e-paper pakistantoday 10th september, 2012

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Numbers say Punjab govt’s performance ‘pathetic’

Wave of attacks claims 52 lives on restive day in Iraq

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SM Krishna concludes ‘fruitful’ Pakistan visit PAGE |19

Rs 15.00 Vol iii no 74 19 pages Karachi edition

Rains shower misery on countrymen, kill 36

Monday, 10 September, 2012 Shawwal 22, 1433

ISLAMABAD Agencies/Monitoring Desk

T

he late monsoon spell that has been lashing the country for the last several days continued to rain down misery on hapless citizens on Sunday, killing at least 36 people across the country as authorities warned of continued

showers and possible flooding in some areas.

Sunday’s deaths came in incidents like electrocution, roofs caving in and people washed away by flooed torrents. According to reports, streams and nullahs in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts were flowing in high flood. Streets of major cities, including Multan, hyderabad and Lahore were

inundated by rainwater, bringing suffering to the residents. heavy rains also lashed the country’s coastal areas as well as other parts of Sindh, including Sukkur, hyderabad, Larkana, Khairpur, Tharparker, Diplo, Badin and Jacobabad. In Balochistan, heavy rainfall in Zhob, Kalat, Sibi and Nasirabad inundated several low lying areas. In hyderabad,

rainwater accumulated up to two to three feet in several areas, including Latifabad, Pathan Colony, Qazi Abdul Qayyum Road, hali Road, Makki Shah, Phelaili, Qasimabad, and cantonment. At least 15 power feeders also tripped due to rainfall, while two women among five people reportedly died due to electric current.

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02 News cartoon

newS

today’s

Bannu jail escapee Adnan rashid hiding in nWA

infotainment Five things new parents need to know

Quick Look

Page 11

Story on Page 05

Story on Page 14

UN delegation in Islamabad to evaluate missing persons’ issue ISLAMABAD: A United Nations working group on enforced or involuntary disappearances arrived in Pakistan on Sunday to evaluate the missing persons’ issues. During its mission, the working group will gather information pertaining to missing persons’ cases. The group will meet government officials, families of the missing persons and will visit all four provinces of the country. It will present its findings related to the missing persons issue to the United Nations Commission on human Rights (UNChR). iNp

Another 2 bodies of martyred soldiers recovered from Gayari ISLAMABAD: Army rescue teams on Sunday recovered two more bodies of martyred soldiers from the Gayari sector of Siachen, bringing the total number of bodies recovered so far to 81. According to a spokesman of the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the search operation continued at Gayari despite weather hazards. he said over 300 men and 50 engineering plants had been employed on the search operation. app

pictures by afp

Ephedrine case: ANF arrests pharma company director LAHORE: The Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) arrested the director of a pharmaceutical chemical company, Nadeem Zafar, in connection with the ephedrine quota scam case in Lahore on Sunday. Nadeem had been accused of misusing 500 kilograms of ephedrine and has been shifted to Rawalpindi after his arrest for further questioning, according to ANF sources. iNp

Up to seven MPAs with ‘suspicious’ degrees in KP PESHAWAR: Degrees of a total of seven members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly have been declared ‘suspicious’. Cases have also been registered against some of the suspected MPAs. The evaluation of the degrees of the remaining 117 out of 124 members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly is still going on. In addition, the degree of the sports minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Syed Aqil Shah has been proven to be counterfeit.

Meanwhile the fake-degree cases against senior Provincial Minister, Raheemdad Khan and another minister namely Sher Azam, lie pending in the courts. ageNcies

PM leaves for China today ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf will leave for China today to participate in World economic Forum (WeF). According to reports, the forum is scheduled for September 11-13 in Tinajin. The PM will call upon the Chinese president and other senior functionaries of the regime. Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will give a keynote address to the participants. The meeting will be attended by 2,000 participants hailing from 86 countries. ONLiNe

monday, 10 September, 2012

JAMRUD

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AFP

AM Bazaar in Pakistan is cramped with guns, pistols and marijuana, living proof of a booming market in what hawkers call the best medicine or “black gold” in the world.

This may be conservative Muslim country, where women are confined to their homes and alcohol banned, but marijuana is a much loved indulgence. So much so, people are forking out double if not triple the cash to feed their habit.

An army offensive and infighting between Islamist militia are forcing prices and demand to an all-time high, making drug profits another unsavory side effect of Taliban-linked violence plaguing northwest Pakistan.

Narcotics also lines the coffers of local warlord Mangal Bagh, Taliban factions and the rival Ansar al-Islam group in Khyber district. “everyone is tense, everyone is depressed and hash is the easiest available remedy. People use it to forget their worries,” said Kamal Khan, a 51year-old english teacher, eagerly rolling a cigarette. he empties the tobacco from the paper column, warms some hash under a lit match until it becomes greasy, then rubs it between two fingers and mixes it into the tobacco, before packing it back down into the cigarette. “everybody is a charas addict — police, doctors, officers — a lot of people come here,” said Khan, whose name has been changed on request, using the local slang that translates as “black gold”. “It opens the hidden corner of your mind and you explore new ideas and thoughts when you smoke,” he added. Constantly under pressure from the Americans to move against the Al-Qaeda-linked haqqani network, Pakistan

has instead concentrated this year on local Taliban and Bagh’s Lashkar-e-Islam mafia in Khyber. Like the rest of Pakistan’s tribal belt, the district lies outside state control, where drug trafficking takes place beyond the writ of the government. The area is fiercely independent and awash with guns — or as the saying goes, “even if the stove at home is cold, the barrel of a gun must be kept warm”.

Fighting has been a way of life for years, but now more than half a million Pakistanis have fled battles between the army and militants since January 20.

The town of Bara, a centre for the hash trade, is under siege. In the far-flung valley of Tirah, some of Pakistan’s most fertile land for marijuana and opium, Lashkar-e-Islam and Ansarul Islam are slogging it out for control — their last hope for survival after losing ground to the army. “Bomb blasts, fighting, inflation, our society is full of worries and it is increasing demand,” said shopkeeper Arshad Afridi.

Fellow shopkeeper Rehmat Khan concurred.

“Before the operations, a kilo of charas cost around 20,000 rupees ($200). Now it starts from 50,000 ($530) and goes up to 65,000 ($690),” said Khan. The boom has been a bonanza to hash merchants who stockpiled hash in goat skins in leaner years, waiting to cash in on military offensives to sell at a higher price. According to shopkeepers, militant groups who control Tirah get 2,000 rupees per kilo of hash or as much as 80,000 rupees for a 40-kilo consignment intercepted at a checkpoint. They say they earn 10,000 rupees per kilo and a smuggler 5,000 per kilo delivered to the neighbouring province of Punjab.

None of the spokesman of both the militant groups were available for comment.

At Jam Bazaar, people openly share cigarettes, even with tribal policemen extracting bribes from passenger coaches. Loose black and dark brown hash sits on glass counters in hundreds of shops, come of them air conditioned to keep the quality, as shopkeepers drink tea and smoke while trucks and lorries roar past en route to the Afghan border.

It’s grown locally in Tirah, a valley cut off from the rest of the world by mountains and to a large extent, a no-go area for Pakistani government forces.

Farmers say hash is worth far more what they would get for an ordinary crop. “We’ve been doing this business for decades because we have no other source of income,” Zaman Afridi, a shopkeeper from Tirah, told AFP. Wearing a traditional turban, vest and fingering wooden beads in his left hand, Zaman said that planting wheat would earn him 20,000 rupees but he gets double for planting hash. “If the fields turn out good, then we may get more.”

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News 03 artS & entertainment

buSineSS

SPortS

investing in newcomers not a risk: Mahesh Bhatt

A nice rally while it lasted

Pakistan eye clean sweep

editorial Pakistan-india talks: One small step at a time.

comment Arif Ansar says; Whose side is history on?: The status of ties between US, Russia, China.

M J Akbar says; Is that all you’ve got, Dr Singh?: Just a cabinet reshuffle won’t do anything.

Story on Page 18

Story on Page 12

Story on Page 15

articles on Page 14

Numbers say Punjab govt’s performance ‘pathetic’: Imran PTI chIef SayS ProvINce’S Major fuNdS dIverTed To Ill-PlaNNed raPId buS ProjecT LAHORE

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online

A K I S T A N Tehreek-e-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday said all economic indicators i.e. agriculture, energy, law and order, education and health, supported his claim that the Punjab government’s performance had been pathetic.

Addressing a press conference at the party’s central media cell on Sunday, he shed light on the failed performance of Punjab government and revealed the Punjab government’s claimed figures did not reflect reality.

“The actual figures show that the average growth in Punjab has been a mere 2.5 percent compared to the national growth rate of 3.4 percent. Punjab, which is predominantly an agricultural area, has also suffered in this sector as the growth rate in this sector indicates only one percent growth compared to the national average of three percent,” he stated. Imran said the Punjab government had been blaming the federal government for shortage of energy, using the 18th amendment as a shield to hide

PML-Q general secretary shot dead in Gujrat GUJRAT Agencies

General Secretary of Pakistan Muslim League- Quaid (PML-Q) Gujrat, Chaudhry Muhammad Tufail and his driver were killed when armed men opened fire at his vehicle on Sunday. According to details, unidentified armed men opened fire at his car, while he was passing through a sub-urban area of the city. As a result of the firing Muhammad Tufail and his diver were killed on the spot. The attackers managed to escape from the scene after committing the dual murder. A heavy contingent of police cordoned off the area after the incident and began a search operation.

The bodies were shifted to District headquarters hospital Gujrat. The PML-Q leadership, including party chief Chaudhry Shujaat hussain, Chaudhry Pervez elahi and others have expressed profound grief over the targeted killing of its leader. They criticized the provincial government and law enforcement personnel for their failure to protect the lives of citizens and maintain law and order across the province and demanded the authorities to bring the culprits to justice.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also expressed his sorrow over the murder of PML-Q district general secretary and directed the police authorities to arrest the culprits as soon as possible.

their own shortcomings. however, the PTI chief stated that prior to this amendment; Article 157 of the constitution gave explicit authority to the provinces to undertake energy projects. he said the Punjab government had not produced a single megawatt of energy in the last four years. Moreover, he said law and order situation in Punjab was also abysmal. he said there had been an overall increase in crimes by 12 percent, with crimes against property increasing by 37 percent, robbery by 109 percent, murder 15 percent and rape 22 percent. “There has been a lot of talk of education by the Punjab government; however, statistics show that 5,700 schools have been shut down during their tenure. While the population has increased manifold, the gross enrollment at primary level has gone down by one percent,” the PTI chief stated.

Imran said rather than spending on sectors like health and education, the entire development fund had been spent on an ill-planned project i.e. the Rapid Bus Transit System. he said the project was merely an election gimmick in order to create hype amongst the masses and it cost more than the combined provincial

PTI chief takes notice of internal differences in party LAHORE: Taking notice of internal differences in the party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday directed PTI President Javed hashmi and Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi to contact party’s disgruntled members and address their apprehensions. Sources in the PTI said some families hailing from Punjab were planning to leave the PTI reportedly due to certain differences which would prove a big setback for the party. Khan tasked hashmi and Qureshi to address the grievances of the members planning to leave the PTI. The sources said hashmi and Qureshi would soon contact the disgruntled families. iNp budget for education and health. he said the project initially started with Rs 21 billion allocated for it, however, according to their sources, the project had been revised and it was suspected that until its completion approximately Rs 70 billion would have been spent on it. The PTI chairman added that Pakistan needed change and PTI was the first party to have stated in its economic agenda that they would ensure the devolution of power and direct funding down to the village level. he said the PTI was also the first party to have stated that it would broaden the tax net.

TIP points out tax-evasion by KPT contractor caused Rs 350m loss ISLAMABAD nA sAhi

Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) has asked the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to clarify its position on a contract awarded by Karachi Port Trust (KPT), as port authority was found guilty of “misuse of the Sales Tax Act and causing a loss of Rs 350 million.

The TIP has also written letters to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Public Accounts Committee and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the issue. In the letter written to the FBR chairman on September 7, 2012, TIP Advisor Adil Gilani said that the transparency watchdog had received a complaint against a KPT Contractor for illegal refund/exemptions of GST by misusing the rules of Zero Sales Tax for the contractors of international tendered contracts. The TIP had earlier written a letter dated November 20, 2011, to the FBR chairman, seeking clarification on whether the construction material procured by the contractor was exempted from Sales Tax or not. The previous FBR chairman had replied that there was no exemption from Sales Tax in that case. however, the Karachi Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation (Inland Revenue) took notice of the Complaint and found the KPT con-

tractor guilty of misusing the Sales Tax Act, adding that the tax evasion had caused a loss of over Rs 350 million to the national exchequer until 2011. According to the letter, a contravention report was sent to the Karachi Inland Revenue commissioner on May 7. 2012, for adjudication.

The contravention report found that under Sales Tax Act 1990, zerorated sales does not apply to purchases for construction material. The report also determined the recovered of over Rs 360 million should be affected from the contractor which request adjudicated by the commission of Inland Revenue within 120 days of the preparation of the date of contravention report. Findings of the contravention report dated May 7, 2012 are summarized below.

The report, according to the letter, found as per available record during 2008-2011, M/s Ssangyong + Usmani JV started claiming refund of Sales Tax which it had paid in respect of goods purchased for the said project from the local market for the total value of Rs 183,984,337 out of which a sum of Rs 157,023,559 was duly refunded while the balance amount of Rs 26,960,778 is remaining. “M/s Ssangyong + Usmani JV claimed zero-rating on the local purchases on the basis of a clarification

issued by the Board and did not paid sales tax for an amount of Rs. 74,058,480/- on the local purchases made during 2008-2011. M/s Ssangyong + Usmani JV did not pay sales tax of Rs. 107,644,794/- on imports made during 2008-2011 by claim of exemption under various SRO’s thereon”. The Additional Commission Inland Revenue Karachi adjudicated the case, and vide its order No. 10/2012 dated 28th August 2012 has given the decision. “On the basis of the above considerations, the undersigned has finally arrived at the conclusion that the registered person was involved in the construction of an immoveable infrastructure project which is excluded from the definition of gods. Thus, all sales tax refund and zero- rated purchases availed by the registered person are inadmissible. Further, it is clear that they had passed on the incidence of sales tax on imported goods, but concealed from the buyer that they had availed exemption at the import stage. Thus, they have contravened the provisions of sections 3, 3B, 6(2), 7, 8(1)(a), 8A, 23, 26 and 73 of the Sales Tax and the entire amount of sales tax not paid/short paid/ erroneously recovered is assessable u/s 11(2) and recoverable u/s 36(1) of the Sales Tax Act, 1990. hence total

amount of sales tax of Rs. 351,684,309/- is recoverable from the registered person under the said provisions, along with default surcharge (to be calculated at the time of payment) under section 34 of Sales Tax Act, 1990. Penalty of 100% of the amount of tax involved is also imposed in terms of S. No. 13 of the Table to section 33 ibid. as the actions of the registered person in this regard are clearly deliberate and malafide”, read the decision.

TI demanded the FBR chairman in the letter that besides recovery of Rs 351,684,309 plus a penalty of Rs 351,684,309 for period upto 30 June 2011, further recovery of refund made or zero rated facility availed in FY 2012 are also to be made by FBR, on which no action has yet been initiated.

“Further to these recoveries, and in view of the fact that the constructed material to be used for constructing a structure is not allowed the zero rated sales tax, TI-Pakistan request the Chairman to order detailed inquiry and all the refunds taken by different contractors since 1990, on contract of WAPDA, Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Capital Development Authority (CDA), National highway Authority (NhA), Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Port Qasim Authority (PQA), Pakistan Railways etc.”

monday, 10 September, 2012

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04 News

Clashes, bombings across Syria kill 45 g

car bomb kills 17, injures 40 in aleppo BEIRUT

stroyed houses in the Midan district, a regime bastion that rebels have been trying to seize from their stronghold in Bustan al-Basha since Saturday, said the Syrian Observatory for human Rights. “The bombardment of Bustan alBasha has stopped but could start up again anytime,” a resident told AFP, after a day of fierce clashes.

A main water pipe in Bustan al-Basha was destroyed on Saturday, either by air strikes or the fighting, according to the Britain-based watchdog, while residents reported severe water shortages in the city. The governor of Aleppo province, Mohammed Akkad, blamed “terrorists” for breaking the Midan water main as well as two other pipelines in Suleiman al-halabi district.

“Maintenance crews are in the process of repairing them and we hope that the water will return Sunday (today),” he told pro-regime daily Al-Watan.

Meanwhile, the Observatory reported at least two peopled killed in hanano after heavy shelling hit a building in the eastern Aleppo neighbourhood, while clashes broke out in the adjacent district of

Sakhur. The nearby neighbourhoods of Tariq al-Bab and Shaar were also shelled.

In Damascus, clashes broke out at the Yarmuk Palestinian refugee camp as troops bombarded the adjacent Tadamun district in the southeast, and the nearby suburbs of Al-hajar Al-Aswad and Sayyida Zeinab, the Observatory said.

An activist video posted to YouTube showed plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky in the south of the capital, purportedly from a massive fire which broke out in Tadamun during shelling attacks.

