E-paper PakistanToday 6th April, 2013

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Rs 17.00 Vol III No 279 19 Pages Karachi — Peshawar Edition

Saturday, 6 April, 2013 Jamadi ul Awwal 24, 1434

story on page 03

eCp Has army’s support story on page 03

What is the criterion of pakistan’s ideology, asks altaf Hussain

the naB lies, says shahbaz story on page 02

story on page 02

Don’t ask irrelevant questions from poll hopefuls, LHC tells eCp

sC takes exception to Karachi no-go areas report

The Lahore High Court on Friday took notice of the questions being asked by returning officers during the scrutiny of nomination papers of election hopefuls and issued an order to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to refrain from asking any unnecessary questions. According to details, LHC Judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, in his ruling, said that the returning officers must only ask question strictly related to Article 62 and 63. page 03

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday once again rejected the report presented by the police and Rangers regarding nogo areas in the metropolis. During proceedings of the Karachi law and order case, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry remarked that court orders were not implemented. The IG should present an affidavit from SHOs and DSPs of areas concerned regarding no-go areas, the CJ further directed. page 04

pakistan to change in five weeks, claims Imran Khan story on page 02

ttp plans to disrupt polls, caretakers shocked!

Bad week for degree fakers not over yet

Interior Minister Malik Habib Khan on Friday dropped a bombshell on the maiden meeting of the caretaker federal cabinet, sharing information that exclusive reports had hinted that the Tehreek-eTaliban Pakistan (TTP) was planning to disrupt the general elections and had trained militia for terrorist activities across the country. page 04

It was a hard day for some more former parliamentarians who had entered the power corridors in the previous election as different courts ordered their arrests for possessing fake degrees. A Lahore district session judge directed the authorities to arrest former Punjab legislator Amna Buttar and present her in the court. She was also declared a proclaimed offender (PO) for possession of a fake degree. page 03

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PPP to start campaign after distribution of tickets.

— Yousaf Raza Gilani

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nawaz’s nomInaTIon PaPers from na-119 accePTed

The naB lies, says shahbaz LAHORE

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StAff rEport

AKISTAn Muslim Leaguenawaz (PML-n) leader Shahbaz Sharif on Friday rejected allegations by the national Accountability Bureau (nAB) that he was a bank loan defaulter of Rs 3,486 million in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case.

Shahbaz Sharif has termed the allegations false and baseless and has accused his political opponents of resorting to political victimisation.

“I am not even a bank loan defaulter of one rupee. If someone proves such a corruption case against me, I am willing to quit politics.” Shahbaz told a press conference.

He said if action against such unwarranted claims was not taken, the people might assume that the accusers were supported by the interim setup.

Shahbaz said a media campaign had been launched against him and his brother nawaz Sharif under a planned strategy and said some newspapers had published fabricated stories against them.

He said their opponents were afraid of the popularity of the PML-n and had started using negative tactics.

Shahbaz said loan defaulters should not be allowed to take part in the elections.

The former CM said such propaganda was being carried out against the PML-n because other political parties were afraid of

I am not even a bank loan defaulter of one rupee. If someone proves such a corruption case against me, I am willing to quit politics its expected victory in the upcoming elections.

He called on the Election Commission to get the code of conduct for media implemented, adding that the chief election commissioner and caretaker prime minister should also play their role in this regard.

Shahbaz asked nAB chief Fasih Bokhari to rebuff the report or be prepared to face legal action.

He challenged the national Accountability Bureau to present hard evidence against the bank default allegations.

He said a “gang of four people” was involved in a malicious campaign against the Sharif brothers due to their party’s popularity in all four provinces.

“We will expose the gang at an appro-

priate time,” he added.

Earlier, the national Accountability Bureau (nAB) objected to the candidature of nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif in the upcoming general elections over alleged scam of Hudaibiya Paper Mills, a senior nAB official said.

The Pakistan Muslim Leaguenawaz (PML-n) Punjab president and the former chief minister, a l o n g with his brother PML-n c h i e f nawaz Sharif, were accused in the Rs 3,486 million loan default case. They have been accused of accumulating money and assets beyond their declared means of income by misusing authority. The case was filed with the Attock nAB Court on March 27, 2000.

Abbas Sharif, Hussain nawaz, Hamza Shahbaz, Shamim Akhtar, Sabiha Abbas, Maryam Safdar and Ishaq Dar were others accused in the case. The bureau had conveyed its recommendations to the election commission in this regard.

Meanwhile, a spokesman of the PML-

n has denied the allegations hurled at his party’s top leadership saying the details provided by the nAB are “misleading.”

He said that “darlings” of the outgoing PPP government are still present among the bureau’s ranks, who he said are targeting the PML-n leaders. The spokesman said truth regarding these allegations will be soon unveiled in a press conference.

Reacting to the denial by the PML-n, the nAB official said the accountability bureau does not want to tarnish the image of any public figure, adding that whatever details they have provided the ECP with are based on facts.

It’s up to the election commission to decide the fate of any candidate regarding his/her eligibility to contest the polls, he added.

The nAB had set up election cells to help the election commission in the scrutiny of candidates for the May 11 elections. The decision to establish the cells was taken at a meeting held on Feb 20.

The meeting, presided over by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Fakharuddin G. Ebrahim, was attended by heads of nAB, Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and national Database Registration Authority (nadra).

The meeting had decided that the ECP, with the help of relevant organisations, will identify tax-evaders, loan and utility bill defaulters and beneficiaries of written-off loans to prevent them from contesting polls.

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif’s nomination papers for NA-119 were accepted by the Election Commission of Pakistan on Friday. The objection on Sharif’s papers for NA-119 were filed by Mohammad Ashfaq of Muslim League – Qasim, claiming that the PML-N head had illegally occupied the Pakistan Muslim League house located on Davis Road Lahore. The returning officer dismissed the objections and accepted the nomination papers of the PML-N. On April 3, a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader also filed an objection to the nomination papers of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif for NA-120. oNLINE

PakIsTan To change In fIve weeks, claIms Imran khan LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan claimed on Friday that Pakistan would change in the next five weeks if his party wins the upcoming general elections. Addressing a convention of volunteers in Lahore, the cricketer-turned politician said his party has awarded 35 to 40 per cent tickets to young candidates aged not more than 35 years. Boasting of his party’s chances of winning, Khan said that the PTI would unveil its manifesto next week. The PTI chief lashed out against political opponents, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), saying that the two ‘big parties’ were doing politics to build personal empires.

“We will prove through this election that the PTI is a different party. We initiate ruthless accountability when we come to power,” Khan told his party workers. StAff rEport

What is the criterion of Pakistan’s ideology, asks Altaf LONDON/KARACHI StAff rEport

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has demanded a month’s extension in the forthcoming general elections.

Addressing a telephonic press conference on Friday, the MQM chief said the ideology of Pakistan must be explained once by the Supreme Court (SC) and parliament.

Expressing reservations over returning officers’ questions, Altaf criticised the way the contesting candidates were asked “childish and foolish” questions.

“What is the criterion of the ideology of Pakistan?” he said.

“The people of the country are not sure about upcoming elections,” he said.

The MQM chief said extremism would not be tolerated in the name of ideology of Pakistan.

Altaf said it was the Election Commission’s responsibility to set the criterion of the candidate’s eligibility.

“Candidates, including females are being humiliated and discouraged by being asked stupid questions,” he said.

“The entire world is looking at the general elections likely to be held on May 11. It is duty of the

The candidates who are submitting their nomination papers are followers of Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), so their patriotism can’t be challenged at any cost Election Commission to make proper arrangements for fair elections,” the MQM chief said.

He said it was regrettable to say that returning officers were asking derogatory questions from candidates and it was absolutely against the true spirit of democracy.

He added that he was not against the rule of law but real sov-

ereign was Almighty Allah “who is the sustainer of the world”.

“The candidates who are submitting their nomination papers are followers of Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), so their patriotism can’t be challenged at any cost,” Altaf said.

He said delimitation of constituencies in Karachi was only to disturb the vote bank of the MQM that was real representative of the people.

He said that some secret forces were hatching conspiracies to delay general elections for their vested interests. Such tactics were tantamount to sabotaging the elect o r a l process, Altaf added.

PTI allows dIsgrunTled leaders To aPPeal rejecTIon of TIckeTs LAHORE NADEEM SYED

PTI chief Imran Khan has allowed party rebels who were earlier denied tickets to file review appeals and constituted a committee to take up their grievances. Aleem Khan, representing all the rebel leaders, on Friday called on Imran Khan who was in the city to address a huge gathering of party workers and volunteers. Khan and six other leaders representing PTI’s Lahore chapter returned the tickets the other day in a show of defiance against party decisions, which according to them left out several deserving candidates without party nomination for Lahore.

Talking to Pakistan Today, Jamshaid Iqbal Cheema, who also returned his ticket, said Imran khan had constituted a committee to look into their demands. “The committee will start its work from Saturday and candidates earlier denied tickets will have the chance to appeal the board’s decisions,” he said. He said the party should award tickets to at least 10 party leaders from Lahore. “Five or six of them are most deserving cases,” he added. Cheema hoped that the committee would revise the list to accommodate these deserving cases. Meanwhile, party sources said chances of accommodating all members of disgruntled group were next to impossible and only minor adjustments in the list were possible. The PTI released a list of probable candidates from Lahore the other day after its Parliamentary Board concluded its deliberation on award of tickets in Islamabad. The party decided to make formal announcement after the scrutiny of candidacy papers. Talking to Pakistan Today, PTI information Secretary Shafqat Mahmood confirmed the meeting between Aleem Khan and Imran Khan in Lahore. He said party leaders had the right to file appeals against the board’s decisions.

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PTI to award 35-40 percent tickets to young candidates.

— Imran Khan

ecP decIdes agaInsT InTroducIng ‘none of The aBove’ voTe ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided against introducing the “none of the above” option in ballot papers for the upcoming elections. On April 3, the commission announced that it would include the option in the ballot papers to be used for the May 11 polls. However, the decision was criticised by many quarters. The option – if included – had given voters for the first time a choice of rejecting all candidates contesting in their respective constituencies. The commission on Friday said since the election schedule had been announced, making such a change would be inappropriate. oNLINE

karma for the general? sc tO taKe up petitiOn seeKing tReasOn case against mushaRRaf

RO Rejects fORmeR pResident’s candidacy papeRs fOR na-139 KasuR

ISLAMABAD

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KASHIf ABBASI

HE Supreme Court of Pakistan would hear a petition seeking registration of a treason case against former president Pervez Mushar-

raf.

In response to a petition filed by Rawalpindi High Court Bar President Taufeeq Asif, Supreme Court decided to hear the case on Monday.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry will hear the case. In his petition, Toufeeq Asif, who played an active role for the restoration of Supreme Court judges, accused former military dictator for committing treason by imposing emergency in 2007.

The lawyer pleaded that the former military strong man had not only breached the law of the country but had also put judges in prison by imposing

emergency. The petitioner also requested the court to put Musharraf ’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL).

“The illegal measures taken by Musharraf after imposing emergency in 2007 have already been declared null and void by the Supreme Court in a 2009 judgment. I, therefore, humbly requested the Supreme Court for initiating a treason case against the former military ruler in the light of its 2009 judgment,” the petitioner told Pakistan Today on Friday. A Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz leader Ahsan Iqbal also moved a reference in the Election Commission, requesting the election watchdog to disqualify Musharraf from contesting the upcoming election from any constituency of the country for his involvement in four cases of treason.

Former PML-n MnA Ahsan Iqbal requested the Election Commission to disqualify Musharraf from contesting the elections, saying that former president does not meet the criteria set for

contesting elections under Articles 62 and 63 of the constitution as he is wanted in four cases regarding the killing of innocent people. These cases include the Lal Masjid Operation, murder of Benazir Bhutto and nawab Akbar Bugti, missing persons’ case and the suspending and arresting Supreme Court’s judges. “Given the facts and circumstances of the case, it is very respectfully prayed that General (R) Pervez Musharraf shall be disqualified from contesting the elections from any constituency in Pakistan,” read the application filed by Ahsan Iqbal.

MusHARRAf’s nOMinATiOn PAPERs REjEcTEd: Meanwhile, the former president’s plan to end his fouryear exile and participate in the elections scuttled when his nomination papers were rejected by the returning officer in Kasur’s nA-139.

According to details, a local lawyer, Javed Kasuri, had raised objections over the candidacy of Musharraf, saying that he did not qualify to contest elections under Articles 62 and 63 of the constitution. Returning Officer Mohammad Saleem accepted the objections and rejected the former dictator’s nomination papers. Musharraf has filed papers to contest the general elections from four seats – Karachi, Islamabad, Chitral and Kasur.

Bad week for degree fakers not over yet ecp declaRes degRees Of nine fORmeR legislatORs’ genuine, ReseRves judgement On 12 LAHORE StAff rEport

It was a hard day for some more former parliamentarians who had entered the power corridors in the previous election as different courts ordered their arrests for possessing fake degrees.

A Lahore district session judge directed the authorities to arrest former Punjab legislator Amna Buttar and present her in the court. She was also declared a proclaimed offender (PO) for possession of a fake degree.

In another fake degree case, the former provincial minister from Balochistan Mir Ali Madad Jattak was sentenced to two years imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000. Earlier, a local court in Quetta reserved its judgment upon conclusion of hearing over a case pertaining to possession of fake degree against Jattak.

Jattak, belonging to the PPP was elected as an MPA from Balochistan’s PB-5 constituency.

Furthermore, former member of the national Assembly Jamshed Dasti filed an appeal in the Multan bench of the Lahore High Court, challenging his imprisonment and fine. Dasti was handed a three-year jail term by a district sessions judge in Muzaffargar on Thursday.

The Lahore High Court ruled that former Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-n) MPA naseem nasir Khwaja is to be arrested after her Punjab University BA degree was found to be fake.

PML-n MnA Rao Mazhar Hayat has been indicted for possessing a fake

Ali Madad Jattak being taken to prison.

degree. He was a former MnA from nA-138.

In other developments, the Balochistan High Court acquitted Humayun Aziz Kurd in a fake degree case, as previous cases shed some light on the prevailing situation.

HEc cLEARs dEGREEs: Meanwhile, after receiving a green signal from the Higher Education Commission, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday declared degrees of nine former parliamentarians as genuine and reserved judgment on the degrees of 12 others. The former lawmakers included Dewan Ashiq Hussain‚ Gul Muhammad‚ Lt Col (r) Shujat Hussain‚ Shafiq Gujjar‚ Muhammad Umer‚ Ameer Ali Jamote‚ Waseem Afzal Gondal‚ Ghulam Rasool Sial and Dr Israr Hussain.

ECP has also summoned three former parliamentarians‚ Seemal Kamran‚ nawabzada Mohammad Akbar and Tariq Magsi on Saturday in connection with uncertified degrees.

The commission reserved its verdict on the degrees of twelve former lawmakers it had summoned on Friday.

The judgments were reserved on the degrees of Rubina Irfan, Shumaila Rana, Shabina Khan, Senator Israrullah Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Raja Ejaz Ahmed noon, Petanber Sewani, Bashir Ahmed Khan, Samina Khawar Hayat, Senator Mir Mohabat Khan Mari, Senator nawabzada Mir nadir Magsi and Senator Rehana Yahya Baloch.

The ECP has so far received 23,555 nomination papers‚ out of which 18,187 have been forwarded after scrutiny.

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eCP has army’s support, Kayani assures ebrahim

ISLAMABAD StAff rEport

Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani on Friday assured Chief Election Commissioner Justice (r) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim that the army fully supported the efforts being made by the Election Commission to hold free, fair and credible elections in the country, and that all possible as-

sistance would be extended to create an environment conducive to achieve this objective.

The Chief Election Commissioner thanked the COAS and said that at this critical juncture of our history all the state organisations were expected to play their respective roles to serve the supreme national interest by holding transparent and peaceful elections as enshrined in the constitution.

Don’t ask unnecessary questions, LHC judge tells eCP LAHORE StAff rEport

The Lahore High Court on Friday took notice of the questions being asked by returning officers during the scrutiny of nomination papers of election hopefuls and issued an order to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to refrain from asking any unnecessary questions.

According to details, LHC Judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, in his ruling, said that the returning officers must only ask question strictly related to Ar-

ticle 62 and 63 of the Constitution. He further said that asking irrelevant questions, including questions on religion or the number of wives of nominees, was the equivalent of insulting the courts.

It is pertinent to mention that returning officers of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had raised eyebrows when they were caught on camera asking questions about religion and the ideology of Pakistan. Several candidates had raised objections and ECP officials had defended its returning officers saying that it was within constitutional mandate to do so.

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Pakistan and India should resolve issues through dialogue. — Salman Bashir

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TTP plans to disrupt polls, caretakers shocked!

ISLAMABAD tAYYAB HUSSAIN

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nTERIOR Minister Malik Habib Khan on Friday dropped a bombshell on the maiden meeting of the caretaker federal cabinet, sharing information that exclusive reports had hinted that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was planning to disrupt the general elections and had trained militia for terrorist activities across the country.

A source told Pakistan Today that during the cabinet meeting, Habib made an elaborate presentation to the meeting based on intelligence intercepts and claimed that the polls process was facing a serious threat from terrorists. Asked whether the minister made specific reference about top politicians being on the TTP hit-list, he said there was no specific reference about threat to any politician, but terrorists would target large crowds in general.

Briefing reporters later, Federal Minister for Information Arif nizami confirmed that the cabinet meeting was given a briefing by interior minister about possible terrorist threats. He said Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso had mandated the interior minister to take all necessary measures to ensure that law and order did not become an obstacle to polls. He said the meeting also decided to take measures for protection of power installations to foil attempts by

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Arif Nizami briefs the media about the meeting of the interim federal cabinet on Friday.

terrorists to interrupt power supply.

The minister said being a provincial subject, the cabinet decided that effective coordination would be maintained with the provincial governments and support would be provided to the provinces in this regard.

To a question, nizami said attempts to sabotage elections began even before announcement of the election date, but the government would tackle all such challenges. He said after the cabinet meeting and deliberations, he was confident that elections would definitely be held on time, adding that the caretaker government was

fully competent to address challenges in this regard. The minister said the prime minister also expressed his pleasure over the smooth completion of first phase of filing of nomination papers and said all political parties had shown great enthusiasm which was reflected in the large number of nomination papers filed by candidates. The prime minister was also happy that all political parties in Balochistan had chosen to participate in the election, he added. nizami said the federal cabinet expressed its strong resolve to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the country.

Initiation of action against fake degree holders sheer injustice: agp ISLAMABAD oNLINE

The law that one has to be a graduate in order to contest elections has been nullified therefore initiation of proceedings against fake degree holders would be sheer injustice, Attorney General (AG) Irfan Qadir said on Friday.

Talking to Online, the AG said the court’s decision with reference to dual nationality holders was incorrect and needed to be reviewed.

“The Supreme Court (SC) has already nullified the law which was enacted during Musharraf’s reign. It is strange and sheer injustice that several former parliamentarians have been disqualified and sent to jail on the basis of a law which has been declared null and void,” he said.

Responding to a question the AG said he did not consider the court’s decision correct.

“I had told the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry that his decision in respect of dual citizenship was not correct and the rights of the expatriate Pakistanis would be trampled this way as they too enjoy the same right which a common citizen enjoys,” he said. He said meting out discrim-

KARACHI StAff rEport

inatory treatment to those who were earning and remitting foreign exchange to the country was highly inappropriate. “The court’s decision has hurt the feelings of millions of Pakistanis and this decision needed to be reviewed,” he held.

PATNA Even as the Indian government works on measures to make women feel safe in the country, a woman in Bihar took upon herself to punish a man, who raped her.

