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Rs 25.00 Vol iii no 210 19 pages islamabad — peshawar edition
Sunday, 27 January, 2013 Rabiul awal 14, 1434
Bill on ‘Bahawalpur-South Seven days on, NAB registers FIR of Punjab’ raises eyebrows 24th Amendment Bill on new provinces likely to be laid in NA on Monday g ‘Controversial Commission’s’ recommendations attract controversy as Opp parties reject g
ISLAMABAD Tayyab hussain
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He Parliamentary Commission on Creation of New Provinces gave final touches to the constitutional bill to carve out the “Bahawalpur-South Punjab” province on Saturday. However, the report has already attracted controversy with some politicians questioning the scope of the commission and others alleging that the “partisan commission” had violated the mandate it had been assigned by the presidential reference and the unanimous resolutions passed by Punjab and National Assemblies. The commission met and finalised the recommendations for constitutional amendments for making new province in South Punjab. Per the recommendations, the name of new province would be “Bahawalpur-South Punjab”, having 124 and 59 seats for provincial and National Assembly respectively. The coalition government plans to lay the bill seeking formation of the new province in the National Assembly on Monday. The recommenda-
tion draft, signed by members, has been sent to Ministry of Law and would be tabled in the National Assembly through a bill – 24th Amendment Bill 2012 – on Monday. The Punjab Assembly in its unanimous resolutions had called for the creation of South Punjab Province and the restoration of provincial status of Bahawalpur, while the presidential reference had also directed the same to the commission. However, the commission has recommended the formation of a new province named “Bahawalpur-South Punjab Province”, which is a merger of the two demands. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Muttahidda Mohaz Bahawalpur and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders from Mianwali have rejected the recommendations of the commission. “From day one, we knew that this commission has been formed by the government to achieve political gains and our stance has been confirmed today. All such recommendations of the commission which are in violation of the unanimous resolutions passed by Punjab Assembly will be re-
jected,” Chaudhry Saud Majeed, PML-N MNA from Bahawalpur, told Pakistan Today. He was nominated as a member of the commission but he did not participate in any of the meetings. Former senator Mohammad Ali Durrani, the architect of the movement for restoration of Bahawalpur province and chief of the Mutahidda Mohaz Bahawalpur, also rejected the report, stating that the people of Bahawalpur would never allow any commission to decide against their will. “We have been fighting against the dictatorial decision of a dictator – General Yahya Khan – who had annulled the provincial status of Bahawalpur. We will not allow the so-called democratic regime to act like dictators. We will get our right through struggle which has been going on since 1970,” Durrani said. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and grand-daughter of Nawab of Kalabagh, Ayla Malik has also rejected the commission’s recommendation to include Mianwali in the proposed new province. “The demographic location and tribal ethnicity of Mianwali
does not allow any merger of Mianwali into Seraiki province. We live in the Pothohar region and hence are similar to the lifestyles of Pothohar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. We can’t be bullied on assumption that since the language spoken here is similar to Seariki, so we should be included into the new province,” she added. Mahmood Hayat Tochi Khan, a PPP MNA from Vehari, also rejected the commission’s recommendations, stating that the Punjabi settlers had been totally ignored in composition of the commission and there was no opinion of the Punjabi settlers who were major stakeholders in South Punjab. RECOMMENDATIONS: In violation of its terms of references (ToRs) and the presidential reference sent to the National Assembly, the Parliamentary Commission for New Provinces recommended that instead of the previous resolutions passed by the Punjab and National Assemblies, one new province be formed instead of the original demand of two and the new federating unit be named as “Bahawalpur-South Punjab”. Continued on page 04
investigator’s death
FIR says forces that pressured Kamran Faisal into committing suicide would be tried under Section 302 g Police submits preliminary report in SC g
ISLAMABAD Kashif abbasi
Apparently succumbing to pressure by the Supreme Court, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approached the police station concerned to lodge a first information report (FIR) on the death of its investigator seven days after the incident. Investigating Officer Kamran Faisal, who was probing the high-profile Rental Power Project (RPP) corruption case involving the prime minister and others, was found hanging from the ceiling fan in his bedroom at the Federal Lodges on January 18. Upon the application by the NAB chairman, the Secretariat Police registered an FIR under Section 302 against unidentified persons. According to the FIR, if proved, the forces that pressured Kamran Faisal into committing suicide would also be charged under Section 302 PPC. The other day, NAB Additional Director (Coordination) Nauman Aslam, on behalf of NAB Chairman Admiral (r) Fasih Bokhari, submitted a written application with the Secretariat Police Station, requesting the police to register the FIR. According to the application, “Investigation officer of the NAB did not come to his office on 18th of January, 2013. When his colleagues, tried to contact him by phone his mobile phone remained unanswered. His colleagues then
went to his residence in the Federal Lodges to check on him where they found him hanging from ceiling fan. I’m directed to state that on account of the dispread rumours and suspicions that Kamran Faisal’s death could be due to murder, it is requested to register an FIR in this case in order to determine the cause of the death and to find out if this death was brought about by any undue pressure from any source.” However, NAB deliberately did not request the police to proceed against those NAB officials, who, after making several attempts by phone to contact Kamran Faisal, approached his residence, where they, without bringing the matter into the notice of police, illegally kept Faisal’s room in their custody for more than two hours. Continued on page 04
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02 News
Sunday, 27 January, 2013
CARTOON
NewS
Today’s
amin faheem elected as PPP president
INFOTAINMeNT school cans guy over moose-butchering fantasy
Quick Look
Page 11
Story on Page 09
Nisar announces sit-in in front of parliament LAHORE: expressing dissatisfaction over the verification process of voters of Karachi, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday announced to stage a sit-in outside the Parliament House and later march to the election Commission of Pakistan along with his supporters. Talking to journalists after a party meeting in Lahore, Nisar said the state of affairs in Karachi and Balochistan had deteriorated to such an extent that holding free and fair elections was very difficult and the PML-N, along with other opposition parties, would stage a sit-in outside the parliament and later march to the election Commission. “Other parties like Jamat-e-Islami and PML-F have been invited to participate in the sit-in. A partial and powerful election Commission is necessary for fair and free elections. We want to make eC more influential and powerful,” he said. Regarding the interim set up, he said the process of consultation amongst the opposition parties had been completed and soon we would announce two names for the caretaker chief minister in Balochistan and Sindh “The opposition will not let Zardari set up a caretaker government of his own choice in these two provinces,” he said. OnLinE
Story on Page 14
Qaim pins Karachi law and order blame on TTP Sindh CM says Taliban involved in offences ranging from extortions to bomb blasts g Sees no need for military action; police and spy agencies delivering g
KARACHI
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ismaiL DiLawaR
He Sindh government on Saturday accused the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of involvement in offences ranging from extortions to deadly bomb blasts in the provincial capital. Speaking with journalists at the Federation House following a meeting with the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) members, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said the provincial government was holding talks with British authorities to acquire modern anti-terrorism equipment for police, which would also be imparted advanced training to effectively deal with terrorist threats. The chief minister was scheduled
to meet the FPCCI members at 11.30am, but he arrived at the Federation House two hours late at 1.30pm. This annoyed the journalists who ultimately boycotted the event, but then returned after the chief minister and FPCCI Acting President Iqbal Dawood Pakwala apologised for the delay. Speaking about the TTP’s alleged role in violence in Karachi, the chief minister said that for last six to eight months, more than half of the unlawful activities had been perpetrated by the TTP. Asked if his government was convinced that TTP’s existence had warranted military action in the city, the chief minister replied in negative. “We think no military action is required as the police are showing results,” he said, adding that police and Rangers had already stepped up their activities in close collaboration with spy agen-
cies. “The intelligence agencies are doing well and have pre-empted many terrorist acts at some of our very sensitive installations,” he said.
Three-day sit-in for fair voters Restoration of law verification begins in Karachi and order top priority: Nawaz
KARACHI sTaff REPORT
Different political and religious parties belonging to opposition started a three-day sit-in on Saturday outside the office of the Provincial election Commission Sindh to demand fair process of voters’ verification under army’s supervision. Announcement of the sit-in was made on Wednesday, when different opposition leaders assailed the election commission for not implementing the Supreme Court’s directives regarding voters verification under army’s supervision and delimitation of constituencies in the metropolis. Addressing the rally today, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief
Muhammad Hussain Mehanti thanked the participating political and religious leaders. He said they all have gathered for seeking free and fair elections and peace in Karachi. Sirajul Haq of JI said all participating parties will also stage a sit-in outside the Parliament house if the SC order is not implemented. Gulzar Ahmed Soomro of Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party (STPP) said that politicizing of voter verification process would usurp people’s freedom of choice. Speakers said the sit-in will continue on Sunday and Monday, adding that it would end when the election Commission of Pakistan (eCP) will ensure presence of army personnel during the process of voter verification.
LAHORE: PML-N President Nawaz Sharif on Saturday said that if his party came into power in the forthcoming general elections then the restoration of law and order, all over the country, including Karachi, would be his party’s top agenda. Talking to party leaders from Sindh at his Raiwind residence, he urged party leaders to prepare for the forthcoming general elections by keeping a close connection with the people and by forging alliances with the other political parties. “A plan would be chalked out in consonance with all peace-loving parties and the people to rid Karachi of lawlessness and crimes, in order to make it a city of lights again,” he said. The PML-N chief said, “If Karachi will be peaceful, it will benefit the entire Pakistan. The wheel of the country’s economy moves in Karachi, its positive impact would be felt by the people throughout the country”. He said that in order to restore law and order in Karachi, there was a dire need for the reorganisation of the police force. When the leaders of PML-N Sindh said there was a need to rectify the voter lists of Karachi, Nawaz Sharif directed PML-N Sindh President Syed Ghaus Ali Shah to take immediate notice of the matter. OnLinE
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Sunday, 27 January, 2013
ARTS & eNTeRTAINMeNT
BuSINeSS
SPORTS
JLo had hard time getting out of bed during divorce
imf chief tells Europe to take some time on deficits
south africa win with six off final ball
News 03 edITORIAl
how allies see us: When outsiders teach us what democracy is.
COMMeNT humayun Gauhar says; Float a tender: The system will change you before you can change it.
Kuldip nayar says; Lessons in politics: In India, secularism is at stake.
Raoof hasan says; Criminals, Inc: No place left in the country for a measure of decency.
Story on Page 14
Story on Page 19
Story on Page 15
We have everything but unity: Zardari g
President urges unity among Muslims to face world challenges ISLAMABAD
P
aPP
ReSIDeNT Asif Ali Zardari on Friday urged the Muslim ummah to unite according to the teachings of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) in order to face challenges in the world and find their solution to the individual and collective problems. Addressing the concluding session of the 38th Seerat-un-Nabi Conference on the topic of “Concept and Significance of the Collective Justice in light of teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)” here at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the president said, “More than one billion Muslim Ummah should unite at one platform to face the challenges in the world and various Muslim countries.”
The president said the Muslim world was bestowed with all necessary resources to grow and prosper including talent, capabilities, population and wealth, and it only needed unity to harness these re-
Govt decides to dissolve assemblies on March 10 ISLAMABAD: The government, after consultation with party leaders and coalition partners, decided to dissolve national and provincial assemblies on March 10. The decision would be announced after consultations with its allies and with the government of Punjab. According to reliable sources, Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf held an informal consultation with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ameer Haidar Hoti, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfqar Magsi and sent a report to President Asif Ali Zardari. The prime minister would hold discussions with Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif and Leader of the Opposition in the National assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan next week. Sources said that the date of the dissolution of assemblies will be announced once the government of Punjab is taken into confidence. inP
sources for the good of the individual countries and the whole Ummah. He said that every act of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was a source of guidance and inspiration for every one in the world.
Referring to the multiple challenges being faced by the Muslim world including Pakistan, Zardari said that with collective efforts and joining hands, the Muslim Ummah could easily face those challenges and ensure progress and prosperity in their respective countries. The president said the problems of extremism and terrorism would also be tackled through unity among the Muslim Ummah. Referring to the conquest of Makkah by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his forgiveness for everyone in the city, the president said, “This act of the prophet is the base of reconciliation policy, which had been adopted by the present government and is still continued.” He said the whole life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was an open source of guidance for every one.
NA calls for following teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) ISLAMABAD anwER abbas
Members of the National Assembly on Saturday suspended the agenda matter and called for following the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to establish peace and promote interfaith harmony in the country. The Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl opposed the removal of Balochistan government and staged a walkout. The House unanimously adopted a motion to suspend the agenda items on order of the day allowing the members to speak on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)’s message. Religious Affairs Minister Khurshid Shah suggested the House to speak on the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), also proposing that in future, the House should exclusively dis-
cuss Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)’s way of life, a day after the eid Miladun Nabi every year. MNA Nighat Perveen noted that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)’s life was a complete roadmap for the mankind and one should apply all of his teachings in daily life. earlier, JUI-Fazl staged a walkout to protest against the imposition of governor’s rule in Balochistan. As the House was discussing Seeratun Nabi (PBUH), JUI-F lawmaker Abdul Malik Wazir opposed the removal of provincial government and imposition of the Governor Rule, saying that “the decision was unlawful and irrational as it was not only Balochistan where law and order situation was poor”. Wazir stressed the government to restore peace in the country through peaceful dialogue. Later, he, along with other JUI-F members walked out of the House.
Articles on Page 10, 11
No room for technocrat caretaker setup, says Kaira ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira on Saturday said that there was no room for a technocrat caretaker government as politicians could better manage the affairs of the country. Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, Kaira said that in the presence of a host of honest and clean politicians, there was no need to ask technocrats to work as caretakers. He said that Pakistan was created by the politicians, who could better run its affairs. To a question, Kaira said that the negotiating team of government would visit Lahore on Sunday (today) to hold talks with Tehreek-e-Minhajul Quran chief Dr Tahirul Qadri. In the meeting, Law Minister Farooq H Naek would present a detailed report, highlighting various constitutional aspects of implementing the Islamabad Declaration, he added. The negotiating team has already held a meeting with the election commissioner of Pakistan, besides consulting leading constitutional experts, he said. To another question, Kaira said former chief of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Tauqir Sadiq was appointed as chief executive by former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on the recommendation of a committee and latter could not be blamed for the sins of his any appointee. TAUQIR SADIQ: Regarding transparency in the appointment, he said a committee had short-listed four candidates out of total 17 candidates. Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf had not appointed Tauqir Sadiq, he added. MEDIA REPORTS: Responding to another query, Kaira said media should focus on court verdicts rather than highlighting remarks during the proceedings in order to avoid creating sensation. aPP
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04 News
Sunday, 27 January, 2013
Don’t take friendship for granted: Mukherjee Indian president says they are always ready to offer hand in hope of friendship g
NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD OnLinE
Indian President Pranab Mukherjee has warned Pakistan not to take India’s friendship for granted, hailed the spirit of the Indian youth and said brutalizing women amounted to wounding “the soul of our civilization”. In his maiden Republic Day eve speech, the president referred to the numerous doubts and problems plaguing the world’s largest democracy
but predicted a bright future for India. “On our 64th Republic Day, there may be some reason for concern but none for despair,” said the veteran politician who became the head of state in July 2012. “If India has changed more in six decades than six previous centuries, then I promise you that it will change more in the next 10 years than in the previous sixty,” he said. “India’s enduring vitality is at work.” Without naming Pakistan, the president spoke of “serious
atrocities” committed on Indian troops on the Line of Control (LoC) – an obvious reference to the killing of two Indian soldiers. “Neighbours may have disagreements; tension can be a subtext of frontiers. But sponsorship of terrorism through non-state actors is a matter of deep concern to the entire nation.” “We believe in peace on the border and are always ready to offer a hand in the hope of friendship. But this hand should not be taken for granted.”
Shahrukh Khan divulges the ordeal of being a Muslim in India
PEshawaR: children feast on rice served after a milad event on friday. OnLine
MUMBAI: Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan has exposed the so-called secular face of world’s largest democracy India, expressing the agony he has been facing for being born as a Muslim. In his article titled “Being a Khan” written for the Outlook Turning Points magazine, SRK said that many politicians had asked him to go back to his native homeland Pakistan, after 9/11 incident. “I sometimes become the inadvertent object of political leaders who choose to make me a symbol of all that they think is wrong and unpatriotic about Muslims in India,” he wrote. “There have been occasions when I have been accused of bearing allegiance to our neighbouring nation (Pakistan) rather than my own country – this even though I am an Indian, whose father fought for the freedom of India. Rallies have been held where leaders have exhorted me to leave and return what they refer to my ‘original’ homeland,” he said. aGEnciEs
Continued fRom page 19
Seven days on Continued fRom page 01
Sources insist that the said officials should also be thoroughly investigated as to why they kept the room in their custody. Faisal’s initial postmortem report had declared his death a result of suicide; however, family members rejected the report, saying they had seen torture marks on his body and wrists. The case is already being heard in the Supreme Court, which during the last hearing sought all record of the case from NAB, police, Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) and other relevant authorities. Sources said that police have submitted a copy of the said FIR and other relevant material to the SC. The PTA also submitted the record of Faisal’s calls and text mes-
sages. The next hearing is due on Monday. Meanwhile, police has also decided to contact the Punjab government to seek forensic report on Faisal’s mysterious death. In this regard, the federal police wrote a letter to the Punjab government. earlier on January 23, the Punjab Forensic Agency had received the samples from the deceased’s body. Sajid Ali, who was Faisal’s roommate, has recorded his statement to police. In his statement, he said that he had never seen any laptop computer under Faisal’s use. He stated that Kamran used medicines regularly, but did not know what type of medicines. Police has made Sajid Ali’s statement part of the record of the case, which will be presented, before the court on
next hearing. The police also submitted its preliminary report on Faisal’s death in the Supreme Court. A record of calls made to and from Faisal’s mobile phone and a post mortem report were also attached to the police report. The preliminary report contains an application by a NAB official to register an FIR along with statements of NAB officials and employees of the hostel where Faisal had been staying. The report adds that the police was still awaiting the forensic report. In a related development, an investigation team of the police reached Faisal’s native village in Chak 129/15L, Mian Channu. The team met with Abdul Hameed Chaudhry, Faisal’s father, who excused himself from recording a statement on account of grief. Chaudhry said he would only decide over a statement once he had seen an autopsy report of Faisal’s death.
