prepared in backdates.

Taking notice of the episode, the city administrator removed

400 illegally appointed people from the Education Department; however, those appointed on backdates remained safe from the legal action.

“The employees were also promoted to senior positions within a short period, creating a sense of deprivation among the senior officials of the Education Department,” the sources claimed.

Recently, kMC Administrator Mohammad Hussain Syed appointed District Officer (Parole) Nasir Jamal as the inquiry officer to investigate the matter. However, the official fearing pressure from the “corrupt” officers involved in this illegal practice was able to get himself transferred from the Education Department.

When Pakistan Today visited the office of district officer (pa-

role) to seek his version, it was learnt that Jamal had been transferred a couple of days ago and another officer named Asghar Durrani was appointed in his place. However, Durrani had not bothered to take over the charge since his appointment.

“A list containing names of the 400 personnel appointed in backdates was also prepared for initiating action against those involved, but the officials were fearing for their lives in case they took any action against them,” the sources said.

The administrator had also ordered that the current status, promotions and timescale of these illegal appointees should be checked so that stern action can be taken against them.

Pakistan Today also tried to

contact Education Director Niaz Leghari; but his cell phone remained unattended.

According to a kMC press release, the karachi administrator has ordered an inquiry into the illegal appointments of employees in the defunct CDGk is under way and any decision in this regard will be taken after submission of the final report.

When Pakistan Today approached the administrator’s office to seek his official version, Syed said the action was taken after receiving a large number of complaints regarding appointments made without fulfilling legal requirements. “A good part of these appointments was made in the Education Department of the Local Bodies Wing,” he added.

The initial report of the inves-

tigation tribunal consisting of senior officers had showed recruitment of around 1,250 teaching and non-teaching personnel in the Education Department during the past one-and-a-half years.

The authority had sent the list of these employees to the department concerned for submission of their service books and personal files to ascertain the legitimacy of their appointments but no such record has been received even after four days.

Hinting the possible involvement of various departments, including the Local Fund Audit and some bank officers among other officials, the administrator said that all officers involved in the illegal appointments scam will have to face criminal charges for indulging in unlawful acts.

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PakistaN today

06 karachi

Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

KU students to walk today for Dr Chishti’s release KARACHI AAMIR MAJeeD

T

KARACHI: A fire broke out at the timber market in the Godhra area of New karachi on Monday, gutting goods worth millions. The fire erupted in a timber godown and later the shops located nearby were also engulfed in flames.

Fire-fighters doused the blaze after hectic efforts that lasted for hours. No loss of life was reported in the incident, but the traders of the market suffered huge losses. STAFF RePORT

HE University of karachi (kU) has organised a walk on Tuesday (today) against former kU professor Dr khalil Chishti’s imprisonment in India, and to demand the octogenarian’s immediate release and safe return.

The kU administration has decided to take up 85year-old Chishti’s issue with the Indian High Commission. The varsity has also decided to approach the provincial and federal governments in this regard.

Moreover, kU teachers and students have started approaching human rights and non-governmental organisations, including the Ansar Burney Trust, for Chishti’s release. kU Microbiology Department Chairwoman Prof Dr Nusrat Jamil said Chishti has been languishing in an Indian jail since 1992. She said the protest walk on Tuesday would commence from the department’s

premises and terminate at the kU Arts Lobby. kU Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Shahana Urooj kazmi said Chishti was sentenced to 14 years in prison after 19 years of trial. She said, “We respect Indian courts and laws, but we request the Indian government to release Chishti on humanitarian grounds.”

According to Chishti’s daughter, kazmi said, he is too old to even walk. “When she went to India to visit her

father, he fell down while walking and injured his foot,” the pro vice chancellor added.

She said Chishti, once his teacher, was the first virologist in Pakistan. She said he also worked immensely in the field of organ culture. “He was a friendly, cooperative and enthusiastic teacher who always invited his students to participate in discussions during his lectures,” she added.

United we stand: MQM observes ‘national solidarity day’ KARACHI STAFF RePORT

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) observed “Pakistan Solidarity and Stability Day” across the country on Monday as a protest against the NATO forces’ attack on an army check-post in Mohmand Agency.

Programmes were organised at the MQM offices throughout the country while the main event was held at MQM Headquarters Nine Zero, where a large number of MQM activists and sympathisers were present.

Strongly condemning the unwarranted aggression, MQM chief Altaf Hussain termed it an attack on the national sovereignty and security, and endorsed the decision of the party’s coordination committee to observe November 28 as the ‘solidarity and stability day’.

Altaf directed taking down all party flags from houses, buildings and other public places and hoisting national flags instead, to

weld the nation into a strong bond of unity for defending the honour of the country.

Speaking at the main programme at Nine Zero, MQM Coordination Committee Deputy Convener Dr Farooq Sattar said the enthusiastic response given by the public to the national stability and solidarity day has proved that the Pakistani nation is capable of giving a fitting reply to any aggression on its borders.

Paying rich tributes to the officers and personnel martyred in the NATO attack, he said the challenge should be converted into an opportunity and it should be made clear to the world that any adventure against the sovereignty of the country would be strongly dealt with.

“The [Pakistani] nation should be united to make the defence of the country impregnable,” he said. “The MQM would not desist from offering any sacrifices and the army should not consider itself alone as the entire nation is firmly behind the armed forces.”

Two men murdered in Korangi KARACHI STAFF RePORT

Two men were gunned down by unidentified assailants in korangi on Monday.

The Awami Colony SHO told Pakistan Today that 25year-old Mohammad Aamir and his friend 31-year-old Majid were on their way to

work when two men opened fire on them at the main bus stop in korangi No 5.

Both men were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where they breathed their last.

The victims were friends and resided in the same area.

The families of the victims have claimed that they

had no enemies and nor were they affiliated with any political group, the police official said.

A case has been registered against the attackers and investigation is under way.

Separately, an unidentified boy was injured by robbers when he resisted them in Gulshan-e-Hadeed area.

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Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

karachi 07 PakistaN today

TWO-Day GaS SUpply SUSpENSION TO CNG STaTIONS

SSGC’s schedule rejected as soon as it is announced

Commuters hold on to the back of an overcrowded bus at Shahrah-e-Faisal. The government’s pillion riding ban has forced many to resort to desperate measures to reach their destinations. aSIM REhMaNI

KARACHI

T

STAFF RePORT

HE Sui Southern Gas Company announced its schedule on Monday for halting gas supply to CNG stations under its load management plan.

However, the All Pakistan CNG Association has decided to keep the stations open, rejecting the decision and calling it unfair.

Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, the central chairman of the association, said that they will move the court against the decision.

According to the schedule, gas supply to CNG stations will be discontinued for two days from 11 pm on November 29 to 11 pm on December 1.

In the second shutdown, the supply to CNG stations will be discontinued from 11 pm on December 7 to 11 pm on December 8. In the third shutdown, supply to CNG stations will be suspended from 9 pm on December 9 to 7 am on December 10.

In the fourth shutdown of the schedule, gas supply to CNG stations will be

stopped from 9 pm on December 10 to 7 am on December 11.

In a press release, the SSGC said that the gas supply has been curtailed to CNG stations to maintain adequate gas pressures for household consumers in the province.

The decision has been made after taking the CNG associations into confidence over the situation arising out of the increased consumption of gas during winter and SSGC’s strategy of gas curtailment.

With the advent of the winter season, natural gas demand increases considerably due to additional heating load, especially in the domestic sector, invariably creating low pressures in the system and causing inconvenience to gas consumers. Therefore, the SSGC has resorted to gas load management to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to the domestic sector.

Regretting the inconvenience caused to CNG consumers, the SSGC said the company reiterates that the gas supply will be restored as soon as pressures normalises and requested all its customers to use gas thriftily.

Book on tragedy of Karbala launched KARACHI APP

A new book ‘Blood of Husayn’ by eminent research scholar Dr Muhammad Raza kazmi was launched at the DHA Central Library on Monday.

Launched under the aegis of literary organisation ‘Bista-e-Yaran’, the book encompasses the life and legacy of Imam Hussain (AS) and a detailed narrative of the tragedy of karbala.

Renowned author and scholar Dr Hussain Muhammad Jafri presided over the event. Eminent scholars, writers and personalities spoke on the occasion as well.

Former ambassador and intellec-

tual Mehdi Masood said that the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS) was an example of not surrendering to the oppressor and protecting Islam. “Hussain (AS) has become immortal and has left deep imprints on the generations to come,” said the former diplomat.

He said that Imam Hussain (AS) is universally regarded as a symbol of truth, courage and sacrifice and not just to a particular religion or sect. “Imam Hussain (AS) has an exalted status and belongs to the entire humanity.”

The chief guest of the event, Dr Hussain Muhammad Jafri said that the battle of karbala has had far reaching and multifarious effects on the Islamic

Numaish Chowrangi attack: first step in a much more sinister plan?

NEWS aNalySIS BILAL FAROOQI

It is the dreariest start imaginable to the month of Muharram in karachi. The first 10 days of the holy month are usually risky, but it is the last two days that are considered more susceptible to the villainy of a few. However, the miscreants wanted to spare no time on this occasion and went about their dirty work on the very first day of the month.

They gunned down two young Shia men performing scout duties for Muharram mourners at Numaish Chowrangi, triggering a violent backlash – including firing and arson – to the extent that some of the areas appeared to be battle zones.

Credit goes to the law enforcement agencies for bringing the situation under control before it could have become worse.

Now that the spark has been

ignited, the remaining period up till the conclusion of the day of Ashura is surely to be a tense one for the citizens of karachi.

Those responsible for what happened at Numaish Chowrangi have achieved their objective, and tempers are flying high.

The slightest of provocation is all that would be required to set off a chain of violent events. The Numaish Chowrangi attack might just be the first step in a much more sinister plan.

This makes the law enforcers’ job that much harder.

They would have to put in extra effort and be more vigilant to avert a major tragedy in these few days. Given the complexity of the matter, it would be a daunting task. It is not as simple as carrying out a raid to capture a Taliban commander holed up in the city. Sectarianism is an issue laced with complications and a very cautious approach is required to deal with it.

civilisation.

“Despite all odds, Hussain (AS) succeeded in building an ideological counterpoise to the empire, and to charge the imagination of the elements opposed to the imperial order,” Jafri said.

Sharing her views about the book, Prof Shahida Hasan said that ‘Blood of Husayn’ gives an account of the events of karbala in a most concise, truthful, authoritative and comprehensive manner.

Prominent writer and scholar Maulana Iftikhar Arif was also among the speakers. “Imam Hussain (AS) upheld his mission to save and protect Islam in its original form,” Arif observed.

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PakistaN today

08 karachi weATHer UPdATeS

33°C High

Mostly Cloudy

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wedNeSdAy THUrSdAy FrIdAy 32°C I 23°C

34°C I 23°C 34°C I 24°C

PrAyer TIMINgS Fajr 5:38

Sunrise 6:57

Zuhr 12:20

Asr 3:22

Maghrib 5:43

Isha 7:03

Starting time in Karachi

CITy dIreCTOry

Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

Policy rules needed to implement laws for women KARACHI

eMergeNCy HeLP POLICe 15 BOMB dISPOSAL 15, 99212667 FIre BrIgAde 16, 99215007, 99215008 edHI 115, 32310066-2310077 KHIdMAT-e-KHALQ FOUNdATION 36333811 red CreSCeNT 35833973 gOverNOr’S HOUSe 136 CHIeF MINISTer’S HOUSe 99202051 MOTOrwAy POLICe 130

HOSPITALS ABBASI SHAHeed CIvIL JINNAH NICvd AgA KHAN TABBA

99260400-09 99215749, 99215960 99201300-39 99201271-6 34930051 36811841-50

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APP

ROVINCIAL governments need to formulate policy rules for the implementation of women-friendly laws introduced in the country, participants of a consultative meeting said on Monday.

The meeting was organised by the Sindh Women Development Department and chaired by provincial Women Development Minister Tauqir Fatima Bhutto. It was attended by female members of the Sindh Assembly and women rights activists.

They sought concrete measures for public sensitisation about a series of laws introduced in the country for the protection of the marginalised sections of the society.

“Propagation of laws is necessary so that women and other concerned sections must know about the modes of their protection,” the minister said. “Rules may also act as source of deterrence for perpetrators of the crime.”

On the occasion, the participants discussed in detail different private bills pending before the Sindh Assembly since 2008.

The deliberation revealed that five of these bills including Prevention of Gender Discrimination Bill 2008, Domestic Violence against Women and Children Prevention and Protection Bill 2008, Gender Harassment at Workplace Bill 2008, Women Protection against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill 2008 and Anti-Domestic Violence Bill 2008 had been fully or partially adopted by the parliament.

“There is an urgent need to ensure implementation of these laws in letter and spirit at every public and private sector organisation,” the minister said.

Female MPAs including Nusrat Sehar Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, Humaira Alwani of the Pakistan People’s Party and Zarine Majeed of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement inquired about the measures adopted for implementation of the women protection against sexual harassment at work-

place bill from the government officials present at the meeting.

They took exception to claim made by the officials that complaint committees have been formed in 18 of the provincial government departments, each including a chairperson of BPS 19 grade and other two members of BPS 18 and 17.

“I am amazed as to why no such committee has so far received any complaint although personally we come across hundreds of women complainants including workers associated with different government departments,” said Nusrat Sehar Abbasi.

When informed that the complainant can directly approach the committee and need not to forward her grievances through her immediate supervisor, the MPA said these aspects must be duly highlighted.

Tauqir Fatima Bhutto informed the participants of the meeting that the Sindh Women Development Department has translated the code of conduct, an integral part of the law, into Urdu and Sindhi.

“This has not only been distrib-

uted among all government departments and institutions including the Sindh Assembly but also put on display at the prominent site of every office,” she said.

The minister agreed that similar measures are required for public awareness about the laws introduced for their benefit, with specific reference to women and children.

She said the Women Development Department has launched a public awareness campaign against domestic violence that will last from November 25 to December 10.

Bhutto said that the female members of the Sindh Assembly would immediately focus on the on the Standardisation of Age of Marriage Bill, Recognition and Protection of Home-Based Workers Bill and Prevention of Women Trafficking Bill.

A representative of the Sindh Law Department assured the participants that draft laws forwarded by the female members of the assembly, with prior approval of chief minister, would be taken up for vetting by his department on urgent basis.

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PULSe OF THe VeRSeS

JeAN CLAUDe NOVARO

MAD IN KARACHI

ART EXHIBITION UNTIL NOVEMBER 30 VENUE: VM ART GALLERY

ART EXHIBITION UNTIL DECEMBER 2 VENUE: UNICORN GALLERY

ART EXHIBITION UNTIL DECEMBER 2 VENUE: ARTCHOWK-THE GALLERY

Abid Hasan’s ‘Pulse of the Verses’ is running until November 30 at the VM Art Gallery. Call 34948088 for more information.

Jean Claude Novaro’s glass sculptures exhibition is running until December 2 at the Unicorn Gallery. Call 35831220 for more information.

‘Mad in karachi...3D’ is running until December 2 at ArtChowkthe Gallery. Call 35300481 for more information.

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Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

News 09

FO rejects Qureshi’s statement, says Pak nukes safe ISLAMABAD STAFF RePORT

Rejecting the insinuations made by former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi against President Asif Ali Zardari in his speech at a public rally in Ghotki on Sunday, the Foreign Office said on Monday that Pakistan’s nuclear programme was safe and there would be no compromise on it.