The incident occurred in Soyian village in Parsa Bazar police precincts. The victim, a 45-year-old widow was sleeping in her home on Monday night when a village ruffian named Bhola Thakur forcefully entered her home and allegedly raped her.

Being under heavy influ-

ence of alcohol, Thakur lost consciousness and collapsed in the room. The woman, enraged at being raped, soaked her clothes in kerosene and used it to set the room on fire.

She then ran outside, locked the room and went out to alert the villagers.

By the time villagers broke into the room, Thakur was badly burnt. He was taken to Patna Medical College Hospital, where he breathed his last yesterday afternoon.

Thakur’s wife has rejected the accusation against her husband and filed an FIR against the woman.

TTP commander killed in karachi KARACHI StAff rEport

A Taliban commander was killed while members of various banned organisations and gangs were arrested on Friday in targeted operations carried out by the Rangers and police in the city. According to reports, a raid was carried out by the Rangers personnel in Laasi Goth where naimatullah, a Taliban commander was apprehended. During the operation, naimatullah and two Rangers personnel were injured. The Taliban commander later succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

Earlier, in another search operation in Sohrab Goth, 24 members of various banned organisations were apprehended by the Rangers. A cache of arms was also seized during the raid.

cabinet would be lean.

However, he added, important matters of finance and foreign affairs needed to be looked after. “There is always a space for experts,” he added. Asked whether the cabinet was informed about the deployment of armed forces at polling stations, the minister said no such discussion took place.

To a query about his alleged reservations on najam Sethi’s appointment as chief minister of Punjab, nizami said he had not objected to the nomination of Sethi.

“Rather, during a live TV show, I had appreciated the selection of najam Sethi as chief minister Punjab and I also congratulated him on his swearing in,” he added. He said Sethi was part of neutral caretaker government which was a welcome sign.

He said he would ensure that the stateowned media played its role as neutral player during general elections. nizami said he would coordinate with the PTA, APnS and ECP to ensure timely and correct dissemination of information to all media outlets about the election results.

The minister said economy also came under discussion and the finance and FBR secretaries also gave their presentations. He said the prime minister directed holding a special briefing on economy soon.

The minister said for the first time in the history of the country, transition from one democratic government to another was taking place.

sBp says loan data of over 23,000 candidates given to eCp sBp denies duBBing Only ceRtain cOntesting candidates defaulteRs

rapist burnt alive by victim in India oNLINE

“In his opening remarks, the prime minister said all necessary measures would be taken to coordinate with all stakeholders, including the Election Commission of Pakistan. All government’s agencies would facilitate the conduct of free and fair elections,” the minister said. nizami said the prime minister said that despite minimum time, the caretaker government’s resolve was strong. Asked whether strict scrutiny of nomination papers of the candidates could jeopardise the elections, the minister said scrutiny was a new phenomenon for politicians.

However, he added that the matter was under the domain of Election Commission and the government had nothing to do with it. Asked to comment on questions being raised over integrity and expertise of some members of the federal cabinet, the minister said the prime minister was very strict in this regard and he would ensure that the administration’s role remained neutral.

“If anyone is found performing below par, the prime minister would take notice because questions against someone’s credibility would be a challenge. However, let me tell you that I have no such information,” he added. Asked whether the cabinet expansion would be made and new ministers would be appointed to look after the subjects of finance, foreign affairs and defence, the minister said that the caretaker

Denying media reports that it had declared only certain individuals defaulters, the State bank of Pakistan on Friday said it had so far provided credit information of over 23,000 candidates contesting May 11 election to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

A spokesman for the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reaffirmed the banking regulator’s continued and full support to the ECP, saying it had to date provided to ECP credit information of over 23,000 candidates who had filed nominations to contest the forthcoming election.

The spokesman also categorically denied reports published in a section of press that it had declared only certain individuals loan defaulters. The SBP spokesman pointed out that the regulator was only collecting, compiling and passing on information received from

the financial institutions about the contesting candidates to the ECP. He said in order to provide this information to the commission, SBP was utilising a fully automated system already in place called electronic Credit Information Bureau (eCIB). The system enables the banks to submit credit data of all borrowers to eCIB electronically without any manual intervention by the central bank to ensure the correctness and authenticity of data.

“This system is fully computerised and foolproof and the data in the system cannot be altered by any official in the State Bank,” the spokesman said.

He said the contents and format for providing credit information about contest-

raja fILes appeaL over CanCeLLatIon of DeveLopment projeCts ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Friday filed an intra-court appeal over cancellation of two development projects in his constituency. In his appeal filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), the former PM said that the verdict was issued without him being heard. He asked the court to strike down the verdict given against him. Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan and Justice Noor ul Haq Qureshi would take up the case on Monday. INp

jaHangIr tareen not a DefauLter ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday received a letter from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), clearing Jahangir Tareen’s name from the list of defaulters. On Thursday, the SBP had included Tareen’s name in the same list for defaulting a huge amount as director of the Heavy Mechanical Complex. In its letter, the SBP clarified that Tareen had no individual liabilities and was appointed director of the firm while he was a minister around six years ago. Appearing on a private TV channel, Tareen said he had talked to the SBP governor on phone who said the central bank had sent a letter to the ECP explaining its earlier mistake.

Tareen criticised the media for not doing enough research and publishing a story without verifying its authenticity. “Someone should have contacted me to confirm the news,” he said. He said he had never had any loan written-off and expressed contentment at being cleared. StAff rEport

ing candidates were finalised by the ECP in consultation with the SBP. “The information about default relates to the unpaid obligations of the borrowers which are overdue by more than a year and are reported as such by the financial institu-

tions to the eCIB. In order to ensure absolute impartiality, transparency and unbiased treatment, this totally objective time based criteria is followed and does not warrant exercise of any judgment on part of the SBP,” the spokesman added.

LaWrenCe CoLLege prInCIpaL resIgns unDer pressure

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AWRENCE College Murree’s principal has allegedly resigned under pressure after he took disciplinary action against a student belonging to an influential family. According to media reports, the principal had taken action against a student for violating the code of conduct.

The student however, was related to an influential army officer, said reports. After facing immense pressure, the principal eventually submitted his resignation. Talking to a TV channel, the former principal asked students of the prestigious institution to continue with their studies with dedication. He said when he was leaving the premises, students blocked his way and would not let him leave. He further said the higher staff was well aware on why he is leaving the college. MoNItorINg DESK

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Shahbaz Sharif’s entire press conference was full of lies, and if he is honest, he should face the cases against him. Threatening the media in the press conference was regrettable. – Sharjeel Inam Memon

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HE Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday once again rejected the report presented by the police and Rangers regarding no-go areas in the metropolis.

During proceedings of the Karachi law and order case, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry remarked that court orders were not implemented. The IG should present an affidavit from SHOs and DSPs of areas concerned regarding no-go areas, the CJ further directed. The chief justice remarked if there would be no result

If tHere Is no posItIve resuLt WItHIn seven Days, an orDer sImILar to tHat of BaLoCHIstan LaW anD orDer Case WouLD Be passeD

of exceptional police officers from across the country could be used.

The supreme court also summoned a report from the IG in three days over a petition filed by the family of Sher Pathan who was killed alongside notorious Lyari gangster Arshad Pappu.

within seven days, an order similar to that of Balochistan law and order case would be passed.

The chief justice was also critical of the performance of police and Rangers stating the services

You’ve just 15 days!

KARAcHi: Sindh IGP Shahid nadeem Baloch has given 15 more days to to motorcycle owners to replace the number plates on their vehicles, said a statement issued by the Central Police Office on Friday.

The previous deadline for replacing the number plates was 5th April which had now been extended to 20th April.

The decision had been made in view of the problems being faced by the people in replacing the old number plates, it said. People were strictly advised to replace their number plates within the allotted time or else they would have to face legal action. App

prAYEr tIMINgS

Fajr 5:01

Sunrise Zuhr asr maghrib Isha 6:18 12:35 4:03 6:51 8:08

PolIce ImPound us consulaTe vehIcle KARACHI INp The city police on Friday impounded a vehicle of the American consulate with tinted glasses. The police have confirmed that they had taken the vehicle of an employee of the US consulate into custody with tinted glasses in Hyderi area of the city.

KARACHI: Policemen take positions at Sikandar Goth during a campaign to remove no-go areas in the city. oNLINE

Intelligentsia smells pre-poll rigging in sindh sindhi wRiteRs uRge cec tO stOp RecRuitment Of 8,000 pOlice peRsOnnel By the inteRim gOvt which may influence electiOn pROcess KARACHI AftAB CHANNA

Writers and intellectuals of Sindh have written a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Fakhrudin Ibrahim, drawing his immediate attention towards the multiple facts that can jeopardise the process of transparent and impartial general elections in Pakistan.

“A person of your stature ought to take serious note of these submissions as you have a proven track record of credibility and integrity,” according to the letter exclusively available with the Pakistan Today.

“In Sindh, the caretaker government is a shadow cabinet of the

previous government. Most of the ministers and advisors are known to be loyal to the previous government. Most of the caretaker cabinet members have proven their loyalties to the Pakistan People’s Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. Such a caretaker government can influence the next general elections in favour of their parties. Transparency of electoral process is pivotal to the whole process and the current regime is negating that same spirit,” mentioned the letter.

It further stated that, “Key ministers and assembly members of previous government are openly using government vehicles, security and protocols. They are flouting all basic laws, rules of business and code of

conduct set by the Election undertake such initiative for their Commission of Pakistan (ECP). This partiality like the Punjab caretaker flagrant misuse of state resources and government. ECP should ensure that government facilities clearly indicates administrative machinery did not let the that the political parties that have been previous regime to influence the forthcoming general elections,” it ruling Sindh for the last five years mentioned. Furthermore, the will influence the election letter stated that, “The process, thus Sindh caretaker stigmatising the Most of the government had ECP”. members of interim decided in its first The letter also setup are confirmed cabinet meeting to pointed out that the recruit 8,000 previous loyalists of the PPP police government in its and MQM and both officials/officers in last month in parties are likely to Karachi for the power had forthcoming recruited a large use their services general elections. number of employees for securing votes People of Sindh have and had posted its serious concerns as to how cronies on key positions to it is possible to recruit 8,000 hijack the next elections. A major administrative shake up in Sindh security personal and train them in such was the need of the time, the letter a short time when less than six weeks stressed. “The current caretaker are left before the general elections government of Sindh did not seem to commenced. It is feared that such large

scale recruitments may eventually be used to influence the election process through loyal party workers.”

Moreover, the writing stated that, “It has been noticed that several important meetings are being held in the Governor House. Sindh governor is a well known leader of a certain ethnic group. The caretaker Sindh chief minister has been seen visiting the Governor House and the Governor has been presiding over meetings related to the law and order situation. The chief minister is the chief executive of the entire province, so how is it possible to conduct the elections in a fair manner when the governor belongs to a certain political party that is aggressively pursuing votes.”

“We sincerely hope that under your credible leadership, the ECP will take serious note of the aforementioned concerns and address the same to ensure transparent and unadulterated general elections,” the letter concluded.

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PPP Sindh President Qaim Ali Shah has set up a provincial election cell of the party at PPP media cell near Bilawal House.

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PolITIcs from The PulPIT MONITORINg DESK

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woman among two found dead, 38 rounded up KARACHI

HE influence of Pir and Syed families runs deep in Sindh. not only do these families, especially the sajjada nashins (heirs/caretakers) of the different gaddis, or seats, indirectly back particular political parties, but they also directly contest the elections as well, reports a local newspaper.

Prominent dargahs include the Sarwari Jamaat led by the Makhdoom family of Hala, the Hur Jamaat led by Pir Pagaro, the Ghousia Jamaat led by Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Pir of Ranipur in Khairpur Mirs, and Bharchundi Sharif in the Ghotki district.

“I have closely been monitoring elections since the 1970s,” says Senior journalist niaz Bhanbhro. “Every time, the families of Pir Pagara and the Pir of Ranipur oppose each other. The former fields candidates representing Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, while the latter is with Pakistan People’s Party,” says Bhanbhro. “So far, the PPP has managed to win the provincial and national seats with a thumping majority.” In Sanghar district however, Pir Pagara’s Hur Jamaat is undefeated.

The Sarwari Jamaat also has influence. Its main darghah is located in district Matiari, from which former MnA

oNLINE

and federal minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim, and his son Makhdoom Jamilul Zaman, won the national and provincial assembly seats on PPP tickets.

The Pirs of Bharchundi Sharif have always supported the PPP. Mian Abdul Haq, also known as Mian Mitho, won the national Assembly seat twice between 1988 and 2008. However, the PPP denied him an MnA ticket this time around.

In some cases, the power of the Pir stretches beyond their own constituency. “not only do we get votes in our own constituency, but we also direct our followers in other districts to vote for the PPP,” says Pir Syed Ghulam Shah Gilani, the sajjada nashin of his dargah in Dadu district.

Sindhi columnist Arbab naik Muhammad says Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto gave a tough time to Pir and Syed fami-

lies. “During Bhutto’s time, people started shifting their loyalties. They chanted slogans like na pir jo na mir jo, vote aa zameer jo (we will not vote for pirs or mirs, but according to our conscience),” he says.

But soon after Bhutto’s death, these families once again revived their influence.

“Some Pirs are religious and spiritual leaders, which is why they have followers. Some are big landlords who influence people because of their might and wealth,” says naik.

Some, such as the heirs of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Sachal Sarmast and Qalandar Lal Shahbaz refuse to play politics at all.

“Our job is to spread the message of our saints, which is tolerance, love, peace and harmony. Although the majority of

Sindhis are followers of Shah Latif, we have never asked them for votes, because we do not believe in these dirty politics,” says Syed nisar Hussain Shah, the sajjada nasheen of the Shah Latif shrine.

The Ghousia Jamaat, led by Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the vice-chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf, also has a large number of supporters in upper and lower Sindh. For the first time, this Jamaat has started organizing their khalifas (caliphs) in Sindh.

Zulfiqar Sameejo, former UC nazim in Tharparkar, is affiliated with the PMLQ, but is a devotee of Hazaat Ghous Bahauddin Zakariya of Multan, with the present murshid being Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

“We are workers of the PML-Q but our murshid is more important than our party,” he says.

Despite successive operation carried out by the police and rangers’ forces, violence continued unabated in the metropolitan as two more dead bodies were recovered on Friday.

According to rescue sources, bullet-riddled bodies of a man and a woman were found in the city’s Mawach Goth neighbourhood.

Police said the two persons were kidnapped before being shot dead. Their identification could not be ascertained until the filing of this report. Earlier , rangers’ had cordoned off AlAsif Square in Sohrab Goth by calling in heavy contingents and carried out search operation in the area, while arresting more than 20 suspects.

According to ranger’s sources, heavy contingents of Police launched an operation in AlAsif Square and surrounding areas and started door-to-door search operation. Arrested persons were later shifted to undisclosed places for interrogation.

Meanwhile, police arrested 18 criminals from Gulshan Bonier area and recovered three pistols, one rifle and 65 bullets from their possession. More than 1,000 rangers’ personnel, motorcycles squads and female police took part in the search operations.

workers, students suffer due to delay in passport issuance

KARACHI oNLINE

HYDERABAD: Sindh High Court Chief Justice Mushir Alam addresses a judicial conference organised by District and High Court Bar Association at a local hotel. oNLINE

approval of sassui Palijo’s nomination papers withheld THATTA NNI

Approval of nomination papers filed by Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) female candidate Sassui Palijo have been withheld by the Returning Officer on Friday.

Palijo had filed her nomination papers to contest election from PS-85 constituency of Thatta.

Sources said the Election Commission withheld her nomination papers over the objection that she was allegedly involved in misappropriation of some development funds during the rule of the previous government.

Memons come together for economic prosperity KARACHI App Sindh caretaker Chief Minister (CM) Justice (r) Zahid Alvi on Thursday performed the inauguration of the 6th annual exhibition of the All Pakistan Memon Federation.

He said that the city of Karachi was the economic and commercial hub of the country.

The maintenance of law and order would help to spur commercial activities in the metropolis, he said.

The caretaker CM was optimistic that the usual hustle and bustle in terms of business would be restored soon in the city and the law and order situation would be kept under control.

He also lauded the contributions of the Memon and the Gujrati communities, especially in the realms of health and education.

CM Alvi further pointed out that a healthy number of trusts, schools and hospitals were established by these two communities alone.

On the occasion, he also spoke of the malady of Thalassemia and added that an ordinance would be introduced soon, thus making the Thalassemia test mandatory before marriage.

All Pakistan Memon Federation Abdul Aziz Memon and General Secretary Abdul Ghani Banghra also spoke on the occasion and apprised the CM of the aims and objectives of the event.

Later, CM Alvi distributed shields among the sponsors and organisers of the exhibition.

national Trade Union Federation Deputy General Secretary nasir Mansoor has expressed serious concerns over non-issuance of new and renewed passports to the citizens during the last three months saying these are affecting all the Pakistanis working aboard.

He said the passports of 1 million people including 0.7 million workers had not been issued due to contract employment system in the relevant department. He said the government was not taking steps to ensure smooth functioning of the issuance of new and renewed passports to the citizens. He said majority of the people whose passports were blocked were the Pakistanis working aboard. He said these people earn huge foreign exchange for the country, but in return the government was indifferent to their sufferings.

He said a large number of students also could not join their foreign educational institutions as their passports were not given them timely.

He said the vested interests in bureaucracy were forcing the citizens with their dirty tactics to pay extra charges for getting urgent passports. He said the baffled people left with no other option were paying extra charges to get urgent passports.

Mansoor requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and the interim government to take notice of the situation and order issuance of the pending passports at the earliest.

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We think that it would take over a year or so for Iran to actually develop a nuclear weapon, but obviously, we don’t want to cut it too close. – Barack Obama

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saturday, 6 April, 2013

muslim women decry topless gender protests

TUNIS: A group of Muslim women has launched an online campaign in response to demonstrations by bare-breasted activists staged in front of mosques and Tunisian embassies across Europe. The “Muslimah Pride Day” was organised in response to the Ukrainian women’s rights group Femen’s self-declared “Topless Jihad Day”, a day of topless protests around the world to support Tunisian activist Amina Tyler.

Organiser Sofia Ahmed, writing on Facebook, said: “Muslimah [Female Muslim] pride is about connecting with your Muslim identity and reclaiming our collective voice.

Let’s show the world that we oppose Femen and their use of Muslim women to reinforce Western imperialism.”

Using social media sites, some Muslim women have posted photographs of themselves holding placards with messages to Femen such as “Nudity does not liberate me - and I do not need saving” and “Femen can’t tell me what I can and can’t wear”. The Femen rallies on Thursday targetted the case of Tyler, who sparked a scandal last month when she posted pictures of herself online with the words “My body belongs to me” emblazoned across her bare chest.

Supporters fear she could face criminal prosecution.

“Topless Jihad Day” was celebrated in capitals such as Berlin, Kiev and Paris. “We’re free. We’re naked. It’s our right. It’s our body. It’s our rules and nobody can use religion, [or] some other holy things, to abuse women, to oppress them,” Femen member Alexandra Shevchenko said at a small demonstration in front of a Berlin mosque amid near-freezing temperatures. Police in Kiev detained two young activists with “Free Amina” on their exposed chests immediately after their arrival in front of the city’s only mosque. AgENCIES

un cuts gaza aid citing ‘unsafe’ conditions JERUSALEM: The main UN humanitarian agency for Palestinians said it was suspending operations in the Gaza Strip after demonstrators angered by aid cutbacks stormed its headquarters. Some 800,000 Palestinians, two-thirds of Gaza’s population, depend on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and the shuttering, announced on Thursday, could exacerbate hardship caused by Israeli and Egyptian controls on the isolated enclave’s borders. The distributions cutoff will affect up to 25,000 refugees every day, the agency said. On Thursday, Robert Turner, head of the agency’s Gaza operations said: “What happened today was completely unacceptable. The situation could very easily have resulted in serious injuries to UNRWA staff and to the demonstrators. This escalation, apparently pre-planned, was unwarranted and unprecedented.” AgENCIES

notaBLe tWeets

NEw DELHI AgENCIES

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T least 40 people have died, including 11 children, after a building under construction collapsed near the Indian city of Mumbai, police say.