Shelling was also reported in northwestern Idlib province, in central homs province, and in the southern province of Daraa where seven soldiers were killed in an ambush by rebels at a military checkpoint, the Observatory said. In homs two bombs blew up a bus carrying civilians and troops, killing at least four people and wounding dozens more. At least 1,267 people have been killed since September 1, Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP by phone.

altaf should know how to address a party leader: pervaiz rashid

arsalan Iftikhar probe commission to start work today

Agencies

A sri nAgAr: indian troops drag a kashmiri man to detention after thrashing him for protesting against the indian government. inP

rains shower Continued fRoM page 01 Due to heavy rain, the water level in hub dam, which supplies drinking water to Karachi, rose by eight feet on Saturday night. The present water level was reported at 318 feet against the storage capacity of 340 feet. WAPDA officials said that the water level was rising steadily. In Punjab there were reports of heavy to light rain. Southern Punjab in particular was hit hard by rains. heavy showers were reported from Multan, Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Rajanpur, Vehari, Chichawatni, TT Singh, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Kamaliya, Khanpur, Lahore, Lodhran, Chiniot, Chakwal, Rawalpindi, Attock and Jhelum.

The level of rainfall recorded by the Meteorological Department in various districts was: Khanpur 173 mm followed by Rahimyar Khan 102, Okara 95, Sahiwal 94, Bahawalnagar 83, Multan 77, Shorkot 70, Chorr 68, Islamabad 66, Bahawalpur 64, Thatta 58, TT Singh 55, hyderabad 52, Larkana 47, DG Khan 35, Faisalabad 34, Lahore 27 and Murree, Nawabshah, Mohenjodaro and Sargodha 25 mm.

Four persons were killed in Multan due to roof collapse and electrocution, two each in Kamalia, Mian Channu and Lahore, one each in Lodhran and Faisalabad and TT Singh. hill torrents in DG Khan and Rananpur damaged several villages and crops over vast areas. Rain has also been reported in GilgitBaltistan, and upper parts of the KPK. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kabul River was in low flood at Nowshera where its water discharge was 646,500 cusecs. Water level in River Khayali on Charsadda Road was also seen surging. The Met office has forecast more rain in most parts of the country, including Karachi, during the next 24 hours.

The met office said a well marked low pressure had entered eastern Sindh and its adjoining areas. Under the influence of this weather system, strong monsoon currents would continue to penetrate in central and southern parts of Pakistan, particularly in Sindh. Saturday’s westerly wave over western parts of Pakistan has moved northeast and now lies over northern parts of the country. Widespread rain/thundershower with scattered heavy falls is expected in southern Punjab, while scattered rain/thundershowers with isolated heavy falls is expected over upper Punjab/Islamabad during the next 24 hours. heavy rains would cause urban and flash floods in the vulnerable areas of DG Khan, Multan and Bahawalpur divisions during the period. Scattered rain/thundershower with isolated heavy falls is expected in KP during next 24 hours. Widespread rain/thundershower with isolated heavy fall is expected in Sukkar & Larkana divisions, while scattered rain/thundershower likely in other parts of Sindh during next 24 hours.

In Balochistan, widespread rain/thundershower with scattered heavy falls is expected in eastern parts of Balochistan during next 24 hours. heavy rains would cause flash floods in Quetta, Zhob, Sibi, Kalat and Nasirabad divisions during the period.

monday, 10 September, 2012

gen Kayani may head to us in coming months modalities for army chief’s visit being worked out between new delhi and washington g trip could further decrease Pak-uS tensions

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ISLAMABAD shAiq hussAin

Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani may visit the United States in a month or two to discuss counter-terrorism cooperation along with other bilateral issues with the top American military leadership and strengthen the defense ties, as Islamabad and Washington are currently engaged in talks to work out a schedule for this vital trip.

The visit of the army chief, if worked out by the two sides, would not be in the context of much awaited ‘bilateral strategic dialogue’, which was suspended last year after the arrest of CIA operative Raymond Davis in Lahore in January for killing two Pakistani citizens.

It would be a separate official trip on his part.

Pakistan and the US are currently working on the revival of the strategic dialogue and an important decision in this regard is likely to be made during the upcoming visit of Foreign Minister hina Rabbani Khar to Washington beginning September 20.

The announcement

about the revival of strategic dialogue and the dates for the purpose, according to diplomatic sources, will not be made public during the visit of Foreign Minister Khar, as key officials in Obama administration are completely focused on President Obama’s re-election bid in November and the strategic dialogue too is likely to be held early next year.

“Army chief’s visit to Washington, if a decision was made about it, would be a part of exchange of trips of high level military officials between Islamabad and Washington,” said a diplomatic source seeking anonymity. he, however, said it was not possible to give any dates of this important visit as that thing was currently being looked into by the two sides. “You can say that the visit could take place in a month or two,” he said. he said the possibility of Kayani’s trip to Washington indicated the improvement in the ties of Pakistan and the US, as earlier, it was announced by Islamabad that there was no likelihood of a visit to the US by the Pak-

istani army chief and back in August this year, only ISI Director Lt General Zaheerul Islam visited the American capital.

In a landmark development, General Kayani is also expected to make a visit to Moscow later this month and it would be the first trip by any Pakistan army chief to Russia.

The source said General Kayani’s trip to Moscow was meant to enhance cooperation with Russia in the field of defense and it was not right to say that it was a sign of Pakistan’s tilt towards that country owing to estrangement with the United States.

A Washington-based Pakistani diplomat also confirmed the talks between Islamabad and Washington for working out the visit of General Kayani to the US. he said that the army chief would discuss the counter-terrorism cooperation and other issues of mutual interest with the American military officials and his visit, if it took place, would help decrease further the tension in ties between Islamabad and Washington.

car bomb ripped through Syria’s largest city of Aleppo on Sunday, killing at least 17 people and wounding 40 in one of the main battlegrounds of the country’s civil war, state-run media said.

The state-run TV aired footage of fire trucks trying to extinguish the blaze and rescue workers digging through mounds of rubble. Aleppo’s governor, Mohammed Wahid Akkad, was quoted by Syria’s official news agency, SANA, as saying 17 dead were civilians.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. SANA blamed terrorists, the term the regime uses for rebels. Opposition activists could not immediately be reached comment. earlier, Syrian troops bombarded a string of districts in and launched attacks across the country on Sunday as 28 people besides the 17 in the car bombing were killed nationwide in clashes and shelling, a watchdog said.

Shelling in Aleppo de-

LAHORE stAFF rePort

Pakistan Muslim LeagueN (PML-N) spokeman Senator Pervaiz Rashid has termed the talk of Quaid MQM Altaf hussain against Nawaz Sharif and PML-N as unfitting for a party head. he said that in a meeting between party delegates of MQM and PML-N held two days ago, an invitation on behalf of Altaf hussain was given for PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif to visit 9-0. however the invitation was called off after PML-N refused to accept the Sindh Local Gov-

ermant Ordinace 2012.

The senator said that PML-N leadership was ready to sit with all political parties for the sake of the country and to manage its problems. he said the stance of PML-N on recent Sindh Local Government Ordinance was based on principles and there is no need to be angry over it as PML-N has, like other political parties an equal right to form opinions.

Senator Pervaiz Rashid said that in the presence of assemblies, legislating through ordinances or imposing decision from above is against the spirit of democracy.

aNP holds rally to solidify position in upper dir UPPER DIR lAtiF khAn

ExPANDING its election campaign to Upper Dir, the Awami National Party (ANP) held a large public rally addressed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Amir haider Khan hoti on Saturday.

The rally is considered an important feat by ANP in Upper Dir, which is dominated by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and its archrival in the district, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).

The rally was organized

by ANP’s local chapter, headed by its president Naveed Anjum Khan.

Apart from hoti, and

ANP Senator Afrasiab Khattak, senior provincial minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour, Information Minister Iftikhar hussain also addressed the rally.

Despite threats to their lives, the ANP high command finally embarked on a campaign to contact the masses, starting with a public gathering at Batakhela Malakandion on September 6. As part of the drive, the ANP leadership reached Upper Dir where it was accorded a warm welcome by party workers and stalwarts wearing red caps and holding party flags.

On the occasion, the

elders and representatives from more than 300 families announced resignations from various parties such as the JI, Pakistan Muslim League, Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf and the PPP. ANP Upper Dir President Naveed Anjam Khan assured Chief Minister and Afrasiab Khattak of gifting them parliamentary seats in next general elections.

Dir region become part of Pakistan in 1969 when the then martial law administrator General Yahya Khan had announced a merger of former princely states. It remained a stronghold of Jamaat-e-Islami until

the PPP started making its way in. however, currently, the ANP has emerged as a strong force in both Upper and Lower Dir districts. haji hidayatullah from Lower Dir occupies a ministerial berth in provincial cabinet, while Zahid Khan and Zahida Bibi are senators from Upper Dir. ANP stalwarts like Zahir Shah Khan, hussain Shah, Naveed Anjum Khan and Ayub Khan are also enjoying key offices in party both at provincial and central level.

Addressing the rally, Chief Minister hoti and other party leaders highlighted the achievements of ANP

government during the last four and a half years. They said the party had encouraged political reconciliation and understanding by taking the leaders from other political parties in confidence.

Referring to the issue of terrorism and militancy, the ANP leaders said it was harmful to the core interests of the country.

“Violence and terrorism is contrary to Islamic norms and obligations and on such grounds, we resisted against it,” they said. They added that as a result of their policy, there exists “peace and tranquility” in almost all parts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

ISLAMABAD Agencies

The single-member commission of Shoaib Suddle tasked with probing into Dr Arsalan Iftikhar case would begin ts work today (Monday), as real estate tycoon Malik Riaz is to file a review plea with the Supreme Court over its decision of formation of the commission.

Former Sindh police IG Shoaib Suddle has acquired all record of the case from the Supreme Court and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and evidences will be called to proceed with the case. The media will be allowed to cover the proceedings of the commission. According to sources, Zahid Bukhari, lawyer for Malik Riaz, has prepared draft of the review plea to be submitted to the Supreme Court today (Monday). The review petition takes the plea that the constitution of the commission was unconstitutional and had violated the basic rights of Malik Riaz.

According to Bukhari, the impartiality of the onemember commission was doubtful as Suddle had family relations with the chief justice. he said according to their information, Suddle was among the people welcoming guests at the wedding of Dr Arsalan Iftikhar.

Malik Riaz has arrived from London to file the review plea. Talking to a private TV channel, Riaz confirmed that he would file the review plea today (Monday). he said he had postponed his operation for a tumor in order to be in Pakistan to face cases against him.

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News 05 Holding of local govt election constitutional requirement, says amin faheem ISLAMABAD inP

Minister for Trade and Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim, on Sunday said that the opposition should wait as general elections would be held according to schedule. Talking to INP, Fahim said that the government held the constitution of Pakistan supreme and also considered holding local government elections as a constitutional requirement. he said that the opposition is only limited to criticizing, even the good achievements of the incumbent government, adding that when the government of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was formed, the country faced several challenges. he said that the PPP-led coalition government had minimized these challenges and was working to bring the country on the road to development.

Commenting on the recent increase in POL prices, Fahim said that the recent POL prices were increased in the wake of a surge in prices of petroleum products in the international market.

baNNu jaIl eScaPee adNaN raShId hIdINg IN NWa PESHAWAR

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shAMiM shAhiD

ALIBAN-ALLIeD former employee of Pakistan Air Force Adnan Rashid, who was sentenced to death over involvement in the attack on former president General (r) Pervez Musharaf, is sheltering in North Waziristan, tribal sources told Pakistan Today.

After his escape from Bannu Jail in April, Rashid is reportedly joined by his family members, and is living in essori village near Mirali town of North Waziristan. however, he keeps changing his location frequently. Among the 384

Taliban prisoners who freed from Bannu prison following an attack by the Taliban, Rashid was of utmost value for the Taliban. Of the escaped prisoners, officials claim that 100 had returned voluntarily or were rearrested. Of the remaining, 160 militants were still at large. Tribal sources told Pakistan Today that on the eve of eidul Fitr, militant commander Toofani visited several hamlets and villages in Mirali. They said the purpose of such a visit was to continue influencing local tribesmen and to encourage supporters and sympathizers. Toofani lost his both legs in a US drone attack, and is now on artificial limbs. however, he is still very active and popular in the area.

he always boards different vehicles while visiting the fighters and supporters.

On the eve of the eid, Toofani visited hurmaz village near Mirali town, where relatives of killed Taliban commander hussain were residing. hussain was the chief trainer of bombers and a preacher of suicide bombing. Similarly, Toofani visited other villages, and introduced Adnan Rashid to local tribesmen, particularly to supporters and sympathizers.

Local Taliban supporters awarded a warm welcome to Adnan Rashid. While introducing Rashid, Toofani said the former PAF employee would get an important slot among the Taliban, and also important assignments.

Govt promoting business-friendly initiatives: Kaira OSLO Agencies

PPP’s lG polls plan to sabotag democracy: Saad rafiq ISLAMABAD Agencies

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) central leader and MNA Khawaja Saad Rafiq on Sunday said that the incumbent government is using delaying tactics to gain more time for extending their corrupt tenure by announcing the local government elections. While talking to agencies, Saad Rafiq said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led coalition government wanted to delay the next general elections by announcing the local government elections, adding that this was a conspiracy against democracy. he said the PML-N would never allow the incumbent government to sabotage the democratic process and would force the government for holding the general elections earlier. he warned the government to shun the delaying tactics and urged them to announce the next general elections, adding that if the government failed to do so then the masses would force the government to wind up their corrupt setup.

islAMABAD: Activists of a shia group protest outside national Press club against the demolition of the shrine of imam Jaffar saddiq by saudi authorities on sunday . ONLiNe

Khursheed Shah asks PMl-N to prove allegations against PPP leadership SUKKUR Agencies

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah said at the inaugural ceremony of the Nusrat Bhutto International University in Sukkur on Sunday, that the opposition should take the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership to the courts if they have any proof of corruption against them.

While addressing the media, Shah asked the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif to take legal action against the PPP leaders if he considered that they had been involved in corrupt practices. he said they could call

upon the superior courts.

Shah also said the PML-N had no future in Sindh and even Punjab and asked Nawaz as to how much he believed in the idea of a confederation because the politicians doing politics of confederation had been joining the PML-N. he said an uncertain situation had been created in Sindh regarding the local government without going through the ordinance. he also said they were ready to respond to all the questions about the ordinance, while adding that the present government gave Larkana and Sukkur the status of a metropolitan.

Shah said the government had not discussed the interim setup of the

government with the opposition yet. however, the opposition had been taken on board while making amendments in the constitution and presenting 111 bills and acts, he added. Referring to the reaction of the nationalists over the ordinance, Shah said: “It is their right; we give them the right to shut doors, shops and routes.” he remarked that if a 1,000 people came out of their homes and blocked the roads, or a few hand grenade explosions were carried out, people won’t come out of their houses out of the fear of death. The minister asked the nationalists that if they had the confidence they should take part in the elections and defeat the PPP.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said at the inaugural ceremony of the NorwayPakistan Chamber of Commerce in Oslo that the government of Pakistan has taken many business friendly initiatives in the country as a result of which Pakistan offers the best investment opportunities for the foreign as well as the local investors. he said the law and order situation in the country was improving day by day and the security forces of Pakistan, with the support of the masses, had defeated the terrorists and extremists on many fronts. he said the economy of Pakistan was growing at a fast pace and the country needed trade rather than aid to further stabilize the economy. “The stability of our economy will help us to overcome many challenges facing our country, particularly the war against terrorism”, Kaira added. While referring to the current energy crisis in Pakistan, Kaira said that it was severely affecting the lives of the masses and the government of Pakistan had taken many initiatives to overcome this problem.

Referring to the extensive Norwegian potential and expertise in the energy sector, he particularly requested the Norwegian investors and government to invest in this sector and assist the Pakistani government in solving the problems being faced by the masses. he further said that the establishment of Norway- Pakistan Chamber of Commerce was a step in the right direction and it would provide a platform for investment and for strengthening trade ties between the two countries.

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monday, 10 September, 2012

hYDerABAD: railway colony is submerged in rainwater as heavy showers continue to inundate low-lying areas and major roads in the city. ONLiNe

widespread rains expected in Sindh KARACHI: Widespread rain and thundershower with heavy falls is expected in different parts of Sindh today (Monday), said a report issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department on Sindh.

It was reported that the well marked low pressure registered on Saturday has entered eastern Sindh and its adjoining areas with all chances to cause heavy rains.

This well marked low pressure is likely to start weakening on Tuesday, however, in the meantime strong monsoon currents would continue to penetrate in the province and may cause heavy rain in urban areas besides flash flooding in the vulnerable areas. The meteorological department has advised all concerned authorities to remain alert during next two days. Meanwhile on Saturday, 67.5mm rainfall was recorded at Chhore (Tharparkar), 58.00 mm in Thatta, 52.2 mm in hyderabad 47 mm in Larkana,24.5 mm in Nawabshah, 22.0 mm in Mirpurkhas, 4.0 mm in Sukkur and Mithi respectively, 3.7 mm in Karachi as well as at Jacobabad, 3.0 in Rohri and 2.0mm in Dadu. APP

minister offered to join Pml-f KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) has offered Federal Minister for Privatization and Sindh President of PML(Q) Ghaus Bakhsh Mehr to join the party. After the enforcement of Local Government Ordinance in Sindh, son of Ghaus Bakhsh Mehr, Shehr Yar Mehr, has resigned from the Sindh cabinet while Ghaus Bakhsh Mehr himself criticized the ordinance in the National Assembly. he had also announced to support the strike of Sindhi nationalists.

