e-paper pakistantoday 08th july, 2012

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Rs 22.00 Vol iii no 13 19 pages islamabad edition

Sunday, 8 July, 2012 Shaban 17, 1433

Parliament is not suPreme: CJP g Justice Chaudhry says constitution of the country superior than parliament g Says apex court fully empowered to strike down any law in conflict with constitution

KARACHI Agencies

A

s the government prepares to declaw the superior judiciary

with a new legislation on contempt of court law and continues with its trumpeting of parliament being supreme and subversive to none, supreme Court Chief Justice

Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on saturday exhibited the judiciary’s iron fist in a velvet glove, saying the country’s constitution, not parliament, was supreme. The CJP

gave a veiled hint that the apex court could strike down any law repugnant to the constitution.

Continued on page 04

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02 News today’s

Sunday, 8 July, 2012

newS

nawaz opposes dual nationality bill

editoriAl

SPortS greenish pitch delights Pakistan, sri Lanka

gearing up for the march: As long as it’s peaceful…

Quick

CoMMent Humayun gauhar says;

Look

Friends not, masters: We have our price tag.

saad Rasool says; Constitutional turf-war: Our ever-expanding list of holy cows.

Articles on Page 14

Story on Page 15

Story on Page 05

Govt equally responsible for ‘civilian’ deaths in drone strikes ISLAMABAD

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AKIsTAN Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has strongly condemned the recent Us drone strike that killed 24 people in North Waziristan on Friday, saying the Pakistani government was equally responsible in the massacre of its citizens by not disclosing the identities of the victims. In a statement on saturday, Imran said the latest drone attack speaks volumes about the so-called “close working partnershi p” between Pakistan and the United states in the ongoing war. He said the rulers of Pakistan had restored NATO supply routes to appease the Us in defiance of the people’s strong sentiments and the parliamentary resolutions. On the other hand, the Us reciprocated with incessant drone attacks, the last of which killed 24 people, Imran added. “The drone strikes are in clear violation of the international humanitarian laws, while there is a complete media censorship in the tribal areas, and no way to ascertain the identities of those killed in such attacks,” the PTI chief said. He demanded the government to disclose the

Gunmen kidnap 8 coalminers in Marwar QUETTA: Unidentified gunmen on saturday kidnapped eight miners from a coalmine in Marwar area, Levies force said.

“Eight miners were working in a coalmine in Marwar when they were taken by unidentified armed men to some unknown location,” a Levies official said. The kidnapped persons belonged to swat. staff report

Cops foil aged groom’s plan to marry teenager MIANWALI: Police foiled a 60-year-old man’s attempt to marry a 16-year-old girl, arresting six persons in a raid on the ceremony late Friday night. According to details, a police team raided a house in Mianwali where a 16-year-old girl hailing from swabi was being wedded to Noor Ahmed, 60, from Mianwali. The cops arrested Noor Ahmed, his brother Din Muhammad along with wife Parveen, a witness named Nazir and the Nikah Khwan Abdul Jabbar shah. The aged groom told the police that he had paid Rs 110,000 to the adolescent girl’s parents for the marriage.

The bride was sent to Darul Amaan. INp

DRONES SERVING THE PURPOSE: MUNTER QUETTA: Defending CIA drone attacks in the Tribal Areas, Us Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter on saturday said the attacks helped eliminate terrorists, the common enemy of Us and Pakistan. Talking to reporters during a farewell visit to Balochistan, Munter said the Us was committed to obliterate the safe sanctuaries of militants who attacked both Pakistanis and Afghan people. Us drones fired at least 10 missiles in North Waziristan Agency on Friday night, killing at least 21 people a couple of days after the NATO supplies were resumed.

Munter said the drones targeted militants having safe havens in Pakistani areas near the Afghan border. However, independent sources say civilians are often killed in Us attacks, which in returns prove counterproductive and provide the militants with the opportunity to recruit locals.

Us reiterated that Washington was concerned over PakistanIran gas pipeline deal. Munter said hat Pakistan conveyed a “positive” message by resuming NATO supplies. Munter also said Washington was concerned over Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline deal. staff report

identification details of the victims so that the nation could know how many women, children and ordinary civilians had been killed. He wondered if any other country in the world would allow indiscriminate killing of its citizens by a foreign power. The PTI chief held the Pakistani government equally responsible for the indiscriminate elimination of its citizens as it had “consciously avoided” disclosing identification details of the drone strike victims. “Our rulers are blindly supporting the Us claims of high precision drone strikes and

minimum collateral damage when they are actually aware of the details of Pakistani civilian casualties in the tribal areas,” Imran said. Rejecting the argument that the strikes were primarily carried out against foreign militants, Imran referred to statistics from various independent organisations which suggest that both the United states and the Government of Pakistan were grossly underreporting civilian casualties. “Furthermore, accounts of various local and western journalists suggest that a large number of local civilians have been killed in these strikes,” he said.

Questionnaire may be sent to pM if needed: NaB ISLAMABAD OnLine

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has announced that it could send a questionnaire to Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in the rental power case if required.

Holding a press conference at NAB headquarters, the bureau’s spokesman said that the name of Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had been put on Exit Control List while he was a federal minister, adding that investigation on the issue were still underway. The spokesman said that the new prime minister had assured that he would appear before the accountability watchdog in case he was summoned.

“NAB may send a questionnaire to the PM if needed,” the spokesman said. He further said that NAB had restrained the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) from issuing waiver to five cellular companies in Rs 47 billion worth of tax evasion. He said that action might be taken against the FBR Chairman if he would be found responsible.

MULTAN nni

Aerial firing by the supporters of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MPA Usman Bhatti during a welcome rally claimed the life of a man on Saturday.The incident took place during local body elections in the Hasanabad area as PPP supporters welcomed Bhatti to the rally with intense aerial firing, which killed a local man. Reports say police have arrested two people in this regard.

Another PPP rally by former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s son Abdul Qadir Gilani in NA-151 proved no less peaceful, as party supporters brandished sophisticated weapons and asserted their power through an almost thirty-minute long episode

of aerial firing. Apart from the intimidated local population, police officials watched the noisy spectacle with exemplary passivity. Abdul Qadir Gilani, who has been a member of Punjab Assembly (MPA) is gearing up to contest by-election on the NA-151 seat vacated by his father following his disqualification by the Supreme Court in the contempt of court case. Sources confirmed that the PPP had decided to award ticket to the former PM’s son, who will give up his Punjab Assembly seat to contest the poll. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has already announced the schedule for by-election in NA-151 Multan-IV for the National Assembly seat. According to the schedule, the poll will be held on July 19.

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Sunday, 8 July, 2012

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04 News Bombs, rocket kill 11 Afghan civilians KABUL AFP

Bomb blasts and a rocket attack have killed 11 civilians including at least four children in the space of 24 hours in southern Afghanistan, officials said saturday. A roadside bomb ripped through a pickup truck saturday in the Chora district of Uruzgan province killing six people, provincial police spokesman Jawed Faisal told AFP. “All six civilians on board were killed and their vehicle was destroyed,” he said. On the same day a bomb exploded in the Gereshk district of southern Afghanistan’s volatile Helmand province, killing one child and wounding another, a statement from the provincial media office said.

In the same district on Friday a bomb blast killed three children and wounded two others, the statement said.

Meanwhile, a rocket attack saturday targeting the governor’s office in the southwestern province of Farah killed one civilian and wounded 26 others, officials said. Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted on Afghan roads are a common insurgent tactic but they frequently miss their intended target — Afghan and NATO troops — resulting in civilian deaths. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombings but officials in Uruzgan and Helmand blamed them on the “enemies of Afghanistan”, a standard phrase used to refer to the Taliban. Thousands of Afghan civilians have been killed in the decade-long insurgency being waged by the Taliban to topple the Us-backed government of President Hamid Karzai. According to the United Nations, the number of civilians killed in the war has risen steadily in the past five years, reaching a record 3,021 in 2011 — the vast majority caused by insurgents.

Sunday, 8 July, 2012

Donors to pledge over $16bn for Afghanistan: Japan TOKYO AFP

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ONORs at a major development conference for Afghanistan will pledge total aid of more than $16 billion for four years to 2015, Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said saturday.

Japan, which will cochair the one-day conference on sunday with Afghanistan, will provide up to $3 billion for the five years to 2016, in addition to $1 billion for the

war-torn nation’s neighbouring states, he said.

The total pledge of more than $16 billion will include part of the aid to be declared

by Japan. “This scale of pledge will satisfy the fiscal gap that the World Bank and the Afghan government have said would be needed for the development of the country,” he said. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who will be in Tokyo along with Us secretary of state Hillary Clinton and United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon, has called for $4

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Unidentified gunmen burnt a school building, where hundreds of copies of the holy Quran had been stored, in the northern province of Jawzjan, officials said. The gunmen entered the middle school in Alamleek village of Mordyan district, wounded two security guards and set the building on fire, the deputy governor said.

the Us-led invasion that toppled the Taliban in late 2001, but graft is rife from local police to high officials, and patience among donor countries is wearing thin. A principle of “mutual accountability” will be stressed at the more than 70-nation meeting, making continued payment of aid conditional on Kabul making progress, particularly on transparency.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, visiting Tokyo for the conference, met Gemba on saturday and stressed that Afghanistan will

need to help put its own house in order. “This meeting aims to help the Afghanistan side also make progress in areas of good governance, fight against corruption and more transparent domestic condition, as well as measures to address the drug issue,” he told reporters. Ministers from Britain, France and Australia, as well as India, Pakistan and Iran, will also be present alongside envoys from countries including Russia, saudi Arabia, Qatar, China and south Korea.

After more than 30 years of war, the Afghan economy is weak and the country cannot survive without foreign aid. According to the World Bank, spending on defence and development by donors accounted for more than 95 percent of GDP in 2010-11.

Without a functioning economy, Kabul covers only $2 billion of the $6 billion it spends each year not counting security costs, said a Western diplomat, with donor countries making up the difference.

Restaurant owner dies after Obama’s hug OHIO AFP

A restaurant owner who hosted President Barack Obama for breakfast on Friday fell ill and died after some hours of a hug of the Us president.

Josephine “Ann” Harris of Copley Township died of natural causes late Friday morning, said forensic investigator Jason Grom, with the summit County medical examiner’s office. No autopsy was planned.

The 70-year-old Harris became ill at home after the Obama visit. Grom said she went into cardiac arrest in the ambulance while en route to a hospital. several hours earlier she had hugged Obama when he showed up at her Ann’s Place restaurant for breakfast.

The Akron Beacon Journal interviewed Harris after the president’s visit and described her as ecstatic.

Obama spent about a 20 minutes at the restaurant

and ordered two eggs over easy, bacon and wheat toast. At the suggestion of a waitress, Obama added grits to his order. “What’s going on?”

Obama asked after getting off his campaign bus and entering Ann’s Place.

He shook hands as diners paused from their plates of pancakes and eggs.

“Keep up the good work,” one diner called out.

“Thanks for joining me,” Obama said as he sat at the corner of the counter.

White House press secretary Jay Carney said Obama later called Harris’ daughter Wilma Parsons from Air Force One to express “his sorrow and his condolences. It was a very sad event. He was honored to meet (Harris) this morning and passed on his feeling that the whole family is in his thoughts and prayers.”

The breakfast stop kicked off the second day of a two-day campaign swing from the Toledo area to Pittsburgh.

COpieS Of HOly QuRAn buRnt in AfgHAn SCHOOl AttACk SHIBERGHAN

billion a year in civilian aid.

Afghanistan fears donations could dry up when NATO pulls out in 2014, with the focus of the Tokyo meeting set on whether the international community will stay committed to supporting the country in the years after foreign combat forces leave.

“Japan should contribute to making a systematic framework which will cover the socalled ‘Transformation Decade’ after 2015,” Gemba said. Tens of billions of dollars have poured into Afghanistan since

Faqir Mohammad Jawzjani said the injured guards were taken to hospital, where they were in stable condition.

Residents rushed to the school to control the blaze, he added.

But the bookstore having hundreds of copies of the Quran was burnt before residents reached the school, Jawzjani explained, accusing the Taliban of the arson attack on the school.

However, Taliban

spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied the allegation as baseless and said the school had been set alight by the “enemies of people and education”. Afghanistan’s foes could not deprive children of education by burning schools, said a resident of the area, Mohammad Zaman. It is the first time that a school has been torched in Jawzjan, according to Education Director Abdul Hai Yashin. He also confirmed the burning of the holy Quran.

isLAMABAD: Villagers run from bulls during a bull race competition on the outskirts of the city on saturday. oNLINe

Annan admits Syria failure, at least 60 killed DAMASCUS AFP

International envoy Kofi Annan acknowledged the failure so far of his mission to bring peace to syria, as more than 60 people were killed in violence on saturday that also spilled over into Lebanon.

In comments published in French by the Le Monde newspaper, Annan was quoted as saying that significant efforts had been made to try to resolve the crisis peacefully and politically.

However, the plan had not been successful and perhaps there was no guarantee that it would succeed, he said. The Annan plan, which insists on a cessation of violence by all sides, has made little headway, and activists say at least an estimated 16,500 people have now died since the uprising began in

March last year. UN chief Ban Ki-moon called on Friday for scaling down an observer mission in syria to refocus on political efforts to end the bloodshed.

The former UN chief spoke of the importance of Russia — a Damascus ally which has so far blocked international action against President Bashar alAssad’s regime — while stressing that Iran should be involved in discussions.

The UN-Arab League envoy, whose plan called for a ceasefire that has been ignored on a daily basis since April, said syria’s ally Iran had a role to play in efforts to end the crisis despite Us opposition. On the ground, syrian forces bombarded towns in the northern province of Aleppo in violence on saturday that claimed at least 60 lives across the country, the syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

“Regime forces are attempting to regain control over this (Aleppo) region, where they suffered heavy casualties over the past months,” the Britainbased Observatory said. — ‘Large number of families displaced’ — “A large number of families have been displaced from the area for fear of shelling and lack of water, electricity and medical services,” the watchdog added of the attacks in Aleppo.

In the eastern city of Deir Ezzor, seven members of the same family were among 13 people killed in a bombardment by regime forces, according to the syrian Observatory. In Damascus, regime forces clashed with rebels and stormed the neighbourhood of Barzeh, attempting to break a strike, while a taxi driver was shot dead in the same area, it said.

pARliAment iS nOt SupReme: CJp Continued fRom page 01

Addressing lawyers during a ceremony at the sindh High Court (sHC), he said the question of parliament’s supremacy over the constitution was unjustified.

Justice Chaudhry said Article 8 empowered the superior courts to strike down any legislation that encroached upon the basic rights of the citizens, and it could also strike down

any law that was in conflict with the constitution. The CJ said whatever position or post one held, the law was same for all. “Action on contempt of court was taken against the chief executive for not obeying the court order and he lost his position,” he added. The chief justice said Article 2(A) of the constitution was the guarantor of judiciary’s independence.

“The courts of the country are under the constitution. There would

be no compromise on protecting the independence of judiciary,” the CJP added. He said obeying the law was necessary whatever consequences it entailed, adding that it was incumbent upon lawyers and judges to protect independence of the judiciary. The CJP said Pakistani laws were not a continuation of the British system, however, the decisions which were being made on arguments of lawyers had become the

ideology of the future. The chief justice said only a free and independent judiciary could ensure that the will of the people was enforced in its true spirit. He called upon the newly-inducted advocates to provide assistance to the court as it was their able assistance that enabled the judges of the apex court to deliver good judgments.

NRO CASE: Meanwhile, the supreme Court on saturday an-

nounced setting up a five-member bench to hear the NRO implementation case on July 12. sources said the attorney general of Pakistan would submit the prime minister’s reply to the issue of reopening cases against President Asif Ali Zardari in switzerland.

Justice Asif saeed Khosa will be heading the bench that comprises Justice Ijaz Afzal, Justice Ijaz Chaudhy, Justice Gulzar and Justice Atahar as members.

northeast india floods kill 121, displace 6m GUWAHATI AFP

The death toll from heavy monsoon rains which have caused massive flooding in India’s northeast has risen to more than 120, with six million forced to flee their homes, officials said saturday. The weather office forecast that more rains during the next 24 hours would lash the region, which is suffering from its worst flooding in recent years. Assam state has been hardest hit by the annual rains with the mighty Brahmaputra river overflowing its banks, while flooding has also struck the nearby states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Meghalaya. “so far a total of 121 people have died in separate incidents in which 105 were drowned while trying to escape the gushing waters and 16 more were killed in landslides caused by heavy rains,” an Assam government statement said. An estimated six million people have been forced to leave their homes to escape the floodwaters and find higher ground, a separate Central Water Commission bulletin said. The monsoon, which sweeps across the subcontinent from June to september, is crucial for India’s farmers but also claims many casualties from flooding every year. Assam state officials were struggling to cope with the huge number of people displaced by the flooding, with makeshift relief camps sheltering some of those forced to leave their homes.

