E paper 22 04 2014 karachi

FRONT PAGE (22-04-2014) FINAL_Layout 1 4/22/2014 12:52 AM Page 1

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Treat the disease, not the diseased, says PM on Karachi law and order PAGE 02 Deal reached: MQM set to join Sindh govt today PAGE 02

Tuesday, 22 April, 2014 Jamadi-us-Sani 21, 1435 Rs 17.00 Vol IV No 293 16 Pages Karachi Edition

Senate committee seeks to lift Youtube ban PAGE 02

PPO ALREADY IMPLEMENTED IN PUNJAB & SINDH, SENATE TOLD PAGE 03

cJp names three Judges for hamid mir attack probe Justices Anwar Jamali, Ejaz Afzal and Iqbal Hameedur Rehman expected to submit a report ‘within 21 days’ PAGE 02

Taliban Talks losing sTeam

although prime minister nawaz sharif on monday reiterated his government’s resolve to carry forward the dialogue process with the banned terror outfit, tehreek-e-taliban pakistan (ttp), the government’s nominated negotiators believe that the government has abandoned the talks half-way, mian abrar reports from islamabad. story on page 03

5 policemen, a civilian killed in peshawar militant attack story on page 04

02 NEWS

Tuesday, 22 April 2014

CJP NAMES THREE JUDGES FOR HAMID MIR ATTACK PROBE JUSTICES ANWAR JAMALI, EJAZ AFZAL AND IQBAL HAMEEDUR REHMAN EXPECTED TO SUBMIT A REPORT ‘WITHIN 21 DAYS’ MIR HAS REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS AND IS REPORTEDLY IN A STABLE CONDITION ISLAMABAD/KARACHI AGENCIES

N the request of the federal government, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani has forwarded the names of three sitting Supreme Court judges to the Ministry of Law for the formation of the judicial commission to probe the armed attack on senior journalist Hamid Mir in Karachi.

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GEO NEWS PRESIDENT SAYS MIR HIMSELF WOULD LODGE THE FIR AS SOON AS HE IS ABLE The three judges are Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman.

The Interior Ministry on Sunday submitted a letter to the CJP, seeking the names of three Supreme Court judges to constitute the commission, including one judge who will be the president of the commission.

The request directed the commission to submit a report “within 21 days”.

HAmId mIR’s CondItIon stAble: Journalist and TV anchor Hamid Mir,

EXPRESS TALK SHOW HOST RESIGNS AFTER BEING DENIED LIVE SHOW ON HAMID MIR LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Senior journalist and chairman of the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), Imtiaz Alam on Monday resigned from a private news channel after being allegedly stopped from airing a live show on the attack on journalist Hamid Mir. According to contents of Alam’s letter of resignation addressed to the channel’s managing director Yousaf Baig Mirza, the journalist wanted to host a live program on the Hamid Mir incident on his show ‘Acha Lagay Bura Lagey’ on Monday evening but the management didn’t approve the live telecast of the show and instead insisted that he should pre-record the program.

Protesting against the management’s decision, Alam resigned from his position and has given a 30-day notice to the organisation.

ABDUCTED UN STAFF IN KARACHI RECOVERED ‘SAFE AND WELL’ KARACHI STAFF REPORT

Two Pakistani staffers of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), who were allegedly abducted in Karachi last week, were recovered on Monday.

Officers raided a house in the east of the city early on Monday after tracing mobile phone signals, senior police official Sultan Khawaja said, and found the UNICEF staff.

But there was no sign of their suspected kidnappers, said Khawaja. The pair had gone missing on Thursday evening when it is believed they were returning from a recreation trip to an amusement resort.

“UNICEF is pleased to confirm that two of its national staff who were abducted on Thursday evening in Karachi are now safe and well,” the agency said in a statement.

“The police led the investigation, in close contact with UNICEF and the staff members’ families.”

who was shot three times in an attack in Karachi, is conscious and in stable condition, his hospital said Monday.

Mir, who hosts a prime-time talk show on Geo News, was attacked on Saturday while travelling by car to his office from the airport in Karachi.

The government has announced a special commission to investigate the attack and offered a Rs 10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.

A spokesperson for Aga Khan University Hospital said Mir was “conscious and stable”. The shooting came less than a month after gunmen tried to murder another journalist, Raza Rumi, who is known for criticising the Taliban. Rumi survived the attack but his driver was killed.

Mir has survived previous attempts on his life including a bomb under his car last year which police defused before it could go off. He has long been a critic of the country’s powerful intelligence agencies and military for their alleged role in the abduction of thousands of people in Balochistan.

LHC MOVED TO TRY JANG AND GEO GROUP FOR HIGH TREASON LAHORE: A petition was filed in a local court on Monday seeking the registration of a high treason case against Geo and Jang group for maligning the country’s supreme intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). According to media reports, petitioner Sardar Aftab Ahmed said Jang and Geo Group had attempted to malign the Pakistan Army and ISI allegedly in connivance with foreign powers in the wake of attack on TV journalist Hamid Mir. He requested the court to issue orders for lodging a treason case against the media group. The court has sought a report from the Lahore police chief and SHO concerned and adjourned the hearing until April 23. ONLINE

Imran Aslam, the president of Geo, said Mir himself would lodge the official police complaint about the attack as soon as he is able. “We are waiting for Hamid’s early recovery so that he could himself lodge the FIR,” Aslam said. He said Mir’s condition was stable but he was “not in a position to lodge the FIR”.

“Let’s hope he gets better and back to work with renewed vigour.”

SENATE COMMITTEE SEEKS TO LIFT YOUTUBE BAN Chairman says there is no ban on Youtube in Saudi Arabia and UAE while PTA chief has already said that there’s no advantage of the ban ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Senate’s Standing Committee on Human Rights on Monday approved a resolution that seeks to unblock the popular video-sharing website Youtube in Pakistan.

The video-sharing website has been blocked in Pakistan since September 2012 over its failure to take down the blasphemous “Innocence of Muslims” movie that sparked furious protests around the world. The American-made movie also triggered violent demonstrations across Pakistan that left more than 20 people dead.

A meeting of the functional committee was headed by its chairman Afrasiab Khattak, and attended by its members and the officials of the Ministry of Human Rights.

The members of the committee expressed their concerns regarding the long-running ban on Youtube. The committee chairman said that there is no advantage of the ban while people can still access restricted videos from other websites.

Khattak said that there was no ban on Youtube in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority

(PTA) chairman already told the meeting that there was no advantage of the ban.

The members of the committee also said that they would also raise the issue in the Senate session.

The members of the committee also approved two separate resolutions regarding the gun-attack on journalist Hamid Mir and the incident of cannibalism in Bhakkar district.

Members of the committee said an attack on freedom of expression cannot be acceptable for anyone, and demanded that the government take strict action against the culprits.

The members said that the government should take measures to stop the increasing incidents of target killings of the journalists in the country.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Sehar Kamran said that the government should initiate an inquiry, while media houses should avoid raising allegations against security agencies before an inquiry is conducted.

Committee members also showed their concerns on the incident of cannibalism in Bhakkar district.

Khattak said that the government should either amend existing laws or introduce and legislation against cannibalism.

TREAT THE DISEASE, NOT THE DISEASED, SAYS PM ON KARACHI SITUATION Nawaz orders swift investigation into attack on TV journalist Hamid Mir KARACHI: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday chaired a meeting at the Jinnah International Airport on Karachi’s law and order situation during which he directed authorities to treat the disease and not the diseased. Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Director General Rangers Major General Rizwan Akhter, Inspector General Police Iqbal Mehmood and Additional Inspector General Shahid Hayat participated in the meeting. Hayat briefed the prime minister in the meeting. The DG Rangers informed the meeting that there had been 37 per cent decrease in the city’s crime rate, adding that it would take more time to clear out the situation which had developed over a period of more than 30 years. The premier however expressed displeasure over the poor law and order situation of the city and questioned officials as to why the conditions of Karachi deteriorated after being stable for some time. He directed officials to take stricter action to ensure peace, Nawaz also ordered for swift completion of investigation into the attack on Hamid Mir during a visit to the hospital where the senior journalist is undergoing treatment. STAFF REPORT

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Last month Pakistan announced it would set up a special commission to protect journalists and would include press freedom as part of peace talks with the Taliban. Rights groups have called Pakistan one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders says seven reporters lost their lives in Pakistan last year.

MOVE PEMRA FOR ACTION AGAINST ‘A TV CHANNEL’: RASHID ISLAMABAD APP

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rashid said on Monday that if an individual has any complaint against a TV channel than the concerned person may inform PEMRA which will examine and take stern actions as per relevant rules and regulations. Talking to a private news channel, Rashid said it is the shared responsibility of the government, intelligentsia, media and common man to respect the integrity and dignity of the state institutions. He said that a threemember judicial commission has been formed to investigate the attack on senior journalist Hamid Mir, and it would not be appropriate to comment against anyone as the matter is under investigation.

DEAL REACHED: MQM SET TO JOIN SINDH GOVT TODAY Party may bag six ministries in the provincial cabinet KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) may formally abandon its opposition seats and move across the aisle to the treasury benches with a chance that some of its members may take oath as provincial ministers, as soon as Tuesday (today). A senior MQM official, who asked to remain anonymous, said that the oath taking for their ministers and advisers could happen as soon as Tuesday. However, he did not wish to specify the number of ministers who would be inducted into the Sindh cabinet. However sources said that as many as six members of the Sindh Assembly belonging to the MQM will be sworn in as provincial ministers. The two parties are currently working out details of portfolios that will be held by the new ministers, said the sources. The move comes after the MQM has reportedly received assurances over its missing workers from the ruling Pakistan People’s Party. Last month, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon had hinted at MQM’s possible switch to the treasury benches. “The MQM has been an ally to the PPP in the past and there would be no harm if they once again decide to join the treasury benches,” he added. STAFF REPORT

Tuesday, 22 April 2014

taliban talkS lOSinG Steam GOVT NEGOTIATORS HAVE LITTLE HOPE FOR BREAKTHROUGH IN PEACE TALKS ISLAMABAD

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MIAN ABRAR

HOUGH Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday reiterated his government’s resolve to carry forward the dialogue process with the banned terror outfit, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the government’s own negotiators think that the government has left the talks half-way without taking them to a logical end.

On March 25, the government’s negotiators had a meeting with the TTP Shura which ended with lots of hopes but since then there is no headway in the talks process.

“It seems that the government has lost interest in the dialogue process now. No one has contacted me since at least a fortnight. No direct or indirect contact has been made with me despite the fact that I am negotiating on behalf of the government, what to talk about the negotiators representing the other side,” a government negotiator told Pakistan Today, requesting not to be named due to sensitivity of the matter.

SAY GOVT HAS ABANDONED TALKS PROCESS HALF WAY AS THERE IS A ‘MYSTERIOUS SILENCE’ BY GOVT OFFICIALS

He added that neither the interior minister nor any of his deputies had contacted him for further deliberations on the peace process.

Asked whether he had any idea which demand from the Taliban had made the government grow cold or whether in-house deliberations had been continuing over demands from the militants, the negotiator said that he had no clue what was cooking in the government’s mind.

Another government negotiator said that the “mysterious silence” on part of the government was making the situation further complex and confused. “Though I have been in Peshawar for several days just to help the peace process, I am unaware of any headway as no one contacted me,” the negotiator said.

Asked if he had contacted Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan about the future strategy, the negotiator said that the government should contact him as it was not his responsibility to contact the government. “I am facilitating the talks process without any vested interest. So it’s the responsibility of the government to contact me and not

PPO already imPlemented in Punjab, Sindh, Senate tOld IslAmAbAd: The special home secretary Sindh and the Punjab additional secretary on Monday told a meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Human Rights that the Pakistan Protection Ordinance (PPO) has already been implemented in Punjab and Sindh. Committee member Farhatullah Babar said that the human rights committee had been told that the PPO was not yet implemented in Sindh, yet this disclosure had changed the situation, rather embroiling the crisis further.

The committee was also informed that considering increased involvement of women in crime, female police force in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be further increased.

Committee member Nasreen Jalil expressed her dissatisfaction with details of extra-judicial encounters in Punjab and Sindh. She also announced that a list of 46 missing MQM workers had been forwarded to the Sindh special home secretary. STAFF REPORT

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NO CONTACT BETWEEN INTERIOR MINISTER AND GOVT NEGOTIATORS IN LAST FORTNIGHT

mine,” he added.

The TTP has refused to extend the ceasefire after a 40-day lull in violence.

However, the TTP spokesman resolved to continue dialogue with the government.

The negotiator said despite the fact that the TTP had announced not to extend the ceasefire with the government, no attack from the Taliban reflected that they wanted the peace process to move forward. He said that trust deficit was the major factor behind the stalemate in talks. The negotiator said that an immediate meeting with the TTP Shura was mandatory to carry the dialogue process forward.

“The TTP Shura, despite being engaged in resolving the infighting among them was willing to hold a meeting with the government negotiators but the delay has caused a major blow to the process,” he said.

About the agenda of the possible meeting with TTP Shura, the government committee mediator said that the government negotiators would now focus on extending the ceasefire.

Rustam Shah Mohmand, a member of the government’s negotiating panel,

had told the media recently that the trust deficit and deadlock could still be avoided by putting the things on fast track. “We can win back the trust to extend truce and other matters by holding an immediate meeting,” said Mohmand. The TTP announced its first truce on March 1 for one month and later extended it till April 10 on April 4.

The pro-peace and anti-peace TTP groups, which are currently engaged in the infighting, might not spare time for a crucial meeting with the government negotiation committee, he said.

It is relevant to mention that the government has freed around 23 Taliban prisoners detained by the security forces aiming to build trust with the militants. However, there was no word whether those released were Taliban combatants.

A breakthrough in dialogue was being linked to possible release of Peshawar Islamia College University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Ajmal, as well as the sons of late Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer and former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani who had been abducted by the TTP.

ARAB ROYAL HUNTS DOWN 2,100 HOUBARA BUSTARDS IN THREE-WEEK SAFARI REPORT SAYS SAUDI PRINCE ALSO INDULGED IN ILLEGAL HUNTING IN PROTECTED AREAS

FREE MORE TTP MEN TO BREAK DEADLOCK: PROF IBRAHIM Taliban say they would only retaliate if govt carries out action ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR INP A member of Taliban committee on Monday said a delay in release of noncombatant prisoners of banned terrorist outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was the major reason for a stalemate in talks. However, Taliban sources said that they were ready to hold talks if the government vowed to fulfil its pledges. Talking to reporters in Peshawar, Prof Ibrahim said Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in a press conference had said that the government had decided to release more TTP prisoners, but it has not been implemented despite passage of several days. Meanwhile, a private TV channel quoted TTP sources as saying, “We are still ready to hold peace talks and will not carry out any attack but will retaliate if the government carries out any action.”

The TTP sources were of the view that they wanted a peaceful resolution of all issues through talks. They said that the ceasefire would not be extended and decision regarding release of the people in custody would be taken keeping in view the government’s response. The TTP sources hoped that the government would show flexibility and take any decision in the larger interest of the country and its people.

FBR ORDERED TO GIVE LEGAL COVER TO AMNESTY SCHEME VEHICLES

GOvt ShOuld PrObe killinGS Of mQm wOrkerS: hrCP

ISLAMABAD

lAHoRe: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Monday urged both the federal and Sindh governments to probe the abduction, torture and extrajudicial killings of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). In a statement issued on Monday, the commission said: “HRCP has learned that bodies of two MQM workers were found in Korangi late last week. Both men had been missing for over a month and their bodies showed torture marks.

“MQM has repeatedly complained in recent weeks that its workers and activists are being picked up, tortured and killed amid the ongoing security operation in Karachi and pointed the finger at the law enforcement agencies.

HRCP thinks that these are very serious charges which must be investigated without any delay. “Everyone who calls Karachi their home, and indeed all citizens of Pakistan, have a stake in peace returning to Karachi.

Towards that end, the launch of the operation to rid Karachi of widespread violence had been generally well received. HRCP demands that all attempts by police and other law enforcement agencies to restore peace in the city must strictly adhere to law and human rights. “HRCP also calls upon the federal and provincial governments to immediately hold an inquiry with a view to investigate the MQM complaints to the satisfaction of the party and of the victims’ families.” ONLINE

A Saudi prince has poached over 2,100 internationally protected houbara bustards in 21-day hunting safari in Chagai, Balochistan, during which the royal also indulged in illegal hunting in protected areas, says a report.

