e-paper pakistantoday 16th January, 2013

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rs 15.00 vol iii no 200 19 pages Karachi edition

Wednesday, 16 January, 2013 rabiul awal 3, 1434

The cat is out of the bag, finally!

SPANNer iN the workS!

By Arif NizAmi

T

SC orderS NAB to ArreSt Prime miNiSter AShrAf, 15 otherS iN rPPs CASe g tAhirul QAdri welComeS verdiCt, SAyS ‘hAlf’ of joB doNe, ‘hAlf’ left for todAy g

iSLAmABAD TAYYAB HUSSAIN/SHAIQ HUSSAIN

I

N an unexpected decision that has sent ripples across the country, elating some and distressing many others, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to arrest and start criminal proceedings against 16 accused, including incumbent Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, to implement its orders in the Rental Power Projects (RPPs) case.

Besides the ripples and panic that it generated, the decision gave a new zeal to Dr Tahirul Qardi who is encamped with thousands of people at the federal capital’s D-Chowk to see “real change” being ushered in the country.

Upon being told of the SC verdict as he orated his speech on Tuesday noon, Qadri congratulated the crowd thrice and made them chant slogans of long live Pakistan and Supreme Court. When he finally broke the news, a frenzied crowd burst into jubilation, some even bowed down to the ground in gratitude. earlier during the hearing at the SC, the judges warned that the NAB chairman would be personally held responsible if any of the accused fled the

country, directing NAB to submit a report about the submission of challans against the accused until January 17.

The orders triggered panic in the Prime Minister’s house where Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had planned to wed his son on January 18. Immediately after the court order, the prime minister held separate meetings with ministers for law, defence and information and carved out a strategy to deal with the situation. The Supreme Court’s unexpected order received sharp reaction.

Fawad Chaudhry, adviser to the PM, condemned the court’s order, calling it “unconstitutional”. Information Minister Qamar Zama Kaira made an effort to defend the prime minister’s position and said the court had ordered to arrest only those accused in the case against whom NAB had investigated and its executive board had approved to file references.

“The prime minister had appeared before NAB investigators and he had cleared his position in the case. Until now, no reference has been approved by the NAB board. Only those accused would be arrested against whom references or challans would be filed,” he added.

The Karachi Stock exchange (KSe) also felt the heat, with the KSe-100 index plummeting 500 points to

16,633.18 just before 3pm.

Following the court’s orders, the Punjab Police raided the houses of four former federal secretaries, including Salman Siddique, Ismail Qureshi and Shahid Rafi, but no arrests were made.

On March 30 last year, the court had directed NAB to proceed against those who had served as ministers for water and power from 2006 and as a result, NAB issued arrest warrants for 33 persons on April 20, including the incumbent Prime Minister Ashraf.

PM Ashraf served as the water and power minister from 2008 to 2011.

Ashraf had been given the title of “Raja Rental” after he was accused of receiving kickbacks in the RPPs. he was also accused of buying property in a posh area of London allegedly from the money earned through various scams.

QADRI’S D-CHOWK ADDRESS: As the judges began the RPPs hearing on Tuesday, Dr Tahirul Qadri arrived at D-Chowk in his bulletproof container to address the long march participants.

Welcoming the SC verdict, Qadri said half of his job had been completed only when he was halfway through his address. “The remaining half of my speech will be delivered tomorrow.”

“This is great news, congratulations

to you all, this is the day of victory for you all,” Qadri said. In his brief speech, Qadri said he and his supporters were there to fulfill the seven-point agenda. he said that the dissolution of all assemblies was the last point on his agenda and they would not leave the capital without the achievements of all objectives. he dubbed his seven-point agenda of “electoral democracy and electoral reforms” as ‘Islamabad Declaration’ and said that they would not leave until that was accepted.

“Millions of people present here today would continue to sit here until tyranny, injustice, lawlessness and corruption are eliminated from the country,” he said. he said that the march was “totally peaceful, absolutely democratic, completely constitutional and strictly lawful”. “We want constitution to be implemented in letter and its spirit. We want reforms in electoral system and change in the system. This is peaceful and constitutional revolution.” “Neither I nor these people have been overwhelmed by emotions, otherwise we would have captured the corridors of power. Instead, I and the people participating in long march are peaceful, justice-loving, democratic and constitutional in nature,” he said. continued on page 04

indepth coverage & reactions | inside pages

he bulletproof monk has thanked Allah for deliverance. The maverick cleric Allama Dr Tahirul Qadri addressing his “millions long march” in the heart of the federal capital has declared that the apex court having done half his job by ordering the arrest of the prime minister in the RPPs (rental power plants) case. The rest would be done once he is through with his dharna.

The cat is finally out of the bag. It is not in vain that Qadri has been invoking the military and the higher judiciary to “save democracy”. The Chief Justice of Pakistan has obliged by announcing the arrest of “Raja Rental” and his cohorts involved in the case.

By virtue of the timing of its verdict, the apex court has thrown a spanner in the works. The democratic system already shaky in the face of Qadri’s long march has been further destabilised.

The prime minister’s continuing in office will depend upon the attitude of the higher judiciary and the military. Merely on his own, the demagogue cleric cannot send the government packing.

So far as the military is concerned it is facing a tricky situation with India. Manmohan Singh in retaliation to skirmishes on the LoC (Line of Control) has sent a tough message to Islamabad.

The new visa regime that was supposed to be operative from Tuesday stands suspended. To add insult to injury, the visiting hockey team has been unceremoniously sent back to Pakistan.

Its hands full in dealing with an internal insurgency threatening the state from within the military has now to deal with an increasingly belligerent and sabre rattling Indian Army. The military is also playing a pivotal role in negotiating with the Taliban as a precursor to the end game in Afghanistan.

This is hardly the time for the khakis to overtly dabble in internal war games despite Qadri goading them: “Not only to make policy but also to act.”

Nevertheless the Allama’s nefarious agenda to get the system wrapped up through the courts and the military is now in the open. efforts to sabotage the carefully nurtured system just a few weeks before general elections – going to be held for the first time under the aegis of a neutral and consensual caretaker government and an independent election Commission – is indeed sinister. Nawaz Sharif has invited all major opposition parties for parleys at his Riawind residence. Naturally the PML-N supremo reckons that he has the most to lose. he thinks that Zardari has had his innings and now it his turn. continued on page 04

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02 News NEwS

Today’s

US lawmaker urges Congressional oversight of drone policy

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iNfotAiNmENt Teen pot use kills IQ? New study says no

Quick Look

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Story on Page 09

Story on Page 14

Eight injured as clashes erupt in long march iSLAmABAD STAff REpoRT/AgENCIES

eight people, including two policemen, were injured after aerial firing and pelting of stones by protesters at policemen near Kulsoom Plaza in the federal capital.

Police fired tear gas at a growing crowd of protesters who converged on the Parliament house on Tuesday as gunshots were heard and some demonstrators threw stones at security forces near Kulsoom Plaza.

Media reports quoting police sources said someone from the crowd fired aerial shots following which police fired tear gas. After the scuffle between police and protesters, members of the Tehrik-e-Minhajul Quran (TMQ) secured their leader and surrounded him for protection.

After the incident, Interior Minister Rehman Malik instructed police and Rangers to provide security to Tahirul Qadri. he said Qadri is their guest and it is the responsibility of the police to protect him.

Taking serious notice of firing and clashes in the march, Malik directed chief commissioner Islamabad to take strict action to avoid such incidents and summoned an immediate report of the incident. however the minister claimed the participants of the long march have arms with them which he said was a violation of their charter.

It was not clear who fired the gunshots. Witnesses saw police fire tear gas shells at the crowd. Protesters were holding sticks and pelted stones at police around 500 yards from the parliament. The protesters also smashed window panes of vehicles. As a result at least two policemen and six protesters sustained injuries. however TMQ leader Umer Riaz Abbasi said the police made an attempt to arrest Dr Tahirul Qadri; however, the administration failed to do so due to immense resistance by the long march participants. Abbasi said Qadri, on board his vehicle, was en route to D-Chowk from Jinnah Avenue; where police personnel deployed at Kulsoom Chowk tried to intercept Qadri’s vehicle to arrest him; but the participants foiled the attempt.

TMQ SEEKS FIR AgAInST REHMAn MAlIK: The Tehreek-e-Minhajul Quran (TMQ) filed an application with the Kohsar police for registration of a first information report (FIR) against Interior Minister Rehman Malik and the Islamabad senior superintendent of police for allegedly directing police to fire at Dr Tahirul Qadri’s vehicle. The application was submitted

by TMQ Chief Coordinator haneef Mustafai.

Arrest of RPPs criminals: NAB issues advisory at airports iSLAmABAD oNLINE

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has issued directives at all national airports to notify the bureau if any of the 16 accuseds named in the Rental Power Projects (RPPs) case attempted to leave the country. The SC had ordered all 16 offenders in the case, including the prime minister, to be arrested, and gave a 24-hour deadline to the authorities to implement the orders. The court maintained that NAB will be responsible if any of the respondents managed to escape. NAB sources said the bureau had already written a letter to the Interior Ministry to place the name of the 16 offenders in the exit control list (eCL) and the request had been refreshed following SC orders for arrest of the 16 individuals involved in the RPPs case. Sources also said NAB had instructed immigration authorities at all national airports to stop any of the 16 offenders immediately if they attempted to leave the country, and inform the bureau.

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

ISLAMABAD: Supporters of Dr Tahirul Qadri push a container as they made their way to D-Chowk from Jinnah Avenue early on Tuesday. ONLINE

RPP verdict timing kicks up a stink! iSLAmABAD

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ANWER ABBAS

AKISTAN People’s Party leaders, political leaders and analysts on Tuesday reacted strongly to the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision to arrest Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in the Rental Power Projects case, terming it an attempt to de-rail democracy at such a sensitive time.

Federal Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Farooq h Naek said the apex court in its decision did not mention the name of PM Ashraf as a criminal, neither did it direct authorities to file a reference against the premier. he said that under Article 19 of the NAB Ordinance, only the NAB chief holds the power to direct an enquiry or detain anyone in the case in question.

Naek was of the view that the decision by the SC was a mistake.

Naek further said the demands of Qadri and his marchers were unconstitutional and added, “Taking out rallies at this time is against democracy and could harm the democratic process.”

“Qadri’s demands are illegal, because it is clear under Article 224-A of the constitution that the caretaker setup would be appointed by the PM in consultation with the leader of opposition and there exists no role by any alien in that process,” he said.

Federal Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira said the PM, NAB and other ministers had not

received a copy of the decision as yet.

“I do not think the statement by the TMQ chief a day before was related to the decision of the SC, however the public opinion is that the decision of the apex court was connected to Tahirul Qadri’s statement,” he said, adding that circumstances reflect that Qadri was aware of the decision.

Kaira maintained that his party’s top priority is to hold the upcoming elections on time, in a free and fair manner to protect democracy in the country.

PPP human rights cell led by Dr Nafisa Shah condemning the decision termed it a conspiracy against democracy. “It is clear that Tahirul Qadri’s and Iftikhar Chaudhry’s agendas overlap,” said a statement.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman said the decision was a right of the SC, even in circumstances when the country is facing chaos and uncertainty and an individual had led thousands to the capital for a sit in. however, he said the timing of the decision had damaged the image of the Supreme Court.

“Now the Supreme Court has to devise a strategy to counter its damaged position,” he added.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Khawaja Mohammad Asif, a petitioner in the Rental Power Projects (RPPs) case, said Tahirul Qadri would not be able to benefit from the SC decision because when the case was filed Qadri was enjoying a luxurious life in Canada. Welcoming the SC decision, he said he took the case to court personally after finding out

about rampant corruption in the Rental Power Projects.

Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik said the names mentioned by the Supreme Court would be put on the exit Control List (eCL), as soon as the ministry would receive a list in this connection, however he requested media personnel to not to use the word criminal for the PM as he was still the elected premier of the country.

PML-F Secretary General Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh said following the verdict against the PM, the incumbent PPP government had lost the constitutional right to rule the country. he demanded the government immediately resign on moral grounds and constitute a caretaker setup with the mutual consultation of all parties. he further demanded that the National Assembly (NA) and provincial assemblies be dissolved immediately and free and fair elections be held within 90 days.

APML chief General (r) Pervez Musharraf welcomed the SC orders, saying those who caused loss to the national exchequer must be held accountability.

Meanwhile, the SC decision halted wedding celebrations at the PM house as the PM’s son Raja Shahrukh’s wedding ceremony is taking place on January 17 (tomorrow) at a local hotel. he is getting married to Makhdoom Noor hashmi’s daughter, a renowned Makhdoom family from Rahim Yar Khan.

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News 03 ARtS & ENtERtAiNmENt

BuSiNESS

SPoRtS

Spielberg’s lionizes him, but was Lincoln racist?

Amidst crisis, pakistan gas and oil outputs rise in 2012

pakistan’s matches may be shifted

EditoRiAl

Invitation to anarchy:

Qadri’s antics threaten democracy.

CommENt Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi says; Losing the initiative: Pakistan-India relations and the Indian military.

Rabia Ahmed says; What’s the rush?: Mr Qadri has a lot of explaining to do.

Story on Page 14

Story on Page 18

Story on Page 15

Articles on Page 10-11

Resign Mr Zardari, Nawaz rejects Qadri’s demand of govt ouster demands Imran lAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan demanded President Asif Ali Zardari immediately resign from office, as he read out his seven-point agenda to the nation on Tuesday. Khan said Zardari’s ouster was necessary to hold free and fair election. “Free and fair elections cannot take place until Zardari is the president. he is the reason for Pakistan’s destruction,” Khan said. “Zardari appointed three prime ministers in his tenure but all of them were corrupt,” the PTI chief added. The PTI chairman’s seven point charter included the announcement of date for general elections and a neutral caretaker setup that was free of “muk muka” or “understanding”. he accused the government of embezzling funds and using the money to “buy” elections, even saying that the president was working against the constitution. Khan called on the election Commission of Pakistan (eCP) to take notice of pre-poll rigging done by several parties at the expense of public money. The party had lodged a complaint with the election commission about how the Punjab government and the central government were engaged in pre-poll rigging through the distribution of laptops and the Benazir Income Support Programme. But the PTI chief regretted that the eCP had not replied to any of his party’s complaints. Though he expressed confidence in the chief election commissioner, he doubted the sincerity of eCP officials. Warning that the party would take to the roads if the SC verdict in RPP case was not implemented, he called for the arrest of PM Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. he also demanded the arrest of terrorists involved in the killings of hazara Shias in Quetta. STAff REpoRT

Angry PPP supporters resort to violence in Sindh

lAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) has rejected demands put forth by Dr Tahirul Qadri, chief of Tehreek-e-Minhajul Quran (TMQ), terming them unconstitutional. A consultative meeting of the PML-N was held at Raiwand on Tuesday with the party chief, Nawaz Sharif in the chair. The meeting discussed the situation after the long march and the subsequent demands by the TMQ head. According to a party spokesman‚ the meeting agreed that change of the government in an unconstitutional manner was unacceptable and the PML-N would not allow anybody to derail the democratic system in the country. The PML-N also agreed that the democratic forces would have to show unity. It said threats and demands by Qadri were unconstitutional and he should not endanger lives of the people in this regard. Senator Pervez Rasheed of the PML-N said had Qadri made these kinds of utterances in Canada, he would have been in jail by now. Rashid also demanded the chief justice of Pakistan take suo motu action on the situation. Ahsan Iqbal said Qadri‚ “who had lost his mind‚ has no authority to issue decrees”. he said majority of Pakistani people wanted the rule of law and continuation of the democratic dispensation. he said Qadri was staging a drama for the postponement of elections. STAff REpoRT

The boots are coming!

Asma Jahangir says SC order a pre-planned conspiracy Aitzaz Ahsan says Ashraf to remain Pm even if jailed SHCBA president says long marchers are enemies of democracy KBA general secretary says lawyers will launch massive movement to save democracy g

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HYDERABAD: Armed supporters of the pakistan people’s party forcibly shut down markets after the SC verdict against prime Minister Raja pervaiz Ashraf on Tuesday. INP KArACHi AfTAB CHANNA

Following the Supreme Court (SC) verdict to arrest Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in the Rental Power Projects (RPPs) case, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) workers and supporters took to streets in Karachi and other districts of the province to lodge their protest against the court’s decision. PPP workers took to streets in many areas of the metropolis, resorting to aerial firing; setting tyres ablaze and forcibly closing business centers.

Initially, the protesters blocked the Shahra-eFaisal and later the protest engulfed several other areas where incidents of aerial firing and forced closure of markets were reported.

These areas include PPP’s stronghold Lyari, Kala Pull, Korangi Industrial Area, Sachal Goth, Quaidabad, Gulshan-e-hadeed, Pipri, Kemari, Shershah, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Shanti Nagar, Stadium Road, Jauhar Morr, Safora Chowrangi and Mosmiyat, where protesters set tyres on fire and blocked roads, causing massive traffic jams in all parts of the city.

The incidents of aerial firing and forced markets closure were also reported in various districts including hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Shahdadkot, Tharparkar, Mithi, Sanghar, Badin, Thatta, Nawabshah, Nausherho Feroz, Dadu, Jamshoro and Jacobabad where party supporters took to streets.

In Larkana and Sukkur, masked PPP workers, carrying banners and placards of President Asif Zardari, openly resorted to aerial firing, compelling the public to remain indoors.

KArACHi AfTAB CHANNA

The Supreme Court’s (SC) judgement into the Rental Power Plants case ordering arrest of Premier Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has exposed the real face of the establishment’s organs, including the judges, said former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Asma Jahangir on Tuesday.

She was addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club.

Sindh high Court Bar Association (ShCBA) President Mustafa Lakhani and Karachi Bar Association General Secretary Naeem Qureshi were also present.

“The long march, headed by Dr Tahirul Qadri, and the timings of the judgement of the SC regarding arrest of the sitting prime minister are a conspiracy to derail the democracy. It is a pre-planned conspiracy and the boots [army] are coming,” she said. “The ‘black snakes’ of the judiciary have today bitten democracy and the rule of law. The legal fraternity and the public, political parties should play their pivotal role for democracy,”

she said, adding that the practice Dr Qadri was introducing would affect the country’s institutions.

She said that if 50,000 people gathered in the capital and forced the government to bring changes as per their wishes, then the political parties could also do whatever they wished by gathering thousands of people. Asma said there would be no democracy in the country without the political parties and these parties should accept their mistakes and improve themselves. The former SCBA president said these forces should play a positive role to save democracy and the people with black coats leading them.

“We don’t have any objection on removing multiple premiers. however, my question to the chief justice is what are the reasons for taking such a hard decision in a haphazard manner, either the premier was fleeing from the country or else. It is just a political conspiracy by the establishment,” she said.

“Dr Tahirul Qadri used to ride a motorcycle in 80s. he must tell the nation from what sources he has earned millions of rupees. If there were no lawyers in the movement for democracy and the restoration of judges, many people must have signed an agreement with the establishment. The judges who were restored with the struggle of the lawyers have been unmasked through such decisions,” she said.

Sindh high Court Bar Association President Mustafa Lakhani said that the lawyers had already rejected the long march aimed at derailing democracy and the marchers were the enemies of democracy.

“The premier’s arrest order is a pre-planned and well-organised conspiracy against the elected government and we will protect the

democracy. The order was issued without sensing or observing the critical situation the country is passing through,” he added. “We are waiting for the detailed decision of the judgement after which the bar, under the aegis of the SCBA, would chalk out future course of action by tomorrow,” Lakhani said. Karachi Bar Association General-Secretary Naeem Qureshi said, “We will once again launch a massive movement to save the democracy. And, no one can change the constitution and parliament by bringing 50,000 people in the federal capital,” he said.

