E-paper PakistanToday 28th July, 2012 by Pakistan Today

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:10 AM Page 1

Govt mulling appointing female judges: Zardari

Legally blind archer sets first world record

PAGE | 24

PAGE | 20

rs 15.00 Vol iii no 33 24 pages Karachi edition

Saturday, 28 July, 2012 ramadan 8, 1433

Annulling one law won’t bring system down: CJP

London’s dazzling extravaganza

LET THE

GAMES BEGIN! LONDON

agHa akbar

InCe August 2008, when Beijing showcased a spectacular Olympic Games with stadia that gave state of the art a whole new meaning, unmatched hospitality and such an eye for forensic detail that left nothing to chance, London and its chairman of the Games 2012 Sebastian Coe were consumed with envy to at least equal if not surpass that magical moment in the history of an inexorably Rising China. This fabulous city that has been at the centre of so much that has shaped and influenced the last 400 years of human history, spared no expense for a

rendezvous to this end – footing the bill to the tune of a staggering, give or take a few pounds here and there, a neat 10 billion sterling. not for nothing are the Olympics dubbed as the Greatest Spectacle on this Planet. The stunning three-hour plus extravaganza in the backdrop of a British meadow — after weeks of speculation as to who would open the Games before it was revealed that it would be the Queen herself – celebrated London and its enviably rich history with the Bard taking the pride of place alongside Blake and Milton, and Great Britain’s remarkable contribution to sports and the Games itself. nearly 80,000 packed the swank new stadium – 80 of them world leaders, dignitaries and celebrities including the US first lady Michelle Obama, with tens

of thousands in the Olympic Park as well. And apart from these who were intrinsically a part of the ceremony, another one billion around the world witnessed the razzmatazz on their television screens. The jury would remain out for a while whether London has set a new benchmark in terms of the organisation of the Games, but the opening was a pretty suave job. ‘This is for everyone’, was the theme, at the end of which a beaming Queen declared the Games open — the cue to set the skies ablaze with fireworks. The football arena had already seen some exciting action before the opening. But from today (Saturday) it would the turn of the elite athletes from all over the globe to set the tracks and the pools ablaze with their own version of shock and awe.

Justice Khawaja says parliamentarians public servants, not masters ISLAMABAD Tayyab Hussain

The Supreme Court on Friday dropped a strong hint of its intentions during proceedings of petitions challenging the recent amendments to the new contempt of court law, with Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry saying the democratic “system would not be threatened if one law is struck down”. The five-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and including Justice Shakirullah Jan, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, resumed hearing in 27 identical petitions challenging the contempt law. Lawyers representing the petitioners in the case continued their arguments against the new enactment. During the proceedings, chief justice observed that it was the job of judges to give a verdict under the law, adding that the judiciary was trying to bring democracy back on track. Commenting on the conduct of parliamentarians, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja observed that the servants of the public forgot their true place and started considering themselves “owners of the country”. He said parliamentarians were paid by the masses and they should not consider themselves “masters”. Continued on page 04

‘SC muSt remain an independent inStitution’ | page 03

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:11 AM Page 2

02 News NewS

Today’s

balochistan doctors begin strike against colleague’s abduction

kArAchi

iNfotAiNMeNt

Violence contiues unabated as 10 more perish

‘Manhood’ stolen by thieves

Story on Page 06

Story on Page 11

Quick Look

Story on Page 05

PML-N, SNF merger in trouble KARACHI: well ahead of the general election, the merger of the Pakistan Muslim League-n (PML-n) and the Sindh national Front (SnF) appears to be in trouble and SnF chief Mumtaz Bhutto has replaced PML-n’s flag with that of SnF on his vehicle. In order to set up a strong alliance against the PPP, the PML-n had succeeded in roping in the SnF on May 9 when Mumtaz Bhutto formally announced the merger of his party with the PML-n. Sources said before the merger, the SnF had 26member executive committee and 100-member central committee and the leadership of PML-n had committed to give important positions to the leaders of SnF, including Mumtaz Bhutto. “But no major leader of the SnF got any position even after three months since the merger,” the sources said. They said before the holy month of Ramadan, Mumtaz Bhutto met nawaz Sharif in Islamabad and complained about the situation, after which the central leadership of the PML-n announced 51 joint secretaries and 36 vice presidents in Sindh in which SnF leaders were given positions. “The workers of SnF considered the positions as a joke, after which the central and regional leaders of the SnF started demanding restoration of the SnF,” Sources stated. Mumtaz Bhutto and other leaders of Sindh have now reduced contacts with nationalist leaders of interior Sindh. PML-n Sindh leader Saleem Zia said Mumtaz Bhutto had not demanded any position in the party so far, while SnF workers had been given some positions. He claimed that Mumtaz Bhutto was standing by the PML-n and would continue to do so. OnlinE

Pakistani brothers jailed for 22 years for turning old woman into drug mule BIRMINGHAM:Two Birmingham brothers who tricked a pensioner into accepting a delivery of 2.7 kilos of heroin hidden inside weightlifting belts have been jailed for nearly 22 years. Mohammed Javaid, 44, and Mohammed nadeem, 29, from Shenstone Road, Smethwick, told the elderly mother of an ex-partner that the packages from Pakistan were gifts for their own mum. In fact there was 2.7 kilos of heroin worth £250,000 hidden inside six belts that were delivered to the family in west Bromwich. The brothers were snared last June by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) who collected data from the brothers’ unregistered pre-paid mobile phones. Robert Davies, prosecuting, told the court that the victim in the case was the vulnerable 60-year-old mother of Javaid’s expartner. Mr Davies added: “The men used this law-abiding family knowing that they would be entirely off the radar of the police. “Javaid was still in contact with the mother of his ex-partner, who trusted him, and with the daughter of his ex-partner who considered him to be her step-father.” The court heard that four weight lifting belts arrived in April 2011, addressed to somebody called Mr Cameron. A second batch of six belts was sent from Pakistan to Heathrow Airport in June 2011, but were intercepted by the UK Border Force. The belts were found to contain 2.7 kilos of heroin and were delivered by a SOCA officer in a “controlled delivery” ahead of a raid where the victim was initially arrested. OnlinE

Girl burnt for saying ‘No’ GUJRANWALA: A 16-year-old girl was immolated by her brother after refusing to marry against her will here on Friday. According to police, Beenish’s family was angry at her refusal to marry against her. The incident occurred in the Guru nanakpura area. The girl was taken to Civil Hospital, where doctors said that 70 percent of her body had been burnt. On the other hand, the girl’s uncle said that she had tried self-immolation, and was not burnt by brother or anyone else. nni

Yasin named new defence secy The federal government has decided to appoint former Corps Commander Peshawar, Lt General (r) Asif yasin Malik as the new defence secretary, Geo news reported. According to an official statement, his predecessor, nargis Sethi, who held the additional charge of defence secretary, will continue serving as secretary Cabinet Division. A notification in this regard would soon be issued. MOniTOring DEsk

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

After MQM, PML-N also announces national moot

KARACHI: Volunteers arrange Iftari for people at a mosque. AFP

LAHORE sTaFF rEPOrT

As the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) plans to meet Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) ameer, Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad today (Saturday) to formally invite him to a “national Conference” the party intends to organise in the coming days to consider and deliberate upon the challenges Pakistan is facing, the Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz president, nawaz Sharif also jumped into the fray with an announcement that his party would also hold a “national Conference” in Karachi next month. Talking to party workers at his Raiwind residence on Friday, nawaz said all political parties will be invited to attend the national Conference to exchange views over power crisis, situation in Karachi and other issues. The PMLn chief said that free and fair polls were the only solution for all the challenges being faced by the country, adding that “some elements” were trying to delay the elections. “Rumors are being spread everywhere that the polls should be delayed for one year but the delay plan is wrong and the PML-n will fight forcefully against all such conspiracies,” nawaz added. Meanwhile in Islamabad, JUI-F’s Fazl told reporters that the wrong policies of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led coalition government had mounted external aggression and interference in the country. He confirmed that the MQM had invited him to the conference, and welcomed the initiative. Almost every political party has mooted a national conference for one issue or the other in recent years but these initiatives have not amounted to much so far.

The poinT man is back

Malik takes oath as senator, PML-N stages walk out ISLAMABAD

agEnciEs

ewLy elected member of the Senate, Rehman Malik took oath as Senator on Friday. Chairman Senate nayyar Bukhari administered the oath. Rehman Malik was elected unopposed as a senator on technocrat seat from Sindh. Lawmakers of the Pakistan Muslim League – nawaz (PML-n) staged a walk out from the Senate over the summoning of an emergency session which they alleged was expressly called for Rehman Malik’s oathtaking. Friday’s session of the Senate began under the chairmanship of nayyar Hussain Bukhari and Malik was administered oath of office soon after. earlier this week, Malik had been elected unopposed at a by-election in the same seat for the Senate which he held prior to his June suspension, paving the way for him to be reconfirmed as a cabinet minister.

The Supreme Court had suspended Malik from parliament on June 4 for allegedly running for the Senate in 2009 while still holding British citizenship. During today’s Senate session, Senator Zafar Ali Shah of the PML-n inquired over the rationale behind summoning an emer-

gency session, adding that, the cost of holding a session of the upper house of parliament was rupees 16000000. Moreover, PML-n’s Senator Ishaq Dar said that Friday’s session was not in accordance with the Senate’s calendar, adding that, if this was how the government intended to conduct matters, there were little chances of improvement in the future. The PML-n members staged a walkout from the House. During the session, Senator Saeed Ghani of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) said that the Karachi water & Sewerage Board was not fulfilling its responsibilities, adding proper chlorination of water supplied to the city was not being done leading to deaths due to waterborne infections. Senator Ghani urged that the government should take action on the issue. Subsequently, the upper house’s session was adjourned to July 30.

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:11 AM Page 3

News 03 ArtS & eNtertAiNMeNt

cArtooN

SPortS

i will work till i’m 90: kareena

editoriAL

bells ring out to start games

Delaying elections?: Time is of the essence.

coMMeNt arif nizami says; Relations on the mend: But out-of-the-box thinking still required.

raoof Hasan says; The debate on the Hill: Damned if I do, damned if I don’t.

on Page 11

Story on Page 13

Story on Page 15

Articles on Page 14

one less hindu To worry abouT

Maya Khan does it again – stir controversy, that is

Bahriagate: NAB to issue third summons for Dr Faqir Hussain ISLAMABAD: The national Accountability Bureau (nAB) has decided to issue the third summons to Dr Faqir Hussain, registrar of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, following his inability to appear before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on Friday. The accountability watchdog will issue the summons to Dr Hussain in his private capacity, strictly in accordance with the directions given by the Supreme Court in its order dated July 26, 2012. Since Dr Hussain would be summoned in his private capacity, the summons would be sent at his residential address. Any correspondence by Dr Hussain as Registrar or by using the official letterhead of the Supreme Court henceforth would not be entertained by the JIT to the extent of his version or contention in the case. The summons would likely be issued for his personal appearance before the JIT some time next week. The JIT has also sought the services of Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA) of UK for technical assistance and to ensure complete transparency in the process of evidence gathering in this case. sTaFF rEPOrT

LAHORE sTaFF rEPOrT

T seems all is kosher, nay halal, in the war of ratings between television channels. The month of Ramadan is a bonanza for religiously-oriented programming on the Pakistani airwaves and there is vigourous competition between television channels for higher ratings – and consequent higher revenues – in the holy month. It was en vogue this year to get controversy magnets – be they channel-hopping televangelists, on-the-radar starlets or datebusting anchors – to get as hosts. Maya Khan – no stranger to stirring hornet’s nests – has become embroiled in a second controversy this year. earlier this year, she was sacked by a television channel for chasing couples in a public park. She has now invited ire by having a Hindu boy convert to Islam live on television during a prime-time Ramadan chat show. This act has been widely panned as being a ‘ratings stunt’ and has sparked criticism on behalf of religious minorities in the overwhelmingly Muslim country. During the live transmission, in just five minutes, the 20-year-old Hindu boy introduced as Sunil officially changed his religion under a cleric’s guidance. A packed studio audience congratulated him and shouted out suggestions for his new Muslim name before he was renamed Mohammad Abdullah — the consensus choice. Abdullah insisted on Friday that he had been a willing convert. “I have accepted Islam by my own will and my family has no objection,” he told AFP by telephone from the Ansar Burney welfare Trust, where a staff member said he has worked as their office boy for the last six years. But Pakistan has been criticised by rights groups for showing an increased lack of tolerance towards religious minorities, who complain of discrimination, and critics blasted the show, broadcast by private channel ARy on wednesday. “The joy with which the conversion was greeted and the congratulations that followed sent a clear signal that other religions don’t enjoy the same status in Pakistan as Islam does,” wrote

Dawn, an english daily, on Friday. “In a country where minorities are already treated as secondclass citizens in many ways, this served to marginalise them even further,” it said. Ramesh Kumar, a leader of the Pakistan Hindu Council, told AFP that wednesday’s programme would encourage intolerance. “we are already intimidated against. The government gives little heed to the kidnapping of Hindus and forced faith conversion of our girls. Please don’t do things that make us more alienated,” he told AFP. Talat Hussain, who hosts a political show on private television channel Dawnnews, also warned against turning religion into mass entertainment. “Think about how Muslims would feel when Buddhists in Burma show similarly a Muslim being converted in a live TV show,” he told AFP. Ansar Burney, a prominent human rights activist, former federal minister and former advisor to the Un and whose welfare trust the boy works for, has also publicly criticised Maya Khan and the television channel for broadcasting this “drama”. He has stated on Twitter, that he intends to file a law suit of 10 million sterling

Sc must remain an independent institution: legal experts ISLAMABAD agEnciEs

Participants of a roundtable conference titled ‘Judicialization of Politics: Issues and Remedies’ on Friday urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan to reposition itself as an independent institution in its own right, not as an institution against democracy and the executive. The participants observed that politics were being dictated by the superior courts, which was leading to a sort of judicial martial law in the country. A number of legal experts, human rights activists and political workers participated in the conference organized by the School of Political and Strategic Communications (SPSC). eminent lawyer and human rights activist Asma Jahangir said in her telephonic address that the superior judiciary should remain impartial in dispensation of justice.

“A cursory look at the court’s decisions indicates that the superior judiciary wants to influence the functioning of election Commission of Pakistan and in setting up of the caretaker government,” she commented. Listing a number of cases in which the government complied with the court’s verdicts, Asma asked the superior judiciary to define the concept of implementation. “If implementation means beheading all democrats, I would say the government did not comply,” she said, adding that the court verdicts did little to improve jurisprudence. She also called on the superior judiciary to set out a criterion for taking suo motu notices. SPSC executive Director Mazhar Arif gave a comparative overview of judicialization of politics in various countries and specifically focused on Pakistan. He identified various similarities

and differences from similar experiences in other countries and termed Supreme Court actions “a judicial coup” that was creeping slowly and could endanger the federal parliamentary democratic dispensation. PPP leader Taj Haider referred to the clash between the government and the court as a clash between democrats and security establishment. “The Pakistani judiciary was part of the establishment and is still very much a part of it. Therefore, in this clash the judiciary stands on the side of the establishment. we have to contain the establishment and the judiciary. Running the government is not the job of the judiciary. It is the job of the elected representatives,” he said, adding that it was not judicial activism but “judicial adventurism”. Haider called for the formation of Judicial Services of Pakistan on the pattern of ICS. “A judicial academy should play its

role in capacity building. The arbitration councils at village level should be formed civil cases. In criminal cases there should be no arbitration. Office of the prosecutor general should be strengthened. Legislation for witness security should be done immediately. every province should have independent Supreme Court which should also be a final appellate authority,” Haider suggested. Asad Jamal, a constitutionalist based in Lahore, listed various instances of court verdicts in which the impartiality of the court was in doubt. Tracing the recent trend of judicialization of politics in Pakistan, Jamal said it started with the decision in the Steel Mills case. “The judiciary never challenged the military rulers. This is a historic baggage which is reflected in the court’s decisions. The judiciary has become a sort of united front which has done institutional barricading.”

pounds against Maya Khan and the owners of ARy and that The Burney Legal Solicitors would send a notice soon in this regard. expressing his disapproval of the act, he tweeted, “Anchor Maya Khan again created dirty drama by inviting my office worker Sunil to her show without my permission to convert him Muslim.” even though the converted boy has claimed that he has converted of his own free will, Burney said in this regard that the story that the boy had told him was ‘painful’. He tweeted, “My worker has full right of freedom but what Sunil told me is a painful story of Drama so I have to take action.” He further tweeted, “A person’s religion or change of religion is a deeply personal choice; and as someone under whose care Sunil has grown up, I am enormously disappointed at the way this whole matter has been used for cheap publicity.” In a country where the track record for minority protection and minority right is not that great, concern has been expressed on various fora that such public acts could contribute to further worsening the situation by fostering intolerance. Many commentators have also expressed concern about how religion is being commodified to an almost fetishistic extent by ratings-hungry show-runners without regards for its social fallout. According to Pakistan government figures, Hindus make up 2.5 percent of the nuclear-armed country’s population of around 180 million.