The report titled ‘Visit of Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud regarding hunting of houbara bustard’ prepared by Jaffar Baloch, divisional forest officer of the Balochistan forest and wildlife department, Chagai at Dalbandin, says the prince hunted for 21 days – from Jan 11, 2014 to Jan 31– and hunted 1,977 birds, while other members of his party hunted an additional 123 birds, bringing the total bustard toll to 2,100, sources said.

They said that hunting of the internationally protected bird was banned in Pakistan also, but the federal government issued special permits to Gulf states’ royals.

Permits, which are person specific and could not be used by anyone else, allow the holders to hunt up to100 houbara bustards in 10 days in the area allocated, excluding reserved and protected areas.

The report dated Feb 4, 2014 (No: 216-219 HB/CHI) says that during the 21-day safari the prince hunted the birds for 15 days in the reserved and protected areas, poached birds in other areas for six days and took rest for two days. Giving a breakup of date-wise as well as area-wise details of the prince’s expedition, the report says that he hunted 112 houbara bustards in the Gut game sanctuary (Arbe pat) which is a reserved and protected area on Jan 11, 2014.

The next two days on Jan 12 and 13th he hunted 116 and 93 birds in the Gut game sanctuary (Sai Rek) which

ISLAMABAD APP

AGENCIES

is also a reserved and protected area. Then for the next two days Prince Fahd, who is also governor of Tabuk, visited Sato Gut and hunted 82 and 80 houbaras on Jan 14 and 15, respectively. On Jan 16, he visited Gut-i-Barooth and hunted 79 houbaras. Both these areas are not protected areas, says the report.

For the next six days the Saudi royal camped in the Koh-i-Sultan state forest, which is a reserved and protected area, and hunted 93, 82, 94, 97, 96 and 120 houbara bustards on Jan 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22, respectively.

On Jan 23 and 24, he continued his hunting spree in the Gut game sanctuary (Dam), which is a reserved as well as protected area, and hunted 116 and 197 houbara bustards, respectively.

The prince carried out hunting of the protected bird in Thalo Station and hunted 89 houbara bustards on Jan 25 and spent the next two days hunting the birds in Pul Choto, killing 34 and 89 birds on Jan 26 and 27, respectively. Both of these areas are neither reserved nor protected, says the report.

The remaining four days, Prince Fahd spent in the Gut game sanctuary, a reserved as well as protected area, and hunted 92, 94, 119 and 97 birds on Jan 28, 29, 30, and 31, respectively. The royal guest took rest on Feb 1 and 2 at the Bar Tagzai base camp after bringing the grand total of his trophies to 1,977.

The report says: “123 birds were hunted by local representatives and other labourers of the hunting party. The total bustards hunted by Prince Fahd bin Abdul Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud are 1,977 and total bustards hunted by local representatives and other labourers are 123 bringing the grand total to 2100”.

CMYK

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to provide legal cover to non-registered vehicles of amnesty scheme. The scheme, which provided duty and tax concessions on imported vehicles, was launched through a statutory regulatory order (SRO) issued on March 5, 2013 and ended on April 6.

Under this scheme, 61,405 vehicles were cleared. The division bench, comprising Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan and Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi, announced the verdict and suspended the order of a single bench against the amnesty scheme while hearing an intracourt appeal filed by the FBR. During the course of hearing, FBR lawyer Athar Minallah pleaded that the SRO for the amnesty scheme was issued in accordance with the law as Custom Act 1961 empowered the federal government to issue such schemes.

Under the scheme, smuggled vehicles were given a concession on payment of fine and registered after the receipt of a prescribed fee to bring them in legal ambit, he added. He maintained that the government had earned Rs 15.3 billion through the amnesty scheme, but the single-member bench issued directions for the confiscation of vehicles registered under the scheme.

04 NEWS

Tuesday, 22 April 2014

yemen, uS mOunt ‘unPreCedented’ air attaCkS On Qaeda MORE THAN 40 AL QAEDA MILITANTS KILLED IN RECENT AIRSTRIKES ADEN

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N “unprecedented” US and Yemeni aerial campaign has killed more than 40 al Qaeda militants in recent days in a

bid to thwart attacks by the network’s local affiliate, officials said.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has been linked to a number of failed terror plots against the United States, and its leader recently appeared in a rare video in which he vowed to attack Western “crusaders” wherever they are.

A top Yemeni official said the “unprecedented operation” in recent days came after “information that al Qaeda was plotting attacks on vital installations, military and security, as well as foreign interests in

Yemen.” The official, who requested anonymity, spoke after three militants, one of whom may have been a senior commander, were killed in a drone strike in southern Yemen on Monday, the latest in an accelerated series of raids against AQAP. The United States is the only country operating drones over Yemen, but US officials rarely acknowledge the covert drone programme. A Yemeni official said that shortly after midnight (2100 GMT Sunday) a drone fired a missile at an off-road vehicle carrying three men

in the southern Shabwa province, seen as an AQAP stronghold. Witnesses confirmed that the vehicle had been completely destroyed and said they saw the charred remains of three individuals.

They said an unmarked commando helicopter arrived shortly thereafter to retrieve the bodies.

“The operation seems to indicate that one of the dead could be an important leader of al Qaeda,” one witness said.

US drones on Sunday killed more than 30 militants when they

FIRING IN QUETTA LEAVES 3 DEAD

SHC SEEKS REPLY FROM GOVT, FIA OVER MUSHARRAF’S ECL PLEA

QUETTA STAFF REPORT

Three people, two relatives and a cobbler were shot dead while two others were wounded after their vehicle was attacked by four unknown assailants near Munir Mengal Chowk on Saryab Road. “Two persons sitting inside the car and a cobbler near roadside sustained multiple bullet wounds and died on the spot while a passer-by was wounded,” SSP Saryab Mohammed Jaffar told reporters. The attackers escaped after committing the crime. The bodies and injured were transported to Provincial Sandeman Hospital. The deceased were identified as 24-year-old Mira Jan Achakzai, 23year-old Ahmed Jan—both were relatives and Khuhsal Khan, a cobbler. “The assailants used SMG which is uncommon in organised targeted killings. The attackers had emptied two magazines of SMGs,” police officer Jaffar added.

“This could be a case of tribal dispute or old enmity,” said Jaffar, adding that investigations are underway. Police will soon record the statement of the parents and lodge an FIR.

BJP LEADER LK ADVANI’S WEBSITE HACKED MONITORING DESK The official website of veteran BJP leader LK Advani was hacked on Monday, allegedly by Pakistani hackers who posted “freeKashmir” messages on the website, Indian news channel NDTV reported.

The hacker, who called himself Muhammad Bilal, wrote “Pakistan Zindabad” messages on the site and called for an end to the “militarised governance in Kashmir”. The hacker began his message by saying, “Good Morning Narendra Modi” and went on to raise the Kashmir issue. The message posted on the site terms freedom of Kashmir as the goal of those who hacked Advani’s website www.lkadvani.in. At the time of reporting, Advani, who was in Tamil Nadu campaigning for the party, was not aware of the hacking.

fired “several missiles” into an AQAP training camp in the rugged Wadi Ghadina region in the southern province of Abyan, a tribal chief said.

A defence ministry statement confirmed that “several” militants were killed in an attack on “training camps,” including “foreigners.”

The top official said Yemeni MiG-29 jet fighters took part in the raids. Yemen’s interior ministry meanwhile said that 10 people suspected of wanting to join al Qaeda had been arrested at a security roadblock in Shabwa.

KARACHI STAFF REPORT

CHAMAN: An Afghan family enters Pakistan from the Friendship Gate on the Pak-Afghan border at Chaman on Monday. INP

202 women murdered in the name of honour in Sindh last year ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

In 2013, as many as 202 women were murdered in the name of Karo-kari (honour killing) in Sindh, the Sindh special home secretary informed the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights on Monday.

The secretary also stated that at least 28 honour killing cases have been reported in 2014 thus far. He added that the incidence of honour killing in interior Sindh is

continuously rising because of the jirga system that exists in all districts of the rural parts of the province.

“The weakness of the legal system and the encouragement of the jirga system in rural areas are both responsible for the rise in the murder of women in the name of honour,” the secretary informed the meeting.

He assured that to prevent violence against women, special cells were functioning in all districts of Sindh, encouraging civil society to

join the cells and report such cases. He said that to create awareness, special seminars about the issue are also organised from time to time for the general public.

The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights Chairperson Senator Afrasiab Khattak expressed serious concerns about the rising number of women killed in the name of honour.

He directed the provincial government to take effective steps to discourage the act.

The Sindh High Court has issued notices to the government and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) over former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf’s application seeking removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL) and has directed them to submit their replies on April 23.

Earlier on Monday, Musharraf’s counsel Barrister Farogh Naseem had submitted the application on the former president’s behalf, challenging the order of the interior secretary pertaining to inclusion of his name on the ECL. A two-member bench of the SHC, headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, immediately admitted the application for hearing.

Naseem presented his stance in the court and said

FIVE POLICEMEN, A CIVILIAN KILLED IN PESHAWAR MILITANT ATTACK PesHAWAR: Six people, including five policemen were killed and two others wounded as unidentified militants attacked a police convoy on Kohat Road near Zangali Checkpost, some 20 kilometres from Peshawar on Monday night. Badabher Police Station House Officer Garanullah Khan told Pakistan Today that the militants attacked two policemen near Zangli checkpost injuring them seriously. He said the wounded policemen were being evacuated when the militants attacked the rescue party killing six people, including an assistant sub-inspector, three constables and a driver of the ambulance which was evacuating the injured.

Khan said the injured policemen have been shifted to Lady Reading Hospital for treatment. No militant group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, which follows a recent surge in the Pakistani Taliban violence after its decision to not extend the ceasefire with the Pakistani government. STAFF REPORT

ELECTION TRIBUNALS DISPOSED OF 254 PETITIONS UNTIL MARCH that Musharraf wanted to travel overseas in order to visit his ailing mother upon which the court replied that it could not make a unilateral decision.

The court issued notices to the government and FIA and directed the federal interior secretary and FIA director general to submit their replies before it on April 23.

Earlier on April 2, the government had rejected Musharraf’s application seeking removal of his name from the ECL.

IslAmAbAd: Election tribunals formed across the country to redress election complaints have disposed of 254 of 410 post-election petitions by March 31.

According to the Free and Fair Election Network, the tribunals could not dispose of 156 petitions within the legally-stipulated deadline.

The Election Commission of Pakistan formed 14 tribunals across the country following the general election 2013 to redress election-related complaints of contesting candidates. ONLINE

Woman claims suspicious husband planted tracker in her body lAHoRe: A woman, irked by her suspicious husband, on Monday claimed that he had planted a tracker in her body so that he could spy on her movements.

The woman, covering her face with a white veil, made the claim at Lahore’s Session Court where she filed an application against her husband.

In her shocking assertions, the woman told journalists that her husband took her to a government hospital and got a tracker planted inside her body through surgery.

“He gets suspicious, always wants to keep an eye on me and wants to know wherever I go.

This compelled me to file a complaint against him,” the woman claimed, evading many of the questions by reporters and giving no proof to prove her claims.

Her claim is yet to be verified by medical experts. INP

UKRAINE PEACE DEAL FALTERS AS REBELS SHOW NO SIGN OF SURRENDER RUSSIA, KIEV QUESTION EACH OTHER’S COMPLIANCE WITH PEACE ACCORD KIEV AGENCIES

An agreement reached last week to avert wider conflict in Ukraine was faltering as the new week began, with pro-Moscow separatist gunmen showing no sign of surrendering government buildings they have seized.

US and European officials say they will hold Moscow responsible and impose new economic sanctions if the separatists do not clear out of government buildings they have occupied across swathes of eastern Ukraine over the past two weeks.

US Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Kiev, where he is expected to announce a package of technical assistance. The visit is likely to be more important as a symbol of

WASHINGTON SAYS MORE SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA IF NO PROGRESS support than for any specific pledges Biden makes in public. “He will call for urgent implementation of the agreement reached in Geneva last week while also making clear ... that there will be mounting costs for Russia if they choose a destabilising rather than constructive course in the days ahead,” a senior administration official told reporters.

Russia, Ukraine, the European Union and the United States signed off on an agreement in Geneva on Thursday designed to lower tension in the worst confrontation between Russia and the West since the Cold War. The agreement calls for occupied buildings to be vacated under the auspices of envoys from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

But no sooner had the accord been signed

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than both sides accused the other of breaking it, while the pro-Moscow rebels disavowed the pledge to withdraw from occupied buildings. An OSCE mediator held his first meeting with the leader of separatists in Slaviansk, a town which rebels have turned into a heavily-fortified redoubt. Mark Etherington said he had asked the pro-Russian self-proclaimed “people’s mayor” of the town, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, whether he would comply with the Geneva agreement, but gave no hint about Ponomaryov’s response.

Etherington said he had also asked about people being held in Slaviansk, including the woman who was serving as mayor until the uprising. Her fate has not been made clear.

Separatists told Reuters they would not disarm until Right Sector, a Ukrainian nationalist group based in Western Ukraine, does so first.

“Who should surrender weapons first?

Let us see Right Sector disarm first, let them make the first step and we will follow,” said Yevgeny Gordik, a member of a separatist militia. “We need dialogue. This is not dialogue. It is monologue.”

Russia says Right Sector members have threatened Russian speakers. Kiev and Western countries say the threat is largely invented

by Russian state-run media to justify Moscow’s intervention and cause alarm in Russian speaking areas. Moscow blames Right Sector for a deadly shooting on Easter Sunday morning, when at least three people were killed at a checkpoint manned by armed separatists. Right Sector denies involvement, while Kiev said Russia provoked the violence.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described the checkpoint attack as a crime, and said Kiev was failing to implement the Geneva deal. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia replied that Ukraine was participating in talks led by the OSCE alongside Russian diplomats, who should have informed Lavrov of the steps Kiev was taking.

One European diplomat said the Geneva deal was a way for Russian President Vladimir Putin to buy time and undermine momentum towards tougher sanctions: “Talks and compromises are just part of his tactics,” said the diplomat. “He wants to have Ukraine.”

Tuesday, 22 April, 2014

SenatorS aSSure journaliStS of enacting Security law Journalists walk out of press gallery to protest against attack on Hamid Mir ISLAMABAD

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ISLAMABAD: Journalists hold a demonstration outside National Press Club on Monday against the assassination attempt on senior journalist Hamid Mir. ONLINE

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he Senate on Monday assured journalists to enact legislation for their welfare and protection and also formed a committee in this regard.

The assurance came from Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq and Leader of the Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan when they came to press gallery to express solidarity with the journalists on the issue of murder attempt on TV journalist Hamid Mir. After the House started its proceedings, the journalists walked out of the press gallery to protest against the attack on Mir. Both leaders of the House and opposition agreed with their demands and assured them of enacting legislation. Haq said the House would only discuss the issue of attack on Hamid Mir and then adjourn as a gesture of solidarity. Furthermore, he and Ahsan also agreed to form a special committee for effective legislation for the welfare and security of journalists.

On the issue of registration of an FIR in Mir’s attack case, he said the provincial government was already looking into the matter. "His [Hamid Mir] health will hopefully improve within a day or so and then the police will be in better position to register an FIR." Ahsan said for registering an FIR, the Sindh government was waiting for improvement in Hamid Mir's health. "If

he will nominate any persons, their names will be included in the FIR, otherwise it will be registered against unknown assailants." On these assurances, the journalists ended the boycott.

Earlier, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists President Afzal Butt raised the concerns of journalist community regarding their security and welfare as well as fulfilment of the commitments of successive governments. "We demand concrete measures for our welfare and security," Butt said.

He reminded the visiting politicians of the sacrifices the journalists had been rendering for democracy. "But, neither

our economic problems are considered properly nor our security is ensured.

This regrettable situation has today forced us to boycott the proceedings."

Butt also demanded to register a first information report (FIR) and bring to justice the culprits at the earliest. Afterwards, the House also agreed with the proposals discussed by the leaders with the journalist community, except the five-member committee as those parties whose members were not proposed for it, had also demanded representation.