Sources said on Sunday that the Ministr for Privatisatin has already met Pir Pagara but no decision has yet been taken. inP

ANOTHER SIX FALL PREY

to targeted killing Two accused arrested, admit killing of 50 people during interrogation KARACHI

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nni

T least six people were shot dead here on Sunday in firing incidents in different parts of Karachi.

According to details, son unidentified gunmen opened fire in haideri Market area and wounded a man named Shafiq. he was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to wounds.

In another incident of firing, 22-yearold Niaz was shot dead in the jurisdiction of Risala Police Station while dead body of a youth was recovered from Purana Golimar Lasbela area. The deceased was identified as Seerat Alvi.

In Karimabad area, some unidentified gunmen riding on motorcycles shot dead a man identified as Sharif while target killing claimed a life in Qasba More.

Meanwhile, Quaidabad police have claimed the arrest of four dacoits, including Amir, Aurangzeb, Nazakat and Nadeem. Two other dacoits were arrested after an encounter in Aziz Bhatti area while Rangers handed over an accused of Lyari gang war, Waseem, to police.

Meanwhile, police arrested two target killers allegedly involved in target killing

Altaf grieved over deaths due to rains KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Quaid Altaf hussain has expressed his deep sorrow over deaths of several persons in rain-related incidents in different areas of Sindh. In a statement issued on Sunday, Altaf hussain expressed deep grief over death of several innocent persons due to flooding in streams and other rain-related incidents such as electrocution due to falling of high tension power pylon. The MQM chief condoled with the bereaved families and prayed for the departed souls to rest in eternal peaces. he also demanded the government to take immediate measures for the draining out of knee-deep accumulated rain water from the residential areas and ensure that no electrocution death occur in future. inP of 50 people after exchange of fire and recovered arms and hand grenades from their possession.

According to SSP district west Aamir Farooqi, the police during routine patrol traded fire with five culprits at hawksbay Road in Maripur area of city.

The police after fire exchange arrested two target killers while there three

accomplices managed to flee. Police recovered arms including a Kalashnikov, a repeater, three hand grenades and hundreds of bullets from the possession of the detainees. In the preliminary interrogation the detained culprits identified as Waseem Pathan and Afzal belonging to Rashid Bengali Group of Lyari have admitted target killing of 50 people.

SSuet Vc for research culture in country KARACHI APP

Sir Syed University of engineering and Technology (SSUeT) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Syed Jawaid hassan Rizvi has emphasized the need of creating academic and research culture in the country. he said this during the inaugural ceremony of a seminar library for the faculty of the university’s basic and applied sciences on Sunday.

The library, equipped with the latest computer system also holds a number of high quality reference books, besides series of publications and informative material in all areas of basic and applied sciences. Dr. Rizvi expressed his confidence that the library would be extensively and appropriately utilized by the faculty member for research work. he on the occasion appreciated that SSUeT’s department of basic and applied sciences offers published material that is freely available to all interested students who, by investing some time, can increase their knowledge about the relevant subject concepts and ideas.

SSUeT Vice-Chancellor said the library will serve as top most knowledge resource for students and motivate them to involve themselves into basic and applied science research that is important for the advancement of human knowledge with different end goals in sight.

Basic research is concluded solely for the purpose of gathering information and building on existing knowledge, as opposed to applied research, which is geared to address and answer real-world problems, he said.

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Karachi 07 child rights guaranteed under crc demanded KARACHI APP

hYDerABAD: A drummer beats drum while clouds hover over the sky on sunday. ONLiNe

drug can correct genetic anomalies in thalassemia patients KARACHI APP

Five of the 17 genetic anomalies causing thalassemia (a serious blood disorder) among children can be significantly corrected through adequate medication, said researchers at a press conference addressed by them at Karachi Press Club on Sunday.

Dr Tahir Shamsi, a senior hematologist and Dr. Saqib Ansari, a paediatric oncologist said that the 10 year long research conducted by them at National Institute of Blood Diseases has well established that administration of “hydroxyurea,” can either abolish or markedly reduce the thalassemic children’s dependence on regular blood transfusions. They claimed that 41 percent of the 152 thalassemic children registered with NIBD, after being put on the above mentioned drug were found to be no more anemic and therefore needed no more blood transfusions while dependence of another 39 percent on transfusions, were slashed to half. The researcher acknowledged that no improvement could be found in the condition of 20 percent of the thalassemic patients despite being put on the same medication, in similar dosage, as given to their other counterparts.

Dr. Saqib Ansari mentioned that their research work on the extent of efficacy of the medicine was initiated in 2003 and its results were subsequently published in the Journal of Pediatric hematology and Oncology, a reputable medical publication of USA, in 2007 and 2011.

26% road accident victims are children KARACHI

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APP

he fact that 26 percent victims of road accidents in Karachi comprise children makes it important and urgent to create road sense among the local kids, said Administrator of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Mohammad hussain Syed on Sunday. Speaking at the launching ceremony of “highway code for children,” compiled by Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, he said children are more vulnerable to road accidents as compared to adult population in the city.

“It is therefore extremely important to inculcate traffic sense among the kids and help them learn traffic code that is equally relevant for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists,” he said. Mohammad hussain Syed appreciated the fact that KMC in the first phase of a campaign has initiated highways code awareness among students registered with its 552 schools.

This, he said was extremely impor-

tant due to constant increase in the number of traffic accidents consequent to high speed and wrong sides adopted by drivers. The KMC administrator also drew attention towards steady increase in the number of untrained drivers in karachi coupled with impatience in general among road users. he said there were 1.4 million registered private vehicles plying in Karachi besides 250,000 motorcycles, 4.2 million chengis (multiseated motor- bike driven rickshaws).

This he said were apart from thousands of wagons, coaches and buses. he warned that if the citizens in general continue with the their careless attitude and violation of traffic rules persisted then the situation, in terms of loss of human lives and public property, may aggravate to serious proportions and cause severe repercussions. The administrator of Karachi said the KMC has started with education of students as a strategy to prepare well informed and rules’ compliant citizens.

The “highway code,” published in both urdu and english has been penned

by Sattar Javaid under the supervision

of Mohammad Ather, the senior director of transport and communication, KMC. The book will be distributed among all students of KMC schools scattered across the city.

The KMC administrator on the occasion told the journalists that following the completion of Zulfiqarabad Oil Terminal Parking no oil tanker would be allowed to enter into the Karachi city limits that would not only improve the traffic flow but will further help shifting the heavy traffic out of city. he also referred to inter-city bus terminal projects on Super highway and National highway that would help restricting entry of passenger buses within city limits.

The scheme, he said is similar to intercity bus terminus built at Yousf Goth for the buses running on Karachi-Quetta and Quetta-Karachi route that had significantly reduced traffic pressure on major thoroughfares in Karachi. Mohammad hussain Syed on the occasion also directed the officials of KMC’s Traffic and Communication to distribute awareness literature, related to traffic rules, among the citizens in general.

Doctors and human rights activists have urged the authorities to ensure availability of rights guaranteed to children under Child Rights Convention, signed by the country several years ago.

They also demanded of the society in general to realize the rights of special children in the country and to also ensure that these are no more violated. expressing their views at an eid Mela for Special Children, organized by Dow University of health Sciences (DUhS) in collaboration with Department of Paediatrics-Civil hospital Karachi, Konpal Child Abuse Prevention Society and Al Umeed Rehabilitation Association (AURA) othey said capacities of special children needed to be understood.

This also needed to be appreciated and encouraged so as to help the special children become valuable contributing members of the society, said Prof.

Ayesha Mehnaz, head of pediatrics department, ChK. She highlighted the importance of recreation as the right of every child. “Being a signatory to Child Rights Convention (CRC) we should make every effort to give children of this country their due rights and bring happiness to their lives,” she said.

Prof. Ayesha Mehnaz said the event (eid mela) is equally focused to raise public awareness about rights of special children that are being violated in our society.

Prof. M. Umar Farooq, Pro-Vice Chancellor, DUhS said no society could progress without acknowledging relevance of its special population besides polishing and encouraging their capacities. he announced that Dow University would soon establish a School of Development Paediatric.

“This school will provide a platform to unite and chalk out the social care, treatment strategies of special children,” he said. he appreciated the efforts undertaken by Konpal child abuse prevention society and said that different organizations including those of pediatricians were witnessed providing rehabilitative services to the special children and this was highly appreciable. ProVice Chancellor of DUhS also hailed schools taking revolutionary steps for actualization of the rights and welfare of the special children. Over 300 special children, teachers, faculty members of DUhS, General physicians, psychologists and students of DMC participated in this event. The colorful event started with fun filled activities organized at the garden out side Arag auditorium.

Govt dispels false impressions KARACHI APP

A spokesman of Sindh Chief Minister on Sunday strongly dispelled the impression created by a section of press that the provincial government under the Sindh Peoples Local Government Ordinance 2012 may have withdrawn from its authority to approve annual budgets of local bodies. Through a handout issued on Sunday the spokesman clarified that the Sindh government is fully authorized, as under the local bodies rules 1979 and 2001, to approve and/or review the annual budgets of local governments under the Sindh Peoples Local Government Ordinance 2012. he said during the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, all members of Sindh cabinet unanimously supported the ordinance 2012.

kArAchi: An elderly man repairs cng kit at his stall in ranchor line area on sunday. ONLiNe

monday, 10 September, 2012

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monday, 10 September, 2012

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NEWS DESK

bout two months back, 28-year old Asif Ahmed* put up an announcement on the internet to sell one of his kidneys. “I lost a lot of money in business some four years back and pumped in more money by taking a loan, but I’ve lost all. I know there is a law that prohibits selling of any organ, but I can’t think of any other way to pay back this loan,” he told IPS over the phone. however, not one person has contacted him even to inquire or show any interest. But then Ahmed is based in the southern port city of Karachi, in Sindh province, where the illegal organ trade is well under control, unlike reports of a rise in Punjab province, Zofeen Ibrahim of the IPS reported.

Pakistan enacted a transplant law in 2010 to shake off its reputation as a leading destination for transplant tourism and bring a stop to illegal organ trafficking. After the passage of the transplant law, organ trafficking stalled to some extent, due to the “attention it garnered,” said Dr Farhat Moazam.

But, she added, there is new evidence that “since last year, cases are beginning to surface again.”

Moazam is chair of the Centre of Biomedical ethics and Culture at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), institutions that relentlessly campaigned for the organ law for over two decades before the law was promulgated in 2010.

She said while there is “suspicion” that both foreigners and Pakistanis are buying kidneys, the former draw more attention in the media.

“We also get information from our international colleagues (often from the Middle east) about their citizens who have landed in their hospitals with problems following a kidney transplant especially in Lahore and Rawalpindi”.

After the SIUT, the Transplant Society of Pakistan (TSP) and members of civil society filed a case against the government for its failure to implement the Transplantation of human Organ and Tissue Act 2010 (ThOTA), in turn failing to stem the flourishing trade, the Supreme Court issued directives in July to the provincial governments to take action.

“The law remained static and I would call it the failure on the part of the law enforcement agencies and the transplant authority,” Adib ul hasna Rizvi, head of the TSP, said. “Reports of illegal trade were brought to the notice of the ministry of health and the national human Organs Transplantation Authority (hOTA), but no action was taken on any of the complaints sent to them.” Data compiled by the National human Organs Transplantation Authority in 2010 found that 14 out of a total of 42 illegal kidney transplant facilities were in Punjab.

“Our advantage is that we have the support of the press, the judiciary, and the medical community; what is missing is the will of the government to enforce it and to do so transparently and with an even hand,” Moazam said. According to the World health Organisation, an estimated 10,000 illegally purchased organ transplants take place each year. It says illicit organ trafficking rings have been uncovered in China, India and Pakistan.

Kidneys make up 75 percent of the global illicit trade in organs, according to WhO estimates. Of the 106,879 solid organs known to have been transplanted in 95 member states in 2010 (legally and illegally), about 73,179 (68.5 percent) were kidneys.

“It is of great concern to see that laws are not enforced,” said Dr. Luc Noel, with the WhO in an email. Citing the data from the Global Observatory, Noel concluded: “TT (transplant tourism) had probably decreased around 2006-2007 and may be increasing again, but we are still estimating that roughly 10 percent of organ transplants are OT (organ trafficking).

“In Pakistan, this could translate into a strong hOTA associated with the police and efforts to develop donation from deceased persons, for instance along what has been initiated by SIUT,” said Noel.

In July this year, Abdullah halame Nur and his wife Naado, ethnically Somali, arrived in the eastern city of Lahore, in Punjab, from the Netherlands to buy a kidney for Nur. Just as the buyer was being prepped for the operation, the police busted the illegal transplant network and arrested all present, including the foreign nationals. The well-connected

HIDDEN AGENDA

date: auG 11 - 31, 2012

surgeons and the anaesthetists, identified by the sellers as the ringleaders of the trade, are on ‘interim’ bail for the last few months in violation of ThOTA and the Pakistan Penal Code.

“We have yet to see a physician convicted and punished for transgressing the law,” said Moazam.

Noel points out that the organ trade cannot be completely eradicated as long as there is “an unmet need of wealthy patients in search of transplantation, access to vulnerable individuals willing to sell an organ, and weak or absent enforcement of the law leading to the development of organ trafficking and possibilities for corruption driven by huge illegal profit.” With the change in dietary pattern like the spread of fast food, renal failure of “epidemic proportions” is being predicted in developing countries, said Moazam. But with a weak, or worse still, nonfunctional health system, and lack of screening, early diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases, kidney trade will only increase, she predicted. however, there is a dearth of voluntary donors, and many people are not willing to bequeath their bodies when they die. In a yet-to-be published study conducted in Karachi by Moazam and her team in 2010, detailed interviews with 100 people – 61 percent of whom were educated up to class 10 or above – about their opinions on live and deceased donations showed that while there was an acceptance of live donations, many opposed taking organs from the deceased due to a mixture of cultural norms and interpretation of religious teachings revolving around respecting the dead body.

“Some believed that the nephrectomy would cause the deceased pain,” said Moazam. What she found striking was that almost one-third of those interviewed were unaware or unsure that it was possible to take organs from the deceased for transplantation. In addition, the study found that 70 percent of the interviewees said they would buy a kidney if they could afford to, rather than ask a relative. What was even more unfortunate: fewer than ten percent of those interviewed knew of the existence of a law that criminalises the organ trade. * Name changed to protect identity.

CALLIGRAPHY

date: July 31 - auG 31, 2012

Venue: Koel Gallery KaracHi

Venue: Serena Hotel

"Hidden agenda" an exhibition of Paintings by lahore based artist ayesha Siddiqui opens on 11th august 2012 at 5 pm at Koel Gallery ,Karachi. the exhibition will continue till august 31st,20.

Satrang gallery is celebrating this spiritual month by exhibiting a wonderful calligraphy show. do join us as we present the work of ten exceptional artists. opening on tuesday , July 31, at 8:00 pm.

GHALIB MADE EASY

date: tHurSday, 7:00 Pm, weeKly eVent

Venue: tHe Second floor (t2f) 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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Foreign News 09 Wave of attacks kills 52 in Iraq BAGHDAD

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AFP

series of more than 20 attacks across Iraq killed 52 people and wounded over 250 on Saturday and Sunday, security and medical officials said, with targets including security forces and markets.

The latest violence brings the number of people killed in attacks so far this month to 82, according to an AFP tally based on security and medical sources.

In the deadliest attack on Sunday, two car bombs exploded in a market near the shrine of Imam Ali al-Sharqi in south Iraq, a security official said.

Dr Ali al-Alaa, a Maysan province health department official, said the blasts killed 14 people and wounded 60.

Before midnight on Saturday gunmen opened fire on an Iraqi army checkpoint near Balad north of Baghdad and shortly later a roadside bomb exploded when additional soldiers arrived. eleven soldiers, including two officers, were killed and eight others wounded, an army colonel and a medical source at Balad hospital said. A police captain was also shot dead on Saturday night in the town of Garma, security and medical officials said. early Sunday morning a car bomb ex-

Jews, muslims stage circumcision march in Germany BERLIN AFP

Around 500 mainly Jewish but some Christian and Muslim protesters gathered in Berlin on Sunday to demand the right to circumcision after a disputed court ruling in Germany outlawing the rite.

Some protesters were draped in Israeli flags, others wore orthodox Jewish dress for the peaceful demonstration on Berlin’s Bebelplatz, infamous as the site of book-burning ceremonies carried out

by Adolf hitler’s Nazis.

One banner at the demonstration accused Germany of reverting to a “colonial power” while another read: “Foreskin? No thank you!”

Following the judgement from the court in Cologne saying circumcision was tantamount to grievous bodily harm, Jewish and Muslim groups joined forces for the protest in central Berlin as the foreign minister expressed his concern.

“I am very worried about this debate. It will not be understood in any way outside our country,” Guido Westerwelle told Focus news magazine.

“It is completely incomprehensible that Jewish families in Germany might not be able to have their young boys circumcised,” added the minister.

Diplomats admit the ruling has proved “disastrous” for Germany’s international image, particularly in light of its Nazi past, following uproar from religious and political leaders in Israel as well as Muslim countries.

