E-paper PakistanToday LHR 4th December, 2011

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Rs22.00 Vol II No 158 27 Pages Lahore Edition

Gilani’s lucrative package for PPP MPAs attracts few PM announces development funds of Rs 70m each, arms licence and job quotas to rake in frustrated MPs g Only 60 MPAs turn up at meeting, Friday’s dinner g

LAHORE: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani addresses PPP MPAs at Governor’s House.

LAHore

I

NAsiR Butt

N a desperate effort to inveigle back party dissidents and annoyed legislators in Punjab Assembly, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Saturday announced a lucrative package with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani using his executive powers to announce funds of Rs 70 million for each PPP MPA in the provincial assembly from federal resources.

The provincial MPAs have already been allocated Rs 20 million each by the federal government. The prime minister made this announcement while chairing a meeting of provincial PPP leaders at the Punjab Governor’s House. Responding to demands of PPP lawmakers from Punjab who complained of not having granted funds by the Punjab government to initiate development funds in their respective constituencies, Gilani formally announced a package, per which the PM directed Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh to release Rs 70 million each to all MPAs belonging to the PPP for development projects.

Moreover, the PPP lawmakers from Punjab have been granted a job quota in the federal departments to muster support within the electorate. Sources said Gilani assured the MPAs that the government would remove their reservations regarding affairs of their constituencies and the federal departments would also recruit people nominated by MPAs from across the country. It was also learnt that PPP provincial lawmakers would be given arms licence quota as well, as the premier assured PPP members that their demand for the approval of five prohibited bore weapons and 10 non-prohibited bore weapon licenses would be considered.

Directing the authorities concerned for early completion of federal government development projects in the province, the PM directed the ministers of water and power, petroleum, interior, chairman Pakistan Baitul Maal and chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme to remain available each month in Lahore and solve the problems faced by the lawmakers. The sources said the PPP

leaders harshly criticised the provincial bureaucracy in the meeting.

Later, the PPP members of the Punjab Assembly expressed their confidence in the leadership of president and prime minister.

However, sources said the PPP Punjab parliamentary party, which is facing an upheaval within its ranks, had again failed to gather its MPAs at the much-hyped meeting chaired by the PM. Party sources said only 60 PPP members of the Punjab Assembly attended the meeting and the same number of lawmakers was at the dinner hosted by Punjab Governor Latif Khosa on Friday. Besides dissidents and annoyed lawmakers, former provincial ministers Ashraf Sohna and Dr Tanvirul Islam also remained absent from the meeting.

One of the annoyed PPP lawmakers told Pakistan Today on condition of anonymity that the disgruntled leaders avoided the meeting to express their anger and disappointment with the PPP leadership. He said all such earlier meetings had proved futile, as only shallow promises were made by the party high ups. The PPP leader said several party mates were ready to “fly” to any other political party and were waiting for an appropriate time. He said Shah Mehmood Qureshi had the support of around nine members that could increase if the party leadership did not take preventive measures.

On the other hand, Governor House sources said 90 PPP MPAs had attended the meeting, while PPP Deputy Parliamentary Leader in Punjab Assembly Shaukat Basra claimed the attendance of 104. MPAs Dr Akhtar Malik and Muhammad Abbas Raan also boycotted the meeting.

When Raan was contacted, he said they had an informal meeting on Friday but a majority of likeminded MPAs was in favour of revealing themselves at an appropriate time. To a question about an expected disciplinary action from party, he said they were ready to face the music and if the party moved against them, they would be free to defend themselves at all forums. About the announcement made by the PM, he said such announcements had been made several times earlier as well, but were never fulfilled.

Sunday, 4 December, 2011 Muharram-ul-Haram 8, 1433

Pakistan stalling talks with Taliban, alleges Karzai Bonn

Clinton fails to convince Gilani

AFP

Afghan President Hamid Karzai accused Pakistan, which is boycotting an international conference on Afghanistan starting Monday in Bonn, of sabotaging all negotiations with the Taliban.

“Up until now, they have sadly refused to back efforts for negotiations with the Taliban,” Karzai told Der Spiegel weekly in comments reported in German and due to be published on Monday. The Bonn meeting will seek to chart a course for Afghanistan after the NATO withdrawal, but a boycott by Pakistan has dealt a stinging blow to hopes for a roadmap. Pakistan is seen as vital to any prospect of stability in the war-ravaged country but Islamabad pulled out after the killing of 24 soldiers in NATO airstrikes on two checkposts a week ago, although sources close to the German Foreign Ministry said it would be kept informed of progress at the conference.

AppeAl: Karzai also appealed for continued aid to his war-ravaged nation after 2014 – when NATO troops are due to pull out. Stressing that Afghanistan will be “more than ever on the frontline,” he said, “If we fail in this war, which threatens all of us, it will mean a return to the situation before

9/11.” The Afghan leader conceded that “sadly we have not been able to provide security and stability to all Afghans, this is our greatest failure”.

Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rasoul on Saturday appealed for international support for his country after NATO troops pull out. “After 2014, we will continue to need long-term support from our friends in the international community,” Rasoul said at a discussion forum in Bonn. His German counterpart Guido Westerwelle vowed at the forum that the world would not abandon Afghanistan, while also stressing the importance of the role of women in the county, where they

Monitoring desk: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton telephoned Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and asked him to attend Bonn Conference, Geo News reported on Saturday. During the telephonic conversation, Clinton said the US respected Pakistan’s sovereignty, adding that Pak-US relations should not be affected after the NATO attacks on Pakistani checkposts. The prime minister told the top US diplomat about the decisions taken by the Defence Committee of the Cabinet and the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on the issue. currently face major discrimination.

In an interview to appear in Sunday’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Westerwelle again voiced his regret over the Pakistani boycott of the conference, which will gather delegates from 100 nations. “Pakistan has more to gain from a stable and peaceful Afghanistan than any of its neighbours,” he said.

Mansoor Ijaz now says Haqqani says Ijaz has Zardari planned memo become habitual accuser Monitoring Desk

Monitoring Desk

American businessman of Pakistani origin, Mansoor Ijaz has come out with new claims regarding the controversial memo, saying the plan to send the memo was made by President Asif Ali Zardari. In a telephonic interview with a TV channel, Ijaz claimed that Zardari had given complete authority to former ambassador to US, Husain Haqqani to handle the memo. The man at the centre of the controversy in Pakistan went a step further claiming that both President Zardari and former Ambassador Haqqani had prior information about the US raid in Abbottabad to eliminate Osama Bin Laden.

White house denies: However, in a late night statement, the White House denied that President Zardari and Haqqani knew in advance about the raid, saying the operation was too sensitive to be shared with Pakistan.

Ijaz also accepted his involvement in back-channel diplomacy, particularly between the governments of Pakistan and India on Kashmir and nuclear proliferation. He claimed this in his article due to be published on December 5 in a US magazine. Ijaz has also provided an analysis about the recent infamous memo controversy in his article and said Haqqani had tried other interlocutors to deliver the memo to Admiral Mike Mullen and had been refused.

Former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani on Saturday said that Mansoor Ijaz had contracted a habit of leveling new allegations daily, and no one among the Pakistani leadership had prior knowledge of the US raid in Abbottabad, Geo News reported.

“Ijaz might say tomorrow that President Zardari and Husain Haqqani were responsible for World War II,” Haqqani said, adding that by making such baseless claims, Ijaz was revealing his “true agenda”. In a press release, Haqqani also clarified a comment taken from his telephonic interview with a TV channel the other day, saying he had merely explained that it was not treason under US law for an American citizen to send a memo to his government, whereas it was objectionable for a Pakistani to seek involvement of a foreign government in Pakistani affairs, “which I as a Pakistani citizen never tried to do”. Haqqani has also written to the editor of Daily Beast/Newsweek in response to Mansoor Ijaz’s article “ An Insider’s Analysis of Pakistan’s Memogate”. He categorically rejected as reckless, baseless and false the allegations levied against him by Mansoor Ijaz about having prior knowledge of US plans for raiding Abbottabad. “Unless Newsweek retracts the article by Mr Ijaz, and his impugning of my patriotism and loyalty to Pakistan, I intend legal action to right the wrongs done to me by these outrageous allegations,” he said.

an insider analysis of Pakistan’s ‘MeMogate’ Mansoor Ijaz, a key player in the controversy, offers his interpretation of the actions of Islamabad’s erstwhile ambassador in Washington—actions that led to an uproar full article PAGE 16 in Pakistan and the envoy’s ouster

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02 News

Sunday, 4 december, 2011

lAHoRe

Today’s

city prepares to mourn Karbala martyrs

NewS

woRld view

No changes in economic relations with us: shaikh Will World War iii be between the us and china?

Quick Look

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Salala post attack beyond comprehension: ISPR

the Pakistani WMd People ‘advise’ actress to join PTI ‘as she has revealed her assets’

isLAMABAD AGENciEs

A

R M Y spokesman Major General Athar Abbas has said targeting Salala checkpost again

by NATO helicopters when NATO was already informed about its first attack on this post was beyond comprehension.

Talking to a private TV channel, the ISPR DG said no treaty existed between Pakistan and NATO forces for launching joint operation or moving to each other’s areas.

“However, border coordination centres were functioning on borders and when any operation is conducted at any place near the borders, information in advance is given in this respect,” he pointed out.

“What location was informed by NATO with reference to its operation ahead of its attack on checkpost was far away from Salala, but NATO forces attacked Salala checkpost,” the ISPR chief said. He said Pakistan authorities informed NATO that its checkpost had been

Modern air defence system to be installed at Pak-Afghan border

neWs Desk As the back-and-forth between actress Veena Malik and FHM India over the nude cover continued into its second day on Saturday, people on social media networks Facebook and Twitter began to clamour for Veena Malik to join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) as “she had declared her assets”.

Meanwhile, Veena’s father called for a ban on the actress for transgressing her limits while Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the government would investigate the matter. While Veena has denied posing nude and threatened to sue the magazine, FHM India editor Kabeer Sharma insists that he has a video and an email from the actress that prove the authenticity of the photo. Meanwhile, the magazine’s website on Saturday changed the cover of the December edition though it still featured her in a different pose. This time, the “Pakistani WMD’’ — as the magazine chose to call her — is caught in the act of pulling the pin out of a grenade with an ISI tattoo on her arm. Reacting to the controversy, Rehman Malik told reporters, “If she has done so, she did wrong. But, such pictures are tampered many times and we will look into this issue.” Humour and anger spread on the webosphere, with a number of jokes and photographs focusing on how Veena had ‘shown’ her assets as per PTI doctrine went viral. Commenting on the latest FHM cover, one tweeter said “Veena Malik would make a terrible ISI agent considering how much she reveals,” while another wondered if cricketerturned-politician Imran Khan’s PTI would invite her to the party fold now that she had “revealed all her assets”.

However, Veena also received her share of detractors. On a Facebook page floated to hate all things Indian, the administrator posted: “Shameless Veena Malik poses naked for men’s magazine FHM (India). Notice the ISI tattoo on her arm. This gesture from eastern neigh-

islAMABAd: In the backdrop of surge in aggression on the western border, the government has decided to install a modern air defence system at the PakistanAfghanistan border. According to a private TV channel on Saturday, Pakistan has chalked out a new defence strategy to stop NATO airstrikes from Afghanistan and aggression of Afghan militants. In this regard, modern air defence system comprising radar and a canon with an ability to bring down jet fighters will be installed at the Pak-Afghan border. Besides, upgrading of weaponry at the western border, communication links between the troops at checkposts and the command centres would also be improved for joint retaliatory action in case of any aggression across the border. iNP shelled, but NATO helicopters came back and again targeted our checkpost, which was beyond comprehension. Earlier, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said Pakistan “have elected to date not to participate [in US investigation], but we would welcome their participation”.

Washington had expected a refusal given the fury in Pakistan over the NATO attack, which has already seen Islamabad shut down NATO’s vital supply into Afghanistan and boy-

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cott an international conference on the war in Bonn set for Monday. A Pakistani security official told AFP on condition of anonymity that a formal reply would be conveyed to the Americans, but confirmed there was no interest in taking part in the inquiry. “Officially our response has yet to come, but we will not participate in the investigation because there was no outcome from the two previous inquiries and we feel that third inquiry will be the same, so there’s no purpose,” he said.

bour speaks of their frustration and hatred towards the ISI. Veena Malik shame on you”. Over 80 comments followed requesting members of the page to ask Pakistan’s Supreme Court to cancel Veena’s nationality and to make sure that she does not live in the country again.

Zubair Khan, a 40-year-old shopkeeper in Peshawar, agreed, saying the photo had given rival India another opportunity to insult Pakistan.”She has earned a bad name for the entire Pakistan nation,” he said.

Another Facebook user posted a photoshoped picture of Veena fully clad in a burqa and a veil and labelled it,

“This would be the REAL conspiracy against her”. Actress Meera, Veena’s bete noire, called her a “completely mad woman”. Feminist commentators, while supporting Veena’s decision to pose nude, wondered if it also amounted to real empowerment.

“Why ‘empowerment’ and a ‘free life’ mean no clothes?” tweeted Ayesha Malik. Some others explained why Veena was in denial. “After all, she probably fears being stripped of her Pakistan citizenship,” wrote blogger Cafe Pyala.

RELatED StoRy oN | PagE 20

PM approves trimming transport facility to bureaucrats Senior bureaucrats to be given monetary compensation, instead of official car g Finance Ministry expects to save Rs 1.3 billion per year g

isLAMABAD stAFF REPORt

Fulfilling a major austerity measure announced in the federal budget, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday approved rules for the compulsory monetisation of transport facility for civil servants in BPS20 to 22 that will help save Rs 1.3 billion per annum.

A statement issued from the Prime Minister House said the policy was formulated in line with the cabinet decision in its meeting on June 3 2011. The application of the monetisation policy will be compulsory for all civil servants in BS-20 and above as per the approved parameters.

According to the proposed policy, there will be complete ban on the purchase of staff cars while no officer

of BS-20 or above will be entitled and authorised to use project vehicles or the departmental general duty

vehicles for any kind of duty. Services of the regular permanent driver will be offered to civil servants on optional basis on deduction of Rs 10,000 per month from the monetised value. There will be no new recruitment of drivers.

The Finance Ministry had submitted a proposal that all federal government officers in grade 20 to grade 22 would be offered financial compensation of Rs 55,000 to Rs 75,000 per month instead of government-maintained vehicles.

The proposal was referred to the Cabinet Division to draft policy and rules in this regard. At present 1,391 officers of the federal government are allowed chauffer-driven official cars. The government had initially planned to launch the scheme from August 01 2011.

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Sunday, 4 december, 2011

FoReiGN NewS

ARtS & eNteRtAiNMeNt

SPoRtS

News 03 CoMMeNt

israel must ‘mend fences’ to end isolation, says us Ali Zafar, Atif Aslam among sexiest Asian men Pakistan secure series win

the way forward: We can’t totally delink from the US.

the memo case: Criticism from legal quarters.

Humayun Gauhar says: No more crawling: Pak-US relations need to be established on new grounds.

Harris bin Munwar says: Invisible enemy: Out of sight, not out of mind.

M J Akbar says: Chaos theory, UPA style: Riding the political roller coaster.

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Government a toothless tiger, says Asma Former SCBA president says govt lacks moral authority, power g

Monitoring Desk Former Supreme Court Bar Association president Asma Jahangir on Saturday termed the government a “toothless tiger” as it lacked moral authority and power.

She had earlier talked about the judiciary in the same manner as according to her, it also “does not entertain any moral authority because its decisions are not acted upon”.

Asked in an interview in Samaa TV programme Zer-e-Behas hosted by Pakistan Today Editor Arif Nizami about the reason she had decided to represent Husain Haqqani in the SC, she said she had earlier been approached by Haqqani to plead his case which she declined, but subsequently changed her mind when no lawyer was ready to take up the case.

Asked to substantiate her point why the judiciary lacked moral authority and was media-driven, Asma said the judiciary ran on the principle of moral authority which was the basis of its power. She also said there was no similarity between the Watergate scandal and the memo issue.

“This is called showing way to others.”

She said because the judiciary was not an elected institution, it should avoid in-

Government calls in army to ensure security islAMABAd: The government has requisitioned 122 companies of the Pakistan Army to assist the civil administration for ensuring foolproof security during Muharram. Government sources said that 122 companies of the Pakistan Army would help the civil administration maintain peace during the month of Ashura, while 123 companies of the Frontier Constabulary (FC) and Rangers have also been deployed to assist the local administration. The sources said that troops have been requisitioned for 38 districts through out the country, including Multan, Chakwal, Sargodha, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Chinot, Jhang, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Hangu, Kohat and Quetta. stAFF REPORt

Basit appointed Fo spokesman islAMABAd: Abdul Basit has been appointed as spokesman on Saturday, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs message said.He has replaced Tehmina Janjua, who had been designated as ambassador to Italy and will assume her new responsibility next week. Abdul Basit had served as the Foreign Office spokesman until the controversy in February this year over the status of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) under cover agent Raymond Davi,s after he murdered two Pakistanis in Lahore. A Foreign Ministry message sent to the journalists introduced Abdul Basit as spokesman and provided his contact details. ONLiNE

dulging in controversies. To her “the standard should be the same for everyone. If some Allah Ditta approaches the judiciary, he should get the same treatment meted out to Nawaz Sharif.”

Asked to react on Tariq Khosa’s reluctance to head the commission, she said it was a welcome move. “Khosa has earned more reverence in my eyes because he did not want to earn a bad name for himself.”

She said she had never had any doubts about Khosa’s integrity, and that it was not correct on the SC’s part to name its favorite investigators, no matter what their level of integrity was.

PPP presents new lG draft bill to MQM, PMl-F kArAChi: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Saturday presented the draft bill of the new local government system to its coalition partners in Sindh.The bill was presented in the meeting of the PPP, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Pakistan Muslim League – Functionalist (PML-F) core committees at the Chief Minister House. Speaking to reporters following the meeting, PML-F leader Imtiaz Sheikh said that the commissionerate system had been finalised and negotiations were underway on the local government system. Agha Siraj Durrani said that the PPP had promised that all coalition partners would be taken into confidence over the local government system in Sindh. Sources add that the next meeting to discuss the local government system will be held after Ashura. ONLiNE

Main accused in NiCl scam allowed bail kArAChi: The Federal AntiCorruption Court on Saturday granted bail to former National Insurance Company Ltd (NICL) chairman Ayaz Niazi in the Dubai property case. The court allowed bail to him against a surety of Rs 5 million in an embezzlement case pertaining to the purchase of property on exorbitant rate in Dubai. The co-accused persons in the case were already on bail. APP

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Pakistan must avoid military confrontation LAHore stAFF REPORt

Former president and All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) chief Pervez Musharraf said on Saturday that Pakistan should avoid military confrontation with the US and NATO forces over the issue of NATO attack on the Salala check post in the Mohmand Agency. In a television interview, Musharraf said that Pakistan should avoid military confrontation, however, the issue should be taken up and guarantees

should be taken from the US and the NATO forces.

Regarding the Bonn conference, being held to discuss the future of Afghanistan, he said that the conference would not produce any magical results that could solve the Afghanistan issue. He added that no one knows who is leading the Taliban and who holds sway over them.

“Who is the real commander of Taliban? This is an important question.

Mullah Umer or Gulbadin Hikmatyar or Haqqani? So who should be talked

to? Then there are several other groups in Pakistan. So it is not an easy process,” he said.

Musharraf said that Pakistan has the right to possess nuclear technology as the country has serious security issues, especially from the eastern borders and the neighbour has not accepted our freedom and sovereignty completely. “We tested the nuclear device and over the years we have safeguarded our nuclear programme under several layers of security and no one can attack and destroy these assets.”

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04 News

Sunday, 4 december, 2011

Millers threaten to stop Sasti Roti Scheme supply

Newsweek Pakistan retracts Malik attribution isLAMABAD stAFF REPORt

LAHore stAFF REPORt

T

siALKOt: Federal information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan addressing the interfaith conference ‘Hussain (RA) sub Ka’ on saturday.

Pakistani jailed for sham marriage Monitoring Desk A Pakistani man has been jailed after police raided his sham marriage and found a “crib sheet” he used to memorise his bride-to-be’s details, the Daily Mail said on Saturday.

Fraudster Ijaz Khalid, 28, was all set to wed Czech Michaela Sivakova, 22, when officials swooped in on their wedding after a tip-off.

Police arrested the pair, along with the bride’s parents Ruzena Sivokava, 41, and 47year-old Michal Sivak at Calderdale Register Office in Halifax before the ceremony was completed. Bradford Crown Court heard that Khalid had been in the UK since 2007 but his visa had expired at the time of the fake marriage in June. Kitty Taylor, prosecuting, revealed that Khalid’s desperate attempts to stay in the UK saw him apply for a marriage certificate with another Czech woman in April -even though he told police he had been in a relationship with his

Pervaiz elahi flays Nawaz lAhore: PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif gives priority to personal interests over the constitution and the parliament, claimed PML-Q leader Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi on Saturday. He expressed these views while talking to PML-Q leaders and workers at the State Guest House during the joining of political notables belonging to Faisalabad to PML-Q. Former member provincial assembly (MPA) Khalid Nabi Gujjar and Nasir Khan Toor advocate, among others, announced joining the PML-Q. Pervaiz said that PMLN wanted to dictate its terms in the parliament without having a majority in the Lower House, adding that the actions of the Sharif brothers, Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, were against the constitution and democratic norms. stAFF

bride-to-be Sivakova for months.

Khalid told police he had fallen for his bride since meeting her in January at a coffee shop in Bradford. But when police searched his car they found a crib sheet containing information about Sivakova, details of this fake meeting and the bride’s bank details.

Instead of the pair being in love for months, mobile phones taken from all four revealed the first contact between the families was just four weeks before the wedding.

The investigation also found Sivakova’s account number and sort code on a piece of paper wrapped around a debit card in Ruzena’s handbag.

The unconvincing couple’s lies faltered after Khalid told officers his wife-to-be lived with him in Watford and ran a cleaning business from their flat, but she told them she had never been there.

The police found that Michaela had been living with her boyfriend, the father of her baby, throughout her supposed

Girl killed for ‘honour’ lAhore: A girl was murdered and another was injured by unidentified persons on Saturday in what appeared to be a case of honour killing. According to sources, 24-year-old Rubina was murdered by her father, while the police claimed that two persons, including a woman had shot her dead. Rubina had married her neighbour Asad against the will of her family a month ago. Her family had filed a complaint with the police against Asad, his brother Farooq and sister Yasmeen. Two days ago, Rubina’s family made her return to her home. On Saturday, Rubina was at her home with her friend Zainab when they were attacked by unidentified persons. They were taken to a hospital where Rubina succumbed to her injuries, while Zainab’s was said to be in critical condition. The police shifted Rubina’s body to the morgue for autopsy. stAFF REPORt

PML-N AJK denounces threat to revoke Lord Nazir’s nationality

REPORt

Pakistani pleads guilty in US WAshington: A Pakistani man, living in the United States, faces up to 15 years in jail after pleading guilty on Friday of providing material support to militant outfit, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LT). US justice officials said Jubair Ahmad, 24, posted a propaganda video for LT “glorifying violent jihad” in 2010, three years after he arrived in the United States with his parents and two younger brothers. AFP

romance with Khalid.

Judge John Potter told the four defendants: “The investigation into what was about to happen at the registry office provided clear evidence that each of you embarked on this unlawful agreement to allow Khalid to breach the immigration laws of this country. It seems that a moderate amount of money was to be transferred to this family, probably around 200 pounds, to allow the groom, once married, to remain in the UK. People who behave how you did – flouting the immigration laws of this country – cause potential danger for our country.” Jailing Khalid for 18 months Judge Potter said: “This was your second attempt at a sham marriage. You would have gained significant persona benefit by being allowed to remain in the UK.” Both Khalid, of Watford, and mother-ofone Sivakova, of Halifax, were charged with a conspiracy intended to breach immigration laws, and signing false statements of intention to marry.

isLAMABAD stAFF REPORt

Slamming the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government to declare Lord Nazir Ahmad persona-non-grata and issuing a threat to revoke his nationality, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) AJK Chapter on Saturday said such threats were attempts to appease

India and no one could take away the Kashmiri identity from the British House of Lords member.

Addressing a press conference, former AJK Legislative Assembly speaker and PML-N AJK Organising Committee Secretary Shah Ghulam Qadir said, “No one can take away Kashmiri identity from a member of the British House of Lords with a track record of serving the Kashmir cause and defending the rights of Pakistani and Kashmiri expatriates in the United Kingdom.”

He denounced the remarks of AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majid and members of his cabinet against PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif for taking the ‘memogate scandal’ to the Supreme Court.

HE flour millers have again threatened to stop the wheat flour supply for Punjab government’s Sasti Roti Scheme, which has been squeezed to a few mechanical Tandoors and Dastarkhwans.

The Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) sources said that after receiving a partial payment from the provincial government, the flour millers had restored wheat flour supply to the designated Tandoors and Dastarkhwans but this arrangement was temporarily made for the holy month of Muharam. If the government did not clear the outstanding payment of over Rs

10 million, the millers would be compelled to stop the wheat flour supply after Ashura holidays, the sources added.

Speaking to Pakistan Today, former PFMA chairman Asim Raza Ahmad said that the PFMA members had Rs 32 million outstanding flour supply bills pending with the government for the last three to four months. He said that earlier, about 16 flour mills were supplying wheat flour for the Sasti Roti Scheme, however due to the cumbersome procedures and delayed payments most mills have discontinued the flour supply.

He said that the delayed payments by the government had created a cash flow problem for the flour milling industry, consequently only six mills were

maintaining flour supply for the Punjab government’s Sasti Roti Scheme. He said that though the government had made partial payment of Rs 23.6 million to the flour millers, still over Rs 10 million were pending.

He revealed that despite many assurances by the provincial and district governments, the millers did not get any relief in clearance of their outstanding bills, adding that some mills had not been paid since January.

The flour millers had decided on Monday to curtail the wheat flour supply for the Sasti Roti Scheme to avoid further liquidity problems. Currently, 16 mechanical Tandoors and 112 Dastarkhwans were operational in different parts of the province.

Newsweek Pakistan has retracted its original assertions attributed to Interior Minister Rehman Malik in the Memogate scandal. In a letter to the Interior Minister the Newsweek editor said, “The original assertion stands retracted unconditionally and categorically denied and we regret and apologise for any inconvenience caused to Senator Malik in the matter.”

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry office said Lord Nazir was known to the minister and was an old acquaintance and the Interior Minister had never used threatening language towards Nazir.

It said Malik had sympathised with Nazir when he was convicted and jailed and was welcome in Pakistan and would get full security.

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Sunday, 4 december, 2011

‘Lady Willingdon ain’t going nowhere!’

PAGe 08

City prepares to mourn Karbala martyrs events related to Muharram gain momentum, as security checks made for main processions from islampura and Nisar Haveli g

LAHore

T

sALAHuDDiN sAFDAR

HE city appears sad and in a state of mourning, as Muharram-related events gain momentum with two days left until Youm-e-Ashur. The black colour becomes more evident in the city, as people irrespective of any sect mourn the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) grandson Imam Hussain (RA).

Anywhere one goes in the city, banners of mourning the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RA) are reminding people of the historic battle between Umayyad caliph Yazeed and Imam Hussain (RA). Special observances of the Shia sect during Ashura have gained momentum, as the Youm-eAshur comes closer.

Although majalis begin with sighting of the Muharram moon but gatherings gain momentum in the city near 5th or 6th of Muharram. The attendance in different processions of Muharram in each locality also keeps on multiplying with every passing day.

The topics for each majlis is decided by local Shia organisations and followed by a procession carrying a symbol of any of the martyrs of Karbala, including swing for Ali Asghar (RA) and flag for Abbas (RA). Although the gatherings and processions are carried out in each nook and corner of the city, but the epicenter of observances lies in the Walled City.

Sunni clerics, especially Barailvis, also practice some traditions during these days and sweet drinks are distributed among people at shrines and other places of religious gatherings.

But mostly Muharram is about Shia practices of regular congregations, processions, beating chests, reciting elegies, beating backs with sharp chains and black dress throughout Ashura. The city is echoing with sorrowful poetic recitations known as marsiyas and nohas. In many public transport wagons, coaches and rickshaws, recordings of elegies describing the scene of Karbala are on full volume.

Shops of mourning-related items have also done good business in the Walled City. Many also wear “chain ornaments” in Muharram processions to depict the situation of Imam Hussain’s (RA) martyrdom at Karbala.

Such chain ornaments sets are available for prices ranging between Rs 500 to 1,500 while steel bangles worn on the wrist are being sold between Rs 20 to Rs 100 depending on their material, design and the area where the shop is situated.

The prices of hand-shaped symbol of Abbas’ flag have also increased and extra Rs 200 to 300 are being charged for it.

The biggest procession in the city is brought out from Nisar Haveli on Youme-Ashur which culminates at Karbala Gaamy Shah while 9th Muharram’s main procession will be taken out from Islampura. Security arrangements have also been tightened in the city since beginning of the month and special measures are taken to clear the route of the main procession of Zuljinnah from any mishap. The Punjab government also called up rangers to maintain law and order and avoid any sectarian clash or terrorist activity.

Roads leading to the congregation are closed for traffic and only pedestrians are allowed after passing through checking.

The Lahore commissioner also directed officers on Saturday to set up a separate cabin for checking women at all shrines in the city. Directions were also issued to ensure use of standard products in the food distributed in connection with Muharram observances.

He claimed that all cameras installed for security of Muharram processions were in a working condition and could record for as long as 15 days. Shrines of Data Ganj Bakhsh, Pir Makki, Bibi Pak Daman, Shah Jamal, Mian Mir, Haider Sayeen, Charagh Hussain and Inayat Shah Qadri were potential places for terrorist attacks and their security needed to be ensured. Cinemas and theatres will also remain closed during Youm-e-Ashur while producers and actors have postponed their shootings and holding majalis at their residences.

Pillion riding banned on Youm-e-Ashur LAHore stAFF REPORt

The City District Government Lahore (CDGL) imposed a ban on pillion riding for Youme-Ashur but women and children under eight years are exempted from the ban.

The Lahore chief traffic officer (CTO) directed traffic wardens to ensure the ban on roads during the said days and register cases under Section 88 of the Pakistan Penal Code against those people violating the ban.

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06 Lahore

Sunday, 4 december, 2011

Speedy train, bus crush two LAHore

A

stAFF REPORts

RASHLY driven car crushed an unidentified old man in Sanda police precincts while the driver of car managed to escape from the scene. According to details, a 60 years old man was hit by a speeding car while crossing the road near New Khan Bus terminal at Band Road and was taken to a hospital but could not survive his injuries. trAin kills MAn: A train crushed a man who was trying to cross the track in Badami Bagh. The deceased, identified as Muhammad Muneer of 60 years, was going with his son to Badami Bagh from his residential area of Shadbagh when they encountered a closed railway crossing.

The deceased tried to cross the track on foot when he was crushed by the train.

BodY Found: A body of unidentified person, suspected to have died of a heart

attack, was found in Sanda area and was shifted to the morgue. rApists Arrested: Defence-A police arrested two persons accused of kidnapping and raping a woman. The accused persons were identified as Shafiq and Ghulam Mustafa. According to the investigation officer the third accused in the case Saleem was on bail while the fourth nominated in the complaint was yet to be arrested. Shafiq was accused of raping his tenant’s daughter who was married but was living at her parents’ place due to differences with her husband.

The victim woman (S) was kidnapped by Shafiq through deception that he would manage a job for her. The accused person took the woman to some unknown place and raped her with help of a relative Saleem and another fellow Ghulam Mustafa who was accused of filming the rape scene. girl dies MYsteriouslY: A girl died in mysterious conditions in Jinnah

Hospital on Friday late night. According to doctors of the hospital, the girl named Shabana of age 18 years was brought to hospital half dead and passed away almost instantly. Doctors ascertained D&C abortion as reason of the death. Per details, Shabana, originally a resident of Vehari, was working as a maid in Asghar’s home in Mansoora Bazar of Hanjarwal area. kidnApped driVer reCoVered: Civil lines police recovered a rickshaw driver kidnapped by a group, including policemen, for ransom.

Three of the kidnappers were arrested while the two main accused police constables managed to flee. According to police two policemen deputed in Millat Park Police Station kidnapped rickshaw driver Rana Qaiser from civil lines police precincts and had demanded ransom of Rs 0.2 million from the family. The kidnappers were identified as constables Zeeshan and Irfan Shah and their accomplices Umair, Waqas and Ammar.

Contested pArenthood: The miseries of an infant recently recovered from a woman after being kidnapped from Bibi Pakdaman do not seem to be ending as two different men have appeared with the claim of his fatherhood.

According to reports, two different couples have claimed parenthood of the child recovered. Ghulam Rasool and Rukhsana of Nankana Sahib and Zafar Iqbal and his wife Naseem Bibi are claiming to be parents of the child. However police has decided to get child’s DNA tested.

Firing: A youth opened fire over a petty issue in Iqbal Town police precincts injuring a shopkeeper and passer-by. According to police, the injured were said to be critical in hospital while a case was registered against the attacker. Per details, Shahbaz visited Aqeel, a shopkeeper, in Iqbal Town where both had a clash and Shahbaz opened fire which injured Aqeel and a passer by while the assailant managed to escape from the scene.

‘Pakistan’s future linked with technical education’ LAHore stAFF REPORt

Pakistan’s future is linked with technical education and by equipping the younger generation with modern knowledge not only the problem of unemployment can be overcome but the country can also be put on the road to progress, Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday.

He was chairing a meeting to review initiatives taken for promotion of technical education in the province at the CM’s Secretariat.

Shahbaz directed officers that steps should be taken speedily for promotion of technical education in the province and public-private partnership (PPP) should be promoted in this regard.

He stressed that a practicable and transparent policy be formulated and presented within the

next few days for this purpose, including steps such as provision of incentives to the private sector for promotion of modern technical education. Shahbaz said that the Punjab government was pursuing a comprehensive strategy for promotion of technical education in the province. He said that TEVTA and the Punjab Vocational Training Council had been made vibrant and dynamic institutions, which had been given the target of preparing skilled manpower keeping in view the demands of the market.

Meeting QuArter MAster generAl: Shahbaz held a meeting with Quarter Master General Lieutenant General Sajjad Ghani during which implementation of development schemes in the province and the project of refurbishing old buses with cooperation of the National Logistic Cell

Qasim calls on Shahbaz LAHore

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Saturday.

Matters of mutual interest and issues relating to promotion of hockey in the province were discussed in the meeting.

stAFF REPORt

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) and Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Qasim Zia called on were discussed. He said that transparency was the hallmark of the Punjab government and quality, transparency and timely completion of all development projects were being ensured.

JiCA: A team of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) called on Shahbaz and presented a study report conducted in regard to the Lahore Urban Transport Plan 2020-2030, which in-

cluded steps such as the Rapid Mass Transit System (RMPS), Bus Rapid Service (BRS) and traffic management keeping in view future requirements. dengue Meeting: Shahbaz chaired a meeting to review the dengue situation in the province and steps taken for its eradication and provision of diagnostic facilities to the people at reasonable rates.

rotary club provides artificial limbs lAhore: Members of Rotary Club of the Lahore Garrison participated in the closing ceremony of The Rotary Foundation Matching Grant for providing artificial limbs to the needy. A total of 36 artificial limbs were provided through Hope Rehabilitation Society, where the closing ceremony was held. Artificial limbs and braces were also provided through the Pakistan Society for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled (PSRD) and Sahara Centre. Dr Khalid Niazi presented an overview of the project done at the

Hope Centre and received a cheque for the final payment from the club.

Shehzad Ahmed, President Asif Khawaja, Secretary Shaheen Ahmed and other members of Rotary Club also participated in the ceremony. PR

Petition seeks contempt of court charges against Awan LAHore stAFF REPORt

A petition was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday seeking contempt of court proceedings against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Senator Dr Babar Awan.

Advocate Afaq Ahmed filed the petition submitting that Awan was frequently maligning the judiciary during his press conferences and media talks. He alleged that everybody knew that Awan had distributed sweets when former PM and PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was convicted by the LHC. Afaq said that later Awan joined the PPP and took a Uturn by terming the conviction as a judicial murder and continued criticising judgments of the superior judiciary and issued remarks on subjudice matters. The petitioner pointed out that in a recent press conference, the PPP senator not only criticised SC proceedings but also tried to establish a secret relation of the court with a specific political party while speaking on the memogate issue, which is sub-judice.

Afaq requested the court that the senator be restrained from issuing any statement on sub-judice matters and the media be also barred from airing or publishing such statements. He also requested the court that Awan be disqualified from contesting general elections. nAeeM’s reMAnd extended: An accountability court on Saturday extended the physical remand of Dr Majid Naeem, former Punjab University College of Information Technology (PUCIT) principal until December 7.

Earlier on November 21, the court had extended the remand of the accused until December 5 but as it is a public holiday due to Muharram, NAB authorities presented the accused prior to the hearing date to get the date exchanged. The accused is involved in a reference, which was filed in an accountability court in December 2010, over charges of misappropriation of Rs 2.7 million through misuse of authority.

According to the reference, Naeem, while serving as PUCIT principal, withdrew the amount from university funds without approval of the competent authority and used the money for his personal use by corrupt, dishonest and illegal means. The court had framed charges against the accused on February 28. Due to nonappointment of the chairman NAB, Naeem’s arrest warrants could not be issued. The accused took benefit of the situation and intentionally started to avoid appearing in court and the investigation officer of the reference. The NAB chairman, after assuming office, issued the arrest warrant of the accused who was arrested later from Lahore. sent on phYsiCAl reMAnd: An accountability court sent Rizwan Irfan on physical demand until December 8.

The accused was arrested on charges of misappropriation of a hefty amount during transfer of property.

FCC’s tedx kicks off with a blast CiNeMA

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lAhore: Forman Christain College’s first TEDx kicked off with a blast at the college campus on Saturday. Distinguished speakers including founder of Akhuwat Dr Amjad Saqib, an academic, historian and ex-chairperson of National Commission on the Status Of Women Dr Arfa Zehra and the founder of Justice Project Pakistan, an organisation of lawyers defending the poorest prisoners facing the harshest punishments, Sarah Belal addressed the occasion. Saqib, in his speech, threw light on the story of Akhuwat. He told the audience that how he with his friends gave interest free loan to a widow who after sewing clothes started an independent life. Dr Amjad said he started with just Rs 10,000 and now Akhuwat had a Rs 1.5 billion interest-free loan fund.

He talked about the exploitative capitalist system and said the interest free economy was the only way out. He also discussed the principles of Akhuwat and asked the audience to be among the givers.

Dr Arifa asked the audience to live with dignity and honour. She also asked the youth to be the true representatives of Allah and follow His commandments. stAFF REPORt

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Sunday, 4 december, 2011

Lahore 07 Jobs up for grabs in ldA, wASA lAhore: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) have invited applications from eligible candidates for filling vacant posts. LDA has invited applications for recruitment on various posts of BPS-1 to 14 by December 20. These jobs include 20 vacancies of office assistants, 20 posts of stenographers, eight jobs of subengineer (civil) and two each of sub-engineer electrical as well as mechanical. Applications have also been invited for filling posts of nurse, assistant security officer and drivers. All recruitments will be made on contract basis for three years, which would be extendable on satisfactory performance.

WASA, which is a subordinate organisation of LDA, has also invited applications for filling posts of different cadres in BPS-1 to 11 for overcoming shortage of operational staff. These posts include 20 junior accounts assistant, 30 junior clerk/ typist, 28 junior pump operators, 10 security guards, 28 sewer men, 30 assistant pipe fitters and jobs in other fields. ldA to AuCtion 26 plots on 19th: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has scheduled auction of 26 commercial plots, situated in its various housing schemes, for December 19. Public utility sites reserved for setting up schools, dispensaries and community centres in approved private housing schemes will also be auctioned on the occasion. The auction will be held at the LDA Community Centre, 239-A New Muslim Town and proceedings will start at 10am. stAFF REPORt

WORLD DisABLED DAY: this is how Pakistan celebrates it. IRFAN CHAudHRy

Sugar prices equalise in open market, Utility Stores LAHore

T

NAuMAN tAsLEEM

HE price of sugar at Utility Stores and the open market has equalised due to which Utility Stores are loosing effectiveness in the public, Pakistan Today has learnt.

Sale of sugar at Utility Stores has also decreased and consumers are buying sugar from the open market. When price of sugar in the open market was roaming at Rs 70 to 75 per kg then price of sugar at Utility Stores remained Rs 56 per kg but now the price of both markets is almost equal.

The federal government provided Rs 2 billion subsidy for stores during Ramadan and prices were quite low.

Consumers have often complained of quality of sugar being sold at Utility Stores but because of low price, they had no option but to buy from Utility Stores. The price of sugar at Utility Stores is Rs 56 per kg while in the open market it could be purchased between Rs 56 to 60 per kg. The quality and sweetness of sugar sold at Utility Stores is not good while in the open market it

is good. As a result, consumers are more inclined towards the open market sugar and sales at stores have dropped, said official Azam Ismail at the Township Utility Store. He said that the price of sugar was quite high in the open market some two months ago, therefore, people preferred to buy it from Utility Stores but now the situation is different. Ismail said sales at stores have dropped more than 60 percent because of this reason.

“We used to sell around 50 to 60 kg sugar on a daily basis in normal days but now we are selling only 10 to 16 kg,” he added. A senior official of Utility Stores, seeking anonymity, said that now there was no subsidy on

sugar prices, therefore, there is hardly any attraction for consumers. On question of quality of sugar, he said that the product is procured by the Trade Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and the Utility Stores administration cannot do anything in this regard.

Sources said that the TCP purchased sugar at higher rates and now it is not possible for the federal government to further lower sugar prices at Utility Stores.

“Sugar was purchased at Rs 62 to 65 per kg and now a further decrease would burden the national exchequer,” sources added.

Consumers demanded the federal government to lower sugar prices at Utility Stores so that the real object of these stores could be obtained. “The USC was established to help the middleclass against price hike but this object could not be achieved at least in sugar prices,” said consumer Sadeed Malhi, adding that he used to purchase sugar from Utility Stores but this month he purchased it from the open market. “The quality of sugar in open market is far better than Utility Stores,” he added.

UMt holds 7th convocation lAhore: The 7th convocation of the University of Management and Technology (UMT) was held on Saturday, at the UMT campus. A total 740 students were awarded degrees in various disciplines while 31 students received various medals including Patron, Rector and Sponsor medals on the basis of outstanding academic performance.

Senator Prof Khurshid Ahmad was the chief guest on the occasion, while Dr Rafique Ahmad, former vice chancellor of Punjab University and Dr Manzoor Ahmad, vice chancellor Animal Science University were also present.

Kiran Shabbir, graduate of the Master in Media and Communication programme,

was awarded the Dr Muhammad Ahmed Gold Medal along with a cash prize of Rs 50,000. Kiran Nasir was awarded patron’s medal. The Sardar Muhammad Ghalib Gold Medal was awarded to Aisha Aziz, graduate of the BS Electrical Engineering program. Arslan Javaid, graduate of MBA-P received the Ahmed Dawood Gold Medal along with a cash prize of Rs 100,000.

Delivering the convocation address, Prof Khursid Ahmad said UMT was not just an academic institution but an idea and a vision since it did not deprive students of their connection with the Creator.

UMT Rector Dr Hasan Shoaib Murad also addressed the occasion. stAFF REPORt

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08 Lahore ‘lady Willingdon 25 °C High ain’t going nowhere!’

12low0C Sunday, 4 december, 2011

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Civil society refuses to endorse Punjab govt’s ‘silly’ move to relocate the historic hospital

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UNJAB government is in for a rough time over the issue of relocating the Lady Willingdon Hospital without consulting the prime stakeholders, the people of the area.

The unaware people of Taxali gate, walled city and other adjacent areas of Lady Willingdon Hospital said it was impossible that the Punjab government was shifting the hospital elsewhere, some even laughed at the idea.

Not only the residents but other people associated to the hospital and the dental college (The de’Montmorency College of Dentistry) claimed that it was nothing but a rumor.

The Lady Willingdon Hospital and The de’Montmorency College of Dentistry are planned to be relocated in a drive that was initiated over 25 years ago by the then governor of Punjab, LtGen Ghulam Jilani Khan (late). The drive was said to be initiated to clear the view of the Bad-

shahi Mosque and the Minar-e-Pakistan.

Ironically neither the hospital management nor the people of the area have been informed about the huge change about to be imposed on their lives.

“You must have been mistaken, it might be some other hospital, this hospital is the most visited hospital in this area, I doubt that the Punjab government would make this silly move”, said Ashraf a resident of the “Shahi Mohalla”. After saying so he said if this was true the Punjab government should get ready to face heavy resistance by the locals of the area, certifying the locals would standup for what they call “their rights”.

On the other hands, young doctors, especially female doctors, coming in for training from KEMU also claimed that they did not know of any such move. “We don’t think so that could be done, this is the center of gynae and this hospital is catering to thousands of people residing in the thickly populated area of the walled city and other adjacent areas,” said Yusra, a student of

KEMU. When the MS of Lady Willingdon hospital was contacted he refused to comment on the situation, adding that the hospital had not received any official notice on the issue.

Lady Willingdon Hospital is over 80 years old and currently holds 104 kanals area under its name. Though no notice has been issued by the government in this regard, sources in the Health Department say that the hospital was being relocated to a smaller 30 kanal are. The population being catered by the Lady Willingdon Hospital is about 3 to 4 hundred thousand people, of which the majority is women.

Knowing the historic and social backgrounds of the hospital, architects and the civil society members stand steadfastly against the move.

“The building is more than 80 years old and was made pre-partition, there is no way this building is going down only to clear the view,” said Asad, an architect, adding “I fail to understand why the Punjab government chooses the most difficult way to go about a task instead of opting for the easier one.”

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News 09

DARGAi/PEsHAWAR: teachers, students and people belonging to different sections of the society hold a walk to mark World Disability Day in Dargai (L) and Peshawar (R) on saturday. INP/STAFF PHOTO

Senate Cooperative Society files reference for recovery of millions g

Former management, in connivance with contractors, caused losses of millions of rupees to society isLAMABAD

T

tAHiR NiAZ

HE Senate (Secretariat) Employees Cooperative Housing Society Islamabad has filed a reference against the former management committee of the society before the Registrar Cooperative Societies ICT, for recovery of millions of rupees the respondents embezzled in collusion with various contractors.

The 26-point reference filed by current president of the society, Dildar Muhammad Fani, states that the former management entered into several agreements with various development firms, but hardly any of them fulfilled the commitment. Despite the fact that one of the development contractors; Raja Ishtiaq and Associates, never fulfilled its obliga-

Pti won’t take in khar without show of power LAHore ADNAN LODHi

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) is reluctant to include former governor Ghulam Mustafa Khar in the team, unless he exhibits a major show of power to showcase his popularity in south Punjab. However, arranging a grand session is a difficult task of for Khar, Pakistan Today learnt on Saturday.

According to sources, negotiations between Khar and the PTI chairman were underway and a formal announcement is expectedly after 10th of Muharram. But the PTI is expecting Khar to arrange a grand session to announce his affiliation with the PTI, but Khar is hesitant to announce the same as it is difficult for him to gather a large number of people in the session. Sources said some elements from Khar’s side met PTI Punjab office-bearers and sought time for the meeting from PTI Chairman Imran Khan after the 10th of Muharram. Still the PTI wants Khar to hold a massive rally in Muzzafargarh to show his worth and assure PTI opponents that they are set to reduce the hegemony of both the PML-N and the PPP. PTI General Secretary Dr Arif Alvi said he was not aware of the developments in connection with Khar’s status, but according to another party leader, PTI senior leaders were not taking much interest regarding the inclusion of Khar in the PTI. According to another source, Khar wanted to announce his affiliation with the PTI in a press conference, but the PTI chairman Imran expected a show of power from Khar, like the one from Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

tions nor honoured any agreement executed by it, the ex-management continued awarding contracts of heavy amounts to it without getting any immovable property mortgaged. The guarantee cheques given by the firm were also dishonoured. The management believed that the former management and the firm were in collusion for personal benefit at the cost of millions of rupees.

The former president of the society, Raja Muhammad Kamal, is died while other 13 respondents, including Mushtaq Ahmad, Mussarrat Khan, Syed Mussarrat Abbas Shah, Fahim Ahmad, Muhammad Akram, Ghulam Murtaza, Riaz Akhtar, Liaqat Ali, Said Afsar, Syed Afsar, Ch Aftab Ahmad, Akbar Hussain and M Saud Akhtar are alive. Most of the respondents are employees of the Senate Secretariat.

According to the reference, it has been

prayed that recoveries indicated in the audit report be recovered from the exmanagement committee, as it is equally responsible for loss caused to the society.

The outstanding recoveries include price of 94 kanals, 9 marlas of land – Rs 5,07,32,217 – along with prevailing bank interest rate from M/S Raja Ishtiaq and Associates and recovery of Rs 7,72,618 from other land lords along with mark up.

According to the reference, the former management of the society paid a sum of Rs 35 million to M/S Raja Ishtiaq and Associates in 2005 without signing any agreement.

