E paper pdf (24 09 2014) (isb)

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ECP DISOWNS ITS REVIEW REPORT ON ELECTION 2013 g

Wednesday, 24 September, 2014 Zul Qida 28, 1435

ECP DECIDES TO AMEND ELECTORAL LAWS, SENDS DRAFT OF AMENDMENTS TO ELECTORAL REFORMS COMMITTEE

‘ECP REPORT VALIDATED PTI’S STANCE ON RIGGING’

PAT TO CHALLENGE PARLIAMENT’S CREDIBILITY IN SC AFTER ECP REPORT

Rs 17.00 Vol V No 87 16 Pages Islamabad Edition

PM LEAVES FOR NEW YORK TO ADDRESS UNGA SESSION

STORY ON PAGE 05

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BELIEVES SHARIF SHOULD NOT RESIGN AND GOVTWILL COMPLETE ITSTENURE ACCUSES PTI CHAIRMAN OF HAVING‘MISPLACED PRIORITIES’ STORY ON PAGE 03

Suicide bombing in PeShawar killS 5, Taliban reSPonSible

STORY ON PAGE 04

STORY ON PAGE 05

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STORIES ON PAGE 02

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US, ARAB COALITION ATTACKS IS IN SYRIA KARZAI CRITICISES US, PAKISTAN AS HE BIDS FAREWELL

ZARDARI SAYS TOLERANCE IS THE WAY FORWARD

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Woman, FC personnel among dead in attack Taliban say is in retaliation to Zarb-e-Azb Intended target FC DIG Brigadier Khalid Javed narrowly escapes attack Army airstrikes kill 19 suspected terrorists in North Waziristan Agency JSCS meeting vows to combat terrorism, assures success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb STORY ON PAGE 03

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02 NEWS

Wednesday, 24 September 2014

ECP disowns its rEviEw rEPort on ElECtion 2013 ECP DECIDES TO AMEND ELECTORAL LAWS, SENDS DRAFT OF AMENDMENTS TO ELECTORAL REFORMS COMMITTEE ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

ISOwNING the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) review report published on its official website on Monday, an ECP spokesperson has said that the report has not been prepared by the institution and “actually comprises recommendations and suggestions given by the national and international observers regarding General Election 2013”.

According to the ECP spokesperson, “ECP is preparing a fact sheet regarding the role played by Returning Officers

(ROs) in the General Elections 2013,” and the fact sheet will be presented before a Parliamentary committee on September 29. He added that facts regarding printing of the ballot papers and magnetic ink will also be shared in the fact sheet.

The review report published on the commission’s website admits gross discrepancies in last year’s elections. It states that every RO implemented Article 62, 63 of the Constitution according to his understanding and that ECP did not direct the ROs regarding proper scrutiny of the papers. According to the report, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), National Database and Regulatory Authority (NADRA), Federal Board of Revenue

‘ECP rEPort vAlidAtEd Pti’s stANCE oN riggiNg’ ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi have asserted that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has admitted massive rigging in last year’s general elections through its recent review report.

Addressing PTI activists at D-Chowk Tuesday, Khan said that ECP review report has validated his party stance on the transparency of elections. Election’s rigging would be proved when Form 14 will be made public, he said, pointing a finger at the magnetic ink used in the elections.

Earlier, addressing a press conference, Qureshi that PTI had raised the issue about printing of extra ballot papers from Urdu Bazar, Lahore, and now even ECP has admitted that there were problems with the ballot papers.

The PTI vice chairman said that voters were unable to reach the polling stations because ECP was unable to provide them with the transport. He said that ECP’s scrutiny cell was not working while UNDP system was a complete failure despite heavy investment.

“Time was extended at some polling stations and was not extended on the others,” said Qureshi, adding that although PTI was supportive of extending the voting time as there were long queues outside polling stations yet time was extended only in few of the polling stations.

Moreover, the PTI leader said that government was using delaying tactics in scrutiny of the matter. Revealing the discussions that PTI had with the government committee, Qureshi said that when PTI committee asked the government committee to scrutinise 30 constituencies, they rejected it saying that 30 constituencies were not enough to determine whether entire elections were rigged or not.

Qureshi also lambasted the government over the fire which broke out in a school where ECP’s record was kept and all the material was burnt.

MATTERS OF ELECTION PETITIONS, VERIFICATION OF THUMB IMPRESSION REFERRED TO CJP (FBR) and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) did not share the candidates’ details and several candidates were cleared without proper scrutiny of their nomination papers. Due to printing delays, several polling stations received ballots late, the report adds.

According to the report the Result Management System (RMS) set up with the help of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) proved a complete failure and ROs sent hand-written results to ECP due to errors in Form 16. Extension in polling time also created confusion, the report adds.

Though ECP has disowned the report– which bears the names of ECP

team-members and its logo –it is still present on ECP’s official website.

ECP DECIDES TO AMEND ELECTORAL LAWS: In the meanwhile, ECP has decided to amend electoral laws in the country and has sent a draft of the amendments to the Electoral Reforms Committee (ERC).

According to media reports, the president will no longer be eligible to announce the election date. The draft suggests that election date be announced in consultation with ECP. ROs will work under ECP and votes cannot be transferred 90 days prior to the polling date, polling scheme will not be changed one month prior to the election

while an increase in election expenses has also been recommended.

The draft also suggests increasing the days allotted for scrutiny of candidates from seven to 15.

ELECTION PETITIONS REFERRED TO CJP: In the meanwhile, Supreme Court (SC) has referred the matter of election petitions and verification of thumb impressions to the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) for formation of a separate bench to hear these cases together.

A three-member SC bench presided

by Justice Saqib Nisar took up the petitions for hearing Tuesday.

During the course of hearing of Ibrahim Jatoi versus Aftab Shoban Meerani case, Justice Nisar remarked, “Verification of thumb impression has become a national issue. we want that both the matters of election petitions and verification of thumb impression be heard together. Therefore, we are sending this matter to CJP.” Election petitions of Raja Amir Zaman versus Omar Ayub, Amir Haider Hoti versus Nasir Khan and Sahibzada Yaqoob Khan were fixed for hearing.

The court clubbed these all cases and referred them to the CJP and directed the SC registrar to request the CJP to constitute a separate bench to hear these cases together.

Hashmi files nomination papers for NA-149

PAt to CHAllENgE PArliAmENt’s CrEdibility iN sC AftEr ECP rEPort

PPP fields Dr Javed Siddiqui against Hashmi while PTI refuses to contest by-polls in NA-149 scheduled to be held on Oct 16

QADRI ASKS PEOPLE TO RECEIVE PM WITH ‘GO NAWAZ GO’ SLOGAN OUTSIDE UN SECRETARIAT

MULTAN AGENCIES

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Javed Hashmi Tuesday submitted his nomination papers for by-polls in NA-149, Multan II as an independent candidate.

Talking to reporters after submitting the papers, Hashmi said that he did not want to resign from his National Assembly seat but did so in respect for PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s decision.

Terming his resignation as an act of service for the people of his constituency, Hashmi said he has given other political parties’ candidates an opportunity to contest elections from his constituency.

“If I completed my term and remained in power for the next five years, some of the candidates would not have been able to contest the elections,” he said.

Referring to PTI’s announcement to boycott by-polls in NA-149, Hashmi said that it was “shameful” that the party had denied PTI supporters in the constituency the right to vote. “PTI has adopted a double role, they come on top of the container and boycott elections but inside the container they meet with other leaders,” Hashmi alleged.

HASHMI FLAYS PTI LEADERS: Hashmi said that he had not received a show-cause notice as yet from PTI Secretary General Jahangir Tareen however, according to reports, the notice has summoned Hashmi before the party’s disciplinary committee on September 29.

“Tareen was made PTI’s secretary general unconstitutionally; he did not get a single vote,” alleged Hashmi.

Responding to PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s invitation to Hashmi to join other PTI leaders on PTI’s container and ask PTI workers whether they recognise Hashmi as their

ISLAMABAD AGENCIES

president or not, he said, “I have no qualms about appearing atop the container.”

“If Khan calls me, I will go and stand on the container and tell the youth that their rights and future are being played with.”

“PTI’s youth have never accepted Qureshi,” adding that the youth knows how Qureshi had come into power and that he would destroy the party. “I hope Khan sees this side of Qureshi soon.”

In the meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) announced Tuesday that it would field Dr Javed Siddiqui to contest the by-polls in NA-149, contrary to rumors that PPP had decided not to field a candidate against Hashmi.

POLITICAL WORKERS CLASH IN MULTAN: Earlier, PTI supporters and an independent candidate, Amir Dogar, entered into a scuffle outside the Election Commission (EC) office in Multan.

Per reports Dogar had arrived at the office to submit his nomination papers for by-polls in NA-149.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has declared that the by-polls in NA-149 will be held on October 16.

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri Tuesday called upon people worldwide to camp outside the UN Secretariat and receive Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with ‘Go Nawaz Go’ slogan to show their disapproval against him.

Addressing his supporters at the Inquilab March sit-in, continuing for over 40 days at capital’s DChowk, Qadri slammed Prime Minister Sharif, saying that the premier was proceeding to attend the United Nations General Assembly session after trampling upon the rights of his own people back home. The PAT chief said that the federal government had announced lifting ban on government jobs, castigating that vocations would only be given to close relatives of MNAs and parliamentarians. Qadri also lambasted the government for announcing Rs 25,000 for each flood-hit family, terming it too meager.

CHALLENGING CREDIBILITY: Moreover, according to reports, PAT has decided to challenge the credibility of the present parliament and the assemblies in the Supreme Court (SC). According to a private television channel, consultation is underway between the PAT leaders and a panel of legal experts in this regard.

PAT leaders are of the view that the revelations pertaining to irregularities and rigging in elections made in the review report of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has raised a question mark on the current Parliament. They said that after these serious revelations, the existence of the present Parliament has also become doubtful.

It was further reported that the legal experts associated with PAT are also gathering documentary proofs pertaining to the rigging of General Elections 2013.

Pti rEsigNAtioNs’ issuE CANNot wAit ANy furtHEr: NA sPEAkEr NA SPEAKER SUMMONS PTI CHIEF, OTHERS OVER RESIGNATIONS TENDERED IN NA ISLAMABAD INP

National Assembly (NA) Speaker Ayaz Sadiq Tuesday summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on October 13 for verification of his resignation as member of the Lower House of the Parliament.

Earlier, talking to journalists in the Parliament House, Sadiq said that Jamat-

e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq has asked him to delay the matter regarding resignations of PTI representatives. The NA speaker stated he told Haq that he had already given due concessions.

Sadiq said that the verification of each resignation would be carried out as per rules. He said the process could not be delayed further. He said he “feels in the heart” to ask Imran Khan to take back resignations of the PTI MNAs for the sake of

JI CHIEF ASKS NA SPEAKER NOT TO ACCEPT PTI RESIGNATIONS AS IT WOULD INTENSIFY POLITICAL TURMOIL “old relationship” with him but his position as NA speaker did not allow him to do so. Sadiq said Khan even did not know as to what kind of stay order he had taken from the court. However, he said he will deliberate with all the parliamentary parties on the issue of resignations.

Three PTI representatives have been summoned on Thursday, while three more have been directed to appear on Friday for verification of the resignations, he

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said. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and Ali Muhammad Khan were summoned on September 25 at 11am and Dr Arif Alvi, Shireen Mazari and Muanza Hassan were summoned on September 26 in speaker’s chamber for verification of their resignations.

Sadiq said that the whole process would end by October 15. He said that five PTI members in their resignations addressed the party chairman Imran Khan

instead of him. These members included Mujahid Ali, Col (r) Ameerullah Marwat, Saleemur Rehman, Junaid Akbar and Qaiser Jamal. The NA speaker said that these members have been informed that their resignations are not acceptable.

He appealed Khan to attend NA sessions, saying that their demands could be met in the assembly. Earlier, the JI chief made a telephonic contact with NA speaker to discuss the matter of resignations and appealed not to show any haste in accepting the resignations of PTI lawmakers. He feared that the current political turmoil could deepen in case the resignations were accepted without deliberation.

Wednesday, 24 September 2014

NEWS

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suiCidE bombiNg iN PEsHAwAr kills 5, tAlibAN rEsPoNsiblE WOMAN, FC PERSONNEL AMONG DEAD IN ATTACK TALIBAN SAY IS IN RETALIATION TO ZARB-E-AZB PESHAWAR/RAWALPINDI STAFF REPORT

T least five people, including a woman and a security official, were killed and 29 others injured Tuesday in a suicide attack carried out by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Peshawar, targeting a convoy of the Frontier Corps (FC) carrying a senior military official.

Separately, the Pakistan Army killed 19 terrorists in airstrikes on militant dens near the Pak-Afghan border as part of Operation Zarb-e-Azb in North waziristan Agency (NwA).

PESHAWAR BOMBING: “Brigadier Khalid Javed, who was the target of the Peshawar attack, narrowly escaped the explosion and is safe,” Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ijaz Khan told reporters, adding that those killed include a woman, an FC personnel and a passerby. He added that 14 people, including security personnel, were injured in the explosion which occurred on Saddar Road near a PTCL office and the city’s railway station.

Giving details of the attack, Khan said, “The car used in the attack was a Suzuki Alto and was moving…we have found traces of explosives…the amount of explosives has not been ascertained so far.”

The probable target of the attack, FC Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Brigadier Javed hails from wah and his house in Peshawar is located on a busy and easily accessible road. Javed and

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INTENDED TARGET FC DIG BRIGADIER KHALID JAVED NARROWLY ESCAPES ATTACK

other senior military officials later visited the explosion site.

Hospital officials confirmed the deaths saying that those killed include a 20-year-old woman Saba Gul, a Noshera resident 27-year-old Muhammad Zahir Khan and a Bara FC official Zareen Afridi. Two among the injured are security personnel, said Lady Reading Hospital administration, adding that three of the wounded are in critical condition. An unspecified number of wounded people were also taken to Combined Military Hospital (CMH).

HIGH-INTENSITY BLAST: Bomb Disposal Squad Assistant IG (AIG) Shafqat Malik said 45 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the blast and mortar shells were also put in with the explosives to increase the blast’s impact.

Locals also reported sounds of gunfire at the time of the explosion, following which windows of nearby buildings were shattered. The blast site was strewn with parts of vehicles, including a car, a rickshaw and a motorcycle. Security forces later cordoned off the area to collect evidence. An injured Muhammad Furqan, a government employee who was passing by the site on a motorbike when the blast occurred, said that the explosion was deafening. “I fell from my motorbike after the blast and regained consciousness in the hospital,” said Rizwan, who sustained head and shoulder injuries.

TTP CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY: Banned militant outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

ARMY AIRSTRIKES KILL 19 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS IN NORTH WAZIRISTAN AGENCY

TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said the attack on the security forces’ convoy was a reaction to Operation Zarb-eAzb against the terrorists in NwA. Confirming that the attack was meant to target Brigadier Javed, the TTP spokesman vowed to launch attacks on members of the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz government.

CONDEMNATIONS: Meanwhile, President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other political leaders condemned the suicide blast.

The president expressed condolence on the demise of innocent people and ordered officials to provide best possible treatment to the injured. The PM expressed his grief and sorrow over the loss of lives and reiterated his government’s commitment to bring the terrorists to book.

“The nation stands by security forces in the war against terrorism,” he said.

Condemning the incident, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government to provide adequate medical facilities to the injured.

“Strongly condemn Peshawar blast.

Provincial government must provide all required medical facilities to the injured & support to victims’ families,” Khan posted on Twitter.

In a statement, KP Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak strongly condemned the attack and announced Rs 500,000 as compensation for each person killed in the attack and Rs 200,000 for every person injured.

ANP FILES ADJOURNMENT MOTION IN SENATE: In the mean-

while, ANP Tuesday submitted an adjournment motion in the Senate against the bomb blast.

The motion, signed by ANP's Haji Adeel, Zahid Khan, Afrasiyab Khattak and Shahi Syed, stated that people of KP were worried over the deteriorating law and order situation in the province and the issue should be debated upon in the Senate. Earlier in the day, Zahid Khan criticised the KP government for its “failure” to ensure law and order in the province.

19 TERRORISTS KILLED IN NORTH WAZIRISTAN: In a separate development, at least 19 suspected terrorists were killed Tuesday in precision aerial strikes on terrorist hideouts in Dandi Kachkol near Ghulam Khan, Gurbaz and Mana areas near Pasht Ziarat in NwA, said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). However,

Zardari says tolerance is the way forward ACCUSES PTI CHAIRMAN OF HAVING ‘MISPLACED PRIORITIES’

SAYS MQM CHIEF’S DEMAND FOR NEW PROVINCES LACKS ‘CAUSE’

BELIEVES SHARIF SHOULD NOT RESIGN AND GOVT WILL COMPLETE ITS TENURE

KARACHI ISMAIL DILAWAR

while dubbing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan as a “newcomer” in politics and thus being “politically immature”, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari Tuesday said that the incumbent government would now have to shun its “laid back” attitude. The PPP leader also dismissed Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chairman Altaf Hussain’s call for the creation of new administrative units as “a move without cause”.

