e-paper pakistantoday 23rd November, 2012

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US, West wants a weak Pakistan, says Iran’s Ahmadinejad PAGE |19

Govt fails to get dual nationality bill passed by Senate PAGE |03

Govt failed to maintain law and order: Imran PAGE |03

friday, 23 november, 2012 muharram 8, 1434

rs 15.00 Vol iii no 147 19 Pages Karachi edition

No need for army action in Karachi: Kayani g

Army chief says Rangers handling Karachi situation effectively KARACHI onLine

C

HIEf of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani on Thursday said there was no need of a military operation in Karachi, as Pakistan Rangers were maintaining law and order in the city effectively.

Kayani was apparently responding to demands from politicians to launch an

army operation in Karachi.

He clarified that a civil government placed the demand under the constitution and the army could not take control of the city by itself.

The COAS said military contingents were ready to maintain stability during Muharram, adding that they would cooperate in every possible manner with the civil administration in this regard.

He mentioned that military had been

D-8 leaders vow stronger economic alliance

Dynamic roadmap to boost bilateral trade to $500b by 2018 g Zardari says terrorists would not be allowed to hijack Islam g Ahmadinejad calls for new world order g

ISLAMABAD tayyab HuSSain

The Developing Eight (D-8) Summit concluded on Thursday with the signing of the landmark charter by foreign ministers of the eight participating member-states.

The leaders of the Muslim countries witnessed the inking of the D-8 Charter at the end of the daylong summit aimed at forging stronger economic alliance amongst the member states. The foreign ministers of the participating countries – Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey – signed the document that promises a dynamic roadmap to boost their trade to an ambitious

$500 billion by 2018.

The signing ceremony at the President’s House was witnessed by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, Iranian President Mahmood Ahmadinejad, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Egyptian Deputy President Mahmoud Makki, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Bangladeshi Adviser to Prime Minister for International Affairs Professor Gowher Rizvi. The D-8 group was established in 1997 on an initiative of Turkey to promote development cooperation among group members. continued on Page 04

text of islamabad declaration | Page 05

Cell phones may go silent on 9th, 10th Muharram Interior minister says ‘third force’ trying to destabilise country g Warns of more attacks within next few days g

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that a final decision on suspension of cellular services and a ban on use of motorbikes on the occasion of

Ashura would be taken after examining intelligence reports. Talking to reporters on Thursday after visiting those injured in the Rawalpindi imam bargah blast, Malik said the next three days were critical and law enforcement and intelligence agencies had been directed to prevent terrorist activities during Ashura.

He hinted at the possibility of increased violence, saying intelligence reports had pointed out towards further dreadful incidents across the country during Muharram. Malik said Afghan nationals and banned outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi were involved in the current wave of terrorism in the country. continued on Page 04

deployed in almost all sensitive areas of the country. On Wednesday, IG Sindh fayyaz Leghari said an army operation should not be conducted in Karachi and the capacity of the paramilitary forces already present deployed in the city should be increased. He said the army would not be called in during Muharram and they had only been asked to remain on standby. Earlier, lawmakers from the Awami National Party (ANP) demanded

an immediate military operation in the troubled city, saying the Sindh government had failed, while Karachi’s ruling party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), staged walkouts from both Houses of parliament to register their protest against the government’s inaction.

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02 News CARtOON

NEwS

Democratic partnership for peace and prosperity

Today’s

iNFOtAiNMENt Revealing scans show foetuses yawn in the womb

Quick Look

Page 11

Story on Page 05

Story on Page 14

MQM becomes party in voters’ lists case ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday allowed Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to become party in the voters’ lists case.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary said that the court has ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to confirm the voters’ lists by going to the houses of the voters.

ECP Director General informed the court that there were many errors in the unofficial voters’ lists, which first need to be removed.

OGRA chairman warns CNG owners against strike LAHORE Staff RepoRt

Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Chairman Saeed Akhtar on Thursday said that owners of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) filling stations should close down their businesses if they considers it non-profitable; but they would not be allowed to go on strike.

Talking to journalists outside Lahore High Court, he said that the decision of increasing gas price would be made keeping in view the best interest of the consumers.

The chairman of ORGA said that the concerned authorities would take strict action against all CNG filling station owners who will observe strike to press their unlawful demands.

OGRA slashes diesel, raises petrol prices

Quetta: policemen seal shops located on the route of a Muharram procession on thursday. INP

ISLAMABAD inp

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on Thursday issued a notification authorising a decrease in the price of diesel and a raise in the price of petrol.

According to the notification, the price of petrol has been increased while the prices of diesel, light diesel and kerosene oil have been decreased with immediate effect. The price of petrol was increased by Rs 1.57 per litre, while the price of kerosene oil was slashed by Rs 4.32, Diesel by Rs 3.52 and light diesel by Rs 3.79 per litre.

NAB takes punitive action against CAA, CDA g

Kasab’s trial was transparent: US WASHIngtOn onLine

The trial of Ajmal Kasab was completely transparent and fair, the United States said on Thursday. “We have reiterated that we welcome steps towards justice. We have said many times that we want to see the terrorists behind these attacks brought to justice,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters in Washington.

The 25-year old Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, was hanged to death at 7.30 am in the Yerawada Central Prison in Pune on Wednesday.

Exchequer suffered loss of over Rs 1 billion due to CAA’s incompetence ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

N

ATIONAL Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman on Thursday took notice of what he called ‘criminal negligence and incompetence’ on the part of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) which caused loss of more than one billion to the national exchequer and directed NAB Opera-

tions Division to conduct an inquiry into the matter Regarding the CAA, he said that the airport’s airstrip does not meet the international standards because the interstrip distance is only 300 meters instead of 800 meters; despite the vast amount of land lying vacant. “The CAA has been losing approximately Rs 10-14 billion per year since 1992,” he said. However, the chairman appreciated the new auditing system adopted by the CAA. “There used to be no transparent system of accounting and verification

of charges but the present set up of CAA has done a good job and as a result its revenue will increase from 13 to 27 billion per annum,” he added.

On the other hand, he revealed CDA’s faulty planning regarding the allowance granted to high-rise buildings in Islamabad.

“CDA’s negligence has caused a loss of approximately Rs 5 billion to one of the builders from Islamabad because of its lack of coordination with the CAA in calculating the permissible safety height,” he said.

FCR tribunal chairman orders complete check up of Dr Shakil Afridi g

Order comes during hearing of appeal against Afridi’s 33-year sentence PESHAWAR Staff RepoRt

Peshawar Commissioner Dr Tariq Jamil, also the chairman of the frontier Crimes Regulations (fCR) Tribunal, on Thursday ordered a complete medical check up of Dr Shakil Afridi, imprisoned for 33 years on charges of helping the US nab al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden.

Jamil issued the orders while hearing pleas by Shakil’s brother Jamil Afridi for a review of the sentence.

Latif Afridi, Samiullah Afridi and others represented Shakil in the preliminary hearing of the appeal against the Khyber Agency Political Administration’s decision that gave the sentence and a fine of Rs 330,000. The state was

Friday, 23 November, 2012

represented by Iqbal Advocate, however Shakil, who was represented by a penal of lawyers headed by Latif Afridi, was not produced in court.

After hearing the arguments in favour and against the appeal, the tribunal adjourned proceedings until December 13. The chairman directed the Health Department to carry out a detailed medical check up and provision of maximum health facilities to Dr Shakil.

Through an application, Jamil Afridi alleged that Shakil had recently been tortured by police personnel after his interview to a foreign media group.

The torture led to chest infection, therefore, he requested the court to direct the quarters concerned to ensure Shakil was provided complete medical care.

Earlier, Latif Afridi pleaded the fCR tribunal chairman to declare null and void the sentence awarded to Dr Shakil Afridi. He said under the fCR, an assistant political agent had no powers to sentence any accused for more than three years, while in case of Dr Shakil, the APA made a decision much beyond his powers.

He pleaded the court to set aside the verdict. Similarly, Latif Afridi pointed out that Dr Shakil was tried under CrPC 121-a/fCR- 11. However, under the section, a person could only be tried if the president or governor lodged a formal complaint in written with the political administration of any tribal agency that the accused was indulging in acts contrary to interests of the state, he said.

Afridi said the AP mentioned nothing about such a complaint in his verdict, adding that that made the sentence awarded to Dr Shakil unlawful.

On the other hand, Iqbal advocate defended the sentence awarded to Dr

Shakil Afridi, saying he belonged to the tribal areas and under fCR, the administration had the power to take action against all those who were involved in criminal acts or acts contrary to state’s interests.

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News 03 ARtS & ENtERtAiNMENt

BUSiNESS

SPORtS

Rafi didn’t want royalty for songs, reveals biography

Wheat support price and sugar export allowance increased

Clarke doubles up to put oZs in charge

EDitORiAl

no quick fixes:

Our security system.

COMMENt aziz-ud-Din ahmad says; The youth factor: In the elections 2013.

Kunwar Khuldune Shahid says; Blindfolded by Muslim brotherhood: It’s a lopsided love story.

Story on Page 18

Story on Page 12

Story on Page 15

Articles on Page 14

Govt fails to get dual nationality bill passed by Senate ISLAMABAD nni

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ESPITE all its efforts, the government on Thursday could not gather the required 68 votes in the Senate to pass the 22nd and 23rd amendments, lifting the bar on members of parliament against holding dual nationality.

When Senate Chairman Nayyer Bukhari asked Law Minister farooq Naik to move the bill to amend the 22nd amendment, the law minister requested him to defer it. Sources in the government told NNI that they had a dozen members less than the required two-thirds majority. In spite the efforts of the law minister and the leader of the House, the required quorum could not be arranged. Therefore, the chairman had to prorogue the session.

The copy of the 22nd amendment bill available with the NNI said, “Pakistan is one such country which permits the holding of a dual citizenship/nationality in terms of the Pakistan Citizens Act 1951 (Act II of 1951). Many countries of the world permit the holding of dual nationalities/citizenships. A direct result of this is that in those countries people holding dual nationalities/citizenships can exercise the right to vote and can also run for parliamentary elections.

Our country’s economy has always been considerably supported by the overseas Pakistanis; whole allegiance to Pakistan should not be in doubt. It has been a longstanding demand of the overseas Pakistanis that there

Altaf says terorrism will end everything

should be no impediment in their way to run for elections for the parliament.

They are deeply concerned with events in Pakistan and are keen to play an effective role and want to contribute to national cause. Therefore, through an amendment in Article 63 (1) (c), the constitutional bar on dual-nationality holders to become members of parliament is being lifted.”

In the draft of the bill it was also demanded that the bill become effectual from the first day of November 2007 “notwithstanding any other provision of the constitution or any proceedings, order or judgement of any court or authority, including, but not limited to the Election Commission, shall apply to all transactions past and closed, except by-elections, held after the twentieth day of September and before the thirty first day, 2012”. Earlier, during the Question Hour, the law minister, in a written reply, informed the Senate that cases of 643 people had been finalised at the inquiry stage and Rs 1189.201 millions had been recovered from the federal and provincial government officials from 2008 to 2011.

State Minister for Communication Dost Muhammad Mazari said the National Highway Authority (NHA) network had frequently been used by overloaded vehicles of NATO, ISAf and American transit freight over the past couple of years and roads worth billion of dollars were being damaged.

Minister for Communication Dr Arbab Alamghir informed the House that 26 percent of 4,040 roads were being affected.

TTP claims responsibility for Karachi, Rawalpindi blasts PESHAWAR onLine

LOnDOn inp

The founder and leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain on Thursday condemned the deadly suicide blast in the procession of mourners on Misriyal Road in Rawalpindi.

Expressing his grief and sorrow over the killings, Hussain said if killing of the mourners and other innocent people continued like this, ‘the fire of terrorism would engulf the entire country’.

“The situation may reach a point where the terrorists would become unstoppable. This wave of terrorism will burn everything to ashes,” he said.

He urged that the authorities should pursue the terrorists and eliminate them from the country as the integrity and security of the country hinged upon it.

He further said that the organizers of the procession should take steps to protect the mourners on a self-help basis and keep a watchful eye for miscreants.

He asked all the religious and political parties of the country to come forward and play an active role against terrorism. Sympathizing with the grieving families of the mourners who lost their lives in the suicide blast, he prayed for their speedy recovery.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed the responsibility for Wednesday’s blasts in Karachi and Rawalpindi in which more than 20 people were killed.

Talking to a private TV channel on Thursday, TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said the TTP was responsible for the blasts carried out a day earlier near imambargahs in Rawalpindi and Karachi.

Giving details of the attacks, Ehsan said the organisation had carried out a suicide blast in Rawalpindi while the twin explosions in Karachi were planted bombs, adding that it would stage more attacks on Shias in the next few days.

The statement came after the TTP had claimed responsibility for two earlier blasts on the same day in Bannu and Shangla areas, bringing the tally of cities targeted on Wednesday to four.

Meanwhile, the TTP also vowed to attack Indian targets to avenge the country’s execution of

india rejects OiC resolution on Kashmir nEW DELHI nni

India has rejected the resolution passed by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Jammu and Kashmir and termed it as ‘factually incorrect and misleading’. “We note with regret that the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has once again made factually incorrect and misleading references to matters internal to India, including the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India. We reject all such references and resolutions,” official spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said. The OIC, in its 39th session of the Council of foreign Ministers, noted ‘with regret the Indian attempt to malign the legitimate Kashmiri freedom struggle by denigrating it as terrorism’ and appreciated that the Kashmiri’s condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations’. It also took note of the report which confirmed that there are 2156 unidentified bodies in mass graves in Kashmir and expressed concern that there is every possibility that the unidentified bodies buried in various places may include the bodies of those who were believed to have disappeared. OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu reaffirmed the organisation’s support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their struggle to achieve their legitimate rights and stressed on considering new means for supporting them.