Therefore, Senate Deputy Chairman Sabir Baloch gave the parties some time

KP GOVT TO SET UP WOMEN DESKS AT ALL POLICE STATIONS

Pakistan’s ambassador becomes OIC assistant secy gen ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ambassador Muhammad Naeem Khan to Saudi Arabia has been appointed Assistant Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Monday. His candidature for the position was endorsed

by Saudi Arabia and he won the elections, which took place in the second week of December, 2013, by receiving 10 out of the 18 votes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had nominated Khan to be Pakistan’s top representative to the OIC in Jeddah. Candidates from Afghanistan, Malaysia and Indonesia were also in the running for the position. STAFF REPORT

PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has announced that women police desks would be established at all 500 police stations of the province to facilitate the province’s female population.

Speaking at a ceremony in the provincial capital city, Khattak announced the establishment of Model Police Stations at Gulbahar, Faqirabad and University Town areas under a pilot project which would be later extended to other police stations across the province. The chief minister also announced the establishment of jury or jirga system at the model police stations. The system is to comprise of three independent individuals from the relevant area to settle local disputes before the registration of any FIR or case.

IT MINISTRY CAN’T AFFORD IT EXPERTS, SUSPENDS 13 PROJECTS ISLAMABAD AGENCIES

The Information Technology Ministry (MoIT) cannot afford to keep IT professionals on its payroll and has taken school teachers and forest officials to manage its affairs, media reports said on Monday.

The ministry is also set to scrap over a dozen projects that have been suffering at the hands of ‘inter-departmental neglect’, the report said.

There is a severe dearth of IT experts at the ministry and most of the staff there are administrative officers.

Nearly 100 IT professionals who had been associated with the MoIT in the past were let go because the ministry could no longer afford to pay them.

Out of a total of 23 key officials within the ministry, only two, Member IT Amir Malik and Director Iftikhar Shah are technically qualified IT professionals. Malik has also been given additional responsibility as managing director for Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), while Shah additionally serves as the director general of the Pakistan Computer Bureau (PCB).

PSEB and PCB, as well as Information and Communication Technology Research and Development Fund

to finalize the names for committee meant to prepare laws for journalists’ security and welfare as well as fulfilment of commitments.

Speaking in the House, Raja Zafarul Haq described the attack on Hamid Mir as "heart rending" and "grave" and reiterated the government's commitment to protect and secure the journalist community. "We have assured the media persons of the effective measures for protection of their professional rights and the proposed committee shall work in collaboration with the media persons."

are functioning without a formally appointed boss.

Hidayatullah Bhittani, originally a school teacher, is working in the MoIT on deputation and currently holds charge as section officer for development. Ghansham Das, originally an officer of the forest department in Sindh, is on deputation to the MoIT and is currently working as assistant chief of development. Another officer, Aslam Lashari, is on deputation from the Supreme Court’s registrar office, and currently working as a director in PCB. In addition, at least 13 projects, which the ministry was supposed to help implement in other departments, are currently suspended and are likely to be scrapped for want of funding.

In a classic display of bureaucratic evasiveness, neither the MoIT nor the department where the projects are supposed to be implemented, are willing to take responsibility for the work.

Projects initiated between 2004 and 2006 and paid for by funds from the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) are set to expire by June this year.

Sources said these projects include the computerisation of records for key departments, such as the interior ministry, Federal Investigation Agency

(FIA), Islamabad police, Capital Development Authority, as well as the establishment of a data centre for the federal government and the development of hospital management systems.

Host departments are usually indifferent to the IT equipment they are provided and do not ensure proper use and maintenance of computers and servers installed, leading to equipment being damaged or even stolen.

Insiders maintain, however, that ensuring project delivery according to stipulated timelines was the responsibility of the MoIT. Sources within the ministry said that each successive regime had promised the introduction of ‘e-Government’ processes, but no real efforts had been made to complete these projects.

But State Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rehman holds her predecessors responsible for the state of affairs at the MoIT. According to Rehman, the ministry doesn’t have adequate funding. “This ministry used to be a part of the science and technology ministry and was separated from it in 2003. However it has remained neglected since then,” said Rehman, who took charge last year. “Any projects that aren’t feasible will be discontinued,” she concluded.

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The plan for model police stations includes a reporting centre having a female desk, lock-ups and renovation of the police stations. The chief minister said the female desks would be set up at all police stations of the province to facilitate women and resolve their problems. On the occasion, Khyber Pakhtunhawa Inspector General of Police Nasir Durrani said that out of 500 police stations of the province, 250 were in a shambles and a proposal had been sent to the government for their repair.

NEWS

05

BLAST INJURES THREE IN CHAMAN QUETTA STAFF REPORT

Three people, including two women, were injured on Monday in a blast in Chaman. Unknown militants had planted a bomb in a motorcycle parked close to the office of the deputy commissioner in Chaman. A police officer in Chaman, Ashraf Kakar said that the target of the blast was the deputy commissioner’s office and other nearby offices of law enforcement agencies. “Two women were also injured when the bomb went off,” he said. The injured were soon rushed to Civil Hospital Chaman for medical treatment. A doctor at the hospital said that the condition of the women was out of danger. The blast also smashed the glasses of nearby buildings and homes.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

MUSTAFA KAMAL FORMALLY RESIGNS FROM SENATE

MONITORING DESK Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s Mustafa Kamal, who had announced his decision to resign from the Senate last November, sent in his formal resignation on Monday. Kamal, who is best known for his mayorship of Karachi 2005-9 during which time the megalopolis saw a flurry of developmental activity, had resigned from his seat in November 2013, but it has taken him almost six months to submit a formal resignation. The former Karachi mayor had cited ‘personal obligations’ as the reason for his resignation. The MQM, the party on whose ticket Kamal had been elected to the Senate, had in November denied that he had resigned.

06 KARACHI

CMYK WEATHER UPDATES

MONDAY

330C 210C

TUESDAY

330C 220C

310C 220C

WEDNESDAY

Tuesday, 22 April, 2014

PrAyer timings FAJR

SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR

MAGHRIB

ISHA

5:39

6:55

12:44

4:56

6:34

7:50

HYDERABAD: An ASWJ worker sets tyres on fire during a protest at Latifabad No 7. inP

FOUR BULLET-RIDDLED BODIES RECOVERED NEAR DHABEJI KARACHI

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Professor gunned down

stAff rePOrt

OuR bodies of men bearing bullet wounds were found from the vicinity of Dhabeji police station in Thatta early Monday morning. The bodies of the victims were shifted to a hospital for medico-legal formalities, however, the deceased could not be identified. The victims were wearing shalwar kameez and beard.

“The victims are four young men between the ages of 30 and 35. There are marks of bullet injuries and torture on the bodies,” a police official told media.

He said the victims, who could not be identified immediately, might have been killed somewhere else and later the killers dumped their bodies in the local market located in limits of Dhabeji police station. The dead bodies were shifted to Makli civil hospital for medico-legal formalities. Meanwhile, two gang war accused were arrested during a police raid on a godown in Baghdadi area of Lyari on Sunday night. Police also ar-

KARACHI Online

rested an extortionist from Azizabad area. Meanwhile, the bomb disposal squad diffused a bomb found outside the residence of a trader in Bahadarabad area. According to police officials, two

kilogram bomb was planted outside the house of the trader who was getting threats from extortionists. Police also arrested three people from Mochko area for allegedly smuggling diesel from Iran.

A college professor was gunned down near Ghareebabad area of the city on Monday. According to police, unidentified gunmen opened fire on his car near Ghareebabad underpass leaving him dead on the spot. The victim, Professor Saifuddin, was vice chancellor of Government College of Technology. His driver was also seriously injured in the firing and later he was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

Meanwhile, at least eight people were injured in an armed clash between two groups in Frontier Colony.

In-laws ‘set daughter-in-law on fire’ KARACHI Online

A young woman, who had married a man she loved, was allegedly set ablaze by her in-laws on Sunday night.

Orangi Town’s Nadia, who was brought to hospital with third degree burns, was said to have tried self-immolation because her ever-taunting in-laws had made it impossible for her to lead a happy married life.

According to police, Nadia confessed to attempting self-immolation in her recorded statement. Doctors say she has suffered burns to more than 80 percent of her body, which in most cases are life threatening. Her husband, Noman, told that they had had a heated domestic argument following which she rushed to the kitchen, doused herself with kerosene oil, struck a match and set herself on fire.

Though Noman’s account

conforms to what Nadia told the police, her father had taken a strong exception to it. “I doubt this ‘attempted suicide theory’ as no one came to save Nadia while she was crying at the top of her lungs in a house full of her in-laws. I want the police to investigate this case on the lines of attempted murder,” said Nadia’s father. The couple was married just two years ago after a long love affair. The police have filed a case and further investigation is underway.

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PPP OFFERED EQUAL RIGHTS TO ALL COMMUNITIES: SHARMILA KARACHI APP

Special Assistant to Sindh Chief Minister for Culture and Tourism Sharmila Faruqui has said that there was no discrimination in the country over religious beliefs, and the PPP had always offered equal rights to all the communities. He said this while cutting a cake to mark the celebration of Easter at a programme organised by Christian Resource Center at Holy Trinity Church Karachi. She said Islam was the religion of peace and brotherhood, adding that the Muslim community, especially PPP Sindh government always joined other communities in their grief and jubilation. Sharmila said Pakistan was passing through its toughest era, and not only Christian community but people from all walks of life, including journalists, politicians, and law enforcement agencies were also facing security threats. At the programme, special prayers were offered for national solidarity, peace and prosperity of Pakistan.

PRE-ARREST BAIL OF FIVE RANGERS ACCEPTED MITHI Online

The Mithi district and sessions judge accepted on Monday pre-arrest bail of five Rangers personnel in a murder case.

The district and sessions judge, Inam-ueRehman, accepted the pre-arrest bail of five Rangers men – Muhammad Abbas, Karamat Hussain, Mazhar Hussain, Muhammad Razzaq and Muhammad Khalil.

The case against the five law enforcers was lodged on April 17 after 10 days of the incident following the court orders.

A man Nasir Talpur was killed in firing

by Rangers on the night of April 7 in Chhachhro Taluka. The victim’s family accused Rangers of shooting their son dead who, they said, had gone out for hunting with friends.

CMYK Tuesday, 22 April, 2014

KARACHI 07

KARACHI: Children stop a car during a protest against the SHO of Pak Colony during a protest. inP

IT IS KEY TO SUCCESS: ALTAF HUSSAIN KARACHI

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APP

uTTAHIDA Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain has said that the present day is a day of information technology (IT) and it is considered a key to success. He said if they wanted to put Pakistan in the comity of developed nations their citizens must know what was happening around the globe.

Altaf expressed these views while giving a lecture to officebearers of different wings, said a

statement issued by MQM on Monday. Altaf lectured the participants about the importance and usefulness of print and electronic media including social media. Members of the Rabita Committee were also present on the occasion.

He said there were different ways of communication including TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, telephone, cellphones, computer, internet, books, libraries, nurseries, schools, colleges and universities were popular forms of communication. People who are involved in charities, struggle against injustices and fight for rights should keep themselves abreast with the current

affairs, he added. He said they could not call a person well-informed unless he kept himself abreast of all the latest developments. There should be a thirst to seek information with the development and advanced in communication, he added.

He said people of developed countries were regarded educated because they were well-informed about the developments in every field and they formulate their future policies on the basis of this information. Education was correlated with information, he said. He informed the participants about his student life and modes of communication and media when he started his

movement. He told them he used to prepare news reports with media personally. He added that even today in London he participates in the preparation of news. He said all the workers associated with the movement should work diligently and honestly, and should follow the news keenly so things can be rectified or corrected. He added that they should participate in all work and should not pass their responsibility to others. Workers should not hesitate to do small work, he said. Altaf paid tributes to martyrs of the movement and prayed that we should keep evil thoughts away from us and work for public welfare.

SHC will take up teachers’ salaries case today KARACHI Online

A two-member bench of the Sindh High Court will hear the case Tuesday against withholding salaries of thousands of teachers since last one and half year.

A two-member bench of the SHC comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Shahnawaz Shah will hear the case. In today’s hearing, the advocate general will submit its reply on behalf of education department. It is important to mention here that the education department had de-

clared the appointments of teachers and not-teaching staff illegal who were hired in the previous regime of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). The teachers deprived of salaries for the last 18 months filed a case in the SHC through their counsel Mansoor Solangi arguing that they were appointed on merit but they were not paid since their hiring. The counsel informed the media that they had provided proofs to the court that appointments were on merit. He said they provided the court advertisements, tests, interviews, offer letters, police verification, medical joining and

other legal documents.

Mansoor Solangi was of the opinion that why the said teachers and other staff was not stopped from working at the start if their appointments were against the merit. He also stated that Director Schools Niaz Leghari had accepted the legal status of the appointments.

Thousands of appointments were made in the previous tenure of PPP in all districts of the province. However, over 5,000 teachers and non-teaching staff members were not being paid by the education department since last one and half year

TRAFFIC AWARENESS WEEK Two milk vendors held BEGINS TO MOTIVATE KARACHI: As many as two milk ROAD USERS vendors were arrested and sent to jail KARACHI: Sindh Inspector General of Police Iqbal Mahmood has directed the DIGP-traffic to ensure mobilisation of all possible resources and to adopt a pragmatic approach for the safety of the school children and general road users. Traffic awareness week is being observed throughout the city from April 21 to motivate road users to follow traffic rules and regulations. The traffic police would arrange a walk for a cause during the drive besides establishing mobile theatre and camps equipped with public address system, pamphlets and guidance booklets. Special teams have been formed to conduct seminars and lectures at school levels while gift hampers such as colour boxes, pencils box, badges etc would also be given to the school children after putting some questions about traffic rules and regulations. Traffic police officers would visit bus terminals to make the drivers and conductors aware/sensitize about traffic rules. APP

during the ongoing crackdown in the city to check illegal profiteering, and violation of the notified price list of essential commodities. Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqi said in a statement on Monday. The commissioner said that 45 shopkeepers were challaned and an amount of Rs 118,500 was also recovered in term of penalties imposed on the profiteers, illegal hoarders, and violators of price list. The shopkeepers were challaned by the divisional and district administrations on the directives of commissioner. It said 30 milk sellers, one vegetable merchant, three food items grocers and 11 chicken sellers were challaned for violating price list. Action against profiteers were taken in the areas including Shah Faisal, Bin Qasim, Orangi, North Nazimabad, Gulberg, Liaquatabad, Gulzar Hijri, Gulshan-eIqbal, Aram Bagh and Saddar. APP

SIX INJURED AS BUS OVERTURNS KARACHI: At least six people were injured in the early hours of Monday when a passenger coach overturned on National Highway in Sindh’s Kandhkot district. The accident took place near Ghouspur area in Kandhkot when driver of a passenger coach lost control of the vehicle and it overturned. Police personnel and rescue teams immediately reached the site of the incident and started relief work, shifting the victims to a nearby hospital. Pakistan has one of the world’s worst records for fatal traffic accidents, blamed on poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving. Online

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08 COMMENT More autonomy for State Bank

Tuesday, 22 April, 2014

Whither rule of law?

Its absence makes a society intolerant and unjust

Government’s interference makes for a bad case

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UrInG the Musharraf era the State Bank of Pakistan practically lost control of its own balance sheet and the government was given a freehand to inflate the economy through printing of notes. In addition, the banking system was encouraged to provide cheap credit for consumption in the private sector to promote consumption-led growth. violation of the SBP autonomy has unfortunately continued under the elected governments also.

The State Bank needs to be provided sufficient autonomy to enable it to resist pressures to relax or strengthen regulatory standards, or to make its credit policy suit the government or finance government’s budget deficits. The finance ministry must not be given the liberty to manipulate the par value of the rupee at will through dictation to the SBP. as things stand the central bank accepts government’s instructions on monetary matters in violation of law. With the SBP governor dependent on the goodwill of the prime minister for another three-year extension of his tenure and the finance secretary sitting on the SBP Board, the administration treats the Bank as a subordinate department of the ministry of finance. It is widely understood that inflation cannot be controlled without complete operational autonomy of the Bank in conducting an independent monetary policy.

Instead of abiding by the existing laws, the present government has come up with The State Bank of Pakistan (amendment) act 2014 which was introduced in the national assembly early this month. The proposed law is not sufficient to provide full autonomy to the central bank in line with the best international practices. The IMF has also expressed dissatisfaction with the Bill. The Fund thinks that amendments are needed in the proposed law to empower the SBP as the sole owner and manager of foreign exchange reserves, remove government representatives from the SBP Board and eliminate provisions which empower the government to direct a number of SBP activities.