Judges should know their bounds, says Farhatullah ISLAMABAD OnlinE

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Farhatullah Babar on Friday expressed concern over the remarks made by the Supreme Court judges about the parliament. while addressing the Senate session, Babar said that the ruling of the national Assembly speaker had been overturned and the dignity of the parliament was continuously being hurt. He said that the SC registrar had been summoned by the Public Accounts Committee but he had been avoiding appearance. Babar said the judiciary should also uphold the parliament in the same manner as the parliament holds the judiciary. He further said that the judiciary should exercise restraint by keeping in view its jurisdiction.

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:11 AM Page 4

04 News cHaMan: container trucks carrying naTO supplies are seen parked at this border town on Friday. Pakistan has temporarily stopped naTO supply trucks crossing its northwestern border into afghanistan over security concerns. AFP

un wakes up to myanmar muslims’ bloodshed GENEVA agEnciEs

The Un human rights chief warned Friday that an initial move by Myanmar security forces to quash violence in the restive Rakhine state has turned into a massacre of Muslim minorities. “we have been receiving a stream of reports from independent sources alleging discriminatory and arbitrary responses by security forces, and even their instigation of and involvement in clashes,”

afTer mQm, pml-n Continued from page 01

“Rumors are being spread everywhere that the polls should be delayed for one year but the delay plan is wrong and the PML-n will fight forcefully against all such conspiracies,” nawaz added. Meanwhile in Islamabad, JUI-F’s Fazl told reporters that the wrong policies of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led coalition government had mounted external aggression and interference in the country. He confirmed that the MQM had invited him to the conference, and welcomed the initiative. Almost every political party has mooted a national conference for one issue or the other in recent years but these initiatives have not amounted to much so far.

Un High Commissioner for Human Rights navi Pillay said in a statement. “Reports indicate that the initial swift response of the authorities to the communal violence may have turned into a crackdown targeting Muslims, in particular members of the Rohingya community.” Clashes between Buddhist ethnic Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya communities which erupted early June in the western Myanmar state has left at least 78 people dead and 70,000

homeless, Pillay’s office said, according to official figures. Unofficial estimates of the death toll were much higher, her office added. Pillay urged the government to “prevent and punish violent acts” and said she was dismayed at the derogatory language used against the Rohingya by state and some independent media, as well as by some users of social networking websites. while welcoming Myanmar’s invitation to Un investigator Tomas Ojea Quintana to visit from

us admiral says raid was ‘easiest’ part of bin laden op WASHINGTON: The US military raid that killed Osama bin Laden was the “easiest” of three steps that led to the al Qaeda chief’s death, the special forces commander who supervised the clandestine mission has said. Admiral william McRaven praised President Barack Obama for ordering the raid and said the CIA deserved credit for finally tracking bin Laden down to a house in Abbottabad. “Our piece of it, the military piece, of kind of what I look at kind of three components was probably the

annulling one Continued from page 01

He further said that the people who produced the unanimous constitution were the people with a vision, but the dictators distorted it, however, the constitution was still of primary importance. “The judges are trustees who have been tasked by 180 million people of Pakistan with implementing the constitution. The lawmakers agreed upon the constitution under an ideology, these people who gave unanimous constitution were ideologues,” he said. On Thursday, the court had directed the lawyers of petitioners to complete their arguments by Friday. The arguments of Attorney General Irfan Qadir would be heard from Monday.

SAturdAy, 28 JuLy, 2012

Suu Kyi’s silence on Burmese Muslims’ massacre condemned

July 30 to August 4, Pillay said it was “no substitute for a fully-fledged independent investigation” into the Rakhine violence. She also pointed out that it was “important that those affected from all communities in Rakhine are able to speak freely” to Quintana. An estimated 800,000 Rohingya live in Myanmar, and the government considers them to be foreigners while many citizens see them as illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh and view them with hostility.

easiest aspect of the entire raid,” he told Cnn’s wolf Blitzer at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on wednesday. “The two other pieces of this were the CIA’s role,” said McRaven, who heads up US Special Operations Command, without detailing exactly what the intelligence agency did. “when the history is finally written and outlined and exposed on how the CIA determined that bin Laden was there, it will be one of the great intelligence operations in the history of intelligence organisations.” Obama’s order led a team of navy SeALs to be deployed in helicopters to Abbottabad, where bin Laden was killed in a shootout inside his home. McRaven refused to answer a question on whether the military’s mission was to kill bin Laden or capture him, but he said the commandos merely did their job and it was Obama, not the special forces, who issued the order to go in.

LONDON inP

UnG San Suu Kyi, the Burmese opposition leader, is facing a backlash from fellow pro-democracy campaigners who are dismayed at her refusal to speak out against the massacre of Burmese Muslims being committed by her country’s military. Activists who supported the icon of human rights through her years of imprisonment and isolation accuse her of staying silent on the most pressing human rights issue in Burma today - the treatment of the Rohingya, a stateless group identified by the United nations as one of the most persecuted minorities anywhere. Critics contend that she has dodged the subject throughout eight weeks of strife in Rakhine state in western Burma, where hundreds of Muslims have been killed and tens of thousands displaced from their homes. There have been consistent reports of army beatings, acts of intimidation and extra judicial killings of the Rohingya Muslims. Her refusal to criticise President Thein Sein, a former military general, for endorsing policies that could be seen as recommending ethnic cleansing have caused particular consternation. Thein Sein said the 800,000 Rohingya population should be put in camps and sent across the border to Bangladesh. “She is in a difficult position, but people have been disappointed she hasn’t been more outspoken,” said Anna Roberts, executive director of the Burma Campaign UK. “She passed up op-

portunities to say good things on this,” said Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights watch. “This was all blowing up when she was travelling in europe and she didn’t confront it,” he added, referring to her recent foreign tour when the nobel laureate was feted in London, Dublin, Paris and Oslo. The sweeping reforms that have seen Suu Kyi take a seat in parliament have also eased censorship laws, exposing resentment towards the Rohingya and Muslims among the majority Buddhist ethnic Burmese population. Some activists said it was unclear if the nobel Peace Laureate shared commonly held prejudices towards the dark-skinned minority from the subcontinent, who first migrated from Bengal centuries ago. “One has to be suspicious or concerned about what her views are,” said Adams. “It’s very hard to know what she thinks.” In her first parliamentary speech this week Suu Kyi cited the importance of protecting minority rights, but that was widely regarded as referring to larger Buddhist groups such as the Karen and Shan. Maung Zarni, a Burmese academic who was on a panel with her at the London School of economics in June, said: “She has been very non-committal on the issue of the Rohingya.” Other victims of Burma’s military regime had been released from prison only to show a “shocking” level of racial prejudice against Muslims, he said. “Pro-democracy crowds are also cut from the same racist ideological fabric” as the military-dominated government, he added.

US POLL SHOWS PERSISTENCE OF OBAMA MUSLIM LIE WASHINGTON: More than one in three conservative Republican voters still thinks US President Barack Obama is a Muslim, nearly four years after he won power, said a Pew Research Center survey Thursday. “The number of Americans who say Obama is a Muslim is up since 2008, similar to 2010,” senior Pew researcher Greg Smith told AFP. Although the number of conservative Republicans who believe Obama is a Muslim stagnated between 2010 and 2012, it has more than doubled since 2008 despite the Christian churchgoer’s repeated affirmations of his faith. Seventeen percent of 3,000 overall voters asked by Pew in June and July thought Obama was Muslim, the poll

said. That number is up five percent from 2008 and down three percent from 2010, within the survey’s margin of error. “Our polling suggests there’s a real partisan component,” Smith said. Muslim American community leaders expressed concern that the lingering inability to recognize Obama’s true faith showed a disturbing undercurrent in US politics, indicating a possible rise of Islamophobic discourse. “For seventeen percent of people to believe Obama is a Muslim shows there’s a lot of fear-mongering and politicking in America,” Haris Tarin from the Muslim Public Affairs Council. But Tarin opposes Obama’s efforts to “constantly go out of his way to say he’s a Christian.” Obama’s

Kenyan father was born a Muslim, his middle name is Hussein, and he spent years in Muslim-majority Indonesia as a child. Millions of Americans — particularly Republicans fueled by conservative bloggers and talk radio hosts — suspect he is secretly Muslim, according to several polls. “My Christian faith then has been a sustaining force for me over these last few years, all the more so when Michelle and I hear our faith questioned from time to time,” Obama said at the 2011 national Prayer Breakfast, an annual gathering that brings together thousands of religious and community leaders. “I hope Obama does not go out of his way to deny he’s a Muslim. That reinforces the idea that

Islam can be used as a slur,” said Tarin. Tarin noted that former secretary of state under the Republican George w. Bush administration, Colin Powell, dealt a blow to the controversy of Obama’s religion, when he asked in an interview on nBC’s Meet The Press, “what if Obama is” a Muslim? Only 49 percent of those polled by Pew correctly identified Obama as a Christian, while another 31 percent said they did not know. Some 60 percent of voters correctly identified Obama’s Republican opponent in the november presidential elections, Mitt Romney, as a Mormon. AFP

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:11 AM Page 5

05 NAB chief formulates prevention committee on Haj operations NAB rawalpindi recovers cdA’s rs 4,622,741 under plea bargains g

ISLAMABAD agEnciEs

quETTa: People seen at a deserted out patient department of a hospital as doctors began their strike across the province on Friday for the recovery of their abducted colleague. ONLiNe

kP lawmakers abandon MPA hostel in search of safety PESHAWAR OnlinE

The members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly have vacated the MPA Hostel owing to escalating terror threats. As per details, the worsening situation of terrorism and the deteriorating law and order situation in the provincial capital compelled the lawmakers to relocate to their native areas on Friday. After the restoration of nATO supplies, the threat of terrorist attacks on the MPA Hostel had increased. Sources said the lawmakers had moved to their hometowns and the MPA hostel had been fully vacated. They added that police officials had started giving rooms to their relatives and friends in the hostel.

Balochistan doctors begin strike against colleague’s abduction QUETTA sHaHzaDa zulFiqar

OCTORS from government and private hospitals in Balochistan have begun an indefinite strike in protest against the abduction of their fellow doctor, media reports said on Friday. Dr Din Mohammad Bangulzai, surgeon affiliated with Bolan Medical College, was taken away by armed men on Sunday when he was coming to Quetta from Mastung. On wednesday, the kidnappers contacted his family and demanded a ransom of Rs 8 million for his release. The strike is being observed on the call of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA). On Thursday, doctors across the province warned the government to recover Bangulzai within 24 hours, warning that otherwise the fraternity

of doctors would go on a strike. All Out-Patient Departments (OPDs) remained closed and all scheduled operations were also cancelled. The hospitals of the provincial capital, including Helper’s Hospital, Bolan Medical College Teaching Hospital, Fatima Jinnah TB Sanatorium and provincial Sandeman Hospital wore a deserted look. The strike was also observed in private hospitals in Quetta to express solidarity with the Bangulzai’s family. However, doctors were present at government hospitals only for emergency cases. Meanwhile, the activists of All Parties Steering Committee of Kachhi district (Bolan) staged a demonstration outside the Quetta Press Club to protest against the abduction of the doctor and deteriorating law and order in Balochistan. Participants were carrying plac-

ards and banners inscribed with different demands. They were also shouting slogans for immediately recovery of the kidnapped doctor. The leaders of the national Party, the Balochistan national Party, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and the PPP regretted that kidnapping for ransom, recovery of decomposed dead bodies, robbery and other crimes had become the order of the day and the provincial government seemed lame duck vis-à-vis law and order in the province. They condemned the kidnapping of Dr Bangulzai, saying he had played a vital role in serving the people of the province and his abduction was a matter of great concern. The speakers demanded the provincial government to make efforts for early and safe recovery of senior surgeon and unleash a crackdown upon the criminal gang involved in kidnapping for ransom and other crimes.

KP admin yet to seal 27 private security firms PESHAWAR sTaFF rEPOrT

The administration has yet to take steps to seal offices of 27 private security agencies in accordance with directives of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home and Tribal Affairs Department. Through some highlyplaced official sources, Pakistan Today came to know on Friday that a couple of days ago, the Home Department cancelled licences of 27 private security agencies. In this respect, the Home Department directed the administration of various districts to sea offices of all the private agencies. However, the district administrations failed to implement the di-

rectives. The sources said around 70 private security agencies were functioning in the province and 27 of them had failed in getting their licences renewed therefore on these grounds, the licences of these agencies were declared cancelled by the Home and Tribal Affairs Department. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has already initiated steps for streamlining affairs of private security agencies. It did not allow them to work with foreign directors. Similarly, the government has directed the Home and Tribal Affairs Department to compile data of all employees of the private agencies.

The nAB chairman has formed a prevention committee on Haj Group organisers/Ministry of Religious Affairs under Section 33C of the national Accountability Ordinance1999. The meeting of the committee, which includes representatives from the ministries of Religious Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Finance and Revenue, Law Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Interior, Pakistan International Airline, Saudi Airline, Cabinet Division and representatives from Haj operators, will be held on July 31 at the nAB Headquarters, Islamabad. The purpose of formulating of committee under the prevision of Section 33C is to assist the Ministry of Religious Affairs in preparing policies, rules and regulations and criterion for Haj regulators to ensure merit, fair play and transparency so that pilgrims in particular and public at large is facilitated in an efficient manner. The committee will prepare recommendations through consensus with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and other stakeholders pertaining to issues of policy making and implementation, Haj Organisers Registration, hiring of building in Saudi Arabia, booking and ticketing system

including preparation of passports, awareness campaigns and all other related matters to Haj and Ziaraat. The final recommendations so formulated will be submitted to nAB chairman who in return under the statutory obligations will send it to concern quarters for implementation. The committee has been constituted with the backdrop of having large number of complaints and scams surfacing almost on a yearly basis. To prevent corruption, prevention exercise as enshrined in nAO will be the top priority principle approach undertaken by nAB Chairman Admiral (r) Fasih Bokhari. A numbers of committees in each province and at the federal level have been constituted under the Prevention Regime to bring good governance through strengthening regulators and authorities established to ensure rule of law, transparency accountability and meritocracy in overall executive system. Meanwhile, the nAB Rawalpindi handed over Rs 4,622,741 to CDA under the head of plea bargains. In nov 2011, an investigation was started on the basis of news published in Daily Times regarding embezzlement/misappropriation of funds in the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA), Capital Development Authority, Islamabad.

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:11 AM Page 6

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

FiqAh-e-hAnFi FiqAh-e-JAFriA 07:18 iFtAr 07:28 iFtAr 04:16 Seher 04:06 Seher

karacHi: a motorcyclist passes by a vehicle set ablaze by an angry mob of Pak colony, bara board during their protest against the rangers operation. STAFF PHOTO KARACHI

OnlinE

T least eight people were killed in firing incidents in different parts of the metropolis while two tortured bodies were also recovered, police sources said on Friday. According to media reports, some unidentified armed men opened fire in Dhawaraji area and shot a man dead for not paying extortion money. Residents

and traders of the area staged a protest after the incident. Two men died during cross firing between rival groups in Dhobi Ghat area of Garden while some unknown people gunned down two men in Manghopir. In new Karachi area some unidentified persons opened fire and killed a woman. The deceased was identified as Suria, 28. Meanwhile, two dead bodies were found from Soldier Bazar and new Karachi areas. Two others were also injured in firing in Gardi and PIB Colony.

A tortured dead body was found from Lyari River in old Golimar. Police sources said that the deceased was kidnapped and then shot dead. In a separate incident, a body of 50 years old eunuch was found from a flat situated in Qayoomabad sector A. Asad Laghari, 22, was injured over resistance to a robbery bid in L-6 Market, Gulshan-e-Hadeed. TWO ROBBeRS KILLeD, 20 NABBeD IN SeARCH OPeRATION: Two robbers were killed in exchange of fire with police while their accomplice

fled the scene on Friday. The police also arrested as many as 20 persons involved in drugs business during separate operations in the city and recovered a huge amount of drugs and arms from their possession. According to the police sources, three robbers riding a motorcycle were fleeing after snatching Rs15 thousand from a contractor near Chourangi Hospital in Landhi area when they came across police. The robbers, having seen the police started firing and tried to flee but in retaliatory fire two of them got killed on the

spot while their third accomplice managed to escape. west Akram naeem Broka said that upon complaints of surge in the drugs business, the police conducted a search operation in different areas of the city including Orangi Town, Metrol, Frontier Colony, Katti Pahari, Sultanabad, Kanwari Colony and Mangopir areas. During the operation about two dozen people involved in drugs business were arrested. Drugs and arms, worth millions of rupees, were also recovered from their possession.