Militants attack DSP’s house in Bannu BAnnU inp

Ajmal Kasab, the lone survivor of the militant squad responsible for a rampage through Mumbai that killed 166 people on 26 November, 2008. “We have decided to target Indians to avenge the killing of Ajmal Kasab,” the Taliban spokesman said.

Unidentified men bombed the house of a deputy superintendent police (DSP) in Bannu on Thursday. However, no loss of life was reported. The men had planted explosive material outside the house of Saddar DSP Gul Naseeb in Kalakhel area of Bannu district. A portion of the house was damaged in the blast but all the residents remained safe. A surge in militant attacks on security forces has been witnessed and four policemen, including an SHO were killed in firing on police mobile on Wednesday.

Govt failed to maintain law and order: Imran g

Pti chief urges voters to reject political parties having militant groups KARACHI Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has asked allied parties to quit government after failing to control law and order in the country.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Khan said the situation in Sindh was very dangerous and eth government seemed helpless before the criminals and mafias.

“Peace cannot be restored without depoliticising the police department,” he said.

He said the PTI would not be a part of any alliance before or after

the elections, adding that the party would sit in the opposition if it failed to win majority to form government.

Urging people not to vote for political parties having militant wings, Khan said the people should not waste their votes. He announced that the PTI would soon hold a massive public gathering in Sukkar. Khan said sectarian violence in Pakistan was being fueled by international elements.

Criticising the economic policies of the government, the PTI chief said the government had done nothing for the welfare of the people in their five-year tenure.

Friday, 23 November, 2012

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04

D-8 leaders vow continued from Page 01

RafaH: palestinians celebrate the beginning of the truce with israel on thursday.

Gaza truce holds as region steps back from brink gAZA aGenCieS

Hamas leaders in Gaza declared victory over Israel on Thursday, and thousands of flag-waving supporters rallied in celebration as the battered territory entered its first day of calm under an Egyptian-brokered truce that ended the worst cross-border fighting in four years.

Eight days of punishing Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and a barrage of Hamas rocket fire on Israeli ended inconclusively. While Israel said it inflicted heavy damage on the militants, Gaza’s Hamas rulers claimed that Israel’s decision not to send ground troops into the territory, as it had four years ago, was a sign of a new Hamas deterrent power.

“Resistance fighters changed the rules of the game with the occupation (Israel), upset its calculations,” Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, who had attended the rally, said later in a televised speech. “The option of invading Gaza after this victory is gone and will never return.”

At the same time, Haniyeh urged Gaza fighters to respect the truce and to “guard this deal as long as Israel respects it.”

The mood in Israel was mixed.

Some were grateful that quiet had been restored without a ground operation that could have cost the lives of soldiers. Others — particular those in southern Israel hit by rockets over the past 13 years — thought the operation was abandoned too quickly.

Friday, 23 November, 2012

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the offensive’s aims of halting Gaza rocket fire and weakening Hamas were achieved. “I know there are citizens who were expecting a harsher response,” he said, adding that Israel is prepared to act if the cease-fire is violated.

Despite the tough talk, the ceasefire raised hopes of a new era between Israel and Hamas. The two sides are now to negotiate a deal that would end years of Gaza rocket fire on Israel and open the borders of the blockaded Palestinian territory. Talks are supposed to begin sometime after a 24hour period that began with the cease-fire late Wednesday.

However, the vague language in the agreement and deep hostility between the combatants made it far from certain that the bloodshed would end or that either side will get everything it wants. Israel seeks an end to weapons smuggling into Gaza, while Hamas wants a complete lifting of the border blockade imposed in 2007, after the Hamas takeover of Gaza.

Israel launched the offensive Nov. 14 to halt renewed rocket fire from Gaza, unleashing some 1,500 airstrikes on Hamas-linked targets, while Hamas and other Gaza militant groups showered Israel with just as many rockets.

The eight days of fighting killed 161 Palestinians, including 71 civilians, and five Israelis. Israel also destroyed key symbols of Hamas power, such as the prime minister’s office, along with rocket launching sites and Gaza police stations.

Cell phones continued from Page 01

The interior minister said apart from law enforcing personnel, intelligence agencies would also be held accountable in case of security lapses. Appreciating the work done by the Punjab Police, the federal minister said sufficient progress had been made in the probe into the Rawalpindi blast. Malik said a “third force” was trying to destabilise the country, adding there was a serious danger of terrorism over the next few days. He said there were reports that three groups of terrorists wanted to create panic in the country by attacking various places. “It is regrettable that these miscreants are killing innocent people for a little benefit.”

Referring to attacks on Muharram processions‚ he said enemies of Pakistan wanted to create differences among various sects of Muslims for their own nefarious designs. To a question, he said he would take up the issue of involvement of Afghans in terrorist incidents with the Afghan government. Malik said a strategy had been made to shut mobile phone services to foil designs of terrorists during 9th and 10th of Muharram. He said this restriction would be imposed in consultation with provincial governments. Paying tribute to police personnel, the interior minister said terrorists could not barge into mourning procession due to impenetrable defence of security forces. He announced Quaid-e-Azam medal for police employees who sustained injuries during the explosion.

The Islamabad Summit coincided with the 15th anniversary of the founding of the D-8 bloc.

Since its inception, trade volume of the member countries has increased from $433 billion in 1997 to $1.73 trillion in 2011.

Intra-D-8 trade, however, stood at a modest $130 billion in 2011, just 7.5 percent of the total trade of the D-8 bloc – implying that barriers still hinder trade amongst member countries.

Earlier, President Asif Ali Zardari took-over as the new chairman of the D-8 as Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan invited President Asif Ali Zardari to assume the chair.

President Zardari took the seat vacated by the Nigerian president, who proceeded to his designated country desk after delivering opening remarks.

Later, the president in his speech, expressed resolve of his government to fight militancy, stating that terrorist groups sought to impose their agenda but Pakistan would not let Islam be hijacked.

“Pakistan will continue to fight against the dark and destructive agenda of terrorists … one of the most serious threats facing Pakistan is international terrorism, both from within Pakistan, and from abroad, seek to impose their agenda … We cannot and will not allow Islam to be hijacked and will fight for our values and will fight for the spirit of our great religion that our Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) gave to us.”

Zardari said the government was fighting the terrorists’ dark and destructive vision every day. “Our soldiers, policemen and political workers serve on the front lines of this fight.”

He said al Qaeda affiliates in Pakistan, like the TTP, posed serious threats to aspirations for the future and to the very identity. The president said the D-8 group was a group of eight democratic nations that had the ability to work on their agenda, adding that the D-8 could help cement relations between the eight countries.

Zardari also condemned the Israeli attacks on Gaza and said Palestinians had been awaiting promised self determination for decades and the D-8 nations must look into this matter.

Commenting on the present Palestine situation, the president said the people of Palestine continued to suffer from Israeli aggression.

“We condemn the recent attacks in Gaza which have led to the loss of innocent lives. The people of Kashmir continue to suffer unjust occupation.”

He said for decades they had been awaiting the promised self-determination adding, “We must address these issues rather than blaming others, we need to take charge of our destinies.”

Recognising Egyptian President Morsi’s efforts to negotiate peace between Hamas and Israel, President Zardari congratulated the Egyptian premier, adding that Pakistan was proud of his leadership.

Zardari appreciated Indonesia’s support for Pakistan and said the nation had a glowing record of standing by Pakistan in its hour of need.

Speaking about the D-8 nations collectively, Zardari said the D-8 was a group of very important nations and their relations were beyond ordinary partnership.

Endorsing the core values of D-8, namely peace, dialogue, cooperation, justice and democracy, Zardari said the D8 nations had the potential to advance the long term objectives of their agenda, adding that Islamabad would build upon the roadmap.

Reiterating the importance of democracy, President Zardari reminded that democracy was at the very heart of Pakistan’s identity as it was founded through democratic means.

Calling for D-8 countries to work as a catalyst for peace and prosperity in the world, Zardari said Pakistan and its people wanted peace, adding that the Pakistani government was making unprecedented moves to make peace with India and also supported the peace process in Afghanistan.

In his address, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for a New World Order. He said the world needed a new order on the basis of justice and humanity.

“The creators of the current order cannot play a role in this change,” he said.

The Iranian president said the era of capitalism had come to an end and the former colonial powers should not be allowed to reassert themselves in

the management of the world.

Ahmadinejad also called attention to the Israel-Palestine conflict, stating that Israel had been occupying Palestine under a false pretext.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said joint projects between the member states of D-8 countries were the only way to make a dynamic move towards prosperity.

The Turkish prime minister said it was time for D-8 countries to pursue the global vision of prosperity and long term sustainable development.

Erdogan said economic development ensured security, peace and prosperity and urged the D-8 countries to make efforts towards achieving this goal.

He said the trade volume of Turkey and the D-8 countries was growing and termed it significant for all member countries. He called upon the D-8 members to resolve their conflicts that could hamper their progress.

President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said D-8 countries had the potential to play a bigger role in providing new impetus for economic growth and keeping the world stable and peaceful.

Addressing the Summit, he said D-8 countries must sustain their growth momentum as they had the potential to make progress in diverse sectors of the economy.

He noted that intra D-8 investment increased by four percent in 2011 and stressed that countries in the grouping needed to make progress on implementing the trade agreements made earlier.

More trade would provide more jobs and increase purchasing power of the people, thus raising their standard of living, he added.

Later, President Asif Ali Zardari hosted a luncheon in honour of the heads of governments and states attending the D-8 summit.

The luncheon at the Aiwane-Sadr was also attended by their respective foreign ministers and members of the delegations. Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf was also present.

D-8 Secretary General Widi Agoes Pratikto said the Islamabad declaration would play a vital role in strengthening trade and economic ties among the member countries.

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News 05 Democratic partnership for peace anD prosperity following is the text of the Islamabad Declaration: 1. “We, the Heads of State and Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Arab Republic of Egypt, Republic of Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Malaysia, federal Republic of Nigeria, Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Republic of Turkey met inIslamabad on 22nd day of November 2012, for the Eighth Summit of the Developing Eight Countries (D-8). We reaffirm our commitment to the goals and objectives of the D-8, including previous Summit Declarations.

2. We further reaffirm our commitment to peace, democracy, progress, dialogue, solidarity, tolerance, and moderation as the core values and foundation for achieving economic prosperity and wellbeing of our peoples.

3. We reiterate the importance of consultation, coordination and joint efforts in economic and trade relations among our members and commit ourselves to the realization of a just and equitable international economic system based on the principle of sustainable and inclusive development that take into account the profound impact of climate change.

4. We underscore the adoption of D-8 Charter in Islamabad as a turning point for the Organization. On the occasion of the 15th Anniversary, the adoption of the Global Vision, collectively takes us on a new path of cooperation after we have concluded our mutually beneficial cooperation from Istanbul to Islamabad. We are confident that the principles and objectives enunciated in the D-8 Charter will improve interaction and foster closer cooperation in economic relations among Member States. We therefore pledge to work in solidarity to confront common challenges faced by the D-8 community, especially achieving food security, mitigating the impact of natural disasters and countering all forms of extremism which undermine economic progress and negatively affect the livelihood of our peoples.

5. We note the continuing difficulties faced by the global economy, particularly in Eurozone area, and the impact of the economic and financial crisis which still overshadows the ability of the developing countries to achieve their growth potentials. We underscore the need for better coordination and close engagement between G20 and D-8.

6. We take note with concern of the consequences of the coercive economic measures on the livelihood of the people.

7. Recognizing the uncertain prospects for rapid and sustainable global economic recovery and growth, we resolve to further strengthen intra D-8 cooperation to counter the adverse fall-out of the economic crisis. Likewise, we renew our strong faith in multilateralism, in particular under United Nations system. Accordingly, we commit our nations to active participation, effective coordination and cooperation with all regional and international multilateral institutions to maximize the realization of our common interests, as well as those of the Global South.

8. We are mindful of the impact of globalization and its effects on our societies.

To address these challenges, we pledge to pursue national development through inclusiveness, dialogue, and democratic values, particularly by promoting social justice, good governance and empowerment of women. We also underline the importance of collaboration in the fields of sharing best practices, lessons learned and knowledge on democracy and good governance in order to build a solid foundation for peace and development.

9. We commit ourselves to creating a level playing field for all segments of the society, in particular for the youth to learn modern skills to become active participants in the emerging knowledgebased economy and the information society. We emphasize the need for scientific and technological cooperation and the development of joint industrial projects and sharing of engineering and management knowledge, with D-8 Centers of Excellence at the fore front of this collaborative effort.

10. We recognize the facilitating role of the government as catalyst of economic and trade cooperation and underline the importance of achieving intra D-8 investment and trade targets through greater cooperation in these areas. Accordingly, we direct the Commission and the Council to explore, in consultation with national investment and trade promotion agencies, D-8 Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Business forums, strategies and plans for increasing D-8 trade and investment levels at the next Summit. In this connection, we commend the untiring efforts by Nigeria during its Chairmanship in office to promote private sector participation and cooperation among D-8 Member Countries.

11. We underline the critical importance of harnessing sources of energy in our countries, which is the backbone for economic growth and development and place special emphasis on investment in the energy sector through public-private partnerships.

We are firmly committed to creating a framework of cooperation in energy field to achieve long-term energy security in our countries. We reaffirm our commitment to broaden and deepen cooperation in this critical area and stress the importance of collaborative efforts on capacity-building, transfer of technology, exploration of new energy sources, development of alternative fuels, including renewable sources of energy, as well as research, development and production of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. We welcomePakistan’s offer to host the first Energy forum to evolve a framework of cooperation.