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Sunday, 8 July, 2012

Political continuity needed to earn more respect for Pakistan: PM ISLAMABAD

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RIME Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said on saturday that Pakistan needs political continuity to become a stronger and respectable nation among the comity of nations.

He was talking to a group of influential men from his native area of Gujar Khan who called on him at the Prime Minister’s House.

Raja, who recently succeeded Yousaf Raza Gilani in the fifth year of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government, said the vast natural resources of the country could not be exploited due to “political uncertainty” and “disruption of political process”.

He said economic development and prosperity were intertwined with political stability.

Raja, who served as power minister in Gilani’s cabinet, told the visitors

that it would be his “utmost endeavour” to end unscheduled load shedding. The power crisis, regarded as the worst in Pakistan’s history, has sparked violent protests across the country and drawn scathing criticism from all quarters. However, the former power minister, who had previously promised to end load shedding by 2009, insisted that the democratic government had initiated long term projects to resolve the energy problem on permanent basis. He told the visitors that power generation had increased in the country, and would further improve in the near future.

The prime minister also expressed the irony that despite the availability of huge copper and gold reserves in Balochistan, world’s third largest coal deposits in Thar, a hydropower generation potential of over 40,000 megawatts in Gilgit-Baltistan alone, and the fertile lands of Punjab, the people of Pakistan were plagued with

UN picks Asma to probe Israel settlements GENEVA AFP

The UN Human Rights Council has set up a panel to probe Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories in a move that will further irk Israel. Israel severed contacts with the council in March after the 47-member body announced it would investigate settlements in the occupied territories, which are considered illegal under international law. The council is pressing ahead with the mission with the appointment on Friday of three independent experts. “Allow me to reiterate the council’s request to Israel ... not to obstruct the process of investigation and to cooperate fully with the mission,” said HRC president Laura Dupuy Lasserre. The all-female panel is tasked with carrying out a fact-finding mission “to investigate the implications of the settlements on the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied Pales-

tinian territory, including East Jerusalem,” said Lassere. The panel is chaired by Christine Chanet of France and includes Unity Dow of Botswana and Asma Jahangir from Pakistan. “Each has a long track record of impartial, independent, and objective human rights work of the highest calibre,” Lasserre said.

According to the special UN rapporteur for human rights in the occupied territories, Richard Falk, at least 3,500 buildings were under construction in the West Bank in 2011, not including Israeli settlements in annexed east Jerusalem.

Falk said on Monday that such building on Palestinian land “more or less closes the book on the reality and feasibility” of a twostate solution to the conflict.

Peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians have been on hold since september 2010, with the Palestinians refusing to resume the discussions without a moratorium on settlement building.

energy crisis and caught in a vicious cycle of poverty.

While speaking on addressing the demands of the Pakistani expatriate community, Raja said that he had already instructed the Interior Ministry to provide the facility of machine-readable passports to overseas Pakistanis at the earliest.

The prime minister further said that he agreed with the public demand for the construction of small dams in Potohar region to overcome water scarcity.

The notables wished the new prime minister success and expressed their confidence in his ability to overcome the challenges facing the country. They said that Gujar Khan had produced prominent personalities like the chief justice of Pakistan, the army chief, two Nishan-e-Haider holders, four-star generals, and now a prime minister for the first time in the country’s history.

05 Nawaz opposes dual nationality bill

FRANKFURT: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz sharif on saturday opposed the government’s proposed dual nationality bill, and criticized the Us apology after which Pakistan reopened NATO supply routes after a hiatus of seven months. Talking to reporters, Nawaz said the dual nationality bill was being introduced to benefit just a few people which was against the constitution. He said the United states had not apologised over the salala attack and NATO supply routes were reopened without taking parliament into confidence. He said more than two dozen Pakistani soldiers were martyred in the attack at salala checkpost which cannot be allowed to go in vain. The PML-N president said drone attacks were against the sovereignty of the country and must be stopped immediately. inP

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Sunday, 8 July, 2012

Honour

IN STARK VIOLATION OF LABOUR POLICY AND PM’S DIRECTIVE, FDE LOOKS TO HIRE TEACHING STAFF FOR RS 5,000 ONLY

THY TEACHER! ISLAMABAD

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KAsHiF ABBAsi

T seems the prime minister’s announcement of fixing minimum wage Rs 8,000 is just a political statement as a government-run institution is all set to force people to work at far less salary.

On May 1, 2012, the then prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announced an increase of minimum wages of labourers from Rs 7,000 to 8,000. However, during the last month, Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) - a subsidiary of the ministry of capital development and administration- announced jobs, and offered salaries against the PM’s directives and labour policy as well. In the advertisement, which is still available on FDE official website, the FDE announced 48 jobs for teaching and non-teaching staff on contract basis for one year.

The FDE announced 43 teaching posts and 15 non-teaching posts. However, in clear violation of the labour policy and PM directives, FDE fixed Rs 7,000 monthly salary (all inclusive) against the post of upper division clerk and Rs 5,000 per month against the

posts of Class-IV staff.

It is relevant to note here that poor workers are being exploited by private owners who pay far less wages in stark violation of the government directives. Despite repeated attempts, CAD Joint secretary Professor Rafiq Tahir, who is supposed to look after the affairs of FDE, could not be approached for his comments on the issue.

However, while talking to Pakistan Today, Islamabad Model Colleges Employees Welfare Association General secretary Muhammad sadaqat said it was sheer injustice with poor people.

He said according to the labour policy and the prime minister’s announcement, FDE has no legal and moral right to fix salary of any employee less than Rs 8,000. He felt something fishy in the jobs announcements by FDE. “Let me make it clear. We will take to streets against the FDE’s present move of exploiting the poor workers.

This is a non-serious attitude of people at the helm of affairs,” Muhammad said. He demanded of the CAD secretary to look into the matter and fix minimum salary in accordance with the PM’s directives. The FDE, which is supposed to run 418 educational institutions in the federal

capital, is being badly run by the ministry of CAD. Currently, the top seat of director general of FDE is lying vacant for the last two months. Owing to the absence of DG, administrative work has come to a halt but no serious effort is being made for the appointment of new DG.

It is pertinent to add that owing to mismanagement on the part of authorities concerned, the office of DG has become a musical chair as during the last two and a half year, it has witnessed nine DGs. Last DG, Atif Kayani, was removed by the supreme Court of Pakistan as a

isLAMABAD: Former prime minister Yousaf Raza gilani speaks during an Oath-taking ceremony of Federal government Teachers Association at national Library.

Federal Minister for cADD nazar Muhammad gondal, senior PPP Leader Faisal sakhi Butt and others are also sitting on the stage. oNLINe

three-member bench, headed by the chief justice, had observed that in the presence of highly qualified persons including a number of PhD holders, a third-division bachelor degree-holder without having relevant experience was managing the affairs of the FDE.

applications invited ISLAMABAD APP

The ministry of religious affairs has invited applications from Zaireen, who are interested to attend the annual Urs of Hazrat Mujaddid Alif sani (RA), scheduled to be held from January 7-14, 2013 in sirhand sharif, India. According to press release, the interested applicants should submit their applications by July 20. The balloting, if required for 200 Pakistani Zaireen, will be held on July 26 at the ministry of religious affairs. The interested applicants have been directed to submit a non-refundable bank draft (National Bank of Pakistan only) of Rs 1,000 in the name of ministry of religious affairs. The applications should be sent to the section officer (Ziarat), ministry of religious affairs. Applications on the old forms will not be entertained. Other details/ instructions regarding the Urs are available on the official websites (www.hajjinfo.org or www.mora.gvo.pk).

police net 16 outlaws RAWALPINDI APP

RAWALPINDI APP

Over 300 buildings in Rawal Town, particularly near Nullah Leh, have been declared dangerous and their residents have been issued final vacation notices.

According to the Rawal Town administration, the buildings were extremely dangerous and unsafe to be used as living purpose near Nullah Leh and the dwellers have been issued notices to vacate their places at the earliest.

Earlier, Rawal Town Municipal Administration ordered

EVACUATE NOW! g

over 300 buildings declared dangerous in rawal town

a survey to know the actual number of dangerous residential and commercial buildings in its jurisdiction and a report in this regard was prepared.

The survey on the special instructions of Administrator Rawal Town saif Anwar Jappa was started.

The Administrator had ordered the authorities concerned to identify buildings

with weak foundations or poor architecture before the Monsoon season as such buildings might collapse due to heavy rainfall, and become dangerous for the residents.

A copy of the survey report has also been sent to the district government so that all possible measures for the protection of the human lives could be taken.

According to TMA sources, a special control room to monitor all arrangements and flood situation of Nullah Leh has also been set up which would work round the clock. special monitoring committee under the supervision of Town Municipal Officer (TMO) Rawal Town Chaudhary Liquat Ali with other members including Wasiq

Ullah Qureshi, Tahir Mahmood Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed Raja, Toseef Ahmed Malik and Tariq Aziz Bhatti would review the possible flood threat situation of Nullah Lai on daily basis and all necessary steps for the protection of the citizens would be taken.

Administrator Rawal Town has also constituted a relief committee comprising shehzad Gohar, Aniayat Hussain, Pervaiz Iqbal Mughal and Manzoor Ahmed while Zia Ullah, Imran shaker, Nadeem Ahmed Cheema, and Muhammad Ejaz will work as incharge of four sectors of the city.

Rawalpindi police in its crackdowns against anti-social elements have arrested 16 outlaws, including four suspected dacoits and recovered illegal weapons, drugs and liquor.

According to a spokesman of Rawalpindi Police, 1350 grams charras, 20 bottles of liquor, eight 30-bore pistols with 32 rounds, one 32bore revolver with three rounds, one dagger and one Kalashnikov with 20 rounds were recovered from the possession of arrested persons. Meanwhile, Wah Cantt police arrested four suspected dacoits identified as Muhammad shehzad son of Muhammad Mushtaq resident of Ghari Afghanan Taxila tehsil, shahid Mahmood, son of Aziz Ahmed, Asif Muhammad, son of Muhammad Taj and saeed Ahmed, son of Abdul Hameed, and recovered one Kalashnikov with 20 rounds and three 30-bore pistols with 15 rounds.

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Sunday, 8 July, 2012

arrest criminals within three days!

Islamabad 07

Malik orders official to reach Quetta; seeks detailed report of killings of illegal immigrants in Turbat

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ISLAMABAD

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APP

ENIOR advisor to Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik saturday took serious notice of the killings of illegal immigrants last day in Turbat and directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to apprehend the human traffickers within the next three days.

He also directed the FIA director general to submit details of the unfortunate incident by sunday.

The advisor also directed the FIA to launch a crack down against human smugglers.

The advisor got a detailed briefing from chief and home secretaries of Baluchistan and directed additional director general and director FIA Quetta human trafficking to reach Quetta immediately.

He urged the people to avoid illegal means of migration to other countries.

According to media reports, eighteen alleged illegal immigrants were shot dead and two others wounded when unidentified armed men attacked their vehicles in the Basoli, some 750 kilometers from Quetta. The Iranian border is about 20 kilometers from the spot where the incident took place.

The majority of the deceased belonged to Gujranwala, Gujrat and sialkot.

They were waiting for a pick up to cross the international border through a difficult and illegal route to reach Iran for better economic prospects.

The human traffickers use difficult terrains to dodge Iranian border guards.

It may be noted here that Taftan and Mand Tehsils of Chaghi and Turbat districts on the Pak-Iran border are two exit points.

transport fares revised;

commuters not happy RAWALPINDI inP

The Punjab Transport Authority (PTA) has decreased by Re1 to Rs2 in fare of public transport plying on various routes despite reasonable cut in the prices of petroleum products and CNG. The secretary Punjab Transport Authority (PTA) has issued notification that gives Re1 reduction on stop to stop ride while Rs2 for the long distance ride. The concerned authority has ordered implementation of the notification with immediate effect.

The federal government for the first time in four and a half years, decreased prices of diesel and petrol by Rs17 to 19 per litre and around Rs10 for the CNG in a month but the commuters got no relief.

According to the notification, the transporters who operate their vehicles on diesel would charge fares according to diesel list and those on the CNG would charge according to the CNG list.

The commuters talking to INP deplored

the Punjab Transport Authority (PTA) and said that no relief was given to poor masses particularly commuters but to transporters.

They urged Punjab Chief Minister shahbaz sharif to take notice of the matter to provide relief to the public.

Muhammad Noman, a resident of 22 No Chongi, working as private organization employee, said that he has to spent half of his salary to pay public transport fare and recent cut in fare was equal to none.

Arsalan Khan, a student said that the recent increase in fares has affected his pocket money, adding that the recent decrease in public transport fare is actually an increase.

The federal government had decreased the rates of petrol, diesel and CNG twice during a month but the concerned authority did not provide any relief to the public, he added.

Meanwhile, Islamabad Transport Authority has reduced the public transport fares on various routes and issued the notification of revised fares.

isLAMABAD: Models pose for a group photo during red carpet launch event of Tuscany. ONLINE

no road lights on islamabad Highway ISLAMABAD inP

Due to the slackness of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad Highway has been without road lights from Koral Chowk to GT Road for last few years which contribute to traffic accidents during night. Various housing schemes have been developed alongside Islamabad Highway upon NOC from CDA including PWD, Pakistan Town, Gulberg, National Police foundation, Naval Incerage, Media Town, Korang Town, and Judicial Town, inhabited by thousands of people. Moreover, heavy traffic plies on the inter-provincial highway that faces troubles due to lack of road lights for last few years. It merits mentioning here that road lights were removed during Islamabad Highway expansion project some five years back but not installed so far.

First monsoon

ISLAMABAD APP

The Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) is organising a seminar to commemorate the 6th death anniversary of eminent poet, short story writer and intellectual Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi on July 10, (Tuesday) at 3:00pm in the Conference Hall of PAL. Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik will preside over the function while Yousuf Hassan and Dr Naheed Qasmi will be the chief guests.

Dr Ehsan Akbar, Ahmed Javed, Jalil Aali and Nelofar Iqbal will express their views. Dr Abid siyal will conduct the seminar.

SSP holds kutchery

shower hits city ISLAMABAD: The first monsoon shower hit various cities of the country on early saturday morning bringing relief to the people from blistering summer heat.

According to the Pakistan Metrological Department, rain occurred in upper Punjab, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. The maximum amount of rainfall during the last 12 hours was recorded at 51mm in saidu sharif, reported a private news channel.

The metrological department has predicted generally cloudy sky along with chances of light rain and thundershower during next 24 hours, however, mainly hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the sindh. Rainfall in other areas was recorded as: 48mm in Jehlum, Rawalpindi 44mm, Mangla 43mm, Rawalakot 35mm, Islamabad 29mm, Murree 26mm, Gujranwala 16mm, Muzaffarabad 13mm, Abbatabad 11mm, Kotli & Kohat 08mm and Mandi Bahauddin 07 mm. APP

Seminar on Qasmi’s anniversary

RAWALPINDI APP

MURRee: A man sells umbrellas alongside new Murree Road near Patriata. ONLINE

senior superintendent Police (ssP) Operations Rawalpindi Dr Akhtar Abbas on saturday held a ‘Khuli Kutchery’in Wah Cantt Police station which was attended by a large number of people.

The people recorded their complaints and presented applications to the ssP Operations for their redressal.

The ssP also listened to the complaints of the citizens including Muhammad Arif, Rashida Bibi, Haji Yaqub Khan, Ameen Khan and Zahid Mahmood.

He issued on the spot orders to the superintendent Police (sP), Deputy superintendent Police (DsP) and station House Officer (sHO) concerned for the redressal of the people’s complaints. He also issued special instructions for strengthening night police patrolling with other steps so that the criminals could be dealt with iron hands.

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MURRee: A man sells fruits alongside a road in Bhurban. oNLINe

naB suo motu saves Rs 47 billion ISLAMABAD inP

Tax evasion of Rs 47 billion from the national exchequer has been prevented by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) authorities through a suo moto decision of the NAB chairman.

According to details, around Rs 47 billion loss has been caused to national exchequer through tax evasion by five cellular companies including National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) Pakistan Telecom Mobile Compay Ltd (PTML) Telenor, Pakistan Mobile Communication Ltd and Warid. On July 4, Chairman NAB took suo moto notice to safeguard Rs 47 billion for the people of Pakistan and asked Chairman FBR to appear in person to explain details about defaulted amount. Chairman FBR was also directed not to take any further action in terms of waiver of tax to cellular companies.

A spokesman of the NAB Hafiz Mohammad Irfan said the Chairman constituted a fact finding committee comprising DG Operations, Director special Operations and a senior Banking Officer to probe into the matter. It was reported to the NAB authorities that the concerned staff of FBR was trying to issue subject waiver inspite of preventive instructions from the NAB. The spokesman said that Chairman FBR

tried to convince the inquiry committee that waiver is in line with the law but when confronted with evidence and supporting documents, he thanked NAB for timely intervention and guidance in safeguarding the interest of national exchequer. He said the cellular companies were evading tax since 2007 and the matter was taken up in 2010 by FBR Tax Auditors.