The society signed an agreement with the firm on July 31, 2008 for the demarcation of land and erection of pickets around the boundary. However, the audit pointed out irregularities in pre-development expenditure over worth Rs 20 mil-

Anjum arrested in Rs 6b NPF scam islAMABAd: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan on Saturday was arrested from the courtroom after court rejected his bail plea in the Rs 6 billion National Police Foundation (NPF) land scam case. The case was being heard in the court of special judge Mian Khalid Shabir. Anjum appeared before the court to seek bail which the court refused to extend. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials arrested him along with two accomplices Abdul Hanan and Chaudhary Iftikhar from the courtroom. Anjum’s counsel Babar Butt said Aqeel was land owner and another share holder had gotten a court stay order on the land. Anjum was allegedly involved in the Rs 6b scam by NPF in land deals. Talking to journalists outside the court, PML-N leader Zafar Ali Shah said they accept the courts decision. stAFF REPORt

PML-N’s committee meets to draft party’s manifesto isLAMABAD stAFF REPORt

The PML-N’s manifesto committee met on Saturday under defacto secretary general Sartaj Aziz to draft the party’s manifesto for the next elections.

Talking to Pakistan Today, PMLN Deputy Secretary Information Khurram Dastagir said the committee had finalised 70 to 80 percent draft and the remaining work would be done in the other two to three meetings.

“The manifesto focuses on economic revival and energy crisis. The PML-N will primarily depend on Thar Coal and other unexplored reservoirs of natural gas in Balochistan to meet the challenges of shortfall of gas and electricity,” he said, adding that the party would also use wind corridors for the generation of electricity

through wind mills. He said nuclear capability of the country would also be used to tackle energy crisis.

Dastagir said the manifesto committee had agreed on simplification of taxation to resolve the chronic problem of tax theft and evasion. “Under existing system, some segments of the society are paying multiple taxes… we will bring this unjust system to an end,” he said. Dastagir said the PMLN had given prime focus on Balochistan’s issue in its under-preparation manifesto.

He said in the next meetings, the committee would finalise chapters relating to social sector including education, health, women and minorities.

“We are giving utmost importance to agriculture sector in the manifesto and will give clear policy on how the party will keep prices of agricultural inputs low to give maximum relief to the farmers,” he added.

lion. The firm had to provide 833 kanals of land per month to the society and a total area of 10,000 kanals of land was to be provided from June 10, 2005 to June 10, 2006, however, it only provided 856 kanals and 17 marlas of land to date.

The society entered into a revised agreement with the same firm in 2007 for purchase of 92 kanals, however, the firm failed to fulfill its commitment but the management of the society did not mortgage the properties in the name of society that were provided as guarantee to the society and also did not clear the guarantee cheques.

The former management sold land measuring 94 kanals and 9 marlas, but did not disclose the sale in its annual accounts. The sale proceeds of this land were not deposited in the society’s bank account, the reference further stated.

20 militants killed, 2 soldiers injured in orakzai clashes orAkZAi ONLiNE

At least 20 militants were killed and two soldiers were injured in an operation conducted by security forces in various parts of Upper Orakzai Agency on Saturday. According to media reports, the militants started indiscriminate firing at the security forces in Anzar Kalay area of Upper Orakzai Agency, the security forces retaliated killing eight militants on the spot. Two soldiers also sustained injuries in the clashes.

Meanwhile, the security forces shelled five militant hideouts in Zakhtan, Arhang and Shaker Tangi areas of North Waziristan, killing 12 militants.

The security forces have also started search an operation in Jamrud tehsil, while curfew has been imposed in Miranshah for an indefinite period.

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10 News Nawaz terms PPP press conference ‘sheer lie’ isLAMABAD ONLiNE

PML-N President Nawaz Sharif has termed a white lie the PPP ministers’ press conference against his Supreme Court petition, which seeks investigation into the memo scandal.

Nawaz told a private TV channel on Saturday that he had not called President Asif Zardari a traitor when he made remarks in the Supreme Court, adding that the ministers’ claim was rubbish. “We only want conspirators and those behind them should come to open. The hue and cry of ruling party can not work any longer,” he said. “If parliament is rendered redundant and it is not functioning properly then it becomes obligatory for a person like me to move the court,” he said, adding that had the executive and parliament worked properly, “I would not have felt any need to approach the court”. He said parliament was the representative of the nation and seeking its opinion was very vital. “A national policy should be evolved to deal with international relations,” he said, adding that “it is not being done”. Nawaz alleged that the government had not accepted restoration and independence of the judiciary. The verdicts of the judiciary were not being implemented now and its independence was not being accepted, he lamented.

Sunday, 4 december, 2011

No changes in economic relations with US: Shaikh g

Government announces Rs 10 million for karachi Press Club kArACHi QAZi AsiF/stAFF REPORt

T

HERE will be no changes in the economic relations between the US and Pakistan after the recent incidents, Finance Minister Hafiz Shaikh said on Saturday.

Addressing reporters at the Karachi Press Club, he said the US external assistance programme would continue, adding that Pakistan wanted good economic ties with every country. Shaikh said Pakistan received more external assistance from the IMF, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Islamic banks, adding that the US gave $500 million every year to Pakistan and $7.5 million through the Kerry Luger law.

“There is a need to expand the tax system in the country so that depend-

ence on others can be reduced. During the last five months, Rs 640 billion were recovered which is 28 percent more than the estimated targets. We need to expand it more for the economic stability of the country,” he added.

He said because of floods, oil prices and security reasons, the deficit could not controlled as it was estimated, adding that the estimated growth rate was four percent but due to these factor, two percent growth rate could not be achieved. Even in this situation export business reached $25 billion which is an increase of 28 percent. Remittances reached $11.5 billion which the highest in the history of the country. He said to control the economic deficit, new steps were taken to increase the tax net but “influential lobbies are acting against it…however the government is doing its best”. According to international moni-

toring agencies, the country suffers $10 billion in damages. “To reduce the economic deficit, the government has taken difficult and unpopular steps in the best interests of the country. Oil prices were de-regularized, subsidies were reduced.

For the first time in the country, the inflation rate reached double digits in 2006 which further increased by 25 per-

cent in 2008. The Exchange rate increased from 60 to 80.”

He said the State Bank was working completely independently. Shaikh said Pakistan was passing through a time when no institution could show its dominance over the other, adding, “A new Pakistan is emerging… there should no disturbance in that process. No other than people of Pakistan can sit on the driving seat.”

He said the parliament had taken very bold decisions for best interest of the country. “Eighteen ministries were handed over to provinces. Sixty percent of funds are going to the provinces and the remaining 40 percent with the Centre.” During his press conference, the finance minister also announced that the government would issue Rs 10 million for the Karachi Press Club, adding that future help will continue.

Nukes fully safe but someone may endanger them isLAMABAD ONLiNE

Former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Saturday that Pakistan’s nuclear programme was completely safe but someone has endangered it.

In a statement, Qureshi said that he has never directly or obliquely questioned the physical safety of Pakistan’s nuclear assets.

“For obvious reasons, my comments were distorted to give the impression that I had joined the ranks of those who claim that Pakistan’s nuclear assets were unsafe and could fall into the hands of militant elements,” he added.

“At the outset let me set the record straight, I had said in Ghotki that I have fears that under President Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan’s nuclear program is not safe,” he further stated. The former foreign minister said that he is fully aware of the safety protocols and the command and control structure in place for the safety of the physical infrastructure of the nuclear assets in the country. Even today, Qureshi said, he can confidently defend any criticism against the command and control structure of our assets.

Expressing his fears about confidence in the incumbent president, he said that the official statement from the Foreign Office is correct in stating that under the 18th Amendment, all powers have been transferred to the parliament and the executive authority is vested with the prime minister. However, the nation fully knows where the real power rests in this government and denying the obvious serves no purpose, he said. “That is where my fear lies. As the

memogate scandal has revealed, there are forces present in the country today that would not hesitate to use our nuclear program to prolong their regime,” he maintained. He pointed out that the infamous memo clearly indicated that “retooling of our nuclear programme”, was one of the carrots dangled before the US Administration in a bid to secure the present regime against any military coup. “Someone, somewhere in this government considers it to be a fair bargain to negotiate away our nuclear program for personal gains,” he blamed. “That was the context of my remarks in Ghotki and that remains my serious concern even today,” he concluded.

Apologise for military operations, return missing Baloch: JI liaqat Baloch says government has strengthened military establishment g

PesHAWAr stAFF REPORt

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) central general secretary Liaqat Baloch on Saturday asked the government to stop military operations against its own people in tribal areas, recover Baloch missing persons and apologise to the people of Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference after attending a JI Shura meeting at Al-Markaz Islami on Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)’s political and security situation, Baloch agreed with the government decision to cut NATO supply routes and boycott the Bonn conference. He hoped the government will end the alliance with the US on the war on terror and called the US the ‘biggest terrorists of the world.’

Baloch said the JI had opposed the war on terror policy after 9/11 and had been proven

right by time after the US was ready launch open war against Pakistan.

He said the US was attempting to pit Pakistani security forces against its own people. He said the government was not serious about implementing parliamentary resolutions.

He said the government must admit its cruelties against its own people at official level and immediately recover the missing Baloch persons kidnapped by its own secret agencies.

He said the present government had further strengthened the military establishment and pushed the pressure of increased petrol prices on the people. He said the government had failed and must announce the next elections itself. He said the Shamsi airbase lease was not given to UAE to use against Pakistan’s people with the hands of US forces.

He announced the JI will hold a “Jalsa-eInqilab” on December 18 against the US and corrupt rulers at Peshawar.

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Sunday, 4 december, 2011

Editor’s mail 11

Crisis after crisis

Politics: dirty business?

We have had an endless series of crises – not so long ago it was Memogate; now it is the callous Nato attack on a Pakistani checkpost that killed 26 Pakistani soldiers.

There will be others. There will be much frothing, high oratory and fist-waving, and then the current crisis will be replaced by another one. One of the facts of war is 'friendly fire,' trigger-happy, nervous youngsters attacking their own or allied forces in some kind of 'play-safe-when-in-doubt' mode. The Americans have the worst record, which shows that they’d rather kill the other,

with or without reason.

At least two possibilities exist. First that it was a genuine mistake, although one cannot see why army check-posts with concrete structures should be mistaken for militant camps. If it was a mistake, we must deplore the ignorance or stupidity of the NATO commanders, they should be removed and an official apology be issued along with a guarantee that the matter will be probed immediately.

Second that it was deliberate, intended as a 'lesson' to those 'duplicitous' Pakistanis, a warning that we cannot play both sides with impunity.

This image has been developed and nurtured carefully by some of our great 'friends' and it may have affected the decision to mount the attack. Or it might be a way to get even with the Pakistani forces for not doing enough to stop the Taliban attacking the American embassy in Kabul last month.

Our position is that we are allies and we will help, but they shouldn’t expect us to be their most obedient servants all the time, especially when our long-term interests are involved.

The Americans who, till recently, were making promises about their com-

mitment to this region, are now looking for justifications to withdraw from this muddle – the best way is to put the blame on others (Pakistan, mainly). We are the convenient Aunt Sally at the moment.

It serves as a prelude to what we can expect in the future. Since a strong Pakistan does not aid the US interest in the region, a continuity of similar episodes is something we must expect if Pakistan does not take a firm stand right now. We need a unified and renewed resolve.

PROFESSOR KABIL KHAN Peshawar

US highhandedness NATO’s brutal and unprovoked attack on Pakistani posts at Mohmand on 26 Nov killed and injured many soldiers and has put the whole nation into grief, shock and of course anger. The statement of Gen Dempsey that “the attack wasn’t deliberate and what in the world would we gain by attacking a Pakistani border post” can’t be used as defence for the cold-blooded murder. A mistake is for a minute and not for hours.

Two hours continuous bombing and killing the soldiers, despite clear knowledge of the posts and hearing Pakistani voices on the wireless, are proof that the Americans are lying. What did Raymond Davis gain by killing two Pakistanis; what did the Americans gain by killing thousands of innocent people in Iraq and Afghanistan and through drone attacks in Pakistan? It is time they answered “what we would’ve gained?” It seems that world has been hijacked by the Americans due to its status as the sole superpower and military might.

The other so called superpowers, except China perhaps, also dovetail their agendas with the US’ due to economic, social, religious and some other reasons.

Now, the big question is, how long the rule of “might is right” will prevail.

Destroying Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya (and now they are hovering over Iran) are but a few examples of American highhandedness. The American leaders have always told lies to their nation and the world for their misadventures. Bush and Collin Powell destroyed Iraq on the pretext of Weapons of Mass Destruction; Afghanistan has become the country of widows, orphans, and graveyards and they have given a free hand to Israel to invade and destroy any Muslim country, besides continuous genocide of Palestinians and Kashmiris.

Now, they are killing their own allies, who have suffered the most in the war, who have sheltered more than 6 million Afghan refugees, and who have been plunging deep into poverty due to hefty economic losses. The world needs to take note of American aggression and exert whatever influence they have to ask it to desist.

SHAHID ZAHUR Rawalpindi

choosing the right path Who will it actually benefit to cut off relations with the US on a permanent basis? That’s the burning question right now.

After the NATO strike that killed 24 of our finest in a cross-border attack, our response is what will define us a state and as a nation.

If we keep taking dictates from the US, we would slaves for a long time. If we don’t, we might have to face economic difficulties. Whatever the government decides, not only public sen-

Civil-military imbalance It is unfortunate that the civil military imbalance is very exaggerated in our hapless republic. Had the government worked to strengthen democratic institutions, the situation would have been much better. It’s very unfortunate that after 63 years of independence, we are still struggling for survival. The blame can equally be put on civilian and military rulers.

The economies of other countries in the region are thriving well due to the focused policies of their governments but we continue to ditch each other.

whither good ties?

timent has to be kept in mind but also the long term interests of the state.

Meanwhile, who will compensate for the emotional losses to the families of 24 soldiers who were killed in a NATO strike?

Why blame the Americans alone, when it is our own establishment that is responsible for giving them space.

SALEEM SHEHZAD Lahore

China, India and even Bangladesh are progressing fast but we are hell bent on ruining our institutions and organisations.

Democracy is the best form of government but people now ask what the democratic forces have given to them.

The consensus politics for corruption, collaboration for killings, ministries for loot and democracy for protecting the plunderers has become a norm. Terrorism has engulfed the entire country, devastated the economy and killed thousands of civil-military personnel – including women and children – but we are still not clear whose war is it.

The degeneration of our political elite is a sad reality. Continuous interference and takeovers by the men in khakis have only led to the flourishing of political opportunists who have amassed immense wealth overnight through illegitimate means and now hold political power. Land grabbing from helpless poor through brute force has created such a mess that the security of citizens and their assets have become a casualty.

The state of Pakistan faces a threat from within which has been created by injustices, lawlessness, abuse of power, sectarian or ethnic divides and a wilful disregard of the rule of law by many.

Claims by a group of politicians of being clean, at least, is an acceptance of the fact that ethics is something most others lack. But the fact remains that some of these claimants are scions of corrupt bureaucrats sacked by the state or sons of retired generals notorious for accumulation of wealth during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. But if these politicians who claim to be clean have decided to pay taxes (which may fall short of their due, but is more than what others of their community contribute to the exchequer), then that does qualify them to be labelled cleaner than others.

However, the lesson of history is that when politics becomes the domain of affluent traders, industrialists and feudal lords, the individual has stood to gain more than the system. Tax evasion is politically facilitated and protected. In the case of Pakistan, the other cancerous contribution to degeneration of politics is the role of Gaddi Nasheens who have exploited the masses in the subcontinent.

RASHID ORAKZAI Quetta

The way forward is to strengthen our institutions and make parliament supreme practically rather than paying lip service to the cause. There should be accountability across the board for everybody, may they be civil functionaries or men in uniform.

Let’s kill the politics of confrontation between institutions. If institutions are strengthened, policies are clearly laid out, no hidden agendas are pursued and people are appointed on merit then there is no reason that we can’t progress.

BILAL SHAHID Rawalpindi

A country sans talented and committed leaders will regress or at best remain stagnant. That has been the problem with this country of ours.

A careful examination of the attitude and behaviour of our many past and present leaders (both civilian as well as military) shows that they were busy in the pursuit of selfish personal goals at the expense of broader national interest or needs. I don't know when this country will have an honest, truthful and trustworthy leadership, a bureaucracy with integrity and creativity and an administration that can usefully exploit our resources.

HASHIM ABRO Islamabad send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan Fax: +92-42-36298302 e-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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

The aftermath of NATO attack

‘I

n Pakistan the attack has given a weak – but broadly pro US – government the chance to bolster its nationalist credentials and reassure its public that it is no stooge of Washington.

Ministers will shout and scream and express their outrage. Then, having placated the rabble rousing opposition leaders, quieted the Islamists and burnished their nationalist colors they will accept an apology and go back to taking American dollars. So too the military – And the dead soldiers having served their purpose will be forgotten, mourned only by their families.’ – Rob Crilly in The Daily Telegraph In the aftermath of the NATO attack (detailed analysis of which has been published in this very space on 2 December, 2011), several questions have now surfaced and each in its own way tries to explain this attack that without a doubt is being seen as a landmark game changing event. An escalatory response by Pakistan could have led to very serious consequences. Pakistan is fully aware of

its capabilities and limitations in what is clearly an asymmetric environment. This has raised the question that the attack was deliberate and intended to highlight the helplessness of the Pakistan military against US incursions so as to bring it under criticism from Pakistanis – part of the ‘get Pakistan military and ISI’ series. Raymond Davis, OBL, and Memogate are all slotted into the same category.

There is also confusion on the status of the base – Shamsi Base – (and the UAE role in it) that the US has been asked to vacate – but facts are emerging even as the US prepares to leave the base.

The next scenario being tossed around is based on the fact that the attack was from Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province – the scene of a recent transition of security responsibility to Afghan Security Forces. The idea apparently was to demonstrate US support capability to panicky Afghan National Security Forces. These forces are said to have asked for close support during some kind of operation in the area and panicked when a flare

was allegedly fired by the Pakistanis to see what was going on. Also to indicate to the Pakistanis the type of post withdrawal operations that could be conducted against them if they were to try and exploit the situation. As collateral it helps secure the US-Afghan Strategic Agreement and the Pentagon’s future plans of a prolonged stay in Afghanistan that may be the real goal and part of US strategy against Russia and China and part of the ‘new Silk Road’ scenario.

A variant of this scenario has the Taliban masterminding the event by engaging the Afghan Security Forces in the vicinity of the Pakistani post thereby triggering their reaction and US/NATO response. The Taliban have had a long standing desire to see the Afghan forces fighting with the Pakistan military. Yet another variant is the desire of the Northern Alliance backed Afghan government to see the US attacking Pakistan whom they have repeat-

edly identified as the real enemy.

The Taliban are seen by some as riddled with all sorts of intelligence operatives and therefore amenable to outside influences at a price – in fact the Pakistani Taliban are seen by some as a creation to take the war into Pakistan’s FATA and destabilise the border region for just such type of attacks.

These debates and speculations will continue. The usual pattern is that the event reaches conclusion as per the plan of the stronger side and is followed by regret and concern by the perpetrator and much chest thumping and threats by the other side. The next phase is the speculation and analysis phase – this is where we are right now, and finally comes the post event investigation and action phase to bring some sort of conclusion. This particular event is being seen as far too serious and damaging to smoothly move through these transitions unless there is genuine resolve to do this. On the

US side, the response so far is that the action to stop logistics through Pakistan will have no impact on operations and that the drone attacks will continue in spite of the base closure. Russia has signaled that it would reconsider the US use of the Northern Distribution Network as part of its response to a US Missile Shield in Europe. This highlights the fact that US strategy depends on logistics outside its control – a fatal strategic flaw.

As the DCC statement has clearly stated Pakistan has to review its response options and it does not actually have to declare the chosen option, and it has to review the entire spectrum of its relationship with the US. Pakistan has also stated that it will not participate in the Bonn Conference though there are indications that a lower level participation may be there. Strategic talks already interrupted cannot deliver unless this event is out of the way – nor will track two interactions help at this stage. The question of US aid and other transactional matters will have to be separated and each

other’s policies clearly stated. Perhaps a more balanced relationship will finally emerge but the message for Pakistan from this incident is clear – ALL its institutions must come together to develop internal strength and nothing should distract Pakistan from this goal.

The US failure in Afghanistan has led to an ethnic divide there that will play out once US/ISAF have left and the Taliban reassert for a political role. The Northern Alliance backed the US will not be able to avert a civil war unless there is political reconciliation because the Taliban represent the Pashtuns. Pakistan’s role is critical and the drivers behind its strategic options need to be understood.

The US needs an unbiased, objective and acceptable interlocutor for interaction with Pakistan.

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

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12 Comment the way forward Revising the rules of engagement

P

rime Minister Gilani, while briefing the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) about the decision to revisit the national security paradigm, said that staying aligned with the United States was the best way to achieve peace in Afghanistan. The committee met on Friday to discuss the November 26 Nato strikes on the border posts in Mohmand Agency and endorsed the Cabinet’s decision to get the Shamsi airbase vacated and boycott the Bonn Conference despite opposition from some participants on the latter issue. Those supporting the view that Islamabad’s absence from the conference will make the whole exercise meaningless must be mistaken. As a matter of fact it can only increase the risk of Pakistan becoming irrelevant in an important initiative to craft Afghanistan’s future.

That the PCNS did not lend credence to Mr Gilani’s wise counsel about working closely with Washington and Kabul is not hard to fathom in the wake of public outrage. It is unfortunate that the politicians representing at this parliamentary forum have not been able to comprehend that their decision can adversely impact our capability of fighting terrorism especially when the US Senate has passed a bill blocking military aid to Pakistan.

Then there is also a threat emanating from the Nato commanders planning a substantial offensive in eastern Afghanistan aimed at militant groups based in Pakistan.” They have hinted at an escalation of aerial strikes as well as ground attacks on insurgent hideouts on our soil. ISAF Commander Gen John Allen has been quoted by The Guardian as saying: “the need to confront sanctuaries was one of the reasons we are shifting our operations to the east”.

There is no disputing the PM’s observation that terms of our engagement with the United States, NATO and ISAF have to be reviewed on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual interest and respect. But when military response to such transgression is not a choice owing to our technological disparity then diplomacy remains the only means to resolve the issue.

the memo case Criticism from legal quarters

W

hile some of the observations made by the judges during the hearing of the Memo case had caused unusual concern in the PPP quarters, other matters have invited criticism from the legal community. Babar Awan’s contention that the federation was not given a chance to present its position on the case before deciding to admit it has now been repeated by the Attorney General. A press release from his office clarifies that he did not represent the federal government on Thursday but had appeared on a court notice. In other words, the federation remained unheard at a crucial moment in the progress of the case which is against natural justice.

Efficiency in pursuing cases is praiseworthy provided it is not seen to be depriving anyone of his rights.

Other complaints have been voiced. A PBC committee has maintained that entertaining the petition amounted to one institution interfering in the turf of another which is against the concept of the trichotomy of power enshrined in the constitution. The committee’s plea is that the parliamentary committee on security had already been assigned the task to look into the matter and was the best forum to address the issue which has political ramifications. Many among those who want democracy to flourish in the country would readily agree that in a country where military intervention has hampered the development of institutions, there is all the more need to encourage parliamentary committees even if they move relatively slowly. Outside intervention in their sphere would stand in the way of their natural growth.

Asma Jahangir has maintained that the judiciary is media-driven and that it has to acquire a moral authority by eliminating what she calls the sentiment of discrimination from all its decisions. The people of Pakistan had felt relieved with the restoration of an independent judiciary. They expect that the apex court would jealously guard its well earned reputation. The court has to realise that public perceptions matter a lot as indicated in the adage, “Justice should not only be done but also seen to have been done.”

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor

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

Sunday, 4 december, 2011

No more crawling can we live on our feet?

By Humayun gauhar

I

t has never been this bad. How far the tension between America and Pakistan escalates depends on the real intentions and wisdom of both. America seems to be spoiling for a fight and hopes that we will retaliate militarily to provide them ‘international justification’ to widen its attacks. Why would America want a fight with Pakistan? Iran is the real target of the US-Israeli Combine; our nuclear weapons are the joker in the pack. While we have given no nuclear umbrella to Iran (or anyone else), if it comes to the crunch America can never be sure.

As always, America has painted itself into a corner. With the financial and military relationship gone and our money stolen, Pakistan no longer needs America. Their conundrum is: they still need us to get out of Afghanistan in one piece.

Irrationality is a hallmark of a superpower in decline, lashing out like a wounded bear, making its decline sharper. After losing their wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and unable to find their way out, common sense dictates that America shouldn’t open yet another front. Instead, desperation to revive their economy compels them to open more. Yes, “Those whom the gods would destroy they first make mad.” Problem is, they will cause immense destruction and loss of life before they bite the dust.

Let’s get one thing straight: America is no longer an ally. It is an enemy. Undoubtedly America also thinks the same about us. We are both expert gravediggers – of our own graves. What both take to be self-interest is in fact self-destruction. In bombing countries to smithereens and occupying them for a while, America might destroy their infrastructure and kill many people, but they turn mobs into nations and cause themselves greater harm.

America still lives in outdated paradigms.

The era of conquering territory for economic advantage is over. The era of conquering world market shares has begun. The era of fighting or causing wars to create orders for their arms industries is a thing of the past.