Commenting on Qureshi’s remarks, Foreign Office Spokeswoman Tehmina Janjua said it was well known that under the 18th Amendment, all powers were transferred to parliament and the executive authority lay fully with the prime minister.

“Accordingly, the National Command Authority (NCA) which consists of the ministers of defence, foreign affairs, interior and finance as well as the Joint Chiefs Of Staff Committee chairman and the three services’ chiefs is now headed by the prime minister of Pakistan,” she said in a statement. She said further that the Strategic Plans Division of the NCA was headed by the director general, who also served as the secretary of the NCA. “Besides the NCA and the Strategic Plans Division, there is also the Strategic Forces Command. These wellestablished institutional mechanisms are responsible for managing Pakistan’s strategic assets and programmes. We have effective custodial controls,” she added.

The spokeswoman stated that Pakistan was a responsible nuclear power. “The National Command Authority meets frequently to review all matters relating to strategic programmes and provide direction to upgrade our strategic programme to suit Pakistan’s defence requirements,” she said.

“Our policy of maintaining credible minimum deterrence will be maintained.

Under no circumstances can this national programme, which is integral to Pakistan’s defence, be compromised,” said Tehmina.

She said the government, the armed forces and above all the people of Pakistan were absolutely committed to the objective. “The insinuations made against the president in the aforementioned remarks are baseless and strongly refuted,” she added.

Brother kills sister in Kasur for ‘honour’ KASUR STAFF RePORT

A man allegedly killed his sister in the name of honour on Monday at village Bhagiana kalan in the jurisdiction of Phoolnagar police station. The accused Saleem suspected his sister Uzma had developed a relationship with milk man kashif and axed her to death. Police registered the case and started investigations.

RAWALPINDI: People stop motorists during a demonstration against gas load shedding on Monday. ONlINE

Hoti announces Rs 600 million development package for Swabi KP chief minister says ‘fruit of completion of political and election manifesto’ to be extended to every corner of province g

PESHAWAR

k

STAFF RePORT

H Y B E R Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ameer Haider khan Hoti on Monday announced a development package worth Rs 600 million for Swabi district, saying the fruit of completion of political and election manifesto would be extended to every nook and corner of the province.

Hoti said opponents should acknowledge the success of the ANP. He said legislation had been done for utilising tobacco cess on the develop-

ment of parent districts, adding that Swabi received Rs 620 million in this connection during the last three years.

He said resources would be provided for the expansion of PEHUR High Level Canal and government special initiatives for elimination of unemployment, poverty and illiteracy would prove handy and vital.

Hoti was addressing a gathering along with ANP central leader Asfandyar Wali khan, provincial President Afraseyab khattak, provincial minister Zarsheed khan and district president Haji Rahmanullah.

The chief minister said under As-

fandyar’s leadership, the ANP had served the people of khyber Pakhtunkhwa in very challenging circumstances. He said time had now changed, adding that the provincial government and its representatives were no more complaining about scarcity of resources as additional resources worth billion of rupees were available in the provincial exchequer due to the NFC award, provincial autonomy under the 18th Amendment.

He said net hydel profit would be utilised for production of electricity, and added that foundation stones of five to six projects would be laid soon.

Hoti said the provincial govern-

pakistan’s border closure raises NaTO supply questions g

NATO has alternate route but Pakistani routes are shorter, cheaper KABUL AFP

Supplies for NATO in Afghanistan have been hit by a Pakistani blockade enforced after a cross-border strike killed 24 of its troops, but it remains unclear how seriously coalition forces will suffer.

There are around 140,000 foreign troops in landlocked Afghanistan waging a 10-year battle against a Taliban-led insurgency who rely on fuel, food and equipment brought in from outside.

Nearly half of all cargo bound for foreign troops routes through Pakistan, which closed the border to NATO traffic on Saturday. But the coalition force insists its fight against the Taliban will not be affected.

“ISAF uses a vast supply and distribution network to ensure coalition forces remain well-stocked in order to carry out their assigned mission across Afghanistan,” said Lieutenant

Gregory keeley, a spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in kabul.

Some 48 percent of all coalition cargo usually passes through two points on the Pakistan border, while for US forces, who provide around 100,000 troops in Afghanistan, the figure is around 30 percent, he said.

ISAF and the US have been building up alternative supply routes through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan from the north of Afghanistan as relations between Washington and Islamabad have deteriorated this year.

The so-called Northern Distribution Network has been built up to address concerns about over-reliance on Pakistani supply lines amid what was a growing US troop commitment in Afghanistan.

The northern route accounts for 52 percent of coalition cargo transport and 40 percent for the US, which also receives around 30 percent of its sup-

plies by air, keely said.

But US officials admit that the Pakistan route is cheaper and shorter.

John Bolton, former US ambassador to the United Nations, told Fox News that US forces also keep stockpiles in case supply lines are choked as in the past. “This is not the first time, our forces do have stockpiles on the Afghan side of the border,” he said. “It is obviously something that needs to be corrected but there is no immediate concern.” keeley would not discuss how long stockpiles would tide foreign troops over, calling it an “operational issue”.

The last time the Pakistani border was closed to foreign military supplies was in September last year for 10 days following a previous NATO strike that killed up to three Pakistani soldiers.

The deadliest such incident prior to the weekend strike came in June 2008 when another NATO strike killed 11 Pakistani soldiers.

Some warn that ISAF will need to

take swift action to address Saturday’s murky incident to ensure that supplies are not disrupted in the longerterm. “Even a closure lasting more than a week should not impact operations on the ground, especially now that stockpiles have been established and the alternative Northern Distribution Network has been significantly expanded,” intelligence analysts Stratfor wrote in assessment of the situation. “But Washington is not yet completely free of its reliance on supplies moved through Pakistan and so will need to find a way to resume the flow.”

Retired US general Barry McCaffrey told NBC News that he believed the coalition effort in Afghanistan was “one step short of a strategic crisis”.

“I do not believe we can continue operations at this rate,” he said. “So we’ve got to talk to them, we’ve got to pay them, we’ve got to apologise for this strike. We have no option, literally.”

ment had raised the amount of oil and gas royalty to Rs 16 billion, realising the rights of the province. He said the Oil and Gas Company had been set up for utilising these resources on development of the province and its people.

The chief minister said he had initiated Bacha khan khpal Rozgar Scheme last year under which gave interest free loans to unemployed youth. He said Rs 11 billion had been allocated to free treatment for hepatitis and cancer patients. Provincial minister Zarshed khan said people were announcing affiliation with the ANP due to the vibrant leadership of Asfandyar Wali khan and efforts of the chief minister.

$150 a month to shun violence LONDON: Afghan Taliban cadres are being paid over $150 a month for desisting from action and will be allowed to keep their weapons as part of a new initiative to end the insurgency in Afghanistan, a British media report said on Monday. The “reintegration” programme, which has the full support of NATO, is intended to keep them from attacking troops of the US-led NATO and ISAF, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Those who have attacked and killed British forces are also given an amnesty, meaning they will not be put on trial. The amnesty extends to all Taliban fighters, including those involved in atrocities, such as killing children, beheadings or hanging women. The agreement is part of a policy signed by the British government in which insurgents are being allowed to “walk off the battlefield” and enter a “reintegration” scheme. Instead of interrogating members of the Taliban joining the programme, they are asked to fill up a questionnaire to seek from them their reasons for joining the insurgency. ONLINe

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10 News

Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

MULTAN/FAISALABAD/SWAT: (Left) High court lawyers demonstrate in Multan against NATO attacks on Mohmand Agency. (Right) Lawyers shout anti-NATO slogans during a demonstration in Faisalabad. (Below) Lawyers sit idle outside the bar room in Swat due to a strike called to condemn NATO attacks. ONLINE

China ‘deeply shocked’ by NaTO pakistan strikes BEIJING AFP

key ally China on Monday said it was “deeply shocked” by NATO airstrikes that left 24 soldiers dead and called for an investigation into the incident.

The deadly strikes early on Saturday by NATO helicopters and fighter jets have raised tensions between Islamabad and Washington, already running high after the killing in May of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden by US Special Forces.

“China is deeply shocked at the incident and expresses strong concerns and deep condolences to the victims in Pakistan,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a regular news

Murky border war won’t rupture Pak-US alliance American analyst says cooperation one step short of strategic crisis g Pakistan has incredible leverage as long as it has nuclear weapons g

ISLAMABAD

T

AFP

HE deaths of 24 Pakistani troops spotlights the explosive 10-year war on the Afghan border, but is unlikely to rupture the unhappy marriage of convenience between Islamabad and Washington, analysts say.

Forced into partnership by 9/11 and the war on al Qaeda, the two governments are totally reliant on one another, yet lurch from crisis to crisis given a prevailing climate of distrust.

It is typical that just as relations began to recover from the covert American raid that killed Osama bin Laden in the shadow of Pakistan’s military academy in May, the NATO attack has put the alliance back on the brink.

Islamabad sealed the Afghan border to NATO supplies – a time-honoured response – again gave Americans notice to leave a shadowy air base believed to be used in the CIA drone war, and ordered a review of the alliance.

But Islamabad and Washington have little wiggle room.

With Pakistan eyeing a general election by February 2013, the government cannot afford to be seen accepting the perceived breach of sovereignty, with the opposition only too happy to exploit a very real sense of anger.

“I think we’re one step short of a strategic crisis,” retired US general turned NBC News military analyst Barry McCaffrey told the TV network.

Estimating that up to 50 percent of supplies for Afghanistan are routed through Pakistan he said: “We’ve got to

talk to them, we’ve got to pay them, we’ve got to apologise for this strike. We have no option, literally.”

At the crux of the problem are accusations of complicity.

Afghan and US officers routinely complain that Pakistani soldiers do nothing to prevent Taliban opening fire from Pakistani soil or infiltrating the border – including in Mohmand, the district where the soldiers were killed.

At other times, they accuse Pakistani troops of firing on their positions. Very often, Taliban, Afghan and Pakistani posts are very close to one another.

The border, disputed by ethnic Pashtuns living on both sides, is in many places unmarked and straddles some of the most hostile terrain in the world.

“Insurgents repeatedly use the border area in their favour to hide, to operate across it and to fire on both sides,” said Brigadier General Carsten Jacobson, spokesman for NATO’s International Security Assistance Force.

Jacobson told AFP that NATO’s mandate stopped at the Afghan border, but that troops can return fire in self-defence.

US and Afghan commandos have reportedly strayed across the border in hot pursuit of Taliban. Although the working relationship between Pakistan Army chief Ashfaq kayani and American top brass is considered to be relatively good, Pakistani analysts say there is a lack of coordination at operational levels.

Resolving the latest crisis will likely hinge on the outcome of a NATO investigation and to what extent Washington is willing to pacify a government in Islamabad answerable to a largely anti-American electorate.

“Pakistan will surely want to know the exact motive of the attack. Was it the result of intelligence failure or a mistake by a group or an individual?” retired lieutenant general Talat Masood told AFP. So will there be any lasting damage?

To what extent can Pakistan force any change in its terms of engagement with the United States?

“Long-term severing of ties is out of the question. Short-term retaliation is underway,” said author Imtiaz Gul. Diplomats suggest that in addition to closing the border, Pakistan could restrict its airspace to the Americans and close off further logistic support.

But the demand that American personnel leave Shamsi base within 15 days exposes only the limited options.

Pakistan has frequently asked the Americans to leave the base and there were widespread reports earlier this year that US personnel had already done so.

The government is also widely understood to tacitly support the American drone war on Taliban militants who also pose a threat to its own security.

“In the next few weeks, I think Pakistan may resume NATO supplies and the US will make certain commitments not to repeat such incidents,” said Pakistanbased political analyst Hasan Askari.

But John Bolton, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, laid bare the dilemma for Washington in handling nuclear-armed Pakistan, which has received up to $20 billion in US aid over the last 10 years.

“As long as that country has nuclear weapons that could fall into the hands of radicals and be a threat worldwide, they have incredible leverage,” he said.

briefing.

“China believes that Pakistan’s independent sovereignty and territory should be respected and that this incident should be earnestly investigated and handled in a serious manner.”

Washington has already backed a full inquiry into the strikes and expressed condolences.

Nonetheless, hundreds of enraged Pakistanis took to the streets on Sunday, burning an effigy of US President Barack Obama and setting fire to American flags across the country of 167 million.

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani khar telephoned US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to convey a “deep sense of rage” as a joint funeral was held for the dead soldiers, their coffins draped in the national flag.

Over 100 NaTO oil tankers sent back PESHAWAR STAFF RePORT

More than a hundred oil tankers and containers meant for supply to NATO forces in Afghanistan were sent back to Peshawar from Torkham border area in khyber Agency on Monday.

Halted at Torkham in the wake of a NATO-led attack on a security check post of Pakistan armed forces in Mohmand Agency, sources informed Pakistan Today

that more than a hundred stopped oil tankers and containers were sent back to Peshawar and disallowed to move into Afghanistan.

Official sources said the political administration had been directed by high ups to vacate the Torkham area from NATO supply trucks which were parked in Torkham and adjacent areas.

The returning NATO oil tankers and containers passed through the Michini check post under high security.

JUI asks govt to stop OIC condemns military operation NATO attacks PESHAWAR

ISLAMABAD

STAFF RePORT

ONLINe

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) khyber Agency demanded the government immediately stop the military operation in the agency and adopt the path of dialogue.

They demanded the release all the innocent persons without bail who had been arrested during search operations and that the government rebuild destroyed houses and mosques in the region.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, JUI khyber Agency Deputy Chief Shamsud-Din Afridi said that the military operation had compelled millions to leave their houses and become refugees. He was flanked by Maulana kabeer Afridi, JUI general secretary Waris khan and Ghufran Ullah, He said the operation had deprived students of the right of education and the khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor should order admissions open to all educational institutions and free education be provided to tribal students. He further demanded of the government to announce equal relief packages to Bara affectees.

The Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) on Monday strongly condemned the recent NATO attacks on two Pakistani border posts, where 24 soldiers were killed and 13 others were injured. OIC Secretary General Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu issued a statement on the OIC website, conveying his condolences to the bereaved families and the Pakistani government.

He termed the attacks a serious violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, while calling them “totally unacceptable”.

He assured Pakistan of OIC’s continued support and urged NATO to avoid any action that could further complicate the already dire security situation in the region.

NATO fighter jets and helicopters bombed two Pakistani border posts in Mohmand tribal region on Friday night and killed 24 soldiers in an unprovoked attack. Pakistan reacted angrily and closed supply lines for NATO troops in Afghanistan, while asking the United States to vacate a strategic airbase in Balochistan.

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Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

Editor’s mail 11

Hampering speedy justice in courts Recently, I got some opportunities to personally observe the proceedings in the courts, and feel that those who matter may take some stock of the things for the sake of the common man.

I intend to share my observations and my feelings to find hope for justice. My observation is only about the prevailing proceedings and nothing about the intents of the courts. Hence, I hope and believe that this will not tantamount to any contempt of court.

A friend of mine went to a court against his employer in January 2011, which is a public sector enterprise. He was compelled to go to court to only save his job against utter injustices and irregularities. From then till now, for long 11 months, he is making rounds of the court to only get over the first stage, the “katcha peshi” in court’s language, which roughly stands for “pre-admission hearing”. What would happen if the case

finally comes up for pre-admission hearing, after spending so much time, efforts, money, and not to say about the mental agony and continuous tussle with the injustice prone management, is any body’s wild guess.