MINISTER FOR CADD CALLS ON PM: Minister for Capital Administration and Development Nazar Muhammad Gondal called on Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf here at PM House on saturday and briefed him about the implementation of time scale promotion and other facilities for the teachers at the Federal Capital which indeed had boosted their moral to undertake their responsibilities with devotion and commitment.

The Prime Minister said that education was important component for human resource development and the services of the people responsible for this needed to be acknowledged. He also appreciated the Punjab PPP and their allied parties for exhibiting political sagacity and discipline on the day of budget speech in Punjab Assembly.

The Prime Minister said they should continue to play a role of responsible and informed opposition within the parameters of parliamentary traditions.

tOuR tO kHilASH, CHitRAl, SHAnDOOR, gilgit, etC

Strategy final for releasing funds for FY 2012-13 ISLAMABAD: The ministry of finance has finalised a strategy regarding release of funds for the financial year (FY) 2012-13 for current and development expenditure. The release of funds for the current and development expenditure has been restricted at level of 20 per cent of budget estimates for the period of July-september 2012, official sources informed APP. During October-December 2012, 20 per cent of budget estimates may be released and 30 per cent of budget estimates during January-March 2013, thesources further added. Moreover, the remaining balance of 30 per cent may be released during the last quarter of financial year 2012-13, they added.

However, all releases and payments may be made pre-audit system of Auditor General of Pakistan Revenue (AGPR) or through Assignment Account Procedure and any direct payment through state Bank of Pakistan (sBP) may be made as special case with the prior approval of the Finance secretary. Proposals for re-appropriation and technical supplementary grant out of lump provisions in the budget 2012-13 may be referred to budget wing for comments and clearance. APP

it'S SummeR AgAin!

DRumming CiRCle

dAte: July 06 to 14, 2012 Venue: FAlCon AdVenture CluB

dAte: June 18 to July 31, 2012 Venue: Centre For ArtS And Culture

dAte And tiMe: 05:00 PM, weekly eVent Venue: the Centre For ArtS & Culture

every month, FAC organizes several trips and expeditions to various locations in Pakistan.

For more updates like our Community page: www.facebook.com/falconadventureclub

it's the summer again & kuch khaas is back with all things awesome!

June 18th - July 31st.

For more details call 051-8357483

our drumming circle is a (free!) ongoing event and is held every Friday from 5pm to 6pm we are having a great time, and want to share the good time with you! our drumming circle has children ...

ColleGeS / uniVerSitieS internAtionAl iSlAMiC uniVerSity 9260765 BAhriA uniVerSity 9260002 nuMl 9257677 QuAid-e-AzAM uniVerSity 90642098 Arid AGriCulture uniVerSity 9290151 FJwu 9273235 riPhA internAtionAl uniVerSity 111510510 nCA rAwAlPindi 5770423 PunJAB lAw ColleGe 4421347

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Sunday, 8 July, 2012

Seventh person arrested in British anti-terrorism operation LONDON AFP

A woman was arrested in London saturday on suspicion of terrorism offences in an operation that saw six men detained earlier this week but which police say is not linked to the Olympics.

Officers from scotland Yard’s counterterrorism command arrested the 22-year-old in an early morning raid at a home in Hackney, northeast London. she was held “on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism” and remains in custody, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement. The arrest was part of an ongoing investigation in which five men and a woman were arrested on Thursday, police said, adding that the operation is not linked to the London Olympic Games which begin on July 27. Ahead of the Games, Britain’s security threat level is set at “substantial,” meaning officials believe there is a strong possibility of a terror attack.

Five men ranging in age from 18 to 29 and a woman aged 30 were arrested Thursday and all six are being held on suspicion of terrorism offences. Police on Friday obtained warrants for further arrests that will expire next Thursday. scotland Yard declined to elaborate, but British media reported that the arrests related to a possible plot involving Islamist extremists with potential targets in Britain.

Foreign News 09

Libyans vote in first post-Gaddafi elections TRIPOLI

E

AFP

AGER voters cast ballots on saturday in Libya’s first free national elections for decades after the ouster of dictator Moamer Gaddafi, but protesters disrupted some polling in the troubled east.

In Tripoli, voting got underway with queues of people keen to elect the General National Congress, which will be at the helm of the country for a transition period.

“Words cannot capture my joy, this is a historic day,” said Fawziya Omran, 40, one of the first women in line at the Ali Abdullah Warith school in the heart of the capital.

“I’ve made my choice. I hope it is the right choice and that the candidate will not disappoint us,” she told AFP. Voters in the capital turned up draped in black, red and green flags — the colours

of the revolution that toppled Gaddafi last year — while mosques blasted chants of “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest).

Joy was also palpable in the eastern city of Benghazi, cradle of the uprising. “I feel like my life has been wasted so far, but now my children will have a better life,” said Hueida Abdul sheikh, a 47-year-old mother of three in line. However, protesters calling for greater representation forced the closure of several polling stations elsewhere in the tense region. Nuri al-Abbar, chairman of the electoral commission, said acts of sabotage, mostly in the east, prevented 101 polling stations from opening.

“Ninety-four percent of polling stations opened,” told reporters in Tripoli, with voting underway in 1,453 out of 1,554 centres. “some of the polling stations were not opened. Because of security reasons, logistical materials haven’t reached them,” he said. “We are currently dealing with this,

sending material to the polling stations so they can start voting,” he said.

Protesters in the east, unhappy over the distribution of seats in the new assembly, had threatened to sabotage the vote, staging a string of disruptive acts of violence in recent days. In Tripoli, a senior electoral official confirmed there had been some incidents in the east but dismissed reports the vote could be delayed in those areas, stressing they were working towards a solution. “Ninety-two percent of voting centres are open,” he said.

Interim leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil, who voted in his eastern home town of AlBayda, said the situation there was “excellent.” He expressed hope for a successful vote and hailed as a martyr an electoral worker killed on Friday.Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, who heads a team of 21 European Union observers, said the vote marks a major milestone in the transition to

democracy after 42-years of dictatorship.

“We believe that to have this election in Libya less than one year after the fall of Tripoli is an important achievement,” Lambsdorff told AFP. “We only hope that the situation remains peaceful across the country. The majority of Libyans want to vote. Eighty percent want to vote.”

On the eve of the ballot, gunfire struck a helicopter in eastern Libya killing an election worker.

Also, five oil facilities were forced to shut down by gunmen who want greater representation for the east in the 200member congress. And on sunday, gunmen ransacked the office of the electoral commission in Benghazi.

The make-up of the congress has been a matter of heated debate, with factions such as the federalist movement calling for more seats.

At least 99 killed in southern Russia floods disaster MOSCOW AFP

severe flash floods in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region have killed at least 99 people and affected nearly 13,000 in the area’s worst natural disaster in decades, officials said saturday. Residents were caught completely by surprise by the force of the waters, which ripped up paving and traffic lights and flooded the ground floors of houses within minutes, witnesses and officials said. One woman reportedly had to spend a night up a tree before being rescued from the floods caused by exceptionally heavy rainstorms. In the district of Krymsk, the area worst hit by the disaster, officials had already discovered 88 bodies including that of a 10-year-old child, regional police spokesman Igor Zhelyabin told AFP. Officials have not been able to explain the large number of deaths, except by saying that the disaster struck while residents were asleep. “Everything happened at night and very quickly,” the regional administration said in a statement. Zhelyabin declined to speculate on the reasons behind the massive toll, saying Moscow-based investigators were conducting a probe.

BengHAZi: A Libyan protester demanding greater representation throws torn ballots in the air outside a polling station on saturday during Libya’s general national congress. Hundreds of protesters burned ballots to demand greater representation although most residents of the Mediterranean city of Benghazi voted in historic elections vowing to build a new Libya. afp

egypt women speak up against sexual violence CAIRO AFP

Egyptian women are speaking up against sexual violence after harrowing tales of mob attacks in Cairo’s iconic Tahrir square prompted initiatives to combat the “epidemic.” surrounded by volunteers to protect them, dozens of women took to the street on Friday to demand a “safe Tahrir,” as part of a series of events aimed at raising awareness.

“We want to be treated as citizens, not females,” said Rasha Kamel, a 38-year-old gynaeocologist and a protest organiser, as she wrote on a large piece of cardboard “I am like your sister” in a thick black marker.

On Cairo’s streets, sexual harrassment of women, regardless of whether or not they wear an Islamic headscarf, is common in the form of obscenities, touching or groping.

But an increase in accounts from Tahrir of mob attacks and sexual violence against women have raised the alarm.

On February 11, 2011, as hundreds of thousands were celebrating president

Hosni Mubarak’s downfall after an 18-day uprising, Lara Logan — a reporter with Us news channel CBs— was attacked by 200 to 300 men who raped her “with their hands.”

Later in November, a French journalist working for public television channel France 3 said she had been violently beaten and sexually assaulted while covering the protests.

Caroline sinz told AFP she was “beaten by a group of youngsters and adults who tore my clothes” and then molested her in a way that “would be considered rape.”

The two incidents put a spotlight on sexual assaults in this conservative Muslim country, but failed to trigger any reaction from authorities.

On June 2, a young foreign women described her ordeal to Nazra, a Cairo-based women’s rights group.

“My pant was pulled down by the many men and they raped me with their dirty fingers ... The men were like lions around a dead piece of meat and their hands were all over my body and under my destroyed clothes,” she said. several days later, a group of men attacked a women’s march against sexual

harrassment in Tahrir square, assaulting several of the protesters.

Days later yet again, British journalism student Natasha smith wrote on her blog that she too had been the victim of a sexual attack in the square.

Many believe that the recurring pattern of the attacks and the fact they often take place in the same part of the massive Tahrir square point to the fact they are premeditated.

These attacks “are calculated and organised to scare women and chase them away from the public sphere, punishing women for their participation,” according to Nazra.

Ahmed Niazy, one of the men who joined Friday’s protest in solidarity, believes “the regime, which never fell, uses sexual harrassment to repress freedom of expression.”

It “believes women are a weakness, and it’s a way of putting pressure on us.

They have managed to taint the square,” Niazy told AFP. “How many times have I not gone to Tahrir because I don’t want to feel hands all over my thighs?” said Nana al-Hariri, 22.

Syrian army shells Aleppo province as conflict hits Lebanon DAMASCUS: syrian forces bombarded towns in the northern province of Aleppo on saturday, as the conflict spilled into neighbouring Lebanon, where two girls were killed amid cross-border clashes. In syria itself, at least 19 people were killed, the syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. “Regime forces are attempting to regain control over this (Aleppo) region, where they suffered heavy casualties over the past months to rebels,” the Observatory said, adding that the bombardment killed a civilian and wounded dozens in the town of Qabtan al-Jabal. “A large number of families have been displaced from the area for fear of shelling and lack of water, electricity and medical services,” the watchdog added of the attacks in the northern province. The violence came a day after 93 people were killed across syria on Friday, as dozens of protesters took to the streets calling for a “People’s liberation war.” In Lebanon, a teenager died when a rocket hit her house in the border region of Wadi Khaled, a Lebanese security official told AFP, adding that five others were wounded by rockets and exchanges of gunfire. “A few hours later, an eight-year-old Bedouin girl, who recently fled with her parents from syria, was killed,” said a hospital source in Akkar province. “A military expert who visited the site said it was either a mine planted in the area or an explosive they were handling,” the security source said, after initially reporting that a shell had hit their tent. A local official said clashes had broken out at dawn between the syrian army and gunmen on the Lebanese side of the border. On Friday, some 100 nations and organisations meeting in Paris called on the UN security Council to adopt a transition plan for syria backed by economic sanctions if the regime refuses to comply. AFP

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10 Comment Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami

Sunday, 8 July, 2012

friends not, masters We have our price tag

Editor Lahore – Ph: 042-36298305-10 Fax: 042-36298302 Karachi – Ph: 021-34330811-3 Fax: 021-34330900 Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287414-6 Fax: 051-2287417 Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Gearing up for the march As long as it’s peaceful…

By Humayun Gauhar

n Friday, the DPC failed to mobilise anyone other than its hardcore workers against the reopening of the GLOCs. Its leaders addressed Friday sermons, each one in the mosque of his peculiar sect. They also took out processions in a few cities. They concentrated on Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. No significant activity on their part was however reported from interior sindh or Balochistan. The show of strength would largely depend on the funds at the disposal of rightist alliance. A thousand buses carrying twenty people each will create an illusion of a million march if everyone is supplied a flag and half of the occupants are seated on the top of every bus.

The PML(N) and PTI have both criticised the decision to open the Nato supply lines. They argue that the decision violates parliament’s decision which required the fulfilment of a number of preconditions, the end to drone attacks being one. In Lahore, lawyers too boycotted the courts on Friday as a mark of protest and demanded that government hold a referendum on the reopening of the GLOCs. That a day after the supply route was reopened, over 20 people died in a drone attack would provide government critics enough material to put it on the mat. It goes to the credit of both Nawaz sharif and Imran Khan however that they kept themselves aloof from the move. Their support for the march would have strengthened the perception that a conspiracy to upset the system was afoot. They have thus taken a populist stand in the election year without being a part of a move that could destabilise the government.

Every organisation has a right to protest as long as it remains peaceful. The DPC’s detractors accuse it of being the political wing of the militant organisations involved in insurgency in the tribal areas and terrorist attacks in the rest of the country. some of its components are in fact banned outfits with new brand names.

DPC’s apologists argue that they should be encouraged to join the mainstream. Neither the federal government nor the provincial administrations have created any hurdle in the way of the DPC in line with the democratic traditions which allow everyone to protest as long as the activity remains within the law and does not create public disturbance. Advisor to PM on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik has said that he has no objection to a peaceful protest. One hopes that the march will fulfil the requirement. Any recourse to violence by the protestors would lead many to conclude that this was done with encouragement from some powerful circle.

e are better than the harlot who claimed she was raped because her client’s cheque ‘for services rendered’ bounced. Our cheque has finally been honoured. Bravo!

I moved the comma forward by one word in the title of President Ayub Khan’s autobiography, ‘Friends, Not Masters’ to ‘Friends Not, Masters’ to change its meaning 180 degrees to reflect our abject surrender to America. seven months of false bravado ended with a whimper when Pakistan reopened its supply routes to help the Us and its stooges continue their ‘NATOcide’ in Afghanistan. We reverted to the old terms and sold our honour for $1.1 billion ‘for services rendered’, just as our native potentates sold their honour to the British in return for fiefs, titles and gun salutes. Britain ‘honoured’ them with knighthoods; America has invested us with ‘major non-NATO ally’ status. It’s in our genes that we that we are underlings, dear Brutus, not in our stars.

Our creed is Islam: so says our constitution. That this document made by a rump assembly is rived with hypocrisy and contradictions reflects badly on Pakistanis, not on Islam. “No law can be made that is repugnant to the Quran or sunnah,” says our constitution grandly. Which also means that no action can be taken that is repugnant to the Islam of the Quran. To help an occupier is un-Islamic in the extreme and anti-Jihad. To help an occupier exit is to help end occupation, which is truly Islamic and pro-Jihad. We should have opened only NATO exit routes, not supply routes. But what is the point of saying this in a state that is full of Muslims but empty of Islam?

The notion that it is the first duty of governments to protect their own people, properties and the state becomes an excuse to justify wrongdoing. Protect them, certainly, but not by helping occupiers. It is like destroying your neighbour’s house to save your own, not realising that it gets destroyed any-

O

W

way. It comes easily to us because that is our pathetic history: if we hadn’t helped the British to occupy our homeland just to settle personal scores, India would never have been colonised. Why don’t we admit that we have neither spine nor faith and that our independence is just a myth?

We closed NATO’s supply routes after the Us wantonly killed 24 of our soldiers in salala.

It came just six months after the Abbottabad attack in which Osama Bin Laden was allegedly killed, compounding our embarrassment. The routes won’t reopen unless America ‘apologised’, we proclaimed. Well, it didn’t.

Hillary made a pre-arranged phone call to our foreign minister in the middle of the grandly named ‘Defence Committee of the Cabinet’ meeting just as the agenda item came up. All present heard her. she said ‘sorry’ and ‘regret’, but didn’t apologise. We had that seven months earlier anyway, so what was the sorry spectacle all about? It was about petulance, not principle. The Us state Department spokeswoman said, “Both sides said sorry”.

What were we sorry for? For inconsiderately putting our soldiers in the way of Us bullets and bombs and embarrassing them?

We closed NATO supply routes to try and create the image of a free people with spine, little realising that people without faith or ideology can have neither. The image we have created now is of bondage, not freedom.

What could have changed our minds?

America honouring its cheque, perhaps? The Us aircraft carrier standing off the coast of Gwadar, perchance? America moving with alacrity to bring us to heel fearing that the space left by it may be filled by Russia and China, maybe? Threatening our rulers with exposure of their corruption, possibly? With stooges, it could be anything.

