e-paper pakistantoday 03rd may, 2012

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‘Time of war’ is ending, Obama tells Americans

Osama bin Laden keeps an eye on Earth from hell!

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rs 15.00 Vol ii no 306 22 pages

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US-Afghan pact ‘does not rule out drone strikes’ PAGE |22

Karachi edition

thursday, 3 May, 2012 Jamadi-ul-Sani 11, 1433

SC ‘not helpless No clash with judiciary, in getting verdicts Gilani assures Kayani implemented’ g

IHC disposes of petition seeking PM’s disqualification ISLAMABAD

StAff REpoRt

Says if state fails in fulfilling its responsibilities, then its solution is available in constitution

g

QUETTA

T

ShAhzADA zulfIqAR

HE Supreme Court (SC) said on Wednesday that it was not helpless in getting its decisions implemented, as a three-member bench heard the case of missing persons in Balochistan.

The bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Tariq Pervez and Justice Arif Khilji resumed the hearing on deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan.

During the 15-hour hearing of the case, Justice Tariq Pervez said the SC was not helpless, adding that if the federal agencies were not obeying the federal and provincial governments, then the system had failed.

If the state fails in fulfilling its responsibilities, then its solution is available in the constitution, Justice Khilji said.

The federal government is not cooperating in the issue of missing persons, while the Balochistan government is helpless in this regard, the CJP said while hearing the case.

The CJP also summoned Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani and Home Minister Zafarullah Zehri for today’s hearing to assure the court that no more dead bodies would be recovered in Balochistan and that people’s lives would be protected under Article 9 of the con-

stitution.

Deputy Attorney General Iskandar Khan submitted a report regarding the missing persons, and said that no progress had been made in the case.

Balochistan Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad told the court that the Frontier Corps (FC), Military Intelligence (MI) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had assured of their cooperation with the police in recovering the missing persons. He added that although a list of missing persons had been handed over to these agencies but no progress had been made so far.

Balochistan Advocate General Amanullah Kunrani said the Balochistan government had decided to take steps to recover the missing persons in accordance with the Supreme Court’s orders.

The CJP said that everyday a new story was appearing in the newspapers about recovered dead bodies of missing persons in Balochistan. He cited two news reports published in Wednesday’s papers about the recovery of two bodies on the Costal Highway. He remarked that only one missing person had been recovered after the court’s directives, and that nobody was worried about what was happening in the province. continued on page 04

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday assured Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani that the government had no dispute with the judiciary. According to sources, Gilani discussed the political situation after the ruling of Supreme Court against him with the army chief, and assured him that the Pakistan People’s Party would not clash with the judiciary.

However, the government would appeal against the verdict of the Supreme Court. continued on page 04

Sindhi separatists cracker-bomb banks across province KARACHI

AAMIR MAJEED

Sindhi separatists, inspired by Baloch nationalists, have launched a series of cracker blasts throughout the province on Wednesday to provoke the people to launch a ‘Baloch-like struggle for independence,’ it is reliably learnt.

This time the separatists targeted National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Sindh Bank and Citi Bank. Eleven blasts took place outside NBP and one each occurred outside Citi Bank and

Sindh Bank. One blast occurred at a railway track near Mirpur Mathelo.

Blasts were also reported from Hyderabad, Sukkur, Dadu, Badin, Nawabshah, Ranipur, Dokri and Larkana.

“There were four blasts in Hyderabad at Latifabad, Qasimabad, Gul Centre and Main Market and NBP was targeted,” Hyderabad Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Aijaz Bhatti told Pakistan Today.

Larkana District Police Officer (DPO) Aitzaz Ahsan Koraya said two blasts occurred at Baqrani Road and

VIP road and Citi Bank and NBP were targeted. Sukkur SSP Pir Muhammad Shah said a cracker blast was reported at NBP Main Branch in Sukkur. Kairpur SSP Irfan said the terrorists hurled a hand grenade at a NBP branch at National Highway in Ranipur, damaging it partially. Another NBP branch was targeted in Nawabshah in the jurisdiction of A-Section police station. continued on page 04

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02 News Today’s

thursday, 3 May, 2012

lAhorE

NEwS

Dr Aq Khan could be our next CM!

Asma Jahangir says govt has no control in Balochistan

Story on Page 07

Story on Page 06

cArtooN

Quick Look

Equipment for Afghan army is stranded in Pakistan: Pentagon

Page 13

ABBottABAD: Schoolchildren hold a placard during a protest at the site of the demolished compound of slain al qaeda leader osama bin laden on Wednesday. AFP

NEWS DESK Thousands of tons of military equipment intended for the Afghan army and police is stranded in Pakistan, which for months has refused to reopen ground supply routes for NATO convoys despite high-level US pressure, a new Pentagon report says. Unless Pakistan reopens the routes, Afghan army units will face “increasing shortages of equipment, particularly of vehicles,” according to the report, a regular assessment of the US-led war made public Tuesday. Lack of access to the routes is “a strategic concern” that “will also significantly” hamper the US military’s ability to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan over the next three years, according to the Pentagon. The report, which Congress requires every six months, gives a largely positive assessment of the war, noting that violence levels from October to March are lower in most parts of the country compared with the same period a year earlier. Afghan army and police units, which are due to take over the main combat role in late 2014 from the US and its allies, are improving, it says. But the campaign still faces “long-term and acute challenges” unless Pakistan moves against Taliban sanctuaries along the border and the Afghan government curtails corruption and takes other steps to improve its popularity with ordinary Afghans. A senior Defense official who briefed reporters on the report on the condition of anonymity, said that “we are making serious important progress” but “challenges remain.”

Babar Awan kicked out from PPP manifesto committee ISLAMABAD onlInE

In what appears to be the last nail in the coffin, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has removed former law minister Babar Awan from its manifesto committee, sources said on Wednesday. They said that Senator Aitzaz Ahsan had replaced Awan as the new member of the committee. Earlier on Tuesday, Awan was removed from the post PPP vice president, and the party’s office was also shifted from his residence. His brother Farooq Awan has also resigned as Special Adviser to Prime Minister.

UN seeks $2b to speed return of Afghan refugees GENEVA REutERS

Nearly 3 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Iran must be encouraged to go home to help stabilise their country and boost prospects for peace, the United Nations said on Wednesday, calling for $1.9 billion (1.1 billion pounds) in aid to help it happen. The UN refugee agency presented a Geneva conference with a 3-year plan - backed by all three countries - for the voluntary repatriation and reintegration of Afghanis, some of whom have spent decades in exile. “The ability for refugees to return in safety and dignity and become productive citizens in their communities upon return is also integral to the stability and progress of Afghanistan,” U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said at the start of two-day talks. The UN humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan said the refugee issue was a vital part of securing the country’s long-term future.

SC wants completion of Haj scam probe in 15 days ISLAMABAD

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StAff REpoRt

xPRESSING dismay over the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for not completing investigation into the Haj scam despite a lapse of almost two years, the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the FIA to complete the investigation within two weeks and submit a comprehensive report with the court’s registrar office.

A two-member bench of Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan and Justice Jawwad S Khawaja expressed dissatisfaction over the ongoing pace of progress in the investigation of Haj scam 2010, however, it allowed FIA to conclude the investigation within a fortnight and furnish a detailed report enabling it (court) to ascertain the progress so far made in the probe.

At the onset of hearing, FIA Director Inam

Ghani submitted a report and told the court that challans of former establishment secretary Ismail Qureshi, former Haj director Rao Shakeel Ahmed and former joint secretary Haj SM Tahir, involved in the case, had been submitted before the trial court on April 25.

He said Qureshi was declared innocent in the challan, whereas the Islamabad High Court had quashed the case against SM Tahir. Besides, he said the agency was in the process of verifying the educational degree of Zain Sukhaira, one of the accused in the Haj scam, but the process was delayed as the Multan Bench of the Lahore High Court had granted stay on April 14 into the matter.

Justice Jawwad S Khawaja inquired why had the name of former establishment secretary Ismail Qureshi been written in column number 2 of the submitted challan intentionally, to which, Deputy Attorney General Shafi Muhammad Chandio sought time to submit a reply.

Justice Khawaja noted that it was astonishing that Sukhaira’s documents could not be verified despite a lapse of over a year. The court also directed the FIA to take action against those who were protecting Zain Sukhaira. Ghani told the bench that he was assigned the task of Haj corruption scam’s probe on April 20, 2012. He requested the court to allow him some more time to complete investigation of the scam.

Sukhaira had been working as consultant to the Ministry of Information Technology whereas he had also been reported a close friend of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s son Abdul Qadir Gilani.

Justice Jawwad S Khawaja remarked that the verification of Sukhaira’s degree was possible within ten minutes, adding that it was beyond understanding that why had the court’s order about verification of Sukhaira’s LLb degree not been adhered to in even 13 months.

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thursday, 3 May, 2012

forEigN NEwS

ArtS & ENtErtAiNMENt

SPortS

20 dead after attackers storm Cairo protest

humaima Malick awarded at london film fest

port qasim clinch patron’s trophy G-II

News 03 coMMENt Vital issues neglected Everyone in the end needs to abide by the SC’s decision.

the endgame

Islamabad is wary of Delhi’s increasing influence in Afghanistan.

nazir naji says: The fight for the PM slot: The country is in deep trouble.

Ali Arqam says: Looking for Taliban equivalents: The alien movement ensued in an utter failure.

Imran husain says: Rocking graveyards: A new breed has entered the arena.

Story on Page 14

Story on Page 18

Story on Page 18

Articles on Page 12-13

PML-N announces protest itinerary LAHORE

T

nADEEM SyED

HE Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) has announced the schedule for its protest rallies across the country to step up pressure on the Pakistan People’s Party-led coalition government to comply with the orders of the Supreme Court in the contempt case, but stayed away from announcing any date for the long march which still seems to be the last option for the main opposition party.

The schedule, announced at Raiwind on Wednesday, hardly makes any mention of the date of the long march which the PML-N has announced to launch in case the PM continued to defy the SC verdict.

However, sources in the party said that the decision on the long march or the announcement of its date would be made public at the

party public meeting in Lahore.

The PML-N announced its protest schedule at a time when the SC chief justice himself conceded to the government its right of appeal against the government and hinted at constituting a nine-member bench for the appeal hearings.

A senior party leader disclosed that PML-N President Nawaz Sharif would follow a soft-peddled approach for the time being and would not go too far to create a crisis in the country. ”This will undermine his 10year struggle for democracy in Pakistan,” he commented.

The main aspect of the protest schedule announced is the party’s decision to reach out to other provinces, including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and even Balochistan, with a plan to hold rallies from Pashin to Quetta, mainly areas dominated by Pashtuns.

PML-N leaders said the schedule for these protests outside Pun-

jab would be announced later, probably after taking the party organisation on board.

Party insiders declared that the coming four to six weeks would be full of action and reaction.

Surely, a reaction from the PPP would promise a lot of fireworks and politicking in the coming days before the budget, amid signs of controversy about Gilani’s fate lingering on.

PML-N chief Nawaz will feature in some events according to party leaders, while Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif would be the star speaker in others.

It has been learnt that Nawaz himself would be available at Taxila to kick start the protests on May 4.

According to the schedule announced by the PML-N, rallies would be held in Taxila on May 4, Gujranwala on May 7, Bahawalpur and Sargodha on May 8 and in PM Gilani’s hometown Multan on May 10, with Lahore hosting the last show of the protest rallies.

lhc stays allocation of haj quota till May 9 LAHORE StAff REpoRt

The Lahore High Court restrained the Ministry of Religious Affairs on Wednesday from allotting the Hajj quota for Hajj 2012 to the old Hajj Group Organisers (HGOs).

The court directed that that the Hajj quotas will be allotted to the old as well as the new HGOs who qualify under the new policy.

The court also sought a reply from respondents on the application within a week and adjourned the matter till May 9th.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial passed the order on a civil miscellaneous application filed by Travel Channel International Limited and others in a pending matter.

The petitioner’s counsel had submitted that the Religious Affairs Ministry was bound to allot the quotas to the new and old HGOs, under the Hajj policy of 2012.

The petitioner stated that the ministry had violated the policy and allotted quotas to 721 old HGOs. The counsel pointed out that if the enrolment was made according to the Hajj policy of 2012, then more than fifty percent of the old HGOs would be disqualified as they did not fulfill the requirements laid out in the policy.

The court, after hearing the arguments, barred the ministry from allotting Hajj quotas to the old HGOs alone and ordered that quotas be allotted only to those HGOs that qualify under the new policy.

The application was filed in a pending petition pleading to issue appropriate directions to the respondents, including the Religious Affairs Ministry and other stakeholders and non-governmental associations in making the Hajj policies friendly and transparent.

KARAChI: Residents of lyari burn president Asif zardari’s picture during a protest on Wednesday against the police operation being carried out in the area. NNI

Bhoja plane crash was merely ‘an accident’: report

ISLAMABAD Inp

The initial enquiry report on previous month’s Bhoja plane crash was submitted to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee for Defence on Wednesday.

According to the report, the plane was grounded last year after remaining in use for 26 years, while this incident apparently appears to be merely “an accident”.

In a meeting of the NA Standing Committee for Defence held with MNA Azra Fazal in chair, enquiry committee chief Mujahid Islam said the ill-fated plane was manufactured in 1985, and was procured by South Africa from Britain in 1999, and was grounded in 2011.

Thereon Bhoja Airline acquired it on lease in the current year, and had made 60 hours of flight for the company. Shortly before the disaster, the plane was last seen on the radar six miles away from the airport. The initial report on the plane’s cockpit voice recorder and black box is expected from Washington on May 7. The representatives of the plane’s insurance company have been called here. Mujahid Islam said that according to his past experience, the Bhoja crash was an accident, but all reasons should be investigated, as blaming the weather only was not correct, as other planes were also landing in the same weather. Committee member Shahid Khaqan Abbasi demanded to wrap up the FIR on plane crash, saying it was merely “an accident”. FIA investigations should also be put on hold, he asked.

The committee has called for the fitness certificate of the plane and the details of the pilot’s experience. The committee recommended the deletion of Section 302 from the FIR, while directing for the earliest completion of the enquiry.

Rumpus in the House: PML-N MPs continue protest against ‘convicted chief executive’ ISLAMABAD tAhIR nIAz

It was nothing different from Monday but this time the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNAs moved a bit further from their seats to encroach the podium and treasury space in the Lower House of parliament as they continued their in-house protest against the “convicted chief executive of the country” on Wednesday.

The PML-N parliamentarians started shouting anti-Gilani slogans at the very onset of the session after Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza gave the floor of the House to PML-N MNA Mrs Nisar Tanveer for a supplementary question.

In what may seem as bad luck of the ruling alliance, the first question printed on the “Questions for Oral Answers and their Replies” was from the PML-N female parliamentarian elected on a reserved seat which provided her an opportunity to ask about the SC order pertaining to the PM instead of asking a specific question.

As soon as she said “Yes the SC”, Dr Mirza cut her short asking for the next question followed by anti-Gilani slogans by the PML-N members. Some protesting MNAs including females sat on the podium while the remaining stood close to the chair of the Leader of the House to lodge their protest. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani did not turn up in the House anticipating rumpus.

“It [the session] is going live on the TV and you should take care of the sanctity of parliament,” Dr Mirza advised the protesting PML-N members who responded with a round of “Go Gilani Go” slogans. However, the speaker continued pursuing the question hour amidst noise and disorder in the House.

Abid Sher Ali of the PML-N took the lead in throwing the torn copies of the questions towards the podium followed by many others. “Corrupt government is unacceptable”, “Go Gilani Go”, the PMLN parliamentarians continued shouting until the speaker adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes for Maghrab prayers.

As the House assembled after the break, the PML-N legislators welcomed the deputy speaker with the same kind

of slogans but he vigorously pursued the “Orders of the Day” which included tabling of a number of bills.

However, he dropped the particular bills whose movers were from the PML-N as he declared them absent after finding no response from them despite the fact they were present and protesting in the House.

Doniya Aziz of the PML-Q walked out of the House in anger after the speaker obliged the stance of JUI-F’s Attaur Rehman and deferred “The Charter of Child Rights Bill, 2009” moved by the female parliamentarian and another bill “The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2012” for evolving a better consensus on the proposed legislation.

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04 News

thursday, 3 May, 2012

US pact no threat to Afghanistan’s neighbours, says Karzai KABUL Afp

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Wednesday the long-term strategic pact he signed overnight with visiting US President Barack Obama would pose no threat to neighbouring countries.

The deal “is not only not threatening any third country, including the neighbouring countries, but we are hoping that this leads to stability, prosperity and development in the region,” he said.

Karzai was speaking at a signing ceremony in the presidential palace with Obama, who made a secret visit to Kabul to sign the pact and mark the anniversary of the death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

“The agreement provides for the possibility of US forces in Afghanistan after 2014, for the purposes of training

Pakistan to join India-led initiative on Afghanistan NEW DELHI: Pakistan will for the first time, join an Indialed initiative on Afghanistan. DNA news agency quoting sources said Pakistan is expected to participate at an ‘investors conference’ on Afghanistan that is likely to be held in New Delhi before July. The initiative to hold a regional investors conference on Afghanistan was announced on Tuesday by India and Afghanistan following their first Strategic Partnership Council meeting. This development would signal a major shift in Pakistan’s approach towards India on Afghanistan, and signals that Islamabad is willing allow strategic space to India.Sources told DNA, the conference is expected to have participation from “other regional players”, “including Pakistan.” India and Pakistan have been having back channel talks on Afghanistan. This is however for the first time that the two countries have decided to talk in public about development and investment in Afghanistan that is looking at a drawdown of coalition forces in 2014. onlInE Afghan forces and targeting the remnants of Al-Qaeda,” a White House fact sheet said.

But it does not commit the US to any specific military troop levels or funding.

Sindhi separatists continued froM page 1 A-Section Police SHO Awais Mangrio said an NBP branch situated at Sakrand Road was targeted. A cracker blast was reported outside NBP in Dadu in jurisdiction of K N Shah police station. An NBP branch was hit by cracker blast in remits of Badin City police station. Another NBP branch was targeted in Dokri. A Sindh Bank branch was targeted in Kotri. Kotri police station SHO Insp Munim said terrorists had targeted Sindh

Bank branch at Amir Plaza.

All the blasts took place within one hour from 5:30 to 6:30pm. Sindhu Desh Liberation Army (SDLA), a group of Sindhi separatists, claimed responsibility of the blasts.

The police have found pamphlets from blasts sites in which SDLA commander Darya Khan has requested the Sindhis to start an armed struggle for Sindh as an independent state like Balochistan. Khan also drew attention to the discrimination being meted

‘Time of war’ is ending, Obama tells Americans BAGRAM AIR BASE

P

Afp

The deal, which capped months of thorny negotiations, also states that the United States does not seek permanent military bases in Afghanistan.

R E S I D E N T Barack Obama said Wednesday a “time of war” was ending in a moment of US renewal, after slipping into Afghanistan on the anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death.

In a highly political election-year address from outside Kabul, Obama posed as a commander-in-chief who ended two long wars and crushed Al-Qaeda, and tried to conjure up a new dawn for a nation exhausted by conflict and recession.

“This time of war began in Afghanistan, and this is where it will end,” Obama said, recalling a decade-long

out the Sindhis by the central government. Taking the Baloch as their role model, the SDLA has lauded their efforts in getting world’s recognition and tried to convince the Sindhis, who, according to Khan, have been deprived of their rights by the centre for decades, and could get worldwide recognition through an armed struggle like the Baloch.

In the pamphlet, the SDLA chief commander has assured the citizens of Sindh that his movement will also launch an armed struggle like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) for

making Sindh an independent state. Khan claimed that the centre was exploiting the natural resources of Sindh against a very low royalty to facilitate Punjab.

Terming the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) as ‘opportunists’, the SDLA blamed the party for using the Sindh card for attaining power, trying to impress upon the nationalists that Sindh was the country’s most poor province. In the pamphlet, the SDLA has requested the Sindhis to stand up against the government, Pakistan Army and Inter-Services Intelligence.

“dark cloud of war”, as America fell into an Afghan morass after bin Laden plotted the September 11 attacks in 2001.

“Yet here, in the predawn darkness of Afghanistan, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon,” said Obama, seeking to use political capital earned by bringing troops home to validate his request for a second White House term.

Obama earlier dropped from the night skies into Kabul in secrecy and signed a deal with President Hamid Karzai, cementing 10 years of US aid for Afghanistan after NATO combat troops leave in 2014.

“Neither Americans nor the Afghan people asked for this war, yet for a decade

we’ve stood together,” Obama said at the signing ceremony at Karzai’s presidential palace.

“We look forward to a future of peace. We’re agreeing to be long-term partners,” said the president, who later headed home aboard Air Force One after just six hours on the ground.

Obama trod a delicate political line, reassuring Americans the war was ending but steeling them for possible sacrifices to come — all while trying to pivot politically back to the need to rebuild at home.

“It is time to renew America,” Obama said at Bagram air base, against a backdrop of military vehicles in their sandy desert liveries.

“A united America of grit

and resilience, where sunlight glistens off soaring new towers in downtown Manhattan, and we build our future as one people, as one nation.”

Though he sought to put a capstone on the war, Obama’s statement effectively meant that US troops could be fighting for two more years, and some could remain in danger for a decade after that.

Obama bluntly told US soldiers that “some of your buddies are going to get injured, some of your buddies may get killed”.