After registering the case in January last, every effort was made to get a date for the “katcha peshi”. But for various reasons, the petition could not come up for the pre-admission hearing. The court is, no doubt, under some difficulties due to the fact that the Sindh High Court is heavily under-staffed as regards the judges. The SHC has an approved strength of 40 judges but is working with only about 10 judges. This is a real problem, but unfortunately and strangely, the lawyers and the media are conspicuously and dangerously silent on this matter.

Finally, the day came when the case was put up to the Division Bench of the

NrO and democracy High Court. The attorney of my friend was fully prepared and ready to face the bench but the representative and the attorney of the employer were absent even after court notice was duly served upon the respondent parties. So, the case went out for another month or more as another notice was issued for the next appearance. It was the same story on the next also.

May be, due to some problem in the process, the Court also conveniently ignored the arrogance and the trick of buying time by the respondents.

Petitioners frequenting the courtrooms and their attorneys are of the view that there should have been some leverage used against such foul tactics of the respondents or any party.

Anyway, in this specific case, on the third call against the third notice, an attorney finally showed up only to tell the court that he needs time to submit

the response/counter affidavit against the petition. And it took only a few seconds, after waiting of so many months, to complete the proceedings. It is amazing that there is so easy a way to delay the cases at the hands of unscrupulous elements.

Will the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the Chief Justices of the provinces kindly take notice of such practices, and take steps for some qualitative change in the process of proceedings, which in my opinion, would not only make getting justice easier for the justice seekers but also could largely reduce the burdens on the courts?

Will also please any concerned and knowledgeable persons/authorities, who keep interest on pro bono matters, take notice of such situation in the courtrooms of Pakistan?

A concerned PAkisTAni karachi

Seeing again is accepting This has a reference to the sizeable photograph depicting a little girl walking to her school bare-footed on the front page of your paper on 26 November, 2011. As they say the art of communication is to hear what has not been said, this picture conveys its message in every sense.

She was seen walking in-between two thorn-bearing shrubs, a constant source of irritation for the bare-footed but certainly not reflected on her face. The shalwar she was wearing was above six inches of her ankle, implying that her parents were not in a position to afford new cloths for her.

She was holding a book in one hand in a way that it sheltered one side of her chest while the fingers of the other hand were seen tightly palmed: was not she feeling morning-chill in the open, being without a sweater on? Her hair were noticeably uncombed.

What prompted me to write is the little girl’s seemingly unmatched determination for acquiring education and unbelievably ultra-confidence on her face. She certainly deserves appreciation and encouragement. What I have learnt from her is more than what I have learnt from the results of various educational seminars and meetings as propagated in the media every now and often.

Z A kAZMi karachi

An estimable leader Imran khan is certainly a great man, if not such a great politician right now.

He is admired as a victorious cricketer.

He dedicated his life to cancer research and built a cancer hospital in honour of his mother who was a cancer patient. He is talented and qualified to express his ideas but he has not shown any considerable political talents in running a government as it requires a lot of experience. But I think he can do that as all it requires is winning the hearts and minds of the people of which he already has many singing along his rhythm.

He certainly seems to have an idea as to how to improve the country’s crippling image and economy. He can help bring the “change” in Pakistan and the time is ripe to get rid of the greedy, corrupt, capricious, criminals, dacoits and mendacious politicians.

AYesHA sAeed karachi

Collateral damage?

I was shocked to see a report which says that almost 83 percent people who are killed in US drone attacks in tribal areas of Pakistan are innocent. Since 2004, when the drone attacks started, almost 2800 people have been killed in 285 drone attacks.

The percentage of innocent people being killed is very high and it must be noticed by the government of Pakistan, but as usual it won’t take place as it does not care about the people’s lives. I appeal to the international human rights organisations to take notice of this and pressurise the US to stop drone attacks which are killing and terrorising the poor people of Pakistan.

MUBAsHir MAHMood karachi

The Supreme Court (SC) has rejected the government’s pleas to review the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) verdict. The decision was given by a full bench of the SC headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry after the government failed to prepare any case for the review.

In this worst of times and epoch of incredulity, the Apex Court is the only spring of hope in this winter of discontent for the people of Pakistan.

The conflict between SC and the government is not a secret for any.

Government’s record in the past has not been encouraging, with an obdurate refusal to implement the decisions on some other high profile cases. This is an attitude which is leading us towards a debacle with the dictates of the Constitution being disregarded and institutions coming closure to a point of clash.

The 17-member SC bench headed by the Chief Justice has found that the government in fact had no case to put up despite being given additional time to place more documents on record. It means that government has nothing to say and nothing to offer in defence.

At this time, only one path leads us to take action against all those people who were benefited by NRO. Cases of more than 800 beneficiaries of NRO must be reopened and the government should take action against them as soon as possible.

The patience of people has run short and they want to see order and accountability, rather than continued chaos. Criminals, killers, terrorists and other corrupt elements of this society who were benefited by NRO must be prosecuted before law.

In short, the beauty of democracy lies in fighting against all forces of evil and it is time the government proved it by implementing this decision of the Apex Court for the betterment of our democratic system. sArWecH sArYo rato dero

Change is here

and frequent statements about Pakistan, it appears that he is working on some agenda.

In view of prevailing circumstances and volatile situation of the country, the government should immediately impose restrictions on his movement within Pakistan and should not allow him to speak on country’s politics. We have over 132 embassies and consulates in Pakistan and have seldom seen ambassadors from these countries visiting different cities of Pakistan or making political statements.

Why make an exception?

MUkHTAr AHMed karachi

Time for change hasn’t come but change itself has come as many in Pakistan believe. The political landscape is exciting and at the same time slightly tilting towards Imran khan. Imran khan is a new hero in the political field who has just emerged as a strong contender for the seat of prime minister in the coming general elections. He is the only leader who stood the test of time and won the hearts of people by sticking to his stance for the last 15 years. Imran khan wants a revival in Pakistani politics. He wants the thana and patwari culture to end and so do the young generation of Pakistan.

Imran khan is a revolutionary politician and that’s what makes him stand out from the rest of the dirty pond.

He is clean and knows how to handle reactionaries and parties that want to maintain the status quo. Because these parties have intellectually challenged leadership, they don’t understand the dynamics of the new politics that is slowly gaining roots in Pakistan. Let’s hope that they understand this after veteran politician Shah Mahmood Quershi has announced joining PTI and has decided to fight for change along with Imran khan.

HAider ALi Lahore

researches and techniques. They have absolute segregation of liberal arts from courses of study that play vital role in making student tactful.

Instead, it makes them dull. Students’ outlook towards life is hindered through these unbalanced opinions.

This type of education is based on limited concepts which don’t allow students to think widely. Though they are taught basic subjects, their minds are almost filled with ignorance about various fields of life which is essential today. Due to limited ideas they become victim of complexity, they can’t speak with confidence.

Today’s world is multidimensional; it is based on oriental studies and

social sciences along with the modern field of education. Traditional setup is completely incapable of meeting demands of the universal standards.

Today’s multicultural societies include political and theoretical studies while traditional education system lacks all these courses.

Traditional education is still exhibited in many rural parts of Pakistan.

In school and colleges, obsolete curriculum is being taught yet which is hurting the education standard in our country. The government should scrutinise the educational system of rural areas to overcome this sure formula for disaster. roHAiL AnWAr kHAn Lahore

The NATO attack After drone attacks that kill many innocent Pakistanis, now the army has been targeted deliberately. How come it’s possible that the NATO forces, one of the world’s finest and highly equipped military organisations, could commit such a mistake? For how long will we sacrifice the lives of our innocent people and brave soldiers in this ineffective war on terrorism? The real question is: Who is responsible for all these precious lives and what about the sovereignty of Pakistan?

Munter’s statement The US ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter has said that Pak-Iran gas pipeline is not a good idea and it is good to get the gas from Turkmenistan that is three times the distance of Iran.

He is nobody to make such statement.

If he has any reservations, the case could be moved through diplomatic channels as per practice in vogue. An ambassador is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign government to serve as the official representative of his country. Under no circumstances can he interfere in the

I earnestly urge the civil and the military leadership of Pakistan not only to give warnings to the assailant and show sympathies to the families of martyrs, but also to take strict and serious actions against NATO forces by launching a high level protest in UN General Assembly and Security Council this time, so that nobody dares to commit such an offence in future.

UsMAn sHAUkAT esHAi rawalpindi

internal affairs of the country of his placement, neither can he indulge in local politics.

Unfortunately, the Pakistan government has allowed a free hand to the US ambassador to meddle in our affairs. Munter is talking too much.

Munter is travelling too much. Why? Ministry of Foreign Affairs should have taken notice of his frequent travels in different cities of Pakistan and making political statements. It is for us to decide what is good or bad for us, we cannot give license to outsiders to interfere in our internal matters and give us dictation. keeping in view his activities

Traditional education is not enough Education plays extraordinary role in making an individual perfect in every field of life. It enhances inner strengths of mind and polishes the hidden capabilities. But it all depends on the system in which a student is learning.

There are certain perspectives in which a question arises as to whether a student is getting education which meets the demands of today’s modern multicultural societies. Surely, only learning based on latest techniques, research and in-depth study can make a student capable to survive in this fast moving world.

The education based on traditions is not enough to make people ready for a multicultural society system. In traditional education system, students

face a lack of proper guidance and counselling that limits the options which play effective role in making human mind to think broadly.

Moreover, restraints imposed by societies cause hindrances in their progress. In fact, their minds are not allowed to look beyond social stereotypes. Educational advancements in terms of syllabus improvement with the passage of time are very important in order to address modern needs whereas traditional education is based on old typical ideas which are meaningless for modern societies.

Traditional education is incapable for preparing people for tomorrow because this system lacks latest

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 declining vigilance Bloodshed in Moharram

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he killing of two young volunteers looking after a Shia camp in karachi on the first of Moharram indicates a lack of vigilance on the part of the law enforcement agencies. There was a need to provide better security to the Azadars. Reportedly, some of the activists of a banned outfit were not only carrying weapons but also opened fire at the camp. Some of the killers are understood to be in the Rangers custody though it is yet to be officially confirmed. A thorough investigation needs to be conduced followed by preparation of fool proof cases against the culprits. The blowing up of railway tracks the same day by miscreants in Hyderabad, Nawabshah and Mehrabpur is yet another example of the relaxation on the part of the Home Department and intelligence agencies.

Moharram this year has had an inauspicious start. It goes to the discredit of the Sindh administration that the first incident of sectarian killings has taken place in karachi where loud claims of restoring peace were being made. The provincial administration has to put its act together to ensure that there is an end to further sectarian killings. The law enforcement agencies and the Home Departments in all the four provinces need to be on high alert throughout Muharram. Quetta has seen enough bloodshed by the terrorist group known for targeting the Shia community.

The network is also active in Punjab and kP. The administration in all the four provinces has, therefore, to remain on high alert during the month.

The sectarian killings belie the claim made by leaders of religious parties as well as those of PTI and PML(N) that the terrorism is simply a reaction to the US presence in Afghanistan and that with Pakistan dissociating itself from what they call the US war on terrorism, peace would return to the country. What they fail to understand is that extremism is the source and fountain of all terrorism.

Unless this is eradicated through comprehensive and all out efforts, incidents of terrorism will continue to take place in the country. What needs to be done side by side is to improve the working of the security agencies. One has to realise that the phenomenon is likely to hound Pakistan long after the departure of the US-led NATO forces from Afghanistan.

Here he is The Makhdoom makes up his mind

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ith Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the PTI gets its first major politician. A big fish in a small pond, as compared to what his situation would have been in his other suitor, the PML(N). Mr Qureshi has had a long career in practical politics, with a record including the mayoral assignment in his hometown Multan, a portfolio in the Nawaz Sharif Punjab cabinet, the symbolic PPP candidature for premiership in the ’02 national assembly, a short stint at the party’s Punjab presidency and, finally, being foreign minister at what most definitely was a testing time to hold the portfolio. He has been around the block and knows a thing or two about south Punjab. He is also a spiritual leader and, in addition to those from his own constituency, a number of his devotees come from Sindh; his Ghotki rally isn’t going to be his last one in the province down south. He is also said to have been a hardworking holder of public office, with his damage control in India post the 26/11 Mumbai attacks being a case in point.

Shah Mehmood’s entry into the PTI also means the party will take just about anyone into its midst. Not a fair allegation, yes, because the same could be said about any party. But the claim to be different from politics-as-usual is a heavy cross to bear and the PTI has to be judged according to those standards. The party has taken into its fold a partyhopping pir. In addition to that, as opposed to what the PTI media team keeps claiming, Mr Qureshi did not resign in protest from his ministry; he didn’t get the portfolio after a cabinet reshuffle. That was his fair share considering how critical he, as foreign minister, had been of his own government’s handling of the Raymond Davis affair. Party members also wince when played back some of Mr Qureshi’s speeches as foreign minister, where he explains to audiences in a clear and unequivocal manner about how the war on terror is, indeed, our war and that we are not merely fighting it for money or under duress. His assertion that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is not safe under Zardari, PPP leaders point out, comes three years too late.

Letting the issue of ideologies (or lack thereof) slide and focusing on the realpolitik, we can expect Mr Qureshi to win his seat and those of his affiliates in the provincial assembly.

Also expected is a muscular attempt, at the very least, at some jorr/torr in the adjoining areas. Politics as usual.

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

Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

Our flawed syllabi What are we teaching our children?

By Dr Faisal Bari

W

hile curriculum and quality of education issues have especially been highlighted since 9/11, albeit from a rather narrow perspective, concerns about what we are teaching our children have been around for much longer.

And even now the post-9/11 emphasis, triggered by concerns about terrorism, is more focused on issues of madrassah reforms.

But, from quality of education perspectives as well as domestic citizenship and harmony reasons, we should be more worried about what is taught in all of our schools and how it is taught, irrespective of whether these are public or private schools.

Although we keep arguing that majority of the country lives in rural areas, yet very few of the lessons in our textbooks depict or talk of issues related to rural life. It might be the case that the state, by emphasising city living, is and wants to encourage urbanisation, but since popular rhetoric of the state does not support this, we have to assume that this neglect of rural life has more to do with policymakers’ and writers’ biases and little to do with thought-through objectives. When these lessons do not confront the reality of rural children, how can we expect them to relate to their lessons?

There have been a number of studies that have touched on issues of low quality and biases in curriculum as well as books. But these analyses have seldom gone down to analysing actual lessons in textbooks in detail to have a better idea of what is being taught.

Aamir Riaz, in a recent (August 2011) Urdu report titled ‘Hum Apnay Bachon ko kiya Parha rahey Hain? Punjab Textbook Board ki nisaabi kutb Barey ik Jaeyza’, done with the support from Actionaid and Jaag, has gone to this level. The observation given above, about lack of coverage of rural life, is coming from Aamir Riaz’s report. Aamir Riaz took 34 books, approved by government and published by the Punjab Textbook Board in 2010, from four subjects (Urdu, English, Islamiyat/Ethics and Pakistan Studies/Social

Studies) from Class I to Class X and analysed them using a number of questions that, apriori, seem reasonable.

Students should have contextualised knowledge, there should be positive lessons on all religions, all sects, across gender, across geography, there have to be lessons on tolerance, civic participation, democracy, rule of law, and so on. We should not be giving our children distorted picture of our history and should not be filling their minds with hatred or keep them ignorant about our rich cultural background. Aamir took these ideas and looked at our books to see what information and values are we providing to our children.

