E paper pdf (10 09 2015) (isb)

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Traders pull down shutters across country over WHT Most markets and business centres remain closed in major cities in all four provinces and tax on banking transactions

SENIOR JOURNALIST ASSASSINATED IN KARACHI A DAY AFTER MEDIA WORKER IS KILLED

pakistan set to sign economic Zone deal with china Thursday, 10 September, 2015 | Zulqad 25, 1436 Rs 17.00 | Vol VI No 73 | 16 Pages | Islamabad Edition

Aftab Alam shot in the head by unknown assailants when he was going to pick his children up from school

STORIES ON PAGES 03 & 10

STORY ON PAGE 04

PAK WILL USE NUKES TO DETER ENEMIES, MAKE POWER Pakistan Rangers delegation in Delhi for talks with India’s BSF COUNTRY’S ONE-THIRD MADRASSAS NOW UNDER RADAR STORY ON PAGE 02 Russia sends ships, aiRcRaft and foRces to syRia US officials have not ruled out the possibility that Moscow may be laying the groundwork for an air combat role in Syria’s conflict to bolster Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

STORY ON PAGE 04

STORY ON PAGE 05

RANGERS RELEASE MQM’S QAMAR MANSOOR ON ‘HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS’

National Command Authority reposes confidence in Pak’s robust nuclear command and control structure and related security arrangements

Justice Khawaja steps down as CJP after serving for 23 days, senior most SC judge, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, to take oath today

STORIES ON PAGE 03

Renews interest in membership of NSG, as ‘country possesses requisite credentials for full access to civil nuclear technology for peaceful purposes’

SC judges praise Khawaja as lawyers boycott farewell

Justice Saeed, Justice Rehman among bars associations including SCBA, PBC remain away from CJP’s farewell event Lawyers including Syed Iqbal Khan, Hamid Khan ask court not to interfere in PBC powers, leave lawyers’ licenses to PBC

justice jawwad s khawaja

justice anwar Zaheer

STORY ON PAGE 02

02 NEWS

Thursday, 10 September 2015

JuDgeS pRAiSe KhAwAJA AS lAwyeRS boycoTT fARewell jusTiCe Khawaja sTePs down as CjP afTer serving for 23 days, senior MosT sC judge, jusTiCe anwar Zaheer jaMali, To TaKe oaTh Today ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

HE lawyers on Wednesday stood divided over the full court reference held in the honor of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Jawwad S Khawaja on his retirement.

Two Supreme Court (CJP) judges, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman, did not participate in the ceremony while 13 others marked their presence.

Moreover, no lawyer from former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Asam Jehangir group participated in the reference. The lawyers associations, including Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and others

jusTiCe saeed, jusTiCe rehMan aMong bars assoCiaTions inCluding sCba, PbC reMain away froM CjP’s farewell evenT

from Rawalpindi and Islamabad, also boycotted the event. However, lawyers from Rawalpindi-Islamabad’s Hamid Khan Group were there.

Addressing the ceremony, Syed Iqbal Khan requested the court not to interfere in the powers of PBC and leave the matter of lawyers’ licenses to the PBC. At the ceremony’s conclusion, sharing Khan’s view, senior lawyer Hamid Khan opposed the court verdict regarding cancellation of license of Barrister Ali Zafar saying, “The court should send this matter to PBC as PBC enjoys the power to conceal the license”.

JUSTICE SPEAKS: Amidst reservations from some lawyers, the CJP addressed the reference with ceremonious requirements.

“Inexpensive and speedy justice is

Taliban leader dadullah joins afghanisTan’s isil TEHRAN INP

The ISIL terrorist group in Afghanistan claimed that the senior Taliban commander Mullah Mansoor Dadullah has pledged allegiance to the terror group. An ISIL supporter, who claims to be spokesman for the terror group, said Dadullah was rescued from an offensive by the Taliban militants, involving 2,100 fighters in Southern Zabul province. He said at least 230 ISIL fighters were deployed to Zabul from Western Farah province to engage the Taliban militants and rescue Dadullah. He also claimed that Mullah Abdul Manan, the brother of the Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, prefers to join the ISIL group rather than pledging allegiance to the newly-appointed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor. Although the remarks by the so-called ISIL spokesman for Khurasan province could not be ascertained but Dadullah appeared in a video recently claiming that Mullah Mansoor has been allegedly appointed by Pakistani military intelligence. The Islamic Movement Fidai Mahaz which was formed following the killing of Mullah Dadullah’s elder brother also published a propaganda video ahead of engaging in bloody clashes with the supporters of Mullah Mansoor. The video published through the website of Islamic Movement Fidai Mahaz slammed Mullah Mansoor’s appointment as new Taliban leader calling him a forger and apostate.

The movement had earlier confirmed Mullah Omar’s death claiming that Mullah Mansoor had assassinated Mullah Omar.

sC issues noTiCes To PTi Mnas who wanTed To quiT lasT year ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

A three-member Supreme Court (SC) bench headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali on Wednesday issued notices to Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaaf (PTI) members on their resignations from the National Assembly.

Petitioner Zafar Ali Shah during the hearing of the case pleaded that the issue of PTI resignations from the Lower House is not a political one but constitutional. The PTI MNAs had tendered resignations from the National Assembly during sit-in last year.

lawyers inCluding syed iqbal Khan, haMid Khan asK CourT noT To inTerfere in PbC Powers, leave lawyers’ liCenses To PbC

not being provided to anyone in the country. It is incumbent on the government, state institutions, every member of society, including lawyers and judges, to change such system which is not providing affordable and timely justice,” Justice Khawaja said, pointing out that “people not convinced of justice lie and encroach upon the rights of their relatives and neighbours”.

The outgoing top judge continued, “Brightness of Aiwan-e-Adl reflects from fearless faces. In order to polish this brightness it is imperative for every member of the society generally and for lawyers and judges particularly to get united and counter professional malpractice and degeneration.”

“Favour is highly hazardous for Judiciary as it prevents from giving coura-

geous decisions and this way it can bring about decadence in system of justice,” he stressed. “Practice of seeking adjournment in the cases by using dilatory tactics by lawyers and on different pretexts is very common in our courts,” he held.

Justice Khawaja stepped down as the chief justice yesterday after serving at the exalted position for 23 days. The senior most judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, will succeed the outgoing chief justice to hold the coveted slot for 15 months; until he retires on December 31, 2016.

Addressing the full court reference, Justice Jamali said that Justice Khawaja would be forever remembered as a guardian of justice and the law.

Justice Jamali will take oath of his office today (Thursday).

COUNTRY’S ONE-THIRD MADRASSAS NOW UNDER RADAR KARACHI STAFF REPORT

A review meeting held at the Chief Minister (CM) House with Sindh CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah in the chair was told on Wednesday that under the National Action Plan (NAP), geo-tagging of 3,662 madrassas has been completed in Sindh, of which 2,122 are in Karachi and 1,548 in Hyderabad. “This would help us to see exact location of seminaries,” the meeting was told.

It was further apprised that this information gathering process is currently in progress and would be completed soon. Sindh Home Secretary Mukhtiar Ahmed Soomro told the meeting that out of 9,590 seminaries, 6,503 have been registered and 2,920 are yet to be registered. In the unregistered seminaries, 517,695 students are enrolled, he added.

Sindh Inspector General (IG) Ghulam Hyder Jamali told the chief minister that 167 seminaries were sealed under different allegations while search was carried out in 21 seminaries in Karachi, Hyderabad and Badin over suspicion of illegal activities. “In few seminaries, hate material was recovered against which cases have been registered accordingly.”

The chief minister thanked the ‘ulema’ of different schools of thought for their cooperation in getting their seminaries registered.

“All the concerned religious scholars should be taken on board

while registering their seminaries or searching the suspicious ones,” Qaim directed the provincial IG and home secretary. Talking about the registration and repatriation of Afghan refugees, the home secretary said that 92,646 Afghan nationals are registered in Sindh.

“Around 650 families and 3,021 individuals were voluntary repatriated

by Ministry of SAFRON since 2015,” said Soomro, adding that 35,278 Afghans were repatriated from Sindh till August 2015. He said that 720 cases were registered against illegal Afghan nationals while 2,100 illegal Afghan nationals were arrested, 1,309 nominated, 953 under judicial custody, 356 bailed out and 222 illegal Afghan repatriated by Jails IG. Soomro said that out of 458 condemned prisoners, 18 have been executed. “Their 395 appeals are pending in Sindh High Court and one in Federal Shariat Court, 53 in Supreme Court, five mercy petitions are pending with the president while Sindh High Court has stayed four black warrants.”

Giving details of armed militia, the home secretary said 61 banned religious organisations have been identified. “Around 1,155 terrorists/criminals have been killed, including 164 leaders of Al-Qaeda and TTP and 130 of Lyari gang war, between September, 2013 and September, 2015,” he said, adding that 63,055 terrorists/criminals were arrested, including 879 terrorists of

MADRASSA STATS Registered seminaries Unregistered seminaries Geo-tagged seminaries

6,503 2,920 3,662

Al-Qaeda and TTP and 67 of Lyari Gang war.

Talking about disposal of accused handed over by Rangers in heinous offences during operation till August 31, 2015, IG Jamali said that 495 have been arrested of which challan were presented against 489 while six are under investigation, two have been convicted and four acquitted. He added that 462 are currently in jails and 21 have been bailed out.

The IG also briefed the chief minister about the latest weapons and ammunition provided by army chief General Raheel Sharif to the Sindh Police and also said that the army chief has further assured to equip each and every police station with latest equipment and gadgets.

The chief minister said that it was due the personal interest of General Sharif that the operation against terrorists has produced tangible results. “It would be nice of him if he takes necessary measures to equip our police stations with modern equipments,” said Jamali.

After presiding over the review meeting, the chief minister left for Islamabad to attend the NAP meeting to be presided by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

sMall TiMe indian aCTress ClaiMs afridi for herself NEWS DESK Bhopal-born small time Indian actress and model Arshi Khan has opened up a new controversy claiming that she has slept with Pakistani cricket star Shahid Afridi. Earlier, when the Indian media picked at her alleged relation with the star batsman, he called the news absurd and said that he had no time for something like this. Afridi aka Boom Boom has been entertaining cricket lovers for around 18 years. He is recognised as one of the ‘living legends of the game’. On the other hand, Arshi Khan is a small time model and actress and till the point where she claimed that she had had sex with Afridi, no one even knew who she was. She took to twitter on September 8 and wrote an angry message for her audience. “Yes, I had sex with Afridi! Do I need the Indian media’s permission to sleep with someone? It’s my personal life. For me it was love,” she tweeted. The model, who is said to grab public attention by indulging in such behavior, had previously claimed that she was friends with the cricketer. That’s not all; she has also previously claimed that Radhe Maa (religious Indian spiritual leader) was running a prostitution racket. Before that she had slapped a Bhojpuri film producer. She later revealed that the producer was touching her inappropriately which resulted in her slapping the man. At this point the authenticity of the account has not been confirmed. Investigation is still underway to confirm whether the account is real or not.

Sources also claim that the Indian media is behind dragging Afridi in the scandal. They say that this was a ploy to help Arshi Khan make a place for herself in the film industry.

Shahid Afridi has not yet responded to the claims made by the Indian model.

PaKisTan Calls for urgenT aCTion To deal wiTh forCed MigraTion UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and President of UNICEF’s Executive Board Dr Maleeha Lodhi has urged the global community to take immediate action to deal with the growing crisis of forced migration.

Pointing out that half of the world’s refugees are children, Lodhi made an impassioned appeal to the world community to fulfill its responsibilities in addressing the desperate situation where children were principal victims. Lodhi was addressing the second regular session of the UNICEF’s Executive Board in New York. While describing the global refugee crisis as a humanitarian catastrophe in which the suffering of children was unprecedented, Lodhi said that the post-2015 agenda of the UN seeks to end extreme poverty, promote prosperity and well-being for the people, besides protecting environment for ourselves and future generations. APP

Pakistani doctor pleads not guilty to touching young girl on plane CHICAGO AGENCIES

A Pakistani physician pleaded not guilty Tuesday to allegations that he inappropriately touched a girl seated next to him on an American Airlines flight from New York City to Chicago.

Muhammad Asif Chaudhry is accused of moving from his assigned seat to a seat next to the Iowa girl, who was traveling alone in July as part of the airline’s unaccompanied-minor program.

The girl sent frantic text messages from the plane to her mother, explaining that a man had touched her genitals and that she could not escape because the seat belt light was on, according to the federal complaint.

“I want to get away,” one text said. A few seconds later, she added, “Mommy, I’m scared.”

The mother fainted when she got her daughter’s

texts, family attorney Brett Beatty has said. Chaudhry, 57, was in the US to visit acquaintances in Oklahoma.

He pleaded not guilty to two counts of abusive sexual contact with a child between 12 and 16. Each count carries a maximum two-year prison sentence.

The doctor is free on $100,000 bail.

Among the conditions of his release is that he cannot fly, so he drove the 16 hours from Oklahoma to Chicago for Tuesday’s arraignment.

The arraignment comes days after the girl’s parents filed a federal lawsuit in Des Moines, suing Chaudhry and American Airlines.

Beatty said the airline should have done more to protect the girl, including putting her in a seat where she could be easily monitored.

American Airlines spokesman Josh Freed said in a statement last week that the airline “cares deeply about our young passengers and is committed to pro-

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viding a safe travel experience for them.”

According to the complaint, the girl had been seated next to a window with no one in the two seats to her left, when Chaudhry moved up a row and sat in one of those seats. At one point, the girl fell asleep with her legs on a seat between them, then awoke to feel Chaudhry legs intertwined with hers under a blanket.

When Chaudhry got up to use the restroom, the girl complained to a flight attendant, who moved her to the first-class section. Authorities detained Chaudhry when the plane touched down in Chicago.

Neither Chaudhry nor his attorney spoke to reporters after Tuesday’s arraignment.

Chaudhry told agents that he moved up to the girl’s row to give passengers in his section more room, according to the complaint. He said he may have inadvertently touched the girl’s arm when he asked her to close the window shade.

Thursday, 10 September 2015

pAKiSTAn will uSe nuKeS To DeTeR eneMieS, MAKe poweR naTional CoMMand auThoriTy rePoses ConfidenCe renews inTeresT in MeMbershiP of nsg, as ‘CounTry in PaK’s robusT nuClear CoMMand and ConTrol Possesses requisiTe CredenTials for full aCCess To sTruCTure and relaTed seCuriTy arrangeMenTs Civil nuClear TeChnology for PeaCeful PurPoses’ ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

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HILE getting briefed on country’s strategic and nuclear assets during a meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) at Joint Staff Headquarters (JSHQ) in Chaklala, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that Pakistan would continue to maintain minimum nuclear deterrence for security purposes, “but these weapons are not against any one”.

The premier expressed satisfaction over the security and safety of nuclear weapons and observed that an efficient nuclear control and command system is in place.

The meeting was held to discuss matters pertaining to national security

and defence, Radio Pakistan reported.

The premier was given a comprehensive briefing by the Strategic Plans Division (SPD) Director General Lt Gen Mazhar Jamil, who said that a security force of 30,000 is protecting the nuclear arsenal.

The NCA meeting was attended by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Advisor to the PM on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Rashad Mahmood and three services chiefs.

The NCA stated that Pakistan, as a responsible nuclear state, will remain actively engaged with the international community on nuclear stability and security issues. It also

six Pro-govT MiliTia MeMbers Killed in Khyber PESHAWAR: The bullet-riddled bodies of six anti-Taliban militia fighters were discovered on Wednesday in Qamar Khel of Khyber district bordering Afghanistan, officials said, taking the number of tribesmen found executed by militants this week to 11. Around 20 members of the pro-government Tauheedul Islam (TuI) militia were captured by the Taliban affiliated Lashkar-e-Islam group on Friday, who dumped five bodies in the Qamar Khel area of Khyber district on Monday. The bodies of six more militiamen were found in the same area on Wednesday, a senior government official told AFP. “All dead bodies are bullet-riddled. We also found hand-written notes by Lashkar-eIslam from near the dead bodies claiming the killings,” he said. Shamsul Islam, another senior official, confirmed the incident and said the authorities were looking into reports of another three more bodies being found. AGENCIES

PAF JET CRASHES NEAR MASTUNG QUETTA: A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jet F7-PG crashed near Mastung on Wednesday during a routine training operation.

The pilot managed to eject to safety.

According to a spokesperson for PAF’s Samungli Airbase in Quetta, “The F7-PG fighter jet was on a routine training mission when its engine caught fire and crashed on a fray near Mastung.” “The pilot, flight lieutenant Yasir, ejected himself from the plane safely while no loss of life and property was reported in the incident,” he added. Air force officials, Frontier Corps and Levies rushed to spot soon after the crash and cordoned the area. “The formation of a board of inquiry has been ordered by the Air Headquarter to investigate the possible cause of the crash,” the spokesperson said, adding that wreckage of the plane had been confiscated. This is not the first crash in Balochistan, on April 16 a PAF Mirage aircraft crashed in Sonmiani Tehsil of Balochistan, in which the pilot remained unhurt. STAFF REPORT

expressed satisfaction on Pakistan’s enhanced outreach with the multilateral export control regimes.

Pakistan shares the goals of nonproliferation and is committed to play its due role as a mainstream partner in the global non-proliferation regimes, reiterated the NCA. The NCA meeting also renewed Pakistan’s interest in the membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), as the country possesses the requisite credentials for full access to civil nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, particularly to meet its energy shortages.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major Asim Bajwa said that the sacrifices made during Operation Zarb-e-Azb and the success of the operation was also acknowledged during the NCA meeting.

He said the NCA reiterated national resolve to maintain “full-spectrum deterrence capability in line with the dictates of credible minimum deterrence” in order to dissuade all forms of aggression and adhere to a policy of avoiding an arms race.

He said Pakistan sought peace and strategic stability in South Asia as a cornerstone of its policy, and considered conflict resolution a means to achieve this goal.

According to reports published by two American think-tanks, Pakistan could become the third largest nuclear stock pile within the next five to ten years ─ with at least 350 nuclear weapons ─ behind only the United States and Russia.