The leader of Germany’s Jewish community, Dieter Graumann, told the same publication it was “unbearable” that Jews were being portrayed as “child torturers” for carrying out the practice.

And he backed his predecessor as head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Charlotte Knobloch, who said last week that Jewish life in Germany was being questioned for the first time since 1945. “I can well understand her feelings,” said Graumann. On Wednesday, the city of Berlin imposed new legal conditions on parents who have their boys circumcised.

Both parents must give written permission after being informed of the risks of the procedure, and provide proof of the “religious motivation and religious necessity of the circumcision” before the child is old enough to take the decision himself. Berlin’s top justice official, Thomas heilmann, said the new policy was intended to protect the rights of Jewish and Muslim parents and their children.

About four million Muslims and more than 200,000 Jews live in Germany.

ploded in a car park at the rear gate of the state-owned North Oil Company, about 15 kilometres (nine miles) from the northern city of Kirkuk, killing seven people and wounding 17 others, police and Dr Othman Abdul Rahman said. The victims were seeking to join a force that guards oil facilities, a police officer said.

The North Oil Company is responsible for oil exports from northern Iraq.

In Kirkuk itself, two bombings killed three people and wounded 70 others, police and Dr Mohammed Abdullah said.

The blasts left body parts strewn in the streets, destroyed cars, and damaged government buildings, an AFP correspondent said. The streets were deserted after the attacks. A car bomb seriously wounded six soldiers west of Kirkuk, according to army Captain Taha Khalaf, while another in hawija, also west of the city, wounded two people, security and medical sources said. Volatile, oil-rich Kirkuk province is part of a swathe of disputed territory in northern Iraq that the autonomous Kurdistan region wants to incorporate against Baghdad’s wishes.

Three car bombs exploded in Taji, north of Baghdad, killing one person and wounding at least seven others, an interior ministry official said and a medical source said. And five roadside bombs exploded in and around Baquba, killing a soldier and wounding 17

kirkuk: iraqis inspect the site of a blast in a car park at the rear gate of the state-owned north oil company on sunday. afp others, a police colonel and a doctor said.

In Nasiriyah, 305 kilometres (190 miles) south of Baghdad, a bomb exploded around 9:00 am (0600 GMT) on

Sunday near the French honorary consulate, causing material damage and wounding an unspecified number of people, a French diplomat said. Nasiriyah’s

uN envoy talks with iran about syria, plans visit TEHRAN AFP

The new UN-Arab League envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, has spoken by telephone with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and is contemplating a trip to Tehran, an Iranian official told the Mehr news agency on Sunday.

Brahimi, who is embarking on his first Middle east tour since taking over the position last week from Kofi Annan, spoke with Salehi late Saturday, one of

Iran’s deputy foreign ministers, Abbas Araqchi, was quoted as saying. “It is planned for him to come to Iran at a suitable time after going to Syria,” Araqchi said. he did not give any further indication as to a date for the visit.

A foreign ministry statement posted online said Salehi congratulated Brahimi on his appointment “and wished him success in his task.” The two discussed the situation in Syria and Salehi emphasised that his country wanted a “peaceful solution without for-

eign intervention,” the statement said.

Brahimi was quoted talking about the “positive role” Iran could play in the Syrian crisis and his quest for a peaceful solution. Brahimi took up his post on September 1, succeeding Annan, who stepped down in frustration at open dissent within the UN Security Council on how to tackle Syria. he is due to visit egypt on Sunday for talks with Arab League leaders ahead of a trip he hopes to make to Damascus, according to his spokesman.

MuMBAi: indian hindus carry huge idols of the elephant-headed hindu god lord ganesha through the streets on sunday. the idols have been prepared for the ganesh festival, "ganesh chaturthi", a popular 12-day religious festival which is annually celebrated across india, this year running september 19-30. afp

website put the toll from the bombing at one dead and one wounded.

Meanwhile, a car bomb exploded in front of a hotel in Nasiriyah, killing two people and wounding two others, according to the head of the Nasiriyah hospital Ahmed Abdul Saheb and a security source. Attacks in Tuz Khurmatu, 175 kilometres (110 miles) north of Baghdad killed four people, including a police captain and wounded 31, among them a police second lieutenant, its mayor Shalal Abdul and police Lieutenant Colonel Khaled al-Bayati said.

In the southern port city of Basra, a car bomb in a market killed three people and wounded at least 20 others, police and a medical official said. In Tal Afar 380 kilometres (240 miles) northwest of Baghdad, a car bomb exploded about 8:30 am (0530 GMT) killing two people and wounding seven, police First Lieutenant Abed Ghayib and Dr Waad Mohammed from Tal Afar hospital said.

And south of Samarra, a city north of Baghdad, another car bomb killed two police, including Colonel Thair Idris, and wounded two others, a police lieutenant colonel and a medical source said. Violence in Iraq is down significantly from its peak in 2006 and 2007, but attacks remain common, and killed 278 people in August according to an AFP tally based on security and medical officials.

Hong Kong votes in crucial legislative polls HONG KONG AFP

hong Kong voters went to the polls Sunday in legislative elections seen as a crucial test for the Beijing-backed government, as calls for full democracy grow and disenchantment with Chinese rule surges.

Nearly 3.5 million people are eligible to cast ballots in the poll, which comes after weeks of protests against a plan to introduce Chinese patriotism classes into schools forced the government into a last-minute climbdown.

Voting began at 7:30 am (2330 GMT Saturday) and will continue until 10:30 pm with results not expected until Monday. The new legislature could pave the way for universal suffrage in 2017 for the job of chief executive and by 2020 for the parliament.

Forty of the 70 seats — expanded from 60 in the outgoing assembly — will be directly elected, the first time that more than half of the seats in the Asian financial centre have been decided by popular vote.

The remainder are chosen by relatively small “functional constituencies” of electors grouped along economic and professional lines, including wealthy business leaders with strong financial ties to the mainland.

iran slams talk of more sanctions as ‘irresponsible’ TEHRAN AFP

Iran on Sunday hit out at talk of more eU sanctions being applied against it as “irresponsible,” singling out Britain for raising the prospect it claimed went against UN nuclear watchdog regulations.

Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast issued a statement relayed by state broadcaster IRIB calling Western sanctions “ineffective” and “obsolete.” he was reacting to comments made by eU foreign ministers, meeting in Cyprus on Saturday, who said a “growing consensus” was forming to impose new punitive measures on Iran to pressure it further to make concessions on its disputed nuclear programme.

British Foreign Secretary William hague said after the meeting that existing eU sanctions were having “a serious impact” but it was “necessary to increase the pressure on Iran, to intensify sanctions.”

Britain would urge eU governments to agree a new round of sanctions — targeting the energy sector and trade — at the next meeting of eU foreign ministers in mid-October, a diplomatic source at the meeting told AFP. hague’s German and French counterparts echoed that position, underlining eU frustration that talks this year between Iran and the so-called P5+1 group — Britain, France, Germany, the United States, Russia and China — had gone nowhere. Mehmanparast homed in on Britain’s position, saying: “The recent remarks by the British foreign secretary calling for increasing sanctions against Iran are irresponsible.” he said they “violate” International Atomic energy Agency regulations. he also claimed hague’s remarks sought to undermine Iran’s recent hosting of a summit on nonaligned states that supported the Islamic republic’s nuclear energy programme as long as it complied with IAeA oversight.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon, attending that summit, had urged Iran to abide by IAeA demands for broader inspections and six UN resolutions it has so far ignored demanding it suspend uranium enrichment. The P5+1 harbours suspicions that Iran’s nuclear activities include a push to develop an atomic weapon breakout capability. Tensions over the issue have greatly risen in recent months, since the Iran/P5+1 negotiations effectively stalled in June.

Israel — the Middle east’s sole if undeclared nuclear weapons power — has threatened to possibly launch imminent air strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The United States, which has repeated it could also take military action against Iran as a last resort, is arguing with Israel that diplomacy has not yet run its course. Iran insists its nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful and points to edicts from its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, describing nu-

clear weapons as a “great sin.” however, the IAeA in its latest report stressed Iran has repeatedly rebuffed its requests to be given access to a military base suspected to have carried out experiments using conventional explosive to test possible nuclear warhead designs. It also said Iran had installed more than 1,000 new uranium enrichment centrifuges in a bomb-proof nuclear bunker in Fordo, near the holy city of Qom, though had not yet switched them on. eU and US sanctions imposed in July have severely crimped Iran’s all-important oil exports.

According to OPeC, Iran’s oil production has plummeted to its lowest level in more than two decades, while the International energy Agency says its oil exports have more than halved this year. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad admitted on Tuesday that his country had “some problems in selling oil” because of the sanctions, but he said “we are trying to manage it.”

monday, 10 September, 2012

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10 Comment Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Whose side is history on? the status of ties between us, russia, china

Arif Nizami Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36298305-10 Fax: 042-36298302 Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 Fax: 021-35381208 Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287414-6 Fax: 051-2287417 Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Pakistan-india talks one small step at a time

T

he hawks on both sides of the border remained stuck to their guns: ours lamenting that the ‘core’ issues have been consigned to the backburner while theirs feeling that Pakistan should have done ‘more’ to bring the perpetrators of 26/11 to justice and shown greater commitment to rein in cross-border terrorism. But it is a good augury that the recommenced dialogue has at the least yielded an accord on the liberalized visa regime.

Where India is concerned even small steps look monumental – like resumption of cricketing ties after interruptions that have twice lasted for well over a decade (if all goes well, restoration of bilateral cricket this coming December would only have taken five years!). This very agreement too seemed to have been a done deal last May when the Indian commerce secretary visited Pakistan with a mandate to sign but was stalled at our end for unstated reasons.

While there are some significant sections of the society – media personnel, academics etc – who may feel left out, the opening seems to be for real, promising much freer movement of people across the borders that have since September 1965 been more closely shut than anywhere else in the world. Not just the mercantile, industrial and banking class is likely to feel the reprieve but divided families and those on the line of control too are likely to cross over more frequently. Also given the curiosity amongst people in both countries the possibility of pilgrims and group tourism taking off seems quite distinct as well.

Another good thing is that getting a visa would no longer take forever: now a 45-day cap has been put on the number of days the respective high commission can take on making a decision.

Given that this is the first real improvement in the visa regime since 1974, a broad and tangible one at that, it reflects the commitment of the political leadership in both countries to take the endeavor for peace in the region beyond just peaceniks who were routinely shouted down by the well-entrenched hawks. This opening up of the peopleto-people contact is meant to replace deep distrust with goodwill and bonhomie and galvanize trade relations to create influential pockets of vested interest that could make a pitch for sustainable peace in a neighborhood that has witnessed conflagration too often for comfort.

This incremental approach towards normalization of relations is a silver lining that looks likely to sustain. For the sake of the impoverished people of the sub-continent one just hopes that like so many times before it does not turn out to be a mirage.

Politact

By Arif Ansar

S

ince the Non Aligned Movement Summit in Tehran, analysts have been weighing its significance. One can understand why there is confusion; in times of transition it is hard to make sense of events as they occur. evaluating developments requires a sense of history that is usually lacking these days.

A number of unprecedented events unfolded this week. For example, US declared haqqani network a terrorist organization as Pakistan and India agreed to ease their visa regimes and China and India decided to resume joint military exercises. Additionally, President Putin will visit Pakistan in October and General Kayani’s is heading to Russia. There are also media reports suggesting Chinese are to take over Gwadar Port. To comprehend these developments one needs to look closely at what is emerging between the ties of global powers such as China, US, and Russia.

As the Cold War ended NAM glided in to obscurity, there was no one left to align against. however, now that Russia and China are increasingly challenging US, and vice versa, NAM will obviously become more relevant once more.

President Putin’s recent interview to Russia Today indicated that all is not well when it comes to US-Russia ties. “Today some want to use militants from Al Qaeda or some other organizations with equally radical views to accomplish their goals in Syria,” Putin stated in the interview. “This policy is very short-sighted and is fraught with dire consequences.” he added, “That was the case during the war in Afghanistan.” “At that time, our present partners supported a rebel movement there and basically gave rise to Al Qaeda, which later backfired on the United States itself.”

Moreover, Russia Defense Ministry

threatened counter measures last week if US does not relent in implementing a missile shield over europe. The Commander of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces stated that the country will develop a new intercontinental ballistic missile by 2018.

In the case of US-China ties, things do not look much upbeat either. During hillary Clinton’s visit to China last week, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao showcased his concerns in a press conference: “Generally speaking, our relationship has been moving forward, but recently I am more or less worried.” he went on to add, “I feel that our two countries should maintain political mutual respect and strategic mutual trust. The United States should respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” his comments sounded more like those that Pakistan makes after drone strikes.

China and US are increasingly at odds over the territorial disputes of the South China Sea. The country has warned US against meddling in the territorial disputes while US has called for freedom of navigation in South China Sea. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman hong Lei stated, “Countries outside this region should respect the choice of countries directly concerned with this issue and should earnestly honor their commitment of not taking sides in this dispute.”

China claims indisputable sovereignty over the islands of South China Sea while Philippines, Vietnam and other nations assert the same. Recently US accused China for escalating tensions as Beijing set up a remote garrison in the South China Sea. On the other hand, some analysts have played up the differences between Russia and China, calling it an unnatural alliance. Moreover, this perspective blames Russians for not reciprocating the Chinese in the Asia Pacific in the same manner they are supporting the Russians in the case of Iran and Syria. however, this notion was some what dispelled when the Chinese President hu Jintao and Vladimir Putin met on the sidelines of 20th informal economic leaders’ meeting of the Asia Pacific economic Cooperation (APeC) forum.

Both countries reached consensus on key political, economic, security goals and agreed to push the ChinaRussia strategic partnership forward.

These were previously decided upon at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in June. In 2011,

the volume of trade between the two countries was worth $83 billion, and Putin expected it to increase to $100 billion by 2015.

While the US relations with China and Russia are not going well, Russian and Pakistan are moving closer while Chinese-India ties are heading towards normalization.

As Pakistan and India agreed to easing of their visa procedures, China’s Defense Minster Gen Liang Guanglie’s was in India last week and consented to resume joint military exercises that had been suspended two years ago. The defense ministers of the two countries decided that closer military ties would facilitate trust and friendship between the two. Despite tensions, trade between India and China has climbed from $5 billion in 2002 to nearly $75 billion last year. On the other hand, bilateral trade between India and Pakistan was only $300 million in 2004 and has increased to $2.7 billion in 2011. At a joint press briefing held after signing of the visa agreement, Pakistan’s foreign minister stated, “We will not be held hostage to history.”

Irrespective of what is happening to US-Pakistan ties, the views of Pakistan and India on key international issues are moving closer to those of Russia and China. In addition to the focus on developing regional trade and energy corridors, the buzzwords emanating from China, Russia, Pakistan and India are respect for sovereignty and national integrity of states and resistance to external intervention in regional disputes.

In this context, the war on terror appears more and more like a transitory phase. As the global power tussles intensifies, the militias, extremists, and states are likely to be absorbed as proxies and partners in to one or the other fold once more. This phenomenon is increasingly at display in the case of Syria. hillary Clinton herself frankly pointed out to this stark reality. She commented on his trip to China that the two nations are attempting to do something that has not been done before in history “which is to write a new answer to the question of what happens when an established power and a rising power meet”.

This comment pretty much sums up the present hustle bustle in international relations. It’s yet to be seen if history will be made or repeated.

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

is that all you’ve got, Dr singh?

Just a cabinet reshuffle won’t do anything

third eye

By M J Akbar

T

here is a canyon-deep hollow at the heart of government, which echoes with the rhythm of banality. Two crises are corroding the nation’s stability.

Septic corruption is coiled around the neck of the government, having risen to unimaginable rather than merely unprecedented heights. Calculations of malpractice and malfeasance are little consolation to a citizen battered by relentless news of the government theft exposed by government agencies. In Assam, violence is turning endemic under Con-

monday, 10 September, 2012

gress watch; in Mumbai, racism skewers the rhetoric of Shiv Sena politicians who milk votes from animosity.

The UPA may not have run out of time, but it seems to have run out of ideas if a cabinet reshuffle represents the gamut of its imagination. An existentialist question must surely leave Prime Minister Manmohan Singh helpless: Shuffle whom to where? There is little talent left at his call. There is no hero armed with a magic wand, waiting in the wilderness, thirsting for a chance to rub shoulders with history.

There is no one who can identify a thread stretched between Delhi and Guwahati, both ruled by Congress, and stitch together a policy framework that will stanch the bleeding in the North-east. his Government’s response to corruption is a shrug rearranged into combative postures; if our face is tarred with corruption, the BJP is also smudged. That may indeed be true, but how does it reduce the culpability of ministers who handed out coal blocks to tricolour or saffron cronies?

The only frisson of excitement is spurred by the prospect of Rahul Gandhi entering the portals of power by becoming a cabinet minister or working president of

Congress. This begs a separate question.

When in the last eight years has Rahul Gandhi ever been out of power? he has been the working president of the Congress whenever he has chosen to work.

Whenever he has taken a decision, it has been implemented, either at government or party level. he pushed, where he could, for a younger generation of chief ministers; and got them in Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh. he sought to revolutionise Congress through the Youth Congress. No one stopped him. he wanted to lead his party’s campaign in Bihar from the front, selecting candidates from a personal template. he did so. he chose to stake everything in his kitty on the prospect of a few seats more in Uttar Pradesh. he went ahead. each time the consequences were disappointing, if not disastrous. he was never held accountable. Rajiv Gandhi was never as powerful when his mother, Mrs Indira Gandhi, was prime minister. Dr Manmohan Singh began his second term as PM by offering to step down the moment Rahul Gandhi wanted the job.

