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Veena Malik to get married for Rs 40 million Page 18
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Arab leaders offer asylum to Bashar al-Assad Page 16
pakistantoday.com.pk
vol ii no 136 32 Pages islamabad — Peshawar edition
Friday, 11 november, 2011 zul-Haj 14, 1432
Gilani, Singh agree to write a new chapter in history g
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Indian pM calls his pakistani counterpart ‘a man of peace’ Gilani says all core issues discussed, looks forward to more productive talks ADDU
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IvING hope to their people, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh, who met on the shores of the Indian Ocean against the picturesque Maldivian backdrop on Thursday, promised to write a new chapter in the history of their countries with a pledge to make the next round of talks even more productive. The decision to take the bilateral engagement to a new level came in the third meeting between the two prime ministers in the last 18 months after their talks at the 2010 SAARC summit in Thimphu when they had decided to resume bilateral dialogue. Though they did not make any major announcement, Gilani and Singh opted to speak briefly without taking any questions from journalists. However, the unanimity of views was evident from the common expression they, first Gilani and then Singh, used in their respective statements. “Our next round of talks will be more productive and we will open a new chapter in the history of our countries,” Prime Minister Gilani said after his one-hour one-onone meeting with Prime Minister Singh, who also appeared equally optimistic as he called his counterpart “a man of peace” and said: “The destiny of our peoples is closely linked … we have wasted a lot of time in acrimonious debate … now a new chapter (in the history of both countries) will be written … we have agreed to discuss all issues which bedevilled our relations.” Gilani said they reviewed the process of dialogue. “We are moving in a positive direction … we openly discussed all core issues,” he said, specifically mentioning the issues of Kashmir, water, terrorism, Siachen and Sir Creek. He said the foreign and interior ministers of both countries and secretaries of defence had already been involved in discussions to resolve the issues. The commerce secretaries are also scheduled to meet next week. As the two leaders hoped that the next round of dialogue would be more productive and constructive, Pakistan gave an assurance that it would send a judicial commission to India soon and the interior secretaries of Pakistan and India would discuss terrorism and security-related issues in New Delhi in December. Following Pakistani cabinet’s endorsement of granting Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India, it is expected that both the countries would now work towards a preferential trade agreement (PTA). The PTA between the two countries, under the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), if finalised, would lead to zero Customs duty on all traded goods by 2016. The SAFTA is an agreement reached in the 2004 SAARC summit in Islamabad which created a free trade area of over 1.8 billion people in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Both sides have already agreed that the joint commission, which held its last meeting in 2005, would be revived, visa liberalisation agreement would be signed at the earliest and the process to implement cross-Kashmir trade and travel would be put in the fast-track. Pakistani Foreign Minster Hina Rabbani Khar said the next round of talks would begin by the end of this month. “The process of trade normalisation will be taken to its logical conclusion and we would also move toward a preferential trade agreement with Pakistan... continued on Page 04
ADDU: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh before a meeting on the sidelines of the 17th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) meeting on Thursday. afp
SaaRC summit opens with hopes to make a difference
‘Rules violated for purchase of 75 locomotives’
Gilani tells SaaRC members South asia has potential to become engine for global economic growth g Singh pledges to promote fair trade in region
MASooD RehMAn
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As the two-day 17th SAARC Summit opened on Thursday with heads of state and government attending the inaugural session at the Equatorial Convention Centre, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said terrorism, in all its form and manifestation, presented an enormous challenge to the region and the world. “Pakistan supports efforts under SAARC at enhancing cooperation to eliminate this menace,” the prime minister said in his address. The opening of the summit was carried out by the chairman of the 16th SAARC Summit and Prime Minister of Bhutan, Lynchhen Jigmi Yoezer Thinley. President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed assumed the chair of the 17th SAARC Summit and addressed the gathering after the adoption of the agenda. The inaugural session was also addressed by the heads of states and governments of the SAARC countries – Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and India. Gilani said Pakistan attached great importance to SAARC. “Our association has come to epitomise the hopes and aspirations of the peoples of our region for peace, progress and prosperity,” he said, adding that South Asia had the potential to become an important engine for global economic growth, as it had all the necessary ingredients in terms of human and natural resources to work the economic miracle of this century. “Time has come for SAARC to lead the way in a historic transformation of our region by utilising its vast capabilities and build on the sure foundations of great civilisational heritage of the peoples of this region.” He said the theme “Building Bridges” reflected the common desire for promoting mutual understanding and reaching out to each other to create win-win scenarios, as it also resonated with SAARC’s avowed goal to enhance “Intra-regional connectivity” by 2020. Gilani stressed the need for building on inherent strengths and effectively addressing common issues such as socio-eco-
nomic disparities, poverty alleviation, food security, energy security, women’s empowerment, health and education. He welcomed the establishment of SAARC development fund as an achievement and said this fund must be enabled to lead a region-wide developmental effort. He said the economic development of South Asia was closely linked to the availability of energy at affordable price. “With abundant alternate energy resources available region wide, we need to collectively focus on harnessing indigenous energy production potential such as solar, wind, bio and hydel. We should also consider arrangements for trans-regional oil and gas pipelines.” Gilani expressed happiness over the concept of SAARC Energy Ring. “The way forward would be to consider regional framework arrangements on energy cooperation,” he said, adding that climate change was another common challenge confronting the SAARC region. “Having suffered from unprecedented floods in past two summers, Pakistan fully understands the urgent and compelling need for concerted and focused attention on this issue by SAARC member states. “Green South Asia” would be a befitting theme for SAARC to pursue.” In his speech, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pledged to promote fair trade in the region. He spoke positively of the progress made in SAARC, terming it as “impressive” and pointed out that many sectors, including trade, transport, health and education have benefited from it. “Our summit is taking place at a time when the West is having an economic crisis. In the meantime developing countries like ours will be squeezed for capital and markets and we should look for innovative solutions within South Asian region,” he said. He urged for this process to continue and admitted that India had a special responsibility to make a trade liberalisation method that would reduce the sensitive list of the South Asia Free Trade Agreement. continued on Page 04
Pakistani camP’s ill-Planned addu rendezvous | Page 04
ISLAMABAD The Pakistan Railways chairman on Thursday told a two-member Supreme Court bench that rules and regulations were violated in the purchase of 75 locomotives, causing huge losses to the national exchequer. The bench of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan was hearing a suo motu case about the non-payment of salaries and pension to the employees and workers of Pakistan Railways. In compliance with the court’s earlier orders, Railways Chairman Javed Ahmad submitted in court a report containing a plan for the rehabilitation of Pakistan Railways. The report stated that Rs 28 billion were required for rehabilitation of railways. The chief justice noted that the amount suggested by railways top brass for rehabilitation was massive, and a new railways’ department could be established from that amount. During the hearing, the court allowed former railways minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed to become party to the case. Rasheed told the court that rules and regulations were relaxed on the intervention of a top personality of the country for purchase of 75 locomotives. To a court query, the railways chairman admitted that the rules and regulations were violated. continued on Page 04
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02 News
Friday, 11 November, 2011
NewS
ISlAmAbAd
Today’s
Pneumonia can be treated at home: Who expert Kasab should be hanged: Malik
wORld vIew why the haqqani network is the wrong target
Quick Look
Story on Page 09
Story on Page 05
Story on Page 14
Pakistan presses for ‘one SAARC, one visa’ NEW DELHI onlIne
Reiterating its commitment to regional cooperation, Pakistan has pressed for adopting a visa-free system among the SAARC countries, which will help establish cordial relations among the member states, reports said on Thursday. A proposal in this regard was mooted by a three-member delegation from Pakistan, which met Indian authorities on Wednesday. The idea of visa-free scheme is the same as Europe where a single visa is followed. The Pakistani delegation was of the view that the system, if adopted, will benefit all member states, especially India and Pakistan. As per reports, the Pakistani delegation comprising former Supreme Court judge Nasir Aslam Zahid, former law minister Iqbal Haider, and Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research Director Karamat Ali, interacted with students of a school run by NGO Sarhad, which works for the welfare of terrorism-affected children in Jammu and Kashmir.The delegation arrived in India to discuss the issue of fishermen arrested for straying into another country’s waters. They visited fisherman in Gujarat, who are frequently caught by the Pakistan navy. The delegation stressed that by removing visa restrictions and adopting measures like a common currency, European countries allowed people to interact and prosper. Media reports quoted Zahid as saying, “These measures helped establish peace and harmony in Europe. Countries, which were fighting against each other, are today contributing to each other’s economic development. Similar measures can be taken here to improve connectivity and communication among the SAARC countries.”
Commission on RPPs issues notice ISLAMABAD STAff RePoRT
The commission formed by the Supreme Court to fix responsibility for the delay in completing a few Rental Power Projects (RPPs) issued notice to all concerned on Thursday, asking them to furnish their reply by November 24. The commission, headed by Justice (r) Rahmat Hussain Jafferi, asked all those who wanted to file an affidavit on the subject to appear in court or send their names with full particulars and address to the commission by the fixed date. The SC had formed the commission on October 26 to probe and determine whether executive authorities were negligent causing a delay in the installation and completion of two RPPs to be set up in Nandipur in Gujranwala district and Chichokimalian in Sheikhupura district and if it was negligent, how much loss had been caused to the national exchequer. The commission was also to determine who was responsible for causing the delay in the completion of the documents.
Indian Army not happy with Omar SRINAGAR onlIne
Talks between the government of Indian-held Kashmir and Indian Army over the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) have collapsed. The Indian Army is against the removal of the Act and insisted it must stay. Indian-held Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is strongly pitching for removal of AFSPA “in areas where the Army has not operated for years”. At the Unified Headquarters meeting called to review the overall security scenario and attended by top Army commanders, heads of various security forces and intelligence agencies, the CM said AFSPA had to be partially withdrawn from the state. Omar is facing stiff resistance from the Army on removing the Act from some parts. “What is the problem in removing AFSPA from those areas where the Army has not worked for years? When did they (Army) work in Srinagar or Budgam the last time?” he asked.
MUlTAn: As winter sets in, a man buys warm clothes at landa Bazaar in hussain Agahi on Thursday. ONLINE
UNICEf preparing new appeal for flood relief donations ISLAMABAD
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ARIf TAJ
new flash appeal for the flood affected people in southern Pakistan is being prepared and is expected to be announced within a week, a senior official of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) told Pakistan Today on Thursday. UNICEF Chief Field Officer Andro Shilakadze said that about 57 percent of the flooded villages were still inundated and approximately 4.8 million affected people, of which 2.4 million are children and 1.2 million are women, were awaiting help in Sindh, whereas another 0.3 million from Balochistan add to the count. Shilakadze said the figures reveal a nightmare situation, as all aid organisations including the UN agencies are complaining about a shortage of funds. He said the UNICEF was using its available resources however more funds were required to continue the relief work. He said the new flash appeal was being prepared to highlight the plight of the flood-hit people and the urgency of more donations. He hoped that the new appeal would be announced within a week after the Pakistani government endorses it.
A group of humanitarian organisations on Wednesday expressed worries over inadequate funds. They warned that relief efforts for over five million people were under threat, asking the donors to urgently provide funds to reduce the risk of widespread diseases and malnutrition to 9 million people. “With the water receding, some three-fourth of the internally displaced people reportedly returned to their respective areas. Most have found their houses, infrastructure and livelihoods destroyed. Sources of safe water and sanitation facilities are contaminated or ruined in many villages and nearly 10,000 schools and 46 percent of health facilities are damaged. Those who remain in temporary settlements are at risk, particularly women, children, elderly and the disabled, who face severe health risks due to lack of proper nutrition, water and sanitation facilities and urgently need a continuation of life-saving interventions,” the UNICEF official said. He further said the upcoming winter season would exacerbate the vulnerability of people in relief shelters and those who were returning home without proper shelter, blankets, medical supplies and food for the season ahead. Meanwhile, Spain has announced to provide Euros 500,000 to the UNICEF for the flood affected people.
‘Killings conspiracy to force Hindus to leave Sindh’ KARACHI STAff RePoRT
Despite special orders issued by President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan, and other federal and provincial ministers, the killers of three Hindu doctors – who were gunned down on Monday (the day of Eidul Azha) in Chak Town of Shikarpur District – have yet to be arrested. Following the brutal murders, all towns in different districts of Sindh were closed as part of a three-day mourning to protest the incident. Political and civil society organisations, writers, students, teachers and artists strongly condemned the killings. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), the doctors were murdered only because they were non-Muslims, and the victims had been receiving death threats, but the police failed to provide protection to the doctors who were serving the ailing people on the occasion of Eid. Leaders of the Pakistan Hindu Panchayat said these killings are part of a conspiracy, attempting to force the Sindhi Hindu community to migrate from Pakistan to other countries. However, they added, this conspiracy would be foiled and the Sindhi Hindus would not leave their motherland at any cost.
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Friday, 11 November, 2011
FOReIgN NewS
ARtS & eNteRtAINmeNt
SPORtS
Tibetan self-immolation protests continue
Madonna upset over new song leak
Misbah wary of Malinga threat
News 03 COmmeNt Slighted?: Being brushed aside by the US.
The promise of SCo: A boost to the economy.
ejaz haider says: The (shallow) Atlantic!: Another example of shoddy journalism.
Kuldip nayar says: Heir unapparent: Who’ll take the reins from PM Singh?
Imran husain says: The missing goalpost: The forgotten future.
Story on Page 19
Story on Page 17
Story on Page 20
Articles on Page 12-13
Zardari sets deadline for Sindh projects President directs Sindh government to rebuild road network between Nawabshah, Sanghar and mirpur Khas
‘by 2030, Pakistan will produce 9700mw from alternative energy’ ISLAMABAD
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RESIDENT Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday directed that infrastructure projects related to irrigation and roads, approved by the Sindh government, be finalised by the Planning Commission in one week and the work completed within one year. Chairing a meeting at the Bilawal House on rebuilding the infrastructure damaged by floods, the president advised the government to set up an infrastructure bank to finance projects and invite private entrepreneurs to rebuild roads, bridges, rail tracks and other infrastructure on Build-Operate and Own (BOO) basis. He also advised the Sindh government to utilise the $35 million loan offered by the Exim Bank of China for the reconstruction of road links between Nawabshah, Sanghar and Mirpur Khas. Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that during the presentation on rehabilitation of infrastructure, Zardari said the government was tapping all possible resources for reconstructing the infrastructure damaged by recent floods. Zardari said the government was prioritising the reconstruction of road networks to increase road density in the country. He said the reconstruction of thousands of kilometres of roads and railway
India ready to take on Pakistan over Kishanganga dam HAGUE onlIne
India will file its counter-memorial before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), at The Hague by the end of November in response to Pakistan’s memorial seeking a complete moratorium on the 330 MW Kishanganga Hydro Electricity Project in Jammu and Kashmir. India is expected to base its arguments on the provisions of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, which it claims, allows the use of western rivers — Chenab, Jhelum and Indus — for hydro power projects, with certain restrictions, and that India has not violated the treaty. Sources said New Delhi is expected to tell the court that the Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which Pakistan claims will be affected, was in Indian territory occupied by Pakistan, Pakistan could not raise objects on the Kishenganga project before the PCA. Pakistan had earlier taken the matter to the PCA claiming India had violated the 1960 Indus Water Treaty and the dam would seriously jeopardise Pakistan’s interest and the Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project near Muzaffarabad. A seven-judge bench had started arbitration proceedings in the matter in January. In June, Pakistan had sought interim measures from the PCA to ask India to stop all work on the dam.
tracks, and breaches in the canals was a huge challenge. He said Pakistan was looking towards its friends for assistance in rehabilitation efforts so that the affected people take a fresh start following the devastation caused by the natural calamity. The president thanked the Chinese government and the Exim Bank for their assistance. The president said various components of the proposed road project be completed on the basis of foreign loan facility, public-private partnership and the Sindh government’s share. The meeting was informed that the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) system was damaged at several locations, as it was
primarily designed for 3500-4000 cusecs whereas it experienced a discharge of more than 14,000 cusecs. The meeting also considered recommendations of the Planning and Development Department for the allocation of the loan, including the share to be contributed by the Sindh government for the reconstruction of the proposed road and the drainage system. Zardari also directed the Sindh Agriculture Department to immediately launch the Rabi Assistance Plan in the rain affected areas of Sindh and ensure the availability of seeds to the farmers so that the Rabi crop in Sindh could take place well in time. According to the presidential spokesman, the president was informed that during the heavy rains this year, a crop area of 2.166 million acres was damaged causing a loss of Rs 218 billion. The president also approved a package proposed by the Sindh Agriculture Department to distribute Rs 4.4 billion to the farmers of districts hit by floods or heavy rains. Under the package, wheat would be cultivated on an area of 1.1 million acres. Provincial ministers Pir Mazharul Haq, Jam Saifullah Khan Dharejo, Agha Siraj Durrani, Sharjeel Memon, Murad Ali Shah, Haji Muzzafar Shujrah, Sindh chief secretary, provincial secretaries of departments concerned and other officials were also present during the presentation.
APP
The government has set out an ambitious target to produce at least 9700MW through alternative and renewable energy sources, equal to 5 percent of total power generation, by 2030. A senior Ministry of Water and Power official on Thursday said, “The government has initiated an extensive wind energy programme to meet increasing power demand and introduce renewable energy technologies in the country.” He said the government had established the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) mandated to work through the private sector in the field of Renewable Energy (RE). He said as it stands 64 percent of power generation is through thermal energy, 34 percent through hydel and 2 through nuclear energry. He said the current annual shortfall was 4,000 MW and a 2000 MW additional capacity required annually to maintain the current growth rate with an investment of US $ 4-6 billion per year. He said energy supply must increase to 80 percent by 2015. He said increased by 7 percent annually over 2003-08 while with generation growth lagged behind at 4.8 percent. He said a detailed analysis to determine wind energy potential had been undertaken which had identified major wind resources in thenorthern Indus valley, southwestern and central Pakistan and elevated mountains summits and ridge crests in the north.
Sindh back to commissioners, but with some limits KARACHI AfTAB ChAnnA
After reaching an eventual agreement with its coalition partner – the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) – for not altering the current administrative boundaries of Hyderabad, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led Sindh government finally notified the appointment of commissioners and deputy commissioner in the province on Thursday – doing away with the local bodies system of 2001. However, the previous administrative status of Karachi was restored – dividing the city into five districts: South, Central, Malir, East and West. The Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO)-2011 that was promulgated by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad in August had expired on November 4. Well-placed sources told Pakistan Today that the Sindh chief secretary had signed the notification regarding revival of the 1979 Commissionerate System on November 5, but the notification was held until the deadlock was resolved. The MQM had insisted on continuing the SLGO2001; however, most members of the ruling PPP opposed the passage of the ordinance from the provincial legislature. On the assurance that the status of Hyderabad district would not be changed, the
MQM was persuaded to restore the commissionerate system. It was also decided that a new bill of local governments would shortly be presented in the Sindh Assembly. According to the notification, Roshan Ali Sheikh was appointed as the Karachi Commissioner, Ahmed Baksh Narejo as Hyderabad commissioner, Ghulam Hussain Memon as Mirpurkhas commissioner, Inamullah Dharejo as Sukkur commissioner and Abdul Aleem Lashari was given the charge of Larkana division. Under the new system, Karachi will be restored to its previous five districts. The South district will comprise former towns of Saddar, Lyari and Jamshed; Central district will consist of Liaquatabad, North Karachi, Gulberg and North Nazimabad towns, Malir district will have Malir, Gadap and Ghazi Brohi union council and Jaffar Tayyar; East district would include Shah Faisal, Landhi, Gulshan, Korangi and some part of Malir; while the West district will comprise Baldia, SITE, Gadap and Orangi towns. The deputy commissioners for the five districts of Karachi would be: Mustafa Jamal Qazi for South; Ghanhwar Leghari for West; Shaukat Jokhio for Malir; Matanat Ali Khan for Central and Qazi Jan Muhammad for East.
Govt freezes local bodies’ accounts KARACHI STAff RePoRT
After restoring the commissionerate system in Sindh, the provincial government froze all financial accounts managed by the district governments and town municipal administrations (TMAs); however, the funds will be released to the respective commissioners after the new administration assumes charge. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led Sindh government has revived the commissionerate system after reaching some agreements but no conclusive solutions regarding local government system with its coalition ally, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). After the notification of restoration of commissionerate system, the Sindh Finance Department circulated a letter, restricting all district governments and TMAs from making transactions. The finance department has forwarded the letter to the National Bank of Pakistan to withhold all funds of district governments, including the City District Government Karachi Well-placed sources told Pakistan Today that the funds will be released later as the new setup takes shape and the salaries of the employees of the district governments will be released according to the old formula. “The letter also stated that the funds allocated for salaries of the employees of the said institutions should not be withheld and issued as per the routine,” the sources said. In a similar move, after the Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO)-2001 was abolished around three months ago, the provincial government had frozen the funds of all the TMAs, including district governments of Karachi and Hyderabad.
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04 News
Friday, 11 November, 2011
Pakistani camp’s ill-planned Addu rendezvous ADDU
mained engaged with their media persons, particularly briefing them about the Gilani-Singh meeting before and after the two prime minister met. However, Pakistan’s foreign minister, foreign secretary or the high commissioner did not bother to speak to Pakistani journalists who were absolutely clueless as to what Islamabad would take up with New Delhi and what position it would take on various issues that were on the agenda of the SAARC summit. As the delegations were asked to leave the meeting room for the two prime ministers for one-on-one talks, Interior Minister Rehman Malik walked to journalists and spoke uninterrupted to Indian media representatives responding to every single question for half an hour, while his boss was already in a session with his counterpart. Foreign
Minister Hina Rabbani Khar was visibly upset with Rehman Malik’s self-assumed role of her ministry’s spokesman. The seriousness of the high commissioner was evident from his sitting in the cafeteria and taking tea when Prime Minister Gilani and Prime Minister Singh had come out to make their statements before media. The content of the prime minister’s speech, in comparison to all other heads of state and government, also exposed the bankruptcy of ideas in the Foreign Office. He too probably did not take the pain to guide the speech writer(s). Maybe he had thought he would be given a well-drafted speech reflecting the vision of a leader of 180 million people. This is the job of the Foreign Office to draft the speeches of the president and the prime minister. But who cares.
HE shameless indifference of Pakistan’s Foreign Office to the visit of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, publicity-hungry Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s insatiable appetite to speak on every issue under the sun and inefficiency of the Information Ministry on Thursday unmistakably reflected the level of preparation, coordination and synergy among various departments and federal ministers, with no one taking the SAARC summit seriously. A team of journalists, private and official, had come here to cover the SAARC summit and the prime minister’s meeting with his Indian counterpart. Notwithstanding the outcome of the meeting, it
was undoubtedly a major event. Obviously, it was the responsibility of the country’s high commission to make arrangements for the coverage of the prime minister’s visit in coordination with the Information Ministry. Though a media centre with computers and internet facility had been set up by the host country, journalists working for Urdu newspapers had no facility to fax their news to their offices back in Pakistan. It’s not that the SAARC summit had been scheduled with no time for the Information Ministry and the high commission to make proper arrangements. The dates and the venue of the 17th summit had been announced last year. While the Indian side (the officials of External Affairs Ministry – the minister for external affairs and foreign secretary also) re-
‘Rules violated for purchase of 75 locomotives’
Deals with India, US won’t threaten neighbours: Karzai
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continued From Page 01
Rasheed contended that big shots were involved in the scam involving sale of railways scrap on throwaway prices, thus their cases were not being sent to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The chief justice remarked that no body would be allowed to sell national institutions. He said the cases of PR’s corrupt officials would be sent to NAB. He said the court had seen the performance of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and now it was the turn of the newly-appointed NAB chairman to prove his mettle. Appearing on notice, Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq told the court that the Director General Audit had pointed out Rs 500 million losses to the national exchequer due to sale of railways scrap on throwaway prices. The chief justice noted that railways engines would not have gone out of order in a day and inquired whether forensic audit of railways was conducted. The railways chairman, however, stated that forensic audit was not conducted. The chief justice asked the chairman whether the government too had no authority to get forensic audit conducted. To a query, the railways chairman stated that a new rail engine cost Rs 300 million. He said tenders for purchase of new railways engines were being opened on November 24. The court directed the attorney general to take complete information about PR’s corrupt officials involved in selling out scrap on cheap rates and then send their cases to NAB. The court also directed the railways chairman to take effective measures for taking back valuable property of PR from land mafia in Karachi, besides pointing out to the court if the PR land was confiscated by the land mafia in other parts of the country as well. The proceedings were adjourned until November 23.
MoNItoRING DESK Afghan President Hamid Karzai attempted to ease tensions with Pakistan, asserting that a strategic partnership with India and talks for a similar deal with the United States deal no threat to Afghanistan’s neighbours, Dawn News reported on Thursday. Pakistan had reacted angrily to the India deal announced last month that many in Islamabad fear would increase its archenemy’s influence in Afghanistan. The pact, the first Afghanistan has signed with any country, included provisions for India to help train and equip Afghan se-
curity forces. Karzai told the leaders meeting under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
(SAARC) in the Maldives that the India agreement, along with talks it was holding with the US for another strategic partnership, was intended to promote peace. “I wish to reassure our neighbours … that none of our partnerships we forge now or in the future shall pose a threat to our neighbours or to our region,” Karzai said. The Afghan president said there was a need for a collective regional action against terrorism and such action would require “overcoming trust deficit” between countries, in indirect reference to India and Pakistan.
Kidnapped from Lahore, recovered in Sibi QUEttA STAff RePoRT
Levies Force recovered a woman and her kidnapped daughter and arrested the kidnapers from Sibi district, some 180 Kilometers south-east of Quetta. The two had been kidnapped from Lahore and later sold out to an individual. Addressing a press conference at his office on Thursday, Sibi District Deputy Commissioner Shahid
Saleem told reporters that Levies’ personnel raided a house on a tip-off and recovered Nasira Parveen, 30, and Mahnoor, 8, from the Khajak area of Sibi. He said an accused Dad Muhammad alias Dadu was arrested.Saleem said during investigations Nasira Parveen had told them she was the mother of four children and a resident of Faisalabad who had taken shelter at Data Darbar Lahore after a domestic dispute. He said Nasira was
kidnapped from Data Darbar by a resident of Jacobabad who later shifted her to Jacobabad and sold her and her daughter for Rs 150,000 to Dad Muhammad, a resident of Sibi. He said Dad Muhammad was arrested and investigations were underway. He said the the accused had declared his intent to marry Perveen twenty days ago. He said Parveen and her daughter would be sent home under police protection after the completion of investigations.
KARAChI: Arif hussain, a local artist, makes clay models at Sea View on Thursday. ONLINE
Gilani, Singh agree to write a new chapter in history continued From Page 01
and a liberalised visa regime,” Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai told reporters, referring to visas for business people. However, Singh did not forget to tell Gilani that both countries had an obligation to ensure that terrorism did not spoil relations between them and pressed for justice for 26/11 victims. “Terrorism is a perennial concern. We have an obligation
to ensure that it does not spoil relations between the two countries,” Foreign Secretary Mathai told reporters. Singh told Gilani that “it is imperative to bring the perpetrators of 26/11 attacks to justice”, Mathai said. “The two leaders agreed that terrorism posed the most serious threat to peace and stability in the region,” he added. Mathai stressed that the talks signalled an end to the period of “accusations and counter-ac-
cusations” and stressed on key initiatives that emerged from the talks. “The joint commission, which have not met since 2005, will be revived,” he said. The liberalised visa regime should be signed at the earliest, Mathai said, adding that the two sides also decided to fast-track implementation of cross-border trade and confidence-building measures that were finalised during talks between the foreign ministers of the two countries in July.
SAARC summit ECC to discuss new continued From Page 01
Singh insisted that India was committed to free and fair trade in the region and dismissed concerns that smaller economies would be flooded out.
PPP forward bloc forming in PA ISLAMABAD: A new political battleground against the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is about to set in the shape of a forward bloc in Punjab Assembly, as eight PPP provincial legislators are ready to announce their rebellion against the party leadership, and to extend loyalty to the disgruntled former PPP minister Shah Mehmud Qureshi. Sources said that eight PPP members of the Punjab Assembly (MPAs) led by Malik Abbas Raan are ready to announce their rebellion against the party’s policies and its leadership in the next few days, adding that at least 20 PPP members of the National Assembly (MNA’s) were also set on a separation course after announcing a forward block there too. INp
petroleum policy and low BTU gas policy ISLAMABAD STAff RePoRT
The federal cabinet’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) will today discuss the Petroleum Ministry’s ambitious plan to restructure the energy sector through its new Petroleum Exploration and Production Policy, 2011, and Low BTU Gas Policy, 2011, which envisage providing more incentives for expediting oil and gas exploration in the country. An official source said the gas policy was aimed at resolving the supply issues by developing new gas reserves and offering a better price structure. The country has a total of seven low BTU gas fields, five with the government, and two with the private sector. The official said the new petroleum policy sought accelerated exploration and production to achieve maximum self sufficiency in energy by increasing
oil and gas production. Around 27 percent of Pakistan’s energy needs are being met through imports. Pakistan’s average daily production of crude oil and gas in 2009-10 was 65,000 barrels and 4 billion cubic feet, respectively. The country’s indigenous oil and gas production fulfil 53 percent of the total energy requirements, while other indigenous sources provide an additional 19 percent. The Petroleum Policy of 2009 has been amended to consider emerging market conditions such as rising fuel prices. There has been a paradigm shift in the natural gas scenario due to a higher trend of gas consumption in the country. This has forced the government to give new incentives for developing the indigenous hydrocarbon resources. The government plans to review the policy after 5 years for appropriate adjustments in the light of prevailing conditions.