Pakistan currently possesses around 120 nuclear warheads as compared to India’s 100, a report said.

SNGPL BOARD MEETING ‘SECRETLY SUMMONED’ TO OUST MD: REPORT six-Man sTrong governMenT needs 10 ouT of 13 voTes for arif haMeed’s reMoval ISLAMABAD ONLINE

The stand-off between Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) Managing Director Arif Hameed took a new turn Wednesday when the federal government “secretly summoned” an emergency meeting of SNGPL Board of Directors today (Thursday) at the company’s head office.

Hameed was restored as the SNGPL MD on Tuesday by the Lahore High Court a couple of days after he was unceremoniously and ‘illegally’ removed from his position for demanding transparency in the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import project.

According to law and procedure, the SNGPL Board of Directors has been empowered to oust the MD and to replace him with another suitable person. It is incumbent upon the board to give sufficient reasons for sacking the MD, the relevant portion of the law states.

According to Online, “on federal government’s

behest, SNGPL Board Chairman Saeed Mehdi secretly summoned an extraordinary meeting of the board with the sole agenda to moot the issue of the MD’s suspension from service”.

In the 13 member board, the government has six members and it needs the support of 10 members for the decision. Online further claimed that government’s machinery, including Finance Ministry, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Interior Ministry and Federal Investigation (FIA), is active to take the favor of private members in this regard.

The sources said that they considered Hameed as the “last hurdle in the controversial LNG deal”. For this reason the two deputy managing directors, including Amir Tufail, Amjad Latif and CFO Uzma Adil, have refused to take charge.

According to Online, no one from the government’s side agreed to speak on the issue while Hameed has also kept mum. However, none of the concerned spokespersons denied the meeting scheduled for Thursday (today) in Lahore, the agency report added.

The differences between Abbasi and Hameed cropped up over LNG import issue which is also being probed

by National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The reasons behind the abrupt sacking of Hameed, as elaborated by federal minister, are that he did not show any performance on the critical and vital issues looming on the company horizon.

NEWS

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PaKisTan rangers delegaTion in delhi for TalKs wiTh india’s bsf ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

A 16-member delegation of Pakistan Rangers, headed by Rangers (Punjab) Director General Maj Gen Umar Farooq Barki reached New Delhi on Wednesday for routine annual talks with Border Security Force (BSF) officials.

The delegation comprises officials from Pakistan Rangers (Punjab and Sindh), Ministry of Interior, Survey of Pakistan and the AntiNarcotics Force. BSF Director-General Devendra Kumar Pathak will represent India at the meeting, which will last for four days (Sept 9-12). A Rangers spokesman said that the Rangers-BSF talks are held alternatively in India and Pakistan. The spokesman said both border guarding forces will discuss professional matters in relation to border management. In order to avoid losses of innocent civilian lives and property, the delegation will discuss issues pertaining to ceasefire violations, smuggling and the safe return of inadvertent border crossers, the spokesman said.

Independent observers rate this interaction highly significant against the backdrop of the recent heavy exchange of artillery fire.

Pba sends show Cause noTiCe To Media grouP, susPends MeMbershiP TeMPorarily ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Following yesterday’s revelations regarding alleged manipulation of TV ratings, the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) on Wednesday, suspended the membership of Express News temporarily. The PBA also sent the TV channel a show cause notice and asked for a response within 10 days regarding the allegations leveled against them. Salman Danish, CEO of a television ratings company in Pakistan called ‘Medialogic’ claimed on Tuesday that two TV channels of the Express Group have been boosting their ratings through fraud. Addressing a media briefing, Salman said that during the month of March this year, it came to light that the ratings for the TV channels of Express Group were found to be increasing extraordinarily. He further said that upon investigation, it was found that three of Medialogic’s employees were on the payroll for the Express Group. Salman added that further inquiries were being conducted by them to find out how exactly the ratings were being boosted, while an FIR had also been registered against all three employees at the Gulberg police station in Lahore.

Ministry wants MPhil as minimum qualification for Css, PCs ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Ministry of Planning Development and Reforms of Pakistan (MoPDR) has suggested that MPhil should be set as the minimum qualification for Central Superior Services (CSS) and Public Services Commission (PCS) examinations so as to help evaluate and recruit experts from different fields of education.

Increasing the qualification for these examinations mean that they want experts from every

department to participate in these exams and this decision will be helpful in evaluating the “cream” from each department and would increase competitiveness in the exams and this in turn will increase efficiency in government institutes, it has been proposed.

The ministry also suggested that the minimum age to participate in these examinations will be made 30 and no one less then age of 30 years will be able to take part in the exams, while the age of retirement will be 60 for all CSS and PCS officials.

Both these changes are supposed to bring experienced and more competitive players into government offices, the minister contended.

In this regard, suggestions have been sought from high civil administration from across the country, which would be presented before Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal in National Consultative Workshop on ‘Civil Service Reforms’ to be held on September 14 to 15 in Bhurban, Murree. The suggestions will also be sent to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for approval very soon.

PAKISTAN SET TO SIGN ECONOMIC ZONE DEAL WITH CHINA KARACHI AGENCIES

Pakistan is set to sign a 40-year-lease with a Chinese company to develop a massive special economic zone in the deep sea port of Gwadar, officials said on Wednesday.

The scheme is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an ambitious $46 billion investment plan linking western China to the Arabian Sea with infrastructure, energy and transport projects.

The contract assigning the 923 hectare (2300 acre)

swathe of tax-exempt land to China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC) is likely to be signed this month or October, Dostain Khan Jamaldini, chief of the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) told AFP. As part of the wider plans, “work on the Gwadar International Airport would start in the next couple of months and we are quite hopeful of completion of the national highway connecting Gwadar with the north within the next month”, he added.

Pakistan is also raising a special security force of between 10,000 and 25,000 men to protect the port, which lies in the restive southwestern province

of Baluchistan which since 2004 has been roiled by a separatist insurgency. Abdul Razzaq Durrani, the director general of GPA, confirmed the deal.

Gwadar port, located 540 kilometres southwest of Karachi, was built in 2007 with technical help from Beijing as well as Chinese financial assistance of some $248 million. But acquiring the land from private owners to build the economic zone took several years and cost the Baluch government around $62 million, Durrani said.

Some Baloch nationalists have accused the Chinese of conspiring with the Pakistani elite to plunder

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the province’s resources while doing little to share profits and create jobs for local people.

But Simbal Khan, a geo-political analyst, said that China had made similar deals in Africa, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and the project was of great strategic value to both countries. “Pakistan is looking at the CPEC project as a game changer, kick starting an era of infrastructure growth and investment. The land deal is just part of the Gwadar port infrastructure that needs to develop to realise the expectations of Pakistan and China from this mega project,” she said.

04 NEWS

Thursday, 10 September, 2015

SENIOR JOURNALIST ASSASSINATED IN KARACHI A DAY AFTER GEO TECHNICIAN IS KILLED AFTAB ALAM SHOT IN THE HEAD BY UNKNOWN ASSAILANTS WHEN HE WAS GOING TO PICK HIS CHILDREN UP FROM SCHOOL KARACHI

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STAFF REPORT

ENIOR journalist Aftab Alam was killed in a gun attack near his home in Karachi’s North Karachi neighbourhood on Wednesday.

Unknown assailants opened fire on Alam near his home in North Karachi’s Sector 11-C. He was rushed to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

Alam was shot in the head upon leaving his residence to pick his children up from school. DIG West Feroz Shah said the police recovered three 9 MM bullet casings from the site.

The shooting took place near Sir Syed Market and within the precincts of

RANGERS VOWS TO HUNT DOWN ASSASSINS OF BOTH MEDIA PERSONS

the Sir Syed Police Station.

Alam, 42, was unemployed for the past year and a half on account of health issues and had previously worked with Geo News. He was also reportedly associated with Samaa News channel at one point.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah took notice of the murder and directed the police to submit a report on the incident. He has ordered for the immediate arrest of those behind the attack.

Meanwhile, Sindh Interior Minister Suhail Anwar Siyal demanded a report about the attack from Inspector General Police (IGP) Ghulam Haider Jamali.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) CoChairman Asif Ali Zardari and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) too condemned the attack.

RANGERS RELEASE MQM’S QAMAR MANSOOR ON ‘HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS’ KARACHI

Moreover, the Karachi Union of Journalists – Dastoor said Alam’s killing was a question mark on the efficacy of the Sindh government and security agencies.

The organisation said it condemned the targeted killings of and attacks on media workers in the strongest possible terms.

The journalist union also demanded the immediate arrest of killers of both Alam and Arshad Ali Jafri, a media worker killed yesterday.

The senior journalist’s death comes hours after senior satellite engineer Arshad Ali Jafri who was associated with Geo News was gunned down in an attack on the channel’s DSNG van in Karachi’s Bahadurabad area. The van driver also suffered bullet injuries in the attack.

Police remained clueless about the motive of Tuesday’s attack, but investiga-

AL QAEDA IN SYRIA CAPTURES LAST REGIME BASE IN IDLIB PROVINCE BEIRUT AGENCIES

STAFF REPORT

The Rangers on Wednesday released Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Qamar Mansoor after 49 days from what was to be a 90-day preventive detention. The Rangers said that they were freeing Mansoor on “humanitarian grounds” as the initial investigation concerning him had concluded. Officials at Anti-Terrorism Court-II (ATC-II) confirmed the receipt of an intimation report from the Rangers informing the court of his release from their custody.

“During his 49-day detention, he was allowed to meet with his ailing mother,” the Rangers law officer said. Although Mansoor has been released, the law official said the MQM leader had not been cleared of the charges against him.

“He has been asked to appear before investigators whenever summoned,” he said. A day ago, the MQM’s legal aid committee had moved an application contending that the party was sceptical about Mansoor’s whereabouts as he was allegedly not present in his detention cell.

The plea was however turned down due to technical reasons. Mansoor’s detention period was to expire on October 21.

Qamar Mansoor and Rabita Committee in-charge Kaiful Warah were detained by the paramilitary force in a pre-dawn raid on the party’s Nine-Zero headquarters on July 17. Meanwhile in a statement on Wednesday evening, MQM announced that it was relieving Mansoor of all his duties both as a party leader or worker.

The statement said that the decision has been taken in a joint session of party’s London and Karachi Rabita Committee after reservations expressed by Mansoor before the committee after his release.

The RC ordered all party workers not to contact Mansoor regarding party matters.

The party however welcomed Mansoor and his family to MQM headquarters Nine Zero if they need Rabita Committee’s help.

Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate and its allies seized the last regime-held military base in north-western Idlib province on Wednesday, in the latest setback for President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.

Al-Nusra Front and a coalition of mostly Islamist groups captured the Abu Duhur military airport after a siege that lasted two years, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) monitor said. “After a violent attack that had been taking place since Monday, Al-Nusra Front and some Islamist factions control all of the Abu Duhur military airport,” the Britain-based Observatory said. The attacking force began to enter the base on Tuesday night. Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said the forces appeared to have taken advantage of a massive sandstorm that blanketed much of the Middle East and made it difficult for regime aircraft to carry out strikes.

“The army is no longer present in Idlib province,” he added, saying that

the soldiers who had been defending the base withdrew towards Aleppo province in the east. “The regime’s only presence left in the province is in the Shia villages of Fuaa and Kafraya,” which are besieged by rebels and are being defended by pro-regime militias and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, not the army. Syrian state television effectively acknowledged the loss, saying troops had left the base.

“After fierce fighting at the Abu Duhur airport, the army, which defended the airport with great courage under total siege for more than two years, abandoned their positions,” the broadcaster said. Abu Duhur has long been a target for opposition forces in the northwestern province.

Suicide bomberS on bikeS: Rebel forces had seized the entrance to the airport and several positions on its outskirts in late August in an advance that began with suicide bombers on motorbikes. The airport’s capture is the latest success for a coalition of Islamist and jihadist forces, including Al-Nusra, that calls itself the “Army of Con-

persons in the city and has decided to kick off concerted efforts for the arrest of perpetrators of such heinous crimes, Rangers spokesman said in a statement.

The statement further said that nexus between some groups trying to malign the operation will be made public and stern action will be initiated against these elements who are killing media men for their ulterior motives.

tors are sure that the attack was not a mugging attempt because it appeared to be a deliberate murder.

The Geo News management called it a ‘targeted attack’ and said the assault apparently was meant to harass not only the channel’s staff but also the entire Pakistani media.

Pakistan Rangers Sindh has taken serious notice of the target killings of media

quest.” They first shot to prominence with the swift overrunning of Idlib’s provincial capital in March.

They have since extended their gains throughout the province, seizing a string of strategic towns and even pushing into neighbouring Hama province, where they are fighting to capture the Sahl al-Ghab area. With Abu Duhur’s fall, the regime’s only remaining presence in Idlib is in Fuaa and Kafraya. Both are now completely surrounded by rebel forces, who have fired hundreds of rockets at the Shia-majority areas. The loss is the latest setback for Assad’s forces, which the embattled president acknowledged in July were suffering from “fatigue.”

“There is a lack of human resources” in the army, Assad said in the remarks after a string of defeats in Idlib province and elsewhere. “The problem facing the military is not related to planning but to fatigue.” Assad’s regime has been at war with different jihadist insurgent groups for the past four years, in a conflict that has so far killed at least 240,000 people.

OVER 1,000 INDIAN MUSLIM CLERICS CONDEMN IS, CALL IT ‘UN-ISLAMIC’ NEW DELHI AGENCIES More than 1,000 Muslim clerics in India have ratified a religious ruling condemning the self-styled Islamic State, calling the extremist group’s actions “un-Islamic.” Religious leaders from hundreds of mosques, education institutions and civic groups across India have signed the edict, or fatwa, saying the actions of the Islamic State group went against the basic tenets of Islam. The edict was issued by a leading Mumbai-based cleric, Mohammed Manzar Hasan Ashrafi Misbahi, and has been signed by the leaders of all the main mosques in India. “The acts of the Islamic State are inhuman and un-Islamic,” said Abdul Rehman Anjaria, a Muslim leader. India’s 172 million Muslims mostly follow a moderate version of the religion and have opposed the extreme practices of IS and Al Qaeda.

Indian leader warns of unrest over cow protection push in Gujarat AHMEDABAD AGENCIES

A Muslim leader in India warned on Wednesday of communal unrest after a state government claimed that the Quran discourages eating beef, the latest contentious effort to protect cows in the Hindu-majority country.

The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat has erected billboards with an alleged Quranic verse saying eating beef causes disease, together with an Islamic symbol of a crescent moon and star.

Hard-line Hindu groups have long pushed for a national ban on the slaughter of cows which they consider sacred.

But moves to protect cows have intensified since Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power after general elections last May. Several states have introduced a ban on slaughtering the animals and selling their flesh, a move that critics say discriminates against Muslims and other religious minorities who rely on the cheap meat for protein.

Shabbir Alam from the main mosque in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad city said the billboards were an insult to Islam because no such verse existed.

“Such hoardings can spark violence and disturb the peace between the two communities,” the mufti told AFP. “Anything which is not from the

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Quran and publicised as part of the holy book is an insult to Islam. I strongly condemn this act of the Gujarat government.”

Gujarat has a history of communal violence, with riots leaving at least 1,000 people, mainly Muslims, dead in 2002 when Modi was then the state’s chief minister.

Vallabh Kathiria, chairman of the Gujarat government’s cow protection board, defended the posters put up around the state’s main city of Ahmedabad, saying he was quoting Islamic and other religious leaders.

India’s western Maharashtra state this year toughened a beef ban which criminalises even possession of the meat. Its state capital Mumbai this week banned the slaughter and sale of meat

for four days, following demands from the strictly vegetarian Jain community, sparking anger among meat eaters.

Other states ruled by Modi’s party have promised to follow Maharashtra’s example. The government in Haryana state, bordering New Delhi, is considering laws making cow slaughter comparable to murder. Offenders would face a life term for killing a cow or bull if the state adopts the planned legislation.

Many Hindus regard the cow as the living symbol of their religion. Hindu welfare organisations run gaushalas, or cow shelters, in many cities where abandoned cows found wandering the streets are given food and shelter. Feeding a cow is seen by many Hindus as a way to appease the gods and get one’s wishes fulfilled.

Thursday, 10 September, 2015

NEWS

Russia sends ships, aiRcRaft and foRces to syRia US OFFICIALS HAVE NOT RULED OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT MOSCOW MAY BE LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR AN AIR COMBAT ROLE IN SYRIA’S CONFLICT TO BOLSTER SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD WASHINGTON

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AGENCIES

USSIA has sent two tank landing ships and additional aircraft to Syria in the past day or so and has deployed a small number of forces there, US officials said on Wednesday, in the latest signs of a military buildup that has put Washington on edge.

The two US officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the intent of Russia’s military moves in

BRITISH AIRWAYS PASSENGERS, CREW ESCAPE BLAZING PLANE IN LAS VEGAS LAS VEGAS: A British Airways jetliner engine caught fire in Las Vegas as the plane was about to take off for London, forcing all 172 passengers and crew to escape down emergency slides as smoke and flames engulfed the aircraft. Several passengers needed hospital treatment for minor injuries after the Boeing (BA.N) 777’s aborted takeoff on Tuesday, with one of those present saying smoke caused people to rush to the front of the plane, sparking scenes of panic. General Electric (GE.N) said the plane was powered by two of its GE90 engines.

Preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Pacific Division said the plane’s left engine had burst into flames on takeoff. “Mayday, Mayday, Speedbird 2276 request fire services,” one of the pilots is heard saying calmly in a British accent on an audio clip posted online. “We are evacuating on the runway, we have a fire, I repeat, we are evacuating.” Video and photographs from the scene showed the wide-body jet engulfed in flames and thick black smoke at McCarran International Airport. AGENCIES

LONDON AGENCIES

Hollywood actor, Angelina Jolie, warned on Tuesday that the Islamic State was using rape as a weapon of war on a scale never seen before and called for greater action against those responsible.

Jolie, a special envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and an active campaigner against the use of sexual violence in conflict, said Islamic State (IS) was using rape as a “policy” and urged a “very strong response”.