“There is going to be heartbreak and pain and difficulty ahead, but there is a light on the horizon because of the sacrifices you have made.”

Hundreds pay tribute to bin Laden

No clash with judiciary continued froM page 1 The meeting also discussed the regional security situation along with the issues of mutual interest. Gilani also said there would be no conflict if all institutions followed the constitution.

Talking to reporters after attending a function of Pakistan Scout Association, the prime minister said, “It is responsibility of every individual and institution to follow the constitution.” He said he had a right to appeal against the decision of the Supreme Court.

IHC disposes of plea: Earlier in the day, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) disposed of a petition seeking the prime minister’s disqualification after

his conviction in the contempt of court case.

A petition filed in the IHC sought court order to stop Prime Minister Gilani from serving as prime minister after his conviction.

The petition filed by GA Chaudhry stated that the PM defied the court’s orders by not writing a letter to the Swiss authorities asking them to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari and thus he should be disqualified.

Responding to the petition which had maintained that according to Article 63 (1) (g), the prime minister stands disqualified from being a member of the National Assembly, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui remarked, “Article 63 (1) (g) does

Sc ‘not helpless’ continued froM page 1 “The relatives of the missing persons have asked the courts where they should go as neither the police nor the inspector general are taking responsibility for their missing near and dear ones. So where are these missing persons,” the CJP asked. Justice Khilji said that the complainants, who were the citizens of Pakistan, had come to the courts with their pleas, and wanted to know where their missing relatives were. Supreme Court Bar Association President Yaseen Azad, who was also present in the

court, said the situation in Balochistan was not good. He said that everything was under the control of agencies, adding that the state should fulfil its responsibility in protecting the basic rights of the citizens.

He said the Balochistan inspector general of Police should tell the court about the whereabouts of the missing persons, adding that action should be taken against him if he failed in obeying the court’s orders. He said that the judiciary might take action against the government if it was not performing its responsibilities in accordance with the constitution.

not mention the prime minister’s disqualification.”

“By the time the detailed verdict is out, a petition might not even be necessary,” he said.

“The petition is premature, wait for the detailed verdict,” observed the court.

He said disqualification subject of PM is not mentioned in Article 63(1) g and disposed of the petition.

On the other end, the petition filed by AK Dogar in the Lahore High Court (LHC) stated that the PM was convicted and in the current situation not eligible to exercise power nor continue to perform as the PM of Pakistan.

According to the petition, the PM, the cabinet, its advisers and ministers of the state

cannot hold offices and such actions of PM and their teams are unconstitutional after the verdict of the SC. It added that all federal ministers, advisers and special assistants should be asked to quit their offices.

Chief Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed remarked that courts were not afraid of any threat and they had to pass judgments according to the constitution. He said verdict couldn’t be passed without knowing the viewpoint of the federal government.

In this regard, the LHC issued notice and summoned the deputy attorney general for ascertaining the opinion of federal government and adjourned the hearing until May 7.

The CJP asked what would happen in the country if the government could not provide security to the citizens under Article 9 of the constitution.

Police have evidence and know where the missing persons are because they have already recovered some of the missing persons, he said.

He said that Balochistan was burning, the people were being whisked away, decomposed bodies were being recovered and members of the Shia community were being targeted. He regretted that people were being kidnapped for ransom, and ministers were also involved in it. He said that some breakthrough was being made as some people had been arrested. Chief Justice said that a

provincial minister had accused Frontier Corps regarding dead bodies but no progress had been made, adding that the court could not remain calm on the situation. If the Balochistan chief secretary and IG Police say that they were helpless, then the courts would summon the Balochistan chief minister, Interior secretary, Defence secretary, and the sector in charge of the ISI, the CJP said, adding that if the prime minister could appear before the court, why not the ISI officials. Later, all the members of missing persons present in the court recorded their statements. The bench also showed its resentment when it was informed that nine people who had gone missing from Khuzdar district could not be

QUETTA Afp

Hundreds of Islamists rallied in Pakistan’s southwestern city of Quetta Wednesday to pay tribute to Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden on the first anniversary of his death, witnesses said.

More than 500 activists from the pro-Taliban Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islam reli-

gious political party gathered in the city’s central Mezan square. They were carrying bin Laden posters, shouting “Long Live Osama” and torched a US flag, an AFP reporter said.

“Osama was a hero of the whole Muslim world, he was the real Mujahid (holy warrior),” Abdul Qadir Looni, a party leader said while addressing the rally.

“Today we gathered to

pay tribute to him. He will be remembered forever in our hearts.”

The demonstrators also prayed for Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

Bin Laden, the al-Qaeda founder and 9/11 attacks mastermind, was killed on May 2 last year in a secret US Navy SEAL operation in a walled-off compound in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad.

PHC gives federal govt May 16 deadline PESHAWAR: While hearing a case on missing persons, Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan on Wednesday ordered the federal government to take concrete steps for resolving the case, and inform the court by May 16. “The missing persons’ case is a grave matter. It is tarnishing the respect earned by Pakistani troops in the war against terrorism,” the chief justice said. “The military and agencies should work together to find a solution and implement the court’s order,” he added. Defence Secretary Nargis Sethi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Secretary Ghulam Dastagir, and Interior Secretary Azam Khan had been summoned for the hearing. Sethi assured the court that its order would be implemented, and a meeting in this regard would be held soon. onlInE recovered in accordance with the court’s orders. In the previous hearing on Monday, the chief justice had ordered the police to produce nine people who went missing from the Totak area of Khuzdar district along with severe warnings of stern action against police and the deputy commissioner of Khuz-

dar if they failed to comply with the court orders. During the proceedings, Balochistan Advocate General Amanullah Kanrani informed the court that a meeting had already been held on Tuesday in this regard in which the FC inspector general was also present. At this Justice Khilji remarked said that the

houses of the people were burning, and he was holding meetings. The bench summoned Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani and Home Minister Zafarullah Zehri for Thursday’s hearing to apprise the court over the law and order situation, and submit their written statements in the court.

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thursday, 3 May, 2012

News 05

osama keeps an eye on earth from hell!

NEWS DESK A year after Osama bin Laden was killed

by US Navy SEALS in Abbottabad, the world’s number one terrorist is keeping busy tweeting from hell! According to an Indian Express report, dozens of fake accounts were floated on Twitter shortly after bin Laden’s death and ever since, there has been no stopping the updates and “fatwas” from “hell”. “My ex-wife is talking to ABC News. This is even more disrespectful than the time she asked to look out a window...,” read a tweet by a fake account operated by “Osama”.

Another one pronounces that “hot chocolate is haram”. The descriptions of Osama on the many fake accounts are hilarious. One such account describes him as “former public enemy #1”. One tweet on a fake account went: “...faked my own death, now travelling the world. Maybe I’m coming to your city! Check your local al-Qaeda branch!” On other accounts, the messages are matter-of-fact: “I was the leader of al-Qaeda. Now I’m dead” or “Those still alive can reach me at OsamaInHell” or “I was once the best terrorist of all time! Greatest ever at hide and seek!” Sometimes the tweets are scary.

“I may be dead...but life continues!!!” or “71% of the Earth is covered in oceans. So I may be anywhere!! (Remember that!)”

The American commandos took away bin Laden’s body after shooting him in his compound located a short distance from the Pakistan Military Academy. His body was later buried at sea. Bin Laden’s three widows and 11 members of his family were recently deported to Saudi Arabia. One tweet on a fake account on the first death anniversary of bin Laden was rather philosophical. “It’s been almost a year...

Time flies when you’re dead!” Another one read: “What is it with Obama and surprise visits on May 1st?” A popular spoof website went a step further and published an interview with bin Laden: “The guys in Heaven all want to come down here.

There’s no hot stuff up there - not even a Lamb Tikka Masala. Man, I tell you, it’s sure great fun here in Hell”. Bin Laden claimed he was friends with Stalin and Hitler. “Stalin’s a great guy. Vow! If only I had met him while I was still in your Earth zone. Adolf is a nice guy too, but he is a bit of a stiff. Keeps on about how he should not be down here in Hell but up in Heaven ‘cause of the good things he’d done in his Earth life.” Unfortunately, the biggest spoof-like story emanating on bin Laden’s first death anniversary is for real. A local English newspaper reported that people were visiting the site of bin Laden’s razed compound to offer “fateha” and witness a “miracle” water gushing forth without use of an electric motor. Though this could have been caused by a fractured water line, many claimed that water gushes forth like a spring because those killed at the place were innocent.

ABBottABAD: A man prays near the site of the demolished compound of slain Al-qaeda leader osama bin laden on May 2, 2012, on his first death anniversary. AFP

The night bin Laden came for dinner NEWS DESK

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HAT happens when your surprise dinner guest turns out to be the world’s most wanted man? A year on from the death of Osama Bin Laden, two men tell BBC News how they came to host the then leader of al-Qaeda.

Late one night in the summer of 2010, on the fringes of the Waziristan region, half a dozen men of a local tribal family waited nervously for the arrival of a guest whose identity they didn’t know.

They had been alerted to this visit weeks earlier, by someone they describe simply as an “important person”. They were not given any names, and the exact time of the guest’s arrival was conveyed to them just a few hours in advance.

At about 23:00, when the world around them was in deep sleep, they heard the rumble of the approaching vehicles.

“A dozen big four-wheel drive jeeps drove into the compound,” recalls one family elder who agreed to speak to me about it. “They seemed to converge from different directions.”

One of the 4x4s drove up close to the veranda, and from its back seat emerged a tall and frail-looking man. He wore flowing robes and a white turban.

The waiting men couldn’t believe their eyes. Standing before them was none other than Osama Bin Laden, the most wanted man in the world.

“We were dumb-struck,” says the elder. “He was the last person we’d expected to turn up at our doorstep.”

He stood beside the vehicle for a while, shaking hands. The elder says he kissed Bin Laden’s hand and pressed it against his eyes in a gesture of reverence.

Then, putting his hand lightly on the shoulder of one of his assistants, Bin Laden walked into the room they’d set up for him. The villagers didn’t follow him in. Only a couple of his own men kept him company.

This happened exactly one year before Bin Laden was killed in a secret operation of the US Navy Seals in Abbottabad, located some 300km (186

directions, giving his hosts little chance to determine which way Bin Laden’s vehicle went.

While my interlocutors were quite open about the details of the visit, they didn’t want to discuss the identity of the “important man” who had asked them to host Bin Laden. They were also reluctant to share information on who else was in the entourage.

Following Bin Laden’s death a year later, both Pakistani and American officials had insisted that the al Qaeda chief had lived in total seclusion for nearly five years, without once leaving his Abbottabad compound.

That would seem not to be the case.

And many questions remain unanswered.

The area where he showed up in 2010 is in the middle of a vast tribal hinterland which was, and to an extent still is, the focus of a number of military operations against militants. Troops stationed there were on high alert and had set up dozens of security checkpoints to monitor commuters along both regular and rarely frequented routes.

How did he get past those posts undetected?

The Pakistanis have always denied having any knowledge of his whereabouts or providing any support to bin Laden. There’s also the question of who was planning his itinerary, what was the purpose of his visit and, above all, how frequently did he pay midnight visits to unsuspecting hosts?

miles) to the north-east of this remote tribal compound.

During the three hours Bin Laden spent with them, the men said he offered prayers, rested, and ate the lamb chops, chicken curry and rice they’d prepared for him and his entourage.

All that time, his hosts weren’t allowed to leave the compound, or let anyone in. Armed men took positions at the main gate, along the walls and on the roof.

There was a slight commotion among the guards when one of the hosts requested that his 85-year-old father be allowed to see Bin Laden.

“Consider this to be his dying wish,” he pleaded. The message was passed to bin Laden, who agreed to see the old patriarch.

Four armed men escorted the son home to fetch his father. The old man was only told about bin Laden’s presence once they were back inside the compound.

They said the old man spent 10 minutes with bin Laden, pouring out his admiration and prayers for him, and offering time-tested advice on tribal warfare, all in his native Pashto language, which Bin Laden apparently didn’t understand. This brought smiles to the faces of bin Laden’s hosts and his guards, they say.

Bin Laden and his men departed in just the same way as they’d come - their 4x4s leaving the compound in a bustling confusion - and heading out in different

Sacked medic recalls knocking on OBL’s door ABBOTTABAD Afp

A sacked health worker recalled Wednesday how she knocked on Osama bin Laden’s door just days before he was shot dead by American soldiers, an unwitting pawn in a controversial vaccination programme set up by the CIA to ensnare the Al-Qaeda leader.

Amna Bibi spoke to AFP while revisiting the site of bin Laden’s destroyed home with two other health workers on the anniversary of the American raid. Sacked by the government over the fake vaccination programme, they said they had been dismissed unfairly and demanded their jobs back.

Pakistan arrested surgeon Shakeel Afridi, who was recruited by the CIA to help track down the Al-Qaeda terror leader and was among a total of 18 health workers who were dismissed.

The United States was not 100 percent sure that bin Laden was living in the Abbottabad house when Navy SEALs went ahead

with the raid on May 2. British newspaper The Guardian said Afridi was recruited by the CIA for an elaborate scheme to vaccinate residents for hepatitis B, a ploy to get a DNA sample from those living in the house.

“I was assigned to the vaccination of hepatitis B on April 20, and on April 20 Shakeel Afridi came himself to manage the campaign,” Bibi told AFP. “We came to this compound. We knocked at the door for five minutes, but no one opened the door. Then we went into the house in front of Osama’s compound and asked for their number, and one girl gave us Tariq’s number,” she said, referring to one of the men killed in the American raid on May 2 and now known to have been sheltering the bin Laden family.

“Then Shakeel Afridi called Tariq but he told him they were far away from the house and couldn’t come back, so we left.

Then Shakeel Afridi continued to call me from Peshawar to go to this compound to vaccinate the women inside.”

But Bibi claimed she told the doctor

she had a pain in her leg and could not return, despite his further requests to do so.

Then, on April 25, he telephoned and told them not to go to the compound again.

“On May 2, we heard about this incident and I called Shakeel Afridi back and asked him about the house, saying it was attacked by the Americans. He got angry and said he was in a meeting and not to talk to him. I called him again the next day and again he gave the same answer,” she said.

Pakistani officials believe Afridi may have known about bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad and shared the information with US intelligence agents. He faces a trial for treason.

Shaheena Mumraiz, another sacked health worker, said Afridi asked her for data on women aged 15 to 40 in Abbottabad, but that she had not been selected to take part in the vaccination campaign.

“I never visited Osama bin Laden’s house,” she said. “The department has asked us not to go to court and to the media. But we came here to record our protest and we want our jobs back.”

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06 News

thursday, 3 May, 2012

Asma Jahangir says govt has no control in Balochistan QUETTA

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onlInE

O R M E R Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Asma Jahangir expressed grave concerns on Wednesday over the extra-judicial missing persons, saying there is no writ of the government in Balochistan and that spy agencies have full control over the province.

Addressing the lawyers’ community during at a reception hosted in her honour by the Balochistan Bar Association, she said the current rulers have done nothing for Baloch people.

She stated that people are being kidnapped at a rapid rate and that the

provincial government is being run by the intelligence agencies.

She urged the government to work for a healthier law and order situation in the province to prevent the dispersion of Balochistan.

Jahangir also called for an end to the interference of the state agencies in the province.

She said the current circumstances are leading towards a collision between the government and the opposition and judiciary.

She stated that the rulers should leave their personal interests aside to think for the nation and country.

The former president said the Baloch people had been left helpless: “There is neither a chief minister nor

a prime minister for the people of Balochistan while no suo moto has been taken regarding the situation in Balochistan,” she said.

Jahangir said the nation was fed up with the corrupt system and that the government should bring the Accountability Bill in the parliament as soon as possible for eliminating corruption from the country.

She said all the institutions have to work within their limits for the betterment of general masses.

She expressed grave concern over the Lyari operation and compared the situation in the area to that of Beirut.

She urged the media and civil society to play their role in making Pakistan a prosperous country.

gutter gas kills 2 brothers trying to save goat kid

robbers attack Sialkot gPo, escape with rs 3.5m SIALKOT StAff REpoRt

Armed robbers wearing police berets raided the General Post Office (GPO) in broad daylight and escaped with Rs 3.5 million in cash on Wednesday. Eyewitnesses said that six armed men stormed into the Savings Branch of the GPO and took everyone, including the security guards, at gunpoint.

While the robbers were trying to escape, one of the caps dropped along with a magazine full of bullets, which the police took into custody upon arrival. The Kotwali police are carrying out investigations, but no arrest has been made so far in this regard.

New damning figures for india’s ‘flying coffin’ Migs NEW DELHI Afp

RAHIMYAR KHAN: Two brothers died of poisonous gas while trying to rescue a goat kid from a gutter here on Wednesday. According to Saddar Superintendent of Police Chaudhry Mehmood al Hassan, a goat kid fell in a gutter in Shahab Colony. Two brothers, Muhammad Ahmed, 42, and Rasool Buksh, 40, who were working nearby, climbed down the gutter to save the goat kid, but fell unconscious due to poisonous gas in the gutter and died later. However the goat kid survived. onlInE

Kalat roadside bomb kills fc soldier QUETTA: A Frontier Corps (FC) official was killed and another was wounded when a remote-controlled bomb went off in Kalat on Wednesday. Sources said the bomb targeted an FC convoy which was patrolling in the area.

Heavy contingents of police and FC personnel reached the blast site and cordoned off the area. onlInE

BAhAWAlpuR: A passenger van falls into a canal while trying to save a motorcyclist. one person was killed and 18 others were injured; the motorcyclist is still missing. INP

Haqqani says enquiry being used for ‘prosecution, persecution’ ISLAMABAD AGEnCIES

Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, has lamented that the Memo Commission had been transformed into an arena to “prosecute and persecute” him instead of its original purpose of finding facts about the memo sent

by Mansoor Ijaz to US military commander Admiral Michael Mullen last year.

In a comprehensive application to the commission, submitted through his lawyers Syed Zahid Bukhari and Sajid Tanoli, the former envoy repeated his demand for ‘equal treatment’ with his accuser and responded to all the points raised during the Commission’s last hearing.

Haqqani said, “I am a born citi-

zen of Pakistan. I have never sought or obtained, nor do I intend to seek or obtain, the citizenship of any country other than Pakistan, including the United States. I have never sought, nor do I intend to seek asylum in any country, including the United States.” The former ambassador was responding to the Commission’s order that he clarify reports in a section of the media.

“Although the honorable Commission was constituted to conduct an inquiry and it had been said at the outset that its proceedings would be inquisitorial in nature, it has been converted into a virtual prosecution against me without even the filing of a formal charge or registering a case,” Haqqani said in the application. “Questions pertaining to my citizenship based on nothing other than newspaper stories, most likely

solicited and planted for this very purpose, is one example of the divergence of proceedings away from the original purpose of this inquiry,” he added.

Haqqani said that from 2002 until appointment as ambassador of Pakistan to the United States he worked as a Pakistani citizen living abroad and will be doing the same now, “like millions of other Pakistani citizens who live and work abroad.”

Emphasising his point that the Commission was focused on him instead of doing its job of inquiring about the memo, Haqqani said, “I submit this information as ordered by the Commission even though I see no relevance whatsoever between the Commission seeking this information and its task of probing the origins, authenticity and purpose of the disputed Memo.”

Dubbed “flying coffins” or “widow makers” in the air force, India’s ageing collection of Soviet-era MiGs have long been unpopular with airforce pilots. New figures unveiled Wednesday show why. India’s Defence Minister A.K. Antony said there had been 482 accidents in the last 30 years, resulting in the deaths of 171 pilots and 39 civilians.

The MiG fleet is now 873-strong. New Delhi’s acquisitions began in 1966 with MiG-21 interceptors, and the next two decades saw the induction of the highspeed MiG 25, ground-attack MiG 27 and the fourth-generation MiG-29 fighter jets into the Indian Air Force. Experts say a majority of the accidents involved India’s single-engined MiG-21s, a combat aeroplane which has been flown by some 50 countries since it was developed by then Soviet Union in the 1950s. “A total of 171 pilots, 39 civilians, eight service personnel and one aircrew lost their lives in these accidents,” the defence minister told parliament, referring to the period from 1971-1972 to April 19 this year. The accidents were blamed on “human error and technical defects”. Antony in February said that the Indian Air Force would start phasing out its mainstay MiG-21s, comprising 40 percent of its total fleet, beginning 2014.

woman throws acid at neighbour GUJRANWALA Inp

A woman threw acid at her neighbour, also a woman, after a petty quarrel in the Ladhaywala area on Wednesday. Police said the two women had been quarrelling over a minor issue for the last three days.

However, one of them turned violent on Wednesday and threw acid, severely injuring her neighbour. The victim has been identified as Najma Bibi. She was taken to a hospital in critical condition where doctors said that at least 70 percent her body had received severe burn injuries.

cleric announces head money for pastor terry Jones PESHAWAR StAff REpoRt

Expressing sever resentment over the desecration of Holy Quran in the United States, noted religious figure and khateeb of historical Masjid Mohabat Khan in Peshawar, Maulana Yousaf Qureshi, on Wednesday announced a Rs 1.5 million head money for pastor Terry Jones.

Qureshi also announced leading a rally against this act of the US priest after this Friday’s prayers.

The rally would be attended by people from all over Peshawar and its surrounding areas, he said.

