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Volume 13 Issue 335 Jamadi ul Tahni 23, 1434 AH / May 3, 2013 - $1

WHICH POLITICAL PARTY WILL BE RIGHT ON TOP IN MAY 14TH ELECTION?

Surrey, BC: The Miracle Media Group with the collaboration of Pakistan Canada Association organised a highly successful all candidates’ debate at Pakistan House in Surrey on April 24th. It was heated at times but mostly civilized, was dominated by familiar themes: education, health, balancing the budget; the environment, taxes, etc. See More details on Page 13

LEADERS HIT ROAD FOR LAUNCH OF CONSERVATIVES PASS ANTI-TERROR BILL SECOND HALF OF B.C. ELECTION New Democrat leader Adrian Dix has thrown a bone to the province’s mayors, saying if elected premier, he would establishing a standalone ministry for local government.

While addressing the mayors caucus in Prince George about his platform Tuesday, Dix fielded questions from the municipal leaders about things like infrastructure funding, engagement with small and rural communities, and the downloading of responsibilities to municipalities.

Dix and Clark hit the road Tuesday, taking their election campaigns out of the Lower Mainland and into the province’s Interior as the mid-point of the campaign passed.

Dix was the only provincial leader to accept the invitation to attend the mayors caucus meeting. Dix said a separate ministry for municipal affairs would allow the government to work more closely with local governments, prompting applause from the 70 mayors around the room. However, the NDP leader remains uncommitted to matching federal funding for infrastructure projects. “It’s absolutely critical that we have federal, provincial and local governments contributing on infrastructure projects and there are a lot

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of those behind schedule,” said Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson. “We need the province to step up.” Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts also said Dix’s promise of using existing carbon tax revenue to fund transit doesn’t go far enough to meet regional needs. Clark spent the day in Vancouver, Cranbrook and Kimberley to drive home her theme that a Dix New Democrat government means outof-control spending, endless deficits and more taxes. She toured a major metal fabrication shop in Cranbrook that employs between 60 and 100 workers. Fab-Rite Services Ltd., builds metal structures for the forest, mining and oil and gas industries. At one point in the factory tour she spoke with machinist Adrian Plant, who explained how he operates a metal press machine. Plant said he was thrilled to meet the premier, but said he rarely votes. “That was a first for me,” he said. “She seemed very down to earth.”

Clark held a news conference on the factory floor surrounded by about a dozen workers. She said the NDP is

DECRIED BY CIVILRIGHTS ADVOCATES

Just days after an alleged plot to attack Via Rail was foiled, the Harper government has passed legislation that grants police extra powers in the fight against terrorism – but ones that come at a controversial cost to civil liberties in Canada. S-7, the Combatting Terrorism Act, should become law in a matter of months, if not weeks, after clearing the Commons on Wednesday evening. It was previously passed in the Senate. The bill resurrects two anti-terrorism powers that Parliament granted to Canadian authorities after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks but expired in 2007 because they were time-limited provisions and the minority Conservative government lacked the votes to extend them.

Neither measure had been used. The law will allow police to detain people pre-emptively and hold them for as long as three days without charges and would give authorities power to compel testimony through so-called investigative hearings at which

Continued on pg 25

Continued on pg 4

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

A D V E R T I S E R

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

P A K I S T A N

Musharraf banned from politics for ‘life’

A Pakistani court has imposed a lifetime ban on former president Pervez Musharraf from contesting elections, the latest blow since he returned from exile to make a political comeback.

The Peshawar High Court handed down the lifetime ban Tuesday after hearing an appeal by Musharraf’s lawyer to allow him to run in the upcoming election.

“The former dictator [Musharraf] had ordered senior judges and their families be put under house arrest and twice abrogated the country’s constitution,” Court Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan said when reading out the order. Musharraf returned to Pakistan in March, planning to stand in May 11 vote after four years in self-imposed exile. But, judges barred him from running and put him under house arrest in connection with a pair of court cases against him.

One involves his decision to fire senior judges, including the chief justice of the Supreme Court, while in power. The other

relates to the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007. Government prosecutors have accused Musharraf of being involved - allegations he has denied.

Musharraf seized power in a coup in 1999 when he was serving as army chief and ruled for nearly a decade. He stepped down in 2008 because of growing discontent with his rule.

One of Musharraf’s lawyers, Saad Shibli, said he would go to the Supreme Court to challenge Tuesday’s ruling, claiming the former leader should not be singled out for punishment for his actions while in power since others were involved.

“About 500 officials at different levels and institutions were part of Musharraf’s actions, and if those actions come under scrutiny, all those people should be involved in this matter,’’ Shibli said.

It was the first time a court in Pakistan had declared a citizen ineligible from running for public office for life.

On April 20, a court remanded the former president in custody for two weeks, a deadline set to expire on May 4, as judges pushed ahead with plans to put Musharraf on trial for a crackdown on the judiciary during his time in office. On Tuesday, an anti-terrorism court in the garrison city of Rawalpindi put Musharraf on a 14-day judicial remand for charges of failing to provide adequate security for Bhutto before her assassination.

The new deadline of May 14 means Musharraf will be in detention on election day.

The elections are seen as a key moment in Pakistan’s attempts to shake off a legacy of decades of military rule as they represent the first time a democratically elected civilian government has completed a term in office.

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the man Musharraf ousted in a coup in 1999, is seen as the front runner.

Sarabjit Singh loses battle for life Indian spy Sarabjit Singh passed away in Jinnah Hospital on late Wednesday night, DawnNews reported.

According to hospital authorities, so far the postmortem has not been conducted and the body has been moved to the morgue. Hospital sources said the postmortem would be conducted soon and a medical team is being constituted. Further legal formalities would be carried out accordingly.

A convicted Indian spy on death row, 49 year-old Singh was attacked on April 26, Friday by two inmates in Kot Lakhpat jail when he left his barracks for a stroll.

He suffered severe injuries in the head. Singh was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Jinnah Hospital where a medical board comprising senior neurosurgeons was treating him.

According to a report published in Dawn earlier, the prisoners assaulted Singh with bricks and other blunt weapons and left him seriously injured. A medical board was constituted for his treatment and he was put on a ventilator. His family members meanwhile had flown in from India.

Singh had illegally crossed into Pakistan on Aug 29, 1990.

He was arrested on charges of carrying out four bombings in Faisalabad, Multan and Lahore which killed 14 Pakistani citizens. He was later sentenced to death.

Singh’s security was tightened after the recent execution in India of Afzal Guru, who was convicted of involvement in the 2001 terror attack on the parliament.

Singh’s mercy petitions were rejected by courts and former President Pervez Musharraf.

The outgoing PPP-led government put off Singh’s execution for an indefinite period in 2008.

Source: The News

MQM, ANP, PPP compelled to restrict their activities: Sattar MQM leader Farooq Sattar has said that his party, ANP and PPP have been compelled to restrict their activities while open field has been provided to other political parties to run their election campaigns.

Addressing a press conference here at Mardan House‚ Farooq Sattar said that seventy MQM workers were killed in Karachi and Hyderabad in last forty five days.

Meanwhile, ANP leader Shahid Syed asked Ulema to issue fatwa against the terrorists.

Speaking on the occasion, the PPP leader Rehman Malik said that the terrorists wanted to keep the three parties out of elections.

He said that war against terror would continue till elimination of terrorism. The PPP also remained victim of the terrorists in past, he added.

Source: Geonews

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Karzai admits receiving CIA cash

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said his national security team has been receiving payments from the US government for the past 10 years. Karzai confirmed the payments on Monday when he was asked about a story published in The New York Times saying the CIA had given the Afghan National Security Council tens of millions of dollars in monthly payments delivered in suitcases, backpacks and plastic shopping bags. During a news conference in Helsinki, Finland, where he was on an official visit, Karzai said the welcome monthly payments were not a “big amount” but were a “small amount,” although he did not disclose the sums. He said they were used to give assistance to the wounded and sick, to pay rent for housing and for other “operational” purposes. He said the aid had been “very useful, and we are grateful for it.” The newspaper quotes Khalil Roman, who served as Mr. Karzai’s deputy chief of staff from 2002 until 2005, as calling the vast

CIA payments “ghost money” that “came in secret, and it left in secret.”

It also quotes unidentified American officials as saying that “the cash has fueled corruption and empowered warlords, undermining Washington’s exit strategy from Afghanistan.” In Washington, White House spokesman Jay Carney declined to comment on the report, referring questions to the CIA, which also declined comment. In 2010, Iran acknowledged that it had been sending funds to neighbouring Afghanistan for years, but said the money was intended to aid reconstruction, not to buy influence in Karzai’s office. The Afghan president confirmed he was receiving millions of dollars in cash from Iran and that Washington was giving him “bags of money,” too, because his office lacked funds. At the time, President Barack Obama’s press secretary, Robert Gibbs, denied that the US government was in “the big bags of cash business,” but former US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley had said earlier that some of the American aid to Afghanistan was in cash. US officials also asserted then that the money flowing from Tehran was proof that Iran was playing a double game in Afghanistan - wooing the government while helping Taliban fighting US and NATO forces. Iran denied that.

Afghanistan is rated by Transparency International as one of the most corrupt countries in the world.

Source: Al-Jazeera

Myanmar panel urges more troops in Rakhine,

A government-appointed commission has proposed to double the number of security forces in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state to ease tensions there in the wake of deadly sectarian violence last year. The report, released on Monday, also recommended the introduction of family planning programmes to stem population growth among minority Muslims, cited as a reason for increased hostility from Rakhine Buddhists in the area. It emphasised, however, that if the government went ahead with a proposed family planning programme, it should “refrain from implementing non-voluntary measures which may be seen as discriminatory or that would be inconsistent with human rights standards”. The longawaited report contained responses to the violence last June and October that killed nearly 200 people and left 140,000 homeless, mostly Rohingya Muslims in an area dominated by ethnic Buddhists. The committee said it was unlikely the estimated 100,000 displaced Rohingya Muslims would be returned to their homes anytime soon, saying the widespread segregation of Buddhists and Muslims is a temporary fix that must be enforced for now. The violence appeared to begin spontaneously, but by October had morphed into anti-Muslim pogroms across western Rakhine state that spread last month into central Myanmar. President Thein Sein appointed the 27-member panel last year to investigate the causes of the conflict and recommend measures to prevent further violence. The panel included former political prisoners, Christians, a Hindu, Muslims, and Rakhine Buddhists, but did not include any Rohingya Muslims. Overcrowding, poor sanitation and malnutrition were said to be of critical concern particularly in camps for Rohingya whom the report referred to as “Bengalis”, a reference to their reported South Asian roots.

Shwe Maung, a Rohingya member of parliament from Rakhine state, objected to the commission’s terminology, saying that the word “Ben-

gali” fails to reflect reality and people’s sense of their own identity. “The report is unfair,” he said.

“The usage and recommendations are similar to what Rakhine ethnic people have been demanding.” The report also calls for all ethnic groups to learn the Myanmar language. Phil Robertson, the Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director, welcomed calls for more aid for the camps, but said the official report should have addressed allegations of authorities’ involvement in ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. “Doubling the number of security forces in [Rakhine] state without first ensuring implementation of reforms to end those forces’ impunity is a potential disaster,” he said. Robertson said family planning initiatives could be problematic if they are not implemented carefully. “It’s quite chilling to start talking about limiting births of one particular group,” he said. The report also called for a crackdown on hate speech and stepped-up aid for the displaced ahead of monsoon rains expected in May, and urged the government to determine the citizenship status of all those living in Rakhine state. The issue has posed a major challenge to the government of Thein Sein, who took office after a long-ruling military junta stepped down two years ago and has since embarked upon a series of reforms. Most Rohingya are effectively stateless despite the fact that some have lived in Myanmar for generations. Predominantly Buddhist Myanmar does not include Rohingya as one of its 135 recognised ethnicities.

Last week, Human Rights Watch issued the most comprehensive and detailed account yet of what happened in Rakhine state last year. The report accused authorities, including Buddhist monks, local politicians and government officials, and state security forces, of fomenting an organised campaign of “ethnic cleansing’’ against the Rohingya.

Source: Al-Jazeera

Bangladesh death toll could hit 1,300, say police

The scale of the suffering wrought by the collapse of an eight-storey building in Bangladesh became clearer yesterday Monday when it emerged that almost 1,300 people could have died. Police said that around 900 were still missing presumed dead in the rubble of Rana Plaza, where the rescue effort has been called off. The official death toll from last Wednesday’s disaster stands at 384; the figure for the number of missing suggests the final total could be more than three times higher. Thousands were inside Rana Plaza when it suddenly collapsed, including workers at four garment factories, one of which was supplying the British retailers Primark and Bonmarche. Masum Khan, from the police control room responsible for compiling the death toll, said that 330 bodies had been identified so far. Another 52 had not yet been named. “There is not an accurate figure for the missing but the estimate is 900. This is based on collection from various voluntary associations,” he said. There is no record of who was inside the building when it collapsed, making it impossible to calculate an exact figure for those unaccounted for.

Sultan Ahmed, Assistant Director of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies, said the scale of the loss was “beyond comment” and warned of social unrest if workplace safety was not given a higher priority. Sheik Hasina, the prime minister, visited the scene for the first time yesterday, five days after the collapse. Primark, the bargain retailer with 161 branches in Britain, promised to compensate the victims who worked for its supplier. “This will include the provision of long-term aid for children who have lost parents, financial aid for those injured and payments to the families of the deceased,” said the company. Bonmarche, which has 360 British stores and also bought supplies from a factory inside the ruined building, did not say whether it would follow suit. Both companies have previously promised to ensure the safety of the workforce of their Bangladeshi suppliers. But Primark and Bonmarche have not yet made clear what additional steps they propose to take in the aftermath of this disaster. Benetton, the Italian fashion house, denied last week buying supplies from any factory inside Rana Plaza. After the discovery of clothes bearing its label in the rubble, however, Benetton changed its position.

Yesterday, the company said: “There was a one-time order that was placed with one of these manufacturers and that order was completed and shipped a month ago.” The Bangladeshi government officially rejected offers from Britain and the United Nations to help with the rescue effort straight after the disaster. Ahmed Ali, the national fire chief, said the government had authorized him to accept foreign equipment — but not personnel. “The ministry of disaster management said that if some country can give us equipment without manpower, then we could just take the equipment. But I told them that this would waste time as if we got equipment without manpower, we would need to be trained to use the equipment,” he said.

Source: The Province

BC ELECTION : Continued from pg 1 sending danger signals to investors and businesses with unfocused strategies on industry growth, with some candidates suggesting a two-year moratorium on natural gas expansion which the party is forced to deny. During a visit to local trades school New Caledonia College, Dix outlined his plan to invest in skills training for the mining and natural gas industries. Dix also said he would reduce the wait times for environmental assessments and Notice of Work permits. He said under the Liberal government, wait times for Notice of Work permits sat at 55 day in 2007, ballooned to 110 days, and currently sit at 88 days. “We’ve said as a specific item in our platform we would be reducing wait times to 55 days by investing in these ministries (involved) to ensure bureaucratic delays don’t stand in the way of economic development,” Dix told reporters. Dix brushed aside suggestions his intent to create a new ministry and expand existing ones plays into Clark’s allegations that an NDP government would mean a big government. “The (current) government cuts staff to resource ministries, the results for business is doubling of wait times,” he said. “We need wait times in the mining industries to be reduced, we need to get to yes quicker and that’s precisely what we’re doing here.” Clark plans to visit 10 cities over the next three days -- Penticton, Kamloops, Williams Lake, Cranbrook and Kimberley among them.

