e-paper pakistantoday 10th august, 2012

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Govt will not allow misuse of blasphemy law: President Zardari

A subterranean ‘caliphate’ that saw no daylight for 10 years

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Resilient Imran vows to carry on drone protest despite ‘death threat’

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Rs 15.00 Vol iii no 45 19 pages Lahore edition

Friday, 10 august, 2012 Ramadan 21, 1433

Parliament is mother of all institutions, says Ashraf PM says govt has no clash with any institution g Government to fully back Thar coal project g

THARPARKAR/KARAcHI

LAHORE: A Hindu woman weeps as she bids farewell to her relative at Lahore Railway Station on Thursday. Some 60 Hindu families have reportedly decided to seek asylum in India due to an increase in violence against the minority community in Sindh and Balochistan. INP | STORY ON PAGE 03

‘Pakistan swelling nuclear arsenal to counter India’ WASHINGTON

SC indicts Malik Riaz on contempt charge

SpEcIAL cORRESpOndEnT

Primarily aimed at India, Pakistan is making qualitative and quantitative improvements to its nuclear arsenal and “could increase the number of circumstances under which it would be willing to use nuclear weapons”, a Congressional report has said. “Pakistan appears to be increasing its fissile production capability and improving its delivery vehicles in order to hedge against possible increases in India’s nuclear arsenal.

Islamabad may also accelerate its current nuclear weapons efforts,” the independent Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in a report. In its latest report, prepared for the US lawmakers, the CRS said Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program was mainly aimed at addressing the threat perception it had from India and thus act as a deterrent from India. “India has stated that it needs only a ‘credible minimum deterrent’, but has never defined what it means by such a deterrent and has refused to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty,” it said, adding that Pakistani officials have stated that the government may need to increase significantly its nuclear arsenal in response to possible Indian plans to do the same.

Besides lowering the threshold for using nuclear weapons, Pakistan may also consider fielding non-strategic nuclear weapons in order to increase the credibility of its nuclear deterrent versus Indian Continued on page 04

Court says Malik showed disrespect for judiciary, caused obstruction in administration of justice

ISLAMABAD TAyyAB HuSSAIn

The ball was set rolling for real estate tycoon malik Riaz Hussain as the Supreme Court on Thursday formally indicted him with contempt of court charges for his mocking of the judiciary in his press conference held on June 12.

Though Riaz had tendered an unconditional apology to the court for his press conference in which, with a pocket-sized copy of the Holy Quran in his hand, he had hurled serious but contradictory charges against Chief Justice Iftikhar muhammad Chaudhry and his son, Dr Arsalan Iftikhar, on an issue that was sub judice, and in defiance of an apex court order to speak to the media. However, the court did not agree with his apology. A twojudge bench comprising Justice ejaz Afzal and Justice Athar Saeed resumed the hearing of the contempt case and tasked Attorney General Irfan Qadir with appearing as prosecutor in the case.

During the course of the proceedings, malik Riaz responded to the bench’s query in the negative and said he had not ridiculed the judiciary in his press

conference. Dr Abdul Basit, counsel for malik Riaz, contended that his client had already moved an intra-court appeal under the annulled Contempt of Court Act 2012, and, therefore, the proceedings should be halted until a decision was taken on his pending appeal.

However, Justice ejaz Afzal Khan told him that the contempt act was no longer in the field as it was struck down and the ongoing proceedings were being conducted under the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003. The judge told him to regard the annulled act as non-existent. However, Dr Basit contended that his client had moved the intra-court appeal when the Contempt of Court Act 2012 was in place. He said the charges against his client were not clear and he did not understand the reasons for his indictment. He said the charges did not contain the words that his client had uttered any contemptuous words against the judiciary. Attorney General Irfan Qadir also objected to use of words in contempt charges. The bench observed that they had all the records and the relevant data which explained the contempt committed by malik Riaz.

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RIme minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Thursday said parliament was the mother of all institutions as it had a mandate of 180 million people.

Speaking at an Iftar dinner hosted by Sindh Chief minister Qaim Ali Shah in his honour at the Cm’s House, he said parliament was representing 180 million people of Pakistan, whether their representatives sat in the government or on opposition benches.

He said PPP leaders had rendered great sacrifices for democracy and laid down their lives, adding that other political parties “which are our allies also gave sacrifices for democracy, parliament and for people’s right”.

“When we see all of them (our allies) together today, it is a great message of reconciliation as no message can be greater than this for democracy, parliament and national institutions,” he said. Ashraf said the media was free today and the judiciary was independent and strong because of a stable democracy.

“This is possible only when democracy is strengthened through consistency. History tells us that these institutions cannot maintain their independence and strength in weak and unstable democracy,” he added.

“Therefore, all institutions must have their independence within their ambit and limits.” earlier, Prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf visited Tharparkar to oversee the Thar coal project. Addressing a gathering there, Ashraf said the government had no clash with any institution, adding that no one understood politics better than the Pakistan People’s Party.

Ashraf said he would accept the decision of the people.

He announced full support of the federal government for the ambitious Thar Coal project, aimed at helping the country meet its energy shortage.

The prime minister also announced an amount of Rs 200 million for development projects, including provision of electricity, in the area, besides announcing the setting up of an IT centre to impart basic computer education to children of the area. The prime minister, who was earlier given a detailed briefing by Dr Samar mubarakmand about

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02 News NewS

Today’s

Haqqani calls for reorientation of pak-uS ties

CArTooN

iNFoTAiNMeNT Vietnam airline fined for inflight bikini show

Quick look

Page 11

Story on Page 05

Story on Page 14

LHC bars arrest of ex-secretary to Punjab CM, staff officer until 10th LAHORE App

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday barred the authorities from arresting two senior officials accused of involvement in the murder conspiracy of former LHC chief justice Khawaja Sharif. The accused, Touqeer Shah, former principal secretary to Punjab chief minister, and Talha Burki, staff officer, had filed a petition in the court.

After the hearing, Justice muhammad Anwarul Haq passed the orders, restraining the authorities from arresting the petitioners until Friday (Aug 10). earlier, petitioners’ counsel Khawaja Harris argued that the case registered against the accused was bogus, saying they did not have any link with the conspiracy. He said that the FIR (first information report) copy had not been provided to the accused. The court directed the deputy attorney general to provide a copy of the FIR to the accused and also barred their arrest until Friday. They were accused of hatching a conspiracy to produce a false and fabricated intelligence report in a bid to create differences among federal government, provincial government and judiciary.

250 kg explosives found from vehicle in Quetta, 3 held QUETTA App

Police on Thursday arrested three suspects and foiled a plot to carry out massive sabotage act in the provincial capital by seizing about 250 kg explosives from a suburban vehicle (SUV) in the eastern Bypass area.

Acting on a tip-off, the police launched a search operation. While searching a Parado vehicle on Allauddin Achakzai Road in the eastern Bypass area of Quetta, the police found 200 to 250 kg explosives. It arrested the three persons boarding the vehicle. The explosives included 20 pieces of rocket tubes, 1,000 to 1,200 explosive rounds, six filled cylinders, one suicide jacket, five primer cord coils, 10 rockets (RF-7), seven pieces of 400mm rockets, two hand grenades, 10 pieces of RC, three small bombs, one explosive mixing machine, 10 police uniforms and one digital scale.

The police said that the arrested men had been shifted to a police station for interrogation. “The seized explosives were to be used for a big sabotage act in the city,” the police said.

Friday, 10 August, 2012

ISLAMABAd: Muslims prepare to sit in Aitekaf at the Shah Faisal Mosque on Thursday. ONlINE

Indian SC tells government to end illegal confinement of Pakistanis NEW DELHI

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OnLInE

f the nationality of Pakistani prisoners in India is not confirmed by the Pakistani government, there is little India can do for their repatriation, the Indian Supreme Court said on Wednesday after learning that the return of 29 prisoners, who had completed their term, was delayed because there was no response on their nationality from the Pakistani High Commission.

However, a bench of Justices Rm Lodha and AR Dave said the Supreme Court would not tolerate any unauthorized incarceration of Pakistani nationals who had completed their prison term.

It sent out a loud message to the administration by asking Jammu and Kashmir Additional Home Secretary Dilshad Ahmed to show cause why contempt proceedings be not initiated against her for filing an affidavit in the apex court stating that a Pakistani prisoner, Sikander Azam, would be released in 2013 when he should have been freed in 2011 after serving his three-year sentence under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. J&K Standing Counsel Sunil Fernandes repeatedly requested the court for withdrawal of the show cause notice and said the additional home secretary would apologize for the mistake and be present in court to explain her position.

But the bench brushed aside the request and asked her to respond to the notice by October 16.

The court ordered immediate release of Azam and directed that he be brought to Delhi and

lodged at Lampur Sewa Sadan, a rehabilitation and reform home.

Petitioner and senior advocate Bhim Singh argued that the government was not doing enough to repatriate 29 Pakistanis who had served their sentences and were not wanted for any other offence.

But Additional Solicitor General PP malhotra informed the court that the Indian government was ready to repatriate them once their nationality was confirmed by the Pakistani High Commission.

The bench said, “If nationality of these prisoners is not confirmed by Pakistan for six months, what is the practical solution? Pakistan government should be concerned about their citizens. If they do not have a system, India cannot create one.”

The bench was also told that 46 Pakistani fishermen were detained in Gujarat and the state government had not registered any offence against them. The court was told that though the Gujarat government had already given its no-objection for their repatriation, their nationality was not confirmed by the high commission.

Taking the cases of Pakistani prisoners who have served their sentence and the fishermen, the bench expressed hope that “the Pakistani high commission will complete the exercise as early as possible and convey it to the Indian government”. Once the intimation about nationality came from Pakistani high commission, the government would take steps to repatriate them within four weeks, the bench ordered.

Female MPA forms forward bloc for Khosas in PML-N LAHORE: A female member of Punjab Assembly from the Pakistan muslim LeagueNawaz (PmL-N) has formed an unannounced forward bloc in the party to garner other legislators’ support for Zulfikar Khosa and Dost mohammad Khosa, who have developed differences with the Sharif brothers. According to reports, mPA Shamsa Gauhar, who was elected on a reserved seat for women, has so far garnered the support of more than 15 other female mPAs, and was in contact with other legislators as well for this purpose. Gauhar is considered to be very close to the Khosas and she is reported to have decided to openly support the Khosas instead of the party leadership. When contacted by the INP for comments on the report, Shamsa Gauhar confirmed having contacts with other mPAs on the issue, and claimed that “a large number of women mPAs” supported her and the Khosas. She however refused to give their number, but said everything would come out in the open after eid. Inp

Two more polio cases confirmed in KP PESHAWAR/CHARSADDA: Two new polio cases have been confirmed in Peshawar and Charsadda, bringing the number of total polio cases to eight in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year. According to ePI Deputy Director Dr Jan Baz Afridi, the first case was reported from the Azakhel area of Peshawar, where eight-month-old Bismillah was found infected with the crippling virus. The second case was found in the muftiabad area of Charsadda, where a 19-month old baby Safina was confirmed positive with Polio P-One virus. During the current year, eight polio cases have been reported from KP, including two each from Peshawar and Lakki marwat, one each from mardan, Charsadda, Kohat and DI Khan. Inp

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News 03 ArTS & eNTerTAiNMeNT

buSiNeSS

SPorTS

Longoria settles car crash case outside of court

A skeleton in federal govt’s closet

pakistan pip Korea to improve its world ranking

ediToriAL Threats?: The extremists like no one.

CoMMeNT Aziz-ud-din Ahmad says; On judicial activism: There are limits.

Kunwar Khuldune Shahid says; Gold diggers: Pakistan hockey becomes the victim of its own successes and glory days… again.

Story on Page 18

Story on Page 13

Story on Page 15

Articles on Page 14-15

4 Hindu families head to India for asylum g

Sindh CM takes notice, Malik dismisses reports of migration as propaganda against Pakistan LAHORE

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STAFF REpORT

Ome 60 Hindu families from Balochistan and Sindh have decided to migrate to India following an increase in cases of violence against the minority community.

On Thursday, four families left for India via Samjhota express from Lahore

while the remaining are likely to leave Pakistan on Friday (today). Speaking to reporters, some members of the four families that left for India said that they were forced to leave Pakistan after their homes and shops were looted, and their women were forcibly converted. The Hindu families are travelling to India on visit visas and would most probably seek asylum when they reach the country. meanwhile in Karachi, Sindh Chief minister Qaim Ali Shah took

notice of the pleas of Hindu community and formulated a three-member committee headed by the minorities minister to give assurance to the Hindu families that they would be secure in Pakistan. In Islamabad, Interior minister Rehman malik dismissed the reports of migrations as propaganda. He said that propaganda is being made at the international level about the migration of Hindus from Pakistan, adding that the Indian High Commission

has been asked to explain why it issued visas to 250 Hindu citizens of Pakistan.

Talking to a private TV channel, Sindh minister for excise and Taxation mukesh Kumar Chawla denied reports that Hindu families were migrating to India over security concerns. “Around 200-250 Hindus are going to India for pilgrimage… they will return to Pakistan within 40 days,” he said, but admitted that there was a poor law and order situation in Sindh.

woman killed for bearing third daughter GUJRANWALA: The in-laws of a woman poisoned her to death for bearing a third female child here late Wednesday night. According to SP Investigation, Athar Ismail, deceased Uzma who hailed from mohallah Bilal Town, Kamonki, district Gujranwala had two daughters.

One Wednesday, she gave birth to another daughter due to which her inlaws got furious. They physically tortured the lady and later poisoned her to death.

The body was shifted to hospital for postmortem after which it was handed over to the heirs. Inp

Pakistan protecting religious freedom, says Sherry

WASHINGTON App

Pakistan is firmly committed to promote and protect religious freedoms and its parliament and government have been actively pursuing

this goal, Ambassador to the United States Sherry Rehman said. She was talking to Dr Katrina Lantos Swett, chair of the US Commission on International Freedom, who called on the ambassador. Swett apprised Sherry of her commission’s work and interest in promoting religious freedoms around the world. She praised the envoy for her personal commitment to the protection and promotion of religious freedom and minority rights in Pakistan. Sherry said that the minorities were making invaluable contributions to the development, peace and prosperity of Pakistan and the government was committed to fully harnessing their potential and contributions in all walks of life.

Pagara hints at Shahbaz assures swift reconsidering justice for victims of alliance with PPP Muzaffargarh naked parade

MUzAffARGARH

MONITORING DESK

AgEncIES

Pakistan muslim LeagueFunctional (PmL-F) chief Pir Pagara has hinted at reconsidering his party’s alliance with the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) after eidul Fitr, a private TV channel reported on Thursday. Addressing journalists during an Iftar reception in Karachi, Pir Pagara said the PmLF wants to work with the PPP but the latter did not seem inclined to work with it. “President Asif Zardari is in favour of the alliance but his party leaders are bent on sabotaging it,” he said, adding that there were no chances of the elections being held within one year. meanwhile, Prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, who is visiting Sindh, called on the PmLF chief at his residence for talks.

Punjab Chief minister Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday visited muzaffargarh district where he met two women who had previously been paraded naked in the streets and filmed through mobile phones.

The victims begged the chief minister to provide them justice and punish the culprits. Shahbaz assured them that the accused would be arrested soon and be brought to justice for the inhuman act.

He also directed the District Police Officer (DPO) Zeeshan Asghar and DSP Tahir Khursheed to arrest all the accused within 12 hours or face termination.

On Wednesday in a shocking incident, two women were forcibly paraded naked on streets in muzaffargarh.

The incident took place in Khan Garh, a town in district muzaffargarh, where two women were disgraced by a dozen armed men and forced to walk naked on the streets.

Friday, 10 August, 2012

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04 News Govt will not allow misuse of blasphemy law: Zardari

Parliament is mother Continued FRom page 01

the gasification project to generate electricity from coal, announced a month’s salary as bonus for all those working on the project.

The prime minister said the completion of the project would attract investors from around the world and generate massive economic activity. Ashraf said the current project was the outcome of years of devoted work and had been a success.

He praised Dr Samar mubarakmand for working on the gasification project without drawing any salary.

He said initial estimates put 2 billion barrels of diesel in one block only. The coal reservoirs, he said, could be used to produce urea fertilizer, diesel, electricity and gas. He said three companies were currently working in the area, while many other international organizations were keen to join hands. Ashraf said the people of Thar had the first right to the coal reservoirs and their right had been strengthened after the passage of the 18th Amendment.

