Lhr 02 06 2013 layout 1

Rs 25.00 Vol III No 336 19 Pages Lahore Edition

Sunday, 2 June, 2013 Rajab 22, 1434

Country’s fIrst peaCeful transItIon of power takes plaCe as 310 newly-eleCted MeMbers of the natIonal asseMbly take oath of theIr offICes. story on page 04

story on page 03

story on page 03

pakistan may be next in line for an IMf bailout

JI shura rejects Munawar hasan’s resignation

With foreign reserves diminishing fast, Pakistan is on the brink of an economic crisis that may force its new government to ask for an unpopular bailout from the IMF requiring a sweeping overhaul of the country's economy. pag e 16

The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Shura rejected resignation of its chief Syed Munawar Hasan who decided to relinquish the post after the party’s failure in the recent general election. pag e 04

nawaz vows to break the ‘beggar’s bowl’ story on page 02

ppp warns against revenge in guise of accountability

amidst fixing scandal, Ipl Chairman resigns

Pakistan People’s Party senior leader and party nominee for leader of opposition in National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah said PPP will not tolerate PMLN’s revenge tactics under the cloak of accountability. pag e 02

Rajiv Shukla has resigned as IPL chairman, following the scandal over alleged corruption in the IPL. His decision to stand down comes less than 24 hours after the resignations of two top BCCI officials. pag e 20

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N NEWS Sunday, 2 June, 2013

PML-N, PkMAP tAke uP BALochistAN issues oN NA sideLiNes ISLAMABAD ANwEr AbbAS

Taking benefit of the first-ever session of the newly-elected National Assembly, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Saturday held sittings with leaders of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) to settle down things in connection with the Balochistan government. During the 14th Session of the National Assembly of Pakistan, senior PML-N leader Ishaq Dar held a meeting with PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai on directives of the top leadership of PML-N. A source said during the sitting, both leaders discussed the issues pertaining to the formation of a provincial government in Balochistan province, following which Achakzai assured the PML-N leader of extending his cooperation in retracking the situation in the province. Following the first meeting between Dar and Achakzai, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif also held a meeting with Achakzai after the oath-taking ceremony. Sources claimed that most of the things had been finalised between the two parties and PkMAP had partially agreed to supporting the PML-N to form a government in the province.

PPP wArNs AgAiNst reveNge iN guise of AccouNtABiLity ISLAMABAD ONLINE

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader and party nominee for leader of opposition in National Assembly (NA) Syed Khurshid Shah said PPP will not tolerate PML-N’s revenge tactics under the cloak of accountability. “If the PML-N government holds us accountable we will support them wholeheartedly but if it takes revenge from us in the guise of accountability we will not tolerate it at all,” he said while talking to journalists outside the NA building on Saturday. He went on to say that during the previous term, PPP was the ruling party and PML-N occupied the opposition, adding that the roles had reversed. “We will support good deeds of the government and discourage wrongdoings on its part,” Shah stated. Full opportunity will be provided to the government to work and no hindrances will be created in its way,” he added. He held that Nawaz Sharif had said amid charged slogans that the PPP government had miserably failed on the issue relating to drone attacks but now the attacks were posing a bigger challenge to Sharif than energy crisis.

“We should go for a dialogue with the US to stop drone strikes,” he stressed.

NAwAz vows to BreAk the ‘BeggAr’s BowL’ ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD: Punjab chief minister-designate Shahbaz Sharif greets his brother, prime minister in-waiting Nawaz Sharif after the latter took oath as member of the National Assembly on Saturday. INP

TAYYAb HuSSAIN

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rIMe minister-designate Nawaz Sharif on Saturday vowed that his party’s government would break the “beggar’s bowl”, stating that Pakistan would have to acquire economic autonomy to reclaim respect among the comity of nations. Spelling out the policy outlines of his government while chairing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s parliamentary party meeting at the Parliament House, Nawaz said the volatile economic situation was the major cause for poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, energy crisis and terrorism being faced by Pakistan.

He said rs 550 billion were immediately required to get rid of the circular debt without which the power crisis and load shedding could not be averted. He said billions of rupees were being lost due to line losses and the government would have to adopt strict and transparent policies to tackle the situation.

Nawaz said the new government would have to take stringent measures to meet the challenges.

“Almighty Allah wants PML-N to achieve aforesaid gigantic tasks and for that purpose, the PML-N members will have to rise above petty personal gains.”

“All of us would have to sacrifice our personal ambitions to ensure deliverance from debts and deficits. The PML-N has

We don’t need to exercise politics for the sake of politics.

Rather, we would have to hold the corrupt accountable.

I promise that corruption would not be tolerated and I expect the same from my party colleagues no other option but to come up to the public’s aspirations,” he asserted.

The PML-N chief said he was against accepting the top slot based on compromises. He said he would never have opted for any compromise and he did not want premiership for personal benefits. He asked the members not to lobby for offices as the Almighty Allah had chosen them for serving the nation. “We don’t need to exercise politics for the sake of politics. rather, we would have to hold the corrupt accountable. I promise that corruption

would not be tolerated and I expect the same from my party colleagues,” he added. Nawaz also pledged to carry forward the Charter of Democracy and move ahead by setting clear priorities that would help reach the destination.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE: Nawaz was formally nominated as the leader of the House in the National Assembly during the parliamentary party meeting. The meeting was largely attended by the members-elect of the National Assembly of the party. Nisar Ali Khan presented the reso-

lution for Nawaz’s nomination that was adopted unanimously. earlier, Nisar urged the PML-N members to understand that they had moved from opposition benches to the treasury, hence, they would have to change their attitude per the situation. “Since we are now in the government, we will have to observe open-hearted policy and tolerate criticism from the opposition. We will also have to get rid of aggressive attitudes and rather forbearance and fortitude should be adopted,” he concluded.

PML-N nominates Ayaz Sadiq for NA speaker, Abbasi his deputy LAHORE NADEEM SYED

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has nominated Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Murtaza Javed Abbasi as speaker and deputy speaker, respectively, for the Lower House of the parliament.

PML-N’s Ayaz Sadiq had won from NA-122 National Assembly seat beating Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan, while Murtaza Javed Abbasi managed to beat Sardar Yaqoob of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) from NA-18 constituency, Abbottabad.

The decision was unveiled at a highlevel party meeting on Saturday in which Nawaz Sharif and other top leaders such as Nisar Ali Khan, Khwaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal and others were also present.

Zahid Hamid, another newly elected MNA, was also in the race and his name was under consideration. Sadiq has been the PML-N’s point man for Balochistan.

He was given the responsibility to not only organise the party there but also given mandate to talk to other political parties. He also held talks with nationalist parties in Balochistan. It has been learnt

that he has great acceptability in Balochistan, which was one main reason behind his nomination as speaker.

Sources said Sadiq has a quite meek and humble personality with nothing for

the Sharifs to be worried about as far as handling of the Lower House was concerned.

“He will toe the party line quite diligently,” one PML-N leader commented.

In the party, he is considered very close to Nisar Ali Khan.

But according to a local TV channel, Nisar opposed his nomination since he was from Lahore along with other important future office-holders including the premier and several federal ministers.

However, Khwaja Asif and some other members supported his nomination.

There had been a wait for some time over the party’s decision to nominate a person for the speaker’s position.

Per parliamentary traditions, a usual pick for the office of speaker or Senate chief is someone from smaller provinces.

However, since the PML-N has hardly any presentable personality from outside Punjab in its fold, the choice for speaker eventually fell to Punjab, sources added.

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NEWS

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Sunday, 2 June, 2013

New Punjab Assembly goes into session 317 NEW MPAS SWORN IN DURING INAUGURAL SESSION LAHORE STAFF rEPOrT

T LAHORE: Newly-elected members of the Punjab Assembly, including chief minister-designate Shahbaz Sharif, take oath in the inaugural session on the assembly on Saturday. INP

59 Balochistan Assembly members take oath

QUETTA: Members of Balochistan Assembly take oath of office during the provincial assembly’s maiden session on Saturday. ONLINE

QUETTA STAFF rEPOrT

Newly-elected members of the Balochistan Assembly took oath in the inaugural session of the House on Saturday. Speaker Matiullah Agha presided over the session.

According to reports, 59 new members of the 65-member House were administered oath on Saturday. The election of speaker and deputy speaker of Balochistan Assembly will be held on June 4. The election for the leader of House is scheduled to be held on June 7.

Meanwhile, PML-N Balochistan President and aspirant for the chief minister’s slot Sanaullah Zehri said decision about the province’s chief minister province would be made in the next couple of days.

Talking to reporters on Saturday before the oath-taking ceremony, Zehri said other parties who got majority in KP, Punjab and

Sindh had been allowed to form the government and the same formula should be applied in Balochistan.

He said being leader of the majority party, members had expressed their confidence in him.

The PML-N has emerged as the largest party with 18 seats, PkMAP with 14, National Party with 11, JUI-F with eight, PMLQ with five, BNP-Mengal with two and ANP, Majlis-e-Wahadatul Muslimeen and BNPAwami with one each.

The PML-N, PkMAP and National Party have agreed to form a coalition government in the province but the chief minister’s office remains the major bone of contention. Being president of the majority party, Sanaullah Zehri is vying for the post, while Dr Abdul Malik of the National Party is also in the field with the backing of Mehmood Khan Achakzai, head of PkMAP.

‘Khadim-e-Aala’ vs ‘Khadim-e-Aala’ LAHORE: The new Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief minister in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pervaiz Khattak, has a bond with the historic city of Lahore. Like the former KP CM, Amir Haider Hoti, he was educated at Aitchison College in Lahore and circles close to him disclosed that Khattak travels a lot to Lahore and also has a house in the city. PTI circles claim Khattak will be at the disposal of PTI chief Imran Khan and his economic team for the next five years in their attempt to improve the terrorism-ravaged province. As such they deem Khattak as the right choice

by Khan and his friends find him a simple person but equally sharp to handle the responsibility of his new office. Political circles close to him say being an un-demanding personality, he is likely to shun the splendour

that comes with the office, running his office like a true servant of his people and party. If he does that successfully, he will be in direct competition with Punjab’s chief executive Shahbaz Sharif. The leaderships from both sides, PTI and PML-N, have indicated that they would try to out-do each other in running their respective province. If Khattak keeps his doors open for public and party workers and holds open courts regularly and drives his car himself, or with just a driver, he will create a huge impact which will surely push the Sharifs to up the ante in Punjab.

Perhaps, Sharif too, would shun the protocol galore. The ensuing competition between the PTI and PML-N leaders will definitely be beneficial for ordinary people, if pursued with a healthy approach. NADEEM SYED

He maiden session of the newlyelected 371-member Punjab Assembly was held on Saturday, presided over by outgoing Speaker rana Iqbal. The House was later adjourned.

Nominations for the slots of speaker and deputy speaker will be submitted by 5pm on Sunday, following which the election for the said positions would be held on June 3.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to again field rana Muhammad Iqbal as the PA speaker.

The House will elect its leader, the chief minister, on June 6, while the nomination papers for the coveted slot can be submitted by June 5. Sources said among the 317 those who took oath, about 150 became members of the 371-strong Punjab Assembly for the first time.

The PML-N commands absolute majority in the House with 246 general seats, seven minority and 50 female reserved seats.

It is followed by the Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) with 20 general seats, five female reserved seats and one minority seat.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) holds the third position with seven general seats and two female reserved seats, while the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has six general seats and one female reserved seat.

The Muslim League-Zia has two general seats and one of female reserved seat.

The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema-eIslam (JUI-F) and Pakistan National Muslim League have a seat each. Six winning independent candidates have also become part of the Punjab Assembly. At least 27 female members of the PML-N have become part of the assembly for the first time, 16 for the second time and seven for a third time.

PTI’s six female candidates have become members of the House for the first time, PMLQ’s two female candidates have become members for the second time, while PPP’s Faiza Malik has become a Punjab Assembly member for a third time.

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NEWS Sunday, 2 June, 2013

A historic feat for democracy!

ISLAMABAD

TAYYAb HuSSAIN

With around 301 members-elect taking oath to become members of the Lower House of parliament, proceedings of the 14th National Assembly (NA) on Saturday were limited to oath taking and sign rolling by members, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and prime minister-designate Nawaz Sharif.

However, the session looked lacklustre as top opposition leaders, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Fazlur rehman, PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Jamshed Dasti and some others remained absent.

Members-elect Asad Qaiser, Pervez Khattak and Shahbaz Sharif have already opted to retain their respective provincial assembly seats.

The House burst into uproar and desk-thumping as soon as the name of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif was announced for rollsigning. Before Nawaz could rise

from his seat and proceed to the speaker’s desk, the PML-N members and workers stood up to give him a standing ovation and shouted raising slogans, “Sher Aaya (the lion has come)”, “Nawaz Sharif we are with you”.

However, members of the opposition remained in their seats.

Following the roll-signing, Nawaz went to the opposition leader’s seat and shook hands with Pakistan People’s Party leader Khurshid Shah, but arrogantly ignored his former loyalist and deputy, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, who was sitting next to Shah.

Later, the PTI parliamentary party also named Hashmi as its candidate for the slot of Leader of the House. Hashmi would now face an imminent defeat against Nawaz, who has the support of over 190 members, while the PTI has the support of only 35 members.

During the proceedings, most PML-N members went to Nawaz’s seat and paid regard to their party head. PML-N’s female members Marvi Memon, Myza Hameed and

PPP wins NA-229, NA-230 re-polling KARACHI: Unofficial results after repolling in NA-229 Tharparkar-I and NA-230 Tharparkar-II show that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidates are all geared up for victory. NA-229 candidate Faqir Sher Muhammad Bilani secured 86,592 after re-polling, whereas his People’s Muslim League (PML) opponent Arbab Khan Sahib Togachi received 84,922 votes. NA-230 polls saw PPP candidate Pir Noor Muhammad Shah Jilani winning against his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opponent Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Jilani secured 59,528 votes, whereas Qureshi managed to bag 58,298 votes. re-polling was held at four polling stations of NA-229 and 43 polling stations of NA-230 and its corresponding provincial assembly constituencies PS-62 and PS-63.

All eyes were on NA-229 Tharparkar-I as it is the stronghold of the Arbabs who have never lost this constituency in any election. The eCP had announced the re-election as the administration had failed to conduct the election on May 11 at 47 polling stations, most were either set on fire or ransacked by miscreants belonging to rival political parties. STAFF rEPOrT

Ji shura rejects Munawar hasan’s resignation LAHORE: The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Shura rejected resignation of its chief Syed Munawar Hasan who decided to relinquish the post after the party’s failure in the recent general election. A private news channel quoting sources reported on Saturday that Munawar Hasan presented his resignation to the Shura but was asked to continue with the job. The body was of the view that not only organisation but establishment and other factors also played a role in JI’s election failure. INP

riazur rehman saghar passes away at 72 MOnITORIng DESk renowned journalist and poet riazur rehman Saghar passed away late Saturday night in Lahore. He was suffering from cancer and had been hospitalised for a while. Caretaker federal minister Arif Nizami had earlier visited him at hospital to enquire about his condition.

Following Saghar’s death President Asif Ali Zardari, in a statement, expressed condolence and sorrow and prayed for the soul of the deceased.

Zaib Jaffer also went to Nawaz and conveyed regards to him.

Myza handed him over some written notes while Zaib Jaffer gave him an application, which was reluctantly accepted by Nawaz. The newly-elected members of the 14th National Assembly took oath on Saturday in the maiden session called after the May 11 general elections, marking the first historic transition of power from one democratically-elected government to another in the country’s history.

Dr Fehmida Mirza, speaker of the outgoing assembly, presided over the proceedings that started an hour and 55 minutes late. Simultaneously, she also took oath herself as a member and also administered the oath to other members. As many as 301 members took oath in the first sitting which met for two hours and 23 minutes.

The oath was followed by the signing of ‘roll of members’. The speaker also informed the House about the election of the speaker and the deputy speaker, which will be held on Monday.

The House adjourned at 2:18pm to meet again on Monday, June 3, at 1100 hours.

As many as 300 members were present at the start, while only 47 members were there at the time of adjournment. ‘Order of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others; however, information on members’ attendance was not available to the observers and the public.

In the House of 342 members, 301 took oath, 10 were yet to take oath, nine seats were held with the members who succeeded on more than one seats, while decision on 10 reserved seats for women from Punjab is awaited and election was not held in nine constituencies and three candidates have opted for provincial assemblies. The National Assembly Secretariat said Nawaz had decided to vacate NA68 Sargodha, Sadaruddin rashidi of PML-F had vacated NA-235, Javed Hashmi had vacated NA-48 and Faryal Talpur had vacated her seat reserved for women.

As Imran Khan, Javed

Hashmi, Jamshed Dasti and Fazlur rehman were not present for taking oath and signing the roll of members, therefore decision about their retaining or vacating any of the seats won by them is awaited.

Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who holds two seats of National Assembly Balochistan seats, will take a decision on retaining one seat by June 10.

The only senator who took oath as MNA was Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani, who has decided to vacate the Senate seat. earlier, long queues of vehicles were seen in front of Parliament House as a large number of visitors had also reached the capital to witness the oath-taking of their leaders. The galleries were flooded with visitors as the Secretariat had issued passes over and above the capacity of the National Assembly hall galleries.

Opposition members came first to the House as the PML-N members were busy in parliamentary party meeting and reached the House almost an hour later.

drone attacks paralysing peace process: nisar IQBAL SAYS PML-N GOVERNMENT WILL SHOW ZERO TOLERANCE TOWARDS CORRUPTION ISLAMABAD KASHIF AbbASI

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday said drone attacks were against the sovereignty of the country and have been paralysing peace process.

Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, the PML-N leader said that drones attacks were counterproductive. He said that after coming into the power, PMLN would take responsibility of stopping drone attacks. Nisar said drone attacks threatened regional peace and stability.

“We have clear cut policy against drone attacks… these attacks are paralysing the peace process… after taking control of the government we would raise this issue seriously… 10 years back a military dictator pushed the country in war,” he said.

Nisar said the cabinet size would be very small. The PML-N leader said that his party had not changed its stance on national issues. He said that his party would come up to the expectations of the people.

Meanwhile, while talking to re-

KHURSHEED SHAH SAYS DRONE ATTACKS ARE BIG CHALLENGE FOR NEW GOVERNMENT porters, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said that in the PML-N government there would be zero tolerance against corruption. He said that new government would appoint competent, upright and honest people. To a question regarding drone attacks, he said that his party had a clear policy against drone attacks and it would take up this issue with all stakeholders.

Ahsan Iqbal also said the new government would take every possible step to resolve national issues.

Whereas, in his media talk, leader of opposition-designate Khursheed Shah said that drone attacks were big challenge for the new government. He said the people were looking towards Nawaz Sharif to play role to stop drone attacks. “The US welcomes Nawaz government with a drone strike… let us see after taking control of the government what PML-N do against drones,” Shah said.

He said the PPP would sit on opposition benches and a grand alliance of all opposition parties was being made in this regard.

“All opposition parties, including PPP, PTI, MQM and JUI-F would have to for-

Parties question legitimacy of Balochistan Assembly QUETTA STAFF rEPOrT

While questioning the legitimacy of the Balochistan Assembly, several political parties on Saturday said the lawmakers have returned to serve the interests of invisible forces instead of people. Leaders of several parties said this during a protest demonstration against rigging in the elections. Balochistan National PartyMengal leader Dr Jahanzeb Jamaldini, JUI-Nazariati Central Secretary General Abdul Qadir, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Abdul Bari, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat Deputy Secretary Hafiz Ayub and leaders of Jamaat Ahle Hadees addressed the protesters outside the Balochistan Assembly.

Speakers said that a dummy leadership was once again imposed on the people of Balochistan, adding that for the past 65 years hidden hands were involved in the manipulation of political process. They said they had always opposed these forces, adding that those people were elected to the assembly through rigging who could serve their interests.

BNP-M members will not take oath: sanaullah Baloch QUETTA: Balochistan National PartyMengal (BNP-M) central leader Sanaullah Baloch on Saturday said his party members elected to the Balochistan Assembly and National Assembly would not be taking oath in protest against the alleged riggings in the elections. Sanaullah Baloch said that his party’s central executive committee meeting been called for June 2, which would finalise the future line of action in this regard. ONLINE

give differences for reconciliation… and I’m working on these lines.”

PPP-senior leader Amin Faheem, while talking about the credibility of the elections, said that these elections were Part-B of 1997 elections. However, he said that peaceful transition of power would strengthen democracy in the country.

Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai said his party would support new government as it had promised for the rule of law, respect of judiciary and an end to terrorism. He urged all political leaders to join hands to get rid of terrorism and to make Pakistan a dignified, independent and prosperous country. Achakzai said further it was beauty of democracy that all politicians who were sidelined by a military dictator now had once again become part of parliament.

PPP wins Punjab Assembly reserved seat after draw LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) won a reserved seat for women after a draw conducted by the Punjab election Commission during the inaugural session of Punjab Assembly. The draw was between Tanzeela Amir Cheema of Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) and Belum Hasnain of PPP. The reserved seat was won by Belum Hasnain. There are 70 reserved seats in the NA, 60 for women and 10 for minorities. There are 137 seats reserved for women in the four provincial assemblies. STAFF rEPOrT

newly-elected Mnas take oath amidst mismanaged fanfare ISLAMABAD ANwEr AbbAS

The newly-elected leaders on Saturday took oath in the maiden session of the National Assembly, marking the first historic transition of power from one democratically elected government to another in the country’s history amid tight security arrangements.

Leaders arrived at the National Assembly accompanied by hundreds of supporters.

The red Zone area witnessed a massive traffic jam and a bottleneck situation because of a large number of vehicles carrying members of the parliament and their security personnel to the National Assembly. All open spaces on the premises and outside the Parliament House remained occupied by vehicles belonging to members, different party work-

ers, journalists and others.

There were so many vehicles that even those on foot faced difficulty entering the Parliament House. Abid Sher Ali took oath to follow the Constitution by breaking the law; to rush to the National Assembly and to avoid the hot temperature, he drove his vehicle on a one-way road to reach the National Assembly.

According to an unofficial estimate around, 7,000 passes were issued to monitor the session, out of which around 60 passes were issued to media persons who were there to cover the historic event.

Most of the members of the National Assembly tried to boast of their economic strength and their luxurious lifestyles by arriving in big vehicles and expensive dresses indiscriminate of their sexes.

Because of poor arrangements and nepotism, the PID officials as

well as the Media Department of the National Assembly kept accommodating their personal guests as well as those accompanying MNAs in account of journalists, barring many reporters from performing their duties.

Hundreds of bogus media passes were issued to people who were not from the media community, whereas large number of journalists had to return because of not being issued with the entry passes.

At the entry gate for people, a crowd seeking entry to the building was unruly and even journalists had to struggle to enter the Assembly Hall.

Newly-elected leaders brought hundreds of their supporters along who caused number of problems for the National Assembly staff because of their unfamiliarity with the rules.

Several high civil and military officials, diplomats and important personalities had also come to witness the proceedings.

As newly-elected members of National Assembly belonging to different political parties started to enter the Assembly Hall, the House echoed with slogans raised by different party workers in support of their leaders.

Different party workers, particularly of PML-N were chanting slogans such as ‘Sher aya, sher aya’, ‘Nawaz aya’, ‘Nawaz Sharif Zindabad’ ‘Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’ throughout the proceedings.

Violating the laws and rules of the procedure, some visitors started taking photographs of the session especially when Nawaz Sharif entered the floor for oath taking.

However, unlike the visitors’ gallery, where much enthusiasm was witnessed among supporters of different parties, the press gallery and speaker’s galleries were disciplined though equally overcrowded.

The speaker of the outgoing assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza presided over the proceedings which started an hour and 55 minutes late. Simultaneously taking oath herself as a member, she administered the oath to members.

As many as 301 members took oath in the first sitting which met for two hours and 23 minutes.

The oath was followed by the signing of roll of Members. The speaker also informed the House about the election of the speaker and the deputy speaker which will be held on Monday.

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Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. –Helen Keller

LAHORE Sunday, 2 June, 2013

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ITH no concrete guidelines from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership, the bureaucracy is in a fix regarding the Annual Development Programme (ADP)’s formation, Pakistan Today learnt on Saturday.

Usually, all departments provide input under the provincial executive’s guidelines for finalising the provincial budget and the development schemes.

However, the new government has provided no direction so far, so the bureaucracy has decided to leave billions of rupees at the chief minister’s discretion

instead of mentioning specific schemes in the ADP. Sources further revealed that the ADP’s budget would be around rs 270 billion, which is rs 20 billion more than last year. While more than 70 percent of the amount will be allocated for ongoing schemes, the remaining 30 percent has been block allocated to the chief minister.

An official seeking anonymity pointed out that this allocation implied that development experts’ work in identifying schemes would not get a chance as the funds would be placed at the chief minister’s disposal, at the mercy of his discretion.

Perhaps this glaring oversight could be explained by the PML-N’s current focus on the central government, neglecting their stronghold province.

Sources revealed that the chief minister Shahbaz Sharif could only chair a single meeting of senior bureaucrats before he departed to London. Moreover, even though PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal is poised for an important federal cabinet slot and has been heading different committees to improve Punjab’s fiscal situation, he has not issued any guidelines for the upcoming budget’s formation, revealed an official pleading anonymity.

“The budget’s determination is quite tricky as the caretaker government is not equipped for this task, and the newly elected PML-N government is not paying heed to this important matter,” said another official. Particularly with the health and education sectors, the PML-N’s input is conspicuous by its absence.

Caretaker Health Minister Saleema

Hashmi said that the interim government had already been absolved of all their duties and the PML-N has taken charge once again. “Such decisions come through the cabinet and we had our last meeting last week and have been given a farewell too,” she added.

However, PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal told Pakistan Today that a broad-based input development and government conference is being held in Punjab and “we are going to chalk out a five year development plan reflecting the PML-N’s manifesto”.

He said that directions would be issued in a week when the consultative process is over. “We will continue our previous projects while introducing some new ones as well. The main highlights will be modernizing the rural economy and resource mobilization,” Iqbal added.

The measles menace: 188 new cases in 24 hours LAHORE APP

Over 15,328 cases of measles have been reported in Punjab during the last six months, with an additional 188 cases in the last 24 hours. According to health department officials, at least 129 deaths have been reported so far, most of them occurring in Lahore, Gujranwala, rajanpur, rahim Yar Khan and Kasur districts. During the last 24 hours, around 42 cases have been reported from Lahore’s hospitals alone.

Meanwhile, Punjab Health Services Director General Punjab Dr.Tanveer Ahmed said that upon investigation it was found the majority of deaths in Lahore were caused due to severe pneumonia and delay in reaching the hospitals. He appealed to parents to get children up to five years of age vaccinated promptly and called on them to cooperate with the vaccinators.

PML-Q to support PTI for CM, speaker slots in PA LAHORE: PML-Q Parliamentary Leader in the Punjab Assembly Moonis Elahi on Saturday said his party will support the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nominees for the chief minister and speaker slots in the Punjab Assembly. "The PTI will support PML-Q's Waqas Moakkal for deputy speaker in the Punjab Assembly in return," he told reporters outside the Punjab Assembly.

The PML-Q leader said that deliberations for a united opposition were in progress and the parties would reach a decision with the passage of time. He said the PML-N had made big claims during its election campaign, adding that it would have to fulfill all promises otherwise the people would reject it in the next elections. To a question, he said the PML-N should overcome the energy crisis and stop US unmanned drone attacks. To a query, he said the PML-Q would play a strong role as opposition inside and outside the assembly. Regarding a weak opposition in the Punjab Assembly, he said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had achieved a similar majority in the 70s but the opposition had played a robust role. APP

roBBer kiLLed iN eNcouNter LAHORE: A robber was killed in an encounter with police in Kahna on Saturday. Police said that two motorcyclists tried to loot taxi driver Arshad, a resident of Kanganpur, and his family. When the driver resisted the robbers shot him injured and fled from the scene. The injured was rushed to the hospital. Police officials at a picket spotted a suspected motorcycle (LHJ-2357) and signalled to stop, but the motorcyclists opened fire on the officials. To which the police retaliated. As a result, a robber, identified as Shahbaz Masih, received bullet injuries and died on the spot. His accomplice managed to flee. STAFF rEPOrT

In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something else. –Lee Lacocca

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LAHORE Sunday, 2 June, 2013

PA maiden PML-N MPA bikes his way to PA session: a solemn affair LAHORE INP

LAHORE NADEEM SYED

T

He newly-elected members of the Punjab Assembly (PA) took oath on Saturday in a session that looked different and untraditional from the one witnessed at the onset of the parliamentary process in 2008.

The one big evidence of the difference came when Shahbaz Sharif set foot in the hall where the members were scheduled to take oath. In 2008, there was an uproar and outpouring of sentiments as soon as the members saw Shahbaz entering the hall. The members then were in a celebrative mood marking the occasion with cheers, sloganeering and desk-thumping, not to mention the dances by some zealots.

This time all of that action was missing when Shahbaz Sharif graced the occasion. The members from PML-N appeared less sentimental and jovial. even Sharif was quite serious, if not grim, as if there was a lot on his mind, reflecting the heavy burden of responsibility on his party’s shoulders and more importantly, the advent of a different lot in opposition benches. The serious and head-on start of the new assembly despite the PML-N’s historic victory in elections was quite noticeable.

The PML-N achieved a historic mandate this time around, improving its figures from 1997 when it blew away all predictions with its heavy mandate. The PML-N’s mandate is even heavier than before as far as the Punjab Assembly is concerned. Yet the mood was solemn and grim, quite unlike past parliamentary sessions as if there was hardly any cause for festivity.

Shahbaz Sharif is all set to take oath as chief minister for a record third time on June 6 with a huge backing of MPAs. As such he would face no problem in implementing his agenda or carrying out a surgery where required riding his mandate. But the

absolute majority in Punjab is also reason enough for the PML-N leadership to be cautious and careful.

From now on, only performance will matter and nothing else.

Being the ruling party with governments in the Centre and Punjab will require a national outlook and not only a Punjabcentric approach.

Now if the PML-N decides to distribute goodies like ‘Sasti roti’ in parts of Punjab, other provinces would demand their share in the scheme. If Punjab government presses ahead with more Danish Schools, other provinces will seek the same from the Sharifs.

The new assembly is untraditional in the sense that there are several known faces in the treasury but several new ones in opposition. Yet there was no shortage of political families making it to the House once again, despite much outcry against them in favour of new faces.

The faces might be different, but all big political families from south, central and northern Punjab seemed fully represented in the new order.

Again, a large number of youth made it through this time.

It will be testing for them to adjust to parliamentary practices.

Many of them can make a lasting imprint if they seize the opportunity with both hands. The opposition seems too small as compared to the huge treasury. But it sounds like an energetic one with the presence of youth giving it a new flavour and vigour.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is all set to take on the PML-N from day one. Its opposition leader Mahmoodur rashid is quite a tough-task master.

The opposition members have a great opportunity to make their presence felt besides making a real career. All of this depends on how seriously they take their new roles in the parliament. It seems that in the coming days it will be an interesting contest between the treasury and opposition despite the huge disparity in numbers on each side.

A Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) lawmaker arrived on a motorcycle to attend the maiden session of the Punjab Assembly on Saturday.

The rare scene was captured

by TV cameras when bearded lawmaker Gayasuddin got off the motorcycle. reporters gathered around the MPA elected from PP133 Shakargarh. The lawmaker said that he came on the motorcycle to convey message of austerity as the nation was in dire need of such measures.

our PArty wiLL eNd PeoPLe’s sufferiNg LAHORE: Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Saturday said that her party would leave no stone unturned in alleviating the masses’ suffering with her father at the new government’s helm.

Maryam has been in the political limelight as she would be contesting on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Nawaz Sharif’s seat from Lahore. Talking to a private news channel, she stressed the need for a collective effort to resolve all challenges facing the country. She added that her party would take steps to empower women. ONLINE

PAkistAN reLeAses MeNtALLychALLeNged iNdiAN LAHORE: Pakistan has released a mentally-challenged Indian national Kuldeep Singh alias Deepu, as a gesture of goodwill, who had crossed into Pakistani side of the border two months ago from Sangrur. Kuldeep Singh was received by his brothers at the Wagah border. His brother Seesan said that Deepu was mentally disturbed and was not able to talk. APP

ISLAMABAD: Heat wave conditions will continue to grip most parts of the country during the next 24 hours with an increase in day temperatures especially in plain areas. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), hot and dry weather would prevail in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan during next 24 hours. The weather will remain dry in Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan during the next 24 hours. The synoptic situation says that a seasonal low lies over Balochistan

and its adjoining areas. The maximum temperatures recorded during the last 24 hours were Islamabad 39 C, Rawalpindi 41 C, Lahore 43 C, Karachi 35 C, Peshawar 40, Quetta 37 C, Murree 28 C, Muzaffarabad 40 C, Multan 44 C, Faisalabad 44 C and Gilgit 36 C. The highest maximum temperatures recorded were Daddu 49 C, Larkana 47 C, Bhakkar and Noorpur Thal 47 C, Sibbi, Shaheed Benazirabad, Jacobabad, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Shorkot, Sukkur and Nokundi 46 degree Celsius. APP

SHOE WAREHOUSE REDUCED TO ASHES LAHORE STAFF rEPOrT

Shoes and other material worth thousands of rupees were reduced to ashes when a fire broke out in a warehouse near Allah Hoo Darbar, Shahdara on Saturday.

On receiving information, rescue fire service reached the spot and put out the fire after hectic efforts.

However, no loss of life was reported.

The

cause behind the fire was stated to be electric short circuit.

In another such incident at a house in Shafiqabad nine-year old boy Asif received burns and was rushed to a hospital. Furniture and other items were also burnt. Vehicles of fire brigade reached the spot and extinguished the blaze.

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Members of the National Siraiki Party call on the Sharifs to address their demands through a peaceful demonstration. STAFF PHOTO

AuDI-3 Iron MAn 3 (3d) the reLUCtAnt FUndAMentALISt Iron MAn 3 (3d) the reLUCtAnt FUndAMentALISt Iron MAn 3 (3d)

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What you call ‘love’ was invented by guys like me. To sell Nylons. — Anonymous

NEWS

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turkey protests rage for second day ISTAnBUL

P

AgENCuES

OLICe in Istanbul have fired tear gas and water cannons at protesters trying to reach a symbolic landmark during a second day of anti-government demonstrations.

Protesters chanted “unite against fascism” and “government resign” on Saturday as they tried to reach Taksim Square, which has long been a venue for political unrest.

Al Jazeera’s Gokhan Yivciger reported that there were fierce clashes at police barricades in Harbiye district, about 2km from the square, with riot squads firing salvos of tear gas. An estimated 10,000 people have gathered in the district.

Police also quelled protests this morin-

ing in Besiktas neighbourhood, which is on the shores of the Bosphorus nearer to the square.

