Writers asked to spread message of peace, tolerance STAFF REPORTER P ESHAWA R —The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Min-ister for Culture and Information, Mian Iftikhar Hussain has called upon the poets and writes to give due place to the sufferings of the people in their writings adding that message of peace, tolerance and mutual harmony of our hereof the yore days should be transmitted to the younger gen-eration. Hamza Baba was one of the few literati who had a clear vision for Pashtuns as he was well aware of their social, economic and politi-cal problems. He expressed these views as the chief guest on the occa-sion of the 18th death anniversary of Babae- Pashto ghazal Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari here Sunday at Peshawar Press Club. The min-ister said that writers and poets were the harbingers of peace, humil-ity and goodwill; it was their responsibility to guide their people on the right track and make them of their history. The event was organized jointly under auspices of the Peshawar Press Club Culture Committee and Hamza Baba Adabi Society, Peshawar while members of the Hamza Baba Adabi Jirga Khyber Agency were also in attendance. “I unlocked the doors of Nishtar hall that had been lying dysfunctional to everyone especially to artistes; writers and intellectuals to carry out their positive ac-tivities, grand theatrical plays on Rahman Baba and Khushhal Khan Khattak were also staged watched by hundreds of people with great interest.
FESCO shutdown
Large-scale killing in Quetta condemned BASHIR AHMAD RAHMANI and black flags chanting slo- complete failure to stop the Fawara Chowk blocking the nor Blochistan and Federal Farooq Ahmad Khokhar gans against the rulers for massacre. They also staged traffic for about half an hour Government to ensure that Election Commissioner said
H A F I Z A B A D —Large-scale their apathetic attitude and a sit-in demonstration in and called upon the Gover- such incidents would not re- here. killing of Muslims of a particular sect in Quetta was mourned by all segments of society particularly by Shia Community in Hafizabad, Pindi Bhattian, Sukheke Mandi and other towns of the district on Sunday. A large number of people gathered in Markazi Imam Bargah in Fawara Chowk here on the call of Hussaini Alliance, Shia Ulema Council and TNFJ where the speakers strongly condemned the mayhem in Quetta in which more than 80 persons were martyred and over two hundred innocent men, women and children killed. Later, they took out a rally which was led by Chairman District Hussaini Alliance Syed Hussain Ali Shah, Liaquat Zawar Khanno, Malik Intikhab Haider and QUETTA: A view of national flag flying at half mast at Balochistan Assembly building as Syed Shabi Ul Hassan Kazmi governments of Sindh and Balochistan observed a day of mourning over the killing of 80 holding banners, placards people in Quetta on Saturday.
Commissioner for accelerating anti-dengue campaign STAFF REPORTER R AWA L P I N D I — C o m m i s sioner Rawalpindi Imdad Ullah Bosal has directed the DCOs and EDOs Health to accelerate the surveillance campaign of dengue and those areas should be focused the dengue larva is identified. The awareness campaign should also be launched to make the public well aware about the preventive measures of Dengue as well as the seminars and walks at each tehsil headquarters be convened from time to time. He issued these direc-
tions while presiding over a meeting held in his office to review the progress of Dengue Surveillance Campaign. The DCOs Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Attock and Jhelum Saqib Zafar, Ahmed Aziz Tarar, Ch. Muhammad Usman, Mirza Mehmood ul Hasan, EDOs Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Attock and Jhelum Dr. Zafar Iqbal Gondal, Dr. Muhammad Nasir, Dr. Musarrat Hussain, DO Health Rawalpindi Dr. Khalid Randhawa and Additional Commissioner Ch. Habib Ullah also attended the meeting. The Commissioner also
directed that information counters for the dengue patients and their attendants be set up in every District Headquarters Hospital of every district. The banners should be placed in the cities having the instructions of preventive measures should be taken by the public. He also directed that a complete inspection of junkyards, patrol pumps, CNG station and under construction buildings be carried out and in case of presence of larva in there, the fire fighting equipments or buckets hanging over there be challaned.