“I will give the reward money to those who kill the US priest,” said Qureshi at a press conference.

Flanked by his aides, Maulana Qureshi said through such act, the US priest had not only indulged in desecration of the Holy Quran but had also fuelled tension and anger amongst the Muslims.

Qureshi said he met and remain in a debate with the US Priest Terry Jones in Washington (USA) Catholic University in 1986.

According to him, Jones was even unaware of the Holy Bible.

“We having the right to declare head money for the US priest as the US already put known religious figure Hafiz Saeed on the list of wanted people,” Qureshi said to a question. He was hopeful about further increase in the head money as several people had contacted him.

Qureshi had also announced a $1 million head money for Salman Rushdie a couple of years ago.

He recalled that he had declared the amount on behalf a

leading industrialist.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani government strongly condemned the burning of the holy Quran by Pastor Terry Jones, Head of the Dove world Qutreach Center in Florida.

“We feel that such senseless acts would only inspire hatred and violence in the world,” said a Foreign Office statement on Wednesday.

“It is the collective responsibility of all governments and institutions to work closely on promoting harmony, peace and unity among people of all faiths,” it said.

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thursday, 3 May, 2012

‘we wanna say they don’t really care about labour’ 07

750,000 kids born too early every year in Pakistan ■ the country has the fourth highest number of preterm births in the world KARACHI

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AMAR GuRIRo

ACH year, some 15 million babies in the world are born too early.

More than 1 million of those babies die shortly after birth; countless others suffer some type of lifelong physical, neurological or educational disability, often at great cost to families and society; and Pakistan is eighth in the top 10 countries with the highest rate of preterm births, disclosed a detailed report titled ‘Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth’ issued on Wednesday.

Authored by a broad group of 45 international multidisciplinary experts from 26 organisations – including Pakistan’s reputable Aga Khan University – and 11 countries with over 40 organisations in support, the report estimated that three-quarters of those preterm babies who die could survive without expensive care if a few proven and inexpensive prevention and treatment strategies are implemented worldwide.

The lead authors of the report from the March of Dimes Foundation, The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health, Save the Children and the World Health Organisation offered a detailed plan for the actions needed to reduce both the death toll and the number of preterm births.

“All newborns are vulnerable, but preterm babies are acutely so,” said United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who wrote the foreword to the report and considers the effort to reduce preterm births and deaths an integral part of his Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health.

“Being born too soon is an unrecognised killer,” said Dr Joy Lawn, co-editor of the report and Director of Global Evidence and Policy for Save the Children’s Saving Newborn Lives programme.

“Preterm births account for almost half of all newborn deaths worldwide and are now the second leading cause of death in children under five, after pneumonia.”

New figures in the report show both the magnitude of the problem and the disparities between countries. Of the 11 countries with preterm birth rate over 15 percent, all but two are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Preterm births account for 11.1 percent of the world’s live births, 60 percent of them in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

In the poorest countries, on average, 12 percent of babies are born too soon, compared to 9 percent in higher income countries.

Preterm births account for more than one in 10 of the world’s live births, and 60 percent of them occur in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Pakistan, with 748,100 preterm births annually, has the fourth highest number after India at 3,519,100, China at 1,172,300 and Nigeria at 773,600. Not too far behind is Tanzania – number 12 on the list – followed by Uganda at 14 and Kenya at 15.

Pakistan is eighth in the top 10 countries with the highest rate of preterm births at 15.8 for every 100 births along with countries from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Malawi is at 18.1 per 100, Comoros and Congo at 16.7, Zimbabwe at 16.6, Equatorial Guinea at 16.5, Mozambique at 16.4, Gabon at 16.3, Indonesia at 15.5

and Mauritania at 15.4.

The rate for the East African countries of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania are at 13.6, 12.3 and 11.4, respectively.

Those contrast with the 11 countries with the lowest rate of preterm births. They are Belarus at 4.1 per 100; Ecuador at 5.1; Latvia at 5.3; Finland, Croatia and Samoa at 5.5; Lithuania and Estonia at 5.7; Antigua and Barbuda at 5.8; and Japan and Sweden at 5.9.

“The number of preterm births is increasing. In all but three countries, preterm birth rate increased in the last 20 years,” said Dr Lawn.

“Worldwide, 50 million births still happen at home and many ba-

bies die without birth or death certificates.”

In high income countries, the increase in the number of preterm births is linked to the number of older women having babies, increased use of fertility drugs and the resulting multiple pregnancies.

In some developed countries, medically unnecessary inductions and Caesarean deliveries before full term have also increased preterm births.

In many low income countries, the main causes of preterm births include infections, malaria, human immunodeficiency virus and high adolescent pregnancy rates. In rich and poor countries, many preterm births remain unexplained.

“For too long, prematurity has been regarded as synonymous

with a limited chance of survival.

Our studies suggest that several low cost solutions are possible for the care of women before and during pregnancy and importantly after preterm birth. These have a huge potential to save lives and improve pregnancy outcomes,” said Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta, the founding chair of Women and Child Health at the Aga Khan University and one of the authors of the report.

Basic measures such as antenatal steroid injections for mothers in premature labour, ‘kangaroo care’ where the infant is held skinto-skin on the mother’s chest for warmth and ease of breastfeeding,

antiseptic cream to prevent birth cord infection, and antibiotics to prevent and fight infection – an important cause of neonatal death – are all inexpensive, proven forms of care for premature babies that could dramatically improve the chances of survival.

The report stated that a key way to reduce the number of preterm birth is to ensure that all pregnancies go to full term, or 39 weeks.

Until research provides better answers, the report advises taking effective measures now, such as screening women for known medical conditions that could put them at risk during pregnancy, assuring good nutrition before and during pregnancy, making sure that all women have access to good preconception and prenatal health-

care, and that they are able to visit their doctor regularly during pregnancy.

The lead authors of the report offered a detailed action plan to reduce the number of global preterm births as well as the associated fatalities.

“The report also focuses on the dramatic survival gap between low income and high income countries for babies born before 28 weeks,” said Dr Christopher Howson, coeditor of the report and the head of Global Programmes at March of Dimes.

“In low income countries, more than 90 percent of extremely preterm babies die within the first

few days of life, while less than 10 percent die in high-income countries.”

“However, this is a solvable problem. A number of countries, for example, Ecuador, Botswana, Turkey, Oman and Sri Lanka have halved their neonatal deaths from preterm birth through improving care of serious complications like infections and respiratory distress.”

“These interventions are particularly effective in preventing death in moderately preterm babies, which account for more than 80 percent of all preterm births.”

Wide differences within countries were found. For example, in the United States, the preterm birth rate in 2009 for black Americans was as high as 17.5 percent, compared with 10.9 percent for white Americans.

The age of the mother made a significant difference. In the United States, the preterm birth rate for women aged 20 to 35 was between 11 percent and 12 percent; it was more than 15 percent for women under 17 and over 40.

Spotlighting preterm births might help many low income countries, mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa, achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 4 (a two-thirds reduction in young child deaths) and Goal 5 (improved maternal health) by 2015.

These goals were set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000. Nearly all high income developed countries have already met these goals.

A key way to reduce preterm numbers is to find ways to help all pregnancies go to full term, or 39 weeks.

“Prevention will be the key,” said Dr Elizabeth Mason, Director of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health at the World Health Organisation and a major contributor to the report.

“We are now looking closely at what can be done before a woman gets pregnant to help her have an optimal outcome.”

“We know that poverty,

women’s education, malaria and human immunodeficiency virus have an impact on the pregnancy and the health of the baby.”

A number of risk factors for preterm births have been identified, including a prior history of preterm birth, being underweight, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, infection, maternal age (either under 17 or over 40), genetics, multi-foetal pregnancy (twins, triplets or higher) and pregnancies spaced too close together.

However, little is known about the interplay of these and other environmental as well as social factors.

The report called for a strong research programme to identify the risk factors clearly and understand how their interactions night lead to preterm birth so that more definitive ways could be found to screen and treat women at risk to prevent the problem from occurring.

In addition to detailed recommendations about needed research, the report offered an agenda and action plan for all groups concerned with preterm birth and child health, ranging from the United Nations and governments at all levels to donor countries, global philanthropic institutions and civil society.

Some 30 groups have already committed to take part in the overall effort to reduce both the absolute number of preterm births and the mortality rate.

These commitments are posted on www.everywomaneverychild.org, supporting the Every Woman Every Child effort to advance the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health.

The extensive list of recommendations in the report included specific actions such as addressing the missing essential medicines and equipment, training existing health staff in how to look after women in preterm labour and these vulnerable babies, increased funding for research to find new prevention solutions, and better data for accurate future counts. Efforts to increase awareness of the preterm birth issue are essential.

“This report is not the last word, but an important next step,” said Dr Howson. “Both the report and the broad international constituency behind it offer a framework and set of clear actions to help accelerate global progress on preterm birth.”

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PakistaN today

08 karachi

thursday, 3 May, 2012

ON-DEPUTATION OFFICERS

SC bench calls chief secretary for govt version KARACHI

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IMDAD SooMRo

EJECTING the detailed report of Sindh government regarding the officers posted on deputation in government departments, the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) issued a show-cause notice to the Sindh chief secretary, directing him to appear before the court today

(Thursday).

The two-member bench comprising Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani and Justice Amir Hani Muslim heard the case of officers posted on deputation in different departments of Sindh government, including police and excise, at the SC Karachi registry on Wednesday.

In his remarks, Usmani said that the original list of officers is with the office of Sindh chief secretary and the relevant information has not been

disclosed before the court.

On behalf of Sindh government, Advocate General Sindh Abdul Fatah Malak submitted a list of 205 officers posted on deputation in different departments out of which 193 officers had been sent back to their parent departments and 12 officers due to their unavoidable necessity were still working in some departments.

The court asked the Sindh government’s chief law officer that ac-

cording to which law these officers are still working on deputation and observed that these appointments are in clear violation of SC orders and the court can issue the contempt-of-court notice to the chief secretary.

In another case, the same SC bench directed the Sindh Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Shah to submit the list of officers posted in the provincial police department on deputation, contract basis or reemployed after retirement.

residents of lyari protest the ongoing operation in their neighbourhood at Aath chowk on wednesday. IMRAN ALI

Marketing conference at IBA from 5th KARACHI StAff REpoRt

The Institute of Business Administration (IBA) has taken yet another leap forward by organising the first-ever marketing conference that will be held in Karachi on May 5 and 6.

The conference titled ‘International Conference on Marketing 2012’ will be held at the IBA Main Campus. Being hosted for the first time by any business school in Pakistan, the conference will seek to explore all aspects of this year’s theme:

‘Contemporary Market Trends’.

The idea is core to the marketing landscape in Pakistan primarily because the strongest demographic sub-section of Pakistan is being lead by 114 million young Pakistanis under the age of 30.

To capitalise on this important revelation, marketers are to understand how to reach this young population through emerging digital technologies and media. The conference aims to identify the contemporary trends from strategic marketing to the more recent E-marketing, and

evaluate the potential of these trends for Pakistani businesses.

Geared towards promoting marketing education, IBA ICM 2012 provides a platform to relevant practitioners and scholars to present their ideas and research that are unique and emerged as a result of their curiosity regarding the mechanics and effectiveness of the discipline.

IBA ICM 2012 also aspires to bridge the gap between the academia and industry, allowing the marketing professionals in Pakistan to evaluate the work of researchers and judge the

potential of the future of marketing in Pakistan.

Including a multitude of globally renowned speakers and professionals from several European countries and the USA, the conference will comprise a number of intellectually stimulating sessions aimed at exploring the paradigm of marketing.

For a chance to network with marketing gurus from around the globe, IBA welcomes scholars, students and professionals in Pakistan to attend the International Marketing Conference 2012.

lyari operation till gangsters eliminated: Marri KARACHI StAff REpoRt

Sindh Information Minister Shazia Mari has said that the ongoing Lyari operation will continue until the elimination of all terrorist gangs from the area.

She was addressing a press conference at the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Karachi Media Cell on Wednesday.

Rejecting the perception that the Lyari operation was launched on the wishes of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Marri said the PPP government is ready to launch operations in all parts of the city for the eradication of criminals, extortionists and target killers.

Marri said the PPP government will address the problems faced by the common citizen of Lyari. The government will call the Rangers personnel in the Lyari operation if the need arises, she added.

“Lyari will remain the hub of PPP forever and the elements involved in burning down pictures of party leaders and martyrs are terrorists and people will never recognise them as their leaders,” she said.

Without taking any names, Mari criticised the behaviour of PML-F’s Marvi Rashdi, saying that her immature attitude could not break the sprit of reconciliation.

British Deputy high commissioner francis campbell hosted a reception to celebrate the 91st birthday of Queen Elizabeth ii and the diamond jubilee of her ascension to the throne. British high commissioner Adam thomson, Karachi School for Business and leadership head of Marketing & communications humayun Javed Khan and Pearl continental hotel Karachi gM Azeem Qureshi were also present. STAFF PHOTO

coca cola, rotary international join hands against polio

KARACHI StAff REpoRt

Coca Cola Beverages Pakistan (CCBPL) has extended its support to the Rotary International’s Polio Plus Committee to aid them in the eradication of polio through awareness campaigns. The company has also offered its vans for the transportation of polio vaccines if need be. A polio awareness message will be carried on all Coca Cola bottle labels and a ring tone version of the message will be incorporated in all of Coca Cola’s call stations across the country. Coke billboard sites will also carry the polio message during National Immunisation Days (NIDs) and permanent message posters will be displayed on 250,000 coke coolers across Pakistan. Coke will provide potable water in high-risk polio districts in Sindh to reduce transmission and incidence of diarrhoea in children and is considering the installation of reverse osmosis plants in these districts to provide clean drinking water. CCBPL External Affairs Director Mir Zohair Mehmood and his team extended full support and cooperation to Rotary International’s National Chair Aziz Memon, agreeing to work mutually in the eradication of polio, towards a cleaner environment, better sanitation conditions, water conservation, increase in education and rehabilitating the internally-displaced people.

KHI 03-05-2012_Layout 1 5/3/2012 3:06 AM Page 9

thursday, 3 May, 2012

‘We wanna say they don’t really care about labour’

karachi 09 PakistaN today

■ PilEr and KU Pakistan Study centre launch two-day international conference ‘labour in the Age of globalisation’ at KU Arts Auditorium KARACHI

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qAzI ASIf

two-day international conference titled ‘Labour in the Age of Globalisation’ commenced at the Arts Auditorium of the University of Karachi (KU) on Wednesday.

The conference has been jointly organised by the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) and KU Pakistan Study Centre.

The conference is a part of a series of events and interactive sessions being organised all through the year to mark 30 years of PILER. The conference has participation from national, regional and international academics, experts on social and workers’ issues along with trade union bodies and labour rights advocates.

The purpose of the conference is to put into perspective the contemporary challenges faced by labour as well as the links and influences of regional and international developments on shaping the direction of the workers’ struggle.

Key speakers during the two days of the conference include Dr Jan Breman, Emeritus Professor, University of Amsterdam; Dr Amrita Chhachhi, Lecturer, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague; Dr Kaiser Bengali, senior economist; Dr Rubina Sehgal, independent researcher; and Dr Asad Sayeed, Senior Researcher, Collective of Social Science Research.

KU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr

Muhammad Qaiser was the chief guest at the inaugural session of the conference.

In his keynote address, Dr Breman said that deprivation of the poor is being overlooked even at the state level.

“Nobody has any concern to see how the labour live and in what circumstances. The state has lost its legitimacy because of its dismal failure in providing care to the labouring poor,” he added.

He said that inequalities are growing in Pakistan. “In larger parts of the world, including Pakistan, people are pushed out of agriculture, the primary sector of production. They were already landless; land fragmentation has triggered off large-scale land flight,” he added.

He also said, “People are not only driven out of agriculture, in which they had remained rooted from generation to generation, but are also forced to leave their rural habitat in search of a better livelihood elsewhere.”

Dr Breman said that he was on a visit to India for a research study and he found there the growing number of paupers, those who have grown old and lost the power to work. While it is difficult to find labour in the youth, it is more difficult to find a job in old age, he added.

He said that according to a news report, a person committed suicide by self immolation in Sindh because he was unable to find a job.

These issues themselves are

enough to understand the situation in which the rural people live without basic facilities as compared to other citizens enjoying a better lifestyle, he added.

Similarly, Dr Breman went on, Pakistan’s industrial hub of Karachi has become a theatre of horrendous violence, a nightmare fuelled by a mix of political rivalry, ethnic strife and religious intolerance with the labouring poor invariably on the receiving end.

Dr Qaiser said that globalisation is not a new phenomenon and could be traced back to the emergence of trade capital in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The current phase of globalisation has been so domineering and powerful that it has totally transformed the world at the macro level and the lives of the individuals at the micro level, he added.

He said that as a result of globalisation, mass migrations have taken place and since markets are integrated, it further facilitates the easy flow of goods as well as people across borders. “New venues of progress and prosperity have been opened by globalisation,” he added.

He also said, “Globalisation has brought numerous challenges as well, for it has exposed the distortions in the contemporary world. These distortions are essentially economic and they also have far reaching political implications.”

About the status of labour, he said that issues like migration, employment security, the urban-rural

interaction and dichotomy, unionisation, the formal and informal sector, disaster management, and ethnic polarisation should be addressed. In case of failure, the society might be vulnerable to chaos and uncertainty, he warned.

He announced that he would take up the matter of establishing a separate chair on Labour Rights at the varsity with the KU Syndicate. Three books printed by the Pakistan Study Centre were also launched on the occasion.

PILER Director Karamat Ali briefed the participants about the aims and objectives of the conference and said that the government has put the labour to face inequality.

It is important to discuss at institutes like KU the problems faced by the labour class to inspire young researchers and students to learn about the marginalised citi-

zens, he added.

He said, “We want a state that is tolerant, where the poor can live with dignity without any fear. The state is helping the exploiters instead of the labour. Workers were enjoying more rights during the colonial era than in the present era.”

Veteran town planner and architect Arif Hasan gave an overview of the urban development bias towards the poor.

He said that it seems that the poor in the new development paradigm do not have any value. “Development schemes in poor localities are more substandard than the development schemes in posh localities. The poor are getting substandard water, inadequate sanitation, and insufficient health and education facilities, for which they are entitled as a citizen,” he added.

He said that even the bus terminals established by the government at public places do not have basic facilities like toilets, rest places for drivers and conductors, and drinking water.

Compared to this, private bus terminals established for the upper class people have all the facilities, as the cost of establishing private bus terminals is less than the cost of public bus terminals, he added.

He said that though there is enough state land in Karachi, it is not provided for the purpose of social development.

He underlined the need to change the biased mindset so it could be possible to bring the poor in the mainstream development.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Faisal Siddiqui, Farid Awan, Manzoor Razi, Lateef Mughal and Akeela Naz.

two ‘bandits’ shot dead in encounter KARACHI StAff REpoRt

Two alleged robbers were killed near Sakhi Hasan Chowrangi in North Nazimabad in an encounter on Wednesday, police said. Shahrah-e-Noor Jahan police said that three armed bandits were looting a milk shop located in the Maria Apartments building when a police team arrived at the scene. The three armed robbers opened indiscriminate fire at the law enforcers and in the ensuing gunfight, two bandits were shot dead while the third managed to escape, police said. The owner of the milk shop also suffered bullet wounds during the exchange of fire between the bandits and the police team. The bodies of the alleged robbers were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).

The deceased were identified as Irfan, son of Islam, and Sohail, son of Yousuf. The police have impounded the motorcycle (KDO-3556) used by the bandits during the robbery attempt.

francis campbell meets MQM chief KARACHI StAff REpoRt

REAl lIfE hERoES? SSP chaudhry Aslam with a colleague take a break from the operation against criminals in lyari. IMRAN ALI

Deputy High Commissioner of UK in Karachi Francis Campbell called on Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain in London on Wednesday. The goodwill meeting was held at the international secretariat of the MQM and continued for over two and a half hours. The leaders discussed the overall political situation of Pakistan, international affairs and other issues of mutual interests in the meeting. The members of the MQM Coordination Committee Tariq Jawed, Saleem Shahzad, Asif Siddiqui, Wasay Jalil, Mustafa Azizabadi and Qasim Ali Raza were also present at the meeting.

KHI 03-05-2012_Layout 1 5/3/2012 3:06 AM Page 10

PakistaN today

10 karachi wEAthEr UPDAtES

43°c high

clear skies

25°c low friDAy

54% humidity SAtUrDAy

43°c i 27°c

39°c i 25°c

SUNDAy 36°c i 25°c

PrAyEr tiMiNgS fajr 4:33

Sunrise 5:54

Zuhr 12:29

Asr 3:57

Maghrib 7:03

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thursday, 3 May, 2012

Ashiq wants to go to school and then join the army.

The children working Karachi’s streets

Starting time in Karachi

BBC SyED ShoAIB hASAn

city DirEctory EMErgENcy hElP PolicE 15 BoMB DiSPoSAl 15, 99212667 firE BrigADE 16, 99215007, 99215008 EDhi 115, 32310066-2310077 KhiDMAt-E-KhAlQ foUNDAtioN 36333811 rED crEScENt 35833973 govErNor’S hoUSE 136 chiEf MiNiStEr’S hoUSE 99202051 MotorwAy PolicE 130

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OST of Pakistan’s street children live in the teeming, southern city of Karachi. The latest estimate of numbers comes from 2005 when the United Nations said that between 1.2 million and 1.5 million children lived on Pakistan’s streets – but activists say that their numbers are rising.

