E paper pdf (14 4 2016) lhr

CMYK

thursday, 14 april, 2016 I 6 rajab, 1437 I rs 20.00 I vol vI no 286 I 20 pages I lahore edition

PPP gives ‘ailing’ Nawaz Sharif a reason to smile Pm says he is in London for heart treatment, will return to Pakistan as soon as his doctors allow LONDON/LAHORE/ISLAMABAD HAMID KHAN WAZIR/AGENCIES

P LAHORE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif pays respect to his mother before leaving for Britain for treatment of a heart ailment.

PPP DECIDES NOT TO TAKE PART IN PTI’S RAIwIND SIT-IN PROTEST govt to constItute judIcIal coMMIssIon under ForMer judge wIthIn 48 hours STORIES ON PAGE 03 Controversial Cyber Crime Bill approved by NA According to critics, the proposed bill criminalises activities such as sending text messages without the receiver’s consent or criticising government actions on social media with fines and long-term imprisonment. Industry representatives have argued that the bill would harm business as well.

STORY ON PAGE 02

10 cops killed, 20 taken hostage by Chhotu Gang in Punjab’s Kacha operation According to police, a 30-member police team led by DSP Sadar Asif Rasheed and SHO Bangla Acha Hanif Ghouri launched an operation to enter the area of Chhotu Gang when the gangsters opened fire on the police party, killing 10 policemen including an SHO and abducting 20 others.

STORY ON PAGE 04

at least 19 dead as passenger bus, truck collide near Faisalabad The accident took place near Theekriwala due to “speeding and reckless driving”, senior police official Afzaal Ahmed Khosa said.

STORY ON PAGE 02

Economic progress linked with peace in Karachi, says army chief Expressing satisfaction over success of law enforcement agencies in the continuing operation against criminal elements in the city, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has said country’s economic progress is linked with peace in Karachi.

raw runs specIal cell to sabotage cpec, says secretary deFence STORIES ON PAGE 02

IMF projects 4.5% econoMIc growth For pakIstan In 2016, 4.7% In 2017 STORY ON PAGE 16

RImE minister Nawaz Sharif on wednesday rejected rumours that he had left Pakistan for London due to the controversy surrounding the name of his family in the Panama Papers scandal, saying he had come to Britain for medical treatment and would

Lauds PPP for not supporting PTI’s call for joint protest, says he has good relations with Asif Zardari

return to Pakistan to serve the people as soon his doctors allow him.

Addressing reporters in London, Nawaz said that his family had done nothing illegal while engaging in business abroad. “my family has nothing to worry about as we have not done anything illegal. I have come to London for medical treatment and will return to Pakistan to resume my official engagements soon,” he said,

rejecting reports that he was under immense pressure after the Panama Papers scandal named his children as owners of three offshore companies. “we have always served Pakistan with honesty and commitment and I assure you that the tradition will continue with much more zeal after my treatment,” he said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

02 NEWS

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

Controversial Cyber Crime bill approved by na PROPOSED BILL CRIMINALISES ACTIVITIES SUCH AS SENDING TEXT MESSAGES WITHOUT THE RECEIVER’S CONSENT OR CRITICISING GOVT ACTIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH FINES AND LONG-TERM IMPRISONMENT ISLAMABAD

t

MIAN ABRAR

HE controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill 2015 was approved in the National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday. The bill must also be approved by Senate before it can be signed into law. The draconian bill ─ which has been criticised by the IT industry as well as civil society for curbing human rights and giving overreaching powers to law enforcement agencies ─ was submitted to the NA for voting in Jan 2015 by the Ministry of IT. It was then referred to the NA Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication to address concerns raised by the opposition members and stakeholders from the industry.

A draft of the cybercrime bill was then forcefully cleared by the standing committee in September before being for-

sC aCCepts plea ConCerning panama leaks ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT The Supreme Court (SC) has accepted a plea seeking formation of a commission to investigate Panama Leaks scandal. The petitioner Tariq Asad has made Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan, Minister for Information Pervaiz Rashid, the Election Commission and PTI Chairman Imran Khan party in the petition. The petitioner moved the court that the judicial commission should give its decision on whether the tax evasion is a crime or not and if a tax evader can be part of the parliament. He also asked the court whether the offshore companies are legal or not and if the money was transferred to offshore companies through money laundering.

The petitioner also asked whether Imran Khan’s announcement of a sit-in was against anyone’s basic human rights? The petition moved the SC to make sure the commission’s report, once completed, should be publicised.

warded to the NA for final approval without showing committee members the copy of the bill.

According to critics, the proposed bill criminalises activities such as sending text messages without the receiver’s consent or criticising government actions on social media with fines and long-term imprisonment. Industry representatives have argued that the bill would harm business as well.

Online criticism of religion, the country, its courts, and the armed forces are among subjects which could invoke official intervention under the bill.

The bill would enable the federal government to establish or designate a law enforcement agency for the investigation of offences under this Act. The passage of the bill was not easy and it took the government over three hours to get the bills passed as over 100 amendments were moved for consideration of

the House. However, the House passed 39 amendments moved by the Minister of State for Information Technology while rejecting 63 amendments tabled by the opposition. Hence, the bill was reshaped in totality.

All offences under the new law except from cyber terrorism and child pornography are non-cognizable, bailable and compoundable.

The issuance of unauthorized SIM cards will be cognizable offence by the investigation agency on a written complaint by the Authority.

The punishment for cyber terrorism is tagged as 14 years imprisonment or Rs 50 million fine or both while punishment for offence against violation of modesty of a natural person is seven years imprisonment or Rs five million fine or both in case of offence against minor (child pornography) will increase to 10 years imprisonment or Rs 10 million or both.

The punishment for other offences under the law varies from three months to seven years imprisonment and fine ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs five million.

Minister of State for IT Anusha Rehman Khan said that the discussion on this important bill continued for few years and credit goes to all the political parties for giving their valuable inputs on it. She said the bill will also help protect critical infrastructure existing on the cyber space like that of the Nadra database.

THe BILL:Under the bill, the federal government will establish or designate a law enforcement agency for the investigation of offences under this act. The government will also establish or designate a forensic laboratory independent of investigation agency to provide expert opinion before the court or for benefit of the investigation agency in relation to electronic evidence collected for purpose of investigation and prosecution of offences under this law.

The legislation will effectively prevent cyber-crimes and contribute to the national security and will also provide an environment for investment in Information Technology, e-commerce and epayment systems.

RAW runs special cell to sabotage CPEC, says secretary defence ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has established a special cell at its headquarters in New Delhi to sabotage China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and the plan is executed via Afghanistan, Secretary Defence Gen (r) Alam Khattak said on Wednesday.

“RAW and Afghan NDS have launched joint secret operations against Pakistan by using three Indian consulates in Jalalabad, Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif,” said secretary defence.

“The three consulates in Afghanistan are providing weapons, money, training and other

logistical support to agents for subversive activities in FATA, Balochistan and Karachi,” added Khattak.

The secretary defence, flanked by senior defence officials, was briefing the Senate defence committee which met at Parliament House.

RAW has also setup a cell at NDS HQ in Kabul for coordinating antiPakistan activities, said Khattak.

Referring to the recent arrest of Kulbushan Jadhav, a deep cover RAW operative arrested from Balochistan, the secretary defence elaborated that his entire network has been dismantled by Pakistani security agencies.

Khattak, also shed light on Coalition Support Fund (CSF) and its disbursement since 9/11. He

explained to the committee that 40 per cent of the amount received was allocated to civil government while 60 per cent was given to the armed forces.

Pakistan received $13 billion under CSF since 9/11, and another $200 million is due to be given by the United States.

“CSF is going to be closed on September 30, 2016,” said Khattak Earlier, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, speaking at the Peace and Prosperity seminar in Balochistan, said Indian intelligence agency RAW is actively involved in destabilising Pakistan.

“Hostile intelligence agencies are averse to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),” said the chief of army staff.

SC orders Ayyan’s name to be removed from ECL ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld Sindh High Court’s (SHC) order to remove supermodel Ayyan’s name from the country’s Exit Control List (ECL).

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed

by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan rejected the federal government’s appeal against SHC’s order. The bench upheld the model should be allowed to travel abroad.

Further, the top court while issuing the judgment, observed that mere pendency of a criminal case cannot serve as a justification to prohibit Ayyan’s movement.

The order stated that it has never been the case of the government that Ayyan is involved in any of the cases listed in Rule 2 of the Exit from Pakistan (Control) Rules, 2010 in general or Rule 2(1)(b) in particular, in as much as she has not been charged to have embezzled a large government’s funds or committed institutional fraud.

“In the absence of any such allegations, we don’t think the respondent’s movement could be prohibited under the Ordinance or the Rules,” the court said.

Disagreeing with Ayyan’s counsel, the three-judge bench added that remedy by way of review is inadequate or illusory because such arguments would tend to defeat the letter and spirit of Section 3 of the Ordinance. Ayyan had requested the apex court to quash a

petition filed by the federal government against Sindh High Court’s March 7 order, calling for the removal of her name from the ECL. The supermodel was arrested by customs officials from Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad on March 14, 2015 after $506,800 was recovered from her luggage. She was released from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi after almost four months in detention. She has already been indicted in the money laundering case but denies the charges. Further, SC on April 6 reserved judgment on the federal government’s appeal against SHC to remove Ayyan’s name from the ECL.

She is under trial on money laundering charges and currently on bail. Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan has expressed wonder that what terrible thing will happen if she goes out of the country. He remarked that a person can go abroad even on pleasure trip.

The judge while referring to Pervez Musharraf‘s departure case has also observed that there should not be different principles for one person and the other, adding that she (Ayyan) should not be discriminated as the government could not have discriminatory policy. The three-member bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal was hearing the Customs Collectors appeal. The Sindh High Court on March 7 ordered the secretary ministry of interior to immediately remove model’s name from the ECL and submit compliance report within 14 days. However, the Collector Customs challenged that order in the apex court. Later interior ministry also impleaded this case.

In March 2015, customs officials arrested the supermodel at Islamabad airport, upon recovering $506,800 from her luggage. Ayyan later denied any role in money laundering. She was released from Adiala prison in Rawalpindi after spending almost four months in detention.

During the hearing on Wednesday, Justice Ejaz asked the counsel for Customs Collectorate is there any apprehension that the model would not come back.

CMYK

Under the law, the unauthorized use of identity information, tempering of communication equipment, interference with critical infrastructure, information system or data, making, obtaining or supplying device for use of offence, cyber stalking are among crimes which have been made as punishable crimes.

The law also provides that the federal government may on receipt of request extend such cooperation to any foreign Government, foreign agency or international organization or agency for the purpose of investigation or proceedings concerning certain offences.

CRITICISm: Critics say that a government-led sub-committee put in time to modify the draft that had originally been chiseled by the IT Ministry and industry stakeholders and activists — the latter now holding that they were excluded from the process of finalising the draft.

What now stands to be tabled in the National Assembly, they say, is a loosely worded piece of legal drafting that not just betrays a poor grasp of the technical aspects of digital communications and the internet, but also contains several deeply problematic clauses that are open to misinterpretation and may be used as crutches for censorship and the suppression of views a government finds unpalatable.

OTHeR BILLS: The House also passed two other bills including the Foreign Exchange Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2014 moved by Parliamentary Secretary for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal and the Foreigners (Amendment) Bill 2016 moved

by Parliamentary Secretary for Interior Maryam Aurangzeb.

Economic progress linked with peace in Karachi, says army chief KARACHI: Expressing satisfaction over success of law enforcement agencies in the continuing operation against criminal elements in the city, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has said country’s economic progress is linked with peace in Karachi. “A terror free and peaceful Karachi is the ultimate aim of this operation and all efforts must be directed with a focused approach to achieve this objective,” the army chief said during his visit to the country’s economic hub on Wednesday.

According to the ISPR, the COAS chaired a security meeting at Corps Headquarters.

The army chief also appreciated the people of Karachi who supported the security forces unflinchingly for their efforts in the surgical operation. General Raheel was briefed in detail about the Karachi operation and its success so far before the high-level meeting, which was attended by DG ISI, DG MI and Rangers, among others. Earlier during the day, the COAS addressed the faculty, participants and allied forces of Air War Course, and spoke on the regional security environment and the army’s fight against the menace of terrorism. General Raheel also resolved to take the fight to its logical end, and lauded the efforts of Pakistan Air Force’s role in support of army in operation Zarb-e-Azb. STAFF REPORT

At least 19 dead as passenger bus, truck collide near Faisalabad FAISALABAD: At least 19 people, including two children, were killed in a collision between a passenger bus and a truck near Faisalabad early on Wednesday.

The accident took place near Theekriwala due to “speeding and reckless driving”, senior police official Afzaal Ahmed Khosa said. “Nineteen passengers including two women and two children were killed,” Khosa said. Dr Naeem Hashmi, who works at the Allied Hospital in Faisalabad, said 15 injured people were being treated in the emergency department. Two of them were in a serious condition. STAFF REPORT

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

ppp won’t join pti's street agitation against pm nawaz PPP TO COOPERATE WITH PTI, OTHER OPPOSITION PARTIES INSIDE THE PARLIAMENT ON 'ISSUE TO ISSUE BASIS' PPP DISSOLVES ALL PARTY ORGANISATIONS UP TO DISTRICT LEVEL TO ALLOW REORGANISATION ISLAMABAD

i

MIAN ABRAR

N a move many had predicted beforehand, the Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) on Wednesday passed on the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI)’s offer to join hands and unite the opposition as it prepares to mount a stiff campaign against the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the wake of allegations that have hit Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a bit too close to home.

Analysts had predicted that while the PPP will keep pressure on the PMLN in the media, it will not support PTI in a move which could see the prime minister removed from his post.

The PPP made these decisions at the party's Core Committee meeting chaired by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

A well placed source in the PPP told Pakistan Today that the party discussed the situation in the wake of the Panama Leaks and decided not to join the PTI in a public show of strength.

BILAWAL DISCIPLINeS AHSAN,

KHURSHeeD: "The party chairman was given detailed briefings on the situation by PPP senior leaders Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan and Syed Khurshid Shah,” the source said, and added, “The chairman expressed displeasure over the statements made by both leaders concerning sensitive issues without seeking advice from the party's top leadership."

The source said the chairman expressed anger over the enthusiastic welcome given by both the party leaders to the party's ‘defector’ Shah Mahmood Qureshi and said that no such meeting should have taken place. The two leaders were told to seek the party chief’s nod before taking such decisions in future. Bilawal, however, agreed to extend cooperation to PTI on an ‘issue to issue basis’, the source said.

"But Bilawal made it clear that this cooperation will be limited to the parliament and the PPP will not become a party in PTI’s street agitation, which could bring down the PML-N government," the source added.

"Bilawal also expressed annoyance over Rehman Malik's meeting with Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar in vi-

olation of the party's policy."

PPP TO SeT UP PARLIAmeNTARY COmmITTee: The source said Bilawal ordered to set up a four member committee comprising leaders of the opposition and the party's parliamentary leaders both in the National Assembly and the Senate. He tasked the committee to reach out to other political parties for setting up a parliamentary committee with full powers to pursue investigations into Panama Leaks including powers to conduct forensic investigation through international forensic experts.

Bilawal also appointed a four member committee of legal experts to advise him on the legal issues involved and the course of action to be followed for the purpose of undertaking full investigation into Panama Leaks in a transparent and credible manner. The legal experts committee comprises Senator Aitzaz Ahsan, Senator Farooq Naek, former governor Latif Khosa and former Senate chairman Nayyer Bokhari.

The source said Bilawal rejected the idea of mounting a stiff campaign against Nawaz Sharif, because the party

is not ready for elections at this stage.

PPP DISSOLVeS PARTY ORGANISATIONS: The PPP announced that it was dissolving all the party organisations in order to re-organise the party immediately.

The party decided to abolish all organisations at the district level in all the provinces. A five-member organising committee has been set up at the provincial level in each province to make recommendations to the PPP chairman regarding the re-organisation of the Party within three months.

Bilawal Bhutto had announced during the party's meeting in Larkana earlier this month that he would announce the party’s re-organisation soon.‎ The senior leaders present during the meeting with Bilawal included Faryal Talpur, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Syed Khurshid Shah, Farooq Naek, Aitzaz Ahsan, Nayyar Bokhari, Latif Khosa, Sherry Rehman, Naveed Qamar, Jehangir Bader, Faisal Kundi, Saleem Mandviwala, Rehman Malik, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Ijaz Jhakrani, Jamil Soomro, Rukhsana Bangash, Fouzia Habib and Farhatullah Babar.

Imran accuses PM of using tax payers’ money for London trip LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has taken exception to prime minister’s trip to London, accusing him of using public tax money to undergo foreign trips.“Whenever the prime minister falls ill, he leaves abroad on public tax money,” lashed Imran referring to PM’s departure for London.

He was addressing a ceremony. Khan went on to say that the prime minister doesn’t care about lack of medical facilities in his own country. The PTI chair-

man targeted his detractors, saying they were accusing him of wrongdoing to hide their misdeeds and corruption. “Some leaders are also criticising Shaukat Khanum Hospital to hide their own corruption.”

He said people’s tax money should be spent on their welfare, instead of treatment of prime minister abroad. “These courtiers don’t even have a ‘sharm’ or ‘haya’,” said Khan.

He reiterated his demand that a probe commission be constituted under the serving Chief Justice of Pakistan, adding that PTI will organise a big event at his residence in Bani Gala on April 24.

Imran Khan said in India a potent commission has already been formed which is tasked to give report on its findings over Panama Leaks by April 25. The PTI chief said the government’s job is to take the corrupt elements to task and not to hurl allegations.

He said Pakistanis work hard and remit $19 billion to Pakistan while the government does the opposite and launders it abroad.

He lauded the remarks of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan and demanded of the government to come forward with its response on the same.

PPP gives ‘ailing’ Nawaz a reason to smile CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01 While the prime minister was all praises for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for turning down Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s offer to initiate joint protests against the PML-N, Nawaz lashed out at PTI chief Imran Khan, without naming him, saying “one person was bent upon hampering development and progress of Pakistan.” “I have always had good relations with PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari,” said Nawaz, adding that character assassination of political rivals did not suit national leaders. “I have always said that we will support the PPP in every public welfare project the party initiates,” he added.

Before departing, the PM held a meeting with Interior Minister Nisar, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif among other senior aides to discuss the implications of the Panama Papers scandal and the current political situation in the country, according to sources.

“It’s just a personal visit and Nawaz Sharif will not hold political meetings during his stay in London,” Asif Kirmani, the PM’s political secretary said.

“Nawaz will spend one week in London and would also visit his doctors for medical treatment,” added Kirmani.

Sources in the ruling party said the PM was suggested to spend a week in London to relieve his ‘stress and anxiety’ because of the situation developing after the Panama leaks. “PM Nawaz will also spend time with his children in London,” the source added.

NO SCHISm IN SHARIF FAmILY: Meanwhile, Nawaz’s daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif asserted on Wednesday there is no schism in the Sharif family.

“Contrary to the conspiracy-mongers, Sharif family is neither under any stress nor is there a schism. We stand united. Alhamdolillah!” said Maryam Nawaz Sharif through her verified Twitter account. She also shared a picture on Twitter showing her father kissing his mother’s hand.

“My father reverently kisses my grandma’s hand as she surrounds him with prayers for his health before seeing him off,” she tweeted.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nawaz left for London from Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport on Wednesday for a “personal and medical visit”, as Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan categorically rejected rumours of any ‘secret engagements’ of the prime minister in London saying the sole purpose of his visit to the UK is medical treatment.

The PM’s plane made a brief stop in

Moscow for unknown reasons. Nisar, however, said the prime minister’s condition was so bad that he had to stop over in Moscow for a couple of hours instead of taking a direct flight to London.

Nisar said the prime minister had been facing heart problems for the past many years which had deteriorated during the last three weeks, which is why he had to travel to London; hence it should not be politicised. He said that the prime minister repeatedly postponed the routine medical checkup due to his official engagements over the past few months owing to which his health has deteriorated to the extent that he has to stop for two hours in Moscow.

Nisar said the PM has to postpone his scheduled visit to attend the OIC conference in Turkey because of his ailment; hence his visit to London should not be viewed as an excuse to leave the country, adding that he will return to Pakistan on his doctor’s advice.

DAR AT THe HeLm: The premier’s visit comes after Finance Minister Ishaq Dar cancelled his visit to the United States on the instructions of PM Nawaz.

“In view of the prime minister’s programme to proceed to the United Kingdom for medical checkup, I have decided not to proceed to Washington to attend

CMYK

the Spring meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF),” Dar said in an official handout issued on Tuesday.

Pm’S SONS WILL ANSWeR: Talking about the controversial Panama Papers leaks, the minister said that the issue was not directly linked to the premier himself but his sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz and that they would themselves respond to the allegations against them.

However, he warned the opposition political parties that the allegations should not be used as a political move to freeze or oust the incumbent government through undemocratic means.

He said that since the government is ready for conducting a probe into allegations over Panama Leaks by any institution of the opposition’s choice so as to take the matter to its logical end.