12. We reiterate our commitment to the realization of the objectives of the D-8 Roadmap (2008-2018), in particular, the five Priority Areas and direct the Commission through the Council to explore practical ways and means for benchmarking the Priority Areas into concrete action plans, policies and measures and prepare specific proposals for the review and decision at the Ninth D-8 Summit.

13. We note with satisfaction the progress in the area of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and recognize the potential for its expansion within the D-8 community and request Member states to make concerted efforts to promote cooperation in this field, including through the promotion of micro-financing. In this regard, we welcome the proposal of Egypt to create a portal on the D-8 website for the SMEs. We further welcome Egypt’s proposal to create a portal on the D-8 website for the promotion of tourism.

14. We recognize the emergent role of Islamic Banking and finance in Muslim societies, including within the D-8 community, and urge Member States to assist in its development as a catalyst for expansion in financial and trade activities.

15. We are mindful that the strength of D-8 lies in solidarity and cooperation in the widest possible areas, including proactive liaison with and engagement in the activities of other regional organizations and institutions in particular OIC, ECO, ASEAN, SAARC, ECOWAS, COMESA, and the Arab League.

16. We note with great satisfaction the success of the Organization in the development of the legal instruments, and their ratification and operationalization which provides the framework for its activities through Visa Agreement, Customs Agreement, the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) as well as MoU on Civil Aviation and serves to facilitate, regulate and promote concrete cooperation

among the members.

17. We welcome the ratification of the “Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedures for the Businessmen of the D8 Member States” by six member states, as well as the ratification of Multilateral Agreement among D-8 Member Countries on Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters by seven member states, and the entry into force of the two Agreements. We believe that these Agreements will give further impetus to the promotion of intra D-8 trade.

18. We welcome the ratification of the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) by Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, andTurkey, and its entry into force, and the current efforts towards its implementation. We invite these countries to take all the required measures to begin, as soon as possible, the implementation of the Agreement.

19. We encourage the remaining countries which have not done so to ratify the three Agreements as soon as possible.

20. We recognize that the private sector in our respective countries has a decisive role to play. We call upon the Member States to extend their valuable assistance to the private sector in promoting effective liaison with the Chambers of Commerce at the national level towards utilizing existing and emerging investment opportunities within the D-8 community. In this context, we strongly recommend the effective use of the D-8 Website Business forum Page by the businessmen and companies.

21. We welcome the signing of the Memoranda of Understanding with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and call upon the Secretary-General to exert every effort, in consultation with the Member States, towards the full implementation of the provisions of both MoUs. 22. We considered the final report of the 3rd Meeting of Agriculture Ministers on food Security held early October in Indonesia and express satisfaction at the outcome. We underscore the importance for the D-8 Member States to strengthen and energize efforts towards achieving self-reliance and self-sufficiency at the national level in food production.

23. We also express our serious concern at the growing challenges to food security at national, regional and global levels. Accordingly, we underscore the need for the D-8 Member States to develop strategies towards promoting sustainable agricultural growth, through creating an enabling environment that encourages increased public and private investment in agriculture and agro based industry as well as through raising productivity in agriculture. We also express our determination to ensure fair and open market for agriculture products with a view to promoting better access to food.

24. We urge member states to exert every effort to enhance industrial cooperation through the development of joint venture as outlined in the D-8 Roadmap (2008-2018) as well as strengthen efforts towards achieving self reliance and sufficiency in food production.

25. We also considered the final report of the 3rd Meeting of Industry Ministers held in Dhaka in October 2012 and express satisfaction at the outcome of the meeting. We urge the Member States to exert every effort to enhance and institutionalize industrial cooperation within

the D-8 community, through development of joint projects for realization of the previously agreed objectives, particularly in the D-8 Roadmap (2008-2018).

26. We commend Pakistan for choosing “Democratic Partnership for Peace & Prosperity” as the theme of the Eighth D8 Summit as well as for organizing the D8 Business forum, Meeting of D-8 Central Banks Governors, first Meeting of Heads of Trade Promotion Organizations, Trade Exhibition and Interactive Seminar on “Exploring Trade Opportunities Among the D-8 Countries” on the margins of the Summit.

27. We welcome and express appreciation for the ratification of the D-8 Headquarters Agreement by the Parliament of the Republicof Turkey. We extend our appreciation to the Government of Turkey for providing new premises for the D-8 Secretariat Headquarters.

28. We commend the Commission for finalizing the draft Charter and assistance provided by the Secretariat. We remain confident that member states will ratify the Charter in the near future, providing institutional strength to the Organization and its activities.

29. We express our deep appreciation and gratitude to the Commission for the preparation of D-8 Global Vision and to the Council for its approval which will help in guiding the work and activities of the Organization in the coming years for the member states to confront emerging challenges.

30. We acknowledge the commendable work done by the D-8 Secretariat, and recognize and express our gratitude for the meritorious service of Dr. Widi Agoes Pratikto as the outgoing Secretary-General of D-8. We welcome the appointment of Dr. Seyed Ali Mohammad Mousavi as the new D-8 Secretary-General and wish him success in his efforts.

31. We welcome the appointment of a Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the D8 Organization in Istanbul, and encourage other member states to follow suit.

32. We endorse the Report of the 15th Session of D-8 Council of Ministers, including the Calendar of Events for the Year 2013, as recommended by the Commission, as well as the Reports of the 2nd Meeting of the Central Bank Governors, first Meeting of Heads of Trade Promotion Organizations and D-8 Business forum.

33. We express profound appreciation to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces of the federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, for his exemplary leadership and untiring efforts in promoting the D-8 objectives during his chairmanship of the Organization.

34. We express profound appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Government, and the People of Pakistan for hosting the Eighth D-8 Summit and for their warm and generous hospitality. We wish His Excellency, the President, every success during Pakistan’s chairmanship of the Organization and declare our unflinching support to His Excellency in this regard.

35. We warmly welcome the gracious offer of the Government of the Republic of Turkey to host the Ninth D-8 Summit in 2014.”

Joint sitting of parliament cancelled as Morsi calls off visit ISLAMABAD: Joint sitting of parliament scheduled for friday (today) and which had to be addressed by Egyptian President Muhamed Morsi, has been cancelled due to the cancellation of Morsi’s threeday visit to Pakistan. The Egyptian president cancelled his visit due to demise of his sister. However, according to The Telegraph, Morsi – who was thanked by the United States for helping to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas – would now stay home to monitor the truce.

Pakistan had made elaborate arrangements to give a warm welcome to Morsi as he would have been the first Egyptian president to visit Pakistan in nearly four decades. The first democratically-elected president of Egypt was also to be awarded with an honorary doctorate degree by NUST University. Meanwhile, Egyptian Vice President Mehmood Makki arrived in Islamabad on Thursday morning to attend the D-8 summit. He was received at Noor Khan Airbase by federal Minister Wakkas Akram. onLine

PIA MD orders inquiry against Birmingham airport manager LONDON: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) managing director has ordered an inquiry into the alleged involvement of its Birmingham airport manager in corruption and misuse of authority, PIA officials told Pakistan Today on Thursday.

PIA MD Junaid Yunas asked PIA Customer Services Director Mazhar Kiyani to initiate an investigation into the complaints against Manager Sultan Mir as well as his deputy Rifaqt Zaman and submit a comprehensive report within two weeks. PIA sources in London told Pakistan Today that PIA bosses had received a number of complaints from overseas Pakistanis against Mir and Zaman. “The Pakistan High Commission in the UK has also written to the PIA management about the corruption of PIA Birmingham Airport staff,” the sources said. According to a report by the Pakistan High Commission in the UK, Rasheedullah, Mir’s front man, had been involved in corruption, causing huge losses to the national carrier.

According to the report, excess luggage could be cleared by paying £150-200 to Rasheedullah, who was openly finalising deals with PIA passengers in the lounge.

The officials of the Pakistan High Commission in the UK also recommended that the entire staff of the PIA in Birmingham airport should be transferred immediately as they were tarnishing the relations of overseas Pakistan’s with the government of Pakistan. The sources also claimed Mirs’ tenure as a PIA manager at the Birmingham Airport was to be completed by the end of November but he had already started his efforts to get his tenure extended by three years. MaJiD KHattaK

Friday, 23 November, 2012

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Friday, 23 November, 2012

Security up to the mark?

Emergency declared in hospitals; govt announces three holidays KARACHI inp

K

ARACHI CID SSP Chaudhry Aslam has admitted that security risks in the city have increased but vowed that security forces would clutch the terrorists from their necks.

It’s worth mentioning here that at least three bomb blasts have so far rocked mourning public gatherings and imambargahs in Karachi with loss of several precious lives.

However, the SSP claimed that the security arrangements were up to the mark.

Chaudhry Aslam asserted that significant terrorist groups were arrested ahead of the holy month of Moharram, but the security threats

still persist in the metropolis,

adding terrorists may launch more attacks through motorbikes. He said the CID was going to arrest a vital network of terrorists who will soon be in the grip of the law.

Replying to a question, SSP Chaudhry Aslam said important revelations came to the fore during interrogations of the miscreants informing that saboteurs were using 3 to 22 kilogram explosives in the suicide vests.

It should be mentioned here that a CID team arrested at least three saboteurs hailing from a banned outfit in an overnight targeted operation in the metropolis and seized heavy cache of firearms from their custody.

Meanwhile, Sindh Health Minister Dr Saghir Ahmed has declared emergency in all the public sector

hospitals across the province and ordered availability of medics, paramedics and medicines from friday to Sunday- Muharam 8 to 10. He directed all the executive district officers of health and medical superintendents of hospitals to ensure their personal presence at the health units and see that all such facilities including operation theaters are standby.

The minister directed the heads of civil hospital Karachi, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Sindh Govt Hospital New Karachi, Liaquatabad, Qatar Hospital, Saudabad, Korangi, Ibrahim Hyderi, Lyari General Hospital and others to display duty schedule of doctors at prominent place and ensure availability of neuro-surgeons, orthopedic, general and other surgeons.

High alert

8 criminals arrested in city

at airport

Arms, explosives seized KARACHI: The police and Rangers during separate search operations in different localities of city arrested eight criminals including three members of defunct religious organizations and recovered arms and explosives from their possession. According to details, the Rangers conducted ‘targeted operation’ in Malir and Orangi Town areas of city. During operation five criminals were nabbed and weapons besides explosives were recovered from the detainees. The detained culprits were shifted to undisclosed location for investigation.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Sindh police arrested three saboteurs hailing from a banned outfit in targeted operation in the metropolis. Police said a huge cache of arms and ammunition including gunpowder, Kalashnikovs and bullets were seized from their possession. The sources said the terrorists were planning sabotage activities in the city during Muharram. inp

KaRaCHi: Rangers stand alert at numaish Chowrangi. ONLINE

The minister directed the secretary and other high officials of health department to pay surprise visits to different hospitals for taking stock of the situation.

The Sindh government has also announced a holiday on friday in light of Muharram 8. All educational institutions and government offices will remain closed in the province.

Earlier the government had announced that 9-10 Muharram would not be working days in the province.

On Thursday, the Private School Association had announced that schools would be closed on friday in Karachi.

Meanwhile, in view of security concerns, the Mazar of Hazrat Abdullah Shah Ghazi has been closed for the visitors.

KaRaCHi: policemen check a vehicle at Shah-e-Khurasan as security has been beefed up after the Wednesday blasts. ONLINE

Stop it before it’s too late!

PA speaker for quick blockade of arms supply to city

KARACHI: Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro on Thursday said the supply of arms and ammunition to Karachi and presence of the banned organizations are the main reasons behind the law and order problem in the city. He called for immediate blockade to this large scale arms supply to ensure peace and security in the city. for this purpose, there should be strong vigilance at the borders of Sindh and at all entry points of Karachi. Heavy vehicles bringing different cargo to the city should also be dully checked in a bid to check possible supply of arms. The speaker talking to a media here at Sindh Assembly secretariat said the army would remain standby during Ashura.

However, he continued that giving control of the city to the armed forces is no solution to any problem. During unde-

mocratic regime of General Pervez Musharraf, Karachi was more prone to bomb blasts and suicide attacks, he added.

He said that PPP-led government was trying its best to provide security to life and property of the people through good governance and merit in appointments and postings of police officers. He appealed to political parties to support the government efforts to maintain security, peace and harmony especially in Karachi. He said the recent bomb blasts in the city were aimed at fanning sectarian clashes. However, he said, such terrorist activities would not weaken the government. Our law enforcing agencies would have to react quickly and in organized way. The speaker also informed the media about his meeting with the outgoing Consul General of Iran in Karachi, at the Assembly. app

KARACHI: The security of all functional airports of the country including the Karachi airport was put on high alert on Thursday to avert any possible terrorist attack during the month of Muharram. Passengers were directed to reach airport at least two hours before their flights. The interior ministry issued its orders to the Airport Security force (ASf) to effectively manage security of the airports.

The ASf has deployed additional forces on the airports after the orders. Intelligence agencies have declared five areas as the most sensitive in the capital city of Islamabad where there was a threat of possible terrorist attack on 8th and 10th day of Muharram. The sensitive areas include Shehzad town, Tarnol, Golara, Bhara Kahu and city’s main Imambargah. Pakistani intelligence officials say extremist groups led by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi have escalated their bombings and shootings to trigger violence in the city. inp

President sanctions AIOU Khudabad, Mithi campuses KARACHI: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) would set up Khudabad and Mithi campuses in Sindh.

