BRINGING HARMONY TO ALL THE COMMUNITIES
BC Canada
Volume 11 Issue 302 Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 AH / January 27, 2012 - $1
Bi-Weekly & Bilingual
www.miraclenews.com
Iran oil halt ‘would raise price 30 per cent’
The Bishwa Ijtema 2012 held in Tongi on the bank of Turag rive: The 46th Bishwa Ijtema was held on 13th January 2012 on the side of Tongi Turag river in Bangladesh. Bishwa Ijtema is the second-largest congregation of Muslims after Hajj. This Year Ijtema was held in 2 sessions. 13-15 and 20-22 January 2012.
NDP would win B.C. election if held today, poll shows The B.C. Liberals would be decimated if an election were called today, reduced to official Opposition status with 20 seats by the victorious Adrian Dix-led NDP, a new poll has found. The poll, conducted by Forum Research Inc., also predicted that the NDP would easily form a majority government if an election were called now, winning 57 seats, up from the 35 it won in May 2009 election. John Cummins’ Conservatives would win seven seats, they currently hold none, with independent Vicki Huntington (Delta South) poised to keep her seat, the poll found. The results are the latest in favourable polling for the NDP, which overtook the Liberals last month as the party of choice among voters, according to another poll by Angus Reid. Of
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that global crude prices could rise as much as 30 per cent if Iran halted oil exports as a result of US and European Union sanctions. If Iran halts exports to countries without offsets from other sources, it would likely trigger an “initial” oil price jump of 20 to 30 per cent, or about $20 to $30 per barrel, the IMF said in its first public comment on a possible Iranian oil supply disruption. The IMF highlighted the risks of rising tensions over Iran sanctions in a note on Wednesday sent to deputies from G20 countries who met in Mexico City last week. The price impact caused by a cut in Iranian exports could be exacerbated by below average oil stocks in many countries, the result of tight oil market conditions through much of last year, the IMF said. The fund’s comments add pressure on the Obama administration as it struggles to find a way to get countries to reduce shipments of Iranian oil without pushing prices higher ahead of the November US presidential election. President Barack Obama is tightening sanctions on Iran in a move aimed to deprive its nuclear programme of funds and technology, and the EU has slapped a ban on Iranian oil to take effect in six months. Western governments believe Iran is trying to build nuclear arms, a charge Tehran denies. In order to work around US and European sanctions, India reportedly plans to pay for oil it imports from Iran in gold. In response to the EU sanction plan, Iran’s parliament reportedly plans to begin debating a draft bill requiring the government to immediately halt oil exports to Europe, a prominent legislator said on Wednesday. The legislator said that the halt in oil production would do more damage to Europe than Iran, which sells only 18 per cent of its oil to members of the 27-member bloc. Financial sanctions against Tehran may be “tantamount to an oil embargo” and would imply supply declines of about 1.5m barrels per day from the world’s fifth-largest oil producer, the IMF said. That volume of supply
Continued on pg 6
Continued on pg 5
Special Fares for Pakistan by Gulf Air Line
BC Reg. # 2322 Celebrating 60 years in business
Abbotsford 2-2488 Clearbrook Rd. 604-854-6088 Vancouver 6550 Fraser St. 604-324-2277
Surrey: Unit # 303, 8128-128th St. Surrey (Payal business centre) 604-584-1411
See Anis Shah in our Surrey Office
PAKISTAN
INDIA
BANGLADESH MIDDLE EAST AFRICA
$990 $799 $730
FIJI
SRI LANKA
$752 $750 $1050 $1030
Visit: www.bainstravel.com www.indiatour.ca www.cruiseconcepts.net
2
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
3
p a k i s t a n
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
Gilani retracts remarks against Kayani, Pasha
In what was seen here as yet another backtracking, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Wednesday that his
remarks about replies filed in the Supreme Court in the memo case were not against the army chief and the director general of ISI. “The remarks were made in a different context,” the prime minister said, adding that the remarks on that occasion had been made in a unique situation when things were overlapping and there was no clarity. “But since (then) there is clarity and now we have all met and that (remark) does not pertain to these two gentlemen (Gen Ashfaq Kayani and Lt-Gen Shuja Pasha),” he was quoted as saying by the official media before his departure for Davos to attend the World Economic Forum scheduled for Jan 25-29. In an interview with the People’s Daily Online of China, Prime Minister Gilani had said that affidavits submitted to the apex court by COAS Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and ISI chief Lt-Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha on ‘memogate’ were “unconstitu-
tional and illegal” because they had not sought approval of the competent authority under the rules of business. But on Wednesday Gilani said: “Later when we found out some of the discrepancies made by certain functionaries, I have taken action against them; now it does not pertain to those remarks unconstitutional or against the rules for the army chief and the ISI director general.” Further clarifying the remarks which had created a sort of crisis situation in the country, he said: “There were a lot of events taking place and there was overlapping by lot of government functionaries on many issues, and I said in that context.” Asked if his statement had anything to do with his Tuesday’s meeting with Gen Kayani and Lt-Gen Pasha, the prime minister said: “The comprehensive meeting was purely focused on the security situation of the country vis-à-vis Afghanistan.” However, he said: “The country cannot work in an atmosphere of confrontation among state institutions. Therefore, in the national interest we have to be on the same page.” The statement indicates that the mending of ties between civil and military leaders was a result of a series of meetings leading the last one on Tuesday. Political observers see the statement as an effort to defuse tensions between the government and the armed forces. Only this week when reporters asked the prime minister about the army’s demand that he must take back his statement about their affidavits submitted to the apex court, Mr Gilani said: “I am only responsible to parliament and not to an individual.” A PPP leader said recent meetings between the army leadership and President Zardari had resulted in the thawing of relations between the two sides. “Yes, it’s quite obvious. During Tuesday’s meeting it was decided that Prime Minister Gilani
Pakistan, India announce joint energy initiatives Pakistan and India Wednesday announced several initiatives to accelerate cooperation in the oil and gas sector, as the two energy-starved nuclear-armed neighbours try to mend economic ties despite political differences. Energy ministers from Pakistan and India said the two nations may jointly take part in developing a gas field in Turkmenistan. In addition, India has proposed to export petroleum products to its South Asian neighbour, said Oil Minister Jaipal Reddy, while addressing a joint briefing with his Pakistani counterpart, Asim Hussain. Asim Hussain is in New Delhi for talks on a proposed 1,680-kilometre pipeline which will transport gas from Turkmenistan’s Yolotan-Osman field to India and Pakistan through Afghanistan. “We intend to have a joint strategy on the upstream sector where Turkmenistan is to develop its gas field,” Asim Hussain said. “We will have to wait for the response of the Turkmenistan government,” Reddy said. “Since everything is progressing smoothly, we are optimistic about it.” An agreement to build a Turkmenistan-AfghanistanPakistan-India pipeline will help both India and Pakistan secure gas supplies and also benefit Turkmenistan, which has the world’s fourth-largest gas reserves including the Yolotan-Osman Gas field with estimated reserves of up to 13 trillion cubic meters. The $7.6 billion proposed pipeline could carry about 90 million standard cubic meters of gas per day. According to the plan, Afghanistan would get 14 MMSCMD of the gas, while India and Pakistan would equally share the balance. Discussions on the pipeline have been continuing for about two decades and the project has US backing as
QR CODE
Scan with your smartphone to visit our website for the latest news in BC Muslim Community!
it will provide millions of dollars to Afghanistan in the form of transit fee and also job opportunities. The pipeline will also reduce South Asia’s dependence on Iran, which has been seeking to supply gas to India and Pakistan through another proposed pipeline. Asim Hussain said Pakistan is separately going ahead with a multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline project with Iran. “The gas supply purchase agreement has been signed with Iran. We are meeting all schedules on time.” India, which was part of the project initially, isn’t actively pursuing it as the talks stalled on security and pricing issues. Reddy declined comment on India’s participation. Reddy said India has offered to export gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and fuel oil besides sulphur, polyethylene and polypropylene to Pakistan, according to an Indian government statement. It said Pakistan will save freight costs as several Indian refineries are located close to the border between the countries. Indian refiners will study the feasibility of product pipelines to Pakistan provided they receive long-term guarantees for product purchases, Reddy added. Asim said Pakistan has signed an agreement for purchase of gas from Tehran under the proposed Iran-PakistanIndia pipeline. “There has been considerable progress in our talks,” said Reddy. Both sides agreed that the negotiations would be conducted in a transparent manner keeping in mind the overall economics of the TAPI pipeline. Since there is a need to expedite the signing of the Gas Sale Purchase Agreement (GSPA), both sides agreed to settle the transit fee issue at the earliest.
We specialize in Pakistan, India, Middle East, Fiji, Europe, South America and South Pacific.
We do Hajj, Umrah packages, Cruises and Disney Land tours etc.
Abdul Rauf (President)
galaxytravel@live.ca
www.galaxytravel.ca
www.junaidiqbal.ca
NOTARY PUBLIC
SHAHNAZ RAHMITULA
CGA
#202 -7288 137 Street, Surrey
604-591-7171
TRANSGLOBAL
TRAVEL & TOURS LTD
Specialize in Hajj and Umrah * Best Prices on Airfare Around the World
Umrah Starting at $2380.
* Vacation, Cruise and Call for More Info! Tour Packages * Visa Services for Any Country Consumer Protection BC Lic # 54594
We Offer the World to You!
9538 -120 Street, Surrey ( Scott Town Plaza) 604-583-3833 or 778-708-5255
NOTARY PUBLIC
SAIRALLBKHAN (London) T: 604-591-5824 C: 604-324-9944 saira@vannotary.com
#213 - 8334 - 128 Street, Surrey
GMS
LAW CORPORATION
Ghulam Murtaza
Barrister, Solicitor and Notary Public. * Immigration - Appeals, Deportation Hearings - Federal court Cases * ICBC Claims * Real Estate 689-East 46 Ave. (Fraser St & 46 Ave) Vancouver Tel: 604-568-0202 • Fax: 604-568-0235 Email: murtazalawoffice@yahoo.com
4
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
at Masjid Anwar-e-Madina Surrey 13560-105A Ave., Surrey Friday, February 17, 2012 At 5:30pm Guest Speakers:
Sahabzadha Shareef Ahmed Mischigan (USA) & Hafiz Salim Patel (Edmonton) Local Urdu Speaker: Maulana Saiyad Imroz Dean Friday Prayer of Feb 17th will be led by Sahabzadah Shareef Ahmed
ALL WELCOME ~ Free Admission FULL PROVISIONS FOR SISTERS Refreshments & Dinner will be served For More Information: Madina Masjid 604-583-9786, Sayed Siraju Dean 604-580-0570, Imroz Dean Saify 604-727-1438, Abdul Raoof 604-588-8779
5
i n t e r n a t i o n a l
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
US marine to serve no time over Iraq killings
A US marine accused over the killing of 24 Iraqi civilians in the city of Haditha was demoted to the rank of private but will serve no time behind bars, a military spokesman has said. Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich, the last squad member to face justice after all the others were cleared, was sentenced to 90 days confinement but he will not serve it for procedural reasons, the spokesman said. The sentencing hearing was held on Tuesday at Camp Pendleton, south of Los Angeles. Word of the maximum sentence sparked outrage in Iraq, where Ali Badr, a Haditha resident and relative of one of the victims, called it “an insult to all Iraqis” and “solid proof that the Americans don’t respect human rights.” Wuterich, 31, the commander of a unit whose other members have been
exonerated, pleaded guilty on Monday to negligence, ending the final prosecution stemming from the 2005 incident. He entered his plea as part of a deal with military prosecutors in which more serious charges of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault were dismissed. Wuterich was initially charged with murder. “Staff Sergeant Wuterich accepted responsibility ... and agreed and admits that he gave a verbal order to shoot first, ask questions later, or don’t hesitate to shoot, and words to that effect,” said spokesman Joe Koppel. “That verbal instruction caused his marines to [not] positively identify targets in the two homes. And now, at the sentencing phase, he’ll be held accountable for those actions.” The victims included 10 women and children killed at point-blank range.
Six people were killed in one house, most shot in the head, including women and children huddled in a bedroom. The other seven soldiers charged in the case had been exonerated through various legal rulings, fuelling anger in Iraq, where authorities had pushed for US troops to be subject to Iraqi justice before the US pullout in December. Lawyers for the troops involved argued the deaths resulted from a fast-moving situation in which they believed they were under enemy fire. “No one denies that the consequences of November 19, 2005 were tragic, least of all Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich,” his civilian defence attorney, Neal Puckett, said in a statement released shortly after the plea hearing. Source: Al-Jazeera
UN envoy moves to Somalia as violence rages
The UN special envoy to Somalia
moved to Mogadishu for the first time in 17 years, signalling international support for a government fight against Islamist rebels and preparations for elections this year. High-level officials from the UN have been based in neighbouring Kenya since 1995 because of security concerns, although its Political Office for Somalia had a few officers in the Somali capital. Al-Shabab fighters withdrew from most of their bases in Mogadishu last August after sustained pressure from Somali and African Union troops, but violence still grips many parts of the country. UN Special Representative for Somalia, Ambassador Augustine Mahiga, arrived on Tuesday at the airport in Mogadishu, where the UN flag was raised. Mahiga was due to meet President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed and African Union force officials. The UN said the move showed its commitment to supporting Somali leaders who adopted a political roadmap in September that is meant to lead to parliamentary and presidential elections in August, ending a series of fragile transitional governments. “It is historic to bring the UN back to Somalia. The secretary-general told me I should go and join you to make the roadmap a reality,” Mahiga said as he handed a letter from UN chief Ban Ki-moon to the Somali president. Speaking in the presidency later, where Somali men
performed a traditional dance, Mahiga called on UN agencies and other countries to send their representatives to be based in Somalia. Somalia descended into chaos in 1991 after dictator Siad Barre was ousted. The first internationally backed transitional government was established in 2004 only to lose control to rebels and semi-autonomous administrations. Al-Shabab, who control many parts of southern and central Somalia, have been able to launch guerrilla-style attacks in the capital despite a Kenyan, Ethiopian and Somali offensive. On Tuesday, an al Shabaab fighter rammed a minibus loaded with explosives into a government building in Baladwayne, a town in central Somalia about 45km from Ethiopia. “A minibus carrying explosives entered Baladwayne administration headquarters compound. Government soldiers tried to stop it by firing but all in vain,” Hussein Aden, a senior military official, told the Reuters news agency by phone. Aden said there was no immediate report of casualties and the area surrounding the compound had been sealed off. Aden Abdulle, head of a armed group fighting alongside Somali and Ethiopian soldiers against al Shabaab, said the building housed Transitional Federal Government lawmakers and Ethiopian and Somali government soldiers. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack. “We carried the car bomb successfully into the Ethiopian and Somali base in Baladwayne this morning. Our brave driver is martyred. There we killed many Ethiopian and Somali troops on a parade,” Al-Shabab spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab said. Al-Shabab said in a statement it had killed 33 Ethiopian soldiers and wounded at least 72. There was no immediate comment from Addis Ababa. Source: Al-Jazeera
Iran : Continued from pg 1 disruption would be comparable to losses in output from Libya last year due to civil war that pushed oil prices over $100 a barrel. Iran exports about 2.6m barrels per day of oil. Iran has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz shipping route, through which flows 20 per cent of oil traded globally. The IMF said in its global outlook on Tuesday that global oil prices would ease only slightly this year despite a sharp slowdown in world growth. The IMF projection of 2012 average oil price is $99 a barrel versus the $100 it forecast three months ago. The IMF’s concerns about a large Iran-related oil supply shock or an actual disruption has risen in recent weeks as powers in the West increase pressure on Tehran. Its view is based on data that shows limited inventory and spare capacity, and projections that oil demand will not slow despite falling growth in advanced and emerging economies. Source: Al-Jazeera
Deadly blasts in Baghdad’s Sadr City Two car bombs have exploded in the Sadr City area of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, killing at least eight people and wounding 21 others in the latest attack targeting Shia areas.