Dozens have been injured and many others are feared trapped beneath the seven-storey building in Thane.

Police said the block was an illegal construction and building work was going on even though four floors

ranIa aL aBDuLLaH

joHn DramanI maHama

President of Ghana We’ll end the national prayer and thanks-giving with Christian prayers at the #BlackStar Square in #Accra on Sunday.

Say a prayer for Ghana

jaKaya KIKWete

The President of Tanzania The first job of a citizen is to project his desires on his government, and the government’s job is to find a way to accommodate them.

josé manueL Barroso

President of the EU Commission

(Giving my) statement to press following my meeting with Mr Petr #Nečas, Prime Minister of the #Czech Republic

built rapidly and the eighth floor was under construction.

Even though the construction was incomplete, the builder had allowed families to move in, our correspondent adds. On Thursday evening a section of the building collapsed, bringing the entire structure down, police said. Rescue efforts continued throughout the night and dozens have been injured.

It is not yet clear what caused the collapse, but police inspector Digamber Jangale told the BBC it appeared to be due to the use of substandard building material.

Iran holds nuclear talks with world powers ASTANA AgENCIES

Queen consort of Jordan 1000 days to int’l dev goals target: Much unfinished business, but bolder agenda needed for future #MDGmomentum

were already occupied. Building collapses are common with poor construction practices often blamed.

The BBC’s Sameer Hashmi, who is at the scene of the accident, says rescue workers are still trying to clear the debris.

Bodies are still being pulled out and rescuers say they fear that many people are still stuck under the rubble, our correspondent says. Most people living in the building are from the lowto-middle income groups, he adds.

Witnesses say the construction of the building started just six weeks ago and in that time, seven floors were

World powers seeking to resolve a decade-long dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme have resumed talks with Iranian officials in the Kazakh city of Almaty.

In what is the second such meeting this year, the six powers - the so-called P5+1, the five permanent Un Security Council members and Germany - hope Iran will accept their offer of modest relief from economic sanctions in return for curbs in its most sensitive nuclear work.

However, Iran has yet to give a response to a proposal by the world powers. “There has not yet been a clear and concrete response to the E3+3 Almaty I proposal” that the powers made at the last nuclear negotiations at the same venue in February, a Western official said in a statement to the AFP news agency.

“Their presentation was pretty much a repetition of what they put forward in Moscow [at talks last year]. There were some not fully explained general comments on our ideas,” said the official, who requested not to be named.

For years, Iran has refused to meet international demands for it

to stop enriching uranium, arguing it does so only for peaceful purposes such as medical research and generation of energy.

Western governments suspect Iran’s nuclear aims will give Tehran the capability to build the atom bomb. Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator pronounced the last get-

It WILL Be on tHe IranIan sIDe to prove tHat Its nuCLear DeveLopment programme Is for peaCefuL purposes together at the same venue in February “positive” but said the global powers had to quickly agree to its most important demand in the decade-old dispute. “We think that they can open up tomorrow’s [Friday’s] talks with one phrase, and that is to accept Iran’s right, particularly its right to enrich,” Saeed Jalili said in a speech at an Almaty university ahead of the negotiations. un cHiEf’s APPEAL: Ban Ki-

moon, Un secretary-general, said it would be on the Iranian side to prove that its “nuclear development programme is for peaceful purposes”.

The world powers are hoping for an answer from Iran on a package of proposals aimed at defusing the standoff, offering an easing of punishing economic sanctions if it makes concessions on its enrichment. The P5+1 is particularly concerned about Iran’s enrichment to levels of up to 20 percent and wants it to shut the Fordo fortified bunker where the sensitive activity is conducted. The group also wants Iran to ship out its existing stockpile of 20-percent enriched material. In return, Iran has reportedly been offered the right to deal in some precious metals and perform small financial transactions now prohibited by international sanctions.

Iran, which denies it is developing the atomic bomb and argues that it needs its nuclear programme for peaceful medical and energy needs, has already described this approach as unbalanced.

Police said a case had been registered and an inquiry had begun and that they were searching for the builders to arrest them.

One witness, named only as Ramlal, said the building appeared to tilt before quickly collapsing.

“The building collapsed like a pack of cards within three to four seconds,” he said. In December, at least 13 people died when part of a halfconstructed building collapsed in the Wagholi area of Maharashtra.

Last September, at least six people were killed when a building collapsed in Pune city in Maharashtra.

south korea deploys warships to track north missiles sEOuL: South Korea has deployed two warships with missile-defence systems, reports say, a day after the north apparently moved a missile to its east coast. Military officials told South Korean media the two warships would be deployed on the east and west coasts.

Seoul has played down the north’s missile move, saying it may be for a test rather than a hostile act.

In recent weeks, the north has ramped up its rhetoric and made specific threats to target US territory.

One of the targets named by Pyongyang was the Pacific island of Guam, which hosts a US military base.

On Thursday, the US confirmed it would deploy a missile-defence system to Guam in response to the threats.

“The moves that we have been making are designed to ensure and to reassure the American people and our allies that we can defend the United States,” said state department spokeswoman Victoria nuland. South Korea’s foreign minister told MPs on Thursday that the north had moved a missile to the east coast, which is the location for previous military tests.

Unconfirmed reports on Friday said the north had moved two missiles, and had loaded them on to launchers.

The BBC’s John Sudworth in Seoul says the move will certainly be interpreted as upping the ante yet again.

The missiles are thought to be midrange Musudans, which are untested in flight but are thought to have the capacity to reach as far as Guam. AgENCIES

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Country’s survival depends on continuity of democratic system.

— Qamar Zaman Kaira

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fireworks expected in Balochistan as political chessboard heats up QUETTA

SHAHzADA zULfIqAr

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H E political chessboard of Balochistan has heated up considerably ahead of the general elections as the momentum of power shifts from one player to another in synchronisation with the constant shifting of turncoats from one political party to another while searching for greener pastures. Individuals who were earlier an integral part of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaide-Azam (PML-Q) have found it expedient to negotiate a deal with the Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-n) in the hope of hanging on to power for another five year term.

On the provincial level, many strong supporters of the PPP and the PML-Q have changed direction in mid-air and safely landed into PML-n’s lap. The shifting loyalty of candidates between different political parties have been termed by observers as a move made entirely in self interest, as such candidates believed that the PML-n had accumulated enough strength to be able to form a government in the Centre as well as in most provinces, including Balochistan.

During the 2008 general elections, the PML-Q was the majority parliamentary party with 20 out of 65 members, but failed to form its coalition government after being divided into many groups. Instead it joined the PPP-led ruling coalition in the hope of keeping its ship afloat until the time when they could safely anchor their ship at stable shores. Meanwhile, PPP had emerged successful in the last elections by winning seven seats, while six independent candidates had also joined the party back then after realising that the PPP was all set to form the central government.

During the same time the PML-n had found itself submerged in deep waters and were gasping for air after it had failed to bag even a single Provincial Assembly seat, but the party was given a new life after being joined by Sardar Sanaullah Zahri and an independent MPA Abdul Khaliq Achakzai. In addition, former governor general Abdul Qadir Baloch had also opted for the PML-n, while Sardar Yaqub nassar was declared successful by the Supreme Court back then.

Meanwhile, the right-wing Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) had managed

It was expected this time around that the right-wing political parties, including the JUI-F, might not be able to freely flex their muscles as the provincial nationalist/secular political parties have come out in full force to claim the territory which they previously lost to religious parties in 2002 and 2008 general elections

to bag 10 Provincial Assembly seats and out did itself when it also won three seats in the national Assembly.

It was expected this time around that the right-wing political parties, including the JUI-F, might not be able to freely flex their muscles as the provincial nationalist/secular political parties have come out in full force to claim the territory which they previously lost to religious parties in 2002 and 2008 general elections.

The nationalist party namely Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) had boycotted the general elections of 2008 on principled grounds, but the move had cost the PKMAP dearly when in its absence, the traditional vote bank shifted towards the religious political parties in Balochistan.

The PKMAP leadership after learning from its past follies and realising the importance of the forthcoming general elections had reached an understanding with the PML-n to secure Punjabi population vote in Quetta for PKMAP leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who would be contesting from nA-259 seat (Quetta city) and from his home constituency of nA-262 (Qilla Abdullah). The mentioned party is expected to win crucial

2 cops among 3 killed in attack on police van in gujranwala gUJRANwALA AgENCIES

At least three people, including two policemen, were killed and another four were injured when unidentified armed men attacked a police vehicle near a court in Gujranwala on Friday.

According to details, the police vehicle that was attacked was carrying accused to the court for a hearing into a murder case. It is said the assailants were rivals of the accused. Due to the intense firing, three men, including two policemen, were killed on the spot, while four sustained injuries and were taken to hospital.The police also retaliated but the attackers managed to flee. The area was cordoned off after the incident. However, no arrest was made until the filing of the report.

father rapes daughter for 3 years in India seats during the upcoming elections as it had previously bagged five Provincial Assembly seats and one national Assembly seat in 2003 general elections. On the other hand, the PML-n seemed to be moving for the kill as it was expected that the party was capable of securing four to five Provincial Assembly seats and around two or three national Assembly seats.

While flying under the wings of the PPP, the PML-Q was expected to bag ten to twelve Provincial Assembly and approximately two national Assembly seats. In contrast, the JUI-F was being seen as the main loser as it had been predicted that the party would have to surrender three to four Provincial Assembly seats and one national Assembly seat to the PKMAP and the JUI-nazriyati. Apart from this, the JUI-n was weakly poised for the general elections and would not be able to improve their ranking by winning a few more seats than the couple that they had won in earlier elections.

Another important nationalist/secular party that had entered the political fray of Balochistan back in 2008, was the Awami national Party (AnP), which had for the first time in its history bagged three Provincial Assembly seats in Balochistan. While studying the evolution of the AnP in the past five years, observers believed that the party would retain its parliamentary strength in the upcoming general elections by relying on the Pukhtun vote bank of the province. Another party, namely national Party, would make some inroads into AnP’s provincial vote bank, but the blow was expected to be lightly delivered and would not bruise the prospects

of the AnP in the province.

Furthermore, the Pakistan People’s Party-Parliamentarians (PPP-P) were headed towards becoming the major losers on the provincial level because its vote bank was only confined to two constituencies of Sindhi speaking Baloch areas of naseerabad, while it was predicted that the party would lose almost 10 seats in the province thus bringing the number to five, while their chances of bagging a national Assembly seat for the above mentioned party were nil.

Meanwhile, observers and political analysts sitting outside the province have been showing great concern over the law and order situation prevalent in the province. These observers were of the view that peaceful holding of elections in ten districts of the province was no less than wishful thinking as Baloch militant groups have declared a war against aspiring candidates by threatening to kill them and the people who would be casting their votes during the general elections.

The provincial government and the law enforcing agencies have already declared eight districts of the province as sensitive and assistance from the army would be sought if needed, in order to ensure that the democratic process that had established itself in the country during testing times was not nipped in the bud by anti-state and anti-progress elements. People all around Balochistan are keeping their fingers crossed as they wait for the general elections to arrive, while knowing that major fireworks were expected in the province during the elections, as the threat of violence loomed large in the hearts and minds of the candidates and voters alike.

gURgAON INp

A 45-year-old man in India was accused on Friday of raping his own daughter for over three years. The incident came to light after the grade 12 student in Gurgaon apprised her principal about her father’s shameful act. Gurgaon police have registered a rape case against the accused.

Giving details of the case, Gurgaon Police Joint Commissioner Maheshwar Dayal said that the father used to take her daughter to places like Madhya Pradesh and rape her. Dayal further said that the 45-year-old ensured none of the family members accompanied them. Both the father and the daughter were to board a flight to Dubai on Thursday night when the girl, in fear of getting raped once gain, narrated her horrific experience to her school principal.

kidnapped hindu trader escapes from captivity QUETTA oNLINE

One of the Hindu traders, amongst three, who were abducted from Kalat escaped after nine months of captivity. Three Hindu traders Denesh Kumar, Retesh Kumar and Rathan Kumar were on their way back from attending a family function when unidentified men kidnapped them on May 27, 2012 from Surab Tehsil, Kalat District. Danesh Kumar managed to escape and successfully reached home.

However, two of his other companions are still in the abductors’ captivity. The local administration has started investigation.

Challenges and opportunities for AnP PESHAwAR SHAMIM SHAHID

Reduced to being ‘silent spectators’ for the last several months, the Awami national Party (AnP) leadership’s fortunes have turned, in the main because of the advantageous position it finds itself in owing to the internal rift in the ranks of its competitors that has come to the fore with the award of tickets. On the one hand, the AnP leadership is meeting success in reconciliation with its disheartened stalwarts and on the other its candidates are regaining ground owing to disarray amongst its opponents – their failure to cobble alliances acting as a boon for them.

There is little doubt that the AnP’s campaign faces serious jeopardy owing to threats from the militants and also the reluctance of other political forces to join it in alliances. The AnP leadership was the most sincere and sympathetic ally of the PPP over the last five years but since the Aug-Sept, its PPP’s provincial president Anwar Saif Ullah Khan is not only opposing any alliance with the AnP but even holding the AnP leaders responsible for all failures of the coalition government. With the PML-n and JI, JUI-F as well as the recently established Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), the AnP

is at loggerhead for the last several years.

All these five main political parties along with Imran Khan’s Tehrik Insaaf are reluctant in making alliance or got for seat adjustment with AnP, thus making it an isolated nationalist force in the region.

In the wake of its secular and liberal policies, the AnP in the last five years has emerged as ‘enemy’ of the Taliban militants.

Right from Karachi in the south to Dir, Shangla, Torghar and Batagram in the north, the AnP has lost 710 diehard and ideological members including several MP’s like Bashir Bilour, Dr Shamsher Ali Khan and Alamzeb Khan. At present, almost all the AnP candidates, especially its top leaders, are not in a position to address election rallies. Even door to door campaigning in certain parts of the province has indeed been made difficult if not impossible for them.

Asfandyar Wali Khan along with Mian Iftikhar Hussain and others have been directed to maintain their distance from their constituencies during the election campaign, while other AnP candidates have been advised to desist from addressing even corner meetings.

As a result of the Taliban threats and opposition of other contemporary political forces, the position of the AnP was very week and even a large number of those who

enjoyed attractive ministerial offices have resigned and joined other political forces. A number of former independents who had made commitments to the AnP have now returned its tickets. This trend has not only disappointed the AnP’s diehard workers but it has encouraged other political forces like JUI-F, PML-n, recently renamed Quami Watan Party from PPP (Sherpao) and even PPP. But the experienced AnP leaders and stalwarts have handled the situation with adopting role as silent spectators and deviating them of entering into arguments and clarifications. During this period, the AnP leadership has thoroughly debated the emerging crises and consumed maximum energies on keeping united the workers.

Soon after issuing candidates list for coming general elections in third and fourth weeks of previous March, the AnP leadership ahead with wide range internal rifts and revolts. in Mardan, Peshawar, Swabi, nowshehra and Buner, some of the former parliamentarians have not only refused to endorse parliamentary board decisions.

Even a number of ex-MP’s, office bearers and activists have announced contesting of elections in personal and independent capacity. But the AnP leadership has tactfully handled the situation with reconciliation the unhappy and disgruntled stalwarts in Pe-

shawar, Mardan and Swabi. The AnP provincial general secretary Arbab Tahir said that committees have already been constituted for resolving internal rifts and divisions amongst the party ranks in remaining districts. So far he said “ situation cvame under control in Peshawar, Swabi and Mardan.” He added contacts and consultations are in progress with disheartened party workers and office bearers at nowshehra.

Referring to AnP strategy for retaining its similar 2008 primacy in the upcoming elections, Arbab Tahir said: “instead of tit for tat criticizm, the AnP candidates are to highlight the AnP government’s achievements, like war on terror, particularly uprooting militant’s network and return of peace in the Swat valley and certain other northern and southern districts of the province. “no one amongst the civil and police forces was willing to serve in Swat, Dir, Hangu, Dera Ismail Khan and Bannu. But the AnP succeeded in restoring the writ of law in this vast area, which is no mean accomplishment”, said Arbab Tahir.

A look at the AnP’s competition reflects that so far the leading forces like JUIF, PML-n, PPP, JI and PTI have failed in making alliances and even seat to seat adjustment with each other. That said, the JI high command is making its best efforts for

seat adjustment with any political party. For the last several months, the JI leadership has held talks with the PPP, PML-n, JUI-F, PTI and others. PPP’s Anwar Saif Ullah Khan wants to have no truck with the AnP but some of the PPP stalwarts in Peshawar, Mardan and Swat are now softening up towards AnP, considering it most suitable for seat adjustment.

The rifts among religious parties also make the AnP’s task a trifle easy but only in some districts – particularly in the Peshawar valley that comprises Peshawar, nowshehra, Charsada, Mardan and Swabi districts where the AnP had got six out of 13 national and 21 out of 36 provincial assembly seats in the 2008 general elections.

This time round, the AnP has reduced its ambition to at least 20 and eight national Assembly seats from this region.

Whatever the claims and strategies of the AnP hierarchy but its cadre down the stream is indeed dejected. Some of these workers have been disenchanted by the former ministers and MPAs whereas many are also facing frequent life threats from the Taliban. These challenges are far too many and awesome in scope. How the AnP copes with them and still carves a place for itself in the provincial setup remains to be seen.

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Govt to maintain neutrality and ensure free‚ fair and transparent elections — Arif Nizami

neWs saturday 6 April, 2013

Influential politicians tighten hold on parties ahead of polls ISLAMABAD tAYYAB HUSSAIN

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ESPITE media criticism, awareness campaigns and pressure by civil society, the politics of family dynasties is strengthening its grip over the reigns of political parties, as party leaders’ kith and kins have been successful in wining the lion’s share in award of party tickets ahead of the general elections 2013.

Whether it is the PML-n, PML-Q, JUIF or the PPP – the ruling families are making hey wining party tickets, while party workers who worked hard and made sacrifices over the years have been kept high and dry.

However, Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is the only exception, as Khan has set an example for his followers by leaving the party meeting when decision was being taken about the fate of his cousin, Inamullah Khan niazi, for award of ticket for nA-72 Miawali.

Regardless of tall claims by leaders of traditional political parties, strong families have consolidated their grip over the parties and almost all political parties, except the PTI, have awarded tickets to members of specific families – negating the political workers an opportunity to reach assemblies to raise voice for the people on streets.

The time-tested and all-weather influential politicians are set to make it to the assemblies, but workers are being given consolations instead of party tickets.

Eminent political scientist Dr Rasool Baksh Raees said Pakistani politicians were confusing “elected dictatorship” with democracy.

“There is no democracy in Pakistan.

There is no democracy in political parties.

People have no role in the system. This is dynatic politics,” he asserted.

He said influential politicians had strengthened their hold on their parties and politics had been turned into a business rather than public service.

According to the sources, all major political parties were facing staunch opposition from within over the ticket distribution among their favorites and blue-eyed politicians and ignoring of workers.

Certain ‘political families’ have been successful in grabbing most of the party tickets by not taking into account the applications of their actual workers who remained loyal to their leaderships through the thick and thin and had been at the forefront in the fight for democracy.

Pakistan Muslim League-n President nawaz Sharif has awarded 30 tickets among members of his own family to strengthen his hold, the PML-n workers say.