Sindh Minister for Education and Literacy, Pir Mazhar ul Haq and AIOU officials on the directives of President Asif Ali Zardari met to sanction the project. The project would facilitate spread of education into peripherial areas of Sindh. The minister told that an AIOU campus would also be set up at Shikarpur. The minister said that during Musharraf rule, higher education had been ignored in Sindh and if Shaheed Mohtarma BB had not laid the foundation of optic fibre in Pakistan, there would have had been no IT revolution in the country yet. Pir Mazhar announced 100 Sindh Government's endowment fund scholarships for AIOU. He said that Chinese Language Centres were being set up to literate youngster in the language of the most populated nation of the world. AIOU VC Prof. Nazeer Sangi was also present on the occasion. app

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Karachi 07 Youth Festival 2012 a success: Sabzwari KARACHI app

Sindh Minister for Youth Affairs, Syed faisal Ali Sabzwari said that Youth festival 2012 was a success in facilitating recognition of the talents of the youth.

The minister was talking to the youth festival 2012 prize winners at his office on Thursday. The minister said that the event not only was a source of amusement and entertainment but also acted as an advocate of soft powers who were against giving into the violent dictates of terrorists. Sabzwari said that the youth festival would be organized annually.Sindh Secretary Youth Affairs, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui and Director Youth Affairs, Khurshid Ahmed Shaikh were also present on the occasion.

Maternal mortality awareness by iGHDS SUKKUR app

HyDeRabaD: activists of awami Workers party hold placards during a protest against israeli aggression on Gaza. ONLINE

‘No firearm NOC till Muharram 11’ HYDERABAD app

Sindh Additional Chief Secretary under section 144 Cr.P.C. banned carrying of weapons and nullified the directives of Sindh Home Department which authorized carrying of licensed arms in Karachi,Hyderabad and Khairpur during 9th, 10th and 11th Muharram. Sindh ACf in order to maintain law and order and to control sectarian killing decreed the order with immediate effect. He also ordered police to lodge fIR’s under section 188 against those apprehended with fire arms and other weapons.

Mourning procession

Population welfare deptt to sermon rural couples KARACHI app

S

INDH Population Welfare Department would educate newly wedded rural couples on a wide range of family planning facilities and techniques.

Sindh Secretary for Population Welfare Mohammad Saleem Raza addressing participants of a seminar titled "Postpartum IUCD Insertion," said that there was urgent need to reduce the rate of population growth in the country through pragmatic approaches.

He said that social factors could not be a hindrance in population control if respective couple were educated about the benefits of

small families in the 21st century.

He said that provincial population welfare department was operating offices at all central and peripherial areas of the province.

Saleem Raza said that "we now plan to make our services more updated with equal attention towards attitudinal and behavioral changes among our staff including doctors and midwives towards women in need."

Raza said that a modified approach was extremely important as the department could not achieve desired results in social isolation. He urged the gynecologists to promote insertion of intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) to avoid pregnancies. He also advocated promotion of con-

traceptive techniques, and said that high incidences of maternal mortality rates of (276 per 100,000) in Pakistan and (314 per 100,000 in Sindh were shameful.

Provincial secretary for population welfare said that maternal deaths could be controlled through mandating presence of trained birth attendants or midwives in all healthcare facilities of the province. She said that “healthy time spacing practices are only possible if three years of spacing is practiced”.

Dr. Azra Ahsan and Prof.

Shireen Bhutta, lady doctors and midwives hailing from various health facilities of the province were in atttendence.

HYDERABAD app

The traditional annual Majlis-eAzha procession for women;'mehndi' Hazrat Qasim (RA) commenced from Mehfile-Hussaini Station Road and marched on the Gul Shah Jo Pir Gari Khata and Shumaila Imam Bargahah routes after Assar prayers on Thursday.

Jamatian-jo-Pir and Jhula (cradle) of Hazrat Ali Asghar (RA) and over two dozens of Zuljana from Tando Mir Mehmood, joined the Mehndi Hazrat Qasim (RA) processions at Gul Shah Jo Pir earlier today.

‘E-licenses and management system for Sindh’ KARACH app

Planning phase for the establishment of media city in Karachi was completed and the project would be initiated soon. Sindh Minister for information Technology, Raza Haroon while addressing officers and staff of the Department of Information Technology on Thursday said that biometric identification system and E-learning projects had been approved and would be initiated soon. He said that in accordance with the vision of chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement

Billions spent on women empowerment: Bozda SuKKuR: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) MPA Rai Naz Bozda said that Sindh government had spent billions for the welfare of women in the province. She was talking to visiting delegations at her residence on Thursday. She said that everyone was bound to respect and protect women working in educational institutions, hospitals and the corporate sectors. She told the IGHDS delegation to focus on development projects for women empowerment in the province.

The MPA said that women would play their role for the progress of Pakistan and added that no nation had prospered without active participation of women. app

(MQM), Altaf Hussain, Information Technology Department, undertook revolutionary steps whose fruits would ripen for the masses soon. Raza said that Hospital management Information System had been installed at the Civil Hospital Karachi. The minister told that Electronic driving and arms licenses would be introduced soon. He added that computerized domicile and PRC projects had also been initiated in collaboration with NADRA. Sindh secretary Information Technology, Saleh farooqui, Khalid Shamsi, Saeed Qureshi, Dost Ali Baloch, Khawaja Umar Ali and Jehan Ara also spoke on the occasion.

Participants of a seminar titled Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and Maternal Neonatal Health (MNH) suggested that awareness seminars related to MMR and MNH be conducted in rural areas to literate communities in averting death of mothers during delivery.

The health care providers lectured the under the auspices of 1st Community Advocacy Dialogue forum meeting titled 'Saving Mothers in Communities' by the Inter Global Human Development Society (IGHDS) at a local hotel on Thursday. IGHDS CEO Dr Jameel Ahmed Shakeel, , Dr Shabana Solangi, Maqsood Imam, Benish Mughla, Asma Mughal and Dr Huma Jamshed spoke on the occasion and a large number of Gyny health care providers and midwives were present.

Measles epidemic likely: Ayesha Mehnaz KARACHI app

Physicians warned parents and guardian to be cognizant of a possible breakout of measles during autumn.

Karachi Civil Hospital pediatrics department Chairperson Prof. Ayesha Mehnaz talking to sources on Thursday said that there had be an outbreak of measles last year and it would be appropriate that relevant departments prepared for a relapse in the province this year. She told that rashes, red marks, fever and viral flu like symptoms such as a running nose, a sore throat and chronic coughing were manifestations of measles. Replying to a question, she said that “children are vaccinated against the disease yet the measles immunization coverage rate is the lowest among all vaccinations administered to protect kids in the country”. Ayesha Mehnaz said that sporadic cases of measles had been reported by various hospital of the metropolis and warned that if timely care was not provided to those suffering from the disease, empylitis, gastroenteritis and even death could follow.

Minister reviews health emergency arrangements KARACHI app

Sindh Minister for Health Dr Sagheer Ahmed reviewed capacity of government hospitals in the metropolis to impart medical assistance to those injured in any potential acts of terror and acts of violence.

The minister order all medical superintendents, in charge emergencies and casualty departments to

coordinate with him, if there were any shortage of essential medicines and life saving items at their respective institutions. Dr Saghir said that medical staff, including doctors, nurses, technicians and paramedical staff should standby for duty calls on 9th and 10th Muharram. The health minister urged senior professors, including physicians and surgeons for immediate responses in any case of emergency.

The minister said that the government was committed to ensure life and health of every citizen and said that “in view of the recent unfortunate instances, the health department in close coordination with concerned professionals will chalkout an elaborate plan for timely assistance to the victims of blasts and other acts of violence, in accordance with the respective intensity and injury of individual cases”.

Friday, 23 November, 2012

KHI 23-11-2012_Layout 1 11/23/2012 2:11 AM Page 8

08 karachi wEAtHER UPDAtES

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KaRaCHi: passengers cling to a bus as acute shortage of public transport was observed in the city due to suspension of CnG on thursday. ONLINE

Exercise can help ward off bone disease in teens KARACHI onLine

EENAGERS have been urged to play sports or run for at least three hours a week to counteract the potential damage to their bone health caused by prolonged spells of sitting. An international team, including an expert from the University of Exeter, has found evidence that adolescents who spend long periods engaged in certain sedentary activities are more likely to have low bone mineral content in parts of the body where it can be an indicator of the risk of developing osteoporosis. In the research, the team found that studying put girls at particular risk, while for boys leisure internet use posed the greatest threat. Scientists found that participating in at least three hours of certain sports could significantly reduce the threat in girls. The study found evidence of the benefits of high-intensity sports where the participant is on their feet, such as football, basketball, netball or running. Scientists have previously studied the impact of an inactive lifestyle on problems such as obesity or heart defects, but this is one of the first studies analysing the effects of different sedentary behaviours on bone health in the critical development period of adolescence.

“Clearly we are not telling girls not to study. It is a fact of modern life that teenagers spend more time engaged in deskbound or sitting activities, but our research is one of the first to identify a connection between this behaviour in adolescents and low levels of bone mass in key regions of the body,” said Dr Luis Gracia Marco of the University of Exeter, who led

T

the research. “It is already well-known that an inactive lifestyle has implications for young people, such as obesity and heart diseases. Combined with that, our findings emphasise the need for exercise, and we hope it will give some focus for young people and their parents to ward off any health problems later in life,” Dr Marco added. The research was carried out in collaboration with scientists from the University of Zaragoza, the University of Granada, the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), and the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. It was supported by the European community Sixth RTD framework Program, as well as with a grant from fundacion Cuenca Villoro. The research assessed the lifestyles of 359 Spanish adolescents participating in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence Study. It examined bone mineral content in the femoral neck region of the hip, which is a critical area for diagnosing osteoporosis. The research team looked at the impact of different types of sitting activity, including watching television and playing computer games. The strongest connection between deskbound behaviour and low bone mineral content was found in girls’ hips, which is where most fractures occur. It was linked to study time, but regardless of how much time they spent studying, the risk was significantly reduced if they spent at least three hours each week participating in high-intensity upright sport. Internet leisure use was found to negatively affect whole body bone mineral content in boys. Dr Gracia Marco said: “More research is needed to establish exactly why there are differences between the two genders, and why these types of activity are particularly damageing to teenage boys and girls, but we can speculate that it is linked to how long they remain in the same position.”

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KHI 23-11-2012_Layout 1 11/23/2012 2:11 AM Page 9

Foreign News 09 EU budget summit opens with hard bargaining BRUSSELS

E

aGenCieS

U leaders are beginning talks on the bloc’s sevenyear budget, with many of them calling for cuts in line with the savings they are making nationally.

Countries that rely heavily on EU funding, including Poland and its excommunist neighbours, want current spending levels maintained or raised.

The EU’s Commission has called for an increase of 4.8%. EU leaders will try to reach consensus on their own

figure. The bargaining in Brussels will continue on friday, or even longer.

The UK and some other net contributors to the budget say cuts have to be made. Negotiations will start with a draft budget - officially called the 2014-2020 Multi-Annual financial framework (Mff) - drawn up by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy. He has made cuts to the European Commission’s original plan, and proposed a budget worth 973bn euros (£782.5bn; $1,245bn). france objects to the proposed cuts in agriculture, while countries in Central and Eastern Europe oppose cuts to co-

hesion spending - that is, EU money that helps to improve infrastructure in poorer regions. They are the biggest budget items. The Van Rompuy plan envisages 309.5bn euros for cohesion (32% of total spending) and 364.5bn euros for agriculture (37.5%). The EU budget is a small fraction of what the 27 member states’ governments spend in total.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel - who wants to restrain spending says another summit may be necessary early next year if no deal can be reached in Brussels now. In a speech to the European Parliament on Wednesday, the EU Commission Pres-

ident, Jose Manuel Barroso, complained, “No one is discussing the quality of investments, it’s all cut, cut, cut.” Thursday’s business was beginning with short, individual meetings between national leaders and Mr Van Rompuy and Mr Barroso.

Only in the evening will they assemble for talks as a group. The first to meet the EU officials was UK Prime Minister David Cameron. Arriving in Brussels, he said: “These are very important negotiations. “Clearly at a time when we are making difficult decisions at home over public spending it would be quite wrong, it is quite wrong, for

there to be proposals for this increased extra spending in the EU.” However, Belgian Prime Minister Elio di Rupo argued the EU needed greater spending, not less. “We can’t have a European Union which demands, which imposes, and a European Union which doesn’t have the means to implement its policies,” he said on Thursday.

“It’s a shame that for the British, Europe is primarily a single market,” he added. “for me, for Belgium, Europe is more solidarity and prosperity for all Europeans... I hope that other countries such as Italy and france will support us for the ambitious budget.”

Philippines protest China e-passport map MAnILLA aGenCieS

The Philippines has protested China’s depiction of its claims over the entire South China Sea in an image of a map printed on newly issued Chinese e-passports. In a note sent to the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Thursday, Albert del Rosario, Philippine foreign secretary, said Manila “strongly protests’’ Beijing’s inclusion in the new passport of the image, which shows China’s claimed maritime borders. “The Philippines does not accept the validity of the nine-dash lines that amount to an excessive declaration of maritime space in violation of international law.” China’s move means other claimant countries will have to stamp the microchip-equipped passports of thousands of Chinese tourists and businessmen containing the Chinese claims that they are disputing. Stand-offs between Chinese vessels and the Philippine and Vietnamese navies in the South China Sea have become more common as China increases patrols in waters believed to hold vast reserves of oil and natural gas.