Aamir Riaz reports that he analysed all 871 lessons that these 34 books had. He found that there was hardly any lesson in these books that reported anything positive about other religions, or had good characters based on non-Muslims. What message are we giving the minorities of the country?

Equally, if not more, importantly, what are we teaching our children? That good characteristics only occur in Muslims and non-Muslims are not good Pakistanis? On the cultural side too there is very little about Punjabi culture in these books and few of the folk heroes, folk tales, Punjabi literature, and the sufis of the Punjab make it to the textbooks and even if any do they make a very sanitised appearance.

Almost half of our population is female and we talk a lot about female education and reducing gender education gaps as a priority, yet the textbooks seem to take little notice of these goals. There are very few lessons where the main characters are women, and even fewer where they are role models. Women are never pilots, cricket/hockey players, academics, journalists and leaders of industry in our textbooks.

Aamir also points a huge number of factual errors. And some of them are not just biases or errors of omission: they are deliberate and outright lies. Apart from taking things out of context and quoting selected sentences that fit the ideology that the state wants to project, historical speeches of Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Dr Mohammad Iqbal have been misquoted. One can lament the closedmindedness of writers when they quote things out of context, but actual distortion of historical documents is a criminal act. But, in our desire to demonise ‘the other’ we are not only willing to censor our heroes but actually lie about them too.

Then there are factual errors such as on the same page in one book the authors write we lost the war in 1971, but go on to say that we have fought three wars on kashmir and won all of them.

There are strong biases against political governments but the military dictators are more neutrally portrayed. Even when prime ministers have done something that the nation chooses to be proud of (the nuclear explosions of 1998, the construction of the motorway, or the Islamic Summit of 1974) the names of prime ministers under whom these things were initiated are not mentioned by name. But usurpers, all of the military dictators, are named and in some cases we tell children that they took over government out of necessity.

There are hardly any positive lessons for the students about public participation, public mindedness, spirit of voluntary service, spirit of involvement in national and other larger causes. Does the citizen not have some responsibilities also, apart from rights? The responsibility to pay taxes, to be involved, qua citizen, in the political process, to hold public office holders accountable, and to ensure the state not only delivers on its mandate, it also does not overstep its bounds.

Beyond the state, the citizen has to be involved with other citizens on provision of public goods such as development of community feeling and an enabling environment and so on. Though a lot of this education happens at home and in the community, school lessons have a role here too and our textbooks need to be cognizant of that. But they currently are not.

Aamir Riaz’s report points out the importance of focusing our attention on textbooks as they are one of the main vehicles through which we control/manage what children are exposed to. Biases, mistakes, errors of omission and commission in textbooks come back to bite us in the form of poor education for our children. Aamir did the analysis for four subjects for the Punjab textbook board and he found a large number of major issues here.

One can be sure we will find similar issues with other textbook boards across the country, and with other subjects too. And though Aamir so far has not covered textbooks being taught by private schools, produced by private publishers, but some of the same problems are bound to be there too. We have to not only correct these errors, we also have to figure out how to make the procedures for producing textbooks a lot more robust and reflective of the needs of our children. We ignore this issue at our own peril.

The writer is an Associate Professor of economics at LUMs (currently on leave) and a senior Advisor at open society Foundation (osF). He can be reached at fbari@sorosny.org

Karachi and its sectarian malaise

By Ahmed Yusuf

I

t wasn’t quite the Battle of the Camel, but the pitched battle at karachi’s Numaish Chowrangi on Sunday was seemingly from the same trend: a Muslim versus Muslim battle, fought between followers of Ali and Aisha. Except that it was not. This was a battle manufactured through the stupidity of the provincial home minister, and the provincial government’s reluctance to take on a banned extremist outfit.

For the first time in a long time, security agencies had visibly carried out some action on information they were in possession of.

Activists of militant Shii outfits, for example, were picked up by Chaudhry Aslam’s group – the

same Chaudhry Aslam who is known as an encounter specialist in karachi, and the man who is most effective at producing counter-terrorism results. Aslam’s involvement in the matter meant that many were willing to trust that the matter was a serious one, and that even the security apparatus in karachi was alert to the situation. Most of these operations were swift: one arrest was followed by quick interrogation and further arrests – till entire cells of militants were busted. What did not happen, though, was informing families of those arrested of the detainees’ fate.

Not that the Shia extremists were the only ones to be busted.

Activists of the banned Sipah Sahaba Pakistan, which now operates under the rebranded Ahle Sunnat Wal Jammat, were also arrested from a mosque in Nagan Chowrangi, and a huge cache of arms recovered. Despite the arrests and arms recovery, scenes broadcast of a rocket being launched from within the compound of a mosque were disturbing, not simply because a mosque’s sanctity was being flouted but also because of the extent to which a Sunni extremist group had

weaponised itself.

Add to this the element of bank heists in broad daylight – karachi witnessed at least 20 robberies in the past month alone – and one realises that there is no shortage of cash to carry out more pitched battles in the heart of the city.

Sectarian conflict is not new in karachi, it was at its peak in the early and mid 1990s but most of the sectarian violence since the turn of the century has been organisations fighting other organisations. In the 1990s, there had been much organisational infighting in both Sunni and Shii groups.

Splinter groups were formed, and sectarian wars ultimately became one of vengeance and retribution by one organisation against another. This also adds to the targeted violence dynamic in karachi, with the modus operandi of sectarian outfits almost as sophisticated and organised as that of political parties and groups.

But karachi is not a sectarian city. Years of common, everyday interactions and interdependence between Sunni and Shiite families have meant that they have lived together, mingled, made friends, even married into each other. Sen-

ior journalists even argue that sectarian conflict in the decade of the 1990s was a product of intelligence agencies wanting to stoke sectarian conflict for their own means.

What does happen in karachi now is that the Shia dynamic plays into local politics: both the MQM and the PPP have a significant Shia constituency, ones that they seek to actively protect. This time around, whatever may be the role of agencies, the biggest mistake was the order issued by Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wassan to let the Sipah-e-Sahaba conduct a rally on the first day of Moharram through an already tense route. The battle at Numaish has set the tone for the rest of the month, and certainly, leading upto Ashura. What one can argue is that a fool’s fool-proof security plan will be no good till the state decides to implement law as it should be. Perhaps Mr Wassan is in the wrong party, because the PPP – as a victim of terrorism – cannot afford to tolerate religious extremism in the same way that Imran khan wants to.

The writer is a karachi-based journalist. connect with him on Twitter @AsYusuf

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Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

hash-bowls on the frontier?

Looking for a fictitious, blow-by-blow account of what happened at Salala? Look no further

Mighty Obvious

By Syed Hassan Belal Zaidi disclaimer: The purpose of this fictitious reconstruction is to call attention to the cowboyish and brazen attitude of Us forces operating in the highly volatile and sensitive area that is the Pak-Afghan border. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental, although not necessarily accidental. To those who laid down their lives to protect our state’s frontiers from foreign invaders, we salute your heroism. group of trigger-happy gunslingers (‘Taliban insurgents’) have smoked a couple of hash bowls too many.

They become rowdy and end up shooting up the local tea stall where they have been drinking qahwa and getting high. Meanwhile, US Marines, on a routine patrol nearby, hear the sounds of gunfire emanating from the tea stall. Hoping and praying that it’s another wedding ceremony and the sounds of gunfire are Pashtuns celebrating after a round of h’attan dancing, the patrolling troops radio HQ and head towards the source of the noise. “Dibs on the bridesmaids,” jokes one private. Giggles all around, until a stray round from an Ak-47 pointed heavenward zings through the roof of their armoured Hummer.

“Oh, it’s ON now!” exclaims the Staff Sergeant as he brandishes his night-vision goggles and focuses on the source of the commotion, a couple of clicks down the road.

By now, the heightened hearing of the fully-baked gunslingers has picked up on the Outkast song blaring from the Marines’ Hummer and they

A

make ready for a good old fashioned Mexican standoff, kunarstyle. Tables are overturned, sharpshooters take positions on windowsills and the group’s commander takes up position on the rooftop, barking orders to his men below. As the Marines pull up outside the tea stall, Outkast still going strong, the gunfight begins.

In a span of nearly two minutes, approximately 17 clips of 7.62mm bullets are buried in the armour of the modified Hummer. Even Outkast have shut up now. Seizing the opportunity, the ‘insurgents’ high tail it out the back door and make a bee-line for the border, where they know they will be safe. They are certain of this because their dope dealer hangs out near a Pakistani FC checkpost, not too far from their current position. “Besides, these tizaanan (farts) will never follow us into the most dangerous country in the world,” the ringleader shouts over his shoulder. His brethren chuckle, and it’s whoops-a-daisy over the imaginary line into Pakistan.

Cut to the sounds of firewood crackling at a nearby FC checkpost. Outside, huddled around a small fire, sit a couple of soldiers, clutching their blankets and cursing the harsh winter.

The third round of scalding-hot midnight tea, the only luxury available for miles around, is about to be served when gunshots ring out. The ever-alert guardians of the world’s most troubled (and porous) frontier are jolted out of their reverie and, grabbing their weapons, come running out of their sleeping quarters in nothing more than thermal underwear, their eyes struggling to acclimatise to the darkness beyond the dim campfire. “We’ve been flanked,” the soldier on night duty thinks to himself as his eyes frantically search the horizon for any signs of a threat. Images of his friends, family and comrades-in-arms flash before his eyes.

Quickly, he shakes off the vision and his body stiffens, alert to the sound of rustling bushes and hushed, urgent whispers. He recognises the sounds immediately and with a loud yell, opens

fire into the direction of the intruders. He is immediately joined by other personnel, rubbing their eyes, locking in their magazines and trying to pinpoint their targets. The night is now alive with the sound of gunfire and bullets fly like fireflies through the night. When, after a few minutes, the volley dies down, the border guards pause to listen for the telltale signs of enemy casualties. They hear nothing. They wait another couple of minutes and pick up a mechanical humming noise, growing louder by the second.

“Quick, before their reinforcements arrive!” is the cry as a series of magazines lock and load and are then fired on full auto almost simultaneously.

“Oh s***!” is the reaction from the Marines in the Hummer, who have just realised that they are now in Pakistani territory. The telecommunications officer riding shotgun yanks out his handset and starts yelling incoherently, “Delta Company in pursuit of insurgents. Taking heavy fire from hostiles four clicks inside Pak territory. Need reinforcements. Send in the goddamn cavalry!” And before you can say ‘antiaircraftgunners’, a squadron of fighter-bombers and Apache gunships is hovering overhead. One of the Marines pinned down in the Hummer takes an infrared scope and ‘paints’ the target in front of him.

“Target is painted. Take ‘em out!” is the order. Seconds later, a large chunk of the mountain goes up in a huge balloon of hellfire and brimstone.

Back in HQ, radar operators celebrate the successful firebombing of another bunch of towelheads. One man though, looks very worried. In fact, he’s turning white as a sheet. With the slow gait of the bearer of bad news, he picks up a printout from the office LaserJet and slowly makes his way into the office of the base commander, who has already popped open the bubbly. The GPS technician enters the commander’s office, and as the door closes behind him, we hear a muted squeak, “Sir, we may have an international incident on our hands.”

comment 13

The dimwits How come ‘Butt’ was never banned?

T

By Rabia Ahmed

hey wanted to ban Jesus Christ?

Really? How come they think of banning ‘Jesus Christ,’ and not ‘Moses’ and ‘Mohammad’? I take exception to such partisanship. I thought we were supposed to love them all alike.

And if Jesus is banned, the words ‘virgin’ or ‘birth’ couldn’t be far behind.

Well we could do with some birth-banning in this country, but many people with a vestal interest would have something to say about banning ‘virgin’, not to mention passengers and travel agents: “You’re going to fly PIA from here to London (always presuming PIA can get its act together) and then you will take that airline, the immaculate one, to New York.”

What idiots we are and what holes we dig for ourselves to fall into (and there are another two banned words right there). How can we do this time and time again? And while on the subject, how come ‘Butt’ was never banned, especially of the Ijaz variety?

Who is the inveterate ass at the helm of things that comes up with such hair-brained ideas?

The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority was established to set up, reorganise and regulate telecommunications in this country. Having set up telecommunications of sorts, and having liberally handed out contracts for mobile services to many and sundry, it obviously wondered what else it needed to do.

One day a well-connected mullah probably wandered into their offices, you know the sort, who raved and ranted about some stupid texts he had received on his mobile. The PTA hunched over and asked the mullah what they should do. The mullah gave them a list of words to ban, the PTA issued the list, and the head honcho of the PTA no doubt went home congratulating himself for a day’s work well done. That is, until the following day when he saw the reaction and his hair stood on end.

The list is now being reconsidered, and the PTA has said that only a dozen words may remain. So they’re trimming that list down from 1700 to 12 words?

Isn’t that rather excessive, or does that say something about the level of incompetence we have to live with?

Pakistan is a poor country and its far-flung areas are not always accessible. It is a role that

our telecommunications authority can play, making telecommunication available in kalam, Gilgit, Baltistan, FATA, and other inaccessible places.

In some countries of Africa, the telecommunication sector plays that crucial role by providing access to information and help for field workers in the health sector. Mobile phones enable health workers track the spread of HIV in the country, submit reports or questions for analysis, and subsequently deal with health issues that arise anywhere in their country, however remote.

Telecommunications are being used around the world to provide access to education and training to people who would otherwise be unable to avail these facilities, and in the fields of security and intelligence.

Telecommunications in Pakistan, particularly the use of mobile phones, has increased dramatically, with every other person wandering around with a cell phone glued to his ear. But the service leaves much to be desired. In many rural areas, the facility is either unavailable or extremely limited. Internet service providers are inefficient and the quality of transmission/reception is substandard. Billing systems are poorly managed in many cases and frequent power outages expose weaknesses such as inadequate backup systems for an uninterrupted provision of service.

These are the issues on which the PTA should spend its time and resources.

With Pakistan lagging so far behind in the industrial, technological, and every field known to the world today, what passes for religion and morality by the greybeards of this country is proving to be a grave hindrance to progress, not to mention grounds for humiliation.

The recent list of banned, so-called ‘obscene’ words exposes not just a foolish mentality, but a bent of mind obscene in itself.

It also exposes more plainly than anything else the total absence of planning: how in heaven’s name was it considered even remotely possible to block these words, most of which are used in common parlance in completely innocent ways which the twisted minds that formulated this list obviously could not comprehend, if they ever even tried.

If religion in this country cannot be used in the manner it is meant to be, which is for the good of the people and for their progress, maybe it is better laid aside on the public level. Let each private individual practise it to the best of his or her ability until sense prevails.

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14 Foreign News

Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

Divided Egypt votes in first post-Mubarak poll g

Muslim Brotherhood widely expected to emerge as largest power CAIRO

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AFP

OST-REVOLUTION Egypt headed to the polls Monday for an election clouded by violence and a political crisis, the start of a long process to bring democracy to the Arab world's most populous nation.

Ten months after the end of 30 years of autocratic rule by Hosni Mubarak, ousted by popular protests in one of the seminal events of the Arab Spring, up to 40 million voters are being asked to choose a new parliament.

"It was no use to vote before.

Our voices were completely irrelevant," Mona Abdel Moneim, one

of several women who said they were voting for the first time, told AFP as she cast her ballot in the Shubra district of Cairo.