FORmeR JUDGeS WON’T HeAD THe COmmISSION AND IT’S KHAN’S FAULT: Nisar said the government had contacted senior former judges of the Supreme Court, including former chief justices, to head the inquiry commission that will probe the Sharif family post-Panama data leaks.

He said that five former Supreme Court justices – Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Tasadiq Jilani, Justice Amirul

NEWS

03

Govt to constitute judicial commission under former judge within 48 hours LAHORE SAMIULLAH RANDHAWA

After a high-level meeting of the government’s legal team, the government has finally decided to constitute a judicial commission under the supervision of a retired senior judge to probe the so-called Panama Leaks.

Reliable sources told Pakistan Today that following pressure from the opposition parties of the country, the government has tasked its legal team with forming a judicial commission as soon as possible.

Yesterday, a high-level meeting attended

by Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Ashter Ausaf, former AGP Salman Butt and others who looked into the matter at length. It was decided in the meeting that the legal team will finalise the name of the retired judge who will head the commission within 24 to 48 hours.

Sources said the legal team has approached three to four retired judges of the Supreme Court who have shown willingness to head the high-profile commission.

FORENSIC AUDIT FIRM TO BE HIRED THROUGH PPRA: The matter of probing the involvement of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family through forensic experts was also discussed in the meeting, sources said.

The legal team decided to hire the services of some renowned chartered accountancy firms like KPMG and Fergusons through an open tender under the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA).

The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority is an autonomous body endowed with the responsibility of prescribing regulations and procedures for public procurements by government-owned public sector organisations.

Sources said that if the government intends to engage a forensic expert for the commission through PPRA, it might take six months under the PPRA rules.

On the other hand, high-level sources in the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) told Pakistan Today that the party was not concerned by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s announcement to besiege the Raiwind estate of the prime minister.

“The PM’s Jati Umra residence is quite far from Lahore and has more than one access routes so there is no immediate concern for the family’s smooth travel. Moreover, the PM travels by a helicopter to and from Lahore so a siege-like situation outside his estate won’t cause much hassle to him,” said a source.

“Tuesday’s statement issued by the Chief Justice of Pakistan is also a dampener for Imran Khan as the top judge has clearly said that forming a commission is the executive’s responsibility,” said the source, adding that Supreme Court Bar Association President Ali Zafar had also ruled out a judicial commission with the CJP as its head.

Mulk Mengal, Justice Sahir Ali and Justice Tanvir Ahmad Khan had been contacted by the government to head the Panama Papers probe.

However, Nisar said that all the respected judges refused to head the commission without giving any reason, but he said that they are reluctant to take on the responsibility because of the irresponsible attitude of the opposition political parties.

NISAR WON’T Be HOme eITHeR “If the government had any intention to constitute a fake commission, why did it contact such senior judges to probe the matter,” he added.

Lashing out at opposition political parties, Nisar said they were resorting to cheap tactics to gain political mileage, adding they should not target government under the garb of Panama Leaks and corruption. “If keeping foreign property is unlawful for the prime minister’s family, it also applies to Imran Khan, Asif Zardari and others,” he said. In what seemed to be an attempt to stop rumours, the federal minister said that he wanted to divulge some personal information, as he is also going on a two-day private visit to Germany, because “my wife has already reached there”. The interior minister also issued a veiled warning to political opponents, saying that in his capacity as a minister, he was privy to information against certain individuals which would unleash a political storm but he was keeping silent in national interest.

04 NEWS curfew imposed in indian-held Kashmir after army fire kills 3 SRINAGAR AGeNCieS

Angry residents clashed with police in India-held Kashmir Wednesday, one day after three civilians were killed when soldiers fired on protesters incensed by the alleged molestation of a teenage schoolgirl.

Soldiers fired at the protesters on Tuesday as they stormed an army bunker and set it on fire in the northern town of Handwara, near the de facto border dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan, police and witnesses said. Two protesters were shot dead and a woman working in a nearby field later died of a bullet wound. Another injured protester was in critical condition in hospital, said India-held Kashmir’s director general of police K Rajendra. Police said a 70-yearold woman, who was hit by gunfire and was among a dozen injured during massive clashes between local residents and government forces on Tuesday, died in a hospital Wednesday. “We imposed restrictions in the old town of Srinagar and in Handwara to prevent violence,” Rajendra told AFP. Police Inspector-General Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gillani said the soldiers fired at protesters when they tried to torch their bunker.

The two men killed on Tuesday have not been buried yet, while the woman’s last rites were performed amid pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. “She was working in her orchard four kilometers away from the protest site. The soldiers came and shot her.

It’s a plain murder,” said villager Ghulam Mohammed Shah. Shortly after her burial, clashes erupted as villagers defied the curfew and hurled rocks at government forces who responded by firing tear gas. The army has expressed regret at the shootings and ordered an inquiry, saying in a statement that anyone found guilty “would be dealt with”.

The incident is likely to heighten tensions in the region where locals resent the large Indian troop presence due to alleged human rights abuses. Troops enjoy immunity from prosecution in civilian courts unless specifically permitted by New Delhi. Kashmir’s new Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti warned the shootings would have a “negative impact” on her government’s efforts to promote peace in the region.

f-16 jets supplied to Pakistan for fighting terrorism, us assures india NEWS DESK The United States supplied Pakistan with F-16 fighter jets to fight terrorism in areas where the Taliban have a strong foothold, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter reiterated during a joint press conference in India.

However, as Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar shared the Indian government’s concern following the US decision to sell eight F-16 jets to Pakistan, Carter assured that the jets would only be used against terror, Times of India reported.

Upon being asked if the US was trying to be a trusted ally of India by supplying the fighter jets to Pakistan, Carter, who is currently visiting India said, “We try to be a trusted partner of India.”

He added that the US has given ‘unique technologies’ to India. “We don’t have an agreement like that with other countries.”

Further addressing the New Delhi’s concerns, Carter said the US ‘values’ its relationship with Pakistan.

“India also has relations with other countries like Russia. We respect that,” he said in the same regard.

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

10 coPs kIlled, 20 Taken hosTage by chhoTu gang

file photo of NotoRioUS GANGSteR ChhotU BhiKRANi (iN GReeN CAp) AND hiS ACCoMpliCeS.

RAJANPUR

a

StAff RepoRt

T least 10 policemen, including a police inspector, were killed and 24 taken into hostage by the Chotu Gang in the riverine Katcha area in Rajanpur on Wednesday.

According to police, a 30-member police team led by DSP Sadar Asif Rasheed and SHO Bangla Acha Hanif Ghouri launched an operation to enter the area of Chhotu Gang when the gangsters opened

fire on the police party.

Resultantly, SHO Bangla Acha police Hanif Ghouri and head constable Muhammad Ajmal, constables Muhammad Tanvir, Muhammad Tariq, Qazi Faheem, Amanullah, Zabihullah and three others were killed. The remaining 20 policemen were taken hostage by the gangsters. With the operation Zarb-e-Aahan entering into 16th day and 1,600 cops taking part in it, no member of the Chotu Gang has so far been apprehended.

Reports suggest that the gangsters have demanded police for a safe pas-

sage while contacting through wireless set seized by the abducted cops.

Kachi Jamal area is believed to be a bastion of Chotu Gang that borders Dera Bugti in Balochistan.

Of late, police and paramilitary Rangers mounted an offensive against criminal gangs in the lawless Katcha areas of Punjab that border Sindh and Balochistan.

The miscreants in the difficultto-access area have nexus with banned outfits and have long been committing robberies and kidnappings, and go into hiding.

PPP is not ready for polls, PTI is Arif NizAmi sAys PPP did Not suPPort Pti becAuse it is Not reAdy for eArly Polls MONITORING DESK An election at this stage is would not suit Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and that is why they have decided not to join Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) in their protest movement against the incumbent government, Pakistan Today Editor Arif Nizami said on Wednesday.

Analysing the PPP’s decision not to join PTI in its protest sit-in against the government, during his channel 24 programme DNA program, Nizami said the sudden election would only suit the PTI which is why Imran Khan is eager to launch a rigorous street agitation to topple the government.

He was of the view that Chaudry Nisar Ali Khan is not a true friend of his party as he is not doing any service to it by launching verbal attacks on Aitzaz Ahsan and other opposition leaders.

Nizami said that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has started working as de-facto prime minister in the absence of Nawaz Sharif.

Arif Nizami wondered why the politicians run to London in the time of crisis. It is pertinent to mention here that Imran Khan is also leaving for London while Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri has also confirmed his arrival there.

Moreover, Asif Ali Zardari has been residing in London for a while, though according to the prime minister’s team, the two will not meet during the PM’s stay there.

sartaj highlights human right violations in iHK at oic moot ISLAMABAD App

Pti can hold April 24 rally anywhere in capital except red zone, says Nisar ISLAMABAD StAff RepoRt

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Wednesday said the government is ready to allow the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to celebrate its Foundation Day on April 24 anywhere in the federal capital other than the Red Zone provided the party leadership gave assurance of creating no problems for the local administration and citizens of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

“We can sit together with the PTI to discuss the venue of their rally,” Nisar told reporters during a press conference, but warned that party organisers would be responsible for any untoward incident in case the participants of the rally try to move towards the sensitive zone.

He said the political rallies and processions in the Red Zone area of Islamabad are to be strictly banned and the

CMYK

issue to be resolved once and for all, as the nation cannot afford holding such events in highly sensitive zones in the prevailing precarious security situation.

“The administration should stand on its own to protect the federal capital. We will not act strictly but will certainly prepare ourselves before the day of any procession,” he added.

He said the PTI chairman should also realize that such rallies cost billions of rupees to the national kitty, as around 18,000 security personnel would be deployed for the PTI’s public meeting.

Responding to a question, he said the issue of RAW agent Kulbhushan Jadhav will not to be thrown on the backburner.

The interior minister said he has held two sessions with the FIA over Sarfaraz Merchant’s statements and evidence regarding allegations of money laundering against Muttahida Qaumi Movement leaders, adding that a JIT has now been constituted in this regard and Sarfaraz Merchant could be summoned for queries if needed again.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir met on the sidelines of 13th OIC Summit and reiterated its continued support to the people of Indiaoccupied Jammu and Kashmir in their struggle for realization of their right to self-determination in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions. According to Foreign Office statement, the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, led Pakistani delegation to the meeting, which was chaired by the OIC Secretary General’s Special Representative on Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador Abdullah Al-Alim. Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Turkey and Senior Representatives of Saudi Arabia and Niger attended the meeting. Turkish Foreign Minister specially attended the Contact Group meeting despite his engagement with the Council of Foreign Ministers as the Chair.

Sartaj Aziz reiterated Pakistan’s continued diplomatic, moral and political support to the people of India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in their struggle for realization of their right to self-determination in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

NEWS

05

PIMS raPe accuSed gIven In cIa cuStody for three dayS ISLAMABAD

a

2am. The hospital administration vowed to take stern action and conduct an inquiry.

The administration had suspended Kumar with immediate effect after it learnt about the crime.

On Tuesday, Kumar was taken into custody from Haripur while inquiry committee stated that DNA test of the victim came negative for the second consecutive time.

Medics have said that it is impossible to prove a rape after four days. The symptoms could only be visible if tests are conducted within 24 to 36 hours.

Doctors have dispatched the report to the Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division

STAFF REPORT

court on Wednesday handed Krishan Kumar, a male nurse at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) suspected of raping a disabled female patient at the hospital, to the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) on a three-day physical remand. The accused was produced before the court where the law enforcement agency requested for a seven-day remand.

The male nurse is accused of raping a 20-year-old disabled patient while under treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on Saturday night at

171 first response centers to treat people during heatwave, govt tells SHC KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The provincial government on Wednesday informed the Sindh High Court (SHC) that it had decided to establish 171 first response centers in six districts of the city to counter predicted heatwave which is likely to hit in May or June this year. The SHC bench, headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was hearing a petition filed by renowned singer Shezad Roy and other civil rights campaigners seeking action against the responsible for failing to ensure supply of water and electricity during the days of heatwave in Karachi last year. On Wednesday’s hearing, Additional Attorney General Ghulam Mustafa Mahesar appeared before the court and filed compliance report reflecting the proportionate measures adopted by the provincial government to counter the heatwave predicted by the Pakistan Meteorological Department.

According to Heatwave Emergency Plan 2016 for Karachi constituted by districts administrations and health department Sindh, 171 first response centers in all six districts of the metropolitan would be established. “As many as 17 first response centers with the facility of 80 beds in district East, 50 centers having 271 beds in West, 28 centers having 268 beds in South, 38 centers having 176 beds in Central, 22 centers having 44 beds in Malir and 16 centers having 40 beds in Korangi, have been decided to establish,” the report added. The government has decided to arrange awareness programmes through walks, pamphlets and banners in all public gathering places like parks, roundabouts and lectures in educational institutions. The government has also decided to arrange awareness campaign through electronic and print media. The report says that 688 ambulances will be on stand-by position in case of any emergency all over the city.

“Some 300 ambulances of Edhi foundation, 249 of Chhipa foundation, 90 of KKF, 16 of Al-Mustafa Welfare, 25 of JDC and eight ambulances of city administration will be made available to rescue the people.” The copy of the report was also supplied to the petitioner’s counsel who sought time to go through it. The court adjourned the hearing of the case till 15th of April 2016.

(CADD) Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaurdhry.

Mother of the violated girl had moved a complaint to hospital’s administrator, Fazal Maula earlier. However, on Tuesday it was reported that the administration did not carry out timely medical tests of the victim and bed sheets were replaced by the staff.

Owing to delay, the DNA test came negative and the hospital’s authorities decided to conduct another test.

The second DNA test also failed to prove rape whereas family of the disabled girl is asserting that Kumar had raped her. The disabled victim hails from Swat and is under treatment at PIMS Intensive Care Unit for the past two months.

ISLAMABAD: Rape accused Krishan Kumar being brought to the sessions court for a hearing on Wednesday. OnlinE

SHC suspends operation of letters against Bahria Town Clifton project KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday suspended the operation of letters which had cancelled the allotment and part plan of Bahria Town Clifton project.

The SHC bench, headed by Justice Nadeem Akhter, also issued notices to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Sindh Building Control Association (SBCA), Land Department of Karachi Development Authority (KDA) and deputy director of Master Plan Depart-

ment directing them to file their comments on the next hearing. M/S Bahria Town (Pvt) Limited approached the court against the cancellation of allotment and withdrawal of part plan of Bahria Town apartments project in Block No 3, Scheme No 5, Clifton.

The petitioner submitted that the Master Plan Department deputy director on 4th of December 2015 withdrew the part plan and after that its allotment was cancelled by the KDA’s land department on 22nd of December 2015. The M/S Bahria Town (Pvt) Limited requested the

SHC to declare both the letters as void and unlawful. The court suspended the operation of both the letters till 6th of May 2016 and directed the respondents and advocate general to file the comments on the next hearing. It was submitted in the letter issued by the Master Plan Department on 4th of December that the NAB was investigating regarding actual area covered by allotted land. According to the letter, the NAB had questioned whether total area of projects land was 2,200 or 5,148 sq yards.

SC adjournS eleCtion reformS CaSe for indefinite period ISLAMABAD APP

The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned hearing of the case regarding election reforms case for an indefinite period.

The three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the case and remarked that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was seeking more powers but it was not using

powers which it already had.

During the course of proceedings, ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob appeared before the bench and stated that the ECP had decided to experience E-Voting in the next general elections. He said that 0.3 million machines would be required for elections. Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed asked the ECP Secretary to inform the court that whether the Commission had monitored the election campaign of 2013 or any by-

Two ‘al Qaeda-linked terrorists’ killed in CTD operation KARACHI STAFF REPORT

As many as two suspected terrorists were killed and one arrested in police raid in Karachi on Wednesday. The

election. He remarked that the ECP was talking about election reforms but it had failed to establish a election campaign monitoring system despite lapse of four years.

The ECP secretary told the court that the election campaign monitoring system was established during by-election in NA-247 constituency.

The court directed the ECP and other respondents in the case to submit comprehensive reports over election reforms and adjourned the hearing.

counter-terrorism department conducted a raid on information about hideout of alQaeda-linked terrorists in Gadap Town area on outskirts of Karachi. On seeing police, terrorists opened fire and the exchange of fire continued for two hours during which two terrorists were killed and one was arrested. A large quantity of ammunition and explosive material was recovered from their possession. Sources in the CTD said that the killed terrorists belonged to al-Qaeda’s subcontinent wing, identified as Rehan and Hammad, were involved in attacks on police and Rangers.

KulKarni To SpeaK aT KaSuri’S booK launCH ISLAMABAD PRESS RElEASE

The Oxford University Press has organised the book launch of ‘Neither a Hawk Nor a Dove’ authored by former Foreign Minister of Pakistan MianKhurshid Mahmud Kasuri, at the Islamabad Literature Festival on April 17, 2016. The launch in Pakistan’s capital city comes after the highly successful launches in Lahore, Karachi, New Delhi, Chandigarh,

Kasauli, Mumbai, London, Oxford, Cambridge, and Manchester.

Mr Sudheendra Kulkarni, Chairman Observer Research Foundation India, has accepted an invitation extended by the Oxford University Press to speak at the book launch. It is pertinent to mention here that when Mr. Kasuri was in Delhi, the Shiv Sena, a fundamentalist Hindu organization warned Mr. Kasuri not to land on Mumbai or he would have to ‘face the con-

sequences’. They also threatened Mr. Kulkarni who had invited him to Mumbai to cancel the invitation. Mr. Kasuri refused to accept the Shiv Sena’s warnings and landed in Mumbai after Mr. Kulkarni had refused to cancel the invitation. When Mr. Kasuri landed at Mumbai airport, it was surrounded on all sides by the workers of Shiv Sena.

He, however, managed to leave the airport due to heavy police protection.

Shiv Sena then decided to vent its anger

CMYK

at Mr. Kulkarni. They attacked him at his residence, beat him up mercilessly, and plastered black paint on his face.

Despite this, Mr. Kulkarni decided to go ahead with the book launch in the evening with his face plastered in black paint. The picture became iconic at that time and created a sensation not just in India but worldwide and the Indian civil society reacted very negatively to the violent tactics adopted by Shiv Sena and other Hindu fundamentalists.

uS-pak Knowledge Corridor to promote strategic ties: ahsan ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday stated that,” US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor is high on the radar of bilateral relations between Pakistan and USA and is the most important initiative taken in decades.” During a meeting with USAID Mission Director John Groarke, who called on him at Ministry of Planning, Development & Reform, Ahsan Iqbal highlighted the initiatives which will bring improvement in the social sector particularly in education and health. He pointed out that country faces shortage in quality human resource to meet growing needs of expanding universities network in the country. “The country needs ten thousands PhDs in the next ten years to meet the faculty needs of universities and USPakistan Knowledge Corridor will help Pakistan to produce these”, he stated. The minister recalled that unfortunately, Pakistan missed the opportunities in the past to benefit from the real strength of USA i.e. its universities to revolutionize its education sector. However, present government realizes the importance of benefiting from USA universities. He emphasized the need to create the awareness for proper grooming of Pakistani students for PhD programmes in USA universities and urged USAID to help Pakistan through capacity building measures in this regard. In response to offer of USAID Director to contribute in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, minister welcomed the offer. He however asked USAID representative to come up with a tangible proposal. Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the need to harness the potential of Pakistani diaspora by offering them tax incentives for social uplift projects in Pakistan. He shared his plan of laying telemedicine infrastructure in DHQs to connect with top Pakistani doctors in USA to raise the level of treatment in Pakistan. “I believe it offers an opportunity to Pakistani doctors and IT engineers in USA to help Pakistan become IT centre of the region”, he stated. USAID Director commended the plan of US-Pakistan knowledge corridor and said it would be instrumental to further strength the bilateral ties by expanding them into social sector. He also apprised the minister about USAID contribution to bring improvement in education sector of the country particularly in backward areas of the country. STAFF REPORT

police to confiscate property of proclaimed offenders ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Police has decided to confiscate transferable and nontransferable property of proclaimed offenders. According to a source, the federal police have started a drive against proclaimed offenders under the directives of the interior ministry. “It has been decided to step up the drive against the proclaimed offenders besides confiscating their properties so that they could surrender,” said an official while requesting anonymity. A list of proclaimed offenders is being prepared which will be completed within two days.

“Once the list is prepared, the confiscation drive will begin,” the official said. OnlinE

06 LAHORE

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

WEATHER UPDATES

THURSDAY

370C 200C

FRIDAY

380C

220C

SATURDAY

390C 220C

Pakistan and turkey tied in sPecial bond of friendshiP: shehbaz Lahore

s

STAFF REPORT

PeAKeR Grand National Assembly of Turkey Ismail Kharaman met Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday. Matters of mutual interest, promotion of Pak-Turk relations and increase in cooperation in different sectors were discussed on the occasion. It was agreed in the meeting to take further steps for promotion of economic and trade relations between the two countries.

The chief minister warmly welcomed Speaker Grand National Assembly of Turkey Ismail Kharaman and the members of his delegation in Lahore.