Idealism is the stuff reality is made of.

Dreams are the raw material of revolution that creates a new, native and contemporary reality in consonance with global realities and changing times. It called the status quo, not static but dynamic. Our Prophet (pbuh) was initially regarded as an unrealistic idealist, a romantic, a dreamer. He struggled and succeeded and changed the world for all times to come. When he was offered the wealth of Mecca, he replied: “If they place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand, I will not betray my mission.” We have betrayed ourselves for pennies.

If our reality amounts to a few billion dollars, outdated weaponry, bailouts and borrowing to service debts that increases our indebtedness, then that is the reality of our mental and physical enslavement. We are no inheritors of the Prophet’s (pbuh) tradition. sounds very idealistic, doesn’t it? Well, I

Constitutional turf-war Our ever-expanding list of holy cows

By Saad Rasool

W

e live in a strange time. A moment in history where ‘democratic’ institutions and ‘constitutional’ forces have taken up arms against one another. some of us are in denial of this battle being waged. Others appease themselves with a claim that these tussles are the birth-pangs of a functioning democracy.

But is it possible that behind the veil of these excuses, we are establishing institutional fiefdoms rather than a coherent system of governance? Whenever this constitutional turf-war comes to an end, will the victor – be it the parliament, the executive, the judiciary (or even the army) – be beyond all reproach of law and accountability? In essence, as a result of the battles between our constitutional organs, will the nation have lost the

larger war of a functioning democracy?

In the latest skirmish (during a saga that seems unending), the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) released names of bureaucrats, generals, and judges of the apex court (retired and serving) who have been allotted more than one residential plots in Islamabad. In this regard, the PAC asked the Auditor General for an opinion on whether the PAC could look into the matter of allotment of these plots to the judges, and also directed the Defence secretary to furnish a list of generals who were allotted more than one plots in Islamabad.

As can be expected in Pakistan, the GHQ ignored the request of PAC, despite reminders being sent to them. Well, at least the army is clear in its purpose – it shall not appear before any ‘civilian’ for accountability of its officers. There is no pretence of legality or constitutionalism.

The idea is simple: how can these (fake) BA pass civilians hold the ‘national saviours’ accountable for anything!

The sC, however, while achieving the same end as the army, took a more ‘constitutional’ defence. Through a letter written in December 2011 (made public now), pursuant to a meeting of the full court, the Registrar informed the PAC of four principle issues: 1) the Registrar of the apex court shall not appear before the PAC for this would tantamount to an infringement of the autonomy of the

court, 2) in light of Article 68 of the Constitution, a discussion about the judges could not take place in the parliament, 3) per Article 81 and 82 of the Constitution, the remuneration and expense relating to judges and officers of the court fall in the Federal Consolidated Fund, and the National Assembly has no oversight role in the matter, and 4) if PAC so desires, it should approach the President regarding the conduct of a judge (per Article 209 of the Constitution, apparently).

These arguments need further analysis, but let’s start with a simple truth: there can be no cavil with the idea that judicial independence is paramount to the functioning and sustainability of a democratic and constitutional order. And ‘independence’, in this regard, does not simply mean independence of decision-making, free from all prejudice… but also includes financial independence in terms of the remunerations of the honourable judges and expenditures of the court. And for this purpose, the Constitution, per Article 81, has wisely placed the “remuneration payable to” and “other expenditure relating to” the honourable judges of the court in the Federal Consolidated Fund.

But does this principle extend to ancillary benefits (say, allotment of more than one residential plots) extended to the judges? Do the “remunerations”, under Article 81, include the allotment of plots?

Can the principle of judicial independence

be extended to never look into a judge’s personal and financial dealings, regardless of how far removed such dealings are from his/her responsibilities as a judge?

Does judicial independence mean that, de facto, upon swearing the judicial oath, the concerned individual falls outside the purview of accountability?

Let’s view Article 68 for a clearer perspective. It mandates that “No discussion shall take place in [the Parliament] with respect to the conduct of any Judge of the supreme Court or of a High Court in the discharge of his duties.” By including the words “in discharge of his duties” the framers of our constitution have wisely struck a fine balance between judicial independence and accountability of a judge.

Till such time that a judge is performing an act in discharge of his judicial responsibilities, the parliament cannot discuss the conduct of the judge, for it might amount to infringement of judicial independence. But any act of a judge, not “in discharge of his duties”, falls outside the purview of Article 68, and can clearly be the subject of discussion in the parliament. Now, if anyone can explain how the allotment of residential plots (more than one) is linked to discharge of judicial duty, I will most eager to understand it.

And what of retired judges? Are they also covered under Article 68 and Article 81 of the constitution? Or have we simply developed a culture in our land that each institution takes care of its own, irrespective of the law or constitutional mandate. This is eerily similar to the stance of the army that resists allowing a retired general (a son of the army) to be accountable before the law. Does the court, the custodian of constitutional

am very proud of that, for the realists and pragmatists who only see rocks and hard places have brought us to the point of extinction. They are wedded to the constitutional and legal mores of the coloniser-occupier that have crafted our iniquitous status quo that is reflected in our constitution and which our alien political and judicial systems and media protect. Those who work these systems and institutions don’t know any better, for their Ka’aba lies in Washington. It is the direction from which they seek guidance.

Pakistan started out with great fervour and excitement. Our fathers and grandfathers worked their butts off, sitting on crates not chairs with planks for tables, using thorns as pens and pins, garages for offices with an old solitary fan, bicycling to and from work.

Where has that fervour gone? How have we come to this sorry state?

The British parliamentary democracy that we slavishly ape forces us to choose from amongst the worst for only the worst are on offer. Those from amongst the best would either lose out or get polluted by this dirty system. Thus, there is no point in saying that people get the government they deserve. so today we have a partisan, stigmatised president and stigmatised leaders in waiting, a prime minister with an ongoing investigation against him, a senate Chairman who is rumoured to be a land grabber, a National Assembly speaker whose husband is highly controversial, a recent prime minister who couldn’t see what his sons were allegedly up to, an army chief who doesn’t know what his brother or brothers may be up to, a chief justice fallen off his high pedestal who couldn’t see what his son was allegedly up to… Are they all blind? Everyone in our ruling gang is naked in our national bath and unclean too because it has no water for dearth of electricity to pump it up with.

You want freedom you have to win it from your ruling gang, not from America. America does what is in its good; we also do what is in America’s good, not in ours. If we sell ourselves, cheap or expensive doesn’t matter, why shouldn’t America buy us if we are worth it?

The result is that peoples’ stakes in the country have weakened. We have multiple power centres working against each other rather than in tandem, many transgressing their domains – parliament-legislature, executive, judiciary, legal bars, army, media, big business, feudal barons, tribal chieftains, warlords, drugs and land Mafiosi… The result: we have a right royal mess. This parched land is thirsting for the blood of the rulers, not the ruled.

The writer is a political analyst. He can be contacted at humayun.gauhar786@gmail.com

rights and responsibilities, also ascribe to ‘we take care of our own’ mantra?

We are standing at the edge of reason, friends. It seems that the ongoing constitutional turf-war between the institutions, is less about the law and more about who can assert ‘supremacy’ over the other. In a nation full of ‘saviours’, institutional supremacy has become the currency of legitimacy. Constitutionalism, principles, law and ethics have taken a backseat in this turf-war. The executive’s non-writing of the letter and the parliament’s proposal of amending the contempt of court law are no different, in principle, to the sC’s threatening to strike down a constitutional amendment dealing with judicial appointment process (Article 175A) or refusal to be accountable to public scrutiny. In all these instances, institutional or individual concerns have overridden national preferences.

Being young gives one the license to be idealistic. so here is my utopian dream: Imagine a country in which every general, every bureaucrat and every judge (yes!) submits himself, in broad daylight, to public scrutiny. Imagine a place, where accountability (of protected institutions) is not hidden behind the smoky doors of Article 209, or behind the fenced walls of a court-martial. Imagine being able to ask every public functionary to account for his professional and personal conduct, without fear of being in contempt or found missing the next day. Wouldn’t that be something!

The writer is a lawyer based in Lahore. He has a Masters in Constitutional Law from Harvard Law School. He can be reached at: saad@post.harvard.edu

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Sunday, 8 July, 2012

Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan.

Fax: +92-42-36298302.

E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk.

Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively.

theft of Pakistan’s heritage Huge cache of 2,000 old sculptures from Gandhara civilisation were caught in Karachi, while they were being transported via containers bound for Afghanistan as Afghan transit, or NATO goods, for onward dispatch to destinations in Europe and other nations in the West, where they would be sold for millions of dollars. This stolen state property dug from sites in Northwest of Pakistan was transported to Karachi, and stored there till the announcement of the resumption of Nato supplies.

Any antiquities dug out by Pakistan belong to the state according to International Regulations and UN laws.

Yet these items are being auctioned at sotheby’s and Christie’s in London without any complaints being filed by our High Commissioner, who happens to be a British national, having sworn an oath of loyalty to the Queen and laws of the UK. If any item of archaeological importance belonging to the UK or any other country in the West were to be smuggled to Pakistan or any other third world country, there would such loud public and official protests by the West painting us as a pariah state.

Resolutions would have been moved in the House of Commons, or in the Congress demanding the return of these items along with demands of the trial of those responsible for this illegal act.

The silence of our government, our foreign embassies and our NA or senate implies either complicity or tacit approval. Who will guard our heritage if the Pakistan government and its institutions such as FBR, border security, customs, police, AsF, FIA, IB etc fail to do their duty because of massive corruption within these departments.

GULL ZAMAN Peshawar

Comment 11

Faulty construction of bunds Regrettably, ineptness, inefficiency and organised corruption of our provincial irrigation department’s bureaucrats and technocrats who do not spend the allocated funds fairly and judiciously to raise and repair flood “bunds” (embankments), dykes and ditches, stone-pitching and alignment of the canals and water channels, have made my home province “sindh” vulnerable to floods. This is why the apocalyptic floods have hit the upper and lower districts of sindh province for the last two consecutive years and caused death and devastation everywhere in the province. Indeed, more than 8 million people were displaced by the floods in the affected districts and they are still passing their miserable days and nights in the torn out tents or along with the roads and high ways under the open skies. still many areas are underwater in the affected areas.

what’s the fuss about?

The government of Pakistan having fiercely reacted to the salala attacks took a very bold decision first time in the history of Pakistan against the Us and decided to block supply routes, got the shamsi base vacated and boycotted the Bonn Conference on Afghanistan.

The aim was to obtain a Us apology for such brutal aggression. Unfortunately, the Us top leadership took it lightly and suggested Obama to be tough with Pakistan disregarding their demands of apology. Hence, they started a campaign against Pakistan in discrediting Pakistan’s civil-military leadership and criticising their policy decisions and threatening them with sanctions. As a result, relations between the two countries suffered a great setback and at one time it appeared as if Us is abandoning Pakistan. Closure of NATO supply route unnerved the Us as it affected their financial base.

Pakistan on the other hand continued to support Us on GWOT. Pakistan only wanted an apology for the loss of lives and giving assurance to people of Pakistan that such acts will not be repeated and Pakistan’s sovereignty would be respected.

Pakistan did not care about the threats and stood firm on its stand. It was Pakistan’s parliament that suggested refreshing the terms of engagement with Us and getting an apology before opening the routes. The armed forces fully backed the government decision.

Gen Kayani rejected an apology from IsAF commander Gen Allen saying that the matter was between the two states and not between the two armed forces, and if the government so decides, the routes will be reopened.

Opening of GLOC after obtaining Us apology on salala is rational and based on logical reasons. The Us has

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit various affected areas, in particular, the flood “bunds” (embankments) and dykes, shores of canals, water channels, with a two-member delegation of an international body, who wanted to diagnose the quality of work carried out by the relevant provincial departments; they also wanted to determine the level of rehabilitation and restoration of the past natural and man-made calamities in the province. Looking at the poor quality of what we call “run of the mill” construction of the embankments, dykes and canals, the learned members of the delegation expressed their utter displeasure and opined that this callousness and insensitivity of the concerned provincial authorities was painful.

From the facts available, it comes to the fore that the provincial bureaucrats and technocrats, in their

accepted all the new terms of engagement and it is pointless to show signs of disrespect to the government decision. The decision to block GLOCs was of the government and it is the same government that took decision to open so what is the fuss about. The armed forces have no choice except to stand by with their constitutional obligation. Opening of the routes would help early withdrawal of the Us-led forces from Afghanistan. Pakistan will receive payments under the Coalition support Fund amounting to almost 1.1 billion dollars. This would also help in repairing the damaged relations with the superpower. Let this be stated clearly that military and civilian authorities are on the same page on this issue and the army fully backs the government decision. The opposition needs to adopt a rational approach on the issue instead of politicising it MUKHTAR AHMED Karachi (II) The government’s decision to reopen the NATO supply routes would serve Pakistan’s interests over a longer period vis-à-vis the short term interests of the foreign forces that are itching to get out of the Afghan quagmire. It had to be done sooner or later and the government did well in reaching an understanding with the Us on the issue.

There was no point in prolonging the issue of re-opening of supply lines to NATO’s use since many of the coalition partners enjoy fraternal relations with Pakistan. The closure affected their respective forces’ security, operations and will to repatriate their soldiers as soon as possible.

The sentimental segment of our society that was strongly opposed to the re-opening of the NATO route has announced to protest the government’s decision. some of the opportunist

lust for corruption, have not learnt from their past administrative and technical blunders which led to the inundation of sindh and left millions homeless and their livestock killed. Thus, on the basis of this survey, one can logically conclude that the predicted flooding will prove once again disastrous in the upper and lower districts of sindh province and cause colossal loss life and limb in the province.

However, the President of Pakistan is appealed to take serious notice of the apathy and insensitivity of the provincial authorities, especially, the corrupt irrigation engineers and the contractors who have carried out the poor quality construction work at various flood bunds (which can possibly burst even if the medium level of flood revisit) in the affected areas.

HASHIM ABRO Islamabad

political parties and their known leaders trying to exploit the issue probably due to lack of understanding of the situation in Afghanistan, a neighbouring country whose security situation has direct impact on Pakistan.

These forces also indicate their failure to understand global dynamics with respect to Afghanistan and the region.

Nevertheless their protestation would reveal their understanding of sensitivities involved in re-opening of NATO supply lines at this critical juncture of Afghan war where the latter is trying to quit Afghanistan as soon as possible.

The heartening aspect of the scenario is the fact that its decision has been fully backed by the state institutions. The armed forces have also backed the decision of the government.

As there has been no formal agreement between the two states and only the understanding reached on re-opening of NATO supply lines nevertheless indicate that finer points for a sustained relationship in line with the set of conditions placed by the PCNs are being discussed. Re-opening of the lines, therefore, does not mean that all the blocks towards resurrection of the relationship have been removed. Killing of 24 of Pakistan’s finest soldiers by the Americans should never have happened. Also, an automatic apology that ought to have been made over the brutal killings never came through despite the outgoing Us ambassador Cameron Munter specifically conveying of the need to the Us administration.

This speaks much about the Us’ arrogant approach towards Pakistan.

But in the current global security and economic environment, the government’s decision is rational. Being intransigent any more on an issue that potentially could have turned many of our friends away from us could have

potentially isolated us. A clear massage has been given to the Us. Pakistani nation deserves respect not for only being sovereign but also that it has made great sacrifices in this war on terror that remain unmatched.

ENGINEER JAVED IQBAL Islamabad

“i am still around” This letter is with reference to the two articles of Mubasher Lucman published in your esteemed newspaper.

I wonder why Mr. Lucman is explaining his role in the planted Malik Riaz interview when everyone is aware of the ‘facts’ our electronic media tells to the people. The majority of the media anchors only tell people what they feel is appropriate. Perhaps they believe that people with different ideologies, sects, and loyalties are not prepared to find out who is right and who is wrong.

Those few journalists and anchors who are committed to their profession have to pay a heavy price for reporting the true picture as TV channels are owned by persons with vested interests.

Whereas the media considers itself the fourth pillar of the state, it should realise that working for the welfare of the people does not fall in the media’s domain and it is in fact the state’s responsibility to work for the country’s betterment.

Through this letter, I would like to remind Mr Lucman that Pakistanis are quick to forgive and forget and generally have poor memories. People have already forgotten the leaked offcamera footage of Dr Amir Liaquat and the astonishing Maya Khan episode.

They will also forget your lapses and shortcomings in the near future. In the meantime, keep your spirit high and be honest to your noble profession.