GoMa, DeMoCRatiC RepubLiC of tHe ConGo: an M23 fighter climbs steps in the Volcanoes stadium after the fall of the city to the rebel group. AGENcIEs

British immigration officials misled parliament: report

D-Day for former french presiDent sarkozy

LOnDOn

PARIS

app

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Senior British border officials misled parliament by claiming they had dealt with a backlog of 147,000 asylum and immigration claims, a report published on Thursday claimed. Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration John Vine said that inefficiencies in the UK Border Agency’s operation to deal with the archive of applications — submitted before March 2007 — meant it had 100,000 items of unopened post at one point. “I found that updates given by the agency to parliament in the summer of 2011, stating that the legacy of unresolved asylum cases was resolved, were inaccurate,” said Vine. “In fact, the programme of legacy work is far from resolved,” he added. Keith Vaz, chair of the Commons home affairs select committee, called it “a devastating report into the way in which the UKBA administrates the immigration system.

former french president Nicolas Sarkozy was due to appear before an examining magistrate in Bordeaux on Thursday to respond to charges that his 2007 electoral campaign was financed with funds secured illegally from france’s richest woman.

In a case that could wreck the 57-year-old’s hopes of a political comeback, Sarkozy is suspected of taking financial advantage of elderly L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt at a time when she was too frail to fully understand what she was doing.

Examining magistrate Jean-Michel Gentil is expected to spend most of the day quizzing Sarkozy about how he obtained funding from Bettencourt.

Judicial sources have told AfP that the 57-yearold could be formally indicted on a charge of taking advantage of someone in a position of weakness, although the magistrate also has the option of interrogating him as a witness under caution.

Bettencourt is now 90 years old and has been in poor health since 2006. The allegation against Sarkozy is two-fold: that the money obtained from her took his campaign financing over legal limits and that it had

been secured without her full knowledge or consent.

This latter claim was made by Bettencourt’s former accountant, Claire Thibout in 2010. She told police that she had handed 150,000 euros in cash to Bettencourt’s right-hand man, Patrice de Maistre, on the understanding it was to be passed on to Sarkozy’s campaign treasurer, Eric Woerth.

Maistre, one of the biggest backers of Sarkozy’s UMP party, withdrew a total of four million euros in cash from Bettencourt’s Swiss bank account in seven instalments between 2007 and 2009.

Australia denies refugee policy failure SYDnEY app

Australia denied on Thursday its policies to combat people-smuggling have failed as a decision to release asylum-seekers into the community with little help or support was blasted as “a new low”. Canberra is struggling with a record influx of asylumseekers that is overwhelming its offshore camps. More than 7,500 have arrived since the Labor government launched a harsh new offshore processing policy for boatpeople in August, swamping capacity in Pacific camps on Nauru and Papua New Guinea. To resolve the impasse Immigration Minister Chris Bowen announced Wednesday that some asylumseekers would be released into the community on severely restricted visas that would still apply even if they gain refugee status. The temporary visas will ban them from working while offering scant financial support or rights to family reunion. It is part of a “no advantage” approach by the government to ensure that those who pay people-smugglers get no greater benefits than those who wait years for resettlement in United Nations camps. Human rights groups have criticised the approach as “extreme” and “cruel”, while the conservative opposition declared the policy a failure and said the government had lost control of Australia’s borders.

North Korea threatens repeat of island shelling SEOUL app

North Korea has threatened to repeat its 2010 artillery attack on a border island, as South Korea prepares to mark on friday the second anniversary of the shelling that left four dead.

The South plans to hold several commemorative events over the next few days on Yeonpyeong island near the disputed Yellow Sea border and will conduct a military drill in the area on friday. North Korea heaped scorn on the memorial activities, with the official Korean Central News Agency

(KCNA) on Thursday quoting a military spokesman who warned of another attack on the island.

“The commemoration... on Yeonpyeong Island will lead to the second Yeonpyeong Island disaster,” the spokesman said. The November 23, 2010 shelling of the island left two South Korean marines as well as two civilians dead in one of the most serious border incidents since the 1950-53 Korean War. The North said the attack was in response to a live-fire drill by the South, which, it claimed, had resulted in shells falling on its side of the sea border.

South Korean troops responded with cannon

fire and the government met in an underground war room, fuelling fears that the situation could escalate into a full-scale conflict.

The de facto maritime boundary between the two Koreas — the Northern Limit Line — is not recognised by Pyongyang, which argues it was unilaterally drawn by the US-led United Nations forces after the 1950-53 Korean War. The North Korean spokesman said the South’s plans to commemorate the anniversary of the shelling was a “ridiculous farce” that invited derision and censure. The only regret on the North’s side, he said, was that the military had not seized

the opportunity two years ago “to send the whole of Yeonpyeong Island to the bottom of the sea. “It is the steadfast will of the service personnel not to miss the opportunity to do so if the warmongers perpetrate another provocation,” he added. South Korea has stressed that friday’s military drill will not include any live-fire exercises.

Since the Yeonpyeong shelling, South Korea has upgraded its defences on frontline islands in the area. Yeonpyeong’s 1,200 residents, who live just 1.5 kilometers (one mile) from the disputed border, are now outnumbered by the marine soldiers posted there.

Friday, 23 November, 2012

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10 Comment The youth factor Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami

in the elections 2013 through SMS. There were naturally unforeseen hitches. Some of the voters found the dedicated land lines blocked and mobile phone networks choked and had to turn up at the polling booths set up as an alternate arrangement.

Islamabad, of course, has certain peculiarities that are absent in other places.

It has a high literacy rate, a larger middle class, and more technology savvy youth than in the rural areas which supply the bulk of the voters. The federal capital has plenty of the type of voters who are attracted by Imran Khan. The test of the PTI’s popularity among youth will come when it holds intra-party elections in the rural areas of the four provinces. With fewer landline connections and mobile phones, it would pose bigger difficulties in the way of mobilising its young cadre.

The PTI claims it has installed a mechanism allowing over seven million party voters to participate in the intra-party elections to be completed by the end of December or in early January. In case the experience succeeds, it would show the PTI has a big reservoir of committed voters no other party can claim to possess.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, almost half the total registered voters, or 47.5 percent of 84.3 million, are under the age of 35. The figure is likely to rise as about 400,000 fresh CNICs are being issued every month at present. On paper the young voters look like a formidable force.

The PTI has an attraction for the youth because the two other parties have been tested and their performance found dismal. The younger generation wants change. The political culture in the older parties characterised by leadership centred in certain families and undemocratic functioning is unacceptable to many. The PTI is seen as a party where promotion would depend on merit rather than family connections.

Again, unlike Imran Khan, the PPP and the PLM-N have paid only cursory attention to the youth as an important section of voters. Both the parties continue to rely on the so-called electables whose politics revolves around beradari, ethnic appeals, and at places communal votes. Both hope to form government through wheeling dealing with smaller parties who would make it to the NA and the provincial assemblies. The political or economic manifestos they announce have little importance even in their own eyes. Reconciliation can be reached with

anyone who manages to reach the legislatures. The basis for political alliance would be sheer convenience.

The PML-N has lately tried to attract the youth through distribution of laptops. In Punjab, it has held a week long well attended Punjab Youth festival. It has initiated the Punjab Youth Internship Programme. The measures would attract a small part of the youth and that too in one province.

The PPP has held two ‘Pakistan Leaders of Tomorrow’ conferences addressed by Bilawal Bhutto. As these were organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and held in the Presidency, they turned out to be lifeless gatherings of a few hundred.

The PTI, on the other hand, has from the beginning tried to engage the youth.

It formed the Insaf Students federation.

The arrival of the ISf may not signal the end of APMSO, IJT, or MSf, but it has made the most effective use of social media and mobile phones for enlisting new members, keeping in constant touch with them and mobilising them. This explains why the PTI can hold successful intra-party polls with youth as the major section of voters, something not possible for PPP or PML-N. Imran’s surge witnessed in 2011 had lost momentum by the end of last year.

The present year witnessed fewer activities by the PTI other than the march to Waziristan which made little impact.

There were, on the other hand, desertions on the part of some of the electables he had brought to the party. Another imponderable is the role of the traditional factors like beradari, tribe, or ethnicity in the forthcoming elections. In 1971, these were swept aside by Bhutto whose economic programme and personality played a decisive role. The social or economic policies of the PTI, PPP and PMLN are not essentially different from one another. The party does not stand for land reforms. It holds out no solution for the widespread unemployment. It offers little other than the mythical trickledown to bring down poverty and bridge the yawning gulf between the richest and the poorest. Can the factor of the youthful voters alone become a catalytic agent in the absence of an economic and social programme which is not only realistic but has also a mass appeal?

Blindfolded by Muslim brotherhood

Arabian Peninsula – you’d pick Mecca and Madina. How hard is it for us to accept a 22,000 square kilometre region as the world’s only Jewish country, when around a quarter of the world is constituted by Muslim-majority areas?

When you are not recognising Israel as a nation, when Hamas’ official charter has ‘Israel’s destruction’ written in its goals, when Muslim leaders like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad openly manifest anti-Semitism and talk about eradicating Israel, how can you say that the Muslims want peace and Jews don’t. Sure Benjamin Netanyahu is a bit of a nut-head, but then again so are most of the Arab leaders. None of them actually wants peace; they just want to assert the superiority of their religions and nations at the cost of the rivals, much like their predecessors did. for peace in Palestine, and pretty much every other part of the world, you need people of every religion, ethnicity and nation to condemn the act of killing, period. Regardless of who the killers and victims are. We need to stop recreating the horrors that mar the legacies of our ideological predecessors, and realise that no ideology is worth killing another human being for. And as for Pakistan, we really need to rethink our lopsided love-in with the Arabs, and focus instead on getting our own house in order.

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

No quick fixes our security system

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eadly terrorist attacks on Wednesday that killed at least 25 innocent people have again exposed the loopholes in the security system. In Karachi, where motorbikes plied on the roads and mobile phone service remained unsuspended, a better state of alertness deterred the terrorists from launching any devastating attack. In Rawalpindi, a bomber managed to detonate his suicide vest to kill at least 14, exposing the four tiered system of security promised by CM Shahbaz Sharif. Both the incidents were owned by TTP spokesman. In Bannu, another set of terrorists killed three policemen in an ambush while they also fired on a checkpost injuring three fC personnel. Only in Quetta there was a mention of a parked motorbike having been used to hide an IED which was detonated to target army men escorting a school bus.

In all these incidents, a variety of methods were employed to launch attacks. This shows that the terrorists and militants are flexible and creative when it comes to the choice of weapons and the way to use them. Compared to them those in the security establishment display rigid thinking and insist on one-size-fits-all sort of formulas. This has allowed the terrorists to once again extend their reach to the interior of the country. The interior minister has no solution other than banning the motorbikes and putting the mobile phones on hold to stop the TTP and its subsidiaries from harming the people. All that matters in fights of the sort is who is one step ahead of whom. The security agencies have to gather real time information, not the type of highly generalised and practically useless warnings the interior ministry issues from time to time. for this the security agencies have to exhibit better efficiency. Again the civil law enforcement agencies which are presently in bad shape need to be provided modern investigation tools, forensic laboratories with trained personnel and an efficient communication system.

Political appointments have to be stopped as these tend to erode professionalism and instead breed indiscipline and inefficiency.

Instead of relying on draconian laws, the investigation departments have to be strengthened so that there are no loopholes in the cases they send to courts. To ensure that the criminals get due punishment, witnesses have to be provided security. That all the six witnesses in Wali Khan Babar murder case were killed is a reflection on the Sindh Home Department’s performance.

And please stop calling on army to undertake actions which come under the purview of the civilian law enforcement agencies. Only the latter can find the place where suicide bombers come from and where the IEDs are stored by terrorists.

it’s a lopsided love story

By Kunwar Khuldune Shahid

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nd as is the norm, Pakistanis seemed to be more worried about the killing of Palestinian ‘brothers’ than the Pakistani ‘brothers’ that were biting the dust on a daily basis. No one’s bothered about the turbulence in Karachi and Balochistan. Until Wednesday’s blast, nobody was taking notice of the Shia killings and there is no coverage of the siege and massacre in Parachanar, which is dubbed the ‘Pakistani Gaza’, where more people are killed in a day than the Palestinians over the past week.

Deaths in Gaza make the front page headlines, while the turmoil Pakistani Muslims are facing is just another runof-the-mill story. It’s like fretting over the ailment of your second cousins, while your own siblings are on the deathbed.

Let’s also recall how we treated our ‘Muslim brothers’ in East Pakistan until 1971 did us part. That abhorring treatment is being matched by our treatment of our ‘Muslim brothers’ in Balochistan.

Let’s acknowledge the hate speech spurting out of speakers of mosques of different sects targeting ‘Muslim brothers’ of other sects. Let’s realise that as you read this Saudis are upping the ante on their oil production, helping the US and Israel up their sanctions on Iran – our ‘Muslim brothers’. Another mani-

Friday, 23 November, 2012

festation of the Arab concept of ‘Muslim brotherhood’ is how they never seem to speak in favour of Pakistan internationally and that there isn’t even as much as a murmur in the Arab countries about the ‘Muslim brothers’ being killed in Kashmir and Myanmar. And then there are 165 Muslims on average being killed

by Syrian Army in Syria on a daily basis since August this year, and yet no protests or condemnations are witnessed in the Muslim media or social media against these atrocities, while the 20 that were killed in Gaza last friday grabbed the limelight and sympathies.

Oh but of course, a non-Muslim killing a Muslim is obviously a more heinous act than a Muslim killing a Muslim. Since everything is centred round the Muslim brotherhood, the bond of Islam that binds the Muslims and non-Muslims don’t really have much of a say in this.

And hence every Muslim being killed by a “kafir” is the collective responsibility of the Muslim Ummah who should fight tooth and nail to bring the infidels down to their knees. Yup, that mentality is a nail on the solution for peace.

How about condemning the act of killing regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, nationality, or any other discrimination whatsoever? How about condemning the killing of Jews that fall to Islamic extremism as well? There is no yardstick to gauge the comparative innocence of victims in the Gaza conflict. Israel has more

By Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

T

he youth all over the world yearn for change but tend to lose interest in voting when regimes disappoint them. In the US the young voter turnout fell 60 percent from 2008 to 2010 and it was predicted that the Democrats won’t win in 2012 were the trend to persist. It was believed that Obama managed to break the trend which led to his victory.

