Miracle 459 february 02, 2018 r

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Volume 17 Issue 459 - Jamadi ul Awaal 16, 1439 AH / February 2, 2018

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Centre in Surrey Occupation starts off 2018 demanding Youth PCWA welomes Senator Hon. Salma A.Jan

Pain at the pump: Gas prices shoot up seven cents a litre

3 LHC issues notices

12 Ist Anv.of the Quebec

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Israeli army shoots dead Palestinian teen...

Saudi Arabia bans expatriates from 12 jobs...

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Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

O P I N I O N

Afghan war turns bloodier

HE latest wave of terror attacks in Kabul that has claimed dozens of civilian lives marks the bloodiest phase of the so far 16-year war with the insurgents getting more audacious.

The escalation in fighting raises questions about the new US-Afghan strategy. Not that the Afghan capital has not witnessed such highprofile terrorist attacks before, but the ferocity and the frequency of assaults is alarming.

Three attacks in a week in high-security zones indicate the increasing capacity and the organisation of the insurgents despite massive escalation in the US air strikes. While the Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for two of the first two attacks, the militant Islamic State (IS) group reportedly carried out the third one. The insurgents have taken the war into the nation’s capital.

The rising toll of civilian casualties is disturbing.

It signals a shift in insurgent strategy — from gaining territorial control to focusing more on the capital to test the mettle of the Afghan security forces. It seems that the Afghan Taliban and IS are competing when it comes to carnage in the besieged capital and other towns and cities in Afghanistan. The chaos resulting from the violence serves the objective of these militant groups — to undermine the confidence of the Kabul administration.

It seems that the Afghan Taliban and IS are in a race to massacre the most people.

Indeed, the Afghan National Army has improved its performance greatly over time, but it is still not capable of dealing with such organised terrorist attacks on its own. The frequent breach of security by the insurgents has further exposed the

incapacity of the Afghan security agencies.

While the Taliban control vast swathes of territory, the increasing presence of IS in Afghanistan is extremely worrisome. The terrorist group that is fighting both Kabul and the Taliban has been responsible for several high-profile attacks in the capital over the last few months. The terrorist group has made some inroads in eastern and northern Afghanistan. The rise of IS has brought greater devastation and caused a spike in the number of civilian casualties.

The latest surge in militant attacks has come as the relentless US air strikes have forced the Taliban to retreat from some of their strongholds in western Afghanistan. But the US military offensive has failed to contain the insurgency that has now spread to vast areas. There has not been any cessation in the fighting, not even in the winter months.

The situation is likely to get worse with the approach of the fighting season. The weakening writ of the Afghan government in the hinterland has given further impetus to the insurgents.

Predictably, the violence has evoked a strong reaction from Washington.

There are clear indications that the Trump administration will intensify military action in Afghanistan. Addressing the UN Security Council members in the aftermath of the Kabul attacks, President Trump vowed to take the battle to the finish.

“What nobody else has been able to finish, we’re going to be able to do it,” the US president declared. Notwithstanding Trump’s tough tenor, such promises have also been made by previous US administrations in the past decade. It is hard to believe that the massive use of air strikes

alone could bring this festering war to an end.

Trump has ruled out negotiations with the Taliban, at least for now. So the US administration is still pursuing an elusive military victory that it has failed to achieve in the past 16 years with more than 150,000 troops on the ground. Some reports suggest that more American troops could be deployed after the recent insurgent attacks. That may only get the US mired deeper in Afghanistan. Even the closest of America’s Western allies are sceptical of Trump’s militaristic approach.

Not surprisingly, the surge in militant violence inside Afghanistan has increased pressure on Islamabad. Both Kabul and Washington have once again accused Pakistan of providing safe havens to militants.

They have also blamed Pakistani security agencies for facilitating those responsible for the carnage. More alarming is the growing AfghanIndian nexus demanding tougher US action against Pakistan.

There are clear indications that the Trump administration is getting ready to tighten the screws on Pakistan further and intensify air strikes on alleged Taliban sanctuaries inside this country’s tribal region.

The recent attack on reportedly an Afghan refugee camp in Kurram Agency that has allegedly been used as a sanctuary for the Haqqani network is ominous. There is also a strong possibility of the US slapping economic and military sanctions on Pakistan and using its influence to persuade multilateral financial institutions to squeeze assistance.

Washington has already suspended military assistance to Pakistan.

There could also be a move to get the country declared as a terrorist haven. Surely such radical moves

cannot succeed. Still, they would put greater diplomatic pressure on Islamabad to crack down on suspected militant sanctuaries and take action against the Taliban leadership allegedly operating from Pakistan.

It certainly presents a very serious challenge to the Pakistani leadership, almost comparable to what it had faced in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. That raises questions about Pakistan’s options and how our political and military leadership can deal with this serious situation.

The prevailing political instability and absence of a chain of command has complicated our predicament.

It may be true that Pakistan is being used as a scapegoat for America’s failure to wind up the war, the longest it has ever fought. Yet the allegations of some Afghan insurgent groups taking sanctuary in our border areas cannot be refuted. The fact that so many proscribed militant groups are operating with such impunity has weakened our case and made us extremely vulnerable to growing international pressure.

We cannot hide behind a sense of victimhood.

It is not just about US pressure. It is imperative for us to clean up our home in our own national security interest. The surge in militant violence and growing instability in Afghanistan threaten our security too.

Indeed, America’s continuing reliance on the military solution and an ineffective, fragmented administration in Kabul has been the major cause of the deepening Afghan crisis. Yet it is in our own interest that we continue to cooperate with Afghanistan and the international community to contain violence in the strife-torn country.

By: Zahid Hussain

Wa a n l a y s a l i l i n s a n i i l l a m a ’ s a ’ a a T h a t m a n c a n h a v e n o t h i n g b u t w h a t h e s t r i v e s f o r.

Surrey Board of Trade Members Support LRT for Surrey

By: Anita Huberman CEO Surrey Board of Trade Dear Mayor Corrigan, Chair, Mayors’ Council TransLink

I am writing in support of Surrey’s Light Rail Transit Project. In fact, the Surrey Board of Trade would like to see all 27km of the proposed light rail to be built as soon as is feasible. In our most recent Surrey Road Survey over 80% support to strongly support the building of the “City CentreGuildford-Newton” and over 85% support LRT along Fraser Highway through to Langley City.

Surrey is growing rapidly, and as it grows, the opportunity exists to shape it into a world-class destination in its own right. With nearly 1000 new residents coming monthly, the need for a vision has never been more necessary. The LRT provides an opportunity to consider how to manage the growth, where to densify, how to move people, and how to create commercial space while achieving an attractive streetscape.

Businesses are on board with creating an economically viable city that

is attractive to clients, customers, and employees alike. LRT sparks development along its corridors, a mid-rise, medium density, mixed use type of development that will attract both families and business to the area while also maintaining affordability.

We have done our due diligence and read through all available reports.

We have had roundtables and panel dialogues. We have had all of our advocacy team members review material and provide feedback (12 teams with over 400 volunteers).

We’ve reviewed the number of technology and route alternatives that were examined using multiple metrics to evaluate their effectiveness.

The Surrey Board of Trade has taken the position that the project should be completed in one phase to capitalize on lower construction costs and LRT fleet vehicles, and the simple fact that waiting for phase 2 will unnecessarily delay needed transit through Surrey.

We are concerned that those who oppose LRT in favour of increased buses and a skytrain down Fraser Highway are not fully considering what they are saying no to, or conversely what they would be saying yes to, if they in fact succeed to influence decision-makers. Three things we know will occur if there is no support for LRT: • Increasing B-line buses will very quickly increase congestion on those routes as the more and more would be required to move commuters, but they would still not be sufficient to meet anticipated future population growth as quickly as the

LRT on its dedicated lanes — and within 10-15 years would need to be replaced with LRT to meet the demand • The cost of a skytrain system along the Fraser Highway will be up to 4 times more than the combined 27km of LRT, something our grandchildren will still be paying for and it would inhibit any further transit infrastructure • The ability to quickly adapt to growing town centres and expand the system through the large Surrey geography will be severely compromised by putting all available and future funding into one option We have observed that where the skytrain has gone, it encourages development only around the station, not along the line. The stations are relatively far apart and the ability for riders to view commercial options is minimized. The purpose would be to move people from one far distant point into the City of Vancouver Hub. As it turns out, this is not necessary. Over 70% of our survey respondents like to work and live South of the Fraser; and LRT encourages that livability by also promoting affordable housing strategies along existing corridors.

Although the Pattullo Bridge and other crossings need to be improved to accommodate commuters, more are staying South of the river. Over 50% live and work in Surrey, unchanged from 2016, and an additional 24% commute into Surrey for employment.

Our businesses and our residents deserve a system that encourages growth along the corridors, the cre-

ation of livable streetscapes, and the flexibility to add stops as required with the minimum of cost and disruption in the future — as well as extending the lines to loop through the city as it ought to be. We need a system that moves people around Surrey and South Fraser, with links to cross the river where appropriate to minimize congestion on river crossings.

With over 400 LRT systems worldwide, we know that this is a system that has proved itself many times over. We anticipate TransLink to release its business case very soon, so that all can likewise be assured of the value of the LRT and not rely on out-dated documents to put forward erroneous positions in the media.

We have determined that Surrey is the destination, not a thoroughfare to somewhere else. The demand for more transit increases annually, as reflected on our own surveys. Surrey is becoming the hub of the south Fraser Region. Businesses are moving here. People are moving here.

It makes no sense to build a system that by-passes the opportunity to develop and grow a city of our choosing to meet our own vision.

Without doubt, the LRT is the best system, dollar for dollar, for Surrey and South of Fraser. The Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce has also indicated their support of the Light Rail Transit transportation system, which includes the Fraser Highway line.

If you have any questions or require further comment, please do not hesitate to contact me at anita@businessinsurrey.com or 604-581-7130.

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Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

PAKISTAN

LHC issues notices to Nawaz, Maryam and Rana Sana over contempt of court allegations

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday issued notices to former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah over contempt of court allegations.

The notices were issued following a petition filed by Amna Malik on Monday accused Nawaz, Maryam and Sanaullah

of inciting hatred against the judiciary in their speeches at the PML-N’s Jaranwala rally on January 27.

Malik’s lawyer urged the court to issue a notice to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority as well for permitting the broadcast of speeches critical of the judiciary.

The lawyer requested the court to take action against the nominated parties. The court ordered all parties submit their responses and adjourned the case until Feb 14.

The father-daughter Sharif duo have drawn ire for their criticism of the Supreme Court’s (SC) Panamagate verdict which disqualified the former PM for failing to disclose a receivable salary as an asset.

The PML-N chief and Maryam, as well as other party leaders, have accused the court of bias and prejudice against Nawaz and have termed the decision an “insult” to the “public’s vote”. Multiple petitions have been filed in different courts against them accusing them of contempt of court.

Source:Dawnnews.com

Quake tremors jolt various parts of Pakistan, 1 girl killed and 15 injured

A minor girl was killed and at least 15 others injured as a 6.1-magnitude earthquake jolted various parts of the country on Wednesday, DawnNews reported.

Tremors were reported in Quetta, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Charsadda, Murree, Sargodha, Shangla, Haripur and Gujranwala, as well as parts of India, Kashmir and Afghanistan.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicentre of the 6.1-magnitude earthquake is 35 kilometres south of Jarm in Afghanistan. The depth of the quake was estimated to be 191.2km, USGS added.

Jarm, was hit by a devastating 7.5 magnitude quake in October 2015, triggering landslides and flattening buildings, killing more than 380 people across the region. The bulk of the recorded casualties were in Pakistan, where 248 people were killed, including 202 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and more than 1,600 injured.Source:Dawnnews.com

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Pakistan ready to extend rail link agreement with India Salim agreement of the rail link between Munabao (India)and Khokhrapar (Pakistan) for another three years,” a Foreign Office statement said.

The extension will take effect from Feb 1, 2018.

The rail link facilitates people-to-people contact that Pakistan believes is essential for improving relations between the two countries, the FO said.

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ISLAMABAD: Despite tense ties with New Delhi due to frequent ceasefire violations on the Line of Control and Working Boundary, Pakistan on Tuesday gave its consent for a three-year extension to an agreement with India on Munabao-Khokhrapar rail link.

“The government of Pakistan has agreed to extend the Source:Dawnnews.com

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ATC grants Shah Mehmood interim bail in terrorism cases until Feb 8

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi was granted bail by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Wednesday after he surrendered in four terrorism cases, DawnNews reported.

Following in the footsteps of his party chief and other leaders, Qureshi appeared before the ATC — the first time since being nominated — and requested the court to grant him interim bail. Judge Shahrukh Arjumand, who heard the case, ordered the PTI vice chairman to submit Rs100,000 in surety bonds.

The PTI leader was named in cases regarding the 2014 attacks on Parliament House,

Pakistan Television (PTV) building, former senior superintendent of police (SSP) Asmatullah Junejo and violence on August 31, 2014, along with 28 other PTI leaders. He had been absconding for the last three years along with his party chief Imran Khan and other PTI leaders including Asad Umar, Shireen Mazari, and Aleem Khan.

In November last year, Khan had surrendered in four terrorism cases against him and was granted pre-arrest interim bail. Umar, Mazari and Arif Alvi were also granted an interim bail against surety bonds worth Rs100,000 each, earlier this month.

The court issued orders to Qureshi, Umar, Mazari and Alvi to appear before the ATC on February 8.

Talking to the media after the hearing, Qureshi claimed that the cases against him were “baseless” and “politically motivated”.

However, he insisted that institutions of state must be respected in order to strengthen the country.

ATC summons Imran Khan The ATC issued summons to PTI chief to appear in court on February 15 for the hearing of a case regarding violence on former SSP Junejo.

Source:Dawnnews.com

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Israeli army shoots dead Palestinian teen in West Bank

Israeli forces have shot dead a Palestinian teenager in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian ministry of health has confirmed.

Layth Abu Naim, 16, was shot in the head with live ammunition during a confrontation with the Israeli army in the village of al-Mughayir, northeast of the occupied West Bank town of Ramallah. According to local media, Abu Naim - a high school student - was shot at point blank range. The confrontations reportedly erupted after Israeli forces raided the village. The boy’s funeral is set to be held on Wednesday after midday prayers in his hometown. A spokeswoman for Israel’s military said “violent riots are taking place in this area and burning tires and stones were thrown at the soldiers,” according to Israeli media. The spokeswoman was “unable to confirm that any Palestinians had been hit by gunfire”. Abu Naim is the sixth Palestinian to be killed by Israeli forces since the start of 2018. Tensions in the region have increased in recent weeks after

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United States President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to name Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Trump’s December 6 move prompted deadly protests in the Palestinian territories and mass rallies in solidarity with the Palestinians across the Muslim world.

US Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to Israel and the region increased animosity amongst Palestinians towards the US. His speech in the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on January 22 was laden with praise for Israel. On Tuesday, a group of Palestinians protested the arrival of an American delegation to the West Bank city of Bethlehem. The delegation was reportedly there to hold a training session on digital commerce, according to Israeli media. A video shared on social media showed protestors entering the meeting room holding signs and chanting against the US administration’s decision surrounding Jerusalem, after which the delegation packed up and left.

Source: Al-Jazeera

Syria opposition rejects Sochi constitution plan

Participants of a Russia-hosted conference for peace in Syria have agreed to set up a commission to rewrite the war-torn country’s constitution. Staffan de Mistura, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, said on Tuesday that delegates at the two-day conference at the Black Sea resort of Sochi, agreed to include both government and opposition officials in the 150-member committee. De Mistura said the final agreement on the committee would be reached in the UN-led diplomatic process in Geneva based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254 which serves as a framework for political transition in Syria. But the fate of President Bashar al-Assad - a key sticking point that has repeatedly caused ongoing negotiations to fail - was not mentioned in the final statement. Syria’s major opposition groups, who boycotted the event, rejected the proposal.

The main opposition bloc - the Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC) - accused Assad and Russia, Syria’s principle ally, of continuing to use military might and showing no interest in entering into honest negotiations.

“We reject the establishment of any constitutional commission at this stage,” said Maya Alrahibi, spokeswoman for the SNC. Instead, the bloc wants the government and the opposition to set up a transitional governing body first, she told Al Jazeera. “During this transitional stage inside Syria, a

constitutional commission can be set up consisting of members selected to represent all of the Syrian people,” she said. “The constitutional commission will then draft a new constitution that shall be approved after putting it to a vote in a referendum that is conducted fairly and transparently.” Hisham Marwah, a lawyer for the Syrian Coalition, a Turkey-based opposition group, said a “neutral and safe environment” in Syria was required for the writing of and voting on a new constitution. “We don’t have that,” he said. “There are tanks rolling in the streets in Syria right now.” He added that the Sochi agreement violated past UN resolutions as well as a roadmap for peace set out by the US, Russia, China, France and some Arab countries including Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar in 2012, all of which called for the establishment of an inclusive transitional governing body to reform the constitution.

“We must go through the process one step at a time, as stated in the Geneva communique and the UN resolutions,” he said. Without the opposition’s buy in, the Sochi agreement would not help end Syria’s war, other analysts said. Charles Lister, an analyst with the US-based Middle East Institute, said the conference was “Russia’s way of showing that it can pull together the broad spectrum of pro-regime and accepting-of-the-regime political parties in Syria”. However, without the opposition’s involvement in large numbers, “then we’re not talking about negotiations, we’re talking about discussions.

We’re not talking about results, we’re talking about statements,” he told Al Jazeera from Washington DC. “Until that changes, we’re going to continue to watch many of these different kinds of conferences in different cities, and unfortunately the crisis in Syria will continue.”

Source: Al-Jazeera

US: Kansas judge temporarily suspends anti-BDS law

A US judge has temporarily blocked the implementation of a law that bars anyone from entering into a contract with the state of Kansas without first pledging they will not boycott Israel. US District Court judge Daniel Crabtree granted the temporary injunction on Tuesday in response to a lawsuit filed by Kansas public school teacher Esther Koontz late last year. Passed in June 2017, the Kansas legislation requires all state contractors to declare in writing that they do not support a boycott of Israel. Koontz argues the law violates her rights under the First Amendment. In his ruling, Crabtree wrote: “The Supreme Court has held that the First Amendment protects the right to participate in a boycott like the one punished by the Kansas law.” The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which represented Koontz in court, welcomed the decision. “The court has rightly recognised the serious First Amendment harms being inflicted by this misguided law, which imposes an unconstitutional ideological litmus test,” said ACLU attorney Brian Hauss in a statement. Koontz, a public school math teacher, was asked to sign a document saying she was not boycotting Israel in July 2017 before she could work as a trainer in a state-run math and science programme, the court filing states. However she had begun boycotting Israeli companies and Israeli companies operating in the occupied Palestinian territories last year in protest of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.

After refusing to sign the form, she was not given the contract, the case states. “This ruling should serve as a warning to government officials around the country that the First Amendment prohibits the government from

suppressing participation in political boycotts,” Hauss said. Yousef Munayyer, executive director of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, welcomed the court’s decision, saying on Twitter that “the 1st Amendment triumphed today”. The Kansas legislation comes amid a growing crackdown in the US on the Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement. Launched in 2005, BDS seeks to pressure Israel to end its occupation of the Palestinian territories and respect the rights of Palestinian refugees and Palestinian citizens of the state. Last October, Wisconsin also passed a law barring state agencies from entering into contracts with entities that are “engaging in a boycott of Israel”. Also in October, the governor of Maryland signed an executive order blocking firms that boycott Israel from receiving state contracts that same month. As of this month, 24 states have enacted anti-BDS laws, according to Palestine Legal, a US-based legal advocacy group. Eleven other states have anti-BDS legislation pending. A US Senate bill, known as the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, has also been proposed and would bar US citizens from supporting “restrictive trade practices or boycotts fostered or imposed by any international governmental organisation against Israel”.

Source: Al-Jazeera

Saudi Arabia seizes more than $100bn in settlements Saudi Arabia’s Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said that the kingdom has seized more than $100bn in anti-corruption settlements. The amount - SAR400bn ($106.7bn) - represented various types of assets, including real estate, commercial entities, cash and more, Mojeb said in a statement released by the government’s information office on Tuesday. He added that the total number of individuals summoned for questioning reached 381, while 65 remained in custody as part of a nationwide “anti-corruption purge”. The statement came as Saudi authorities released all remaining detainees from the Ritz-Carlton hotel, after more than two months of detention on allegations of corruption. “There are no longer any detainees left at the Ritz-Carlton,” a Saudi official told Reuters News Agency earlier on Tuesday.

Dozens of royal family members, ministers, and top businessmen were arrested in early November during an “anti-corruption crackdown” launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Allegations against those detained included money laundering, bribery, extorting officials. Those arrested were held collectively in the country’s Ritz-Carton hotel. Meanwhile, the hotel was closed to normal business. On Saturday, prominent Saudi businessman Prince Alwaleed bin Talal was released as signs of the purge appeared to be winding down. Prince Alwaleed said during an exclusive Reuters interview that there were “no charges” against him. The crackdown, which came about via a royal decree in November 2017, was in response to “exploita-

tion by some of the weak souls who have put their own interests above the public interest, in order to illicitly accrue money”. Mahjoob Zweiri, a Doha-based professor of contemporary Arab politics, said that the purge is part of Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to consolidate economic, as well as political power in Saudi Arabia. “That required destroying other economic empires in Saudi Arabia,” he told Al Jazeera. Zweiri noted that the nature of charges against those who were detained remains unclear, and that there may be more details of cases revealed - but not in the near future. “There has been a case of mistrust,” he said. “And the authorities will follow up [with those released] to make sure no one is speaking about what happened to maintain the government’s narrative of the story.” According to Zweiri, the purge was a warning message, and only those who play the “politics” and maintain links to the monarch, will be able to conduct business activities in the kingdom. “Again it’s about how well linked you are to the new establishment. There is no accountability … the corruption will of course continue - but in different ways”.

Source: Al-Jazeera

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BC government strikes another blow to stop Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion The B.C. government has delivered another blow to the Kinder Morgan pipeline twinning project. The province announced plans Tuesday morning to put a restriction on the amount of diluted bitumen that can be transported by pipeline or rail until the province can better understand the ability to mitigate spills. “The potential for a diluted bitumen spill already poses significant risk to our inland and coastal environment and the thousands of existing tourism and marine harvesting jobs,” said B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman. “British Columbians rightfully expect their government to defend B.C.’s coastline and our inland waterways, and the economic and environmental interests that are so important to the people in our province, and we are working hard to do just that.” Any restriction on the flow of diluted bitumen, or dilbit as it is known, would prohibit an expansion of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline. The government is launching an independent scientific panel in February that will be responsible for determining whether the province has the ability to clean up spills. The estimate is the report could take about two years to complete. The government wants specific research on the effects of a spill in B.C. and is also seeking consultation with industry, first nations and the public. The announcement comes as part of the province’s second phase of regulations to improve response and recovery of potential spills. The government is still looking at how it will enforce a measure to restrict the flow of dilbit. “We will have all sorts of suggestions from people on how to implement this, on how to enforce it if we do and what the stands should be,” said Heyman. The federal government has approved the Kinder Morgan pipeline twinning. The $7.4-billion project will expand an existing 1,150-kilometre pipeline between Edmonton and Burnaby. The expansion would see three times more bitumen moved to the B.C. coast everyday and a seven-fold increase in tanker traffic.

Before Tuesday’s announcement, Kinder Morgan was expected to have the project completed by Dec. 2020 depending on regulatory, permit and legal approvals. Tuesday’s announcement has widespread support from the Green Party,

environmental and First Nation groups that oppose the pipeline twinning. Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver took to Twitter to applaud Heyman and the government. “I am please to see Minister Heyman putting evidence and science front and centre in decision making,” said Weaver in a statement.

Environmental groups were quick to point out this seems to them to look like an end to the Trans Mountain pipeline twinning.

“If the B.C. government enforces this and backs their words up with action it should be the nail in the coffin for Kinder Morgan, it is a real signal that the B.C. government is throwing up road blocks to this project,” said Torrance Coste, Vancouver Island campaigner for the Wilderness committee. “It’s a very bad day for Kinder Morgan and a good day for the rest of us.” The province also announcing Tuesday the review will look at spill response times, geographic response plans and compensation for loss of public and cultural use of land in the case of a spill.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says the B.C. government is “grasping at straws” in an attempt to stop the pipeline expansion. Notley says B.C. is playing political games with the project and could put thousands of jobs in jeopardy by unfairly delaying or blocking the project. “The BC Government has every right to consult on whatever it pleases with its citizens. It does not have the right to rewrite our constitution & assume powers for itself that it does not have,” said Notley in a statement posted on Twitter. “Job creators need to be able to trust law makers. Today’s announcement suggest that in BC they cannot. British Columbians – indeed all Canadians – deserve better.”

Source: CTV News

Pain at the pump: Gas prices shoot up seven cents a litre

A hike in wholesale gas prices caused by a supply squeeze shot pump prices up at least seven cents overnight and an analyst is expecting gas to go up another one penny a litre on Wednesday.

The hikes in what is already the most expensive gas market in North America hurts Randip Singh right in the wallet. The Vancouver cabbie was filling up at a Vancouver gas station on Monday and he was skeptical about a shortage causing the increase that’s going to add at least $5 to his fill.

“Before they used to say it was the crude oil prices going up and that’s not the case anymore,” he said. “I think they’re selling less gas because of the electric vehicles and they’re not making as much profit so they have to raise the price.” For those who welcomed a price dip to $1.369 a litre recently at some stations (a discount that analysts said was

caused by retailers competing with one another), the hike seemed especially steep.

B.C. gas retailers have to pay a premium to import gas and that amounts to an extra 19 cents a litre from the Washington refineries, said McTeague.

Source: vancouversun.com/news

UK court rules mass surveillance bill unlawful

Britain’s Court of Appeals has ruled the UK government is breaking the law with its measures to collect internet activity and phone records of its citizens. The Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act (DRIPA) was originally passed in 2014 after the EU Court of Justice ruled the previous data collection scheme was unlawful. DRIPA allowed for the collection of phone and internet records of UK citizens by communications companies. The information stored by the companies consisted of location history and details about calls, emails and text messages. According to the UK government, the stored data was only to be used in criminal investigations and with sufficient presumption the person being investigated was involved in a crime. However, critics said the DRIPA act violated the privacy of UK citizens and allowed authorities and other public bodies to access the collected data without proper oversight. The Court of Appeals agreed with the critics, saying DRIPA was “inconsistent with EU law”, and that access to the data was “not restricted solely to fighting crime”. Tom Watson, the Labour

MP who challenged DRIPA and Liberty, the civil liberties organisation that represented Watson in court, welcomed the decision in a joint statement. “This legislation was flawed from the start. It was rushed through Parliament just before recess without proper parliamentary scrutiny,” Watson said in a statement. “No politician is above the law.

“This judgment tells ministers in crystal clear terms that they are breaching the public’s human rights. The latest incarnation of the snooper’s charter, the Investigatory Powers Act, must be changed,” Liberty said in its statement. Source: Al-Jazeera

President Donald Trump made a pitch for national unity and strong borders in his maiden State of the Union address on Tuesday, calling for “one team, one people, and one American family” after a year plagued by acrimony, division and scandal.

He also announced that he would keep Guantanamo Bay open, breaking from his predecessor Barack Obama’s lengthy and ultimately failed efforts to shutter the maligned detention facility.

“I just signed an order directing Secretary Mattis to reexamine our military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay,” Trump said, in his address to Congress, in keeping with a campaign promise.

On the campaign trail, Trump had famously vowed he would load Guantanamo with “bad dudes” and said it would be “fine” if US terror suspects were sent there for trial.

Though Obama could not closed Guantanamo, the population had dropped from 242 to 41 under his watch.

During his speech, the president also said that he wanted Congress to pass a law ensuring US foreign aid goes only “to America’s friends” — a reference likely to his frustra-

tion at US aid recipients that voted at the UN to rebuke his decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Curbs on immigration Over the years the State of the Union address, a set piece of the American political calendar, has lost some of its impact and pizzazz. But the primetime address, watched by as many as 40 million Americans, was still a once-ina-year opportunity for Trump to speak to the nation and mend his sunken approval ratings, languishing around 40 percent.

Seeking to enliven his own base, Trump spoke at length on the need for immigration reform, equating immigrants with criminals and economic tension.

