e-paper pakistantoday 10th june, 2012

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Rs 22.00 Vol ii no 344 22 pages

Karachi edition

Sunday, 10 June, 2012 Rajab 19, 1433

NeveR meT mAlIk RIAz...

I SweAR!

CJP’S SON ReJeCTS Tv ANChORS’ RemARkS AS NOThING bUT heARSAy ChAlleNGeS PROPeRTy TyCOON TO eSTAblISh AlleGATIONS wITh exPlANATIONS, PURPOSe Of ACCUSATIONS SC ReJeCTS RIAz’S PleA fOR lARGeR beNCh ISLAMABAD TAyyAb HussAin

dr arsalan iftikhar, son of chief justice iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, on Saturday submitted his statement with the apex court challenging graft charges leveled against him. the SC took a suo motu notice on tuesday into allegations that arsalan had been provided rs 300 to rs 400 million by property tycoon Malik riaz. in his fivepage-long written statement, arsalan denied having any association with riaz, his daughter or son-in-law. “it is denied vehemently and in strongest terms any relationship, intimacy or acquaintance of whatsoever nature with Malik riaz Hussain, his daughter or son-inlaw whose names are also not known to me. i have never met with anyone of them in relation to any business concerned or for any other purpose in pakistan or outside pakistan,” the statement said. Calling the allegations baseless, frivolous and unfounded, arranged to spread in electronic and print media in absence of any cogent and logical evidence acceptable under the law of evidence, arsalan said Malik riaz was liable to be dealt with strictly in accordance with law and he should be awarded adequate punishment for dragging him to court and maligning the august institution of judiciary.

Continued on page 04

US official in Islamabad for NATO supply blockade talks ISLAMABAD: US Assistant Defence Secretary Peter Lavoy has arrived in Islamabad in a fresh attempt to bring an end a six-month blockade on NATO supplies crossing into Afghanistan, officials said on Saturday. Lavoy’s visit comes days after US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta warned Pakistan that the United States was running out of patience over Islamabad’s refusal to do more to eliminate safe havens for insurgents. “The US assistant defence secretary arrived here Friday to meet with a broad spectrum of people,” acting US embassy spokesman Robert Raines told AFP. “He will be discussing bilateral issues with the officials,” he said without elaborating on the agenda for the two-day visit. A Pakistani government official told AFP ahead of the trip that “talks will focus on re-opening the NATO supply route, ways to promote border coordination and settle the issue of the Coalition Support Fund (CSF)”. Analysts believe there is little chance of a breakthrough during Lavoy’s trip. “He will try and persuade Pakistan to re-open the route but it seems Pakistan wants to play tough at this stage,” analyst Hasan Askari told AFP. “I am not very hopeful that the US and Pakistan will agree to re-open the route in the near future despite the fact that Washington wants a middle way solution to the issue.” Askari said Panetta’s strong remarks, which came after talks with Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak on Thursday, were designed to put pressure on Pakistan. Panetta singled out the Haqqani network, a Taliban and al Qaeda-linked faction that has bases in North Waziristan and which has been blamed for some of the deadliest attacks of the 10year war in Afghanistan. AFP

Petrol, diesel vendors threaten to join CNG strike ISLAMABAD/LAHORE/QUETTA/PESHAWAR: CNG customers across the country continued suffering as the strike called by the All Pakistan CNG Association entered its fourth day on Saturday.

Following the unavailability of CNG, petrol and diesel have also become a rare commodity in several parts of the country, including Islamabad and Lahore. And the situation is yet to turn worse, as petroleum dealers and filling station owners on Saturday threatened to join the strike if the government failed to meet their demands by tomorrow (Monday). The Oil Tankers Association has also decided to join the strike and announced suspending oil supply from Monday. All Pakistan Oil Tanker Association Punjab Chairman Nadeem Abbas said the association would stop oil supply to all institutions from tomorrow (Monday). He said the association strongly supported the APCNGA strike call that was only for the sake of the people of the country.

Abbas said oil supply to all national entities, including airports and other departments, would be suspended for an indefinite period from Monday. The APCNGA had called an indefinite strike last week against the government’s plan to impose an additional cess on the CNG sector that will drive the commodity’s price to between Rs 95 and Rs 98 per kilogramme. The strike is being carried out in all provinces except Sindh. A majority of public transport remained off roads, while those continuing service, including rickshaw and taxis owners, did not mind charging extra from the desperate commuters. In Lahore, roads presented an unusual calm even at rush hours and the only crowds seen were that at the few filling stations having supply of POL products. Continued on page 04

Rule of law in Punjab! g

Tribesmen attack police station, get 3 cops accused of raping female tourists freed DERA GHAZI KHAN Agencies

The gruesome incident of five female tourists being allegedly raped by Border Military Police officials in Dera Ghazi Khan took a nasty turn late on Saturday when several dozen tribesmen attacked a police station and got freed three of the cops accused of rape by the victim girls.

Following breaking of the news, the Fort Munro superintendent of police had arrested three of the five officials accused of raping five girls who came to Fort Munro from Lahore for a recreational visit. Police have registered a case against the attackers. Earlier, Border Military Police Commandant Tariq Basra had told reporters that the girls had been stopped by the accused security officials on the pretext of checking. The cops later took the girls to a police

station and five of them subjected them to gang rape.

The commandment had said a team had been formed to investigate the matter while medical checkup of the girls had also been ordered. He had said the accused policemen had been suspended and raids were being carried out to arrest the accused. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had also taken notice of the incident and directed the DG Khan commissioner to submit a report into the incident at the earliest.

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02 News Today’s

Sunday, 10 June, 2012

kARAChI

NewS

shah takes up law and order with businessmen

Pakistan working for women’s empowerment: sherry

Story on Page 08

Story on Page 06

CARTooN

Quick Look

Page 13

Asma turns down offer to represent Malik Riaz in Arsalan Iftikhar case ISLAMABAD: Former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Asma Jahangir has rejected Bahria Town owner Malik Riaz’s request to plead his case against Dr Arsalan Iftikhar, son of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. Talking to a private TV channel on Saturday, Asma said she turned down the offer to represent Malik Riaz in view of her long association and respect for the Supreme Court. According to reliable sources, Malik Riaz telephoned Asma from London and sought her legal assistance in the Dr Arsalan Iftikhar case. inP

Girl, father attacked with acid in Chichawatni CHICHAWATNI: In another incident of acid attack, unidentified motorcyclists threw acid on a girl and her father, leaving both of them critically injured. According to details, the culprits riding a motorcycle threw acid on a First Year female student girl and her father while she was returning home from college. The attackers fled the scene after the incident, while the girl and her father were shifted to a hospital with critical burn wounds. According to hospital sources, 70 percent body of the girl and 50 percent body of the father has been affected with burn injuries. Police have registered a case and started search for the culprits. inP

Nawaz, Chattha hold ice-breaking meeting LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Nawaz Sharif and PML likeminded Chairman Hamid Nasir Chattha had a one-on-one meeting here on Saturday.

The two leaders discussed the country’s political situation, the future strategy and seat adjustment during the next elections in the “icebreaking” meeting. Later, they were joined by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Nisar Ali Khan, Amir Muqam, Mehtab Khan Abbasi, Farid Toofan, Salim Saifullah and Humayun Akhtar. Sources said both leaders agreed to form a committee comprising members from the two parties to work out the seat adjustment formula. They said Nawaz expressed his reservations over lack of open support by the members of likeminded group during protest in the National Assembly. Chattha and other leaders of the likeminded were of the view that in future their members would extend whole-hearted support to the PML-N on all issues. Nawaz told them that together they had to devise a strategy to get success in the next elections and take the country out of the current crises. He said a single party could not rid the country of the problems, stressing the need to gather all patriotic people on a single platform. Later, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif briefed the PML-N president about important targets of the Punjab budget while Nisar briefed Nawaz about the budget debate in parliament and the political situation. inP

DeRA gHAZi KHAn: Four girls who were allegedly raped border Military Police officials wait at District Headquarters Hospital for medical check up. The girls, who travelled from Lahore to visit Fort Manro, said they were stopped by security officials on the pretext of checking, and taken to a police station, where they were gang raped. ONLINE

Zardari optimistic about ties with US ISLAMABAD

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ISLAMABAD

Agencies

RESIDENT Asif Ali Zardari has expressed confidence over Pakistan’s relationship with the United States despite recent complaints from Washington.

“I think the US is an important country in the world and so is Pakistan. We have mutual interests,” Zardari said in an interview with a Chinese daily in Beijing. “Slowly but surely, the relations we will get back to normal,” the president said. Asked about his opinion on US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta’s remarks about Pakistan, Zardari said, “I think sometimes politicians speak for political reasons. It is an elections year in the US. Most of the comments coming from the US are based on their international political condition.”

He said nobody understood the effects of the war on Pakistan. “We have lost 40,000 people.

We are victims of terror ... It seems Pakistan is abetting terrorists but it is the wrong perception,” the president said. Zardari was in Beijing to attend a two-day Shanghai Cooperation Conference (SCO) where Pakistan is taking part in the conference as observer along with

24 killed in road accidents in Muzaffarabad, Bhakkar APP

Afghanistan, Iran and Mangolia.

The bloc reached several landmark agreements on political, economic and security cooperation during the SCO Beijing summit, which also set the blueprint for the bloc’s future. The SCO is going to be the region’s economic engine in the future, Zardari said, adding that he has “high expectations” from the organisation. “The SCO is very young, and obviously it is taking its own time to grow. But it shows the world that this is the path we are taking,” he said. “Today, the economic and financial stability of nations is the way forward. In this way, the region can benefit from each others’ strengths and come to the aid of each others’ weaknesses,” he said.

At least 24 people were killed when three passenger vehicles met fatal accidents in Muzaffarabad and Bhakkar on Saturday. Per reports, 12 people lost their lives when their van plunged into Neelum River in Muzaffarabad.

According to rescue sources, the ill-fated van was on way to Patka from Muzaffarabad when the driver lost control and fell into Neelam River near Heer Kotli Cross. The injured and bodies of the deceased have been taken out from the river. In the other incident, 12 people were killed and 25 others injured when two buses on MianwaliMuzzafar Garh Road collided head-on near Bhakkar. The accident occurred when a bus coming from Rawalpindi to Bhakkar collided with another bus coming from the opposite direction.

Most of the dead belonged to Darya Khan tehsil of Bhakkar and its adjacent areas. According to rescue officials, the accident occurred due to over-speeding.

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Sunday, 10 June, 2012

News 03

FoReIGN NewS

ARTS & eNTeRTAINMeNT

SPoRTS

bomber kills 4 French troops in Afghanistan

bad news for brad

Two budgets: Pcb steps in to get fixing convict Aamer back in business No fireworks.

CoMMeNT A foreign policy: With a nuanced approach.

Humayun gauhar says; Society’s genome: Step down or step aside, please.

Arif Ansar says; Not moving forward?: Saving patience in Pak-US ties.

saad Rasool says; Pater familias: How could the chief justice know?

Story on Page 14

Story on Page 18

Four cops shot dead in Quetta Five more killed in Chaghi as clashes continue on second day g

QUETTA sHAHZADA ZuLFiqAR

Unidentified gunmen shot dead four police constables on Saturday morning in an apparent incident of targeted killing in Quetta.

According to Station House Officer Abdul Rahim Khokar, the deceased policemen were on their routine patrol when they came under attack. As a result, all of them received grievous injuries and died on the spot, he said. The attackers, who were riding motorcycles, fled from the scene, Khokar added. Police and Frontier Corps personnel rushed to the spot soon after the incident and cordoned off the area. All the dead bodies were moved to Bolan Medical Complex Hospital for medico-legal formalities, where they were identified as Abdul Kareem, Raza Muhammad, Hafeezur-Rehman and Sarfaraz.

No group has so far claimed the

responsibility for the attack. In the past, the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Baloch Liberation Army have been claiming responsibilities for such incidents.

CHAGHI CLASHES: At least five more persons were killed in the ongoing clashes between the Levies and criminals, taking the death toll to 20 on the second day of violence.

According to details, armed men fled towards the mountains after killing a tribal elder’s son, while the Levies, helped by local tribesmen, chased the attackers and engaged them in the mountains of Chaghi. In the exchange of fire, at least 20 persons, including 17 miscreants and three tribesmen were killed in the two-day fighting.

Quetta Commissioner Qambar Dashti told reporters that a total of 20 persons from both sides had been killed, as five persons were killed on the second day of clashes, while at least 15 persons were killed on the first day.

Story on Page 18

Corrupt mafia working to defame SC chief justice: Imran KARACHI

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OnLine

A K I S T A N Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday said corrupt mafia was making heinous attempts to defame the chief justice and the Supreme Court.

He said the conspiracies against the chief justice would be revealed to the public, because the Supreme Court was the last hope for the people of Pakistan. He said trapping of Arsalan Iftikhar was planned to blackmail the chief justice regarding his decisions against the corrupt government.

He said the chief justice had set an example by removing himself from the bench hearing the case against his son.

Khan said it was the duty of the people and the media to reveal the face of those who were behind the demoralisation of the chief justice and the court.

He said President Asif Zardari and Prime Yousaf Raza Minister Gilani were harming democracy. He said the PTI was observing these negative acts of the govern-

The pundits’ gloves come off

LAHORE sTAFF RePORT

Regardless of what the outcome of the Arsalan Chaudhry case is going to be, audiences in Pakistan are having a field day watching the case’s repercussions play out across different camps in the commentariat as some of Pakistan’s most famous TV talking heads slug it out in an increasingly ugly – and open – mudfest.

It started with senior Dawn News anchor Talat Hussein accusing Geo pundit Najam Sethi (just a shade shy of taking his name) of being in the employ of real estate tycoon Malik Riaz and, therefore,

being morally compromised when it came to commenting on the issue.

In his own program on Geo TV, Mr Sethi, after what appeared to be a scripted reluctance, returned the salvo and alleged that Mr Hussein himself was compromised and had been working with STRATFOR, an organisation that the Wikileaks claimed was a front for the CIA. He went on to twist the knife when he said that such claims are the result of the jealousy of channels on “the 7th position or the 8th.”

Mr Sethi expressed his intention to start legal proceedings against Talat Hussein and said that he had already served a legal notice to Dunya News anchor and former Lol-

Articles on Page 12-13

lywood producer Mubasher Lucman and had managed to get a restraining order against him from the high court.

Mr. Lucman, the enfant terrible of Pakistani TV journalism and not particularly famous for being a meticulous fact-checker, had claimed Mr Sethi had US nationality and that his daughter worked for the late US Af-Pak envoy, Richard Holbrooke. Both claims were untrue.

Pakistan’s lively mainstream news media has had many professional rivalries amongst its ranks but they were, by and large, kept under wraps. With time, the awkwardly maintained veneer of professional courtesy is coming off.

ment and would stand with the judiciary.

Khan said the PTI would foil the plans of the corrupt government which it had made against the judiciary.

Earlier on Thursday, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry decided to disengage himself from the bench hearing the case against his son for his alleged involvement in a Rs 340 million scam.

However, the CJP had remained steadfast in his conviction to protect the institution without any consideration that his son was one of the main characters in the plot that real estate tycoon Malik Riaz had reportedly fabricated to influence the cases pending against him in the Supreme Court.

At the onset of the hearing, the chief justice announced stepping down from the three-member bench and left the courtroom.

“I have faith in Supreme Court judges,” the chief justice remarked after Attorney General Irfan Qadir argued that the CJP could not be part of a bench hearing his son’s case.

The Supreme Court, however, ordered formation of a two-member bench to hear the case.

Talking to reporters outside the Supreme

Court, Malik Riaz’s counsel Zahid Bukhari said the chief justice’s decision to step down from the bench was appreciable. Bukhari said Malik Riaz would appear in the court once he recovered and returned to the country.

Petrol likely to go down by Rs 9 per litre, diesel by Rs 5 ISLAMABAD: Keeping in view the price of POL products in the international market, the government is likely to slash the prices of petrol and diesel. Sources said the prices of petrol and diesel are expected to be cut by Rs 9 and Rs 5 respectively. The government reviews the prices of petroleum products every fortnight.

The sources said prices of high octane and kerosine oil are also likely to be decreased. nni

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04 News

Sunday, 10 June, 2012

Punjab cabinet approves Rs 780b budget for 2012-13 g g

Development projects to get Rs 246 billion Revenue estimated at Rs 640 billion LAHORE sTAFF RePORT

T queTTA: Relatives mourn the killing of policemen in an attack by unidentified gunmen on saturday. Attackers killed four cops in a fresh drive-by shooting incident, police said. AFP

France to begin Afghan pullout in July and finish end 2012 TULLE AFP

French President Francois Hollande said Saturday France will begin its pullout from Afghanistan next month and complete it by year-end, after four French troops were killed on the eve of key elections.

Hollande said France would pay a “national homage” to the men killed in a Taliban suicide attack in eastern Afghanistan earlier Saturday and that the five other wounded would be repatriated rapidly. The withdrawal of French troops from Afghanistan was one of Hollande’s presidential electoral promises. It “will begin in the month of July, will be carried out and be completed at the end of 2012,” the French president said. “In the meantime, everything must be done for our troops to meet their obligations but with the highest level of security and with the greatest vigilance for the lives of the soldiers. “I am making this engagement here and I will be the guarantor for this operation,” Hollande said in Tulle, where he was to attend a commemoration of the massacre of civilians by the Nazis on June 9, 1944.

According to the French defence ministry, the soldiers targeted in Saturday’s attack were participating in a “control operation” in the province bordering Pakistan where insurgents are very active. Afghan interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told AFP the attacker was disguised as a woman wearing a burqa. Three of the five wounded were in critical condition Saturday. They were the first French soldiers to be lost in Afghanistan since January 20, when an Afghan soldier shot dead four unarmed soldiers and wounded 15 others. Some 3,500 French soldiers are deployed in Afghanistan, mainly in Kabul and in the eastern Kapisa province where Saturday’s attack occurred.

India invites Pakistan for regional meet on Afghanistan NEW DELHI inP

Backing a regional approach to stabilizing Afghanistan, India has invited over a dozen countries, including Pakistan and China, for a regional investors meet in New Delhi on June 28 to boost international private investment for the reconstruction of that country.

If Pakistan accepts the invitation, it will be the first time it will participate in an India-led initiative on Afghanistan, a country that is often seen as an arena of rivalry between the two neighbors.

The investors meet primarily aims at spurring private sector investment by roping in countries of the region, but India has also invited ministers and officials

CNG strike Continued fRom page 1 It was the sixth day without CNG in the provincial metropolis, as the CNG stations had stopped sales on Monday morning per weekly schedule.

The APCNGA had on Friday involved petrol station owners in the protest, asking them to close down stations as the government was not taking any notice of their strike and was apparently unwilling to

to the conference.

Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul is expected to lead his country’s delegation at the conference, in which over 50 Afghan companies will participate.

“Yes, I would like to confirm that all countries which were participants of the Istanbul process are being invited and that includes Pakistan too,” Syed Akbaruddin, the External Affairs Ministry’s spokesperson, told reporters.

India has pledged $2 billion for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, which has not gone down well with Pakistan, which is prone to see that country as part of its strategic backyard.

India and Pakistan haven’t discussed Afghanistan in their bilateral talks so far, but there is indi-

cation that there is a move in that direction.

President Asif Ali Zardari briefly met Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna in Beijing on Thursday on the sidelines of the SCO summit and inquired about India’s activities in Afghanistan. Krishna explained that India was focusing mostly in areas of capacity building, education and health.

The decision to hold a regional conclave is part of India’s emerging regional approach towards stabilizing Afghanistan in the run-up to the phased withdrawal of international troops from that country by 2014.

At the 12th summit of the June 6-7 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Beijing, India backed a bigger role for the SCO in Afghanistan.

solve the issue.

In Peshawar, CNG stations remained closed for the third day and commuters faced severe problems. However, a few stations remained functioning in Civil Quarters, on Ring Road and Kohat Road.

The situation was not much different in Quetta where a partial strike was observed and long queues of vehicles were witnessed around the few stations that were selling CNG. APCNGA Chairman Ghayas Abdullah Paracha said the strike would continue until

the fulfillment of their demands and if the government did not take any notice, they would close down all petrol pumps as well.

He said they were in contact with the Petroleum Dealers Association and its office-bearers were ready to close down their filling stations against the imposition of cess.

Meanwhile, Pakistan State Oil (PSO) decided to purchase an additional 35,000 tonnes of petrol keeping in view the possible shortage of fuel in the coming days.

HE Punjab cabinet on Saturday approved a Rs 782.8 billion budget for fiscal year 2012-13 in a meeting headed by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif at his camp office.

The amount earmarked for development projects is Rs 246 billion, while there is a proposal to hike salaries of government servants by 20 percent.

The amount fixed for social development is Rs 85 billion, while the education and health sectors will get Rs 30 billion and Rs 18 billion, respectively.

The government also earmarked Rs 10 billion for overcoming the energy crisis.