The era of hegemony, consensual or coercive, is gone. America needs to get with the times.

So do we: the era of dependence on others in return for indebtedness and obsequiousness is over too. Learn to stand on your own feet, you 64-year old infant. You can no longer crawl.

The Pakistan-USA relationship started moving towards flashpoint with the Raymond Davis affair and then the Abbottabad incident when America claims to have killed Osama Bin Laden, spirited away his ‘body’ and drowned it with suspicious alacrity. These in-

cidents were regularly interspersed by highly incendiary US official’s statements. Our military’s stock fell. The high command woke up.

The army reacted by saying that US ‘aid’ should go to the civilians. America not only stopped all ‘aid’ but also refused to honour our invoices for money it owes us under the Coalition Support Fund.

Now comes the US-Nato bombing of two of our bases in Salala killing 24 Pakistani soldiers in cold blood despite the fact that Pakistan was talking to the Nato command on the hotline constantly. No one believes that the incident was an accident. The ‘accident’ continued for nearly two hours. Pakistan didn’t retaliate. We wisely didn’t send in our own America-made jets or helicopters (what a contradiction, fighting the enemy with the enemy’s weapons) for that would have been rising to the bait. Instead, we are kicking them out of Shamsi airbase, denying them supply routes, boycotting the forthcoming Bonn summit and launching a diplomatic offensive. China and Russia immediately condemned America. A lot will depend on how India reacts, whether it remains neutral or not. India’s future place in the New Free World is in its hands. Will it go with the forces of history or go against them?

Pakistan’s army chief raised the temperature by ‘breaking’ the chain of command and authorising officers and soldiers on the spot to take whatever actions deemed necessary in future attacks in order to save time. Psychologically, it’s eyeball-to-eyeball. Relations have fallen to rock bottom. Flashpoint has been reached.

America ‘regretted’ the ‘accident’: no apology, no talk of reparation. Instead, we are to get an inquiry, either to get to the truth but more likely to hide it. The findings will not be known till December 23. That could be too late.

However, the era of living in isolation is gone too. As our current odious relationship winds down we have to reset a new, more balanced and equitable relationship based on mutual interest rather than America’s interest only and our general degradation. They can no longer order us around and we can no longer comply dutifully. This bully-bullied relationship has to end. That can only happen if we alter our state of mind, where we wrongly imagine that we cannot live without America. In fact, this can and should lead to self-reliance and proper multi-alignment and

multilateralism, rather than putting our future in America’s basket.

In the last decade most of the people of both countries have come to be very suspicious of each other, even to the point of hatred. ‘Trust Deficit’ has become ‘Trust Absence’. The peoples of both countries are human beings who didn’t, as far as I know, choose to be born where they were. At heart, they are mostly good. They have been conditioned, even brainwashed, by the circumstances of their birth. If only they would allow their innate humanity and common sense to dominate other conditioning forces the world would be a better place.

The majority of people are simple too. In their simplicity they tend to go for easy solutions. That leads them to treating symptoms rather than the malaise. They don’t recognise that the malaise actually lies within, not without. No wonder well meaning but simple people’s prescriptions are simplistic. Many Pakistanis think that getting totally out of any meaningful relationship with America would be the best for Pakistan. They little realise that in no relationship they would be the bigger losers, for America has a lot to offer by way of its knowledge bank alone. What we really need is to get out of America’s ‘War on Terror’. They don’t realise that our deep malaise is a collective colonised mentality that has fostered a constitution that begets an alien, unworkable political system that causes the oppressed to elect their oppressors who protect an inequitable anti-people status quo.

Bullies of the weak are naturally the bullied of the powerful.

America is even more simplistic, thinking that if it can cast the world in an image that works for it even if it doesn’t work for others, all will be well with the world –their ‘world’ starting from Los Angeles and ending in New York. It also needs to stop irrationally protecting Israel and destroying itself. Stop getting bullied by Israel.

Breaking free from our current relationship with America and resetting a new one would be the greatest blessing. The lesson: never break the universal, indivisible principle of not siding with wrong – no matter what the imagined short-term ‘benefits’. Better to suffer temporary harm, for in the end you will come out on top. That is God’s promise.

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

Regional Press

Against US aggression Daily Pakhtun Post

T

he Pakistan Army has held General Allen, Commander ISAF forces in Afghanistan, responsible for the deadly ‘un-provoked’ attack on two posts of the armed forces in bordering area of Mohmand Agency that resulted in deaths of 24 personnel of security forces of the country including two officers and 15 others seriously injured.

High-ups in the Pakistan army have also stated explicitly that any joint investigation regarding the gory incident that put the whole nation into fever of anger, would not yield satisfactory results.

Major General Ashfaq and General Waheed Arshad while talking to media persons told them that America had been intimated through written documents to vacate the Shamsi Air Base in Balochistan and that the fate of the ‘relationship’ with both America and Nato would be decided by the incumbent democratic government. The technological disparity between the Nato forces and the

Pakistani military outfit was also underscored. The whole nation has erupted with anger against ISAF-Nato and America for this uncalled-for aggression and has condemned them for their doublefaced dealing in the relationship with Pakistan. The scores of rallies and protest demonstrations that have taken place indicate that public support is with the government and the armed forces of the country. They also indicate that widespread resentment exists against America’s violation of our territorial integrity and sovereignty.

It goes without saying that the masses of a country form the real power of a nation and currently the whole nation is united on the issue of Nato strikes into Pakistani territories. The government needs to take opportunity of this moment of unity of the nation and to expose the excesses of Nato forces in the region.

It also becomes responsibility, in a sense, of the neighbouring and friendly countries of Pakistan to support it against Nato aggression and to caution America and Nato-ISAF against resorting to such blatant violations.

– Translated from the original Pashto by Abdur Rauf Khattak

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Sunday, 4 december, 2011

Comment 13

Chaos theory, uPA style Invisible enemy Back to bedlam

third Eye

By M J Akbar

T

he decision on FDI in retail has been so clumsy that there is a counterintuitive theory to suggest that it must be secretly brilliant. There is always a good case to be made for chaos as an alternative to coma.

The Delhi variation of the chaos theory is persuasive, if you happen to belong to the innermost ring of the many concentric circles of power that constitute the capital of India. Thus travels the logic: the decision was taken during a Parliament session to deliberately provoke Opposition parties into hostility. A shut Parliament is good for a government without answers on contentious problems from the statehood of Telangana to the state of Anna Hazare. Add low economic growth (the rate has slipped to 6.9 per cent) and high inflation, and you have enough to keep Opposition hungry in Parliament. FDI successfully deflected the primary focus of a session during which BJP, with able help from Subramanian Swamy on the outside and former telecom minister A Raja on the inside, hoped to whittle down Home Minister P Chidambaram. The Almighty has turned an attentive ear to Chidambaram’s prayers.

The corruption debate had only one side; a hapless Government under relentless attack. Foreign investment has at least two sides. Government can always claim that it will create jobs, help farmers and bring down prices – who’s to check? These are projections drawn in smoke against a 10year horizon, by which time most of today’s leaders will be irrelevant. The helpful bit for the establishment is the existence of a mall class which hopes to turn India into America before the next general election, or at least within its lifetime. So, even if Rahul Gandhi

takes a hammering in Uttar Pradesh next year, as his resident intellectual Jairam Ramesh seems to have whispered at the Cabinet meeting where the FDI decision was taken, the Youth Congress can always be sure of a warm welcome at any mall pub.

Pity, you can never be equally certain about what will come into the House with the storm you induce. There was never any danger to survival, since this Cabinet decision did not need confirmation by a vote in Parliament. This was a ruckus problem, not a mortality matter. The Congress was confident of being able to manage an aggregated Opposition. It was taken aback by a disaggregated

by the leftish Defence Minister A K Antony. This was more than local political manoeuvring for while Antony fell silent, Ramesh Chennithala from Kerala and Sanjay Singh from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh decided that this would be a useful banner to unfold.

Denied the foreground, Anna Hazare flickered in and out of the screen from the background. Perhaps it is time to check out a seeming paradox.

The Anna Hazare movement is over, but it is not dead. It is over because it has completed its historic work. It is alive because it has successfully convinced Indians that corruption is the enemy they must destroy in order that the na-

Government can always claim that it will create jobs, help farmers and bring down prices – who’s to check? these are projections drawn in smoke against a 10-year horizon, by which time most of today’s leaders will be irrelevant.

Government. The leader of the House, Pranab Mukherjee, expected turbulence from Bengal, for he is familiar with Mamata Banerjee’s style.

But Dr Manmohan Singh and his finance minister were thrown aback by the DMK’s sudden discovery of spine. Sometimes injury can be good for your political health, and DMK has decided that it is not going to take its wounds lying down. Its strategy for Sonia Gandhi is borrowed from Mahatma Gandhi: it has begun a noncooperation movement. It does not, as yet, demand independence from UPA, but it wants a sort of Dominion status. It will make life as difficult as it can without seeking separation. The hurt at Kanimozhi’s long imprisonment is apparent; in DMK eyes this was betrayal. Some insiders are livid; they are hinting that 2G money was shared in equitable proportions but DMK was left alone to twist in the wind.

If the Prime Minister was surprised by his allies, he must have been startled by the revolt over FDI within the Congress triggered

tion might survive. Some smug ministers imagine that Hazare’s demand for radical change was maverick theatre, that the last scene has been played out and its impact can be erased by procrastination given the proverbial limitations of public memory. Memory might be fickle, but anger is not.

Corruption has touched the national gut because it has corroded the body. Corruption is pervasive and persistent. Corruption is not sectarian. Retail FDI may enrage 10 per cent and enthuse a different 10 per cent, but bribery is the loathsome price 80 per cent pay to the 20 per cent with power.

In the immediate future, Anna Hazare might overplay his hand.

He might even invite a few jeers.

But the next general election will be a burial ground for anyone who thinks Anna Hazare’s movement has lost its life.

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

Pakistan fights terror like Europe fought the plague

“E

veryone locked up in his cage, everyone at his window, answering to his name and showing himself when asked - it is the great review of the living and the dead,” social theorist Michel Foucault says of a 17th century European surveillance system to deal with the plague.

In two words: “permanent registration”.

Cities of Pakistan deal with an invisible enemy too. They are partitioned with checkpoints, barriers, barbed wire and concrete slabs. If you move between spaces, you are stopped and made to roll down your car window and prove your identity – with a ‘computerised’ card that links you to a permanent database of all citizens of the country.

Europe fought plague with ‘order’. In his book ‘Discipline and Punish: the Birth of the Prison’, Foucault compares the European response to plague with that to leprosy: the response to leprosy was separation, but that to the plague was segmentation. Leprosy is a visible disorder and can be removed. Plague is invisible. The boundary between order and disorder is blurred, and therefore every individual needs to be observed.

That order, says Foucault, “invents new mechanisms; it separates, it immobilises, it partitions; it constructs for a time what is both a counter-city and the perfect society; it imposes an ideal functioning, but one that is refused, in the final analysis, like the evil that is combats, to a simple dualBy Harris Bin Munawar ism of life and death”.

Life in Lahore reminds me of the 1931 German movie ‘M’. The film, directed by Fritz Lang, is about the reactions of police and people to a series of child murders. M shows that in the time that it was produced, expanding European cities were becoming progressively hard to govern. The murderer could disappear in the crowd and the only way to find him was to segment and completely survey the crowd, and then mobilise it.

Foucault speaks of “strict spatial partitioning” that was part of the response to the 17th century plague. “Each street is placed under the authority of a syndic, who keeps it under surveillance… Inspection functions ceaselessly.

The gaze is alert everywhere.”

German film and media

Man bites Dog

critic Anton Kaes called M “a portrayal of the inherent relation between urban living and danger” which is “made all the more terrifying by the anonymity and disintegration of the city’s social space.”

The 20th century experience was of “growing incursion of danger into human life”, according to Earnst Junger, a German novelist who wrote about his experiences in and after the First World War. New technology was developed to be able to see this danger and capture it for total observation and total control. “Being able to freeze it in a photo had a therapeutic effect.” he said.

During World War I “visibility became a matter of life and death”.

“We are approaching a state of affairs in which each person needs to be made aware within minutes of a news report, a warning, a threat. Hidden behind the face of entertainment promoted by the all-encompassing media, are special forms of discipline,” Junger said.

Kaes sees in M “the city in the state of total mobilisation prepared to fight the enemy”, and therefore calls it a war movie.

“Both the underworld and the police are determined to wage an all-out war in which every resource is activated and differences in class and social status are disregarded”.

In M, “neighbours watch each other; parents discipline their children to be wary; and even innocent bystanders are seen as potential suspects. Newspapers and extra editions keep everyone up-to-date at all times”.

“The mobilisation produces a dense surveillance network aimed at making visible what has inexplicably evaded the tightly woven web on controls already in place,” says Kaes. “Criminals and vagrants have identity papers, they are registered and monitored, their fingerprints are recorded.

Asylums and hospitals keep records of their patients and their medical histories. Telephone lines link the population to the authorities, and office buildings have alarm systems directly connected to the police headquarters. Plainclothes detectives control the street, searching in widening circles for every possible clue”.

This seems remarkably similar to the goals Pakistan wants to achieve with the NADRA and its database.

The murderer in the movie M is eventually captured by the police and tried. But “this will not bring our children back”, mothers of the murdered children say. “One has to keep closer watch over the children.”

The solution to the problems of surveillance, then, is only more surveillance?

The writer is a media and culture critic and works at The Friday Times. He tweets @paagalinsaan and gets email at harris@nyu.edu

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14 Comment

Sunday, 4 december, 2011

Ashura in delhi Joining the procession of mourners

B

elieve it or not, on the first day of the month of Muharram, a well-meaning Hindu friend called me to greet, “Soofi, Happy Muharram!”

Dear friends, this week I will show you Delhi’s Shi’ite life, inside a home and in a graveyard.

First, let’s go to Civil Lines, a genteel neighbourhood of bungalows and apartments in north Delhi. Say Salaamulaikum to Atiya Zaidi. Passionate about writers like Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, George Bernard Shaw, Anita Desai and Qurratulain Haider, Zaidi, 55, lives in a book-lined ground floor apartment with her author husband, Irfan Habib, and two sons, Mehran and Farhan. She tweets under the handle

By Mayank Austen soofi @atiyaz. There she describes herself as “publishng head@leading pblshr, pasionate abt edu n gndr isues.Fierce nationalist, bigoted secularist.

Luv poetry.Luv criket whn India is wining.”

A Shi’ite, Atiya grew up in various cities; her father had a transferable post in the Reserve Bank of India. The family always had cooks though mother, Razia (who can recite the entire Ghalib by heart), would guide the preparations of meals. Atiya too has a kitchen assistant: Bela, a young Hindu adivasi woman from Jharkhand.

A Shi’ite Muslim from Oudh, the modern-day UP, Atiya describes her homeland as the cradle of Ganga-Jamuna civilization, referring to the two holy rivers that flow through the province. In Oudh, Islam and Hinduism influenced each other more extensively than in Delhi in terms of custom, dress, lan-

Delhi calling

guage and food.

“Our dishes are very different from what is found in Delhi,” Atiya is telling me. “It’s not on-your-face kind of cuisine. Flavours are subtle. There are less spices and less oil. The meal infuses you with warmth, and not leaves you with the sense of having a bloated stomach.” Atiya is now putting on the kitchen apron to make ‘chana dal ghosht’. She is saying, “Each time I cook chana dal gosht, I’m reminded of Chehlum, the 40th day of the martyrdom of Imam Husain in Karbala.” On this day, processions are organised and majaalis, or gatherings, are held to commemorate the tragedy. The sad events are narrated and elegies known as marsia are recited. In the morning, Atiya says, Shi’ite households in central and eastern UP make chana dal gosht. It is first taken to the in-house or neighbourhood Imambara, where a prayer is offered for the redemption of the martyr’s soul. Only then is the daal distributed.”

Atiya’s daal is meaty and delicious. I have it with roti. The side-dish is aloo saalan.

After leaving her home, I take the metro for the posh Jor Bagh.

The last person was buried here in 1985. Karbala, the Shi’ite burial ground in BK Dutt Colony, near Jor Bagh in central Delhi, is reserved exclusively for the funeral of tazias, the ritual coffins of the prophet’s grandson.

Every year on the 10th day of Muharram, mourners from Shahjanabad, Mehrauli and Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti gather here to commemorate the martyrdom of Hussain. The ground is arid, and the graves, few and far from each other, appear like half-marooned ships in a calm ocean. Some tombs are covered with red or blue silk; others are bare and broken. One grave, next to a dead tree, has a crack running along

Muharram procession in Kashmere Gate.–Photo by Mayank Austen Soofi

its surface.

Since it is evening, the graveyard is filled up with the cry of birds, flying across the sky. My thoughts are returning to last year. That December morning, I was attending the maatam (mourning) in the Muharram procession of Kashmere Gate, where it starts outside the Shia Jama Masjid. Wearing black clothes, the men were thumping their chests in the middle of Hamilton Road. Mothers, sisters and wives, robed in black, stood on the pavements. They too were doing seena-zani (chest-thumping). Soon everyone burst out crying for Hussain, Zainub and other shaheeds (martyrs).

Feeling the loss that had happened more than 1,300 years ago in the deserts of Arabia, the mourners

walked slowly through the narrow road. The ancient grief was still fresh.

Eyes brimmed with tears. The wailing of mourners gave a sense of togetherness. The rhythmic hum of Ya Hussain Ya Hussain was comforting. The roadside stalls offered rose sherbet.

In this dignified gathering of the defeated, mourners recited lamentations in Arabic, Urdu, and Punjabi to recall a rout that revived the true spirit of their religion. In the crowd, I spotted the famous historian Professor Mushirul Hasan, crying openly.

Although a Sunni, he attends the Kashmere Gate Muharram every year.

Ahead walked a procession of Ladakhi Muslims; most were dressed in jeans, T-shirts, and black bandanas. A few took off shirts to lash themselves with knives, chains and

shaving razors. Blood trickled out from their back, head and eyes. The moist-eyed Mullah who was exhorting the crowd to cry for Hussain had his crisp white kurta stained with a drop of blood – not his but somebody else’s.

Hours later, the procession ended here – at this graveyard in Jorbagh.

Dear friends, I hope, that on this sad month, Pakistan is spared of ShiaSunni clashes. May God bless your nation.

Mayank Austen Soofi lives in a library. He has one website and four blogs. The website address: thedelhiwalla.com. The blogs: Pakistan Paindabad, Ruined By Reading, Reading Arundhati Roy and Mayank Austen Soofi Photos.

On threat perceptions Bonn conference: iran and Pakistan

Politact

By Arif Ansar

T

he end of Cold War meant a significant shift in the threat perceptions of not only the two principals, but also pretty much every other country.

Subsequently, 9/11 caused another dramatic change. The outrage caused by the attack resulted in near unanimous support for the US in dealing with the perpetrators. However, in the second stage, the traditional rivalries such as between Pakistan and India, Shiites and Sunnis, and Arabs and Israelis became intertwined with the war on terror. In the third stage that is presently unfolding, the actions against Islamists have also merged with the tussles of the global powers.

Before the initiation of the campaign against extremists, the Arab-Israeli conflict over Palestine had been a central theme defining the politics of Middle East. The Sunni and Shiite states, had over the years attempted to

outdo each other in their zeal to be the liberator of Palestine.

While as a result of the Camp David Accords in 1978, Egypt accepted Israel’s right to exist; many others still refused to accept the reality created by the Balfour Declaration of 1917. The resulting enmity shaped the threat perceptions of both Israel and the Arabs. However, the demise of Soviet Union meant that countries such as Syria and Egypt could not longer count on its support.

Consistent military, economic and diplomatic US support for Israel enabled the Jewish state to withstand much larger Arab neighbours. On the other hand, the Sunni oil rich monarchies, for the most part, were also dependent on Western backing and security assistance to continue their rule. The West needed the Arab oil and these rulers needed security and legitimacy.

However, over the years these dynamics severely curtailed Arab credibility to back their rhetoric against Israel with substance.

The September 11 attacks changed not only the threat perception of the US but also that of Israel and the Arab countries. AlQaeda threatened not only the West but also the Arab monarchies, and thus, all of a sudden, they shared a common enemy.

As the war on terror spread, the fall of Saddam Hussein stimulated another unexpected result: the resurgence of Iran. As a result, the balance of power in the Middle East shifted alarm-

ingly and Sunni Arab states, especially the Gulf countries became especially exposed, and further dependent on US for protection against the Shiite dominance. If this was not enough, the viral Arab Spring has added another dimension to the risks faced by these Arab countries.

Thus, the threat from Israel to these regimes shifted to the danger from Iran, extremists, and their disgruntled domestic popu-

from China.

After September 11, Pakistan had to increasingly shift its focus to FATA and to counter Al-Qaeda and many other formulations of extremists that came to reside in the Tribal Areas. In addition, it had to cooperate with NATO in an unachievable task: to stop the flow of extremists across the long and porous Pak-Afghan border.

Overtime, the country came under considerable pressure

if the shift in the balance of power in the Middle East were to offer any lessons to Pakistan, it would be that it has made the Arab countries, especially the Gulf states, increasingly vulnerable. lace.

On the other hand, another transformation of the threat perception was underway in South Asia. This one had to do with the Pakistan-India rivalry over issues that include Kashmir. Since independence, the defence and security policy of Pakistan have been largely India-centric, while it never perceived of any threats emanating from its western borders. On the other hand, India was considered more than a match for Pakistan, had it not have to worry about its northern border, and the danger it faces

from US and NATO to revise its traditional national security premise; away from India and towards dealing with extremists.

The Mumbai Incident served as a proof that the danger Pakistan faced was not external, but internal. Therefore, it should move troops from its eastern border to carry out operations in FATA, including North Waziristan.

However, the nation’s military establishment, considered being in charge of Pakistan’s defence and security policies, never appeared fully convinced with this line of argument.

Moreover, the above version also stood against the narrative that is held by Pakistani nationalists and religious parties. According to them, US, Israel and India were conspiring against Pakistan and its nuclear capability, and the war against terror was actually a ploy to destabilise Pakistan towards achieving that goal.

Their apprehensions were validated through the AfghanIndia strategic deal, Raymond Davis incident, the unilateral operation in Abbottabad, Memogate, and now the NATO attack causing the martyrdom of about 24 Pakistani troops.

As pointed out in previous columns, in Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, the security and nationalistic concerns are triumphing over the potential benefit that economic cooperation may bring.

The same trend appears to be holding true in the region. As a result, in Pakistan, the direction of the threat perception now appears to have shifted in favour of the religious and nationalist sentiments. It’s this fervour that caused the country to boycott the Bonn Conference on Afghanistan.

Had it not been due to the US and Israeli defence cooperation and shared concern over Iran’s nuclear program, from the American perspective, this would have been an opportune time for USIran détente. Speaking at the Brooking’s Saban Forum on December 2nd, Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta laid out the three

central pillars of American policy for Middle East: the security of Israel, the stability of the region and preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

However, this centrality overlooks that by alienating both Iran and Pakistan, the Afghan solution is ever more inconceivable. From the angle of Pakistan, this strategic mistake only increases its leverage.

If the shift in the balance of power in the Middle East were to offer any lessons to Pakistan, it would be that it has made the Arab countries, especially the Gulf States, increasingly vulnerable. It has exposed these nations to both the traditional and contemporary threats, and increased their dependence on the Western support to mitigate them.

It is this dismal prognosis that is unlikely to convince Pakistan to act against the Afghan Taliban. Additionally, the global powers such as China and Russia are coming around to realise that while Osama is dead, the emerging world order is being reshaped in a manner that does not bode well for their future. Escalating Russian response to the US/NATO Missile shield and situation in Syria, and the Chinese to the increasing American focus towards Australia and the Pacific realm, reflects this mood.

The writer is the chief analyst for PoliTact (www.PoliTact.com and http:twitter.com/politact) and can be reached at aansar@politact.com.

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15 Foreign News

Sunday, 4 december, 2011

Strike on Iran could miss nuclear sites: US g

expelled iranians home amid mounting west concerns g France reduces tehran embassy staff WAsHington/teHrAn

P

AFP

ENTAGON chief Leon Panetta late Friday warned there was no guarantee a US military strike on Iran would hit intended targets linked to Tehran’s nuclear program, saying the sites are “difficult to get at.”

The US defense secretary has recently voiced his misgivings about bombing Iran in a series of public remarks, amid speculation Israel may take pre-emptive action to prevent Tehran from acquiring atomic weapons. But for the first time Friday, Panetta — the former director of the CIA — appeared to suggest Iran’s underground nuclear facilities might survive air strikes. “The indication is that at best it (military action) might postpone it (Iran’s nuclear program) maybe by one or possibly two years,” he said in remarks at an event organised by the Brookings think-tank in Washington.