Pakistan swelling Continued FRom page 01

conventional military operations. Dated July 23, the CRS in its report said Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal probably consisted of approximately 90-110 nuclear warheads, although it could be larger.

“Islamabad is producing fissile material, adding to related production facilities, and deploying additional delivery vehicles,” it said, adding these steps could enable Pakistan to undertake both quantitative and qualitative improvements to its nuclear arsenal. “Whether and to what extent Pakistan’s current expansion of its nuclear weapons-related facilities is a response to the 2008 US-India nuclear cooperation agreement is unclear. Islamabad does not have a public, detailed nuclear doctrine, but its ‘minimum credible deterrent’ is widely regarded as designed to dissuade India from taking military action against Pakistan,” the CRS said.

SC indicts Continued FRom page 01

Further hearing of the case was adjourned until August 29. Previously, a threejudge bench comprising Justice mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Amir Hani muslim had issued a notice after a note put forward by the Registrar of the Supreme Court and a separate plea moved by Chaudhry Ashraf Gujjar, advocate of the Supreme Court and former president of the Islamabad Bar Association. The bench in its order had noted that prima facie, after going through the contents of the press conference, malik Riaz attempted at ridiculing the court and the judges of this court. The bench said malik had showed disrespect for the judiciary and caused obstruction in administration of justice.

Friday, 10 August, 2012

ISLAMABAD

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nEW dELHI: Indian yoga guru Baba Ramdev gestures as he sits during a protest against corruption on Thursday. AfP

A subterranean ‘caliphate’ that saw no daylight for 10 years MONITORING DESK Russian authorities have unearthed a muslim cult whose founder had ‘a vision from God’: He would build an Islamic caliphate under the earth. According to a report in Huffington Post on Thursday, the digging began about a decade ago and 70 followers soon moved into an eightlevel subterranean honeycomb of cramped cells with no light, heat or ventilation.

Children were born.

They, too, lived in the cold underground cells for many years – until authorities raided the compound last week and freed the 27 sons and daughters of the sect.

Ages 1 to 17, the children rarely saw the light of day and had never left the property, attended school or been seen by a doctor, officials said Wednesday. Their parents – sect members who call themselves “muammin,” from the Arabic for “believers” – were charged with child abuse. The sect’s 83-year-old founder, Faizrakhman Satarov, who declared himself a prophet in contradiction to the principles of Islam, was charged with negligence, said Irina Petrova, deputy prosecutor in the provincial capital of Kazan. The children were discovered when police searched the sect grounds as part of an investigation into the recent killing of a top Tatarstan muslim cleric, an attack local officials blame on radical Islamist groups that have

mushroomed in the oil-rich, Volga River province of Tatarstan.

Satarov ordered his followers to live in cells they dug under a three-story brick house topped by a small minaret with a tin crescent moon. Only a few sect members were allowed to leave the premises to work as traders at a local market, Russian media reported. The children were examined at hospitals and will temporarily live in an orphanage, pediatrician Tatyana moroz said. “They looked nourished but dirty, so we had to wash them,” she said in televised remarks.

Their parents expressed concern about the children’s medical treatment. Doctors “can do anything to them,” Fana Sayanova, a woman wearing a long white dress with her face veiled, told local television. The decrepit house on a 700-square-meter (7,530-square-foot) plot of land was built illegally and will be demolished, Tatarstan police said. “They will come with bulldozers and guns, but they will have to demolish this house over our dead bodies!” sect member Gumer Ganiyev said on the Vesti television channel. The ailing Satarov appointed Ganiyev as his deputy prophet, according to local media. Satarov had followers in several other cities in Tatarstan and other Volga River provinces, local media reported. In a 2008 interview with the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily, Satarov

said that he fell out with other clerics and authorities in the Communist era, when he said the KGB sent him to muslim nations with stories about religious freedom in the officially atheist Soviet Union.

Government-approved Orthodox Christian, muslim and Jewish clerics routinely traveled abroad on Soviet publicity trips.

“That’s how I became Satan’s servant, a traitor,” the white-bearded and turbaned man was quoted as saying.

“When I understood that, I repented and started preaching.” muslim leaders in Tatarstan said Satarov’s views contradict Islamic doctrine. “Islam postulates that there are no other prophets after mohammad,” Kazanbased theologian Rais Suleimanov told the Gazeta.ru online publication Tuesday. Police raided Satarov’s house last Friday as part of an investigation into the killing of Valiulla Yakupov, Tatarstan’s deputy chief mufti, who was gunned down in mid-July as he left his house in Kazan. minutes later, chief mufti Ildus Faizov was wounded in the legs when a bomb blast ripped through his car in Kazan.

Both clerics were known as critics of radical Islamist groups that advocate a strict and puritanical version of Islam known as Salafism.

Prosecutors have named two suspects in Yakupov’s killing who remain at large and arrested five others in the case.

Senate chairman suggests names for commission on new provinces ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Nayyar Hussain Bukhari has proposed six names for the commission to be formed for the creation of new provinces in Punjab. According to details, two names from the PPP, and one name each from the Awami National Party, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, the PmL-N and the PmL-Q have been sent to the National Assembly’s Secretariat.

The list has been proposed in view of respective party positions in the Senate.

Senators Farhatullah Babar, Sughra Imam, Haji Adeel, Kamil Ali Agha, Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Rafiq are included in the proposed list. ONlINE

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ReSIDeNT Asif Zardari on Thursday said the government is aware of the misuse of blasphemy law against minorities by vested interests and it will not permit the misuse of any law against vulnerable groups.

Addressing a reception at the Presidency held to mark National minorities Day, Zardari called upon religious scholars from all schools of thought to get together and consider ways and means to stop the misuse of blasphemy law. “On this day we reaffirm that despite belonging to different faiths we are one nation and together we march for a prosperous Pakistan,” he said, adding that the government is committed to ensuring equal rights for all minority communities. “August 11 has a special significance in our national calendar as it was on this day in 1947 when the Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam muhammad Ali Jinnah, made a historic speech in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan,” he said. The president underscored the need for removing distrust and misunderstandings among the followers of different reli-

gions. “There is an urgent need in the world today more than ever for removing distrust and misunderstandings among the followers of different religions,” he said.

“We all must work together to prove wrong those who predict clash of civilization,” he said. Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, diplomats, federal ministers and representatives of minorities, including Lahore Bishop Alexander John malik and PPP minorities leader Napolean Qayyum, were also present on the occasion.

Malik Riaz’s counsel says Arsalan probe put to halt ISLAMABAD: Zahid Bukhari, attorney for malik Riaz Hussain, on Thursday said the investigation into the Arsalan Iftikhar case had been put to a halt. He claimed that reports that the investigation was underway were wrong. Bukhari said Arsalan Iftikhar, son of Chief Justice Iftikhar muhammad Chaudhry, never appeared before the investigation officer. He said his client Riaz

had already raised the issue with the apex court that investigations should not have been stopped after the statement of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Prosecutor General KK Agha. Bukhari said although NAB had removed the controversial members from the team, still the investigations had not resumed. The lawyer said this impression was wrong that he wanted to

delay the hearing of the case for long, adding that he wanted quick justice. earlier, KK Agha informed the court that two members of the JIT, Islamabad SP Faisal Bashir memom and FIA’s Nasarullah Godal, who had been accused by Arsalan Iftikhar of being partial, had been taken off the team, leaving the remaining three members, all belonging to NAB, to investigate the matter. INP

Iran hosts Syria talks, calls for national dialogue TEHRAN AFp

Iran on Thursday hosted a 29-nation conference on Syria with the aim of stopping bloodshed there and forging a role for Tehran as peace-broker for its beleaguered Arab ally. Foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi opened the meeting by calling for “national dialogue between the (Syrian) opposition, which has popular support, and the Syrian government to establish calm and security,” according to state television. He added that Iran was prepared to host any such dialogue.

Salehi said Iran was opposed to “any foreign interference and military in-

tervention in resolving the Syrian crisis” and supported efforts extended by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

He said Iran had sent humanitarian aid to Syria to make up for international sanctions on Damascus that he said “are not in the interest of the Syrian people but have added to their suffering.” excluded from the Tehran meeting were Western and Gulf Arab nations that Iran has accused of giving military backing to the bloody near 17-month insurgency seeking to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. State media said the foreign ministers of Iraq, Pakistan and Zimbabwe were present.

Lower-ranking diplomats, most

of them ambassadors, represented the other nations. Salehi listed those nations as: Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Benin, Belarus, China, Cuba, ecuador, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, maldives, mauritania, Nicaragua, Oman, Russia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. A representative of the United Nations was also present.

Kuwait and Lebanon had said before the meeting they would not send representatives. Iran is endeavouring to establish a ceasefire in Syria and start national dialogue between the Syrian opposition and government.

But Tehran is at the same time pledging to stick by Assad, whose forces

are battling rebels in war for Syria that has so far cost more than 21,000 lives, activists estimate. A top aide to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Saeed Jalili, met Assad in Damascus on Tuesday to vow Tehran would not permit the bond between it and Assad’s regime to be broken. There was no immediate word from the Syrian opposition and rebels on how they viewed the Tehran conference.

Iran’s hasty organisation of the meeting appeared to be an attempt to step into a diplomacy vacuum caused by the August 2 resignation of Kofi Annan as UN-Arab League peace envoy on the Syria crisis. The frustrated former UN chief had said that “continuous finger-pointing and

name-calling” within the UN Security Council had undermined his mission.

He also said he believed Assad would go “sooner or later.” Iran, which blamed Annan’s departure on US support for Syria’s rebels, said it was trying to revive parts of Annan’s six-point peace plan. Tehran’s position hews closely to that of moscow, which along with China has blocked three Security Council attempts to sanction Assad’s regime. Russia and Iran believe Western criticism of Assad’s heavy-handed crackdown glosses over the role of Syria’s rebels in the conflict.

Iran also backs Syria’s portrayals of the rebels as foreign-backed “terrorists” armed by Sunni rivals Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey.

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05 Kaira hopes sense will prevail, stalemate will end g

Haqqani calls for reorientation of Pak-US ties

information minister says govt not in confrontation with judiciary ISLAMABAD

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NFORmATION minister Qamar Zaman Kaira on Thursday said he hoped sense will prevail and the stalemate between the executive and the judiciary will end.

Speaking in a TV talk show, Kaira rejected the notion that the system was under any threat, saying, “What threat?

If you talk of a military coup, I must say the military has learnt a lot from the past. Their role has been positive in the whole of our tenure. They held themselves accountable to parliament for the first time.”

He said the government respected the courts and “we think there is no reason for a collision. We restored the constitution in its best possible form and if improvement is needed it can be done with consensus.”

“It is the constitution that explains that the letter cannot be written since the president is in the office,” he said and added, “We have repeatedly stated our position on the issue of writing the letter and that is that the president has exemption under Article 248.”

To another question regarding the president’s running the party affairs, Kaira said the office of the president was

an elected office. “If the president guides the government and consults the prime minister and the ministers for betterment what is bad about it?

He dispelled the impression that the government was disobeying the courts and questioned, “Tell me which decision was disobeyed. For the first time in the history a unanimously-elected prime minister was sent home and we accepted

the decision. Parliament’s law had been struck down and we accepted and decided to go into appeal.”

To a question about the solution to the present situation, he said the solution was also known to the courts. “We hope that there is some way out. We should hope for good. Despondency cannot lead to betterment.”

Kaira categorically stated that the government was not in confrontation with the judiciary. But, an atmosphere had been created by different individual acts.

The minister said parts of the laws which were considered against the constitution could be annulled but could not be struck down in totality.

“Parliament should not be undermined. Politicians are blamed that they lack the capacity to deliver but it should be known that those, who are blamed for it, were guided by the hidden hands.”

“If parliament fails to deliver, it has to better its performance itself. Parliament also has the right to explain the constitution. Can any law be struck down only because that its some portions are objectionable?”

He said, “parliament is well aware about the laws its frames. The people may comment on that for the sake of controversy but undermining the powers of the Parliament is not right. Annulling

any law absolutely is disappointing for me.”

To a question about the press conference of Faisal Raza Abidi, the minister said the approach of an individual could not be described as the approach of a party. “We are a democratic party where people also have individual opinions as manifested during the legislation in the Senate when Aitzaz Ahsan and Raza Rabbani expressed reservations on a bill.”

Asked about the conduct of the courts, the minister said he did not want to comment on the conduct of institutions.

He said if there was any discrepancy in the executive, only the executive had to mend it. “We do not say we have not committed follies. We are also human beings and some times have to make decisions under compulsions. But, these decisions are commented out of context.”

Asked about any flexibility on part of the government, Kaira said the government showed flexibility and accepted the decision. “even in the contempt of court law decision, we have decided to go into appeal. We desire a solution and hope something better. The government is fulfilling its duties under the Constitution as it did lead by former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.”

SC moved to prevent Nisar from nominating caretaker PM ISLAMABAD OnLInE

The Supreme Court was moved on Thursday to prevent Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Nisar Ali Khan from exercising his recentlyacquired constitutional powers to nominate a caretaker prime minister. The SC was reminded that at Nisar’s objection last year, the SC had disqualified one of its former judges, Syed Deedar Hussain Shah, from holding the office of the National Accountability Bureau chairman. “Now is the time to examine the constitutional credentials of the respondent and give a ruling about the fitness,” stated the appellant Shahid Orakzai. The court was asked to note the recent advantage the leader of opposition had gained in the game after his nominee was appointed the chief election commissioner. The Islamabad High Court is also to hear a petition against the appointment of the octogenarian Jurist Fakhruddin G Ibrahim as the commissioner. The final decision about the caretaker prime minister, under the 20th Amendment, is to be taken by the fivemember election commission headed by Ibrahim. “This court may, therefore take into account the inherent risk and intrinsic jeopardy in the extensive opportunities and openings available to the leader of the opposition in critical situations under the amended constitution. Any person with doubtful loyalty can exploit the given chance or authority even for a short span of time.

One’s lip deep commitment to the sovereignty of Pakistan is not to be trusted by the constitution,” Orakzai pointed out.

The court was asked to declare that a person whose family takes citizenship of another state is not qualified to represent the people of Pakistan because the constitution considers the public representatives a family man. The court was further told that all public representatives while swearing allegiance to Pakistan commit themselves to preserve its Islamic ideology and the person is disqualified from being a candidate or being a member if any of his dependents take a loan of two million rupees from any bank which has remained unpaid for more than one year.

QuETTA: police personnel seize explosives recovered from a vehicle after a raid near Bhoosa Mandi area on Thursday. ONlINE

NEW YORK App

Pakistan’s former Ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani has said that Pakistan and the United States need to focus on friendship and not an alliance. He was speaking about Pakistan-US relations, how that alliance was damaged and Pakistan’s national interest at a lecture at Chautauqua Institute. He was of the view that since Pakistan’s current national interests do not align with the United States, he proposed that the US and Pakistan stop thinking of themselves as an alliance. He said the more Pakistan and the US view each other as allies with deviating national interests, the more difficult it will be to maintain an alliance. Haqqani is now a Professor of International Relations at Boston University and Director for South and Central Asia at Hudson Institute. He said the two countries should focus on friendship – one in which they trade, engage with each other, and have civil society groups and politicians work with one another. He said Pakistan and the United States have clashing narratives about their alliance.

From the Pakistanis’ perspective, the US and Pakistan have been allies for 60 years, but the US has walked away several times and cannot dictate Pakistan’s foreign policy. From the Americans’ perspective, Pakistan is not a true ally. Pakistani public opinion remains anti-American despite the amount of aid the country receives, Husain Haqqani said. And Americans question Pakistan’s involvement with terrorists and its ability to fulfill promises. Haqqani said in terms of favorability, only 12 per cent of Pakistanis have a favorable view of the US and 80 per cent have an unfavorable view, according to a 2012 Pew Research Center poll conducted in Pakistan.

New US study finds diverse beliefs in Muslim world WASHINGTON AFp

The global muslim community of 1.6 billion people agree on the core principles of their faith, but differ widely in religiosity and religious tolerance, according to a poll published Thursday. “muslims are unified by core beliefs and in core practices” like faith in a single God, believe in the Prophet mohammed (PBUH) and fasting during Ramadan, but “there are differences, sometimes widely” in religious interpretation, James Bell, the principal author of the new Pew Research Center study, told AFP. The report, which Bell said was “unprecedented” in scope, was conducted in over 80 languages in 39 countries that account for 67 percent

of the world’s muslim population.