Source: dawn.com

Saudi Arabia bans expatriates In first State of the Union address, Trump vows to keep Guantanamo Bay prison open from 12 job types Saudi Arabia has banned the kingdom’s expatriates from working in 12 occupational domains, making them available to Saudi nationals only. The decision by Minister of Labour Ali bin Nasser al-Ghafis will take effect starting September 2018, SPA news agency reported on Sunday. The ministerial decree’s objective is to grant Saudi men and women more job opportunities in the private sector, SPA said. Labour ministry spokesman Khalid Abalkhail, said the jobs were mostly in sales: sales in watches, eyewear, medical equipment and devices, electrical and electronic appliances, auto parts, building materials, automobiles, furniture stores, and more. He also noted that a committee would be formed to facilitate the project. The unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia surpassed 12 percent last year as the economy grappled with the fallout from low oil prices. The move comes amid nationwide changes to revamp the economy by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. On Tuesday, a high-profile “anti-corruption purge” appeared to be winding down as Saudi authorities released all remaining detainees from the Ritz-Carlton hotel, after more than two months of detention on allegations of corruption. Dozens

of royal family members, ministers, and top businessmen were arrested in early November during an “anti-corruption crackdown” launched by Bin Salman. Allegations against those detained included money laundering, bribery and extorting officials. Saudi Arabia’s Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said that the kingdom had seized more than $100bn in anti-corruption settlements. The amount - 400bn Saudi riyals ($106.7bn) represented various types of assets, including real estate, commercial entities, cash and more. The government’s Vision 2030 plan to revitalise and diversify Saudi Arabia’s oildependent economy has seen the kingdom introduce a value-added tax (VAT), which applies to a wide range of commodities, including food, clothes, entertainment, electronics, and utility bills. Saudi Arabia also halted state payments of water and electricity bills for royal family members.

Source: Al-Jazeera

7

Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

FAITH Narrated `Abdullah bin Mas`ud: The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬recited Suratan-Najm (103) at Mecca and prostrated while reciting it and those who were with him did the same except an old man who took a handful of small stones or earth and lifted it to his forehead and said, “This is sufficient for me.”

Later on, I saw him killed as a non-believer. Sahih al-Bukhari 1067

Was the Quran taught to the Prophet by priests ?

BY: MUHITTIN AKGUL his is an idea that modern orientalists put forward; it is interesting, however that no one raised such objections at the time when Prophet Muhammad was alive. Unlike the orientalists, no one at that time suggested that when the Prophet met with the monk Bahira during his childhood he had received certain religious information from him, and no one alleged that he had received religious information from Christian monks or Jewish rabbis during journeys he made with caravans.

Moreover, if he had received all his knowledge from the monk Bahira and during the journeys he made later when he was 25, then it could justifiably be asked why did Prophet Muhammad not claim Prophethood until he was forty years old? The people of Mecca did not raise any such baseless allegations regarding the era prior to the Prophet-hood; rather their objections were only concerned with the era of the Prophet-hood.

The people in Mecca who made objections put forward arguments like: “This fellow does not know how to read or write, and thus he could not have obtained any knowledge from books. He has been living among us for 40 years, but we have never heard any of the things that he is now communicating from him before.

Therefore, someone must be helping him when people were at home and giving him secretly expressions from the scriptures of the past. He is quickly learning and reciting these to other people as divine revelations during the day. This is nothing more than deception.” The names of the three people who were alleged to be helping him are even mentioned in some reports.

These people who were of the People of the Book were such unlettered Meccans as Addas, who was the freed slave of Huwaytib ibn Abdul Uzza, Yasar, who was the freed slave of Ala ibn al-Hadrarmi, and Jabr, who was the freed slave of Amr ibn Rabia.

The fact that the Quran directly rejected this, rather than responding to the polytheists claims can be better understood if the following points are taken into consideration: a. The polytheists in Mecca did nothing at all to prove their allegations. They would certainly have acted if their allegations had

T

been true. They would often have raided, for instance, the houses of the Prophet and any one whom they thought might have been helping them, seizing anything used in such a deceit to prove that the claim of prophet-hood was a “lie.” It would not have been difficult for the Meccan polytheists to do such a thing, as we can see that they did not hesitate to apply or implement all sorts of actions, including torture; they were not bound by any sort of moral obligation. b. Those who were thought to be helping the Prophet were not unknown in the city.

The fact that they were uneducated was known well in Mecca. The polytheists themselves knew very well that such illiterate people could not have provided any help in producing a glorious book like the Quran, which is an extraordinary marvel of the highest literary skill. Thus, even those who did not know these emancipated slaves very well were aware that such an allegation was nonsensical and meaningless. In addition, why did such socalled helpers not claim the prophet-hood for themselves if they had such abilities? c. Moreover, all the so-called helpers were former slaves still bound to their masters, even though they had been emancipated, according to Arabian traditions. Thus, they would not have wanted to help the Prophet in his claim as their masters would have put pressure on them with no tolerance on their existence in Mecca if they had done so. d. Above and beyond all else, these socalled helpers all converted to Islam. Is it possible to conceive that those who helped Prophet Muhammad would be deceived by his “trick” thus binding themselves to him? Let us even presume for a moment that they helped the Prophet, then, why was not even one of them not given a higher position or status in return for his services or help? Why were Ad-

Names Of A l l a h (SWT) &

Last edition Names were

Mohammad (PBUH)

Al Rauf name of Allah(swt)

Al Akhir Mohammad(saw) name.

das, Yasar or Jabr not given higher status than Abu Bakr, Umar or Abu Ubayda?

If the prophet-hood was a deception staged with the help of these so-called assistants, we must ask why this help stayed secret even from the closest and most devoted Companions of the Prophet, for example, Ali ibn Abu Talib, Abu Bakr, or Zayd ibn Haritha. Thus, not only is such an accusation is false, God did not even deem it worthy of a reply in the Quran. Rather the Divine origin of the Quran is proclaimed: Those who disbelieve say: “This (Quran) is but a fabrication which he (Muhammad) himself has invented, and some others have helped him with it, so they have produced a wrong and a falsehood.” They also say: “(It consists of) only fables of the ancients which he has got written. They are being read to him in early mornings and evenings (while people are at home).” Say: “(It is a Book full of knowledge revealing many secrets such as no human being could in any wise discover by himself) He Who knows all the secrets contained in the heavens and the earth sends it down (to teach you some of these secrets and guide you in your life so that you may attain happiness in both worlds). He surely is All-Forgiving, AllCompassionate.” (Furqan 25: 4-6) There cannot be a worse lie than that of Quraysh polytheists, as they themselves knew much better than anyone else that such expressions were nothing more than baseless claims. The chieftains who spread such ideas among the public would certainly have been aware that the Quran, which was recited by Prophet Muhammad could not have been a “human word” their linguistic and esthetic sensibilities were too developed not to be aware of this reality. In addition, before he was called to Prophethood, Muhammad was recognized as an upright and trustworthy person, one who

Islm.

Date 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

never lied or cheated anyone. Why would such a person invent a lie against God or attribute to Him something that was not His? But, such deceit and rumors were spread among the people; these powerful people were not only blindly stubborn, they also feared losing their social status which was connected to their being seen to be the religious leaders of society. The poor and illiterate people were not able to differentiate esthetically perfect literary works from those which were not. Hence, the status seeking chieftains tried to take advantage of the people’s illiteracy, and said: “This is but a fabrication which he himself has invented, and some others have helped him with it.” (Furqan 25:4) The polytheist Quraysh Chieftains were speaking of the three non-Arab emancipated slaves when using the word “others.” The Quran goes on to speak of their nonsensical allegations with respect to the Prophet and the Revelation he received: “They also say: (It consists of) only fables of the ancients which he has got written.

They are being read to him in early mornings and evening.” (Furqan 25:5) Such arguments and allegations were dependent on the stories of ancient nations found in the Quran. The Quran related stories connected to earlier nations, offering them as deterrents for the readers.

The polytheists claimed that these factual stories were “fables of the ancients” recited to him secretly by these nonArab emancipated slaves that he subsequently conveyed them to other people.

They were trying to claim that Prophet Muhammad was forging the Quran with the help, of these foreign slaves. They were well aware that such a claim was ridiculous, for how could such a book have been invented by a person, even if others were to help him? If this had been the case, then what was stopping others from inventing something similar? Why could they not make an effort like the Prophet had and invent a book similar to it, helped by others? There were plenty of people who would have been willing to back up each other with help and support. Prophet Muhammad challenged them to do just this, but the polytheists were unable to respond to the challenge.

SOURCE: ISLAMICITY

Feb 2-16, 2018 - Jamadi ul Awaal 16-30, 1439H Date Fajar

Sunrise

Dhuhr

Asar (Shafi) Asar (Hanfi) Magrib

Isha

8

Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

Adeeb

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Ayyaz

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10

Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

l oca l

Opening Of New Al-Ihsān Center in Surrey

A new Islamic Centre in the heart of Surrey. Al Ihsan Educational Foundation has moved its operations to a new facility located at 11-8285 132 st. Surrey BC. The new Al-Ihsan’s Center, will house all of Al-Ihsān’s *educational programs* and a full-time *Islamic Center.* This Center will serve the surrounding community as well as conduct programs for the whole Lower Mainland Area.

*PROGRAMS & SERVICES*

♦️ Full-time Ilm Programs ♦️ Evening Islamic School (Including Hifz Program) ♦️Islam Comprehensive (Advanced Islamic Studies) ♦ Bachelors in Islamic Sciences (Part-time Aalim Course) ♦️ Essentials of Islam (Adult Program) ♦️ Islam Unravelled (Outreach and Interfaith)

♦️ Weekly Dars ♦️ Weekly Youth Programs ♦️ Workshops ♦️ Seminars ♦️ 5 Times Salat + Ladies Prayer Facility ♦️ Tarāwīh ♦️ Jumuah prayers ♦️ Community counseling An official opening ceremony took place Sunday Jan 21, 2018, which was attended by over 120 men and women. The staff and teachers spoke about the programs offered by Al Ihsan.

Mufti Aasim Rashid, founder and president of Al-Ihsan, addressed the crown and presented the future plans for the centre, and concluded the program with a heart-warming dua.

The Centre is now open to the public and 5 time salawat have begun. Juma salat will be offered at the Centre beginning Feb 2, 2018 inshAllah.

PLEA’s 15th Annual Mother Language Day

By:Parvinder Dhariwal Punjabi Language Education Association (PLEA) held its 15th annual Mother Language Day celebration on January 20th at the North Delta Recreation Centre. The program consisted of important discussions about the implementation of Punjabi language teaching in more public schools in Surrey. Along with various speakers who discussed the important issues, a large number of students participated with their poems, songs and speeches. The program was mc’d by Parabjot Singh.

PLEA President Balwant Sanghera welcomed the attendees and stated that this year’s main focus is to encourage the parents to enroll their children in grade 5 Punjabi classes. He said that there are several elementary schools in Surrey where it is possible to have Punjabi classes due to the large number of Punjabi students in those schools. This year’s keynote speaker Jag Khosa, a police officer and a prominent community activist spoke about the importance of teaching children Punjabi. He emphasized how crucial it is to speak Punjabi with children at home from a young age. In detail, Khosa highlighted just how much of an asset Punjabi is to him in his professional life. He also stated that along with teaching

children Punjabi, parents should take the opportunity to learn English and have libraries in their homes. Prominent Punjabi scholar Dr. Sadhu Singh stated that sectarianism has caused the most harm to the Punjabi language. While speaking about the richness of the Punjabi language he enthralled the audience by reading a passage about colours from his book called “Punjabi Boli Di Virast (The Heritage of the Punjabi Language).”

UBC Punjabi Instructor Sukhwant Hundal spoke in detail about significance of Punjabi Wikipedia. He requested that the Punjabi community should contribute to the site, as there is a need for content. Hundal also spoke about a piece he has written about the site that can be accessed here: https://sukhwanthundal.wordpress.com/ Surrey School Trustee Gary Thind, Surrey School Teacher Rabinder Boparai and a parent representative Kewal Tagger participated in panel moderated by Sukhwant Hundal.

The main points highlighted in this discussion were how to encourage parents to enroll their children in Punjabi classes.

Along with speaking about the concerns surrounding the implementation of Punjabi in the public school system, the program also featured students reading Punjabi poems, songs and speeches about issues pertaining

Since 2015, 60,000 British Columbians have registered to give the gift of life, thanks to a valuable partnership between Service BC and BC Transplant. “Organ donations save lives. Our staff at Service BC play a vital role in helping people learn more about registering to be an organ donor,” said Jinny Sims, Minister of Citizens’ Services. “These dedicated workers not only provide thoughtful guidance and the knowledge that people need to make this important decision, but also information on how to talk to their family members about their choice.”

Sims was in Nanaimo, along with representatives from Service BC, BC Transplant, and organ donor recipients and their families, to highlight the partnership between BC Transplant and Service BC. This collaboration has resulted in 18,797 registrants at Service

BC offices between April and December of 2017 alone — an increase of 4% from the previous year.“While registering as an organ donor only takes a few minutes, this partnership between Service BC and BC Transplant has helped many make a decision they can truly feel good about,” said Leonard Krog, MLA for Nanaimo. “Service BC staff are knowledgeable, helpful and really take the time to help our residents with the decision to register.” For Julia Ainsley, a customer service representative at the Duncan Service BC location, the work to register British Columbians as organ donors is a life-saving effort with a personal connection.

“My son’s grandfather was diagnosed with end-stage liver disease, but a successful transplant, eight months after his diagnosis, saved his life,” Ainsley said. “Registering

to the Punjabi language and community.

The student participants were: Aman, Tanu, Manu, Sukhman Kaimbo, Manjot Singh, Prabhleen Kaur Grewal, Sharan Sandhu, Humkirat Gill, Taran Poonia, Sunny, Simrat, Amrit, Jasnoor, Sahib, Ravleen, Smriti, Ashmeen, Parleen, Navreet, and Hardeep Virk.

PLEA honoured Gian Singh Thind and Harjinder Sangra for their contribution to the progression of the Punjabi language in Canada. While speaking about Gian Singh Thind, radio host Professor Gurvinder Singh Dhaliwal said that Thind arrived in Canada in 1953 and learned Punjabi. He then started a newspaper for the historical Khalsa Diwan Society Vancouver. While speaking about Harjinder Sangra, Sadhu Binning stated that

Canadian born Sangra learned Punjabi and participated in plays produced by Vancouver Sath. She taught Punjabi at UBC’s continuing studies for a number of years and has been teaching Punjabi along with other subjects in Vancouver for many years.

The program concluded with Balwant Sanghera thanking the audience, Punjabi media, the students and the Surrey School Board.

He also thanked PLEA members Parvinder Dhariwal, Parabjot Singh, Rajinder Pandher, Harman Pandher, Ranbir Johal, Jas Binning, Paul Binning and Sadhu Binning. Sanghera made a final appeal to parents to enroll their children in Punjabi language classes and to encourage others to do the same.