Syria agrees to extend Arab observer mission
Syria has agreed to extend a widely criticised Arab League observer mission for a second month, hours after launching an angry tirade against the bloc’s efforts to mediate in the crisis. League officials had warned that the monitors, already depleted by the withdrawal of the six Gulf states from the mission, would be confined to base from Wednesday if Syria’s agreement was not forthcoming. “Foreign Minister Walid Muallem sent a letter tonight to the secretary general of the Arab League (Nabil al-Arabi)informing him of the Syrian government’s agreement to extend the observer mission for one month, from January 24 until February 23, 2012,” said a statement on Tuesday carried by the official SANA news agency. Announcement of the letter came after Muallem delivered a stinging attack on the League after its weekend call for President Bashar al-Assad to hand power to his deputy and clear the way for a unity government within two months. The new plan envisioned the “peaceful departure of the Syrian regime” and resembled the arrangement in Yemen, where Gulf states convinced Ali Abdullah Saleh, the outgoing president, to delegate power and leave the country. Muallem told a news conference on Tuesday that the latest Arab proposal was a violation of his country’s sovereignty, and attacked the league’s efforts to take its plan to the UN. He said the league was “implementing the conspiracy they have agreed to abroad against Syria.” Western governments have been capitalising on the Arab League’s tough new stance to embark on a fresh drive for action by the UN Security Council after previous efforts were blocked by China and Russia. European and Arab nations
want a vote next week on a resolution condemning Syria’s crackdown on protests and hinting at sanctions, diplomats said. Britain, France, Germany and Arab nations are working on the resolution which could face Russian opposition because of a call on all UN member states to follow Arab League sanctions against Assad’s government. Diplomats from several Security Council and Arab nations said there could a vote as early as Monday or Tuesday next week. The Arab League also formally requested a meeting with UN chief Ban Ki-moon in New York to discuss its plan for resolving the Syria crisis and to ask for the Security Council’s support, according to Arab League deputy leader Ahmed Ben Helli. Al Jazeera’s Scott Heidler, reporting from the UN headquarters in New York, said that Western nations would be pushing a new draft resolution to be presented to the Security Council later in the week. “Russia and China vetoed previous resolutions on Syria... but in light of the Arab League resolution on Sunday, it will be interesting to see if that changes,” he said. “If we look at the Security Council resolutions in Libya, what really was the turning point is the regional call for UN assistance. There is a regional call now for the UN support [in Syria].” At his news conference, Muallem signalled that the crackdown on dissent will continue, saying Syria’s government has a “duty” to confront armed groups. “It is the duty of the Syrian government to take the necessary measures to address the problem of those armed elements who are wreaking havoc throughout Syria,” he said. Source: Al-Jazeera
6
i n t e r n a t i o n a l
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
Seeking peace, Biswa Ijtema ends
The Biswa Ijtema, or the World Congregation of Muslims, concluded on Sunday with the faithful in their hundreds of thousands seeking peace and welfare of humanity. Billed as the largest annual Islamic event only after the hajj pilgrimage, this year’s event organised by non-political Tablig Al Jamaat ended with Akheri Munajat or the final prayer. One of the top clerics of Tablig Jamaat, Maulana Zobaerul Hasan of India, conducted the prayer. The second phase of the Ijtema began on Friday amid tight security. The first phase started on Jan 13 and ended on Jan 15. Ijtema is being conducted in two phases from last year as the number of devotees has considerably increased and the last prayer is held twice to accommodate the faithful. Thousands of people thronged the Ijtema ground from Sunday morning and traffic was blocked on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway from the early hours. Many devotees walked to the Ijtema ground to take part in the final prayer. The sandy banks of Tuag River on the outskirts of Dhaka were filled to the brim as huge columns of devotees sat wherever they could for the final prayer. The control room set up at the Ijtema ground said 62-year-old Mohammad Abdus Salam from Pabna died of cardiac diseases on Saturday night. A ‘lost and found’ room was set up in the western side of the Ijtema ground where lost money, cell phones, bags etc. of the devotees were kept. People who got separated from their groups also gathered there. Whenever someone or something was lost, it was announced
from the sermon stage. Tablig member Mohammad Al Amin, who was working at the ‘lost and found’ room said lost things were handed over to their owners upon their presenting credible evidence. He told bdnews24.com that around 300 devotees got separated from their groups until 8am on Sunday but were later reunited. The last two days of Ijtema’s second phase saw an acute shortage of water as the deep tube-well of New Munna Cotton Mills had been damaged. The area houses district administration’s office, Tongi municipal office, control rooms of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and some other departments. An official at the district administration’s control room, Mohammad Mamun Miah, told bdnews24.com that those working in the control rooms were supplied water from outside. Police blocked roads from Dhaur bridge to Pragati Sharani via Abdullahpur and Tongi bridge to Gazipur intersection, allowing only fire service vehicles, ambulances and vehicles carrying airplane passengers until Sunday evening. From morning, police did not allow buses to go towards Uttara from Mahakhali. Biswa Ijtema has been taking place since the 1960s when it used to take place at Dhaka’s Kakrail mosque. In 1948, it took place at the Haji Camp in Chittagong, and shifted to Narayanganj’s Shiddhirganj in 1958. With a steady increase in the number of devotees attending, Ijtema was shifted to the banks of Turag in Tongi in 1966 and has been taking place there since then. Source: Bangladesh News
Obama demands taxes on the rich in State of the Union
US President Barack Obama demanded large tax hikes on millionaires to finance a fair economy from “top to bottom” as he sketched a populist vision to convince voters to give him a second White House term. “We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by,” Obama said in his State of the Union address 10 months before he seeks reelection. “Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules,” he said, playing on rising anger over inequality in post-recession America. In the annual ritual, Obama’s best chance for months to directly reach millions of voters, he mostly surveyed domestic issues, as expected as he fires up his campaign machine. But he did touch on several simmering foreign crises -- including the deepening nuclear showdown with Iran, which has exposed him to searing criticism and claims of weakness from Republican White House hopefuls. “Let there be no doubt. America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal,” Obama said, earning a standing ovation in the House of Representatives. “But a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better, and if Iran changes course, and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the community of nations.” The president, in a defiant, firm tone, said the “defining issue” of our time was how to safeguard the basic “American promise” that hard work could lead to a decent lifestyle. He mounted a staunch defense of his efforts to revive the economy, which will form the central clash of the presidential election, as Republicans argue he delayed the recovery by wasting stimulus funds and piling up
debt. He touted the creation of more than three million jobs in less than two years, said he had saved the US auto industry and predicted American manufacturing, the engine of the economy, would rise again. Obama hailed the killing of Osama bin Laden last year by a US special forces team in a daring raid into Pakistan and his promise kept to end the Iraq war as election year proof of his credentials as commanderin-chief. He held up the heroism of the Navy SEAL team that snuffed out the Al-Qaeda leader as a metaphor for the way feuding US politicians should join in the name of national renewal. “The mission only succeeded because every member of that unit trusted each other -- because you can’t charge up those stairs, into darkness and danger, unless you know there is someone behind you, watching your back,” he said. “So it is with America.” Among job creation and economic measures, Obama demanded millionaires pay at least 30 percent tax rates, tapping into public anger at low rates paid by the rich, including his possible Republican election foe Mitt Romney. Romney on Tuesday reported income of $21.7 million in 2010 from investments and an estimated $20.9 million in 2011 -- and in 2010 paid just over $3 million in taxes, or 13.9 percent. The president also pledged to keep up pressure on China over intellectual property piracy and promised to new measures to combat fraud in the finance industry and the mortgage sector. But the president’s tone on taxes set up an immediate clash with Republicans, given his demand for higher taxes for the wealthy. But Republicans, who want to consign him to the ignominy of a single White House term, reacted angrily. In a new advertisement, Romney, who earlier said Obama’s State of the Union must be his last, compared the hope whipped up by the president in 2008 to his actual job performance. And Mitch Daniels, the Indiana governor chosen to give the official Republican response to Obama, accused the president of adopting divisive election year tactics. Looking abroad, Obama hailed the demise of Libya’s Moamer Kadhafi -- implicitly rebutting Republican criticisms that he “led from behind” in the crisis -- and warned Syria’s Bashar al-Assad his regime’s days were numbered. Source: AFP
World’s largest Qur’an unveiled in Afghanistan A calligrapher worked for five years to create the world’s biggest Qur’an in a bid to show the world that Afghanistan’s rich cultural heritage and traditions have been damaged but not destroyed by 30 years of war, it has been revealed. The lavish book, with pages measuring 2.28 metres by 1.55 metres, has been certified as the world’s largest by the Afghan ministry of Haj and religious affairs, according to the Kabul cultural centre that houses it. The previous claim to the title was for a copy unveiled last year in Russia’s Tatarstan region. The Afghan Qur’an weighs 500kg and its 218 pages of cloth and paper, bound inside an embossed leather cover made from the skins of 21 goats, cost over £300,000 to create. Mohammad Sabir Khedri, the master calligrapher behind the project, worked with nine students on a design that combines gold script with millions of tiny colourful dots, forming highly symbolic decorations around the giant pages. “I wanted to use as many tasteful colours as possible to make this holy book look beautiful,” he said, standing beside his enormous creation in a room built specially to house it. Khedri not only created the masterpiece, he managed to keep it a secret for over two years. It was finished in 2009, but the binding and room to house it were not ready until the start of 2012, when it was finally unveiled. The Qur’an is housed in a cultural centre originally founded in the 1980s, and once home to 50,000 books, a medical centre, and schools for Afghan crafts such as carpet weaving. All of that was destroyed during the civil war that followed the 1989 withdrawal of Soviet troops, and the harsh Taliban rule from 1996. But its founder revived the centre after the 2001 ousting of the hardline government, and his daughter - member of parliament Farkhunda Zahra Naderi - now also helps support its work and manages a much smaller library. “The cultural centre is proud that it provided this opportunity for an Afghan artist to actually show his talent to the world ... We have Afghan people who show the positive aspect of Islam,” Naderi told Reuters. The giant Qur’an was her father’s dream and a project he devoted himself to for years, Naderi said. “Writing the Qur’an is a privilege, and ... of course if you can make the biggest Qur’an everyone wants to do it, because they want to show the feeling they have, the biggest feeling inside their heart,” Naderi said of the project. But as a devout Muslim, Khedri said he would welcome ceding his moment in the spotlight to an even larger Qur’an made by someone else. “I will be happier if someone else makes a bigger Qur’an. It is serving Islam,” he said with a smile. Source: Guardian
NDP : Continued from pg 1 the 988 randomly selected British Columbians contacted for the Forum Research poll, 39 per cent of decided voters said they would vote for the NDP, compared to the 26 per cent who said Liberal and the 22 per cent who said Conservative. That’s a five per cent increase for the NDP compared to another Forum Research poll in mid-December. In that poll, 23 per cent of respondents said they would vote Liberal and 23 per cent said they would vote for the Tories. Support for the Green Party, meantime, was down from 15 per cent to nine per cent, compared to the earlier Forum survey, suggesting green voters might be drifting toward the NDP, the poll concluded. Premier Christy Clark’s disapproval ratings remain high at 46 per cent, although her approval rating increased slightly since December to 34 per cent from 29 per cent. Men were more likely to approve of the job she was doing compared to woman, 40 per cent compared to 28 per cent, the poll found. Twenty per cent of respondents didn’t have an opinion, down from the 27 per cent last time. “Christy Clark’s B.C. Liberals still have much work left to do to win back approval of British Columbians,” said Dr. Lorne Bozinoff, Forum Research president, in a release. “With the NDP party strengthening their lead in the province coupled with Clark’s high disapproval rating it will be interesting to see how the party moves forward with a possible election on the horizon.” Dix’s approval rating, meantime, remained relatively stable, decreasing slightly from 35 per cent from 37 per cent, an indication that the anti-Dix ads launched by the Liberals haven’t had their desired effect. His disapproval rating, however, increased to 34 per cent from 28 per cent. Men were more likely to disapprove than woman, according to the poll. Thirty-five per cent didn’t have an opinion. The poll also found a slight downward dip in Cummins’ approval ratings, with 21 per cent approving of the job he is doing as leader of the upstart Conservatives compared to 23 per cent in December. His disapproval rating this time around was 35 per cent. Forty-five per cent didn’t have an opinion. Despite the favourable results, Dix offered his customary response when asked about the poll. “I think there are going to be more than 50 polls between now and the election,” he said. “I think you have to earn the people’s support every day. We are going to keep doing what we are doing, holding them accountable and being positive.” The telephone poll, which was conducted Jan. 23, 2012, is considered accurate plus minus 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20. Source: Montreal Gazette