In Pakistan, widespread frustration was witnessed among the young people after 2002. This was caused by the economic policies that led to rise in unemployment, a widening gulf between the richest and the poorest and widespread corruption by politicians and bureaucracy. With the trend continuing after 2008, many thought the graph of frustration would continue to rise among the youth.

What surprised many was the way young people gravitated to the public meetings organised by the PTI in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Hyderabad.

This was attributed to the burgeoning urban middle class which supposedly was fed up with cronyism and corruption and wanted merit to prevail. The children from these families studying in upscale English medium schools had imbibed Western culture while they also wanted to combine it with Islam. They found their voice in Imran Khan. Cynics, however, maintained that most of the people in this category were not serious enough and might not even turn up at the polling booths even if they cared to get themselves registered as voters.

The intra-party election held by the PTI in Islamabad has challenged the perception. It must have surprised many that around 63,000 voters of the party, mostly in the category of youth, went for intra-party polls in the federal capital on Sunday. few parties can claim they have so many registered voters in any single district.

The voting was conducted through a modern electronic system which was a novelty in Pakistan and ensured transparency. All registered members of the party, whose mobile numbers and CNIC numbers were already enlisted, were required to call any of the two UAN numbers and cast their votes

militaristic wherewithal as things stand and is hence doing more damage compared to Hamas. When Muslims had more military power they were the ones conjuring more destruction. How can you criticise Israel for its annexations in Palestine and then conveniently forget that it was the Arabs that annexed the area in the 7th century in the first place.

We need to realise that the Palestinian conflict existed before 14 May 1948 as well. The holy city of Jerusalem has been captured and recaptured 44 times over the course of the past 4,000 years, by the propagators of the three Abrahamic religions. It is both historically and logically unfair to highlight the brutality in the region over the past 64 years without acknowledging the cruelty served out by all concerned parties over the past four millennia. The atrocities by the Jews are well-documented in our neck of the woods but we need to understand that Muslims haven’t exactly been saints either.

Arabs once famously trapped a Jewish tribe in a fort and decapitated their men. There is the Granda incident of 1066, fez incidents in 1033, 1276 and 1465, Damascus Affair of 1840, among many other such noteworthy examples where the Jews were subdued by the Muslims. Even after Israel’s formation you’ve had examples of Arab countries instigating aggression and suppressing the Jews that were present in their countries initially. When the establishment of Israel was announced, Egypt, Syria,

Transjordan and Iraq all attacked it the very next day, instigating the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, and Egypt expelled over 25,000 Jews and sent thousands in detention following the Suez Crisis of 1956.

Again, who has committed more atrocities over the course of history depends on which ‘brand’ of history you read. The guilty party has always concealed their violence by tampering historical narrations, shrouding aggression in the garb of “self-defence” or simply justifying everything obnoxious as religious duty. There is absolutely no way of getting a seamlessly balanced account of a conflict that spans over almost 1,500 years. Therefore, from both the Muslim and the Jewish point of view, clamouring for justice every time followers of their religion die and unyieldingly justifying the massacre of other party, adds more fuel to a conflict that requires massive compromise on both sides.

The first thing that the Muslim countries need to do is to recognise Israel as a sovereign state – you can’t talk to, accuse or negotiate with someone you don’t even claim exists. Muslims need to realise that Jews inhabited the region before Islam came into being, and as holy as Jerusalem is for both Christians and Muslims, it is the holiest city for the Jews. If hypothetically at a time of global reshuffle, where nations are being carved, boundaries being adjusted and people are being displaced left, right and centre you had to pick one region to earmark as the only Muslim-majority region, you’d pick the

The writer is a former academic and a political analyst.

Author’s note: 10,000 bucks say, this column would be declared by most readers as US/Israel funded. Is anyone up for a wager?

The writer is Editor, Business and City (Karachi) Pakistan Today. Email: khulduneshahid@gmail.com, Twitter: @khuldune

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Comment 11

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

Fax: +92-42-36298302.

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

Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively.

vigilance against terrorists The sudden increase of acts of terrorism with particular reference to the incidents in Karachi, Quetta, KP and Rawalpindi on 21 Nov, 2012, highlights the importance of preventive measures to curb the menace of terrorism, which is causing severe losses to men, material and reputation of the country.

In fact, now it looks that the forces adversely inimical towards Pakistan have launched an all-out attack, which has no parallel in the past. for Pakistan, it is now almost a do or die battle, which cannot be won alone by our security forces fighting and suffering heavy losses of men and material, without the total involvement of the each and every citizen of the country.

In the past cases of terrorist attacks on the GHQ, PIDC house and Pakistan Navy air base, it was reported that the gang of attackers were residing in a rented house for quite some time in an area not very far away from their targets. It was also reported that the neighbours of these houses were although, suspicious of these tenants, yet kept quiet and did not tip area police about their apprehensions.

Under the prevailing circumstances there is a dire need for motivating general public, to remain extra vigilant in playing their role of defending the motherland, by involvement of entire population of the country to look out for the stay and suspicious activities of terrorists in their near vicinity.

As such, in order to make the stay of terrorists at any place almost impossible, it is proposed to actively involve the entire population to look out and hunt them. This objective can be easily achieved by the announcement of the government that a reward of Rs 50 million shall be paid to any person who informs the police about the terrorists staying in a house, hostel, hotel, rest house or any such place.

If the war against terror is to be won quickly, the entire population of the country has to be geared up and involved in the task of watch and vigilance.

SYED NAYYAR UDDIN AHMAD Lahore

Unauthorised operations of NGOs in Pakistan Apropos to a news item published in the English language press about the ill-approach to sensitive security issues that potentially threatens the security of our country. The news carried activities of a foreign NGO that continues to map flood devastated areas using Geographic Information System (GIS) despite having been declared as ‘security risk’ by NDMA. Going through the news item in detail, it reinforced my belief that we as a nation have an inbuilt tendency to remain oblivious of the issues that may potentially affect security of our homeland. This is also true for the state and its security related organs. We failed to comprehend the vital information that might have been collected by US helicopters’ operations in Pakistan in the northern areas of Pakistan during the 2008 earthquake.

Incidentally, there were reports also that CIA took active part in the operations and collected vital ground based information on Pakistan’s air surveillance capabilities, ground mapping and location of sensitive security installations. The US may have carried out its opera-

tions in Abbottabad to nab Osama Bin Laden based on ground based information collected by CIA during helicopter missions in aid to victims of 2008 earthquake. We are again ignoring activities of foreign based NGOs that may be carrying out their operations in aid of CIA or collecting vital data that could be used to feed the trajectory of an in-flight missiles targeting some sensitive security installation located in or around flood affected areas.

America has a history of capitalising on events venturing into which may provide multiple information for their military actions or otherwise. No doubt that in today’s satellite technology, mapping of any area is not difficult but physical digital survey eliminates all obstacles that an in-flight missile can counter while heading towards its predetermined target.

More disturbing was the news that the NDMA, as per its Chairman Dr Zafar Qadir, had declared its disassociation with ‘Information Management and Mine Action Program (IMMAP) operating under UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in January but despite

CNG-run vehicles According to media news, a gas cylinder of a bus exploded at a gas station in Karachi that killed several people while several other vehicles also caught fire during the incident. Due to an increase in fuel prices, people are using CNG as an alternate of fuel because of price difference. Not only cars but buses, mini buses and commercial vehicles are using CNG as an alternative to petrol and diesel.

But the reality is that due to poor safety standard, negligence of general public and weak laws, several explosions of gas cylinders have happened.

According to government and OGRA safety standards, after every five years the CNG kit owners must check condition of their CNG cylinders but only a few are following government instructions. Cheap substandard gas kits all are also available in the market. Cost of second hand CNG kit is only 15,000 rupees which is easily available. Only a few days ago, Egypt’s transport minister resigned after killing of several school children when a train crushed their school bus but unfortunately in our country there is no accountability culture.

KHAWAJA UMER FAROOQ Karachi

Our politicians Our politicians are habitual in hoodwinking people with false promises in order to gain power.

But when in power, they forget the pledges made to the people and do what suits their purpose of perpetuating their rules. Both the PPP and PML-N ruled twice, but failed to transform the country into a welfare state their loud claims notwithstanding.

The leaders of these two parties behave as if they

repeated reminders to interior ministry, DG UN in the foreign ministry, economic affairs division and other homeland security organisations, the organisation continues to map flood hit areas using GIS. As per the news item the organisation was hired by UNOCHA to develop a ‘single reporting format project’ to standardise the procedures. It failed to deliver on the requirement and in January this year, the contract was terminated. However, the unmonitored digital mapping of the ground by any of the state organisations continues unabated. The foreign ministry, on a query by the NDMA, informed that the mandate of IMMAP was to focus only on mines clearances and it usually operated in conflict zones. The foreign ministry also reminded that Pakistan was neither in a state of conflict nor a post-conflict country and therefore the ministry concurs with the NDMA that IMMAP discontinue all of its activities.

Muazzam Khan, the foreign ministry spokesman, has also said: “There are some international relief and aid organisations working outside their mandate in Pakistan.

are destined to have monopoly on power. Every effort is being made by these two parties to prevent any third force to surface on the scene. However, PTI’s emergence has created stir and commotion in the ranks and file of PPP and PML-N. Their leaders, who signed charter of democracy 2006 and vowed not to destabilise each other’s government by allowing turncoats to join their parties, in 2012, try to persuade the dissidents to rejoin their parties. In the wake of upcoming election the PPP and PML-N leaders make repeated claims to transform Pakistan according to the vision of Mr M A Jinnah, but in practice they defy his vision altogether. His (Jinnah) motive was “work, work, and more work.”

Quite contrary to this, probably, Pakistan stands on top of those countries that observe highest number of unscheduled holidays on pretext of one thing or the other in a year. I wonder how these unscheduled holidays fall in line with the Quaid’s vision.

RAJA SHAFAATULLAH Islamabad

Modernising agriculture The president in a meeting with the Japanese ambassador has called for modernising agriculture in Pakistan by incorporating Japanese technology.

Will Japanese technology overcome the prevailing water shortage? Crops can be grown without soil but not without water. for how long will our two dams keep meeting the ever growing demand with ever decreasing storage capacity? The issue of water shortage has serious ramifications in terms of agricultural production, agro based exports, foreign exchange earnings, food inflation, job creation, poverty alleviation, livelihood of the rural population etc. Small and medium dam will not

They are performing unauthorised functions, including spying under the garb of humanitarian efforts and have enrolled irrelevant foreigners to work in Pakistan.” The Economic Affairs Division is also on record to have admitted that IMMAP was not registered with the government adding that its activities should be a cause of concern for security agencies.

We have kept our eyes closed for long on activities of some people and organisations knowing in what mayhem those activities could end up. Terrorism and extremism are some of the manifests of some of those overlooked activities that we confront today fatally impacting on our image in the comity of nations.

The dubious activities of foreign NGOs and even some of our own are a cause of discomfort for all Pakistanis and the state, therefore, must move to stop them working on agendas exceeding their mandates and foreign employees working therein those NGOs whose visas have expired must be sent home under much debated rule of law.

ENGINEER JAVED IQBAL Islamabad

suffice and Bhasha dam with all its limitations is 15 years away. Only Kalabagh dam can save the 19 crore people from the hunger, thirst and poverty looming over their heads.

ENGR KHURSHID ANWER Lahore

Speeches won’t work unless…

Some people in India were rejoicing the hanging of Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist caught alive during the Mumbai attacks 26/11, but I wonder why such a sense of jubilation. Ajmal was just a foot soldier, an illiterate young boy brainwashed into jihad, came to Mumbai to cause death to as many as possible and then die. As long as his ideologists, financiers and handlers remained out of reach of law, mere hanging of a lone terrorist won’t achieve anything. This is equally applicable on both sides of the border, Pakistan lost 45,000 civilians and military personnel during the last decade while locally-groomed terrorists are still roaming the streets of Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and elsewhere with impunity as Pakistan is unable to catch and implicate real culprits for these crimes. What about Samjhauta Express bombers, instigators and killers of Muslims after the demolition of Babri Mosque, Mumbai riots of 92-93, Gujarat riots of 2002, the list goes on? Unless we get away from the philosophies of blood-thirsty hatred which are used by the trainers to indoctrinate a sense of achievement and afterlife reward, nothing will change. Statements, vows, speeches won’t work anymore unless we open our eyes and see the real enemy who wants to push both the countries to Stone Age. MASOOD KHAN Jubail, Saudi Arabia

Friday, 23 November, 2012

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Rafi didn’t want royalty for songs, reveals biography Tom Cruise terribly misses daughter Suri

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ctor tom cruise, who got divorced from actress Katie Holmes, reportedly gets emotional when he is away from his sixyear-old daughter Suri. “He cries at night because he misses her so much. Both of them are taking the divorce really hard, and it’s tough on Katie because she has to deal with Suri’s public meltdowns,” showbizspy quoted a source as saying. “But Suri knows she’s deeply loved by both her mom and dad. And she’s bravely facing all the changes brought on by the divorce just like any other normal little girl would,” added the source. Holmes and cruise parted ways in August this year. they got married in Italy in 2006 after meeting in April 2005. neWS DeSK

Kutcher, Kunis enjoy date in Rome

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ctor Ashton Kutcher was seen enjoying a romantic stroll with girlfriend Mila Kunis on the streets here. the couple seemed to be enjoying the winter as Kunis took a small break from filming for her next movie “the third Person”, which is being shot in Italy. Kunis and Kutcher kept themselves wrapped in warm clothes and held hands while they walked together, reports thesun.co.uk. the couple started dating each other shortly after Kutcher split from estranged wife Demi Moore in November last year. neWS DeSK

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K-BASED Yasmin Rafi famously refers to herself as a fan of Mohammed Rafi, before she became family. Yasmin, who married Khalid Rafi, the son of one of Bollywood’s most renowned playback singers, has written a biography in Hindi, ‘Mohammed Rafi My Abba - A Memoir’ translated into English by Rupa Srikumar and A K Srikumar. Both versions will be launched on November 25.