I met 10-year-old Ashiq as he was sifting through a mound of rubbish. We were in a park in central Karachi – down the road from the mausoleum of Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

This bright-eyed boy was willing to talk as he worked – his slim, young fingers clearing a path through the dump.

Ashiq is a street child and a scavenger – he works as part of a group which operates in this area.

He is also part of a pattern dismaying charities and social activists who say that the number of children on the streets is increasing by the day.

Most of them start like Ashiq, who works up to seven hours a day in the blistering heat. He stopped and showed me his bag of pickings from the day.

“I collect plastic bottles,” he said, “and other things I can sell on to be recycled.” It earns him about Rs 100 a day.

Ashiq admitted it is hard work, but he also said that he is happy with

life. “I get money at the end of the day,” he said, “and I use my earnings to buy biscuits.”

He earnestly maintained that he doesn’t take drugs – unlike many other street children. Social workers from the Azad Foundation – a charity that works with such children – confirmed this.

Ashiq’s eyes sparkled when I asked him what he would really like to do. “I want to play football and cricket with the other children in the park,” he said softly.

“But people say that we are dirty; they chase us away. It makes me feel bad.” Ashiq also said that he wants to go to school. “I want to join the army when I grow up,” he said.

Ashiq has only been on the streets a few weeks now. He ran away from home after being repeatedly beaten by his father.

He said he is happier here, as he has enough to eat and gets whatever he wants – demands his povertystricken father could not fulfil.

WAITING FOR FOOD: Deprivation is the biggest reason forcing parents to abandon such children or compelling children to leave home.

On the streets, there is plenty to eat, as was evident when I visited Karachi’s most famous Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine.

Financed by wealthy Pakistanis, restaurants here distribute free food such as chicken biryani and mutton pulao.

Most of those waiting were children – some couldn’t have been older than five or six years old.

Milling around with plastic bags, they jostled with grown-ups to get their share. It is a fight that they are not ready for – but have no choice because they have been thrown into it.

They appeared safe here, but great dangers await them outside on the streets. Most of the children are picked up and recruited into gangs within a few weeks. Others are forced to become commercial sex workers.

Rana Asif – who runs the Centre for Street Children charity – puts the blame for this on the government.

“Police are not providing protection to children,” he said.

“But it is providing protection to criminals and abusers. They have their own interests and get financial benefit through children’s activities.

And they’re getting cuts from criminal gangs. That’s why police are not helping these children.”

Other local charities and social activists confirm this view. They said that it is not just criminal gangs targeting these kids – jihadi groups also scour the streets looking for easy recruits.

The police themselves denied these allegations. “There are occasional cases of some low-ranking officials being involved,” a senior officer told the BBC on the condition of being kept anonymous. “But these people are usually caught and punished.”

Officially, police maintain that they don’t have enough resources to provide adequate protection for

the children.

There is some help out there, though – the Azad Foundation runs a centre to teach girls skills to keep them off the streets. Reading, writing and basic arithmetic are all part of the course.

SNIFFING GLUE: Ten-year-old Yasmin was drawing a big, yellow sun when we met her. Her father is a heroin addict and forces her to wash cars and beg on the street to fund his habit.

Some girls her age have already been forced into prostitution. There are other cruel fates awaiting these vulnerable children.

In another park a few kilometres from where Ashiq works, a group of boys huddled together. As the call for prayers ringed out, they tightened their circle.

It is only when I was right next to them that I saw that they were sniffing at dirty clothes dipped in strong glue.

Nineteen-year-old Irfan was one of the gang. He told me that he has been on the streets since he was seven.

“I steal and take drugs,” he told me. “When I sniff glue, my mind becomes numb and I am happy all the time. I do want to leave the streets, but I don’t think that will ever happen now.”

The same pessimism is shared by the majority of street children.

Because their young lives are twisted by abuse and neglect, few last as long as Irfan. Most will die before their 18th birthday.

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The number of children on Karachi’s streets is on the rise, activists say.

ARt MoMEntS

ARt

AuGMEntAtIon

CONVERSATION ON MAY 3 AT 7:00 PM VENUE: T2F 2.0

THEATRE PLAY STARTS MAY 4 VENUE: ARTS COUNCIL

ART EXHIBITION UNTIL MAY 12 VENUE: ARTCHOWK

‘Art Moments: In Conversation with Asma Ibrahim’ at 7:00 pm on May 3 at The 2nd Floor. Call 35389033 for more information.

NAPA Repertory Theatre presents Yasmina Reza’s comedy play ‘ART’ from May 4 to 13 at the Karachi Arts Council.

Call 32633105 for more information.

Aliya Yousuf’s art exhibition titled ‘Augmentation’ is running until May 12 at ArtChowk-the Gallery. Call 35300481 for more information.

KHI 03-05-2012_Layout 1 5/3/2012 3:06 AM Page 11

thursday, 3 May, 2012

Editor’s mail 11

Destiny or greed Destiny of Pakistan to be ruled by despots in uniform and political mediocrity was not ordained by nature, but what we the people, have allowed our political leadership and paid servants of state to reduce it to, by their greed for ill-gotten wealth, real estate and unchecked power.

After Quaid’s unfortunate death, those who succeeded him in their quest for a constituency, delayed framing of constitution and patronized the few who filed fake claims that set into motion a culture, where corruption, bribery and deceit have acquired the force of habit by those who acquired political power with their newly gotten black money.

Evils of beggary Freedom was a gift given to us by our founding fathers, men of integrity like Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal, which we allowed to be eroded by our failure to protect it from vultures in form of opportunists. We cannot have inherited this from our religion, nor was it part of our culture. It is what we ourselves have allowed this country to be destroyed bit by bit, in the name of religion, or national security and our capacity to endure all these excesses.

From a democratic welfare state envisioned by Quaid, it became a country where exploitation became a norm and cartels like sugar, cement, fertilizers etc

enjoyed state patronage by making impotent regulatory authorities like SECP, CCP, PPRA, NAB, FDA, ANF, etc and a judiciary that became slave to an abusive executive.

Today almost every powerful individual, who belongs to any major political party, or is, or has been, associated with civil and uniformed bureaucracy, has abused their public office to promote personal business empires, avoid taxation and yet consider themselves holier than the other, although they are part of the same rotten set-up.

We today face a crisis, where every state institution is collapsing or is in dan-

ger, yet the politicians be they from PPP, PML(N), ANP, MQM, JUI, PML(Q) or even PTI are failing to heed the warning that this country and its people no longer have capacity to endure any more abuse.

While politicians blinded by their biases or greed stand divided, the Supreme Court which alone has any credibility is being rebuked.

Pakistan faces a constitutional crisis with a PM in office who has been convicted by SC for flouting its decisions with impunity, arrogance and no shame.

MALIK TARIQ ALI Lahore

Escorting the viPs The ANP government claims that they don’t have funds to better equip the police to fight terror in Kyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). The police stations in KPK have been given brand new pickups and motorcycles to provide regular security in the region but then the ANP government stopped the payments for fuel for these vehicles.

The police station heads were told to find "other sources" for the fuel cost of their vehicles. When these same SHOs started money extortion from the local businesses, the same government blamed these SHOs of corruption. This resulted in the return of motorbikes and vehicles by the police force and instead the police personnel opted for standing duties.

Almost everyday we read about the bombing of another school in KPK. Everyday we read about kidnapping, murder, extortion and many other heinous crimes happening in KPK and close to our homes. And during all this time, we all assume that the ANP government has stretched their budget due to security requirements and are facing a tough time finding new funding for the police.

I almost threw up when three days ago I saw the Speaker of the KPK Assembly arrive to a party in an 8-vehicle police escort. Then two days later, CM KPK arrived at a funeral in a police escort of 10vehicles. And today Mr Asfandiyar Wali came to Peshawar, in an escort of 8-police vehicles.

Where does the funding for the fuel requirement of 8-10 police escort vehicles for each individual ANP leader comes from? Is it even legal to allow the budget for VIP escort vehicle, while denying the budget for police security vehicles?

If the police personnel are all busy in escorting and driving the escort vehicles of the VIPs of ANP, then does that make the ANP leaders responsible for destruction of schools by terrorists in KPK, as the police are not available to investigate and stop such acts?

ANP and leaders of KPK, look in the mirror at yourself and at your actions. By showing off with big police escorts you are stopping the police from doing their security work, until one day the school with your children inside might be blown up. Then you can go to their funeral with a long police escort.

SHAHRYAR KHAN BASEER Peshawar

cNg cylinders The gas cylinders fitted below the seats in the rear of the buses pose a great threat to the safety of the travellers and all the onlookers.

Moreover, it has been noted that on CNG strike days a couple of handy cylinders are kept in between the seats in order to meet the urgencies. With the heat of summer on its peak the gas filled cylinders put all the passengers in great jeopardy.

HANIYA JAVED Karachi

Easy access ‘The Sindh Assembly passed into law to provide easy access to widows and elderly women to district officer for payment of benevolent fund’, a news item.

They may have done as they know that foreign affairs are not their business to pass a resolution for easy access of USPakistan officials for talks.

Z A KAZMI Karachi

Strike again

workers’ plight

After a long interval, the United States continued with a drone strike in North Waziristan. This was followed by an immediate statement released by the Foreign Office which condemned this act. The question is: why isn’t the government taking action? In a sovereign state, the drone would have been shot down.

A major portion of the budget is spent on our defence. What

PPP and lyari Amidst all the legal nitpicking and reliance on lame semantic loopholes and lacunae, the government has either lost sight of, or deliberately swept under the carpet, the very simple and self-evident universally accepted democratic principle that a convict has no moral or ethical authority whatsoever to govern a people and expect them to obey the law when he himself stands guilty of not doing the same.

But as a gentleman I know well has often remarked in response to some of my articles, ‘how do you shame the shameless?’

There can be no greater testimony to this government’s betrayal of the Bhutto legacy, in whose name it came to power and continues to exist, than the fact that the people of Lyari, who set themselves on fire in protest against the murder of

Recently, the number of beggars in our town has increased manifold. The moment you come out of your house, they start plaguing you. They pursue you like a shadow. Even hale and hearty people have taken to begging. Small boys and children have caught the infection.

Perhaps they are made to beg by their guardians.

The beggars gather at place frequented by the people. The bus stands, markets places, post offices, railway station and mosques are their favourite haunts. It is impossible to move about those places peacefully. If you show generosity, and open your purse, you are surrounded by a host of them.

Some child-lifters, in the guise of beggars, are on the lookout for abducting children. Two or three cases of this kind have occurred recently, and the culprits have been caught red-handed.

The female beggars enter the houses quietly without calling out for alms at the door. If they are not noticed by the inmates, they run away with whatever they can lay their hands on. They act as informers to the burglars who break into houses at night.

One obvious reason for this evil is literacy, poverty and unemployment. Due to the pervasiveness of the social ill, many evil practices have come into existence which are destroying not our social norms but also effecting our law and order situation.

The number of baggers in our country is rising. It is really a curse that even able-bodied citizens resort to begging. A prompt action on the part of the Government is required to check this social evil.

Bagging should be banned and there is a desire need for a legislation to end this profession. However, deserving cases should be helped and other should be given profitable employment.

FATIMA QURESHI Karachi

dents and often they try to avoid attending classes.

The violent child harms not only the students and teachers but they create trouble for educational institute's environment. The violation can even reach up to school principal or higher authority. If we look back, we can find numerous cases where the student violation caused life of principle, teachers and students.

Love, affection and understanding are the main medicine for violence behaviour. Hence special measures must be taken in this case. Proper and effective guideline must be provided. If children need extra care it must be given. We have to make sure that they do not spoil their future by going into the wrong direction of violence. We can secure the future of our country by securing our children’s future.

MEHREEN FAROOQ Karachi

Like many other countries of the world, May Day was also commemorated across Pakistan. Seminars were held in five-star hotels and press releases issued.

What good will come out of it, I don’t know. But here I would like to highlight the plight of construction and brick kiln workers.

Brick kiln workers in Sindh, especially Hyderabad, are probably the worst victims of irregular and unprotected labour, low wages, unhealthy working conditions and long work hours. They work in the absence of entitlements such as paid days off and vacation, sick leaves, health insurance, social security benefits and pension funds.

A worker who does not know who his employer is would not know where to file claims for proper pay and other rights and entitlements. Needless to say, work contracts are verbal and workers hardly ever get written contracts. Harassment and abuse of female workers, particularly those who belong to marginalised communities, are common.

Practical steps, both legal and administrative, must be taken to improve the lot of these workers and strict action taken against those who exploit them.

SIDRA NAEEM Karachi

tody where the parents have equal time with the children. There may be other possibilities for physical custody.

Physical custody is always open to disputes as each parent will want to fight for their own right first and foremost.

However, the law will need to look at the best interest of the child first. However, the best interest of the child may not be easily defined in real life and what seems best to one party may not appear so to be to another party.

The court will try to be fair to both parents but more often than not, equal time between parents is usually not possible or practical and one parent will have to make the sacrifice. I believe that parents should also accept that the needs of the child come first and not to focus only on what they themselves want. Too often parents focus only on why the other parent should not have custody and they fail to see their own shortcomings.

Emotions can run high in child cus-

tody disputes but in the end, the actual decision on each case must be based only on the facts of that case itself. Parents should avoid comparing custody cases of other people that they deem similar.

When there is an inevitable divorce, it is most important that parents work out a custody arrangement first, setting out how the parties will approach custody and visitation time with their children. Although the Courts can order a custodial arrangement, agreements reached directly between the parents will have the best chance of working out than those enforced by the court in the event of legal disputes.

Even if you have hired an attorney, it is wise to read up regarding child custody law yourself. There are many very good books written solely for mothers and fathers in child custody cases and they are written in very easy and readable format.

HINA BAIG Karachi

is the use of doing so if our country continues to face humiliation in the world?

It suggests that either the military is not competent enough to take action or is just not interested. Our political elite are certainly not capable of taking action.

TALAL Lahore

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and valiantly struggled against military dictatorships under the PPP flag now find themselves under hails of bullets while their party’s government enjoys the perks of power hand in hand with those whom Benazir Bhutto herself identified as her mortal enemies.

SUNDUS NAWAZ Karachi

violence among students Without any doubt student violence is a very critical issue for teachers and parents but it’s the other students who get affected by this situation the most.

The violent student creates a very difficult situation for other students.

The violence often reaches to a point when they use dangerous weapons like knife or gun. They use these weapons to threaten or to beat other students. This behaviour creates fear among other stu-

child custody law: basic aspects you should know Paternity law deals with the legal acknowledgement of a man and their child.

This will be based on several factors and isn't half as straight forward as it may at first seem. At the same time it is very important to ascertain this legal right in a range of situations regarding custody but also various other issues, and this is what necessitates paternity lawyers.

If you are faced with having to go through a child custody dispute, you should be familiar with the basic aspects of child custody law and have an understanding of how the process works. Unless you are fully knowledgeable, always hire a qualified child custody attorney who is good in family law.

First, there are two basic aspects relating to the custody of a child – legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody covers the responsibility and decision making regarding the child’s basic needs like for health, education and welfare. If only one parent has been given

sole legal custody, then that parent can make all decisions relating to the children without consulting the other parent.

Sometimes parents will be given joint legal custody and decisions will then have to be made jointly.

There may be various degrees of custody depending on the individual case.

For example, a parent may have legal custody, but they may also have a duty of consultation with the other parent to inform them prior to any decision being made. However, it is quite common that one parent will have the decision making authority to avoid a situation where the parties will become deadlocked and can’t reach a decision.

The other aspect of child custody law is the physical custody. This determines where the child will physically be living.

Sole physical custody means the child will be primarily with one parent and will have visitation with the other parent. On the other end is true joint physical cus-

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 should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively.

KHI 03-05-2012_Layout 1 5/3/2012 3:06 AM Page 12

12 comment vital issues neglected Careening towards a precipice

D

espite the final verdict on PM Gilani yet to be announced, the PML(N) has initiated protests aimed at removing the prime minister which are to be followed by a march on Islamabad.

Meanwhile, Gilani is meeting international delegations and army leadership. The Acting Chief Election Commissioner who is also a senior judge of the SC has declined to take action against Gilani on the ground that this could not be done before the SC’s detailed verdict.

This has led critics to maintain that the PML(N) is acting less out of the avowed motive of safeguarding the court’s prestige and more in pursuit of its political agenda of removing the government before the budget session.

Meanwhile the formation of a nine member bench to hear Gilani’s appeal may take longer than being envisaged.

The opposition by the PBC and the government to the appointment of two ad hoc judges is likely to array three members of the JCP against the move. With the prime minister’s special assistant on political affairs objecting to the two names on grounds of bias, another dimension has been added to the issue. The parliamentary committee on judges’ appointments would also be divided. This would both deepen and prolong the crisis which has been created after the short order issued by a bench of the SC. With the PM fully focused on preserving his job, vital issues that need his full attention are likely to remain unattended. These include the ongoing crucial talks with India and moves to iron out Pak-US differences. There are other issues impacting the lives of millions like shortages that need an urgent resolution. In Sindh, blasts targeting ATMs in various cities by a secessionist organisation have created another security issue while there is still no end to the Lyari violence or the killings in Balochistan. The government and the opposition leaders need to realise the dangers posed to the system. They have to find a way out of instead of continuing an eyeball to eyeball confrontation. Everyone in the end needs to abide by the SC’s decision. Meanwhile, the apex court too has to take note of the legal objections raised by prominent lawyers to the short order and reconsider if the removal of the PM is the best way to strengthen the system.

the endgame pakistan, Afghanistan and the uS

T

he Afghan conflict has dragged on for far too long, mostly because of a lack of a policy mutually agreed upon to bring an end to it. Military conflicts usually last only as long as the political class wants them to. If the latter make up their mind about having peace, militaries alone cannot continue a war. The endgame in Afghanistan is something that requires a solution of the sort.

President Obama’s surprise visit to the war-ravaged country does show an inclination towards bringing an end to a war that has lasted almost a decade. By saying that he would not want his forces to remain in harm’s way any more than needed, he has made his intentions clear: a withdrawal and finishing the job responsibly. What has, however, stood at odds with this is his signing of an agreement for the American presence in the form of trainers and advisors beyond 2014, the deadline for the withdrawal of US troops. This is quite unsettling for Pakistan who wants greater leverage in how affairs settle down after the US leaves the country. It is only natural for Pakistan to demand such control, just to avoid a repeat of the situation that panned out after the earlier US withdrawal in the late ’80s. Moreover, it is Islamabad that has paid a heavy price, some say even more than Kabul has, in this war on terror. Islamabad is also wary of New Delhi’s increasing influence in Afghanistan.

Any solution that even hints at concluding this war, without Pakistan’s active participation, is more than likely not to work. It will be hard for the Afghan government to sustain itself for long, in case the Taliban threat is not mollified. The US needs Pakistan as it is the only party here that can tackle the Taliban, both on the negotiation table and in the field. While the US’ distrust of Pakistan makes it hesitant in handing over a greater role to it, it is the endgame that is at stake. Pakistan, however, also needs to realise that the greater the power, the greater the responsibility. It would perhaps be better if it does not go solo and works with the US and Afghan government to ensure peace in its neighbouring country.

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

thursday, 3 May, 2012

The fight for the PM slot It goes on while the country is in deep trouble

By Nazir Naji

N

awaz Sharif is now saying that he no longer accepts the legitimacy of the PM. He has now launched a protest movement to oust the PM and has announced that it is now do or die. The PM has hit back that the judiciary cannot disqualify an elected representative and that he would remain PM till he was constitutionally removed. He also appended his statement with this sense-defying tidbit: the PM said that he had been punished only for a few seconds whereas Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to nine years imprisonment.

While this back and forth goes on, a sane voice that knows the criticality of the situation has said that justice should be equally applied, have faith in the continuity of democracy, institution should function as per the constitution and that the ultimate end of a democratic system is the welfare of the people.

The person who has uttered these words is not a professor, intellectual, a social science expert or a politician but Pakistan’s chief of army staff, General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani. This is the chief of the same military that jumped to take over power when the slightest opportunity presented itself. This is the same military that took over even when the opportunity didn’t present itself. For instance, when Yahya Khan took over, Pakistan was close to being dismembered.

Distrust between the two wings was very high and the people of East Pakistan were demanding their democratic right. If Ayub Khan had handed over power to the parliament’s speaker (as per democratic process) instead of the military at that time, then maybe Pakistan could have been saved from what followed. But Yahya Khan usurped power and the rest, as they say, is history.

I’ve mentioned this Pakistan is again at a very critical juncture right now. The slightest misstep, and our politics could be in grave danger. The leader of the army, cognisant of this fact, is trying to convey it to our political elite as he witnesses the vicious flux in Pakistani politics. The text of his recent speeches and statements is laden with clarity and foresight. Why does our political leadership

lack these very things?

The COAS has groused that the army is a frequent target of criticism. In my opinion, the policy of abstaining from taking over power directly may be a reason for that. The people who have been egging on the army to take over for the past four years have been sorely disappointed and have now stooped to criticising the army to get back at it for spurning their call to arms. Now they find reasons to ridicule the army. Such is the state of their anger that neither do they properly acknowledge the sacrifices of our soldiers nor do they say a good word about the army for staying away from politics.