There has been some depreciation since then, and Dr Singh only expects Rahul

Gandhi to join the cabinet. every senior or junior Congress leader ritually anoints Rahul Gandhi heir and pride of Congress; it is the current version of an oath of loyalty. Rahul Gandhi can pick any portfolio he wants. he could become home minister this week and use his abilities to sort out Assam and Telangana, both of which will be at the top of his agenda if he becomes PM. Is there a single wish of Rahul Gandhi in these last eight years that has been thwarted? Not to my knowledge, which may of course be limited, but I would be glad to get an education.

It is an important moment in a young MP’s life when a prime minister invites him to join the government. But such an offer is quite meaningless to anyone who controls the cabinet, either directly or through a mother’s proxy.

If there is some fire in the works of a possible September reshuffle, then it comes from the states. Delhi, a rumour mill on an industrial scale, believes that Congress will change its chief ministers in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. If that be true, the reason will not be parental joy at the brilliance of award, but because all three are deemed

to have failed. That is hardly the most ringing endorsement of talent. Failure might be a harsh verdict on Prithviraj Chavan, but the departure of Ashok Gehlot and Kiran Reddy is long overdue.

So how does it help Dr Singh if they are shifted to Delhi? If they were competent they would not have failed. Gehlot and Reddy do not add value; they extract something from a diminished asset.

There is only one Congress leader, Mrs Sheila Dikshit, who would add stature to Dr Singh’s Cabinet, but then the government of Delhi would become too puny to withstand current storms. If Dr Singh does have some capability available, it is outside Congress. Sharad Pawar, for instance, would make a good home minister.

Thank God, said a wit, that I am not God. Perhaps Sharad Pawar, looking at the mess around him, tells himself something similar: Thank you, Prime Minister, that I am not Prime Minister.

The columnist is editor of The Sunday Guardian, published from Delhi, India on Sunday, published from London and Editorial Director, India Today and headlines Today.

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Comment 11

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

Fax: +92-42-36298302.

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

Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively.

on the afghan endgame In response to 9/11 attacks, US and allies captured Afghanistan in November 2001. Taliban government was officially ousted from power on 17 November, 2001. In December 2001, Bonn conference born puppet, The Karzai government in Afghanistan was installed. The most important element of this war commonly referred to as the “war on terror” was gaining international support for US for such a historical military alliance of 50 plus countries against the Taliban and Al Qaeda. even the Arab world, to an extent Iran, China, Russia, and other players of power also supported US either directly or indirectly against the forces of Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Pakistan’s role was designated as a major non-NATO ally.

Pakistan due to its geopolitical significance cannot remain in isolation.

Whatever happens in Afghanistan is a matter of concern for Pakistan because it shares its longest boundary (approximately 2,640 KM), the Durand line, with Afghanistan. If fighting continues in Afghanistan after US withdrawal (as happened after the Soviet Union’s withdrawal in the 1980’s), then Pakistan is going to face similar challenges and difficulties it did back then. But this time, Russia, India, Iran and China are also going to chase “strategic depth” in Afghanistan according to their own interests.

The present international matrix of power is presents dangers as well as opportunities. Despite having all its internal problems, Pakistan remains a key player in the endgame of Afghanistan. 2014 is not far away, Pakistan has to maintain the balance of power in the region besides playing an effective role in dealing with both the challenges and opportunities. An earlier attempt to prepare and manage an alternative multi-dimensional grand strategy is needed for a multi-level application. It may lead to secure Pakistan’s political, economical, and strategic objectives in the wake of Afghan endgame.

GULZAR ALI MEHBOOB Karachi

institutions only as good as the people running them In our land of the pure, the people desire to have an independent, impartial judiciary but this hope is unfortunately fading day by day. All institutions, either governmental or private, depend on the persons working for it. It was a foolish expectation that by restoring the present judges, the people will have an era of quick justice and unbiased judges. Sadly, the bribery allegations on the son of CJ by the real estate tycoon and judges accepting his appeal against NAB and constituting a joint

investigation team and appointing federal tax commission has raised many questions: why is the son of the CJ being treated differently when the sons of politicians were arrested and investigated by FIA and NAB officers?

Why do the judges have no trust in the government institutions?

The allegations against the CJ’s son regarding his misuse of the CJ’s residence for personal benefits, involvement with senior government employees and upgradation of an economy air travel ticket to a business

the Syrian crisis I was amazed and shocked to read Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed’s article ‘America’s passive stance on Syria,’ published in the Arab News on August 31. After observing America’s conduct towards Muslims in general and Palestinians in particular, and except for one-off move to provide help to Bosnian Muslims, any one in his right mind could hardly trust Americans to look after and safeguard Muslims’ interests? Does he not realize that the United States in just the tail-end of a coin of which Israel is the head?

The writer seems to be full of admiration for George Bush, even though what he did was illegal and brutal and has multiplied the suffering of Iraqis at least a thousand-fold. No doubt, Saddam hussain was a ruthless ruler who dealt with his opponents with an iron-fist but the real democracy has not been brought to Iraq and the dictator has been replaced by an ineffectual puppet, Nur al-Maliki. All along, Americans kept criticizing Nur al-Maliki but they have still retained him because he suits their purpose.

It is surprising that even after seeing what American invasion did to Iraq, someone should express disappointment over its non-interference in Syria on the same scale? however, the disruptive and destructive American government has not remained a complete bystander in the Syrian issue and is doing what it can through its A-team (not a typo) the Israelis as well as some Muslim states who are providing arms and ammunition as well as other assistance to saboteurs and terrorists who are poles apart from the original protesters who were peaceful.

The Syrian revolution started as peaceful protest, and there was a good chance that it would have succeeded but, unfortunately, it was hijacked by agents of Americans and Israelis and some antiShia Muslim states in the neighbourhood.

The writer tries to coax Americans to invade Syria, saying “This is the first time since the end of the Cold War that we see the US scared of Russian anger, despite the fact that the fall of the Syrian regime will be helpful for the US in the event of a possible war against Iran.” What is preventing America’s invasion of Syria is the opposition of Iraq and China, because of which they are unable to get a resolution of their choice at the UN Security Council. Also, writer’s assertion that the fall of the Syrian regime will be helpful for the US in the event of a possible war against Iran, lays bare his thinking, making clear that he is not really concerned about Syrians.

one on his father’s insistence have compelled people like myself to believe that the CJ was well aware of his son’s activities.

We believe that the generals are responsible for not allowing democracy to flourish as well as extremism and terrorism but I consider the judges of superior courts to be equally responsible as they provide legitimacy to military coups and allow them to amend the constitution. The judges are expected to display moral courage, honesty and impartiality.

It is a bit of a shame that Syria’s neighbours jumped in to settle their personal score, and thus turned a peaceful movement into a civil war. Without military intervention from Syria-haters, there was a very good chance that the Chinese, and more specifically the Russians, through their leverage with Bashar al-Assad, would have persuaded him to settle the issue in a peaceful manner. Alas, that opportunity is lost now, much to the misfortune of people of Syria and the rest of the Middle east. The only state that is likely to emerge as a winner is Israel.

SRH HASHMI Karachi

an action plan for the fbr The FBR is one of the biggest organizations of the government of Pakistan, spread across various locations across the country. Unfortunately it has only managed to collect tax from a very small part of of Pakistan’s total population of 190 million. Over the years, FBR has utilized a number of international donor-funded improvement projects, mostly on loan which was to be paid from the tax payers money, but even still it has not managed to add more than 3 million (1.5%) on the National Tax Number list. While, on the other hand, the relatively younger office of the election Commission of Pakistan has verified more than 90 million (47%) voters already. If the current tax base is increased from 1.5% to 50%, then Pakistan will not need the aid or loans of any other nation or organization in the future. The people of Pakistan will not need to pay high sales tax or import taxes or even high petrol/diesel cost, etc.

But before we take any drastic measures, I do have a solution for this conundrum. The current president of Pakistan or the head of FBR can impose an Act for each and every employee being paid from the FBR budget, that each tax officer would add records of 50 new tax payers to the NTN list by the end of 3 months. And whoever fails to provide the details of the required number of new tax payers in the required time would be removed from service the same day. each new record should have the company number of the person providing the data, and if the data provided is found to be fake, then the person who provided this information will be removed from service.

FBR has around 52,000 employees. If this program is run for one year, for 3 months each time, then by the end of the year the FBR will have 10.5 million (5.5%) new tax payers on record. It will be a

The institution of judiciary is the second most corrupt organ of the state and there is no concept of speedy justice for the ordinary citizens. how can the rule of law be established when the executive, establishment and judiciary have the rot of corruption spreading through them?

After 65 years of Pakistan’s existence, the country is still on a downhill road and only a few are responsible for this downfall.

S T HUSSAIN Lahore

new achievement for the FBR to have at least 5% of the population as its tax base. Also on the plus side, all those employees who fail to help in the increase of the tax base of Pakistan, will be removed from service and this will help reduce the extra costs at FBR, as only hard working and honest employees will be left in one of the most important institution for Pakistan’s successful future.

SHAHRYAR KHAN BASEER Peshawar

de-facto division of Sindh?

There is a consensus across the country, that if there is a need to create new provinces, it must be done only for administrative reasons and not on any ethnic or linguistic basis. The ordinance issued late in the night of 6th September effectively divides Sindh into two difference administrative units, where local governments of certain urban centers would be run in accordance with a particular system, while the rural districts and towns will be administered through a separate system.

The stage has been set for providing justification for division of Sindh. If ever there is a demand by those who resorted to wall chalking in Karachi, it will be justified on existing separate administrative systems in force. People of Sindh gave a mandate to the PPP and, unfortunately, this very mandate is being abused. It seems this PPP government will make any compromise for their power politics, irrespective of the consequences, or its impact on the country.

ANEELA CHANDIO Sukkur

Saeed ajmal and icc I guess Saeed Ajmal’s spin has baffled ICC too as his ‘dusra’ has blown the top of heads of many cricketers in the field. his exclusion from the ICC awards is as disturbing to us as a nation as it is painful to India-dominated ICC. It is not only unfair on the part of ICC but also reveals their true thinking which is biased. This ICC imposed fine and even jailed our three players. That was a move to break the back of our team. But thanks God that we made a comeback. They are keeping Pakistan from touring other nations but we have Dubai and Abu Dhabi close by to redeem that insult also. ICC, read my letter if you can. You cannot suppress Pakistan.

Try some other methods.

AMJAD H MIRZA Lahore

monday, 10 September, 2012

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Salman Khan is awesome: Preity Zinta

Preity Zinta

Salman Khan

For many, controversy’s favourite child Salman Khan might be a big time baddie, but for many others, he is a sweet heart and a best friend. Preity Zinta, who happens to be one of his co-stars, has always remained thick friends with the superstar. The dimpled beauty is busy now a debutant film producer has spoken her heart out about the ‘Dabangg’ Khan. Talking to reporters about the song ‘Kudiye Di Kurti’ from her film ‘Ishq in Paris’, that features Salman, Preity said, “This song was always part of the film. It is situational and an integral part of the film. The only actor I approached for this film was Salman and he agreed. I think it is not correct to take crutches for anything in life.” Preity said, “Our relation goes back ten years and he has always been supportive. he is has been a friend, who has always been there irrespective of what the media or people say, he has a big heart. he is honest straight forward guy. For me he is so awesome.” And she also added, “For me, my first film as a producer has been an uphill task because you have to work hard in whatever you do. But he being there has made a huge difference to me.” NeWs DesK

monday, 10 September, 2012

Investing in newcomers not a risk: Mahesh bhatt

Mahesh Bhatt “Filmmaking is all about ideas. It is the idea that sells. And if you have a unique story idea, it will get positive responses, irrespective of the star cast of the film,” Bhatt said in an email interview with IANS. “The way I perceive it, investing in newcomers is not a risk. They are the future of our industry and if we can sell a unique idea along with their talent, there is no question of the movie not performing well,” he added. After wielding the megaphone for iconic films like ‘Arth’, ‘Dil hai Ke Manta Nahin’ and ‘Murder’, Bhatt has moved away from direction to pave way for new and budding directors. “every filmmaker has his unique style of directing and as easy as it is for audiences to get accustomed to his style, it is equally easy for them to get weary of it. The industry is evolving and we need fresh and young talent who relate to today`s fast moving times,” he said. The 63-year-old, who now mostly oversees the production department of his banner Vishesh Films, feels youngsters bring fresh perspectives and ideas in the style of filmmaking. NeWs DesK

ask me about work, not affairs: ranbir Kapoor

Ranbir Kapoor Actor Ranbir Kapoor only wants to talk about his work, not his link-ups. The popular actor was left angry at an event recently when he was asked about link-ups with his co-actresses, and about his equation with Barfi! co-star Ileana D’Cruz. “See, my motive is to let my film talk. I don’t tell others to write about my affairs nor do I decide it. I work hard. In Barfi also I have worked hard,” Ranbir told reporters. “If your question is how did I feel working with Anurag Basu, then I will respect you. But if you ask me questions like ‘Why did I not have an affair with Ileana?’, then you will lose respect. So I’d like you to ask me questions about my work, not about my affairs,” added the 29-year-old. Promotions for Barfi!, releasing Sep 14, are keeping Ranbir busy these days.

The actor plays a deaf and mute boy in the movie, and says he is as nervous about the release as he is always for all his films. But he likes the pinch of nervousness.”If I become overconfident, then my acting prowess and talent will go away. So I pray for anxiety and nervousness even after 20 years. So yeah, I am nervous and there is anxiety,” Ranbir said. NeWs DesK

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13 basu who has had a trying year with her personal travails, returns triumphant with the super opening of raaz 3 how did you feel when the man you gave nine years of your life to, left you?

I felt abandoned. I was living in a lala land till then. Now sitting today I feel I was so foolish. during those nine years, I retracted from my work, pushed back opportunities, stood like a rock for the man I loved, did not meet people just to give that extra time to make my relationship work and then I realized that the thing I was working so hard for was gone overnight. It took me months to realize that it’s over and I am abandoned.

I went through a lot of pain. I used to howl, went into isolation, it hurt.

But then after some time the mind has to take over. how did you cope with being treated like a discarded woman?

I would be the biggest liar if I said there was no struggle and that there were no wounds. I never wanted to talk about my wounds at that time because people dig into them deeper when you talk. I am a single girl.

I need to be in the business and work peacefully. I can’t let the baggage of my private life get into work. Artists are more fragile than normal people. But I know that I am a role model for zillions of people so no matter how deep you are hurting, you need to come out strong.

What does love mean to you?

I am a very traditional type of a girl. I like simple things in life. I didn’t fall in love in day one. I was chased. I was wooed. I gave my 100 per cent to my relationship, whether it was my loyalty or respect. I know I made afabulous girlfriend and would make a fabulous homemaker. I have parents who still deeply love each other. so these are things I value too deeply in life. To me love is not something that can be manipulated. has this bitter experience taught you lessons in life?

Nothing can save something that is not meant to be, no matter how hard you try. I want to tell womenthat you need to love yourself and make yourself a priority. It’s only when you are happy yourself, can you make everyone else around you happy. I am still a dreamer and still believe in fairy tales, but there is only that much one should give another person. You need to keep something for yourself. I am to blame for what happened to me. I allowed a lot.

Anyone who pulls you down in your life, should not be in your life. you isolated so many people like Salman for this one relationship? do you regret it? I isolated myself. It’s silly, but I did it out of choice. I was foolish.

I guess that kind of love does not exist any more, at least not in our business.

But when you are right, everyone comes around. salman is today a friend.

What has changed for you today?

I walk without make-up and people tell me I glow. I see my pictures then and now. It’s as if a dark cloud has lifted above my head. Today I have love and respect for myself. Today, I know I am a fantastic woman.

I am so enriched because so much has happened in my life. The way I can express myself is because of the life I have lead. It’s only when you

Man with scissors caught outside Miley cyrus’ home

Miley Cyrus A man with an extended criminal record was arrested outside Miley Cyrus’s home in Los Angeles after he tried to force himself into the singer-actress’s home. Cyrus was reportedly not present at home, when the incident happened. It was her employees who called the police. According to Los Angeles police Lt. Brian Wendling, employees inside singer’s house in the Studio City area informed the police around 4 a.m. Saturday after the man came to the door and claimed to be a friend of the 19-year-old singer-actress. The man who had a pair of nail clipper-like scissors and wore a heart-shaped ornament made of rope over his chest then started to light candles, before repeatedly throwing himself against an outside wall as if he was trying to break into the house, CBS News reported. Police said when they reach there the man then jumped behind some bushes and tried to flee, but surrendered after he was threatened by a Taser gun. The man later identified himself as Jason Luis Rivera. The man who had a pair of nail clipper-like scissors and wore a heart-shaped ornament made of rope over his chest then started to light candles, before repeatedly throwing himself against an outside.NeWs DesK

experience life can you emote it. All this has made me a better actor.

We now see a new bipasha who is ready to mingle with men?