S T HUSSAIN Lahore

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Sunday, 8 July, 2012

Kate Middleton in a gorgeous teal Jenny Pecham dress at BOA Olympic concert

Shatrughan Sinha’s condition stable

At Wimbledon 2012, Kate Middle wore Alexander McQueen

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CTOR-POliTiCiAN Shatrughan Sinha is fine but he will have to have to stay in the hospital till his discharge date is finalised, his son luv Sinha said Friday. "His condition is stable and he is fine now. He (Shatrughan Sinha) will be in the hospital for one more day. Doctors will decide his discharge date by today (Friday)," luv told iANS. Sinha was hospitalized on July 2. His main complaint was breathing difficulty as he developed respiratory allergic reaction due to painting at his residence. The 66-year-old actor has been the part of the industry since 1970's. Known for films like Kalicharan, Blackmail, Dostana and Shaan, Sinha later ventured out from films into politics. He is the Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Patna Saheb, Bihar. cOURTesY HinDUsTAn TiMes

Kate in a gorgeous Vanessa dress on a day out.

FASHION SPOTLIGHT: KATE MIDDLETON Her royal highness, Duchess Kate Middleton is always in the news because of her fabulous fashion. Pakistan Today takes a look at some of her best looks.

Middleton in another double-breasted coat dress by McQueen

Indian Actors lend voices to Ice Age 4: Continental Drift

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CE Age 4: Continental Drift has a strong indian connect. After creating waves online with a funky Sid rap video, which featured children dancing in front of the Gateway of india, the Hollywood franchise is now hoping to bring more cheer to the sub-continent through two actors of indian origin. Kunal Nayyar and Aziz Ansari have done the voice-overs for two important animated characters in the film. The latest installment takes Manny, Diego and Sid to new islands and the high seas aboard a rogue pirate ship. The Big Bang Theory’s popular character, Raj, is the voice for a pirate beaver called Gupta, who is a prehistoric badger whose back is patterned with the skull and crossbones of the pirate flag, the Jolly Roger. Popular stand-up comedian Aziz Ansari is the voice of fellow pirate, a prehistoric rabbit named Squint, who is the smallest member of the crew and believes he is Napoleon.

“Nothing ticks this pirate off more than surrendering. i was good at it because i have an innate ability to overact, so the stuff came naturally to me,” says Kunal, talking about his recording experience. Aziz, who recorded for Squint, says, “He’s always ready for a fight, but unfortunately, thanks to his size, never gets to chop up anybody.” cOURTesY HinDUsTAn TiMes

Celebrating the Queen's Diamong Jubilee, Kate chose Emilia Wickstead

Kate in a stunning coat designed by Bristish designer Missoni

Kate wore a black lacy Temperly gown on a premiere

Movie Review

Bol Bachan Fire erupts on Die Hard set

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AiT, this wasn't in the script, was it? Talk about an action movie! in true adrenaline-pumping Hollywood fashion, a fire broke out Thursday on the Budapest set of the latest Die Hard sequel after a highflying stunt went awry, engulfing a building in flames, E! News has confirmed. Alas, contrary to at least one heroismtouting report, Bruce Willis was not on hand to battle the blaze himself. "There was a fire on the set of A Good Day to Die Hard in Hungary," 20th Century Fox said in a statement.

"No one was injured by the flames, which occurred during a pyrotechnics stunt just after midnight CET on Thursday, and were contained a short while later. Bruce Willis, was not on set, nor were other principal cast. Principal photography on the movie began in April in Budapest, and is expected to wrap late summer." Production crews were reportedly shooting a scene that called for a helicopter to land near a five-story wooden structure whose lobby would be set on fire for the action sequence. neWs DesK

STORY: Abbas wants a job, Prithvi wants an honest man. But Abbas spins a tale of twin brothers and multiple mothers - what happens when Prithvi discovers his vivid truth and lies?

MOVIE REVIEW: You know those heart-charts they have in hospitals, the ones that trace a person’s heartbeat up and down in waves? Bol Bachchan (BB) reminds you often of one of those. Rohit shetty’s latest movie has a constant up-and-down aspect to it, one sequence making you shriek in your seat with laughter, another sending your mind wandering off to the mundane. But at the very heart of things - shetty’s madly in love with the movies and BB is his homage to that all-time classic, Golmaal.

In shetty’s version, Abbas Ali (Bachchan) is desperate for work after he and his sister sania (Asin) lose their parental home. A family friend shashtri (Asrani) brings them from Delhi-6 to the feudal village of Ranakpur where Prithvijit Raghuvanshi (Devgn) is the lord of all he surveys. Blessed with two obsessions - speaking nothing but the truth and hysteria-inducing English - Prithvi is super-impressed by Abbas, even swallowing his story of being called ‘Abhishek Bachchan’ when events lead to Abbas breaking open a temple door. As Prithvi insists on employing ‘Abhishek’, shastri’s son Ravi (Krushna, positively sparkling as he reprises Deven Verma’s role in all this golmaal) adds more wheels

Kate in a dress designed by the French designer Roland Mouret

to Abbas’s clattering spin, creating a Muslim twin brother and a super-pious mother to convince Prithvi of Abhishek’s propah antecedents. With the mother played by small-time mujra star Zohra Bai (Archana Puran singh in a loud, colourful role she carries off with the swagger of a satin sharara), and Abbas playing a highly effeminate kathak teacher, hired by Prithvi to teach his petulant sister Radhika (Desai) some dance, things only get funnier.

Devgn’s at the top of his form here, mouthing lines like ‘Hard work is the keyhole to saxophone’

and ‘Boy in armpit, hyper-noise pollution in city’, meaning bagal mein chora, etc., with deadpan face and shining eyes. Bachchan sags at the start but sizzles with later hilarity, even pulling off a crazy dance sequence to Dola Re. You wish there’d been more of his mad antics but instead, the camera spends considerable time lingering lovingly on Devgn’s cleavage as he drives a jeep, pulverizes liars and takes on his weasly cousin.

In contrast to the male leads, the two heroines look pretty but bring little more than a wardrobe of delectable kurtis to the film. In fact, the stellar supporting stars - Asrani, Krushna, Puran singh and Neeraj Vora as Prithvi’s suspicious sidekick Makhan - bring far more zest to the party. With its hilarious moments and film-buff touches - bits of singham imagery, Bachchan channeling some of that Yuva aggression his way, references from Deewar to Dostana - BB’s fun and games. But it’s way too long and diverts you needlessly with that wicked cousin angle, a power plant that doesn’t progress out of paper, an odd double-role for Asin, jokes overloading on the cheese at times and music that is surprisingly unmemorable. On the plus side, BB’s a dialogue-lover’s delight lines like ‘fish and chips without water’, Devgn conveying the situation of a ‘jal bin machli’ sparkle across the plot and you can feel the love as the actors reprise bits and bobs of vintage Bollywood. On the downside, it exceeds by about 30 minutes and has that odd, uneven heart-chart quality accompanying the film. But that aside, BB showcases shetty as the maharaja of madness, Devgn clearly his crown prince. And Abhishek?

His judwa bhai, of course. cOURTesY TOi

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13 Aamir Khan locks horns with Talaash director

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Five things to know about The Dark Knight Rises

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NEWS DESK

HE final Batman-vs.-evil story is almost upon us.

Well, the conclusion of Christopher Nolan’s telling of the saga starring Christian Bale as the Caped Crusader is almost upon us, anyway. But that’s a sadness for another time!

We are secure in our knowledge that The Dark Knight Rises is going to pack a massive punch of surprises when it finally hits theaters on July 20 (starting at midnight, naturally), but juicy nuggets of information continue to flow ahead of the film’s release. so, here are five brand-new things to know about The Dark Knight Rises...

1. What Year Is This? According to 49 pages of production notes helpfully released by Warner Bros. (a routine process ideally intended to better inform critics and entertainment reporters, despite the risk of major spoilage), The Dark Knight Rises picks up eight years after Batman battled the Joker, clashed with Harvey Dent and lost Rachel Dawes in an explosion that still makes us shudder a bit. And yes, people think Batman is a murderer. But at least Alfred had plenty of time to rebuild the Batcave, right?

2. JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT DOES HAVE A PURPOSE: The other new characters we get:

Katie Holmes visits lawyer

Bane, Catwoman, Miranda Tate (gotta have at least one gal without an alter ego, right?). But just what is JGL doing? At last, we know for sure: Gordon-Levitt’s John Blake is a guy who hasn’t been sullied by the seedy underbelly of human nature so prevalent in Gotham. “Commissioner Gordon and Bruce Wayne have become somewhat jaded, so we wanted to contrast that with a younger, more idealistic individual who, in a way, represents where they’ve come from,” Nolan says. “Joe really captured the strength and courage of a man who refuses to back down, regardless of the odds.”

3. NEW TOYS: That new airborne vehicle Batman is riding around is aptly named the Bat. Conceived by gadget and superhero-transportation master Lucius Fox, it’s part helicopter, part jump jet—and all kinds of awesome. The new mode of transport freed up the earthbound Bat Pod for Catwoman, but Anne Hathaway admits she wasn’t the one raising hell on two wheels. “When they asked me if I thought I could ride it, I said, ‘You give me the opportunity, and I guarantee I can do it,’” said stunt driver Jolene Van Vugt. speaking of stunt doubles, the evil Bane knows Batman’s every move—literally. Bale’s double in the first two films, fight coordinator Buster Reeves, stepped in for Tom Hardy’s scariest-bad-

NEWS DESK Katie Holmes paid a visit to the high-powered New York law firm on Friday, which is representing her in the divorce case from Tom Cruise.

Casually dressed in white jeans and a yellow top, the 33-year-old actor arrived with four bodyguards in a Mercedes with black-tinted windows about 11:30 am at the midtown Manhattan building, housing the offices of Aronson, Mayefsky and Sloan, People Magazine reported.

According to observers, daughter Suri, 6, was not with her. The visit comes after Cruise attorney Bert Fields spoke out to the BBC about the possible next steps for the 50year-old

guy-yet as well.

4. IMAX IS ESSENTIAL: While he passed on 3-D and used actual, tangible film stock, Nolan didn’t forget that movie audiences these days are seeking exceptional, larger-than-life theatrical experiences. With that in mind, he shot almost half the film with largeformat IMAX cameras—meaning, those extra few bucks per ticket are so worth it. Therefore, if you live near one of the 102 IMAX 15/70 mm screens that will be showing the film, consider yourself obligated to go there. Otherwise, just catch The Dark Knight Rises on the 14,898 other screens it will be playing on around the world. (For those keeping score, that’s 4,000 more screens than the record-shattering The Dark Knight, which ultimately made $1 billion, opened on four years ago.)

5. GET EVEN MORE COMFORTABLE THAN USUAL: It’s been a long time since an Event Movie clocked in at under two hours—and The Dark Knight Rises will be no exception! In fact, its running time is a whopping two hours and 45 minutes—15 minutes longer than The Dark Knight and 25 minutes longer than Batman Begins. (And 23 minutes longer than The Avengers and The Hunger Games, 29 minutes longer than The Amazing spider-Man, 35 minutes longer than Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, etc.)

superstar. “Tactically we can’t say where Tom will file a divorce case and if he’ll be seeking joint custody of Suri,” Fields said. “We are letting ‘the other side’ play the media until they wear everyone out and then we’ll have something to say,” the lawyer added.

The divorce case involves legal heavyweights on both coasts. Holmes’s attorneys Allan Mayefsky and his partner Michael Mosberg work for the firm that represented Peter Cook in his bitter 2008 divorce from Christie Brinkley. Their co-counsel, Jonathan Wolfe of Skoloff and Wolfe in livingston, New Jersey, has handled the divorces of football star Braylon Edwards and NHl player Martin Brodeur. Fields is a longtime Cruise business lawyer in los Angeles with a host of celebrity clients. The actor’s lead divorce lawyer, Dennis Wasser, is another prominent Hollywood attorney who represented Cruise in his divorce from Nicole Kidman.

AMiR Khan, the perfectionist superstar of bollywood who is known to have deep interest in every department of the projects he is involved with, is reported to be mighty upset with his latest upcoming flick ‘Talaash’ due to her refusal to include the changes suggested by him. insiders reveal that Aamir Khan was not satisfied with the second half of the flick and wanted reshooting of some portions. Moreover, he wanted to sit over the final editing, which made the matters worse with director Reema Kagti. The buzz doing the rounds in the industry is that Reema Kagti refused to reshoot the portions suggested by Aamir and declared that the film was complete as far as she was concerned. The film is scheduled to be released all over on November 30, this year. However, sources close to Aamir Khan reveal that Reema Kagti’s refusal hurt him and he told close people that none had ever talked to him like this. Now producers Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar are in a tight spot after this ugly scene was created between the director and the actor before them. cOURTesY sTARDUsT

Amitabh reaches 3m followers on Twitter

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EGASTAR Amitabh Bachchan has crossed the 3 million mark on Twitter and is quite excited about it. "3 MilliON FOllOWERS!!! Holy Mother of Jesus and the Almighty..!! This is quite unbelievable !! Thank you my TwFmXt and the Nc too (sic)," he tweeted on Friday. This makes him probably the most popular Bollywood star on Twitter, as other stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra, who are quite active on the micro-blogging site, are half a million behind him. Priyanka has 2,593,468 followers, while SRK has garnered 2,535,851 followers on Twitter. Aamir Khan follows close behind with 2,427,992 followers, while Salman Khan has 2,362,721 followers on Twitter. cOURTesY HT

Crowe’s kids excited as he signs movie with Emma Watson

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lADiATOR star Russell Crowe says his kids are very excited about the fact that he is making a film with Harry Potter star Emma Watson. The 48-year-old actor's sons Charles, eight, and Tennyson, five, are very impressed that the actress has joined the cast of his forthcoming film Noah because they are big fans of the "Harry Potter" film series, in which she played Hermione Granger, reported Contactmusic. "My kids are flipping out that i'm going to work with Hermione," Crowe tweeted. The actor, who is married to singer-actress Danielle Spencer, has previously treated his children to a Harry Potter studio tour in london, England and says they impressed their guide with their intelligent reasoning.

Referring to the houses which the Hogwarts students are sorted into in the Harry Potter stories, Crowe said, "Harry Potter tour, guide assumed my boys would be gryffendor, no way they say, Ravenclaw, why? They are the smart kids and none of them die." Noah, which is directed by Darren Aronofsky, will see the actor portray the Biblical ark builder, while Watson will play ila, the love interest of his older son Shem (Douglas Booth). neWs DesK

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Sunday, 8 July, 2012

Infotainment 14 Toddler gets stuck with pencil in skull, makes full recovery

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n 1933, Fritz Zwicky—a Swiss astronomer working at CalTech—had an amazing revelation. He realized that the amount of matter that we can see through our telescopes doesn't match the behavior of the Universe.

There had to be something else that we couldn't see. Something that accounts for an astonishing 83 percent of all existing matter but is invisible to us.

Or it was. now, for the first time in history, a team of astronomers has observed these hidden tendrils that extend everywhere.

Dark matter, the mysterious substance that appears to give the Universe its structure, has finally been revealed. The results of the study were published in nature last wednesday, going mostly unnoticed because of the announcement of the Higgs boson. The research, lead by Jörg Dietrich, an astronomer at the University of munich Observatory in Germany, observed the largescale structure filaments intersections in which galaxy clusters occur. These dark tendrils have been impossible to observe until now because they are not dense enough. But Dietrich and his colleagues have been able to locate a filament that could be observed, a gigantic dark matter tendril that is 18 megaparsecs long. It connects abell 222 and abell 223, two galaxy clusters located 2.7 billion light-years away from Earth, in the constellation Cetus.

The team was able to observe the dark matter not only because of the vast size of the filament, but because of its orientation: it is perpendicular to Earth, along our line of view. That made it more dense from our perspective,

increasing the gravitational lensing that deforms the light of objects behind it. By observing this optical distortion over 40,000 background galaxies, they know that the mass in the filament is between 6.5 × 10^13 and 9.8 × 10^13 times the mass of the Sun. They used data from the Xmmnewton spacecraft, processed with a new computer analysis technique that revealed the precise shape of the filament, thus showing the dark matter and confirming the theoretical model proposed by Zwicky at the beginning of the 20th century. Until now, there has never been direct observation of this substance. You could have seen the effect in the 3D map of the universe below, which shows how galaxies are clumped along an apparently branched structure.

However, this was just an indication of the existence of something invisible with enough gravitational power to make those

shapes.

Both astronomers and physicists are very excited about this discovery. astrophysicist mark Bautz, at the massachusetts Institute of Technology, thinks that "what's exciting is that in this unusual system we can map both dark matter and visible matter together and try to figure out how they connect and evolve along the filament." alexandre Refregier, a cosmologist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, thinks that this observation will complement the work to find dark matter on Earth at laboratories like the Large Hadron Collider or Fermilab. Slowly, every day, we are uncovering the secrets of the Universe one by one. and we'll continue to, until the Universe gets tired of us and sends us an giant asteroid to get rid of those pesky humans. cOURTesY BOsTOn HeRALD

REN Bowell, a two-year-old toddler near Bath, England, had a near run-in with death or severe brain damage when she ran out of her room to show her parents a drawing, tripped and lodged the pencil she had been carrying over 1.5 inches into her skull. Surgeons at Frenchay Hospital, where Bowell was taken by her mother, a nurse,told the BBC the girl is very lucky to be alive.