Indo-Pak peace talks must continue, says Imran Khan DAVOS OnLinE
Cricket legend-turnedpolitician Imran Khan said the Indo-Pak peace process must continue at all costs, and should not be derailed by skirmishes. “Our peace process has always been hindered. What happened (the LOC violations) is unfortunate but talks must continue uninterrupted. The peace dividend will be enormous. If the eU can have free trade, why can’t India and Pakistan freely trade with each other,” said Pakistan’s former cricket captain on the sidelines of the WeF meeting. Khan said India-Pak-
istan talks were always hampered by vested interests. “We require a strong, credible leadership with a public mandate, which the Pakistan government doesn’t have. In India, unfortunately, the leadership comes under public pressure from the right,” he said. Khan said if he became the PM, he would initiate a broadbased dialogue with India on all issues including Kashmir. “The solution to Kashmir should be found via dialogue. Pakistan should ensure there is no infiltration, while India should agree to withdraw troops from civilian areas,” he said. elections in Pakistan are likely to take place in May
after a caretaker government takes over in March, and Khan said he was more confident than ever that his Tehreek-e-Insaf Party would win the polls. “There are 40 million young people in Pakistan who will vote for the first time. They will vote against the status quo,” he said. Khan said he would focus on dealing with the menace of terrorism. He also called for normalisation of cricket ties between the two countries. “India has used Mumbai to punish cricket. Instead of the recent ODI series, why didn’t we have a proper three test match series,” he said.
Pakistani diplomats Khurshid himself fielded questions about the issue as the ministry invited journalists to the venue of his call on the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, around noon. “Diplomatic requests are made, from time to time, to the ministry for travelling across the country. In most cases, these requests are… accepted. In some cases for specific reasons at that time best known to the ministry and other agencies that are consulted, we have to say no,” he said, adding that one should not confuse any “coincidence with any specific decision vis-à-vis the Jaipur Literary Festival, or for that matter anything else.” While Memon also wanted to go to Ajmer to visit the shrine of Khwaja Moiunuddin Chisti, the other diplomat, Naeem Anwar of the High Commission’s trade wing, had sought permission to visit Agra, where a trade partnership summit would be held. Memon, who wanted to be in Jaipur when Pakistani journalists and authors visited the city, was denied permission to go to both places. Anwar also wanted to go to Agra, though Pakistani presence at the meeting would be thinner after Commerce Minister Amin Fahim cancelled his visit following the skirmishes along the Line of control.
Kidnappers cut off boy’s tongue FAISALABAD inP
Kidnappers on Saturday cut off the tongue of a boy whose family failed to arrange for his ransom. According to the victim’s father, Asif was kidnapped three days ago and the kidnappers had demanded Rs 500, 000 as ransom for his release. “When we failed to arrange the ransom for the boy, the abductors severed Asif’s tongue,” the father said. A case was lodged in Thekri Police Station and the police said the incident would be investigated thoroughly.
Surrender or declare yourself non-Muslims, Malik asks TTP ISLAMABAD aGEnciEs
Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday asked “the terrorists” to lay down arms and give up bloodshed or else declare themselves non-Muslims, as Islam has no room for violence. “Is this Islam? If not, then why do you not declare yourselves non-Muslims? We will have to end this hypocrisy,” the interior minister said while speaking in the National Assembly. On the occasion of eid Miladun Nabi, he reiterated his offer to the militants to give up violence and become “true Muslims”. He said those who had been killed in Karachi and Quetta were also Muslims, and questioned the terrorists as on whose behest they were carrying out bloodshed. TALIBAN INTERESTED IN TALKS: On the other hand, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has shown eagerness in holding peace talks with the Pakistani government, saying the outfit was seeking “serious and powerful mediators” who could freely negotiate on behalf of the army. Talking to rediff.com from an undisclosed location, TTP spokesperson Ihsanullah Ihsan said, “The government
had made us an offer to come to the table for talks. We are serious about talking. But we will move after we see that our interlocutors are serious and the talks could be result oriented.” He added, “We are ready for talks for the betterment of the Pakistani nation and for the sake of Islam. We have never rejected such offers in the past and we will never do so in the days ahead.” The TTP spokesman though did not seem very optimistic about any settlement with the government in the future. “Despite the attitude of the government which shows that it is not serious about the talks, we will initiate it on our part so that people later do not blame us for not coming to the negotiating table. We were made an offer, we responded and now we are awaiting the government’s reply,” he said. Asked about whom the Taliban would like as mediators, he said, “We will negotiate through such negotiators who enjoy real power, who can make decisions and implement them. The negotiators will have to give us guarantees from the army’s side, not from the politicians’ side. The Pakistani army is superior to the government. So the middlemen will have to provide guarantees from the army side.”
Rebels kill six peace body members in dera Bugti QUETTA shahZaDa ZuLfiQaR
Baloch rebels on Saturday killed six members of government-backed peace force in Dera Bugti. In the same area, an FC official was killed in a landmine explosion. According to a report, an armed group of insurgents attacked a check post of peace force in Dilbar Mat of Gundoi, some 30 km west of Sui Town and killed one tribesman and injured three others. The insurgents also abducted five of them. Later, the insurgents killed the five captives and threw their bodies. After receiving info the peace force members, backed by Frontier Corps, and Levy personnel were also dispatched in pursuit to arrest the attackers. A Levy official said on the phone that the attackers also killed the five captives. While confirming the attack, Home and Tribal Affairs’ Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani said that the miscreants attacked a check post of tribal peace force and killed one personnel and injured three others. He said that forces had been dispatched to arrest the miscreants.
Bill on ‘Bahawalpur-South Punjab’ raises eyebrows Continued fRom page 01
Per the recommendations, the name of new province would be “Bahawalpur South Punjab”, having 124 and 59 seats for provincial and national assembly respectively. Provincial election Commission and High Court will also be established in the recommended province. Talking to Pakistan Today, PML-Q Secretary Information Senator Kamil Ali Agha said that the new province would have twin capitals - one each in Multan and Bahawalpur - a claim contradicted by another member of the commission Jamshed Dasti, who said the new province would have one capital - Bahawalpur.
“Three divisions - Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan - would be included in the new province while it has been recommended that Bhakkar and Mianwali districts may also be included,” Agha said. He said that an assembly hall was already present in Bahawalpur while the chief minister would also sit there. He said that Governor’s House might be established in Multan, adding that all recommendations of the commission would not be made part of the bill. Jamshed Dasti said draft of the bill for new province in South Punjab was being prepared and recommendations have been sent to law ministry.
The controversial 14member parliamentary commission had been constituted in August of last year by the speaker of the National Assembly and comprises Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senators Farhatullah Babar and Sughra Imam, Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Haji Mohammad Adeel, Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) Senator Kamil Ali Agha and PML-N Senator Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana, JUI-F Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, PPP MNAs Arif Aziz Sheikh, Jamshed Ahmed Dasti, Ali Musa Gilani, PML-N MNAs Tehmina Daultana and Chaudhry Saud Majeed, as well as MQM’s Dr Farooq Sattar.
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Sunday, 27 January, 2013
Shortage of wheat leads to increase in prices of naan, chappati n Citizens call on authorities to take action
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RAWALPINDI aPP
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He citizens on Saturday urged the district administration to take action against naan-makers who increased prices of chappatis from Rs 5 to Rs 6 and naan from Rs 6 to Rs 7 without any permission from the city district government. According to details, tandoor owners were charging increased prices for chappati and naans for the past few days but appropriate action could not be taken against them. The City District Government (CDG) had claimed that it was conducting raids to check prices of chappatis and various naanmakes who were found overcharging had also been imposed fines. The authorities concerned further claimed that special instructions had been issued to the assistant commissioners to conduct raids and impose fines on those selling chappati at Rs 6 and naan at Rs 7. Assistant Commissioner Fahad Azeem
said that they did not issue any notification regarding increase in price of chappatis and naan-makers could not increase the price on their own. The naan-makers were also warned not to violate the orders of the administration, otherwise cases would be registered against those found overcharging. However, contrary to the claims of the district administration, no one is selling chappatis at Rs 5 and naans at Rs 6 as the Naanbais Welfare Association (NWA) increased the prices of chappatis and naan citing shortage of wheat as the main reason. When contacted, Rawalpindi Naanbais Association (RNA) General Secretary Sardar Nafees Ahmed said that they had increased prices of chappatis and naan because of increase in prices of wheat. He further said that lack of gas was forcing tandoor-owners to use expensive coal to light their tandoors. Wheat flour crisis hit the city with the price of a 20 kilogramme bag jumping to Rs 820 against the official rate of Rs 670. After the increase, the prices of chappatis and other wheat products like bread and rusk
have gone up despite the City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR)'s claim that there was no shortage of wheat flour or an increase in the prices. Bread is available in bakeries for Rs55 against the previous price of Rs 45. A few days ago, the CDGR increased the price of the 20 kilogrammes wheat flour bag from Rs 620 to Rs 670 but the retailers refused to accept it and fixed the price at Rs 820. The residents were seen shuttling between one market or the other in search of wheat flour at the official rate of Rs 670 per 20 kilogramme per bag. Atif, a shopkeeper at Peoples Colony Bazaar, said the wholesalers and millers had not been providing them wheat flour for the last two days. “Shopkeepers are not selling the commodity and turning away the buyers on the pretext of unavailability. However, if they agree to sell, they insist on charging Rs 40 to Rs 45 per kilogramme, said Mushtaq, a resident of Dhoke Syedian.
He criticised the provincial government for its failure to provide wheat flour to the public in a sufficient quantity. He also complained that the shopkeepers were hoarding the commodity to sell it at Rs 800 to Rs 820 per 20 kilograme bag. Another customer said he had also visited a Utility Store outlet where the 20 kilogrammes bag was available at Rs 720. However, he added, the quality of the wheat flour available at the Utility Store was low. The administration claimed that there was no shortage of wheat flour in the city and the shopkeepers were following the prices fixed by the CDGR. District Coordination Officer (DCO) Saqib Zafar said the district government was striving to ensure the availability of wheat flour at the official rate. However, he admitted that there were some problems due to the gap between supply and demand.
Dysfunctional filtration plants causing problem for people ISLAMABAD aPP
Dysfunctional filtration plants installed by Capital Development Authority (CDA) in the federal capital may cause diseases as they are not maintained and are supplying contaminated water. According to details, CDA has set up many filtration plants, but they are no longer beneficial for the people as they are not checked regularly and human waste has been found in the water obtained from some filtration plants. When contacted, Member Science Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), Dr Tahir said that 45 percent of filtration plants in the federal capital were providing contaminated water, which was used by 75 percent of the citizens. He said many filtration plants were providing contaminated water. Sources revealed that some filtration plants were dysfunctional either due to their damaged taps or taps were stolen. Spokesperson Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) Lubna Naheed said PCRWR had also developed low-cost water testing and treatment technologies which included field testing kits for basic drinking water quality parameters, arsenic removal technologies and chlorinators for water purification. She said the development and installation of 24 low-cost water conditioning and filtration plants for provision of safe drinking water to the public was in progress. eight plants have been installed at Islamabad, Fatehjang, Sahiwal, Sialkot, under the project Provision of Safe Drinking Water. The results of various investigations and surveys by several agencies have indicated that water pollution has become a serious problem in Pakistan. Most of the reported health problems are directly or indirectly related to water quality.
Sanitation department to be handed over to private sector RAWALPINDI: The decision to hand over sanitation and solid waste department of district Rawalpindi to private sector on contract basis was announced on Saturday. According to details, in the first phase, the contract of sanitation department will be awarded for five years and it will be made binding on the contractors to induct new machinery and staff and introduce modern system of sanitation. Furthermore, the existing staff will continue to work in the capacity of government employees. Five different national and international companies had expressed interest in obtaining the contract and two among them were not found up
to the mark by the provincial government. The contract will be awarded on one firm among the remaining three firms in accordance with contract bylaws. The process of scrutiny is continuing in respect of these three firms and a committee comprising Planning and Development chairman, local government secretary and finance secretary will take final decision about awarding the contract which will be sent to the DCO Rawalpindi for his approval. Carrying solid waste and garbage in open containers and vehicles through the city will be banned. Closed containers will be placed in streets, alongside roads and at public places to collect garbage. OnLinE
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06 Islamabad
Sunday, 27 January, 2013
EID MILADUN NABI celebrated peacefully RAWALPINDI
E
aPP
ID Milad-un-Nabi was celebrated on Friday with religious zeal and fervor under tight security arrangements while all roads, streets and main buildings in the town were decorated with colourful lights and buntings. A number of programmes were chalked out to celebrate the birth of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) with great reverence and devotion. Different Naat committees organised Naat competitions to celebrate eid Milad. The government and religious organisations arranged a number of activities to celebrate the annual event. As a tradition, Milad-un-Nabi processions were held in all areas of the town. Around 350 eid Milad-un-Nabi processions were taken out from different parts of the city. The main procession of Milad-un-Nabi started in the morning from Jamia Masjid road which passed through its traditional route, circular road, Waris Khan, Murree road, Committee Chowk, Iqbal road, Fowara Chowk, Raja Bazaar and other areas. The biggest processions appeared from Sihala, Gorakh Pure, Adiala Road, Pirwadhai, Fauji Colony,Tench Bhatta, Dhamiyal, People's Colony, Tipu Road, Chungi No22, Gulzar-e-Quaid,
Official disappointed at the pace of construction work RAWALPINDI
Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Kuri Road, Shakriyal, Khanna Dak, Golra Sharif, Mehrabad, Chur, Allahabad, Khayabane-Sir Syed, Waris Khan,Banni, Rawat, Soan, Dhoke Juma, Dhoke Kalhoor, Bakra Mandi, Baraf Khana and Morgah. Similarly, dozens of big and small processions appeared from other localities of Rawalpindi. The district government had allowed 65 registered "sabeels" at different points that were arranged under the supervision of police and the City Peace Committee (CPC) for the participants of the processions. All the routes of the processions of eid Milad-un-Nabi had been cleaned while no person was allowed to stand on rooftops of the buildings along the routes. Section 144 was imposed in the
city to ensure the security of citizens while there was ban on the pillion riding. Mobile phone service was also suspended from 10 am to 8 pm. Drum beating and music was banned. The participants of the processions were passed through walk-through gates to avoid any untoward incident. The water tankers of Wasa and ambulances of the Health Department equipped with necessary medicines, doctors and paramedical staff, police officials, volunteers of civil defence accompanied the processions. Close circuit television cameras were installed on the routes while the traffic was closed on the routes of central procession. All the streets were barricaded to prevent motorcyclists from entering the processions. City Police Officer (CPO)
Azhar Hameed Khokhar had warned all the police officials deployed for security of eid Milad-un-Nabi processions that they should perform their duties with dedication and commitment failing which they would face strict disciplinary action. As per previous tradition, prizes were distributed to the winners of competitions of Naat, Qirat and decorators of the best streets and stage. All kinds of streets, roads and buildings were decorated with colourful lights and banners. A number of temporary stalls were set up in many streets across the town where the sale of badges, stickers and flags was going on. Strict security measures were taken to maintain law and order on the day by the city district government.
Bahria University holds 9th convocation
inP
Rawalpindi Commissioner Imdadullah Bosal on Saturday expressed his dissatisfaction at the speed of the construction work on Pirwadhai Morr, Peshawar Road Flyover, Underpass Project and services roads on Sixth Road Flyover. The commissioner directed the officials of RDA, WASA, RCB, PTCL, Sui Gas and Wapda to complete their respective work at the site as soon as possible. In a meeting with officials of various departments, he said that he would soon announce another meeting to review the pace of construction work.
G-6 weekly bazaar without parking lot ISLAMABAD aPP
People visiting weekly bazaar at Sector G-6 face inconvenience due to nonavailability of proper parking area. "It is one of the oldest weekly bazaars in the federal capital and a large number of people come here, but the problem of parking is worsening day by day", said a senior citizen Muhammad Sarwar. He said both the stallholders and shoppers were in trouble due to lack of space for parking. A motorist Rehan Iqbal said that the visitors at market had to park their vehicles along the main road that not only creating traffic jams, but also resulted in inconvenience for the visitors. Ziaur Rehman, a visitor at G-6 weekly bazaar, said that if there were proper parking arrangements at the weekly bazaars, no one would park vehicles on the roads. A stallholder at G6 weekly bazaar said that the lack of parking space was affecting his business and also creating problems for the shoppers. When contacted, an official of CDA said that the civic body was aware of the problems being faced by the people and would try its best to address these problems.
Citizens demand ban on ads displaying Indian models ISLAMABAD: The citizens of the twin cities on Saturday expressed concern over the display of advertisements with Indian models saying that it was unfair since Pakistani players and actors had been threatened and sometimes forbidden in India. Talking to INP, citizens deplored the attitude of the Pakistani government and Capital Development Authority (CDA) after tensions erupted at the Line of Control (LoC). They said that giant billboards displaying Indian models could be seen everywhere in the twin cities despite the fact that Pakistani artists and players were not only threatened but kicked out of India. Muhammad Shahzad, a student of Federal Urdu University, said, “We should ban such advertisements after witnessing bitter Indian mindset towards our people. However, we are rather lenient and don’t even feel to do something in this connection.” Shahid Azim, a government employee, said that it seemed as if there was no local model or advertising agency in the country as most of international brands had ads of Indian film stars and models. inP
CDA negligence leads to expensive golf carts going to waste ISLAMABAD: The golf carts, imported from China at a cost of over Rs 30 million are lying dysfunctional for past several years due to the negligence of the Capital Development Authority (CDA). According to details, the CDA had imported 24 golf carts from China at a cost of Rs 30 million during the tenure of former chairman Kamran Lashari. The purpose of the carts was to facilitate the elderly, the handicapped and tourists at tourist spots. Two of these carts are currently standing in the Prime Minister House, two in Daman Koh and two in Lake View Park while others are not functioning and have been parked at the environmental Directorate. Due to the absence of these carts, the elderly and handicapped are facing many difficulties while visiting popular spots. OnLinE
10 accused apprehended, recover 739 bottles of wine
ISLAMABAD sTaff REPORT
As many as 477 students of Bahria University were awarded degrees in ninth convocation of the university on Saturday. Students were also awarded gold and silver medals for their outstanding achievements in their academic career. Pro-Chancellor of Bahria University and Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila NI(M) was the chief guest at the occasion and conferred degrees on the graduating students of postgraduate and undergraduate programs.
In the postgraduate programs, 146 students of Business Administration, Computer engineering, earth & environmental Sciences were awarded degrees. At least 331 students of undergraduate programs of Business Administration, Computer Sciences, electrical engineering, earth and environmental Sciences and Humanities and Social Sciences were awarded degrees. The Pro-Chancellor of Bahria University, Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila NI(M) along with the Rector of Bahria University, Vice Admiral (Retd) Shahid Iqbal HI (M) awarded 19 Gold medals and 14 Silver medals to various
students, who achieved top positions in their respective departments. Gold medals and Silver medals were awarded to the students from each discipline to acknowledge their outstanding performance. While speaking to the students at the occasion, Sandila congratulated the students and their parents on their success and said that the future of Pakistan depended on the way the youth was educated in the country. He further said that Bahria University was providing education of international standard, adding that the university was on its way to providing the best education in the country.