From childhood I love and got along with only men. If a man has a crush on me, I am not supposed to be at fault for that. during the nine years, I confined myself and never stepped out. I didn’t have a life. I worked, went to a gym and came back to my hotel room. Even if a man loved me, it was never communicated to me. I make friends easily irrespective of the sex. I love people. Today I feel happy, light and free. You have seen me so long in a confined and controlled manner that you may think I am trying to create an image.

Were there people who helped you get out of it?

Rocky s is my friend and brother. He held me with his hands and made me stand on my feet. It’s my friends who helped me. Friendship is the most selfless, beautiful relationship God has made. Bhatt sahab picked me for ‘Raaz 3’ when I was in self-doubt and made me feel that it was okay not to be strong.

Would you fall in love again?

Yes, I am not cynical about love. I am still a simple, uncomplicated trusting girl. I would again give my 100 per cent to a relationship if I were to have one. But I also believe that it’s okay to be single and as a single woman I can be happy. are you vindictive?

Not at all. I believe in respecting people’s relationships. I may not have respect for him, but have respect for anyone who is in a relationship.

What has changed for you professionally today?

I was born in delhi, went to Kolkata, wanted to become a doctor, became a model, traveled around the world, got bored of modeling, became a part of films, made love my priority, had a failed love life, realized the mistake I had made by pushing back the one support system of work that I had. Today I am ready to struggle again. courTeSy ToI

Katy Perry having a row with john Mayer

Katy Perry Katy Perry is having a turbulent time with her new bloke John Mayer. The couple had a bust-up after the MTV Video Music Awards on Thursday night in Los Angeles. There were already rumors that Katy and John were on the rocks — and they didn’t do much to stop them as they attended a bash at the Beverly hills hotel. A source said: “John and Katy had been to dinner at Italian restaurant Madeo before going to the party and something had clearly gone on. “When they turned up to the esquire event, Katy was walking well in front of John and it was clear they had just had a fight. “Inside, their tempers were both boiling and they eventually disappeared to have it out in a private room away from other party-goers.”At least that stopped the others at the party feeling like they were reliving their parents’ rows. single We Are Never ever Getting Back Together is rumoured to be written about him. If things don’t improve for Katy and John, she’ll be asking to record a cover of the track. “When they turned up to the esquire event, Katy was walking well in front of John and it was clear they had just had a fight. NeWs DesK

heroes’ world bollywood, says Kareena Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor Kareena Kapoor starrer ‘heroine’ is all set to hit the silver screen on September 21 and the actress is going out of her way promote her film. Bebo is very much into the character she is portraying in the film and gave some interesting bytes during an interview to a daily. So when the question of ‘heroine’ making Rs 200 crore at the box office was put before the 31year-old actress, she replied, “We don’t have Salman Khan to get us Rs. 200 cr. If we do decent business, it will be a big thing for me as an actress, as in India it is all about heroes.”

Kareena also said that people should stop perturbing her with questions of marriage with Saif and also asserted that it is important to give a fair chance in films to married actresses. hail to woman power. We agree with your Bebo!If we do decent business, it will be a big thing for me as an actress, as in India it is all about heroes.” Kareena also said that people should stop perturbing her with questions of marriage with Saif and also asserted that it is important to give a fair chance in films to married actresses. NeWs DesK

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Infotainment 14 5 weird medical tests you can try right now AVe you ever wondered why your doctor asks you to do odd things like touch your nose during an office visit, then scribbles notes in your chart? It’s because there are many physical tests that can tell whether your body is functioning as it should. While we tend to leave it to doctors and medical tests to figure out if something’s wrong, we can actually use many of these checks ourselves to determine whether all systems are go. here, five odd medical tests you can do at home.

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The diamond test or ‘schamroth’s sign’ What it tests for: Cardiovascular, lung, or other diseases How to do it: hold up (or down) both index fingers and turn them so the nails are facing each other. Press the nails together and you should be able to see a tiny, narrow, diamond-shaped space between your nails where the nails come flat together but the nail beds don’t touch each other.

What it means: If your nails are rounded over and can’t press flat together, it’s a sign of “clubbing,” a thickening of the fingertips that occurs when not enough oxygen is circulating in the bloodstream.

Clubbing can be a sign of cardiovascular disease, such as coronary artery disease or heart failure, or of lung disease, like COPD, lung infection, or lung cancer. In some cases, inflammatory bowel disease and cirrhosis of the liver also cause clubbing.

What to do if you fail: Look closely at your fingers for other signs of clubbing. Measure the thickness of your fingertips all the way around; if they’re clubbing, you’ll notice that they’re noticeably thicker above the top knuckle than below it. Clubbing is important to bring to your doctor’s attention to monitor your heart and lung health.

Finger measurement test

Romberg’s test What it tests for: Degenerative diseases (or intoxication) How to do it: Stand with your feet exactly together, arms by your sides. Now close your eyes and stay that way for a full minute. how do you feel: perfectly balanced, or as if you’re swaying or falling forward? It’s best to do this test with someone watching you to detect swaying. A variation of this test is to do it standing heel to toe on a straight line.

What it means: This test measures proprioception or positioning, considered the “sixth sense” that tells us where our bodies are in space. Proprioception requires accurate sensory input from our joints and muscles and healthy functioning of the dorsal columns of the spinal cord, which allow us to perceive the position of our limbs both in relation to other parts of our bodies and to the environment.

When you can’t balance with your eyes closed, it’s considered a sign of sensory ataxia, or loss of motor coordination, which can be a sign of diabetic neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, inner ear problems, lumbar spinal stenosis, or another degenerative disease.

Romberg’s test is also sometimes used as a test of intoxication or drug use.

What to do if you fail: It is possible to fail this test when nothing is wrong with you, but — because it can also indicate a serious condition — it’s worth discussing with your doctor. If you’re also experiencing other symptoms, such as numbness, tingling in your arms or legs, or balance problems, ask your doctor for a referral to a neurologist.

What it tests for: Osteoarthritis, and other things. . . .

How to do it: hold your hands flat and look closely at the lengths of your fingers in relation to each other. Is your index finger shorter than your ring finger?

What it means: A recent study at the University of Nottingham in england found that if a woman’s index finger is shorter than her ring finger, she’s more than twice as likely as others to develop osteoarthritis of the knee or hip. There’s no scientific explanation yet for the connection between finger size and arthritis risk.

Several other studies have found another use for finger measurement: It can be used to guess at penis size. According to studies done in South Korea, if a man’s ring finger is significantly longer than his index finger, he’s likely to be well endowed, while a short ring finger indicates average to below-average size. Previous studies have shown that a long index finger is an indication of lower testosterone exposure in the womb.

What to do if you fail: Women: In this case, there’s no immediate action to take. Just be on the alert for signs of osteoarthritis such as knee, hip, shoulder, or back pain. If you do develop pain and suspect osteoarthritis, you might mention the finger length research to your doctor. Guys: If you notice her looking at your ring finger, distract her by buying her a drink.

The nose test and the heel test

why do so many parents lack knowledge about infant development?

I think that parents get parenting information from a variety of sources, from reading magazines and books ... most importantly, parents look for information from their child’s doctors.

There’s a lot of information that’s out there about what to expect when people are pregnant, but I don’t know that there is quite as much information on what to expect about how your child grows and develops in the first years of life, and there’s a tremendous amount of change. This study was surprising in just how many parents don’t have knowledge of normal infant development.

do you have a sense as to whether this is a new trend?

I think that a lot of emphasis in the past has been placed maybe on what we would call ‘highrisk’ parents—those with a lower education, lower socioeconomic status. But one of the surprising things that this study showed is that it’s not only those parents we should be targeting, but it’s something we should expand to the general

The ‘Prayer Position’ test and the pinky tests What it tests for: Rheumatoid arthritis How to do it: hold your hands in the position for traditional prayer, with the fingers and palms flat and touching. See if your pinky finger stands straight, as it’s supposed to.

What it means: If you aren’t able to place your hands flat against each other, it suggests that either your wrists don’t bend flexibly or your fingers and knuckles aren’t straight. This is a possible indicator of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which makes joints swell and stiffen and fingers become gnarled or bent. The inability to extend the little finger is another indicator of RA, because the little finger tends to be the first thing to lose function.

What to do if you fail: If you suspect you’re developing rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease, schedule a visit with your doctor. Before you go, survey your family to determine if there’s a family history of RA, which often has a genetic b a s i s . neWs Desk

What it tests for: Neurodegenerative disease How to do it: hold your arm out, finger extended. Close your eyes and try to touch your nose with your finger. Then do it again with the other hand. You should be able

Five things new parents need to know Parents were asked to answer 11 questions, where those who got four or fewer correct were considered to have low-level knowledge. While it may not sound like a big deal, experts say that this lack of knowledge can negatively affect parents’ interactions with their babies. We asked study author Dr. heather Paradis, a fellow in pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, why so many parents don’t know what to expect after expecting and what they need to know about their babies’ development.

to do this smoothly and accurately.

Next, lie down and run the heel of one foot up and down the shin of the opposite extended leg.

What it means: These are two components of basic neurological testing, which evaluates coordination and fine motor movement indicative of the health of the cerebellum, the part of the brain that governs motor movement, coordination, balance, and muscle tone.

Failure to do the nose and heel tests accurately can be one sign of a neurodegenerative disease such as multiple sclerosis or a brain tumor or lesion.

What to do if you fail: Try these tests several times before you conclude something’s wrong, as many factors — such as having had a glass of wine — can affect it. If you regularly fail to get your finger anywhere near your nose, alert your doctor.

mal infant development also had a significantly higher reported frequency of doing those enrichment activities with their kids.

population of parents. everyone could benefit.

what are the potential negatives?

what was one of the most surprising things the study revealed in terms of parents’ confusion?

Parents who have unrealistic expectations could misinterpret a child’s normal behavior and could respond inappropriately. An example would be like a mom who expects an 18-month-old child to sit still during an appointment. eighteenmonth-olds are normally curious. I would expect them to be wandering around the room. If parents are expecting a child to sit still on a chair for an entire appointment, they may take normal curiosity and interpret it as intentional defiance, rather than the normal curiosity it is. That could lead to inappropriate harsh discipline or the withdrawal of affection. I think quite often parents maybe underestimate a child’s ability to pick up language skills. A lot of parents don’t think that it’s worthwhile to read a book to their infant, to their 2month-old, and they definitely should be doing that, even if it’s to look at pictures and let the child hear the normal qualities of voice. They might not understand the words the parent is saying but they definitely understand what’s going on and the interaction going on between the two of them.

The most surprising thing to me was not necessarily what knowledge they did or didn’t have, but how that knowledge translated into actual behavior, or observed interaction with the child.

That connection is something lacking in previous studies. This study showed that parents who have higher knowledge of normal infant development were shown to have higher (quality) observed interactions with their children. The other thing is that we looked at not only parent/child interaction but parents’ reports of frequency of what I would call enrichment activities, such as reading books with a child, singing songs. We know early enrichment activities with kids leads to higher IQs, earlier reading, better school preparation.

The parents with the higher knowledge of nor-

How should parents go about educating themselves?

Certainly, I think it’s an opportunity for pediatricians that, even during our brief office encounters with parents, we can potentially do something that can have a large impact on the way that parents and children interact. I do think that getting information from reputable sources, asking a child’s doctor for recommendations on books and Web sites to get high-quality information, is something parents could do. neWs Desk

Teenager floats £30 camera into space to capture curvature of earth

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teenager has floated a £30 camera he bought on eBay into space to capture amazing images of the earth. They look like they could be the latest images taken from a multi-million pound NASA satellite but these stunning snaps were actually taken from a £30 camera bought off eBay by a teenager.Adam Cudworth, 19, managed to capture these incredible views of the earth from space using little more than a balloon and his second-hand camera. And while NASA spends hundreds of millions of pounds each year on high tech satellites Adam, whose scientific background consists of only a Physics A-Level, achieved his incredible feat - on a £200 budget.The student spent 40 hours working on a home-made device consisting of a box containing a GPS, radio and microprocessor - which soared to an incredible height of 110,210 ft (33,592m) when he released it last Thursday. After taking two-and-a-half hours to float over 20 miles up into the earth’s stratosphere, his contraption captured out-of-this-world images giving breathtaking views of our planet from space. courtesY the telegrAPh

Son’s video of mother sleepwalking becomes viral hit

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mother prone to sleepwalking was filmed by her son talking about a “tomato cage” and dancing in a video that has become an online hit. The mother, dressed in her pajamas, is filmed by her son in the midst of a sleepwalking episode. When she is asked by her son what she is doing, she dances, then replies that she is wearing an imaginary “special coat”. She continues to say random sentences and pulls a strange dance move before heading out of the kitchen. The video has become an online hit with almost a million views since it was uploaded on September 6. The followup video showing the mother’s reaction when the son shows her the footage of her sleepwalking has had nearly two million views. neWs Desk

river turns red in china

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hINA’S Yangtze river, the third longest in the world, turned red on Thursday afternoon, state television reported. State broadcaster CCTV said that the environmental protection bureau in Chongqing had ruled out the possibilities of industrial and sewage pollution causing the river to turn red. “It’s not a problem,” one boatman said in Chongqing. “The water [color] is within the normal range. For us boatmen, [the color] just means the river is washing its water. “[But] the color this year is redder and darker,” he added. Investigations are still underway but authorities said silt deposits brought in by floods from upstream were a likely cause for the color. courtesY the telegrAPh

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Monday, 10 september, 2012

murray blows away berdych to reach open final Page 17

PAKISTAN EYE CLEAN SWEEP DUBAI

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Agencies

ORMeR champions Pakistan would be looking to give their World Twenty20 preparations another shot in the arm on Monday (tomorrow) by whitewashing Australia in their three-match Twenty20 International series.

Pakistan have already achieved an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series with a thrilling victory in Super over on Friday night and now look set to complete the rout against the Aussies, who have slumped to tenth in the T20 International rankings following their back-toback losses.

Captained by allrounder Mohammad hafeez, Pakistan are already regarded by many as one of the title favourites at the ICC World Twenty20 Championship which will be held in Sri Lanka from September 18. Their emphatic series triumph in Dubai has further consolidated Pakistan’s status as one of the main title contenders for the world T20 crown.

And now hafeez and Co are looking to complete the job by conquering the

broad ponders england's net gains MANCHESTER AFP

england captain Stuart Broad admits there is no point in demanding his players take part in extra practice sessions after their crushing Twenty20 defeat against South Africa.

Broad's side were beaten by seven wickets in Durham on Saturday and have litle time to recover before facing the South Africans again in the second game of the three-match T20 series in Manchester on Monday.

With the end of a long, gruelling international campaign in sight, Broad doesn't believes there is any extra value to be gained from putting his players through their paces in compulsory net sessions before the Old Trafford clash.

Instead, he believes it could be just as valuable to have time to recharge mentally and physically, especially since england will head off for the defence of their World Twenty20 crown less than 24 hours after Wednesday's final T20 showdown with the Proteas in Birmingham.

"It's a tricky time of year," Broad said.

"You don't want to be netting all the time, because we've had quite a long cricket season; you've got to actually manage your time well.

"Whether going to the nets and doing certain things is the best thing to do, we'll have a discussion about; or whether getting away and actually having a think about what we do (is better)."

Broad knows england's poor batting in their last two limited-overs matches, which both ended in defeat against South Africa, must improve.

Ravi Bopara's struggles have been most notable, but a succession of his team-mates got out to poor shots, or poor judgement.

Yet Board will leave it to individuals how best to turn things round.

"The boys have hit a lot of balls this summer," he said. "Maybe this was a mental switch-on, to someone batting through and taking responsibility.

"Whether hitting more balls is a good option, we'll have a look."

Aussies in the final game of the series.

Pakistan’s series triumph has helped them jump to number four in the Twenty20 International rankings which hafeez believes is a good sign for them ahead of the T20 World Cup.

hafeez said the series victory will give his team more confidence.

“It’s a great sign as captain. I am happy in the way players are responding to me as captain. everyone is confident and this is a great sign for the team

ahead of the World Twenty20,” said hafeez after Friday night’s win.

“As captain I feel very proud of my team and I hope from here on they will continue also in the mega event,” said hafeez of the World Twenty20 in which Pakistan are in Group D along with New Zealand and Bangladesh. hafeez said allrounder Shahid Afridi was doubtful for the third and final match after injuring his left hand during Pakistan’s 2-1 defeat in the preceding one-day series.

Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal also hurt his shoulder on Friday but will be fit for Monday’s final match, said hafeez.

The skipper was pleased with the way his team fought for victory in the second game.

“It was an exciting finish,” said hafeez. “It was tense, but you know Twenty20 cricket can bring such tense moments. In the end I am happy that we won, even though it was in the Super over. I think we fought well in the 40 overs.”

Australia captain George Bailey was disappointed at the loss.

“It was exciting finish. I think our bowling was good but we couldn’t finish that game well,” said Bailey.

england star anderson slams former skipper Vaughan LONDON AFP

england pace bowler James Anderson has launched a scathing attack on the captaincy of Michael Vaughan, who led his country's successful bid to regain the Ashes in 2005.

Vaughan was widely regarded as a fine leader after revitalising england in the run-up to their first Test series win over old rivals Australia in 18 years.

But Anderson, who didn't feature in the 2005 Ashes after losing his place in the england team, claims Vaughan lacked the ability to talk to his players as individuals and left him feeling "alone and isolated" when he needed support.