Thousands of women and girls have been abducted, raped and sold into sexual slavery by IS since the militant group declared a caliphate across swathes of Syria and Iraq last summer, according to the United Nations and rights groups.

“The most aggressive terrorist group in the world today is using rape as a center point of their terror and their way of destroying communities and families,” she told a British parliamentary committee on Tuesday.

Oscar-winning Jolie, who joined forces with former British foreign secretary

Syria remained unclear.

US officials have not ruled out the possibility that Moscow may be laying the groundwork for an air combat role in Syria’s conflict to bolster Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Assad, a longtime Russian ally, has seen the area he controls whittled down to a fifth or less of Syria’s territory after more than four years of grinding civil war. An official with the Russian defense ministry declined to comment. A traditional arms supplier to Damascus, Moscow has supported Assad throughout the war that has fractured Syria and has said it strongly opposes Islamic State, a militant group that is also the target of a U.S.-led air campaign. One of the U.S. officials said initial indications suggested the focus was on preparing an airfield near the port city of Latakia, a stronghold of Assad. The officials estimated that dozens of the naval infantry forces had recently arrived at the airfield, possibly to help provide security.

Reuters has previously reported on the transport of prefabricated housing units for hundreds of people to the Syrian airfield. The two officials said additional Russian prefabricated housing units had arrived as well. The Russian tank landing ships arrived in the past day or so at the port city of Tartus, just south of Latakia, the officials said, without providing information on the cargo. Additional cargo aircraft had also arrived at the airfield near Latakia.

The United States and Russia have long been at loggerheads over Syria. Russia has backed Assad, while the United States advocates a political transition to end his rule. On Tuesday, the Pentagon said Russian support for Assad risked “further escalating the conflict.” “If there are further efforts to support the Assad regime from a military standpoint on the part of the Russians, we would again see that with concern,” Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told a news briefing.

Queen Elizabeth ‘never aspired’ to become UK’s longest-reigning monarch EDINBURGH AGENCIES

Queen Elizabeth sealed a special place in the Britain’s history by becoming its longest-reigning monarch on Wednesday, but amid warm tributes from politicians and the public, she said the landmark was not something to which she had ever aspired.

Elizabeth, 89, surpasses the 63 years, 7 months, 2 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes that her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria spent on the throne. The occasion was marked by cheering, flag-waving crowds on the street, bells ringing out in Westminster Abbey and solemn messages in parliament but Elizabeth, who is also the nation’s oldest ever monarch, wanted little fuss. She made only a brief reference to it in a speech as she opened a new railway line in Scotland.

Thanking the crowd for their welcome, she said: “Many ... have also kindly noted another significance attaching to today, although it is not one to which I have ever aspired. “Inevitably a long life can pass by many milestones - my own is no exception - but I thank you all and the many others at home and overseas for your touching messages and great kindness.”

However, in London, political leaders heaped praise on a head of state who became monarch aged just 25 at a time when Britain was emerging from the ravages of World War Two and has witnessed massive political change, social upheaval and the end of the British empire during her long reign. “The Queen is our Queen and we could not be more proud of her,” Prime Minister David Cameron told parliament in London calling her a “rock of stability”. “She has served this country with unfailing grace, dignity and decency and long may she continue to do so.” In central

London, the royal barge Gloriana led a flotilla of boats down the River Thames and past a four-gun salute from the battleship HMS Belfast, now permanently moored on the river.

NO FUSS: Initially Elizabeth did not intend to mark the event publicly at all, believing it represented little more than the fact that her father King George VI died early and that she herself has lived a long time. But she bowed to public pressure and agreed to officially open the railway in Scotland, where she traditionally spends her Summer holiday.

Her second son Prince Andrew said that for her, it would be business as usual.

“It’s a milestone in UK terms but as far as her consistency, leadership, it’s the normal run of the mill sort of day,” he told BBC TV. “It’s an extraordinary achievement in some respects but actually it’s about the consistency and the leadership that she is showing and has shown throughout her reign that I think is probably the one thing that marks her out more than anything else,” he added.

The admiration was shared by many in the crowd at Edinburgh’s Waverley station where she took a journey on a steam train before the opening ceremony, accompanied by husband Prince Philip, who has been at her side throughout her reign.

05

SAUDI DIPLOMAT IN DELHI ACCUSED OF RAPING TWO DOMESTIC HELPS A diplomat at the Saudi Arabia embassy in New Delhi has been booked for allegedly raping two Nepali women. The women, aged around 30, have alleged that they were abducted and raped by the diplomat repeatedly at a flat in Gurgaon, on the outskirts of Delhi. The victims have alleged that they were first taken to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia where they were made to perform household chores and were raped there, police officials said.

They were taken to the Gurgaon flat where even guests of the family also raped them, he said, adding the flat had been taken on rent by the Saudi embassy based in Delhi. “We received a letter from the Nepal embassy on Monday and they informed that two Nepal nationals were taken hostage in an apartment in Gurgaon,” Gurgaon’s commissioner of police Navdeep Singh Virk, said. “Teams were formed and they were rescued. The preliminary investigation revealed that the accused is first secretary to the ambassador of Saudi Arabia and was living with his family members at Caitriona Towers, Ambience Island.”

Members of an NGO along with police teams rushed to the apartment and after a fight with the guards and the diplomat’s family members, the victims were rescued, police said. Reports said a case against the diplomat and “unknown people” has been registered. NEWS DESK

CAMERON CONFIRMS UK STAYING OUT OF EU REFUGEE QUOTAS LONDON: Prime Minister David Cameron Wednesday defended Britain’s decision not to participate in a binding European system of quotas to resettle refugees as the proposals were unveiled in Brussels. EU Commission chief JeanClaude announced “bold plans” to share 160,000 refugees between member states to ease Europe’s biggest migrant crisis since World War II, as Greece and Hungary struggle to cope with the influx from Syria and elsewhere. “If all the focus is on redistributing quotas of refugees around Europe, that won’t solve the problem and it actually sends a message to people that actually it’s a good idea to get on a boat and make that perilous journey,” Cameron told MPs in parliament. “Europe has to reach its own answers, for those countries that are part of Schengen.

Britain, which has its own borders, has the ability to make sovereign decisions.”

Britain is exempt from EU asylum and migration policy and Cameron had already made it clear that the country will not be involved in any quota system. The British prime minister vowed Monday to take 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years from camps near the war-torn country’s borders. AGENCIES

IS USING RAPE ON UNPRECEDENTED SCALE, WARNS ANGELINA JOLIE William Hague in 2012 to launch an initiative to prevent sexual violence in conflict, spoke about girls she had met in war zones who had been raped.

This included a 13-year-old Iraqi girl whom she said was raped repeatedly along with her friends and sold for 26 pounds sterling ($40).

As part of their campaign against sex crimes in war, Jolie and Hague in 2013 launched a declaration, pledging to pursue those responsible and provide justice and safety for victims, that has been signed by more than 150 nations.

Rape as a policy: Last year the pair hosted the world’s first global summit on sexual violence in conflict in London involving representatives from around 150 countries that aimed to make tackling sexual violence in conflict a priority and end a culture of impunity for those responsible.

Speaking at a sexual violence in war committee in the British parliament to give evidence on the impact of the three-year old initiative, Jolie said the Islamic State was dictating rape “as a policy” in Syria and Iraq.

“This is beyond something we have seen before,” Jolie said.

“They are saying: ‘You should do this, this is the way to build a society, and we ask you to rape’. We really have to have a very strong response at this time to this particular group.”

Critics have questioned the success of Hague and Jolie’s initiative after it was reported that Britain spent five times more on the 2014 summit than on its budget dedicated to tackling rape in war zones.

But Hague defended the initiative, saying progress had been made and there was greater awareness about the need to tackle such crimes.

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He said thousands of military personnel around the world had been trained in how to deal with sexual violence in conflict, including African peacekeepers, members of the new army in Mali and the Kurdish peshmerga fighters in Iraq.

Governments were also taking action, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has launched an action plan for the army on sexual violence, and Croatia and Kosovo, which have passed laws to compensate victims, he said.

Hague said the issue must be

addressed by men as well as women.

“These are crimes that are committed almost exclusively by men and that they happen, and have happened, for many years and go unchallenged should shame all men. Men and male world leaders have a crucial role to play in

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TERROR BID FOILED POLICE ARREST 3 SUSPECTS, RECOVER EXPLOSIVES RAWALPINDI STAFF REPORT

Police and intelligence agencies on Wednesday foiled a major terror bid by seizing explosive materials and detaining three suspects near Taxila, during a search operation. According to Police sources, on a tip off, police stopped a car near Taxila and upon searching confiscated 200 detonators and 3,800 kilograms of explosive material. Security forces also arrested alleged suspect Ahsan and his two accomplices from Taxila and Rawalpindi.

Moreover, an investigation is underway from the nabbed suspects.

RAWALPINDI: Business across the city remained shut on Wednesday during a traders’ strike against withholding tax on banking transactions. INP

Doctors, parameDics continue to sit-in over risk allowance PROTESTERS VOW TO CONTINUE THEIR SIT-IN AT NADRA CROSSING UNTIL THEIR DEMAND FOR THE REVIVAL OF THE ALLOWANCE IS MET BY GOVT ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

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uBlIC hospitals’ doctors and paramedical staff observed a strike for the second consecutive day on Wednesday against the freezing of their risk health allowance.

The protesters vowed to continue their sit-in at NADRA Crossing until their demand for the revival of the allowance is met by the government. On Tuesday, ugly scenes were witnessed at NADRA Crossing, where a clash between police and protesters, left 25 doctors, nurses, other paramedical and non-medical staff injured and hospitalised, and another 15 arrested.

“The emergencies of all federal government hospitals will remain closed with effect from Wednesday, and will re-

open only after all our demands are met.

We want the restoration of the health risk allowance; release of arrested doctors, nurses, and paramedical and nonmedical staff; and suspension of all police personnel who targeted the peaceful protesters,” Joint Action Committee Chairman Dr. Sartaj Ali Khan stated.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) is an umbrella organisation of all federal

MOTOR BOATING CONTINUES IN RAWAL DAM IN VIOLATION OF SC ORDER ISLAMABAD: A motor boat service has been launched in Rawal Dam in violation of the Supreme Court order. The apex court had banned motor-boating in Rawal Dam while taking up a petition which said that the boating was causing pollution in the lake. During a visit to the lake, it transpired that the motor-boating has been going on with the connivance of the park management. The boat owners have cut grills around the dam to park their boats. Motor boating not only contaminates the lake water but also puts the lives of picnickers at risk as no safety arrangements have been put in place by the park management in case a boat capsizes. No life jackets were provided to the people going on a boatingspree, which has led to fatalities in the past. ONLINE

BIRD CRASHES INTO PLANE, FORCES EMERGENCY LANDING ISLAMABAD: A passenger plane (PK-612) made a narrow escape after a bird hit the plane just before it was landing at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport. Though the plane developed a fault after getting hit by the bird, the pilot landed the aircraft safely and all passengers remained unhurt. They later exited safely. According to the airport authorities, the plane was coming from Dubai and was supposed to fly back to Dubai. The accident has rendered the plane unfit for flying at the moment, the airport authorities said adding that the repair work was under way.

The authorities said that the passengers, who were supposed to be going to Dubai in the same plane, will be sent through another plane at 4pm. STAFF REPORT

government hospitals, including the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Federal Government Services Hospital (FGSH), CDA Hospital, National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM) and Federal General Hospital. The JAC had given a 48-hour ultimatum to the government for the fulfilment of its demand for the restoration of the health risk allowance. When the

deadline lapsed on Monday, it issued a call for a sit-in outside the Prime Minister’s Secretariat on Tuesday.

The protesters represented every cadre of the medical profession ranging from doctors, professors, nurses and medical officers to technicians, cleaners and lower staff of all federal government hospitals. As the protesters marched towards NADRA Crossing, they were intercepted by the police, well ahead of Red Zone, and subjected to baton-charge. Over 25 protesters were injured as a result of the police action, and 15 were arrested and taken away in police vehicles. “The police action was totally unwarranted. They resorted to ‘lathi charge,’ dragged the protesters on the road, and pelted stones at them. They did not even spare women,” alleged Dr. Sartaj, who had just returned to the protest site after being treated for a fractured right shoulder. Suspension of the allowance entails a minimum loss of Rs 4,000 and maximum loss of Rs 30,000 for its beneficiaries, it is learnt.

The allowance offers a certain degree of protection to health workers and paramedical staff, who remain exposed to dangerous viruses and face the threat of contracting fatal illnesses from patients admitted to hospitals.

Lack of venue causes delays in annual sacrificial animal markets

ISLAMABAD: The matter of the annual sacrificial animal market has been delayed due to the fact that a proper venue is yet to be determined.

As per details, contractors have boycotted the auction of annual sacrificial animals market due to change of venue by Capital Development Authority’s municipal administration. The market for the sacrificial animals was held annually by the CDA in sector I-11 but this time administration of the civic body decided to hold it at Sangjani, near Islamabad. The buyers of the sacrificial animal have to face many problems because of this since Eid-ulAzha is approaching. This is why only a few contractors took part in the auction and told the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) Director Shahbaz Tahir that if the CDA wants to

hold a sacrificial animal market at Sangjani, then it should pay Rs 200 million to contractors. On this Director (DMA) responded with harsh words, and said that holding the animal market in sector I-11 was not possible due to cases that were currently pending in local courts, therefore it was going to held at Sanjgani. The DMA director suggested to contractors to auction other venues including B-12, Taramari and Khana Pul, however, the contractors have refused to partake. CDA had advertised an auction for the proposed animal market on September 9, a few days before in all national dailies. If this market was auctioned without advertisement, it would be the violation of Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules. Online was unable to reach Mr Ramzan Sajid for a comment. ONLINE

CONGO VIRUS PATIENT HOSPITALISED AT HAYATABAD MEDICAL COMPLEX PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

A man who was admitted at Hayatbad Medical Complex after his condition got critical was diagnosed with the Congo virus on Wednesday. According to reports, a 40year-old Mazoor Khan, resident of Kohat was hospitalised at the Hayatbad Medical Complex when his condition got critical.The doctors confirmed that the Congo virus was afflicting Manzoor Khan after his tests. They provided him with early medical aid and moved him to the hospital’s isolation ward.

His condition is said to be critical. The doctors also shifted another patient named Tabish to the isolation ward and his blood samples have been sent for laboratory testing. The medical staff assigned for his treatment has been directed to take all necessary precautions before examining him in order to avoid catching the virus.

NA’S ACTING SPEAKER CREATES CPEC PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ISLAMABAD: Acting Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi on Wednesday approved the constitution of Parliamentary Committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). A notification in this regard has been issued by the National Assembly Secretariat. The Parliamentary Committee has been constituted in pursuance of motions adopted by the National Assembly on June 24 and the Senate on July 10 and in consultation with the chairman senate and leaders of the parliamentary parties. The committee has been mandated oversight of CPEC projects to ensure implementation of consensus reached at the APC meeting held on May 28. The committee will monitor the implementation of the projects and make recommendations for speedy and timely implementations. The committee may also make recommendations for improvements that may result in cost and time reductions, as well as provision of better services to the public. The committee will also endeavour to promote consensus and support for CPEC in the federation. The committee will present its periodical report to both the House of the Parliament. The committee has been authorised to make rules to regulate its procedure. STAFF REPORT

MAN GUNNED DOWN IN APPARENT TARGET KILLING ISLAMABAD: A 50-year-old man was gunned down in the Tarlai area in the jurisdiction of Shahzad Town Police Station.

The victim was identified as Attaullah, a resident of Kohat. According to report, two gunmen riding a motorcycle opened fire on Attaullah on a main road, killing him on the spot. The body was shifted to a hospital for medico-legal formalities. The motive behind the killing could not be ascertained immediately. STAFF REPORT

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Thursday, 10 September, 2015

FIRST PHASE OF CPEC TO BE COMPLETED IN 2017, SAYS AHSAN IQBAL ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Boys playing cricket outside closed shops of Aabpara Market on Wednesday as traders pulled down their shutters in protest against the withholding tax on banking transactions. ONLINE

cantt BoarD resiDents criticise electeD councillors RAWALPINDI

E

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lECTED members of local government, councillors in Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment boards have failed to deliver facilities and relieve the residents from problems they have been facing in different areas, including Chungi number 22. The people are resentful over the performance of the council-

lors, and said that they were facing problems including shortage of water, poor condition of roads, footpaths, sewerage systems and streets.

Khanwaiz Khan, resident of Chungi No 22, said that the Rawalpindi cantonment board has been supplying water to houses for one hour a day for 15 days in a month. He said that he received a Rs 1,200 water bill for his house as four months advance while he got the water connection about a month back. Haji Ashraf , another resident said that Raja Jahandad, who

teachers assigneD to Dengue campaign, parents protest RAWALPINDI

has been elected as vice president of Rawalpindi Cantonment board, has failed to deliver to people according to their expectations . He claimed that the councillor has no authority to take remedial measures.

Another resident, Dr liaquat Jadoon said that cantonment board is demanding huge house taxes in advance from those applying for water connections, whereas according to law the owners of houses below five marlas have been given exceptions from the house tax. He said that the Cantonment Board is sending house tax

demand notices to those having one room house on one marla plot. He said nobody is ready to listen to the grievances of poor residents in the cantonment board and when they contact the elected representatives, they too express their inability to provide any assistance. Haji Younus said that the cantonment board has set a number of conditions for giving water connections to the people. The residents demanded that the Cantonment Board president and vice president look into their grievances and address their issues on a priority basis.

iTa holds closing ceremony of summer school in Swabi ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

PRESS RELEASE

Without paying any attention to the falling standard of education in government run educational institutions, the Punjab government has withdrawn 1,500 teachers from primary, middle and high schools and placed them on duty in anti-dengue campaigns. According to reports, the education department has directed the heads of government and semi government schools in Rawalpindi and Cantonment areas of Rawalpindi to ensure cleanliness, and prevent the disease in the city. They have also been asked to arrange walks in respective areas to raise awareness against the disease. To make the awareness campaign a success, monitoring teams reach schools early in the morning to discuss their strategy thus wasting several hours of time that should otherwise be spent on students. Parents have expressed strong resentment over the deployment of teachers in the campaign and said that as a result their children return home without taking any classes, nor are they given any home work. They pointed out that they are unable to pay the high fees of private schools otherwise they would have preferred to shift their children where the education standard is somewhat better than government schools.