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Police on Friday claimed to have apprehended 10 suspected criminals, recovered ammunition, 739 bottles of wine, three pistols and one stolen motorcycle from their possession. According to details, a police patrolling team was informed that wine was being prepared and sold in Prince Road Street Number 1 of Bhara Kaho. Police raided the house and arrested Niamat Masih son of enayat Masigh, a resident of resident of district Mianwali and recovered 700 bottles and material used in preparation of wine from his possession. Similarly, another team, apprehended a gang of dacoits from the area of Aabpara Police Station and recovered four pistols of 30 bore from Shah Wali, Misal Khan Mir Wali and Noorullah. Rajab Ali Shah, a Sub Inspector of CIA Police also recovered 9 bottles of wine from the possession of Bashir Javed. Sub Inspector of Women Police Muhammad Nawaz recovered 30 bottles of wine from his possession. sTaff REPORT
Crackdown against flourmills owners announced RAWALPINDI OnLinE
Rawalpindi Food Department on Saturday decided to launch crackdown against the flour mills found involved in profiteering by supplying atta at higher rate in the market. The decision was taken under the directives of Punjab Food secretary on the
persistent public complaints that the atta was being supplied by flour mills at higher rates than the price fixed by the government. Sources said that under the provincial food department, city district government had fixed flour rate in line with prices set by the provincial government in all the seven tehsils of district Rawalpindi. As per government rates, all the
flour mills of Rawalpindi division will supply atta at the rate of Rs 648 per bag weighing 20 kilogrammes. Its retail, prices will stand at Rs 670 per bag. On the other hand a 20 kilogram flour bag is being sold at the rate ranging between Rs 700 and Rs 800 in the markets. Atta dealers and shop keepers have held flour mills owners responsible for escalating prices of flour in the market.
Mill owners are supplying atta per 20kilogram bag at the rate of Rs 650 and Rs 655 under the pretext of carriage charges. The mill owners found responsible for selling flour at expensive rates will have to face penalties in the form of fine ranging from Rs 6000 to 16000, closure of mill for 6 days and cancellation of wheat quota.
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Country’s leading archeologist remembered
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NEWS DESK
ROFeSSOR Ahmad Hasan Dani, who died in 2009, was Pakistan's leading archaeologist and an authority on south and central Asianarchaeology and history. Whether addressing international conferences or guiding schoolchildren on cultural rambles around Islamabad, Dani conveyed an enthusiasm for learning that was infectious. In 1945 he had worked with the great British archaeologist Sir Mortimer Wheeler on the ruins at Moenjodaro, the 4,500-year-old city settlement in Sindh province, southern Pakistan. Dani revealed fascinating details about the site, proclaiming it "the first planned city in the world" and demonstrating that its Indus Valley civilisation was one of humanity's great foundational cultures, alongside egypt, Mesopotamia and China. He described a sophisticated people who understood irrigation, traded with Arabia and ruled from Afghanistan to Rajasthan. He also showed how they practised yoga and created statuettes of bangled dancing girls and stern-faced priest-kings that delight viewers to this day. Rejecting academic super-specialisation, Dani synthesised disciplines to reconstruct the distant past. He was fluent in 15 languages, including French, Tamil and Turkish. He wrote 30 books. His last publication, a History of Pakistan (2007), which culminates in the republic's creation in 1947, encapsulates 50 years of research. Dani was born in Basna, a village near Raipur, in central India. His parents were Kashmiri by origin and Ahmad was the first in his family to be educated. He studied Sanskrit at
Dani worked on Moenjodaro and the Indus Valley civilisation Banaras Hindu University, graduating as its first Muslim student in 1944. He excavated with Wheeler at Moenjodaro and Gandhara and worked at the Department of Archaeology of British India at the Taj Mahal, Agra, before leaving for east Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1947. From 1950 to 1962, Dani was east Bengal's superintendent of archaeology, a history professor at Dhaka University and the curator at Dhaka museum. He compiled definitive works on Bengali Muslim architecture between completing his PhD thesis on the prehistory of eastern India at London University in 1955, and working as a research fellow at the School of African and Oriental Studies (1958-59). Dani left for Peshawar University, where he created the department of archaeology and became its first professor. In 1971 he established the social sciences faculty at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad, serving as dean until his retirement in 1980. In 1993 he established the Islamabad museum. From the 1960s, Dani shone light on Graeco-Indian remains in northern Pakistan. At the ancient city of Taxila, descendants of
Alexander the Great's troops had mixed with locals, adopted Buddhism and crafted statues and temples that bore unmistakable traces of an Aegean provenance. In 1997 Dani became founding director of the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilisations. He also supervised exploration of a shrine at Murree, a hill station in Pakistani Punjab. Some believe it houses the remains of Mary, mother of Jesus. At Rehman Dheri and Baluchistan, he helped unearth traces of a proto-urban civilisation that may predate Mesopotamia by millennia. From 1978 he and German colleagues discovered rock art from the Karakoram mountains dating back 40,000 years. In 2007 he alighted on a human footprint, possibly a million years old, imprinted in sandstone near the Margalla hills, north of Islamabad. Often Dani swam against the tide. He suggested that Sufi meditation derived from earlier Buddhist customs; proved a casket bearing an alleged ancient Persian princess was a fake; and disputed the theory that today's southern Indians descend from Indus Valley refugees driven out by marauding Aryans. He led path-breaking Unesco expeditions along the old Silk Road to China in 1990 and the Soviet Union in 1991. He popularised history through newspaper articles and ran cultural trips for Pakistanis as well as european, American and Japanese tourists, and lectured internationally. Imploring Pakistanis to celebrate their pre-Islamic ancestors, Dani criticised nationalists and religious zealots who destroyed traces of preceding cultures. He also insisted that his countrymen radically reappraise their outlook on history. The greatest influence on Pakistan, he argued, was neither the Hindu south nor the Arab west but central Asia, in its Buddhist, Persian and later Sufi guises. As chair of the PakistanCentral Asia Friendship Association, he wanted to revive "a genuine relationship - cultural, historical, commercial as well as religious", and advocated reopening routes to the north that Soviet rule had shut down in 1920. Dani's many international awards included the Légion d'honneur in 1998. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Safiya Sultana, sons Anis, Navaid and Junaid, daughter Fauzia, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Ahmad Hasan Dani, archaeologist, linguist and historian, born 20 July 1920; died 26 January 2009
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08 News
Sunday, 27 January, 2013
Morsi sends army to Suez after deadly clashes CAIRO
M
aGEnciEs
OHAMeD Morsi, the egyptian president, has sent re-enforcements of the national army to Suez, where five demonstrators and one soldier died in protests to mark the second anniversary of the uprisings that brought down former president Hosni Mubarak. “egypt’s [security] apparatuses will chase the criminals and bring them to justice. They are also doing their best to protect and secure the peaceful demonstrations,” Morsi said on Saturday. Morsi’s announcement that security forces will search for rioters he said were responsible for violent protests across the country, comes a day after tens of thousands of people took to the streets demanding he step down. “I’m offering my condolences to all egyptians, the martyrs in Suez and the policemen who were the victims of ugly violence,” he said. The protesters have demanded the establishment of an official minimum wage and a suspension of the new constitution, which opponents of the president say was rushed through. Others, want Morsi step down from power. Al Jazeera’s Sherine Tadros, reporting from Cairo, said that the crowds were shouting “‘ irhal ‘ - leave, leave - in reference to Mohamed Morsi. The feeling here on the street...is the Muslim Brotherhood aren’t interested in making changes to better the lives of people,” said Tadros.
Violence erupts after Egyptian court hands out death sentences CAIRO: Violence erupted in Port Said on Saturday after an egyptian court handed down 21 death sentences in connection with the deadly riot last year at a football stadium in the Mediterranean city. At least 74 people were killed in the riot on February 1, 2012, which began minutes after the final whistle in a game between alMasry and the Cairo-based al-Ahly. Al-Masry fans stormed the pitch after their team won, throwing stones, bottles and fireworks at al-Ahly supporters. Witnesses said that police at the stadium did nothing to stop the violence, which set off days of violent protests in the capital Cairo. The verdicts are not final; death sentences must be approved by egypt’s grand mufti, though that is largely a procedural formality. Defendants can also appeal their sentences, which could take years to carry out. After the verdicts were handed down, the families of the defendants tried to storm the prison, and police used tear gas to disperse them. There were reports of gunfire around the prison, with 26 people killed, including at least two police officers who were shot dead. Police have now sealed off Port Said, and the army has been deployed to “restore stability”; a curfew has been imposed in the area around the prison. “It has been decided to deploy some units to work for calm and stability and the protection of public establishments,” said General Ahmed Wasfi, in a statement carried by the official MeNA news agency. Families of the victims inside the courtroom, meanwhile, reacted with joy and disbelief, cheering and holding pictures of their relatives. “The police are thugs,” yelled relatives before the judge took the bench. Hassan Mustafa, who had pinned a photo of his dead friend to his chest, said he was pleased with the verdict, but also wants “justice served for those who planned the killing.” The verdicts were also met with cheers by al-Ahly supporters who had gathered outside the football club in Cairo. But the rulings will likely be seen as political - an effort to appease the “Ultras Ahlawy,” die-hard supporters of al-Ahly, who threatened unrest in the capital if the rulings were not to their liking. Al-Ahly supporters have blocked roads, bridges, and Cairo’s metro system over the past few days. “Justice or blood,” they warned in a statement on Facebook. “There is nothing to say these people did anything, and we don’t understand what this verdict is based on,” one of the defendants’ lawyers told the Associated Press by telephone. “[This was] a political decision to calm the public.” Dozens of other defendants, including security officials accused of failing to stop the violence, are expected to receive their verdicts on March 9. All of this comes just hours after deadly protests that marked the second anniversary of the revolution that toppled longtime egyptian ruler Hosni Mubarak. Ten people were killed on Friday in antigovernment protests in Suez and Ismailia, and more than 470 people were wounded; Mohamed Morsi, the egyptian president, deployed the army in Suez to restore order. Representatives of the National Salvation Front, the main opposition bloc in egypt, held a press conference on Saturday to condemn the violence. The group demanded that Morsi appoint a new national unity government and form a committee to overhaul the recently-approved constitution, and threatened to boycott upcoming parliamentary elections unless its demands are met. aGEnciEs Hisham Qandil, the egyptian prime minister, sent a message to the thousands gathered at the egyptian capital’s now iconic Tahrir Square. Speaking at the World economic Forum in Davos, Qandil said “after you have aired out your voice and your statements, please go back to work. Work hard for yourself, for your people, for your family - because that’s the only way to achieve the aspirations of the egyptian revolution”. A 14-year-old boy, was among the six killed in Suez, where protesters set ablaze a building that once housed the city’s local government. Another person died in clashes in Ismailia, another Suez Canal city east of Cairo. The army deployed troops to the port city late on Friday to take over control of the city’s security. In re-
Protests erupt after Fallujah killings BAgHDAD aGEnciEs
Hundreds of anti-government protesters have blocked the main highway leading to the the Iraqi city of Fallujah, a day after at least five people were killed in troops firing. The protesters gathered in central Fallujah on Saturday for the funeral of those killed in the shooting. Mourners hoisted caskets and waved Iraqi flags while shouting “Allahu Akbar”! or God is great. At the protest, the latest in a series of demonstrations against the government of Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, shouts of “Listen Maliki, we are free people” were followed by “Take your lesson from Bashar,” a reference to Bashar al-Assad, president of Syria. The blocking of the highway, which runs to neighbouring Jordan, led to the deployment of federal police. The police presence comes as a bid by the ministry of defence to defuse the situation. Al Jazeera’s Jane Arraf, reporting from Baghdad, said the protests were only the latest in “a tense situation” around the country. Friday’s deaths in the predominantly Sunni town of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, were the first since protests began last month against alleged targeting of the Sunni minority community by the Shia-led authorities. “I will not be satisfied with compensation provided by the defence ministry,” said Ali Khalaf al-Ani, whose son Omar was killed on Friday, referring to an offer for financial compensation by Baghdad. “I want my son alive — that is my demand!” Maliki called for restraint by security forces in a statement issued by his office, but also said that soldiers had been attacked in the first place. “This is what al-Qaeda and terrorist groups are seeking to exploit,” he said. He also blamed “conspiracies” propagated by the intelligence agencies of neighbouring countries, supporters of now-executed Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, and al-Qaeda. The defence ministry has promised an investigation into the killings.
sponse to the deaths, Morsi called on egyptians to reject violence. The president urged “citizens to adhere to the values of the revolution, express opinions freely and peacefully and renounce violence,” said a message posted on his Twitter account. Police fired tear gas at protesters, as clashes broke out in two neighbourhoods of Alexandria, egypt’s second city. Demonstrators also stormed the governorate headquarters in the canal city of Ismailiya and attempted to storm two other buildings elsewhere, witnesses said. Calls for mass street protests against Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, from which he hails, were led by the secular-leaning opposition. Protesters were urged to use the same slogan used during the uprsing in 2011: “Bread, freedom, social justice.” Mohamed el Baradei, an opposition leader and former head of the UN’s atomic agency, wrote on his Twitter account: “Go out into the squares to finally achieve the objectives of the revolution”.
54 die in Venezuelan prison riot CARACAS: At least 54 people were killed and 88 others wounded in clashes at a prison in Venezuela’s northwestern city of Barquisimeto, a hospital director who was at the scene has said. Most of those injured at the Uribana prison in Lara state late on Friday suffered gunshot wounds, Ruy Medina, the hospital official said. Among the dead are a pastor and a member of the National Guard - the rest are said to be inmates, the hospital director said. He called the death toll “alarming”, saying it was based solely on bodies brought to the hospital. Saying that “prisons need to be places of re-education not for crimes and mafia”, Nicholas Maduro, Venezuelan vice president, said an “immediate investigation” had been launched into the circumstances surrounding the deaths. Medina said the inmates began arriving at the hospital shortly before midday, and that 14 of the injured had wounds severe enough to require surgery. Iris Varela, the government minister responsible for Venezuela’s jails and prisons, said the riot was set off after inmates rebelled when prison authorities launched a sweep of the facility in search of illicit weapons. Varela had said earlier in the day that there was an “undetermined number” of casualties from the melee. The state of Venezuelan prisons have often been called into question, especially for their overcrowding, which is among the worst in Latin America. While the country’s prisons have been built to house 14,000 inmates, there are almost 50,000 prisoners behind bars. aGEnciEs
Troops capture another town in northern Mali BAMAKO: French jets have bombed rebel positions as well as fuel stores and ammunition dumps near their Gao stronghold after capturing the town of Hombori in northern Mali. “At present, Malian and French soldiers are in Hombori,” said a teacher on Friday in the town, which lies 920km north of the capital Bamako and 200km west of Gao. “There are no longer any Islamists on the ground.” Allied forces are pushing ahead to Kidal and Timbuktu, where an alliance of Tuareg fighters and al-Qaeda-linked rebels seized the town back in April. To the west, the source added, French-led forces who had recaptured the town of Diabaly on Monday were pushing towards the town of Lere with the aim of “taking control of Timbuktu” further north. Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal were seized by an alliance of Tuareg rebels and Islamist groups last year. The Islamists hijacked the rebellion and sidelined the Tuaregs. But as the French-led assault against the rebels controlling northern Mali entered its third week, aid workers have warned about a growing food crisis for civilians. Hundreds of thousands of Malians, mainly Tuaregs, are escaping rebel-held areas in the north fearing a backlash. Refugees have been fleeing to the Malian-Mauritanian border, and the UN expects as many as 700,000 civilians will be displaced by the fighting. aGEnciEs
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News 09
Sunday, 27 January, 2013
PM urges nation to stand above differences, defeat forces of dissent ISLAMABAD
P
aPP
RIMe Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Friday urged the nation to stand united and rise above petty differences to thwart the designs of those who benefit from dissent and division. “Any division on the basis of caste, creed, language, or sect is bringing a bad name to the religion of Islam and the teachings of the world’s greatest leader Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him),” he said while addressing the 38th National Seerat Conference at the Pak-China Centre. Ashraf said that for the believers, Islam was a religion of peace, brotherhood, tolerance and justice. “But when we speak of dissent, or try to impose our way of life on others by force, it creates serious problems, further divisions, hate and chaos,” he told the gathering of religious scholars from various schools of thought. “We loose temper over minor things and resort to violence, while knowing well that we are the followers of one Allah, one Quran and the Sunnah of His Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),” he added. The prime minister termed it a denial of the teachings and urged that the nation needed to stand united to confront all internal and external challenges.