On the other hand, many do not differentiate between military leaderships past and present and criticise the current leadership for sins of their predecessors.

Every one should be judged on the basis of their own deeds and the current military leadership has tried its best to protect democracy. But it should not be forgotten that the military leadership is comprised of mere mortal human beings who are also part of our society.

Much like our society, there are differences in their thoughts and ideas as well. The approach of the military leadership will remain effective insofar that the environment for it remains conducive.

But if the army’s policy of ignoring political crises and desisting from meddling in politics comes under debate and various opinions among the leadership come up on the matter, then it will become hard for the military to continue with this policy. More or less during every government’s tenure in Pakistan, many conspiracies of subordinate officers have been caught. Some came to the fore; other remained hidden. But it has also happened that a general who punished rebellious officers himself rebelled against a constitutional government. Thus, one shouldn’t rest on the fact that the current army leadership has had a ‘hands off’ policy till now.

The unfortunate thing is that politicians have now additionally turned the courts into a battleground. The way the latest judgment of the apex court has become a cause celebre is a unique case on our legal and political history. One decision of the courts has pushed the country into a state of extreme tension and upheaval.

One party interprets the decision in its favour while the other does the same.

A decision like this from the apex court (and that too on such a sensitive matter) is nothing but misfortune. It is common sense that only the legal minds of the highest calibre reach the apex court.

Thus, a decision that is the fruit of their labours should be free of any ambiguity and room for controversy. But it could very well be that there is no ambiguity in the decision itself but the people inter-

preting the judgment have ulterior motives. But there shouldn’t also be room for ulterior motives between the lines penned by a judge.

As a Pakistani diplomat has said, our rulers have turned a democratic country into a joke. First, we pressed the majority to fight for its rights after being hard done by a minority. We killed one erstwhile PM and two PMs-in-office at the same place; Liaquat Ali Khan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, they were all martyred on the same spot. And our judiciary has given a 30-second punishment to a sitting prime minister and wrote the decision in such a manner and language that it has engendered much controversy. Maybe, we have given up on our present and future.

We have made up our minds to promote this filthy political culture whose muck has polluted our lives.

We are not the first country to have relations with the US or to be its ally.

Now, I can say with certitude, that the US is considering the option of relegating us to the status of an outright enemy, leave alone restoring our ally status. This is a time when we should be united on the internal front to agree on an agenda for Pak-US relations and their future of terms of engagement. But we have virtually disabled all our decision-making centres. The Americans are at a loss about who to talk to. If we aren’t ready to talk, the world’s only superpower will not wait for us to put our house in order and the situation to improve but it will create a situation of its own liking. I see the unrest in Karachi, FATA, Balochistan, Gilgit, Swat in this backdrop. A ‘do or die’ protest movement in this context will only be a blessing-in-disguise for the US. Despite pulling out of Afghanistan, the US will continue to have bases there.

According to reports, they aren’t because of China, Russia, Iran or Central Asia but because of Pakistan. If anyone has any doubts about that, they should be dispelled by the news that F-22s have been deployed at Qatar airbases. Moreover, according to an analyst who is an expert on South Asian affairs, India is asking the US for the same status in South Asia that Israel has in the Middle East.

If we remain in a state of perpetual turmoil, then it is a distinct possibility that this US-India collusion will be done on India’s terms. In that case, we will then become the Palestine of South Asia.

The strategic assets that we rely on i.e. nuclear bombs and terrorists will not afford us victory over anyone. Though they will push us towards further destruction.

When a country is in such dire straits, it’s not hard to imagine the fallout of the tussle between ‘I-will-remain-PM’ and ‘Iwill-become-PM.’ The writer is one of Pakistan’s most widely read columnists.

foreign press

A natural path of evolution Hindustan Times

I

t has been a year since Osama bin Laden was killed.

What is remarkable about this past year is how little “the most dangerous man in the world” has figured in the political debate among his fellow Arabs and how diminished his terrorist organisation, al-Qaeda, is on the priorities of international security.

The popular governments created by the Arab spring are now consumed with the difficult process of piecing together democratic governments. Even in Syria, ravaged by a civil war, bin Laden’s name is never invoked and alQaeda rarely mentioned. The US and other governments remain wary of al-Qaeda. But the days when its name could rustle up billions of budgetary dollars and have governments chasing intelligence shadows are gone. Al-Qaeda continues to have offshoots – in Yemen, Nigeria, North Africa and so on – but these are often indigenous militancies that have adopted the brand but keep organisational independence . They operate on the margins of the international system. They are threatening, but not earth-shakingly so. Bin Laden was an inspirational model for radical Islam, a politicised and violent distortion of one of the world’s great religions. The terrorist wave he initiated disgusted many –

including the overwhelming majority of Muslims. In his last days, even bin Laden worried that al-Qaeda’s name and standing had been fatally compromised by the indiscriminate nature of its violence. He took radical Islam to unusual levels of international importance and influence – and then unwittingly brought it down again through his own tactics.

Is there a bin Laden legacy? There are a number of possibilities. However, what may prove to be the most important is that he gave a global respectability to conservative Islam. This strand used to get indiscriminately clubbed together with radical Islam because of its illiberal views on morality, women’s rights and anti-secular stance. However, conservative Islam did not support violence and terror.

Today, that distinction has proven important in shaping a new-found international acceptance of conservative Islam. Organisations like the Muslim Brotherhood or even political parties inspired by extreme schools of thought like Salafism now contest elections and form governments – an anathema to the West a decade ago. This is why the international system is more sanguine about the spread of Muslim democracy and the idea of Islamicist governments.

Bin Laden can be said to have produced the right international environment for political Islam to pursue a more natural path of evolution. He hated this path himself, but bin Laden won it acceptance by showing how much more dangerous the alternative was.

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thursday, 3 May, 2012

Looking for Taliban equivalents Bestowing artificial legitimacy on aliens?

By Ali Arqam

I

n a recent opinion piece, Mr Nadir Hassan has drawn parallels between the present-day Taliban and the resistance movements in the federally administrated tribal areas (FATA) in the remote past. The writer asserts that he does not condone the Taliban atrocities but, unfortunately, he appears to rationalise that madness by his attempt to impart legitimacy of sorts by trying to tie them to the past struggles in that region.

Mr Hasan has focused on the anti-colonial, conservative religious figure, the Faqir of Ipi and has compared the Faqir of Ipi’s rebellion against the British Raj with the Taliban. The similarities between the two movements – if the Taliban can be called one - are far and few in between and the comparison is valid only in a very limited scope, if at all.

The writer has, for example, exaggerated the reach and influence of the Faqir’s uprising by calling it one of the ‘most successful rebellions’ which was actually not the case. The fact is the movement by the Faqir of Ipi was quite limited and neither had the capacity to nor did extend outside Waziristan. Like the Taliban’s Pakistani backers, the Faqir’s uprising had its foreign supporters in Germans and Italians. However, unlike the Taliban’s handlers, the Germans and Italians were aware that even with unlimited supplies he could not gather more than a thousand adherents or carry out a serious and sustained assault on British forces. The Faqir’s did conduct the classic hit-and-run guerrilla attacks against the British but really had no strategy to expand the scope of their rebellion, including tying it to the larger independence struggle in British India.

Unlike the highly Arabised and Pakistan-trained Taliban, the Faqir of Ipi’s movement was indigenous in nature, characteris-

tics, norms, scope and influence.

It was not driven by an anti-imperial ideology or any mooted anticolonial phenomena. It erupted on the issue of handing over a Hindu minor girl to her parents by the British administration, following a complaint against a tribal man for abducting, converting to Islam and marrying the girl. The action taken by the British administration, of course, was highly commendable, especially when compared today with the complicity of present-day political and civil administration and the inaction of judiciary in similar cases.

The steps taken by the British administration were nonetheless conceived as an attack on the tribal code as well as against religious norms. The outrage against the perceived British excesses morphed into a decade-long insurgency. The indigenous nature of the revolt by default had to tap the traditional bastions of native culture and power i.e. the jirga (political assembly), hujra (social assembly) and the mosque (religious assembly). The former two power centres overshadowed or at least remained at par with the mosque – an exact opposite of the way Taliban movement evolved and prosecuted war. The Faqir’s men worked with the existing socio-political structures, which is in stark contrast with the Taliban zealots blowing up jirgas and decimating the tribal elders and their hujras. Not a shred of historical evidence suggests that the Faqir’s men went on a killing spree against the tribal leaders, common people, music or poetry recitals, village fairs and play areas, bazaars, shrines or mosques.

The very distinct composition of Taliban-ian Islam (as the writer asserted) is the attempt to bring down the existing socio-political structure and to extend their control by inflicting a puritanical version of Islam and waging a jihad against fellow Muslims considered guilty of idolatry, grave worshipping and adultery. Imposing rigorous prohibitions on music, dance and all forms of arts, and enforce punishments for not observing Islamic rituals, challenging tribal hierarchy and insisting on socio-religious equality of the people to win over support.

In his pursuance of finding out an equivalent from the region to dispel the impression of considering the Taliban as an unprece-

dented phenomena, he missed that the Faqir of Ipi was not a mullah; he was associated with a Sufi clan, a disciple of Pir Naqib of Charbagh, which makes him a Barelvi. Thus, his version of religion was more in line with the local interpretation of Islam (for instance, it is apparent from the use of music in his war parties).

Also, if he had researched about the descendants of the Faqir of Ipi, he may have found that the successor of the Faqir, his nephew, Niaz Ali Khan, was known for his conciliatory approach in tribal disputes, and his sons Abdul Jaleel, Abdul Wali and others were often inveighed by the local mullahs for inertness toward the religiously glorified war of Afghanistan and the current uproar in FATA. The Faqir of Ipi’s opposition to the idea of Pakistan came from the political leanings favoured towards Congress and its allies in frontier region, the Khudai Khidmatgars. His support of the Pashtunistan was first influenced by this and later by his contacts in the Afghan Government, which lost grounds after Badshah Khan took an oath of allegiance to Pakistan and his military commander later surrendered to Pakistan.

Taliban roots in political and religious movements on Pashtun lands can be traced to the Wahhabi-influenced movement of Syed Ahmed of Bareli, who sought political control by declaring himself the vanguard of Islam, imposed centralised Sharia Laws, changing Pashtun traditions and norms with their version of Islam and challenging the traditional authority of Pashtun elders as well as the religious clergy by assigning themselves the authorities to arbitrate disputes and collect religious tax, as Zakat and Ushr. These steps by Syed Ahmed and his disciples from across India and among Pashtuns were rejected by the traditional Pashtun leadership as well as clergy. The alien movement ensued in an utter failure Local tribal elders and people of FATA have the same feelings of agony towards the aliens and monsters aka Taliban; it is state support for perceived strategic interests which have enabled them to continue their beleaguering of FATA. The writer is a freelance journalist and can be reached at twitter.com/aliarqam

comment 13

Rocking graveyards our horde of has-beens

A

t the outset, let me apologise if the title appears insensitive or disrespectful. It actually is meant to convey a level of disrespect, not for the dead but for those past their sell-by date who have a gigantic sense of entitlement in this country. So forgive me and read on.

Look around. Retirement refuses to be an option in Pakistan. People reaching either superannuation or a high level of incompetence immediately become a candidate for a prize job, a big prize, at the cost of government or the country. A spate of aged contenders exists for jobs that must necessarily go to younger, more energetic, enlightened and dynamic people. Whether it’s a game or an assignment, the lines are endless.

Today’s ire is triggered by the announcement of Mohammad Yousuf, a cricketing ‘has been’ who professes a passion for the game that warrants a return. Have a heart; if every one passionate about cricket was considered, we’d have a deluge on our hands. Cricket has reached spectacular energy levels and demands much physical and mental strength.

Even at your best, you couldn’t throw the ball from the boundary. Having said this, yes you were a class act, a superb batsman when you got going. But Dravid was way above, and physically in superb shape. Even

By Imran Husain he has said goodbye. No one except Tendulkar from your time plays cricket anymore. So rest at home and don’t ridicule yourself please. Let us remember you with some element of dignity.

Not to be outdone, close to the end of a delayed but successful career, Misbah also announces his candidature for continuing in cricket at all playing levels and formats. So be it.

But tell me what arrogance allows players in their twilight to imagine even for a single moment that a nation, which boasts 80 million males, does not have at least a dozen young replacements for them? It’s the geriatrics that dominate Gaddafi Stadium who inspire these ludicrous beliefs and will welcome yet another in their midst. It kind of camouflages the limps and breathlessness that prevails.

Why Zaka Ashraf bows in deference, I have no idea. I know what I would have done.

That’s cricket, just a game.

What about serious business like governance, running institutions, representing the nation internationally? How come almost every retired government functionary demands he be placed in an even more lucrative

Random thoughts

job than the one he retired from? When a comparative one is suggested, he is grossly offended. It really pisses me off when I hear this.

I mean, man, you’ve done your bit, the nation has acknowledged your contribution which, frankly, in most instances is zilch; now just go home and let others get on with the job.

There are guys from the services who retire with millions in benefits that will see them through to the end of life living in luxury. But no, instead of resting on laurels, they will be knocking the door letting the right quarters know of their expectations. Check out the prize jobs and see for yourself. It’s disgusting.

Seeing all this happen, a new breed has entered the arena. Those highly paid gentlemen heading major corporations and financial institutions, banking and non-banking, upon being relieved, with huge payoffs mind you, are feverishly charging around Islamabad looking to be accommodated, not just with board memberships and chairmanships but operational assignments as CEOs with terms and conditions applicable as in their former private sector jobs. I just have to look up from this computer and I see a sea of selfentitled, expectant faces just waiting to don their Sunday best and jump onto an Islamabad flight. It makes me laugh.

In deadly earnest, they recount how the fortunes of corporations they’ve headed changed at their hands. What immense contribution they make to the think tanks they are placed upon and how mediocre the present incumbents of jobs they earmark are. I don’t doubt that there may be a lot of truth in what they say, especially in regard to current incumbents since a lot of ‘favourites’ occupy lucrative assignments, but they’ve done what they had to. Let others have their chance.

An old horse is an old horse; he must give way to the new, spirited successor. As they have had to in their international corporations. Why don’t these big corporations extend their tenures? Sure they take the best, I mean only the best, and appoint him or her as chairman of a subsidiary in Asia or Africa or the like. The others go home to roost.

These folks are misled by what has been done in the past to accommodate people despite protests, regulations et al. So one can’t blame them entirely for harbouring aspirations. The question is when will we recognise this as a disease that plagues the nation. Get these guys on talk shows and disconcert them till they feel ashamed. I mean, my God, people in their seventies, mid to late, are still lining up. It’s embarrassing to say the least.

And the fact that government even considers such appointments is utterly ridiculous.

Its responsibility is to the nation not individuals. And my friends ‘has beens’ are ‘has beens’ in whatever form or flavour they come.

Let’s quickly agree on this.

The writer may be contacted via e-mail at imranmhusain@gmail.com

KHI 03-05-2012_Layout 1 5/3/2012 3:07 AM Page 14

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thursday, 3 May, 2012

FASHION

Humaima Malick

AwARdEd AT LOndOn fiLM fEST

H

NEWS DESK

UMAIMA Malick recently won the Best Actress award at the London Asian Film Festival (LAFF) 2012, for her film ‘Bol’. Beating Bollywood stars including Shilpa Shetty, Freida Pinto and Shabana Azmi at the awards ceremony, the award came as quite a surprise for Malick. Winning the award she said was the biggest honour for her. As the only Pakistani in the BAFTA building at the time of the award ceremony, Malik says she was star struck in the presence of so many Hollywood and Bollywood biggies and said it felt great to be among the among so many big celebrities receiving the prestigious awards. “I was beaming with pride, happiness and joy,” she said. ‘Bol’ was the first Pakistani movie to be nominated in seven different categories at such a major international film festival. Malik says the award she won was for her country. She says she was satisfied with the hard work she had put in the project and was hopeful it would pay off. Winning didn’t come as a shock, she says, although, she was

surprised when her name was called out. “I personally adore both Shilpa Shetty and Freida and I love their work so I didn’t know where I stood. But I value the love and appreciation that LAFF gave a new artiste like me,” she said.

She continued, “I also got the chance to interact with many Hollywood and Bollywood celebrities during the event. It was delight to speak to Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Javed Akhtar at the function.” Humaima also met with Abhishek Bachchan at the ceremony and she recalled, “I was overwhelmed on meeting Abhishek. In fact, he watched my film and said very good things about it and appreciated my performance as well.” Humaima will be visiting India soon to complete the shoot of her next movie, the details of which are being kept under wraps for now. “I will be in India in a few days.

I will be busy with the completion of the shoot of my movie. It has been a different experience working in a Bollywood film. I’m just loving it,” said an excited Humaima. About former Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram, whom she was said to be dating in the past, she said, “We’re just good friends, aur kuch bhi nahi hai.”

NEw yorK: UN Peace Messenger and musical legend Stevie wonder performs with grammy-award winning singer Esperanza Spalding at the inaugural international Jazz Day concert. AfP

Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias announce tour LOS ANGELES CBS

Once Jennifer Lopez wraps ‘American Idol’ this season, she will be doing some performances of her own. The ‘Idol’ judge will hit the road with Enrique Iglesias and Wisin Y Yandel this summer. Lopez and Iglesias announced that the 20-city MEGA concert tour will begin July 14 in Montreal. “We are going to give you everything we got,” Lopez said. “I think it’s going to be one of the most historic tours ever. Because I don’t know that there has ever been something where these Latinos have come together like this as family.” Iglesias said the tour will include individual hits as well as collaborative performances. “I have a bunch of songs with Wisin Y Yandel and obviously with Jennifer,” he told the crowd. Wisin Y Yandel has a new song, called ‘Follow the Leader,’ featuring Lopez. According to OK! magazine, J-Lo said her beau, Casper Smart, will be among the tour choreographers. Lopez said her 4-year-old twins, Max and Emme, will also be on the tour bus. And if they get stir crazy? “There’s always Grandma’s house,” she said.

Amitabh may fly to LA for treatment MuMBAI: Amitabh Bachchan is certainly not in the pink of his health. the thespian might be flying to the US to treat his illness after he underwent a ct scan recently. According to a tabloid, the veteran will not take up any new assignments till September. A source said, “it was the first time since the operation in february that Bachchan saab felt such severe pain and had to go for a ct scan soon afterwards. it is believed that Mr Bachchan is not doing any film before September as he’s going to los Angeles, in May-June, where he will undergo a few tests and the required treatment to be sure.”

Big B, however has committed to shoot for rohit Shetty’s film ‘Bol Bachchan’ before September that stars his son Abhishek and Ajay Devgn. “that’s also because Abhishek is acting in the film and has a very strong role in it. And Ajay, who’s producing it, is like family. Besides, it’s not going to be stressful as Bachchan saab’s part will be shot in just a couple of days,” said the source. the 69 year old superstar has a number of projects lined up that includes ram gopal varma’s ‘Sarkar 3’ and Shoojit Sircar’s ‘Johnny Mastana’. AGEnCIES

SyDnEy: A model parades a black silk Manuella dress during oroton’s show at fashion week Australia. AfP

SyDNEy: Aboriginal model Samantha harris parades a Manuella silk dress during oroton’s show at fashion week Australia. AfP

SRK is warm and friendly: Katrina MuMBAI: Katrina Kaif is considered as one of the top Bollywood actresses in the industry today. in a span of almost a decade, the actor has given innumerous hits like ‘Ajab Prem Ki gajab Kahani’, ‘raajneeti’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’. No wonder she has bagged three big films opposite the three ruling Khans of Bollywood-Salman, SrK and Aamir. when asked that how it felt to be the most sought after actress in the circuit, she said: “i don’t believe in numbers; the fact that i’m getting to work with the best people in the industry makes me feel blessed. with every project i get to learn so much that i can’t thank all the people around enough.” Expressing her excitement over working with the three heavyweights of the industry, Kat had something to say about each one of them. About Salman, she said, “Salman and i have done comedies (‘Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya’ and ‘Partner’) and a romance (‘yuvvraj’) but we’ve never done something adventurous together, so ‘Ek tha tiger’ is a thrill.

Salman and i were waiting for the right script and setup to work together again and this is it.” She described SrK as “warm and friendly” while working on the sets of yrf’s new project. She said, “i admire the energy, hard work and passion he puts into his work.” But when prodded about Aamir, she seemed most enthused. Kat is cast opposite Aamir in ‘Dhoom 3’ about which she said, “it’s a hi-glam action movie and a hit franchise. i haven’t started prepping yet, but i will soon. i’m looking forward to learning as much as i can from Aamir.” AGEnCIES

CAlIfoRnIA: Shailene Woodley arrives at the ABC family West Coast upfronts party. AfP

Aishwarya Rai’s shape, a subject of intense debate nEW DElhI: the shape which Aishwarya Rai is in five months after her pregnancy has generated unusual public interest with the Bachchan bahu coming in for some criticism for the “oodles of weight” gained by the actress. But some celebrities who have been associated with the 38-year-old Bollywood star, including designer Sabyasachi defended her, saying that the new mother would take some time to shed pregnancy weight. the trigger for the reactions came following the publication of some pictures of the former Miss World while emerging out of a party.