Saturday’s violence came a day after scores of people were injured in clashes in central Istanbul, with 60 people detained around Taksim. Broken glass and rocks were strewn across a main shopping street near the square.

The protest at Taksim’s Gezi Park began late on Monday after trees were torn up over a government redevelopment plan.

It has now widened into a broader demonstration against what protesters see as increasingly authoritarian rule.

“The protesters are saying that this is not about trees anymore,” said Al Jazeera’s rawya rageh, reporting from Istanbul.

The Prime Minister, recep Tayyip erdogan, acknowledged on Saturday that it

was a mistake to use tear gas on the public protesting earlier this week on the planned demolition of Gezi Park.

“There was a mistake while using pepper gas by police forces. Okay. I have ordered the Interior Ministry to investigate this. It was excessive” he said. He, however, said the redevelopment plan for the park would go ahead. gROWIng DISQUIET: Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the main opposition republican People’s Party, called on erdogan to withdraw police from the Gezi Park area, and criticised Istanbul governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu over his handling of the situation. “From now on, in reality, there is no governor in Istanbul”, Kilicdaroglu said in a statement.

The unrest reflects growing disquiet at erdogan’s administration and his Islamist-

rooted Justice and Development Party.

There have been protests against the government’s stance on the conflict in neighbouring Syria, a tightening of restrictions on alcohol sales and warnings against public displays of affection.

However, erdogan has overseen a transformation in Turkey during his decade in power, turning its economy from crisis-

prone into europe’s fastest-growing.

Per capita income has tripled in nominal terms since his party rose to power.

He also remains by far Turkey’s most popular politician, and is widely viewed as its most powerful leader since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk founded the modern secular republic on the ashes of the Ottoman empire 90 years ago.

severAL die iN New okLAhoMA torNAdoes

GAzA: Palestinian Mohammed Jundeya, 17, who left school to work as an apprentice in a car repair garage to support his family’s income. Apprentice mechanics earn around $100 per month, garage owners say. AgENCIES

WASHIngTOn AgENCIES

LeBANoN PArLiAMeNt deLAys PoLLs By 17 MoNths BEIRUT AgENCIES

Lebanon’s parliament has voted to extend its mandate and delay elections scheduled for next month after failing to adopt a new electoral law at a time of deep divisions over the war in neighbouring Syria.

The motion for a 17-month extension, submitted by independent Christian MP Nicolas Fattouche, was passed unanimously by 98 members of the 128seat house who attended on Friday, with rival camps blaming each other for the delay. “The term of the mandate of the legislature will be modified on an exceptional basis to end on November 20, 2014,” rather than June 20 as scheduled, it reads. The motion to extend the normal four-year term between elections was due to “the security situation in several Lebanese regions that gives rise to political escalation and division which often take on confessional forms”. “Security and political tensions prevent the holding of an election campaign,” it said. Fuad Siniora, the opposition head in parliament, said: “We were forced to vote on this bad project to avoid a vacuum and after unrest in several regions and the serious negative development” of Hezbollah’s involvement in the Syria conflict.

Japan mayor’s sex slave remarks disowned TOkOYO AgENCIES

Japan’s government has disowned remarks by a mayor who claimed that sex slaves taken from invaded nations were a military necessity during the Second World War. Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto prompted outrage by suggesting last month that battle-stressed soldiers needed the services of sex slaves, which were called “comfort women” by the Japanese. On Saturday, the defence minister Itsunori Onodera told an Asian security conference that the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe “never commits to such remarks or recognition of history”. The conference is being attended by nations attacked by Japan during that war.

“In the past, Japan caused tremendous damage and suffering

to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations,” Onodera told the security forum in Singapore known as the Shangri-La Dialogue. “Consecutive Japanese governments have humbly acknowledged such historical facts, expressed deep remorse and genuine apologies,” the minister added.

Up to 200,000 women from Korea, China, the Philippines were forced into sex slavery during the Second World War. Hashimoto’s comments provoked protests abroad, with South Koreans burning portraits of the mayor and the Japanese prime minister last month. The Osaka mayor has cancelled a trip to the United States after US officials denounced his remarks as “outrageous and offensive”. He also retracted advice he gave to US military commanders in Japan that they should let their troops use licensed sex businesses as part of what he called a crime reduction strategy.

A woman and her baby are among five people reported killed in the second deadly storm system to hit a US region in less than two weeks. Oklahoma Highway Patrol said the mother and her child died in the Oklahoma City area on Friday evening local time, as thunderstorms and tornadoes passed through. The state’s medical examiners office were quoted by the AP news agency as saying five people had been killed in the latest storms. At least 40 to 50 people were being treated for injuries suffered in the storms, including five patients in critical condition, according to hospital services. Tornadoes hit Oklahoma City on Friday evening, smashing vehicles along a major highway during rush hour.

The highway patrol said a few motorists were missing. Highway Patrol Trooper Betsy randolph said troopers found the bodies of the woman and baby near a vehicle along Interstate 40 west of the city.

FLIgHTS CAnCELLED: High winds were forecast for Moore, the suburb where a top-of-the-scale tornado killed 24 on May 20. Storm chasers were transmitting video showing a number of funnels dropping from the supercell thunderstorm as it passed into Oklahoma City. Passengers at Will rogers World Airport were directed into underground tunnels, and inbound and outbound flights were cancelled. Television cameras showed debris falling from the sky. Forecasters warned of a “particularly dangerous situation.” The region is in part of the Midwest US known as Tornado Alley. Floodwaters up to 4 feet deep hampered rescue attempts. Lara O’Leary, a spokeswoman for the local ambulance agency, said the damage was “very, very widespread”. But meteorologists said the fury of Friday’s storm didn’t match that of the one that struck Moore. ``Not even close,’’ rick Smith, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said.

Qusayr rebels face ferocious assault DAMASCUS AgENCIES

Government forces together with fighters from the Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah are continuing their assault on Qusayr amid growing concerns for thousands of civilians feared to be trapped inside the strategic Syrian city.

Government troops on Saturday continued to bombard rebel-held areas of the city bordering Lebanon, activists told said, as clashes raged between forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and opposition fighters on several front lines.

Meanwhile, six rockets fired from Syria hit Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa region, a security source said, causing no casualties. rockets fired from Syria have repeatedly hit

Lebanese territory, striking both Sunni areas that back the uprising against Assad, and strongholds of Hezbollah.

Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and is a close ally of Assad, sent an estimated 1,700 fighters to Qusayr almost two week ago to support the regime’s assault. Its fighters encircled Qusayr as regime troops launched a fierce assault on the city which is home to more than 10,000 people. regime forces have recently captured the northern district of Arjun in Qusayr, leaving rebels little chance to escape. While around 300 rebels managed on Friday to break through army lines near the village of Shamsinn, northeast of Qusayr- after losing 11 fighters - it was unclear if they could quell the advances of regime forces.

CALL FOR ARmS: Brigadier General Salim Idris, the head of the military council of the Free Syrian Army, told

Al Jazeera that the opposition fighters, who arrived from the northern province of Aleppo, were heavily outgunned and overwhelmed by members of the Hezbollah group.

Idris warned the “revolution could be lost”, if the West did not act quickly and support the rebels with heavy weaponry. More than 1,000 wounded civilians remain trapped in Qusayr, activists said, and makeshift clinics there suffer from “acute” shortages of medical supplies. Activists have warned of “a massacre” by regime forces if they manage to storm the city.

The control of Qusayr is essential for the rebels as it is their principal transit point for weapons and fighters from across the border in Lebanon. It is also strategic for the regime because it is located on the road linking Damascus with the Mediterranean coast, its rear base.

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NEWS Sunday 2 June, 2013

Muslims who use internet more open to western culture: poll WASHIngTOn ONLINE Muslims outside the United States who use the Internet are more likely to have a favorable opinion of Western popular culture than those who don’t go online, Pew Research Center said on Saturday.

Crunching the numbers of its recent wide-ranging survey of Muslims in 39 countries, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found a median of 18 percent of respondents use the Internet at home, work or school.

Internet use varied widely, however, between the African, Asian, European and Middle Eastern nations surveyed from two percent in Afghanistan to 59 percent in Kosovo.

Focusing on 25 countries with enough Muslims using the Internet to allow a detailed analysis, Pew found that Muslims who go online are more inclined to like Western movies, music and television.

“They are also somewhat less inclined to say that Western entertainment is harming morality in their country,” said Pew, which posted its analysis on its www.pewforum.org website.

The difference was especially marked in countries like Kyrgyzstan, Senegal, Russia and Indonesia, where Internet users were at least 30 percentage points more likely to have a positive view of Western entertainment.

Muslims online tended to be younger and better educated than those who don't use the Internet, and men slightly outnumbered women, the report said.

Pakistan to remain a major player in the Afghan equation: us report WASHIngTOn INP

A

N US-based think tank on Saturday said that Pakistan was and would continue to remain a major player in the final outcome in Afghanistan, adding that economic incentives could be given to Islamabad if it took steps to restrain the Taliban operating from sanctuaries on its soil.

"Washington's approach in this situation should be to continue to work on interpersonal relationships among key

leaders, as well as coordination and cooperation along borders where enemies of one country or the other often cross," a report by Center for a New American Security (CNAS) said.

In the report, authored by two former top defense officials of the Obama administration, the CNAS called for providing incentives to Pakistan, like a free trade accord or aid for a regional energy sector, provided Islamabad restrained the activities of the Taliban within its territory.

The report is co-authored by former US Afghanistan commander General (r)

John Allen, former Pentagon undersecretary for policy Michele Flournoy and Brookings senior fellow Michael O'Hanlon.

"These things should be done in tandem with Afghan leaders at every step.

Beyond that, measures towards deeper economic integration may be possible with Pakistan provided that Islamabad takes significant and effective steps to restrain the Afghan Taliban operating from sanctuaries on its soil," the report said. "realistically, this agenda may not yield great fruit by the end of 2014, but

it is still the right way to play for the long run," the report added.

Furthermore, the report said that Islamabad and Washington had such a troubled history that there was deep distrust and even a degree of pathology in the relationship.

"That helps explain why some in Pakistan, fearful of future Indian dominance of the wrong type of Afghan government and dubious that the US and its partners will really remain committed to Afghanistan's future stability, continue to hedge by supporting the Taliban as an insurance policy even now," it said.

SUKKUR: A boy jumps into Indus river for a bath as temperatures soared across the country on Saturday. INP

khoso says Qazi can hold Ptv top office for now ISLAMABAD APP Prime Minister Justice (r) Mir Hazar Khan Khoso on Saturday suspended the notification of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued on May 31 and reinstated Qazi Mustafa Kamal as acting managing director of Pakistan Television (PTV). The order was issued in pursuance of Supreme Court orders dated May 22, 2013, directing the caretaker government not to order any postings and transfers involving policy or senior management positions.

The prime minister also said that the matter of the acting MD PTV be placed before the next government for consideration and decision. The prime minister has further directed Qazi to continue working as acting MD PTV till further orders.

Bid to blow up school foiled in Quetta QUETTA APP The Bomb Disposal Squad on Saturday defused a bomb planted outside a school in Kechi Baig area in the outskirts of Quetta.

Police sources said that unidentified terrorists had planted the explosive device outside the Girls Primary School Killi Ghulam Jan to blow it up.

"A police team along with the Bomb Disposal Squad reached the scene soon after receiving the information about the presence of bomb and defused it," police said. The law-enforcement agencies cordoned off the area to trace the suspects.

INDIA SET TO HOIST 40,000-STRONG FORCE ALONG CHINA BORDER nEW DELHI ONLINE

Indian cabinet committee on security (CCS) could soon grant approval to the army's proposal to raise a mountain strike corps along the China border, Indian media reported on Saturday.

The CCS approval would be given after Indian ministry of defense gives its final clarification to certain questions raised by the finance ministry, sources said. The defense ministry is not expecting any further objections from the finance ministry over the ambitious proposal to raise a dedicated offensive capability in the north-east border with China.

The strike corps is expected to cost rs 620 billion spread over the entire 12th Plan (2012-17).

Indian Army has proposed a mountain strike corps, two independent infantry brigades and two independent armoured brigades to plug its operational gaps along the entire line of actual control (LAC) with China, as

well as to acquire offensive capabilities. India started the catch-up game with the Chinese military and infrastructural capabilities only during the past decade, and is now furiously working to find some parity with Beijing. The mountain strike corps would be a significant step towards the catching up, a senior official said.

The raising of the new formations will together cost over rs 810 billion during the 12th Plan period. However, some parts of the entire build-up, especially the independent brigades, will spill over into the 13th Plan period.

The proposed mountain strike corps, with over 40,000 soldiers and headquartered at Panagarh in West Bengal, will for the first time give India the capability to also launch offensive action into Tibet Autonomous region (TAr) in the event of a Chinese attack. The corps will have two high-altitude divisions for rapid reaction. India has already raised two new infantry divisions at Lekhapani and Missamari in Assam in 2009-10. They are operationally tasked to defend

Arunachal Pradesh.

India is also beefing up its missile and fighter capabilities along the China border in its desperate bid to catch up with a burgeoning China's military capabilities and developed infrastructure up to the border.

The proposal for raising India's first mountain strike corps has been hanging over fire for the last few years. The finance ministry has in the past returned the file to the defense ministry objecting to the huge financial commitments. A few days ago, the finance ministry sought a further few clarifications. "It is just a matter of formalities," one source said. even as India plays catch up, China has built aggressive military and infrastructure capabilities. It has at least five fully-operational airbases, an extensive rail network and over 58,000-km of roads along the Indian border. This would allow China to move over 30 divisions (each with over 15,000 soldiers) to the LAC, outnumbering Indian forces by at least 3 to1 there.

india accuses Pakistan of violating ceasefire on kashmir Loc SRInAgAR NNI

India’s army on Saturday accused Pakistani troops of violating the ceasefire and targeting its posts along the line of control (LoC), dividing Kashmir, India's official broadcaster All India radio (AIr) reported.

The ceasefire violation was reported Friday night along Tutamari Gali of Nowgam sector, close to the LoC in frontier Kupwara district, around 120 km northwest of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-held Kashmir.

However, no loss to life or damage to property was reported in the firing.

"Pakistani troops opened fire on Indian positions last evening, using small firearms and rPGs in Nawgam sector," AIr quoted an Indian army spokesman. "Indian Army exercised restraint and did not retaliate to the unprovoked firing from the other side," the statement added.

NEWS

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Sunday 2 June, 2013

PESHAWAR: Supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Saturday protest against the party’s leadership for ignoring minorities in government representation in the KP Assembly. NNI

(

( Judges’ detentIon Case

Prosecution yet to submit challan against Musharraf RAWALPInDI STAFF rEPOrT

The prosecution in the judges’ detention case has yet to submit a complete challan against General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, even after a month of proceedings.

Musharraf is facing terrorism charges in the case, which was based on a First Information report (FIr) registered against him on August 11, 2009 by the Secretariat police for detaining over 60 judges including Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

On Saturday morning, when the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) resumed the hearing of the judges’ detention case, Special Prosecutor Islamabad police Amir Nadeem Tabish claimed that his appointment notification as prosecutor was issued later.

Meanwhile, Inspector Mubarik Ali informed the court that the police has approached the registrar of the Supreme Court (SC) for the statements of judges and is awaiting their response. Ilyas Siddiqui, counsel for Musharraf, expressed concern over the prosecution for not submitting a challan. He argued that the police is bound to submit a challan within 14 days, however it has failed to submit one so far.

The Secretariat police station house officer (SHO) had earlier approached the SC registrar but he did not give a positive response.

On April 18, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court rejected Musharraf’s bail plea and ordered his arrest.

On May 22, a trial court rejected a second bail plea by Musharraf after the IHC shot him down.

drone attacks not taking place in kP, says khattak LAHORE STAFF rEPOrT

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Saturday said that drone strikes were not taking place in his province and had there been a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government in Centre, the US would have not dared to launch these attacks.

Talking to reporters along with senior minister Sirajul Haq, the newly elected chief minister said that he had plans to further strengthen police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Speaking on the occasion, Sirajul Haq said that the federal government and provinces should not indulge in confrontation.

He said that Nawaz Sharif had accepted PTI’s mandate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. When asked to comment on Kalabagh Dam, he referred to resolutions passed by KPK and Sindh assemblies in this regard.

President zardari felicitates sindh, kP chief ministers kARACHI STAFF rEPOrT

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah along with the provincial cabinet called on President Asif Ali Zardari in Bilawal House on Saturday.

According to details, Shah, Sindh Assembly Speaker Siraj Durrani, Nisar Khoro, Sharjeel Memon, Ali Nawaz Mehar, Manzoor Wassan and other PPP leaders met President Zardari.

The president congratulated the chief minister, Sindh Assembly speaker and the provincial cabinet. Later Shah briefed Zardari about the law and order and political situation of the province.

Meanwhile, President Zardari telephoned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and felicitated him on being elected as leader of the house.

The president’s spokesman said that Zardari assured his full cooperation to Khattak.

Nepotism charges arise in Pti’s reserve seats’ nominations E PESHAWAR

SHAMIM SHAHID

VeN though Imran Khan might have claimed that his party Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) would eradicate the current system of nepotism and corruption, there were serious discrepancies in the nomination of female candidates on reserved seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Taking notice of charges of nepotism in nomination of women candidates, activists of PTI women wing staged a protest demonstration in front of Peshawar Press Club on Saturday, demanding representation for some of the neglected activists. An examination of the list of PTI leaders elected to National Assembly and KP As-

sembly reveals that most of them were close associates of KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, KP Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, both from the same party.