NePRA raises KeSC tariff by Rs 1.60 ISLAMABAD OnlinE

The national electric Power Regulatory Authority (nePRA) has issued a notification for an increase in power tariff of KeSC by Rs 1.60 per unit on account of fuel price adjustment charges. nePRA officials said the tariff had been increased under the fuel adjustment charges for the month of January, February and March. According to the notification, the Karachi electric Supply Company would collect Rs 1.40 per unit under the fuel adjustment for the month of January. In the second notification, nePRA allowed the KeSC to collect four paisa per unit under fuel adjustment charges for February in the bills of August, while a third notification issued on Friday said KeSC consumers would pay an extra Rs 1.60 per unit for the month of March, to be collected in electricity bills of Sep-

tember. nePRA had only on Thursday approved an increase in electricity tariff of 24 paisa per unit under the monthly fuel adjustment formula. nePRA has been frequently raising electricity tariff despite failing to control widespread prolonged load shedding across the country. It claims that the cost of producing electricity is much higher than the revenue generated through its sale to consumers, thus forcing the authority to go for tariff raises. People across the country have been up in arms against the authorities for continued load shedding in both urban and rural areas and keeping on with raising tariff every other day. with the power shortfall nearing 4,500Mw, urban centers are facing up to 14 hours of load shedding, while electricity remains absent in rural areas for up to 18 hours a day.

THARPARKAR: The number of peacocksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; deaths reached to 67 as 10 more peacocks died in Tehsil Diplo of Tharparkar district, wildlife authorities said on Friday. Peacocks continue to die in Tharparkar district of Sindh due to Ranikhet disease. According to wildlife authorities, teams of poultry doctors had been called in from Hyderabad and Sukkur. Talking to media at Mitthi Circuit House, Sindh wildlife Minister Dr Daya Ram said a resolution would be tabled in the Sindh Assembly for the safety of peacocks in Tharparkar while Karoonjhar area of nagarparkar would be given status of a national park. inP

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:11 AM Page 7

Karachi 07 SMwB proposes increase in minimum wages KARACHI: The Sindh Minimum wages Board (SMwB) proposed to increase minimum rates of wages from Rs 7,000 per month to Rs 8,000 per month with effect from 01-07-2012 in respect of adult unskilled and juvenile workers in industrial/commercial undertakings in the province of Sindh, secretary of the Board announced on Friday. This had already been notified in extra Ordinary Gazette of Sindh Government dated 19th July, 2012. It was therefore advised that the objections/suggestion, if any, may be sent to the Secretary of the SMwB within 30 days i.e. latest by 18-08-2012 from the concerned quarters. aPP

uAe donates food items for needy during ramadan

karacHi: labourers take rest under the shade of a trawler on Maripur road. ONLiNe

health minister for efforts to check spread of hepatitis KARACHI aPP

Sindh Minister for Health Dr Sagheer Ahmed on Friday called for making concerted efforts to help check the spread of Hepatitis. He said this in a statement here on the eve of the world Hepatitis Day being marked on July 28. The minister said that the day was observed to foster awareness regarding the Hepatitis which was on the increase the world over. He urged all the stakeholders to join hands and supplement the governmental efforts for the prevention of Hepatitis. Dr Sagheer pointed out that preventive measures included precautionary inoculation, screening of blood as well as awareness regarding the disease. He said that a special programme in this regard was being run successfully in the province for the past three years. However, he added, in view of the increase in Hepatitis cases, there was a need for all stakeholders to join the government in adopting preventive measures to help check spread of this diseases.

We have ‘surprises’ for Nawaz in Sindh: Pervaiz KARACHI inP

UeLLInG rumors of the alliance between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim LeagueQuaid (PML-Q) being on shaky ground because of Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-n), PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz elahi on Friday stated that nawaz Sharif and his party would “get surprises in Sindh”. The PML-Q leaders had earlier met Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah. In the post-meeting media briefing, Pervaiz elahi reiterated that both the parties remained united in Sindh, adding that talks for the seat readjustments were underway. He further falsified claims that PML-n was going to Sindh and had, to some extent, broken down the local leadership. Qaim Ali Shah, while answering queries on whether the alliance faced any danger in the form of PML-n or not, said, “we don’t overestimate ourselves, but we don’t underestimate ourselves either.” He added that the politics of his

party and the leadership were the reason why nawaz Sharif went to places in Sindh where one “need not go.” “He has approached non-entity people and those who criticised him a lot, the nationalists, asking them to join him,” the CM said, adding that these people had never even won a single seat. “He is trying but, thanks to God, he still does not have a seat even in the assembly, and none of our party members

have joined him,” said the Sindh chief minister. He said that nawaz was approaching people “who had left his party earlier, who have cases registered against them and those who have always been disagreeing with us since the beginning, the likes of Mumtaz Bhutto.” On PML-n making alliances with the nationalists, Shah said that nawaz Sharif was recruiting the people some of whom totally disagreed with the constitution. Refusing to comment on PPP’s cases in the courts, Shah said that it was a matter of the federal government and since these matters were sub-judice, they should not be commented on. Shah said that talks with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were underway and progress had been made on issues that were not being sorted out earlier. “we hope to reach an understanding soon,” he said. Answering questions related to local bodies elections, Qaim Ali Shah said that after general elections, scheduled to take place in seven to eight months, the elected governments would hold local body elections as per the constitution.

UNDP goodwill ambassador visits Thatta THATTA OnlinE

United nations Development Programme national goodwill ambassador Hadiqa Kiani on Friday visited communities of district Thatta of Sindh province and interacted with village women, children, elders and other beneficiaries of UnDP support in restoring their socio-economic conditions with enhanced sustainability and disaster-resilience. Hadiqa was accompanied by the UnDP team led by the Country Director Toshihiro Tanaka as well as local implementing partner representatives from Health and nutrition Development Society (HAnDS), worldwide Fund for nature (wwF) Pakistan and Sindh Rural Support Program (SRSP). The localities visited included Makli,

Allahdino Khaskheli and Suleman Jutt village. Thatta is among the 29 districts affected by floods in 2010 where UnDP has implemented an early Recovery programme through financial support from the Government of Japan, eU, USAID, AusAid, Government of Italy, Government of Kuwait and COFRA foundation. Hadiqa Kiani visited the display centre for handicrafts produced by beneficiaries of Makli. The centre was established through HAnDS for enhancing the linkages of local village women groups with the main markets of Thatta city. Hadiqa and the UnDP team were also welcomed by the children, members of community and disaster risk management committee of the village Suleman Jutt supported through SRSP. One of the main objectives of the visit was to highlight the importance of linking

early Recovery interventions with climate change mitigation, adaptation strategy and disaster management at the community level. In this regard, Hadiqa visited the biogas plants established through wwF which provide rural poor families with sustainable access to alternate renewable energy, which was clean and required no running cost. She also interacted with the staff of Disaster Management Center established by HAnDS. Addressing a community gathering, Hadiqa said, “I am pleased to meet all of you. I appreciate UnDP’s efforts in introducing environmental awareness and the ability to respond to any future disasters.” She also underlined the importance of disaster risk reduction and environment. “I am impressed by the efforts of the communities which have shown resilience and

cooperation in rebuilding their lives.” Hadiqa previously led the campaign with UnDP to raise awareness about environmental issues. “we are grateful to Hadiqa for her personal commitment and selfless efforts in helping the disaster-hit communities. She is a wonderful and admirable person and demonstrates a role model for Pakistani youth to follow,” said Toshihiro Tanaka, UnDP Country Director. “In partnership with Un agencies, nGOs, donors and the Government, we will continue to give support to local and national capacity building in creating more resilient and sustainable society that adapt and mitigate climate change risks through community based disaster risk management and providing sustainable renewable energy,” the country director added.

KARACHI: On behalf of the Government of UAe, the Consul General of UAe in Karachi Suhail Bin Matar Al-Ketbi on Friday presented food item to be distributed among the poor and needy families in Pakistan during the holy month of Ramazan. A statement said that every year the Government of UAe, along with its citizens, sent charity for the poor families as a goodwill gesture. Special thank was extended to Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-nahyan’s Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation and Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-nahyan’s Foundation who had contributed immensely in this aid which would cover more than two hundred thousand families across Sindh. Other than the food stuff, the Government of UAe under the title of UAe Pakistan Assistance Programme was helping in infrastructural development and rehabilitation programmes across the country, especially in the northern Areas which were badly affected by the earthquakes, the statement added. aPP

PAAd employees observe countrywide strike KARACHI: employees of Pakistan Audit and Account Department (PAAD) on Friday observed a countrywide pen down strike to get approval of their audit allowance. Following the strike, the PAAD offices remained closed in the center as well as in all four provinces, affecting approximately 3 million government employees and millions of retired employees as their salaries and pensions got delayed. The strike paralyzed financial systems of the federal and provincial governments as the checks were not prepared. Leaders of PAAD’s action committee, including Mr Zia Ur Rehman warned the government that if it did not solve the audit allowance issue, the radius of the strike would be increased. OnlinE

dr chishti begins teaching at ku KARACHI: Pakistani scientist Dr Khalil Chishti, who was detained in India for over two decades, on Friday commenced teaching in University of Karachi’ Microbiology Department. Given honorary lectureship, Dr Chishti will deliver lectures on viral diseases. The KU’s Microbiology Department Chairperson Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi said the department had introduced a cell culturing course and Dr Chishti would take three classes a week. “There is no other teacher better than him,” she added. According to students, studying under Dr Chishti’s guidance would be a fabulous experience and said that it was a proud to them all. The teachers of the department said Dr Chishti was in the first badge of the department and was also the first Ph.D. in Virology. They added that he taught viral diseases at a time when no basic facilities were available. inP

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:11 AM Page 8

08 karachi weAther uPdAteS

32 °c high 0c 28 Low

SuNNy

SuNdAy

MoNdAy

tueSdAy

33°c i 28°c

31°c i 28°c

PrAyer tiMiNGS fajr Sunrise 04:30 05:54

zuhr 12:39

Asr 16:04

Maghrib 19:22

isha 20:47

city directory eMerGeNcy heLP reScue 1122 edhi coNtroL 115, 32310066, 2310077 MotorwAy PoLice 130 PoLice 15 GoVerNor’S houSe 136 chief MiNiSter’S houSe 99202051 fire BriGAde 16, 99215007-8 BoMB diSPoSAL 15, 99212667 red creSceNt 35833973 khidMAt-e-khALQ fouNdAtioN 36333811

karacHi: a labourer is busy repairing old wooden boxes near sabzi Mandi. ONLiNe

Felicitations! The Double French Celebrations

hoSPitALS ABBASi ShAheed ciViL JiNNAh NicVd AGhA khAN tABBA

99260400-09 99215749, 99215960 99201300-39 99201271-6 34930051 36811841-50

BLood BANk huSSAiNi fAtiMid PwA

32238405-8 32225284, 32258656 99215740, 32735214

coMPLAiNt keSc Sui GAS PtcL kwSB cdGk

118 1199, 99231603 1218 1339 134

rAiLwAyS eNQuiry city StAtioN cANtt StAtioN

117, 99213565-6 99213538 99201118

AirPort fLiGht eNQuiry PiA reSerVAtioN

114 111-786-786

coLLeGeS / uNiVerSitieS kArAchi uNiVerSity Ned uNiVerSity fuuASt duhS SMic fASt-Nu SzABiSt ioBM iBA iVS

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

99261300-06 99261261-8 99244141-9 99215754-7 99217501-3 111128128, 34100541-7 111922478 35090961-7 111422422 35861039-40

KARACHI

sTaFF rEPOrT

He French Consul General and Madame Christian Ramage hosted their second grand national Day reception on 14th July in Karachi to celebrate the Bastille Day. The function, held in the premises of Alliance Francaise, doubled as a commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the publication of the book ‘Les Miserables’ by the great French writer Victor Hugo. Speaking on the occasion, the Consul General stated that France had a strong and cordial

bilateral relationship with Pakistan and trade between the two countries had become stronger with the profits of French companies in Pakistan, viz. Total, Sanofi, Aventis, Schneider, Mazars and L’Oreals having grown healthier. “encouraged by them, some new companies have arrived since 2011 to invest and enter into partnerships with Pakistani companies. These are Gaz de (power sector), Advans Pakistan and Horus (Micro-financing banks) and Hyperstar (a partner company of Carrefour catering to the house hold needs of families),” he added. He announced that he was dedicating the

sculpTures show

dAte: JuLy 17 to 21th, 2012

evening’s celebration to an SOS Village in Baluchistan as a tribute to a character of the classic ‘Les Miserables,’ an orphan child. Guest of Honour of the evening, Acting Governor Sindh Mr nisar H Khuro (Speaker Sindh Assembly), offered felicitations and said he was delighted to have the opportunity for the second time to attend the French national Day celebrations as the Acting Governor. The Karachi ensemble Choir entertained the guests all through the evening with their beautiful numbers and later, after the guests had enjoyed a sumptuous dinner of French cuisine and French cheese, rocked the party with their scintillating performance.

eXhibiTion by hamra abbas

dAte: JuNe 19 to JuLy 19, 2012

ghalib made easy

dAte: thurSdAy, 7:00 PM, weekLy eVeNt

VeNue: fiNe ArtS PAkiStAN kArAchi

VeNue: cANVAS GALLery

VeNue: the SecoNd fLoor (t2f)

fiNe Art PAkiStAN GALLery cordially invites you on the exhibition of sculptures by Akbar khan, Latif Ghouri and M.k.Saleem on tuesday, 17th 2012. chief Guest: Anjum Ayaz inaugurates the show.

internationally acclaimed artist hamra Abbas, recipient of the Abraaj capital art prize and the Sharjah biennale jury prize, exhibits her culturally loaded, iconographic works at canvas Gallery on tuesday June 19th 2012, from 5 pm - 8 pm. hamra received her BfA and MA from the National college of Arts, Lahore and a Meisterschueler from universitaet der kuenste, Berlin. She lives and works between Lahore, Pakistan and Boston, uSA. the show remains open daily until July 19th 2012, from 11 am - 8 pm (excluding sundays)

Join us at t2f every wednesday for interactive sessions on Mirza Ghalib’s poetry, conducted by author and translator, Musharraf Ali farooqi. Ghalib Made easy by @MicroMAfthe poetry of Mirza Ghalib (27 december 1797 – 15 february 1869) has been considered complex, abstract and difficult to comprehend. even for Ghalib’s contemporaries, his language and imagery presented a challenge.

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:11 AM Page 9

Foreign News 09 Saudi police fire on Shiite protest DUBAI aFP

Saudi security forces opened fire on Shiite protesters in the tense Qatif district of the eastern Province Friday, wounding several as hundreds marched to demand the release of detainees, witnesses said. Live rounds fired by anti-riot police wounded a number of protesters who took to the streets in the early hours, the witnesses said, without specifying a figure. The interior ministry said security forces dealt with “rioters who burned tyres” in parts of Qatif, arresting several people, including Mohammed alShakhuri, whose name figures on a list of 23 wanted people. “There were no casualties,” the ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency. witnesses said that Shakhuri had been taken to the military hospital in nearby Dhahran with bullet wounds to his back and neck. The demonstrators carried posters of Shiite detainees, including prominent cleric nimr al-nimr, who was arrested earlier this month, witnesses said. In recent days, confrontations have intensified between police and protesters from the kingdom’s marginalised Shiite minority — estimated at around two million and mostly concentrated in the oil-rich eastern Province. Two Shiite protesters were killed earlier this month, triggering attacks on government buildings in Qatif. The district witnessed a spate of protests after an outbreak of violence between Shiite pilgrims and religious police in the Muslim holy city of Medina in February last year. The protests escalated when the kingdom led a force of Gulf troops into neighbouring Bahrain the following month to help crush a Shiite-led uprising against the Sunni monarchy.

N Korea celebrates ‘day of victory’ SEOUL aFP

Thousands of north Korean veterans vowed Friday to uphold the military-first policy and remain loyal to new leader Kim Jong-Un in a rally marking what the north calls its victory in the 1950-53 conflict. The indoor rally in Pyongyang drew about 3,000 war veterans with decorations on their chests, state television showed. “we must absolutely follow respected leader Kim Jong-Un and defend him with our lives,” vice marshal Choe Ryong-Hae said in a speech, adding the north’s military is ready to crush enemy forces if attacked. Across the country, soldiers, workers and students laid floral baskets and bouquets before the statues of late founding leader Kim IlSung who died in 1994 and his son Kim Jong-Il who died last December, state media said. “People across the country visited statues of the president (Kim IlSung) in their residential areas to pay homage to him on the same occasion,” the official news agency said. The conflict began with a north Korean invasion of the South and ended on July 27, 1953, with an armistice.