Other proposed allocations include Rs 67 billion for infrastructure, Rs 10 billion for

NP slams PP govt over missing persons QUETTA: National Party Secretary General and former senator Tahir Bizenjo has said that more than 400 decomposed bodies of missing Baloch youth had been recovered, but the PPP leaders had done nothing except lip service by issuing sympathetic statements.

Addressing a press conference at the Quetta Press club on Saturday, he said Asma Jahangir was being given life threats for raising a voice against human rights violation in the country and if the ongoing policy of kill and dump in Balochistan was not stopped, it would yield terrible results. He said the chief justice of Pakistan had unmasked elements involved behind the killing and throwing dead bodies.

Rejecting that the missing persons’ issue was Pakistan’s internal matter, he said the issue had gained international recognition after being noted by the head of UN human rights body. sTAFF RePORT

production, Rs 70 billion for police and Rs 9 billion for services sector.

About Rs 20 billion have also been proposed for subsidies on various sectors.

Around Rs 13 billion will go women development and Rs 0.35 billion for minorities, while Rs 4 billion will be allocated for Ramadan bazaars.

The cabinet also approved continuation of schemes like Ashiyana, yellow cab and laptop during the financial year 2012-13.

Easy loan schemes for women and small farmers have also been proposed in the tax free budget 2012-13.

Later, Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, who holds the additional portfolio of finance minister, presented the budget in the Punjab Assembly session chaired by Speaker Rana Muhamamd Iqbal.

Punjab’s revenue for the year 2012-13 has been esti-

mated at Rs 640 billion, while the province would be receiving Rs 710 billion from the federation under the NFC Award.

Of the amount‚ Rs 532.8 billion have been allocated for the non-development budget.

Shujaur Rehman said a five percent cut had been proposed in salaries of Punjab cabinet members, while the volume of petrol being provided to them had also been reduced by half.

He said the aim of these measures under the Punjab government’s austerity policy was to provide more resources for public welfare projects.

He said power generating projects will be set up along the canal system of the province with financial assistance of Asian Development Bank.

“An agreement has been signed with a Chinese Company‚ to setup a 100MW power plant at Kot Addu Project,” he said.

PPP, PTI reject Punjab’s anti-people budget LAHORE The Pakistan People’s Party Punjab chapter on Saturday slammed the Punjab government for presenting a fraud budget for the fiscal year 201213.

PPP Punjab Secretary Information Raja Amir Khan said the budget was not according to the expectations of the people. He said the people could not forget “laptop scheme” as billion of rupees of the national exchequer was looted in its garb.

He said the PML-N did not have the ability or the honesty to carry out any project successfully. PPP MNA and PM’s son Abdul Qadir Gilani also rejected the Punjab budget, saying the Punjab government had failed to provide relief to the common man.

“Allocations for mega projects are mere eyewash as the government does not have funds to accomplish the task,” he said. PPP Women Wing Lahore President Faiza Malik said

the focus of the Punjab budget was to increase “commissions” for PML-N leaders.

She said the Punjab government had not allocated a single penny for the poor, adding that the PPP would protect the rights of the people and would not let the anti-masses budget be approved by the provincial assembly. Faiza said the province was in debt due to poor policies of the rulers.

Adviser to the President on Punjab Affairs Naveed Chaudhary said the Punjab government had presented a budget that was against the aspirations of the people.

The Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaaf also rejected the Punjab budget, calling it “anti-people”.

PTI leaders Ishtiaq Malik, Rana Akhtar and others said the budget had nothing to offer to the poverty-stricken people.

They said that 20 percent pay raise could not help government employees grapple with the current inflationary trends.

“No relief has been given to the common man,” they added

ever, the rent had already been paid,” he asserted.

He prayed to the court that his reply may not be considered final and conclusive because Malik Riaz Hussain, despite categorical directions of the court, had failed to appear and produce any material against him.

“Therefore, I reserve my right to put up my defence accordingly, when any incriminating evidence is produced before this honourable court,” he main-

tained.

BENCH: Earlier, the Supreme Court dismissed a request filed on behalf of Malik Riaz for the formation of a larger bench to conduct the suo motu proceedings of graft allegations against Dr Arsalan.

Rejecting the plea, the court said the existing twomember bench of Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain will continue the proceedings of the case.

Agencies

Never met Malik Riaz... I swear!

Continued fRom page 1 Arsalan also termed the statements of TV anchors brought on court record as “nothing but hearsay”, stating that the same were allegedly based on the statement of Malik Riaz Hussain.

He also challenged the claims of Kamran Khan, Shaheen Sehbai and Hamid Mir and stated that their claims of showing material to them by Malik Riaz “suffer from serious contradictions”.

Arsalan also made an effort to distance his conduct from his father, the top judge of the country, saying he was a 32-year-old man and he earned his bread and butter through his own business.

He also asked Malik Riaz to establish the allegations along with explanations and what he wanted to achieve (by making allegations).

Arsalan stated that in the year 2009, he traveled on his own expenses, with his family to London and hired a

flat, details of which were available with him.

“Similarly for the year 2010 and 2011, same practice was adopted and an amount of Rs 4,500,000 was deposited through (cheque No 1287353 of Standard Chartered Bank, Lahore) on August 15 2011 by my cousin namely Muhammad Aamir Rana, into Zaid Rehman’s (account No 020502000003244 Meezan Bank, Gulberg Lahore),” he added.

Expressing ignorance about the money paid on his behalf, Arsalan said he did not know that from whose credit card the rent of the flat, which was around £3200 per week, was paid.

“Perhaps, I had stayed for four weeks, so the total rent, amounts to about £10,000. When I reached London, I had to sign occupancy agreement by submitting the copy of my passport, therefore the formalities per rules were completed, how-

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Sunday, 10 June, 2012

News 05

US authorities identify five next-generation al Qaeda leaders WASHINGTON OnLine

FAisALAbAD: Auto Rickshaw drivers stage a protest demonstration against the proposed increase in cng price. ONLINE

American counter terrorism experts have identified at least five potential next-generation leaders of al Qaeda, including three with US connections, according to a report.

Experts believe that after the death of al Qaeda No 2 Abu Yahya al-Libi in a US drone attack in Pakistan, the terrorist group’s highest councils once again face the daunting task of filling a leadership void and selecting a nextgeneration jihadist capable of succeeding current leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. “It would be a mistake for anyone to conclude there is no one on the bench,” an anonymous US official familiar with counter-terrorism strategy told NBC. “It’s a thinning bench, but there are still bad guys, with bad aspirations in al Qaeda’s

core group in Pakistan,” the official added.

According to The New York Post, the five potential next-generation leaders identified by the officials include Adnan Gulshair el Shukrijumah, a 36-year-old Saudi who reportedly is director of operations for al Qaeda who spent his teenage years in Brooklyn and Florida.

He was reportedly involved in a 2009 plot to bomb the New York City subway. The second potential successor is Jaber A El-Baneh, a 45-yearold Yemeni who lived for a time in Buffalo, and was viewed as the mastermind of the Lackawanna Six plot in 2003. Other three potential leaders are Adam Gadahn, a 33-year-old American and al Qaeda strategist, Sheikh Khalid Abdur Rahman al-Hussainan, a 45-year-old Kuwaiti who is a cleric and teacher, and Ali Sayyid Muhamed Mustafa alBakri, a 46-year-old Egyptian with explosives and chemical weapons expertise.

Libi’s killing shifts Qaeda’s power from Pakistan to Yemen

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NEWS DESK

HE death this week of al Qaeda’s deputy leader, Abu Yahya al-Libi, is likely to accelerate a shift in power from the group’s dwindling leadership in Pakistan to its increasingly autonomous franchises, particularly the branch in Yemen, whose focus on attacking American interests is sure to continue, according to United States counter-terrorism officials.

For now, Ayman al-Zawahri, Al Qaeda’s nominal leader, still holds the broad influence that he has consolidated since Osama bin Laden’s death last year.

But the hierarchical structure of global jihad may be loosening a bit. Libi’s death in a drone strike has torn at the connective tissue between the group’s embattled leadership in Pakistan and its far-flung affiliates across the Middle East and Africa, according to The New York Times.

Libi’s killing may even augur in-

creased violence as younger, more impetuous fighters vie to seize the mantle of global leadership, analysts say. At the top of that list are leaders from the affiliate in Yemen, formally known as Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), who three times in the last three years have tried unsuccessfully to blow up commercial airliners bound for the United States. The most recent plot was thwarted last month when the suicide bomber turned out to be simultaneously working for the Saudi, British and American intelligence agencies.

“Libi’s death won’t have an impact on AQAP,” said Will McCants, a former State Department counterterrorism official who now works for the Center for Naval Analyses outside Washington.

After the September 11 terrorist attacks, the presence of Bin Laden, along with most of Al Qaeda’s founding members, in Pakistan gave the core leaders a depth of experience and standing with their allies.

“Now, with most of their well-known

figures out of the picture, it will be hard for al Qaeda’s core to maintain its role as the example for its affiliates to follow,” said one American official who follows classified counterterrorism reports.

Bin Laden himself, in the documents that Navy SEALs recovered from his house in Abbottabad, Pakistan, worried about “the rise of lower leaders who are not as experienced and this would lead to the repeat of mistakes.”

Even with the network’s operatives in Pakistan under siege, al Qaeda’s wings in Yemen, North Africa and even Iraq have had little difficulty sustaining a wave of violence, a trend that is likely to continue well after Libi’s death, officials said.

In Somalia, the Shabab, the most recently anointed Qaeda affiliate, are reeling from a series of setbacks on the ground, including from an American-backed force of African Union troops in Mogadishu, the capital. Still, the organization’s ranks include several dozen foreign fighters, some with United States passports that could

Of our UN ambassador’s ‘affable’ friendliness ISLAMABAD sPeciAL cORResPOnDenT

In the large population of diplomats at the United Nations, ambassadors are usually known by the country they represent, but Pakistan’s Abdullah Hussain Haroon is mostly known by the company he keeps – the Indian ambassador.

So well known is his close ties to Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri that he is invariably identified in diplomatic circles as “Hardeep’s friend” – less as Pakistan’s envoy.

Often called “inseparable twins”, the two are often seen walking the carpeted corridors of the United Nations, engaged in conversations in conference rooms and enjoying parties around the huge city.

Sometimes, the two even drive to events together. But it is Hussain Haroon who makes it a point to show his affection for his friend.

A professional diplomat, Hardeep has rarely, if ever, reciprocated, at least publicly. Almost at every event, Haroon speaks about his friendship with Hardeep – sometimes even out of context. At a recent event at the UN General Assembly hall, Haroon mentioned Hardeep three times without any reciprocity on part of the Indian envoy when it was his turn to speak.

There is no doubt that Haroon, an ardent advocate of good relations with India, is popular among UN diplomats. He has excellent relations with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. A gracious host, the affable

Haroon has a presence, but he is known more for the lavish parties he throws than for his diplomatic skills.

A friend of President Asif Ali Zardari, he has no previous diplomatic experience, nor has he ever held a regular job. No one doubts his patriotism, but some of his actions do not sit well with his colleagues at the Mission or by Pakistani community members.

For instance, Haroon was late at the Pakistan Day reception that he hosted on March 22, something most diplomats and members of the Pakistani community noticed. And he left the Pakistan House long before the reception was over – in company with his Indian friend.

The very next day – March 23 – Haroon left for Pakistan and returned to New York in the first week of May. Although he

is known for his long absences from New York even during the General Assembly sessions, it is quite a different matter this time around. Since January 1, Pakistan is a non-permanent member of the Security Council and he is expected to lead the Pakistan delegation during its two-year tenure on the world body’s power centre. So far he has attended just a few council meetings.

A couple of days after his return to New York, Haroon shared the stage with Hardeep Singh, the Indian ambassador, at an event sponsored by Mastercard Worldwide’s Indian-born President and CEO Ajay Banga. The two ambassadors lauded efforts being made by their nations to normalize trade relations.

While Haedeep Singh called the development a “game-changer”, Haroon said the two countries should not “burn their energies in hate”. They spoke on the potential of such trade ties for the two countries and the South Asian region.

Haroon was effusive. Pakistan, he said, had intended to have a deep relationship with India but “something went wrong somewhere”.

“There were meant to be open borders, open trade and intermixing of people. We believe in Pakistan that perhaps a lot of what we might have lost over time could return with the opening of this relationship,” he said.

While most Pakistanis advocate normalization of Indo-Pak relations, they feel Haroon ought to limit his boisterous enthusiasm for it.

allow them to slip back into the country.

In North Africa, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has stepped up its kidnappings for ransoms, offering Qaeda affiliates a financial model for survival as other sources of money have been eliminated by allied counterterrorism efforts.

The group has also been bolstered by Tuareg rebels returning from Libya with heavy weapons, possibly including surface-to-air missiles. The rebels joined force with Islamic extremists to seize the northern half of Mali after a military coup toppled the civilian government.

There is even evidence that the various affiliated groups across Africa may be increasingly acting in league with one another. The newest member of the group is Boko Haram, an Islamist movement in northern Nigeria that appears to have borrowed tactics like the use of improvised bombs from other Qaeda branches.

But American officials express their deepest concerns over the Yemeni affiliate, led by Nasser al-Wuhayshi, a Saudi who

served as Bin Laden’s personal secretary in the 1990s and who has overseen attacks against both Yemen and the United States.

The Yemeni branch gained notoriety in December 2009 when an Americanborn cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki, supervised the training of a young Nigerian man who attempted to blow up an American jetliner that was headed to Detroit, using a bomb in his underwear. Ten months later, the organization packed explosives in printer cartridges and placed them on cargo planes bound for Chicago.

Both plots failed, but the operations quickly elevated the Yemeni Qaeda branch to the top of the affiliates and positioned the group’s leaders as the logical heirs to Zawahri.

“Al Qaeda supporters will naturally turn to the branch of Al Qaeda that is succeeding,” Mr McCants said. “In some ways, this has already been happening over the past few years, thanks to AQAP’s successes on the ground and its superlative propaganda.”

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06 News

Sunday, 10 June, 2012

Pakistan working for women’s empowerment, says Sherry

WASHINGTON APP

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Sherry Rehman has said that the country was witnessing “good things like political and societal efforts towards protection of women’s rights”.

She was speaking at a reception hosted in honour of Pakistani women’s rights advocate and documentary filmmaker Samar Minallah, whose efforts were recognised by the Vital Voices organisation this week. US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Marc Grossman, Coordinator for US nonmilitary assistance for Pakistan Ambassador Robin Raphel, Vital Voices chairperson Susan Davis, American journalists, writers and PakistaniAmerican women leaders were among those who attended the event.

“Women like Samar are greatly helping to bring change at grassroots level,” the ambassador said. While Pakistan still has to go far to ensure empowerment of women at all levels of the society, there is a lot to celebrate as well, the ambassador said.

PIA denies Pk-304 under-booked due to PM PRESS RELEASE The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has denied a news item reported

by Independent News Pakistan (INP) that its flight from Karachi to Lahore was under-booked due to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, who boarded the PK-304 flight. A PIA spokesman said that in all 71 passengers were booked on the flight, and not a single passenger was off-loaded.

The spokesman added that Gilani also travelled to Karachi on Thursday from Islamabad on a commercial PIA flight along with common passengers.

DeRA gHAZi KHAn: Rescue workers try to extinguish a fire which erupted in an electronics shop at Jampur bazaar. ONLINE

Somalia’s Shebab mocks US bounty, offers camels for Obama g

Ten roosters, 10 hens for information on hillary Clinton MOGADISHU

S

AFP

O M A L I A ’ S al Qaeda-allied Shebab rebels on Saturday mocked a US offer of up to $33 million for tip-offs enabling the arrest of its top leaders, saying they would give 10 camels to anyone who helped locate Barack Obama.

The highest price put up by the US State Department on Thursday was for Shebab chief Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamed — more commonly known as Godane or Abu Zubayr — with a $7 million bounty for information on where he is hiding.

“I can assure you that these kind of things will never dissuade us from continuing the holy war against them,” said another senior Shebab leader, Fuad Mohamed Khalaf, or “Shongole”, in a message carried on several websites.

“There is nothing new in the fact that infidels pay to have Muslim leaders killed. They already did that by offering camels for the head of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), and the dollar is the camel of today,” he said.

He was referring to an offer of

100 camels made for Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) when he was fleeing Mecca for Medina.

Khalaf added: “Whoever informs the mujahideen fighters of the place where Obama can be found will get 10 camels and for (US Secretary of State Hillary) Clinton, we will offer 10 roosters and 10 hens.”

The State Department said in a statement announcing the bounty

for seven Shebab leaders that “the group is responsible for the killing of thousands of Somali civilians, Somali peace activists, international aid workers, journalists and African Union peacekeepers”.

The Shebab still control large parts of southern Somalia, but African Union troops, government forces and Ethiopian soldiers have clawed back several key bases from the insurgents in recent months.

Britain to outlaw ‘abhorrent’ forced marriage LONDON AFP

Britain’s government announced plans Friday to make forced marriage a criminal offence, with parents who coerce their children into marrying to face “very tough punishments”. Prime Minister David Cameron said forced marriage had been tolerated as a cultural practice in Britain’s Asian community for too long and was “little short of slavery”. “For too long in this country we have thought ‘well, it’s a cultural practice and we just have to run with it’,” he said. “We don’t. It’s a crime.”

“You are taking 15, 16-year-old British citizens, taking them off to another country against their will, marrying them with someone against their will.” “It is an absolutely abhorrent practice,” he added.

“It is, frankly, little short of slavery.” “If you commit that sort of offence you’ll get a very, very tough punishment.” The government’s Forced Marriage Unit said 46 percent of the nearly 600 cases of forced marriage it dealt with between January and May this year involved Pakistani nationals. Some 45 percent of the victims were younger than 18, the agency said, and 87 percent of the victims were female. Forcing someone into a marriage will become a criminal offence in England and Wales, with the maximum sentence to be set out in a new law. The legislation will distinguish between forced marriage and arranged marriage, in which both bride and groom consent to the union.

Pneumonia, diarrhea are top killers of children: UNICeF UNITED NATIONS

P

AFP

N E U M O N I A and diarrhea are among the top causes of childhood deaths around the world, particularly among the poor, said a report out Friday by the UN Children’s Fund.

UNICEF said that while these two diseases kill more than two million children each year, making up 29 percent of child deaths under age five worldwide, some simple interventions

could save lots of lives in the coming years.

The report urges the 75 countries with the highest mortality rates to aim to treat poor children with diarrhea and pneumonia the same way they do those from the top 20 percent of households, a so-called “equity approach.”

Key interventions include vaccinating against the major causes of pneumonia and diarrhea, encouraging infant breastfeeding, improving access to clean water and sanitation, offering antibiotics for pneumonia and rehydration solutions for diarrhea.

“Modeled estimates suggest that by 2015 more than two million child deaths due to pneumonia and diarrhea could be averted across the 75 countries with the highest mortality burden,” said the report. “If national coverage of key pneumonia and diarrhea interventions were raised to the level in the richest 20 percent of households in each country,” it added.

About half of childhood deaths in the world due to diarrhea or pneumonia take place in five countries: India, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan and Ethiopia, said the

report.

There has been some progress in offering vaccines against Hemophilus influenza type b, as well as pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and rotavirus vaccines in the poorest countries, but more effort is needed, it said.

Water and sanitation is another key hurdle, with 783 million people globally not using an improved drinking water source, and 2.5 billion not using sanitation facilities.

“Nearly 90 percent of deaths due to diarrhea worldwide have been attributed to unsafe water, inadequate sani-

tation and poor hygiene,” said the report.

“Hand washing with water and soap, in particular, is among the most cost-effective health interventions to reduce the incidence of both childhood pneumonia and diarrhea.”

Pneumonia is responsible for 18 percent of childhood deaths worldwide each year, and diarrhea is linked to 11 percent.

In contrast, AIDS is responsible for two percent of global childhood deaths annually and malaria for seven percent, according to the report.

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Sunday, 10 June, 2012

shah takes up law and order with businessmen PAGe 07

Over Rs 555 billion Sindh budget likely tomorrow No new taxes have been imposed on poverty-stricken people KARACHI AFTAb cHAnnA

W

ITH the growing price-hike and increase in the cost of doing business due to shortage of electricity, a tax-free election budget of more than Rs 555 billion is likely to be announced by Sindh Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday, June 11, 2012, Pakistan Today has reliably learnt.

Moreover, the rates of some non-tax levies such as water tax on agriculture, licence fee and tender fee would be rationalised to improve resource mobilisation. Some of these charges will be clubbed together instead of increasing their rates to yield better revenue, wellplaced sources privy to the budget-making process told Pakistan Today.

The sources said the Annual Development Programme (ADP) in the new budget is likely to be Rs 180 billion including Rs 20 billion for the defunct district governments. Besides, more than Rs 38 billion have been allocated for the foreign-funded projects in the province.

At all there are more than 1,288 ongoing schemes and at least 493 new schemes have been included in the budget.