7
e d i t o r i a l
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
DENIED KEYSTONE PIPELINE HAS ALTERNATIVES
It’s claimed that the Keystone XL Pipeline System is needed for transporting synthetic crude oil and diluted bitumen from the Athabasca Oil Sands in North Eastern Alberta, Canada to multiple destinations in the United States. However, it’s argued that the transportation of petroleum from Canada’s oil sands would profoundly damage the environment. The pipeline passing through environmentally sensitive areas including the Ogallala Aquifer in Nebraska is a suspected threat to the vulnerable largest source of drinking water for the mid-west of America. Therefore, the embattled multibillion dollar project carries a number of issues related to the safety and environment. Yet, the political ingredient is major part of the play as the fear factors related to construction/operation of the system have been exaggerated by some groups indeed. Mounting pressure from the opposing protesters made Obama rush his negative verdict on the pending application for the said pipeline between Alberta (Canada) and Gulf of Mexico to reach the US refineries through Nebraska. Obviously, the environmentalists including Greenpeace Canada are blamed for creating uncertainty about the oil sands. Consequently, a major job opportunity for Americans and Canadians is doomed for now, nevertheless, President Obama has enhanced his chances to get re-elected for another term. On the other hand, China has the best
chance to get a bigger foothold in the oil sands. The tar sands oil development is already reaching Asia via Vancouver, B.C. The northern gateway pipeline project now in hearings is meant to ship more both to China and the US. But the irony is – major portion of Canadian oil (2.67 million barrels a day) is exported to the US at lower prices, while Eastern Canada imports about a million barrels of oil a day at higher world prices from overseas. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that American oil consumption will increase 4 per cent between 2009 and 2035. The increase occurs despite highly optimistic assumptions about vehicle fuel efficiency and bio fuels. The more oil America produces domestically and imports from neighbours, the more it is insulated from dramatic interruptions of global supplies. As the largest supplier, Canada is the most dependable source of oil — or was until Obama’s decision. Currently, major portion of Canada’s crude exports go to the U.S., a figure that Prime Minister Steven Harper wants to reduce in his bid to make Canada a “superpower” in global oil markets. Canada this month began hearings on a proposed pipeline from the oil sands to the British Columbia coast, where it could be shipped to Asian markets. Even if the project has been rejected on environmental grounds, demand for oil and jobs means an alternative probably would
L E T T E R S
&
of African descent with an encouraging genuine smile. I told him about my predicament. He quietly led me to a shelf of hardboards and he By: Aslam Hayat thought that was all I needed because he tried I have been reading the holy Quran almost to leave but he realized that I still looked lost daily ever since I learned to read it at the age of thirteen. When I migrated to Canada I could and helpless. He stopped and asked me “Can not bring with me many personal things among you handle it? Are you okay?” and I said no. which were some voluminous books of ‘ tafsir’ He smiled and took the piece of hardwood and went to cut the pieces at the saw machine. I of the holy Quran and the much used wooden stand.( we call it the’ reil’). There were no deeni followed him. Then he put the pieces on the book stores in Vancouver those days. My hands floor and got some nails and a hammer and nailed the pieces together and turned it into would start numbing with pain after holding a flat top stand to place my Quran on. Then the heavy volume of the holy book for a long he said “will that be alright?” and I gratefully period so the wooden stand became inevitable. said yes. It took hardly a few minutes; I shook The place where I come from, the holy Quran hands with him and asked him about his name. is held in high reverence. When I was young He said “why do you want my name?” I said “I I was told to kiss the Quran before opening it and never turn your back on the Quran. I had to want to remember you”. He told me his name was Philips. do the wudhu and cover my head with a white I am not a handyman, I could never have cut cap before I could touch the holy book. The Quran I used to read was printed on a yellowish and nail those wooden pieces together. It was only because of Philips that I got that stand for cheap paper and it was folded in a green satin the Quran. I read my Quran on the top of that cover with a faint smell of unknown attar. But stand and I still remember him and wonder if that was in the old days. I have now a sizeable collection of best printed Qurans among which he was there waiting for me to make that stand is an antique manuscript of the Mashaf e Usman for me. Was there an invisible link between us? Have you ever tried to do a small unexpected printed under the supervision of King Fahd of Egypt in 1924 with a long history that goes back favor to someone you hardly know? to the original manuscripts issued by the Caliph Usman (RA). It is needless to emphasize my love for the holy Quran. Selected: Inamullah Khan, Surrey As I felt the need for a wooden stand to place the Quran while I did my reading (talawat), I Mr. Adil Salahi (Arab News) went to Rona, the sore for building materials, You have said more than once that women are one day to buy a piece of wood or something allowed to go out with their faces and hands else for the purpose. As I stood in the wood uncovered. If so, may I ask whether some section thoroughly bewildered and not knowing women in Saudi Arabia wear the veil covering what to look for, a grinning young man in blue their faces and gloves covering their hands on apron working for the store sauntered towards the basis of tradition? me and asked if I needed any help. He was tall, This column is intended to answer questions in
An Act of Grace
Is the Veil Obligatory?
Miracle Media Group Inc.©
Contact Info Mailing and Office Address 9160-136A Street Surrey BC. V3V 7Z8 Canada Fax: 604-582-7809
Founder : Nusrat Hussain Managing Editor: M. Naseer Pirzada Sub-Editors: Khadija, Misbah & Sabeeh Hon. Chief Editor & Urdu Editor Mohammad Rafiq Advertising : info@miraclenews.com Ph: 604-690-0400 Email: naseer@telus.net,
emerge for sure. It clearly means that through by-passing the US and distributing the oil directly via the Gulf coast; Canada oil companies would be selling their oil abroad at a much higher price. Building another pipeline across northern BC would mean that the USA would have to then compete with Asian markets for our oil. The only fear will come from the Environmentalists who view the oil sands as dirty oil. After the election, Keystone XL pipeline could be approved with changes in the Nebraska alignment. Alternatively, TransCanada may simply build the US parts of the line now, starting from the Bakken in North Dakota and Elm Coulee in Montana, cutting a new alignment deal with Nebraska, and leaving a connection to Canada for some later date. They have about $1.5 billion invested already, so they can’t afford to waste it. Canada and the U.S. share both – “the problems and profits of the oil sands.” The companies on both side of the border are partners in the development, production, transportation and marketing of oil sands products. Bitumen and synthetic crude oil are shipped (mostly) via pipeline from Alberta to the U.S. The majority of these refined products are destined for American domestic markets, but the U.S. ships over 200,000 barrels a day back to Canada, making it the United States second largest market for refined products.
The current rejection of the proposed pipeline has actually encouraged Canada to seek new energy markets on its own terms. According to Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper, U.S. opposition to the Keystone project is “a wake-up call” that should encourage Canadian industry to develop new markets in Asia. It reflects, he said, “the degree to which we are held hostage to decisions in the United States, and especially decisions that may be made for very bad political reasons.” After Republicans forced his hand, politically motivated Obama opted to please the environmental hardliners whose votes he needs to guarantee his presidency for another four years. Yet, he played really well by leaving the door wide open for TransCanada Corp. to re-apply for a presidential permit, which could see the pipeline in operation by late 2014, because Canada and the US have much to gain from oil sands development. Regardless of the US permit, the best solution is to refine the oil in Alberta, piping products like gas and diesel to the coast, which can then be shipped to China or anywhere else to the highest bidders. Certainly, local refining would further generate jobs and revenue for everyone.
Waan laysa lil insani illa ma’ sa’aa That man can have nothing but what he strives for.
O P I N I O N S the light of Islam. It is not intended to go into the reasons and motives of people’s actions and their background. When we want to arrive at the Islamic ruling concerning any action, we have to look at evidence from the Qur’an and the Sunnah. We must also realize that everything is permissible, or Halal, unless we have clear evidence to make it otherwise. Such evidence comes in the form of a statement either in the Qur’an or in the authentic Sunnah. No other evidence is admissible as a basis for a ruling. The veil, which normally signifies a dress code that requires women to cover their faces and hands, in addition to the rest of their bodies, is not limited to Saudi women. It is seen almost everywhere, including European and American countries. Moreover, most Saudi women do not conform to the veil when they travel abroad. Women who wear the veil do so either out of conviction that it is an Islamic requirement, or they are compelled to wear it by the force of tradition or family pressure. There is no doubt that some scholars today maintain that it is obligatory. However, these are a small number compared to the vast majority of scholars in the Muslim world who maintain that neither the face nor the hands are included in the parts of her body that a woman must cover. Why do we have such a divergence of views? The answer is simple. The scholars who support the veil maintain a very restrictive reading of the Qur’anic statement that deals with women’s appearance, that occurs in Verse 31 of Surah 24, which may rendered in translation as under: “And tell believing women to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity, and not to display their charms except what may ordinarily appear thereof. Let them draw their head-
coverings over their bosoms and not display their charms to any but their husbands, or their fathers, or their husbands’ fathers, or their sons, or their husbands’ sons, or their womenfolk, or those whom they rightfully possess, or such male attendants as are free of physical desire, or children that are yet unaware of women’s nakedness. Let them not swing their legs in walking so as to draw attention to their hidden charms. Believers, turn to God in repentance, so that you may achieve success.” [Surah Light — “Al-Noor” 24: 31] Translated by Adil Salahi. Scholars have always differed on numerous questions, and their differences did not cause any problems. What we need to understand is that when such differences occur, a person needs to know the basis of each point of view and choose the one that he finds better founded on more solid evidence. When we speak about the veil, i.e. a woman covering her face in public, we find no clear-cut statement in the Qur’an or the Sunnah to support it. On the other hand, we find much clearer evidence to confirm the other view that a woman should cover all her body, with the exception of her face and hands, when she goes out or in the presence of men whom she can marry. The above is with reference to Mr .Gulshan Aalani’s letter in MIRACLE of January 13th, 2012. Dialogue of Arab News where Mr Adil Salahi answers to questions on ISLAM. IMPORTANT NOTE: We do not publish anonymous letters or the letters of the people who do not disclose their identity to ‘The Miracle.’ A writer can use a pen name or request ‘The Miracle’ to withhold his / her identity. Please include your daytime telephone number for the confirmation of your letter. We regret the inconvenience.
Editorial Board : Mr.Shums Jillani, Mr Aslam Hayat, Azhar Syed, Mr. Shams Siddiqui, M.A.L. Naumani, Mr Tariq Mian Graphic Design: Design Teams Copyright ® 2001 Miracle Media Group Inc. All Rights Reserved Printed in Canada
Attention: The opinions expressed herein contain positions and viewpoints that are not necessarily those of ‘The Miracle’. These are offered as a means for ‘The Miracle’ to stimulate dialogue and discussion in our continuing mission of ‘Bringing Harmony To All The Communities.’