Married to Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya gave birth to her first baby, a daughter, on november 16, 2011. the pictures set off a buzz on the internet and in the social media with articles, videos, blogs and tweets highlighting her “double chin” and calling the photos “shocking”. the photos attracted comments like: “till now she has been praised for her beauty, so it is only fair that she should also be criticised if she is not able to live up to it.” on the other hand, there are many who believe that five months is not enough time to shed weight. Aishwarya looked slimmer at the press conference conducted by the Bachchans at their residence immediately after the baby’s arrival. But in recent photographs, it seems as if she is heavier by five to six kilos. Designer Rina Dhaka says that a new mother gains weight especially when she is taking care of her baby. Even blogs and tweets have come out in Aishwarya’s defence. one twitter user wrote, “Reports about Aishwarya’s weight gain are vile and irresponsible. let the woman be.” AGEnCIES

KHI 03-05-2012_Layout 1 5/3/2012 3:07 AM Page 15

15 Blanchett, Hawkins set for woody Allen film

no Richard Burton yet for Lohan’s Liz Taylor biopic LOS ANGELES AGEnCIES

‘M

two RottERDAM: Members of the ck boy bands New Kids on the Blo ing and Backstreet Boys perform dur their NKotBSB tour concert. AfP

EAN Girls’ celebrated its eighth anniversary and even though fetch never really caught on, Lindsay Lohan is indeed ready for her comeback as Elizabeth Taylor-filming for the Lifetime biopic is set to begin June 4th. And production for the flick’s going perfectly as planned-the location has moved from Canada to LA and insurance policies are in order, but there’s one big piece to the puzzle producers are still missing-who will play Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor’s fourth (and fifth) husband. A source close to production said “producers of the Lifetime biopic ‘Liz and Dick’ have still not cast the actor to play the role of Richard Burton.” Which seems

fairly problematic considering there are only 34 days before filming begins. “As of today there is no final casting. They have been looking at a lot of actors,” the production-savvy source revealed. The source would not mention who, specifically, producers have their eye on. All the hype’s been around casting Lindsay, but this is not the Elizabeth Taylor solo biopic-the role of Richard Burton is equally as important since the flick chronicles ‘Liz and Dick’s chaotic union.

Still, the source confirms shooting is indeed “set to start in L.A. in the first week of June”. About the reason behind the hold-up, the insider reveals the casting’s not as easy as it seems: “Everyone wants to make sure the male lead not only can pull off Richard Burton, but that they have great chemistry with Lindsay. It is a double-whammy casting challenge.”

Tom Cruise to star as Van Helsing in new monster movie LOS ANGELES AGEnCIES

loS AnGElES: Zac Efron attends the Denver Nuggets against los Angeles lakers game 2. rEUtErS

loS AnGElES: Ashton Kutcher sits courtside during the los Angeles lakers against Denver Nuggets NBA game. rEUtErS

Tom Cruise as Van Helsing? Judging from the ‘Rock of Ages’ trailer, he’s certainly got the hair (or at least a good wig guy). According to a press release from Universal Studios announcing a new deal with ‘Star Trek’ screenwriting duo Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, Cruise is attached to play the famed vampire hunter in a new film from the decadeold studio. For the pair, this is the second high-profile feature they’ve become attached to in recent days. Sony announced that Kurtzman and Orci would take another pass at the sequel to ‘The Amazing Spider-man’. They’re also cowriters on ‘Star Trek 2’, giving them a wide variety of blockbuster franchises. (Kurtzman and Orci are also responsible for ‘Transformers’, ‘Mission: Impossible III’ and ‘Star Trek’). The two-year deal with Universal is an interesting one; after all, back in February, Orci tweeted that K/O Paper Products (the Kurtzman/Orci production company banner) was leaving its home a DreamWorks and was “excited to be an independent production company in the coming year.”

AN H S O R K I H T I HR E T A M I T L U D VOTE STYLE ICON nEW DElhI: Bollywood star hrithik roshan has been voted as the ultimate style icon in an online survey conducted by a popular website, while Aishwarya rai and Abhishek Bachchan were declared the most stylish celebrity couple. on the list of ultimate style icons cricketer MS Dhoni features at number two and superstar Shah rukh Khan is third. hrithik got 18 percent votes, while Dhoni bagged 16 and SrK 15 percent votes, according to a popular portal. totally, 1,223 respondents took the survey conducted in April. threefourths of the survey respondents comprised the youth aged between 18-34 years. in the poll, Amitabh Bachchan is declared the best power dresser and his daughter-in-law Aishwarya is named the best dressed celeb on the red carpet, while Malaika Arora Khan the most stylish celebrity mom title. Aamir Khan is declared the celebrity for whom technology and style go hand-in-hand, rekha with the traditional indian fashion sense, vidya Balan with the most unique fashion sense. AGEnCIES

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O T R A F A Z I L A B E H A S A D A RECEIVE D EMY D PHALKE ACA AWARD NEWS DESK Ali Zafar has once again made the Pakistani nation proud of his work. With three hit movies in a row, Ali Zafar has earned immense respect and goodwill in Bollywood over just two years. Last year he won his first Stardust award in the Superstar of Tomorrow category. Zafar has again delighted the Pakistani nation as he will be bringing a Phalke Academy Award home from the 143rd Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Awards ceremony. Ali Zafar will receive the Phalke New Talent Award at the annual event that celebrates Dadasaheb Phalke Jayanti. The awards are presented to people associated with filmmaking, including producers, distributors, exhibitors and actors, for their outstanding services

to the film industry. Dadasaheb Phalke is known as the pioneer of the Indian Film Industry. He made the first Indian motion picture ‘Raja Harishchandra’ in the year 1913. The annual event will honour some of the biggest stars in the film industry, including veterans like Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna, who will receive the Phalke Ratna and Legendary Actor trophies respectively. Some of the other prominent awardees at this 143rd event are Waheeda Rehman, Tanuja and Saira Banu. Vidya Balan will receive the Phalke Memorable Performance Award for ‘The Dirty Picture’ while Farhan Akhtar will receive the Best Commercial Film award for ‘Zindagi Naa Milegi Dobara’. Ajay Devgan will also be awarded the Outstanding Performance award for ‘Singham’.

iT’S A BABy giRL fOR JESSiCA SiMPSOn LOS ANGELES: Singer Jessica Simpson gave birth to a daughter named Maxwell Drew Johnson in Los Angeles, said publicist Lauren Auslander. Maxwell weighed 9 lbs.

13 ounces. Maxwell is the first child for 31-year-old Simpson and her 32year-old fiancé Eric Johnson, a former NFL player. The name is a tribute to the couple’s families: Maxwell is Johnson’s middle name and the maiden name of his mother and Drew is Simpson’s mother’s maiden name. “We are so grateful for all of the love, support and prayers we have received,” Simpson said in a statement on her website.

“This has been the greatest experience of our lives!!” AGEnCIES

Australian actress Cate Blanchett and Britain’s Sally Hawkins are being lined up to star in Woody Allen’s next film, industry daily Variety reported. Hawkins, who had a small role in Allen’s 2007 ‘Cassandra’s Dream’, a year before her breakout role in Mike Leigh’s ‘Happy Go Lucky’, will play a “neurotic who’s more fun and rough around the edges,” it said. ‘Hangover’ star Bradley Cooper is “circling a role in the ensemble,” it reported, adding that Blanchett-who like Cooper has not worked with Allen before-will play a joint lead with Hawkins. The movie is expected to be shot in San Francisco and New York this summer, according to Variety. Allen, who won an Oscar for best original screenplay this year for ‘Midnight in Paris’, last month premiered his latest film ‘To Rome With Love’, in which he stars alongside Penelope Cruz.

Oscars venue renamed dolby Theatre in new deal LOS ANGELES BBC

The Hollywood venue that hosts the Oscars has been renamed the Dolby Theatre in a new sponsorship deal. The 3,400seater building, which has been home to the annual Academy Awards ceremony since 2002, was previously known as the Kodak Theatre. Earlier this year a judge granted Eastman Kodak permission to end the $74 million, 20-year naming rights deal it signed in 2000. Dolby has agreed a 20-year contract with theatre owners the CIM Group. Kevin Yeaman, of Britishfounded audio technology specialists Dolby, said the partnership “allows the theatre to be not only the world stage for the Academy Awards, but for Dolby innovations for decades to come”. Eastman Kodak entered bankruptcy protection from its creditors in January this year after failing to keep up with competitors. The 133year-old company announced it was to stop making digital cameras in order to focus on more profitable divisions.

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16 Foreign News

thursday, 3 May, 2012

20 dead after attackers storm Cairo protest CAIRO

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HUGS attacked an anti-military protest near the defence ministry in Cairo on Wednesday and 20 people were killed, officials said, in the politically tense run-up to the first post-uprising presidential election.

The dawn assault sparked fierce clashes between the unidentified attackers and the protesters, who have been there for days calling for an end to military rule, with both sides hurling petrol bombs and rocks, the official said. The army deployed troops in central Cairo to quell the clashes, a military source told AFP.

A security official said the army and security forces had formed a cordon between the protesters and the attackers, bringing the fighting to a halt. A doctor at a field hospital set up in the area said 20 people had been killed and dozens injured.

Four presidential candidates announced they had temporarily suspended their campaigns over the killings. The Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohammed Mursi told reporters he decided to suspend his campaign for 48 hours “in solidarity with the protesters.”

He blamed the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces because it is the ruling authority. SCAF “is the first to be responsible,” he said. His main Islamist

rival, Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh, cancelled all his events for the day over the clashes, a campaign official told AFP. Leftist candidates Khaled Ali and Hamdeen Sabbahi also announced they were suspending their campaigns. Prodemocracy activists including the Coalition of Revolution Youth, as well as Abul Fotouh, have called for a march to Abbassiya at 5:00pm (1500 GMT) to demand an end to the bloodshed in Cairo, where traffic in the centre of the city had ground to a halt and created patches of grid lock across the capital.

Leading dissident Mohamed ElBaradei denounced the “massacre” outside the ministry of defence. “SCAF &

Government unable to protect civilians or in cahoots with thugs. Egypt going down the drain,” the former UN nuclear watchdog chief posted on Twitter. The protesters, supporters of Salafist politician Hazem Abu Ismail, have been camped out since Saturday after the electoral commission barred the popular hardline Islamist from contesting the upcoming presidential election.

On Sunday, one person was killed and 119 injured in clashes between Abu Ismail supporters and residents of the Abbassiya neighbourhood in Cairo, where the defence ministry is located. Protests since the popular uprising that toppled president Hosni Mubarak last year have

often turned violent, with thugs associated to the previous regime frequently blamed.

The electoral commission on April 14 barred 10 candidates, including the Muslim Brotherhood’s Khairat El-Shater and the former president’s intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, from standing in the poll to choose Mubarak’s successor.

Abu Ismail’s nomination was rejected because his mother had taken joint US citizenship, but many of his supporters believe he was the victim of a “plot” by the authorities. The first round of the presidential election is scheduled for May 23-24, and the SCAF has promised to hand over power to the winner by the end of June.

Yemen to ask for $10 billion from donors: minister SANAA Afp

Yemen will ask donors for about $10 billion in urgent aid at a “Friends of Yemen” meeting to be held in the Saudi capital later this month, the country’s planning minister said Wednesday. “We are talking about $10 billion that we will need for economic recovery, to stabilise the economy and the currency,” Mohammed Said al-Saadi told AFP on the sidelines of a donors conference in Sanaa. “This is just an estimate at this point,” he said adding that “these figures will be discussed” even though the meeting of foreign ministers from the Gulf countries, and representatives of the United States, the European Union and the United Nations in Riyadh on May 23 will focus mainly on political aspects of Yemen’s transition. The interim transitional government is in the process of finalising an emergency plan to relaunch its shattered economy, still reeling from a year-long uprising that forced veteran leader Ali Abdullah Saleh out of power. According to the minister, the plan sets out the most “urgent priorities,” including the spiralling food crisis that the United Nations estimates has affected some 10 million Yemenis. The plan will also focus on rebuilding infrastructure, specifically electricity, water and oil products, and ensure severely debilitated health and social services are restored, he added.

CAIRo: An Egyptian anti-military protester protects himself with a crate during clashes in the Abbassiya district on Wednesday. AFP

Outgoing Medvedev signs off on political reforms MOSCOW Afp

President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday said he signed into law new political reforms agreed in the wake of the protests that shook Russia, just days before he hands over the Kremlin to Vladimir Putin.

Medvedev announced he signed off on laws reviving the direct elections of Russia’s powerful regional governors and also abolishing the need for parties to gather signed petitions to stand in all elections save presidential polls. “I want to inform you — I have just signed the law on the elections of governors of the Russian Federation,” Russian news agencies quoted Medvedev as telling a meeting of party leaders, adding he had also signed the changes to the requirement on signatures.

The changes were first touted after mass anti-Putin protests shook the Kremlin following disputed parliamentary elections in December. The laws had already been adopted by parliament. Medvedev is to leave the Kremlin on May 7 when Prime Minister Putin is inaugurated as head of state but the outgoing president is expected to be immediately named as the new prime minister.

Struggling Sarkozy pins re-election hopes on French TV duel PARIS Afp

Nicolas Sarkozy makes a last-ditch bid Wednesday to turn the tide against Socialist Francois Hollande when they go head to head in the French presidential election’s one and only television debate. The duel comes a day after Sarkozy staged a huge rally to rival France’s traditional May Day show of force by the left and after National Front leader Marine Le Pen scornfully rejected his bid to woo her far-right supporters. The president is expected to use the debate to portray his frontrunning rival as a dangerous leftwinger whose tax-and-spend policies signal a return to 1970s socialism that will doom the already struggling French economy.

Sarkozy is generally seen as a better debater than Hollande but few expect him to be able to reverse the opinion polls that forecast the Socialist will clinch Sunday’s second round vote by around 54 percent to his 46. Hollande will speak first in the debate to be broadcast live by several channels at 1900 GMT and which has been meticulously prepared — even down to the temperature of the studio — by media advisors of both candidates. Hollande on Wednesday received advice from his former partner and mother of his

four children, Segolene Royal, who took on Sarkozy in 2007 when she was the Socialist candidate, in an election her right-wing opponent went on to win.

“The issue is not to let him (Sarkozy) escape his track record, because democracy is about knowing if one sticks to one’s commitments. He must not be able to sidestep his track record,” she told RTL radio.

Hollande must “above all remain himself” and must “keep this debate on an elevated plane even if (Sarkozy) tries to drag him down,” she said.

Sarkozy’s UMP party was meanwhile engaged in debate about how far it should engage with Le Pen, who got the support of 6.4 million voters in the April 22 first round of the election.

Defence Minister Gerard Longuet on Tuesday shocked many in the party when he said that Le Pen, “unlike her father” Jean-Marie, the firebrand founder of the National Front, was “someone we can speak to”.

But UMP secretary-general JeanFrancois Cope stated categorically Wednesday that there would “never be any electoral deal talks with the National Front or discussion or negotiations with the leaders of the National Front.”

Sarkozy has tilted ever further to the right since the first round in a bid

to woo Le Pen supporters, vowing to “defend the French way of life”, drastically reduce immigration and secure France’s borders.

France holds elections next month for the National Assembly, where the National Front currently has no presence.

Le Pen hopes her third-place, 18 percent score in the presidential first round will translate into parliamentary seats and turn the Front into a powerful opposition party.

France’s BFM-TV news channel said Wednesday it had dropped Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s journalist wife Anne Sinclair from election night coverage because the disgraced Socialist was once more in the media spotlight.

“The serenity was gone, what with the affair kicking off again this weekend,” said BFM-TV’s boss Guillaume Dubois after the publication over the weekend of his allegation that Sarkozy orchestrated his downfall.

The ex-International Monetary Fund boss had been favoured to win the vote until May last year, when he was arrested in New York and accused of sexually assaulting hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo.

The charges were later dropped but a New York judge has ruled that he should face a civil case brought by Diallo.

Japan urges Israel ‘patience’ on Iran sanctions JERUSALEM Afp

Japan’s Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba has urged Israel to exercise “patience” on Iran’s nuclear programme and give sanctions a chance to work, his spokesman said on Wednesday. Gemba, who arrived in Israel on Tuesday, met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and on Wednesday held talks with Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad in the West Bank city of Ramallah. A statement from spokesman Masaru Sato said Gemba had told Netanyahu that “patience would be necessary to deal with the Iranian nuclear issue, to which Mr Netanyahu responded by saying that Israel does not want war.” In talks with Lieberman, Gemba said Japan shared the international community’s concern over Iran’s nuclear programme and that an “unprecedented level of pressure” was being exerted on Tehran that was beginning to take effect. “It is important to continue to put effective pressure on Iran as the pressure began to show its effect, to some extent,” Gemba told Lieberman.

“Regarding a military option against Iran, Foreign Minister Gemba urged his counterpart to be patient” and suggested that the Jewish state “restrain itself,” the statement said. “Such an option would create new political confusion and tensions in the region as well as giving Iran new excuses to pursue their nuclear programme,” he told Lieberman.

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Foreign News 17 Syria army suffers deadliest day since ceasefire thursday, 3 May, 2012

Suu Kyi joins parliament as Myanmar enters new phase NAYPYIDAW

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Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sworn in as a member of parliament Wednesday, opening a new chapter in the Nobel laureate’s near quarter-century struggle against authoritarian rule. The 66-year-old, in the capital Naypyidaw for the ceremony, stood to read the brief oath in unison with 33 other members of her National League for Democracy party elected to the lower house in April, an AFP reporter said. The oath hands Suu Kyi public office for the first time and marks a transformation in the fortunes of the opposition leader, who was held under house arrest for much of the last 20 years but is now central to the nation’s tentative transition to democracy. She had initially baulked at taking the oath, specifically a sentence pledging to “safeguard” the army-created constitution.

But on Monday she backed down after the head of the nominally civilian government President Thein Sein refused to offer concessions, explaining it was the “desire of the people” to see her party in office after breakthrough April 1 by-elections. Speaking to reporters after Wednesday’s ceremony the veteran dissident said: “I believe I can serve the interests of the people more than before”. She was then whisked away by car to Naypyidaw airport to return to Yangon.

The international community greeted her election as a step towards democracy and had urged Suu Kyi, who drew huge crowds on the campaign trail, to take her seat amid fears her refusal could stall the transition from military rule. US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, on a visit to Beijing Wednesday, praised Myanmar’s president for allowing the by-elections but said the United States was also looking ahead to the conduct of polls slated for 2015.

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YRIA’S army on Wednesday reportedly suffered its deadliest day in a ceasefire when rebel fighters killed 20 troops, in the latest violation of the three-week truce the UN says both sides are flouting.

The rebels killed 15 soldiers — including two colonels — in a dawn ambush in the northern province of Aleppo, where two rebel fighters also died, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The ambush occurred near Al-Rai village, after President Bashar al-Assad’s forces had “scaled up military operations” there in the days since the truce took effect on April 12, said the watchdog. Clashes near Damascus killed six troops, while the army shelled and torched activists’ homes in eastern Deir Ezzor province and regime gunfire killed a civilian in southern Daraa, cradle of the 14-month uprising. The latest bloodshed comes a day after the United Nations accused both the regime and its opponents of violating the ceasefire that is part of a peace plan brokered by UN-Arab League

envoy Kofi Annan. The plan calls for a daily two-hour humanitarian ceasefire, media access to all areas affected by the fighting, an inclusive Syrian-led political process, a right to demonstrate and the release of detainees. According to the UN, more than 9,000 people have been killed in Syria since an anti-regime uprising broke out in March last year, while the Observatory puts the figure at more than 11,100. UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said Syrian troops have kept heavy weapons in cities, and that both the government and rebels have violated the truce. He also said UN members had so far only offered only 150 military observers for the 300-strong planned force and that Syria had refused visas for three proposed monitors.

But Syrian foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdisi denied visa requests had been turned down and said the two sides had agreed on the nationalities that could operate in the country. “We agreed with the UN negotiating team that nationalities of observers to be mutually agreed upon ... So there is no refusal per se ... There are far more than 110 nationalities that can easily work in Syria,” he told AFP.

UN Syria mission head says observers ‘calming’ situation LONDON Afp

The head of the UN mission to Syria said Wednesday his observers were having a “calming effect” on the ground but admitted the ceasefire was “shaky” and not holding.

Speaking in Damascus to Britain’s Sky News, in his first television interview in the role, Major General Robert Mood brushed off criticism that the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) had been too slow to get going. The Norwegian said their numbers of boots on the ground would double in the coming days. “This is not easy and we are seeing — by the action, by explosions, by firing — that the ceasefire is really a shaky one. It’s not holding,” the 53-year-old said. “But what we are also seeing on the ground is that where we have observers present, they have a calming effect and we’re also seeing that those operating on the ground, they take advice from our observers.” Syria’s army on Wednesday reportedly suffered its deadliest day in a ceasefire when rebel fighters killed 20 troops, in the latest violation of the three-week truce the UN says both sides are flouting. Mood said he would have 59 people in place in Damascus by the end of Wednesday and aimed to double the figure in the coming days as more flights come in carrying troops, vehicles and equipment. “The people and equipment now on the ground is actually exactly how we want to see it, so the next couple of days — picking up the pace, doubling and spreading out — is exactly what suits us very well,” he said.