The pencil stopped just one millimeter short of a major blood vessel, going through her right eye socket and wedging itself over half an inch into the front lobe of her brain. "The pencil missed her eye completely," her father, Martyn Bowell, told the Guardian. "it was extremely close to having damaged the blood vessel but fortunately she was very lucky and it had not burst the blood vessel, so she did not have a big amount of bleeding in the brain," ian Pople, the consultant neurosurgeon who performed the surgery said Wren was operated on for four hours. Martyn Bowell added that the pencil was "stuck so hard that they had to pull part of her face off and take out part of her skull to take out the pencil," reported the Guardian. neWs DesK

Woman puts her soul for sale on e-bay

H

OW much is a soul worth? A down-on-her-luck freelance writer in Albuquerque, N.M., tried to sell her soul on eBay. The listing appears to no longer be up, but KOB reports that the starting bid for lori N's soul was $2,000. lori was in a car accident in 2007, after which she entered a coma for three weeks and woke up suffering from a stroke, a broken hip, broken pelvis, leg, collarbone, sternum, ribs, and a collapsed lung, according to KOB. She told the station her advertisement was a cry for help. "i guess you could say that. i'm at the point now, i'm tired," lori said. "i don't feel good. i'm near the end of my rope. i really am." As Business insider notes, eBay has a strict policy for selling human remains. eBay said, “We don't allow humans, the human body, or any human body parts or products to be listed on eBay, with two exceptions. cOURTesY HUFFingTOn POsT

51-pound tumor removed after delayed treatment As a child, your mother always said: "Don't sit so close to the TV, or you'll go blind!" But now almost everyone who works at a desk spends their entire day staring at a screen from distances that are most definitely not "mom-approved."

Do all those hours spent staring at your personal glowing portal to the digital world have an effect on your eyesight? Recent studies show that Mom might have known a thing or two after all. Eyestrain has also been linked with an increased risk of glaucoma. The human visual system is complex and amazingly adaptive. It can change focus to see objects both near and far. It can change to see in

bright conditions or dark conditions.

With the help of 140 million neurons in the visual cortex it can identify, classify, analyze and react to approximately 12 to 15 one-million-point images per second. Yet, despite this complexity, human eyes just don't handle extended computer screen viewing all that well. "Your eyes are happiest when used for a variety of tasks utilizing a variety of focal distances with a variety of properly aligned light sources," states Jeffrey Anshel, O.D., author of Visual Ergonomics in the Workplace. "Computer use provides none of the above." strain on the eye from computer use comes from a several sources. The

first is a constant working distance typical of computer users. Two sets of muscles work in tandem to see your screen clearly. One set converges the eyes onto the same point. The other set actually flexes and fattens up the crystalline lens in each eye to properly focus light rays from the computer onto the retina. As with any muscle in the body, continuous flexing can create repetitive stress problems. Ever have blurred vision when looking away from the screen? This may be a spasm of the ciliary muscles causing focus to "lock," thereby creating a temporary loss of distance vision. Other symptoms may include blurred vision, the inability to properly focus on the

screen, or even a good old-fashioned headache. Ever find that your eyes have an irritated "scratchy" feeling after a long session using the computer? A relatively normal blink rate is 12-15 blinks per minute, but computer users tend to blink much less frequently, more typically around 4-5 blinks per minute. Why? The eyes normally jump around the screen in pattern called a "saccade." Blinking disrupts this pattern and lowers productivity for someone concentrating on an intense visual task, especially when under deadline to get a big project done. Blink less and you get more done... but it can take a toll on your eyes. cOURTesY HUFFingTOn POsT

n

EW Jersey surgeons removed a rapidly growing, 51-pound (23-kg) cancerous tumor from a woman who had delayed treatment for more than a month until she became eligible for health insurance, her doctor said on Tuesday. "She was a skinny lady with a huge belly. i mean it looked like she was literally pregnant with triplets," said Dr. David Dupree, who led the surgery on the 65-yearold woman, at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, New Jersey. "She was just all belly," he said in describing his first meeting with the patient, a homemaker from nearby Union Beach, New Jersey, who asked to be identified only as Evelyn, her first name. About six to eight weeks before she showed up at the hospital, Evelyn noticed discomfort in her abdomen and that her normally 120-pound frame was rapidly ballooning. Dupree said she sought medical help on June 4, just days after her 65th birthday, when she would qualify for Medicare, the US healthcare program for seniors. neWs DesK

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sunday, 8 July, 2012

‘underdog’ Murray eyes perfect storm against Federer Page 18

Greenish pitch delights Pakistan, sri lanka

Statisticians have different preferences in calling one-dayers MUMBAI BiPin DAni

PAllekele: Pakistani seamers umer Gul and Junaid khan during a practice session.

PALLEKELE AFP

P

AKIsTAN and sri Lanka begin the third and final Test in Pallekele on sunday seeking an exciting finale on what appears to be a result-oriented wicket. Both sides were relieved that the greenish pitch looked different from the lifeless track prepared for the rain-hit second Test at the sinhalese sports Club in Colombo, which ended in a tame draw.

"That was a boring Test -- flat wicket and lots of rain -- but this one will be different," sri Lanka's vice-captain Angelo Mathews told reporters at the Pallekele International stadium on saturday.

"There will be bounce and movement at the start and the wicket will take spin as the game goes on. Hopefully we will get a result if the rains stay away." sri Lanka, who won the first Test in Galle, are hoping to record their first series win in three years since defeating New Zealand 2-0 at home in 2009. skipper Mahela Jayawardene insisted the hosts will go all out to win the

t20 star Marsh axed from academy after night out SYDNEY AFP

Australian Twenty 20 international Mitchell Marsh has been sent home from the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane for disciplinary reasons, Cricket Australia said on saturday. The 20-year-old West Australian all-rounder was ordered home to Perth after being declared unfit to train on saturday following a night out, CA said in a statement.

"While the incident in isolation was not serious, he was already on a final warning," CA said. "As such, it was decided he should be sent home to Perth."

Marsh re-signed with Western Australia this week despite reports he was looking to move interstate because he was unhappy with WA's initial contract offer.

The powerful middle-order batsman and medium-pacer has represented Australia in three Twenty20 internationals and one one-dayer.

He is the youngest son of former Australian Test and one-day international opening batsman, Australia and sri Lanka coach and Australia team selector Geoff Marsh.

PAllekele: Sri lankan cricketer kumar Sangakkara (C) and teammates warm up during a practice session at the Pallekele international Cricket Stadium. afp

final Test even though a draw would be enough to seal the series.

"We need to go with the intention of winning the Test," Jayawardene wrote on the Cricinfo website. "Going in with a negative mindset and playing for a draw will never work.

"Pakistan are a quality outfit, and if we don't play to win, then we cannot take up the challenge posed by them. I will tell my guys to play hard cricket and be positive. "It will definitely be a sporting pitch and livelier than the one in the previous Test, but a lot will depend on the weather." Light rain has been forecast for next week, but the groundstaff were confident the weather would not interfere with the cricket.

The Pallekele stadium, built in 2009 on the outskirts of the hill town of Kandy, has hosted two drawn Tests so far, both of which were interrupted by bad weather.

Pakistan vice-captain Mohammad Hafeez, who scored 196 in the second Test, hoped dry weather would enable the tourists to seek a series-levelling win. "No one wants another rain-af-

fected game," said Hafeez as rain delayed Pakistan's training session on saturday. "We can't win the series, but we will return home happy if we can win this match and draw the series.

"The morale of the team is high after Colombo and we are ready for the challenge ahead."

The batting flourished during the Colombo Test with Azhar Ali joining Hafeez as the team's other centurymaker in a first innings total of 551-6 declared after being sent in to bat. Pakistan then dismissed the hosts for 391, grabbing the last five wickets for 21 runs, after centuries from Kumar sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan had lifted sri Lanka to a comfortable 236-1.

Young left-arm seamer Junaid Khan claimed a five-wicket haul on a pitch that offered him no help and was deservedly named the man of the match in the batsmen-dominated Test.

Pakistan had enjoyed an impressive run before the current series, winning seven of their last nine Tests, including a brilliant 3-0 whitewash of top-ranked England earlier this year.

But their hopes of clinching a 1-1 scoreline rest on how quickly they can dismiss sangakkara, who scored an unbeaten 199 in the first Test and 192 in the second.

RiVAL sqUADs: PAKISTAN (FROM): Misbah-ulHaq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Mohammad Ayub, Asad shafiq, Adnan Akmal, Umar Gul, saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Mohammad sami, Faisal Iqbal, Junaid Khan, Afaq Raheem, Aizaz Cheema.

SRI LANKA (FROM): Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar sangakkara, Thilan samaraweera, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Prasanna Jayawardene, suraj Randiv, Rangana Herath, Nuwan Kulasekara, Nuwan Pradeep, Thisara Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Dilhara Fernando.

UMPIRES: steve Davis (AUs) and simon Taufel (AUs) TV UMPIRE: Ranmore Martinesz (sRI) MATCH REFEREE: David Boon (AUs).

The term One-Day International is more commonly used for the 50-over game, which unlike Test matches, gets completed in one-day. However, the game's statisticians prefer to use the term ‘Limited Overs Internationals (LOI)’ to the One-dayers and Twenty20s.

If the current schedule announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for their ‘home’ series against Australia (in August and september 2012 in UAE) is approved by the Cricket Australia and their players' association (ACA), the One-Day Internationals starting in the evening (6 pm) on August 28 (sharjah), August 31 (Abu Dhabi) and sept.3 (Dubai) will go beyond the mid-night next days and it will be a million dollar question whether they can be called as ODIs'?

Late Bill Frindall, the BBC Test special team scorer and the statistician always used to call the Limited Overs Internationals (LOI) to the ODIs. "I agree with the late Bill Frindall Limited Over Internationals (LOIs) is the what ODIs should be called," the world's renowned Indian TV expert, Mohandas Menon echoed. "since some ODI matches were played for two days in England when the first day was not sufficient to get a result, the best option is to call them LOI," he added.

"Limited Overs International became more common in use following the introduction of T20 as it can apply to both formats, however, typically oneday internationals are not scheduled on consecutive days in case of rain delay, to allow the contest to be completed on the next day. I don't know for sure if Frindall first coined the term LOI but certainly he has published books with that title," Dave Wilson, the Us-based cricket statistician said exclusively.

"Late finishes are more common since night cricket began (around 1997 in England), though not many matches extend past midnight - certainly 1.45am local time is the latest I am aware of," he added.

Pakistan, India may play cricket at neutral venue LAHORE sTAFF RePORT

Pakistan and India will work on a money-sharing agreement to facilitate resumption of cricketing ties at a neutral venue. According to Times of India, which quoted government sources, stated that the development seems to be one of the biggest takeaways from the foreign secretary-level talks this week, which otherwise failed to produce any substantive b r e a k through for the cricketcrazy neighbours. It was Pakistan foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, who proposed before his counterpart Ranjan Mathai that the two countries play at a neutral venue. Jilani had said in the press interaction that he had made some suggestions for resumption of

cricketing ties, but did not elaborate.

Effectively paving the way for resumption, the government, sources said, would not come in the way of the cricket boards of the two countries coming to such an arrangement. While Jilani acknowledged that it may not be possible for India to tour under the current circumstances (Pakistan is forced to play at neutral venues as other teams have refused to tour the country), he said Pakistan would not benefit by t o u r i n g India as all the money generated for such a high-profile series would go to the host nation or, more precisely, to the Indian cricket board. Jilani said playing at a neutral venue was the most logical option, taking into account both countries' interests. This was when Mathai interjected,

saying the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would have to come into the picture as the Indian government cannot be involved in a money-sharing agreement. The two cricket boards have flirted with the idea earlier, but Jilani took it to another level by taking it up strongly with Mathai.

The paper quoted government sources that they were looki n g favourably at Pakistan's proposal, but added that both BCCI and PCB would have to take the lead in deciding revenue sharing on telecast and other rights.

"The Pakistani side was categorical that it is not financially viable for them to send only their cricket team to India. security issues will be looked at, but the ball for now is in the court of

BCCI and PCB and we are not stopping them," said a source. He added, though, that the two countries had not agreed to any timeframe for resuming cricketing ties. While the joint statement issued on Thursday made no mention of cricket, it did say that the two sides were looking to increase contact in sports.

Under Prime Minister Manmohan singh, who has twice invited P a k i s t a n i leaders to watch cricket matches in India - the last one at 2011 World Cup semifinal in Mohali - the government has been toying with the idea of resuming cricket ties for some time. India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2007.

The 26\11 attacks in 2008 made any resumption all the more untenable.

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Sunday, 8 July, 2012

u-16 PCB-Pepsi Cricket Stars Program from 10th LAHORE

Sports 16

triumphant england take unassailable lead against oZs

sTAFF RePORT

CHESTER-LE-STREET

The open trials of the Third Edition U-16 PCB-Pepsi cricket stars program which is being conducted by PCB in collaboration with PEPsI International will be held in 4 districts with 6 activities in Punjab, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa simultaneously. First Phase of PCB-PEPsI Cricket stars talent hunt Program for U-16 players has already been started from June 1, 2012 across the country. Two days open trials at each mentioned districts would be held under the supervision of regional Head Coaches and NCA Talent Hunt Officers, which will be followed by the age verification process to be conducted by NCA medical panel. Players born on or after september 1, 1996 are eligible to appear for trials. Original Form B of NADRA is required for age verification and no other document in this regard would be accepted. Players clearing the age verification process will be shortlisted for final trials to be held at a later date at respective regional headquarters.

THe scHeDULe OF TRAiLs is As FOLLOWs: u-16 PCB- PePSi, CriCket StArS ProGrAM. DisTRicTs, RegiOn, DATes, VenUe islamabad, islamabad, 10-14 July 2012, diamond cricket ground, lahore, lahore, 10-14 July 2012, Aligarh cricket ground, lahore, lahore, 10-14 July 2012, lCCA itifaq cricket ground, lahore, lahore, 10-14 July 2012, old campus university ground, turbat, Quetta, 12-16 July 2012, turbat cricket ground, noshera, Peshawar, 10-14 July 2012, Arbab niaz Stadium Peshawar.

AFP

scOReBOARD

NGLAND thrashed Australia by eight wickets to win the fourth one-day international here on saturday and so take a serieswinning 3-0 lead in this five-match campaign. England, set 201 for victory, finished on 201 for two with Jonathan Trott 64 not out after sharing a second-wicket stand of 66 with Warwickshire colleague Ian Bell (69). Ravi Bopara was 33 not out after adding an unbroken 65 with Trott.

Earlier Australia, made 200 for nine after losing the toss. Fast bowler steven Finn led England's attack with four for 37.

The tourists were indebted to David Hussey's 70 for helping them recover from 96 for six. England had to win this series 50 to replace Australia at the top of the oneday international rankings this campaign but rain put paid to their hopes when Wednesday's third match at Edgbaston was washed out without a ball bowled. This series concludes at Manchester's Old Trafford ground on Tuesday.

Earlier, David Hussey's 70 guided Australia to 200 for nine. Australia were in dire straits at 96 for five when Hussey took guard but his 73-ball innings, featuring nine fours, kept the tourists in the

AUsTRALiA 28 s. Watson b Bresnan 2 D. Warner lbw b Finn 0 P. Forrest lbw b Finn 43 M. clarke b Finn g. Bailey b Bopara 9 70 D. Hussey c Anderson b Bresnan M. Wade c Kieswetter b Finn 0 B. Lee c Broad b Anderson 27 6 c. McKay c Bresnan b Anderson J. Pattinson not out 8 0 B. Hilfenhaus not out 7 extras (lb2, w4, nb1) 200 Total (9 wkts, 50 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Warner), 2-6 (Forrest), 3-57 (Watson), 468 (Bailey), 5-96 (clarke), 6-96 (Wade), 7-166 (Lee), 8-174 (McKay), 9-194 (Hussey) BOWLing: Anderson 10-3-34-2; Finn 10-2-37-4 (1w); Bresnan 9-0-46-2 (2w); Broad 9-1-34-0 (1nb); Bopara 9-0-29-1 (1w); Patel 3-0-18-0 engLAnD: An cook c sub (sPD smith) b McKay 29 69 iR Bell b McKay iJL Trott not out 64 Rs Bopara not out 33 6 eXTRAs: (w 4, nb 2) TOTAL: (2 wickets; 47.5 overs) 201 Did not bat: eJg Morgan, c Kieswetter, sR Patel, TT Bresnan, scJ Broad, sT Finn, JM Anderson Fall of wickets: 1-70 (cook, 16.3 ov), 2-136 (Bell, 32.3 ov) Bowling: B Lee 2.2-1-12-0, BW Hilfenhaus 9.4-0-36-0, cJ McKay 10-1-29-2, JL Pattinson 10-1-46-0, sR Watson 1-0-5-0, MJ clarke 5-0-17-0, DJ Hussey 8.5-0-48-0, DA Warner 1-0-8-0 Toss: england Player of the match: steven Finn (eng) Result: england won by 8 wickets series england led the 5-match series 3-0 Umpires: Marais erasmus (RsA) and nigel Llong (eng) TV umpire: Aleem Dar (PAK) Match referee: Javagal srinath (inD)

Appolo Sports beat lakhodaro Gym LAHORE sTAFF RePORT

In the 2nd Iqbal Yousaf Memorial Cricket Tournament match, Appolo sports beat Lakhodaro Gymkhana by seven wickets played at Railway Allama Iqbal Institute. scORes: lakhodao Gymkhana 150 all out after 35 overs. Muhammad Azeem 39, Muhammad Fayyaz 33, Muhammad irfan 16 & haidar Ali 13 runs. Mohsin Anwar 3/9, Muneeb eJaz 3/45, Muhammad Arif 2/8, & Muhammad Mudasir 1/35 wickets. in reply Appolo Sports 151/3 after 17.2 overs. hafiz Amir 54, husnain 45 & Salman Ali 15 runs. zia 2/8 & yasir 1/15 wickets. Sohail naz & rab nawaz umpire. end of the match Chief Guest haji Muhammad ilyas Mughal gave away man of the match award to hafiz Amir.

hot weather tt from 15th LAHORE sTAFF RePORT

The Lahore District Table Tennis Association is organizing Hot Weather Tournament starting from July 15 at M.A Open sports Complex near Mian Plaza Johar Town.