FAISALABAD—The Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) has issued a shutdown notice for repair, maintenance and expansion of electricity lines. According to the notice issued by the company, power supply from Johal and Habib Aslam feeders emanating from 132-KV Bandala grid station will remain suspended from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. whereas Kala Bagh, Munda Khail and Mahabat Khail feeders originating from 66-KV Kala Bagh grid station will observe shutdown from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday (February 18). Similarly, electricity supply from Rafhan Mill, Susan Road, Rasool Park, Saeed Colony, Jubilee, Tariq Abad and New Madina town feeders emanating from 132-KV OTP grid station will remain suspended from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. while Jahanian Shah feeder originating from 66KV Jahanian Shah grid station will observe load shedding from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on February 18. Meanwhile, power supply from New Iqbal Colony, Sammundri Road, Miani, Korian Road, Dasoha, GIC, Mujahid Abad, Muhammad Ali Street, Nawabanwala, Muzaffar Colony, AlMasoom, Roshan Wala, AlFaisal, Shadi Pura, Chenab Garden, College Road, Barkat Pura, Waris Pura, Nisar Colony, Ahmad Nagar, Aminabad, Samanabad, MGM, Pepsi, Sohail Abad, DType Colony, Malik Ghee Mill and Gulshan-e-Iqbal Colony feeders emanating from 132-KV Sammundri Road Faisalabad grid station will also remain suspended from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Monday (February 18, 2013).—APP
Comments SALAHUDDIN HAIDER
I
NDEED it was, the jewel of an evening at the Acton House, official residence of the British Deputy H i g h Commissioner Saturday night. There was an aroma of romance, the purity of poetry and a fragrance, spread in the air all over. The dinner in honour of the Karachi Literary Festival participants, had brought together luminaries from their respective fields—novelists, poets, story writers—illustrious, award winning figures— for a chat, exchange of notes, for sharing jokes or having a
Light rain, snowfall likely at Kashmir, GB
recovered from the custody of Pir Jo Goth police on the directives of Sindh High Court Sukkur Bench on Sunday. According to details, a police party headed by DSP Pir Jo Goth raided the house of Meer Chano near the PS and recovered two kids, three-year-old Asif and his sister 18-months old Rani, from the house. The two kids were handed over to their mother Mst Koonj Chana. Mst Koonj Chana had filed a petition before the Court that her children were detained by one Meer Chana and are not being handed over to her. Tne Court directed Pir Jo Goth Police to recover the children and hand them over to their mother Koonj Chana within 24 hours.—APP
on Sunday forecast mainly cold and dry weather for most parts of the country during next 24 hours. However partly cloudy weather with chances of light rain and snowfall over the hills is likely at one or two places of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan during next 24 hours. According to the synoptic situation, continental air is prevailing over most part of the country whereas a shallow trough of westerly wave is also prevailing over northern areas of the country. Mainly cold and dry weather is expected in most parts of Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Sindh during next 24 hours. The lowest minimum temperatures recorded during the last 24 hours were Parachinar 9C, Kalam -8C, Gupis -5C,
ISLAMABAD—Pakistan Meteo- Malamjabba -4C, Astore, Kalat KHAIRPUR —Two kids were rological Department (PMD) and Hunza -3C.
N AWA B S H A H — S e v e r a l
CM urged to fill 90 vacant posts in DHQ hospital OUR CORRESPONDENT HAFIZABAD—Local citizens have expressed their grave concern over the attitude of provincial health department for not filling the vacant post of 90 doctors in the DHQ Hospital, Hafizabad, and have called upon the Chief Minister to order for immediate posting of the doctors particularly Specialists for ensuring better health care to the patients in the district. Scores of local NGOs and President District Awami Mahaz Rana Khalid Mehmood said that there were only 24 doctors including MS as against 114 sanctioned posts in the hospital
which was catering for 1.5 million population of the district. He further said that due to lack of Specialists and physicians in the hospital most of the serious and complicated patients were being referred to Lahore and Faisalabad and most of them die on the way. He demanded immediate posting of more doctors in the hospital. ***** Chief of Sunni Tehrik Sarwat Ejaz Qadri has declared that no negotiation should be made with the Taliban unless and until they surrender their firearms adding that Americans, NATO
forces and Taliban could not be relied upon. Talking to office-bearers of Rabita Committee and office-bearers of the ST, Hafizabad, he referred to the demand of the Taliban for guarantee of Nawaz Sharif and others and questioned the Taliban that who would be guarantor for the protection of 180 million Pakistanis? He condemned the killing in Quetta and incidents of target killing and terrorism in different places in the country and called upon the rulers to take action against the terrorists, extortionists and extremists to ensure peace in the country.
He said that for the slot of District President Ch. Aman Ullah Sandhu Advocate and Ch. Ahmad Bukhash Tarar Advocate have filed their nomination papers, while for two seats of Vice Chairman, Muhammad Irshad Tarar of Baleke, Shoaib Aslam Hanjra Advocate and Afzaal have filed their nomination papers. Mian Muhammad Akhtar Bhatti Advocate and Malik Ali Abbas Awan have filed their nomination papers for the office of General Secretary. Similarly for Tehsil Hafizabad Naveed Ahmad Langah and Syed Afzaal Hussain Shirazi have filed their nomination papers for the office of president while Qazi Imran and Afzaal Ahmad Hanjra have filed their nomination papers for the slot of General Secretary.