While the government needs to pay heed to the IMF suggestions, there are other equally vital reforms that are required to ensure autonomy for the SBP. The foremost among these is to replace the renewable tenure of three-years for the governor of the SBP, which makes the incumbent amenable to administration’s pressure, with a nonrenewable five-year term that may only be terminated for misconduct and that too under a clearly defined legal process. The present provisions in the SBP act that enable the government to appoint deputy governors of the SBP should also be changed and the board of directors of the SBP authorised to approve the appointment of deputy governors on the recommendations of the governor. The board of directors should mostly be drawn from among leading economists and other professionals and should not be subject to any instructions from the government.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad Joint Editor Lahore – Ph: 042-36375963-5 Fax: 042-32535230 Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 Fax: 021-35381208 Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545 Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

YAsmeen AftAB Ali

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eGally, the rule of law requires ‘the government to exercise its authority under the law’.This requirement is sometimes explained with the phrase ‘no one is above the law’. The rule of law requires the government to exercise its power in accordance with the well-established and clearly written rules, regulations, and legal principles. It may be specifically defined as, “a legal principle of general application, sanctioned by the recognition of authorities, and usually expressed in the form of a maxim or logical proposition. It is called a ‘rule’ because in doubtful or unforeseen circumstances it is a guide or norm for their decision.

The rule of law, sometimes called the supremacy of law, provides that decisions should be made by the application of known principles or laws, without the intervention of discretion in their application.” (Black’s Law Dictionary Pg 1332: 1891-1991) Pakistan is facing its greatest challenge in the face of growing domestic insecurity. Militancy and terrorism has mushroomed. This in turn is having a negative cascading impact on the economy. The lives of citizens of Pakistan are no longer secure. The culprits are hardly, if ever, nabbed. rule of law is sacrificed at the altar of appeasement, failure to formulate cogent policies or simply inefficiency. democratic na-

tions ensure the rule of law. It is the states that hold democracy dear who must implement it. lip service to democratic norms while ignoring the on ground implementation of rule of law simply cannot continue indefinitely.

In a country where provision of electricity is becoming a luxury, theft of the same has become an accepted practice. Scams by the dozen are unearthed and lost in the fold of time. no one knows, in many cases, what became (if at all) of those who were party to a crime.

If there has to be a rule of law, the laws must be clearly defined and the implementation must be ensured.

Having legislation alone is simply not enough. The people at the helm of the organisations that determine implementation must not be political appointees. Merit and relevancy to area of work must be ensured. rule of law presupposes the existence of certain requisites, in absence of which a claim to existence of rule of law becomes a sham.

First: laws must be clear and unambiguous. There must be awareness of the existing laws among the masses. Unfortunately, Pakistan has a low literacy rate; therefore, not many are aware of existing laws and the rights that accrue to them under given situations. Illiteracy also leads to acts that are in conflict with the laws of the land. For example, in 2012, on orders of the Supreme Court, a fact-finding mission was sent to Kohistan. It was alleged that five women were killed on orders of a jirga ‘for the ‘crime’ of singing and dancing at a wedding in the alleged company of men’. (Published June 7, 2012) an interesting point is raised by SIHrG (a group that has interest in all areas of South asia), “The Federal Sharia Court in particular effectively creates a parallel Islamic jurisdiction. It has the power to review laws for their compatibility with Islam. It is also a quasi-legislative body: it can pass judgments requiring Parliament to make changes to the law and if Parliament fails to do so

within a given period, the FSC’s judgment acquires the force of law.”(Title: Rule of Law in Pakistan) Second: The law must apply to all equally. no one must be seen to be above the law. not only this does not happen on ground as the very rich and powerful may be awarded leniency which the underprivileged may not get, gender bias also exists which makes the equal application of law a dream. according to a paper by Justice (retd) Fakhrunisa Khokhar, “The rule of law must be applied equally to all persons so as to ensure that all individuals enjoy equal rights irrespective of race, colour, creed or sex.

Justice means equality of all persons in their legal and human rights.” article 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973 also safeguards the right: 25 equality of citizens.

(1) all citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law.

(2) There shall be no discrimination on the basis of sex.

(3) nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any special provision for the protection of women and children.

Third: The fundamental rights of the citizens of Pakistan must be protected at all costs. Covering many aspects, they are listed in the constitution in about 20 articles from article 8 to 28.

They provide protection from a lack of justice or when the justice is delayed, allow people to practice their religions and manage religious institutions, safeguard property, provide a right to basic education, protection from discrimination in respect of access to public places, so on and so forth. If they were not listed in the constitution, there would be hatred between different religions and different sects within a religion leading to unlawful acts like open clashes, murders and kidnappings. The constitution also precludes religious affiliations by listing only citizens, which means every individual holding a Pakistani citizenship.

Fourth: There must be accounta-

bility at the public service level. all individuals who hold a public chair must be held accountable. Here the article 184(3), under which the Supreme Court exercises suo motu powers in the matters of public interest, comes into play. One definition of suo motu says, “In law, suas ponte or suo motu describes an act of authority taken without formal prompting from another party. The term is usually applied to actions by a judge taken without a prior motion or request from the parties.” The word literally means “on its own motion”. If ministers and other highly placed public officials are deemed to be above the law, the law shall become a farce.

Fifth: every citizen must be awarded justice swiftly for any grievance and without exorbitant cost involved. Citizens must know that they have a legal recourse to a grievance.

For this it is important that justice must not only be done but also seen to be done. This famous principle of jurisprudence was laid down in a benchmark case R v Sussex Justices [1924]: ‘not only must the justice be done, it must also be seen to be done.”

Pakistan has become a hotbed for sectarianism, militant outfits and extremism. They have become a threat to the peace loving citizens of Pakistan.

From Benazir Bhutto to Salmaan Taseer, the target killing has now spread to anchorpersons. dale Carpenter, an american legal commentator, says in Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas, “If citizens cannot trust that laws will be enforced in an evenhanded and honest fashion, they cannot be said to live under the rule of law. Instead, they live under the rule of men corrupted by the law.”

Yasmeen Aftab Ali is a lawyer, academic and political analyst. She has authored a book titled A Comparative Analysis of Media & Media Laws in Pakistan. Her email is: yasmeenali62@gmail.com and tweets at @yasmeen_9

White-washing white terrorism The Jewish community center shootings

AjAmu BArAkA

O

verland Park, a city of fewer than 200,000 in the heartland of the U.S. just south of Kansas City, is an unlikely setting for a terrorist attack. But on april 13, Frazier Glenn Cross, aka Frazier Glenn Miller, brought terror to Overland Park. With the intention to “kill him some Jews,” Miller, former Grand dragon of the Carolina Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, and FBI informant showed up with weapons in hand at a Jewish community center and a retirement home and murdered three Christians whom he mistook as Jewish.

While the authorities needed “more investigation” regarding Miller’s motive, the national media made the obvious connection characterizing the attack as a hate crime.

But neither the media nor the authorities dared to call it what it was – a terrorist attack.

For Miller, there was no ambiguity. Shouting “Heil Hitler” from the back of a police car, his intentions, and motivations were made clear.

His was a political act with a political meaning that at its core was meant to not just intimidate, but terrorize a whole community.

Strangely, however, when it comes to acts carried out by the racist, radical right, the media and state authorities seem loath to characterize them as acts of terror. The reluctance to identify the domestic terrorist threat from the radical right is also seen in the U.S. Congress.

In 2009, the department of Homeland Security (dHS) issued a report on the growing threat of white supremacist extremist groups and their close connections with military personnel. The dHS report was based on data and analysis from an FBI report prepared under the Bush administration in July of 2008 titled “White Supremacist recruitment of Military Personnel since 9/11.” In that report, the FBI’s Counterterrorism division found that white supremacist organizations were pushing their followers to join the military and enter either the Special Forces or the infantry, in order to gain the necessary skills to prepare them for the “coming race war.” as a result, the report found that:

CMYK

“…military experience is found throughout the white supremacist extremist movement as the result of recruitment campaigns by extremist groups and self-recruitment by veterans sympathetic to white supremacist causes.” and what was the response from Congress? Incredibly, the right wing inCongress alleged that the report was a partisan attack on them and as a consequence were able to have the report rescinded and wiped away from the dHS website – and out of the public’s awareness.

Burying the dHS report did not result in the elimination of the very real threat posed by the more violent wing of the radical right, a threat being played out by extremist forces throughout europe, as well as the U.S. The attack launched by F. Glen Miller should not have been unexpected. This individual has been around, and on law enforcement radar, for quite some time. He was at the infamous Klan attack in Greensboro, north Carolina in 1979 that resulted in the deaths of five anti-racist activists and has a long history with some of the most dangerous rightwing elements in the U.S. The real question that a reasonable person might ask and that the media and certainly state authorities would want to answer is, how many more of these individuals might be out there? and there are other ques-

tions – why is it that national state authorities fail to characterize acts like the Kansas shootings as domestic terrorism, and does that failure represent a conceptual inability to “see” the threat of radicalized white supremacists or a cynical political decision to downplay the existence of domestic terrorists?

The rise of the racist, radical right is not a figment of the imagination, or a partisan political attack.

When they show up at anti-Obama rallies with guns in hand or when they attack Jewish schools or gun down african americans while wearing the uniforms of the police, all of us must recognize the very real threat that we face today in this period of intense anger, scapegoating, confusion and manipulation.

We all have a stake in the defeat of white supremacy in all of its expressions. If we fail to engage in the hard struggle to strip away the pretenses of whiteness and its distorted worldview, and prepare people for the ultimate reality that they are going to have to give up most of the privileges of being white and living at the center of the empire, the crazed terror attack carried out by the neonazi in Kansas will be only a harbinger of what is to come.

Ajamu Baraka serves as Public Intervenor for Human Rights on the Democracy Branch of the Green Shadow Cabinet.

WORLD VIEW 09

Tuesday, 22 April, 2014

Pakistan breaks with tradition in Afghan election Ir DIplomacy SaRa MaSSOuMi

W

hich candidates in the Afghan elections are, in your opinion, supported by

Pakistan?

I think for the first time in its history, which is very unusual, Pakistan is not supporting any candidate. I don’t see Pakistan having a favorite amongst the three top candidates. There’s enormous antagonism against Pakistan in all the three candidates. Usually it’s only the non-Pashtun Tajik candidate who shows a very aggressive attitude to Pakistan, but this time even the Pashtun candidates have been very critical of Pakistani interference and, in their campaign, have talked about Pakistani interference, and clearly, even amongst the Pashtuns, there is a lot of anger and dislike for Pakistan’s policy. So I think it’s been very wise of the military and the intelligence here to actually keep a very low profile in this election, not to become an issue, not to support any one single candidate, which would make Pakistan even more controversial, especially amongst the Pashtuns in Afghanistan.

During the 13 years of hamid Karzai’s presidency, Pakistan and Afghanistan experienced a period of serious tensions. Did the positions taken

by Karzai himself influence these tensions or was there another reason behind them?

I think both Pakistan and Afghanistan are to blame, but I think predominantly Pakistan, because there is no doubt that the Taliban leadership is living in Pakistan, they are operating from here, their logistics are based here, and Karzai has frequently expressed enormous frustration at the fact that Pakistan is not doing more to either bring them to the negotiating table or to throw them out. And on the other hand, as far as Pakistan is concerned, Karzai has always blown hot and cold.

There has never been a very consistent policy from the Afghans towards Pakistan. So one day he’s

very aggressive, the next day he wants to negotiate about how to talk to the Taliban. So I think both sides have had a very insecure and a very rocky relationship.

What are the roots of differences between the two countries?

I think the roots go back a very long way. They go back to the 1970s, when the Pakistani Intelligence, under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, convinced some Afghan Islamists to come and get training.

The fact is that Pakistan has been using Afghans for its own policy ends for the last 55 years. Of course, this reached a height during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan when Pakistan and the CIA were helping to arm the Mujahideen and choosing favorites among those Mujahideen who were mostly Islamic extremists. And then of course in the civil war in the 90s when Pakistan backed the Taliban and Iran and India and Central Asia all backed the Northern Alliance. So, it’s a very long history. in your opinion, what mistakes has the US made in Afghanistan during these 13 years?

Unfortunately, the US has made huge mistakes. I think the primary mistake was to attack Iraq which was a distraction from the mission in Afghanistan. In the initial phase, when there was no war, when there was no resurgence of the Taliban, they were never able to put sufficient money and forces and development into the country because of Iraq. And after that, I think Afghanistan has always been a kind of holding operation for the Americans, it’s never really been a primary objective. Iraq was a primary objective; Afghanistan was always a secondary objective. Nevertheless, they spent enormous amounts of money – 1 trillion dollars has been spent in the last 14 years – and frankly the results are very uncertain. We don’t know if the Taliban are going to return, if they’re going to be able to now retake territory, if the social programs the Americans started, like in education and health, will continue. These are all big questions marks.

AN INTERVIEW WITH AHMED RASHID, A PAKISTANI JOURNALIST AND BESTSELLING FOREIGN POLICY AUTHOR

What are the weaknesses of the US' strategies with regard to Pakistan?

I think what the Afghans say, there’s an element of truth to that; that the Americans did not push Pakistan strongly enough to deal with the Afghan Taliban problem, and to either throw them out or to engage them in some dialogue with Kabul. Now, for a long time, remember the Americans were not in favor of dialogue. And even when they became in favor of dialogue with the Taliban in 20082009, the US administration was actually quite divided on this issue. They didn’t have a common position. Anyway, I feel that there’s a great deal of bitterness between the Americans and the Afghans and the Pakistanis. The Americans tend to blame their failures in Afghanistan on Pakistan. Now I don’t think that that’s exactly correct. I think the Americans had many failures which had nothing to do with Pakistan. But nevertheless, there is this tendency of the Americans to not blame themselves but to blame others.

Will the Afghan Taliban change their strategy after the withdrawal of US forces from this country?

We did have this period of talks between the Americans and the Taliban in 2010-2011 which unfortunately broke down. I do

hope that once the Americans withdraw, the Taliban will start serious negotiations with the government of Afghanistan. I think that’s a real possibility. And I hope that Pakistan will do everything it can to encourage that.

Does the Taliban look to gain complete dominance in Afghanistan or can division of power and limitation to a few regions be considered as their political ideal?

I think there is a peace lobby in the Taliban. I won’t describe them as moderates and extremists but I think there is a peace lobby, and this lobby is made up largely of the original Afghan Shura who are close to Mullah Omar who realize they are not in a position to conquer Afghanistan again, they are not in a position to govern Afghanistan, and it would be much better if they found some modus operandi, some compromise with the government, whereby they could maybe play a role in government, or share power in some of those provinces where they have a lot of influence and control.

I’m hoping and I’m very hopeful that there will be more attempts now to compromise because there is a new president, they should not have the problems that they had with President Karzai; after all, he is no longer president. So

let’s see what happens.

What can the next Afghan president offer to the Taliban to actually make or persuade them to engage in peace talks?

I think the effort should be how to find a solution to end the civil war. I think that the dialogue between the two sides should revolve around how they can end the civil war, how they can honorably bring back those Afghans who are living in Pakistan and need to come back, especially the refugees, the leadership of the Taliban, etc. So I think there are a lot of humanitarian and refugee issues and war issues which could be used to promote a peace dialogue.

Do you think Nawaz Sharif will try to boost an Afghan settlement in the near future?

I think Nawaz Sharif is bogged down at the moment with the Pakistani Taliban, and the policy he’s pursuing here is very confusing. Nobody quite really knows what he’s doing. And there’s a lot of controversy between the army, the politicians, and the government. So I think he’s pretty preoccupied. But I do hope that he and the government, the military, the intelligence, start putting pressure on the Afghan Taliban to open a dialogue with the new president once we have a new president in Kabul. I hope that will be the main thrust of the Pakistani policy which will be to push the Afghan Taliban into talks.

What kind of a role do you consider for the iSi and the military in this field?

Obviously, the ISI and the military have really run the policy on Afghanistan. So it is absolutely crucial that the ISI and the military and the civilian government all speak in one voice about the need for peace in Afghanistan. In the past, what has happened is that the government has pursued one policy and the ISI has undermined that policy and pursued another policy, which has led to chaos and a great deal of bitterness, both in Pakistan and in Afghanistan. I hope that there is one policy that is pursued and that all three pursue a joint policy of persuading

the Afghan Taliban that now is the time to go home and negotiate with the president.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the US withdrawal for Pakistan?