He said that there are historic and brotherly relations between Pakistan and Turkey and the people of the two countries consider the other country as their home. He said that relations between Pakistan and Turkey will further strengthen with the visit of the speaker Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

The chief minister said that there is a strong bond of friendship and brotherhood between Pakistan and Turkey and both the countries have helped each other in the time of need whether it was flood, earthquake or any other natural calamity.

Shehbaz Sharif said that the relations between governments and people of Turkey and Pakistan are expanding with the passage of time. He said that during the tenure of Prime Minister

LAHORE: A delegation of Pakistan France Friendship Group led by its President, Pascal Allizard calls on Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, the ties of friendship between the two countries have turned into useful economic cooperation and these bilateral relations will further strengthen in the time to come. He said that Turk President Recep Tayyip erdogan and Prime Minister Davutoglu have fully supported Pakistan and the people of the country can never forget the love of their Turk brethren.

CHinEsE dELEgAtiOn mEEts Cm: Separately, a high-level Chinese delegation led by Vice Governor Shandong province Xia Geng called on Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, here today. Matters of mutual interest, promotion of Pak-China relations and increase in cooperation in different

sectors were discussed on the occasion.

It was decided in the meeting to form a combined working group to increase cooperation between Shandong and Punjab in different sectors.

The group will present proposals for promoting bilateral cooperation in energy, industrial parks and other sectors. It was further decided to increase cooperation in various sectors between Punjab and Shandong and agreements will be made for this purpose. Welcoming the delegation, the Chief Minister said that there are unswerving relations between Pakistan and China and their friendship has stood the test of time.

He said that China is making an investment of 46 billion dollars in

Commuters, patients suffer alike as young doctors come on roads

LAHORE: Female members of Young Doctors Association (YDA) chant slogans for acceptance of their demands during a protest demonstration at GPO Chowk. PPI

Lahore Members of Young Doctors’ Association (YDA) Punjab took to the streets in Lahore on Wednesday, demanding timescale and up-gradation in their service structures.

The doctors stayed away from the OPDs and boycotted hospitals and as a result, hundreds of schedule surgeries were canceled and patients faced difficulties due to the nonavailability of doctors in hospitals.

Young doctors from Services Hospital and Punjab Institute of Cardiology and other hospitals blocked Jail Road while doctors from Mayo Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hos-

pital staged a sit-in on Mall Road, Doctors from Jinnah Hospital and Shaikh Zayed Hospital blocked Canal Bank Road and those from Lahore General Hospital and Children’s Hospital staged demonstration on Ferozepur Road while those from Punjab Dental Hospital blocked Ravi Road. The protesters chanted slogans against the provincial government for failing to fulfill the promises made to them earlier. The protests caused traffic jams and ambulances of emergency services got stuck in traffic snarlups. The protest also caused inconvenience to the students, motorists and public to who could not reach their destinations on time. The protesting doctors vowed that their protest would continue until their demands are met.

Woman sets daughter-in-law on fire over domestic issue

LAHORE: A woman set on fire her daughter-in-law to vent anger on Wednesday. According to details, a 20-yearold girl named Haleema was set on fire after being doused her with kerosene oil in Chowburji area. She was shifted to hospital for treatment. It has been alleged that her mother-in-law Maryam set her on fire after verbal clash to teach her a lesson. Police have arrested husband of Haleema, his mother after complaint was lodged by Haleema’s father. STAFF REPORT

STAFF REPORT

CMYK

the projects under China Pakistan economic Corridor. He said that CPeC is a game changer for Pakistan and promotion of economic cooperation between the two countries is the need of the hour.

Shehbaz Sharif further said that there is already close cooperation between Pakistan and China in various sectors. He said that CPeC will leave a deep impact on Pakistan as well as progress of the entire region. He said that China has made tremendous progress under the present leadership and he is happy to know that Chinese exports have been highest this year.

SUNDAY

380C 220C

‘Sit-in at Raiwind will mean the death of Imran’s politics’ Lahore STAFF REPORT

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah on Wednesday said that nothing will happen whether Panama Leaks spread to forensic or any other commission.

Lashing out at Imran Khan, he warned that another sit-in will mean the death of his politics. Sit-in at D Chowk and sit-in outside Nawaz Sharif ’s house are two different things, he added while talking to media outside Punjab Assembly.

Imran does not know anything about the traditions of Punjab. He tries to appear intrepid and he is haughty but the day he will leave for sit-in at Raiwind will be the day when he will see the funeral of his politics, Sanaullah said. There is pandemonium over Panama Leaks to divert attention about the mayhem within the inner ranks of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he added.Jehangir Tareen, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asif Zardari should prove who committed money laundering, none should feel that raising vociferous noises would help him hide black deeds, he added.

If a commission is formed, there will be accountability of all and not just the PMLN-N, Sana said. In response to a question, Sanaullah said that Zardari is in London, but there is no chance of his meeting with Nawaz Sharif. Those trying to create political instability in the country are furthering RAW’s agenda, he added.

LAHORE 07

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

LAHORE: Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed and other opposition MPAs protest against the government over the Panama Leaks scandal outside the assembly buidling on Wednesday. ONLINE

Punjab assembly concludes Pre-budget debate LAHORE

P

STAFF REPORT

unJAB Assembly passed five bills and concluded prebudget discussion on Wednesday during 11th sitting of its 20th session. The house witnessed low attendance as five MPAs were present at outset and 20 at adjournment of the sitting.

The provincial assembly met for three hours and fourteen minutes. The speaker presided over the session for four minutes while the deputy speaker chaired the proceeding for 110 minutes.

The rest of the proceeding was chaired by a member of the panel of chairpersons.

The chief minister did not attend the session while the leader of the opposition attended the sitting for 86 minutes. Moved by the provincial minister for law, the house passed five bills including Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2015; Punjab Forensic Science Agency (Amendment) Bill 2015; Fort Monroe Development Authority Bill 2015; Punjab Local Government (Third Amendment) Bill 2016 and Punjab Animals Slaughter Control (Amendment) Bill 2016.

The provincial minister for finance concluded the prebudget discussion during his

Woman crushed under train LAHORE: An unidentified woman was crushed under a train while crossing the railway track on Wednesday.

Police said that a woman while crossing railway line in Shahdara area of the provincial capital Lahore was crushed under fast moving train. The body was cut into many pieces and its remains were shifted to hospital where identity of the deceased was yet to be ascertained. STAFF REPORT

Two killed over old enmity LAHORE: Gunmen shot dead two people to settle old enmity on Wednesday.

According to police, the gunmen shot dead Imran and Zohaib over personal enmity in Burkey area of Lahore. Gunmen managed to escape after the incident and relatives of the deceased blocked Burkey Road in protest.The protest was ended after the police assured to the family of deceased that the culprits will be brought to book. STAFF REPORT

20-minute speech. Earlier, four other lawmakers from the PML-n also participated in the discussion and spoke for 30 minutes. A PML-n lawmaker’s privilege motion against District Police Officer Mianwali was taken up and referred to the relevant committee. The government orally replied to 16 out of 38 starred questions appearing on the agenda. In addition, the lawmakers also asked 34 supplementary questions. The house took an adjournment motion about the artificial shortage of medicines and increase in their prices. An-

other adjournment motion about uncaring attitude of government for providing relief to the farmers after heavy rain in Multan on March 19, 2016 remained unattended. The lawmakers spoke on 17 points of order consuming 26 minutes of the proceeding.

The opposition walked out of the house against rejection of an adjournment motion of the opposition leader about Panama Leaks and termed it against the rules. The opposition lawmakers did not return to the house till adjournment of the sitting.

Death row convicts hanged in Multan, Jhang jails LAHORE: A death row convict, Anwar-ulHaq, was sent to gallows in Central Jail Multan on Wednesday morning. The convict had killed his relative, Ahmed*, over a business dispute in the Chub Kalaan area of Mian Chunnu in 2000. The session court had convicted him in the murder case. After rejection of his mercy appeal by the president, a session court in Khanewal issued his death warrants. The body was handed over to his family after medico-legal formalities.

Another death-row prisoner Muhammad Irfan, who had shot dead a woman in 2006,

was executed in district jail early morning on Wednesday. According to the city police station, Muhammad Irfan, resident of chak 165 Shumali, district Sargodha, shot dead a woman named Talha Bibi on January 7, 2006 in Jhang when she resisted dacoity in her house. Additional Session Judge Jhang, Muhammad Shabbir awarded death penalty to the prisoner in the murder case in 2010.

The appeals against the court verdict were rejected by the LHC and Supreme Court.

Irfan’s mercy petition was also rejected by the president. STAFF REPORT

08 LAHORE

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

LHC SEEKS AGP’S ASSISTANCE IN CASE AGAINST SUBSTANDARD MILK LAHORE

l

STAFF REPORT

AHORE High Court (LHC) sought assistance from the Punjab advocate general on Wednesday, in a petition against sale of adulterated milk which is causing fatal diseases to the citizens of the province.

Justice Ayesha A Malik, head of the division bench took up the petition filed by Watan party’s barrister Zaffarullah Khan.

Barrister Zafarullah Khan had stance in his petition that the sale of adulterated milk was continued without any check and balance.

Petitioner had filed an intra-court appeal for early hearing of the case pending already in the LHC. Zaffarullah stated in his petition that milk includes ingredients that are

Road accident claims three lives in Sahiwal SAHIWAL STAFF REPORT

essential for human body and help in growth of children and also provides calcium for strengthening of the bones. Milk without these essential ingredients makes human bones weak, he said.

He further stated in his petition that poisonous ingredient like urea and hair removers are being mixed in milk which makes people vulnerable to cancer, kidney failure and other diseases.

Zaffarullah quoted a recent scientific report conducted by university of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (uVAS) in which 665 milk adulterant tests from 41 samples (10 of 100 SE Milk, 28 packed milk and three powder milk samples) were conducted. uVAS research report read that water in two out of 10 loose milk samples and 22 out of 28 packed samples,

Punjab govt committed to providing quality healthcare to masses: adviser LAHORE APP

At least three people including husband and wife died and three others were wounded in a road accident on Wednesday.

Rescue sources said that two over speeding vehicles and motorcycles collided with each other at Arifwala Road in Sahiwal.

Three people including a couple died on the spot in the accident and three others sustained injuries. The bodies and injured were shifted to hospital for medico-legal formalities. The police after registering a case into the incident at respective police station have started the investigation.

carbonate was found in two samples of loose milk and one in packed milk samples. Report further read that sugar was not detected in loose milk while it was detected in seven packed milk samples while quaternary ammonium compounds were found in two samples each of both loose and packed milk. The report said that AFLATOXIn MI was found in two out of three commercial powder milk samples and also in two out of 10 loose samples which was dangerous to health.

The petitioner submitted that the consumers were paying heavy prices for the adulterated milk. He requested the court to direct government and relevant authorities to take efficient measures to stop sale of adulterated milk sale to the public at large.

The court adjourned the hearing until May 18.

Adviser to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Kh. Salman Rafique has said that provision of quality health services to the people is a mission of the government and every step is being taken to achieve this target. He directed the officers that bio-medical equipment and instruments in the government hospitals should be kept functional for which repair and maintenance of the equipment must be ensured.

Kh. Salman Rafique further directed the maintenance of high standard of cleanliness in the hospitals.

He was presiding over a meeting of Administrative Committee of Punjab Medical College and Allied Hos-

pitals, Faisalabad at Civil Secretariat, on Tuesday.

Secretary Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education najam Ahmed Shah, Principal Punjab Medical College Faisalabad Prof. Dr. Sardar Farid Zafar, MS Allied Hospital Dr. Rashid Maqbool, MS District Headquarters Hospital Dr. Abdul Rauf and MS Government Hospital Ghulam Muhammad Abad also attended the meeting. Deputy Secretary Health (Admin) Raja Mansoor Ahmed and other officers were also present in the meeting. The administrative committee gave approval for the pending schemes as well as new projects of Punjab Medical College and its attached hospitals.

3 dacoits killed in separate Kasur encounters KASUR: Three wanted robbers were killed in different police actions against the outlaws in district Kasur on Wednesday. notorious dacoit Sabir was killed in a police encounter, near Kot Radha-Kishan. He was wanted in several cases of robberies. On information, police cordoned off the area where Sabir and his two companions were busy in looting people. Sabir was killed in cross fire while two dacoits managed to escape. STAFF REPORT

Six injured in DG Khan gas cylinder explosion DERA GHAZI KHAN STAFF REPORT

At least six people were seriously injured in gas cylinder explosion during decanting of gas on Wednesday. Rescue sources said that during refilling of gas cylinders inside a shop located in Block 7 of Dera Ghazi Khan, LPG cylinder blasted with big bang. Six people including shop owner and customers were injured in the explosion and they were shifted to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, DG Khan for treatment and according to medics, condition of one wounded person was serious. Decanting of LPG is banned by the provincial government across the province but the illegal practice openly continues everywhere without any check which often results in loss of precious lives, injuries and property damages.

man guns down mother and sister in shorkot SHORKOT STAFF REPORT

An implacable person gunned down his mother and injured sister over domestic dispute on Wednesday. The police arrested the accused with

murder weapon.

Police said that the culprit after a heated debate with the family members, opened indiscriminate fire resulting in death of his mother on the spot and leaving younger sister critically wounded in Chak

479 of Shorkot.

The body and the injured were shifted to local hospital for medicolegal formalities.

The police arrested the accused and after registering a case against him started the investigation.

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

PANAmA RAidS officeS of moSSAck foNSecA lAw fiRm PANAMA CITY

P

AGENCIES

ANAMA’S attorney general late on Tuesday raided the offices of the Mossack Fonseca law firm to search for any evidence of illegal activities, authorities said in a statement.

The Panama-based law firm is at the center of the “Panama Papers” leaks scandal that has embarrassed several world leaders and shone a spotlight on the shadowy world of offshore companies. The national police, in an earlier statement, said they were searching for documentation that “would establish the possible use of the firm for illicit activities.” The firm has been accused of tax evasion and fraud.

Police offers and patrol cars began gathering around the company’s building in the afternoon under the command of prosecutor Javier Caravallo, who specializes in organized crime and money laundering. The law firm said on its Twitter account Tuesday night that it “continues to cooperate with authorities in investigations begin made at our headquarters”.

The search came a day after intellectual property prosecutors visited Mossack Fonseca to follow up on the firm’s allegations that a computer hack led to the leak of millions of documents about tax havens.

The firm filed a complaint charging the security breach shortly before the first media reports working with the documents offered details on how politicians, celebrities and companies

around the globe were hiding assets in offshore accounts and shell companies.

“Finally the real criminals are being investigated,” co-founder Roman Fonseca said in a message to The Associated Press on Monday. Fonseca has maintained that the only crime which can be taken from the leak was the computer hack itself. He has said he suspects the hack originated outside Panama, possibly in Europe, but has not given any details.

FOREIGN NEWS 09

The law firm is one of the most important in the world for creating overseas front companies. Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela has defended the country’s financial sector, which is considered of strategic importance for the economy.

But Varela has also promised the international community that he is willing to make reforms to make the sector more transparent. On Tuesday, Varela met with legal, banking and business professional associations. Afterward, he asked France to reconsider its decision to place Panama on a list of uncooperative countries in financial information.

The government announced that Joseph Stiglitz, who won the Nobel Prize in economics in 2001, would be one member of an international panel formed to review Panama’s legal and financial practices and recommend improvements.

Panama papers have revealed financial arrangements of prominent figures, including PM Nawaz Sharif, friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, relatives of the prime ministers of Britain and Pakistan and of China’s President Xi Jinping, and the president of Ukraine.

Rich nations probe Panama Papers tax revelations LONDON AGENCIES

Nepal gets first woman chief justice KATHMANDU AGENCIES

Sushila Karki became the first female acting Chief Justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court on Wednesday, ending the male domination of top posts in the judiciary.

The Himalayan nation, though still a deeply patriarchal society, is becoming increasingly inclusive, following the end of 10 years of civil war in 2006 and the abolition of the 239-year-old feudal monarchy two years later. In September last year, a specially elected Constituent Assembly approved the first postmonarchical constitution, which gave women the right to “proportional inclusion” in all government organs. It also guaranteed equal property rights to daughters and required that the president and vicepresident be from different genders and communities. The Constitutional Council headed by Prime Minister K.P. Oli recommended the appointment of Karki, 63, to replace Kalyan Shrestha, who retired on Tuesday. Her nomination is expected to be confirmed by a parliamentary committee, though this has not yet been formed because of bickering among political parties.

Tax authorities from the world’s richest nations on Wednesday probed a mass of murky offshore dealings revealed in the huge Panama Papers data leak, just hours after police raided the law firm at the centre of the scandal.

The leak of 11.5 million confidential offshore financial documents from Panamanian law office Mossack Fonseca offered international tax officials meeting in Paris an unprecedented trove of data to delve into alleged wrongdoing, officials said.

“We are basically trying to get the bigger picture,” Australian Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan, who proposed a joint investigation, told the Australian Financial Review business daily ahead of the gathering.

“It has never been tried on this scale before,” Jordan added.

“A number of countries have got slices or pieces of the data and that’s been very useful, but really, the start of the conversation is to work out who’s got what, how we can pool that information and start to work together.”

Australia convened the closed-door meeting in the French capital as chair of the Joint International Tax Shelter Information and Collaboration Network, which seeks to crack down on cross-border tax cheats.

‘First opportunity to act’: The global network looking into tax havens is an initiative of the Paris-headquartered 38-nation advanced economies club, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

“The meeting at the OECD pres-

ents tax administrations with a first opportunity to act on the considerable body of information revealed by the Panama Papers release,” the OECD said in a statement in the runup to the one-day gathering.

The tax officials gathered behind closed doors in Paris just hours after the Panamanian police’s organised crime police raided the headquarters of Mossack Fonseca, which says its confidential documents were stolen in a computer hack. Prosecutors said the raids at Mossack Fonseca’s headquarters in Panama City and other branches had taken place “with no incident or interference,” but gave no details on the results of the searches.

The world’s business, political and even sports elite have been thrown onto the defensive by the findings of a year-long probe by a consortium of investigative journalists into leaked documents covering almost 40 years from around 214,000 offshore entities. ‘us plot’ claim: Although not illegal in themselves, offshore financial transactions may be used to hide assets from tax authorities, launder the proceeds of criminal activities or conceal misappropriated or politically inconvenient wealth.

Iceland’s prime minister was forced to resign after it emerged he owned shares in the country’s banks through an offshore company during the financial crisis.

Leaders in Britain and Ukraine have faced questions over their taxes, while Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to divert attention from his entourage by claiming it is all a US plot against him.

China has been censoring online

forums and media to stifle discussion of the papers, which showed relatives of eight of its political top brass also owned offshore companies. And wealthy citizens in Australia, France, India, Mexico, Peru, Spain and elsewhere face probes over suspected tax avoidance after their names figured in some of the documents. the bigger picture: Panama has hit back at the apparent blemish on its image.

It has warned France of unspecified diplomatic measures if France does not remove it from a blacklist of tax havens. Paris put Panama back on its national list of uncooperative jurisdictions, after removing it in 2012, in the wake of the leaks.

France is also urging the European Union and all OECD member states to follow suit.

Such an international designation would deal a heavy blow to Panama’s vital financial services sector, which the government has been trying to make more transparent. The European Union unveiled plans Tuesday to force the world’s biggest multinationals to faithfully report earnings and pay their fair share of taxes, saying the Panama Papers scandal demonstrated the need for change.

Its executive arm said that under the new rules, big companies operating in Europe would have to make public what they earn in each member state of the 28-nation bloc. Countryby-country reporting has been a major demand of tax activists who accuse big corporations of secretly shifting profits to low tax jurisdictions, often using shell companies such as those exposed in the Panama Papers leaks.

TURKEY SEEKS TO HEAL MUSLIM WOUNDS AT ISTANBUL SUMMIT ISTNABUL AGENCIES

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week welcomes dozens of leaders to Istanbul for a summit aimed at overcoming splits in the Islamic world despite doubts over Ankara’s ability to narrow divisions between Muslims.

Turkey’s hosting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on Thursday and Friday is a new symbol of its desire to be seen as a major power in the Islamic world, especially in lands

once controlled by the Ottoman Empire.

But the policies of Turkey’s Islamicrooted government have at times been divisive, in particular over five-year civil war in Syria where it has been accused of aiding fundamentalist rebels in the hope they will oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Hit by a crisis in relations with Egypt’s secular rulers and at times tricky ties with Shiite Iran, Turkey has sought to build alliances with fellow overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim powers Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Turkey’s ambitious foreign policy aim of “zero problems with neighbours” unravelled as crises erupted on almost all of its borders and the summit is a chance for Erdogan to show its ability to solve rather than create crises.

“Hosting the OIC summit is prestigious and an opportunity for Turkey. It comes at a very good moment when Turkey needs to restore its image in the Muslim world,” Jean Marcou, political scientist and research director at Sciences Po Grenoble in France told AFP. There is a security lockdown around

CMYK

the summit venue in Istanbul, the former capital of the Ottoman Empire from where the Sultans once ruled Muslims from the Balkans to Arabia.

The opulent arrangements of the most significant guest — Saudi King Salman — have also raised eyebrows in the Turkish press with reports saying some 500 luxury cars were hired for his delegation.