The break-up shows that at least Rs 16 billion for works and services, Rs 11.85 billion for PMAs priority program, Rs 13.5 billion for coal and energy, Rs 12 billion for education, Rs 11 billion for health, Rs 5.8 billion for statistics, Rs 5.5 billion for agriculture, Rs 10.60 billion for special packages for Karachi, Hyderabad, Nawabshah and Larkana, Rs 7 billion for irrigation, Rs 950 million for wildlife and forests, Rs 3.5 billion for livestock, Rs 4.8 billion for information technology (IT), Rs 430 million for

women development, Rs 270 million for environment, Rs 580 million for antiquities, Rs 280 million for food, Rs 1.3 billion for commerce and industries, Rs 360 million for archives and information, Rs 350 million Auqaf, Rs 40 million for cooperation, Rs 720 million for minorities, Rs 210 million for social welfare, Rs 130 million for human rights, Rs 360 million for population welfare etc.

The major constraint on province resources would be from salaries of more than 40,000 to 45,000 new employees recruited by the present government, they said, adding this would suppose to be a major burden on the government’s non-development expenditure.

There is also an increase in demand for grants by the police department (home department) due to prevailing law and order situation. The target of tax revenues would be achieved by at least 90 percent however there is an acute deficit

in non-tax revenue, sources added. After the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, the provinces have been informed about their share from the center under which the budget has been worked out. Besides, the position of federal grants and transfers was much better as compared to past years, they added.

According to sources, the funds not utilised by departments on various projects would be diverted for the projects, which attains the advanced stage of completion.

Sindh’s major chunk of revenue is generated from six provincial taxes collected by department of excise and taxation and proceeds collected by the Sindh Board of Revenue on account of stamp duty, land users charges, water tax, licence and tender fee. However, the bulk of resources (about 85 per cent) come through federal grants, transfers and project aid.

Four members of Mehsud tribe gunned down KARACHI inP

At least four people were killed and two others injured when armed men of a tribal group opened fire at their rivals of the same tribe over old enmity here late Friday night. According to police, armed men of Mehsud tribe ambushed six members of their rival group hailing from South Waziristan Agency (SWA) while they were passing through Afghan bus terminal adjacent to Super Highway near Al-Asif Square in an auto rickshaw and fled from the scene.

As a result of firing four Mehsuds, residents of Macchar Colony of Sohrab Goth were killed on the spot while two others sustained wounds.

The bodies and injured were shifted to Jinnah Hospital for medico legal requirement. Identity of the deceased was confirmed as Khair Alam Mahsud, 25, Muhammad Alam Mahsud, 35, Sher Alam Mahsud, 22, and Arshad Mahsud, 40. The deceased Arshad was also office bearer of regional organization named as Insaf Aman Committee.

Sources claimed that the victims and attackers were engaged in narco business and the shooting incident was outcome of same dispute.

Saboteurs kill four in Sohrab Goth KARACHI nni

A band of gangsters gunned down at least four people when citizens got hold of one of their accessories while they were stealing in Sohrab Goth area of the city. According to details, the members of local Khidmat Aman Committee based in Sohrab Goth’s Al-Asif Square, captured a thief red-handed at Afghan Adda. The committee members were transporting the criminal to police station aboard a rickshaw when his armed accomplices ambushed them.

The saboteurs opened fire to free the captured man, killing Khidmat Committee’s Chairman Irshad Mehsud, two brothers Khair Alam, Muhammed Alam and their cousin Sher Alam. The assailing gunmen took away their partner in crime. Later on, the bodies of the deceased were shifted to Jinnah Hospital. Police are in search for the criminals. Following the killings, police raided Afghan Basti and took in custody over 20 people.

KARAcHi: The father of a target killing victim weeps before the funeral prayer of his son in Lyari area. ONLINE

SSGC raids two hotels for using gas illegally KARACHI sTAFF RePORT

As part of Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), the utility’s Surveillance and Monitoring Department (S&M) conducted raids against illegal usage of gas on two renowned hotels in Nazimabad area namely Haji Saifullah Khan Bangash and Haji Munawar Khan Bangashs where its proprietors were involved in direct use of gas.

The team also raided a mineral water plant located in a residential area in Naz-

imabad which was also involved in direct gas use. In accordance with the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2011, applications were submitted by the utility to the area police for lodging FIRs against these commercial concerns.

These hotels are frequently visited by a large population of the locality. Both these hotels have a long history of illegal gas usage, despite the fact that the company had previously disconnected their gas supply at least four times for using illegal underground connections. These popular eateries of the area kept on defy-

ing the law by using gas directly through the company’s main distribution line. It must be mentioned here that both hotels owe the company Rs 2.9 million and Rs 2.2 million respectively.

During this raid, the S&M team was accompanied by DSM (distribution, system and maintenance) section of Karachi Distribution Department along with sales, billing, legal and corporate communications personnel. Security was arranged by the local police and Frontier Constabulary to meet any resistance from the proprietors of hotels.

On the same day, the team conducted another significant raid on a mineral water plant called Iqra Enterprises located in a residential area of Jalalabad in Nazimabad and discovered that its owners were using gas directly through SSGC’s main distribution line at a high pressure of 5 pounds per square inch. The raiding team discovered that the factory was using gas at different spots through underground clamps by puncturing the company’s pipeline. The area police confiscated rubber pipes and other accessories and also arrested the factory

manager and salesman.

The raiding party also discovered that the factory invoices did not bear the address of the premises in which it was located and reflected some other fake address. The manufacturers were selling the mineral water under the brand name ‘Iqra Fina’.

Area residents complained that the factory, a commercial concern was located in the residential area and that they were facing acute water problem since water that was to be consumed by the residents was used for running its business.

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KARAcHi: bachelor of Medicine and surgery (Mbbs) students hold a protest demonstration in favour of their demands outside the Press club. STAFF PhOTO

Shah takes up law and order with businessmen KARACHI

C

nni

HIEF Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah Saturday held a meeting regarding law and order with leading businessmen of Karachi and heads of various trade organization at the Chief Minister House.

The meeting was attended among others by Chairman of Business group Mr. Siraj Qasim Teli, Chairman Sindh Board of Investment Mr. Zubair Motiwala, office bearers of Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, various trade organizations and 80- members delegation of businessmen community, Senior Special Assistant Mr. Rashid Rabbani, Coordinator to CM Mr. Abu Bhai, Special Assistant to CM Mr. Abdul Agha Razzaque, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Syed Sohail Akbar Shah, I.G Police Sindh Syed Mushtaq Shah, Additional I.G Police Karachi Mr. Akhtar Gorchani, DIG Police South Mr. Mushtaq Mahar, SSP’s of South and others. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister Sindh expressed his sorrows on recent incidents in old city areas of Karachi, and said that the government has decided to all precau-

tionary preventive and proactive measures to combat and control the situation on priority basis. He assured the businessmen community, industrialists and traders that prompt relief will be provided to them and criminals, Bhatta Khors, Robbers etc will be apprehended.

Syed Qaim Ali Shah added hat police has been directed to bring results within few days over all in Karachi and particularly in South, of old city which is the centre of commerce, trade and business where there are headquarters of Banks, main whole sale markets, trade centers, etc.

He further said that he has given free hand to police to maintain law and order and maintain peace at every cost, and action be taken against involved elements and criminals across the board without any distinction or favour.

Regarding any political influence, the Chief Minister Sindh clarified that there is no enmity of government with any political group or person, nor we had taken any revenge inspite of excessive by an opponents in the past.

He further said that no person had been detained illegally but we had forgiven to them. Syed Qaim Ali Shah added that we will not allow any one to commit excessive to any one but we will provide relief to the affected people, businessmen and traders.

He said that as a Chief Minister, he is over all in charge of every department and all issues of the province, as such he daily receive re-

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AVANTI - THE GRAND MUSICAL

DATe: MAy 29 - JUNe 24, 2012

ports from every department about there performance. Chie Minister Sindh warned that incase of any crime committed in any jurisdiction, the DSP and SHO of that area will come under action, and they can be suspended.

He further said that the Law and Order in interior Sindh is in control, while the bhatta khori, target killing will be rooted out from Karachi.

Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that changes have been made in police officers in South area of City, which is even upto DIG level and police officers have been entrusted responsibility to show their best performance and results.

He assured the businessmen community that government is committed to protect the life and property of every citizen and there will be no any interference in the affairs of law enforcing agencies and they are working in free atmosphere.

Inspector General Police Sindh Syed Mushtaq Shah informed the meeting that within available resources, the police is exercising its powers to bring law and order situation under normalcy.

He informed that 10 more police mobile vehicles 30- motor Cycles and police force has been added in Old City area to speedy cover the law & order, while more police force from interior Sindh and F.C personal are being added.

He said that there had been talk of installation of surveillance camera’s since last 5 years while we are installing 1000 cameras to record and detect the crime. AIG Police Karachi Mr. Akhtar Gorchani assured the businessmen and traders that they will be consulted as far as law & order is concerned.

He said that police will discharge their duties with responsibility and dedication.

Earlier, Mr Siraj Qasim Teli Chairman Businessmen Group, Mr. Zubair Motiwala, Mr Javed Shaikh, Mr. Hafeez, Muhammad Ismail, Mr. Aszhaul Hasan, Mr. Muhammad Haroon, Mr. Talat Mehmood, Mr. Muhammad Yousif, and others highlighted the problems of businessmen/trade community. They also stressed to take action against criminals and bhatta khors at an earliest.

NATIONAL YOUTH CONVENTION 2012

DATe: SUNDAy, JUNe 10, 2012, 09:00 AM

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DATe: ThURSDAy, 7:00 PM, weekly eVeNT

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AVANTI- AFTeR GAINING hUGe SUCCeSS IN ISlAMABAD and lAhoRe... ThIS MAy The BIGGeST MUSICAl hIT oF The yeAR IS CoMING To kARAChI. NoT oNly hAS IT BeeN lABelleD AS The eVeNT oF The yeAR, IT IS A RolleR CoASTeR oF MUSIC, DANCe, AND CoMeDy. kARAChI FASTeN yoUR SeAT BelTS FoR The MUSICAl RIDe oF A lIFeTIMe!

Register yourself Now: http://bit.ly/NationalyouthConvention learning objectives: Go Fly: what is go fly ?! Go fly is the will to experience new ideas, Courage to follow their own dreams, wisdom to understand the problem and find the right effective solutions. you all are blessed with talents but to know what your skill is? Come experience Go Fly with the very best of Pakistani intellectual minds.

Join us at T2F every wednesday for interactive sessions on Mirza Ghalib’s poetry, conducted by author and translator, Musharraf Ali Farooqi. Ghalib Made easy by @MicroMAFThe poetry of Mirza Ghalib (27 December 1797 – 15 February 1869) has been considered complex, abstract and difficult to comprehend. even for Ghalib’s contemporaries, his language and imagery presented a challenge.

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Sunday, 10 June, 2012

Karachi 09

Partly cloudy weather forecast KARACHI APP

The Met Office has forecast a partly cloudy/ cloudy weather with chances of gusty winds in the metropolis for the next 24 hours. The maximum temperature will remain in the range of 33 to 35 degrees celsius.

kU announces BSc result KARACHI APP

The University of Karachi on Saturday announced the result of BSc (Pass) Part I Annual Examination 2011.

According to statistics, a total of 2,051 candidates appeared in the examination and of these 677 were declared as successful with a pass percentage of 33.01. The Karachi University announcement further stated that the marks certificates are being issued.

Sister of haji hanif passes away KARACHI APP

Mrs Yasmin Ashraf, sister for former federal minister and chief of Nizam-iMustafa Party (NMP), Haji Muhammad Hanif Tayyeb, passed away in Lahore on Friday. She was 56. A NMP statement here on Saturday said that the body is being brought to Karachi for burial. It said that Mrs Yasmin Ashraf was suffering from liver disease for the past several months. Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, has condoled with Haji Hanif Tayyeb on the demise of his sister. He prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage and fortitude to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss. The central Ameer of Jamat Ahlesunnat Pakistan, Prof.

Syed Mazhar Saeed Kazmi, Pir Naqeebur- Rehman, Chairman Sunni Ittehad Council, Sahibazda Muhammad Fazal Karim, Allama Syed Shah Turab- ulHaq Qadri have offered condolences to Haji Hanif Tayyeb.

Saeed Pathan among four arrested in lyari KARACHI: Rangers arrested a proclaimed offender Saeed Pathan along with three companions during operations in different areas of Lyari on Sunday.

According to sources, he was arrested after exchange of fire for some time. Arms and ammunition including pistol, hand grenades, SGM, and narcotics were also recovered from their possession. inP

KARAcHi: girls enjoy driving a four wheeler at sea View 2. STAFF PhOTO

MQM kills its workers after they become ‘useless’, says Afaq g

warns MqM-h ex-secretary general of being eliminated by MqM KARACHI sTAFF RePORT

M

OHAJIR Qaumi Movement-Haqeqi (MQM-H) has warned ex-secretary general of MQM-H Amir Khan, who joined arch-rival Muttaheda Qaumi Movement (MQM) few months back, of life threats from his party - MQM. MQM-H Chief Afaq Ahmed stated this in a press conference at his house on Saturday. Few years back, they had received some signals of Amir Khan’s possible joining of MQM and they had tried to make him understand that MQM would not tolerate him if he joined the party as he was following Mohajir’s principled agenda in fight against MQM Chief Altaf Hussain. He alleged that Altaf Hussain had become captive of RAW agent Muhammad Anwar and they had tried to make Amir Khan understand

that he would be removed if he took stand against any wrongdoing.

It is MQM’s old game to use its workers for getting its nefarious designs fulfilled and to kill them afterwards. He said Azeem Ahmed Tariq, Ahsan Tariq, Dr Nishat Malik and Khalid Bin Waleed were the examples who were killed by MQM itself after achieving its goals.

Even today, MQM workers were being killed by their own party targeted killers and this killing was controlled by MQM leader Muhammad Anwar from MQM London Secretariat. Ajmal Pahari, a MQM targeted killer, had confessed before the joint investigation team that his party used its workers and later killed them,” Afaq alleged.

Few days back, ex-MQM Councilor Khursheed Iqbal was killed in Malir and Sultan Kapil and it also killed it worker in Korangi while another MQM worker Raees Ahmed was killed in Landhi. All these people were killed by MQM itself as they were the strongholds of MQM

and no other party could even think to operate in these areas. Now MQM blamed and nominated MQM-H workers in the murders of all above MQM workers. Police was supporting MQM in registration of baseless cases against the MQM-H workers and one of its examples was nomination of MQM-H worker in murder case of MQM worker Raees Ahmed in Landhi. He said MQM was taking revenge from MQM-H and trying to pressurize them to leave MQMH by lodging cases against them. It is our demand from the government and law enforcement agencies to investigate the killing of MQM worker Raees Ahmed in Landhi, Afaq demanded.

If any MQM-H worker was found involved in killing of Raees Ahmed, then they will cooperate with law enforcers and they will present the nominated persons before the court for trials, Afaq assured.

Although, the law enforcers lodged FIR against MQM-H on demand of MQM in Raees Ahmed’s murder case, but any action of law enforcers against nominated MQM-H workers before the allegations raised against them proved would not be tolerated at any cost. If the administration tried to initiate action against the nominated M Q M - H workers before the claim against them proved, MQMH would decide its future course accordingly, Afaq A h m e d warned.

Police FM radio station to go on air soon

KARAcHi: girls take keen interest in jewelry displayed at an exhibition. ONLINE

KARACHI: The police FM radio station will start functioning soon.

This was stated at a meeting chaired by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Sindh, Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, at the central police office here on Saturday, a spokesman of the police said.

It was informed that after permission from the Pakistan Electronic Media Authority (PEMRA) and Frequency Allocation Board (FAB), the police FM radio station would start functioning soon.

The necessary arrangements for the setting up of this station are being finalized. The meeting was further informed that the police FM radio would air information and news pertaining to the flow of traffic, alternative routes, accidents, weather conditions and debates etc for fostering awareness among the citizens on various issues. On the occasion, the

IGP also reviewed the entire project of the e-policing. The meeting was informed in detail regarding various segments of the e-policing projects including traffic control and command centre, Madadgar 15 centre including GIS vehicle tracking system.

E-driving license and video conference system. APP

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10 Karachi

Sunday, 10 June, 2012

HyDeRAbAD: buffaloes enter the territorial jurisdiction of the River indus as the water level has decreased considerably. ONLINE

Sindh youth policy to be framed KARACHI APP

A youth policy will be framed for the province of Sindh.

This was announced by Sindh Minister for Youth Affairs, Syed Faisal Ali Subzwari here on Saturday.

He told media persons that this policy would be the `voice of the youth’. The Minister was of the view that for framing this policy all the stakeholders would be taken on board. In this regard, the first consultative session would be convened in Hyderabad.

Subzwari said that all the youth organisations would be involved in the process and that the suggestions from other government departments would also be sought.

He opined that the Sindh youth policy will not be `generic’. Rather it will focus on a practical approach and that concerted efforts would be made towards the youth development in the province. The Minister was optimistic that the policy document will not only reflect the real need assessment of youth but will also put forth an effective implementation plan with monitoring and evaluation to realise the objectives for youth development in letter and spirit in the province.

He announced the launch of an exclusive website for the Sindh youth policy which will offer the youth and all other concerned stakeholders a forum to directly participate in the consultative process by submitting their opinion and comments. The website can be accessed at www.sindhyouthpolicy.pk Subzwari informed that the mandate of Sindh youth policy 2012 is to create an enabling policy environment for economic, political and social empowerment of the youth.

The policy will present short, medium and long-term action plans to address the needs and situation of the youth. The Deputy Representative of UNFPA, Yu Yu said UNFPA will offer technical and financial support for Sindh youth policy. Sindh Secretary for Department of Youth Affairs, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, also expressed his views on the occasion.

Sindh PMA to strike against doctors’ killings LARKANA

T

OnLine

HE Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has warned the government of a province-wide boycott against the killing and kidnappings of doctors’ community.

This was said by the President PMA Sindh Dr Samrina Hashmi here in her press conference followed by meeting of provincial council in Larkana on Saturday. She said that the government of Sindh failed to protect the Professors and Doctors community at their hospitals, clinics, homes and every where they received threats of Bhatta Khori and other criminal threats in Sindh.

She said so far 4000 thousand qualified Doctors and Professors have left the country due to fear of kidnapping and killings are routine, while the applications of more than 2000 Doctors have been submitted to the Pakistan Medical

and Dental Council (PMDC) for approval of going abroad she said.

Dr Samrina said these qualified Doctors were assets of Pakistan and their services should have been utilized for the Pakistani people but the government inefficiency, we lost this asset are now leaving the country to the abroad in future she told. President PMA said five Doctors were kidnapped for ransom and one of them Professor Aftab Qureshi was murdered due to the ill planning of Sindh police and administration, added that three Doctors are still in the clutches of Dacoits, while the life threats are being issued to the medical professionals are at large. She further told that 3000 thousand vacant posts are lying vacant but government is not going to recruit to meet the shortage of medical professionals in the various hospitals of Sindh province. She said PMA helped flood victims of different parts of Sindh by provided relief goods, tents, medicines of millions of rupees and all this is audited accordingly.

On the occasion, former Director General Health Sindh and General Secretary PMA Dr. Hadi Bux Jatoi claimed that the government is inefficient and non serious, despite of resolution of health issues CSP corrupt officials inefficiency led the departments to the destruction and heavy misuse of billions of rupees in the name of procurement of health technologies throughout Sindh, added that in Hyderabad LMC a latest equipments of billions are installed but there is no cardiac surgeons and other professionals he said. Jatoi allegedly said it is the worst situation in every district and Taluka hospitals witnessed, while the rates of transfers and postings specially the Medical Superintendent and other professors and Doctors are common in the governments he said.

He also criticized the role of PPHI at every Basic Health Units (BHC) and Rural Health Centers (RHC) for its failures to provide adequate health services and substandard medicines of billions of rupees,

where there is no any audit or check and balance by the corrupt officials he said.

BACTERIA IN URINE BENEfICIAL, SAyS ExPERT: A session on kidney disease and hypertension was arranged here on Saturday by the Clifton Kidney and Dialysis Centre, Karachi, at the Park Lane Hospital here.

It was attended by the specialists, general practitioners as well as the trainee doctors. Prof. Dr. Iffat Yazdani, Consultant Nephrologist, Aga Khan University Hospital, and Clifton Kidney and Dialysis Centre, stressed that bacteria in urine is not a disease and normal bacterial flora is beneficial and key part of host defense against infection. Bacteriuria alone is rarely an indication for antibiotic treatment in the general population, she said adding that bacteriuria can only be an absolute indication for antibiotic treatment when there is convincing evidence that eradication of bacteriuria as in immunocompromised, diabetic patients or pregnant women will lead to meaningful health gain at acceptable risk.