The former president was speaking to Pakistan Today Editor Mr Arif Nizami in a special interview for Samaa news channel at Bilawal House in the first one-to-one interview after leaving the Presidency on the completion of his constitutional tenure.

ZARDARI BELIEVES KHAN NEEDS TO SORT OUT HIS PRIORITIES: Reiterating that he was able to complete the five-year-tenure as president by following the policy of “tolerance, tolerance and tolerance”, Zardari said that the PTI chairman tends to assert extreme positions and the premier needs to be patient.

“In politics, you always have to walk with maturity and far-sightedness,” he said, slamming Khan for “misplaced priorities” by staging protests when the country is facing devastating floods and nearly one million people have been displaced in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). wondering how someone would want to bring the Parliament down while the country is facing challenging financial, security and law and order conditions, he added that economic losses instead of the sit-ins were posing the real threat to the country. He backed Khan for criticising Returning Officers (ROs) for asking irrelevant questions from candidates of General Elections 2013 but said that poll results had been accepted by all.

The PPP co-chairman, whose party dominates Sindh, played down PTI’s Sunday’s show of street power in front of the Quaid’s Mausoleum, saying that “gathering 60,000 to 70,000 people in a city of 30

million was not an achievement”.

Asked if he buys the claim that MQM was backing PTI’s protest in Karachi, Zardari said, “Political parties show their pressure in different ways.”

Zardari said that before criticising others, “pro-change Khan” should first rid his party of “hereditary” politicians. Zardari said that his government was able to handle Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri “with love” and that he could be appeased this time too. “But this is not ours but the government’s job,” he said.

ZARDARI VISITED RAIWIND TO SAVE DEMOCRACY: Backing the jirga led by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq to resolve the current political impasse, Zardari said that his visit to Raiwind was an effort to save democracy, not Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“Saving democracy is the collective responsibility of the Parliament and not the sole responsibility of PM Sharif.” “we are a majority party in the Senate.

So, it is our responsibility to save democracy,” he said. Zardari said that following the political crisis, the ruling party’s leadership would shun the “laid back attitude” they had adopted after winning the elections, adding that PPP would also raise the standard of opposition.

About his critical remarks terming PM Sharif as “Mughal-e-Azam”, he said that

the PM is supposed to attend Senate sessions and also bring his decisions to the Parliament. Zardari said that politicians, military establishment, bureaucrats and “retired minds and retired faces” should work on “self growth”. Saying that Sharif was an elected representative and should not resign, Zardari added, “I don’t think elections would be held before five years.”

Zardari denied support for PPP leader Farhatullah Babar’s proposal for direct talks between Army and civilian leadership saying that Babar is not PPP’s think-tank.

Insisting that PPP was alive in Punjab as well as KP, he said, “Our loss in election was because of the absence of an election campaign due to terrorist threats. we have accepted our loss and moved on.”

‘ALTAF KEEPS CHANGING HIS MOOD’: Commenting on the MQM chief’s demand for new provinces, Zardari said that “Altaf Bhai” is good at launching new products in politics but new provinces should not be carved out because there is no cause for doing so.

Zardari said that the country should first reap the “democratic dividends” of provincial autonomy and empowerment provided by the 18th Amendment and then proceed with proposals on the creation of new administrative units. Stating that PPP is always open to dialogue and reforms, Zardari said, “we would change his (Altaf’s) mood.”

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JSCS MEETING VOWS TO COMBAT TERRORISM, ASSURES SUCCESS OF OPERATION ZARB-E-AZB

this information could not be independently verified as the access of media in the region is restricted.

ARMED FORCES VOW TO ERADICATE TERRORISM: Pakistan’s armed forces have expressed their resolve to eradicate terrorism from the country during a Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) meeting held at Joint Staff Headquarters.

The meeting was chaired by General Rashad Mahmood and was attended by Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, Defence secretary and senior military officers from the three armed forces.

The participants of the meeting appreciated the steps taken to combat terrorism and the progress of Operation Zarb-e-Azb.

Govt challenges FIR against PM, others over PAT workers’ killing AG told SC that during protest on August 30, one protester died a natural death while two others were killed in accidents ISLAMABAD: The government on Tuesday challenged the order for registration of a First Information Report (FIR) filed against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and members of his cabinet in the Supreme Court over the alleged killing of three Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)’s workers on August 30. The miscellaneous petition was submitted in the court by Attorney General Salman Aslam Butt who contended that maintaining law and order in the country was the responsibility of the administration. The petitioner said PAT and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protesters attacked the Parliament, Pakistan Television (PTV) Headquarters and the PM House as a result of which law enforcement personnel had to adopt legal measures to ensure provision of security in the area. Butt said the government had only been doing its duty therefore the FIR against the prime minister, certain federal ministers and police officials by a district and session court on the request of PAT was illegitimate. He said the police did not use any arms and ammunition against the protesters while attempting to secure the area. The AG also told the court that out of the three people, who died during the protest on August 30, one died a natural death while two others were killed in accidents. He said the first FIR of the incident was registered on August 31 after which an investigation was launched but later another FIR was lodged which had no factual basis. The petitioner stressed that the government displayed maximum restraint during the protests and requested that the FIR should be cancelled. INP

sC to HEAr govt’s PlEA iN musHArrAf’s ECl CAsE ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) formed a five-member bench Tuesday to hear a government’s appeal regarding the removal of former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL).

The apex court had already suspended Sindh High Court’s (SHC) verdict to allow Musharraf to fly abroad. The five-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Nasirul Mulk and comprising Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Saqib Nisar, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Ijaz Afzal, will take up government’s plea on October 1. On June 12, a two-judge SHC bench, comprising justices Mohammad Ali Mazhar and Shahnawaz, issued a 44-page verdict ordering the federal government to remove Musharraf’s name from the ECL. The high court had declared that the parties opposing its ruling could move SC in the next 15 days and made it clear that till then Musharraf could not leave the country. Musharraf had filed a petition in the court to remove his name from the ECL so that he can visit his ailing mother in the UAE. The 70-year-old ruler, who returned to Pakistan in March last year ahead of the general elections ending his over four-year self-imposed exile, has faced multiple trials including one under the high-treason act for which he was placed under house arrest and barred from travelling abroad. Musharraf has been indicted for suspending, subverting and abrogating the Constitution, imposing an emergency in the country in November 2007 and detaining judges of the superior courts. He had seized power by overthrowing the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1999 and ruled till late 2008. NNI

04 NEWS

Wednesday, 24 September 2014

PM leaves for New York to address UNGa sessioN SHARIF WILL MEET UN SECY GEN BAN KI-MOON AND OTHER WORLD LEADERS WHILE ON THE SIDELINES, ADVISER TO PM ON NATIONAL SECURITY AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS SARTAJ AZIZ AND INDIAN EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER SUSHMA SWARAJ ARE LIKELY TO MEET ISLAMABAD/NEW YORK

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AGENCIES

RIME Minister Nawaz Sharif Tuesday left for New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session which will also be attended by his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. Even though a meeting between the two premiers is unlikely, Adviser to PM on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj are expected to meet on the sidelines of the session.

PM Sharif will reportedly address the session on September 26.

During his stay, Sharif will co-chair UN Peacekeeping Summit along with US Vice President Joe Biden, the Japanese PM and a few other world leaders.

According to officials Sharif’s speech in the UNGA will focus on cooperation with its neighbours, especially India and Afghanistan.

Sharif will also participate in a meeting on reforms in the UN and underline the need to harmonise the UN Security Council with new global demands. On the sidelines of the session, Sharif will meet many world leaders

and UN Secretary General Ban KiMoon. He will also participate in an energy moot along with the premiers of Norway and Denmark. The conference will explore ways to acquire energy through non-conventional sources.

SARTAJ AZIZ, SUSHMA SWARAJ MAY MEET: Meanwhile, Aziz and Indian External Affairs Minister Swaraj are expected to meet at on the sidelines of the UNGA session.

"There is a scheduled meeting of SAARC foreign ministers and I am sure our External Affairs minister will meet Aziz,” said India's Ambassador to UN Asoke Mukerji. "India and Pakistan are both members of the Commonwealth.

So the two ministers will be meeting in that format too.”

AZIZ, ZARIF DISCUSS PAK-IRAN RELATIONS: Separately, Aziz and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif discussed matters of bilateral interest at a meeting in NY Monday and decided to maintain the momentum generated

by Sharif’s visit to Iran earlier this year.

PAKISTAN VOWS TO CONTROL POPULATION: Moreover, on the 29th Special Session of the UNGA on follow-up to the Programme of Action of International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), Aziz

reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to the objectives of 1994 Cairo ICPD. He said that Pakistan had pioneered the launch of Population Program in SAARC region and undertaken National Population Policy 2002, established counselling help lines, incorporated population and health-related contents in text books and passed legislation for protection and empowerment of women. "The subject of population welfare has been devolved to provinces for greater efficiency."

Aziz said that the policies had led to a decrease in total fertility rate from 5.3

to 3.8, increase in contraceptive prevalence rate from 11.8 percent to 35 percent and decline in population growth rate from 2.6 percent to 1.95 percent.

Aziz reiterated Pakistan's commitment to reduce the unmet need of 20 percent family planning services and to increase CPR to 55 percent by 2020, to complete the unfinished agenda of Millennium Development Goals (MGDs).

PAKISTAN REITERATES SUPPORT FOR BOSNIA: In the meanwhile, representing Pakistan in the meetings of OIC Contact Groups on Bosnia and Herzegovina and Somalia Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry reiterated support for Bosnia’s the sovereignty and conveyed Pakistan’s readiness to extend technical assistance to strengthen the state.

Chaudhry expressed solidarity with the victims of the floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina and urged the international community to implement its pledges to reconstruct damaged infrastructure. Pakistan also extended US$ 1 million assistance for rehabilitation efforts in Bosnia.

Chaudhry condemned the recent terrorist attacks in the country and applauded the Somali government’s efforts to disrupt Al-Shabab, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda.

FIA ARRESTS FORMER EOBI CHIEF ZAFAR GONDAL ISLAMABAD NNI

Former Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) chairman Zafar Gondal, who was wanted in six different corruption cases, on Tuesday surrendered himself to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Zafar Gondal was wanted to the FIA Lahore for his alleged involvement in six different corruption cases. Gondal had pleaded the Supreme Court (SC) for pre-arrest bail, which was rejected earlier today and the apex court ordered for his arrest. During the hearing, FIA officials took the stance that the former EOBI chairman is wanted to the FIA regarding the investigations of the cases against him, while the accused has also not attained bail.

It was further said that the federal agency is not harassing the accused, but it is contacting him to cooperate in the investigations.

At this, the apex court asked Gondal to apply for bail and if fails to obtain it then the FIA should arrest the accused and continue the investigations of the cases against him.

The FIA, after the hearing of the case, arrested the former chairman of EOBI from the court premises.

Gondal had allegedly violated EOBI’s investment rules to buy lands in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi at exorbitant prices, during the tenure of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s government.

The former chairman of EOBI had purchased 18 properties that amounted up to Rs 34 billion from different parties through doubtful agreements.

AHMADI DOCTOR KILLED IN MIRPURKHAS AGENCIES

Gunmen in Mirpurkhas's Mali Colony area shot dead a doctor from Ahmadi community, police and members of the community said Tuesday, in the latest attack on one of the country's most persecuted groups.

The assailants stormed Mubashar Ahmad Khosa's clinic on Monday evening. “He was attending to patients at his clinic when two unknown assailants came in and fired at him repeatedly before fleeing on a motorbike,” a statement by a community group said.

ISLAMABAD: Interim Progress Review (IPR) meeting between Pakistan and the United States was held in the Ministry of Defence on Monday to consider the progress of last Defence Consultative group meeting held in Washington in November, 2013. The US delegation was led by Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence Kelly Magsamen whereas the Pakistan delegation was led by Additional Secretary Defence Rear Admiral Mukhtar Khan. Prior to the main session, the head of US defence Delegation called on Defence Secretary Lt General (r) Muhammad Alam Khattak and discussed various issues relating to defence cooperation including Post-2014 security situation in the region. The IPR meeting deliberated on the progress made on issues of bilateral interest and both sides expressed satisfaction over the pace of progress. They reiterated their resolve to further enhance the defence cooperation. Both the sides agreed to hold the next round of Defence Consultative Group meeting on mutually agreed date and venue. INP

FLOOD HITS 70 INDIAN ARMY INSTALLATIONS, LOC POSTS RELOCATED SRINAGAR: Almost 70 Army installations, including camps, bunkers and posts, have been hit by the devastating floods in Kashmir Valley but security forces have swiftly relocated the damaged and washed out posts to plug the gaps in the sensitive border areas. The installations were partially submerged or totally inundated in the floods but security forces managed to rescue all troops manning them. “Floods have badly affected 30-40 camps, posts and bunkers in the hinterland which were meant for counter terrorism operations in Kashmir Valley,” a senior Army officer said. Similarly, 30 posts and bunkers have been badly affected along the LoC, while 10 to 15 bunkers were totally washed away, the officer said. “But we acted swiftly. We relocated and restored the posts and bunkers immediately. We left no gaps in LoC due to the washed out of bunkers,” officer said. Maintaining that all troops were saved from the gushing waters in camps and formations, the officer said, “Only three causalities took place — two in boat capsize in Pulwama in Kashmir and one in landslide in Poonch. Their bodies have been recovered.” NNI

TURKEY LIFTS BAN ON HEADSCARVES AT HIGH SCHOOLS

MULTAN: Locals passing through flood-hit area of Shershah. INP

MIRPURKHAS

PAKISTAN, US REVIEW DEFENCE COOPERATION

Zafarullah Dharejo, a senior local police official, added that a third attacker kept watch outside. Khosa, who was a well-known in the area, succumbed to his injuries on his way to hospital.

Dharejo said, “The doctor got a text message half an hour before the murder asking him to come out of his clinic.” Mali Colony locals said that Khosa was a resident of Satellite Town and had been working in their area for a long time.

Khosa's body was taken to Civil Hospital Mirpurkhas for postmortem. However, no First Information Report (FIR) was registered.

CMYK

The police officer said that in 2008, another Ahmadi doctor was gunned down in a similar way in the same city.

Earlier in July, at least three female members of the Ahmadi community, including two minors, had been killed in Gujranwala's People's Colony when a mob attacked and burnt five houses, a storage building and several vehicles over alleged blasphemy.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of the People's Colony Circle had said that the trouble started with an allegedly blasphemous post on Facebook by an Ahmadi youth.

ANKARA: The Turkish government announced it was lifting a ban on female students wearing the Islamic headscarf at high schools, in a move denounced by opponents as undermining the basis of the country’s secular society. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who co-founded the ruling Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP), has long been accused by opponents of eroding the secular values of the modern Turkish state. Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc, a close Erdogan ally, said that an amendment was made to the dress code regulations for female students to say they will not be forced to keep their heads uncovered. “I know that some female students were longing for (this amendment) to high school regulations,” Arinc told reporters after the cabinet meeting late on Monday. AGENCIES

Wednesday, 24 Septemebr, 2014

NEWS

05

us, ArAb CoAlition AttACks is in syriA drones, BomBers, fighters target islamic state grouP while us also Begins strikes against a deadly al-Qaida offshoot NEW YORK AGENCIES

T

HE US and a group of five Arab nations began airstrikes against Islamic extremist targets in Syria late Monday, following through on President Barack Obama’s promise to expand the war against the Islamic State group while also targeting a separate insurgent network there believed to be a direct threat to the US homeland.

A mix of American fighters, bombers and drones, along with ships operating in

the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf bearing Tomahawk cruise missiles, began targeting key Islamic State group strongholds in Syria, including Raqqa, Dayr az Zawr, al Hasakah and Abu Kamal late Monday. In all, 14 strikes were conducted by aircraft from the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. The USS Arleigh Burke and USS Philippine Sea launched 47 Tomahawks.

Also participating in the strikes were the militaries of Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Arab participation was a key component in the plan Obama first outlined earlier in September to fight the Islamic State group, which he said would only be successful if other predominantly Muslim countries denounced the group’s hard line brand of Islam and shared the burdens of war with the US. The American military, under the authority of US Central Command, continued its ongoing attacks against the Islamic State

unity govt’s fAilure will MeAn everybody’s fAilure: AbdullAh KABUL NNI

Dr Abdullah Abdullah who will have a role of chief executive in national unity government has warned that the failure of the unity government will turn into a failure for everybody.

Dr Abdullah was speaking for the first time following the signing of a power-sharing deal with his rival Dr Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with CNN, Abdullah said the unity government was based on “the need of the country” and is “in the best interest of the country.” He said, “It is a national unity government by all sense of it. It is a partnership between two teams.”