Muslim countries have failed to find a common position over the conflict in Syria, where Turkey and Saudi back rebels fighting Assad and Iran is a strong supporter of the regime.

Syrians vote for parliament denounced

by Assad’s enemies DAMASCUS AGENCIES

Syrians voted in a parliamentary election in government-held areas of the country on Wednesday in what they called a show of support for President Bashar al-Assad, while his opponents and Western powers denounced the poll as illegitimate. The election is going ahead independently of a U.N.-led peace process aimed at ending the five-year-long war. Peace talks are due to resume in Geneva on Wednesday as an upsurge in fighting darkens the already bleak outlook for diplomacy. The government says the vote is being held on time in line with the constitution, a view echoed by its Russian allies. The opposition says the election is meaningless, while Britain and France dismissed it as “flimsy facade” and a “sham”. Voters are to elect 250 MPs to parliament, which has no real power in Syria’s presidential system. The state is rallying them around the slogan “Your vote strengthens your steadfastness”.

“We are voting for the sake of the Syrian people and for the sake of Assad. Assad is already strong but these elections show that the people support him and bolster him,” said Hadi Jumaa, a 19-year-old student, as he cast his ballot at his university halls of residence in Damascus. Dozens queued to vote at one polling station where a portrait of Assad hung on the wall. Outside, some danced. With his wife Asma at his side as he went to vote in Damascus, a smiling Assad told state TV that terrorism had been able to destroy much of Syria’s infrastructure but not Syria’s “social structure, the national identity”. Assad said it was the first time a president had taken part in parliamentary polls. “These elections do not mean anything,” said Asaad al-Zoubi, chief negotiator for the main opposition body, the High Negotiations Council. “They are illegitimate - theater for the sake of procrastination, theater through which the regime is trying to give itself a little legitimacy.”

Traffic chaos, schools shut as Riyadh hit by rare flooding RIYADH AGENCIES

Traffic backed up and schools were shut in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday after the desert city was struck by a rare severe storm that sparked flooding. The storm, which struck during Tuesday evening’s rush hour, had subsided by daybreak Wednesday but some roads were still inundated. Riyadh implemented its emergency plan to deal with the flooding, the spokesman for the municipal council, Mohammed al-Shwayman, was quoted by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) as saying. Residents were urged not to gather in affected areas “for the sake of taking pictures and videos, putting their lives at risk,” he said. Traffic backed up for kilometres (miles) along at least one major thoroughfare and many vehicles broke down as the deluge flooded city streets. Riyadh, an inland desert city of 5.7 million, is famed for its searing temperatures and sees only occasional bursts of rain. The Arab News daily cited the education department as saying all schools in the capital region would be shut on Wednesday. SPA reported that at least one university, the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, had also suspended classes.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the summit was being held at a time when “the Islamic world is experiencing many disputes within itself.”

“Fratricidal conflict cause great pain.

Sectarianism divides the ummah,” he told OIC foreign ministers on Tuesday, using the Arabic world for the Muslim community. “Hopefully, this summit will pave the way for healing some wounds.”

The summit takes place in the wake of a bilateral meeting in Ankara on Tuesday between Erdogan and King Salman which underlined the importance ties with Riyadh now have in Turkey’s foreign policy.

10 COMMENT

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

Yet another visit to UK Tensions rife at home

M

iAN Nawaz Sharif it appears will have to undergo treatment in London which might take a number of days. What has given a new twist to the issue is the statement from the Prime Minister’s political secretary which tells of a weeklong ‘personal visit’ which would ‘also include ‘medical treatment’’. the clarification by Ch Nisar indicates that the party has taken quite some time to decide what to tell the public about the prime minister’s state of health. in any case Nawaz Sharif’s stay in London will be closely watched by the opposition.

Ch Nisar meanwhile has turned his guns solely on imran Khan while explaining that his remarks about the Leader of the opposition were misunderstood. the change in attitude is presumably the outcome of the consultative meeting held by Nawaz Sharif with major party leaders before departure. the PPP meeting called

by Bilawal Bhutto has meanwhile decided not to join the proposed Pti protest outside the Raiwind residence of the Sharif family. instead it has decided to cooperate with opposition parties including the Pti in the Parliament on the basis of issue to issue understandings. in another balancing act the PPP leadership reprimanded Rehman Malik for holding unauthorized meetings with the PML-N leaders.

With the PPP abstaining from extra-parliamentary protests this will remove a major worry of the Prime Minister and his party. imran Khan will now have to be content with Jamaat-e-islami’s support which may not be as forthcoming in Punjab as in KP or Karachi. the PMLQ will be of little help to imran Khan in agitational activities. Will Khan seek a meeting with tahirul Qadri while in London to ensure his backing for the proposed sit-in? unwilling to fritter away its energies through protests after the Model town experience PAt is currently concentrating on mass contacts. it has shunned confrontation and has not gone beyond a small peaceful protest against the Sharif scions’ involvement in offshore companies. unless the PAt and Pti join hands the Raiwind protest will remain a single party affair.

Democracy on crutches CJ has a point

M

AYBE politicians will pay heed to Chief Justice Jamali’s advice, and stop bringing their dirty linen to the Supreme Court. there was nothing really in the matter of the Sindh government’s appeal against the Sindh high Court judgment – PPP and MQM squabbling over electing mayor, deputy mayor, chairman and vice-chairman of councils through show of hands – which the two parties could not settle in private, as the CJ rightly noted. Such actions only betray our political elite’s disregard for the finer democratic norms. And they play no small part in retarding the growth of true representative government.

CJ Jamali is also spot-on that our system of government is ‘crippled’ and is being run with the help of ‘crutches’. the fuss about filling local body election seats, for example, is a story in itself; especially because the elections were hardly an exercise in strengthening grass-root democracy. the positions of chairman, vice chairman, etc, which have created this latest friction, are hollow and without much decision-making or funddispersing authority. And, of course, no debate about any type of elections is complete without pointing out the government’s inability to conduct the census.

Elections lose transparency, and therefore legitimacy, without the census.

Yet, flawed as the system is, it is important to preserve it. it is now up to the politicians, of course, to chart out a way that minimises confrontation and maximises cooperation between parties. our democratic leaders love to ‘save democracy’ whenever their personal positions are threatened, but hardly budge when interests of the people are at stake. if these old habits don’t change, they will see the people leverage the democracy they ‘saved’ to vote in new leaders for themselves. And for once, our dear leaders will not be able to play the ‘democracy in danger’ card. instead, they should take the CJ’s advice and shape up before they are made to ship out.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor

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

I

Panama Leaks Cyber warfare

abdul Quayyum KHan Kundi

S

uPERPoWERS for ages have used various tools to exert their influence on the affairs of neighbors far and wide.

East and West india companies were non-state actors used by imperial powers to seek trading rights to gain foothold in countries that were later converted into colonies. trading was the soft power that created enabling environment that paved way for colonization through hard power. in the modern era new tools have emerged that are used by superpowers. in Libya, Syria and ukraine there is extensive use of hard power by non-state actors supported by these powers. in other countries intervention is made through soft power using social media and leaks. WikiLeaks and Panama Papers are part of this cyber war fare employed by non-state actors. in both these leaks there seems to be a particular pattern targeting select countries to put public pressure on governments.

Panama Leaks has rattled many governments but no one seems to be asking who made these leaks and why they have acquired so much significance despite a disclosure that they are not suggesting that any illegal act is being committed.

Mossack Fonseca is a corporation providing legal services to clients around the world. their servers were breached and their communication with clients was hacked by someone. in other words a cybercrime was committed against a corporation. uSA has been blaming China and Russia of committing cyber espionage against its government and corporate interest. uSA would be raising hue and cry if similar hack was committed against General Electric or Apple but in case of Mossack Fosenca there is complete silence on their part.

Another thing to note here is that iCiJ used documents from a source whose identity is possibly

known to the newspaper that shared it. But an ethical route would have been to inform Mossack Fonseca that their corporate information is being made available and seek their comment on it. Apparently no such effort was made because the company in its statement claimed that they have been target of a hack. this means that it was not a job of a whistle blower but rather an outside breach of its servers. the first question the iCiJ should have explored who committed this hack but strangely they seem to be only interested in people mentioned rather than help with the cybercrime committed against Mossack Fonsenca. this could mean someone had political interests in disclosure of these documents. Another thing we have to keep in mind that there may be more leaks that are timed for maximum impact. this cyber war combined with social media propaganda is producing anarchy around the world.

Now let’s look at the countries that are affected. united Kingdom, ukraine, Russia, China, iceland, Pakistan, Argentina and Middle East are most affected from these papers. there seems to be a trend similar to Wikileaks. it is hard to predict what the objectives of the leaker were but we can build some scenarios. interestingly uSA has been largely unaffected by both WikiLeaks and Panama Leaks. one scenario projected by Russia and China is that the objective of the leaks is to damage their interests and undermine their regimes. in my view China is more affected than Russia. First its top leadership is directly implicated in the establishment of off shore companies with the suggestion that the purpose was to park ill-gotten wealth. on the other hand Russian President Putin is indirectly implicated which will have minimum effect on his political fortunes. Panama leaks have impacted uK Prime Minister David Cameron who has become quite close to China. A recent Foreign Policy article has suggested that uK has become one of the largest recipient of Chinese investment as well as home to European headquarters of her large state enterprises. David Cameron also decided to become founding member of Asia infrastructure Bank (AiiB) set up by China despite uSA pressure to withhold from it. uAE and Saudi Arabia has so far been unaffected by the Arab Spring and have moved towards China after uS signing of nuclear deal with iran. the leaked papers put pressure on these monarchies and could incite social unrest.

Pakistan forms corner stone of China’s one belt and one road (oBoR) initiative. the relationship was strengthened during the tenure of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) but developed into a

tangible projects by PML N in the form of CPEC. other than that Pakistan and China have come closer on other regional and international issues including Afghanistan and Middle East. traditionally military rulers have been closer to uSA than China. undermining a democratic government could change the international chess board.

Now let’s look at how opposition parties have used these Panama Papers in Pakistan. As usual there is no united opposition to pressure the government. there are many members of PPP mentioned in Panama Papers so they may not be too interested in pursuing it other than superficially for public consumption. Smaller parties Jamat e islami, Jui F and ANP seems to either have no support or not interested in this issue. Pakistan tehrike insaf (Pti) is as usual resorting to street protests rather than engage in smart politics. i doubt if their protests will succeed as party has lost support of people and image of imran Khan is badly damaged in last three years because of failed dharna and judicial commission. Let’s suppose they succeed and PM resigns under pressure it will produce two possible outcomes. First it could pave the way for another military general which will be the biggest disaster faced by the nation and could weaken the state to the point of breaking down.

Second could be that a new elections are held and these same parties come back to parliament. how does that change anything in terms of good governance or containment of corruption? Nothing so it will be all for naught.

A better approach would be to ask FiA to investigate all people named in the Panama Leaks to find out if any illegal means were used in formation and funding of these companies. All those against whom evidence is found should be prosecuted. A parliamentary committee should be formed to review legislation about tax evasion and off shore companies. the committee should recommend amendments if needed. this will at least help create structural changes that are need to prevent leakage of our national resources through corruption.

All political parties in Pakistan are controlled by elites of the country who are not interested in any real change. they are usually engaged in game of thrones rather than to improve lives of people. these parties need to be reformed through better regulation by Election Commission of Pakistan. Party activists have to also take interest in holding their leadership accountable and pressure them to allow better leadership to emerge from grass roots rather than continue appointing their loyalists and financiers. thanks & regards Abdul Quayyum Khan Kundi is former President of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce, USA, and member of PTI Central Tarbiyati Council as Incharge of Curriculum Development. He has also authored the book: islamic Social Contract.

Gaata Rahe Mera Dil 50 classic Hindi film songs the authors argue, justifiably, that a song needs at least 20 years to qualify as a classic. the cover features Dev Anand romancing Nutan in Tere Ghar ke Saamne. Fitting, since Dev is arguably the face of film music during those years. the song – Dekho rootha na karo – itself doesn’t feature in the book.

Each chapter concerns itself not just with the song in question, but with other songs of the film, the circumstances in which the film was made, the film-maker’s earlier (sometimes later) ventures, etc. the narrative is woven around interesting anecdotes and behind-the-scene incidents. to get input from Kersi Lord, Shakti Samanta, Jagjit Singh, Shammi Kapoor, Manohari Singh, Manna Dey and many others, the authors have had to travel extensively (‘… for us this book is as much a travelogue.’). All this material, in the authors’ skillful hands transforms into fifty absorbing short stories. the book is therefore much more than a mere list of songs, which you may have come across somewhere; for each song is accompanied by a chunk of history. the selection process covers decades, composers, lyricists, cinematography, and landmark value, in addition to musical considerations. More significantly, the book attempts to cover as many genres as possible – the rain song, the cabaret, the qawwali, the

Hasan aftab saeed

W

ith something for the masses as well as the aesthete, music has traditionally been the saving grace of hindi cinema. it’s a case study in creative collaboration between people whose backgrounds couldn’t be more different. Authors Balaji Vittal and Anirudha Bhattacharjee, on p.157 of their second book Gaata Rahe Mera Dil, narrate a music sitting for a film: “[Director] Asit Sen said, ‘Nobody knows what destiny is. i am from Bengal, you [KalyanjiAnandji] are from Gujarat and here we are, sitting together and composing a hindi film song. it’s a funny thing, this coincidence.’” the book goes on to describe how this philosophical remark eventually resulted in Kishore Kumar’s Zindagi ka safar. the authors’ 2011 biography of R. D. Burman was without doubt a hard act to follow. As their next project, they undertook to select fifty hindi film songs out of a possible hundred thousand. they have managed to rise admirably to the impossible task.

Published last year by harper Collins, the book covers six decades of film music. Songs from 1994 onwards are not considered;

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

I

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

I

romantic number, the mujra, etc. the authors make it clear that they were able to include only a fraction of their personal favorites.

A standout feature of the book is its musical analysis, something that doesn’t have a rich tradition in the sub-continent. this is where the authors’ understanding of classical music comes to the fore. Being equally well-versed in folk music, they are able to track inspiration of songs from this source as well. the reader finds out, for example, the extent to which Rabindra Sangeet has influenced film music, thanks to S. D. Burman, hemant Kumar and Salil Chowdhury. there are a few surprises along the way. At times it seems that the authors go out of their way to select a relatively lesser-known song at the expense of a more popular one; and one doesn’t always agree with their reasoning. take Roop tera mastana, for example. it has an amazing melody. it’s controversial – which Burman actually composed it? With the song, Kishore displaced Rafi as the undisputed #1, and Rajesh Khanna became the first superstar.

Add the sequence shot, and the song ticks all the boxes. that it still fails to make the cut is difficult to digest; the book could have done with the ‘Passion’ genre. in the Authors’ note, such differences of opinion are anticipated as an inevitable part of any selection of this sort.

As evidence of the hopelessly bleak musical scene of the 80s, a typical morning of radio ‘listening’

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

I

is described. the radio is switched off in frustration after three appalling ‘hits’ are broadcast backto-back. the songs listed are all Bappi Lahiri’s, but the authors refrain from naming the composer. thus they make a point that is worth making, but do so without compromising the positive tone of the book.

Quite apart from the text proper, the book offers numerous musical tidbits and interesting asides. how the indian national anthem tune was subtly used in the mukhra of a song, for example. if you are the kind of person who is intrigued by the genesis of memorable film songs; or who sometimes wonders why Madan Mohan composed for Mausam, instead of Gulzar’s longstanding associate Pancham; you will very likely read the 300 odd pages in one sitting. Alternatively, if you know your Yaman (Aiman) from your Bhairavi, you will find the book to be well worth its price. But it’s not a ‘popular’ book; if you don’t answer to any of the above descriptions, the book may not exactly be your cup of tea.

Stories of creative collaboration need to be documented; for this is one area in which truth is definitely stranger than fiction. But the primary sources of these stories are individual memories. Recording this history, which is difficult today, will only become harder as firsthand witnesses retire, scatter, and finally pass away. Gaata Rahe Mera Dil is especially commendable when seen in this perspective.

Hasan Aftab Saeed is a connoisseur of music, literature, and food (but not drinks). He can be reached at hasanas@live.jp.

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

COMMENT 11

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

Editor’s mail

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan.

Fax: +92-42-32535230 E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan today exclusively

Marriages and social pressures

Wikileaks on Panama Leaks One ratting on the other

maliK muHammad asHraf

T

hE word ‘Leaks’ somehow exudes an aura of something sinister or done with a specific purpose by the powers or organizations who are the global movers and shakers. World watchers believe that the doctored information – taken out of context - leaked to the international media outlets is an effective tool in targeting the opponents on the world stage that also is capable of creating a ripple effect for the unintended targets or players. the Panama Leaks have done exactly that. however while the governments and leaders around the world are scrambling to contain the fallout and trying to duck under the onslaught, another ‘leak’ – the WikiLeaks - has revealed information that the scandal over the leaked papers from the Panamanian legal firm Mossack Fonseca was orchestrated by the uS organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and that the purpose was to target Russia, particularly President Vladimir Putin. it further revealed that the project was funded by uS agency for international Development and George Soros open Society Foundation. the agency also demanded publication of the full report to unmask the truth.

Meanwhile ‘Suddeutsche Zeitung’ the German newspaper which was used to divulge the information compiled by the iCiJ, has refused to publish the remaining part of the report.

Which of the Leaks are to be believed would, however, depend on what the people or political entities around the world would want to achieve through them. But for an anodyne observer the Leaks - no matter what their nomenclature may be - smack of a sinister game at the global level. the foregoing information and developments are good enough to scuttle the credibility of the Panama Leaks and giving the report a conspiratorial hue. the Russian President is also on record to have totally rejected the revelations of Panama Leaks which he also considered a well calculated attempt by the uS to malign the Russian leadership and the country. other world leaders mentioned in the report, even those who have resigned after the revelations in conformity with the democratic traditions of their country, are also denying the veracity of the information laid bare by the Panama Leaks.

Nevertheless the leak has provided much needed ammunition to opposition parties in the

countries whose leaders have been accused of owning or having interests in the off-shore companies, to have a swipe at their governments to gain political mileage without even bothering to ascertain the veracity of the information leaked to the international media or the source that sponsored it. that is what i call running after the dog to retrieve the torn-off ear. the story goes like this: a man was told by another man that a dog had chopped off his ear and run away. he asked the informant about the direction the dog had gone and started running to find him. he kept running for quite a while till he was totally exhausted and sat on the ground gasping to catch a breath. A passer-by asked what happened. the man told him he had been running to find the dog that had torn-off his ear and run away with it. the passer-by looked at the man carefully and told him that both of his ears were intact. the man immediately felt his ears, looked towards his interlocutor embarrassingly and started cursing himself for not having verified the truth before embarking on the run.

Pakistan is no exception. the opposition parties are relishing the prospect of denting the popularity of the sitting government and the credibility of the rulers - particularly the family of the Prime Minister - by exploiting the information revealed in the Leaks without verifying the authenticity of the report. they are presupposing that the very fact that the family members of the Prime Minister own off-shore countries, it automatically meant that the money involved was accumulated and transferred outside the country through illegal means. it is interesting to note that the information dished out only mentions the individuals and entities who own off-shore companies in Panama, a known tax-haven, without even implicitly or explicitly suggesting their illegality or being ill-gotten fortunes. the sordid aspect of the matter is that the opposition parties including Pti, PPP and Ji who are in the forefront of the campaign for a probe in the revelations made by the Panama Leaks are only focusing on the Sharif family and do not talk about others who have been mentioned in the Leaks owning off-shore companies, which amounts to witch-hunting. they have reasons of their own to coalesce on the issue. PPP is under tremendous pressure in the backdrop of actions of Rangers in Karachi and the arrest of Dr. Asim and investigations against some of its stalwarts. therefore it is trying to utilize the opportunity to put pressure on the federal government to go soft on the party. the Pti which is more belligerent in its approach towards the government is trying to re-establish its relevance to the political landscape after failure of its ‘dharna’ politics, losing the battle on the issue of rigging on all legal and administrative forums, having been routed in the cantonment and local bodies elections and almost all the by-elections to the National Assembly and more recently cropping up of differences between top leaders of the party. Ji is a known spoiler. it has always sided with forces inimical to democracy and played frontal role in fomenting political turmoil in the country. true that the integrity of the public leaders,

However while the governments and leaders around the world are scrambling to contain the fallout and trying to duck under the onslaught, another ‘leak’ – the WikiLeaks - has revealed information that the scandal over the leaked papers from the Panamanian legal firm Mossack Fonseca was orchestrated by the US Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and that the purpose was to target Russia, particularly President Vladimir Putin.

particularly of those who are responsible for running the affairs of the country, has to be above board and that in a democratic entity opposition parties have the right to agitate, oppose the policies of the sitting government on merit and keep a check on the indiscretions of the government. But that needs to be done with honesty of purpose in conformity with the democratic norms only to promote well-being of the people. Politics of self-aggrandizement and confrontation is not the way to go about it. the country is passing through a very critical phase of its history and can hardly afford any instability which may undermine the fight against terrorism, obstruct the economic initiatives, including the implementation of CPEC. i am not an apologist for the sitting government but honestly feel that what the opposition parties are at it, is not going to bring any good to the country. Even if a commission is formed to probe the matter, to which the government is agreeable, nothing will come out of the scandal for the opposition because the issue has international ramifications and other countries are also involved in it. Panamanian government and the legal firm attached to the scandal are not bound to divulge all the details to a commission formed by Pakistan, risking their own credibility as a safe tax-haven. the best course under the circumstances would be to let the bygones be bygones and to utilize this opportunity to make collective efforts to improve the system of governance, accountability and plugging the avenues of corruption and promoting a healthy corporate culture, if the political parties really want a healthy change in the country. it is noteworthy that after the revelations made by Panama leaks uS, uK, Eu and other countries are focusing on reforming their tax regimes and fixing the loopholes in their legal framework.