President has nothing to do with Dr Arsalan case: khurshid KARACHI: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah said on Saturday that President Asif Ali Zardari has nothing to do with Dr Arsalan case. Talking to media, the minister said that Parliament, Pakistan Army and ISI were made controversial in the past and unfortunately, now efforts were being made to make judiciary controversial too. He said President Asif Ali Zardari has nothing to do with Dr Arsalan Iftikhar’s case. inP

CM directs IG to expedite investigation into qureshi’s death

KARAcHi: Writer uzma Ali presents her book ‘sumandar Jheel Kese Huwa?’ to Karachi Administrator M Hussain shahid.

KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah in response to the statement of Dr Niaz Kalani acting Chairman of the Jeeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, about overall investigation into the death of JSQM Chairman Bashir Khan Qureshi, has asked the IG Police Sindh about the results of samples sent abroad for medical reports. Chief Minister Sindh has also inquired from him about the stage of investigation. He has further directed the IG Police Sindh to expedite the matter and report be sent to him early. nni

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Sunday, 10 June, 2012

Editor’s mail 11

Bearing down heavy on Pakistan This is with reference to US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta’s statement that ‘US is running out of patience with Pakistan’. I am sure that our military as well as the government will be well aware of what the future holds for Pakistan especially when the US threats are now becoming more pronounced. Haqqani group has been on US ‘hit list’ for a long time. The US knows that after its forces depart, the real threat to Afghanistan would then come from the Haqqani’s. US will continue to build pressure on Pakistan to initiate military operation against the group and in case of non compliance will finally cross the red line and engage and target Haqqanis in FATA by using air power to destroy and eliminate the threat it fears the most.

What are our policy options?

Pakistan army has been reluctant to fight its own people. It is also reluctant to fight any such group that does not have an anti Pakistan ideology. Haqqanis are against

the US and ISAF presence in Afghanistan.The group comprises of a large number of Afghans who represent 42 percent of Pashtoon population of Afghanistan. They take refuge in Tribal areas of Pakistan where a majority of pushtoons submit to their ideology based on hatred against foreign troops occupying a sovereign country. Where would Pakistan army stand if it takes action against a group that enjoys popular support of people and tribes on both sides of the border.US is Israel’s biggest patron and strategic ally. An Israeli society of 7.5 million people is tolerant and at peace with itself because it is secure. Who provides for such security?

Of course, the US. It is in this context that the US must understand why Pakistan army wishes to act as an ally that will not make enemy of its major ethnic community. There are 42 million Pashtuns in AfPak region (25 million in

“The prodigal son” Pakistan and 17 million in Afghanistan).

The ethnic community has 60 major tribes and about 400 sub clans. Pakistan army will continue to seek the support from its people and even recruit them long after US along with its interests is gone from Afghanistan. How can it carry out military operation against them when they don’t challenge and threaten Pakistan’s interests? Yes; the Americans do. Pakistan army believes that these people should be made part of a political process and not viewed as threat that needs to be eliminated.

Both US Defence Secretary and the Indians will do well to understand that from religious nationalism to Islamism to jihadism, Pakistan’s hands are full in taking measures to prevent radical Islam from mushrooming and eventually taking over the control of the society and the state. Pakistan army will only be able to control jihadists if jihadists are not directly attacked by US; for most are

doing jihad against the foreign occupation forces led by US .If US attacks the Haqanni group within the borders of Pakistan it will complicate the situation and make it difficult for Pakistan army to influence their behaviour. Such an act will also further enhance the radicalization of Pakistani society and add to the belief of majority of Pakistanis who consider United States less an ally and more an adversary.

Pakistan army may be under pressure, overstretched and weak on resources but it is not naive to open up new fronts by fighting against its own people on the behest of US in this ‘dumb war’. It is hoped that despite US pressures Pakistan Army will not initiate action against the Haqqanis. Not now when US is drawing down, leaving this region and its people to deal with the consequences of its unnecessary military bravado.

MUHAMMAD ALI EHSAN Karachi

Dr Shakil Afridi on mat In the chain of events leading to the battered relationship between the US and Pakistan, the case of Dr. Afridi has assumed a prominence in the media. Dr Shakil Afridi, 48, ran a fake vaccination programme as a pretext to collect bin Laden family DNA to verify bin Laden’s presence in a compound of Abbottabad.

He was detained by Pakistan intelligence officials shortly after the death of bin Laden. Later, APA Bara convicted him for 33 years in prison on four different counts of anti-state activities (helping banned Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) and funding $20,000) vide the law governing tribal areas called FCR. The US has labelled him as a patriot because he helped CIA in hunting down Osama bin Laden. Carl Levin and John McCain, the top senators from the two major US parties on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called Afridi’s sentence “shocking and outrageous” and urged Pakistan to pardon and free him immediately otherwise the next tranche of 2 billion dollars will be at risk.

Pakistan considers the doctor as a traitor because the doctor’s actions “to spy Osama bin Laden without informing the government was a betrayal of Pakistan.”

The doing of Dr Afridi has generated a heated debate on what constitutes patriotism and treason. Treason is defined as “the crime of betraying one’s country” and Dr Shakil Afridi betrayed the country by collaborating with American CIA without the knowledge of Pakistan’s government. In this way, being part of a state conspiracy of running a fake vaccination programme falls into the ambit of treason by betraying his country. Secondly, Dr Afridi’s fake vaccination campaign has greatly tarnished the ethical standards of medical practice in Pakistan – bringing Pakistani doctors into disrepute and undermined the public trust in mass vaccination and public health programmes, especially polio campaign.

The costly war on terror in Afghanistan is becoming increasingly notorious and most of the European countries believe in earlier withdrawal of their troops to pacify the growing antiinvolvement public opinion at home.

Pakistan is a victim of terrorism – its northern borders devastated by US-led counter-insurgency campaign, its heartlands wracked by growing wave of Talibanisation and economy sliding down day by day. It suffered serious losses in terms of human resource victims and devastation of valuable infrastructure. Even then, Pakistan is facing rebukes in the shape of allegations that hurt their ego badly. Pakistan needs help from the superpower in encountering domestic challenges, like overcoming power problem, supporting economic downslide and of course much desired peace in the region. The US Congressman Ron Paul, who is leading the effort to strip Pakistan of all American aid funds, should look at the other side of the coin that will tell that Dr Afridi has committed multiple offences for which he should be punished not rewarded. This is how the Americans can win the sympathies and support of masses of the war-affected country.

NOOR-UL-HUDA Islamabad

Free and fair elections The nation never had the good fortune of witnessing a peaceful and fair transfer of power from one government to another. The manipulated results have been disastrous for the country. The game of malpractice and manipulation are being played with the country since 1947. Now the country’s all institutions are heading towards collapse. Every institution has been ruined. Upcoming elections remain free and fair is the only hope for surviving the country. The time has come that everyone feels responsibilities to save the country. They

CNG tariff price-hike The CNG association is on strike against the possible 15-17 percent increase in it price from July 01, 2012, by the people-friendly government. The government claimed that their last budget was going to be tax free and increase in CNG prices is one of the proofs.

The government is fully committed to destroy CNG sector and promote LPG as some vested interests want to earn ‘little’ from that source now. I don’t think this happens anywhere in the world other than Pakistan that an established industry is wilfully being ruined. On one hand government has taken loans more than past sixty years in its tenure and on the other hand it is destroying industry with the absence of gas and electricity.

Where has that all loan gone?

I fully agree with CNG association’s plea that government should not increase its price and should try collecting tax from the wealthy that have millions to bribe for their cases in Supreme Court.

I was surprised to see Secretary Petroleum; Ejaz Choudhary’s statement in media that public should not support CNG strike. First of all who the hell is he

should elect honest and clean persons in elections. The military, civil bureaucracy and election commission also have great responsibilities. All political parties, including the government, should setup a caretaker system and free election commission. If past mistakes are repeated, the history will never forgive us. All stakeholders must act for the sake of country.

TARIQ HUSAIN KHAN Karachi

to address public? He is our servant and should behave like servants. None of the public representative from the government has moral courage to come out to talk to public and solve this problem.

I wish Mr Gilani comes out of his luxurious palace only few kilometres and see how people are suffering in this scorching heat due to CNG crisis.

I consider the opposition including the PML(N), Tehreek-e-Insaaf and others, are equally responsible for this public misery as they have not come out to be with public and sent strong message to the diminishing government.

I urge the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu action of this problem and order government not only to reduce CNG prices but also ensure that all provinces including Punjab get CNG for the maximum time in the week as it is peak summer time, not the freezing January.

ABDUL RAUF Fateh Jang

The Fort Munro incident We had not consumed the news that four gangsters harassed two sisters in

Wazirabad, and apparently molested them in front of public with no one coming to their rescue, when I heard TV news of five girls raped and molested in Fort Munro by none other than border police. I do not know the details as yet but I guess the personnel have been identified as border police people.

These girls had gone there for recreational visit. Now that these people have been identified, a summary trial should be held by a special magistrate and they should be punished to the maximum. The punishment should be such that others learn lesson of their life time. No mercy should be admitted. No usual tactics and protection of institutions be provided to them. Let it not become an issue attached to Balochistan rights or for that matter an issue of PML(N), PPP and PTI. Let us for a change hold one trial fairly on law.

I hope NGOs for human rights do not step in favour of these BP personnel?

Such news belittle Pakistan internationally. I hope our government still exists and I hope Rehman Malik does not budge in as he is fond of making heroic statements.

AMJAD H MIRZA Lahore

Mr Arif Nizami, in his recent article “The prodigal son” (09 June), has touched a most sensitive story that revolves around the personality of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

His analysis is based on ground realities and has raised valid questions for which it may be difficult to get their answers.

The CJP had waged a war against corruption and was ruthless in dealing high profile cases and personalities, including Prime Minister’s son and Chaudhry’s son Moonis Illahi.

Keeping in view the dangerous path chosen by CJ he should have been extra careful not only about his own son but relatives and near and dear ones. The writer has rightfully questioned the wisdom on the part of CJ as to how could it escape his eyes from the lifestyle adopted by his son with known small income moving in expensive cars when he himself does not own a house and a car. It is good on the part of the CJ to disown his son and close doors of his house and step down from the bench till such time the case is over but the damage has been done.

The nation is shocked that a chief justice who is considered a messiah of 180 million people of Pakistan should face such embarrassment at the hands of his own son. By profession Arsalan is a doctor and has served in different departments. He was in full senses what he was doing. The fact of the matter is that negative forces were deployed in full strength to malign the CJ in some scandal to reduce the suo motus on mega corruption cases. Malik Riaz is a known estate tycoon of the country and his close links in the corridors of power is an open secret. This single factor should have been sufficient indicator for Arsalan to keep distance from him.

Another important question that must be agitating every body’s mind as to why our media failed to unearth this scandal in 2009 when Arsalan for the first time went on a foreign trip paid for by the estate tycoon, why we waited for three years, needs some answer. Fingers are being pointed against khakis’ involvement due to the issue of missing persons is based on wrong perception, because this issue has come up now whereas Arsalan has been making hay while the sun has been shining since 2009. The CJ may still face criticism urging him to step down purely on moral grounds. If that happens that would simply mean that the plotters have succeeded in their mission and that should be the last thing to happen. The writer’s suggestion to probe the case through investigating agencies (good or bad) merits consideration and should be welcomed, but I would add that this case under no circumstances should be prolonged and decided within a few weeks, not like memogate whose outcome is still awaited.

There can be no disagreement with the writer that the institution that was held in high esteem and distinguished itself from rest of the institutions of the country has been damaged beyond repair and has shocked the general public that how CJ’s son was working against his father right under his nose for money without giving any consideration to his father’s position. Lastly, a very important point that needs thorough probe by the investigators is not why Malik Riaz trapped Arsalan but who used Malik Riaz to stage this grand drama.

MUKHTAR AHMED Karachi

local body election The Punjab government has announced that Local Body Elections will be held on non-party basis. Punjab cabinet has also approved the Punjab Local Government Bill 2012. It looks that the PML(N)’s Punjab government is afraid of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and that is the main reason behind this move to conduct local body elections on nonparty basis.

Elections on non-party basis give the way to the contestants for blackmailing political parties as by winning seats they demand huge money from political parties to join their team. General elections of 1985 in Pakistan were on non-party basis and that experience proved very bad for Pakistan.

MUBASHIR MAHMOOD Karachi

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. Fax: +92-42-36298302. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk. Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively.

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12 Comment Two budgets no fireworks

F

or a terror-stricken province, it is all but inevitable for the biggest head of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa budget to be allocated to the maintenance of law and order. Public safety spending saw an increase of 24 percent, hiking the spending to Rs 34 billion rupees.

The way public safety expenditure in KP crowds out the fiscal space for the social sector, amongst others, is sad. But for the people of the beleaguered province, beefing up the civil security agencies is an inevitable cost that must be borne. It is perhaps in recognition of this idea that the ANPled government didn’t give in to populist temptations and undertake more projects than was fiscally responsible.

Public finance mandarins the country over aren’t too famous for out-of-the-box thinking, those of the KP government being no exception. But this provincial budget saw the interesting output-based budgeting for the health and education departments. The system, where the government had asked districts to achieve specific targets in these fields, has been tried in two districts. Now it is going to be tried out in twelve districts. Who knows, maybe if this exercise is successful, the approach could be emulated by other provinces as well.

Hot on the heels of the federal government, the KP government increased the salaries of its employees by 20 percent. A step that the Punjab government, which presented its budget yesterday, also repeated.

The Punjab budget is the only one budget where ruling political dispensation at the federal level has no ownership.

Barring how voters understand which development projects have been initiated by the federal government and which of them by the provincial government, there is much riding on the choice of projects, politically. The Punjab government has chosen to continue the Yellow Cab scheme, the laptop scheme and - the never above suspicion but now downright controversial - Aashiana housing scheme.

Despite conventional wisdom, in the three budgets that have been presented this year, there has been none of the phenomenally large and reckless public spending that preelection budgets were supposed to have.

That’s not a bad thing.

A foreign policy With a nuanced approach

P

akistan-US relations have taken a highly ominous turn with Washington believing that it faces more threat from the Al-Qaeda network concentrated in Pakistan than from Afghanistan. Wasn’t bin Laden discovered in Pakistan and the terrorist network’s second in command Abu Yahya-al-Libbi killed in North Waziristan?

Many in Pakistan have condemned Panetta for extending threats and Gen Dempsey for asking Pakistan to do more.

What they fail to realise is that verbal attacks cannot shoot down drones and Pakistan does not simply possess the military capability to put an end to them. A more realistic option is destroy the terrorist safe havens in North Waziristan, being used to launch attacks inside Afghanistan.

This is also an international obligation. This should be done before the US decides to flush the Haqqanis out on its own.

The protest against Salala attack was necessary but it must not lead to measures that help the extremists. Islamabad has to realise that a satisfactory conclusion of the fight against the militants is as important for Pakistan as for the US. For this the Nato routes need to be opened without delay.

The policy of total dependence on the US pursued by Musharraf needs to be abandoned but not replaced by a policy of hostility towards the super power. Islamabad has to learn to retain good relations with countries it does not completely agree with. It has, meanwhile, to improve its relations with neighbours and develop economic and cultural ties with emerging powers and regional groupings.

For this Pakistan needs a nuanced foreign policy.

In his address to the SCO, President Zardari again reiterated Pakistan’s desire to be a permanent member of the important regional grouping. Reiterating the sacrifices Pakistan has rendered in the war against militancy won’t earn us a seat the SCO. Our commitment to fight militancy would be questioned as long as terrorist continue to pour into neighbouring countries from sanctuaries inside Pakistan or if Islamabad is seen to be protecting some of the militant groups.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor

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

Sunday, 10 June, 2012

Society’s genome step down or step aside, please

By Humayun Gauhar

L

ast week, my mood was foul. This week, I’m laughing. Why shouldn’t I? Exactly what I said would happen is happening, not because I am privy to the pedestrian ‘scripts’ written by silly superpowers themselves in terminal decline but because I can read the script written in the genes of human societies by the DNA of societal evolution. One can if one is lucky enough to have led a life that teaches one to read the map of the societal genome. “On the infinite stage of space, matter is giving a performance and its dance is called ‘time’.”

We always tend to confuse the system with the state. Look, it is the system that is unraveling, not the state.

All this system needed to expose its unviability was to be allowed to work unhindered. So don’t waste time looking for scriptwriters and orchestra conductors. They are part of the script. I don’t take superpower scripts seriously because they are mostly pie in the sky – wishful thinking about how they would like the world to be rather than what it is. Scripts written by people and powers have a habit of going awry because their authors habitually change and lose control. They don’t realise that their own scripts are also written in the genome of societal evolution, each civilisation, empire and superpower having a finite life.

Why should I not be happy? My destroyer is destroying himself. My destroyer is the system and the iniquitous status quo that it begets. When he goes my chances of getting the beloved will improve – I hope.

To go naturally is the best way to go. Murder makes martyrs and gives the system a longer lease to shorten my life. I’ve always said that this system must be allowed to demonstrate its inherent unviability and kill itself.

It’s taken just four years for it to do so.

It’s worse than I imagined, because the rulers it throws up are worse than we ever imagined.

‘They’ destroyed the prime minister. ‘They’ destroyed the politicians.

‘They’ are destroying the judiciary.

‘They’ will turn on the army and the media. I’m afraid the people who run these institutions give ‘them’ the ammunition to destroy them. Why did the prime minister allow his family rampant corruption? Why does the president play a political role? Why are the parliamentarians paralysed and at the mercy of their party bosses?

How come the chief justice does not know about his son’s goings on?

What goes round comes round.

Suddenly, what many of us had been hearing in whispers about the chief justice and his son became a loud din.

He had to take suo motu or self-notice yet again, this time on his son, exactly one year after he had taken suo motu notice against Atiqa Odho on a facetious issue simply to ‘get’ Musharraf.

When she was saying, “I do” last week at her marriage, the chief justice was face-to-face with his son in his own court making claims that would test our intelligence and strain our credulity – I don’t know about my son’s business dealings and all that jazz. Sad. If they really want to save the system, which they should since it benefits them only, rulers should learn to make sacrifices. When the president fell ill he should have resigned. He chose not to for a few more months of pomp and glory signifying nothing.

Doesn’t surprise me in the least. He behaved according to type, unburdened by tradition. When the Supreme Court, rightly or wrongly, convicted the prime minister of contempt, he should have resigned to save the system. He chose not to for a few more months of pomp and glory. Doesn’t surprise me in the least. He too behaved according to type, unburdened by any such tradition. He did not even realise that by not choosing to appeal against his conviction he tacitly admitted his guilt.

That is how history will judge him.

Now, to expect us to believe that the chief justice really did not know of his incompetent son Arsalan’s relationship with the real estate developer Malik Riaz is to assume that we are all soft in the head. And, if it indeed does transpire that the chief justice really did not know what his son was up to, then he must be soft in the head. As

Arif Nizami said, it is a failure of parenting. Young Arsalan was at the centre of Musharraf’s charge sheet against the chief justice that he never bothered to answer. Arsalan is again at the centre of the row today that could take the entire judiciary down. Has the chief justice in all his honest innocence forgotten that not too long ago his son was trying to become a policeman, but failed? Or is he not aware of that either? That too was, to put a fine point on it, not too kosher, was it? Did the chief justice not realise it then either? How innocent! How simple!

How naïve! Does it not occur to him to wonder how his incompetent son has suddenly become such a rich and successful businessman, he who could not find his way out of a brown paper bag?

I ask again: does he really expect us to believe that he really didn’t know what his son was up to? For how long does he think that he can make a fool out of this country? Where are those Liquid Propane Gasbags of his that later went over to the prime minister for seven pieces of copper and misled him?

Only low life forms kick a man when he is down. I certainly am not about to start. Sure I too have heard all the gossip about the probity of the chief justice and his son. But gossip is not proof. Until such time that wrongdoing has been established beyond the shadow of a doubt and under due process I will not hold either the father or the son guilty. Let it become a case first and be proved in a lawfully constituted court. We should not allow any injustice to befall the chief justice because he is, first and foremost, a human being and then a Pakistani. He has the same rights as you and I, Musharraf or Atiqa Odho.

However, institutions are more important than individuals. To save the judiciary that he claims to so cherish from further embarrassment, the chief justice should either resign or go on leave until this kerfuffle has been sorted out. This is exactly what Musharraf asked him to do. He refused and became an unlikely hero – an antihero it is now transpiring. Now he is confronted with the same option. He should either step down or step aside to save the judiciary from further tarnish. If he and his son are exonerated, he can come back stronger. If not, he can stay out longer.

The writer is a political analyst.

He can be contacted at humayun.gauhar786@gmail.com

Foreign Press

Don’t revisit a tragic past Hindustan Times

T

he door to a violent past which had firmly been shut is now being prised open in Punjab. A foundation stone has been laid in the Gol-den Temple in memory of those killed in Operation Bluestar. Along with this comes the glorification of BS Rajoana, a convict on death row for the 1995 assassination of former chief minister Beant Singh, as a living martyr.

The Shiro-mani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chose to do this on June 6, the 28th anniversary of Operation Bluestar. Even though the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders stayed away, it would seem this was out of political expediency rather than any aversion to the event.