We have to see whether the US is going to leave behind a contingent of 10000 men and trainers and intelligence as they say they will, and if the Afghans will sign that deal. I think frankly the Pakistanis would have preferred that the Americans stayed on and had some control over the Afghan army and provided some back-up to the Afghan army, because when Pakistan does launch its offensive in North Waziristan against the Pakistani Taliban, it will want back-up from the Afghan side, preferably by the Americans, but the Americans won’t be there. In fact we should have done this offensive 6 months ago, a year ago, or 2 years ago when the Americans were there and they could have backed up any Pakistani offensive from this side. Now, unfortunately, you’ll be relying on the Afghan forces who are not that organized and maybe not so willing to help Pakistan deal with the issue in North Waziristan.

What kind of a role do you suppose for Saudi Arabia in Afghanistan?

I don’t think the Saudis are particularly interested in Afghanistan. I think they’ve been let down by Afghan leaders who’ve broken promises, who’ve promised peace, and have never delivered. I don’t think the Saudis want to get particularly involved.

They will leave it to Pakistan and perhaps to some other states to be more active. The Saudis are not interested in playing a major mediating role.

Even between the Taliban and Afghanistan?

Yes. You remember Karzai has been asking the Saudis to play a role for the last 5-6 years, and the Saudis have always declined.

There have been informal talks in Saudi Arabia, but Saudi Arabia has declined to play a formal role in any kind of negotiation. It may change its mind now with the new president, but at the moment it doesn’t seem so.

Obama's Asia trip and US credibility THE TRIP'S SUCCESS HINGES EQUALLY ON THE PRESIDENT'S ACTIONS WHEN HE COMES HOME Wall Street Journal BOB CORKER CONNECT

US President Barack Obama's visit to Asia comes amid rising regional tensions and increasing questions about the direction of US policy. Although he will make stops only in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines, the impact of his trip will reverberate throughout the entire Asia-Pacific.

The stakes for US interests couldn't be higher in the region: China continues its coercive and aggressive behavior in the East and South China Seas; North Korean provocations persist; relations between Japan and South Korea remain strained; and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade negotiations continue to face hurdles due to inaction in the United States Congress.

From Beijing to Canberra, Asian capitals undoubtedly will pay close attention to what President Obama says during this trip. While there are many important bilateral and regional issues for the US president to discuss on his visit to the Asia-Pacific, there are three key messages I hope he will convey.

First and foremost, the president must clearly and unequivocally reaffirm US security commitments to our allies and partners in the region, including US extended deterrence. There is no more critical issue at a time when US finances are stretched and many question the value and cost of US commitments abroad. Although many differing views exist among nations in the region, there is little doubt that the majority support a visible US presence in the Asia-Pacific, and that such a presence is essential for maintaining peace and security in the region.

Second, President Obama must clarify expectations for the US-China relationship. Specifically, he must address Chinese President Xi Jingping's concept of "major new power relations" between the United States and China, including what it does

and does not represent for Washington.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the normalization of relations between the United States and China. Over the past several decades, Washington and Beijing have worked together to expand economic ties and strengthen relations.

These advancements in US-China relations contribute to stability in the AsiaPacific, and we should continue to encourage these linkages.

But President Obama also must make clear that in acknowledging China's growing global impact, President Xi's "major new power relations" does not suggest a US retreat from its responsibility as a Pacific power to maintain freedom of navigation, safeguard unimpeded lawful commerce and uphold the rule of law. The East and South China Seas are increasingly becoming a potential flashpoint for conflict because of China's aggressive air and maritime posture. President Obama should encourage restraint on the part of Beijing to avoid inadvertent confrontation and reiterate that no nation can unilaterally alter the status quo in the Asia-Pacific.

Finally, the president should articulate unwavering US support for a rules-based economic order in the region. To that end, he must assure our allies and partners of his personal commitment to seeing TPP negotiations cross the finish line, including pursuing timely US congressional approval. After many years of negotiations, the time is long past due to finalize a high-standard TPP agreement so that the United States along with the other 11 TPP members can begin to reap the economic benefits of this historic free-trade framework and firmly entrench free trade principles in the Asia-Pacific. President Obama's delivery of these important messages will advance US interests. Yet the trip's success also hinges equally on his actions when he returns to Washington.

For example, future year budget submissions to the US Congress should fund efforts to guarantee the safety, security and reliability of the US nuclear deterrent and to support continued regional missile defense cooperation. Recognizing the current budget constraints, the president should instruct his secretary of defense to ensure that US military capabilities and

readiness levels are sufficient to manage a range of potential threats and contingencies in the Pacific. In addition, the president should immediately engage with members of the US Congress to smooth the way for the passage of the TPP upon completion of negotiations to underscore both the economic and geopolitical significance of such an agreement.

There has been much fanfare surrounding the rhetoric of the US "pivot" to the Asia-Pacific and even more analysis on what it means for US political, security and economic commitments in the region and around the world.

It is indisputable that US prosperity and security are linked to continued growth and stability in the Asia-Pacific.

That reality necessitates a well-conceived US game plan for the region, including a tactical short game and a strategic long game to protect US interests and ensure credibility among our allies and partners.

Mr Corker is a Republican US senator from Tennessee and the ranking member on the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

10 BUSINESS

Tuesday, 22 April, 2014

PM launches commissioning of additional units at Guddu GUDDU

P

APP

rIME Minister Nawaz Sharif Monday inaugurated commissioning of additional power units at the Guddu Thermal Power Plant which will add another 747 MW to the national grid at a cost of rs 60 billion.

Addressing a large gathering

here after the inauguration of two gas turbines of 243 MW each, the prime minister said a third unit would be operational in May increasing the current capacity of Guddu Power Plant from 1655 MW to 2402 MW, equivalent to four billion units of electricity.

He said the three units were part of the combined cycle plant and would generate 747 MW of electricity to cut down the demand-supply gap. He said the

early completion of the project, seven months ahead of schedule, will lead to a saving of 58.6 billion rupees. He said the saving was almost equal to the amount spent on the project.

He said he was pleased to see that the efforts of the government were bearing fruits and hoped that with sustained efforts the problem of load shedding will be over soon, and industry and agriculture will flourish.

GUDDU: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurates 486MW Combined Cycle Power Project on Monday. INP

The premier regretted that in the past the slow pace of work on the projects had hampered progress but hoped that the measures being adopted by the government will bring about a positive change. He said had the pace of progress adopted by his government in 1999 continued, there would have been no issue of load-shedding and the country would have been at the forefront amongst the developed countries of the world.

He said the government would ensure that each penny from the national exchequer is spent transparently and on projects that benefit the masses. He said the people of Pakistan were facing long hours of load-shedding for the past one decade and it had also seriously undermined the country’s progress in all areas.

He said 6600 MW electricity would also be generated at the Gadani Power Park with assistance of local and foreign investors, while with the support of the Asian Development Bank, a 1320 MW coal-fired power plant was being set up at Jamshoro.

Besides, feasibility was underway for similar coal plants at Lakhara, Port Qasim and Thar.

Major Gainers COMPANY Land Mark Spinning Sec. Inv. Bank Sardar Chemical F.Credit & Inv Ghani Automobile

OPEN 6.50 3.20 7.80 9.60 5.10

HIGH 6.99 3.85 9.70 9.63 5.65

LOW 6.00 3.20 7.70 8.66 5.10

CLOSE 6.99 3.65 9.70 9.42 5.65

CHANGE 16.50 14.06 11.49 9.03 6.81

TURNOVER 3,500 21,000 298,000 80,000 1,500

4.80 4.38 2.44 3.45 4.12

4.80 3.65 2.30 3.02 4.12

4.80 4.00 2.30 3.02 4.12

-17.24 -13.98 -12.55 -12.46 -11.97

500 66,000 6,000 5,500 1,000

18.23 30.22 30.85 13.76 7.25

17.66 29.00 30.35 13.39 6.99

18.07 29.87 30.41 13.61 7.01

0.32 0.84 0.05 0.01 -0.14

11,116,000 9,110,500 7,370,000 7,360,500 6,745,500

Major Losers Security Leasing 1st.Fid.Leasing S.G.Power Dewan Auto Engg Elite Cap.Mod

4.80 4.10 2.34 3.10 4.12

Volume Leaders Fauji Cement Arif Habib Corp.

Maple Leaf Cement Lafarge Pak.SPOT K-Electric Ltd.

17.89 29.20 30.48 13.47 7.25

Interbank Rates USD GBP JPY EURO

PKR 97.7556 PKR 164.2978 PKR 0.9532 PKR 135.1373

Forex Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar China Yuan Euro Japanese Yen Saudi Riyal U.A.E Dirham UK Pound Sterling US Dollar

BUY

SELL

92 89.5 15.25 137.25 0.9697 26.35 26.85 166 99.5

92.25 89.75 15.4 137.5 0.9841 26.6 27.1 166.25 99.75

IMF not satisfied with bill on ‘SBP autonomy’ ADB approved $21.02b finance ISLAMABAD AGENCIES

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is said to have reservations over a government bill seeking greater autonomy for the State Bank.

A private news channel reported that the IMF was of the opinion that “The State Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Act, 2014” introduced by the government in the National Assembly early this month was not sufficient to provide full autonomy to the central bank in line with international best practices. The IMF is expected to formally take up the issue with Pakistan during

the third quarterly review of the $6.78 billion bailout package under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) scheduled for April 30May 9 in Dubai. The two sides will finalise exact targets for fiscal adjustment in next year’s budget on the basis of economic development during the current fiscal year to reduce fiscal deficit to less than 4.5 per cent.

The channel said that chief of IMF mission in Pakistan Jeffrey Frank said that the government had provided the SBP amendment act to the IMF which “may have some reservations and may seek some revisions” once its experts on capital markets and monetary and legal side came up

with their input. Franks, who is also adviser for the Middle East and Central Asia Department, said IMF’s monetary and capital market divisions were examining the new law because “enhanced SBP independence is a very important medium-term objective”.

Under the EFF programme, the government had committed to strengthening the autonomy of SBP through full operational independence in pursuit of price stability and enhanced governance structure, including strong internal controls. In line with findings of the recent safeguard assessment mission of the IMF, amendments are required to empower the SBP as the sole owner

and manager of foreign exchange reserves, remove government representatives from the bank’s board and eliminate provisions which empower the government to direct certain SBP activities. The IMF also wants strengthening of personal autonomy of board members and financial autonomy of the SBP. The bill proposes a statutory committee on monetary policy comprising the SBP governor and 12 directors to allow the central bank to perform its functions in an independent manner.

It also seeks clauses allowing the SBP to set up depositors’ protection fund as a subsidiary of the central bank.

in 2013, 1.07b for Pakistan ISLAMABAD APP

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved $21.02 billion in financing operations last year including $1.07 billion for Pakistan according to ADB’s 2013 annual report released ahead of its 47th annual meeting of the board of governors to be held 25 May in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The report notes that an estimated 733 million people in the region still live on less than $1.25 a day, and the gap between rich and poor is widening. Of the fi-

nancing total, $14.375 billion came from ADB’s ordinary capital resources and special funds, and $6.648 billion from co-financing partners.

With much of the region vulnerable to climate change and natural hazards, the theme of the report is environmentally sustainable growth. It highlights ADB’s work to develop sustainable infrastructure, manage critical ecosystems, respond to the effects of climate change, and support renewable electricity generation. In 2013, ADB’s clean energy investments reached $2.35 billion.

CORPORATE CORNER PTC contributes more than Rs 17b in govt levies in Q1

PTCL signs MoU with WWF to reduce carbon footprint ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited (PTCL) has signed an agreement with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - the leading wildlife conservation organization - for implementation of ‘Green Office Program’ at its corporate head office. The program is aimed towards reducing resource consumption, subsequent costs and carbon footprint of the company that would eventually help in environmental conservation. The agreement will enable PTCL to monitor and reduce its carbon footprint in collaboration with WWF and work towards developing green organizational practices. Once the criterion is fulfilled, PTCL will be certified as a “Green Office”. Speaking at the occasion, Syed Mazhar Hussain, CHRO PTCL, said “Environment and energy crisis are the key issues our country is facing at the moment, and it is the responsibility of every individual and organization to take necessary measures in their respective domains for conserving the environment”. PRESS RELEASE

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tobacco Company has announced its quarterly results for the first quarter ending March 31, 2014.

According to the financial results released, the company contributed more than Rs. 17 billion in Government revenues on account of excise duty, sales tax and income tax, which depicts a 21% increase over the same period last year. This impressive growth in tax contribution even surpassed company’s net turnover growth. The company also declared a profit of merely Rs. 1.243 billion and earnings per share of Rs. 4.87. Tobacco industry is a big revenue spinner and contributed more than Rs. 76 billion in 2012-2013. PTC alone contributed more than Rs. 60 billion in 2013 in government levies. According to tax experts, the revenue contribution from the sector is expected to exceed Rs. 85 billion this year. The high revenues are attributed to high tax incidence in the sector. At present prevailing excise and sales tax structure imposes an overall tax of 71 to 81 percent on pack price, in addition to customs duties on imports as well as any income tax payable by the company. PRESS RELEASE

ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador Richard Olson called on Special Assistant to PM on Aviation, Shujaat Azeem at PIA Office. PR

ISLAMABAD: Australian High Commissioner Peter Heyward called on Higher Education Commission Chairman Prof Dr Mukhtar Ahmad at HEC Secretariat. PR

Standard Chartered holds art exhibition to raise funds for Seeing is Believing KARACHI: Building on our brand promise here for good, Standard Chartered organised The Artists’ Vision: Seeing is Believing – an exclusive exhibition featuring diverse disciplines of Pakistani Art: Drawing, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, Ceramics and Music. Consistent with the Bank’s philosophy of understanding and celebrating local culture, Standard Chartered is committed to community based programmes and to, supporting and showcasing the works of Pakistan’s artistic talent. Standard Chartered recognises that Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage deserves to be celebrated. PRESS RELEASE

LEISURE 11

Tuesday, 22 April, 2014

HaGaR tHE HoRRIblE

aries

taurus

gemini

You need to reach further and try to get something new locked down for the upcoming year. Your ambitions are achievable as long as you can keep your mind on track.

Things are looking up!

A power struggle is brewing at work or among your friends, and it doesn't make you feel good to watch it happen. That said, you still need to pick a side, and that could mean that you make an enemy.

Your intellect is a big asset, and you make the most of it with today's great energy.

You may devise a new argument in favor of your pet position or dream up a new idea to try out another day.

cancer

leo

virgo

You need to deal with money today -- maybe just at work, or more likely as part of your daily life. It's one of those issues that never goes away, but your mindset is perfect for handling it.

You take pride in some big accomplishment or positive trait, but that doesn't mean that everyone else feels the same way. If anything, you should expect some serious envy to come your way for a bit!

You stumble upon a new trick for staying organized -and that's especially impressive for you, because you thought you knew them all! Explore and learn from this new way of seeing the world.

libra

scorpio

sagittarius

You've got some serious fun coming today -- so get your people together and share the good times! It's one of those days when you're sure to recharge your batteries and end up even more energetic.

You've got problems at home, but nothing you can't handle -- in fact, you may find that you've got more energy than ever when it comes to domestic issues. Things are sure to get better soon!

Your ability to communicate is greatly linked to your energy today -- and it's a good thing that your energy levels are so high! You can make yourself understood with great ease, so make a point of it.

dIlbERt

GaRFIEld

baldo

capricorn

aQuarius

pisces

You are somewhat troubled by a weird financial discrepancy -- so pursue it. You should be able to get to the bottom of it without too much trouble, and find that things are better as a result.

Your energy levels are terrific today -- so make sure that you're making the most of them!

You should find that you are better able to deal with people, even if they just don't seem to get you.