Meanwhile talking to a private TV channel, senior lawyer and PPP Senator Aitzaz Ahsan said that with the arrest of the PM the premiership does not end and even if Raja Pervaiz Ashraf is arrested he would continue to remain the PM. Talking to a private TV channel, he said that the only constitutional way to remove the PM is to table a no-confidence motion. he said that the court does not declare anyone a criminal until charges are proven against him, similarly until Raja is proven guilty he would continue to remain PM even in jail.

with you for democracy, political leaders assure Pm iSLAmABAD STAff REpoRT

Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf held a telephonic conversation with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif, Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party leader Mehmood Khan Achkzai, Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf hussain and PML-Quaid chief Chaudhry Shujat hussain on Tuesday, all of whom expressed their support to the PM to uphold the constitution.

During his conversation with political leaders, there was a consensus on upholding the constitution and the democratic system. The leaders noted that democracy had been upheld in the country after great sacrifices and struggle by the people of Pakistan and it will be defended at all costs. Any attempt to subvert the constitution, derail the democratic dispensation or adopt unconstitutional measures should be dealt with firmly, they concluded.

The PM said the government is exercising restraint, patience and tolerance, which should not be taken as a sign of weakness. “Nobody will be allowed to impose his personal agenda,” said Ashraf. The leaders also agreed that the entire focus of democratic and political forces should be on preparations for the next general elections and ensuring they are held in a free, fair and impartial manner under the supervision of election Commission of Pakistan (eCP).

Polls to be held on time: CJP iSLAmABAD NNI

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Chaudhry on Tuesday said elections would be held within the stipulated time and the court has nothing to do with any activity going on in the federal capital. The election Commission of Pakistan (eCP) should remain all geared up to hold elections in the country, he said while hearing a case regarding the implementation of SC ruling on electoral reforms. Justice Chaudhry said the court proposed to make it compulsory for everyone to vote in the elections and legislation in this regard should take place at the earliest. elections, he reiterated, would be held on time and the court would make no compromise in this connection.

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

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04

KSE sheds over 500 points following SC’s RPP verdict KArACHi ISMAIL DILAWAR

ISLAMABAD: A female participant of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s sit-in hugs her son after news broke of the Supreme Court’s orders for the arrest of prime Minister Raja pervaiz Ashraf in the Rental power projects case on Tuesday. INP

The cat is out of the bag, finally! continued from page 01

The PML-N rank and file believes that Qadri has been launched out of the blue to thwart Sharif. The game plan is simple – to introduce a longterm caretaker government to clean up the Augean stables in the name of accountability.

This could mean disqualifying politicians across the board, including Nawaz Sharif and Zardari, with the blessings of the superior judiciary.

Throwing the two major political parties of the country out of the arena is going to be extremely

Spanner in the works! continued from page 01

“We are not here to capture the parliament or government buildings, don’t feel that threat, we are here for democracy, not for grabbing power,” he said. “had I directed them (participants), they would have captured parliament within an hour,” he said.

“We don’t want anarchy in the country. We want the rulers with fake mandate to become subordinate to the constitution.”

ARMY AnD JUDICIARY: he said only two national institutions, the army and judiciary, were functioning well in the country and the rest of the system was facing a complete breakdown.

Qadri said the election Commission of Pakistan (eCP) had never been empowered and they were here to empower the commission through electoral reforms.

Qadri said although the judiciary had passed orders, the government had not executed them. he also mocked the government ministers for accusing him of being patronized by the military establishment. “No one but Allah and my supporters are my patrons,” he said amid roars of slogans by the participants.

Qadri also called upon people across the country to join the sit-in in the federal capital, and at the same time sought a pledge from those present that they would not abandon him until their goals were achieved.

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

dangerous. Unrest seen in major cities of Sindh, including Karachi hyderabad and Sukkur is a precursor of things to come. It is obvious that Zardari painted in a corner, will not hesitate to invoke the “Sindh card”.

Similarly, dislodging a major Punjab based party in the name of accountability will galvanize the opposition parties against a fragile and synthetic caretaker government. Messers Qadri and Imran can call it “Muk Muka” but a two party system buttressed by coalitions of smaller parties is a reality of

democracy in Pakistan.

Predictably former dictator Pervez Musharraf has endorsed Qadri’s agenda. he thinks his ‘true democracy’ was the real democracy. From his selfimposed exile he has invoked the military and the judiciary to play their role by sending the present democratic system packing.

It is obvious that those forces that cannot even win a union council election want to grab power through the back door. Notwithstanding the economic woes of the country and tales of corruption of our

ruling elite, the mullah, military and the judiciary are no holy cows either.

It is indeed hypocritical of Qadri to invoke Imam hussain (RA) offering his chest for the first bullet, himself hiding behind bulletproof screens. The FIA is probing the enormous funds he has spent on organizing, publicizing and sustaining his rally. It is ironical that Qadri holding a Canadian passport and rolling in millions of dollars wants to reform the system in favour of the masses - before his next trip back to Canada.

Silence before the storm?

KArACHi ISMAIL DILAWAR

“Don’t worry, everything is scripted,” a federal minister told Pakistan Today when questioned on the Supreme Court (SC) verdict to arrest Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in the Rental Power Projects case.

The federal minister, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tuesday’s events were pre-planned and there was no panic amongst the authorities. Tuesday saw the city gripped with a nerve wrecking rumour mill and kept everyone guessing amidst media reports that President Asif Zardari had called a meeting of all coalition partners at Bilawal house to carve out a future course of action. however, consequent reports claimed that a meeting of coalition partners had not been called, instead a PPP

core committee meeting would take place at Bilawal house in Karachi, where President Zardari has been based since the last few weeks.

Despite repeated attempts by Pakistan Today, no elected PPP official or other party member confirmed any such information. A PPP senator however, said a meeting was very likely at Bilawal house in view of the situation arising out of the SC order.

After repeated attempts, Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar eventually replied, “No, there is no meeting of the core committee tonight, not yet.” A large number of journalists of print and television media thronged outside Bilawal house in the evening and stayed there for hours, till the filing of this report, to get some breaking news from inside but things remained static.

Inside reports that a plane carrying government bigwigs could arrive in Karachi anytime for a meeting at Bilawal house kept the media personnel waiting outside. There was a also a rumour making rounds that Federal Law Minister Farooq Naek had been summoned to advise President Zardari on a constitutional way out from the situation.

Later, there was also an impression that certain stakeholders were visiting the president throughout the day using the back-door of his residence.

The silence from Bilawal house perhaps gives weight to the federal minister’s statement who said everything had been “scripted”. The Zardari-led PPP government however, showed nerves of steel by not running from pillar to post following the unexpected SC verdict.

Tuesday saw politics once again hitting the country’s fragile economy hard as the Supreme Court order for the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf caused the Karachi stocks market crash by over 500 points.

The apex court’s watershed decision shook confidence of the equity investors already cautiously moving on the back of ongoing political hustle and bustle, prominently marked by Tehreek-e-Minhajul Quran chief Dr Tahirul Qadri’s protest rally in Islamabad and his demand for an immediate dissolution of elected assemblies. “Stocks nosedived amid panic selling after the Supreme Court directed authorities to arrest the PM in the rental power case,” said Ashen Mehanti, director at Arif habib Securities.

The day saw the benchmark KSe 100-share index

DSP among five killed in Panjgur blast

plunging by 525.29 points or 3.16 percent to 16,107.89 points compared to Monday’s 16,633.18 points. “The Pakistani stock market crashed after (the) court order of arrest of prime minister in rental power case,” remarked Mohammad Sohail, a senior analyst and chief executive officer of Topline Securities.

A historical perspective reveals that Tuesday’s slump of more than 500 points was the fourth in the history of KSe with the market having witnessed a similar fall in May 2008. “This fall of more than 500 points has occurred for the fourth time in the history of Karachi Stock exchange,” recalled Sohail. The previous fall of over 500 points was observed in May 2008 when the Pakistani equities had fallen on account of the adverse impact of global financial crisis.

Before tumbling to the intraday low of 16,049.06 points, the index hit the intraday high of 16,633.18 points

Sri lanka swears in new chief justice despite protests COLOmBO AgENCIES

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Five people, including a deputy superintendent of police, were killed on Tuesday in a remotecontrolled blast in Panjgur town of Makran Division, some 600 km southwest of the provincial capital, police sources said.

“Nasim Baloch was on his way home when his official vehicle was ambushed with a remote-controlled bomb, killing him on the spot,” senior police official Gul hussain said, adding that two security guards and driver were also killed. he said the vehicle was completely destroyed. he maintained that another injured guard later died on his way to a hospital. he said 10 kg explosives were used in the blast. Local administration has initiated probe into the incident.

on the day. According to Sohail, investors who were already cautious due to the ongoing long march in Islamabad got panicked and aggressively sold their positions after the Supreme Court issued its verdict. The volume set in the green zone as the trading turnover at the ready-counter skyrocketed to 239.425 million shares against 87.944 million the previous day. “Volumes remained high due to extreme volatility,” said the Topline executive.

Mehanti, however, observed a bearish activity in the trading session in stocks across the board as the investors were awaiting the outcome of Dr Qadri’s long march called for a powerful caretaker setup ahead of general election. “Weak global stocks and commodities and concerns for rising circular debt in the Pakistani energy sector played a catalyst role in bearish activity at KSe despite strong earnings outlook,” said the analyst.

Sri Lanka’s president on Tuesday appointed the government’s senior legal adviser as a replacement for the impeached chief justice, despite protests by lawyers and a chorus of international criticism.

Mohan Peiris was sworn in before President Mahinda Rajapakse shortly after parliament approved his appointment with immediate effect. “he was sworn in at the president’s Temple Trees residence a short while ago,” presidential spokesman Mohan Samaranayake said.

Peiris retired two years ago as attorney general, but has since been the senior legal adviser to the cabinet in addition to being a key defender of Sri Lanka’s record at UN rights meetings. Peiris’ appointment comes after Rajapakse approved Shirani Bandaranayake’s dismissal on Sunday, two days after lawmakers had voted for her impeachment.

Bandaranayake, who issued several decisions at odds with the government, has described the campaign against her as politically motivated.

Judges have declared the impeachment of Bandaranayake, the first woman chief justice, to be illegal and unconstitutional. even before Peiris took office, a local think-tank, the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), filed a complaint in the Supreme Court challenging his appointment. The CPA said in a statement that they were also asking the court to restrain Peiris from performing any official duties at the highest court in the country.

Lawyers protested the appointment too by lighting candles outside courts and saying it was the “death of the judiciary”. Peiris played a key role in defending Sri Lanka’s rights record at UN human Rights Council last year when the island faced strictures over alleged war crimes committed by its troops while crushing Tamil rebels in May 2009.

SC forms body to monitor media iSLAmABAD STAff REpoRT

The Supreme Court on Tuesday announced a two-member commission to investigate the media and issued terms of reference regarding a petition filed by journalists Absar Alam, hamid Mir, and Asad Kharal.

Justice (r) Nasir Aslam Zahid will head the commission while former information minister Javed Jabbar is the member of the body.

The SC order read that the court is of the view that some of the issues raised in the petitions require gathering, collation and perusal of extensive material as well as technical expertise in the area of media regulation. To examine these issues, the court deems it appropriate to appoint a commission.

The order of the two-member SC bench read that the parties were asked to suggest possible names for the commission and propose terms of reference (ToRs) for it and these two names were unanimously agreed upon.

“At this point it is important to bear in mind that one of the important issues arising in these petitions related to the creation and utilization of secret funds by the various ministries of the federal government,” the court order reads. Asad Kharal, one of the petitioners, had said that the Information Ministry, besides 26 other ministries/departments of the federal government, has spent secret funds worth Rs 4.75 billion, the use of which is neither accounted for.

ToRs of the commission include: to consider the role of the Informa-

tion Ministry and other government agencies in ensuring freedom of print and electronic media and whether or not there is information and material brought before the commission to justify the continued functioning of the ministry, consistent with Article 19 of the constitution.

To analyse whether and to what extent PeMRA has been able to fulfill its developmental mandate and regulatory functions independently under the PeMRA Ordinance. To determine if it advances or is consistent with the fundamental right under Article 19 to allow the government or its instrumentalities to be major players in the media through state television and Radio broadcasters.

To ascertain if PTV, PBC and APP, the recipients of public funding of bil-

lions of rupees, have independent inhouse management and transparent policies in place which advance the objectives of fairness and evenhandedness expected of publicly funded entities and to determine if there are adequate checks against lop-sided or biased dissemination of information by these publicly funded entities. To consider the feasibility of letting the media adopt a self-regulatory code of conduct instead of content regulation, in the light of international standards and best practices.

To inquire whether, when giving money to different media houses directly for or on the pretext of advertisement, were the government or its functionaries pursuing a transparent, duly approved, bona fide government advertisement allocation policy or

were the decisions to buy advertisement space with public money made arbitrarily or without objective criteria or to favour particular channels, journalists or media houses. To propose a single, transparent, objective, non-discriminatory policy for allocation of government advertisements among electronic and print media. Whether the federal and provincial governments, autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, government corporations or agencies adhere to PPRA rules or other transparent processes while granting advertisement contracts to advertising agencies or media houses. If not, then to suggest processes which are fair and transparent and which ensure the greatest value and fairest dissemination of information.

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decade-old dispute involving mosque and shrine resolved KArACHi STAff REpoRT

KARACHI: Army soldiers stand alert during the door-to-door verification campaign of voters’ lists in pak Colony Area. ONLINE

four killed in various mishaps KARACHI: At least four people died in various incidents in the city on Tuesday.

Syed hasnain Shah, 30, was found from Lee Market, Lyari Town in the jurisdiction of Kharadar Police Station. The body with torture marks on it was moved to Civil hospital Karachi (ChK) for autopsy. Police said the victim was brutally torture before being gunned down. Police registered FIR 17/2013 under Section 302 against unidentified men. Separately, 25-yearsold Abdul Qadeem was gunned down by unidentified armed men near Rasheedabad Colony, North Nazimabad, in limits of Sir Syed Police Station. The body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed hospital for medico-legal formalities. A medico-legal officer (MLO) said the victim received one bullet in head and two stab wounds in abdomen. The body was taken away by the family members without any legal formalities. Similarly, 50-years-old Zainab was burnt to death inside her home near Madni Masjid in Behar Colony, Lyari Town, in the jurisdiction of Chakiwara Police Station. She was taken to ChK for postmortem. She was preparing meal when the incident occurred, say rescue sources. A body of a six-years-old child was found from Old Raxor Line Bridge in Pak Colony area. ppI

26 judges elevated KARACHI: On the recommendation of the Sindh high Court Departmental Promotion Committee for Judicial Officers and with the approval of the Sindh CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah, the following additional district and sessions judges (BS-20) in order of their seniority have been promoted as district and sessions judges (BS21) with effect from the dates the officers assume charge of their respective posts.

According to details, these officers would be put on probation for a period of one year, as prescribed under Rule 2 of the Sindh Civil Servants (Probation, Confirmation and Seniority) Rules, 1975. According to a notification issued by the Sindh law department, Naseem mansoor, Abdul Rahman Bhatti, muhammad Bux Bhangwar, manthar Ali Jatoi, Zareena Abbasi, Abrar Hussain f. memon, Abdul latif Golo, farzana iqbal, Abdullah Channa, Syed Shakeel Hyder, Abdul Razzaque, Suresh Kumar, Khalid Hussain Shahani, Abdul Ghafoor Kalhoro, munawar Sultana, mehboob Ally Jawahery, mushtaq Ahmed leghari, Amina Nazeer Ansari, Naheed iqbal, iqbal Ahmed Khawaja, Anandram Sairani, Zamir Ahmed tunio, Syed manazir Hussain Zaidi, Jahangir Ahmed dayo, Khalid tipu Rana and Saleem Raza Baloch were promoted to the post of district and sessions judges. STAff REpoRT

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

Completion of 1,200 uplift schemes under ADP

No money left in Sindh govt’s coffers Centre withholds Rs 44 billion of the province’s share KArACHi AfTAB CHANNA

A

LThOUGh, the general elections are just around the corner, the Sindh government is facing the worst financial crisis as it will not be able to complete more than 1,200 ongoing development schemes as the federal government has withheld Rs 44 billion of Sindh’s share from the Federal Divisible Pool, Pakistan today has learnt.

These ongoing schemes were supposed to be completed by the start of January this year, however the financial managers of the Sindh government were shocked when they realised that the ongoing schemes could not be completed on the designated time. however, the Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Qaim Ali Shah was likely to take up the issue with the president and prime minister, officials told Pakistan Today.

“Yes, the Sindh government is waiting for the federal govern-

ment to transfer its share worth Rs 44 billion since the last one and a half months. The delay in transfer will adversely affect more than 1,200 ongoing schemes in the province that are supposed to be completed before March this year under the Annual Development Plan (ADP),” Planning and Development Department Special Secretary (Development) Dr Noorul haq told Pakistan Today.

“The funds transfer was supposed to take place by mid-December last year, however the authorities at Islamabad are delaying the release of Sindh’s share that will ultimately put these schemes in jeopardy,” the secretary added.

Interestingly, the financial managers, at the time of budget finalisation, had dropped at least 1,323 new development schemes as they wanted to complete the ongoing schemes before the general elections were held, and priority was only given to those schemes that had reached near completion. It was also believed that the noncompletion of these hundreds of

development schemes worth billions of rupees was likely to inflict serious damage to the leaders of the ruling Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) government in the upcoming general elections.

Sources opined that the federal government was delaying the release of funds to Sindh’s that would likely result in aggravating the existing financial crisis in the province, while funds worth Rs 65 billion could also not be released by the centre for the federallyfunded ADP 2012-13. The officials of the planning and development and the finance departments recently held a meeting which was also attended by other senior officials, and expressed their reservation on the centre’s arbitrarily delay in releasing the required funds. Furthermore, the sources claimed that the officials of planning and development and finance departments would shortly brief the CM regarding the progress made on development plans and a final decision would be taken by the president.

Take suo motu my lord!

SHC urged to take notice of deaths due to measles KArACHi STAff REpoRT

The Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) has urged the Sindh high Court (ShC) to take suo motu action on the deaths of over 400 children of Sindh due to measles outbreak in the province. A PIMA spokesperson said this in a statement issued here on Tuesday. While slamming the provincial government over the inefficient and delayed response to this tragedy, he said all concerned authorities of health department should have resigned on this worst negligence and non-availability of vac-

cines. he also criticised international NGOs and high-ups in Sindh government who did nothing but waited to see the death toll rising. 'All those children who died due to measles outbreak were sons and daughters of poor Sindhi peasants, but all concerned authorities and international NGOs did nothing to save the children,' he added. Their late response could not bring back the precious lives now, he said, adding the ShC should make the responsible accountable for this tragic incident. 'All involved in this criminal negligence should be brought before the court for showing criminal negligence against this deadly disease,' he added.

Special Assistant to Sindh Chief Minister (CM) on Media and Auqaf Sharmila Farooqui, while resolving the 11-years-old longstanding issue regarding a mosque adjacent to Sehwan Sharif shrine, directed the project director to provide all possible facilities to the visitors and devotees visiting the place.

She said this while talking to a delegation here at her office on Tuesday.