Dr Abdullah insisted, “There was no better alternative than the formation of [a] national unity government.”

20 illegAl AfghAns Arrested, 290kg hAshish seized in bAloChistAn QUETTA INP

The law enforcement agencies (LEAs) personnel arrested 20 illegal Afghan immigrants and seized 290 kilogrammes of hashish in a separate action in different areas of Balochistan on Tuesday.

The FC personnel during checking at Balili check post in Quetta detained 20 Afghan nationals who were travelling to Karachi without required documents. The nabbed Afghan citizens were handed over to Airport Police Station for further investigation. The Coast Guards recovered 290kg hashish from a suspected vehicle near Gwadar Port. The culprits managed to escape leaving the vehicle on the scene.

group in Iraq on Monday, bringing the total strikes carried out this year in the former US war zone up to 194.

The new offensive in Syria included U.S. attacks against the Khorasan Group, an extremist network the Pentagon says is comprised of “seasoned al-Qaida veterans,” who have established a safe haven in Syria.

The Pentagon said in a statement it had disrupted an “imminent attack plotting against the United States and Western interests.” The Khorasan Group has used its base in Syria to develop external attacks, build and test improvised explosive devices and recruit Westerners to carry out these operations.

US warplanes operating under CENTCOM carried out eight strikes against this group in training camps near the Syrian city of Aleppo.

A Twitter user in the city of Raqqa began live-tweeting some of the events as they unfolded late Monday. The airstrikes

were concentrated near government buildings, he said, observing “the sky is full of drones over Raqqa now.”

It remains unclear whether the Syrian regime under President Bashar Assad followed through on his threats of retaliation of the U.S. violated Syrian airspace and began conducting strikes there. Syrian air defenses are considered among the most advanced in the world. But Washington did inform Syria’s UN envoy of the pending strikes, according to The Associated Press. The Pentagon said all coalition aircraft participating in Monday’s strikes exited Syrian airspace safely.

In a seemingly unrelated event, the Israeli military says it shot down a Syrian fighter jet over Israel early Tuesday morning.

There are as many as 30,000 Islamic State group fighters according to some government estimates. The group began as alQaida in Iraq and was chased out of the

Karzai criticises US, Pakistan as he bids farewell Blames Both countries of continuing war with taliBan-led insurgency, warns new afghan government to Be ‘extra cautious in relations with the west’

NNI

KABUL

in air strikes and for holding suspected Afghan militants prisoner without trial. The relationship deteriorated to near breaking point this year, when Karzai refused to sign a key security pact with the United States. He said he had travelled to Pakistan, where much of the Taliban’s leadership is believed to be based, at least 20 times seeking a negotiated end to the war, but his efforts were thwarted. Neither the US nor the Pakistani embassies in Kabul had immediate comment on Karzai’s speech.

Karzai has been in power since 2001 after being plucked from virtual obscurity by the United States following the overthrow of the Taliban’s radical government for sheltering Al Qaeda’s terrorist leadership after the 9/11 attacks on the US. The deterioration of his relationship with the West was seen by some as an effort to shape his legacy as an independent leader rather than a US puppet as maintained by the Taliban. Karzai was barred by the constitution from running for a third term this year.

india back to standoff with china after cancelling media talks chinese President xi JinPing tells Pla to Be ready to win regional war ISLAMABAD APP India, just two days after the show of hospitality to Chinese President Xi Jinping, has cancelled its media dialogue with China. The step has put many questions over the claims of Indian leaders who were projecting a message of growing friendship with China and boasting about clinching the 100 billion dollar Chinese investment, during the visit of President Xi to India. India decided to cancel the bilateral media dialogue with China which was scheduled for September 24 in New Delhi. The central government withdrew clearances for Chinese editors who were coming to

Delhi this week for a media exchange with Indian journalists the event that takes place every year. "Due to unavoidable complications, we have had to postpone the India-China Media Exchange.

We thank you all for agreeing to participate on Sep 24th and we will call on your participation again when we hold the event. But for now, it stands cancelled," the organizers have been quoted as saying to the invitee Indian journalists. The organizers said they got a one-line fax message from the Indian government that clearances for the media summit have been withdrawn. Before the Chinese President arrived in India, a figure of $100 billion was mentioned, while investment on such a scale was not confirmed in the course of the visit, the daily 'The Statesman' said in its article published on Tuesday. The article titled 'A talk with Mr Xi' says that after the flying start in Ahmedabad, matters

continued to go well, however the relations between India and China have their hazards. "Before the visit was quite concluded, there were some reminders of the outstanding issues and unfinished business that continue to have an adverse effect on the relationship," it said. The article states that President Xi's visit which was expected to lift the bilateral relationship to an altogether different level, the recent reports of friction between the two countries have their impact and cast a considerable shadow on the visit.

STAY ALERT!: In the meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) should improve their combat readiness and sharpen their ability to win a regional war in the age of information technology. Addressing a closed door meeting with top PLA officers on Sunday, Xi said the armed forces should have complete faith and loyalty to the ruling

Missing AfghAn soldiers found neAr CAnAdiAn border KABUL

AGENCIES

Outgoing Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday blamed the United States for his country’s long war, a final swipe at the country that helped bring him to power 13 years ago but towards which he has become increasingly bitter.

His farewell speech came days ahead of the planned swearing in of a new president, Ashraf Ghani, after months of potentially violent crisis over a disputed election that ended in a power-sharing deal, yet to be tested, with rival Abdullah Abdullah.

Karzai blamed both the United States and neighbouring Pakistan for the continuing war with the Taliban-led insurgency and warned the new government to be “be extra cautious in relations with the US and the West”. The conflict kills thousands of Afghans each year and has claimed the lives of more than 2,200 American and other international forces in Afghanistan. “One of the reasons was that the Americans did not want peace because they had their own agenda and objectives,” Karzai said.

He did not elaborate, but in the past has suggested continued violence has been an excuse for the United States to keep bases in the country.

He also accused Pakistani power players of trying to control Afghanistan’s foreign policy.

“Today, I tell you again that the war in Afghanistan is not our war, but imposed on us and we are the victims,” Karzai said. “No peace will arrive unless the US or Pakistan want it.”

In recent years, Karzai has sharply denounced the United States for the deaths of Afghan civilians

country during the Iraq War. It fled to Syria where it rearmed and regrouped, and began a sweeping advance across the Syrian border toward Baghdad earlier this year, catching Western governments by surprise.

Following US strikes and ground attacks by Iraqi and Kurdish security forces, the extremist fighters have largely retreated into urban centers, such as Fallujah and Mosul, where fighting continues.

Part of Obama’s plan includes relocating Syrian rebel fighters, weary from more than three years of a brutal civil war against Assad, to training bases in Saudi Arabia to become a more advanced and well-organized militia. The vetting process for selecting the rebels to train could take as long as 5 months, Pentagon spokesman Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said last week. The subsequent training could take as long as a year.

The Defense Department estimates it may be able to produce 5,000 trained Syrian fighters each year once the process starts.

Communist Party of China (CPC) leadership. Following the meeting, the Chinese defence ministry issued a statement stating that the PLA must follow orders issued by President Xi. Besides being the president and the head of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi also heads the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), which oversees China’s vast armed forces, the largest in the world.

The Indian media on Tuesday played up the statement saying that it was not the first time that Xi has urged the PLA to be ready for a “regional war”, but the statement assumes significance as he said it again days after incursions by the Chinese army cast a long shadow over his three-day India visit. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunyin separately insisted on Monday that there was no need to have “unnecessary suspicion” on both sides on the border issue.

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Three Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers, who had gone missing from a US military training base in Massachusetts, were found on Monday trying to cross the Canadian border. The Afghans reportedly presented themselves to security personnel at a checkpoint at a border crossing near Niagara Falls, New York, the Massachusetts State police said. The police said they were notified on Monday morning by federal law enforcement that the three missing soldiers had been located at a border checkpoint by Niagara Falls. The three unarmed soldiers reportedly went missing from Joint Base Cape Cod after a Saturday trip to a nearby mall.

Major Jan Mohammad Arash, Captain Mohammad Nasir Askarzada and Captain Noorullah Aminyar have been taken into custody and being interviewed.

The men, part of a group of 200 soldiers from six nations participating in the exercise, were in the country legally and had broken no laws by failing to return to the base, American officials said. However, it is not clear if the three soldiers will be deported to Afghanistan.

Defence Ministry Deputy Spokesman Gen Dawlat Waziri told Pajhwok Afghan News in Kabul that they came to know about the incident through media and that they had launched their investigation into the matter.

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WEATHER UPDATES wedNesday

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expats’ pRoblems to be Resolved on pRioRity: Rashdi

Prayer TImINgs 4:29

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ISLAMABAD INP

RAWALPINDI: Women using a makeshift bridge to cross a nullah near Girls College Shamsabad. ONLINE

Get those schools vacated! n

IHC issues show cause notices to interior secretary, Police IG for not vacating educational institutions ISLAMABAD INP

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HE Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday issued show cause notices to Inspector General Police Islamabad and Secretary Interior for not vacating educational institutions of Islamabad that are being used by Punjab Police and other law enforcement agencies summoned to deal with the two sit-ins of PAT and PTI. During hearing of an application by the PTI against imposition of section 144, Justice Athar Minallah made it clear that the court would not tolerate any hurdle in the education of children.

He said the court had ordered on 9th

Ruet-e-hilal committee to meet on 25th

September that the police must vacate the educational institutions within a week but the order has not been implemented.

The IHC judge said the secretary and IG Police Islamabad would have to pay the price of precious time for education of children.

Deputy Commissioner Islamabad told the court that its order was conveyed to IG Police but the schools could not be vacated. He said police personnel were still residing in several schools and colleges.

The court asked the Secretary Interior and IG Police to file their affidavits and also sought replies from PAT and PTI. The hearing was then adjourned till 29thy of September.

NNI

KARACHI INP

The Ruet-e-Hilal committee tasked with the sighting of the new moon will meet on the 25th of September to sight the Zilhaj moon. The meeting will be presided over by Ruet-e-Hilal committee chairman, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman and will be attended by the Chief Meteorologist, Ulema as well as astronomers. Speaking to the media, the Chief Meteorologist Tauseef Alam said, that it is highly unlikely that the new moon will be sighted on the 25th adding that it is likely that Eid-ul-Adha will fall on the 6th of October.

emeRGinG dynamics of fata launched ISLAMABAD Press reLease

UN holds Narcotics awareNess workshop for joUrNos BHURBAN UNODC under its Regional Programme for Afghanistan and its Neighbouring Countries has organized a two day workshop on “Drugs and the Media, The Regional Counter Narcotics Awareness Workshop for Journalists” on 23 – 24 September 2014 in Bhurban, Pakistan.

UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and transnational organized crime and operates in all regions of the world through an extensive network of field offices such as the ones in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is the UN Office with the exclusive mandate to counter illicit drug trafficking, and crime prevention worldwide. Speaking at the opening of two days counter narcotics awareness workshop for journalist, UNODC Representative Cesar Guedes said “in today’s world, media has become an important part of our lives, some would agree that it is a basic need because of the significant role it plays in strengthening society. I considered it a mirror of modern society”. This regional workshop for journalists will build on previous Counter Narcotics related advocacy and public awareness raising initiatives by UNODC in the region. The overall aim is to publicize the efforts of the respective governments of the region, promote public awareness through the media which is a comprehensive tool for public awareness, and to promote counter narcotics regional cooperation which will complement the

Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Pir Syed Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi has assured Pakistani diaspora for timely resolution of their problems.

The Federal Minister expressed these views while talking to a delegation comprising Mr. Majid Khan, Lord Mayor City of Stoke on Trent UK, Ch Karamat former Lord Mayor of City of Stoke, UK and Mr. Kabir Ahmed, businessman who called him here on Tuesday. Senator Talha Mehmod, Chairman Standing Committee on Interior was also present during the meeting. Managing Director Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, Mr. Habib ur Rehman Khan and senior officers of OPF attended the meeting.

The delegation highlighted various issues and problems being faced by overseas Pakistanis especially in UK. The issues pertaining to Pakistani prisoners in UK, property related disputes and issuance of NICOP from National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

The Minister welcomed the delegation and apprised them about various initiatives being taken by the Ministry and Overseas Pakistanis Foundation for the welfare of overseas Pakistanis and their dependents. He informed the delegation that the government is giving high priority to the resolution of problems being faced by overseas Pakistanis as they are ambassadors of the country and plays an important role in country’s economy by sending handsome remittances annually. He informed that OPF has already established NADRA Swift Centre at OPF Head Office to facilitate overseas Pakistanis and their dependents. He further apprised the delegation that overseas Pakistanis can register their complaints online through OPF website.

The Federal Minister directed the MD, OPF for timely completion of all OPF housing projects and redressal of complaints of overseas Pakistanis on priority basis.

He assured the delegation that all efforts will be made to facilitate overseas Pakistanis and their dependents as per mandate of the Ministry and OPF.

specialized support provided by the UNODC Regional Programme for Promoting Counter Narcotics Efforts in Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries.

Countering the harms of illicit drugs is the shared responsibility of all levels of society. As illicit drugs harms all levels society - governments, civil society, the media and journalists. The media has been identified as an important tool for public awareness in today’s world and journalists can play an important role in raising public awareness of counter-narcotics issues.

Ways of doing this include publicizing the threat of drugs to individuals, families, communities, governments and society in general. Responsibility for counter narcotics action should not be merely limited to law enforcement agencies.

Talking to the journalists from the region, Secretary Narcotics Control Division Muhammad Akbar Khan Hoti said “Journalists have a very important task, they collect reports and communicate news items in numerous forms. Diverse aspects of life are equally important to report on, especially when we talk about the curse of illicit drugs in our societies”.

This regional workshop has brought journalists from eight countries of the region, namely Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan for discussions, information sharing, the building of networks and agreement on future joint working in the area of counter narcotics awareness raising.

CMYK

Giving fresh narratives on FATA’s historical background, constitutional position, legal perspective, internal external drivers, socio economic challenges, security situation and issue of militancy a book named “Emerging Dynamics of Fata: Reflection of Transformation” launched at National Defense University on Tuesday. The book was launched during the plenary session of a seminar on national security held in National Defense University. The book was joint initiative by the Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS and the Institute of Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis (ISSRA), the National Defence University (NDU), Islamabad. During the launching ceremony President CPGS Senator Sehar Kamran presented the book to the Chief Guest Governor KPK Mehtab Khan. A large number of students, academics and dignitaries were also present on the occasion. The book comprised on nine chapters a chapter one provided, “Historical background of FATA”, where the authors discussed the historical background of FATA in detail; Two, “Politico-constitutional aspects of FATA”, the paper discusses the constitutional position of FATA in legal perspective with historical roots, and relates it with the tribal culture (Pakhthunwali) and the rise of militancy. The paper also argues there should be no political alienation of the tribal areas; Three, “Rejuvenating FATA: Education as an instrument of change" is my humble contribution, the paper suggest reforms, while highlighting the myriad of problems and challenges faced by FATA’s education system. Four, “Socio-economic: Challenges”, this paper engulfs the topics of demography, education, industry, infrastructure and health facilities and identifies the current challenges FATA faces. Five, “Militancy in FATA: cultural and religious dimensions”, the paper revolves around the topic of militancy in FATA and discusses the cultural and religious dimension of the issue.

ISLAMABAD 07

Wednesday, 24 September, 2014

nine new denGue cases RepoRted in punjab

younG paRliamentaRians foRum bRiefed at ndma

LAHORE/RAWALPINDI INP

Despite fall in mercury, deadly dengue virus continues to spread its wings as nine new cases were reported in two districts of Punjab while several other districts of the province have been declared at high risk of outspread of the disease.

Punjab Health Department said that nine patients shifted to Mayo, General Hospitals of Lahore and Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Hospital Rawalpindi were found affected with dengue virus.

With recent cases total numbers of dengue cases reported in year 2014 has reached to 83.

The affected patients included three hailing from Rawalpindi and Lahore each, while one from Potohar Region, Sheikhupura and Ferozwala each.

Punjab Health Department spokesman said that provincial government was taking all measures to overcome the spread of dengue virus. He said that Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sheikhupura and Ferozwala districts have been declared at high risk of dengue attack.

five GambleRs aRRested ISLAMABAD NNI

Tarnol police on Tuesday conducted raid at gambling den and arrested five gamblers besides recovering stake money, computers, faxes and electronic equipment from them, a police spokesman said.

On a tip off, SP (Saddar) Muhammad Ilyas constituted special team under supervision of ASI Zafar Iqbal which raided at a shop in Mughal Market area and apprehended five gamblers who were later identified as Ayub, Imran, Asmat Khan, Iqbal Haider and Abdul Manan. Police recovered stake money, CPU, printers, computers and other electronic equipment from them.