Besides PML-n chief nawaz, party leader Khwaja Saad Rafiq’s family has been awarded five tickets, including one for his wife Ghazala Saad Rafique, who has been awarded national Assembly ticket on reserved seats for women.

Similarly, Chaudhry Jaffer Iqbal Gujjar’s family was awarded four seats including son Umer Jafar, daughter Zeb Jafar, son-in-law Faisal Iqbal and niece Maiza Hameed Gujjar.

Besides, PML-n chairman and Senator Raja Zafarul Haq’s niece was also awarded a ticket and Ameer Muqam’s family was given two seats at the cost of the time-tested and ideological workers, including former MPA Shazia Aurangzeb.

The PML-n’s distribution of party tick-

Certain ‘political families’ have been successful in grabbing most of the party tickets by not taking into account the applications of their actual workers who remained loyal to their leaderships through the thick and thin and had been at the forefront in the fight for democracy ets has sparked massive protest across the country from aspirants.

PML-n activists from Lodhran district held protest demo outside the Model Town office of the party against denial of ticket to their favourite candidate in the area.

In addition to this, a leader of the PMLn’s women wing Sakina Mengal was arrested after she attempted self-immolation in Quetta after being denied a ticket for the May 11 general election. She blamed Saad Rafique for depriving her of the ticket.

Political observers opine that the deci-

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sion of the leadership could adversely affect the party’s chances of winning the next general polls, as the people were mature enough politically to speak out against injustices being committed with them.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid is no exception, as the party has put the name of Tanzeela Aamir Cheema, the daughter-inlaw of Chaudhry Anwar Ali Cheema at number one in its priority list of the women’s reserved seats.

Similarly, PML-Q Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed has succeeded in getting ticket for his wife, Dushka Syed, for women reserved seats at number 2, whereas Farrukh Mukhtar, mother of business tycoon from Multan Faisal Mukhtar, has been put at number three in the PML-Q priority list.

However, Farrukh Khan, the PML-Q women’s wing president for the past five years, has been placed at number 6 – and there is a likelihood that she, being a party worker, would not be able to make it to the national Assembly despite the fact that Jayyeda Khalid, a niece of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, has been placed at number five, sources said. It was a matter of great concern that Farrukh Khan, who remained the most active party leaders, was put in the list of reserved seat at sixth number, and there is almost zero chance of her getting selected.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazal Rehman’s family is known for its role in Pakistani politics and members of the family have always remained active in almost all elections. For the forthcoming election, eight seats have been awarded to the kith and kin of Fazl.

Similarly, the influential Bilour family in the Awami national Party (AnP) has been given three seats for the coming elections.

Pakistan vital partner for regional security, says cenTcom chief RAwALPINDI oNLINE

General Lloyd Austin, the incoming commander of the United States Central Command (US CEnTCOM) termed Pakistan a vital partner for regional security. He expressed these views during a courtesy call on Defence Secretary Lt Gen (r) Asif Yasin Malik in Rawalpindi on Friday. The CEnTCOM commander said both Pakistan and the US were important to each others national interests. He said Pakistan had always been a useful partner and relations between the two countries were progressing on an upward trajectory.

Malik reiterated that being a pivotal partner to the international community, Pakistan had sacrificed greatly in the war against terrorism. He asserted that Pakistan wanted peace in the region and was ready to play its role for achieving the goal of lasting stability. He said the armed forces and the people of Pakistan had courageously fought and withstood the menace of terrorism over the last decade. The visiting US general acknowledged the role played by the Pakistani armed forces and the sacrifices made in this regard. He said despite highly difficult terrain in the border regions and well dug-in enemy, the successes made by the Pakistani armed forces were highly commendable. Austin said consultative forums like “DCG have helped us cement our military-to-military relations aimed at improving peace and stability in the region”. He added that continued support in training, education and Coalition Support Fund would act as tools necessary to keep relations on solid footing. US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson was also present.

sharifs hogging mammoth security personnel in staggering violation of rules NEwS DESK Two weeks following the dissolution of the Punjab government, the caretaker administration led by chief minister najam Sethi has not yet ordered withdrawal of a astounding number (317) of police commandos of the Punjab Elite Force who continue to provide VVIP security to nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and their family members in rampant violation of laid down rules and regulations, according to media reports.

While 100 highly trained jawans of the Elite Force keep guarding nawaz Sharif against the sanctioned strength of 12 people which he is actually entitled to as a former prime minister, 95 others are protecting Shahbaz Sharif despite the fact that he is entitled to only eight security guards as a former chief minister.

According official data of the Punjab home department, around 70 percent strength of the total Elite Force personnel in Lahore is still deployed to provide fool proof security to former VIPs of Punjab, with 50 percent of them guarding and escorting nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza Shahbaz, Salman Shahbaz, nusrat Shahbaz, Tehmina Shahbaz, Maryam nawaz, Captain (r) Mohammad Safdar, Imran Yousaf and others.

The Punjab Elite Force was launched in 1997 as a counter-terrorism unit of the Punjab Police, with a primary responsibility to carry out high-risk raids and rescue operations that cannot be conducted by the regular force.

However, with passage of time, the scope of Elite Force was widened and it was also made responsible for protection of VIPs including the president, prime minister, governors, chief ministers and foreign dignitaries. The total strength of the Elite Force in Punjab is 5,775 personnel, which includes 967 members of the Lahore Elite Police. Of these, 665 policemen have been deployed to protect families of former chief ministers, prime ministers, governors, judges and others, including foreign nationals, especially Americans.

This is mainly due to the fact that Elite Force personnel are trained by the Special Services Group (SSG) of the Pakistan Army and are considered highly trained, skilled and efficient at performing security duties. Of the

967 personnel of the Elite Force in Punjab, there are five inspectors, 33 sub-inspectors, 20 assistant sub-inspectors, 302 head constables, 583 constables and 24 female constables.

There are 75 vehicles being used by the Elite Force to escort the VIPs in Lahore.

According to the deployment break-up of the 967 Elite Police commandos in Lahore, 100 men and eight official vehicles are at the disposal of nawaz Sharif for his personal security despite the fact that being a former prime minister he is only entitled to have access to two security vehicles and a maximum of 12 personnel. The 100 policemen who still provide security to nawaz Sharif include one sub-inspector, 32 head constables and 67 constables. In fact, the PML-n chief is enjoying this security since the last five years in the aftermath of the 2008 general elections and the subsequent formation of his party’s government in the Punjab, in clear violation of rules.

According to official data, former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif has 95 personnel of

the Elite Force at his disposal including 27 head constables and 68 constables as well as eight official vehicles for his personal security, with another 40 men deployed at the Raiwind Farm House of the Sharifs. Former chief minister Pervaiz Elahi, however has only eight personnel for his security in compliance with regulations. nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam nawaz and her husband Captain (r) Mohammad Safdar are still being guarded by 12 men.

Shahbaz Sharif’s son Hamza Shahbaz has 15 commandos of the Elite Force at his disposal while his younger brother Salman Shahbaz has seven.

While 12 men of the Elite Force keep providing security cover to Shahbaz’s first wife, nusrat Shahbaz, 30 more are deployed at the Gulberg residence of his second wife, Tehmina Shahbaz. Seven more police commandos are guarding Shahbaz’s daughter and son-in-law, Imran Yousaf, while two PML-n leaders Zulfiqar Khosa and his son Dost Mohammad Khosa have also been provided with

10 and seven police commandos of the Elite Force, respectively.

While the caretaker Punjab CM najam Sethi has been provided 11 police commandos of the Elite Force, former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif’s former secretary Talha Burki and his former secretary coordination Tauqeer Shah are still being provided security by eight and four police commandos respectively, though both of them were never entitled to any such concession. Former Lahore High Court chief justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, who is close to the Sharifs, has four commandos at his disposal while 27 more provide security to Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial. nineteen Elite Force men are guarding former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his family members in Lahore, although he is entitled to 12 security personnel. While Punjab Governor Makhdoom Ahmad Mahmud has 34 commandos at his disposal and the former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer’s family has

13 personnel deployed at their Cavalry Ground residence. Former premier and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, former deputy premier Pervaiz Elahi and his son Moonis Elahi, enjoy security cover of 17, eight and six Elite Force commandos respectively.

While 26 policemen guard the American Consulate building in Lahore, 12 more provide security cover to the Indo-Pak Dosti bus.

Punjab Police Inspector General and the Lahore Capital City Police Officer are guarded by 10 Elite Force personnel each. 665 of the total 967 jawans of the Elite Force in Lahore are still deployed to protect the families of influential people, 300-plus commandos are either on leave or enrolled in different police training courses. This leaves a grand total of around 100 to protect the citizens of Lahore from the rising wave of terrorism, which was the original responsibility of the Elite Force when it was formed in 1997.

Approached for comments, a spokesman of the Punjab Police confirmed that over 300 personnel of the Elite Force continue to provide security cover to the Sharif family. To a question, he conceded that around 200 Elite Force men continue to guard nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, although they are officially entitled to only 20 security personnel.

However, Rai Tahir, head of the police pperations wing in Lahore, who is also in-charge of the Punjab Elite Force, said the massive security cover to the Sharif family was provided by the previous chief executive of Punjab and it could only be withdrawn by the current provincial government. Asked as to why the Punjab caretaker chief minister has not yet ordered the withdrawal of the massive security cover provided to the Sharifs, Punjab Director General Public Relations (DGPR) Amjad Hussain Bhatti said, “The Elite Force personnel are guarding them because of serious security threats they face. However, let me assure you that the caretaker administration under Sethi will not give any undue favours and concessions to anyone, come what may.

The excessive deployment of the Punjab Elite Force personnel for security of the Sharif family members will be taken up with the police hierarchy of Punjab and the undue staff will be withdrawn within 24 hours”.

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There is no original or primary gender a drag imitates, but gender is a kind of imitation for which there is no original. –Judith Butler

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Bizarre and unbelievable accountability must be meaningful – and across-the-board!

CoMMent saturday, 6 April, 2013

a judicial witch hunt encroaching the political turf not good for democracy

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HE way the candidates are being questioned by the Returning Officers amounts to humiliating the politicians. While a military ruler introduced the condition of university graduation for eligibility of a candidate, thus debarring scores of politicians from contesting, the judiciary has created a new barrier of its own choice. In this case the candidates are required to clear a test with the syllabus known only to the examiners. Questions that can legitimately be asked from applicants for the job of a prayer leader are being put to those who are contesting national elections. Some ROs have made queries about history, geography, general knowledge, spellings, personal life, in fact about anything that comes to their mind. This is unacceptable. Before the forms reach a returning officer they are already vetted by over half a dozen departments.

If the idea behind the scrutiny is to cleanse the system and ensure the candidate’s financial integrity this should be sufficient for a contestant to be declared eligible.

One had hoped that judiciary had understood that only democracy could save the country. The insistence on the implementation of Articles 62 and 63 which can be stretched to mean anything the interpreter wants is tantamount to opening a Pandora’s Box. This will raise the question if the country is moving towards a religious autocracy where a minority with a puritan bias would call the shots. The two Articles were the brainchild of military dictator Ziaul Haq as were several other laws that discriminated against women and minorities. The so-called ‘Islamic’ provisions have helped create an environment conducive to the spread of extremism. The ongoing exercise would further strengthen the trend. Who will determine what constitutes Islamic injunctions – the religious scholars, the Taliban, the Supreme Court or the Parliament? The yet to be defined “Pakistan ideology”, unheard of before the Yahya Khan’s infamous regime, has claimed its first victim. One wonders how many others are going to fall under the guillotine. As the experience of the French Revolution shows, once the instrument has been put to use no head is safe.

Many think the judiciary is proactively pursuing the politicians the way the Inquisition persecuted the heretics. The ECP has put all the relevant information about the candidates on the net. The vast majority of Pakistanis comprises of Muslims, albeit of a moderate type. Why doesn’t the judiciary let the millions of voters decide what kind of rulers they want? A perception is fast growing that the military dictators and judges share an unhealthy prejudice against politics and politicians. Further they also want to encroach on the political turf. This does not augur well for democracy.

The unending honour crimes increase in honour killings reflects continuation of primitive attitudes

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LEVEn honour killings made their way into media reports in the first five days of the week. The reports came from regions as diverse as Abbotabad, nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, Larkana and Peshawar. The story is the usual. Man and woman fall in love with each other, family disapproves and kills one or both claiming that it was a matter of “preserving family honour.” ‘Man kills daughter, paramour,’ ‘Man kills wife’ and ‘Man kills handicapped sister’ are the remorseless headlines that garnish the left out borders of the daily news pages. With 4,000 such honour killings reported between 1998 and 2004, it is as if honour killings no longer matter enough to require detailed investigation before reporting. One in eight of the cases did not even make it to the courts. Four lines are enough in most cases and newspapers are not sensitive enough to use pseudonyms for ‘honour crime’ victims.

If the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reports are to be taken as a baseline indicator, then at least 943 women were killed in the name of honour in 2011.

The HRCP itself warns that actual numbers were higher. Of these, the purported reasons offered were illicit relations in 595 cases and demanding to marry of own choice in 219 cases. Brothers were the murderers in 180 of the cases while husbands committed the murders in 226 cases. Only 20 women of the women attacked were reported to have been provided medical aid before they died.

The fact that such a primitive and barbaric crime continues to be committed as a duty across Pakistan suggests that the culture on the ground is not changing despite the outcry of various human rights organizations. Controlling women, curbing choice appears to be the diktat that society at large continues to wish to favour despite a law against honour killings having been passed in the year 2004, which made honour killings a crime against the State. On the ground, police officials continue to act as mediators between families and apply Diyat and Qisaas provisions to let the criminals off. In the cases that reach the courts, studies reveal courts are prone to using the “grave and sudden provocation” excuse to let the accused off. It is a known fact that the real motive behind many so-called honour crimes are disputes over property or taking revenge for an enmity but that has not changed the fact honour killings are on the rise.

On the one side, this is reflective of a greater exercise of choice on the part of the new generation. On the other, it reflects the rise of extremist attitudes within society. Official discourse still only sanctions ‘rightful marriage’ as that arranged by families and the garb of Islam still shrouds the question of women’s rights in the legal statutes and Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Both law and society need a radical reform for honour killings to be curbed. It is hoped that the government is listening.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad Editor Lahore – Ph: 042-36375963-5 Fax: 042-32535230 Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 Fax: 021-35381208 Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287273 Fax: 051-2850505 Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

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HE reported rejection of the nomination papers of Ayaz Amir from nA 60 for having written a column that allegedly “advocated open availability of wine, criticised the blasphemy laws, Hudood Ordinance, Objectives Resolution and the ideology of Pakistan” stretches the process of accountability into the realm of the bizarre and the unbelievable. Understandably, the article in question was written and published in English and the judgement has been given on the basis of its translation in Urdu that was made available to the Returning Officer.

This single judgement is tantamount to putting the brakes on the prospect of ‘thought’ and ‘debate’ in the country and takes Pakistan a million miles towards being dubbed an obscurantist and theocratic state.

Often have I written on the subject how a mere few have hijacked the higher ideals that propelled the creation of Pakistan and how have these few engaged in acts to nullify all that the Quaid advocated for the new-born state. From rebranding his famous saying rAoof HASAN “unity, faith, discipline” as “faith, unity, discipline” to, quite literally, disowning his crowning address to the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947 when he demolished all artificial barriers separating the Muslims from the Christians, Hindus and believers of other religions as citizens of Pakistan, these few have malevolently indulged in acts to damage the enshrining precepts of Pakistan’s creation.

From rubbishing a large number of the Quaid’s guidelines to falsely attributing to him things that he never said, the predominant effort has been to corrupt the foundations on which

Candid Corner

the edifice of a new state was erected.

In his historic address, the Quaid had said: “now, if we want to make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous, we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor. If you will work in cooperation, forgetting the past, burying the hatchet, you are bound to succeed. If you change your past and work together in a spirit that everyone of you, no matter to what community he belongs, no matter what relations he had with you in the past, no matter what is his colour, caste or creed, is first, second and last a citizen of this State with equal rights, privileges and obligations, there will be on end to the progress you will make”.

Further elaborating his concept of equality of all citizens in the eyes of the state, he went on to say: “You are free. You are free to go to your temples. You are free to go to your mosques or to any other place or worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed - that has nothing to do with the business of the State”.

Understandably, Ayaz Amir will go into appeal and, hopefully, his papers will be cleared, but the decision of the Returning Officer will continue to germinate through the minds of multiple other self-righteous Muslims who take upon themselves the task of the ‘saviours’ to put the rest on the ‘right’ path. This decision will further broaden the divisions which have gravely plagued the society and have virtually stymied its growth potential.

The decision comes in the wake of reports of questions being asked from potential candidates that are loaded with religious undertones. They have been asked to recite the Kalimas and the Suras. As compared to determining the religious inclinations of a potential candidate, much less stress is being laid on determining his credibility, competence and his conformity to the rule of law. That turns an otherwise meaningful exercise into a farce meant to perpetuate a message of captivity in the hands of the Returning Officers who may become agents for promoting an agenda of obscurantism and theocracy and for annulling the prospect of a healthy debate in the society that is an absolute pre-requisite for paving the way for progress based on the enshrining principles of equity and equality.

The role that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has played

whiteLIES

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The writer is a political analyst.

He can be reached at raoofhasan@hotmail.com

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apoLLo

HE scion of a prominent family from KP’s (till recently) ruling party recently got married to some girl in the Punjab. Inter-ethnic marriages aren’t uncommon these days but what appeared on the register was how fabulously loaded the family is.

in allowing all this to happen in the name of articles 62 and 63 of the constitution should also be scrutinised in greater detail. Leaving the fate of the potential candidates in the hands of the Returning Officers who were never formally trained to do the job casts aspersions on the competence and intentions of the ECP and its functionaries.

The fact that the ECP stayed mum on the fake-degree issue for almost three years and acted only after the Supreme Court (SC) ordered it to do so should also be probed. The initial u-turns on the issues of the delimitation of constituencies and registration of voters under the supervision of the army in Karachi also need to be looked into.

The damaging ambivalence in formulating policies and directives for conducting the general elections also needs an elaborate enquiry. The reposting of controversial officers, who were removed in the past under the SC instructions, to critical positions that may impact the outcome of the elections also needs to be probed.

One also understands that there are objections raised to the candidature of some leading political stalwarts in the race. Dealing with these objections would pose a stern test to the ECP and its functionaries. It remains to be seen whether they are able to uphold the principles of justice and fair play in all such matters. It is also intriguing that the national Accountability Bureau (nAB) has sprung into life in the case of the Sharifs and the people have been reminded of their Rs. 3.48 billion default pertaining to the Hudaibiya Paper Mills. This may not be their only default. There may be others that need to be made public.

But, nAB should also be equally forthcoming in cases relating to the members of the former ruling-coalition including the intending candidates from the PPP, PML-Q, MQM, AnP and others. It should also come out clean on the episode of one Touqir Sadiq who continues to evade arrest in spite of SC’s repeated orders to produce him. It should also comply with the SC directives on the Rental Power, nICL, Ephedrine and multiple other scams. A one-sided accountability would be a travesty of justice. It is not any less of accountability that one advocates. It is more of it, but it should be transparent, indiscriminate and across-the-board.

The girl’s trousseau jewelry arrived in boxes, with its own set of guards. Yes, almost like those armoured vehicles that banks use.

Someone’s certainly been riding the gravy “train.” (hint, hint) What can you say? As the rich get richer...

O, Fauzia Kasuri was out of the PTI’s inner circle and Dr “In the blue corner, weighing...” Shirin Mazari was in, as was revealed in this very spot a week ago.