Malik Muhammad Ashraf is an academic.

He can be contacted at: ashpak10@gmail.com

it is indeed disillusioning to see that marriages in our society take place due to social pressures rather than the free consent of the girl and the guy involved. Many times, the girl is forced to give consent under extreme family pressures.

She is posed in a do-or-die state from which there is no respite. She is dealt so harshly, her speech and opinion is suppressed in a way that she is made to give her consent without her free will. this is indeed against the principles of islam and Shariah, which nullifies forced marriages.

No matter, how progressive and educated the societies are; it is indeed hard to change the thinking and mindsets of the individuals. the families in our society are bent upon dominating in different ways when it comes to settling marriage proposals. Even expression of views of a female is deemed to be a sin with regard to marriage proposals. A woman is constantly snubbed, coerced and mistreated in different ways if she denies or rejects a particular proposal. this approach is absolutely wrong for settling the marriage proposals. A deeper sense of understanding and awareness need to be instilled in the society related to settling marriage proposals. there is a need to recognize that the marriage proposals should be settled with mutual and unanimous consent without inviting force or coercion. this is likely to maintain harmony and balance in establishing a mutually happy and agreeable marital relationship.

AIYZA JAVAID LAHORE

Using cell-phones to cheat in exams i’m writing this to express my concern with the rampant use of cell-phones in cheating and academic dishonesty, and to draw attention to all the concerned stakeholders, teachers, parent, on this matter. this device has become a standard in today’s classroom. in a national poll by common sense media 35% teens admitted using their cell-phones in cheating purpose at least once. More than half said they had cheated via internet.

Students said there’s a lot of pressure to succeed, everybody wants to get a head so they want to lead in their class either by a right or wrong way. the relevant authorities should have put measures to ensure that this year examinations at all levels are not cheated.

We must avoid recurrence of examination cheating.

AbEERA AHMED KARACHI

PCAA initiative YEStERDAY i came across some very good news: that the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has taken measures for educating people on their air passenger rights of baggage loss, damage or delays by the airline in getting checked baggage to the passenger.

Mostly, we the passengers are unaware of our own rights and get frustrated in case of baggage loss or delays in getting baggage back and need to be aware of our rights in this regard. the passenger is entitled to claim compensation for the damage or delay as per Carriage by Air Act 2012. the baggage loss or damage should be reported to the airline representative within 7 days and the full compensation will be given after 21 days by the airline in case baggage could not be found. in connection with this, a comprehensive campaign has been initiated by the PCAA where information pertaining to passenger rights is displayed at different locations throughout the airport. Additionally, public awareness messages on this particular subject are addressed by PCAA through periodic announcements at the airports.

InAM UL HAQ CHAKwAL

Water shortage in Pakistan it is sad to mention that Pakistan is among the top 10 countries in the world where a great number of people are living without access to safe water and who have no choice but to collect unsafe water from unsafe sources.

Recently, the uK-based Water Aid released a report on the eve of World Water Day, revealing that water quality throughout the entire globe has been deteriorated, with Pakistan being no exception. it was reported that around 16 million people in Pakistan do not have access to clean drinking water. According to the uK report at least 84 to 89pc of the country’s water sources which do not meet the water quality standards for human consumption, due to which about 53,000 children die several types of diseases like diarrhea, pneumonia and polio. in every over 3 million people suffer from water born diseases in the country. today the PML-N government has paid more attention towards the projects of metro-highways and motorways, but has failed to provide clean water to Pakistani people who are crying and dying day by day in the country. it is my humble request to the government of Pakistan to give or falter water for the people in order to save their poor lives in Pakistan.

SHAKEEL PHULLAn KECH

12 WORLD VIEW

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

The new normal in US-SaUdi relaTionS NaTioNal iNTeresT PerrY CAMMACK AnD rICHArD soKоLsKY

n

ExT week’s U.S.-GCC summit in Riyadh is the last opportunity for the Obama administration to recalibrate the U.S.-Saudi relationship. While officially a multilateral summit between the United States and the six Gulf monarchies, all eyes will be on President Obama and King Salman. Both leaders will seek to project an image of comity. The photo ops, boilerplate statements and spin surrounding this encounter, however, will belie an increasingly fractious relationship. Relations are unlikely to crumble anytime soon.

But unless Riyadh and Washington work toward a new understanding of what each can expect from the other, the pillars supporting the U.S.-Saudi relationship will continue to erode.

Saudi Arabia has depended for decades on the United States for external security. It is natural, given this dependence and the asymmetry in power between the two countries, for the House of Saud to fret over America’s security commitments, to seek constant reassurance of U.S. solidarity and to be sensitive to any sign that America is providing less than unconditional support.

The pique President Obama showed toward Saudi Arabia’s “free riding” in his interview with Jeffrey Goldberg in the Atlantic has thus garnered considerable attention. The normally circumspect Saudis have reciprocated, complaining, both privately and publicly, that the United States is no longer a reliable ally, that it has abandoned Saudi Arabia in favor of a dangerous and quixotic quest to improve relations with Iran, and that the kingdom’s interests are increasingly irrelevant to Washington. Against this backdrop, the fourth meeting between President Obama and the Saudi king should be seen, not as a sign of strong U.S.-Saudi ties, but as evidence that the glue that has held this relationship together has lost much of its adhesion.

To be sure, frictions between America and Saudi

Arabia over specific issues are nothing new—they date back to the 1940s over the creation of Israel, and have included tense periods such as the 1973 oil embargo and the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

The focal point of this divergence is Iran. It was the second Bush administration’s response to 9/11— the 2003 invasion of Iraq—that paved the way for Iran’s reemergence as a regional force. Growing U.S.Saudi tensions could be papered over so long as tens of thousands of American troops remained in Iraq.

However, the Obama administration’s removal of these troops and the nuclear agreement with Iran have created a new dynamic in the seven-decade partnership.

At the strategic level, the United States and Saudi Arabia share a common interest in preventing Iranian hegemony over the region. The Saudis, however, have a more dire assessment of the Iranian threat and prefer to roll back Iranian influence through confrontational policies which stoke Sunni opposition to Iran and its Shiite proxies in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. In contrast, the Obama administration appears less anxious about Iran’s regional interference, and privileges diplomacy and engagement over bellicosity to restrain Iranian ambitions where they are detrimental to American interests.

The United States and Saudi Arabia both seek the defeat of Islamic State, but the kingdom has subordinated this interest to containing Iranian expansionism. At the same time, it continues to export its literalist, austere interpretation of Islam, a version of which also underpins Islamic State’s ideology. President Obama inveighed to Goldberg that the Saudis and Iranians need to learn to “share the neighborhood” by deescalating tensions and working to resolve regional conflicts. But Riyadh’s actions, such as the decision to execute dissident Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, can appear designed to raise regional tensions and thereby to prevent a U.S.-Iranian rapprochement that might have Iran and Saudi Arabia instead “share the United States,” distant though such rapprochement might seem.

Haider al-Abadi’s dangerous gamble

New York Times ZALMAY KHALILZAD

Iraq is facing major financial pressure, and the war against the Islamic State grinds on. The last thing the country needs is a major political crisis.

But that’s exactly what appears to be in the works — unless the United States and Iran work together to help the prime minister avoid it.

The latest troubles began on March 31, when Haider al-Abadi, Iraq’s prime minister, presented a new cabinet to the country’s Parliament. That is within his right, of course, but he did so without agreement from the political parties that dominate the assembly. Most of Mr. Abadi’s nominees are reformist technocrats, people with integrity and excellent credentials — but they do not represent Iraq’s major parties, nor do they have their support.

Mr. Abadi made his move under significant pressure. There has been widespread dissatisfaction with the government’s inability to address economic and governance problems. For months, activists and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the spiritual leader of Iraq’s Shiites, have been calling for a range of reforms, including shrinking the size of government, improving services, cutting wasteful spending and fighting corruption.

In announcing his new cabinet, Mr. Abadi sought to outmaneuver Iraq’s political leaders, probably because he believed that if he put forward a qualified and respected team, positive public reaction and support from Ayatollah Sistani would force others to acquiesce.

It hasn’t quite worked that way. Several other political players with strong followings in the Parliament — including influential Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis — are opposed. Ammar alHakim, the leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, a powerful Shiite party, suggested that if the cabinet was unaffiliated with any political party, the prime minister should be, too — meaning Mr. Abadi, who belongs to the Dawa Party, should resign. A Kurdish geologist who was nominated for the position of oil minister quickly withdrew his name because, he said, it had not been put forward by any of the Kurdish parties. A respected Shiite technocrat who was nominated for the finance and planning

portfolios has withdrawn his candidacy, too. The positions of two internal and two external parties will be crucial in deciding what comes next.

Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, the former prime minister, still retains power in Iraqi politics and could spoil the cabinet process. But some diplomats and politicians close to the scene believe that even if he was displeased with some of the names put forward, he was generally happy with the proposed cabinet because it keeps the prime minister’s office in the hands of his party and excludes those who he believes were responsible for planning his ouster in August 2014. Ayatollah Sistani will be the other key player. His endorsement for a reformist cabinet would carry a great deal of weight, and his opposition would be a death blow.

The Iranians, who usually act as brokers between Shiite groups, have generally been skeptical of Mr. Abadi, whom they regard as too close to the United States. However, Iran has recently opposed unseating the prime minister, perhaps fearing that prolonged negotiations over his succession could drive Shiite parties further apart and divert diplomatic and security resources away from the fight against the Islamic State. Iran might also realize that lasting success against the jihadist group requires addressing Iraqi Sunnis’ concerns rather than encouraging sectarianism.

The United States has also played an influential role in facilitating agreements among Iraqis in recent years. The United States has had a good working relationship with Mr. Abadi, as Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to Baghdad last week affirmed. But officials in Washington are, like their Iranian counterparts, concerned that a political crisis in Baghdad could delay the campaign to retake Mosul from the Islamic State.

The political crisis could also derail efforts by the Iraqis to deal with their financial problems.

The ideal outcome would be the quick selection of a full cabinet that is independent of the political parties. This is politically unachievable right now. In the meantime, the United States and Iran can help Iraq avert a crisis by encouraging Iraqi leaders to give Mr. Abadi some — but not all — of the government changes he seeks. The rest would have to be traded for the crucial buy-in of the political parties. One way to do this would be an agreement to have Mr. Abadi nominate half of the candidates for the 14 portfolios he intends to change, and allowing the major parties to nominate the other half. Such a development would still represent progress on reform.

Zalmay Khalilzad was the American ambassador to Iraq from 2005-07. He is the author of, most recently, “The Envoy,” a memoir.

America and Saudi Arabia certainly benefit from counterterrorism and intelligence cooperation, so neither is likely to cut it off as a result of broader policy disagreements. Both countries are determined to protect the free flow of oil from the Gulf. However, the North American shale revolution and improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency have substantially reduced America’s dependence on Gulf oil imports.

Saudi oil policies are rightly aimed at preserving Saudi market share, with a stated objective of flooding an already glutted market to drive U.S. shale oil and other high cost producers out of the market. The end result is that the two countries are suddenly fierce economic competitors.

While the United States and Saudi Arabia approach their summit nursing grievances, neither can afford an open break. The Saudis are too dependent on U.S. military support and still value their American connection. They will therefore avoid alienating President Obama and will stage-manage the summit to make it look successful. Obama will be looking to use his last presidential trip to the Arabian Peninsula to cement his legacy. He can be expected to privately pressure the Gulf states to refrain from steps that would undermine the Iranian nuclear agreement, while reassuring them that they can continue to rely upon the United States to provide for their external security and prevent further Iranian adventurism. The president will want to demonstrate that he understands the Iranian nuclear deal will be more secure if the Gulf states have a vested interest in its successful implementation. He will also reaffirm that, despite their differences, the United States values its relationship with the GCC and is committed to upholding the U.S.-Saudi partnership.

Saudi overreliance upon American protection stunted its independence over time. With increasing doubts about America’s willingness to indefinitely play the role of regional policeman, Saudi Arabia has been pursuing a bolder, more unilateral foreign policy designed to counter the Iranian threat since King

Salman assumed the throne in January 2015. This has led to actions the Obama administration has seen as impulsive and ill conceived, such as the military campaign in Yemen, though Washington supported it largely to reassure the Saudis that the United States was a reliable partner.

While the early results have been profoundly unsettling, Saudi leaders may be more likely to learn from their mistakes if the United States refrains from swooping in to bail them out. Indeed, the Saudis have been retracting and recalibrating their assertive policies in Yemen and Egypt. Elsewhere, however, Saudi missteps, such as their withdrawal of funds from Lebanon, have handed Iran influence—just as the Saudis did in Iraq by refusing to engage with the Shiite-led government.

The new normal will be a more diffident U.S.-Saudi relationship. Both sides will harbor lower expectations of each other and continue to disagree, sometimes sharply, over important regional security issues, but will seek accommodations when their interests overlap. The rhetoric of U.S. and Saudi officials notwithstanding, the two countries will not have an alliance or even a “strategic partnership” in any meaningful sense of the terms.

Instead, they will have a more realistic and sustainable relationship that, shorn of its illusions and misperceptions, could produce fewer disappointments and even allow ad hoc cooperation. President Obama and King Salman should use their private discussions at the summit to begin a candid, frank and constructive dialogue over their priorities and expectations, and on how to point the needle upwards in the relationship.

Perry Cammack and Richard Sokolsky are, respectively, an associate and senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Both are former members of the Secretary of State’s Office of Policy Planning.

Dictators don’t stabilize the Middle East. They just create more terrorists. washiNgToN PosT LAuren KosA

Lately, I’ve noticed an increased number of American politicians suggesting that the Arab Spring was a disaster and that the region needs strongmen to stabilize it. Ted Cruz famously insisted that the Middle East was safer when Saddam Hussein and Moammar Gaddafi were in power. Rand Paul said the current chaos stems from the toppling of dictators. Even Bernie Sanders argued on “Meet the Press” that while our ultimate goal is democracy, the region would be more stable under dictators.

But when I worked on Middle East policy at the State Department, I saw just how destabilizing dictators in the region are. I worked on Egypt and human rights as a human rights-focused country desk officer from 2010 to 2012. There, I saw the brutal tactics of President Hosni Mubarak’s government destabilize the country.

On the desk, I watched Mubarak’s government undermine and dismantle the very institutions that could have paved the way to a more stable and peaceful country. By restricting which new political parties could be established, controlling what they could say and engaging in election fraud, it prevented Egypt’s political opposition parties from gaining experience.

And by attempting to control the activities and funding of organizations such as the National Democratic Institute, International Republican Institute and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, it diminished Egyptians’ access to important political training in democratic processes.

At times, it resorted to a more direct approach. I met with liberal Egyptian activists who were arrested for their political beliefs, journalists who were jailed for their writing and others who had suffered violence at the hands of Egypt’s security forces. Most genuinely wanted to improve their government and help build bridges between their government and its people. They could have been partners for helping their government to address grievances, but too often they were met with harassment or worse. I will never forget my meeting with one brave blogger who had been threatened and detained by security forces. He told me his heart was broken because the country he loved and wanted to help was the same one persecuting him. Nor could I forget the politician who longed to run as a candidate on liberal democratic values but was a member of one of the many political parties denied the right to form under Mubarak’s government.

These are the people and groups that would have helped prepare Egypt for a rigorous electoral process.

Egypt’s talented opposition candidates, if given the

opportunity to practice, could have waged stronger campaigns. Its civil society, if given the chance to flourish, could have paved the way to more issuebased politics. But they never had the opportunity to practice.

Mubarak’s fierce restriction of Egypt’s political scene set the stage for Egypt’s 2011 revolution. The November 2010 elections that preceded the revolution were considered to be among the most fraudulent in Egypt’s modern history. Egyptians became convinced that the Mubarak government was willing to take any measure to preserve its power, even brutality against its own citizens. The beating to death by police of 28year-old Egyptian Khaled Said in 2010, whose image was widely circulated, was a trigger for Egyptians’ discontent to boil over into a demand for change. Or as one Egyptian friend put it to me, “we couldn’t get that picture out of our heads.” With little prospect for reform, the government’s legitimacy crumbled.

In other words: Mubarak created the chaos that ensued when he was ousted.

With the increased concern about terrorism, this lesson is more important than ever. Allying ourselves with regional strongmen may make things stable in the short run, but it hurts us in the long run. Terrorism flourishes in places where the government is no longer seen as being on the side of the people. Human rights play an important role in that equation.

The Egyptian activists and politicians I met believed strongly in a democratic Egypt but were prevented under Mubarak’s government from building the political structures and civil society they needed to succeed.

Mubarak’s fierce repression alienated his population. His government worked to snuff out civil society and the beginnings of small liberal democratic movements to make it appear as though there were no alternatives. It created the false illusion that the United States had to choose between it and radical Islamists.

It is no secret that the Middle East is aflame and that terrorism constitutes a real threat in Egypt and throughout the region. But the most formidable enemy is created the moment we stop holding governments accountable to their peoples’ highest values. The best way to win is to nourish the small democratic movements and encourage states in which their citizens believe they truly have a stake and a future.

Lauren Kosa worked at the State Department from 2008 to January 2016 and covered the Human Rights portfolio for the Egypt Desk from 2010 to 2012. These views do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. government.

LEISURE 13

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

HaGaR tHE HoRRIblE

aries

taurus

gemini

Contrary to popular belief, you Rams can also behave like lambs; your gentle way of caring for those you love is obvious while the watery Cancer Moon softens your harder edges today.

The tables are turned now because you could actually be too adaptable rather than overly stubborn. Perhaps you are just tired of struggling and have little patience to explain your stated position.

Rationalizing your behavior doesn't change the circumstances.

However, you can get the most out of the present moment if you simply decide to stop fighting with yourself. It's all in your mind; life is what you make it.

cancer

leo

virgo

You can feel the stress intensify as the necessity to change confronts your current plans. But don't rush to resolve the tension; instead, reconsider what you really want to do or you could end up making the situation even worse.

Remember there's no right or wrong when it comes to your life path. Instead of fretting about trivial things now, just focus on alleviating the pain and suffering of someone close to your heart. The joy you experience from helping others is its own reward.

Unfortunately, trying to constrain your mental process only leads to frustration.

Ultimately, you will find the right solution by demonstrating your patience and listening to your intuition.

dIlbERt

GaRFIEld

libra

scorpio

sagittarius

Don't just get lost in your daydreams today; take a first step toward manifesting travel plans that can still bend a bit with the changing tides of your life. It takes more than words to make your dreams come true.

Your close friends might seem elusive now if you attempt to address your concerns directly. You could even make an error in judgment while assessing the current situation, prompting you to take an ineffective course of action.

Stay open to hearing someone else's point of view as long as it's based on facts. Reestablishing harmony between home and career isn't as hard as you think when you're on the side of truth.

baldo

capricorn

aQuarius

pisces

Although you want to find time for personal enjoyment, there's too much on your calendar now even for a quick escape. Cover as much ground as you can on all your projects, but don't stress about having unfinished business when the workday is over.

There's little you can do to prevent someone from going through his or her own angst now when adapting to a new situation.

Thankfully, you can be quite comfortable with the idea of making big changes in your life when necessary.

A specific tactic in managing relationship dynamics that once worked particularly well for you isn't necessarily as useful now. There's no reason to hold on to memories that only bring you sadness.

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.

manufacture marrow poise proud purpose ready reckless rejoice scrub seed shame sole sorrow stark trail trend used victors wound

Today’s soluTions

sacRIFIcIal oFFERInGs

cHEss White tO PLAY AND MAte iN tWO MOVes 8

crossword solution

7 6 5 4 3 2

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

chess solution

A

1.be7 Re8 2.bb4 *

1

sudoku solution

1 clear-cut — like old films? (5,3,5) 8 worthless people (4) 9 french president, 1959-69 (2,6) 10 glamorous, rich and famous people? (10) 12 morality (6) 14 three-legged stand (6) 15 skill of a sailor (10) 19 surrounding area (8) 20 portent (4) 21 simultaneously — nevertheless (2,3,4,4) DOwn 2 neighbourhood (8) 3 heavenly body with a tail (5) 4 speak to (7) 5 religious doctrine (5) 6 hungarian-born american magician, d. 1926 (7) 7 mah-jong piece (4) 11 olé! music! (anag) — large stadium (8) 13 suffolk town on the river orwell (7) 14 boat's flat stern — horizontal beam (7) 16 long periods of time (5) 17 brief (5) 18 sheepshank, for example (4)

advise ahead always blank broad bully choral class clear crime deepen diary duds every farm favor harmony ignore kale

14

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

ARTS

Germs, not true love, make humans mate for life: study

W

HY did humans become monogamous, apparently rejecting the promiscuity that is natural to most animals? Was it morality? Religion? Maybe love?