Two kids handed to their mother
Events mark 100th year of Nawabshah
ISLAMABAD: Leader of Tehreek Soba Hazara, Baba Haider Zaman, being carried by his supporters before his addressto a public gathering.
cur. ***** Mother of PPP MPA Malik Fayyaz Ahmad Awan (widow of Malik Fazal Hussain Awan MNA) died here after protracted illness. She was 80. She was maternal grandmother of local PPP leader Malik Gul Nawaz Phool Khan Awan and Malik Babar Awan. She was laid to rest in the ancestral graveyard in Garhi Awan, Hafizabad. The funeral was attended by large number of political and social workers, elected representatives, officers, landlords, traders and journalists of the district Sunday afternoon. ***** Election of different office-bearers of PTI of district and tehsil level would be held on February 26, in which 371 electorates would use their right of franchise,
events were held throughout the ditrict on the occasion of centenary celebrations of Nawabshah District. A traditional Sindhi wrestling (Malakhra) contest was held at Bilawal Sports Stadium, which was participated by a large number of wrestlers. Those who won prizes include Khan Muhammad, Saleem Jamali, Karim Bux and others. Deputy Commissioner Rasheed Ahmed Zardari distributed cash prizes among the wrestlers. A Sufiana Mehfil was organised at Jamsahib, the Saints’ town. Sufi singers presented poetry of saint-poets. A Literary Conference organised at Sakrand was participated by Sindhi poets and writers. A book “From Nawabshah to Benazirabad” written by Khadim Hussain Chandio was launched at the Literary Conference. Delivering his presidential address well known writer and poet Taj Joyo said that the district always remained a pivotal point of literature and it produced world famous writers and poets like Gobin Ram Malhi, Muhammad Bux and Hamal Faqir. Other programmes organised to celebrate the centenary of the district included a cricket match, Sindhi- Urdu Mushaira, a marathon race, flower show, a mega musical show and fireworks demonstration.—APP
The rainfall recorded during last 24 hours was Mandi Bahauddin 22 mm, Lahore 19, Gujranwala 11, Sialkot 9, Garidupatta 7, Okara 5, Jehlum 4, Faisalabad and Muzaffarabad 3, Bahawalnagar 2, Murree, Mangla, Bahawalpur, Kotli 1 mm. Dry weather with cool night is expected in the Karachi metropolis during the next 24 hours. The weather forecast on Sunday said that the minimum temperature is expected to remain in the range of 14 to 16 degree celsius.—APP
of invitees were playwright Haseena Moin, satirical poet Anwar Masood with his inseparable colleague Amjad Islam Amjad, The winner of the Costa First Novel Award Kishwar Desai, whose two books “Witness the Night”, and “Origin of Love” are famous productions. She came from Delhi with her mother, who was keen to see her ancestoral home in Lahore,Both Kishwar and her mother were happy to be in Pakistan, though this was not the first time, the Inidan novelist was here. Two other celebrities from Russia, Dr Sergey N Kamenev, director of the centre of Pakistan Studies, Institute of Oriental Studies, and Russian Academy of Sci-
ences, and his co-countryman, Prof Vyacheslav Ya.Belokenitsky, a university professor, serving at the Institute of Oriental Studies and the Russian Academy of Sciences as Deputy Director,, plus the head of the Centre for Study of Near and Middle Eastern countries. Both are highly important scholars, and that fact they are involved in research in on Pakistan, oriental studies, and in near and the middle east, show Russia’s keen interest in the region. Discussions with them was enlightening, for they looked eager to know more about Pakistan, which is of paramount interest to us. The better we keep them informed about us, the easier
for them will be to contribute to bring people of Russia and Pakistan together, and this indirectly contribute to peace in the area and through the globe. A remarkable figure, and perhaps the principal centre of attraction was former US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter, with his wife. Both were here for sometime, and preferred to visit Karachi moreoften, despite their highly delicate nature of job and tight schedule of duties in Islamabad. Munter resigned his post while being in Pakistan, and almost simultaneously his counterpart in Iraq, Ryan Croker quit his post too. Munter was an altogether different kind of diplomat.