They said that the number of students is falling in government run schools because of a lack of interest on the part of the teachers on the one hand, and the placement of teachers on different types of duties like dengue campaigns, censuses and elections. The parents appealed the chief minister to take urgent notice of the deteriorating standards of education in his province while he is making statements day in and day out for raising its standard and sending the position holders abroad. They said it would have been appreciated by people, had the chief minister inquired if any of the position holder was from government institutions.

The closing ceremony for the Summer School Program 2015 was organized by Idar-e-Taleem-OAgahi on September 8 at the Government Public School Mian Kali near Charbagh District Swabi.

Chairman, Pakistan Tobacco Board Fareed ullah Khan inaugurated the ceremony.

It was a colorful event where school children participated; prizes and awards distributed to the children who remained active during these summer camps for three months. The Chairman Pakistan Tobacco Board, Fareed ullah Khan said, “This is a great effort by Idar-e-Taleem-O-Agahi to eliminate

child labor from the tobacco supply chain. We are grateful to Philip Morris Pakistan for supporting theGood Agriculture labor Practice, that engages children during annual summer vacations in academic and extra-curricular activities. Before Agriculture labor Practice, the children of the farming community were working in tobacco farms during tobacco harvesting.” In collaboration with Elementary and Secondary Education Khyber Pakhtoonkhua, Idar-e-Taleem-O-Agahi initiated 36 summer school camps in three districts of KPK.Special training was provided to selected teachers to conduct these programs that benefited more than 1000 children from the month of June till August in 2015.

Minster for Development and Planning Ahsan Iqbal has said that the first phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects will be completed in 2017. He said this while addressing a seminar held on Wednesday on CPEC project. Chinese ambassador in Pakistan Sun Weidong was also present on the occasion. Ahsan Iqbal said that people from the entire region, including both the countries, will benefit from CPEC. Pakistan missed several opportunities of development in the past, but new vistas of development have been opened due to endeavours by the government, he remarked. We should capitalise on the Chinese offer, he stressed.

Pakistan needs to take its ties with China from the political to the economic level, he held. The CPEC will bring a new wave of prosperity and development in Balochistan, he added. He stated that the government has scaled up the education budget by 100 per cent bringing it to level of Rs 78 billion during two years. He disclosed that the land for Diamar Bhasha dam has been acquired and this dam will help overcome the energy crisis. The Chinese ambassador to Pakistan said that Sino-Pak ties are higher and stronger than Himalayas. All the countries of the region will benefit from CPEC, he added. An environment of globalisation prevails in the 21st century and no country can make progress alone, he remarked.

CITIZENS CHEATED OUT OF RS 1.6 MILLION RAWALPINDI STAFF REPORT

Two citizens have been defrauded from Rs1.6 million in two different incidents.

Sher Ahmed, a resident of Sadiqabad, lodged a complaint with the local police that Chaudhry Nisar owed him money and he made out a cheque of over Rs 1.1 million, however, it was declared bogus by the bank authorities as there was not sufficient amount in his account. In another case, Abdul Rasheed, a resident of Civil lines, lodged a complaint with the local police that Ilyas gave a cheque of over Rs 0.5 million to make payment for outstanding dues, however, the bank declared the cheque bogus. The police have registered cases and started investigation.

DECISION TAKEN TO SHIFT WHOLESALE MARKETS RAWALPINDI ONLINE

The provincial government has taken a decision to shift wholesale markets from the city to overcome congestion caused by heavy traffic. In this regard, a committee has been constituted for the selection of a site and development of a strategy to shift the wholesale markets outside the city. PMl-N leader Hanif Abbasi has been nominated convener and Rawalpindi DCO Sajid Zafar Dal has been nominated as secretary of the committee, while Rawalpindi commissioner, secretary agriculture department and others are the members. The committee has been assigned to first identify the site in consultation with all stakeholders before making arrangements to shift the wholesale markets.

‘develop agriculture for economic growth’ ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Chairman, Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad on Wednesday said that following the government’s slogan “Trade not Aid”, the council in collaboration with various national and international organisations has been striving to promote export quality production of fruits.

He was addressing a seminar on “The Enhancement of Citrus Value

Chains Production in Pakistan and Australia through Improved Orchard Management Practices Project” at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC).

Dr. Iftikhar said that poor orchard and nursery practices, unreliable supply of certified seed and inefficient production, irrigation and pest and disease management practices have been the challenges faced by citrus sector of the country. He said that although the project was small, it

had achieved good results. During this time the knowledge and practices of Australia were transferred to Pakistan for crop management.

Speaking on the occasion, Acting Australian High Commissioner, Jurek Juszczyk, said that development of agriculture was necessary for the economic growth. He said that Australia has been training Pakistani farmers in managing citrus fruit to make it profitable for the farmers. He said that the agriculture

scientists of Pakistan and Australia would continue to cooperate with each other for the development of Agriculture sector.

Speaking on the occasion, Project leader Dr. Tahir Khurshid informed the participants about the details of the project. He said that thousands of manpower in Pakistan has been provided training in fruit thinning, irrigation practices, nutrition and commercialization. He said that the project has helped increase the income of the farmers.

08 COMMENT

Thursday, 10 September, 2015

What’s in a name?

Traders’ strike Makes no sense

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he trading community has been pampered too long by the PML-N, particularly in matters related to taxation. Spread all over the country, in big cities as well as small towns and large-sized villages, the traders have been treated as the PML-N’s constituency and their vast majority allowed to remain out of the tax net. In return, the community has over the decades acted as a loyal supporter of the party. Two pressures, one from the IMF and the other from the expanding requirements of the ongoing anti-terror operation, have finally forced the government to call upon the community to pay their taxes. As attempts to persuade them failed, the finance minister decided to impose a withholding tax on bank withdrawals for non-taxpayers.

This led to protests and more talks. An agreement was finally signed with the traders in July reducing the withholding tax to half and providing the trading community a three-month window to file income tax returns. It was maintained that the agreement had created a win-win situation for all stakeholders. Overconfident of their numerical strength, however, the traders have now decided to go back on the accord. By announcing a countrywide strike they have caused problems for the common man and deprived tens of thousands of daily wagers of their earnings. Meanwhile, their leaders have threatened the government with more strikes, laying siege to parliament, with one of them maintaining that he did not rule out the possibility of violence.

Sections of the opposition have supported the traders for no reason other than causing problems for the government and in the fond hope of securing the traders’ votes. This amounts to foul play. Those refusing to pay taxes have no case whatsoever. They are in fact indulging in irrational defiance. A display of pusillanimity by the government at this moment would be harmful for the system. It would encourage numerous other sections entertaining grievances, genuine or otherwise, to take to the streets instead of getting their problems resolved peacefully.

PPP’s grouse

Quite a lot, actually

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M J akbar

name is a tricky thing. You never know when you might have to live up to it. Political parties, wisely, choose to be safe rather than sorry.

Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress or Samajwadi Party are minimalist definitions of maximum objectives. You might wonder what precisely is Marxist about CPI(M), but that is a trivial quibble. Wisely, there is similar plain-speaking when a moniker is needed for those fluctuating realities called alliances. National Democratic Alliance and United Progressive Alliance are both a reasonable statement of intent.

The fault line in Bihar’s recently cobbled “Grand Alliance” between Nitish Kumar, Lalu Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sharad Pawar and Sonia Gandhi is obvious: it was too grand for its own good. It had so many artificial legs it could not walk.

Memory is short, but not that short. The starting point was a “grand merger” of what is

The path ahead Following the law or breaking the law

Who is it against?

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AKISTANI politics has turned into a hodgepodge of everything. Almost every party has a grouse against another, in one form or the other. however, things seemed to get better in PPP’s tenure with the politics of reconciliation, a style championed by former President Asif Ali Zardari. It was all hunky dory even when the PML-N took over the reins, that is until it launched the Karachi Operation and LeAs picked some PPP leaders that the party co-Chairman suddenly cried foul saying the PML-N had forgotten promises of supporting each other and was targeting its leaders on the behest of powers that be.

Nawaz Sharif, while disputing Zaradri’s claims, says that the operation in Karachi is against terrorists and criminals and is not aimed at any party. he was also baffled by former president’s statements, saying that he always stood by him and even gave him a farewell dinner when his term as president expired. This may very well be true but Mr Zardari’s grouse is, perhaps, not aimed at the incumbent PM but at those who are carrying out the operation. Whatever complaints the party has against the government, it has decided that it will take them up on the right constitutional forums, instead of threatening with resignations or taking to streets. That indeed is a sign of strengthening democracy: sorting out political issues in a democratic and political manner. On the subject of grievances, PPP has also announced that it will no longer afford PML-N any reconciliatory politics, instead it will give it a tough time in the coming LG polls throughout the country. PPP, which once was a national party, has been reduced to one province only and there too only in rural areas. It might find it difficult to make a comeback with the way it has handled its political loyalists called jiyalas, as was admitted by Raza Rabbani in a recent statement.

While a party like PPP with left of the centre leanings is indeed what the country could use, PPP is perhaps in position to fill the vacuum due to the bad name it has earned in the last few years. however, it would augur well for the system itself if it stayed within the system and played a positive role in strengthening and flourishing democracy.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad Joint Editor Lahore – Ph: 042-36375963, 042-36375965

nostalgically called the old “Janata Parivar”, with Mulayam as its patriarch. It was announced to the wild beating of drums, and collapsed even before the echoes had faded. A less than sublime alternative was offered: they would contest the Bihar elections together. Then, on an otherwise calm day, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar announced the allotment of seats: 100 each to the Big Two, 40 to a meekly quiet Congress, and three left to any ally who might care to pick them up. No one thought Mulayam or Pawar were worth consultation. Talk of putting a cat among pigeons: this unleashing a lethal carnivore into a coop of some very furious birds. At the moment of writing anger management is underway. Mulayam has asked for 10 seats from the Congress list, which is as wily a finesse as there ever was.

We shall see what happens, but as far as the voter is concerned, the message is clear: this is patchwork, not unity. It cannot offer the basic requirement of good governance, stability.

For those who want to check the direction of electoral behaviour, here are some relevant indicators.

1: Watch the migration. There is no perfect distribution of seats in either a single party or alliance; but note on which side the turbulence ebbs, and where it induces a switchover. Frontline leaders have begun to exit the principal parties of the “Grand Alliance”.

2: Watch the opinion polls, but not quite in the way they are advertised. Leave space for scepticism when seat projections are announced. The world’s most sophisticated psephologists are in Britain, and they got this summer’s general election so wrong they are still picking up little pieces of ego lying in television studios. Opinion polls are meant to reflect opinions of voters, but quite often indicate only the bias of analysts. What you should note carefully, however, is the graph of

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Dr Zafar Iqbal qureshI

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he degree of civility of a people is known by their attitude towards existing laws, respect for state institutions and reforms initiative without destructive confrontation. Surely not every law or state institution, whether in the developed or the developing world, is perfect. hence, well thought out reforms supported by a plan of implementation are always welcome.

In a democratic polity social and political protests are held without challenging state laws and don’t turn violent unless provoked. Additionally, representative platforms are available and are used to carve out reforms programmes and competent administrative agencies are used to implement the same. extractive institutions dominated by the elite and exploitative in character continually create fissures in a polity to perpetuate elitist power. Since the elite are above the law, their exploitation of the commoners and their flouting the laws is condoned.

National and regional leaders in different societies and their behavioral tendencies set the stage for following or breaking what is in the law book. And, following the laws by the elite not only encourages all and sundry to respect state laws but also to respect state institutions. If leaders’ behaviour moves in the reverse gear, it would only encourage the commoners to follow suit. Therefore, usually blaming the commoners for disrespecting laws is like blaming the victims. Leaders need to take major blame for breaking the law. These leaders’ respect for laws, it can be hoped, will promote rule of law.

The above thoughts had been warranted by recounting some of the happenings that this nation witnessed on the eve of our independence day in the year 2014. In what follows I wish to recollect some of the episodes reflecting the breaking of law and maligning the state institu-

Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 Fax: 021-35381208

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tions thus encouraging the development of a general tendency among the people to take the law in their own hands. This tendency had, in turn, weakened the state institutions and reduced their credibility. In case due institutional processes are not followed to seek redress to problems, it may shake the very foundation of the state. Ambitious leaders hungry for power need to realise this stark reality.

The respect for law in Pakistan needs to be assessed from a historical perspective. This takes me on a historical journey to revisit the PAT and PTI ‘dharnas’ in Islamabad in 2014. Accepting the fact that protests against state excesses are the constitutional right of every citizen, we shouldn’t ignore the fact that to cross limits and to not be aware of the inconveniences so caused to others is tantamount to flouting the same rights of others. Not only that. The run on the parliament, the raiding of police stations, beating of government functionaries and ransacking the PTV station were some of the ugly sights that would be hard to forget. Such behaviour would not be allowed even in the most permissive societies including Britain whose example was oft-quoted for justifying the run on the state institutions. There are always limits to stage protests and when these limits are crossed, law takes its own course. What was ignored while making such claims was that in Britain violence during protests wouldn’t be tolerated come what may. Many subsequent incidents showed that this encouraged many to take law in their own hands.

What was the ultimate outcome of all this?

The ordinary citizens got the message that state laws and its institutions can be trampled without any consequence. The political party bigwigs can do anything and can go scot-free. Many subsequent events create many law and order situations.

This brings me to the question of recent demands by PTI and PPP asking for the resignations of election Commissioners by using the excuses of irregularities in the electoral process of 2013 as pointed out by the Judicial Commission. This Commission was charged with the responsibility to investigate whether or not the 2013 elections were rigged through a conspiracy. It couldn’t find any evidence nor was any witness provided by the complainants to this effect. While the irregularities were identified as administrative lapses, no election Commissioner was implicated either directly or indirectly in these irregularities. This ought to have satisfied the PTI leadership, but it didn’t.

Another interesting recent event also points to the fact that when the bigwigs are brought into the net to investigate their wrongdoings, one started to hear loud noises from those affected.

The detention of Dr Asim hussain, a buddy of he co-Chairperson of the PPP, had unnerved the

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

support for any political party through the many polls that are done in an election season. The periodic fluctuations may be slight, but they will register. There will be upward mobility on one side, and downward slide on the other. The party that inches up has the winning breeze on its tail.

3: Watch the language. Not your own, which one hopes will always be calm and collected, but that of political leaders. Leaders who start to lose their cool are suffering from heat on the ground. Nitish Kumar got irritable and cantankerous at a public meeting; the clip showing this went viral on social media. This dangerous invention called a mobile camera has removed deniability as an option.

4: Watch the eyes. The size of crowds at a rally of course matters. Voters do not generally go to jeer an opponent; they go to cheer their man. The numbers, mostly made of the young, at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings were massive, but that was only a part of the story. The real story is in the eyes. Their eyes were alive with belief; the spark was contagious.

5: Watch the marginals. Of course you need to be a bit of a political junkie to get into such detail, but this is where true revelation lies.

Check what is happening in those constituencies where the past difference between victory and defeat was 5,000 votes or less. A swing of 1% will be sufficient to change the result. When the force is with you, a seat that would have been lost by 5,000 votes, will be won by 3000.

I could add a sixth, but this would be entirely for candidates: Watch your pocket. Yes, you need money to fight an election, but money does not win an election. Candidates under pressure begin to chase a chimera with their wallets. All that happens is that lots of hangers-on benefit; ground reality remains unaffected. People do not vote for one day’s high jinks, they vote for a better life. And make sure you represent an alliance with a simple name.

Mobashar Jawed Akbar is a leading Indian journalist and author. He is the Editor-in-Chief of The Sunday Guardian. He has also served as Editorial Director of India Today.

entire PPP leadership but why, one fails to appreciate. While on the one hand they claim that they support anti-corruption measures yet in the same breath it is conveyed that they should not be held accountable for any misdeeds. This essentially implies that the ‘lords’ shouldn’t be touched and that only the ‘serfs’ be hauled up and held accountable even for the misdeeds of the ‘lords’. The Sindh CM’s justification that Dr Asim hussain was an important person hence he shouldn’t have been hauled up, makes no sense.

All of a sudden the co-Chairperson of the PPP had launched a political onslaught against the sitting federal government. Not only that, in fact the entire leadership of the party had launched a campaign against the federal government that it had started the politics of 1990s to victimise its political opponents. They had forgotten the fact that the Charter of Democracy didn’t provide a carte blanche to the political leaders to use it as a ploy to cover up their follies without being questioned.

And, that when questioned they would take shelter behind Charter of Democracy. This approach is faulty, to say the least. This essentially meant that don’t question PPP leadership even when its leaders were found flouting the laws of the land.

This brings me to the question of demands by the PTI leadership, subsequently joined in by the PPP, for the resignations of the election Commissioners. While leaders can raise any demands -legitimate or illegitimate - and could threaten to stage ‘dharnas’ if these were not acceded to.

Should the state institutions not stop them even if they were to break the laws? This demand from the PTI especially sounded absurd when analysed in the backdrop of the way its leadership treated its own election tribunal headed by a man of impeccable integrity. Why the PTI leadership did not pay heed to the recommendations of its own election tribunal is a question that boggles many minds. PTI leadership suffers from the mistaken notion that they were always right and that everyone else was always wrong. What an irony!

No society can progress where the leaders lack trust in their own senior team members. This trust deficit is only witnessed in those societies where leaders even don’t trust themselves. This type of narcissism and tendencies flowing from this type of personalities cannot inject in its followers or disciples the kind of civility that is the hallmark of civil societies. One wonders when our egotistic leaders will show maturity and become the role models for the younger generations to be adaptive to the development compulsions of their societies. Not another ‘dharnas’ but dialogue to change existing institutions, collective wisdom instead of individual egotistic attitude, and creating competent institutions to implement reforms are the way forward for Pakistan and its leadership. One can stay optimistic and hope for the best.