She assured her supporters “it’s all going to go well.”

Source: CTV News

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Hiring foreign workers should be Canada can’t ‘last resort’: Kenney account for $3.1B in anti-terror funding, AG finds

The federal government plans to tighten up the temporary foreign workers program with new legislation that would require businesses to hire employees from abroad as a “last resort.” In a reversal of some controversial reforms to the program, the government said it will temporarily suspend the “accelerated labour market opinion” process that allowed some companies to fast-track the hiring of workers from abroad. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney also announced that employers will no longer have flexibility to set the wages for foreign workers. Current rules allow businesses to pay foreign employees up to 15 per cent below the prevailing wage for certain types of jobs, as long as Canadian workers doing the same job in the same geographic region were earning the same. The 15-per-cent rule was introduced last year, but Kenney said it was confusing to many people and only about five per cent of employers used it.

Ottawa also wants to charge employers a new fee for labour market opinions and increase the existing fees for foreigners’ work permits. Under the new rules, English and French will be the only languages that can be used as a job requirement. The changes will not apply to seasonal programs that bring in agricultural workers from countries like Mexico, Jamaica and Nicaragua, Kenney said. “Quite frankly, Canadians are not willing to…go work in agricultural jobs,” he told CTV’s Power Play.

As CTV News reported Sunday, the proposed changes would require employers to demonstrate a “clear and valiant” effort had been made to find Canadian workers to fill the jobs, before looking overseas for employees.

And in order to get approval to hire temporary foreign workers, employers would have to provide a plan for eventually replacing those foreign workers with Canadians employees. The program currently allows companies to hire foreign workers when Canadians citizens and permanent residents are “not available for the job.”

But critics have complained the program is often used simply to find foreign employees willing to work for a much lower wage. Kenney told reporters Monday that the government intends to “put more financial pressure on employers to look for Canadian workers first.” He said businesses already prefer to hire Canadians because it costs them “thousands of dollars more” to look for foreign labour. But Kenney said he’s concerned about reports from some businesses, especially those in the service industry, who say that foreign workers are more productive and reliable, willing to work late and pick up extra hours. Nevertheless, Canadians should always get the “first crack” at available jobs, he said. But some business owners say the stricter rules on hiring foreign workers will bring down productivity and profits. Brad Mason, president of Winnipeg-based Derksen Mechanical Services, told CTV News that his company can’t find enough welders, pipefitters or engineers in Canada, so the only option is to hire abroad. “Without temporary foreign workers…we can’t continue to grow as a company,” he said. NDP’s immigration critic Jinny Sims said the Conservatives’ reversal on some of the existing rules show that the government is “listening to Canadians” who have been critical of the way foreign workers are being hired and compensated. However, she said the proposed legislation is just “a quick fix” and it’s time to take a “serious, serious” look at the issue.

The foreign workers program came under the spotlight recently after it emerged that the Royal Bank of Canada was letting 45 employees go. At least one of those employees said she was asked to train her replacement, who was coming to Toronto to learn the job before returning overseas. RBC had contracted the positions out through the company iGate, which specializes in training and recruiting offshore labour.

Source: CTV News

US sees evidence of chemical arms in Syria

President Barack Obama has said the US has evidence of the use of chemical weapons in Syria and that his administration might have to “rethink the range of options” available to Washington with regard to its strategy in the country. In a rare Tuesday press conference at the White House, Obama said the Pentagon and other security agencies had been told to make preparations for possible action if the “red line” of chemical weapon use had indeed been crossed. The Assad government has been accused of using weapons loaded with nerve agents against targets in civilian areas during the country’s two-year-long conflict. “I’ve got to make sure I’ve got the facts. That’s what the American people would expect ... If I can establish in a way that not only the United States but also the international community feel confident in the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime, then that is a game changer,” Obama said. Obama did not rule out eventual US military action, but remained cautious.

“By game changer, I mean we would have to rethink the range of options that are available to us. We are invested in trying to bring back a solution inside of Syria,” he told reporters. “Obviously, there are options that are available to me that are on the shelf right now that we have not deployed, and that’s a spectrum of options.” Obama said as early as 2012, he had instructed the Pentagon, military and other intelligence officials “to prepare for me what options might be available”, but would not elaborate on the details of those options. Al Jazeera’s Patty Culhane, reporting from Washington, said public sentiment in the United

States would make direct military action highly unlikely. Referring to a recent poll, our correspondent said “the vast majority of Americans do not want to see the US have any military role in Syria”. Further complicating the likelihood of direct US action in the Syrian conflict was Obama’s reference to the confidence of the international community, Culhane said. “Satisfying the international community would present a much different set of requirements.” Meanwhile, the Syrian regime again accused rebels of using chemical weapons. Syria’s UN ambassador alleged on Tuesday that opposition fighters had used “chemical material” during an attack near the city of Idlib.

Ambassador Bashar Jaafari told reporters the incident was an attempt to make it look as though government forces had used chemical arms. Jaafari said “terrorist groups” had “spread seemingly the contents of plastic bags containing a kind of powder which must be most probably a chemical material”. The ambassador said many people were affected by the “heinous and irresponsible act” that was an attempt to “implicate the Syrian government on a false basis”. The Syrian government is refusing to let UN experts into the country to investigate whether chemical weapons have been used in the conflict, in which the UN says more than 70,000 people have been killed. The government wants any investigation limited to its allegations that the opposition used chemical arms near the city of Aleppo last month. The United Nations and western countries want other allegations investigated.

Source: Al-Jazeera

The federal government cannot account for billions of dollars that were devoted to combatting terrorism after the Sept. 11 attacks, Canada’s Auditor-General says in a new report. Between 2001 and 2009, Ottawa awarded $12.9-billion to 35 departments and agencies charged with ensuring the safety of Canadians to use for public security and fighting terrorism. The money allocated through the Public Security and Anti-Terrorism Initiative was intended to pay for measures designed to keep terrorists out of Canada, to prosecute those found in the country, to support international initiatives, and to protect infrastructure. But Auditor-General Michael Ferguson said only $9.8-billion of that money was identified in reports to the Treasury Board as having been spent specifically on anti-terrorism measures by the departments and agencies. The rest was not recorded as being used for that purpose. Some was moved to other priorities, and some lapsed without being spent, but the government has no full breakdown for the $3.1-billion. The matter is top-of-mind since the recent Boston bombing and last week’s arrest of two suspects in an alleged plot to derail a passenger train on the Toronto-New York corridor. In addition, the government has just passed legislation to beef up its anti-terrorism powers over the opposition of the NDP and civil-rights activists. Wesley Wark, an expert in security and intelligence who teaches at the University of Toronto, said it is unacceptable that the Auditor-General cannot determine exactly where this large amount of money was spent when all elements of the security and intelligence community face cuts to their budgets. The Auditor-General said departments and agencies were required to report to the Treasury Board Secretariat on how the money was spent. But when the auditor’s officials asked to see the reports, they were told they had not been prepared. In response to the auditor’s report, the government released several examples of PSAT funding that was allocated between 2001 and 2009 but not reported through the Treasury Board. For example, National Defence spent $510-million on military operations such as the mission in Afghanistan, and the Canada Border Services Agency spent $104-million to arm border guards, but after 2009. The government said that more than $100-million in funding lapsed at Public Safety and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, whereas the Canadian Security Intelligence Service spent $100-million of its PSAT funding on secret initiatives, with little information provided to the public. In addition, $129-million was allocated to a Marine Security Operations Centre, but the project was reduced in scope and only $26-million was spent. Treasury Board President Tony Clement noted the program was launched under Liberals, who were in power until early 2006. Still, he acknowledged the lack of a “whole of government” approach to the spending, because the departments involved in the anti-terror initiatives were allowed to report individually. He agreed that the original plans to lay out the entire amount under one umbrella were “not up to par,” while stating that there is no evidence of wrongdoing.

The biggest recipients of the $9.8-billion in anti-terror funds were CATSA ($2.8-billion), the Canadian Border Services Agency ($1.5-billion) and the Department of National Defence ($1.2-billion). The money was spent on matters such as intelligence, policing, improved screening, border security and emergency preparedness.

Source: Globe and Mail

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

Pakistani Canadians residing in British Columbia are currently in a state of emotional discomfort as the general elections in Pakistan and provincial election in British Columbia are hardly three days apart.

Those voting in Pakistan general elections cannot return to Canada on time as many hours of flight time and jet lag would most probably disable them from becoming active enough to participate in the election process in British Columbia on May14.

Similarly, the British Columbians of Pakistani origin cannot elect any politician to the provincial and national assembly of Pakistan, as no system is in place to allow distance voting from abroad.

On the contrary, many people just don’t bother voting as they are devoid of the needed political sense.

It’s the “political awareness/will” that makes much of a difference for sake of common national interest.

The ignoring attitude towards politics is one of the factors responsible for keeping the turnout lower.

The past experience shows that the voter turnout tends to be lowest among the youth, the illiterates and the poor.

When the contestants are of no integrity, and the political parties fail to persuade the potential voters with their platform or manifesto, the turnout is bound to be low.

Eventually, ‘trust deficit’ develops due to non delivery by the politicians during their tenure in public office. This scenario keeps the voters away from casting their ballot.

Nevertheless, low voter turnout is good for the insincere and inefficient politicians. That simply

E D I T O R I A L

Issue of Turnout means the flawed democratic system doesn’t reflect the interests of all citizens. And, the low turnout cannot be other than some kind of political strategy where the political parties intentionally keep the voters away from ballot boxes using negative ads against the opponents.

The practice of demoralizing through criticising their leaders is meant to change opinions of the potential opposition supporters (voters).

In fact, some stakeholders are interested to control the media, and they also finance the political parties of their choice just to carry on with their dirty politics of fear aimed at dividing the electorate.

The fact is election does provide an opportunity to the people to voice their free opinion and make their needs known under the law and the constitution of the land.

Truth is our vote is our voice, thus we must be heard, loud and clear.

“Elections belong to the people.

It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.” ― Abraham Lincoln Indeed, the youth of today are more knowledgeable and better connected regardless of ethnic background. They are also more adaptable to progressive change.

Surely, they have a positive role to play for their better future.

Using the election route is the best opportunity to filter out the rogue politicians and pick up just the good elite only. Obviously, the cheaters/repeaters stand no chance as they are rejected through free and fair ballot process. But if the crooks still make it through the

lack of vigilance on the part of voters or through using pressure tactics, then they have their own hidden agenda instead of serving the constituents.

That’s why; the voters must reject the dishonest candidates without fear of reprisals.

The dirty politicians can’t be allowed to play racial ethnicity or using religion in order to create confusion or otherwise manipulate the voters.

The people, wherever they are, they must use their “democratic vote power” to oust coercion, manipulation, discrimination in any form including Islamophobia and the dirty politics.

Just the honest and capable candidates should be voted in to allow a healthy democratic process at all levels including provincial and the national ones.

Since the youth of today are leaders of tomorrow; they must come out and exercise their right of vote.

An overhaul of the flawed system can address the issue of lower turnout.

Unfairness towards Pakistanis expatriates: It’s extremely frustrating that more than four million forgotten patriotic Pakistanis (expats) have to live abroad for economic reasons. Despite their marvellous economic contribution through remittances, they are excluded from the electoral process for no fault of theirs.

In this regard, the supreme court of Pakistan recently pointed out that the Pakistani community based overseas was extremely eager to vote.

A three member bench headed by the CJP Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry heard the case

pertaining to giving overseas Pakistanis the right to vote. The ECP has already unanimously decided that the federation of Pakistan would propose the required legislation to give overseas Pakistanis the right to vote, adding that it was not possible to provide the facility for the upcoming general elections. (Pak Channels).

Of course, many expats take keen interest in Pakistan; they donated generously during times of floods & earthquakes. They support Pakistani charities and make the national economy running through remittances. If such is the case, they deserve to be entitled to vote too. Unfortunately, the expats cannot vote in the upcoming election without a temporary legislation in place.

The ground reality about Pakistan is “the rising election fever grips Pakistan, so does the terrorism.”

Under the circumstances, many potential voters would prefer to stay indoors to avoid risk to their lives. The election commission of Pakistan (ECP) says, “The candidates should be provided with an atmosphere in which they can conduct their campaigns without any fear.” The ECP is concerned over the attacks on election offices and candidates. The expected Poll Day violence poses serious threat to the voting public.

As expected, the presence of Pak army troops would encourage a high voter turnout and that can easily produce a good legislature in the federation and in all provinces as well. The expats may contribute further by convincing their loved ones back home to fully participate in the electoral process on May 11, so that the people friendly gov-

Letters & Opinions

Protest for disqualifying and arresting Rtd. Gen. Musharraf

To Nina Grewal, MP B.C., Canada Dear Madam, As a concerned Canadian of Pakistani origin and All Pakistan Muslim League (AMPL) Coordinator for Western Canada, I am shocked to hear the news of disqualifying our Leader General (R) Pervez Musharraf from contesting elections in Pakistan.

Further, he has been put under house arrest upon charges of ‘Terrorism’, what a joke!

The entire world is well aware of the fact that President Musharraf has been a front fighter against terrorism. He has been denied bail in Pakistan on the charges of ‘Terrorism’. He was facing charges to sack judges when he imposed emergency rule in November 2007. The presiding judge added terrorism to the charges, accusing Musharraf of spreading “Terror throughout Pakistan”. Cancellation of bail

and addition of ‘Terrorism’ to the charges is a clear indication of the bad intent of the judiciary; moreover, they have also put Musharf’s name on ECL (Exit Control List) The trial will be heard by an anti-terrorism court.

Such courts are closed to the media and the public.

President Musharraf is perhaps the only former Army Chief and President who has voluntarily appeared before the courts and followed the norms of the legal procedures. Pakistan judiciary is working upon personal vendetta and taking care of the vested interests of certain political parties. The entire world is taking note of this imbalance.

Pakistan’s stability is necessary for the peace of entire world. Pakistan’s total law and order situation is already shattered and I hope that sanity prevails sooner than later to stop triggering possibility of clashes on the streets which may fuel further deterio-

ration of law and order.

Such actions revealing clear biased attitude of the judiciary need to be addressed at the International level. It is imperative that Musharraf must be given a fair chance to contest elections in Pakistan and let be discarded by the people following the norms of democracy.

On behalf of all the members of APML in Western Canada and well wishers on president Musharaf, I would request you to display concern of the Government of Canada in favor of General (R) Pervez Musharraf who boldly fought against terrorism.

Thank you and best regards, Liaqat Bajwa (Coordinator for Western Canada)

Previaz Mushraf Trail

By: R.C. PURI, Surrey There is an old proverbial saying

ernments and the legislatures are formed.