Massive irregularities eating away ETpB continued From Page 24
The construction work at ETPB plots in DHA Lahore was not being carried out in accordance with the provisions of the act, rules and regulations. The ETPB has kicked off a mega scheme “construction of 21 houses/building” at DHA Lahore at the estimated cost of Rs 355.55 million without any plan for the use of these residential accommodations. Similarly, such mega scheme was started without preparation of PC-II/PC-1 which was mandatory for all development
schemes. “In the absence of PC-1 and clear cut strategy for profitable utilisation of these houses, it is anticipated that these houses would either be sold out or allotted to the individuals at lower prices which would be a great financial loss to the government and against the public interests,” the report said. Regarding the allegations and complaints of collecting bribe by the Chairman ETPB from development cases of Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi, construction works of Islamabad Plaza, BvO West, Ayesha Degree
College, Misri Shah Plaza, Car Parking Plaza, Lahore and from field officers of the board, no tangible evidence or proof has been produced before PMIC-IT and these allegations have not been substantiated. The ETPB flats at Lawrence Road, Lahore and 7th Road, Rawalpindi were rented out through inviting biddings/offers which was contrary to the rules, procedures and terms and conditions laid down under the urban scheme for management and control of Evacuee Trust/Properties 1977. About 2,300 acres of ETPB
land in Karachi has been encroached by various organisations and individuals, but ETPB high-ups did not make any tangible effort for recovery of land from the illegal occupants. The matter regarding occupation and sale of ETPB land at Dalai, Rawalpindi is still unresolved and may create legal repercussion in the future, says the report. A number of construction works have been initiated by ETPB and almost all contracts were awarded during the year 2009. The recommendations of the Departmental Development Committee (DDC) were
not verified, as PC-II/PC-1 was not produced by the ETPB. The ETPB employees have been performing Haj and Umra on the expense of the board. This practice is creating unrest not only amongst the minority communities but also agitating the members of the board, especially female members/MNAs. The budget estimates (development) for the year 2009-10 duly approved by the ETPB is lying pending with the ministry for its concurrence under the act. Similarly, one line development budget has been demanded by ETPB with-
out incorporating justifications and feasibility reports of the projects which is mandatory to examine the viability of the projects. Another soaring issue between the ETPB and Ministry of Minorities relates to withdrawal of the writ petition filed by ETPB regarding allotment of a land to Sheikh Sultan Trust in Lahore. The ministry was accentuating upon implementation of the directive of the prime minister, whereas the ETPB was reluctant to comply with the directions and inclined to contest the case in the court of law.
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nullah threatens f/8 PAge 08 Deer enclosure It Is stIll EId!
Normalcy yet to return to capital very thin attendance at offices and educational institutions, while several business centres also remain closed g Roads look empty as ‘outsiders’ trickling back to twin cities
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T was not unprecedented to observe virtually empty classrooms and very thin attendance at public and private sector organisations, while around half of the business centres and shops in the federal capital remained closed on the first working day after Eidul Azha. Though government announced three official holidays, from Monday (November 7) to Wednesday (November 9) in addition to the regular weekly holidays on Saturday and Sunday (November 5 and 6), it was noticed on Thursday that activities were not resumed at offices, businesses and educational institutions fully, as majority of the Islamabad’s residents have not yet returned from their native areas. It is expected that normalcy will return at the Federal Secretariat, educational institu-
tions and business centres with the beginning of the new week (Monday, November 14) as many people are already on leave for Thursday and Friday. This scribe was also told that only the permanent residents of the twin cities were seen at the offices and the educational institutions. A government servant said regular working would resume on Monday, as most of the offices in opened on Thursday but were without enough staff. Similarly, attendance at schools and colleges was observed at its lowest, the reason being the same – the large-scale exodus of students to their native towns to celebrate Eid with their near and dear ones. Talking to Pakistan Today, the principal of a public sector school said the reason for low attendance was that students and teachers had left for their villages and hometowns. “Most of them left Islamabad on the weekend since availability of transport on the eve of Eid is al-
ways very limited,” he added. “The study routine has also been disturbed owing to the low attendance of students as well as teachers. Most of the students remained idle and teachers preferred not to advance with the course work so as not to leave those behind who had left the city for Eid.” Meanwhile, parents outlined transportation difficulties as main reason for early departure. “Transporters charge high fares on Eid and seats too are available in very limited number due to a large number of travellers,” he said. A citizen, Hamza Khan, said he had been unable to leave his native city for Islamabad on Thursday morning owing to excessively large crowds on all the bus stands. “I waited in line for two hours, but was unable to get tickets for my family and eventually all of us had to return home,” he added. Answering question about his children lagging behind in studies due to ab-
sence from school, Hamza said, “The teachers prefer not to move ahead with work on the first day after Eid holidays as they know that several children have not returned back. Therefore, I am not worried about my children missing schoolwork.” Talking to this scribe, Azhar Awan, the president of Federal Government Teachers Association (FGTA), said “This was expected. Most teachers are away in their hometowns and the academic activities will hopefully resume on Monday,” he said. Meanwhile, the number of public vehicles plying on roads also remained thin, adding to transportation problem of those few who wanted to join work or resuming their business. “It is a normal exercise because the owners usually do not bring their vehicles on roads after sensing that majority of the people are not back in the city,” commented a commuter. But it resulted in long queues of pas-
sengers waiting on various bus stops to be ferried out to their destinations. Arshad Malik, a government servant at the Zero Point bus stop, said they had been waiting for public transport for quite some time but the vans packed with passengers were appearing after long intervals. “I believe, the drivers who belonged to far flung areas left for their native homes grounding their vehicles and they did not come back so far,” he added. The residents feared that in absence of ample public transport in these days, the cab drivers would hike fares at their will. “We have been experiencing for the last couple of years that in absence of sufficient public transport on city roads, the taxi drivers fleece people with extra charges ahead of Eid days and after when there is thin public transport plying on roads,” Aamna Raza, a housewife commented.
three Hindu brothers’ murder condemned
CAAd seeks effective check on child abuse
ISLAMABAD
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Adviser to Prime Minister on National Harmony Dr Paul Bhatti has strongly condemned the murder of three brothers of Hindu community in Shikarpur district on the Eid day. According to a press release issued on Thursday, Bhatti said, “As a human being and representative of minorities, I am shocked to know the murder of three Hindu brothers and share the sense of outrage of the Hindu community,” Dr Paul said in a statement. He said some anti-peace elements were trying to create law and order situation in the country and vowed their nefarious designs would be foiled with the help of democratic people of Pakistan. Dr Paul said minorities had equal rights and they were committed to ensuring protection of their constitutional rights. The adviser said all possible steps were being taken for safety and protection of the minorities and the killers of the three brothers would be brought to book as early as possible.
The Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) has sought different measures on part of the authorities concerned against the sale of children, child prostitution and pornography, including legislation to harmonise the existing laws with the articles of Optional Protocol and UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The measures are required as obligations after Pakistan has ratified the Optional Protocol to the UNCRC on Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography. For effective implementation, the CADD has formulated a strategy which has also sought legislative measures for curbing the child exploitation and includes amendments in the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The strategy suggests identification of the vulnerable families and provision of support to prevent children from trafficking. To check child trafficking, the policy suggested enhancing the role of law enforcement and intelligence agencies to make an effective network. To promote international cooperation to assist the victims in their physical and psychological recovery, the strategy has suggested social integration and repatriation by enhancing the inter-governmental cooperation through mutual agreements. To make the use of internet safe for children, the scheme has recommended amendments in cyber laws and limited availability of internet to children. In this regard, the Ministry of Information Technology will keep a check on internet service providers. The strategy said a number of illicit websites would be banned through firewalling. The strategy also sees erection of quick response units in case of an emergency within the Interior Ministry, provincial home departments, police, FIA, IB, CIA, CADD, ICT and SPARC, an NGO. It also calls for creating awareness among various segments of society, particularly who work or deal with children through different means like the Ministry of Information, religious leaders, NGOs and electronic media.
50 outlaws arrested in five days ISLAMABAD STAff RePoRT
ISlAMABAD: Children play near a fountain at 7th Avenue. The fountains shut down in the capital because of dengue fever have now been switched on. STaff phOTO
The city police on Thursday claimed to have nabbed 50 outlaws, including 20 absconders, during the last five days, besides recovering five stolen cars, 62 bottles of liquor and weapons from their possession. A spokesman for Islamabad police said 50 outlawsm, including 20 absconders and proclaimed offenders, had been arrested during the Eid holidays. He added five stolen cars had also been recovered. “During these five days, several other criminals were also arrested and five pistols, 62 bottles of liquor, stolen mobile phones and looted items worth hundreds of thousands of rupees recovered from them,” the spokesman claimed. It is worth mentioning that a total of 2,000 cops performed patrolling and security duties on the Eid occasion while residential areas were focused to curb burglary and theft activities.
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Prolonged sitting at work risks cancer ISLAMABAD onlIne
Uninterrupted periods of sitting at work are very unhealthy, and by frequently breaking up those long bouts with just a few minutes of light exercise lowers a person’s cancer risk, a new study has claimed. According to Neville Owen from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute (AICR) in Australia, one to two-minute breaks can reduce levels of molecules in the body that are linked with cancer risk. “It seems highly likely that the longer you sit, the higher your risk of cancer,” Live Science quoted Owen as saying. The research has revealed that there is more to physical activity than working out on a treadmill and a person who exercised for 30 minutes a day, which is the recommended amount of physical activity, is really only active for 3 percent of his or her day. Alice Bender, a spokeswoman for AICR, recommends taking small breaks from sitting during our day to “infuse the remaining 97 percent of our day with short periods of activity that can protect against many cancers.” Owen’s study suggested that even very brief exercise may reduce cancer risk and one- to two-minute breaks were associated with smaller waists, less insulin resistance and lower levels of inflammation, all of which are risk factors for cancer.
ISlAMABAD: encroachments at Mandi Morre near IJ Principal Road need CDA’s attention. STaff phOTO
Pneumonia can be treated at home, says WHO expert ISLAMABAD
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NEUMONIA is a preventable and treatable disease that kills 1.6 million each year, around 1.4 million of which are children aged under five. This makes pneumonia the number one killer of children under five, claiming more young lives than AIDS, malaria, and measles combined and accounting for one fifth of all children’s deaths in Pakistan. This was stated by World Health Organisation (WHO) representatives on Thursday. Addressing a press conference, WHO officials told the media that recently WHO, in collaboration with Lady Health Workers (LHWs), had conducted a study in Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which showed that pneumonia could be easily controlled and treated at home. “The result of the study shows that children with severe pneumonia who were treated by LHWs at home with simple, oral antibiotics were more likely to recover than children who were referred to a health facility, as previously recommended by WHO,” said Dr Shamim Qazi. WHO Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Pneumonia Expert and co-author of the Lancet paper Dr Shamim Qazi said, “Pneumonia kills more children than any other illness, but it is amongst the most solvable problems in global health. The results of this study show that community health workers can identify and treat most children with pneumonia at home with simple antibiotics. “The study has found that LHWs are able to identify and treat children with severe pneumonia at home, avoiding the need to go to hospital. If this is confirmed in other settings, we can make treatment much more accessible for families, help governments make the most of limited resources, and save more children’s lives,” Dr Shamim added.
Currently, WHO recommends that children with non-severe pneumonia be treated at home, but that those with severe pneumonia be given a single dose of antibiotic medicine and sent for treatment to a facility. However, referral to a facility poses problems for many families who cannot afford to pay to get to hospital, or to pay for the services once they get there. Severe pneumonia is when a child with a cough also has chest in-drawing, i.e. the chest moves in as the child inhales; whereas in a healthy child the chest expands during inhalation. The study compared the impact of treating severe pneumonia at home versus referral to a health facility (clinic or hospital). It was found that 18% of children who were referred to a health facility had treatment failure, while this rate was only half that (9%) among those who were treated at home. Treatment failure was classified as when a child was unable to drink; had convulsions; vomited after eating or drinking; was abnormally sleepy; still had a fever and lower chest indrawing after several days of treatment; needed to switch to a different
antibiotic; or died. LHWs are trained and receive ongoing supervision and basic supplies from the government of Pakistan. They attend to about 150-200 families in their homes every month, providing health education to the families about maternal and child health and treating common diseases like diarrhoea and respiratory infections. They also identify danger signs for some diseases like pneumonia and suspected cholera and refer them to the nearest health facilities. A new milestone has been cleared and now the LHWs are treating pneumonia at home. “If children with severe pneumonia can be effectively managed at home, this would reduce delays in starting treatment and cut costs for families and the health system,” said WHO Representative for Pakistan Dr Guido Sabatinelli. World Pneumonia Day (12 November) is to be marked by various events across the world including Pakistan to raise awareness of pneumonia as a public health issue and help prevent the millions of avoidable child deaths from pneumonia that occur each year. It is organised by the Global
Coalition against Child Pneumonia, a network of international, government, non-governmental and communitybased organisations, research and academic institutions, foundations, and individuals that was created in 2009 to bring much-needed attention to pneumonia among donors, policy makers, health care professionals, and the general public. This year’s World Pneumonia Day theme is “I am the face of pneumonia.” This theme strives to connect the personal, human stories that illustrate pneumonia’s direct impact. Most people are unaware of pneumonia’s overwhelming death toll and because of this pneumonia has been overshadowed as a priority on the global health agenda, and rarely receives coverage in the news media. There are effective vaccines against the two most common causes of deadly pneumonia, Haemophilus Influenzae type B and Streptococcus Pneumoniae. A course of antibiotics which costs less than US$ 1 is capable of curing the disease if it is started early enough. The Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia (GAPP) released by the WHO and UNICEF on World Pneumonia Day, 2009, finds that 1 million children’s lives could be saved every year if prevention and treatment interventions for pneumonia were widely introduced in the world’s poorest countries. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight international development goals that 192 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organisations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015. The fourth of these goals is to reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate. Because pneumonia causes such a large number of under five deaths (almost 20%), in order to achieve MDG 4, the world must play an active part to reduce pneumonia deaths.
beefing up muscles good to counter diabetes ISLAMABAD onlIne
The more your muscle mass, the lesser is your risk of developing diabetes, a new study led by an Indian-origin researcher has shown. Previous studies have shown that very low muscle mass is a risk factor for insulin resistance, the major precursor of type 2 diabetes, but new research has suggested otherwise. “Our findings represent a departure from the usual focus of clinicians, and their patients, on just losing weight to improve metabolic health,” said the study’s senior author Preethi Srikanthan, MD of the University of California Los Angeles ( UCLA). “Instead, this research suggests a role for maintaining fitness and building muscle. This is a welcome message for many overweight patients who experience difficulty in achieving weight loss, as any effort to get moving and keep fit should be seen as laudable and contributing to metabolic change.” In this study, researchers examined the association of skeletal muscle mass with insulin resistance and blood glucose metabolism disorders in a nationally representative sample of 13,644 individuals. Participants were older than 20 years, non-pregnant and weighed more than 35 kg. The study demonstrated that higher muscle mass (relative to body size) is associated with better insulin sensitivity and lower risk of pre- or overt diabetes. “Our research shows that beyond monitoring changes in waist circumference or BMI, we should also be monitoring muscle mass,” Srikanthan concluded. The study will be published in The Endocrine Society`s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
PAFROA meets today ISLAMABAD STAff RePoRT
A monthly meeting of PAF Retired Officers’ Association (PAFROA), Rawalpindi/Islamabad chapter, will be held at the base officers’ mess on Friday (today). Organisers can be approached on telephone No 9525811 and 9280376.
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Farmers deserve help to reduce risks ISLAMABAD
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IAN Shahid, the chairman of Pakistan Society Watch (PSW), on Thursday said farmers deserved help to take proper decisions for reducing risks associated with their occupation. According to a press release, Mian Shahid said the production risk is inherent in agriculture due to multiple factors including dependence on weather that can be minimised through proper intervention. “Workshops, seminars, advertisement, distant education, and road shows can enhance awareness among the
rural population majority of which is directly or indirectly associated with the agriculture,” he said in a statement. He said livestock played an important role in risk control. “It improves household welfare through reduction in income variability. Mixed farming enables rural families to decrease exposure to risk through diversification.” “Grain prices are not advancing as fast as that of milk and meat, which is an added incentive, he said adding that sale of milk, yogurt, cheese, butter oil and lassi promises daily flow of income.” Shahid, who is also the CEO of Saudi Pak Insurance Company, said incomplete or imperfect insurance markets always had a negative impact on the farm
management. He said the concept of incomplete insurance had been expanding while optimal risk sharing was yet to make inroads in the Pakistani market which was necessary to support farming community. PSW President Syed Makhdoom Abbas said agriculture accounted for about onefourth of the GDP, earned about 60 per cent of export revenues in primary and processed forms, and provided employment for half of the labour force, therefore it merited proper attention. ISoLAteD rAIn preDICteD: Weather is expected to turn chilly in the federal capital as isolated rain and thunderstorm are likely in the twin cities during the next 24 hours.
According to the Met Office, a western disturbance, still prevailing over the upper parts of the country, is likely to move eastward during the next 24 hours, during which weather in the federal capital is likely to remain cloudy while thunderstorm is also expected during the Friday night. The Met Office has predicted that maximum temperature on Friday morning will remain between 20°C to 22°C while the minimum temperature is expected to be 11°C to 13°C. Officials say the depression over the central Arabian Sea is likely to weaken gradually during next 24 to 36 hours. During last 24 hours, snowfall has also been recorded in the hilly areas of
the country which has decreased the temperature in the capital. With the arrival of winter, snack sellers have started setting up stalls to provide coffee, soup, kehwa, hot samosas, pakoras, jalebi and fish snacks to the people to enjoy the chill in weather. The nature has blessed the country with four different seasons and all of these have various elements for enjoyment. “I always enjoyed an evening stroll and hot soup in misty weather as it attracts me a lot,” Shazia, a workingwoman at the I-8 Park, said. The shopping centres have replaced the summer variety with winter outfits and displayed sweaters, jackets, warm clothes and coat shoes.
tamarind helps cure dry, itchy eyes ISLAMABAD onlIne
ISlAMABAD: Trees’ leaves turn red because of autumn along the banks of Rawal lake. SajjaD aLI QUREShI
Kuri Road Housing Scheme to be completed in 2014 ISLAMABAD
Construction of Murree Road flyover restarts RAWALPINDI
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The Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA) has taken physical possession of 90.8 acres of land for its housing scheme, planned to accommodate government officers at Kurri Road. A payment of Rs.445 million has also been made to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) as cost of land, sources at the Ministry of Housing and Works said here on Thursday. The sources said the design consultant had already been appointed and was working out the detailed specifications, layout, design, elevations and cost of the project. As per the anticipated time schedule, construction activities will start in March 2012 and completed in April 2014, they added. CDA SAnItAry StAff hAILeD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi on Thursday appreciated the sanitation staff at the Authority for their remarkable effort at keep the city clean and disposing of more than 60,000 offals of sacrificial animals from the federal capital. “These efforts deserve appreciation and the sanitary workforce deputed for the cleaning of the city will be given one addition salary as reward for their hard work on this special occasion,” he announced while presiding over a post-review meeting on the Eidul Adha cleanliness plan.
Construction work on the Murree road flyover, which had been halted due to the Eid holidays, has been restarted. Project XEN’s Rana Basharat said that construction work would be sped up so that the project could be completed as soon as possible. BeGGArS network ACtIve In CApItAL: The beggars’ network remained active in the federal capital during the Eid holidays. Beggars were seen collecting meat door to door during Eid. A large number of beggars thronged at Eid gahs after the Eid prayer and appealed for alms in the name of Allah, despite the district administration’s ban on the entry of beggars into the city. Residents said that the beggars gathered at public places and spoiled their trips. CrowDS At GrAveyArDS DurInG eID: Large crowds were seen visiting graveyards during Eid. The relatives of the deceased visited the graves of their loved ones, offered prayers for the departed souls. Shopkeepers at the floral shops in Jinnah Super said that a large number of people bought flowers to lay at graves of
their loved ones. Low GAS preSSure on eID DAyS: Low gas pressure in different areas of Rawalpindi during Eid caused inconvenience and problems for the residents of the twin cities. On Thursday Rawalpindi residents were heard complained against low gas pressure in Dhok Khabba, Qasimabad, Muslim town, Khurram colony, Chungi number8 and other areas. The residents said that low gas pressure has spoiled their Eid and they could not cook food. They appealed the Sui Northern gas officials to take notice of the situation. AntI-ConGo vIruS SprAy CArrIeD out In rAwALpInDI: The Health department of Rawalpindi carried out anti-Congo virus spray in the city during Eid. In the wake of the spread of Congo viral fever due to entrails of sacrificial animals, the Health department carried out anti-Congo virus spraying in Khayaban Sir Syed, Dhok Dalal, Bagh Sardaraan, Raja bazaar, Jama Masjid Road and Saidpur Road. According to the Heath department, after Dengue viral fever there is a dire need to take precautionary measures to avoid the spread of Congo virus.
An eye drop made from the seeds of tamarind tree is the new effective treatment for dry, sore, itchy eyes. Rohto Dry Eye Relief, made by a Japanese firm, has been clinically proven to treat the condition, a newspaper reported. The solution is a combination of hyaluronic acid and a polysaccharide made from the seeds of the tamarind tree. Clinical trials have shown that volunteers using the Rohto eye drops had a five-fold improvement in their symptoms compared with a group using only hyaluronic acid. The condition called “dry eye” syndrome affects up to a third of the population at some point in their lives and occurs where there is a low level of tear (or aqueous humour) production in the eye or an excessive loss of tears from evaporation or a combination of both. Women are believed to be affected nine times more than men. Post-menopausal women tend to suffer more as they make fewer tears. It can also be a side effect of some medications including diuretics, some antihistamines, the contraceptive Pill and beta-blockers. Increasing levels of air pollution also mean our eyes are exposed to more potential irritants and bacteria. The symptoms of “dry eye” include discomfort, a feeling of grittiness in the eye or a burning feeling, aversion to light and blurred vision.
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HE Deer Enclosure at the Faisal Avenue of Islamabad has become a source of attraction for those visiting the Faisal Mosque and the locals, but the negligence shown by the city managers towards preventing the cages from the nearby overflowing ‘nullah’, particularly during rains, can hit-hard the well maintained enclosure. The enclosure in Sector F/8 is spread on 15acre of greenbelt and it attracts the people visiting the Faisal Mosque from different cities. But unfortunately, a ‘nullah’ passing through the enclosure has become a threat to the cages and animals while the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has so far not taken any step to prevent the natural beauty. The deer are enjoying their lives more freely as compared to any zoo because the authorities concerned have provided them a peaceful environment in these cages. Around 40 deer of two different species have been kept in the enclosed space. There are about 29 Black Bucks (Kala Hiran) while
11 of them are the Hog Deer (Para Hiran). The CDA Wildlife Department has converted one part of the enclosure into a jungle to provide friendly atmosphere to the animals. Besides deer, some peacocks are also present in the space. Most of the visitors praised the CDA on establishing a beautiful enclosure near a residential sector and some of them suggested shifting more animals. “The CDA should keep more animals in the cages to provide a source of entertainment both to the visitors and the locals,” said Huma Naeem, a teenager. She was of the view that the civic body could upgrade the place by taking some additional measures. The visitors said the city’s prime agency should convert the surrounding into a mini zoo by providing parking place and sitting arrangement, as the visitors currently have to park their vehicles on the main road to see the beautiful deer roaming freely in open sky and they cannot find any place to sit near the cages. The enclosure was established around 20 years back to provide alternative place for the animals that get ill in the Murghazar Zoo or need separate environment for their sustenance. Talking to Pakistan Today, CDA Wildlife De-
partment Range Officer Mehmood Chaudhry says they have taken extra measures to protect the deer from the winter-born diseases. “We have covered the cages from the Margalla Hills side as cold winds coming from the mountains can prove dangerous fro the caged deer,” he said. When asked him about the safety measures taken by the authority to prevent the cages from nearby nullah, he replied that the matter had been taken up with the senior officials concerned and a 100-meter-long wall would soon be constructed along with the banks of ‘nullah’. He informed that Hog Deer was a special specie find in Sindh along the River Sindh while Black Bucks were mostly found in Cholistan and Thar. “Mostly the people who visit Faisal mosque stopped at the enclosure to get entertain with deer” he said. He said the enclosure was established to provide a safe environment to the animals, adding that it was also considered as a breeding centre for deer. He said a couple of Black Buck could be available at Rs50,000, adding that they had stopped their sale due to their decreasing number. He said Hog Deer was naturally shy due to which people did not prefer buying it.
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COllegeS / uNIveRSItIeS INteRNAtIONAl ISlAmIC uNIveRSIty 9260765 bAHRIA uNIveRSIty 9260002 Numl 9257677 quAId-e-AzAm uNIveRSIty 90642098 ARId AgRICultuRe uNIveRSIty 9290151 FJwu 9273235 RIPHA INteRNAtIONAl uNIveRSIty 111510510 NCA RAwAlPINdI 5770423 PuNJAb lAw COllege 4421347
dAte: NOv 17 - 20, 2011 veNue: ISlAmAbAd
dAte: NOvembeR 01 tO 15, 2011 veNue: KHAAS ARt gAlleRy ISlAmAbAd
dAte ANd tIme: NOv 12, 2011 veNue: KuCH KHAAS
In 1954, united Nation general Assembly recommended that all countries must institute the “universal Children day” to promote the welfare of the children and protect their basic rights without any discrimination. On 20th November the uN Assembly adopted the declaration of the rights of the child.
the exhibition is called Kahaniyan (Stories), a solo show by eminent artist moeen Faruqi. the Karachi based artist will exhibit in Islamabad after many years at Khaas Art on 1 November 2011. do join u ...
Following the success of their 2011 hits "batti" & "Neray Aaah", the busiest & most exciting touring Pakistani act in the world, OveRlOAd, will be blasting your neigbourhood with an exclusive upclose & very personal live set
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Friday, 11 November, 2011
News 09
Kasab should be hanged: Malik g
Interior minister says judicial commission on 26/11 attacks to go to India soon ADDU
A
onlIne
jmal Amir Kasab, convicted for the 26/11 Mumbai attack, is a terrorist and should be sent to the gallows, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Thursday after delegation-level talks between the two countries. Speaking to reporters at the Shangri La Hotel, Malik said, “Kasab is a terrorist and a non-state actor who should go to gallows, along with his accomplices. So should the perpetrators of the Samjhauta Express blast.” He said a Pakistani judicial commission looking into the terror attack would be coming to India soon and would have a positive influence on the trial of those accused in the Mumbai terror attack. He said, “The judicial commission has a limited mandate. They'll be in
India after we hear from the Indian side. They will submit a report after the visit which will have a positive impact on the judicial process regarding 26/11.” He said if the Judicial Commission
received credible evidence of any Pakistani's involvement in the Mumbai carnage, it would help the Pakistani Government prosecute the accused in Pakistan. Malik said the Judicial Com-
mission would stay in India for threefour days, “as long as you can accept them as guests.” Malik said the trial process would begin as soon as the report comes. He said Jamaat-ud Dawa (JD) founder Hafiz Saeed had been bailed by the highest court in Pakistan and the government could do nothing about it. He said a list of banned organisations was issued before Eidul Adha and there was no credible evidence linking JD to terrorism. He said the judicial commission report would push forward the trial of the 26/11 accused. The judicial commission is expected to record the statements of Mumbai Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate R.v. Sawant Waghule and investigating officer Ramesh Mahale, who had recorded the confessional statement of Ajmal Amir Kasab, convicted of the terror attack.
NwA tribesmen protest bombing, drone attacks MIRANSHAH InP
The tribesmen of North Waziristan Agency on Thursday staged a protest demonstration against drone attacks and security forces shelling which caused millions of rupees loss to private property of the tribesmen. Tehrik-e-Islamia NWA Chairman Nadir Khan and other tribal elders said while addressing the protesters that the people of North Waziristan were adhering to the peace agreement with the government but in return they were subjected to bombardment and drone attacks. They said there was no Haqqani network in North Waziristan Agency and the tribesmen opposed terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. They said negative propaganda was being carried out against peaceful tribesmen. The tribal elders demanded that the tribesmen should be compensated for the losses caused by the security forces bombardment, drone attacks should be stopped and gas should be provided to the area from the Gurguri gas field. They also demanded the chief justice of Pakistan take suo motu notice of the drone attacks carried out in the Tribal Areas.
bara elders express concern over law and order Elders from Bar Qambar Khel, Bara on Thursday expressed concerns over law and order situation in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). A 17-member delegation of elders from Bar Qambar Khel Bara, led by Senator Haji Khan Afridi, called on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar at the Governor’s House and highlighted the security issues facing them, besides the need for development in education, health and communication sectors. Talking to the delegation, the governor said that peace was the top priority of government, however it was not a responsibility of the government alone and the people should also play their role in maintaining peace in their respective areas. He said that he was striving for the creation of employment opportunities for the youth of FATA. “I have been taking up the issue at every forum and with different foreign diplomats to make the youth skilled and to provide them honorable job opportunities abroad,” he said. The governor assured the delegation that their issues will be resolved.
ADDU onlIne
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has said that anything between India and Pakistan is spectacular. Asked whether the two countries could expect anything from the meet, Khar, attending the SAARC summit in Maldives, told a website on Thursday that anything between India and Pakistan would be spectacular. She said the Pakistani cabinet had approved normalisation of trade relationship between the two countries via granting the 'Most Favoured Nation' status to India. The Indian delegation, led by PM Singh himself, is expected to hold bilateral talks with Pakistan during the summit.
Pakistan is using you, modi tells China BEIJING onlIne
PeShAWAR. A policeman searches a car in the Cantonment area. STaff phOTO
uS seeks Pakistan’s action against killers of Hindus wAShInGton: Condemning the killing of three Hindus in southern Sindh, the US on Thursday has demanded that the perpetrators be brought to justice. “We have seen the reports of these murders. We understand that an investigation is underway and we look forward to seeing the perpetrators brought to justice,” the State Department said in a statement. Three Hindus, including a doctor, were killed near Shikarpur town in Sindh on Monday. Responding to questions about the killing of the three Hindus, the State Department slammed the targeting of religious, ethnic and other minorities. “We condemn all violence directed at religious, ethnic and other minorities. We call attention to the issue of sectarian violence in the Human Rights Report and the International Religious Freedom Report, issued annually by the Department of State,” it said. Since the incident, the Hindu community has closed down its businesses in protest and announced an indefinite strike till those responsible for the killing are brought to book. President Asif Ali Zardari has ordered an inquiry into the incident. onlIne
PESHAWAR STAff RePoRT
Anything between India and Pakistan is spectacular: Khar
The chief minister of Indian state of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, has told China that Pakistan is making use of it, Indian media reported on Thursday. Modi, who is known for his anti-Muslim attitude and inaction to stop the massacre of thousands of Muslims in 2002 state riots, is in Beijing for talks with the leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC). “I told them - whatever your intentions, Pakistan is making use of you,” Modi said after his meeting with three Chinese leaders including Wang Gang, a politburo member of the CPC and vice-chairman of the China People’s Consultative Conference. “In India and Gujarat, there is a lot of concern over Chinese troop presence in Pakistanicontrolled Kashmir,” Modi said. He also criticised a Chinese transformer maker, TBEA, for displaying a controversial map of India at a function in New Delhi, which resulted in a sharp exchange of words between a journalist and China’s Ambassador to India Zhang Yan. He said the Gujarat government was worried about the controversy because it had signed a Rs 25 billion contract with the Chinese company.