The biography is peppered with anecdotes that reveal the cordial relationship Rafi, who was at one time the most soughtafter playback singer, shared with most people in the industry.

The book also touches on an old controversy that was recently resurrected by Lata Mangeshkar, Rafi’s co-singer in several films, and his son Shahid Rafi, in September 2012. Mangeshkar claimed in a recent interview that she had only agreed to sing with Rafi after he sent her a letter of apology. To which, Shahid Rafi threatened to sue Mangeshkar for the comment, saying, “I think she is insecure about my father’s fan following and that is why she has done this.” Excerpts from the interview with Yasmin and her book: Two months ago, Shahid Rafi threatened to sue Lata Mangeshkar because she spoke of a letter of apology that Mohammed Rafi had written to her about the royalty issue. What came of that?

I’m not really in a position to comment on what Shahid said as till this day, I’m not sure what was said. However, I did read the news on Lataji’s statement and I must say it was hurtful to read. There was no such letter written by Rafi saheb. I have always respected Lataji, not only for her amazing talent but for being a good person and that has not changed, even after this incident. You and your family are not of the same opinion as Rafi saheb on the matter of royalty, the biography reveals.

There is no doubt that most members of the family were, and perhaps still are, bemused at why he did not explore royalty payments. I don’t really have an explanation for this apart from the simple fact that he strongly believed that a singer should only receive a one-off payment and nothing more. What I can tell you is that in later years, there were times when he admitted

his mistake to my husband. Extracted with permission of the publisher from ‘Mohammed Rafi My Abba - A Memoir’ by Yasmin Khalid Rafi and translated from Hindi

by Rupa Srikumar and AK Srikumar In the beginning of 1960, there came a phase when Lata Mangeshkar fell out with Rafi Saheb and stopped singing duets with him. They did not work together for two or three years.

Lata Mangeshkar sang with Mahendra Kapoor and Suman Kalyanpur sang with Rafi Saheb during this period. The late music director Jaikishen finally effected reconciliation between the two.

The first duet they recorded together after this episode was for the film, Palkon ki Chhaaon Mein. Their differences had arisen over the issue of royalty payments on the songs sung by them. Lataji wanted to be paid royalty and raised this issue with the producers; she expected Rafi Saheb to support her point of view, which was in fact justified. But contrary to her expectations, Rafi Saheb took a different stand. He opined, ‘When the producer pays the fee the singer demands for a song, thereafter the singer should not have a share in the royalty.’ This was probably a hasty decision, taken without careful consideration. The singer breathes life into

song, so then why should he not share the profits? The issue of royalty was discussed several times in our household, during Abba’s lifetime and after he passed away, and continues to be today.

Khalid would say, ‘When I came to know of this issue for the first time and was able to comprehend the enormity of what had happened, my mind was paralysed.’ While talking about this in London, Khalid told Abba, ‘Dad, out here when somebody creates one song and it becomes a hit, that singer becomes a millionaire, overnight. You have done countless songs, how much would all that royalty be worth?’

Abba was silent for a while, and then said, ‘All I ever thought about was that one would sing a song and get paid a fee for it.

The other party should not incur a loss.’

After Abba’s passing away, Amma raised this issue many a time with Khalid. ‘Kaka, do something about this matter if you can.

I’m quite sorry it turned out this way. It’s wrong, horribly wrong that almost everyone in the world is making money out of Abba’s name. And what do we get?’ ‘Do you think it’s going to be that easy, fighting these people? It will take years. As the saying goes, it will be like putting one’s hand into a snake’s pit. But, we shall see.’ CouRteSy MM

Kate Middleton has best celebrity hair: poll result nEWS DESK

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Butler’s Indian birthday plans turned down by embassy

“P

S I Love You” star Gerard Butler’s plans to celebrate his 43rd birthday in India hit a roadblock as he was denied permission by the Indian Embassy. the actor, who turned 43 on November 13, had headed to the Indian embassy in Dubai for a travel permit but had to abandon his plan when he was told the documents would not be available for a week. “I am very disorganised. So at the last minute here in Dubai, I decided I wanted to go to India for my birthday. But I went to the embassy. “they were excited to see me, but they said ‘no’ and that it would take seven days. So this year, I decided to go to Scotland and spend time with my family,” Butler said in a statement. the actor will be next seen playing the role of an exsoccer player in “ Playing for Keeps”, a light romantic comedy. the film also stars Jessica Biel, who plays his estranged wife. the film is set to hit theatres on December 7. neWS DeSK

Friday, 23 November, 2012

UCHESS of Cambridge Kate Middleton, known for her sense of style, has been voted for sporting the best celebrity hair in a new poll. Middleton topped a survey, conducted by salon products retailer fabriah.com, which polled 500 women on who they thought had the best celebrity hair, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Experts at fabriah.com compiled the shortlist of the top ten celebrities, before opening it up to the public’s vote.

The Duchess, famed for luscious locks, polled over a quarter of the vote.

“Kate Duchess of Cambridge has become somewhat of a fashion goddess. Anything she wears seems to fly immediately off the shelves, likewise hairdressers across the country are seeing an increasing demand for the Middleton-style locks,” said a spokesperson of fabriah.com.

Holly Willoughby came second in the poll scoring just 19 percent of the votes. The third place was bagged by singing sensation Lana Del Rey. Once idolised for having the best hair of the decade, Jennifer Anniston slipped into fourth place only managing to achieve nine percent of the vote. Only one per cent behind, in fifth place was Kelly Brook.

Sixth and seventh place were reserved for newlywed Rochelle Hume, while Victoria Beckham, respectively.

The bottom three places were reserved for

Kim Kardashian and Nicky Minaj, who both polled four percent, and the “X factor” judge Tulisa, who scored three. neWS DeSK

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ANI Mukerji, 34, went against her father to fulfill her mother’s wish of wanting her daughter to become an actress. Today, 15 years later, her father is her biggest champion.

We met her at her serene house in Juhu, where over a plateful of sandesh, she spoke about Yash Chopra, the similarities between Shah Rukh and Aamir and her unfulfilled wish to work with Rajinikanth. Excerpts: YASH CHOpRA HAS A SpECIAL pLACE IN YOuR LIfE. DO YOu MISS HIM? Of course, I miss him every day of my life. He was the most healthy man I knew which is what made it even more difficult as it brought a lot of shock and pain. His phone calls were as abrupt as his going away. He would just pick up the phone after reading my interview and say, ‘Arey, you are my Bengali tigress’. He would just see a picture in the paper and call and say, ‘you were looking very good’. I just loved his spirit of eating and the way he enjoyed his food. You knew how passionate a person he was just by the way he ate his food. He loved his paratha and makhan and was always wanting to feed me in all my meals with him. I would always tell him, ‘No uncle, I can’t eat it’. When he passed away, I actually ate paratha and makhan just to feel how he used to feel. The warmth that he had for his employees, his actors or any person around him made him a great human being.

He touched so many lives that every one had a Yash Chopra story to tell. When I worked with him in Veer-Zaara, I found him to be such a down-to-earth person and realised why he is Yash Chopra. He was only concerned about whether people around him had eaten well.

The love that he had for his people translated into people wanting to give him back their best.

DID YOu MISS HIM ON HIS LASt fILM’S pREMIERE? It was one of the most cherished premieres that cannot be replicated. The way Adi did the

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13 Kristen Stewart keen to work with Hrithik Roshan Daniel Craig - 007 gets his New York driver’s license well done Daniel Craig, you’ve passed!

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nEWS DESK

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Scarlett Johansson on her way to The Late Show with David Letterman

OLLYWOOD actress Kristen Stewart has expressed a desire to work in a Bollywood film with Hrithik Roshan.

“If someone offers me a good script, I would love to work in a Bollywood film. I would love to work with Hrithik Roshan. He is such a wonderful actor and so good-looking,” Stewart said in a statement here.

“In fact, if I have a boy, I would want him to look like Hrithik Roshan, but with Rob’s (her real-life boyfriend and onscreen husband) eyes,” she said.

There was a buzz in B-town some two years back that filmmaker Shekhar Kapur wanted to cast ‘Twilight’ in his ambitious project ‘Paani’ opposite Hrithik.

Kristen, who shot to fame playing Bella Swan in Twilight and its sequel ‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’, ‘The Twilight Saga: Eclipse’, ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1’ is looking forward to the release of ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2’.

“Bella as a character has received a lot of criticism for being a throwback heroine, because she sacrifices so much for her man. I strongly disagree. In fact, you have someone who is stronger than the guy she is with, emotionally,” she said.

On playing an 18-year-old mother to a six-year-old child in ‘The Twilight Saga’, she said, “That is something I’m going to miss the most. I did not realise I had such a strong maternal instinct until I played mother to Mackenzie (Renesme). It was surreal.”

Ask her when she realised that ‘Twilight’ series has changed her life, Kristen says, “‘Twilight’ changed my daily life instantly. I was no one (before the film released). I was a kid. I had just turned 18. The day the movie came out in the tabloids, the next day there were images of me.”

Directed by Bill Condon ‘Breaking Dawn 2’ stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner in the lead roles. The film releases on November 23.

Shah Rukh and Aamir are similar: Rani Mukerji

premiere, creating the theatre for just one night and calling people who were close to Yash uncle and associated with him, was incredible. It was a night which we won’t be able to forget in our lives.

We missed him being there, but the fact that we were all together, made us feel he was somewhere there smiling and actually seeing everyone watch his film.

Out Of tHE MANY DIRECtORS YOu HAvE wORKED wItH, DO YOu HAvE ANY fAvOuRItES? Yash Uncle, Sanjay (Leela Bhansali) and Mani Ratnam Sir. wHAt MAKES tHEM SpECIAL? All three of them have their unique styles. When I worked with Yash uncle as an actor in Veer Zaara, I was coming from an era where, for a director, using a monitor was extremely important to see the performance of their actors. But Yash uncle never watched the monitor and he always saw us live and even said ‘action and cut’ himself. He would stand next to the camera watching you live and say cut without asking you to shoot multiple times. He used to go with the basic emotion and had a rawness to his approach, as he believed that

if he made you do the shot again and again, you would turn mechanical as an actor. He was always carefree on the sets, most concerned about feeding everyone. I remember in the middle of shooting Mujhse Dosti Karoge he would call Kareena and me and say, ‘Come here and eat strawberries and cream’. He always liked his actresses to look full and Indian. I have once seen him eating 30 mangoes at one go. He loved eating his parathas with makhan. Even knowing that my dad had a bypass surgery, he would say ‘Ram tu bhi kha le’. Bhansali is outstanding and no one shoots films the way he does. He gives a lot of time to his technicians and actors before shooting.

He just treats you as a queen and pampers you so much that you want to give your best. He knows how to extract the best out of you. When we were shooting Black, Sanjay would treat me to Rustomji’s ice cream at Churchgate everyday while coming back home. He would always tell me that I should eat whatever I wanted to, because that’s the only way I was happy. He used to tell me that my performance in Black was good only because I ate well. for me it’s customary before every film to go and spend time with Sanjay at his house and eat his mom’s khaana.

Mani Ratnam Sir is always conscious that his actors are acting. So he keeps telling you to not act and be natural. He makes you unlearn everything when you work with him. We actors get caught in our mannerisms and the way we give a shot and forget to surprise ourselves. With Mani Sir, you get tired of being natural and then, at some point, you give a shot which only later you realise what he has got out of you.

DO YOu HAvE ANY fAvOuRItES AMONgSt YOuR CO-StARS? Has to be Shah Rukh and Aamir and of course Mr Kamal Haasan and Mr Bachchan. I worked simultaneously with Shah Rukh in Kuch Kuch

Hota Hai and Aamir in Ghulam very early in my career and was impressioned by them. I observed that inspite of being big stars they were particular about each shot of theirs. While Shah Rukh was energetic on the set, Aamir was calm, but both had the same kind of energy in their work. They both gave me so much love and respect as a newcomer that today when I work with new people I give them the same that I got. Their personalities an styles are different, but they are actually similar in their work ethic and their love for the craft. They are also both technically savvy. from Shah Rukh you learn how differently you can enact a casual scene that is far more difficult to do than a dramatic scene. Aamir’s dedication is amazing. As a newcomer, I respected it, but even after being in the industry for 15 years, I still respect it. Mr Bachchan is the most humble legend and with him, you know that there is nothing he cannot do. Mr Kamal Haasan is extremely easy to work with and his command over his craft is awe-inspiring. The only regret I have is that I have not worked with Rajinikanth.