Researchers interviewed around 38,000 people in 2008-2009 and 2011-2012 as part of a larger project on changes in global religions.

Between 85 and 100 percent of muslims believe in God and revere the Prophet mohammed (PBUH), the survey said. eight of ten people interviewed in sub-Saharan Africa as well as South and Southeast Asia say religion is “very important.”

But only six in ten agreed in sample countries of the middle east and North Africa, and only one in two agreed in former Soviet countries like Russia and some Central Asian republics.

In the middle east and North Africa, muslims aged 35 and over are

more religious than their younger counterparts. The opposite is true of religiosity in Russia.

In 39 countries surveyed, men are more likely than women to pray at a mosque, which Bell explained “is likely to do with social culture about how women publicly observe their worship.” Still, “in most countries surveyed... women are about as likely as men to read (or listen to readings from) the Koran on a daily basis,” the report said.

A median figure of 63 percent of muslims in surveyed countries believe there is only one way to interpret Islam. Only 37 percent of American muslims agreed with that statement.

In countries where Sunnis and Shiites live side by side in large numbers — such as Lebanon and Iraq — believ-

ers are more likely to accept the other sect.

Conversely, in predominantly Sunni Pakistan, 41 percent of muslims believe Shiites are not true muslims.

A quarter of everyone surveyed “identify themselves neither as Sunni nor Shiite but as ‘just a muslim.’”

Nine out of ten muslims interviewed were born into the religion.

Conversion rates are highest in former communist countries, with seven percent of all converts in Russia. many of the converts were raised in atheism.

“When it comes to conversion ... it is not playing a large role in expanding or growing the number of muslims around the world,” said Bell.

Pew plans to publish another survey soon on muslims’ social and political attitudes.

Friday, 10 August, 2012

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Friday, 10 August, 2012

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‘Lion of God’ remembered LHC seeks

list of new HGOs

Shahbaz orders tight security

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LAHORE

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STAFF REpORT

UNJAB Chief minister Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday directed senior officers of law enforcement agencies to ensure fool proof security arrangements in all districts of the province at the occasion of the anniversary of Hazrat Ali’s (RA) martyrdom.

He stressed that special security measures should be adopted at all mosques and Imam Bargahs with sufficient number of police personnel to ward off any untoward incident.

The Cm ordered police and law-enforcing agencies to keep a vigilant eye on suspicious elements and to check the records of persons staying at different hotels, hostels and guest houses.

Furthermore, he said that security cordons should be formed at four locations on the routes of processions and jammers should be used so that any anti-state elements will be unable to achieve their nefarious designs.

He said that the police, administration and ulema, with mutual consultation, should ensure strict implementation of the timings of the processions besides making necessary arrangements for generators, streetlights and sanitation on the routes of the processions.

LAHORE App

fIve dIsTRICTs deClARed unsAfe foR YouM-e-AlI LAHORE STAFF REpORT

Punjab government on Thursday declared five districts of the province unsafe for the occasion of Youm-e-Ali and beefed up the security as a precautionary measure.

The five districts believed to be unsafe in terms of security are Lahore, Chakwal, Faisalabad, Sargodha and Rahimyar Khan. Police and administra-

tion have been directed to take extra security measures during processions to be taken out on the occasion.

Police sources said that on special directives of Punjab Chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, security in the said districts has been tightened with deployment of additional security forces.

The chief minister has warned the police authorities that negligence in security issue would not be tolerated at all.

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Thursday directed ministry of Religious Affairs to submit a list of 100 new Haj group organizers (HGOs) who qualify the criteria by August 15.

The court also directed the ministry to inform Haj pilgrims about complaint centers located in makkah and medina so that in case of complaints, their grievances could be addressed immediately.

The court passed these orders after hearing a petition filed by Ashfaq Ahmad mirza and others against new Haj group organizers not being allotted the quota despite court orders. earlier, ministry’s counsel sought time to file details of new Haj group organizers.

The court was informed that more than 700 applications were being scrutinized for new Haj organizers and details had been forwarded to Federal Board of Revenue for verification.

The chief justice ordered

the completion of the process by August 15.

A ministry officer said that complaint centers were located in Saudi Arabia as well as Pakistan so that complaints against new HGOs could be addressed The court directed ministry to inform Haj pilgrims in writing about complaint centre located in

makkah and medina.

The petitioners submitted that the court had ordered the ministry to allot a quota of 5000 pilgrims to new HGOs and complete the process by June 18. However, the respondents were delaying the matter to avoid allotment of quota to new HGOs. They asked the court to initiate contempt proceedings against the respondents for disobeying court order.

Robbers posing as lESCO officials rob businessman MONITORING REPORT Robbers stole 60 tola jewellery and Rs 600,000 from the house of a businessman in Shadbagh on Thursday, City42 reported.

According to the report, two robbers pretending to be LeSCO officials entered the house of Afzal Butt, a businessman and a resident of Nabipura, Shadbagh. They robbed him of 60 tolas of jewellery, Rs 600,000 and escaped from the scene. After the incident, the police filed an FIR against unidentified robbers.

GANG BUStED: The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) of Allama Iqbal Town Police busted a gang of robbers and arrested its three members. Police recovered Rs 2 million in cash, four cell phones as well as illegal weapons from their possession.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Umar Virk formed a team under the supervision of CIA DSP Iqbal Town and succeeded in busting Waqas alias Viki gang.

The dacoits were identified as Waqas alias Viki Butt, Fiaz masih and muhammad Naveed.

5 InjuRed In Roof CollAPse InCIdenTs LAHO R E S TA F F R E p O R T

At least five persons were injured in separate roof collapse incidents due to rain here on Thursday morning.

According to details, three persons were injured when roof of a weakly constructed house located in

Inner mori Gate area collapsed. The injured were rushed to hospital by rescue personnel.

In another incident two persons were buried under the rubble of a house after it collapsed during heavy rain. The rescue teams dug out the injured from the rubble and shifted them to hospital.

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Lahore 07 Striking AGPR staff demands 100pc audit allowance LAHORE

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AKISTAN Audit Department (PAD) Action Committee President Tahir Bokhari and Tahir Nazir on Thursday said in a joint statement that the demand of PAD employees for 100 percent audit allowance was quite reasonable and genuine.

They said the Pakistan Audit Department was making recovery of over 60 percent revenue of the income tax, sales tax, custom duties and Federal excise duty and Depositing the same into government treasury. They recalled that former Public Accounts Committee chairman Chuadhry Nisar Ali Khan, during a PAC meeting, was so happy over the excellent performance of Pakistan Audit Department and Rs 40 billion recovery that he termed its employees heroes of the country. During the same meeting, he promised to make efforts for

the grant of 100 percent allowance for them.

He also gave a suggestion that all the government organisations and authorities like Pakistan Railways, PIA, Pakistan Steel mill, Radio Pakistan and others which are not being audited by Pakistan Audit Department should also come under its jurisdiction for the purposes of audit. They contended that Pakistan Railways, PIA and Pakistan Steel mill have reached the brink of destruction. They said the employees of Pakistan Army, Federal Board of Revenue, Health Department, motorway, Income Tax, FIA, federal police, ASF, Pakistan Rangers, Civil Aviation Authority and other departments of the federal government are drawing 100 percent allowance. They said that their demand for 100 percent audit allowance be accepted forthwith.

The employees of Pakistan Audit Department have been on strike since June 7 to press for their demand of 100 percent audit allowance.

jI asks CM to build dyke along Ravi LAHORE App

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Liaquat Baloch has asked Punjab Chief minister Shahbaz Sharif to build a dyke along Ravi River near Narang mandi, Sheikhupura.

In his letter to the Cm, he stated that India had released water into Ravi which could

cause flooding in Narang mandi and its suburbs. He urged the Cm to issue orders to the Irrigation Department for the construction of a dike to save the area from inundation.

He also said that farmers were facing a hard time because their crops were destroyed by the gradual erosion of Ravi, and asked the Cm to help them out in this time of need.

Pu to declare bA/bSc result tomorrow LAHORE OnLInE

FEELIng HOT HOT HOT: A monkey, to tired to work, bathes in water on Thursday. NNI

Fauzia Qasoori condemns malice against women LAHORE OnLInE

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Women Wing) leader Fauzia Qasoori has condemned the violation of women rights in the country.

While addressing a press conference at PTI’s central office, Qasoori announced to unveil her party’s policy for the protection of women rights shortly.

She took notice of brutality against a couple of women in muzzaffargarh and fixed the responsibility of the incident on the federal and provincial governments.

She said that both Islam and the Constitution guaranteed fair rights for women and proper legislation has also been passed in favor of women, but incidents of ill treatment were widening across the country.

Terming it as sheer negligence and incompetence of the ruler, Qasoori said that around 3153 incidents of women rights appeared from July 2011 to December 2011.

She further said that PTI did not represent the elite of the country and rather catered to women from all back grounds.

Punjab University (PU) on Thursday announced that it will declare BA/BSc annual examination results tomorrow (Saturday).

In a press release, PU said that result declaration and prize distribution ceremony for BA/BSc annual examination 2012 will be held on Saturday, 11th August 2012 at 9 am in AlRaazi Hall Undergraduate Block, Quaid-i-Azam Campus.

PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr mujahid Kamran will be the chief guest on the occasion.

CiNe STAr PH: 35157462

THe AMAziNg SPiderMAN 03:00 PM CoCKTAiL 09:00 PM CoCKTAiL 11:30 PM THe dArK KNigHT riSeS (FridAY Aug 10) 12:00 AM THe dArK KNigHT riSeS (SATurdAY Aug 11) 09:00PM THe dArK KNigHT riSeS (SuNdAY Aug 12) 12:00AM

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rowdY rATHore rowdY rATHore CoCKTAiL THe AMAziNg SPiderMAN THe AMAziNg SPiderMAN

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Rana Sana asks police to stay vigilant LAHORE STAFF REpOR

Punjab Law minister Rana Sanaullah stated on Thursday that the government was seeking cooperation of religious scholars from all schools of thought to ensure the security on Youm-e-Ali (R.A.). Law enforcement agencies had been directed to stay vigilant in order to avoid any untoward incident.

He said this during a meeting with Shia clerics ahead of Youm-e-Ali (R.A.).

Sanaullah urged people to maintain unity of ranks on this day.

He said that security officials had been put on high alert for the occasion throughout the province. He also said that fool proof security plans were put in place and large contingents of police were deputed at mosques and imam bargahs.

The Shia clerics expressed satisfaction over the security arrangements made for Youm-e-Ali (R.A.) and thanked the provincial government.

Friday, 10 August, 2012

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PrAYer TiMiNgS Fajr Sunrise 03:56 05:23

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HoSPiTALS Mid CiTY 37573382-3 SerViCeS 99203402-11 MAYo 99211100-9 geNerAL 35810892-8 SHeiKH zAid 35865731 Sir gANgA rAM 99200572 uCH 35763573-5 iTTeFAQ 35881981-85 CMH 366996168-72 SHouKAT KHANuM 35945100 jiNNAH 111-809-809 AdiL (deFeNCe) 36667275 CHiLdreN’S 99230901-3 deFeNCe NATioNAL HoSPiTAL 111-17-18-19

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How It Is and How It sHould be n

JIMMY ENGINEER ASKS FOR REVIVAL OF PAKISTAN MOVEMENT SPIRIT THAT DROVE MILLIONS TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES ISLAMABAD

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“Somehow we have forgotten the sacrifices, struggles and sufferings of our forefathers”

App

ROmINeNT artist and social worker Jimmy engineer on Thursday said that it is important to revive the spirit of Pakistan movement in order to pull the country out of crisis and to put it on a path of progress, development and prosperity.

In an interview, Jimmy engineer said that the youth needed to be reminded of sufferings and the sacrifices of the millions of men and women who had struggled for the creating of this country.

“Somehow we have forgotten the sacrifices, struggles and sufferings of our forefathers and today we need to revive the spirit of the Pakistan movement,” he said.

He said the trauma of the partition had inspired his paintings three decades ago.

He added that over the years, he had made donations from the sales of his paintings to various educational institutes, organizations and other places of public interest to revive the sentiment of the Pakistan movement and to remind people of the sacrifices of their forefathers. He said that he is even willing to donate paintings to all institutions and organizations for the benefit of the public.

He said that his Pakistan movement paintings had given huge recognition in not only in Pakistan but all over the world. He expressed pride in his work and how it had created an everlasting im-

print of the Pakistan movement and its historical importance.

He explained his family background in context of the partition, saying that he was born in a Parsi family from Loralai, Balochistan seven years after Pakistan had come into existence.

He believes his ability to paint on huge canvasses to be a gift from God and he

added that he feels it was his purpose in life to paint the trauma of the partition.

He explained that it was in the early 1970s that he had started dreaming of bloodshed and violence.

Perplexed over the meaning of these dreams, he had visited several religious scholars like Sufi Barkat Ali of Darul ehsan, Salarwala near Faisalabad who advised him to start painting his dreams.

He had acted accordingly and realized his paintings showed the bloodshed and the suffering from the time of the partition.

He added that he was proud of being the artist who has done a series of paintings that are now known as Pakistan movement paintings and which have received such recognition and respect.

Regarding the next display of his paintings, he said he would do so when he was assured of the safety and secure transportation of his expensive paintings.

He said his two original paintings of the Pakistan movement were on permanent display, one each at the National Art Gallery in Islamabad and the Permanent Art Gallery in the Alhamra Cultural Complex in Lahore.

AirPorT FLigHT eNQuirY PiA reSerVATioN

114 111-786-786

100 GHAZALS OF MAULANA RUMI

YOGA AND MeDITATION CLASSeS

CALLIGRAPHY & ARAbIC CLASSeS

CoLLegeS / uNiVerSiTieS PuNjAb uNiVerSiTY KiNNAird CoLLege QueeN MArY CoLLege goVT. CoLLege uNiVerSiTY uMT LuMS ueT LCwu SuPerior CoLLege Friday, 10 August, 2012

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Foreign News 09 Syria’s Assad appoints new PM after defection DAMAScUS

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ReSIDeNT Bashar al-Assad has appointed Wael alHalqi as Syria’s new premier, state television reported on Thursday, after his predecessor defected to join a rebellion. “The president has signed Decree 298, appointing Wael al-Halqi as the new prime minister,” the broadcaster reported. Health minister Halqi was appointed to replace Riad Hijab, whose defection to the opposition was announced on monday.

Hijab’s was the highest-level defection from Assad’s regime since the outbreak of a revolt almost 17 months ago.

The former premier arrived on Wednesday morning in Jordan with his family, according to Jordanian Information minister Samih maayatah.

“Hijab and members of his family entered Jordan during the early hours of Wednesday,” maayatah told AFP without elaborating.

The new premier was born in 1964 in the southern province of Daraa, where the uprising broke out in march 2011.

A father of four, Halqi holds a degree in medicine from the University of Damascus. He is specialised in gynecology and obstetrics. Hijab served as ruling Baath Party secretary in Daraa from 2000 to 2004, and was president of the order of doctors in 2010.

The rebel Free Syrian Army withdrew completely from the embattled district of Salaheddin in the northern city of Aleppo on Thursday as regime forces advanced, a rebel commander said.

“We have staged a tactical withdrawal from Salaheddin,” the commander, Hossam Abu mohammed, told AFP by phone.

“The district is completely empty of rebel fighters. Regime forces are now advanc-

renewed clashes hit egypt’s Sinai cAIRO AFp

Police and gunmen clashed on Thursday in the Sinai town of el-Arish, egyptian TV said after the authorities vowed to crush a surge in Islamist militancy, although state news agency meNA denied the report.

The state-owned Nile News television said there were clashes outside a police station in the north Sinai town a day after reported air strikes killed 20 militants in a neighbouring village.

However meNA said later that a “security official denied reports that the... police station in el-Arish came under fire,” in an account backed by witnesses who said they did not see or hear any clashes. meNA said that a man driving a unlicensed car had fired several shots in the air on the street housing the police station, without aiming at it.

The conflicting reports came a day after security forces launched a campaign to uproot the militants following an attack by gunmen on a guard post near the border with Israel that killed 16 troops. “elements from the armed forces and interior ministry supported by the air force began a plan to restore security by pursuing and targeting armed terrorist elements in Sinai, and it has accomplished this task with complete success,” it said. Wednesday’s reported air strikes in Tumah village — the first in the peninsula for decades — came as security forces massed near Rafah on the Gaza border for what they called a decisive confrontation with the militants.