Your desire to serve the world is dominant today, so get out there and volunteer or do good deeds on your own. The energy you project is sure to come back to you enhanced tenfold.

cRosswoRd

sUdokU

woRd sEaRcH

ACROSS

bRIdGE

How to play fill in all the squares in the grid so that each row, column and each of the squares contains all the digits. the object is to insert the numbers in the boxes to satisfy only one condition: each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the digits 1 through 9 exactly once.

heavy height hence hitch knock leader music need peace rear relieve smell sold special stroke tiger vehicle

Today’s soluTions

dEFINING aN ExpERt

cHEss white tO PLAY AND MAte iN three MOVes

DOWN

8

1 loathe (4) 2 trailing climbing plant (7) 3 let alone (3,2,7) 4 remove the covering from (6) 6 praised enthusiastically (5) 7 spiced liquid in which food is soaked before cooking (8) 8 too much to bear (12) 12 nude lump (anag) (8) 15 mouth-like opening (7) 16 suppurate (6) 18 collections of trees, closely packed (5) 19 to a high degree (4)

7

crossword solution

6 5 4 3 2

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

chess solution

A

1.Rxd7 Qxd7 2.Nb6 Rxc2 3.Nxd7 *

1

sudoku solution

1 lengthy and aggressive speech (8) 5 public transport vehicle (4) 9 try to seduce (5) 10 gain the support of (3,4) 11 Without warning (3,2,1,6) 13 something that makes a profit (6) 14 bear the expense (6) 17 Wasted (4,3,5) 20 beware! (4,3) 21 fawn (5) 22 long upright pole (4) 23 foliage (8)

ahead argue assistance associate before bottom camera center cling cloy corner diamond division ease error faith hand hatch

12

Tuesday, 22 April, 2014

ARTS

Humans will compete with droids for jobs by 2040: study

B

Y 2040, cabs will be driven by Google robots, shops will become showrooms for online outlets and call centres will be staffed by intelligent droids.

That’s the scenario depicted in recent research which suggests robots could be taking over our lives and jobs in less than 30 years. The competition for work caused by a rise in the robots population will see us heading to surgeons for ‘additional processing power for our brains’, they claim.

We may also be requesting bionic implants for our hands that will make us able to perform tasks as fast as any machine. Futurologists, commissioned by global job search website xpatjobs.com, say workers will have less job security and will work more unsociable hours. Those who take these risks and innovate with their own bodies will be the biggest earners in 2040, they claim. However, the study added that workers may be

left with poor eyesight, smaller sexual organs, and constantly-furrowed brows as they struggle to keep up to life in the 21st century.

Experts expect the current 37.4 hour working week to increase by a third to 50.5 hours.

And it means people will be so busy working, we will only find time for sex twice a month down from the current five.

Bionic implants to improve stamina, performance or thinking power. The gloomy study predicts we will work several ‘micro jobs’ from a desk in our bedroom, and across different time zones.

That would spell the end of the commute, drinks after work with colleagues, the office Christmas party, and the excuse ‘I’m just working late, dear’. Futurologists believe many of us will become ‘jack-of-all-trades’, working across multiple timezones - reflecting the growing dominance of China.

A worker may take care of customer service for a New York employer, chase accounts for a

12 gold bars taken from Indian’s stomach

Twelve bars of gold have been recovered from the stomach of a businessman in the Indian capital, Delhi, a surgeon treating him has said. The 63-year-old man was admitted to hospital after complaining of vomiting and difficulty defecating. He told his doctor that he had swallowed a bottle cap in anger, after a fight with his wife. But when surgeons operated they found gold bars weighing nearly 400g (14oz) in his stomach instead of a bottle cap.

Doctors, who performed the operation on April 9, that police and customs authorities had questioned the businessman and confiscated the gold. NEWS DESK

Italy sells luxury state cars on eBay Italy’s cashstrapped government has raised more than 370,000 euros by selling 52 luxury cars owned by the state through online auction site eBay, the prime minister’s office has said. On the first day of sales, Rome managed to sell executive vehicles worth 371,400 euros ($513,000) from the sale of “auto blu” cars, the name given to those owned by ministers and state officials. The sell-off was sanctioned by the new Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. He has pledged to produce government savings of up to seven million euros, but the sell-off of part of the state’s fleet of cars was seen as highly symbolic, an attempt to reduce the costs of the political class which has been tainted by corruption scandals. More than one million people had visited eBay to view the cars which had been put up for sale. Among the vehicles on offer were Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Audis. The vehicles belonged to the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Defence. The next sale of state vehicles, again via eBay, takes place on April 28 and will include eight state-owned Maseratis being put up for auction. A statement from the Chigi Palace, the prime minister’s official residence, said “the cars auctioned were selected from among those that the government no longer deemed essential”. AFP

Singapore-based boss and come up with marketing ideas for a brand in Delhi. The job listings in 2040 will contain roles unrecognisable today as technology develops at an even faster pace, the study claims. Rhys Maddocks, director of XPat Jobs, said: ‘People will be surprised how fast things will change. ‘Technology and computers have only really touched the work market so far.

‘That and the globalisation of

all work will revolutionise the way we think of work in the next 25 years. ‘But that is not to say work will simply go away.

‘There will always be entrepreneurial thinking that sees a use of real human interaction and jobs that require ideas, complex problem-solving and the caring touch can’t be partly of wholly replaced by machines.’ Looking at shifts they are already seeing in the labour market, XPat Jobs have come up with the careers today’s children should be looking to study for if they want a job in 25 years.

Web security, software, robotics and even human surgical enhancement will all be key areas.

Caring for an ageing population will be a growth area and builders will not be out of work either, as an ever-growing population will need housing. Derek Woodgate, from global futuresbased consultancy The Futures Lab, said: ‘The main influences on the future of work will be technological, but these innovations will

change the kind of work we do and how we interact. ‘Workplaces will become smaller and more flexible as we work collaboratively across the world - often from home - onscreen or even holographically.

‘Smarter software and hardware such as wearable devices are already changing the way we communicate and this will continue to develop rapidly. ‘But it will also

alter the way robots or artificial intelligences interact with us, as call centre workers are replaced by machines that can learn and question. ‘Humans may even feel the need to compete against such artificial intelligences for jobs, as genetic or android technology develops to the extent we can selfimprove in the same way as a software upgrade.’ COURTESY DAILY MAIL

New York actually has a nightclub service for kids under twelve

New York has got to be the coolest place for kids. First they opened a DJ school for babies, and now they’re welcoming kids into their nightclubs. Fuzipop is a new company that organizes these daytime dance parties for children aged 6 to 12 and their parents. The three-hour parties happen once a month at Manhattan’s most happening clubs.

Entry costs $20 for a parent and child, and $60 for a family of four.

And here’s the best part – the DJ is nine-year-old!

Fuzipop is the brainchild of a husband and wife duo who also

happen to be parents, DJs and music executives. Jesse Sprague, who spent years working in nightclubs around New York, met Jenny Song while dancing at a club. And when they had their first child, they threw a big bash at one of the clubs where Jesse worked. They invited almost all their club friends along with their kids – the party was a huge hit and no one wanted to leave. “All the parents said they would pay to do this, so we made a business out of it,” said Jesse.

A CNN reporter who witnessed the latest Fuzipop party later de-

scribed a scene from the party: “The tables usually reserved for VIPs ordering pricey bottle service were littered with champagne glasses and juice boxes. The bartender, who’s used to serving a liquored-up, over21 crowd on Saturday nights, was surprised by how much the parents were imbibing. The most popular drink that afternoon was vodka.”

That’s right. The parents are permitted to consume alcohol while their kids go crazy on the dance floor.

Karli Mennuti, a school teacher with an eight-year-old son, said: “I went to school with Sprague and we

used to go clubbing together all the time. Now we can live vicariously through our kids, and we can blow off steam together.”

“Our goal is to provide an amazing experience of electronic music, dancing, live performances, art and socializing for the entire family,” the owners write on the Fuzipop website. “We want to inspire the next generation of DJs, music producers, artists, dancers and music business moguls. We want to provide a creative outlet where they (the children) can be who they want without being judged.” AGENCIES

Next Oxford dictionary could be too big to print! Will compile till 2034 The Oxford English Dictionary may disappear from bookshelves because future editions could be too big to print. Only an online format would be practicable and affordable as the third edition is expected to be twice the size of the current version, according to its publishers. Dubbed OED3, it is already running 20 years behind schedule – and compilers are not expected to finish until 2034.

OED editor Michael Proffitt said the internet had slowed the process by creating so much more source material. ‘A lot of the first principles of the OED stand firm, but how it manifests has to change and how it reaches people has to change’.

Publishers Oxford University Press said a print version would only appear if there was sufficient demand when the third edition was completed. If it does appear in book form, it is expected to com-

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prise 40 volumes – double the length of the second edition in 1989. Mr Proffitt’s team of 70 word experts have been working on the latest version since 1994.

They have a target of 50 to 60 words a month for the third edition, which currently numbers 800,000 words. The second edition, which has nearly one third of a million entries, costs £750. It has been online

since 2000 and receives more than two million hits a month. Mr Proffitt said giant reference works such as the OED had a great future on the internet. He added: ‘In 1989, we looked for five years’ recorded usage before a word entered the dictionary. ‘Now it’s ten years because there is so much more material to sift through. ‘We look not only for frequency and longevity, but also breadth of use … It’s a permanent record of language … a part of social history.’ AGENCIES

Tuesday, 22 April, 2014

ARTS

FAHAD MUSTAFA

QUITS HOSTING, RETURNS TO ACTING

13

DEEPIKA EXCITED TO TEAM UP WITH RANBIR KAPOOR T’S not easy to avoid being the target of unwarranted digs from competition if you are having a good run in Bollywood.

However, Deepika Padukone says it barely affects her. "I never focus my energy on these sorts of things," says the 28-yearold, when asked about the dig that fellow actor Sonam Kapoor took at her on Karan Johar’s TV chat show Koffee with Karan.

Sonam had alluded to Deepika not having her own style sense and depending on an over enthusiastic PR team. "I’m not one to be affected by it. You are what you are!" says Deepika.

The actor is looking forward to her upcoming films — Finding Fanny Fernandes with Arjun Kapoor, and Happy New Year with Shah Rukh Khan and several other actors.

Deepika, however, remains tight-lipped about Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani, where she is paired with her rumoured boyfriend Ranveer Singh. Ask her if she chose the film over Karan Johar’s Shuddhi and pat

I

Versatile star Fahad Mustafa has decided to quit his morning show to concentrate on his acting career. Mustafa will officially leave the show by mid-May. Fahad ventured into morning show hosting in 2011. Unlike morning show glamorous divas, his focus has always been on quality content rather than ratings race. Fahad is known to bring magic on morning show sets with his friendly demeanor and sensible talk. He has highlighted many important social issues through his program. His morning show was earlier hosted by Ghazal Siddiqui, then Sanam Baloch, Sana Tariq and finally film actress Noor came on board.

She graceful and hosted the show with ease but her martial commitments and career plans could not let her rule the morning slot for long and eventually Fahad Mustafa stepped in as the new leading man of the morning shows.

These days Fahad has been busy acting in a film project by Anjum Shehzad starring Sanam Saeed and Iman Ali and another big movie project alongside Javed Sheikh. With two films in hand and production responsibilities on his shoulders Fahad naturally decided to take a break. AGENCIES

WEDDING BELLS FOR

BABRA SHARIF TO RING AGAIN

Lollywood’s biggest superstar Babra Sharif is planning to tie the knot with a business man from Karachi. The 59year-old actress, who's married actor Shahid in past, is all set to inspire many Pakistani ladies to take bold decisions when it comes to being happy. The ‘Mera Naam Hai Mohabbat’ star, who recently revealed that she is much happier now and is feeling good. She refused to divulge further details. Marriage was a mistake she had promised never to make again, but as the cliché goes. Time is a great healer. And so 59-year-old Babra, glamour goddess of the silver screen will soon marry the man of her dreams. Naturally, she doesn't want to go into details, but Babra's friends revealed that she is thrilled by her decision to remarry. Babra married actor Shahid in 1977, but the couple divorced to unknown reasons next year and she did not get married again. AGENCIES

comes the reply, "I am not allowed to say anything about Bajirao Mastani. But yes, a film that I’m allowed to talk about is Imtiaz Ali’s next where Ranbir (Kapoor) and I are again coming together. Imtiaz is one of my favourite

DAD AND MOM CRITICISE MY WORK: ALIA BHATT Actor Alia Bhatt says her mother Soni Razdan and father Mahesh Bhatt criticise her work and are not members of her fan club. Alia Bhatt did not want to make her debut with dad Mahesh Bhatt's film. "I think both of them are critical of my work.

My dad is a fantastic filmmaker and mother is an actress. They both have a certain opinion, but they never praise me. They will never be the first members of my fan club". Alia said that her actress-director mother, Soni Razdan contributed immensely to her career. "She has made the biggest contribution to my career. She makes sure I eat healthy, controls my diet and everything. She is the captain of my ship," Alia said. Her mother is set to direct her in an adaption of Manju Kapur's award winning novel 'Difficult Daughters', she said. Alia said that she would like to work with her actress-filmmaker step sister Pooja Bhatt. "I would like to work with Pooja.

It is a dream for me, my sister Shaheen and Pooja to do a film together. I will act in the film, Shaheen will direct and Pooja will produce it," Alia said. AGENCIES

directors. And Ranbir and I have given hits such as Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) and Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008). I’m really excited to be working on yet another film with someone who is a great friend." AGENCIES

SNAPPED! RANVEER SINGH ON SETS OF HIS FIRST COMMERCIAL

The actor, who's basking in the success of two back-to-back hits Ram-leela and Gunday, was spotted shooting for his first endorsement ad, recently. The actor looked his usual chilled-out self in the pic. The actor, who made his debut with Band Baaja Baaraat, is making his foray into ad world with the commercial. "Over the past threeand-a-half years that I’ve been a part of the Hindi film industry, I’ve declined several tempting endorsement offers. I will also create awareness about sexual wellbeing and promote safe sex through this campaign,” Ranveer Singh had said in a statement. The actor is said to be in talks with Sanjay Leela Bhansali for starring in Bajirao Mastani opposite Deepika Padukone. He's also doing Shaad Ali's Kill Dill opposite Parineeti Chopra. AGENCIES

NASEERUDDIN SHAH DISOWNS NATIONAL AWARD WINNING FILM

IS GEORGE CLOONEY FINALLY SET TO POP THE QUESTION? George Clooney is ready to settle down with his new girlfriend Amal Alamuddin, according to pals.

Friends of the 52-year-old actor, who has been going out with the 36year-old advisor to former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan since October 2013, said that the Lebanese born beauty is not like any other woman Clooney's been with before, and he's completely besotted with her.

The pal also said that Clooney has already spoken to Amal's parents to ask her hand in marriage.

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The source also claimed that Clooney had made it clear to Alamuddin's parents that his intentions were honourable and he wanted to marry her. The Oscar winner is even ready to relocate to London for her, though he will keep his main home in Los Angeles. Clooney, who's first marriage with actress Talia Balsam ended in 1993, recently returned from a vacation in Tanzania and the Seychelles with his British barrister girlfriend before heading to Dubai in order to get to know her family better. NEWS DESK

Naseeruddin Shah might have reportedly walked out of ad-film-maker Veena Bakshi’s directorial debut without completing the schedule, but that didn’t stop the makers from going ahead and somehow releasing the film The Coffin Maker. The movie went on to earn accolades at several festivals in India and abroad, and now, it has even won the National Award in the best English feature film category. But none of that seems to matter to Naseer, who has disowned the film. When we reached out to the veteran star on April 20 to congratulate him, he replied via SMS, saying, "No film of mine has won any award. That is NOT my film in any way. It won an award for what??!! Best incomplete film? I don't want to talk about it sorry. (sic)" NEWS DESK

14 SPORTS PHF decides to start Hockey tournament for searching new players LAhore: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Rana Mujahid said that he made a new plane for promotion of Hockey game in Pakistan. While talking to journalists, Mujahid said that the PHF would start the hockey tournament for searching the new players on the national level in the Quetta, Baluchistan. Mujahid further said that the federation set the integrated program for grooming the hockey players in all over the country.

“The federation has not any fight with others, PHF only wants to development of the national game therefore senior Olympians are also agreed for work with federation,” he said. AGENCIES

( M YASEEN AKHTER MEMORIAL CRICKET )

Tauseef Club outplay Gulberg Eaglets Tauseef club has entered into the 2nd round of 29th M Yaseen Akhter memorial cricket event when they outplayed Gulberg Eaglets by 59 runs played at the Iteefaq Ground LRCA on Wednesday afternoon. Fine batting by M Ahmed was the main feature of the match. SPORTS DESK

Tuesday, 22 April, 2014

BCCI reputation lowest in 80 years: Manohar

F

SPORTS DESK

ORMER BCCI President Shashank Manohar has said he was “disillusioned” by the happenings at the BCCI’s emergent working committee meeting on Sunday, which picked a three-member panel to investigate the IPL corruption scandal as directed by India’s Supreme Court. Manohar, who served as BCCI president from to 2008-2011, attended the meeting as a special nominee of the Vidarbha Cricket Association, which is a member of the BCCI working committee.