Amin Faheem elected as PPP president
When a religious scholar said that the entire community of clerics would support the prime minister if he raised voice against drone strikes, Ashraf replied that the government had taken up the matter at all international fora. “We have always said that drone attacks are not the solution,” he said and added that the government condemned and rejected all forms of terrorism that killed innocent people. The prime minister said US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson, who also attended the conference, had also been conveyed the same sentiments of the government. He said terrorism had
own specific agenda in the garb of Islam and were not only shattering peace and tranquillity of the country, but were also bringing a bad name to Islam. “Any follower of Holy Prophet (PBUH) and a true Pakistani can never be part of such a satanic attitude,” he said. The prime minister asked how the true followers of Islam be touted as terrorists. “Pakistanis are neither terrorists nor are they afraid of them, and by seeking guidance from the life and teachings of Holy Prophet (PBUH), they will defeat all the forces of evil and prove that Islam stands for peace and tolerance,” he added.
no cellular services on eid Milad prevented terrorism: Malik ISLAMABAD aPP
ISLAMABAD: Makhdoom Amin Faheem was elected as the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) president while PM Raja Pervez Ashraf was elected as the general secretary during party elections. The election was conducted by the party’s election commission, headed by Law Minister Farooq H Naek. In Punjab, Manzoor Wattoo was elected as provincial president and Tanveer Ashraf as the general secretary. Qaim Ali Shah and Taj Haider were elected as Sindh’s president and general secretary respectively. Anwar Saifullah will head the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa PPP. Sadiq Umrani and Baaz Muhammad Khan Khetran were elected as Balochistan’s president and general secretary respectively. OnLinE
caused a lot of damage to Pakistan and today no one felt safe anymore. “Our schools, homes and places of worship are no more safe. We live with a sense of constant fear,” he said. “It is time to show collective wisdom and find a way out, with patience, tolerance and unity.” The prime minister said that Islam categorically rejected all those who supported violence, extremism and terrorism, as those had no place in a religion that stood for peace and tolerance, and as was evident from the teachings and life of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He said that unfortunately a handful of elements were trying to impose their
Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday said that illegal mobile SIMS are used in terrorist activities across the country and that suspending cell phone services on eid Miladun Nabi helped stave off violence on eid Miladun Nabi. Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, Malik claimed that due to the closure of mobile services across in over 50 cities and towns, no act of terrorism took place in violence prone cities of Karachi and Quetta during eid Miladun Nabi.Minister added that the decision to suspend cell phone services was not taken unilaterally by the federal government, rather it was done on the request of respective provinces, including Punjab. BIOMETRIC SySTEMS AT SIM SALE POINTS: Malik on Saturday asked the mobile phone operators to complete installation of biometric systems, including fingerprint readers, at SIM sale points by February 28. The minister said the biometric systems can help confirm the identity
of mobile phone users since unregistered SIMs had become “instruments for terrorists to unleash violence.” After banning the sale of SIMs at retail outlets, the telecom regulator had asked all the mobile phone companies to install biometric systems at their stores for verifying the identity of customers till February 28. experts say biometric systems can communicate instantaneously with the data servers and validate the Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC) holders. Additionally, there is another module that can use GPRS or eDGe services to communicate with servers and can be deployed at retail outlets or at remote locations to verify the customer’s identity against the provided CNIC before selling a sim. Furthermore, users have been directed to register their mobile sims by February 1. yOUTUBE BLOCKINg: Responding to a question, Malik said that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had been directed to install filtration system for blocking unwanted websites. After the installation of the filtration system, YouTube would be unblocked.
operationS anD Drone attaCkS
Tribal elders to meet civil, military high-ups PESHAWAR: In a bid to bring an end to military action and US drone attacks in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, tribal elders on Saturday decided to establish contacts with both military and civilian highups. This decision was made at a jirga held on the invitation of tribal MNA and exfederal minister Hamidullah Jan in Peshawar. The jirga was attended by leading tribal elders and representatives from all seven tribal agencies and six frontier regions. The participants discussed the ongoing law and order situation of FATA and observed that tribesmen were suffering a lot due to the so-called war on terror. On one hand tribesmen, including women and children, are getting killed in military offensives, and on the other hand they are being targeted by US drones. The participants opposed both US drone attacks and military action in FATA. Tribal elders focused on plight of thousands of families who have abandoned their homes. These tribesmen are not only living in makeshift tents but are deprived of food, health and potable water. In this connection, the speakers at the jirga expressed concerns over policies of the government. A number of tribal elders also showed resentment over killing of 18 tribal people, including two children, and urged the government to hold inquire in this regard. The elders not only criticised security forces for its failure in protecting lives and property of innocent tribesmen but they also condemned police action against protesting tribesmen from Khyber Agency. Later, the participants agreed to form 40-member team to hold meetings with high-ups. Hamidullah Jan Afridi will head the team, which will meet the president, the chief of army staff, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor and corps commander Peshawar. The main purpose of the meetings is to convince the government to bring an end to military action and also to force the US government to stop drone attacks. A number of political parties, especially the Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam are also making similar demands. Whereas the ruling Awami National Party opposes such demands as they believe tribal elders are being dictated by militants. shamim shahiD
Landslide blocks flow of River Baltoro in Skardu ISLAMABAD: A massive landslide that blocked water flow of River Baltoro formed a lake, resulting in submerging of large areas and sparking fear among the residents in Skardu. The Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Secretary has directed local administration to install a warning system in the area, private news channel reported. He also asked the commissioner and deputy commissioner to visit Shigar, a sub-division of Skardu where the mountain landslide fell down in the river in the suburbs of Hoto. Around 40 feet deep water submerged four kilometers of area, blocking road leading to K2, the second highest mountain on earth. The water also flooded agricultural land and uprooted hundreds of trees. Villagers called on the government to take measures to evacuate them from the affected areas. aPP
Pakistanis used 149.278 million condoms in 2011-12 ISLAMABAD anwER abbas
In year 2011-12, Pakistanis used 149.278 million condoms, 6.223 million cycles of oral pills, 1.315 million insertions of internal uterine devices (IUDs) and 2.705 million vials of injectables, revealed a report released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The PBS report showed an unprecedented rise in the use of condoms as a contraceptive tool during the year 2011-12 as compared to last year. The Federally Administrated Tribal
Areas (FATA) witnessed a 60 percent increase in the use of condoms while the federal capital stood second with a rise of 27.9 percent. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the ratio of using condoms as a contraceptive tool remained 24.5 percent while Sindh showed a rise of 20.7 percent. In Punjab, rise in the use condoms was recorded at 18.7 percent. However, according to the report made available to Pakistan Today, a contradictory trend was witnessed in Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir where the use of condoms as a contraceptive tool saw a
decline in the year 2011-12. Balochistan recorded a decrease of 11.8 percent in the trend of using condoms as a contraceptive tool whereas the popularity graph of condoms fell down in Gilgit-Baltistan where a decrease of 5.4 percent was recorded. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, there was a decrease of 1.3 percent in the use of condoms. For oral pills, the report showed that FATA remained at the top with an increase of 46.2 percent in their use followed by Gilgit-Baltistan with a rise of 20.8 percent and the third place was occupied by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with
12.0 percent. In federal capital, the use of oral pills as a means of contraception showed a rise by 4.5 percent, Punjab 3.2 percent and Sindh showed a rise of 2.1 percent. Again in the case of Balochistan, the use of oral pills was discouraged by locals. The report showed that the use of oral contraceptive pills had decreased by 21.3 percent. The province/sector-wise comparison of contraceptive performance during the financial year 2011 -12 in terms of Couple Year of Protection (CYP) – an international indicator for data col-
lection – has been made with the previous year 2010-11 which showed that at the national level, an increase of 0.7 percent had been observed for all programme and non-programme outlets during 2011-12 as compared with 2010 -11. As far as the district Islamabad and FATA are concerned, the contraceptive performance for the financial year 2011-12 compared with 2010-11 depicted an increase of 19.5 percent and 37.4 percent respectively, whereas a decrease of 2.9 percent and 12.0 percent had been recorded in AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.
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10 Comment
Sunday, 27 January, 2013
Float a tender
Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami
Arif Nizami
The system will change you before you can change it
Editor Lahore – Ph: 042-36375963-5 Fax: 042-32535230 Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 Fax: 021-35381208 Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287273 Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk
How allies see us when outsiders teach us what democracy is
By Humayun gauhar
irst it was the Pakistani media followed by the courts that had raised the issue. Now one of Pakistan’s key allies, donors and trade partners has taken up the matter. Setting aside diplomatic niceties, the British High Commissioner has told journalists frankly that Pakistan needed radical change. Sharing concerns expressed last week by IMF mission chief to Pakistan Jeffrey R Franks, he reiterated that Pakistan’s economy was not growing fast enough. As if this was not sufficient, he added, “Pakistan’s governments – federal and provincial – are not delivering enough to the people.” He listed the ailing economy, power crisis and raging violent extremism as outcome of the failures of the federal and provincial governments. In normal circumstances this would have been considered an uncalled for interference in the country’s internal affairs. Things have, however, gone to such an extreme that the envoy of a country known for understatements has been forced to break the taboo. He also pointed out that democracy was not just about elections. “It is about living up to the standards you set. It is about politicians as role models. It is about earning the trust of the people and delivering for the people.” There is something seriously wrong when outsiders are forced to remind our leaders that they are neglecting their responsibilities to their own citizens. The ruling elite needs to ask themselves why Tahirul Qadri’s slogan for change in the system could charge tens of thousands of people who followed him all the way from Lahore to Islamabad for a change. Those who accompanied him in the march included a large number of women, some taking their children along. It was easily forgotten by the people that Qadri had chosen to acquire the citizenship of Canada turning his back on the country of his birth over six years back. People are fed up with the unending bloodshed in Karachi, forced disappearances in Balochistan, power shortages, lawlessness and rampant corruption all over the country. even in Punjab, presented by the PML-N as an island of tranquillity and good governance, things are hardly any better. Dengue fever visited the province twice, killing 247 people in 2011 alone. Government’s negligence led to the deaths of over 100 heart patients in Lahore caused by a contaminated heart medicine in 2011-12. In 2012, over 40 people died after taking a cough syrup which was injurious to health. In between, thousands of patients had to face the consequences of a number of strikes by doctors. Meanwhile, Lahore Metro Bus Service inauguration continues to be postponed prolonging the misery of the commuters and raising questions about the quality of governance in the province. What is needed is to urgently announce an election schedule and appoint a consensus caretaker setup. Hopefully, the next government would learn from the mistakes of its predecessors.
he Prophet (pbuh) lost a tooth in the Battle of Uhud, not Badr as I wrongly stated last week. Such memory lapses happen due to paucity of time: with fast unfolding events one has to wait till the last minute before writing. Mine was a memory lapse but Tahirul Qadri said many things in the heat of rhetoric that he will live to regret. Such language suits run-of-the-mill politicians, not revolutionaries claiming to be anchored in the ideology of the Almighty. Look at his intemperate language against Sharif Brothers Inc in his press conference after his march, during which he demanded that the president, the federal and provincial executives, and assemblies self-abolish themselves, or else. But when all politicians ganged up against him and Imran Khan refused to join his march, he embraced the sword of ‘Yazid’ and signed his four-point declaration with the prime minister whom he had earlier dismissed as ‘former’. Since then, he has not uttered a word against ‘Yazid’. In fact, many people think that his real purpose was to ensure that ‘Yazid’ won the next elections too. I had said in my first article that one must separate the message from the messenger. Qadri’s message had already been given by Imran Khan and the MQM and was nothing new. It was good, though limited. Limited because it was good for the well healed, the third player in the equation, comprising Qadri’s spiritual followers, those in his employ and, yes, thousands of ordinary middle class people fed up with the national condition. They wanted to make a statement and they made it forcefully. The fourth player in the equation was the media. In telecasting Qadri’s procession 24hours non-stop and still going on in discussion programmes, they gave Qadri the sort of boost that billions of dollars could not buy. Still, he fell flat on his face. The most important player in any equation is the ‘wretched of the earth’, the downtrodden, the unwashed, the unclean and the hungry, without a decent roof over their heads, the unshod with rags for clothes, people whose children are bred and brought up in the streets of the urban jungle or in the dust raised by the wheels of the vulgar speeding vehicles of feudal robber barons. They exist along with street dogs and vultures looking for scraps in the trashcans
F
T
Lessons in politics in india, secularism is at stake
border crossings By Kuldip Nayar
J
anuary 30 is the day when Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead by a Hindu fanatic for partition of India. Nathu Ram Godse who killed him remained unrepentant and said in his defence in the Punjab High Court, where the case was heard: “Gandhi was a hypocrite. even after the massacre of the Hindus by the Muslims, he was happy. The more the massacres of Hindus, the taller (he raised) his flag of secularism.” India paid a heavy price to uphold the values of pluralism. Yet a similar kind of incipient group has crept up, with the same ideas of eliminating those who are of
different religion or who have stuck to the ideal of secularism. This group is attacking India’s polity relentlessly and adding to its followers in the name of religion. Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has said that “reports have come during the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe that BJP and RSS conduct terror training camps to spread terrorism”. He further said: “Bombs were planted in Samjhauta express, Mecca Masjid and also a blast was carried out in Malegaon. We will have to think about it seriously...” The statement may be a bit sensational and I wish Shinde had not made it at this time when there is a fallout in India on what is happening at the border. And the facts he used at the Congress conclave at Jaipur raise doubts about his intent. He looked as if he was out to defame the BJP and the RSS. I have no quarrel with him because both bodies are out of step with the principles of secularism we pursue. What Shinde should have done is to produce evidence on which he has based his disclosures. A white paper before the next session of parliament in February is an appropriate measure. At a time when Islamist terrorism has already become a nightmare for the authorities, Hindu terrorism can be a greater threat because it will
of the rich and the mountains of urban waste left daily by municipal trash trucks. And that is where they die unnoticed, just another statistic. They were not in the equation because there was nothing in Qadri’s message for them. They couldn’t care less about legal and constitutional hairsplitting and niceties; whether certain articles in the constitution are assiduously followed or not and the rest of the balderdash of the overfed. They are concerned with sheer survival, with food and jobs, a dignified and secure life, shelter and clothing, healthcare and education and everything that goes to make their God-given fundamental birthrights – Haqooqul-Ibad – in this hypocritical Islamic state of ours where there are accidental Muslims everywhere with hardly any Islam anywhere, only rituals and customs and self-appointed ‘warriors of God’ on a killing spree. They are concerned with “self-evident truths” – “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. Nothing less. In parachuting down from Canada just before elections, Qadri’s timing was right too – ‘cometh the moment cometh the man’ they say. Qadri wasn’t the man – ‘cometh the moment cometh the pretender’. But he did show that collective action does shake up governments and politicians. He showed that Pakistanis are not wimps, unable to protest or launch revolutions. But he failed to show how to stand tall under pressure. Instead, he showed how to bend and become a player in the rapacious status quo. I can’t understand people who call themselves educated and take Qadri seriously. He reeks of hypocrisy. I have heard him on television telling a Pakistani audience that the blasphemy law was passed due to his efforts and that it applied to both Muslims and non-Muslims. Yet I have also heard him tell a western audience that the blasphemy law did not apply to non-Muslims. This is rank hypocrisy and opportunism. I have heard him crying and telling his weeping audience that the Prophet (pbuh) came to him in a dream and said that the was leaving Pakistan for good, but on his beseeching he agreed to stay on condition that Qadri be his host, responsible for his domestic travel, food and lodging and his return ticket to Medina. The audience of ignoramuses broke down. This is rank blasphemy and opportunism, exploiting the religious sentiments of people in search of an emotional home to gain a following of the ignorant. How can such a man be taken seriously? He needs a psychiatrist and so do those who admire him. But give the devil his due: Qadri did cast the first stone. Now it is for someone else to pick up the ball and take it from where Qadri dropped it in the ‘D’ and into the goalpost. Perhaps this is Imran Khan’s chance – his last chance perhaps – but with ‘Makhdoom’ (let’s us just call them ‘doom’) feudal lords to the left of him and to the right of him, not volleying and thundering but whispering and whining in his ear, I don’t hold out much hope. Though he talks revolution Qadri has joined the status quo little realising that while Islamic politics is revolutionary, western electoral poli-
contaminate the majority community. Communalism by the minority community can be tackled. But when it embraces the majority community, it can become fascism. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has alleged again at the same conclave that Hindu nationalist terrorism is the answer to Muslim one that comes reportedly from Pakistan. This may be correct but it does not help the situation developing in the country. A Muslim intellectual from Pakistan has emailed his comment: “While there is no denial that there is a Pakistani connection in some of the terrorist attacks in India such as 26 November, there should also be no doubt about the equally true fact that Indian Muslims themselves have many reasons to fight back on the Indian state that is treating them unfairly for now more than 60 years in India, just keeping in view the Babri Masjid attack and the murder of Muslims in Gujarat.” He further says, “In an increasingly violent world where the West is waging war for colonisation of natural resources and political influence everywhere, one should not be surprised to find out that violence creates new violence. every action has a reaction as we have seen in French misadventure in Mali and Algiers.” The response of the BJP is understandably hostile. It has demanded an apology from the prime minister and has threatened a bandh throughout the country. Yet after readmitting Kalyan Singh, who was chief minister when the Babri Masjid was demol-
tics is about preserving the status quo. Neither does Imran Khan. You cannot expect to upturn the status quo from within for it is so powerful and seductive that it will change you before you can change it – except for cosmetic changes that do nothing for the ‘wretched of the earth’. Our electoral system is so maleficent that it makes the oppressed elect their oppressors to represent them. Only Lucifer could have thought up such a system. You cannot expect the symptom to cure the disease, the headache to cure the cancer in the brain that causes it. It needs surgery. Qadri’s mistake was to talk revolution and yet say that he would remain within the constitution. How? The ultimate preservation of our man-eating system lies in the preservation of the constitution that codifies the rapacious status quo: this is what judges and lawyers are charged with, their purpose of existence. Yet Qadri expects his gaggle of lawyers to bring revolution. Lawyers and judges are there to prevent it. Qadri made many unconstitutional demands and got trapped in a web of contradictions. Finally, he was hoist on his own petard. He raised expectations and fell short – far too short – and was found wanting, a poor specimen of a revolutionary leader. A good revolutionary leader changes the course of history, like Jinnah did and before him the greatest revolutionary of them all, the Messenger of God (pbuh). He changed the course of history, and how. Had Qadri remained a traditional politician and not talked big he would have been judged well. He was a traditional politician before; he remains a traditional politician still. Pakistanis have been fooled yet again by a ‘messiah’ made of clay. Qadri’s supporters will say that now that the constitutional qualification articles for parliamentarians will be followed strictly things will start improving with better parliamentarians. Hardly: each politician not making the grade will unleash his ‘Mini Me’ on us and there will be many, for they will nominate their sons in their stead – or wives and daughters, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews… The question arises: what legal or constitutional validity does Qadri’s declaration have, even though the prime minister and his coalition have signed it? How can they sign an agreement with a private party that has no representation in parliament without floating a tender first, as they do when a public sector entity wants to buy goods or services? Let anyone and everyone give their draft declarations and let the best bidder win. As always, the Devil will take the hindmost. The most heartening thing to come out of Qadri’s march is that people have come a long way in the last five years. Then they thought that elections were the best panacea for their ills: democracy is the best revenge and all that jazz. Sure it is, and how. Now many have realised that the system is anti-people, anti-progress and the best preservative of our satanic status quo. Another five years and they will realise that this alien system has been foisted on us by the constitution, which is the real disease.
ished to the last brick, the BJP’s anger has lost sting. It should be defensive in its approach. Nonetheless, Shinde’s disclosures have lessened the sheen of Rahul Gandhi’s anointment as number two in the Congress. But this has not mattered with the party men who have suddenly begun calling Rahul, not Mr but Ji, the nomenclature the party uses for respect and acceptability. By elevating Rahul from the position of secretary-general to that of vice-president of the party does not declare if he is its nominee for the prime ministership in the 2014 general elections. He says he will build up the party. It looks rather odd that his mother, Sonia Gandhi, the president and he the vice-president, should be together building the party. But then the Congress, engripped by the dynastic politics, cannot help. It has to carry out Sonia Gandhi’s wishes, even though Manmohan Singh has lost importance and has become a lame duck prime minister. True, Rahul made a good, emotional speech at Jaipur. But what did it say, even if it is assumed that he wrote it himself? The observations like overhauling the system or fighting against corruption are empty words. How can he be taken seriously when he knows that his brother-inlaw Robert Vadra has dishonestly acquired lands in Haryana? People in India and abroad want to know Rahul’s views on the burning problems facing the country, not a goody-goody speech. He has never uttered a word on the international scene. Ordinarily, it may not be necessary to com-
ment on such subjects. But since he is a candidate for prime ministership he has to allow a peep into his mind on these topics. My hunch is that Rahul may not be the Congress candidate for the prime ministerial position in the next election. Sonia Gandhi, who reportedly wept on his elevation fearing that power was like poison, may carry on with Manmohan Singh as long as he lasts, if the Congress heads the post-election government. Rahul may step in after Manmohan Singh. Some other person may also be a possibility. Already Finance Minister P Chidambaram has engaged a tutor to learn Hindi. Sonia Gandhi is herself giving prominence to Parliamentary Minister Kamal Nath and has nominated him to lead the delegation at Davos. Commerce Ministrer Anand Sharma is only a delegate, although in the past the commerce minister has headed such delegations. The 2014 election may turn out to be a contest between secular and non-secular forces. However, the BJP will think twice before nominating Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. One, he will polarise the country; and two, the BJP will find it difficult to organise allies if he is projected as prime minister. The party should recall how the Vajpayee’s first government had to resign after 13 days in office because no other party was willing to join hands with it. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. The writer is a senior Indian journalist.