A senior military official in Sinai said “20 terrorists were killed” in Apache helicopter raids and when soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division stormed Tumah. He said the militants were trying to escape when the helicopter targeted their vehicles.

Other security officials in the north of the peninsula reported air strikes near the town of Sheikh Zuwayid, close to the village. The fallout from Sunday’s attack, the deadliest for egyptian troops in decades, spread to Cairo where President mohamed morsi sacked his intelligence chief and two generals.

HOMS: Syrian men inspect the damage allegedly caused by shelling by forces loyal to president Bashar al-Assad on Thursday. AfP ing into Salaheddin.”

The rebels are still in streets near the key neighbourhood, said Abu mohammed, who commands the Dara alShahbaa Brigade. “We are in the Saif

al-Dawla and mashhad districts” east of Salaheddin, he said. He cited the violent bombardment by regime forces as the reason behind the FSA withdrawal.

“The artillery and aerial bombard-

ments are very heavy, and they are targeting all rebel-held areas surrounding Salaheddin,” said Abu mohammed.

Another FSA commander confirmed the pull-out.

Japan PM survives confidence vote TOKYO AFp

Japan’s prime minister survived a no-confidence motion on Thursday after reaching an 11th hour deal with a major opposition party over his much-cherished sales tax bill.

Yoshihiko Noda brushed off the attack by a phalanx of minor parties, including former rebels from his own disintegrating bloc, which comes ahead of an expected vote Friday on his plan to double consumption tax.

The main opposition Liberal Democratic Party had, in recent days, begun to renege on its promise to back the legislation, which independent commentators say is a good first step on the long road to

overhauling Japan’s huge debt pile, worth twice its GDP. But after exacting a somewhat vague promise from the premier that he would hold a general election “in the near future”, the LDP — who are expected to be the main beneficiaries of his sliding popularity — indicated they would not support the move. The motion of no-confidence was defeated by a majority of around three-to-one.

Broadcaster NHK reported that many LDP lawmakers stayed away from the session.

Analysts say the politically unpopular tax hike and the deals Noda has had to strike to give it a fighting parliamentary chance are likely to further shorten the life of his relatively young administration.

But in a country that has seen six new premiers in as many years, getting something tangible on the statute book is a major achievement likely to cement his place in history, they said.

With rebellions coming thick and fast from his own fractious party and no majority in the upper house, Noda had to offer his conservative opponents an electoral carrot for the bill, which will also overhaul Japan’s precariously balanced social security system.

But members of the governing Democratic Party of Japan are keen to avoid polls before absolutely necessary because of the risk of them being unseated, said Tetsuro Kato, professor of politics at Hitotsubashi University.

“The FSA’s brigades have staged a tactical withdrawal from Salaheddin in order to open a new front in Saif al-Dawla and mashhad,” said Wassel Ayub, who commands the Nur al-Haq Brigade.

bangladesh seeks donations to build graft-tainted bridge DHAKA: Bangladesh’s government is seeking donations from its citizens to build a $3-billion bridge over the Padma river after the World Bank cancelled a loan deal for the project, citing graft allegations.

Bangladesh Bank ordered all stateowned and private commercial banks to open “collection accounts” in their branches to receive donations from resident and expatriate Bangladeshis, the central bank said in a circular late on Wednesday.

The central bank said it issued the order on behalf of the finance ministry.

The donations will be free of any service charge and will be deposited in the state treasury at the end of every month, the central bank added.

The finance ministry said the government took the decision after “continued interest and enthusiasm among the people to participate in the construction of the Padma Bridge”. AFp

Appeal to help two million Philippine flood victims MANILA AFp

Philippine authorities appealed Thursday for help in getting relief to two million people affected by deadly floods in and around the capital, warning that evacuation centres were overwhelmed.

After more than a month’s worth of rain was dumped on manila in 48 hours, entire districts remained submerged although overflowing rivers had started to recede and neck-high waters seen earlier were typically down to knee deep.

The state weather service also dropped its rain warning on Thursday for the sprawling city of 15 million people, and a rare bout of sunshine in the afternoon added to an exhausted sense of relief for many.

Disaster chiefs said the top priority

was to help the 2.1 million people affected by the floods, as masses flocked to evacuation centres in search of a dry place to sleep, food, water, medicine and clothes. “We are repacking a lot of relief items, we need more help and are asking

for more volunteers,” Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman told AFP. “We have the food but we need to pack them, deliver and distribute them in this massive operation.”

Soliman said many evacuation cen-

tres were not able to provide muchneeded warm meals to the growing number of displaced. “most local government units do a community kitchen, but the volume of evacuees is so big that they have been overwhelmed. We are also appealing for more medicines, blankets, mats and, more importantly, dry clothes,” she said.

The number of people in schools, gymnasiums and other buildings that had been turned into evacuation centres rose to 315,000 on Thursday, from 150,000 on Wednesday, according to the government’s disaster management council. meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of others were left largely to fend for themselves, seeking refuge with friends and relatives, or staying in partly submerged homes.

Friday, 10 August, 2012

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10 Comment Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

On judicial activism There are limits

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

Threats The extremists like no one

By Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

mran Khan is no supporter of the US. He refuses to accept that the ongoing struggle against extremism and militancy is an existential issue for Pakistan. Instead, he calls it an “American war” and accuses the government of being a part of it. His electoral alliance with Sheikh Rashid, a star speaker at nearly every Defence of Pakistan Conference, is an indicator that he is ideologically nearer to the extremist alliance than any other party. Like the DPC, Imran vehemently opposes the permission given to Nato to take supplies through Pakistan. Last month, Imran announced that in August he would lead a peace march to Waziristan to publicize the plight of the victims of the US drone strikes. The TTP spokesman has warned him that if he dared to enter the Agency, he would be killed by the mujahideen.

udicial activism is a common feature in countries where parliaments are not sovereign and instead have constitutions emphasizing separation of powers and judicial review. It is, however, only in Pakistan where judicial activism has led to the dismissal of an elected prime minister and threatens to send home a second one.

The core issue is whether the apex court can take away the constitutional immunity granted to the president against litigation.

Dr Ali Qazilbash, a professor of law at LUmS, argues that there was very little room for un-clarity on the issue of presidential immunity in the constitution. Justice (rtd)Fazal Karim, however, maintains that while the basic premise of immunity was clear, there was, nonetheless, a fair amount of room for judicial interpretation and key questions could be raised by the Supreme Court, partly because the issue of immunity had not been invoked in Pakistan till now.

In his interview with the BBC, eminent lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan who defended Gilani in Supreme Court insists that the constitution clearly stipulates that the head of state could not be prosecuted. earlier, former judge of the Indian Supreme Court markandey Katju had remarked, “Pakistani Supreme Court, particularly its chief justice, has been showing utter lack of restraint. This is not expected of superior courts.” According to Katju, taking a cue from the “principle in British constitutional law, almost every constitution in the world has incorporated a provision giving total immunity to presidents and governors from criminal prosecution.”

The Supreme Court has also struck down the contempt law passed last month by parliament on the basis that it is unconstitutional. While the apex court has the authority to declare any primary legislation null and void if it considers it violative of the constitution, the power is usually exercised rarely and with restraint and only in cases wherein fundamental rights specifically enacted in the constitu-

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The TTP has given two reasons to declare Imran an “infidel”. First, Imran calls himself a liberal which in the eyes of the militant group is enough to prove that he has abandoned Islam. The second charge against Imran is that he believes in democracy and is keen to take part in elections. The TTP considers anyone including the religious parties who participate in elections as infidels and have vowed to target them. “The election process is part of a secular system,” said Ahsan. ”We want an Islamic system and will create hurdles to secularism.”

The extremist camp stands ideologically splintered though.

A section of the ulema in Pakistan, irrespective of their sect, continue to take part in parliamentary politics. even those supporting sectarian militancy have contested elections. In the Arab world, the muslim Brotherhood jumped into the elections after the ouster of Hosnie mubarak, got majority of seats in the assembly and occupied the presidential slot. A similar feat was performed by the moderate Islamist ennahada which assumed power in Tunisia. This shattered the Al-Qaeda which is deadly against democracy and elections and depends solely on violence as an instrument of change. even in Saudi Arabia, the hardline conservative Salafis are setting aside years of theological opposition to democracy. Saudi Salafi heavyweight Sheikh Salman al-Awdah recently took to his Twitter feed and Facebook page to declare that “Democracy might not be an ideal system, but it is the least harmful, and it can be developed and adapted to respond to local needs and circumstances.”

While the Al-Qaeda and its affiliates are getting isolated, their fury knows no bounds. What Imran Khan needs to realize is that the pernicious streak has to be wiped out. Any hobnobbing with them is dangerous for the country and democracy.

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tion were directly affected by the offending statute or law.

Fears are being expressed that an overzealous court in its pursuit of judicial activism might even prevent the parliament from exercising its right of amending the constitution with two-thirds majority.

Judicial activism has played an important role in a number of countries as long as it has remained within limits. Ten years before President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, US Supreme Court passed the landmark Brown v. Board of education verdict, which ended segregation in schools. A lead was, thus, provided by the court to reluctant politicians fearful of political backlash from the white population in the South. The european Court similarly enacted the law ensuring equality for women in workplaces which many governments were unwilling to pass.

Politicians have an ambivalent attitude to judicial activism; supporting it when it suits their political ends and opposing it when it doesn’t. The trend is not specific to Pakistan but is universal.

In 2005, as one of only 22 senators opposing the confirmation of John G Roberts as Chief Justice, Obama stated he would support the appointment of a judge “who upholds the Court’s historic role as a check on the majoritarian impulses of the executive branch and the legislative branch.”

In April this year, with Obamacare under attack, he warned the Supreme Court against the perils of judicial activism. Specifically, he warned against the court ruling the Obmacare unconstitutional. “Ultimately,” said the president, “I’m confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step of overturning

a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress.”

Judicial activism can be particularly helpful in a society where the governments are unresponsive and the administrative machinery is by and large dysfunctional as is the case with Pakistan.

This explains why many had welcomed when the Supreme Court took up the cases of police torture, missing persons, gross injustice to the common man and ordered the probe of scams involving powerful politicians and businessmen.

The Supreme Court, however, at times intervened in matters that were beyond its capacity. This wasted the court’s precious time without producing the desired results.

The court’s attempts to bring under control the prices of sugar, petroleum and power rates for instance met with no success.

The way the apex court determines the priority of the cases to be taken up has raised eyebrows and rightly so. For three years, it decided to ignore Air marshall Asghar Khan’s petition on ISI’s financing of selected politicians while it took up several cases of lesser national importance during the period.

Judicial activism is a double-edged sword and has to be exercised with caution. Temptation to use power must not lead to actions that create political uncertainty and thus have a negative impact on national economy and law and order. It must not lead to a situation wherein crucial talks with foreign countries aimed at resolving vital issues are stalled because of the uncertainty about the continuity of the country’s political administration.

The writer is a former academic and a political analyst.

Gold diggers pakistan hockey becomes the victim of its own successes and glory days… again

By Kunwar Khuldune Shahid

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he seven-nil mauling at the hands of the Kookaburras that eradicated Pakistan’s hopes of a semifinal berth in the Olympic Games men’s Hockey event on Tuesday, has resulted in another clamor for wholesale changes in the PHF (Pakistan Hockey Federation) and is being cited as yet another ‘funeral’ of Pakistan hockey. If kneejerk reactions were a sport, we’d be a shoo-in for gold at the Olympics at every single event; and if conjuring inflated expectations were another, we’d bully every other country out of the ballpark! every single time a

Friday, 10 August, 2012

Pakistani team takes to the field, we encumber them with such expectations that - more often than not - the poor souls capitulate like a house of cards. And as far as this burden of delusion is concerned, no one has fallen prey to overblown expectations more than our hockey team.

Before the Games began, the nation was expecting at least a podium finish, if not the Gold medal. And it did make perfect sense since hockey is our national sport, we’re ranked as high as 8th in the world and Pakistan was the undisputed king of the sport when Homo habilis were mulling over evolving into Homo erectus. That, coupled with the multitude of prayer mats laid out in Ramadan meant that we weren’t really giving any other nation a sniff.

Pre-Olympic friendly matches were a reality check, which confirmed that Pakistan hockey team was the “worst sports team in the history of the universe” and then it was almost as if no one really cared about the actual Games anymore.

With no hoopla and no exaggerated media hype, Pakistan started their Olympic campaign in a spirited fashion against Spain, where they were unlucky

not to have gotten more than a 1-1 draw; after which, the Gold was virtually in our pocket again. The delusion was further fueled after another clinical performance against Argentina, as our defense looked as sturdy as it has looked since the mid 1990s. And then, ladies and gentlemen, we redefined the term ‘blowing things out of proportions’ as the nation awaited the ‘Ramadan gift’ from the men in Green against Great Britain. That wasn’t to be, and then after a 4-1 defeat Pakistan was back to being the worst in the universe’s history.

The thrilling finish against South Africa meant that the Gold was back in our pocket again, with the small matter of a win against the world’s top ranked side – that also happens to be the World Champions, and a team that we have only beaten once in the last eight years – away from cementing our place in the final four. massive expectations, capitulation, you know the rest of the story…

Being optimistic about the team you support is one thing, but to believe that it’s your team’s divine right to rule the world just because they ruled the roost ages ago is not only delusional, it puts undue pres-

sure on them who then fail to even live up to their potential, let alone the unreasonable expectations. many a sports team has suffered due to combination of decorated history and insatiable fans.

The New York Yankees suffered in the mattingly era in the 1980s and 1990s; being the most successful mLB side in history took its toll that resulted in the franchise being absent from the playoffs for the longest time since 1921.

Liverpool FC, haven’t won the english league title since 1990 as the Anfield faithful still continue to peer into the 1980s archives, justifying their domination over england in antediluvian times as the rationale for expecting their side to roll everyone over in the 21st century.

Liverpool fans’ annual “this will be our year” chant is akin to Pakistan hockey fans’ clatter every time a major global event is around the corner. expecting a side ranked 8th in the world to blaze its way toward the gold, not only manifests the gold digging, glory hunting nature of the fans, it prevents the team from actually improving. One needs to applaud the mid-table finishes initially, acknowledge the strengths,

work on the weaknesses and then expect progress towards the top. If we scream bloody murder and cry for a revamp every time the team fails to finish at the podium, we’d continue to skirt the periphery of our potential, which has been the case for the last 18 years.

What the Yankees did – something that every team that suffers from gold digging fans should do – was this: they carved out a new dynasty that was founded upon a new breed of players and redefined their goals. The fans that never settled for anything less than a World Series triumph initially, gradually began accepting early playoff exists, which gradually stabilized matters and the Yankees began penetrating deeper into the playoffs before a new empire was created in the late 1990s. maybe Pakistan hockey should take cue from the Yanks and be patient, inject youth into the side, allowing them room for initial ‘failures’ to give them a chance to finally complete this much protracted transition to the top – or at least somewhere thereabout.

The writer is a staff member and can be reached at khulduneshahid@gmail.com

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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.

get your CNiC now!

This is with reference to the Chairman NADRA’s appeal that appeared in sections of press addressing political leaders for their assistance in mobilizing Pakistani citizens to obtain their computerized national identity cards (CNlCs). I think it is the first time ever in the history of Pakistan that such earnest efforts are being made by the authority to ensure maximum participation of the people. Now political parties should also play their role.

It has been the habit of defeated political parties to allege that the elections were engineered and/or many votes were bogus. But will they have the right to make this allegation unless they participate in the process of ensuring that the voter lists are accurate? If more citizens obtain their CNICs, it will be easier to compile correct electoral rolls.

Thus, political parties should play their part in the process. It is time to share this responsibility and every citizen, party or organization should come forward to ensure free and fair election. The good thing is that NADRA has now developed voters’ database for eCP instead of a list which is a significant historic change and will serve the nation in future.

MUHAMMAD NAWAZ KHAWAJA Karachi

Shooters It is very disappointing to see Pakistan’s performance in the London Olympics. Pakistani athletes failed to perform and the swimmers, runner and shooter all failed to qualify for the final rounds.

The thing which surprised me is that Pakistan even failed to win any medal in the shooting event. Target killing (carried out mostly by shooters) is on the rise in Karachi and also in many other cities of Pakistan.

I request these shooters in Pakistan to stop killing people in Pakistan and start training for the next Olympics which will also earn them money and respect.