Manohar told ESPNcricinfo he had gone to the meeting “with a particular purpose, to help handle this crisis. The Board’s reputation is the lowest that it has been in the 80 years since it was founded. The situation needed to be cleaned up.” Manohar would say no more about the meeting, at which the names of RK Raghavan, JN Patel and Ravi Shastri were picked for the BCCI panel to be presented to the Supreme Court for its next hearing on Tuesday. The BCCI is yet to officially announce the names, however, with BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel saying they could not be revealed “considering the sanctity of the court.”

Manohar has been critical of how the BCCI has handled the IPL case, saying on Friday that “nothing has moved in the last one year” because the Board lacked leaders to take on Srinivasan “who is shamelessly and stubbornly sticking to his chair.”

It is understood that in addition to Raghavan, Patel and Shastri, four more names were discussed: former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Justice Mukul Mudgal, who headed the Court-appointed committee to look into the IPL 2013 corruption scandal, L Nageshwar Rao, the additional solicitor general of India who was also part of the Mudgal committee and BCCI in-

terim president Shivlal Yadav. While the names of Patel, Shastri and Raghavan were brought to vote, those of Mudgal and/or Rao and Chatterjee were not. There is some discrepancy over the number of people - either 11 or 14 - who supported Raghavan’s name at the meeting, where all proceedings were recorded in audio.

The selection of both Raghavan and Shastri can be questioned for separate reasons. Raghavan, who headed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) during the match-fixing inquiry in 2000, was one of the

52 people who deposed before the Mudgal committee.

Should he be a part of the BCCI-nominated panel to look into the case, he will have gone from being witness to judge in the same case. Shastri is a paid employee of the BCCI, in his capacity as commentator.

He is also a member of the governing council and - according to the website on Monday morning - part of two of the IPL’s four committees, and will personally know most of the individuals who are to be investigated, including BCCI president N Srinivasan.

In order to explain Shastri’s contentious inclusion, Patel had said that the Bombay High Court, in an order in 2013, had said any BCCI probe committee needed to include one member from the Code of Behaviour committee under the IPL Operational Rules. The last BCCI-appointed panel to look into the IPL corruption scandal was declared illegal by the Bombay High Court, with differing explanations about its formation.

Last week, the two-judge Supreme Court bench consisting of Justice AK Patnaik and FM Ibrahim Kalifullah, asked the BCCI to revert with “constructive, corrective” measures with regard to how it can ensure a free and fair probe. The court said it did not want to infringe on the “institutional autonomy” of the BCCI by ordering an independent probe and said: “We are not inclined to do it [hand the case over to the CBI]... But if we are compelled we will do it.”

The case dates back to June 2013 when the Cricket Association of Bihar secretary Aditya Verma raised charges of conflict of interest in the formation of BCCI’s two-member inquiry panel into the IPL corruption issue.

After the Bombay High Court declared the panel illegal, the BCCI and the CAB filed petitions in the Supreme Court against this order; with the CAB contending that the Bombay High Court could have suggested a fresh mechanism to look into the corruption allegations.

SCORES Tauseef Club 183/8 in 20 overs M Ahmed 59, Ibrar 12, Waqas 31, Salman 15, Mohsin 21, Shehzad 19 Abdul rehman 3/31, Imran 1/28, Kashif 2/34, Husnain 1/24, Hamid 1/31 Gulberg Eaglets club 124/6 in 20 overs Talha 48, Imran 15, Hamid 16(no) Israr baig 2/20, Awais manzoor 1/18, Ibrar baig 2/25, Awais mudasar 1/20

Jackett eyes record haul

Model Town greens move to 3rd round Model Town Greens has moved into the 3rd round of 29th M Yaseen Akhter memorial cricket event when they beat Aamir Memorial club by 28 runs played.

The match was played at the Model Town Greens ground on Wednesday afternoon. SPORTS DESK SCORES Model Town Greens 168/8 in 20 overs Luqman butt 54, Hamza pracha 41, waris khan 25, Bilal dar 16(no) Sheroz 2/30, Irfan 2/29, Waqas 2/35, Salman 1/35 Aamir memorial club 140 all out in 2 overs Hamza Ali 17 bial 14, Satar 11, Ali 10, Waqas 10, Sulaiman 10, nabeel 22, irfan 25(no) Luqman 1/21, Bilal 3/36, Akbar 2/24, Daniyal 2/32

( 11TH M SIDDIQ MEMORIAL CRICKET EVENT )

Crescent club crush Prince Club Crescent club has crushed Prince club by 10 wickets in the initial round of 11th M Siddiq Memorial cricket event played at the Iteefaq ground LRCA on Wednesday morning. Fine dashing bowling by Naeem 5/15 and good batting by Awais Butt were the main feature of the match. SPORTS DESK SCORES Prince Club 87 all out in 16.1 overs Amir Tariq 14, Ali Raza 12, Sadam ul haq 17, sameer akram 17 Naeem 5/15, Umer 2/16, Zahid 1/18, Arslan 2/14 Cresent club 88/0 in 9.3 overs Awais butt 68(no), Zahid Alam 10(no)

ISLAMABAD: Corporate Office (Hashoo Group) Cricket Team, after defeating the Pearl Continental Hotel, Rawalpindi in a friendly match series poses for a photograph. PRESS RELEASE

Courtois ‘relieved’ to be facing Chelsea SPORTS DESK Atletico Madrid’s on-loan goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has admitted his relief at being allowed to play against parent club Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals.

The 21-year-old goalkeeper has established himself as one of the key figures in Diego Simeone’s eyecatching side as they pursue both domestic and continental honours, but

had feared he may be forced to miss one of the biggest games of their season after the Champions League draw paired Atletico with his English employers. Reports suggested Courtois would only be able to play if Atletico paid Chelsea a substantial sum - something the club had said they were unable to do - until UEFA released a statement saying any such contract clause would be invalid and Courtois could play.

“(I was) very relieved,” Courtois told FIFA’s website. “For me, the fact that we’ve drawn Chelsea, like we did in the European Super Cup [in 2012, when Atletico won 4-1], is special, because even though I’m at Atleti, Chelsea are my club too. It’s better not to think about it too much though and play like I always do, because if I start thinking, ‘Oh, I’d better be careful’, then I’ll end up playing poorly.

Kenny Jackett wants his Wolves side to set a new record in League One. A 3-1 win at Leyton Orient left Wanderers on the verge of clinching the title but boss Jackett says they can achieve even more. “Winning the title has been our aim along but we have the added incentive of a record if we can get to 102 points which would be fantastic for all of us at the club,” he said. Wolves looked in total control after first-half goals from Richard Stearman and Bakary Sako.

Orient stepped up their game after the interval, though, and within two minutes Dean Cox had pulled a goal back. Wolves keeper Carl Ikeme was then forced to pull off a series of outstanding saves to deny the home side an equaliser before, deep into added time, substitute James Henry set the seal on the outcome with strike from 25 yards. “To beat Rotherham and Leyton Orient over this weekend was superb, although I felt our goalkeeper was man of the match today,” added Jackett. “It was a terrific performance from Carl Ikeme and to be honest, we’ve not really needed him too much in recent months because he hasn’t been that busy but we really did need him today. “He proved what he is and that’s a top-class goalkeeper. From being 2-0 up with so long to go, it proved to be a very hard game for usknowing that it would be such a key win if we could get it in our hunt for the title. But we scored some cracking goals and we were clinical in front of goal.

“There were things we could have done better but whatever, we are on 99 points and 102 points will set a new record I understand. So yes, if that record is there, then we’ll be going for it. SPORTS DESK

MCCOIST ADMITS CHAMPIONSHIP CONCERN SPORTS DESK Rangers boss Ally McCoist is worried that next season’s Scottish Championship will be filled with some of the country’s biggest clubs. McCoist hopes to complete the fallen Glasgow giants’ journey back to the top flight next term after his side romped to the League One title. They will be joined in the second tier by alreadyrelegated Hearts from the Premiership, but it is the prospect of a number of other major clubs also lining up against his team which has got McCoist concerned.

Any one of Hibs, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Partick or Ross County could end up in the end-of-season relegation play-offs, while Dundee and Falkirk seem likely to miss out on automatic promotion to the Premiership after Hamilton took

over as the new Championship leaders.

And coming up from the third tier

alongside Rangers could be Dunfermline as they aim for promotion via the League

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One play-offs. McCoist said: “Absolutely, the prospect of a big club like Hibs coming down worries me.

“No-one has a God-given right to win games. I’ve already said it will be a hell of a competitive and interesting league.

“We don’t know who will be coming down and there is a few twists and turns to come out of the next two or three weeks, which I’m looking forward to watching. “Hibs have been mentioned but there are three or four of them down there fighting to avoid that play-off place, so it will make it really interesting for our league next year whoever plays in that play-off and ends up coming down.”

Rangers have recovered from losing both the Ramsdens Cup final to Raith and their William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final with Dundee United by recording back-

to-back wins over Forfar and Stenhousemuir. But, with the off-field saga at Ibrox refusing to die down amid rumours of impending cuts to McCoist’s budget and supporters ticket boycotts, the boss is keen to put a “testing” campaign behind him.

“I’m looking forward to my holiday, if that’s what you are asking me?” the club’s all-time record scorer said. “But we’ve got three big games left and, even before that, a lot of planning to do for next season. We have to look at pre-season, squads, players - a lot of work is still to be done.

“I wouldn’t say it has been a wearing season - it’s been testing, but that is what you expect being manager of Rangers.

Rangers face Ayr United at Ibrox on Tuesday before chief executive Graham Wallace announces the findings of his 120-day review into the club’s books.

Tuesday, 22 April, 2014

Conflict issues put BCCI panel in doubt NZC contemplates domestic revamp New Zealand Cricket has put forward a proposal to reinvent its domestic structure and allow up to 49% private investment into the six major associations. The move is aimed at securing financial stability and helping local tournaments garner more interest and become self-sustaining. A report submitted by David Cooper, NZC general manager of domestic cricket, outlined 18 recommendations that advocated the welcoming of private funding and a transformation of the T20 competition with a mind towards generating greater profit, according to New Zealand Herald. Should these aims be met, the board is hopeful of infusing domestic cricket with the necessary resources that can help bridge the gap in professionalism with the international game and compete with other sports like rugby and netball.Presently, the Ford Trophy, the HRV Twenty20 and the Plunket Shield are driven by revenue gained from international cricket. Greg Barclay, the chief of NZC, though wishes for a more long-term solution. The increase in private influence, though, might force teams to shift from traditional venues or, alternatively, a few teams may end up sharing a major venue as a home base. SPORTS DESK

Wenger laments Gunners injuries Arsene Wenger was left to reflect on what could have been after victory over Hull kept Arsenal on course for the Champions League but long since out of the title race. The Gunners began 2014 top of the Barclays Premier League - and indeed had been seven points clear at the end of November but have tailed off in the second half of the season and must now hold off fast-finishing Everton for fourth place. Injuries have played their part, but a goal from fit-again Aaron Ramsey sparked a 3-0 win over the Tigers in a game which also saw Mesut Ozil’s first appearance since March 11. Liverpool now appear champions-elect and while Wenger praised their performances, he insisted things could have been different.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have also not had to contend with European football, unlike all their main rivals. Wenger said: “The table is very close. Liverpool have played very well in the second part of the season and I wouldn’t like to take anything away from them, but they had (the advantage) that they could focus completely on the Premiership.

“If you look at the injuries, the players we missed plus the schedule we had, it was much heavier than Liverpool. SPORTS DESK

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day after the BCCI decided to propose to the Supreme Court a panel comprising a former investigative officer, a former judge and a former India cricketer, question marks have emerged over the suitability of all three three members of the panel. RK Raghavan, former director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, former chief justice of Calcutta High Court Jai Narayan Patel, and former India captain Ravi Shastri were finalised by the BCCI on April 20 as members of the panel that it would submit to the Supreme Court on April 22 for investigating the IPL corruption scandal. It has since emerged that Raghavan is secretary of a club in the TNCA, of which N Srinivasan is president; Patel, meanwhile, is connected to the BCCI interim president Shivlal Yadav through marriage.

Shastri’s case is the clearest: He is a BCCI employee, contracted as a commentator. The former India allrounder expressed surprise over his inclusion. “I really don’t know what my exact role will be. I am surprised that the learned BCCI members proposed my name,” Shastri told Mid Day. “I will need to talk to the BCCI very extensively about my new responsibility. As things stand, I will return to India from Dubai on May 2 or 3, but if I am summoned (for the probe) in between, I will make my travel plans accordingly.”

Raghavan, whose name was opposed during Sunday’s BCCI working committee meeting by former BCCI president Shashank Manohar but was passed after a show of hands, has been the long-time secretary/ owner of the Kamyuth Club, which gives him voting rights in the TNCA. Kamyuth, one of the 148 clubs competing in the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association League, finished with 20 points in the 5th C Division of the TNCA League this year.

“There are about 150 club members in TNCA and I am just one of them. I don’t want to speak much about it till the Supreme Court takes a call on it,” Raghavan told ESPNcricinfo. Raghavan was the chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation - India’s premier investigative agency - in 2000 when the match-fixing scandal had bro-

ken and the former investigative officer had led the investigations that resulted in several international cricketers from various teams trapped in fixing-related offences. He had also interacted with the Justice Mukul Mudgal committee, which investigated the 2013 IPL corruption scandal on the instructions of the Supreme Court.

Even though the Mudgal committee report does not quote Raghavan anywhere in its report, ESPNcricinfo understands that Raghavan at the outset of his interaction had told the three-member panel that he knew Srinivasan personally. Speculation over Justice Patel’s links with Yadav had begun on Monday morning and the buzz grew when former BCCI and ICC president Sharad Pawar, who is also a union minister, told PTI that Yadav and Justice Patel should make their relationship public.

While Justice Patel didn’t respond to ESPNcricinfo’s request for a comment, he confirmed to television channel CNN-IBN that he and Shivlal are “brothers-in-law”.

Yadav told ESPNcricinfo, “Whatever queries you have, please ask the secretary.” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel remained unavailable for a comment.

Along with being a voting member of TNCA, Raghavan’s name also featured in the BCCI’s reply to the Supreme Court on March 25 pertaining to the recommendations of the Mudgal committee report.

Pawar points out Shastri’s conflict of interest SPORTS DESK Sharad Pawar, the former BCCI president, has criticised the composition of the panel proposed by the board to investigate allegations of corruption in the IPL. Pawar has pointed out the conflict of interest in the inclusion of Ravi Shastri, who is a BCCI-contracted commentator, and also asked that JN Patel, former chief justice of the Calcutta High Court, disclose any links he may have with the BCCI. At its emergent working committee meeting on Sunday, the BCCI approved the names of RK Raghavan, Patel and Shastri as members of a probe panel, in response to a Supreme Court directive that asked the board to present measures for a free and fair investigation into the IPL. Their names will be submitted to the court on Tuesday.

“Ravi Shastri is a good player,” Pawar told PTI. “In fact, when I was

BCCI chief [between 2005 and 2008], we signed a contract with him and Sunil Gavaskar. So, he had a financial contract with BCCI. Now, someone says how can a person who has got a financial contract with BCCI, become part of an inquiry committee of the BCCI chief.

“I have no reservations about

Shastri’s integrity, his honesty. But definitely, anybody can raise the issue. And that is why a sensible person will try to keep away from this (probe panel).”

Pawar said there were suggestions that Patel may be related to a BCCI official and he should hence make a disclosure, if true.

“I don’t know him [Patel] personally, but I think it is his duty to disclose if this news [information] is correct,” Pawar said.

While stating that he did not have enough information on Srinivasan’s current case with the Supreme Court, Pawar also felt that former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi had not “done any harm”. Modi was suspended as IPL commissioner in April 2010 on charges of impropriety. In September 2013, the BCCI banned Modi for life, although the ban did not stop him from contesting the Rajasthan Cricket Association elections in December.

Everton fans unfair to mock brilliant Moyes: Howard SPORTS DESK Tim Howard thinks Everton fans were wrong to mock David Moyes on his return to Goodison Park on Sunday.

Moyes endured an unhappy return to his former club as Everton coasted to an easy 2-0 win over his current employers Manchester United.

The Scot enjoyed 11 successful years as Everton boss, but he angered fans of the Merseyside club with his botched attempt to sign Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini together on the cheap last summer.