The delegation was led by Allama Muhammad Naqvi, while Auqaf Secretary Shahid Pervaiz and other officials also attended the meeting. She said all requirements of Shariah should be fulfilled while constructing the mosque and proper ventilation facility should also be installed there in order to avoid creating a suffocating environment. Sharmila said, “Safety measures should be given full consideration in this regard as the present democratic government believes in religious harmony”. She appreciated the spirit of cooperation and toleration of the committee in solving the long standing issue in a tactful manner.

2nd phase of voters’ verification kicks off KARACHI: After completion of the first phase of housecounting‚ the second phase of the voters’ verification process started in Karachi on Tuesday. The overall process‚ which began on the 10th of this month on the orders of Supreme Court (SC) is scheduled to be completed till the first of next month. Provincial election Commissioner Muhammad Najeeb told media that there were total 6,926,301 registered voters in the city. “The election commission has appointed a total staff of 14,718 to verify electoral rolls”, he said. INp

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06 Karachi Give us our due right!

PIA retired employees demand raise in pensions KArACHi STAff REpoRT

AKISTAN International Airlines' Retired employees Association (PIAReA) President Tahir hassan reminded PIA Chairman Lt General (r) Asif Yasin Malik of his promise and demanded due raise in pension for the retired employees of the national airlines. he said the pension of the retired employees of the national airline was very low as compared to the pensions of the employees of other government departments, therefore this discrimination should be ended and a due raise in the pensions be made.

'This policy of denying the lawful rights to the retired employees of PIA should be changed and they

P

should be given their legal rights while making their pensions respectable from current 32 percent to 50 percent, as per government rules,' he added.

Also, he said, the pension should be increased every year in line with the salary increase of the regular employees according to the Admin Order 21/2003 of the airlines that stated the exstaff pension will be raised along with the salaries of its in-service staff.

Currently, the national airline gives its employees 32 percent of their total salary as pension but the formula it applies in the end makes the pension calculated on their basic pay scales. So the airline should either give them 50 percent pension on the basic pay scale or make the 32 percent pension to be given on their total salary.

'According to the rules, the PIA Pension Trust Fund should have Rs 25 billion to Rs 35 billion earmarked for the retired employees of the national airline. So, any increase in the pensions will not affect the PIA's budget,' he argued.

The president of the association said in the midst of current inflationary period the retired employees of the airline were facing hardships, therefore, it was the need of the time to give them their due raise in their pensions.

In the end, PIAReA president said the PIA chairman should also consider the valuable services of the retired employees and must give them their due right in terms of pension. he also offered the services of the retired employees in the best interest of the national airline.

Private sector doing well in education, says Mazharul Haq Also stresses need for promotion of education KArACHi App

There is a need for eradication of poverty and unemployment in the country through development in education, Sindh Minister for education and Literacy Pir Mazharul haq said on Tuesday. he was addressing as chief guest at the annual convocation of New Ports Institute of Communication and economics, says a statement issued here on Tuesday.

On this occasion, Chairman of the institute Brig (r) Sadiq Jamal, Vice Chairperson huma Bukhari, Director Finance Mirza Raza AIi, hR Director Bushra Raza, faculty members and educationists were also present.

Pir Mazhar said the teachers and faculty members play an important role

for the progress of any educational institution. he emphasised the need to bring the academic standard high so as to make headway in the comity of nations.

The minister said the government was endeavouring to make available facilities for the acquisition of education to the people especially in villages and rural areas. he showed his satisfaction that private education institutions like New Ports Institute of Communication and economics were also contributing their bit towards promotion of education.

The vice chairperson also spoke on the occasion.

At the end, the gold medals as well as certificates were distributed among those students who excelled in their studies.

Musical delights await audiences in fusion concert on 18th Tehzeeb Foundation, Alliance Française and Goethe Institute are arranging a fusion concert on January 18 (Friday) in the premises of Alliance. The concert will mark the 50th anniversary of the treaty of friendship (The elysée Treaty) between France and Germany. The German and French Consulates Generals were organising partners for the event and would be sponsored by Total PARCO. The concert would feature four artists, including Abaji from France, Mehmet ergin from Germany, and Ustad Naseeruddin Saami and Ustad Bashir Khan from Pakistan. Abaji, a French citizen - and Lebanese by origin – he was exposed to a multi-faceted culture of aesthetics and musical legacy in his childhood. Abaji had performed with Pakistani musicians in the past when he came to Karachi to participate in the World Music Day at the Alliance last year, and the listeners were left in a state of trance after listening to his musical delights.

Mehmet ergin had been recognised for his unique musical style which took his listeners on a musical journey through a world of dreams. he combined ethereal, mystical and rhythmic elements from the oriental, jazz and classical traditionsBy the age of 23, ergin was already playing with international jazz greats such as Albert Mangelsdorff, Joachim Kühn and Stu Goldberg and

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

was also working as a studio guitarist.

This was soon followed by commissions to write music for the German television series titled "Tales from Life", and producing film scores for "Anam". his CD "Beyond the Seven hills" received an echo nomination for best Jazz release.

Meanwhile, Ustad Naseeruddin Saami was a senior classical vocalist of Pakistan. he inherited the eastern classical tradition of music from Mian Tanras Khan’s Delhi gharana, which he learnt from his uncle Ustad Sardar Khan and late Munshi Raziuddin. he had assimilated his music with Iranian and Arabic influences. he exercised great command in singing Kheyal, tarana, sadra, thumri and dadra genres of eastern classical music with equal ease.

On the other hand, Ustad Bashir Khan was known as one of the maestros of Punjab gharana in the realm of tabla art. he had extensively toured the world to represent Pakistan. he also participated in musical fusion and collaborative projects with many international artists.

A recipient of many awards including President’s Pride of Performance Award (Government of Pakistan), Bashir Khan had been teaching at National Academy for Performing Arts (NAPA). The musicians would perform together to produce a rare treat of pure fusion music. pR

dHA plans graveyard in Phase-Viii KARACHI: A delegation of Association of Defence Residents (ADR) led by its President Attique-ur-Rehman visited DhA and held a meeting with its Administrator Brig Muhammad Abdullah at DhA main office to discuss various issues facing the residents. The administrator underlined the need for enhanced interaction between DhA and residents’ associations for speedy resolution of their problems. he said for DhA satisfaction of residents was of utmost importance and DhA would always welcome the valuable feedback from the residents’ associations. he informed the delegation that DhA was making a new security plan which envisages effective steps in collaboration with police, Rangers and CBC to enhance the security arrangements in DhA. he said DhA was planning a graveyard in DhA Phase-VIII very soon to meet the pressing demand of the residents. he asked the concerned staff to arrange a joint visit of DhA officials and representatives of the residents' association to finalise the plan for undertaking development activity soon. ppI

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KARACHI: policemen stand alert outside a bank near Metro Cinema orangi Town after a robbery in the bank. ONLINE

Sindh government receives pending funds for combined effluent treatment plants KArACHi ALI WAHEED

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FTeR delaying the much awaited Rs 7,366 million for the Combined effluent Treatment Plants project aimed at reducing the increasing environmental pollution, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led federal government has decided to share 50 percent funds for the said scheme, it is learnt.

The scheme was launched in 2009 on the president’s directives and the funding for these effluent plants were supposed to be made on 50:50 basis by the federal and the provincial governments. however, the centre had refused to fund the scheme which had delayed the process of its implementation, thus resulting in inflicting further damages on the already fragile environment situation.

Well placed sources told Pakistan Today that the establishment of four combined effluent treatment plants in the industrial areas, including Korangi Industrial Area, Landhi Industrial Area, SITe Industrial Area, Federal B Industrial Area and North Karachi Industrial Area with a cost of Rs 7,366 million, was to

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be completed in three years time. however, it was delayed by the centre on the pretext that the Sindh government should arrange funds for the project on its own.

In this regard, at least three locations were selected in the area of combined treatment plant-I, seven locations for the plant-II (trans-Lyari), eight for Federal B and North Karachi, while two for Korangi and Landhi industrial areas.

These points were selected to assess the sewerage flows from each industrial estate which could be collected through interceptor sewers which would in turn collect the sewage flows from the outfall points of each industrial area to be later directed towards their relevant plants. Flow measurements were also noted by taking a straight section of every main drain from each industrial area with a uniform profile marked out at each of the measuring locations. The cross sectional area of the drain was estimated by measuring the depth of flow in the centre and on either side of the drain, they said.

To determine the flow velocities, a series of surface floats

were placed in the streams and its travelling time for a set distance along the streams were recorded, they said, adding that the results were used to compute the surface velocity of flow in the streams.

At present, the flow of SITe Industrial Area stood at 19MGD, SITe Trans-Lyari Industrial Area 27MGD, Federal B and North Karachi Industrial Areas 8MGD and Korangi and Landhi Industrial Areas at 26MGD, they informed. The effluent plants would be designed primarily for the removal of biochemical oxygen, chemical oxygen and suspended solids to bring these three common pollutants within the limits of National environment Quality Standards (NeQS), they added.

Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) on behalf of all the industries lying within its jurisdiction would be fully responsible for ensuring that the combined effluents were being discharged to the disposal body by conforming to the NeQS standards, they further said.

The officials said that the basic purpose of these combined effluent treatment plants was to treat waste water before its final

In, AT And Around - VIsuAl experIences of memory And TrAVel

dAtE: JAN 10 - 17, 2013

pIcAsso In pAKIsTAn

dAtE: dEC 24, 2012 to fEB 02, 2013

discharge into the receiving water-body as per the requirements of the NeQS and to avoid contamination of the soil and groundwater. The achievements of this important project would also contribute to a successful implementation of the National Conservation Strategy. Besides, the new projects would also help in meeting new challenges in the international market in relation to export-oriented industry supported by the World Trade Organisation (WTO), they added.

The officials also said that the industrialists would be facilitated in abiding by the national and international market standards by fulfilling their commitment to the environment.

When contacted, Industries and Commerce Secretary Zamir Ahmed Khan told Pakistan Today that the federal government would shortly release the funds after which the schemes would be initiated on priority basis.

“The Sindh government had sent these schemes to the executive Committee of the National economic Council (eCNeC) for approval two years back, however, the scheme was approved only a couple of days back,” he added.

emAc - pArAGlIdInG In KArAcHI

dAtE: dEC 21, 2012 to JAN 06, 2013

VENuE: uNiCoRN GAllERy KARACHi

VENuE: GANdHARA ARt SPACE

VENuE: muBARAK VillAGE KARACHi,

´in, At and Around´ an exhibition of urban landscapes by Pakistani Artist, Soraya Sikander on 10 till 17 January 2013 at unicorn Gallery, Karachi, creates awareness about eco-diversity, deforstation and rapid urbanisation. the exhibition features seventeen exclusive paintings created on-site around areas in london and Karachi. the artist traveled around london and trill during her time at Slade School of fine Art, where she produced these sensitive works as a response to a changing world.

“Abstract art is only painting. And what’s so dramatic about that? there is no abstract art. one must always begin with something. Afterwards one can remove all semblance of reality; there is no longer any danger as the idea of the object has left an indelible imprint. it is the object which aroused the artist, stimulated his ideas and set of his emotions. Boisgeloup, winter 1934, Quoted in letters of the great artists – from Blake to Pollock -, Richard friedenthal, thames and Hudson, london, 1963, pp. 256-257 (translation daphne woodward)

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08 News Egyptian lawyer to be jailed, lashed in Saudi Arabia JEDDAH AgENCIES

An egyptian human rights lawyer has been sentenced to five years in jail and 300 lashes by a court in Saudi Arabia, his former lawyer says.

Ahmed al-Gizawi was convicted of drug trafficking by a court in Jeddah, in a case which sparked a diplomatic row between the two countries. Mr Gizawi was arrested in April with more than 20,000 anti-anxiety drugs, which are banned in Saudi Arabia. egyptians protested at his arrest, and the Saudis recalled their ambassador. The fallout was the worst between the two countries since Saudi Arabia severed ties when egypt signed a peace deal with Israel in 1979. The two powers restored relations in 1987.

Another egyptian who was arrested in connection with the same case was sentenced to four years in prison and 400 lashes, and a Saudi national jailed for two years and sentenced to 100 lashes, AFP news agency reports. egyptian activists say Mr Gizawi was held after lodging a complaint against Saudi Arabia for its treatment of egyptians in its prisons. his family said he had gone to perform a pilgrimage. But Saudi authorities doubted this account, saying Mr Gizawi was not wearing white pilgrims’ clothes when he was arrested. he was detained at Jeddah Airport after officials found the anti-anxiety medication Xanax in his luggage. “These verdicts are lenient” given the defendants’ “good morals... and the lack of judicial precedents” the judge at the hearing said, according to AFP.

france to send more troops to mali PAriS

F

AgENCIES

RANCe is planning to deploy a total of 2,500 troops in Mali, more than three times the number sent so far to its former colony, defence sources

said.

The revelation on Tuesday suggests the government is ready to commit to a far bigger, and inevitably far longer, role in the campaign against al-Qaeda linked groups in northern Mali than previously indicated.

President Francois hollande said earlier on Tuesday that there were currently 750 French soldiers in the former colony but acknowledged that this figure would increase.

“There will be a gradual build-up to a figure of 2,500,” a source close to Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.

The plans to deploy a force of that size is at odds with suggestions by government ministers that the involvement of French ground troops would be limited to protecting Mali’s capital, Bamako.

According to Le Monde and other French media, France is also planning to base a substantial contingent of troops at Mopti in central Mali, from where they will be able to carry out operations

in the north of the country.

Until now, ministers have portrayed France’s involvement as restricted to stopping the rebels’ push south with the subsequent task of regaining control of the north to be handed over to the Malian army with the support of troops from neighbouring West African states.

Military analysts have described this scenario as optimistic given the limited capacity of the Malian army and the West African forces lack of experience in combating battle-hardened, well-armed guerrilla fighters in unfamiliar desert terrain.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Sunday that he thought involvement in the Mali campaign would essentially be aerial and claimed France’s mission could be completed in a matter of weeks.

FREnCH ASSAUlT On DIAbAlY Meanwhile, French forces have assaulted the besieged town of Diabaly in central Mali, after an earlier rebel counter-offensive took the town, residents say.

The French bombing campaign, which continued through Monday night, came after the French ambassador to the United Nations said that his country launched the military intervention in the West African country because it believed that “the existence of Mali” was at stake.

Gerard Araud told a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council that France was responding to calls for help from the government of the former French colony.

A meeting of the 15-nation UN Security Council on Mali expressed unanimous “understanding and support” for the military intervention, Araud told reporters late on Monday.

Francois heisbourg, special adviser at the Foundation for Strategic Research based in Paris, said: “either one of two things will happen; the Malian government, with eCOWAS and the French, will try to use the opportunity to go north, but if they do this they have to do it before the next 6 weeks and the rainy season, or they will have to wait until autumn. I think they are more likely to do the former.”

“Also Algeria has closed the border from the north, preventing the rebels from moving that way,” therefore working in favour of an advancement by the French on the north.

‘THEY WIll nEvER lEAvE’ A commander of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, one of the extremist groups controlling northern Mali, taunted the French. he said that his fighters control Diabaly, as well as Konna, the first town bombed by the French last week. he

told AP news agency: “I would advise France not to sing their victory song too quickly. They managed to leave Afghanistan. They will never leave Mali.” hours earlier, rebel fighters had responded to French airstrikes and military action with a counter-offensive in Diabaly, French and Malian authorities confirmed.

Araud said France had “no other choice” but to help the Malian government.

“We will defend [the capital] Bamako. We will not let the southern part of the country, with its 13 million inhabitants, fall to terrorist groups,” said Araud.

But the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, of which Mali is a member, called on Tuesday for an “immediate ceasefire, dubbing the offensive “premature” and urging all parties to return to the negotiating table. So far the unrest has caused nearly 150,000 people to flee the country, while another 230,000 are internally displaced, the UN humanitarian agency said Tuesday.

The UN high Commissioner for Refugees has registered 144,500 refugees in neighbouring countries; 54,100 in Mauritania, 50,000 in Niger, 38,800 in Burkina Faso and 1,500 in Algeria, OChA said.

briefs

Train crash kills 19 Egyptian soldiers

Chastened US takes cautious view of Mali conflict

CAIRO: A military train carrying young recruits to an army camp derailed in a Cairo suburb on Tuesday, killing at least 19 people and injuring 103 others, egypt’s health ministry spokesman said. The train was traveling from southern egypt to Cairo when it derailed in the Giza neighborhood of Badrashin, a security source told the Reuters news agency. The governor of Giza, Ali Abdelrahman, said that injured passengers were being taken by ambulance to nearby hospitals. “The egyptian ambulance authority has sent 66 ambulance cars to the site of the accident to move the bodies of the injured and the corpses of the victims to hospitals,” Ahmed Omar, the health ministry spokesman, told the official MeNA news agency. The train was a military vehicle carrying conscripted youth on their way to an army camp. egypt’s railways have a poor safety record, and egyptians have long complained that successive governments have failed to enforce even basic safeguards, leading to a string of deadly crashes. In November, at least 50 people, mostly children, were killed when a train slammed into a school bus as it crossed the tracks at a railroad crossing south of Cairo, further inflaming public anger at egypt’s transport network. AgENCIES

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The United States has chosen to play a cautious supporting role to France’s military action against rebel fighters in Mali, after Washington’s own attempt to build up the African nation’s army backfired badly. While the Pentagon promised transport planes, refueling tanker aircraft and spy planes to back up France’s intervention in Mali, officials made clear President Barack Obama was deeply reluctant to plunge America into a fresh war against insurgents. “I think the United States was very cautious not to get involved in another complex operation, which is sold as easier than it actually is,” Stephanie Pezard, a scholar at the RAND corporation said. “It didn’t want to be bogged down on another front that’s maybe not of the highest strategic interest either,” she added. But the French military action also raised questions about a much-touted US policy that hopes to counter terror groups in Africa and elsewhere by bolstering foreign armies with advice from elite American specialforces.

n caused by people who AREpo: A man steers a canoe through a swamp after an oil pipeline explosio trying to steal fuel in Nigeria. AgENcIES

were

IrAq releAses Hundreds of prIsoners BAGHDAD AgENCIES

More than 300 prisoners held under anti-terrorism laws were released by the Iraqi government as a goodwill gesture to Sunni Muslim demonstrators staging protests against Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

A committee reviewing cases freed 335 detainees whose jail terms had already finished or whose cases were dismissed because of lack of evidence. “I, and the committee, will follow up all the cases to accelerate the release of the prisoners who are freed or completed the sentence,” said Deputy Prime Minister hussein alShahristani, the head of the committee. Shahristani was speaking from the courtyard of a prison, with many of those who had been released in front of him. he shook hands with several of the male and female prisoners, and apologised to those who had been detained incorrectly. “I would like to apologise on behalf of Iraq’s state and the ministerial committee to any of you who were arrested and jailed for a while, and then you were proven innocent. It happens everywhere not only in

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

Iraq,” he said.

SECTARIAn FEARS: Three weeks of demonstrations, mainly in Sunni-dominated Anbar province, have evolved into a tough challenge for the Shia prime minister and his government, increasing fears that Iraq risks sliding back into sectarian violence. Sunni leaders had demanded the release of detainees held under an anti-terrorism law that many believe authorities use unfairly to target their minority sect. Thousands of protesters were still camped out in Anbar, once the home of an insurgent campaign against US troops in Iraq, where they have blocked a major route to Jordan and Syria near the Sunni heartland city of Ramadi. Detainee releases were just one condition from the protesters. Other demands range from the radical - calls for Maliki to step down - to the end of a campaign to track down former members of Saddam hussein’s outlawed Baath party. Since hussein’s fall in 2003, many of Iraq’s Sunnis feel they have been sidelined by the country’s Shia majority. The country’s government, split among Shia, Sunni and ethnic Kurds, is deadlocked over how to share power.