Phone: 604-690-0400 -Email: miraclenews@telus.net, info@miraclenews.com ,Website: www.miraclenews.com
Contents Editorial & Letters Int. News Local Specail Articles Faith Health Sports Urdu
7 5,6 12, 14 10,11 14,15,16 8 24 26,27 28-36
8
f a i t h
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
The Message Of The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)
By Syed Abul Ala’ Maududi (This document was typed for preservation and offered to IslamiCity as a courtesy of Sister Sharon)
Following is an excerpt from an address delivered by Syed Maududi at the invitation of the Punjab University Students’ Union on October 22, 1975 I have been invited to speak in this assembly on the Message of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). To deal with this subject in the framework of logic, there is one obvious question which arises first: why the message of the Seerat of the Prophet (pbuh), and none other? Why, in particular , that of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and not that of any other Prophets or the founders of other religions? We must deal with this question at the outset. So that our minds may be fully satisfied that we can, in fact, obtain guidance not from any other ancient or modern personality, but from the character and personality of a Messenger of God alone. And of all the Messengers of God and the leaders of religion, it is the life of Muhammad (pbuh) alone which offers true and comprehensive guidance. Guidance of which we stand in dire need today. The Message of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) Is for All Mankind The foremost feature we observe in his apostolic mission is that he (pbuh) addresses man in his capacity as a human being, setting aside all distinctions of color, race, language or country. He (pbuh) propounds tenets for the welfare of all mankind. Whoever has faith in these tenets is a Muslim and enters the fold of the universal brotherhood of Islam. Black or white, belonging to the East or the West, the Arab or the non-Arab, wherever a human being may be living, whatever the country, nation or race in which he is born;irrespective of the tongue he speaks or the color of his skin, the call of the Prophet (pbuh) is addressed to everyone. Taboos, inequality, racial or class distinctions, linguistic, territorial or geographic bias-nothing that divides man from man has any place in the society of Islam. The Best remedy for Racial Prejudice or Color Bar On reflection, one comes to appreciate that this is a great blessing vouchsafed to mankind through the Arabian Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh). It has been this differentiation between man and man that has , more than anything else, ruined mankind. In some places, man was declared to be polluted and it was argued that since he was an untouchable he could not enjoy the same rights as the Brahmans. Then, according to some, man was considered to be good only for destruction, for he had the misfortune to be born in America, Australia, or Palestine in an age when the foreign immigrants badly wanted his eviction from the land. In places, man was hunted, enslaved and forced to work like an animal merely for the offense of being born in Africa and the color of his skin ,black. In other words, these distinctions of nationality, country, race, color and language have, from time immemorial, been highly detrimental to mankind. These differentiations have caused wars. They have served as the basis of aggression by one country against the other. They have provoked a people to plunder another people. Generations of human beings have been subjected to ruthless genocide for the satisfaction of these prejudices . The Holy Prophet (pbuh)
Hadith Qudsi 3: On the authority of Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhaniyy
treated this malady so effectually that (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: the enemies of Islam now admit that The Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led the morning never were the problems of color disprayer for us at al-Hudaybiyah following raintinction, racial prejudice and national fall during the night. When the Prophet (may bias so successfully solved as in the the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) religion of Islam. When the famous finished, he faced the people and said to them: Do you know what your Lord has said? They leader of the African- born nationsaid: Allah and his Messenger know best. He als of America, Malcolm X, who said: This morning one of my servants became a at one time led an extremist Black believer in Me and one a disbeliever. As for him Nationalist Movement against the who said: We have been given rain by virtue of Allah and His mercy, that one is a believer in Whites, undertook Hajj (pilgrimage Me, a disbeliever in the stars (2); and as for him to Makkah) after embracing Islam, who said: We have been given rain by such-andhe saw people of all races, colors and such a star, that one is a disbeliever in Me, a nationalities speaking different lanbeliever in the stars. guages and converging at one central with for the purpose of altering it. This place from the East and the West and from law bestows on man permanent values of human conscience is permeated with such the North and the South. They all wore Good and Evil, and no one has the power a stupendous moral force, it will be as if the same garment, the Ihram, all chanted to transmute these values with a view to every human being were being guarded Labbaik, in the same language; all mingled changing Good into Evil or vice versa. by a sentinel who challenges every evil to perform circumambulation, and they all The third message which the Holy thought that enters one’s mind and hinformed one compact congregation under Prophet (pbuh) preached to the servants of ders all action that may arise from an evil the of one leader to offer worship. Malcolm God was: “ You are all answerable to God. thought. Irrespective of the existence or X observed this and exclaimed that it was You have been given unchartered freenon-existence of a vigilant police force and the only correct answer to the questions dom to act as you deem fit and to forage a retributive government in the external of race and color and that the measures whatever pasture you like without being world, a censor will always preside over hitherto adopted by his compatriots were answerable to anyone. Rather you shall the human soul, and fear of seizure will wrong. Malcolm X was murdered, but his be held accountable before your Creator deter a person from transgressing the Will autobiography survives to bear witness to for each act, each word, in fact, for the the profound impact Hajj had made on him. whole course of your life wherein you have of God even in privacy, in darkness or in a deserted wasteland. Hajj is but one of the articles of worbeen given limited autonomy. You will ship in the Islamic faith. Whoever surveys be raised after death and presented in the Continued on next Issue... the Islamic religion as a whole with open court of your Lord for reckoning.” When eyes will not find even the smallest point to which he can refer and say that here Islam The Miracle Media Group has been serv- IMPORTANT MESSAGE has tilted the balance in favor of a particuing the community for almost 11 years. FOR ALL READERS lar nation, tribe, race or class. The entire The management has kept and maintained newspaper boxes at the entrances of the code of Islam testifies to the fact that it is Mosques entrances for the facility of applicable to the whole of humanity. It afMiracle’s readers to avoid violation of any firms that all human beings who acknowlregulations by the mosques. It also keeps edge the principles of Islam and enter the newspapers to be scattered around the fold of the universal brotherhood of the place by wind and other elements Islam are equal. nay, the conduct of Islam and inadvertently, creating a problem on towards the non- Muslim presents a happy Mosque premises. We also avoid forcecontrast to the treatment of the Blacks by fully distributing the copies in your hands the Whites, and highlights, by contrast, and leave it on your discretion to pick up the copy at your convenience withthe conduct of the imperialists toward the out disrespecting Islamic literature and slave peoples as well as the behavior of the pictures. Therefore, we request all of you Communists governments towards their to continue using the newspaper boxes to non-Communist subjects or toward their obtain a copy of your favorite newspaper. own dissident party members. In spite of repeated requests, it is being Let us now turn to the rules for human observed that different newspapers are still using Miracle boxes without prior consent. welfare which the Holy Prophet (pbuh) Such businesses are asked to propagated through the teachings of Islam respect business ethics and principles. and the seizure of power to enable him not Miracle Management only to guarantee human well-being but to unite all human beings in one Ummah. True Charter of Freedom This is the “ Charter of From Jan 27-Feb 10, 2012 (Rabi ul Awaal 3- 17, 1433H) Freedom” which only the R.ul. I Jan Day Fajar SunR Zawa1 Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha true religion has conferred 3 27 Fri 6:03 12:25 12:32 6:42 7:48 3:16 5:06 upon mankind. The creature of Allah should be the 4 28 Sat 6:02 12:25 12:32 3:18 6:43 7:47 5:07 slave of Allah alone and 5 29 Sun 6:01 12:26 12:33 3:19 6:44 7:46 5:09 owe service to none else, 6 30 Mon 6:00 12:26 12:33 3:21 6:46 7:44 5:11 nay, not even as a serv7 31 Tue 5:59 12:26 12:33 6:47 7:43 3:23 5:12 ant of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). This charter freed 8 Feb-1 Wed 5:58 12:26 12:33 3:24 6:49 7:42 5:14 man from offering worship 9 2 Thu 5:57 12:26 12:33 3:26 6:50 7:40 5:16 to all others, save One 10 3 Fri 5:56 12:26 12:33 3:27 6:52 7:39 5:17 God; and it terminated the 11 4 Sat 5:55 12:26 12:33 6:53 7:37 3:29 5:19 divinity of man over man once and for all. Simul12 5 Sun 5:53 12:26 12:33 3:30 6:54 7:36 5:21 taneously, the greatest 13 6 Mon 5:52 12:26 12:33 3:32 6:56 7:34 5:22 blessing conferred by this 14 7 Tue 5:51 12:26 12:33 3:34 6:57 7:33 5:24 mandate upon mankind is 15 8 Wed 5:49 12:27 12:34 6:59 7:31 3:35 5:26 the Supremacy of the Law, the Law which no mon16 9 Thu 5:48 12:27 12:34 3:37 7:00 7:29 5:27 arch, dictator, democratic 17 10 Fri 5:46 12:27 12:34 3:38 7:02 7:28 5:29 parliament or assembly Source: Masjid Al Noor of believers in Islam is empowered to tamper
AQEEM USS SALAAT(Establish Prayer)
9
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
Ayyaz
Real Estate Consultant (Realtor)
604-839-7863 ayyazrealtor@gmail.com
info@amexrealty.ca or 604-322-3272
Free Appraisal and Legal Fees
TERMS Our Rates*
1 Year 2.79%
3 Year 2.89%
4 Year 2.95%
5 yrs Variable 2.90% * Rates are subject to change without notice
Ayyaz
AMP
Senior Mortgage Consultant
* * * * *
Purchase Renewal Pre Approval 1st & 2nd Mortgages Self Employed
* * * *
New Immigrants Debts Consolidation Construction/Renovations Commercial Mortgage
Surrey Office: 115-13740 72A Avenue, Surrey BC V3W 1N5 Vancouver Office: 6241 Fraser Street, Vancouver BC V3W 3A2
604-839-7863 ~
ayyazshums@shaw.ca ~ www.a2zmortgage.ca
10
special
Muslims
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
Contributions to Civilization
By: Dr. Sultan Ahmad, USA We, as Muslims, are not aware of the contributions of the Muslims to civilization. This is not only unfortunate, but also a shame for us. We should, of course will feel proud when we will know the contributions of the Muslim scientists. Surgery: Many modern surgical instruments are of exactly the same design as those devised in the 10th century by a Muslim surgeon called al-Zahrawi (936 - 1013 AD). He was an Andalusian who is considered Islam’s greatest surgeon and one of the fathers of modern surgery. His scalpels, bone saws, forceps, fine scissors for eye surgery and many of the 200 instruments he devised are recognizable to a modern surgeon. It was he who discovered that catgut used for internal stitches dissolves away naturally (a discovery he made when his monkey ate his lute strings) and that it can be also used to make medicine capsules. In the 13th century, another Muslim named Ibn Nafis described the circulation of the blood, 300 years before William Harvey discovered it. Muslim doctors also invented anaesthetics of opium and alcohol mixtures and developed hollow needless to suck cataracts from eyes in a technique still used today. Source: www.independent.co.uk; How Islamic inventors changed the world, Saturday, 11 March, 2006; www.pre-renaissance.com Parachute and Flying Machine: A thousand years before the Wright brothers a Muslim poet, astronomer, musician and engineer named Abbas Ibn Firnas (810 - 887 AD) made several attempts to construct a flying machine. A Berber born in Izn-Rand Onda, Al-Andalus (Ronda, Spain) and lived in the Emirate of Cordova. He was an inventor, engineer, aviator, physician, Arabic poet and Andalusian musician. In 852 AD, he jumped from the minaret of the Grand Mosque in Cordova using a loose cloak stiffened with wooden struts. He hoped to glide like a bird. He could not. But the cloak should his fall, creating what is thought to be the first Parachute, and leaving him with only minor injuries. In 875, aged 70, having perfected a machine of silk and eagles feathers he tried again, jumping from a mountain. He flew to a significant height and stayed aloft for tem minutes but crashed on landing concluding correctly that it was because he had not given his device a tail so it would stall on landing. Baghdad international airport and a crater on the Moon are named after him. Source: op. cit. Optics: The ancient Greeks thought our eyes emitted rays, like a laser, which enabled us to see. The first person to realize that light enters the eyes, rather than leaving it, was the 10th century mathematician, astronomer and physicist Ibn al-Haitham (Alhazen, 965 -1041 AD) born in Circa 965, in Basra, Iraq and lived
mainly in Cairo, Egypt. He is regarded as the father of modern optics). He invented the first pin-hole camera after noticing the way light came through a hole in windows of shutters. The smaller the hole, the better the picture, he worked out, and set up the first Camera Obscura (from the Arab word qamara of a dark or private room). He is also credited with being the first man to shift Physics from a philosophical activity to an experimental one. John Draper expresses his amazement that Ibn Al-Haythem wrote about these subjects in the 11th century and for several centuries Ibn Al-Haytham’s work on optics was the main source of study in Europe. Source: en.wikipedia.org.
Civil Engineering: Al-Jazari invented a variety of machines for raising water in 1206, as well as water mills and water wheels with cams on their axe used to operate automata in the late 12th century. Cordova had the first facilities and waste containers for litter collection. The first kerosene lamp was invented by Muhammad ibn Zakaria Razi (865 - 925 AD) in the 9th century. He was born in Ragha, Persia. Shifted his interest from music to alchemy and when his experimentation caused him an eye-disease, he shifted his interest to medicine. Muslim engineers invented a variety of surveying instruments for accurate levelling, including a wooden board with a plumb line and two hooks, an equilateral triangle with a plumb line and two hooks and a “reed level>>. They also invented a rotating alidade used for accurate alignment, and a surveying astrolabe used for alignment, measuring angles, triangulation, finding the width of a river, and the distance between two points separated by an impassable obstruction. The streets of Baghdad were the first to be paved with tar from the 8th century AD. The first ventilators were invented in Islamic Egypt and were widely used in many houses throughout Cairo during the middle ages. Source: www.independent.co.uk; www.prerenaissance.com. Chemistry Distillation, the means of separating liquids through differences in their boiling points, was invented around the year 800 by Islam’s foremost scientist, Jabir ibn Hayyan (721 - 815 AD), who transformed alchemy into chemistry, inventing many of the basic processes and apparatus still used today liquefaction, crystallization, distillation, purification, oxidization, evaporation and filtration. As well as discovering sulphuric and nitric acid, he invented the alembic still, giving the world intense rose water and other perfumes and alcoholic spirits (although drinking them is haram, or forbidden, in Islam. Ibn Hayyamn emphasized systematic experimentation
and was the founder of modern chemistry. Source: op.cit.
Mechanics: The crank-shaft is a device which translates rotary into linear motion and is central to much of the machinery in the modern world, not least the internal combustion engine. One of the most important mechanical inventions in the history of humankind was created by an ingenious Muslim engineer called al-Jazari (1136 -1206 AD) to raise water for irrigation. He was born in Al-Jaziraothe, northern Mesopotamia. In his book, book of knowledge of ingenious Mechanical devices, he described fifty mechanical devices along with instructions on how to construct them. Source: www.independent.co.uk; www. wikipedia.org
Numbering System: The system of numbering is use all around the world is probably Indian in origin but the style of the numerals is Arabic and first appears in print in the work of the Muslim Mathematician al-Khwarizmi and al-Kindi (801 -873 AD) around 825. He was born in Kufa. He was a philosopher,, mathematician, physicist, astronomer, physician, geographer and even an expert in Music. It is surprising that he made original contributions to all of these fields. Algebra was named after al- Khwarizmi’s book, Al-Jabar wa-al-Muabilah, much of whose contents are still in use. The work of Muslim math scholars was imported into Europe 300 years later by the Italian mathematician Fibonacci. Algorithms and much of the theory of trigonometry came from the Muslim world. And Al-Kindi’s discovery of frequency analysis rendered all the codes of the ancient world soluble and created the basis of modern cryptology. Source: www.independent.co.uk Mathematics: Among the achievements of Muslim mathematicians include the development of Algebra and algorithms by Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi, (880 - 950 AD) the invention of spherical trigonometry, the addition of the decimal point notation to the Arabic numerals, the invention of the trigonometric functions besides sine, al-Kindi’s introduction of cryptanalysis and frequency analysis., al-Karaji’s introduction of algebraic
calculus and proof by mathematical induction, the development of analytic geometry and the earliest general formula for infinitesimal and integral calculus by Ibn al-Haytham, the beginning of algebraic geometry by Omar Khayyam, the first reputations of Euclidean geometry and the parallel postulate by Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, the first first attempt at a non-Euclidean geometry by Sadar al-Din, the development of symbolic algebra by Abu al-Hasan ibn al-Qalasadi, and numerous other advances in algebra, arithmetic, Calculus, cryptography, geometry, number theory and trigonometry. Source: Book: al-Tabsira film al-hisab
Medicine Abu al-Qasim (Abulcasis) help lay the foundation for modern surgery, with his Kitab al-Tasrif, in which he invented numerous surgical instruments, including the first instruments unique to women, as well as the surgical uses of catgut and forceps, the ligature, surgical needle, scalpel, curette, retractor, surgical spoon, sound, surgical hook, rod, and specula, and bone saw. Ibn Haytham (Alhacen) made important advances in eye surgery, as he correctly explained the process of sight and visual perception for the first time in his book of optics. Ibn Sina (Avicena) (980 - 1037 AD) was born in Afsana, near Bukhara. For a thousand years he retained his original renown as one of the greatest thinkers and medical scholars in history. He helped lay the foundations of modern medicine, with the Canon of medicine which was responsible for the discovery of contagious disease, introduction of quarantine to limit their spread, introduction of experimental medicine, evidence-based medicines, clinical trials, randomized controlled trials, efficacy tests, and clinical pharmacology, the first descriptions on bacterial and viral organisms, distinction of mediastinitis from pleurisy, contagious nature of tuberculosis, distribution of disease by water and soil, skin troubles, sexually transmitted diseases, perversions, nervous ailments, use of ice to treat fevers, and separation of medicine from pharmacology. Ibn al-Nafis laid the foundations of circulatory physiology, as he was the first to describe the pulmonary and coronary circulation. Source: Books: The Canon of Medicine; The book of Healing.