Ironically, PTI activists from Manshera also held Azam Swati responsible for party candidates’ defeat in the district and also demanded action against them.

Activists said that Nafeesa Khattak who was elected MNA on a PTI ticket is the sister-in-law of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak. Another MNA, Sajida Zulfikar is his niece whereas Mussarat Ahmadzeb is the niece of Nafeesa Khattak.

Aisha Gulalai is the fourth PTI MNA nominated from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, even though she represents FATA. Both Naseem Hayat and Aisha Naeem have been elected to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and are first cousins. Naseem

Hayat is also the president of PTI’s provincial women wing. Nadeya Sher, another PTI female MPA, is also from Swabi. In total, three women from Swabi have been nominated for the KP Assembly.

Furthermore, both Nasim Hayat and Aisha Naeem are also first cousins of former provincial minister Sitara Ayaz who was elected on an ANP ticket to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in 2008 general elections. Similarly, they are also close relatives of Meraj Humayoon Khan who has been elected as MPA on a Quami Watan Party ticket. Naseem Hayat, Aisha Naeem and Meraj Humayoon Khan not only belong to a single village in Jhandha area of Swabi district but even are from same family. Jhandha town of Swabi district is known for producing influential figures and military generals. General (r)

KARACHI AFFAIR SUSPECT CHARGED, HELD IN FRANCE PARIS ONLINE

French authorities on Saturday charged a Franco-Lebanese businessman at the centre of a high-profile political scandal, a day after detaining him on suspicion he was trying to flee the country.

According to details, police detained Ziad Takieddine on suspicion that he was making plans to flee the country, despite a ban on foreign travel by trying to obtain a diplomatic passport.

A source close to the development said that the police conducted a search of his Paris home on April 11 and had found an email that suggested he had paid 200,000 euros ($260,000) to try to get the document from Dominican republic.

As a result, Paris prosecutors launched a preliminary investigation

in early May into the alleged corruption of a foreign public official and for fraud.

He was questioned by investigating magistrates on Friday morning before being charged and remanded in custody for the offences the same evening, said the source.

The case has been attached to two other ongoing investigations into Takieddine's affairs.

When contacted, one of his lawyers, Francis Vuillemin, said Takieddine's efforts to obtain a Dominican passport had been to facilitate plans to make investments in the country and had nothing to do with any plans to flee France.

His client had always respected the terms of his bail, he added.

"Ziad Takieddine absolutely did not try to buy a passport, nor did he seek to leave the French territory," he said. Takieddine is embroiled in sev-

eral scandals in France, some of which allegedly involve former president Nicolas Sarkozy and other highprofile politicians.

Perhaps the most notorious matter is the so-called ‘Karachi affair’, in which he has been charged with corruption over commissions he allegedly received in 1994 arms deals.

Investigators are looking at whether those commissions were used illegally to fund former prime minister edouard Balladur's 1995 presidential campaign.

Nicolas Sarkozy was Balladur's campaign spokesman at that time.

Takieddine has also in the past claimed to have proof that Sarkozy received illicit funding from Libya's former dictator Moamer Gaddafi for his successful 2007 presidential campaign.

Magistrates have opened a separate investigation into that affair.

Sher Bahdar Khan and General (r) Sher Khan and Colonel (r) Ali Gohar Khan were prominent among the generals hailing from this district. Dr Johar Khatoon, who belongs to the same town, is a leading gynecologist.

Among the PTI female MPAs, Dr Meher Taaj roghani is considered to be a deserving candidate as she had made valuable contribution to the party. Belonging to Mardan, Meher Taj roghani had served one of previous provincial caretaker governments. She is likely to become health minister in the new government. In a similar case, MNA Nafeesa Khattak, Zarin Zia were elected as MPAs, both residing in rawalpindi. She is the sister of former ANP MPA Yasmeen Zia. Zarin Zian is also believed to be a strong candidate for a ministerial office.

12 militants, two security officials dead in kurram clashes PARACHInAR INP

At least 12 militants and two security personnel were killed and five others injured in a clash with security forces early Saturday morning.

According to sources, the insurgents attacked a security check post in Chamkani area of central Kurram Agency killing two security personnel and leaving five others wounded.

Following the attack, security forces bombed militant positions, killing 12 insurgents. A number of hideouts were also destroyed in the action.

A military operation has been going on in central Kurram for the past three weeks.

Kurram Agency, which is close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, is one of the seven regions in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), governed by tribal laws.

An extremist insurgency led by the Pakistani Taliban plagues the region while the area is known to be infested with militants, including those from al Qaeda, Taliban and several other armed extremist organisations.

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I wanted to change the world. But I have found that the only thing one can be sure of changing is oneself. –Aldous Huxley

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the pirate ship

COMMENT

Time for ‘all hands on deck’, pirate and prey

Sunday, 2 June, 2013

ecP’s shortcomings Found wanting on many counts

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He eCP bureaucracy has committed mistake after mistake, with the result that at least nine PML-N members of the National Assembly will not be able to cast their votes in elections to the offices of prime minister, speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly. The mistakes were committed during the revision in the schedule to fill the vacant reserved seats in the house from Punjab. Since the priority list provided by the PML-N exhausted after the notification, as it contained only 23 names, a fresh schedule inviting nominations for rest of the seats was issued the same day. But the nominations were invited from the PML-N only for eight instead of nine seats. Another mistake was that no time was provided for deciding appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers in the schedule.

What about tribunals? Again, thanks to the incompetence shown by the eCP bureaucracy the election tribunals are not in place yet, leading to widespread complaints. Under the law, the tribunals can be approached within 45 days after the results are notified. Since the results of the May 11 elections were notified on May 22, the complainants have already lost ten days on account of eCP’s negligence. With the eCP comprising retired judges, was there none to tell its bureaucracy that it was not permissible to announce the election tribunals without prior consultation with the CJ’s of the four High Courts? Why can’t the eCP bureaucracy take decisions on time? efficient working required the fixing of the number of tribunals before the elections.

The eCP had earlier announced the formation of 14 tribunals. We are now being told that a decision has been taken to almost double that number. As this has financial implications, appointments are likely to be further delayed making the already distraught litigants further desperate. Obviously proper attention was not given to the issue well before the elections.

One expected the eCP to be aware of the security situation in Balochistan, all the more so when attacks had been launched on its own offices in the province before the polling. One also expected that it would make foolproof arrangements for the counting of the votes and timely announcement of results in sensitive constituencies. The eCP however failed to come up to the expectations. It is claimed by the BNP-M that the election results were delayed by five to seven days in all constituencies where BNP-M candidates had bright chances of winning. “In those five to seven days, undemocratic forces changed the people’s mandate and caused our candidates’ defeat”.

Announcement of BNP-M chief Akhtar Mengal’s win was delayed by 17 days! This imposed unmerited political losses on the BNP-M as its result was announced a day after the eCP allocated the reserved seats to the winning parties. The party thus lost a reserved seat that it could get in the Balochistan Assembly.

time to shine?

Nawaz Sharif can turn around the situation in Balochistan

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ost election politics is in full swing. Judging their strength, political parties are busy either currying favours or strong-arming their possible coalition partners. This is all the more so in Balochistan where probable coalition partners are in a deadlock as to who will become the next CM of the province. With the new legislature taking oath yesterday, a lack of consensus on appointing a CM bodes well neither for the coalition partners nor democracy in the province that has never actually tasted its fruits.

The frontrunners for the coveted seat include one sardar, Sanaullah Zehri, also the provincial president PML-N, and National Party chief Dr Abdul Malik Baloch who has the support of PkMAP as well. What is vexing the observers is that prime minister-designate and party chief of PML-N, Nawaz Sharif, appears to be favouring the sardar, a breed that is attributed with most of the ills in the province while not being pleased at ‘irrational demands’ of NP and PkMAP leaders. One could argue that donning the avatar of country’s chief executive officer for the third time should have made the N League supremo more in sync with the ground realities in the province, but in all likelihood if there ever was any lesson that he learnt, it apparently does not involve sharing power. Sanaullah Zehri has feudal sardar background, with links with the agencies that have been alleged, and believed by many, of being involved in forced disappearances and killings of the Baloch youth. Dr Malik, on the other hand, is a man well educated and comes from a middle class background, thus is supposed to be more entrenched in the poor, desperate and deprived people’s lives.

A sardar’s appointment would only give credence to what Nawaz Sharif has always been alleged of: an exclusivist. Instead of taking a stand for the wretched Baloch people, he is poised to announce a CM who despite being in the last government did nothing to help improve the situation of his home province, as the establishment continued to call shots over there through their proxies in the form of sardars. A province already so alienated cannot afford to go through another government that stands on the outside while the people wrestle with the forces of violence and injustice on a daily basis. However, as with third time being a charm, Nawaz Sharif has a chance to turn things around there. Dr Abdul Malik is someone whose profile sits well with the people of the province and who the Baloch resistance youth would easily agree to sit down with for peace talks but political exigencies, if the PML-N surrenders before them, might actually ruin this chance. Playing the right card is important.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad Editor Lahore – Ph: 042-36375963-5 Fax: 042-32535230 Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 Fax: 021-35381208 Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287273 Fax: 051-2850505 Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

HuMAYuN gAuHAr

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HOUGH Pakistan is being buffeted by wind and wave and caught in an impending Perfect Triple Storm, the worst thing to be is pessimistic. Those with Faith never lose hope, knowing that God knows best. Descending into hopelessness makes crashing onto rocks and icebergs inevitable.

Conversely, over-optimism based on nothing but wishful thinking is equally dangerous. Get realistic and base your analysis on facts good and bad. Start thinking for God’s sake. Take superficial media and social gossip with a pinch of salt. Think for yourself and think things through, putting your illusions, delusions, wish lists and prejudices aside.

If it helps, remember that the fundamentals of the US, the UK and Japanese economies are even worse than ours.

Where they are better is less bad leadership. But if their economic decline continues, centrifugal forces in the first two will arise too. After all man, not nature makes states if man thinks that under this particular dispensation his lot will improve. When it stops improving the justification for the existence of the state evaporates and it collapses to morph into other state or states or merge with other existing ones. Sceptical? remember the Soviet Union and the eastern europe?

We are not a rudderless ship without a steering wheel. Our problem is that our rudder is alien and thus doesn’t work for our ship. It only works for its owners and top managers who are all pirates so such a ship suits them just fine. The hapless passengers keep sacking and reemploying the helmsmen regularly in a zero sum game, not realizing that they come from the pirates who have hijacked their ship of state. But now the question arises: are pirates good enough to steer and navigate the ship out of this Triple Strom and to where? The pirates’ destination is different, passengers’ different. The pirates are products of the same nursery of colonized minds that are intent on protecting and fortifying the man-eating iniquitous status quo that kills the passengers but enriches the owners.

The Perfect Storm was a conjunction of two storms. The Super Perfect Storm is a conjunction of three storms: our local storm, the regional storm and the global storm. Within each storm are tornadoes – economic, political and social. every state’s ship is being buffeted by huge storms and trying to navigate out in its own way. None seems to be succeeding.

Editor’s mail

The storm is caused by shifts in global power leading to a New World Order.

There are regional uprisings and freedom movements against local tyrants and foreign occupation and every country’s own political, economic and social turmoil.

So please have some humility and understand that not everything is in Man’s control. Have the patience to ride out the storm as best as you can without crashing or sinking. That is the imperative.

You have participated in elections, no matter how flawed they were. The die is cast. Too late to cry over spilt milk. recall Joseph Stalin: “It is enough the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.”

I am certain that this time rigging was not the handiwork of the army, the usual whipping boy for every political failure. But rigging there was. There is enough compelling evidence to repel any doubt. The question is, who could have done it? Such has our voting system become that rigging could only have been done at the level of the returning officers, particularly in the Punjab. The returning officers all come from the judiciary. Does that answer your question?

Where’s suo moto? I wish the returning officers had two bottles each. Then we would have got suo moto with alacrity. election tribunals are also the judiciary.

The election Commission comprises retired judges. The federal caretaker prime minister was a retired judge. Isn’t it about time that we stopped thinking that lawyers and judges can do everything and that they are the panacea to every problem? Get with it.

Now that the die is cast, settle down and reap the harvest remembering that as you sow so shall you reap. If the fruit of the harvest is bitter, cultivate and tend mother earth again. Water it with your tears. If that doesn’t work, colour it red with your blood. Again and again, till you get a sweet harvest. Keep tilling and toiling knowing that God helps only those who help themselves. Don’t lose faith by descending into hopelessness.

As every new moon is first sighted in the land of the swarthy Pathans of the fabled Khyber Pass whom the British are so enamoured with, the latest ‘New Pakistan’ first appeared there too when Imran Khan’s nominee became chief minister. He was welcomed by a US drone strike that reportedly killed a top Taliban commander.

When Pakistan broke in 1971 its new Chief Martial Law Administrator and President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto called the leftover state ‘New Pakistan’. He had lost the 1970 election to Sheikh Mujibur rahman’s Awami league and grabbed power after the majority had been denied the right to form government and ejected from the state. Thus ‘New Pakistan’ is not a good name to have for it conjures up bad memories for those of us who can remember. ‘New Pakistan’ broke the back of our urban industrial and services economy. Predation increased so much that now ‘Pakistani’ has become near extinct and should be placed on the endangered species list.

The truth is that nothing changes, the predatory pirate gangs remains the same, the prey the same. Change of pirates creates the illusion of change that only the shortsighted fall for.

They are pirates after all.

Be positive, Humayun Gauhar. Miracles do happen. People learn, even pirates. Hope that the new pirates can at the very least save our ship from crashing, beaching or sinking. Then we will talk of destination. There are huge rocks and icebergs ahead, not one after another but all in a row. This is the time for ‘all hands on deck’, pirate and prey. One rock is the economy and the bankrupt treasury.

There’s hardly any direct investment and a casino in Karachi called the stock exchange is up to its shenanigans, creating the impression of a return of confidence.

Manufactured confidence evaporates in a second so ignore the stock market index.

The Global Pirates are taking their foot soldiers in Afghanistan out of harm’s way, but they don’t want to withdraw with their tail between their legs.

Thus it becomes incumbent on our new governments to provide the stable environment for them to run away honourably. No harm in that. But it is a tall order when chances of stability get shattered regularly by US drone strikes.

Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan were all set to negotiate with the Taliban but a Predator Drone scuttled that. This is not the way to either ensure an orderly withdrawal or enable our governments to provide stability. I sometimes think the Americans need to have their heads examined to determine who is more immature, them or us. Is killing Taliban commander Waliur rahman more important or is stability and a safe withdrawal?

Once the Americans have gone Afghanistan will revert to type and descend into internecine warfare as it did after the Soviet withdrawal. It could make the turmoil in our tribal region even worse, for the Pathan is one nation, be they Afghan or Pakistani. This could be the right time to assimilate the tribal areas under Pakistani law.

Take no more largesse until, as Sartaj Aziz says, we have put at least some of our economic fundamentals in order. else a new IMF programme will come under very strict and often inhuman conditions. Subsidies do make things worse.

It’s like the pirates cooking the passengers’ flesh and then inviting them to dinner. But without a gradual withdrawal of subsidies the passengers will die anyway and the ship become a ghost ship. We first need to bite the bullet and lower our standards of living, starting from the top for the symbolism is very important. I will not be motivated to go without unless I know that my rulers are also going without. If not, I will start believing that I will only get light when the citadels of the great are in darkness. I will only be empowered when the citadels of pirates are stormed. Such things are sad but happen when the lava of anger and resentment born of deprivation boils over.

The writer is a political analyst. He can be contacted at humayun.gauhar786@gmail.com

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan.

Fax: +92-42-32535230 E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively

Milk problem Milk is an essential food item and Pakistan is blessed in this respect as our agriculture sector produces enough milk to meet the people’s needs. It is therefore quite surprising that the milk sellers charge such high prices and even then people get milk that is half water. The government needs to pay attention to this problem. The government seems to be paying no attention about the high prices of milk and is ignoring the fact that various elements in the milk business are making loads of money. It is also not clear why the food processing companies sell milk in tetra packs at such high prices. For instance if the price of loose milk in Karachi is rs. 75 per litre, Tetrapak milk is available for rs. 90 per litre or even more. It is time that in the interest of the public the government looked into this matter and reduced the price of both loose and packed milk so that people can

easily afford to buy this food item that offers great nutrition.

MUHAMMAD ASIM KHAN Lahore

Army’s deployment All political parties except MQM had been crying hoarse and demanding full deployment of the army in Karachi on May 11 for elections. The eCP didn’t budge and it seemed that the army paid no heed to this valid demand. Though the army and the LeAs were deployed in strength on May 19 in Karachi but then it was too late. The nation, as a whole, had missed the bus. Would the eCP please answer as to why it could not enforce the deployment of the army on May 11 through out Pakistan? Should we take it as NrO 2?

MAJOR TALAAT KHURSHID (RETD) Rawalpindi

If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse. –Jim Rohn

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COMMENT

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Sunday, 2 June, 2013

A tale of two Metros Projects don’t fail. People do

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Prime minister and the bureaucracy The partially hidden politics within state institutions

AIMA KHOSA

H

AMZA Alavi in the essay ‘The State in Post-Colonial Societies: Pakistan and Bangladesh’ tirelessly explains the complex relationship between the military-bureaucratic oligarchy and its subjects – the citizens.