Masood Sharif quits ppp, joins pTI PESHAWAR
PtI workers join JI
STAff RePoRT
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Masood Sharif is to announce joining ranks of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) on Friday (today). PTI sources told Pakistan Today that former Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Masood Sharif Khattak has been invited by PTI Chairman Imran Khan to Islamabad, where the former would announce quitting PPP and joining PTI, in a press conference. “In the person of Masood Sharif, PTI also found a contestant to the National Assembly seat from southern district Karak in the upcoming general elections in the country,” PTI sources said, adding that, “The PPP stalwart is joining PTI as he has been assured party ticket for the upcoming general elections in the country.” The PTI sources confirmed doubts on whether Masood would be able to show considerable influence over the two constituencies. Tra-
peShAwAr: Prominent workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and tribal elders hailing from Bara Tehsil, Khyber agency resigned from their party membership and announced joining Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Thursday. According to JI spokesperson, tribal elders, including Haji Gulbat Khan Afridi of Malik Denkhel tribe, Babo Jan, Asal Khan Aikakhel, Seda Jan, Muhammad Sharif Qambarkhel and dozens of other tribesmen announced joining JI at the Al-Markaz Islami. According to JI spokesperson, PTI descendent leader Haji Gulbat Khan and other elders said that JI has the capacity to bring a revolution in the country, adding that the party understands the issues facing the tribesmen and the ways to tackle them. They assured that they would play their role for the betterment of the country. STAff RePoRT ditionally, the National Assembly seat has been bagged by candidates from KP41 mostly, while Masood is from KP-40. Masood Sharif, a class fellow of President Asif Ali Zardari at Pataro Cadet College, Sindh, had contested general elections of 2002 from PPP ticket and lost to Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) candidate Shah Abdul Aziz after a close contest. Karak district has two seats in the
provincial assembly and one seat in the national assembly. Saleem Khan will contest the provincial assembly seat from KP41 of Karak district on the ticket of PTI, however the party has not found a suitable candidate with ‘considerable’ repute from KP-40, Karak, party sources said. After the party re-organized in Kohat, Hangu and Karak districts, it is
sprawling towards Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and Bannu, to cover the southern region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in November. In the Northern region of the province, including Charsadda, Peshawar, Mardan and Nowshera, PTI has already attracted several prominent politicians from other political parties into its fold.
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10 News
Friday, 11 November, 2011
Checkpost attacked, school blown up in mohmand Agency GHALLANAI InP
Unidentified miscreants blew up a boys' school in Mohmand Agency late on Wednesday, while a security forces checkpost was also attacked. The boys' primary school was blown up in Khawaja Was Kor area of Haleemzai tehsil. The security forces arrested dozens of members of Khawaja Was tribe under collective responsibility and also demolished the houses of two tribesmen namely Gul Zada and Tariq. Separately, the miscreants attacked a joint checkpost of Levies and Khasadar force in Sharaf Kor area of Safi tehsil. The security officials repulsed the attack and no loss to life was reported. The security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation, arresting 20 suspects.
Clash kills six in Khyber Agency
ADDU: Indian PM Manmohan Singh (l) shakes hands with nepal PM Baburam Bhattarai (2nd l) while Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani greets Maldives President Mohamed nasheed (2nd R) during the 17th SAARC meeting. afp
PESHAWAR AfP
At least six people were killed in a clash between Islamist militants and members of a local pro-government militia in Khyber Agency on Thursday, officials said. The area close to the border with Afghanistan has been plagued by fighting between armed forces and militants tied to the Pakistani Taliban, and fresh fears of unrest caused more than 18,000 people to flee the district last month. Four members of a local peace committee, or pro-government militia, and two militants were killed during an exchange of fire, senior local administration official Rehan Gul Khattak told AFP. “Militants with Lashkar-e-Islam (Army of Islam) attacked a patrol of the local peace committee, which triggered a gunfight in Akakhel area,” he said, adding that the more than 30 militants escaped following the attack.
Election tribunals yet to give verdict on 29 petitions against MNAs, senators ISLAMABAD
T
STAff RePoRT
he election tribunals constituted by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) have failed to dispose of 29 petitions filed against senators and members of the National Assembly (MNAs) despite a lapse of over three and a half years. The data available with Pakistan Today reveals that as many as 107 election petitions were filed against MNAs
from all four provinces after the 2008 general elections and subsequent byelections. However official records show that the tribunals have not yet given verdicts on 27 cases, in addition to the two petitions filed against senators elected from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in 2009 senate polls. Against the MNAs from Punjab, 57 election petitions were filed and the tribunals disposed of 42 petitions leaving behind 15 pending cases. In Sindh, a total of 22 cases were filed out of which two are still pending. Against MNAs from KP, 15 petitions were filed
but verdict was issued on only seven cases. Of the 13 petitions filed against Balochistan MNAs, two are pending. Under the provisions of Section 57 of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, the chief election commissioner of Pakistan had appointed 20 election tribunals to dispose of petitions filed in lieu of the 2008 general elections, the 2009 Senate elections and the subsequent bypolls. An ECP official who requested anonymity accused lawyers for adopting delaying tactics before the election tribunals. “The lawyers use delaying tactics
before the tribunals as they employ those methods in the courts,” he said. He said amendments to the Representation of the People Act, 1976, regarding disposing of election petitions had been passed by the parliament, but they would be applied on new election tribunals after next the general elections. “Under the new amendments, retired judges of the high courts will head the tribunals and would be bound to issue verdicts on election petitions in a four months period after day to day hearing,” he said.
‘father of Mangroves’ fights for Indus Basin’s forests KARACHI AfP
It was a brutal kidnap that turned him into an eco-warrior, and 27 years later Pakistan's “Father of the Mangroves” still lets nothing get in the way of fighting against timber “mafia” and deforestation. “This is my life. I am very happy with it. The cause is worth living such a life,” Tahir Qureshi told AFP, walking around the sanctuary that he set up in his spare time when he still worked full-time with the forestry commission. He was captured by a kidnap-for-ransom gang in 1984 while working in the southern district of Dadu, now devastated by floods for two consecutive years. “They kept me for a couple of days in captivity. But when they knew I was a forest officer they released me without further argument. That inspired me to dedicate my whole life for the rehabilitation of our ecosystem,” he said. “The robbers released me as they respect those who respect forests. Trees provide them best hideouts. Besides, they are among many people who consider chopping trees as a sin because trees provide us livelihood and help better the environment.” For years, it was a lonely if mighty cause, for apart from Afghanistan, no other country in Asia suffers from a faster rate of deforestation than Pakistan. In 2010, it was declared a forest-deficient country because just 2.2 percent or about 1.7 million hectares (4.2 million acres) of its land mass is forested. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Pakistan lost an average of 42,000 hectares of forest a year between 1990 and 2010. At the current rate, Pakistan could lose half its remaining forest cover over
We are historically a forestry-deficient country, but with the course of time the ratio has reduced alarmingly TAhIR QUReShI mangrove’s campaigner
the next decade or so, says the FAO. The trend has been exacerbated by recent floods, the worst in the country's history in 2010 and a repeated bout this monsoon season. Qureshi has helped rehabilitate 30,000 hectares of mangrove along the southern coast on the Arabian Sea, including in Balochistan. Today he is a senior advisor on coastal ecosystems with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). He starts almost every day with a visit to the mangroves, which he calls his kids, on Karachi's Sandspit Beach. Wearing a khaki shirt and trousers, he wades into the swamp up to his waist to see how they're getting on. “We are historically a forestry-defi-
cient country, but with the course of time the ratio has reduced alarmingly,” said the 65-year-old Qureshi. So who is to blame? There are the timber “mafia” who hack away at mangroves and trees, trucking wood off to market by donkey and vehicle to sell as fuel, while the military and government officials are also accused of involvement. “The current rate of deforestation is very alarming. We could lose our timber completely in two to three decades if not effectively checked,” an environment ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Hussain Bux Bhagat, a conservationist associated with the Sindh provincial wildlife department, says wildlife in the riverine forest, including
birds, reptiles and mammals, also suffered severely because of deforestation. “Particularly high numbers of grey partridge, which nest on trees and don't leave its habitat have died because of continuing deforestation and last year's floods,” Bhagat told AFP. In 1947, when Pakistan was created from the ashes of British colonialism, riverine forests lined the banks of the Indus River. They were the first line of defence against floods that have deluged the plains annually for thousands of years, as well as against shoreline erosion. Instead, the deforested areas are prone to flooding and landslides. But riverine and mangrove forest represent only 20 percent of the forest cover in Pak-
istan – the rest is concentrated in the mountains of the northern provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit and Baltistan and Kashmir. There, officials, aid workers and residents accuse the authorities and the Taliban of being hand in glove with mafias cutting down trees. The Swat valley was once the most popular tourist destination of the country before a Taliban insurgency began in 2007. After a major operation, the army declared the area back under control in July 2009. But conservationists say tens of thousands of pine trees have been cut down, both during the Taliban years and under the military. A former Forest Development Corporation (FDC) official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said timber felling was one of the main causes of the devastation witnessed in Swat during the floods of 2010. “Three kinds of actors participated in that: the FDC working for timber mafia, local people and the Taliban, who cut a lot to buy weapons,” he said. “There are two kinds of timber mafias: the big ones, with a licence, and the local ones, people with no licence who bribe guards.” Numerous local residents said army trucks are seen transporting timber, but army spokesman Colonel Arif Mehmood in Swat told AFP he was “not aware” of the practice. The Aryana Institute for Regional Research and Advocacy, a think tank, has also pointed to links between the timber mafia and militancy. “Being shrewd investors, the timber mafia is believed to have spent part of its dividends to sponsor militancy. Huge sums are involved in the business, which has expanded to the hills bordering Afghanistan,” it said in a 2009 report. “They invest money and energy in Talibanisation, that is how they protect their illegal businesses at the expense of the state’s writ.”
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Friday, 11 November, 2011
Editor’s mail 11
Chinese presence in Nothern Areas There had been reports of the Chinese troops’ presence in Pakistan’s Northern Areas since the Attabad Lake disaster, and with ambiguous denials from government circles, but not a comprehensive and reasonable clarification. The eminent American think-tank, Selig S Harrison, who has close eye on South Asian affairs and who intriguingly ‘advocates’ Balochistan’s ‘independence’, has recently written an article “China’s discreet activities in Pakistan’s northern borderlands”, confirming the reports of Chinese presence. Similar reports have appeared in the Indian media. A Pakistani journalist, Amir Mir, in his October 26 article said the Chinese government has requested Islamabad for establishment of its military base in the area along the Pakistan-China border. Again the Foreign Office has yet to speak on the subject, but credit goes to Gen (retd) Jehangir Karamat’s Spearhead Re-
search think-tank, which has carried out a survey of the area and concluded that “the results are contrary to what has been alleged.” The factual situation seen on the ground and the facts about the presence and involvement of Chinese in various infrastructure activities in Gilgit-Baltistan area of Pakistan are different. The survey concludes that the China Roads & Buildings Corporation (CRBC) has been working on rehabilitation of KKH (Karakoram Highway) since 2009 with varying strength of Chinese workers and engineers. Presently, about 637 Chinese Engineers and workers are living in about seventy makeshift camps stretching from Khunjrab to Raikot Bridge. The project is being supervised by NHA (Pakistan’s National Highway Authority) and the Karakuram Security Force (KSF) which is responsible for the protection of Chinese nationals working on the project.
A cabinet fit for a king No Memorandum of Understanding has been signed for the construction of a Railroad between China and Pakistan nor is there any such activity taking place in the area. Some Chinese Engineers are, however, working on Sadapara Dam in Skardu. The assertion about the presence of about 7000-11000 Chinese soldiers in the area is incorrect and baseless. The total number of Chinese workers of CRBC, even if they are considered to be PLA soldiers has never exceeded 2000 in 2009. In 2010-11 the highest presence has been 1000-1200 workers. There is only one planned tunnel in the project. Its length is 480 meters though there are about 18 passageways or open tunnels in areas threatened by mud and rock slides. These are clearly visible. There are no hidden tunnels or structures. The KKH Rehabilitation Project is likely to be completed by the end of 2012. About 22km of the highway was found to
be submerged under water between Sost and Hunza. This was a consequence of the seismic activity and mud slides that led to the formation of a huge lake in the Attabad area. This will take a minimum of three to four years for completion. It is only after the entire highway has become operational that any plans to link with the Gwadar port on the Balochistan coast can be considered. The survey found that the majority of people in Gilgit-Baltistan are quite content and satisfied with the political autonomy granted under the “Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Governance Ordinance 2009”. There is a realisation that vested interests may be exploiting the situation to create unrest but there are no signs or indications of any latent or overt revolt. The area remains peaceful and as beautiful as ever.” SHUMAILA RAJA Rawalpindi
Stealth technology There are few countries in the world that have stealth technology in the form of aircraft, battle tanks, naval ships or missiles. The USA, UK, Russia, France, Germany, Spain are the most high-flying having this technology. It gives immense pleasure to watch Pakistan joining this group. Pakistan despite having the nuclear technology and cruise missiles was lacking this tech. Besides maintaining a sizeable army and large number of nuclear warheads, we somehow needed an upper edge on this front as well. It is indeed a great achievement for Pakistan because it was really needed to boost the cruise missile capabilities of Pakistan. The indigenously-developed HatfvII Babur Land Attack Cruise Missile (LACM) having the maximum range of 750km can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads. The best thing about it is its stealth capability, it can fly at a very stumpy elevation to circumvent detection by the enemy radars. The scientists, engineers and Pakistan forces deserve applause for developing such a weapon with accuracy and range. MAIMUNA ASHRAF Chakwal
the english language In our educational system, little to no stress is put on the teaching of Queen’s English. Although in most of the schools, the medium of instruction is English, it is not taught properly. In the modern world, all the scientific research is done in English. In order to keep up with the rest of the world, we need to lay proper emphasis to teach functional English. We are still divided on the issue whether the medium of instruction should be English or Urdu. There is no harm in learning and teaching both the languages. At intermediate and bachelors level, most of the students fail in the subject of English. This low pass-percentage should be considered alarming. We must do something to improve overall pass-percentage in this subject. The basic reason for failure is that it is not taught at primary-level. Secondly, we lack trained English teachers. Mastery on any language is acquired by learning it properly. We have the same ancient system of teaching, especially languages. New and practical system should be devised and implemented. The root cause must be removed and proper emphasis should be laid on teaching functional English. JAVAID BASHIR Lahore
Polluting the sea Recently, I went to a restaurant located at seaside in Clifton, Karachi. Most of the people in the restaurant were enjoying their food but a few were also seen throwing garbage in the sea. It would have been better if the sitting area in these restaurants was three to four meters away from the sea, and these restaurants should also restrict people from throwing garbage in the sea and polluting it. MUBASHIR MAHMOOD Karachi
As a nation, we are in the habit of criticising for criticisms’ sake. The recent example is the criticism being heaped on the wisdom of our PM for creating four new ministries. The Prime Minister is being criticised for the additional budget which would be required to run these important ministries. The second criticism is the limited scope of operations of each ministry. The third criticism is the violation of the spirit of 18th Amendment. Some people are looking at this decision through the glasses of inflation, unemployment, suicides, ever increasing gas and electricity tarriffs, non-payment of pension to retired civil servants, target killing and worsening law and order situation in the country. No body is looking at the bigger picture. Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani is the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed Muslim country in the world, recently elected non-permanent member of the Security Council on an Asian seat. It would be very embarrassing for him to preside over a small-sized Cabinet. As a matter of fact, it would be a shame for the nation that their Prime Minister has only two dozen colleagues in his Cabinet. It would be proper that the number of ministers should be increased to 100 and that they should be supported by state ministers and parliamentary secretaries. After all the ministers are elected members of the Parliament, they will be electing Senators in March 2012. Great responsibility ahead. Looking from the bureaucratic perspective, creation of new ministries would lead to more promotions for civil servants. Many friends have been waiting for a long time for promotion to 22. Every secretary gets an additional plot. This is good for the health of the economy. So criticism against new ministries is an attempt to sabotage the economy of the country. Three cheers for PM Gilani for creating new ministries. ASGHAR MAHMOOD Islamabad
And another bomb
Musharraf told an audience in Arkansas, US, that there are “good and bad dictators” besides many other things. Whatever he may have spoken to the select audience in a foreign country, it would be regarded as his version by all and sundry. History has its own channels. But yes, he would not be held responsible for this statement as this was not before a court of law. Z A KAZMI Karachi
We Pakistanis are surely resilient. A place where a bomb explodes almost every week yet the people continue to live a normal life is surely a feat on its own. Nowhere else are people so carefree and inhumane that they return to their normal routine minutes or rather seconds after a bomb blasts. I happened to be in India when the recent bomb blast happened in Mumbai. Though I was not in Mumbai and in a far away city of Lucknow, I could sense the loss on people's faces there. I am not denying the fact that they might know the persons who died but a general sense of loss could be felt. The shops closed down half an hour early, eating places gave a deserted look despite being the peak dinner time and the roads portrayed as though the bomb had exploded in Lucknow rather than Mumbai. Unlike its neighboring country and countrymen, we Pakistanis have probably become so accustomed to hearing bombs being blasted that we care little about them unless a close one becomes a victim. The recent bomb blast in Karachi in the posh locality of Defence despite being so close to schools and in the heart of the new city life, the life here did not get stop. The traffic on road was flowing normally, the schools that were not nearby or rather did not get destroy were open, the shops opened at their normal time and the rush was normal, the only difference was the increase in policemen for obvious reasons. AFFAN H KHAN Karachi
range of varied approved vendors, PIA has decided to appoint an unknown sole vendor. This will deny PIA not just competitive prices, but cause prolonged technical delays and grounding. Almost every vendor supplying aviation spares offers a credit line. The factors that dictate the choice of a supplier for aircraft parts depend on the location of the vendor and his proximity to the site of the aircraft grounded and availability of part at the most affordable cost to an airline. In case an airplane is in a critical state, such as Aircraft On Ground status,
airlines tend to pay higher price to expedite their operation and earn valuable revenues. It seems PIA by default will be resorting to buy expensive spares because every technical delay will lead to an AOG status since the airline has made a suicidal mistake of denying itself a range of vendors by limiting their supply line to one vendor with a first right of refusal. Those responsible for this criminal decision have done immense damage to this vital national asset. GULL ZAMAN Peshawar
electrocuted by power tariff The recent increase in power tariff will deliver a devastating jolt to the consumers across the country. Being highly incompetent in producing a single megawatt of energy, it seems highly unjust to demand higher tariff from the public. It is a failure of successive governments’ policies that we have to make do with a faulty thermal over hydel power generation ratio of 70:30 when it should be the other way
empowered eC It is heartening to see an empowered Election Commission of Pakistan acting as an autonomous body, after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, and maintaining its mandated check on the elected representatives. Recently, the Election Commission had suspended the membership of more than two hundred parliamentarians from the treasury as well as opposition benches for not turning in the statements of their assets, a necessary requirement. This certainly goes to the credit of the elected democratic government as well as the EC authorities that they continue to set such fine examples at a time when casting suspicion on every deed by the government or government-led organisation has become a norm. In this regard, the ECP issued a notice to the respected parliamentarians to submit the statements of their assets so
around. The government must understand that only mega dams will revive industry and agriculture, put an end to loadshedding forever, bring down prices of food, save Sindh from floods, and confer many other benefits to the economy. ENGR KHURSHID ANWAR Lahore
that the original facts and figures may be known to every citizen of Pakistan. The EC suspended the membership of as many as 231 parliamentarians, who did not submit the statements of assets and liabilities according to rule. At present, the Election Commission has restored the membership of 19 lawmakers, including s 9 members of the National Assembly, four Senators, one member of the Sindh Assembly, three members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and two members of the Balochistan Assembly after they fulfilled the legal requirement and filled their statements of assets and liabilities. Under clause 42A of the People’s Representation Act 1976 and clause 25A of the Senate Election Rules 1975, parliamentarians of Provincial or National Assembly are bound to submit the statements of their assets along with their dependents’ liabilities by September 30 every year. This clause gives authority
to EC to notify the names of those who do not submit these details on October 15 barring them from taking part in the proceedings of their houses. The notified names are sent to the senate chairman and speakers of the assemblies after suspension. INAYAT ALI GOPANG Islamabad
musharraf on gaddafi
PIA aircrafts grounded This is apropos reports on grounding of nine PIA aircrafts for lack of spares. The award of exclusive procurement of technical spares to Transworld Aviation FZE, based in Dubai may prove to be the undoing of PIA. Unfortunately, the crisis that afflicts PIA is not lack of passengers nor skilled human resources, but it’s mismanagement and massive pilferage by a corrupt and incompetent management dominated by unqualified cronies, all with a controversial political patronage and visible conflict of interest. Be it leasing of aircraft, procurement
of technical stores, or choice of appointing GSA and GHA, violation of transparent laid down procedures are a common factor. Irregularities in RBDs for Umra or Hajj and other peak load seasonal sales of tickets have led to pilferage of billions in revenues for the airline, when marketing officers in connivance with select travel agents released bulk seats at low fares to them, causing financial losses to PIA, with a bonanza for this nexus of the corrupt. While airlines all over the world prefer to acquire technical spares from a
Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. Fax: +92-42-36298302. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
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12 Comment Slighted? yes, but…
Y
The (shallow) atlantic!
ou know certain impressions of your country have hit rock-bottom when the elected head of state’s assurances on a matter are brushed away. The head of the US Homeland Security delegation that met with the president recently, Congressman Michael McCaul, said doubted, publicly, whether President Zardari can live up to his promises to “eradicate” the Haqqanis. “The real question,” said the American lawmaker, “is how much the president controls the military.” The Republican is a US politician and is not in government. He can say out loud what everyone in the Obama administration ostensibly also believes. The foreign office is going to issue statements. Schoolboy’s copy: the president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and all that. And in practical terms, through his position as leader of the ruling party, he can direct the prime minister, who is the chief executive authority in the country. But there is no use for the indignant amongst us, especially those in uniform, to huff and puff a little too much. The military has given the world much evidence to assume this scheme of things. This is, of course, not to talk about the years where the military has been overtly in power. Under discussion are the years of supposed civilian rule when, at least on certain important issues, all but the pathologically pedantic knew where the buck stopped. Have things changed all too much? The west knows how to measure the difference between what the elected government makes a policy to do and what actually plays out in the great outdoors. It is not aloof. Yes, it is the lot of the diplomatic corps to tilt at those windmills. But the rest of the world, and us, know better.
the promise of SCO too big to be ignored
S
hanghai Cooperation Organisation holds an interest for Pakistan for a number of reasons. So does Pakistan for the SCO. All countries bordering Afghanistan which include Pakistan and five out of six SCO members are concerned about the post-2014 scenario in that country. While the departure of the US and Nato troops is a source of satisfaction to the SCO states, they fear the further spread of the activities of Al-Qaeda and Taliban in the wake of the allied troops withdrawal. Pakistan being in the forefront of the fight against terrorism is seen as a potentially important ally. Pakistan which has been under pressure from the US is looking for new and strong allies to provide it political and economic space to manoeuvre. With Russia showing willingness for the first time to support Pakistan’s membership of the SCO, a major hurdle has been removed. It might however take time to formally join the club. It would be difficult for Russia and China to grant membership to Pakistan while ignoring India which is still weighing options of going all the hog with the US and Nato or join the SCO. There are also fears of the new entrants bringing in their regional rivalries. Gilani’s ambitious five point development programme presented before the meeting stresses SCO sponsored intra-regional and interregional cooperation in trade and building infrastructure and power links. It would go a long way in overcoming Pakistan’s energy crisis if headway is made in the development of power links with Central Asia. A beginning was made during the Putin-Gilani talks when the former announced $ 500 million for the Central Asia, South Asia Electricity Trade and Transmission Project (CASA 1000). He also expressed the desire to materialise Turkmenistan- AfghanistanPakistan-India gas pipeline project (TAPI). Improving relations with India will not only help Pakistan but also turn out to be instrumental in bringing New Delhi to the fold of SCO along with Pakistan. The SCO which stresses an unremitting fight against terrorism also supports peaceful relations between India and Pakistan. Moves towards opening of trade routes and an energy corridor connecting Central Asia with South Asia would bring prosperity to the entire region.
Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami
Arif Nizami Editor
Lahore – Ph: 042-36298305-10 Fax: 042-36298302 Karachi – Ph: 021-34330811-3 Fax: 021-34330900 Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287414-6 Fax: 051-2287417 Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk
Friday, 11 November, 2011
In all such articles, everyone plays to type
I
By Ejaz Haider
n all the silly controversy over The Atlantic-National Journal article, one underlying United States unease has gone unnoticed, a deeply satisfying fact for me as a student of strategy: the US, despite all the scenario-building over several years and consistent attempts through technical and other means to pick up intelligence on Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal – directly and through allied efforts – remains clueless about critical aspects of Pakistan’s programme. The Strategic Plans Division, an otherwise open organisation that serves as the Secretariat of the National Command Authority, deserves credit for this. The second aspect deals with our reaction. The Foreign Office spokesperson should have responded to the question about it with a one-line, does-not-merit-comment response. The next step which Pakistan took, getting the State Department to debunk it, was a much smarter move. Now to the article. First, concerned officials at the Inter-Services Public Relations, the Strategic Plans Division and the InterServices Intelligence deny anyone authorised to speak with the media on this subject ever met with or spoke to these reporters. “No request was ever filed, no one ever spoke to them, no one had heard their names before the publishing of this article,” I was told. Second, going by what they have written, both reporters are singularly ignorant of the technicalities of the subject they undertook. The first problem relates to conflating the concepts of safety and security. Are the nuclear weapons safe is a different question from are they secure. In theory, a safe nuclear weapon may not be secure or a secure one may not be safe. In practice, an arsenal requires the weapons to be both safe and secure. In very broad terms, eschewing complex details and procedures – some of which may be known while others kept secret – safety deals with the safe working mechanism of various parts of a nuclear weapon and its storage (incidents/accidents etc) and their authorised use only. Security relates to the physical security, transportation and storage of a site, its weapons and their components. The secrecy of many of these procedures is in line with the IAEA security protocol. All such write-ups about Pakistani loose nukes get this wrong. So, is there no threat to the Pakistani arsenal? Of course there is; in fact, there are multiple
threats. Is the Pakistani arsenal absolutely safe and secure? It is safe, as safe as technologies and procedures can make something safe. But nothing can be absolutely secure. As someone said about foolproof measures, for every proof there is always a fool. The reporters of this article would do well to study nuclear-related incidents and accidents in the US and perhaps also cast a glance at Charles Perrow’s remarkable ‘normal accidents’ theory. It is one of the many dilemmas of possessing nuclear weapons: how to safekeep and secure the arsenal that is supposed to secure a state and give it a strategic advantage. Nuclear arsenals are kept safe and secure in all nuclear-weapon states precisely to avoid incidents, accidents, unauthorised use, theft etc. Procedures are checked, monitored and improved where improvement is required. A case in point is the 2007 incident at the Minot AFB in the US where six cruise missiles armed with nuclear warheads were loaded on a B52H bomber and were without required security for 36 hours. The incident, after the cover-up, resulted in two high-level separate inquiries which also brought into light many other lapses. Based on the findings, many procedures were revisited and improved. Many heads also rolled. Ditto for security and safety of reactors, weapons labs, and other nuclearrelated material, including best practices for accounting of radioactive materials which have multiple civilian uses apart from safe and secure storage and use of reactor- and weapons-grade uranium and plutonium. This also includes export of such materials. Again, in 2006, a US cargo to Taiwan mistakenly contained four electrical fuses for the Minuteman ICBM nose cone. So, yes, nothing is foolproof. The safety and security of Pakistani arsenal and other measures for accounting of stocks etc take into account the threat spectrum which has some features common to all NWSs and has some that are peculiar to Pakistan. This means that the threats identified in the article are factored into the security and safety regimes. Similarly, the article’s assertion that Pakistan is using civilian vehicles to move weapons, both ‘de-mated’ and ‘mated’, on ‘dangerous and congested roads’ is not only fantastic, the reporters again reveal their lack of knowledge of the concept of ‘security’. Low profile security does not mean less security or, worse, lack of security. It simply means securing something or someone in a way that does not attract attention. This is like people often saying “Oh, these intel guys; they can’t even hide themselves while tailing me”. Right! Except that one can see them because they want to be seen! Overt surveillance for most subjects is a more cost-effective way than covert surveillance. Expectedly, the writers do not define the term ‘mated’ weapons. Are they
referring to the transportation of a full weapon as opposed to its dissembled components? Mating normally refers to a weapon ‘mated’ to its delivery vehicle. It is highly unlikely that Pakistan is transporting 30-meter-long nucleartipped missiles in civilian vehicles! But why should facts stand in the way of magical realism? How many contradictions can one highlight? Here’s one. On the one hand the reporters quote very senior officials as stating that the US doesn’t know much about the Pakistani programme and on the other unnamed US intelligence sources confirm to the reporters how exactly Pakistan is moving its arsenal on ‘dangerous and congested’ roads. Then, while the US is terribly concerned about possible loose nukes and is constantly scheming to secure them, it does nothing when it sees Pakistan moving its arsenal around so dangerously. The US also doesn’t know the exact location of Pakistan’s silos and storage facilities but buses attacked outside Sargodha and Kamra AFBs are supposed to be near-misses to grab Pakistani nukes because those are possible storage sites. One, even the US intelligence at the highest level has only guesstimates and conjectures; two, attacking buses on thoroughfares is no way of trying to grab a nuke, thank you. And since it is a known fact that Pakistan operates multiple decoy sites, how do the reporters know which is which? Of course, here we are not even getting into the technical details of how difficult it is to steal (grabbing makes much less sense because even if a group managed to do that, it would be impossible for them to extricate with the weapon) a weapon, how difficult it is, even if one could be stolen, to transport it, how difficult to trigger it, how difficult to (theoretically) dissemble and reassemble it with different nuclear codes if original PAL (permissive action links) codes are unknown etcetera. This is a whole different debate and the reporters would do well to read the findings of a 2004 paper commissioned by the WMD Commission. There are multiple steps to keep weapons safe and secure and most of the scenarios experts keep conjuring up are built into these regimes. As David Sanger of The New York Times said in his article published on January 11, 2009 – I responded to that in a Daily Times article on Jan 13 – “every few months someone in Washington...runs a simulation of how the United States should respond if a terrorist group infiltrates the Pakistani nuclear programme or manages to take over one or two of its weapons”. The problem is, as he wrote, “In these exercise, everyone plays to type”. So there, then, we have yet another article. The problem is, this one is much inferior even as playing-to-type articles go. The writer is Contributing Editor, The Friday Times.