Following Dr Mazari’s re-entry into the PTI’s planetary orbit, she has been cementing her position further. In fact, she has recently been slotted in as the party’s women reserved seat number one.

You know the drill: in the national assembly, parties get a women’s seat for every three they get in the general seats. now if only somehow the PTI gets three seats... *********** HE whole 62, 63 drama will grind to a halt once someone brings up mention of a certain girl named Tyrian.

Tyrian who? Well, Tyrian White, of course.

Ok, since you’re being really slow here, we mean Imran Khan’s daughter.

Let’s see if the ECP’s Returning Officers are as much of sticklers for detail then. Ayaz Amir’s praise of Cowasjee’s cellar really does pale in comparison, doesn’t it?

Imagine the PTI’s trolls coming out at the cancellation of his papers. (“nahi nahi, it’s not the same thing.”)

Oh yes, it is.

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For feedback, comments, suggestions and, most importantly, tips, contact us at whitelies@pakistantoday.com.pk

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Humanity is OK, but 99% of people are boring idiots. –Slavoj Zizek

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CoMMent

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saturday, 6 April, 2013

Too big to jail not too big to resist

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khaki beau geste the pakistan army is the astrologer in pakistan’s story

rANA HUSSAIN tAHIr KoSHAL

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OBERT Greene recollects a very interesting anecdote of Louis XI. He writes that the great Spider King of France had a weakness for astrology. He kept a court astrologer whom he admired, until one day he predicted that a lady of the court would die within eight days. When the prophecy came true, Louis was terrified, thinking that either the man had murdered the woman to prove his accuracy or that he was so versed in science that his powers threatened Louis himself. In either case he was to be killed.

One evening Louis summoned the astrologer to his room, high in the castle. Before the man arrived, the king told his servants that when he gave the signal they were to pick the astrologer up, carry him to the window and hurl him to the ground, hundreds of feet below.

The astrologer soon arrived, but before giving the signal, Louis decided to ask him one last question: “You claim to understand astrology and know the fate of others, so tell me what your fate will be and how long you have to live.”

“I shall die just three days before Your Majesty,” the astrologer replied. The king’s signal was never give in. The man’s life was spared. The Spider King not only protected his astrologer for as long as he was alive, he lavished him with gifts and had him tended by the finest court doctors.

The astrologer survived Louis by several years, disproving his power of prophecy but proving his mastery at keeping the king dependent upon him.

The Pakistan army has brilliantly played the role of the astrologer in Pakistan’s story. By

helping us in time of floods and earthquakes, it has made us believe that it is indispensable to Pakistan and her people, thus giving rise to arguments not only against a democratic Pakistan but against democracy as an institution.

On the top of this, the army tries to make us believe that we are not meant for democracy. For those who are thinking that this is some sort of a conspiracy theory, I would like to recall Ayub Khan’s address to the nation on March 1, 1959.

He said, “To work a Westminster style democracy you need really cool phlegmatic temperament which only people in cold climate seem to have.

This system has only worked in Britain and the Scandinavian countries. Elsewhere it has not taken real roots. So do not let us kid ourselves and cling to clichés and assume that we are ready to work such a refined system.”

The present state of affairs, including the brutal killings of our Shia brethren has seen the popularity of the same rhetoric, “Pakistan and its people can be run by a dictator only.”

The reason why we succeed so brilliantly in electing the most clownish representatives from amongst us is because we have not yet developed democratic acumen of any sort. This is because out of the 66 years since Pakistan came into existence, for 32 years it was ruled over by force by its own military, which was supplemented by the Inter-Services Intelligence whose power is considered equal, if not more, than the combined powers of the CIA, FBI and the nSA in the US. Where Pakistanis should have seen around 16 democratically elected governments complete their term, they have seen one. It is high time the army starts focusing on protecting the country’s territorial boundaries instead of, what a senator recently said, its ‘ideological frontiers’.

Our misery is such, that even during the remaining 34 years, the military establishment was the puppe-

teer behind the stage; the Kargil debacle and the Asghar Khan case being a testament to this fact.

Moreover, what happened during these so-called non-military governments was and still is more detrimental to the country than the martial law governments themselves. The atmosphere of distrust between the democratically elected and the ever-ready-to-takeover military is the reason why our government is not a great advocate of a military operation in Quetta and Karachi. Thus giving a chance to miscreants like Lahskar-e-Jhangvi to succeed in their sinister plans.

Firstly, the government fears that once the military is called in it would refuse go back to the barracks. Secondly, people would think that as the military has been called in to help, democracy has failed yet again. What people do not understand is that the army is a part of the government and should always be at its disposal. By helping us during national calamities like flood and earthquakes, they are not doing us a favour; they are doing their job just like the air force does when it is called in to deliver aid in calamity hit remote areas.

Our military and intelligence chiefs may be unaware of the fact that the world’s most dangerous man is residing in a mansion a stone’s throw away from our principal military academy, but their skill at executing perfect coup d’états is unquestionable. Our commander-in-chiefs decide when our country is in danger and the only logical solution they see is for them to step in, and to never step out. The phrase Mere Aziz Humwatno, Asalam o Aalaikum brings back terrifying memories despite the fact that it is a rather beautiful way to wish one’s countrymen well.

It takes great sacrifices to establish democracy, and even greater to institutionalise it. It takes decades, sometimes even centuries before democracy can be concretised into an institution.

In Pakistan, democracy has never been given a fair chance. If the upcoming elections do in fact take place, it would be the first time in the country’s history that a civilian government would pass power to another through general elections. In India, democracy began showing results after 40 consecutive years, whereas in Pakistan, it has had only five so far.

Winston Churchill once said, “With all its weakness and with all its strength, with all their faults, with all their virtues, with all the criticisms that may be made against them, with their many shortcomings, with lack of foresight, lack of continuity of purpose or pressure only of superficial purpose, they (democracies) nevertheless assert the right of the common people – to take a conscious and effective share in the government of their country”.

The writer is staff member.

Email: rana_hussain_tahir@hotmail.com, Twitter: @rhkoshal

DAN DEWALt

ORPORATE America just received the confirmation that they’ve been waiting for.

The attorney general of the United States has now admitted that the biggest American financial corporations have created such a labyrinth of their structures and practices that the Justice Department has given up trying to police them in matters of corruption or criminal malfeasance, saying that bringing down any of these mega-banks or businesses could cause crash the economy.

In 2008, the Justice Department announced a shift in policy, deciding to be cooperative with the big banks, and to encourage self-policing and self-reporting by the corporations, rather than vigorously prosecuting lawbreaking. After all, according to a DOJ directive of August of that year, “federal prosecutors and corporate leaders typically share common goals.”

As Elizabeth Warren pointed out this week in a Senate hearing with Treasury department officials, even though HSBC bank has admitted laundering over 800 million dollars for drug cartels, not one of their bankers has even been charged, let alone convicted for the crime; “If you’re caught with an ounce of cocaine, the chances are good you go to jail. If you’re caught repeatedly, you can go to jail for life. Incidentally, if you launder nearly a billion dollars in drug money, your company pays a fine and you go home and sleep in your own bed at night.”

And it’s not just banks. Corporate America has successfully engineered a coup d’etat under our noses without firing a shot. They have paid Congress and the Executive branch to enable this unprecedented power grab through tax laws, finance policy and the gutting of traditional concerns for the welfare of the common citizen. They have enjoyed the collusion of the courts, culminating in the Supreme Court’s preposterous Citizens United ruling that corporations are “people” in the “original intent” of the Constitution. nOW, even the regulators have come out and admitted that they are no longer really in the game.

Consider that in the face of a large and growing movement to prevent tar sands oil from being pumped through Vermont, officials with the company that owns the pipeline tell us that only market demands will be considered when deciding whether to reverse flow and start pumping the climate killing oil.

On a national scale the outrages are that much larger and egregious. Facebook made $1.1 billion in profit last year, but instead of paying taxes, it will enjoy a $429-million “refund”. They are just the latest to join the ranks of corporate-welfare profiteers swilling at the government trough.

What is a common citizen to do? If we took to the streets by the millions and threatened the government with a general strike, they would start to change things immediately. While more and more of us are getting exercised about these abuses and this power grab, our numbers are not yet sufficient for success on the streets. Too many of us still believe that we are part of the economy and therefore need to support the money masters who dictate how it will operate. Too many of us don’t yet see that this economy uses us only as pawns, slaves and debt-ridden consumer/serfs.We buy their nonsense about the national debt and how we can’t ring any money out of those who have it. We allow them to (literally) steal hundreds of billions of dollars from our nation’s wealth while we ordinary citizens face the specter of drastic cuts in health care for the poor and in our hard-earned retirement benefits to cover the losses.

Individually, we can take some small steps in the right direction, starting with every interaction that we have with a corporation or any of its representatives. We should start by assuming that we are being lied to every time we are told anything by these entities, whether it concerns our credit card, our phone bill, the appliance we just purchased or our money which is being held hostage by the rules of our bank. We can protest and challenge their procedures and demand that they offer proof of every claim they make.

And we can take action individually. If a bank has rules that prevent adequate and timely access to our money, we can change banks. If our food stores don’t let us know what’s in the food the sell, we can make and apply our own labels to the products to let them know that we’ll make an informed decision about buying GMO food. If a corporation acts like an avaricious bully, we can refuse to do business with it.

But what of the courts? What of the two-tiered justice system, where the 90% face ever heavier penalties and jail sentences, while the the 1% skate free and ignore the law? Surprisingly, this is one area where we have tremendous power which can be summed up in two words: jury nullification.

If it wishes, a jury has the right to declare a defendant not guilty even if they believe him/her to be guilty. Regardless of a judge`s consternation or admonishment, this is a power that can be exercised without fear of retribution or legal sanction. If the courts will no longer prosecute the big money heavies, then why shouldn’t we see to it that we all get to operate at the same level? Certainly, no jurors would declare a person innocent whom they believe to be a danger to society, but how many times have jurors heard stories of mitigating circumstances, unfortunate turns of events, drug or alcohol-induced instances of bad judgement that might merit giving the defendant a second chance?

If we listen to the judges and prosecutors, we will hear that no one is above the law. But we know that to be a lie. Instead of just going along, issuing a guilty verdict and hoping for the best in a hapless defendant’s future, we can simply say not guilty, and give him/her a second chance instead of being dragged into the depths of the penal system from which so many can never extricate themselves.

There are many ways to fight an unjust and corrupt system.

The first step is to recognize that we have lost our Republic. now we must act to take it back.

Dan DeWalt is an activist and journalist based in New Fane, VT.

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A arts saturday, 6 April, 2013

aamIr khan does a Theme song In BomBaY TalkIes

The truth is you don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed — Eminem

rIhanna

the latest swatting victim

T

H E swatters strike again! A new celeb has become the latest victim of the swatting trend: Rihanna. An LAPD spokesperson has confirmed to omg! that police were indeed called to Rihanna’s residence at 3 p.m. where they found no injuries nor any evidence of a problem and declared the call a hoax. The spokesperson would not confirm whether or not the 25-year-old wsinger as at home at the time. According to one report, the group responsible for hacking a growing list of celebrities that now includes Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, Tyra Banks, Scarlett Johansson, and even (previously) First Lady Michelle Obama, and putting their credit reports and other financial documents online (hence, the term “doxxing”) are now also claiming they recently “swatted” the homes of Paris Hilton and Diddy. As of Thursday, the group’s website included “Swatted” next to the names of Hilton and Diddy, along with a link to articles about the pranks. But omg! spoke with the LAPD on Thursday, who told us that the investigation into the latest “swatting”

incident (or, when someone calls 911 and falsely reports a crime) – at Diddy’s house on Tuesday — “is still ongoing at this time. Detectives have not confirmed anybody responsible.” As omg! has reported, a 12-yearold California boy admitted being guilty of “swatting” the home of Ashton Kutcher last October, telling police that people inside the actor’s home had guns and explosives. The same child has also been charged for swatting Justin Bieber, although that charge is expected to be dropped. It doesn’t seem that there is any connection between the 12-year-old and the group behind the “doxxing.” NEWS DESK

My friends keep texting me baby names:

kaTe mIddleTon

gets stylish haircut on camera!

Whether she wants it or not, Kate Middleton is receiving baby name suggestions from her friends. The pregnant Duchess of Cambridge visited Quarriers Stopover Project in Glasgow, Scotland on Thursday, April 4 with husband Prince William and opened up about her royal pregnancy. While chatting with the project manager of the homeless shelter, which provides shortterm housing for 14 people between age 16 and 25, Middleton, 31, talked about her due date and if she’s thought of any baby names. “It’s around mid-July, but apparently babies have their own agenda,” she joked. Middleton kept her baby bump covered up during her travels throughout Scotland on Thursday under a short tartan Molah brand “Workers” coat. Though they still have time, the first-time mom-to-be said she’s struggling to come up with a baby name. “We have a short list for both [boy and girl] but it’s very difficult,” she confessed. But she’s also getting some help, Middleton added, “My friends keep texting me names.” During her visit, Caitlin Tominey, 17, gifted Middleton with a wool baby bonnet, teddy bear and onesie.

“It’s very sweet of you, I’ll keep it safe for the big day,” Middleton said. “I’ve been trying to knit and I’m really bad. I should be asking you for tips.” Meanwhile, her husband, 30, was trying out his skills at DJ’ing. “It’s difficult,” he said. “I think I should come better prepared next time.”

Shahid Kapoor faced the camera while having a haircut, just for his fans!

The actor agreed to do it for his celebrity hairstylist Aalim Hakim’s show Style Inc. with Aalim Hakim.

The episode featuring Shahid will go on air on TLC Friday. Shahid and Hakim have been good friends for long. They take a nostalgic trip down memory lane, wherein Shahid speaks about his struggling days and how Hakim supported him all through. The actor will also be given a couple of different looks on the show.

Hakim’s show offers viewers access to new trends while he gives actors a whole new look, both onscreen and off it. NEWS DESK

NEwS DESK

Contrary to reports that Aamir Khan has been roped into a special extra segment for Bombay Talkies, the actor is actually part of a special theme song to commemorate 100 years of Indian cinema which will be part of the film.

Bombay Talkies is a collection of four short films directed by DibakarBanerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap as an ode to 100 years of Indian cinema. A source close to the project says, “The film’s shooting is done. Four directors had been assigned to do four episodes.

Where is the scope for Aamir to do another segment? That is completely wrong reporting. Aamir has only participated in a song in Bombay Talkies composed by Amit Trivedi celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema.” The song features several other topnotch stars along with Aamir Khan. NEWS DESK

Musical extravaganza kickstarts first TOIFA With performers like Mohit and Sunidhi Chauhan taking to stage to belt out crowd-pleasing hit Bollywood numbers like ‘Tumse Hi’ and ‘Babli Badmaash’, the first edition of Times of India Film awards began with a musical extravaganza that kept the audience enchanted with foot-tapping songs. Actress Neha Dhupia, who was hosting the event, began with a question for the audience, ‘Kaun Banega Neha Dhupia Ka Pati?’ The 32-year-old told the crowd that since her mother keeps nagging her to get married, she would find a suitable ‘Punjabi munda’ for herself from among the audience. The actress even selected some and gave them a chance to show off their talent by dancing on ‘item numbers’ like ‘Fevicol Se’ and ‘Sheila Ki Jawaani’.

Spread over three-days, the awards

will have a number of Bollywood related events. Actors like Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Boman Irani will host the main event.

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan with wife Gauri, Priyanka Chopra, Asin, Jimmy Sheirgil and Sujoy Ghosh are expected to arrive here soon while filmmaker Anurag Basu, Prabhudeva and Urmila Matondkar have already reached. Dancer Shiamak Davar, who is choreographing all the events, started the function with a performance on the song ‘Jaane Kisne’ before singing ‘Thana me baithe Pandeyji’ from ‘Dabbang 2’.

His performance was followed by singer Shalmali Kholgade, who kept everyone on their toes, with her songs ‘Main Pareshaaan’ from ‘Ishaqzaade’ and ‘Radha’ from ‘Students of the Year’. Rapper Hard

sHAHID KAPooR

Kaur also gave a powerful performance with her hits like ‘Chaar Baj gaye, party abhi baaki hai’ and ‘Singh is King’. Kavita Seth was at her best on the stage as she performed her numbers ‘Iktaara’ from ‘Wake Up Sid’ and ‘Tumhi ho Bandhu’ from ‘Cocktail’. Bollywood and its stars enjoy great popularity in Vancouver thanks to the huge Indian population.

Young and old fans braved the cold and rainy Canadian weather to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars. The first day witnessed arrival of some of the known names from Bollywood including Anurag Basu, Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Gauri Khan, Karan Johar, Urmila Matondkar and Gauri Shinde. Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Madhur Bhandarkar and Sujoy Ghosh are expected to join them soon. NEWS DESK

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When I look at my old pictures, all I can see is what I used to be but am no longer. I think: What I can see is what I am not — Aleksandar Hemon

melissa mccarthy jokes about saturday night live hosting gig NEwS DESK Melissa McCarthy was one of the more memorable hosts of Saturday Night Live to come along in a while, even netting her an Emmy nomination.

And now the Bridesmaids star is ready for an encore—except she’d like to know just who in the cast saw her in her underwear the last time around. Appearing on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Thursday, the 42-year-old comic actress, who’s set to return for hosting duties this weekend, told SNL alum Jimmy Fallon that her first stint on the show was “fun” and that she’s “much less freaked out” about doing it again.

“It was like literally, that’s the biggest dream I ever had,” she said, adding that she had to refrain from bawling when she came out for her monologue. She also recalled a funny incident backstage during the quick-change when she had to put on another costume—or what she called “the only time I’ve truly been assaulted”—since she had to remove a slew of prosthetics and mouthpieces, all while wearing eight layers of dresses.

“Somebody shoved my head forward, fluffed my hair and literally she shoved me out the door, and I was like, ‘Hi, I’m Melissa McCarthy. It’s Saturday Night Live,’” she recalled with a laugh. “And I was like, I don’t know who saw me in my underwear. It was all weird.”

Beyoncé and Jay-Z toast 5th wedding anniversary in Cuba

ARts saturday, 6 April, 2013

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notaBLe tWeets yoKo ono In your head, a sunset can go on for days. You can eat up all the clouds in the sky.

aLICIa Keys

Honored to have my blog post on @LeanInOrg. Hope this story touches you and reminds you to always shine on!!!

aHmaD rafay aLam “Loadshedding is part and parcel of our experiment with Modernity” - Ijlal Naqvi, #Energy & #Ecologies, #LUMS Conference #Pakistan

KIm KarDasHIan Loving cardigans!

KImBerLy CoLe Another sleepless night!!!!!

NEwS DESK

LA: Drew Barrymore, the ever-stylish new mom, attends the inaugural Lucky magazine Fashion & Beauty Bloggers (FABB) Conference on Friday.

The average fifth wedding anniversary is marked by gifts of wood and silverware. For Beyoncé and Jay-Z, it’s marked with international jet-setting and fabulousness. The couple was spotted walking the streets of Old Havana, Cuba, on Thursday. On the same day five years prior, the musical pair wed in an ultra-private ceremony at their Manhattan home.

With Bey’s mother Tina in tow, the security-flanked group took in sights and greeted locals. Jay looked every bit the vacationing mogul, rocking a Panama hat for their daytime tour, and later enjoying a brandy and a cigar at cocktail hour. Bey, who today unveiled a snippet of her new single “Grown Woman” atop a Pepsi ad spot, rocked dramatic braids and a bold print romper. While travel to Cuba is restricted by the U.S. government, various groups like artists and journalists are permitted access, as well as dignitaries and educators.

Bey and Jay had better soak up their quality time while they can get it.