Time Keeping Devices: In the 10th century, al-Sufi (908 - 986 AD) described over1,000 different uses of an astrolabe, including timekeeping, particularly for the times of Salah (prayers) and Ramadhan. Geared mechanical astrolabe featured a calendar computer and gear-wheels, and was invented by Abu Bakr of Ispahan in 1235.Al-Jazari invented monumental water powers astronomical clocks which displayed moving models of the sun, moon, and stars. His largest astronomical clock displayed the zodiac and the solar and lunar orbits. Another innovative feature of the clock was a pointer which travelled across the top of a gateway and caused automatic doors to open every hour. The first geared clock was invented by the 11th century Arab engineer Ibn Khalf alMuradi in Islamic Iberia. It was a water clock that employed both segmental and epicyclic
Continued on pg 11
11
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
Muslim Scientist : Continued from pg 10 gearing. Other monumental water clocks constructed by Muslim engineers also employed complex gear trains and arrays of automata. Source: Book of Fixed Stars Architecture The great mosque of Xian china was completed circa 744, and the Great Mosque of samara in Iraq was completed in 847. The Great Mosque of samara combined the hypostyle architecture of rows and columns supporting a flat base above which a huge spiralling minaret was constructed. The Spanish Muslims began construction of the Grand Mosque at Cordoba in 785 marking the beginning of Islamic architecture in Spain and Northern Africa. The mosque is noted for its striking interior arches. Moorish architecture reached its peak with the construction of the Alhambra, the magnificent palace/fortress of Granada, with its open and breezy interior spaces adorned in red, blue, and gold. The walls are decorated with stylized foliage motifs. Arabic inscriptions and arabesque design work. With walls covered in glazed tiles. Many buildings and portions of buildings worldwide have been inspired by the Alhambra: there is a Moorish revival house in Stillwater, MN which was created and named after the Alhambra; also, the main portion of the Irvine Spectrum center in Irvine. CA is a
postmodern version of the court of the Lions. Source: en.wikipedia.org Institutions A number of important educational and scientific institutions previously unknown in the ancient world have their origins in the early Islamic world, with the most notable examples being: the public and psychiatric hospitals, the public library and lending library, the academic degree granting university, and the astronomical observatory as a research institute. The Guinness book of World Records recognizes the University of Al Karaouine in Fez, Morocco as the oldest degree-granting in the world with its founding in 859 CE by Fatima al-Fihri. AlAzhar University, founded in Cairo, Egypt in the 975 CE., offered a variety of academic degrees, including postgraduate degrees, and is often considered the first full-pledged university. The origin of the doctorate also dates back to the ijazat attadris via wal-ifted (license to teach and issue legal opinions) in the medieval Madrashas which taught Islamic law. Source: en.wikipedia.org Compiled by the author Dr. Sultan Ahmad, USA & Images researched by M. Pirzada
The practice of Circumcision is a characteristic of the Fitra. Abu Huraira – Sahih Bukhari 7.72.779
Infant Circumcision Khitan/Khatna Last year alone, hundreds of BC doctors referred more than 2000 infants for circumcision to Dr. Neil Pollock. Here is why: • Dr. Pollock’s unique method is virtually painless, virtually bloodless and done in 30 seconds • He has safely performed over 30 000 circumcisions (from newborn to six months) • He has extremely low complication rates • 2 clinics with fast and convenient access. • No hospital administrative fees.
For more information on our technique, including a video of the surgery, visit our website www.circumcisionvancouver.com OR CALL US AT
604-717-6200
Offices in Vancouver and New Westminster
12
l o c a l
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
Significance and Guidelines of Hijab in Islam
Since the announcement by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Mr. Jason Kenny`s December 12, 2011 about banning the Niqab during the citizenship oath ceremony, Many forums and seminars have been organized about the issue. On January 14, Mufti Aasim Rashid, on behalf of the BCMA Department of Religion and Islamic Education presented a well researched and informative seminar on Hijab, Niqab, and Pardah, and its significant importance in Islam, at Surrey Jameah Masjid. The 3 hour seminar titled ‘Demystifying the Hijab’ was presented by Mufti Asim in two phases. In both sessions, in front of number of community members of different origins, he addressed the reality, history, significance and guidelines of Hijab in Islam. In the first
session’s presentation on “Why”, Mufti Asim highlighted a detailed history, and perceptions of women throughout history and civilization. The first session was attended by M.P. Jinny Sims, M.L.A Bruce Ralston Maulana A.L Naumani and NDP Candidate, Mr. Raj Hundal. Mufti Aasim also took questions from the audience. M.P. Jinny Sims, met with the women in gallery of the Surrey Masjid which was packed with them. The second session was on “How”, detailing difference between covering ‘Awarah and Hijab’. He said the ‘awrah’ of a woman is her entire body, except for hands and face. These parts should be covered at all
times, just like a man’s body from his navel to his knees must be covered. He discussed ‘exception to hijab’ from the Islamic perspective in detail, as well as from various religious perspectives, based on past and even current practices. He stressed to those in attendance, Muslims and Non-Muslims, that media is certainly not the reliable source. He equally stressed the point to Muslims that we need to start speaking about Islam, and unless we are willing to take this task, others will continue to speak as how they perceive it. In this session, Mufti Asim also answered the questions posed by women in writing 2 weeks
ago during the visit of Junaid Jamshed. Overall, it was an excellent presentation which engaged more people of the community in this matter. If you missed this forum, you can download the notes, and view the presentation online at http://ihsan. ca/index.php
Prof. Soharwardy gives Monthly Dars-e-Quran in Pakistan House
On January 15, a monthly Daras e Quran was held in Pakistan house Surrey. Prof. Badiud Deen Soharwardy, President of Islamic Supreme council of Canada, visits British Columbia monthly. This program is arranged by ISCC BC chapter. In this January Dars e Quran Mr. Soharwardy stated the last two Rukoo of Surah Younus and completed it. He explained this Surah’s verses in details with the references with Sunnah and Tafaseer. He explained each verse in the context of environment at that time, but also related them with current disasters in different countries.Some of the verses he explained were: 98. Then why has there not been any town, except (the town of) the people of Yunus (Jonah), that believed and its belief brought it profit? When (the people of
Yunus [Jonah]) believed (just seeing the sign of torment before it was sent down), We removed from them the punishment of humiliation (even) in the life of the world and We let them avail the profit for a time. 102. Are they waiting for (the bad days) similar to those of the people who have passed away before them? Say: ‘Wait (then); I am (also) with you among those who wait.’ 106. (This Command is being communicated to Umma [Community] through the Messenger:) ‘Nor worship those (idols) besides Allah which can neither profit nor harm you. Then if you do it, you will surely be among the wrongdoers the same moment.’ 108. Say: ‘O people, surely the Truth has come to you from your Lord. So whoever
adopts the path of guidance, adopts it for his own good, and he who is misguided, goes astray for his own destruction. And I am not a custodian over you (that I should bring you to the path of guidance coercively).’ Prof. Soharwardy mentioned that the ext topic will be Beloved prophet Mohammad (saw) as a “Rehmat ul lil Alameen” at the Islamic Supreme council of Canada BC chapter’s 7th Eid Milad un Nabi (saw) event on February 18th in Surrey. The session was followed by question and answer session.
MPs Sims & Sandhu Address the Immigration Forum with the Muslim Community
By: Raza Mirani Jinny Sims and Jasbir Sandhu members of the parliament from Surrey area addressed an immigration forum that was organised by Pakistan Canada Association at Pakistan House on 22nd January. The forum was attended by large number of Muslims from Pakistan, Fiji and Afghanistan having concerns about the immigration cases of their loved ones. Jinny and Jasbir listened to the concerns of people. They were informed about the tactics used by the Harper Government to create unnecessary delays in the immigration process. Jinny, stating from the statics issued by the government, revealed the difference in the processing times for different countries. Applications for Spousal sponsorship from China and Taiwan required 5 months, six months from India while the same application filed from Pakistan required 26 months. MP Jasbir also responded to the concerns of the people blaming the unfair immigration policies of the Harper government. Later, Nikab issue was also taken up by Shahzad Mansoory and BCMA President
Musa Ismail. They asked the MP’s to convey the concerns of the Muslim community to the Government and asked for the retraction of the statement of the Minister. Federal NDP Leadership Election candidate Mr. Brian Topp also visited in Pakistan House and attended the last moment of the Forum .MP Jinny Sims introduced him. Mr. Topp reminded everyone for their NDP Membership and for March 24, 2012 - elect the next leader of Canada’s New Democrats. Mr. Raza Mirani General Secretary of PCA moderated the event while Arfan Malik President PCA chaired the forum along with MP Jinny and Jasbir.
13
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
Ahle Sunnah Muslim Forum Communtiy Events & Announcements Fleetwood Islamic Centre Unit 209 & 210 - 8468 162nd Street, Surrey Monthly Maulood/Daras E Quraan Saturday, January 28th 2012 @ 6.30pm Guest Speaker - Imam Ibrahim bin Imtiaz, Al Alawi (Toronto) Contact : Kareem 604-786-9426 & Abdul 778-998-6034 Eid - E - Milad Un Nabi (SAW) - Saturday February 11th, 2012 from 6pm Contact : Jamal 604-617-7488 & Wahid 778-322-0473
Zawiyah Foundation - 8190 Crompton Street, Vancouver Monthly Family Daras – Sunday, January 29th, 2012 @ 6.30pm Allah’s Creation According to Quran & Sunnah - Imam Fode Drame Lecture by Guest Speaker - Imam Ibrahim bin Imtiaz, Al Alawi (Toronto) Contact : Shazli Abdullah 604-376-4900 & Razi 604-518-3748 Zikar – Every Thursday after Salatul Isha Tafseer e Quraan – Every Sunday from 10.30 am to 12.30pm Weekly Feed the Homeless on Main/Hastings. Volunteers needed, contact Br Rasheed 778-861-4451
Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, Eid - E - Milad Un Nabi (SAW) Royal King Palace (Payal Business Centre) Unit 365 - 8158 128th, Surrey Saturday February 18th, 2012 @ 5.30pm Contact : Haidar Ali 604-507-3304 & Arjamand 778-863-3331
Minhaj Ul Quran International, Eid - E - Milad Un Nabi (SAW) Pakistan House - 12059 88th Avenue, Surrey Sunday February 19th, 2012 @ 5.30pm Lecture : Br Iliyaz Sharif Qadri Contact : Shabbir Patel 604-720-4094
World Islamic Mission, Eid - E - Milad Un Nabi (SAW) Massey Theatre - 735 Eighth Avenue, New Westminster, BC Saturday March 3rd, 2012 @ 5.30pm Guest Speaker : Shakyh Muhammed Bin Yahya Al Ninowy (Atlanta, Georgia. USA) www.alhaqq.com Contact : Saleem Khan 604-374-1466
14
local
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
Welfare Challenge:
Parents say low welfare rates hurt their children and condemn the 100% claw backs of earnings and child support
Welfare rates are too low and 100% claw backs of earnings and child support keep parents from getting back into the workforce. That’s what several parents on welfare told a news conference today at Strathcona Community Centre in Vancouver. The parents were meeting with Surrey Fleetwood MLA Jagrup Brar who has accepted the “Welfare Challenge” to live on the welfare rate of $610 a month in January. “I don’t have enough money for my daughter to participate in sports and it’s hard to afford school field trips and extra activities for my special needs daughter,” said Colleen Boudreau, a mother on disability. “Government policy creates serious hardships for parents in poverty and on welfare,” said Ann Livingston, another single mother. “When it comes to corporations or people in high tax brackets, it wants to give them more money and tax cuts to get them to work. This double standard is making our kids feel left out of birthday parties and sports, and creating family stresses about money that can result in child apprehension.” Referring to the 100% deduction of earnings, Livingston added: “All of us try to get extra money for our children, but when we’re on welfare it’s a criminal offense.” Last week at a town hall meeting, low income residents said one of the top two reasons to increase welfare rates is to avoid child apprehensions. Parents also said they need to be able to keep some of the money they earn so they can gradually get back into the workforce as their skills improve and their kids get older. Currently BC is the only province in
Canada where the government claws back parent is clawed back – all the money goes to the government so it is a government 100% of earnings from parents who are “expected to work.” “We’re furious that the government takes 100% of child support payments too,” said Brenn, another mother. “My child’s father does extra work to earn money to support his child but his child can’t get any of it because the government deducts 100% of it.” Surrey Fleetwood MLA Jagrup Brar, who is spending the month living on the welfare rate of $610, listened to the stories, saying that the parents raised important issues affecting families and children living in poverty and on welfare. Background In November 2011 there were over 13,000 single parent families on welfare in BC. Over 34,000 children are in single parent families on welfare. There were 47,863 people in single parent families living on welfare, 35,397 on temporary assistance and a further 12,466 on Disability assistance The welfare rules drive families into poverty. In order to receive welfare a family has to have less than $2,500 in assets. A single parent family with a child receives a maximum of $570 a month for shelter and $376 a month for support. A single parent with two children receives a maximum of $660 a month for shelter and $376 a month for support. Single parents are not allowed to keep any earnings; every cent is clawed back by the government. Every cent of child support from the absent
support payment not a child support payment.
ALLIED INSURANCE SERVICES INC.
Fast Efficient And Friendly Service For All Your Insurance Needs
Home • Tenants • Condominium • Business • Travel • Medical • Life • Accident • Sickness
We repair all makes and models 4 less. Complete auto repair 4 less!
Special Offers
We’ve Got You Covered!