Regional Press
A relationship rethink? Daily Pakhtun Post
P
akistan is passing through one of the most delicate times in its history and it is a testing time for the leadership and the public. If there is a little swerve taken by the country in the wrong direction, the result could be catastrophic, resulting in losses not only to the country but to the region at large. Pakistan has bore the brunt of American pressure and the war on terror simultaneously for the last 10-years. On one side, America considers Pakistan an ally and friend to fight with it in the war on terror but on the other hand, blames it for losses in the same. Now Pakistan has learnt the hard way that its relationship with the US is transactional and the US is not interesting in befriending it in the true sense of the word. Thus, it was surprising when Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Hina Rabbani Khar, said that the visit of American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would lead to betterment in relation and would render positive results.
It reveals that the incumbent rulers of Pakistan are still running with the hope that America might exhibit a more positive attitude towards it and would extend its support in matters both financial and military. But all this might prove to be fool’s hope. It is because that the American secretary of state’s visit that more pressure is now being exerted on Pakistan. The US is now cultivating stronger ties with India to send a signal to Pakistan. They are above all seeking furtherance of atomic cooperation with India. Likewise, Russia is also deeply engaged with India. The question that now arises is whether the recent visit of Hillary Clinton will deliver something substantial to propel relations of both the countries in a more positive direction and would be helpful in removing the current deadlock-of-sorts. It seems to be not holding any water at all: Pakistan needs to rethink its relationship with America. – Translated from the original Pashto by Abdur Rauf Khattak
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Friday, 11 November, 2011
The missing goalpost
heir unapparent What after PM Singh?
Border Crossing By Kuldip Nayar
A
fter Manmohan Singh who? The political parties and the people are prying into the affairs of the ruling Congress to make a guess. It is not that Manmohan Singh is indispensable. Nor has he been out of step with the pace by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the real power. It is merely her calculation when to anoint her son, Rahul Gandhi. True, lately Manmohan Singh’s stock has plummeted and even as an economist he has been found out of depth. But these are only aggravating factors. The real reason is Rahul Gandhi, who unfortunately has not revived the Nehru-Gandhi charisma. One question before Mrs Gandhi is that the President of India, Pratibha Singh Patel, retires in the middle of next year. Should Manmohan Singh be elevated then? Even otherwise, Manmohan Singh will be almost 80-year-old in 2014 when the new Lok Sabha is elected. What ails the Congress is that it has very few leaders who are of Prime Minister Timber. Names of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Antony and Home Minister P Chidambaram come straight to one’s mind. Yet all the three do not make the top position for one reason or the other. At least, Mukherjee and Chidambaram are not in the reckoning of Sonia Gandhi whose say is beyond doubt. Manmohan Singh who has matured politically in the seven and a half years of Prime Ministership knows about crisscrossing and dissensions in his party. Sonia Gandhi has been his great teacher and he has learnt from her when to tick off whom. Before going abroad this time, the Prime Minister had the cabinet secretariat to issue a communiqué to make it clear that there was no No 2 in the govern-
ment. Manmohan Singh himself remained in control even when he was out of the country. However during his absence, either the Home Minister or the Finance Minister can preside over the cabinet committee on political affairs. Apparently, their feud was in the PM’s mind and he, therefore, did not nominate either of them as ‘No. 2.’ However, Mukherjee will preside when there is a meeting of the cabinet committee. Chidambaram gets the chance if and when Mukherjee is not available. The vagueness in the arrangement has been kept purposely so as to keep both on best of their behaviour. Understandably, Antony does not figure in the communiqué. I have a feeling that both Mukherjee and Chidambaram may be ignored and Antony can be the dark horse. But this depends on whether Rahul Gandhi can still make the waves. UP can be his waterloo. If the result in the state election early next year does not favour the Congress – it wants to occupy the second position, next to Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party – Sonia Gandhi may not nominate him. Senior most Agricultural Minister Sharad Pawar who has expressed his frustration may have been in the reckoning if he had stayed with the Congress. But he left it to protest against a foreigner, the Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, becoming the party president. How can she tolerate him occupying the top position? His grouse has found expression in the remark that the present situation in the country is because of the weakness of the government which he also represents. His Nationalist Congress Party has not enough strength to rebel even if Rahul Gandhi is made the PM. Many years ago, the Congress faced a similar problem on the selection of successor when PM Jawaharlal Nehru fell sick a few months before his death. Yet the challenges were different at that time. There was no dearth of leaders. Lal Bahadur Shastri, Morarji Desai, Jagjivan Ram and Nehru’s own daughter, Indira Gandhi, were popular among the public. Anyone of them was eligible to be Nehru’s successor. The real challenge, which the Western media had hyped, was whether the democratic system in
Comment 13
the country would stay after Nehru. Journalists from the UK and the US, particularly from the former, predicted that democracy would end once Nehru breathed his last. An American journalist Wells Hangen wrote a book, After Nehru Who?, and listed among the claimants two army officers, General K S Thimmaya, a popular commander, and General B M Kaul, close to the dynasty. What it conveyed was that the army might take over the country after Nehru’s death. The West never understood – it still does not – that the diversity in India would not allow any system other than democracy to stay. This only ensures the different communities and castes their freedom as well as identity. India is democratic, not because it is competing with China, which is communist, but because it is the only system which is suited to its genius. The problem which faces India is trivialisation of the society. Elections have refurbished the sectarian caste or even sub-caste. Even religion has begun to play some role. That Manmohan Singh has inveighed against these tendencies is not enough. Had he been politically popular, he might have countered them. Nehru at one time got the columns of caste and religion in application forms to government jobs or admissions to schools deleted. Manmohan Singh’s success could be in unleashing new forces like engineers, doctors, lawyers and academicians or those who are returning from abroad without old rigidities. The economic growth that Manmohan Singh has initiated in the country is impressive but it has not curbed parochial tendencies. His policies have yawned the distance between the haves and the have-nots. In Nehru’s days, the ratio between the top and the lowest was 10:1. Now, it is a thousand times more. The pertinent question which needs to be posed is: What after Manmohan Singh, not after Manmohan Singh who? His wasteful policies, although populist, have had an emaciating effect on 80 per cent of people. They are hardly bothered about the debate after Manmohan Singh who? They want bread. The writer is a senior Indian journalist.
A forgotten future?
T
he more you analyse it, the more distant the future becomes. The pre-Pakistan generation has almost entirely passed on, in utter despair at how their dream evolved. And mine, the postPakistan generation, is pretty close to starting that final journey. That promise of manna that created us has died in vain. Why despair, we may well ask. The former generation was handed the helm and failed to deliver. We have done the same. The reins have been with us since 1988. What have we made of Pakistan except for creating legends and icons bigger than life with voracious appetites? There is no goalpost for the current generation. Today’s rhetoric, like that of times preceding, speaks mainly of retribution. While the country drowns in the issues of the past, and of the present, one hears not a word of the future. The leadership focuses on rabble-rousing to ensure that the lack of delivery is gouged in the ensuing turmoil. Politicians scream antiquated slogans and people are made to believe salvation lies in revenge purely as a substitute for bankruptcy of ideas. The cost is prohibitive in terms of energy and money. A review of the financial cost of retribution over the last 23 years would send shivers through the country, given the results. Tragically, every major political party is currently in power and yet that goalpost evades us. Pakistan continues to Random Thoughts reel and rove, with no apparent destination in sight. This is bad By Imran Husain but can you imagine what the state of government would be if, in fact, the majority of the vote was not tied in a coalition? As it is they are tearing each other’s hair out one day and in deadly embrace the next. The future farthest from their minds. One would believe that Pakistan exists only for the thousand or fifteen hundred parliamentarians, their relatives, cronies et al. And the populace is being forced to digest the fact that politicians’ issues are the only ones that matter. That list is endless; the thirst unquenchable. The issue in this article is not today, nor is it the past; it’s the lack of commitment to the future. I have yet to see a document other than the Pakistan Growth Strategy, released in May of this year, that even touches on it. Whether it sees the light of day in terms of implementation is another matter. What is incomprehensible is that given the masses of money that political parties spend on
anti-government campaigns, while being part of government, and their access to human resource, they have been unable to produce a roadmap for the future. Today, Pakistan is abuzz with the Minar jalsa of Imran Khan. Undoubtedly it was a successful, major political event, but it provided further evidence that the future has not been Imran’s focus, except for ascent to power. Like with the others, it is obvious that ‘first power, then solutions’ rules the roost. We’ve seen the fruits of that philosophy. Imran decried the attributes or otherwise of the current leadership; the lack of governance, lack of concern or empathy for the people and alleged corruption. This is great idealistic jargon but in real terms the people gain nothing by the declaration of assets. Yes, this should be a normal mandatory process. Review the electronic income tax form; it provides for it. Imran can ensure enforcement. People are hungry for vibrant alternate leadership; for a visible goalpost. Imran needs to work towards creating that environment if he is to be a viable third option. Move beyond the past and the present; hold that beacon that lights the future. Sadly, he said very little about it. In reviewing Imran’s effort, there is a sense of déjà vu with respect to Asghar Khan’s political movement. Asghar’s 1977 January procession from Karachi airport was a mammoth affair, taking eons to reach the appointed place. It shook the government and energised the nation. Observers felt the end of Z A Bhutto’s government was round the corner. That wasn’t the case. Bhutto rallied. Asghar Khan was unable to carry the momentum into the elections. He ended up goading the army to take over. There are other similarities. Personal honesty being at the forefront. Both lack analytical powers, are autocratic and opinionated. Asghar never changed. Imran will have to. This is the 21st century and people are clamouring for their aspirations to be met. It’s fair to say that the Minar event was resounding. But it is a start: the wheels are only just beginning to roll. Perhaps its not too late for us realise that harping on past misdemeanours is not the solution. The emphasis has to be the future. A future the last two generations have forfeited. But continue to carry the onus to provide even a tiny glimpse of it to the young generation, which constitutes more than 50 percent of the population. We need to feed their dreams, inspire their creativity, and give them their Mecca. The writer can be contacted at imranmhusain@me.com
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14 Foreign News britain to abstain from uN vote on Palestinian state LoNDoN AfP
Foreign Secretary William Hague said Thursday Britain would abstain from a vote in the UN Security Council on Palestinian membership of the United Nations. “In common with France and in consultation with our European partners, the United Kingdom will abstain on any vote on full Palestinian membership of the UN,” Hague told parliament just days after France said it would abstain. “We reserve the right to recognise a Palestinian state bilaterally at a moment of our choosing and when it can best help bring about peace,” he added. Britain is one of 15 nations on the Security Council that is debating whether or not to grant a Palestinian state full membership. Hague said Britain would “continue to be one of the principal supporters of Palestinian state-building efforts, assisting them to tackle poverty, build institutions and boost their economy”. Britain’s decision to abstain in any vote became apparent last week.
Friday, 11 November, 2011
UN envoy to make new push for Yemen power transfer g
gulf initiative spells out steps to ease Saleh out Saleh troops kill protester g
SANAA
A
ReUTeRS
UN envoy returned to Yemen on Thursday in a fresh bid to persuade Ali Abdullah Saleh to hand over power under a Gulfbrokered peace plan, following reports the president is inching towards accepting the proposal. Officials said Jamal Benomar would meet vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who has been mandated by Saleh to negotiate details of the handover deal with an alliance of opposition parties and sign it. Benomar would also meet opposition leaders as part of the effort to implement the proposal brokered by the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council in April to end protests by Yemeni demanding that Saleh step down after 33 years in office. “We are waiting for the leaders of the opposition and Benomar to arrive in Sanaa tomorrow (Thursday)
to resume discussions on details of the Gulf initiative so it can be signed,” the head of the information department at the ruling General People’s Congress party, Tareq al-Shami, told Reuters. Yemen has been rocked by months of protests that have put one of the poorest countries in the Arab world on the brink of civil war, a situation that could threaten the stability of neighbouring Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter. Opposition sources said Saleh, under the Gulf plan, would issue a decree handing over all powers to Hadi. The vice president would then sign the Gulf initiative and name an opposition politician to form a new national unity government that would start preparing for early elections. If Benomar’s mission is successful, the accord is expected to be signed in a ceremony in Saudi Arabia by mid-November, Yemeni officials said. Benomar’s trip comes after France said the European Union planned to
discuss freezing Saleh’s assets. The U.N. Security Council has unanimously condemned Yemen’s crackdown on protesters and urged Saleh to sign the Gulf-brokered peace deal. Saleh has backed away three times in the past from signing the Gulf plan, adding conditions including remaining president until a new head of state was elected, according to officials. But Saleh has recently said he has dropped such conditions and intends to leave office once the peace plan is signed. The opposition has repeatedly accused Saleh of playing for time as tensions soar in the capital Sanaa and nearby Taez while the impoverished country’s economy heads towards total collapse. “We cannot say there is real progress regarding any transfer of power until the Gulf initiative has been signed,” Houriya Mashhour, of the opposition’s National Council of the Revolution, said. Meanwhile, one man was killed and several were wounded in the flashpoint
city of Taez and the capital Sanaa as protesters took to the streets calling for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to face international justice. “One man was killed and five others were wounded,” said a medical official in Taez, Yemen’s second city. Witnesses said Republican Guard troops, commanded by Saleh’s son Ahmed, fired artillery rounds into the centre of Taez where tens of thousands of protesters were calling for the veteran leader’s prosecution. Meanwhile, armed civilians opened fire on a similar demonstration in Sanaa, wounding three people, witnesses and medics there said. “No immunity, no guarantee, Saleh must be tried with his regime,” chanted the protesters as they marched on central Sanaa. “World, UN Security Council: Saleh is a war criminal.” The protesters were met with live rounds fired on them from a building as they neared the capital’s centre, witnesses told AFP.
blasts hit gas pipeline between egypt, Jordan, Israel CAIRo ReUTeRS
Saboteurs blew up the gas pipeline between Egypt, Israel and Jordan on Thursday in Northern Sinai using remote controlled bombs, forcing it to shut down, Egyptian security sources said. The first blast, the sixth since the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak and the seventh this year, was near Mazar area, 30 km west of the town of Al-Arish, security sources and witnesses said. Witnesses saw a second, smaller explosion west of AlArish near a pumping station, state news agency MENA reported. The report said it was not clear whether any damage was done. The explosions are the first since pumping resumed on October 24. “Primary examination showed that Improvised Explosive Devices were put under the pipeline and were detonated from a distance,” a security source told Reuters. “The attackers used two trucks and extended wires were found at the scene,” he added. The pipeline has been a target for attacks by anonymous saboteurs since the overthrow of Mubarak in February, although the first pipeline attack took place days before he was ousted by an uprising.
ANKARA: turkish President Abdullah gul and Prime minister Recep tayyip erdogan attend a ceremony marking the 73rd anniversary of the death of mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern turkey, at the mausoleum dedidacted to his memory, on thursday. afp
arab leaders offering Syria’s assad asylum: US g
girl, soldiers among 12 killed in clashes WASHINGtoN AfP
Arab leaders are privately telling the United States that they have offered Syrian President Bashar al-Assad asylum in a bid to get him to step down, a top US diplomat told lawmakers late on Wednesday. “Some Arab leaders already have begun to offer Assad safe-haven in an effort to encourage him to leave peaceably and quickly,” said Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman. “Almost all the Arab leaders say the same thing: Assad’s rule is coming to an end. Change in Syria is now inevitable,” Feltman told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a hearing on Assad’s bloody crackdown on dissent. While some talk of a “palace coup” in Damascus, Feltman said, “I think that’s very un-
likely.” Syria’s lethal response to protests that erupted in midMarch has left more than 3,500 people dead, according to the United Nations, and fed increasing international anger at the regime in Damascus. Under the plan, Damascus would also release those detained for protesting, and withdraw all Syrian forces from towns and cities. It says it has already released more than 500. But since signing the Arab roadmap Syrian forces have killed another 60 people up to Tuesday, according to the United Nations. Feltman pleaded with the opposition “to continue to reject violence. To do otherwise would, frankly, make the regime’s job of brutal repression easier” while crippling domestic and international support for the protests. “It will play into the regime’s hands, divide the opposition, and
undermine international consensus against the regime,” said the diplomat, who worried about some protestors “taking up arms in selfdefense” against the crackdown. This is “potentially disastrous” to foes of the regime, which has pursued “a deliberate and bloody strategy” of trying to provoke dissenters to shift from peaceful demonstrations to violent uprisings. “It is stoking the fears of Syria’s minority communities with blatant propaganda about foreign conspiracies and domestic terrorism while cynically claiming that the regime is their only protection from the cycle of violence and sectarianism,” he said. His comments came as Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, in a letter to the UN Security Council, charged that Washington “encourages armed groups to continue their criminal activities against the people and state.” He referred to US State Department spokeswoman victoria Nuland’s advice to Syrians on Fri-
day against surrendering in response to the Damascus government’s offer of an amnesty for those who give up their weapons. Asked about Syria’s ties to traditional ally Iran, Feltman said the Islamic republic was providing “expertise” and “technical assistance to do bad things” like monitor opposition use of the Internet. But “at the same time, Iran is embarrassed” and aware that Assad “might not survive and they have got to start positioning themselves for the day after Bashar,” he said. “Iran is actually in a very interesting bind right now: They’re trying to save him without losing what shreds of credibility they still have in the Arab world” while criticizing the crackdown, said Feltman. Meanwhile, a young girl and six soldiers were among 12 Syrians killed on Thursday as security forces pressed a crackdown on protests and in clashes between troops and army deserters, a rights group said.
lebanon under pressure to protect syrian dissidents BeIrut: Lebanon’s premier has come under mounting pressure over the kidnapping of Syrian dissidents in Lebanon, with the opposition accusing his government of kowtowing to the regime in Damascus. “The government of Najib Mikati is employing all diplomatic, security and political channels to back the Syrian regime,” said Fares Soueid, secretary general of the Western-backed opposition coalition headed by former prime minister Saad Hariri. “It is clear that it has become a pawn in the hands of that regime.” Soueid said that as recently as Sunday, two Syrians were arrested at Beirut international airport and handed back to authorities in Damascus, which is battling an eightmonth revolt threatening the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. According to the Syrian opposition, at least 13 dissidents have been kidnapped in Lebanon in the past few months. “We have been informed of dozens more cases involving Syrians in Lebanon who were kidnapped, beaten up or threatened only because they are opposed to the Syrian regime,” said Omar Idlibi, a spokesman for the Local Coordination Committees, an activist network. The Syrian National Council (SNC) this week sent a letter to Mikati urging him to act on the matter and guarantee the safety of activists who remain in Lebanon. The issue, however, has ignited a firestorm of debate between the pro- and antiSyria camps in Lebanon.Some 5,000 Syrians have sought refuge in Lebanon since the revolt in Syria erupted mid-March but many say they now live in fear of being hunted down by Assad’s Lebanese allies. AfP
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Friday, 11 November, 2011
Foreign News 15 Tibetan self-immolation protests continue KAtHMANDU AfP
KAtHmANdu: Nepalese buddhists arrange prayer flags on the boudhanath Stupa on thursday. the Stupa, which is situated on the outskirts of Kathmandu, is at the heart of the Nepalese capital’s tibetan community and is an important centre of buddhist studies. afp
A Tibetan exile chanting antiChina slogans briefly set himself on fire in Nepal on Thursday before his companions put out the flames, police said. Since March there has been a series of self-immolations by Buddhist monks and nuns in southwest China, but police in Kathmandu said Thursday’s staged protest was not a suicide bid. The protester wrapped himself in a Tibetan flag and lit himself as fellow demonstrators stood by ready to extinguish the fire, Shyam Gyawali, deputy superintendent of Kathmandu police, said. “A Tibetan man, who was 25 or 26 and dressed in monk’s clothing, wrapped himself with a Tibetan
flag and chanted slogans saying ‘Long live free Tibet’ and he took out a lighter and set himself on fire,” Gyawali said. “There were friends with him who immediately put it out. Police are trying to find them all.” The protest occurred at the Boudanath stupa, or shrine, one of the holiest Buddhist sites in the world, where hundreds of worshippers were gathered for a religious festival. Police said the man may have suffered minor burns. Eight Buddhist monks and two nuns have set themselves alight in ethnically Tibetan parts of China’s Sichuan province since the self-immolation of a young monk in March at Kirti monastery sparked a government crackdown. At least five monks and two nuns have died, rights groups say.
Sanctions cannot solve Iran issue: China BEIJING
C
AfP
HINA said Thursday sanctions would not “fundamentally solve” the Iranian nuclear issue and urged further dialogue to resolve an ongoing impasse over Tehran’s atomic programme. The comments come after the United States and Europe said they may pursue fresh sanctions to try and stop Iran from getting an atomic bomb, in the wake of a UN report that offered strong evidence Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons. But China’s foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said sanctions “cannot fundamentally solve the Iran issue.” “Dialogue and negotiation are the right way out for the Iranian nuclear
issue,” he told reporters at a regular briefing. Hong added that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should clarify the report it published on Tuesday in a “just and objective” way through stronger cooperation with Iran. The IAEA said in the report it had “serious concerns” based on “credible” information indicating that the Islamic republic “has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device”. The IAEA report made strong waves after it was released Tuesday, with the United States saying it was looking at ways to put “additional pressure” on Tehran. President Barack Obama’s administration is “going to consult (with allies and partners) and look at ways to impose additional pressure on Iran,” Toner told reporters, adding Wash-
ex-eCb deputy Papademos named greek Pm AtHENS AfP
Greek President Carolos Papoulias on Thursday asked former European Central Bank vicepresident Lucas Papademos to form a new government, the head of state’s office said. “The president has given Mr Papademos the mandate to form a government,” the office said in a statement, adding that the new government will be sworn in at 1200 GMT on Friday. Papademos, 64, enjoys high international regard for his financial expertise and is seen by many as the right man to steer Greece out of its worst post-war economic crisis. The Greek stock market jumped sharply when Papademos arrived at the presidential palace to begin talks with the head of state and political leaders. His appointment was held up for four days amid political squabbling and over demands he reportedly made about holding elections later than the February date pencilled in. The presidential statement made no mention of a snap ballot date. The new government must quickly ratify a critical EU bailout deal to unlock loans that will save Greece from bankruptcy next month. “It was agreed that the task of the new government is to ratify the decisions of the EU summit on October 26 and the application of economic policies linked to these decisions,” said the presidential statement, referring to the bailout deal. Outgoing Prime Minister George Papandreou left the marathon talks with a broad smile but without speaking to waiting journalists. The talks have taken place against a backdrop of intense international pressure as European leaders pressed for a quick deal to clear up the uncertainty, as Italy verges towards the eurozone abyss.
ington was considering “a range of options” against the Islamic republic. “I don’t want to rule anything out or anything in,” he said, adding that unilateral sanctions were a possibility. France and Britain also joined the US call for stronger punishment of Iran, which has already been subjected to four rounds of UN sanctions in retaliation for its nuclear programme. But Russia – a key ally of Iran along with China – said it was “gravely disappointed and bewildered”, adding that the report risked damaging the chance of a renewal of nuclear talks, and ruling out sanctions. Beijing on Thursday said the “pressing task” was to step up diplomacy “and push forward the P5+1 dialogue with Iran,” referring to talks between Tehran and the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany.
soviet scientist denies helping Iran develop atomic bomb MoSCow: A Soviet scientist has denied being the brains behind Iran’s nuclear programme, despite US media reports that he helped put Tehran on the threshold of making an atomic bomb, a Russian newspaper said on Thursday. The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said in a report issued this week that it had strong indications that a foreign expert had helped Iran develop a “high explosives detonation system” but did not identify this person. The Washington Post cited intelligence reports that named the foreign expert as vyacheslav Danilenko and said he had assisted the Iranians for at least five years. Kommersant, one of Russia’s leading newspapers, said it had tracked down Danilenko, now 76. “I am not a nuclear physicist and am not the founder of the Iranian nuclear programme,” Danilenko was quoted as telling the newspaper. He declined any further comment, Kommersant said. Russia criticised the UN nuclear watchdog report, saying it contained no new evidence and was being used to undercut efforts to reach a diplomatic solution. Iran denies it is seeking to build a nuclear weapon. ReUTeRS
United States aims to allay Israel after G20 open mic flap WASHINGtoN AfP
The White House tried to downplay any diplomatic fallout from an open microphone incident in which President Barack Obama appeared to show frustration with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu. A top official insisted Obama had a good relationship with the Israeli prime minister, despite being party to a conversation at the G20 summit in which French President Nicolas Sarkozy called Netanyahu a “liar.” The incident, first reported by a French blog, turned into an embarrassment for the White House and ammunition for political critics who see Obama as too tough on Israel and in danger of losing the US Jewish vote. Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security advisor, told reporters, that Obama had a “very close working relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu. They speak very regularly.” “I think they’ve probably spent more time one on one than any other leader that the president has engaged (with). That’s rooted in the fact that the US and Israel share a deep security relationship but also a values-based relationship.” Rhodes said Obama had spent time at the summit last week in France lobbying for the US position that the Palestinians should not seek recognition in international diplomatic organizations in an effort to win statehood. That push seems to have been the impetus for Obama’s conversation with Sarkozy, in which he apparently complained at France’s support for the Palestinians joining
UNESCO. The private conversation was overheard by a number of journalists after it was inadvertently transmitted over a system used for translation, media website Arret sur Images reported. Sarkozy was reported as saying of Netanyahu to Obama in French: “I can’t stand him anymore, he’s a liar.” “You may be sick of him, but me, I have to deal with him every day,” Obama replied in comments that were translated into French. The encounter provided an opening for Obama’s possible Republican general election opponent Mitt Romney. “President Obama’s derisive remarks about Israel’s prime minister confirm what any observer would have gleaned from his public statements and actions toward our longstanding ally, Israel,” Romney said. “At a moment when the Jewish state is isolated and under threat, we cannot have an American president who is disdainful of our special relationship with Israel,” the Republican front runner said. Obama and Netanyahu have had a testy relationship, as Obama has pushed for breakthroughs in the Middle East and Netanyahu’s government has signed off on a string of settlement building decisions which have angered Palestinians. The White House has argued that Obama is staunchly pro-Israel, vowing to block a Palestinian drive for statehood in the United Nations, upping US defense sales to Israel and intervening in a siege at the Israeli embassy in Cairo. At the United Nations in October, Netanyahu said that Obama deserved “a badge of honor” for his support of the Jewish state.
libyan ex-Pm will get fair trial: NtC BENGHAZI AfP
Libya’s former prime minister Baghdadi al-Mahmudi will get a “fair trial” when he is extradited from Tunisia to face Libyan justice, interim leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil said on Thursday. “First of all we will ensure a secure place for him, then we will guarantee a fair trial, despite the acts he has perpetrated against the Libyan people,” said Abdel Jalil, chairman of Libya’s National Transitional Council. Rights groups have expressed fears for Mahmudi’s safety if he is sent back to Libya from Tunisian captivity after ousted Libyan tyrant Moamer Kadhafi was felled by a bullet to the head when captured by NTC fighters last month. Mahmudi, 70, was prime minister until the final days of the Kadhafi regime. He was arrested on September 21 on Tunisia’s southwestern border with Algeria and jailed for illegal entry. A Tunisian appeals court this week gave the nod for his extradition to Libya.
Hunt for survivors on after second turkey quake ANKARA AfP
Hundreds of rescuers hunted for survivors Thursday after an earthquake in eastern Turkey killed eight people, toppled buildings and sowed panic less than three weeks after a massive deadly quake in the same area. More than 800 rescue personnel rushed to the area overnight, with mechanical diggers clawing through rubble after the 5.6 magnitude quake struck near the city of van, sending two hotels crashing down along with two dozen mostly empty buildings. At least 27 people were pulled out alive, including two members of a Japanese humanitarian association who had come to the area to help after a 7.2 magnitude quake struck on October 23, killing more than 600 people and injuring more than 4,150. It was not clear how many people remained trapped under the rubble.
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Fascinating
handbags
society Saima Mahm ood, Iraj & Sidra
on display
JAVED MAHMooD
M
which Mahin Hussain won at the 10th Lux Style Awards 2011. This was a first for an accessory designer in the 10 year history of LSA. Mahin Hussain Accessories currently stocks at Ensemble (Karachi), FP Lounge and Uth Oye (Lahore) and L’atelier and Ayzel (Islamabad). From the 3rd of November 2011, Mahin Hussain Accessories will also be stocking at the new Ensemble store in Lahore. On the 1st of November 2011, Mahin Hussain Accessories is launching its Autumn 2011 collection titled ‘I SEE GOLD’. This is a collection of very vibrant and rich bights with intense gold fused together. Exquisite hand embellishments adorn the new small, flat shaped clutches, while the famous leather totes and bigger sized handbags are superbly bright and very effective. Texture is very on-trend this season. This collection has a profusion of laser cut work on leather, and rich tactile velvets for flat clutches. very textured. very trendy. Continuing the signature floral, this season stylized floral patterns make an entry.