Case has been registered against these nabbed gamblers and further investigation is underway from them. SSP Islamabad Asmat Ullah Junejo has appreciated this performance of Tarnol police team and further directed to ensure effective policing measures.

RAWALPINDI: Vendor displaying artificial jewelry to attract customers at Raja Bazaar ahead of Eidul Azha. INP

ISLAMABAD: A delegation of Young Parliamentarian Forum (YPF) from Pakistan Institute for Parliamentarian Services, visited National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) today. The YPF was established in 2003. The newly elected parliament has a large number of young members and among them many first time legislators. The purpose of the visit was to get first hand information/ knowledge about the disaster management system in Pakistan, current flood situation, rescue and relief efforts in the country being undertaken under all three tiers of disaster management system. The briefing was chaired by Chairman NDMA (Major General Saeed Aleem) and also attended by Member DRR (Mr. Ahmed Kamal) Member S&S (Mr. Ashraf) besides other related officials of NDMA. Chairman NDMA extended warm welcome to the delegation and appreciated their spirit and initiative to contribute in ongoing flood disaster situation. He gave an overview of the riverine floods that started on 4th Chairman NDMA while giving a detailed perspective of the 2014 floods, apprised that the impact of flood has reduced now whereas relief activities are still ongoing with essential focus on Chiniot, Jhang, Multan, Muzaffargarh and parts of Rajanpur districts. Press reLease

majoRity is authoRity n

Religious scholars call for resolving internal conflicts through majority opinion ISLAMABAD INP

P

ROMINENT religious scholars of the country have called for resolving national-level disputes and conflicts, which are shared by all and not linked to certain religious sect or community, through the majority opinion.

They said that those who believe in the establishment of Islam through the use of

force and non-democratic means should be engaged in academic and intellectual dialogue with prominent religious scholars and experts of Islamic law on Islam’s fundamental concepts of jihad, state, legislation and establishment of religion etc.

The religious scholars who supported resolving the prevailing crisis and stand off through democratic means included Khurshid Nadeem; Dr Qibla Ayyaz; Abdul Haq Hashmi; Sahabzada Muhammad Amanat Rashool; Mufti Mo-

hammad Zahid; Maulana Syed Ahmed Binori, Dr. Rasheed Ahmed, Ijaz Ahmad Samdhani, Maulana Shafi Chitrali; Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi, MaulanaYaseen Zafar; Maulana Ammar Khan Nasir; Maulana Attaullah Shahab and Dr. Saqib Akbar.

They said that sovereignty belongs to Allah. In a Muslim state no law can be formed that is contradictory to Islamic law or Shariah. However, in matters pertaining to Ijtehad–which is one of the key sources

of Islamic law and entails intellectual effort to derive appropriate legislation from the Quran and Sunnah for novel cases – legislation can be done through collective wisdom intellectual exercise. That implies that the concept of legislature is not against Islam.

The concept of political system espoused in Islam is based on the concept of consultation (Shuraiyyat). The concept of monarchy and dictatorship are against Islam, they added.

Bahria town’s flood relief efforts in full swing RAWALPINDI Press reLease

Bahria Town has initiated a flood relief program for the flood affected areas of Rawalpindi, specifically Christian neighbourhoods including Sharoon Colony, Doctor Colony, Malik Town and the areas situated along the bank of the Soan River.

A relief camp has been set and Bahria Dastarkhwan has been operational since 5th September, feeding fresh meals, twice a day to the flood affected

people. Bahria Town medical staff is also present and is working relentlessly to provide all kinds of free medical treatments.

More than 150 people were given relief packages, which included beds, kitchen utensils and clothing for men women and children. A special ceremony was held for the distribution of flood relief packages amongst the people, which included beds, kitchen utensils and clothing for men women and children.

Bahria town VCE Land, Haji Amjad Mahmood Ch was the Chief Guest on the occasion.

Group exhibition of printmaking showcased at rac RAWALPINDI INP A group exhibition of printmaking by young artists Rabia Zubair, Almas Fatima, Wajeeha Zubair and Zuhra Rubab opened at Rawalpindi Arts Council here on Tuesday.

In this exhibition around 40 prints of 4 artists from Lahore have been showcased.

Cultural Councilor of Japan Embassy Toshikazu Isomura accompanied by Naheed Manzoor and Resident Director Waqar Ahmed inaugurated the exhibition.

A large number of art lovers visited the RAC Art Gallery and admired the work

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of artists. The artists Rabia Zubair, Almas Fatima, Wajiha Zubair and Zuhra Rubab have recently done Masters in Fine Arts from Punjab University and done experiments with the traditional and new techniques. They have used warm and cool colors while theme is to promote and introduce new trends of printmaking which all about abstraction.

More than 40 master pieces of comprising line etching, collograph, open bites and mix media.

The artist Rabia Zubair depicted the theme of resilience while Almas Fatima depicted the theme of desire.

Addressing at the inaugural ceremony, Cultural Councilor of Japan Embassy Toshikazu Isomura said that Pakistani

youth is very talented and need is to provide platform to explore their hidden talent and Rawalpindi Arts Council is doing much in this regard. He congratulated Rabia Zubair, Almas Fatima, Wajiha Zubair and Zuhra Rubab for successful exhibition. Naheed Manzoor said that thses young talent would touch the zenith of popularity in the field of fine arts by their unique work. Resident Director Waqar Ahmed said that RAC is not providing opportunity to new talent but also giving platform without any distinction.

He said Rabia Zubair, Almas Fatima, Wajeeha Zubair and Zuhra Rubab are very talented. The exhibition will continue till September 26.

08 COMMENT

Wednesday, 24 Septemebr, 2014

The K problem

The new ISI chief

Finding a solution shouldn’t be so out of reach

And the affairs of the secret organisation

W

HATEvER good the ISI has done for the country, and presumably it is a lot, is known only to the secretive organisation. Some of its semi-covert activities have however brought its image down in the public eye. There are few countries where a national security agency has invited so much criticism from politicians, academics and the media. It remains to be seen if the newly appointed ISI chief adds to the old grievances or takes measures to improve the ISI’s image.

In 1990’s the ISI created the IJI, a new political alliance, to contain the influence of the PPP. It subsequently distributed money among politicians to help the IJI win the elections. Under Musharraf the Agency’s political cell undertook the task of political engineering to hammer together a majority badly needed to enable the King’s Party to rule. Under the PPP tenure beginning 2008, the ISI was found to have been napping while OBL moved freely from town to town to finally settle down in the cantonment city of Abbottabad. Subsequently the ISI chief personally undertook foreign tour to collect evidence for the so called “Memogate”. The issue was totally forgotten once the PPP was out of power. Under Gen Zahirul Islam there has been no love lost between the PML-N government and the ISI. There were also complaints of attempts by the Agency to control the media.

The ISI is officially supposed to be under the Prime Minister. Who it really reports to however is a matter of opinion. There are some who maintain that it reports to the COAS while others hold that it has acquired an autonomy from its mother organisation and acts as a state within a state. One expects the ISI to work like security agencies in other democratic countries. For this it will have to accept the authority of the civilian government, concentrate on foiling the plans of the enemy agencies and scrupulously avoid taking part in politics.

ECP, ROs and the election mess What the PM must do now

Border Crossing Kuldip Nayar

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ASHMIRI Pandits, like Punjabi Hindus, have no homeland to return. Both want to go back. But the militancy that ousted them is still strong. On the top it is the local population which has been contaminated by the fundamentalists.

Some Pandits who have returned are unhappy. They find that the atmosphere of secularism is, by and large, was a memory of the past.

They have the feeling of being strangers at places where they and their forefathers lived happily.

Religious bias has built walls between the communities. The Pandits, who had to leave their homes when the militancy, which hit Kashmir in the mid-nineties has waned. But overall situation is not congenial, True, most of Pandits live in Jammu and the places around the city. But these are refugee camps, not homes. Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Farooq Abdullah has been vainly trying to sort out the matter which is essentially human.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, a BJP stalwart, has politicised the issue by asking Omar to give land to the Pandits. Who is Ranjath Singh to do so? He is not serving the cause of the Kashmiri Pandits who are not outsiders. They are part and parcel of the Kashmiri culture. Their protest

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Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad Joint Editor I

against the sufferings is understandable. But that does not mean that the Home Minister should play politics while taking up their cause.

This is not a Hindu-Muslim question and should not be made into one. All political parties need to initiate steps which will enable the Pandits to go back. Most of their property is intact.

The rest must be taken back from the people who have occupied it forcibly or otherwise.

I recall the Hurriyat leader, Syed Shah Gillani, vehemently denying that it was HinduMuslim question. At that time, the bug of fundamentalism had not bitten Gillani. He may not have changed his views. But he is conspicuous by his silence. He should have re-enunciated his earlier stance: the Kashmiri Pandits are part of our culture and should not be mixed with the general Hindu-Muslims question. Gillani, in fact, told me that he had wrongly stated earlier that the Kashmiri Pandits’ question would be settled with the overall Kashmir dispute.

Rajnath Singh has unnecessarily given an opening to those who argue that Kashmir is a unfinished task of partition. They want the state to be divided on religious grounds. Somewhere they will also try in Pakistan to reemphasise their contention that the criterion of religion—on the basis of which India was divided—should be extended to Kashmir. Omar’s response to allot the the land to pundits only gives a communal colouring to the problem.

Some extremists have demanded a separate area and security for the Kashmiri Pandits. At present, 30,000 of them are reportedly in Kahsmir while their total number is around four lakh. As long as Sheikh Abdullah was dominant in the affairs of Kashmir, he did not allow religion to play any role in politics. He would say that he opposed to the state’s integration with Pakistan because Jammu and Kashmir was a secular state. He did not want to join an Islamic country because he preferred pluralism to communalism.

Even during the independence struggle, the Sheikh sided with the Congress instead of the Muslim League which demanded a separate homeland for the Muslims. He paid the price for being critical of New Delhi’s policy of wanting a strong centre. After being detained for 12 years

Kuldip Nayar is a veteran Indian journalist, human rights activist and a noted author.

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

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

Editor’s mail

INALLY the election commission admits serious irregularities in the ’13 general election, but typically exonerates itself and transfers all the blame on to Returning Officers (ROs). This will, no doubt, buoy agitators seemingly running out of stream in Islamabad, giving them another stick to beat the government with. But since the report has taken its sweet time coming – and then released without fanfare on the Commission’s website – and smartly accepts all sorts of irregularities yet keeps the ECP safe, the government will need to take some urgent steps to restore rationality to the situation. Already government functionaries are beginning to show signs of strain, and the sooner this election problem is sorted the better for all.

First of all, the prime minister must appoint a strong, energetic, and reliable chief for the election commission.

And this must be done after thorough consultation with the opposition. The last quality is perhaps most important, especially considering the mess left behind by the former head of the commission, who, incidentally, was initially trusted by all parties concerned. It would also help, as recommended by people on the media, that the new chief’s selection not be confined to the judiciary.

Then the government will also have to move quickly on the subject of election reforms. So far, it has taken action only when pushed against the wall, and that too to forestall worse problems than have already piled up. The election reforms committee must now be encouraged to complete its assignment on war footing so issues like electronic voting are settled and necessary constitutional amendments may be enacted without delay. But most importantly, since the Commission’s report raises as many questions as it provides answers, it must be investigated what exactly happened in May ’13 that the election is so disputed. Was it really the ROs fault and nobody else was involved? If the PM is seen taking the lead in solving the mess, he may restore some credibility and win political points.

Lahore – Ph: 042-36375963, 042-36375965

at Kodaikanal in the South, he stayed with the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to register that Nehru had realised his mistake of misjudging the Sheikh when he demanded that the centre should only administer three subjects—Foreign Affairs, Defence and Communications – as was offered at the time of partition.

The Shiekh’s famous statement was that the Kashmiris would not eat the Indian wheat if it meant their compromising their autonomous status within the Indian Union. The Sheikh’s faith in secularism was deep although he wondered whether India would stay pluralist in the long run.

Chief Minister Omar Farooq, too, is said to have the same apprehension. His perception is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is anti-Muslim. It was however healthy to see Modi and Omar appearing at the same platform after the Prime Minister had made an aerial survey of the flood-ravaged state. Modi announced a special relief of Rs1,000 crore and said that it was a national disaster, thus transcending the special status under Article 370.

This may erase the charge that he was antiMuslim. (Kashmir’s population is 80 per cent Muslims). Modi’s gesture to Pakistan to help the victims in the occupied Kashmir is praiseworthy.

This is a thaw of sorts in frozen relationship between the two countries. Pakistan has also made a similar gesture. Both Prime Ministers must have realised that misery knows no religion or politics.

Understandably, India does not want to talk to Pakistan because Islamabad is dragging its feet on the trial of the militants who attacked Mumbai in 2008. The trial is litmus tests of Pakistan’s intention to punish the perpetrators who are now without any charge. Islamabad’s plea is that New Delhi has not provided enough evidence to its courts to convict the guilty.

Whether the Kashmiri realise it or not, they have highly lost the services of trained people. The Pandits have gone to other parts of India and have found jobs because of their high qualifications.

They are not likely to go back even if the state offers them equivalent jobs. In fact, Kashmir has lost the cream of youth which is technically well equipped to help the state develop economically.

Yet Srinagar should make efforts to get the Pandits back because that will give them the secular image which they had enjoyed for decades.

Lack of efforts on this front would only alienate the rest of the country where the Kashmiris are gainfully employed.

Eid for flood affected people The devastating floods that made thousands of families homeless are a painful truth while the people get ready to celebrate Eid. The government has announced that the complete rehabilitation will start after thorough estimation of the damage. As of now the flood affected people will be given Rs25,000 before Eid so that they may not feel left out. They may not be able to buy their lost belongings but the feeling that they have been reached out will perhaps help mitigate their losses a bit on the festive day of Eid. It is hoped that the government will further work for their complete rehabilitation with the same zest, sincerity and on priority.

FARVAT MALIK Lahore

Sense of security returns Conspiracy theories had terrorised the FATA and KP population that if the army operation failed, what the possible fate of the local people would be across the province. But, thanks to Gen Raheel Sharif’s decisiveness, the sense of insecurity is now no more as the Armed Forces have successfully destroyed the command and control system of the terrorists, killed more than one thousand terrorists, caught bomb factories and a large quantity of ammunition in many places including Miran Shah and Mir Ali. The number of IDPs rose to nine and a half millions. The Pakistan Army and government agencies are also busy round the clock in taking care of those uprooted from Waziristan.

Though some incidents occurred that could be in reaction to the operation, like that of the attack on Commander FC Brig Javed on September 23, the operation Zarb-e-Azb against the terrorists in North Waziristan continues with success. The main objective of this operation is to completely remove terrorists from Pakistan. The Pakistani nation is hopeful

Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 Fax: 021-35381208

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that at last they are going to get free from that monster which had been terrifying them for the last 12 years. According to the latest news, the Army has achieved many successes and is achieving its targets according to the plan.

When the operation started, four basic phases were kept in mind. First phase included the indication of the possible paths and places for the migration and the evacuation of the local, non-military and pro-government population of North Waziristan. Second phase was related to the ground operation and physical search of the area. In the third phase, total rehabilitation and resettlement of the IDPs was considered. The return of the locals and resettlement was included in the fourth phase. The first phase properly started on 15th of June in which millions of locals from Miran Shah and Meer Ali started migrating towards the areas of Bannu, Laki Marwat and Tank. Right after the evacuation, the second phase against the terrorists started in which troops of Pakistan Army destroyed the command and control system of the terrorists in most of the places of North Waziristan.

The Army started the operation in the areas of Bajaur, Sawat and Mohmand. During this, the fighter jets of Pakistan Air Force played an important role in breaking the back of terrorists by bombing their hideouts.

These areas were cleared after the ground operation and then the troops progressed towards Miran Shah. This city was central to terrorists in North Waziristan. The crackdown killed numerous terrorists there.

AARYA BEYAZID Peshawar

The ‘D’ dilemma Looking at the turmoil the nation is going through due to one alphabet and two words is beyond comprehension. Those who advocate democracy, it seems, do not believe in it as they go against the essence of the great philosophy and responsibility related to it. If you ask them what democracy is, they emotionally tell you that the parliament members elected by the people and their rule is democracy. For them electoral poll and a government formed is the result of democracy. There is no satisfactory

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

CMYK

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response on the deliverance and actions. Yes, there are factsheets which a common man has no idea about, but he can feel happy that the future is very bright. The other group believing in ‘D’ factor are the ones who believe in dictatorship. They are of the view that there is a need of people who make others follow rules without raising a question. Changes are possible only through strict rules of governance.

A common man is caught between the devil and the blue sea as for him ‘D’ is a mindset which one changes with the changing environment. When out of power everyone preaches democracy and once in authority the same attitude changes into dictatorship. They want their rules to be followed and their actions to be appreciated. There is a need to understand this ‘D’ mystery and its true meaning.