Dr Zafar Iqbal Qureshi is a professor at Lahore University of Management Sciences and can be reached at zafar@lums.edu.pk.

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

WORLD VIEW 09

Thursday, 10 September, 2015

The son who would be The saudis’ king?

Washington Post DaviD ignaTius

President Obama’s meeting last Friday with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman came as U.S. officials are anxiously watching a potential succession rivalry between the king’s ambitious young son and the crown prince who is a longtime intelligence partner of the United States.

Salman, 79, was accompanied in his meeting at the White House by his son Mohammed bin Salman, who though just 30 has taken the positions of deputy crown prince, defense minister and chief economic planner. He is officially next in line behind Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who at 56 has served as head of intelligence and minister of the interior and who has for years been the United States’ key Saudi ally in counterterrorism efforts against al-Qaeda.

Both sides described the White House meeting as successful. Mohammed bin Salman made a personal pitch for a strengthened “strategic partnership” that would feature expanded trade and economic ties beyond the kingdom’s traditional role as an oil exporter. Obama cautioned that the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen, which Mohammed bin Salman has championed, is creating what one senior administration official described as a “catastrophic” humanitarian situation that “inevitably will spill over into the kingdom.”

U.S. officials have noted in recent weeks the aggressive policy role played by Mohammed bin Salman, and the sense of political jockeying within the kingdom. “MBS,” as he’s known, joined the line of succession as deputy crown prince in April, when Prince Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz was dropped as crown prince and Mohammed bin Nayef, then deputy, moved up into the No. 2 spot. Observers have speculated that if the king changed the succession process once to remove Muqrin, he could do so again to favor his son.

“Let’s face reality,” says one prominent Arab official, when asked about Mohammed bin Salman. “He’s the son of the king. There’s a strong chance he will be the next king. The longer Salman survives, the larger the chance that MBS is next.” This official urges the United States to emulate some Gulf and European countries in cultivating the king’s son as a future monarch.

“Don’t be so worried,” argues this Arab official.

“Invest in MBS. Get to know him, like you did MBN [Mohammed bin Nayef]. Take him to Wall Street.

Take him to Silicon Valley. Show him you care.”

The counterargument is that the United States should stay out of succession politics in any foreign country, especially in the murky monarchy of Saudi Arabia. Some senior officials believe that anything that’s seen as putting an American thumb on the scale could backfire. Others argue that the risk-reward ratio is high with Mohammed bin Salman; huge potential benefits could come from having a young, dynamic Saudi king who, it’s said, wants to move in the modernizing direction of the United Arab Emirates.

Saudi officials apparently haven’t asked the United States for its views about the succession, but some feel that such a query could come soon — perhaps forcing Washington to decide whether it wants to offer any guidance or remain mum.

King Salman and his son have made some aggressive diplomatic initiatives. They’ve opened a broad dialogue with Russia, sending a large delegation (including several cabinet ministers) to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June. And Saudi Foreign Minister Adel alJubeir met his Russian and U.S. counterparts, Sergei Lavrov and John F. Kerry, in early August in Doha, Qatar, for trilateral discussions on Syria.

Mohammed bin Salman’s most intriguing move on Syria was a meeting in Riyadh in late July with Ali Mamlouk, the top intelligence adviser to President Bashar al-Assad. At that meeting, apparently brokered by Russia, the young Saudi defense minister “floated the idea that Assad could stay in power if Iran would go,” according to an administration official. Any such offer to allow Assad’s survival in power would mark a sharp change in official Saudi policy, and a sign of the price Riyadh would pay to reduce Iranian influence in Damascus.

Having invited Russia to assist a Syrian political transition, the Saudis must now reckon with the consequences. Russia began moving military supplies into northern Syria last week, probably to prepare a base from which Russian planes could fly missions against the Islamic State and perhaps other extremist groups that oppose Assad.

Russia has also been meeting quietly with some members of the Syrian opposition.

The joint statement issued after Friday’s White House meeting lauded the “enduring relationship” between Riyadh and Washington. That’s true enough, but the United States is certainly puzzling about recent developments inside the opaque Saudi monarchy.

My plan for syria: keep assad in power … telegraPh, UK

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sTeven Woolfe

ODAY, I’m calling for a proactive, long term, international solution in Syria, to tackle Islamic State (IS) head on, not a short term sticking plaster. For the past five years Syria has cropped up on the political agenda time and time again, but every time it does, it just seems to drop away without any real solution to the war and crisis being agreed upon.

In 2013, this issue reared its head and we saw David Cameron try and persuade parliament to vote for armed action against Assad, thus helping the rebel forces (which has now morphed into IS). At the time, I was fully against the war against Assad and arming the rebels, and for the record, I still hold that position today. Assad wasn’t the main problem in Syria and he still isn’t to this day – it’s the well-funded, organised terrorist group, IS. Nevertheless this chaos does need to end for the sanctuary of the people of Syria and today I’m going to suggest a new radical solution to this ever deepening crisis.

Over these past five years, we have seen ordinary Syrians suffer at the hands of IS and have their lives torn apart. Unsurprisingly, after this amount of time, thousands of Syrian’s are selling all they have to make the dangerous trip to Europe. Can you blame these people for wanting to move to Europe to protect their families and livelihoods? No. Many are faced with persecution on a daily basis and for many, Europe is the last resort for safety.

UN figures show that millions have or are trying to leave Syria. Many are trapped in areas between IS forces and Assad forces, a horrible situation to find themselves in. Yet no matter what, if we continue on this same, failed path we will see the end of Syria all together; it’s history, it’s cities and it’s peoples regardless of whether Assad or IS hold power after this brutal war.

Firstly, I think the UN must con-

vene this week, along with the Security Council and a resolution must be agreed upon so the international community can all join together and work to restore the safety of Syrians. The reality is, a nation here and there agreeing to take action will solve absolutely nothing. The only way in which a resolution can be found is if, the International Community; Europe, NATO countries, stable Middle East nations come together to work in the interest of Syrian people.

Secondly, we must create a safe zone in Syria. Currently, IS controls over half of it and Assad the rest. We must take back substantial part of Syria and protect it. This safe zone would enable Syrians to safely stay in their country and not risk their lives by fleeing to Europe as we are currently witnessing. Having a safe zone is not enough on its own. We must have the international community back this with the funding necessary to rebuild this safe zone once secured, so we can see children back in school, see men and women back in work, and with a safe community to sleep in at night. This would be the first major step to restabilising the lives of millions of destitute Syrians.

Thirdly, the ‘safe zone’ should be protected by an international task force, under a UN banner, made up of ground troops with air cover. We cannot assume that once the safe zone has been established, that it will not be a target for IS. We cannot afford to be that naïve. Once the necessary military provisions are in place, we can and will have the means to protect Syrians as they start to rebuild their lives and communities.

Fourthly, now this may not be popular with many but I believe it to be true. Under Assad, lives of Syrians were by no means perfect but they sure were far better than what we see today. The reality is that under Assad, Jews, Christians and Muslims lived together, side by side. Under IS rule in many parts of Syria, thousands of Christians, Muslims and other religious communities have been and are

being persecuted. We must reinstate Assad, however bad of a person he is, as the leader of Syria again to restore stability and to topple IS, but with certain strict clauses, such as regular, fair, democratic elections, international cooperation with the United Nations. In return, we should drop the war crimes and we actually start to rebuild Syria and as an international community we must provide the funding for such an essential cause.

But if Assad does regain power we must, as in postwar Japan, have a UN designated leader to oversee the rebuild as General Douglas A. MacArthur did. We must take a strict no-ifs, no-buts attitude to IS. We need to send a strong and powerful message to IS leaders that the international community will no longer accept their violence, intolerance and genocide. We must be clear that we will use military force if IS prevent a safe zone from being established.

Finally, to prevent more and more deaths like Aylan Kurdi, we

must provide disincentives in making that dangerous crossing from the Middle East to Europe by adopting the policy of the Australian Government in 2008 by Prime Minister Tony Abbott of towing the boats back. We should adopt this policy for security reasons as IS will continue to flood the shores of Europe with militants.

What I have laid out is a radical proposal and many will disagree. However, I don’t write this as a politician, I write it as a father. I don’t want to look back in 30 years’ time and I think that I speak out on what I felt was the right way to solve this crisis. Especially when it was British foreign policy which helped cause this in the first place. The reality is, this crisis will not simply fade away. We need a proactive, long term and international solution to restore stability and peace in Syria.

Steven Woolfe MEP is Ukip's migration spokesman. This is his personal opinion and not the party's policy.

Is Turkey’s president dragging his country to war for votes?

Daily Beast Thomas seiberT

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is betting that increased pressure on Kurdish rebels in southeast Anatolia will be a vote-getter in snap elections less than two months away.

But a flare-up of Kurdish rebel attacks that have inflicted the heaviest losses on Turkish soldiers in years has Turks wondering whether Erdogan is dragging the country to war to suit his own political needs.

So devastating was the shock of the latest attack by rebels from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) near the Turkish border with Iraq on Sunday that the government and the military waited more than 24 hours before revealing that 16 soldiers had died. It was the highest death toll for the Turkish army in a single combat event since 2011.

Fighters from the PKK, a rebel group designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and Europe, attacked a military convoy in the town of Daglica and blew up a number of military vehicles with roadside bombs. The well-connected security analyst Metin Gurcan said on Twitter that 500 to 600 rebels attacked the soldiers, while bad weather prevented Turkish attack helicopters from helping the encircled troops. The PKK said at least 31 soldiers were killed.

In the aftermath, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu held emergency meetings with advisers and Turkey’s chief of general staff, Hulusi Akar, and requested a meeting with opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, a rare step in Turkey’s polarized political scene. Addressing the public Monday evening, Davutoglu pledged that the mountains of southeastern Anatolia would be “cleansed” of rebels.

While the government is promising a tough response to the new PKK attack, Kurdish politicians say government security forces are responsible for the killings of six civilians in the southeastern city of Cizre, which the army and police have closed off while they fight the PKK. A delegation of the legal Kurdish

party HDP said after a visit to the city that police were stopping ambulances carrying injured and sick people to the hospital. A 10-year-old girl was killed by a police sniper inside her own home, they said.

Following news of the soldiers’ deaths in Daglica, Turkish nationalists attacked HDP offices in several cities around the country. Even before the latest flare-up, violent clashes between Turks and Kurds were on the rise. Turkish right-wingers in Istanbul stabbed a 21-year-old Kurd to death after they overheard him speaking Kurdish on his cellphone, the leftist Evrensel newspaper reported Monday.

With tensions heightened across the country, Erdogan declared in a television interview that things would be different if parliamentary elections in June had produced a majority in the house to change the constitution and introduce a presidential system with him at the helm. Critics say Erdogan sabotaged the search for a new government after the June election, in which his AKP party lost its parliamentary majority. They say Erdogan pushed through the new election, scheduled for November 1, in the hope of winning back the AKP majority and, ultimately, getting the presidential system he wanted.

Kilicdaroglu, the opposition leader, has accused Erdogan of stoking tensions in southeast Anatolia to attract nationalist voters to the AKP. “He is responsible for the blood that is being spilled and for terrorism,” Kilicdaroglu said last month, adding of the AKP’s leaders: “They want to stay in power with the help of chaos.”

The leader of the Kurdish HDP party, Selahattin Demirtas, echoed Kilicdaroglu, saying Erdogan and his ruling party are hoping a new Kurdish conflict will help to win back their parliamentary majority. “The AK Party is dragging the country into a period of conflict, seeking revenge for the loss of its majority in the June election,” Demirtas said.

Outside Turkey, Eric Edelman, a former U.S. ambassador to Ankara, argues Erdogan is bent on regaining control over parliament in order to push through the presidential system that would give him wide-ranging powers. To that end, Erdogan is

portraying the HDP as the political arm of the terrorist PKK and trying to “steal votes” from the right-wing MHP party. Airstrikes against the PKK have reignited “a conflict that had been on the road to resolution,” Edelman wrote in an op-ed late last month in The New York Times.

The question is whether Turks will follow Erdogan. Murat Gezici, a pollster, says his latest survey shows that 56 percent of voters hold Erdogan responsible for the latest flare-up of violence, which began in late July. A suicide attack blamed on the socalled Islamic State that killed more than 30 people on July 20 triggered PKK assassinations of Turkish police officers, with the rebels holding Ankara partly responsible for the ISIS strike. In response, the Turkish government sent warplanes to bomb PKK hideouts in northern Iraq and in Turkey itself, while also bombing some ISIS positions in Syria.

Turkey’s harsh response angered U.S. officials, who said Erdogan’s government was much less interested in fighting ISIS than taking out the PKK. One senior U.S. official was quoted as saying last month that the campaign against ISIS was only a “hook” for the Turks. “Turkey wanted to move against the PKK, but it needed a hook,” the official told The Wall Street Journal.

Since then, several dozen soldiers and police officers, and hundreds of PKK fighters, have died, according to Ankara. The renewed fighting shattered a cease-fire between the state and the PKK that had been in force since 2013 and fueled hope for a permanent end to the conflict, which began in 1984. Erdogan says the PKK used the ceasefire to stockpile weapons. The rebels have been attacking security forces in the region on a daily basis and putting up checkpoints.

So far, there is little evidence that Erdogan’s plan of hitting the PKK to win votes is working.

Several polls show the AKP has lost even more ground, while HDP is gaining support. There is “no sign that the latest violent clashes have increased any AKP votes,” Ziya Meral, a London-based Turkey analyst, tweeted Monday.

10 BUSINESS Int’l media notices ‘relative calm’ in Pakistan as it revives economy ISLAMABAD: Be it the increased investment in Pakistan, reduced terrorist attacks or the public flocking back to markets and resorts, the international media is noticing all the positives, what it calls as a “surprising turnaround”. The revival of Pakistan’s economy and peace after concrete measures taken by the government has grabbed the attention of the world’s leading newspapers. The Washington Post, a leading daily of the United States, in its news report says that after years of terrorist attacks, military coups and political upheaval, “Pakistan for now has settled into a period of relative calm”. The report mentions a 70 percent decline in major terrorist attacks over the past nine months. “The people are feeling more secure. There are development projects, and the perspective of people is changing to say that now we can see things are going well,” said Zafar Mueen Nasir, Dean of Business Studies at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics. The military campaign in tribal belt and Karachi has been credited with reducing terrorist attacks and other crimes. The report said that in recent months, the speculation about a civil war or an economic collapse in Pakistan has died down. “Instead, credit agencies are boosting Pakistan’s bond ratings and large investment firms are advising clients to take a second look at opportunities here,” the report adds. APP

BARRIERS TO WOMEN’S ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT RIFE IN SOUTH ASIA: WB REPORT ISLAMABAD: Women in South Asia continue to trail their peers in many parts of the world as discriminatory laws thwart their economic advancement, says the World Bank Group’s Women Business and the Law 2016 report released on Wednesday. The report, published every two years, examines laws that impede women’s employment and entrepreneurship in 173 economies throughout the world.

The 2016 edition expands coverage in South Asia from five to eight economies, adding Afghanistan, Bhutan and the Maldives. Several economies from the South Asia region are among the most restrictive in the world in the dimensions measured affecting women’s entrepreneurship and employment. The region as a whole has been lagging in enacting reforms in the areas measured by the report with only three reforms made in two economies in the past two years. APP

Thursday, 10 September, 2015

Traders PuLL down sHuTTers across counTry over wHT MOST MARKETS AND BUSINESS CENTRES REMAIN CLOSED IN MAJOR CITIES IN ALL FOUR PROVINCES RAWALPINDI/KARACHI/LAHORE/PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

T

RADERS across the country on Wednesday observed strike against imposition of 0.3 per cent withholding tax after they boycotted banks transactions on September 4 to record their protest.

Most of the markets and other business centers in Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad, Multan and other cities of the country remained closed to record their protest against the imposition of WHT. Almost all markets in Rawalpindi city including Raja Bazaar, City Sadder Road, Mochi Bazaar, Sarafa Bazaar, Jamia Masjid Road, Gungmandi and Murree Road remained closed due to the protest.

Sukkur Sarafa Bazaar, Shahi Bazaar, March Bazaar, Nishtar Road, Cloth Market, Shikarpur Road, Racecourse Road, Dhak Road and others remained closed.

On the other hand, traders in Dera Ismail Khan rejected the union’s appeal to observe shutter-down strike as markets remained open in different parts of the city.

The government had imposed a 0.6 percent withholding tax on all kinds of transactions above Rs 50,000, however, after demonstrations against the act, the tax was reduced to 0.3 percent until September 30.

Sources said the tax would be increased to 0.6 percent for those who do not comply with the new regulation.

Traders are striking against the announcement in Karachi and other cities. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has summoned past two-month records of traders who made transactions above Rs 50,000. The record will be helpful in identifying tax filers and evaders. The record will also identify culprits, if any, who resorted to money laundering or other crimes.

Earlier, the union had written a letter to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif to intervene into the matter and bridge gap between the government and traders. The trade unions have warned that a shutter-strike could turn into violent protests if the government would not fulfill their demand of withdrawing WHT and said that the government would be responsible for any disturbance in law and order situation. All Karachi Tajir Ittehad (AKTI) Chairman Muhammed Atiq Mir on Wednesday said that transactions through banks would be ceased if the government did not comply with the demand of withdrawal of 0.3 percent withholding tax on transaction through banks.

“The withholding tax will not be accepted in any case. We want this conflict to resolve soon because it is badly affecting the economy. The dispute with the

government will end with withdrawal of the tax,” said Mir who is also senior vice president of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran (APAT) of Kh Muhammed Shafiq.

He said over 800 small and big markets existed in the city and more than 600 out of them were closed.

He said the traders would not continue the strike even if the demands were not met, however, other means would be adopted to generate pressure on the government like from time to time strikes, transaction through banks would be ceased and businesses would have a parallel system against banks - cash payments.