“It depends on the ability to truly get at the targets that they’re after. Frankly, some of those targets are very difficult to get at,” Panetta said. Defense analysts have often pointed out that Iran has

sought to hide sensitive nuclear sites and material in underground facilities, and Western officials privately acknowledge the hidden targets pose a military challenge. Panetta reiterated his view that a strike against Iran could benefit the regime in Tehran at a moment when it is “off-balance” and out of step with popular uprisings sweeping the region. He also said a strike could derail the European and US economies, endanger US troops and trigger an unpredictable cycle of violence. “Lastly, the consequence could be that we would have an escalation that would take place that would not only involve losing lives but I think could consume the Middle East in confrontation and conflict that we would regret. “So we have to be careful about the unintended consequences of that kind of attack,” Panetta said. Iran’s diplomats expelled from London over the storming of the British embassy in Tehran arrived home on Saturday, as US Vice President Joe Biden was to discuss the West’s mounting concerns in Turkey.

Some 150 hardline students chanting “Death to Britain” and holding flower garlands were there to welcome them.

Britain, which evacuated all its own

diplomats from Tehran for their safety after the attacks, closed its embassy and ordered Iran to do likewise. It said the assault on its embassy could only have occurred with the tacit consent of the Islamic republic’s leaders.

Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast was at the airport to welcome the diplomats. The assault on the British embassy and downgrading of diplomatic ties between the two countries to their minimum level has tipped into crisis a showdown between the West and Iran over its controversial nuclear programme. The European Union has tightened sanctions on Iran and warned that extra measures targeting its financial and oil sectors could follow. The sanctions were coordinated with similar measures by the United States and Canada. Moreover, France has decided to temporarily downsize its embassy in Tehran as a precautionary measure following the storming of the British embassy earlier in the week, a French diplomat said on Saturday. The decision will affect part of the diplomatic staff as well as all of the families of French personnel at the embassy but not the French community in Tehran, the diplomatic source said.

More than half of the around 30 personnel at the French embassy, consulate, economic and culture centres bearing diplomatic or service passports could be affected. No specific instruction to leave Iran has been given to the French community of around 800 people. Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni urged US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta to ratchet up sanctions against Iran “without delay,” a statement from her Kadima party said on Saturday. “The world needs to stop Iran,” the Kadima statement quoted Livni as telling Panetta. “Stronger, tougher sanctions are required without delay.” “The struggle against a nuclear Iran, and renewed movement in negotiations with the Palestinians will strengthen the pragmatic camp in the region,” she told Panetta Meanwhile, a deadly explosion at a missile development plant last month has not affected Iran’s ballistic missile programme, its top general said in comments published on Saturday. Armed forces chief of staff General Hassan Firouzabadi said the death of Iranian military experts at the Bid Ganeh base outside Tehran on November 12 “had no effect on the self-sufficiency unit” of the elite Revolutionary Guards — responsible for weapons research, the Resalat newspaper reported.

BoNN: demonstrators take part in a protest march against the war in Afghanistan on Saturday. A major international conference on december 5 will discuss the country’s future beyond 2014, when NAto-led international combat troops will leave. AFP

18 dead as uN slams Syria rights violations niCosiA AFP

Five civilians were among 18 people killed in Syria on Saturday, a day after the UN Human Rights Council urged tougher action against Damascus, condemning its “gross violations” of human rights. An officer was among seven pro-regime soldiers and security service agents killed, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Five rebel troops also died. The unprecedented movement against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime has been spearheaded by peaceful demonstrators, but in recent months army deserters have organised themselves into a rebel Free Syrian Army which has inflicted growing losses on regular forces. At a meeting late last month in Turkey, the Free Syrian Army met the civilian opposition Syrian National Council, agreeing to coordinate their efforts to overthrow Assad’s regime. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said more than 4,000 people have been killed in the crackdown since March and tens of thousands arrested. At least 12,400 people are reported to have fled the country. In Geneva on Friday, an emergency meeting of the Human Rights Council passed a resolution “strongly condemning the continued widespread, systematic and gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian authorities.” Rights council members also agreed in a vote to appoint a special investigator and refer a report on the abuses in Syria to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad threatens to “fan the flames” of sectarian conflict not only in Syria but in the wider region, US Vice President Joe Biden said in talks with the Turkish president.

“Assad and his regime are the source of instability in Syria now and pose the greatest danger to fanning flames of sectarian conflict not only in Syria but beyond,” Biden told Abdullah Gul, a senior official told reporters. Assad is from Syria’s Alawi minority, while the anti-regime protesters are overwhelmingly from the Sunni majority. Alawis loom large in the proregime militias who have taken a leading role in the regime’s brutal crackdown that has claimed more than 4,000 lives according to UN figures, sparking mounting sectarian violence in protest centres such as third-largest city Homs.

In the region, Assad’s main ally is Shiite Iran. Biden said the “number one objective” was to get the Syrian regime to stop killing civilians and for Assad to quit power, the official said.

New Americas summit aims criticism at uS CArACAs AFP

Leaders of Latin American and Caribbean nations worked Saturday to finalise an action plan for a new Americas bloc, which excludes the United States and which, according to its organisers, is designed to usher in a new era of Latin American “independence”.

Led by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the leaders gathered Friday at a military fort for the two-day meeting to forge the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), an alliance of 33 countries that also excludes Canada. “We are laying down here a cornerstone of our future unity, independence and development,” Chavez said in his welcoming address. More than 10,000 security forces are ensuring safety of the summiteers in Caracas, one of the region’s most dangerous cities.

“For the first time, we will have an organisation for our America. And if it works, if it’s successful, it can be consid-

ered the biggest event in our 200 years of semi-independence,” Cuban President Raul Castro said. CELAC should be a “political union to build a large power center of the 21st century,” the Venezuelan president said on the eve of the summit, pointing to strong regional growth, with many countries developing closer ties with Asia or Europe and reducing their traditional reliance on the United States.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, a strong Chavez ally, said meanwhile the birth of the new group represented a “death sentence for the Monroe Doctrine,” referring to the 1823 declaration

by US president James Monroe which helped establish US power in the region.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the United States would obviously continue “to work through the OAS as the preeminent multilateral organisation, speaking for the hemisphere.” The summit comes as many countries celebrate 200 years of independence and a month after an IberoAmerican summit in Paraguay —

including former regional colonisers Spain and Portugal. But questions remain about the role the fledgling grouping will play in the diverse region, in the shadow of the current crisis in the European Union. On Thursday, foreign ministers adopted a democracy clause in CELAC bylaws, although there was no consensus on how the group would conduct its decision-making progress.

“It provides that if a country violates a democratic order, we would open consultations and the country could be suspended” from CELAC, said Antonio Jose Ferreira Simoes, Brazil’s vice-minister for South America, Central America and the Caribbean. He said Brazil favored a decision-making process based on consensus.

The foreign ministers also approved statements on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, nuclear weapons, food security and terror, according to Simoes. Leaders are expected to review and discuss these documents Friday and Saturday. Regional leaders proposed the new grouping in February 2010 in Mexico, more than 60 years

after the start of the Organization of American States, which is based in Washington and which excludes communist Cuba. Chavez dismissed the “old and

worn-out” OAS, suggesting CELAC would eventually take its place. The next CELAC summit is scheduled to take place in Chile next year, followed by Cuba in 2013.

LHR 04-12-2011_Layout 1 12/4/2011 2:01 AM Page 16

15 Foreign News

Sunday, 4 december, 2011

Strike on Iran could miss nuclear sites: US g

expelled iranians home amid mounting west concerns g France reduces tehran embassy staff WAsHington/teHrAn

P

AFP

ENTAGON chief Leon Panetta late Friday warned there was no guarantee a US military strike on Iran would hit intended targets linked to Tehran’s nuclear program, saying the sites are “difficult to get at.”

The US defense secretary has recently voiced his misgivings about bombing Iran in a series of public remarks, amid speculation Israel may take pre-emptive action to prevent Tehran from acquiring atomic weapons. But for the first time Friday, Panetta — the former director of the CIA — appeared to suggest Iran’s underground nuclear facilities might survive air strikes. “The indication is that at best it (military action) might postpone it (Iran’s nuclear program) maybe by one or possibly two years,” he said in remarks at an event organised by the Brookings think-tank in Washington.

“It depends on the ability to truly get at the targets that they’re after. Frankly, some of those targets are very difficult to get at,” Panetta said. Defense analysts have often pointed out that Iran has

sought to hide sensitive nuclear sites and material in underground facilities, and Western officials privately acknowledge the hidden targets pose a military challenge. Panetta reiterated his view that a strike against Iran could benefit the regime in Tehran at a moment when it is “off-balance” and out of step with popular uprisings sweeping the region. He also said a strike could derail the European and US economies, endanger US troops and trigger an unpredictable cycle of violence. “Lastly, the consequence could be that we would have an escalation that would take place that would not only involve losing lives but I think could consume the Middle East in confrontation and conflict that we would regret. “So we have to be careful about the unintended consequences of that kind of attack,” Panetta said. Iran’s diplomats expelled from London over the storming of the British embassy in Tehran arrived home on Saturday, as US Vice President Joe Biden was to discuss the West’s mounting concerns in Turkey.

Some 150 hardline students chanting “Death to Britain” and holding flower garlands were there to welcome them.

Britain, which evacuated all its own

diplomats from Tehran for their safety after the attacks, closed its embassy and ordered Iran to do likewise. It said the assault on its embassy could only have occurred with the tacit consent of the Islamic republic’s leaders.

Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast was at the airport to welcome the diplomats. The assault on the British embassy and downgrading of diplomatic ties between the two countries to their minimum level has tipped into crisis a showdown between the West and Iran over its controversial nuclear programme. The European Union has tightened sanctions on Iran and warned that extra measures targeting its financial and oil sectors could follow. The sanctions were coordinated with similar measures by the United States and Canada. Moreover, France has decided to temporarily downsize its embassy in Tehran as a precautionary measure following the storming of the British embassy earlier in the week, a French diplomat said on Saturday. The decision will affect part of the diplomatic staff as well as all of the families of French personnel at the embassy but not the French community in Tehran, the diplomatic source said.

More than half of the around 30 personnel at the French embassy, consulate, economic and culture centres bearing diplomatic or service passports could be affected. No specific instruction to leave Iran has been given to the French community of around 800 people. Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni urged US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta to ratchet up sanctions against Iran “without delay,” a statement from her Kadima party said on Saturday. “The world needs to stop Iran,” the Kadima statement quoted Livni as telling Panetta. “Stronger, tougher sanctions are required without delay.” “The struggle against a nuclear Iran, and renewed movement in negotiations with the Palestinians will strengthen the pragmatic camp in the region,” she told Panetta Meanwhile, a deadly explosion at a missile development plant last month has not affected Iran’s ballistic missile programme, its top general said in comments published on Saturday. Armed forces chief of staff General Hassan Firouzabadi said the death of Iranian military experts at the Bid Ganeh base outside Tehran on November 12 “had no effect on the self-sufficiency unit” of the elite Revolutionary Guards — responsible for weapons research, the Resalat newspaper reported.

BoNN: demonstrators take part in a protest march against the war in Afghanistan on Saturday. A major international conference on december 5 will discuss the country’s future beyond 2014, when NAto-led international combat troops will leave. AFP

18 dead as uN slams Syria rights violations niCosiA AFP

Five civilians were among 18 people killed in Syria on Saturday, a day after the UN Human Rights Council urged tougher action against Damascus, condemning its “gross violations” of human rights. An officer was among seven pro-regime soldiers and security service agents killed, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Five rebel troops also died. The unprecedented movement against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime has been spearheaded by peaceful demonstrators, but in recent months army deserters have organised themselves into a rebel Free Syrian Army which has inflicted growing losses on regular forces. At a meeting late last month in Turkey, the Free Syrian Army met the civilian opposition Syrian National Council, agreeing to coordinate their efforts to overthrow Assad’s regime. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said more than 4,000 people have been killed in the crackdown since March and tens of thousands arrested. At least 12,400 people are reported to have fled the country. In Geneva on Friday, an emergency meeting of the Human Rights Council passed a resolution “strongly condemning the continued widespread, systematic and gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian authorities.” Rights council members also agreed in a vote to appoint a special investigator and refer a report on the abuses in Syria to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad threatens to “fan the flames” of sectarian conflict not only in Syria but in the wider region, US Vice President Joe Biden said in talks with the Turkish president.

“Assad and his regime are the source of instability in Syria now and pose the greatest danger to fanning flames of sectarian conflict not only in Syria but beyond,” Biden told Abdullah Gul, a senior official told reporters. Assad is from Syria’s Alawi minority, while the anti-regime protesters are overwhelmingly from the Sunni majority. Alawis loom large in the proregime militias who have taken a leading role in the regime’s brutal crackdown that has claimed more than 4,000 lives according to UN figures, sparking mounting sectarian violence in protest centres such as third-largest city Homs.

In the region, Assad’s main ally is Shiite Iran. Biden said the “number one objective” was to get the Syrian regime to stop killing civilians and for Assad to quit power, the official said.

New Americas summit aims criticism at uS CArACAs AFP

Leaders of Latin American and Caribbean nations worked Saturday to finalise an action plan for a new Americas bloc, which excludes the United States and which, according to its organisers, is designed to usher in a new era of Latin American “independence”.

Led by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the leaders gathered Friday at a military fort for the two-day meeting to forge the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), an alliance of 33 countries that also excludes Canada. “We are laying down here a cornerstone of our future unity, independence and development,” Chavez said in his welcoming address. More than 10,000 security forces are ensuring safety of the summiteers in Caracas, one of the region’s most dangerous cities.

“For the first time, we will have an organisation for our America. And if it works, if it’s successful, it can be consid-

ered the biggest event in our 200 years of semi-independence,” Cuban President Raul Castro said. CELAC should be a “political union to build a large power center of the 21st century,” the Venezuelan president said on the eve of the summit, pointing to strong regional growth, with many countries developing closer ties with Asia or Europe and reducing their traditional reliance on the United States.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, a strong Chavez ally, said meanwhile the birth of the new group represented a “death sentence for the Monroe Doctrine,” referring to the 1823 declaration

by US president James Monroe which helped establish US power in the region.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the United States would obviously continue “to work through the OAS as the preeminent multilateral organisation, speaking for the hemisphere.” The summit comes as many countries celebrate 200 years of independence and a month after an IberoAmerican summit in Paraguay —

including former regional colonisers Spain and Portugal. But questions remain about the role the fledgling grouping will play in the diverse region, in the shadow of the current crisis in the European Union. On Thursday, foreign ministers adopted a democracy clause in CELAC bylaws, although there was no consensus on how the group would conduct its decision-making progress.

“It provides that if a country violates a democratic order, we would open consultations and the country could be suspended” from CELAC, said Antonio Jose Ferreira Simoes, Brazil’s vice-minister for South America, Central America and the Caribbean. He said Brazil favored a decision-making process based on consensus.

The foreign ministers also approved statements on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, nuclear weapons, food security and terror, according to Simoes. Leaders are expected to review and discuss these documents Friday and Saturday. Regional leaders proposed the new grouping in February 2010 in Mexico, more than 60 years

after the start of the Organization of American States, which is based in Washington and which excludes communist Cuba. Chavez dismissed the “old and

worn-out” OAS, suggesting CELAC would eventually take its place. The next CELAC summit is scheduled to take place in Chile next year, followed by Cuba in 2013.

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Sunday, 4 december, 2011

Foreign News 16 China parades Tibetans accused of separatism BeiJing AFP

SiCHUAN: Chinese paramilitary police guarding monks wearing placards on their necks showing their names and alleged crimes committed. Many tibetans in China accuse the government of enacting religious repression and of eroding their culture, as the country’s majority Han ethnic group increasingly moves into historically tibetan areas. AFP

obama urges payroll tax cut extension WAshington: US President Barack Obama urged Congress Saturday to extend a payroll tax cut due to expire at the end of the year in order to stimulate the country’s battered economy and job creation. “Put money back in the pockets of working Americans. Pass these tax cuts,” the president said in his weekly radio and Internet address. He pointed out that last year, Democratic and Republican members of Congress had come together to cut payroll taxes for middle-class families by about $1,000. But the tax cut is set to expire at the end of this month, Obama recalled. And if this is allowed to happen, working families will see their taxes go up.

“We can’t let that happen,” said the president. “In fact, I think we should cut taxes on working families and small business owners even more.” The comment came as the White House received a substantial confidence boost on Friday, as unemployment sank to a 32-month low of 8.6 percent in November. AFP

Israel must ‘mend fences’ to end isolation, says US WAsHington

U

AFP

S Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Friday urged Israel to try and end its increasing regional “isolation” by repairing diplomatic ties with Egypt and Turkey and renewing peace eff o r t s with the Palestinians.

Six Yemenis killed as clashes rage sAnAA: Six Yemenis, three civilians and three anti-regime gunmen, were killed on Saturday in shelling by government forces targeting the country’s second city of Taez and in shootings. Three members of one family were killed in shelling blamed on government forces, while two gunmen were shot dead during clashes with forces loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh, witnesses said.

The new casualties take the death toll of clashes and heavy bombing by government forces since Thursday to 30, after nine people, including a young girl, two soldiers and colonel, were killed on Friday. AFP

indian boy ‘killed for sharing higher-caste name’ luCknoW: A 14-year-old low-caste “untouchable” was strangled in northern India because he shared his first name with a highercaste youth, police said on Saturday. Neeraj Kumar, was allegedly kidnapped and strangled by a group of boys led by 23-year-old Neeraj Chaudhary, whose family resented the idea of the low-caste boy having the same first name, police said. The victim’s family are Dalits — or “untouchables” as they used to be known — who occupy the lowest rung in India’s rigid caste hierarchy. Most live in poverty and do menial, supposedly “unclean” jobs like collecting garbage. Caste discrimination is illegal in India but many low-caste and tribal groups are still marginalised in society, especially outside the major cities. AFP

“Unfortunately, over the past year, we’ve seen Israel’s isolation from its traditional security partners in the region grow, and the pursuit of a comprehensive Middle East peace has effectively been put on hold,” he said.

But Panetta added in a speech that Israel was not entirely to blame for its difficult position and the US ally was the subject of an “international campaign” designed to isolate the country.

The US defense chief said he understood Israel’s anxieties over turmoil in the Middle East but said the Arab spring offered an opportunity for the country to forge a more secure place in the region.

It was crucial for Israel to reach out and “mend fences” with countries such as Turkey, Egypt and Jordan that he said share an

interest in regional stability, said Panetta, who issued similar appeals in a visit to the region in October. He said he was “troubled” over the direction of Turkish-Israeli relations and called on both countries “to do more to put their relationship back on track.”

As for Egypt, he said the best response was to step up “communication and cooperation with Egyptian authorities” instead of “stepping away from them,” he said. Israel needed “to lean forward on efforts to achieve peace with the Palestinians,” Panetta said at an event organised by the Brookings Institution’s Saban Center for the Middle East, a Washington think-tank. “Just get to the damn table,” Panetta said, using his trademark colorful language to call on Israel to return to the negotiating table. While appealing to Israel to reach out to its regional neighbors, Panetta reaffirmed that President Barack Obama’s administration was determined “to safeguard Israel’s security.” He also pledged Washington would ensure Israel continues to enjoy a clear military edge by providing the Jewish state with sophisticated missile defenses and new stealthy F-35 fighter jets.

Tibetans arrested by Chinese security forces have been paraded with placards around their necks indicating their names and alleged crimes such as “separatism”, according to photographs published Saturday by the Free Tibet campaign group. The pictures were taken in the ethnic Tibetan prefectures of Ganzi and Aba in Sichuan province, the Chinese dissident website Boxun.com said Friday, according to the London-based group. It did not give more specific information on where and when they were taken, Free Tibet said. These Tibetan-inhabited areas of Sichuan have seen a series of selfimmolations by Buddhist monks and nuns in protest over Chinese religious repression. In one of the photos, armed and helmeted Chinese paramilitary policemen hold monks by the back of their necks, heads bowed and with signs around their necks, as they escort them out of a building. One of the monks, Lobsang Zopa, has his name written in Chinese on the sign along with the word “separatist”, a charge punishable by life imprisonment, according to Free Tibet. In another photo, pairs of policemen twist the arms of detained civilians behind their backs to make them lower their heads. A third shows Tibetans on their knees with signs around their necks with their names, written in Chinese, accompanied by the charge “separatist” or “assembling to attack state institutions”. A fourth picture shows an open-topped truck loaded with monks who are bent over with their heads sticking over the side as they are kept in this position by paramilitary forces, again with signs around their necks.

extent of ‘honour’ crimes exposed in Britain LonDon AFP

More than 2,800 so-called honour attacks — punishments for bringing shame on the family — were recorded by Britain’s police last year, according to figures released Saturday. At least 2,823 incidents of “honour-based” violence took place, with the highest number recorded in London, the Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation (IKWRO) found. The figures were compiled from 39 out of the 52 British police forces. The others were unwilling or unable to provide data. Eight areas recorded at least 100 incidents, the figures showed. The attacks included murder, mutilation, beatings, abduction and acid attacks. Compared with 2009 figures released by 12 police forces, there was a 47 percent rise in incidents. The Metropolitan Police (London) recorded 495 attacks; West Midlands (Birmingham) 278; West Yorkshire (Leeds, Bradford) 350; Lancashire (northwst England) 227; Greater Manchester 189.

Russia braces for parliamentary elections MosCoW/istAnBUL AGENciEs

Russians prepared Saturday for parliamentary elections amid dwindling support for the ruling United Russia party and unprecedented pressure on election observers. Voting in the world’s largest country will begin at 2000 GMT Saturday in the Russian Far East regions and end 21 hours later when polling stations close at 1700 GMT Sunday in the exclave of Kaliningrad wedged between Poland and Lithuania. Police were on high alert ahead of the polls and the expected subsequent protests, with Moscow parking lots cleared out around polling stations and over 50,000 officers mobilised to ensure order through the weekend. President Dmitry Medvedev heads the party list for United Russia, and opinion polls have shown that while it is still almost certain to retain its

parliamentary majority, its support may be eroding after years of dominance.

In a message to the Russian people Friday, Medvedev called elections “one of the highest manifestations of democracy.” But 46 percent of Russians expect the vote to be rigged, according to a Levada opinion poll held in November, with 51 percent convinced that the elections are only an “imitation competition” with predetermined results. The run-up to the polls has also been marked by unprecedented pressure on election observers, especially on Moscow-based group Golos, which has set up a user-friendly website where people may allege violations.

Meanwhile, the head of an independent Russian election watchdog was detained for 12 hours at a Moscow airport on Saturday as part of attempts to stop it monitoring Sunday’s vote for a new parliament, the group’s lawyer said.

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Sunday, 4 december, 2011

Veena’s photos are

IN LIMELIGHT MoRoCCo: indian actor Shah Rukh khan after receiving a special prize award for his career during the opening ceremony of the Marrakech 11th international Film Festival.

says mag editor MUMBAi ZEENEWs

P

AKISTANI actress Veena Malik, who appeared in a naked photoshoot on a magazine cover with an ISI tattoo on her arm, has sparked a huge controversy.

Amongst the conservative Muslims, given the country she belongs to, her pictures have not gone down too well. They are enraged at her portrayal of nudity and her act as disrespect and mockery to the country’s intelligence agency. And now after the whole controversy has gone to a whole new political level, Veena has come out in open denying that she ever did a nude photo shoot. “I have never posed nude. I have never done anything like that ever,” a daily quoted her as saying. “My manager and legal team is looking into the matter. We will take legal action against them,” she added. Magazine’s editor, Kabeer Sharma, said that nothing had been doctored, and that the magazine could prove the photo’s authenticity.

“We have video footage of the shoot as well as emails from Veena about how she’s looking forward to the cover,” he said. Sharma said the reference to Pakistani intelligence was meant to be light-hearted, saying: “In India we joke about this if anything goes wrong we say the ISI must be behind this.”

Anil Kapoor flies to delhi to escort Tom Cruise MUMBAi AGENciEs

Anil Kapoor flew to Delhi to receive Tom Cruise early Saturday morning. From there they flew out to Agra to the Taj Mahal. Anil Kapoor was also getting set to co-host a party for Tom Cruise in Mumbai on Saturday night. The Big Bash for Tom Cruise co-hosted

by Viacom 18 and Anil Kapoor on Saturday night would be an exclusive 150guest affair at the Taj Rooftop, Colaba. So exclusive that a lot of Bolywood’s A-listers would not be seen at the bash. Ajay Devgan ,Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan would be giving the bash a miss. They are apparently

out of town and have expressed their inability to attend. The only Khan superstar at the bash would be Aamir. A source close to the bash says, “We had originally planned to invite 200 guests. That’s now been narrowed down to 150. Tom is a really cool guy. When Anil asked him whom he’d like to meet from Bollywood and from other walks of life he said, no one and everyone. Tom says he’s on a mission to promote Mission Impossible .So for him the fan interaction is the most important part of his itinerary. The only desire he expressed for his India visit was to visit the Taj Mahal.”

The guest list for the Tom Cruise bash includes

Mukesh and Neeta Ambani, the Godrejs, Birlas, the Bachchans (minus Aishwarya), Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif and Karan Johar.