The move could well mean a resurrection of a political and socially divisive issue that the state had put behind it.

The opposition, mainly the Congress, lost no time in slamming the SAD for acceding to the hardliners’ demand for erecting the memorial. Even though deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has washed his hands off the ceremony, it is an open secret that both the SGPC and clergy are handmaidens of the SAD, a party that has always employed religion as a major currency in politics.

Predictably, the BJP, the SAD’s coalition partner, is angry. Building the memorial at the behest of the Damdami

Taksal, a Sikh seminary that militant-preacher Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale once headed, and, more disturbingly, praising the killer of Beant Singh amounts to conferring legitimacy on those who acted against the State. Any quarter given to the fundamentalist fringe only resurrects fears of the revival of a radical ideology that subsumed Akali politics not too long ago.

Political observers are puzzled to see the Akalis’ acquiescing to the radicals’ agenda, especially after Punjab handed them a historic second innings in the recent polls.

After all, it was the first election in which the deputy chief minister embraced a positive, inclusive charter, pitching himself as the future CEO and the best guarantor of social harmony and progress.

The party’s sudden concession to the radical fringe is explained, in part, by the Akalis’ tacit pre-poll understanding with the Taksal and Sant Samaj, a conglomerate of Sikh seminaries, to mop up the Sikh vote and marginalise hardliners led by Simranjit Singh Mann in the closelyfought elections. But, such a quid pro quo with radical stream, at a time when Punjab is firmly in peace mode, is fraught with danger.

It could derail Mr Badal’s efforts to woo investors to boost Punjab’s sagging economy. Self-interest dictates that the Badals steer clear of the radicals. Otherwise they may find it hard to cork the genie that they themselves have freed.

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Sunday, 10 June, 2012

Comment 13

Not moving forward?

Pater familias

saving patience in Pak-us ties

How could the chief justice know?

PoliTact

By Arif Ansar ow that the Chicago conference is in the background and with the NATO supply lines still suspended, the question is what’s next in the Pak-US ties. The statements from Leon Panetta and General Dempsey this week made it clear that there was no change in the position of the US, or in other words there has been little progress as far as Pakistan’s interests are concerned.

With all the talk of reconciliation in Afghanistan, the emphasis remains on a military solution.

The drone strikes continue and so does the pressure on Pakistan to take on the Haqqani network. On the other hand, civilian casualties in Afghanistan also persist, and Karzai had to dash back from another foreign trip. Under such circumstances, General Dempsey’s assessment is correct: with no progress on the reconciliation process with the Taliban, NATO’s transition is in danger.

On the other hand, how does one interpret Panetta’s statement that US is losing patience with Pakistan. The first thing to consider is the timing of the remark, delivered in Afghanistan. He arrived there after attending the Shangri-La security dialogue and visiting India. When US Secretary of Defence reached Kabul, Karzai was on a visit to China attending the SCO conference. At the gathering, Afghanistan’s membership was upgraded to an observer status, the same membership level as Pakistan, Iran and India.

Secondly, while Panetta was in Afghanistan, media was reporting on NATO’s involvement in yet another spate of deadly attacks involving civilians, with backlash expected from Afghans.

In such an atmosphere, the coalition forces usually attempt to direct Afghan anger towards

Pakistan, as the country remains deeply unpopular in Afghanistan.

This by no means is to suggest that there are no serious challenges in US-Pakistan ties over the state of Afghanistan conflict.

The comments also point to American irritation with the state of affairs in the AfPak and for its inability to convince Pakistan and its army to move in to North Waziristan, where Al-Qaeda No 2 Abu Yahya Al-Libi was killed in a drone strike on 4 June. The question is, in the aftermath of the Salala incident and the closure of Nato supply lines, what can follow. There is obviously an increase in drone strikes with a possibility of more boots on the ground-style operations that could lead to another incident.

Up to this point, Pakistan has prevented many of the recent interventions to escalate in to a confrontation, being cognizant of the vast gap between the military capabilities of the two countries.

It did so by keeping the information on both the Salala and Osama operation vague. Both incidents went on for more than an hour, providing ample response time. Similarly, Pakistan has officially kept quiet about what it can do to counter drones.

Technically, when one gets in to the realm of what can be done to counter drones, one is inadvertently talking about an unfriendly state. However, US and Pakistan do not consider each other an adversary. Nonetheless, what happened at Salala may have altered Pakistan’s posture, making any future untoward development extremely hazardous.

Both Pakistan and US understand the worst thing that can happen to the army of any country is for it to loose morale.

Therefore, they cannot allow their forces to be attacked and not do anything about it for long.

There is a third element to NATO and American frustration, probably the most important one, involving a change in the balance of power in South Asia. This in turn is dependent on Pakistan’s acquiescence and a transformation in its traditional security paradigm. In recent months, speedy movement has been seen in country’s attempts to improve ties with India and to connect itself with the larger regional trade

and economic prospects. However, this has not resulted in a swift action against the good militants and Taliban, as US and India would have wanted.

The US wants Pakistan to take on all jihadists and militants irrespective of their good and bad character, while Pakistan considers the good militants insurance against India as well as other potential adversaries. At the same time, it is also true that if the region were economically prospering, there would be no need for such hedging. The reality is that the economic benefits are in the future while the security threats are to be dealt with now.

Moreover, keeping the Middle East situation in mind, the religiously oriented and nationalist groups are playing a prominent role in the dynamics that are emerging from the Arab revolts in places like Egypt, Syria and Libya.

From the perspective of Pakistan, it is perhaps the most critical time to remain engaged and maintain influence over groups that are friendly towards the state.

The key challenge for US to not take Pakistan fully on board over Afghanistan is because of the distinction it makes between good and bad Islamic militants.

Getting on board on American terms would translate in to many new enemies for Pakistan, which can possibly unite against it at some point. On the other hand, US understands the lethality of these groups; the demise of Soviet Union would have been impossible without them.

This divergence of strategic interests needs constant work, most importantly requiring patience and compromise. In the end, every country has to be loyal to its interests, but diplomacy is about bridging the differences.

As opposed to classifying the factions based on if they affiliate with Al-Qaeda or not, it should be changed to groups that can be controlled. The question of who controls the groups that are controllable will require yet another bargain. And obviously, with control comes accountability.

The writer is the chief analyst for PoliTact (www.PoliTact.com and http:twitter.com/politact) and can be reached at aansar@politact.com

By Saad Rasool

‘P

ater familias’ – father of the family – is how the Chief Justice of Pakistan had been described and hailed during the challenge to the 18th Constitutional Amendment. While I don’t have the experience myself, I bet being the ‘father’ of any family (let alone the ‘judicial family’) must be an awfully tough job. In fact, I believe this job is so demanding (and his focus as pater familias is so unflinching) that he cannot be faulted for not having noticed the meteoric rise of his son’s wealth or lifestyle over the past three years. So everyone casting shadows at the honourable CJ should just back-off, if not for the sake of logic, then for the sake of ‘saving’ the last bastion of integrity in our land.

Fist, it must be accepted that the honourable CJ, in fidelity to his unflinching impartiality and fair-play, has done two exceptionally courageous deeds in the Dr Arsalan case: 1) he has brought a suo motu case against his own son, and 2) he has recused himself from the bench in demonstration of ‘justice being manifestly seen to be done’. Nothing less could be expected of pater familias.

However, it seems that people never learn from history. It was only five years ago that the first (baseless) episode in this saga came to light, when it was (falsely) alleged that, upon securing an overall C grade in the intermediate examination (a fact), Arsalan Iftikhar was granted admission in Bolan Medical College upon the influence exerted by the chief justice.

No one made concession for the fact that, despite his grades, the admission committee of Bolan Medical College could have looked into Arsalan’s eyes, and confronted him in a moment of human honesty to recognise his limitless intelligence to serve as a doctor. And the same could have happened

when, years later, Dr Arsalan was promoted as section officer in the health department, only days after his initial appointment.

And once inducted in the government machinery, it was perhaps not very difficult to recognise the potential and acumen of the young man, as a result of which in August of 2005 the ministry of interior issued a bona fide notification appointing Dr Arsalan as Assistant Director (later Deputy Director) in the FIA. This chain of events cannot imply any influence of the chief justice, for it is not like Dr Arsalan was suddenly made the Director General of the FIA. Anyways, God knows that in this country we need our best talent in the security forces of Pakistan that are pitted against the forces of extremism and evil, so it is no surprise that soon after his stellar performance in the FIA, in 2006 Dr Arsalan was poached by the Police Service of Pakistan for permanent induction (with a little bending of the Police Service of Pakistan Rules, 1985). And those who raised hue and cry over all this, culminating in an abominable reference against the chief justice in 2007, were not only trying to villainise the judiciary, but were also trying to destroy the spectacular rise of a young man making his mark in the government service of Pakistan.

It seems only natural that since so much (baseless) controversy concerning the career-path of Dr Arsalan had surrounded the chief justice in 2007 that since then the honorable judge has decided to make a resolute effort of not concerning himself with the professional and career growth of his son.

Which is why, we must necessarily believe that over the past three years (the time during which Malik Riaz has allegedly paid Rs 400 million to Dr Arsalan), the chief justice had no idea what his thirty-something-year-old son was doing. He is ‘baligh’ after all, and independent in all respects. Just because he lived in the honorable chief justice’s house (at least up until his marriage this year), does not automatically mean that the honorable chief justice ever asked him where the Gucci cufflinks or the Montecristo cigars came from. In fact, it is only reasonable to assume – given Dr Arsalan’s stellar performance in medical school, FIA and police – that the riches and lavish vacations were a result of him creating a name for

himself in whatever he is putting his mind and hands to.

Not just that, but I believe that a man like our chief justice (not that there can be anyone comparable), who is as focused and dedicated to serving the cause of justice with the aim of improving our collective lives, was probably too busy trying to rid Pakistan of all its evils to even notice the Louis Vuitton sunglasses his son was sporting. Over the past three years, the honorable chief justice has barely taken a day-off from work (exceptionally commendable), and therefore cannot be blamed for not knowing (or even asking) where his family had been vacationing during the summer, or who was paying for it. For those who haven’t noticed, the chief justice has had his hands full in bringing the prime minister’s son, Pervaiz Elahi’s son, and so many others to justice for exerting their influence to extort money from people. So while I would never allow Yousaf Raza Gilani, Pervaiz Elahi, Nawaz Sharif or Asif Zardari to ever plead that they did not know what their sons were doing, I cannot allow anyone to believe that the honorable chief justice, over the past three years, even had a slight hint of Arsalan’s doings.

In this country, in the present set of circumstances at least, it is crime – nay a sin – to even imagine that the honorable chief justice could be less than perfect in his professional or personal conduct. And I submit my name as one who does NOT aspire to be a sinner! I fully endorse the viewpoint of countless other brethren of mine in media, politics and the legal community who are taking pains in describing how the chief justice has no fault in the matter, and instead there is a ‘conspiracy’ at play here to malign an infallible institution and a flawless individual. And I make a solemn oath that even if Malik Riaz and his cronies produce the evidence that Kamran Khan claims to have seen, my crusade of carrying the flag of defending our pater familias cannot be deterred by mere credit-card receipts, exorbitant hotel bills, lease agreements or even video recordings. No sir. Never!

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

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Sunday, 10 June, 2012

IN LIMELIGHT

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LOS ANGELES

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Agencies

OPEFULLY you weren’t that excited for ‘World War Z’. Paramount has brought on ‘Prometheus’ screenwriter Damon Lindelof to retool the Brad Pitt-led adaptation of Max Brooks’ famed zombie novel-with specific focus being placed on the film’s third act. That would par for the Hollywood-blockbuster course, except for one small detail: ‘World War Z’ finished filming last year. THR.com broke the news of Lindelof’s hire, while noting that ‘World War Z’ will undergo “significant re-shoots” likely starting this fall. For Paramount, this is the second high-profile film to require major post-production changes. Last month, ‘GI Joe: Retaliation’ was moved from its June 29 release date to March 29, 2013. The studio line was that ‘GI Joe’ was being retrofitted into 3D to help with overseas revenues, but Deadline.com reported that test audiences were unhappy with Channing Tatum’s brief role in the film. His part could be expanded with additional re-shoots, but Tatum hadn’t heard about any last week at the MTV Movie Awards. “I don’t know. Truly,” Tatum said. “I did my part and then all this stuff is going on, so they haven’t come to talk to me about anything.” As for ‘World War Z’, the film was initially scheduled to hit theatres on December 21, but was moved to next June earlier this year. That would give director Marc Forster plenty of time to work in the new ending that Lindelof writes, but whether the director gets the chance is certainly up for debate.

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Emma Watson makes big move

Lindsay Lohan OK after LA car crash

LOS ANGELES: Emma Watson is using her post-‘Harry Potter’ life to work with some of Hollywood’s best indie directors. On the heels of shooting ‘The Bling Ring’ with Sofia Coppola, the erstwhile Hermione has reportedly been cast in Darren Aronofsky’s epic Noah’s Ark film, ‘Noah’. Per Deadline.com, Watson will play Ila, the love interest of Noah’s older son Shem (Douglas Booth). In a twist, Watson’s ‘Perks of Being a Wallflower’ co-star Logan Lerman will play Shem’s brother. Russell Crowe was previously cast as Noah, after names like Michael Fassbender and Christian Bale were floated by the Hollywood trades.

Of course that isn’t all there is to Watson’s potential hire. According to Variety, which has many more details on the film, Aronofsky spent months courting Dakota Fanning for the part of Ila. Unfortunately, because of a scheduling conflict with ‘Very Good Girls’, the actress was forced to pass on the role. ‘Noah’ is set to begin filming this summer. Agencies

LOS ANGELES: Lindsay Lohan was treated in hospital after rear-ending a truck in her Porsche, trashing the car but only causing minor injuries to the perennially troubled actress, police said. The 25-year-old spent two hours undergoing tests after the accident in which the car she was reportedly driving smashed into an 18-wheel big rig. There was no indication that Lohan was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The truck driver was unhurt and not “impaired”-under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Pictures of the car showed its front end totally crushed, and the TMZ celebrity website said Lohan suffered bruises and bleeding in the crash. A publicist for Lohan said the actress was on her way to a movie set when the crash occurred, and she was taken to a hospital “as a precaution,” but was released in less than two hours and was “fine.” After leaving hospital she headed straight to the set of her latest film, a television movie about Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor and her stormy romance with actor Richard Burton. AFP

‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ sequel

ANNOUNCed LOs AngeLes: A sequel to kristen Stewart and Chris hemsworth starrer ‘Snow white and the huntsman’ has been announced after the original collected $55 million at the US box in the opening weekend.

David koepp has been commissioned to write the new script, which will pick up after the events of the first movie. kristen and Chris will return in the sequel although it is unclear if there will be a role for Charlize Theron’s evil queen, reports contactmusic.com. It is also not clear whether Rupert Sanders, who has directed part one, will wield the megaphone for the ‘Snow white and the huntsman’ part two. Agencies

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singAPORe: boman irani and sharman Joshi pose with producer Vidhu Vinod chopra and director Rajesh Mhapuskar during the promotion of their new film ‘Ferrari Ki sawari’ at the iiFA awards event. singAPORe: shahid Kapoor speaks during the news conference to promote his new film ‘Teri Meri Kahani’ at the iiFA awards event. singAPORe: Priyanka chopra speaks during the news conference to promote her new film ‘Teri Meri Kahani’ at the iiFA awards event.

HOLLyWOOD: Zac efron gestures on arrival for the world premiere of the film ‘Rock of Ages’.

HOLLyWOOD: Tom cruise poses on arrival for the world premiere of the film ‘Rock of Ages’.

HOLLyWOOD: Kathryn Mccormick and Ryan guzman pose on arrival for the world premiere of the film ‘Rock of Ages’.

HOLLyWOOD: Def Leppard arrive for the world premiere of the film ‘Rock of Ages’.

KAnsAs ciTy: LA Reid attends ‘The X-Factor’ Kansas city auditions.

PATTINSON regrets argument with Adele LOs AngeLes: Actor Robert Pattinson has revealed that he once got into an argument with singer Adele when he tried to give her career advice. The 26year-old revealed he was at a party when he said the ridiculous thing to Adele and woke up the next morning regretting his words, reports contactmusic.com.

“Actually I had this argument with Adele, which is probably the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever said. I was saying, ‘you know, you can really just like reach for it,’ and she was like, ‘you do realize I am like the biggest-selling female artist ever,” said Pattinson. “And I just for some reason just decided to get into an argument with her.

I woke up the next day really regretting the whole thing,” he added. Agencies

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veeNA opposes Hema Malini’s comment on item songs NewS DeSk Pakistani actress Veena Malik, who is gearing up for the release of her first Bollywood film, says heroines should not shy away from item songs as it is more challenging to do them. “Not really, things are changing now. Item songs are a big challenge.

Sometimes the whole film depends on an item song,” Veena said when asked for her reaction to hema Malini’s comment that top heroines should avoid item numbers. “An item song is a huge responsibility and I would say that heroines should not shy away from them,” said Veena at the music launch of her debut hindi film ‘Daal Mein kuch kaala hai’. “I am doing fivesix female-centric films but at the same time I am doing item numbers. I did ‘Channo’, one in ‘Tere Naal love ho Gaya’ and very soon I’ll do another,” she added. ‘Daal Mein kuch kaala hai’ is Veena’s Bollywood debut movie and when asked if it is a perfect launch pad for her, she said: “I am happy that without becoming part of a group and without the support of a man, I am making a place for myself in Bollywood. “It’s just the beginning, my producers are

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15 Thousands in India swallow live fish in hopes of curing asthma

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HYDERABAD Agencies

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ENS of thousands of asthma-suff e r e r s mobbed a southern Indian stadium to swallow live sardines smeared with a yellow herbal paste they believe will cure their breathing problems. Despite doctors’ criticism, the Goud family has drawn throngs of people for years with a secret fish and herbal formula it says it received from a Hindu saint about 170 years ago. They give it away for free annually and refuse to reveal the mix, saying the saint warned it would lose its potency if commercialised. One man died of a heart attack and several others sought medical attention for breathing difficulty after waiting hours for the treatment, Hyderabad police said. They said the stadium was unprepared to deal with the 70,000 people who rushed the gates when they opened. The family offers the treatment annually on a day chosen by astrologers.

After swallowing the live fish, believers are told to abstain from fried foods and keep to a strict 45-day diet of 25 different foods, including lamb, rice, white sugar, dried mango, spinach and clarified butter.

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RELATIONSHIp BAGGAGE

Woman hides in suitcase to visit boyfriend, arrested for trespassing

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PORTLAND Agencies

Police say a 50-year-old Oregon woman is in trouble because of her relationship baggagebut it’s not the emotional kind. She was arrested for trespassing, hiding in a suitcase.

Why? Well, she just wanted to visit her

showing faith in me. I think it’s a great achievement that a girl is being offered femalecentric roles.” The actress has also signed the Telugu version of the Bollywood hit ‘The Dirty Picture’ and will also feature in hindi movies ‘Mumbai 125 km’ and ‘zindagi 50-50’.

Role ‘mis-fit’: Sonakshi dropped from ‘Race 2’ neW DeLHi: Sonakshi Sinha may have hit the bull’s eye with her debut movie ‘Dabangg’ by losing 90 kilos of her weight to romance the super-fit Salman khan in the film. But it seems now that those extra pounds are back again as when Sonakshi was spotted at various public events she looked quite plump. Grapevine even has it that Shotgun’s little darling was dropped from the sequel of ‘Race’ to be directed

by Abbas-Mustan because of the heavy look which made her inapt for the role in ‘Race 2’.

Finally, Sonakshi was replaced by fitter actresses Jacqueline Fernandes and Ameesha Patel by the film’s production house.

For Sonakshi, this lost opportunity strongly hints at hitting the gym ASAP. Agencies

boyfriend. Kola J McGrath was picked up by Portland authorities earlier this week after workers at the downtown apartment complex started wondering why a particular resident always carried around a large pink rolling suitcase. Once they found out that he had his girlfriend inside, naturally they thought he’d kidnapped her. The caller told cops that a man had abducted a woman in a rolling pink suitcase and brought her to Oak Apartments, reports the Columbian. When cops arrived, the building manager helped them find 52-yearold resident Curtis T. Lowe as the suspect. They searched his apartment, finding the pink suitcase in the living room, and McGrath hiding in a closet. Further wrapping up of loose ends: why was she arrested for trespassing in the first place? Because last year, during a domestic dispute with Lowe, McGrath broke a fire extinguisher and was subsequently banned from the building by the property manager. Apparently that spat wasn’t enough to keep her from Lowe, as the two continued their love affair. Given her banning from the property, they had to find a “creative” solution to see each other, so that’s how you get the pink suitcase.