It’s about time for the British Columbians and for the Pakistanis to keep awake and be vigilant when it comes to holding the candidates accountable through vote on May 11 (Pak elections) and May 14 (B.C. elections) respectively.

A positive environment consisting of educated and politically aware people is a must to generate the best voter turnout.

Waan laysa lil insani illa ma’ sa’aa That man can have nothing but what he strives for.

Meralce 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 Editorial Board: Mr, Shums Jillani, Mr aslam Hayat, Mr.Azhar Syed, Mr. Shams Siddiqui, M.A.L. Naumani, Mr Tariq Mian Graphic Design: Design Team Copyright: 2001 Miracle Media Group Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Printed in Canada Attention: The opinions express

that the justice should not only be administered, but it should be further seen to be administered.

However, in Pakistan neither the election commission, nor the higher judiciary appear to be adhering to this cardinal principal in the matter of Pervez Musharraf, the former President of Pakistan. Both appear to be in vengeance mode against him. Whereas the former has declared the former President ineligible to participate and lead his party All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) in the ensuing General Elections, the later has virtually paved the way for his going behind the bars by cancelling his interim bails

Continued on pg 10 IMPORTANT NOTE: Letters to the editor do not reflect the opinion of the Miracle media group. 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.

herein contain positions and viewpoints that are not necessary 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.”

CONTENTS Editorial & Letters Int. News Local Politics Faith Articles Home and Garden Lifestyle Health Sports Urdu

6 4,5 9-15 16 7,8 17,19,28 22 25 26 29 30-40

Phone 604-690-0400 Email miraclenews@telus.net, info@miraclenews.com Website www.miraclenews.com

7

Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

F A I T H Haidth for April 5: Narrated ‘Ata’ bin Yasar: Ibn ‘Abbas performed ablution and washed his face (in the following way): He ladled out a handful of water, rinsed his mouth and washed his nose with it by putting in water and then blowing it out. He then, took another handful (of water) and did like this (gesturing) joining both hands, and washed his face, took another handful of water and washed his right forearm. He again took another handful of water and washed his left forearm, and passed wet hands over his head and took another handful of water and poured it over his right foot (up to his ankles) and washed it thoroughly and similarly took another handful of water and washed thoroughly his left foot (up to the ankles) and said, “I saw Allah’s Apostle performing ablution in this way.” 142: Sahih Bukhari.

Truthfulness is a vast curriculum

By: Salman AlAwdah O YOU who believe! Have taqwa with Allah, and be among the truthful.”

(Al-Qur’an, 9:119) Many people understand truthfulness to mean truthfulness of the tongue through speech alone. In reality, truthfulness is a vast curriculum. It is as much one of the characteristics of the Muslim’s personality both outward and inward, as it is his speech and action. From it are the following: Truthfulness in conveying the religion That is, one must profess the correct belief built upon truthfulness with Allah the Almighty, not upon hypocrisy, deceit and patronization. This is why truthfulness is mentioned in the Qur’an as the opposite of hypocrisy. “That Allah may reward the truthful for their truth, and punish the hypocrites if He wills, or turn mercifully toward them ... .” (Qur’an, 33:64) Therefore, it is necessary to possess the outward Islam with the inward iman; it is necessary to have the correct belief in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Books, and the Messengers. The outward guidance must conform to the inward guidance.

Here is one of the hidden plots of Satan who inspires Muslims to

neglect some of the outward good deeds under the pretense that his inner reality is not the same. So he avoids this in order to avoid deceiving the people! This is a huge mistake. The good deed which you perform outwardly is so because of the righteousness and truthfulness in your heart as long as you do not do it for riya’ [show], reputation or in order to deceive the believers.

Truthfulness in speech Truthfulness in speech expresses a dignified personality, manhood, insight and generosity. No one would resort to lies unless he has a wicked nature, a wicked nafs (self), and a weak personality. A good-natured individual denounces lie and rebukes it, which is why all of the previous revelations agreed upon the prohibition and admonition of lie. How about the Islamic preachers then, can you imagine them lying! I believe not, insha’Allah. Some of the du’at may come across ambiguously by making certain statements, which some people misunderstand, then later they may find out the opposite of what they misunderstood.

Then they accuse him of lying.

Besides, ambiguity may lead to the acceptance of some minor lies under the pretense that it is helpful! So be cautious!

If you are in a situation that would cause you to lie, avoid doing so, and remember the words of Abu Sufyan before King Heraclius

when he was asked about the Messenger of Allah, and he latter narrated to Muhammad (peace be upon him), “I swear by Allah, if I was sure that they would not have transmitted a lie from me, I would have lied about you.” (Bukhari) This man, who was an idolater at the time, avoided lying out of fear that his lying would be transmitted, or that he would be insulted some day because of it. He avoided lying even though he needed to do so We know that the honor of today’s du’at has become a target for a barrage of arrows, and this is why it is necessary for the daa’iya to close the door before the foul wind comes in, so that he can be safe!

Truthfulness in deeds Meaning that a person’s deeds have to be purely for Allahta’ala without riya’ or seeking good reputation, “Whoever hopes to meet his Lord, he should do good deeds, and not join any one in the worship of His Lord,” and “ ... that He may try you; which of you is the best in deeds.” (Al-Qur’an, 18:11 and 67:2) Fudayl ibn Ayad commented, “ ... which one of you is the best in deeds” means “most sincere and pertinent.” He was asked, “What is most sincere and pertinent?” He said, “If the deed is sincere and not pertinent it won’t be accepted, and if it is pertinent and not sincere, it won’t be accepted. It will not be accepted until it is sincere and pertinent!”

Included among the subject of truthfulness in deeds is, possessing clarity and avoiding obscurity or ambiguity. It was reported upon the authority of Abu Dawud and Nisa’i that after a confrontation with a man, when the companions refrained from standing up for him

(peace be upon him) he rebuked them, so they said, “O Messenger of Allah, we don’t know what is in your nafs, couldn’t you signal us with your eye?” He said, “It is not becoming of a Prophet that he have a deceiving eye!” (Abu Dawud, Nisa’i, Hakim, Ahmad from the hadith of ‘Anas in which it is, “A Prophet does not wink.”) Tirmidhi reported that Abdullah ibn Salam said, “When the Prophet, came to Madinah the people came out and said, ‘The Messenger of Allah has come! The Messenger of Allah has come! The Messenger of Allah has come!’ So I came forward among the people to look at him (peace be upon him) and when I beheld his face I knew that his face wasn’t the face of a liar. And the first thing that he said was, ‘O People! Spread salaam, and serve the food, and pray while the people are asleep, you will enter Jannah peacefully’.” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah) The truthfulness of the Messenger of Allah spread from his heart to his tongue ... to the extremities, it became manifest in his honorable face ... Everyone who beheld his bright vision saw truthfulness and was assured that his face was absolutely not the face of a liar! We are in need for the type of du’at who transmit truthfulness with their speech and deeds so much so that truthfulness becomes natural disposition swimming through their veins, emerging through their outward behavior, so that when the people see them they say, “These are not the faces of liars!”

We are also in need of du’at who are beautified with moral excellence, who stay away from selfishness and agitation, who persevere through their tranquility, who are moderate in their manner of speaking in all circumstances in such a

way that the people are able to look at their characteristics and say, “These are the characteristics of Prophets!” Surely truthfulness in carrying our dawah is a cause for people to accept our religion, and we should not be like the actor on the stage who shows the people the opposite of what he really is. In this case, the reality of such a da’iya is quickly revealed and the people rush away from him.

It was reported that one of the Salaf (pious predecessors) used to affect people and bring them to tears while admonishing them, to the point that you could hear them crying loudly. Yet someone else may have given a better speech in the same gathering and may have been more knowledgeable, but he could not affect their hearts nor bring them to tears! So his son asked him about this one day and his response was, “The weeping of the mother who lost her beloved is not like the weeping of the one who is paid to do so.”

Therefore the first mean for the success of the da’iya is: His truthfulness in carrying his da’wah, his seriousness in it and truthfulness in words and deeds must be his method and characteristic of him.

Elegant sweet words are not most important — even if they are required — more important is truthfulness, that he is in harmony with himself, and his speech comes from the heart.

Long ago it was said: “If a word comes from the heart it will land in the heart... and if it comes from the tongue it will not even pass the ears!”

Courtesy of : www.sunnahonline. com

Prayer Schedule in Greater Vancouver May 3-17, 2013 (Jamadi ul Thani-23- Rajab-7, 1434H) J.ul II Date 23 May 03 04 24 05 25 06 26 07 27 08 28 09 29 10 30 11 Rajab1 12 2 13 3 14 4 15 5 16 6 17 7

Day

Fajar

Sunr

Zawal

Dhuhr

Asar

Maghrib

Isha

Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

4:18 4:16 4:14 4:13 4:11 4:09 4:08 4:07 4:05 4:03 4:02 4:01 3:59 3:58 3:57

5:48 5:46 5:44 5:43 5:41 5:39 5:38 5:37 5:35 5:33 5:32 5:31 5:29 5:28 5:27

13:09 13:09 13:09 13:09 13:09 13:09 13:09 13:09 13:09 13:09 13:09 13:09 13:09 13:09 13:09

13:14 13:14 13:14 13:14 13:14 13:14 13:14 13:14 13:14 13:14 13:14 13:14 13:14 13:14 13:14

18:18 18:19 18:20 18:21 18:22 18:23 18:24 18:25 18:26 18:27 18:28 18:29 18:30 18:31 18:32

20:35 20:37 20:38 20:39 20:41 20:43 20:44 20:45 20:46 20:47 20:48 20:49 20:51 20:53 20:54

22:05 22:07 22:08 22:09 22:11 22:13 22:14 22:15 22:16 22:17 22:18 22:19 22:21 22:23 22:24

For such Prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times: Quran ,n 4:103 Source: BCMA

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

F A I T H

Al-Muhasabah - Self-Inventory

It is necessary for an individual to pause at the end of each day that has passed, in order to check himself and run through his achievements: What has he done in the course of the day? Why has he done it? What has he omitted? Why has he omitted it?

How excellent it would be if this self-criticism were to take place before one retired to bed.

This period of self-criticism and appraisal should certainly be counted among man’s moments of progress; it is a moment when man impartially sits as a judge over himself and reviews his yearnings and inclinations, his instincts and motivations. It is a moment when the believer appoints, out of his conviction, a policeman to watch over himself, an investigator to probe him, and a judge to condemn or acquit him. In this way he progresses from the state of “the soul that incites to evil” to the state of “the self- reproaching soul” which reproaches its owner whenever he plunges into sin, or falls short of expectation.

In a hadith we quoted before it was said: “It behooves any sane person to have four periods of time” and one of the four periods is “a period in which he engages in selfcriticism.”

The Commander of the Faithful, ‘Umar bin al-Khattab says: “Criticize and appraise yourselves before you are criticized and appraised on the Day of Judgment, and weigh out your deeds, before they are weighed out for you.”

“On that Day will men proceed in groups, sorted out, to be shown their Deeds. Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it.” (Qur’an 99:6-8) `Umar himself, may Allah be pleased with him, used to whip his foot at night and say to himself: “Tell me, what have you done today?!”

Maimun bin Mahran, a famous companion of the Prophet, used to say: “A pious person scrupulously examines and appraises himself more than he would a tyrant ruler and a tight-fisted partner!”

Al-Hasan said: “A believer polices his own Self; he criticizes and appraises it for the sake of Allah. The Final Appraisal (Hisab) may turn out to be mild on some people simply because they were wont to appraise themselves in this life; and the Final Appraisal on the Day of Resurrection may turn out to be rigorous on a people who took this life with levity, and thought they would not be called to account”.

Then he described how this self-criticism and appraisal operates in practice: “A fascinating thought (or idea) suddenly comes to the mind of a believer. He says to himself: ‘By Allah this is fascinating, I need it! But no, never. Get lost! I am prohibited from executing you!’” (This is self-criticism and appraisal before the event).

And: “A believer may inadvertently do something. He would then turn to himself and say: ‘What do you mean by this? By Allah, I cannot find an excuse for this. I shall never repeat it, insha’Allah!’” (This is selfcriticism and appraisal after the event).

If a Believer fails to observe this brief period of soul-searching daily, then he should at least try to do so once every few days, or once a week. In this way, he draws up his life balance sheet, depicting to him his (spiritual) assets and liabilities.

A Believer should also have a longer period of this practice at the end of each month, and an even longer period at the end of the year, when he bids farewell to one year and prepares for and welcomes another.

This is the time to critically review the Past and plan for the Future. This is the (spiritual) equivalent of his final accounts for the year.

One blameworthy innovation initiated by

the West and unfortunately imitated by some Muslims, is the annual birthday celebration, where people are invited to a party and served with delicious food and drink.

At times, people obsequiously yield to meaningless rituals and imitative practices for which Allah has sent down no authority.

For example, they light a number of candles, each one representing a year in the lifetime of the celebrant. Having lit the candles, the celebrant then histrionically proceeds to blow them out. Gifts are presented and pleasantries exchanged on the occasion.

Rather than this blind, useless imitation, it is better for an intelligent and sensible person to seize this occasion, which marks the expiry of one year of his lifetime, to reconsider and reflect upon his life. At the end of every year, a careful trader applies the brakes in order to measure his performance over the past year, and establish his financial position at the end of it. He wants to know his profit or loss, and his assets and liabilities; i.e. his claims and the claims against him. An intelligent, sensible person ought to do likewise, in respect of his life. More than that, he

should beseech Allah to bless his life, make his day better than yesterday, and his tomorrow better than today.

It is worthier for an intelligent and sensible person to call himself to account for one whole year of his life that has expired, in respect of which Allah, the Exalted, will question him. A year is not a short time. It is a period of twelve months; a month is on average thirty days; each day has twentyfour hours, each hour sixty minutes, and each minute sixty seconds. And every second should be counted as a blessing, a favor upon him from Allah and a trust from Allah in his hands.

It is worthier for this intelligent and sensible person to commiserate with himself over the turning of a page in the book of his life.

Each day that passes is, as it were, a leaf that has withered and fallen from the tree of his life. May Allah have mercy on Al-Hasan alBasri when he says: “O son of Adam! You are but a bundle of days. As each day passes away, a portion of you vanishes away!”

Abu ‘Ali ad-Daqqaq used to chant the following lines:

Each day that passes, a portion of me it takes away, On the heart, a bitter taste it leaves, and then glides away.

Another poet says: Man rejoices as long as the nights continue to pass by, Yet, he too, as they vanish gradually perishes away.

Yet another poet says: We take delight in every day that we have lived, Yet each day that passes is a portion (gone) of a lifetime.

This is the view that every intelligent and sensible person ought to take. However, intelligent and sensible people are few in this world.

COURTESY: Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi, “Time in the Life of a Muslim”

9

Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

L E T T E R S

Letters & Opinions

Muslims Scholars and the Islamic Community of the Lower Mainland By: Nazanin Manglouri I am happy to see the diversity of mosques and Islamic centers in the lower mainland.

It is indeed beautiful to see glorious establishments springing all over the mainland. Strength comes from diversity and growth. Since all paths lead to the same destination which is to please Allah and His mankind so no matter which mosque we go to, Richmond, Burnaby, Surrey or Vancouver, the destination is the same.