The Everton faithful barracked Moyes when the they won 1-0 at Old Trafford in December, and it was the same story on Sunday as they chanted “sacked in the morning” at their former manager, who was also booed when he emerged from the tunnel.

One fan even dressed up as the Grim Reaper to poke fun at the United boss from just behind the dugout.

Howard, signed by Moyes in 2007, has not forgotten what the former Preston manager achieved at Goodison Park and he feels the verbal abuse that came from the stands this weekend was wrong.

“We have brilliant fans, but that was unfair on him,” the Everton goalkeeper told Press Association Sport.

“He was the second coming, the messiah 12 months ago, and I don’t think as Evertonians we should ever forget that.”

When Moyes replaced Walter Smith as Everton manager 12 years ago the Toffees were one point above the relegation zone.

By the time he left, Moyes had given the club its first taste of Champions League football and he also made it to the FA Cup final in 2009.

Yet the three-time manager of the year is now in danger of seeing his reputation tarnished thanks to a dreadful maiden campaign at Old Trafford.

United, seventh in the league, have not qualified for the Champions League for the first time in almost two decades, but Howard thinks it would be wrong to brand the United boss a failure.

“I love David Moyes. I think he is a brilliant manager,” said the American, who spent four years at United.

“He was (a brilliant manager) here for us and I will be forever grateful to him.

“Football is a funny game. It has highs and lows. You take the good with the bad and you keep rolling.”

While some Everton fans have not forgotten what Moyes did for the club, it would be hard to find a supporter who does not think that his replacement Roberto Martinez has taken the club on to another level this year.

Everton have played some of the most inventive, attacking football this season under the Spaniard, who has used the loan market brilliantly.

Howard thinks Everton have made

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good progress under their new manager.

“We went into the United game expecting to win. That says a lot about how far we have come this season,” said the 35-year-old, who signed a contract extension at Goodison Park last week.

“We were probably expected to win and that was a positive sign for us.”

Everton would be sitting in fourth place had they not lost to Crystal Palace last Wednesday, but they are still only one point behind fourth-placed Arsenal with three matches to go.

One of those games is against title contenders Manchester City, but Howard believes Everton can still end the season in the top four.

“I think City will know what they are in for,” Howard said.

“Fourth place is achievable. We want to go into that last game still feeling like we are 90 minutes away from Champions League football.”

SPORTS 15 SHIKHAR DHAWAN TO PLAY 100TH MATCH IN TWENTY-20 CRICKET S PERvEz QaiSER With two wins in as many matches, Kings XI Punjab take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in their third match of seventh edition of Indian Premier League at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday (April 22). Sunrisers Hyderabad have a perfect record against Kings XI Punjab in previous meeting. They have won both matches in the last edition of Indian Premier League. They recorded a five-wicket victory in the first meeting at Hyderabad on April 19,2013 while won the second encounter by 30 runs at Mohali on May 11, 2013. Kings XI Punjab have proved that no target is stiff enough for them as they chased down scores of 205 and 191 against Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals respectively with more than an over to spare. The team has relied on the dangerous duo of Glenn Maxwell and David Miller, who have shown little respect for the opposition bowlers going on a rampage to blow Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Roayls away. The Sunrisers Hyaderabad suffered a thrilling last-over defeat to Rajasthan Royals when James Faulkner blasted two fours in as many balls to chase down their modest target of 133 on Friday (April 18). It will be the 100th match in Twenty-20 cricket for Sunrisers Hyaderabad’s skipper Shikhar Dhawan. The left hand opening batsman from Delhi who made his debut in Twenty-20 cricket for Delhi against Himachal Pradesh at Delhi on April 3, 2007 will reach this landmark in seven years and 20 days.

HEAD TO HEAD: Matches played: 2 Sunrisers Hyderabad won: 2 Kings XI Punjab won: STARS TO WATCH: RECORD IN TWENTY-20 KINGS XI PUNJAB: Player M Runs S/R H.S Wkts E/R Best George Bailey (Australia) 80 1094 137.20 63 - 12.00 Virender Sehwag (India) 126 3285 151.24 119 22 8.28 3-14 Glenn Maxwell (Australia) 73 1379 160.34 95 25 32.84 3-26 Mitchell Johnson (Australia) 58 188 110.58 30 67 7.44 3-15 David Miller (South Africa) 119 2821 139.17 101* - 10.33 SUNRISERS HYDERABAD: Player M Runs S/R H.S Wkts E/R Best Shikhar Dhawan (India) 99 2758 119.86 95* 4 8.25 1-7 Aaron Finch (Australia) 91 2963 137.43 156 5 9.97 1-11 Darren Sammy (West Indies) 106 1287 138.68 60 89 7.08 5-26 Amit Mishra (India) 123 557 100.36 49 155 6.78 5-17 Dale Steyn (South Africa) 140 203 116.66 27* 162 6.47 4-9

DAVID MILLER MAKES JOINT THIRD FASTEST FIFTY IN IPL David Miller scored the joint third fastest fifty in Indian Premier League by completing 50 runs off just 19 balls during his unbeaten 51-run kncok while playing for Kings XI Punjab against Rajasthan Royals at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday (April 20).Robin Uthappa and Owais Shah also completing 50 runs off 19 balls each.

Robin Uthappa did the same during his 51-run knock for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Kings XI Punjab at Bangalore on March 16,2010 while Owais Shah completed his half century off 19 balls during his 60-run kncok while playing for Rajastahn Royals against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Bangalore on April 15,2012. Adam Gilchrist and Chris Gayle shared the record of making the fastest 50 in Indian Premier League. Adam Gilchrist completed his 50 runs of 17 balls during his 85-run knock while playing Deccan Chargers against Delhi Daredevils at Centurion on May 22,2009 while Chris Gayle reached his 50 off 17 balls during his unbeaten 175-run knock for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors at Bangalore on April 23,2013. S PERVEZ QAISER FASTEST FIFTIES IN INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE: Balls (Score) Batsman Opponent Venue Date 17 (85) Adam Gilchrist (DC) Delhi Daredevils Centurion 2205-2009 17 (175*) Chris Gayle (RCB) Pune Warriors Bangalore 23-04-2013 19 (51) Robin Uthappa (RCB) Kings XI Punjab Bangalore 1603-2010 19 (60) Owais Shah (RR) Royal Challengers Bangalore 15-04-2012 19 (51*) David Miller (KXIP) Rajasthan Royals Sharjah 20-04-2014 20 (73) Virender Sehwag (DD) Rajasthan Royals Jaipur 0105-2012 20 (51*) Mahendra Singh Dhoni (CSK) Mumbai Indians Bangalore 23-05-2012 20 (66*) Kieron Pollard (MI) Sunrisers Hyderabad Mumbai 13-05-2013

SPORTS Tuesday, 22 April, 2014

moin khan appointed pakiStan cricket chief Selector iSlaMabaD AGENCIES

oRMER captain and coach Moin Khan was appointed as chief selector by the Pakistan Cricket Board on Monday, and Zaheer Abbas as honorary adviser to the chairman. Khan was the coach and Abbas was the batting consultant of the teams which recently fell in the Asia Cup final and didn't advance to the semifinals of the World Twenty20.

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Khan will also be the team manager, with permission from his employer, Pakistan International Airlines, the PCB said in a statement. "I will make sure there's no compromise on merit," Khan told The Associated Press. "I am thankful to the PCB for posing confidence in me."

Before the World Twenty20, the PCB announced another former captain, Rashid Latif, will take over as chief selector from April 1. However, soon after the tournament in Bangladesh, Latif declined to sign the contract, saying he did

PCB DIDN'T TRY TO CONVINCE LATIF FOR CHIEF SELECTOR POST

Karachi AGENCIES

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) didn't make an attempt to convince former test captain, Rashid Latif to change his mind about accepting the position of chief selector because of pressures from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

According to a report in "Dawn" newspaper, the PCB didn't want to annoy the ECB which was upset with the decision to appoint Rashid as chief selector in the first place in March.

The report says that the ECB chief Giles Clarke had conveyed his annoyance to the PCB because Rashid had been supporting banned test leg-spinner, Danish Kaneria in the spot fixing case since last year. Rashid had raised his voice for Kaneria claiming the leg spinner didn't get fair treatment or justice from the ECB. The disciplinary committee of the ECB had banned Kaneria in 2012 for life from playing in the UK after finding him guilty of coaxing and encouraging his teammates at Essex county to spot fix in a championship game way back in Sep-

tember 2009. Kaneria's appeal was also rejected in 2013 by the ECB appellate tribunal and the leg-spinner who has also been ordered to pay costs of around 200,000 pounds has now entered an appeal against his ban and the costs in a commercial court in London which is expected to give a verdict this week.

The ECB also pressed the commercial court to only hear Kaneria's appeal if he deposited a security of 20,000 pounds which eventually he did before the hearing held last week in London.

The report said that PCB Chairman, Najam Sethi had tried to raise the issue of Kaneria at a recent ICC meeting where Giles Clarke strongly protested the move and even threatened to boycott the meeting. "PCB came under pressure because of the ECB stance and decided to give a cold shoulder treatment to Rashid after announcing his appoint as chief selector, a post he was to take charge of from April 1st. They knew well that given his temperament, Rashid would react to the cold shoulder treatment which he did and refused to accept the contract sent by the board," the report said.

not want to be part of controversy.

Khan will also be on a three-man committee which will scrutinize applications for national team coaches that include head coach and fielding coach.

PCB directors Intikhab Alam and Haroon Rasheed are the other committee members, and will give recommendations after the cut-off date for applications on May 5.

Pakistan is also looking for a spin bowling consultant, strength and conditioning coach and sports physiotherapist.

AUSTRALIAN COACH TO BOOST AFGHANISTAN CRICKET Kabul AGENCIES

Afghanistan’s new cricket academy coach, Peter Anderson from Australia, has started work in Kabul, officials said on Monday, as the fast-developing team prepare for their debut at next year’s 50-over World Cup. Anderson coached Papua New Guinea for two years before joining Afghanistan, where cricket is a rare symbol of optimism in a country beset by war, corruption and poverty. “I am excited to be here,” Anderson, 52, said in a press release from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). “I hope I can make a contribution to the quality of cricket here. I will start slowly, watching, listening and learning.” Anderson played 56 firstclass matches for Queensland and South Australia as a wicketkeeper, scoring 1,399 runs at an average of 17.93. “We are pleased to be welcoming a person of Peter Anderson’s calibre to head our new Afghanistan Cricket Academy,” said Noor Mohammad Murad, head of the ACB. “He brings to us 35 years of cricketing experience both in Australia and internationally. His experience with Papua New Guinea Cricket, a developing cricket country, will fit him well for his work in Afghanistan.”

Anderson will head the new academy, which will seek out and train players from youth level through to the full national squad. Afghanistan’s cricket team have taken big strides over the last decade, gaining one-day status in 2009. The side have featured in three World Twenty20 tournaments and qualified for the 2015 one-day World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The International Cricket Council has given $1 million (Dh3.67 million) in funding to each of four World Cup qualifiers — Afghanistan, UAE, Ireland and Scotland — and has arranged training camps in Australia and New Zealand later this year. Afghanistan are in Group A along with Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Bangladesh, England and Sri Lanka.

Afghanistan will also feature in this year’s Asian Games cricket tournament in Incheon, South Korea.

CSK CRUSH DAREDEVILS abu Dhabi AGENCIES

Chennai Super Kings crushed Delhi Daredevils by 93 runs in a thoroughly one-sided game in Abu Dhabi. Super Kings started steadily after choosing to bat, but Suresh Raina's busy fifty in the middle and a late surge catapulted them to 177. Their quicks tied Daredevils down with accurate swing bowling, and electric catching from Raina and Faf du Plessis made it harder. The middle order sank without a fight, and by the halfway stage of the chase, the match was as good as over.

Brendon McCullum had said that with such a powerful line-up, Super Kings would go hard right from the start. But they stuck to their tested approach of starting steady, keeping wickets in hand and exploding at the death. Super Kings were 34 for 1 after the end of the Powerplay and 65 for 1 after ten overs. They took 58 off the last four overs with swift contributions from MS Dhoni, du Plessis and Mithun Manhas.

Daredevils lost the services of Nathan Coulter-Nile three deliveries into the match, the fast bowler hobbling off after hurting his leg while sliding to stop a ball. To his credit, Dinesh Karthik still managed to keep Jaydev Unadkat and Mohammed Shami for the final four without suffering too much damage in the middle overs but led by Dhoni, Super Kings had too much firepower in store.

Saeed ajmal cricket academy launched Faisalabad: Saeed Ajmal International Cricket Academy (SAIC) has started its working for young players at University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) in Pakistan. The Divisional Commissioner Sardar Akram had done the inauguration of cricket academy at University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF).

Member of Provisional Assembly (MPA) Khalid Saeed, District Coordination Officer (DCO) Noor-ul-Amin Mengal, City Police Officer (CPO) Dr. Haider Ashraf, Assistant Commissioner (AC) Mehr Shafqatullah Mushtaq and DO Sports Tariq Nazir were also present on the occasion. Saeed Ajmal said no admission fee would be charged from the cricket lovers who will join academy where skilled coach would impart them training. He appealed to philanthropists to donate generously for the establishment of an international academy at UAF. AGENCIES Published by Arif Nizami at Plot No 79, Sector 24, Korangi Industrial Area Karachi.

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Local media has speculated that Waqar Younis, a former assistant coach, could take over as head coach. Younis was one of the two coaches shortlisted by the previous coach-finding committee before Khan was given a two-month contract to cover the Asia Cup and World Twenty20.

Pakistan has a test series against Sri Lanka in July-August, then takes on Australia in a one-off T20, three one-day internationals and two tests in the United Arab Emirates in october.

SCorEboArd Chennai 29 dr Smith b Nadeem 9 bb McCullum c sub (Wd Parnell) b Unadkat 56 SK raina c Vijay b Neesham 24 F du Plessis c Vijay b Mohammed Shami 32 MS dhoni*† c Agarwal b Unadkat 7 rA Jadeja c †Karthik b Unadkat 13 M Manhas not out 1 r Ashwin run out (Mohammed Shami) 0 bW Hilfenhaus not out 6 Extras (lb 3, w 3) 177 Total (7 wickets; 20 overs) did not batMM Sharma, IC Pandey Fall of wickets 1-23 (McCullum, 3.2 ov), 2-77 (Smith, 10.6 ov), 3-108 (raina, 14.4 ov), 4-141 (du Plessis, 17.2 ov), 5-156 (dhoni, 18.4 ov), 6-162 (Jadeja, 18.6 ov), 7-173 (Ashwin, 19.5 ov) boWlING: JP duminy 4-0-26-0, Mohammed Shami 4-0-45-1, S Nadeem 3-0-29-1, Jd Unadkat 4-0-32-3, JdS Neesham 4-029-1, M Vijay 1-0-13-0 delhi T20 2 MA Agarwal c raina b Pandey 11 M Vijay c du Plessis b Sharma 21 Kd Karthik*† b Ashwin 0 MK Tiwary c du Plessis b Pandey 15 JP duminy lbw b Smith 6 lrPl Taylor c †dhoni b Hilfenhaus JdS Neesham c raina b Jadeja 22 3 S Nadeem c & b Jadeja 1 Mohammed Shami c McCullum b Ashwin 1 Jd Unadkat not out NM Coulter-Nile absent hurt 2 ExTrAS: (w 2) 84 ToTAl: (all out; 15.4 overs) Fall of wickets 1-8 (Agarwal, 2.1 ov), 2-15 (Vijay, 3.3 ov), 3-17 (Tiwary, 4.2 ov), 4-42 (duminy, 8.1 ov), 5-50 (Taylor, 9.2 ov), 6-74 (Karthik, 12.1 ov), 7-80 (Neesham, 13.5 ov), 8-82 (Mohammed Shami, 14.2 ov), 9-84 (Nadeem, 15.4 ov) boWlING: IC Pandey 4-0-23-2, bW Hilfenhaus 2-0-9-1, MM Sharma 3-0-17-1, dr Smith 2-0-14-1, rA Jadeja 2.4-0-18-2, r Ashwin 2-0-3-2 MATCH dETAIlS ToSS: Chennai T20, who chose to bat PlAyEr oF THE MATCH: SK raina (Chennai T20) UMPIrES: rK Illingworth (England) and C Shamshuddin (India) TV umpire - HdPK dharmasena (Sri lanka) Match referee - GF labrooy (Sri lanka) reserve umpire - K Srinath (India)