Service BC and BC Transplant invite British Columbians to #LiveLifePassItOn as an organ donor has the power to give people a second chance at life. This important work impacts real people.”

“Registering your decision for organ donation could be such a gift to your family,” says Leanne Appleton, provincial executive director, BC Transplant. “We often hear from donor families that in a time of such tragedy and loss, it’s often a comfort to know that their loved one wanted to be an organ donor and registered their wishes.”

Deborah Graves, a Nanaimo resident, received a liver transplant in 2011 that saved her life. “I am alive today because of the generosity and kindness of an organ donor and

their family,” said Graves. “Because of this, I want to encourage all of my fellow British Columbians to register their decision and let their family know their wishes — it could mean the gift of life for someone like me.”

BC Transplant estimates that there are nearly 640 people in British Columbia waiting for a life-saving transplant.

11 P r e mi e r V isit B.C. government delegation promotes natural resources, wood products and winter tourism in Beijing Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

Promoting opportunities for British Columbia-China collaboration in wood construction, tourism and energy was the focus of Premier John Horgan’s visit to Beijing, which also included a wood and greenbuilding policy forum.

“China is increasingly focused on environmentally sustainable construction, and B.C. is taking every opportunity to promote the environmental benefits of wood building products and systems,” said Premier Horgan. “We are not only marketing wood products and technologies, but also engaging with key government policy and decision makers, so we can expand markets for B.C. forestry products.”

The forum — led by Canada Wood China, experts from B.C. and China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development — shared best practices on wood construction, with a focus on opportunities for B.C. to collaborate with Chinese companies in advancing low-carbon development.

To build on opportunities resulting from the 2018 Canada-China Year of Tourism and an increased interest in winter sport in China, the delegation also hosted a reception for key tourism operators and influencers.

Themed “Ski British Columbia”, the reception featured virtual reality/360 ski videos, interactive ski areas and B.C. agrifoods and seafood.

“The number of tourists travelling from China to our province is growing all the time. With the upcoming Olympics, we now have a major opportunity to build awareness of B.C. as a prime winter ski destination, in addition to a beautiful area to visit in spring and summer,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. “While visits from China to B.C. continue to grow, we want Chinese tourists to know that we are ready and keen to welcome them to experience B.C.’s spectacular ski resorts and other destinations.”

The Beijing leg of the Asia mission also included bilateral meetings with key energy stakeholders in China, and a cross-industry range of investors and entrepreneurs with interest or active projects in B.C. “Our robust economy, abundant natural resources and stable business environment offer excellent opportunities for Chinese investors,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology. “The groundwork we’re laying in China today will help at-

tract investment, promote exports and, most importantly, lead to job creation in B.C.” “Business in China is about building relationships,” said George Chow, Minister of State for Trade. “Through face-to-face meetings with government and business leaders, we’re engaging corporate investors and entrepreneurs to promote B.C. as a competitive destination for trade and investment.”

Quick Facts: B.C. goods exports to China totalled $5.9 billion in 2016, making China B.C.’s secondlargest export market.

China was also Canada’s second-largest export destination, with 4.3% of Canadian goods shipped there.

Tourism: The 2018 Canada-China Year of Tourism was launched by the governments of Canada and China to celebrate and promote tourism opportunities between the two countries.

In 2016, there were 312,668 overnight customs entries to British Columbia. China is B.C.’s second-largest market, after the U.S. The Chinese ski market has seen a rapid growth in the last two decades, growing from about 10,000 skiers in 1996 to a reported 12 million in 2015.

Wood and Wood Products: China is B.C.’s largest market for wood products in Asia by both volume and value, and the second-largest market overall, after the U.S. In 2016, B.C. exported over $1 billion of softwood lumber to China, up from $69 million in 2003, an increase of more than 1,400%.

B.C. remains the second-largest supplier of softwood lumber to China, after Russia.

To learn more about how the Province promotes international investment in B.C., visit Trade and Invest BC: www.britishcolumbia.ca/

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q U E B E C ` S

S P E C I A L

One year anniversary of the Quebec mosque shootings.

Jan 29, A roundtable meeting held on behalf on with representatives of the Muslim faith shootings. of Premier John Horgan by Minister Harry and community leaders to commemorate the A number of representatives from the commuBains and Parliamentary Secretary Ravi Kahl- one year anniversary of the Quebec mosque nity attended the meeting held in Vancouver.

‘Hope and fear’: Quebec City mosque president reflects on massacre anniversary Nearly a year after a deadly mass shooting inside a Quebec City mosque, Mohamed Labidi is weighing an outpouring of support from Canadians against signs that Islamophobia continues to rise in his community. “My feeling is split between hope and fear,” the president of the Quebec City Islamic Centre told CTV News.

Six people were killed and 19 injured in the shooting inside his place of worship on Jan. 29, 2017. Monday marks one year since the attack. Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, faces six counts of first-degree murder and six counts of attempted murder. His trial is scheduled to begin March 26.

Labidi says he hoped the shocking act of violence would quell longstanding cultural divisions and that hate crimes would fall. Those hopes were dashed.

Quebec City police said hate crimes doubled in 2017.

Far-right groups like La Meute appeared emboldened in the wake of the shooting. Some claimed the attack had been blown out of proportion.

Meanwhile, a plan to establish the area’s first Muslimowned cemetery in the town of Saint-Apollinaire was voted down by residents. “It was very astonishing that you can find one person that can say no and

stand against a cemetery for someone,” Labidi said.

A parcel of land was found three weeks later, but only after Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume brokered a deal for city land.

Days after that, Labidi became a target.

“My own car was burned because I am Muslim,” he said. “Still we are receiving messages of hatred, messages of rejection.”

In October, Quebec’s National Assembly also introduced of a controversial bill that prohibits citizens from receiving or giving public services with their faces covered. The legislation was widely criticized as targeting Muslim women who wear face veils.

The public rallies ahead of a judge’s ruling that Quebec cannot force people to uncover their faces offered, for many, a glimmer of hope that Quebecers are willing to stand up for the religious freedoms of Muslims.

Labidi says that he has enough signs of support over the past year to remain cautiously optimistic about the future.“Together, we will emerge stronger from this,” he said. “More united then before.”

Source: CTV’s Vanessa Lee is Quebec City and The Canadian Press

One year later: Anniversary of mosque attack marked by events, vigils across Canada

‘These people died of bullet wounds, let wounds, but also of ignorance and On Jan. 29, 2017, a man walked into but also of ignorance and hatred’: hatred,” he said. Trudeau called on the Quebec City mosque and shot at Canadians to condemn acts of racism worshippers who had just finished Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Before heading to Quebec City to join a vigil Monday evening to mark the anniversary of the mosque shooting, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered a statement in the House of Commons. “These people died of bul-

and to take a stand against Islamophobia and discrimination in all its forms.

“We must ask ourselves, have we done right by the men who lost their lives a year ago today?”

their evening prayers, killing six men and critically injuring five others. Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, is to go on trial on six counts of first-degree murder and six counts of attempted murder at the end of March.

NDP Statement On 1St Anniversary Of Quebec City Mosque Shooting NDP Parliamentary Leader, Guy Caron, made a speech in the House of Commons on the 1st anniversary of the mosque shooting in Quebec City. “Because of hate, 17 children are now orphans. They are orphans because their fathers were killed simply for being Muslim. On January 29, 2017, Khaled, Azzedine, Aboubaker, Mamadou, Ibrahima, Abdelkrim and others made their way to the Grande mosquée de Québec. It was a winter night like any other. Peaceful. But that night, an act of terrorism changed their lives, and ours, forever. A year ago, Islamophobia

changed lives forever in Quebec City, and across Canada.

Today, on this day of commemoration, we must ask ourselves: what lessons have we learned? Has the tone of the discussion changed? Has it worsened? The regrettable answer to these questions is that hate crimes have not diminished, especially not online, or on social media. Harassment in the street —especially for Muslim women —continues, including violent acts. Just this summer, the car belonging to the president of the Centre culturel islamique de Québec

was set ablaze in front of his home.

There is reason for hope. The day after the shooting at the Grande mosquée de Québec, 6,000 people in Québec city and 15,000 people in Montréal joined thousands across the country to stand in solidarity with the families of the victims. They gathered to not only mark the tragedy, but to stand and denounce racism, Islamophobia, and populist hate. Standing in the thousands, candles in hand, enduring freezing temperatures, they showed us the path we all must take — the path of solidarity in the face of division; the

path of openness instead of suspicion based on ignorance.

As our leader Jagmeet Singh has said: “We must champion a politics of love to fight the growing politics of hate and a politics of courage to fight the politics of fear.”

More than a 1000 gather to mark one-year anniversary of Quebec City mosque shooting

QUEBEC—More than one thousand people braved the frigid temperatures in Quebec City tonight for a vigil to mark the one-year anniversary of a mosque shooting where six men died.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard and other leaders attended the gathering in honour of the six men and 19 others who were injured when a gunman

fired into the Islamic cultural centre during evening prayers.

The vigil began with the reading of the victims’ names and the number of children they had.

First Anniversary of Quebec Mosque Mass Shooting

By: Imam Baidudeen Soharwardy (Calgary) The Islamic Supreme Council of Canada (ISCC) and Muslims Against Terrorism (MAT) will be holding FATEHA Programs (remembrance services) across the country to remember the victims of last year’s Quebec Mosque mass shooting.

The Quebec City mosque shooting occurred

on the evening of January 29, 2017, at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City. Six worshippers were killed, and nineteen others injured when a lone gunman, Alexandre Bissonnette opened fire just before 8:00 pm, shortly after the end of evening prayers. Fifty-three people were reported present at the time of the shooting. Prime Minister Justin

Trudeau and Premier Philippe Couillard called the shooting a terrorist attack, but Quebec Police charged Bissonnette with six counts of first-degree murder.

ISCC and MAT requesting all peace-loving people of all faiths or no faith to remember the victims of Quebec Mosque mass shooting and stand against hate, terrorism and

Islamophobia. All ISCC affiliated mosques and Islamic Centres will be holding FATEHA (remembrance services) programs across the country. “ All Canadians must unite against all forms of hate including Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, anti-Christians, anti-religious freedom, etc.”, said Imam Syed Soharwardy today in Calgary.

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middl e

e ast

Trump’s great gamble on Mideast peace new peace plan, the purpose of the ADLC meeting will be twofold: To recommit international support for a two state-solution, including by the parties themselves, and to recommit to the need to enable the Palestinian Authority to execute full control over Gaza.

The new US National Security Strategy names Iran as its principal regional adversary and lists Washington’s Arab allies, along with Israel, as equal pillars in the implementation of its regional agenda. In this context, Trump wants to use the peace process as a glue to officially bind them together.

The EU’s strategic vision, meanwhile, is to narrow Palestinian-Israeli differences so that direct negotiations can take place.

“By giving both Mahmoud Abbas and Benjamin Netanyahu what they need to satisfy their domestic constituencies, the US president may enable both leaders to make the

compromises necessary to resolve the conflict.”

Building on Trump’s disruptive approach by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a logical next step will be for the EU — with US support — to recognize the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital as part of an effort to strengthen the Palestinian position.

By giving each party what they want, Washington’s gamble may be that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s domestic standings are strengthened, so that they can carry out the necessary compromises for peace talks to succeed.

The timing of the ADLC meeting is not coincidental. The following day, Arab League foreign ministers will meet in Cairo, where they will discuss the outcome and how to

proceed.

Trump may also be gambling that Abbas — with European and Arab support — will engage with Israel. In return, the Arab states can expect Washington to keep the heat on Iran by using the 2015 nuclear deal as leverage to pressure Tehran to roll back on its malign regional activity.

• Sigurd Neubauer is a Middle East analyst in Washington. Source: www.arabnews.com

Al Udeid base On Monday, Qatar’s Defence Minister Khalid bin Mohammad al-Attiyah said that Qatar will expand the American airbase at Al Udeid.

“It will very soon become family oriented place for our American friends there. We want more of the families to be stable and feel more comfortable in their stay,” Attiyah said at an event in Washington.

Seven months ago, an air, sea and land Qatar-US dialogue blockade was imposed on Qatar by neighOn Tuesday, The US Secretary of State Rex Tillbouring countries. Here are the latest develerson called on all sides in the dispute to work opments

to calm tensions, saying a united Gulf Cooperation Council bolstered regional stability.

“It is critical that all parties minimise rhetoric, exercise restraint to avoid further escalation and work toward a resolution,” Tillerson said.

On Tuesday, a US-Qatar strategic dialogue initiative will kick off in Washington, Qatar’s News Agency (QNA) reported.

According to a government statement, the initiative is aimed at stepping up cooperation between the two countries, “which share long-standing strategic interests at the

political, economic, security, educational and cultural levels”.

Asian Champions League On Saturday, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said it rejected Saudi Arabia’s request to have all matches against Qatar moved to a neutral territory.

“Clubs from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates should be played on a home and away basis in 2018 as per the AFC regulations,” AFC said in a statement published on its website.

Source: Aljazeera.com

By:SIGURD NEUBAUER The EU will host a meeting in Brussels on Jan. 31 of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (ADLC), the 15-member body that is the principal policy-level coordination mechanism for development assistance for the Palestinian people.

Invitations have gone out to the foreign ministers of the EU, the Arab League and the members of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to rally international support for the Palestinian cause and for the urgent need to secure a two-state solution.

The meeting comes at a time of continuing dismay over the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and the cut in US funding for UNRWA, the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees.

While political leaders in Israel and Palestine await US President Donald Trump’s

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Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

Edited by: Naseer Pirzada

women

WORLD

Do You Know ? Muslim Women: 7 Things That Might Surprise You friendship. I find that on public transport in the west, women in hijab are often more ready to chat with me than women in western dress. Western women are usually more focused on their phones or tablets. Dress choices that may look intimidating to us are usually about modesty. And Muslim women are very often fashion-conscious. For example, in Cairo women want to wear bright, matching colours and patterns of dress and scarf. In places where most women seem to be wearing look-alike full-length dark coats, they give careful attention to differences of style, material and buttons, and subtler colour variations. In Asia I watched TV proDr. Moyra Dale grams showing how to tie headscarves as uslim women are one of the most trendy fashion statements. And in womentalked-about groups in the world. Yet only space, the most conservative black overmost of Muslim women I know are very dif- garments may be taken off to show designer ferent from the stereotypes. wear underneath.