Toddler recovers after his heart stops for 39 minutes NEWS DESK Zach Hilary, aged two, suffered a heart attack on Jan 26, when his mother, Trudy, found him collapsed on the floor, groaning, at their home. Zach’s heart stopped beating for 39 minutes as his mother called an ambulance and performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on her son for 10 minutes until the paramedics arrived and took over. Mrs Hilary, 40, a paramedic, and her husband Dave, 37, were told that Zach had swelling on his brain. “It felt like an absolute lifetime waiting to find out if he would live or die. The doctors told me that his heart had stopped beating for 39 minutes, and to prepare myself for the worst.” Five months on, the toddler is back at home with his parents and his brothers Jake, five, and six-month-old Scott. When Zach was taken off a ventilator, an MRI scan revealed that his brain had been damaged. He was given physiotherapy and speech therapy and on Feb 27 was finally able to go home. The cause of the heart attack is a mystery. Mrs Hilary has since been on a resuscitation course in case it should happen again.

Student suspended for wiping hands with American flag after using bathroom NEWS DESK A 13-year-old student in Virginia was suspended from school after teachers accused him of using an American flag to wipe his hands after going to the bathroom. The parents of Moses Hinton say the incident never happened and that their child is being singled out over his race. Hinton, who is African American, is part of the gifted programme at Plaza Middle School in Virginia Beach. However, local channels report that Plaza Middle School’s principal is also African American.

Reports say a teacher witnessed Hinton using a nearby flag to wipe his hands after leaving the bathroom. When the teacher asked Hinton to explain himself, he reportedly said that the bathroom was out of napkins. Hinton’s mother says he told her he touched the flag only after losing his balance while walking up a flight of stairs. Hinton’s parents have since begun pursuing legal action.

sALMAn KHAn lands himself in a real estate soup neW DeLHi: Bollywood’s enfant terrible Salman khan is again at the helm of a latest controversy. Apparently, Salman khan has allegedly violated the city’s Town Planning Act. Reports say that Salman khan bought a flat in a building named ‘The Address’. however, the power of attorney of the flat has been handed over to Salman’s father, Salim khan. The official papers of the flat reveal that Salman khan has paid Rs 20 crore for the flat which has a going market rate of Rs 4 crore. “It is clear that the extra price, which has been given is said to acquire a non-FSI component of the building, which cannot be sold. There is a dedicated parking at the 11th floor with a personal swimming pool. on paper, the property is only 1079.95 square feet, but actually the space occupied (that of the flat) is around 8000 square feet, which is deceiving,” said an official. he added, “Common areas like lobby, garden, swimming pool, parking and fire refuge area cannot be owned by an individual, but can be utilised by all the members of the building. It would also be a case of money laundering, as khan, by paying such a huge amount of Rs 20 crore might have converted all the black money into white.” Authorities say the matter requires a detailed investigation and once it is done, it will be clear whether it’s money laundering or a case of environment protection act or a violation of town planning rules. Salman khan and his family are mum about this issue for now. Agencies

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16 Foreign News

Sunday, 10 June, 2012

Syria army kills 23 civilians as massacre outcry grows DAMASCUS

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AFP

HE Syrian army killed at least 23 civilians in two protest cities on Saturday, a watchdog said, as an international outcry mounted over a massacre in a central village.

UN observers who visited the village of Al-Kubeir, near Hama, said they witnessed blood on the walls and “a strong stench of burnt flesh,” prompting Western governments to launch a push for tough new sanctions against Damascus.

Nine women and three children were among 17 people killed in a pre-dawn bom-

bardment of a residential neighbourhood of the southern city of Daraa, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Dozens more were wounded, some of them seriously, in the city which was the birthplace of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s rule which erupted in March last year, the British-based watchdog said. In nearby Jordan, hundreds of Syrian refugees demonstrated at dawn in the border town of Ramtha to protest against the deaths in Daraa, Jordan’s official Petra news agency reported.

Protesters marched to the Omari mosque in Ramtha, home to around 20,000 Syrian refugees, most of whom hail from Daraa province, Petra said.

In central Syria, government forces pounded several rebel neighbourhoods of the flashpoint city of Homs with artillery and mortars, killing six civilians, the Observatory said. Diplomats in New York said Britain, France and the United States would quickly draw up a Security Council resolution proposing sanctions against Syria following a grim report from UN monitors on their visit to the village of AlKubeir following Wednesday’s assault.

“We will move fast to press for a resolution,” one UN diplomat told AFP. More than 20 unarmed UN observers were allowed into Al-Kubeir on Friday, a day after they were shot at and prevented from entering the village. “Inside some of the

Russia will not approve use of force against Syria at UN MOSCOW AFP

Russia will not approve the use of force against the Syrian regime at the United Nations, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday at a briefing in Moscow.

“We will not sanction the use of force at the United Nations Security Council,” Lavrov said in televised remarks as he gave a briefing on Russia’s proposal for an international conference on Syria. Russia, along with China, has vetoed two Security Council resolutions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and have vowed to oppose any military intervention. Former UN chief Kofi Annan, the author of a fledgling peace plan on Syria, called Friday for “additional pressure” in the wake of a new massacre as he held talks in the United States. Britain, France and the United States will quickly draw up a Security Council resolution proposing sanctions against Syria over the worsening conflict, diplomats said Friday. houses, blood was visible across the walls and floors. Fire was still burning outside houses and there was a strong stench of burnt flesh,” UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said in New York, delivering a grisly account of the visit. At least 55 people were killed, according to the Syrian Observatory.

UN officials were unable to confirm the death toll but made clear they believe government forces and their allies were behind the attack on the mainly Sunni

Muslim village surrounded by an Alawite population loyal to Assad.

“Armoured vehicle tracks were visible in the vicinity. Some homes were damaged by rockets from armoured vehicles, grenades and a range of calibre weapons,” Nesirky said. UN chief Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council that according to preliminary evidence, troops had surrounded Al-Kubeir and militia entered the village and killed civilians with “barbarity”.

Six sentenced for multi-million Uk online school of fraud LONDON AFP

Six men have been handed jail sentences in Britain for running a website that earned millions of pounds by selling fake documents and coaching fraudsters in how to conduct successful scams.

Two masterminds ran the site from villas in Alicante in Spain while associates in Britain created fake documents including bank statements, payslips, driving licences and bills, police said after Friday’s judgement.

The site’s 11,000 clients could buy a full credit profile — often with an identity stolen from an unsuspecting member of the public — including a postal address, for £5,500 ($8,500, 6,800 euros). Some of the site’s “students in crime” spent more than £20,000 on false documents from a “wellpractised production line”, police said, but resulting frauds in some cases netted over £1 million. Police said the men behind the website, called Confidential Access, would regularly demand a cut of the proceeds once a successful fraud was launched — and threaten to ruin the fake credit profile if the customer refused. Customers could also buy web coaching and access to online forums with handy tips and advice, with the most exclusive forum, for VIP criminals only, known as “The Black Marketplace”. Users of the site could also advance through different “trust levels” according to their engagement with the site and how much money they had spent. They were graded using nautical terms which rose from “Skylarker” through “Shore Patrol” to “Ship’s Surgeon”, police said. The site was billed initially as selling novelty documents for people to impress their friends, but police were unconvinced by this explanation. They seized the group’s servers in Hong Kong and cracked the encryption codes only to find that Confidential Access had started up again using servers in the Netherlands, which in turn were seized. “This was a sophisticated operation which has netted millions of pounds over the years,” Detective Inspector Tim Dowdeswell of Scotland Yard said in a statement. “These cyber criminals not only provided the tools to commit fraud — they instructed their clients in how to use them to make the maximum amount of money, whilst ruining real people’s credit histories into the bargain.” Joint head of the site Jason Place, 42, was handed six years and nine months in jail for conspiracy to defraud, but his business partner Barry Sales was not prosecuted because he is terminally ill. Five other men from around Britain of ages ranging from 22 to 59, who like Place had all pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court, London, were handed sentences ranging from a six-month suspended sentence to two years and three months in jail. “We have already brought many of their students in crime to court and will continue to work with other police forces and partners to bring those people who bought and used these identities in their own frauds to justice,” Dowdeswell said.

MuMbAi: Activists supporting the group Anonymous wear masks as they protest against the indian government’s increasingly restrictive regulation of the internet. indian protesters responding to a call from global hacking movement Anonymous took to the streets on saturday over what they consider growing government censorship of the internet. The call for demonstrations follows a March 29 court order issued in the southern city of chennai demanding 15 domestic internet providers block access to file-sharing websites such as Pirate bay. AFP

Bomber kills 4 French troops in Afghanistan KABUL AFP

A suspected Taliban suicide bomber wearing a burqa killed four French soldiers and wounded five others Saturday in an attack on a convoy of NATO-led troops in eastern Afghanistan, officials said.

Three of the injured were in a critical condition after the attack in Kapisa province, where most of France’s 3,500 soldiers in the country are stationed, French President Francois Hollande’s office said in a statement.

“It is with the greatest emotion that I share the grief of the families,” Hollande said. “Today all of France is affected.” The presidential palace said Hollande would make a “solemn statement” on the attack, the first fatal incident since he took over as head of state last month, at 1300 GMT. He had also asked Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to head to Afghanistan on Sunday.

The president plans to recall French combat troops by the end of 2012, a year earlier than Paris initially planned, and two years before NATO allies, raising fears over security. On a visit to Kabul last month, Hollande said 2,000 combat troops would leave in a coordinated withdrawal this year but vowed not to abandon Afghanistan.

NATO allies have downplayed the effect of their early departure, saying Afghan troops are ready to take over.

And US General John Allen, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, has said there will be no drop in safety in Kapisa. Taliban militants claimed responsibility for Saturday’s suicide attack in a text message sent to reporters. Interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told AFP the attacker was on foot and wearing a burqa.

“This morning a suicide bomber on foot disguised as a woman with a burqa on approached the French troops who were on patrol in Nijrab. He detonated his explosives that caused some fatalities,” he said. Three civilians were wounded in the attack, he added. Kapisa, which controls part of the access to Kabul from Taliban flashpoints on the Pakistani border, has proved a tough fight for the French, troubled by turf wars between the Islamist insurgents and drug dealers. But these are the first French deaths since January 20, when an Afghan soldier fired on unarmed French trainers, killing five and wounding 15. With the latest deaths, France has now lost 87 troops in Afghanistan. Kapisa has been included in the third of a five-phase transfer, which Afghan officials say could take as little as six months, but which ISAF has timetabled at 12-18 months. The relatively quiet Kabul district of Surobi, where French troops are also based, was handed over to local control in April.

On his visit to Afghanistan last month, Hollande explained his decision to recall French combat troops by the end of 2012.

At least eight civilians killed in Ivory Coast attack: UN ABIDJAN: Eight civilians died in southwestern Ivory Coast in the attack that killed seven UN peacekeepers, the United Nations said Saturday. “As per our information, at least eight civilians were killed, including a woman,” Anouk Desgroseilliers, a spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told AFP. She added that Friday’s simultaneous raids on several villages near the town of Tai close to the Liberian border sparked an “immediate” exodus. “Hundreds of people have arrived in Tai, and one can imagine that thousands of others are on the road,” she said. “Thirty-five families have crossed the border” into Liberia, she added. The UN peacekeepers from Niger killed in an ambush on Friday had been patrolling in an area between two villages after hearing rumours of an imminent attack on communities in the region. Ivory Coast’s west, by far the most unstable part of the country, has been plagued by deadly attacks since a political and military crisis that started at the end of 2010 and left some 3,000 people dead throughout the country. AFP

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Foreign News 17

US launches probes after classified security leaks to media WASHINGTON AFP

US Attorney General Eric Holder has appointed prosecutors to lead two criminal investigations of high-profile leaks of classified national security information to the media. The “highlyrespected and experienced prosecutors will be directing separate investigations currently being conducted by the FBI,” Holder said in a statement Friday. “I have notified members of Congress and plan to provide more information, as appropriate, to members of the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees,” Holder said. “The unauthorized disclosure of classified information can compromise the security of this country and all Americans, and it will not be tolerated,” he added. The prosecutors were identified as US Attorneys Ronald Machen of the District of Columbia and Rod Rosenstein of Maryland. Holder expressed confidence in their ability to “doggedly follow the facts and the evidence in the pursuit of justice wherever it leads.” The announcement followed several explosive stories in US media: describing President Barack Obama’s alleged push for cyber attacks on computers that run Iran’s nuclear facilities; an apparent “kill list” of counterterrorism targets against whom Obama has authorized lethal action; and a secret drone campaign against terrorists in Yemen. The New York Times reported that sources for their articles on the covert programs included former or current administration officials.

Bahrain police forcefully disperse Shiite protesters DUBAI AFP

Bahraini police wounded several people on Saturday morning when they fired sound bombs, tear gas and bird shot to disperse dozens who protested across several Shiite areas, witnesses said.

“Down Hamad,” chanted dozens of supporters of the youth group of the “Revolution of February 14,” referring to Bahrain’s Sunni monarch. “The people want to overthrow the regime.”

“We have the right to choose our destiny,” they chanted, waving the kingdom’s red and white flag. An exact toll of those hurt cannot be obtained, as wounded protesters are treated in homes from fear of being arrested in hospital. Hundreds took part in similar protests near Manama on Friday calling for the release of opposition detainees, witnesses said. And on Wednesday, leading Shiite rights activist Nabil Rajab was re-arrested pending a probe into tweets deemed insulting to Sunnis, prosecutors said.

beiT OMAR: israeli soldiers prevent Palestinians and foreign peace activists from advancing during a protest against settlement expansion on Palestinian land in the beit Omar village, north of the West bank city of Hebron, on saturday. AFP

Britain’s Prince Philip leaves hospital after five days LONDON

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AFP

RITAIN’S Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, left hospital on Saturday after five days of treatment for a bladder infection that sparked concerns for the 90-year-old’s health.

The prince shook hands with staff, smiled and nodded when asked if he was feeling better as he walked out of King Edward VII Hospital in central London just in time to celebrate his 91st birthday on Sunday.

Britain’s longest-serving consort was taken to the hospital on Monday with a bladder infection in the midst of huge celebrations for the queen’s diamond jubilee, less than six months after treatment for a blocked coronary artery. Wearing a sports jacket and beige trousers and a pink patterned tie, he walked slowly but without help from the hospital on Saturday to be whisked away in a Land Rover with police escort, seemingly in good spirits.

But it was unclear whether he would be able to carry out a hectic schedule of royal engagements in the coming week, and he appeared fragile as he entered the vehicle, grimacing before recovering to smile and wave at

well-wishers.

Using the prince’s formal title, a spokesman for Buckingham Palace said: “The Duke of Edinburgh was released from hospital this morning.

“He continues to make a good recovery and will continue his convalescence at home, and will be spending it privately.” He was to travel to Windsor Castle just outside London, the BBC reported. The palace said earlier in the week that the prince was being treated with antibiotics.

His illness forced him to miss the final two days of celebrations for 86year-old Queen Elizabeth’s 60 years on the throne, including a spectacular pop concert outside Buckingham Palace on Monday. Crowds at the concert cheered and shouted “Philip! Philip!” after heir to the throne Prince Charles suggested, “If we shout loud enough, he might just hear us in hospital.”

He also missed an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on Monday, at which more crowds of revellers cheered the queen and fellow royals.

But Prince Philip had been at the Queen’s side for a huge jubilee river pageant last Sunday, travelling with her on a sumptuous red and gold royal barge down the Thames in London accompanied by a flotilla of 1,000 boats.

Doctors told British media the hours of wind, rain and chilly temperatures might have worsened his infection, but the prince had appeared well during the pageant, laughing and pointing out sights to younger royals.

The couple’s granddaughter Princess Eugenie, 22, told Britain’s Sky news in an interview broadcast Saturday, “They are the most incredibly supportive couple to each other.”

On the jubilee, she added: “Grandpa was unfortunately taken ill and for Granny to come and do that alone was probably quite testing.

“And I think he is her rock, really, and she is his.”

Philip suffered chest pains in the Christmas break and underwent a medical procedure for his blocked coronary artery. His health has generally been good but he said before his 90th birthday he would scale down his engagements.

It was not yet known whether he would be able to keep to his busy schedule of events next week, the spokesman said.

Philip is due to give a garden party with the queen at Sandringham House in Norfolk, eastern England, on Tuesday and both are scheduled to attend a jubilee picnic in neighbouring Lincolnshire on Wednesday.

Myanmar beefs up security amid sectarian clashes YANGON AFP

Security forces flooded western Myanmar Saturday to prevent further outbreaks of sectarian violence between Buddhists and Muslims which have left at least seven dead, according to state media.

Police and military units deployed to Rakhine state — which borders Bangladesh — had “systematically controlled” unrest, which erupted Friday and saw hundreds of Buddhist villagers’ homes set ablaze, state television said. “Stability has been restored since this morning.” Unrest flared Friday when at least four Buddhists were killed in riots in Rakhine, home to large numbers of Rohingya, a stateless Muslim group described by the UN as one of the world’s most persecuted minorities.

A second wave of violence swept through remote villages early Saturday, as more Rakhine homes were torched

forcing villagers to flee to temporary shelters in Maungdaw town, according to government officials.

Seven people were killed, 17 wounded and nearly 500 houses destroyed during the two days of violence, the state media report said without elaborating on the identity of the victims.

Tensions have soared in Rakhine since 10 Muslims on a bus were killed by an angry Buddhist mob on Sunday, believing mistakenly that the perpetrators of the recent rape and murder of a Rakhine woman were onboard. It was unclear what sparked the most recent outbreak of violence, with government forces and the Rohingyas trading accusations.

Myanmar, which considers the Rohingya as foreigners and not one of the nation’s ethnic groups, has an estimated 750,000 Rohingya, living mainly in Rakhine, according to the UN. Another one million or more are be-

lieved to live in exile in other countries.

Two government officials said armed Rohingya had burned Rakhine villages in the early hours of Saturday. “They came from the neighbouring country by boats,” one of the officials told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity, and referring to Bangladesh. The allegation was denied by Rohingya representatives, who said five of the ethnic group had been killed by government forces who then set fire to Rohingya homes.

“The violence started because security forces opened fire on a group of Rohingyas (on Friday),” said Abu Tahay, head of the political bureau of the National Democratic Party for Development, which represents Rohingya.

A Muslim minority in mainly Buddhist Myanmar who speak a Bengali dialect, Rohingyas claim decades of persecution by a government that they say views them with suspicion.

Activists say forced labour is common and Rohingyas face discriminatory practices including travel restrictions, limits on family size, and a refusal to issue them passports that leaves them effectively stateless.

Expressing “profound concern” following the riots, Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson said tension between Rakhines and Rohingyas had been stoked by a “systematic government policy” to discriminate against the ethnic group. Many in Myanmar view the Rohingya with hostility and believe they do not belong in the country.

“We want to say clearly that Rohingya are not one of the Myanmar ethnic nationalities,” Ko Ko Gyi, a leader of so-called 88 generation student uprising told AFP. “We do not accept any kind of terrorism. We have a duty to protect any Myanmar citizen that is harmed whatever their religion or ethnicity.”

leaked letters reveal plot to oust Vatican banker ROME AFP

Vatican bank board members plotted to oust their director, letters leaked to an Italian newspaper on Saturday showed, as prosecutors investigated possible money-laundering operations at the bank. The board dismissed Ettore Gotti Tedeschi on May 24, a day before Vatican police arrested Pope Benedict XVI’s butler for allegedly leaking sensitive papal documents to the press in an apparently unrelated case. Ahead of the board meeting, according to letters in the daily Il Fatto Quotidiano that could not be independently verified, the bank’s vice president Ronaldo Schmitz threatened to resign if Gotti Tedeschi was not dismissed. Gotti Tedeschi “does not have the necessary qualities to guide the Institute,” Schmitz wrote in the letter, referring to the bank’s official name, the Institute for Religious Works, or IOR under its Italian acronym. “He has aggravated the situation with his inertia and his lack of loyalty towards staff and lack of transparency to the board,” Schmitz said, addressing himself to the Vatican’s powerful Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone. “I am confident that Your Eminence will immediately end president Gotti’s mandate. I do not want to continue to serve with Gotti Tedeschi. I will present my resignation by the end of May 2012 if he is not dismissed,” Schmitz wrote. His comments were backed up by Carl Anderson, another board member, who said: “I have reached the conclusion, after much prayer and reflection, that Gotti Tedeschi is no longer able to guide the Institute in difficult times.

“His occasional communications with me are focussed not on the life of the Institute but on internal political manoeuvring and on denigrating others,” he wrote, adding that Gotti Tedeschi had shown “increasingly eccentric behaviour.” A letter from a psychiatrist, Pietro Lasalvia, also appeared to show he had been invited to a Christmas dinner in 2011 attended

by Gotti Tedeschi and asked to assess the IOR director surreptitiously. “There were traits of egocentrism, narcissism and a partial disconnect from reality that could be a psychopathological dysfunction,” Lasalvia wrote.

Meanwhile the Corriere della Sera daily said Italian prosecutors were probing a series of documents seized during raids on Gotti Tedeschi’s home and office this week as part of an investigation into money-laundering at the bank.