Voting for the lower house of parliament takes place in three stages beginning on Monday in the main cities of Cairo, Alexandria and other areas. The highly complex procedure to elect a full assembly ends in March.

The backdrop was ominous after a week of protests calling for the resignation of the interim military rulers who stepped in after Mubarak's fall. Forty-two people have been killed and more than 3,000 injured. By mid-afternoon, proceedings appeared to be passing off peacefully and orderly as the army and police forces dis-

creetly deployed around polling stations where queues formed early in the morning.

"We were surprised that people turned out to vote in large numbers, thank God", Abdel Moez Ibrahim, who heads the High Judicial Elections Commission (HJEC) told reporters. "It was higher than expected." Administrative problems such as the late arrival of observers delayed the start of proceedings at a number of voting centres and there were other minor violations of electoral law, AFP correspondents witnessed.

"I'm voting for the future of Egypt," declared Yussuf, a 25year-old software engineer in the Al-Raml district of Alexandria, Egypt's second-biggest city and a

major port on the Mediterranean.

"This is the first free election in our country. I hope it will be the first fair election," he told AFP. The poll was in danger last week as unrest gripped the country, but military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi has stuck to the schedule and called for a large turnout.

Much remains unclear about how the new parliament will function and whether it will be able to resolve a standoff with the armed forces over how much power they will retain under a new constitution to be written next year.

The formerly banned Muslim Brotherhood, a moderate Islamist group, is widely expected to emerge as the largest power when results are published on January 13.

Christians anxious about Egypt's poll ALEXANDRIA: In the gritty Egyptian port city of Alexandria, thousands of Christians cast their votes Monday, anxious about what democracy will mean for their minority community. The city, seen as more conservative than the capital Cairo, is expected to vote in numbers for the moderate Islamist party set up by the Muslim Brotherhood in the first polls since the fall of autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Posters for the hardline Salafist groups, who follow a more strict interpretation of Islam dominant in Saudi Arabia, were also highly visible around the mixed Muslim-Christian neighbourhood of Sidi Beshr. "During the Mubarak era, all the political parties were suppressed including the Islamic parties," 35-year-old Sami, who works at the St George Coptic church in the area, told AFP. "But now they are free, people here are really worried about these Islamic parties making gains in the election.

Not just Hizb al-Nur (the Salafists) but also the Muslim Brotherhood," he added. While some worry about the Islamist parties' attitude to women's rights, others in the minority group of eight million Coptic Christians are concerned about Egypt becoming an Islamic state. AFP

15 killed in Iraq bomb attacks BAGHDAD AFP

A suicide car bomber on Monday detonated an explosives-packed vehicle near a prison north of Baghdad, killing up to 13 people, while another attack cost two more lives, Iraqi security officials said. The 8:00 am (0500 GMT) car bombing at the main entrance of Hout prison in Taji, about 25 kilometres (15 miles) from Baghdad, came as family members gathered to visit inmates, they said. An interior ministry official said 13 people were killed and 28 wounded, while a defence ministry official put the toll at 12 dead and 26 wounded. The interior ministry official said the bodies of nine victims, most of them prison guards, were severely burned, while the four others killed were civilians. The interior ministry official also said two people were killed and four wounded by a magnetic "sticky bomb" on a vehicle in the Mansur area in western Baghdad. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity. Justice ministry spokesman Haidar al-Saadi said that six of the dead in Taji were police working under the ministry who were on their way to work at the prison.

Cabinet resigns in Kuwait political crisis KUWAIT CITY AFP

LOS ANgeLeS: A member of Occupy LA protests on the street in front of City Hall in downtown on Monday. afp

la protesters defy eviction deadline LOS ANGELES AFP

More than 1,000 anti-Wall Street protesters defied a deadline to leave a park near Los Angeles city hall Monday, as police vowed to evict them "as gently as possible" to clear out a two-month old camp.

The midnight deadline passed without police charging the encampment, but by the middle of the night scores of baton-wielding officers had surrounded the park, preventing the protesters from moving into adjacent streets.

The face-off remained mostly peaceful and good humored, although it was unclear how long officers would hold back from moving in on the activists.

"We're going to do this as gently as possible," Police

Commander Andrew Smith told The Los Angeles Times, adding: "Our goal is to not arrest anybody."

Hours before the closure cutoff, LA's mayor had said campers would be given "ample time" to leave and appealed to them to go peacefully, as the city seeks to avoid clashes with riot police seen elsewhere in recent weeks.

While the park was ordered closed from midnight (0800 GMT), police were to "allow campers ample time to remove their belongings peacefully and without disruption," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said in a statement Sunday evening.

"I am proud of the fact that this has been a peaceful, nonviolent protest... because we have done things differently in Los Angeles. I trust that we can manage the closure of City Hall

Park in the same spirit of cooperation."

The Occupy Los Angeles movement was nearing a critical point in time after Villaraigosa on Friday ordered the protesters to leave the spot where they have been rallying since the start of October, citing public safety concerns.

The group called a rally in front of city hall late Sunday -and by early Monday there were more than 1,000 protestors -- organizers said 3,000 -and some 500 tents, according to an AFP correspondent.

A group of 25 protesters from the Occupy San Diego camp came up to support the LA movement. "We stand in solidarity with OLA. We came to make a statement because we need change," Claudia Acevedo, 44, told AFP. Asked if she was ready to

be arrested, she said it was "part of the civic protest movement.... We know it can happen and we have to make change peacefully because anyone can lose their home here, the economy is very fragile."

Nicole Lee, a volunteer worker in her sixties, said: "This is a breath of fresh air. Finally people are waking up.... I was here in the 60s and I feel this might be a new beginning."

Banners included "This is not a hippie movement," and "Preparing for raid: Those who are staying need: 1) cigarettes (for stress), 2) Blankets, 3) Hot food, H20 4) Music, 5) Love, 6) Your understanding."

The mayor announced a series of measures to help the protestors close up their camp, including an extra 50 beds for homeless demonstrators at local shelters, and parking

spaces nearby for them to load up their belongings.

The Occupy Wall Street movement started in September as a ragtag march on New York's Financial District to protest against corporate greed and income inequality.

It quickly mushroomed into a national movement centered on tent camps in New York, Washington, Oakland, California and other cities.

In Philadelphia, a 5:00 pm (2200 GMT) deadline to leave passed Sunday without all protesters vacating their downtown camp.

Although the initial crowd of thousands thinned considerably, a group of about 50 sat down, pledging to stay until they were arrested.

The police presence was light and the situation remained peaceful.

The government of oil-rich kuwait resigned on Monday following a bitter dispute with opposition MPs, lawmaker khaled al-Sultan said. "The kuwaiti cabinet has resigned and the resignation has been accepted by the emir," the Islamist opposition MP told reporters outside parliament. "We are waiting for the appointment of a new prime minister before parliament is dissolved in order to be assured of fair elections," the lawmaker said. Parliament speaker Jassem al-khorafi declined to comment on the decision, but said he had not been informed about dissolving parliament. The announcement came after Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah chaired an emergency meeting of the cabinet headed

by Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to discuss the emirate's latest political crisis.

yemen army kills 9 Al Qaeda suspects ADEN AFP

Yemen's army shelled suspected Al-Qaeda positions in the capital of the troubled Abyan province, killing nine militants in its battle to win control of the city, a local official told AFP on Monday. An army unit commanded by dissident General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar "shelled parts of Zinjibar killing nine members of Al-Qaeda," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that five of the militants were foreigners, including "two Somalis, a Mauritanian, an Algerian and a Saudi."

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Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

Foreign News 15 Jordan king tells Peres settlements hinder peace AMMAN AFP

Jordan's king Abdullah II told visiting Israeli President Shimon Peres on Monday that Israel's settlement building on Palestinian land posed a "serious obstacle" to peace efforts, the palace said.

"Israel must stop unilateral measures, particularly settlement building, which is a serious obstacle to peace efforts," the king told Peres, who was in Amman on a brief and previously unannounced visit.

The king and Peres, whose countries signed a 1994 peace treaty, discussed the "means to revive PalestinianIsraeli peace negotiations and remove obstacles facing them in line with a two-state solution," the palace added.

"The Israeli president talked about efforts that Israel can make in the coming phase to build trust with the Palestinian Authority," it said without elaborating. The meeting comes a week after the king held talks in Ramallah with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on his first visit to the West Bank in more than a decade.

Israeli-Palestinian talks came to a halt in September 2010 when Israel ended a moratorium on construction in the occupied territories.

CAIrO: An egyptian woman casts her ballot at a polling station in the Manial neighbourhood of the egyptian capital on Monday. afp

german accused of raping daughter for 34 years stands trial NUREMBERG AFP

A German pensioner accused of raping his daughter repeatedly over a 34-year-period and fathering three children with her went on trial in this southern city Monday.

The now 69-year-old defendant, Adolf Bergbauer, admitted sex with his daughter in testimony before the court but denied charges of rape. He said she consented. Bergbauer has been charged with 497 counts of rape.

Suspected cases earlier than 1991 have now passed the statute of limitations and are too old to consider.

He denied the prosecution charges he started to rape his daughter when she was 12. The first sexual contact took place when she was 17, he said.

"She was a willing participant," he insisted. "I did not undress her myself," added Bergbauer, who is illiterate and used to work as an occasional labourer. He said they had consensual sex around twice a week.

However, according to prosecutors, the daughter, now aged 46, said he raped her in her parents' bedroom, in her own room and later in the woods in the back of his car.

She also said he forced her into sex at knife-point, which Bergbauer strenuously denied. "Never in my life have I done that," he said.

The daughter's lawyer, Andrea kuehne, said her client was "shocked and furious" at Bergbauer's statement that the sex was consensual.

Thousands in Syria rally against Arab sanctions DAMASCUS

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AFP

ENS of thousands of Syrians protested on Monday after the Arab League resolved to slap unprecedented sanctions on President Bashar al-Assad's regime over its brutal repression of dissent.

As the rallies got underway in Damascus and other cities, activists accused authorities of carrying out sweeping raids around the capital looking for wanted militants, a day after 23 civilians were killed across the country.

Protesters waving Syrian flags and the colours of UN Security Council permanent members Russia and China -- rare allies of a greatly isolated Syria -- thronged the central Sabaa Bahrat Square in central Damascus, AFP correspondents said.

They chanted slogans lauding the embattled Assad and carrying giant pictures of the president who has ruled the country with an iron-fist for

11-years after succeeding his father, Hafez, in July 2000 a month following his death.

"The people want Bashar alAssad... We are your people Bashar," chanted the protesters. "We love you, we love you." State media reported huge demonstrations in Aleppo, Syria's second city and economic hub, as well as in Hasake and Raqqa also in the north and in the eastern oil hub of Deir Ezzor.

State television broadcast footage of the pro-regime rallies and slammed the Arab League, describing it as an "instrument for implementing the Western and American plan against Syria."

The sanctions, voted on Sunday as violence in Syria claimed 23 new lives, will affect "all Syrians" not just target the regime, the state broadcaster said. "The Arab League is punishing the Syrian people for their positions," added the ruling Baath Party's newspaper Al-Baath.

"No matter what happens our heads will be held up," a woman in-

terviewed on Syrian television said.

"The Syrian people are proud and can make do on plain bread," another one said. The Arab League on Sunday voted sweeping sanctions against Damascus to punish the regime for failing to halt its deadly crackdown on anti-government protests -- the first time the bloc enforces sanctions of this magnitude on one of its members.

The sanctions include an immediate ban on transactions with the Syrian government and central bank and a freeze on Syrian government assets in Arab countries.

The Arab League sanctions are likely to be crippling for Syria, which already faces a raft of EU, US and Turkish measures.

On Monday protesters carried flags of traditional Syrian allies Russia, China and Lebanon's Shiite militant group Hezbollah. On Monday Russian media said the navy will send a flotilla of warships led by its only aircraft carrier to its naval base in Syria for a port call next year.

Fatah, Hamas may address Israel recognition: Abbas VIENNA AFP

The refusal of Hamas to recognise Israel could be discussed in the next round of talks between the Islamist group and its rival Fatah, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Monday. "I would wish that Hamas would agree to this," Fatah chief Abbas told reporters during a visit to Vienna. "Maybe this will be an issue to talk about in our next meeting."

Abbas said that the issue did not come up in what he called his "important" reconciliation talks last week in Cairo with Hamas chief khaled Meshaal aimed at cementing a stalled unity deal signed six months ago.

"I think these talks were an important step. Of course they did not address all the issues but both sides clarified their positions," Abbas said through a German-speaking interpreter after talks with Austrian President Heinz Fischer. He said Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip -- Fatah runs the West Bank -was ready to accept a Palestinian state within 1967 borders and that resistance would be "peaceful".

Internet has become 'surveillance machine', says assange HONG KONG AFP

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange blasted the mainstream media, Washington, banks and the Internet itself as he addressed journalists in Hong kong on Monday via videolink from house arrest in England.

Fresh from accepting a top award for journalism from the prestigious Walkley Foundation in his native Australia on Sunday, Assange spoke to the News World Summit in Hong kong before keeping a regular appointment with the police.

He defended his right to call himself a journalist and said WikiLeaks' next "battle" would be to ensure that the In-

ternet does not turn into a vast surveillance tool for governments and corporations.

"Of course I'm a goddamn journalist," he responded with affected frustration when a moderator of the conference asked if he was a member of the profession.

He said his written record spoke for itself and argued that the only reason people kept asking him if he was a journalist was because the United States' government wanted to silence him.

"The United States government does not want legal protection for us," he said, referring to a US Justice Department investigation into his whistleblower website for releasing secret diplomatic and military documents.

The former hacker criticised journalists and the mainstream media for becoming too cosy with the powerful and secretive organisations they were supposed to be holding to account.

In a 40-minute address, he also accused credit card companies such as Visa and Mastercard of illegally cutting WikiLeaks off from funding under a secret deal with the White House.

"Issues that should be decided in open court are being decided in back rooms in Washington," he said.

The Internet itself had become "the most significant surveillance machine that we have ever seen," Assange said in reference to the amount of information people give about themselves online.

"It's not an age of transparency at

all ... the amount of secret information is more than ever before," he said, adding that information flows in but is not flowing out of governments and other powerful organisations.

"I see that really is our big battle.

The technology gives and the technology takes away," he added.

The anti-secrecy activist then help up a handwritten sign from an aide telling him to "stop" talking or he would be late for a mandatory appointment with police.

Assange, 40, is under house arrest in England pending the outcome of a Swedish extradition request over claims of rape and sexual assault made by two women. He says he is the victim of a smear campaign.

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16

Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

Pakistani Facebookers want

FashIoN

cartoon character King Julien

for President

ISLAMABAD AGeNCIeS

I

F young Pakistanis had their way, they would make sure that the cartoon character king Julien from the film ‘Madagascar’ is the hottest candidate for post of President when their country goes to polls next. king Julien is a strong contender for the top post because he will put his “100 percent” into everything that he does as President; the only “NRO” he will pass will be the “National Rock ‘n’ Roll Order”; and he will not try to flirt with Sarah Palin and tell her that she was better off “fighting grizzly bears in Alaska”, or so say young Pakistanis.