It should be obvious, yet Muslim women are often presented as different, exotic, or even a symbol of backwardness. A Middle Eastern secondary teacher urged me, “Tell women in the West that Muslim women are like them, in their family and community, their life and work. There are educated Muslim women, doctors, lawyers, teachers, workers—we’re all the same.” Personally, I find our common femaleness gives me a shared bond with Muslim women everywhere. I’ve had some great times hanging out with Muslim friends and enjoy being with them. In the west you see women sitting together in coffee shops, leaning forward, intently listening, talking about relationships, family, clothes and cooking. Muslim women talk about exactly sometimes hear Muslim women described the same things when they get together. It’s a as powerless and oppressed, but that isn’t common language of women world-wide. I the full picture. Even in very conservative attended a mosque women’s program in the societies, if women face restrictions in pubMiddle East for a couple of years, and much lic areas, men also face restrictions on their of the content was similar to what I’d hear entry, and movement in women’s domestic from women in many church discussions— space, especially beyond their own immedibringing up children and taking time for ate families. Women’s status can often change prayer and reading (their) scriptures. They significantly over a lifetime. A young bride also talked about how to live godly lives in living in the home of her husband’s parents the pressure of the world, or with spouses, may not have much power. However, when who weren’t religious. she has a son, and when her son grows up and gets married, that changes. A friend who had worked in the Middle East told me that whenever anything needed doing, or paperwork signed, they would ask the women, and it would happen. Older women, particularly mothers, can be significant power brokers in an extended family.

They’re Not So Different

M

I

A Sense of Fashion Might be Inherent

They Can be Power Brokers

A Deep Concern for Purity

T

his includes moral purity. Often they are worried about the risks of exposure to the sexual freedoms of western culture, and may assume it characterizes all the western women they meet. Feel free to share your own concern about living according to biblical standards in the face of pressure from the contemporary culture.

It also includes physical purity. Physical impurity prevents Muslims from carrying out their basic religious duties of prayer, fasting, reading the Qur’an. Careful washing rituals are the means to restore purity. And defiled conditions affect women much more than men (any kind of emission from the body, whether solid, liquid or gas, is a cause of impurity). So all Muslims become impure and must wash to gain purity every day. Moreover, women become impure for a week each month. This is very different to western understanding. But the people in Jesus’ day constantly thought about purity and requirements for washing before religious duties. It means a lot to tell our friends about Mark 5, where Jesus heals from unclean spirits, and how he isn’t defiled by the woman with the flow of blood. Nor is he unclean from touching a dead body (according to Jewish rules of the time). Rather, he heals a woman, gives life to a dead girl, and purity of heart to all of us.

I

“Mama’s Boy” isn’t an Insult in Islam

n many Muslim societies, a stronger relational bond is one between mother and son. A’isha, Muhammad’s favourite wife, and source of many quotes that shape Muslim life and society, is reported as saying: “The person who has the greatest right over the woman is her husband, and the person who has the greatest right over the man is his mother.”

Marriage ties are often not as strong as family blood ties. The mother-son relationship may be a more significant line of influence than the husband-wife one. When I was encouraging young women to come to literacy classes, it was more often mothers or sisters-in-law (not husbands), who might prevent them from attending.

Opening Soon M any wear the hijab (head covering), all kinds of versions of it—and many don’t. While hijab can mean ‘veiling’ or ‘screening,’ we shouldn’t let it screen us from

Family Welfare is a Major Concern

M

uslim women often carry much of the responsibility for family welfare—health of family members, harmony in relationships, and success of children. These can be deep daily concerns for women, especially in countries without good health facilities or education, facing issues of drought or war. Women may be more anxious about these areas than about theological issues or questions. So they are very conscious of the many negative forces that can affect them and their families. In some places this includes fear of others’ envy, or the ‘evil eye’ that can bring bad luck. I have friends with PhD’s from Western universities, who use a blue bead for protection against the evil eye.

Fear may also extend beyond this life. A common quote from Muhammad says, “I saw the c majority of inhabitants of hell were women.”

I

Women Like to Tell Stores

n conversations, stories are often used to make a point or solve a problem.

Shehrezade was the intelligent and resourceful woman in “A Thousand And One Nights” who used stories to change the mind of the king, save her own life, thousands of other women. We can tell stories about Jesus, any place, any time, especially about the many women he cared for. Muslim women, like us, are image-bearers of God, so we love them as people created and loved by God. In all our lives and cultures there are things that fall short of what God has made us to be. So we pray for them, as for ourselves, for God’s e redemption in Christ of all that falls Source: short of His glory.

Source: www.zwemercenter.com

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Local/Afghan NEWS

MAWO starts off 2018 demanding an end Deadline looms for Afghan refugees in Pakistan to the new era of war and occupation!

By:Janine Solanki In only the first few weeks, 2018 has already proven to be one of increasing war and occupation. The US government and its allies are leading an aggressive campaign of threats and genocidal sanctions against North Korea. Yemen continues to face the world’s worst humanitarian crisis with daily bombing from US-backed Saudi Arabia. Iran is also once again a primary target of US government war-mongering.

Yemen today is in the grip of a devastating humanitarian crisis. The World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled the cholera epidemic in Yemen as the worst in the world, which is now at over one million cases. On top of this, Yemen is facing famine, which UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock warns will be “the largest famine the world has seen for many decades, with millions of victims.” All of this is not by chance, but as a direct consequence of the US-backed Saudi Arabian war against Yemen, which has seen routine bombings hitting homes and critical infrastructure including hospitals and sanitation systems. Saudi Arabia has also imposed a land, sea and air blockade on Yemen, creating shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies and limiting desperately needed humanitarian aid from entering the country.

On January 27, Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) gathered activists and peace-loving people together for an antiwar rally and petition drive. MAWO has been organizing these demonstrations every month for over 14 years, campaigning for an end to the new era of war and occupation, which features the United States and its allies organizing for war, occupation, sanctions, and threats against oppressed nations. Since the beginning of the so-called “war on ter-

ror” in September 2001, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Palestine, Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, Iran, and many others have all been targets of American led campaigns for more war and destruction.

During the January 27 action in downtown Vancouver, activists approached passers-by, inviting them to add their signatures to a petition demanding that Canada end its $15 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia. The deal is for so-called “light” armored vehicles which in reality are heavily armed military vehicles, similar to ones which Saudi Arabia has used to crush protests in Bahrain and against its own people. MAWO’s information table was busy with people stopping to find out more and to open discussions with organizers, attracted by banners setup demanding “US/ Saudi Arabia Hands off Yemen!” and “US and Canada Hands off North Korea!” To wrap up the rally MAWO chair Alison Bodine spoke, bringing in more people at the busy downtown plaza, against the increasing wars and occupations and encouraging people to get involved to organize against these wars and for the self-determination of all oppressed nations!

MAWO encourages all peace-loving people join events and actions against this new era of war and occupation. To find out more visit www.mawovancouver.org of follow MAWO on Facebook and Twitter @MAWOVan.

By:by Asad Hashim Islamabad, Pakistan – A deadline on the validity of legal refugee status for many Afghan residents in Pakistan is due to expire, throwing into doubt the futures of more than a million refugees, many of whom have lived in the country for decades.

The deadline is due to expire on Wednesday, with Pakistan’s federal cabinet expected to discuss the matter during a weekly meeting.

Separately, Afghan Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak and intelligence chief Mohamed Masoom Stanekzai also arrived in the Pakistani capital Islamabad for talks on Wednesday.

Pakistan has extended the validity of Afghan refugees’ ‘Proof of Registration’ (PoR) cards at least six times in the past, but the last extension - granted on January 3, days after the refugees’ status expired - was for only a month, the shortest ever awarded.

“Pakistan’s economy has carried the burden of hosting Afghan refugees since long and in the present circumstances cannot sustain it further,” read a government statement released after that extension.

The refugees have become a bone of contention in the increasing souring diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the United States, with the South Asian country accusing them of being a “security risk”.

On Thursday, following a US drone strike in the northwestern Pakistani district of

Kurram, Pakistan’s military said that the target had been hiding in an Afghan refugee camp. ”This validates Pakistan’s stance that left over terrorists easily morph into Afghan refugees’ camps/complexes,” the military said in a statement.

“Thus their early and dignified return to Afghanistan is essential.”

Refugee push factors Pakistan is home to at least 1.38 million registered Afghan refugees, according to the UNHCR. There are at least another million refugees estimated to be outside the formal refugee registration system.

“The 2.3 million refugees in Pakistan, it is impossible for all of them to go back immediately,” says Baryali Miankhel, the president of an Afghan refugee welfare organisation in the northwestern province of KhyberPakhtunkhwa, where most reside. “We have told the Pakistani government this.”

Last year, more than 150,000 refugees left Pakistan to return to their native Afghanistan. Of those, more than 59,000 were registered refugees assisted by the UNHCR, while the rest either spontaneously returned or were deported by Pakistan.

UNHCR says it is concerned at the increasingly shorter durations of extensions being offered to Afghan refugees regarding their legal status in the country.

Source: aljazeera.com/news

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Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

immigrati o n

Deadline for Parents and Grandparents Program’s Interest to Sponsor form is February 1

Interest to Sponsor form is the first step in sponsoring process Canadian citizens and permanent residents interested in sponsoring their parents or grandparents for permanent residence have until February 1 to submit their Interest to Sponsor form.The form will be available until 12 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 1.The Interest to Sponsor form is not an ap-

plication but completing it is the first step in the sponsoring process. Once the February 1 deadline has passed, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will begin randomly selecting and inviting interested sponsors to apply to the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP).

IRCC says its aim is to receive 10,000 new sponsorship applications in 2018.Through

the PGP, Canadian citizens and permanent residents over the age of 18 can sponsor their parents and grandparents for Canadian permanent residence. All interested sponsors are asked to first review the eligibility requirements to ensure they qualify for the PGP, including its income requirements. In order to complete the Interest to Sponsor form, interested sponsors must declare that they have

the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) to support those they hope to sponsor.

The MNI is as follows for interested sponsors in every Canadian province and territory other than Quebec, which has its own income requirements. Interested sponsors must provide proof that they meet the minimum income requirements for each of the last three taxation years. c Source: icnews.com

CRS cut-off score of 444 in latest Express Entry draw and 2,750 candidates invited to apply The Government of Canada has invited 2,750 Express Entry candidates to apply for permanent residence in a draw that took place January 24.The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score for this draw was 444, a reduction of two points from the previous Express Entry draw on January 10, which had a CRS cut-off score of 446.

As with the the five previous draws, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) employed a tie-break rule. In this

case, the time and date of the tie-break was January 17, 2018 at 12:33:00 UTC. This means that all candidates with a CRS score above 444, as well as those candidates with scores of 444 who entered their profile in the Express Entry pool before this time, will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

Both the first and second draws of 2018 already have CRS scores well below the first two draws of 2017, which went on to set a number of Express Entry records. As part of its three-year immigration levels plan unveiled last November, IRCC has set an

admissions target of 74,900 for Express Entry for 2018, an increase of 3,200 over its target for 2017.If the higher admissions target for 2018 translates into more frequent draws, that could also mean further recordbreaking CRS cut-off scores. The start of 2018 has also seen activity among Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams in Manitoba and Ontario.

Such PNPs are becoming an increasingly popular fast-track option for Express Entry candidates. On January 22, Ontario’s Human Capital Priorities Stream issued 340 Notifi-

cations of Interest to Express Entry candidates who had submitted their profile between January 1 and January 19. On January 11, Manitoba’s Express Entry Pathway issued 155 Letters of Advice to Apply to Express Entry candidates who have also submitted a profile with the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP).

Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination receive an additional 600 CRS points, putting them well within reach of an ITA in a subsequent draw.

Source:www.cicnews.com

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure VICTORIA – All those seeking to provide commercial passenger transportation services in Metro Vancouver, or anywhere in B.C., must respect the current regulatory and legal system in British Columbia.

New “ride hail” services and passenger transportation options cannot operate at the expense of passenger and driver safety.

Several companies operating under the names Longmao, Udi Kuaiche, U Drop, RaccoonGo, GoKabu, Dingdang Carpool and AO Rideshare have developed ride-sourcing apps. These companies have been recruiting drivers to operate their personal vehicles as

commercial passenger-directed vehicles on the Lower Mainland.

It is important that drivers providing commercial transportation services through these social media apps understand they are assuming all of the risk related to providing the service. It is the driver, not the app companies, that are operating illegally and are subject to penalties and fines of $1,150.

These drivers are subject to possible further sanctions for not disclosing the commercial use of their vehicles to lease and insurance providers.

Passengers must know that when they hail a ride in a vehicle through these apps, they are

choosing to take a trip in a vehicle that has not been licensed to operate legally in British Columbia. Current provincial and municipal regulatory requirements include: • a regular, government-approved safety inspection of the vehicle; • insurance that will cover the carrying of paying passengers; and • a police background check for drivers.

The Passenger Transportation Branch continues to investigate and issue penalties to these operators. To date, over 20 cease-anddesist orders have been issued and 23 fines of $1,150 have been given to drivers identified as operating without a licence.

If you have questions or concerns, or want to make a report about these services, please contact the Passenger Transportation Branch at 604 527-2198, or email: passengertransportationbr@gov.bc.ca

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Province taking action against illegal ride-hailing services

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H

Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

h ea l t h

Learn more about February Heart Month

eart and Stroke Foundation History More than 63 years ago, a visionary group of Canadians, including physicians and researchers, established the National Heart Foundation of Canada with big hopes for the future.

They had a dream: to put heart health on the public agenda, to empower researchers to turn the tide on heart disease, and to educate Canadians about their hearts. With the emergence of Ontario’s Foundation in 1952 and British Columbia’s three years later, a network soon began to develop across the country. In 1956, the Quebec and Saskatchewan Foundations were established. In 1961, the Foundation was renamed the Canadian Heart Foundation.

After decades of growth in influence and impact on the health of Canadians, the Heart and Stroke Foundation reached its latest milestone in 2011, when the national office and nine independent provincial bodies united to become

one strong, national organization.

Today, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada is at work in communities from coast to coast, with: • More than 130,000 volunteers • Close to two million donors Since 1956, the Foundation has raised and invested more than $1.3 billion in leading-edge heart disease and stroke research. These impressive results have been made possible by the ongoing and valuable efforts of volunteers and donors across this country.