In the alternative history he offers of Pakistan’s complex bureaucratic superstructure, Alavi expounds on the intricate network that has been woven into the fabric of Pakistani state whose ultimate purpose is to serve a class that remains distant from the majority. The face of this complicated relationship has become increasingly obvious: democracy and the idea of political legitimacy. This veneer of a democratic state serves a dual purpose.

The complicated structure of the state remains relatively shielded from the masses and it allows the oligarchic structure to maintain its hold on the political, and the so-called democratic, leadership.

As Alavi pointed out, the power pendulum within this structure is constantly swinging between various institutions of the state, with alternate politics lining the very heart of the superstructure.

One of the most potent things that Alavi highlighted in the essay was the fact that when “politicians seek favours from officials for some of their supporters, their relationship vis-a-vis the bureaucracy is weakened rather than strengthened. Politicians are reduced to playing the role of brokers for official favours.”

He goes on to add, “The politician can, however, ill afford to lose the goodwill of the official and this influences the overall balance of their collective relationship. The strength of the bureaucracy rests on the extensive proliferation of administrative controls and the direction of a vast array of public agencies engaged in a variety of activities.”

It is strange, then, that while the discourse of the military has been picked apart by politicians and analysts alike, very little attention has been given to the other superstructure that the general public has immediate access to – the bureaucracy.

An example of the partially hidden politics

Khoso’s erratic transfer spree has drawn within state institutions would be Prime Minister Khoso’s three months in power. When the care- humor from media circles about an old man taker government was appointed, it wasted no quickly using all the perks and powers of his oftime in reshuffling the bureaucracy to ensure fice before his three-month tenure is up. In reality, ‘free and fair’ elections. At least 22 senior bu- however, there is nothing funny about the fact that reaucrats including Azmat Usman‚ Ahmed Baksh a former judge, who had been appointed prime Lehri‚ raja Abbas, Nasir Khosa and Waqar Ma- minister, managed to use his new office as a boxsood were transferred from one post to another ing ring for setting up his favourite bureaucrats and picking fights with those he didn’t like. to make way for the interim government.

If anything, Khoso managed to expose the poApparently, Azmat, who was a leading figure of the Pakistan People’s Party government in the sitions of Pakistan’s senior bureaucrats. The first establishment Division and had served time as example was Azmat who enjoyed a close relationZardari’s press secretary and federal information ship with Zardari. Another would be Nasir Khosa, secretary, even tried to reason with Khoso that no who is now likely to be the principle secretary to federal secretary could be removed within six days prime minister-elect Nawaz Sharif. While Khosa of appointment. While bureaucrats are theoretically may be a man of integrity, it is very clear that he is meant to be state officials, Azmat had fared well a darling of the PML-N. When eCP had hinted that under PPP and it must have been irksome for him Nasir Khosa could be a good fit as chief secretary to see his peers and colleagues getting (illegally?) of Sindh, the PML-N issued a warning to the prime minister that he should just stick to his job – holdtransferred to posts they did not want.

Azmat faced Khoso’s wrath, was appointed ing the elections. No one knows if Khosa himself wanted the Sindh job, but it is as Food Security secretary clear that in the short time the and then unceremoniously caretaker government was in shoved aside. Lehri, who was place, he bided his time in a then the Food Security secresenior post, awaiting the retary, took over the establishTo put a quick end to this turn of Nawaz government. ment Division.

To put a quick end to this Irritated by Azmat and increasingly embarrassing increasingly embarrassing also failing to change Islamdisplay, Judge-Prime display, Judge-Prime Minisabad IG Bani Amin, Khoso Minister Khoso appeared ter Khoso appeared before asked Lehri to prepare a list of Supreme Court and said, aligned top officials both in Isbefore the Supreme Court the ‘Oops! Sorry.’ The angered lamabad and in provincial governments. A massive postand said, ‘Oops! Sorry.’ bureaucrats go back to their routine lives because Khoso ing spree was then unleashed, The angered bureaucrats took back all orders that were which also saw Sindh chief secretary being transferred and go back to their routine objectionable. The judiciary won’t humiliate itself and made Investment Board secrelives because Khoso took one of its own by holding a tary while Chaudhry ejaz was made Sindh chief secretary. back all orders that were judge-turned-prime minister in contempt of one of its orThis transfers/posting spree resulted in senior bu- objectionable. The judiciary ders. So all is well that ends well. Khoso was, then, just a reaucrats filing a petition in won’t humiliate itself and little fly that proved a silly the Supreme Court, reminding the country’s senior leadership one of its own by holding a distraction for the bureaucratic structure who tolerated that Anita Turab had ensured judge-turned-prime him until the next governthat the civil ‘servants’ remained committed to uphold- minister in contempt of one ment was appointed.

The achievements of the ing the Constitution. While of its orders. caretaker government can be the Anita Turab case judgment summed up as three months is relatively recent, these buof petty squabbling with bureaucrats have conveniently reaucrats, worsened loadused the guise of ‘impartiality’ every single time the military seizes power. shedding crisis and a strange IMF bailout plan.

Their humble dedication to being just civil admin- even credit or discredit for the May 11 elections istrators is tacitly given the nod of approval when would go to the eCP, since the caretaker setup the judiciary says military takeovers are legitimate. failed to reign in security threats to political parties essentially, it gives one the picture of Pakistan’s and made no real contribution to electoral reforms. bureaucracy, judiciary and military run the game The writer is Web Editor at Pakistan Today while political ‘leaders’ take primetime spots on and tweets at @aimamk TV as national distractions.

He much h y p e d Metro Bus service of Lahore is facing its first trial by fire in the intense heat of the Lahore summer.

There are reports of buses overheating and being taken out of service because the air conditioning system could not deal with the climactic ALI AKbAr conditions.

Then there are complains of people who have to travel several kilometers just to get to the other side of the road. And even when they do get to the distant U turning, they find themselves in a traffic jam that sometimes takes awfully long to disentangle.

The Metro bus service is a useful service to commuters and the ticket price of rs20 is reasonable. But on the other hand, the Punjab government has to subsidize this hugely expensive project to the tune of rs one billion per month, money that could have found better use in restoring other social services.

In order to put things in perspective, one only has to look a few hundred miles east, to the city of Delhi, where, about ten years ago, the Delhi Metro rail was started. Built under the supervision of a visionary ex Indian railways bureaucrat Sreedharan, the Delhi Metro has raised the bar for public transportation in South Asia, if not the world. It has some of the cheapest fares anywhere, ranging from rs8 to about rs20, yet it earns a profit of rs20 million a month The network consists of six lines with a total length of 189.63 kilometres (117.83 mi) with 142stations, of which 35 are underground, five are at-grade, and the remaining are elevated.

All stations have escalators, elevators, and tactile tiles to guide the visually impaired from station entrances to platforms. The DMrC operates around 2,700 trips daily between 06:00 and 23:00 running with an interval of 2 minutes with 40 trains. The capital cost of Phases I and II has been estimated to be US$2.6 billion/rs260 billion Pak rupees or Pak rs1.36 billion per kilometer. This compares with the Pak rs30 billion cost of Metro Bus along with another rs40 billion or so for civil infrastructure. The cost of the 25 km long Lahore Metro comes to about Pakrs2.8 billion per km. The Lahore Metro Bus service is said to have a capacity of 100,000 passengers per day while the Delhi Metro carries two million passengers per day in air conditioned luxury to 143 stations on six lines.

The Delhi Metro is a masterpiece of efficiency; 99.97 per cent of trains arrive within one minute of schedule. They are clean, cool and safe. At peak hour, they come every 2½ minutes.

It runs at a profit. The best part of the Delhi Metro is that it is able to earn operational profits despite having one of the lowest fare levels in the world. When all four phases of the Delhi Metro project get executed it would have a total length of 420 km and become the fourth largest metro project in the world.

The advantages of a metro train service are therefore self evident. It is more efficient, will last longer, carry more passengers much faster and in more comfort. It will also be environmentally friendly as is evidenced by research that has found that the level of CO in the area around ITO, a busy intersection in Delhi, has fallen by at least 35 per cent.

The most commonly quoted negative factor of the discontinued Lahore Metro train had been its cost. As stated above, the construction cost per kilometer of the Delhi Metro is Pak rs1.38 billion per kilometer while the cost of the Lahore Metro Bus varies between the official figure of rs1.2 billion per kilometer to a mindboggling rs2.8 billion per km if the civil works of flyovers etc is added. Also, because the Metro rail is heavily automated, fewer staff would be required, meaning lower operating costs. There would also be profits from shops and shopping arcades as well as advertising in the Metro rail stations.

Perhaps the biggest inconvenience that the Metro bus has dealt to the populace of Lahore is the deterioration in the quality of life for people living in the footprint of the bus service: the inconvenience of traveling miles just to cross the road to the other side and more than anything else, the sheer disturbance of a way of life for the common man. All this could have been avoided had the Metro Bus project been properly researched and a kneejerk reaction not been taken to ditch the Metro rail project out of hand.

A better option might have been that the Lahore Metro rail project could have been reworked, with assistance from the people who built the Delhi Metro or some other consultants who had helped start the Delhi project. With proper management controls, the costs would have stayed at Delhi Metro levels and Lahore could have had a Metro rail that would have been the pride of the city. Instead, we have a loss making monolith that is a severe drain on the resources of the city, resources that could have been utilized much better in the social, health or education sector. One billion a month is not small change.

Ultimately, the success of the Delhi Metro is due to the management skills of a career bureaucrat, whose motto and that of the entire Metro organization is to do something for the greater good. And it is in management that we Pakistanis fail.

We make projects with suspect motives without really going into the depth of the matter. Then all the bureaucrats and politicians start elbowing for space and lucre and before we know it, the broken shell of the project is all that remains.

Projects don’t fail. People fail. When will we learn?

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A arts Sunday, 2 June, 2013

You’ll have time to rest when you’re dead. –Robert De Niro

AshtoN wANts Moore to sigN coNfideNtiALity

AgreeMeNt

A

JiM writes chiLdreN’s

Book

Jim Carrey is all set to add the title of author to his resume. The funnyman's new book, 'How Rowland Rolls', will be published by Perseus Books, this fall, CBS News reported. The book is about an ocean wave that is afraid of crashing into the shore, but when it retreats farther into the ocean, it discovers its place in the world. Carrey explained on the book's website that he wrote it specifically as a way for parents and grandparents to engage with the kids in quality together-time.

"Not only will the message of the story help them feel connected, worthwhile, and a part of something vast and grand ... the very act of adults spending time simply to be with them, and only with them, will pay off in an experience of fulfillment that's truly beyond compare," the website says.

The 51-year-old star also tweeted about his new deal: "How Roland Rolls'is my kids bk abt a little wave who learns he's also the whole big wide ocean! Coming ths fall." Meanwhile, Sabrina McCarthy, president of Perseus Distribution Client Servies said in a statement that the actor, who has one daughter and recently became a grandfather, was the perfect person to write a children's book. NEwS DESK

JAMes BoBiN to direct ‘ALice iN woNderLANd 2’?

"The Muppets" director James Bobin is reportedly in early talks to direct the sequel to Disney's " Alice in Wonderland". Disney is keen to rope in Bobin for the sequel to the hit 2010 blockbuster, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

The discussions with the filmmaker are said to be in the early stages and he has yet to meet with producers Joe Roth, Suzanne Todd and Jennifer Todd. "Alice In Wonderland" was directed by Tim Burton, and starred Johnny Depp. It is not yet known which cast members will return for the sequel. NEwS DESK

SHTON Kutcher is willing to give his estranged wife Demi Moore all of the financial records of the technology business he started after they split, but only if she signs a confidentiality agreement. According to TMZ, the former couple's divorce is being bogged down by various financial demands the actress is making. Moore, who is worth a lot more than Kutcher, wants, among other things, a piece of A-Grade Investments, a company the actor founded with mogul ron Burkle. Sources connected with the couple said that Kutcher is scoffing at Moore's claim, since he founded the company-which invests in tech start-upsafter he split with her. But it's been revealed that he is willing to let the 'Ghost' star and her lawyers look at the financial records of A-Grade, but only if she signs a confidentiality agreement. She signed it, and it's now been filed with the court. NEwS DESK

Motherhood Better thAN i exPected: kristeN BeLL Kristen Bell, who recently gave birth to daughter, Lincoln, has revealed that she is having a lot of fun taking care of her newborn child with fiance Dax Shepard. The 32-year-old actress made her first post-baby appearance on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' and asserted that motherhood is actually better than she had expected, Us magazine reported. "It's pretty wonderful," she said. NEwS DESK

‘AFTER EARTH’ leaves critics cold ahead of competitive weekend ILL Smith may be one of Hollywood's most bankable action stars, but his new film, "After Earth," in which he stars with his 14-year-old son Jaden, has opened to cold reviews from critics and faces stiff competition in a busy box office weekend. "After Earth" is a futuristic post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his teenage son in which the young boy must embark on a

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life-saving mission. Sony Pictures Entertainment, a division of Sony Corp., spent about $130 million to produce the movie, making it one of the studio's biggest summer releases. The story is centered on the father-son relationship and the dynamic of a father passing the mantle to his son is mirrored both on screen and off, as the younger Smith leads the action.

Will Smith, 44, who wrote the initial story and was the executive producer of the film, said the project gave him valuable time to spend with his son, with whom he first starred in the 2006 family drama, "The Pursuit of Happyness."

"Filmmaking and entertainment is our family business," Smith said at a recent news conference. "So, it really gave us an opportunity for

My Mother was not the reason for break-up, says ranbIr kapoor nEWS DESk

oLLYWooD actor Ranbir Kapoor has denied reports that his mother being the reason behind his split with actress Deepika Padukone, claiming it was their own individual choice.

Ranbir, 30, and Deepika, 27, began dating when they met on the sets of 'Bachna Ae Haseeno' in 2008 and the couple split after a year.

"It's an issue between two individuals, but people work on several theories and then disturb things. My mother loves me a lot and wants me to live my own life.

My mother is also very fond of Deepika.

So, at least this was not the reason for the split. I want to clarify, my mother was not the reason for the break-up," Ranbir said on a TV show.

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There were reports that the actor brokeup with the 'Cocktail' star because Ranbir's mother Neetu Kapoor did not approve of their relationship.

Ranbir attended the show to promote his latest release 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani' alongwith co-star Deepika.

However, the actress says that despite their break-up Ranbir continues to be one of her good friends who gives his feedback on her performances. "We have been friends since our break-up and shall continue to remain friends," Deepika added. In Ayan Mukherji directed film, which hit theatres today, Ranbir is seen doing some similar dance steps as his uncle Shammi Kapoor in 'Badtameez Dil'. on being compared with the late 'Junglee' star, Ranbir said, "Let me tell you a big secret. Shammi

the last year to spend ten or twelve hours a day together, every day.

And for me it's just the best way, for me at least, to parent." Jaden Smith bears a strong resemblance to his famous father and won over most critics as the lead in 2010's reboot of "The Karate Kid." However, he has not been received as warmly for his performance as ranger Kitai Raige in "After Earth." NEwS DESK

Kapoor was technically not a good dancer. His steps were wrong, but his greatness was that he brought wonderful expressions while dancing, whether romancing or enjoying himself on screen. I never tried to copy his style. People say there is some shadow of Shammi Kapoor on my dancing because of my family, but I've never copied him." Ranbir also expressed his desire to work with three Khans - Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir in a film.

"Even if they just stand behind my sofa, with me in front, that film would be runaway hit," he said.

Actresses have more fear of being disliked. I, on the other hand, revel in it. –Michael Douglas

ARTS Sunday, 2 June, 2013

heidi kLuM throws ‘Big hAt’ BAsh for 40th BirthdAy Heidi Klum, who will turn 40 on June 1, will be throwing a 'Big Hats' themed party for her birthday this weekend in Los Angeles. The former Victoria Secrets Angel started her 40th birthday celebrations a few days early in Berlin as she was presented with a chocolate cake by aspiring models from the hit reality show 'Germany's Next Top Model.' The former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model is set to host an amazing fancy dress party, with one of her closest pals, and has asked those who have been invited to attend in accordance with the theme "Big Hats," the Mirror reported. The German model has said that she is really excited for the birthday party, where burgers, ice cream, fries and chocolate will be served. Previously, Klum told Ellen DeGeneres that Forty is the new 30 and she didn't care about aging, adding that when she gets one year older it means that she is still here, having a good time. NEwS DESK

VIDYA BALAN KNOWS what woMen want

CCOrDING to the actress, newly weds love to get together at kitty parties and exchange notes on annoying hubbies Vidya Balan, who has been married for five months, has some interesting insights to married life. The actress is gearing up for the release of Ghanchakkar, which sees her play an OTT Punjabi woman married to an annoyingly forgetful husband. While there may be no parallels to her real life, Mrs roy Kapur is brimming with ideas on how to promote the film. At a studio to oversee the final cut of a special song, members of the unit asked her for her inputs. "Since she is a newly married woman, everyone wanted to know how best to connect to the target audience," said a source close to the developments. Mrs roy Kapur thought for a moment and quipped: "Let's have kitty parties!" According to the actress, "the first thing women do after marriage is host kitty parties and b**** about their husbands." Those present were stumped by the unexpected response. Says director rajkumar Gupta: "We were having a chat on our promotional strategy and her answer took us totally by surprise. I think the idea is extraordinary and it occurred to her when she overheard a discussion at a similar party that was going on at a restaurant." While it is not clear if Vidya's take on marriage will find a place in the final strategy, we know for a fact that the busy actress has hardly had time to do the same for herself. Mr roy Kapur can breathe easy for now. NEwS

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Most MeN Are couch PotAtoes: eMrAAN hAshMi In Raj Kumar Gupta's Ghanchakkar, the song Lazy Lad explores the widely believed concept of men and women belonging to two different planets.