Bush Sr released from hospital WASHIngTOn: Former US President George hW Bush has returned to his home in Texas after spending nearly two months in a houston hospital. he was released from hospital on Monday after being treated for a bronchitisrelated cough and spent a week in intensive care last month because physicians were having difficulty controlling a fever that developed after treating the cough. “I am deeply grateful for the wonderful doctors and nurses at Methodist who took such good care of me,” said the 88-year-old former president. Bush expressed his gratitude to well wishers and “fellow Americans” in a statement released by his spokesman. “Your prayers and good wishes helped more than you know, and as I head home my only concern is that I will not be able to thank each of you for your kind words.” his condition had been improving since December 29 when he was moved to a regular hospital room, and underwent physical therapy to rebuild his strength. “Mr Bush has improved to the point that he will not need any special medication when he goes home, but he will continue physical therapy,” said Amy Mynderse, the doctor in charge of Bush’s care.

The forty-first US president and former director of the Central Intelligence Agency also suffers from Parkinson’s disease that has confined him to a motorised wheelchair in recent years. AgENCIES

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News 09 US lawmaker urges Congressional oversight of drone policy

QUETTA: The Balochistan Civil Secretariat wears a deserted look on Tuesday after the imposition of governor’s Rule in the province. ONLINE

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‘Mosque Buster’ in UK looking to stop the tide of Islam LONDON MAJID KHATTAK

A British planning lawyer and self-styled ‘mosque buster’ claims he is fighting to stop the ‘tide of Islam’ by successfully blocking plans for the building of mosques across the UK. Gavin Boby, once linked to the far-right english Defence League (eDL), said he had already blocked plans for 16 out of the 17 mosques being built. Under the banner of the Law and Freedom Foundation, he calls for people to come to him for free professional legal help in opposing mosque proposals and claims that Islam encourages paedophilia, sexual abuse and pimping. he claims to help followers resist planning applications for mosque developments by raising opposition with councils. The 48-year-old said in a video posted online, “If anyone out there knows of an application for a new mosque, a cultural centre for some phoney community centre or some multi-faith or inter-faith harmony institute then let me know”. Boby, from Bristol, runs a planning consultancy but also provides legal assistant for those who oppose mosque developments, according to the Sunday Times.

On the foundation website he claims to have stopped the construction of 16 out of 17 mosques

in total. These include mosques in York, Blackpool, Bolton, ealing and one in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, which was to replace ‘the beautiful old Jolly Sailor Pub’, according to the site. Boby reportedly launched the service with a mock-up of the Ghostbusters logo-swapped for Mosque busters-in which the ghost was replaced by ‘hate preacher’ Abu hamza. The website’s ‘about’ section explains the three threats to the survival of state authority in Britain and europe. The third, it reads, is, “ethnic division, particularly between Islamic and non-Islamic society, and the violence at the heart of Islamic doctrine.

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SpECIAL CoRRESpoNDENT

OICING concern over repercussions of United States’ frequent use of drone strikes against suspected militant targets on foreign soils, an American lawmaker has urged Congress to exercise oversight and craft policies that govern the use of lethal force.

Democratic Representative Keith ellison, argued in an opinion piece that the U.S. drone policy “must be guided by more than capability. It must be guided by respect for noncombatants, necessity and urgency.” however, he pointed out that the U.S. lawmakers have yet to hold a single hearing examining US drone policy. “Any rules must provide adequate transparency, respect the rule of law, conform with international standards and prudently advance US national security over the long term,” ellison wrote in the piece, carried by The Washington Post. The United States recently ramped up drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal areas along the Afghan border and counterterrorism officials in the past have justified use of drones as an effective tool in getting rid of militants operating on foreign soils. ellison, who is the first Muslim to be elected to Congress, noted in the opinion piece although the weaponised drones have produced results with elimination of 22 of al-Qaeda’s top 30 leaders and they critically lessen the need to send American troops into harm’s way, the costs of drone strikes have been ignored or inadequately acknowledged. “The number of innocent civilian casualties may be greater than people realize,” ellison wrote citing a recent study by human rights experts at Stanford Law School and the New York University School of Law, which found that the number of innocent civilians killed by US drone strikes is much higher,

“approximately 700 since 2004, including almost 200 children.”

“This is unacceptable,” the lawmaker from Minnesota, who cochairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, wrote. Another cost, he noted, is how drone strikes are shaping views of the United States around the world and wrote that in Pakistan, where 95 percent of US drone strikes have occurred, people familiar with them overwhelmingly express disapproval. “Drone strikes may well contribute to the extremism and terrorism the United States seeks to deter.”

TAlKInG To THe TAlIbAn – II

ANOTHER SMALL WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY LAHOrE SHAHAB JAfRY

A web of complexity surrounds the TTP insurgency, the core of the ‘internal elements’ that now present the gravest threat to national security – a fact acknowledged by COAS Gen Kayani himself. Military successes, coupled with drone strikes, have significantly disrupted insurgent activities in the tribal areas. But militants have responded by relocating to strategic arcs around main cities, and conducting hit-and-run attacks with high impact value.

As things stand, the insurgency is at a crucial stage. Attacks in big cities are signs of desperation, say military experts, as the noose tightens around the TTP in the tribal area, and its hierarchy seems using them to push the government towards a negotiated settlement as both sides become battle weary, a Pakistan Today investigation has revealed.

But ensuring lasting peace, as

opposed to deals that did not work in the past, requires understanding the complicated makeup of the TTP, how it uprooted the centuries old jirga system headed by tribal maliks, and the inevitable spillover of developments in Afghanistan (especially the ’14 American drawdown).

MAlIKS IRRElEvAnT The influence of the maliks has been on the decline since long before al Qaeda financed the multi-party conglomerate known as the TTP, when foreign influence in the region was limited to ‘investing’ in the maliks to dispute the Durand Line.

As far back as the early days of the Soviet jihad, when US, Pakistani and Saudi intelligence agencies midwifed the soldiercleric mujahideen of the Afghan resistance, maliks have been unable or unwilling to keep abreast of monumental changes sweeping the region.

They agreed to help raise tribal lashkars for the resistance, but never honoured their promises. And it was this stalling that led agencies to approach religious seminaries, which were ready and willing to partake in the jihad.

“It was because of the maliks that all the attention came to rest on religious circles,” said sources from the tribal area.

“These developments elevated the clergy to unprecedented political heights, something neither it nor the region was accustomed to”.

Years later, the maliks were again split when asked not to accommodate al Qaeda fighters fleeing the ’01 war in Afghanistan.

It was only when the TTP had entrenched itself in the region, and a military sweep was imminent, that they bowed to government pressure and finally formed aman lashkars to confront the Taliban.

Since the Taliban rebellion the malikpolitical agent nexus that has long defined the tribal political structure no longer holds. The existing setup is incapable of providing the kind of administrative engagement that is necessary after army action. And the lack of institutions compounds the military’s problems, which must oversee administrative complications in addition to its prime responsibility.

RIgHT TIME TO TAlK Whatever arrangement is reached once the military leaves the tribal area will have to factor in these changes, and make administrative provisions that are necessary in a post military action environment. For far too long FATA has remained undeveloped and neglected, and the absence of a strong political machinery leaves power vacuums that enable insurgents to circle around army positions and reoccupy strategic enclaves that have already been militarily cleansed.

Analysts observing the insurgency closely say a time of reorientation has come ahead of the American departure from Afghanistan next year.

In case of a complete withdrawal, which is being debated but highly unlikely, Afghan Taliban are likely to have a strong influence in whichever government comes to power in Kabul. That bodes ill for the TTP, which has alienated itself from the Afghan parent body (despite public allegiance) by embracing al Qaeda’s directive

of engaging with the Pakistani military. hakeemullah’s recent overtures of peace, though with outrageous conditions, are increasingly being seen as the TTP’s posturing for a post ’14 Afghanistan, where Afghan Taliban’s influence will rise just as al Qaeda’s is diminishing. The sudden option of negotiations, and talk of halting operations in North Waziristan, is an indication of softening up to the Afghan brothers, while strange demands, and continued attacks, signify the threat in case this opportunity is also lost.

And COIN officials are confident this is the right time to talk.

“Their core demands are releasing many hundreds in detention for more than half a decade and removing the precondition of disarming for talks,” they told Pakistan Today. Military flexibility like releasing those held without charge under the FCR as long as they report to authorities regularly and allowing bearing arms within agency limits, they said, could go a long way towards ending violence within a very short period of time.

Yet despite the scent of opportunity in intelligence circles, the optimism fails to extend to the outside world.

“The Taliban’s offer of talks does not seem to be a serious move aimed at reaching a mutual understanding for a ceasefire,” said Dr Ashraf Ali, head of the FATA research centre, in a recent news analysis.

There is also little evidence of a political structure capable of dealing with the most important part of COIN doctrine – the administrative effort that follows it.

The maliks, struggling for relevance, will resist accommodating Taliban they are presently engaging on the field. And perhaps the most important factor, the fate of Afghanistan as well as resistance fighters from all over the world, remains far from certain. There is little disagreement, though, that dealing with the TTP immediately, whether politically or militarily, is essential or the war will come more frequently to main cities. And the armed option has a far higher chance of proving self-defeating.

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10 Comment Losing the initiative

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

pakistan-India relations and the Indian military

Arif Nizami

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

invitation to anarchy Qadri’s antics threaten democracy

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hether the number was 50,000 or five million, the huge gathering in Tahirul Qadri’s long march comprised highly charged participants who had travelled to Islamabad on their own expense and were waiting for a signal from the TMQ chief for action. On reaching Islamabad, an overconfident Qadri peremptorily demanded that the president dissolved all assemblies by 11am the next day (Tuesday). To make the preposterous claim that any crowd, irrespective of its numbers, could take back the mandate won by a government in proper elections, is an invitation to anarchy. Before the ultimatum expired, one of the two institutions Qadri was relying upon had decided against him. The SC threw a spanner in the works with the remark that irrespective of what anyone does, the general elections would take place on the scheduled time.

There was little hope after this of any other powerful institution coming to Qadri’s help. The government meanwhile rightly rejected the demand as unconstitutional and unlawful.

While the TMQ chief continues to insist on his seven demands, which include dismissal of the election Commission and the legislative assemblies, his stance has significantly changed.

Maintaining that his struggle would remain non-violent and invoking the protests on the same manner as were made during the Arab Spring, he hopes to continue the sit-in indefinitely, thus bringing the government machinery to a standstill. The earlier dictatorial tone has changed into fervent appeals to the marchers to stay on. As he sleeps in a bomb proof luxurious vehicle and delivers his speech from behind a bullet-proof screen, those who have come on his call have to sleep under the sky unprotected. In this backdrop, the mantra of comparing his venture with that of Imam hussain’s looks increasingly ludicrous.

The mainstream parties need to ask themselves how a Pakistani citizen who after assuming the Canadian citizenship had mostly lived abroad could gather tens of thousands of charged marchers and take them to Islamabad. Many think it was the lack of responsiveness on their part towards the problems of the common man. The march should be a reminder that if these parties continue to ignore the man in the street, the next threat may be even more potent and might in fact turn out to be mortal for the system. The demands for the announcement of election schedule need to be heeded to by the government and an agreement reached on the caretaker setup taking all major parties into confidence.

The apex court’s orders to arrest Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and 15 others accused in the Rental Power Projects case have come at a time when the government is already under threat.

They are likely to be give birth to speculation regarding as to why the court chose this particular time to take action.

By rabia Ahmed

he recent violent incidents on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir were the most unfortunate development since the ceasefire was enforced on the LoC in November 2003. There have been sporadic firing incidents in the past and military personnel were killed on some of these occasions. however, never in the past such a serious and ‘tit-for-tat’ three firing incidents took place, causing two deaths from each side.

These incidents have taken pace at a time when Pakistan and India are on way to a major breakthrough in their visa system and bilateral trade. These changes, if pushed to their logical end, would start a new era of cooperation between the two countries.

It is important to recognise that there are groups, institutions and individuals in Pakistan and India that are opposed to normalisation of their bilateral relations. On both sides, the political configuration of these elements is similar. Religious hardliners and political far-right are unable or unwilling to overcome the trauma of the partition and the legacy of the competing nationalism of the Muslim League and the Congress Party of the pre-independence period. Some ex-service personnel and former bureaucrats have a tendency to

By Dr Hasan Askari rizvi adopt a hawkish posture. There are those in both countries who have made their careers by advocating negative disposition and hate against the other country in their own native country.

In Pakistan, the top brass of the military are favourably disposed towards improving relations with India because they are focused on countering terrorism and asserting the primacy of the state in the tribal areas. The easing of tension on the India-Pakistan borders facilities the Pakistan military’s efforts to cope with internal religious extremism and terrorism.

India’s military (especially the

army) top brass does not appear to be fully supportive of normalisation of India’s relations with Pakistan. The senior military leadership wants the Indian government to adopt a tough posture towards Pakistan in the dialogue process.

The Indian army was instrumental to stalemating the Siachen Glacier problem by insisting on authentication of India’s actual troop positions as a precondition for withdrawal of Indian troops to the NJ 9842 point on the LoC. earlier, India’s civilian government had agreed in principle in 2006 to withdrawal of the troops.

But, it did not pursue this commitment under pressure from the military and adopted the military’s position on the Siachen Glacier as the government’s official policy. This stalemate has reduced the chances of an early resolution of the Sir Creek boundary problem.

The preliminary investigation of the latest LoC incident has shown that an Indian local commander was responsible for launching the first raid on Pakistani troops across the LoC that triggered the whole episode. If the LoC incident was simply a local affair, it is surprising that a local commander can force a situation on two countries. If he enjoyed the blessings of Indian army’s headquarters, the matter is more serious. Does this mean that the Indian army headquarters has developed enough autonomy to pursue tougher line towards Pakistan at a time when the union government is working towards improving relations with Pakistan?

It is surprising that more statements have come from the top brass of the military rather than from India’s Ministry of external Affairs. India’s Army Chief has issued tougher statement than India’s Foreign Minister. Does this mean that the military top brass, especially the army top leadership, wants to slow down the on-going improvement in India-Pakistan relations?

The fact that the LoC trouble has persisted for over a week shows the growing influence of the Indian military in the foreign policy domain, especially India’s relations with Pakistan. The military commanders in the flag meeting on the LoC on January 14, 2013, accused each other of violation of the ceasefire on the LoC and the use of violence.

Indian military’s tough posture has emboldened the hindu hardline and political far-right groups, especially ex-servicemen and retired foreign service bureaucrats to use India’s private sector TV for massive propaganda against Pakistan. The discourse of most anchors and participants in the TV programmes was very hostile and some of them talked of teaching a “lesson” to Pakistan and that

the dialogue must be suspended.

The only reason for hope was that India’s state-owned TV channel, Doordarshan, did not reflect the ideological hostility of the private sector media. Pakistan’s criticism was done in a cautious manner and the need of continuing with the dialogue was emphasised by some analysts.

The first statement of India’s foreign minister emphasised an appropriate response to Pakistan. his second statement was balanced and showed that the Indian government was not swayed by the rhetoric of the commentators on the private sector TV. If the Indian military continued to call the shots on India’s relations with Pakistan, the current efforts to improve the relations between the two states will be greatly compromised. India’s political government should not submit to its military’s tough posturing towards Pakistan.

If the Indian military is able to persuade its ministry of external affairs to, once again, hang the whole gamut of India-Pakistan relations on a single issue, i.e., terrorism, their relations would return to the pre-2011 status when the dialogue was suspended against the backdrop of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

In Pakistan, the discussions on the private sector TV were generally moderate with the exception of the comments by some retired military officers and the members of the Jamaat-i-Islami. India was criticised by all for attack and deaths of Pakistani soldiers on the LoC but it could not be described as a persistent propaganda onslaught against India.

The government of Pakistan lodged strong protest but it reiterated its policy of peace and dialogue with India.

It is in the interest of both countries that their relations improve and decision taken in 2011-2012 regarding the visa system and bilateral trade are fully implemented. These steps need to be reinforced later with additional facilities.

India can play a more active role at the global level if it develops a relationship of trust with Pakistan.

Similarly, Pakistan stands to gain by improved relations with India. This will enable Pakistan to devote more attention to its internal political and economic problems.

India’s political leadership will have to assert its primacy over the military for pursuing normal relations with Pakistan.

If somehow the political initiative on India’s relations with Pakistan shifts from the political government to the military top brass, the gains made in this respect by the political leadership will dissipate.

The writer is an independent political and defence analyst.

What’s the rush?

Mr Qadri has a lot of explaining to do

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he dreadful massacre of hazaras in Quetta on the 10th of January this year, and Tahirul Qadri’s long march on the 13th have somehow dovetailed, causing great turmoil, while the others have jumped into the fray.

Although Mr Qadri’s charges of little democracy and great corruption against the present government are valid, such charges should be constitutionally raised in due electoral process. Pitching a democratically elected sitting government against long marches and deadlines are hardly constitutional actions themselves. It is only a deluded illiterate electorate and one that is fed up of the current state of affairs that will not realise this.

Following the terrible tragedy in Quetta, the government’s inadequacy in almost every sphere has been highlighted, and the ineptness of the present government, not exactly hidden has been further exposed lending some credence to Mr Qadri’s accusations, however

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

arbitrary his methods may be.

In spite of repeated violence against the hazaras there has been no attention paid to their plight by the federal government. When earlier this month more than a hundred people, most of them hazaras, died as a result of two bomb attacks in Quetta, something appears to have finally snapped. In a concerted action, the relatives of the victims refused to bury their dead, and established a vigil in spite of below freezing temperatures, flying in the face of religious custom that calls for the earliest possible burial of the dead. They and the people of Balochistan demand greater security for the province, as they have demanded for years.

Not until protests spread across the country did the Prime Minister visit Balochistan, where he met the families of the victims and the leaders of the Shia community, and requested the Chief Minister of Balochistan to return

to his post and province. CM Aslam Raisani, a man of spirits, remains ‘reportedly abroad’, which is where he is normally to be found; he failed to return even at a crucial time like this. The PM also directed Balochistan’s Governor Zulfiqar Magsi to take all necessary steps to ensure protection of the citizens’ lives and properties.

Obviously, if it takes prodding, a tragedy and the threat of impending elections for such senior officials of state to get to the scene, to do their job, they have no business being in such positions of responsibility in the first place.

It took many years, but as Mr Raisani himself once said, this is politics, and not a chicken being beheaded. Article 234 has since been invoked. Governor’s rule has been imposed in Balochistan, the Frontier Corps has been granted policing powers and Mr Raisani has been relieved of his duties, bringing the vigils to an end. Mr Raisani, of course, has stated that

this is a plot against him.

In typical ways, the federal government is left with much egg on its face. Rehman Malik’s remarks regarding Tahirul Qadri are too puerile to be repeated here.

All that can be said is that any government that places persons of the calibre of Messrs Raisani and Malik in positions of importance has something other than governance in mind.

In fact several institutions appear to have something other than their rightful business in mind. As for instance the Supreme Court’s sudden and ill-timed call for the arrest of the Prime Minister as a result of the rental power plants case, a case that has been running for years, with elections around the corner, could this order not have waited just a little while longer? But then who says the Supreme Court ever has its rightful business in mind?