Apart from this, the traders would no longer be a favoring-party for the government and would not remain in any taxation system of the government. The government should not put burden on traders to make the International Monetary Fund (IMF) happy, he added.

The AKTI chairman said that the introduction of reform tax system by the government would not be effective without approval of traders.

NEPRA GIVES NOD TO NETMETERING REGULATIONS KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The NEPRA has given its long-awaited approval on net-metering regulations on Thursday, 3rd September, 2015, to encourage consumers to set up their own photo-voltaic (PV) plants. Net metering is a prevalent phenomenon in the developed nations as they make use of solar energy to power a substantial portion of their day-to-day domestic and industrial operations.

Net-metering is advantageous for the country as it shall help accelerate deployment of renewable energy infrastructure and ease the energy crisis. Netmetering applies the concept of reverse metering that allows users to sell surplus energy to the grid at an agreed upon tariff rate; the consumer hence is billed for the net electricity used. The net metering mechanism is a brilliant concept to bring down carbon emissions and average cost of electricity.

Pakistan is located in a region with ample sun and wind energy that makes it suitable to use renewable energy technologies. “To evade the looming energy crisis, it is imperative that all alternate re-

Huawei claims quality after sales services has boosted sales

sources are very well embedded in the energy plan.

Net-metering is a wonderful idea that can help the government bridge its energy supply-demand gap and allow consumers to get uninterrupted electricity and gain energy credits,” said Inam-ur-Rahman, CEO, Reon Energy Limited. Reon is the renewable energy division of Dawood Hercules Limited - the single largest energy provider in Pakistan’s private sector and envisions bringing energy to all in Pakistan. Reon Energy Limited is applying for 20 connections under the new net-metering policy.

Using the net-metering concept, energy users typically reduce a portion of the conventional electricity they buy from the utility. Homeowners, businesses, schools and other public agencies can all partake in the net metering process. Net metering is the cornerstone policy for creating sustainable renewable energy markets, and has driven almost 100 percent of all rooftop solar deployment in the United States over the last three decades. Ensuing successful implementation of the policy, net metering can undoubtedly reshape the country’s energy security paradigm.

LAHORE: Huawei owes its tremendous success in the first half of fiscal year, 2015; to the services it provides which focus on the enduser’s requirements throughout the product cycle. Huawei has achieved first position in customer satisfaction level in China, according to IPSOS. Globally, Huawei has 650 partners and more than 3,000 service points, whereas in China it has 400 customer service centers and 184 designated service centers. Five major customer support centers are operating worldwide, with customer service hotlines covering 91 countries, supporting 47 languages.

The first class services which are efficiently provided in these Service Centers are on-site services, Repairing services, Hotline service, Internet service, We chat service. PRESS RELEASE

CORPORATE CORNER Lenovo appoints i2 Pakistan as smartphone distributor in Pakistan KARACHI: Lenovo has announced that it has appointed i2 Pakistan as distributor for the complete range of Lenovo smartphones in Pakistan. i2 Pakistan will provide their value added solutions and services to maximise the reach of Lenovo smartphones across the country. Commenting on the partnership with i2 Pakistan, Arif Shafique, Country Manager for Pakistan, Lenovo, said, “We are happy to be partnering with i2 Pakistan to deliver our world class leading smart devices. As we drive the growth of our smartphone business, we believe that i2 Pakistan will help make Lenovo smartphones more accessible with their multiple distribution points across the country.” PRESS RELEASE

KARACHI: Sher Ali Khan director aviation division and Muhammad Imran advisor to the PIA chairman addresses a press conference on the occasion of handing over of equipment worth more than Rs 160 million gifted by President Qatar Airways. STAFF PHOTO

KARACHI: Meezan Bank CFO Shabbir Hamza Khandwala receives an award of the third position in Corporate Annual Report category by ICAP and ICMAP. PR

LONDON: Army Public School Peshawar injured student Ibrahim Khan is now able to walk following his medical treatment in London made possible with a Rs 113 million donation by Bahria Town Chairman Malik Riaz. PR

KARACHI: Saba Hassan, head of CSR Pizza Hut, addresses servers visually impaired call centre reps Bilal, Asim and Mohsin at the Pizza Hut delivery service. For one week only they are taking time out from the call centre to serve at the Dark Restaurant. STAFF PHOTO

KARACHI: Pakistan State Oil (PSO), the nation’s largest energy company has been awarded 1st position in the Oil and Gas sector at the Best Corporate Report Award ceremony organized by ICMAP and ICAP. PSO Managing Director and CEO, Mr. Sheikh Imran ul Haque received the award on behalf of the company. PR

KARACHI: Junaid Ahmed, CEO of DIBPL, Alexandru Badulescu, Regional Vice President Eastern Europe CIS Pakistan & Afghanistan at the MoU signing ceremony at Western Union. STAFF PHOTO

LEISURE 11

Thursday, 10 September, 2015

HaGaR tHE HoRRIblE

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

Don't worry too much about that obstacle in your path -- it's much less important than it seems. In fact, it may be simpler to just go at it than to try to think up ways to get around it.

You feel fantastic and you should be able to get almost anything done today -- no matter how ambitious it seems at first. Things could get really weird for a bit, but that's all part of the process.

A hidden strength comes into play today, and it could make the difference between success and failure. Don't be shy, because you need to make sure that you're pulling out all the stops.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

It's your job to get things moving today, so make sure that you're lively and paying attention when people start to gather. It's easier than you may think to start up some new project.

This is a bad time to get near temptation -- your energy isn't as resistant as you would like, and that could mean that you're doomed to overindulge.

You could bring along a friend with better discipline.

Your expressive side is out in force today -- which could mean that someone close is going to get an earful! The good part of it is that this clarity should shake things up for the better.

dIlbERt

GaRFIEld

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

You're feeling a heavy burden today -- one that might start to be a drag before the day's even half over. There is an upside: You can get support from an unlikely source if you just ask.

If it feels hopeless today, take heart -- you hold the key to success. It's not all that often that you can rely solely on yourself, but today gives you the opportunity to do just that. Take charge!

This isn't the time for lofty goals or for big, crazy dreams -- you need to make sure that you're realistic and, if anything, mundane. There's nothing wrong with just cleaning the kitchen, you know!

baldo

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Indulge your inner child today -- eat that ice cream, skip out of work early or do whatever else your impulsive side decides on. You may find yourself moving in a great new direction!

A relative regales people with stories of your past -- but you're not so sure they happened quite the way they say they did. Join in or add a comment to correct the record, but this dispute may not get settled soon.

You finally get beyond that illusory feeling of anxiety or despair and see it for what it really is: just another obstacle. It's easy to move beyond it and see what comes next!

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.

hATCh jEER LIBRARy LOCATE MAGIC PALE PAPER PEAR PLANE PLEASANT PROPORTION PROUd REAd REAP SALAd SEEP SOLId

Today’s soluTions

aRE yoUR satIsFIEd?

cHEss white tO PLAY AND MAte iN five MOves 8

crossword solution

7 6 5 4 3 2

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

chess solution

A

1.Rxc7 bd8 2.bxg6+! Kxg6 [2...Kg7 3.Rxf7+ Kxg6 (3...Qxf7 4.bxf7 bxb6 5.bxe6) 4.Ne5+ Kh5 5.g4+ Kh4 6.Ng6+ Kxh3 7.Qb3+ Kxg4 8.Qf3#] 3.Ne5+ Kh5 [3...Kg7 4.Rxf7+ Qxf7 5.Qxc6] 4.g4+ Kh4 5.Qb3 *

1

sudoku solution

1 wearing (4) 3 Accompaniment for drinks (3,5) 9 Many-sided figure (7) 10 Meeting place (5) 11 Railway signal box (5) 12 Man of great strength and agility (6) 14 Stop for a short rest (4,1,8) 17 Turkish capital (6) 19 Sleep on (3,2) 22 wading bird (5) 23 Steep part of a glacier where the surface is badly broken (7) 24 Permanent (8) 25 Peddle (4) DOwn 1 Potential — role (8) 2 Off-the-cuff remark (2-3) 4 Alarm (13) 5 Lid (5) 6 At a lower level (than) (7) 7 Look for (4) 8 List of items for discussion at a meeting (6) 13 Tawny and marked with spots or streaks (8) 15 Relationship by blood (7) 16 Ready to go! (3,3) 18 In honour of (5) 20 delete (5) 21 At this stage (4)

AhEAd ANSwERS APPROxIMATE AROUNd BATTER BRANd CEREAL ChAR ChEESE COLLEGE COTTON CROw COUSINS dIARy fOUNd GREET hASTE

12

thursday, 10 september, 2015

arts

‘can you imagine? cotton supplied by Islamic state’ PARIS

I

AGENCIES

slamic state (is) militants have got their hands on syrian cotton production, worrying some manufacturers even though there appears little risk for now that is-linked clothes could end up on the catwalk or in someone’s closet in Paris. after seizing oil and grain fields to fund their offensive, is jihadists have also taken control of “three-quarters of the production of cotton” in syria, which was a relatively important exporter before the war, said Jean-charles Brisard, a specialist on the financing of extremist groups. syrian cotton is an issue at the vaunted fashion houses in Paris. a buyer for haute couture collections at a top label said on condition of anonymity that they have become very vigilant over the origin of their fabrics. “Our regular supplier sent

us bolts of cloth without a tag of origin, and we asked our workshops not to touch them until we had all the required certificates,” said the buyer. “can you imagine? cotton supplied by Daesh,” she added, using an arabic acronym for the is group. companies are keenly aware of the impact of a PR disaster in the clothing in-

dustry after the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh collapsed killing 1,138 people. Foreign labels that had sub-contracted work were accused of failing to push for safe labour conditions.

The key concern with syrian conflict cotton is that it could make its way to international markets via Turkish whole-

salers buying it at cut-rate prices from is fighters desperate for cash. is-controlled parts of syria are located close to Turkey, the EU’s number two supplier of fabric and third for clothing, according to data compiled by the UiT, a French textile trade association.

Turkey, a net importer of cotton for clothes manufacturing, includes among its main suppliers “the United states, Greece, Uzbekistan, Egypt ... and historically syria,” said Emmanuelle Butaudstubbs, head of the UiT. syrian cotton exports to Turkey rose in the 1990s and early 2000s, but have fallen since 2008. according to industry insiders questioned by aFP, is has until just recently been sending to Turkey raw cotton grown in the Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor regions that account for a third of syrian output.

IS SellIng raw cotton: But Turkey has now officially refused to accept this cotton ─ for undisclosed reasons

but possibly due to pressure from Washington, according to these industry sources. is militants have begun to sell the raw cotton to intermediaries who transport it to processing centres located in areas under the control of syrian President Bashar al-assad’s regime. Processing and export of cotton has long been a state monopoly in syria.

Due to the conflict “the situation in syria is very fluid and it is difficult to have a precise picture of what is actually happening on the ground,” said Jose sette, executive director of the international cotton advisory committee (icac), a group that brings together cotton producing and consuming countries.

The four-year conflict has certainly led to a drop in cotton production. if before the war syria was producing around 600,000 tonnes per year, that has dropped to 70,000, of which 3,000 is officially exported, according to icac estimates.

Your mood can affect your ability to see color COURTESY IFL SCIENCE

TWO BOYS ESCAPE KINDERGARTEN TO GO BUY A JAGUAR COURTESY UNILAND Two five-year-old Russian lads formulated a great escape from kindy yesterday and set off on a mission to buy a luxury Jaguar.

During a supervised walk around the grounds of the prison, i mean kindergarten, the two boys broke off from the pack of tiny tots and used an elaborate tunnel system to help them escape and go on to freely roam the city of magnitogorsk. it is unknown if the boys previously watched The shawshank Redemption, but it is confirmed that they had prepared their escape for several days by using sandpit spades to dig under a fence. i am curious as to whether or not morgan Freeman, the guy who knows how to get stuff in shawshank, provided said spades. Kindergarten staff noticed the boys were missing and discovered their tunnel after half an hour.

The boys walked a mile to a car showroom selling luxury cars. a female driver noticed them and asked what they were up to. The lads buckled and truthfully told her they busted out of kindy to come and buy a Jaguar. instead of financing the mission, the female driver responsibly got the police involved. in all seriousness now the head of the preschool has said that this is considered a very serious violation and the supervisor in charge has been fired.

The children’s parents did not submit any complaint against the kindergarten.

There is an irony to referring to low moods as “the blues”, a new study has found, because sadness actually interferes with our ability to see color, particularly shades of blue.

Our emotions are known to be able to affect our processing of visual information, including contrast sensitivity. The University of Rochester’s christopher Thorstenson wondered if this would influence our color perception.

“We were already deeply familiar with how often people use color terms to describe common phenomena, like mood, even when these concepts seem unrelated,” said Thorstenson, who led the study, in a statement. “We thought that maybe a reason these metaphors emerge was because there really was a connection between mood and perceiving colors in a different way.”

Thorstenson had 127 undergraduate students watch a randomly assigned film clip, and then shown 48 faintly colored patches and asked to classify them as red, yellow, green or blue. The film had no affect on red-green perception, but those assigned a clip previously verified to induce sadness were less able to identify colors on the blue-yellow axis than those shown a funny film.

Thorstenson conducted a second study, this time with 130 subjects, comparing the effect of the sad clip to a neutral test film. Not only did this show that it was the sadness that affects color perception, rather than amusement enhancing it, but it added support to the initial study’s

reliability, valuable in the light of recent findings on the replicability of psychology papers. The findings from both experiments were published in Psychological science.

The fact that effect was only observed for certain colors also gave Thorstenson confidence that the results are not a result of sad participants being less motivated to engage with the experiment. “We were surprised by how specific the effect was, that color was only impaired along the blue-yellow axis,” he added in the statement. in a quest to explain the finding, the researchers turned to work showing that blue color perception relies on dopamine, the neurotransmitter well known for its importance in our reward systems. The nervous system uses dopamine in a wide variety of roles, which is why the shortage induced by Parkinson’s disease has such widespread effects.

The neurotransmitter is involved in

signalling in the retina of the eye. it seems possible that at least part of the reason for this is to transmit observations of color.

“We did not predict this specific finding, although it might give us a clue to the reason for the effect in neurotransmitter functioning,” said Thorstenson in the statement.

The link to dopamine could explain other circumstances where blue-yellow perception is affected, including aDHD and depression of a more sustained form than that produced by watching sad bits from the lion King. it has only recently been revealed how words for blue are relatively new in human languages compared to other colors, with indications that previously people did not perceive those things we now see as blue the same way we do.

Whether this is connected to these findings provides an intriguing avenue for future research.

‘The man with ears of steel’ sets Guinness World Record for pulling airplane with his lugholes COURTESY MIRROR some might say Johnny strange is living up to his last name - because he has just entered the Guinnes Book of Records for pulling a huge airplane with his ears. Johnny, 26, used chains through pierced holes in his ears to drag a cessna 172-P weighing 677.8kg for 20.4 metres at North Weald airfield, Essex. No wonder he is been dubbed ‘The man with the ears of steel’.

He will appear in the 2016 Guinness Book of Records, released tomorrow. But being featured in the book is nothing new for Johnny, an escapologist and sideshow performer who now has eight Guinness World Records to his name. He said, “i started off at the age of ten in Blackburn, lancashire. at first i juggled balls, then clubs and went on to knives, fire sticks

and now its chainsaws. Preparing for the plane pull was tough. i am not going into detail but i have to stretch my ears and create tough scar tissue so they don’t rip. i am always delighted when i get another Guinness World Record and being featured in the book never gets old for me, the only problem is i am starting to run out of places to hang up my certificates now. i am a believer of the impossible; i have always been interested in the unusual and the bizarre. it is the obscure things that skew the perception of normality that really fascinate me.” simon lowman, of The North Weald Flying Group, said, “in all my years flying i have seen some extraordinary things but i have never seen an airplane moved like that. i am surprised he didn’t rip his ears off. These planes aren’t easy to move at the best of times

with the engine running. i was fully expecting to have to get the super glue out afterwards to stick his ears back on.”

Johnny’S other guInneSS world recordS are: 1. Heaviest weight lifted by pierced ears; he lifted 14.9kg (32 lb 13.5 oz) off the floor using piercings in his ear lobes.

2. most apples held in the mouth and chainsawed in 30 secs; he cut eight apples out of his own mouth with a petrol chainsaw in one minute.

3. most apples chainsawed in someone else’s mouth in 1 min; he cut 12 apples out of his assistants mouth with a petrol

CMYK

chainsaw in one minute.

4. Time to break 16 concrete blocks on the body in 1 min; he managed to individually break 16 concrete blocks with a sledge hammer on the stomach of his assistant in 30.4 seconds.

5. most animal traps released on the body in 1 min; he managed to release 6 animal traps onto his hands and arms in one minute.

6. most melons chopped in half on somebody’s stomach; he managed to individually chop 10 watermelons in half on the stomach of his assistant in 30 seconds. He used a samurai sword while they lay on a bed of nails.

EngInEErIng studEnt wakEs up to dIscovEr hE dEsIgnEd EntIrE planE whIlE drunk COURTESY UNILAND We have done some pretty crazy things while under the influence but one student in the U.S. has taken drunken shenanigans to a whole new level.

Mark, a mechanical engineering student from Michigan Tech University, reportedly managed to design an entire aircraft while smashed.

He has no recollection of the incident but, luckily for us, his roommate and fellow student, Keith Fraley was there to witness the whole incredible episode.

On Sunday, he tweeted a picture of Mark’s designs, with the caption, “So my roommate came back last night and doesn’t remember designing an entire fucking airplane”.

The tweet has since gone viral, but Mark has chosen to keep his identity a secret so as not to jeopardise his future career prospects. Keith, however, opened up about the bizarre evening in an interview with the Guardian, explaining how Mark returned home in a drunken sway at around 11.30pm after necking a ton of rum and vodka-mixed drinks.

Apparently he made a beeline for his textbooks and, a couple of hours later, he re-emerged to tell Keith all about his designed ekranoplan craft (a high speed aircraft that floats above the water) and the calculations behind it, sounding a bit like “a slurred robot”.