RAZA NAQVI A TTOCK —Chief
Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has been urged to take suo motu notice of the Quetta massacre in which more than 80 innocent citizens have lost their lives and two hundered have been injured. Quetta must be forthwith given under the control of army to ensure safety of the innocent Hazara community. This was demanded by the participants of a protest rally taken out by Majlis Wahdat ul Muslimeen . The rally was led by Khadim Hussain Karbalai, Syed maqbool Hussain, Syed Ejaz Hussain Bokhari and others. The participants were shouting slogans against the present govt which failed to provide security to the hazara community .They were holding banners and placards condemning the Quetta blood shed ,demanding security for Hazara community ,bringing the culprits of banned or ganisation to book and were also demanding the handing over of Quetta to army. They said as per the constitution provision of security to every citizen is the duty of the government. The participants also demanded that the banned organisation which claimed the responsibility be brought to book . The rally latter dispersed peacefully at Fawara Chowk. meanwhile a special meeting of Anjuman Jan Nisaran Hussain was presided by Chairman Syed Raza Haider Naqvi. The meeting was attended by Senior Vice President Syed Athar Hussain Kazmi,Syed Zafar Zaidi and others. They condemned the killing of innocent people in Quetta and demanded that Quetta be handed over to army. They demanded that Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry should take notice of this bloodshed and ensure justice.
Talagang land of martyrs, soldiers: Elahi SHAFFAAT MALIK T ALAGANG —Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Sunday said that Punjab government has become defaulter due to failed schemes. He said this while addressing a big public gathering at Talagang. Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that he had always been following politics of principles. The Deputy Prime Minister also said that his government had spent more than
Rs 22 billion in Chakwal District during his tenure in total and in Talagang he had spent more than 10 billion rupees on different development projects. He said that he always considered Talagang as his second home and would built his home here in future as well. He said that his government had built a state-of-the-art hospital in Talagang with the cost of Rs. 350 million but recent Punjab Government has shifted all the equipment to somewhere
else which was a huge loss for the people of Talagang. He said that his government had made 9 dams in the area and has provided free tractors in UCs to facilitate farmers. Present regime has spent 70 billion on a project which covers only 55 kilometers, this project is full of corruption and wastage of taxpayers money, he added. He said that he owns this area and will continue to serve the people of Talagang which is the land of martyrs and soldiers.
CHOLISTAN: A folk singer performing at the inaugural ceremony of 8th Cholistan Jeep Rally organized by TDCP at Qila Derawar.
Acton House was the jewel of an evening dig at each other after hard day’s of professional work. In short, it was sheer joy and anyone present there must have considered him or herself lucky in that memorable company. Francis Campbell is a polished diplomat, but more than that, he is a loveable human being, humourous, witty and charming, a disarming smile playing on his face all the time. Welsh, Scotts and now the Northern Ireland people, are by nature and because of their sublime weather, are invariably pleasant and lovely hosts. So has been Francis, bringing with him glorious heritage, these three areas in UK are famous for. Among the large number
CJ urged to take suo motu of Quetta killings
He had his own philosophy and way of working. He wanted to elevate the US-Pakistan relationship from purely government-to-government level to people-to-people level. This was also a major policy pillar for former secretary of State Hillary Clinton. But sordid events like that of Raymond Davis, the US attack on Pakistani military post near Afghan border, plus the killing of Osama Bin Laden, took place in such quick succession, that the whole process got entangled into a turmoil that strained the Pak-US ties. Munter found his mission failing, and though it fit to bid goodbye to an astonishing career. He still thinks that Karachi is like Los Angeles and should never be under-rated or treated as unim-
portant. As for Crocker, he resigned on health grounds, and has not been keeping well. Munter was over ecstatic to be back in Karachi, and among his friends. He is a visiting professor for international relations at Pomono University in his home State of Califfornia. It was lovely to talk to him, and he recalled his fond memories during assignment in Pakistan. There were three ambassadors from Islamabad who had come to Karachi for the Literary Festival. They were the French ambassador Philippe THEEBAUD, a pleasing personality, the German Envoy Cyril Nunn. The Italian ambassador had come here from
Islamabad too. The occasion provided me an opportunity to know two beautiful and highly articulate ladies from the British High Commission in Islamabad, Susan Hayland, the political counselor, and Helen Chorlton, the Press affairs officer. Both were gracious and were delighted to be in Karachi. This was a week filled with hectic activity in diplomatic circles. The German ambassador had a heavy schedule at hand, meeting German firm representatives in Karachi, and those Pakistanis involved in joint venture with Germany. He met them at the dinner hosted by the President of the Pak-German Business Forum, Qazi Sajid Ali at his resident. Qazi saheb is the CEO of one of the biggest German companies BASF. It was a lovely party at his house at the week end.