ANWAR PARVEEN Rawalpindi

US strikes ISIS As anticipated, sooner or later, the US is going to rage over ISIS. Almost 20 different suspected places have been targeted with airstrikes and the damage caused to ISIS is yet to be reported. The staggering part of this new development in the world politics is the “partners”. Partners are those states that have given their outright consent to the airstrikes of the US and those partners are Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Jordan. Such a consent of Muslim states to the foreign airstrikes will further aggravate the already polarised relations between Syria and the so called partners.

This development is going to have its repercussions as well. ISIS has penetrated much into these Muslim states and the airstrikes on ISIS will for sure stir a reaction from the ISIS to these states. However, all the reaction will cause disturbance in the Muslim states and the US will not even be bothered by that disturbance. The US should adopt some other way around to undo the militant ISIS because the airstrikes will seriously disturb the law and order of its “partners”.

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

KHURRAM IQBAL Lahore I

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

WORLD VIEW 09

Wednesday, 24 September, 2014

FRIENDLESS OBAMA NEEDS MIDDLE a foreign EASTERN ALLIES OF CONVENIENCE economic Policy

indian express

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husain haqqani

OR decades, pundits have described India and China as rivals for leadership in Asia. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to India suggests that economic cooperation, rather than strategic competition, could be the main driver for the two Asian giants. If Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s forthcoming meeting with US President Barack Obama also gives due weight to economic considerations, India could be on the verge of significantly redefining its global role.

It is good that Modi pays attention to economics, unlike the entrenched establishment in Pakistan, which clings to military strategies even when the cost is the country’s impoverishment.

India and the United States could still emerge as strategic partners, but with shared economic interests rather than just shared concerns about the balance of power. And Sino-Indian rivalry could be postponed to a day when both countries have modernised their economies.

India has yet to realise its full potential as a leading global economy. The rapid economic growth that India has witnessed since the mid1990s was ushered in by much-needed reforms. After being criticised by economists for its low rate of growth, India finally earned a place among the world’s leading emerging markets. Further reform could lead it to greater success among the BRICS, that is, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and beyond.

Americans believe that India can achieve rapid economic growth through innovation if it opens up its economy to foreign technologies.

As Modi and Obama meet, Indian policymakers must recognise that economic factors are as important to Washington as they are to Beijing. For American FDI, India must strengthen its intellectual property right regulations and protect foreign investors who are exporting new technologies to India. Greater protection for foreign technologies will not only encourage growth and innovation, but also bring in vital FDI. New Delhi cannot afford to persist with its dated modes of thought on pharmaceuticals or the defence industry either. Spending on healthcare is only about 1 per cent of the GDP in India, making the country one of the lowest spenders in the world. A number of issues plague India’s healthcare sector, ranging from a lack of infrastructure and financing to a dearth of health workers across the country. Hatred of Western pharmaceutical corporations cannot be

the core of India’s healthcare strategy.

While India has emerged as a hub for IT outsourcing, it has lagged behind in exporting value-added manufactured goods. It has been unable to increase its share of technology-intensive products. With wages rising and productivity falling in China, India has a great opportunity to attract American FDI in its manufacturing sector. Such investment could go a long way in kickstarting India’s economy.

The country will require over $500 billion just for funding its infrastructure needs in next five years. This fact makes capital market reforms a critical component of the agenda. Lack of liquidity and transparency as well as an excessive government footprint in capital markets are a few of the problems plaguing this sector.

Any positive commitment from Modi in this area would be music to American ears and might help attract dollars for infrastructure.

With India seeking to modernise its armed forces and diversify its arms acquisitions, opportunities for stronger US-India defence ties will arise. The speed with which the two countries collaborate will largely depend on how reforms are introduced in India’s defence sector. Both sides speak of the opportunities for defence cooperation. But success in this arena will require streamlining the licensing processes as well as improving foreign and private participation.

As the economy grows, India’s energy needs continue to expand as well. The energy sector has been dominated by monopolies and the state, resulting in a lack of market-based mechanisms in the sector. This has led to governance issues, inefficiencies and a lack of strong competition from private companies. Americans would like to see market-based reforms in the energy sector.

The first set of reforms, implemented in the early 1990s, marked India’s arrival on the global economic map and made the country a key destination for international investors and companies. It has made significant progress in the last two decades and is now counted among the world’s leading emerging markets.

Economic growth led to a rise in India’s global standing and has radically improved the country’s socio-economic indicators. It has also raised the expectations of people within and outside the Indian economy. The burgeoning middle classes expect more growth from the economy and are keen to see even more improvement in the country. So do the major powers courting India.

The success of Modi’s initiatives with both China and the US depend on his ability to put economics at the centre of India’s new foreign policy. India has a remarkable knack for exploring new ideas and then settling for old ones. For peace and stability in Asia, and in order to create a model for its neighbours, one can only hope that India under Modi will have the economic emphasis that the prime minister’s predecessor failed to sustain.

The writer is director for South and Central Asia at the Hudson Institute, and was Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States from 2008-11. He is the author of ‘Magnificent Delusions: Pakistan, the United States and an Epic History of Misunderstanding’.

Financial Times Francis Fukuyama and karl EikEnbErry

If there is one thing Americans should have learnt from their recent wars, it is that they do not have the wisdom, resources or staying power to dictate political outcomes.

Not long ago Washington aspired to build prosperous democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq. Today it would be satisfied if they simply hung together as countries. President Barack Obama says the US should recognise that the world is “messy”. His strategy has been to avoid doing “stupid stuff”.

And yet he is again trying to put a more ambitious face on American policy, asserting this month that the US would “degrade and ultimately destroy” the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the al-Qaeda offshoot known as Isis. Air strikes quickly followed.

Yet he is overpromising. The US needs a more feasible strategy. Mr Obama could learn from England’s policy – and later Britain’s – towards the European continent over the centuries. London had no permanent friends.

But whenever a single power looked set to dominate Europe, the country would throw its weight behind an opposing coalition, a strategy known as “offshore balancing”.

Britain was never a land power but its navy and economic might turned the balance against would-be hegemons.

This is a role America is well suited to play.

The US is in no position to end the Sunni-Shia conflict that is spreading throughout the greater Middle East.

Washington lacks the tools to bring about a political settlement that would instil real democ-

racy in Syria or good governance in Iraq. It can only hope that the fighting does not last as long as the 30 years’ war fought between Protestants and Catholics in 17th century Europe. What America can do, however, is prevent any of the really bad participants, such as Isis and the Assad regime, from winning a decisive victory.

Isis has overextended itself in Syria and Iraq, and has only narrow ideological appeal. It is vulnerable to attack from the air, and to ground counteroffensives by regional allies. The latter will have to do most of the fighting and dying but they have a strong incentive to do so given the murderous intentions of Isis. Washington would have to reverse cuts to the defence budget, but this is inevitable anyway, given the challenges posed by Russia and China.

The US has no permanent friends or enemies in this sectarian struggle. True, there are groups Washington would like to protect, such as the Kurds and the elected but fragile Baghdad government. The oil-producing Gulf states share common interests with America, and some of them participated in Monday night’s US-led air strikes inside Syria. But few of these countries are real democracies. All have been contributors to the conflagration, and all have supported violent extremists at one time or another. Conversely, while the US has regarded Iran as its prime opponent, the goal of defeating Isis is one Washington shares with Tehran.

Acting as offshore balancer would mean eschewing such goals as destroying Isis. But the US is far from having uprooted al-Qaeda, despite 13 years of trying. Isis is unlikely to prove more susceptible. Nor should we necessarily want to destroy Isis, if this allows Bashar al-Assad to reclaim the whole of Syria.

Americans prefer decisive endings: the Japanese surrender on the deck of USS Missouri; the collapse of the Soviet Union. Aiming merely to contain a long and awful civil war, instead of settling it once and for all, is unappealing, not to say cynical. But it is hubris to think the US can even comprehend the root causes of this ethnic-sectarian war. When it tried using hard power in Iraq, the consequences proved worse than the original problem. Yet it can scarcely retreat from a world that is slipping out of c o n t r o l .

Offshore balancing is a sustainable posture.

W h a t it promises, it can deliver.

Why Pakistan's militants can still strike at Will BBc m ilyas khan

The claim by al-Qaeda that it carried out the 13 September attack on the Pakistan Navy's dockyard in Karachi city yet again shows the militants' ability to strike deep in Pakistan despite recent setbacks. In a statement placed on one of its web portals, al-Qaeda claimed the operatives of its recently launched wing - al-Qaeda in the Indian Sub-continent (AQIS) seized control of a Pakistani frigate in order to attack some nearby American vessels. Few will believe that - not only because Pakistani forces have been able to contain similar attacks in the past, but also because the present one comes when a major offensive by the military has disrupted the militants' command centres in Miranshah, North Waziristan.

The Pakistani navy said it repelled the attack, killing two militants and capturing four others. It said it thwarted what looked like the militants' attempt to carry out an attack along the lines of the bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen in 2000.

'Soft' militant policy Both al-Qaeda and the Pakistani government said the attack was carried out with inside help. This admission comes as a stark reminder of the lingering concerns

about the ability of jihadi militants to penetrate Pakistan's security installations. But could a group whose formation was only announced on 4 September mount such an audacious attack just days later? It would seem unlikely, unless one considers the Pakistani military's alleged "soft" policy towards militants in the past, and al-Qaeda's local links that go back more than two decades. The military exposed its lower and middle ranks to a wave of radicalisation that came with the Afghan war of the 1980s. Its adoption of jihad as one of its three mottoes (the others being faith in God, and fear of God) created sympathy in its ranks for militancy and the Afghan jihad, and led to its subsequent anti-Americanism in the post-9/11 period. During the Afghan war, and later the 1989-2003 "jihad" in Indian-held Kashmir, Pakistan's ISI intelligence service was widely accused of having worked closely with militant groups, training and arming them and underwriting their operations.

Due to the Saudi origins of its leadership, alQaeda emerged as the "holiest", and also the wealthiest of militant groups in the South Asian region.

Same old leaderS The organisation was formed in the city of Peshawar in late 1980s, and a number of top Pakistani militant leaders played a role in shaping its training, planning, operational and propaganda arms. The recently appointed

chief of al-Qaeda in South Asia, Asim Umar, is a Pakistani militant who has spent years with al-Qaeda leaders in North Waziristan where he moved in the early 2000s and set up his own group. Prior to that, he worked with such Kashmir-focused groups as Harkatul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammad. So neither the AQIS nor its leaders are new to the region or the task at hand.

Over the years, militants trained in North Waziristan have proved their ability to strike pretty much any target in Pakistan, irrespective of which group claims the responsibility. The same is the case now.

Since the Pakistani military offensive, which started in mid-June, militant attacks virtually ceased in Pakistan, suggesting significant disruption to militant networks. Internal divisions in the militants also came to the fore as the main umbrella group of Pakistani Taliban, the TTP, split into at least three regional factions. But in the past couple of weeks, there have been signs the insurgents might be coming back to life.

Last month, militants said to be affiliated with a Mehsud faction of TTP and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) launched a synchronized attack on two air bases in the south-western city of Quetta. More than 10 of them died in the fighting that broke out. foreign fighterS There have also been a couple of suicide attacks

on police in the northwest, and a raid on a Pakistani border post from Afghan territory - claimed by another break-away faction of the TTP which calls itself Jamiat-e-Ahrar. Not to be left behind, the central TTP franchise led by Mullah Fazlullah claimed the naval dockyard attack. In hindsight, one would imagine they are happy to share the accolades with AQIS as they never contradicted the latter's claim. As the army's offensive in North Waziristan rumbles on, there certainly seems to be a race among the various militant factions to show that they are still alive and kicking. For al-Qaeda, it may well be a signal to the Iraq-based Islamic State (IS) that it's still in charge in the South Asian region.

While it may struggle to mount attacks in India, it has plenty of followers in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Maldives, some of whose citizens have been training in North Waziristan. In addition, there has been a strong presence of militants from Central Asia, northwest China, Middle East, the Caucasus region and the Far East. Traditionally, most of the foreign groups have tended to gravitate towards al-Qaeda and its TTP allies. Sources say the AQIS is now planning to consolidate these groups into a new force, separate from the Afghan Taliban who, according to sources, are seen by the al-Qaeda leadership as "indigenous" both in terms of ethnicity and ideological aims.

10 BUSINESS

Wednesday, 24 September, 2014

govt to offeR 7.5pc ogdcl shaRes on octobeR 2

CORPORATE CORNER

OFFER EXPECTED TO FETCH $816 MILLION FOR CASH-STRAPPED GOVERNMENT KaRaCHI: Khurram Shah, Head of Corporate Affairs, PepsiCo Pakistan, presents a donation cheque for the IDPs to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. PRESS RELEASE

chinese delegation visits bop head office

laHORE: The Chinese delegation headed by Mr Du Yonggang, Vice Minister of United Works Department and Party Group Secretary of Federation of Industry & Businesses Yantai city, China, comprising of leading businessmen/industrialists visited the Bank of Punjab head office on Tuesday. The CEO of PBI&T also attended the meeting. The purpose of visit of the delegation was to explore the possibility for financing and the financial services for the Chinese investors in Pakistan. Naeemuddin Khan, President BOP, welcomed the delegation. After the brief address, a presentation was given on the Bank of Punjab’s structure, its working network, products and services, assets based, exposure in various industrial sectors, import /export business from China handled by the Bank and recent transactions involving Chinese investments in Pakistan.

The BOP president assured of his full support and availability at any time to respond the queries of the Chinese investors in Pakistan. He hoped that the BOP should be main Bank of Yentai FCC&I. On query from one of the members of the delegation, various financial services, eligibility criteria for availing loan from the Bank, mark-up rate and mechanism for opening of LCs explained to the delegation. The meeting ended with the vote of thanks for the participants of the both sides. PRESS RELEASE

Islamabad: Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited (PTCL) dispatches relief goods for flood victims. PRESS RELEASE

KaRaCHI: Habib Oil Mills Managing Director Moidul Hassan donates an ambulance to Indus Hospital. PRESS RELEASE

KARACHI

t

STAFF REPORT

HE Privatisation Commission of Pakistan (PCP) Tuesday declared to have planned to launch over 322.460 million or 7.5 per cent of its shares in the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) by the second of next month.

The secondary offering of its ordinary shares and Global Depository Shares (GDSs) in the oil giant would fetch the resource-constrained federal government at least Rs 83.891 billion or $ 816 million.

This estimate is based upon the closing share price of OGDCL shares on September 22. The offer consists of an international institutional offering (the “International Institutional Offer”), in the form of shares and GDSs, to international institutional investors, including Qualified Institutional Buyers in the United States, as defined in and in reliance on Rule 144A of the US Se-

curities Act of 1993, as amended (Securities Act); and outside the US, to certain persons in offshore transactions under Regulations of the Securities Act, a domestic institutional offering (the Domestic Institutional Offer) of shares to institutional and high net worth individual investors; and a domestic public offering (Domestic Public Offer) of shares to the general public, including a portion reserved for OGDCL employees.

The shares are listed and traded on the country’s three stock exchanges in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad under the symbol OGDC. The GDSs are listed on the London Stock Exchange with each GDS representing 10 shares under the symbol OGDC. The price for the shares and GDSs offered in the International Institutional Offer would be fixed following a book-building process, with the price and allocations for the shares and GDSs announced on or around October 16.

The first day of unconditional trading for the GDSs on the London Stock Exchange is expected to occur on or around Oct 21. The domestic institutional offer will occur concurrent to the International Institutional Offer. However, the domestic public offer would take place after the closing of the international institutional offer at a price guided by the final international institutional offer price,

or at a discount to be approved by the cabinet committee on privatisation.

All of the net proceeds from the offer would be received by the federal government. Citigroup Global Markets Limited (Citi) and Merrill Lynch International (BofAML) are Joint Global Coordinators and International Bookrunners, and KASB Bank Limited (in conjunction with KASB Securities Limited) are domestic lead manager and book-runner on the transaction.

The government of Pakistan and OGDCL would be subject to a lock-up period of 180 days, subject to waiver by BofAML, Citi and KASB. While launching the transaction, Mohammad Zubair, Minister of State for Privatisation, said: “We believe the investment case for OGDCL is compelling. It is a high quality asset that boasts a long track record of out-performance and delivery of shareholder value.

“OGDCL is the third divestment that Pakistan has brought to market this year, following the successful offers of PPL and UBL, which were both well received by investors. The support for Pakistan’s on-going privatisation programme is a vote of confidence in the country’s growing economy.

Just last month, the International Monetary Fund raised its GDP growth estimates for Pakistan to 4.3

Belarus wants to broaden trade with Pakistan: ambassador ISLAMABAD INP

Belarus is interested in broadening trade with Pakistan as both countries have good potential to expand bilateral trade and economic relations in multiple fields, said HE Andrei Ermolovich, the newly-appointed ambassador of Belarus to Pakistan. He was interacting with businessmen during his visit to Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry. He said for the first time the embassy of Belarus was being established in Pakistan.