Heart Month - History

The Heart Month campaign began in 1958 when the Foundation, led by Dr. Wilfred Bigelow, committed to raise $600,000 to fund heart research. In Ontario, volunteers in Hamilton, Kingston, Lakehead, London, Oakville, Oshawa, Peterborough and Port Hope launched a modest door-to-door campaign to raise a provincial goal of $250,000. By the end of the campaign, they had exceeded goal and raised $320,000.In 1962, the canvass – named the “Heart Sunday Canvass” – was expanded to include additional cities. Canvassers consisted primarily of Air Cadet Squadrons, Ladies’ Auxiliary and Canadian Legion branches and medi-

“Whilst it is great that smokers try to cut down — and they should be positively encouraged to do so — in order to get the big benefits on cardiovascular disease they need to quit completely,” he said by email.

The findings were published in the medical journal BMJ. Tobacco kills about seven million people worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization.

About two million of those deaths are due to cardiovascular disease, mainly coronary heart attacks and stroke.

Earlier research suggested that smoking a few cigarettes a day was linked to a higherthan-expected risk of heart disease, but findings were inconclusive.

To probe deeper, a team of scientists led by Hackshaw analyzed the results of 141 stud-

ies, estimating the relative risk of one, five or 20 cigarettes a day. They found that men who lit up once a day had 46 percent of the excess risk of heart disease associated with smoking a full pack a day, much higher than expected.

For strokes, the excess risk was 41 percent.

For reasons that are not fully understood, the risk for women was somewhat smaller — 31 and 34 percent, respectively.

“It could be a mixture of biological difference and differences in lifestyle,” said Hackshaw.

Overall, long-term smoking shortens life expectancy by 12-15 years.

“This well conducted study confirms what epidemiologists have suspected but few among the public have,” commented University of Oxford professor Paul Aveyard, who was not involved in the research.

“The implication is obvious — anyone who

cal students from the University of Toronto.

Today, the February Heart Month canvass is a national, community-based fundraising campaign. The success of this program depends on its over 100,000 volunteers, who make friendly, personal requests to their neighbours and online networks. Volunteers canvass for donations through the month of February, to support life-saving research and raise awareness of heart disease and stroke within their communities.

Today, heart disease and stroke take one life every 7 minutes and 90% of Canadians have at least one risk factor. Heart Month is the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s key opportunity to reach millions of Canadians in February and alert them to the risks of heart disease and stroke. Volunteers are the face and the voice of the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Heart Month is a critical time when we depend on you to share our message.

Heart attack risk high with one cigarette a day: study

J

By MARLOWE HOOD | AFP ust one cigarette a day carries nearly half the risk for heart attack and stroke as smoking a full pack of 20, according to a large-scale study published Thursday.

“If someone smokes one cigarette instead of 20 per day, intuitively we’d think that the risk drops to 1/20, or five percent,” said lead author Allan Hackshaw, a professor at University College London, whose paper analyzed 141 previous studies.

“This seems to be the case for lung cancer, but is not true for heart attacks and stroke, where one cigarette per day carries around 50 percent of the risk of a pack a day,” Smokers should not be fooled, in other words, into thinking that a few cigarettes a day — or even just one — carries little or no long term harm, he added.

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At the same time, he added, it would be wrong to conclude that cutting down is useless.

“There is more reason to believe that lower cigarette consumption will reduce the risk of chronic lung disease and lung cancer, the other two big causes of early death from smoking,” he said via Britain’s Science Media Center.

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Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

LIFESTYLE

Kashmir Solidarity Day 5th February

K

ashmir Day or Kashmir Solidarity Day is a public holiday in Pakistan on February 5 each year.It is a day dedicated to show Pakistan’s support and unity with the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir, their ongoing freedom struggle, and to pay homage to Kashmiri martyrs who lost their lives fighting for Kashmir’s freedom.

What Do People Do?

Kashmir Day is observed by people throughout Pakistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK). It is an internationally recognized day observed by people, predominantly Kashmiris, worldwide. The day is marked by public processions, special prayers in mosques for the liberation of Kashmir and protests that are carried out against the Indian oppression of Kashmir.

Kashmir Day is also of particular political importance to major political and religious parties in both Pakistan and AJK. Processions, rallies, conferences and seminars are organized by many political and religious parties where politicians, heads of religious organizations, opinion leaders, and influential public figures address the masses and speak to support the Kashmiri freedom movement. These leaders and spokespeople also advocate a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue. Long marches, and rallies sponsored by political organizations, religious parties and other organizations are held, in which people chant slogans to support the Kashmiri freedom struggle and to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people.

Another common spectacle is the formation of a human chain on all major routes leading to AJK from Pakistan. People stand in rows with their hands clasped forming a human chain on all major crossings into AJK from Pakistan. This symbolizes unity and solidarity to reassure Kashmiris that they are not alone in their struggle for freedom.

Special cultural programs and festivals are also held to promote Kashmiri culture and tradition. News and entertainment channels air special programs, talk shows, dramas and Kashmiri songs about the oppression and brutalities suffered by Kashmiris over the years. Educational institutions organize debate competitions and dialogue forums where students express their views and ideas for resolving Kashmiri-related issues.

Public Life

Kashmir Day is a public holiday in Pakistan and AJK. Government offices (federal and provincial), banks, educational institutions and businesses remain closed. However,

• 1948: India takes the Kashmir problem to the United Nations (UN) Security Council on 1 January.

• 1949: On 1 January, a ceasefire between Indian and Pakistani forces leaves India in control of most of the valley, as well as Jammu and Ladakh, while Pakistan gains control of part of Kashmir including what Pakistan calls “Azad” Kashmir and Northern territories. Pakistan claims it is merely supporting an indigenous rebellion in “Azad” Kashmir and Northern Territories against repression, while India terms that territory

as POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir).

• 1949: On 5 January 1949, UNCIP (United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan) resolution states that the question of the accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan will be decided through a free and impartial plebiscite.

As per the 1948 and 1949 UNCIP Resolutions, both countries accept the principle, that Pakistan secures the withdrawal of Pakistani intruders followed by withdrawal of Pakistani and Indian forces, as a basis for the formulation of a Truce agreement whose details are to be arrived in future, followed by a plebiscite; However, both countries fail to arrive at a Truce agreement due to differences in interpretation of the procedure for and extent of demilitarisation one of them being whether the Azad Kashmiri army is to be disbanded during the truce stage or the plebiscite stage.

• 1949: On 17 October, the Indian Constituent Assembly adopts Article 370 of the Constitution, ensuring a special status and internal autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, with Indian jurisdiction in Kashmir limited to the three areas agreed in the IOA, namely, defence, foreign affairs and communications.

• 1951: First post-independence elections.

The UN passes a resolution to the effect that such elections do not substitute a plebiscite, because a plebiscite offers the option of choosing between India and Pakistan.

Sheikh Abdullah wins, mostly unopposed.

There are widespread charges of election rigging which continue to plague all the subsequent elections; effectively, the Center would rule the State with the help of its local nominees, imposing an one-party Rule with no avenues for the growth of opposition.

• 1947-1952: Sheikh Abdullah drifts from a position of endorsing accession to India in 1947 to insisting on the self-determination of Kashmiris in 1952. In July 1952, he signs Delhi Agreement with the Central government on Centre-State relationships, providing for autonomy of the State within India and of regions within the State; Article 370 is confirmed and the State is allowed to have its own flag. The domination of Kashmir Valley(which has a 95% Muslim majority and accounts for more than 50% of the total population of Indian J&K)

sein and his family in their integration. Since both Hussein and his wife Amira spoke English fluently, language wasn’t an issue.

However, as with a lot of new immigrants, the biggest challenge for this family was financial. Though the government supported Hussein’s family with a monthly stipend, because the kids’ child tax benefits hadn’t kicked in, their budget was still bare bones.

Both of Hussein’s kids were placed in a school that was not walking distance from their rental apartment. This was a a very trying time for Hussein because he couldn’t afford to buy bus passes for them. Saima presented their case to the Muslim Food Bank program coordinator, Hiba Ali, hoping she will be able to provide some support at least temporarily.

Hiba was familiar with Hussein’s case and was keenly aware of what their monthly income and expenses were. She also knew that after all the bills are paid, Mustafa had only $200 left for food for the entire month.

Hiba had already arranged two weeks worth bus tickets for the Nazaris in the past yet she provided them bus tickets for another two weeks. Thankfully, as of September the family will be moving closer to the kids’ school so they will no longer have to commute.

A lady reached out to the Muslim Food

Bank saying she wants to help out. Since shedidn’t have time to volunteer she offered to provide monetary help to a family in need.

When Saima told her about Hussein and his family, she became very eager to assist. She spoke to her family and friends who came to gether to chip in a total of $400. Hussein was very grateful for receiving the support and used the cash to purchase food supplies for his family.

To Saima, being able to volunteer for the Muslim Food Bank has been a truly rewarding experience. For starters, she feels that Hiba goes above and beyond in supporting her efforts to help her clients. What’s more, she has a newfound gratitude for the blessings in her life.

“Working with this family made me a more grateful person,” Saima asserts. “For instance, we take it for granted that our laundry will be conveniently done in our washer and dryer. This family has to carry their clothes to a Laundromat.”

Saima is really glad she signed up to volunteer for the Muslim Food Bank and hasn’t looked back since.“I just felt the need to give. It was a calling and that’s when this opportunity came up. My husband and I

some multinational companies continue normal business activities on this day.

Public transport is available throughout the day, but traffic congestion is common in major cities. Major roads and streets remain blocked because of Kashmir Day parades and processions.

Background There is a part of Kashmir called Azad Jammu Kashmir (Azad means “Liberated” in Urdu). Many Indians call it PakistanOccupied Kashmir. Officially Pakistan recognizes AJK as a separate state, having its own parliament, head of state and governing institutions.

Kashmir Day was first observed in 1990 on call of Nawaz Sharif, who was the opposition leader and chief minister of Punjab at the time. Sharif appealed for a nationwide strike to protest against the Indian occupation of Kashmir and called for people to pray for the Kashmiri freedom movement’s success. The Pakistan People’s Party then declared February 5 as a public holiday and Kashmir Day has since been observed every year.

Symbols

The Kashmir valley is metaphorically referred to as “heaven on earth”. The valley is shown in modern art as being engulfed by flames, depicting unrest, uproar and peril in heaven. The valley is also shown to be surrounded by a barbed wire drenched in blood. This illustrates human rights violations in Kashmir.

Note: The information in this article is from reliable sources, including from government and news sources. However, timeanddate.com does not take political views on the history behind the events mentioned in this article.

Kashmir:Nuclear Flashpoint.1948-1954 Timeline Map of Jammu and Kashmir

and Abdullah’s land reforms create discontent in Jammu and Ladakh; An agitation is launched in the Hindu-majority Jammu region against the Delhi Agreement and in favour of full accession with the Indian Union; the movement is withdrawn later, due to pressure from the Center; Secessionist sentiments in the Valley and communalism in Jammu feed each other.

•1953-1954:In 1953, the governments of India and Pakistan agree to appoint a Plebiscite Administrator by the end of April 1954.

Abdullah procrastinates in confirming the accession of Kashmir to India. In August 1953, Abdullah is dismissed and arrested.

Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed is installed in power, who then gets the accession formally ratified in 1954.

Pakistan and US sign a Mutual Defence Assistance Agreement in May 1954; Nehru states that he is concerned about the coldwar alignments and that such an alliance affects the Kashmir issue. India would resist plebiscite efforts from then on. Kashmiri activists continue to insist on the promised self-determination.

• Balraj Puri, Kashmir: Towards Insurgency, New Delhi 1993, p.19.

• Prem Nath Bazaz, Democracy through Intimidation and Terror, New Delhi: Heritage Publishers, 1978, p.15.

In September 1954, Pakistan joins SEATO (South East Asian Treaty Organization) and later CENTO (Central Treaty Organization) in 1955, aligning herself with US, UK, Turkey and Iran. From 1955, Indo-Soviet relations become closer with India receiving Soviet military aid and later the Soviet would veto the 1962 UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir in favour of India.

Alastair Lamb, Kashmir A Disputed Legacy 1846-1990, Roxford 1991, pp.227-231 Sources: http://www.kashmirlibrary.org

“Service Leads to Gratitude” Newly-Arrived Syrian Refugees Give Volunteer a New Perspective

M

oving to a new place can be an exciting time for a family but for Hussein Nazari and his young family moving to Canada meant something entirely different. It meant finding refuge in a place where he would no longer have to worry for his family’s safety day in and day out. It also meant being uprooted from the place he called home and being separated from those he loved with very little prospect of being able to even visit them.

Regardless, the pros far outweighed the cons.

Until a few years ago, Hussein had only ever heard the term refugee on television but for the past four years, Hussein learned firsthand the misery and despair that the R-word comes with. After years of being displaced due to the ongoing civil war, Hussein finally got the news he was looking forward to. He, his wife and two kids were offered asylum in Canada, a country he knew very little about. All he had heard was that Canadians are generous and their leader is a true humanitarian. With this hope, he packed the bit of belongings he had and got on the plane that flew him and his family across continents, all the way to Vancouver.

Not long after their arrival, the Muslim Food Bank & Community Services assigned caseworker Saima Hashim to support Hus-

MFB Success Stories

work on cases together,” Saima said with a spark in her eyes.

Hussein has had quite a bit of progress in the first few months since he arrived in Canada.

Last week, he was accepted into a role in an architecture firm with a three-month probation period. “He has taken this up work so he can get some cash flowing and get Canadian experience,” Saima states. Saima feels that supporting this family as well as other people in need has been a great privilege of her life and she thanks the Muslim Food Bank for creating such a great platform.

These are real stories where our volunteers have an impact on members of our community helping them progress in their lives.

InshaAllah next week we will bring you another story. Please join us to have a purpose in your life to make a difference in the lives of your brothers and sisters by coming to our events and registering as a volunteer or donating to your organization, the Muslim Food Bank and Community Services Society (usually referred to as Muslim Food Bank) at www.muslimfoodbank.com/donate. Our email is contact@muslimfoodbank.com and telephone number is 1-866-824-2525

20

Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

women

Pakistani Canadian Women’s Society welcomed Hon. Senator Salma Ataullahjan

By: Ayesha Qureshi Pakistani Canadian Women’s Society recently welcomed special guest Honorable Senator Salma Ataullahjan to a gathering that included an informal style interview segment and a chance for attendees to engage with the Senator following the discussion. The discourse included topics such as political reforms, bridging the differences between Muslim and mainstream perspectives, gender wage inequality issues, immigration, challenges facing the community and the progress that has been made thus far.