Five Russian soldiers killed in firing range blast MOSCOW Afp

Five Russian servicemen were killed Wednesday in a munitions blast at a military firing range in central Russia, the latest deadly accident to hit the armed forces, the defence ministry said. The explosion took place as the soldiers were unloading expired stores of munitions at the Mulinsky base in the Nizhny Novgorod region of central Russia, the defence ministry said in a statement to Russian news agencies. “As a result of the explosion, five soldiers were killed and three were wounded,” the statement said. Fatal accidents are frequent in the Russian armed forces which have struggled to modernise equipment since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. In July 2010, six people were killed in a similar accidental explosion at a Russian military firing range in Siberia.

ARABA: A palestinian girl shouts slogans during a protest in solidarity of prisoners held in Israeli jails in the northern West Bank village of Araba, near Jenin, on Wednesday. AFP

Occupy protesters held in US May Day rallies NEW YORK Afp

Thousands of Occupy protesters marched on Wall Street in New York in the highlight of a May Day “general strike,” while police arrested dozens in sporadic clashes on the US West Coast. Police used tear gas during the protests Tuesday in Oakland, California, and Seattle, where windows were smashed, while some 20 people were detained in Portland, Oregon and 10 at Los Angeles international airport.

In New York mounted police were deployed to keep protestors out of Wall Street itself, barring access to the famous financial thoroughfare to anyone without proof of residency. One protestor was handcuffed as he tried to get to

Wall Street’s iconic bronze bull statue.

After a prolonged struggle watched by jeering crowds, the man was carried away, although only after kicking out a police car window and being put in a restraining jacket. Some locals were not pleased. “This is absurd and we allow it to go on,” said one young woman, who said she lived there and had shown proof of address. “It’s useless. Nothing will change because of this. “All I want to do is be able to go home after working my ass off all day.” Protests appeared to be peaceful and AFP reporters witnessed only five arrests during early events, in contrast to previous Occupy marches that have typically ended in scuffles with the police and mass arrests on minor charges. Activists say they are protesting against

corporate greed and the plight of ordinary people in an anemic economy and housing market. “Hey, hey, BOA, who did you foreclose today?” some chanted at a Bank of America office building.

Similar protests were announced across dozens of US cities and in countries ranging from Spain to Australia.

“While American corporate media has focused on yet another stale election between Wall Street-financed candidates, Occupy has been organizing something extraordinary: the first truly nationwide General Strike in US history,” the OWS movement said on its website occupywallst.org.

On the West Coast, police made a number of arrests in Oakland, California — the scene of repeated protests last year, some of which turned violent —

using tear gas to quell clashes. The Oakland clashes came after officers ordered the crowd to clear a downtown intersection and many refused to move, chanting, “We are not afraid. The whole world is watching,” the Contra Costa Times reported. In nearby San Francisco, Occupy members canceled a protest on the famed Golden Gate Bridge. In Seattle, downtown retail stores sustained extensive damage. A Wells Fargo branch and the city courthouse were also damaged.

At least two people were arrested as police used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse protesters. In Los Angeles, 10 people were arrested near the city’s airport for obstructing a main access road, while three were held downtown as thousands joined rallies, snarling traffic but remaining largely peaceful.

China dissident blows kisses to Clinton BEIJING Afp

After years in prison and under house arrest and a week holed up in the US embassy, Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng had one English phrase for Hillary Clinton: “I want to kiss you.” The United States had maintained a wall of silence after the activist fled to the US embassy on April 26, but US officials opened up on Wednesday over what they said had become a warm relationship with Chen as they negotiated for his safety. Secretary of State Clinton, in Beijing for long-planned talks, spoke by telephone to the 40-year-old activist as he left the US embassy for a hospital where he received treatment and was reunited with his family. “After saying in Chinese how grateful he was that she had mentioned him in the past and supported his case, he said in broken English, ‘I want to kiss you,’“ a senior US official said on condition of anonymity.

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thursday, 3 May, 2012

former champions find winning formula in Estoril Page 21

Port Qasim clinch Patron’s Trophy G-II LAHORE

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ORT Qasim Authority on Wednesday won Patron’s Trophy Grade-II 2011-12 after gaining first innings lead over KESC as the match ended in a tamed-draw on the final day at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.

With this win, Port Qasim also won the purse of Rs 200,000 while the runners-up KESC got Rs 100,000.

Muhammad Sami of Port Qasim Authority Turned out to be the Man of the Final Match and got Rs 20,000 while Faizan Khan (CDA)

525 runs was the Best Batsman, Faheem Ahmed (Customs) with 46 wickets was named the Best Bowler and Fakhar Zaman (Pak Navy) with 15 catches was the Best Fielder while M. Salman (Port Qasim Authority) 17 catches, 3 St was the Best Wicketkeeper and all of them received Rs 20,000 each ScORES: Port Qasim Authority (First Innings) 343-7 in 83 overs: (Shadab Kabir 68, 115 balls, 12x4s, Daniyal Ahsan 57, 136 balls, 10x4s, Muhammad Salman 48, 73 balls, 3x4s, Atif Ali Zaidi 45, 77 balls, 5x4s, Muhammad Sami 43*, 31 balls, 4x4s, 1x6, Tanvir Ahmed

24*, 16 balls, 1x4, 1x6, Rizwan Khan 4-100)and 2nd innings 404 in 116.3 overs: (Muhammad Sami 79, 135 balls, 12x4s, Kamran Younas 71, 125 balls, 10x4s, 1x6, Muhammad Salman 45, 93 balls, 00364s, Azam Hussain 61, 96 balls, 9x4s, 1x6, Tanveer Ahmed 34, 48 balls, 4x4s, Atif Ali Zaidi 29, 69 balls, 3x4s, Mir Hamza 5-110) KESc (FIRST INNINGS) 263 IN 72 OvERS: (Saad Ali 64, 107 balls, 3x4s, 1x6, Ahsan Ali 55, 88 balls, 8x4s, Usama Basharat 38, 40 balls, 5x4s, Javed Mansoor 34, 53 balls, 4x4s, Muhammad Sami 4-47, Azam Khan 3-69) and 2nd

innings 311-6 in 74 overs: (Saad Ali 68, 109 balls, 7x4s, Ahsan Ali 62, 86 balls, 9x4s, Muhammad Waqas 62, 69 balls, 10x4s, Rasheed Anwar 44, 83 balls, 6x4s, Rizwan Khan 30*, 38 balls, 3x4s, Azam Hussain 3-142, Kamran Younas 2-51) RESULT: Match Drawn but Port Qasim won the final.

OvERNIGHT ScORE: Port Qasim Authority (2ndinnings) 376-9 in 107.2 overs TOSS: Port Qasim Authority, Umpires: Javed Ashraf and Aftab Gillani, Referee: Iqbal Sheikh, Scorer: Tahir Suhaib

fAiSAlABAD: the captain of winner’s Port Qasom team receives the trophy from PcB director Zakir Khan. STAFF PHOTO

National hockey ‘PCB should launch Pro-40 tourney’ Asif out of jail today trials on 13th LAHORE

StAff REpoRt

Former captain and chief selector Aamir Sohail has suggested that the Pakistan Cricket Board should launch its own Pro40 tournament with the match split into two innings of 20 overs each.

"Thrills and skills will be the selling points of such an event," Sohail said on a television channel. Although Sachin Tendulkar had sometime back called for the 50-over ODIs to be split into four innings of 25 overs each, this is the first time someone has proposed a 40 over game split into two innings of 20 overs each.

Sohail said there was a feeling in the cricket fraternity that T20 cricket was at

LAHORE StAff REpoRt

The second phase of national training camp preparing for participation in 21st Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament-IPOH/24th May to 3rd June 2012-will be established at Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium, Islamabad on 5th May 2012. The Trials to select the final lineup for the event will be held on 13th May 2012 at Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium Islamabad (Instead of 12th May).

Azam hoping to play in iPl LAHORE StAff REpoRt

Pakistan’s all-rounder Hammad Azam feels the Indian Premier League (IPL) is gloomy without Pakistani cricketers but still hopes that one day he will be able to walk out in front of the crowds at the IPL. “Everyone knows that Pakistani cricketers are currently not being given the opportunity to play in the IPL but I believe that the tournament would be a greater spectacle with the inclusion of Pakistani cricketers. I am hopeful that one day the situation will be resolved and my countrymen and I will be able to walk out in front of the crowds at the IPL,” he quoted by Pakpassion. Talking about the recent postponement by the Bangladesh Cricket Board of the proposed two-match series, Hammad said the postponement of the Bangladesh team’s tour of Pakistan was very disappointing for all of the players and cricket fans in Pakistan. “We were really looking forward to playing international cricket on home soil and for the matches to be postponed was very sad.” Hammad, who is a member of the ongoing training camp at the National Cricket Academy at Lahore and is working under the supervision of coaches Dav Whatmore and Julien Fountain, said he is now ready to establish himself in the national limited overs side. “I am hopeful that going forward I can repay the faith shown in me by the captain and coaching staff. I certainly do not see anything wrong with the number of matches I have played or the small number of opportunities I have been given, rather I see it as a challenge to establish myself in international cricket and I feel I am ready to meet that challenge,” he said.

times devoid of skills and focused on only providing entertainment to the viewers.

"I think if we can launch a Pro-40 event in Pakistan with two innings of 20 overs for one side it would provide both things. It will require skills and also produce plenty of thrills," he said.

Sohail said PCB needs to look at fresh ideas to rejuvenate domestic cricket and even otherwise since the country had been deprived of international cricket for three years now. Sohail pointed out that Pakistan in the past had always been in the forefront of tabling revolutionary ideas in international cricket.

"Pakistan played a lead role in turning the World Cup into a commercial powerhouse and also introduced

the concept of neutral umpires. Our domestic cricket format was once studied and admired by other countries as well," he noted. Former captain, Rashid Latif conceded that fresh ideas and concepts were required in Pakistan cricket since there was too much attention on T20 cricket now.

"In our domestic events while people flock to see the T20 events there is hardly any interest in the one-day or first class matches. Something radical should be done to involve the people in other cricket besides T20 matches," he said. The PCB has been trying to launch its own premier league T20 competition and officials say three more presentations from companies are scheduled for next week.

No explanation from whatmore: PcB LAHORE StAff REpoRt

The Pakistan cricket Board on Wednesday said that chief coach Dav Whatmore have not been called for any kind of explanation regarding the fitness test of former test cricketer Mohammad Yousuf.

In a statement, spokesman of the PCB said: “I want to rebut a story appeared in a section of media today about PCB calling Dav Whatmore’s explanation with regards to Mohammad Yousuf’s fitness test. The story is totally incorrect and baseless. The PCB wishes to clarify that no explanation has been sort from the coach on this or any other issue.” “The PCB also takes this opportunity to make it clear that rumour-based stories such as differences

between the coach and chief selector Iqbal Qasim are absolutely incorrect. As far as the Board is concerned, every official is on one page with regards to the objective: taking Pakistan cricket forward in a seamless manner,” he added.

PcB SEcURITY OFFIcIAL RESIGNS: Pakistan Cricket Board Director Security and Vigilance Tariq Parvez has resigned from his position due to his personal reasons and other international commitments.

Chairman PCB Ch. Zaka Ashraf gave a farewell lunch in the honor of departing officer at NCA which COO, Director General, CFO and other Directors and General Managers attended.

Chairman PCB at the occasion appreciated the services of Mr. Parvez and wished him best for his future endeavors. Mr. Tariq Parvez thanked Chairman PCB and his team for having trust in him during his stay at PCB.

KARACHI Afp

Former Pakistan paceman Mohammad Asif will be released from a British prison early on Thursday after completing half of his one-year sentence for spot-fixing, his lawyer said. The 29-year-old was jailed by a court in London in November last year after he was found guilty of conspiring to cheat and conspiring to accept corrupt payments over deliberate noballs bowled during the Lord's Test against England in August 2010. "Asif's release is a matter of few hours and I look forward to meeting him and helping him in his legal fight to restore what was an otherwise brilliant reputation he once had," the player's lawyer Ravi Sukul told Pakistan's Geo television in London.

Asif's friend and coach Mohammad Haroon had previously said the fast bowler would be released on Saturday May 5.

Sukul said Asif could stay in England while he explored the possibility of launching an appeal against his conviction. "I have a strong belief that if certain procedures had been applied in Asif's benefit at his trial, they could have persuaded the jury to come to a different conclusion," said Sukul.

Military, stadia get final big test for London LONDON Afp

London launched a major military exercise Wednesday to check security responses for the 2012 Olympics, as the final wave of test sports events got under way.

Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets flew into the British capital to herald the start of Exercise Olympic Guardian, a nine-day training operation to test the response to a possible attack from the air during the Games. Military helicopters were to be stationed around the capital, including some on the amphibious assault ship HMS Ocean in the River Thames, and others carrying sniper teams. The Typhoons will be operating at RAF Northolt in west London -- the first time fighter aircraft have been stationed at the military airbase since World War II. AWACS surveillance planes and airto-air refuelling aircraft will also be airborne. "Whilst there is no specific threat to the Games, we have to be ready to assist in delivering a safe and secure Olympics for all to enjoy," said Defence Secretary Philip Hammond. "The fact that our state-

loNDoN: chinook helicopters fly over the olympic Stadium as london launched a major military exercise to check security responses for the 2012 olympics. AFP of-the-art Typhoons will be stationed at RAF Northolt underlines the commitment of the Ministry of Defence and our armed forces to keeping the public safe at a time when the world will be watching us."

Britain's regular air defence includes

round-the-clock radar with Typhoons on high alert. Meanwhile, the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London, was getting its biggest test of readiness for the Games as the final wave of test events got under way. From Wednesday until Tuesday, five

venues will stage events in three Olympic and three Paralympic sports. Assisted by 11,000 staff, more than 140,000 spectators will watch 3,000 athletes take part in hockey, wheelchair tennis, water polo, athletics, boccia and Paralympic athletics.

The international invitational hockey tournament leads the way, starting Wednesday. World number one Australia, Olympic champions Germany, Britain and India are competing in the men's event, while World Cup holders Argentina, China, Britain and South Korea are playing in the women's tournament.

The British university athletics championships will take place in the main Olympic Stadium from Friday to Monday, and on Saturday the sport will be mixed with a concert when 40,000 spectators get their first taste of the venue.

"Testing the Olympic Park and its operations is a hugely important part of our plans," said London Games chairman Sebastian Coe. "Over the last 10 months, over 250,000 spectators have watched worldclass sport as part of the London Prepares series test event programme, and, in doing so, every one of them is helping us deliver the best possible Games."

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city traffic Police Xi victorious

Negi, Sehwag give Delhi 4th win JAIPUR

LAHORE StAff REpoRt

City Traffic Police Division xI beat Sadar Traffic Police Division xI by four wickets in an exhibition match here the other day. In the first match, City beat Lines Thokar. City made 58 runs while Thokar failed to reach the target. In the second match City lost to Sadar. Sadar got the score of 48 in 3.3 overs.

And in the final Sadar made 56 while City got to the target losing six wickets in 5.4 overs. Traffic Warden Sheraz was named the man of the final. SP Traffic City Division gave the winner’s trophy to City team.

lAhorE: city traffic Police captain receives trophy from SP traffic city Division. STAFF PHOTO

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game-changing spell from left-arm spinner Pawan Negi followed by a fifth consecutive half-century from Virender Sehwag overwhelmed Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur and helped Delhi Daredevils strengthen their hold on the No. 1 position. The six-wicket victory, achieved with 28 balls to spare, was Daredevils' fourth consecutive win this season and gave them 16 points after ten games, while Kolkata Knight Riders are second with 13 after ten. One more win in six remaining games will assure Daredevils a place in the playoffs.

The previous game between these sides, two days ago at the Kotla, had been decided by a one-run margin, with Daredevils stealing victory from a dire situation. Royals looked like stretching Daredevils today as well, until Negi began to spin through the top order. After replacing Ajit Agarkar in Daredevils' xI, Negi began his spell when Royals were 56 for 0 in six overs. By the time he finished they had slumped to 95 for 5 after 13, and were eventually restricted to 141.

Negi was brought into the attack after the fielding restrictions were lifted and

Austrian govt to boycott Euro 2012 matches in Ukraine VIENNA Afp

Austria's government said Wednesday it will boycott all Euro 2012 football matches in Ukraine to protest at the treatment of jailed ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko, who is on hunger strike. "No member of the Austrian government will attend these games, that is our mark of solidarity," Vice-Chancellor and Foreign

Minister Michael Spindelegger said after a cabinet meeting. Vienna wanted to send Kiev a political signal, he added.

The move follows reports that the German government was considering boycotting the Ukrainian matches over concerns for Tymoshenko's well-being.

The 51-year-old former Ukrainian premier was controversially jailed for seven years in October on disputed charges and has complained of beatings by prison guards.

MoNtPElliEr: Montpellier's forward olivier giroud (up) vies with Evian 's defender cedric cambon during the french l1 match at the Mosson Sstadium. AFP

faran gymkhana Servis club beat city gymkhana march to final LAHORE

LAHORE

StAff REpoRt

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In group match of Sprite Lahore Cricket League Faran Gymkhana beat favorite City Gymkhana by 66 runs at Ittefaq Cricket Ground LCCA. Faran Gym scored 298/10 in 50 overs M Irfan scored 107 and Syed Ali Zeeshan contributed 69 runs Shahroze Khan picked 5/53. In reply City Gymkhana bowled out for 232 Waqas Ahmed scored 101, M Qasim Ali, Shahid Aslam shared 3 wickets each. M Irfan was declared man of the match

Servis Club has 1st marched to the final of 27th Mohammad Yaseen Akhter Memorial Event when they beat Lucky Star club by 79 runs in the 1st Semifinal played at Model Town ground on Wednesday.

SCoRES: Servis club 159/3 in 20 overs. farhan Asghar 62, Ali Zahid 56, Danish 21, Arshad 15. raja waleed 2/34, Noman 1/32. lucky Star club 80 all out in 13.2 overs.

Noman 22, Bukhtyar 13, tanzeem 14. Shehbaz 3/15, Ali Zahid 2/32, Khuram 2/16, Umair 2/14, Azeem 1/1.

Punjab club outplay Mt club in quarters LAHORE StAff REpoRt

Punjab Club has moved into the Semifinal of 9th M Siddique Memorial cricket event when they outplayed strong MT club by 46 runs in the quarter final played at MT ground.

SCoRES: Punjab club 147/8 in 20 overs. Sami Aslam 37, Umer Bhati 26, Shoaib Akram 31, M Kashif 21. Ziaul haq 4/34, Sajid vato 2/16, hAfiz Saad NAseem 2/20.

Model town club 101 all out in 14.4 overs. Etamad Ul haq 31, M ghulfam 16, gulraiz 17. Sheraz Butt 3/32, Asif ishfaq 3/18, faisal tanveer 2/15, M imran 1/10.

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lAhorE: Umer Pahlwan receives trophy from Baba Diwan, haji ilyas and Mithu after winning the Khaloo Pahlwan Memorial Dangal. STAFF PHOTO

JAiPUr: Delhi Daredevils batsman and team captain virendar sehwag plays a shot as rajasthan royals wicketkeeper Shreevats goswami looks on during the iPl twenty20 match. AFP went for only six in his first over. In his next, after bowling two dot balls, he induced in Ajinkya Rahane the need to attempt the unorthodox, a reverse swat that landed in Virender Sehwag's hands at point. Until then Rahane had helped Royals score at about ten an over with mostly conventional yet extremely potent

strokes. Rajasthan were 71 for 1.

Shane Watson, playing his first game this season in place of the injured Kevon Cooper, did not take long to unfurl a trademark heave against the other leftarm spinner, Shahbaz Nadeem, depositing the ball over deep midwicket. When he exhibited similar intent against Negi,

he missed and lost off stump. In his final over, Negi had Brad Hodge caught cutting to point and Ashok Menaria holing out to long-on to finish with 4 for 18. Before that brace of wickets another in-form Royals batsman, Owais Shah, had been caught behind, top-edging a pull off Umesh Yadav. Royals had lost 5 for 24.

Through all this, Rahul Dravid stood firm. He had contributed a fair share to the early momentum, then watched the advantage fritter away, and took it upon himself to bat through the innings. In the 17th over, he drove Morne Morkel inside out to bring up a half-century off 35 balls.

In the penultimate over, though, Dravid's slog across the line resulted in the ball going off the inside edge on to his leg and then on to hit the off stump.

Royals' hopes of defending 141 surged when Mahela Jayawardene was lbw without scoring in the first over. They were short lived, though, as Sehwag launched a withering assault. He hit five of his first six balls for four and after 17 deliveries that count was up to nine. When the fielding restrictions were over, Daredevils had raced to 61 for 1 and their momentum did not abate.

ScORES: Delhi Daredevils 144 for 4 (Sehwag 73) beat Rajasthan Royals 141 for 6 (Dravid 57, Negi 4-18) by six wickets.

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20 sports Sheikhupura Dco orders audit of union councils

thursday, 3 May, 2012

LUANG PRABANG: Namchok Tantipokhakul of Thailand during the practice round of the Lao Open at Luang Prabang Golf Club. The tournament will be played from May 3-6. AFP

SHEIKHUPURA StAff REpoRt

Sheikhupura DCO Ibrar Ahmed Mirza has on Wednesday ordered to audit the union council in the district.

The order has been given in response to the applications submitted by Al-Ghazi forum, an organization which arranges sports competitions. It has alleged that the Tehsil Municipal Administration did not provide it any facility during the Punjab Sports Festival which was held in the months of January and February.

Similarly the secretaries of the union councils in the district have denied the due funds and prizes to the participants and the organizers.