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sunday, 10 June, 2012

queen Maria back on her throne after injury battle Page 21

Team unity no more a matter of concern: Manager

PCB steps in to get fixing convict Aamer back in business KARACHI

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LAHORE sTAFF RePORT

Pakistan cricket manager Naveed Akram Cheema is happy that the team touring Sri Lanka has gelled well, as the area of team unity on foreign tours had always been a matter of concern.

Pakistan continued their recent dominance over Sri Lanka in ODIs with a crushing 6-wicket victory over the hosts, and is now focussed on the series ahead.

"The Team has gelled nicely and is united as one unit - all players are committed to ensuring that they perform to the best of their abilities and are focussed on winning this series," Cheema said. Pundits and supporters alike were pleasantly surprised at the strength of the Pakistani bowling attack, which in 2 successive games on this tour has established superiority over their Sri Lanka rivals.

"All players have done well but you really cannot single out any individual for the performance so far - it's a team game, all players are putting in their very best and results are there to see," Cheema was quoted by Pakpassion as saying.

The 1st ODI game at Pallekelle was marred with stoppages due to rain and the 2nd ODI being played at the same venue will undoubtedly be subject to the vagaries of local weather. "We have no injury worries to speak of and the players are in best of spirits - whether the rain will have a part to play in this game is not under our control but what we can promise is that each of our players will be putting in their best effort possible," he said. The ODI series will move to Colombo at the conclusion of Saturday's game where the teams will play the last three games before the start of the Test series in Galle.

AFP

AKISTAN has hired a psychologist to help in the rehabilitation of paceman Mohammad Aamer who was convicted and banned in a spot-fixing scandal, an official said Saturday.

Aamer, 20, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were sent to prison for their parts in a spot-fixing scandal and banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for a minimum of five years.

"We have hired Maqsood Babri to counsel Aamer as part of his rehabilitation," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman Nadeem Sarwar told AFP. "The sessions of counselling will

start soon and in this regard we are in touch with the ICC also."

While banning the trio, the ICC anti-corruption tribunal led by Michael Beloff had advised the ICC and PCB to rehabilitate the three players.

Aamer recently appeared in a ICC anti-corruption educational video warning the future players of the pitfalls of spot-fixing. He was also debriefed twice by the PCB last month.

Babri said he will do his best to help Aamer.

"It's a challenge for me but I will do my best to counsel Aamer so that he can find his way back to international cricket," he said.

"Aamer is an exceptional talent and we must help him regain his

place." The trio along with their agent Mazhar Majeed were charged with accepting corrupt payments in return for bowling deliberate no-balls during the Lord's Test against England in August 2010.

Aamer was released in February this year after serving half of his six month sentence, while Asif was released two months later.

Butt and Majeed were still completing their sentences of 30 and 32 months.

Aamer rose to fame in 2009 and was regarded as the hottest property at international level before he was embroiled in the scandal. The ICC had to withdraw his name from the nomination for the year's best young player award because of the scandal.

Dar Academy Wasim is the best choice as off to europe Pakistan’s bowling coach: Basit LAHORE

LAHORE sTAFF RePORT

Basit Ali, the former Pakistan batsman, has urged Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to appoint a bowling and batting coach as soon as possible, so that Dav Whatmore’s job is made easier. The Karachi-based analyst believes that former Test fast bowler; Mohammad Akram is the best choice at the moment to guide the young bowlers.

The Green Shirts are without the services of a bowling coach since the series against England, which was played in United Arab Emirates (UAE) earlier this year.

The ex-bowling coach, Aaqib Javed resigned from the post during the tour. PCB has shortlisted some candidates for the role but has not finalised any name. The list includes the former cricketer, Mohammad Akram, who played nine Tests and 23 One Day Internationals for Pakistan in 1990s and 2000s. Quoted by Pakpassion, Basit expressed that the legendary fast bowler, Wasim Akram, could have been the best choice for the country but understands that he has availability issues and cannot travel with the national team throughout the year. In the given resources, the former middle-order batsman thinks that

Mohammad Akram is the best option for PCB. “I feel Wasim Akram could have been the best choice but since he is busy, Mohammad Akram is the right man for this job.

He has played international cricket and he is a qualified coach as well. Pakistan also should have a batting coach, I think Ijaz Ahmed or Moshin Khan can be given this responsibility,” said Basit. Wasim is currently playing the same role with the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), which won the recently concluded fifth season. Basit thinks highly of Whatmore but believes that the former Australian cricketer can do a better job with the Pakistan team, if PCB appoints specialist coaches to assist him. He added, “Pakistan must appoint bowling and batting coaches to help Dav Whatmore - we need to have a bowling coach and batting coach with the team. “ Pakistan team is currently touring Sri Lanka, where they have levelled the T20 series and are presently competing in the five-match One Day International series, which will be followed by three Test matches.

sTAFF RePORT

The Dar Hockey Academy team leaves Europe to play different club tournaments.

President of the academy, Olympian Tauqeer Dar said that the team in its first phase will play at Belgium against some local clubs. Then the team move to Holland to defend MOP tournament title, which is won by Dar Academy in 2010 and 2011. He told that MOP is one of the best clubs tournaments played in Holland in between best European clubs. In Last phase team reached Essen a German city to play another European club hockey tournament. Tauqeer Dar said that team is in good shape and the boys have worked hard and hoped to win all the matches.

Academy’s senior player Bial Qadir who also represent Pakistan jr hockey team was retained as a captain. Olympian Iklaq Ahmad coach, while Irfan Butt is manager.

Beckham on olympic list

Chance for Spain to make history stats corner S.PERvEZ QAISER

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EFENDING Champions, Spain will open their campaign in the 14th Euro Cup Football tournament against Italy at PGE Arena, Gdansk, Poland on Sunday (June 10). This group C match will start at 21.00 hours (PST).

It will be 30th international match between the two teams and fourth in European Cup finals.

Matches between the rivals are traditionally close with Italy holding a narrow edge of 10 wins to eight with 11 draws.

The two have met in tournament finals no less than six times before and Spain have never won in regulation time. However, they did defeat Italy on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 on their way to the title.

Spain, The European and The World champions, have the chance of several records in this tournament. They could become the first team to retain the European title and the first to win three major finals in a row after their Euro 2008 success in Austria and Switzerland and their World Cup win in South Africa two years ago.

They could also equal Germany’s record of

three European championship titles.

Since their surprise 1-0 defeat to Switzerland in their first World Cup group game two years ago, Spain have embarked on a record 14 successive victories in competitive matches - six at the World Cup and eight in the Euro qualifiers. Since the start of 2007 Spain’s record in World Cup and Euro competition is startling - in 40 games they have won 37, drawn two and lost only once.

Italy are one of only four teams to have beaten Spain since they won the World Cup. They beat the Spaniards 2-1 in a friendly in Bari last August. The three other teams to beat Spain were Argentina, Portugal and England.

Italy go into the tournament on the back of three successive losses in friendlies without scoring a goal. Curiously, their last goal was scored in Poland when they beat the Poles 2-0 in Wroclaw last November.

The second match of the day will be played between Ireland and Croatia at City Stadium, Poznan, Poland. This group C match will start at 24.00 hours (PST).

It will be the seventh international match between the two teams and first in European Cup finals. Ireland have won two, lost one and draw three in six previous matches against Croatia. Ire-

land have lost only once in six previous meetings with Croatia, a 1-0 defeat in Zagreb in the Euro 2000 qualifiers in 1999.

Ireland come into the tournament on the back of an exceptional run of 14 unbeaten games in which they have conceded only three goals. Their last defeat came more than a year ago when they went down 3-2 in Dublin in a March friendly against World Cup semi-finalists Uruguay. Ireland travel well. Their last defeat in a competitive match outside their own country goes back almost five years to a 1-0 defeat by the Czech Republic in Prague in a Euro 2008 qualifier in September 2007. They have played 13 successive competitive matches away without a loss.

Croatia have lost just three of their last 20 competitive matches in the World Cup and Euro 2012 qualifiers.

Croatia, playing in their fourth Euro finals, had the most unlucky of exits at the last tournament in 2008. After winning their three group games, including a 1-0 victory over hosts Austria, they seemed destined for the semi-finals when they led Turkey 1-0 in extra time.

But a last-gasp equaliser was followed by a defeat on penalties.

euROPeAn cuP FOOTbALL: SPAIN V ITALY: HEAD TO HEAD:

inTeRnATiOnAL MATcHes: Played: Italy won: Spain won: Drawn: Goals for Italy: Goals for Spain:

29 10 8 11 38 29

euROPeAn cuP MATcHes: Played: Italy won: Spain won: Drawn: Goals for Italy: Goals for Spain:

3 1 2 1 -

IRELAND V CROATIA: HEAD TO HEAD:

inTeRnATiOnAL MATcHes: Played: Ireland won: Croatia won: Drawn: Goals for Ireland: Goals for Croatia :

6 2 1 3 7 5

First meeting in European Cup finals

LONDON AFP

English football icon David Beckham's dream of Olympic participation was given a boost after he was included in Britain's 35man provisional squad on Friday. The announcement of Stuart Pearce's final 18-man squad will be made on July 6 and Beckham, if confirmed in the final squad, would appear as one of three permitted overage players. Ryan Giggs, Craig Bellamy, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard have also been mentioned as potential candidates.

Beckham's name has been a constant though, mainly due to the influential role he played in getting the Olympics to London in the first place. The 37-year-old is still hugely popular despite not having played club football in England for nine years. It is yet to be decided whether the Football Association will formally announce the 35-man squad.

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Sunday, 10 June, 2012

Sports 19

Sri Lanka level ODI series with Pakistan PALLEKELE

scORebOARD

AFP

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RI Lanka defeated Pakistan by 76 runs in the second one-day international in Pallekele on Saturday to level the five-match series 1-1.

The hosts, who posted a challenging 280-4 after electing to bat, bowled Pakistan out for 204 despite an impressive 96 from opener Azhar Ali. Sri Lankan seamer Thisara Perera finished with a career-best 6-44.

Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan top-scored for Sri Lanka with an unbeaten 119 for his 13th one-day hundred, hitting one six and 11 fours in his 139-ball knock. The third onedayer will be played in Colombo on Wednesday. Earlier, Tillakaratne Dilshan cracked an impressive century to help Sri Lanka post a challenging 280-4. The opener hit one six and 11 fours in his 139-ball 119 not out for his 13th one-day hundred to boost Sri Lanka's hopes of levelling the five-match series in the day-night match in Pallekele.

Sri Lanka, who lost the opening onedayer by six wickets on Thursday, batted

PAllekele: Tillakaratne Dilshan is congratulated by Mahela Jayawardene after scoring a century during the second one-day international against Pakistan. AFP

england preparing France counter-strike

sRi LAnKA: 18 u. Tharanga c Ahmed b Tanvir T. Dilshan not out 119 K. sangakkara c and b Hafeez 18 32 D. chandimal lbw b Afridi 53 M. Jayawardene b Ajmal 24 T. Perera not out extras (b1, lb7, nb1, w7) 16 Total (for four wickets; 50 overs) 280 Fall of wickets: 1-37 (Tharanga), 2-84 (sangakkara), 3-154 (chandimal), 4-240 (Jayawardene). bowling: gul 9-0-58-0, Tanvir 9-1-51-1 (nb1, w1), Afridi 10-0-50-1 (w3), Rahat 4-0-34-0 (w3), Ajmal 10-0-49-1, Hafeez 8-1-30-1.

PAKisTAn: Mohammad Hafeez c and b Perera 14 Azhar Ali b Kulasekara 96 4 younis Khan c sangakkara b Perera

27 Misbah-ul-Haq lbw b Perera 3 umar Akmal c sangakkara b Perera shahid Afridi c sangakkara b Malinga 17 20 sarfraz Ahmed lbw b Kulasekara 3 sohail Tanvir c Tharanga b Perera 14 umar gul lbw b Perera 4 saeed Ajmal c sangakkara b Malinga Rahat Ali not out 0 extras (lb2) 2 Total (for all out; 46.2 overs) 204 Fall of wickets: 1-48 (Hafeez), 2-78 (younis), 3-127 (Misbah), 4139 (Akmal), 5-157 (Azhar), 6-165 (Afridi), 7-170 (Tanvir), 8-197 (gul), 9-204 (Ajmal), 10-204 (Ahmed). bowling: Kulasekara 8.2-1-33-2, Malinga 8-1-40-2, Mathews 100-48-0, Perera 10-0-44-6, Herath 10-1-37-0.

Result: sri Lanka won by 76 runs series: 1-1 Toss: sri Lanka, umpires: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (sRi) and Paul Reiffel (Aus), TV umpire: Ranmore Martinesz (sRi), Match referee: chris broad (eng).

steadily as Dilshan added 70 for the third wicket with Dinesh Chandimal (32) and 86 for the next with skipper Mahela Jayawardene (53). He reached his century in the 43rd over when he pulled paceman Umar Gul for a single and then smashed fast bowler Sohail Tanvir over mid-wicket for the first six of the match.

Sri Lanka scored 56 runs in the last six

overs, with Thisara Perera hitting two sixes and as many fours in his unbeaten 24 off just 14 balls. Jayawardene was bowled by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal soon after completing his half-century, hitting eight fours in his brisk 45-ball knock. Offspinner Mohammad Hafeez, Tanvir and leg-spinner Shahid Afridi were the other wicket-takers for Pakistan.

Onions stars in England’s fight BIRMINGHAM

KRAKOW

AFP

AFP

England may seek to take a leaf out of Chelsea's Champions League-winning book as they fine-tune a gameplan based on counter-attack for Monday's Euro 2012 opener against France. Injuries and Wayne Rooney's suspension have sharply reduced Roy Hodgson's tactical options heading into the tournament, where many feel England's best hope lies in attempting to stifle technically superior opponents. Chelsea's improbable march to the Champions League title has already provided a template of sorts for England, who beat world champions Spain 1-0 in a friendly last November by adopting similar tactics. England's final warmup matches for Euro 2012 were won with goals scored following swift counter-attacks, with Ashley Young scoring in a 1-0 win over Norway before setting up Danny Welbeck's winner in the 1-0 defeat of Belgium. England midfielder Stewart Downing, who is expected to start against the French at the Donbass Arena, acknowledged that Hodgson had encouraged his players to look for openings on the counter.

BIRMINGhAM: england's Graham onions celebrates after taking the wicket of west Indies Adrian Barath during the third day of the third Test match. AFP

England might have had the audacity to rest their two leading strike bowlers, James Anderson and Stuart Broad, for a dead rubber at Edgbaston but their domination over West Indies remained as all three members of their pace attack picked up wickets by tea as the third Test belatedly got underway after two washed-out days. Graham Onions with his frequent strikes kept the hosts grip on the match while the tourists Ramdin was holding the resistance against England bowling as they reached 257 for eight by the close of day three. Onions, earlier at tea, marked his England recall with two wickets as West Indies collapsed to 164 for five.

The tourists, who had been a solid 85 for one at lunch, lost four wickets for 79 runs in the second session, with Durham paceman Onions's figures now standing at an economical two for 32 in 18 overs.

Fellow seamer Tim Bresnan weighed in with two for 44 in 16. Marlon Samuels, who scored a century in England's nine-wicket second Test win at Trent Bridge, was 50 not out and Denesh Ramdin one not out. History was against either side winning this

Euro 2012 moves to Ukraine KHARKIv AFP

Perennial contenders Germany on Saturday take on Portugal while the muchfancied Netherlands face Denmark, as the first matches in Euro 2012 are played in competition co-hosts Ukraine.

The quadrennial tournament kicked off in the Polish capital Warsaw on Friday, with Poland and Greece playing out an incident-packed 1-1 draw and Russia thrashing the Czech Republic 4-1 in the western city of Wroclaw.

Even without the start they wanted, Poland's noisy fans spent a lively night partying on the streets of Warsaw and the country's media assessed that the

PAllekele: Pakistan cricketer Azhar Ali plays a shot during the second one-day international (oDI) against Sri lanka. AFP

much-anticipated opening had gone without a hitch.

"We've passed our first test in Euro 2012," the Rzeczpospolita daily said, amid lingering concerns about whether the two former eastern bloc nations were fully prepared to host European football's showpiece international competition.

The focus now shifts to neighbouring Ukraine, where governing body UEFA has criticised ratcheted-up accommodation prices and delays in key infrastructure projects.

Some European leaders have also said they will boycott matches to be played in the ex-Soviet state because of Kiev's alleged mistreatment of opposi-

kRAkow: english forward wayne Rooney attends a training session at the Suche Stawy Municipal Stadium during the euro 2012 Championships. AFP

tion leader Yulia Tymoshenko, who is in jail after being found guilty of abuse of power.

The negative headlines for Ukraine continued on Saturday when local media said a 46-year-old Spanish football fan was found dead in the eastern Donetsk region after being reported missing.

Three men have reportedly been detained on suspicion of murder.

On the pitch, Germany play Portugal in the western city of Lviv, seeking to rubber stamp the impression they are the most likely side to dethrone the Spaniards.

The Mannschaft have a good record against the Seleccao, having eliminated them in the Euro 2008 quarter-finals and beating them in the third place playoff at the 2006 World Cup. Captain Philipp Lahm, though, says those results will count for little, with the difficult Dutch and solid, if uninspiring, Danes to come in the so-called "Group of Death".

"The tension is building slowly, we have been working for two years for this moment. It's time to get going," said Lahm, 28. "We have a great squad, we just need to show what we can do."

Portugal, who include Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, come into the match after a string of poor pre-tournament results, including a 3-1 friendly defeat in Lisbon to Turkey and a goalless draw with Macedonia.

Coach Paulo Bento said: "Against a team like Germany you need to be organised. You need to have courage because if you only think about defending, then surely you won't be able to get a good result.

match after the first two days had been washed out without a ball bowled. Only twice before in Test history had a team triumphed in such circumstances, with England beating New Zealand at Leeds in 1958 and New Zealand defeating Bangladesh at Hamilton in 2001.

It was no surprise when England captain Andrew Strauss opted to field first after winning the toss against a West Indies side whose top-order collapses had helped the hosts into an unassailable 2-0 lead in this three-Test series. Before this match, England had left James Anderson out of their 12-man squad in order to rest the Lancashire seamer and, before play started Saturday, they also omitted Stuart Broad.

Onions and Steven Finn were called up in place of the new-ball duo and, in overcast conditions, it was Onions, in his first Test in over two years, who nearly had an early breakthrough. Adrian Barath had made just four when Onions took his outside edge only for Ian Bell, fielding in the third slip position often occupied by Anderson, to drop the straightforward chance.

Although he had looked the least threatening of England's three seamers, it was Bresnan who took the first wicket

scORebOARD WesT inDies 1sT innings 41 Ab barath lbw b Onions 24 KOA Powell c swann b bresnan Ab Fudadin c bell b bresnan 28 DM bravo c & b Finn 6 76 Mn samuels lbw b bresnan 7 n Deonarine c strauss b Onions D Ramdin not out 49 DJg sammy c strauss b Finn 16 11 sP narine b Onions 0 R Rampaul not out 9 extras (b 2, lb 6, w 1) Total (8 wickets; 94.4 overs) 267 To bat TL best Fall of wickets: 1-49 (Powell, 17.3 ov), 2-90 (barath, 31.6 ov), 399 (bravo, 38.5 ov), 4-128 (Fudadin, 52.3 ov), 5-152 (Deonarine, 62.4 ov), 6-208 (samuels, 79.1 ov), 7-241 (sammy, 88.4 ov), 8267 (narine, 94.1 ov) bowling: g Onions 22.4-6-49-3, TT bresnan 24-8-68-3, sT Finn 22-6-65-2, gP swann 21-5-61-0, iJL Trott 5-1-16-0 Toss: england, who chose to field Test debuts: Ab Fudadin and sP narine (West indies) umpires HDPK Dharmasena (sri Lanka) and AL Hill (new Zealand), TV umpire Aleem Dar (Pakistan), Match referee Rs Mahanama (sri Lanka), Reserve umpire DJ Millns.

when he had Kieran Powell caught by second slip Graeme Swann for 24 to leave the tourists 49 for one. However, it wasn't long before debutant Assad Fudadin, in for the the dropped Kirk Edwards, drove Finn through the covers for four.

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Sunday, 10 June, 2012

wATCh IT LIVE STAR CRICKET 3rd Test: England v West Indies 03:00PM

Ranking Tennis main round from today KARACHI sTAFF RePORT

The Maroof Trophy Ranking Tennis Championship at the Central Club Phase 2 DHA Karachi has reached the main round on Saturday. Saad Noor qualified for main draw in mens singles and Rafay Hafiz Qualified for main draw in juniors Under-17 singles.