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Comment 11
Sunday, 27 January, 2013
Criminals, inc
Editor’s mail
no place left in the country for a measure of decency
I
t is not fiction. It is not hyperbole. It is not a pack of semantics. It does not simply exist in one’s deranged imagination. It is also not the manifestation of any hallucinatory trip. It is here, right in front of all of us. The antics of this bizarre government comprising alleged criminals, murderers, looters, gangsters and a host of woeful aberrations are distinguished only by the extent of their corruption, gross incompetence and arrogant defiance of the judiciary and the rule of law. An absolutely, unbelievably abhorrent spectacle! There is no shame. All this is being wantonly enacted in broad daylight. Victory signs are shown when being handcuffed. Lies are being told in public. Facts are being twisted openly. Achievements are being shamelessly concocted. Probing questions are being shunned. Honest investigators are being eliminated. Thieves and looters are being patronised. Criminal mafias are being promoted and perpetuated. National interests and sovereignty are being compromised. energy is scarce. Utilities needed for borderline survival are being rendered inaccessible to human reach. Banks are being looted and national coffers emptied. Contracts are being awarded to corrupt front men in a manner that cannot stand the test of scrutiny. Institutions are being liquidated. There is no strategy to fight the demons of terrorism and militancy. There is no security for the common people who are being butchered in the dozens on a daily basis. The country has been reduced to a string of no-go By Raoof Hasan areas being controlled, among ordinary street criminals, by some coalition partners also who routinely indulged in politics of extortion and murder. No one is safe. Leaving home, no one knows whether they would return unscathed from the gangs ruling the streets. If the going gets really tough, as it did in case of the SC order to arrest some top bunglers of the government including the prime minister, the goons are let loose on investigators to have them hung by the ceiling fan. The state agencies are encouraged, spearheaded by that inimitable interior minister, to help criminals escape the clutches of law using official vehicles and means. erroneous and deceptive briefs are prepared and submitted for decision-making purposes to facilitate the looting of the state exchequer. Crooks and cronies are hoisted at all critical positions to sponge off the state institutions. This is the revenge of democracy. It was promised to us and we have it. We are not supposed to protest. Instead, we are supposed to savour it and make arrangements to vote in the same criminals, or their close kith and kin who may be even more adept at the Machiavellian art of governance, to give us all the next ‘healthy’ dose of this revenge. We get it because we don’t protest. We get it because we are always scheming to become partners of the wily sys-
candid corner
tem that is being practised in the country. We suffer because we have lost our instinct to stand up for the right cause. We are humiliated because we have lost our courage and our ability to resist. We have become complicit in being led up a garden-path that inevitably perches us atop a precipice with nothing but a steep fall in front of us. We have become pawns in the hands of criminal manipulators who use us when needed and then dump us in some forsaken corner in gunny bags cut into bits and pieces. But we don’t learn. We are somehow convinced that success comes only to criminals and that we all have to become one to get anywhere. So we try to adopt the ways of the corrupt, the gangsters and the murderers. The more effort we put in, the deeper we sink in the quagmire without a way out. But success still evades us because we are only to be ‘used’. We will never get the reins to guide or control. Witnesses are brutally and systematically eliminated so that there is no one left to prove a murder. With gangsters calling the shots, there is hardly a place left in the country for a measure of decency. The only occupation that is perceived to offer opportunities to prosper is crime. If one hopes to get anywhere, the preferred way to go is to become part of a mafia. The more ‘criminal’ and the more ‘powerful’ the mafia, the more chances one has to succeed! For whatever may still be left, nepotism and patronising have been perfected to an art form. With the brewing of frustrations, violence has increased alarmingly. There are degrading symptoms visible all around us. Tolerance and peaceful co-existence are values of the past. The society is militantly divided along religious, ethnic, social and cultural lines and the chasm seems insurmountable. We are willing, even eager to kill if anyone dares disagree with what we choose to state. We stand on the pulpit without the knowledge and learning of being a leader. We sit in the parliament without the ability and comprehension to legislate. We are part of the executive without the honesty, ability and the commitment to take decisions fearlessly. We are just about everything without being anything: We are the hollow men We are stuffed men Our dried voices, when We whisper together Are quiet and meaningless As wind in dry grass Or rats’ feet over broken glass In our dry cellar —T S Eliot Religion has become a vehicle of spreading division rather than bringing the scattered tribes together. It is used as a convenient tool to distort history and fabricate halftruths that we all are supposed to believe. It is exploited as an instrument to exterminate those who disagree. It is also manipulated as a convenient cover to hide despicable crimes. Tragically, the voice from the pulpit is a voice of ignorance and obscurantism. This is the kind of stuff that an increasing number of madrassas are dishing out without a break. Their graduates are all among us waiting for their chance to take over and use their swords with abandon. Facing their onslaught, we would not even be a speck on the wall. The writer is a political analyst. He can be reached at raoofhasan@hotmail.com
Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan Fax: +92-42-32535230 E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively
Bureaucracy’s favours According to a media report, senior bureaucrats are putting pressure on the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to create plots in expensive sectors of Islamabad for allotment to BS 22 officers. The background of this story is that the former prime minister had approved a scheme for allotment of additional plots for federal secretaries and senior bureaucrats in BS 22. Civil servants in BS 17 and above are allotted only one plot at the time of retirement. This was a special favour for senior bureaucrats to oblige them for their services beyond the call of duty. The Public Accounts Committee has reservations about this scheme. The report has published the names of secretaries who have been allotted costly plots in Sector D-12. Many senior bureaucrats have plots in exclusive schemes in their own names or in the names of their family members. For example, some of them have got allotted very expensive plots in the National Police Foundation Housing Scheme in Sector e-11, at throwaway price, though entitled and deserving police officers have been denied plots in this prestigious scheme by the NPF management. The market price of a kanal-size plot in e-11 is more than two crore rupees. Invest a million and earn 20 million. Simple and easy way to become a millionaire overnight for senior bureaucrats. Role of the civil service world over is to serve the people by making peoplefriendly policies. In Pakistan, the senior bureaucrats make only self-serving policies; they are least interested in the welfare of junior officers and common man. A national commission is needed to probe the allotment of plots and farm houses in the capital to bureaucrats and their cronies. ASGHAR MAHMOOD Islamabad
‘CSS age limit’ This is apropos of the letter “CSS age limit” by Ghulam Murtaza. I wholeheartedly second the writer’s view that CSS exams are discriminated against by the government and the
time is ripe that reforms must be brought to the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) as soon as possible. The age bracket should widen enough to accommodate the CSS aspirants who have been suffering at the hands of discriminatory age policy since the last decade. The president and the prime minister were requested, Chairman FPSC was sought, the high courts were petitioned but all that seems to have been beating around the bush and nothing else. What course of action the CSS aspirants ought to take that will grant them their legitimate right? Those who can address people’s grievances are busy playing roles in political dramas. But every cloud has a silver lining, as they say, so CSS aspirants have pinned their last hope on the Chief Justice of Pakistan now. Hopefully, the overage CSS aspirants will reach the shore in this storm. ASIF AMIN Islamabad
Imported used cars I would like to draw your attention to the recent news in the media regarding government’s policy for reducing the used car import age limit to three years. This is indeed a good step taken by the government, as the decision will help save the country from turning into a junkyard of imported used cars. And hopefully unfortunate consumers like me will now have a lesser chance of being ripped off by the dealer mafia. Buying an imported used car is not the issue; the issue arises when you spend your hard-earned income on a car sold to you on false pretext of being in excellent condition. Being a victim myself, I can empathise with people who have suffered a similar fate. In my case, I own an imported used car Allion 1500 cc, which appeared to be in good condition at the time of purchase. But after a while there were problems with the suspension and to top it off, the shocks were not available in the local market and had to be brought from Dubai at an exuberant price. I thought I had bought a car within my means but I ended up having it stuck at the mechanics instead of having it running on the roads. For a change, the government’s policy to reduce imported used car age-limit not only supports the local industry and benefits the economy but is also favourable for the consumers. With a shorter age limit of imported used cars, there is a lesser chance of having the junk of other countries pile up in our midst. ALAMGIR KHAN Karachi
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JAIPUR LITERARY FESTIVAL 2013 Javed Akhtar and Kancha Illaiah spar on gender equality in religion
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NEWS DESK
He literature fest is no stranger to religious controversy - but it isn’t usually the result of two famous visitors snapping at each other. Day 2, however, started off with a row between Dalit activist and writer Kancha Illaiah and Bollywood lyricist and scriptwriter Javed Akhtar right on the venue’s front lawn. Illaiah, who was expounding on the equality of the two sexes that Buddhism provided to its followers, was confronted by Akhtar who, speaking as an atheist, said that no religion gave equality to women and weaker sections and choosing one’s religion was in fact a bit like “choosing which cave one wanted to live in.” “Discussing religion
was like discussing which cave will be better to live. If you want to follow a religion, follow any religion. It does not matter. If you have decided to commit suicide, does it matter how you do it?,” he said, to a round of applause from the audience, who were at a panel titled, ‘God as a political philosopher: Dalit perspectives on
A Lesson in Sobriety
Buddhism.’ Sharia law His idea was opposed by the noted journalist Mary Harper who said that scores of people were being amputated, mutilated and stoned by groups who’ve adopted Sharia as their identity. The discussion on Sharia drew a lot of crowd many of which did not miss a chance to carry on their debates
with engineer well after the panel officially disbanded. Salman Rushdie, whose absence has kept people talking since the event began, was finally mentioned briefly in a discussion on classical literature. easing tensions somewhat on the name that many thought must not be spoken aloud, Tom Holland, British novelist, nominating Midnight’s Children as the contemporary classic rhetorically asked permission before he could utter the author’s name, “am I allowed to mention the Rushdie word?” The day finally ended with some Jewish humour as booker prize winner Howard Jacobson and novelist Gary Shteyngart spoke about the character of novels considered ‘Jewish’ and the culture surrounding it.
A book signing session at the Jaipur literature Festival.
veteran children's book writer Ruskin Bond signs autographs for the visitors.
india is our guru and we are your chelas: Dalai Lama NEWS DESK
It was the longest 17 hours in JLF history. And the driest. everyone was forced into sobriety, thanks to a sudden decision by the government that declared Jan 25 and 26 as “Dry Days”, in obeisance to the birth and death anniversary of the Prophet Mohammed, and Republic Day. Life is currently being measured by coffee spoons, and the only form of intoxication permitted on the premises since the nosmoking ban was introduced today are the panel discussions, most of which have been fairly excellent. Post-interview, there was a fine session by historian Tom Holland who delivered a rigorous yet entertaining lecture titled “Persian Fire: The First Battle for the West” ending with an astute statement, “The impact of Persia on posterity was no less than that of Greece.” everyone was astonished and overwhelmed by the packed-beyondcapacity seating space at the Mughal Tent ahead of the session titled “Out of Africa”. However, when a housekeeping announcement was made informing the audience that the panel titled “Corner of a Distant Playing Field” was no longer happening at the Mughal tent but at the Front Lawns, an exodus took place. The African writers clearly couldn’t compete with the magnetism of cricketer Rahul Dravid. everyone stayed put and enjoyed listening to moderator Kwasi Kwarteng put reporter Anjan Sundaram on the spot about his almost touristy perceptions of Congo, a site Sundaram has been covering for international publications like The Guardian and The New York Times. Award-winning writer Aminatta Forna spoke about her memoir “The Devil that Danced on the Water” and Mary Harper, Africa editor for the BBC World Service spoke about her experiences within the continent, making for a fairly memorable session. everyone is counting the hours until Day 4, when we can finally break our collective fast and get into some seriously festive mood. cOuRTEsy bai
After a quiet morning with sparse crowd, the Diggi Palace was suddenly overrun with visitors aching to catch a glimpse of the festival guest whose name was announced just a week ago - the Dalai Lama. “India is our guru,” the Nobel Peace prize winner told the appreciative crowd, “and we are your chelas. All the knowledge that has come to us has come from India.”In a meandering conversation that covered Buddhism’s relation to science, his understanding of corruption and secularism, the Tibetan leader insisted that - even at 77 - he is still discovering the world. “I try to learn whatever I can,” the
urvashi Butalia, founder of India's first feminist publishing house with one of the participants.
Lama said, in conversation with British novelist Pico Iyer. “I still consider myself a student,” he added.After the session, he answered questions about the nature of Indian society, talking in particular about the gang rape incident that has brought young Indians to the streets.
Author JM Coetzee arrives at the venue as writer william dalrymple makes way for him.
Sex and Bollywood take Day 2 by storm JLF doesn’t shy away from creating literary storm A literature festival might conjure up images of fusty old professorial types discussing the intricacies of Shakespeare or foreigners explaining the difficulty of working in translation. And, while Jaipur has plenty of that, day 2 of the festival saw crowds gathering for reasons more familiar to the wider public - celebrities and sex. Bollywood loomed all over ‘filmy Friday,’ with audiences lining up half-an-hour ahead of time to grab seats for sessions featuring legendary actors Shabana Azmi and Sharmila Tagore as well as festival regulars Javed Akhtar and Prasoon Joshi. “Back in the old days people were really star crazy,” Tagore insisted. “Those days when they saw us, we were really mobbed.” Predictably, in spite of her claim that things had changed, the Kashmir Ki Kali star was unable to make her way off stage without security having to hold back adoring fans. The cinema has seen the emergence of the ‘item’ girl - a stereotype that was squarely in Shabana Azmi’s gunsights during a session on sex in Indian cinema. “Women ought to fight the film industry’s motive of making an ‘item’ of them,” the renowned actor said. “Women should be represented as they are in normal life: working middleclass with a lot of responsibility.” Lyricist Prasoon Joshi diagnosed the Bollywood tendency squarely enough to prompt titters from the audience. “In India everyone is crazy over breasts,” he said. “That’s why they have those strange camera angles and women coming out of the water dripping wet... (but also) everyone in India wants to make a mother out of the women.” nEws DEsK
QUESTIONS FROM THE LITFEST
Where is MohaMMed hanif? After all that outrage about Pakistani writers threatened and then welcomed, one of the biggest draws of the festival has gone missing. No explanations offered. Odd. Very odd. What’s the press-topublic ratio? The sea of humanity which engulfed Pico Iyer at the sixth edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival, comprises mostly of green ‘press’ card holders. So who else, other than the media, is attending the festival? WHAT’S IN STORE fOR THE PERSON WHO TWEETS THE MOST fROM JAIPUR? Because just about everyone here is
Discussions on Sharia law, gay and lesbian literature and the 18th century sexual revolution The Jaipur Literature Festival, which had hit the headlines last year for protest against Salman Rushdie ‘s participation, is gearing up for another explosive season. The festival, in its 6th year, has decided to include controversial subjects such as Sharia law, gay and lesbian literature and the 18th century sexual revolution, among others. It is scheduled to be held from January 24 to 28. The organisers have claimed that the international list of authors participating at this year’s festival is the “most cerebral, intellectuallystimulating and high-powered ever fielded”. In fiction this year, the festival proposes to host Commonwealth Prizewinner Aminatta Forna from Sierra Leone, Booker Prize-winner Howard Jacobson, two Orange Prizewinners, Linda Grant and Madeline Miller, and Abraham Verghese - the bestselling writer of Indian origin in the US. Two of the respected novelists in the Arab world - Ahdaf Soueif and Tahar Ben Jalloun - are also expected to attend the festival. Sharing his enthusiasm festival co-director William Dalrymple said: “It’s going to be absolutely extraordinary five days and only wish it were possible to clone oneself so that one could attend five sessions simultaneously.” nEws DEsK
busy tweeting. either from a publication’s official Twitter handle or their own, everyone is tweeting. While they are eating, while they are getting books signed. While waiting to use the washrooms, it’s all about Twitter. So what’s the prize that all the Twitteratis seem to be after? WHERE DO I fIND A CHARgINg POINT? It’s obvious from the long lines, not outside the loos, but beside charging points, that the most in demand gadget seems to be a Blackberry charger. Be it a Macbook or an iPhone, these things suck energy at unimaginable rates and those who are at the Diggi Palace all day long
need to find a charging point. Point to be noted: Many a war has been fought over a charging point. HOW ExACTLy DOES ONE gET THE BEST SEATS? This question needs to be directed towards certain groups of people who somehow always manage to find themselves the best seats in town. I have even mulled landing up at the preceding session just to be able to attend a session of my choice, peacefully seated. Yet to happen. (Not counting the one time I was offered a seat by a gentleman in pink.) WHy IS EvERyONE DRESSED EITHER fOR ExTREME WINTER OR ExTREME
SUMMER? It’s always sunny in Jaipur. It’s also windy right now. But that still doesn’t explain the extra large boots made to order or the lack of a bottom. It’s either way too many clothes defined by the sweltering foreheads, or lack of warm clothing, evident by the shivering. WHERE ARE THE CONTROvERSIES? everyone from Pico Iyer to Akash Kapur seems to be gushing over each other and creating mutual admiration societies. So, where did the spats and fights go? The kind that the literary world is infamous for.
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c to r raveena tandon who essayed the role of a woman who rises against all odds, after going through mental and physical torture at the hands of her husband, in her last film ‘Shobhna’s Seven Nights’ says that she feels strongly about the way men treat women. “I am a daughter and I have a daughter. Sometimes I wonder where this inhuman behaviour comes from. At times when I am waiting at signals and I see some boys torturing a stray dog, I can foresee that these kids will eventually turn into future sadists. What is really required is for parents to teach their children basic things like love and compassion. And compassion comes from roots.” talking from personal experience, raveena narrates an incident which was quite disturbing. “once I was invited as a judge for a reality show on a popular music channel along with actor Arjun rampal and designer Manish Malhotra. there was no security there. While the three of us were walking towards our seats, some guy standing next to me passed an awful comment about me. My immediate reaction was anger and I slapped the guy because of his comments. In response, the group of guys went to the bar, got liquor bottles and poured it over me. Arjun started hitting the man and Manish covered me. It is something that I can never get out of my mind because of the humiliation I had to face. If I hadn’t hit the guy maybe nothing that occurred later would have happened. But my question is why should any girl take this kind of behaviour lying down? I believe it is entirely the government’s responsibility to make women feel safe in our country. It is important to eradicate illiteracy, which is also a major cause of such problems,” raveena says. the actor says that she is deliberately keeping away from films because she has been offered ‘shoddy work in mainstream cinema’ and will take up offers that ‘allow me to maintain my dignity’. nEws DEsK
Apple’s co-founder Wozniak says Steve Jobs film inaccurate
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Opera on nazi atrocities premieres in Vienna NEWS DESK An opera about Nazi atrocities on children suffering with physical and mental handicaps at a hospital in Vienna after Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany had its world premiere Friday. “Spiegelgrund” by contemporary Austrian composer Hannes Androsch was performed at the Austrian parliament. The composer has dedicated the work to his greatgrandfather, who died in a Nazi concentration camp. The opera deals with the atrocities at the Am Spiegelgrund clinic in Vienna between 1938 and 1945, where many disabled children, mainly Jewish, died. Revelations in recent years have
shown that thousands of frail children were murdered as part of the Third Reich’s “euthanasia” programme designed to rid society of
people deemed unfit to live. In the Vienna hospital alone, 789 sick and disabled children died. “It is the duty of each generation
to confront the tragedy of the Holocaust,” said the 50-year-old composer. In the opera, Androsch wanted to trace the continuing horror of atrocities against children from antiquity to Nazism. His work includes descriptions by Plutarch of the draconian treatment of children in the Greek state of Sparta, and traditional children’s songs evoking the mistreatment and the memories of those who survived the Vienna hospital. The opera was unveiled as the world prepares to mark Holocaust Memorial Day on Sunday, January 27, the date in 1945 when the Soviet army liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp in then occupied Poland.