He said the exports of Belarus to Pakistan were confined to limited items including tractors, their tyres and spare parts, chemical fibres, and petro chemicals and identified agriculture, energy, IT, steel and furniture as the other potential

areas of cooperation between the two countries.

He said Chambers of Commerce of Pakistan and Belarus should enhance direct interactions and sign MoUs to explore new areas of mutual collaboration.

He was hopeful that planned establishment of railway links between Pakistan and Turkey will greatly facilitate promotion of trade between Pakistan and Belarus as it will shorten the trade route and provide better access to Pakistan to Scandinavian countries.

In his welcome address, Shaban Khalid, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said that Pakistan was looking for new markets and trade partners and the government had offered attractive incentives to foreign investors and added that it was high time for the companies of Belarus to explore Pakistan for investment and joint ventures in areas of mutual interest.

Meeting on Rekodiq aRbitRation agRees foR uRgent settleMent ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance Senator Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting on Tuesday to review progress of the arbitration in ICSID on the Rekodiq Project. Different aspects of the arbitration came under discussion. Participants of the meeting expressed the view that once initiated, the project would contribute massively to the economic uplift of the Baluchistan province, especially in creating a number of job opportunities. The meeting agreed to make all out efforts for speedy settlement of the arbitration issues so that further progress could be made. The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for P&NR Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Federal Minister for S&T Zahid Hamid, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Khwaja Zaheer Ahmed, Attorney General of Pakistan Salman Aslam Butt, Advisor Finance Division Rana Assad Amin and Nadeem Hassan Asif, Secretary Establishment. INP

TOP US FIRMS DROP OUT OF RACE TO FINANCE TAPI GAS PIPELINE WASHINGTON INP

Top US energy companies – Chevron and ExxonMobil – have dropped out of the race to become a consortium leader in financing the Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India (TAPI) gas pipeline following dismissal of their demand for an equity stake in the project, a report in the local media said on Tuesday.

The two companies were seeking shareholding in the field from where Turkmenistan would supply gas to energy-starved Pakistan, Afghanistan and India in response to their commitment to providing funds for laying the gas pipeline, officials say. However, Turkmenistan turned down the request, forcing the compa-

nies out of the competition to become the team leader.

Turkmenistan desires to award offshore gas extraction contracts to Chevron and ExxonMobil, but for that it needs to change the rules.

According to the officials, seeing an empty field, now Total of France and Malaysia’s Petronas have entered the fray and are expressing interest in gas exploration in Turkmenistan without seeking any stake.

“The government of Turkmenistan is negotiating with Total and Petronas a services agreement which is expected to be finalised in two months. The two firms could work as the consortium leaders,” an official said. “After receiving reports from Turkmenistan, Pakistan will again engage in talks with the central Asian state.” The Afghan government says it does not re-

quire the entire committed volume of gas and only needs a part of it. The remaining quantity will be shared by Pakistan and India.

“For the pipeline, a route survey will be undertaken.

Its engineering design is also yet to be prepared,” the official said. Under the TAPI project, which is expected to cost over $10 billion, Pakistan will get 1.365 billion cubic feet of gas per day (bcfd) from Turkmenistan, India will also receive the same 1.365 bcfd and Afghanistan will get 0.5 bcfd. Turkmenistan will export natural gas through a 1,800km pipeline that will reach India after passing through Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pakistan and India have already signed gas sale and purchase agreements and efforts are under way to attract potential investors for financing the project.

per cent for fiscal year 2015.

“The growth in the Pakistan economy is underpinned by a young and dynamic population that is powering the success of companies like OGDCL into the future. These are exciting times for Pakistan and its people, who are directly benefiting from the sale of stakes in companies like OGDCL.” Muhammad Rafi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of OGDCL, said: “It has been 11 years since we launched the initial offer for shares in OGDCL. During this time, we have successfully pursued our exploration and development programme and steadily increased our production, while rewarding our shareholders with attractive returns and on-going value creation.

“OGDCL is the largest upstream player in Pakistan and we believe that the company is well placed to take advantage of new opportunities in the market which will further cement our leadership position.”

“In our 2014 fiscal year, we added 29 new exploration licenses and completed eight exploration and appraisal wells. In 2015, we expect to continue to increase our production to enable us to respond to growing domestic energy demand in Pakistan, which currently imports nearly one third of its domestic energy requirements.”

Pakistan, Australia agree to boost bilateral trade NEW YORK: Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz held a meeting with Foreign Minister of Australia Julie Bishop at the United Nations Headquarters here Tuesday.

During the meeting, both sides discussed issues of bilateral interest. They also exchanged views on the current regional situation including Afghanistan. Both the ministers agreed to expand bilateral trade and economic relations between the two countries.

They also expressed satisfaction over the existing cooperation in the field of defence.

During the meeting, the expected visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to Australia early next year was also discussed which would give a boost to bilateral relations. Aziz also extended invitation to the Australian foreign minister to visit Pakistan. NNI

CNG stations to remain shut for 3 days in Sindh KARACHI: The CNG fillings stations will remain closed for three days in Sindh province including Karachi. According to All Pakistan CNG Association Sindh Zone, the CNG stations will suspend supply on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 8 am each day for 24 hours. The association told that annual maintenance work by SSGC is currently in progress at some gas fields due to which the supply would remain suspended for three days during this week. Also, the gas filling stations will remain closed for three days during the next week as well. AGENCIES

SBP reminds public to exchange decimal coins of paisa 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has reminded the general public to exchange the decimal coins of paisa 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 from the field offices of SBP BSC and commercial/microfinance banks branches by last working day of September 30. For awareness of general public, the SBP has advised the commercial/microfinance banks to display posters/banners at visible places of their branches for exchange of decimal coins. It may be recalled that the federal government has already notified that coins of paisa 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 will cease to be legal tender on October 1. However, it can be exchanged from the field offices of SBP BSC and branches of banks till September 30, 2014. NNI

LEISURE 11

Wednesday, 24 September, 2014

HaGaR tHE HoRRIblE

aries

taurus

gemini

Today is all about other people -- so keep your eyes open for good deeds you can do. Karma is yours for the taking if you want it. You should find it handy in a few weeks when fortune calls.

A friend gets even closer today -though it may have nothing to do with romance.

You should expect deepening connections as a result of your great energy. This could lead to something big!

Do you have a backlog of communication? Now is the time to catch up. You're usually the master of instant messaging, but sometimes even you forget to get back to certain people.

cancer

leo

virgo

You're in the middle of a big social muddle -- but it's easy to turn it into something positive. Make sure that you're dealing with people who aren't as important to you as they should be.

Spending may be a problem for you -- but you can also find a way to get past it. Things are sure to get better once you deal with one little budget issue that has been tripping you up.

You ring the bell and take care of something new and exciting today -- and everyone knows it was you.

Life keeps getting better, and you're in the perfect position to move ahead quickly.

libra

scorpio

sagittarius

You're a bit overwhelmed by all of today's noise and activity. Try not to get too freaked out -- things are sure to settle down tomorrow as long as you keep your cool today.

It's a good day to share a secret with your best friend -- or someone else who can fill in.

It doesn't even have to have anything to do with you, as long as it's meaningful to the both of you.

It's really hard for you to handle authority today -- either yours or someone else's. Make sure that you're as respectful as you can be, but even that may not work for you. Take a deep breath!

dIlbERt

GaRFIEld

baldo

capricorn

aquarius

pisces

It's the perfect time to indulge your need for careful planning. Your great energy is right for taking all the details and making them fit together.

You should amaze someone who's watching.

You feel somewhat more grounded than usual.

It's easier for you to take care of socializing and difficult conversations. Things are easier to move forward, as long as you know what you really want.

You need a new project, and one should come your way early today. It may not seem like all that much until you start to get your hands dirty, and then it should get really exciting.

cRosswoRd

sUdoKU

woRd sEaRcH

ACROSS

bRIdGE

How to play fill in all the squares in the grid so that each row, column and each of the squares contains all the digits. the object is to insert the numbers in the boxes to satisfy only one condition: each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the digits 1 through 9 exactly once.

pout power prophet purposes reason saint seep serve skill spar speak supply talent teach tick toss trust universe utter

Today’s soluTions

GEttInG InFoRmatIon

cHEss White tO PLAY AND MAte iN five MOves 8

crossword solution

7 6 5 4 3 2

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

chess solution

A

1.Qg3! Qxh6+ [1...Rxg3 2.Rxe8#] 2.Qh3 Qd6 3.Kh1 Kg8 4.Rxe8+ Kf7 5.Rh8 *

1

sudoku solution

1 assuage (6) 4 rhodes of rhodesia (5) 7 intensify (6) 8 duplicity (6) 9 excessively abundant supply (4) 10 evaluate (8) 12 round the clock (3,3,5) 17 meat joint (8) 19 persia today (4) 20 famine (6) 21 trial (6) 22 person getting the money (5) 23 altars (anag) (6) DOwn 1 subdued (7) 2 fellow feeling (7) 3 enclosed (9) 4 unimpeded (5) 5 protect and care for lovingly (7) 6 missive (6) 11 needy (9) 13 irregularity (7) 14 former dutch currency (7) 15 labour (7) 16 consumed (4,2) 18 measure of liquid volume (5)

build curs deliberate desk divine employ equip expression fact fellowship field first given grace happens health jets mercy nurse

12

Wednesday, 24 September 2014

ARTS

Pentagon working on tiny implants that could give humans selfhealing superpowers

White tiger kills schoolboy in neW Delhi zoo A AGENCIES

VIA LIVE SCIENCE Wolverine, Ghost Rider, the Incredible Hulk — all of these characters have at least one awesome trait in common: the ability to heal themselves. And now, the Pentagon wants to give ordinary people this superhuman capability. A new military-sponsored program aims to develop a tiny device that can be implanted in the body, where it will use electrical impulses to monitor the body’s organs, healing these crucial parts when they become infected or injured. Known as Electrical Prescriptions, or ElectRx, the program could reduce dependence on pharmaceutical drugs and offer a new way to treat illnesses, according to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the branch of the U.S. Department of Defense responsible for developing the program. “The technology DARPA plans to develop through the ElectRx program could fundamentally change the manner in which doctors diagnose, monitor and treat injury and illness,” Doug Weber, program manager for DARPA’s biological technologies office, said in a statement. The implant that DARPA hopes to develop is something akin to a tiny, intelligent pacemaker, Weber said. The device would be implanted into the body, where it would continually assess a person’s condition and provide any necessary stimulus to the nerves to help maintain healthy organ function, he added. The idea for the technology is based on a biological process known as neuromodulation, in which the peripheral nervous system (the nerves that connect every other part of the body to the brain and spinal cord) monitors the status of internal organs and regulate the body’s responses to infection and disease.

When a person is sick or injured, this natural process can sometimes be thrown off, according to DARPA. Instead of making a person feel better, neuromodulation can actually exacerbate a condition, causing pain, inflammation and a weakened immune system. But with the help of an electrically charged implant, DARPA says it can keep neuromodulation under control. Electric impulses from the device will stimulate the nerve patterns that help the body heal itself and keep the out-of-whack nerve stimulus patterns that cause a sick person even greater harm from doing damage.

white tiger mauled to death a school student in a New Delhi zoo on Tuesday, an official and a witness said. Television channels broadcast closed-circuit footage of the frightened boy inside the tiger’s enclosure in the zoo that houses six white tigers, along with lions and panthers.

“We are all in a complete state of shock,” said Amitabh Agnihotri, the director of the National Zoological Park in the Indian capital, adding that the body was being sent for a post-mortem examination.

“The boy seems to have leapt over the railing into the tiger enclosure. It was a white tiger that attacked,” New Delhi zoo manager Riaz Khan told a foreign news agency. ”We are trying to find out who this boy was and why he did what he did. The police are here and they are investigating.” Authorities have yet to ascertain whether the student was alone or accompanied by friends.

“The barricade was too low and it seems the tiger grabbed the youth into his cage and firmly latched on to the youth’s neck,” an eyewitness who alerted the police told an Indian news channel.

“We tried to throw sticks and stones at the tiger but we could not save the youth,” he said, adding that the tiger killed him in less than 10 minutes.

In 2000 a tiger mauled a man in a zoo in the eastern state of West Bengal.

In 2011, India had 1,706 tigers, or more than half the world’s population of the endangered species.

US lawyer in trouble over fake celebrity photo-ops LOS ANGELES AGENCIES

A Los Angeles attorney may have her law license suspended after a state bar investigation found that she had superimposed images of herself into numerous celebrity photographs posted on her website’s “publicity” page.

In an 18-page decision, a state bar court judge recommended Svitlana Sangary be suspended for six months and remain on probation for another 21/2 years for deceptive advertising and misconduct stemming from an investi-

gation of the photos.

The ruling, issued this month, is ultimately subject to review by the State Supreme Court, which imposes such discipline.

Each of the photographs in question shows Sangary posing with political figures or celebrities, including President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, and actors George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Anne Hathaway.

“This court finds that many, and perhaps all, of these photos were created by taking original celebrity photos and then overlaying respondent’s

image in order to make it appear as though (she) was in the presence of that celebrity,” Judge Donald Miles wrote in his opinion.

He said the photos, posted beginning in December 2012, “were part of an advertisement and solicitation for future work ... and they were false, deceptive and intended to confuse, deceive and mislead the public.” Sangary has denied the allegations.

Sangary, a graduate of Pepperdine University law school, promised a fuller reply to the ruling within 30 days.

RECORD IPHONE WEEKEND SALES TOP 10 MILLION: APPLE WASHINGTON AGENCIES

Apple broke its sales record for an opening weekend of a new iPhone model, delivering 10 million in three days and boasting it could have sold more if it had them. Sales for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus exceeded our expectations for the launch weekend, and we couldn’t be happier,” Apple chief executive Tim Cook said Monday.

“We could have sold many more iPhones with greater supply and we are working hard to fill orders as quickly as possible.” The opening weekend for the large-screen iPhones allowed Apple to break its record for launch weekend sales of nine million, which its set last year when it launched the iPhone 5S and 5C. The new models were launched on Friday in the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico and Singapore.

They will be available in more than 20 additional countries from September 26, and 115 countries by the end of the year. The positive response was noted by analysts who said Apple is likely to get a lift from the new phones.

- Apple ‘executed well’ - “Despite the supply chain constraints... Apple executed extremely well in the face of severe supply constraints,” said Brian White at Cantor Fitzgerald in a note to clients.

“More important to us, we believe Apple is in the

midst of a ‘super cycle’ that we expect will keep the stock heading in an upward trajectory.”

Benjamin Reitzes at Barclays was also impressed by the sales figures and added that “the key here is that the figure could have been much higher — which is obvious if you visited a store over the weekend.”

Apple shAres gAined 0.15 percent MondAy to $101.11: The global rollout led to long lines outside Tokyo’s flagship Apple store in glitzy Ginza, and in stores from Hong Kong to Paris to New York. Cook personally kicked off sales of the iPhone 6, joining in “selfies” and shaking hands with

customers Friday outside the company’s store in Palo Alto, California, near his Silicon Valley home.

Both new iPhones have larger screens as Apple catches up with the “phablet” trend pioneered by competitors such as Samsung, which has had success with its Galaxy Note series. The iPhone 6 has a screen of 4.7 inches and the 6 Plus is 5.5 inches, reflecting a growing preference for bigger displays, despite Apple’s earlier vow to stick with the traditional size.

Main rival Samsung has long had a range of larger handsets, which are popular in Asia, and will soon release a new Galaxy Note 4. Apple said more

CMYK

than four million pre-orders were received in the 24 hours after the sale was announced.

The new iPhones come with Apple steadily losing market share to low-cost Android devices from South Korean rival Samsung and others. While Apple sold more than 35 million iPhones in the second quarter, its growth was slower than that of many rivals and its market share dipped to 11.7 percent, according to the research firm IDC. Samsung led the global smartphone market in the quarter with sales of 74 million and a market share of 25 percent, according to IDC figures.

But the strongest growth in the past quarter came from Chinese manufacturers such as Huawei and Lenovo, which boosted their market share, notably in their home market. Apple has not yet announced plans for sales of the iPhone 6 in China. State officials said last week the US firm still needs to obtain “a key network access license” before selling on the mainland. Apple did get broader access to the Chinese market earlier this year when China Mobile, the country’s biggest wireless provider, started selling iPhones, ending a six-year wait in a crucial market for the US technology giant.

Along with the new iPhone, Apple released an updated mobile operating system, iOS 8 with more features for fitness monitoring and home automation.

The company also plans to roll out its Apple Watch which links to the iPhone in 2015, and has announced the newer iPhones would be equipped for mobile payments in the US market.