Picturised on Emraan Hashmi and Vidya Balan, the number sees Vidya, in her loud Punjabi housewife avatar, talking about those traits of men that frustrate women the most — being a couch potato, lack of promptness and how they have short attention spans, etc. The song releases today across television channels and radio stations.

Vidya says, "All of us know that the lads are always lazy. They just sit in front of the television and switch channels. It's so frustrating. And if a cricket match is on, then you have had it. The term 'Lazy Lad' was coined for these men." Emraan admits that men can be lackadaisical. He says, "Most men are couch potatoes. When I am at home, I pretty much do what I am doing in this song — just chilling in front of the television and some times I just stare into nothing. That's my favourite pastime. I can go on for seven to eight hours without doing anything." Ghanchakkar, produced by UTV Motion Pictures, releases on June 28. NEwS DESK

MOVIE REVIEW

‘The Hangover Part III’ – Cheers to this!

nEWS DESk LTHoUGH a part of the trilogy, "The Hangover Part III" is unique in its own way. It ditches the formulaic setup of the first two installments for a straightforward story. It also packs in some excellent action-thriller sequences to give

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wholesome comedy.

Fans of the franchise will catch up the story from the very word go. But for those who are first time viewers of the series, it is the adventures of four friends, the Wolfpack Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Doug (Justin Bartha) and Alan (Zach Galifianakis). In terms of the story, "The

Hangover" was of how three very different guys affect one another and form a bond; "Hangover II" was Stu’s story of “personal discovery” and the third film focuses on how Alan matures into an adult.

And like the previous two films, “The Hangover Part III’ too has a team member in peril; a mystery for the Wolfpack to

solve; a set piece-to-set piece progression of clues that deliver some twisted moments and raunchy humour.

The film begins like an action film with Chow (Ken Jeong) a conman and criminal escaping from a chaotic Thai prison. on the other hand, 42-year-old Alan is excited and happy in life. He is off

medications for the past six months and now on his way home after purchasing ‘Giraffe’. En-route home, he has a freak accident, which leads to a series of disasters, which also includes the death of his father. oblivious of the cause of disaster, Alan leads a normal life “his way,” while others around him feel that he needs help. Concerned about Alan’s well-being, his friends decide to hospitalise him. on their way to the hospital, they are way-laid by the cronies of crime boss Marshall (John Goodman).

Marshall keeps Doug as hostage and set the others three free to hunt Chow, who apparently stole his 21 million worth gold and is in touch with Alan.

The trio - sober faced, bruised and bloodied, shuttle between Mexico and Las Vegas chasing Chow. on the performance front, it is Zach Galifianakis’ film all the way. He steals the show with his comic timing and straight face repartee. Alan’s concept of “cool” is one of the best reoccurring gags the film has, and Zach’s delivery seems much more organic and fun than the hard stares and snippy lines his character was previously known for.

The rest of the cast delivers in a much subdued fashion, mostly serving as backboards for Zach’s antics. New entrant Melissa McCarthy as Cassandra, Alan’s love interest in the film, matches up with Zach to deliver some few but exciting moments.

The film, even with its usual pot-holes and absurdity, is director Todd Philips and script writer Craig Mazin’s best. They have blended the narrative so well that ‘Part III’ gives the sense of wholeness to the trilogy.

The action, the visuals as well as the production values of the film are just right.

The dialogues are bittersweet and funny at the same time. The actors add their bit of raunchiness to make it a memorable film.

‘The Hangover III’ is a compact film.

Totally worth a watch!

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InfotaInMent Sunday, 2 June, 2013

MAN PLAys guitAr duriNg BrAiN surgery

California musician Brad Carter plays guitar with a finger-picking style. So when Parkinson’s disease caused his fingers to tremble, he gradually lost his touch. Drugs helped for awhile but eventually doctors told Carter he could get a pacemaker implant to stop the tremors. The implant has to be placed on the exact right location of the brain and the only way for doctors to know if they have the right spot is to keep the patient awake under general anesthesia.

There are no pain receptors on the brain and so this approach is quite common. In fact, the UCLA Medical Center has performed this kind of operation about 500 times. But this is the first time a patient asked if he could play the guitar during the procedure.

The implant delivers impulses to the brain to control the tremors and Carter used the guitar during the procedure to make sure he could the device was getting implanted on the right location. NEwS DESK

MAN wANts to 'PriNt the iNterNet'

It sounds impossible—because, frankly, it almost certainly is—but Kenneth Goldsmith wants to print out the Internet. or, more accurately, he wants you and everyone you know to print out whatever portion of the Internet strikes your fancy and mail it to him.

"We just want shitloads of paper," the poet/conceptual artist writes on the project's Tumblr page. "We're literally looking for folks to print out the entire Internet. We have over 500 square meters of space to fill."

This is, as you might have guessed, not a practical endeavor; it's an exhibition for the LABoR gallery in Mexico City, intended to honor hacker/activist Aaron Swartz. "The amount of what he liberated was enormous," Goldsmith tells Yahoo Tech. He admits that the whole Internet, or even a real chunk, would "overwhelm any space," but he wants to "literally materialize the amount of information around us."

He's hoping the result will live on after the exhibition closes, traveling and growing—but if not, it'll all be recycled. NEwS DESK

The possible ranks higher than the actual.

–Martin Heidegger

why we need to bring nature back into cities BBC FUTURE

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ODerN cities create vast quantities of waste. But rather than causing a crisis, could these overflowing landfills help create urban landscapes of the future? In the third of Building Tomorrow’s expert viewpoints, urban designer Mitchell Joachim looks at ways our trash can be turned into treasure.

Cities were invented for a multitude of purposes. First was the need for the concentration of vital resources in a given region then came their role as places for worship, trade, governmental control and military defence. But in our modern age, urban spaces were conceived and shaped primarily around mass market industrialisation.

Today the consequences of the post-industrial city have had an incredible impact on the environment. It is widely accepted cities impinge on areas well beyond their borders. Waste streams in cities are the leading factor in pollution of the areas outside their geo-political boundaries.

Urban waste must be reconfigured – our time has run out. reports of garbage problems from Naples in Italy to Beijing in China underscore the size of the problem. Landfills are filled and incinerators have the potential to release poisons such as dioxin. We must have a new strategy towards refuse in urban places, one that includes the design of consumables in the first place. Many concepts exist already, but what are some of the most radical solutions to our wasteful ways? recently, the planet reached 400 parts per million of carbon in the atmosphere for the first time since modern humans

evolved. reversing such wasteful habits will require tremendous effort, as minuscule changes will not alter this course. Humanity has reached its peak of one-way consumption. Now is the time to design waste to regenerate our cities. What are the possibilities for urban environments after our aged infrastructure is recalibrated?

How might bigger cities and waste mix?

One key idea is that waste is not recycled through infrastructural mechanisms but instead up-cycled in perpetuity.

SUPER-SIzED WASTE The first credible step is to reduce trash by considering the life cycle of objects we make. Things that are designed for obsolescence should be outlawed. Additionally, products must be manufactured with the intent to reuse, disassemble, take back or upcycle. For instance, instead of tossing out bottles we could adapt them for use as planters, lighting fixtures, building wall elements. Other cities have highly organised systems to solve these problems. In Zurich,

the city requires individuals pay handsomely for waste that is simply discarded, while thorough recycling is encouraged by free citywide collection services. Therefore well over 90% of municipal waste inside Zurich is recycled and sent to incinerators to produce energy. Burning waste is not the answer but it does have opportunities in the mid-term. It requires substantial need for enforceable regulations, comprehensive industry controls, economic feasibility plans, and the latest ultra-expensive technology such as plasma gasification plants.

In similarly developed cities - Malmo, Tokyo, or Copenhagen – it makes sense to use a waste-to-energy processes. These prevailing urban populations are stable and easily taxed to support such a system – not so easy in developing cities such as Lagos or Jakarta. Outreach programs that invite the public to observe civic waste systems as a spectacle are instrumental in spreading awareness. The Hangzhou environmental Group in China has over 10,000 tourists a

Do you have chimp feet? nEWS DESk Climbed a tree lately? If so, you may be one of 7.7 (or more) percent of humans who have flexible feet like chimpanzees — especially suited for climbing trees.

New research shows that not everyone has rigid feet. In one new study, 400 adults walked barefoot around the Boston Museum of Science while researchers filmed their steps. The recording reveals that about 1 in 13 of the participants have feet that bend both at the ball of the foot and halfway between the heel and the ball. In most humans, ligaments span that joint between the heel and the ball and hold it rigid, according to New Scientist.

The more rigid foot may be an adaptation since we started walking more, Boston University researcher Jeremy DeSilva suggests. ”My guess is that we are getting more variation than ever before, perhaps because shoes have impacted foot

anatomy,” he told New Scientist. researchers aren’t yet sure of all of the implications of flexible feet. robin Huw Crompton at the University of Liverpool, author of a forthcoming study that will point to an even greater percentage of flexible feet than DeSilva’s work, thinks

most people’s feet may have the capacity to be flexible.

“For instance, our work shows that it is important during a sudden change of speed,” he told New Scientist. regardless, that’s a good enough excuse to check out a tree fort this weekend.

'Neither' now an acceptable gender in Australia nEWS DESk You don't have to be a man or a woman in Australia anymore if you don't want to be. An appeals court today ruled in favor of a Sydney activist who goes only by the first name Norrie, who identifies as "neuter," and who wants to be legally recognized as such, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. "As a matter of construction … the word sex does not bear a binary meaning of 'male' or 'female,'" the appeals court wrote in

its unanimous ruling. Norrie's state government briefly agreed to list her as genderless for a few months, before changing its mind and deciding that everyone must be either male or female. The appeals court rebuked that logic, and while technically the ruling only applies to those who, like Norrie, have had sex-change surgery, it could be used as precedent for all manner of genderqueer people. Norrie was pleased, saying, "It's not good enough if the law is just for the majority of people."

year visiting its landfill facility. Freshkills landfill in New York will be transformed into the largest public park in over 100 years that will showcase engineered nature from waste. Cuba, an island nation that has been cut-off from trade imports, has conserved almost everything through carful recycling of parts - from 1950’s cars to eyeglasses, nothing is wasted.

‘SmART TRASH’ How could this work? Outsized automated 3-D printers could be modified to rapidly process trash and to complete the task within decades. These potential automatons would be entirely based on existing techniques commonly used in industrial waste compaction devices. To accomplish this job, nothing drastically new needs to be invented. Most technologies are intended to be off-the-shelf. Instead of machines that crush objects into cubes, compaction devices could benefit from adjustable jaws that would craft simple shapes into smart ‘puzzle blocks’ for assembly. The blocks of waste material could be predetermined, using computational geometries, in order to fit domes, archways, lattices, windows, or whatever patterns would be needed. Different materials could serve specified purposes: transparent plastic for fenestration, organic compounds for temporary decomposable scaffolds, metals for primary structures and so on. eventually, the future city would make no distinction between waste and supply.

The envisioned city would be derived from trash; not ordinary trash, but ‘smart refuse’. A significant factor of the city composed from smart refuse is ‘post-tuning’ – and we would have to adapt this raw material for use. Integration into the city texture would be a learning process.

ANcieNt egyPtiANs crAfted JeweLry froM Meteorites

An ancient Egyptian iron bead found inside a 5,000-year-old tomb was crafted from a meteorite, new research shows. The tube-shaped piece of jewelry was first discovered in 1911 at the Gerzeh cemetery, roughly 40 miles (70 kilometers) south of Cairo. Dating between 3350 B.C. and 3600 B.C., beads found at the burial site represent the first known examples of iron use in ancient Egypt, thousands of years before Egypt's Iron Age. And their cosmic origins were suspected from the start.

Soon after the beads were discovered, researchers showed that the metal jewelry was rich in nickel, a signature of iron meteorites. But in the 1980s, academics cast doubt on the beads' celestial source, arguing that the high nickel content could have been the result of smelting. Scientists from the open University and the University of Manchester recently analyzed one of the beads with an electron microscope and an X-ray CT scanner. They say the nickel-rich chemical composition of the bead's original metal confirms its meteorite origins.

What's more, the researchers say the bead had a Widmanstätten pattern, a distinctive crystal structure found only in meteorites that cooled at an extremely slow rate inside asteroids when the solar system was forming, according to Nature.

Further investigation also showed that the bead was not molded under heat, but rather hammered into shape by cold-working. The first record of iron smelting in ancient Egypt comes from the sixth century B.C., and iron artifacts from before that time are quite rare, Nature reported. NEwS DESK

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SPORTS Sunday, 2 June, 2013

i Need soMe ruNs for west iNdies: gAyLe SPORTS DESk “There are new rules?” Chris Gayle asked genuinely, but in a playful tone, leaning back on one of the bottom-row seats below the dressing room at the SWALeC stadium in Cardiff. Wait, Gayle, one of the most senior players in cricket, is not aware of the new ODI rules that were rolled out at the start of 2013: not more than four fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle at any stage of the innings, bowlers being permitted two bouncers in an over and the Powerplays to be completed by the 40th over. You wondered if he was toying with you just like he does with the bowlers when batting. “I have the book but I havent’ read it as yet,” Gayle confessed with a chuckle on a sunny Friday. Unlike the India captain MS Dhoni, who said earlier in the week that the new ODI rules posed a big challenge, Gayle was more flexible.

“They are trying to bring more excitement to the 50-over game based on what is happening in Twenty20. You just have to cope with it. It will take some time to make the necessary adjustment and once you adapt, hopefully the fans will gravitate back to the one-day format,” Gayle said.

It is this relaxed attitude that makes Gayle such an instant attraction. You do not need to know him. If you can make him smile, Gayle will open up warmly.

I had a son and I’ve been having great fun with that at home with my wife. I think I’m just in a better frame of mind than I was three weeks ago after missing my second cut in a row. –Bill Haas

AMidst fixiNg scANdAL, iPL chAirMAN resigNs R SPORTS DESk

resignations won’t clean the ‘fixing dirt’: kirti Azad NEW DELHI: Former cricketer and BJP MP Kirti Azad on Saturday said that mere resignation by the top officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will not clean the tainted image of Indian cricket, which has taken a beating in wake of the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) spot-fixing scandal. “Is it basically going to change the BCCI, with resignations? I fail to understand. You will have to start from various associations, where prevention of corruption act or the ministry of corporate affairs or registrar of societies or various courts, their cases are pending so they should also step down or step aside on moral grounds and let free and fair enquiry take place,” he told the media here. Two top BCCI officials BCCI Secretary Sanjay Jagdale and Treasurer Ajay Shirke- have tendered their resignations in the wake of spot-fixing scandal. There are indications that more BCCI functionaries may also step down from their respective posts to mount pressure on cricket board`s chief N. Srinivasan to step down from his post in wake of the arrest of his son-in-law

Gurunath Meiyappan on charges of betting in the IPL. Following an all round attack over the IPL controversy, Srinivasan has called for an emergency meeting of the board`s working committee in Chennai on Sunday. BCCI Vice President Arun Jaitley earlier in the day said that there would be some significant developments in the next 24 hours. “Wait for a day and you will hear something significant today,” he told mediapersons outside his residence here. The chorus for Srinivasan`s ouster as BCCI President has grown louder with BCCI heavyweights appearing to be firm regarding his resignation. Union Minister and former BCCI boss Sharad Pawar has also joined in the attack. The Sports Ministry has also put pressure on Srinivasan, and said that he should tender his resignation on moral grounds, pending the outcome of the inquiry. Despite suggestions from BCCI heavyweights- Rajeev Shukla and Arun Jaitley-that he should disassociate himself from the procedures of the inquiry commission investigating the spot-fixing scandal, Srinivasan has so far showed no signs of relenting under pressure. AgENCIES

AJIV Shukla has resigned as IPL chairman, following the scandal over alleged corruption in the IPL. His decision to stand down comes less than 24 hours after the resignations of two top BCCI officials, secretary Sanjay Jagdale and treasurer Ajay Shirke, and on the eve of a crucial BCCI working committee meeting in Chennai, where the future of N Srinivasan as board president is expected to be decided.

On Saturday evening, Shukla told PTI: “I have decided to quit as IPL chairman. It is a decision that I was pondering over for some time. I think it is time to step down. Sanjay Jagdale and Ajay Shirke resigned in the best interest of Indian cricket. I thought this is the right time.”

Shukla took over as IPL chairman at the BCCI’s Annual General Meeting in September 2011, from Chirayu Amin.

The tenure is for a year, but can be extended at the board’s AGM. Shukla, who was reappointed as chairman in 2012, had gone on record saying he would not extend his term at this September’s AGM. IPL 2013 has been plunged into controversy over the past two weeks, following the arrests of three rajasthan royals players for alleged spot-fixing, and Chennai Super Kings official Gurunath Meiyappan - the the son-in-law of board president N Srinivasan, who is also the managing director of Super Kings’ owner, India Cements - for alleged betting.

Apart from Shukla, the IPL’s governing council comprises Arun Jaitley (Delhi District Cricket Association), Anirudh Chaudhary (Haryana Cricket Association), Amitabh Chaudhary (Jharkhand CA), Sanjay Patel (Baroda CA), Ganga raju (Andhra CA), MP Pandove (Punjab CA), and former India Test cricketer and current television commentator ravi Shastri.