The answer is germs, researchers said Tuesday, arguing that the havoc caused by sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) convinced our ancestors it would be better to mate for life.

A research duo from Canada and Germany observed that STIs flourished among large groups of people living in the villages, towns and cities that arose after prehistoric hunter-gatherers settled down to farm.

Left unchecked, spreading diseases can affect individual fertility and a group’s overall reproduction rate.

Falling population numbers would force a rethink of sexual behaviour — which in turn gives rise to social mores.

The researchers developed a mathematical model of hunter-gatherer demographics and likely STI spread among them. They used it “to show how growing STI disease burden in larger residen-

tial group sizes can foster the emergence of socially imposed monogamy in human mating.” In small groups of no more than 30 individuals, with no chance for epidemic spread, STI outbreaks are generally short-lived, the team said.

The reduced risk may explain why small groups, both among early humans and today, are often polygynous (when

men have more than one partner).

– ‘Evolutionary puzzle’ – Socially-imposed human monogamy has long been considered an “evolutionary puzzle”, according to the research duo.

It requires societies to put in place checks and structures — a police and court system, for example — to uphold

societal mores.

“Yet, many larger human societies transitioned from polygyny to socially imposed monogamy beginning with the advent of agriculture and larger residential groups,” said the paper.

That riddle may now be solved.

The research showed that our natural environment, with factors such as disease spread, “can strongly influence the development of social norms, and in particular our group-oriented judgements,” study author Chris Bauch of the University of Waterloo in Canada told media.

But this did not necessarily mean that humans would become wildly promiscuous if drugs were to make STIs a thing of the past, he added.

“Modern societies are more complicated… and there is probably more than one reason that explains socially imposed monogamy,” Bauch said by email.

“I think it is premature to speculate that marriage will disappear, or that polygyny will return, if we solve the problem of STIs.” The research was published in the journal Nature Communications. Agencies

Facebook’s next frontier: chatbots, live video

12-year-old kid makes himself Australia’s PM on Wikipedia for 2 days Courtesy Mashable It isn’t surprising no one noticed. In Australia, the prime minister changes every few weeks. Okay, months. OK, years. Either way, one brilliant Australian kid named Orley Fenelon, aged 12, decided he deserved the title as much as the next bloke (or sheila). So he did what any selfrespecting Internet child does, and made himself the leader on Wikipedia. As anyone that is anyone knows, Wikipedia holds all truth. So in actual fact, Fenelon was Australia’s 30th Prime Minister for two days. He stands alongside Australian memegenerator Tony Abbott, the first female leader Julia Gillard and the man who won’t stop speaking Mandarin, Kevin Rudd It was a slick manoeuvre that has seen him skyrocket to an insane level of popularity in mere hours, outshining the current PM Malcolm Turnbull without his knowledge. As one would do, when they are made the leader of the free island, Fenelon did the media rounds in Australia talking about how he had changed the world. The young gun told Mashable Australia, after verifying his identity, that he didn’t actually expect his Wikipedia joke with friends to turn into global news. In fact, he has done similar pranks before but without the same level of interest. “I was just bored and it was a running joke among friends.

We came up with the joke of fooling around with the prime minister. Me and a couple of friends were editing Wikipedia pages and it kinda went from there,” he said. “I thought it was just a stupid Internet thing that I would make a joke about, get above average amount of likes on Instagram and just totally forget about forever.” The Internet, as we know, does not forget. Fenelon has made his place in the history books, forever. Like the rest of Australia, Fenelon’s parents are as proud as punch of their innovative son. “They are having a great laugh through all of this,” he said. We could have had good things if the Year 7 student stayed in the hot seat. “I would have declared the national food to be kebabs,” he said. By all accounts, that’s a huge, and worthwhile, step up from the Innovation Boom. This was not to be, as the information was quickly deleted and his account was shut down after he tried to make an edit on a page dedicated to Orley Fenelon. Suddenly, Fenelon was just a regular teenager again. That won’t stop this little Internet destroyer though, he told us to watch this space for his next project. “Shutting down my account won’t stop me, unfortunately,” he warned.

Facebook Inc said on Tuesday it will allow developers to build chatbots inside its Messenger app to enable users to communicate with businesses directly in its latest effort to dominate enterprise transactions and customer service.

The chatbots expedite Facebook´s moves to build out Messenger as the go-to place for users to contact businesses rather than through third-party websites and 1-800 lines.

“You´ll never have to call 1800-Flowers again,” Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said during a demonstration of how the chatbots will work.

At the company´s annual developer conference in San Francisco, Zuckerberg also announced during his keynote address its live video product, Facebook Live, was open to developers to create new features as Facebook seeks to encourage users to share more original content

on the 1.6 billion-person site.

Zuckerberg´s address strayed from the normal company news updates by making veiled references to the 2016 US presidential campaign. He referenced comments by Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in particular, saying he heard “fearful voices calling for building walls” and halting immigration.

Zuckerberg kicked off the 30minute keynote by laying out the company´s 10-year plan, which included improvements in ar-

tificial intelligence, virtual reality and augmented reality. Last week, Facebook made its biggest push yet in live video by giving the product more prominent placement on its app and rolling out features that make it easier to create and find video. It is also paying celebrities and media companies to supply video in order to get Live off to a quick start and take on rivals such as Twitter Inc´s Periscope and Snapchat.

Messenger last week rolled out Messenger Codes, allowing users to scan a code to begin a chat with a business and making it easier to carry out transactions and customer service through the app.

Facebook said more than 50 million businesses have pages.

Such features will let Messenger users carry out tasks such as making restaurant reservations, placing online orders and scheduling appointments, a move that threatens call service centres and traditional customer service lines.

Agencies

Stephen Hawking, Mark Zuckerberg launch ambitious alien-finding project Courtesy Independent Tiny rockets are going to be sent into space to study the far universe in the most ambitious space exploration project in history. Scientists including Stephen Hawking and backers such as internet investor Yuri Milner and Mark Zuckerberg will send “nano craft” deep into space to explore the most remote regions that humans have ever seen, by far. The hugely ambitious project could reveal deep secrets of the universe and will allow people to photograph one of the most likely places to hold life on other worlds. Professor Hawking said at the event: “What makes us unique is transcending our limits. Gravity pins us to the ground, but I just flew to America. “How do we transcend these limits? With our minds and our machines. “The limit that confronts us now is the great void between us and the stars.

But now we can transcend it, with light beams, light sails, and the lightest spacecraft ever built. Today we commit to this next great leap into the cosmos, because we are human and our nature is to fly.” The Starshot Project hopes to get the tiny robots out to the Alpha Centauri star system, 25 trillion miles away.

Getting there through normal means would take 30,000 years – but the new project hopes that using the tiny rockets will allow them to get there in just 20. Scientists think that the Alpha Centauri system might well have an Earth-like planet that could be found in its “habitable zones”. The craft will be able to take pictures of those – a potential way that they might find life on other worlds. The crafts will be “gram-scale nano craft”, according to Yuri Milner, which will make their way through space using a “sail pushed by a light beam”. Their design will allow them to fly at 25 per cent of light speed.

Those craft will be able to send back images of possible planets and other scientific data, according to the scientists behind it. “The human story is one of great leaps,” Dr Milner said. “Today we are preparing for the next great leap – to the stars. “Can we literally reach the stars, and can we do it in our lifetime?” The tiny rockets are made up of computers that can be mounted to a tiny “wafer”. Shrinking computer components mean that all of the necessary parts – cameras, thrusters, and power supply and navigation equipment – can all be mounted on a tiny plate that will be a fully functional space probe. Before those are built, the project will have to create all of the important parts on the ground.

BAN ‘KILLER ROBOTS’: EXPERTS TELL UN Technology allowing a pre-programmed robot to shoot to kill, or a tank to fire at a target with no human involvement, is only years away, experts say. A new report called Monday for a ban on such “killer robots.’’

The report by Human Rights Watch and the Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic was released as the United Nations kicked off a week-long meeting on such weapons in Geneva.

The report calls for humans to remain in control over all weapons systems at a time of rapid technological advances. It says that requiring humans to remain in control of critical functions during combat, including the selection of targets, saves lives and ensures that fighters comply with international law “Machines have long served as instruments of war, but historically humans have directed how they are used,’’ said Bonnie Docherty, senior arms division researcher at Human

Rights Watch, in a statement. “Now there is a real threat that humans would relinquish their control and delegate life-and-death decisions to machines.’’

Some have argued in favour of robots on the battlefield, saying their use could save lives.

But last year, more than 1,000 technology and robotics experts — including scientist Stephen Hawking, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak — warned that such weapons could be developed within years, not decades.

In an open letter, they argued that if any major military power pushes ahead with development of autonomous weapons, “a global arms race is virtually inevitable, and the endpoint of this technological trajectory is obvious: autonomous weapons will become the Kalashnikovs of tomorrow.’’

According to the London-based organization Campaign to Stop Killer

Robots, the United States, China, Israel, South Korea, Russia, and Britain are moving toward systems that would give machines greater combat autonomy. Human Rights Watch is a

co-founder of the organization.

The UN meeting of experts on the issue, chaired by Germany, continues talks that took place in April 2015 and May 2014. Agencies

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

ARTS

15

ArslAn Asif: music, drugs And pAssion LAHORE AromA ShAhId

Arslan Asif, a vocalist, guitarist, composer and also the lyricist of all his songs, is on a roll these days and Pakistan Today got down with him.

What developed your interest in joining the music industry?

In the sixth grade I heard Junoon’s album ‘Parwaaz’ for the first time. I heard the song ‘Bulleya’ on repeat for at least six months and they were my favourite.

My parents promised to buy me a guitar once I completed my matriculation and that was part of how I got to love music more. I moved to Islamabad and started practicing guitar on my own for two years without getting any lessons.

I finally found a teacher who had also taught the singer Salman Ahmed of Junoon and Junaid Jamshed of vital signs.

I learned to play the guitar and the theory of music from him.

My first single ‘Choo lun mein aasman’ launched in 2007, and then I came up with the second song ‘Char Din Ki Chandni’. So far, I have produced eight audio tracks and four music videos.

Generally, families object to pursuing

music. Did you face similar hurdles?

I never faced such a problem, because my parents’ only concern was that I complete my education before getting involved in music.

Your vocals seem to be inspired by Ali Azmat. Is it because you have been listening to Junoon from an early age?

Yes, I have been listening to Ali Azmat’s music since their fifth album ‘Parwaaz’ came out in 1999. The reason that my vocal tone has become similar to his is that while listening to him I practiced until I started learning music theory in 2007.

Do you only do songs to promote social issues?

No, there is usually a balance. Although, I try to create songs that are meaningful and can help raise awareness about the problems in our society.

Artists are able to raise more awareness on certain issues because of their popularity.

They can reach out to a larger audience and spread important messages.

I play ‘love songs’ as well but nor-

Big-B lauds ranbir by labeling him a ‘huge star’ MUMBAI AGENCIES

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has lauded actor Ranbir Kapoor by labelling him a “huge star”. Ranbir and Big B asked his fans on Twitter if they got a chance to see Ranbir in the 1991 film “Ajooba” photographs. “Did you see little Ranbir Kapoor in one of the Ajooba pictures…!! so cute. 25 years later, huge star!” Amitabh tweeted. On the work front, the “Wazir” star is currently shooting with Shoojit Sircar’s upcoming thriller “Pink”, where Big B is reportedly essaying the role of a lawyer.The film also stars Taapsee Pannu. The 73-year-old will also be seen sharing screen space with actors Vidya Balan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Sujoy Ghosh’s production “TE3N”. While Ranbir has two films in his kitty – “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” directed by Karan Johar.

mally I focus on writing music about social issues, but I am not interested in writing about political issues.

Tell us more about your work?

The first ever video I made was for the song ‘Char Din Ki Chandni’ and was shot in Lahore. It featured Usman Pirzada and the model Shabra, along with six junior artists.I had to play a Rajhastani vampire due to budget limitations for the studio effects.

The second video ‘Chu Loon Mein Aasman’ was shot

with an iPhone 4 and the location was a single room. The video came out in 2011 and it was the first one in Pakistan that was shot with an iPhone 4. It had been shot using Chroma key compositing and the entire scene in the video was developed through special effects.

You probably have idea that making videos through Chroma requires high definition cameras to produce best results; this is why it took us a long time to finish this video project.

My latest track ‘Apne Karam’ came out in December 2015. It was also based on social issues. The upcoming single ‘Aaj Kal’ is a love song and it will be released in a couple of months.

Which genre of music do you think your songs fall in?

I played hard rock in the beginning, but as I got more involved in the industry, I realised that the audience prefers to listen to lighter music. So now I mostly play music for commercial purposes.

You have also sung in Punjabi, do you plan on exploring more languages?

I have produced a couple of songs in Punjabi. The song ‘Punjabi Babay’ is about the perverted nature

peeCee speaks up about suicide claims by former manager ENTERTAINMENT DESK After weeks of silence, Priyanka Chopra has finally spoken up about her ex-manager Prakash Jaju’s claims of her allegedly suicidal past.

Following the mysterious death of TV star Pratyusha Banerjee, Jaju alleged that Priyanka was also troubled during her early days in Bollywood, and he saved her from suicide twice.

Priyanka has slammed his statements as completely false, reports Indian Express.

“This is utter… First of all, it’s so sad that Indian media has given credibility to the man, who was in jail because of harassing me, without checking the history who the person is. So, I have nothing to say because there is no credibility to this person, who media is giving credibility to,” Priyanka Chopra told a foreign media agency.

Banerjee’s demise may have been a reminder of the darker side of showbiz, but Priyanka said a lot of factors, other than the pressures of the entertainment industry, make a person vulnerable to depression: “Why don’t we talk about those women, who commit suicide because they were harassed by the mother-in-laws or being beaten in their homes? Or they kill themselves because they are unhappy in their homes? It’s so easy to turn around and say about the showbiz world.”

Priyanka also expressed her disappointment that people were quick to judge Banerjee without knowing the truth: “Nobody knows the truth. Nobody ever tried to find out what the poor 24-year-old girl was going through… And as usual, people are dissecting her life. People are unnecessarily talking about her, not giving her and family the respect they deserve right now.”

She concluded with a message to the youth: “Young people are also committing suicide in colleges and hostels. I believe why they have to kill themselves for somebody else. I would kill that person first before ending my life for the person.”

Liam and Cheryl –picture perfct couple on their date night COURTESY THE MIRROR

syed aLI aBBas ZaIdI Controversial Cyber Crime Law #PECB has passed in the national assembly of Pakistan.

Bad news for Internet freedoms and privacy ethics

kIяan Some people are the human version of "K."

IftIkhar fIrdous So technically if you're planning a Panama Paper's Pakistani version you'll probably land up in jail and would have to pay for damages.

Zarrar khuhro Best thing pmln could do for itself is to just zip their lips.

rehan uLhaq When you are sarcastic, most ppl think u are being serious & when u are serious most ppl think u are being sarcastic. #DesiProblems

Liam Payne and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini made a picture perfect couple as they enjoyed a romantic date night in London.

The pair were suited and booted for a night out in the capital and Liam, who is 10 years, her junior, was pictured playing the role of the perfect gentleman.

The One Direction star, 22, gave his stunning other half a helping hand out of their car as they arrived at celebrity haunt

Sexy Fish. Cheryl, who recently revealed she was quitting The X Factor, looked as gorgeous as ever in a pair of baggy leather trousers and a print silk jacket over a bright red top.

While teen pin-up Liam looked handsome in a black leather jacket, white T-shirt and black skinny trousers.

Their romantic date night comes after it was reported the smitten pair, who have only been dating for five months, had moved in together.

A source explained: “Cheryl and Liam are getting more serious by the day. They want to make the most of their time with each other before Cheryl has to go back to the UK, so it made sense for her to come and live with him.”

Liam, 22, began dating Cheryl, 32, just a few months after her marriage to JeanBernard Fernandez-Versini, whom she got hitched to in 2014, came to an end but it wasn’t until February that their secret romance was revealed.

of old men in Punjab. Artists in Pakistan should not avoid writing songs in different languages because diversity helps us to learn.

Have you performed in front of live audience?

I have performed in a lot of educational institutes in Islamabad. I have been able to perform in front of crowds since 2007, hence I think of myself more of a performer rather than a recording artist.

My aim is to start performing in different cities across Pakistan.

I have not compiled an entire album because record labels no longer exist in Pakistan.The audio is launched first and the video is made only after considering the reviews from the audience.

What message would you like to give to the upcoming musicians in Pakistan?

I always tell the young musicians to avoid getting involved in drugs in order to become a part of this industry. It had tarnished the image of musicians in our industry. I have come across several artists who tend to avoid it despite being under pressure.

The fans consider artists, musicians as role models, so it is important for us to set a good example.

John Abraham pays tribute to India’s leading female biker Veenu Paliwal Actor John Abraham paid tribute to Veenu Paliwal, one of India’s leading bikers, who died in a road accident on Monday. Paliwal, 44, was on a countrywide tour on her Harley Davidson along with fellow biker Deepesh Tanwar when her motorcycle skidded off the road in Madhya Pradesh’s Vidisha district.

Abraham wrote on Twitter, “My heart goes out to Veenu Paliwal. May her soul RIP. From a fellow biker.

Respect #oncearideralwaysarider.”

The actor also shared two pictures of Paliwal. As soon as the tragic news of Veenu’s demise came out, #oncearideralwaysarider started trending on Twitter. The Dhoom actor is known for his love of bikes and rides a Yamaha R1 super bike. AGENCIES

Being competitive led to split between Scarlett Johansson-Ryan Reynolds?

LOS ANGELES AGENCIES

Scarlett Johansson has hinted that competition may have led to her split with former husband Ryan Reynolds.

Though Johansson, who is now married to Romain Dauriac, did not name Ryan directly, she discussed about the hardships of having a relationship with another actor.

“There has to be a real understanding of how you share your time, especially when two people’s careers.

I used to speak In a gIrL’s voICe to taLk to gaurI: srk NEW DELHI AGENCIES

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who has been married to entrepreneur Gauri Khan for over 24 years now, says it was not easy for him to get in touch with his wife before marriage and he even used to fool her family by speaking to them in a girl’s voice.

Shah Rukh, who is awaiting the release of his highly anticipated filmFan, shared his personal life on the first episode of ace comedian Kapil Sharma’s upcoming The Kapil Sharma Show.

“Unlike today where we have mobile phones, earlier during our

times there were only landline telephones. So whenever I wanted to talk to Gauri, I used to speak in a girl’s voice as her brother used to pick the phone,” said Khan.

“So I used to say, ‘Hello, can I please speak to Gauri’ in a girl’s voice and he used to think that I’m her female friend. Even till today he doesn’t know that it was me who used to call every time. But after watching this episode he will get to know that,” he added.

Shah Rukh will be seen playing a double role in Fan, which is directed by Maneesh Sharma. Khan earlier played a double role in the 1998 filmDuplicate, which also starred actress Juhi Chawla.

CMYK

16 BUSINESS CORPORATE CORNER

LAHORE: Dr. Shahid Amjad Chaudhry, Rector, Lahore School of Economics, Dr. Rana Abdul Wajid, Director Center Maths and Stats, Lahore School of Economics and Dr. Asma Khalid, Lahore School of Economics, at the Eleventh Conference on Recent Advances in Mathematical Methods, Models and Applications held at Lahore School of Economics. Pr

Bank Islami signs strategic alliance with Honda

LAHORE: Honda Atlas Cars (Pakistan) Limited and Bank Islamic Pakistan Limited have joined hands to offer their customers valuable Honda products and best shariah compliant Auto Financing solutions. This partnership was agreed upon in a meeting held at Lahore. Mr. Yasser Abbas, Section Head Auto Ijarah Bank Islamiand Mr. Nadeem Azam, General Manager Sales & Marketing Honda signed the agreement. On the occasion, Yasser Abbas said “The agreement is a milestone not only for both the institutions but also for customers who will greatly benefit from our exciting offer.”

Mr. Nadeem Azam also expressed. PRESS RELEASE

Audi Quattro Cup 2016 Tees off in Lahore

LAHORE: The world’s largest and most renowned amateur golf tournament teed off this year at the Defence Raya Golf Course in Lahore, with more than 100 golfers turning out to compete. The Audi Quattro Cup series is celebrating its 26th anniversary this year, and will see over 1,000 rounds of golf played by more than 100,000 golfers in at least 54 countries throughout the year. Hosted locally

by Premier Systems (Pvt) Ltd, the official importer for Audi in Pakistan, saw Ahmad Kayani and Ch. Saeed Ul Haseeb take the winning spot of the Audi Quattro Cup Pakistan. Amir Chaudhry and Brig Haroon Malik came in a close second as runners up, and in the 3rd spot Ahmed Shah Durrani and Syed Shabaz Haider. Our winners go forward to represent Pakistan at the Audi quattro Cup World Final 2016 in Barcelona, Spain in October. PRESS RELEASE

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

IMF PrOjeCTS 4.5% eCONOMIC GrOwTH FOr PAkISTAN IN 2016, 4.7% IN 2017 WASHINGTON

P

APP

akISTan’S economy is projected to grow at 4.5 per cent in 2016 and 4.7 per cent in 2017, according to the new World Economic Outlook by the International Monetary Fund released on Tuesday.