Writing in his autobiography, an excerpt of which was published in the Mail on Sunday, the 30-year-old, who is now a key member of the england bowling attack, talked about his relationships with Vaughan and Nasser hussain, another former national

team captain.

"My relationship with Nasser was good on and off the field. The same could be said of my relationship with Michael Vaughan, captain during my early england years, since his retirement. Unfortunately, despite our cordiality now, I didn't enjoy Vaughan as a captain," Anderson said.

"As a young fast bowler, you need to know that your captain has his arm around your shoulder, if not physically, then metaphorically.

"Unfortunately, that is not something I ever felt playing under Vaughan. I actually felt alone and isolated when I most needed support.

"Prime example of that was my recall for the fourth Test against South Africa at the Wanderers in 2005.

"I had spent the first three Tests on tour out of favour. My tour was one big net, and because I had been so far removed from selection, I wasn't even thinking about playing.

"When preferred to Simon Jones, I was underprepared. It was five

months since my last first-class action.

I didn't bowl very well.

"Although I started okay as first change, it wasn't long before I began dragging the ball down short and wide.

I got clattered everywhere and was soon shot of confidence.

"Vaughan asked: 'What's up, mate? Radar gone?' "'Yeah, I think it has,' I said, desperate for some backing. All I received was a pat between the shoulder blades and an instruction to 'keep going'."

Anderson believes Vaughan's failure to communicate well was largely ignored because he was in charge of so many good players that the team's results kept the spotlight off the captain.

"A good captain should know how to talk to his team as individuals. I don't think Vaughan ever had that in him - a major reason I've not held him in as high regard as others have," Anderson added. "he was not as good a captain as others made out. he was captain of a truly great team in 2005."

de Villiers says Proteas on course for world t20 CHESTER-LE-STREET AFP

South Africa captain AB de Villiers said his side's three-wicket win over reigning champions england was an encouraging sign ahead of this month's World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

On a generally slow Chester-le-Street pitch taking turn -- the kind of surface that may well confront them in the global tournament -- South Africa restricted england to 118 for seven.

Spinners Johan Botha and Robin Peterson took four wickets between them, as South Africa provided the latest evidence they are no longer solely reliant on pace bowling.

But Dale Steyn, arguably the world's best fast bowler, was named man-of-thematch for a return of one for 13 in four overs -- all bowled in one-over spells.

Saturday's win saw South Africa, the world's top-ranked Twenty20 side, take a 1-0 lead in a three-match series ahead of Monday's clash in Manchester.

De Villiers, asked if victory boded well for the team's World Twenty20 chances, replied: "Definitely, it's very similar to what we are expecting.

"There was a little bit of turn, it was quite slowish. It was really good preparation.

The bowlers had really clear plans and I'm proud of the way they came out. They made my job really easy out there."

South Africa, who failed to make the semi-finals when england won the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean two years ago, then suffered a top order collapse as they slumped to 29 for three.

But an unbroken stand of 90 in 91 deliveries between veteran all-rounder Jacques Kallis (48 not out) and JP Duminy (47 not out) saw the Proteas home with an over to spare.

Kallis was returning after being rested from the preceding drawn one-day series between the two countries and an admiring de Villiers said of the world-class allrounder: "Jacques, coming back from a bit of a break, made it look really easy, with JP obviously really playing well at the other end. "It's great to have Jacques back -- he obviously offers something with the ball and I think he bowled really well today again."

Steyn, explaining his approach to bowling in 'micro spells, said: "I spoke to AB briefly about how he wanted to use me.

"The thing is it's only six balls, you've got to be sure what lines and lengths you are going to bowl to, what fields you are going to bowl to and then you've just got to make sure you hit your straps.

"Just straight lines today was the key thing. It was quite difficult for batters to hit over the top," Steyn explained. "There weren't a lot of big hits that went for six or one-bounce four.

Whatmore happy with Pakistan's Twenty20 progress DUBAI AFP

Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore on Sunday said he was happy with the team's progress in the shortest format of the game ahead of this month's World Twenty20, saying the team was responding well.

Pakistan pulled off a sensational super over win against Australia in the second Twenty20 here on Friday, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series with the final match also in Dubai on Monday.

Whatmore said it was good to have wins on the board. "I am very much delighted," Whatmore told reporters.

"We can't do any more than to win two out of two, it was an exciting finish but it's good to have the experience of the super over leading up to the World Twenty20."

The 58-year-old former Australian

batsman said his team responded well after losing the preceding one-day series 2-1. "We played consistent cricket and the players have responded well after the ODIs because there was just one day in between the change of the format," said Whatmore, who took over in March this year.

"There is a very strong bond between the players, that's very good and they support each other and are ready to play for each other and for the country," said Whatmore, who also coached Sri Lanka to the 1996 World Cup title.

Whatmore said he was sure of the team's combination for the World Twenty20, where Pakistan is in Group D along with Bangladesh and New Zealand. "I am sure of the combination. We certainly need to know the conditions in Kandy where our first two matches are to pick the best combination. We don't have easy opponents because we think all the teams

are tough," said Whatmore.

Whatmore hinted Pakistan might not risk Shahid Afridi on Monday after the allrounder injured his left hand in the third one-day but was confident off-spinner Saeed Ajmal will recover from a shoulder problem.

Australian batsman Cameron White said his team was preparing well for the World Twenty20 despite dropping in the rankings below Ireland.

"The bigger picture from the preparation point of view is that we are experiencing tough conditions and similar conditions to what we are going to experience in Sri Lanka," said White, former Twenty20 captain.

"Obviously we have not been winning, but we have made great steps from the first game to the second and I think we are heading in the right direction. From a prepration point of view it is fantastic," said White.

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Sports 16 PuNjAB YouTH FESTIvAL 2012

Competitions begin among 3464 UCs in second phase LAHORE

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stAFF rePort

he Union Council level of the Punjab Youth Sports Festival, that started simultaneously throughout the province among 3464 UCs carries a prize money of Rs 110,700 while providing an opportunity to the participants from the first level to stake their claim for top award by moving to the next level.

The events of the second level started in the province from an intake from respective UCs and the residents of the concerned UC were only eligible to take part in the events, which are open for all. As the 30 events of five sectors started in the province the activity in the provincial capital formally begins today (Monday).

In the other districts of Punjab, though activity was slow due to continuous rain but still then 164 events were conducted among 569 Union Councils that had competitions between 11233

participants out of which 3960 won their competitions.

Gujranwala, Sargodha and Faisalabad had over 2500 participants each while at Rawalpindi, Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan over 1500 took part from each divisions.

According to Director General Sports Board and Youth Affairs Punjab Mr. Usman Anwar, the sports sector events include arm wrestling, which have three categories, athletics (eight categories), badminton, billiard, cricket tape ball, tug or war, volleyball, bodybuilding (also have three categories), football, fun race of 2.5 kilometres and weightlifting (three categories).

The inter elementary school competitions are being held separately among male and female students under the supervision of education Department at Markaz level, he added.

An impartial selection committee will select a best of the best team of the Union Council to compete in the Tehsil level, which is the third phase of the festival.

“We have already broke the world record of participation in the first level as the participation was around 1.5 million as compared to the previous world record of around 800,000,” said Usman.

The competitions at the Union Council level will continue till September 18 and the Tehsil level will start to initiate the third level of the festival.

The events and competitions are being held at 3464 union councils which have 11 sporting events and remaining others are in general categories.

The general events, Usman Anwar said have naat khani, qirat and cooking while family event includes cooking, family dressing, healthy baby competitions and kitchen gardening while the education sector, have debate, essay writing, milli naghme, naat khani, painting and qirat competitions.

“We expect another record of participation as the Sports Board Punjab-organized walk to celebrate the success of the PYS first level and awareness on dengue on Sunday also yielded record participation of 50,000,” he added.

'stick with Misbah as ODi skipper: ramiz LAHORE stAFF rePort

Former Pakistan cricket captain Ramiz Raja believes that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the national selector should continue to repose faith in Misbahul-haq, and retain him as one-day skipper.

In an interview given to PakPassion.net, Raja said that Pakistan's recent Twenty20 wins against Australia in the UAe under rookie skipper Mohammad hafeez, should not mean the end of the road for Misbah's captaincy.

Agreeing that the Pakistan Twenty20 squad has flair and high hopes going into the world cup in Sri Lanka, Raja said the composition of the Pakistani one-day squad needs, at the very least, a rethink.

Notwithstanding the recent 2-1 defeat to Australia in UAe, Raja said that Misbahul-haq still has a win percentage of 66.33 percent in this format, and therefore, should continue in the role of captain in the fifty over format for the foreseeable future.

"I would stick with Misbah-ul-haq for the foreseeable future as captain of the one

day team. I think Misbah has done a wonderful job, and Pakistan cricket does not need such jolts, as would occur if he was removed from captaining the one day team," Raja said.

"Misbah brought the team together after a very difficult phase for Pakistan cricket and he brings to the fore a lot of calmness. Also, I think, looking at the batting talent available to Pakistan, Misbah still fits into the team. Pakistan has not found anybody who is very talented in the middle order that can replace Misbah-ulhaq," he added.

"You can query some of Misbah's tactics as captain, but I think, overall, he has done a good job, and I would not change him as captain of the one day team at this point in time," stated Ramiz. Raja was unsure whether Misbah would be the man leading Pakistan into the 2015 world cup.

"It all depends on Misbah's form and how Pakistan reacts under his captaincy. At this moment in time though I would like to see Misbah-ul-haq hang around and hang in to the role of captain in the fifty over format," he said.

Javaria, sana among top 20 cricketers in icc ranking LAHORE stAF rePort

Pakistan’s Javaria Khan and Sana Mir are among the top 20 women cricketers in ICC ranking in batting and bowling.

Pakistan women’s cricket team’s middle batter Javaria Khan achieved a unique distinction of making it to the top 20 women batters of the world.

Javaria Khan reached this feat during recent tour of UK where she performed reasonably well both in ODI and T-20 matches.

This is for the first time that any Pakistani woman batter has made it to the top 20 ICC World Ranking. On the other hand, Captain of Pakistani team Sana Mir continues to improve her ranking by her effective bowling skills. Sana Mir has jumped to 11th from her previous best ranking of 12th.

The tour of UK has proved a good preparation for Pakistan team where Pakistani batter Nain Abidi scored the first ever ODI century by any Pakistani batter against Ireland while Javeria Khan also remained top scorer in the last T-20 match of the tour against West Indies where Javeria was top scorer with 37 on 43 balls while Bisma Maroof scored 36 of 47 balls.

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17 Sports Sports journalist's book on Pakistan launched NEW DELHI hArPAl singh BeDi

“Yeh jo hai Pakistan” a book written by sports journalist Shivendra Kumar Singh was released by noted writer Asgar Wajahat at a simple but impressive function here last evening.

This book published by Bhartiya Jnanpith is a collection of memoirs of Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Wajahat said that it would have been an ordinary book if the writer has only talked about sports, but its special because he attempts successfully to capture the essence of Pakistan through its most ordinary people. he said that there are many ways to build the relationship through sports and other people to people contact. “We can also read how the common men of Pakistan think about India so looking at it.” he also said that everyone is trying to find new ways to develop the relations.

Sports don’t see any caste, region, country. Sports see how much sportsmanship do you have So we can bring unity through sports. It brings healthy relation so these are things which are mentioned in the book.

Former cricketer Chetan Chauhan who also was present, shared his experiences of Pakistan and said: "during our days we had very limited access to the places and players were confined to their hotel room but now the time has changed.

Young generation of both the countries have different opinion irrespective of the current political scenario."

zulqarnain to undergo psychiatric treatment

colombo: a cyclist rides past a cut out of Sri lankan cricket players in the capital colombo on September 9, 2012. Sri lanka will host the icc world twenty20 cricket tournament from September 18 to october 7. afp

MURRAY BLOWS AWAY BERDYCH to reach Open final DUBAI BiPin DAni

NEW YORK

Pakistan's discarded wicketkeeper, Zulqarnain haider will be taken to a psychiatrist, revealed Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ch Zaka Ashraf. he said: "I have instructed my officials to search for a good psychiatrist for him.

Zulqarnain (haider) underwent some psychological sessions with Maqbool "Max" Babri, but we still feel some need for him to take psychiatric treatment."

The 26-year-old wicketkeeper Zulqarnain haider had recently accused his one-time teammate Kamran Akmal of being involved in corruption, adding that he will be bringing forward the proof against him soon. he, however, has failed to substantiate his allegations. haider also questioned Akmal's inclusion in the team.

Akmal has been picked for Pakistan’s World Twenty20 squad and now playing the matches against Australia in UAe after being out of the national team for over a year.

Babri, who had eight long sessions (including a few hypnosis) with haider, when approached said: "We finished our sessions two months ago.. Well I suggested to him to focus on his development and learn to say sorry for the mistakes he may have made in the past.

"We can all have done things differently but I think he could have consulted me before going out with such negative comments, after all I am his well wisher and his counsellor. I am impressed with PCB that they sent him for counselling when they could have just ignored him. I know that PCB Chairman, CeO Subhan Ahmad and Intikhab Alam has been discussing him with me and were keen to get him more involved".

LYMPIC champion Andy Murray, trying to become the first British man to win a Grand Slam title since 1936, withstood blustery conditions Saturday to beat Tomas Berdych and reach the US Open final.

Third seed Murray advanced by defeating the Czech sixth seed 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (9/7) and will face either defending champion Novak Djokovic, the Serbian second seed, or Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer in Monday's final. "It was brutal," Murray said, after a tornado warning had been issued earlier in the day.

"Some of the hardest conditions I have ever played in, and I come from Scotland so that's saying something."

Murray, who owns a 6-5 career record aginst Ferrer but trails Djokovic 6-8 in their all-time rivalry, was left not knowing who he will face in the final after the other semifinal was suspended until Sunday with Ferrer ahead 5-2. Trying to end a British men's Slam drought dating to Fred Perry's 1936 US title, the lanky 25-year-old Scotsman battled through brutal winds to reach his fifth career Grand Slam final, his second in a row after falling at Wimbledon.

After collecting an Olympic crown last month, avenging his Wimbledon final loss to Roger Federer in the final, this might at last be Murray's moment.

"I hope so," Murray said. "You can never say for sure. I know how hard these tournaments are to win. When the conditions are like they were today anything can happen. You have to be there from the first point to the last."

Murray and his coach, eight-time Grand Slam champion Ivan Lendl, are the

monday, 10 September, 2012

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Storm forces uS open suspension, men's final Monday

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only Open-era players to drop their first four Grand Slam finals, Murray losing at the 2008 US Open, 2010 and 2011 Australian Opens and last June at Wimbledon.

Despite wicked breezes, Murray connected on 74 percent of his first serves and won 73 percent of those points while making only 20 unforced errors to 64 for Berdych. "The wind blew it away for me," Berdych said. "It was really hard to play a passing shot in this kind of weather, but on the other hand, it was also tough not to make mistakes and be aggressive."

Wind gusts whipped the net and players' clothing, played havoc with many serve tosses, blew food wrappers across the court to foil several points and even sent Murray's chair and racquet bag onto the playing area late in the second set.

"You had to focus for every single point.

You had to get in position for every shot.

You weren't going for aces because it was hard enough to get the second serves in," said Murray. Umpire Pascal Maria turned off the electronic system to signal let serves after wind gusts set off random beeps.

"This is not about show. This is just about somehow to try to deal with the conditions and then trying to put ball over the net," Berdych said. "Sometimes was impossible." Murray, also trying to become the first man to win the Olympic and US Open titles in the same year, will overtake Spain's Rafael Nadal as World No. 3 in Monday's world rankings. This is the first Grand Slam event since the 2004 French Open without either Nadal or Roger Federer in the semifinals. Nadal was absent with a knee injury while Swiss top seed Federer was ousted by Berdych in the quarter-finals.

With Scottish actor Sean Connery among those watching, Murray dominated the second set and broke Berdych at love to open the third set and again in the third and final games, then broke for a 2-0 lead in the fourth set.

Berdych, who will match his careerbest ranking of sixth on Monday, broke back in the fifth game and they held to the tie-break, where Berdych took a 5-2 lead on a 129-mph ace but errors on the next three points pulled Murray even.

NEW YORK: Violent storms and a tornado warning caused the US Open to be suspended Saturday, leaving the men's final to be played on Monday for a fifth successive year and officials accused of bungled scheduling.

With a tornado watch in operation, and violent thunderstorms expected, the second men's semi-final was suspended at 1711 local time (2111GMT) with Spain's David Ferrer leading defending champion Novak Djokovic 5-2 in the first set. The women's singles final between Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka, set for Saturday night, had already been put back to Sunday earlier in the day.

British third seed Andy Murray had made sure of his place in the men's final after beating the Czech Republic's Tomas Berdych.

"Severe weather is coming and we needed to give patrons time to get out of the stadium and into their cars," said tournament director David Brewer as the Billie Jean King Tennis Center was evacuated.

"The decision was taken to stop play for the day." Brewer told a later news conference: "We're getting very tired of having Monday finals." he added that switching the second semi-final to Louis Armstrong Stadium had been discussed as a means of getting both matches completed in time to allow for the final to be staged on Sunday as planned. AFP

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Sports 18 London to bid Games farewell LONDON

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AFP

he Paralympic flame will be extinguished in London on Sunday after the final day of competition at the Games, bringing down the curtain on a summer of elite sport in the British capital. The world's best wheelchair, amputee, blind and visually impaired marathon racers compete in central London from 0700 GMT, taking the festival of disabled sport to the public, with large crowds expected.