GREED CREEPING INTO CRICKET: CHITRAK MITRA KOLKATA: Terming the IPL spot-fixing scandal as unfortunate, BCCI vicepresident Chitrak Mitra on Saturday said that too much of greed has crept into cricket bringing disrepute to the game. “What has happened in the IPL is very very unfortunate. It has become clear that greed is creeping into cricket,” Mitra told reporters at his residence before leaving for the Board emergency meeting in Chennai on Sunday. He, however, refused to comment on the growing clamour for the resignation of the beleaguered BCCI president N Srinivasan.

Mitra said secretary Sanjay Jagdale and treasurer Ajay Shirke’s resignations from their respective posts have left the BCCI with no signatories.

“I cannot comment on Jagdale and Shirke’s resignations, that’s their individual decision. But what I can say is after the duo’s resignation yesterday night, the Board has no signatories.

There’s nobody to even sign a cheque,” he said.

Reiterating that he was not under any kind of pressure to put in his papers, Mitra said he has adopted a wait and

watch policy and would take a call only after Sunday’s meeting.

“I’ll not resign just yet. I’m following a wait and watch policy on what the others (the four vice-presidents — Arun Jaitley (North), Sudhir Dabir (Central), Niranjan Shah (West) and South’s Shivlal Yadav) — are doing. I’ll decide after the meeting,” he said.

Mitra further said he held a decorative post. “It does not matter if I resign or not. Vice-president is a decorative post, there’s no real power. It makes no difference if I resign,” Mitra insisted.

The Cricket Association of Bengal, meanwhile, made its choice clear saying it would back Arun Jaitley in the race for the top BCCI post.

“If it’s a choice between Jaitley and (Sharad) Pawar, we will back Jaitley,” former CAB secretary Biswarup Dey said. Making their opposition clear against Pawar, the CAB treasurer added: “It was during Pawar’s presidency that the deterioration started. “Pawar, (Shashank) Manohar, (N) Srinivasan and Lalit Modi had joined hands to throw Dalmiya out of the BCCI in 2005.

AgENCIES

SA no strangers to Champions Trophy heartbreak teaM profIle South Africa

overvIew The Proteas go into the tournament, as they have done at every ICC event in recent years, as one of the favourites and hoping to break their title duck. For a side so filled with talent, they haven’t been able to carry through to a final and are often hit-or-miss at tournaments. They are ranked fourth in the ICC standings, though have played significantly fewer games than the sides above them, and have the fire power with both bat and ball to pull off a victory.

strengths South Africa’s batting line up, starring the top two ODI batsmen in Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers, is a formidable one.

Amla is also the top-ranked Test batsman, and has a superb record in england. Added to these two, there are young guns like

David Miller, a star at this year’s IPL, and Faf du Plessis to call upon.

As for the bowling, the Proteas’ pace attack features three of the top 10 ODI bowlers in the world in Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. Steyn, also the top Test bowler, comes into the tournament off a successful outing in the IPL, and will be eager to show that his skills encompass the one-day arena too.

The strength during this tournament, which was seemingly missing before, is a mental toughness encouraged by coach Gary Kirsten and explorer Mike Horn. The side worked with Horn before their Test series in england last year, to great effect, and they will want to give Kirsten a great goodbye gift by winning the title.

weaknesses The Proteas don’t have a Saeed Ajmal or a Graeme Swann in their ranks. robin Peterson is a handy slow bowler, and a valuable member of the side, but he’s ranked only 34th and will be targeted by opposition batsmen, particularly India and

Pakistan, who know how to play spin very well. Aaron Phangiso is inexperienced and will need to bowl well to survive.

The Proteas will also be weakened by the absence of Graeme Smith, who had to withdraw with a dodgy ankle. His experience in england will be greatly missed, while the confidence inspired by Jacques Kallis’ presence will also have to be found elsewhere.

one to watCh We’ll be keeping a close eye on Dolphins batsman David Miller. The 23year old was superb during the IPL for the Kings XI Punjab, and while his ODI career has been short and average, he has the potential to turn a game for the Proteas. He has the shots and the temperament, and has played enough county cricket to be familiar with the venues.

Achilles injury, as is expected, then Farhaan Behardien could find himself carrying the drinks. The Proteas middle order is wobbly, so Colin Ingram could also suffer if Duminy’s experience is able to feature. Phangiso will probably play second fiddle to robbie P.

last three fInIshers 2009: Finished last in group B 2006: Lost in semi-finals to West Indies 2004: Knocked out in group stage

predICtIon We’re going to make a bold prediction and say they will reach the final, thanks to Duckworth-Lewis in the semis, but they will not be able to jump the final hurdle.

squad probable benCh-warMer If JP Duminy is fully fit following his

AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, JP Duminy, Faf du

Plessis, Colin Ingram, rory Kleinveldt, ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Alviro Petersen, robin Peterson, Aaron Phangiso, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe

fIxtures 6 JUnE: v India, Cardiff 10 JUnE: v Pakistan, Birmingham 14 JUnE: v West Indies, Cardiff

The last hole I ended up making bogey. All in all, it was a day fought hard. I’m not too disappointed with it (his game). I’m not that far off. –Tiger Woods

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SPORTS

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Sunday, 2 June, 2013

MEET THE PAKISTAN TEAM FOR THE CHAMPIONS TROPHY S.PERvEz QAISER

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He following are the pen sketches of Pakistan team who are participating in the seventh edition of the Champions Trophy to be held in england and Wales from June 6 to 23. Nine players, Abdur rehman, Asad Ali, Asad Shafiq, ehsan Adil, Junaid Khan, Mohammed Irfan Nasir Jamshed, Umar Amin and Wahab riaz are participating in the Champions Trophy for the first time. mISbAH-UL-HAQ KHAn nIAzI (SargodhaCaptain): Born on May 28, 1974 at Mianwali, he is a right hand middle order batsman and leg break bowler. Has played 117 one-day international since debut against New Zealand at Lahore on April 27, 2002. Led Pakistan in 42 ODIs, won 25, lost 15, tied one and abandoned one. Participating in the Champions Trophy for the third time.

AbDUR REHmAn (Sialkot): Born on March 1, 1980, Sialkot. Left hand tailend batsman and slow left-arm orthodox bowler.

Played 26 ODIs since debut against West Indies at Faisalabad on December 7, 2006.

Participating in the Champions Trophy for the first time.

mOHAmmED JUnAID KHAn (Abbottabad): Born on December 24, 1989, Matra. right hand batsman and left arm fast bowler. Played 24 ODIs since debut against West Indies at Gros Islet on April 23, 2011 .Participating in the Champions Trophy for the first time.

ASAD ALI (Faisalabad): Born on October 14, 1988, Faisalabad. right hand tail-end batsman and right-arm medium fast bowler. Played only ODI against Ireland at Dublin on May 26, 2013.

Participating in the Champions Trophy for the first time.

ASAD SHAFIQ (Karachi): Born on January 28, 1986 at Karachi. right hand top-order batsman, leg-break bowler and wicket-keeper. Played 39 ODIs since debut against Bangladesh at Dambulla on June 21, 2010. Participating in the Champions Trophy for the first time.

EHSAn ADIL (Faisalabad): Born on March 15, 1993, Sheikhupura. right hand lower order batsman and right arm medium pace bowler. Played two ODIs since debut against Scotland at edinburgh on May 17, 2013. Participating in the Champions Trophy for the first time.

ImRAn FARHAT (Lahore): Born on May 20, 1982, Lahore. Left hand batsman and leg break bowler.

Played 56 ODIs since debut against New Zealand at Auckland on February 17-18, 2001. Participating in the Champions Trophy for the third time.

KAmRAn AKmAL (Lahore): Born on January 13, 1982 at Lahore. right hand lower order/opening batsman and wicketkeeper. Played 151 ODIs since debut against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo on November 23, 2002. Participating in the Champions Trophy for the third time. mOHAmmED HAFEEz (Sargodha): Born on December 17, 1980 at Sargodha. right hand opening batsman and right arm off-break bowler. Played 118 ODIs since debut against Zimbabwe at Sharjah on April 3, 2003.

Participating in the Champions Trophy for the second time. mOHAmmED IRFAn (Lahore): Born on June 6, 1982, Gaggu Mandi. right hand tail end batsman and left-arm medium-fast bowler. Played 11 ODIs since debut against england at Chester-le-Street on September 10, 2010. Participating in the Champions Trophy for the first time. nASIR JAmSHED (Lahore): Born on December 6, 1989 at Lahore. Left hand batsman. Played 28 ODIs since debut against Zimbabwe at Karachi, January 21,

AUSTRALIA WILL WIN ASHES IF KP DOES NOT PLAY: WARNE SPORTS DESk Australia will reclaim the Ashes against all odds if Kevin Pietersen’s knee injury keeps the england batsman out of the series, spin great Shane Warne has said. england hold the Ashes after a convincing 3-1 away series win in 2010-11 and Australia’s chances of wresting it back do not look bright following their recent 4-0 drubbing in India.

Pietersen will not play in next month’s Champions Trophy one day tournament but is

expected back for the Ashes series starting in July.

“If Kevin Pietersen’s not available for the Ashes I think Australia will win,” Australian Warne told Sky Sports news. “I think he’s that big a player for the england team. “everyone feeds off him. He’s such a destructive player,” Warne added of his former Hampshire team mate. england completed a 2-0 test victory over New Zealand this week to signal the kind of form they are in but the leg-spin great warned the Australians,

led by Michael Clarke, were quite capable of pulling off a surprise. “england are definitely favourites,” said Warne, who retired from international cricket in 2007 with more than 1000 wickets.

“They’ve been playing some excellent cricket, and they’re well led by Alastair Cook.

“But I really believe Australia have a squad, if they pick the right players and they perform then, I think the people who are out there writing them off could really be surprised.”

2008. Participating in the Champions Trophy for the first time.

SAEED AJmAL (Faisalabad): Born on October 14, 1977 at Faisalabad. right hand tail end batsman and off break bowler.

Played 81 ODIs since debut against India at Karachi on July 2, 2008.

Participating in the Champions Trophy for the second time.

SHOAIb mALIK (Sialkot): Born on February 1, 1982 at Sialkot. right hand middle order batsman and off-break bowler.

Played 213 ODIs since debut against West Indies at Sharjah, October 14, 1999. Participating in the Champions Trophy for the fourth time.

UmAR AmIn (Rawalpindi): Born on October 16, 1989, rawalpindi. Left hand batsman and right arm medium fast bowler. Played four ODIs since debut against Sri Lanka at Dambulla on June 15, 2010. Participating in the Champions Trophy for the first time.

WAHAb RIAz (Punjab): Born on June 28, 1985 at Lahore. right hand tail end batsman and left arm medium fast bowler. Played 29 ODIs since debut against Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura on February 2, 2008. Participating in the Champions Trophy for the first time.

PcB Lures iN greeNidge to trAiN teAM iN LoNdoN LAHORE STAFF rEPOrT

The Pakistan cricket has after the appointment of Trent Woodhill as the batting coach, also lured in Gordon Greenidge, former West Indies opener.

Greenidge on Saturday visited the training session of the Pakistan team at the Lords in London and provided the national team batsmen with useful tips and ways to coping with the pressure in the english conditions. He was joined by Woodhill in the lesson to the batsmen. An official of the PCB said that it was part of the board’s initiative which has always tried its bit to give the best possible facility to the players and the team to learn and deliver for the country.

I wish everyone associated with Real Madrid much happiness in the future. –Jose Mourinho

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SPORTS Sunday, 2 June, 2013

fiA quiz Mercedes and ferrari over tyre tests

Formula one’s governing body put Ferrari, the sport’s most successful team, in the spotlight along with Mercedes on Friday in an investigation into alleged breaches of the testing regulations. The FIA said in a statement that it had asked the teams to reply to an enquiry “in persuance of the judicial and disciplinary rules”.

Both were identified as having taken part in tyre tests for sole supplier Pirelli this season, despite a ban on teams testing. The development was an ironic twist to a controversy that has gripped Formula one since last weekend’s showcase Monaco Grand Prix, given that Ferrari had protested in the first place to the FIA about Mercedes’s test.

A spokesman for the governing body said the two teams had been asked to reply to a list of questions and had not yet been summoned to any formal hearing or tribunal, which could ultimately impose heavy sanctions.

Ferrari had added their protest to one filed by champions Red Bull after news leaked out that Mercedes had tested with their current car and drivers Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton in Spain this month.

Red Bull principal Christian Horner suggested Mercedes had gained an unfair advantage from the 1,000-km test in Barcelona that he said was carried out in an “underhand” manner without others knowing. SPOrTS DESK

Mercedes can win again this season: hamilton

sharapova and serena march on in Paris PARIS AgENCIES

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Monaco Grand Prix winners Mercedes can triumph again this season and must not let a tyre-testing controversy distract them, Lewis Hamilton has said. “I really do feel that this team is just going to continue to improve through the year,” the 2008 Formula one world champion said. “once we understand these tyres more, which we will eventually get to, then I think another win is definitely on the books.” Mercedes won in Monaco with Germany’s Nico Rosberg, who also secured the team’s fourth successive pole position, while Hamilton finished fourth. The victory was Mercedes’ first since China in April last year. The victory was clouded, however, by the revelation that Mercedes had tested with Pirelli earlier in the month without telling other teams and seemingly in breach of the sporting regulations that ban teams from in-season testing. After a protest by world champions Red Bull and Ferrari, the governing International Automobile Federation is now considering whether to send the matter to an international tribunal that could impose heavy sanctions.

SPOrTS DESK

ArIA Sharapova survived a string of unforced errors to book her place in the third round of the French Open on Friday with a 6-2 6-4 rain-delayed win against Canada’s eugenie Bouchard.

The defending champion, seeded second at roland Garros, returned to Court Philippe Chatrier leading 6-2 4-2 after the match had been interrupted by rain late on Thursday.

Despite Bouchard’s late fight and a total of 28 unforced errors from the russian, Sharapova wrapped it up in 15 minutes on her first match point.

She will face China’s Zheng Jie for a last-16 spot.

Serena Williams breezed past Sorana Cirstea 6-0 6-2, extending her winning streak to 27 matches and laying down a marker of her title potential.

It took eight games and 33 minutes before her 26th-seeded romanian opponent made a mark on the scoreboard, a feat that was greeted with sympathetic cheers from the Parisian crowd.

The world number one broke three times in the opening set and although she found the going tougher in the second, losing two early games and facing break points, she had too much power for Cirstea. The American has dropped a mere six games. “every Slam is really my priority,” said the 15-times major winner who has only won the French once. “I would love to win this one, but there is still a lot of people in the draw that would love to win this tournament.”

AzAreNkA BAttLes BAck to BeAt corNet

Nishikori first Japanese man in Paris last 16 in 75 years PARIS: Kei Nishikori became the first Japanese man to reach the last 16 of the French open in 75 years when he beat French 24th seed Benoit Paire 6-3 6-7(3) 6-4 6-1 in the third round on Saturday.

Nishikori, the 13th seed, kept his composure despite his opponent’s histrionics and bad temper, weathering the fickle Court Suzanne Lenglen crowd to prevail on his first match point. Fumiteru Nakano was the last man to reach the last 16 at Roland Garros, in 1938. Nishikori, whose best grand-slam result is a 2012 Australian open quarter-final, will next face either seven-times champion Rafael Nadal of Spain or Italian 27th seed Fabio Fognini. AgENCIES

vulnerable Nadal needs to find form against flashy fognini

PARIS: Third seed Victoria Azarenka stuttered into the last 16 of the French open but her title credentials were given a rigorous examination in a 4-6 6-3 6-1 win over a spirited Alize Cornet on Saturday.

For large periods of the encounter, France’s Cornet out-fought the double Australian open champion and looked much sharper around the court. Cornet, seeded 31, took the first set and both players struggled to find consistency on their serve, frequently exchanging breaks, as the sun made a rare appearance at Roland Garros. The pair then went toe-to-toe before the Belarussian found her rhythm and broke Cornet’s resolve, taking the second set and running away with the third. “I’m not surprised by how she played, she showed what a terrific player she can be,” Azarenka said in a courtside interview. “That’s the best tennis she has played against me.”

Azarenka will now play the winner of Marion Bartoli’s match against former champion Francesca Schiavone. AgEN C IE S

PARIES: After two lacklustre performances and an out-of-character rant at organisers all eyes will be on Rafa Nadal to see if the claycourt matador or this week’s vulnerable impostor shows up to face Fabio Fognini on Saturday.

Seven-times champion Nadal let his feelings be known after Parisian downpours and lop-sided scheduling left him with only one day’s rest before facing the showman Italian, who has had an extra 24 hours recuperation. After being taken to four sets by Daniel Brands in round one and Martin Klizan on Friday, Nadal expects Fognini, with his flashy winners, to be in better shape. “Probably my opponent is better than me, talking about physical performance, but the only thing I can say is I’m going to work as much as I can to be 100 per cent ready,” Nadal said. In contrast to Nadal, Novak Djokovic looked imperious in his secondround victory over Argentina’s Guido Pella, but in Grigor Dimitrov he faces a player who beat him in the second round of the Madrid Masters this month. AgENCIES

I am excited. League One is a fresh start and a new challenge in my life. –Kaid Mohamed

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SPORTS Sunday, 2 June, 2013

haas takes Memorial lead, woods labours to 74

SPORTS DESk

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eJUVeNATeD by the recent birth of his first child, American Bill Haas rebounded from successive missed cuts on the US Tour to grab a three-shot lead in a weather-hit second round at the Memorial Tournament.