Al-Ghazi Forum Chairman Ch Akhtar Ali also has also alleged District Sport Officer (DSO) and Tehsil Sport Officer (TSO) for not entertaining the players during the competitions.

He showed his deepest worries when he informed that the Punjab government is going to announce youth policy next month with another sport program; while the prizes of the previous sport program are due yet.

Akhtar, general sec.of the organization Waqar Hameed and the captain of Kabbdadi winner team at tehsil Sajad Gujjar and District Hockey winner team captain Akhtar Rsool were also present at the occasion and they also pledged to launch a protest if these prizes are not been given within seven days.

Japan, South Africa eye olympic berth KAKAMIGAHARA Afp

South Africa came back from a goal down three times to hold Japan to a 3-3 draw in the men's final Olympic hockey qualifying tournament on Wednesday.

Japan looked like they had done enough to secure a win before a last minute goal

by South Africa's Justin Reid-Ross in injury time levelled the score.

The two teams are both unbeaten and share the lead in the standings of the sixteam round robin competition with three wins and a draw for 10 points.

China kept their hopes of reaching the playoff alive by beating the Czech Republic 1-0 and trail the leaders by just one point.

There will be everything to play for on Friday, with South Africa facing Austria and Japan meeting China for a place in the final to decide who will take the last berth at the London Games. The tournament is the last of three final Olympic qualifying tournaments that started in February to choose the last three places for London and wrap up a long process to choose 12 teams for the Games.

The 11 men's teams to have already qualified for the Games are: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Britain, Germany, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Korea and Spain.

Red Rose T20 ranks bolstered by Arafat LAHORE StAff REpoRt

Lancashire have bolstered their hopes of reaching the Champions League by signing Yasir Arafat for their Friends Life t20 campaign.

The all-rounder has played three Tests, 11 one-day internationals and seven Twenty20s for Pakistan, and is used to English conditions having played for Surrey, Kent and Sussex.

He will join up with the Red Rose in June and play just in the Twenty20 campaign. However, Lancashire are still waiting to find out if he will be joined in the squad by fellow Pakistan seamer Junaid Khan.

Although just last week the club were given permission by the Pakistan Cricket Board for Junaid to play, he could still be called up for their tour of Sri Lanka which has just been announced.

The trip – which involves three Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20s – runs from the last week of May until July 13, which clashes with the whole of Lancashire’s T20 group campaign.

With Junaid having just recovered from a knee injury, Pakistan may want him to play for Lancashire to prove his fitness.

But if Pakistan see the centrally contracted 22-year-old – who played a key role in helping Lancashire reach T20 finals day last

season – as part of their plans then coach Peter Moores and cricket director Mike Watkinson may have to look at other options.

They will have no such issues with Arafat, however, with the 30-year-old’s last international call-up coming in 2010 when he played against England in a Twenty20 international.

"The addition of Yasir to our squad emphasises our determination to progress in the Friends Life t20 tournament and we are delighted to have him on board," said Watkinson. "Our squad doesn’t have the depth we have been accustomed to and Yasir brings experience and skill to fulfil this important role for us."

Railways, Wapda top Girls Hockey LAHORE

RESultS

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Railways and Wapda are in run for the top honours of the 2nd PHF U-21 Girls Hockey Championship as they lead the points table while three matches were decided on Wednesday. Pakistan Hockey Federation President Qasim Zia was the chief guest of the final match between Wapda and Raiwlays which was won by the later. The event which is in progress at Hockey Stadium saw three matches were played.

Pak Board beat Balochistan 2-1 (full time), 0-1 (half time), Pak-Board: hina Mehta 47th minute (Pc) & Shamsa Javed 67th minute (Pc). Balochistan: fatima Nazar 26th minute (fg). Punjab (w) beat Sindh 1-0 (full time), 1-0 (half time), Punjab (w): Afshan Noreen 31st minute (Pc). railway beat wapda 2-1 (full time), 2-0 (half time), railways: Mayira Sabir 2nd minute (fg) & Shukria rashid 18th minute (fg). wapda: fakhra 41st minute (fg).

poInt tABlE p 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

tEAMS rAilwAy wAPDA PUNJAB (c) PUNJAB (w) PAK. BoArD SiNDh BAloch

p 5 5 5 6 5 5 5

WD 5 0 4 0 4 0 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0

l 0 1 1 3 4 4 5

Gf GA 29 2 15 2 15 2 15 8 4 22 2 24 2 22

ptS GD 15 +27 12 +13 12 +13 9 +7 3 -18 3 -22 0 -20

haas claims tsonga scalp

lAhorE: the girl players fight for the ball during the 2nd Phf U-21 girls hockey championship. NADEEM IJAz

BERLIN Afp

Top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga crashed out of the ATP tournament here on Wednesday, beaten 6-1, 6-4 by former German number one Tommy Haas in their second round clash. Haas, who was as high as number two in the world in 2002 but has slid to 134 in the rankings after suffering several injuries, tore into world number five Tsonga's serve breaking him in both the second and fourth games of the first set. Tsonga, who has not played since losing to compatriot Gilles Simon in the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals, put up more of a fight in the second set but Haas made the break in the fifth game to go 3-2 up and held on to claim the win. "Simply said it was that Tommy played better than me," said Tsonga. "He didn't allow me any time to express myself, or to control the ball. "It wasn't down to a lack of practice as I put in two two hour sessions and normally that is sufficient. "Obviously conditions are different when you are practicing and playing a competitive match, the court as well. But I played well at Monte-Carlo and before that in the Davis Cup so I was match ready." Haas, who is now a naturalised American, will play Cyprus's 2006 Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis in the quarter-finals. Tsonga for his part will move on to the Rome Masters to fine tune his preparation for the French Open which begins later this month.

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Former champions find winning formula

WatcH it Live GEO SUPER IPL-5: Pune Warriors v Mumbai Indians 07:30PM

wADA official calls BoA appeal ‘a waste of time and money’ PARIS Afp

oEirAS: Jie Zheng of china returns to Ekaterina Makarova of oEirAS: Elena Baltacha reacts after losing a point to Maria Kirilenko during their Estoril open. Kirilenko won 7-6, and 6-1. AFP russia during their Estoril open. Zheng won 6-3, and 6-1. AFP Portugal. "I played pretty well considering took opening wins, with number four ESTORIL

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10th National women cycling begins LAHORE StAff REpoRt

The Idris Khawaja-group of the Cycling Federation organized 10thWomen National Championship paddled off yesterday. The road events of the championship were held on the opening day at Kasur and track events started the following day at Cycling Velodrome. The closing ceremony of the championship will be held at 4.30 pm at the same place.

THE RESULTS: Road event held at Kasur, 20 KM Road team time trial: Railway 33M 04S 20P, HEC 33M 16S 19P, Afghanistan 36M 16S 68P, Punjab 42M 10S 59P 1km time trial: Nelam Raiz Punjab Time 48S; 88P, Sidra HEC 49;54P, Asim Railways 49S;88P 1000 meters sprint qualification: Fiza Railways, Mehwish HEC, Shukaria Afganistan, Nelam Raiz Punjab.

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trio of former women's champions opened with contrasting May Day victories at the ATP-WTA Estoril Open on Tuesday. It was the same on the men's side of the draw, with 2009-2010 winner Albert Montanes advanced over Australian Matthew Ebden 6-2, 6-3.

Second-seeded Russian Kirilenko, who lifted the title at the Estadio Nacional in 2008, overcame Briton Elena Baltacha 7-6 (8/6), 6-1 in a struggle which began with a first set lasting exactly one hour in front of holiday crowds. Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues, the third-seeded holder, got past German Kristina Barrois with more ease as she posted a 6-4, 6-1 win. That win was a repeat of last year's final won by the Spaniard. China's Zheng Jie, the number five who won in 2006, put out Russian Ekaterina Makarova, Russia, 6-3, 6-1.

Medina Garrigues was pleased to beat Barrois for the second time of asking in

I wasn't able to warm up due to rain this morning," said the winner. "The start felt strange but after a few games I managed to feel better and get comfortable.

"I won in the end so I'm quite happy.

When you win an event you want to come back the next year and defend the title.

"But all the matches are difficult and this one was not an exception. I'm taking it step-by-step and see how I go."

Medina Garrigues, a 29-year-old who has won 10 of her 11 career trophies on clay, broke Barrois five times in their match lasting just under 90 minutes. Kirilenko, losing finalist in February at Pattaya, Thailand, battled the 63rd-ranked Baltacha as the Briton tried in vain to win only her third WTA match of the season.

The Russian seed finally claimed an opening set featuring six breaks of serve in a tiebreaker, earning the lead on her first set point after saving two for Baltacha. In the second Kirilenko stamped her authority on the contest after another 45 minutes. Three more seeds

Petra Cetkovska defeating Alexandra Panova of Russia 6-2, 6-1 and number six Kaia Kanepi of Estonia crushing US qualifier Sloane Stephens 6-1, 6-0.

Eighth seed Polona Hercog beat Austrian Tamira Paszek 6-0, 6-3. Australian Jarmila Gajdosova defeated MaríaTeresa Torró-Flor of Spain 6-3, 6-1, while Briton Heather Watson, a qualifier who last played more than a month ago in Miami, beat Czech Lucie Hradecka 6-4, 6-4 to next face Cetkovska. The Men's ATP play was highlighted by locals as Portuguese players went into action.

The 2010 quarter-finalist Rui Machado rallied past wild card compatriot Pedro Sousa 6-7 (3/7), 6-1, 6-2 in two hours, breaking six times. Joao Sousa (won another all-local battle, defeating Gastao Elias 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. Italian eighth seed Flavio Cipolla stopped Argentine Diego Junqueira 6-1, 6-4. Top seed Juan Martin del Potro, Frenchman Richard Gasquet and Swiss debutant Stanislas Wawrinka all have byes in the first round.

two more matches played in youth Soccer

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Two-time double Olympic gold medallist Kosuke Kitajima has said the death of world champion Alexander Dale Oen has left a "big hole" in his heart before their much anticipated duel at the London Games.

"My tears won't stop," the Japanese breaststroke swimmer wrote on Twitter in Japanese late on Tuesday after learning that his Norwegian rival was found dead at a training camp in the United States on Monday at the age of 26.

"In shock over the passing of a dear friend and great rival. RIP Alex," Kitajima, 29, based in the US city of Los Angeles, later lamented in English. Dale Oen could have stopped Ki-

Newage win finale Polo opener

LAHORE

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Another two matches were played in the National U-22 Football Championship2012 being played at Bahawalpur’s Dring Stadium and both of them ended in a draw.

The drawn gams earned one point each to the teams. Punjab and Army played a goal less while Sindh and National Youth scored one goals each with goals coming from Sindh’s Wohaib (FW) 1Goal @ 19Mnt and National Youth team’s Riaz (FW) 1 Goal @ 19 Mnt.

Newage won the opening match of the Finale Polo Cup 2012 when it beat Valvoline Lubricants here at the LPC ground on Wednesday. Newage having half a goal advantage got another four to down Valvoline Lubricants which got two goals on the scoreboard. Adnan Jalil Azam with two goals while Agha Hashim Ali and Shahzad Magoon with one goal each completed the winner’s scoreline while the losing side’s scorers were Ali Malik and Shahzad Magoon.

BAhAwAlPUr: the players of National youth and Sindh team in action during the National U-22 football championship-2012 at the Dring football Stadium.

Kitajima mourns Dale Oen’s death TOKYO

The director-general of the World AntiDoping Agency (WADA) on Tuesday said the British Olympic Association (BOA) had "wasted a lot of time and money" appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on lifetime bans for drug cheats. David Howman said the BOA should have considered their position last year when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) failed in their bid to introduce the so-called Osaka rule to have all drug cheats banned from the next Olympics even if their suspension was completed.

"The BOA decided to appeal and that appeal was totally defeated," he said in a WADA media teleconference.

We gave the BOA a chance to review their opinion after the IOC case. The BOA wasted a lot of time and money and got the inevitable result."

The BOA had wanted to introduce a byelaw relating to the selection of British athletes for the London Games but their defeat leaves a clear path for the likes of sprinter Dwain Chambers and cyclist David Millar to compete this summer.

Howman warned the BOA that they must now comply with the CAS ruling before a scheduled meeting of the WADA board on May 18.

"May 18 is the only board meeting that we will have before the London Olympics so it is an opportunity to sort it out before the Games," he said.

"If they don't comply before then, then their position would be maintained and we would report to the IOC accordingly." Howman added that the CAS ruling affirmed the primacy of WADA's rules over those of any national Olympic association. "Yes it does. What we have to reflect upon is that both the IOC and BOA were original signatories to the whole wider set-up. So they abide by it. I think it comes down to something as simple as that.

tajima's bid for a third straight 100m200m Olympic breaststroke double in London. "He was a great swimmer. I want to race against him again. That (feeling) had been motivating me. My heart is left with a big hole," Kitajima wrote.

Norway's swimming federation announced that Dale Oen was found dead in a shower at a swimming pool in Flagstaff, Arizona, where the country's Olympic swim team was training.

At the Beijing Olympics, Kitajima beat Dale Oen by 0.29 in the 100m.

Dale Oen grabbed silver, becoming Norway's first swimmer to win an Olympic medal.

The Norwegian won the 100m in 58.71 seconds at last year's world championships with Kitajima fourth at 1:00.03.

But Kitajima stormed back at the national championships last month, winning both distances to book tickets to London.

He clocked 58.90 in the 100m, a new national record, to become the second swimmer to duck under 59 after high-tech polyurethane swimsuits were banned in 2010.

Dale Oen trained in Tokyo under Kitajima's coach Norimasa Hirai in late 2009 to learn how his rival was developing himself.

The Norwegian trained in Tokyo again last December when he said he and Kitajima were "very much the same" as swimmers.

"We'd like to race and we'd like to do our best," he told reporters, adding his duel with Kitajima in London would "definitely (be) a big challenge".

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Crocker urges Pakistan to take action against militant safe havens KABUL

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HE pact between the United States and Afghanistan could leave the door open for continued drone strikes against insurgent targets in Pakistan after 2014, US Ambassador Ryan Crocker indicated Wednesday.

“There is nothing in this agreement that precludes the right of self-defence for either party and if there are attacks from the territory of any state aimed at us we have the inherent right of self defence and will employ it,” he said. Crocker was responding to a question about controversial drone strikes on Taliban and Al-Qaeda tar-

gets in Pakistan at a briefing on the deal signed in Kabul overnight by US President Barack Obama and Afghan leader Hamid Karzai. The Strategic Partnership Agreement states that the United States will not use its presence in Afghanistan to launch offensive actions against other states from Afghan soil. However, it does say that in the event of threats to Afghanistan the two countries would consult on an appropriate response. “This is defensive in nature, not offensive, doesn’t threaten any one, but I hope the region takes notice,” Crocker said.

US officials are loath to discuss the secretive CIA program, the source of sharp tensions between Washington and Islamabad. Drones have killed scores of what the US government says are Al-Qaeda suspects

in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen. This week, Obama aide John Brennan insisted that the missile strikes were legal, ethical, proportional and saved US lives.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon warned that insurgent sanctuaries in Pakistan and corruption posed “long-term and acute challenges” to security in Afghanistan.

Crocker urged Pakistan to take action against safe havens and prevent crossborder attacks by the Taliban. “I hope Pakistanis will take a look at this agreement and say ‘Wow, the Americans are not going to cut and run this time. We don’t need to hedge our bets, we don’t need to put up with these guys any longer’ and either take control of them or press them into the reconciliation process.”

Zardari holds high-level meeting to mull restoring ties with US ISLAMABAD StAff REpoRt

Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership on Wednesday remained engaged in hectic daylong deliberations to take a final decision on its reengagement with the United States (US) without any official announcement. A source told Pakistan Today that the discussions were held ahead of President Asif Ali Zardari’s likely meeting with his US counterpart Barack Obama this month. A high-level meeting was held at Aiwan-e-Sadr with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in the chair. Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the regional security situation was discussed during the meeting. The parley took stock of the Islamabad-Washington relations, besides discussing reopening of NATO supply line in the backdrop of the parliamentary recommendations.

Taliban hit Kabul, 7 dead after Obama visit KABUL Afp

hyDERABAD: A policeman stands outside a branch of the national Bank of pakistan which was bombed by a Sindhi separatist group on Wednesday. NNI

Power tariff increased by 12 percent ISLAMABAD AGEnCIES

The federal government has increased the power tariff by 12 percent, taking it to Rs 8.72 per unit. According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Water and Power on Wednesday, the new power tariff would be effective from today (Thursday), however, consumers using up to a 100 units will remain beyond the tariff hike. The ministry has cited increase in the international price of furnace oil as the key reason for the increase in power tariff. According to the notification, per unit price of electricity was being increased by Rs 1.22 per unit against fuel consumption for power generation. During the last three years, the government has increased the power tariff two-and-half fold. In addition, fuel adjustment charges are also being increased every month and it would also be pushed up in line with the notification. After the increase, electricity tariff will reach Rs 8.72 from previous Rs 7.84 per unit.

Water and Power Secretary Imtiaz Hussain Qazi said the electricity tariff had been increased following the increase in oil prices and the ministry was also considering raising base tariff.

Rangers called in for the kill in Lyari

Taliban bombers attacked a heavily fortified guesthouse used by Westerners in Kabul on Wednesday, announcing the start of their annual “spring offensive” in defiance of calls from visiting US President Barack Obama that the war was ending.

Seven people were killed after attackers in burqas detonated a suicide car bomb and clashed with guards at the “Green Village” complex of guesthouses used by the European Union, the United Nations and aid groups, officials said. The assault raises fresh concern about the resilience of the insurgency on the anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death as NATO winds down its combat presence in the next two years and hands over responsibility for security to Afghan forces.

The Taliban said the assault was a riposte to Obama, who just hours earlier signed a new partnership pact in Kabul to govern Afghan-US relations after 2014 — a deal the insurgents dismissed as “illegitimate”. Obama flew into Kabul in secret in the dead of night and signed the deal with President Hamid Karzai, cementing 10 years of US aid for Afghanistan after NATO combat troops leave in 2014. Most Afghans were asleep and he left after about six hours. The Taliban said Karzai had no right to sign the deal and accused him of selling Afghan sovereignty to the Americans. The militants vowed to continue their armed struggle “against all the contents of this illegitimate document until the full withdrawal of all invading forces and their puppets” — referring to the Karzai government. The Green Village assault began around two hours after Obama left. Police said suicide attackers

Six more killed as clearance operation continues in troubled town g 100 sharpshooters, five more APcs called in for assistance g

KARACHI StAff REpoRt

At least six people, including four criminals, were killed during the clearance operation in Lyari on Wednesday, as the government called in Sindh Rangers to conclude the seemingly unending offensive against gangsters in Karachi’s troubled neighborhood. The death toll has climbed to 39 on the sixth day of the operation. Talking to Pakistan Today, the City Town SP said six people were reportedly killed on Wednesday. He said all the killings took place in Afshani Gali during an exchange of gunfire between law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and gangsters. He said all of the victims were gangsters.

Earlier, LEAs taking part in the operation discussed the future strategy and all station house officers of all police stations in Lyari delved into options to wrap up the operation. After discussions, over 100 sharpshooters were called in for deployment on high rise building of the town to monitor the activities of criminals. Additional contingents of police were deployed in Baghdadi, Kalri, Musa Lane, Naya abad, Kharadar, Lee Market and Agra Taj areas of Lyari and search operations across the town. Another five armored vehicles were provided to LEAs for assistance in the operation. Early on Wednesday, residents of Lemon Goth protested against the operation and set PPP flags and an effigy of President Asif Ali Zardari on fire.

Some unidentified armed men also torched the house of PPP MPA and Sindh Minister for Katchi Abadis Rafique Engineer at Ath Chowk.

The minister and his family were not at home at the time of the attack.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari took notice of the torching of houses by miscreants in Lyari and directed the payment of Rs 10,000 to the affected families.

Published by Arif Nizami for Nawa Media Corporation (Pvt) Ltd at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore.

Editor: Arif Nizami

wearing burqas struck at 6:15 am (0145 GMT), detonating a car bomb before clashing with guards. The interior ministry said seven people were killed, including at least six Afghans.

There were three attackers, the ministry said, one in the suicide car bomb and two who got inside the complex. One blew himself up while the other was shot dead by security forces. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told AFP the attack was a message to Obama to say the militants would continue to fight until all foreign forces had left. The militia said its spring offensive, code-named Al-Farouq, would from Thursday target “foreign invaders, their advisors, their contractors, all those who help them militarily and in intelligence”.

The White House said the pact allows possibility of American forces staying behind to train Afghan forces and pursue the remnants of Al-Qaeda for 10 years after 2014. The deal was concluded just over two weeks before a NATO summit in Chicago, but it does not cover the crucial issue of the status of any US troops remaining in Afghanistan. Instead it commits Washington to specific troop or funding levels for Afghanistan, though is meant to signal that despite ending the longest war in US history, Washington intends to ensure Afghanistan does not revert to a haven for terror groups.

Meanwhile, Pakistan strongly condemned the suicide attack in Kabul and said it would not allow anybody to use its territory against any country. “Pakistan and Afghanistan face the common threat of terrorism. We are committed to work closely with Afghanistan to eliminate this scourge,” said a Foreign Office statement said. It said that Pakistan had always maintained that promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan remains a cornerstone of its foreign policy.