TOkyO: Office workers dressed in ‘yukata’, or casual summer kimonos, sprinkle water on the road on Friday. Hundreds of workers participated in the event of sprinkling water, called ‘uchimizu’ in Japanese, serving to cool the immediate area and keep down dusts, as Tokyo metropolitan area’s temperature soared near 35 degrees celsius. AFP

syria rebels brace for ‘mother of all battles’ ALEPPO

aFP

yRIAn rebel forces were bracing Friday for the “mother of all battles” in Aleppo, as the former Un observer mission chief said President Bashar al-Assad’s fall was a matter of time. waves of troop reinforcements have been pouring into the northern city — Syria’s second largest — and a government security official told AFP the offensive feared by the rebels could come as early as Friday. “The special forces were deployed on wednesday and Thursday on the edges of the city, and more troops have arrived to take part in a generalised counter-offensive on Friday or Saturday,” the source said. early Friday, helicopter gunships strafed a string of rebel neighbourhoods in the southwest of the city. Clashes also broke out in the Al-Jamaliya district, adjacent to Aleppo’s historic old quarter, a human rights watchdog said. Three people were killed in shelling of the southern Fardoss district and one was shot dead in the Maysaloon neighbourhood, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. In Salaheddin, a rebel bastion in the southwest of the city, hundreds of opposition fighters were bracing for the counter-offen-

sive threatened by the embattled Assad regime. “The army’s reinforcements have arrived in Aleppo,” Colonel Abdel Jabbar alOkaidi, a spokesman for the rebel Free Syrian Army, told AFP via Skype, adding they were backed by some 100 tanks. “we expect a major offensive at any time.” The front page of Thursday’s edition of pro-government daily Al-watan carried the banner headline: “Aleppo, the mother of all battles.” “Aleppo will be the last battle waged by

the Syrian army to crush the terrorists and, after that, Syria will emerge from the crisis,” it said. A rebel fighter in Aleppo, reached by telephone, told AFP that helicopter gunships had been firing on rebel-held districts since 6:00 am (0300 GMT). He said troops were on the outskirts but had not yet tried to enter. The former head of the troubled Un observer mission in Syria, Major General Robert Mood, said Assad’s fall was a matter of time but that his exit might not end the

us DrOugHT wOEs DEEPEn WASHINGTON aFP

The drought in America’s breadbasket is intensifying at an unprecedented rate, experts warned Thursday, driving concern food prices could soar if crops in the world’s key producer are decimated. The US Drought Monitor reported a nearly threefold increase in areas of extreme drought over the past week in the nine Midwestern states where three quarters of the country’s corn and soybean crops are produced. “That expansion of D3 or extreme conditions intensified quite rapidly and we went from 11.9 percent to 28.9 percent in just one week,” Brian Fuchs, a climatologist and Drought Monitor author, told AFP. “For myself, studying drought, that’s rapid. we’ve seen a lot of things developing with this drought that were unprecedented, especially the speed.” Almost two thirds of the continental United States are now suffering drought conditions, the largest area recorded since the Drought Monitor proj-

ect started in 1999. “If you are following the grain prices here in the US, they are reflecting the anticipated shortages with a price increase,” Fuchs said. “In turn, you’re going to see those price increases trickle into the other areas that use those grain crops: cattle feed, ethanol production and then food stuffs.” In some rural areas, municipal water suppliers are talking about mandatory restrictions because they have seen such a dramatic drop in the water table that they fear being unable to fulfill deliveries to customers, Fuchs said. “Things have really developed over the last two months and conditions have worsened just that quick and that is really unprecedented,” he added. “Definitely exports are going to suffer because there is going to be less available and the markets are already reflecting that. “It’s anticipated that this drought is going to persist through the next couple of months at least and conditions are not overly favorable to see any widespread improvement.” President Barack Obama’s administration has

opened up protected US land to help farmers and ranchers hit by the drought and encouraged crop insurance companies to forgo charging interest for a month. Officials have said the drought will drive up food prices since 78 percent of US corn and 11 percent of soybean crops have been hit and the United States is the world’s biggest producer of those crops. The current drought has been compared to a 1988 crisis that cut production by 20 percent and cost the economy tens of billions of dollars. The US Department of Agriculture issued retail price forecasts wednesday for 2013 and they already showed an impact from the drought, with consumers expected to pay between three and four percent more for their groceries. “The 2013 numbers reflect higher-than-average inflation which is partly a function of the drought and the higher crop prices,” said ephraim Leibtag of the USDA’s economic Research Service. “The drought effects are starting now at the farm and agricultural level.

civil war. “Sooner or later, the regime will fall,” said the norwegian general, whose mandate to lead a 300-strong mission ended last week amid a sharp spike in violence. “But will it fall in a week or in a year? That is a question I do not dare answer,” he said. The veteran peacekeeper cautioned that rebel success might not necessarily mean an end to the conflict. “Many think that if Bashar al-Assad falls or that if he is given an honourable exit... the problem will be solved. That is an over-simplification one should be wary of,” Mood said. “The situation could even get worse.” As the fighting raged, a lawmaker from Aleppo, Ikhlas Badawi, defected, the exiled opposition said. “She arrived yesterday (Thursday) in Turkey and she will be going to Qatar, which has agreed to receive her,” opposition Syrian national Council (SnC) member Samir nashhar told AFP. She is the fourth member of parliament to have defected since the uprising broke out in March last year. no fewer than 27 generals have also defected to Turkey but they complain they have received little backing from the SnC which is largely composed of long-outlawed exile groups.

Indian rail is world’s largest ‘open toilet’: minister NeW DeLHI: A top Indian minister has proposed projects worth $130 million project to rid India of the scourge of open defecation and clean up a rail system he described as the world’s “largest open toilet”, reports said Friday. Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh told a meeting in new Delhi on Thursday that India, where 130 million households are without a latrine, accounted for 60 percent of the global volume of open defecation. “This is a matter of great shame, anguish, sorrow, and actually anger,” Ramesh, who is also responsible for the Ministry of Drinking water and Sanitation, was quoted as saying by the Times of India. The minister unveiled a proposal to spend 1.5 billion rupees ($28 million) to provide 100,000 bio-toilets to villages across India in the next two years. He also proposed a 5.0 billion rupee project to replace the open-hole toilets on the 50,000 coaches that ply India’s vast railway network with bio-toilets over the next five years. Carrying 11 million passengers a day, Indian Railways “is really the largest open toilet in the world”, Ramesh said, adding that his ministry would be willing to pick up half the cost of the toilet re-fit. aFP

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:11 AM Page 10

10 Comment Relations on the mend

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

but out-of-the-box thinking still required

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

delaying elections? Time is of the essence

By Arif Nizami

hile discussions regarding an agreed caretaker setup have yet to begin formally there are indications of another major political dispute in the offing. The sudden lobbying for an APC by the MQM has led many to smell rat. while receiving the MQM team at Mansoora, JI’s Munawwar Hasan sounded the alarm by observing that the government needs to be pressurised to hold elections on time, thus suggesting that the administration might be planning to delay the elections. next day, a central MQM leader was questioned on a private TV channel if the party’s recent mission was aimed at getting the elections postponed. On Thursday, nawaz Sharif vowed to fight “tooth and nail” what he termed as the ongoing conspiracies to get the election postponed for a year. The PPP opponents maintain that the party fears to go to polls on time amidst power shortages, increasing poverty, high unemployment rat and a declining economy. It hopes that an extra year might help it decrease the intensity of some of the problems. It is also being suggested that the party may be hoping to enjoy a freer hand after CJ Iftikhar retires in 2013. The PPP can maintain that this is just one of the several misinformation campaigns that have been launched in the past to malign it. It would be premature to create doubts about the intentions of the government. These will become clear from the way it proceeds towards the appointment of a caretaker set up with the help of the opposition. As in most other matters, the government has acted less than efficiently in this case. Reportedly, it has just decided to set up a committee to finalise the names for the caretaker setup. Last week, nawaz Sharif had announced the he would take other opposition leaders into confidence to create a consensus over the caretaker setup. It is yet not known if he has made any headway. As the last general elections were held on February 18, 2008, the caretaker government has to be in place by mid november this year. Thus, there are still over three months to resolve the matter. The presence of Fakhruddin G ebrahim as the CeC provides one confidence that the government will not be allowed to act against the letter and spirit of the constitution. Another guarantee for a timely election is a vigilant Supreme Court. A highly critical media is still another check on the government. Then there are major opposition parties who carefully observe every move made by the administration. It would be sheer folly on the part of the government to think it can get away with the purported scheme in the presence of such a high level of vigilance.

candid corner By Raoof Hasan

fter the resumption of nATO supplies, Pakistan’s frayed relations with the US are on the mend. Modalities of transport of supplies to Afghanistan through Pakistan have already been inked. But intractable problems between the two allies still remain unresolved. Islamabad, in the short span of a little over a year, had graduated from being a friend of washington to being a frenemy and then to a virtual enemy. Better sense prevailed and concerted efforts were made by both sides to stem the rot. It is often said that success has many fathers and failure is an orphan. earlier, it was disclosed that the thaw was managed at a barbecue hosted by Ambassador Sherry Rehman at her washington residence early June where national Security Advisor Thomas e Donilon dropped in. He informed the ambassador that washington was ready for a deal. now it has been disclosed by The New York Times that the real breakthrough was not won through conventional diplomacy but through a non-conventional back channel between Thomas e nides, a deputy to Hillary Clinton, and Finance Minister Hafeez Sheikh. In the end analysis, according to The Times, “The (US) president was swayed by money and geopolitics.” Obviously, numerous meetings, exchanges of emails and a nod from the final arbiter General Kayani made it possible. Perhaps, it was the same logic of realpolitik and dire economic necessity which swayed policy makers in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to accept “sorry” from Hillary Clinton as equivalent to the unqualified apology that was earlier sought. If pragmatism rather than misplaced jingoism prevails on both sides, the nATO deal could be precursor to a deal on wider issues outstanding between washington and Islamabad. The US and nATO forces have to exit Afghanistan by 2014. In order to leave a viable and workable structure requiring only

a token nATO presence, washington needs to engage the Taliban. And this is going to be difficult without Pakistan playing a role. Islamabad’s current spat with Kabul over cross-border incursions does not give much room for hope. Pakistan accuses the Afghan army of actually abetting these attacks. It has also given a list of TTP militants engaged in such attacks using Afghan territory. Kabul, on the other hand, claims that Islamabad is abetting such attacks from its soil. nATO’s military force in Afghanistan has also condemned “cross border shelling from Pakistan.” Of course, Islamabad has dismissed these charges. Bringing back relations between washington and Islamabad to a modicum of normality is not possible without reducing the yawning trust deficit; the same goes for relations between Islamabad and Kabul. The current spat has unfortunately taken place within a week of our newly inducted prime minister’s visit to Kabul to participate in the tripartite talks between Pakistan Afghanistan and the ISAF. Afghan President Hamid Karzai remains an enigma. The very fact that his writ does not extend much beyond Kabul complicates matters. His western backers, for better or for worse, are stuck with him. How will he survive beyond 2014, when the rumps of his western backers are due to exit and his presidential term expires, is open to question? notwithstanding Islamabad’s problems with Kabul, intractable differences persist with washington. Primarily, they stem from Pakistan’s strategic paradigm that does not quite gel with how washington, Kabul and, for that matter, new Delhi view things in the region. The US would like Pakistan to go after the Haqqani network and remnants of AlQaeda holed up in sanctuaries in n waziristan. Islamabad, till now, has been reluctant to do so on the pretext that its army is already overstretched and cannot afford to get itself stuck in a quagmire. The Pakistani military’s reluctance is, however, viewed by the US administration and the Congress as strategic rather than tactical. The prevalent view in washington is that Islamabad perceives these elements as its strategic assets. To some extent, it is true that the Pakistani military makes a fine distinction between the Pakistani and the Afghan Taliban. General Kayani has many a time said that Pakistan couldn’t wish away its neighbours and has to keep in mind that there should a friendly government in Kabul in the post-nATO Afghanistan. not-so-veiled threats are coming from washington that it will declare the Haqqani network as a terrorist organisation and, by default, as its backer, Islamabad as well. However, this is easier said than done if

washington is really serious in engaging the Taliban at some stage before 2014. Then, of course, is the question of drone attacks. Islamabad has a duplicitous policy on the issue. Obviously, there is a tacit approval of the drones at some level of our policy-making echelons. Pakistan has reportedly asked the CIA for precision guided missiles for its F16s to target the militants to replace the drones. washington is, however, unlikely to agree. It would neither like to divest itself of its favourite and most effective toy to eliminate the militants nor does it trust Islamabad enough to wash its dirty linen. The ISI Chief Lt-Gen Zaheer ul Islam is due in washington next week to engage his US counterparts on counter-terrorism consultations. This is a euphemism for resuming intelligence sharing and cooperation which ran into trouble after the Raymond Davis affair early last year and came to a halt after the assassination of Osama bin Laden by US navy Seals later. Meanwhile, Indian external Affairs Minister S M Krishna has patronisingly pronounced that there is a positive change in the mindset of the Pakistani people vis-à-vis relations with India. He has, however, meticulously avoided awarding the certificate of good behaviour to the Pakistani government or its ubiquitous establishment. Mr Krishna is due in Islamabad in September. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also accepted the invitation to visit Pakistan this year. However, he feels that there should be some concrete progress in relations in order for the visit to take place. Despite talks going on at different levels since President Zardari’s dargah diplomacy earlier this year, there has been little progress on the issues plaguing relations between the two estranged neighbours. even progress on issue like trade, economic cooperation and easing visa restrictions has been marginal. Despite agreement on easing visa restrictions as a result of parleys between Indian and Pakistani interior secretaries in Islamabad, the matter was deferred on Pakistan’s insistence. new Delhi is also reluctant to go an extra mile unless the perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage are brought to book by Islamabad. with washington’s backing it on the demand, it wants Hafiz Saeed to be put behind bars. new Delhi is also reluctant to lower non-tariff barrier to ease mutually beneficial trade. In order to improve relations, out-of-thebox thinking is required on both sides of the divide. But changes in the world environment should not elude our civilian and military leadership while formulating foreign policy. The writer is Editor, Pakistan Today

The debate on the Hill Damned if i do, damned if i don’t

akistan continues to engage the imagination and attention of the US policymakers. wherever you go and whosoever you meet, the opening salvo is about the situation in Pakistan. will it survive? will it weather the increasing challenges on the internal and external fronts? Obviously, in order to escape the blushes of having failed to lay the foundations of a long-term relationship with Pakistan – a nonnATO ally - the US policy-makers continue to pursue lopsided policies in dealing with Pakistan. The growing perception in the US decision-making echelons about Pakistan appears to be that of a country that is becoming increasingly ‘unmanageable’. The debate ranges from dubbing it as a ‘failed state’ to a ‘failing state’. Most of the blame for both these untenable positions is placed on the military as being unbending in its ‘belligerent’ mindset particularly with regard to India and, consequently, Pakistan’s expected role in the postUS-and-nATO-Afghanistan. There is also intense debate regarding the ‘over-arching’ role of the

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

judiciary that has allegedly led to the destabilisation of the political government. At the same time, there is overwhelming consensus about the rampant corruption plaguing the organs of the state leading to a crisis of governance. Some of this is now being grudgingly traced to the nRO, but bulk of the blame is attributed to the inherent corruption that has been the hallmark of the system practised in the country based on exploiting divisions along religious, ethnic, sectarian and economic lines. no one openly questions the need for an independent judiciary in the country as integral to building a credible and sustainable system, but there is some adverse speculation about its adjudications vis-à-vis the executive and their impact which, according to some, is even enhancing the credentials of the incumbent government. The media’s role is also under close scrutiny. The dominant opinion is that it has not utilised its newfound freedom positively as the most critical ingredient of ‘objectivity’ has been rendered subservient to a pervading penchant for an over-opinionated approach. This has cultivated

further divisions in an already truncated society. Guiding a debate along pragmatic lines for formulating and offering solutions to existing issues is practically absent which has adversely impacted the very essence of what media should be all about. As can be gauged, the vast repertoire of criticism, emanating from a lack of comprehension of the dynamics that drive the Pakistani mindset, is a conspicuous component of the US preoccupation with it. This is leading to its gradual disengagement with the major policy-makers in the Pakistani hierarchy and the resultant frustration is compounding the situation. At times, there is visible anger in the caustic comments made about the country and its leadership. Most of the frustration is related to Pakistan military’s ‘fight some’ and ‘protect some’ attitude in the war against terrorism. More specifically, this refers to the military’s refusal to move against the Haqqani network which allegedly constitutes a critical ingredient of Pakistan’s security paradigm in the post-2014 Afghanistan. while the Pakistan military terms the grouping essential for it to secure a

place in Afghanistan after the US and nATO forces withdraw from the area, there is a move in the US Congress to slap the terrorist label on the Haqqani network. This is where the two strategies clash head-on: while Pakistan is eager to play a decisive role in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal, the US administration assertively links any Pakistani role with the elimination of the Haqqani network. As a consequence, Pakistan is being pushed into a tight corner with Afghanistan virtually handed over to India. This, inevitably, is perceived as an existential challenge to Pakistan as it opens up another long border for an already over-stretched military to guard in addition to the restive eastern border that it shares with India. So, should Pakistan quit its position and resign to the guidelines as outlined by the US in its quest for a chunk of role in Afghanistan? well, it may already be too late for that as the 7-month ‘suspension’ of relationship between the two countries has contributed significantly to further widening of the trust-deficit between Pakistan and the US. This cannot be bridged in days or weeks.

This would require a comprehensive strategy and a willingness on the part of both the countries to restart closed engagement and interaction. This, apparently, is contrary to the conclusion that the US administration has reached as a result of prolonged bickering with their Pakistani counterparts – mostly military. The objective is to literally live through the tenures of the incumbent leaders and hope to deal more productively with the future government. This brings us to the core issue: will the US administration agree to deal with any government that takes over as a result of the next elections in Pakistan whenever they may be held? well, not really. The original nRO plan having being botched up because of the untimely murder of Benazir Bhutto, they have no apparent love-lost for Zardari (a contention I find untenable). They also have little faith in the Sharifs. They have strong reservations about a right-leaning Imran Khan. The religious parties are out. So, who would the US be comfortable to deal with? A milliondollar question that seeks an answer: damned if I do, damned if I don’t!