She heads off on her blockbuster international tour “The Mrs. Carter Show” come summer, while Jay will do a smaller national rollout with Justin Timberlake in support of “The 20/20 Experience.” no word on where their 1-year-old baby Blue Ivy will land on their various travel legs, but we know she’s got a seat saved.

seAn LoWe addresses breakup rumours The Bachelor’s Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici have yet another reason to laugh together, thanks to recent reports that they are on the rocks. “Every time Catherine and I go to the grocery store, we will flip through the tabloid magazines and it’s all fictitious,” he told E! news at Star Magazine’s Hollywood Rocks event Thursday night. “We couldn’t be happier. I’m so happy that we are finally in the same city having somewhat of a normal relationship. I couldn’t be happier!” And while they don’t have any firm wedding plans quite yet, Lowe insists they are coming. no, really!

“Things are so crazy. We are going to let

Dancing with the Stars settle down and then we will start mapping it out.” Chris Harrison, keep your schedule open, buddy. In the meantime, Sean’s shedding pounds (unintentionally), thanks to the rigorous DWTS schedule. “It’s a grueling workout. We train for 8 hours a day and its all cardio. When I get home I’m just zapped. I’m definitely losing weight because I’m not lifting weights like I normally would, its all cardio. I’m eating everything I can but the weight’s coming off.”

Sean’s next performance will go down Monday night, and Catherine is expected to be there, cheering him on. NEWS DESK

shah rukh’s new ‘action look’ in Chennai Express

Even as Shah Rukh Khan is busy with his IPL team and celebrating their victory in the first match of this season, we bring you his new look from upcoming film Chennai Express.

Shah Rukh Khan can be seen in an action sequence here in the picture. SRK-Deepika Padukone starrer Chennai Express is slatyed for release this August. The image depicts Khan walking away from a massive blast, albeit a common sight in a Rohit Shetty film, which is part of a crucial action sequence in Chennai Express. Apparently, the said action sequence has been designed by Rohit himself and was shot just before Khan left for the IPL opening ceremony. The sequence itself is a scene in which Khan battles his way out after bashing up a couple of bad guys before blowing them up. Chennai Express is slated for release this August. NEWS DESK

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InfotaInment Saturday, 6 April, 2013

The film that reacts to your emotions

At Plymouth University’s Peninsular Arts Contemporary Music Festival last month, a film short called Many Worlds was shown. But this was a film with a difference: it ‘watched’ the audience and changed its narrative according to their emotional state.

The film’s director, Alexis Kirke, explains that sensors are used to gauge the emotional state of the audience. He says, “We’ve imported four sensors from the USA, we’ve got a heart rate monitor, an EEG monitor (brainwaves), a perspiration monitor and a muscle tension monitor.”

BIoSENSoRS Four people in the audience are connected up to one of these sensors, the readings of which change the course of the film via a visual programming language programme called Max (this can tell the film what scenes to play according to the results of the bio sensors). In order for this to work, Kirke had to write and film multiple story lines.

He says, “Twice in the script I do a measure of the audiences’ arousal, one at 3 minutes in and one at about 9 minutes and these coincide with key turning points in the story. If you have two turning points you end up with four endings because every branch generated has a turning point.”

The four people who participated were acting as a sample for the rest of the audience.

MEASURING ARoUSAL Depending on the arousal of the audience, either above or below the expected level, the film changes in order to get them to the required state. Kirke says, “I had to decide which were the most arousing scenes in a biological sense. If I felt the audience were below the threshold of arousal I wanted at the decision point I would bump them up to a more aroused scene and then at the next decision point I would do another measure etc.”

He continues, “It’s that simple and that complicated. I tell you what, biosignal monitoring is not hard…but writing a film with four endings that isn’t just a stupid experiment is bloody hard.”

If this form of immersive cinema became mainstream it raises some interesting questions. For example, if the film one an award, which strand of the film would actually win?

Kirke says, “The only thing I can imagine is that the film will have to come to encapsulate all possible versions. But then there is the issue of what if a critic only sees one version? Who wants to go back and back? On the other hand, one of the reasons why the Titanic made so much money is that people kept going back to see it so maybe if our films are reacting more intelligently, who knows, maybe we’ll go back and see it multiple times.” NEWS DESK

I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road. –Stephen Hawking

5 technologies to protect earth from an asteroid strike

O

NEwS DESK

n 15th February, in what has been described as a spectacular “cosmic coincidence” by Prof.

Fitzsimmons of the Astrophysics Research Centre, a meteor exploded above the Chelyabinsk region of Russia’s Ural mountains damaging buildings, shattering windows and injuring more than a thousand people on the same day that an asteroid twice the size narrowly avoided a collision with Earth.

According to nASA scientists, the meteor that caused havoc in Chelyabinsk was thought to have been around 15m wide and exploded with a force 30 times that of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima,. The far larger passing asteroid, named 2012 DA14, was 30 metres wide and came within 27,700 km of Earth – closer than some of our own communication satellites.

“Today’s events are a stark reminder of the need to invest in space science,” said Lamar Smith, chairman of the Science, Space and Technology committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.

But just what is humanity’s contingency plan in the event that an asteroid is detected heading towards Earth?

KinETic dEfLEcTiOn In March, a £225 million ESA (European Space Agency) led initiative to build two spacecraft to crash into an asteroid was announced. The Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment mission, or AIDA, launching in 2019, will see one spacecraft crash into asteroid Didymos, which has no chance of hitting Earth, while a second spacecraft built by american scientists will monitor the collision to measure how its orbit is affected.

Andy Rivkins of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel told The Huffington Post that the collision will knock the asteroid off course by just a few millimetres. This technique could be used in future to defend the Earth; if an asteroid is spotted early enough, just a small change in its trajectory would be enough to nudge it off course. nASA is expected to request $100 million in its 2014 budget to fund a mission to ‘capture’ a small asteroid with a robotic spacecraft and bring it into lunar orbit for further study, it was reported at the end of March.

LAsER dEfLEcTiOn Obama’s science advisor Dr John Holdren, speaking at a congressional hearing following the events of 15 February entitled ‘Threats from Space’, said a laser could be used to change the course of an asteroid: “What you can do in principal, if you have a very powerful laser, is to cause jets of material heated by the laser to fly off of [sic] the asteroid and that is essentially the equivalent of a jet engine pushing the asteroid off course.”

Techniques like this rely upon spotting the asteroid years in advance, as tiny changes in an asteroid’s orbit are only effective over very long distances. nucLEAR dEsTRucTiOn But what if we don’t have years? If an asteroid is found to be heading towards Earth with only weeks or months to spare, nuclear weapons are our last-ditch defence.

“Our emergency aid is a rocket with a nuclear warhead,” Lidia Rykhlova from the Russian Institute of Astronomy told Russia Today, in response to the meteor explosion in Chelyabinsk. nuclear weapons could be used to knock an asteroid off course or to destroy it completely but nukes come with their own complications.

“If you blow it up, then a whole giant spray of rocks is coming at the Earth instead of one,” said Bill nye, executive director of the Planetary Society during a presentation called ‘Moving an Asteroid’ in 2011.

GRAviTy TRAcTOR Another way to influence an asteroid’s movement is gravity. All mass exerts a gravitational pull, so if a spacecraft was sent to fly alongside an asteroid, it would pull the asteroid toward it. Given enough time, this small gravitational tug could be all that is needed to divert a dangerous asteroid.

“You can get a very precise change in the orbit for the final part of the deflection using a technology of this kind,” said former astronaut Rusty Schweickart, chairman of the B612 Foundation at the ‘Moving an Asteroid’ presentation.

This effect can be accomplished with our current capabilities – both the Americans and the Japanese have sent probes to examine asteroids in the past.

Solar energy The Planetary Society has suggested ways of pushing asteroids off course using solar energy, either by using mirrors attached to probes to aim the sun’s rays at the asteroid or by wrapping the asteroid in a reflective foil, so that the sun itself could push it off course.

“This might work, even if the thing is rotating,” Bill nye told Space.com.

Another contactless method of pushing an asteroid is an Ion Beam Shepherd, a concept being worked on by the Technical University of Madrid in collaboration with ESA, whereby the ion thrusters used to propel spacecraft could be used to affect an asteroid’s orbit.

EARLy dETEcTiOn Detecting an asteroid early remains the best defence against them, nASA Ad-

Ancient site unearthed in Biblical home of Abraham NEwS DESK British archaeologists said Thursday they have unearthed a sprawling complex near the ancient city of Ur in southern Iraq, home of the biblical Abraham.

The structure, thought to be about 4,000 years old, probably served as an administrative center for Ur, around the time Abraham would have lived there before leaving for Canaan, according to the Bible. The compound is near the site of the partially reconstructed Ziggurat, or Sumerian temple, said Stuart Campbell of Manchester University’s Archaeology Department, who led the dig.

“This is a breathtaking find,” Campbell said, because of its unusually large size — roughly the size of a football field, or about 260 feet on each side. The archaeologist said complexes of this size and age were rare.

“It appears that it is some sort of public building. It might be an administrative building, it might have religious connections or controlling goods to the city of Ur,” he told The Associated Press in a phone interview from the U.K. The complex of rooms around a large courtyard was found 12 miles from Ur, the last capital of the Sumerian royal dynasties whose civilization flourished 5,000 years ago.

Campbell said one of the artifacts they unearthed was a 3.5-inch clay plaque showing a worshipper wearing a long, fringed robe, approaching a sacred site.

Beyond artifacts, the site could reveal the environmental and economic conditions of the region through analysis of plant and animal remains, the archaeological team said in a statement. The dig began last month when the six-member British team worked with four Iraqi archaeologists to dig in the Tell Khaiber in the southern province of Thi Qar, some 200 miles south of Baghdad.

Decades of war and violence have kept international archaeologists away from Iraq, where significant archaeological sites as yet unexplored are located. Still, the dig showed that such collaborative missions could be possible in parts of Iraq that are relatively stable, like its Shiite-dominated south. Campbell’s team was the first British-led archaeological dig in southern Iraq since the 80s. It was also directed by Manchester University’s Dr. Jane Moon and independent archaeologist Robert Killick. “This has been an opportunity to get back to an area very close to our heart for a long time,” Campbell said. Iraq faces a broader problem of protecting its archaeological heritage. Its 12,000 registered archaeological sites are poorly guarded.

ministrator Charles Bolden told the ‘Threats from Space’ hearing of the Science, Space and Technology committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.

95% of near-Earth Objects (nEOs) more than a kilometer wide have been identified, Bolden told the panel, but only 10% of asteroids larger than 140m, what John Holdren described as “potential city killers”, have been found, leaving around 10,000 that we don’t know about.

The main barrier to better detection of nEOs is funding, as a single space-based sensor could cost almost a billion dollars alone, and nASA is just one of many departments facing budget cutbacks.

In April 2010, Barack Obama pledged his support for space exploration and laid out plans for a manned mission to mars by 2030 in a speech at nASA’s Kennedy Space Center : “We’ll start by sending astronauts to an asteroid for the first time in history,” Obama said.

But the funding does not match the rhetoric. Charles Bolden made it clear that we are not equipped to deal with a threat at short notice when he said, “If it’s coming in three weeks, pray”.

It may however be the private sector that beats nASA to it; there are currently two companies with plans to mine asteroids for their resources: Deep Space Industries and Planetary Resources, who are backed by Eric Schmidt and James Cameron.

Rusty Schweickart, chairman of the B612 Foundation, the non-profit organization that protects the planet by tracking asteroids, has said that detecting and defending against planet-busting asteroids is an important test for humanity.

“If there is a community of intelligent life out in the universe, those intelligent beings will have already conquered this challenge,” Schweickart said. “Our entrance exam to that community of intelligent life is to pass this test.”

It is widely believed that an asteroid impact 65 million years ago caused not only the demise of the dinosaurs but a mass extinction event that wiped out up to 75% of Earth’s plants and animal species.

Unless we take the issue of space science funding seriously now, we may never earn the badge of ‘intelligent life’, and could end up sharing the same fate as the dinosaurs.

Indian students invent anti-rape lingerie

Now this is an ingenious invention: Indian engineering students have come up with anti-rape lingerie. It’s not only electrified and can shock a person as many as 82 times; it is also equipped with communications software so it can alert authorities, and GPS so authorities can locate the victim, reports the Times of India. Thanks to an electric shock circuit board, located near the breasts, “the lingerie ... is capable of sending shock waves of 3,800 kV,” says one of the developers. “A person trying to molest a girl will get the shock of his life the moment pressure sensors get activated,” she adds. Developers, who wanted to do something to combat India’s brutal rapes, call the underwear “Society Harnessing Equipment.” Now they just have to figure out what type of fabric to use, so the underwear can be washed. NEWS DESK

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england can dominate world cricket: cook

This is a balanced squad which will provide the selectors with strong options in all areas. – Geoff Miller

akram To fIne-Tune PakIsTan fasT Bowlers LAHoRE: PCB COO Mr. Subhan Ahmed, Ufone Chief Commercial Officer Salman Wassay and Wasim Akram at MoU signing ceremony. StaFF photo

LAHORE StAff rEport

LoNDoN: England captain Alastair Cook believes his team could be on the verge of a period of sustained dominance which would peak with a World Cup triumph in two years. Cook is confident England's recent lacklustre displays in the drawn Test series against New Zealand were just a blip that will soon be forgotten as they head into a frenetic programme over the next few months. England play New Zealand in a Test series rematch then host the limited overs Champions Trophy and the Ashes Test series before heading to Australia for a second Ashes campaign. Cook's men will be back in Australia and New Zealand for the 2015 World Cup and the opening batsman is convinced a good run over the next year can be the catalyst for England to win the tournament for the first time. “We haven't won an ICC 50over event so that is certainly a priority,” Cook said on Friday. “We've got the tournament here in our home conditions which we hope to make the most of and then in two years' time there is the World Cup. We haven't won that either. “They are two big tournaments coming up and we have certainly got the team, if we keep developing, to have a chance of winning them.” The Champions Trophy begins on June 6 and England play in Group A against Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. But before that Cook wants England to make amends for their tame showing in New Zealand. AgENCIES

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EGEnDARY pace bowler Wasim Akram will fine-tune Pakistan’s fast bowlers for the Champions Trophy at a 10-day training camp in Karachi this month. Three untested fast bowlers — to be picked around the country by a cellular company and the Pakistan Cricket Board — will join the likes of Umar Gul, Junaid Khan and Mohammad Irfan during the April 20-29 camp.

Akram believes it’s high time for Pakistan to find lethal fast bowlers to have a reserve pace armoury as he feels it’s easy to teach them how to control the pace and the art of swing.

Akram took 414 wickets in 104 test matches before quitting the longer format of the game in 2002. He also took 502 wickets in 356 one-day internationals and retired from international cricket in 2003. He said that Pakistani bowlers must master swing bowling to win internationally, as he readies to nurture the country's talent at a key training camp.

“I was disappointed the way our fast bowlers performed in South Africa, so I will try to teach the fast bowlers how to swing the ball which is important for performing well at international level,” Wasim said at the launch of the camp.

Known fondly as “Sultan of swing” for his mastery, the 46-year-old left-arm fast bowler will train around 15 current and upcoming bowlers at a camp in Karachi from April 20-29.

Wasim was invited to do so by the Pakistan Cricket Board ahead of the eight-nation Champions Trophy in England in June, after Pakistani pacemen failed to impress on tour in

I was disappointed the way our fast bowlers performed in SA, so I will try to teach them swing the ball which is important for performing well WasIm aKram fORmeR paKistan captain South Africa earlier this year.

Frontline paceman Umar Gul managed just five wickets in two Tests while lanky Mohammad Irfan took two in two. Rahat Ali was the best with six wickets in two matches after going wicketless in his debut Test.

“If someone wants to be a really good fast bowler he will have to bear with the scorching sun and heat. If he does that, only then he can become a good bowler and it's a continuous process of learning,” said Wasim.

Wasim said that Irfan, the world's tallest bowler who stands at seven feet one inch, has to work hard on his fitness.

“If he keeps fit then I am sure he can play for three-four years,” said Wasim, who took 414 Test and 502 one-day wickets.

Wasim also expressed hope that India would allow Pakistani players to feature in their lucrative Twenty20 Indian Premier League (IPL).

“I think politics should stay away from sports,” said Wasim, who was the

bowling coach of Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL until last year.

“Since Pakistani bowlers are better than India's, it will benefit the Indian league,” he added.

Pakistani players featured in the inaugural IPL in 2008 but India stalled all bilateral ties after the november 2008 attacks on Mumbai killed 166 people and were blamed on Pakistani-based militants.

Despite a short, ties-reviving series with Pakistan in December-January, Pakistani players were not allowed to take part in the ongoing sixth edition of the IPL. Wasim will pass his experience of international cricket to the selected lot and the national team pacers during a Ufone-organised camp.

U-fone here on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to invest into the cricket talent pool of Pakistan and to provide opportunities for the development and growth of young Pakistani fast bowlers.

Under the signed MOU cricketing legend, fast bowler and former Captain of the Pakistan national Team, Wasim Akram, also the Brand Ambassador of fastest data network, Ufone, will host a camp for the bowlers in our national team.

Alongside under the king of speed banner Ufone in collaboration with PCB will search for the fastest bowlers in the country. The activity will be carried out nationwide as the candidates will be selected from 8-10 cities over 5-7 days from across Pakistan and any bowler with a bowling speed of 140 kmph or more will be selected.

To facilitate this grand activity PCB will extend full support for selection in

each of the cities and will also provide speed detecting guns for the selection of candidates. Under a wild card selection the top three bowlers will be selected to join Wasim Akram in Karachi at the camp being held for the top Pakistani bowlers and get an opportunity of their lifetime to be a part of this moment in cricket history.

While speaking at the occasion, Salman Wassay, Chief Commercial Officer, Ufone, said we at Ufone take pride in offering productive openings to the youth, bowling has always been the strength of each Pakistani outfit and our nation would be jubilant at the existence of a couple of tear away fast bowlers in the team. This agreement is an effort from the fastest data network to find the fastest arm in the country.

He further said that this activity can be the founding step for a long lasting relationship with PCB, and Ufone will continue to explore other avenues to further cooperate with PCB and conduct similar activities to cater to the needs of our young talent. While paying tribute to Ufone, Mr. Subhan Ahmad, COO PCB, said that this indeed is a positive step by Ufone. With this initiative we will be able to hunt hidden heroes and the camp will help groom them for the future of cricket in the country.

He said that Ufone has provided the golden opportunity for the youth to benefit from this activity and play their due role on the national level.

Towards the end of the program there will be a grand prize of Rs. One Million for the bowler who achieves the bowling speed of above 145 kmph. In case of multiple participants achieving this speed, the winner will be selected through another round or amount to be equally shared.

Forget the Ashes, Aussies must improve DAMIEN MARTyN

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HAT has happened to the Aussie cricket team? Their confidence has been knocked around ahead of the Ashes. India may have been favourites on the tour there that's just ended, but it's more the way we've gone about playing that meant we got whitewashed 4-0.

The biggest worry is the top six. Only the captain, Michael Clarke, has performed at the level he should have done, and the rest just don't stack up at the moment. When we go to England the bowling will go OK with the big guys we've got. But we need a lot more runs, and to do that we need to get back to basics.

It's a cliché but it's true. Our pool is running dry, to be honest. In the old days, three or four guys would get 1,000 runs in a home season, or 2,000 runs in county cricket. We're not seeing that any more. The selectors can't say to themselves, “This kid is standing out”, and they are picking players on the basis of talent rather than the numbers.

Having said that, two of our top six, Ed Cowan and Phil Hughes, have been scoring heavily in domestic cricket. They deserved to get picked and they merit a run in the side.