There appears to be a very destabilising agenda being fol-

lowed in all that is happening, and it is clouding the real issues which are many, but one thing appears quite certain: we possess an inept government that deserves to be replaced. The question is, how, and with what?

The violent role religious extremism has played in Pakistan is clear, and must be kept in mind.

The hazaras are mute witness to that.

Mr Qadri, the founder of Minhajul Quran, yet another religious group, has dubious credentials and motives, and his methods of destabilising the government are not the most desirable.

If Mr Qadri has something valid to offer, it isn’t clear what that is as yet; therefore, he should take time to explain himself in the regular, constitutional way. After all, what’s the rush?

The writer is a freelance columnist. Read more by her at http://rabia-ahmed.blogspot.com/

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Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan Fax: +92-42-32535230 E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively

As Quetta bleeds While over hundred innocent citizens of Pakistan were massacred, our electronic media continued to give coverage to telephonic address of a politician, who inspite of holding power for over two decades was justifying his dual nationality and in the process maligning the father of the nation. The primetime political talk shows were too engrossed with either this drone attack of the UK-based powerful politician or with the long march by a Canadian national, while major political parties in power and in opposition were too busy discussing their political strategies. All that matters to these people is power politics and perks and abuses of power that political office or paid public service offers them. have we as a nation become immune to uncalled for massacres of our citizens, being butchered ruthlessly and all that this tragic news merited was taped display by most television stations, or in some cases a breaking news of few minutes. It is shocking that conscience of our ruling elite is either in hibernation, or has become immune to basic humane values, morals and feelings. In contrast to this, when 22 innocent children and six adults were massacred by a mentally disturbed man in Connecticut, USA, the whole nation was in shock and for days this was the only major news, while the political executive, members of Congress, civil society and media were engrossed with this tragedy.

President Obama, the most powerful leader of the world was in tears and he suspended all his other official assignments and chose to visit the small town and personally condoled with relatives of each victim separately.

The US national flag was in half mast.

There was an inter-faith service to mourn these deaths in that small town and President Obama was personally present there. even the impending fiscal cliff issue which was a key major political issue for their economy was put on backstage.

MALIK TARIQ ALI Lahore

Karzai’s visit to washington President Karzai of Afghanistan is in Washington for a face to face meeting with President Obama on Friday, the 11th of January. The main topics to be delved upon would be US troops strength after 2014 withdrawal that the US may like to retain and immunity to be granted to US troops that would stay back in their military actions against Afghans inside Afghanistan and Taliban. There are reports that President Obama may also discuss an option of not keeping any soldiers at all in Afghanistan beyond 2014.

President Karzai is worried on the sensitive issues on two counts. Firstly, he may insist that US troops must not withdraw in totality for which he might be prepared to grant immunity to US soldiers for their actions even against his own countrymen inside Afghanistan. Secondly, he may request provision of funds by the US to the tune of around US $2.5 bn in addition to US $3.6 bn already promised by international community

at Chicago Conference.

In continuation of the same he may press the US president to devise a methodology wherein those funds are delivered to Afghan government rather than channelling the same through NGOs and contractors. Another US $4 bn promised by the Tokyo Conference remains dependent on the strong conditionalities levied on Mr Karzai’s performance in arresting corruption and good governance.

By all counts, President Karzai would not be able to meet those conditions in current or in any future timeframe considering the volatile Afghan environments especially after 2014.

The question that worries so many Afghans is the constant latching of President Karzai with the US. If history of US friendships is considered, it has always been the other partners that had to pay maximum premiums to carry forward the relationship with the US. If Mr Karzai thinks that US would be Afghanistan’s saviour, he is grossly

divorce in Pakistan Divorce is a major ethical and social issue of the world. It separates couples and ends marriages. Islam asks to avoid it as much as possible. Divorce rates are climbing through the roof these days. Research shows at least 50 percent of marriages will end in divorce in America. If the current ratios continue the world over, this trend can also hit Pakistan. Divorce has many causes, just in the same way it has many effects.

Financial issues are one of the main reasons of divorce. Financial problems, like unemployment or low income, can hurt marriages. Couples can become habitual of using financial resources beyond their reach or can fall a victim of excessive spending. These factors can cause disagreements between them. Unemployment causes depression, panic, anxiety, blame, fear, and the worse of all, feeling of helplessness.

Blaming the unemployed spouse for the issue can collapse a marriage. Unequal financial position is another financial issue. For example, if one spouse, such as the female, makes more money than the other spouse, fear and jealousy may creep in, leading to anger, disagreement and eventually divorce.

According to the research, not all marriages fail for the same reasons. Communication is also one of the problems between couples. This may happen even before the marriage. Couples may not communicate with each other because of various issues that each individual may be experiencing or if the expectations are not clear from the beginning of a relationship.

Sometimes it happens immediately after the marriage due to ego or hesitation. Talking about your feelings in a marriage is important because then you can figure out exactly how to improve a relationship. Feelings left unaddressed can fail a marriage. Also if a couple does not communicate pre-marital issues before marriage, they will realise during the marriage that things should have been settled up before. These issues can get worse with time. But this type of under-

mistaken. Looking for US shoulders to sustain Afghanistan beyond 2014 will always be a far cry. Instead of looking outwards, this is the time when he should be looking inwards and the immediate neighbours to strengthen Afghan polity and enter into some serious negotiations with the Taliban. he should have been emboldened by the recent developments with regard to a negotiated settlement in Afghanistan. The recent interactions between the Taliban insurgents and major Taliban factions and the Afghan government have given a flicker of hope in Afghanistan. he should build on that instead of looking towards American for it is his country’s stability beyond 2014 that is in question.

The multiple visits by Afghan delegations to Pakistan and their recent interactions with the Taliban in Paris have been significant developments in pursuit of a peaceful Afghanistan.

Pakistan has also carried out its own analysis of an Afghanistan

standing is usually not found in Pakistani society.

The third major reason for divorce is love and teenage marriages. People in love can make irrational decisions unsuitable to their conditions. This type of marriage is not, mostly, socially acceptable in Pakistan.

We live in a society and we must follow the norms and traditions of a society. Divorce affects the couples, their children, their families and the society in general.

It should be avoided as much as possible by following the norms and traditions of the society we live in.

MUHAMMAD SHAHID RIAZ Lahore School of Nursing, University of Lahore

Children’s bad behaviour Children of today have become both aggressive and depressive with their life. They don’t know how to face life problems and what behaviour is expected of them when dealing with their elder and younger ones. Their personality is formed by a number of factors, including their family, relatives, peers and teachers. The parents have only a little control over their children once they reach a certain age. It’s mostly their peers, the teachers and other sources of education i.e., media. The influence of parents is high during the early age, but as the child discovers new friends and ideas, he or she grows independent of the influence of parents.

One cause of bad behaviour of a child is his family’s attitude. With broken families and the absence of a father at home, raising a teenager becomes a major problem for single mothers. A child’s first ten years of life is just like a whiteboard; whatever the parents write on it, it works like an ink of a permanent marker that can never be removed throughout his life. If this period of life is not handled properly, then the child suffers throughout his whole life.

The second major cause of a child’s bad behaviour arises during his second period of life: his school life.

Children are highly affected by their peers. If a child gets a good friend, many bad aspects of his personality

scenario once the US troops quits that country. Seeing the absolute necessity of a negotiated settlement for Afghan stability, it released at least four significant Taliban prisoners who were considered to be close to Mullah Omar. This was done in a hope that Afghanistan will sincerely negotiate for peace rather than looking elsewhere towards United States to create peace in Afghanistan. Karzai has relied too much and too long on US for sustenance of his government and the country. Beyond 2014, that help may not be coming through but if it does it will be rocky. It will be beneficial for Mr Karzai that instead of pleading in the US he must engage Pakistan to help bring peace in Afghanistan. Pakistan will be more forthcoming and is prepared to walk extra mile for the same, for peace in Afghanistan is a guarantee to peace and stability in Pakistan as well.

ENGINER JAVED IQBAL Islamabad

would not be there to begin with. A good friend can teach him how to face and solve critical situations. But the company of bad friends can destroy his whole life.

Teachers play a vital role in making a nation’s future. A teacher’s attention towards the children is very important. Some children misbehave in the classroom as a way to get their parents’ attention. Negative attention is better than no attention at all. Society, teachers and families should identify the root causes of student’s bad behaviour. Parents and teachers should especially keep an eye on their activities and company, develop strong interpersonal relationship and involve them in studies and other activities because they also have a duty to make a good decision for the children if they are can’t make one.

RASHIDA MUHAMMAD DIN Lahore School of Nursing, University of Lahore

A bureaucratic trick A senior bureaucrat, Mr Imtiaz Kazi, after retirement from the position of Secretary Mohtasib has been appointed Principal Advisor in the office of Ombudsman. According to reports, Mr Kazi has been given additional charge of Secretary Mohtasib also.

On the face of it, this appears to be a simple arrangement, but there is more to it than sees the eye.

The position of Secretary Mohtasib has been traditionally held by serving civil servants. This is for the first time that a retired civil servant has been given the charge of Secretary Mohtasib.

Since appointment of a retired civil servant as secretary is against the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, a bureaucratic trick has been applied in this case; Mr Kazi has been first appointed as Principal Advisor and then given the charge of Secretary Mohtasib.

This is how bureaucracy operates in self-interest in Pakistan.

ASGHAR MAHMOOD Islamabad

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

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12 Spielberg’s lionizes him, but was lincoln racist?

T

COUrTESy mO

he film currently taking America by storm begins with a black Union cavalryman pausing from the slaughter of the Civil War to recite the Gettysburg Address by heart as the president who gave it trudges past through the mud. And it ends with Abraham Lincoln in quiet triumph, his work done in seeing slavery banned throughout the nation, and the Confederacy of the American South brought to its knees. Breaking off from a discussion with colleagues about giving blacks the vote, Uncle Abe — played by Daniel Day-Lewis — heads off to a night at the theatre with Mrs Lincoln, and a fateful encounter with assassin John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln, Steven Spielberg’s sweeping epic about the 16th President of America’s triumph over slavery, won a commanding 12 Oscar nominations last week and is leading the field for this year’s Academy Awards, with Day-Lewis hotly tipped for the best actor accolade. Weaned — as every U.S. schoolchild is — on the notion of Lincoln as a towering, morally spotless leader in America’s history, the Oscar grandees are unlikely to vote against it: it seems almost treasonous to stand in the way of this lump-in-the-throat, desperately worthy celebration of the man who has been dubbed the ‘Great emancipator’.

Unfortunately, say historians, its portrayal of America’s most revered president is about as

Nawab of Pataudi does not sound right in reference to me

son disapproves her fiance Colombian actress Sofia Vergara’s son doesn’t want his mom to marry her fi-ance Nick Loeb. Manolo, 20, is concerned about his mother’s relationship after her recent fight with Loeb at Miami Beach nightclub.

“Nick’s hair-trigger temper has Manolo scared to death,” showbizspy.com quoted a source as saying.

“Manolo desperately wants to like the guy but violence seems to follow Nick around. Manolo is extremely protec-tive of his mother, and now he’s afraid for her safety. he believes Sofia should slam the brakes on her wedding plans immediately,” the source added. NEWS DESK

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

culture. By the time the series ended, it was not only a statement about personal style, it was a commentary on the trials and travails in the loveless city of New York. At its core, the series celebrated personal style. each character’s outfits were immediate personality indicators.

Quirky Carrie wore kooky mishmoshes of vintage and high fashion; no-nonsense lawyer Miranda donned minimalist power suits; uptown prep Charlotte favored prim tailored dresses; downtown libertine Samantha chose anything she darn well pleased in bright colored and

better than their life on the cotton plantations of the South. he supported so-called ‘black colonisation’, backing unsuccessful schemes to send willing freed slaves to new lives — still toiling in the fields under blazing suns, of course — in countries such as haiti, Panama and British honduras. Supporters say he only did it to persuade Congress to agree to freeing the slaves, but new evidence from, of all places, the National Archives at Kew in South-West London, suggests not. even after Lincoln’s emancipation Proclamation of 1863 — which announced that all those enslaved in Confederate territories would be freed for ever — he approved plans in tandem with the British to set up freed slave settlements in what are now Belize and Guyana. What really seems to have annoyed African-American historians in particular about Spielberg’s film is its portrayal of Lincoln as the great white emancipator freeing the helpless blacks. Raised in a log cabin in Illinois with very little education, Lincoln rose to the highest office in the land and took the helm of a teetering nation in its hour of need. And there are few more tragic and dramatic moments in U.S. history than Lincoln’s assassination on Good Friday, just five days after winning the Civil War. he was undoubtedly a remarkable president who kept the U.S. intact and presided over the end of slavery. Whether he deserves the unadulterated hero worship of Spielberg’s Lincoln seems rather more questionable.

SAIF ALI KHAN:

SOFIA VERGARA’S

The CW’s Jan. 14 premiere of The Carrie Diaries revives Sex and the City‘s singular broadcast of a highly curated sartorial perspective. The original series embodied fashion trends as much as it introduced them, both micro (nameplate necklaces a la the Carrie) and macro (haute couture for even the most cash-strapped of the masses). The show that streamed the latest from New York’s sidewalkscum-runways to anyone with a cable box and penchant for Cosmos from 1998-2004 started as a phenomenon and ended as a deeprunning fold in turn-of-the-century

accurate as the notion that an ordinary soldier could have recited the Gettysburg Address from memory when the speech only became famous in the 20th century. Not only, they say, has Spielberg’s lengthy drama grossly exaggerated Lincoln’s role in ending slavery, but it has also glossed over the president’s rather less likeable qualities. Very definitely a man of his times, say historians, Lincoln was — certainly by today’s standards — a racist who used the N-word liberally, who believed that whites were superior to blacks and who, having jumped on the emancipation bandwagon rather late in the day, wanted to pack the freed slaves off to hard new lives in plantations abroad. Lincoln told racist jokes, enjoyed black minstrel shows and had no time for the arguments of hardened abolitionists that the races were equal under God. During a famous 1858 Senate debate, for instance, Lincoln spoke of a ‘physical difference’ between blacks and whites that ‘will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality’. he went on: ‘There must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favour of having the superior position assigned to the white race.’ As for giving them the vote, Lincoln only saw it as desirable for the more ‘intelligent’ blacks. Spielberg’s film depicts Lincoln as ready to use every power at his disposal to free slaves, but the reality was that he envisaged a fate for them that sounded little

NEWS DESK

fitted shapes. Their archetypes did as much for self-identity through clothing as it did for girlfriendcentered TV shows (Lena Dunham’s Girls are also instantly recognizable from their wardrobes— thrift shop/Urban Outfitters hannah, sophisticated Marnie, free-spirited Jessa, uptight Shoshanna—a character who is, naturally, Sex and the City-obsessed.) Much of this influence is the legacy of legendary Sex and the City costumier Patricia Field, who made a name for herself by nailing down each character down to the last stud earring. NEWS DESK

Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan says he does not believe in titles and is still getting used to being referred to as a Nawab. The 42year-old actor assumed the honorary title of the 10th Nawab of Pataudi at a ceremony in October 2011, following the death of his father Mansoor Ali Khan. “Nawab of Pataudi just reminds me of my father and somehow does not sound right in reference to me. I do take it seriously but I don’t really believe in titles. We are a democratic country and the time for such titles is gone. I don’t think it suits a film actor,” Saif told PTI during a visit to London to promote his next film ‘Race 2’. his father, the former cricketer referred to as Tiger Pataudi, was to have an annual lecture named after him but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to formalise plans around it. Saif’s mother, Sharmila Tagore, had written to BCCI president N Srinivasan last November expressing her displeasure over the reluctance to officially name the Indiaengland series after her late husband and the delay in instituting the Pataudi Memorial Lecture. “I’m not sure what the BCCI is doing but Lord’s (Marylebone Cricket Club) has named the India-england trophy after my father. They also had an amazing evening at the Long Room last year to celebrate his life, which he would have been very proud of. I think that is enough,” Saif said in reference to the MCC’s decision to commission the Pataudi Trophy back in 2007 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first-ever India-england Test series in 1932. Saif returns as Ranvir Singh in the sequel to his 2008 box office hit when ‘Race 2’, which also stars John Abraham, Anil Kapoor and Deepika Padukone.

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13 SOUTH PARK

creators launch their own company, important studios NEWS DESK Apparently, once you’ve already created a wildly successful animated series and an equally successful Broadway musical, the only logical next step is to form your very own production company. That way, you can continue with your creative endeavors, but with total control over everything. At least, that’s what Matt Stone and Trey Parker have done. The duo behind South Park, now in its 16th season on Comedy Central, and

The Book of Mormon, still a hot Broadway ticket, have launched their very own company, appropriately dubbed Important Studios. They’ve built the new biz with revenue from their show and musical, along with support from various investors, the New York Times reports. The company is already sitting comfortably at an estimated value of $300 million. “having worked with several different studios over the years, we came to realize that our favorite people in the world are ourselves,” the pair joked in a statement.

And thus, Important Studios was born. The company will oversee television, movie and theater projects. The first major project? A film version of The Book of Mormon. The mega-hit, which won nine Tony Aways in 2011, has already grossed more than $200 million. Stone and Parker are betting it will do pretty well on the silver screen too. The comedy duo has been toying with the idea of launching a

production studio for two years now. “At first we thought we’d get some money from a hedge fund or a Russian oligarch or something,” Stone told the New York Times. But alas, it turns out that the help they needed came not from Russian oligarchs but from some hollywood insiders. Investors include a boutique merchant bank whose head they met through Ari emanuel, the co-CeO of William Morris endeavor. Book of Mormon fans are probably pretty excited about the move, as it means the notoriously hilarious show will eventually hit movie theaters. But hey, now that Stone and Parker will maintain total control over content, production and distribution, maybe we’ll even see a South Park/Book of Mormon hybrid. Cartman and Kyle as Mormon missionaries? Stranger things have happened.

Salman Khan is the king of social media With the growing popularity of the social media sites like Facebook, Twitter & YouTube, and its influence on the youth of today, a channel which recently hosted its annual awards, devised a special award to honor the actor who enjoyed maximum adoration from his/her fans. The channel roped in experts at Asterii Analytics to find out who has the biggest fan following. And their data revealed that the person who emerged numero uno was none other than dabangg Salman Khan! The research showed that the Salman had 7,408,859 fans on Facebook, 3,188,226 followers on Twitter, 60,567 videos on YouTube, 577,919 followers on Twitter fan clubs, 757,057 fans on Facebook fan clubs and 2,774 followers on Google+. A source from the analytic company said, “We used sophisticated web analysis tools to scan millions of pages on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, blogs and online forums to quantify the total volume of buzz and conversations on our stars. A specially designed four phase methodology was used. A shortlist of 30+ possible candidates was developed in the first phase. We developed 25 parameters to rank the candidates on the total volume of buzz. Using this 4 phase process we came to a single score and the top three candidates were Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. And Salman Khan emerged as the winner with a consistently high margin.” Way to go! NEWS DESK

CeleBrity tweetS

Pakistani Kathak dancer Naheed Siddiqui performs at Alhamra Hall on tuesday.

Delhi is volatile, aggressive and unsafe for women:

ChitrANGAdA News Desk

ABhiShek BAChChAN Happy birthday to @NeilNMukesh have a great year lil’ bro. David is looking awesome.