The source says, “Tom will touch down at Delhi on Saturday morning and leave for Agra from the airport. He will arrive in Mumbai on Saturday evening where he will be received by Anil Kapoor who is expected to whisk Tom home for a brief visit to see Anil’s home and meet his family-again Tom’s wish. Then Tom will check into his hotel, prepare for the party which is expected to last for no more than two hours. He says he wants to be fresh for the fan interaction on Sunday.”

Salman and his bodyguard

booked

for assaulting an activist MuMBAi: Salman khan, his bodyguard Shera and five other people have been booked for assaulting an activist while promoting the movie ‘Bodyguard’ in August 2011. the incident happened in kanpur, Uttar Pradesh and a case was registered at the kakadev Police Station. Police inspector Bhupendra Singh Rathi told reporters, “the FiR (First information Report) has been lodged on the directions of a local court. According to the complainant Bharat, he was roughed up by Salman khan’s bodyguard Shera and other security personnel after he approached the star to present him with a cap.” the FiR has been registered under various sections of the indian Penal Code, including rioting, voluntarily causing hurt and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace. Salman has not responded to the complaint as yet. AGENciEs

AGRA: US Hollywood actor tom Cruise poses with indian actor Anil kapoor at the taj Mahal. tom Cruise arrived in india to promote the fourth installment of his blockbuster ‘Mission: impossible series’.

Is ‘Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu’

‘Twilight’ stars

too bold immortalised on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Indian cinema?

LOs ANGELEs: taylor lautner, Robert Pattinson and kristen Stewart had their hand and foot prints immortalised on the Hollywood walk of Fame. the trio were introduced by tv talk show host Jimmy kimmel and Stephenie Meyer - who wrote all the ‘twilight Saga’ books - and were cheered by the hundreds of fans who had come along to catch a glimpse of their idols. Speaking to the crowd, kristen said: “Hollywood, i think this is the coolest thing i’ve ever done in my life. this is insane that i’m doing this.” taylor, 19, added: “there are a few moments that mean so much, it’s really even hard to explain, and this is definitely one of those.” Robert, 25, was equally moved by the tribute, saying: “this is incredibly scary. this is such an incredible honour. How young we are, it’s kind of ridiculous and amazing at the same time.” Following their speeches, the three stars then signed their names into the wet cement plaque - which was emblazoned with the words ‘the twilight Saga’ and then pressed their hands and feet in. taylor lautner will be also given his own replica waxwork at top london attraction Madame tussauds and the model will be unveiled in January. taylor will join his ‘twilight’ co-star Robert Pattinson after being one of 2011’s most requested personalities. other stars to have waxworks at Madame tussauds include Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, david Beckham and Brad Pitt.

AGENciEs

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18 New YoRk: A glam taylor Swift looks picture-perfect accepting the woman of the year award during Billboard’s women in Music event at Capitale.

Ali Zafar, Atif Aslam among sexiest Asian men

MUMBAi

W

ZEENEWs

HILE Bollywood hunk Hrithik Roshan has been adjudged as the sexiest Asian man of the year 2012 by the Eastern Eye Weekly, Pakistani singer-turned-actor Ali Zafar has grabbed the fifth spot and Pakistani singer Atif Aslam has landed number sixteen. In a survey conducted by the

weekly, Hrithik and the Pakistani stars beat some ‘heavyweights’ and emerged as winners in the 50-strong list.

Hrithik won by the biggest ever margin in the history of the men’s list. Hrithik and Ali toppled last year’s winner, Ranbir Kapoor, who incidentally came sixth in this year’s list. Hrithik was voted by fans all over the world via various social networking sites.

Ali Zafar is the real surprise though, thanks to his growing fan base post ‘Tere Bin Laden’ and ‘Merey Brother Ki Dulhan’. Atif too is

‘Rich’ dessert LonDon MUMBAi: the cast of ‘ladies vs Rocky’ pose for the press at a promotional event.

dUBAi: vidya Balan, emraan Hashmi and tusshar attend ‘the dirty Picture’ premiere at the Grand Cineplex.

MUMBAi: Poor Shakun Batra, debutant director and karan Johar. After all the money, time and effort that went into the making of the ‘ek Main Aur ekk tu’ trailer, they need to get back to the drawing board because of the use the three letter word describing intimacy. the movie starring imran khan and kareena kapoor, was refused a ‘U’ certificate which means it cannot be aired on national television. Most find the objection to the use of the word in the movie absurd especially since indian cinema has become so bold and liberal with their scenes and dialogues. After much embarrassment and attempts to “beep” out the word, Shakun Batra and kJo have to rework several parts of the movie for it to make sense. this may mean overshooting the budget but it is the only way for them to guarantee a ‘U’ certificate. kJo was very careful with his comments about the Censor Board’s decision on the trailer of ‘ek Main Aur ekk tu’. He would rather play it safe and be co-operative so that they have no issues with the second version. AGENciEs

MAiL

Boasting real gold leaf, a sparkling diamond and strawberry caviar this lavish creation has made it into the record books as the world’s most expensive dessert. Priced at a staggering £22,000 the extravagant pudding has been snapped up by Carl Weininger, from Rugby. He now plans on slicing it up and serving it to guests at his 60th birthday party on December 5th.

Based on a Faberge Easter egg, the handcrafted dessert features some of the finest ingredients on the market. Chef Marc Guilbert used Belgian chocolate, infused with a combination of peach, orange and whiskey to create a champagne jelly and almond sponge layered base. It was then finished with real gold leaf and handmade flowers, but the cherry on top is an eyecatching two carat diamond. Proud owner Mr Weininger, said: ‘I am an impulsive sort of person and when I heard about the dessert on TV it stuck in my mind. It’s not something you do every day.”

Eager to get a reaction he offered tasters of the pudding at a recent charity auction. He added: “I gave people a little

SRK’s

song an action sequence

MuMBAi: Farhan Akhtar just finished shooting a video for the song ‘Mujhko Pehchaan lo’ for ‘don 2’ with Shah Rukh khan in Mumbai. instead of a choreographed song and dance routine the music video has been filmed as an action sequence. the song is being choreographed by vaibhavi Merchant.

Speaking about this Farhan Akhtar said, “it’s going to be a first of its kind music video which makes it really exciting to do. instead of a song and dance treatment, we’ve opted to visualise the song as an action sequence to see don vanquish his opponents while casually singing the words is surreal but very intriguing.” Commenting on this kind of choreography, vaibhavi Merchant added, “lip syncing, doing action, performing and all that jazz without a dance and yet a song is a unique experience for me. Hope this sets a trend because its first of its kind and this is only possible with SRk in a Farhan Akhtar film.” AGENciEs

tells actors to stop

hugely popular owing to his earthy voice and chartbuster songs. Actor Shahid Kapur was the surprise runner-up, with Shah Rukh Khan claiming the third spot and Salman Khan the fourth position. Indian batsman Virat Kohli was at 18. Other names included Abhishek Bachchan (17), Prateik Babbar (20), John Abraham (7), Akshay Kumar (9), Arjun Rampal (11), actor Imran Khan (12), Saif Ali Khan (13), Riz Ahmed (21), Siddhartha Mallya (31), Mahendra Dhoni (33), Aamir Khan (35) and Zaheer Khan (39).

Most expensive dessert ever made with gold and diamonds

taste of the dessert at our charity Aviators Ball this weekend. I’m not much of a chocolate lover myself but all the women who tasted it said, “Wow!” The sweet treat, designed by Mr Guilbert was unveiled in October in celebration of National Chocolate Week.

But it could not enter the record books until a buyer came forward. Stephen Broughton of Lindeth Howe hotel in Windermere, Cumbria, which commissioned the cake, said they were excited by the news. He said: “We’re thrilled to have sold the dessert and look forward to making it into the Guinness Book of Records. We pride ourselves on making world class desserts - and now this one will go down in history.” At £22,000 per egg, the dessert easily breaks the previous world record which was held by New York’s Serendipity Restaurant with a pudding priced at £12,000. Called the ‘Frozen Haute Chocolate’ the chocolate sundae was made from a blend of 28 cocoas from all around the world, infused with five grams of edible 23karat gold and served in a goblet lined with more edible gold. It also contained numerous gifts including an 18K gold bracelet and a gold spoon set with white diamonds.

DON2

George Clooney

Los AngeLes AGENciEs

The ‘Descendants’ star revealed he is sick of his peers moaning about how tough their lives are and he said other people need to remember how “lucky” they are. Speaking during The Hollywood Reporter’s actor’s round table, he said: “I cut tobacco for a living in Kentucky - that was hard work. I sold insurance door to door - that’s hard work. Acting is not hard work. If you’re lucky enough to be sitting at a table like this, you’ve been very lucky in your life.

You caught the brass ring somewhere along the way. I’ve known a tremendous number of talented actors who didn’t get opportunities. Is it hard work?

There are long hours, but nobody wants to hear you complain. I remember I was selling women’s shoes at a department store, which is a lousy job.” George recalled hearing other actor’s complaining as he struggled to make it in the industry and said it has made his determined to enjoy his good fortune.

He explained: “I remember I would hear of famous stars complaining in Hollywood about how hard their life was - I didn’t want to hear that. So I don’t find it difficult. I find it challenging, and sometimes I’m very bad at it, but I don’t find it hard.”

Vidya happy with the

response MuMBAi: vidya Balan is overwhelmed by the kind of response she has received for ‘the dirty Picture’, and is glad that even her parents did not find anything vulgar or cheap in her portrayal of a sex symbol. “i am feeling great. i am thankful to God as the film has got such a good opening. i got to know it has got 100 percent occupancy in single screen cinemas and 80-90 percent in multiplexes. i have just seen the reaction of people inside the theatre and i didn’t even know what to say. there have been certain reviews which are very positive and encouraging,” vidya said after watching the film in a theatre here. vidya is particularly happy with her parents’ reaction. “My dad and mom said this film has nothing vulgar or cheap. they said they are proud of me as i have brought so much grace and dignity. i think whatever compliments i will get after this will be like bonus. that’s the best compliment,” she said. the film has been directed by Milan luthria and produced by Balaji Productions. it also features Naseeruddin Shah, emran Hashmi and tusshar kapoor. AGENciEs

to ‘The Dirty Picture’

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Sunday, 4 December, 2011

Pages: 8

IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT

|Page 2

IS THE INDOPAK EXPRESS DERAILED GREAT FOR GOOD? EXPECTATIONS

|Page 3

|Page 5

CHARMED CLARKE PUTS AUSSIES IN CONTROL

|Page 6

AMIR KHAN’S TOUGHEST BOUT

I’M NEVER

SCARED, IT’S IN THE BLOOD Page 7

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Sunday, 4 December, 2011

Reminding the PCB Chief his own vow

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it SportS thiS Week ALi AkBAr Mohsin Khan has tossed his hat in the ring for the position of coach of the Pakistan cricket team. And why not!

During his short tenure, the team seems to have gelled as a combination,

coaches for assignments of two or three weeks. They would coach the players and teach our coaches all the drills that they know. But that ought to be the extent of it.

As far as batting and bowling is concerned, this is the age of YouTube and the Internet. The PCB should have a good multi-media department which

MoHSiN HAS Not iMPoSed HiMSelF UNdUlY oN tHe PlAYeRS ANd tHe BoYS look RelAxed iN HiS PReSeNCe

there is no sign of infighting or suspicion of match fixing.. Mohsin has done a fine job as had his predecessor Waqar Younis. He has not imposed himself unduly on the players and the boys look relaxed in his presence.

What is really striking about the team is that the captain and coach have empowered the players. There is no take charge captain or the coach waving from the pavilion and sending semaphore messages as one former coach did.

The PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf has named Dav Whatmore and Jonty Rhodes as contenders for the head coach and fielding coach respectively. With all due respect Mr. Ashraf, you are barking up the wrong tree. Nothing succeeds like success and at the moment the team is doing splendidly, thank you.

Then you had made a statement that you would not make change just for the sake of change. Then why change horses in mid stream? The foreign coach will cost a small fortune and will justify it by making all sorts of corrections and improvements. This will more likely than not, have a deleterious effect on the team and it will take some time to settle down.

Whatmore was successful in Sri Lanka but has not done anything outstanding ever since. A lot of times a set of circumstances is what makes a coach successful and he simply rides the wave. It would be interesting to find out of if demon howler Muralitharan and Whatmore came into the game at the same time. That might explain the turn in fortunes.

Rhodes was one cricketer whom the paying public would pay just to see him field. Nobody even approaches Rhodes' athleticism and consistency as a fielder.

There was another South African, Colin Bland, of whom people talked about in the same glowing terms, but it is hard to see even Bland approaching Rhodes' skills. By all means employ these

should film all the national players from all angles, particularly when they are performing well. When they are in a slump, they should be filmed again and more often than not, the players will identify their own technical issues or their team mates will help them. There are many former cricketers who can spot technical flaws in next to no time. All

tHE iNDO-PAK ExPREss DERAiLs: SiGNS oF diSCoRd weRe evideNt AlReAdY At wiMBledoN eARlieR

they have to do is access the videos on YouTube from wherever they are in the world. This is going on in tennis and would be ideally suited to cricket.

So, Zaka Ashraf, try to look inwards, make our coaches believe that they are as good as any others, which they might well be. Give them a level playing field and a long stint at their job and they will not let you down. After all we have the best umpires in the game with Aleem Dar leading the way. The same could happen with our coaches and indeed our team.

The Pakistani cricketers continue to perform splendidly, especially our bowling attack, which could be the best in the game at the moment. The spinners, led by Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal are almost unplayable given the right conditions.

Along with Hafeez, who should be an ideal captain should the present captain call it a day, and the excellent Umar Gul and Aizaz Cheema, the bowling attack has admirable balance. Sohail Tanvir is a competent, unorthodox bowler who has considerable batting ability. With a little work, he could be the all-rounder that the late order is looking for.

Bangladesh are finding our boys to be more than a handful, especially the wiles of Afridi and his fellow spinners. None of their batsmen have shown any real desire to stay at the crease for any period of time. And this has now been going on for years. There are arguably better teams in the second division, with Afghanistan, Ireland, Canada and the Netherlands who would fancy their chances against the Bengal Tigers. This raises the question of a two-tier Test system with the weakest team playing the strongest team in the second division for the right to stay in the top tier. Frankly, there is a crying need for something like this, more so than for a world Test Championships.

Federer turns the CloCk BACk Roger Federer brought forth memories of his halcyon days of six years ago, to win the season ending Masters Championships at the O2 arena in London last week. Having taken an extended break from the game after his nightmare loss to Djokovic at the US Open after holding two match points, Federer has looked remarkably fresh and his effortless game means that he has less wear and tear on the body. Federer is on a late season roll having won three tournaments in a row and will be looking to carry this form to the Aussie Open in six weeks time.

In sharp contrast, his rivals looked jaded even though there was a lot of

A MAN OF ALL sEAsONs: RoGeR FedeReR iS oN A lAte SeASoN dReAM RUN money and prestige at stake. But for these players, money has ceased to be an issue. They will be the first to tell you that they play tennis only for the challenge. They have made so much money that any more of it is immaterial to them.

The Davis Cup Finals are to be played this weekend between Argentina and the hosts and favorites, Spain. The South Americans will be spearheaded by the giant Juan Martin Del Potro with David Nalbandian and Juan Monaco in supporting roles. For Spain, it will be Rafae; Nadal and David Ferrer along with the doubles team of Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco.The favorites are Spain but Argentina will be fresher, not having played in last week’s event. Also, sometimes in Davis Cup,

the home court advantage can turn out to be extra pressure from the expectant fans. Argentina has a chance, should Del Potro fire on all cylinders. indo-pAk express deCoupled In a rather abrupt move, the Indian half of the Indo-Pak Express, Rohan Bopanna has announced that he will play doubles next year with Mahesh Bhupathi.

Bopanna's abrupt and somewhat curt announcement took Aisam Qureshi by surprise, as the duo had done well after recovering from the trough of the European summer. However, the signs of discord were evident earlier, at Wimbledon, where the players did not seem to be synching too well. Aisam is now playing with a Dutch doubles specialist. We wish him the best of luck.

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21 Tennis has serious issues despite rise in net profits Sunday, 4 December, 2011

Citing Olympics as the reason for their ‘temporary’ split, there are fears that the problems might be deeper

Comment siMon Briggs

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Comment J.k WALi

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NOWN in the tennis domain as the ‘Indo-Pak Express’, the pairing of Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Rohan Bopanna has made major inroads into acclaim and accolades, both on and off the field.

The “stop war start tennis” initiative that spread like fire in both parts of the Indo-Pak divide was complemented by the United Nations Development Program to appoint the duo as Goodwill Ambassadors in November 2010. They also received Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award 2010 – one that Aisam had won with Amir Hadad in 2002 as well – and the “Peace and Sport Image of the Year” award among many other accolades for peace and their off-field influence.

Even though Aisam and Bopanna had teamed up in 2007, the global dynamics work in such a way that any statement of goodwill, more often than not, come to the fore only after on-field achievements. Such was the case for the Indo-Pak duo in September 2010, when their earth-shattering run to the final at Flushing Meadows brought them to the forefront. Aisam coupled that run with a final’s berth in the mixed doubles as well; and his speech at the award distribution ceremony won over hearts after making a mark as a doubles player.

Back in 2010, Aisam and Bopanna were relatively unknown commodities. They usurped the tennis scene owing to the element of surprise that more often than not took their opponents by surprise. This was clearly visible in their run to the final in US Open 2010. Aisam is a conventional serve and volleyer, who backs his serving with dexterous volleying – the more textbook doubles player

of the two. Bopanna, on the other hand, has pulverising ground strokes and a beast of a serve. Bopanna is a competent ad-court player, with a powerful backhand and Aisam hogs the deuce court, since his backhand is his weaker link while the forehand is an indubitable weapon. Together the two formed a daunting opposition, as their respective skills complemented each other seamlessly.

However, what really impacted the duo’s overall play package was the fact that they translated their offcourt understanding into matters on the court – something Brian Brothers have showcased in an unparalleled manner over the years. The two were best friends before they were partners – and this is what they have asserted in the past as well. And like true friends they would stand up for each other, cover each other’s frailties and when the other was having a bad day, his partner would put in more than his fair share of tenacity. Such unique camaraderie ensured that their combined prowess was considerably more than the sum of the two individuals.

After the US Open, there firstround exits galore for the team from the subcontinent, and the spark and the collaboration was crucially missing. However, the two managed to put together their best in Paris and won their only ATP 1000 event, which brought them into the spotlight in the doubles game yet again.

Nonetheless, losing all three of their pool matches in the World Tour Finals – owing some of it to luck and some to lethargy – the two have decided to part ways in pursuit, ostensibly, of Olympics glory.

They were a deadly team, with new partners they might well struggle to match their exploits – something they might learn the hard way next year. 2012 being an Olympic year

meant that there was always going to be a shuffle in the packs of doubles partners around the globe. And when Bhupathi and Paes announced their split – again – rumours linking Bopanna with one of them gathered momentum. Bopanna opting for Bhupathi – or the other way round – was surprising, since both of them are adcourt players; however what was even more surprising was the way Aisam and Bopanna halted their express.

The initial word was that the split is temporary, with the London Olympics in mind; but the noise generated by both halves of the Indo-Pak express is marred by bitterness – even though the two endeavour to downplay that – and it appears that the express is being halted for good.

The decision to part ways has been taken by Bopanna, who extrovertly claimed in recent interviews that he did not have a successful year with Aisam and was looking forward to changing that with Bhupathi. Such a statement within a month of their maiden ATP 1000 title in Paris was not only uncalled for, it also reflects a feeling of resentment on Bopanna’s part. The two reached the ATP World Tour Finals for the very first time, and reaching the year-ending finale connotes a successful year.

Aisam will be partnered by JeanJulien Rojer next year – a top 20 player – and has clarified that he holds no grudges against his ‘good friend’ Bopanna. Bopanna should have done the same and appreciated his time with Aisam even if he wanted to call it a day on the partnership.

Nevertheless, considering what unraveled in Beijing 2008, with Bopanna and Bhupathi having a torrid time as a team, it might be Bopanna who misses Aisam being next to him rather than the other way round.

NY counting-house Scrooges working in the tennis industry this Christmas should be cackling and rubbing their hands with glee. At the end of a riveting season, the receipts just keep flooding in. A quarter of a million spectators rolled up to the O2 Arena last week to watch the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, and 7,000 more are due at the Albert Hall over the weekend to hear John McEnroe dust off his favourite epithets on the veterans’ tour. Yes, the global economy may be teetering on the verge of another meltdown, but the timeless appeal of tennis, that most civilised of sports (at least until McEnroe blows his top), is more powerful than ever.

Even as Marylebone Cricket Club scale back their vaunted Lord’s “Masterplan”, the All England Club are feeling so flush that they are considering investing another £100-odd million in a roof for Wimbledon’s Court No1.

But wait, what’s this? A vision of Christmas future, perhaps? A future where a floppy-haired Swiss fellow in a bandana is whooping it up with the vets in the Albert Hall. Where Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are both in rehab after major operations (shoulder and knee respectively). And where Andy Murray has taken time off to travel around the world and seek inner peace. Okay, so it’s a flippant suggestion, but the point is that men’s tennis can’t afford to be complacent.

The ATP may be congratulating itself on a balance sheet that shows revenue up by 80 per cent over the last three years. But how much of that is down to its brilliant salesmanship and how much to the generation of geniuses who have emerged to contest some of the greatest matches ever played?

More importantly, how is the ATP going to protect its biggest assets, this gaggle of golden geese?

The O2 tour finals might have been decorated by a majestic performance from Roger Federer. But they were also devalued by the fact that his main rivals were barely capable of standing up, let alone giving the 2011 season the send-off it deserved. “Oh, diddums,” I can hear you saying. “Those poor multi-millionaires! And even if they all burn out, won’t there be another champion along in a minute?” Well, there might be. But don’t bet on it, because there are precious few meteors to challenge the established stars. Whereas the ‘Big Four’ had all cracked the world’s top 20 before they were 20, today we have just two teenagers (Australia’s Bernard Tomic and Ryan Harrison of the United States) inside the top 100. For all its wealth, for all the visibility of its

core celebrities, tennis has issues to resolve.

Perhaps Murray’s talk of strike action within the locker room was premature, but there is real discontent - not to mention disagreement - behind the scenes. “The views of the two leading players are a long way apart,” says Nick Lester, a former pro who now commentates for Sky Sports. “Nadal wants to shorten the schedule and bring in a more forgiving rankings system that works over two seasons instead of one. But Federer, who spends far less time and energy on court, would rather keep the status quo.” A similar gulf has opened over the appointment of a new ATP chief executive to replace the outgoing Adam Helfant. Nadal is understood to prefer Richard Krajicek, the Dutchman who won Wimbledon in 1996, out of a feeling that a former player should lend a sympathetic ear to the concerns of his footsore workforce. But Federer questions whether Krajicek has enough business acumen for the job. The deadlock, which extends to the ATP board, is so severe that there is talk of beginning the recruitment process all over again. Krajicek, as it happens, is one of the “legends” in action at the Albert Hall this weekend, where he is still pinging his serve down at up to 140 mph. “Tennis is doing well - it’s such a healthy sport,” he told me last week. But that doesn’t mean it’s all peace, love and harmony around the courts this Christmas.

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Sunday, 4 December, 2011

AucKLAND: Muhammad Rizwan Senior (R) of Pakistan manoeuvres past James tindall of Britain. AFP

seViLLe AFP

Ironman David Ferrer beat Juan Martin del Potro 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Friday to hand Spain a 2-0 lead over Argentina in the Davis Cup final and inch them closer to a fifth title. Ferrer needed four hours and 44 minutes to see off the battling del Potro after Rafael Nadal had earlier cruised to his 19th win in 20 rubbers in the competition with a 6-1, 6-1, 62 win over close friend Juan Monaco.

Spain can wrap up the title if Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez see off David Nalbandian and Eduardo Schwank in Saturday’s doubles, which would leave Argentina still searching for a first Davis Cup crown. “I played the best match of my career,” said Ferrer. The Spanish number two, who made the semi-finals at the ATP World Tour Finals last week in London, had looked down and out against a free-hitting del Potro in the second and third sets in front of a raucous 28,000strong crowd at the Estadio Olimpico. But the big Argentine gradually wilted, slipping 5-1 down in the decider. He managed to retrieve a break and hold to put the pressure back on Ferrer, but the Spaniard held his nerve to wrap up the rubber with a sweeping winner. “He’s David Ferrer, he fights all the time,” said Spain captain Albert Costa. Sadly for Argentina, history will not be on their side on Saturday -- the last team to recover from a 2-0 deficit in the final was Australia in 1939. “We saw tonight that even playing incredible tennis you can still lose to Spain,” said an emotional del Potro.

“But we still have a chance. I have confidence in David (Nalbandian) and Eduardo (Schwank). We are still alive.”