It's hard to judge them on the basis of what they've done in India, and it will be very different in English conditions. I knew Hughes got found out in the last couple of

Ashes series but I think that says more about England. That's what is so impressive about them: their gameplans and the way they do their homework have been just fantastic. But Hughes went away and fixed a few issues, he's trained hard with Justin Langer and now he's the leading run-scorer. You have to pick him. After another 10 Tests, if he hasn't done it then we'll think again. Our young batters really have to learn how to play Test cricket.

Take David Warner; he has come into the Test arena through Twenty20 and onedayers. He has had to learn how to build an innings. England's series in new Zealand has been an example of good, old-fashioned Test cricket with Alastair Cook and Co constructing long innings. We've got Langer and Darren Lehmann coaching the state teams now and it's great to get these guys back in first-class cricket, because hopefully they can improve our strength in depth again.

Some kids will only want to play Twenty20, whether for the money or whatever. But they can't lose the basics, you've still got to hone your technique. We've got to coach our kids with the foundations – and stop them playing T20 at too young an age. In the old days we used to play club cricket all day Saturday, 80 or 90 overs, and then all day the following Saturday too. If Ricky Ponting was coming through now, he would still want to play Test cricket.

Ponting's retirement has left Australia with a huge hole to fill, and now Mike Hussey's gone as well. So we've got to move on. But it's not easy. When the last generation of players all retired at the same time, everybody was looking for the next Warne or McGrath or Hayden. For a while it was a case of, “Who's going to bowl leg spin?” or expecting our keeper to bat like Adam Gilchrist. Warney has ruined it for

everybody, to be honest, and Gilly. They've ruined it for the next kid coming through, who's thinking, “Oh God, I've got to do that”.

People say our spinners are no good since Shane. But Warney was the best; he was special. We'll look back in years to come and just think we were bloody lucky, basically. Our group of players turned into unbelievable cricketers, it was a golden era.

There's probably been a heap of players who tried to be the next Shane Warne, but they just can't do it. So it's not a question of why hasn't the next Warne come along yet. He did inspire a lot of kids to play cricket in the first place. But it's a hard skill to bowl leg spin, and the wickets and conditions are not conducive in Australia now – even the SCG hasn't turned much lately – so the kids don't get the chances to show what they can do.

I haven't really got to the bottom of why Hussey has retired. He has got a big family, and he doesn't want to spend a long time away from home. But he loves the game so much and he's still making runs. I was waiting for him to stop but he never did. Perhaps he will come back. It's interesting that the coach, Mickey Arthur, mentioned it himself, that they had asked Hussey and he turned them down. The coach could have said, “We're not going backwards” but he didn't. On the subject of

the management, they have taken a lot of flak for banning those four players for not doing their “homework”. The great teams I played in would have done their preparation but still, it's not as if no one ever missed the bus. Should the coach have taken such a public stance?

It's a tough one. Because our group was more senior we kept it in-house and knocked our problems on the head as a group. My old skipper Steve Waugh has come out and said that it should be kept in-house. But now this is harder, we've got a young captain and a new coach, and the players are a little younger, so I think it was supposed to be a kick in the arse. Arthur and “Pup” [Clarke] both wanted to draw a line in the sand. They have said that it was a question of illdiscipline and slackness over a long period.

It has certainly fed the media, and it really doesn't help if you are getting spanked as well, as we were in India. But then you might ask Mickey, since it had been going on for a long time, if he hadn't given them too much latitude in the first place. I know Clarke well. He's a good kid, he loves the game and he's a big thinker. It's a hard position that he finds himself in, though. He has played in the side when they were winning everything. And now he's having to rebuild the team, and it was very bad for him to lose Hussey. – The Independent

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Chris has all the attributes, he bowls at a good pace, just back of a length and when it swings it swings. – Graeme Welch

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Bangalore hold nerve To Take a ThrIller BANgALORE AgENCIES

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InAY Kumar kept his nerve to bowl a superb final over to take the Royal Challengers Bangalore to a sensational two-run win over the Mumbai Indians in their Indian Premier League clash in Bangalore on Thursday. With Mumbai needing just ten off the final over, and Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik in full cry, Kumar dismissed both with successive deliveries.

Still, the dangerous Kieran Pollard needed eight off the last two balls. The first of these, a full toss, fell just millimetres short of the boundary. He had to hit another boundary off the final ball, but could do no better than push it to long on. Chasing a target of 157, legends Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar got their team off to a solid start with a partnership of 52 before Tendulkar was run out by a whisker.

Ponting went soon afterwards, stumped off Murali Kartik, and then Rohit Sharma played

BPl still behind in players' payments

SPoRTS DESK: According to the survey to which 70 out of the 80-odd local BPL players answered to, four Barisal Burners players - Iftekhar Nayeem, Jubair Ahmed, Alamin Hossain and Mahmudul Hasan - have not received any payments while six others have been paid between 15% to 25%. The survey was conducted in the last 20 days, and updated after the Bangladesh players returned from Colombo on April 2. But CWAB could not extract the information out of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim. Out of the seven players interviewed from Sylhet Royals, six have been paid 25%.

From champions Dhaka Gladiators, eight players including Mohammad Ashraful and Mashrafe Mortaza have been paid the same amount, as have been ten Rangpur Riders players including Nasir Hossain. The survey also mentioned that Murad Khan has played three matches without signing a contract while Saju Dutta has not been paid any money. Four players from Chittagong Kings Mahmudullah, Aftab Ahmed, Marshall Ayub, Mehrab Hossain jnr - have received 25% while the rest of the interviewed players have either not received pay or paid 10% (Nurul Hasan). Bangladesh's players' body has claimed that local players from only two out of seven BPL franchises have been paid 50% of their fees for the 2013 tournament. All players taking part in the domestic Twenty20 competition were supposed to be paid half their pay by February 19, but the Cricketers Welfare Association (CWAB) conducted a survey that says many have remained unpaid. CWAB had released a list with updates on the local cricketers' payments, although there were many who didn't respond or reveal their actual fees, despite the players' payment being decided at the auction.

across the line to be bowled by Kumar. This video is not available in your region Karthik and Rayudu then put together a stand of 60. Mumbai needed 62 off the final five overs, but Karthik lashed out with three successive sixes as Daniel Christian's final over went for 24. Karthik finished with 60 off 37 balls, including three fours and four sixes. Kumar ended with 3-27 while Kartik and Jaydev Unadkat were economical.

Earlier, Chris Gayle played a solo role in scoring 92 off 58 balls with 11 fours and five sixes. Virat Kohli played some shots early on, and Mumbai's attack impressed after Ponting had won the toss and chosen to field first.. Mitchell Johnson took 1-15 in three overs and Harbhajan Singh 1-21, but the most impressive figures came from debutant Jasprit Bumrah. Despite taking some tap from Kohli in his first over, he dismissed the skipper and finished with 3-32.

Chris Gayle took the Man of the Match award for his solid innings. He had some adversity to deal with, scoring slowly at the start and having to bat through the pain of a damaged hamstring.

shakib boost for Bangladesh DHAKA AgENCIES

Star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan on Friday returned to bolster Bangladesh for an upcoming two-Test series in Zimbabwe after recovering from a shin-bone injury.

Shakib, who underwent surgery in Australia in February, missed last month's tour of Sri Lanka. He has scored 1,835 runs and taken 102 wickets in 28 Tests. The lefthander is likely to play as a batsman only in the first Test, chief selector Akram Khan said. “We do not want to take any risk, so he will play as a batsman in the first Test,” Khan said. “In the second Test he will be able to bowl as well.

Both Tests will be played in Harare, with the first match starting on April 17.

Bangladesh will also play three one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches on the tour. The teams for the limited-overs games will be named later.

Opener Tamim Iqbal, who was injured during the recent one-day series in Sri Lanka, was also named in the 15-man.

Fast bowler Sajidul Islam made a comeback to the Test side after five years, replacing the injured Abul Hasan.

Islam played two Tests against new Zealand in 2008. “We have recalled Islam because of his recent good form,” Khan said, adding that former captain

Mashrafe Mortaza was not considered for selection because he was unfit.

TEST SQUAD: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Mohammad Mahmudullah, Tamim Iqbal, Jahurul Islam,

Mohammad Ashraful, Shakib Al Hasan, Mominul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Sohag Gazi, Rubel Hossain, Shahadat Hossain, Shahriar Nafees, Enamul Haque, Robiul Islam, Sajidul Islam.

Pakistan's summer caribbean tour in doubt

The WICB and the PCB have as of now failed to find an appropriate window for the tour.

SPORTS DESK Pakistan's tour of the West Indies in 2013 is in serious jeopardy, after both boards failed to find a suitable window for the tour. Pakistan were originally scheduled to play two Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20s in the Caribbean in June and July, but ESPncricinfo understands that the tour is unlikely to go ahead. According to the FTP, West Indies are scheduled to host Pakistan from the last week in June to the last week in July, but they planned a tri-series against India and Sri Lanka during that time. To avoid a clash, the WICB earlier had asked the PCB if their tour could be rescheduled to August. The idea, however, interfered with the Pakistan's own plan to host India and to play out the Zimbabwe series that was postponed last year. West Indies thereafter had also scheduled their Caribbean Premier League tournament from 29 July to 26 August. "It's a very tricky situation here as our first priority to play according to the FTP, " Zaka Ashraf, the PCB chairman, told ESPncricinfo. "They actually planned their tri-nation series within our window and left us with a choice to reschedule the series, however after a lengthy deliberation we failed to find a window to go ahead with it. "Earlier there were plans to split the tour but it's not working as we want to play a full series. West Indies is an important cricket team and we have always had cordial relations with them, and hopefully we will find another window next year." The PCB was hoping to host India in August this year after a successful series in India last December. However ESPncricinfo has learnt that India have declined, citing player rest, while Zimbabwe responded positively. Pakistan were scheduled to tour Zimbabwe for a series of two Tests, three ODIs and two T20s from December 2012 to January 2013 but had played the series with India instead. So, having the August window open, they offered Zimbabwe the option of playing the pending series.

ICC introduces new no-ball rule LAHORE StAff rEport

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced a new “no ball” playing condition for Tests, One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 Internationals (T20s). The regulation instructs umpires to call “no ball” whenever a bowler breaks the non-striker's wicket during a delivery. It will come into effect on April 30.

The first ODI between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in Bulawayo on May 3 will be the first international match to be played under the new regulation.

“The recent interpretation used in international matches to call 'dead ball' when a bowler breaks the wicket during a delivery has not adequately dealt with this situation,” ICC general manager for cricket Geoff Allardice said in a statement.

“The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) recently decided to address this issue by introducing a new 'no ball' law from 1 October 2013. The ICC Cricket Committee noted the MCC's decision and recommended that an ICC playing condition, mirroring the new no-ball law, be introduced to international cricket as early as possible.”

ICC chief executives subsequently approved the recommendation at its March meeting in Dubai.

“The ICC has decided to introduce this playing condition five months prior to the MCC changing the 'no ball' law because there is a lot of important cricket to be played before October 1, including the ICC Champions Trophy in June,” Allardice said.

“The introduction of this playing condition will now provide greater certainty for all involved when a bowler breaks the wickets during the act of delivery.”

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My goal at the start of the year was to try to finish inside the top-500 in the world and I've done that in only a few events. Now I want to aim to go even higher. – Hu Mu

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Polio awareness hockey at faisalabad LAHORE StAff rEport

Five matches were played on the second day of Second Annual “Fatima-Shah Muhammad Memorial Hockey Tournament” held at Chak no. 73/RB Karianwala, Faisalabad. Chak 24, Jawaddi, Ghabianwala and 192 RB won their matches to advance to the next round. Match between Bandala and Munianwala ended in a draw. The tournament is being held for polio awareness with its themes “Make Pakistan Polio Free” and “End Polio now.” The champions and runners-up teams will get cash prizes of Rs 15,000 and Rs. 10,000 respectively along with trophies. Paradise Hockey Team and Rotary Club of Lahore Garrison organized the matches to promote awareness. Rotary Club of Lahore Garrison and Paradise are non-profit community service organizations working in the areas of polio awareness, economic development, literacy, health and safe drinking water.

national women's age-group swimming at karachi KARACHI StAff rEport

The prestigious McDonalds national Women's Junior Age-Group Swimming Championship will be held on April 6 and 7 at the Karachi Gymkhana Club. Six participating units with over 100 expected participants will be participating in four 4 agegroups. The chief guest for the Opening Ceremony will be Mrs Kambatta, wife of the President of the Karachi Gymkhana, Ms Amina Saeed head of Oxford University Press will be the Chief Guest at the Closing Ceremony on Sunday April 7 at 5.30 p.m.

The McDonalds Women's Junior Age-Group Swimming Championship is the nursery from which swimmers are selected for grooming for the international arena. CEO of McDonald’s Pakistan, Mr. Amin Lakhani is determined to support the uplift of swimming to all corners of Pakistan and to ensure that all aspects of sports is promoted along the principles of the Olympic Charter. McDonald’s is a co-sponsor of the International Olympic Committee and has supported swimming in Pakistan and celebrates all Olympic activities in the country

QadIr memorIal down gharI shaho LAHORE StAff rEport

Ghulam Qadir Memorial Club has entered into the 2nd round of 10th M Siddiq Memorial Cricket Event when they beat Ghari Shaho gym by 8 runs played at Township Whites ground the other day.

Fine all round performance by Mubashar was the main feature of the match.

SCoRES: Ghulam Qadir Memorial Club 144/8 in 20 overs. Adil Khan 12, Mubashar 40, Shehbaz william 17, Rehan Shah (35no). Raja Farzan 3/10, Qasim 2/31, Wasim Khan 2/36, Asif 1/14.

Gari Shaho Gym 136 all out in 19.2 overs. Umer 35, Asif Gondal 21, Kamran Khalil 25, Sajid 29, Raja Farzan 12. Mubashar 3/18, Rehan Shah 2/25, Iftikhar moon 3/20, Shehbaz William 1/10.

kerber reaches quarters at monterrey

MExICO AgENCIES

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OP-SEEDED Angelique Kerber has defeated Alla Kudryavtseva 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in a match featuring 18 breaks of serve to advance to the quarter-finals of the Monterrey Open.

Kerber, ranked sixth in the world, broke Kudryavtseva 10 times, but dropped her own serve eight times to allow her Russian opponent to stay in the match Thursday. Third-seeded Maria Kirilenko of Russia also advanced with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 win over qualifier Jovana Jaksic of Serbia.

American Lauren Davis wasted four match points and saved a set point in the second set tiebreaker before finally defeating countrywoman CoCo Vandeweghe, 6-4, 7-6 (8).

evans In for BaKer In gB's DavIs Cup team SPoRTS DESK: Leon Smith has placed his faith in Dan Evans to provide more Davis Cup heroics as Great Britain attempt to upset Russia. The hosts are big underdogs for the Europe/Africa Zone Group I tie at Coventry's Ricoh Arena, with Russia the winners of the competition as recently as 2006 and playing outside the World Group for the first time in 20 years. Evans showed his considerable talent in last year's ties against Slovakia and Belgium, winning two singles rubbers in the former against much higher ranked players to earn Britain an unlikely victory.

But the 22-year-old has failed to show the same form away from the big stage and, with his ranking down at 325, captain Smith left him out of the original team in favour of British numbers two and three, James Ward and Jamie Baker.

McIlroy determined to catch up in texas TExAS AgENCIES

Rory McIlroy will set out to make up for his unconvincing start to the Valero Texas Open as he searches high and low for his 'A' game ahead of next week's Masters.

World number two McIlroy, 23, only added the Texas event to his schedule at the 11th hour after struggling to adapt to new equipment. The form which brought him five wins in 2012, including a second major at the US PGA Championship, has deserted the northern Irishman.

With caddie JP Fitzgerald advising him that he needed more competitive rounds under his belt, McIlroy travelled to San Antonio and carded an opening level-par 72 to lie five shots behind Matt Bettencourt and Peter Tomasulo, who carded 67s to overtake a group including Padraig Harrington. Starting from the 10th on the difficult Oaks Course, he went to two under but then bogeyed the 18th, first and second in succession. He atoned with birdies at the fifth and sixth moving him to one under, but

a fourth bogey of the day on the ninth left him back where he started the day. "The way I started the round I would have hoped for a little bit better," McIlroy said. "But I'm relatively pleased with the way I played. It could have been a little better, but it could have been a little worse too." Looking ahead to Friday, he said: "I'll just go out and try to shoot a good number and get myself in position for the weekend." McIlroy claimed his difficulties were more than

anything tied in with his thinking process.

"More mental than anything else," he said. "I guess I felt like I hit a good shot into the 18th, and it came back into the water.

Then I think that sort of got to me and that's why I bogeyed the first and hit a bad shot at the second. But once I started to regroup, I started to play pretty well on the way in.

"It's just about limiting those mistakes and it's definitely a more mental mistakes than it is physical." Asked how he could tidy up his game, McIlroy added: "I don't know.

Just stop doing them. It's hard to explain. I guess it just comes with play, and that's why I'm here this week, just to play and get some more competitive rounds." Three-time major winner Harrington had also bogeyed his final hole, the 18th; the only blemish on his card caused by three putts from 35ft.

The 41-year-old won the Open Championship in 2007, successfully defended it the following year and then won the US PGA Championship a few weeks later, but has not tasted victory on one of the major tours since - his last win came on the Asian Tour in 2010.

Six more blind cricket matches played LAHORE StAff rEport

Bahawalpur, Karachi, Azad Kashmir, Abbottabad, Peshawar and Islamabad won their matches of the PCB T-20 Blind Cricket Trophy being held at two locations of the country Lahore and Peshawar. At Lahore’s Iqbal Park Sports Complex (Minto Park), Bahawalpur won by 3 wickets against Lahore. Lahore made 279 runs for 8 wickets in 20 overs. Amir Ishfaq unbeaten 146 runs. Zohaib, Mujeeb

ZEGREB: John Isner shakes hand with Novak Djokovic during the opening rubber between USA and Davis Cup favourites Serbia.

and Ghulam Mustafa took one wicket each. Bahawalpur in reply, reached the target in the last over for the loss of 7 wickets. Zohaib 46 runs. Sarfraz, Arsalan and Abdul Shakoor took a wicket apiece.

Man of the Match: Amir Ishfaq Karachi beat Quetta by 163 runs. Karachi posted 328 runs for 7 wickets. Shahzad, Man of the Match, made 72 and Shoaib made 52.

Bismillah Khan, Javed, Saleem and Ghulam Ali took one wicket apiece. In reply Quetta, managed 165 for 9 wickets.

Saleem made 23 runs. Tariq, Waseem, Murad took 1 wicket each. Azad Kashmir

beat Multan by 10 wickets. Multan made 210 for 7 wickets. Zahid made 123 runs.

Jameel, Habib Taj and Rizwan claimed a wicket apiece. In reply, Azad Kashmir chased the target in 12th over for no loss. nisar Ali unbeaten 106 and Zain-ulAbideen 88 not out. Man of the Match: nisar Ali At Peshawar’s Medical College Cricket Ground, Abbottabad beat Sheikopura by six wickets. Sheikopura made 181 for 2 wickets. Ashraf Bhatti 92.

Hafiz Ameen (Sheikopura’s Totally Blind) Hat-trick couldn’t halt the run chase of Peshawar. He took 4 wickets. The winners

reached the score in the 16th over. Shoaib unbeaten 109 runs. Peshawar beat Attock by 10 wickets. Attock 109 for all in 16 overs. Haroon (Attock) scored 37 runs.

Khalid Zubair claimed 3 wickets.

Peshawar took just 9.1 overs to reach the target. Haroon not out 71 runs. Islamabad beat Gujranwala by 64 runs. Islamabad made 282 runs for 7. Anees Javed 70 while Yasir Ali 58. Waqas and Harris took a wicket apiece. Gujranwala were bowled out on 218 in 19.1 overs. Akram 131.