And we all work together for the same means. I have a humble request to make prayers in the memory of loved ones who have passed away in every mosque in the lower mainland with their name announcements.

I believe one good cause would be to remember and pray for our members who have recently passed away. Perhaps every three months, the list of Muslims who have recently passed away, is given to the respective Imams, Islamic scholars and Jurists at all of the mosques & centers of the lower mainland. The names announced and Surat-ul-Fatiha is recited

with Kalima (1000 times) on a weekend day just before one of the prayers with Jamaat participation. The announcement dates and rotation can be staggered in the different mosques, thereby falling on different months (but at a fixed date) and every Muslim attending in each different mosque will be praying for his Muslim brother or sister who have departed within the community at large within the 3 month period of their departure from this earthly life. Our dedicated BCMA funeral director can provide the names. The impact of the prayers multiplied by the number of attendees can be phenomenal for the soul of the departed. And it will strengthen the bond between the Muslim brotherhood.

As immigrants to Canada, we may not be fortunate to have many family, relatives and friends here to pray for us especially as we are a minority. This will ensure a strengthening bond and respect to all our community members throughout the lower mainland or for that matter in BC. On that note, special thanks to all our Mus-

lims who devote all their Allah given resources in these most difficult times and provide dedicated and selfless services in funerals and support to loved ones.

The Islamic scholars would know the best timing for holding this gathering or the correct numbers for reciting the Kalima (between Zuhr or Asr or Maghrib) according to the school of thought. It can be concluded with a Jamaat Salat and perhaps with some tea and dates (optional).

This way all can attend the prayers dedicated to the deceased members of our community at large even if they don’t know them personally. Especially with all the turmoil and difficulties of today’s world, we all need prayers to rest our soul in peace in the hereafter and our sins to be forgiven.

Once again, I am not an authority on Islam, and for that matter a Muslim who has no deep knowledge whatsoever, so if you find any deficiencies, all of which are due to my own limitations, please do not take it to heart. I hope that our Imams and Islamic Jurists can find a practical way to address such a noble cause in the lower mainland and make it a permanent practice throughout our glorious establishments and if there is anything I can do to

assist in the process, it will be an honor.

Ameen

Letter : Continued from pg 6 and his ultimate criminal prosecution on various severe criminal accusations and eventual conviction is not ruled out. It is yet premature to conclude whether or not the charges against the former President are really genuine or politically motivated only, but the fact still remains that as a citizen of Pakistan at least he is lawfully entitled to be treated equal before the law and it is the solemn obligation of both the election commission and judiciary to adopt an unbiased approach towards him, which is free from any prejudice. This, however, is possible only where there is no element of any prejudgment while dealing with his cases, which I fear is found to be a unfriendly dream in relation to the former President, as both the supra authorities are all out to take out a pound of flesh from his throat.

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• Time is money so please be punctual when attending the events.

• When food is being served, please be patient when waiting for your turn. Take the food as per your need. By doing this, you can avoid wasting food and also be fair to others.

• Use public washrooms with the same manners and care that you would in your own home.

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

L O C A L

Candidates Great Debate organised

by Miracle and PCA

It’s election time again and with the objective of informing the Muslims as well as other members of our community voters to make an informed decision when they go to polls on May 14, The Miracle Media Group with the collaboration of Pakistan Canada Association held a highly successful all candidates’ debate at Pakistan House Surrey on April 24.

As many as 12 candidates from different political parties attended this debate. NDP candidates included Harry Bains(Surrey-Newton), Jagrup Brar(Surrey-Fleetwood), Sue Hammell(Surrey-Green Timber) and Sylvia Bishop(Delta North).

Liberals candidates included Marvin Hunt(Surrey-Panorama), Dr. Amrik Tung (Surrey-Green Timber), Sukhminder Virk (Surrey-Newton) and Kuljeet Kaur(Surrey-Whalley). Marvin & Sylyia left after the introductions for another commitments.

Tim Binnema and Richard Hossein represented the Green party in debate. The debate also attracted candidates from a newly formed party BC Vision, which was represented by Jag Bhandari, candidate from Surrey-Whalley and Ali Zaidi (Surrey-Panorama).

The Miracle great debate was moderated by M. Naseer Pirzada, he started on scheduled time and requested Maulana A.L. Naumani for recitation of the Holy Quran.

After recitation he invited Mr. Arfan Malik president of Pakistan Canada Association to welcome the candidates and guests at this great debate. Mr. Malik focused the importance of Vote and requested every voter to go and vote on May 14.

Mr. Pirzada said, on April 16, 2011 at this stage we called the first Federal election candidates debate under the Miracle and PCA ban-

ner., once again we want to bring awareness for voting in upcoming Provincial Election.

He also reminded all candidates of the power of the Muslim Vote Bank in BC. Mr. Pirzada opened the floor for the first round comprised of introductions , following this was a round where candidates talked about the platform of each party.

It started in sequence from right side , the Liberals emphasized on the importance of reducing debt and their future policies for the betterment of BC Province residents. On the other hand NDP emphasized that it was necessary to bring a change for the better because the current government has run out of ideas, is focused only on campaigning and will say anything to win. The Green Party talked about sustainable options and BC Vision had interesting policies around offering tax credits for families. . In the second round candidates got an opportunity to ask question from each other.This was an interesting round to warm-up the candidates prior to go for public questions. One of the questions asked

by Harry Bains, to his opponent

Sukhminder Virk of the Liberals was in regards to the TOIFA event and whether Virk had attended the event and if he did attend, did he pay for it? Virk didn’t answer the question and instead dismissed it by saying it was a personal attack. Similarly Liberals asked the NDP why the party was not revealing its platform. The question was answered by Sue Hammell and she said each day since the writ has dropped Adrian Dix has been making key policy announcements. She emphasized that NDP’s platform has incorporated key policies in regards to supporting struggling families, education, skills training, health and much more., after the moderator interfered the second round finished at this stage.

Mr. Pirzada announced for break.

During the break Magrib Prayer was led by Maulana Naumani followed by tjedinner and refreshment.

In the third round, the audience got an opportunity to ask questions from the candidates. The moderator told the format of question(1-2 minutes) and answer time (2-3 minutes ) will be given and no one can ask the other ques-

tion and no one repeat the same issue unless the time permitted.

It is surprised in Q & A session, the first two questions were raised by a young 10 yrs girl Fatima Nadeem and 6 years old Furqan about the education and future plan for class rooms sizes and libraries. By this over 25 questions has been raised to all the candidates. Debate was carried until the interest of voters and candidates and it took about 100 minutes. The 25 question asked from publicc were mostly related to; Education, Universities tuition fee, Health system, shortage of doctors and staff, Credential of immigrants, New comers jobs plan, Tax payers money use, Fiscal plan, Budget deficits, controlling debt, Small business, TOIFA Bollywood movies in BC, , Sell-

ing BC land at low prices, BC Place, BC Ferries, Violence & use of drugs in Youth and its control, Whalley area problems, Terrorist labels on Muslim as well as on Islam, BC Cancer control policy, Environmental control, People moving from BC to another province for their jobs, Minimum wages setup, Legal Aid, Translink, Gas prices, Hate crime, etc.

After,a warm Q &A session, in the last round each candidate was given a chance of giving an introductory speech to briefly describe about party platform. Mr. Pirzada ended the this informative, successful deabate and thanked the candidates for their participation. At the end Mr. Malik Arfan thanked to all from Pakistan Canada Association plat form.

14

Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

S P E C I A L

Leaders Televised Debate Result of April 29

Dix the clear debate winner, say CBC Vote Compass users, Less than a third pick Christy Clark, other two leaders way behind More than half the people who took CBC’s Vote Compass right after the leaders’ debate say NDP Leader Adrian Dix won outright, while less than a third give the nod to Liberal Leader Christy Clark.

According to Vote Compass, 54 per cent of respondents said Dix won the debate, compared to 32 per cent who felt that Clark performed better.

The other two party leaders didn’t get much traction among those who used the Vote Compass app.

Of all the Green and Conservative supporters who responded, only about half thought their respective leaders had won.

The findings are based on 1,623 respondents to Vote Compass from April 28 to 29.

Respondents were asked if they watched the televised debate and to indicate which of the B.C. party leaders they thought won and lost the debate.

A margin of error does not apply and the

data was weighted using the latest population estimates to be a true representation of opinion at the time of the field.

B.C. party leaders jockey for position in televised debate Economy, deficit, environment dominate election debate B.C.’s four major party leaders squared off in the only televised leaders’ debate of the provincial election campaign Monday night, each vying for votes in the quest to become the province’s next premier.

The debate, heated at times but mostly civil, was dominated by familiar themes: balancing the budget; the environment; and the economy.

B.C. Liberal Leader Christy Clark was put on the defensive early in the debate about her choice to run a red light with her son and a newspaper reporter in the car. She apologized again, admitting she made a mistake by treating the light as four-way stop.

“There is no other answer for the people of British Columbia other than to say that it

was wrong. I was wrong to do it,” she said.

“And I strive, as a parent, to set a great example for my son and I didn’t.… It doesn’t matter what time of day it was. I shouldn’t have done it.”

Clark went on to tout her party’s position on balancing the budget, paying down the provincial debt and growing the economy — sticking to the script she has been following throughout the election campaign.

“We have balanced our budget and we are putting British Columbia on a path to being debt-free.”

Clark once again referenced the NDP’s $3-billion platform — another familiar refrain tackled by the CBC Reality Check team last week.

CBC’s Reality Check team finds the Liber-

als’ math doesn’t add up Clark then turned to NDP Leader Adrian Dix, calling into question his party’s position on natural resource projects.

“What the premier’s saying is not true, and the premier knows it,” he responded.

“This is their campaign. They’re on the attack all the time. I support liquefied natural gas. I support the skills training that we will need to build liquefied natural gas, to ensure that young people and everyone across British Columbia can benefit through jobs from that project.”

The two leaders also sparred on the province’s child poverty record, its credit rating and job creation.

Source: April 29, CBC News

Abacus Data Poll:

by Sacha Peter April 29, 2013 An Abacus Data Poll (their link, local copy), commissioned by Sun News Network, surveying 1,042 internet panelists (note: not a random, probability based sample), from April 23-26, 2013, had the following voter intention results (excluding the 12% undecided): BC NDP – 43% BC Liberal – 33% BC Green – 12% BC Conservative 9% Other – 3% Analysis This is the first poll, to my knowledge, that Abacus Data has released public data on in the BC Election, so it is difficult to make time-based comparisons with previous polls they have conducted. The results are within the ballpark of other polling agencies, indi-

cating that the NDP has a significant lead – A 43/33 election result would ordinarily leave the NDP with a comfortable majority government position (about 60 seats), but far from the 2001-NDP style wipeout or the 1991 Social Credit wipeout for the BC Liberal party.

Looking at their regional split numbers, even though the sample numbers are incredibly small, they do appear to indicate that the Greens have 24% on Vancouver Island, according to the 160 people that were polled in that area. The NDP and BC Liberals are surprisingly close in the Lower Mainland in this survey, with 37% supporting the BC Liberals and 40% supporting the NDP with a 563 person count.

Source: http://bc2013.com Who will win the May 14 BC election? Let’s See!

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

S P E C I A L

Miracle Special: Every Single Vote Matters “One man. one vote” is the most fairest method to choose leaders in any democratic society. Voting is patriotic right to choose your representative government. A citizen’s vote is a secret ballot. Voting is the most important exercise a citizen will do as a responsible citizen of a democratic nation. In a functioning democracy, being able to vote allows citizens to express their political opinions by voting a particular policy or candidate that has your best interest in mind. By this, you can decide your very own future by opting a candidate who might speculate your own aspects and possibly those people who share the same opinion with you.

Voting is a right of all eligible voters in any country. It is seen as the normal or typical form of political activity and it remains the primary means of political participation. The goal of any voting system is to establish the intent of each individual voter and translate those intents into a final tally or reality. According to Abraham Lincoln; “No man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent” This further explains that in a truly democratic society, governments are instituted among qualified and responsible men who derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. Another ex-American president, Lyndon Johnson have this to say in support of Abraham Lincoln that “The right to vote is the most basic right, without which all others are meaningless”. Voting is the first duty of democracy. Government is based on citizens votes for representation. In a democracy, your vote is your voice and the act of standing up for what you believe.

Voting helps to preserve our way of life.

The elections for the formation of the new BC legislature are slated for May 14, 2013.

t

ec l E -

Re

Whereas both of the key contesting parties (Viz- the Liberals BC or the NDP) are laboring overtime to woo the electorate for the formation of the next government at Victoria, but which of them emerges victorious at the end is yet to be determined.

Nonetheless, it is of the essence for every voter to cast his/her vote, for every single vote matters in the elections. So far as the local Muslim populace is concerned, it is of crucial importance for it to go to the designated polling stations of their respective areas to exercise it’s hard-earned right of franchise that has been bestowed upon the people being the citizens of the country of its adoption. Every vote matters in the democratic set up of the government, where the people are its real architects. This is the precise reason that the Miracle newspaper is strenuously creating awareness in the Islamic community for its positive and energetic participation in the electoral process, may that be at the Federal level or else at the Local or Provincial levels. It is, however, regretted to point out that despite the repeated wake up calls the local Muslim Ummah does not deem appropriate to pay heed to the wake up alarms and let the opportunity of sending more of its representatives in the provincial legislature slip out of its hands. Consequently, the representation of this community at all the levels of governance is devastatingly much below its proportion. This is appallingly dismaying picture in comparison to the other ethnic communities around. Now when the time for getting something substantial has practically run out owing to the fault of none other than the community itself, it is futile to cry over the spilt milk. All than can (and ought to) be done at the moment is to work hard for the success of the Muslim candi-

dates (no matter which party they belong to or where lie the roots of their origin) in the fray by consolidating all the Muslim votes in their respective areas and bringing the voters out of their homes for casting their votes at the polling boots.

Putting together of every solitary vote matters for winning the elections in the same way as the little drops of water are required to contribute their might to make an ocean. The youth volunteers of both the sexes can accomplish this productive job conveniently and effectively. Besides, it is equally imperative for all the organizations of the community operating in this area to formulate some tangible plan and educate the people for future on this issue of crucial importance, as the cycle for the forthcoming general elections at different levels continues to roll ahead on the footing of four years term under the law.

If You Don’t Vote, DON’T For every one that complains that they don’t like how the government is running things now and for every one that thinks the government is on the right track, today is your day — Election Day. Nobody in this world has the right to complain about how our government is working, how our representatives are voting or how corrupt our state government is unless he or she has voted. Voting for our representatives is the cornerstone of our democracy, and we do have the power to change how gov-

ernment works through our vote.

Voting takes very little time, and if you did not vote for a candidate you should not complain, because you did not even take the time to vote for those people who make the decisions. However, the sad fact of this world is that most people do not vote. They do not think it is worth the time; they don’t think their one

vote will matter, and they think that there is nothing that can be done to fix the way politics are now. Those people are wrong.