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:11 AM Page 11

Comment 11

Editor’s mail 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.

who is supreme? The historic movement of 2007, launched by the legal fraternity and duly supported by the media and civil society alike, was not meant for restoration of dysfunctional judges of Supreme Court alone but for independence of judiciary and for rule of law – not rule of any single person. Though the struggle culminated in restoration of the deposed judges but it left behind a trail of bitterness between executive and judiciary. The apex court disqualified the prime minister under contempt of court law for disobedience of its orders. The parliament enacted new contempt of court act 2012, which has been challenged in the Supreme Court. The parliamentarians claimed that the parliament being law making body could pass any law. The Supreme Court asserted that it is empowered to scrutinise and review any law which is in conflict with the constitution therefore it was supreme. Both parliamentarian and the apex court pledged to protect democracy from being derailed, though the powers of two organs of states are clearly defined in the constitution. Our ever-alert media initiated a debate – whether parliament or Supreme Court is supreme? In this tussle many legal and constitutional experts expressed their views while the case is pending in the courts. The other day, Justice (retd) Ramday addressed Lahore High Court Bar members and maintained that constitution was supreme. Just yesterday, the CJ made a statement to the effect that scrapping of the contempt bill would not lead to a constitutional crisis and the judiciary was merely protecting democracy. In all this back-and-forth, the real issue for which the battle was fought has lost its significance. It is pertinent to mention here that without solving people’s problems such as provision of amenities of life within reasonable price, without introducing policy for generation of revenue, for economic growth, health care, educational reforms, lack of measures to protect life and property of citizens, without transparency and accountability, nonavailability of rule of law all talks about promoting democracy or superiority of one or the other pillar of state becomes meaningless. If people problems persist, this struggle for supremacy merely amounts to a time-passing luxury for the privileged and powerful segments of society. RAJA SHAFAATULLAH Islamabad

dealing with militants This is with reference to the news that Pakistan is seeking US help in stopping the terrorist groups from launching cross-border attacks inside the Pakistani territory from bases they have established in Afghanistan. This is a strange request that Pakistan is making. There are two reasons for me to say that. One - we have been receiving exactly the same kind of requests (accompanied with threats) from the US itself yet we were unable to help them. Two - it is difficult to believe that the US does not have this information already. It may not be in contact with the TTP groups, but surely it cannot be expected to be ignorant about the bases they have established inside Afghanistan. Haven’t the US drones that have engaged innumerable targets in FATA clearly demonstrated the US ability to track, locate and eliminate threats? If it has effectively done that on Pakistan side of the bor-

der, then why can’t it do the same on the Afghan side? why terrorist groups that are ‘harboured’ in the safe havens on the Afghan side not meriting American attention? Is it because they pose no threat to the US and the coalition forces interests in Afghanistan. Are they not ‘the snakes in Kabul’s backyard’? I doubt Pakistan will be able to achieve the help it seeks from US. I say that because US priority now is a safe retreat and honourable withdrawal from Afghanistan. Till the time Taliban on the Afghan side have their ‘guns pointed towards Pakistan’ it wouldn’t worry US military planners one bit as they only overlap and reinforce efficient US withdrawal against any threat emanating from Pakistan. The solution lies in not planning to eliminate the threat from where it originates but engaging and destroying it before it reaches and threatens our interests inside

induction of women in the police The police department in Pakistan has been neglected from the beginning. The male dominance has tremendously increased in this department as societal and institutional hurdles have prevented women from joining the police. Thus, the perception that this department is only for males has become entrenched in society. But we have to change this by highlighting the positive developments that inducting women into police department will bring. This will help in encouraging the women of our society to join police as a profession. At present, the winds of change are blowing as many women are now the vibrant part of police department. A number of them have worked hard to reach the leading posts. They are performing their duties with complete responsibility. The present cadre of female officials has paved the path for new generation. They are role models for all the women in our society. By joining the police department, the women have the chance to show their abilities and excel in this field. By joining police they can actively participate in uplifting the status of women in society. They will better be able to highlight the problems associated with our women, as women have a better tendency to understand the problems of women. This will help in solving different problems that are associated with women. The majority of women are unaware of their rights, so by joining the police they will find a platform where they will be in a better position to know about their rights. women are also the custodians of our society same as men, and can become the agents of change. So the induction of more women in the police will have a trickle down effect on our society, and also help in projecting a

our borders. when 1/3 of the Pakistan army and its resources are deployed across the western front then it is nobody but the army itself that needs to take up the challenge of securing our western borders. Insecurity lies not only in the border being breached but the inability of our army to withstand the attacks launched on its border posts or combat soldiers patrolling the border areas. Pakistan Army cannot allow the complete border posts from being overrun and combat troops from being captured/kidnapped without giving their best in the fight. Pakistan Army may not be able to entirely prevent cross border attacks in near future. However, it can prevent the losses it suffers as a consequence of these attacks. For this it may have to look inwards and not towards US for support. MUHAMMAD ALI EHSAN Karachi

whiteliEs w By ess Aich

ater, water nowhere but plenty to drink. At least if one’s father calls the shots. The scion of the Punjab CM, who has built a palatial residence in Dunga Gali, has made arrangements for his Xanadu’s water supply to come from a spring from the Punjab Dunga Gali itself is in Pakhtunkhwa. now water is a tad scarce in the area and the neighbours are said to have made a plea to him to share this water. would be a rare instance of Punjab actually giving water to KP!

more positive image of the department. MUHAMMAD UZAIR NIAZI Mianwali

Justice, with chutney on the side Pakistan’ new Chief election Commissioner (CeC) Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G Ibrahim made a very valid point when he asked, July 26, the officials of the election Commission to end their contacts and affiliations with politicians as part of a bid to ensure transparent polls. This advice is to maintain neutrality, not to get influenced by politicians and media, and to just concentrate on the task for which they have been mandated. I wonder if Justice (retd) Fakhr could influence the Pakistan’s superior judiciary to do the same - not to be influenced by politicians and the media. But we see that a wave of judicial activism has created many problems. During court hearings, the judges of the superior courts and often refer to the previous evening’s TV talk shows and then pass remarks in an apparent bid to respond to the arguments presented in those talk shows. Tens of thousands of petitions are lying in Supreme Court to be heard and decided upon. But, unfortunately, only certain petitions are given priority. One such example is the SC’s involvement in deciding upon a petition: whether the bakers in Lahore shall be allowed to sell their samosas at Rs 6/piece. Some people may clap on this public (read street) justice but in my opinion SC is not the right forum to take decision regarding samosa prices. How the SC decides to take up petitions seems to be a mind-boggling process. Sometime petitions about scraps of paper (memos) and samaosas are taken up in a jiffy while the petitions by Asghar Khan and other litigants keep gathering dust somewhere. MASOOD KHAN Saudi Arabia

f the traditional media had its share of the gutterpress, then surely the unbridled anything-goes culture of the social media has the potential to be downright filthy. And it is. A video went viral on youTube recently, recording the rather steamy conversation of, ostensibly, a lady legislator from the former Quisling League with, ostensibly, a gentleman of the same party. The lady in question claims the clip is doctored and audio engineered. Has appealed to both the PTA and youTube itself to take it off from the net. no luck yet. youTube is infamously late in responding to such requests and the PTA, like all government organisations, is simply slow. **************

he newly appointed PM was a bit relieved when he got a breather from the courts as far as the letter to the Swiss authorities is concerned. One thing to Mr Ashraf’s credit is the fact that he doesn’t have any pretensions about being untouchable. Or a man who can eke out a consensus from all the parliamentary forces. Or have a holy lineage. when it’s time to go, he’ll go, glad to have been of service to the party. And those lifetime perks won’t hurt either. For feedback, comments, suggestions and, most importantly, tips, contact us at whitelies@pakistantoday.com.pk

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:12 AM Page 12

12 Abhishek waits to party with dad

s Bol Bachchan is inching towards the `100-cr club, Ajay Devgn and Abhishek Bachchan want to throw a bash for its success. so what is stopping them you ask? Well, we have learnt that Amitabh Bachchan, who is in London for the Olympics is expected back in India only on August 5, has sent his son a message saying that he wants to be a part of the BB celebrations and that Ajay and Abhi should wait for him to return before getting into party mode. One also hears that since Amitabh is the one who carried the Olympic torch in London a day before the opening ceremony, Ajay and Abhishek want to throw a party in Big B's honour. so it's a twin celebration for the Bachchans. nEws DEsk

Sanders apologises to family for cheating

rItIsH director rupert sanders has apologised to his wife and children for cheating on them with actress Kristen stewart while shooting for “snow White and the Huntsman” “I am utterly distraught about the pain I have caused my family,” people.com quoted sanders as saying. “My beautiful wife and heavenly children are all I have in this world. I love them with all my heart. I am praying that we can get through this together,” he added. the 41-year-old is married to actress-model Liberty ross, with whom he has two kids. stewart, 22, has been in a relationship with her “twilight” costar robert Pattinson, 26, since they first met when filming nearly four years ago. stewart has publicly apologised for the “hurt and embarrassment” she caused, which she said “jeopardised the most important thing in my life, the person I love and respect the most, rob”. nEws DEsk

Baldwin stalker threatened him with ‘war’

French-canadian actress, who has been accused of stalking Alec Baldwin has threatened him with a “massive destructive war” if he refused getting married to her. Genevieve sabourin sent Baldwin up to 10 emails a day in which she veered between affectionate and threatening. In new documents submitted to a Manhattan court on thursday the 30 rock star revealed the extent to which sabourin allegedly harassed him, the telegraph reported. “the defendant sent me another email saying...she had saved money and was coming to New York to see me. she also said she would find me no matter what it cost her. she said that I could call the FBI and have her put in jail or I could call and speak to her,” the actor wrote. the 54-year-old revealed that one email expressed the actress’s desire “ about creating Genevieve Baldwin”. the 40year-old was arrested earlier this year after traveling to Baldwin’s Manhattan home just days after turning up at his holiday home in the Hamptons. she had also turned up unannounced at events the actor was taking part in.aldwin, who admits meeting the actress for Montreal in 2002 on the set of his movie ‘the Adventures of Pluto Nash’ insisted that he took her to dinner eight years later simply to give her career advice. nEws DEsk

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

PAttinSon MoveS out, KriSten in teArS t He trouble in the Twilight series star Robert Pattinson’s relationship with Kristen Stewart has caused the breaking of their love nest. In the last three days, a quick succession of events in their relationship have caused Robert Pattinson to shift out of the house he shares with girlfriend of three years, Kristen Stewart. when Kristen Stewart offered a public apology in the People magazine yesterday, everyone thought that maybe their relationship could still be saved. But contrary to the wishes and prayers of millions of fans both the actors have, Robert Pattinson who is said to be “heartbroken and angry” by a People magazine source, has left the house he shares with Stewart. Pattinson has moved out of their plush $6 million Los Angeles mansion, which the couple rented only a few months ago in 2011. An inside source has revealed to People magazine, “I’m not sure they’ll be able to recover from this.” Kristen Stewart was cheating on her long term boyfriend with her Snow white And The Huntsman director, 41 year old Rupert Sanders. Her infidelity was exposed by a series of photographs which revealed her getting intimate with the director. A source told People magazine, “it seemed like they couldn’t get enough.” The actress then offered a public apology to her boyfriend, Robert Pattinson and said it was “a momentary indiscretion” on her part. This could be the point of no return in this superstar relationship. Let us see what Kristen Stewart will do next. will she again offer a public apology or do something different? we can only keep our fingers crossed and guess.

PAttinSon SiLent over GirLFriend’S indiSCretion

Robert Pattinson is “heartbroken and humiliated” after girlfriend Kristen Stewart cheated on him with married ‘Snow white’ director Rupert Sanders. Sources told new york Post that the 26-year-old actor was stunned when he discovered his partner of four years had been caught kissing Sanders - who she worked with on ‘Snow white and the Huntsman’ - and said that he is struggling to cope with the news, Contactmusic reported. One source - who saw Pattinson and Stewart fighting backstage at the Teen Choice Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday - said: “Rob and Kristen were having a long and intense conversation backstage, and he looked miserable, heartbroken and humiliated. She was pleading.” “Rob is deeply in love with Kristen and is very jealous when other men hit on her. This will crush him,” another source said. After pictures emerged of the Twilight actress and the father of two kissing the 22-year-old issued a statement saying how sorry she was. nEws DEsk

Jessica wants to no more McSteamy for open a bakery Grey’s Anatomy fans A

ctress Jessica Biel wants to follow in the footsteps of her fiance Justin timberlake by opening a restaurant, focussed on bakery items. “I would have the bakery component. I say I’m into it, but I’m not a great baker - yet,” contactmusic.com quoted Biel as saying. “Baking is really very mathematical and I am terrible at math. I am a really good loaf person. I do loaves but sweet loaves. It’s really good,” she said. the 30-year-old wants fans to encourage her new business plan. “Please come to my restaurant. It’s going to be called Oh Fudge,” she said. timberlake has a restaurant in New York city’s Upper east side called southern Hospitality. nEws DEsk

RIC Dane, who plays fan favorite Mark Sloan aka McSteamy, is departing the ABC hit series, sources confirm to us. (no, we're not crying. we just have something in our eye!) while Mark was near death at the end of the season eight finale, creator Shonda Rhimes hints that fans possibly haven't seen the last of the hot doc on Grey's Anatomy. In a statement to TV Line, who first reported the news of his departure, Dane says, "I am extremely grateful to everyone at Grey's, ABC and Shondaland for the experience and memories I have had over the course of this run. It has been wonderful to work

alongside and learn from a creative force such as Shonda Rhimes." Rhimes also issued a statement addressing Dane's departure. "we're a big family here at Grey's with a long history together and eric will always remain an important part of our family," she says. "I wish him the best and I look forward to watching him as he continues to steam up the big and small screen." Rhimes calls Mark "one of the most beloved characters" on the show and says the actor "did not come to this decision lightly, but after much consideration and conversations, he and I have decided that this is the right time for his storyline to end." In the season eight finale, Mark watched helplessly as his love Lexie (Chyler Leigh) died after suffering injuries from the shocking plane crash; Mark ended the finale near death and distraught over his loss. when we chatted with Rhimes after the finale, she hinted that everyone wouldn't survive the plane crash. "They're still out there in the forest, and we don't know if they are going to be OK," she teased. "we left it open for a reason because…I hate to say this, but just because you saw people alive at the end of the finale doesn't mean they're going to be alive when the season starts up. we are completely jumping off into the unknown next season." nEws DEsk

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:12 AM Page 13

13 royal family greets the olympic torch

LL eyes are on London for the 2012 Olympics, but it’s also a fabulous excuse to get an extra dose of the royals. the Olympic torch made way to the Buckingham Palace thursday and was greeted by the royal family, including Prince William, Prince Harry and the Duchess of cambridge. Will, Harry and Kate looked overjoyed to take part in the ceremony, donning their signature London blue and white garb along with beaming smiles. the famed gold torch was on its 69th (and second to last) day of its 8,000 mile journey around the British Isles. earlier in the day, the Olympic torch stopped by 10 Downing street where it was greeted by Prime Minister David cameron and his wife, samantha. the flame ended the day in Hyde Park where 60,000 people gathered for a celebratory concert. Which Olympics events are Will, Kate and Harry attending? Kate, Harry and Will have all been busy performing their Olympics’ duties. this morning, the royal trio stopped by a London sports center (funded by one of their charity initiatives) to meet with budding athletes. the Olympics will be officially opened by Queen elizabeth II, which will mark the end of the torch’s journey. talk about a royally fabulous time! Now, hit the comments below to tell us how excited you are for the 2012 Olympics! nEws DEsk

Aditya gifts an Audi to rani

OW many of you can splurge on your ladylove with a luxury car? Well, Aditya chopra surely can and has reportedly gifted rani Mukerji an Audi A8 W12 worth rs. 1.25 crore. “Adi brought the car to rani’s bungalow on tuesday evening and asked her to step inside the car just to go for a spin. After the ride, he left the car inside the bungalow’s premises and left in his own car which was driven in by his driver,” an eyewitness told Mumbai Mirror. the alleged lovebirds are very secretive about their romance and haven’t till date taken their relationship public. It’s almost impossible to find even a single picture of the couple together. Apparently, Aditya’s family has finally given their nod to the couple’s relationship and their wedding is very much on the cards. Aditya divorced his first wife and childhood sweetheart Payal Khanna in 2009. His parents still share a good equation with Payal despite the divorce. nEws DEsk

i will work till i’m 90: Kareena

eIgnIng Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor does not intend to give up her position to anyone in the industry and insists that she will continue to work till she turns 90. In Madhur Bhandarkar’s much awaited film, ‘Heroine’ Kareena will be seen as a superstar. The film chronicles the various phases, she goes through as an actress — from a glamorous high life to a tragic downfall. When asked if she fears that she will have to make place of other actress, Kareena said, “I haven’t thought of it as yet. And obviously I wish and hope that. I think I will be like Zohra Sehgal who would be working till 90...so tough luck.