Anees took 2 wickets while Mustafa and Yasir claimed 1 each.

Pak u16 team gets two victories in singapore LAHoRE: The Pakistan U-16 Boys Hockey team notched up two victories in the 2nd U16 Asia Cup against China and Japan on Friday in Singapore and moved into the semi finals of the event. In the most exciting version of hockey at a shorter arena, Pak team gave a hockey lesson to China with 18-1 thrashing, posting their second successive victory against the same outfit in the event. Pak team demolished the opponents with persistent raiding and accurate passing inside the circle and scored goals one after another . Pak goal scorers were Muhammad Atiq (6 goals), Shan Irshad (4 Goals), Nohaiz Zahid Malik (3 goals), Junaid Kamal (1 goal), Adeel Latif (1 goal), Mubashar (1 goal), Junaid Manzoor (1 goal) and Sikandar Mustafa (1 goal). Pak team collected a fine 7-4 win over Japan to record their third victory in a row in two-days in the competition. Pak team The second match played against the Japan hockey team and won the match by 7-4 goals. The goal scorers were, Muhammad Atiq (2 goals), Shan Irshad (1 goal), Sikandar Mustafa (1 goal), Adeel Latif (1 goal), Junaid Kamal (1 goal) and Junaid Manzoor (1 goal). On Saturday, the greenshirts will play two matches ,the first against Sri Lanka at 0600 hours (PST) followed by their semi final at 1530 hours (PST).The other team to play Pakistan in the semi finals is yet to be decided. StAff rEport

muslimgym, mughalpura whites clash on 9th LAHoRE: The initial round match of 16th Tauseef Trophy cricket championship between muslim gym and mughalpura Whites will be played on April 9 at Iqbal Park ground. the 20-20 match will start at 12:30 pm under the supervision of Kaleem Asghar and Malik Arif. Muslimabad Gym and Ghari Shaho Gym have already marched into the 2nd round. StAff rEport

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Thank you for your understanding and I truly hope it's just a matter of days before I get better. – Samantha Stosur

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wAtCh It LIve STAR SPORTS Barclays: West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal

07:25 PM

GEO SUPER IPL: Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians

07:30 PM

ESPN MotoGP World Qualifying

08:20 PM

ITf awards davis cup tie to new zealand LAHoRE: The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has awarded the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Zone Group II to New Zealand after strong protest from the Kiwi captain over the standard of the courts.

Reports received here said that the Kiwi captain lodged a protest with the ITF that the courts selected for the tie by the Pakistan Tennis Federation were of poor quality and had not been used for any international activity for more than a decade. Despite the protest the tie started and Pakistan took lead when Aqeel Khan won his singles match and the second singles match between Aisamul Haq and King Turner. During the second match Aisam was lead the match having won the first set and had got four love points when the tie was awarded to New Zealand. Aqeel however, led Pakistan to success in the first match of Davis Cup Asia Oceania Zone Group two against New Zealand at Pun Hlaing Golf & Country Club, Yangon, Myanmar on Friday.

Aqeel beat Kiwis number two Artem Sitak after a tough competition in 3 hours and 10 minutes with a score line of 7-5, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, said the information made available here. Pakistan tennis ace Aisam will take on Denial King Turner in the second match. StAff rEport

Pakistan's tour of west Indies may be shelved LAHORE StAff rEport

Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies later this year is unlikely to go ahead after a scheduling clash left the two boards unable to work out a suitable window for the series slated in the Future Tours Programme to be played in June-July, ESPncricinfo reported.

The problem first arose when West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) planned a triseries against India and Sri Lanka during the same time as the proposed tour of Pakistan, and instead asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to reschedule their series to August. That, however, was the window where Pakistan had planned to host India and play its series against Zimbabwe which had been postponed last year. The Caribbean Premier League tournament, scheduled by the WICB from 29 July to 26 August, also added further confusion to the mess.

“It’s a very tricky situation here as our first priority to play according to the FTP,” Zaka Ashraf, the PCB chairman, told ESPncricinfo. “They actually planned their tri-nation series within our window and left us with a choice to reschedule the series, however, after a lengthy deliberation we failed to find a window to go ahead with it.

“Earlier, there were plans to split the tour but it’s not working as we want to play a full series. West Indies is an important cricket team and we have always had cordial relations with them, and hopefully we will find another window next year.”

If the West Indies series is scrapped, which it now seems certain, Pakistan will play only seven more Test matches this year, two against South Africa (5 ODIS and 3 T20s also included), three versus Sri Lanka (5 ODIs and T20s also included) and two with Zimbabwe (3 ODIS and 2 T20s also included).

Pakistan rugby appoints new foreign coach LAHORE StAff rEport

Pakistan Rugby Union has acquired the services of a English coachRogger Combs to revive the fortunes of its national side and the game at grass root level. ‘We are happy to announce the appointment of Rogger who has arrived in Lahore and will take the post of technical director as well as head Coach of the national side’,said President, PRU, Fawazi Khawaja on Friday. Rogger who is originally from Wales is a Level 3 RFU certified coach and has extensive Coaching Experience.He has coachedteams all over the world Including Premier League teams and worked under

legendary coach Clive Woodward, the London Welsh. He has also coached in Italy , USA nigeria and the Caribbean . He also was head coach of the Bahamas national team for the World cup qualifiers Fawzi said “ we are excited to have Rogger who brings with him a wealth of experience , and will help the growth of rugby’, This is the 4th Foreign coach PRU have brought to Pakistan the first MR Rambo Leung from Hong Kong then Mike Pirrit from new Zealand and last year JustinFitzpatriq from Ireland ,he said.

The difference this year is that Rogger is here for a longer period of time and will also work with PRU on grassroots for junior and women. PRU is holding a 15 a

side camp this weekend and the new foreign coach will be able to see and work with the best players of Pakistan.

The camp is for the Pakistan national preparations for the Asian 5 nation’s 2013 which will be in May In Dubai .

Players from all member units of Pakistan have been invited including players from Punjab, Islamabad , Sindh , Army , Fata , HEC , KPK Baluchistan and Police The Camp will be on Saturday and Sunday here. Rogger said he was “Excited about the Work he has up ahead and that the Pakistan Rugby union have been extremely cooperative and I can see it will be a good partnership in growing the game of Rugby in Pakistan”.

lahore to kasur cycle race LAHoRE: Lahore to Kasur cycle race will be held on April 7 with top riders of Lahore and kasur taking part. Punjab Cycling Association in collaboration with District Sports Committee Kasur is organizing the event which will flag off from Lahore from Punjab Stadium here,said a spokesman of PCA on Friday.

Handsome cash prizes will be given to first six position holders. District Coordination Officer (DCO) Kasur will be the Chief Guest who welcome Race at Kasur and will also give away the prizes to the winners. StAff rEport

Pistorius agent plays down expectations SPORTS DESK Scar Pistorius is ready to return to training as a way of dealing with his grief but has no immediate plans to compete, his agent Peet van Zyl confirmed. Pistorius, who denies the charge of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and is currently awaiting trial, has been pictured in a South African newspaper running round a track in his home town of Pretoria. The photograph, taken by a member of a children's hockey team, shows the threetime 2012 Paralympic gold medal winner wearing his blades and jogging around the track at the University of Pretoria.

However, Van Zyl denied Pistorius has returned to training following the relaxation of his bail conditions, which now allow him to travel abroad in order to continue his athletics career, but confirmed he could resume soon. "He was just having a jog around his track on his own accord. He wasn't back at training," Van Zyl told Press Association Sport. "That picture was taken by a schoolkid on March 24. Myself, Oscar and his coach had a meeting on Tuesday to discuss him getting him back to training.

"Based on that he told us he would like to get back in training and we can now look at

formulating his training schedule. "He is finding it very difficult and he is still coming to terms with the sad loss of Reeva. That is why it will be better for him to be back at training. It will be great to get him back to the track and get some routine. That's why we are taking it day by day.

"I can't see there would be any people saying this is disrespectful. This is not disrespectful to Reeva or her family. "This has been part of his life for so many years. If

it makes things easier for him to work through it and get some sense back into his life, let him run and let him jog. "He's a human being and that's maybe an outlet for him." While a return to training might be on the cards for Pistorius, who holds several IPC World Championship titles over 200 metres, 400m and 4x400m, Van Zyl revealed there is currently no plan regarding his competitive return, if he is invited to compete. "We haven't even spoken to him or

contemplated him running in a competition," Van Zyl said. "He has got to be able to train first and be in some decent form as a worldclass athlete before we would allow him to run in a competition. "If he trains well and his mindset is right then by all means we will look at competitions and options. When that will be we don't know. It could happen quickly or it could take a year.

"But at the moment, there is no specific date when it comes to him returning to training. "In the current state he is in he might get up tomorrow and give the coach a phone call and say he might want to train again. He then might not want to train for a few days.

"We are not going to force him. We are going to be guided by him." Pistorius has not trained for two months since the tragic events on Valentine's Day, and in order to return to competitive fitness he would need to train up to 35 hours a week on the track and in the gym. His last competitive race was his victory in the 400m final at the London Paralympics in September last year. Despite reports suggesting the 26-year-old will be given the green light to compete at the International Paralympic Committee's World Athletics Champs in Lyon in July, the IPC has denied a decision has been made.

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neW WorLD strategy aIms to eraDICate poLIo By 2018 ISLAMABAD App

A

nEW global plan aims to end majority of the cases of polio by late next year, and essentially eradicate the paralysing disease by 2018 if authorities can raise the $5.5 billion needed to carry out the plan, health officials said. Part of the challenge would be increasing security for vaccine workers who have come under attack in two countries. “The plan calls for phasing out the long-used oral vaccine in favour of a pricier but safer one,” Khaleej Times reported.

“Intense vaccination campaigns have dropped cases to a historic low, a good

India set to resume visa on arrival for senior citizens After they had suspended the new visa regime for ‘visa-on-arrival’ facility for Pakistani senior citizens on reciprocal basis two months ago, India on Friday resumed the facility, Times of India reported. The visa regime – agreed upon by Pakistan and Indian governments last September – was due to be implemented in mid-January. It would have allowed senior Pakistani citizens of over 65 years of age to get a single entry ‘visa-onarrival’ (VoA) at the Attari, Wagah checkpost. The visa would be valid for 45 days. However, as tensions boiled on the Line of Control in which soldiers on both sides were killed in early January, India unilaterally decided not to implement the regime. At the time Indian officials explained that the operationalisation of the VoA was delayed as several security agencies had sought clarifications on facilities to be offered to the Pakistani citizens without Indian sponsors. NEWS DESK

opportunity for what is being called the `endgame’ strategy for this paralysing disease,” said Dr Rebecca Martin of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Officials from the World

once a worldwide scourge, vaccinations began in the 1950s, and were successful enough in developed countries that a global fight for eradication began in 1988. now polio remains endemic in parts of pakistan, afghanistan and nigeria where all but six of last year’s cases occurred Health Organization, Gates Foundation and Rotary International gathered to discuss the strategy that would be finalised later this month.

Officials acknowledged that financing the six-year plan upfront would be

counted 223 cases of polio worldwide, down from 650 the year before. Once a worldwide scourge, vaccinations began in the 1950s, and were successful enough in developed countries that a global fight for eradication began in 1988.

now polio remains endemic in parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan and nigeria where all but six of last year’s cases occurred.

“Recent killings of vaccine workers in Pakistan and nigeria have made the antipolio campaign difficult, but it has not stopped,” said WHO Polio Director Dr Hamid Jafari. He said despite the attacks, the three countries made progress against polio last year. The new strategy requires countries to deal with polio cases caused by the vaccine itself.

The highly effective oral polio vaccine contains live, weakened virus that can occasionally regain strength and cause the very disease it was intended to prevent. A shot version of the polio vaccine is made of a killed virus that poses no such risk. Polio-free US switched to the shots over a decade ago, but 144 countries still use the oral vaccine. The new strategy calls for phasing out of oral vaccine till 2016.

4 soldiers, 14 militants killed in tribal area clash PESHAwAR StAff rEport

A clash erupted between militants and security forces conducting an operation in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency, part of a strategic route to Afghanistan.

Troops recently stepped up their offensive in the region after the Taliban occupied areas controlled by the Ansar-ul-Islam, a pro-government militia. Five soldiers were injured and four militant hideouts destroyed in the fighting, security officials said.

The death toll could not be independently confirmed as journalists are barred from reporting from the tribal belt. Troops have focussed on Khyber Agency in recent weeks as militants have been using the region to carry out attacks in Peshawar and

other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province ahead of the May 11 general election.

Over 50 militants have died in clashes between the Taliban and the Ansar-ul-Islam. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the fighting in Tirah Valley and nearby areas.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan fighters entered Khyber Agency after security forces launched operations against them in the nearby Orakzai and Kurram tribal regions.

In a separate development, one person was killed and five others, including children, were injured when rockets fired from the tribal belt hit Hayatabad area on the outskirts of Peshawar. Police officials said four rockets were fired at the city from the tribal areas. One rocket failed to explode, they said.

siddiquis of js group nominated in fIr as business dispute turns violent KARAcHi: The lingering legal battle involving one of the country’s leading business conglomerates, Jehanagir Siddiqui Group, took an ugly turn on Friday when major and minor shareholders turned the group’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) into a battlefield that eventuated into the lodging of a counter-FIR against Jehangir Siddiqui and his son Ali Siddiqui.

Another FIR lodged in the Saddar Police Station was by the JS Group against Shunaid Qureshi, CEO of Al-Abbas Sugar Mills, and his associates including Haji Abdul Ghani, the chairman of demutualisation committee of the Karachi Stocks Exchange and a signatory of the AlAbbas Sugar Mills’ board. Witnesses claimed to have seen incidents of hooliganism at Friday’s AGM held at the Regent Plaza hotel which had one of its meeting hall’s doors broken. When contacted, the spokesmen of the two disputing sides pointed fingers at each other for hooliganism. The brawl started when Shunaid, the nephew of Jahangir Siddiqui, and Haji Ghani along with over a dozen affiliates arrived to attend the JSCL AGM in the capacity of minority shareholders. It is important to mention here that the AGM was scheduled to approve the company’s financial accounts including the grant of a bonus of over Rs 430 million to a non-executive director, Ali Siddiqui, for his advisory services in

difficult given the tight government budgets. The money would cover vaccinations as well as the monitoring required make sure weather polio is actually gone. Last year, authorities

the $37 million PICT sell-off in March 2012. According to the witnesses, as Qureshi and company reached the meeting spot, they were denied entry into the hall with the organisers allegedly saying it wasn’t the time for the meeting yet.

This infuriated the minor shareholders, who then engaged in a verbal clash with the JSCL’s organisers. The clash,

the witnesses claimed, intensified to the extent that the door of the hotel’s hall was broken. “There was a pandemonium.

We were badly roughed up. They were not allowing us entry into the meeting hall,” claimed Ghani while talking to Pakistan Today.

“They entered the hall, broke the door and manhandled us,” the counterallegation came from Imran Shaikh, a spokesman of the JS Group. Imran said entry could, logically, not be allowed to those who were not the company’s

shareholders. According to the witnesses, some of the members from the two groups were seen bleeding and having their clothes torn. Peace was only restored when the Saddar police, after receiving an anonymous call, arrived at the scene and surprisingly, arrested around 15 of the minority shareholders, including Qureshi and Ghani.

The JSCL side was later said to have lodged an FIR against the remaining seven of Qureshi’s group as others were subsequently set free. As soon as he was freed by the Saddar police, Ghani visited the SSP Clifton who said the police’s one-sided action was inappropriate. The sources privy to the matter said the SSP not only ordered his deputy to arrange the release of the seven others but also assured Ghani of a just resolution of the issue. Ghani confirmed to Pakistan Today that all of his affiliates had been released by the police. “We have lodged an FIR against them and have nominated therein Jahangir Siddiqui, Ali Siddiqui, Imran Shaikh and their other subordinates,” he said. Imran, however, denied all the charges leveled against his side asking how could the Siddiquis be nominated in the FIR when they were not even present there. While Ghani resolved to face his rivals in the court, Imran said Ghani and his friends were free to do anything. ISMAIL DILAWAr

joLIe Honours maLaLa, Donates

$200,000

to maLaLa funD NEw yORK App

Top Hollywood star and United nations special envoy Angelina Jolie on Thursday night honoured Malala Yousafzai, and committed $200,000 to a fund the 15-year-old activist had launched to help girls’ education in Pakistan.

In an emotional tribute to Malala, Jolie told the prestigious Women in the World Summit at Lincoln Centre in new York that Malala would be “in charge” of the Malala Fund. Malala said in a video appearance that the launch was “the happiest moment of my life”, as thunderous applause rang out in the auditorium where women leaders from around the world were present. The fund’s first grant will provide education to 40 girls in Swat, Malala said.

“I invite all of you to support the Malala Fund and let us turn the education of 40 girls into 40 million girls.” Malala was shot in the head by the Taliban in October in retribution for her advocacy for girls’ education. She now attends school in Birmingham, England, following her recovery from the shooting and has signed a book deal worth about $3m for her memoir. The book, titled ‘I am Malala’, is scheduled for publication in the autumn. Jolie recounted the horrific circumstances of Malala’s attack, which the young girl said she had almost been expecting.

Malala had nightmares about the possibility, Jolie said, and vowed that if the Taliban attempted to kill her she would tell them that what they were trying to do was wrong, that education is our basic right. During her hospital stay in London, her father told her that a newspaper poll named her the sixth-most-influential person in the world. The seventh was President Barack Obama. When her father asked if that made her feel good, Malala replied, “no. I don’t think human beings should be categorized like this.” “So we can learn a lot from this girl,” Jolie said with a

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

smile. “The only thing that mattered to Malala was school,” Jolie told the packed audience.

Malala has garnered huge global attention since after she was shot. She was brought to Britain for treatment, including skull reconstruction and cochlear implant surgeries.

She was released last month and has started attending school there. She was also shortlisted for Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year” in 2012. After her introduction, Tina Brown, the newsweek/Daily Beast editor who created the Women in the World summit, told the audience at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater about Jolie’s donation to the fund, which was established by Vital Voices, with a donation from the Women in the World Foundation. Jolie was not the only Hollywood star on the stage at the conference. Meryl Streep was there to honor another activist, Inez McCormack of northern Ireland, who died in January of cancer. The conference continues on Friday, with a speech by former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton and appearances by Oprah Winfrey, Eva Longoria and Tom Hanks. The evening began with a dance performance by Michaela DePrince, who grew up as an orphan in war-torn Sierra Leone, where her father was killed and her mother starved to death, as she explained in an accompanying film.

She was adopted by an American family and now dances with the Dance Theater of Harlem.

Barbara Walters moderated a panel on Syria, Charlie Rose interviewed South African political activist Mamphela Ramphele, and Cnn’s Christiane Amanpour led a panel on “The next Generation of Malalas,” featuring two other young women fighting for girls’ rights in Pakistan. Humaira Bachal, founder and president of the Dream Foundation Trust, said women like her are fighting so that all girls have the right to an education, and that what happened to Malala will never happen again. Filmmaker Sharmeen OBaid Chinoy was asked by moderator Amanpour whether she is able to make her powerful films because she is a woman. She responded, “The very reason I am alive is that there is a certain level of respect people have because I am a woman. When they see a woman who looks them in the eye, sometimes they don’t know how to look at me.” Khalida Brohi, the 24-year-old founder and director of the Sughar Women Programme, said women like Malala can only be stopped with a bullet. Sughar Women Programme is dedicated to ending tribal violence against women in Pakistan. Khalida said her father warned her that doing this work would kill her. She responded, “Doing this work will keep me alive,” as the audience greeted her with loud and sustained applause.