CELEBRITY TWEETS From Michael Jackson to Beyoncé,
a brief history of lip syncing SHAZAF FATIMA HAIDER ghoray baich kar sona: sleeping after horse-sale.
PPLe co-founder Steve Wozniak has come out and said that the preview scene from the upcoming Steve Jobs biopic is totally inaccurate, Gizmodo’s Jesus Diaz reports. the scene depicts Steve Jobs trying to persuade Wozniak to bring the idea of the operating system to the public. In the clip, Wozniak, played by Josh Gad, replies, “Nobody wants to buy a computer. Nobody.” But Wozniak says that it’s “totally wrong.” “Not close...,” Wozniak wrote in a comment on Gizmodo. “We never had such interaction and roles...I’m not even sure what it’s getting at...personalities are very wrong although mine is closer...don’t forget that my purpose was inspired by the values of the Homebrew computer club along with ideas of the value of such machines and Steve J. wasn’t around and didn’t attend the club so he was the one learning about such social impact of the future.” nEws DEsK
Jane Austen’s ‘Pride & Prejudice’ turns 200
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t is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” is one of the greatest stories of all time. Well, one of the greatest in 200 years at least. this year marks a major milestone for “Pride and Prejudice,” first published in January 1813 and still one of Austen’s most popular works. And the novel’s fan following isn’t just because of colin firth’s portrayal of the handsome and stoic Mr. Darcy in the 1995 “Pride and Prejudice” BBc miniseries. even after two centuries, casual readers and avid Austen fans — often referred to as “Janeites” or “Austenites” — can still relate to the story’s issues and characters. “It’s such a charming book, and it’s so witty,” said elizabeth Steele, a Philadelphia resident and member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. “I’ve read this so many times, I don’t know how many times I’ve read it. ten years ago, I lost count at about 20.” nEws DEsK
AYSHA RAJA Would love to have seen Elif Batuman at JLF. In fact she, Ahdaf Soueif, and Selma Dabbagh are my dream ticket
ZOE VICCAJI I Mohatta palace is hands down the most beautiful space for a performance!
MUSHARRAF A FAROOQI CTC shall rise from its ashes with a paratha roll in its maw.
SHARMEEN OBAID Looking forward 2 being on a panel at #Jaipurlitfest 2 discuss the question of failed states!
Here are some “great” lip syncing performances throughout the ages. n In of the most famous lip-syncing scandals ever, Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan – better known as Milli Vanilli – were outed as lip -syncers during a 1990 concert when their pre-recorded track started skipping. When it was revealed they didn’t even sing on their studio albums, they returned their Grammys and quickly fell from grace. Their names are now synonymous with faking it. n Ashlee Simpson was outed during a 2004 Saturday Night Live performance when her backing track played a song different from the one she was singing. She tried to play it off by awkwardly dancing around the stage, but was the laughing stock of the entertainment world for a few days. n At the 2007 BeT awards, 50 Cent stumbled through his performance, missing cues and then being thrown for a loop when his music started looping instead of playing the vocals. n In 1983, Michael Jackson lip synced his way through “Billi Jean” during
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a Motown anniversary special on television. His performance of the song was still so great, no one seemed to care he wasn’t really singing. In an August 2003 show at Madison Square Garden, R. Kelly put down his mic during a song and let the pre-recorded track go on singing. On purpose. The audience supposedly responded positively. At Super Bowl XLIII, Jennifer Hudson lip-synced the National Anthem because the producer said there were too many “variables” to do the song live. During this partially lip-synced performance on Good Morning America, Mariah Carey actually sings the words “Stop singing my part, baby” to a backup singer. Britney Spears, a repeat offender of lip-syncing crime, made her fake vocals so obvious during an Australian concert that fans walked out. Not only did Luciano Pavarotti lip sync ”Nessun Dorma” during the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics, but the orchestra and conductor faked it as well.
JLo had hard time getting out of bed during divorce
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e N N I f e r Lopez has revealed that she was struggling with depression during her divorce from former hubby Marc Anthony while filming her new movie Parker. the Latin diva told the New York Post at the cinema Society screening at the Museum of Modern Art on Wednesday that it was so hard for her to get out of bed to go to the set. She said that she was going through one of the hardest moments of her life with her separation and the kids. Lopez and Anthony ended their marriage after seven years in July 2011. the singer admitted that it was very difficult. “In front of the kids and at work you have to be so professional and so up for your children in that moment. I was lucky to be in front of the cameras and act exactly how I felt,” she added. nEws DEsK
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Sunday, 27 January, 2013
SCientiStS revive Bird flu
reSearCh amid Contagion fear
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IRD flu experts decided to shut down their research last year over government concerns that samples could cause contagion outside the lab. Now, some 40 scientists—in countries which have set up research guidelines—are set to dive back into their investigations, they say. The US hasn’t established its own rules yet, meaning researchers here will have to wait a little longer, the Los Angeles Times reports. A top infectious disease official says the US, the leading pocketbook behind flu research, will have a funding structure in place “within a relatively short period of time—I hope measured in weeks.” Researchers say we’d better hurry: The risk for mutation into a more contagious form “exists in nature already. Not doing the research is really putting us in danger.” Just nine mutations would be enough to make the virus transmissible, and in flu terms, “nine is almost none,” says a Wisconsin virologist. Others worry, however, that reporting experiments could give less-cautious scientists a “blueprint” for their own work. “If they go ahead and the virus escapes, it’s done,” says an expert. “You cannot contain influenza.” nEws DEsK
HIV’s origins stretch back millions of years
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OUSINS” of the HIV virus are millions of years old—not tens of thousands, as previous research has suggested, according to a new study. Researchers in Seattle examined HIV-like viruses in a range of primates. Genetic changes in monkey and ape immune systems point to the development of such viruses between five million and 12 million years ago, the BBC reports. HIV-like viruses known as lentiviruses occur frequently in primates, and in the 20th century, a similar pathogen transitioned from chimpanzees to humans. “While primate lentiviruses may have modern consequences for human health, they have ancient origins in our nonhuman primate relatives,” says a scientist. nEws DEsK
Pepsi yanks controversial Gatorade ingredient
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ePSICO is removing a controversial ingredient from its Gatorade sports drink following customer complaints. A spokeswoman says the move had been in the works for the past year after the company began “hearing rumblings” from consumers about the ingredient. She said it wasn’t a response to a petition on Change.org, which noted that the ingredient, brominated vegetable oil, has been patented as a flame retardant and is banned in Japan and the european Union. (The petition has been updated with a “Victory” note.) The Pepsi spokeswoman said the ingredient is used as an “emulsifier,” meaning it distributes flavoring more evenly so that it doesn’t collect at the surface. She said it was used in select flavors including orange and citrus. Brominated vegetable oil, or BVO, is still used in other PepsiCo drinks, including Mountain Dew. The ingredient is also listed in some flavors of Powerade, made by rival Coca-Cola. nEws DEsK
Police investigate dummy taped to baby’s mouth at hospital Police are investigating after a premature baby in intensive care at scandal-hit Stafford Hospital had a dummy taped to his mouth by a nurse to prevent him crying. The baby’s mother, Sarah Fellows, said the act was both cruel and potentially dangerous. Staffordshire Police said they were in the early stages of an investigation into the baby’s treatment at the hospital, which is at the centre of a public inquiry into serious failings of care. A nurse has been suspended while police investigate what happened. The trust which runs the hospital has apologised to the family of the baby, who was not injured in the incident. The latest scandal comes after an an independent inquiry into the trust found it had ‘routinely neglected patients’, with calls for major NHS reforms as a result. Mason Fellows, who was born 11 weeks premature weighing 2lb 10oz with twin Reece weighing 2lb 5oz, was transferred to the hos-
New bestseller: Novel about ...Hitler’s return
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DOLF Hitler doesn’t seem like a hilarious subject, but a German writer did indeed write a comic novel about the Führer, and it’s now a bestseller in the country. er Ist Wieder Da (“He’s Back”) by Timur Vermes imagines Hitler waking up in 2011 with no memory of the previous 66 years, AFP reports. The nearly 400-page tome has Hitler discovering jeans and cooking shows, being surprised by the fact that a woman is in charge, and trying to create an email address only to discover that his preferred “Hitler89,” a reference to his date of birth, is already taken. The book’s version of Hitler, of course, soon becomes a reality television and YouTube star. Though some think the book is in poor taste, others see it as a political satire. The author’s take: “We too often harbor the negative attitude of those who see Hitler only as a monster to make themselves feel better. I thought it was important to show how he would operate and how he would act in today’s world.” An english-language edition is planned. nEws DEsK
pital in mid-November after suffering breathing difficulties. His mother told the Daily Mail: ‘I’m so angry. Mason has a weak respiratory system because he was born premature and he could have suffocated. ‘He may need to go back to hospital. It terrifies me that this nurse could be free to do this again to him or somebody else.’ She said whoever put the dummy in Mason’s mouth ‘obviously couldn’t be bothered to tend to a crying baby and just shoved the dummy in to try and shut him up’. ‘even after all the horror stories surrounding Stafford Hospital, I never thought it was possible for something like this to happen,’ the 28-year-old trainee nurse said. Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust’s director of nursing and midwifery Colin Ovington said in a statement: ‘We have a zero tolerance approach to poor patient care and we take immediate, appropriate action as soon as we know about any potential serious incidents which happen in our hospitals. ‘One of our recent incidents involved a dummy that was found taped on to a baby’s face. Fortunately, the baby was unharmed.” A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said officers from the Protecting Vulnerable People Department are ‘at the very early stages of investigating a complaint concerning the treatment of a baby boy by a member of staff at Stafford Hospital earlier this month’. nEws DEsK
Bosses held hostage over 2-minute bathroom breaks
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UNDReDS of Chinese factory workers held their Japanese and Chinese managers hostage for a day and a half over ... strictly timed bathroom breaks. About 1,000 workers at Shanghai Shinmei electric Company kept the 18 managers inside the factory in Shanghai starting Friday morning until just before midnight Saturday. The managers were released uninjured after 300 police officers were called to the factory. A security guard at the plant explained that the workers “demanded the scrapping of the ridiculously strict requirements stipulating that workers only have two minutes to go to the toilet and workers will be fined [$8] if they are late once and fired if they are late twice.” The managers apparently agreed to reconsider the rules. nEws DEsK
School cans guy over moose-butchering fantasy This may just be the weirdest story you read all day: A Columbia University-trained educator was booted from his volunteer gig at a Brooklyn school because he emailed a female teacher ... about butchering a moose. John DeWind, 64, tells DNAinfo.com he was just trying to show the teacher an example of one of his assignments, in which students are told to write about everything going wrong, and that he was trying to be funny. But the email, which was apparently an invitation for the woman and her boyfriend to visit his family’s Vermont home, came out just plain bizarre: It imagines the teacher and her boyfriend arriving with a box of cookies, only to find DeWind on the porch. “Little to [sic] you know he has recently killed a moose and plans to give you five pounds of moose meat.” The imaginary DeWind then, for some reason, thinks the boyfriend is a butcher and “envisages the two men bonding over the carving of the rest of the corpse. How he got the impression your boyfriend was a butcher is not clear, perhaps in a dream, but what is
clear is that the encounter is going to be horribly embarrassing for everyone, and things are made no better when John turns on your sister and asks, ‘Well surely you know how to carve up an animal.’” DeWind, who was volunteering as an adviser to the school’s literary journal and newspaper, was asked not to return after the teacher reported the email. The school later filed a complaint with the NYPD, claiming DeWind had been sending threatening emails to officials and trespassing at school events. nEws DEsK
German soldiers growing breasts—on one side
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S part of their training, elite German troops of the Wachbataillon do a lot of chestbeating, repeatedly whacking their rifles on the left side of their chests. That’s stimulating unusual hormone production, according to experts. The result: The guys are growing breasts—just on the left side, the German Herald reports. Some 74% of battalion members who approached army doctors about the condition were diagnosed with one-sided gynecomastia. “They need to change the way they drill. The constant slamming of the rifles against the left-hand side of the chest is clearly a significant factor,” says a military plastic surgeon. Military leaders say they’ll look into it and make any needed changes. nEws DEsK
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Sunday, 27 January, 2013
Sri Lanka beat Australia in Sydney T20 SYDNEY aGEnciEs
David Warner's unbeaten 90 went in vain as Sri Lanka beat Australia by five wickets in the first Twenty20 International on Saturday to go 1-0 up in the two-match series. Shot-making was not easy on the drop-in pitch at Sydney's Olympic Stadium but Warner blasted an unbeaten 62-ball 90 in a brilliant display of controlled aggression to power Australia to 137 for three wickets. Kushal Perera (33) and captain Angelo Mathews (35 not out) shone with the bat for Sri Lanka before Thisara Perera (19 not out) clobbered back-to-back sixes to see the visitors home with seven balls to spare. Melbourne hosts the second and final match on Monday. Australia were
reeling at 53-3 in nine overs after opting to bat first on a tricky surface before Warner added 84 runs in 11 overs with Adam Voges (25 not out) to give the bowlers a decent total to defend. The hosts lost opener Aaron Finch (one) in the second over when Kushal Perera took a diving catch at short cover after Nuwan Kulasekara had induced a thick leading edge. Shaun Marsh (six) was sent back by Tillakaratne Dilshan's direct throw while Australia captain George Bailey (11) did not last long either, leaving the onus on Warner to put up a fighting total. Warner hit Kulasekara for a boundary to bring up his fifty before hitting Mathews for a four and a six in an eventful over in which Kulasekara dropped him at mid-wicket when the batsman was on 69. In
contrast, Sri Lanka were off to a flying start with openers Kushal Perera and Dilshan (16) adding 46 runs before departing in successive overs. Dilshan was soon in his elements, bending down to play that audacious scoop shot off Mitchell Starc that sailed over the wicketkeeper's head for a six. Two overs after playing the "Dilscoop", the right-hander sustained a nasty cut over his right eye but batted on with a bandaged eyebrow until Ben Laughlin ran backwards to take a spectacular diving catch and send him back. Glen Maxwell removed Kushal Perera and Dinesh Chandimal to trigger a midinnings collapse but Mathews stayed put while Thisara Perera struck successive sixes off Laughlin to score the winning runs.
scOREbOaRD ausTRaLia: 90 D. warner not out 1 a. finch c K. Perera b Kulasekara 6 s. marsh run out 11 G. bailey c Dilshan b T. Perera a. Voges not out 25 Extras (b-1, lb-2, w-1) 4 Total (for 3 wickets in 20 overs) 137 fall of wickets: 1-8 2-31 3-53. bowling: mathews 4-0-39-0 (w-1), Kulasekara 4-0-21-1, malinga 4-0-19-0, T. Perera 4-0-29-1, mendis 4-0-26-0. sRi LanKa: K. Perera c wade b maxwell 33 T. Dilshan c Laughlin b Doherty 16 m. Jayawardene b Doherty 8 5 D. chandimal c cutting b maxwell 35 a. mathews not out 20 L. Thirimanne c Voges b starc 19 T. Perera not out Extras (lb-2, w-1) 3 Total (for 5 wickets in 18.5 overs) 139 fall of wickets: 1-46 2-53 3-61 4-69 5-104. bowling: Doherty 4-0-21-2, starc 4-0-19-1 (w-1), cutting 3-0-27-0, Laughlin 3.5-0-46-0, maxwell 3-0-15-2, finch 1-0-9-0.
Top 5 esteemed officials to supervise Pakistan League
LAHORE
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sTaff REPORT
He Pakistan cricket Board has lured in top five umpired of the International cricket Council elite penal for the Pakistan Super league. Apart from Aleem Dar and Asad Rauf, three other esteemed international Match Officials – Mike Procter, Rudi Koertzen and Russell Tiffin– have confirmed their participation in the inaugural Pakistan Super League 2013. The PSL management is excited by these appointments after receiving positive responses from international players and match officials over the past few days. Mike Procter, the legendary South African all-rounder of the 1970s and 1980s vintage, who was a highly re-
spected ICC Match Referee, will be seen in action together with Rudi Koertzen, the much respected South African former ICC elite Panel umpire, and Russell Tiffin, the Zimbabwean umpire currently serving on the ICC’s international panel of umpires. Currently in Bangladesh, Mike Procter said: “I am delighted to announce that I have agreed to be one of the Match Referees in the upcoming Pakistan Super League. I was approached by the PSL management team and after due consideration, I am looking forward to being a part of this exciting event in Pakistan. “I have always thought very highly of the talent and potential of Pakistan cricket and over the years I have made many friends in Pakistan cricket. It is unfortunate that Pakistan and its fans do not currently
enjoy their beloved international cricket stars at home and this cannot remain so. I am willing to get involved and to help change perceptions about cricket being played in Pakistan. On accepting the offer to officiate in the PSL, Rudi Koertzen said from South Africa: “We all know that Pakistan is going through a trying phase and we in the cricket family need to do what we can to help. It remains a very vibrant cricketing nation that always impresses us with its resilience. I have never had any problem umpiring in Pakistan, and I am actually looking forward to go over and catch up with old friends" Russel Tiffin, who has been on the ICC International Panel of Umpires since 1995, said from Zimbabwe: “I have been to Pakistan before on cricketing assignments and I am keen to
take part in the PSL. With the talent we know that exists in Pakistan, I am sure this competition will be quite a spectacle and I cannot wait to be a part of it. “I know about the challenges which Pakistan cricket faces and I know from my own experiences at home how perceptions can cloud the realities. I am confident that the PCB can deliver a safe and secure event.” The five-team, 23-match, two-week high-profile event is scheduled to commence on 25 March and end with the final on 7 April 2013. Salman Sarwar Butt, the managing director of the PSL management team stated that: “The PSL is in full steam recruiting top-notch match officials and exciting cricketers. In addition, preparation is proceeding apace in all other aspects and the team is well on track with its plans for broadcasters and sponsorship on-boarding.” He was particularly excited by the positive responses from players, and said that: “So far the response from international cricketers has been quite warm and welcoming, which bodes really well for the PSL” ThE PsL REcEnTLy annOuncED ThE PLayER sLabs anD basE PRicEs as fOLLOws: DiamOnD usD 100,000 PLaTinum usD 75,000 GOLD usD 50,000 siLVER usD 25,000 EmERGinG usD 5-10,000
woakes replaces Bresnan in england squad for Nz LONDON aGEnciEs
Young fast bowler Chris Woakes was the one new face as england named their squad on Thursday for the test series in New Zealand, the 23-year-old replacing injured Tim Bresnan. Bresnan's elbow problem means he will be rested, handing Warwickshire's Woakes a chance to stake his claim for the Ashes series against Australia later this year. The other 14 players were all part of the england squad which won the recent away test series in India. Woakes, 23, made his senior international debut in a Twenty20 game against Australia in 2011 but national selector Geoff Miller said this was a chance for him to broaden his experience in the longer format. "With Tim Bresnan unavailable while his elbow is assessed there is a good opportunity for Chris Woakes to gain further experience in the international environment," Miller said in a statement from the england and Wales Cricket Board (eCB). "Woakes has impressed on the england Performance Programme and with england Lions and Warwickshire in recent years as well as with england in the limited overs formats." Bresnan underwent elbow surgery in 2011 and has struggled to recapture his best form, failing to take a wicket in the two tests he was selected for in India. "We have a busy international summer ahead of us and the medical team felt this was an ideal opportunity for Bresnan to take some time out to ensure his elbow is functioning effectively," Miller said.