However, growth in the Middle East, north africa, afghanistan and Pakistan (MEnaP) region has weakened considerably because of further decline in oil prices and intensifying conflicts and security risks.

“Growth in the region overall is projected at 3.1 per cent in 2016 and 3.5 per cent in 2017, 0.8 percentage point and 0.7 percentage point weaker, respectively, than projected in the October 2015 WEO,” the report said.

For the global outlook, the IMF revised its forecast downward for 2016 to 3.2 per cent compared to its earlier projection made in January. The recovery is projected to strengthen in 2017 and beyond, driven primarily by emerging market and developing economies.

However, the report says that uncertainty has increased, and risks of weaker growth scenarios are becoming more tangible. Preliminary data suggests that global growth during the second half of 2015, at 2.8 percent, was weaker than previously forecast, with a sizable slowdown during the last quarter of the year.

The unexpected weakness in late 2015 reflected to an important extent softer activity in advanced economies especially in the United States, but also in Japan and other advanced asian economies.

The picture for emerging markets is quite diverse, with high growth rates in China and most of emerging asia, but severe macroeconomic conditions in Brazil, Russia, and a number of other commodity exporters.

Oil prices are projected to increase gradually over the forecast horizon, from an average of about $35 a barrel in 2016 to $41 a barrel in 2017, the outlook says. In contrast, nonfuel commodity prices are expected to stabilize around recent levels.

IMF ‘ENCOURAGED’ BY PIA REFORM STEP, AWAITS MORE PLANS ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is encouraged that Pakistan will convert cash-strapped Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) into a limited company but said on Wednesday it will see if the reforms go far enough in restructuring the company. Parliament adopted a law on Monday to convert PIA into a limited company but it prevents the government from giving up its management control. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had made the privatisation of the company a top goal when he came to power in 2013. The privatisation of it and 67 other state-owned companies is also a major element of a $6.7 billion IMF package that helped Pakistan stave off default in 2013. The IMF has continued to release loan instalments despite missed targets. “We are encouraged that a

“Geopolitical tensions are assumed to stay elevated in 2016, with the situation in Russia and Ukraine remaining difficult and strife continuing in some countries in the Middle East.” Oil prices decreased further by 32 per cent between august 2015 and February 2016 on account of strong supply from members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia, expectations of higher supply from Iran, and concerns about the resilience of global demand and medium-term growth prospects.

Global financial conditions are assumed

Clarification: APCNGA warns PSO of legal action against oil retailer KARACHI: Apropos the news article titled “APCNGA warns PSO of legal action against oil retailer” published in “Pakistan Today” on 9thApril, 2016; Pakistan State Oil (PSO) categorically refutes the false statements and allegations levelled by Mr.Abid Hayat regarding increase in rent of PSO outlets. It is made clear to all that PSO does not charge any kind of rent whatsoever fromthe CNG operators rather as per the CNG License Agreement signed between PSO and CNG operators, the operators were bound to pay a pre-defined percentage of actual quantity of gas sold at CNG stations for each month to PSO and their dealers.No increase in rent has been challenged in the Court by All Pakistan CNG Association (“APCNGA”), as stated by Mr. Abid Hayat. On the contrary, in 2010, APCNGA had invoked the Arbitration Clause in PSO CNG Licence Agreement by referring the matter to Arbitrator for seeking reduction in the payment percentage of PSO CNG share, who passed an unilateral award, which has no enforceable and binding upon parties, as the same has not become Rule of the Court. Moreover, the said Arbitration Award has been challenged by PSO before Honorable Islamabad High Court, which is subjudice before Court. PRESS RELEASE

Huawei ranked among Top 50 in list of 100 Most Valuable Brands

LAHORE: Mr. Rafiq Bhatti from Punjab Institute of Mental Health.

LDS Charities donated some stuff to this Institute for the patients. Pr

LAHORE: The leading global technology brand, Huawei has once again listed among the top brands globally. Huawei has been producing the best products of high quality and superior technology. Moreover, consumer satisfaction and innovations also go parallel that further added value to Huawei products and to the manufacturers. Hence, Huawei has been recognized by the international markets, consumer pool and the technology analysts as a leading, most trusted and the most loved brand across the globe. Recently, Brand Finance, a UK base firm, has listed down and released “Global Top 100 most Valuable Brands” in the third week of the march. According to the said list, Huawei has been ranked on the 47th position among the most valuable global brands. PRESS RELEASE

Tetra Pak revenues jump to € 11.9 in 2015

LAHORE: Under CSR, Pak Suzuki organized Blood Donation Campaign-2016 in collaboration with Indus Hospital on 14th March. Pr

LAHORE: Tetra Pak’s revenues reached €11.9 billion in 2015, a rise of 7.5% on the previous year, as a strong business performance helped overcome the impact of continued challenges in the global economy. Though positive currency impacts accounted for 6.3% of the increase, the company also reported solid growth in both Services and Processing Solutions, while its Packaging sales advanced at a more modest rate. PRESS RELEASE

CMYK

consensus has been reached on corporatization of PIA,” Harald Finger, IMF mission chief for Pakistan, told Reuters in an email. “We will need to study the approved bill and discuss with the authorities their emerging plans to run PIA strictly as a commercial entity and strengthen its performance in the absence of a transfer of management control to a private investor.” PIA has accumulated losses of more than $3 billion. It and other loss-making companies, including power distribution companies and steel giant Pakistan Steel Mills, cost the government an estimated $5 billion a year. In February, the IMF released the last $497 million tranche of its loan, even after Pakistan shelved plans to privatise its power supply companies and said it would miss deadlines to sell other loss-making state firms. Another $1.1 billion remains to be released. AGENCIES

to remain broadly accommodative, but with some segments notably commodities and related industries and oil-exporting countries facing tighter financing conditions.

The process of monetary policy normalisation in the United States, the world’s largest economy, is assumed to proceed smoothly, without sharp movements in longterm interest rates. The tightening of financial conditions for some emerging market economies over the past few months, with rising interest rate spreads and declining equity prices, is expected to persist.

SBP to clear duty drawback of local taxes for FY15 ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) will immediately begin to disburse Rs 1 billion to settle in full fiscal year (FY2015) enhanced-export duty drawback of local taxes (DLTL) claims to the exporters. The finance division has released an amount of Rs 1.089 billion to the SBP for disbursement to clear the claims of DLTL orders 2015. On the recommendation of ministry of commerce, the federal government announced in the budget to provide refund of local taxes to exporters of nontraditional sectors on FOB values of their enhanced exports if increased by 10 per cent and beyond over previous year’s exports at the rate of 4 per cent of the increase. This facility was also announced for textile exporters. The incentive to non-traditional port sectors was provided to fish and fish preparations, meat and meat preparations, spices, gloves, footballs and other sport goods, leather garments, other leather manufacturers, footwear, surgical goods, cutlery, electric fans, transport equipment, machinery specified for particular industry or other machinery or electric equipment, furniture and pharmaceutical. The ministry of commerce in pursuance of the above initiative accordingly issued an order called the Drawback of Local Taxes and Levies Order 2015, through SRO 415(I)/2015 on March 15, 2015. Under the said SRO, it was provided that the exporters of the above commodities will submit the claims duly certified by the respective associations and chambers to the SBP along with the supporting documents as prescribed in the order to the nominated authorised banks by July 31, 2015.

During the said period, claims amounting to Rs 1.089 billion were received by the SBP through the commercial banks for payment in the favour of various exporters.

BUSINESS 17

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

OPeC cuts 2016 oil demand growth forecast, warns of more LONDON: OPEC on Wednesday cut its forecast for global oil demand growth in 2016 and warned of further reductions citing concern about Latin america and China, pointing to a larger supply surplus this year. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries also said top exporter Saudi arabia kept output steady in March a sign Riyadh is serious about a plan to be discussed this weekend to freeze output and support prices - while OPEC supply overall rose only slightly. World demand will grow by 1.20 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2016, OPEC said in its monthly report, 50,000 bpd less than expected previously. It also cited the impact of warmer weather and the removal of fuel subsidies in some countries. “Economic developments in Latin america and China are of concern,” OPEC said. “Current negative factors seem to outweigh positive ones and possibly imply downward revisions in oil demand growth, should existing signs persist going forward.” OPEC’s view contrasts with that of the U.S. Energy Information administration, which on Tuesday raised its demand forecast slightly. a third closely watched oil report, from the International Energy agency, is due on Thursday. a big slowdown in demand could complicate producers’ efforts to bolster prices by freezing output. The plan, to be discussed on Sunday in Doha, has helped oil prices to rally above $41 a barrel from a 12-year low close to $27 hit in January. OPEC’s refusal to cut output in late 2014 helped accelerate a drop in prices, which is slowing the development of relatively expensive rival supply sources such as U.S. shale oil and other projects worldwide. AGENCIES

FPCCI wants govt to promote ease of doing business in budget ISLAMABAD: The Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has suggested the government to focus on ease of doing business which will attract much needed investment to trigger economic growth in the country. It also recommended the government to undertake meaningful reforms covering all the sectors, broaden the tax base, immediately pay exporters’ refunds, facilitate establishment of new industries to create jobs and improve revenue. The proposals were presented to Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar during a meeting of FPCCI delegation with him, according to the FPCCI statement. The delegation was led by FPCCI President abdul Rauf alam, it added. advisor to Prime Minister Haroon akhtar khan, FBR Chairman nisar Muhammad khan, members of FBR Rehmatullah khan Wazir, Dr Mohammad Irshad, and nasir Masood were also present on the occasion.

The FPCCI officials lauded the government on increasing the revenue collection, which has risen by 19.7 per cent and suggested to take additional steps to strengthen tax administration. The businessmen furnished proposal to improve Sales Tax, Income Tax and Customs Duty regime. On the occasion, the delegation of the business community was assured that their proposals would be considered and that their support is needed to meet the revenue target of Rs 3.1 trillion for the current year, it added. APP

NA PASSeS ACTS TO reGuLATe FOreIGN eXCHANGe, reGISTer IMMIGrANTS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PASSES FOREIGN EXCHANGE REGULATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 2014 AND FOREIGNERS (AMENDMENT) BILL 2016 ISLAMABAD

T

APP

HE national assembly Wednesday passed the Foreign Exchange Regulation (amendment) Bill, 2014 and the Foreigners (amendment) Bill, 2016. according to the statement of objects and reasons of Foreign Exchange (amend) Bill, 2014, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is the regulator of the foreign exchange regime in Pakistan and is responsible for the administration of the Foreign Exchange Regulation act 1947.

Since the promulgation of the 1947 act, the volume of foreign currency transactions to and from Pakistan has considerably increased. The SBP needs to have effective enforcement powers to regulate the foreign exchange business of banks and exchange companies.

However, under the existing provision of the act, SBP has no direct power to impose monetary penalties on violation of provisions of the act and has to follow a lengthy procedure of adjudication.

It can only suspend or cancel a bank or an exchange company on violation of any provision of the act which often becomes more severe than the viola-

tions warrant. now under the Foreign Exchange Regulation (amendment) Bill, 2016, in order to provide a deterrent and to enable State Bank of Pakistan to take appropriate, effective and prompt remedial measures, the bill seeks to amend the act to empower the SBP, as a regulator, to impose penalties for violation of the provisions of the act.

The Foreigners (amendment) Bill, 2016 says the illegal immigrants have

PAMA urges govt to remove anomalies in purchase of tractors’ components KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan automotive Manufacturers association (PaMa) on Wednesday urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in its budget proposal to reduce the rate of input tax on purchase of components, local and imported, by the tractor manufacturers to match the output rate. agricultural tractors are subjected to reduced rate of sales tax at the rate of 10 per cent. as against it, imported components required for manufacturing of tractors are subjected to sales tax at the rate of 17 per cent. also, it added, components purchased locally from vendors were also charged at the rate of 17 per cent. “Since input tax is at a much higher rate as against the output tax, refunds are consistently accruing and increasing on a regular basis,” the proposal said.

The proposal added that this

would help the industry to reduce yearly refunds 400-500 million. “as sales tax on imports is directly collected by the government at the import stage and no other intermediaries are involved, therefore, it is sensible for the authorities to implement,” the proposal stated.

“The industry was already badly hit by imposition of GST in 2011 as the rise in prices badly affected the sales of tractors,” an official at PaMa said. “The industry has never been able to recover from that blow and now blockage of its huge refunds makes it almost impossible for the industry to continue smooth operations due to cash crunch,” he added.

The GST rates revisions have been a major issue for the tractor industry. The government of Pakistan for the first time in 2011 levied a GST of 17 per cent on tractor sales. On industry’s requests, this was revised to 5 per cent in next year but raised again to 10 per cent in FY13 and 17

per cent in FY14. The rate was again decreased in FY15 to 10 per cent and that rate is still applicable.

“Since the imposition of GST Pakistan witnessed negative growth in terms of sales of tractors in last five years in the world, which is quite worrisome and needs immediate attention of the authorities concerned,” he added. Pakistan registered negative 51 per cent growth in the sales of tractors among the main players of the world in last five years. In 2010, the sales figures of tractors in the country were 70,646. This went down to 49,125 in 2011 and 64,502 in 2012. The sales figures were 41,547 in 2013 and 34,796 in 2014.

“Pakistan with 51 per cent growth was the only country with above 50 per cent negative growth,” he added. “The government should rethink about its priorities and bail the tractor industry out from the situation which is on the verge of collapse due to decline in sales,” he appealed.

NAB probing Rs 26b misappropriation in PSM, NA told ISLAMABAD APP

Parliamentary Secretary for Industries and Production Rao Muhammad ajmal khan on Wednesday informed the national assembly that the national accountability Bureau (naB) was conducting inquiry into Rs 26 billion misappropriation in general provident and gratuity funds of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) in 2009-10.

Responding to a calling attention notice raised by Maulana Muhammad Gohar Shah and others regarding

non-increase in the salaries of the PSM employees and misappropriation in general provident fund, he said under the Companies act 1984, respective Board of Governors (BoG) was responsible for any such wrongdoing.

Rao ajmal said the PSM was a national asset but unfortunately it had been closed for the last eight months. a sum of Rs 24 billion was provided to the PSM during last two years for paying salaries to the employees, he added. He said the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had approved to pay two-month salaries of December and January to the employees.

PASSCO RECEIVABLES ARE RS 75 BILLION, SENATE BODY TOLD ISLAMABAD APP

The Senate’s Standing Committee on national Food Security and Research was informed on Wednesday that the receivables of Pakistan agriculture, Storage and Services Corporation (PaSSCO) were Rs 75 billion.

The committee, which met here with Senator Syed Muzafar Hussain Shah in the chair, was also apprised that PaSSCO was paying Rs 12 billion interest to banks annually on the loan availed to procure wheat stock.

PaSSCO Managing Director Cap (r) Tariq Masud told the committee that it was mandatory for the corporation to keep about 1.8 million tons of wheat stock as strategic reserves.

He said the corporation would procure one million tons wheat during the

current season across the country. It had established about 12 zones and 230 wheat procurement centers in the provinces to facilitate the growers to sell their produce at official fixed rates, he added.

Minister for national Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat khan Bosan informed the committee that after the devolution of the food ministry, the provinces were responsible for the development of the agriculture sector. But they were showing less interest in that regard, he added.

He said the agricultural sector was facing several challenges as area under different crop cultivation had been reduced due to rise in input cost. He said Plant Breeder Right Bill was approved by the cabinet committee, but registration and copy right issues were some of the hurdles in its finalisation. He said the passage of the bill by the Parliament

would bring revolution in seed production and it would also increase per acre crop output and enhance farmers’ income too. The minister stressed on the need for reducing the input cost to make the agriculture produce competitive in international markets. Meanwhile, a representative of Sindh food department informed the committee that the province would procure 1.1 million tons wheat during the current procurement campaign. He said about 10.10 million bags were distributed among the growers. Some 442 procurement centers had been established in the province, he added.

The Punjab secretary food apprised the committee that the department would procure about 4.50 million tons wheat as the procurement campaign would start from april 15. It had established 378 procurement centers and

CMYK

would distribute about 40 million bags for which all arrangements were finalised, he added. He said first five days of the procurement campaign would be specified for small-scale farmers having 12 to 12.5 acres of land. He said the Punjab government would also provide Rs 9 per bag to farmers as delivery charges, whereas about 2.2 million tons of carry forward stocks were available.

The committee recommended for conducting surveys before sowing of every major crop in order to ensure availability of certified seeds. It directed the PaSSCO to increase its procurement centers in the Sindh province to facilitate the growers and provide appropriate security to its staff. Senators Muhammad azam khan Swati, Muhammad Zafarullah khan Dhandla, Gul Bashra and Johan kenneth Williams attended the meeting.

increased manifold in Pakistan which has created numerous socio-economic problems, negatively impacting security situation in the country.

The national aliens Registration authority (naRa) was not equipped to cope with the situation. Consequently, naRa has been merged with national Database and Registration authority (naDRa) to improve the registration process of aliens in the country. The Senate has passed the bill.

karzai invites Pakistani businessmen to invest in Afghanistan ISLAMABAD: Former afghan president Hamid karzai has invited Pakistani businessmen to explore the afghan market, which offers tremendous opportunities to foreign investors. He said afghanistan has the lowest taxes in the region and the Pakistani investors will get land free of cost. He was talking to a visiting business delegation led by United Business Group (UBG) Chairman and SaaRC Chamber of Commerce Vice President Iftikhar ali Malik. The deputy commerce minister of afghanistan, TDaP CEO SM Muneer, SaaRC Chamber President Suraj Vaidya, Zubair Tufail, SM naseer, Zafar Bakhtwari, Zubair ahmed Malik, Gulzar Feroze, Malik Sohail and others were also present on the occasion, said a press statement issued on Wednesday. karzai said that afghanistan and Pakistan are large trading partners and that Pakistan has always helped their afghan brethren. Millions of afghans are still living in Pakistan and earning a respectable living for which we are thankful to Pakistan, he added. The former afghan president said the situation in afghanistan has improved, there is no problem of energy scarcity and the afghan side can guarantee security. “We have ensured an enabling environment, cheap labour, abundant natural resources that can be exported and world class agriculture products awaiting investment in sectors like packaging and processing. Iftikhar ali Malik, SM Muneer and Zubair Tufail said on the occasion that the Pakistani businessmen are looking into opportunities for investment and joint ventures in sectors like agriculture, mining, cement production, textiles, telecommunication, IT, chemicals etc. They said that issues impeding trade include lack of banking facilities, proper payment mechanism, dispute resolution and taxation. a free trade zone in FaTa near the afghan border will help bring people of the two brotherly countries together and settle misgivings, they underlined. STAFF REPORT

PIA urges eXIM Bank to inject loan ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan International airlines (PIa) has formally asked the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of the United States to extend the airline’s loan limit. a formal request for extension of loan limit

by PIa was made on Wednesday during a meeting held in karachi between PIa Chief Operating Officer (COO) Bernd Hildenbrand with Exim Bank Chairman and President Fred Philip Hochberg.

Hildenbrand said the PIa management is taking various steps to increase the airline’s revenue, reduce its losses and bring about efficiency in its systems. Hochberg informed the COO that Exim Bank US would look into the possibility of providing finances for the leasing of additional aircraft for PIa’s fleet. APP

18 SPORTS

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

World T20 loss To IndIa Was my faulT, says mahmudullah B

ANGLADESH allrounder Mahmudullah has taken responsibility for his team’s one-run loss to India in Bangalore during the World T20 last month. With two runs required off as many balls, a set Mahmudullah tried hitting a full toss for a six in the region of midwicket, but was caught on the boundary. The previous ball a set Mushfiqur Rahim had also been caught on the leg-side boundary going for the big shot, and a ball later MS Dhoni ran out Mustafizur Rahman; that meant Bangladesh were denied a first T20I victory against India.

“Can I forget what happened? Not for once did we think we wouldn’t win when we needed two runs off three balls with myself and Mushfiqur at the crease,” said Mah-

mudullah. “To be honest, I couldn’t believe Mushfiqur would get out after hitting two fours. Then I got out. It was my fault. It was a huge chance to beat India in India, but we couldn’t take it. It was heartbreaking for all of us.”

Mahmudullah said that he could not forgive himself for the one-run loss. The next time such a situation arose, he said, he will not risk the big shot.

“Still there was hope. I thought we could get at least one run off the last ball. It didn’t happen, and it was my fault. I wanted to finish the game off.

The chance was there, I couldn’t take it. I missed a ball that had to be struck for a six. I can’t go back and do it again.

But I will try to take the safer option next time I face such a situation.”