KARAChI
AHIN Hussain Accessories came onto the fashion scene almost 4 years ago with a range of bright colored well designed leather handbags. This label boasts an aesthetic that is a fusion of craft with contemporary design. It is an effort to evolve intricate eastern embroideries and textures into contemporary designs. A textile design graduate of the Indus valley School of Art and Architecture, she initially worked with a renowned fashion designer full time and designed/manufactured fabric bags for established retail brands. All this changed when her stint at the London College of Fashion resulted in the eponymous label Mahin hussain Accessories. Mahin Hussain participated in the first ever Fashion Pakistan Week in Karachi in 2009. Her recent great achievement was the award for the “best emerging talent” 2011
Mathira
Nosheen Masood
Who will host the oscars? LoS ANGELES AGenCIeS
In a day of drama befitting Hollywood, Oscar organisers on Wednesday said comedian Eddie Murphy was bowing out as host of the world’s top film honors and producer Brian Grazer was stepping in to run the show. The dual announcements by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences follows Tuesday’s departure of producer Brett Ratner who earned the wrath of academy members after using a gay slur at a weekend screening of his new movie, “Tower Heist,” which co-starred Murphy. Ratner had lured the “Beverly Hills Cop” funnyman into the coveted job as Oscar host and after he quit, Murphy tendered his resignation on Wednesday. It appeared to be the first time a host quit the show that annually is among the most-watched programs on U.S. Tv and is seen by tens of millions worldwide. Murphy’s departure paved the
way for the academy to bring on “A Beautiful Mind” producer Grazer to guide the show from concept to curtain this coming February. It will be up to Grazer to pick a new host for the awards that honor the top films, performances and other movie work of 2011. “Brian Grazer is a renowned filmmaker who over the past 25 years has produced a diverse and extraordinary body of work,” academy president Tom Sherak, said in a statement. In his statement, Murphy seemed almost apologetic for bowing out of the show. “First and foremost, I want to say that I completely understand and support each party’s decision with regard to a change of producers for this year’s Academy Awards ceremony,” he said. “I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I’m sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job.” Fortunately for Oscar organisers, the show does not take place until the final Sunday of February, 2012, giving the group plenty of time to put on a show.
Veena to get
married for 4.5 crores
MUMBAI: Just when we thought that the starlet veena malik had pulled off quite a ‘costing’ coup by wangling Rs 3 crore for her appearance on the reality tv show based on the epic Indian tradition of Swayamvar, we heard that the lady has been offered an extra Rs 1.5 crore. However, the extra monies will only be sanctioned if malik agrees to tie the knot to one of the many suitors on the show itself. A source informed mumbai mirror, “the television channel has drawn up two contracts for veena. If she walks off without an actual marriage with one of the prospective grooms from the show, she will get only Rs 3 crore. this was the initial sum that had been agreed upon. However, if she actually marries the man she chooses on televisiobn, she will get a total of Rs 4.5 crore.” while veena malik said she was not allowed to speak about the Rs 4.5 crore contract, Harsh Rastogi the Content Head said, “the amount is certainly not that much.” AGenCIeS
Jamil Baig & Uzma Jamil Baig
es KARACHI: Socialit ssain Hu n hi ma e attend th of its ch un la s ie or Access ion, ct lle autumn 2011 co ’. 'I See gOld
Sanam Chudery & Ranna Khan
phOTOS By
aSIM REhM
aNI
Samar Mehdi & Batool Mehdi
Who was ‘HIMYM’s loS AnGeleS: were you in the Halloween spirit? If not, maybe Katie Holmes could have helped. the actress was featured in the Halloween edition of ‘How I met your mother’ as the ‘slutty pumpkin’ that ted (Josh Radnor) has been hoping to reconnect with since episode six. Finally, this hard to find love interest is unmasked, and we find out that her name is Naomi and that it apparently takes her a few drinks before she breaks out in her best tootsie roll. Creator Craig thomas told vulture when he and Carter bays announced the casting in September that Holmes “is a lovely and talented actress, which is why we’ve saved for her perhaps the most classily named character in our show’s history.” AGenCIeS
pumpkin?
MUMBAI: Chocolate boy Imran Khan has been asked to gain weight for his role in vishal bhardwaj’s ‘matru Ki bijlee Ka mandola’ and to join an akhada to build his body. Since bharadwaj wants the actor to sport a rustic and rugged look, the lean looking Imran has chosen to sweat it out at the old style gym, where people build their bodies working out in mud, without using machines. Imran has found an old akhada in Juhu and has started working out there, said a source. bhardwaj is known for making his actors go through an image makeover. If it was Saif Ali Khan as langda tyagi in ‘Omkara’, bharadwaj made Shahid Kapur sport two different looks in ‘Kaminey’. So no wonder, he wants Imran to fit well in his new project, which was to feature Ajay devgn earlier. ‘matru Ki bijlee Ka mandola’ also features Anushka Sharma. AGenCIeS
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In theater, resounds Karachi’s
disorder
‘Karachi- the Musical’, a theatrical rendering of the Karachi unrest, started in october for a month-long run
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say, but it crumbled as culture became an early casualty of Zia’s regime, which nurtured religious fanaticism.
KARACHI AGenCIeS
A
Ayesha Omer & Mahin Hussain
hit musical about gangland violence in Pakistan’s largest metropolis is bidding to revive Karachi’s once-rich stage culture while shedding light on its grim addiction to violence. Fierce sectarian and ethnic conflicts have been responsible for the deaths of more than 1,000 people this year alone and are an all-too-familiar tale to Karachi’s 18 million residents. But the gritty realism portrayed in ‘Karachi - The Musical’ has nevertheless provoked a huge response, playing to large audiences since it began in October for a month-long run due to finish on November 13.
BeHiND tHe sceNes
PLot
BUt
It tells the story of a rookie boxer from the eastern city of Multan, who comes to train at a boxing club in Karachi’s notorious Lyari neighbourhood, better known for its mafias than its sporting talent. The ambitions of the protagonist, Saif Salaam, spark tensions between his coach and Daud Islam, a mafia don who controls the local gambling, drugs and prostitution rings and wants to thwart the boxer’s success. With many twists and turns in the story set to a dozen songs, Daud attempts to kill Salaam, just as he had murdered another rising star 20 years earlier. Mirroring grim realities on
LoNDoN AGenCIeS Frieha Altaf & Shehzray
Nini & Adnan Pardesi
Imran Khan to
buff up for next movie
Madonna’s manager Guy Oseary said the singer was “very upset” that a demo of her new song ‘Give Me All Your Love’ had leaked onto the Internet. The song, which hit the web on Wednesday and has been listened to by fans around the world, is expected to be the debut track from Madonna’s upcoming album, her first studio release since leaving Warner Bros to join Live Nation. “Madonna told me this morning ‘my true fans wouldn’t do this’ and whoever is responsible for this leak, we ask
Karachi’s streets, the mafioso Daud is only stopped from killing the boy thanks to the intervention of another bad man — a more powerful don whose influence reaches higher into the corridors of power.
ResPoNse “It depicts the situation which we are facing nowadays,” said one theatre-goer, Aleem Akhtar. “We are infested with mafias and gangs of killers and every mafia is well protected, so we can survive only with the blessings of some good bad men.”
that you please stop!” Oseary wrote via Twitter. “I’m very happy with the positive reaction to the demo, but we are very upset with whoever leaked the song!!!!!!!!” he added. Addressing questions tweeted by fans, Oseary said the new album should be finished “in the next month or so,” and that it did not yet have a title. The picture, Madonna’s second feature film as director, follows the life of Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee whose relationship with King Edward vIII sparked a constitutional crisis in Britain and led to his abdication. The film, which had its
taylor sweeps another trophy neW YoRK: taylor Swift won the top honor at the Country music Association awards show on wednesday, taking the trophy for entertainer of the year for the second time. the 21-year-old country pop crossover artist, whose ‘Speak Now’ album is one of the year’s best-sellers, beat veterans brad Paisley, blake Shelton, Keith urban and the favorite, Jason Aldean, in her only win of the night. She first won the top prize in 2009. AGenCIeS
The director of the first original musical to grace the city said that the show represented a defence against the very harshness it was based on. “Today, art needs more support than ever in Pakistan because it is not only a reflection of the times we live in, but also of a brighter future we can create,” said Nida Butt. “Theatre is not for the faint-hearted, it’s a labour of love, long hours and hard work that often results in more money spent than earned,” she added.
HistoRy The once-thriving stage scene in Karachi, which was known for its opera before the partition of British India to create Pakistan in 1947, was lost largely due to the growing Islamisation of the country, say artists. They particularly point the finger at military dictator General Zia-ul Haq, blaming him for worsening the gun and drug culture, encouraging sectarian and ethnic parties and crushing liberal forces during his 1977-1988 rule. Art began losing its way under Zia’s predecessor Ayub Khan, they
But those living among the conditions depicted on stage complain they cannot see it because buying tickets is too expensive for them. With tickets costing 1,500 rupees (18 dollars) each, the tickets cost five times as much as a first-class cinema seat. “I would love to watch such plays but it is getting too tough to enjoy theatre and cinema nowadays,” said Maula Bakhsh, 35, a fruit vendor in Lyari. “We hardly feed our families because of price hikes. How can we spare money to spend on that luxury?” said Bakhsh adding that he had to abandon his own boxing career to support his family.
world premiere at the venice film festival, hits U.S. theatres in December and British cinemas in January. Madonna’s new record will be her first studio album since 2008’s “Hard Candy,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. In 2007, Madonna dropped her longtime music label Warner Bros and signed a deal with concert promoter Live Nation reported to be for 10 years and worth $120 million. The deal, part of a recent trend in the struggling music industry, involved not only record sales, but also touring and merchandising.
How Faith
maintains her faith… between managing a household with three daughters and working on her first album of new music since 2005, Faith Hill rarely slows down, but lately she has found time to smell the flowers, quite literally. “I have a rose garden that I’ve wanted for years,” says Hill, 44, in the new PeOPle Country cover story. “It’s been a source of therapy and a moment of quietness in the middle of chaos. It reminds me how much gardening and sharing the fruits of your labor was part of my childhood.” Over the summer, Hill would take her roses to the studio as she put the finishing touches on her album, due out early next year. the blooms offered a boost amid a lengthy and sometimes painful process of crafting an album that “truly represented where I am in life,” says the singer, who will perform her first new single, “Come Home,” at the CmA Awards on wednesday. Hill and 25 other country stars reflect on what’s most important to them in the magazine’s annual ‘I Count my blessings’ issue. And for Hill, chief among those blessings is husband tim mcgraw. “tim inspires me every day in many, many ways,” she says. “I draw inspiration from his assertiveness and from watching him being a father and a husband.” MonIToRInG DeSK
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djokovic survives Paris masters hiccup Page 23 FIrst oNE-dayEr today
Misbah wary of Malinga threat
Series sweep to give Pakistan big ranking boost LAHoRE STAff RePoRT
Pakistan have a chance to improve their ranking in the Reliance ICC ODI Championship when they meet World Cup finalist Sri Lanka in a five-match ODI series which starts at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Friday. Second-ranked Sri Lanka are presently perched with 119 ratings points, just one ahead of world champion India, while sixth-ranked Pakistan trail fifth-ranked England by five ratings points. However, all this will change depending how the series between the Asian rivals pans out. If Pakistan win the series 4-1, they will move ahead of England to fifth position on 108 ratings points – their best ranking since May 2009 – while Sri Lanka will drop to fourth position on 112 ratings points. A 5-0 victory will earn Pakistan nine ratings points which, in turn, will put them on 110 ratings points and fourth position on the championship table – their best since November 2008 – while Sri Lanka would slip to sixth position on 109 ratings points. In a sharp contrast, a 5-0 win for Sri Lanka will lift them to 123 ratings points – seven behind number-one ranked Australia – while a 4-1 win will earn them two rankings points. These are the only two scenarios where there will be no changes to the championship table as even a 3-2 win for Sri Lanka will mean they will slip down the ladder. A 32 series win will put Sri Lanka alongside India on 118 ratings points but when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point, India will be ranked second while Sri Lanka will be in third position. In the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara is the highestranked batsman from either side in seventh position. If the former SL captain manages to display the same form he showed in the Test series, which helped him share the player of the series award with Ajmal, then he has a very good chance of moving as high as fifth. rAnk teAM rAtInG 1 Australia 130 2 Sri Lanka 119 3 India 118 4 South Africa 115 5 England 106 6 Pakistan 101 7 New Zealand 87 8 West Indies 78 9 Bangladesh 63 10 Zimbabwe 47 11 Ireland 41 12 Netherlands 15 13 Kenya 00
dubAI: Sri lanka's cricketers warm up during a practice session at the ICC global Cricket Academy. afp DUBAI
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IvAL captains Misbah-ul Haq and Tillakaratne Dilshan agreed slingaction paceman Lasith Malinga could make the difference when Pakistan and Sri Lanka play their first one-day international here on Friday. The 28-year-old fast bowler, who bowls with a round-arm action is fresh from his exploits in last month’s Champions League where he finished as the player of the tournament in Mumbai’s title triumph with ten wickets. Pakistan captain Misbah conceded Malinga could be vital. “Malinga is a very good bowler, he makes a difference and everyone knows he is a good bowler,” said Misbah on Thursday. “We have played very well against him but they have an edge with him in the side.” Pakistan won the preceding three-Test series 1-0 when Sri Lanka were without Malinga who retired from Test cricket earlier this year
because of persistent injury problems. Dilshan said Malinga, who has 149 wickets in 94 oneday internationals, is an asset for his team. “Lasith is one of the assets for Sri Lanka,” said Dilshan. “He is one of the great bowlers in the world and he can guide other bowlers as well and his comeback in the series is a good sign for the team.” Malinga was also sidelined with injury when Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in the group match in Colombo in this year’s World Cup. But once Malinga returned, Sri Lanka finished runners-up to India. Pakistan lost to India in the semi-final of the World Cup. Pakistan were boosted by the return of allrounders Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq who both had turbulent periods since the World Cup. After the West Indies series in May, Afridi fell out with then coach Waqar Younis before being sacked as one-day captain. In protest he retired from international cricket and only took back his decision last month. Razzaq was sidelined after a poor World Cup, but was recalled after he led Pakistan to Super Sixes title in Hong
Kong earlier this month. And Misbah hoped both the allrounders give Pakistan more strength. “Both Afridi and Razzaq give strength to our team,” said Misbah, who was appointed captain for all three formats in June this year. “We know Sri Lanka are a good side but we are ready for them.” Dilshan also hoped his team remain focused and win the series. “We know we have not won a series since the World Cup, so the players are determined to put that behind and play our brand of cricket to win the series,” said Dilshan, who took over from Kumar Sangakkara after the World Cup. Sri Lanka need to win 4-1 or better to keep their second place in the ICC (International Cricket Council) one-day rankings intact. They drop one place even if they win 3-2. On the other hand Pakistan jump fifth to their current sixth place if they win 4-1 and in case they win 5-0 they go to fourth.
Zaka asks ICC to take PCB on board in fixing probe LAHoRE STAff RePoRT
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Zaka Ashraf made it clear Thursday that he wanted the International Cricket Council to take the PCB on board in any kind of inquiry it holds on the issue of spotfixing. Talking to journalists here at the National Cricket Academy before meeting the regional cricket officials, Zaka made it clear that the PCB will not be an onlooker in any kind of inquiry held by the ICC against any of its cricketers. “The spot-fixers have been proven guilty and the PCB was asked not to intervene in any of the inquiries but now we would want to be part of the inquiry if there is any,” he added. “It was very unfortunate for the families of the jailed cricketers. “They had a lot of cricket in them had they stayed clean. I have sympathies for their families. If the ICC is involving any more cricketers like Kamran Akmal or Wahab Riaz or any other, then the PCB would also like to be part of the inquiry. The ICC must involve us in their findings,” he said. To a question, he said the Shahid Afridi may have issues with the former chairman Ijaz Butt but he believes that Afridi is still a good players of ODIs and
T20s and should be part of the team. “I discussed his availability with the selection committee and moved ahead with their instructions. Look I am heading the PCB and everyone is assigned some duty and I supervise them and see everything is being done in a proper way,” he added. He pointed out that right now return of international cricket to Pakistan is the main issue for him to handle. “I have written letters to all the Test playing countries and will also be attending the ICC meeting where I will meet the officials of all the cricket playing nations and discuss with them the prospects of holding series in Pakistan and hope there will be positive response,” he added. “I will also raise the issue of spot-fixing with the ICC and explain the PCB’s point of view,” he added. Later, the chairman met all the regional presidents in his first interaction with the PCB’s cricket wings in the country. Shakil Shaikh (President Regional Cricket Association Islamabad), Major (R) Syed Naeem Akhtar Gilani (President Regional Cricket Association Rawalpindi), Mr. Aamir Nawab Khan (President Regional Cricket Association Faisalabad), Mr. Malik Zulfiqar (President Regional Cricket Association Sialkot), Kh. Nadeem Ahmad (President
Lahore City Cricket Association), Prof. S. Sirajul Islam Bukhari (PresidentKarachi City Cricket Association), Mr. Wisal Muhammad Durrani (President Regional Cricket Association Peshawar), Mr. Mir Haider Ali Khan Talpur (President Regional Cricket Association Hyderabad), Ch. Muhammad Anwar (President Regional Cricket Association Faisalabad), Prof. Inam Elahi Farooqi
(Chairman Interim Committee-Multan Region) Participated. Mr. Tariq Baloch (President Regional Cricket Association Quetta) could not attend the meeting as he was not in Pakistan. The chairman welcomed the Regional Presidents and asked for their suggestions on development and promotion of cricket in the country. Every regional president gave detailed input on
cricket development, infrastructure development and promotion of cricket on grass root level. They also briefed the Chairman about the issues faced by their respective regions. The chairman promised to look into the issued encountered by them and assured full support to the PCB. The chairman also promised to visit each region in near future.
lAHORe: PCb Chairman Ch zaka Ashraf with regional presidents after a meeting at the National Cricket Academy. STaff phOTO
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Wickets tumble as Australia avoid record low CAPE toWN
A
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USTRALIA’S last wicket pair saved their team from being bowled out for the lowest total in Test history as both teams collapsed on an extraordinary second day of the first Test against South Africa at Newlands Thursday. South Africa, set 236 to win, were 81 for one at the end of a day on which 23 wickets fell for 294 runs. Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla batted with a freedom in the final hour that was missing when Shane Watson sent South Africa tumbling to 96 all out in their first innings to give Australia a lead of 188. But Australia then collapsed to 21 for nine before being bowled out for 47 in their second innings, their lowest total against South Africa and their fourth lowest of all time. New cap vernon Philander took five for 15 on a pitch which offered plenty of seam movement and had more pace than on the first day. Australia had last pair Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon to thank for avoiding being dismissed for less than the world record low of 26, by New Zealand against England in Auckland in 1954/55. Siddle (12 not out) and Lyon (14) put on 26 for the last wicket, more than doubling their team’s total and taking them past the world record and Australia’s alltime low, 36 against England at Birmingham in 1902. The previous lowest against South Africa was 75 in Durban in 1949/50. The frenzy of wickets put into perspective the value of Australian captain Michael Clarke’s 151 in an Australian total of 284. Clarke, resuming on 107, was helped by Siddle (20) as Australia added 70 to their overnight 214 for eight. Clarke’s innings looked even better when Watson took five wickets in 20 balls after the home side had looked reasonably secure when they
batsmen to blame for collapse: Clarke CAPE toWN AfP
Australia captain Michael Clarke said his team’s batsmen were to blame for the team’s collapse to 47 all out in their second innings on a frenetic second day of the first Test against South Africa at Newlands on Thursday. Twenty-three wickets fell for 294 runs on a day which ended with South Africa on 81 for one, 155 runs short of victory with nine wickets standing. “The top seven as a batting unit need to take full responsibility for what occurred,” said Clarke. “It’s not good enough and me as the leader, coming off a good first innings total, need to take the blame. “Our shot selection was horrible and South Africa bowled well, but we shouldn’t have been all out for 47.” Australia’s extraordinary collapse came after they had seemed to be in a dominant position after bowling South Africa out for 96 to take a first innings lead of 188.
CAPe town: South African cricketer vernon Philander (l) successfully appeals against Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting. afp reached 49 for one at lunch. Watson struck with the second ball after lunch when the Australians successfully called for a review after umpire Ian Gould gave Amla not out after he was struck on the pad. Replays showed the ball would have hit the top of leg stump. Four balls later Jacques Kallis was out for nought, again after a review, caught at second slip when replays showed he had got a faint edge to an attempted pull which looped off his shoulder to Ricky Ponting. Watson made another double strike, bowling Smith for 37 off an inside edge and trapping Ashwell Prince leg before wicket with a full, straight ball before AB de villiers became the third batsman out to a reviewed decision, lbw to Ryan Harris after
being given not by umpire Billy Doctrove. Mark Boucher was Watson’s fifth victim with television umpire Billy Bowden again called into action, this time because the batsman unsuccessfully queried Gould’s lbw decision. Watson fell to the third ball of Australia’s second innings, leg before to Steyn. Ironically if he had called for a review he would have survived because replays showed the ball would have gone over the top of his stumps. Ponting was leg before to vernon Philander and Phil Hughes was caught at third slip off Morkel as Australia slid to 13 for three at tea. It got rapidly worse for Australia after tea as Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin were dismissed without scoring and Clarke was
AUSTRAlIA, first innings (overnight 214-8) S. Watson c Kallis b Steyn 3 P. hughes c Boucher b Philander 9 S. Marsh lbw b Steyn 44 R. Ponting lbw b Steyn 8 M. Clarke b Morkel 151 M. hussey c Boucher b Morkel 1 B. haddin c Prince b Steyn 5 M. Johnson c Morkel b Philander 20 R. harris c Morkel b Philander 5 P. Siddle c De Villiers b Morkel 20 n. lyon not out 1 eXTRAS (b5, lb7, nb4, w1) 17 ToTAl (75 overs) 284 fall of wickets: 1-9 (Watson), 2-13 (hughes), 3-40 (Ponting), 4-143 (Marsh), 5-158 (hussey), 6-163 (haddin), 7-202 (Johnson), 8-214 (harris), 9-273 (Siddle) Bowling: Steyn 20-4-55-4, Philander 21-3-63-3 (3nb, 1w), Morkel 18-2-82-3 (1nb), Tahir 10-1-35-0, Kallis 6-0-37-0 SoUTh AfRICA, first innings J. Rudolph b harris 18 G. Smith b Watson 37 h. Amla lbw b Watson 3 J. Kallis c Ponting b Watson 0 A. de Villiers lbw b harris 8 A. Prince lbw b Watson 0 M. Boucher lbw b Watson 4 V. Philander c Ponting b harris 4 D. Steyn not out 9 M. Morkel run out (Siddle) 1 Imran Tahir b harris 5 eXTRAS (lb4, nb2, w1) 7 ToTAl (24.3 overs) 96 fall of wickets: 1-24 (Rudolph), 2-49 (Amla), 3-49
(Kallis), 4-73 (Smith), 5-73 (Prince), 6-77 (De Villiers), 7-77 (Boucher), 8-81 (Philander), 9-83 (Morkel) Bowling: harris 10.3-3-33-4 (1nb), Johnson 5-0-26-0 (1w), Siddle 4-1-16-0 (1nb), Watson 5-2-17-5 AUSTRAlIA, second innings S. Watson lbw b Steyn 4 P. hughes c Rudolph b Morkel 9 R. Ponting lbw b Philander 0 M. Clarke lbw b Philander 2 M. hussey c Prince b Morkel 0 B. haddin c Boucher b Philander 0 M. Johnson c Amla b Philander 3 R. harris c Smith b Morkel 3 P. Siddle not out 12 S. Marsh lbw b Philander 0 n. lyon c De Villiers b Steyn 14 eXTRAS 0 ToTAl (18 overs) 47 fall of wickets: 1-4 (Watson), 2-11 (Ponting), 3-13 (hughes), 4-13 (hussey), 5-15 (Clarke), 6-18 (haddin), 7-21 (harris), 8-21 (Johnson), 9-21 (Marsh) Bowling: Steyn 5-1-23-2, Philander 7-3-15-5, Morkel 61-9-3 SoUTh AfRICA, second innings G. Smith not out 36 J. Rudolph c haddin b Siddle 14 h. Amla not out 29 eXTRAS (nb2) 2 ToTAl (1 wkt, 17 overs) 81 fall of wicket: 1-27 (Rudolph) Bowling: harris 6-0-26-0, Siddle 4-0-23-1 (1nb), Watson 4-0-15-0, Johnson 3-0-17-0 (1nb) Match Position: South Africa need another 155 runs to win with nine wickets remaining ToSS: South Africa UMPIReS: Billy Doctrove (WIS), Ian Gould (enG) TV UMPIRe: Billy Bowden (nZl) MATCh RefeRee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI)
trapped leg before for two. Ryan Harris, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Marsh all fell with the total on 21. Marsh, suffering from a back problem, batted at number ten and was leg before to Philander without scoring. Marsh did not field in either South African innings. South Africa batted aggressively at the start of the final innings. Jacques
Rudolph was caught behind off Siddle for 14 but Smith (36 not out) and Amla (29 not out) added an unbeaten 54 for the second wicket as South Africa knocked off more than a third of the required runs. In keeping with a frenetic day, Amla was dropped off the last ball of the day when Hussey could not hold a slash to backward point off Harris.
Lyle defies american posse to lead Open NbP gold Cup
Hockey reschedules
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Cancer survivor Jarrod Lyle held off a powerful American contingent, including former world number one Tiger Woods, Thursday to be the first-round leader of the $1.54 million Australian Open at The Lakes. The Australian, ranked 477th and who fought off leukemia as a teenager in 1999, carded a seven-under 65 in an unblemished round that included an eagle three at the 14th and five birdies. Lyle, who must go through qualifying school next month to avoid playing in the secondary Nationwide Tour next season after losing his tour card with a 161st finish on the money list, was pursued by Americans, Dustin Johnson and Nick Watney, a shot back on 66. Woods, who has not won a tournament for two years precipitating a slump in his world ranking to 58, wrestled with gusty afternoon winds to keep in touch, three shots off the lead. His 68, which included four birdies, was his first bogey-free round in nine months. “I hit it really good today, that
LAHoRE STAff RePoRT
The schedule of the NBP Gold Cup Hockey Tournament, which was scheduled to be held from November 15 to 25, has been changed due to unavoidable circumstances. Now the event will be organised in Faisalabad from November 22 to 30 instead of November 15 to 25.
Iqbal yellow clinch Allama Iqbal Open title SydNey: Former world number one tiger woods smiles after teeing off for his first shot in the Australian Open tournament. afp was exactly how I have been hitting it at home, so that’s good and I’ve taken it to the golf course in these conditions and hit all the shots,” Woods said. “I just grinded, I was very patient all day and just took advantage when I could. “With these conditions it’s easy to make a couple of bo-
geys in a row and get it going the wrong way and I just had to be patient, there wasn’t going to be a lot of guys in the afternoon hitting 60s.” World number five Johnson, here for next week’s Presidents Cup as the top-ranked American player, fired eight birdies in his six-under round.
Ireland wary of complacency in Euro endgame PARIS AfP
Euro 2012 qualifying enters its endgame on Friday with Portugal facing a tough assignment in Zenica and the Republic of Ireland in Tallinn hoping to erase the bitter memories of missing the boat to last year’s World Cup. The programme for the first leg of the Euro 2012 play-offs pits the Portuguese against Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Irish against surprise package Estonia, the Czech Republic against Montenegro and Croatia in Turkey. Thierry Henry’s infamous handball helped France edge Ireland in qualifying for South Africa 2010 and Giovanni Trapattoni’s side are desperate to atone for that agonising near miss and qualify for their first major finals in almost a decade. Ireland, who made the play-offs after taking the runner-up spot in Group B behind Russia, are up against a side they beat twice in qualifying for the World Cup in 2002. Despite the apparent gulf in quality Trapattoni has warned against seeing Estonia as pushovers. “There is no room for compla-
cency,” the Italian says. “We will remember that Estonia have as much right to be in the playoff as ourselves. “These games will be a huge challenge for us, and we must maintain the correct mentality from start to finish.” The Estonians are just happy to be still in the running for Ukraine and Poland after finish second to Italy in Group C, “There is definitely no pressure on us,” Estonian Football Association spokesman Mihkel Uiboleht told AFP. “We have already achieved something wonderful and extraordinary. For us, we never thought there was a possibility we would be playing in the playoffs.” Portugal take on a Bosnia side that like Estonia has punched above its weight, coming within 13 minutes of automatic qualification and consigning France to the play-offs. Portugal winger Nani is set to earn his 50th cap against a side that he helped defeat when the two countries met at the play-
off stage for last year’s World Cup. Losing finalists in Lisbon in 2004 Portugal are seeking to reach a fifth consecutive European championships. Coach Paulo Bento has recalled fit-again Real Madrid defenders Pepe and Fabio Coentrao while forwards Hugo Almeida and Danny are also back after missing the final two group games. Bosnia coach Safet Susic is hopeful of turning the tables on Cristiano Ronaldo and company. “This is not the same Bosnia team as two years ago,” he said. “We have midfielders who are capable of causing problems to anyone. And we also have Edin Dzeko, who is certainly the best striker in the world.” Croatia also have revenge on their minds as they travel to Istanbul to take on a Turkey side that knocked them out of the Euro 2008
quarter-finals on penalties. Tottenham defender vedran Corluka is one of nine Croatia players who figured in that defeat. “It was one of the saddest days of my life, and for Croatia as well,” he recalled. Despite the history hovering over the game Corluka cautioned against letting the lingering pain of that defeat cloud Croatia’s judgement. Guus Hiddink’s Turkey owe their presence in the play-offs to their runner-up position behind runaway Group A winners Germany. In Prague the Czech Republic, second to Spain in Group I, host a Montenegro team that edged Switzerland for second in Group G behind England. The second legs are being staged next Tuesday. The four play-off winners will join the 10 nations who went through automatically from the qualifying groups -- Germany, Russia, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden (as best runners-up), Greece, England, Denmark, holders Spain and France, as well as Poland and Ukraine who qualify as co-hosts. The draw for the finals will be held on December 2 in Kiev, with the finals starting on June 8 next year and running to July 1.