ShilPA Shetty On the sets of Nach baliye wearing a bright green Preeti Kapoor Anarkali(love her stuff)and adorning Anmol jewels:)lemme know wht u think

AtiQA odho Time for Zardari to go and all his cronies should follow! GO ZARDARI GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!

CiNdy CrAwford I’m a jeans girl at heart...but there is something so glamorous about old Hollywood style, don’t you think?

dolCe & GABBANA Banish your winter coats and swap them for silky soft leather bomber jackets come Spring

Chitrangada singh on commercial cinema, competition and life as working mother You seem to be very keen on doing commercial cinema. You took a break from your serious image with Desi Boyz, but chances of getting a raw deal is more in commercial films... I agree, because those scripts are written for another purpose. It is for the masses, so there is another formula running there which is fine, you choose what you want to do and what you don’t. You go back and forth and build your own body of work. But it is not very easy to do commercial cinema; you play up to the masses, you have to dramatise and still not look stupid. And then, you don’t plan things, it just happens. People see you in a certain way.

For instance, Farah (khan) felt I could do an item number, which I didn’t know. Perception is that you are a thinking actress... Yes. I love those roles as they have defined me. But I would like to thank Rohit Dhawan (director of Desi Boyz) and Farah for bringing out something different, which is not predictable. It gets boring when you get predictable.

Are you getting offers for commerciAl films?

Yes, I did a couple of them which were too out and out and I didn’t see myself going that out and out (laughs). I would like to take baby steps into commercial cinema.

Are you open to doing bold scenes?

If the role is amazing and if it is important for the character, I will do it.

How Are you deAling witH competition from estAblisHed And younger Actresses?

Competition does make you anxious, but I am not so much playing the competition. I choose certain kind of work and there is

enough work for everyone. everybody gets what they deserve. No amount of young, old, married, single, somebody’s brother, sister matters. enough work is coming my way and I don’t know if I can manage more than that. do you HAve enougH Heroes to work witH you? wHicH kHAn would you like to work witH? All of them, put them all up (laugh). wHicH direction is your cAreer tAking? wHere do you see yourself in tHe neAr future?

I see myself doing good cinema, different cinema, commercial cinema. I would love to work with Vishal Bhardwaj and Farhan Akhtar. when I did the item number kafirana (Joker), it was a great challenge to become a totally different person, almost unrecognisable. I was taking a great chance, because I felt a lot of people might say it will not work. But it was good for my confidence as an actor. did you AlwAys wAnted to become An Actress?

I never thought of being in movies, I had never been to Mumbai before. My father tells me that I would choose a different profession everyday. I have wanted to be an interviewer, news reader, museum worker, curator and air hostess. Had I not been an actress, I would have probably been in an art gallery dealing with antiques. isn’t it HArd being A motHer And wife wHile being An Actor? long Hours, outdoor sHoots, trAvel... does it tAke A toll on your personAl life?

I travel a lot and it is not easy all the time. But it is also not that hard when I look around. I don’t need to show up at 9 am everyday at an office. I take on as much work as I can manage. you Are A delHi girl. tHe city is not considered to be very sAfe for women. Any untowArd incident you remember?

Delhi is volatile, very aggressive and unsafe for women. There is a lot of floating population and differences in mentality because of the various backgrounds people come from. when I was in a hostel in Delhi, travelling in public transport was very unsafe. I have been eve-teased umpteen number of times, it is very normal there. sometimes it would get really scary. I remember a car with tinted glasses would regularly pull along and slow down while we would be walking back to the hostel and we would start walking faster.

Once the car came closer and somebody opened the door and we started running. I feel that the protest that has happened in the wake of the recent gang-rape has made men more sensitive towards women.

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

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Infotainment 14 big announcement:

F

teacher sues district over her fear of...children

what will it be?

ACeBOOK is remaining tight-lipped about its mystery press event on Tuesday amid speculation the social network will announce its first branded smartphone or search engine to rival Google. A cryptic invite sent to the media last week invited journ alists to “come and see what we’re building”, prom pting a guessing game among industry analysts.

The planned announcement has even reviv ed suggestions that Face book wants to musc le into the booming smartphone market – despite an emphatic denial by Mark Zuckerberg in Septe mber. Dr Richard Windsor, the technology analyst, said he expected Face book to announce a “hardware strategy” that would see it become more like Google rather than Apple. “I expect that hardware announced will be an Android based tablet or smartphone or range of devices,” he said. “The Android [tablet] will have been modified and optim ised to embed Facebook deep into the user expe rience. It could also include other functions such as search powered by Facebook or an optimised brow ser on these devices. This would basically have the effect of taking search and browsing traffic away from Google and putting it through Facebook ’s own servers.” The press event starts at 6pm UK time on Tuesday (1pm eT or 10am PT). here are four other possible announcements Facebook could make:

An(other) overhaul of the news feed The news feed acts as the Facebook homepag

e

for each of its 1 billion users so its success is critical to the future of the social network. Trad itionally, the news feed was the place wher e people found out what was going on and told friends what they were up to. It still does that, but several changes over the past two years suggest that Facebook wants the news feed to become the No 1 entertainment hub on the web; a place to listen to music on Spotify with friends, watch YouT ube videos, and share updates from your favou rite comedians or athletes.

According to Business Insider, Facebook now wants to turn the news feed into an “info rmation distribution hub for the entire internet”.

This would mean two things: 1) The news feed will pull in content directly from other sources base d on what its data suggests you like; 2) That Face book users will leave the news feed more often and go to other websites, which could be part of any potential ad network.

Charging for messaging Facebook announced last year that it was testing plans to charge users a small fee – start ing at $1 – to send a message to another user’ s inbox.

This would only apply between Facebook users who were not friends on the site.

An enterprising Mashable reporter last week tried to message Zuckerberg directly and received an alert asking him to pay $100 (!) for it to be sent to his Facebook inbox. If Zuckerberg had $100 for

everytime a reporter tried to message him.

A

.. Oh.

Facebook moves into search One thing Facebook bought when it paid $1bn for Instagram was its vast library of retro -style photographs. At present, there is no simp le way to search these photos based on their Instagram tags other than through the Instagram app. That would be a starting point for any Facebook move into search, but Zuckerberg harbours plans for the site to answer more local queries for its users , for example finding nearby restaurants or job vacan cies.

“Facebook is really uniquely positioned to answer a lot of the questions that people have ,” he said in September.

former teacher near Cincinnati is suing her school district for allegedly discriminating against her illness: a fear of young children.

Maria Waltherr-Willard, 61, claims the school transferred her from a high school to junior high school despite her diagnosed pedophobia. experts who filed documents in the case say WaltherrWillard suffers from a range of symptoms when teaching young kids, including vomiting, chest pains, nightmares, and high blood pressure, reports Cincinnati.com. her trouble with the Mariemont school district began when she told parents that online French classes might replace teacher-led classes. Irked school officials warned her not to spill the beans on such proposed cuts, and, she alleges, retaliated by sending her down to junior high. She claims to have done well teaching Spanish classes there but suffered from health problems and asked to teach high school again. When officials refused, she finally retired last year. The officials say they never expected her to quit. NEWS DESK

An advertising network One problem for Facebook has been its mobi le advertising. Analysts have questioned how the site will continue to grow ad revenue in a world dominated by smartphones and tablet computers . Like Google, Facebook has adapted slowly to this change, introducing mobile ads towards the end of 2011. In the first nine months of 2012 mobi le advertising as a percentage of Facebook’s total ad revenue was 6percent, according to its latest financials, and brought in $339m in the 2012 calendar year.

Any significant announcement on its mobile adve rtising strategy would be well timed ahead of its fourth quarter earnings call on 30 January. NEWS DESK

online analysts speculate social network will enter smartphone market, overhaul the news feed or charge for messaging

Blind, deaf twins die by assisted suicide

A

pair of deaf identical twins were euthanized last month in Belgium after learning they would go blind and not see each other again, ABC News reports. Unable to bear the thought, the 45-year-olds died by lethal injection at the Brussels University hospital after having a cup of coffee. “They were very happy,” said Dr. David Dufour. “It was a relief to see the end of their suffering.” Their last moments “went well,” he said, and included “a rich conversation.”

“Then the separation from their parents and brother was very serene and beautiful,” he added. “At the last there was a little wave of their hands and then they were gone.” The brothers, whose names were kept private, had spent their whole lives together, working as cobblers and sharing an apartment, the Telegraph reports. Their case is unique because their illness was not fatal, but Belgian law allows doctors to assist the deaths of mentally sound, “suffering” patients over the age of 18. More than 1,000 died by euthanasia in Belgium in 2011. NEWS DESK

Teen pot use kills IQ?

NEW STUDY SAYS NO Over the summer, word was that teen marijuana use could reduce IQ —but a new investigation rejects t h a t initial study.

Duke scientists, among others, had reviewed the IQs and pot habits of some 1,000 people in a New Zealand town between the ages of 13 and 38.

They found that IQ scores sank among heavy users. But an Oslo researcher says differences in socioeconomic status could just as easily have explained the apparent IQ drop. his study used a computer simulation to test how IQ scores could shift based on

socioeconomic status, including education, income, and career. Trends in his findings matched those found in the pot study. he says he’s not sure his study overrules the original one, but it points to potential flaws.

The Duke team analyzed his results and say they’re wrong, and outside experts say the original study hasn’t been disproved beyond doubt, the AP reports. NEWS DESK

Genes link Australia with india

A

USTRALIA experienced a wave of migration from India about 4,000 years ago, a genetic study suggests. It was thought the continent had been largely isolated after the first humans arrived about 40,000 years ago until the europeans moved in the 1800s. But DNA from Aboriginal Australians revealed there had been some movement from India during this period. The researchers believe the Indian migrants may have introduced the dingo to Australia. In the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they say that the fossil record suggests the wild dogs arrived in Australia at around the same time. They also suggest that Indians may have brought stone tools called microliths to their new home. NEWS DESK

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

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Clark wants ‘essential’ review of Cricket NSw SyDNEy AgENCIES

Stuart Clark has ruled himself out of the running to be Cricket NSW's next chief executive but has launched a stinging critique of the game in the state, saying a review was ''essential''. The former Test seamer and departing Sydney Sixers general manager had been touted as a possible replacement for David Gilbert, who resigned on Monday, but will not be putting his hand up for the role.

Clark, who has a masters in commerce and is completing a law degree, announced in November he would step down from the Sixers when his contract expires in May because he did not want to be pigeonholed as a cricket administrator. ''I'm not interested,'' Clark said on Tuesday. ''If I don't get out now I'll never get out.'' Clark, however, fears for the direction of the game in the NSW, which he represented with distinction in a career that spanned 14 seasons and yielded 24 Test appearances. ''The review of cricket in NSW is essential because we're getting left behind,'' Clark said. ''After finishing seventh and eighth in the Big Bash and not doing so well in first-class and one-day competitions, our cricket's not working. We need a good wholehearted look at everything in cricket.'' Clark, like many former Blues greats, was disappointed with the talent drain from the state, citing Test opener ed Cowan and Peter Forrest as examples of former players who blossomed upon leaving NSW. Clark said several of the youngsters he recruited from the NSW squad to the Sixers had ''some problems with basic cricket concepts''. ''Some of the young kids need huge amounts of work in the field,'' Clark said. ''They don't appear to be upskilling as quick as the other states, that's my concern.'' The Blues have this season relied primarily on head duo Anthony Stuart, before his departure, and the well-regarded Chandika hathurusingha to also act as batting and bowling coaches respectively, and depended on consultants to help with their fielding.

Victoria, the best-performing state in recent seasons, also rely on consultants for their fielding but employ a full-time bowling coach (Damien Wright) and use Greg Shipperd and Simon helmot to guide their batsmen.

The Blues have hired Trent Woodhill, a former New Zealand assistant coach and David Warner's junior batting coach, to be hathurusingha's right-hand man for the rest of the season.

Women World cup

Pakistan’s matches may be shifted NEW DELHi AgENCIES

n

INe Pakistani players who signed up for a new field hockey league in India were withdrawn from the event after a flare-up along the border that reports suggest could also affect the women’s cricket World Cup being held in the country.

None of the Pakistanis featured in the opening match of the hockey India League (hIL) in New Delhi on Monday and officials said they will not take part in the entire four-week event.

“Due to extraordinary circumstances, it has been decided to send the nine Pakistan players home,” hockey India chief and the league’s main organiser Narinder Batra told reporters in New Delhi.

Trouble began on Sunday in Mumbai when the city’s franchise, which had enrolled four Pakistanis, was forced to cancel a practice session after protests from the right-wing nationalist Shiv Sena party.

The entire squad, coached by Australian Ric Charlesworth, shifted base to New Delhi as league organisers speculated if Mumbai could host the six

matches allotted to it, the first one scheduled for January 20.

Tensions between India and Pakistan were heightened last week by a series of cross-border exchanges in disputed Kashmir in which four soldiers were killed.

Meanwhile, media reports on Tuesday said some of women’s cricket World Cup matches, scheduled to be played in Mumbai from January 31 to February 17, could be shifted due to Pakistan’s participation.

The Pakistani women are due to play three matches in the preliminary league of the eight-nation event and at least another four if they advance to the second round.

India’s Zee News said in a report, “with growing unease in the city with regard to Pakistani sportspersons, the BCCI has chosen Ahmedabad as an alternate venue for the Pakistan matches.”

“We have decided to write to the ICC to explain the situation here. After that, they will take a call on whether to change the venue or persist with it,” a top BCCI official said after the Board’s Working Committee meeting here on Tuesday. There was no immediate comment from the International Cricket Council on the report.

Warne slams Australian cricket’s ‘ridiculous’ selection policies SyDNEy AgENCIES

Spin king Shane Warne has become the latest in a long line of cricket greats to blast Australia's selection policies, labelling them "mind boggling" and "ridiculous". Warne lashed out at Cricket Australia's refusal to allow recovering paceman James Pattinson to play for the Melbourne Stars in tomorrow's night's Big Bash semi-final against the Scorchers in Perth, yet he was cleared to play Victorian grade cricket last weekend. Pattinson took 2-21 from eight overs for Dandenong against St Kilda on Saturday and was keen to play for the Stars as he continues his recovery from a side strain suffered during the Test series against South Africa in late November. Warne added to the debate that has seen a host of former cricketers such as Brett Lee, Ian Chappell and Michael Slater take aim at John Inverarity and his selection panel's controversial rotation policy.

"We're not allowed to play Pattinson because it's too intense but he's allowed to play eight overs of grade cricket with no help," Warne said. "It's just mind boggling how ridiculous that decision is and to me is not a se-

lection or a cricket person's decision. "Anyone with half a brain or common sense will know that playing a semi-final against good opposition where you get four overs is actually better for you than playing eight overs of grade cricket and standing out there for seven hours. Shane Warne bowls in the WACA nets ahead of tomorrow's Big Bash semi-final. Picture: "I know there has been some injuries, but it looks like strength and conditioning are picking the team, not the selectors. "To me, the captain should always pick the team, in conjunction (with) the selectors to try and get the best team out on the park for Australia."Playing cricket for Australia is something special. It's not just rotate around and give a guy a game and see how you go. "There's nothing like knowing you've performed well enough that you're going to play the next game.

That's when you start performing at your best."

Warne also called for Australian players to "take ownership" of their spots in the team and demand not to be rotated or rested. Captain Michael Clarke, opener David Warner and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade were rested from the opening one-day matches against Sri Lanka, while fast bowlers Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc were rotated during the preceding Test series. Shane Warne could play his last game in Perth if the Melbourne Stars do not beat the Scorchers.

SPl to help resume int’l cricket: ex-PCB chairman lAHORE: Former Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board, Mujeebur Rehman has said that Pakistan Super League (PSL) is a step forward for bringing back international cricket to Pakistan. “It is a heartening sign that PCB has officially launched the details of SPL which will be participated by a galaxy of foreign players and once again Pakistan will be centre of a major activity with the start of this mega event in March-April this year,” he said in his maiden statement from Doha here after 13 years since leaving the office. he said Pakistan cricket suffered a lot owing to security reasons in past four years and the step taken by PCB for launching its own impressive will ensure the return of international cricket to Pakistan. “ With the visit of foreign players from different cricket playing countries a major cricket activity will be generated which will enhance the image of Pakistan as a country which is safe to organize elite cricket events,” he said adding “ The start of the league will mark a new era”. STAff REpoRT

PHF withdraws its players from Hockey India League LAHOrE STAff REpoRT

The Pakistan hockey Federation has withdrawn its eight national players from hockey India league (hIL) and they are returning home from the first available flight after hind extremists Party Shiv Sinha staged a protest during the inaugural ceremony of the event at New Delhi.

“Our players are returning home as soon as possible as we have made arrangements for their come back in the wake of two demonstrations held during past two days at Mombay and New Delhi,” said Mohammad Asif Bajwa, Secretary, PhF at a news conference here on Tuesday. he said the players Kashif Shah, Shafqat Rasool, Rizwan Senior, Rizwan Jr, Rashid Mahmood, Mohammad Tauseeq ,Farid Ahmed, Imran Butt and Irfan Senior were a part of the hIL and hockey India and Indian authorities assured safety and security of the players but two protests by Shive Sinha left the PhF with no option but to withdraw its

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

players from the event in the larger interest of their safety.

“It was unfortunate that on the opening ceremony of the league a group of Shiv Sinha activists entered the stadium and chanted slogans against Pakistani players who were drawn in various teams of the league,” he said adding “ They gave dire consequences and hurled

threats individually to all the Pakistani players which left the players in shock and pressure and posed a question mark on their safety “. Bajwa said he held a meeting with the President, PhF, Qasim Zia on the issue and then the matter was also discussed with the Secretary hockey India, Narinder Batra and then It was decided to call back the Pakistani play-

lAHoRE: Asif Bajwa, addresses a press conferece along with other hockey officials

ers. “ hI Secretary was also concerned with the situation and he agreed to the PhF decision that Pak players be withdrawn from the event,” he said.

To a question Bajwa said prior to the inauguration of the league Pakistani players faced a similar situation at Mombay hockey round during a practice match when Shiv Sinha activists staged

a demonstration against their participation in the league. “ These incidents showed that our players are not safe and secure in India and we cannot risk their participation in the league,” he said while answering to a question.

Bajwa said these incidents have not only posed a big question mark on the safety of the Pakistani players but also on all the foreign players who are participating in the league . “ hI has assured that the contracts of these players will remain intact and they will be paid their full contract fee of participation for this addition of the league,” he said. Secretary PhF said the incident will have no impact on the PakIndia bilateral hockey series being played in March this year . “ But we will make sure that such incidents do not happen in future and we will get assurance from hI and concerned quarters before playing PakIndia series and the participation of Pak players in next chapter of the league ”,he added. “ Our main concern is that our hockey events taking place in future in India go without any problem,” he said.

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Sports 16

England collapse in Kochi as India level series KOCHi AgENCIES

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NDIA roared back to level the ODI series against england at 1-1 thanks to a 127run victory in Kochi. India won the toss and batted first on a hot afternoon in the south of the country in front of a packed ground of 70,000 fans.

They started slowly, but led by some late fireworks from MS Dhoni (72 from 66 balls) and Ravi Jadeja (61 not out from 37), they posted a strong total of 285 for six from their 50 overs. england built steadily after the early loss of in-form Ian Bell, but when Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed Kevin Pietersen and eoin Morgan in a double-wicket maiden they never fully recovered.

And in the end, with 14 overs unused and crumbling to a score of 158 all out, it was a poor performance from the tourists having upset the hosts in the first game.