Champion Trophy

Pakistan lose to Great Britain AUCkLAnD

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AFP

USTRALIA made a stuttering start to their Champions Trophy defence with a 3-2 win over Spain on Saturday, while Pakistan squandered the opportunity for an upset victory over Great Britain. In the last major men’s hockey tournament before next year’s Olympics, hot favourites Australia needed two goals from inspirational skipper Jamie Dwyer to down the committed Spaniards.

Dwyer admitted that the Kookaburras, chasing an unprecedented fourth straight Champions Trophy, failed to live up to their billing as the world’s topranked team and raging favourites to claim Olympic gold at the London Games.

“We were very passive, we should have been a lot more aggressive and we allowed their ball carriers too much time and space,” the four-time world player of

the year said. “We definitely didn’t play to our potential and we’re probably lucky to get the result in the end. There’s no real excuses.” Spain peppered the Australian goal as they dominated the opening skirmishes but a well-taken short-range goal from Dwyer against the run of play put the reigning champions ahead after 10 minutes. The Spaniards, who have only beaten Australia three times in 22 Champions Trophy clashes, hit back 15 minutes later when an off-balance Jorge Dabanch stayed on his feet long enough to fire a shot past goalie Andrew Charter.

Eduard Tubau shot Spain into the lead two minutes later, when he split the Australian defence to again beat Charter.

The Kookaburras wrested control of the second half, with Dwyer netting the equaliser just after the break and a penalty corner conversion from Desmond Abbott sealing the win. Spain coach Daniel Martin said the performance was a confidence booster for the Beijing silver medallists as they look to bounce back

from disappointing recent results. In the other Pool A match, Pakistan went down 2-1 to Great Britain in a hard-fought match marked by committed defence from both teams.

Captain Muhammad Imran, who converted a penalty corner to put his side ahead after 31 minutes, said Pakistan created numerous chances in the attacking quarter but failed to capitalise on them.

“We played well but unfortunately we missed our chances and we’re working on that,” he said. Britain were more clinical in the second half, taking all three points through second half goals to Mark Pearn and Richard Mantell.

However, Pakistan team manager Khawaja Junaid said the Green Shirts, who shocked Australia 4-3 in Perth last month, showed they were making progress. “We are still in the tournament... we played good hockey and we are not demoralised,” he said.

England were runners-up to Australia at last year’s event and, because the

tournament in Auckland is a lead-up event for the Olympics, its players form part of a combined British team this year.

In Pool B, the Netherlands beat South Korea 2-0 and Olympic champions Germany defeated host New Zealand 2-1.

New Zealand captain Dean Couzins said the Black Sticks paid the price for defensive lapses. “I don’t think we played as well as we should have,” he said.

“Germany did well to create a bit of pressure, but if you look back at the two goals they scored, we would be a little disappointed with that, and the softness of the corners we gave away.” pool A Australia 3 (Dwyer 10, 42; Abbott 65) Spain 2 (Dabanch 25; Tubau 27) Great Britain 2 (Pearn 45; Mantell 65) Pakistan 1 (Imran 31) pool B Germany 2 (Stralkowski 9; Wesley 59) New Zealand 1 (Inglis 14) Netherlands 2 (Taekema 9; Bakker 54) South Korea 0.

ExPERt cOMMENt

MARk weBBeR

F

ROM the way the team's preparation had gone, I knew we were going to be competitive and that I'd be able to challenge for victory. I made a mistake on the second lap - the same error my Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel made later in the race - by driving on to the kerbs at Turn Four and running wide. I lost a second there but the first stint was pretty good after that.

Seb started getting a gearbox problem as we approached the first pit stops. I was closing in on him a bit but I don't know how much time it was costing him at that point.

But I do know it was a reasonably minor issue then, getting more serious as the race went on. He was definitely affected in the middle and towards the back part of the race. In the end, he let me by on lap 30 because the team knew the only way he would last all 71 laps and make the finish was by

slowing down. It was a bit disappointing in a way. I was feeling pretty good and it would have been nice to have a flat-out run to the flag against him. But that's motorsport.

There are lots of guys who win races after someone else has hit problems - ask Heikki Kovalainen about his grand prix win in Hungary in 2008, for example.

Seb has benefited from problems I've had in the past as well. That's the way it goes.

You've got to be able to capitalise when other drivers have issues. I didn't pull that far ahead of Seb for a while and people have asked how he could keep up if he had a gearbox problem. Well, I was pacing myself and knew I had 0.3-0.4secs on him if I needed it.

At the end, I could really push and have a bit of fun - that's what those three consecutive fastest laps at the end were about. It might not have been so obvious from the

outside, but I've been closing in on that win for a while. Ultimately, I've had a good year.

It hasn't been good enough to challenge for the title, but I've spent most of my races fighting with Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, involved in a lot of really special fights and some good races.

I've had only one non-finish - that was in Italy - so that's not to be sniffed at and I've scored a lot of points. I would have loved more victories, but Seb's formula was very potent. His aim was to qualify on pole and be far enough ahead after two laps to ensure no-one could use the DRS overtaking aid to pass him. One grand prix does not change a whole season or change my mindset, but it was nice to finish the way I did.

After leading the championship for a long time in 2010, it would be easy for me to be dissatisfied. But I'm not overly disap-

pointed with the year I've had, considering some of the circumstances and situations I found myself in. I want to look at the positives and work on the things that do make a difference as I prepare for next year.

Roger Federer won the ATP World Tour Finals in London last weekend, which is not something you would necessarily have predicted going into the event.

Federer has had a bit of a lean spell by his high standards, yet he won a tournament that featured the three players ranked ahead of him in the world - Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray. Federer was honest enough to admit in some of his postmatch interviews that he's healthy at this stage of the season - with the implication that some of his rivals might not be at the absolute top of their game - but you can only play what's on the other side of the net. It's

not like the other guys weren't trying - Nadal was certainly up for it - but Federer played phenomenally well and went all the way. It is good for tennis to have him still throwing a few right hooks at this stage of his career.

He might even have another slam left in him. With Federer, you never know.

I listened to him doing an interview this week and, although I don't have the trophy cabinet he does, there were a lot of things he said that resonated with the way I felt after Brazil. I have a very busy schedule in the next 10 days. Having been to Brazil and back in the last week, I am flying out to Australia on Thursday to help launch my Tasmania Challenge. The adventure race, which helps raise money for charity, is being held for the first time since 2008. I might do a little bit on the first day, but the plan is not for me to take part as a competitor.

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Sunday, 4 December, 2011

great

expectations

Reflections on FIH Champions Trophy, the Davis Cup final and the Euro 2012 draw

ALL BASeS CoVereD kUnWAr kHULDUne sHAHiD

C

ARRYING the burden of expectations is part and parcel of being a sportsman.

However, occasionally the burden becomes too onerous to carry, or the athlete shrivels under pressure. Those who manage to synchronise their wavelength of performances with what is expected of them eventually make names in history books. Sometimes the expectations are too improbable, at times the performance is below par; either way the ratio between the outcome and the expectations is one of the most intriguing equations of sports.

jing 2008 and then at the bottom of the pile in New Delhi 2010, we need to eliminate our phantoms of malfunction in global events and gradually reinstate ourselves as a top five hockey side.

The fact that we were once the undisputed monarchs of the hockey domain has, more often than not, meant that our national sport becomes the victim of its own successes. Pakistan hockey is always fastened together with the encumbrance of unrealistic expectations. The grandeur of the past is what we crave, and it’s almost as if we simply refuse to understand the term ‘transition’. Retracing the apex takes time, has a multitude of steps and requires patience; about time we comprehend this no-brainer.

sPAiN DOMiNAtE tHE DAVis cuP FiNAL

PAKistAN’s cHAMPiONs tROPHY PROsPEcts Losing out to Great Britain in the opening pool match has dented our chances of filtering through to the next round in the 33rd edition of the FIH Champions Trophy in New Zealand. Even though there were glimpses of brilliance from Pakistan, but being on the wrong end of a 2-1 score line connotes that they have their work cut out in qualifying for the semis. Just like the final score suggests, it was a closely fought encounter and the score line could just as easily have reversed and tilted in our favour.

Pakistan dictated most matters in the first half, and took a deserved lead in the 30th minute, courtesy Muhammed Imran’s strike from the penalty corner. First half saw us carving out decent opportunities that were eventually capped off by going 10 up into half-time. However, akin to so many times in the recent past, instead of going for the jugular we rested on our laurels after half-time, vying to protect the slender lead and the British side duly pounced. Middleton and Ashley Jackson collaborated brilliantly to lay the ball on a platter for Pearn to finish; and so he did in the 45th minute. Pearn has returned to the game after a six year gap, and his touch and finishing was almost as if he hadn’t left the scene at all.

At 1-1, the match was balanced on a knife edge, but it was the British team who decided to up the ante. The last 15 minutes saw wave after wave of relentless attacks from Great Britain, and they managed to score the decisive goal by Simon Mantell via their third penalty corner in quick succession and converted their dominance in possession and play in to goals – something we had failed to do after taking the lead. The result leaves us with the small matter of toppling Spain and three times defending champion Australia to reach the next round.

Winning the Champions Trophy was an unrealistic target even from our astoundingly deluded standards, but reaching the final four – under the new Champions Trophy format – was a viable goal.

And you never know with our side, even after being downed by Great Britain, Pakistan can take confidence from their recent triumph against Australia in Australia and go for a repeat. When the odds are stacked against us we seem to perform at our optimum and this is exactly why Pakistan hockey is a nightmare for betting men. Finishing eighth in Bei-

tineans, futile.

The Spanish side was fully backed by their zealous home supporters – every single one of the 28,000 in the Olympic Stadium. Ferrer especially fed off the fervent support that saw him to the finish line against Del Potro. Spain were overwhelming favourites before the tie and have now stamped their authority relentlessly.

Spain have been the dominant side in the Davis Cup ever since Nadal reached the zenith of his game in 2008, and has been aptly backed by a resurgent Ferrer as well. Spanish players might be under the shroud of artificial performance enhancement and accusations along the line, but there is no doubt about them being at the vanguard of global tennis. The expectations engulfing the Spanish players and their national side continues to tower high, and one gets the feeling this is going to be the trend in the near future as well.

DiscERNiNG tHE EuRO DRAW

Rafael Nadal dispelled the chants of him not being motivated enough these days – something he himself had admitted – by absolutely obliterating Juan Monaco in the first singles rubber in the Davis Cup final against Argentina on Friday. Monaco managed to take a meager four games in three sets as Rafa brought his best clay court tennis to the fore.

This was Nadal’s 19th win in 20 singles rubbers for Spain, and 66th win in 67 best-of-five clay court encounters – seriously daunting numbers.

David Ferrer followed suit and put Spain 2-0 up and continued his unbeaten run on clay in Davis Cup rubbers; but the manner of his triumph over Del Potro was in stark contrast to Nadal’s landslide victory. Coming back from a two sets to one down, Ferrer showcased his emblematic tenacity to outdo Del Potro and take his nation on the brink of a third Davis Cup triumph in four years. Del Potro winning against Ferrer was what the Argentineans were hoping for, for them to have any chance of edging out Spain in their own backyard. Now, they need Del Potro to pull a rabbit, a zebra and an elephant out of the proverbial hat, by recovering in time for Sunday’s showdown against Nadal and beating him on clay. By the time you get hold of this piece, the doubles rubber would have had been played and a Spanish victory would seal the deal, and render any reversal in singles for the Argen-

The draw for Euro 2012 had the potential to throw up the mother of all group of deaths into the mix; however, that wasn’t the case to be. Nonetheless we do have the scrumptious prospect of watching the last two World Champions Spain and Italy taking on each other, France facing England, and Germany, Holland and Portugal being crammed in the same group.

Group A has a palpable east-European flavour with co-hosts Poland, 2004 champions Greece along with Russia and Czech-Republic in the pool.

Russia would be the ones backed to reach the quarters, and the Russians should be absolutely ecstatic with the draw. All other sides would have a say in matters as well, and while the hosts can never be discounted in any sporting event, the Czech side might be the one sailing ashore.

Group B will be earmarked as the ‘Group of

Death’ for Euro 2012, with powerhouses like Germany, Holland, and Portugal all vying for the two available quarter final slots – with Denmark no bunnies as well. Group B hinges on the performance of a certain Cristiano Ronaldo; if he brings his A-game into the tournament Portugal can topple anyone before them. But, indubitably, this is the toughest pool to call and with injuries and league seasons taking their toll eventually, the shape up to matters would be intriguing by the time the tournament kicks off in the summer.

Not being disrespectful to Ireland and Croatia, but Group C is all about Spain and Italy. The two will contest the biggest blockbuster in the group matches. Ireland and Croatia are well-drilled teams though, and have the potential to spring a surprise.

As things stand, with the Spanish side – and its Catalonian spine – being overloaded with accolades, there is a concern that Spain might fail to live up to their ever-escalating standards of performances.

Group D has perennial underachievers England, joined by co-hosts Ukraine, Sweden and France.

England would be overjoyed with the draw, with none of the three competitors not the most intimidating. France has fallen from the apex of global football following the retirements of their Golden Generation of 1998-2006 and with Ukraine co-hosting the tournament with Poland there is a serious concern that neither of the hosts might make it to the last eight. Sweden and England have played decisive encounters in global tournaments in the past, and there matchup here could be crucial as well.

The permutations are intriguing and the possibilities manifold, however with more than six months to go before the tournament kicks off, there are a lot of happenings that could influence matters in Poland in Ukraine. Rest assured the expectations would run the entire gamut from optimism to scepticism.

Group C coaches (from l), Croatia’s manager Slaven Bilic, ireland's manager Giovanni trapattoni, italy’s manager Cesare Prandelli and Spain's manager vicente del Bosque.

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Sunday, 4 December, 2011

Charmed Clarke

puts Aussies

in control

Michael Clarke stroked his way to eVentFul 139 BrisBAne

M

AFP

ICHAEL Clarke hit a charmed century while Ricky Ponting and Brad Haddin eased the pressure on their Test careers with half-centuries as Australia took charge of the first Test against New Zealand at the Gabba on Saturday. Helped by sloppy Kiwi fielding, the Australians put themselves in a strong position with a commanding 427 in their first innings to seize a 132-run lead over the Black Caps. The Kiwis lost the big wicket of Brendon McCullum, caught in the slips by Ricky Ponting off James Pattinson in the seven overs to stumps to be 10 for one and trail by 122 runs with two days to play.

Martin Guptill was not out seven with nightwatchman Doug Bracewell yet to score. New Zealand’s hopes of a first victory in Australia for 26 years faded after they dropped Clarke twice on his way to

139, while Haddin chipped in with 80 and former skipper Ponting hit 78. It was the seventh time in the last eight seasons that Australia has amassed 400 runs or more in the first innings at their Gabba fortress, where they remain unbeaten for 23 years.

Clarke rode his luck to claim his 17th Test century after he was dropped at 85 and 105 and bowled off a no-ball. He made the All Blacks pay dearly as he shared in a 108-run sixth wicket stand with Haddin for Australia to take control of the match.

It was Clarke’s fourth Test hundred against the Kiwis and second in his last five Test innings after scoring 151 against South Africa in the first innings of the Cape Town Test last month. Clarke was out on the fourth ball after tea, caught at deep backward square by Tim Southee off Chris Martin, ending his 368-minute stay which included 19 fours and a six.

The Kiwis made it easier for Clarke, with wicketkeeper Reece Young and Jesse Ryder spilling catches, both off the luck-

less paceman Doug Bracewell.

Clarke on 85 edged straight into Young’s gloves only for the wicketkeeper to fumble the chance and after lunch Ryder dropped a high two-handed chance at third slip when the Australian skipper was on 105. Clarke was also bowled off an inside edge on 23 late Friday only to get a reprieve when Bracewell was found to have overstepped for a no-ball. Ponting and Haddin both took the heat off their Test spots, with Haddin’s innings including two sixes and six boundaries. Ponting, whose last big innings was 209 against Pakistan in Hobart in January last year, hit 12 boundaries off 140 balls and put on 86 runs for the fourth wicket with Clarke. Ponting narrowly avoided being run out before he had scored and he also survived a video referee’s referral for lbw on 63 on Friday.

Mike Hussey was caught bat-pad by Ryder off spinner Daniel Vettori for 15.

Bracewell finally grabbed the wicket he thoroughly deserved when he had James

scOREBOARD NEW ZEALAND, 1st innings: 295 (D. Vettori 96, D. Brownlie 77 not out; N. Lyon 4-69) AustRALiA 1st innings (overnight 154-3) D. Warner c Young b southee 3 P. Hughes c Guptill b Martin 10 u. Khawaja run out (Williamson) 38 R. Ponting lbw b Martin 78 M. clarke c southee b Martin 139 M. Hussey c Ryder b Vettori 15 B. Haddin c Martin b Guptill 80 P. siddle c taylor b Vettori 0 J. Pattinson c taylor b Bracewell 12 M. starc not out 32 N. Lyon c Brownlie b southee 5 ExtRAs (6lb, 3w, 6nb) 15 tOtAL (all out; 129.2 overs) 427 Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Warner), 2-25 (Hughes), 3-91 (Khawaja), Ponting (4-177), Hussey (5-237), 6-345

(clarke), 7-345 (siddle), 8-374 (Pattinson), 9-418 (Haddin), 10-427 (Lyon) BOWLiNG: Vettori 37-13-88-2, southee 28.2-5-103-2, Martin 28-5-89-3 (2w), Bracewell 26-3-104-1 (5nb, 1w), Guptill 3-0-18-1 (1nb), Brownlie 3-0-11-0, Williamson 40-8-0 NEW ZEALAND 2nd innings M. Guptill not out 7 B. Mccullum c Ponting b Pattinson 1 D. Bracewell not out 0 ExtRAs (1lb, 1nb) 2 tOtAL (for 1 wkt, 7 overs) 10 Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Mccullum) BOWLiNG: Pattinson 4-3-1-1, siddle 3-0-8-0 (1nb) tOss: New Zealand uMPiREs: Aleem Dar (PAK) and Asad Rauf (PAK) tV uMPiRE: Nigel Llong (ENG) MAtcH REFEREE: Andy Pycroft (ZiM)

Pattinson caught by Ross Taylor in the slips for 12. Test debutant Mitchell Starc, dropped by Taylor on nought, went on to make an unbeaten 32 off 54 balls, while Martin finished with three for 89 off 28

overs. Black Caps wicketkeeper Young was forced to leave the field after tea and needed 12 stitches to a mouth wound after being struck from a Vettori delivery that spat off the pitch.

An obituary of poor old Test cricket ExPERt cOMMENt

deAN JoNeS

H

AVING an end at Etihad Stadium named in my honour this week, along with Merv Hughes, was a humbling experience. Afterwards, I was asked to speak to some radio stations to promote the Renegades and the Big Bash League along the way. I was asked if Test cricket will be forgotten this summer. My answer was yes, due to the marketing strategies employed by Cricket Australia. Well, CA wasn't too happy. I got a phone call from a CA representative expressing their disappointment of my opinion and that I was wrong.

Cricket, along with other sports, mainly derives its income from TV. So TV basically tells CA how to market and schedule its events. The BBL has been created to make fun TV for families, to target new audiences and new demographics. This summer's peak times for TV will be all about the BBL. Most of CA's marketing budget is spent on the BBL, while Tests hardly get a mention.

So what is the message that CA is telling its fans for this summer? It sounds to me that poor old Test cricket is being

told to go sit in the back of the room and wait its turn. For now, the BBL has taken precedence over Test cricket. Who would have thought? Cricket Australia maintains that Test cricket is its premium brand, but you wouldn't know it this year. There has been a considerable lack of promotion for the two-Test series versus New Zealand and the four Tests versus India. Add in the stupid scheduling of having a two-Test series in South Africa so there was room for a couple of Twenty20 matches and you have your answer.

So where am I wrong? As far as I am concerned, if you just want the Test series versus India to be successful, then don't intersperse it with matches from the BBL. Surely it will take the gloss and attention off this iconic Test series and from anyone who plays well.

The public will lose focus on the Tests and the people will want to just watch the BBL. CA has gone into some serious debt to launch the Big Bash League. If it doesn't come off, it will cause serious repercussions throughout the sport in Australia. So I fully understand that CA should devote most of its time to its new baby, but does it have to be at the expense of Test cricket?

At some stage CA had to do this, but when a major tour of India is upon us? India is No. 2 in the world, and master bats Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid are likely to play in Australia for the last time. Couldn't we have launched the BBL later, when the West Indies or Sri Lanka were over here?

Well, the decision has been made and we will have to put up with it. I fully understand that Australia must have its own form of Twenty20 cricket after witnessing the suc-

cess of the IPL in India. A major worry for CA and Indian cricket was that the IPL TV ratings went down 30 per cent last year. Its gate takings and revenues are also way down on previous years. Maybe we can put that down to the fact that India just won a World Cup and had four days to prepare for IPL4.

Maybe the Indian public has had a gutful of watching cricket? Surely not. Don't get me wrong, I love Twenty20 cricket. I was one of a few people who started it in India and helped create the Indian Cricket League.

The IPL has copied all of the formulas we created and is a massive success. But I don't see the Indian cricket board playing a Test series right in the middle of the IPL! We need to find a balance in our cricket itinerary and give each format a chance to shine.

The BBL will no doubt introduce new kids to cricket. It will be a lot of fun. Kids play mainly Twenty20 cricket now and we, as coaches, tell them to go for it.

Ask your kids to bowl as fast as they can. Spin it as hard as they can and hit it as far as they possibly can. Let them have fun. Don't worry about their techniques, we tighten them up when they reach 17 years of age and older. We are looking for an X factor when they are young. CA has to be careful of its programming. If it gives preference to T20 and 50-over cricket over Tests, then the kids will follow their lead.

Go ask a few kids this question: would you prefer to play five matches for Australia in Twenty20, five one-day internationals, or one Test match? Most kids will say they will want to play the shorter form of the game. Here is our future speaking. Here lies their problem.

The public seems to lose focus on Tests

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Sunday, 4 December, 2011

Amir KhAn’s

toughest

bout

Comment gAretH A DAVies Five minutes” walk from the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, where Amir Khan is honing his skills for his latest fight, is the apartment block where he spends six months of the year. It is late afternoon and we are sitting next to the swimming-pool, where Khan is about to feast on chicken and rice. It has been another exhausting day. It began with a dawn run on the beach at Santa Monica, followed by rigorous, strength-sapping sprints up and down wooden steps where the coast road meets a raised cliff.

“There are 256 going up and on another flight there are 156 going down,” he says with a grin.

“The most I have done is 10 sets.”

The two-hour sessions are designed to build strength and stamina in his legs. Then, after a high-protein breakfast and a few rounds on the Xbox (fighting games), he has a 90-minute siesta before heading to the Wild Card for a further two hours of stretching, sparring and gym work. The routine runs like clockwork, six days a week, so that Khan is in peak condition for his world-title encounter next Saturday with Lamont Peterson. The fight, in his opponent”s hometown of Washington, DC, is Khan”s fourth in the US and the sixth defence of his WBA world light welterweight title. It is also the first defence of the IBF world title he won in July in a unification fight with Zab Judah.

Poolside, Khan exudes a relaxed air. “You have to be confident when you”ve got someone in front of you who wants to beat you and take the title from you. But I think people mistake my confidence for arrogance or cockiness,” he says. “I know what physical tools I have, I know what I can do. So I don”t have to prove anything. The thing is, I”m never scared. It”s just in the blood, really. My family come from a warrior clan background, the Rajput tribe from the Punjab, and that could be one of the reasons.

Going into fights just seems normal to me.”

Khan”s grandfather, Lall, came to Britain in the late 1960s, like many Pakistanis. The family were landowners from Rawalpindi; grandfather Khan saw the opportunity of a better future for his family in Britain and set up home in Halliwell, Greater Manchester, later bringing his wife, Iqbal Begum, and two sons over. Amir”s father, Shah, was seven years old at the time.

Lall got a job in a cotton factory, working his way up to manager. Shah trained as a mechanic, set up his own garage, and then had a scrapyard. He now oversees Amir”s career full-time.

“We are all hard workers,” Khan says. “It”s

And then there wAs A

teesra Comment MUHAMMAD BUtt

in the genes. We”re not ones to just sit there and chill. Once I”ve had a rest in between fights, I have to go back into the gym. I”ve got to be doing something with my life. My coach has to get me to slow down sometimes.”

The young Amir was a hyperactive child. “I was never scared of anything, even then. I was always misbehaving, testing myself.” In other words, he was constantly getting into fights, not because he was a troublemaker but because he had no qualms about taking anyone on, no matter how big they were. He was eight when his father took him to an amateur boxing club in Halliwell and placed him under the tutelage of a local coach, Tommy Battle. “It was the greatest thing that had ever happened to me,” Khan says. “I loved it straight away.” He had found his niche. Three English schoolboy titles and three junior national amateur titles followed. In 2003, aged 16, he won a gold medal at the Junior Olympics in Detroit, followed by another gold at the Junior World Championships in Korea the year after.