OIL CHANGE
DELTA / SURREY Nordel Annex #105 – 12025 Nordel Way (x Scott Rd)
Up to 5L
604-596-4588
+ Enviro Fee
+
FLEETWOOD Fleetwood Town Square #103-15988 Fraser Hwy., Surrey
With front brake pads & rear brake shoe replacement
GUILDFORD Guildford Plaza #60-10330-152nd St., Surrey
NEWTON Newton Town Centre #121-7135-138th St., Surrey
FREE MAINTENANCE CHECKUP
FREE OIL CHANGE
604-572-3311
604-582-8644
$24.99
Transmission & Engine Replacement (From $300 & up)
Starting from $79.99 & up
Open 7 days 9am to 9pm
604-572-9292
FRONT BRAKES LABOUR
$29.99
NEW WEST/BURNABY
WHALLEY
Burnaby Square #106 – 7885 6th Street, Burnaby
Plaza 102 10235 King George Hwy., Surrey
604-523-0900
604-582-8699
FREE
3 months warranty on new parts
Business Hours:
+ parts
+
BEST PRICES ON: • New & used tires • Suspension • Cooling system • Starter • Alternator • Clutch • Water pumps • Special rates on timing belts
MAINTENANCE CHECKUP
Monday to Friday 9 pm - 6 pm Friday closed for Juma Prayer Saturday 11 - 7 pm Sunday By Appointment only
Unit 113-12465-82nd Ave. Surrey, BC Contact Muhammad Amir @
604-572-7861
15
politics
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
Judiciary vs Executive CONFLICT IN PAKISTAN
The conflict between Pakistan’s executive orders and judicial authorities dates back to the era of Liaquat Ali Khan when the country was in its teething years. Throughout the course of Pakistan’s history the judiciary has played an integral role in the development of country, however, the public opinion remains that the judiciary of Pakistan is more inclined towards the military command and has favoured it often. The time line provides a perspective of the political events that shaped the history of Pakistan and gave rise to various conflicting moments. October 1944: The constituent assembly made some amendments in the constitution which resulted in revocation of Malik Ghulam Muhammad’s power as a governor general – rights which had previously empowered him to dismiss Khawaja Nazimuddin’s government. 1955: Following the decision made by the constituent assembly Ghulam Muhammad dissolved it, a move which was contested by Maulvi Tamiz-ud-din, the president of constituent assembly, in Sindh High Court. Sindh Court’s verdict was in Maulvi Tamiz-ud-din’s favour however Supreme Court of Pakistan reversed the decision. This verdict was announced by Justice Munir. August 1955: Iskander Mirza took charge as the fourth governor general of Pakistan and dismissed Muhammad Ali Bogra. October 1958: Iskander Mirza, with the assistance of his commander-in-chief Muhammad Ayub Khan, suspended 1956’s constitution and declared the fist martial law in Pakistan – which lasted till 1962. This step involved dissolution of provincial and national assemblies and termination of various ministers. The coup and martial law were unconstitutional moves, however were permitted by Justice Munir. His actions played an active role in establishing the famous ‘doctrine of necessity’ – a term which signifies extralegal actions undertaken by the significant state actors in order to restore law and order in the country. April 1973: Bhutto formulated 1973’s constitution which was drafted unanimously by the ruling and opposing parties of the country. August 1973: According to the constitution of 1973, the power of decision making was at prime minister’s discretion and president only served as the figure head. Following this article, Bhutto was sworn in as the prime minister of Pakistan, on August 14, 1973. September 1976: Various amendments were introduced to the original constitution of 1973 by Bhutto, however the one which instigated uproar from the judicial command of the country entailed the curtailing of authority and jurisdiction of the judiciary. January 1977:
A strong formation of all the opposing political parties, under the umbrella of Pakistan National Alliance (PNA), led Bhutto to call for early elections. March 1977: Elections were held in March and PPP won by a heavy majority, however PNA refused to accept the results and accused PPP of rigging the elections. The political situation resulted in a strong movement against Bhutto where masses poured out onto the streets and many political leaders were arrested for their rebellion. July 1977: On July 5, 1977, the chief of army staff general Zia-ul-Haq, declared the third martial law in Pakistan and suspended the
constitution. November 1977: Nusrat Bhutto filed a petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the martial law imposed by Zia-ul-Haq, however the court validated the imposition under the ‘Doctrine of necessity’. April 1979: Bhutto was executed following charges of corruption and extrajudicial killings. Bhutto’s case remains one of the most intriguing and controversial political case in the history of Pakistan. A bench of seven judges was constituted in order to decide the proceeding of ZAB’s case. Three judges acquitted him whereas four judges declared him responsible for ordering extrajudicial murders. However, when Bhutto filed a petition to review his case, all the seven judges rejected it out rightly. 1980: Zia issued the infamous provisional constitutional order of 1980 which granted exclusion of all martial law actions from the jurisdiction of courts. However, Quetta High court declared that the issuance of aforementioned stipulation and order go beyond the parameters of martial law regime. 1981: After this ruling, General Zia issued PCO of 1981 which required all the judges to take new oaths validating that they will work in concurrence with the order. As a result of this 16 judges were fired and three refused to take oath but the rest succumbed under the pressure. February 1985: General Zia-ul-Haq became the president and Muhammad Khan Junejo was elected as the prime minister of Pakistan. November 1985: The eighth amendment was introduced to 1973’s constitution, which affected 19 clauses of the entire constitution. The constitution gave sufficient power to the president of Pakistan including the authority to dissolve the national assembly, specified as Article 58(2) b. According to the newly added clause,
all the decisions pertaining to the governance and administration of the country were to be made in consensus with the
president. The articles and changes made to the constitution changed the entire system from parliamentary to presidential regime. May 1988: General Zia dismissed Junejo’s government on alleged corruption charges of national wealth, exercising article 58(2) b. F August 1988: General Zia-ul-Haq along with his entourage and American official died in a plane crash. October 1988: During the Haji Saifullah Khan vs The Federation of Pakistan’s case, the Supreme court of Pakistan declared that dissolution of assembly by General Zia was an unconstitutional move, however the court did not revoke the orders as the entire nation was already geared up for the elections. Elections of 1988: Soon after the death of Zia-ul-Haq, elections were held in the country, which were won by PPP. Benazir Bhutto, the daughter of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, was elected as the first woman prime minister of Pakistan. August 1990: Following the rising conflicts between Khan and Bhutto, the former dissolved the parliament and sacked Bhutto on corruption charges, appointing Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi as the interim prime minister. November 1990: Pakistan Muslim League won the provincial and national elections and Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was elected as the prime minister. April 1993: Sharif served as the prime minister till April 19, 1993, however Khan then dissolved the parliament again on charges of corruption by Sharif government and announced the date of elections to be held within a course of few months. The elections were scheduled on July 14 but the Supreme Court declared Khan’s ruling as invalid and reinstated Sharif as the prime minister. July 1993: The mounting tensions and conflict between the president and prime minister led to the resignations of both. October 1993: After the general elections of 1993, which were boycotted by significant political factions including MQM, PPP won with heavy majority and Bhutto was elected as the prime minister for the second time. November 1996: On the alleged charges of corruption and extrajudicial killings, Laghari dismissed Bhutto’s government and announced the date of next elections. February 1997: General elections were held on February 3, 1997 and Sharif was elected as the prime minister of Pakistan for the second time. April 1997: The thirteenth amendment was introduced to the constitution, which empowered prime minister and gave him the right to appoint the chief of army staff and other important civil and military officials. The thirteenth amendment
repealed the much controversial 58(2) b thereby divesting president’s power. November 1997: The Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered Nawaz Sharif to appoint five judges which was ignored by him. Following the alleged misconduct chief justice Sajjad Ali Shah issued a contempt of court order against Sharif and summoned him to the court, after which Sharif agreed to carry out the orders. One of the biggest mob attacks was staged on November 28, 1997, when thousands of political workers gate crashed into the Supreme Court of Pakistan to protest against the contempt of court hearing. July 1999: Asif Ali Zardari was imprisoned following charges pertaining to corruption and money laundering by Sharif government. October 1999:
The military command, headed by General Parvez Musharraf, took charge of the state of affairs and staged a coup against Sharif’s regime. Following the coup, Nawaz Sharif and his collaborators were arrested for various charges pertaining to hijacking and kidnapping, but were later pardoned by the government and sent to Saudi Arabia on exile. February 2002: Government decided to repeal the 13th and 14th amendments introduced by Sharif in 1973’s constitution. April 2002: Referendum was held in 2002 in which major portion of the Pakistanis voted for General Musharraf, resulting in his appointment as the president for the next five years. 2004: Asif Ali Zardari is released from the court and goes on an overseas exile. March 2007: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was suspended by the President Musharraf as he refused to oblige to him by stepping down from his position. Chaudhary was accused of corruption, misdemeanour and stepping out of judicial parameters. His suspension instigated a political and judicial turmoil over the country – a turmoil which was considered one of the factors in toppling Musharraf’s government. July 2007: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary was reinstated in a ruling headed by Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday. The ruling was given by a 13 member bench which unanimously decided that the petitions file by President Musharraf were unfounded and faulty. October 2007: Musharraf won the presidential election but was challenged by the Supreme Court. November 2007: President Musharraf declared a state of emergency and suspended the constitution and parliament simultaneously. Musharraf also ordered the house arrest of the Chief Justice and the judges responsible for his reinstatement. December 2007: Musharraf revoked his previous orders and lifted the emergency on December 15.
Continued on pg 26
16
special
R
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
oofing & novation Solutions
It would be a wise decision to replace a single pane window by a double glazed window that would additionally benefit to control the UV radiations in summer along with sound proofing and air tightening effects. Aged external (entrance) doors
Miracle’s Building Construction and Maintenance series
By: Imran Tipu, B.Sc. Civil Eng. For the average person, building construction or renovation is a nightmare, which is mainly due to the lack of information regarding specialized labour and material options available for processes such as flooring, interior or exterior wall construction, roofing, etc. Innumerable Canadians are unaware of home renovation’s importance and the time frames in which different renovation processes must be executed. In addition, many are also reluctant to take a decision to get their homes or offices renovated as it is perceived to be extremely costly, hence they delay this, which can lead to problematic situations. I will put a light upon all these issues one by one in the subsequent Miracle volumes. The extensive renovation mainly pertains to the addition and alteration in the existing building structure, whereas basic building renovation starts from power-washing, painting, sidings and roofing to flooring, dry walling, and finishing. Off course installation of new doors and windows are also considered to be basic renovation. I am going to be discussing the various options of most recent locally available materials for single building activity, their application procedure, price range, tools, and equipment involved in it. I believe that this will help to eliminate any ignorance associated with the above-mentioned resources and activities, and if people possess more knowledge about them, only then will they be able to attain the best services for themselves at the most reasonable market prices. As we may also know, new/minority immigrant communities are most likely to have financial constraints: therefore I can also discuss some tips about how we can give a modern look to a 30-35 years
old residential or commercial building by spending a relatively nominal amount. In my coming series of articles, I will also share the process to attain an official permit from the city government for certain additions and alterations in building structures and the fundamental bylaws through which such construction is governed. Furthermore, I would also like to discuss the requirements, process, and benefits of becoming a certified trade professional/ journeyman. Many of our immigrants arrive with a family consisting of children and with that they have to strive to settle down here, which may lead them to do many jobs they never thought of doing if they were back in their home country. Some (very few) go on to completing university degrees, but many cannot do so due to their family structure or just the fact that getting a traditional professional degree may be too much for them. Hence, for those who do not have the option of studying at university here but still would want to have an equal or higher salary than Canadian university graduates, I would like to discuss the jobs in the trades’ field, which require certifications that take much less time and are relatively easier to complete, the studies can be easily completed alongside a job, and are extremely financially rewarding, especially in comparison to the other entry level jobs performed by the majority of immigrants. I will be selecting topics from a wide spectrum of ideas, and intend to provide useful solutions about most topics of predominant concern among our community. How to improve the efficiency of aged single pane windows and doors? In the extreme winter season, the conservation of heat significantly reduces electricity or gas bills. The heat problem arises due to multiple reasons such as blown insulation of walls and attics in aged houses, single pane windows and damaged weather stripping around door panels. The attic insulation can easily be replaced with minimal cost unlike the blown wall insulation.
Reducing Gender Gap in Muslim Societies: the case of Pakistan
Ana Komnenic, Anita Tavra, Eliana Chia and Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Organized by: The Maria-Helena Foundation and the University of British Columbia’s International Relations Students’ Association A survey of the results of the World Global Gender Gap will be presented. This gender gap is based on four elements; the gap in education, health, participation in job market, and in political life. Muslim majority societies show very large gender gaps, and Pakistan ranks among the bottom three countries along with Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The reasons behind high gender gaps in Muslim societies, and the ways to reduce these gaps will be discussed. The efforts of the Maria-Helene Foundation to reduce gender gap in Pakistan’s will be described. Date: Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 Place: The University of British Columbia, 1866 Main Mall Buchanan Building, Block A, Room 102 Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm (registration and networking starts at 6:30 pm) For further information, contact Dr. Muhammad Iqbal – email: iqbal@mail.ubc.ca
should be replaced with new metal doors as they possess rigid insulation within them between their two metal walls, which inhibit cold air from outside to come into contact with the hot air indoors. Even with a limited budget, the efficiency of single pane windows and aged doors can be increased with affordable cost. The efficiency of single pane windows increases from 30-50 percent through installation of storm windows, air sealing (weather stripping) and drapes. The storm window is a protective glass window that is installed over an existing single pane window. Moreover, it can be removed in a hot summer season with minimum labour. Storm windows are inexpensive and help to trap heat indoors. If the windows possess air pockets, there are weatherization materials to seal out the cold air and block it from coming in.
Preventing heat loss through air leaks in the home may be a bigger saving and increase in comfort, if corrected often at low expense. Different sealants are available in material stores that can be used to seal the air pockets around window panels or window sashes. Most inexpensive silicone sealants are in white color but also come in other colors as well and can easily be painted after drying. Installation of weather-stripping to windows reduces heating and cooling costs by 10% to 15%. Weather-stripping for windows comes in many styles: felt, vinyl, or foam rubber on a wood or plastic strip. The adhesivebacked type weather-stripping is easier to apply. Weather stripping kits are available in all building materials and equipment stores. Doors are also major actors in maintaining air tightness, and must have sufficient insulation level to keep the cold away. One of the most effective options to upgrade the existing doors includes padded strip set into the edge of a conventional wood doorstop. The wood part is nailed to the doorjamb and is flexible enough to conform to even a badly warped wooden door. The strip seals out air movement, but is gentle enough that the door’s function is not affected. Other types of weather stripping include thin bronze or brass strips that are nailed inside the jamb where the door closes. Small nails are driven along one edge of the stripping while the other edge is sprung outward slightly. When the door closes, it contacts the metal strip, bending it a bit and ensuring tight contact with the door edge. This type of weather stripping is time-consuming to install correctly, but it lasts for years and is extremely effective at blocking out the cold air. More solutions include door sweep and bottom sweep, which create a tight seal when a gap exists between the bottom of the door and the threshold. For more information, visit www.rtmroofingandrenovations.com.