MUBASHIR MAHMOOD Karachi

worthier causes await your attention Pakistani cricket team’s erstwhile captain-turned politician, Imran Khan, has announced to hold a protest march in September against unmanned predators (drones) strikes in Pakistan’s tribal areas. Khan plans to mobilize around 100,000 people including workers and volunteers from Reprieve, a UK-based NGO working against capital punishment and drone attacks. The protest rally route includes Bannu, Tank, miran Shah etc, areas which are infested by different groups of Al-Qaeda and Taliban. movement in that area is quite restricted, with the exception of army and militants who generally avoid each other; traveling could be

quite dangerous as could lead to aerial strikes and bloody ambushes. One could have difference of opinion with Khan on the usefulness of drone strikes (as compared to aerial bombardment which may result in extensive collateral damages), however, Khan could be effective in another area of conflict which needs politicians and NGOs’ urgent attention - persistent failure of antipolio campaigns in areas wherein displaced Pashtuns from tribal belt are living for last several years, especially in Karachi, Sindh.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has broken the worrisome news that polio virus gas been found

For shame!

Yet another heart wrenching incident of violence against women became the highlight of today’s leading newspapers.

Two women were held hostage, beaten up and later paraded naked on the streets due to the matter of a wedding proposal while the whole incident was being filmed on the cellphones of these filthy Neanderthals.

Will God ever forgive for what we do to each other? This is not an act of manhood but is an act of shame for 18 million people.

When in the holy the month of Ramadan, people seek forgiveness for their sins, some of them try to indulge themselves in such heinous crimes.

The roots of law and justice seem to be weakening in our society and this doesn’t bode well for our future. I cannot stop such crimes but I am not going to sit in silence either; I will strongly condemn this act of shame in every possible manner and word I can.

RIZWAN JAMIL JAFFERY Karachi

in sewage water samples collected from Gadap town and other rural outskirts of Karachi such as Sohrab goth, Baldia town.

WHO and its subsidiaries are unable to reach all the children in Pashtun localities of Karachi because of poor security situation and repeated attacks on polio vaccination teams in July.

We are not just talking about more than 200,000 children in North and South Waziristan and Khyber agency which have been declared by Taliban as no-go areas for anti-polio campaigners.

Unfortunately, we are facing the same situation in Karachi; however,

constitution.

However, if these elected political leaders can violate their oath and knowingly vote for a law which, in their own opinion, is against the constitution, just to keep their senate membership, how do they expect military and judiciary to keep their oath of protecting the constitution?

This also raises very interesting contradiction within the constitution. On the one hand, the constitution requires Senators and mNAs to swear to perform their functions honestly, to the best of their ability, faithfully, in accordance with the constitution, and to preserve, protect and defend the constitution.

On the other hand, if a Senator or mNA decides, in accordance with his oath, not to vote for, or vote against a money Bill or Constitution (Amendment) Bill which is against the constitution, he may, under Article 63A, end-up in ceasing to be a Senator or mNA as a price for acting in accordance with the oath and for performing his functions honestly, to the best of his ability, faithfully, in accordance with constitution, and for preserving, protecting and defending the constitution.

FARHAN TAHIR Lahore

in accordance with the constitution?

To save a life

Two members of the Senate of Pakistan, mr Aitzaz Ahsan and mian Raza Rabbani, voted for the Contempt of Court Act, 2012. This vote in favor of the act was given despite both of them were recorded saying on the floor of Senate, as reported in newspapers, something to the effect that there were some provisions in the act which are against the constitution of Pakistan. I would like to question: by voting for the act, have not they violated their oath of Senate in which they had sworn to perform their functions honestly, to the best of their ability, faithfully, in accordance with the constitution, and to preserve, protect and defend the constitution?

I believe that their actions were a result of a fear of the Defection Clause in Article 63A of the

I earnestly appeal to the President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime minister Raja Pervaiz Asharaf to save the precious life of a legend of Sindh, Shamsherul Haidri – philosopher, intellectual, scholar, writer, poet, drama writer, the first newscaster of Sindhi TV bulletin, disciple of Great Sindhi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai - who has been admitted to Aga Khan Hospital, Karachi and is suffering from bone cancer. He is in a precarious condition with no visible improvement and he is fighting for his life.

No doubt, he was an asset of Sindhi literature and we must take measures to help him out in this difficult time.

I appeal to the president and prime minister to send Shamsherul Haidri abroad for treatment

here government writ shall permit the anti-polio campaign to proceed without any security risks to medical staff and volunteers. 22,000 children are at risk only in Karachi.

We request Imran Khan, who happens to be a Pashtun by himself, to divert his 100,000 –strong march to Karachi to convince the tribal and religious leaders not to hinder the vaccination campaign.

If Khan succeeds in helping out the eradication of polio virus in Karachi, it may have far reaching consequences for Khan’s political future in the city.

MASOOD KHAN Saudi Arabia

without wasting further time.

MOHAMMAD KHAN SIAL Karachi

on balochistan The condition of Balochistan is still far from desirable despite various notices that the Supreme Court has been taking of the situation. merely accepting the fact that things need to improve will not correct all wrongs. The problems are multiple and non-linear.

First and foremost is the pervasive grievances over there which has been exacerbated by the heavyhanded tactics of the establishment. moreover, on the ground issues such as the lack of basic infrastructure such as roads, buildings, schools, hospitals etc and essential amenities such as water, gas, and electricity are issues that can very easily be addressed provided there is a will to do so. The presence of a road where there was never one before is something that cannot be ignored due to its physical presence. So, whatever has been done or will be done in terms of development will speak for itself. The fact that Balochistan has experienced a colossal increase in its budget and other funds under the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package is well known but the question here is why hasn’t all this extra revenue been able to make a difference?

The deeper plane of the public psyche has yet to be penetrated in order for change to sink in. That is the precise reason why it has been important to win hearts and minds of people as it is the most essential ingredient towards peace and harmony. This can be done by curtailing the establishment’s role in the province, communicating with them on their terms, to make them feel significant and empowered, to boost their shattered confidence in both themselves and their leaders, to assure them that they too are independent individuals of a free nation with full rights. Surely this is no impossible feat for a democratically elected government? But, the more important question is that will the real powers that be let the democratic government exercise its writ?

LUBNA UMAR Islamabad

Friday, 10 August, 2012

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12 David Beckham enjoys a soft moment with his son Cruz Beckham during a womens volleyball match

Brad Pitt buys Angelina jolie £250,000 watch

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RaD Pitt has shelled out £250,000 on one of the world’s most expensive watches, as a wedding present for his fiance angelina Jolie. The Fight Club star reportedly bought a luxurious Patek Philippe minute Repeater, which takes two months to make.The custom-made timepiece, which is made of gold with a mother of pearl dial, normally has a two-year waiting list. each timepiece is checked by a member of the Stern family, which owns Patek Philippe at the firm’s HQ in Geneva, Switzerland.“Brad decided to buy one of the amazing watches after meeting the Stern family at a watch fair in Basel,” Contactmusic quoted a source as telling The Sun newspaper. “He wanted to buy ange a unique gift that very few people own, which is like a piece of art — and the highly sophisticated watch is just that. It chimes sounds based on Big Ben and is constructed by hand. He went to Geneva to pick it up and it’s believed he’ll present it to ange as a pre-wedding gift,” the source added. nEWS dESK

Café in Turkey named after salman

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He actor’s regular haunt while shooting in mardin in Turkey got renamed after him.Cafe Del-mar is the sort of place you expect to find in a Turkish city. However, imagine finding a cafe named after a Bollywood star there. Yet, if you’re in the city of mardin in Turkey, look for the eatery that’s been renamed after our very own Salman Khan.While shooting for ek Tha Tiger in mardin, Salman and the rest of the crew would often visit Cafe Del-mar, which was close to their shooting location. The actor, however, decided that the place needed a facelift, and went on to suggest various changes. “He (Salman) started with the decor and music and went on to the food and beverage menu. Towards the end of our stay, Cafe Del-mar was a completely new place!” says a source from the unit, adding, “It eventually came to be known as Salman Khan Cafe.” nEWS dESK

ex-wife sympathizes with Tom Cruise

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om Cruise’s former wife mimi Rogers has expressed her sympathy for the actor over his heartbreak. The 56-year-old actress, who was married to Tom from 1987 to 1990, sympathised with Cruise and his third wife Katie Holmes over their recent split. “I wish them both the best. There’s not much else to say. I really do, though. I wish them the best,” femalefirst.co.uk quoted mimi as saying. Cruise and Holmes, who have a six-year-old daughter Suri, split in June after five years of being together. nEWS dESK

Friday, 10 August, 2012

Madonna starts

ConTRoveRsY in Russia OP icon madonna came under attack ahead of her concert in Saint Petersburg Thursday, with a Russian deputy prime minister slanging her on Twitter and a lawmaker threatening to fine her for “homosexual propaganda.”

During a packed moscow concert earlier this week, the US Queen of Pop called on the authorities to release three members of all-girl punk band Pussy Riot, who are on trial for performing a song against President Vladimir Putin at a landmark moscow church. At her upcoming show in Saint Petersburg on Thursday, she has promised to come out in support of the city’s embattled gay community, with pink wristbands to be distributed at the concert. “every former w.... seeks to lecture everyone on morality as she gets older. especially during tours and gigs abroad,” Deputy Prime minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Twitter. “either take off your cross, or put on your knickers,” the outspoken former NATO envoy added Wednesday evening.

Pro-Kremlin activists planned to hold pickets ahead of the free-wheeling singer’s concert in Russia’s former imperial capital, while a local lawmaker said her show would be closely monitored for signs of violating a citywide law against “homosexual propaganda.”

“In this case steps will be taken to open an administrative probe, and she will face a fine for violating this law,” said a spokeswoman for Vitaly milonov, a member of the Saint Petersburg legislature.

“We should not allow the imposition here in Russia of Western values that madonna promotes.” milonov said earlier this week that Russian society would actively resist attempts to embrace

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“Western ideology.”

“Probably madame madonna is aware that not everyone is looking forward to her arrival,” he said on his page on Russia’s VKontakte social network.

Saint Petersburg earlier this year passed a citywide law that fines those “promoting homosexuality” to minors and apparently equates it with paedophilia, even though homosexuality is not a crime in Russia.

Russia legalised homosexuality in 1993 after the fall of the Soviet Union but only ceased to classify it as a mental disorder in 1999, and homophobic attitudes still run high in the country.

Gay activists had earlier called on madonna to cancel her concerts in Russia as a gesture of support for the gay community. They said on Thursday they would also hold pickets ahead of her concert for not doing enough to support them.

“In our opinion, it is not enough to say a few words in support of homosexuals between two songs during a concert,” local activist Yury Gavrikov told AFP in Saint Petersburg.

“If you position yourself as a defender of human rights then you need to do something more substantial,” said Gavrikov, accusing madonna of hypocrisy. Gay and pro-Kremlin activists will be joined by supporters of the Russian Orthodox Church who said they would also hold a protest against her highly-theatrical performance playing on religious themes. “She calls herself ‘madonna’ and desecrates the cross,” Kirill Frolov, an activist of the Corporation of Orthodox Action told AFP. “We will not tolerate this.” At her moscow show madonna stripped to a black bra to reveal the words “Pussy Riot” written on her back. She said that coming from a free country she was at liberty to express herself and added that she dreamt of a world where everyone also had the same right. She said she prayed for the

freedom of the Pussy Riot band members after prosecutors sought three years in a corrective labour facility on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.

The verdict will be handed down on August 17. Critics say the criminal prosecution of the punk band is part of a widening campaign to silence the nascent opposition movement to strongman Putin who has dominated the country for the past decade. nEWS dESK

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13 Rihanna too sexy for nivea

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IHANNA has been axed from Nivea advertising campaign after bosses branded the singer too outrageous to be compatible with the skincare giant’s brand values. The firm had employed the 24-year-old singer for a multi-millionpound ad campaign last year and also sponsored her world tour. The Umbrella hitmaker is to part from the firm after Stefan Heidenreich, the new head of Nivea’s parent company Beiersdorf, said in Germany that he did not understand how Nivea could be associated with her.

“The advert starring Rihanna was a no-go. I do not understand how Nivea can be brought into association with her,” the Daily Star quoted him as saying.

“Nivea is a company which stands for trust, family and reliability,” he added. nEWS dESK

deepika/veronica UDDeNLY after the success of Cocktail, Deepika Padukone is the flavour of the season. Offers from Prakash Jha, Rohit Shetty and apparently Sanjay Leela Bhansali are coming for her, among others.

Deepika is excited about working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, provided it happens.

"It would be dream come true to work with him.

If he's looking at me for Ram Leela, then I'm most certainly looking back at him. The way his heroines' roles are written is incredible."

Deepika's turn as the endearing vixen Veronica has put her in a different league.

"I'd say yes, people's reactions have been surprising. I got compliments from my own fraternity. my contemporaries surprised me by saying they cried and identified with Veronica. Someone called it a selfless performance. I liked that. I don't want all these compliments to go to my head. It's never been my intention to go into a different league. I have nothing to prove to anyone except myself. I've to admit people are surprised that I could pull it off.

Imtiaz Ali (who wrote Cocktail), director Homi Adjania and producer Dinesh Vijan had the confidence I could it pull off Veronica. I was offered both the female protagonists' parts, Veronica and meera. It was Imtiaz who convinced me to take up the unconventional Veronica. We've been friends since Love Aaj Kal. He told me meera was something similar to what I had done in Love Aaj Kal. meera is someone I can identify with. But Imtiaz said Veronica would be a bigger challenge. I was ready to take on the risk. So I took on Veronica. Once I accepted I surrendered completely. I am glad it worked. When we were shooting it in London we never expected it would turn out so big."

And to think Deepika didn't think much of the

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title. "Cocktail was meant to be the tentative title. We did many brainstorming sessions to come up with another title. Finally nothing else worked."

Tell her she and Saif have become like Hema malini and Dharmendra and Deepika laughs, "Saif says apart from Bebo (Kareena) he hasn't done so many films with any other leading lady. We didn't make a conscious effort to work together. If people like our chemistry, good."

Deepika found the process of playing Veronica liberating. "She isn't a bad character. She is only human. I love the fact that Veronica is who she is and not the least apologetic about it. I'd like to possess the same level of honesty. Veronica is a lot like my director Homi Adjania.

They both wear their heart on their sleeves and don't mince words and are very comfortable about who they are. Homi is the inspiration for my character."

The latest we hear is that she's back together with Ranbir Kapoor and they've rekindled their friendship during the shooting of their latest film. When asked about the song, Deepika is tightlipped.

"I'm not telling you anything about Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. It's too early to talk about that film. We still have a long way to go. It's a campus story. my character here is completely different from Veronica in Cocktail. It's a love story, a romcom.

But I don't like the term rom-com. It gives a frivolous flavour to a film." The internet is flooded with reports of Deepika getting back together with Ranbir. She completely refutes the reunion rumours. "We are not seeing each other again. Ranbir and I share a precious friendship. Our focus is to get the film completed.

Right now I'm enjoying the success of Cocktail and I don't want to think about anything that takes away from my work. I work really hard. For a couple of years when I was with Ranbir there was too much focus on my personal life." nEWS dESK

Kareena: What if we are already married?

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IRST, they said she would wed in october.

Then, rumours spread that her marriage to actor beau Saif ali Khan was delayed, called off, and then, happening in Copa Cabana… ask the bride-to-be herself, and she asks with a grin, “What if we’re already married and nobody knew? I could have been married for years and not told a soul.”

Kareena Kapoor admits Saif has been dodging public events to avoid questions on the shaadi of the year, adding, “It’s sad, my marriage has become a national joke. The wedding’s on, but beyond a point, I don’t think my fans or media need to know more.”