So far, king Julien has over 6,000 fans in the virtual world and the number is likely to multiply as the presidential election scheduled for 2013 nears. The creator

of the king Julien group on Facebook, Zubair Nabi has been listing reasons why the cartoon character would make a good President. “Reason number 6: king Julian is going to make sure that minorities both religious and ethnic - enjoy equal rights in Pakistan across the board,” Nabi posted on king Julien’s fan page on Facebook. Once king Julien is in his seat, it would be “illegal” to call anyone an American, Indian or Israeli agent “just for the sake of winning an argument”. king Julien also finds India’s Anna Hazare inspiring. king Julien put out a mock classified advertisement that said: “Urgently required: An Anna Hazare. Flexible work hours. Should be willing to change the fate of a nation. Nerves of steel a must.

If interested please contact Pakistan.” The “new President” will do everything possible to check population growth; make it possible for “women to sue men who send them ‘fraaandship’ messages”; put in place a national consumer protection board for television advertisements to make sure all products with bad campaigns are distributed free; and make it “mandatory for everyone to wear deodorant in public”.

To keep the public entertained, king Julien will organise “jello and mud wrestling matches” featuring feisty politicians. “(Information Minister) Firdous Ashiq Awan will take on two gorillas and a bear. To make it fair, the animals will be provided knifes otherwise it’ll be just brutal,” said a message on the Facebook page. king Julien’s hopes to become the most popular President because he does not have a Swiss bank account and the only thing he owns is “a crown made of leaves” and will ride a flamingo to make sure no one dies in an ambulance on way to hospital because of “VVIP movements”, the Facebook page said while poking fun at Pakistani politicians.

Freida Pinto set to leave all Indian actresses behind MUMBAI AGeNCIeS

Like it or not, actress Freida Pinto has achieved much for herself. After her small stint in ‘The Return of the Plant of the Apes’, the girl got an impressive amount of screen time in ‘Immortal’ and has now become one to be taken quite seriously. The girl attended the 42nd Interna-

tional Film Festival of India in Goa where her film ‘Trishna’ was being screened.

Freida plays the titular role in this motion picture. However, whilst in India, we hear that Freida has bagged a big endorsement deal. If sources are to be believed, Freida Pinto has been signed on for a two-year contract for an endorsement that’ll fetch her a whopping amount of 70 million Indian rupees - more than what any Indian actress is being paid right now. The Indian-born has managed to get a foothold on the international scene, and is doing well at milking the cows back home, too!

seeing Deepika issomeone MUMBAI: Is it tough for ex-es to work together? ranbir doesn’t think so. The former couple are signed on to do Ayan’s Mukerji’s ‘yeh Jawaani Hai deewani’. He told Filmfare in an interview, “deepika and I came in for a lot of negativity because of the way our relationship ended. But our duty as individual actors is to get rid of the baggage and make the greatest love story of this generation.

I think deepika suits this character in Ayan’s film better than anyone else. I hope people forget our history and love only our characters on screen. There won’t be any discomfort.” He added, “She’s seeing someone else. There’s no sense of bitterness. we lived that life, I’m grateful for that experience. we were not destined to be. Maybe we will share a great friendship which we didn’t when we were seeing each other. As people we were not compatible. There’s no question of rekindling passions.” And, is he seeing Nargis? Apparently not. He says, “I’m extremely and deeply fond of her. She’s a wild child, spiritual, bohemian and well-travelled. She’s lovely. Sometimes she’s a child, sometimes she’s all grown up. I’m not in love with her or in a relationship with her.” AGeNCIeS

Nargis Fakhri home

else, says

Ranbir

MUMBAI: Bollywood import and ‘Rockstar’ sensation Nargis Fakhri who is the newest resident of the film capital of India, surely missed home on the occasion of Thanksgiving. She was born and raised in New York so she happens to celebrate Thanksgiving in a big way like all Americans do, but this year since she is away from home and now lives in Mumbai, she immensely missed it all. “I miss New York, especially during the Thanksgiving so much! I love to cook so it’s my favourite time of the year,” said Nargis.

Thanksgiving is associated with big eats, and the actress seems to have a major sweet tooth as she divulged, “I like cake, all kinds of cake.” Though she misses home she still has a reason to be happy. Her debut film did well and she

has won accolades for her act in it.

She feels motivated and as far as the criticism is concerned she is working on her shortcomings. “I struggle at Hindi, I am trying my best to better my language which will enable me to act better too. We had workshops even during ‘Rockstar’ which has helped me a lot,” concluded Nargis. ZeeNewS

MUMBAI: Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt enters the ‘Bigg Boss 5’ house Monday and says he has decided to offer porn star Sunny Leone, who is also participating in the reality show, the lead role in his movie ‘Jism 2’. “I am not casting her for her body, but I see that loneliness and heartbroken soul that is behind that smile.

The entertainment business itself is not a cakewalk, so the porn business would have been a really tough ride for her,” Bhatt told IANS on phone from Mumbai.

“I love casting people who are real. People who have gone through highs and lows to reach a stature where people look up to them for their hard work. Sunny is being shown in a bright light with an exotic image on television, but I sensed that she must have gone through a lot to earn a name in an industry which people don’t appreciate,” added the 61-year-old. Born to a Punjabi family in Ontario, Sunny has appeared in various reality shows in the US, and was named among the world’s top 12 porn stars by fashion magazine Maxim in 2010. AGeNCIeS

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17 Is Salman Khan aping Shah rukh Khan?

NEW DELHI ZeeNeWS

It seems as if the enmity between Bollywood biggies Salman khan and Shah Rukh khan will never cease to exist. Stories of cold war involving these two industry heavyweights have made rounds time and again. And, here is yet another chapter. Salman’s team’s poster for the Celebrity Cricket league bears striking resemblance to that of Shah Rukh’s ‘Chak De! India’. Talking to a website, a publicity designer on the condition of anonymity said, “At first sight, the poster indeed looks similar, but it’s not the stars’ fault. Design team should have done the research and come up with something new.” However, film critic Atul Mohan had a different view point.

He said, “I would say it’s nothing but a coincidence as you can’t think of much creative designs with 11 team members and one face who is the captain or the brand ambassador. The creative has to look serious and one can’t afford to have funny creative in the name of being different.” ‘Dabangg’ khan’s team failed miserably last time when they played cricket so they are all set to prove their mettle in the next season. They are now a rejuvenated team. The matches are scheduled to be held at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on January 13 and 14, 2012. We really do not know if either one out of SRk or Salman will ever extend an olive branch, for now this rivalry seems never ending, Phew!

‘Jism’

sequel to sunny Leone

President picks up a hardback copy of Ahmad Rashid’s “Descent into Chaos: The U.S. and the Disaster in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia.”

P

DAILY MAIL

R E S I D E N T Obama took wife Michelle had their daughters to basketball on Saturday - and appeared to have a whale of a time.

The first family flew from the White House in Marine One to Towson University in Maryland after buying books at a small DC book store in support of Small Business Saturday.

They watched a NCAA basketball game between Oregon State Beavers and Towson Tigers.

Malia and Sasha sat a few rows behind as the President and his wife had a front row seat for the game. The Obamas appeared relaxed and happy with Mr and Mrs laughing constantly through the game, except when he paused from the giggles to have a hot dog.

TBILISI: Models display creations by georgian designers during the Fashion week. afp

Mahesh Bhatt to offer

Obama takes daughters shopping for books

Kate Middleton’s

teeth

LONDON: Kate Middleton’s teeth have been deliberately made “not too perfect” which helped her in giving a “natural, healthy smile, but not an artificial one”, a French dentist has claimed. didier Fillion uses a system of “micro-rotations” and gentle whitening to make teeth look spectacular.

The process involves fitting invisible braces to the back of teeth to twist them very slightly until the desired look is achieved, The Sun reported. A state-ofthe-art computer system

Earlier in the day, on a visit to a bookstore a few blocks from the White House, the president picked up a hardback copy of Descent into Chaos: The U.S. and the Disaster in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia.

The book, by Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid, critiques America’s foreign policy and 'failed war on terror' following the September 11 attacks.

But, ensuring their father also had some light reading, Obama’s daughters Sasha and Malia picked up picture book Everyone Poops and teen favourite Diary of a Wimpy kid: Cabin Fever.

The family – minus Michelle – took a trip to kramerbooks in Washington D.C. on Saturday in support of Small Business Saturday.

It is the second year consecutive year the retail industry is encouraging shoppers to

deliberately unaligned

produces a virtual 3d model of what a patient’s teeth will look like when they’re finished. A fellow dentist Bernard Touati claimed that the duchess Of Cambridge has used Fillion’s services. “you know why they look good? Because they are not absolutely aligned. He (Fillion) did some little micro-rotations on Kate Middleton to produce something which is natural. That is what we like - a natural, healthy smile, but not artificial,” Touati was quoted as saying.

AGeNCIeS

visit smaller businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to give them a helping hand in the tough economy. The movement is a counterpoint to Black Friday and the enormous sales offere.

'This is Small Business Saturday so we're out here supporting small businesses,' President Obama said.

To help shops at the start of the most important shopping season of the year, Obama also signed a message of support on Wednesday that noted small businesses 'are the backbone of our economy and the cornerstones of our nation's promise'.

The casually-dressed family were greeted by scores of shoppers who filled the popular coffee and bookshop on Connecticut Avenue.

When five-year-old Alexander Lee Mussehl stepped up to the president to say hello,

Ranveer wants to

date

anushka again

MUMBAI: ranveer and Anushka are a real life Bollywood masala love story. earlier this year, they both confirmed they were not dating anymore and then came rumours of ranveer and Sonakshi’s romance.

The reports died down too, however with the due release of his film with the ex-flame, Anushka, it seems his love has come out again. while speaking to a daily recently, he said, “we are so close, we can complete each other’s sentences now.” And if you think that’s intense, here’s more. Ask him if he’d like to date Anushka again he says, “even today I’d love to date her.” But on the other hand, Anushka has the opposite to explain, “ranveer is very flirtatious. Today he says this about me, tomorrow he will be charming a bunch of journalists. He is like that. we cannot be tagged as boyfriend-girlfriend or lovers or just friends. It’s a space only we both understand. we are very different people.” Anushka has stuck to the break-up quiet strongly wherein the chirpy actor seems to be swaying like a pendulum back and forth with his feelings, let’s watch and watch what’s more in store. ZeeNeWS

Obama told him he was getting an early start on Christmas shopping. His youngest daughter Sasha, 10, browsed the Philosophy section, taking in titles about Zen and religion.

Malia, 13, ended up with a pile of hard-back books, which also included The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, a mystery novel following the adventures of a clock keeper in Paris. Perhaps the most entertaining choice of reading was Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi – a picture book that, as its title suggests, shows different sized animals as they poop.

They also picked up Diary of a Wimpy kid: Cabin Fever, the sixth book following the life of middle school student Greg Heffley. President Obama is a devout supporter of small bookshops – often taking his daughters with him to boost their libraries.

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Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

Best moment of my career: Federer Page 23

PHF discusses hockey strategy with former Olympians

BaNgLadEsh v PakIstaN, ONLy twENty20

Buoyant Pakistan prepare for Bangladesh challenge

LAHORE

DHAKA

I

STAFF RePORT

CRICINO

T is all coming together for Pakistan cricket. Since the sordid English summer of 2010, Misbah-ul-Haq's side has stayed clear of controversy with a sense of purpose and discipline rarely seen in Pakistan outfits. That discipline has now permeated into their cricket; they have sacrificed some of their inherent flash in favour of winning ugly, and are yet to lose a bilateral series this year. One test remains - have they overcome their tendency to slip on the odd banana peel?

Bangladesh are among the more treacherous banana peels going around.

Pakistan would know - their defeat in a 1999 World Cup encounter between the sides is still being spoken about. That loss paved the way for Bangladesh attaining Test status, and three years later they nearly toppled Pakistan in the long format, before Inzamam-ul-Haq pipped the thriller by a one-wicket margin. That tour, in 2003, was the last bilateral encounter between these sides. Here's to a renewal of rivalries.

The one-off Twenty20 offers Bangladesh their best chance of an upset. They recently outplayed West Indies in a similar tour-opening Twenty20 game. Pakistan have been on the road for a while now, and are unlikely to be caught unprepared, but Misbah-ulHaq's men would be wary, all the same.

Pakistan fans will have their first sighting of a raft of spinners on this tour, but few will match the allrounder Nasir Hossain for spunk. He gives his offbreaks a rip, fields with rare energy for a Bangladesh player, and celebrates his dismissal with outrageous WWE moves.

Additionally, he packs a fair tonk with the bat. The spot-fixing scandal robbed

A three hours long meeting was held in the PHF Headquarters, National Hockey Stadium was held here Monday. The meeting was called following a special invitation by President PHF Qasim Zia to former Olympians to discuss ways and means for the improvement of hockey in the country, A lot of suggestions were discussed in a very cordial atmosphere. The PHF invited 44 former Olympians out of which 35 Olympians have attended the meeting. Some of the invitees who could not attend the meeting for their personal reasons will be contacted again and requested to attend the next meeting as and when decided by the PHF Management. During the meeting, it was agreed that such meetings will be held frequently. President PHF Qasi Zia said that the suggestions will be laid before the next Executive Board for consideration.

Pakistan to face england in Champions Trophy opener LAHORE STAFF RePORT

dHAKA: Pakistan player Umar gul (C) stretches with his teammate during a training session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. afp Pakistan of two of the most attractive fast-bowling talents in the game, but, in typically Pakistani fashion, they brushed aside the setback and found worthy replacements. Mohammad khalil, who returns to the fold after a six-year gap, is the latest in the fast-bowling pipeline.

His first stint at the highest level lasted only two Tests and three ODIs, but he

will hope his second coming counts for more. Pakistan are unlikely to change the combination that beat Sri Lanka on November 25, but will be tempted to give Younis khan a game before the ODI and Test legs of the tour.

Pakistan (possible): 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Imran Farhat, 3 Asad Shafiq / Younis khan, 4 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 5

Umar Akmal (wk), 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Sohail Tanvir, 9 Aizaz Cheema, 10 Umar Gul, 11 Saeed Ajmal Bangladesh (possible): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul kayes, 3 Alok kapali, 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Nasir Hossain, 8 Naeem Islam, 9 Abdur Razzak, 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Shafiul Islam.

Cricket movie on pakistan enjoy unblemished Pakistan, Australia, record against Bangladesh India likely LAHORE

Comment

STAFF RePORT

S. PERVEZ QAISER

The world has seen fewer films on cricket. Australian film great Phil Noyce says that he wants to make an IndiaPakistan-Australia co-produced cricket film, if the money permits. Noyce, who has been honoured with a retrospective at the 42nd International Film Festival of India (IFFI), was quoted by Indian media reporters at the festival venue.

"We need to make more movies on cricket. The shine of the ball, the texture of the pitch, the swing, the strokes, all need to be captured in films," a reports quoted Noyce as saying. Noyce, a self admitted cricket buff, said that the need of the times of a cricket movie featuring India, Australia and Pakistan, all three of which have global appeal and are noted for intra-team rivalry. "We must make a cricket film with co-production between Australia, India and Pakistan,” he said. Noyce, along with French filmmaker Luc Besson, is being honoured with a retrospective section dedicated towards their films at IFFI. A bouquet of films - "The Quiet American", "Clear and Present Danger", "Dead Calm", "Newsfront" and "Back Roads" - forms the part of Noyce`s retrospective being shown in India. He also weilded the megaphone for popular films like Angelina Jolie starring "Salt" (2010), "The Bone Collector" (1999) and Val kilmer starring "The Saint" (1997).