The five-match series continues with another day/night game in Ranchi on Saturday. england, who replaced Tim Bresnan with Chris Woakes as the former was struggling with a niggle, must have been happy with their start, with Jade Dernbach and Steven Finn clean-bowling

Gautam Gambhir and Ajinkya Rahane respectively to leave India teetering at 18-2.

Virat Kohli (37) and Yuvraj Singh (32) rebuilt the innings carefully, but the tourists held control of the run rate throughout.

Kohli gifted his wicket to Woakes, while James Tredwell picked up the wicket of Yuvraj via a poor lbw decision - replays showed he had hit the ball.

Suresh Raina (55) posted another half-century in the series, but it was only once India got into the final 10 overs of their innings that they cut loose. Dhoni and Jadeja added 108 in the final 60 balls, raining boundaries down as Alastair Cook tried in vain to shuffle his bowling options around. even the wicket of Dhoni with four balls remaining made little difference - Jadeja finished the innings with a four-four-six in an over that cost Dernbach 20 runs. england began badly - Bell has scored heavily every time he has represented england on this tour, and fell to India seamer Shami Ahmed chasing a wide ball with one run to his name - but they regrouped.

Cook, together with Pietersen, settled into a rhythm and were moving along at the pace required to reel in India's score. The skip-

City tried to poach Barca staff: Rosell mANCHESTEr AgENCIES

per fell for 17, unlucky to be given out lbw to Kumar since the ball pitched outside leg stump.

But it was Pietersen's loss that was most keenly felt. he had looked in sublime touch, stroking seven boundaries in a 44-ball 42, but was undone by a ball from Kumar that jagged in sharply. Two balls later, Morgan followed edging to Dhoni.

Joe Root, playing his first knock at ODI level, and Craig Kieswetter combined as the innings ground to a halt. At one point the duo added five runs in five overs - but just as it looked as if they had raised themselves out of their malaise, Kieswetter offered the softest of catches off the bowling of Ravi Ashwin to midwicket when on 18, and when Root perished on 36, bowled by Jadeja, the game was all but up.

Woakes, a capable batsman, departed for a duck three balls later, while James Tredwell (one) and Steven Finn (duck) fell in successive balls to Ashwin.

Patel took the batting powerplay and hit a defiant unbeaten 30, including 18 in four balls against Ashwin, but as he tried to retain the strike he left Dernbach too much to do to make his ground. But by then the damage was long-done.

Saints bid for Reds target forren SOUTHAmPTON Molde have accepted a bid from Southampton for Norway centre-back Vegard Forren. Liverpool had invited Forren to england for a trial, but Southampton appear to have moved ahead of Brendan Rodgers' side in the race for the 24-yearold. Forren's agent is reported to be meeting representatives from the Barclays Premier League strugglers in London on Tuesday in the hope of agreeing personal terms. It is understood that Southampton are hopeful of completing the signing of the defender, who has five Norway caps, in the next 24 hours. Molde manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted earlier on Tuesday that the Norwegian club had accepted a bid for the player, who has also been linked with everton and Reading.

"There have been many inquiries from various english clubs, but Southampton submitted an offer," the former Manchester United striker told Norwegian newspaper Romsdals Budstikke. "It was very interesting for us and Vegard. We are more or less agreed with the club, but nothing is a hundred percent confirmed.

"Molde is close to a deal, so we'll see if this is something that all parties will go with." Forren joined Molde in 2007 and went on to become one of the club's star players. The tall centre back has played close to 150 games for Solskjaer's side and last year helped the club win their second domestic championship.

INDIA 4 AM Rahane b finn 8 g gambhir b Dernbach 37 V Kohli c Bell b Woakes 32 Yuvraj Singh lbw b Tredwell 55 SK Raina b finn 72 MS Dhoni c Root b Dernbach 61 RA Jadeja not out 1 R Ashwin not out 15 Extras (lb 5, w 10) 285 Total (6 wickets; 50 overs) Did not bat B Kumar, I Sharma, Shami Ahmed fall of wickets 1-18 (gambhir, 3.6 ov), 2-18 (Rahane, 4.3 ov), 371 (Yuvraj Singh, 15.2 ov), 4-119 (Kohli, 26.2 ov), 5-174 (Raina, 39.2 ov), 6-270 (Dhoni, 49.2 ov) Bowling: ST finn 10-1-51-2, JW Dernbach 9-0-73-2, CR Woakes 9-0-60-1, SR patel 10-0-43-0, JC Tredwell 10-0-48-1, JE Root 20-5-0 England 17 AN Cook lbw b Kumar 1 IR Bell c Dhoni b Shami Ahmed 42 Kp pietersen b Kumar 36 JE Root b Jadeja EJg Morgan c †Dhoni b Kumar 0 18 C Kieswetter c Raina b Ashwin 30 SR patel not out 0 CR Woakes lbw b Jadeja 1 JC Tredwell lbw b Ashwin 0 ST finn c Dhoni b Ashwin 2 JW Dernbach run out (Jadeja/†Dhoni) Extras (b 5, lb 2, w 4) 11 Total (all out; 36 overs) 158 fall of wickets 1-4 (Bell, 1.2 ov), 2-58 (Cook, 10.1 ov), 3-73 (pietersen, 14.2 ov), 4-73 (Morgan, 14.4 ov), 5-110 (Kieswetter, 25.3 ov), 6-132 (Root, 30.2 ov), 7-132 (Woakes, 30.5 ov), 8135 (Tredwell, 33.2 ov), 9-135 (finn, 33.3 ov), 10-158 (Dernbach, 35.6 ov) Bowling: B Kumar 10-2-29-3, Shami Ahmed 4-1-24-1, I Sharma 4-0-28-0, RA Jadeja 7-1-12-2, Yuvraj Singh 4-0-19-0, R Ashwin 7-0-39-3 Toss India, who chose to bat Series 5-match series level 1-1 player of the match RA Jadeja (India) Umpires SJ Davis (Australia) and VA Kulkarni TV umpire S Asnani Match referee AJ pycroft (Zimbabwe) Reserve umpire CK Nandan

England admit Broad injury concerns

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has claimed Manchester City have tried to lure a number of people to the etihad Stadium from the Nou Camp. Rosell says the Barclays Premier League champions have not only tried to sign players from all levels of the club's structure, but also other employees of the Catalan giants. Former Barcelona directors Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain are now at City as chief executive and director of football respectively. Rosell, speaking to RAC1 and quoted in Marca, said: "There have been some offensive approaches from City, at all levels of the structure of the club, but no one wants to go. "They wanted to fish here, but there were no fish left."

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tKOCHi AgENCIES

The england national selector, Geoff Miller, has admitted there are concerns over the fitness of Stuart Broad, england's Twenty20 captain, and that a time may come when he cannot be part of the side in all three formats of the game. Broad, who flew home early from the Test series in India with a heel problem, is due to link up with the england squad ahead of the final two one-day internationals, but is considered unlikely to play either of those matches.

A more realistic target for his return is the Twenty20 series in New Zealand, which starts on February 9. That, however, is admittance that Broad's recovery from the heel problem that plagued him during the Test series in India has not gone as smoothly as hoped.

Broad is visiting a kit specialist in Germany this week to be fitted with customised boots aimed to alleviate the problem on his left heel, which takes the brunt of the force during his delivery stride.

"The concern is that there have been two or three niggles that have affected his form and availability," Miller told reporters in India. "Anybody with an injury is a concern to us and we've got to manage workloads as best as we can, that's why we're continually looking at other players. We will look at it and make sure he's used in the best possible way for english cricket. he knows that." The rotation of players during a packed international schedule is now a major talking point, particularly in Australia, and england are currently using such a system during the oneday series in India, with James Anderson and Jonathan Trott also rested. It is likely, too, that certain key players will be given periods off during the upcoming home-and-away Test series against New Zealand. however, ruling a player out of a format completely, unless that is a decision taken by the player concerned, is a drastic option and one that Miller hoped Broad will not have to contemplate. "At this moment of time we're not thinking about taking him out of a format because he's got that sort of quality, but if we reached the stage where his body wasn't responding to all kinds of cricket then we're open to that."

Although Broad finished 2012 as the fourth-highest Test wicket-taker among quick bowlers, with 40 wickets at 31.70, his form tailed off in the second half of the year against South Africa and India. he had earlier been rested from the one-day series against South Africa, led england at the World Twenty20 before picking up his heel injury during the warm-up matches in India.

The problem then reoccurred towards the end of the tour.

Broad's injury problems began in Australia during the 2010-11 Ashes, when a strained stomach muscle sustained in Adelaide forced him home early. he then suffered a rib injury during the World Cup, which again ended his participation early, and then picked up a shoulder injury late in the 2011 home season.

Clarke pulls out of Ryder Cup captaincy race ABU DHABi AgENCIES

Former British Open golf champion Darren Clarke has pulled out of the race to succeed Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal as europe's Ryder Cup captain. "I have been to see (Players Committee chairman) Thomas Bjorn and formally informed him I do not want to be considered for the Ryder Cup captaincy in 2014," the Northern Irishman told reporters on Tuesday. "It was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. I have been agonising over what to do since I showed a few glimpses of my old form in Thailand and Australia at the end of last year." Clarke's withdrawal leaves the way clear for a twohorse race between former skipper Colin Montgomerie and Ireland's Paul McGinley.

The Players Committee meet in Abu Dhabi later on Tuesday and are expected to announce the new Ryder Cup captain. Clarke, the 2011 British Open champion, was also a front-runner for the job until his odds lengthened last week when he hinted he wanted another shot at playing in the team he served five times between 1997-2006.

World number one Rory McIlroy re-iterated on Tuesday his plea for McGinley to be given the job for the 2014 edition of the biennial team event at Gleneagles, Scotland. "I have a very strong opinion about this," said the 23-year-old Northern Irishman. "I really think Paul deserves it. "he has been a great player and a great personality for the european Tour over the years.

I also played under him at the Seve Trophy in 2009 and I thought he did a great job.

KRL win Pakistan Premier League KARACHI: Research Laboratory (KRL) has won the 9th Pakistan Premier Football League-2012 ( 9th PPFL-2012) title in Karachi at KPT Football Stadium today and finished their campaign with 70 points in 30 matches while Karachi electric Supply Company (KeSC) and Muslim FC Chaman finished second and third spot with 62 each. The last match between PIA and KRL was ended in goalless draw. The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), Army secured fourth place with 58 points while Pakistan Air Force (PAF) finished in fifth (53 points). National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) (44) finished sixth, followed by Navy (37), Pakistan International Air (PIA) 36 points, Afghan FC Chaman (35 pts) in seventh, eighth and ninth places respectively. Baloch FC Noushki finishes tenth.

WAPDA, hBL, KPT ended on 11th, 12th

and 13th place respectively while ZTBL was 14th. PMC FC Faisalabad and Wohaib FC Lahore are relegated from PPFL. KRL lifted the winning trophy and gold medals in addition to Rs 700,000 while KeSC had to be content with silver medals and Rs 500,000. Muslim FC Chaman got bronze medals and Rs 400,000. WAPDA won the four PPFL in 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2010, Army could achieve two Leagues in 2005 and 2006 and KRL secured two leagues in 2009 and 2011 and is the current champion of 2013 League. Kaleem Ullah of KRL was adjudged with maximum goal scorer with 35 goals and pocketed 100, 000/-PIA, best goal keeper of the league Mr. Jaffer Khan of Pak Army pocketed 100, 000/-, best player of the league pocketed Saeed Ahmed of Muslim FC chaman pocketed 150, 000/-. In order to promote sports-

manship, the PFF Chief also decided to hand over Rs 100,000 to winner of the Fair Play trophy to Zarai Tarqiati Bank Limitd (ZTBL). Best referee of the league was awarded to Irshad-Ul-haq for 100, 000/-, Best Assistant Referee of the league Adnan Anjum with 50, 000/- award and the best match commissioner of the league was given to Mr. Abdul Shakoor Baloch from Sindh Centre with award of Rs. 100,000/-. In 9th PPFL 2012 Kaleem Ullah of KRL is the highest Goal Scorer with 35 goals. Muhammad Rasool of KeSC is second highest goal scorer with 25 goals.

Third and fourth highest goal scorers are Ansar Abbas of Army and Muhammad of KPT 16 & 13 goals respectively. It is pertinent to mention here that in 9th PPFL 2012, Kaleem Ullah has made a record of 35 Goals and became highest Goal scorer

in the history of PPFL by any individual.

From 2004–2011 each player made a mark by scoring goals, in 2004 Arif Mahmood of Wapda with 20 goals, in 2005 Imran hussain of Army 21 goals, In 2006 Arif Mahmood 12 Goals, in 2007 Arif Mahmood 21 goals, in 2008 Muhammad Rasool of KRL 22 Goals, in 2009 Arif Mahmood 20 Goals, in 2010 Arif Mahmood again scored 21 goals and in 2011 Jadeed Khan Pathan of Afghan FC scored 22 goals. It is a unique record that Arif Mahmood of Wapda, that he became 5 times highest goal scorer in the history of PPFL. KRL is the current champion’s of 9th PPFL 2012 that make their tally to three League trophies of 2009, 2011 & 2012 whereas Wapda lead with 4 time champions of PPFL and Army 2 times. STAff REpoRT

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

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17 Sports del Potro realistic about hopes of gate-crashing top four

melbourne: roger federer plays a shot during his opening match of the Australian open against benoit paire.

mELBOUrNE AgENCIES

Juan Martin del Potro, the only player outside the "big four" of men's tennis to have won a grand slam in the last eight years, remained circumspect about his chances of breaking back into the elite after a winning start at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

The tall Argentine lost a year of his career to a wrist injury after winning the U.S. Open in 2009 and since his return, has failed to rediscover the heights of form he reached at Flushing Meadows three-and-a-half years ago.

teen winner Vekic’s heart belongs to Croatia

Bring on the heat, says man-for-all seasons Federer mELBOUrNE mELBOUrNE

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Searing heat forecast to hit Melbourne Park's second round matches on Thursday holds no fear for Roger Federer, who welcomed the chance to test his 31-yearold body in extreme conditions. The Swiss maestro played his opening match of the Australian Open in far gentler weather on Tuesday, trouncing France's Benoit Paire 6-2 6-4 6-1 on a sundrenched afternoon at Rod Laver Arena.

Former players and pundits have cast doubts on Federer's ability to handle a marathon in draining heat at Melbourne Park, particularly against the likes of the ultra-fit Novak Djokovic and his fellow 25-year-old Andy Murray.

Federer, who plays Russian former world number three Nikolay Davydenko

Donna Vekic is based in London, has an english coach and speaks with a British accent but the 16-year-old Croatian, who became the youngest winner at this year's Australian Open on Tuesday, says she has no plans to switch nationality. World number 111 Vekic won her first grand slam match with a 6-1 6-2 demolition of Czech Andrea hlavackova, ranked 45 places above her, to reach round two.

Coached by englishman David Felgate and with a training base in London, the temptation for British authorities to ask her if she would like to switch will be high.

on Thursday when 39 degrees Celsius heat is forecast, said he was not concerned about the weather.

"Obviously (it) has a big effect, but I'm not worried about the heat in any way," he told reporters. "I have practised and played so many matches over the years in a lot of heat. I almost favour myself over my opponent in the heat.

"Obviously when you get the hot match, you try not to stay out there for too long. But then again, if you have to, that's what it is. That's part of the game."

John Mcenroe questioned second seed Federer's ability to overcome champion Djokovic and twice finalist Murray in a long match in the heat this week.

Swede Mats Wilander, a threetimes Australian Open champion, agreed with the American great's assessment. "I don't think that he can

Wilshere is ‘world class’: Vermaelen

match them (in the heat), but I think he is the master at dealing with the unexpected," seven-times grand slam champion Wilander told Reuters at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.

"If you're thinking Novak and Andy, at some point they're going to just get ahead of him a little bit." Federer also shrugged off doubts about a lack of competition in his preparations for the year's first grand slam, needing only 83 minutes to despatch 46th-ranked Paire, the Swiss's first official match since playing the ATP Tour Finals in November.

The 17-times grand slam champion, bidding for a fifth title at Melbourne Park, eschewed all competition in the leadup in favour of working on his game on the practice courts.

Little rust was evident, however, as Federer compiled 25 sweetly-struck win-

Zabaleta wants to keep heat on

LONDON

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The Citizens picked up their first win away to Arsenal in 37 years on Sunday, with goals from James Milner and edin Dzeko enough to consign the Gunners, who played majority of the game with 10 men following the early dismissal of defender Laurent Koscielny for a professional foul, to their fifth defeat of the season.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, the Gunners did not sit back and, led by the exemplary Wilshere in midfield, put up a huge fight in the second half against the defending Premier League champions.

Following Wilshere's gutsy display on Sunday, Vermaelen praised 21-year-old, who had only recently made his comeback from an injury which sidelined him for 14 months, and claimed the england international could be one of the best midfielders in the world.

"I think Jack did well on Sunday," Vermaelen told the official Arsenal website. "For him and for Abou [Diaby] it was not easy with 10 men, they had to run a lot. Jack did well and he worked hard.

"You can see that since he came back he is growing and growing. And I think at the moment he is at a good level. "he is a world-class midfielder and he can only get better because he is young, coming back from more than a year out with injury.

Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta believes a string of victories will heap the pressure onto league leaders Manchester United in the race for the title.

Both sides won difficult fixtures at the weekend with United beating Liverpool 2-1 and reigning champions City easing past Arsenal 2-0 at the emirates Stadium.

Those results mean Sir Alex Ferguson's side still hold a seven-point lead at the top of the table but Zabaleta reckons a decent run of form could see City close up and overtake United, like they did in dramatic fashion last season. "We know that we are up against a rival in United who are in a very good moment," he said. "They have seven points more, but that is not much in this league. There is still a long way before the title is decided and there is still a margin to lose and recover.

"We hope United have a few games where they lose some points and we continue on this route, taking three points all the time." Zabaleta's teammate David Silva also knows what has to be done and admits losing just one game between now and the end of the season could cost the champions their title.

When asked if there was a sense that City could not lose again this year he said: "Yes, because if we lose, then suddenly the gap is 10 points, and that is when it gets really difficult. "But if we keep fighting,

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

"So I am very confident he will come back really strong." The Belgian international also expressed his joy at seeing Diaby make his return from injury and predicted the French international to make a positive difference for the Gunners this season. "he [Diaby] brings us some physique: he is a strong guy, a strong lad," Vermaelen added. "he can play as well, he is technically very strong.

"I am really happy he is back in the team and I am hopeful [he will be back] for a long time." Arsenal will take on Chelsea in their next Premier League fixture.

ners in a match more akin to a clinical training session. The lessons were lost on Paire, however, who admitted to feeling clueless as to how to fight back. "It's tough. I don't know what to do against him," the Frenchman said. "I don't know (how to handle) his serving or his returning. For me, I can do nothing."

Federer said the 40th-ranked Davydenko was a player who could do a lot of 'damage' despite his struggles with injuries in recent years.

"I had a very close match with him in Rotterdam last year. Should have won in two," the Swiss said. "It ended up being 4-4, love-40 in the third.

"I was very close to losing. Next thing you know, nobody talks about it. I went on to win the tournament and nobody talks about Nikolay. "So it's nice to see him playing well again."

we hope that they will falter." United took control of the title race with a last-minute winner in last month's derby at the etihad Stadium but Spain international Silva thinks City will continue to put pressure on the 19-time league champions. he said: "All we can do, whatever the gap is, is keep going, every game, and put them under the pressure of knowing that if they lose a game or drop any points, we will get closer to them.