I am not going to give my place to anyone.” The story of the rise and fall of an actress, there seems to be some similarity between Kareena’s yet-to-be-released ‘Heroine’ and Vidya Balan’s hit ‘The Dirty Picture’. On this, Kareena says, “I am not getting into anyone’s shoes. I am very much comfortable in my shoes and nobody fits into my size. I am not going anywhere. Heroine is not a dirty film...its completely different from ‘The Dirty Picture’. It is unfair to compare the two films.” ‘The Dirty Picture’ was based in 80’s and this (‘Heroine’) is a modern day story. ‘TDP’ was about an item girl, ‘Heroine’ is about superstar. I have taken on this film because of the script and not to compete with anyone. I think one should stop making comparisons as it is useless,” she said. nEws DEsk

Wax statue of Penelope Cruz displayed in Paris museum

wax sculpture of spanish actress Penelope cruz will be placed in a premier spot in a Paris museum, joining similar statues of Brad Pitt and George clooney. the Grevin Wax Museum decided to include the actress in its list of stars to “pay tribute to this essential actress who has asserted herself on the world level as well as on the spanish one”, the museum’s communications director, Veronique Berecz, told eFe. Finishing the sculpture has taken six months, during which sculptor eric de saint chaffray, lacking the real model to work from, has had to create the wax image by “improvising and imagining” her look from images taken from the Internet and clips of her films. the work has been “arduous” and the pressure “constant”, since the spanish film icon “is part of a group of superstars, beautiful women with great charm, and those attributes had to be given expression in the (wax) figure”, said chaffray. nEws DEsk

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:12 AM Page 14

Infotainment 14 tech review:

oS X Mountain Lion Saudi athlete to compete without hijab

the public release of oS X Mountain Lion is available for download now. is it worth it? Should you upgrade? We’ve got you covered. here’s everything you need to know. An AVeRAge LIOn USeR Yes. Absolutely. Yes. Yes yes yes. Mountain Lion improves most of the things that you would want improved in Lion; it’s faster, smoother, and more convenient. Unlike going from snow Leopard to Lion, there are no tectonic shifts in philosophy, and no previous features are broken in the service of new ones. there is almost zero downside in upgrading from Lion to Mountain Lion. A SnOW LeOPARD HOLDOUT Honestly, probably not. For anyone who thought Lion was too big a shift away from their beloved snow Leopard—which still runs smoothly enough to not demand an upgrade—there probably isn’t enough here to change your mind. spaces are still neutered by Mission control, as is exposé. careful when you update apps though; more and more are losing snow Leopard compatibility in favor of Mountain Lion. SOMeOne WHO CAn’T AffORD Any SCReW UPS No. Not yet, anyway. Mountain Lion is solid— much mores than Lion when it launched—but there are still concerns about the GM popping up on message boards, and jumping in Day 1 is nuts if you can’t afford to deal with any bugs that might pop up. right now, the ones that are floating around the most

are diminished battery life and a problem connecting to certain types of Wi-Fi networks. But in general, it’s almost always better to wait until after the first couple of patches have come through to make your transition as bug-free as possible. yOU’Ve gOT An OLDeR MAC, BUT LOVe THeSe neW feATUReS Well... check the requirements first. For example, AirPlay Mirroring to an AppletV requires Quick sync-capable processors. that means sandy Bridge or newer. Power Nap, which is MIA as of now but will arrive eventually, requires a Mac with an Appleinstalled ssD. that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t upgrade. Just be aware that being able to install Mountain Lion doesn’t mean you’re able to make use of all of its features. there are specific hardware requirements beyond the minimums. yOU’Ve OnLy gOT 4gB Of RAM, AnD LIOn IS SLUggISH Yes! Absolutely. Mountain Lion actually seems to be a bit less memory intensive than Lion. Whether that’s by design, or just a function of the general disarray Lion was in for its launch, you shouldn’t worry about rAM issues. A CHAT LOg jUnKIe

this probably doesn’t apply to most sane people, but if you are obsessed with keeping your chat logs coordinated, you might want to give Mountain Lion a pass. Maybe you need all of your chat logs in one place for work. Maybe you need them to stalk all of your conversations with the pretty girl from homeroom (don’t do that). Whatever your logs for, Os X doesn’t let you sync all of them seamlessly across two or more computers using services like Dropbox or skydrive anymore, even though it still uses the same file type as it did in Lion for its logs. Weird. earlier versions of Messages in the Developer Previews of Mountain Lion did have this option, so it seems like a conscious decision on Apple’s part to disable it. too bad. A WInDOWS LOVeR WHO HATeS WInDOWS 8 Mountain Lion’s worth a look if you’re Metroaverse. And I know, I know. screw Macs and Apple’s overpriced, underspeced hipster crap, right? Well, fine. But Apple does have one thing going for it over Microsoft in your heart right now: A demonstrated commitment to PArc. While Microsoft is determined to make Metro the next paradigm in graphical user interfaces, Apple is comfortable with the desktop interface. And to a lot of us, that’s worth something. cOurTEsy gizMODO

ODJAn Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani, one of the first two female athletes sent to the Olympics by Saudi Arabia, will participate in the Olympic’s judo competition with a bare head. “She will fight according to the principle and spirit of judo, so without a hijab,” International Judo Federation president Marius Vizer said. Given that many Saudi Arabian clerics would rather their country’s women not compete at the Olympics — or exercise at all, since conservatives believe it’s wrong for women to spend time playing sports — it’s a given that this won’t go over too smoothly. Saudi woman to compete without Islamic headscarf. nEws DEsk

‘Manhood’ stolen by thieves

HIeVeS stole a man’s penis while he slept, according to police. Fei Lin, 41, of the niqiao village near wenling City, in east China’s Zhejiang province, told police he was asleep when the thieves burst into his room and put a bag over his head, according to Cen/eUROPICS and as reported in the Daily Star. “They put something over my head and pulled down my trousers and then they ran off,” Lin said. “I was so shocked I didn’t feel a thing - then I saw I was bleeding and my penis was gone.” Police believe the attackers were jealous lovers of several local women whom Lin was having affairs with, the Austrian Times reported. Lin denied taking part in any infidelity. emergency workers and police searched for Lin’s anatomy but turned up nothing, according to TnT Magazine. The penis thieves are nowhere to be found, but police said they’re looking for the jealous lovers. nEws DEsk

Japanese man invents dustbin that catches trash mid-air

FBi behind Aurora killings? y

T’S traditional for conspiracy theories to flood the internet after a major crime – and sure enough, there are a few bouncing around following the mass shooting in Aurora last week. One that’s gained some traction in the digital world is that the US Government is to blame for the shooting. It staged the massacre, the theory says, to gain power over the population by having an excuse to disarm it. Official ratification to do this could, it’s claimed, come from the Government signing a Un small arms treaty next week, which could affect the “right to bear arms” that’s so sacred to many Americans. what better way to garner support for a Un gun ban than staging a gun massacre, the conspiracy theorists say. naturalnews.com is one site pushing this argument. It proclaims that the suspect, James Holmes, was carrying weapons and tactical equipment beyond the reach of ordinary citizens and that collectively would cost too much for an unemployed college student. To back this up it quotes The washington Post, which obtained details of the suspect’s armament from an anonymous police source. He was carrying “a Remington

shotgun, a Smith & wesson M&P assault rifle and a Glock .40-caliber handgun”, the paper said. It added: “He was allegedly dressed in black ballistic gear, including a helmet, a throat guard, a vest, leggings and gloves.” naturalnews said: “This is somebody who was selected for a mission, given equipment to carry it out, then somehow brainwashed into getting it done. “It was a carefully planned, heavily funded and technically advanced attack.” It estimates that the kit Holmes was wearing and the firepower he was carrying would cost somewhere in the region of $20,000. “How does an unemployed medical student afford $20,000 in weapons gear?” the site asks. The site said the blame for the killings ultimately lies with the FBI. It said: “The FBI has a long history of setting up and staging similar attacks.” And why would the FBI do such a thing? Government control, of course, via the Un treaty. The site added: “The mission was to cause as much mayhem as possible, then to have that multiplied by the national media at exactly the right time leading up the Un vote next week on a global small arms treaty that could result in gun confiscation across America.” nEws DEsk

OU know when you’re at your desk, finish a drink, and listlessly toss it behind you onto the floor? Usually for us that’s around the four hour mark in an extended session of Civilisation. For others its midway through writing a masterpiece. To each their own. The problem comes when you stand up and realise you now have to retrieve all of the rubbish left on the floor. well for one Japanese inventor, that wasn’t good enough. Inspired by a TV ad, he’s invented a bin that tracks your rubbish mid-air, and can catch it for you without you looking. The magical ‘Smart Trashbox’ works by combining motorised wheels with a Microsoft Kinect sensor. Tracking the path of the object it zips into place and stops just in time for the paper/can/whatever to land inside. It’s a genius idea. Here’s hoping that one actually makes it to market though the resulting increase in landfill from over-excited gadget nerds tossing more and more paper at it will surely not please the environment Agency. nEws DEsk

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:12 AM Page 15

saturday, 28 July, 2012

Saudis angry over judo hijab ban Page 17

legally blind archer sets first world records LONDON aFP

LoNdoN: South korea's archer im dong-hyun poses as he brokes his own 72-arrow world record in the archery ranking. AFP

fans miss archery after ticket confusion

eGALLy blind archer Im Dong-Hyun set the first world record of the London Olympics on Friday and then added another as South Korea broke the team record. In the men's preliminary round, held at the Lord's cricket ground, Im scored 699 points from 72 arrows to beat his own record of 696 set in May this year. Along with Kim Bubmin and Oh Jin-Hyek he also helped register a 216-arrow total of 2,087 -smashing the world record also set in Turkey in May by 18 points. The 26-year-old Im from Chungbuk is legally blind in his left eye with 20/200 vision. That means he needs to be 10 times closer to see an object than someone with perfect 20/20 vision. His right eye has 20/100 vision. He won team gold at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics to add to his four world

titles and four Asian Games gold medals. Despite his records, Im wasn't getting carried away, preferring to concentrate on the push for a gold medal when the competition resumes on Saturday. "This is just the first round so I will not get too excited by it," he said. South Korea coach Jang youngSool also warned his team against complacency ahead of the medals clash. "we will have a day of rest now and prepare for tomorrow," said Jang. Jang's fellow coach Oh Seon-Tek praised the performance of Kim Bubmin who had struggled in practice, but rasied his game on Friday. "It was a surprise that Kim had done so great in the first half," said Oh. "It was his first Olympics shooting so I expected some nervous breakdowns but he did a fantastic job for breaking his personal record. "He didn't even do that good on the practice. I think the training on mind controls have worked with Kim."

NCA officials, players get lecture on fitness

LONDON aFP

Dozens of spectators were turned away from the London Olympics archery at Lord's cricket ground on Friday after the first ticketing mix-up of Games, organisers said. The preliminary men's archery round was being held behind closed doors as is traditional for the sport, but some fans were apparently misled by unofficial websites saying they would be allowed in. Several people had queued from early in the morning in the hope of gaining access on a first come first served basis and numbers peaked at around 50 by the time the archers started shooting. "This has always been a non-ticketed event but it seems some people believed they could come down on the day," Lord's venue manager Vanessa Bellamy said. "This was never the case but we believe some illegal websites may have suggested this was the case." Some so-called "non-ticketed" Olympic events such as the cycling road race allow fans to watch for free but this was not the case for the archery. Games organisers LOCOG said they had neither advertised nor sold tickets for the event.

Morgan to captain Lions squad LONDON aFP

Middlesex batsman eoin Morgan was on Friday named captain of the england Lions squad for two four-day games against Australia A next month. The 25year-old was one of four players with Test caps - along with yorkshire batsman Jonny Bairstow, nottinghamshire allrounder Samit Patel and Kent off-spinner James Tredwell - included in the 13-man group for the matches at Old Trafford on August 7 and edgbaston on August 14. All members of the squad have already been capped for england Lions. national selector Geoff Miller said: "The Lions team and england performance programme plays an important role in the development of future england players and this fixture will present an opportunity for our players to show us that they are capable of representing england at Test level in the future.

LAhore: Angela Marie Sadiqua, a clinical Nutritionist and weight Loss councilor delivers a lecture to players and official at NcA. LAHORE sTaFF rEPOrT

Angela Marie Sadiqua, a clinical nutritionist and weight Loss Councilor delivered a lecture to Lahore-based

national Players and nCA Coaching and Support Staff at national cricket Academy. The Pakistan Cricket Board has hired the services of Angela Marie Sadiqua and she on Friday delivered

her first lecture before the PCB personnel at the national Cricket Academy. She will also be talking to each player individually regarding their life style, eating habits and weight loss.

olympic HErOEs/rEcOrD HOlDErs stats corner S.PERVEz QAISER OTTey: eIGHT MeDALS IN ReCORD SeveN OLyMPICS Merlene Ottey competed in six editions of the Olympic Games for Jamaica and one edition for Slovenia (Athens 2004). Along with Swedish fencer Kirstin Palm, she is the only woman to have competed at seven editions of the Olympic Games. Ottey was introduced to athletics by her mother. Her very long Olympic career began at the Moscow Games in 1980. She finished sixth with the Jamaican relay team in the final. But it was in the 200m that she shone to take the bronze medal, an Olympic first by a female athlete in her country. Four years later at the Los Angeles Games, she once again excelled, taking two bronze medals, in the 100 and 200m. She again led the 4x100m relay team in the final, which this time finished in eighth place. Although injured, she ended her third Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988 with a fourth-place finish in the 200m, and two eliminations in the 100m semi-final and relay final. The woman who was elected "Athlete of the year" 15 times in Jamaica, won a new bronze medal at the 1992 Barcelona Games, still in the 200m. Over 100m, she finished fifth, and in the 4x100m relay, Jamaica failed once again in the final by not finishing the race. At 36, she found recognition at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. There she won three medals. In the 100m, she finished at the same time as the United States' Gail Devers, separated only by the photo finish, the gold being awarded to Devers. In the 200m, Merlene finished 12 hundredths of a second behind France’s Marie-José Perec. In the 4x100m relay, Jamaica was rewarded with the bronze medal in a thrilling neck-and-neck race, with the United States finally victorious and the Bahamas second. The Sydney 2000 Olympic Games allowed Merlene Ottey to win a silver medal with the relay behind the Bahamas. The 100m final ended with her taking fourth place. Competing for Slovenia, her coach’s country and her new adopted country since 2002, Merlene Ottey competed in her last Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. At the age of 44, she managed to qualify for the semi-finals in the sprint events. Only an Olympic title is lacking from her incredible career tally of eight medals at the Games (a record) and 14 world Championship medals (three gold, four silver and seven bronze), including two world titles over 200m, in 1993 and 1995, and another obtained with the Jamaican relay team in 1991. OTTey’S PeRfORMANCe IN LyMPIC GAMeS: OLyMPICS G S B Moscow 1980 1 Los Angeles 1984 2 Seoul 1988 1 Barcelona 1992 2 1 Atlanta 1996 1 Sydney 2000 Athens 2004 TOTAL 3 6

Excited London open its Games LONDON aFP

An expectant London Friday launched the greatest sporting show on earth with excitement reaching fever pitch hours ahead of the Olympic Games opening ceremony. After seven years of intensive planning, the Games will officially begin in a once rundown area of east London where 80,000 spectators will watch a spectacular show devised by "Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle. Queen elizabeth II will declare the Games officially open in the Olympic Stadium after a ceremony which Boyle has promised will showcase Britain's history as well as the nation's quirky sense of humour. More than 120 world leaders are expected to attend the ceremony, while First Lady Michelle Obama will repre-

sent the United States alongside a host of celebrities including Angelina Jolie. The Olympic flame was rowed up the River Thames in a ceremonial barge as it approached the end of a 70-day journey around Britain and Ireland, but the person who will light the Olympic cauldron remains a closely guarded secret. The weather is expected to play its part. Although heavy cloud hung over the British capital on Friday, it was expected to be dry in time for the opening ceremony. Once the curtain goes up, the stage is set for superstars such as Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and Roger Federer to dazzle, while an army of unsung competitors will also hope to strike gold. A budget of £9.3 billion ($14.5 billion, 12 billion euros) has been lavished on bringing the Games to London for an unprecedented third time, but the first time since 1948.

bells ring out to start games LONDON: Big Ben chimed for three minutes on Friday to ring in the Olympic Games, which were set to kick off later in the British capital with the much anticipated opening ceremony. The giant bell, whose clock tower is one of London's bestloved landmarks, was joined by hundreds of churches and bell-ringers across the country in a cacophony to mark the start of the Games. The bell onboard Queen elizabeth II's barge, which is carrying the Olympic flame down the Thames as part of its final journey to the Olympic Stadium, also joined in the ringing at 8:12 am (0712 GMT). The ringing came 12 hours before pre-ceremony entertainment was due to kick off in the stadium at the symbolic time of 8:12 pm, or 20:12. Organiser Martin Creed, a previous winner of Britain's prestigious Turner Prize for art, encouraged everyone in Britain to join in the "All the Bells" event. Creed aims to set a world record for the largest number of bells rung simultaneously, and has encouraged people to ring everything from doorbells to bells on their bicycles. aFP