BABY SITTING AVAILABLE A reliable experienced mom will baby sit. From Monday to Sunday. Full time,part time, drop off and night. Years of experience and care. Address: 11489 77th Ave Delta V4C1M3 (B) Phone: 604-200-8496 / Email: safimail753@gmail.com Serving great food since 2003
Comming Soon: Flame Grill / BBQ CHICKEN
#1 12842 96 Ave. Surrey
604-588-0221 2nd location in Vancouver
1412 East 49 Ave/Knight Street (Parking at Rear) ! We Deliver
604-322-0059
Vancouver Location also serving Pizza Franchise avaliable info at www.chickenworlds.com
17
special
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
M. Khan & Co.
Citizenship and Immigration Consultants We Know Immigration Matters! •
• • • • •
All Provincial Nominee Program Applications including entrepreneur and Investor classes, BC & Saskatchewan PNP specialists; Skilled Workers; Québec Skilled Worker; Family Class Sponsorship; Temporary Status (Super Visa, work, student and visitor visas); IRB Hearings, Refugee, Marriage and Family Appeals;
We at M. Khan & Co. have more than 15 years of experience and assist small and mid-sized companies as well as individuals undergoing Canadian immigration processes. Our practice is exclusively in the area of Canadian Immigration Law. Our office strives to provide clients with the latest and the most appropriate immigration strategies, to ensure their success.
Mumtaz Khan
RCIC, Registre Québécois des Consultants member of ICCRC
#213-8334, 128th Street, Surrey, BC, V3W 4G2 Tel: 604.591.5824, Fax: 604.591.8273 Email: khan@mkco.ca Web: www.mkco.ca @mkcoca
18
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
FALCON
TRAVEL SINCE 1980 OFF
$2390
$300
V ER O R
SP
WWW.FALCONTRAVEL.CA
AJJ
604-786-HAJJ (4255) fawad@falcontravel.ca
SER
FAWAD KALSI
AL I V
F O
19
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
BOOKMAN OR TAXMAN! DOES YOUR ACCOUNTANT SAVE TAXES FOR YOU OR JUST FILE YOUR TAX RETURNS? Does your accountant file your taxes including Corporation or Personal Tax Returns accurately and on a timely basis preventing unnecessary audits and penalties? Does your accountant show you how to save your taxes? Does your accountant help you understand the Canadian taxation system?
QUICKBOOKS OR SIMPLY ACCOUNTING SETUP AND TRAINING FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION OR 10% DISCOUNT WITH THIS COUPON* New Clients Only. Expires August 30, 2011
CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNTANTS AT TWO LOCATIONS
Tel: 604-227-1120 Toll Free: 1-800-380-6TAX (6829) 235- 11590 Cambie Rd, Richmond - 110-11518 141A Street, Surrey www.aadcga.com | www.advancedtax.ca | www.aadconsulting.ca
20
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
www.gllaw.ca
• • • • • • •
ICBC Medical and Dental Malpractice Civil Litigation Securities Corporate /Commercial Employment Estate Administration
We are able to meet with you in Surrey, if that is more convenient for you. No charge for initial consultations.
Suite 490 - 789 West Pender Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6C 1H2 Tel: 604.249.5025 Fax: 604.249.5026
21
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
eat in or get it delivered with debit at the door Now We Intro duce!
Monday Special any large pizza and a dipping sauce
$11
Try Our new Butter Chicken Pizza!
Tuesday Special
10 pcs of Chicken
$12
7711-128th St. , Surrey Help Wanted!
Fiji
Large size Box $65 only (regular $96.00, offer ends Jan 31st,2012)
Next Shipment cut off date:
Feb 09, 2012
604-502-7773
L ONLY HA
All offers from this ad are limited time offers. We reserve the right to limit quantities.
10% Off AL Take Out Enjoy Delicious and mouth watering Afghani food in our Unique Environment
Call for Party Reservations
Arriving (ETA) Suva , Fiji :
Mar 15, 2012
We will now have the seating capicity of 150-175 guests for Aqiqa, Wedding, Political, Birthday, Religious and Social gatherings and other conferences etc.
Youssef Khattab Mortgage Professional Our services are free Give us a call 778 288 2100 E-mail : youssefkhattab@dominionlending.ca visit www.youssefkhattab.ca
Afghan Chopan is famous since a decade for its specialties: - Chopan Kabab - Seekh Kabab - Tikka Kabab - Chicken Tikka - Chapli Kabab - Chicken Karahi - Freshly Baked Afghani Bread
Lunch Buffet 11:30 AM- 3:00 PM Monday &Tuesday Thursday- Sunday
$8.95 $9.95
Menu: • Soup/Veggie Dish • Special Afghani Appetizer • Tandoori Roasted • Chicken Pallow • Channa • Yogurt • Naan • Chutney • Dessert • Green Tea
22
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
23
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
Chartac Management Consultants MICRO AND SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SERVICES We provide a wide range of professional services to the Micro and Small Business Enterprises including: • New company registration with all the government agencies. • Identification of new business opportunities • Business plan preparation • Business system designing and documentations • Bookkeeping, Accounting and Taxation • Financial Management • Evaluation of running business for sales and purchase • Logo, stationary designing and printing • Preparation and negotiation of business contracts
TRUCKING COMPANY MANAGEMENT SERVICE NSC / USDOT SAFETY & COMPLIANCE We provide full range of trucking company management services including: • New company registration with NSC / USDOT and other agencies • Obtaining operating authorities and permits • Safety & compliance services • Designing monitoring systems and documentations • Drivers’ logs audit and IFTA fuel tax • Handling accident claims with ICBC and cargo insurance claims • Bookkeeping, Accounting & Financial Management
+105 6 % 0 # +10 6 01 5 0 ' 8 '4 5 01 +06 #55+0#6+10 01 #55
> = A 0 F >= = 0 8A
U V U 2TQVG U CETQU 5 7 C %CPCF J G V F P W #TQ 9QTNF
0 # . 6 + 1 0 1 + 6 # 0 +06'4 &#; 1( #% 8#0%178'4 %#0#&# 5#674&#; (GDTWCT[
RO ^ 7 5 %QPUWNCVG
9 2GPFGT 5V
OQDKNK\CVKQP CICKPUV YCT QEEWRCVKQP OCYQ YYY OCYQXCPEQWXGT QTI
Contact: Muhammad Afzal Malik #203 – 8268, 120 Street Surrey, BC. V3W 3N4 Tel: 604-518-4459 Email: chartacmc@yahoo.com
24
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
25
lifestyle
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
Do Expiration Dates Matter?
By Rod Moser, PA, PhD Teenage boys seem to eat non-stop. My grandson was visiting for the weekend and brought a friend. It was all that I could do to keep up with their insatiable appetite. Eventually, they took on the task of rooting around for food. Dylan found a box of macaroni and cheese deep in the catacombs of our pantry. I couldn’t even remember buying it, but he was elated. I gave the okay for them to prepare it. While cleaning up the mess, I noticed that the box expired about seven years ago. Can dry macaroni and cheese powder actually expire? Does it have a shelf life? According to the manufacturer, it did, but the boys experienced no ill effects. Refrigerators can be havens for expired foods. I particularly watch dates on milk and yogurt. There is nothing like taking a drink of sour milk to ruin your day. There are jars of pickles and other condiments that are several years old. There are no expiration dates on them, so perhaps they preceded the law requiring them? Deep in the freezer, one might find mystery meat with the white appearance of freezer burn, or the Ice Man. Medicines have expiration dates, but rarely do they deter anyone from taking them. Is this practice harmful? Perhaps, but it depends on the medications. Some will lose potency. Some will be completely ineffective. Some will be just as good as the day they were packaged. My pharmacist friend says that expiration dates are often randomly assigned: for instance, one year after manufacture. I have to admit that I have taken a few of those “expired” medications at times, but as a rule, I throw them out. That date really worries me. Medical providers tend to have a lot of pharmaceutical samples lying around. Periodically, while digging through
a pile of samples, I may discover that most have expired. It is now up to me to safely dispose of them. It is not a good idea to flush them down the toilet where they may end up in the water supply. My home is on a septic system and my water source is a well. I would like to just bag them up and give them to my pharmacist friend to dispose of, or I take them to work where we have a special receptacle for this purpose. I get a lot of coupons in the mail or on-line for oil changes, pizza, and smog certificates. Most will have expiration dates. It is a guarantee that the coupon will be discovered after the expiration date. Some companies will honor them just to get your business; others will not. Some will even take expired coupons from their competitors, knowing that you may go elsewhere. Places like Jiffy Lube will put a sticker on your window to remind you of the next oil change. Like an expiration date, one starts to feel guilty when you drive beyond the recommended mileage. Due dates on bills are a little different. You miss that due date; you are often punished by a hefty late charge. Credit card late charges can be brutal and overly punitive, but of course, they are somewhat justified. I once received a statement after the due date, so I spent hours on the phone complaining. What about the ultimate expiration date? Life expectancy in the United States and other countries has risen progressively, but no one really knows when that day will come. The Mayans think it will be later this year for all of us. When someone is faced with a terminal illness, everyone wants to know: “How long does he have, Doc?” They hope that it’s not the traditional “six weeks”. What is it about six weeks or six months? People with terminal diseases more than often exceed their estimated expiration date.
I always thought if humans had expiration dates on them, we would be able to plan our lives more efficiently. Life insurance companies bank (literally) on our estimated expiration date and charge accordingly. We carry all kinds of insurance: health, auto, home, liability/malpractice, even pet insurance. We all pray that we will never need it. Humans do have expiration dates. We will not be here forever. When you live a risky life, you are cheating death every day. If you don’t wear seatbelts, if you smoke, if you drink and drive, if you run with scissors, it will eventually catch up with you. Some people seem to live beyond an unwritten expiration date. They did everything wrong, embraced all the bad habits, yet their DNA allowed them to keep on ticking. Willard Scott often interviews centenarians who attribute their longevity to booze and cigarettes. Life is also tragic and unpredictable. A guy gives up red meat, stops smoking, drinks moderately, exercises regularly, and visits his medical provider on a regular basis for check-ups. He avoids bottled water and toxic chemicas, takes numerous vitamins and practices relaxation and yoga. He seems to be the epitome of health, an example of perfection for all of us. One day, when he is jogging, he is hit by an overweight drunk driver trying to light a cigarette. It happens. My advice to all of you is to live your life each day like it was your expiration date, and then rejoice the next day when you wake up and are blessed with another. We can all choose to live a healthier lifestyle, or just sit back and wait for the Grim Reaper to knock. If you do find an expiration date somewhere on your body as you shower tonight, tear it off. It is safe and desirable to live beyond your expiration date.
Postal Stamp of Araf Karim to be published Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani along with his wife Begum Fauzia Gilani and daughter Syeda Fizza Batool Gilani met Arfa Karim’s parents to condole her death at their residence here on Jan 22.On this occasion, the prime minister told the media that earlier, his daughter had also inquired after the health of Arfa Karim at the hospital, and they (he and his family) had been in telephonic contact with Arfa’s family but, unfortunately, she lost the battle of life. The prime minister paid homage to the world’s youngest Pakistani IT expert and said that she had brought laurels to Pakistan. He said he had also approved a postal stamp of Arfa Karim that would help conveying a soft image of country to the world. Arfa’s father Lt Col (Retd) Amjad
Karim Randhawa told the prime minister that they had already formed Arfa Karim Foundation. Prime Minister Gilani assured her parents that the government would establish the Foundation or dedicate another wellestablished institution where Arfa’s parents would promote the work of the young IT expert. To a question, he said, the government was also considering to confer a civil award to Arfa Karim. PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has urged the government to award highest civil award to the late Arfa Karim who had brought laurels to the nation in information technology. He was talking to the media after condoling Arfa Karim’s death with her parents at her residence
here on Jan 22.Shujaat said Arfa Karim was ‘the daughter of Pakistan’. Though it’s a matter of great concern and profound sorrow that she left us forever, at the same time nation was proud that she had brought laurels to country and enhanced its image in the comity of nations. “I salute to Arfa Karim and her parents,” he added. On the
occasion, Mushahid Hussain Syed said that Arfa Karim had now become a role model for progressing Pakistan, as she had given a new identity to Pakistan in the world. He stressed upon the media to continue to highlight such talented people who guarantee a prosperous and enlightened Pakistan.
Newborn and Children Circumcision (Khatna) Dr. Kim-Sing is a practicing Pediatrician in Burnaby with over 20 years of experience. The Circumcision is performed under local anesthetic and virtually complication free. For appointment and inquiry Contact Dr. Malcolm Kim-Sing, MB, FRCP
604-433-5750 108-3825 Sunset Street, Burnaby, B.C V5G 1T4
Pakistani Speciality Cook Wanted AL-MADINA RESTAURANT INC. A food service restaurant located at 9320-120th Street Surrey, BC needs a fully qualified Cook specializing in Pakistani Cuisine. Job duties includes menu design and planning, back cooking for banquet, labor, food cost control, kitchen staff supervision and training. Urdu or Punjabi language skills will be an asset. Must have minimum of three years experience. Salary $17.50 /hour. Fax resume to @ 604-582-5432
26
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012 tion amidst chaos and allegations pertaining to him having drafted the controversial memo. December 2011: Nawaz Sharif and his alliances filed a petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan to further investigate the memo scandal The Supreme Court of Pakistan declares that the petitions filed by Nawaz Sharif and other political leaders to further investigate the memo scandal, are ‘maintainable’. Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani publicly announced that he and his party members will not accept ‘a state within a state’; a remark which instigated a sense of disagreement between the civil and military command within the country. However, General Kayani reiterated that the army does not aim to ‘stage a coup’ and this is another tactic deployed by the government to digress from memo scandal. January 2012: The Supreme Court of Pakistan issued a warning against the government to implement and execute the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) issued in the December of 2009, by writing to the Swiss government. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani terminated the secretary defence, Khalid Naeem Lodhi, on alleged misconduct and disciplinary actions. Moreover, Gilani is issued a contempt of court notice in the NRO implementation case, and is directed to appear before the apex court on January 19. He appoints Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan to represent him in the Supreme Court. On the other hand, the apex court suspended Babar Awan’s licence to practice in the court and asked for a replacement of Awan with another lawyer to represent President Zardari in the Bhutto reference. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani appeared in front of the Supreme Court to defend the contempt of court charges filed against him. The Supreme Court of Pakistan adjourned the session by postponing the hearing until February 1, 2012. However, the court exempted Gilani from appearing in the next scheduled hearing. The memogate case took an interesting turn when Ijaz refused to come to Pakistan over security concerns, which instigated Haqqani to file an application to disqualify Ijaz from the proceedings of the case.