Having your every move followed on national news could drive any sane individual crazy, and the leading lady is no exception. nEWS dESK

Katie holmes tries to gain confidence

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CTReSS Katie Holmes is struggling to get on with her life post her divorce from actor Tom Cruise and has employed a confidence coach to help her get over her split. “Finally free from Tom, Katie is keen to find her own voice. So she has sought professional help and has employed a confidence coach who she’s been seeing once a week to help her regain who she once was,” femalefirst.co.uk quoted a source as saying. The 33-year filed for divorce in June and was given sole custody of their six-year-old daughter, Suri, in the settlement. although she has no regrets about the split, sources say she is struggling to sleep because she has a lot on her mind at the moment. nEWS dESK

longoria settles car crash case outside of court Ten languages in one song Actor Amitabh Bachchan proclaimed his love for his leading lady in three languages in the song Angreji mein kehte hai I love you in his 1982 hit, Khuddar. Now, Joker’s director Shirish Kunder has gone a step ahead and translated the words ‘dance kar le’ in 10 different Indian languages for a song in his upcoming film. Dance kar le has been sung

by Daler mehndi and features lead actors Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha. “It reminds you of Bachchan’s song from the ’80s, though it is not inspired from it,” says a source. The lyrics of the song have been written by Shirish himself. He confirms this news saying, “Yes, in the track, we have featured the word ‘dancing’ in english, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, malayalam, Gujarati, marathi, Bengali and Punjabi. We believe this will be a novelty factor for the film.” The song has been composed by Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman’s nephew, GV Prakash. The story of the sci-fi film revolves around a mysterious fictitious town called Paglapur, where an unidentified flying object (UFO) lands. nEWS dESK

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CTReSS eva Longoria has reportedly made an out of court settlement with Roman Gasparyan, who had filed a case against her for crashing her car into his

vehicle in 2010. According to tmz.com, the terms of the settlement are unclear. The settlement was announced in Superior Court here Aug 3, 12 days before the case was supposed to go to trial. In the law suit, Gasparyan had claimed that Longoria lost control of her BmW. Gasparyan said he was in the median, waiting to make a left turn when Longoria, 37, driving in the opposite direction, made a sudden lane change into the median lane and collided with his vehicle. In addition to the SUV damage, he claims he suffered mental and physical suffering and he was suing for unspecified damages. nEWS dESK

lady Gaga leaks vogue cover

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eRe’S hoping Anna Wintour has a sense of humor about such things. After practically live-tweeting her anticipation, Lady Gaga went and leaked the September 2012 cover of Vogue—featuring her, obviously—on her fan site.

“SHH DONT TeLL TWITTeR/ SePT ISSUe OF VOGUe mAGAZINe/ Sorry Anna but the underground kids deserve it. bisous!” the pop star wrote alongside the sneak peek. “Don’t worry I’ve been txting Wintour all morning trying to get that cover queens. next im sending bagels to VOGUe (complex carbohydrate war),” Gaga tweeted yesterday, only to inform her little monsters today, “AHHH! The Vogue express dropped off the SePTemBeR ISSUe yesterday morning. nEWS dESK

Friday, 10 August, 2012

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Infotainment 14 Five big names who have been affected by Parkinson’s disease of death in 1976 is not 100 percent confirmed, mao was believed to have suffered from Parkinson’s disease, the New York Times reported.

OOK” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” actor Bob Hoskins recently announced that he will be retiring from acting due to his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.

The condition, which affects as many as 1 million people in the United States, causes symptoms that can grow more severe with time and include tremors, stiffness, and balance and movement problems, according to the National Institutes of Health.

While there is no cure for the condition, some treatments — like drugs and surgical options — can help with symptoms.

Hoskins, who is 69, is not the only public figure to be touched by the disease. Here is a list of big names who have been affected.

“H

Michael J. Fox

Deborah Kerr

symptoms of tremors, slow movement and slurred speech, according to The Guardian.

The Associated Press reported that today, Ali, now 70, is largely left unable to speak, save for several whispers in the mornings.

“The Parkinson’s has affected him a lot, one of [the] things he has is a lot of difficulty speaking,” Dr. Abraham Lieberman, director of the muhammad Ali Parkinson Centre in Phoenix, told the Associated Press. “But he’s never downbeat about it ... He’s a tremendous inspiration to everyone.”

Kerr, who had roles in “The King & I,” “From Here to eternity” and “An Affair to Remember,” passed away from Parkinson’s at age 86 in 2007, People magazine reported.

TCm reported that the actress was diagnosed with the condition in 1994, and had to use a wheelchair.

vietnam airline fined for inflight bikini show

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Vietnamese airline has been fined for hosting a mid-flight dance by bikini-clad beauty pageant contestants without first gaining permission, state media said Thursday.

Low-cost carrier VietJet Air was fined $1,000 by the nation’s aviation authorities for organising the Hawaiian-themed dance to celebrate its maiden flight between Ho Chi minh City and the tourist hub of Nha Trang, the Tuoi Tre newspaper said.

Five women, all candidates in a local beauty contest, performed the three-minute dance on the August 3 flight while passengers recorded the show on camera phones and later posted clips online, the paper added. The airline “violated local aviation regulations” by organising “an unapproved show on a flight,” Nguyen Trong Thang, chief inspector of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, was quoted as saying in the report. AFp

Johnny Cash

Mao Zedong Fox, known for his roles in “Spin City” and the “Back to the Future” trilogy, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 30 in 1991, according to his foundation’s website. However, he didn’t share his condition publicly until 1998, and he officially retired from “Spin City” in 2000.

That same year, Fox launched The michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, which is dedicated to raising awareness and funding.

Woman tries to hit husband by driving car into a building

Muhammad Ali The boxing champion first started experiencing symptoms of Parkinson’s shortly after he retired from the sport in 1981, but The Guardian reported that he wasn’t officially diagnosed until 1984. By that time, he was already experiencing

father’s letter to gay son goes viral

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heartbreaking letter, allegedly penned by an unsupportive father to his gay son, has gone viral in the blogosphere.

Originally uploaded to Reddit and posted by Athlete Ally founder (and HuffPost Gay Voices blogger) Hudson Taylor on his Facebook profile, the letter is addressed simply to “James,” and it reads as follows: “I hope your telephone call was not to receive my blessing for the degrading of your lifestyle. I have fond memories of our times together, but that is all in the past.”

The letter — since posted by Towleroad, Pink News, The New Civil Rights movement, Truth Wins Out among other media outlets — continues: “You made your choice though wrong it may be.

God did not intend for this unnatural lifestyle. If you choose not to attend my funeral, my friends and family will understand.”

Reddit user RegBarc, who uploaded the image of the letter, says the letter was written five years ago after he came out as gay to his father. “It’s important to know just what this zealotry from Bryan Fischer, maggie Gallagher, Dan Cathy, et al., does to everyday people,” he noted. “I’ve never done drugs, was an excellent student, an obedient child (far less trouble than many of my classmates), didn’t drink until I was 22 because it terrified me, and have had just 1 speeding ticket in my life,” he noted. “Yet I am still seemingly deserving of this terrible act of hate and cowardice that one person can place on another.”

The letter has drawn an onslaught of responses since it was originally posted. “I actually hope that someday he gets a chance to look deeply in his heart and comes to understand how horribly, terribly he screwed this up,” one Reddit user notes. “If so, he’ll maybe have a chance to start some personal redemption and healing.” nEWS dESK

While the Chinese Communist leader’s cause

The iconic country music singer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee publicly announced his diagnosis in 1997, CNN reported. At the time, his condition spurred cancellations of book promotions and concert tours.

Cash ultimately died from diabetes complications in 2003 at age 71, USA Today reported.

Cop grows

pot in

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He attorney of a Utah woman charged with ramming an SUV through an office building to hit her estranged husband says she was on a large amount of anxiety medication and was “not in her right mind.”

Attorney Jason Schatz made the argument Tuesday during the start of the trial for 36-yearold Brenda Christine White.

“On that day, Brenda White’s body was behind the wheel of that Ford explorer,” Schatz said. “What’s in dispute is why this happened.”

The incident happened in 2006 but there have been several appeals because her defence attorneys have appealed to use the argument that White was under extreme emotional distress.

Authorities said White hit her ex-husband twice with her Ford explorer after crashing through the office building in Salt Lake County. nEWS dESK

unlicensed

daycare This police officer’s career may have gone up in smoke.

Jamie Fanton, 29, is accused of growing marijuana and running an unlicensed daycare at his home in Clarendon, N.Y. Police were responding to an illegal dumping complaint when they found discarded garbage bags containing marijuana and evidence of an indoor grow operation.

Believing that the bags came from the home of Fanton and 25-year-old Jasmine Almeter, officers obtained a warrant to search the residence.

On Friday, police found and seized the contents of an indoor grow room, several pot plants, dried marijuana, and other forms of drug paraphernalia, investigator Joseph Sacco told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

The grow operation was not the investi-

gation’s only find. Police say they also discovered evidence that Fanton and Almeter were running an unlicensed daycare facility in the same home where the pot was being grown, WHeC-TV reported.

Four children, ages 2 to 5, were allegedly in the home during the raid.

Fanton has been a police officer for the Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities Service Office for seven years.

He is charged with criminal possession of marijuana, unlawfully growing cannabis and unlawfully dealing with a child, while Almeter is charged with criminal possession of marijuana and unlawfully dealing with a child, the Greece Post reported.

Fanton and Almeter are expected to be arraigned in Clarendon Town Court on Aug. 27. Officials say additional charges are pending. nEWS dESK

Man steals truck and turns himself in

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USTIN Sparks may not be a good criminal, but he shows signs of being a good human being. After breaking into five cars and stealing a Ford F-250 truck, Sparks, 20, felt so guilty about what he had done that he drove the stolen truck to police headquarters in mt. Juliet, Tenn., and turned himself in to authorities, UPI.com reported. “He walked in and told me that he had just stolen a car and it’s parked out front,” Kinnie Long, a clerk at the station told The Tennessean. “It was shocking. He even stated that he felt bad for what he had done.”

Sgt. Tyler Chandler not only appreciated Sparks’ honesty after the fact, but that he drove the truck to the station and parked it outside. nEWS dESK

Friday, 10 August, 2012

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Friday, 10 August, 2012

Chen in charge of women's platform after semis Page 18

Pakistan pip Korea to improve its world ranking LONDON

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AgHA AKBAR

FTeR the gut-wrenching defeat at Australia’s hands, Pakistan somehow lifted itself to outscore South Korea 32 for its third win of the tournament. This saw the greenshirts move up the world ranking, albeit by just one notch – from eighth to seventh, while South Korea went down two places.

Nothing momentous in itself, but since the Champions Trophy field has now been enlarged to eight nations, it just might earn Pakistan the invite to take part in the last of the annual versions at melbourne in December, for according to the new FIH scheduling from then on it becomes a biennial affair And, though it may be little consolation for a side that had set as its objective getting into the top four for the first time since the year 2000, seventh place is still better than eighth!

In the morning game, New Zealand overcame Argentina 3-1 to condemn the South Americans to the 10th position.

With India set to slug it out for the wooden spoon with South Africa on Saturday, this contest between the Asians for sizable snatches of time remained a rather listless affair where the exchanges were mostly in the midfield. Despite the sun on their backs for the first time here, Pakistan still could not find the rhythm and momentum up-front. Perhaps the skill to take approach work to its logical conclusion through a combo of finesse and power that fetches goals is something now alien to us.

Known in their best years in the 1990s for their speed, precision and opportunism that mirrored more the robust

Table tennis 'just the beginning for China' LONDON AFp

China's dominance of table tennis is "just the beginning" and they will soon be strong in every Olympic event, the sport's chief said Wednesday.

Adham Sharara, president of the International Table Tennis Federation, was speaking after China sealed their second straight clean sweep of all four table tennis gold medals for the second Games running.

"They are the best technically, as they have always been," he said. "And they are the best technologically, with combinations of blades and rubbers. And now they are the best physically too. That used to be the europeans. "mentally they are not the strongest, because they have been so much better in those other three areas that it doesn't really matter. even at 70 percent they are 10 percent better than the rest.

He added: "China also won every medal in diving and in badminton -- and this is just the beginning. Technically they will soon be very strong in every sport."

China have in fact won only five out of six diving finals so far, although they won all five of the badminton gold medals for the first time.

Sharara, who has previously described China's pre-eminence as "devastating" for table tennis, urged the team to pass on their expertise to rival nations.

The world body changed its rules for the London Olympics to allow only two singles players per country, after China won every individual medal going in Beijing.

Since table tennis joined the Olympic programme in 1988, China have won 24 out of 28 gold medals.

LoNdoN: Shakeel Abbasi goes past defenders of South Korea during the 7th-8th classification match of London olympics hockey at The riverbank Arena. AfP european style than the now-archaic subcontinental Asian, South Korea too were only a shadow of their best form.

With so little meaningful movement coming from Pakistan, one had this premonition that South Korea might put one away on the break. That is exactly what happened when against the run of play with six minutes remaining in the first half, Hye Sung Hyun diverted one to the board from close range. Pakistan response was swift, as muhammad Waqas slammed the equalizer home from a Sha-

keel Abbasi pass. With two minutes remaining, Korea again surged ahead when Hyun finally got his second after a goalmouth scramble that seemed to go on forever with the Pakistan defence not succeeding in clearing the ball.

Pakistan protested but its lone video referral too failed it to win it the reprieve.

Three goals in four minutes, with Pakistan despite much better possession on the wrong end of the scoreline, was the story of the first half.

Back on the field, Pakistan stepped

up the pace in search of goals that could land it victory. There was more cohesion and better method on display. Perhaps the best of Pakistan’s younger lot of forwards, Haseem Khan got the equalizer with aplomb: first attempt foiled, he muscled the ball in over the Korean ‘keeper myung Hu Lee with reverse stick. And after the usual thing, Rehan Butt and Abbasi closing in on goal but not scoring, on a drag-flick in the 61st minute, muhammed Imran got Pakistan the lead that survived till the end.

No relay dilemma for Bolt as Jamaica bow out LONDON AFp

Jamaican athletics great Usain Bolt will not have to make up his mind as to whether he will run the 4x400m relay after his team-mates failed to finish their Olympic heat on Thursday.

The 25-year-old, who has already won the 100m, bids later Thursday to retain his 200m title and become the first male athlete in Olympic history to achieve the sprint double twice.

Bolt had indicated he would run in the relay final if he was asked to, depending on how he felt after the 200m and the 4x100m relay.

But Jermaine Gonzalez pulled up lame halfway round the third leg in Thursday's 4x100m, meaning Jamaica are out of the event.

American great Carl Lewis won three sprint golds in 1984. In 1988, he had to make do with silver in the 200m but was handed 100m gold after Canadian winner Ben Johnson was disqualified for doping.

bolt targets double dose of golden glory LONDON: Usain Bolt can become the first man to claim a second successive 100m-200m Olympic Games double on Thursday with the Jamaican superstar confidently predicting his own 200m world record could fall. Bolt retained his 100 metres crown on Sunday and looked to be in ominous form once again on Wednesday when he strolled to victory in his 200m semi-final, easing across the line in 20.18sec. Victory for the 25-yearold in Thursday's final would better the record of American legend Carl Lewis,

who won three golds and a silver in the sprints at the 1984 and 1988 Games.

"People always doubt the champion but I know what I can do so I never doubt myself. This is my favourite event so I am looking forward to it," said Bolt, who is targeting his own world record of 19.19sec. "It's a possibility, definitely. I can't say but the track is fast, it's going to be a good race." His main danger will come from compatriot and training partner Yohan Blake, who took silver in the 100m. Also on the track, world cham-

pion David Rudisha goes for gold in the men's 800m while South Africa's Caster Semenya, in her debut Olympics, runs in the women's semi-finals. Oscar Pistorius, the first double amputee to take part in the Olympics, looked to have made a bitterly disappointing exit from the Games when South Africa crashed out in the first round of the 4x400m relay. But Pistorius was waiting on an appeal after teammate Ofentse mogwane fell heavily before his changeover, a result of a collision with a Kenyan athlete. AFp

As is the norm, the same old platitudes were mouthed by Akhtar Rasool: “Our team was good; we just played one bad game”, etc., as usual rounding it off with “we shall have a winning squad by 2014 World Cup”.

It is so tiring to hear such banality.

What Pakistan hockey needs is fresh ideas and new initiatives, not the same old political appointees who have ruled the roost for donkey’s years, making promises that they are so singularly incapable to keep.

PCb asks for a match at Mohali MUMBAI BIpIn dAnI

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has demanded one of the matches to be played against India in India at mohali.

According to PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf, the PCB has written a letter to the BCCI demanding a match at mohali. .

"We have written a letter to the Indian cricket board and requested to stage at least one match in mohali. This will enable the fans from Pakistan to come easily and witness the India-Pakistan match." Pakistan and India will resume bilateral ties (thanks to former BCCI president, Jagmohan Dalmiya) with a "short series", comprising three ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals, in December and January. The matches will be held between the Test and one-day legs of england's tour of India and will form the first bilateral series between the two sides since Pakistan toured India in end2007.

Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Delhi and Chennai are believed to have been shortlisted for the matches.

"Let this be called as a "neutral home series", rather than India or Pakistan's home series", Ashraf said. "It is important that the ice is melted and the game is resumed between the two nations".