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:12 AM Page 16

16 Sports Bolt ready to run for four events in London

Palestinian, Afghan athletes live Olympic dream

LOnDOn: Revellers stand on Tower Bridge by the river Thames to see the Olympic flame on the final day of the Olympic torch relay where it will end in the London Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. afp

LONDON aFP

AR from the media's eye, hidden from sponsors and even proper running tracks are athletes living an Olympic dream in conflict areas such as the Palestinian territories and Afghanistan. Overcoming deadly street violence and protracted travel problems on a daily basis, among other things, have failed to dent the ambition of a handful of runners. There are two Palestinian track athletes on board for the London Games which get under way on Saturday, Bahaa al-Farra (men's 400m) and woroud Sawalha (women's 800m). And coach Majed Abumarahil was realistic in what he expected of his two charges when they start rubbing shoulders with the likes of Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt. "It is very difficult to train in Palestine," Abumarahil said. "There are no playgrounds and training facilities. "The environment is not comfortable to train in, you can see soldiers everywhere and there is always violence. It is hard to feel comfortable." The duo, Abumarahil said, often travelled outside the Palestinian territories to take advantage of better training facilities. "we have to travel to other Arab countries like egypt, Qatar and Jordan to train. It is better there," he said. Abumarahil also explained his laborious travels from his base in the Gaza Strip to the west Bank, the two Palestinian territories separated by Israel and kept under heavy security. "I am from Gaza and the girl is

LONDON aFP

Jamaican track star Usain Bolt could win four track golds at the Olympics after admitting he may run the 4x400 metres relay. The 25-year-old comes into the London Games as the defending champion in the 100 and 200m as well as the 4x100m relay. But he hasn't ruled out the 4x400m relay as well. "I always see how I come out of the 200m before I decide, like if I'm tired etc," said Bolt, who will carry the Jamaican flag at the opening ceremony on Friday. "If I feel up to it, why not? For my country I would always do what is necessary. "It all depends what is needed from me because at the end of the day it is about the team. "However, there are limits and the individual 400m no chance."

olympic boxing referee found dead LONDON: A Turkish boxing referee due to officiate at the Olympics has been found dead in his London hotel room after suffering a suspected heart attack, authorities said Friday. The Turkish Boxing Federation said Garip erkuyumcu, 73, died overnight Thursday. Police in London were awaiting the results of an autopsy. erkuyumcu was a member of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) referees commission and was due to assist during the Olympic boxing tournament. aFP

Hewitt support for Murray at home Games LONDON aFP

Lleyton Hewitt says he fully understands the pressure of expectations weighing on local hope Andy Murray at the London Olympics and reckons he's bearing up well. It's quickly back on the horse for Murray at his home Olympics, just two weeks after his heartbreaking loss to Roger Federer in the wimbledon final with the Scot saying he has come to terms with his nightmare loss. Murray was bidding to become Britain's first

Medal hopes for rivals of powerhouse China LONDON aFP

world number one Zhang Jike leads China's table tennis juggernaut at the London Olympics but a medals clean sweep is out of reach due to new rules that give rivals a share of the glory. The Chinese achieved table tennis perfection at the 2008 Games in Beijing, sweeping both singles podiums and winning the team titles -- fuelling fears that their iron grip was damaging interest in the sport. Since table tennis joined the Olympic programme in 1988, China have taken 20 of the 24 available golds, including all four at Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000. And the sport's top administrator said this week in London that the "devastating" Chinese had widened the gap still further since Beijing. "The current situation is actually worse than in Beijing - worse in the sense that the difference in technical level between the Chinese and the

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

from nablus in the west Bank. I have to travel from Gaza to meet her for training," he said. "The problem is, I have to pass a lot of security checks and I have to explain who I am and what I am doing every time. "There is Israel between Gaza and nablus, that makes things very difficult for me. The better way to avoid this is to travel abroad and train there. That is why we went to other Arab countries." It is a similar story for sprinter Tahmina Kohistani, the only woman in Afghanistan's athletics team at the London Games. "I know getting a medal in the Olympics is very difficult, but I am here to open a new way for the women of Afghanistan," said Kohistani, who competes in long black trousers, long sleeves and a head scarf. "In Afghanistan it is different from here in London. every day I have to face a lot of problems when I go to training. All along there have been people who wanted to disturb me, to stop me.

rest of the world has grown even further," said International Table Tennis Federation president Adham Sharara. "This is good for the Chinese, but devastating for the rest," he added. "The Chinese are expected to win everything, so even within China the public is crying for a meaningful foreign challenge. This is not on the immediate horizon." His comments follow a warning from veteran Hungarian player Krisztina Toth that the Olympic tournament risked being a "boring" spectacle because of Asian dominance. China's power -- demonstrated yet again by their men's and women's titles at the world team championships in Germany this year -- has long led to concerns over the sport's public appeal. But in London there will be at least two non-Chinese paddlers on the singles podiums, after each country was limited to just two entrants. There are also men's and women's team events at the exCel venue in London's Docklands.

wimbledon men's singles champion for 76 years. Australian Hewitt, 31, in his twilight of his injury-ravaged career with his ranking down to 158, said the world number four would be anxious to atone for his shock firstround defeat by Chinese Taipei's Lu yenHsun at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Murray is drawn to face world number 26 Stanislas wawrinka of Switzerland in the opening round of the London 2012 tournament at wimbledon and Hewitt said the Scot would have to be ready to play. "He got upset pretty early in Beijing which was

disappointing for him, so he's got a tough first-round match against Stan wawrinka. He'll have to be ready from the outset," Hewitt told a press conference here on Friday. "It's a tough situation playing at home, whether it's the Sydney Olympics for us or the Australian Open so we understand the pressure that he's

been under and he's handled himself extremely well," added Hewitt who, as a teenager lost in the first round of the Sydney Games to Max Mirnyi. "It took Roger Federer to play a great match to beat him in the wimbledon final," added Hewitt, beaten by eventual Olympic champion Rafael nadal in the second round in Beijing four years ago.

Drug cases show system working: Rogge LONDON aFP

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge said Friday a spate of failed drugs tests ahead of the London Games proved authorities were winning the war on doping. Speaking ahead of the official opening of the Olympics, the IOC president said he welcomed the fact that cases involving around 15 athletes had been confirmed leading up the Games. "As far as the athletes being caught before the Games, this is a good sign for the fight against doping," Rogge told a press conference. "we are continuing to test, test and test again. This is proof that the system works, that the system is effective, and that the system is a deterrent." A mammoth 71,649 tests have been carried out worldwide in the six months leading up July 19, with 107 athletes sanctioned, according to the world Anti-Doping Agency. London organisers say more than 6,000 tests will be carried out during the Games itself, billing the Olympics as the most tested

ever. In the latest cases on Thursday, Turkish weightlifting Federation (THF) president Hasan Akkus confirmed that weightlifters Fatih Baydar and Ibrahim Arat had been expelled after failing dope tests on July 7. Zoltan Kovago meanwhile became the second Hungarian discus thrower to be kicked out of the Olympics after he refused to undergo a drugs test, following the expulsion of fellow discus thrower Robert Fazekas last week. Greek world indoor high jump champion Dimitris Chondrokoukis

was also confirmed to have failed a drugs test and was ruled out of the Olympics. The latest cases followed an announcement by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) that nine athletes, including Olympic bronze medallist nataliya Tobias, had been involved in "sophisticated doping". Morocco's Mariem Alaoui Selsouli, one of the favourites for the women's 1500m gold medal, was also ruled out of the Olympics after failing failed a drugs test in Paris earlier this month.

LoNdoN: President of the international olympic committee (ioc) Jacques rogge (r) attends a press conference at the main press center in. AFP

Judo switches to video technology LONDON: Video replay technology will be used at the Olympic judo competition for the first time in an effort to eradicate judging controversies. The sport has suffered from scandals in the past due to the sometimes difficult nature of scoring a bout. The most notorious case was the men's heavyweight final in Sydney 2000 when Frenchman David Douillet defeated Japan's Shinichi Shinohara. But now International Judo Federation Refereeing Director Juan Carlos Barcos says such incidents will be eliminated. "Sydney was the past but unfortunately this situation brought too much controversy to judo," he said. "That's why we (use technology to) evalute and make a fair decision. I don't think it can happen (again) but you never know." In the Sydney final, the blue riband event, and one between a legend of the sport in Douillet and the representative from the most successful country and founders of the martial art, the result went the wrong way. aFP

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:12 AM Page 17

Sports 17 wAtch it LivE ESPN Sportscentre 07:30PM

From athens to london stats corner S. PERVEz QAISER

24TH OlyMPic gaMEs in 2000: VEnuE: Sydney,Australia DaTEs: September 15 to october 1,2000 nuMbErs OF sPOrTs: 28 (300 events) nuMbErs OF naTiOns: 199 plus 4 individual athletes (ioA) nuMbErs OF ParTiciPanT: 10651 (6582 men and 4069 women) nuMbEr OF MEDia PErsOns: 16033 (5298 written press, 10735 broadcasters) yOungEsT ParTiciPanT: fatima hameed Gerashi (Bahrain),12 years 181 day in Swimming OlDEsT ParTiciPanT: Bruce Meredith (Virgin islands),63 years and 156 days in Shooting

Final MEDals Tally: (TOP 25) cOunTry united States russian federation china Australia Germany france italy holland cuba Great Britain romania South korea hungary Poland Japan Bulgaria Greece Sweden Norway ethiopia ukraine kazakhstan Belarus canada Spain

g 37 32 28 16 13 13 13 12 11 11 11 8 8 6 5 5 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3

s 24 28 16 25 17 14 8 9 11 10 6 10 6 5 8 6 6 5 3 1 10 4 3 3 3

b 31 28 15 17 26 11 13 4 7 7 8 10 3 3 5 2 3 3 3 3 10 11 8 5

TriVia: n

Age no barrier as federer goes for gold LONDON aFP

Roger Federer insists his wimbledon triumph should serve as a warning to his Olympic rivals that age won't be a barrier to his dream of winning a gold medal at the All england Club. Federer is back at wimbledon for the Olympics only three weeks after beating Andy Murray to clinch a record equalling seventh title at the grasscourt Grand Slam, but the Swiss star's thirst for success hasn't been quenched just yet. After ending his two-year drought at the majors and returning to the top of the world rankings, Federer once again radiates the supreme confidence that characterised his lengthy spell as the sport's dominant force. He has silenced the critics who claimed the 30-yearold was a fading force who was more focused on his young family than working to combat the twin threat posed by novak Djokovic and Rafael nadal.

SAUDIS ANGRY

OVER JUDO HIJAB BAN

LONDON aFP

AUDI Arabia have complained to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after judo fighter wojdan Shaherkani was banned from wearing the hijab head scarf during competition. The 18-yearold heavyweight, a member of a twowoman team who are the first female competitors sent from the conservative kingdom to an Olympics, was ordered by the International Judo Federation to fight with her head uncovered. But the Saudis have lodged a complaint over the ban. "At the moment we are discussing with the International Judo Federation and the Saudi Arabia Olympic Committee to find a solution for her to compete," an IOC spokesman told AFP on Friday. "I don't think she has to compete until August 3. The rules of the federation are she cannot wear a scarf for

safety reasons." IJF president Marius Vizer had told the Saudi fighter the hijab cannot be worn in competition. "The Saudi Arabian athlete will take part in judo and she will fight according to the

principle and spirit of judo, so without a hijab," said Vizer following Thursday's draw. Judo applies strict safety rules and any covering on the head is deemed to present a risk to the fighter's health. n

France's Paire ousted in LA opener LOS ANGELES aFP

An out of sorts Benoit Paire crashed out of the Los Angeles Open Thursday as the top seed's eccentric game culminated in a 7-5, 6-4 opening loss to American Michael Russell. Paire, ranked 50th in the world, committed 38 unforced errors while losing his serve five times in the first set. The Frenchman also failed to sit down on several changeovers, often holding his right abdomen. Other times he applied ice to the area and

he fired eight double-faults - three in one game - to keep the contest offbalance throughout. French fourth seed nicolas Mahut was more stable, booking his second quarter-final of the season by beating Italy's Paolo Lorenzi 7-5, 7-6 (9/7). "I knew it would be a difficult match," said 30-year-old Mahut. "I just beat him in the wimbledon first round. Breaking in the first set to win was the key. After that I got more confident. I am happy to go through." Mahut saved two set points in the second set before

closing it out on a Lorenzi volley error. Russell, ranked 83rd, said that he faced a mental and physical battle against the unpredictable Paire. "It was extremely difficult, you never know what to expect from him. He keeps you out of your rhythm. "I had to dig deep to get through it. He's flashy and sometimes looks like he's not trying. Mentally it's difficult, but I'm proud of myself for winning. I couldn't ask for a better start, I love playing on the hard courts."

cathy freeman had the honour to light the olympic flame at the opening ceremony of the Games. She symbolized the desire to reconcile the white and Aboriginal populations of Australia and was the aborigine medal hopeful. ten days later, cathy freeman won the 400m final which was a clear victory before an ecstatic crowd. four athletes from east timor took part under the olympic flag as individual athletes (ioA : individual olympic athletes). korea (South korea) and democratic Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s republic of korea (North korea) marched together under the same flag. for the first time outside home soil in 32 years, the united States has topped the medal tally. Americans have won 39 golds, 25 silvers and 33 bronze medals to capture 97 medals overall, leading the haul at 2000 olympic Games despite finishing four fewer medals than four year ago at Atlanta. out of the 199 participating countries, 80 made it to the medal tally, 51 of them won atleast one gold medal at Sydney. Australian ian thorpe, the17 years old, won the gold medal in the 400m freestyle by breaking his own world record. he then swam the anchor leg in the 4x100m freestyle and won again. he finally gained another gold medal with the 4x200m freestyle Australian relay team and a silver medal in the 200m freestyle. ethiopian haile Gebrselassie just held off kenyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s five-times world cross-country champion Paul tergat to win the 10,000 metres. American Michael Johnson became the first man to win back-to-back 400 metres olympic gold medals when he won 400-metre race clocking 43.84 seconds at Sydney. American Jenny thompson equalled east Germany's kristin otto's record of most gold medals in olympic swimming when she won her sixth olympic gold- all in realys and spread over three games, in the 4 x 100 metres freestyle relay. She won her seventh gold in 4 x200 metres freestyle relay to beat otto's record and better her record by winning the eighth gold in 4 x 100 metres medley relay. it was his 10th medal in olympics. She became fifth woman athlete and 20th overall to win 10 or more medals in olympics. karnam Malleswari became the first indian woman to win an olympic medal when she won bronze in women's 69 kg weightlifting class. Maria isabel urrutia won colombia's first ever olympic gold medal when she won women's 75 kg weightlifting competition. colombia had competed in 15 olympics stretching back to Los Angeles in 1932 and previously had won two sivlers in shooting and four bronze medals. Soraya Jimenez became the first Mexican woman to win gold in any sport when she won gold in 58 kg weightlifting. Jenny thompson's bronze medal in 100-metre butterfly was her ninth in olympic, surpassing dawn fraser,kornelia ender and Shirley Babashoff on the all time list. British rower Steven redgrave has earned a unique place in olympic history after winning gold medal in his fifth consecutive Games- an unparalleled achievement for an endurance athlete. only hungarian Aladar Gerevich who won six golds between 1932 and 1960 in fencing has done better. redgrave's gold run had begun in 1984 when he triumped in the coxed fours.