The only Twenty20 match between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday (November 29). This day/night match will start at 16.00 hours (PST).

This will be the fifth T20 match between the two teams. The former World Champions have a perfect record against Bangladesh. They have won all four previous encounters between the two sides. It will be also the first ever T20 match between the two teams in Bangladesh.

HIGHEST INNINGS TOTALS: Pakistan recorded their highest total against Bangladesh when they scored 203 for five in 20 overs at karachi on April 20, 2008. This is also the highest ever score for Pakistan in T20 cricket. Bangladlesh's highest against Pakistan is 161 for seven in 20 overs at Nairobi on September 2, 2007.

LOWEST INNINGS TOTALS: Pakistan made 172 for three in 20 overs at Gros Islet on May 1, 2010 which is their 'lowest' against Bangladesh. Bangladesh's lowest against Pakistan is 101 in 16 overs at karachi on April 20, 2008.

HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL SCORES: Misbah-ul-Haq's unbeaten 87 at karachi on April 20, 2008 is the high-

est individual score for Pakistan against Bangladesh. This is also the highest ever by a Pakistani batsman in T20 cricket. The record of highest individual score for Bangladesh against Pakistan is held by Nazimuddin who made 81 at Nairobi on September 2, 2007.

BEST BOWLING PERFORMANCES: Mansoor Amjad's three for three at karachi on April 20, 2008 is the best bowling performance for Pakistan against Bangladesh. Mohammad

Ashraful who took three wickets for 42 runs at Nairobi on September 2, 2007, holds the record of best bowling performance for Bangladesh.

HIGHEST MARGINS OF VICTORY: Pakistan recorded a four-wicket victory over Bangladesh at Cape Town on June 21, 2009, which is their biggest victory against Bangladesh in terms of wickets. Their 102 runs victory at karachi on April 20, 2008 is the biggest against Bangladesh in terms of runs.

PAKISTAN-BANGLADESH IN T20 AT A GLANCE IN PAkISTAN IN SOUTH AFRICA IN WEST INDIES IN kENYA TOTAL

PLAYED 1 1 1 1 4

PAK WON 1 1 1 1 4

BAN WON -

The Pakistan hockey team for participation in the Own G Glenn FIH Men’s Champions Trophy to be played in Auckland from December 3 to 11 has reached Auckland and will play England in the opening match.

Here are the pools for the tournament.

Pool A: Australia, Great Britain, Spain and Pakistan Pool B: Germany, Netherlands, korea, New Zealand Schedule Date Pool Match Saturday December 3: A Australia v Spain; A Great Britain v Pakistan; B Germany v New Zealand; B Netherlands v korea Sunday December 4: A Great Britain v Australia; A Spain v Pakistan; B korea v New Zealand; B Netherlands v Germany; Monday December 5: Rest Day Tuesday December 6: B korea v Germany; A Spain v Great Britain; A Australia v Pakistan; B Netherlands v New Zealand Wednesday December 7: Rest Day Thursday December 8: D 4th Pool A v 4th Pool B; D 3rd Pool A v 3rd Pool B; C 2nd Pool A v 2nd Pool B; C 1st Pool A v 1st Pool B Friday December 9: Rest Day Saturday December 10: D 3rd Pool B v 4th Pool A; D 3rd Pool A v 4th Pool B; C 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A; C 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B Sunday December 11: 7 / 8 3rd Pool D v 4th Pool D; 5 / 6 1st Pool D v 2nd Pool D; 3 / 4 3rd Pool C v 4th Pool C; 1 / 2 1st Pool C v 2nd Pool C.

National women’s Cricket final on dec 4 LAHORE STAFF RePORT

The Pakistan Cricket Board has changed the dates of the final of the National T20 Women’s Cricket.

Due to 9th Moharram (December 5), the date of the final of the U-19 National Women Cricket Championship has been changed. The final now will be played on December 4 and it will start at 11am at Country Club Muridke.

Pages For e-paper_Layout 1 11/29/2011 2:02 AM Page 19

Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

City pull ahead in Premier League LONDON AFP

Manchester City ended the weekend five points top clear of the Premier League table as British football struggled to come to terms with the shock suicide of Wales manager Gary Speed.

City grabbed the lead at Anfield after the half hour mark when captain Vincent kompany glanced in a header from a David Silva corner.

But just two minutes later Liverpool were level when kompany's clearance from the edge of the area found Dirk kuyt and the Dutchman laid the ball into the path of the advancing Charlie Adam.

His shot deflected off City defender Joleon Lescott for an own-goal that left England goalkeeper Joe Hart stranded.

City were reduced to 10 men with eight minutes left when striker Mario Balotelli was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Both sides had chances in the second half but neither could force a winner and in stoppage time Hart saved Liverpool substitute striker Andy Carroll's goalbound header.

But the match was overshadowed by Speed's death at the age of 42.

Liverpool boss kenny Dalglish withdrew Craig Bellamy, the Wales striker and a close friend of Speed's, from his squad before kick-off.

"I felt that 'Bellas' -- who was really close to Gary -- would not be in the frame of mind to play," said Dalglish.

Dalglish, reflecting on Speed, added: "He was a smashing lad and was really well respected.

Resurgent Marseille inflict painful defeat on PSG PARIS

M

AFP

ARSEILLE put a trying week behind them in the best possible fashion on Sunday night, with a 3-0 victory at home to Paris Saint-Germain that put a sizeable dent in their arch rivals' title hopes. OM's Champions League ambitions were compromised by a loss to Olympiakos in mid-week, before Andre-Pierre Gignac was dropped over a row with coach Didier Deschamps, but they stopped the rot to condemn PSG to a third league loss. Loic Remy broke the deadlock early on and with PSG's expensively assembled team floundering in defence and toothless in attack, Marseille took full advantage through second-half goals from Morgan Amalfitano and Andre Ayew.

"I'm thinking about our supporters, who had lots of anger but who I think will have really enjoyed tonight," said Deschamps.

"After the disappointment of Wednesday, producing this performance against a team second in the league is a huge satisfaction."

Defeat for PSG kept them in second place and allowed Montpellier to hold on to top spot in Ligue 1, while Marseille climbed one place to ninth, seven points below the top three. The away side had started brightly at Stade Velodrome but Marseille took the lead from their first sight of goal in the ninth minute. Cesar Azpilicueta was given time to cross from the right wing and his centre was met by an imperious downward header

Euro overshadowed

by Speed death

MArSeILLe: Marseille’s French forward Andre Ayew (r) vies with Paris’ Christophe Jallet (L) during the French L1 football match. afp from Remy, who claimed his seventh goal of the season. PSG's only chance of note in the first half saw Mohamed Sissoko drill a 25yard half-volley against the post with Steve Mandanda beaten. OM lost Remy to an ankle injury but they were given few problems by PSG, whose record signing Javier Pastore struggled to impose himself, delighting the home fans with some uncharacteristically clumsy touches. The Argentine

Beckham leads tributes to tragic Speed LONDON AFP

LIverPOOL: Tributes are left to wales football manager gary Speed on the gates to everton's goodison Park Stadium. afp opened the scoring early in the second PARIS AFP

Manchester City stayed five points clear in the English Premier League title race while Real Madrid opened-up a six-point lead over Barcelona in Spain. However, European action was overshadowed by the shock suicide of Wales national team boss Gary Speed.

ENGLAND: Manchester City are five points clear after a 1-1 draw at Liverpool as British football mourned the death of Gary Speed. City grabbed the lead at Anfield after the half hour mark when captain Vincent kompany glanced in a header from a David Silva corner.

But just two minutes later Liverpool were level when Charlie Adam's shot took a huge deflection off City defender Joleon Lescott for an own-goal.

City were reduced to 10 men when striker Mario Balotelli was sent off for a second bookable offence. Earlier in the day, news broke of the death of 42-yearold Speed who was found hanged at his Cheshire home in north-west England.

Liverpool manager kenny Dalglish withdrew Craig Bellamy, the Wales striker and a close friend of Speed's, from his squad before kickoff. On Saturday, Manchester United were denied the chance to keep the pressure on City as Demba Ba's controversial penalty gave 10-man Newcastle a 1-1 draw. Javier Hernandez

sports 19

half at Old Trafford, but Ba equalised 15 minutes later. Chelsea got back on track with a comfortable 3-0 win against toothless Wolves; thirdplaced Tottenham enjoyed a 3-1 win at West Bromwich Albion while Arsenal drew 1-1 against Fulham.

SPAIN: Barcelona crashed to a shock 10 defeat at Getafe and now trail Real Madrid, who came from a goal down to beat nine-man derby rivals Atletico Madrid 4-1, by six points. It was the first defeat of the season for the reigning Spanish and European champions as Getafe grabbed the three points thanks to a second half header from Juan Valera. Real beat a robust Atletico with the game turning on the first half dismissal of keeper Thibaut Courtois and a penalty converted by Cristiano Ronaldo.

Atletico put their rivals on the back foot with an Adrian Lopez goal on 14 minutes. The key moment came midway through the first half when karim Benzema was upended by the Atletico keeper who was red carded and Ronaldo coolly slotted in from 12 yards.

Angel Di Maria put Real ahead and then substitute Gonzalo Higuain rounded the keeper for the third.

Atletico were reduced to nine men when defender Diego Godin was dismissed for a foul on Higuain and Ronaldo got his second from the resulting penalty.

David Beckham led the tributes to Gary Speed on Monday as the football world remained in mourning following the tragic death of the Wales manager.

Speed, 42, was found dead at his home in Cheshire on Sunday, with police sources confirming the former Newcastle, Everton, Leeds and Bolton midfielder hanged himself in his garage.

The news stunned managers and players across the world, with tributes quickly pouring in for a man widely regarded as one of the good guys in a sport often fuelled by self-interest.

There were emotional scences at Everton and Leeds, where fans paid their respects to Speed, who was married with two children, by laying shirts and scarves outside their club's stadiums.

Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given, a former Newcastle colleague of Speed's, had been reduced to tears during a minute's silence in Speed's memory before his club's Premier League match at Swansea on Sunday.

Podolski involved in car crash BERLIN AFP

Cologne's German international Lukas Podolski has been involved in a car crash, police said on Monday.

Podolski, who is close to 100 caps for the national side, crashed into a car which was carrying a family of three. The father and a young child were taken to hospital as a security measure.

The 26-year-old striker, who was on his way to training with the Bundesliga club, was unhurt in the accident, the cause of which is unknown.

was taken off before the hour, along with a furious kevin Gameiro, but their replacements Mathieu Bodmer and Mevlut Erding had been on the field for a matter of minutes before the hosts doubled their lead. Amalfitano picked Blaise Matuidi's pocket in midfield and then gathered a pass from Remy's replacement Jordan Ayew before finding the bottom-left corner with an unerring drive.

PSG's misery was complete in the 83rd

minute, with Amalfitano crossing for Andre Ayew to find the net with a header that flicked off defender Marcos Ceara before trickling past Salvatore Sirigu.

"They have something that we don't -that grit, that rage, that ability to do damage in 50-50s," rued PSG coach Antoine kombouare. "We've lost six points (including 1-0 loss at home to Nancy last weekend), but we've only played 15 games, we're second, and the important thing will be our capacity to react." Earlier, Lisandro Lopez scored his first goals since his return from an ankle injury sustained in August as Lyon salved their own Champions League heartache with a 30 win at Auxerre that saw them reclaim fifth place. Tuesday's 0-0 draw with Ajax practically extinguished OL's Champions League hopes, but they recorded their first win since the end of October via a brace from Lisandro and a late Michel Bastos strike. "I was hoping for this reaction after the delicate period in the league and the Champions League," said Lyon coach Remi Garde. "We saw a Lisandro who was very clinical and who was able to guide the team towards victory." In the day's other afternoon kick-off, Lorient climbed above Saint-Etienne into seventh place by beating second-bottom Nice 1-0 thanks to a 63rd-minute penalty by Arnold Mvuemba.

Montpellier pulled three points clear of PSG at the summit on Saturday as newly capped France striker Olivier Giroud claimed a hattrick in a 3-1 win at Sochaux. Reigning champions Lille held on to third place by beating Brest 2-0 through goals in either half from Dimitri Payet and Moussa Sow.

Bopanna confirms aisam split NEW DELHI: India's Rohan Bopanna and Pakistan's Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi have ended their successful tennis doubles partnership, which was hailed as a symbol of friendship between the rival nations. Bopanna told the Indian Express newspaper on Monday that he will team up with veteran compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi in 2012, while Qureshi will next partner Dutchman Jean-Julien Roger at the Australian Open in January. "As the season has ended now, I can confirm that I am playing with Mahesh in 2012," Bopanna said, declining to elaborate on the reason for parting ways with Qureshi after four years. "Who I want to play with is my decision... I did have a successful year with Aisam but now I am starting a new year with Mahesh, and it's as simple as that." Bopanna and Qureshi, who joined hands in an unlikely partnership in 2007, shot to fame when they reached the US Open doubles final last year and are currently ranked ninth in the world. AFP

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webber wins Brazilian gP

SAO PAULO: British F-1 driver Jenson Button of McLaren sprays champagne on Australian Mark webber (L) of red Bull. afp SAO PAULO AFP

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ARk Webber won his first race of the year on Sunday when he took advantage of Red Bull team-mate and double world champion Sebastian Vettel’s gearbox problems to win the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix.

Driving with great speed, precision and a near-flawless sense of judgement, the 35-year-old Australian came home 16.9 seconds ahead of his team-mate Vettel to give Red Bull a third one-two of the

2011 season. It was an excellent drive by Webber who delivered his seventh career win to make sure he finished third in the championship behind Vettel and Jenson Button, who came home third for McLaren.

Vettel, who had already wrapped up his second title, finished with a final total of 392 points ahead of Button on 270 and Webber on 258. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso was fourth on 257. Alonso finished fourth in the race just ahead of team-mate Felipe Massa, with Adrian Sutil of Force India and Nico Rosberg of Mercedes sixth and seventh respectively.

Negredo spot-kick ‘Captain, coach should be selectors’ gives Sevilla first away win BRISBANE AFP

MADRID AFP

An Alvaro Negredo penalty gave Sevilla their first away win of the season on Sunday as they beat relegation-threatened Real Zaragoza 1-0. It has been a disappointing campaign for Sevilla who went into the match without a victory in five attempts and had drawn all their previous away matches, including their last four 0-0. However, this win still left them well-placed in fifth. Injuries to their attacking players have not helped the team and Negredo, returning to the starting line-up, was a constant threat against Zaragoza early on. He won the penalty midway through the first half after being fouled by David Mateos and dispatched the spot-kick himself. Sevilla controlled the game but were dealt a blow with Negredo going off injured after 58 minutes.

They still had the chances to finish off the game, notably from Piotr Trochowski and Jose Angel Campana, while Zaragoza were reduced to 10 men in the final minute when Juan Carlos was adjudged to have thrown an elbow at Jorge Coke. Arouna kone hit a brace as modest Levante consolidated their position among the top four with a crushing 4-0 victory over Sporting Gijon. The club are more accustomed to fighting relegation battles but a run of seven straight wins earlier in the season made them surprise league leaders. The bubble appeared to have burst as they lost three on the trot but they responded with a convincing performance over an improving Sporting side who had not lost in five matches. Sporting were defending desperately as Levante began the match with plenty of impetus but Andre Castro almost put them ahead on 17 minutes when his overhead kick came back off the crossbar. It was a warning for Levante who minutes later took the lead with Jose Barkero slotting into an open goal following good work from kone.