The PCB has no issues if the profit is not shared. "We are not thinking in those lines. It is no matter if the revenue is taken by the BCCI. Will discuss the issues with the BCCI for the future series if the profit is not shared this time", Ashraf added. Ashraf has expressed his concern over Sunil Gavaskar's recent remark when the idea of resumption of the game between the two countries didn't go well with Gavaskar. Sunil Gavaskar felt that Pakistan was not cooperating in the mumbai terror attacks probe.

"Has Gavaskar joined Bal Thackrey's political party-Shiv Sena", Ashraf asked.

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Sports 16 Germany shock Australia to take final spot LONDON

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AgEncIES

eFeNDING Olympic champions Germany twice came from behind to beat world number ones and red-hot favourites Australia 4-2 and book their place in the men's final. moritz Furste scores the first goal for Germany as the men's Hockey team defeat Australia in a semi-final on Thursday in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

In a surprisingly open match, Australia had the better of the first half but were stunned by a fightback after the interval.

The first half was played at searing pace, matching the temperature down on the pitch in the baking afternoon sun, with both sides intent on attacking.

Australia created more of the chances but in terms of conversions it was honours even at the break. mark Knowles sent a reverse-stick effort across goal and wide before Germany had a penalty corner downgraded to a free-hit as Christopher Zeller was adjudged by the video umpire to have been fouled outside the circle.

When they did win their first corner, Zeller hit straight at goalkeeper Nathan Burgers, but two minutes later the Kookaburras went ahead.

A quick break down the left allowed Glenn Turner to cut in and shoot and max Weinhold could only parry the ball

bolt claims 200m gold, rudisha strikes 800m wr Jamacian Usain Bolt became the first man to hae ever defended both 100m and 200m Olympic titles when be timed 19.32 seconds in the 200 metres finals to win another gold medal. Results: BOLT Usain 19.32, BLAKe Yohan 19.44, WeIR Warren 19.84. meanwhile, Kenya's David Rudisha strikes gold in new 800m world record.

Yoshida completes olympic hat-trick

LONDON: Saori Yoshida won her third successive Olympic gold to maintain Japan's dominance of women's Freestyle Wrestling at London 2012. Yoshida beat Canada's Tonya Lynn Verbeek 3-0 2-0 in tonight's final of the 55kg weight category. Verbeek was looking to add gold to her collection of Olympic silver and bronze medals, but the 34-year-old could not handle Yoshida, who was roared on by a raucous Japanese following at the exCeL. AgEncIES

MEdALS TABLE RAnK

cOunTRy

g

S

B

TOTAL

1 CHiNA 37 23 19 79 uSA 35 23 25 83 2 3 briTAiN 24 13 14 51 4 ruSSiA 12 21 23 56 5 SouTH KoreA 12 7 6 25 6 gerMANY 9 15 10 34 FrANCe 8 9 11 28 7 8 HuNgArY 8 4 3 15 9 iTALY 7 6 5 18 10 AuSTrALiA 6 13 10 29 11 KAzAKHSTAN 6 0 3 9 12 jAPAN 5 13 14 32 13 NeTHerLANdS 5 5 6 16 14 irAN 4 3 1 8 15 NorTH KoreA 4 0 1 5 16 beLAruS 3 3 4 10 17 CubA 3 3 1 7 18 New zeALANd 3 2 5 10 19 uKrAiNe 3 1 6 10 20 SouTH AFriCA 3 1 1 5 21 SPAiN 2 6 2 10 22 roMANiA 2 5 2 9 23 deNMArK 2 4 3 9 24 KeNYA 2 2 3 7 25 jAMAiCA 2 2 2 6 TOp 25 MEdAL cOunTRIES LAST updATE AT 1:00 AM

Mitchell ran on broken leg into the air. When it dropped, Kieran Govers smashed it in on the first bounce.

Within five minutes Germany were level through moritz Fuerste's low penalty corner, which the unsighted Burgers could not keep out.

Oliver Korn sent a shot just wide early in the second half but Australia were much sharper in front of goal and when both Jamie Dwyer and eddie Ockenden had shots saved by Weinhold, Turner converted from close range.

The game became tense, which suited the Kookaburras with their lead, and Germany's frustrations increased when what would have been goal of the tournament for Oskar Deeke was ruled out.

Korn's aerial ball from almost the halfway line was controlled superbly by his team-mate, keeping it up in the air twice before hooking over Burgers only for the video umpire to rule his stick was too high. But while Zeller was in the sinbin, Germany equalised with a helping

hand from their opponents.

Possession was given away to Tobias Hauke in the inside-left channel and his perfect pass picked out the unmarked matthias Witthaus to score with an early shot.

Better was to follow as Timo Wess converted a penalty corner and, as Australia pushed for an equaliser, a sliding Florian Fuchs converted Benjamin Wess' cross on the counter-attack to stun Australia.

Irish delight as Taylor wins gold Adams claims historic gold

LONDON: Ireland's Katie Taylor added Olympic Games gold to her four World Championships titles Thursday - but she was made to work hard for her 10-8 win over Russia's Sofya Ochigava amid an extraordinary atmosphere at exCeL. Katie Taylor of Ireland celebrates winning her bout against Sofya Ochigava of Russia during the women's Light Weight (60kg) Boxing final bout. With the decibel levels surely hittingnew heights, Taylor set about business in her usual way in the Light Weight final, pushing forward and flinging right hooks at Ochigava, a tough, two-time former world silver medallist. But it soon became clear Taylor was in for a test as the Russian matched Taylor's strength inside and clinched up close to prevent her opponent from getting off her usual array of big shots. AgEncIES

Powell out with groin strain LONDON: Former world recordholder Asafa Powell will miss Jamaica's Olympic 4x100m relay with a groin strain that has ruled him out for the rest of the season. The 29-yearold Powell sustained the injury during Sunday's 100m final, in which he limped in eighth and last position. AFp

LONDON: Nicola Adams sealed her golden moment with an Ali shuffle as she overwhelmed China's double world champion Ren Cancan 16-7 to be crowned the first-ever Olympic women's Boxing champion at exCeL. Gold medalist Nicola Adams of Great Britain celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony after the Women's Fly (51kg) Boxing final bout of the day.

Adams dropped Ren in the second round on her way to a comprehensive Fly Weight victory against an opponent who had beaten her in each of the previous two World Championships finals. AgEncIES

risztov wins swim marathon thriller LONDON: Hungary's eva Risztov won a gripping Olympic women's swimming marathon by just 0.4 seconds at London's Hyde Park on Thursday. The 26-year-old led for much of the 10km race in the Serpentine lake but she finished only marginally ahead of America's Haley Anderson with a winning time of 1hr 57min 38.2sec. Italy's martina Grimaldi took bronze and home favourite Keri-Anne Payne was fourth, with the top four separated by just four seconds.AFp

LONDON: Any athlete complaining of a minor injury during London 2012 had their troubles put firmly in perspective today after it was confirmed that USA's manteo mitchell ran on a broken leg. mitchell ran the first leg of the men's 4 x 400m Relay and helped the USA finish joint fastest qualifiers for the final as they and the Bahamas were given identical times of 2:58.87. But the 25-year-old will not contest the final after an X-ray confirmed he had broken his left fibula bone during his run. mitchell said: 'Three days ago I was going up the stairs (in the Olympic Village) and I kind of missed one and landed awkwardly. I got treatment and I was fine. 'I did workouts and when I warmed up today I felt really well. I felt I could go 44 (seconds)-low. I got out pretty slow, but I picked it up and when I got to the 100m mark it felt weird. I was thinking I just didn't feel right. AgEncIES

belgian sent home for drunken shame BRUSSELS: Belgium's Olympic Committee has sent track cyclist Gijs Van Hoecke home from the 2012 London Olympic Games after pictures in British tabloids showed him drunk after a night out, Belgian media said Thursday. Van Hoecke, 20, came 15th in the Omnium race then went out on the town on Tuesday night.Dutch newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws promptly suggested he deserved "the gold medal in the category drinking and making merry". "I am sorry - it shouldn't have happened," Van Hoecke told RTBF television. "But I think that after two years hard graft you have the right to let your hair down. AFp

PUNjAb YOUTH FeSTIvAL 2012

Hussain vows maximum kicks, punches to get GWR LAHORE STAFF REpORT

Pakistan’s Guinness Record holder Ahmed Hussain of Peshawar will attempt five Guinness World Records (GWR) through the platform of the Punjab Youth Festival 2012 to be organized by the Sports Board Punjab.

Briefing journalists about the platform for creating world records, Director General SBP, mr. Usman Anwar said: “We have invited people from all over the country to show their talent through the base provided by the Punjab government and it is very encouraging aspect that people are coming from different cities of Pakistan to show their talent.

He further said that the Punjab Youth Festival is going to be held at different lev-

els, which also includes the national level.

“In that level the National Games will also be held in which there will be participation from all over the country,” he added.

He further said that the sports festival that was organisd by the SBP and the youth festival that is going to be organized were formulated after studying the best sports structures of the world. “Our model of festival is being adopted by several other countries and the main function of the SBP is to revive the sports culture in the province,” he added.

“We are giving an opportunity to people to show the world that they are not less than anybody. Carrying the vision to make the talent of Pakistan known to the world, the SBP has invited people aspiring to create GWR and Ahmed Hussain has come forward to improve his own

record of maximum kicks,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Ahmed Hussain said he will attempt to regain his own one minute record of maximum kicks, improve his two records of kicks in three minutes and one-hour and then go for maximum punches in one minute and create a record of punches in eight hours.

He further said that other than this he would attempt some more records to write the name of the country in GWR book.

He felt honoured for the platform provided by the Punjab government in the backdrop of the fact that the Peshawar government did nothing for his promotion.

He said that he has broken 10 GWRs and one Asian and out of those two are still held by him. “I am working of differ-

ent records and by the Grace of Allah Almighty I will get back by records,” he added.

He said that he broke the world record for most martial art kicks with 3561 kicks in hour took away by an Indian martial art player Jayanath Ready who broke his record by hitting hit 2982

kicks in one hour.

“For this record 20 countries martial arts player tried but all failed. This record is considered the most difficult one in Guinness World Record history.” He further said: “In one minute, I will attempt more than 335 kicks in one minute and bring laurels for the country,” he added.

Friday, 10 August, 2012

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17 Sports London to have ‘special place’ in history: IOC LONDON

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AFp

He London Games will have a "special place in the history of the Olympics", a powerful International Olympic Committee (IOC) official said on Thursday. Denis Oswald, chairman of the IOC's Coordination Commission, said three days before the closing ceremony that officials and spectators had been delighted by their experience in London, but that the competitors were happiest of all. "The Games have been made for the athletes.

I have spoken to many athletes as well, the village is excellent... but our athletes are very happy about the Games as well," Oswald told a press conference. "Therefore I am sure these Games will remain with a special place in the history of the Olympics." Oswald praised the organisers for putting the spectators at the heart of the Games -- and said the British spectators had responded by cheering on all of the competitors, not just the home athletes. "They like sport, they love sport, and this reminded me of the spirit we had in the Lillehammer (Winter) Games when the Norwegian people were enthusiastic for sport - for their own team but also for the other athletes as well when they were competing well." London is the first city to host an Olympic Games three times. It previously staged the Games in 1909 and 1948.

London games beat Closing ceremony beijing ticket record 'camp and cheesy': music director LONDON: Organisers have sold a record 2.1 million tickets for the London 2012 Paralympics, beating the previous mark set at the 2008 edition in Beijing, officials said Thursday. The popularity of the London Olympics has seen demand suddenly soar for the Paralympics, with more than 600,000 tickets bought in the last month for the event which runs from August 29 to September 9. "To have sold the most

ever tickets for a Paralympic Games three weeks before the Opening Ceremony is absolutely fantastic and shows the insatiable appetite the public has for top class elite sport," Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee, said in a statement. AFp

LONDON: The London Olympics closing ceremony on Sunday will be a "beautiful, cheeky, cheesy, camp, silly and thrilling" journey through British pop history, its musical director promised. David Arnold, composer of five James Bond scores, told the Daily Telegraph that predictions Paul mcCartney and Adele would perform were "scarily accurate", but would not confirm growing rumours that reclusive singer Kate Bush would appear. "We're trying to have moments where someone from (rural west england region) the Cotswolds watching it on TV and someone from a tower block overlooking the east end (of London) will be able to find something in it of which they can say, 'that's us, really, that's Britain'," he said in an interview published in Thursday's paper. The Who singer Roger Daltrey recently revealed the band had recorded a song which would prove to be a "fabulous ending for the Olympics". 1980s pop icon George michael wrote on Twitter earlier this week he was "Spending most of the next week rehearsing like crazy for the Olympic closing ceremony. AFp

Windies wins helping confidence: Team bosses KINGSTON AFp

West Indies team manager Richie Richardson and head coach Ottis Gibson have praised their side for their hard work after beating New Zealand 2-0 in the recent Test series.

The Windies wrapped up the twomatch series against the Black Caps on Sunday with a second win, adding to their victories in the short-format Twenty20 competition and one-day international series.

The results have helped the Caribbean islands move up to fifth spot in the world T20 rankings while they are seventh in the equivalent ODI classification and Test table.

Former West Indies bowler Gibson said in a statement released by the West Indies Cricket Board that the achievements were a result of their dedication and showed that the team was "on the right track" and gaining confidence. "The players are working hard and deserve their success. I want to give them credit. They deserve to be excited about their achievements," he added.

Former Test batsman and West Indies captain Richardson said he was also proud of Darren Sammy and his team for their performances in all three formats agains the tourists.

"The hard work, the dedication, the sacrifice and the desire to improve have paid dividends," he said.

"These are some of the building blocks as we look to build a strong West Indies team. Lots of credit must also be given to Coach Gibson and the entire management staff, who are all contributing to the development of a strong West Indies Team."

The 2-0 Test series win was the Windies' first since beating Bangladesh 1-0 in Bangladesh last October. Their last home Test series win was in 2009, when they beat england 1-0 to clinch the Wisden Trophy.

The last time the West Indies won back-to-back Tests was in Bangladesh a decade ago under captain Ridley Jacobs, while the previous series win over the Kiwis was in 1996 with Courtney Walsh at the helm.

LoNdoN: uS player Kobe bryant vies with Australian forward Matt Nielsen during the men's quarter final basketball match uSA vs Australia on August 8, 2012 at the North greenwich arena in London. AfP

Three in a row for uSA queens

oscar dream back after appeal win risztov wins swim marathon thriller

LONDON: America's misty may-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings made Olympic history on Wednesday when they defeated compatriots Jen Kessy and April Ross to claim their third consecutive beach volleyball title. Watched by a crowd of 15,000 at London's Horse Guards Parade, which included Prince Harry and David Beckham, the all-American final saw may-Treanor and Walsh Jennings prevail in straight sets, 21-16, 21-16. "It's insane. It doesn't feel like it's real," said Walsh Jennings. "I told misty when we got our medals, 'If we wake up tomorrow and have to play this match, I'm going to be furious,' because it feels like a dream." may-Treanor and Walsh Jennings have never been beaten in three Olympic tournaments and dropped just one set in that time, in a 2-1 pool phase win against Austrian sisters Doris and Stefanie Schwaiger last week.

Sixth seeds Kessy and Ross had eliminated Brazilian favourites Juliana Silva and Larissa Franca in the semi-finals, but they had to make do with silver as may-Treanor, 35, brought the curtain down on her career in style. "I think we've kept our emotions in check, knowing that this was going to be the last time on the sand together," said may-Treanor. AFp

LONDON: Double amputee Oscar Pistorius's landmark Olympic campaign gained a reprieve on Thursday as South Africa were given a place in Friday's 4x400m relay final on appeal. "IT'S ON!!

We in the FINAL. Team management Protested as Ofentse was taken out and we have been given Lane 9!! @ljvanzyl to take his place!!!" tweeted Pistorius after he heard the news. "Will be up on the 3rd leg tomorrow for the Final!