The game against India

was the only blip in a rewarding year for Mahumudullah.

After a successful 2015 in ODIs, where he scored backto-back hundreds in the World Cup, Mahmudullah retooled his T20 game and became Bangladesh’s go-to end-overs hitter. His 275 runs in 14 T20 innings this year have come at a strike rate of 139.59. His unbeaten knocks against UAE, Sri Lanka and Pakistan were crucial to Bangladesh’s progress to the Asia Cup final this year. His current form also led to Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club choosing him as the first pick among the top 13 cricketers during the players’ draft of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League last Sunday, ahead of players like Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, a testament to his rapid growth. Agencies

italian cyclist Paolini handed 18-month ban young cricketer from Jammu & Kashmir shot dead SportS DeSk

atletico, Benfica out to upset Champions league odds SportS DeSk Atletico Madrid and Benfica are both looking to turn around small first-leg deficits in their Champions League quarterfinal home matches on Wednesday, and in the process blow the competition wide open. Atletico go into the return leg against reigning champions Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon 2-1 down, while Benfica welcome German champions Bayern Munich to Lisbon after an opening 1-0 defeat. Fernando Torres’ red card and a Luis Suarez brace turned the all-Spanish tie on its head, although the Torres away goal keeps Atletico well in contention for a semi-final spot. Diego Simeone’s Los Rojiblancos lost to city rivals Real Madrid in the final two years ago and are desperate to go one better, although they have lost their last seven meetings with Barca. But the Catalan giants have shown signs of fallibility in recent weeks, with back-to-back league defeats seeing their La Liga lead cut to just three points over the capital city side. “In a scenario like tomorrow all that has happened in the past is forgotten at the start of the game,” said Atletico coach Simeone. “Then as the game develops, certain situations may develop that are repeated (from previous games).” Suarez will return for Barca after being banned for the weekend loss at Real Sociedad, but former Liverpool striker Torres, who has scored in his last three games, is suspended. “We need to overcome the absence of Fernando and control a marvellous footballer like Suarez,” said Simeone. “Fernando will offer us a lot between now and the end of the season, he has improved a lot in this final part of the season,” added Atletico captain Gabi. “But Atletico have always overcome the absences of big players.” Benfica also have a key forward missing through suspension. Jonas has scored 32 goals in all competitions this season, but the Brazilian’s yellow card in Bavaria means that the Portuguese champions will be looking to Greek Kostas Mitroglou and Raul Jimenez to provide the goals needed to turn the tie around. Rui Vitoria’s side are also waiting on the fitness of key attacking midfielder Nicolas Gaitan, with the Argentine struggling with a thigh problem. “We will make a decision tomorrow. We will need to wait until kick-off time to see if he is available,” Benfica coach Vitoria told a press conference on the eve of the game. “We managed to ensure that the tie will be decided at home, but it will still be extremely difficult for us to go through. “We will be coming up against a very strong team who are used to playing in matches like these and are contenders to win the trophy.”

Bayern, who last won the trophy in 2013, are still firm favourites to progress thanks to Arturo Vidal’s second-minute strike in Bavaria last week. Outgoing coach Pep Guardiola, who will join Manchester City at the end of the season, is still on track to match the feat of Jupp Heynckes and win the treble of Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League in his final campaign at the Allianz Arena.

Former Katusha rider tested positive for cocaine during the Tour de France last year. Luca Paolini has been banned for 18 months by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) after failing a drugs test at the Tour de France last year. The 39-year-old former Katusha rider was provisionally suspended by the UCI after testing positive for cocaine during the prestigious race in 2015. Italian Paolini, who won the Gent-Wevelgem last year, discovered his fate following a UCI tribunal. A UCI statement said: “The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announces that the UCI Anti-Doping Tribunal has rendered its decision in the case involving Luca Paolini. “The AntiDoping Tribunal found the rider guilty of a non-intentional anti-doping rule violation (presence of a cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine) and imposed an 18month period of ineligibility on the rider.”

The UCI did not state whether Paolini’s ban will be backdated to when he failed the test. Katusha terminated the veteran’s contract last year after he admitted to taking cocaine.

SportS DeSk Nayeen Qadir Bhatt, a schoolboy cricketer who represented Jammu & Kashmir, has died after being shot during a demonstration in Handwara, in the state, on Tuesday. Bhatt, a batting allrounder, had been shortlisted for an Under-19 camp organised by the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association in 2015. He was 18. Bhatt had captained the Jammu & Kashmir team in the National School Championship in Delhi in 2015. He played for the Kashmir Gymkhana, a Srinagar-based club, and in the Downtown Champions League, a T20 competition in the Kashmir Valley. The incident occurred when the army reportedly opened fire to disperse a stone-pelting mob targeting their bunker in Handwara a town a couple of hours northwest of Srinagar over the alleged molestation of a schoolgirl by a member of the security personnel present in the area. Two others were killed in the incident.

De Bruyne Downs PsG as Man City reaCh last four SportS DeSk Manchester City reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time after Kevin De Bruyne’s fine 76th-minute goal earned them a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

A week on from their 2-2 draw in the French capital, City saw Sergio Aguero squander a first-half penalty after he had been felled by PSG goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, but De Bruyne’s late strike settled the Etihad Stadium nerves and completed a 3-2 aggregate success.

Fifteen points off the pace in the Premier League and widely considered the tie’s underdogs, City advance with hope intact that manager Manuel Pellegrini may yet bow out with a Champions League winner’s medal around his neck before handing over to Pep Guardiola.

“It’s a very great achievement for the club, not only to be in the best four teams of Europe, but also in the style of play that we never change,” said Pellegrini.

“Kevin De Bruyne is an important player for us. We deserved a goal before he scored. We domi-

nated the game from the beginning until the end.”

But it was a bitterly disappointing evening for PSG coach Laurent Blanc, who lost Thiago Motta to injury and has now seen his team eliminated in the quarter-finals four seasons in a row.

The French champions’ ambitious Qatari owners must once again content themselves with the pursuit of another domestic quadruple, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whose

CMYK

contract expires at the end of the season, may never grace the continental stage in their colours again.

“If we analyse the two matches, in our strong moments we weren’t clinical enough,” said Blanc.

“City were much more clinical and that’s why they qualified. Bravo to them. They’re a very good team not spectacular, but very effective.”

The burst of sky-blue tickertape that greeted the teams as they entered the pitch illustrated the impor-

tance of the occasion to both clubs, while PSG’s shape at kick-off confirmed pre-match reports that they would be set out in an untested 3-41-2 system.

With Angel di Maria operating in a free role, PSG had plenty of options in midfield and they made an assured start, City goalkeeper Joe Hart forced to make a finger-tip save from a zinging Ibrahimovic free-kick.

But as City began to probe, so they exposed fissures in PSG’s new-look defence and after Aguero had twice shot wide, a loose pass from auxiliary right-sided centreback Serge Aurier allowed Fernandinho to set Aguero clear.

Sliding out, Trapp felled the Argentina striker with his feet, but the presence of two covering defenders meant that he was only booked and from the penalty, Aguero placed the ball a foot wide of the right-hand post.

It was a let-off for the visitors, but after another careless Aurier pass had allowed Jesus Navas to curl wide, they suffered a further blow when Motta went off holding the back of his left thigh.

Thursday, 14 April, 2016

rohIT, BuTTler Brush asIde 188 TargeT eDeN GArDeNS

I

Agencies

T was entirely bewildering.

Mitchell McClenaghan walked out at No. 4 for Mumbai Indians. It is not like the side is short of hitters. Mumbai spent INR 3.8 crores acquiring a new one for this year, but Jos Buttler caught fire only after the spark provided by McClenaghan’s eight-ball 20. The events between the 11th and the 15th overs of the chase decided the winner of the match Mumbai, by six wickets.

McClenaghan’s responsibility under normal circumstances - was to slip into Lasith Malinga’s shoes.

Be the wicket-taker at the start and the enforcer at the end. Today, he was asked to disrupt the Kolkata Knight Riders spinners. And he was given the freedom to do so.

Every single shot played by the New Zealand fast bowler was a slog. His second, third and fourth balls cleared the Eden Gardens boundaries. The eighth a wide full toss that he tried to slog sweep led to his downfall but by then Mumbai had regained lost momentum. An equation of 101 off 60 balls had shrunk to 79 off 49.

It became 49 off 30 when Buttler followed a straight drive with

pulled six off chinaman Brad Hogg. A scoop to the fine leg boundary - which established Buttler’s finesse - and two lofted cover drives - which established his power - deflated Knight Riders.

Gautam Gambhir, who had taken the record (27) for the most fifties in the IPL earlier in the night, watched the ball soar and the chances for his team sink with every minute Buttler was on strike.

When Buttler eventually fell for 41 off 22 balls, the Mumbai captain, Rohit Sharma, back at his preferred opening position, provided more evidence of why he should be given

as many overs as possible in a T20 game. Rohit held the innings together and even finished it off with an array of beautiful shots - a straight six and a deft glide to third man. He followed those up with an outrageous sweep taking an overpitched delivery coming at him with the express pace of Andre Russell from around the wicket, and deposited it at the midwicket boundary. Rohit averages 50.12 and strikes at 145.81 at Eden Gardens in T20 cricket. Mumbai, his team, have won eight out of 10 games at this venue, including the IPL title in 2013 and 2015.

Knight Riders’ batting may not have been as eye-catching as Mumbai’s but it was ever so efficient. Manish Pandey could find the boundary at will. He pulled his second ball to four, dominated the spin of Harbhajan Singh and J Suchith by virtue of his quick footwork and secured his fifty off only 26 balls. The standout shot though was a glide to third man off Jasprit Bumrah in the 13th over. The pitch was excellent for batting, but it was allowing the cutters some grip. Pandey saw the variation out of the bowler’s hand, waited for it to arrive and simply led it fly off the face of his bat.

His captain Gambhir was a little less adept at the end of the second over he was only 3 off 8 balls but a lot more determined. He hared back and forth for twos there were eight of them in his innings of 64 - and ensured he was at the crease for as much of the 20 overs as possible. Andre Russell bludgeoned 36 off 17 balls to give the Knight Riders a total they thought was more than par.

But their most trusted weapon - spin bowling was dismantled by Rohit and company.

Hogg, Kuldeep Yadav and Piyush Chawla cost 103 in 11.1 overs. There was no coming back from that.

Court moves iPl out of Mumbai, Pune, nagpur in May SportS DeSk All IPL 2016 matches scheduled in Maharashtra after April 30 must be moved out of the state, the Bombay High Court has ruled. The ruling came after a Public Interest Litigation questioned the hosting of matches in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur due to a severe drought in Maharashtra.

The ruling affects 13 matches, including the final which was to be held in Mumbai on May 29. Pune will miss out on six matches, including the Eliminator and Qualifier 2, while no games will be held in Nagpur. The state was earlier scheduled to host 20 matches.

Last week, the court had sought an explanation from the BCCI and the three state associations on why water should be “wasted” on hosting the games when the state faced one of its worst ever droughts. The court later allowed the opening match to be held as scheduled in Mumbai on April 9, and asked the Maharashtra state government and

Mumbai’s civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, to respond on plans to tackle the issue of water shortage. On Tuesday, the court orally asked the BCCI if matches could be shifted out of Pune.

In its defence, the BCCI had stated that less water was used to prepare the ground for an IPL game when compared to an international fixture. The board also stated that it intended to use treated sewage water for ground

preparation in Mumbai and Pune.

Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants, the franchises based in Mumbai and Pune, had proposed to contribute INR 5 crore to the Maharashtra chief minister’s drought relief fund and supply 40 lakh litres of water to drought-hit areas at their own cost.

While the BCCI is mulling its next move, IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla has admitted that moving games out of Maharashtra is a logistical problem for the board. He

also pointed out that no objections of this kind were raised when Mumbai and Nagpur hosted World T20 matches last month.

“Organising the IPL is a gigantic work. It’s not easy. All preparations had been done, completed,” Shukla said. “Now shifting the matches will be a problem.

So far, we have not got the written order, after we get that, we will study the order and work out an alternative plan. We always respect the court. We need to talk to other franchises. Out of 19 matches in Maharashtra, 13 have to be moved out, we will have to work it out.

“The key problem is water for farmers, which we are trying to find a solution to. We were willing to give water, contribute to the CM’s fund. Now shifting matches will be a problem. If matches are to be shifted, where will they be moved, how will they be moved, all these issues are involved. And this comes after nobody raised an issue about the 24 World Twenty20 matches that were held recently.

SPORTS 19 IPL FIxtures

6TH MATCH

GUJ LIONS V SUPERGIANTS AT RAJKOT 20:00 LOCAL | 14:30 GMT

legspinner Cameron Boyce joins tasmania

SportS DeSk Legspinner Cameron Boyce has moved from Queensland to Tasmania, signing with the Tigers for the 2016-17 season. Boyce, who has played for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL for the past three seasons and played in Australia’s T20 side this summer, has completed the move south after being chosen for only one Sheffield Shield match for the Bulls in 2015-16. He will be joined in the move to Tasmania by allrounder Simon Milenko, who made his debut for Queensland in 2014-15 but did not play a Shield match last summer. Tasmania have also handed contracts to Cameron Stevenson, Jake Hancock and Andrew Perrin, all of whom have made the move from Victoria’s premier cricket in the hope of making their state debuts. Local fast bowler Cameron Wheatley has earned a state contract, while new rookies include Mac Wright, who has joined from the ACT, and local allrounder Corey Murfet. After a disappointing season in which the Tigers finished last in the Shield the selectors have cut several players. Allrounder Evan Gulbis, who won the Ricky Ponting Medal as Tasmania’s best player in 2013-14, has lost his contract after a summer in which he claimed eight wickets at 50.25 in the Shield. Wicketkeeper Tom Triffitt was also delisted despite playing eight of the state’s ten Shield matches for the season, while spinner Clive Rose and batsman Sean Willis were also axed. The Tigers have also lost allrounder Luke Butterworth and fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus to retirement. “We have some very new faces added to our list but also some familiar faces who have been a part of the Hobart Hurricanes squad and the Tasmanian cricket system,” Cricket Tasmania general manager Andrew Dykes said. “While there is plenty of youth, with Tassie having the third youngest playing list behind South Australia and Western Australia, we are confident we have signed a strong Tasmanian team full of new signings and some very positive re-signings.”

Tasmania squad George Bailey (CA contract), Jackson Bird, Cameron Boyce, Xavier Doherty, Alex Doolan, Jake Doran, Ben Dunk, James Faulkner (CA), Andrew Fekete, Jake Hancock, Hamish Kingston, Ben McDermott, Dom Michael, Simon Milenko, Tim Paine, Andrew Perrin, Sam Rainbird, Jordan Silk, Cameron Stevenson, Beau Webster, Cameron Wheatley. Rookies Gabe Bell, Caleb Jewell, Ryan Lees, Riley Meredith, Corey Murfet, Mac Wright.

DELANY NAMED IRELAND WOMEN CAPTAIN SportS DeSk Laura Delany, the 23-year allrounder, has been named captain of the Ireland Women’s team, Cricket Ireland confirmed through a release. Kim Garth, the 19-year old allrounder from Pembroke, will serve as her deputy.

Delany will take over from Isobel Joyce, who stepped down last month after the Women’s World T20.

“It’s a really proud moment for me and a really exciting time in my playing career,” Delany said. “It’s

such an honour and really shows the confidence and belief that Cricket Ireland, the selectors and coaching staff have in me both as a player and person. Certainly, it is a big responsibility and the standards that have been set before me are extremely high.”

Aaron Hamilton, the Ireland Women’s coach, praised Delany’s maturity and ability to read the game.

“Laura is an honest, hard-working young woman and I admire her competitiveness both on and off the field,” Hamil-

ton said. “She has a maturity beyond her years, with an old head on young shoulders. She is very astute, possessing a shrewd cricketing brain, who reads the game well, and is coolheaded. These attributes will stand her in good stead for the challenges ahead.”

Delany has played 21 ODIs for Ireland, scoring 204 runs at an average of 13.60, along with 13 wickets at 35.61. She has also played 33 T20Is and has 294 runs at 16.33 in the format, in addition to 18 wickets at an economy rate of 6.97.

CMYK

SPORTS Thursday, 14 April, 2016

Malaysia beat Pakistan at sultan azlan shah CuP IpoH

M

AGENCIES

ALAYSIA scored an early goal and then lived dangerously for long periods before edging Pakistan 1-0 in their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup match at the Azlan Shah Stadium.

Skipper Mohd Razie Rahim scored the only goal with a direct flick off their first penalty corner attempt in the third minute.

Mathematically, the Malaysians can still make the final. But, judging by their performance, that’ll be a tall order, indeed.

They have to beat India in their last match on Friday and by a big margin as well.

For now, a top-four finish is the best they can look at.

The perennial problem of sloppy defending continues to plague Malaysian hockey and never seems to go away.

Superstar Ronaldo savours ‘magic’ Madrid fightback

The last quarter was littered with mistakes and it’s hard to fathom how Pakistan failed to get a goal or two. Malaysian goalkeeper

Hairi Abdul Rahman must take the credit for keeping Pakistan at bay.

The last time Malaysia defeated Pakistan was in the World Hockey League Semi-Final (3-1) in 2013 in Johor Baru.

Only some timely interventions

by Hairi and poor finishing by the Pakistanis kept the Malaysia ahead.

The last five minutes was an agonising period for the Malaysians as the Pakistanis launched wave after wave of attacks.

“We played well in patches,” said national coach Stephen van Huizen. “We scored from one penalty corner and maintained the lead.” He also played down Malaysia’s chances of making the final as “we have to beat India by a huge margin”.

“Let’s just go out and play a good game against India,” he said.

I will be back soon, says recovering Haris Sohail

MADRID AGENCIES

Cristiano Ronaldo revelled in the glory of scoring a hat-trick to inspire a stunning Real Madrid comeback to reach the Champions League semifinals with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Wolfsburg on Tuesday. The Spanish giants made amends for their shock 2-0 defeat in Germany six days ago as Ronaldo struck twice in just over 60 seconds early on before sealing the comeback with a trademark free-kick 13 minutes from time for a 3-0 victory on the night. “It had to be a magic night and it was. It was the perfect game in the end,” said Ronaldo. “We had to be patient for an hour, but it was the perfect night in the end.” Ronaldo has now struck 46 goals in all competitions this season, meaning he has 45 or more in each of his last six seasons for Madrid.

“Goals are in my DNA and I want to keep scoring them for the team,” he added. However, the three-time World Player of the Year had still received criticism earlier in the campaign for not performing in Real’s biggest games.

Dean Jones favourite for Pakistan head coach job: PCB official ISLAMABAD AGENCIES

A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official said on Wednesday that former Australian cricketer Dean Jones is a favourite to join the national team as head coach in May. The official, on condition of anonymity, said the PCB has also finalised the names of former cricketers Mohsin Khan and Iqbal Qasim for the posts of team manager and chief selector, respectively. Moreover, the official said former team manager Moin Khan is not a part of the PCB’s plans. “Mohsin was keen on becoming head coach but the PCB had offered him the job of the chief selector,” said the official. “But Mohsin rejected the offer; therefore, the PCB has decided to appoint him as team manager. The role of chief selector will be given to Iqbal Qasim,” he added. The PCB had appointed former Test cricketers Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja to help find the best possible coach for the national cricket team. The new coach will lead the team to England in July as his first assignment. The official added that earlier, former pacer Aaqib Javed was also interested in the head coach job but when he heard reports that PCB was more inclined toward appointing a foreign coach, he decided to pull out of the race.

Sharapova still in plan for Rio Olympics despite failing drug test SpoRtS DeSk

SpoRtS DeSk Pakistan middle-order batsman Haris Sohail believes his recovery from a knee injury is well on course and he will start cricket-related practice from June.

“My recovery is a little slow but I am getting better day by day and with God’s help, I should recover completely,” Haris said.

The left-hand batsman appeared on the international scene in 2013 and presented himself as a solid middle-order prospect in all three formats for the Men in Green. After incurring a knee injury, he was operated in December 2015 and is now in re-

covery phase.

“This is a slow but meticulously managed process,” he said. “I have not started any cricket practice as yet as the rehabilitation phase is still in progress. These are just the starting stages of my rehabilitation; the total recovery is around six months long.”

Haris has played 22 ODIs for Pakistan so far and scored 774 runs at an average of 43. Another great feature of his batting is his strike rate of 82.86. Meanwhile, with Pakistan’s tour of England this summer, Haris is not sure if he will be able to make it into the squad.

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

CMYK

Russia says Maria Sharapova is still in its plans for the Rio Olympics tennis tournament in August despite her provisional suspension for failing a drug test. Sharapova has been suspended since last month, when she admitted she tested positive for the banned substance Meldonium at January’s Australian Open. Sharapova said she had been taking Meldonium for medical reasons for 10 years and had not seen a World Anti-Doping Agency ruling last year that it would be banned for 2016. Russian Tennis Federation president Shamil Tarpishchev says in a statement “we really hope that Sharapova will still be allowed to take part in the Olympic Games.” No date has been announced by the International Tennis Federation for a hearing into the case of Sharapova, who won Olympic silver in 2012 in London.