The highlight of the evening was the Q&A sessions giving students, members of PCWS and invited guests from the community an opportunity to participate in dialogue with

the Senator.

The get-together was also the platform for the Senator to recognize significant efforts and contributions made by members of the PCWS since its inception by awarding pins.

As a token of appreciation, the Government of Canada commissions pins for parliamentarians to award to individuals to recognize their achievements. The pin is made with the original copper that covered the roofs of he center block of Parliament Hill, a true Canadian symbol.

Recipients recognized were Rukhsana Shariq, Farzana Alam, Babra Rana and Almas Ali for truly embodying Canada 150’s theme of promoting a diverse and inclusive Canada.

Children and Depression !

By: Asma Shums, Mortgage Broker As parents, we are often worried about our children’s safety. We usually worry about situations that are spread across the spectrum of injuries that are humanly possible for a child to suffer.

For example, we constantly worry if our child has fallen of their bike and suffered a scrape on their knee, whether their friends are good influences, their eyesight when they watch television to the really dangerous scenarios we fantasize about such as kidnapping or accidents on their way to school. We, however, fail to watch out for the deadly killer in our child lives that often comes unannounced and hides without a trace for us to follow. Depression. We have duties as parents to protect our children, to strengthen them, provide all the necessary tools to be upstanding citizens. Along these remarkable life lessons, we should be also nurturing them to be mentally strong to open their feelings to us and vision us as their safe space. Depression can have many signs and symptoms and often none at all. One would usually be reminded to look for changes in their child’s moods- is he/she increasingly sad? Reclusive? Silent? Crying?

Often our children can appear as their normal self and hide the war waging inside their minds rather impressively. So what can we do?

1.Create a Space with Warmth, Care, Love, and Unwavering Support.

Proper parental support is allowing your child to open up to you without discounting their feelings as invalid. Try asking your child openended questions that allow them to describe the event or feelings rather than a simple yes or no answer. Avoid trying to correct your child’s emotions and instead focusing on listening and providing encouragement and positivity. This allows your child to vent to their biggest supporter while learning to engage in their emotions to be a stronger individual.

2.Teach and Practice Emotional Strength Your child has learnt almost everything in this world through his or her parents. They have learnt to walk, to mitigate arguments, to compromise, to develop relationships, and most importantly deal with anger and disappointment

through you. By encouraging the practice of mindfulness, parents can teach their children the importance of recognizing consequences of their actions on others. Additionally, when faced with an aggravating situation practicing mindfulness and calmness in your response your child can learn responding to stressful situations with strength and not relying on drugs, alcohol, or other destructive behavior.

3.Encourage and Facilitate Positive Relationships Humans are social animals and we need people around us to lead a positive and healthy life.

Encourage your children to form friendships with their friends in school or extracurricular activities. By exposing your children to peers, you give them the tool to assess how others are progressing in life and options which they can make for themselves. Taking risks and facing challenges is the key to becoming an emotionally strong individual. Try not to control your children and managing their relationships.

4.Encourage your Children to do Better no matter what THAT is Parents in most communities are guilty of forcing their children to follow a set map of success that has been fed down through generations as the ultimate formula to be happy.

Becoming a doctor, lawyer, or banker is not the key to a happy life, but may be for some people.

Encourage your children to practise arts, sciences, activities, or anything else they might show inclination towards.

There is no “one solution fits all” for battling teens with depression or mental health issues but we can play a big part as the catalyst for it or medicine for our children. Always rememberthey need to know you love them and want only the best for them. Sometimes this might be best conveyed through putting ourselves in our teen bodies and reminding ourselves how this approach would feel if done by our parents.

Importance - Self Respect!

Shabnam Khan – Family Counsellor

S

elf-respect is crucial to self-care because it protects you from settling for less when you deserve the best.

This is toxic to how you view yourself and how you allow others to treat you, your values and your boundaries. If you allow others to trample over your expectations constantly, you’re debasing your worth and your self-esteem. You might be afraid that if you have high standards for yourself, people might perceive you as a high-maintenance person and even abandon you in the process. In fact, it’s probably a good thing that they do that and reveal that earlier during your important journey. At the end of the day, your opinion of yourself and what you deserve is all that truly matters to you in your life. Having high standards for yourself, your career and relationships protects you in the long-run. Think of some things that fall below your standards as bad experiences. You’re not getting what you need and want out of it, but the person on the other side is.

It’s not worth the time and your energy if someone else is benefiting from the positive return.

Life is too short to waste your energy by allocating resources into goals that are not truly your own. Caring for ourselves means remaining authentic and recognizing our true passion. Don’t be pressured into picking a certain career path just because society says it’s the right one for you, don’t always settle for jobs just because they’ll pay the rent, don’t pursue a major just because of its financial rewards unless it’s something that really interests you. Sometimes, you will have to do what you have to do in order to survive - but be sure you’re still

looking for ways to imp r o v e yourself and progress to s o m e thing better and s o m e thing that represents your true self. Setting aside time to pursue your dreams is important because these are things no one can take away from you. You own the right to all your dreams and the ability to make them come true.

At the end, it’s all about you - about your uniqueness - about your dreams!

The key is to still be practical, but also to be passionate. You were not meant to live this life doing just what is required to survive, you were meant to live life valuing your dreams. Don’t be afraid of failure, because failure is a learning experience that will strengthen you and prepare you to do better in the future. Would you rather sit around and live in the regret of not knowing what would’ve happened if you had tried or would you rather lead an exciting life by taking on risks and challenges that will ultimately lead you towards reaching your dreams.

It’s never late to start Living Your Dreams!

Master’s Practitioner in Counselling Psychology Registered Professional Counsellor For any inquiries please email at shabnam@skcounselling.ca

21

Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

YOUTH

This Valentine’s Day, Renew your vows of love ur Prophet (S) is too great, and his image and reputation even are too great, to be at all affected by the few years back controversy over the cartoons. It is heartening to see that love for him (S) is alive and well, that there are some things Muslims just won’t stand for...because unfortunately lately we’ve put up with a lot of oppression and injustice, without doing anything about it.

So we should be glad that hopefully this has woken some of us up, re-awakened our feelings for the Prophet (SAW).

But true love is not something shown only on occasions like this. The reaction of some Muslims reminds one of a teenager who punches out some bully at school for insulting his mom, but who himself, on a daily basis, disobeys and disrespects his Mom. How many people who are upset today about the cartoons don’t actually even pray Fajr on time? How many who are angry about the cartoons continue to do things they know are against what the Prophet(S) wanted for them - \continue to entertain relationships with the opposite sex, talk about who’s hot and who’s not...act nothing like his followers, most of the time.

And yet, we claim to love him(S).

It’s almost Valentine’s Day so let me ask: would any wife appreciate being given a huge bouquet on Valentine’s Day and being ignored the rest of the year?

Would any husband appreciate being given a box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day, and ignored the rest of the year? For that matter, would any mother appreciate being given a card and gift, even a diamond ring, on Mother’s Day, and forgotten the rest of the year?

In a marriage, you are expected to be true to the person you marry, in good time and bad times, when it’s easy...and when it’s hard - and not just on Valentine’s Day. After all, you’ve heard many times, the bride and groom being asked: “Do you take this person to be your wedded [husband/wife] to live together

O

Do you promise to love, comfort, honor and keep [him/her] For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.

And forsaking all others,be faithful only to him/her till death do you part?”

To which they answer: “I do.” (This is a Medieval European tradition - to utter these vows). These vows are beautiful, if only people in the west actually kept to them.

But we find, even in relationships between men and women, there is not much loyalty anymore...even though everyone is obsessed with the relationship between men and women, they still haven’t figured out that love is not in diamond rings and heartshaped balloons.

Love is in the small things, the daily things, the everyday. True love is in every action, not just the great, but the tiny too, moment after moment, sacrifice after sacrifice. At first it is hard, then once love actually enters the heart, whatever was hard becomes easy And at that point, the Beloved permeates every corner of one’s life, every cell sings his name....

That is love.

Let us turn to an even more important relationship, the one you should have with the Beloved Prophet (S), the topic of all this controversy. Shouldn’t your relationship with the Prophet (S) be even more valuable to you than any other?

Well, the early Sahabas took vows to the Prophet (S) to declare their loyalty.

The Pledge, the Oath, (Bay’a) that 12 early Muslims took declared their allegiance to the Prophet (S): We shall not associate anyone with Allah (The One God): whether in worship, His attributes, His power or His authority. We shall not indulge in adultery, fornication, and practice or propagate any other indecency. We shall not steal or rob anyone We shall not practice the custom of killing children.

We shall not falsely accuse or backbite anyone. We shall not disobey you in good deeds and just cause. We shall always follow you,

Family Day in Canada

F

amily Day is observed in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan on the third Monday of February. In British Columbia, Family Day falls on the second Monday of February. This holiday celebrates the importance of families and family life to people and their communities.

What do people do?

On Family Day, many people plan and take part in activities aimed at the whole family. These include visiting art exhibitions, watching movies, skating on outdoor ice rinks, playing board games and taking part in craft activities. Some communities plan special public events, and art galleries and museums may have reduced price or free entry.

As the weather is usually very cold in February, hot chocolate and freshly baked cookies are popular snacks.

Other people use the long weekend as an opportunity for a short winter break or to travel to visit family members or friends. As Family Day falls on the same date as National Heritage Day (except in British Columbia), some people use the day to explore their personal heritage and family history.

Public life In the provinces of Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia many people have a day off work and schools are generally closed on Family Day. Many businesses and organizations are closed, but post offices may be open. Public transport services may run to their usual or reduced timetables.

In the province of Manitoba, the third Monday of February is a general holiday, known as Louis Riel Day. Many people have a day off work and school and many businesses, organizations and stores are closed. In some communities, stores are open after noon.

Public transport services may run to Sunday or holiday timetables. In rural areas, there may be no services.

In the other provinces and territories of Canada, Family Day is not observed, and

neither the third nor the second Monday in February are holidays there. Businesses, organizations, schools and post offices are open as usual and public transport services run to their normal timetables.

Background Family Day was first held in Canada in the province of Alberta in 1990. It is supposed to reflect the values of family and home that were important to the pioneers who founded Alberta, and give workers the opportunity to spend more time with their families.

Family Day was introduced in Saskatchewan in 2007 and in Ontario in 2008. British Columbia observes Family Day as a statutory holiday for the first time in 2013. One of the reasons for introducing Family Day was that there was a long period when there were no holidays from New Year’s Day until Good Friday.

Holidays to celebrate families are also held in other places around the globe. In the Australian Capital Territory, the first Tuesday of November is known as Family and Community Day. In South Africa, the day after Source; http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/canada/family-day

be it hard or easy, to our liking or not, and we shall act according to your commands. We shall follow and obey your decisions even if it be against ourselves and in favor of others.

We shall not participate in opposing the deserving persons of authority or positions.

We shall support the truth and justice and stand firm under all circumstances.

In matters of Allah’s religion,we shall not be afraid for our name, disrepute, disgrace, or blame. One of the Companions who got to be part of that pledge said: “I witnessed the night of Al-’Aqaba (pledge) with Allah’s Apostle when we pledged for Islam, and I would not exchange it for the Battle of Badr although the Battle of Badr is more popular amongst the people than it (i.e. Al-’Aqaba pledge).”The Battle of Badr is certainly the most famous battle fought by the early Muslims, and was one the Muslims had a great victory in; even though they were far outnumbered, Allah sent Angels to help the Muslims...but here this Companion (R) is saying how dear the pledge was...and what a great honor it was to take it....We too can take that pledge, in our hearts....

in marriage?

Stories for Muslim Kids

By Ahmed man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5 year old son waiting for him at the door.

“Daddy, may I ask you a question?”

“Yeah, sure, what is it?” replied the man.

“Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?”

“That’s none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?” the man said angrily.

“I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?” pleaded the little boy.

“If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour.”

“Oh, ” the little boy replied, head bowed.

Looking up, he said,

A

DADDY – CAN I HAVE $10?

“Daddy, may I borrow $10.00 please?”

The father was furious. “If the only reason you want to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed.

Think about why you’re being so selfish.

I work long, hard hours everyday and don’t have time for such childish games.”

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy’s questioning.

How dare he ask such questions only to get some money. After an hour or so , the man had calmed down, and started to think he

may have been a little hard on his son.

May be there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.00 and he really didn’t ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy’s room and opened the door. “Are you asleep son?” he asked.

“No daddy, I’m awake,” replied the boy.

“I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier,” said the man. “It’s been a long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Here’s that $10.00 you asked for.”

The little boy sat straight up, beaming.

“Oh, thank you daddy!” he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up bills. The man, see-

ing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man.

“Why did you want more money if you already had some?” the father grumbled.

“Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do,” the little boy replied.

“Daddy, I have $20.00 now…

Can I buy an hour of your time?”

Source: http://haqislam.org/

22

Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

P akistan

specia l

444 people killed in encounters under Rao Anwar, claims report

SSP Rao Anwar staged fake encounter: inquiry

KARACHI: A three-man inquiry committee formed to probe the killing of Naseemullah Mehsud alias Naqeebullah Mehsud in Karachi has found that former SSP Rao Anwar staged a fake encounter to eliminate the young man.

The inquiry team was headed by Additional Inspector General Police Counter-Terrorism Department (AIG CTD) Sanaullah Abbasi and included Director Inspector General Police (DIGP) East Zone Sultan Ali Khawaja and Director Inspector General Police (DIGP) South Zone Azad Khan.

The team, citing eyewitness accounts, said Naqeebullah was ‘picked up’ along with two other suspects – Hazrat Ali and Qasim – on January 3 by security personnel in civvies and taken to the Sachal Police Post before being moved to another location.

Bilawal House should be searched to find Rao Anwar: Sattar They were illegally detained and tortured until January 6 when the eyewitnesses were released while Naqeebullah remained in custody.

The eyewitnesses told the inquiry panel that they came to know of Naqeebullah’s death in an ‘encounter’ from media reports on January 17, as did his family. The latter challenged the claims made by SSP Rao Anwar that Naqeebullah was a ‘terrorist’.

According to the report, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, the committee found no evidence of Naqeebullah’s hand in any terror activities.

“His social media profile shows him as a liberal and fun-loving young man with a penchant for modelling,” the report added.

Five-member committee to investigate Naqeeb’s killing The report concluded that considering the suspect was moved from different locations until being killed on January 13, the encoun-

ter is prima facie fake.