“He fell asleep in his chair and woke up about an hour later basically questioning his sanity because of the immense amount of work that was in front of him, with no memory of his motivation to do it.” added Keith Oh, and even though he does not have any recollection of coming up with the idea, after reading over his designs in a sober state, Mark confirmed that it looks as though his invention would work, so he is now going to try and put it into practice!

This puts us all to shame. When we come home drunk, we just eat fast food and watch Family Guy. At this rate, this lad will down some whisky and figure out the cure for cancer!

Thursday, 10 September, 2015

ARTS

13

GanGs of Wasseypur 3 is on its Way Gangs of Wasseypur 3” is on its way. However, this time it will be directed by its writer, Zeisha Qureshi, reports Hindustan Times.

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has started working on the third installment of his original claim to fame—Gangs of Wasseypur. The director has asked writer Zeishan Qadri to write the film’s script.

“After watching my directorial debut, Meeruthiya Gangsters, Anurag sir asked me to write and direct Wasseypur 3,” Qadri told Hindustan Times.

When asked about the plot in his mind, Qadri said he planned to take the real story forward this time.

“Wasseypur 2 ended in 2002. Now, we will take the story forward as per the developments in the region till 2015,” he said. ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ was screened at Cannes Film Festival 2012 as a fivehour-long feature and was later released in India in two parts - Gangs of Wasseypur and Gangs of Wasseypur 2. The film put the spotlight on Kashyap, who had earlier made brilliant films like Gulaal and Black Friday but never got the recognition.

Bombay Velvet, starring Anushka Sharma, Ranbir Kapoor and Karan Johar, however, was a debacle Anurag Kashyap was never prepared for. The film was

widely panned by critics and earned a mere Rs 16 crore at the domestic ticket windows in its first weekend. A few days after the film, Anurag wrote on Facebook, “It is time to close the book and move on.

It has been a journey, as if one life is over with Bombay Velvet. A lot of people do not connect with it and a small number of people did.”

Reports claim that Wasseypur 3 will be released in 2016.

When asked about it, Qadri said, “I can write the film in a month. I wrote the complete script for Gangs of Wasseypur

(both part I and II) in straight 30 days. If I remember right, I wrote Meeruthiya Gangsters in 11-12 days.”

While talking about the film’s trailer, Kashyap explains where the characters of ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ came from.

“If you see the film, from the trailer itself you will understand the origin of where the strange characters of ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ came from. It was a part of Zeishan’s growing up years. Throughout his life, he experienced exciting stories, real life stories and stories which no one else ever touched. And similarly this time

he has taken these characters and made the film, ‘Meeruthiya Gangsters’. The quirky characters will definitely make you laugh but also make you scared. It is a very good thriller and it will go places and all fans of ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ are especially going to love the film.” said Kashyap.

Pakistan at tiFF this year: Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy will present her documentary film A Journey of a Thousand Miles: Peacekeepers at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) will see Sharmeen Obaid.

The film is about the personal stories

HOSPITALITY IN INDIA IS AMAZING, FAWAD KHAN NEWS DESK Fawad Khan is fast on his way to becoming one of Bollywood’s biggest stars. In a recent interview with BBC’s Haroon Rashid, he said, “Everything is a gamble, every project that I attempt, even back in Pakistan is a gamble, and popularity is not something that is going to stick with you for the rest of your life.”

When asked if it was worth risking his success in Pakistan for a shot at Bollywood, Fawad said, “At some point in time you are bound to make mistakes, so I think it is just part of the job, you know — travel where your work takes you.”

Fawad Khan made his debut in Bollywood with Khoobsurat starring Sonam Kapoor. When asked if he faced any discrimination in the neighbouring country because of ‘fragile’ relations between India and Pakistan, Fawad dismissed all such notions.

“Not at all, not at all. A lot of us are

brought up with these kinds of stigmas where there is an enemy across the border but you will be surprised — Indians are coming over to Pakistan and Pakistanis are going over to India,” said Fawad. “The hospitality is something to write about. It is amazing.You feel at

ON 48TH BIRTHDAY, AKSHAY KUMAR ANNOUNCES NEW FILM ‘RUSTOM’ Bollywood action star Akshay Kumar, who turned 48 on Wednesday, announced his new romantic thriller “Rustom”, reported The Hindu. Rustom marks his third collaboration with Neeraj Pandey. The movie will release on the weekend of Independence Day, 2016. The “Khiladi” star tweeted, “Thrilled to announce Neeraj Pandey and I are collaborating for a romantic thriller #Rustom releasing on Aug 12, 2016! Hoping to be third time lucky :).” Akshay and Pandey have earlier worked together in “Baby” and “Special 26”, both of which found appreciation. But “Rustom” is not being directed by Pandey, and instead marks the directorial debut of Tinu Suresh Desai. Inspired by real life incidents, the project is co-produced by Zee Studios, Kri Arj Entertainment and Friday Filmworks.

“Having worked with Neeraj on two fabulous projects, I am excited to start work on our new film. I’m happy that Zee Studios is putting its might behind this film along with KriArj Entertainment and Friday Filmworks. It gives me and the entire team confidence of this launched worldwide using the global might of Zee,” Akshay said in a statement. Apart from the actor, the movie will feature two “young actresses”. Pandey, who will pen the dialogues of the film himself; will co-write the screenplay along with Vipul Rawal; and also contribute towards the film’s edit. agencies

home” he said.

The actor’s popularity knows no bounds; he is not only one of the most sought after actor in India but has won accolades. Having won countless newcomer awards, Fawad is blessed to have reached so far.

“I think I am truly blessed and I always feel that if you are in attendance of an award ceremony or something as prestigious as that, being there among such people is an accomplishment on its own, may it be in Pakistan or in India,” he said.

He is currently working with the biggest production house in Bollywood and has climbed the success ladder at a fast pace. What does he do differently which has caught the attention of so many?

“I bribe them all!” he laughs. “I’m doing nothing at all. I’m taking every day as it comes, one day at a time. Obviously I try to be as intelligent as possible when it comes to selecting scripts, but it is a very subjective thing, varies from person to person,” he replied.

“That is what I try to do for myself you know, whatever I think I can do best, I try to do that” said the actor.

Fawad is in London at the moment where he attended a charity event.

ALI ZAFAR GIFTS DREAM HOUSE TO HIS WIFE

of five Bangladeshi policewomen who are deployed to the earthquake-stricken Haiti in 2010 as members of the UN peacekeeping mission.

Sharmeen co-directed the documentary film with an Indian filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir. “The role of United Nations peacekeepers is a true ‘mission impossible,’ dropping soldiers who literally do not speak each other’s languages into foreign countries rife with chaos and violence. Anything that goes wrong can become an international incident. Good luck,” reads the description about the documentary on the TIFF website.

TIFF will also premiere Beeba Boys, a Hollywood debut film of popular actor, Ali Kazmi’s. Directed by Deepa Mehta, the film sees him as a trigger-happy member of a super-slick Indo-Canadian gang. Having acted in several American TV shows and video games, Kazmi finally gets to make his way to Hollywood big screen.

He Named Me Malala, the muchawaited documentary on Malala’s family life in central England, also finally hits the screens at TIFF. Pakistan is regularly making its presence in global film circuits, which is a good step to make our mark in film industry globally. cOURTesY HinDUsTan TiMes

JK ROWLING’S EPIC TWITTER COMEBACK FOR FOLLOWER WHO CRITICISED HER OVER REFUGEE CRISIS COMMENTS

Celebrities commenting on humanitarian issues is always tricky - because a fan can always play the “so says the millionaire” card. So when JK Rowling was commenting about the refugee crisis and the tragedies that have unfolded, she was in no mood for a follower to suggest that she is too wealthy to have empathy. Echoing the mood of the nation, the Harry Potter author tweeted, “If you can’t imagine yourself in one of these boats, you have something missing. They are dying for a life worth living. #refugeeswelcome” A follower made the sarcastic response, “said the millionaire on her gold iphone in her mansion.” The author knew better than to get into a debate with a Twitter troll and replied with a droll comment. She wrote, “I’d type a longer retort, but these diamond buttons really hurt my fingers.” And her fans approved. But not all her followers were convinced. One tweeted, “Cool fact: the rich & famous have power. Sometimes that power is bringing awareness on social media. Sit down.”

While another shot back, “Wealth does not disarm nor discredit human morality; ignorance and blindness does.” agencies

I PAID ONE MILLION FOR TWO T-SHIRTS, PARINEETI NEWS DESK Ali Zafar has gifted a four-bedroom villa in Lahore, spread over 15,000 square feet, to his wife Ayesha, reported Mumbai Mirror.

Mumbai Mirror had earlier reported that Ayesha had given birth to their daughter, Alyza, and the dream house is the actor’s return gift to his better half.

“It has been under construction for over three years. We have just moved in a few months back.

Ayesha was really touched by the gift and has done the interiors herself with a little bit of help from me. We have kept the decor modern, classy and minimal. We have installed music systems which will play all the time,” Ali informed excitedly to Mumbai Mirror.

The villa has an indoor swimming pool bang

in the centre. Every room has an attached terrace and a view to the pool. And the basement has been converted into Ali’s recording studio.

“I come from a modest background. My parents were professors and we used to live with my grandparents in a small room. So, like everyone else, I have been wishing for a house like this for a long time and been working hard towards it,” admits Ali, adding that his parents live in the adjacent bungalow. “I am very close to my family and wanted them to be near me.” Would he want to buy a property in Mumbai? “Mumbai has been kind to me but I do not think as a Pakistani national I could buy property there. I visit the city, do my work and come back. This is my home,” he said. cOURTesY MUMBai MiRROR

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Parineeti Chopra who has been spending some time in Jakarta for a show spent over a million to buy two shirts. She posted the picture on Instagram and captioned it, “I paid one million for two tshirts. #CrazyCurrency #Jakarta” “Considering the fact that the actress holds a triple honours degree in business, finance and economics, it came as a surprise that she would be such a spendthrift.” says Times of India. “However, the fact was that Parineeti was shopping in Indonesia and when 1 million in their currency is converted to Indian currency, it rounds off to approximately Rs 4700. That is a bargain then!”

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Thursday, 10 September, 2015

No regrets for family-first HaddiN

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her to enjoy a better quality of life.”

Haddin’s retirement means he will finish his career with 66 Tests to his name, along with 3266 runs at 32.98 and 270 dismissals. That places him fourth on the Australian Test wicketkeeping tally, behind Adam Gilchrist, Ian Healy and Rod Marsh.

His successor, Peter Nevill, played well on debut at Lord’s, and Haddin said it was apparent when the team headed to Derby for a tour match ahead of the third Test that the selectors were leaning towards retaining Nevill. Haddin said he spoke to national selector Rod Marsh to ensure that Nevill was given enough of a chance in Derby to prepare properly for the Test.

“I’ve been in cricket long enough to know when you’re about to be dropped because people start talking to you differently,” Haddin said. “I remember saying to ‘Nev’, ‘I’m not playing in this third Test, you’re in’ and he said ‘no, no’ but I said I’d ask Rod because we needed to sort it out. Pete hadn’t kept much in England and I thought if he was playing in the Test he’d need to get used to the conditions. “What was meant to happen was Rod said we’d share the keeping in that match and I said ‘Rod, I’ve been around for 15 years, if you want me to go out and give you the energy,

ent to any other parent in Australia,” Haddin told reporters in Sydney. “Everyone puts their family first and I have no regrets about doing that.

“To me, it wasn’t a choice. I remember saying to [wife] Karina at the hospital that I’ll never play again. She said there was still three Tests to go but cricket is a big business/sport and I’d put myself in a position where I was vulnerable because I walked away. I could live with that because I was needed somewhere else and it was a place that was far more important for me. “My family needed me at that time and the reality is I was unable to take the field for Australia with the 100% focus I needed. I understood the consequences that went with my decision; I put myself in a position to lose my spot and I don’t regret that, not one bit. I wouldn’t change one thing because I don’t regret one thing that happened.”

Haddin’s wife Karina and children Mia and Zac were at the press conference at the SCG on Wednesday, and Haddin said Mia’s health was heading in the right direction.

“Mia needed surgery [in Sydney] a couple of weeks ago,” he said. “She had some internal bleeds ... but everything is going in the right direction. She’s a normal fouryear-old girl and the surgery will allow for

RAD Haddin has said he has no regrets about the way his Test career ended, when he was not reinstated after stepping down from the Lord’s Test to be with his ill daughter. That decision effectively spelled the end of Haddin’s days as an Australia player, and on Wednesday he confirmed that he was now officially retired from international cricket. While it was fully expected that Haddin, 37, would depart after the Ashes tour, it had appeared likely when the campaign began that he would remain the incumbent gloveman throughout. However, he withdrew from the second Test at Lord’s to be with his four-year-old daughter Mia, who was receiving treatment in a London hospital.

Mia had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer when she was only 17 months old, and Haddin had missed the 2012 tour of the West Indies to remain home with his family at the time. In announcing his retirement at the SCG, Haddin said he had no regrets about his decisions and knew that he was unlikely to be recalled after standing down during the Ashes. “I’m not dirty ... I’m no differ-

the perfect keeping game, I’ll go and do that but if you know what’s going to happen cut the bullshit and tell us - don’t play one off against the other because you know after 15 years what I can do’.

“In the end I made the call. I’m not there to muck around, we were there to play for Australia and we had to prepare the best we could and that meant Nev had to keep.

My thought was we were halfway through an Ashes series and this idea about one of us keeping for the first 30 overs when they knew what the decision was, well I thought let’s get on with it, you’ve made your deci-

sion and that’s how it unfolded.”

Haddin said now was the perfect time to retire from internationals and first-class cricket, although he will play on for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League. The Sixers confirmed in a press release on Wednesday that Haddin was still a key member of their squad for this summer.

“I’ve only ever wanted to play at the SCG. It’s great to be here today to make my announcement,” Haddin said. “I came to the realisation after Lord’s. I’ve had a privileged run, but I lost the hunger on the Ashes tour. It was an easy decision to retire.”

serena williams beats sister Venus to reach semi-finals neymar on fIfth In BrazIl all-tIme rankIng SPORTS DESK Neymar has already scored more goals for Brazil than Ronaldinho and Rivaldo did, and the FC Barcelona star has plenty of time to surpass a few more Selecao legends on his way to greatness. The playmaker scored twice for Brazil in their friendly against the USA on Wednesday morning, taking his international goal tally to 46. At just 23 years old, the Barca star has long gone past Ronaldinho (33 goals) in the scoring stakes for Brazil, but has played far fewer matches than the former AC Milan and Catalan club trickster has. Neymar has played 67 games thus far for the Selecao, while Ronaldinho has featured 98 times for his country. Rivaldo is another Brazil legend Neymar has gone past on the score sheet, with the former Olympiacos man having found the net 35 times for his country. Neymar also has more goals than Bebeto (39 goals in 75 games) and Rivellino (43 in 122), while he has a lot more time to go past a few more big names.

The player is just nine strikes off Romario’s tally of 55, and is just 16 goals away from Brazil legend Ronaldo’s record of 62.

SPORTS DESK Serena Williams overcame her sister Venus at the US Open to move within two victories of her first calendar Grand Slam. The world number one held her nerve to win 6-2 1-6 6-3 and reach the semi-finals in New York.

Serena, 33, will play unseeded Italian Roberta Vinci in the last four

on Thursday. The American could become the first player to win all four majors in the same year since Steffi Graf in 1988. Venus, 35, was playing in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2010, but threatened to derail her sister’s grand ambitions. The 23rd seed battled back to force a final set, only to see younger sister Serena capitalise on an

early service break and claim her 33rd straight win at the Slams.

The Williams sisters had played each other 26 times on the professional circuit, but their 27th contest was as highly anticipated as any.

Serena might already hold all four Slam titles, but her bid to win them all in the same year has elevated tennis in the US sporting headlines.

A lengthy preceding match meant Tuesday’s night session was delayed, and expectancy rose outside Arthur Ashe Stadium as 23,000 spectators waited to take their seats for the night session. The match attracted a celebrity crowd to Arthur Ashe Stadium, including US presidential candidate Donald Trump (right) and tennis legend John McEnroe The early excitement was tempered by Serena’s excellent start, but Venus gave a reminder of why she is a seven-time major champion by taking it to a final set. “She’s the toughest player I’ve ever played in my life and the best person,” said Serena.

“It’s going against your best friend and the greatest competitor, for me, in women’s tennis, so it was really difficult for me today.” Venus said: “Losing isn’t fun, but probably the most gratifying part is I’m still very excited to see Serena have an opportunity to win the four majors.”

Typo almost costs spinner Imad Wasim his Pakistan contract KaRachi AGENCIES

Pakistan cricket selectors Tuesday included young spinning allrounder Imad Wasim in the central contract list, confessing a typo almost deprived him of a handsome monthly salary and win bonus. The 26-year-old, who famously hit a six in the final over to help Pakistan win the second Twenty20 against Sri Lanka in Colombo last month, was surprisingly omitted from the list of 28 players awarded contracts on Saturday.

Pakistan’s chief selector Haroon Rasheed said Wasim’s name was erroneously missed out. “Owing to a typographic oversight, Wasim’s name was omitted from the list of centrally contracted players. He was in the selection committee’s list in category ‘D’. But while submitting the names for approval, his name was erroneously omitted from the list. The error stands corrected now.”

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said Wasim’s name is approved.

“Wasim has been added to the list of 27 who have been offered central contract for the year 2015-16, following PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan’s approval on chief selector Haroon Rashid’s request,” PCB said in a statement. PCB has increased monthly salaries, win bonuses and match fees across all categories after a deadlock between the players and the central contract committee delayed the announcement for two months. The contracts will be from July to December.