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:12 AM Page 18

Sports 18

Gayle, Powell in double-century stand ANTIGUA

scOrEbOarD

cricinFO

HRIS Gayle and Kieran Powell continued to pile on the misery for new Zealand on the third morning, swelling their partnership past the 200 mark. Gayle crowned his Test comeback with a century, while Powell was within sight of his maiden Test ton. Like yesterday, both batsmen offered chances off successive balls but new Zealand couldn't grab the opportunities, literally. It was as if Gayle's century was scripted. Given his stupendous limitedovers form, a Test century was there for the taking against a bowling attack low on confidence and form. Gayle started the day with a flat six over long-off off Daniel Vettori to take him to the nineties. Keen to reach his landmark with a flourish he pulled a short delivery by Chris Martin and just about cleared the rope to get from 97 to 103. Gayle punched the air and acknowledged his 14th Test century, one that will be talked about for long, given that it came after an exile of one-and-a-half years. new Zealand relied on neil wagner's reverse swing to possibly sneak in a wicket or two with the old ball. with the ball swinging in sharply towards the pads, a silly mid-on and short midwicket was placed for the checked drive. It didn't change new Zealand's luck as Powell managed to chip it over midwicket and keep out the fuller deliveries. One one occasion, Gayle miscued an on drive and

PcB welcomes former PMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statement on cricket ties LAHORe: The Pakistan cricket Board has on Friday welcome d the statements of former Prime Minister Mian nawaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ch. Pervez elahi, who hailed the steps towards the revival of cricket between Pakistan and India. The cricket boards of both the countries are working on the revival of the sports and in the first step forward they have announced to play three ODIs and two T20 matches in December at neutral venue or India. A spokesman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, nadeem Sarwar welcomed the statements of Mian nawaz Sharif and Ch. Pervez elahi on resumption of Pak- India bilateral cricketing ties. Mian nawaz, himself an ardent cricket follower, had said in media that the resumption of cricketing ties between Pakistan and India is a positive sign will help improve the relation between both the countries. while Deputy PM Ch. Pervez elahi also has similar views and welcomed the development and lauded the efforts of Pakistan Cricket Board in this regard. Sarwar, in a statement said: "The improvement of relations between PCB and all other boards have been on top priority of Chairman PCB Ch. Zaka Ashraf since he assumed the office last year. It is due to his consistence efforts that this series could be materialized." sTaFF rEPOrT

yet managed to beat mid-on comfortably. It was that sort of morning for new Zealand. A brief shower halted play for close to 20 minutes, but the rain failed to spice up the pitch. The patient Powell couldn't resist a slash over gully that brought up the double-century stand, the ninth in west Indies history. It was also the highest partnership for any wicket by west Indies since December 2010, when Gayle last played a Test. It

only underlined Gayle's impact in the side and why they missed him so much. Powell entered the 90s with a swept four off Vettori shortly before lunch. Gayle offered his second chance of the innings when the ball turned, kissed the glove and lobbed to first slip where Ross Taylor fluffed a straightforward take. Kane williamson nearly had Powell the following ball when the batsman tamely chipped him past

nEw zEalanD 1sT innings 45 D Flynn c Powell b narine 97 M guptill c Deonarine b narine b Mccullum c Deonarine b roach 25 l Taylor b narine 45 n wagner c sammy b narine 4 19 k williamson b roach 23 D brownlie c ramdin b rampaul 11 c van wyk c Fudadin b narine 17 D Vettori c Deonarine b sammy 39 D bracewell c chanderpaul b rampaul 4 c Martin not out Extras (b14, lb1, w1, nb6) 22 Total (all out; 129.1 overs) 351 Fall of wickets: 1-97 (Flynn, 38.3 ov), 2-133 (Mccullum, 49.6 ov), 3-223 (Taylor, 84.1 ov), 4-228 (guptill, 86.3 ov), 5-233 wagner, 92.1 ov), 6-273 (williamson, 109.1 ov), 7-281 (brownlie, 114.2 ov), 8-308 (Vettori, 121.5 ov), 9-309 (van wyk, 122.6 ov), 10-351 (bracewell, 129.1 ov) bowling: rampaul 23.1-9-44-2; roach 23-8-55-2; sammy 267-76-1; narine 43-9-132-5, samuels 6-2-14-0; Fudadin 5-1-11-0; Deonarine 3-1-4-0 wEsT inDiEs 1st innings 150 cH gayle c Mccullum b williamson kOa Powell not out 110 6 ab Fudadin not out 3 Extras(lb 2, nb 1) Total (1 wicket; 82 overs)269 To bat Mn samuels, s chanderpaul, D ramdinâ&#x20AC; , DJg sammy*, sP narine, n Deonarine, r rampaul, kaJ roach Fall of wickets 1-254 (gayle, 75.2 ov) bowling cs Martin13-3-75-0 DaJ bracewell14-246-0 n wagner16-4-58-0 Dl Vettori26-8-55-0 ks williamson13-2-33-1 Toss: new zealand umpires: richard kettleborough and Paul reiffel TV umpire: Marais Erasmus Match referee: ranjan Madugalle

Brendon McCullum at midwicket. The pair need only 54 runs to beat the west Indian opening partnership record set by the legendary pair of Desmond Haynes and Gordon Greenidge in 1990.

LeBron edges Federer as richest Olympian LONDON aFP

US nBA superstar LeBron James edges Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer for the title of biggest moneymaker at the London Olympics with an annual income of $53 million, according to Forbes magazine. The 2012 Forbes list of the world's 100 richest athletes was revealed last month with US dollar figures for salary and prize money as well as endorsement sponsorship deals. In all, there were 12 London Olympians from the list, including half of the 12-man US Olympic "Dream Team" of nBA stars, four tennis players, Spanish nBA star Pau Gasol and Usain Bolt, the Jamaican Olympic gold-medal sprinter. James adopts a humble attitude when asked about being one of the stars of the Olympics. "we're all stars in our own right," James said. "every athlete has to be a star in their country just to be here. These are the stars of the stars. "we understand the atmosphere. we don't take it for granted. It keeps you very humble. There will be a time when it's not like this so you try to take it all in." American boxer Floyd Mayweather,

jailed in Las Vegas for a domestic assault, led the list at $85 million with Filipino fighter Manny Pacquiao second on $62 million and 14-time major golf champion Tiger woods third on $59.4 million. none of them are competing in the London Olympics, although woods -who had topped the lit since 2001 until the aftermath of his infamous sex scandal -- might be able to compete in the 2016 Rio Games when golf returns. nBA Most Valuable Player James, who led the Miami Heat to the nBA crown last month for his first career title,

was fourth on the list, just ahead of Federer in fifth at $52.7 million and US teammate Kobe Bryant, sixth at $52.3 million. Federer was the winner in the all-important endorsement category, his $45 million for pitchman sales skills eclipsing second-best James by $5 million, but his $7.7 million in prize money failed to match James' $13 million salary. But asked if he was the biggest star of the Olympics, Federer deferred. "not me," he said. "There are great Olympians who have many medals around their necks already -- other athletes, some who maybe are not so famous but have done so much for their sport as well, that we don't always talk about. "That's the beauty of the Olympics -- we will see so many great stories written and talked about in the next few weeks. I will follow it very closely. "But obviously I think Usain Bolt and (US swim star) Michael Phelps and maybe the nBA players are very well known." Bryant was third in endorsement income at $32 million and topped the salary and prize money list at $20.3 million. Had england's David Beckham been selected for the British football squad, he would have been the only footballer from the list at the Games.

Nasri handed three-match ban from france team

PARIS aFP

Manchester City midfielder Samir nasri was handed a three-match ban from the French national team on Friday following a French Football Federation investigation into his behaviour during euro 2012. nasri was punished for shouting "Shut your mouth" to television cameras following his goal in the 1-1 group-stage draw with england in a tirade he later said was aimed at a journalist who wrote a critical article. He then directed a string of foul-mouthed insults at an AFP journalist after the quarter-final defeat to Spain in Donetsk. Jeremy Menez, of Paris Saint-Germain, was given a onematch international ban following a spat with captain Hugo Lloris in the game against Spain and for insulting the referee after the same match. In addition, newcastle United's Hatem Ben Arfa and yann M'Vila, of Rennes, were both issued with warnings. nasri, Mvila and Ben Arfa appeared personally before the FFF disciplinary commission, but refused to comment after their hearing. Lawyer Carlo Alberto Brusa, representing Menez, who is currently on tour in the United States with PSG, described the outcome as "fair" and said he would be advising his client not to appeal.

Japan rejoices at 'Miracle in Glasgow' TOKYO aFP

Japan was euphoric Friday after their Blue Samurai scored a stunning 1-0 victory over champions Spain in one of the greatest upsets in Olympic football history. newspapers hailed Thursday's win as the "Miracle in Glasgow", reviving memories of their famous "Miracle in Miami" victory over Brazil at the 1996 Atlanta Games. The first-half goal from yuki Otsu gives his side a great chance of reaching the knockout rounds. "we won! we actually won!" the nikkan Sports daily roared on its front page, with nearly all of Japan's newspapers and broadcasters splashing dramatic headlines and photos of the jubilant squad.

Malik to root for wife Sania in Olympics LAHORE sTaFF rEPOrT

Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik on Friday said that he will be rooting for his wife and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, who will be starting her Olympic campaign on Saturday with women's doubles partner Rushmi Chakravarthi. "I don't know whether cricket will ever be part of the Olympic Games. But I know that every cricket fan, follower and player wants to be involved and competing in the Olympics. But for now I am praying for Sania's success and hope she wins a gold medal," he said. Malik along with other Pakistani cricketers, meanwhile, pitched for the inclusion of T20 cricket in the Olympics. "I don't understand why we can't have T20 cricket in the Olympics. I

would love to play in the Olympics and be part of it," said wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal. Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq hoped that since the ICC was now officially recognised as a federation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), cricket could make a return to the Olympic Games by 2020. Cricket made a sole appearance in the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, with a two-day match played between Great Britain and France that the former won. But after that cricket has never been part of the Olympics. "It can happen very soon. But I think for that the ICC, its member boards, players and the media, we all need to develop a momentum for the inclusion of T20 cricket in the Olympics," he said. Misbah admitted that while he would be following the Olympics closely he missed the opportunity to be

in London. But with the inception of T20 competitions internationally, there has been a strong voice for the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics and the ICC has also pointed out that it is working towards it. Former ICC CeO, Haroon Lorgat earlier this year, in an interview, had said that the Twenty20 format was suitable for the Olympics. "we have never had a format that would lend itself to playing in the Olympics until Twenty20 came to the fore. But we will have to look at finding a suitable time slot for it," Lorgat said. Pakistan's flamboyant all-rounder, Shahid Afridi said that it had always been a dream for him to represent his country in the Olympics and win a medal. "Unfortunately they don't have cricket in the Olympics, but I think it can be done. with the T20 format it is

possible. It would be a great boost for the sport if we can have it in the Games," Afridi said. He said every athlete dreams of competing in the Olympics and it was no different with the cricketers. "If they had T20 cricket in the Olympics it would also boost Pakistan's chances of winning a medal," he said. The Pakistani cricketers, meanwhile, said they will be supporting their hockey team in the Olympics. "we will be supporting them and watching every game. It is hard to escape the Olympic spirit and fever," Malik added. Although hockey is the national sport and has brought home three Olympic gold medals, cricket is the most popular game in Pakistan. Cricket has been played in the Commonwealth Games and was also included in the last Asian Games.

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

KHI 28-06-2012_Layout 1 7/28/2012 5:12 AM Page 19

Saturday, 28 July, 2012

uk high commission discards fia’s investigation into passport scam

The British High Commission has discarded the investigations by the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) pertaining to the Olympics passport scam, which has jeopardized the credibility of passport and ID card issuing authority in Pakistan, a private TV channel reported on Friday. The British High Commission’s report came in reply to FIA’s letter written to the commission. The report said British tabloid The Sun agent Ali Asad came to Pakistan on a British passport and managed to get a fake CnIC and a machine-readable Pakistani passport on the specifics of “Mohammad Ali Asad”.

The FIA officials claimed that the high commission’s report had tried to conceal certain facts. earlier on wednesday, Pakistan’s federal cabinet decided to take legal action against the British tabloid for publishing a fabricated report on Pakistan’s passport-issuing authority. The cabinet had announced its decision to sue the UK-based tabloid for a story published in the paper on Monday, July 23, which alleged that a group of travel agents and a politician were involved in a scam, which allowed anyone to travel with the Pakistani Olympic contingent as support staff if they paid a certain amount of money. MONiTORiNG DeSK

karacHi: People look at a burning bus which was set on fire by an angry mob protesting against the rangers operation in Pak colony on Friday. STAFF PHOTO

WorLd PoWerS FeAr ALePPo ‘SLAuGhter’ PARIS

aFP

ORLD powers voiced fears Friday over an imminent all-out assault by President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces on Syria’s second city Aleppo and called for “maximum pressure” to prevent a new massacre. France echoed US concerns that Assad was preparing to carry out a slaughter of his own people, and Britain warned that the expected offensive could end in a humanitarian disaster. Columns of tanks, helicopter gunships and warplanes have poured into Syria’s commercial hub over the past two days, with troops firing on a string of rebel neighbourhoods in Aleppo’s southwest on Friday in the battle for control of the city.

Such an assault could be a potential watershed in the 16-month conflict that has already claimed more than 19,000 lives according to opposition activists. “with the build-up of heavy weapons around Aleppo, Assad is preparing to carry out a fresh slaughter of his own people,” French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero told AFP, reiterating a call on Assad to end the violence and step down. The US State Department voiced similar concerns on Thursday. “This is the concern, that we will see a massacre in Aleppo, and that’s what the regime appears to be lining up for,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria nuland said. British Foreign Secretary william Hague said he was “deeply concerned” about the reported buildup of troops and tanks around Aleppo, and that the regime “has already begun a vicious

assault on the city and its civilian population”. “This utterly unacceptable escalation of the conflict could lead to a devastating loss of civilian life and a humanitarian disaster,” he said in a statement. “It will add to the misery being endured by the Syrian people, and plunge the country further into catastrophic civil war. “The Assad regime must call off this assault.” Italy called for “maximum pressure” on Assad to prevent further killings. “we need everyone to raise the pressure to maximum on Assad to ward off a new massacre,” Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi said in a statement, expressing fears about the “distressing” situation in Aleppo. The Un human rights chief said she was also alarmed by reports of atrocities in Syria and warned that civilians were at “grave risk” in Aleppo. “I have been receiving as yet unconfirmed re-

ports of atrocities, including extra-judicial killings and shootings of civilians by snipers, that took place during the recent fighting in various suburbs of Damascus,” Un High Commissioner for Human Rights navi Pillay said in a statement. “It goes without saying that the increasing use of heavy weapons, tanks, attack helicopters and — reportedly - even jet fighters in urban areas has already caused many civilian casualties and is putting many more at grave risk. “All this, taken along with the reported build-up of forces in and around Aleppo, bodes ill for the people of that city,” she said. Attacks were also taking place in other towns including Homs and Deir-ez-Zur with “devastating consequences”, she said, adding that a “discernible pattern has emerged” in the way government forces clear areas they claim are occupied by the opposition.

Govt mulling appointing female judges: Zardari

ISLAMABAD agEnciEs

President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday said the government was considering appointing female judges in the judiciary. Addressing a signing ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr to conclude one million signatures campaign to raise awareness about violence against the women, Zardari said the government had taken steps for women empowerment and eliminated all forms of discrimination against them. The president added that the government, inspired and guided by the vision of Benazir Bhutto to end the exploita-

tion of women, passed a number of legislations to ensure the rights of women and their empowerment in the true sense. He said the present government had accorded priority to addressing the issue of discriminatory laws against women and concerted efforts were being made to eliminate the abuse of women in all its forms. President Zardari said during the tenure of Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan became signatory to the Convention on the elimination of All Forms of the Discrimination Against women. ZARDARI INvITeS MANMOHAN TO vISIT PAKISTAN: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday formally invited Indian

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to visit Pakistan, saying the visit would provide an opportunity to the two leaderships to take stock of bilateral relations. President’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the invitation had been extended through a letter sent today to the Indian prime minister through Pakistan’s High Commission in new Delhi. The president in his letter also suggested to the Indian prime minister to visit his ancestral hometown on the occasion of birthday celebration of Baba Guru nanak Sahib. Zardari said if that happened, the visit would not only be well received by the Pakistani nation but would also reinforce “our mutual desire” to promote inter-faith and inter-religious harmony. The president recalled his meeting with the Indian prime minister in new Delhi during his visit to Ajmer Sharif and expressed satisfaction over the forward movement of dialogue process and the several important engagements between the two countries. The president expressed the hope that the intensity and engagements would help promote our ties in the right direction and help realize our shared dream of a peaceful and prosperous South Asia. Zardari said it was important to sustain the process and make it more productive and result oriented.

Published by Arif Nizami at Plot No 79, Sector 24, Korangi Industrial Area Karachi.

Editor: Arif Nizami

us senate asks white house to declare haqqanis terrorist group WASHINGTON sPEcial cOrrEsPOnDEnT

The U.S. Senate has passed a bill, asking the Obama Administration to declare the Afghan Haqqani network, which is frequently blamed by washington for attacks against American troops deployed in Afghanistan, as a foreign terrorist organization . U.S. officials regularly allege that the Haqqani militants have found a sanctuary in the Pakistani tribal areas, which they use to launch attacks on the American troops. The US has also demanded a Pakistani operation against the Haqqani militants hiding on its side of the Afghan border. Significantly, the bill states at the end that “nothing in this act may be construed to infringe upon the sovereignty of Pakistan to combat militant or terrorist groups operating inside its boundaries.” According to The Hill publication, the construction aims at making the point that that the US relations with Pakistan are not further harmed . U.S.-Pakistani relations have been sensitive since a spate of incidents last year including U.S. Special Forces operation that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan without informing the country. The relations between the two countries have only recently started showing some signs of improvement since an American apology over deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers in Salala incident and the subsequent revival of Pakistani land routes for Afghanistan-bound nATO supplies. Thursday’s voice vote by the senators adds to the Capitol Hill pressure on the white House to move against the militant organization. The bill, having been passed in the House and now to be sent to Obama, requires the US secretary of state to report to Congress on whether the Haqqani network meets the criteria to be designated a foreign terrorist organization and if not, to explain reasons for that determination. A State Department report would be due within 30 days of the US president signing the measure. In the recent past, the US State Department has designated several senior leaders of the Haqqani network as terrorists. The matter of labeling the entire organization is currently under review. earlier, in the House an amendment to the bill stressed that Congress viewed the Haqqani network as meeting the definition of a designated terrorist organization and therefore should be declared as such. American lawmakers had also addressed a letter to US Secretary of State May this year, urging the Department to speed up the process of declaring the Haqqanis a terrorist group.