In seven-a-side football, Russia are out for revenge over Ukraine in a repeat of the Beijing final four years ago, while Australia take on Canada for "murderball" -- wheelchair rugby -- gold.

With 11 days of sport and the biggest, most high-profile Paralympics in the Games' 52-year history at an end, attention then turns to the closing ceremony, which takes place in the Olympic Stadium from 1930 GMT. Organisers have promised that the show, headlined by British band Coldplay, will be a celebratory farewell and look ahead to the next competition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016.

"We have taken the flame, being part of and representing the human spirit that brings so much power to these Games, and really focused towards the flame going out. That's our emotion," said coartistic director Kim Gavin.

London was awarded the Olympics and Paralympics in 2005 and has had to face doubts notably over the cost of the project, security and whether the city's creaking transport system could cope with a massive influx of visitors.

But organisers have won plaudits for the efficient running of both events, with packed venues and vocal crowds, defying naysayers who predicted chaos and a lack of enthusiasm.

London 2012 chief Sebastian Coe told

'weirwolf' wins marathon for four out of four

watch it Live TEN SPORTS 3RD T20: PAKISTAN V AUSTRALIA 09:00PM

Pistorius shines as Games near end LONDON AFP

reporters on Saturday that he always believed the Games would be a success.

"Nothing has surprised me in this whole journey, even in the days where a lot of people were not that excited and didn't believe that what we were doing would end up where we did. I've never doubted that and why would I?," he added. "I wasn't surprised by the (torch) relay, I wasn't surprised about the ways the Games caught the imagination."

A record 4,200 athletes from 165 nations took part in the Paralympics, from major stars such as South Africa's Oscar Pistorius -- the first double-amputee to compete in the Olympics -- to North Korea and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At the top end of performances, hundreds of world and Games records fell.

New stars emerged, watched by the 2.7 million people who bought tickets.

Certainly in Britain, where the media covered the Games as never before, millions more read about them in newspapers and online or watched them on television.

Interest and the focus on performance were signs that disabled sport had come of age, said the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) governing body.

"The fact is our athletes are getting better. They're training full-time. This is not just a hobby sport. It's professional sport at its very best," said IPC spokeman Craig Spence on September 4.

"Some countries are enjoying far better levels of funding, which in turn leads to better results. We would like to put it down to their (the athletes') hard work rather than anything else."

Issues undoubtedly remain, not least the wide gulf between top-performing nations and less developed countries lacking resources for people with disabilities, not just in sport. But as the flame goes out, there are hopes that the momentum of interest can be sustained well beyond the immediate afterglow, inspiring the next generation of athletes with disabilities and encouraging more people into sport.

There are also wider hopes that the Games can be a much-needed spur to help to change attitudes the world over.

australia's griffin wins in south Korea

LONDON

SEOUL

AFP

AFP

Britain's David Weir won the men's wheelchair marathon for his fourth gold of the Games, as the London Paralympic Games entered their final lap on Sunday with a valedictory tour of the city's streets. In a triumphant finish for the host nation, Weir -- dubbed "the Weirwolf" -- claimed a clean sweep of four golds out of four races, completing the gruelling 42-kilometre (26.2-mile) course in 1hr 30min 20sec..

"It's a dream come true," the 33-yearold London Marathon veteran told Britain's Channel 4 television after beating great rivals Marcel hug, the "Swiss silver bullet", into silver and Kurt Fearnley of Australia into bronze.

"Obviously I dreamt about winning all my races but it was going to be a tough order. I really had to dig deep."

Australia's Matthew Griffin scored the biggest win of his professional career with a single stroke victory at the Charity high1 Resort Open in South Korea on Sunday.

The 29-year-old led by two overnight but held his nerve in a topsy-turvy final round for an even-par 72 to give him a nineunder total of 278 and the winner's cheque of around $178,000. Kang Kyung-nam, who shot 68, and Park Sanghyun, on 71, both from South Korea, pushed Griffin all the way, to finish joint second on 279.

Kim Bi-o, winner of two events on the OneAsia circuit already this year, was a shot further back. his hopes of an unprecedented third OneAsia title on home soil came unstuck with two wayward shots on the par five 13th, although he salvaged a bogey with a breathtaking 60-foot putt.

"I am really, really thrilled," Griffin said after his victory.

"This is what I have worked for all my life, so it is absolutely amazing to finally get there. "This is immense. It gives me a lot of security and it also repays the faith that my supporters and sponsors have shown in me over the years." Griffin, once ranked the third-best amateur in the world, was a relative latecomer to the professional ranks and only scored his first fourround victory at the South Pacific Open in New Caledonia last

year. he is a natural left-hander who plays the game righthanded. he dedicated his victory to Peter Beck, a friend and mentor who caddied for him occasionally in his amateur and professional days, who died in 2010. Park was left ruing his missed opportunity, saying: "Very disappointed, that's the only thing I feel right now. I sort of think that somehow I was meant to be second in this tournament."

"Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius on Saturday ended the last full day of competition of the London Paralympics by storming to victory in his favoured event, as most of the final golds were decided.

Pistorius, 25, had been favourite to retain his T44 400m title for single and double below-the-knee amputee sprinters being the only man in the field to run under 50sec.

The result never looked in doubt from the gun, as the South African struck out on his own to lead coming into the last half-lap and was roared across the line in 46.68sec by the crowd at the packed 80,000-capacity Olympic Stadium.

"It was very, very special to me," Pistorius told Britain's Channel 4 television after the race. "It was the last event of my season, the last event of the London 2012 Games. Just so special.

"It was my 11th time I was able to come out on the track and I just wanted to end and give the crowd something they would appreciate and take home with them. "I was very nervous before today's race. I was quite tired but the crowd just really kept me going."

Brazil meanwhile defended their unbeaten record in five-a-side football, beating France 2-0 to clinch their third gold in the three Games since the sport was introduced. Bosnia-herzegovina gained revenge over Iran for their defeat in Beijing four years ago, clinching the men's sitting volleyball title 3-1, while China won three out of four of the team gold medals played on Saturday in table tennis. The haul took their overall tally in the competition to 14 out of 29 golds on offer -- one more than on home soil in 2008 -- with 21 medals in total.

In the pool, Victoria Arlen of the United States secured her first gold of the Games in the S6 100m freestyle after three silvers and a row about her classification on the eve of the Games.

Brazilian swimmer Daniel Dias, who was born without hands and feet, secured his sixth of the Games.

Canada wrested the men's wheelchair basketball title back from their old foes Australia thanks to a dominant performance from the world's best wheelchair player, Patrick Anderson, in front of thousands of Canadian fans.

Anderson scored 34 points to help Canada win 64-58 and avenge their defeat to the Australians in the 2008 final in Beijing.

In wheelchair tennis, former military helicopter pilot Noam Gershon, who was injured during Israel's 2006 war with Lebanon, took the men's quad singles titles for the Jewish nation's first gold of the Games. The 29-year-old, who received congratulations at courtside from Israel's president and sports minister, said he planned to mark the win by getting "really drunk".

Hamilton's first Italian win revives title bid MONZA AFP

colombo: a cyclist rides past a cut out of Sri lankan cricket players in the capital colombo on September 9, 2012. Sri lanka will host the icc world twenty20 cricket tournament from September 18 to october 7. afp

Lewis hamilton revived his bid for this year's Formula One world title on Sunday when he swept to a dominant triumph for McLaren to record his first ever win in the Italian Grand Prix.

The 27-year-old Briton, starting from pole position, led throughout apart from a brief spell during the mid-race pit-stops to claim his third win this year and the 20th of his career.

It lifted him back into contention for the championship, but his McLaren team-mate and fellow-Briton Jenson Button's hopes of a second world title disappeared as he was forced to retire with 20 laps remaining.

"This is amazing for me and I thank my team for doing an incredible job,"

said hamilton. "It is a great day for everyone."

Alonso now leads the championship with 179 points ahead of hamilton on 142 and Finland's former world champion Kimi Raikkonen on 141 with defending champion Sebastian Vettel on 140 with seven races remaining.

Button's demise allowed Mexican Sergio Perez of Sauber to gain full reward for a dazzling drive by finishing second 4.3 seconds behind hamilton, but 16.2 ahead of championship leader Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari, with Brazilian Felipe Massa fourth also in a Ferrari.

It was Perez's third podium finish of the season and endorsed the view of many paddock observers that he could be on the move to replace Massa at Ferrari next year.

Raikkonen finished fifth for Lotus ahead of Michael Schumacher of Mercedes, the 43-year-old seven-time champion, with countryman Nico Rosberg seventh in the second Mercedes.

Briton Paul Di Resta came home

eighth for Force India ahead of Japanese Kamui Kobayashi in the second Sauber and Brazilian Bruno Senna, who capitalised on the late retirement of Australian Mark Webber of Red Bull, took the final point for Williams.

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monday, 10 September, 2012

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Pakistan visit ‘fruitful’: Krishna g

indian external affairs minister wraps up tour, says tour to make bilateral relations peaceful LAHORE

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Agencies

NDIAN external Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Sunday left for India after concluding his Pakistan visit, saying the trip had proved fruitful for better and stronger relations between Pakistan and India.

Krishna was in Lahore on his last day of the visit where he met Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khosa and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and visited the shrine of Data Sahib, Gurdwara Dera and Minar-ePakistan. he was welcomed at the Lahore airport

by Provincial Minister Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor and several other government offi-

cials. Talking to reporters, the Indian external affairs minister said his visit was one of the links to make Pak-India relations peaceful and friendly. Krishna said Indian people and leadership desired to see a prosperous‚ stable and strong Pakistan as a neighbor, as it was in the favor of the region. he said he signed a number of agreements with Pakistan including visa liberation‚ cultural promotion and all these would help foster a much cordial relationship with Pakistan. Krishna said both neighboring countries had developed better relations in the era of democracy, but said issues between both South Asian countries could not be resolved in one or two meetings.

In a meeting held at the Punjab Chief Minister’s house, Krishna and Shahbaz

Sharif discussed various bilateral issues.

Shahbaz said talks between India and Pakistan should discuss all outstanding issues. Shahbaz said Pakistan and India had already fought wars that had proved to be useless. he said the wars did not give anything to the people of the two countries except problems, difficulties, poverty, unemployment, backwardness and disease. he said Pakistan and India must give peace a chance with an open heart.

Talking to reporters later, Krishna said India and Pakistan were sovereign countries and should live like good neighbors.

“We both have no other option but to live peacefully. We have a good friend in Pakistan and a good neighbor,” he said.

The Indian foreign minister stressed

the need for ushering in a new era of cooperation and cordial relations between Pakistan and India. “Outstanding issues saddled on us by history cannot be resolved without dialogue,” he said during his meeting with Punjab Governor Latif Khosa at the Governor’s house. he also stressed the need to enhance people to people interaction, adding that it was the people that were at the heart of everything. he said India would like to take the relations forward to the most progressive direction on all matters. “We need to nurture the relations and the trust and to build on the trust between the two countries in the days to come”, he stressed. Khosa stressed the need to enhance people to people contact in all areas, including trade, art, culture

and education. “We could usher in a new era of happiness through close cooperation in social sciences, education, natural sciences, trade and culture,” he added.

The Indian external affairs minister also visited the shrine of great Sufi saint hazrat Ali hajvery (RA) known as Data Sahib and Minar-e-Pakistan. The Indian minister laid a floral wreath on the shrine and was served with Ladoos, a traditional sweet of the city. During his visit to Minare-Pakistan, Krishna read the resolution of Pakistan and also coined a few words in the guest-book. he later visited Gurudawara Dera Sahib (shrine of the fifth Sikh Guru Arjun Dev Ji) and Marhi Raja Ranjeet Singh, where he was welcomed with Saropa, gifts, sword and a special handkerchief.

Govt approves cut in petrol, hike in diesel price ISLAMABAD inP

The Finance Ministry on Sunday approved a reduction in the price of petrol by Rs 4.65 per liter, while notifying a further hike in prices of other petroleum products. Sources in the Ministry of Petroleum said the new prices would take effect at 12am on September 10. The new price of petrol after the decrease will be Rs 99.90 per liter, down from Rs 104.55 per liter.

With an increase of Rs 3.39 per liter, diesel will now be sold for Rs 115.52 per liter. The price of Kerosene oil has been raised by Rs 1.85 per liter to Rs 104.6. high-octane will now cost Rs 136.46 per liter after a hike of Rs 3.27.

Rimsha likely to be shifted to another place ISLAMABAD inP

sYDneY: A boy jumps from the walkway at Bondi Beach while giant kites fly in the background during the annual Festival of the Winds on sunday. the event was attended by kite flying enthusiasts of all ages. afp

Indian economy, democracy flounder after monsoon washout NEW DELHI AFP

A total impasse in India’s parliament is not only undermining the world’s biggest democracy but also deepening its economic woes as long-awaited reforms fall by the wayside.

A now familiar chorus of recriminations echoed around the grandiose circular chamber on Friday as the second of the three annual sessions ended in paralysis.

Faced with MPs from the main opposition BJP party shouting and waving papers, the parliamentary speaker called an end to proceedings shortly after midday. The BJP has been demanding the resignation of beleaguered Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over a scandal involving the awarding of coal mining concessions in his first term as premier, which has come to be dubbed “Coalgate”.

Auditors say the concessions were handed out too cheaply and in a process that lacked transparency — heaping more embarrassment on the main ruling Congress party and Singh in particular who was in charge of the coal ministry at the time. Once widely admired as the architect of reforms in the 1990s that

transformed the Indian economy, Singh now finds his latest legislative plans thwarted at every turn.

In the latest “monsoon” session which began on August 8, lawmakers spent just 25 out of a possible 120 hours considering legislation, according to PRS Legislative Research, a New Delhibased independent study group.

Only four bills were cleared by both houses of parliament, despite as many as 30 being listed for consideration on issues such as pensions, land acquisition, tax reform and corruption.

“The coal scandal has changed the entire political and economic complexion of the country,” Arun Kumar, chairman of the Centre for economic Studies and Planning in New Delhi, told AFP. “The victim of this deadlock is the economy which has been stopped from getting back to growth,” Kumar said adding that lawmakers had unanimously ignored their “real business” which, is to “pass bills and introduce reforms”.

“They are holding back India’s economic growth story.”

Singh, not normally known for his temper, made a rare outburst to reporters as he expressed his frustration on Friday afternoon outside parliament.

“We take pride in the fact that since

independence we are a practising, functioning democracy. What we have seen in this session is a total negation of that,” said the 79-year-old Congress party veteran.

While few commentators believe the BJP really wants to force elections before the scheduled date in spring 2014, the Coalgate revelations have put further wind in their sails at a time when the economy is experiencing a sharp slowdown.

India’s economy grew by 5.5 percent in the second quarter of the year against a figure of eight percent over the same period in 2011. The BJP, a right-wing hindu nationalist party which lost power in 2004, has been unapologetic about its wrecking tactics, saying the protests were necessary and that obstructing parliament was a legitimate measure. “We are fighting for a cause,” Sushma Swaraj, the leader of the party in parliament, told reporters.

“Bills were not passed in the house... we are aware of that but the fight against corruption is more crucial for the nation,” she said, outlining how the party now planned to organise more anti-government street protests.

Political pundits warn that a bigger economic storm is brewing and if the

lawmakers do not pass the crucial bills in the next session then several sectors of the economy will plunge into crisis.

Since independence in 1947, India has basked in its image as the world’s biggest parliamentary democracy but analysts say that the legislative deadlock and the prospect of politics being played out on the street do not bode well.

“A deeper crisis is clearly visible. There is a complete breakdown of communication between the ruling and the opposition parties,” said Sanjay Kumar, a researcher at the Delhi-based Centre for Study of Developing Societies. “If this trend continues, there will no reforms and the growth story will see an ill-fated painful end.”

Backroom dealers from both the main parties now have around 10 weeks to see if they can thrash out their problems and ensure that lawmakers get down to some real business when parliament resumes for the final winter session of the year. As it stands, the just-finished monsoon session will be remembered as a complete washout.

“This monsoon session will be remembered for no work,” concluded hamid Ansari, the chairman of the upper house of the parliament, as he suspended the session on Friday.

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

Editor: Arif Nizami

Blasphemy accused Christian girl Rimsha Masih, who was reportedly taken to Police Lines under strict police security on Saturday after her release on bail, will be relocated to some other place. According to reports, hundreds of police personnel have been deployed for her security under the leadership of the senior superintendent of police (Operations).

Official sources said that Rimsha would be shifted to some other place on Monday.

They said that Rimsha and her family could be sent abroad on emergency basis if they were offered political asylum by the United States or any european country.

Key Taliban commander killed in Wana clash WANA Agencies

An important commander of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has been reportedly killed during clashes with the security forces in the Zarmelan village of South Waziristan Agency. Sources said that eight days ago, key commander of TTP Aftab Khan Mehsud was killed in clashes between the security forces and TTP fighters in Zarmelan village of SWA. Official sources said Aftab Alam was the right hand of TTP chief hakimullah Mehsud. The report came to the scene some days after the clash because the rugged region is not accessible to media due to volatile and difficult terrains.