Wednesday, 24 September 2014

ARTS

13

Fawad Khan dedicates ‘Khoobsurat’movie to cancer patients

F

Monitoring Desk

AWAD Afzal Khan starring in his Disney, Bollywood debut film “Khoobsurat” has dedicated the film to the cancer patients under treatment at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre. A special screening ensued on Monday at Super Cinema, Vogue Tower in Lahore where various artists from different disciplines of life were invited to be a part of the occasion. Popular distinguished guests belonging to the showbiz industry such as, Vaneeza Ahmed, Bilal Lashari, and Ahmed Ali Butt were present. Other eminent musicians, such as Ali Zafar, Farhad Humayun, and Atif Aslam and renowned corporate and social sector individuals, for instance Mr. Usman Khalid and Sarosh Butt, Mr. Kamran Lashari and Ms. Salima Hashmi were part of the event, to show support for the forthcoming success of Fawad Khan, following his Bollywood success after the release of the film worldwide.

Fawad himself was present at the red carpet event, in the company of other peers

Charlie Sheen hintS at returning to ‘two and a half Men’

Agencies Actor Charlie Sheen says there have been talks between him and the makers of hit comedy drama ‘Two and a Half Men’ for his possible return on the show. Sheen, 49, was on ‘Two and a Half Men’ for eight seasons before his infamous exit in 2011. “I’ve reached out to them and they’ve reached back. We’re trying to figure out what makes the most sense. If they figure it out like I’ve presented it to them and they want to include me in some final send-off, I’m available and I’m showing up early. If not, it’s on them,” Sheen said. The actor and creator Chuck Lorre were earlier at each other’s throat with Sheen suing Lorre for USD 100 million plus punitive damages. Sheen also called Lorre a “contaminated little maggot” in an open letter following the shut-down of ‘Two and a Half Men’ production. His character was later killed off in season 9 and replaced by a new character played by Ashton Kutcher. When asked if Sheen has patched up with Lorre, he said, “Ethereally we have, personally we have not.

But I’m easy to grab. He was doing his job, I was doing mine. At the end of the day, the guy’s a genius. Look at what he does. I don’t have to spend time with him anymore for him to be brilliant. I wish him nothing but the best.”

and experienced guests sharing his experience in India as an overwhelming one, where the audience received him with nothing but kindness and a positive response to his acting abilities in the film. He described his experience at working in India next to co star Sonam Kapoor as nothing short of working with family.

“So far it’s been great. I have received a lot of love and affection amongst those who appreciate my work. And there is no fuss about my being a Pakistani. They express their feelings about me as one of their own,” said Fawad.

The film released on Friday, 19th September, has been a global success and was received with a phenomenal response from both the Indian audience and the local one, owing to the consideration that Fawad Khan is already considered a celebrity in India, due to his critically acclaimed performance in the TV series “Zindagi Gulzar Hai”. Famous Bollywood celebrities such as Aamir Khan and Anu Malik have personally appreciated Fawad’s work in India. Fawad Khan believes that working across the border will bring back a lot of learning for the local film industry in a lot of ways.

Kidswear brand Hopscotch introduces third store with new Fall 2014 Collection Following the successful launch of Hopscotch’s second store at DHA Lahore earlier in May, Pakistan’s now acclaimed and popular kids wear label is set to open its third store in Lahore Cantt on Thursday, 25thSeptember 2014! The brand’s newest store is located at Shop # LG 27, Fortress Square, Fortress Stadium, Lahore Cantt and will also feature Hopscotch’s latest Festive Fall collection. Hopscotch’s new Festive Fall/Eid 14 collection brings with it the excitement of exploration and features design elements consisting of dinosaurs, carnivals, space and many more fun things. The collection consists of an Eid eastern wear collection along with a western wear collection. The Eid collection has been inspired by the color, vibrancy and sheer fun of childhood. For girls, traditional Eastern wear such as churidar pajamas, flared kurtas with straight pants and more based in 100% cotton, lace, jamawar, net, silk and chiffon! For boys, designs include vibrant colored kurtas. The western wear collection consists of button down shirts, graphic tees, swishy dresses and colorful chinos to welcome fall in style. The fun separates are available in a multitude of different styles, including stripes which are on trend this season, and can be used to create distinct looks Speaking about the launch of the third Hopscotch store and introduction of their upcoming Festive Fall’14 collection, Harris Syed and Romana Abdullah said, “We

are extremely proud to be launching our third outlet in Lahore. We believe accessibility to high quality kidswear apparel is paramount and trust the launch of a third store furthers this philosophy. We are also thrilled to introduce our latest Fall 2014 collection that focuses on a child’s imagination on discovery.

The collection features dinosaurs, carnivals, space and many more fun things where kids and parents can choose from a diversity of apparel to dress for Fall. Also coming, is an exclusive vibrant and colourful eastern wear collection for Eid-ul-Adha. We endeavor for Hopscotch to set new standards of how kidswear is designed, produced and ultimately retailed in Pakistan and internationally.” Hop-

scotch is the brainchild of entrepreneurial couple and duo, Romana Abdullah and Harris Syed, who wanted to create a clothing brand that both kids and their parents would love. With clothes and accessories for boys and girls from 0-8 years the children’s fashion brand is inspired by the color, joy and wonder of childhood. Hopscotch brings its philosophy of embracing joy and fun, to kids’ clothing and accessories. Hopscotch is not only about the childhood game that was played with friends in the cemented driveway after school, it is about capturing the vibrancy, the playfulness, the unpretentiousness of a child’s life in a brand that we would love our kids to wear. Press releAse

i Care a lot for ranbir Kapoor and feel proteCtive about hiM: Katrina

Bollywood’s barbie doll Katrina Kaif has finally accepted her love, affection and feelings in public for her long-time rumoured beau Ranbir Kapoor. Speaking at length in an interview about Ranbir, his habits, personality and every other aspect of him, Katrina said that she has seen him evolve as a person and grow as an actor. “In the time that I have known Ranbir, since Saawariya released, I have seen a lot of change in him as a person. Not only from the proximity that I have known from, but also as an outsider, given how much he has matured and evolved as a person. Ranbir is like me, in the way that he is very loyal and emotional to the people he really cares about in his inner circle, which is very small. He can come out very detached to people outside of that.”

Katrina also said how protective she is for Ranbir. “I care a lot for him and feel protective about him. He has the capacity to be an extremely talented actor and a deeply evolved, highly intellectual and sensitive human being at the same time. He has the capacity and I can see the height of his potential,” Katrina said. Agencies

Akhiyaan: A theatrical performance by Azaad Monitoring Desk Where the city of Lahore is thrilled by non-stop film releases, Azad theatre group moved theatre into the spot light by putting up a week long performances of their theatrical production “Akhiyaan”.

The play being performed at Alhamra Arts Council since Monday, is a 1930’s radio play directed by Malik Aslam. The play has been converted into a theatre script to introduce a new technique of production and scripting. “The main purpose of putting up Akiyaan on stage, apart from social awareness is to experiment a new technique of scripting and production. The audience’s response will tell us the results of our experiment,” said Sarfaraz Aslam, who is playing the role of “Mian Sahab” in “Akhiyaan”. The play “Akhiyaan” is the story of a blind girl, played by Alia, who

desperately seeks the sense of sight to see the happenings of a soulless society which is no less blind than her. The performance comprises of critical and

artistic insight towards a social issue hence the play holds a distinguished identity from that of the commercial theatre of Pakistan. “The play displays

CMYK

many aspects of performance such as vocals, mime, body language along a tint of dance and music. Therefore it entertains and enlightens people at the same time. In a nutshell, Akhiyaan is a full package which blends in folk, classical and live music,” said Sarfaraz Aslam. However, Akhiyaan is not the only artistic representation of Azaad’s ideologies. Plays such as “Raja Poras”, “Bhagat Singh’s Last Trial” and Manto’s controversial plays have also been produced under Azaad’s banner previously. The gems hidden in Azaad are world recognized artists such as Nadeem Abbas, playing “Kareema” in the play, is a world dancer and choreographer. He is also the costume and set designer for all the plays performed by Azaad. Over the span of fours, Azaad has established international recognition through

workshops, performances and competitions. Hence it is no surprise that Azaad’s plays are often seen as a pure form of theatrical art by the audience which is gradually leading to Azaad’s recognition as a theatre insititute. “Youngsters are active participants and performers at Azaad.

They spend a lot of time here learning various theatre related skills from us.

But we are striving towards a farfetched goal which is to establish an independent repertory company where theatre lovers can join in as professionally hired actors, directors and writers,” Malik Aslam, director and cofounder Azaad. All in all, for those seeking real parallel theatre in Pakistan, Alhamrah Arts Council is the place to be at from September 22 till September 26 for a five day theatre performance of “Akhiyaan”.

14 SPORTS

Wednesday, 24 September, 2014

selectors persuAded to keep cook

A

AtApAttu still in line for sl job Marvan Atapattu is a strong contender to become Sri Lanka’s head coach, as the search for the job moved to its final stages, amid controversy. The coach-selection committee selected Atapattu as one of its two final candidates, but the meeting that arrived at those decisions was not attended by chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya, who had resigned from his position in the committee late on Tuesday morning. The board has not named the other remaining candidate, but the coach-selection committee will interview him on Tuesday afternoon, before making its final recommendation on Wednesday. That recommendation will then need to be ratified by the executive committee at their meeting on the same day, before the appointment is official. The committee had already interviewed Atapattu on Tuesday morning.

Jayasuriya’s resignation had come as a surprise to most in the 11-member committee, and is a significant shift for the coach-selection process because Jayasuriya had been among those taking the lead in finding and interviewing candidates for the position. He had also been among the strongest voices and key decision-makers in the Sri Lanka setup since his appointment as selector in early 2013. SportS DeSk

Blitzing Super KingS giveS Delport a lift While Dolphins might have fallen well short of the massive target of 243 set by Chennai Super Kings on Monday night in Bangalore, the very fact that they competed early on in the chase would give the South African franchise a boost, batsman Cameron Delport has said.

Delport, who played a big role in Dolphins’ spirited start, slamming 34 off nine, said the team knew the only way they could possibly chase down 243 was by putting some pressure back on Super Kings and hoping they cracked. “It gives us massive confidence,” Delport told clt20.com. “Today we played against Chennai Super Kings, who had a lot of Indian national stars and other reputed international cricketers. We know that if we can play well against them - either beat them or even just compete against them - it will help us mature as players. If we can handle these guys, we can definitely handle international cricket.” SportS DeSk

SportS DeSk

LASTAIR Cook looks set to benefit from the steadfast support of England coach Peter Moores and retain his place in the ODI side.

England name their squad for the ODI series in Sri Lanka on Wednesday with the position of the captain one area that could have created much discussion. At least one of the other national selectors had reservations about Cook’s continued involvement in the ODI side, Moores has insisted that he should remain captain and lead England to the World Cup. While it remains possible that the other selectors James Whitaker, Mick Newell and Angus Fraser could out-vote Moores, it is unlikely that a normally consensual process would come to such an abrasive conclusion. It is more likely that the coach will be given the team, and the captain, that he wants.

Cook’s position in the ODI side has come under scrutiny in recent months after a run of modest form with the bat and disappointing team results. England have not won any of their last five ODI series with Cook as captain and, since June 20, 2012, Cook is averaging 32.21 in ODI cricket at a strike-rate of 72.46.

It is 40 ODI innings since he has reached 80 and, in his last 16, he has made only one-half-century. England have won one of their last six completed ODIs. But Cook and Moores have struck up a strong relationship over the last six months. Moores has been impressed by Cook’s fortitude under pressure and his lack of personal agenda. While Moores endured some difficult relationships with his captains during his first stint as coach - he struggled with Kevin Pietersen, Michael Vaughan and Paul Collingwood at various times - he has

found Cook like-minded, easy to work with and believes in him as a player. Besides, while Eoin Morgan and Ian Bell might prove decent alternate choices as captains, neither has made a compelling case over recent months.

Moores would rather stick with Cook, with his obvious strengths and weaknesses, than gamble on an unproven captain only months ahead of a global event.

Certainly, time is running out to make a change ahead of the World Cup. After the seven-match ODI series in Sri Lanka, England depart for a short tri-na-

tions series with Australia and India in Australia in January. England and Australia then play on the opening day of the World Cup, February 14. If the selectors are to give a new team any chance of bedding-in, the change would have to come now.

Yet, with Moores’ support, it would still be a shock if Cook does not feature in the squad for Sri Lanka which is sure to closely resemble the World Cup that follows. With his selection, England will continue with their ODI method which, in broad terms, revolves around retaining wickets and accelerating in the later stages of their innings. The selectors, who meet on Tuesday, are also likely to discuss their spin options, fast bowling options, aggressive batting options and all-rounders; a state of affairs that reflects England’s increasingly desperate state going into World Cup. Ravi Bopara, who was a surprise omission from the ODI squad to play India, is likely to win a recall. Not only did England miss Bopara’s ability to clear the ropes towards the end of the innings, they also struggled to replace his medium-pace bowling.

While there may well be a temptation to select the likes of Jason Roy or James Taylor, England are more likely to stick with those who did service against India.

Joe Root ended the series with a fine hundred at Headingley and although Bell had a top score of 50 in ODIs this season he has a decent long-term record. Gary Ballance may miss out. There will be a temptation to select Adil Rashid whose legspin is complemented by his batting. But Moeen Ali has developed into a good spin option and the selectors retain faith in James Tredwell, despite his struggles in Australia at the start of the year. Though Tredwell’s economy rate of 4.57 was respectable he failed to take a wicket in three matches.

JUBAIR’S STRIKES LEAVE ZIMBABWE SHAKY SortS DeSk Legspinner Jubair Hossain struck three times in two overs as Zimbabwe A went to stumps at 91 for 6 on the second day of the second unofficial Test in Fatullah. The visitors trail Bangladesh A by 167 runs after the hosts were bowled out for 258 earlier in the day.

Jubair, who took a four-for on his first-class debut during the first unofficial Test, broke a 42-run, fourthwicket stand between Mark Vermeulen and Brian Chari by bowling Vermeulen for 31. In the next five deliveries, he removed Joylord Gumbie and Taurai Muzarabani as the visitors slipped to 66 for 6 after they had started off losing their top three for 12 by the fourth over. Shahadat Hossain took two of the first three wickets and ended the day with 2 for 15 in four overs. For Zimbabwe, Chari held steady, finishing the day on an unbeaten 39.

Earlier, Bangladesh A also suffered a collapse as they lost their last nine wickets for 63 runs. The side was comfortably placed at 195 for 1 before Shadman Islam was run out for 60. The opener’s knock came off 176 deliveries and included 10 fours.

Shadman was also involved in a 155-run opening stand with Shahriar

gale caSe Set for preliminary hearing Yorkshire will attempt to have the charges against their captain, Andrew Gale, who is accused of using racially abusive language towards Ashwell Prince, thrown out on Tuesday when a preliminary hearing takes place. Gale is facing a Level 3 offence under the ECB’s disciplinary code for his foul-mouthed tirade at Prince during the Roses match at Old Trafford earlier this month. Gale was handed six penalty points in the immediate aftermath of the incident, which led to an automatic ban for the rest of the reason when added to a previous sanction for dissent. The case was then escalated to a full disciplinary hearing due to the perceived racial connotations of what Gale said when he told Prince to “f*** off back to your own country”, which was followed by mention of Prince’s Kolpak status although that term is not believed to be at the centre of the case. SportS DeSk

Nafees, who missed out on a century by three runs. Nafees scored a 140ball 97 that included 14 fours and a six. Zimbabwe A captain Vusi Sibanda picked up his maiden, first-

class five-for during Bangladesh A’s collapse, taking the wickets of Nafees, Naeem Islam, Mohammad Mithun, Kamrul Islam and Saqlain Sajib.

WCL Division 3 moved out of Uganda SportS DeSk The ICC World Cricket League Division 3 will be played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in October, with the ICC deciding to shift the tournament out of Uganda due to security issues.

In a statement, the ICC said it had decided to shift the event after co-ordinating with “a range of local authorities and security experts”. The ICC chief executive David Richardson said: “The safety and security of players and officials is of paramount importance to the ICC, and despite the excellent cooperation received from the Ugandan government and the Uganda Cricket Association, due to recent events beyond the control of the ICC and the Uganda Cricket Associ-

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ation, we were ultimately uncertain if a secure environment could still be provided.

“Thankfully, the Malaysian Cricket Association has offered to host the tournament at short notice, and, based on previous experience, we anticipate a successful event in Kuala Lumpur.”