South Africa win with six off final ball CAPE TOWN aGEnciEs
A six from Ryan McLaren off the final delivery and a rapid 116 by Graeme Smith helped South Africa to a thrilling onewicket victory over New Zealand in the third one-day international on Friday. The Proteas, who came into the game having already lost the three-match series 2-0, had been set a target of 261 after half-centuries from Grant elliott (54), Colin Munro (57) and James Franklin (53 not out) had steered New Zealand to 260 for nine in their 50 overs. Man-ofthe-match Smith's knock seemed to have put the home side on course for victory but a lower-order collapse meant they required three off the final delivery with just one wicket in hand. However, a six over fine leg from all-rounder McLaren (25 not out) gave South Africa their first victory of the series and ensured they avoided a
scOREbOaRD nEw ZEaLanD m.Guptill c ingram b Tsotsobe 5 bJ watling c du Plessis b mcLaren 20 K.williamson c de Kock b Tsotsobe 6 G.Elliott c steyn b Tsotsobe 54 b.mccullum c steyn b mcLaren 13 c.munro c de Kock b Tsotsobe 57 J.franklin not out 53 n.mccullum c de Kock b mcLaren 2 J.neesham lbw b mcLaren 13 K.mills run out (du Plessis) 7 m.mcclenaghan not out 2 Extras (b-1 lb-10 w-17) 28 Total (for nine wickets, 50 overs) 260 fall of wickets: 1-15 2-27 3-46 4-68 5-129 6-196 7-199 8-216 9-234. bowling: steyn 10-1-56-0 (w6), Tsotsobe 10-2-45-4, Kleinveldt 10-1-44-0 (w4), Phangiso 8-0-43-0 (w1), mcLaren 10-0-52-4 (w2), behardien 2-0-9-0. sOuTh afRica Q.de Kock b franklin 31
G.smith c watling b williamson 116 c.ingram c Guptill b n.mccullum 25 f.du Plessis c Guptill b mills 19 f.behardien c & b williamson 4 D.miller b mills 15 R.mcLaren not out 25 R.Kleinveldt b mcclenaghan 6 a.Phangiso c b.mccullum b mcclenaghan 9 D.steyn c Elliott b franklin 4 L.Tsotsobe not out 0 Extras (b-4 lb-1 w-5) 10 Total (for nine wickets, 50 overs) 264 fall of wickets: 1-83 2-122 3-165 4-174 5-205 6-229 7-237 8251 9-258 bowling: mills 10-0-40-2, mcclenaghan 10-0-70-2 (w-3), neesham 3-0-22-0 (w-2), n.mccullum 10-1-35-1, franklin 60-38-2, Elliott 3-0-14-0, williamson 8-0-40-2 south africa won by one wicket new Zealand won series 2-1.
whitewash. New Zealand had already claimed their first ODI series on South African soil but still went wholeheartedly for the final victory as they won
the toss and elected to bat. They made a slow start as a fine opening spell from left-arm seamer Lonwabo Tsotsobe (10-2-45-4) helped restrict them
to 68 for four in the 22nd over. The half-centuries from elliott and Munro saw the Black Caps put on successive fifty partnerships and by the time both men had been dismissed, the visitors had recovered to 196 for six after 43 overs. Despite a late flurry of wickets, Franklin came in and played with freedom. His undefeated innings was rounded off in style as he reached his fourth ODI fifty with a six in the final over from Rory Kleinveldt. The South African reply made a brisk start as the left-handed opening duo of Smith and Quinton de Kock (31) took the score to 54 without loss after the first powerplay. Franklin (6-0-382) made the breakthrough in the 16th over when he bowled de Kock but at 83 for one, the openers had laid a good platform for the home side. Smith looked undeterred by the loss of his partner and later reached the fiftymark in the 20th over.
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16 Sports dharamsala set
Sunday, 27 January, 2013
Pakistan collapse against SA Inv XI EAST LONDON aGEnciEs
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He Pakistanis collapsed spectacularly on day one of their only warm-up match against the South African Invitation XI at Buffalo Park in east London on Friday. The Pakistanis lost six wickets for just 45 runs in the second session of the first day with Kyle Abbott, Beuran Hendricks and Simon Harmer each picking up two wickets with the visitors ending the day on 178-6, after winning the toss and choosing to bat first earlier in the day. The two openers had guided the Pakistanis to lunch on 100-1, but Abbott got the breakthrough shortly after the break when he dismissed Hafeez for 55 (95). The famil-
iar Pakistan collapse then started with Azhar Ali the first to fall, managing just two runs before he was dismissed by Simon Harmer. He was followed by Younis Khan, caught behind by Dane Vilas for five as Hendricks picked up his first wicket. Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq couldn't stick around for much longer and he was gone for four, becoming Hendricks's second victim. Disaster continued for the visitors as Asad Shafiq was clean bowled by Abbott and the touring side had started to collapse
spectacularly. Through all the tumbling wickets it looked like Jamshed might be able to put up a fight and shepherd the tail, but he too departed soon, caught by Cody Chetty of Harmer's bowling for 68 (158). The Paksitanis were in all sorts of trouble, having folded from 105-1 to 1456, giving the hosts some impetus leading into the final session of the first day. The final session didn’t have much to offer, though, as it was constantly interrupted by rain and bad light. The two tailenders, Sarfraz Ahmed and Umar Gul could add just 33 runs before
stumps was called early due to bad light. Gul, though, never one to do things quietly, did manage to spice things up, hitting a six in the final over of the day to take him to an unbeaten 23 while Ahmed ended the day on 10*.
TEams: South African Invitation xI team: Justin Ontong (captain), Dane Vilas (w/k), Davy Jacobs, Andrew Puttick, Stiaan van Zyl, Cody Chetty, Vaughan van Jaarsveld, Wayne Parnell, Beauran Hendricks, Simon Harmer, Kyle Abbott. Pakistanis: Mohammed Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (w/k), Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan.
england’s Danny Briggs out of winter tour with sprained ankle LONDON aGEnciEs
england spinner Danny Briggs has been ruled out for the rest of their winter tour with a sprained ankle. The Hampshire left-armer, 21, suffered the injury during a fitness session. He will miss Sunday's fifth and final one-day international against India - the hosts lead the series 3-1 - as well as the Twenty20 series in New Zealand. Yorkshire batsman and part-time spin bowler Joe Root will replace him in the squad to face New Zealand, the england and Wales Cricket Board has confirmed. Briggs was the only member of the one-day squad not to have played a single match during the India tour, but had been in contention to feature on Sunday. He will also miss the england Lions' tour of Australia next month. Root's promotion means he will be part of all three england squads for the New Zealand tour, which starts on 9 February in Auckland with the first of three Twenty20 matches. The 22-year-old was named in the Test squad ahead of eoin Morgan and Samit Patel on Thursday, as well as being a late addition to the
one-day group. An england and Wales Cricket Board spokesman said: "Danny Briggs has been ruled out of the current one-day series, the New Zealand Twenty20s and the Lions tour with a right ankle sprain sustained during a fitness session. "Joe Root will replace Briggs in the Twenty20 squad in New Zealand." england Twenty20 squad for New Zealand (updated): Stuart Broad (captain), Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Michael Lumb, Stuart Meaker, eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Joe Root, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes, Luke Wright.
EnGLanD's TOuR TO nEw ZEaLanD 4 & 6 february: T20 warm-ups v New Zealand XI (Whangarei) 9, 12 & 15 february: T20 internationals (Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington) 17, 20 & 23 february: ODIs (Hamilton, Napier, Auckland) 27 feb-2 March: Warm-up v New Zealand XI (Queenstown) 6-10 March: 1st Test (Dunedin) 14-18 March: 2nd Test (Wellington) 22-26 March: 3rd Test (Auckland)
for Int’l debut DHARAMSALA aGEnciEs
The cold and tranquil surroundings of the hill resort of Dharamsala are set to be abuzz with the clamour of international cricket. The curious choice of the newest entrant on the international cricketing map in peak winter has generated considerable interest, but snow is unlikely to make an appearance. The series having been decided in Mohali, it's not surprising that cricket-talk has taken a backseat with players taking time out for sightseeing. However, the peaks around the picturesque valley stand tall as a constant reminder of heights the two teams haven't been able to scale with their cricket. India have had a topsy-turvy time in the last three months, but the win has come as respite from the losses they endured in the Test series and the ODIs against Pakistan. While have at least a semblance of answers to questions pertaining to the middle order, bowling, fielding and, to some extent, Rohit Sharma's role, others - for example, Ajinkya Rahane and Gautam Gambhir - remain unanswered. A win here at least would keep the detractors relatively quiet for now. england, who played so well in the Tests, are a shadow of themselves. They have a young side, but it is the experienced among them who have failed to inspire. Players like Ian Bell and eoin Morgan haven't done much of note. But they have had positives too - Steven Finn has enhanced his reputation while Joe Root has impressed with his composure. The team is headed to New Zealand from here and as they play the T20s and ODIs first up, they need more positives from this tour. He waited and waited for his chance in Tests, but when he got one, he made it count. An agonising wait for an ODI debut has continued though for Cheteshwar Pujara. Speculations that he would walk into the XI once he became part of the squad were quashed immediately by the India captain. With the series in the bag, will India give him a chance? Alastair Cook has been as efficient as ever and has two halfcenturies in the series. But three times he has been out lbw, two times to deliveries pitching outside leg. While he will continue to be the main man behind england laying the foundation for a big total, he will hope the umpires allow him a full run.
ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 tournament guide CUTTACK aGEnciEs
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He Women's World Cup has been running since 1973 - longer than the men's event, which did not start until 1975. For the 10th edition of the tournament - and the third hosted by India - which starts on 31 January, the format is unchanged from the 2009 event, with eight teams divided into two groups of four. each team plays the other three teams in its group once on a roundrobin format, with the top three teams in each group qualifying for the Super Six phase. In the Super Six, each team plays three games against the qualifiers from the other group, while carrying through their results against the other qualifiers from their original group. There are no semi-finals - the first and second-placed Super Six teams progress straight to the final on 17 February, while there are also play-offs for third/fourth, fifth/sixth and seventh/eighth place. Here is the lowdown on the eight competing teams, their tournament history, prospects for the competition and the players to keep an eye on.
GROuP a EnGLanD TOuRnamEnT hisTORy: winners in 1973, 1993 and 2009, having been runners-up on three successive occasions in 1978, 1982 and 1988. REcEnT ODi fORm: Came from 2-0 down to beat India 3-2 in their last 50-over series, in July 2012. DiD yOu KnOw? Captain Charlotte edwards is the mostcapped player in women's one-day internationals, with 160 appearances including 86 as captain. However, she is 15 short of the all-time women's OdI captaincy record, held by Australia legend Belinda Clark. PLayER TO waTch: while wicketkeeper/batter Sarah Taylor has taken the headlines after it emerged she could play men's county second XI cricket this summer, her Sussex team-mate Holly Colvin has also been invited to train with the men's second team. Still only 23, the leftarm spinner has played an increasingly important role in the england attack and was one of the leading wickettakers at the world Twenty20. Having hit the winning run
in the 2009 world Cup final, she has also shown steady improvement with the bat, when called upon. VERDicT: led well by captain edwards and coach Mark lane, they have one of the most exciting talents in world cricket in Sarah Taylor, while lydia Greenway is the star of a slick fielding unit. The spinners will have a key role to play, while pace bowler Katherine Brunt is a wicket-taking threat with the new ball. The cup holders will settle for nothing less than retaining the trophy they won in Sydney four years ago - though Australia may stand in their way again.
iCC confirms venue change
inDia
REcEnT ODi fORm: lost 3-2 to england, having led 2-0, in their last OdIs in July 2012. Raut made her international debut against west Indies during the last world Cup in 2009 DiD yOu KnOw? wicketkeeper Karu Jain from Bangalore is back in the India squad after more than four years in the international wilderness - having played the last of her 37 OdIs against england in September 2008. PLayER TO waTch: with India's fortunes often relying on captain Mithali Raj to lead from the front with the bat, opener Poonam Raut has a key role to play in taking some pressure off the skipper in getting runs on the board. VERDicT: Tournament hosts for the third time, a Super Six place should be the minimum India will expect. Should be comfortable playing on home soil, but will still face an uphill struggle to make the final ahead of england, Australia and New zealand.
wEsT inDiEs
TOuRnamEnT hisTORy: Finished fifth in 2005 and 2009, their best performances in the 50-over format. REcEnT ODi fORm: Came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with South Africa on home soil in January. DiD yOu KnOw? Barbados wicketkeeper Kycia Knight has recently been joined in the windies squad by her twin sister Kyshona. Team-mate Anisa Mohammed also has a cricketing twin sister, Alisa, who has played for Trinidad & Tobago but has not yet received an international call-up. PLayER TO waTch: Opener Stafanie Taylor has been the ICC's reigning women's OdI cricketer of the year for the last two years, setting the tone with some powerful hitting at the top of the order and providing a good platform for deandra dottin and skipper Merissa Aguilleira. VERDicT: qualification for the Super Six should not be a problem for west Indies, but their further progress may depend on whether they can get their hard-hitting batting line-up to fire on a consistent basis as the tournament
goes on.
sRi LanKa
TOuRnamEnT hisTORy: quarter-finalists in 1997, their best finish was sixth in 2000. REcEnT ODi fORm: Their last OdI series was way back in April 2012, losing 2-1 to west Indies in the Caribbean. DiD yOu KnOw? All-rounder and former captain Chamani Seneviratna is Sri lanka's most-capped player in one-day internationals, having played 67 games since her debut in 1997, a few days after her 19th birthday. PLayER TO waTch: Captain Shashikala Siriwardene, who made her international debut just under a decade ago, has a key role to play, both in the middle order and as a front-line off-spinner. VERDicT: will be Group A's outsiders, but if they can cause a shock against west Indies - as they did with a duckworth-lewis success at the world Twenty20 - then they could sneak into the Super Six.
GROuP b ausTRaLia TOuRnamEnT hisTORy: The most successful side in world Cup history - winners in 1978, 1982, 1988, 1997 and 2005, and runners-up in 1973 and 2000. REcEnT ODi fORm: Beat New zealand 3-1 in their Rose Bowl series in mid-december. DiD yOu KnOw? Off-spinning all-rounder lisa Sthalekar, who was born in India, is the ICC's top-ranked female bowler (and top all-rounder) in Twenty20 international cricket. She is second behind england's Katherine Brunt in the OdI bowling rankings, and second in the all-rounder charts behind west Indies' Stafanie Taylor. PLayER TO waTch: Opener Meg lanning is in top form, hitting 87, 72, 103 and 38 in the four-match OdI series against New zealand before smashing 76 and 64 in two T20 games against the same opposition. The 20-year-old,
who made her debut just over two years ago, averages 50 in one-day international cricket. VERDicT: will be targeting their second world title in four months after pipping england to the world Twenty20 in October. A strong all-round side have the potential to go all the way again
nEw ZEaLanD
TOuRnamEnT hisTORy: winners in 2000, runners-up in 1993, 1997 and 2009. REcEnT ODi fORm: lost 3-1 to Australia in their Rose Bowl series in mid-december. DiD yOu KnOw? lucy doolan displayed her all-round cricketing skills in two matches against england at the last world Cup. In the Super Six, she took over as wicketkeeper after Rachel Priest was hit in the face, took a catch behind the stumps, then bowled six overs after Priest returned. Then in the final, doolan top scored with 48, batting at number nine, before taking 3-23 from 10 overs of off-spin. PLayER TO waTch: white Ferns captain Suzie Bates will enter the tournament on a good run of form with the bat, having made 38, 122 not out, 59, 49 and 54 in her last five OdI innings. VERDicT: will be determined to add to that solitary ICC global tournament win in 2000 - having been perennial losing finalists or semi-finalists in recent years. Should have no difficulty in making the Super Six, but may have to beat either england or Australia to reach the final at their expense.
PaKisTan
TOuRnamEnT hisTORy: Their best finish was sixth in 2009. REcEnT ODi fORm: won a tri-series against Ireland and Bangladesh in dublin in August 2012. DiD yOu KnOw? Pakistan have only competed at two previous women's world Cup tournaments, losing all five
LAHORE: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has changed the venue of Pakistan women cricket team’s matches for Women World Cup from Mumbai to Cuttack. According to sources the team had to play group matches in Mumbai and Ahmadabad. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) requested ICC to change venue as Shiv Sena threatened PCB after tension at Indo-Pak border, sources added. ICC shifted the venue to Cuttack city of Orissa state after considering PCB’s concerns. The team will play all matches in the city but if the team reaches final, it will have to play final in Mumbai, said sources. sTaff REPORT games in 1997 - the last time India hosted the event. PLayER TO waTch: with spin likely to play a big role in the tournament, slow left-armer Sadia yousuf, who was their joint leading wicket-taker at the world Twenty20, can expect plenty of bowling for Pakistan. VERDicT: with their preparations disrupted by their games being switched to Cuttack following political protests in Mumbai about their involvement, the build-up has not been easy for Pakistan. Realistically, they must target the game with South Africa, with the winner likely to reach the Super Six phase.
sOuTh afRica
TOuRnamEnT hisTORy: Their best performance came when they reached the semi-finals in 2000. REcEnT ODi fORm: drew 2-2 with west Indies in January, having won the first two games. DiD yOu KnOw: South Africa are the only team to have hosted a world Cup and failed to finish in the top four on home soil - coming sixth in 2005. PLayER TO waTch: Former captain Cri-zelda Brits is another player who has returned after taking a year's break from international cricket. Her experience of more than a decade at the top level will be a vital part of South Africa' middle order. VERDicT: will take heart from their recent performances in the Caribbean. If they can beat Pakistan, they should reach the Super Six, which would be an achievement in itself.