"That works the other way, of course, too, because if we lose we will get further away, but we cannot think about that. We just have to continue as we are. The league is still there to be won."

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Sports 18 Serena leads Melbourne march of top seeds mELBOUrNE AgENCIES

S

Bucks beat Chaudhary Sports in Veteran league lAHORE: SPM Bucks beat Chaudhary Sports by 12 runs in a match of the Lahore veteran cricket league here on Tuesday at Stags ground.

SCoRES: SPm Bucks elected to bat reached 178/7 in 30 overs. man of the match,Qadeer Shah 46, Shahid mehmood 36, Nadeem Aslam 22, Hakeem Sajjad 22, fayyaz Haidar 21 & Javeed Butt 12 runs not out.

Chaudhary Sports bowling Raza Khan 2/35, muhammad Sami 2/39, Sarfaraz Ahmad 1/34 & Naseer ul Hassan 1/25 wickets. in reply Chaudhary Sports were restricted to 166/7 in 30 overs. Naeem Azam 55, Chaudhary Shafqat Hussain 44 & Raza Khan 30 runs not out. SPm Bucks bowling Nadeem Baig bowling well 3/34, Javeed Butt 2/27, Zahid Khan 1/32 & Qadeer Shah 1/30 wickets. Javeed Ashraf and muhammad Kaleem were the umpires.muhammad Arif was the scorer. STAff REpoRT

eReNA Williams refused to let a painful tumble divert her from her quest for a sixth Australian Open title on Tuesday as Roger Federer and Andy Murray progressed almost untroubled towards their goals on day two at Melbourne Park.

Williams picked herself up to complete a resounding 6-0 6-0 victory over edina Gallovits-hall, a ruthless dominance that world number one and defending champion Victoria Azarenka was unable to replicate as she progressed to the second round. Swiss Federer beat Benoit Paire 6-2 6-4 6-1 to embark on his campaign for an 18th major title after Briton Murray had steadied his grand slam nerves with a controlled 6-3 6-1 6-3 victory over Robin haase.

After an underwhelming opening day of the tournament on Monday, the sheer wealth of talent on display on the show courts almost ensured a better day two under the sunny skies at Melbourne Park.

There is no bigger personality in tennis than Williams, who is chasing a third successive grand slam title after wins at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and the American almost inevitably hogged the spotlight. Rampaging towards victory, the 31-year-old turned her ankle after hitting a forehand and lay prone on the court for a couple of dramatic minutes - immediately recalling her fall at Brisbane last year that ultimately ended her 2012 Melbourne campaign.

"It was definitely a lot of pain," she said. "Also a little bit of the memory, as well. So it was definitely a little bit of both.

But also at the same time trying to gather myself together and trying to make sure that I can continue." She was soon back up, ankle strapped, to complete the rout and said nothing would stop her from taking to court for her second round tie against Spain's Garbine Muguruza.

"I'll be out there," she said. "I mean, unless something fatal happens to me, there's no way I'm not going to be com-

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Azarenka continues to ignore keeping tabs on draw

peting. I'm alive. My heart's beating. I'll be fine." While Williams is pursuing her 16th grand slam title, Murray is hoping to bag his second after his triumph at the U.S. Open last year and he made short work of Dutchman haase.

"There's nerves in the build-up," the third seed said. "You just got to try and focus and play solid, not make too many silly mistakes. I did a good job of that today." Federer, four times a champion in Melbourne, easily negotiated what had been billed as potentially difficult tie against young French shotmaker Paire.

"I'm obviously very happy with this first-round match, so total control," he said. "he can be a tricky opponent but I guess his playing style doesn't disturb me that much overall." Federer remained on a third-round collision course with Australian Bernard Tomic, who delighted the home crowd with a 6-3 6-2 6-3 win over Argentine Leonardo Mayer.

Women's top seed Azarenka was forced to come back from 3-0 down in the second set in her 6-1 6-4 victory over Romania's Monica Niculescu.

With second seed Maria Sharapova having also won her first round match without conceding a game, Azarenka might have been looking to make a similar statement but the Belarussian said she

was just happy to be back on court.

"I couldn't wait to get out there and play," said the 23-year-old, who pulled out of the Brisbane warm-up after suffering a toe infection following a pedicure.

"I think I had a good first match.

That's what I needed to get into that competitive spirit, which I did. I'm happy."

After only two seeds fell in the entirety of day one of the tournament, women's seventh seed Sara errani and 12th ranked Nadia Petrova departed in quick succession on Tuesday. While errani's 6-4 6-4 loss to Carla Suarez Navarro was not a huge shock, 42-year-old Kimiko DateKrumm's 6-2 6-0 victory over Petrova earned her a place in the record books as the oldest winner of a women's singles match at the tournament.

The upsets remained thin on the ground in the men's draw with top 10 players Juan Martin del Potro, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet all easing into the second round. Date-Krumm's upset was also the harbinger of an excellent start to the tournament for Japan, with all six of the country's players going through to the second round. Wu Di, the first Chinese to play the main men's draw at a grand slam in the professional era, had a less successful outing but enjoyed it nonetheless.

‘true fan’ mcilroy sacrifices sleep for wozniacki mELBOUrNE AgENCIES

Rory McIlroy won't be losing any sleep about his financial future after signing a multi-million dollar deal with Nike, but the Northern Irishman is having to sacrifice some shuteye to

watch girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki at the Australian Open.

McIlroy confirmed he had signed a sponsorship agreement, worth a reported $250 million, with the sportswear giants in Abu Dhabi on Monday, just hours before Wozniacki battled to a 2-6 6-3 6-3 first round win over Germany's Sabine Lisicki.

"Great comeback by @CaroWozniacki! Off and running at the Australian Open... Now I can get a few more hours sleep!" the 23-year-old wrote on his Twitter account. Former women's world number one Wozniacki looked in trouble early against the risk-taking Lisicki before she rallied to seal a second-round clash with Croatia's Donna Vekic. The Dane told reporters she appreciated McIlroy's support. "he went to bed at midnight their time and woke up at three their time, then watched me and back to sleep for another couple of hours," she said. "I think I've messed up with his sleep a little bit. That's a true fan. "It's great to have that support. I know that he's there watching on TV or on the computer always."

mELBOUrNE AgENCIES

Top seed Victoria Azarenka maintains she avoids studying the progress of her rivals at major tournaments but news of a possible injury to Australian Open favourite Serena Williams certainly piqued her interest. After opening the defence of her title with a 6-1 6-4 win over Romania's Monica Niculescu on Tuesday, the Belarussian was asked if she had heard that Williams suffered a scare early in the American's 6-0 6-0 thrashing of edina Gallovits-hall. "I actually haven't heard that because I just came in from my match and was doing my own stuff," world number one Azarenka told reporters. "(But) I heard she won love and love, so what kind of injury are we talking about?" Third seed Williams shrugged off the rolled ankle to ease past her opponent and the pair are scheduled to meet in the semi-finals if the draw goes to plan but Azarenka admitted that looking too far ahead had usually ended in disaster. "I used to look at the draws all the time and it made me think too much," she said.

"What's the point? "I never look at the draw (now). I know my coach is going to maybe watch the match (of her prospective opponents), but I don't know."

Williams beat Azarenka in the U.S. Open final last September and should have played the Belarussian in the warm-up event in Brisbane, only for Azarenka to pull out of the match because of a mangled pedicure which required minor surgery. "There is no point of hiding what happened," Azarenka said. "everybody kept asking what it really was. "Actually when I went to see the doctor who did my surgery, he said ladies come at least every one or two weeks with that stuff."

Woods plays down rivalry with good friend McIlroy ABU DHABi AgENCIES

This week's Abu Dhabi Championship is billed as a desert duel between Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods but the American says theirs is a new rivalry and cannot yet compare to past on-course battles he has had. Fourteen-times major winner Woods believes it will take time to develop the same sort of rivalry with world number one McIlroy that he has experienced with the likes of Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh and ernie els.

"I think I've gone head-to-head against Phil, ernie and Vijay the most over the course of my career," the former world number one told reporters at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Tuesday. "For something like 16 or 17 years we've been going at it like that but it takes time. Rory and I haven't really had the amount of head-tohead duels that I've had with Phil, Vijay and ernie ... so let's just see how it pans out."

While Woods was keen to play down the competitive nature of his rivalry with McIlroy, the duo have clearly built a strong bond since they were paired together in Abu Dhabi 12 months ago.

"It started here last year," said the 37year-old American. "I played the front nine with him in practice on the Tuesday and we were paired together on the first three days too. "Our relationship has grown since then," added Woods who finished joint third behind surprise British winner Robert Rock in the 2012 Abu Dhabi Championship. "We've hit it off and our friendship's gotten better." World number two Woods and McIlroy will again play together in the opening round of this year's tournament, along with triple former Abu Dhabi champion Martin Kaymer, on Thursday.

The Florida-based American said he was expecting to spend even more time in McIlroy's company when the 23-year-old Northern Irishman finally moved into his new U.S. home. "having him in Florida I'm

sure we'll have a few dinners together and certainly hang out a bit more," said Woods.

McIlroy, who last year added the U.S. PGA Championship title to the U.S. Open he won in 2011, also spoke of the friendship he had forged with Woods since finishing sec-

ond behind Rock in Abu Dhabi. "We have spent more time together," said the Northern Irishman. "Before this time last year we would say hello in passing but not really anything else. "I think once Tiger sort of gets to know you and trusts you and let's

you in, it's great. "We get on really well, we share the same interests and we are both big sports fans. The bulk of our conversations are about sport."

WOODS CAnnOT WAIT FOR HIS SEASOn TO START In AbU DHAbI: A refreshed and rejuvenated Tiger Woods cannot wait to launch his season at this week's $2.7-million Abu Dhabi Championship, the former world number one said on Tuesday. The 37-year-old American did not touch his clubs for a few weeks after the end of his 2012 campaign and, having gone through a series of injury-interrupted years in recent times, he is relishing the start of the new season.

"I am really excited going into this year," Woods told reporters at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Tuesday. "The off-season was brief, it was only six weeks, but I just shut it down. "I put the clubs away and never looked at them for a couple of weeks but then it was nice to train and get stronger to get the endurance up.

wednesday, 16 January, 2013

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19 Can’t be business as usual with Pakistan now: manmohan g

New Delhi puts on hold visa-on-arrival facility, sends back Pakistani hockey players NEW DELHi AgENCIES

ALKING tough to Pakistan in his first reaction to the recent tensions along the LoC, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said it could not be business as usual with Islamabad following the “barbaric beheading” of an Indian soldier.

India on Tuesday also put on hold the visa-on-arrival facility and sent home all nine Pakistani hockey

t

players who were in India taking part in the hockey league. The move followed brewing anger among Indian political parties over the January 8 incident when Pakistani soldiers allegedly crossed the LoC in Mendhar area of Jammu and Kashmir and killing two soldiers. In the first public statement on the issue, Singh justified the decision to suspend visa facility, saying “after this barbaric act, there cannot be business as usual with Pakistan”. he said, “Those responsible for this crime will have to be brought to book” and hoped “Pakistan realises this”. When asked if Pakistan was in a denial mode on the cross-LoC attack, Singh said, “We will keep trying.” Pressed for options, the PM said they could not be discussed in the open. Singh later met President Pranab Mukherjee and briefed him on the situation. he also deputed National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon to brief Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley. vISA PUT On HOlD: India was

to operationalise the longdelayed visa-on-arrival facility to senior citizens of Pakistan on Tuesday, but quietly put it on hold indefinitely. The facility was to be accorded for those above 65 years crossing the Attari-Wagah border by foot.

Indian government sources said the decision was taken after several agencies sought clarifications on facilities to be offered to Pakistani citizens. The visa-on-arrival facility under the new visa agreement between India and Pakistan signed in September 2012 was to ease cross-border travel as part of confidence building measures. No new date has been fixed for making operational the visa-on-arrival facility. “We will take a decision at an appropriate time,” Union home Secretary RK Singh said.

The simmering border tension also spilled over to the sporting arena with a rattled hockey India deciding to send back all nine Pakistani players taking part in its high-profile league.

With an apparent nudge from the government and in the midst of threatened protests by right-wing elements, hockey India took the decision to send back the Pakistani players considering the “extraordinary circumstances”. “After discussion with all the stakeholders, the hockey India and Pakistan hockey

Federation have mutually decided to send them (Pakistan players) back due to an extraordinary situation which has arisen,” hockey India Secretary General Narinder Batra told reporters.

Cricket was also not spared.

Fearing trouble due to Pakistani players’ presence in the upcoming Women’s World Cup in the city, the BCCI has left it on the International Cricket Council to take a final call on the venues for the team from across the border. The matter was discussed at the board’s all-powerful Working Committee and it was decided to convey to the ICC the situation prevailing in the country. external Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said India had taken a “very firm position” on the beheading issue with Pakistan as the act was “totally unacceptable and barbaric”. Referring to yesterday’s Flag Meeting between India and Pakistan, he said, “We may not be happy with the outcome but the process is still on.” he indicated that engagement with Pakistan would be impacted although there would be no total freeze.

Asked whether India had set any timeline for Pakistan to act, Khurshid said, “There is no timeline. But we are actually pressing (Pakistan) very hard.”

Comments by indian army chief very hostile: khar WASHiNGTON AgENCIES

The remarks made by Indian Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh following the beheading of an Indian soldier on the LoC last week were “very hostile”, Foreign Minister hina Rabbani Khar said on Tuesday, as she asked Indian leaders to “catch up” with developments in her country.

“We were not very pleasantly surprised by the comments that we heard from many political leaders in India also. I think this is what has changed in Pakistan where India needs to catch up,” Khar said. “After the comments by the army chief I am taken back a few 20 years,” Khar said on the popular Charlie Rose Show of the PBS news channel.

“What did he say?” she was asked in follow up. “Just very hostile comments,” Khar said, adding she was referring to the comments made by the Indian Army chief. On Monday, Gen Singh issued a clear warning to Pakistan saying India reserves the right to retaliate at the “time and place” of its choosing.

Talking tough over the January 8

India violates loc ceasefire again, kills pakistani soldier ISlAMAbAD: The military said on Wednesday that “unprovoked” firing by Indian troops had killed one of its soldiers across the tense border in disputed Kashmir. The army said in a statement that one of its soldiers had “embraced martyrdom due to unprovoked Indian firing” at the Line of Control (LoC). “Indian troops again resorted to ceasefire violation and carried out unprovoked firing this evening at LoC in hot Spring and Jandrot sectors from 2200 (1700 GMT) to 2300 hours (1800 GMT),” the statement said. “Resultantly Naik Ashraf embraced Shahadat (martyrdom) at Kundi Post due to unprovoked Indian firing. Naik Ashraf is survived by a wife and 3 daughters,” the statement added. STAff REpoRT incident in Mendhar area of Jammu and Kashmir, he said the beheading was “unacceptable” and “most unpardonable” and the troops would respond immediately, aggressively and offensively if provoked. Khar is in New York to attend a special session of the UN Security Council of which Pakistan is the Chairman for the month of January.

“I think Pakistan today presents a country which is very clear in its head as to how it wants to operate with its neighbours. And the way we want to operate with our neighbours is to try and build on the trust to take care of and then build that trust enough to be able to build an environment in which we can take care of the disputes that we have on the dialogue table rather than through military statements and through military actions,” Khar said.

Zardari to summon NA session soon mONiTOriNG DESK President Asif Ali Zardari has decided to summon a session of the National Assembly soon, a private TV channel reported late on Tuesday. The channel said a notification in this regard would be issued in due time, adding that all coalition partners had been taken into

confidence on the issue.

In a late night meeting, the Pakistan People’s Party decided to call the NA session and it is likely that a date for holding the general elections would be announced therein.

The channel added that May 6 was likely to be the date for holding general elections across the country.

BA adopts resolution against Governor’s Rule QUETTA SHAHZADA ZULfIQAR

The Balochistan Assembly (BA) on Tuesday adopted three separate resolutions, including the one against the recently-imposed governor’s rule in the province.

The two other resolutions passed were against the Bacha Khan Chowk blast and Alamdar Road incident in Quetta where scores of civilians were brutally killed.

Over 16 MPAs, including Balochistan Assembly Speaker Matiullah Agha reached the assembly’s Secretariat, but the Frontier Corps personnel deployed at the gate did not allow the members to enter. however, later the speaker went to the governor and sought his interference who asked the Balochistan chief secretary to allow the members to hold their assembly session, saying that the provincial government had been suspended not the assembly.

It was the first meeting of the Balochistan Assembly chaired by Speaker Syed Matiullah Agha after imposition of governor’s rule in Balochistan. Mir Shahnawaz Marri, Aainullah Shams and Syed Ahsan Shah moved the resolution against imposition of governor’s rule. While debating on the resolution, Marri said dismissal of provincial government was an insult of the members of the house. They demanded the federal government withdraw the notification and allow

the provincial government to work.

PPP’s Ali Madad Jatak said they had offered the federal government an in-house change by replacing the chief minister before the decision to impose governor’s rule was taken. Asad Baloch of the Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-A) also demanded federal government withdraw the notification.

Shams of the JUI-F said the Balochistan Assembly business had been running peacefully during the last many years, adding “therefore we demand the federal government withdraw notification”. Shah said they had held a meeting with Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf at the Governor’s house and conveyed to him that Aslam Raisani was ready to resign from the office of chief minister and coalition partners of the Balochistan government would accept an in-house change. The speaker put the resolution for voting in the house that passed it unanimously. The second resolution said the provincial assembly was equally aggrieved by the killings in the bomb blasts on Alamdar Road. he said the house strongly condemned the blasts and demanded a judicial inquiry into the incidents. he said the judicial inquiry committee should comprise judges of the Balochistan high Court. Jattak, Shah, Jay Parkash and Dr Abdul Razzaq condemned the blasts and the murder of more than 100 people, saying the perpetrators did not belong to any religion or creed.

ISLAMABAD: A view of the mammoth gathering at the sit-in arranged by Dr Tahirul Qadri’s Tehreek Minhajul Quran at D-Chowk on Tuesday. INP

6 troops, 4 militants killed in khyber clash PESHAWAr SHAMIM SHAHID

At least six security personnel were killed and 16 others injured when scores of militants attacked a checkpost in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency early on Tuesday.

Officials said the troops killed four militants in retaliatory action. On the other hand, tribesmen said four security personnel had gone missing after the attack. According to the official, scores of militants attacked a security checkpost set up in Muslim Dhandh, an area dom-

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

inated by Shalobar Qambarkhel.

Militants first felted hand grenades at the troops manning the checkpost and later sprayed a volley of bullets at them.

The officials said at least six troops were killed and 16 others were injured.

The injured were rushed to hospitals in Peshawar, where several were said to be in critical condition.

The officials said following the attack, security forces embarked on retaliatory action against the militants and shot four of them dead. however, tribesmen said four personnel had gone missEditor: Arif Nizami

ing and were believed to have been abducted by the militants. Clashes between security forces and gun totting elements of the banned Lashkar-e-Islam have been in progress in Bara and Tirah regions of Khyber Agency for the last several years. As a result of these clashes, majority of dwellers have abandoned homes and are now taking shelter in Peshawar and its surrounding areas. The banned Lashkar Islam is also engaged in hostilities with rival Lashkar Tauheed and both sides have been attacking each other in the Tirah Valley frequently.

wednesday, 15 January, 2013