The six teams competing in the event are Bermuda, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Uganda and the USA. Earlier this month, several players from the USA squad had said they might pull out of the tournament if it were played Uganda, before Lionel Cann, one of Bermuda’s most experienced players refused to travel to the country, following the news of a foiled terrorist plot in the capital city Kampala on September 13.

linfoot ‘felt like first loser’ despite strong weekend Quattro Kawasaki’s Dan Linfoot says he felt like the first loser at Assen’s MCE British Superbike round despite netting 23 points and bagging a fourth place in race two. The Yorkshire knitting needle just missed out on a podium after dragging himself up to the leaders but just didn’t quite have the pace to catch and pass Tommy Bridewell. “It was a positive race day for me and it’s been nice to repeat the form I showed at Thruxton and Oulton Park and prove it wasn’t a fluke. However, at the same time I’m disappointed as I did a great job to get into a fight with the race leaders but didn’t finish the job off by fighting with them for the podium,” said Linfoot. “I genuinely feel like the first loser today but my team did a great job by continually improving the bike over the race weekend and we’ve got five more races still to go to get ourselves back onto the rostrum.” SportS DeSk

SPORTS 15

Wednesday, 24 September, 2014

fernanDo SantoS appointeD portugal manager

ibexes get on boArd With one-run Win AeNcieS

“Fernando Santos, 59, is the new national team coach. Santos, the former head coach of Greece, will be presented to the media at 12.30 on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Portuguese Football Federation,” The Portuguese coach spent four years in charge of Greece and guided them to the quarterfinals of Euro 2012 as well as the last 16 of this year’s World Cup, where they lost on penalties to Costa Rica. Santos left his post the day after Greece were eliminated from the tournament, having decided before the competition not to renew his contract. The former Porto and Benfica manager replaces Paulo Bento, who left after Portugal made a calamitous start to their Euro 2016 campaign, losing to Albania. Portugal are next in action on Oct. 11 when they meet France in a friendly in Paris before travelling to Denmark for their second Euro 2016 qualifier three days later. SportS DeSk

reDS Stay top in Japan, oKuBo ScoreS hattricK for KawaSaKi

Group D: Seamer Atif Jabbar bowled three dot balls in the final over, as Dera Murad Jamali Ibexes held on for a one-run win against Bahawalpur Stags in Karachi.

Chasing 142, Stags lost their opener Hamid Ali early, but were buoyed by a 48-run partnership between the captain Imranullah Aslam (25) and Naeemuddin (32). However, two quick blows from the legspinner Abid Ali (2 for 23) thwarted Stags’ momentum and reduced them to 71 for 4, with still 71 to get off 53 deliveries.

Faisal Mubashir kept Stags hoping with an unbeaten 25-ball 36, but he could not find the desired acceleration from his partners, as Kamran Hussain and Taimur Khan together used 21 deliveries to make just 19.

Mubashir eventually brought the equation down to nine needed off the last over, but he and Waqas Khan could only manage three runs from the first five balls, meaning that Waqas’ four off the final delivery was inconsequential - a six was what was

needed. Opting to bat, Ibexes had made 141 for 7 from their 20 overs.

Their innings was built around a 46ball 50 from Najeebullah, and his 56run stand with Asif Ali, after opener Imran Khan had thumped 22 off eight to give his team a bright start.

Group C: Faisalabad Wolves opener Farrukh Shehzad slammed an unbeaten 72 off just 38 balls to help the team gun down 136 against AJK Jaguars with five overs to spare. Farrukh thumped nine fours and two sixes during his knock, as he and his opening partner Ali Waqas (43) raced to 102 inside 12 overs, setting Wolves up for a comprehensive eight-wicket victory.

Opting to bat, Jaguars began brightly themselves, with the captain Raheel Majeed scoring a 49-ball 60, with eight fours and a six. Majeed and Adil Gulbahar put up 90 for the first wicket, but three wickets in the space of 11 deliveries hampered Jaguars’ momentum. Ghulam Murtaza offered a late surge by hitting 24 off 15 balls, but four of Wolves’ bowlers went at under six an over, as Jaguars were kept to 135 for 4.

SUAREZ TO PLAY FOR BARCELONA’S B TEAM

Ailing serenA exits WuhAn open

SportS DeSk The Reds lead the 18-team championship by six points from Kawasaki with nine games remaining after their fourth win on the trot in the Japanese top flight. Forward Shinzo Koroki put them in front in the 22nd minute after converting a first time cross from the right by Takahiro Sekine, who was picked out by a raking pass from deep by captain and Japan international Yuki Abe. Another pinpoint pass from former Leicester City midfielder Abe set up the second goal in the 50th minute, with fullback Ryota Moriwaki collecting the ball on the wide right before cutting inside and firing home a left foot effort. The J-League’s top scorer Okubo added another three to his goal tally as Kawasaki downed second from bottom Omiya Ardija 3-1 to keep up the pressure on the Reds. The World Cup striker raced through to put the visitors ahead in the 21st minute, was on hand at the back post to slot in after good work down the right by Yusuke Tanaka in the 51st before saving his best for last. The former Real Mallorca and VfL Wolfsburg striker dribbled down the right before unleashing a shot from an acute angle high into the roof of the net with 12 minutes remaining. SportS DeSk

Suarez is banned from playing any competitive football for Barca until October 25 when he could return for the first Clasico of the season against Real Madrid. However, the Uruguayan is keen to get some playing time under his belt, so will be in the line-up for the club’s B team for their friendly against Indonesia’s U19s on pitch seven at the Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper stadium. The Catalan club splashed out 81 million euros on the controversial Uruguayan knowing that they would not be able to use him in an official match from the start after he was given a four-month ban for biting at the World Cup. “He has been training hard, showing a lot of willingness and is looking forward to returning so this game does look like a good opportunity to give him a run out if (Barca B coach) Eusebio is happy to do that,” Luis Enrique said. Suarez was initially prohibited from being engaged in any footballing activities but on appeal he has been allowed to return to training and to play friendly games. The former Liverpool hitman already played in a match between the Barca first team and the reserves and the game against Indonesia will be another chance for him to sharpen up.

Although early days, Barcelona have made their best ever start to a La Liga campaign in his absence with four straight wins without conceding a goal. Their defence was a weakness last season and an important reason why all the major trophies escaped them, but they looking more solid as they prepare to take on Malaga.

WORLD NUMBER TWO HALEP CRASHES OUT IN CHINA SportS DeSk Romanian world number two Simona Halep’s stuttering form continued as she became the latest seed to be dumped out of the inaugural Wuhan Open after an aggressive display by Garbine Muguruza.

The Spanish 20-yearold smashed 34 winners as she beat the second seed 26 6-2 6-3 and set up a thirdround meeting with Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who battled back from a 50 first set deficit to edge Germany’s Sabine Lisicki 7-6(3) 6-3.

Halep, who lost in the final of the French Open to Maria Sharapova in June, has won only four matches in her last four events and joins a

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long line of seeds to fall at the opening stages of the $2.4 million hard court event.

Italian 11th seed Sara Errani was ousted by American Alison Riske 6-4 6-4 while Swiss qualifier Timea Bacsinszky defeated 13th seed and U.S. Open semi-finalist Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 6-4 6-1.

On Monday, fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska, ninth seed Ana Ivanovic, 12th seed Dominika Cibulkova, 14th seed Lucie Safarova and 15th seed Flavia Pennetta all made early-round exits.

Top seed and world number one Serena Williams gets her Wuhan Open campaign underway later on Tuesday against France’s Alize Cornet.

WUHAN AgencieS

Top seed Serena Williams had to be helped from the court as she retired ill during her first set at the inaugural Wuhan Open in China on Tuesday. The world number one had her temperature and blood pressure checked before retiring while 6-5 up against France’s Alize Cornet, after just over an hour on court. It brought an abrupt end to Serena’s first match since she won her 18th Grand Slam title at the US Open in New York two weeks ago. The incident is another blow for the Wuhan Open after poster girl and hometown hero Li Na quit tennis on the eve of the tournament.

china flexes muscles in pool at asian games Led by London Olympic champions Sun Yang and Ye Shiwen, the Chinese transformed the Munhak Aquatics Centre into their own private pool party, winning all but one of the seven titles decided on the third night of swimming finals. Sun, who took a day off after being beaten by Kosuke Hagino in the 200 metres freestyle on Sunday and injuring his thumb when he hit the touchpad, was better suited by the longer distance and avenged his loss to the rising Japanese star when he successfully defended his 400m freestyle title. Ye, whose eyepopping performances at the London Olympics led to thinly-veiled accusations from other nations about the source of her success, turned the women’s 400 individual medley into a virtual time-trial. She steamed clear of the field from the start and was never challenged as she made an audacious attempt to break her own world record. SportS DeSk

SPORTS Wednesday, 24 September, 2014

PAKISTAN BEAT QATAR 3-0 IN SQUASH KARACHI: Pakistan started off their squash team event campaign on Tuesday with a win, defeating Qatar 3-0 in their Group A match of the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. Pakistan’s Danish Atlas Khan defeated Abdulwahab Khalid Al Ishaq 3-0 with a scoreline of 11-3, 11-2 and 11-0. In the next match, Nasir Iqbal downed Abdulla Mohammed Al Tamimi 3-0 with a scoreline of 11-3, 11-3 and 11-7.

With the Pakistan team already winning the best of three match, Farhan Zaman beat Mahawesh Sadam Sarhan 3-0 again, registering scores of 11-8, 11-2 and 11-8 to end the game. Pakistan will now face South Korea and Hong Kong on the Thursday. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s women team will also kick-off its Group B campaign against China and India on the same day. SPorTS deSK

MARATIB WINS FIRST MEDAL FOR PAKISTAN

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Maratib Ali brought home the first medal for Pakistan at the 2014 Asian Games when he reached the semi-finals of the -70kg wushu event in Incheon on Tuesday. Maratib won the bronze in the Sanda competition for men. He surprised the spectators by reaching the semis after defeating Kyrgyzstan’s Nurlanbek Mamataliev 2-0 in the quarterfinal on Monday. The seasoned athlete, however, failed to keep up with his form in the semi-final and lost to China’s Kun Zhang. In the second semi-final of the 70kg competition, Iran’s Sajjad Abbasiamir lost to Sanghoon Yoo. Pakistan’s Abdullah Khan also reached the quarter-finals of the 60kg event on Monday, but the 20-year-old failed to progress in the competition as he lost to India’s Narender Grewal. SPorTS deSK

t20, oDi teams to be announced tomorrow KARACHI: The Pakistan teams for the upcoming T20 and ODI matches against Australia in UAE will be announced tomorrow.

The team announcement, initially scheduled for September 23, was postponed for a day as selectors, and the national coach and captain were unable to come to a consensus regarding who to include, despite holding lengthy meetings.

National Coaching Centre coach and selector Muhammad Akram also flew in from Lahore to join the meeting, which discussed Younis Khan’s inclusion in the ODI squad in detail.

The meeting lasted more than four hours but no decision could be agreed upon. The limited-overs squads are expected to include a number of young players. An official close to the matter disclosed that the selectors are considering accommodating youngsters such as Raza Hasan, Harris Sohail, Umar Amin and Bilawal Bhatti in the T20 and ODI squads. Asad Shafiq, who has been in fine form for Karachi Dolphins in the National T20 round matches, is also likely to win back his place in the limited overs squads, or at least in one of the two formats. Hasan is expected to be the first-choice spinner for the two formats, replacing the suspended Saeed Ajmal. SPorTS deSK

Hobart Hurricanes beat nortHern KnigHt

by Heavy margin raIPUr

H

Scoreboard

SPorTS deSK

HobarT HUrrIcaNeS br dunkc Southee b Kuggeleijn Td Paine*†c Ta boult b Sodhi ac blizzard c Styris b Southee Shoaib Malik not out not out Tr birt Nextras (b 1, lb 5, w 3) Total

OBART Hurricanes defeated Northern Knights by 86 runs in 9th match of Oppo Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) on Tuesday played at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium.

Northern Knights chasing down the huge total of 179 all out on 92 runs against Hurricanes. Scott Styris who made 37 runs while Time Southee contributed only 21 runs were the only two batsman to enter the double figures for Knights. Ben Hilfenhaus took 3 wickets for Hobart Hurricanes.

Earlier, Hurricanes batting first scored 178 runs against Northern Knights. Hobart Hurricanes haven’t got the ideal star as their first wicket felt early in shape of Ben Dunk. Skipper played the recovery knock scoring 43 runs while Aiden Blizzard played the wonderful innings of 62 runs. Shoaib Malik played the brilliant cameo of 45 runs facing just 22 to guide the team towards a respectable target of 160 runs on loss of 3 wickets. Ish Sodhi took one wicket for the Northern Knights.

Bowling Ta boult4 0 46 0 11.50, TG Southee4 0 29 1 7.25 (3w), Sb Styris4 0 28 0 7.0 0, Sc Kuggeleijn 2 0 22 1 11.00, IS Sodhi 4 0 31 1 7.75, JJ boult 2 0 16 0 8.00 NorTHerN dISTrIcTS aP devcichc Laughlin b Mennie KS Williamsonc doherty b Hilfenhaus b Hilfenhaus dr Flynn* bJ Watling† lbw b Hilfenhaus dJ Mitchellst †Paine b doherty Sb Styris c Wells b Mennie Sc Kuggeleijn b doherty TG Southeec Hilfenhaus b bollinger JJ boult c Wells b bollinger c birt b bollinger IS Sodhi Ta boult not out (lb 4, w 4) extras Total

LaHOrE Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Abdur Rehman and Raza Hasan are the four big names among the Pakistan players found to be below their optimum level of fitness by the PCB. They will each have 25% of their monthly retainer docked for four months, starting with August’s fee.

At the end of the four-month period, they can have their fitness reassessed.

The PCB had attached greater importance to fitness in its new contracts handed out to the players.

The board had said this month that it was mulling handing out fines to players who failed to keep the fitness levels prescribed to them by the National Cricket Academy dur-

2 3 0 9 9 37 2 21 1 0 0 8 92

boWLING bW Hilfenhaus 4 0 14 3 3.50, JM Mennie 3 1 10 2 3.33, XJ doherty 4 1 17 2 4.25, de bollinger 2.4 0 22 3 8.25, b Laughlin 3 0 25 0 8.33 Toss - Northern districts, who chose to field, Points Hobart Hurricanes 4, Northern districts 0 Player of the match - bW Hilfenhaus (Hobart Hurricanes) Umpires - cK Nandan and c Shamshuddin TV umpire - PG Pathak Match referee - rr Jadeja reserve umpire - a Nand Kishore

Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal among players penalised for poor fitness SPorTS deSK

12 43 62 45 7 9 178

ing a month-long camp in Lahore in May-June.

An assessment of 29 players’ fitness was carried out between September 6 and 8, but three players had failed to report for that evaluation due to personal reasons.

Among them was Afridi, but he has since had the assessment. Wahab Riaz and Nasir Jamshed are yet to do so and, in their cases, it will have to wait until they are back from Lahore Lions’ Champions League T20 campaign in India.

Five players, meanwhile, were given bonuses for maintaining peak fitness. Shan Masood and Umar Amin will get a bonus of 17.5% every month for the fourmonth period, while Misbah-ulHaq, Ahmed Shehzad and Bilawal Bhatti will get 10%.

According to the 2014 contract offered by the PCB, the new physiological screening protocol has been divided into five levels and a player has to undergo 17 different tests to be assessed for fitness.

Each component is given 100 points. Level 1, also called the fundamental level, has marks between 0 to 20 and it is considered unacceptable for a player’s assessment to fall within the bracket in which he will receive zero marks. All 29 players have achieved at least the basic fitness level.

The fitness test conducted in May 2014 was considered as a benchmark for the players. The PCB will conduct another round of tests in December 2014 before determining the new list of players for the 2015 central contracts.

Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad.

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INDIA AWAITS PAKISTAN AFTER OMAN SCALP

INCHEON aGeNcIeS

India warmed up for their Asian Games field hockey clash against arch-rivals Pakistan by thrashing Oman 7-0 on Tuesday as South Korea nudged ahead of Japan in the race for the semi-finals. India, seeking their first Asian gold medal since 1998, converted five penalty corners and a penalty stroke in the one-sided pool B game, but several scoring opportunities were wasted. India and Pakistan face-off on Thursday in the competition’s marquee match that could determine the pool leader. Both teams have won their first two games in the 10-nation tournament. India beat Sri Lanka 8-0 in their opener, while Pakistan showed their prowess with a 2-0 win over China and a 14-0 rout of Sri Lanka. “There is always room for improvement, but we will be well-prepared for Pakistan,” said India’s Australian coach Terry Walsh. “I am confident we will do well.” Two teams from each pool qualify for the semi-finals. Hosts South Korea, the highest ranked Asian team at number eight and four-time champions, took a step towards the last four from pool A with a 4-0 demolition of Japan. Veteran Jang JongHyun scored off a penalty corner and a penalty stroke as the Koreans swept past the lacklustre Japanese with two goals each in the first and third quarters. South Korea beat Singapore 12-0 in the first game, to join Malaysia at the top of the pool with six points each. Japan, left with one win from two games, must defeat Singapore and Malaysia in their remaining matches to stay in the hunt for a semi-final berth. In other matches, Bangladesh beat Singapore 2-1 in pool A and China blanked Sri Lanka 6-0 in pool B.