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17 Sports
Sunday, 27 January, 2013
Federer’s mask slips as Murray gets under his skin
MELBOURNE aGEnciEs
A
ndy Murray did not just beat Roger Federer for the first time in grand slam play at the Australian Open on Friday, the Scot's relentless onslaught made the King of Cool lose his cool. The regal Federer, whose grace and skill has dazzled the sport for a golden decade in which he has won 17 grand slam titles, rarely appears ruffled by anything but on Friday, in the heat of battle, his mask slipped. Struggling to live with Murray's power and unable to punch through the Briton's granite-like defences, the 31year-old Federer fought like a cornered rat to force a riveting contest into a fifth set. Throughout the four-hour semi-final Murray showed scant regard for his opponent's reputation, engaging the Swiss maestro in the kind of closequarters combat that left little room for the decorum and reverence often accompanying Federer matches. early on as Murray dominated BBC commentator Andrew Castle was forced to apologise on behalf of the Swiss for an F-word tirade and when
Djokovic and murray prepare to bring the pain MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray's burgeoning grand slam rivalry turns another page on Sunday, with the two ironmen of tennis bracing for a world of pain when they clash in the final of the Australian Open. Although good friends off the court dating back to their junior days, the two 25-year-olds hold no quarter once they cross the white lines, and have made a habit of punishing each other in gruelling five-set duels at the grand slams. Briton Murray lost a near-five hour battle to eventual champion Djokovic in the semi-finals last year, but avenged the defeat in a five-set thriller to win the U.S. Open and his maiden grand slam title. "I hope it's a painful match because that will mean it's a good one," Murray told the centre court crowd after grinding down Roger Federer in five sets in the semi-final. aGEnciEs
Melbourne: Victoria azarenka holds her winner’s trophy while li na returns the ball in the final of the australian open.
Murray served for the match at 6-5 in the fourth Federer uttered some choice words in his direction. Murray's nonchalant smirk across the net was followed not long after by a drilled forehand aimed directly at the body of Federer - a tactic once the preferred choice of Murray's poker-faced coach Ivan Lendl. There was a palpable tension between the two players who one imagines, unlike Murray and Novak Djokovic or Federer and Rafa Nadal, are unlikely to be future drinking buddies. "Stuff like that happens daily in tennis matches," Murray said when quizzed by British reporters. "The stuff that people say on football pitches and in basketball and all sorts of sports, I mean, it was very, very mild in comparison to what happens in other sports. "It's just one of those things." While playing down the incident, the fact that Murray clearly got under Federer's skin during the match, then withstood a ferocious response from him to come out on top, will be stored away in the Scot's memory bank. Federer gave everything he could on the Rod Laver Arena, both mentally and physically, but still came up short against a player transformed from the one whose mental strength when it really mattered was often questioned. Murray's 6-4 6-7 6-3 6-7 6-2 victory took his career record against Federer to 11-9 but despite those regular triumphs, Friday's one seemed to be the most significant. In last year's Wimbledon final, Murray also dominated before bowing to the old master in a tearful defeat and while he did gain revenge by winning their Olympic gold medal duel a few weeks later, real bragging rights are earned at grand slams. MURRAy PLEASED WITH fOCUS: Andy Murray showcased his new mental strength after blowing the opportunity to serve out his Australian Open semi-final against Roger Federer on Friday by demolishing the Swiss in the fifth set. The 25-yearold Briton had been two points away from a final against Novak Djokovic when serving at 6-5 in the fourth set only for Federer to force a tiebreak and then a decider. Murray, however, has discovered a mental toughness in the last 12 months under coach Ivan Lendl and instead of brooding about losing the set the Scot sat quietly while Federer took a toilet break and figured out what he needed to do at the start of the fifth. The focus worked and Murray raced out to a 30 lead then held on for a 6-4 6-7 6-3 6-7 6-2 win in four hours to set up the final showdown with world number one Djokovic on Sunday.
USADA sets deadline for Armstrong’s full cooperation NEW yORK: The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has set disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong a February 6 deadline to fully cooperate in the investigation into cycling's darkest episode in return for a possible reduction of his life ban. In excerpts of his interview with the CBS network scheduled for Sunday broadcast, USADA CeO Travis Tygart said he had written a letter to Armstrong with the offer. Armstrong, 41, admitted in an interview with Oprah Winfrey last week that he had cheated his way to a record seven Tour de France titles with systematic use of banned, performance-enhancing drugs. Last year he was stripped of his titles after being labelled a "serial cheat" by the USADA. Tygart also disputed Armstrong's claims of a clean comeback in 2009. "His blood tests in 2009, 2010 ... one to a million chance that it was due to something other than doping," Tygart said. aGEnciEs
PAKISTANI ROWERS SHINE IN AREA-FEARA REGATTA ‘13 KARACHI sTaff REPORT
Living up to their potentials, team from Pakistan made their presence felt in the first Paoay International Area-Feara Regatta, by winning Feara Trophy. More than 100 rowers from clubs of India, Pakistan, Srilanka, Bangladesh, Singapore and the host Philippines participated in this eight-day event. A total of eleven players including four women from Karachi boat club (KBC) took part. The team of Karachi boat club won 6 medals including one gold and one silver in 9 events. In Feara Men Fours event team comprised of Arif Ikram, Benney, khurram Khawaja and Asghar Ali, won the Far-east Ameature Rowing Associataion
(FeARA) CUP for their country. CMe Pune club won the Area Trophy. In Ameature Rowing Associaation Of The east (AReA) event, KBC women team won a silver medal. Apart from that Pakistani rowers won 4 bronze medals in Feara Men Pair, Area Men Singal, Area Men Fours and Arae Woman Double.
REsuLTs mEn fEaRa fOuRs 4- GOLD (fEaRa TROPhy): Arif Ikram, Benney, Khurram Khawaja, Asghar Ali. mEn fEaRa PaiR 2- bROnZE: Khurram Khawaja, Asghar Ali umEn aRaE fOuRs 4- bROnZE: Ibrahim Hanif, Hassan Currimbhoy, Manoucheher Munawar, Mirwaise Babai mEn aRaE scuLL 1x bROnZE: Mirwaise Babai wOmEn aRaE fOuRs 4-siLVER: Alizeh Premjee, Shehla Sajjad Gokal, Aleena Abid, Salma Rabia wOmEn aRaE DOubLE scuLL 2x bROnZE: Salma Rabia Arif, Aleena Abid.
Maaz leads in Royal Palm Annual Golf LAHORE sTaff REPORT
At the end of the first round, in the Royal Palm Annual Golf Championship, in progress at the challenging Royal Palm Golf Course, the golfer who showed good form was Mir Maaz Mehmood, who stuck to his game plan, rather devotedly and as a result finds his name on top of the leaderboard with a steady round of gross 76. Mir Maaz is a single handicapper who has been away from the golf scene for quite sometime resulting in enhancement of weight and waist, but through a lot of practice and recently developed dislike for wholesome 'kashmiri daal chawal' he is back on the scene with his smooth golf swing and correct application of golfing skills. On the first day yesterday,he kept the other challengers at bay and looks determined to maintain the winning stance during the final round on Sunday. The competitors breathing down his neck are Sardar Murad Khan and Amir Mehmood. No doubt these two contenders look poised to put up a real fight and certainly are capable golfers with competitive temperament. In the first round Sardar Murad had a round of gross 77 and Amir too finished with a similar score on the first day. Another solid contender, Azfar Hassan is at a score of gross 78. In the net category the youngster in command is Hussain Hamid with a first round net score of 70.One stroke in arrears is Amir Rana at net 73. Sherazi at net 71 and Asad Hameed at net 72 followed by Tauqeer Rana at net 73. The final round will tee off at 10am on Sunday.
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Sports 18
Sunday, 27 January, 2013
Azarenka retains title The drama moved up a level when li slipped and hit her head on the court at 2-1 in the third set and when they resumed, Azarenka saved a break point to square the decider at 2-2 g
MELBOURNE aGEnciEs
v
‘Mercedes seem hungrier than McLaren’ BRACKLEy: Lewis Hamilton rejected talk of Mercedes being a team in turmoil on Thursday and said his new Formula One employers seemed even hungrier for success than McLaren. Before addressing Mercedes employees at the team's factory near Silverstone in central england, the 2008 world champion told reporters he had seen or heard nothing to cause him any concern. "There is a great spirit here. The guys seem hungrier than any group of people I've seen before. They seem seriously hungry to win and excited they have another shot at it this year," the former McLaren driver declared. "every year there was always a great atmosphere at McLaren. But it's a different environment to come to and a different feeling because it's new and fresh. The guys seem to be just as on it if not more." aGEnciEs
ICTORIA Azarenka took everything the Australian Open could throw at her and emerged a champion. The Belarussian won her second successive title at Melbourne Park on Saturday with a 4-6 6-4 6-3 victory over China's Li Na, bursting into tears as the emotion and stress of a fortnight came pouring out. "You have to go through rough patches to achieve great things," Azarenka told Channel 7, the host broadcaster. "It's been tough but I am happy here right now. There were new experiences for me in the last couple of days. I have to say thanks to my team for being so supportive. It was a victory that ensures she will stay at the top of the world rankings for at least a few more weeks but winning a second grand slam title will be of even more satisfaction. When Li turned her left ankle early in the second set, the match swung in Azarenka's favour. When the Chinese fell again in the third and banged her head, it was getting surreal. But the way the top seed dug herself out of a hole to clinch victory showed immense mental strength. In her semi-final against American teenager Sloane Stephens, Azarenka had incurred the wrath of everyone watching when she took a 10-minute double injury timeout just as Stephens was serving to stay in the match. Her attempts to explain it fell flat and when she was introduced to the Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, a number of jeers rang out. "I was expecting way worse, actually," she told reporters. "But what can you do? You just have to go out and play your tennis. "It was definitely not easy with all the attention, with all the press around. But it was definitely a new experience for me that I think I handled quite well. "I can only learn from this experience and move forward and try to improve as a player and as a person, as well." During the match, one fan called out "quiet please Azarenka", in reference to her high-pitched grunting and the crowd was firmly behind Li. On the court, Azarenka could not cope with the former
li sees lighter side of defeat after black-out MELBOURNE: Li Na's bid for a second grand slam title ended tearfully with an injured ankle, a bruised head and a heart-breaking defeat to Victoria Azarenka, but she could still laugh off her "stupid" falls after a gallant failure in the Australian Open final. Li raised gasps from the Rod Laver Arena crowd as she rolled her left ankle twice in the 4-6 64 6-3 loss on Saturday, and banged her head on the blue centre court on the second fall, causing her to black out momentarily. "It was actually pretty heavy at that time. There was two seconds there where everything was black and I couldn't see a thing," the 30-year-old Chinese told reporters. "So when the doctor and the physio came out on to the court, I sat up, but it took a long time to fully come around. aGEnciEs French Open champion's aggressive returns, at times a little slow to react after her serve. The first set went to the Chinese but slowly and surely, Azarenka began to work Li around the court, extending the rallies and making her opponent work harder for her points. Azarenka took a 3-1 lead in the second set and then watched as Li fell in pain after turning her left ankle. Considering the drama of her semi-final, Azarenka must have wondered what was going on but she kept her cool and stuck to her gameplan, levelling the match. The drama moved up a level when Li slipped and hit her head on the court at 2-1 in the third set and when they resumed, Azarenka saved a break point to square the decider at 2-2. After breaking in the next game, she came through a long service game to stay ahead at 5-3 and then broke Li again to clinch victory. Her celebrations were subdued but when she sat down in her chair, the tears flowed uncontrollably. "This one is way more emotional (than last year)," she said. "It's going to be extra special for me, for sure."
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1st Men, women Powerlifting on 5th LAHORE sTaff REPORT
The 1st Open Men and Women Power Lifting Championship (RAW) will be held February 5 at Green's Banquet Hall 23-CIII. Mercedez Show Room, M.M Alam Road, Gulberg III, Lahore, near Total Petrol Pump. According to Organizing Secretary Aqeel Javed Butt, International Power Lifter Championship will be held in 3 events - Squat, Bench press, Dead lift. entries should be submitted upto January 31 to chairman organizing committee Ali Asif Waheed, national powerlifter and director Greens Banquet Hall. entries are free. Women body weight Classes are (in Kg) 47, 52, 57, 63, 72, 84, 84 Plus. Weigh in time for women is 9:00 a.m to 10 pm. Women competition will start at 11:00 am. Noor Ud Mengal (DCO,Lahore), Mrs. Salma Butt, advisor to Chief Minister, Mrs. Abida Saif Principal Govt Women College Shad Bagh will perform opening ceremony and distribute medals among women Players. The men weigh in will be held at 10:00 am to 11:00 am in 8 body weight classes. Chief Guests Shahid Mehmood Dar, ex.President PPA, Ghulam Muhud-ud-Din Dewan, Advisor to PM (AJK), Faisal Mukhtar Khan, Director Subway, ex Test Cricketer Shafqat Rana Convener Gymkhana Club will distribute medals , certificates , trophies to winners. Players from Lahore, Kasur, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Gymkhana Club, Shapes Club and Other Clubs will participates.
Massa to have first drive in new Ferrari MOSCOW aGEnciEs
Brazilian Felipe Massa will be the first to drive Ferrari's 2013 Formula One car with last year's championship runner-up Fernando Alonso having to wait until February 19, the Italian team said on Thursday. Ferrari said on their website (www.ferrari.com) that Massa, whose place at the team was uncertain for much of last year before he secured a one-year extension, would be in the car at the first pre-season test in Jerez from February 5-7. Spanish development driver Pedro De la Rosa, who raced for the now-departed HRT team last year and will carry out much of the simulator work this year, will take over for his Ferrari debut on the remaining day.
Qatar leader Wood eyes maiden European Tour victory DOHA aGEnciEs
Briton Chris Wood will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the Qatar Masters hoping to end an elusive five-year search for his first win on the european Tour. The 25-year-old englishman looked set to have a promising career when in 2008, while still an amateur, he finish tied for fifth place behind Padraig Harrington in the British Open at Royal Birkdale. Since then his progress has been hampered by a series of back complaints caused by the wide swing arc his 6 foot 5 inch tall frame creates. In 2012 he did record his first professional victory in the Thailand Open on the OneAsia Tour but then the injury returned. "Two or three weeks after I won. I had to wirhdraw from a couple of events as my back went," he said after reaching 15 under par on Friday. "All of a sudden from going on a bit of a high after winning a tournament I had to pick myself up and start again. "The confidence seemed to be shortlived then but I hope fully I can look back on that win and it will help me in the final round." Wood was two shots off the lead at the start of the day but worked his way to the top of leaderboard with five birdies in his first eight holes and an eagle at the par five tenth in a round of 64. For most of the third round his nearest challenger was Spain's Ser-
gio Garcia but he dropped back four shots off the pace after finishing his 70 with a bogey after finding water by the 18th green. In a three way tie for second place are New Zealander Michael Campbell, another englishman Simon Khan and Sweden's Alexander Noren. Khan began five shots off the lead
but sunk six birdies in his first seven holes on his way to a round of 64. He followed up with two more on the closing nine but felt he could have done even better. "I was leading after eight holes," he said. "But then I did the classic. I got a little bit ahead of myself and started thinking ahead.
horschel relies on rory factor for tiger grouping SAN DIEgO: Little-known American Billy Horschel will enter the frenzy of 'Tiger territory' for the first time at the Farmers Insurance Open on Saturday and hopes his 2007 Walker Cup experience will help him cope with the huge galleries. Horschel, a member of that triumphant U.S. Walker Cup team at Royal County Down in Northern Ireland, has been grouped with tournament leader Woods and fellow American Casey Wittenberg for the third round at Torrey Pines. "I know there are going to be crowds but it's nothing that I haven't dealt with before," Horschel told reporters
after shooting a three-under-par 69 on the South Course on Friday to end the second round two strokes behind Woods. "I've played the Walker Cup ... and there was a guy I competed against three times called Rory McIlroy," he said of the current world number one from Northern Ireland. "So there may have been 10-12,000 people following us, and only a couple of thousand following the rest of the groups. So I've dealt with crowds. It's going to be exciting." The Walker Cup is a biennial team event played between the top amateur golfers from the United States and Britain and Ireland. aGEnciEs
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19 Militant groups’ clashes leave 50 dead in Tirah PESHAWAR OnLinE
As many as 50 militants were killed in clashes between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Ansarul Islam (AI) in Khyber Agency, according to media reports. Officials and residents of the agency were quoted by news channels as saying that clashes between the TTP and AI erupted in the remote Tirah Valley on Friday night. Sadat Afridi, AI spokesman, told a private TV channel that his group’s fighters had captured three Taliban bases in Maidan. The fight was still on for a fourth Taliban base, he claimed. Afridi said his group had vowed to flush out Taliban militants from the valley as they “carry out attacks on mosques and public places, which is against Islam”. He said AI would not allow the Taliban to continue “killing innocent Muslims in the name of religion”. Both groups were using heavy weapons, including mortars, to target each other’s positions. Officials were quoted as saying that 30 Taliban fighters and 23 members of the AI had lost their lives so far. Dozens more were injured in the fighting, which continued until this
Sunday, 27 January, 2013
Pakistani diplomats barred from attending Jaipur litfest NEW DELHI OnLinE
Indian external Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said on Saturday that
two Pakistani diplomats had been denied permission to attend the Jaipur Literature Festival because of “inputs from various agencies”. But one of the diplomats, chief of Pakistan High Com-
5 killed in khyber mortar attack JAMRUD: At least five people were killed and 10 others were injured when a mortar shell landed at a compound in the Tirah area of Khyber Agency on Saturday. According to security sources, some unidentified miscreants fired the shell from an undisclosed place which landed at the compound, killing five people and injuring another 10. The injured were rescued by locals. Sources said all those killed were relatives. inP Saturday. People began fleeing the region last night after the two groups fired mortar shells at Maidan village, reports said. The clashes erupted in an area close to the Afghan border where Pakistani security forces have no presence, TV news channels reported. Abdul Rashid Lashkari, a spokesman for the Lashkar-e-Islam, said his group would remain neutral in the clashes. “We are not (fighting) despite our affiliation to the Taliban and our grudges with Ansarul Islam,” Lashkari was quoted as saying by the media.
Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad.
Editor: Arif Nizami
mission’s media wing Manzoor Memon, said they were denied permission though they had registered themselves for the conference, reported The Hindu. Continued on page 04