ResuLTs MENS SINGLES QUALIfyING ROUND 2: Hamza Pataudi beat Abdullah khan 6-0, 6-2 MENS SINGLES 3RD QUALIfyING ROUND: Saad Noor beat Nazif Ahmed 6-3,6-1, Malik Hamza beat Rafay hafeez w/o, Hamza Pataudi beat Shahbaz Malik 6-3,6-0 U 17 QUALIfyING fINAL: Rafay hafiz beat Wania 6-0, 6-1 U 15 QUALIfyNG ROUND 2: M Ameer Hamza beat Romman Shoaib w/o, Hamza Ashfaq beat mazhar Sultan 8-5 U- 13 QUALIfyING ROUND 2: Haman Ashok beat Rayyan Iram 8-3, Saad M Ali beat Zubiar 8-4. M Ameer Hamza beat Hamza Ashfaq 8-7, Abdullah khan beat M Saad khan 8-4 U -11 QUALIfyING ROUND 2: Abdullah beat Royyen jawad 8-2, Rayyan Imran beat Raza Kazim 8-4, Parbad beat Mustafa 8-0.

law College beat PU Teaching Dept LAHORE sTAFF RePORT

Punjab University Law College defeated Punjab University Teaching Department by 10 Wickets in the Punjab University Inter-Collegiate Super League Cricket Championship 2011-12 at Old Campus Ground on Saturday.

SCORE: Punjab University Law College 177 all out in 32 over. Jahangir Iqbal 31, Peyyar Rashid 27, Iqbal Ishaq 21. Ali Alam 3 for 42, Iqbal Hameed 2 for 18.

Punjab University Teaching Department 181 for no loss in 22 over. Ahmad Akram114 not out, Burhan Johar 54 not out. The 3rd position match will be played between Govt. College Jhang and Punjab University Law College on Tuesday.

pariS: russia's Maria Sharapova reacts after winning over italy's Sara errani during their final of the French open. AFp

McIlroy shoots 65 to lead St. Jude MEMPHIS AFP

Reigning US Open champ Rory McIlroy fired a five-under 65 to seize a one-stroke lead at the $5.6 million St. Jude Classic Friday, snapping a string of three consecutive missed cuts. McIlroy birdied three of his last four holes to equal his lowest PGA Tour round of the year. He also had an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys.

"It's nice to see my name on that part of the leaderboard," McIlroy said. "It's not nice when you're struggling to make the cut on a Friday afternoon. It was great. It's nice to be

through to the weekend obviously. It's obviously even nicer to be leading and have a great chance." McIlroy is competing in Memphis in order to tune up his game before heading to San Francisco for his US Open title defence at The Olympic Club. He rolled in a birdie on 18 to vault ahead of three players at the TPC at Southwind. Jeff Maggert shot a two-under 68 to move into a share of second at six-under.

Maggert shared the first-round

lead with John Merrick. Maggert was joined in second by J.B. Holmes (64) and Kevin Stadler (65). Merrick fired a one-under 69 and is in fifth place at five-under-par 135. He is tied with Chad Campbell (67) and Kevin Kisner (66). McIlroy is playing St. Jude for just the second time after deciding a couple of weeks ago that he would head to Memphis in order to get in some extra competition ahead of the US Open. McIlroy missed the

cut last week at the Memorial. He hadn't broken par in his previous three starts, two on the PGA Tour and one on the European Tour. He missed the cut in all three starts.

McIlroy is hoping to become the first player to win a PGA Tour event then follow up the next week by taking the US Open.

But he is trying not to think too hard about that heading into his third round Saturday.

His focus right now is on honing his game.

"I saw a lot of positive signs with my ball striking. Hit a lot of good iron shots and drivers. So that was something that I was really working on the last couple of weeks and feels like it's coming together for me.

French Open 2012: It’s between Raffa and Djoker sports this Week ALI AKBAR

P

AKISTAN’S Aisam Qureshi and partner Jean-Julian Rojer fell short in their French Open semifinal against the Bryan brothers of the USA. This was a gilt-edged opportunity for Aisam because clay is the Bryans' least favorite surface.

When the pair found themselves a set and a break down with the Bryans serving at 40-0, it seemed all over bar the shouting. But Aisam and Rojer clawed their way back and broke the Bryans in that very game, ultimately forcing a tiebreak. The Bryans ultimately prevailed at 8-6 in a tense tie breaker. Had Aisam taken the tie break, the momentum would have been with him and Rojer and anything could have been possible.

The good news is that the AisamRojer pairing has gelled and should be a real threat at Wimbledon. The bad news is that Aisam’s quest for a Grand Slam title continues to be elusive.

The semifinal stage of the French Open tennis revealed few surprises, with the top three seeds in the men’s reaching

the semifinals along with sixth seeded David Ferrer. The only upset, and that too a mild one, was Ferrer's defeat of the fourth seed Andy Murray. With Murray suffering from a bad back, this was always on the cards. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic came back from the brink of defeat to book their respective spots while Rafael Nadal was too consistent for compatriot and friend Elmagro.

The match of the quarterfinals was undoubtedly Joe Wilfred Tsonga's challenge to Djokovic. Tsonga, who has discovered consistency and a recently developed defensive game, outplayed Djokovic for most of the match. He had several match points in the fourth set but Djokovic saved them all with some nerveless play. The fifth set was a mere formality with Tsonga offering little resistance.

Roger Federer was also in trouble, looking at a two set deficit against the giant Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro. But Federer, apart from a loss at the US Open final a couple of years ago, has mostly had the measure of the younger man. Del Potro may have had a problem with his knee, but in the final three sets it was all Federer.

David Ferrer was too steady and too mobile for Andy Murray and his win was

an upset only on paper. Murray has changed more coaches than most players and it might be that the Ivan Lendl experiment would fizzle out as well. Murray has the misfortune of playing at the same time as three of the greatest players of all time.

He would also be looking over his shoulder as the next generation of stars matures.

His window of opportunity for winning a major event is getting smaller by the day.

The semifinal pairings were Federer against Djokovic and Ferrer against Nadal.

Nadal-Ferrer was almost a foregone conclusion. Raffa is playing imperious tennis and Ferrer simply did not have the firepower to counter his compatriot. Djokovic on the other hand showed signs of nerves, perhaps because he is on the cusp of being the first player in 44 years to hold all four major titles. Federer had numerous chances. He was up a break in the first set and failed to consolidate. He was up two breaks in the second but insisted on trading ground strokes with Djokovic. Had he mixed things up with off pace ground strokes and slices, he could have forced errors from the world number one. But Federer seemed to have no plan B. Perhaps success has spoiled Roger.

He had things so much his own way that

he had no need to change his game against anybody. This is perhaps Federer’s only weakness: the inability to break down his opponent’s game with subtle change of pace and spin.

It will be a battle royale on Sunday with Nadal and Djokovic going at it hammer and tongs. Nadal is looking for his seventh French Open while Djokovic looks to be the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four major titles at the same time. It looks like the Spaniard may just have too much clay court savvy for the Serb In the women's event, Italian Sara Errani was the surprise package, reaching the finals by defeating the powerful Sam Stosur in three sets. In the other semi, there was the repeat of last year’s Wimbledon final between Petra Kvitova and Maria Sharapova. Sharapova has shown a lot of improvement in the recent past and was too strong for the powerful Kvitova. She would be the odds-on favourite in Saturday’s final. Sania Mirza won her second major title, the mixed, with Mahesh Bhupathi. Sania is now, essentially a doubles specialist. She did well in singles for a few years, but found herself overmatched against players much bigger and stronger than her. A technically flawed service ac-

tion and niggling injuries also contributed.

Sania can now look forward to a long and prosperous doubles career.

PAKisTAn bOunce bAcK In cricket, Pakistan bounced back from a T20 loss to win the second T20 International against Sri Lanka. They then easily won the first ODI by six wickets. Pakistan’s bowling attack was impressive, with Umar Gul, Sami and Sohail Tanvir in the pace attack and Ajmal, Hafeez and Afridi forming a potent spin trio. Tanvir was player of the T20 series. He is a very effective bowler because of his unorthodox, wrong foot action. Tanvir can also be an electrifying striker of the ball, given the right circumstances where he can get a few balls to get his eye in. Tanvir should be persevered with as a bowling all rounder.

Mohammad Hafeez did quite well as captain in the T20s. He was, understandably, taken up by the occasion in the first outing, but handled his boys better in the second. Hafeez is well spoken, articulate and is considered a good student of the sport. He should get a long run as captain with an eye to grooming him for the longer versions of the game.

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Queen Maria back on her throne after injury battle PARIS AFP

I

T was no coincidence on Thursday that when it became certain that Maria Sharapova was back as world number one, there was general satisfaction within the WTA and in women's tennis in general. The Russian is unmistakenly the sport's glamour girl, it's biggest draw and, in a hugely competitive market a valuable motor and spearhead for all concerned. More than that, she is the most recognisable sportswoman in the world and the biggest earner, rivalling even the big boys in male sport.

How she got there has been well documented over the years - from her humble beginnings in the small Siberian town of Nyagan to the Nick Bollettieri tennis academy courts in Florida. Leaving her mother behind in Russia at the age of nine and travelling and living on the cheap with father Yuri before making her tournament debut in 2001 in an ITF event in Sarasota.

PARIS: Russia's Maria Sharapova celebrates with the French open trophy. AFP Sharapova has not forgotten those years and her roots back in Siberia. "I'm really happy and proud of where I came from and

where I was born and how it's fun to hear when they introduce me, they don't say just born in Russia, they actually say I was born

in Nyagan, Siberia," she said earlier in the tournament at Roland Garros. "Every time they say that, you can hear the crowd going, Whoa. Like I don't think people actually realize that's where I was born.

"When they say it, I always feel so proud, no matter - like when they even say I've won the Grand Slams or been number one. When they say that, I get goosebumps, because I'm so proud coming from there and getting to the position I am today."

Sharapova has always been precocious and it was at Wimbledon in 2004 as a 17year-old that she took the tennis world by storm, and by shrieks, as she powered her way into the final and proceeded to blast her way past Serena Williams, then the dominant force in the game, for her first Grand Slam title. A star was born from that moment on as the world became aware of the tall, beautiful blonde with a steely determination and a thunderous forehand Sharapova immediately became an ad man's dream and her face and silhouette have since adorned many products from perfumes to clothes.

Djokovic, Nadal face day of destiny PARIS AFP

Bank Alfalah, ABl in T-20 final LAHORE sTAFF RePORT

Bank Alfalah and Allied Bank have eached the final of the Inter Banking T-20 Championship Bank Alfalah defeated NBP by 92 runs at the Model Town White Ground. scORes: Bank Alfalah 253 for for 3 wickets in 20 over.

Syed Salman Ahmed 92, Safdar Ali 75 not out, Rizwan Shafiq 56. waja Saeed 1 for 33, yar Muhammad 1 for 34, khuram Abbas 1 for 50. NBP 161 for 8 wickets. Ismail Rehman 45, hafeez ur Rehman 43 not out, Shahid Anwar 36, Imran Syed 20. yaseen Cheema 2 for 3, Sheikh Rashid Rauf 2 for 31. In the second semi-final Allied Bank defeated hBl by 22 runs at Model Town Green Ground. scORes: ABl 184 for 6 wickets in 20 over. humayo Fida 52, hafiz khawar 47, Ali yar Baig 26 not out. zeeshan Shoukat 2 for 32, Sheikh junaid 2 for 24. hBl 162 for 5 wickets in 20 over. Sheikh Junaid 59, Arshad Rafi 48. Ali Akbar 2 for 28.

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal square off in a record fourth successive Grand Slam final on Sunday with the French Open title and a place in tennis folklore at stake. A win for world number one Djokovic, playing in his first Roland Garros final, will make him only the third man in history -- and first in 43 years -- to hold all four majors at the same time.

Victory for world number two Nadal will mean becoming the first man to win seven French Opens, breaking a tie for six he currently holds with Swedish legend Bjorn Borg.

Nadal, with a staggering Roland Garros career record of 51 wins and just one defeat, is the overwhelming favourite, having reached his seventh final for the loss of just 35 games in six rounds.

He hasn't dropped a set and has lost serve just once. Furthermore, Nadal came into Paris having secured claycourt titles in Barcelona, M o n t e Carlo and Rome,

beating Djokovic in the finals of the last two in straight sets, breaking a seven-final losing streak to the Serb.

But Djokovic has won all of the last three Grand Slam title matches they have played -- at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2011, and this year's epic Australian Open which, at five hours 53 minutes, was the longest ever men's final. Not that Djokovic is seeing that as a factor come Sunday. "This is a different surface, different circumstances," said the top seed, who reached the final with a straight sets semi-final win over Roger Federer, having saved four match points in his quarter-final win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. "He always plays his best at Roland Garros, and so I expect him to do that as well on Sunday. I know that I have to be playing consistently well on a very high level in order to win best of five against Nadal." Djokovic is happy to be going in as underdog having lost all three matches he has played against the Spaniard in Paris in 2006, 2007 and 2008, defeats handed out without even the consolation of one set in the Serb's possession.

Nadal ‘zero’ pressure as history beckons PARIS AFP

Rafael Nadal insisted that he feels 'zero' pressure going into Sunday's history-defining French Open final against Novak Djokovic even if heavy rain threatens to swamp the Roland Garros spectacle. Nadal is bidding to become the first man to win seven French Open titles but faces world number one Djokovic who needs a first Paris crown to become just the third man to hold all four Grand Slams at the same time. "The pressure is zero," said Spanish second seed Nadal, who has a 51-1 record on the claycourts of Roland Garros and has reached his seventh final for the loss of just 35 games and without dropping a set. "The pressure is that it's another final at Roland Garros. If I get the seven, maybe that's important, maybe not. But the pressure is the same every year.

The important thing is that it's the French Open, one of my top tournaments of the year. "I am playing well almost every day. I have to respect Djokovic as he has beaten me many times. I will fight for every ball and then we will see." Sunday's eagerly-awaited clash could, however, be badly affected by heavy rain which is forecast to sweep across Paris, possibly pushing the final back to Monday. "If it rains, then it rains and we play

Monday," said Nadal. "I heard there was a chance of rain, but I am thinking about playing on Sunday. If not, I will come back on Monday."

PFF all appreciation for Zong initiative LAHORE sTAFF RePORT

T

HE Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF) endeavours to popularize the game in the country and rope in support of the leading business houses to achieve this objective found Zong, a major player in this country’s mobile telecom sector, keen and willing to lend its corporate muscle in a critical area: grooming of indigenous talent at worldstandard excellence centres abroad.

On its own initiative, Zong had decided to independently select a bunch of 16 young and upcoming players and as many coaches after countrywide trials – held at Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Multan and Faisalabad – with a view to sending them abroad for a crash training stint of short but meaningful duration.

In a spirit of contributing to the society as a responsible corporate citizen, Zong intended to sponsor the entire cost, footing the bill for the cumbersome trial process, travel to the Middle East, board and lodge and training costs over there. What is important, the fallout was a win-win situation for Pakistan football, for it was a good idea that could spawn rapid growth through depth of understanding of nascent talents at an impressionable age.

As it transpired, the independent trial process turned out to be a ringing endorsement of the PFF’s selection processes being aboveboard: exactly half – eight out of the 16 – turned out to be the young ones already drafted in the PFF’s age-group squads in Under-13 and Under-16 categories.

Faisal Saleh Hayat, the PFF president, while welcoming the Zong enterprise said, “other corporate entities should take a note of this. The PFF is making its own endeavours to popularize the global game in a manner that could make a difference. Such corporate projects could speed up that process.”

The PFF president while talking to this scribe also said: “It needs to be remembered that as a consequence of decades of neglect and mismanagement, Pakistan has lacked the basic infrastructure for the effective organization and appropriate growth and expansion of the game in this country.

“In the last few years that I have been president PFF, I and my management team have

FAisAL sALeH HAyAT: ‘our football put on the path to progress.’ made a relentless effort to gradually get the infrastructure and the systems in place that could take our football to the next level. The transparency of our systems and our ability to deliver has convinced the AFC and the FIFA to invest in our football.

“The results are quite tangible and there for all to see and assess: Football Houses have been constructed or under construction in all provincial capitals and Azad Kashmir and the Pakistan football teams at all levels have been consistent performers at the regional level. Now we have to aim higher and go beyond that. We’re positive that, having been put on the path of progress, we would be able to get there in the years to come.”

With the intent to appreciate and engage Zong, the PFF has swiftly issued a no objection certificate to the activity and the 16 players will shortly fly out to Abu Dhabi where they would get professional training for one week at the Manchester United Soccer School.

The eight players, who were already part of the PFF programme and now beneficiaries of Zong’s patronage, are: Muhammad Zeeshan, Muhammad Nawaz, Saddam Hussain, Muhammad Usman, Zain-ul-Abidin, Munir, Sana Ullah, Muhammad Shoaib Ahmed.

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Sunday, 10 June, 2012

‘Foreign forces bent on undermining Balochistan peace’

No one should doubt Pakistan’s resolve to fight terror: fO Panetta says US at war in Pakistan’s Tribal Areas

Chief of commission on missing persons says there is credible proof of involvement of anti-Pakistan forces, who want to destabilise country

g

ISLAMABAD sTAFF RePORT/Agencies

QUETTA Agencies

H

EAD of the inquiry commission on missing persons, Justice (r) Javed Iqbal on Saturday said foreign agencies, with well-organised networks and modern equipment, were making the situation in Balochistan worse.

Addressing a press conference, Iqbal said, “External involvement in the case of missing persons and in the worsening of the situation in the province cannot be ruled out as there is credible proof of the involvement of anti-Pakistan forces, who want to destabilise the country,” he said.

He said no state institution had a confirmed report regarding the number of missing persons, adding that baseless propaganda was being carried out regarding the number of missing persons in the country.

He said the number of missing persons in the country was 440 while 44 people had been recovered in the last three months with the efforts of

the commission.

“Authorities have been unable to compile complete details of those on the list of missing persons in the past decade,” Iqbal said.

Justice (r) Iqbal, however, said according to the commission, the total number of missing persons was 460 that included 18 from Islamabad, 117 from Punjab, 174 from Sindh, 170 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 57 from Balochistan and 12 from Azad Kashmir and FATA each.

He said 42 bodies of the missing persons had been found in Balochistan.

The inquiry commission’s chief said the list also contained the names of those living abroad and also those who had been involved in terrorismrelated cases.

Iqbal said the chief minister of Balochistan had sent a list of 945 ‘missing’ persons to the commission, however adding that the complete details of even 45 of the 945 people on the list had not been made available.

“We sent the list back to the ministry for correction but it never came

back,” he said, asking, “Unless we are provided with complete details, how can we pursue the cases?”

The commission’s chief said in the past week 12 missing people had been recovered in Balochistan. He said some of the missing persons were in Afghanistan but they could not be recovered because they were in a US-controlled territory.

Iqbal said the federal government had taken the missing persons’ issue seriously but trust in state institutions was imperative in order to resolve it.

Expressing dismay over the attitude of those who had been released by the captives, Justice (r) Iqbal said no missing person was willing to talk about his abductors after being released.

“Lack of evidence is the major reason for the less number of convictions,” he said.

“I assure you that the commission does not believe in paper work alone and it is sincerely working for the mitigation of the sufferings of the victims’ families,” he said.

22

Islamabad has vehemently rejected recent assertions by US Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta regarding terrorist “safe havens” in Pakistan.

“We feel that the (US) secretary of defence is oversimplifying some of the very complex issues we are all dealing within our efforts against extremism and terrorism. These issues need to be seen in the context of overall peace and stability in Afghanistan and the broader region,” a Foreign Office statement said on Saturday. Panetta had said in Kabul a couple of days ago that the US was reaching the limits of patience with Pakistan. “There is an increasing concern that the safe haven exists and that there were those – likely Haqqanis – who were making use of that to attack our forces,” Panetta had said.

WAR: In a latest interview with FOX TV, Panetta just stopped short of saying that the US was at war with Pakistan, saying the US was at war in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). “Without ever getting into the details of what we may or may not do, I think it suffices to say that the United States will do whatever we have to do to protect our forces,” Fox News quoted Panetta as saying.

“We cannot continue to tolerate a situation where Haqqanis, terrorists on their side of the

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

Editor: Arif Nizami

border, come across, attack our troops, kill our troops, and then return to a safe haven in Pakistan. That’s intolerable,” Panetta said. His comments are likely to fuel the already uncontrollable fire. Pakistan and the US are passing through a critical phase in their bilateral relations that have reached the lowest ebb since the US Special Forces raided an alleged hideout of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and killed him on May 2 last year. Later, an unprovoked NATO attack on a Pakistani border post in Salala killed 24 soldiers; forcing Islamabad to block NATO supplies and get the Shamsi airbase vacated from US officials. Ever since, it has been a rocky ride road for Pak-US ties.

The Foreign Office statement said Pakistan had repeatedly said that it would not allow its territory to be used against any country, nor would it allow any safe havens on its territory.

“We are fighting terrorism and extremism in our own national interest and nobody should doubt our resolve and determination in this regard.

Our sacrifices remain unparalleled and our resolve unshakable,” the statement added.

“Pakistan is following a well-thought-out strategy to eradicate the menace of extremism and terrorism and will follow its own time line.

We strongly believe that such statements are misplaced and unhelpful in bringing about peace and stability in the region”.