LAHoRE STAff RePoRT
Allama Iqbal Yellow clinched the title of the Allama Iqbal Open Badminton Tournament after beating Quaid-i-Azam Greens in the final here on Thursday. The Pakistan Sportsman Welfare Association Secretary General Manzoor Ali Arif organised the tournament at the Railways Allama Iqbal Institute ground in connection with the Iqbal day. Ateeq-ur-Rehman and Muhammad Usman of Allama Iqbal Yellow beat Muhammad Afzal and Muhammad Naveed of Quaid-i-Azam Green by 3-2 (games) and won the trophy. Chief guest Malik Sarwar Mehmood gave away the winner trophy to Ateeq-ur-Rehman and M Usman. Manzoor Ali Arif and Mohsin Ali were also present on the occasion.
Chief guest malik Sarwar mehmood gives away winner trophy to Ateeq-ur-Rehman and usman. manzoor Ali Arif and mohsin Ali are also present.
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PALEMBANG: A general view shows Gelora Srivijaya stadium where the opening ceremony for the 26th Southeast Asian Games 2011 (SEA GAMES) to be held. afp
Indonesia brushes off threat of chaos JAKARtA
Stats stacked in pakistan’s favour
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stats corner
Southeast Asian Games organisers insist the event will be a roaring success, but a raft of problems including corruption and unfinished venues threatens to turn it into a laughing stock. Drawing 11 nations in sports from athletics and swimming to sepak takraw -a cross between football and volleyball - the biennial Games will be held in the Indonesian capital Jakarta and Palembang in South Sumatra from Friday. The omens for the 26th SEA Games have been bad since the ruling party’s treasurer allegedly pocketed $3 million in bribes from a firm seeking tenders to build the athletes village, and then fled to Colombia with the spoils.
S. PERVEZ QAISER The first one day international match of the five-match series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be played at Dubai International Stadium on Friday (November 11). This day/night match will start at 17.00 hours (PST). This will be the 122nd match between the two teams in limited overs international cricket and 36th in the UAE. Pakistan enjoy record against Sri Lanka. They have won 71 and lost 46 in 121 previous encounters between the two sides. Three matches ended with out a result while one match ended in a tie. Pakistan also have a good record against Sri Lanka in previous matches in UAE. They have won 21, lost 13 and tied one in 35 matches in the UAE. It is hard to beat Pakistan in day/night encounters for Sri Lanka. Pakistani have won 22 and lost 17 in 41 matches played against the Islanders under lights. The remaining two matches were abandoned. In last 10 matches between the two teams, Sri Lanka have won six while Pakistan achieved victory in four.
PAKISTAn-SRI lAnKA one-DAY enCoUnTeRS : SUMMARY of ReSUlTS: hoST PlAYeD PAK Won Sl Won ABnD IN eNglANd 3 3 IN INdIA 7 4 3 IN uAe 35 21 13 IN SRI lANKA 28 13 13 2 IN b’deSH 3 2 1 IN AuStRAlIA 5 4 1 IN SINgAPORe 3 1 1 1 IN PAKIStAN 28 16 12 IN S AFRICA 5 4 1 IN KeNyA 2 2 IN mOROCCO 2 1 1 ToTAl 121 71 46 3 DAY/nIGhT 41 22 17 1 lAST 10 10 4 6 hIGheST InnInGS ToTAlS : PAKISTAn: 371-9 in 50 overs at Nairobi 04-10-1996 SRI lAnKA: 349-9 in 50 overs at Singapore 02-04-1996
TIeD 1 1 1 -
loWeST InnInGS ToTAlS: Pakistan : 75 in 22.5 overs at lahore 24-01-2009, Sri lanka : 78 in 16.5 overs at Sharjah 17-04-2002 hIGheST MATCh AGGReGATe: 664 runs for 19 wkts in 99.4 overs at Singapore 02-04-1996 loWeST MATCh AGGReGATe: 245 runs for 13 wkts in 71.5 overs at Colombo 21-07-2004 hIGheST InDIVIDUAl SCoReS: Pakistan : 129 m yousuf at Sharjah 1704-2002, Sri lanka : 137* tillakaratne dilshan at lahore 24-01-2009 BeST BoWlInG PeRfoRMAnCeS: Pakistan: 6-26 waqar younis at Sharjah 29-04-1990, Sri lanka: 5-17 Jayasuriya at lahore 16-10-2004 BIGGeST MARGInS of VICToRY: Pakistan : 217 runs at Sharjah 17-04-2002, 9 wickets at gujarnawala 29-09-1995, 9 wickets at Colombo 03-08-1994, 9 wickets at Nairobi 08-10-2000, Sri lanka : 234 at lahore 24-01-2009, 8 wickets at Sharjah 17-10-1995, 8 wickets at lahore 05-11-1997, 8 wickets at Colombo 12-09-2002 nARRoWeST MARGInS of VICToRY: Pakistan : 6 runs at lucknow 27-10-1989, 2 wickets at Sharjah 02-11-1993, Sir lanka : 9 runs at Sharjah 12-04-2002, 3 wickets at Perth 31-12-1989 TIeD MATCh: Pakistan (196 in 49.1)-Sri lanka (196 in 49.4) at Sharjah 15-10-1999
Clarke fears fixing will be difficult to eradicate comment PAUL KELSo
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HEATS were jailed, a stiff deterrent established in the battle against corruption, and a line drawn under a debilitating episode. That is not the way Giles Clarke sees it. The chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board betrays not a shred of triumphalism as he considers convictions that have raised fresh concerns about the integrity of cricket. In his first interview since the conclusion of the trial, he describes it as a watershed for the game, and warns that radical changes will have to follow for those who play and administer it. Plainly, he finds nothing to celebrate. “There was nothing triumphal at all about what took place,” he says. “It was a personal tragedy for some of the individuals and it was not a great moment for the game. “It is going to be hard for us as a sport because these issues will return. Every time there is a dramatic, unexpected result, will it be given the credence it deserves? A dramatic overturning against the odds is one of the reasons people watch and love cricket, but that can be undermined. And that is the absolute tragedy.” Clarke has gathered a reputation as outspoken and self-assured in four years at the ECB helm, but there is nothing bluff about his assessment of the dark episode cricket has endured. His analysis is measured and serious, with good reason. The next act in the drama surrounding alleged match-fixing will be played out even closer to home than Lord’s. Former Essex seamer Mervyn Westfield will stand trial in January, accused of bowling deliberate wides in a Pro40 game against
Durham in 2009 in a spot-fixing scam. Westfield is charged with the same offences as Butt and his former team-mates, conspiracy to cheat at gambling and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments. The case will raise the same questions for English domestic cricket that haunt the international game. Clarke will not comment on the Westfield case, but his prescription for the recovery of the game’s reputation is wide-reaching, and crucially makes it clear that he believes the whole game, not just Pakistan, has to accept it is under threat. He warns that players may have to accept a total ban from gambling on any sport, that administrators will have to be above reproach, and that even “sporting
declarations” in the four-day game may be unsustainable because of the suspicion they might attract. More immediately he warns that England and Pakistan’s players have a responsibility to conduct their series in Abu Dhabi early next year without incident, and cautions against any sledging that references fixing. The teams will meet for Test, one-day and Twenty20 matches in January and February, 21 days of cricket in 44 that will strain wounds from the fraught 2010 series that have barely healed. Clarke is reluctant to intrude into on-field issues, but counsels England against sledging. “I would say we are there trying to play cricket, not have bar-room conversations,” he says. “England players know that they play their best when they are extremely focused and play as a team, and they will need to do that to retain the No 1 spot. I shall be in the UAE and I am sure my new Pakistani counterpart will be there, and ... the two boards will want that to be a very competitive series played in the right spirit with complete integrity and clarity.” If the Dubai matches are a potential powder keg, the threat to the wider game runs as a slow-burning fuse that will take a co-ordinated effort to extinguish. “I don’t think we have got an endemic problem across the entirety of the game, but that doesn’t make any difference to the challenge we face,” Clarke says. “We have to recognise that gambling is a problem worldwide that poses a problem for everyone in our game. We are a frail thing, sport is a delicate thing, and we have to work together to protect it.” That work will begin with changes to the rules governing betting by players. Clarke praises the players’ union, the Professional Cricketers’ Association, for its anti-corruption work, but players al-
ready banned from gambling on cricket may now have to end all relationships with betting. “The old English county thing of gambling on the racing while it’s raining, sadly, is not going to be acceptable. We either say no to gambling or we adopt a very dangerous position, which is to say ‘We are not corrupt, it’s those horrible other people overseas,’” Clarke says. “It is no longer acceptable for someone to come into a dressing room and say ‘Let me introduce you to my bookmaker’. That has to be as unacceptable as a racist remark. That is how it has got to be these days.” He stresses that corruption is not a problem confined to the subcontinent. The explosion of Twenty20 cricket may have raised integrity issues, but Butt and his peers corrupted a Test match at Lord’s, and an English limited-overs game is next in the dock. Clarke praises the Pakistan boards for their rebuilding work since the nadir of last summer when former chairman Ijaz Butt, who watched the Lord’s Test unfold from Clarke’s box, was in denial about the gravity of the case and accused England of fixing too. “I am very impressed by the start made by new chairman Zaka Ashraf, he has got to rebuild the image of Paksitan cricket and we have got to help him. World cricket is a group of colleagues and friends; we compete, but the decline or damage of one of us damages us all.” For all the damage wrought in the last week, and the questions that will follow next year, Clarke believes that with a concerted effort, some good may come from Southwark. “At least we now have a deterrent, we have precedent and we have case law. But the fact is this is a problem caused by the minority, but the rest have to put up with the new structures to try and prevent others doing it again.”
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Djokovic survives Paris Masters hiccup
watCh It LIvE STAR SPORTS Bnp Paribas – Paris Quarterfinals 06:00PM
TEN CRICKET South Africa v Australia 1st Test Day 3 01:30PM
TEN SPORTS Mobilink Jazz Cup: Pakistan v SL 1st ODI 04:00PM
lamaze ponders future after champion horse dies
veRONA: Horse Hickstead and his Canadian rider eric lamaze performing during the competition. fILE phOTO MoNtREAL AfP
PARIS: Novak djokovic returns the ball to viktor troicki. afp PARIS
Aisam-bopanna reach Paris masters quarters LAHoRE STAff RePoRT
Pakistani tennis star Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and his Indian partner Rohan Bopanna reached the men’s doubles quarterfinals of the Paris Masters Tennis Tournament after defeating Colin Fleming and Jamie Murray of Great Britain in the second round in Paris on Thursday. AisamBopanna showed excellent display of tennis throughout the match and won the contest in straight sets. Indo-Pak express defeated the British pair by 6-4, 6-3. In the quarterfinals, AisamBopanna will face the winner of the match between E Butorac (United States)-J J Rojer (Curaçao) and M Llodra (France)-N Zimonjić (Serbia).
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OvAK Djokovic overcame a first-set wobble to beat Serbian countryman viktor Troicki and reach the Paris Masters quarter-finals on Thursday, after Andy Murray blitzed Andy Roddick. Djokovic, the world number one, was broken twice in the first set at Bercy Arena and folded on Troicki’s first set point when he drove a backhand into the net. The top seed went 2-0 up in the second set, only for Troicki to level, but Djokovic broke again to go 4-2 ahead with a cross-court backhand winner before levelling the match. Troicki had lost his last nine encounters with Djokovic
PARIS: uS Andy Rodick returns the ball to british Andy murray. afp
and the 15th seed’s resistance broke apart in the third set, enabling the 2009 champion here to complete a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win. Djokovic will play either French sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Italy’s Andreas Seppi for a place in the semi-finals. In-form Murray made it 18 games unbeaten by beating Roddick 6-2, 6-2 to reach the last eight. Murray had spoken of the importance of “getting inside” Roddick’s mighty serve and he broke the American in the opening game, before securing a second break with a stinging cross-court forehand to go 5-2 up. A similar stroke brought him the set and Roddick wilted in the second set, smashing his racquet into the ground at one stage, as his opponent closed out a straightforward 62-minute victory. “I started the match well, which is
always important against Roddick because he plays his best when he’s ahead and can put pressure on you,” said the Scot. “As I broke him early on, I was able to dictate what happened and I played very well.” Murray, the second seed, will now face Czech fifth seed and 2005 champion Tomas Berdych, who beat 11th-seeded Serbian Janko Tipsarevic in straight sets. Tipsarevic’s defeat means the lineup for the year-end ATP Tour Finals in London has now been finalised, with Berdych, Tsonga and Mardy Fish claiming the three places that were up for grabs at the start of the tournament. Third seed Roger Federer -- who has never reached the final at this event -takes on France’s Richard Gasquet, the number 16 seed, later on Thursday.
NABEEL SABIR
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AKISTAN have just completed a 10 victory in the Test series against Sri Lanka. Although Pakistan won the series and overall it was a good win, yet there was a lot of room for improvement. The greenshirts could have won all the three Tests with some more application; they won in Dubai in the second Test which gave them the series but the Tests in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah were close affairs which eventually ended in draws. Sri Lankans were not up to the mark during the Test series especially their bowling lacked bite. As far as Pakistan are concerned they are settling down well under their new captain Misbah-ul-Haq. The year so far has been really good for them and the recent Test series against Sri Lanka was a good indicator of this. Now with the Test series over both
Sole Iniesta strike gives barcelona Cup edge
ShC dismisses Kaneria’s plea LAHoRE STAff RePoRT
The Sindh High Court on Thursday dismissed Danish Kaneria’s plea against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for inclusion in the national cricket team. Kaneria had filed a writ petition in the Sindh High Court against the Pakistan Cricket Board for not issuing clearance certificate to him despite he had been cleared of match-fixing charges. Kaneria’s lawyer told media that they would either move the Supreme
Court or file an application in the Lahore High Court. The leg-spinner said that he would not comment on the SHC ruling as he was out of the city. The ruling came after an objection was raised by PCB lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi questioning the court's jurisdiction to hear the case. "It was dismissed only because the Sindh High Court doesn't have the jurisdiction to hear the case," Kaneria's lawyer Mohammad Farogh Naseem was quoted as saying ESPNcricinfo. "We are yet to decide our next move but we have two
options: either to appeal against the decision in the Supreme Court or to file a fresh petition in Lahore High Court (the city where the PCB office is situated)." "I remember Tafazzul Rizvi in the first hearing raised the point of jurisdiction. If this was the legal constraint for the court then why should [the case] be so prolonged," a disappointed Kaneria said. "In all this, a player is losing [the chance to play] cricket, while mental stress is another concern. I will decide my next move in due course. I am very disturbed by all this."
Pakistan clear favourites the Yorker Length
Canadian show jumper Eric Lamaze is considering retiring following the sudden death this week of Hickstead the horse he rode to 2008 Olympic gold, he said Wednesday. “I think that he was the best horse in history,” Lamaze, still visibly distraught over Hickstead’s death on Sunday, told a press conference in Toronto. “And maybe there won’t be another one like him.” The horse, which was ridden by Lamaze on his way to Olympic gold in Beijing in 2008, collapsed at the verona International Horse Show and was pronounced dead at the scene. Tim Danson, Lamaze’s lawyer and friend said the 15-year-old Dutch stallion had succumbed to a ruptured aorta.
teams are looking to renew the battle with five match ODI series which will begin with the first game in Dubai today. Now this is a format both team excel in. Sri Lankans are currently second in the ICC ODI rankings while Pakistan are sixth. The year so far has been fruitful for both teams in ODIs. While Sri Lanka were the runnersup during this year's World Cup, Pakistan were the losing semi-finalists and they also beat Sri Lanka in their group game. Pakistan have a very good win percentage of 73.91 this year (having won 17 off the 24, losing only six). And the good thing is that the team is gelling well as a unit. For this ODI series both teams will go to the series with optimism. Pakistan has been bolstered by the return of star all rounder Shahid Afridi who is making a comeback after settling his issues with the Pakistan Cricket Board. Afridi's inclusion will give balance to the side. Apart from Afridi, another player who is making comeback of sorts is Shoaib Malik. Al-
though he was in the Test squad and also went to Zimbabwe tour before this series but the upcoming ODI series will be a true test for Malik's form and fitness as he has been out of the game for almost a year. Overall the batting will revolve around Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal. Much is expected of Umar Akmal as he was not in the Test series and has found good form in domestic cricket. He can be explosive with the bat but will require some prudence in his shot selection. It’s time he shows maturity and plays to the team's requirement rather than going for his own personal bravado. Pakistan bowling is in good hands. Umar Gul and Junaid Khan are doing appreciably well with the new ball having taken 14 and 12 wickets respectively in the Test series. They have a top notch spinner in Saeed Ajmal and the return of Shahid Afridi will add more oomph to the bowling line. Sohail Tanvir, Aizaz Cheema and
HOSPItAlet: Hospitalet’s Adai (l) vies with barcelona’s midfielder Cesc Fabregas (R). afp MADRID AfP
Abdul Razzaq can also be called in if the need be. All in all, Pakistan have a very balanced unit at their disposal for this series and there is no reason why they can’t win the series. Sri Lankans will be eager to make a strong comeback after losing the Test series. In batting they have three power houses in Kumara Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillekaratne Dilshan all of whom can be devastating with the bat on their day. In bowling the Sri Lankans have got back their much needed fire with the return of Lasith Malinga. He will be the one bowler Pakistan will have to play with utmost caution. All in readiness, it is expected to be a really good and close series with both teams very closely matched. Pakistan will start of as slight favourites given their good record this year and a more balanced unit. However Sri Lankans are a top notch side and will be itching to avenge the Test series loss. This will give the fans a good and exciting series to watch.
Barcelona had to settle for a single-goal victory against third-tier club CD L’Hospitalet in the first leg of their Spanish Cup last 32 tie on Wednesday, with Andres Iniesta scoring the game’s only goal. The reigning European champions had to do without several first-team regulars due to international callups, but coach Pep Guardiola still sent out a strong starting line-up containing the likes of Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernandez, Cesc Fabregas, David villa and Iniesta for the short trip to L’Hospitalet, from the Barcelona suburbs. In front of a surprisingly sparse crowd, Barca monopolised possession, but their only goal came from Iniesta, who beat home goalkeeper Jose Moragon with a superb strike from just outside the area four minutes before the interval. It was almost 2-0 moments later when a Puyol header from a corner struck Seydou Keita and then hit the post. Otherwise, Barca struggled to break down their hosts, who have won their last six league games, and will go to the Camp Nou for the return leg next month still in with a small chance of causing a huge upset.
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Rebirth of a company: the Wateen story 2 The flat tax debate Page 3 Pakistan shipping corporation loses interest in $40 million loan Page 8 Pages: 8
profit.com.pk
Friday, 11 November, 2011
OGDC: Zin block too early to determine KARACHI
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Government has already imported 500,000 tonnes of urea during current year ISLAMABAD
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AMeR SIAl
RADING Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has awarded contract for the import of 215,000 tonnes of urea even though the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC) had granted it permission to import 700,000 tonnes of urea to bridge the deficit just before the commencement of wheat sowing in the country. An informed source said the red tape has delayed urea imports and the country was facing a difficult situation. With the start of wheat sowing season from November there will be an acute shortage of urea and there will be strong push from officers to do away with all regulatory mechanisms for swift imports. ECC had directed TCP to import urea on an urgent basis to help growers in sowing their wheat before the deadline of 15th December. The urea off-take in the current Rabi season is expected to be more than 3 million tonnes. The fertiliser companies have low inventory as they faced an unprecedented natural gas shortage during the current year. According to the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) there is an unprecedented increase of 113 per cent in the prices of urea. The price of urea has risen to Rs1,770 per bag as compared to Rs30 per bag in October last year. While there is another 55 per cent hike in DAP prices which has increased from
Rs2,705 per bag last year to Rs4,189 per bag in October this year. Urea prices have increased from Rs800 per bag to Rs1,700 per bag over the last two years as compared to Rs750 per bag increase in the last 32 years. Pakistan is faced with a gas supply shortage of 1 billion cubic feet per day during summers which mainly affected the fertiliser production and the shortage expected to double during the winters the supply to the fertiliser sector will be completely cut off for three months. The government will bridge the urea deficit by incurring a cost of $400 million on importing 700,000 tonnes of urea and will have to provide subsidy of Rs26 billion on the cost and freight of price of $530 per tonne. TCP had awarded the contract for the import of urea at $538 per tonne cost and freight. The increase in urea
prices and low availability will directly impact its use by the farmers. Without a suitable support price the farmers will not take risk for using balanced fertiliser, as the high cost of production may not be compensated through the official support price. It is important to mention that urea is the major fertiliser used by farmers which meets 46 per cent of the nitrogen content. The industry estimates 90 per cent of recommended urea dosage was applied in 2010 which resulted in bumper wheat harvest of over 24 million tonnes last year. The country has annual urea demand of 6.5 million tonnes of urea which could be easily fulfilled by the local fertiliser industry having capacity to produce 6.9 million tonnes per annum provided they get feedstock gas supplies. The annual production for the current year is estimated to be 5 million tonnes with an estimated urea shortage of 1.3 million. The government has already imported 500,000 tonnes of urea during the current year.
STAff RePoRT
N recent days, the Zin block of the Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC) has been in the limelight because of the potential it holds for eliminating gas curtailment, which has crippled the country’s industrial activity. It has had a positive impact on stock price of its operator, OGDC, which has outperformed the broader KSE100 index by 10 per cent in the last 6-trading sessions. “Though it is high profile, we continue to flag that it is as premature to coin Zin as a success story on account of field not entering the final testing stage,” viewed Nauman Khan of Topline Securities. On the other hand, the analyst said volumetric impetus to OGDC’s FY12 growth story comes from commissioning of long-awaited KPDTAY Integrated and Sinjhoro development projects along with augmented production flows from Naspha and Tal blocks. He said the recent price rally had already factored in the likely increase in the company’s profit in FY12 along with the news of Zin Discovery. As per latest Pakistan Petroleum Information Services (PPIS) report, OGDC has reached the target depth of the exploratory well of the highly anticipated Zin Block. Furthermore, because of its close proximity to other major gas producing fields like Sui, Kandkhot and Uch, hopes were high of a potentially large size gas discovery from the field. “However, we would like to be less optimistic, as the final testing phase has not been completed. And thus, it is premature to dwell on the actual flow size from the field.” For this reason, the analyst said, we had not included any production flow from the block in our company’s valuation. “We believe major price trigger for the company are commissioning of stalled developmental programs of Sinjhoro and KPD&TYA. (Kunnar Pasahki Deep – Tando Allah Yar).” The 1st stage of both the stalled projects were expected to come online by the third quarter of FY12, which would cumulatively add 2,400 barrel per day and 115 million cubic feet of oil and gas, respectively, to OGDC’s production profile, Khan said.
EU hopes unanimous agreement on trade concession to Pakistan KARACHI
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STAff RePoRT
UROPEAN Union (EU), which is waiting for the approval of the proposed unilateral tariff preferences for Pakistan through getting a waver from the World Trade Organisation (WTO), for the last year, has hoped a unanimous agreement on the issue soon at WTO. Though the issue was vetoed by Bangladesh in recently held session of council for trade in Goods (CTG) of WTO after India, the EU, appli-
cant of the move, has affirmed that it would like to consult with all members to approve the draft waver in the next session. According to the report of CTG meeting held on 7th November, the EU representative said in the meeting that it has done its best to respond to the consultations, but it was clear that some complexity remained. It would like to consult with members, and hoped for a unanimous agreement as soon as possible. EU recalled that almost a year ago it tabled its request for tariff preferences for Pakistan to help the country
recover from massive flooding. It has now submitted a revised request that takes into account the systemic concerns expressed by several members, and stressed that the measure is for two years only. United States and Norway supported the EU request. vietnam said its concerns had been addressed in bilateral talks, and that it was now ready to support the EU request. Morocco said it could support the EU request but would have preferred prior consultations with the EU since the waiver request covers textiles, a capital sector of its economy. Bangladesh, Indonesia, Peru and
Argentina said they were still studying the revised request, and requested more consultations with the EU. Brazil expressed reservations about the request and asked the EU for consultations on possible effects on Brazilian exports. According to the report, Pakistani representative informed the meeting that the revised EU request has made clear that this waiver would not be a precedent for the future. Thus it had addressed the systemic concerns of some members. Besides, the council has taken note of the statements and agreed to revert to this matter at its next meeting. It is
worth mentioning here that, earlier EU had put forward the draft bill in WTO for ‘waiver from GATT Articles I and XIII’ concerning autonomous preferences for Pakistan. But no positive development emerged, even after six meetings of WTO since the European Council in its meeting on 16th September, 2010 decided to grant Pakistan special concessions to support its ailing economy in the wake of devastation sustained by the unprecedented floods. The total worth of these tariff lines was expected to be about $1.03 billion and the average tariff on these products around 8.86 per cent.
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Rebirth of a company: the Wateen story NAEEM ZAMINDAR, T HE Wateen job turned out to be one of those paradoxical interview assignments that make an editor’s job extremely difficult and pretty rewarding at the same time. And in hindsight it was for the better that this was not our usual ‘Lunch with Profit’ outing, or Fujiyama’s inviting sushi would’ve been left feeling just as ignored as the latte served at the CEO’s spacious office, and unfairly so. For, no sooner than we presented the mundane employee turnover, annual losses and company restructuring questions did Mr Naeem Zamindar take us on a tangent, only to reconnect with telecom specifics, associating industry dynamics with wider social currents at play across the world.
THE TURNAROUND sCRIPT Mr Zamindar finds interesting parallels between running a company relying predominantly on customer satisfaction and writing a stage play banking on audience appreciation. And the script of this particular narrative is ‘rebirth of a company’, an ambitious project especially since the first edition was eventually discarded by disappointed users after building quite a following in the early chapters. Luckily for the turnaround man, the breakdown owed more to general mismanagement and inability to translate the company’s long-term vision well enough for customers to stay loyal once initial rigidities began surfacing. There weren’t too many technical inefficiencies to speak of, which enabled him to focus more on identifying and enabling a vision befitting the outreach of the platform he seemingly volunteered to inherit. It is hardly surprising that Wateen began going seriously astray around the fateful fall of ’08, when macro financial contraction compromised the telecom industry on an international scale. Also, much of its problems were typical of emirati enterprises of the time, name-staffing, ineffective human resource management and very loose monitoring and evaluation. So a simple return to fundamentals must not have been the most demanding task for an industry veteran of 20 years. His touch involves much finer details.
continents. Second, ensuring stable funding will be crucial. Even as the company turns to profitability, fine-tuning the balance sheet will take some time. And thirdly, it will invest in systems, adding value to lives.
IDEAL DEMOGRAPHICs; GENIUs FOR INTEGRATION It turns out that Pakistan’s current social and demographic state provides near-ideal ‘lab conditions’ for the CEO to experiment his vision for the company. Approximately 60 per cent of the population is under 30 years old, the most tech-savvy segment of society. This group has been at the forefront of the communications revolution for more than a decade. In places not much different than our own country, this group has tapped the internet’s genius for integration to engineer serious deviations in social, political and historical narratives, upsetting a regressive status-quo that went back decades. It is this vibrant portion of the population that will be at the forefront of the Wateen miracle, first filling loopholes and overcoming bottlenecks that retard their progress and then elevating them to integrate with international crosscurrents on an equal footing. One of the most significant features of the revolution will comprise tackling fault lines in the national education system, with electronic devices connected through the fibre optic network making the current paralysed system redundant. The social spillover of such exercises can be ascertained to a large extent by linkages already formed by the mini mobile phone revolution of the last decade.
technical compulsions of running and managing a large entity being one thing, it is the guiding vision that is most important, the rest automatically falls into place once a grand strategy is finalised and the will to implement it mustered
FIBRE-OPTIC REVOLUTION With innovation increasingly driving the world economy, particularly since the onset of the 21st century, fibre-optic technology is at the centre of the revolution integrating the world on an electronic platform. And with its own cable tv, six channels, longest fibre-optic and satellite network, Wateen is best placed to represent Pakistan in this ‘new world order’. A grand strategy envisioning nothing short of total transformation of society enabled by technological innovation has also been set in place. All that remains is tactical implementation of the new vision, meant to change Pakistan forever. On the micro level, this will be done in three phases. First, the organisation will be made more customer-focused and dynamic, probably a reaction to excesses of the past that derailed a very spirited initiative reaching out into three
PERsONAL sTORY; THE ZEN INFLUENCE And here’s the most fascinating part of this stage play. Enjoying a pretty profitable career as a venture capitalist riding the dot com bubble in silicon valley, Mr Zamindar learned much from the subsequent market crash that decimated finance execs like himself in the early years of the new century. It was then that the exercise of finding value and opportunity in debris and collapse fashioned an integral part of his professional outlook. And it was then that he associated spiritual lessons of balance, harmony and assimilation with the grater conscious with the technical niceties of the telecom industry. In a mesmerising and animated sermon, Mr Zamindar explained how spiritual mantra regards the present time as a focal point in the larger narrative of the world. It
represents a crossroads where human beings as a whole must evolve to a higher paradigm, rendering much of the present system obsolete. For those that fall behind the curve in this epic transformation, the coming half decade or so will indeed spell apocalypse, those resistant to change being rubbished to the dustbin of history forever. He finds the telecom industry at the threshold of a similar existential evolution. Not only will the sector be at the heart of mankind’s overall transformation to a more efficient and connected way of living, it will also undergo tremendous overhaul itself.
CEO WATEEN TELECOM
AGE OF ABUNDANCE; INFRAsTRUCTURE AND VALUE ADDITION g
The coming era will mark the age of abundance of knowledge. Machines will continue to get smarter than humans, and in addition to education, mobile technology will take over all financial, information transfer and communication services. Present systems will no longer matter, unlocking unprecedented productive capacity in entire economies. Even better, steps are under way to connect regional countries through fibre-optic technology. Nature has provided Pakistan with a natural geographic lottery. It is the ideal gateway connecting many regional economies. Therefore, linkages are being formed with Iran, Afghanistan, China and India, tapping windfall transit opportunities in the process.