The final lisT of cenTral conTracT players: caTegory ‘a’ (6) Azhar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Younis Khan. caTegory ‘B’ (8) Ahmad Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Junaid Khan, Rahat Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Sar-

faraz Ahmad, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah. caTegory ‘c’ (8) Anwar Ali, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaan Ma-

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sood, Umar Akmal caTegory ‘D’ (6) Babar Azam, Sami Aslam, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Amin, Zulfiqar Babar, Imad Wasim

Dhawan to leaD InDIa a squaD agaInst BanglaDesh a SPORTS DESK India opener Shikhar Dhawan has been named captain of the A squad to play a three-day match against Bangladesh A in September. Dhawan had been ruled out of the second and third Test in Sri Lanka last month after fracturing his hand during the first Test in Galle. Varun Aaron, who lost his Test spot to Umesh Yadav after a profligate showing in Galle, will get a chance to impress in the three-day game. Ravindra Jadeja, left out of both Test and ODI sides after having been a regular not too long ago, got a big break just before the start of the home season. His selection indicated he was still part of India’s plans, and if he can have a good early season, the third spinner’s slot could be his for the taking after a lukewarm performance from Harbhajan Singh. It has been a good pre-season for the young Karnataka batsman, Karun Nair, whose most notable performance was his secondinnings century to save a four-day match against South Africa A. He was named in both the three-day and one-day sqauds, and should also play the other three-day game between Bangladesh A and the Ranji Trophy champions Karnataka. Nair’s captain in the one-day side will be Delhi batsman Unmukt Chand. Suresh Raina was the only India regular in the squad, but Kedar Jadhav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Manish Pandey and Sanju Samson - all named in this squad - were part of the contingent that won all the three ODIs in Zimbabwe.

Legspinner Karn Sharma, who missed out on the Zimbabwe tour because of injury, was back too. Two promising young spinners, chinaman Kuldeep Yadav and offspinner Jayant Yadav, were also handed a chance to stake claims for an international spot during a busy home season. The three one-day fixtures will be played on September 16, 18 and 20, and the three-day match from September 27 to 29. All the games will be held in Bangalore. Karnataka will play Bangladesh A from September 22 to 24 in Mysore. Three-day squad Shikhar Dhawan (capt), Abhinav Mukund, Karun Nair, Shreyas Iyer, Baba Aparajith, Naman Ojha, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, Shreyas Gopal, Abhimanyu Mithun, Varun Aaron, Ishwar Pandey, Sheldon Jackson

Thursday, 10 September, 2015

KaNe tells rooNey to set uNBreaKaBle record LONDON

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ARRY Kane has backed Wayne Rooney to set a record that will never be broken after the England striker passed Bobby Charlton’s historic mark with his 50th international goal.

Rooney took over from Charlton as England’s all-time leading goal-scorer when he slammed an 84th minute penalty high into the net to seal his country’s 2-0 win over Switzerland in a Euro 2016 qualifier at Wembley on Tuesday.

After wiping away tears of joy, the Manchester United striker gave a rousing dressing room speech in which he paid warm tributes to his team-mates and family, then challenged Kane, who came off the bench to score England´s opener against the Swiss, Raheem Ster-

ling and Ross Barkley, to chase down his record tally. But Tottenham forward Kane, 22, is confident Rooney, who plans to play for England past the 2018 World Cup, can establish a virtually uncatchable total before he finally retires.

“It was a special day for Wayne to get his 50th goal and it´s special for me being on the same pitch as him,” Kane said. “I grew up watching him as a kid scoring goals for his country and I dreamed of one day playing with him. “To share this moment with him was special. He´s a great player and a great role model. It´s great to play with Wayne. “We´ll see what he ends up on. He´s going to score quite a few more goals for England, so we´ll see if anyone can catch him.”

As captain and one of the few vastly experienced players in an England squad full of talented but raw youngsters, Rooney has assumed the role of the wise

older brother to the likes of Kane and United duo Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw. They all look up to the 29-year-old for his skills and his achievements, but that didn´t stop them pressuring him into giving that emotional post-match speech.

“Before Roy gave him his shirt with 50 on it, we were all shouting ´Rooney, Rooney´. We all egged him to do the speech,” Smalling said. “I didn´t think he was going to do it but he got through it.

He didn´t cry or anything but you could tell he was emotional.”

BunDle of nerves: Like Kane, England defender Smalling is sure Rooney, who has made a spluttering start to the season with United, will benefit from having put all the talk of the record to bed. “It´s done so he can relax,” Smalling said. “Hopefully he will get even more goals and I think he´ll set a record that´s even higher. “Coming off a good performance and breaking a record I think we´ll

see Wayne Rooney flying.” Rooney conceded it was a relief to get the record out of the way and admitted he was a bundle of nerves before taking the penalty.

Fortunately he was able to cope with the magnitude of the moment and never considered copying Gary Lineker, the former England striker who famously finished on 48 goals after wasting a chance to tie Charlton´s record in 1992 when his weak chipped penalty against Brazil was saved. “That was never going to happen. I´ve never done that. If I was going to miss it the keeper was going to have to make a good save,” Rooney.

“I was very nervous. I just tried to compose myself. I knew which corner I was going because I´d practised that the day before the game. I just thought put my foot through the ball.

“I´m not really an emotional person, but I was probably a bit overwhelmed.

It was just a special moment.”

Pakistan gets two silvers in weightlifting at samoa iSLaMaBaD AGENCIES

PaKistaN to meet eNglaNd iN icrc iNt’l t20 fiNal iSLaMaBaD AGENCIES Pakistan disable team will take on England in the final of ICRC International T20 Tournament on Thursday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Dhaka, Bangladesh. Pakistan captain Hasnain Alam in a statement on Wednesday said his team was in high spirits and eager to win the final encounter. “I request entire Pakistani nation to pray our success. I assure that we will put in every effort to return home victorious.”He said Pakistan team underwent an intensive training session at Sher-eBangla National Cricket Stadium under head coach Zafar Iqbal. “Our players did a lot of physical training. They focused on improving their batting, bowling and fielding skills.”

Another Weightlifter Abdur Rehman clinched a silver medal for Pakistan in the 77Kg category of the 5th Commonwealth youth games at Samoa.

According to Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWLF) Vice President Rashid Malik who is also the chief-demission of the Pakistan contingent at the games, Rehman had a great challenge of the weightlifters from Cameron, Scotland and the host Samoa to reach the medal table. Rehaman performed at his best by lifting 106 Kg in Snatch, 136 Kg in Clean+Jerk with a total of 242 Kg, which was good enough for Silver Medal for Pakistan. This is the second biggest victory of Rehman. Earlier in January this year he won a gold medal at Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships held at Doha, Qatar in January, and raised National flag at Asian Championships after 39 Years.

In total Pakistan has won two silver medals at the Commonwealth youth games. All these two are from weightlifting. Earlier Pakistani

weightlifter Talha Talib clinched a silver medal in youth games. Talha bagged the silver medal in the 55kg weight category of the mega event. In Tennis, Pakistan’s Muzammil Murtaza lost the quarter final. Mian

Muhammad Aslam, President Pakistan Weightlifting Federation and Chairman Punjab Weightlifting Association, Hafiz Suleman Butt have congratulated Rehman on winning the silver medal.

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messI late show rescues argentIna SPORTS DESK Lionel Messi saved Argentina’s blushes with a late equaliser as the South American giants scored twice in the final five minutes to snatch a 2-2 draw with Mexico in Texas on Tuesday.

Argentina appeared to be heading to their first defeat against Mexico since 2004 after a first half penalty from Javier Hernandez and a second half strike from Hector Herrera fired “El Tri” into a 2-0 lead.

But with the clock ticking down a flurry of attacking substitutions from Argentina coach Gerardo Martino turned the match in favour of the two-time world champions in a dramatic finale.

Ezequiel Lavezzi burst into the penalty area to cut back for Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero to tap in from close range on 85 minutes to make it 2-1.

Then in the 89th minute Aguero picked out Messi with a clever quick free-kick inside the area.

The Barcelona superstar controlled on his chest and then jabbed a low shot past Mexico goalkeeper Moises Munoz to level.

Messi’s goal was the final act of an entertaining encounter played in front of 82,559 at the Arlington, Texas home of the Dallas Cowboys NFL side.

However for long periods both sides looked uncomfortable with the makeshift playing surface, a layer of temporary grass laid on top of artificial turf used for American football games.

Mexico took the lead on 19 minutes through Hernandez’s penalty after Manchester City defender Nicolas Otamendi upended Raul Jimenez in the box.

Munoz made a series of superb saves to deny Argentina a goal before in the 70th minute Hector Herrera made it 2-0 with a thumping strike from the edge of the area after a fine Mexico counter attack.

Mexico appeared to be heading for a victory but Aguero and Messi’s late double strike denied them.

Messi’s equaliser was his 49th goal in his 105th international, leaving him seven goals behind Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer Gabriel Batistuta on 56.

HADDIN ‘ONE OF THE BEST TEAM MEN I’VE EVER BEEN AROUND’: SMITH SPORTS DESK Brad Haddin will always be welcome in the Australian team dressing room, of which he was such a major part for much of the past 15 years. The new captain Steven Smith and the coach Darren Lehmann both offered warm tributes to Haddin from Manchester as he announced his international retirement on the other side of the world in Sydney.

For Smith, Haddin is something like his cricketing father. The pair have been close for almost the entirety of the younger man’s career with New South Wales and latterly Australia, also linking up influentially as the leadership duo for the Sydney Sixers. Last summer Haddin handed over his vice-captaincy post to Smith, allowing the 26-year-old to step in as Test captain at home against India.

There will be plenty of Haddin about the way Smith leads Australia.

“He’s been a terrific player over a long period of time for Australia, cer-

tainly one of the best team men I’ve ever been around - he always put the team first in every aspect,” Smith said. “He’s been a great mentor for me. I’ve learned so much off him, throughout [playing for] NSW. When I started there he was captain. I learned a lot off him there.”

“In the Australian setup as well he always took me under his wing and helped me develop as a player and as a person.

I’m very thankful for that. He was an extremely experienced player, and a great vice-captain to Michael throughout his whole career. He was just a great team man to have around, and who a lot of the young guys learned a lot off.”

Smith also admired Haddin’s natural tendency to take the game on, even if it meant the occasional pratfall. The rewards for such courage could be rich, never more so than during the 2013-14 Ashes summer when his brazen batting drove England to distraction.

“The home Ashes, where we won five-nil, he was a massive part of that. I

think he scored 50 or more in the first innings in all five of those Test matches,” Smith recalled. “He was a big part of our success throughout that summer. That’s probably my fondest memory of him.”

“Magnificent player, really took the game on. Batting at No.7, I think he really came out and played positively. I think there were a lot of times where he got us back into the game, just from sheer will and taking the game on. He was magnificent at that, and I think a lot of keepers around the world can learn from the way he played.” Lehmann and Haddin crossed paths well over a decade ago as opponents in domestic competition, and had their share of confrontations as aggressive captains of South Australia and New South Wales. Years later they worked closely as Lehmann took over as national team coach, and he admitted Haddin’s role extended as far as mentoring the mentor.

“It’s a sad day for Australian cricket, because he was a fantastic player, a fantastic mentor for a lot of young players.

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A great mentor for me as coach,” Lehmann said. “I played against him as a youngster, [when I was] with South

Australia, and saw him rise through the ranks and play some amazing knocks for Australia.

SPORTS Thursday, 10 September, 2015

NATIONAL T20: NASIR, AMIR STORM RAWALPINDI RAMS TO VICTORY

Miandad says he quit as coach as players were indulging in corruption KaRachi

ISLAMABAD: Nasir Jamshed’s unbeaten 62 helped Rawalpindi Rams seal a victory over Bahawalpur Region by 7 wickets in the National Twenty20 Tournament played at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi. Jamshed smashed eight fours and a six on just 36 balls and was also declared Player of the Match. Naveed Malik assisted Jamshed by scoring 51 runs on 43 balls including four boundaries and four sixes. It seemed hard for the Bahawalpur bowlers to bag wickets as Kamran Hussain, Zahir Siddiqi and Faisal Mubashir were able to take only one wicket each for 14, 26 and 10 runs respectively. The toss was won by Bahawalpur after which they elected to bat first to make a total of 125 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 20 overs. Aamer Ijaz (33), Shahan Akram (15), Zahir Siddiqi (15 not out), Mohammad Yasir (12) and Waqas Khan (11) were the main scorers for Bahwalpur. Rawalpindi’s Muhammad Amir stunned Bahawalpur batsmen with his superb bowling grabbing 3 wickets for 23 runs in 4 overs. Hammad Azam also attained 2 wickets for 22 runs in 4 overs. AGENCIES

PAKISTANI TRIO IS FIT TO BE OFFERED SECOND CHANCE: DAVE RICHARDSON

The International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO Dave Richardson on Wednesday said that the trio of Muhammad Asif, Salman Butt and Muhammad Amir was deemed fit by the Tribunal to make a return to competitive cricket after they have faced their ban.

“With regard to the three players, the Tribunal saw fit to offer a second opportunity to them to return to domestic and international cricket, provided it met specified criteria,” said Richardson, while talking to an Indian media outlet in an interview. “It is now up to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to set up a formal rehabilitation programme, which it has done.” He further added that the ICC supports the three players in the pursuit of making a return. “The ICC fully supports the PCB in its efforts to help the players rebuild the reputation of the players and maintain the integrity of the game,” added Richardson. Regarding the Pakistan-India series, the CEO said after everything gets resolved between both the countries a series would help boost the popularity of Test Cricket. SPORTS DESK

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N a startling revelation, Pakistan’s former captain Javed Miandad has claimed that he decided to step down as the national coach in 1999 as some players were openly indulging in corruption and unethical practices.

“I told the than Chairman of the cricket board, Khalid Mehmood to take action or Pakistan cricket would suffer irreparable damage in coming times. My conscience didn’t allow me to continue as coach so I stepped down in 1999,” Miandad said.

Miandad, who played 124 Tests and 233 ODIs and also served as Director-General cricket in the PCB, said by 1999 some players were openly indulging in corruption. “In 1999 the menace of fixing was weakening the roots of Pakistan cricket,” he added. Miandad was forced to step down as coach weeks before the World Cup in England when some members of the team revolted against him.

The players refused to play under Miandad and made this clear during a reception in Islamabad for the team prior to the World Cup claiming that he had made baseless accusations against them of fixing matches during an earlier tourna-

ment in Sharjah. Two senior players had reportedly threatened Miandad with bats during an altercation in the dressing room where the latter accused them of deliberately under-performing in a match against England. Miandad was also riled by comments made by the then Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Khalid Mehmood last week that the former was changed as coach as he wanted more pow-

ers in selection matters. “What he has said is not the truth. The fact is that I had warned him than that some players were deliberately changing results and under-performing in matches. I told him to take action or Pakistan cricket would suffer in the coming years.

But he didn’t believe in me and today we are seeing the damage done to Pakistan cricket,” Miandad told the ‘Jung’ newspaper in an in-

terview. “Some years later Saeed Anwar came to me and apologised to me for being part of the campaign against me and admitted that senior players used to instigate the junior players against me,” he claimed. “Later on in the World Cup, these same group of players were responsible for the shock defeat against Bangladesh and than what happened in the final is now part of history,” he said.

Bilateral series with India not possible in Dec: Ramiz SPORTS DESK Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja feels the bilateral series with India would not be possible in December and said in these circumstances PCB should try to host the Pakistan Super League on schedule.

Pakistan was scheduled to play a bilateral series against India consisting of three Tests, five ODIs and two T20s in UAE in December this year. “I don’t think that the series against India will be possible in December due to the existing political relations between the two countries,” Ramiz, a well-known commentator and pundit, said.

“I would love to see the two

teams revive their traditional cricket rivalry but it does not seem eminently possible at this time given the relations and issues between the two countries. “In such a scenario it is important for the cricket board to have the PSL in February for the image and improvement of Pakistan cricket,” he said. The Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed Ramiz and another former test captain Wasim Akram as brand ambassadors for the PSL for the next three years.

“I think the board decided to appoint us as brand ambassadors to make use of our experience. And we will do everything in our power to raise the PSL as a brand. We are available for this work all the time,” he said.

The former skipper said that if the PSL is launched successfully not only would it mean financial benefits for Pakistan cricket and board but also allow the new and young Pakistani players to gain much needed international exposure. “The PSL is the best platform to give opportunities to our under-19 and budding players. If all our current top players take part in the league it should be a big success,” he said.

Ramiz was also unwilling to change his views on allowing the tainted trio of Salman Butt, Muhammad Asif or Muhammad Aamir back into cricket. “In my book there is no forgiveness as such which would allow them to play

cricket again. I would advise the PCB to support them and use them in social and anti-corruption work but not bring them back into the sport,” he said.

India tour ideal preparation for Australia: Nasir Hossain SPORTS DESK Nasir Hossain, the Bangladesh allrounder, has said that Bangladesh A’s upcoming series against India A will be ideal preparation for the home series against Australia in October. Nasir is one of 14 national players included in the Bangladesh A squad, who are scheduled to play three one-dayers and a three-day game against India A, as well as a threeday match against Ranji Trophy champions Karnataka. “Doing well in India will keep us well prepared for the Australia series next month,” Nasir said.

“I think this is why there’s a number of national team players in this team. We are going there to win the one-day series. It is better that we are playing the three-day matches in the latter part of the

tour. After we play the two three-dayers, we play against Australia.” Expecting a tough opposition from India A, Nasir feels the tour will be helpful for the national players. “We have returned to training after a break. We will have a number of national team players in the side. “This tour will be good for our individual performances. It will be harder because India A will not make it any easier for us. I feel it will be a good contest,” he said.

After being dropped for the Zimbabwe series last year, for the first time in his international career, Nasir completed his comeback in all three formats in July this year when he was picked for the second Test against South Africa.

He was unbeaten on 13 the end of the first day, but the rest of the game was

Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad.

CMYK

rained off.

Nasir continued to stay in the limitedovers squads after he was picked for the World Cup, but did not spend a lot of time in the middle, the longest stretch being 44 balls against South Africa in the first ODI. Instead, his bowling flourished as Mashrafe Mortaza persisted with him in critical phases of one-day games. He said that he does not have a personal target for the India tour but he will be looking to grab any chance that comes his way. “I played in the last Test so I don’t really have to make a comeback. I play each match to perform. We have to play well in India.

They are a strong side. We will be more focused in this tour. “I don’t have a personal target. I want to make use of any opportunity that comes up,” he said.