Competitions will be held in boys’ under-12, under 21, ladies open, men open, and team event. For further information contact Mrs Nosheen Wasim, organizing secretary or shah Jahan Latif, secretary LDTTA at the venue or on phone no 0322.4779405. The last date for entries is July 14.

E

match. Together with Brett Lee, he put on 70 for the seventh wicket. England, 20 up in this five-match series, would have been in an even stronger position had they not dropped four catches, with Hussey reprieved on 15 and 29. Fast bowler steven Finn, twice on a hat-trick, took four for 37 -- just shy of his careerbest four for 34 which he achieved twice against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year.

England, after winning the toss in overcast conditions, saw Finn claim two wickets in successive balls as Australia

slumped to six for two in the sixth over.

First a full and straight delivery rapped David Warner on the pads, with the normally dynamic left-hander having taken 19 balls for two runs. English umpire Nigel Llong initially ruled not out, but England requested a review which showed the ball had pitched in line. Next ball Peter Forrest was plumb lbw for a golden duck after being struck flush on the back pad. Australia captain Michael Clarke survived the hat-trick after missing an excellent Finn delivery that cut back sharply between bat and pad.

‘all the Bells’ to ring out start of London olympics LONDON AFP

Church bells, bicycle bells, handbells, ship's bells, and even mobile phones will sound across Britain in a "cacophonous, amazing sound" to mark the start of the Olympics, artist Martin Creed told AFP. The 43-year-old Turner Prize winner was commissioned to create his "Work No. 1197: All the bells in a country rung as quickly and as loudly as possible for three minutes" as part of the government's Cultural Olympiad, encouraging people to take in some culture along with the London 2012 Games.

And in the case of "All the Bells", said Creed, everyone can even take part. All people need to do is ring any kind of bell for three minutes starting at 8:12am (0712 GMT) on July 27, exactly 12 hours before the start of the opening ceremony preshow.

If the mobile phone is their chosen instrument, they can download a special ringtone from the project website, where participants can upload recordings of their bell-ringing afterwards.

For Creed, speaking at his cluttered east London studio, the project is part of a mission to take art out of the gallery into the public sphere.

"Art galleries are... a special place that's separate from the world and it makes me a bit uneasy, because I think that to a certain extent anything can look good in a gallery," the British artist said.

"They're beautiful spaces; very protected and cosseted. If my work has to be protected by an art gallery I think that's not good enough. It's like a child that can't make its way in the world.

"If it's any good, my work, it'll be able to survive in a hostile environment."

His "All the Bells" project has encountered some hostility from the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers, a group that maintains the very English art of "change ringing" according to set formulas.

They argued that ringing church bells "as quickly and as loudly as possible" was unsuited to their medium and even dangerous. Creed labelled them "a bunch of meanies".

But they now support the project -- after being advised the instructions are flexible.

"All the Bells" echoes a long British tradition, says Creed, with bells rung out to celebrate historic events like Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation and the end of World War II in 1945.

The Royal Navy and Royal Fleet

olympics 100m wide open: Gay PARIS AFP

Auxiliary will join in, ringing ship's bells and those at shore bases.

Other participants signed up on the website include Lilly, a Welsh schoolgirl with her grandmother's handbell, and a pair of dogs who will apparently ring their collar bells on time.

Creed carried out a trial run in san Gimignano in Italy, which he said was "brilliant", but has concerns about how far sound will carry in the Britain-wide event.

However, the BBC will be broadcasting "All the Bells" live from many locations -- helping ringers feel they are part of something big.

Creed previously created a work in which a sprinter ran up and down part of London's Tate Gallery, and says he relates closely to athletes.

"Everything I do involves moving my body, so to work best, I need to move well," the scot said.

"What's beautiful about sport is the movement of the body is honed down to one very narrow area."

He is enthused by the Olympics as a public event, with his only complaint that "they haven't given me any tickets".

But "All the Bells", he said, marks an artistic direction from which there is no going back.

"I think that all my work should be public work," he said.

The men's 100m at the London Olympics is wide open and promises to be "spectacular", according to the world's second fastest man, Tyson Gay. Gay was speaking after outgunning Us teammate Justin Gatlin, champion in the Athens Games in 2004, in the Diamond League meet in Paris on Friday, leaving it late to claim victory in 9.99 seconds on a wet track at stade de France. The blue ribbon event of track and field promises to be a sizzler in the British capital, with a host of sprinters hitting form just as reigning Olympic double sprint champion Usain Bolt showed he was fallible.

Bolt was beaten twice in the Jamaican trials by training partner and current world 100m champion Yohan Blake, and has now withdrawn from the July 20 meet in Monaco after picking up what his coach Glen Mills labelled a "slight" injury.

That intrigue can only add to what is building up to be one of the most competitive events in recent history.

"There are a lot of people now in the 100m, it is open for the Games," said Gay, who claimed golds in the 100 and 200m at the 2007 worlds in Osaka.

"Bolt, Blake, Gatlin, my training partner Bledman. It will be spectacular!"

Although Gay, whose 9.69sec is second only to Bolt's world record of 9.58, recorded a good reaction time in Friday's race, he wilted badly in the opening 15 metres to give Gatlin and France's Christophe Lemaitre a headstart.

And the gold medallist in pigeon killing is...

LONDON AFP

Live pigeon shooting, pistol duelling and club swinging won't feature at the London Olympics, but there was a time when they were all medal events. Live pigeon shooting featured for the first -- and only -- time at the Paris Olympics in 1900 where around 300 birds were killed.

Belgium's Leon de Lunden was champion for downing 21 birds, one more than runner-up Maurice Faure of France; Australia's Donald MacIntosh was third with 18 kills. There was also plenty of shooting going on at the stockholm Games in 1912 when pistol duelling was staged.

Instead of traditional duels of honour at sunrise, this time there was no blood as competitors took aim only at dummies dressed in frock coats with the target placed at the throat. Club swinging,

the forerunner of rhythmic gymnastics, was a medal sport in 1904 at st Louis and in Los Angeles in 1932.

America's George Roth won the gold in 1932 when the Games were held in the midst of the Great Depression.

Reports claimed that unemployed Roth was awarded his gold medal and then hitchhiked home. The tugof-war, so beloved of school sports days, was part of the track and field programme and featured in the Olympics of 1900, 1904, 1908, 1912 and 1920. The 1908 gold was won by a team of British policemen, but it was a controversial victory as the United states protested over their rivals'

footwear. A report at the time said the police team competed "in enormous shoes, so heavy, in fact, it was with great effort they could lift their feet from the ground".

Also long gone from the schedule is the standing high jump which last appreared in 1912. Three-time gold medallist Ray Ewry of the United states was also the world record holder. Ewry had spent part of his childhood in a wheelchair paralysed with polio. If those long-disappeared events have no chance of a return to the Olympics programme, the same cannot be said for the likes of cricket, golf and

rugby. Cricket was played just once as an Olympic sport in Paris in 1900 and the gold medal was contested by Britain and France after Belgium and Holland pulled out. The British side was a touring team, the Devon and somerset Wanderers while the French side was made up of expatriate Britons living in Paris. Britain won the match, staged at the Velodrome de Vincennes, while their opponents were sniffily written-off. "The French temperament is too excitable to enjoy the game and no Frenchman can be persuaded to play more than once," said a newspaper report.

Golf, which was played twice in 1900 and 1904 and was dominated by the Americans, will return for the 2016 Rio Games. Meanwhile, rugby union was held at the Olympics in 1900, 1908, 1920 and 1924 with the United states claiming gold in the last two editions. Rugby will be played in its sevens format in Brazil in 2016.

ISB 08-07-2012_Layout 1 7/8/2012 3:27 AM Page 18

17 Sports Van Gaal returns for second spell as dutch coach

Sunday, 8 July, 2012

wImBLEDOn: US player Serena williams plays a smash against Poland's agnieszka Radwanska during her women's singles final match of the 2012 wimbledon Championships. Afp

THE HAGUE AFP

Veteran former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal was appointed Friday as the Dutch national squad's new manager following Bert van Marwijk's resignation last week after a woeful Euro 2012 campaign. "The Dutch Royal Football Federation (KNVB) this evening reached an agreement with Louis van Gaal over his appointment as the coach of the Dutch national eleven," the KNVB said in a statement. "Van Gaal has signed a contract that will link him from August 1 this year until the end of the World Cup in 2014," the statement added. His appointment marks an end to speculation following van Marwijk's resignation on June 27 after the Dutch bowed out at the first round of Euro 2012 in Poland and the Ukraine -- one of their worst results in decades. Van Gaal, 60, brings with him a wealth of experience as a former player as well as a coach with Ajax, winning the national championships three times in 1994, 1995 and 1996, the KNVB said. He took over as national coach from Dutch football legend Frank Rijkaard in 2000, losing only twice in 14 games. He resigned in 2001 when the Netherlands failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup in Japan and south Korea. Van Gaal's coaching experience also include leading German football giants Bayern Munich, taking them to the Champions League in 2009. He left the club last year. "We were looking for a trainer with a wealth of experience, with personal and technical expertise," said KNVB director Bert van Oostveen.

Sterjovski signs with Australia's Mariners SYDNEY AFP

Former Australia international striker Mile sterjovski has signed a one-year deal with Australian A-League outfit Central Coast Mariners, the club said on saturday. sterjovski, 33, who played for the socceroos under Guus Hiddink at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, has left Chinese super League side Dalian Aerbin and will arrive home on Monday to formalise his new deal.

Murray breaks 74-year old jinx but will he clinch it? g

A keen and hungry Federer Murray’s last hurdle at Wimbledon ALI AKBAR

W

HEN Andy Murray steps on to the Centre Court for sunday's final against Roger Federer, he will be the first English men’s player to do so since Henry ‘Bunny’ Austin in 1938. He will certainly hope to do better than Austin because he was dispatched in double quick time by Don Budge, one of the greats. Murray will be facing a player who is at least as good and who has won six of these championships.

Murray was very good in the first two sets against Tsonga, serving and returning brilliantly. He then grew hesitant as the third set began. Tsonga got some

time and room to play his big flashy shots and he swept through the third set.

Murray pulled himself together and went up a break in the fourth only o let Tsonga back in by dropping his serve. It now looked increasingly obvious that Murray had to win the match in the fourth set as Tsonga was bringing his powerful, athletic game increasingly to bear. But Murray was not to be denied and a break in the eleventh game was all he needed to seal the match. It must have been of some relief to his coach Ivan Lendl, who had himself come so close so many times without actually winning the Championships and would be hoping to get some vicarious satisfaction from his protege going on to take the title.

Tsonga was all praise for Murray

after the match, saying that Murray did not give him much chance in the first two sets, by which time it was probably too late to make a comeback But Roger Federer has other ideas.

He despatched Novak Djokovic in four quick sets in a match that was not really close. In an after match interview, Djokovic admitted to having had some bad practices the past two days. Certainly, he was not his usual self, making errors he would never have made on another day. But part of the reason was Federer and his razor sharp serving and returning. He has been at his best in the past two matches and it will take a special effort from Murray to derail the Federer Express.

Federer considers the Centre

Court as his domain and will relinquish it reluctantly. Murray, who carries the expectations of the host country on his shoulders, will have the home crowd behind him and yet will have to bear the pressure of making history should he win.

The Bryan brothers are out of the doubles, beaten in the semifinals by the British/Danish team of Marray and Nielsen. The latter have formed a highly effective partnership and Marray and Murray could conceivably provide England with the unheard of two Wimbledon champions in one year. But Roger Federer has been there many times, has done it all and is still hungry for more.

Prediction? King Roger to take the final over Murray in four sets!

Simpson leads as Woods, Mickelson head for exit WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS AFP

white SulPhur SPrinGS: webb Simpson watches his second shot on the 13th hole during the second round of the Greenbrier Classic at the old white tPC. afp

Webb simpson seized the lead at the Greenbrier Classic Friday, and the Us Open champion won't have to worry about Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson at the weekend. Woods, fresh from his third victory of the season at the AT&T National, was one stroke outside the projected halfway cut when darkness halted the weather-disrupted second round with a dozen players still on the course. The 14-time major champion carded a one-under 69, capping it with a birdie at the par-three 18th that left him on even-par 140 with the cut expected at one-under 139.

"I didn't quite have it," Woods said.

"I drove it really good today and I just did not have the feel for the distances.

The ball was just going forever. I know we're at altitude, but I just couldn't get the ball hit pin high no matter what I did, and subsequently, I made some

bogeys." It's the ninth missed cut in Woods's pro career. He failed to qualify at Quail Hollow earlier this season, making this just the second time he has missed the cut twice in the same year.

In 2005 he missed the cut at both the Byron Nelson Championship and the FUNAI Classic at Walt Disney World Resort. "I just didn't have feel for my distance control," Woods said. "The ball was going forever." Although missed cuts remain a rarity for Woods, he said there was no reason for alarm even with the British Open looming. "It happens," he said. "We miss cuts out here." He said distance control won't be a problem at Royal Lytham, where the British Open begins on July 19.

"It's not going to be this warm and we're not going to be at altitude," he said. Mickelson carded his second straight 71 for two-over 142 after two rounds on the Old White TPC layout, finishing before thunderstorms halted play for more than an hour.

pettersen seizes uS Open lead, Wie lurks

kohler: Suzann Pettersen waves to the gallery on the ninth green during the second round of the 2012 uS women's open. afp

KOHLER: Norway's suzann Pettersen didn't let a hectic morning slow her down, firing a four-under 68 Friday to seize the Us Women's Open lead as Michelle Wie surged up the leaderboard behind her.

"My game is very solid," said Pettersen, ranked sixth in the world.

"My ball striking is good. My short game is good. And my putting has been really good so far." Those good things saw her build a 36hole total of five-under par 139, one stroke ahead of Wie and Cristie Kerr. Pettersen's round included five birdies and just one bogey as she maintained her focus despite oversleeping and rushing to make her tee time. AFP

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Sports 18 serena wins fifth athens Wimbledon title From to london Sunday, 8 July, 2012

WAtch It LIve

TEN SPORTS

Third Test: Pakistan V Sri Lanka 09:30AM

LONDON AFP

S

ERENA Williams was crowned Wimbledon champion for the fifth time on saturday as the American subdued a brave fightback from Polish third seed Agnieszka Radwanska to win 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 in a dramatic final. serena, who pockets a cheque for £1.15 milllion ($1.78 million), is the first woman over 30 to win Wimbledon since Martina Navratilova in 1990 and she needed all the experience gathered over her illustrious career to survive a remarkable revival from Radwanska.

After being completely out-classed for the first set and a half of her maiden Grand slam final, Radwanska had serena on the ropes before the sixth seed finally recovered her composure to reclaim the Venus Rosewater Dish in just over two hours on Centre Court.

Williams has now equalled her sister Venus's tally of five titles at the All England Club, but more significantly the 30year-old's 14th Grand slam crown is her first at the majors since her last Wimbledon triumph in 2010.

Inspired by the painful memories of her shock French Open first round exit against Virginie Razzano last month and a spell in hospital with a serious illness 18 months ago, serena has been determined to reestablish her primacy. It is mission accomplished, but only just.

"I can't even describe it. I almost didn't make it a few years ago when I was in hospital. Now I'm here again and I'm so happy," a tearful serena said.

"I just really never dreamed of being here again after being so down. It just shows you should never give up. "It was really tough. Aggie played so well. But I've

ushna loses in doubles quarters of egypt tennis LAHORE

wiMBledon: Poland's Agnieszka radwanska celebrates taking the second set of her women's singles final match against uS player Serena williams during the 2012 wimbledon Championships. afp always wanted everything that Venus has. sorry I had to copy you again Venus!"