THE JOBs EFFECT
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One of the most interesting themes to come out of the brief interaction with Naeem Zamindar was that technical compulsions of running and managing a large entity being one thing, it is the guiding vision that is most important, the rest automatically falls into place once a grand strategy is finalised and the will to implement it mustered. For making ambitious advances in the complicated yet fascinating world of fibre-optic technology, he cites the inspiring example of perhaps the greatest tech wizard of them all, the late great Steve Jobs, and takes a deep breath, staring into empty space, quoting from his famous address to Stanford graduates: Stay foolish, and stay hungry!
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ShAhAB JAfRY g
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With an MBA from France’s prestigious INSEAD and over twenty years of progressive work experience in the field of telecommunications, Mr Naeem Zamindar is the charming and vibrant chief executive of Wateen Telecom. Mr Zamindar attained his professional certification as a public accountant from the State of Washington, following his graduation from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Mr Zamindar then joined KPMG Peat Marwick as an auditor, before going on to establish Comnet, Pakistan’s first cable Tv operator, in 1992. Mr Zamindar’s first foray into mobile telecommunications came as a senior manager at Mobilink, where he held various roles, including financial controller and head of customer services. As one of the founding members of Mobilink and its key Strategy and Business Development operative, Mr. Zamindar effectively demonstrated his leadership traits and strategic planning abilities as he propelled the company to become the telecom giant that it is. Following his MBA from INSEAD, Mr Zamindar joined Silicon valley venture capital firm Inter Capital as a senior investment manager, focusing on fibre optic networks, as well as WiFi and WiMax. This experience proved invaluable when establishing Zamindar Capital, a firm that developed and provided consultative support to companies leveraging technology to leapfrog social and economic development. Coupled with Mr Zamindar’s subsequent stint as Mobilink’s head of broadband business, this provided Mr Zamindar with the strong knowledge base he now brings to Wateen’s operations. Despite being a savvy businessman and keen entrepreneur, Mr Zamindar takes an extremely Zen approach to life. He is the founder and chairman of the Pakistan chapter of The Art of Living Foundation, a multifaceted organisation that promotes holistic health, and meditates on a regular basis. As an individual who perfectly walks the tightrope between the fast-paced life of a successful entrepreneur and the meditative existence of a Zen master, Mr Zamindar is the perfect person to lead Wateen in its mission to become Pakistan’s leading lifestyle company. Mr Zamindar believes that the high speed broadband and modern day telecommunications have the capacity to not only connect us with one another and the world at large, but also to affect our lives and influence positive change.
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eDitoRiAL
The flat tax debate
Now Bangladesh
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AKISTAN’S trade concession at the EU seems an inherent nonstarter. Suddenly it seems all the effort behind cajoling New Delhi into a more compromising posture, even throwing in the MFN concession for good measure, apparently risks going waste. Whether or not there have been behind-the-scenes discussions between Delhi and Dhaka, especially since the deal in no way impedes upon the latter’s trade position, is better taken up elsewhere in the press. But it bears noting that the EU gambit is time bound, and the more our neighbours delay progress, the more Pakistan loses out, with India perhaps the biggest winner, MFN and all. The pitfalls on the trade road ought to have taught some valuable lessons to our policymakers. Far from the ‘win-win’ euphoria of the Sharma-Fahim summit, we seem to have played into India’s hands yet again. This ‘one step forward, two steps back’ position is symptomatic of our relations with India of
late. Ever since the Musharraf days, when CBMs were all the rage, there was always reluctance on India’s side to reciprocate. Even the coveted MFN status, which India accorded Pakistan way back in ’96, was blunted by Delhi’s carefully crafted non-tariff barriers. As regards trade, we will move away from puerile concerns once our export basket is no longer miniscule. We continue to rely on agriculture and related industry to comprise the bulk of our revenue base. As the world moves into production and value addition, we are already left far behind in the overall trade narrative. Instead of falling on time-barred concessions, we must become proactive in enhancing export earnings. And the way to that is through increased production and manufacturing. And for that, the most pressing concern is energy shortfall, which is already largely responsible for underutilisation of capacity. Once we are self-sufficient, India and Bangladesh will be unable to exert downward pressure on our trade earnings.
Javed Gilani
T
HERE is a rising crescendo in the US regarding a flat tax system – a policy of income tax which in principle assesses a single rate of tax for all – where pundits are criticising this exercise for its apparent flaw that it increases tax on the less privileged to reduce tax on the relatively wealthy. However, what we should analyse is that if flat tax was really a bad idea, then why is it that so many nations across the globe have worked to embrace it? When studied in detail, most countries that have managed the flat tax regime mainly in post communist countries of Eastern Europe, along with micro states across the globe, suggest that there are three fundamental reasons for their success. Firstly some states are relatively poor with negligible domestic capital, therefore they choose to drop rates mostly as a tool to attract foreign investors. Other countries are small and inefficient at raising revenue, therefore they cannot afford to employ a progressive tax regime. Lastly, some countries have battled with corruption and therefore give the rich a rate cut to induce them to pay any taxes at all. None of these conditions exist for the United States, therefore it is not clear why a flat tax rate is really needed. Those countries from the post communist era that adopted the flat tax regime including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Ukraine amongst others, were lacking in investment capital. In these countries that are competing rigorously for foreign investment, a flat tax regime is a signal to investors that they are welcome, that they will be allowed to retain their
A progressive increase of tax burden on the poor while reducing tax obligations of the rich Civil servants resist cut in perks
Pakistan to miss wheat sowing target
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani is said to approve or reject the monetisation package for cutting perks of the civil servants. It is a good step and I am glad that the government has finally realised that other than spending so much money on these perks, they can allocate the same money elsewhere in order to benefit Pakistan. But there has to be something done about the politicians etc as well. How about putting up an estimate of the privileges of the generals and politicians? After all, everyone in Pakistan knows that currently, no one else other than them is enjoying the most remuneration and perks.
There has been a great increase in the prices of fertilisers, seeds, electricity and pesticides along with the other input prices, which is why the farmers are reluctant to cultivate wheat. Similarly, the government is not even providing enough subsidies and high wheat support prices to the farmers, which is why the farmers are facing a lot of losses. These subsidies are without any doubt, going to the pockets of the ministers. If the government does not take immediate steps then we are very much likely to face a wheat production shortfall and the farmers will surely miss out on the wheat sowing target. It is time the government makes an efficient and effective plan to aid the farmers.
SAMAN SALEEM
SAJJAD ALI
wealth and earnings. According to an IMF report, flat tax is consequently less effective in countries that have a record of inward investment and abundance of capital. Therefore, when making an analysis of developed countries that we use as comparison, the flat tax regime has not been adopted by any and China is no exception in this case either. Other countries that have adopted the flat tax regime are micro states, including Seychelles, Jamaica, Tuvalu, Mauritius and others. The only exception to the micro states in this aspect is the state of Paraguay which adopted a flat tax system last year. Therefore, the analysis one can make from these cases is that in places where an effective progressive tax system cannot evolve owing to administrative limitations, as is the case with these micro states, a flat tax regime might actually make sense. Countries and states that are larger in size have the ability to design more equitable ways of raising tax revenues. Lastly, as mentioned before, if public institutions of a particular country are suffering the rot where oligarchs have made a habit of stealing with impunity, then a good way for the government to induce the rich to pay taxes would be to introduce the flat tax regime. Therefore in the year 2001, the Russians became the first nation to induce the flat tax system to overcome the crises of corruption and tax evasion. What can be understood when studied in detail is that almost in all countries that have adopted the flat tax, government revenues from income tax have relatively decreased. That is why the adoption of the flat tax is simultaneously coupled with an increase in value added tax rates, something that was implemented by Eastern European countries. Most importantly, it needs to be understood that republican presidential candidate Herman Cain’s “9-9-9” plan is demanding the implementation of a nine per cent rate of personal and corporate tax, along with nine per cent national sales tax. What we can decipher from this is – something the gods have suspected for a long time now while hoping it was not true – that America is now like a school boy who has run out of luck and pocket money, broke, struggling for inward investment, ill governed, and run by a bunch of self interested oligarchic bourgeoisie. The writer is a seasoned banker with more than 30 years of experience and is currently chief manager SME bank.
KARAChI
ISlAMABAD
sHARI’A MATTERs
Leasing in Islam
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Humayon Dar
HE baseline rule in shari'a is that only those assets that have an inherent usufruct can be leased with the condition that the leased asset is used only for shari’a compliant activities. According to jurists, the lessor and lessee must agree on the lessee benefiting from the usufruct and that the leased asset must have that usufruct. According to the Shafi'i school of thought, it is not sufficient to agree upon benefiting from the inherent usufruct of the asset, rather they require further specifica-
tions as to what extent and what manner the lessee may benefit. Imam Abu Yousuf and some later Hanafis are more liberal when it comes to the conditions of a lease. According to them, the two parties can lease an asset as long as it has a usufruct, without having to specify in detail its exact usage. There are two leasingbased contracts under use in contemporary Islamic banking & finance: ijara and ijara wa iqtina'. It is preferred that the lessor must have the asset to be leased at the time of entering into the lease contract. However, this is only a preference and not a strict requirement, as it is acceptable for someone to enter into a lease agreement with another party before it acquires the asset to be leased. However, it is required of the lessor to acquire the asset before the actual lease period starts and make it available to the lessee. The issue of possession may follow from ownership but it is possible for someone to legitimately possess an asset. For example,
an agent may hold an asset on behalf of a principal who has instructed him to lease the asset to a third party. The baseline rule is that the lessor must possess the asset to be leased before the actual lease period starts, whether as a principal or an agent or even in some other cases. There are many Western-educated Muslim economists who argue that interest is nothing but rent for renting money to someone for a specified period. As leasing or renting is acceptable in Islam, so should be the lending of money for a return. This reasoning is based on a lack of understanding of the treatment of leasing in Islam. Applications of leasing in modern Islamic banking and finance are abound. On a retail level, some Islamic banks offer auto financing on the basis of leasing. There are some leasing-based home financing products as well. The most widely practiced use of leasing in capital markets is that of a leasing-based sukuk. While all these products broadly follow
sHAHAB JAFRY Business editor
KUNWAR KHULDUNE sHAHID sub-editor
BABUR sAGHIR creative Head
ALI RIZVI News editor
MAHEEN sYED sub-editor
HAMMAD RAZA Layout Designer
Use of ijara wa iqtina' as a financial lease is problematic from a shari'a viewpoint
shari'a requirements, there is one area that needs re-thinking and improvement, i.e. with regards to the responsibility of on-going maintenance of the leased asset. In order to understand this point more adequately, we may use an example. A bank buys a car from the market for the price of £50,000 and leases it to a client for a period of five years for a monthly rental of £1,000. If this lease is part of a hire purchase deal, then the bank must undertakes to sell the leased asset to the lessee for an agreed price once the lease period has lapsed and the lessee has fulfilled all its obligations. The lessee in turn undertakes to purchase the car for a price, from the lessor if the former is in breach of the lease contract during the lease period. The price is normally determined by a formula based on the amount outstanding in favour of the lessor pursuant
to the lease agreement and a profit margin. During the lease period and before the leased asset is sold to the lessee, the responsibility of maintenance remains with the owner. However, in practice this is given to the lessee by way of a service agreement between the lessor and the lessee. The estimated maintenance charges are included in the rental agreed in the lease agreement. It appears as if the use of ijara wa iqtina' as a financial lease is problematic from a shari'a viewpoint. It is indeed a complicated structure but the way it is practiced by Islamic banks by and large fulfils the generally acceptable shari’a requirements. The writer, PhD (Cambridge), is a Shari'a Advisor and Chairman of Edbiz Consulting Limited. He can be contacted at hdar@edbizconsulting.com
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Email: profit@pakistantoday.com.pk Ph: 042-36298305-10 Fax: 042-36298302 Website: www.pakistantoday.com.pk
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We feel that these students also deserve an opportunity, just like college students
CEO Pak-Qatar insurance, Ahmed Pervaiz explaining the need for hiring seminary students
EID UL AZHA
ANIMAL SACRIFICE BIG BOOST TO DYING LEATHER INDUSTRY ANALYSIS fARAKh ShAhZAD
A
fair number of Pakistanis who collectively slaughtered 5 million goats and 2 million cows on Eid ul Adha last year remained unable to perform the ritual this time due to increased poverty, surging inflation and high cost of living. According to surveys, this year witnessed 25-30 per cent decline in the number of slaughtered animals as compared to last year. The flip side is that the leather industry which is struggling due to shortage of raw material in the local market is upset due to lower figures of animals slaughtered on Eid which provides the biggest quantity of animal hides to the industry. It is unfortunate that the yield of animal hides which is the only raw material for leather industry is declining year by year. The value added exports of leather market that have amounted to more than one billion dollars has significantly decreased since the last three years. During fiscal year 2007-08, the country's export of leather goods stood at $1.15 billion, during 2008-09 at $943 million and during 2009-10 Pakistan's leather goods exports witnessed a further decline to $860 million. The declining trend in the exports of leather products is alarming but the bitter fact that is more alarming is that we are losing to our competitors in the global markets. For example, in 2009-10 the sector faced a sharp decline of 28 per cent in leather goods export, while on the other hand Indian exports of the same commodity witnessed a 26 per cent increase during the same period. According to a Federal Bureau of Statistics report, Pakistan's second biggest export-earning segment, leather and leather goods, witnessed an 18 per cent fall during July-June 2009-10, as against the same period last year. During 2009-10 the country's leather exports went down by about 7.57 per cent, leather garments exports declined by 12.53 per cent, exports of leather
gloves fell by 37 per cent and exports of other leather-based goods declined by about 31.60 per cent. The leather industry has a long-standing demand to ban live animal export to Afghanistan and Iran, saying that this causes acute shortage of skins – a basic raw material of the leather industry. The ministry of commerce issued a notification in August which said that the government had placed a ban on the export of live animals along with meat exports. But, after a gap of five hours, the ministry issued another notification saying that it was just a proposal and the final decision will be taken by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC). The leather industry wants a complete ban on export of livestock. Contrary to the leather industry’s interests, there are also a significant number of businessmen who hope to make a living in the livestock and meat export business. Which industry will get its wishes fulfilled is anybody’s guess as the ministry of commerce has sent the proposal of banning live animal exports to the ECC. Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA) says that the government should immediately ban live animal export to western and neighbouring countries. The tanners are not against the export of meat as this has little impact on the availability of skins which remain in the country. The leather goods exporters are unanimous that the leather industry is primarily hurt by the exports of live animals and not by growing meat exports. Analysts say that when we export a live animal, it means we are giving away the animal hide for free which has pushed the local leather industry to the verge of collapse. It is pertinent to note that we can double the amount of foreign exchange by prudent export strategy through the export of mutton and finished leather. The prime benefit of this policy is to create employment for thousands of skilled workers in value added industry dealing with tanning and leather product manufacturing. There is yet a bigger challenge faced by our leather industry that is more serious than animal export. The smuggling of ani-
mals to Iran and Afghanistan has increased manifolds due to laxity of law enforcement agencies. Government authorities have acknowledged that huge numbers of live animals are being smuggled to Afghanistan and Iran. According to statistics, Pakistan exported over $53 million of meat and meat preparations during the year 2011. This is the tip of an iceberg as compared to the illegal money earned from the smuggling of animals. According to rough estimates, live animals worth over $500 million are smuggled out of Pakistan every year which is 10 times of our meat exports. Pakistan is now earning huge foreign exchange from its packaged meat exports to Middle East region due to its geographical proximity to the Arab world. This industry should be encouraged so that we can grow our market share in growing Middle Eastern markets. The promotion of mutton export automatically means the promotion of local leather industry due to increased supply of raw material. Leather industry is solely dependent
on local raw material and according to careful estimates currently there are over 1,000 registered and unregistered leather units in Pakistan mostly located in Lahore, Kasur and Multan. Giving the reasons behind declining trend in the export of leather products, the leather stakeholders say that shortage of raw material is mainly due to smuggling of at least 100 trucks loaded with livestock/cattle to Afghanistan and Iran every month. In addition to that hundreds of animals are also reportedly sent to Middle East by boats. Moreover, thousands of animals have perished during two major floods in Pakistan which has aggravated the shortage. Eid ul Adha is a good opportunity to resuscitate the dying leather industry owing to an inflow of 5 million cow skins and 2 million goat skins during Eid to the raw material market of the leather industry. Leather market sources say that an average price of a goat skin is Rs500/ whereas a cow skin fetches around Rs4,500/.
LCCI urges govt to tackle financial instability LAHoRE STAff RePoRT
L
AHORE Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged the government to prepare a fool proof, well designed and well thought out strategy to avert downward spiral of financial instability that is currently sweeping the euro zone. In an issued statement, the LCCI President, Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said that the present economic situation being faced by the country needs urgent measures as the shocks caused by the deepening debt crisis in Europe is likely to create ripples for a developing country like Pakistan. "If we do not act now, the economy will run the risk of a downward spiral of uncertainty, financial instability," he said. The LCCI President said that an appropriate economic roadmap backed by a well thought out implementation and monitoring mechanism, is a prerequisite to economic revival of the country. The two sides, the government and the private sector would have to sit together as early as possible to achieve this much cherished goal. He said that the private sector has the ability to make this country a hub of economic activities. Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said that the fact remains that Pakistan is faced with multiple internal and external challenges. The economy is in bad shape and the law and order situation are deteriorating. There are issues of governance because of which we are sinking slowly, but surely. He said that at the international front, the country’s image is plunging with every passing day. Its goods are fast becoming uncompetitive while foreign investors are reluctant to even visit this country. The LCCI President said that despite having all the resources, Pakistani businessmen are fast losing hope because of the high costs associated with the business. There is a daily upward fluctuation in the prices of inputs and high markup rather the highest one, not only in the developing world but also in the developed countries. He said that the President of Pakistan, the Prime Minister, the Governors, the Chief Ministers, the Federal and Provincial cabinets and all the leading Chambers of Commerce need to have a joint sitting in order to identify the solutions of the problems being faced by the country since the time is running out. He said that if the situation remains the same for quite some time, a large number of businessmen would not be able to pay their dues to the banks and would be bound to default.
KSE remains stable despite wary investor sentiments KARACHI STAff RePoRT
L
OCAL bourse trailed regional peers in today’s session as trading commenced amidst wary sentiments after the prolonged Eid holidays. As Italy replaced Greece at the center of European debt crisis, fear of a split in the euro-zone kept global equities under pressure. Investor participation remained dismal with 49 million shares traded during the day as the benchmark index could not sustain 12K level amidst profit taking. Since local fundamentals remain mostly impervious to the latest development in euro-zone, the reaction at the local bourse appears transitory. Positive news flows especially in energy sector indicating speedy resolution of circular debt depict possible re-rating in the sector thus positively influencing the overall index’s performance in the intermediate term. The KSE 100 index closed at 11969.05 levels with the gain of 11.75 points, while KSE 30 index gained 7.81 points to close at 11300.38 levels. All Share index closed at 8281.27 levels after gaining 7.10 points. Total 96 scrips advanced 108 de-
clined and 110 remain unchanged out of total 314 scrips traded. The local bourse, on syndicated efforts energised by positive developments, restructuring of maturing T-bills and meeting of Pak-India leadership, successfully resisted otherwise an extensive decline, mainly on the fierce meltdown in international and regional equities and commodities. The index failed to sustain the initial low volume high of 12000, supported by OGDC and MCB. The stocks contributed almost 40 points to the benchmark 100, for it too managed an unchanged status on closing besides keeping the benchmark in brown zone during the closing hour. Issuance of bonds and T-bills to offset interest receivables of the local banks did inspire the accumulators to adopt an aggressive stance, as the step will create space for financing to the OMCs and IPPs, although the plan to settle circular debt by securing loans from international lenders seems far fetched. Since LOC from IMF stays a major pre requisite, the financial transaction executed will provide some breathing space to the mentioned beneficiaries, thus keeping the interest in banking stocks alive. Cued up
sellers on strength following the old saying “act on rumors and react on news” however, disallowed the sector stocks as well as various high priced stocks from staging a rally, thus leading to a weaker market. This was reflected by low volumes despite news flash suggesting improved relations with India. The propagation did inspire snap rallies in frontline cement and textile stocks, absence of follow-up however disallowed aggressive display despite corporate participation, thus forcing the
strength to defuse after change of hands on strength. Therefore, stagnation invited low volume price erosion during the closing hour. Fauji group stocks from the fertiliser sector undoubtedly led the market during early hours inviting renewed buying after staying under correction phase for quite a few sessions. The junior partner lost steam quite early while range bound activity and lack of interest disallowed the elder brother FFC to find consolidation on strength. “The stock however managed to stay
in green zone, while Engro on fears of gas supply and high debt portfolio witnessed off-loading from various quarters, thus keeping the stock under pressure. Covering purchases however did allow the stock to resist bottom lock and managed to trade around lower trajectory for most part of the session, while fears of low volume price erosion mainly due to shallowness kept the likely entrants in search of panic sell, caution was therefore quite evident,” said Hasnain Asghar Ali at Aziz Fida Husein.
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Friday, 11 November, 2011
We have gone pretty far in what we can do but there is not much more that can be expected from us
news
ECB Governing Council Member Klaas Knot
Italy eyes unity cabinet as EU dithers on crisis REUtERS
I
RoMe
TALY moved closer to a national unity government on Thursday, following Greece's lead in seeking a respected veteran European technocrat to pilot painful economic reforms in an effort to avert a euro zone bond market meltdown. After four days of chaotic haggling, former European Central Bank vice-president Lucas Papademos was appointed to head an interim crisis cabinet charged with saving Greece from default, bankruptcy and an exit from the euro zone. In Rome, former European Commissioner Mario Monti emerged as favorite to replace Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi within days and lead an emergency government that would implement long delayed reforms of pensions, labor markets and business regulation. Political and economic turmoil in Italy has spurred fears of a possible break-up of the euro zone with borrowing costs for Europe's third biggest economy at unsustainable levels and the 17-nation currency bloc unable to afford a bailout. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Europe's main paymaster, called for broad political support for reforms in Greece and said she believed Italy was winning back confidence, but political clarity was still needed in Rome. She rejected talk of a possible shrinking of the currency area, saying: "We only have one goal, that is to bring about a stabilization of the euro zone in its current form." European Union officials continued to dither and pass the buck on how best to fight the worsening sovereign debt crisis. Three senior ECB policymakers rebuffed pressure from investors and foreign governments to intervene massively as a lender of last resort on bond markets to shield Italy and Spain from rapidly spreading financial contagion.
"We have gone pretty far in what we can do but there is not much more that can be expected from us. It is now up to the governments," ECB governing council member Klaas Knot told the Dutch parliament. Knot, who is also Dutch central bank chief, said bond-buying only had a temporary effect. The ECB has bought more than 180 billion euros of peripheral euro zone bonds and traders said it was active again in the market on Thursday, but the purchases have failed to lower borrowing costs durably. Stepping up the scale of bond-buying would eventually force the ECB to start printing money with the risk of stoking inflation, which was why the EU treaty had excluded such action, Knot said. ECB executive board member Peter Praet said it was not the task of the central bank to intervene "when there are fundamental doubts about the sustainability of some countries". Outgoing ECB chief economist Juergen Stark earlier rejected calls for the ECB to act as lender of last resort like the U.S. Federal Reserve or the Bank of England. In Brussels, a euro zone official said there were no plans to use the bloc's 440-billion-euro ($600 billion) rescue fund to help Italy, even with a precautionary credit line. "Financial assistance is not in the cards," the official said. A second official said: "The ECB will be drawn like every one else by the weight of gravity (to act)."
MARKETS STEADIER
Italian 10-year bond yields steadied at around 7 percent, a level seen as unquestionable in the long term, due to signs that the political deadlock may be easing. Rome paid less to sell 1-year treasury bills than many had feared. Sources in Berlusconi's conservative PdL party said he was now convinced it would be better not to call elections at the moment, an abrupt reversal. The billionaire media magnate has agreed to resign within days after parliament approves long de-
layed economic reforms demanded by European partners. PdL parliamentary floor leader Fabrizio Cicchitto said the party was considering backing a unity government led by Monti, a respected economist favored by the center-left opposition. Berlusconi's populist coalition partner, the Northern League, said it would not support a Monti government. Monti, 68, was appointed a senator for life on Wednesday in a move that appeared to prefigure his possible rise to the premiership, but he has made no public statement and it is unclear what conditions he may set for taking office. In Athens, Papademos said after agreeing to head a crisis coalition: "The Greek economy is facing huge problems despite the efforts undertaken. "The choices we will make will be decisive for the Greek people. The path will not be easy but I am convinced the problems will be resolved faster and at a smaller cost if there is unity, understanding and prudence." The euro rose from a one-month low and world stocks inched up on hopes that new governments being formed in Italy and Greece could help fend off a euro zone break-up.
SMALLER EURO ZONE DENIED
Merkel, French officials and the EU's executive Commission all tried to quash talk of a possible shrinking of the euro area, although they raised the possibility last week that Greece might leave the single currency. EU sources told Reuters that French and German officials had held informal discussions on a twospeed Europe with a more tightly integrated and possibly smaller euro zone and a looser outer circle. The discussions among senior policymakers, still in the realms of the theoretical, have focused on how to protect the euro zone from breaking up via tighter common policies which some members may by unable or unwilling to live with. European Commission President
Jose Manuel Barroso issued a stark warning of the dangers of a split in the European Union. "There cannot be peace and prosperity in the North or in the West of Europe, if there is no peace and prosperity in the South or in the East," Barroso said in a speech in Berlin. Merkel called on Wednesday for changes in EU treaties after French President Nicolas Sarkozy advocated a two-speed Europe in which euro zone countries accelerate and deepen integration while an expanding group outside the currency bloc stays more loosely connected. The head of the International Monetary Fund called for political clarity in efforts to tackle Italy's debt crisis, warning that the world could face a "lost decade" if Europe's problems were not tackled boldly. Uncertainty around who would succeed Berlusconi was fuelling market volatility, Christine Lagarde said on a visit to China. "No one exactly understands who is going to come out as the leader. That confusion is particularly conducive to volatility," she told a news conference in Beijing. "Political clarity is conducive to more stability and my objective from the Fund's point of view is better and more stability." A senior G20 source said the idea of convening an emergency meeting of finance ministers of the world's leading economies to discuss support measures for the euro zone before the French presidency ends at the end of the year had been dropped. They would meet next in Mexico in February. Euro zone finance ministers agreed on Monday on a road map for leveraging the currency bloc's rescue fund to shield larger economies like Italy and Spain from a possible Greek default. But markets are running faster than policy and there are deep doubts about the efficacy of those complex leveraging plans, and with Italy's debt totaling around 1.9 trillion euros even a larger bailout fund could struggle to cope.
‘WORLD’S POOREST 137 MILLION RECEIVED MICRO LOANS IN 2010’ ISLAMABAD STAff RePoRT
M
ORE than 137.5 million of the world’s poorest families received a micro loan in 2010, an all-time high, according to a report released by the Microcredit Summit Campaign (MSC) on Thursday. The report’s release precedes the Global Microcredit Summit to be held in valladolid, Spain on November 14-17. The summit will be inaugurated by Queen Sofía and Grameen Bank founder, Muhammad Yunus. At the first Microcredit Summit in 1997, only 7.6 million of the world’s poorest families had been reached. While the growth in numbers has been inspiring, we must keep our attention on the wisdom of the clients. The report tells us that when asked what they want for themselves and their families, their answers include, ‘education for their children,
health for their family, decent housing that keeps the rain and cold out, and regular, nutritious meals.’ This is what we will pursue when we gather at the Microcredit Summit in valladolid”, Prof Yunus said. Assuming an average of five persons per family, these 137.5 million micro loans affected more than 687 million family members, which is greater than the combined populations of the European Union and Russia. Micro loans are used to help people living in poverty in both industrialised and developing countries to expand a range of small businesses, such as selling products in a local market, making clothes, and providing computer and other business services in rural areas. As a strategic partner of MSC, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) supports the work of MSC in Pakistan. PPAF works closely with MSC for inclusive and improved financial services to the underserved.
Since its inception, PPAF has disbursed more than $775 million through 4.7 million microcredit loans. Currently, almost 45 per cent of Pakistan’s 2.1 million borrowers are financed by PPAF through its 52 partner organisations in 92 districts across the country. While more than 205 million people worldwide received a micro loan in 2010, this multi-year campaign focuses on outreach to the poorest clients. According to the report, over the last 13 years, the number of very poor families with a micro loan has grown more than 18fold from 7.6 million in 1997 to 137.5 million in 2010. The latest data comes from more than 3,600 institutions worldwide, with more than 94 percent of the information having been collected within the last 18 months. The report also highlights the number of poorest women
reached. Not only have these women been excluded from traditional banking, but they are also the ones most likely to ensure that the increased income is used to improve the lives of their children. From 1999 to 2010, the number of poorest women reached has increased from 10.3 million to 113.1 million. MSC aims to reach 175 million of the world’s poorest families by 2015 and ensure that 100 million of those families move above the World Bank’s $1.25-a-day poverty threshold. MSC is a project of RESULTS Educational Fund, a U.S.-based advocacy organisation committed to creating the will to eliminate poverty. The campaign was launched in 1997 and, in 2007, surpassed its original goal of reaching 100 million poorest families with credit for selfemployment and other financial and business services.