The committee also pointed out that suspended SSP Rao Anwar persistently avoided attending the inquiry proceedings.

Despite being contacted through mobile phone and wireless controls, he “deliberately avoided joining the inquiry proceedings”.

On Jan 22, Anwar was called for a meeting with the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), which was on a fact-finding visit on the instructions of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq at the Central Police Office but he “stayed away” from the meeting.

Where the former SPP consistently failed to show up in investigation meetings, he remained in touch with the media.

“He constantly appeared on the media for interviews,” the report said.

“He kept on interacting with the media, giving an impression that he was not called by the committee.”

SSP Anwar suspended over Naqeeb’s murder “He showed extreme indiscipline and disobeyed the lawful commands by officials,” the report added.

The committee observed that Rao Anwar was “constantly trying to hamper and obstruct the process of justice”.

They also mentioned his attempt to flee the country from the Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad on forged documents, knowing that he was being “investigated for serious allegations and is bound by law to join the proceedings”.

In its recommendations, the body has asked for protection for the witnesses, as it stated that both Ali and Qasim were reluctant to appear during the inquiry as they feared for their lives.

They were convinced by the Mehsud community to participate in the investigations.

The inquiry found through the call detail record (CDRs) analysis that Anwar and his close aides – namely SIP Marwat, SIP Shoaib, SIP Muhammad Anar, ASI Khair

Muhammad, ASI Hussain, HC Faisal Mehmood, HC Abbass and PC Shamim – were present on the scene of the alleged encounter or in its vicinity.

Imran Khan links ‘extrajudicial killing’ by Rao Anwar to politicians The committee has further recommended that as an FIR has been registered against former SSP Rao Anwar and his team and considering the importance of the matter, “the investigation may be carried out by another team headed by an officer of the rank of AIGP”.

In another report, the NCHR painted a bleak picture of the law and order situation in Karachi, blaming police for the worsening situation.

“From the record shown, it became evident to the inquiry team that Rao Anwar has been involved in 192 encounters in which 444 people were killed,” it said.

“Keeping in view circumstantial evidence and its analysis, the NCHR Inquiry Team is of the opinion that the case is that of an extrajudicial killing, rather than a police encounter as claimed by the police party involved.”

Meanwhile, the police investigators probing the fake encounter of Naseemullah so far didn’t find any criminal record of other three suspected militants killed in the shootout along with Naseemullah.

The Sindh police through a communiqué

had approached the provincial police chiefs of the country and asked them to check and share criminal records of the suspects.

However, sources privy to the matter said that their criminal records were not found from any province so far.

Muhammad Yousuf, the brother of Maulvi Ishaq, one of the suspected militants killed by the police along with Naseemullah told the media that hailing from Bahawalpur, Ishaq used to teach at a religious seminary.

The third suspected militant killed in the encounter was Nazar Muhammad. His real name was Muhammad Sabi, he said, adding that Sabir was the nephew of Ishaq.

He said that Ishaq and Nazar were abducted by plainclothes personnel from their hometown along with six others in November 2016.

Later, six others were released after at least eight months while Ishaq and Sabir remained in custody.

He claimed that there is no criminal record of both the people in any part of the country.

Also, airport entry passes of over one dozen police officers and personnel have also been cancelled.

The officers whose entry passes have reportedly been cancelled are: former Malir SP Dr Najeeb and former Sohrab Goth SP Chaudhry Saifullah.

Source:tribune.com.pk

SC forms new JIT to investigate anchor’s claims about suspect in Zainab case

The Supreme Court on Sunday formed a new joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the claims made by television anchor Dr Shahid Masood about the suspect in Zainab Amin’s rape and murder case.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar gave the order for the JIT while presiding over the three-member apex bench conducting a suo motu hearing into the Zainab case at the SC’s Lahore registry. The chief justice ordered Masood, who was present in court, to appear before the newly formed JIT — which will be led by director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Bashir Ahmed — and present evidence to back his claims.

The anchorperson had claimed during a late night show that Zainab’s suspected rapist and murderer was a member of a pornography gang, which also includes a Punjab minister. During the previous hearing of the case, Masood had also told the court that the suspect has 37 foreign accounts.

His claims about the bank accounts, however, were rejected by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in its report to the JIT that was

formed earlier by the Punjab government to probe the rape and murder of Zainab.

“Do not talk about unrelated matters; give us proof of the bank accounts,” the chief justice told the anchor on Sunday. “If the statements you have made turn out to be true, we will give you the medal for number one journalist.”

“If your news turns out to be untrue, [then] you cannot even imagine what will happen,” the chief justice warned. During the hearing, Masood requested time from the court to allow him to complete what he wished to say regarding the case. He went on to claim that Zainab was gang raped, adding that only one criminal had been arrested.

“They are trying to protect the gang that they have nurtured,” he added.

“Are you aware that these allegations can change the direction of the investigations?” the chief justice asked the anchor.

The court told the anchor that they could order his name to be put on the Exit Control List, saying that he would have to appear before the JIT formed by the court.

The chief justice clarified that the Bashir Ahmed-led JIT would operate separately from the one formed earlier by the Punjab government. “The Mohammad Idrees-led JIT will only investigate the murder case,” the chief justice said, adding that the new JIT would focus on Masood’s allegations.

The court ordered that investigations into the case should be completed as soon as possible and a challan should be filed. Prosecutor General Punjab Ehtisham Qadir was asked to oversee the filing of the challan.

Zainab’s father barred from addressing me-

dia. During the hearing, the court barred Muhammad Amin ─ the father of six-yearold Zainab ─ and his lawyer from holding further press conferences.

Zainab’s parents had arrived at the SC shortly before the bench began the hearing.

Welling-up, Amin told the court that the suspect should be severely punished so that no such crime is committed ever again. The chief justice asked him to have a seat before turning to Dr Muhammad Ashraf Tahir, director general of the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA), and ordering the use of modern technology and devices to quickly compelete investigations.

“You are a capable person and I am depending on you quite a lot,” the chief justice told Tahir. Chief Justice Nisar added that his personal number will be provided to the DG so that the latter may contact him in case of any problems with the probe.

“If there is any problem, please inform me, as well,” Zainab’s father said.

Punjab Inspector General of Police Arif Nawaz Khan, head of the joint investigation team probing Zainab’s murder, Additional IG Abu Bakar Khuda Bakhsh, and chief secretary of Punjab, Khizer Hayat, were also present in the court for today’s hearing.

Media figures appear in court The court, on Saturday, had summoned 12 media executives and anchors to appear for today’s hearing.

Appearing before the bench, Zia Shahid of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors said that if neutral investigations are conducted, the truth behind Masood’s allegations can be unveiled. He noted that several incidents of child pornography have been reported.

When asked by the chief justice about his opinion regarding the formation of a JIT by the court, Shahid said “an independent JIT should be formed”.

Arif Nizami, former editor of The Nation and founder of Pakistan Today, told the court that if Masood’s allegations are not true, the statements he made regarding the case would be “equivalent to the death of journalism”.

Anchorperson Hamid Mir, however, stated that if Masood’s allegations are proven to be incorrect, he should be allowed to seek forgiveness.“Journalists make mistakes. He should be given the right to forgiveness,” Mir said in court, later tweeting that Masood “missed his chance to admit mistake and apologise”. Dr Shahid Masood failed to present any evidence in Supreme Court we suggested him to accept mistake and apologise but he missed the chance.

Source:dawn.com/

23

Jamadi ul Awal 16,1439 February 02, 2018

sports / H E R O E S

Pakistan on Top of the World With New Zealand T20 Series Win

Mount Maunganui: Pakistan laid claim to being the best Twenty20 side in the world Sunday after beating New Zealand in the series-deciding third Twenty20 match in Mount Maunganui. The 18-run victory gave Pakistan a come-from-behind 2-1 series win that will see them overtake New Zealand at the top of the world rankings.

Captain Sarfraz Ahmed leapt with delight after the final ball as Pakistan pulled off back-to-back wins over the hosts.

Batting first on a friendly wicket, Pakistan

reached 181 for six with Fakhar Zaman making 46 off 36 at the top of the innings. Umar Amin led a late charge that saw 58 runs scored in the final four overs.

New Zealand, in reply, were never up with the run chase, and managed 163 for six in their 20 overs. The defeat followed a 48-run loss in the second game, after New Zealand swept the one-day series and won the first T20.

The consecutive defeats, following an unbeaten 13-match winning streak across all formats against the West Indies and Pakistan, put a dampener on New Zealand’s preparation for next month’s triangular series with Australia and England.

Zaman was the architect at the start of the Pakistan innings with a sharp 46 before be-

ing dismissed in a debatable decision when Tom Bruce took a catch at ground level.

Television replays were inconclusive on whether the ball touched the grass, and after lengthy deliberations the third umpire ruled in favour of the on-field decision.

New Zealand managed to arrest Pakistan’s brisk early run rate in the middle of the innings before Amin ensured a competitive total at the end.

The 28-year-old left-hander smacked his 21 off the first five balls in an over from Ish Sodhi before the New Zealand spinner claimed the wicket off his final delivery.

Haris Sohail chipped in with 20 off 12 balls while Aamer Yamin, replacing the injured Hasan Ali, faced six deliveries for his 15.

New Zealand struggled from the start of their reply to get near the required run rate of more than nine an over, and were in early trouble when Faheem Ashraf claimed Kane Williamson for nine.

Martin Guptill attempted to bully the bowlers but it was primarily a lone stand. When he was removed for 59 off 43 balls in the 13th over, the required run rate had shot up to 13.57.

Ross Taylor put the ball over the boundary fence three times in his 25 off 10 balls.

But with his dismissal in the 17th over, New Zealand were 128 for five and their hopes of a miraculous comeback were over.

Source:news18.com

Former Canucks defenceman Willie Mitchell India vs Pak, ICC U19 World Cup: bound for B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame INDIA beat Pakistan by 203 runs,

Willie Mitchell never met a microphone he didn’t like — in the locker-room.

However, at a podium press conference Tuesday, the talkative former Vancouver Canucks defenceman was almost at a loss for words. Almost.

Mitchell joins the 2018 class of inductees to the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame along with Scott Hannan, Gerry Sillers and the 1980 Burnaby Lakers, who won the Canadian intermediate A championship. The inductees will be honoured on July 20 in Penticton.

Mitchell’s induction reflects a passion for his native Port McNeill, his four seasons with the high-octane Canucks and the tutelage of Hall of Fame players turned coaches in Jacques Lemaire and Larry Robinson during his 907 career National Hockey League games with six teams.

India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by a massive 203 runs in the semis of the ICC Under 19 World Cup played on Tuesday. The Prithvi Shaw lead team shall face Australia in the title clash on Saturday.

Three-time champions India have played like a thorough professional outfit, winning all four matches in emphatic fashion including the quarterfinal against Bangladesh. For two-time winners Pakistan, it has not been smooth sailing all the way. They lost their tournament opener to Afghanistan before winning three in a row. Source: newsnation.

Nasreddin Murat Khan: The Man behind the Minar

By Bilal Anjum Minar-i-Pakistan, is built at the Iqbal Park Lahore where the famous Pakistan resolution was passed on March 23, 1940 demanding the creation of Pakistan.

Nasreddin Murat-Khan TI was a Russianborn Pakistani architect and civil engineer.

He is remembered most for designing the national monument, the Minar-i Pakistan.

Born: 1904, Dagestan, Russia Died: October 15, 1970, Lahore, Pakistan Cause of death: Myocardial infarction Award: Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (1963) Education: Civil Engineering, Architecture Amidst a city inundated by millions of houses, scores of fly overs and sprawling mosques, stands a tower in seclusion of singular beauty adding incomparable splendor to not only this city but to the whole country.

People call it Minar-e-Pakistan.

In late nineteen nineties, the first time I visited Lahore the highlight of that visit was my trip to the top of the Minar-e-Pakistan in a lift which almost suffocated me to death as it was thronged with tourists. But once atop Minar-e-Pakistan, I was left in awe by the view

of Lahore which Minar-e-Pakistan presented.

A question immediately started irking me and soon I had the answer. I was told that the design of Minar-e-Pakistan was a brain child of an elusive architect “Nasreddin Murat Khan”. A name I had never heard before.

Oddly, his name wasn’t present even on the stone near the base of Minar e Pakistan at which is engraved the history of this emblem of national unity. Nasreddin Murat, a Russian of Pakistani descent, lived a dynamic life. After attaining degrees in architecture

and civil engineering from University of Leningrad, Murat Khan held various positions in his hometown, Daghestan which is a predominantly Muslim region.

He helped set up Wah Ordnance Factory which went on to become the backbone of Pakistan’s ordnance and ammunition capabilities. Later he joined MES and Pakistan Works Department in different capacities.

He started his personal business related to architecture in late 1950s.

Field Marshall Ayub Khan entrusted him with the duty of designing a national monument in Lahore’s Iqbal Park and after a year of diligence three designs were presented, one of which stands tall in Lahore.

It is said that Ayub Khan placed a fountain pen upright on his desk and said to Murat Khan: Like thousands of others, he also couldn’t escape persecution from Josef Stalin and was arrested but later in 1940 he was reinstated as Chief Engineer & Chief Architect of the Pijatigorsk branch of the North Caucasian Project Trust. His roller coaster of a life took him to Munich as a refugee after he fled from Daghestan for fear of his life. Ultimately he and his family finally arrived in Pakistan in 1947 and this is where his new life began.

“Who designed this awe inspiring tower?” Nasreddin Murat Khan gave a decade of his life to this wonderful monument and didn’t take a penny in exchange of his services. He used to visit the construction site of Minar-e-Pakistan frequently to make sure that everything was going according to the schedule and to inspect the quality of the material used. Just months before the completion of Minar e Pakistan he resigned from the committee overseeing the construction of Minar e Pakistan owing to his

differences with the DC. Just like many other resilient Pakistanis who have done invaluable work for this country, Mr.Nasreddin has been forgotten and very few people are aware of his services towards this country. An architect and engineer of the highest quality rendered a decade of his life to this country and in exchange we didn’t even let his name be engraved on the stone at the base of his very own creation. Ironic at least and criminal negligence at worst.

Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.

Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by famous architect and engineer Nasreddin MuratKhan, and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. The stadium was renovated for the 1996 Cricket World Cup when it hosted the final.

The headquarters of the Pakistan Cricket ...

Source: By Nust Science Society’s

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Surrey:#109-12827-76 Ave . off: 604.503.3652 cell: 604.618.3777

11am-7pm

Mohammad Lablu

604-301-9090