Radwanska added: "I'm still shaking so much. I had the best two weeks of my life. Of course serena was playing too good today but I'm just happy to be here in the final. "I was unlucky to play a few matches in the cold and rain. That didn't help me. It was not my day. I will try again next year." Radwanska had been so severely affected by an upper respiratory illness over the last few days that she

withdrew from the doubles and cancelled her pre-match media commitments.

The 23-year-old, the first Pole to reach a Grand slam final for 73 years, recovered sufficiently to play, but she might have wished she was back in her sick bed in the first set. serena bludgeoned the first of 17 aces -- taking her final tally for the tournament to a remarkable 102 -- to clinch the opening game and she was equally powerful with her groundstrokes, converting her third break point for a 2-0 lead. she broke again in the fourth game and, although sympathetic cheers echoed around Centre Court when Radwanska finally got on the scoreboard, it wasn't long before Williams closed out the set in just 36 minutes. After looking out of sorts in the first set, a brief rain delay offered Radwanska a chance to regroup, yet it seemed any hopes of a revival had been snuffed out when serena broke to love in the third game of the second set.

But to her credit Radwanska kept fighting and, finally unfurling the subtle shots which have proved so effective over the last fortnight, she converted her first break point to level in the eighth game. serena looked vexed by the Pole's changes of pace and nerves seemed to get the better of her as she surrendered the set with a succession of errors at 5-6. On cruise control for so long, Williams was now being forced to battle for every point. she thumped down four successive aces to hold serve and stepped up the power to land the decisive break for a 3-2 lead. When she bagged another break with a delicate drop-shot, serena punched the air as though the title was hers. Moments later it was and she was soon clambering into the players' box to celebrate with Venus and the rest of her family.

seven-up sampras fires Wimbledon dream: federer LONDON

sTAFF RePORT

AFP

Ushna suhail, national ladies and junior tennis champion in Pakistan, who competed in ITF Procircuit Womens Tennis Tournament in shrem ul sheikh, Egypt, lost her doubles quarter-finals. Ushna partnering with Adnya Naik from India, played against the 4th seeded Kazakistan pair of Ekaterina Klyueva and Alexandra Grinchishina. The match extended to third set super tie break with a scoreline of 7-6, 2-6, 6-10. Ushna and her partner were 5-2 and 40-0 down in the first set but came back strongly to win the first set by 7-6. In the second set the Kazakh pair fought back to win by 6-2. In the super tiebreak final set, there were long rallies on almost all the points but the Indo-pak pair lost 10-6.Both sides played aggressive strokes with baseline rallies and net vollies.

Roger Federer reached a record eighth Wimbledon final Friday and revealed that boyhood hero Pete sampras, whose record of seven titles he can equal on sunday, has kept him inspired even in his darkest days. The 30-year-old swiss defeated world number one and defending champion Novak Djokovic 6-3, 3-

6, 6-4, 6-3 to make the final. Victory on sunday will allow him to reclaim the world number one ranking and clinch a 17th career Grand slam crown. Federer won the last of his 16 majors at the 2010 Australian Open, and two successive quarter-final exits at Wimbledon in 2010 and 2011 had the career obituary writers ready to pounce. But sampras's dogged enthusiasm in his eventual fruitless quest to add to his seven Wimbledon titles has kept Federer motivated. "Everybody knows what a hero he is to me and how much I admire what he's been able to achieve," said Federer of sampras, whose last two Wimbledon campaigns ended in a fourth round defeat to the swiss in 2001 and second round exit to George Bastl in the following year.

"He won seven, which is just incredible, particularly in the times he played against all the big servers, when things were a bit more unpredictable. so I'm very proud to have a shot of equaling Pete. "I particularly remember obviously the end of his career, because before that I was following Becker and Edberg more. "But I admired how he stuck around, how he tried to win maybe one more, maybe two more. It was a big surprise and a shock that I was able to break his five Wimbledons in a row. "For me it was an inspiration to see somebody, while I was coming up, dominating the game and breaking the all time Grand slam record."

stats corner S. PERVEz QAISER

FOURTH OLYMPic gAMes in 1908 VenUe: london, england DATes: April 27 to october 31, 1908 nUMBeRs OF sPORTs: 14 (110 events) nUMBeRs OF nATiOns: 22 nUMBeRs OF PARTiciPAnT: 2008 (1971 men and 37 women) YOUngesT gOLD MeDALisT: william Foster (Britain) aged 18 years 6 days in Swimming OLDesT gOLD MeDALisT: oscar Swahn (Sweden)) aged 60 years and 265 days in Shooting

FinAL MeDALs TALLY: cOUnTRY united kingdom united States Sweden France Canada Germany (until 1912) hungary Belgium norway Australasia (until 1920) denmark Finland italy (until 1946) Greece russia Bohemia netherlands South Africa (until 1960) Austria

g 56 23 8 5 3 3 3 1 2 1 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 1 0

s 51 12 6 5 3 5 4 5 3 2 2 1 2 3 2 0 0 1 0

B 38 12 11 9 10 6 2 2 3 2 3 3 0 0 0 2 2 0 1

TRiViA: n

n

n

n

n

these Games were originally awarded to rome, but were reassigned to london. Also for the first time, the competitors paraded behind their country’s flag in sportswear. oscar and Alfred Swahn became the first father and son to win gold medals, in shooting. oscar Swahn, aged 60 years and 265 days, was the oldest ever competitor to earn an olympic gold medal, winning the running deer shooting, single shot.

Archers william and Charlotte dod became the first brother and sister medalists. ray ewry (united States) won the standing high jump and the standing long jump for the third time and became the only person in olympic history to win a career total of eight gold medals in individual. the event that caught the public imagination around the world was the dramatic ending of the marathon. After 42 kilometres (26 miles) of running, the first man to enter the stadium was dorando Pietri of italy, but he collapsed on the track five times and was disqualified when officials carried him across the finish line.

qUiZ: q: who was the first swimmer to break the one minute barrier for the 100 metres freestyle?

A: yasuji Miyazaki (Japan) in 1932. q: who won the gold medal when Baseball included for the first time in 1992 Barcelona olympics?

A. Cuba. q: Mark Spitz won record seven gold medals in 1972 swimming competition. how many of them clocked world record?

A. in all events. q: the first gold of the Montreal olympics was claimed in Free Pistol (50 metres) Shooting with a world record of 573. who won it ?

A. lt uwe Potteck (east Germany). q: when was diving included in the olympics?

A. 1904.

‘Underdog’ Murray eyes perfect storm against Federer LONDON AFP

Andy Murray admits only his perfect game will be good enough to defeat six-time champion Roger Federer in sunday's Wimbledon final and become Britain'a first men's champion in 76 years. The 25-year-old scot, the first Briton in the final since Bunny Austin in 1938, is desperate to be the home country's first champion since Fred Perry in 1936.

But standing in his way is 30-year-old Federer, the 16-time Grand slam title winner written off as a spent-force by many in the sport, but who can equal Pete sampras's record of seven Wimbledon triumphs on sunday. Victory would also put Federer, who knocked out defending champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, back on

top of the world rankings after a two-year absence. Murray leads Federer 8-7 in career meetings, but the great swiss has won their only meetings in Grand slam finals -- the 2008 Us Open and 2010 Australian Open.

"I just need to try and make sure I play a perfect match on sunday," said Murray, who reached the final with a four-set win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. "It obviously would be very nice (to beat Federer), but I can't allow myself to think that far ahead. I'll just focus on getting the tactics right.

"There's obviously going to be nerves and pressure, but I need to try and stay focused."

Murray has been desperately close to the final in the last three years, but came up short in the semi-finals, losing to Andy Roddick in 2009 and then suffering back-to-back losses to Rafael Nadal, a shock second round

casualty this year. Murray believes he can thrive on being the underdog against Federer who will be playing in a record eighth Wimbledon final. "He's one of the greatest ever players. He's been doing it consistently over

a number of years. The matches he has lost the last couple of years were five sets against Tsonga (2011), five sets against Berdych (2010), five sets against Rafa. He's very, very tough to beat here," he added.

perry, britain’s last champion LONDON: Wimbledon finalist Andy Murray has a steady girlfriend, doesn't drink alcohol, practices early and relaxes by taking his two pet dogs Maggie and Rusty for long strolls in the surrey countryside. Fred Perry, the last British man to win Wimbledon in 1936, would have done things differently and probably a lot more noisily. Perry, who died aged 85 in Melbourne in 1995, was married four times, counted 1930s Hollywood sirens Marlene Dietrich and Jean Harlow amongst his lovers, renounced his British citizenship and served in the Us air force in World War II. He also fell out spectacularly with the British tennis establishment who bristled at his professional status and his humble origins. Born the son of a cotton factory worker in stockport, in England's industrial north in 1909, his father was a committed socialist. AFP

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Sunday, 8 July, 2012

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us makes afghanistan major non-nato ally Clinton says washington desires strong security cooperation with Pakistan g

WASHINGTON sPeciAL cORResPOnDenT

T

boring

HE United states has designated Afghanistan as its major non-NATO ally, while also pledging to strengthen security cooperation with neighPakistan, at a time when

Washington works towards goal of a successful Afghan transition by 2014 President Barack Obama issued a memorandum for the secretary of state Hillary Clinton to officially declare the major non-NATO ally status for Afghanistan. “Consistent with the authority vested in me as President ——I hereby designate the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan as a major Non-NATO Ally of the United states for the purposes of the Act and the Arms Export Control Act,” Obama said in a memorandum, released here by the White House. secretary of state Hillary Clinton for-

mally announced the designation for Afghanistan in Kabul, where she explained that the status would enable Afghanistan to get American military cooperation in the years ahead.

In Washington, the state Department explained some of the privileges of MNNA status. These privileges include “eligibility for training, loans of equipment for cooperative research and development, and ultimately Foreign Military Financing for commercial leasing of certain defense articles”.

“While the United states and the international community already provide significant security assistance to Afghanistan,

in the long-term as Afghanistan takes on greater financial responsibility for its own security, MNNA status will be a critical catalyst for maintaining effective Afghan National security Forces and building a robust peace-time security relationship between Afghanistan and the United states,” said the state Department in a fact sheet on the new status for Afghanistan.

Clinton also revealed that in Tokyo, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United states would engage in a trilateral meeting on Afghan peace and reconciliation.

“We will continue, of course, to protect Afghanistan from any efforts by insur-

gents and outsiders to destabilise Afghanistan,” Clinton said, according to a transcript of her remarks released here by the state Department on saturday.

“And we were struck by the recent call from Pakistan’s parliament that Pakistani territory shall not be used for any kind of attacks on other countries. And all foreign fighters, if found, shall be expelled from Pakistani soil,” she added. “so we want to deepen our security cooperation with Pakistan,” said the American diplomat, amid a stepped up Us drones campaign to target suspected militant targets in Pakistani tribal areas.

LHC orders YDa to resume work in all hospitals from tomorrow LAHORE APP

LAHORe: A young doctor examines a patient in the emergency ward of services Hospital on saturday. oNLINe

eight troops killed in militant attack, bunker collapse in waziristan WANA/MIRANSHAH Agencies

At least eight security personnel were killed and five others injured in a clash with extremists and a roof collapse incident in North and south Waziristan agencies on saturday. Per details, militants attacked a convoy of security forces while it was passing through Tiyarza tehsil of south Waziristan Agency (sWA). Four security personnel were killed in the attack while three others sustained injuries. In a separate incident, the roof of a security forces’ bunker located in shakai area of North Waziristan Agency (NWA) caved in due to heavy rain the previous night. As a result, four security personnel were killed while two others sustained serious injuries.

Shortfall touches 4,151Mw, no respite in load shedding LAHORE OnLine

Despite purported increase in electricity generation, the demand-supply gap appears no where near lessening and load shedding continues per routine across the country amidst humid July heat. The shortfall of electricity has reached 4,151MW, due to which 10 to 12 hours of load shedding is being conducted across urban areas of the country, making the life of the people miserable.In rural areas, farmers have been left in a fix as they have no water to irrigate their crops due to the shortage of electricity.The figures issued by Energy Management Cell on saturday said the demand of electricity was 17,652MW, while the supply was recorded at 13,501MW.

Brother may become thorn in shah Mahmood’s side ppp likely to rope in estranged member’s brother Mureed Hussain

g

ISLAMABAD TAYYAB HUssAin

After registration of corruption case against MNA Ali Musa Gilani, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Cochairman Asif Ali Zardari has launched hectic damage-control efforts, roping in Makhdoomzada Mureed Hussain Qureshi, the younger brother of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader shah Mahmood Qureshi, who will be joining the PPP ranks soon.

A source in the PPP informed Pakistan Today that Mureed Qureshi was likely to make a formal announcement to rejoin the PPP ranks soon and he had recently held a meeting with President Zardari. “Mureed Qureshi has been informed by the PPP leadership that he would be given an advisory role in the PPP-led federal government. The joining of Mureed Qureshi would also help President Zardari to settle scores with shah Mahmood and Zardari would have the last laugh,” the source said.

He added that the president had also asked Mureed to use his government office to win political support in the area, where he would be awarded huge development funds to create goodwill for him, and enabling him to fight the next election from the PPP platform against shah Mahmood Qureshi. This is not the first time that the PPP leaders have roped in members of the Qureshi clan to

undermine shah Mahmood Qureshi’s forward lunge.

In December 2011, then prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had initially succeeded in winning the support of Mureed Qureshi after shah Mahmood decided to field his son against Ali Musa Gilani in bypolls. Mureed was annoyed with his elder brother for ignoring him and rather fielding his elder son, Zain Qureshi, for the NA-148 by-polls.

However, the elder Qureshi had been able to mend fences with his brother who has considerable influence in NA-148 constituency.

For this, PTI chief Imran Khan had to visit Mureed and persuade him to join the PTI. Despite repeated attempts, president’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar and shah Mahmood Qureshi did not respond to phone calls and text messages. The cell phone of Mureed Qureshi also remained switched off. shah Mahmood and Mureed are sons of former Punjab governor Makhdoom sajjad Hussain Qureshi. Other than their political clout, Qureshis are spirtual leaders of the Ghousia Jamaat whose followers are in millions across sindh and south Punjab. Qureshis are also very influential in southern Punjab and interior sindh, especially in lower sindh where their political support may change the political dynamics in sindh.

They have had a decisive role in politics of Multan and have mostly won in their constituencies.

The Lahore High Court on saturday ordered young doctors to resume work in all hospitals of Punjab from July 9, Monday.

The court also suspended all terminations and transfers of young doctors along with show-cause notices issued to them. The court further directed the committee set up to review doctors’ service structure to start negotiations with the Young Doctors Associations (YDA) and conclude it within two weeks.

The court directed to submit the minutes of committee meetings on a regular basis.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan passed the orders on a petition filed by Judicial Activism Panel, a public interest litigation firm against the young doctors strike.

As the proceedings started, YDA’s counsel Raja Zulqarnain informed the court that the young doctors had resumed work in hospital emergencies in compliance with the court order. “But doctors are being harassed and registration of murder cases against doctors during the strike show malafide intentions of the government,” he added.

However, Punjab Additional Advocate General (AAG) Faisal Zaman told the court the Punjab home secretary had directed police to restrain from harassing the doctors after the court’s order.

To a court query, the AAG replied that show-cause notices were issued to doctors who were absent from duty and contended that if a legal step was taken, it did not fall under the definition of harassment.

To another court query, Punjab Health secretary Arif Nadeem submitted that 28 doctors were sacked and show cause notices were

Published by Arif Nizami at Plot No 79, Sector 24, Korangi Industrial Area Karachi.

Editor: Arif Nizami

issued to 11 others.

YDA counsel Raja Zulqarnain submitted the exact figures were not being presented in the court. The AAG assured the court to submit all record of notices and terminations.

The YDA counsel alleged that an FIR registered against eight doctors of Mayo Hospital over a child’s death was bogus. He said the FIR aimed to pressurize the doctors, therefore, it should be quashed. He said it was a mindset acting against the educated class.

However, the court observed that cooperation between stakeholders should continue to resole the matter amicably.

YDA President Hamid Butt said the YDA was a “product of grievances” and existed in all four provinces.

He said they wanted to improve the system and serve the people of the country instead of going aboard. He said YDA had been striving for a service structure like the judiciary and bureaucrats had for the last four years, as sons of high-ranking officers were promoted whereas children of poor class retired in grade 17. Hamid said the doctors were being harassed and held the Punjab government responsible for the deaths in hospitals.

However, the court said that it would ensure that no adverse action was taken against them. The court further observed that both sides had to show a positive attitude to improve the situation and it was necessary to restart dialogue and set a timeframe for it.

The court was also informed that the doctors’ service structure issue was also pending with the supreme Court. The court directed the YDA counsel to move an application for quashing the FIR registered against eight doctors over the death of a child. The court later adjourned the hearing until July 9.