While he was recognised as an exceptional young talent, many felt that the senior Olympics in 2004 was too soon for him. Some selectors didn”t want him to go. After much debate. He won Britain”s only boxing medal of the Games.

Khan talks a lot about using his position “to give something back”. After the 2005 Kashmir earthquake he visited Pakistan to hand out food parcels to displaced children. His former coach, Tommy Battle, now runs the Gloves Community Gym, a converted warehouse in Bolton in which Khan invested £800,000. Local boys pay between 50p and £1 to use the facilities, and the club has already nurtured junior champions.

“Naughty kids come in to do some training. We give them discipline,” Khan says. On a grander scale, he says he wants to start his own charitable foundation. Khan”s level-headedness is refreshing in a world of giant egos, big talkers and cod-philosophers. Inside the ring, he says his secret is that he does not allow himself to think too deeply about fighting. “I just let it happen.

When I go into the ring I don”t think too hard or too deep, I just sit there before I go into a fight and go through everything Freddie has told me in my mind, quickly – work on my jab, my left hook, watch my opponent”s right, be careful not to get trapped on the ropes. As soon as I step inside the ring, everything comes naturally, it”s like a dream. Before you know it, it”s over, and that is why I like watching my fights over again, because half the time I”ve forgotten what I did. It”s like after you drive a car: you don”t remember changing gears, you just do it all without thinking about it.” (TELEGRAPH)

There is much joy to be found in Warne’s wizardry, Saqlain’s doosra and Swaan’s subtleties but for me personally, nothing comes close to watching a genuine fast bowler in action bowling with his tail up, not even a Mark Waugh on-drive. Shoaib Akhtar summed the visceral and almost surreal feeling quite succinctly when he said, “It gets your blood going, the adrenaline is pumping, you're in a fight. To me that's what cricket is all about.”

Maybe I am a traditionalist or maybe it’s the illustrious list of fast bowlers the country has produced but I have always envisaged our bowling line up to consist of 3-4 quickies supplemented with a twirler. However, the last couple of years have seen a complete role reversal with Pakistan operating, with much success mind you, with a three pronged spin attack. This is not to say that the fast bowling resources in the country have dried up; with Gul virtually guaranteed a spot barring injury, there are as many as 4-5 fast bowlers vying for the last available bowling spot and with all three spinners in the form of their lives, they have their work cut out if they are make it into the playing eleven. If the 90’s was the era of the two W’s, indications are that the 2010’s will belong to the two A’s.

Leading the pack of slow bowlers is the Faisalabad-born offspinner, Saeed Ajmal. Ajmal’s debut at the ripe old age of 30 raised a few eyebrows but unlike others before him, he let his bowling do the talking. 2011 has so far seen Ajmal pick up 30 ODI wickets at 17.63 and consolidate his position as Pakistan’s number one test spinner courtesy 41 wickets in 6 tests. Admittedly the opposition haven’t been the toughest but you can only play what’s in front of you and those facing Ajmal have been left totally flummoxed and bamboozled by the subtle variations and the beautifully disguised doosra. While not quite reaching the giddy heights Saqlain acquired in the late 90’s, Ajmal, has carved a comfortable niche for himself, a niche that seems him sit at the top of the ICC ODI bowler rankings, ahead of his contemporaries Swaan and Vettori.

There are so many things that one can admire about Ajmal, besides his bowling; his character for one is in no doubt as Mazhar Majeed found out while rounding up cricketers to spot fix for him. He might seem a bit grumpy while he’s bowling but his sense of humour and confidence shine through while giving interviews (YouTube ‘Saeed Ajmal interviews’ and you will know what I mean). And then there is the resolve and fight and his sheer bloody mindedness to prove his detractors wrong. Lesser mortals may have succumbed after ‘that’ Hussey hurricane but Ajmal, like a true champion soldiered on and became a better bowler after that experience. Critics, including myself, were sceptical about his ability to perform in tests but he has started to prove us wrong on that front as well. Fans always warm to a player who tries his best and Pakistan is indeed lucky to have someone, in Ajmal, who leaves everything out on the field.

While Ajmal continues to have a stellar year, the fortunes of Shoaib Malik, continue to dwindle. An uninspiring comeback against the Zimbabweans has been followed by a lacklustre display against the Lankans resulting in the knives being drawn from many quarters. He has traditionally played spin very well but was all at sea against the mediocre Sri Lankan spinners which indicate that he does not have much confidence in his game at the moment. Luckily for Malik, he has the support of Misbah, who reckons that Malik is only one knock way from regaining his touch.

Keeping the bigger picture in mind, it would not be a bad idea to drop Malik for now so he can go back to the domestic circuit and regain his form. Pakistan has some important tours coming up and someone of Maliks’ ilk is required in the middle order for Pakistan. An inform Malik is a valuable asset especially in the middle overs for he is adept at playing the waiting game and launching an all out assault if need be.

Lastly Malik should take a cue from Hafeez and start bowling again; even with all his qualities, Malik is probably never going to be an all conquering batsman so doubling up as a spinner will only increase Malik’s usefulness to the team.

Those facing Ajmal have been left totally flummoxed and bamboozled by the subtle variations and the beautifully disguised doosra

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26

Sunday, 4 December, 2011

DHAkA

scOREBOARD

AFP

R

UTHLESS Pakistan drubbed Bangladesh by 76 runs in the second one-day international in Dhaka on Saturday to take a decisive 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Umar Akmal scored 59 and Shahid Afridi hit 42 off 27 balls as Pakistan piled up 2627 after they won the toss and elected to bat in the day-night match at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium. The total proved beyond Bangladesh’s reach after they were reduced to 19-4 in the 10th over, and managed only 186-7 despite a maiden international century from Nasir Hossain.

Nasir cracked 100 and Shakib Al Hasan made 34, the pair sharing a fifth-wicket stand of 106 runs, but Bangladesh were never in the hunt against the tight Pakistani bowling.

The 20-year-old Nasir, playing only his ninth one-dayer, plundered 11 boundaries and a six before he was dismissed in the final over. Seamer Umar Gul finished with four for 36, while off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez conceded just 15 runs in his 10 overs with two wickets.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim saluted Nasir’s effort, saying the youngster showed his teammates how to compile an innings. “I am very disappointed the way we played, but Nasir deserves a lot of praise,” said Rahim. “He showed us how to bat on this pitch. “But it’s time we start playing as a team. Everyone has to contribute.” Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq said the win proved his team was becoming formidable.

“It’s really pleasing that the guys are

PAKistAN: 32 Mohammad Hafeez c imrul b Rubel imran Farhat c Nasir b shafiul 4 Younis Khan lbw b Razzak 37 37 Misbah-ul-Haq c sub (Reza) b sunny 59 umar Akmal c shafiul b shakib shoaib Malik c Rahim b Rubel 17 shahid Afridi c Mahmudullah b shafiul 42 sarfraz Ahmed not out 12 sohail tanvir not out 0 22 ExtRAs: (lb5, w17) 262 tOtAL (for seven wickets, 50 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Farhat), 2-69 (Hafeez), 3-93 (Younis), 4-176 (Akmal), 5-193 (Misbah), 6-222 (Malik), 7-261 (Afridi).

BOWLiNG: shafiul 10-0-50-2 (w7), Rubel 10-0-58-2 (w3), shakib 10-0-27-1 (w2), Razzak 10-0-58-1 (w3), sunny 7-0-46-1 (w2), Nasir 3-0-18-0.

BANGLADEsH: 4 tamim iqbal c Younis b Gul imrul Kayes c Misbah b Hafeez 6 7 shahriar Nafees lbw b Hafeez

doing such a good job,” he said. “It was a big enough total because it was not the best wicket to bat on.” Pakistan’s 27th win over the Tigers in 28 one-dayers has left only academic interest in the third and final match to be played in the port city of Chittagong on Tuesday.

The one-dayers will be followed by two Test matches. Pakistan had won the Twenty20 international by 50 runs and the first one-dayer by five wickets at the same venue. Hafeez, who opened Pakistan’s attack, removed Imrul Kayes and Shahriar Nafees in successive overs after Gul had dismissed the aggressive Tamim Iqbal in his second over. Gul also had Rahim caught at gully, before Nasir and Shakib delayed the inevitable with their century partnership. Pakistan’s innings revolved around a fourth-wicket stand of 83 between Akmal and Misbah (37), before Afridi

lahore, Rawalpindi in U-19 women’s Cricket final LAHore stAFF REPORt

Lahore and Rawalpindi moved to the final of the U-19 National Women’s Cricket Championship being played at the Country Club Muridke on Saturday. In the first semi-final, Rawalpindi first allowed Karachi to score 93 runs and later got the target in 17.5 overs losing five wickets. Sadia with her match-winning performance earned the player of the match award. In the second semi-final, Lahore achieved an overwhelming six wickets win against Multan. Areeb batted for 24 runs in Multan’s 84 runs. But Hafsa got in between and took three wickets to halt their runs progress. In reply, Lahore got to the target losing four wickets in 17.4 overs, Sidra Nawaz and Fareeha Mahmood played a vital role with the bat. Hafsa however, was named the player of the match. scOREs: karachi Region U-19 –93 in 20 overs: (Hiba Batool 22, 24 balls, 3x4s, Marium Bukhari 15, 24 balls, 1x4s, Sadia khaliq 2-11, tayyba-al-Hussaini 2-16, Aliya Riaz 2-18) v Rawalpindi Region U-19 –94-5 in 17.5 overs: (Sadia khaliq 37, 28 balls, 6x4s, Ayesha Furqan 21, 18 balls, 2x4s, Rida Hussain 3-14) Player of the Match: Sadia khaliq (Rawalpindi Region) Result: Rawalpindi Region U-19 won by 5 wickets toss: karachi Region U-19; Umpires: kosar Shah & Afia Amin; Match Referee: Sohail khan; official Scorer: Azhar Hussain Multan Region U-19 –84-9 in 20 overs: (Areeb Shamim 24, 32 balls, 3x4s, Hafsa Amjad 3-11, Namra imran 2-16) v lahore Region U-19 –85-4 in 17.5 overs: (Sidra Nawaz 21, 18 balls, 3x4s, Fareeha Mahmood 16, 29 balls, 2x4s, Namra imran 12, 14 balls, Gulnaz Majeed 2-18) Player of the Match: Hafsa Amjad (lahore Region) Result: lahore Region U-19 won by 6 wickets; toss: Multan Region U-19; Umpires: Shakeela Rafiq& Humaira Farrah; Match Referee: Ashraf Ali; official Scorer: Azhar Hussain.

1 Mushfiqur Rahim c Hafeez b Gul shakib Al Hasan c and b Ajmal 34 Nasir Hossain c Farhat b Gul 100 20 Mohammad Mahmudullah not out 0 Abdur Razzak b Gul Elias sunny not out 0 14 ExtRAs: (lb5, w8, nb1) 186 tOtAL (for seven wickets, 50 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-8 (tamim), 2-16 (imrul), 3-19 (Nafees), 4-19 (Rahim), 5-125 (shakib), 6-185 (Nasir), 7-186 (Razzak).

BOWLiNG: Hafeez 10-2-15-2 (w1, nb1), Gul 9-1-36-4 (w2, nb1), tanvir 7-0-26-0 (w1), Afridi 7-0-49-0 (w1), Ajmal 10-1-33-1 (w1), Malik 7-0-22-0 (w2) REsuLt: Pakistan won by 76 runs; leads 2-0 in three-match series tOss: Pakistan uMPiREs: Johan cloete (RsA) and Nadir shah (BAN) tV uMPiRE: Enamul Haque (BAN) MAtcH REFEREE: Javagal srinath (iND)

smashed two sixes and three boundaries towards the end to boost the total. Hafeez (32) and Younis Khan (37) put on 57 for the second wicket after opener Imran Farhat had fallen in the third over. Akmal lifted the tempo by reaching his 11th one-day half-century off 49 balls.

Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq has admitted that batting remains an area of concern for Pakistan and that there is a lot of scope for improvement. Misbah said the way Pakistan batting collapsed in the Twenty20 match and the first oneday international against Bangladesh, proves there is cause for concern and that the batsmen need to iron out their weaknesses if they are to improve. "It is a matter of concern as we have failed to still come to terms with the different pitch conditions in Bangladesh," said Misbah.

Royal Palm and Gymkhana in golf battle LAHore KHAWAJA PERVAiZ sAEED

It will be a battle of nerves and application of golfing skills during the 18 holes combat between 26 able ones of Royal Palm against 26 front runners of Gymkhana Golf Club in the 5th Inter Club Team Match to be fought out on Sunday at the par 72 Royal Palm Golf Course.

A total of 26 singles matches are up for decision and 13 four ball contests. The total points at stake are 52 and the team which wins 26.5 or more will take home the glittering trophy currently held by Lahore Gymkhana who are defending champions. In the past four contests, the honors stand even with each team having won this prestigious team trophy twice. A look at the two teams composition

makes the evaluation interesting and there is ample talent visible amongst the 52 players who form the two teams.

For Royal Palm, Sardar Murad, Tariq Misbah, Mohsin Zafar, Shoaib Shams, Wazir Ali, Jamil Khalid, Faisal Ali Malik, M. Rehman, Sherjeel Awan, Sohail Rana and Abbas Ali Khan appear as the battle hardened ones and they eagerly look forward to matching wits against Lahore Gymkhana's Omer Azim, Shakeel Ahmed, Shafique Bhatti, Aftab Arshad, Salman Jehnagir, Ahsan Khawaja, Asad Khan, AVM Zakaullah, Mohsin Anwar, Amer Rafique Bhatti, Javed A Khan and Abdul Nafay.

Out of the double digit handicappers who are members of the Royal Palm Team, the names that look forceful ones are, Faisal Syed, Imran F. Mian, Imran Miraj, Asad Agha, M. Leghari and Fariq Bajwa. For Gymkhana, the double

digit handicappers of significance are Khurshid Aziz, Col. Hammayun, Dr. Dildar Hussain, Danish Javed, Dr. Arshad Mehmood, Ahmed Saeed, Mehmood Janjua, Dr. Zafar Nasrullah, Dr. Khurram and Ch. Akhtar. Amongst the officials participating in this contest, Lt. Gen. M. Tariq, Captain of Royal Palm golf team and Ramzan Sheikh have played enough competitive golf to hope for an efficient handling of their match against the mighty Amer Mehmood (captain) and Khawaja Imran Zubair (convenor) of Lahore Gymkhana. The Royal Palm Golf Course, a course which has a century old history, as a flat golf course under the Railway umbrella but a splendid and spectacular one under the Royal Palm management, will be a great test of golfing skills and pars and birdies will not be easy to come by. Although, the competitors have prepared well for the occasion.

Pcb’S nEW MEASurES TO curb cOrruPTiOn

It will take years for Pakistan to recover LAHore AsHER Butt

Wary of the spot-fixing scandal that maligned the image of Pakistan cricket, the PCB officials are confident that with the establishment of a security and vigilance wing will be able to check any such design in the future. Recently the trio of Salman Butt, Mohammed Amir and Mohammed Asif were found guilty of spot-fixing by the London court earlier this year and were subsequently put behind the bars.

"The governing board members were unanimous that Pakistan cricket could not afford the shame and embarrassment of another spot-fixing scandal and steps need to be taken to handle the issues of corruption and security with an iron fist," a senior official of the board said. The PCB governing board during a 10-hour long meeting two days back approved the setting up of the security and vigilance wing which will

be headed by either by a retired army official or a police officer. "The process for selection of the person to head the wing and its members will begin soon as the board has said this wing must be set up on priority basis," COO, Subhan Ahmad was reported to have said. He informed the wing will not only be responsible for implementing anti-corruption measures in domestic cricket and in the national teams, but will also coordinate and supervise security arrangements for visiting teams. "The new PCB Chairman is focused on trying to bring back international cricket to Pakistan and this could happen in 2012, so we want to be prepared for the scenario," he said.

Subhan said the new wing would coordinate with the ICC and other national and international security experts to convince foreign teams to tour Pakistan again.

"We are in the process of trying to convince teams like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and even India to support us by playing

matches in Pakistan. "We understand their concerns but we have not given up hope.

We are hopeful things will change for the better soon," he said. Foreign teams refused to tour Pakistan after March, 2009 when militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in Lahore killing six Pakistani policemen and a van driver. Five Sri Lankan players were also injured in the attack.

The incident also cost Pakistan its share of World Cup matches. Subhan said the officials of the security and vigilance wing would also travel with the team on foreign tours to ensure the players were aware of the anti-corruption regulations and to keep an eye on them. He said the governing board was informed by the Chairman, Zaka Ashraf about his recent meetings with officials of the ICC and other boards in Dubai. "The chairman informed the governing board members that he had formally invited Bangladesh to tour Pakistan in the mid of 2012 for a Test series that is part of the FTP."

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Sunday, 4 december, 2011

Memogate commission parliament’s task, not SC’s, says SCBA chief

Memogate onus will be on me: Gilani g

PM says he will be the first to go if any ‘sacrifice’ is needed g Says Nawaz’s petition unnecessary

LAHore stAFF REPORt

Criticising the Supreme Court’s decision to constitute a commission for a transparent enquiry into the memogate scandal, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president and secretary on Saturday said the formation of the commission was the duty of parliament, not of the court. Addressing a press conference at the SCBA Lahore office, President Yaseen Azad and Secretary Aslam Zaar said every institution should perform their duties within their limits. Azad said, “It will harm the country if institutions go beyond their limits.” He said it would be premature to comment on the memogate issue since the matter was sub judice.

He said that political stakeholders should solve issues in parliament and should not involve the judiciary in all matters. He said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif should have discussed the issue in the National Assembly since his party had 90 seats. He said the SC did not provide an opportunity to the federal government to explain its point of view before the court. Azad said, “The attorney general was present in the SC during the hearing but he was not allowed time to take directions from the federation.” The SCBA representatives praised the government’s steps after the NATO attack on the Salala checkpost, and said Babar Awan’s press conference could not be deemed contempt of court.

He urged the government to implement the SC’s verdicts in letter and sprit and write letters to the Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases pending against President Zardari and others. The SCBA office bearers criticized the Pakistan Army and asked it to focus on securing borders. Speaking in the context of the recent NATO airstrike, they said, “People did not need such a large army if it could not respond to enemy aggression on the borders.”

Pakistan has right to self defence, so does US: Pentagon Monitoring Desk With Pakistan vowing to respond with “full force” to any future aggression in the wake of the deadly NATO strike, the Pentagon has said that Islamabad has the right to self defence and so does the US, Times of India reported. “I’ve seen the comments attributed to General Kayani. I’m certainly not going to speak for him or for the government of Pakistan. “But every sovereign nation has the right of selfdefence and the right to order their troops to defend themselves. That’s what my understanding is what he did, He reiterated their right of self defense. We certainly respect that right of his. We have it as well,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters. He was responding to questions about army chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani ordering his troops to respond with “full force” to any further “act of aggression” by NATO forces. Kirby also said, “I think it’s safe to say that the incident has had a chilling effect on our relationship with the Pakistani military, no question about that. Both sides deem it to be as serious as it was.”

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stAFF REPORt

RIME Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Saturday said he was ready to face the outcome of the “memogate” inquiry, saying he being the chief executive was responsible for everything related to the government.

Chairing a meeting of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Punjab leaders at the Punjab Governor’s House, Gilani categorically denied President Asif Ali Zardari’s involvement in the scandal, adding that conspiracies were being hatched to get him involved in it. The PM said that he would be the first to go if any “sacrifice” was required. Gilani said he had summoned Husain Haqqani and asked him to resign over the alleged memo scandal and appointed Sherry Rehman as the new ambassador to the US. “The allegations of the opposition are baseless and ground-

less,” he asserted. Expressing displeasure with Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif’s petition regarding the “memogate” scandal, he said there was no justification for this since an enquiry was already being conducted by a parliamentary committee. Criticising Nawaz, he said it “makes no difference who is at the helm of affairs; but parliament should continue whether we stay in power or not”. He said a commission had been formed to investigate the issue and he had himself called Senator Raza Rabbani to head the investigation.

Gilani said parliament was the supreme organisation and its premier committee was investigating the issue, adding that those hatching conspiracies should learn politics. The prime minister also took parliamentarians into confidence over the stance of the government on the Mohmand incident. Earlier, the meeting discussed the initiation of a ‘Wafaq Bachao’ movement.

Khosa declines to head memogate probe islAMABAd: Former director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Tariq Khosa has refused to head the commission formed by the Supreme Court to probe into the “memogate” scandal. Khosa formally informed the Supreme Court that he would not be able to head the commission, leaving it for the apex court to appoint someone else in his place. According to a source, a letter was delivered to the chief justice of Pakistan in his chamber regarding the refusal of Tariq Khosa. Meanwhile, Geo News reported that former FIA DG Rafiq Haider could be assigned the task in place of Tariq Khosa. The PPP had expressed its reservations on the appointment of Tariq Khosa as the head of the commission. Questioning the formation of the commission by the Supreme Court under Khosa, former law

Islamists sweep early results in egypt election CAiro AFP

Early results from Egypt’s first postrevolution election showed Islamist parties sweeping to victory, including hardline Salafists, with secular parties trounced in many areas.

Partial figures trickled in for the areas of the country that voted in record numbers on Monday and Tuesday, confirming earlier predictions that Islamist parties would win at least two thirds of the ballots cast. In northern Port Said, the moderate Islamist alliance led by the previously banned Muslim Brotherhood triumphed with 32.5 percent of votes for parties, while the hardline Al-Nur party gained 20.7 percent, the Al-Ahram daily said. The liberal Wafd party won 14 percent, while another Islamist party, Al-Wassat which advocates a strict interpretation of Islamic law, recorded 12.9 percent, according to the state-run newspaper. In the southern Red Sea district, the Brotherhood’s alliance won 30 percent, while secular coalition the Egyptian Bloc came in second with 15 percent, it said.

Full results after the first voting – which saw 62 percent turnout – were initially meant to have been published on Wednesday but have been delayed several times. There appeared few bright spots for the liberal secular movement which played a key role in the overthrow of the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak in February after an 18-day uprising. It has since splintered and been outgunned by the more organised Brotherhood, well known to Egyptians because of its decades of opposition to the Mubarak regime and its extensive charitable and social work.

Mohammed Abdel Ghani, a liberal candidate, told the independent AlShorouq newspaper that his movement needed to counter Islamist propaganda that “non-Islamist candidates were infidels”. In Cairo, the rising star of the movement, Amr Hemzawi, won a seat

minister Babar Awan had on Thursday said that the formation of the commission was the prerogative of the executive. STAFF RePORT

indian general court-martialed in land scam neW DeLHi

cAiRO: An elderly Egyptian raises slogans in favour of the ruling military council during a rally in Abassya. AFP

ONLINe

Former Indian military secretary Lt Gen Avadesh Prakash was on Saturday found guilty on three counts by an army court in Guwahati in the Sukna land scam involving transfer of 71 acres of land adjacent to the military station in West Bengal. He is the senior-most army officer to face court martial, the Indian media said. However, the court gave him benefit of doubt on the fourth count of committing a civil offence. Prakash was held guilty of misusing his position under the Army Act section 45 (conduct unbecoming of his position as an officer) and section 52 (intent to defraud) by the General Court Martial at the 51 sub area of the army station at Narengi. The court martial was conducted after Prakash was indicted by an army court of inquiry early last year for his role in the illegal transfer of land adjacent to the Sukna military station near Siliguri in West Bengal to a private realtor for constructing an educational institution in 2008. Indian army had earlier punished another senior officer and former 33 Corps Commander Lt Gen PK Rath in the same case and had awarded punishment involving loss of seniority and some part of his pension.

Army delegation cancels US visit in the upmarket Heliopolis district, but elsewhere leading figures of the revolution were either struggling or had been beaten. In Tahrir Square, the epicentre of protests against Mubarak, demonstrators returned last week to protest against the military rulers who took over when the strongman quit, but their numbers had dwindled to a few hundred on Saturday.

“Everyone that we had faith in has betrayed us,” 25-year-old protester Mohammed El-Assas told AFP. According to independent daily Al-Masri Al-Yum,

no women were elected in the first round, with television presenter Gamila Ismail, actress Tayssir Fahmi and Wafd candidate Nihal Aahdi all eliminated.

Aahdi told the paper that the failure of women candidates was because “religious parties dominate Egyptian society and the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists dominated the results”. It was only the opening phase of a parliamentary election that is taking place in three stages, but the returns reveal the political trends that will shape the country’s transition to democracy.

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

MoHMAnD AgenCY NNi

A military delegation cancelled a scheduled visit to the US in the wake of the NATO attack on a security checkpost in Mohmand Agency. A 15-member delegation of Joint Staff Headquarters was due to leave for the US for an official visit. Lt Gen Muhammad Asif was to lead the delegation. However, the military decided to cancel the visit in response to NATO and ISAF attacks.

Pakistan has already decided not to attend the upcoming Bonn conference.