Former captain Ricky Ponting gave a ringing endorsement of Australian cricket's new selection and squad policies Monday, saying it should have happened a decade ago.

Ponting, lining up for his 157th Test against New Zealand at Brisbane's Gabba Ground on Thursday, was enthusiastic in his support for his successor Michael Clarke and new coach Mickey Arthur being selectors in a major revamp. New selection chief John Inverarity has signalled a change in youth and rotation Test team policies, while Cricket Australia has appointed former rugby administrator Pat Howard as its high-performance manager. Ponting, 36, under pressure to hold his place in Australia's batting top order, said cricket was taking a more professional track under the new regime. "I think it's terrific. I think it's the way the game should have gone a long, long time ago," Ponting told reporters. "I think the way things have turned out at the moment is what (former coach) John Buchanan was asking for 10 years ago.

"It's a much more professional approach. "We've got quality people in and around the team and I think, even already now, we're starting to see just a slightly different feel and a few different results as a result of that. "I think Australian cricket is definitely on the right track." Ponting revealed during Australia's tour to Sri Lanka two months ago that he had wanted to become a selector when he replaced former skipper Steve Waugh in 2004. He felt Clarke was in a better position as a selector as he would have more control of the team to go along with the amount of responsibility that captaincy brings. "It was pretty hard to be accountable for everything that happens but that's the way it was right through my time," he said. "I think it's a really good decision to go that way to make the captain and the coach both selectors." Ponting, who has scored 12,557 Test runs at 52.54, said he no thoughts of retirement, even with the second and final Test against New Zealand being staged in Hobart where his cricket career started. "I honestly have not thought about retirement," he said. "I can't afford to think about it and when that time is going to be.

Milan thrash Chievo to send out title warning ROME AFP

AC Milan sent out an ominous warning to their title rivals with a 4-0 thrashing of Chievo at the San Siro on Sunday that moved them into second place in Serie A. Milan trail unbeaten leaders Juventus, who won 1-0 at Lazio on Saturday, by a single point. The champions made short work of Chievo, leading 4-0 at half-time after goals from Brazilians Thiago Silva and Pato and a brace from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said it was too soon to declare the title a two-horse race. "Juve have a match in hand but if Napoli win then they will come back into it," said Allegri.

"Lazio and Udinese are level with us so it's too early to say. It was important to win and we approached it in the right way after Wednesday's 3-2 loss to Barcelona.

India bank on youth in Windies ODI series CUTTACK AFP

BHUBANeSwAr: India’s cricket captain virender Sehwag (L) and west Indies’ captain darren Sammy (r) pose for photographers with OdI trophy. afp

World champions India will count on their young stars to deliver when they take on fast-improving West Indies in a one-day series starting in Cuttack on Tuesday. The hosts have rested batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the five-match series, picking instead young batsmen Rohit Sharma, Virat kohli and Ajinkya Rahane. kohli scored half-centuries in each innings of the drawn third and final Test in Mumbai last week that helped India clinch the series 2-0.

India, with explosive opener Virender Sehwag as stand-in captain, will look to make a winning start in the day-night match at the Barabati stadium in Cuttack, in the eastern state of Orissa.

"It is great that young players are get-

ting such opportunities," said Sehwag.

"They have five matches to show their skills and secure their places in the side.

"We will go out there and do our best.

There is no reason why we can't win if each one plays to his potential. It's a young side, but a very determined side." The man in the spotlight will be newcomer Ravichandran Ashwin, who grabbed 22 wickets with his off-spin in his debut Test series and also scored a century in Mumbai.

India suffered a blow when seamer Praveen kumar, the most experienced bowler in the squad with 69 wickets from 61 one-dayers, was ruled out of the opening match with an elbow injury. Sehwag said Praveen was expected to be fit from the second game onwards. The West Indies were much improvement in the last two Tests at kolkata and Mumbai, but skipper Darren Sammy wanted his side to be more consistent in the one-dayers.

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DHAKA: Pakistani cricketers jog during a team training session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Pakistan will play two Tests, three One day Internationals and one T20 series against the hosts starting from today. afp

Watch It LIve TEN SPORTS FIH Champions Challenge Hockey 1:50PM

TEN CRICKET Bangladesh V Pakistan T20 4:00PM

Qatar may lose 2022 world Cup: FFA boss SYDNEY AFP

Federer wins record sixth Tour Finals title LONDON

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AFP

OGER Federer won a record sixth ATP World Tour Finals title with a 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 victory over France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Sunday. Federer came to London's O2 Arena determined to end a frustrating year on a high and he fulfilled that ambition by moving ahead of Pete Sampras and Ivan Lendl on the list of Tour Finals champions in the 100th final of his majestic career. The 30-year-old, who retains the title he won 12 months ago, has now won 70 trophies in his career and has also equalled Lendl's record of 39 match wins in the end-of-season event.

While rivals Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray have all faded in the final weeks of a gruelling season, Federer is still going strong and this triumph -- which followed back to back titles in Basel and Paris -- will be a major boost to his confidence heading into 2012. Although Federer, who takes home the winners' cheque worth $770,000, ends the season without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2002, talk of his demise seems greatly exaggerated. The 16-time Grand Slam winner has reeled off a 17-match winning streak since the US Open and he will rise back above Murray to third in the world rankings as a result. "I couldn't be more happy my season ends this way. I'm exhausted, Jo sapped every last energy out of me today," Federer said.

"I thought we had an amazing match at Wimbledon, and an amazing one here.

I hope we get a chance next year." Tsonga added: "It's a bit tough, without Roger maybe I can get some titles, but he is here and he is the best." Tsonga had hoped to become the first Frenchman to win this event in its 41-year history.

LONdON: roger Federer of Switzerland poses with the ATP world Tour Finals tennis tournament singles trophy. afp

Best moment of my career, says Federer LONDON: Roger Federer insists that winning his record sixth title at the ATP World Tour Finals was one of the best moments of his career. Federer has amassed a whole host of magical memories during a remarkable career which has included a record 16 Grand Slam titles. But, after a frustrating year which saw him fail to win a major and slip to fourth in the rankings, Federer was over-joyed to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 in the final of the end-of-season showpiece at London's O2 Arena. "It feels very special indeed." Federer said.

"I've been trying to block it out for the entire tournament but now it's a reality that I've been able to win six titles and it's an amazing feeling. "I know it's one of my greatest accomplisments. I'm extremely happy and extremely proud. "This is definitely an amazing finish to the season. I've never finished so strong. "I used to be famous for not being consistent. I think this one proves that I was able to be successful for a long period of time." Federer's victory took him past Pete Sampras and Ivan Lendl's tally of five Tour Finals crowns and also equalled Lendl's record 39 match wins in the event. The 30-year-old, who ends the year third in the world, admitted Tsonga had given him a tough test, which only added to his sense of relief when he finally sealed the win. "I thought I played well but could I have won it easier? I guess. I had it in my hands," added Federer, who captured his 70th title in his 100th final. "I had a chance to go a double break up in the second set. I had chances to serve it out and had chances in the tie-breaker. "I had to go through the third set which was tough but eventually I made it which felt probably even better. The relif was amazing. "I still don't feel like I'm better than Pete Sampras or Lendl for that matter. I believe they are some of the all-time greats. I'm just happy to be compared to them." AFP

Australia football boss Frank Lowy suggested Monday that Qatar could yet be stripped of its right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup following their controversial awarding of the global showpiece.

Australia was humiliated to receive only one FIFA vote and was eliminated in the first round as Qatar went on to beat the US in the fourth round in Zurich last December. The process of awarding Qatar the World Cup over the US and Australia, along with the handing of the 2018 tournament to Russia, has been widely criticised amid allegations of corruption within world football's governing body. Lowy, 81, formally re-elected Monday as Football Federation Australia chairman (FFA) for another four years, indicated that world governing body FIFA could succumb to pressure from around the world over their bidding process. "I don't know whether you recall when I came back from that fateful day (after losing the bid) and I said 'this is not the last word about awarding the World Cup'," Lowy told reporters. "Well, it wasn't the last word and the last word hasn't been heard yet. "Don't ask me to elaborate because I don't have a crystal ball ... but the media all over the world is talking about that, the awarding particularly of '22, the state of the FIFA executive committee - all that stuff.

"It's not over. I don't exactly know where it will bounce. The only thing I know is it's not over yet." While anger lingers over Australia's failed Aus$45 million ($43.7 million) bid, Lowy said FFA's focus in the coming years would be on strengthening the game domestically and successfully hosting the 2015 Asian Cup. Lowy was appointed chairman at FFA's AGM in Sydney where Acting Asian Football Confederation President, Zhang Jilong, was a guest.

Zhang took charge in a caretaker capacity after Mohamed bin Hammam's ousting over bribery claims in June.

FATA, Baloch FC victorious in PFL LAHORE STAFF RePORT

PPWD, FATA and Baloch FC won their matches in the 8th Pakistan Football League (2nd Division League) on Monday while SSGC and Pakistan Steel played a draw. PPWD beat Ashraf Sugar Mills 2-1 at the korangi Baloch Football Stadium, karachi. Forward Muhammad khan and midfielder Junaid were the PPWD scorers and came up with a goal apiece in the 48th and 87th minute. From the losing side Muhammad Azeem scored in the 34th minute. FATA beat Mansab FC kharaan 3-1 at the Punjab University Old Campus Ground. FATA managed the win the efforts of forward Wajid Ali. He shone on the day with the three goals in the 58th, 61st and 68th minutes. Mansab Club’s goal scorer was Atta-ur-Rehman, who got the only goal of his team in the 34th minute. SSGC and Pak Steel remained goalless at the korangi Baloch Football Stadium, karachi. Baloch FC beat Wohaib FC Lahore 1-0 at the Punjab University Old Campus Ground and the only goal of the match came in the 88th minute when forward Zahid Ali found the cage. Meanwhile, there has been rest in the 8th Pakistan Premier Football League on Monday and the matches will resume today (Tuesday).

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Imran factor draws PPP, PML-N closer ISLAMABAD: Upset by the rising popularity of Imran khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) and to frustrate any possible move by the undemocratic forces to take advantage of the fragile political situation in the country at the moment, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) are coming closer together after weeks of tension that gained momentum after the latter launched a ‘Go Zardari Go’ movement, sources told Pakistan Today on Monday. Both parties are trying to reach a truce as the PML-N central leadership has reportedly assured the PPP that it would not sabotage the upcoming Senate elections. A source in the PML-N told Pakistan Today that some interlocutors were working to bring both parties to a ceasefire and the PML-N’s decision to postpone its Gujranwala rally scheduled for November 25 was the outcome of such efforts. “The initiative was taken by a PML-N senator who held secret meetings with the PPP leaders to find middle ways for peaceful coexistence,” said a source in the PML-N. He said the PPP leadership had conveyed to the PML-N top brass that the latter’s aggressive anti-Zardari movement would serve no purpose for either party and there were no chances of any constitutional change as a result of the move before next year’s scheduled Senate elections. “The PPP leadership told the PML-N leaders that the government could announce short-term polls after March 2012 and the exhibition of street power by the PML-N to sabotage the upcoming Senate polls might cause the derailment of democratic order in the country,” he added. Another leader of the PPP said the growing popularity of Imran khan’s PTI also brought the PML-N closer to the PPP. He said the PML-N had assured the PPP that its leaders would continue making anti-government speeches and statements but they would not cross the line that could put the existing democratic system in jeopardy. He said the PML-N’s swift act of filing a writ petition in the Supreme Court on the memogate issue was also meant to give time to the government. PML-N Information Secretary Senator Mushahidullah told Pakistan Today no secret negotiations for a truce were underway between the PPP and the PML-N. “We have stopped our movement because of Muharram… the PML-N opted to take the memogate case to the apex court as its repercussions on the government would be very detrimental if the charges are proved against President Zardari and former Pakistan ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani,” he said, adding the PML-N was least concerned about Imran khan and his “rhetoric”. IRfaN BUKhaRI

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Rage grips country over NATO attack gilani authorises parliamentary body to probe ‘memogate’

KARACHI: Supporters of the banned militant outfit Jamaatud Dawa shout slogans during a protest on Monday against a NATO airstrike on Pakistani troops two days ago. afp | MORE pICTURES ON INSIDE paGES ISLAMABAD

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UNDREDS of citizens called on the government on Monday to break off its alliance with the US and get out of the war against al Qaeda as protests against a lethal NATO strike pushed into a third day.

Twenty-four soldiers were killed in the cross-border attack early on Saturday by NATO helicopters and fighter jets. Members of civil society, lawyers, traders and students organised the rallies, still relatively small, in major cities across the country. Lawyers went on strike, demonstrating outside court buildings, chanting slogans against NATO and the US, officials from bar associations across the country said. “We marched at the Islamabad High Court premises and expressed our anger

against this attack, none of us went to the courts today,” Ashraf Gujjar, president of Islamabad High Court Bar Association, told AFP after one rally. “The government should cut NATO supplies permanently, take back military bases from the US and plead that this cases violates the borders in the UN Security Council,” he quoted from a resolution passed by lawyers.In Peshawar, a number of student federations and organisations held separate protests against the NATO forces attack, blocked a main road and chanted “Death to US” and “Quit the war on terror”.

Scores of Mehsud and Barki tribesmen also gathered in Mohmand Agency where the soldiers were killed, to protest against the attack and demand the government change its proUS policy, administration official khalid khan said. The tribesmen said the NATO forces had completely failed

in bringing peace to war-torn Afghanistan and were now attacking peaceful citizens in FATA through drone and helicopters strike.Some 200 lawyers blocked the national highway in karachi, chanting slogans in the favour of the army, police said. Meanwhile, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) observed Pakistan Solidarity and Stability Day on Monday as a protest against the NATO forces’ attack.MQM chief Altaf Hussain said it was an attack on the national sovereignty and security and endorsed the decision of his party’s Rabita Committee to observe the day as Pakistan Solidarity and Stability Day. In Azad Jammu and kashmir, around 600 people in the town of Garhi Dupatta joined the relatives of a soldier killed in the attack, and chanted slogans against the US, police official Ishtiaq Gilani told AFP.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has formally authorised the Parliamentary Committee on National Security to probe into the “memogate” issue and submit its report to the government.

“Instructions have been issued to hand over the memo case to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security,” an official in the PM House told Pakistan Today on Monday. The PM’s office issued a notification in this regard that requested the committee chairman to investigate into the matter. “It has been desired that the Parliamentary Committee on National Security may conduct a probe on the subject issue,” said an order of the Prime Minister’s Secretariat. On November 22, the prime minister had directed for conducting a detailed investigation at an appropriate level and asked Pakistan’s ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani to submit his resignation so that the investigation could be carried out properly. He hoped that all concerned would be afforded sufficient and fair opportunity to present their views and the investigation shall be carried out fairly, objectively and without bias. STaff REpORT

SC to resume ZAB reference on dec 12 ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will resume hearing in the presidential reference seeking to revisit the death sentence awarded to former prime minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on December 12. Earlier on June 29, an 11member SC bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, had adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period, subject to availability of the larger bench.

President Asif Ali Zardari wrote a letter to the chief justice on November 26 asking him to fix an early date for hearing in the reference, as a larger bench was now available. On Monday, the chief justice formed an 11-member bench to hear the presidential reference on December 12. The reference was filed on April 2 by President Zardari under Article 186 of the constitution. STaff REpORT