While change is never easy or fast it can be done, and voters have proven they can speak with one very loud voice. The only thing someone can do that is worse than not voting is voting blindly. Voters need to make sure they are sending someone into office they think can do the best job. Read the newspaper today, and get a grasp on the people running for office, and then go into the voting booth. Better yet, take a minute right now to contemplate what issues are the most important to you and your family, and then take a look at what the candidates believe in. If you don’t know what you believe in, don’t complain when someone does it for you.

In short, go vote. These are the people that represent you in government and make decisions that directly affect your life. Do the job right, and make sure they are representatives you believe in.

Linda Reid for MLA, Richmond East

Let’s keep it going.Together.

Learn more about your right to vote and how you can participate in the election process:

facebook.com/ReidforBC twitter.com/ReidforBC linda@lindareid.ca 604-276-8868

Visit Us! Mehmood Awan and Linda Reid at the BCL Charity Dinner, Feb. 21 2013

Election Day - May 14 Advance Voting: May 8 - 11

Authorized by Kim Sorensen, Financial Agent for Linda Reid. (604-276-8868)

Garden City Office: 604.276.8868 - #150 - 8040 Garden City Road, Richmond, BC V6Y 2N9 Hamilton Office: 604.710.9533 - #110 - 23200 Gilley Road, Richmond, BC V6V 2L6

17 A D V E R T I S E R Miracle Marriage Bureau Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

H O M E

MORTGAGE WATCH

By Kazim Jafary Down payment towards your dream new home can come either from your own resources or it might also be gifted by your nearest and dearest ones such as parents. A new court ruling about gift letter from parents which accompanies gifted down payment has offered some expert advice to brokers and borrowers in the mortgage market. A few days ago, there has been a nice article on this subject by Donald Horne on mortgagebrokernews.ca, which I would like to share with Miracle readers.

‘The expectation is if (a parent) makes the gift, it’s going to go to both of (their

child and their spouse),’ says William Fric, of the firm Fric, Lowenstein & Co., ‘but this decision opens the door to prevent that from happening. It is one of the realities of real estate – and you may want to suggest this option to clients as part of your offer.’

Gift letters are often required by mortgage lenders when parents are helping their children in buying a home. Mortgage lenders want to see that the down payment either comes from the borrowers’ own savings or has been gifted.

In a case decided recently by the Alberta Court, a father had made a gift of $83,500/on the purchase of property by his son and daughter in-law. Later, the son and daughter in-law divorced. In the legal action to divide the matrimonial property, the father said that the money was intended solely as a gift to his son. Alternatively, he told the Court that it should be treated as a

loan. Otherwise, the wife stood to receive $41,750/-, one half of the gift, on dissolution of the marriage.

Fric says it definitely opens the door for parents to limit who can benefit from the proceeds of such gifts, an important consideration especially now, and he has been astounded at the feedback from the public and agents after posting the ruling on a Calgary Real Estate blog.

‘I’m surprised at the reaction I’m getting on this one,’ he says, being a regular contributor to the blog. ‘But it is what I thought was particularly interesting in this ruling, that if the parents had stipulated otherwise (named the son specifically), the wife would not have been able to touch it.’

In this case the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench agreed with the wife. They treated the $83,500/- down payment from the husband’s father as a gift to both the husband and wife and therefore the wife got her $41,750/- share. But the Court’s decision

leaves it open to specify that a gift is to one child only, argue some experts.

For Fric, his advice to parents offering a gift to help their children buying a home is that they can avoid making grief for themselves down the road if they specifically name who the gift is for – for example, not the spouse who is now divorcing their little darling. ‘Today, new homebuyers are almost always getting help from their parents,’ he said. ‘It is a good piece of advice to pass along to anyone applying for a mortgage.’

No doubt it is a good piece of advice to share with young couples who might be planning to buy their first new home. However, it’s a challenging task for a mortgage professional to discuss this matter with a new homebuyer as it might prove like opening a can of worms in even bringing the subject to the attention of a couple and their parents.

Roofing & Renovations Solutions

By Imran Tipu (RTM Roofing & Renovations) In my current article I will explain wood seasoning that would enhance the life of wood.

Firewood, lumber, telephone poles, railway ties--all timber is dried prior to use, a process called seasoning. Allowing the wood to dry minimizes structural problems in buildings because, as the wood dries, it shrinks. Wet firewood produces more smoke than flame. A few processes are used to season wood. Dry wood is less likely to warp, mold, is stronger and is easier to paint or varnish.

The type of wood, density and level of humidity play a role in the length of seasoning time, especially in regards to air seasoning.

Air Seasoning To air season wood that is cut into desired lengths, stack it in layers and let it sit for 6 to 9 months.

Cut the firewood in the desired lengths, and split it into smaller pieces. Stacking in layers allows the air to flow through the wood.

Home safe suggests covering the stack of wood with a tarp to keep it dry during rains.

Kiln Seasoning Kiln seasoning of wood is a commercial process that employs two processes, progressive and compartmentalization. The compartment process is conducted in a building where the lumber is stacked in a manner that allows the air to circulate. A program

is set to season the wood. The microwave energy allows for and moisture content. rtmroofingandrenovations.com progressive process is conducted more control over drying speed For more information visit www. on a trolley system where the wood is moved through different compartments.

Both processes control the humidity and air flow for the proper moisture reduction.

Kiln drying allows processing of a greater amount of wood for commercial sales.

Chemical Seasoning • A hydroscopic chemical is used to soak the cut green wood. The chemical seasoning process reduces the risk of stressing the wood internally and slows the moisture loss, which keeps the wood in pristine shape to create rifle butts, golf club heads, carvings and other ornamental uses.

Solar Seasoning Solar seasoning occurs in a specialized kiln; the wood is stacked so the air circulates while the sun heats the kiln. Occasionally wood is air dried prior to solar drying to reduce the moisture.

The solar drying of wood is reserved for furniture uses, where the less moisture the better.

Microwave Seasoning A new wood seasoning process growing in Canada is microwave seasoning. The use of microwave energy pulses are used to dry the timber in a way that decreases seasoning degrade. The

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

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L O C A L

A successful fundraiser held for Imran Khan’s PTI

Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI BC chapter) held a very successful fundraiser on April 21, at Moghul Garden Banquet hall in Surrey. A large number of PTI supporters packed the hall wearing PTI shirts, waving PTI flags and chanting slogans “Kaun Bachaye ga Pakistan Imran Khan Imran khan”. Participants were

also very generous with their donations. The local organisers were able to raise plus C$ 20,000 which was equal to RS 20 Lakh rupees that were then dispatched to the Naya Pakistan fund of Tehreek e Insaf.

Representatives of local PTI said they always knew of the large support for PTI among the local Pa-

kistani Canadian community but the their generosity, love and support at the fundraiser for Imran Khan was astounding and truly admirable. The function was comprised of speeches, audio visual presentations, live songs, and merchandise auction. The common theme of the speakers for the program was that Pakistan can no longer afford to be governed by the old corrupt parties that have ruled many times and have failed to deliver. It is time to build a new Pakistan under the Leadership if Imran Khan. A Pakistan where rule of law will prevail, the education system will be same for all, where the corrupt will be brought to justice, a place which we all would call a true Democratic Islamic welfare state. Mr.

Ghulam Murtaza and Bilal Khan were co-hosts and Mr. Asim Ghani and Mrs. Zamka Malik were the two key speakers at the function. Mr. Saif Pannu, senior leader of local PTI, thanked everyone and conveyed that In Sha Allah you will always be proud to say that you were part of Imran Khan’s movement that built a new Pakistan.

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

LOCAL

Quiz and Quran Competition at Masjid Al-Salam

The BCMA Masjid Al-Salam and Education Centre, Week End Islamic School Burnaby has Alhamdulillah organized the Annual Muslim Youth Islamic Quiz, Qura’an Memorization and Qura’an recitation Competition for the children and youth. The Quiz competition was on April 19th and 20th while the Quran competition was held on April 27.

The objective of this event is to develop “Love of Allah, His Deen and His creation amongst the students. The love of Allah is also the theme of the monthly youth workshop at the school for year 2013. Through these competitions the school management and the staff wish to: • Stimulate their spiritual and intellectual development • Honoring the outstanding memorizers of the Holy Quran.

• Develop a basic understanding and knowledge of Islamic fundamentals among the youth.

• Provide platform for healthy competition and an incentive for gaining knowledge on Islam, moral education and Muslim history. This will help students to become responsible citizens who believe in Morality and working for the society in general.

• Train youth to be future leaders by developing basic skills in public speaking.

Once our students are trained to participate in such competitions they will InshaAllah compete with other Muslim

schools. This will build bonds with other schools and parents. This in turn will increase unity among each other.

• Give our youth an opportunity for a healthy competition.

Teachers with the cooperation of parents prepared their students for both the competitions. Questions asked were from the following categories according to their curriculum: Qura’an and Qura’anic stories, hadith, pillars of Islam, prophets, pillars of Islam, miracles of the Qura’an, Islamic History, general knowledge, dua (for parents and dua by different prophets) and the life history of our Prophet Mo-

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hammad SAW. Registered students from Pre K to Level 5 participated in all the competitions.

In these competitions all together 123 students participated.

There were 20,1st position winners and 19, 2nd position winners in the Quiz competition.

In the Qur’an competition all together 65 students participated out of which there were 11 1st position winners and 14 2nd position winners.

There were 7 highly qualified external judges for the Qura’an competition and 8 highly qualified external judges for the Quiz.

April 27, will remain one of the highly remarkable day in the history of events held at Masjid Al-Salam. The emotions, excitement and sentiments of all the students were spectacular. The interest, contentment and participation of all the parents was marvelous. Everyone spoke about the school’s efforts to nurture the knowledge of Islam amongst the students. They acknowledged that the events like this have brought a positive impact to the behavior and moral upbringing of their children.

Certificates of participation were awarded to all the participants by the BCMA Burnaby, New West and Tricities branch chairpersons, Br. Daud Ismail and Sr. Hazra Ismail.

The winners will be awarded medals and gift certificates at the end of school year event in June. One of the factors that made the event successful was the strong support of the board of directors, the dedication of the education committee as well as the excellent team work of valuable volunteers.

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

F O C U S

THE STUFF OF DAYDREAMS

By Oksana Tashakova Love building castles in the air?

Don’t snap out of that reverie.

Drifting off in thought during the day could actually spark your most creative idea yet Did your parents or teachers scold you for daydreaming? Do you associate daydreaming with laziness or lack of focus? The opposite is actually true. When you daydream, when your active brain takes a break and rests, a different brain region kicks in. This region is known as the defaultmode network according to the website SleepandHealth.com — and it plays a role in emotional processing and the formation of memories.

The default network isn’t active in people with Alzheimer’s disease or autism, the website reports.

Autistic people think about things in very concrete ways. They don’t recognise emotions and this prevents them from operating in the world effectively. Alzheimer’s patients aren’t able to access memory, learn new things or make plans for the future. Daydreaming helps us make meaning of our world, to incorporate learning fully and to make future plans.

A recent study co-authored by Mary Helen Immordino-Yang has found that daydreaming and introspection are integral to long-

term learning, memory, moral judgment and self-awareness. The downtime in which that default network is active improves reading comprehension and the ability to concentrate on tasks afterward.

According to the website Science Blog.com, when children are allowed to reflect on things, they perform better academically and are less anxious. They are also better able to make future plans.

This kind of reflection contributes to moral reasoning and transferring knowledge to different contexts.

Immordino-Yang worries that our school systems focus too much on act-ive learning and don’t allow kids time to let their thoughts wander. In addition, the constant bombardment of electronics and social media occupy children constantly today, so that they rarely activate that default network.

Andrea Bennet of the University of Southern California explains that the ability to move between our active brain network and the default network takes practice and is associated with high IQs. Immordino-Yang tells Bennet that children are easily distracted by external stimuli and that this lack of introspective time may result in them having shallow values.

Social media seems especially disruptive to integrated thinking, the researcher believes.

Immordino-Yang also wrote that “Consistently imposing overly high-attention demands on children, either in school, through entertainment, or through living conditions, may rob them of opportunities to advance from thinking about ‘what happened’ or ‘how to do this’ to constructing knowledge about ‘what this means for the world and for the way I live my life.’ ” It’s not just children that need to unplu g and fantasise more. New York University researchers have found that multitasking adults are actually dumbing themselves down, reports MSNBC’s Brian Alexander. The resea-rchers found that when participants didn’t rest their brains, they didn’t perform as well on memory tasks. Using fMRI technology, the scientists saw that during a daydreaming period, stronger connections occurred bet- ween essential brain regions involved with memory.

The scientists say that our multitasking lives can really cost us, that we aren’t able to truly make sense of our experiences.

Daydreaming is associated with creativity. Remember the story of Issac Newton daydreaming under the apple tree? How his theory of gravity came to him there? Einstein is said to have come up with the theory of

Contact Amir Taj @ 604-572-7861

relativity while half asleep on a train. When you daydream, your thoughts roam free and can connect things that normally seem unrelated.

Johah Lehrer describes Arthur Fry’s creative daydreaming in an article on Meditation24-7.com.

Fry was an engineer with 3M, and having problems with saving pages in his choir book. He came up with the idea for Post-It notes while drifting away during a church sermon. He was able to imagine something that didn’t exist yet.

Lehrer also describes Teresa Belton’s experience. Belton wondered why elementary school children she was studying wrote very unimaginative stories. She discovered that they had little downtime in their lives, that whenever they

got bored, they would turn on the television. This kept them from daydreaming and dampened their creativity and imagination.

Psychologist Jonathan Schooler studies creativity and daydreaming and points out that innovation and inventions only occur if people are aware that they are daydreaming. This can help them to take note when they have a useful insight. Having this kind of awareness takes practice.

So take the time to unplug and let your thoughts wander. You’ll deepen your understanding of the world and yourself. You’ll become more creative and solve problems more effectively. You’ll make better plans for the future while you reduce stress.

Source: Alkhaleej

24

Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

T E C H N O L O G Y

AT&T to sell Home Automation, Security Packages AT&T Inc. is launching its home security and automation service in 15 cities Friday, with an eye toward getting customers hooked on security cameras, thermostats and locks they can control from phones and tablets. AT&T’s “Digital Life” packages will be sold in cellphone stores in markets including Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Miami. The company plans to roll the offering out to 50 markets by the end of the year.

The home monitoring and automation field is dominated by security firms such as ADT Corp. Other phone and cable companies sell security packages, but AT&T is going further than competitors by developing its own technology and selling it nationwide, not just where it provides local phone service. It has set up monitoring centers, in Dallas and At-

lanta.

The entire U.S. home security market is worth about $18 billion per year, said Glenn Lurie, who is in charge of expanding the reach of AT&T’s network to new types of devices. That’s small compared to AT&T’s $127 billion in annual revenue. But only 20 percent of homes have security systems, so there’s an opportunity to expand the market, Lurie said.

The initiative comes as the wireless industry has slowed after a decade of heady growth.

Now that nearly everyone has a cellphone, wireless companies are looking for other sources of growth.“We see huge opportunity here. This is a significant, billion-dollar opportunity for AT&T,” Lurie said.