Really can't wait" Pistorius, 25, thought his adventure had come to an end when second leg runner Ofentse mogawane fell on the bend into the home straight after tangling with Kenya's Vincent Kiilu. mogawane suffered a dislocated left shoulder. While Kiilu said he had been spiked his team agreed he was at fault, having viewed the video evidence, after the organisers disqualified Kenya on account of Kiilu's actions. That prompted South Africa to appeal. "The Jury of Appeal met and agreed to advance the South African team to the final, even though they did not finish the race, considering that they had been severely damaged in the incident with Kenya," said the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in a statement. AFp

Friday, 10 August, 2012

LONDON: Hungary's eva Risztov won a gripping Olympic women's swimming marathon by just 0.4 seconds at London's Hyde Park on Thursday. The 26-year-old led for much of the race in the Serpentine lake but she touched only marginally ahead of America's Haley Anderson with a winning time of 1hr 57min 38.2sec. Italy's martina Grimaldi took bronze and home favourite Keri-Anne Payne was fourth, with the top four separated by just four seconds. Risztov, 26, competed in the pool at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics before retiring in 2005, only to return to the sport as a marathon specialist in 2009.

She succeeded Russia's Larisa Ilchenko, who won the inaugural women's event in Beijing four years ago but was not competing in London. Britain's Payne, a silver medallist in Beijing, was bidding to win a first swimming gold medal of the Games for the host nation but finished off the podium. The event began beneath bright sunshine, with hats and sun block the order of the day as a huge crowd descended upon Hyde Park to cheer on Payne. Risztov led after completing the first 1.7km lap in 19min 22.2sec, with Australia's melissa Gorman and Payne in close pursuit. AFp

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Sports 18 ARIES MERRITT: From jumping a fence to an Olympic champion

watch it Live PTV SPORTS LONDON OLYMPIC 08:00AM

Liu surgery as rival robles limps out

LONDON cOnSTAnzA MORA pEdRAzA

O

Ne-DAY more at the athletics stadium, perhaps the most visited place during the Olympics Games London 2012. People around holding different flags, paint on their faces and smiles everywhere.

That is the spirit of the Olympics!

One of the most expected events was the 110 meters hurdles. After the first round people got even more exited after seeing US athlete Aries merritt, running as what seems so easy for him. He ran the distance in 12.94s. Then, the wait for the final. “He is going to break the record”, someone said. In between, the spectators got to see the long jumps, women’s 1500 meters, 110 and 400 meters hurdles among other competitions. And just before the race started, the wave was seen all around the tribunes, people could not hide their emotion, and actually, I thought that was only a Colombian thing.

Finally, the moment was here, “he is not British, but he is really good” said another spectator who was sitting behind me. Suddenly everyone got quiet, total silence at that massive stadium, and the shot to start the race was hear in the whole stadium and with it people started clapping and cheering. merritt stop the chronometer at 12.92 followed by Jason Richardson who did the distance in 13.04 and Parchment 13.12.

Aries merritt, the gold medal was born on 24th July 1985 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. In his list of success, he can count a gold medal at the Junior World

Championships 2004 in Grossetto, 110 meters hurdles, in 2006 during his college time he was unbeatable and became the second fastest collegiate with a 13.21. Gold medal in the 2012 World Indoor Championships, Istanbul 60 meters hurdles.

His hurdle career started in a funny way, after his coach saw him jumping a fence, with no experience or technique. The coach saw in Aries potential and here he is, the best and a golden medallist in London 2012. For him, winning the trial was absolutely important as it gave him the ticket to be part in an Olympics Games for the first time and London 2012 is another chapter where is writing his own story. Aries enjoys and loves what he does, he is very happy, he said “hurdling is just fun.”

LONDON: China's 110m hurdles star Liu Xiang had surgery on his badly ruptured Achilles tendon Wednesday as his arch-rival Dayron Robles also limped out of the London Olympics. As China cranked up its dominance of table tennis with another clean sweep, Liu was being treated by a specialist London surgeon -- who reportedly also operated on football star David Beckham. The Chinese delegation said Liu was putting a brave face on the injury which cruelly cut short his campaign for the second Games running, and has possibly ended his career. "He's in pain but he's very brave and optimistic," spokesman Zhang Haifeng told AFP. "It's really a sad thing but his spirit inspires young people very much." No update was available late on Wednesday, but Zhang said the 2004 champion would recover in the athletes village before returning to China. And in a fateful twist, Robles went down with a similar injury in Wednesday's final. The Cuban world record-holder hit a hurdle and pulled up clutching a hamstring, as Aries merritt took gold ahead of American team-mate Jason Richardson and Jamaica's Hansle Parchment. The final comes a year after the world championships in Daegu, South Korea, when Robles was disqualified for reaching into the next lane and pulling Liu's arm as he powered ahead. AFp

Chen in charge of women's platform after semis LONDON AFp

China's Chen Ruolin looked strongly placed to defend her Olympic platform title after a series of peerless dives in the women's semi-finals on Thursday.

Chen, 19, appeared on track for her fourth overall gold medal at the Olympics in Thursday night's final, after she topped the morning semi-final with 407.25 points from her five dives. The Chinese star finished 47.35 points ahead of her nearest rival meaghan Benfeito of Canada (359.90), but was critical of her performance. "It was so-so. There were some dives that were not perfect, some entries that were not perfect," Chen said. Chen's topscoring dive was in the final round with 84.80 for a back two and half somersault with one and a half twists and a 3.2 degree of difficulty. She also scored 84.15 for a back three and half somersault with tuck and 83.20 for an inward three and a half somersault.

Chen, who won the individual and synchronised events as a 15-year-old at Beijing four years ago, has been unchallenged so far in the prelims and semifinal of the platform event. She is bidding for China's sixth gold diving medal in London after Chinese pair Qin Kai and defending champion He Chong were conquered by Russian Ilya Zakharov in Tuesday's 3m

Kobe powers uS into semis LONDON: Kobe Bryant displayed a sizzling shooting touch by sinking three 3-pointers in a row in 31 seconds on Wednesday as the United States beat Australia 119-86 to reach the Olympic basketball semi-finals. "I just found myself in a pretty good rhythm," Bryant said after the NBA Dream Team's win. "I found myself with some daylight and things were going in for me." Bryant scored 20 points, his dazzling fourth-quarter display part of a run of four 3-pointers in 67 seconds that helped the US multi-millionaires subdue the pesky Boomers, who were led by 26 points from NBA guard Patrick mills. "I was searching for something to get me going, something to 'activate the Black mamba' as coach calls it," Bryant said. "I found something to get me on the edge and I rode that the rest of the game." The NBA stars reached a Friday smei-final against Argentina, which beat archrival Brazil 82-77 in another quarter-final. Argentina upset the Americans in the 2004 Olympics semi-finals but lost to them in the 2008 semi-finals. "We've got to be in full throttle from the start against Argentina," US star Carmelo Anthony said. Reigning european champion Spain, which lost to the US NBA squad in the 2008 Beijing final, will face Russia in the other semi-final. Deron Williams had 18 points and Anthony added 17 while NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant had 14 and LeBron James added 11 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists for the Americans. "He was phenomenal," Bryant said of James. "You have certain players who are so athletic the ball seems to come to them and they make great plays." That's how Bryant was when he was in "the zone", the same second-half hot shooting streak that has been seen from James, Anthony and Durant in prior US games. AFp

springboard ending their nation's hopes of sweeping all eight golds. "It's encouraging me more (the loss of the men's springboard gold medal). I'm taking my competition even more seriously," Chen said.

Chen already has one gold medal from the London Games in the synchronised 10m platform with Wang Hao. The sixth-ranked Benfeito and Australian pair,

Brittany Broben (359.55) and Beijing finalist melissa Wu (355.60) along with malaysia's Pandelela Rinong (352.50) appear in the hunt for the medals in the final. Benfeito said it will be stressful to dive in the second-last position before Chen in the final. "I think everyone can be on the podium because on the results of the semi-final we are very close to each other so it's going to be hard," Benfeito said.

ill Sharapova pulls out of Montreal Murray, djoker advance in Toronto MONtREAL: World number two maria Sharapova withdrew from the WTA event in montreal on Wednesday, citing a viral infection.

The Russian Olympic silver medalist joins US gold medal winner Serena Williams in missing the event, which falls directly after the tennis competition at the London Games. "I'm sorry not to be able to play," Sharapova said. "I have a bad viral infection which I must have picked up after London."

Sharapova will be replaced in the draw by Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan.

In second round matches Wednesday, fifth-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova rallied to beat Kazakhstan's Ksenia Pervak 4-6, 7-6 (7/0), 6-0. Italy's Sara errani, the eighth seed, cruised past Slovakia's Jana Cepelova 6-3, 6-2 and fellow Italian Flavia Pennetta advanced when South African Chanelle Scheepers retired with an injury. AFp

tORONtO: Olympic gold medallist Andy murray and top seed Novak Djokovic both avoided postGames letdowns with quick opening wins at the Toronto masters on Wednesday. murray, fresh from his home success at Wimbledon, toughed out a painful 6-1, 6-3 defeat of Flavio Cipolla. Djokovic avoided most of the pressure in his 71minute defeat of Bernard Tomic 6-2, 6-3 sealing three match points with a sixth ace and going through on the first match point. "For the first match it was a decent performance. Obviously at the start we played very long opening four games, and I was struggling to find the rhythm as most of the players who came in late from London did," said Djokovic. murray, who only arrived in Canada on Tuesday from London, took the hardcourt with minimal preparation but pulled off the win in just under 90 minutes thanks to some help from the ATP trainers. The number four was treated on his left knee after breaking Cipolla for 3-2 in the second set. murray was then constantly flexing the knee on his way to victory. AFp

Friday, 10 August, 2012

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Friday, 10 August, 2012

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Adiala prisoners should be released if no evidence found, says CJ ISLAMABAD App

The Supreme Court on Thursday summoned the record of the cases registered against prisoners recovered from Adiala Jail. Chief Justice Iftikhar muhammad Chaudhry said if these prisoners were involved in an attack on a three-star general then the authorities should present evidence against them otherwise should release them.

Addressing the agencies’ lawyer, Raja Irshad, the CJP said as he had already admitted that the case could not be preceded in accordance with the Army Act, he should present evidence against the prisoners in the SC, adding that they should have been released if there was not sufficient evidence against them. The hearing of the case was adjourned for three weeks.

JAKARTA: demonstrators protest against Myanmar’s treatment of Rohingya Muslims outside the Myanmar embassy in the Indonesian capital on Thursday. AfP

Resilient Imran vows to carry on drone protest despite ‘death threat’ Taliban spokesman denies death threat, says militant leaders will discuss PTi’s planned march into waziristan g

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday said he would carry on with his scheduled protest march against drone strikes into Waziristan despite death threats from Pakistani Taliban, while a Taliban spokesman said the militants will hold a meeting to decide whether the cricket starturned-politician will be allowed to hold a planned march into their tribal stronghold. In a statement issued on Thursday, Imran said that he will never hesitate to sacrifice his life for a noble cause. Commenting on an Associated Press interview of Taliban spokesman ehsanullah ehsan the other day warning of suicide attacks against him, Imran said that the protest march in miranshah will be held as per schedule on September 23 to raise voice for the innocent people of the area who have been targeted in drone attacks. “Life and death is in God’s hands……anyone who believes in Allah knows death is eternal and it will come on fixed time,” said the PTI chief, adding that he is not concerned over authenticity of the statements from Taliban. Commenting on the statement of calling him liberal, Imran said, “Allah knows the reality and what is in my heart.” meanwhile, Taliban spokesman ehsan denied the death threat reported earlier by The Associated Press.

The Pakistani Taliban leadership council “will decide what to do a week before his arrival and will announce it,” Ahsan told the AP by email. “It’s sure and clear that we don’t have any sympathy with Imran Khan, neither do we need his sympathy, as he himself claims to be a liberal, and we see liberals as infidels.” The AP reported Wednesday that the Taliban would target Khan with suicide bombers if he held his march, following an interview with ehsan in a remote area of their militant stronghold of South Waziristan.

AGENCIES

shoW us WhAT You GoT, nIsAR Tells IMRAn ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has challenged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan to prove charges against Sharif brothers and other Pakistan muslim League-Nawaz (PmLN) leaders in the court of law. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, he said that Imran was yet to answer several serious questions. He alleged that Imran had “never paid taxes” as there were no tax returns to prove that. “Imran claimed that he had purchased a piece of land in Sheikhupura for Rs 7 million, but the transaction is not reflected in his tax returns,” Nisar said. “Imran said that he had purchased residence in Islamabad after selling out his apartment in London but there is no proof of money transferred to Islamabad from London,” Nisar added. He said that Imran was repeating the same questions which Interior minister Rehman malik had been raising.

“Imran says Nawaz Sharif should not hide behind his family. I would ask him not to hide behind the Shaukat Khanam Cancer Hospital,” he added. “Imran had said that he would challenge me in the court, but he is still keeping quiet,” Nisar said. He added that Nawaz Sharif’s sons would respond to Khan’s statements as they were running businesses.

Nisar claimed that Imran had never criticized President Asif Ali Zardari, and only mentioned Nawaz while citing a book by Raymond Baker.

Nisar challenged Imran to hold a media debate in the presence of five anchorpersons of his choice. AGENCIES

DISCOs fleecing consumers, PAC told ISLAMABAD nnI

Water and Power Secretary Zafar mahmood on Thursday told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) were overbilling consumers to compensate for their losses. The PAC meeting was held under the chairmanship of Nadeem Afzal Gondal to review the objections raised by the audit of WAPDA and ministry of Power and Water, during which the water and power secretary said DISCOs were involved in false and additional billing. The secretary further informed the meeting that 20 subdivisional officers (SDOs) were suspended for over-billing in Lahore and latest technology and equipment was being used to cut down line losses and electricity theft. He added that line losses of DISCOs amounted to Rs 22 billion, while the gap between revenue and expenses stood at Rs 280 billion. PAC Chairman Nadeem Gondal said he had to call President Asif Ali Zardari to end load shedding in his constituency and President Zardari had to call the National Power Control Centre (NPCC) general manager to resolve the issue, adding that over billing was a serious issue.

PAC member Noor Alam said most areas of the country were without electricity for 20 hours daily, while bills remained unchanged. Alam recommended the abolition of DISCOs in favor of the WAPDA system. The PAC also sought a report from Peshawar electric Supply Company (PeSCO) over the issue of manufacturing of transformers by private companies. earlier some parliamentarians also accused power utilities of indulging in wrongdoing in load management.

MIlITARY ToP BRAss MeeT TodAY WITh CRoss-BoRdeR ATTACKs on AGendA ISLAMABAD SHAIQ HuSSAIn

The top military brass would discuss various security related issues today (Friday) at the Corps Commanders’ meeting with a focus on recent terrorist attacks on Pakistani border posts from Afghanistan-based militants and ISI Chief Lt General Zaheerul Islam’s recent visit to Washington.

The Corps Commanders’ meeting with Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in the chair will be given detailed briefing by senior military officials about the recent spate

of cross-border militant attacks in Dir, Chitral and Bajaur by maulvi Fazlullah led-Taliban (Swat Taliban), who are based in Kunar province of Afghanistan. There is great anger and anguish over no let up to these attacks by the Taliban on Pakistani border posts in which several Pakistani soldiers have been killed so far, despite that Pakistan has raised this vital issue many a time with the Afghan authorities and NATO officials.

Pakistani authorities believe that since the Afghan army and NATO troops have their presence in Kunar and adjacent areas across the border, it was their re-

sponsibility to prevent these attacks and also eliminate terrorists’ hideouts there, but so far no action has been taken on the demands by Islamabad.

“This issue of cross-border attacks will be discussed in detail in Friday’s Corps Commanders’ meeting with focus on ways how to stop these assaults permanently so that the precious loss of Pakistani soldiers’ lives could be prevented,” said a security official, seeking anonymity. He said that it was also a repeated breach of Pakistan’ sovereignty by the miscreants and the army would protect the country’s sover-

Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore.

eignty at all costs and for that all possible measures would be taken. The official said that another important issue on the agenda of army’s top brass meeting was that of the ISI director general’s visit to Washington early this month during which he held meetings with his CIA counterpart David Petraeus and other senior American officials. “The ISI chief will apprise the military leadership of his meetings in the US capital and their outcome and it would be in the light of that briefing that a strategy would be devised for the engagements with the United States on the military side in the Editor: Arif Nizami

days to come,” he said.

The US wants a full-fledged military operation by in North Waziristan against the Haqqani network, allegedly based there, but Pakistan is not for any immediate and all out offensive, keeping in view the constraints it is confronting in the face of overstretched security forces. According to diplomatic sources, the issue of North Waziristan operation figured up in discussions during the meeting in US between General Zaheer and the CIA director and the ISI chief conveyed the Pakistani stance to him over the contentious issue.