Pakistan : Continued from pg 15 February 2008: General elections were held in Pakistan in which Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-N won a major chunk of the seats. Both the majority parties formed a coalition government in which Yousuf Raza Gilani was elected as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. June 2008: The long march was organised by the lawyers, who sought the restoration of Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry as chief justice. The march concluded in Islamabad on June 14, demanding the ouster of President Musharraf. August 2008: Ruling coalition (PPP and PML-N) decided, for the third time, to reinstate Chaudhry. August 2008: President Musharraf resigned after PPP and PML-N launched impeachment proceedings against him. August 2008: PML-N left the coalition, as the government failed to reinstate the chief justice. September 2008: Asif Ali Zardari won the presidential election. December 2009: The Supreme Court of Pakistan issued a petition to consider NRO 2007 to be null and void which provided immunity to the offenders of law, including money launderers and embezzlers. The ordinance of 2007 was drafted and approved by President Pervez Musharraf. The court asked the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to reopen the cases against President Zardari entailing the Swiss scam; allegations which the premier out rightly denies to date. October 2011: Mansoor Ijaz wrote an article in Financial Times where he revealed that he delivered a memorandum written by a Pakistani official posted in the US to Admiral Mike Mullen. The revelation created a frenzy of activity in Pakistan bringing the role of then ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, into question. The memo is speculated to have been written just after Osama bin Laden’s killing in Pakistan and allegedly seeks help from the US to rein in the country’s military and intelligence agencies. November 2011: Hussain Haqqani resigns from his posi-
Butcher Required New Gulberg Market & Halal Meat Ltd. Requires a Butcher ( Halal Meat and Poultry) in Surrey Permanent, Full time. Salary $17.00 hourly, 40 hours per week. Start as soon as possible. (1 Vacancy) Experience: 2 -3 years Languages: Speak English, Urdu is a strong asset Specific Skills: Cut, Trim and prepare standard cuts of meat, remove bones from meat, Cut poultry into parts, Grind meats, prepare special orders, prepare special displays of meats, Poultry and fish product. Additional Skills: Clean meats to prepare for processing or cutting. Wrap and package prepared meats, weigh meats for sale, price meat products. Supervise other Butchers and meat cutters. Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities: Work under pressure, fast paced environment, standing for extended periods, physically demanding, handling heavy loads, Hand-eye co-ordination Other: During the Festival period of Muslims (Eid Holiday), must be willing to slaughter Goat, Lamb, Sheet and Cow as per the requirement of the customer. For this purpose it is essential to be able to recite the blessing of Allah (God) prior to slaughter of the animal. How to apply: By email or gulbergayaz@gmail.com mail to: Suite 118, 12578 - 72 Avenue, Surrey, British Columbia V3W 3M8
Whalley Whitecaps a truly quintessential Surrey Soccer Team
Soccer has become a very popular sport among the youth of the Lower Mainland and especially in Surrey the parents love to enroll their kids in a Soccer league. If you ever had the opportunity to go to the Newton Athletic Park and watch a soccer game, you will find kids from many different ethnic back grounds, playing in a team together in such harmony and enthusiasm that it will bring a smile to your face. Whalley Whitecaps of Central City Breakers is a U 14 soccer team of silver level which is truly a remarkable mesh of many different ethnic back grounds. One or both parents of these 17 kids who are Canadian borne, come from 9 different nations and cultures. Last year Whitecaps entered in 5 tournaments and the team placed 1st in three of them 2nd in one and got their butts kicked in one because it was a gold level. The team worked hard and made their way to the semi finals at the Conference Cup. The same year they made it to the Sandra Duncan Cup finals, only to lose the gold to a penalty shoot out. Another big event and accomplishment was an out of town tournament in Kamloops for the spring season which is sponsored by 7-Eleven.Many
teams from all over BC participated and Whitecaps won a nail biter final. Ed Fuchs is the head coach for the team who is a solid role model. Ed holds a full time job and he is a father to 5 kids. His commitment to these impressionable young men is remarkable for the last 6 years including his own son who is part of the team. Ghafar Saba is an assistant strategic coach also a dedicated parent. His strict disciplined style develops endurance among the players. His sense of humor if enjoyed by all. Atik Rachmat is also an assistant coach for the team who is always there to pick up the slack. Atik’s hard work was a major contributing factor for winning the gold in Kamloops at the Slurpee Cup. Shanaz Ali is the manager for the team who is the life line for Whitecaps (incidentally she is a Registered Nurse ). She does everything for the team except coaching. Whalley Whitecaps would be honored to support your company logo on their uniforms if you like to sponsor them. Your company sponsorship would be greatly appreciated and write off for the taxman. Contact person is Shanaz Alli -Cell # 778689-4495, E mail – mohammed_sidik@ msn.com
HOUSE FOR RENT One Bedroom Suite for Rent One bedroom, new appliances, separate entry. Very good area and close to all amenities. Near no 5 and Cambie St. Richmond. Rent $630/m, including utilities. For information please call: 604-278-7851 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two Bedroom Town house for Rent Two bedrooms house with two baths from February 1, laundry, fire place, patio. Rent $1250/month. Close to all amenities. Unit # 6211571 Thorp Road near no 5 and Cambie St. Richmond. Call for info: 604-278-7851
27
s
p
o
r
t
s
Issue 302 - Rabi ul Awaal 3, 1433 / January 27, 2012
Muhammad Ali: ‘The Greatest’ at 70
There are not many sportsmen who can call themselves “The Greatest” and not be greeted with ridicule -- former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali is one of the few who can lay claim to such unrivaled supremacy. The Kentucky native turned 70 Tuesday, prompting people from across the world to pay tribute to a former boxer who has shown his fighting spirit both inside and outside the ring during an extraordinary life. “Everything that Ali has done and stood for, you can only aspire to be like him,” Tris Dixon, editor of Boxing News, told CNN. “He was the king in the biggest and best era of heavyweight champions.” Ali rose to prominence at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, where he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division fighting under his birth name of Cassius Clay. After converting to Islam in 1964, Clay was renamed Muhammad Ali and went on to participate in some of the most memorable contests in the history of sport. Ali’s boxing career is perhaps best remembered for two of his most famous fights against two of his fiercest rivals. In Zaire in October
1974, Ali upset the odds to reclaim the WBA and WBC world heavyweight titles against George Foreman in a bout dubbed the “Rumble in the Jungle.” A year later, Ali squared off against the late Joe Frazier for the third time in his career. The fight in the Philippines, known as the “Thrilla in Manilla,” lasted 14 devastating rounds, with Ali taking glory when Frazier was unable to make the bell at the start of the 15th. But, for Dixon, it was a third-round knockout of Cleveland Williams in a 1966 fight for the world heavyweight title which best displayed Ali’s boxing talents. “Against Cleveland Williams, that was Ali at his best,” he explained. “It was utter poetry. It was just immense ... it was punch perfect against a world-class opponent.” Ali eventually retired in 1981 with a record of 56 wins, 37 by knockout, and five losses in 61 bouts. He began an altogether different fight in 1984, when he was diagnosed with neurological disorder Parkinson’s syndrome. In 1996, at the age of 54, Ali provided one of the iconic images of the Atlanta Olympics when he lit the torch to declare the Games open. Ali also received a replacement gold medal
Manning: ‘No idea’ if Colts in future Peyton Manning, still trying to get healthy after missing the 2011 season because of neck surgery, described the Indianapolis Colts’ facilities as “not a real good environment” at the moment and said he has “no idea” if he’ll be with the team next season. In an exclusive interview with The Indianapolis Star, Manning said owner Jim Irsay will make the final call on whether the team picks up his $28 million bonus in early March or decides to cut him loose. He also said the firing of Jim Caldwell and resulting upheaval of the staff have affected him as he attempts to return to the field next season. “I’m not in a very good place for healing, let’s say that,” he told the newspaper. “It’s not a real good environment down there right now, to say the least. Everybody’s walking around on eggshells. I don’t recognize our building right now. There’s such complete and total change.” Manning said he met with new general manager Ryan Grigson last week and was told that Irsay would determine whether the quarterback will remain a Colt. Manning said a meeting with Irsay “is going to happen at some point, but we haven’t had that conversation yet because we really don’t need to have that conversation yet.” He reiterated to The Star that he wants to remain with the Colts but realizes it’s not his call solely to make. He also made it clear that he isn’t contemplating retirement right now. “I don’t want to get into some kind of fan campaign with the owner, but I think it’s well documented that I want to play in the same place my whole career,” Manning told the newspaper. “It’s been a privilege to play here. I love the fans, the city, the transformation of the fans, how our place has become the toughest stadium to play in, the fact our fans wear more jerseys to games than anybody
else. It’s been fun to be a part of that. “But I understand how it works. I understand tough decisions have to be made. There’s personal and there’s business and that’s where we’ve got to separate the two. I’ve seen other guys leave places and it was personal. I’ve invested too much into this city for that to happen. We live here, we’ve given lots of time and money to the community and our church, and that’s never going to change. Nothing changes that. “Whatever happens, happens. I can’t give you a prediction because Jim and I will sit down at some point and he’ll get a feel for where I am and I’ll get a sense of what direction he wants to go. Right now, I have no idea.” Irsay has repeatedly said that Manning’s health, not money, will dictate the Colts’ decision, and he didn’t appear to back away from that with his latest Twitter post. “Knowing medical situation last yr. n still paying $26,000,000.00 to #18,I’ve no regrets. It was right thing2do,” Irsay tweeted, explaining he was not upset about it. Manning, who says he’s at the team’s training facility daily for his rehab process, has had a front-row seat for the team’s turnover. “I guess it’s the reality of the football world, just not something I’ve had to deal with very often. But I’m in there every day, so I have to sit there and see it. Everybody’s being evaluated and I’m no different. It’s not the best environment,” he told the newspaper. “I just want to pay tribute to all those guys. It’s unfortunate because so many of them have been such a big part of so many big wins here, and this is so ... sudden. Their keys didn’t work the next day. There’s no other way to do it? I don’t know. That’s hard to see, all these people leaving. “And I may be behind them. Who knows?” Source: ESPN
for the one he had won 36 years earlier, having thrown the original into the Ohio River after being refused entry to a restaurant. Despite Ali’s advancing years, Dixon claimed his legacy is still as strong and relevant as it has ever been. “There will never be anyone like Ali,” he said. “There will be people like Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan who reflect their times, but there will never be someone who means as much to the world and the cultural landscape as much as Ali did.” Source: CNN
Super p Rematch New York Giants will face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. The matchup will be a rematch of Super Bowl XLII when the Giants upset the undefeated Patriots 17-14.
Dream matchup between Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., still an illusion Just as quickly as Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s direct overture to Manny Pacquiao brought a glimmer of hope that boxing’s top two attractions would finally fight came the cold reality. The three-year tease continues, and don’t expect Mayweather and Pacquiao in the ring any time soon. Mayweather confirmed he had a telephone conversation with Pacquiao last week. Reports immediately circulated that the phone call could have planted the seeds for the possible mega-fight. Mayweather has reserved May 5 against a yet-to-be determined opponent and sought to fill the empty docket. But the boxing public likely will need to keep dreaming. Mayweather’s first public response after his talk with Pacquiao indicated that the bout will likely remain on ice. While the hang-up to previous attempts at securing the fight centered on Mayweather’s demands that Pacquiao submit to pre- and post-fight Olympic drug testing, the stumbling block now has shifte to purse earnings. Mayweather told ESPN that for the fight to happen his purse should exceed the 50-50 split Pacquiao suggested. That Mayweather now seems to have warmed to a fight with Pacquiao differs from the past three years when he has also said a bout against the Philippines native is not needed to validate his spotless 42-fight professional record. Perhaps Pacquiao’s recent performance in his third fight against Juan Manuel Marquez in November might have changed
Mayweather’s attitude toward a match with Pacquiao. For the first time since his second bout with Marquez in 2008, Pacquiao looked vulnerable as he escaped with a majority decision. Mayweather won a lopsided decision against Marquez in 2009. The fallout from last week’s conversation still leaves Mayweather’s and Pacquiao’s next fight dates without opponents. Mayweather proudly claims he can carry any pay-per-view telecast regardless the rival. The immediate name circulating as a possible Mayweather foe is current juniormiddleweight champion Miguel Cotto. With Mayweather’s purse demands probably sending the Pacquiao match to its familiar illusion, Pacquiao will have such options. Before the brief flirtation last week, Pacquiao, who plans to fight again in June, has among rumored options a fourth fight with Marquez or a rematch against Cotto. Pacquiao stopped Cotto in 12 rounds in 2009. Source: Miami Herald
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
Good News for everyone! Worldwide Money Transmitter Your Canadian Money will be transferred within 5 Minutes and will reach any bank in
India or Bangladesh & Pakistan ( Allied, UBL & Kissab Bank) Cash or Account Transfer
Top Rates at reasonable Charges!
Contact Us: 604-507-0188
BEST PAAN CENTER
We Take Paan order for Parties & Weddings 104A-12830 80th Ave, Surrey 9:00 AM to 10ePkM e 7 days a w Contact Us: 604-507-0188
38
39
Best Choice Travel Inc.
Established since 2002
We do the best trip for you!
www.alwatantandoori.com
Our Services Include: - Airline Tickets - Hajj & Umrah Package - Car Rentals - Cruise - Travel Insurance Saman Saghir (Manager) - Package Holidays Eng. Ali Raza (Owner) 105C-12830 80th Ave, Surrey ~ 604-507-8549 bestchoicetravelinc@gmail.com
- Rao Fish $1.99/lb BCMA approved Halal Meat Shop
Gill International Travel EST. 1982
14-Locations in Canada All Airfares subject to the seasonality and applicable taxes.
TF:(1-800-667-2661)