AT&T is also hoping to get customers to

pay more than the typical $40 per month for home security alone, by providing connections to wireless cameras and other sensors.

AT&T will charge $250 for the equipment and installation of a home security package, plus $40 per month. Options include a camera package for $10 per month plus equipment and installation, climate control for $5 per month, and a remote water main shutoff control for $10 per month. The equipment ties into a central control panel which can be programmed through the app or Web interface to, for instance, shut off the water main if the water sensor detects a leak.

A basic, security-only package will cost $150, plus $30 per month. Ralph De La Vega, head of AT&T’s wireless division, said employees who tested Digital Life in Atlanta

and Dallas last year bought a lot more cameras than the company had been expecting.

One of them set a camera to be triggered by motion sensor on the front porch, and nabbed a thief who had been stealing packages.Only about 1 percent of homes have automation systems, and De La Vega said this could be a big opportunity as well. He’s happy he can now check whether his garage doors are open and close them from his phone.

“It’s just getting people used to living a different way … We haven’t even begun to tap into the available marketplace. I think the idea is huge,” De La Vega said.

The central panel connects to AT&T’s wireless network, but should also be connected to a wired Internet modem for redundancy, AT&T said. Any Internet connection will work – it doesn’t have to be AT&T’s. Two years ago, AT&T bought Xanboo, a smarthome technology startup. Last year, AT&T announced its plans to launch Digital Life nationwide, and ran trials with employees in Dallas and Atlanta.

Last 3 Decades of 20th Century Hotter Than Anytime in 1,400 Years

By - Lauren McCauley New research confirms dramatic shift in long-term cooling trend “correlates directly” with human induced carbon emissions.

A groundbreaking new report published Sunday by Nature Geoscience found that average worldwide temperatures over the past thirty years were “higher than any other time in nearly 1,400 years.”

Researchers behind the report, “Continental-Scale Temperature Variability During the Past Two Millennia,” reconstructed past temperatures for continental regions over the past one to two millennia. Over that time, the analysis shows a long term cool-

ing trend that lasted through to the middle of last century. Then, as the climate advocacy group Tck Tck Tck writes, the cooling “halted with a sharp reversal” in the late nineteenth century, “correlat[ing] directly with an increase in carbon emissions from human activity.”

“Prior to the 20th century natural drivers were dominant, such as change in solar output and volcanic eruption, however what happened during the 20th century is that human influences and predominantly greenhouse gases become dominant,” says co-author and paleoclimatologist Dr Steven Phipps of the University of New South Wales.

The reversal culminates during the period between 1971-2000 during which the researchers found the “average reconstructed temperature was higher than any other time in nearly 1,400 years.”

The report also refutes the popular belief that previous warming and cooling trends spanned the globe, finding instead that they only occurred regionally.

“What we thought of in the past as being globally uniform phenomena, such as the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age, didn’t happen at the same time—for example, the medieval warming happened earlier in the northern hemisphere than the

southern hemisphere,” Phipps says.

The implication of this is that the current widespread global warming phenomena is unique and cannot be explained by historic causes of temperature variability, such as volcanic eruptions and changes in solar irradiance.

Gathering data from corals, ice cores, tree rings, lake and marine sediments, historical records, cave deposits and climate archives to help establish the temperature trends, the study is the most comprehensive reconstruction of global temperatures to date.

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

L I F E S T Y L E

MIXING ISLAM WITH MEDICINE

By Claire Bushey Dr. Naser Rustom opened the 24,000-squarefoot Alhambra Palace on Randolph Street’s restaurant row in 2007.

A Chicago doctor who owns a lavish Middle Eastern eatery on West Randolph Street wants to open the first outpatient surgery center in Illinois that he says will follow Islamic law.

Dr. Naser Rustom, who opened Alhambra Palace in 2007, has in mind a venture with a much more religious flavor. He proposes to establish a $5.5 million medical facility in southwest suburban Orland Park that would cater to Muslims, including space for prayer and ritual washing and partitions for enhanced patient privacy.

The proposal reflects how more businesses are looking to tap into the growing population of Arab-Americans and Muslims, offering products ranging from home mortgages to meat that satisfy religious standards. This comes at a time of passionate national debate over the religious rights of business owners, sparked by scores of lawsuits filed against the Obama administration over a regulation that requires employer health care plans to cover contraceptives.

Some interpretations of Shariah, or Islamic law, require strict segregation of the sexes, a practice that Dr. Rustom doesn’t intend to follow because, in his view, it likely would violate federal and state laws. While his plan is aimed at conservative Muslims, his pitch may be driven more by marketing than

dogma.

“It’s not as if we can open up the books of Islamic law and find a chapter on what makes a Shariah-compliant health care facility,” says Kristen Stilt, a professor at Northwestern University Law School who has studied the development of Islamic law.

An internist, Dr. Rustom is a 1984 graduate of the University of Damascus in Syria who completed his residency at Cook County Hospital eight years later.

His medical career has been low-key compared to Alhambra, a cavernous, 24,000-square-foot restaurant that looks like a Disney version of a Moorish castle.

Located along Randolph Street’s restaurant row, the venture offers Middle Eastern cuisine and entertainment, including belly dancing and live music. His plan for the Orland Park surgical center is a sign of how the Chicago area’s Muslim population is booming. Fueled in part by immigration from the Middle East and South Asia, the number of local adherents to Islam more than doubled, topping 300,000, between 2000 and 2010, and is expected to continue to climb. The center would lease space in a vacant Plunkett Furniture Co. store near the Orland Square Shopping Center. More Arab-Americans live in the southwest suburbs than anywhere else in the Chicago area, according to Dr. Rustom’s application with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, citing demographic data.

Services would include gastroenterology,

H E A L T H

Anti-Terror Funding : Continued from pg 1 people are brought before judges to answer questions. The NDP, the only major party to oppose S-7, said the record since 2001 demonstrates that Canada has managed to prosecute the fight on terrorism without requiring these powers that encroach on civil rights. A spokesman for the Canadian Bar Association said it did not feel the new measures will be effective in combatting terrorism and called them inconsistent with Canada’s legal traditions. One security law expert said the federal government has done a poor job of explaining the rationale for this counterterrorism law.

Craig Forcese, vice-dean of the University of Ottawa’s law school and a specialist in national security law, said the measures are “extreme provisions for when everything else has failed” and that it makes sense to lay out rules for using such tools rather than not addressing such circumstances. Prof. Forcese said the measures are designed for when “the wheels fall off, the lights are blinking red and something’s going to happen and you need to disrupt things. “It’s like any other emergency law; it’s unnecessary until it is necessary. …

Do you want to have it on the books with checks and balance to deal with this rare, but at least theoretically possible scenario, or do you want to invent things on the fly when that scenario arises? My answer is put it on the books.” He said he believes the bill should have more carefully limited the use of preventive detention to circumstances where a threat is immediate and pressing. But the bill lacks this restrictive language, Prof. Forcese said, which could leave the government open to “a debate as to whether this power really is

general surgery and treatment for pain management, the application says. The facilities board must approve the project.

Patients of all religious and cultural backgrounds will be treated at the center, which will not be different from other surgery centers except “to the trained eye,” the application says.

Shariah is based on the Quran and other Islamic texts, but some aspects are open to interpretation, experts say. In the Middle East, many health care facilities segregate waiting rooms by sex, says Rina Spence, a health care management consultant in Boston who worked in the Middle East for more than a decade.

Dr. Rustom doesn’t plan to adhere to that practice, says Robyn Fina, an employee of Dr. Rustom’s who is managing the project.

“We recognize that a health care facility that is fully compliant with Shariah law would likely violate a number of state and federal laws,” Ms. Fina says in an email. Dr. Rustom declines to be interviewed. Interaction between the sexes will be kept “at a modest level,” she adds.

Some Muslims, particularly recent immigrants and women, delay seeking medical care because of perceived conflicts between their beliefs and the U.S. health care system, says Dr. Aasim Padela, an emergency medicine physician and director of the Initiative on Islam and Medicine at the University of Chicago.

For example, female Muslims in Chicago

intended for those dire circumstances.” The legislation should also have included firm obligations to make reparations if the authorities use the powers to apprehend people mistakenly. “It seems entirely appropriate to build in a compensatory mechanism.” The legislation would also make it a federal crime to leave or try to leave Canada for the purpose of committing terrorism or attending a terrorist training camp, although the Canadian Bar Association has pointed out that this duplicates existing prohibitions in other laws. The Harper government invoked the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings to justify their decision to expedite passage of S-7, which has been moving relatively slowly through Parliament since being introduced in the early months of 2012. Neither of the restored measures were used when they were last on the books, the federal Department of Justice confirmed on Wednesday. In 2003, during the investigation into the bombing of an Air India plane, a court order was granted to authorize an investigative hearing. After a legal challenge, the Supreme Court ruled in 2004 that the investigative hearing provision was constitutional.

But the hearing was never held. The Liberal decision to back the Conservative bill reflects a change from 2007, when both the Liberals and NDP voted down a proposal to extend the police powers. The Liberals said their switch reflects reviews and studies on the topic that were completed after the last vote and it recognizes that in “extreme circumstances,” with appropriate safeguards, these provisions may be required.

Source: Globe & Mail

who say they had experienced discrimination at a health care facility are five times less likely to receive regular mammograms than Muslims who did not feel bias, according to a study by Dr. Padela.

By focusing on Muslims, Dr. Rustom is following a path used by businesses in other industries.

Devon Bank started offering Shariah-compliant mortgages and commercial loans a decade ago, says David Loundy, CEO of the bank, which is located near Devon and Western avenues on the North Side, in an area bustling with Muslim businesses.

The deals use alternative structures, such as rent-to-own, because Islam forbids the payment of interest.

Best Chicago Meat Co., based on the Northwest Side, began selling halal meat, which is butchered in accordance with Islamic precepts, about five years ago, President David Van Kampen says. Halal meat accounts for 8 to 10 percent of annual revenue of more than $23 million.

At Indie Burger, a trendy eatery in Lakeview, customers can request sandwiches made with organic, grass-fed halal beef, says co-owner Cyrus Rab, who is Muslim. What they can’t get is alcohol, which is proscribed by Shariah. A liquor license came with the location, but Mr. Rab opted to make the restaurant BYOB, even though he’s not exceptionally devout. “I still respect my faith,” he says.

The Power of Friendship

The power of friendship cannot be overstated. People who have network of caring friends and family are most likely to feel less stressed, sleep better, feel less moody, get regular medical checkups and live longer. Spending time with people we love lowers blood pressure, boosts immunity, reduces feeling of depression and anxiety and builds self-esteem. Having a solid group of friends and supportive members heightens positive feelings during good times and helps you cope better when crisis strikes.

It is often the case that when people get married, they let go of their friends. This is a huge mistake. No matter how great your married life is, you’re still going to need your friends. It is often noticed that when you are single, you often hang out with single friends. When you get married, you have lots to talk about with other couples. When you have children, you have more in common with other parents.

This is true for most people.

Although it’s human nature to want to spend time with people who have a lot in common with you, it is really important to maintain friendships with other people

H E A L T H

no matter their marital status, age group and whether they’re a parent. There will be lot’s of changes and challenges in your life but friendship can be forever, provided you nurture them!

Try to have a balanced life. Women are generally programmed to take care of other people but in this mode, who is taking care of them? For some women, taking care of themselves is always at the bottom of the list and that’s only if they have time to reach to the bottom of that list. Again if they are having a busy lifestyle, they may not even reach the bottom of the list for months because in between other people’s priorities may come in.

If you are a working mother, build relationships with women with whom you can exchange support. Don’t limit yourself to women your own age. Have friends of all ages. We may be too carried away at times in our life’s that we forget to have self-care for ourselves. Things that you may like to do or perhaps could have done with a close friend many many years ago.

No matter what, friends give us perspective and support. Everybody has to set their own standards. If there’s something you want to do for your friends, you have to own it and do it because it’s what you like, not that it will be reciprocated. shabnam@skcounselling.ca

26

Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

H E A L T H

9 FOODS TO HELP REDUCE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE High blood pressure (BP) also known as hypertension is considered a silent killer because its symptoms are often concealed although c a n cause high risk factors for heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure.

The next time you go to have your Blood pressure readings; you will notice 2 sets of numbers. The top number is Systolic Pressure – which indicates pressure on the artery walls when the heart beats.

The lower number is Diastolic Pressure – which shows the pressure on artery walls between heart beats. A normal reading is 120/80.

Any amount between 120/80 to

140/90 is considered pre-hypertension and above 140/90 is considered hypertension. Keep in mind, people with normal health but are in the pre-hypertension zone are not considered at risk for strokes, heart, or kidney failure.

Being overweight or diabetic individuals are more at risk to have higher than normal BP. More than 50% of the high BP population is diabetic. Men are more likely to have high BP, and those who smoke and drink alcohol excessively are more likely to have high BP. Pharmaceutical drugs with decongestants, NSAIDs (non-steroid ant-inflammatory drugs), such as ibuprofen, steroids, birth control pills, and antidepressants are likely to raise blood pressure. Mainstream medicine considers salt/ sodium consumption as a main factor of high BP; however, not all salts are equal.

Don’t underestimate the power of replacing your regular table salt or processed sea salt with unprocessed Celtic Sea salt. This un-denatured salt is loaded with over 100 trace minerals including Potassium that your body needs.

One way to know if your salt is processed, it will be dry and run easily. What this means, the salt has been processed to removed the Potassium from it to make it dry.

Processed/ fast foods account for over 80% of the sodium intake consisting of toxic processed salt, mixed with other health damaging additives such as HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and transfatty acid oils, which are more responsible for causing high blood pressure than pure, unprocessed sea salt. The best is Celtic Sea salt which is moist and gray in colour.

It is easily found at Organic Grocer.

Foods that help reduce high blood pressure 1. Cayenne is in chili peppers.

Though it may not feel that way, using Cayenne with food is good for reducing blood pressure.

Herbal masters Dr. Christopher and Schulz recom-

NATURAL APPETITE SUPPRESSANT: HONEY Everyone loves easy ways to stay slim.

Honey has appetite suppressant qualities that lead to an overall decrease of calories.

Here’s how: Honey stabilizes blood sugar levels. Stable blood sugar levels have a satiating effect (makes you feel full) that decreases cravings and encourages healthy weight loss.

So how do you make it part of your daily diet?

1. Instead of butter, margarine on morning toast, use honey.

2. Instead of sugar in tea, use honey.

3. Instead of sugar in cereal, use honey.

How much should you eat in one sitting?

1 tbsp maximum per sitting. Good news is, it’s much sweeter than sugar, so you’ll probably use less than this anyway.

Other benefits • Eating honey naturally produced in your city may reduce your seasonal allergies

mend taking a teaspoon of at least 40,000 heat units of cayenne pepper powder mixed in water 2x daily to support complete heart health. Cayenne can be purchased in capsule for too.

2. Hibiscus or Jamaica (hu-myca) tea on ice is well known as a refreshing beverage in the Caribbean islands, South America, and Mexico. It has been clinically proven to lower high BP. You can smother the flame out of your mouth from cayenne with a Jamaica iced tea and double the benefits.