While five-times champion and last year’s winner Tiger Woods battled to a two-over-par 74 in gusting winds at Muirfield Village Golf Club to sit 10 strokes off the pace, Haas putted superbly on lightning-fast greens to fire

uNfANcied duo tAke LeAd At shoPrite LPgA cLAssic

nEW JERSEY

a five-under-par 67.

Though Haas bogeyed his final hole, the par-four 18th, after hitting his approach over the back of the green, he was delighted to take control of the popular US Tour event hosted by Jack Nicklaus with a nine-under total of 135.

“I’ve been very fortunate,” Haas said after a round which included five birdies, an eagle at the par-five fifth and two bogeys to finish three ahead of compatriot Matt Kuchar (70). “I hit a couple of loose shots. On number 11, the wind was rightto-left and I hit a provisional, I thought it was out of bounds there.

“We got out there and it (his first tee

shot) must have hit a tree and it was fine.

I ended up making birdie. That was probably a three-shot swing there. A huge hole for me there.”

Swede robert Karlsson was at four under after shooting a 71, with Americans Pat Perez (69), Hunter Mahan (68) and Australian Matt Jones (72) a further stroke back. Play was suspended for the day at 7:07 p.m. local time due to the threat of lightning, after two previous weather delays which totalled just under two hours.

Forty-two players were still out on the course and will have to complete the second round on Saturday morning, resuming at 7:30 a.m.

Among those were overnight leader Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, after 15 holes, and 2012 Masters champion Bubba Watson, after 14, who were both at six under for the tournament.

Haas, who had missed the cut on his previous two starts before spending time with his wife at home following the May 13 birth of their son William, had bittersweet feelings over his bogey at the last.

“Obviously disappointing but it was probably my best iron shot of the day,” the four-times US Tour winner said of his approach on 18. “It carried a little farther than I wanted and stayed up over the green, which is really no good. I hit two nice quality shots on 18.”

Asked how the weather conditions on Friday morning had matched up to the strengthening winds he had to negotiate during his opening 68, Haas replied: “It was pretty similar, actually.

Liverpool to demand over £50m for Suarez SPORTS DESk The future of Luis Suarez continues to be a hot topic across the papers but Liverpool are not going to make it easy for the Uruguayan to push through a move.

The Anfield club were forced to issue a “not for sale” statement on Friday but as we know every player has his price and Liverpool think Suarez’s should be a big one.

It had been speculated that Suarez had a £40m release clause but it now appears that such an amount only means Liverpool have to begin negotiations with the bidding club but they are not obliged to sell him at that price. Instead they will seek a much higher sum for

their most prized asset with the Times says they will “seek a club-record transfer fee in excess of £50 million” for the striker. Suarez’s statements that he is a keen on a move to real Madrid while on international duty have so angered senior figures at Anfield that they are determined to call all the shots over his future.

“If anything, the events of recent days have hardened Liverpool’s resolve not to allow Suarez to engineer a move on his terms,” the Times says.

“Furthermore, their belief that the Uruguay striker is one of the world’s outstanding players and at the peak of his powers means they will pursue a transfer fee in keeping with his standing if they allow him to leave.”The record sale for

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a Liverpool player was the £50m they received from Chelsea for Fernando Torres and Liverpool would want more than that for Suarez who they consider a superior player.

Liverpool would hope that a bidding war might open up for Suarez, but even if real remain the only suitors “Liverpool’s present stance is that they will not even consider doing business unless they achieve what they perceive to be Suarez’s full market value,” reports the Times.

To other rumours and Barcelona’s striker David Villa is definitely coming to the Premier League this summer, according to the Daily Mirror, with Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool all keen.

wAtCh It LIve STAR SPORTS MotoGP World Championship 2013 Main Races

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STAR CRICKET NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2013

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iggiNs exit cLeArs wAy for frooMe

SPORTS DESk The health problems that will keep defending champion Bradley Wiggins out of this year’s Tour de France could be good news for fellow Team Sky rider Chris Froome who finished second in the race last year.

Despite Froome being chosen as the team’s 2013 official Tour leader, Wiggins announced this month that he wanted to go for a Giro d’Italia/Tour de France double.

Wiggins’s comments prompted Froome to issue a statement saying he would be leading the team’s challenge for the world’s most famous cycling road race and not the Olympic time-trial champion.

But with Wiggins now ruled out, potential conflict between the two Sky riders will be avoided and Froome’s victory hopes should be boosted.

“It’s incredibly sad to have the reigning champion at Team Sky but not lining up at the Tour,” Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford said in a statement. “But he’s a champion, a formidable athlete and will come back winning as he has before.”

In last year’s race, Froome often cut a frustrated figure on the bike as he looked capable of beating his team leader.

The 28-year-old Froome has been in good form this year, winning the Tour of Oman, the Criterium International and the Tour of romandie.

But he will still have plenty of challengers in the Tour de France, with former champion Alberto Contador among his main rivals.

AgENCIES

Amanda Blumenherst and Moriya Jutanugarn fired five-under 66s to share the lead after the first round of the Shoprite LPGA Classic in New Jersey.

Former US Women’s Amateur champion Blumenherst and LPGA rookie Jutanugarn ended the opening day a shot ahead of defending champion Stacy Lewis.

Michelle Wie put her recent woes behind her to card a 68 - the Hawaiian’s joint lowest score of what has been so far a frustrating season.

Blumenherst, a three-times US college player of the year, has never finished higher than fifth since joining the LPGA Tour in 2010.

“It feels amazing,” she said, after an eagle, four birdies and a bogey. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a very solid round of golf and felt like I just played well throughout the entire day.

It was a lot of fun out there because it’s been a challenging start to the season.”

Thailand’s Jutanugarn, 18, had an equally fast start at the testing Bay Course at the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club with six birdies and a lone bogey.

Meanwhile, world number two Lewis, who has won twice already this season, lies ready to pounce a stroke back after three tap-in birdies.

MUNIR DAR: A LOST INSTITUTE OF PAKISTAN SPORT ASHER BUTT It has been two years since Munir (Ahmed) Dar, commonly known as chacha in the sports circles, left the fraternity in the oblivion. On June 1, 2011, right fullback Munir Dar, the hockey legend who also made name in other sports administrations left a big void. He was then 76 and is buried in a graveyard in Defence.

The visionary of the Tanvir Dar Hockey Academy, Munir had loved sport all of his life.

Nothing fits better on him than the phrase, ‘winners are born but champions are made’. If one looks at his career as a player and then as an administrator, he was a few yardsticks above the champions notion. As a player he not only won several medals for the country but also transformed ordinary players and teams into champions.

Born in 1936 in Amritsar, the young Munir moved to Lahore in 1947. At his new home, he found a hockey stick and the life-long love affair started. Blessed with a very athletic and strong physique, Munir displayed all the attributes of a solid defender at the right full-back position.

Moreover, he was a wonderful striker of the penalty corners. All this meant, he was soon on the radar of the national selectors and the 19-year old Munir earned a spot for the 1956 Olympics.

Being a player he won 1960 Olympics gold medal in rome and two silvers (1956 Melbourne and 1964 Tokyo) and then trained is brother, Tanvir Dar to fit in his shoes. Tanvir, also a right fullback, was a member of the 1968 Olympic gold medal winning team. He also reigned supreme at the inaugural World Cup in 1971 where he was tournament’s top scorer with eight goals for the victorious Pakistan side. Munir also had gold and silver in the Asiad.

Later to fill the gulf he created after leaving the sport, his two sons Taqeer Dar and Taseer Dar were groomed but only the former made the big rank and was part of

the 1984 Olympics gold medal winning team while Taseer, though standbye for those Olympics, fell pray to the game’s politics. Disheartened Tafseer, the third of Dar’s family, turned to the game of gentlemen and played first-class cricket for quite some time.

As a coach, Munir trained the Pakistan’s senior and junior national sides in 70s and 80s and as a police officer, he chaired the police sports board from 1985 to 1995. His tenure was seen as the golden decade of the police sports.

The policemen won laurels not only at the national level but also made Pakistan proud at the Asian and world level. At the 1990 Asian Games, Ghulam Abbas won an athletics gold for Pakistan after 16 years – no one has won since.

Yahya Butt and Mansoor Butt won the Mr Asia titles. The Pakistan volleyball team had a great run from late 80s to mid 90s

when they were a potent force at the Asian level. A number of policemen featured regularly in the national lineups during that period. Munir was instrumental in raising the Asian style kabaddi team of police.

Again quite a few members of the police squad represented Pakistan’s national squads that won medals at the Asiads. From hockey, under Munir’s direct supervision the Police team won the National Championships in 1993 for only the second time; the first was way back in 1960 when Munir himself was a member of the team.

In 1994, the green shirts won the World Cup after 12 years and the Champions Trophy after 14 years and the police team provided five players in the national outfits.

As president of the Pakistan Karate Federations, Munir was one of the greatest diplomats in the Pakistan Olympics ranks and was always asked to resolve some of the tedious issues faced by the National Olympics Committee. Munir was an institution in himself. Blessed with an excellent memory, Munir had a great knowledge of sports. There will no one like him and he will be remembered and missed as long as the sport is played in the country.

Sunday, 2 June, 2013

NAto to hold 2014 summit on Afghanistan troop withdrawal: obama WASHIngTOn AgENCIES

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ATO countries will hold a summit next year to discuss troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh rasmussen.

The United States and its 28 NATO allies have been working toward withdrawing combat troops in 2014, a milestone rasmussen said is in sight.

There are 62,000 U.S. troops and 34,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan.

Obama and rasmussen did not say how

many would remain in the country to help support the Afghan government as it takes responsibility for its own security. rasmussen said NATO is preparing a training mission for Afghanistan in 2015.

“It will be a very different mission. A noncombat mission with a significantly lower number of troops,” he said.

The leaders also discussed their vision for NATO’s future role in global security, including how to combat emerging threats like cyber security, Obama said.

Obama said rasmussen would identify the host country for the 2014 summit, which will look at building up NATO’s ability to address cyber threats and “lock

in” commitments by members.

“That requires burden-sharing on the part of all NATO members. It means that even during times of austerity, that we work smarter together to ensure that we can meet and are prepared for any threats that may arise,” Obama said. The United States has been urging european allies for years to increase their financial support for NATO, a difficult case to make during the recent economic crisis. The Afghanistan war started in 2001 after the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. U.S.-led forces toppled Afghanistan’s Taliban leaders who had harbored the al Qaeda network responsible for the hijacked airliner attacks.

turkish police retreat from Istanbul square, allow thousands of anti-govt protesters in ISTAnBUL AgENCIES

Turkish police began to retreat from a main Istanbul square Saturday, taking away barricades and allowing in tens of thousands of protesters in an apparent move to end tensions from two days of anti-government protests.

Some protesters hurled objects at withdrawing officers and police vehicles, prompting officers to fire several rounds of tear gas to push back the crowds and resumed pulling out of Taksim Square, the private Dogan news agency reported.

The state-run Anadolu Agency said the protesters threw fireworks at police. earlier, Prime Minister recep Tayyip erdogan called on demonstrators to end their protest, but remained defiant. He said the government would press ahead with the redevelopment plans at Taksim that sparked the demonstrations.

In a televised speech, erdogan said police may have used tear gas excessively while confronting protesters and said this would be investigated. But he said the pro-

ISTANBUL: A Turkish woman braves a police water cannon during anti-government protests on Saturday.

testers didn’t represent the majority and accused them of raising tensions.

The protests grew out of anger at heavy-handed police tactics Friday to break up a peaceful sit-in by people trying to protect a park in Taksim square from government plans to revamp the area. Officials say the plans include building a shopping mall and the reconstruction of a former Ottoman army barracks.

The park demonstration turned into a wider protest against erdogan, who is seen as becoming increasingly authoritarian, and spread to other Turkish cities despite the court decision to temporarily halt the demolition of the park. A human rights group said hundreds of people were injured in scuffles with police that lasted through the night.

At Taksim, protesters chanted slogans against erdogan’s government and called on him to resign.

In the capital, Ankara, police clashed with protesters who gathered at a park close to erdogan’s office.

EaRLIER StoRy | PagE 07

More than 1,000 killed in Iraq violence in May BAgHDAD AgENCIES

More than 1,000 people were killed in violence in Iraq in May, making it the deadliest month since the sectarian slaughter of 2006-07, the United Nations reported on Saturday, stoking fears of a return to civil war.

Nearly 2,000 people have been killed in the last two months as al Qaeda and Sunni Islamist insurgents, invigorated by the Sunni-led revolt in Syria and by Sunni discontent at home, seek to revive the kind of all-out intercommunal conflict that killed tens of thousands five years ago.

“That is a sad record,” Martin Kobler, the U.N. envoy in Baghdad, said in a statement. “Iraqi political leaders must act immediately to stop this intolerable bloodshed.”

This week multiple bombings battered Shi’ite and Sunni areas of the capital Baghdad, killing nearly 100 people.

Most of he 1,045 people killed in May were civilians, U.N. figures showed.

The U.N. toll is higher than a reuters estimate of 600 deaths based on police and hospital officials. Such counts can vary depending on sourcing, while numbers often increase beyond initial estimates as wounded people die.

The renewed bloodletting reflects worsening tensions between Iraq’s Shi’ite-led government and the Sunni minority, seething with resentment at their treatment since Saddam Hussein was overthrown by the U.S.-led invasion of

2003 and later hanged.

Al Qaeda’s local wing and other Sunni armed groups are now regaining ground lost during their battle with U.S. troops who pulled out in December 2011 nearly a decade after the invasion that empowered the long-suppressed Shi’ite majority.

At the height of Iraq’s sectarian violence, when Baghdad was carved up between Sunni and Shi’ite gunmen who preyed on rival communities, the monthly death count sometimes topped 3,000.

Officials in Prime Minister Nuri alMaliki’s government say al Qaeda’s wing, Islamic State of Iraq, and Naqshbandi insurgents linked to ex-officers in Saddam’s army, are now trying to provoke a Shi’ite militia reaction.

Security officials believe Shi’ite militias such as Mehdi Army, Asaib al-Haq and Kataeb Hizballah have mostly kept out of the fray. But militia commanders say they are prepared to act.

SLIDE InTO COnFLICT: Since April, bombings and attacks have targeted Shi’ite and Sunni mosques and neighborhoods in Baghdad and other cities, as well as security forces and even moderate Sunni leaders.

Many Iraqis, especially in Baghdad, fear a return of death squads, with shops closing early and extra security measures.

“Shi’ite militant groups have largely stayed out of recent violence.

If they are behind bombings of Sunni mosques, that suggests that they are being drawn into conflict,” said

Stephen Wicken, at the Institute for the Study of War in Washington.

“That would set the conditions up for a slide into broader sectarian conflict.”

Syria’s war, where mostly Sunni rebels are trying to topple President Bashar al-Assad, has further frayed ties between Iraq’s Shi’ites and Sunnis. Iraqi fighters from both sects are crossing the border to fight for opposite sides in Syria.

Iraqi Shi’ite officials fear an Sunni Islamist take-over in Syria if Assad, whose Alawite sect is rooted in Shi’ite Islam, falls. Such fears reflect a broader regional rivalry between Shi’ite, non-Arab Iran and Sunni states such as Saudi Arabia.

Maliki, a Shi’ite, has often upset his Sunni and ethnic Kurdish partners involved in a delicate power-sharing deal.

Soon after U.S. troops left, Iraqi authorities arrested the bodyguards of Maliki’s Sunni vice-president and a year later those of the Sunni finance minister. The arrests were officially linked to terrorism cases, but they aggravated Sunni fears.

Since December, thousands of Sunnis have protested against the government in Sunni-dominated provinces such as Anbar, but negotiations aimed at defusing the crisis have so far failed.

An Iraqi army raid on a Sunni protest camp in the town of Hawija in April reignited violence that killed more than 700 people in that month, by a U.N. count. That had been the highest monthly toll in almost five years until it was exceeded in May.

two drone strikes kill seven in southern yemen ADEn AgENCIES

Two drone strikes killed seven suspected al Qaeda militants in southern Yemen on Saturday, a local official said, nine days after U.S. President Barack Obama said he would only use such strikes when a threat was “continuing and imminent”.

In two separate attacks, militants believed to be linked to al Qaeda killed two senior police officers in the eastern part of the country, a local security official said.

Washington views al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) as the movement’s most dangerous wing after it attempted to launch bomb attacks on international airliners.

The official said the seven were travelling in two cars on Saturday morning in the al-Mahfad district of Abyan Governorate in southern Yemen where the Islamist militant group has a strong presence, when the drones struck.

In eastern Yemen, Colonel Abdel-rahman Bashkeel, head of the criminal investigation department in the city of Seyoun in the Wadi Hadramout area, was killed on Saturday afternoon by a bomb placed in his car, a local security official said.

Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore.

Militants on a motorbike also shot and killed Brigadier-General Yahya al-Omaisi, commander of the police force at the Seyoun airbase, the official said.

He said both attacks carried the hallmarks of al Qaeda, which is believed to be behind a spate of recent attacks on senior police, security and army officers, including at least three incidents last week.

Islamists linked to al Qaeda seized control of some towns in southern Yemen in 2011 after Arab Spring protests weakened the government in Sanaa. However, the Yemeni army and local tribal militias recaptured the towns last year with U.S. assistance.

Lawless, impoverished Yemen lies on major international energy shipment routes and shares a long, porous border with Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter.

President Obama has come under criticism in the United States for his government’s use of drone strikes which have led to civilian casualties.

He said in a speech on May 23 that the Defense Department would now take the lead in launching lethal drone strikes from the Central Intelligence Agency, meaning there would be more Congressional oversight of the program.