26
CORPORATE CORNER 6th Jazz sMs khazana awards 50 tolas of gold
LAhore: Mobilink has announced the grand prize winner of the 6th Jazz SMS Khazana offer who was awarded 50 tolas of gold as grand prize. The Jazz SMS Khazana has been one of the most heavily participated SMS campaigns in Pakistan. The winner of the grand prize, Mr Javaid, a resident of Lahore, was overwhelmed at the occasion, saying, “SMS Khazana has changed my life and has made all my dreams come true. I am extremely thankful to Mobilink and Jazz for giving me an opportunity to win this amazing prize.” PReSS ReleASe
samsung brings smartphone for the youth - Galaxy Y LAhore: Samsung electronics, a global leader in digital media, telecommunications and convergence technologies, has launched Galaxy–Y. This is an innovative smartphone, customised to suit the communication needs and budget of the youth. The Samsung S5360 Galaxy Y promises the Android experience at a bargain. It has a highly economical price with amazing features. Moreover, the Android market also offers plenty of games, handy tools and productivity apps for the Galaxy Y users. Samsung Pakistan’s Managing Director, Mr Hee Chang Yee said, “Using the advanced technologies in the smartphone market, Samsung electronics will enable the young consumers to enjoy a smart life with the Galaxy Y smartphone.” PReSS ReleASe
silkbank announces ‘swipe, spend and Gain’ promotion for debit cardholders kArAChI: Silkbank has launched its latest promotional scheme, “Swipe, Spend and Gain” which offers exciting perks to the users of Silkbank’s visa debit card. Through this scheme the visa debit card users will enjoy guaranteed 5 per cent cash back on all retail transactions of Rs500 or above within or outside Pakistan and win fabulous prizes through monthly lucky draws. Expressing his views about this new scheme, Country Manager, Pakistan and Afghanistan, vISA, Mr Amer Pasha said, “The programme was developed in response to the growing need for tailored products in Pakistan and so we decided to reward the customers for their preference of visa Debit Cards.” PReSS ReleASe
KARAChI: The Consul General of UAe and Dean of the diplomatic corp, Mr Suhail Bin Matar Al Ketbi, presenting a traditional silver shield to the out going Consul General of Afghanistan, Mr Abdul Ahad Khaliqyar, at a simple ceremony at UAe Consulate premises. pRESS RELEaSE
KARAChI: The honorary Consul General of Morocco, Mr Ishtiaq Baig hosted a dinner in honour of the newly arrived diplomats, Consul General of Turkey Mr Murat Mustafa onart, and Consul General of Germany, Dr and Mrs Tilo Klinner, at his residence. pRESS RELEaSE
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Friday, 11 November, 2011
27
Markets top 10 sectors
55% 11% 10% 05% 07%
chemicals
01% 01% 02% 10% 01%
Food Producers
construction & Materials electricity Banks
Fixed Line telecommunication
oil & Gas
Financial services
Personal Goods
General industrials
STOCK MaRKeT HIgHLIgHTS index 11969.05 3171.71 2656
Kse-100 Lse-25 ise-10
change +11.75 -24.7 +13.75
Volume 43,892,446 969,974 68,550
Market Value 3,230,255,806 46,949,351 2,860,239
Major gainers company Unilever Pak Foods Bhanero tex.XD McB Bank Ltd Linde Pakistan Ltd. National FoodsXD
open 1673.33 229.00 155.77 100.00 58.56
High 1690.00 235.00 161.50 104.35 61.48
Low 1689.99 235.00 156.10 100.04 59.11
close 1690.00 229.00 160.41 102.84 61.34
change turnover 16.67 20 0.00 30 4.64 1,363,637 2.84 410 2.78 710
3197.87 427.00 2651.00 138.09 5850.00
3100.00 405.10 2501.09 129.85 5328.09
3161.93 415.68 2600.16 131.49 5624.93
9.78 -9.06 -4.70 -4.35 21.33
Major Losers Nestle Pakistan Attock Petroleum Rafhan Product engro corporation UniLever Pak Ltd.
top 5 perForMers sector wise sYMBOL
OPEN
HIGH
LOW CURRENT
CHANGE
VOLUME
404.69 120.40 6.98 93.80 334.90
396.00 116.10 6.75 89.30 308.94
396.87 117.57 6.77 92.03 310.82
-6.98 -1.21 -0.12 1.02 -14.37
61,485 833,559 399,510 91,674 314,938
15.00 31.05 71.99 143.49 40.80
14.00 29.29 65.17 137.50 37.06
15.00 29.30 70.64 139.79 37.39
0.00 -1.53 2.05 -0.90 -1.57
1,500 2,485,646 855 4,017 244,529
Oil and gas Attock PetroleumXD Attock Ref.XD Byco Petroleum Mari Gas co.XB National Ref.XD
403.85 118.78 6.89 91.01 325.19
131 90,668 803 3,902,316 5
Agritech Ltd. Arif Habib coXDXB sD Biafo industriesXD clariant Pakistan Dawood Hercules
15.00 30.83 68.59 140.69 38.96
Bank Al-Falah National Bank engro corp Arif Habib sD Fauji Fertilizer
11.47 45.17 135.84 31.51 181.93
11.95 46.20 138.09 31.98 186.30
11.30 44.56 129.85 30.92 179.80
11.74 44.89 131.49 31.10 182.64
0.27 6,414,600 -0.28 4,395,422 -4.35 3,902,316 -0.413 766,883 0.71 2,863,727
Bullion Market Gold 24K Gold 22K silver (tezabi) silver (thobi)
Per tola (PKR) 57,482.00 51,608.00 1,098.00 1025.00
Per 10 Gm (PKR) 49,334.00 44,245.00 942.00 880.00
Per ounce Us$ 1,772.00 – 35.05 –
Interbank Rates Us Dollar UK Pound Japanese yen euro
24.70 1.50 9.00 35.00 11.52
23.25 1.41 8.60 34.00 11.00
23.59 1.45 9.00 34.50 11.00
-0.31 0.00 0.07 -0.48 -0.56
40,885 8,285 3,035 25,300 63,850
Al-Abbas cement Attock cementXD Berger Paints Bestway cement cherat cement
2.00 51.11 11.79 8.11 7.66
2.00 51.99 12.00 9.11 8.19
1.90 50.81 11.60 8.11 7.50
1.92 51.02 11.91 8.11 8.01
-0.08 -0.09 0.12 0.00 0.35
26,799 108,952 4,762 100 197,042
29.62 2.49 41.17 7.72 22.00
Buy 86.00 116.88 136.35 1.0894 84.03 10.85 23.28 22.75
sell 86.70 118.99 138.70 1.1109 87.83 11.18 23.61 23.11
Brent Crude Oil
$112.31
6.93 184.30 28.50 7.00 108.00
30.40 3.25 42.00 7.95 22.00
28.14 2.21 39.12 7.01 20.95
28.14 3.08 39.60 7.65 22.00
-1.48 0.59 -1.57 -0.07 0.00
14,022 614,084 16,802 993 70
58.00 169.52 117.00 2.63 168.53
7.90 184.30 28.50 6.90 108.00
6.93 184.30 28.25 6.25 102.60
6.93 184.30 28.26 6.70 108.00
0.00 0.00 -0.24 -0.30 0.00
10 90 5,055 5,004 2
58.00 170.00 118.00 2.79 169.99
58.00 168.50 117.00 2.43 168.53
58.00 168.94 117.94 2.51 168.53
0.00 -0.58 0.94 -0.12 0.00
2,000 240 302 39,802 31
Beverages Murree Brewery co. shezan int’l
8.00 1.75 23.52 28.10 11.58
8.00 1.75 23.90 28.50 11.70
110.49 111.43 150.02 150.00
(colony) thal AL-Qadir textile Amtex Limited Annoor textile Artistic Denim XD
1.70 11.25 1.67 13.00 18.50
1.11 11.25 1.70 14.00 18.50
AHcL-NoV AHcL-oct ANL-oct AtRL-NoV AtRL-oct
31.00 30.82 4.01 120.42 119.16
31.00 30.82 4.25 121.50 120.30
Abbott Laboratories Ferozsons (Lab) Ltd. GlaxosmithKline Pak. Highnoon (Lab) iBL Healthcare XD
102.49 80.00 68.92 28.09 10.92
103.00 80.00 68.26 28.09 11.92
109.00 111.18 145.05 145.58
P.t.c.L.A Pak Datacom LtdXD telecard Limited Wateen telecom Ltd Worldcall telecom
10.89 35.03 0.95 .68 1.13
10.98 34.01 1.00 1.70 1.19
0.69 -4.44
1,170 203
P.t.c.L.A Pak Datacom Ltd. telecard Limited Wateen telecom Ltd Worldcall telecom
11.47 31.65 1.09 1.51 1.32
8.00 1.74 22.54 27.88 11.50
0.00 -0.01 -0.98 -0.22 -0.08
53 23,501 91,748 70,820 2,995
1.11 11.25 1.45 14.00 18.25
1.11 11.25 1.60 14.00 18.49
-0.59 0.00 -0.07 1.00 -0.01
1,000 500 132,822 1,000 1,049
29.45 29.28 3.90 117.90 116.50
29.51 29.32 3.95 119.21 117.71
-1.49 -1.50 -0.06 -1.21 -1.45
376,500 516,500 24,500 201,000 200,000
101.00 78.10 67.01 27.65 10.99
102.10 80.00 68.06 28.09 11.92
-0.39 0.00 -0.86 0.00 1.00
1,283 45 1,557 100 25,154
10.71 34.01 0.90 1.65 1.06
-0.18 -1.02 -0.05 -0.03 -0.07
470,873 500 68,502 152,954 235,458
10.65 34.01 0.90 1.52 1.00
11.77 32.66 1.09 1.68 1.35
11.42 31.65 1.01 1.47 1.15
11.64 32.66 1.03 1.50 1.28
0.17 1.01 -0.06 -0.01 -0.04
4,752,418 1,430 194,249 449,333 649,632
0.50 36.38 0.75 1.70 41.36
0.50 36.50 0.77 1.70 41.80
0.36 36.10 0.70 1.56 41.25
0.50 36.10 0.71 1.60 41.53
0.00 -0.28 -0.04 -0.10 0.17
1 1,022,035 38,682 752,756 220,355
63.16 11.15 5.94 11.15 29.95
64.00 11.29 6.08 11.35 30.20
62.50 10.75 5.79 10.70 29.55
62.69 10.89 5.83 10.89 29.91
-0.47 -0.26 -0.11 -0.26 -0.04
32,694 944,906 319,287 1,929,563 175,090
electricity Genertech Hub Power co.XD Japan Power K.e.s.c. XR Kot Addu PowerXD
Banks Allied Bank Ltd Askari Bank B.o.Punjab Bank Al-Falah Bank AL-Habib
sYMBOL
OPEN
HIGH
LOW CURRENT
CHANGE
VOLUME
Non Life Insurance 7.00 1.70 22.50 27.50 11.50
Fixed Line Telecommunication
automobile and Parts Agriautos indus.XD Atlas Battery Ltd. Atlas Honda Ltd. Dewan Motors exide (PAK)
Abdullah shah colony sugar Mills engro Foods Ltd. Habib sugar Mills Habib-ADM Ltd.XD
Pharma and Bio Tech
general Industrials cherat PackagingXD ecoPAcK Ltd Ghani Glass LtdXD MAcPAc Films Merit Pack
VOLUME
Future Contracts
Construction and Materials
Ados Pakistan AL-Ghazi tractors Bolan castingXD Ghandhara ind. Hinopak Motor
International Oil Price WTI Crude Oil
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49.64 8.50 34.49 48.67 7.16
49.50 8.50 35.00 50.00 7.50
48.60 8.10 33.86 48.00 7.06
49.40 8.47 33.99 49.79 7.50
-0.24 -0.03 -0.50 1.12 0.34
6,785 1,651 1,110 3,909 1,500
13.50 1.40 65.53
14.50 1.40 65.53
0.00 0.00 0.00
2 1 157
0.30 14.89 17.71 0.86 7.25
-0.02 -1.00 -0.25 -0.02 -0.01
9,463 13,487 19,659 9,495 2,100
Life Insurance American Life east West Life Assur eFU Life Assur
14.50 1.40 65.53
14.50 2.34 68.80
Financial Services AMZ Ventures A Arif Habib invesXD Arif Habib Ltd. Dawood equities invest & Fin.sec.
0.32 15.89 17.96 0.88 7.26
0.35 15.50 18.34 1.09 7.26
0.22 14.89 17.20 0.86 7.25
equity Investment Instruments 1st.Fid.Leasing Mod 1.70 3.98 AL-Noor ModarXD Allied RentalModXDXB 19.90 Atlas Fund of Fund 6.00 B.F.ModarabaXD 5.56
1.50 4.00 19.90 6.10 5.56
1.50 3.60 19.88 5.90 5.00
1.50 4.00 19.90 5.90 5.56
-0.20 0.02 0.00 -0.10 0.00
15,000 25,100 3,700 414,000 7
13.81 32.07 35.60 31.00 69.85 1.67 70.55 4.30 12.00 8.60 25.00 60.50 133.00 29.28 16.50 2.10 10.50 0.93 2.06 1.12 17.61 20.07 1.06 68.50
13.86 32.07 35.60 31.00 69.94 1.70 72.30 4.50 13.00 8.72 25.00 62.59 140.00 29.28 16.50 2.22 10.90 1.00 2.10 1.21 17.66 20.19 1.06 68.50
-0.16 0.00 0.00 -1.14 -0.06 -0.05 2.15 0.05 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.10 -0.06 -0.02 0.07 -0.41 -0.14 0.00 -1.09
22,200 100 86 1,500 4,603 42,103 2,304 4,504 305 1,758 25 26 1 300 1,500 46,002 947,959 10,953 106,937 94,631 5,075 5,522 300 66
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14.02 32.07 35.60 32.14 70.00 1.75 70.15 4.45 13.00 8.70 25.00 62.59 140.00 29.28 16.50 2.20 10.80 1.06 2.12 1.14 18.07 20.33 1.06 69.59
14.20 32.88 36.39 31.00 70.99 1.79 72.95 4.59 13.00 8.80 25.99 62.59 140.00 30.73 16.50 2.29 10.94 1.10 2.20 1.24 18.19 20.49 1.20 68.50
Mutual Funds Fund Alfalah GHP cash Fund Askari islamic Asset Allocation Fund Askari islamic income Fund Askari sovereign cash Fund Atlas income Fund Atlas islamic income Fund Atlas Money Market Fund Atlas stock Market Fund crosby Dragon Fund
Offer 501.2900 114.7196 103.6501 100.6900 519.3500 519.0900 516.9700 453.1500 82.9800
Repurchase 501.2900 111.8516 102.6136 100.6900 514.2100 513.9500 516.9700 444.2600 81.3500
NAV 501.2900 111.8516 102.6136 100.6900 514.2100 513.9500 516.9700 444.2600 81.3500
Fund HBL Money Market Fund HBL Multi Asset Fund HBL stock Fund iGi income Fund iGi stock Fund Js Principal secure Fund i Js Principal secure Fund ii KAsB cash Fund Lakson equity Fund
Offer 100.2768 87.0103 97.6745 101.8987 112.3545 121.5000 104.1200 0.0000 106.3763
Repurchase 100.2768 85.3042 95.2922 100.8898 109.6141 111.5200 96.5000 0.0000 103.2779
NAV 100.2768 85.3042 95.2922 100.8898 109.6141 117.3900 101.5800 100.1087 103.2779
ISB Layout 29 pages_Layout 1 11/11/2011 2:30 AM Page 28
Friday, 11 November, 2011
PNsC is not planning to get the loan of $40m from ECO because of the recent decline in the international shipping industry, and buying a vessel at this time would be a bad decision
news
28
Official sources
INTERNATIONAL sHIPPING CRIsIs
Pakistan shipping corporation loses interest in $40m loan g
Dip in international shipping industry to remain till 2013 PNsC exposed to various financial risks g
KARACHI WAQAR hAMZA
P
AKISTAN National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) has seemingly lost its interest in getting the $40m loan from Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) that they had applied for, due to a recent dip in the international shipping market. Though the Minister of Ports and Shipping and the Chairman PNSC have recently announced that they are planning to buy new vessels, yet the dip in the international shipping industry would not improve till the year 2013. Official sources at the corporation told Profit that they are not planning to get the loan of $40m from ECO because of the recent decline in the international shipping industry, and buying a vessel at this time would be a bad decision. This is seemingly against the will of the minister and the chairman of the PNSC who recently announced their plan of purchasing new vessels. Sources further informed that most shocking decision in this regard is that the administration of the corporation has decided to scrap two of it’s bulk carriers namely M.v. Sargodha and M.v Multan soon, which will leave the corporation with a fleet of 7 vessels, although they don’t have to buy new vessels. After the scrap of these vessels they would go to buy new vessels with the help of loan,
which means they would like to increase the liabilities on the corporation, sources added. The need of new loan does not arise as the corporation already has $20m left with them from the previous loans they got for buying 6 vessels, sources reasoned. The previous administration took a $130m loan of total and bought 6 new vessels with $110m, so the current administration still has $20m. In addition the carriers they are scrapping would give the PNSC around $6m, as each of them would be sold for $3m, sources added. A new vessel of the same capacity being scrapped is available for $15m. It is pertinent to mention that Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) is an intergovernmental regional organisation established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey for the purpose of promoting economic, technical and cultural cooperation among the Member States. It is also to be noted that PNSC has already been exposed to a variety of financial risks that include credit risk, market risk (including foreign exchange risk, cash flow, fair value interest rate risk, price risk) and liquidity risk. For example, according to annual report of the corporation, in the previous financial year out of the total financial assets,
financial assets of the company that are subject to credit risk amounted to Rs3,548.898 million (2010: Rs3,133.362 million). Similarly, the corporation has a high exposure to interest rate risk due to the financing obtained during the reported year, and if interest rates on borrowings had been 250 basis points higher/lower with all other variables held constant at the end of the last financial year, profit after taxation for the year would have been lower/higher by Rs 21.981 million (2010: Rs Nil). Moreover, during the year, the corporation has obtained financing facility of Rs10,300 million (June 30, 2010: nil). The financing was obtained in the form of a syndicated term finance loan of Rs9,000 million and the remaining amount of Rs1,300 million in the form of Term Finance Certificates (TFCs) with a face value of Rs5,000 each by way of private placement. The Corporation has also paid loan arrangement fee amounting to Rs106.662 million out of which Rs88.160 million (June 30, 2010: nil) was included in the amortised cost of the long term financing whereas the unamortised portion amounting to Rs18.502 million (June 30, 2010: nil) has been included in deposits and short-term prepayments.
the administration of the corporation has decided to scrap two of it’s bulk carriers namely M.V. sargodha and M.V Multan soon, which will leave the corporation with a fleet of 7 vessels
Exports grow by 13pc during July-October 2011 KARACHI STAff RePoRT
P
AKISTAN’S exports during October 2011 were valued at $1.896 billion which was 2.2 per cent lower than the $1.938 billion worth of goods exported during October 2010. Imports during October 2011 were valued at $3.607 billion registering an increase of 12.9 per cent from the $3.196 billion worth of imports in October 2010. According to available statistics, the cumulative figure shows that Pakistan’s exports during JulyOctober 2011-12 were worth $7.899 billion, while in the corresponding period last year exports were valued at $6.996 billion, which shows a 12.9 per cent growth in numbers. Whereas the imports during July-October 2011-12 were worth $14.313 billion as compared to $12.225 billion during the same period last year; registering a 17.1 per cent increase.
Dollar reserves decrease to $17.028 billion KARACHI STAff RePoRT
T
HE country’s liquid foreign exchange reserves, that have been showing a week long downward trend, shrank to $17.028 billion. Compared with last week’s $17.146 billion, the country’s latest week’s dollar holdings depict a decline of 0.6 per cent or $118 million, the central bank reported. State Bank of Pakistan also counted its dollar reserves at $13.280 billion, 0.9 per cent or $129 million down when compared with $13.409 billion of the preceding week. The week under review however, saw a slight increase of $11 million in the reserves of the commercial banks that stood at $3.748 billion against $3.737 billion of last week. During the previous week, the foreign exchange reserves of the banks, a major stimulus for the country’s overall reserves, had contracted by $29 million. SBP chief spokesman, Syed Wasimmudin attributes such ups and downs in foreign exchange reserves to growth in the banks’ deposits, withdrawals and routine debt repayments.
Budgetary loans make banks’ NDAs cross Rs100 billion g
Monetary expansion down at 0.07 per cent due to declining foreign assets g Cash strapped government’s bank loans up by 36.4 per cent to Rs241 billion KARACHI
T
ISMAIl DIlAWAR
HE massive budgetary borrowings by the cash strapped federal and provincial governments from the commercial banks have increased the latter’s Net Domestic Assets (NDAs) by over 68 per cent during first four months of the current fiscal year, 2011-12. Despite this astronomical increase in NDAs, the monetary expansion in the inflation stricken country was set in the red zone and was recorded at
0.07 per cent or Rs4.882 billion, in monetary terms, during the JulyOctober 28 period. The expansion in broad money, also called M2, was 1.94 per cent or Rs112.036 billion during the corresponding period last year. The decrease in monetary expansion, the analyst believe, is because of the banks’ declining net foreign assets (NFAs) that during the review period contracted to minus Rs96.098 billion against a positive growth of Rs52.140 billion during the same period last year. As expected, the banks’ NDAs are upward and skyrocketed by
Rs41.083 billion to Rs100.979 billion during the period under review. Last year, the same was counted by the central bank at Rs59.896 billion. The economic observers attribute this exorbitant increase in the banks’ domestic assets to heavy budgetary borrowings by the funds starved government. According to State Bank, the government loans from the banking system climbed by 36.4 per cent or Rs64.337 billion to Rs241.087 billion compared to Rs176.750 billion of last corresponding period.
The government, however, has succeeded in arresting its loans from the central bank at Rs64.597 billion against last year’s Rs126.618 billion in order to check what the analysts warn, already double digit inflationary pressures. But, it is borrowing extensively from the commercial banks which during the review period lent Rs176.496 billion, up 252 per cent or Rs126.365 billion compared with last year’s Rs50.131 billion. The economists believe that continued and excessive government borrowings from the risk averse banks would lead to a sharp rise in
the latter’s domestic assets in the near future. Other indicators of the monetary expansion are also showing a downward trend with currency in circulation shrinking to Rs91.068 billion from Rs140.915 billion in last year. The analysts warn the resource constrained government against opting for easy sources of money led by bank borrowings instead of introducing long-term economic reforms that, they say, might prove to be short term bitter political pills, but would bring the ailing economy back on track in the long run.
ISB Layout 29 pages_Layout 1 11/11/2011 2:30 AM Page 29
Friday, 11 November, 2011
‘Imran factor’ reigns supreme in ‘N’ discussion
dawood Ibrahim’s ‘days numbered’
g
India’s underworld don Dawood Ibrahim is critically ill and feels that his days are numbered, hence is searching for an ‘appropriate’ burial spot in Mumbai or in his native town Khed in Ratnagiri district, Zee News reported According to Zee News, the 56-year-old “Karachi-based don”, who has had two massive heart attacks in the past two years, is being monitored round-theclock by a team of doctors and his family members. However, according to the report, Dawood is already busy planning his end. He has instructed his men to find a suitable place for his burial in Mumbai or in his native town Khed in Ratnagiri district. Zee News said the Mumbai Crime Branch was also aware of the don’s desire to be buried in India. Himanshu Rai, chief of the Crime Branch, has been quoted as saying, “We have received credible inputs regarding this.” Incidentally, Dawood had advanced the date of his younger daughter’s wedding a year ago after the second heart attack. While his elder daughter is married to former Pakistan cricketer Javed Miandad’s son, his son married the daughter of a UK-based businessman some time ago.
I
YASIR hABIB
N the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) first consultative meeting after party president Nawaz Sharif’s two-week-long foreign tour, the Imran Khan factor that sent chills down the spine of all political parties, and especially the PML-N, reigned supreme in the discussions. The meeting decided to stick to its guns and intensify efforts to dislodge the government and terminate it before the Senate elections. The meeting – held in Raiwind and attended by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Zulfiqar Ali Khosa, Saad Rafiq and Hamza Shahbaz – took stock of the fast emerging political
situation in the backdrop of the PML-N rally at Bhaati Chowk, PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s public meeting at Minare-Pakistan and the PPP’s tit-for-tat mood. “Nawaz finalised spearheading the anti-government drive to change the setup in the next two months,” a source privy to the development told Pakistan Today on Thursday. He said Nawaz, who stressed on completing the reorganisation of the party at the earliest, took PML-N leaders in confidence over speeding up direct and indirect talks with the fence-sitters, including the PML-Q dissident groups and other influential opposition parties to gain numerical strength in parliament. “Party leaders also exchanged views on en-bloc resignations and dissolving the Punjab government if such a situa-
tion arose,” the source said. According to a senior party leader, though the party remained prohibitive, the idea for a merger of all split factions of the Pakistan Muslim League was floated by party stalwarts to gain the lost glory and repel all threats issuing alarms to it at a time when the Senate elections were nearing. The PML-N decided to summon an important party meeting in a couple of days to outline the final strategy. Nawaz also rejected the offer of talks and decided to give a tough time to the government by spreading the anti-government drive throughout the country. The PML-N will also hold its oversees convention in Raiwind today (Friday) where party delegations from Japan, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, the US, the UK Canada and France are expected to participate.
Parliamentary body approves elevation of 10 judges ISLAMABAD STAff RePoRT
While endorsing the recommendations made by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, the Parliamentary Committee on Judges’ Appointment on Thursday approved the elevation of ten judges for the country’s higher courts. The committee approved three out of four names for the Supreme Court (SC), refusing to appoint Justice (r) Muhammad Athar Saeed as a SC judge. The committee met at the Parliament House with Senator Nayyar Hussain Bukhari in the chair. After the meeting, Bukhari told reporters that the committee had elevated 10 judges considering the recommendations of the Judicial Commission. He said the committee had approved the names of Justice Ijaz Afzal Khan, Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry and Justice Gulzar Ahmed for the apex court. The committee approved three nominations for SC judges, two for the chief justices of the Lahore High Court (LHC) and the Peshawar High Court (PHC), and three as additional judges and two as permanent judges for the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Dost Muhammad Khan have been approved as chief justices of the LHC and PHC respectively. The committee also regularised two IHC judges, Justice Anwar Kasi and Justice Riaz Ahmed, and made them permanent. It also approved the names of Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui from Punjab, Azeem Afridi from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Noorul Haq Qureshi from Sindh for appointment as additional judges of the IHC.
Iran ‘will respond with full force’ to any military threat
Party meeting decides to intensify efforts to dislodge government LAHoRE
MoNItoRING DESK
29
nAnKAnA SAhIB: Pakistani and Indian Sikh devotees gather around a bus carrying the Sikh holy book ‘Palky Sahib’ during a procession on Thursday on the occasion of the 542nd birth anniversary of Guru nanak Dev. afp
tEHRAN AfP
Iran “will respond with full force” to any attack – or even any threat of military action – the country’s supreme leader said on Thursday, after Israel warned the world must act to prevent Tehran getting nuclear weapons. Iran “will respond with full force to any aggression or even threats in a way that will demolish the aggressors from within”, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told students at a Tehran military college. Khamenei said the message was directed at Iran’s enemies, “especially America and its stooges and the Zionist regime (Israel)”. The supreme leader’s forceful language followed threats last week from Israel that airstrikes could be in the offing against Iran’s nuclear sites. Israeli President Shimon Peres said last weekend that such action was becoming “more and more likely”. Rhetoric between Iran and its two principal foes, Israel and the US, has risen since the release on Tuesday of a UN report saying there was “credible” evidence suggesting Iran’s atomic programme was being used to research putting nuclear warheads in ballistic missiles. Iran, which has long denied any military thrust to its nuclear programme, responded to the report by saying it would not budge “an iota” from its atomic course and asserted its could confront any attack. “Iran is not a nation to sit still and just observe threats from fragile materialist powers which are being eaten by worms from inside,” Khamenei was quoted as telling the military cadets Thursday. “Anyone who harbours any thought of invading the Islamic Republic of Iran — or even if the thought crosses their mind — should be prepared to receive strong blows and the steel fists of the military, the (Revolutionary) Guards, and the Basij (militia), or in other words the Iranian nation,” he said. Iran’s parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani reinforced the message by telling Western powers, according to the website of state television, they “risk breaking their neck if they play certain games.”
Massive irregularities eating away ETpB ISLAMABAD MIAn ABRAR
Internal bickering, massive irregularities and violation of prescribed rules, misuse of authority and concealed and unhand deals are hallmark of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), the body responsible for looking after the affairs of properties and assets of minorities across the country. ETPB Chairman Asif Hashmi has been allegedly found involved in grave violations of rules in allotment and sale and purchase of ETPB’s land, says an enquiry report compiled by the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission (PMIC). However, since the report was sent to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani around a year back, no further action has been taken on the report yet. A detailed enquiry into the malfunction of the ETPB reveals massive
discrepancies in the affairs of the institution, suggesting that the bosses of the body had badly violated rules in their own interest or to favour their blue-eyed. The enquiry report also reveals a shady deal reached between the ETPB and Defence Housing Authority (DHA). According to the findings, the ETPB and DHA Lahore had negotiated sale/exchange of Evacuee Trust land situated at Mauza Lidhar, Mota Singhwala and Dera Chahal, Lahore Cantt tehsil in 2007. Both parties agreed that DHA will allocate 33 percent exemption of residential plots of one kanal each, the commercial plots at the scale of 10 percent (subsequently 16%) of residential plots to ETPB on the rates as for members of DHA. The ministry on receipt of proposal raised certain objections/observations. As a result the matter was delayed for considerable long period and was again
finalised in the year 2009.Due to unprofessional negotiations conducted by ETPB Chairman Asif Hashmi, the ETPB would be able to get 25 percent exemption as residential plots as comparison to earlier agreed 33 percent on residential plots while the development charges were also to be borne by the ETPB. Interestingly, the Ministry of Minorities’ Affairs did not allow the ETPB to enter into an agreement with DHA when terms and conditions were favourable and propitious in 2007, but it allowed the deed when terms and conditions were unfavourable and uneconomical. Under this deal, the ETPB would get 486 residential plots and no commercial plot, whereas 100 commercial plots were offered earlier. The report said the ETPB made investments in real estate without approval of the federal government, which
Published by Arif Nizami for Nawa Media Corporation (Pvt) Ltd. Printed by Ghulam Akbar, AA & NHT Group, Plot 24, Shalimar Road, Lilly Market, Soan Garden, Islamabad.
was also contrary to the law. The ministry, on the recommendations of ETPB, constituted an Investment Advisory Committee for preparation of investment proposals of surplus funds, but it failed to include its representative in the committee. In an apparent bid to please the ETPB secretary, the chairman allotted four plots measuring 21 M-079 Sq ft (total area of four plots) to the ETPB secretary against his entitlement of 20 marlas and without the formal approval of the ministry. The report claims that scheme construction of houses and buildings at DHA Lahore was approved by ETPB Chairman Asif Hashmi without seeking the approval of the board and ministry. A number of board members were not aware of the construction work being carried out by ETPB. continued on Page 04