Dried hibiscus flower petals are used to make the tea. Most health food stores may have them.

To prepare: Simply cover the bottom of a large pan thickly with the petals, and then pour hot (not boiling) water over them. Cover and let it steep for a half hour. Strain while pouring into a glass container then refrigerate (or drink hot/ warm) and use when desired.

3. Hawthorne berries have both herbalists and mainstream medicine agree on its BP lowering ability. Its tea has been a Chinese household heart tonic for centuries. Can be found in capsule form too.

4. Kiwis - The American Heart Association has discovered through research that eating 3 kiwis/ day reduces BP.

5. Raisins - A Louisville medical center study found that snacking on raisins 3x daily could reduce BP among those in a prehypertension group.

6. Watermelon - A Florida State University study found that watermelon lowers BP and gives the body much needed potassium.

7. Bananas – Speaking of potassium, the Harvard Medical School reported a UK study that determined foods containing potassium nitrate were even better than supplements using potassium chloride for lowering BP. (If you are concerned with blood sugar, limit your intake of bananas) 8. Purple Potatoes - The American Chemical Society claims purple root vegetables, such as purple potatoes, have chemical properties that reduce BP. 9. Chocolate - Let’s not forget chocolate, shall we? It must be organic and dark or bittersweet without milk and with very little sugar.

If the first ingredient is sugar stay clear of it. How does Chocolate help? It has been researched and found cocoa contains compounds that dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure.

About the Author: Since 1998, Nada Adams has been a natural health researcher, author and master coach helping men and women live in courage, authenticity and truth. Adams was the ‘Dear Diary’ columnist for the GCDA Magazine, a National Canadian Magazine that educates and inspires Teens. To learn more: www.sacredveil.com

LOCAL COMMUNITY ISSUE

because the bees feed on pollen from your local plants which ends up in the honey you consume - local honey is the key.

•Honey interferes with the damaging effects of high estrogen levels.

Learn more: http://www.foodathlete.com/ main/nutrition/204/honey.html

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The Miracle has been reached by parents of many communities regarding concerns about marriages of their children. The Miracle Media is planning to call a

PUBLIC FORUM ON MARRIAGE ISSUES

for parents and youth to discuss this issue. However, this forum imdr8s dependent on the expression of interest from both parents and youth.

Please contact us at info@miraclenews.com and share your opinion.

Miracle Marriage Bureau of

Miracle Media Group

27

Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

A R T I C L E

ISLAM ENCOURAGES FREEDOM OF THOUGHT AND DENOUNCES OPPRESSION AND COMPULSION

By Harun Yahya www.harunyahya.com

T

he Qur’an is a Book revealed to people as a guide to the true path and in this Book, God commands man to adopt good morals.This morality is based upon concepts such as love, compassion, tolerance and mercy.The word “Islam” is derived from the word meaning “peace” in Arabic. Islam is a religion revealed to mankind with the intention of presenting a peaceable life through which the infinite compassion and mercy of God manifest on earth. God calls all people to Islamic morals through which compassion, mercy, peace and tolerance can be experienced all over the world. In Sura Baqara, verse 208, God addresses believers as follows: O You who believe! Enter absolutely into peace (Islam). Do not follow in the footsteps of Satan. He is an outright enemy to you.

As the verse makes clear, security can only be ensured by “entering into Islam”, that is, living by the values of the Qur’an.The values of the Qur’an hold a Muslim responsible for treating all people, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, kindly and justly, protecting the needy and the innocent and preventing the “dissemination of mischief”. Mischief comprises all forms of anarchy and terror that remove security, comfort and peace. As God says in a verse, “God does not love corruption”.

(Qur’an, 2:205)

ISLAM DEFENDS FREEDOM OF THOUGHT Islam is a religion which provides and guarantees freedom of ideas, thought and life. It has issued commands to prevent and forbid tension, disputes, slander and even negative thinking among people. In the same way that it is determinedly opposed to terrorism and all acts of violence, it has also forbidden even the slightest ideological pressure to be put on them: There is no compulsion in religion. True guidance has become clearly distinct from error. (Qur’an, 2:256) So remind them! You are only a reminder. You are not in control of them. (Qur’an, 88:21-22)

Forcing people to believe in a religion or to adopt its forms of belief is completely contrary to the essence and spirit of Islam. That is because according to Islam, true faith is only possible with free will and freedom of conscience. Of course, Muslims can advise and encourage each other about the features of Qur’anic morality. All believers are charged with explaining Qur’anic morality to people in the nicest manner possible.They will explain the beauties of religion in the light of the verse, “Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair admonition...” (Qur’an, 16:125), however, they must also bear in mind the verse, “You are not responsible for their guidance, but God guides whoever He wills.” (Qur’an, 2:272)

They will never resort to compulsion, nor any kind of physical or psychological pressure. Neither will they use any worldly privilege to turn someone towards religion.When they receive a negative response to what they say, Muslims will reply along the lines of: “To you your religion, and to me, mine” (Qur’an, 109:6) The world we live in contains societies with all kinds of beliefs: Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist, deist and even pagan. Muslims living in such a world must be tolerant of all beliefs they come up against, no matter what they may be, and behave forgivingly, justly and humanely.This responsibility placed on believers invites people to the beauty of the religion of God by means of peace and tolerance.The decision whether or not to implement these truths, whether or not to believe, lies with the other party. Forcing that person to believe, or trying to impose anything on him, is a violation of Qur’anic morality. In fact, God issues a reminder to believers in the Qur’an: If your Lord had willed, all the people on the earth would have believed. Do you think you can force people to be believers? (Qur’an, 10:99) We know best what they say and you [O Muhammad] are not a compeller over them. But warn by the Qur’an whoever fears My warning. (Qur’an, 50:45)

A model of society in which people are forced to worship is completely contradictory to Islam. Belief and worship are only of any value when they are directed to God by the free will of the individual. If a system imposes belief and worship on people, then they will become religious out of fear of that system. From the religious point of view, what really counts is that religion should be lived for God’s good pleasure in an environment where peoples’ consciences are totally free.

The history of Islam is full of the tolerant practices of Muslim rulers who have respected all religions and built religious freedom with their own hands. For example,Thomas Arnold, a British missionary employed in the service of the Indian government, describes the way that Islam favours freedom in these words: But of any organised attempt to force the acceptance of Islam on the non-Muslim population, or of any systematic persecution intended to stamp out the Christian religion, we hear nothing. Had the caliphs chosen to adopt either course of action, they might have swept away Christianity as easily as Ferdinand and Isabella drove Islam out of Spain, or Louis XIV made Protestantism penal in France, or the Jews were kept out of England for 350 years.The Eastern Churches in Asia were entirely cut off from communion with the rest of Christendom, throughout which no one would have been found to lift a finger on their behalf, as heretical communions. So that the very surviv1 al of these Churches to the present day is a strong proof of the generally tolerant attitude of the Muhammadan governments towards them.

As Thomas Arnold also noted, Muslim rulers have always forbidden compulsion and oppression against non-Muslims throughout history, and developed cultures where people can freely live their religions. Non-Muslims living in Muslim lands have always practiced their religion without any difficulty.As a matter of fact, it is quite impossible for someone who fears God and has grasped the true morality of Islam to support violence, oppression or wickedness, or to take part in such actions.

Such an individual is always conciliatory, peace making, affectionate, tolerant, compassionate and considerate. It is unthinkable for such a person to employ force or pressure particularly about the issue of religion.That is why Islam is the true solution to all acts of violence, oppression and terrorism in the world.

1-Prof.Thomas Arnold,The Spread of Islam in the World, A History of Peaceful Preaching, Goodword Books, 2001, p. 79-80

To purchase the works of Harun Yahya, please visit www.bookglobal.net

28

Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

L I F E S T Y L E

Putting Islam into Your Child’s Summer Fun

By Maysoon Zaza Every spring, school-age children practice their counting skills-the daily count down before summer break.

Children view summer as a time of carefree play, little responsibility, and little structure. But is this the best course for parents to treat their children’s summer vacation?

Children who attend school during the academic year are used to 180 days, 8 hours a day; 5 days a week structured environment. Therefore, the summer can be boring for a child if left in a totally unstructured environment. In addition, with a little creativity there are endless opportunities for incorporating fun learning activities that utilize Islamic concepts into a child’s summer days. These activities can range from Islamic day-camps and trips overseas to parent organized activities with other Muslim children within the same community. We have all heard of children who have memorized the Qur’an at a young age in traditionally Muslim countries; but how many of us have heard of a child in the West accomplish this task? The merits of obtaining Islamic knowledge in the Qur’an and Sunnah are numerous. The Qur’an states, “...Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe and those who have been granted knowledge...” [58:11].

It is imperative that the parents teach their children Islamic knowledge.

Furthermore, because of the additional time, summer provides an excellent opportunity for families and children to focus on obtaining Islamic knowledge. While this includes Qur’an, Arabic, prayer, and fasting, it also includes such necessary items

as learning Islamic Adaab (manners) and Akhlaaq (moral development).

Another important issue is that children also need to be provided with Islamic activities that incorporate socializing with other Muslim children.

After all, socialization is an important part of childhood. It can also play an important role in the development of a child’s overall Islamic identity.

Dr. Hamdan believes that socializing with other Muslim children over the summer is especially important for the child attending public school.

“This may be the only time for children attending public school to socialize with other Muslim children.”

This re-emphasizes that it is essential that parents monitor what types of experiences are available for their children.

Brother Riyad also suggests that parents need to make the effort to participate in their children’s activities.

With parental participation, activities tend to run much smoother. Furthermore, parents participating in their children’s activities provide the perfect opportunity for parents to have fun with their children while leaving behind the usual day-to- day routine of every day life.

Travel Overseas While book work and classroom instruction is an important part of acquiring Islamic knowledge for children, so is learning about Islam through life experiences. For some parents who have the financial means, traveling overseas to visit relatives, perform ‘Umrah, or attend summer Arabic language programs are methods of acquiring Islamic knowledge. Two years ago, brother

Atif Sawaie discovered that when he took his five-years-old son Raji to Jordan, Raji’s Arabic language skills improved 30% during his one-month visit. “When he first went to Jordan he know very little Arabic. At the end of the visit he was able to communicate most of his needs to our family in Arabic.”

One of the reasons for Raji’s dramatic language growth was his interaction with other children. While initially there was a small degree of language miscommunication between the children, by the end of the visit any problems from language differences were nonexistent. Furthermore, Raji viewed the trip as being very positive and a lot of fun. Brother Atif very strongly recommends traveling overseas with your children. He believes that this is his son’s best chance to learn Arabic. Other positive learning experiences included learning both Islamic manners and Arabic culture.

Plan Organized Community Activities A sister living overseas once described the United States as the “land of Islamic conferences.” If traveling overseas is not an option, perhaps a family vacation at an Islamic conference or camp would help family members acquire Islamic knowledge and experience an Islamic environment. Many national organizations hold mini-conventions, workshops, or camps during the summer months.

These camps tend to focus on the fun activities while maintaining an Islamic environment and experience.

According to brother Riyad Shamma the benefits of an Islamic environment are tremendous for the child.

“An Islamic environment brings out the very best in people,” he said.

Plan your Own Activities While some parents opt for trips overseas, organized Islamic camps, or attend Islamic conferences, the majority of parents end up planning their own children’s activities for the summer. For most, the typical summer activities and day trips include going to the zoo, parks, library, museums, and other historical attractions. It is possible to incorporate Islamic concepts in these activities. It just takes a little creativity and organization.

Furthermore, with some additional planning, why not expand your activities to include other children within your community? For example, why not plan a picnic at the park for several families in your community. Besides the usual activities that center around food and free play- several mothers could plan an activity for the children that utilizes an Islamic theme (i.e., Qur’an recitation or a game that relies on Islamic knowledge).

Another meaningful activity is to organize an Islamic Scouting Troop for your community. Other activities which may be of interest for older children is to donate their time and energy to improving their local communities. Such activities could include tutoring English to non-English speaking brothers and sisters, cleaning the Masjid once a month, or grocery shopping for a sick Muslim. These types of activities help lay the foundation for children to learn the importance of helping our fellow Muslims. Planning group activities for youth is not as complex as it is seems. The key is organization and

cooperation of several other community members. Finally, it is time to develop a plan of action with attainable deadlines. It is important to plan activities in advance in order to work out any unexpected problems.

Planning and implementing plans does not have to be an adult-only adventure. Try to involve the children as much as possible. This is especially important for the teenagers. When motivated, they have good ideas about what activities would benefit them not to mention they tend to be very zealous planners. More importantly, by involving older children in the process you are teaching them valuable skills in organization and planning which they can utilize in the Ummah as adults.

In conclusion, Summer lends itself as a perfect time for family activities.

Use this opportunity to acquire Islamic knowledge, do righteous deeds and have fun at the same time? The benefits are enormous. Besides creating stronger family bonds, it may also gain additional blessings and good deeds for the Day of Judgment.

One obtains the benefits from the activity by the intention put into the activity. From Umar ibn al-Khattab who said that Allah’s Messenger said, “Actions are according to intentions, and for every person is that which he intended. So he whose migration was for Allah and his Messenger, then his migration was for Allah and His Messenger, and he whose migration was to attain some worldly goal or to take a woman in marriage, then his migration was for that which he migrated.”

(Bukhari).

Reprinted from Al-Jumuah Magazine

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

Y O U T H

8th Annual Science Fair Night at Az-Zahraa Islamic Academy

On April 17 Az-Zahraa Islamic Academy hosted its 8th Annual Science Fair Night.

This year’s theme was Science Café: The Science of Food. All the students in Preschool to Grade 7 participated. They confidently entertained over 200 visitors with their enthusiasm and knowledge about food and how science is involved. For example, one project explained why people have cravings; another proved bacteria grow on food dropped on the floor for less than five seconds; one even showed how to make a

candle using only an apple and an almond.

An entire room was devoted to Food in the Quran. Even the Parent Volunteer Group got involved by producing a special AZIA Cookbook for purchase. Visitors commented on how enjoyable the evening was and how much they learned from the projects.

The students express their thanks to all the people who attended and hope to see even more people next year.

Desire for learning and curiosity

Third annual spring park clean BY ICNA

ICNA Vancouver chapter organized third annual spring park clean up event with collaboration of city of Surrey on April 28th. Alhamdulilah brothers, sisters, youth and kids of our community realized the responsibility toward the community we live in. Over 35 community members gathered in Newton Athletic Park Sunday morning and spent two hour at the park cleaning playgrounds and trails attached to the park.

By volunteering and engaging our kids and youth in positive activity, we not only fulfill our duty toward the community, it also sends the positive message across to the community at large. Our last year’s group photo was feathered in the city of Surrey’s news letter sending the positive message from Muslim community.

By: ICNA Resource Centre/Food Bank

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My Lord, increase me in knowledge and make me of the virtuous 8580 No. 5 Road Richmond, B.C V6Y 2V4 Email: info@azia.ca Website: www.azia.ca

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Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

S P O R T S

Time’s running out for the Vancouver Canucks As each season passes, Daniel and Henrik Sedin clearly understand their time to win it all is running out. They hear the clock ticking.

They feel the pressure mounting. As the second- and third-oldest players on the Vancouver Canucks, the superstar pair aren’t naive to the fact that their proverbial window of opportunity is closing. After all, at 32-years-old, and with their contracts expiring at the end of next season, the twins are in the latter half of two illustrious careers — although ones that have yet to be adorned with the National Hockey League’s ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup. Surrounded by a Canucks team capable of making another long playoff run this year, there’s no tip-toeing past the importance of each and every post-season appearance from now until they hang up their skates. Because it’s anyone’s guess as to what the group will look like this time around next season, or even a couple years down the line. Two years ago, when the Canucks made their run to the Cup final losing to Boston in seven games, fans around the league witnessed the most talented squad this franchise had ever assembled.

But as they get set for their fifth-straight playoff appearance Tuesday, Vancouver can at least boast a lineup with many of those same players who were one win away from hockey supremacy. With a squad as talented, if not just more experienced, than the 2010-11 unit, the mindset of “this is our year” is clearly entrenched within the Canucks. It certainly

hasn’t since Vancouver missed the playoffs in 2008. From that point on, they have earned their place as one of the league’s elite teams.

They have won back-to-back Presidents’ Trophies, picked up the most points overall in the last five years, and boast a pair of Art Ross Trophy winners in the Sedins, and a Selke Trophy winner in Ryan Kesler. But through it all, the Holy Grail has eluded their grasp.

While the Canucks enter another post-season with a very favourable shot at the Cup — even after last year’s surprising first-round exit to eventual champions, the Los Angeles Kings — that nagging question still remains: How long will the window stay open? The core group is only two years removed from the final — ending in heartbreak on the ice and rioting in the Vancouver streets. The key offensive players are in tact with the Sedins still dominant, Kesler heating up after missing a big chunk of the season to injuries, and Alex Burrows remaining a goal-scoring threat.

With a healthy lineup up front now — along with the acquisition of Derek Roy — many of the team’s earlier problems are becoming resolved. Their top four defencemen are all signed through at least the 2015-16 season, while the younger-yet-injured Chris Tanev has earned a regular spot. There’s also goalie Cory Schneider, who signed a three-year deal last summer and is just getting started when it comes to making his mark on the league.

So far this season, the Massachusetts na-

Pakistan drop Afridi, Umar Akmal Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan allrounder, middle-order batsman Umar Akmal and fast bowler Sohail Tanvir have been left out of the ODI squad for the Champions Trophy in England this June. Fast bowlers Ehsan Adil and Asad Ali, and batsman Umar Amin, were selected, after they had been omitted from the tour of South Africa. Pakistan’s selectors met in Lahore on Monday to trim the 29 probables - Umar Gul was unavailable because of injury - down to 15 for the Champions Trophy, as well as the ODIs in Ireland and Scotland. The announcement of a Pakistan squad is usually made before 7pm (PKT) but the selection committee did not emerge until at 10.45pm after getting the approval Zaka Ashraf, the PCB chairman, at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

“Afridi had been selected as a bowling allrounder but he was not up to the mark and couldn’t score at crucial occasions so we had to left him out,” chief selector Iqbal Qasim said. “His career is not finished, if he performs at domestic level, he can stage a comeback. He is an asset to Pakistan, and as long as a player is performing he keeps on playing, if he doesn’t perform he goes out of the team.” Afridi had been dropped from Pakistan’s squad for the ODI series in India in December 2012, but was chosen for the trip to South Africa because of his skill as a legspinner. He failed to take a wicket in 37 overs, though, and scored 126 runs in four innings with a high score of 88. Since the start of 2012, Afridi’s taken only 15 wickets in 21 ODIs, and five of those came in one game against Afghanistan. His batting aver-

age during this period is 19. “Had he scored at the domestic level he could have earned the place,” Qasim said. “It’s always difficult to drop such a senior player but ultimately selectors have to take a decision for the sake of the team.” Pakistan have named five specialist fast bowlers, two full-time spinners while Mohamamd Hafeez, Shoaib Malik and Amin fill the allrounder roles. Besides Afridi, Pakistan had already left out Younis Khan from the initial squad, but Wahab Riaz, the left-arm quick, has been retained despite a poor showing in South Africa. Amin, a left-hander who also bowls right-arm medium pace, played four Tests and three ODIs in 2010 while Asad was selected for the India ODI series but did not it into the playing eleven. “We have picked the squad from the best available resources after consulting the captain and the input from the coach,” Qasim said. “There obviously were arguments but when the team is made, it’s made with consensus.” Pakistan are in group B for the early stage of the tournament which includes the enticing prospect of a clash against India, plus matches against West Indies and South Africa. “Pakistan indeed has a tough pool but our team is good and has the ability to do well,” Qasim said. “Pakistan always has a good record in the international events and I am hopeful that the players will play at their potential to produce good results.” The PCB also named Trent Woodhill, a former assistant coach of New Zealand, as their batting coach for three weeks during the tournament in England.

Source: Cricinfo

tive has proven he belongs. If he falters, the league’s best backup in Luongo is there. If not, another good opportunity is wasted. It doesn’t help that the Sedins are getting older, and who knows what they’ll decide to do after next season — go back to Sweden or stay in the NHL. Burrows, too, is 32, while Kesler, 28, isn’t as indestructible as his playing style indicates. Blueline injuries never seems to cease on this team and the new division re-alignment isn’t going to make things easier. Most importantly, the salary cap will go down drastically next season, making it harder to keep younger talents such as Jannik Hansen and soon-to-be restricted free agent Tanev in the fold. Mason Raymond and Maxim Lapierre — both pending UFAs

— and the oft-injured David Booth also seems destined to depart. Then, there’s their up-and-coming players, which isn’t much to write home about. Ranked 26th on Hockey’s Future team list heading into the campaign, the Canucks’ top prospects feature forwards Jordan Schroeder, Nicklas Jensen, Brendan Gaunce and goalie Eddie Lack, along with recently called-up blueliner Frank Corrado.

The potential is there but by comparison, it’s far from the stronger contingents around the league. At the moment, the Canucks certainly have the perfect mix to finally take home the franchise’s first title. They just might not be able to say that for long.

Source: Toronto Sun

Amir Khan sets sights on world title fight The former world light-welterweight champion recovered from being floored by Julio Diaz to secure a hard-fought win over the Mexicanon Saturday. “There are a few names we’re looking at,” he said. “I want to face the likes of Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson. “I want to regain the world title and then jump into the ring with Floyd Mayweather and other big names.” Speaking to BBC Sport, Khan added: “I think my next fight will be in the States. Most title holders are in America and not many like to travel. “It’s difficult to get a fight in England. They’re not like me who will travel to another country, even when I’m world champion.” The Bolton fighter added that he expected to find out the identity of his next pponent in the next couple of weeks.

Bolton fighter Khan, lost his WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles to Peterson in 2011, before being reinstated as champion after the American failed a drugs test.

However, Khan lost the belt again in July 2012 when he was stopped in round four by Danny Garcia. The 26-year-old returned to winning ways with victory over Carlos Molina before beating Diaz at the weekend. Peterson faces Lucas Matthysse in May, with the winner fighting Garcia. The eventual victor is likely to fight Khan in December. Khan said he would now take a “nice, long break” ahead of his wedding next month before beginning training again - with an eye on spending more time in the United States. Because of Khan’s wedding to Faryal Makhdoom next month, followed

by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan (9 July - 7 August), he will not box again until December when he could fight for one of his former world titles “I think we’ll look at more frequent camps there,” he said. “I fight twice a year and if you take such big gaps off, you miss half of the year and it’s wasted.

So the plan is to spend more time away on camp.” Despite suffering a heavy knockdown against Diaz, Khan insists it was just a mistake on his part and has no plans to change his style. “I was off balance and just got collared at the same time,” he said. “It’s a learning curve. If I was on balance I would have been fine. “I wasn’t really hurt from the knockdown. I knew I’d made a mistake.

Overall, I was happy with my performance.

The pace of the fight was good but I’ve still got a few things to work on.”

Source: BBC News

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31 P A K E L E C T I O N Pakistan General Election On May 11, 2013 Jamadi ul Thani 23, 1434 May 3, 2013

All 342 seats to the National Assembly 172 seats needed for a simple majority

The ensuing General Election in Pakistan are scheduled to be held on 11 May, 2013, when the voting will take place in all the 342 parliamentary constituencies of Pakistan National Assembly (the lower house of parliament) and to the four Provincial Assemblies of the Punjab, Baluchistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The current National and Provincial Assemblies have completed their constitutional term on March 16, 2013, five years after the first session of the National Assemblies elected during the former 2008 general election. This will be the 11th general election for Pakistan since 1962 and potentially marks the first successful democratic transition between two elected governments.

This election will spot an end to the third PPP lead government and the only democratic government to finish its term. For the general elections, the socialist-oriented PPP has allied with PML(Q), while on the conservative side, the PML(N) has allied with PML(F) and Sunni Tehrik. Cricketer turned politician Imran Khan lead centrist PTI has allied with the Islamic Jamaat-eIslami and Bahawalpur National Awami Party. 85.04 million registered voters in the country will elect close to 1000 members of the National and Provincial assemblies of Pakistan, who will further elect the Prime Minister of Pakistan at the national level and the Chief Ministers of all the assemblies of Pakistan at the provincial level.

On March 17, 2013 The National Assembly stood dissolved on completion of five-year term under Article-52 of the Constitution. While the provincial assemblies too have been disbanded on 19th March.

Democratic Parliamentary System of Government: Pakistan has a democratic parliamentary system of government

like that of the U.K. Members are elected through the universal adult suffrage, representing electoral districts known as the constituencies of Pakistan. According to the constitution, there are 70 seats reserved for women and religious minorities. They are allocated to the political parties according to their proportional representation.

During elections in Pakistan, a political party must secure 172 seats (51% of total seats) in the National Assembly of Pakistan to obtain a simple majority or else the elections will result in a hung parliament. If, however, a political party with the majority seats is either unable or unwilling to form a coalition government within a certain time-frame, a runoff election will be carried out.

Approximately 40 million young Pakistanis will be voting for the first time in the upcoming elections, out of a registered electorate of 90 million.

Election Reforms: On 24 January 2013, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) approved electoral reforms ahead of the upcoming general elections.

According to the approved reforms, the entire government machinery would come under the authority of the Election Commission once the election schedule is announced.

Another clause in the reforms also empowers the commission with administrative authority with the announcement of the election schedule. Moreover, the commission would be allowed to make transfers and postings of high-ranking officials including Inspector Generals, secretaries and chief secretaries.

The motive behind these reforms is to ensure transparency of the upcoming general elections, which the Chief Election Commissioner had termed crucial.

None of the Above Option:

The Election Commission of Pakistan unilaterally decided that a ‘none of the above’ box will be available as a voting option on ballot papers this election. It has been decided that these empty boxes will be included in the papers after an approval from the Prime Minister who on the advice of the President according to the 18th amendment will pass an ordinance. The commission further said that the President has two weeks to approve this motion and that the list of final candidates will be in by April 19. If the election does take place and there is a majority of 51% vote of none of the above, then the election will be declared null, and a new election will take place.

Electoral Procedure: • For the conduct of elections to the National and Provincial Assemblies, the Election Commission appoints a District Returning Officer for each District and a Returning Officer for each constituency, who are drawn from amongst the officers of the Judiciary, the Federal/ Provincial Government and Local Authorities. Returning Officers are mostly Additional District & Sessions Judges.

• The list of polling stations is prepared by the Returning Officers and approved by the District Returning Officer. No polling station can be located in the premises of a candidate.

• The list of Presiding Officers, Assistant Presiding Officers and polling staff is prepared by the Returning Officer and sent to the District Returning Officer for approval at least 15 days before the polls. The Presiding Officer is responsible for conducting polls at the Polling Station and maintaining law and order.

He is assisted by the Assistant Presiding Officers and Polling Officer.

• After the publication of Election Schedule by the Election Commis-

sion, nomination papers are invited from interested contesting candidates.

• Scrutiny of the nomination papers is carried out by the Returning Officers and nomination papers are either accepted or rejected, depending upon the circumstances.

• Appeals against rejection/acceptance of nomination papers are to be filed with the appellate tribunal within the stipulated time, who decides such appeals summarily within such time as may be notified by the Commission and any order passed thereon shall be final.

• Final list of contesting candidates is prepared and published in the prescribed manner by the Returning Officer after incorporation of the decisions on appeals and after withdrawal of candidature by the candidates if any.

• The Election Symbols are also allocated to the candidates by the Returning Officer according to their party affiliation or as an individual candidate, from the list of Election Symbols approved by the Election Commission. The Returning Officer also publishes the names of the contesting candidates arranged in the Urdu alphabetical order specifying against each the symbol allocated to him.

• The Election Commission of Pakistan provides each Returning Officer with copies of voter’s list for his constituency who distributes it amongst the Presiding Officers in accordance with the polling scheme and assignment of voters to each polling station/booth.

• Voters cast their votes at specified polling stations according to their names in an electoral rolls. Since the election for both National and Provincial Assemblies constituencies are held on the same day, the voter is issued two separate ballot papers for each National Assembly and Provincial Assembly constitu-

ency.

• When an elector presents himself at the polling station to vote, the Presiding Officer shall issue a ballot paper to the elector after satisfying himself about the identity of the elector through his identity card.

• Polling is held for nine hours on the polling day without any break.

• Immediately after the close of the poll votes are counted at the polling stations by the Presiding Officers in presence of the candidates, their Election Agents, and Polling Agents.

• After counting the ballot papers the Presiding Officer prepares a statement of the count indicating the number of votes secured by a candidate, and send it to the Returning Officer along with the election material, un-used ballot papers, spoilt ballot papers, tendered ballot papers, challenged ballot papers, marked copies of the electoral rolls, the counter-foils of used ballot papers, the tendered votes lists, and the challenged votes lists.

• The Presiding Officers also announce the result of count at the polling stations and paste a copy of the result outside the polling stations.

• After the receipt of statement of counts from the Presiding Officers of the polling stations, the Returning Officer compiles the preliminary un-official result and intimates the results to the Election Commission through fax for announcement on print/electronic media.

• After the announcement of un-official result, the Returning Officer serves a notice to all the contesting candidates and their election agents regarding the day, time and place fixed for consolidation of the result. In the presence of the contesting candidates and election agents, the Returning Officer consolidates the results of the count furnished by the Presiding Officers in the prescribed manner including postal ballot received by him before the polling day.

• Immediately after preparing the consolidated statement the Returning Officer submits a copy to the Election Commission in the prescribed form which publishes the names of the returned candidates in the official Gazette.

Schedule of Elections: • August 1, 2012: The Election Commission of Pakistan announces 2012 general elections would be held on the basis of same old constituencies.

• December, 2012: Supreme Court of Pakistan orders delimitation of constituencies and door-to-door verification of voters with the help of Pakistan Army in Karachi.

• January 17, 2013: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) starts door-to-door verification of voters list. President Asif Ali Zardari announce the date for the general elections in the country.

• March 31, 2013: Last date to submit candidacy papers.

(Miracle News Media, with inputs by the Wikipedia)

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