It SEEMS tHAt YOu LOOK up tO pEOpLE MuCH OLDER tO YOu. DOES It HAvE SOMEtHINg tO DO wItH YOu AS A pERSON? I have wisdom of a 60-year-old (laughs). Also it takes a lot for me to respect a person, so when a person has a body of work behind him, it draws my respect. wHAt ARE YOu SEEKINg fROM YOuR LIfE At tHIS pOINt IN tIME? I just want to be at peace with myself, personally and professionally. I want to lead my life the way I want to without having to worry about what the other person may be thinking. Professionally again, I would like to be able to just do films that I want to without having to explain my reasons to my friends, family and fans. CouRteSy toi

f we say the words ‘Daniel craig, driving in New York,’ presumably you have an image of the rugged Brit flipping an Aston Martin off the Brooklyn Bridge, escaping unharmed and swimming to safety, having rescued a drowning Bond girl. right? right! Well, have WE got a news story for you! oK. It’s not quite as dramatic as it might first appear. It definitely does involve Daniel craig driving in New York but it also involves a five hour road safety lesson, a written test and a road test. that’s right folks, this is the news that the James Bond star Daniel craig is now legally allowed to drive in New York. craig lives in Manhattan with his wife rachel Weisz and has clearly decided that he’d like a little slice of independent mobility in the city and has found time in his busy schedule to take the city’s prelicencing driving safety course to make sure he’s fit to drive the New York streets. richard fernandez of the Professional Driving School of the Americas, insisted “no one is exempt, regardless of who you are,” thus confirming that a license to kill does not apply to the rules of the road, it would seem. neWS DeSK

Justin Bieber talks about Selena Gomez with Oprah

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Wo days after they were spotted on a date together, Justin Bieber appears to have confirmed that he is still together with Selena Gomez. Speaking in a preview of a new interview with oprah Winfrey, the teen pop idol discussed his relationship - and pledged that he was determined to treat Selena right. the Mirror quoted him as saying: “Sometimes we gotta take the back exits, but I never make her separate from me. I don’t want her to feel like I’m ashamed of her. “A lot of guys do that - especially in the business - they don’t want to be seen with the girl, so they make them ride in separate cars and do all that getaway stuff. “When we getaway, we’re getting away together at least.” the famous pair had been rumoured to have split, amid reports that Biebs had been involved with a Victoria’s Secret model. neWS DeSK

Amitabh felicitated by Australian government

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MItABH Bachchan has been honoured by the Australian government for his contribution towards Indian cinema and fructifying the relations between the two countries. “Another recognition by the Australian Government and its commission here in Mumbai, in celebration for the 100 years of Indian cinema, and my contribution towards fructifying the relations between the two countries...I am most humbled...,” the 70-year-old posted on his blog. Last year, Amitabh was conferred an honorary doctorate from the Queensland University of technology in Brisbane, Australia. He was also awarded france’s highest civilian honour, the Knight of the Legion of Honour, for his exceptional career in the world of cinema and beyond. neWS DeSK

Friday, 23 November, 2012

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Infotainment 14 1 million women ‘overdiagnosed’ with breast cancer due to mammograms

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ESEARCHERS estimated on Wednesday that mammograms caused more than 1 million American women over the past three decades to be diagnosed with early-stage breast cancers that would not have proved fatal if left undetected and untreated, a controversial finding sure to provoke more heated debate over the benefits of the screenings.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, concluded that these women were “overdiagnosed” and “overtreated” because there was not a corresponding decline in the diagnosis of tough-to-cure breast cancers that have already spread. The authors said mammography has saved few lives.

“There’s been a dramatic increase in earlystage breast cancers that coincides with an increased use of mammograms,” said study co-author Dr. H. Gilbert Welch, a professor of medicine at the Dartmouth Institute of Health Policy and Clinical Practice in Hanover, N.H. “But it’s not enough to find early-stage breast cancer; it must translate into fewer women being diagnosed at a later stage, and we found this decrease to be remarkably small.”

But breast cancer specialists heatedly disputed the findings, with some calling the study “junk science” and others questioning the size of the overdiagnosis harms estimated by the researchers. Dr. Leonard Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, said that the findings “must be viewed with caution” and that the society stands by its recommendation for women to have annual screening mammograms beginning at age 40.

“We find that the evidence supports the conclusion that mammography saves lives, and that the benefits of screening mammography outweigh the risks and harms.”

The new findings may leave women in a quandary, because some breast tumours caught early by mammography will turn out to be life-threatening, but doctors can’t tell which ones. Even the authors said women should continue to be offered mammograms.

Welch and his co-author Dr. Archie Bleyer, a clinical research professor at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, culled through federal government cancer surveillance data of breast cancer diagnoses from 1976 (before mammograms came

into widespread use) through 2008, and found that diagnoses of small, self-contained breast tumours increased by 122 cases per 100,000 women over three decades, while diagnoses of advanced disease decreased by only 8 cases per 100,000 women.

In 2008 alone, the researchers estimated, breast cancer was overdiagnosed in more than 70,000 women, accounting for nearly onethird of all breast cancers diagnosed.

But getting to this conclusion involved a lot of tricky calculations, such as accounting for the routine use of hormone replacement therapy in the 1980s and 1990s, which studies have shown contributed to an increased rate of breast cancers. The researchers themselves wrote that their effort to erase the impact of hormone therapy was “admittedly imprecise.”

Another subject of contention in the study is how much mammography has contributed to a decline in the breast cancer death rate. The researchers argued that most of the decline can probably be attributed to newer, more effective treatments, but other specialists disagreed with that assessment. Dr. Leonard Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, said that the findings “must be viewed with caution” and that the society stands by its recommendation for women to have annual screening mammograms beginning at age 40. “We find that the evidence supports the conclusion that mammography saves lives, and that the benefits of screening mammography outweigh the risks and harms.”

The new findings may leave women in a quandary, because some breast tumours caught early by mammography will turn out to be life-threatening, but doctors can’t tell which ones. Even the authors said women should continue to be offered mammograms. Welch and his co-author Dr. Archie Bleyer, a clinical research professor at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, culled through federal government cancer surveillance data of breast cancer diagnoses from 1976 (before mammograms came into widespread use) through 2008, and found that diagnoses of small, self-contained breast tumours increased by 122 cases per 100,000 women over three decades, while diagnoses of advanced disease decreased by only 8 cases per 100,000 women.

In 2008 alone, the researchers estimated,

Revealing scans show foetuses yawn in the womb

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AITING to enter the world is a tedious business - so perhaps it should come as no surprise that foetuses yawn.

Scientists have shown conclusively for the first time that unborn babies yawn repeatedly in the womb. But it is not because they are sleepy or bored. The most likely explanation is that foetal yawning is an essential process linked to brain development.

While it is well known that foetuses open and close their mouths, experts have disagreed over whether or not they are actually yawning. The new study, using high resolution ultrasound footage, confirms that they really do yawn, and do it often.

Researchers used a standard definition of yawning to distinguish it from non-yawn mouth opening. A true yawn involves a slow opening of the mouth to its full stretch, followed by more rapid closure. Dr Nadja Reissland, from the University of Durham, who led the study of seven male and eight female foetuses from six to nine months of pregnancy, said: “The results of this study demonstrate that yawning can be observed in healthy foetuses and extends previous work on foetal yawning. “Unlike us, foetuses do not yawn contagiously, nor do they yawn because they are sleepy. Instead, the frequency of yawning in the womb may be linked to the maturing of the brain early in gestation.” foetal yawns occurred more frequently than simple mouth openings early in pregnancy, but declined after 28 weeks. A of total, 56 yawns and 27 non-yawn mouth openings were observed from 58 scans. The findings are reported in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE. Both humans and animals yawn but why this strange behaviour has evolved is still an unsolved mystery. Theories include communication, neurological function, regulating temperature and a link with stress. neWS DeSK

breast cancer was overdiagnosed in more than 70,000 women, accounting for nearly onethird of all breast cancers diagnosed.

But getting to this conclusion involved a lot of tricky calculations, such as accounting for the routine use of hormone replacement therapy in the 1980s and 1990s, which studies have shown contributed to an increased rate of breast cancers. The researchers themselves wrote that their effort to erase the impact of hormone therapy was “admittedly imprecise.”

Another subject of contention in the study is how much mammography has contributed to a decline in the breast cancer death rate.

The researchers argued that most of the decline can probably be attributed to newer, more effective treatments, but other specialists disagreed with that assessment.

Dr. Daniel Kopans, a senior radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital who has been a strong advocate for mammography, questioned why the study was published in the prestigious New England Journal, calling it “junk science” that could be used to “deny women access to screening.” Others, however, defended the researchers’ conclusions, saying the study verifies research data that’s been published in other countries. “They just took a different way of looking at the likely benefits of mammographic screening and the overdiagnosis rate,” said Dr. Michael Barry, president of the Informed Medical Decisions foundation.

Previous research suggests that if 10,000 women are screened for 10 years, there will be 5 fewer breast cancer deaths and 50 extra breast cancers diagnosed. That compares to prostate cancer screening, which leads to 7 fewer cancer deaths per 10,000 men screened and 350 extra cancers diagnosed. The high rate of overdiagnoses led an expert panel last spring to recommend against the use of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test to screen men for the disease. The same panel, called the US Preventive Services Task force, three years ago stopped recommending mammograms for women in their 40s based on the negligible lifesaving benefits seen in clinical trials and the high rate of false findings; that decision was met with heated criticism and a mandate in the federal health law for insurance companies to cover mammography for all women age 40 and over. neWS DeSK

Obsessed Turkish sailor's 8-month sea odyssey to find British love After sailing 2,500 miles from Turkey in a 16ft yacht, Ramazan Noyan Culum imagined that the British woman he loved would be swept off her feet and accept his hand in marriage. Instead, his eight-month odyssey took him only as far as an immigration removal office in Sussex, with the object of his desire telling him he will be arrested if he comes anywhere near her. Mr Culum, a 38-year-old Turkish businessman, was picked up by Customs officials in the Channel this week after sailing the length of Europe to win the affections of Courtney Murray, whom he met at a restaurant in Cyprus in 2005. At the time, Ms Murray was working as a waitress on the island and only served Mr Culum once. It was enough for him to fall madly in love and he stole her number from the restaurant’s wall. His affections remained undimmed even after Ms Murray turned down his requests for a date and returned to her home, thought to be Liverpool, where she later married. Last year, Mr Culum found her on facebook and began writing a blog about his plan to track her down. After three months of preparation, he set out on April 23 from the Turkish port of Bodrum on his yacht, Ninova, writing: “Courtney I come. Pray for me”. Mr Culum struggled against storms as he crossed the Adriatic, the Mediterranean, and passed through the straits of Messina and Gibraltar and along the Spanish coast. He then sailed up the Portuguese and french coastlines.

At one stage, posting bearded pictures of himself, he claimed he was “ready to die” for his intended. Along the way he claimed to have been deported nine times, imprisoned, gone on hunger strike and slept rough. He wrote: “I spent my every second with her in my mind and in my dreams.” Addressing Ms Murray directly, he added: “I love you too much.

The world is not beautiful without you. I don’t want to continue to live without you. Will you marry me?” He eventually sailed into the Channel and was detained off Plymouth. Mr Culum, who once ran a mobile phone company, was taken to a deportation centre and will send back to Turkey. Relations of Ms Murray appear to have become increasingly alarmed as Mr Culum made his way to Britain, posting messages on his blog to warn him off.

In April, her aunt florence wrote: “Courtney is my niece. She has never and never will have a relationship with you. “If you ever make it to the UK and make contact with Courtney the police will be informed immediately. Courtney is married and happy. All you are doing is making yourself a fool and upsetting Courtney and her family.” The blog charts his infatuation with Ms Murray. At one stage, he raged: “You stupid girl, you didn’t understand even why I come to the UK. I will come there, I will kneel down in front of you, I will kiss your hands and I will propose marrying me. You can marry me or you can imprison me. It’s yours to decide.” In his latest entry, on Tuesday, Mr Culum recorded how he had been detained by the UK Border Agency and was in an immigration removal office “located in Sussex”. He wrote: “After seven months on the water, after a last month under highly bad conditions, after a lot of works, after a lot of efforts, I did never dream to immigrate. But I was trying to gain the heart of the angel of my life. But I’m now at an immigration centre. I’m not happy of course.” Peter Jones, of the UK Border Agency, said in a statement that a 38-year-old Turkish national had been detained. He added: “This man was attempting to enter the UK without a visa or a valid passport but was stopped and will now be removed to his home country.” neWS DeSK

Woman’s Facebook photo causes fury online

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WO women have been placed on unpaid leave from their jobs after a facebook photo taken at Arlington National Cemetery angered thousands online and led to a petition for their resignation.

Lindsey Stone, of Plymouth, Mass., was on a workpaid trip to Arlington National Cemetery in October when she posed for the photo in question, CBS Boston reported. In the photo, Stone stands at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider next to a sign that reads “Silence and Respect,” giving the middle finger and pretending to yell. She then posted the picture to her facebook page. The photo, which was taken by a co-worker of Stone's, went viral as online users criticized Stone for her insensitivity, according to the station. Stone attempted to quash the outrage in a facebook response.

“Whoa whoa whoa... wait,” she wrote on Oct. 20, according to Gawker. “This is just us, being the douchebags that we are, challenging authority in general. Much like the pic posted the night before, of me smoking right next to a no smoking sign.

OBVIOUSLY we meant NO disrespect to people that serve or have served our country.” neWS DeSK

Pigeon shooters bring down aerial drone

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N animal rights group's attempted coup against a pigeon hunt ended with a bang last weekend. Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) flew a remote-control camera over a live pigeon shoot at the Wing Pointe Gun Club in Berks County, Pa. on Sunday, WfMZ reported, and SHARK says one of the rifleman blew the camera to pieces. “Shooting a drone is an extremely dangerous act,” SHARK president Steve Hindi states in a press release. “What we were doing is completely legal. Someone at Wing Pointe is obviously so scared of our evidence that they are desperate to stop it.” State police have been brought in to investigate the destruction of the drone, which SHARK claims was worth at least $4,000. “We want to try and find out if the device was shot, who shot it.

If we can find that out,” Trooper David Beohm told WfMZ. “But then, on the flip side, we want to find out were they allowed to operate this device without a permit or even over the property.” neWS DeSK

‘Cannibal Cop’ talked about girl meat for Thanksgiving

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New York City police officer charged with plotting to kidnap, torture, cook and eat at least 100 women had discussed having “girl meat” for Thanksgiving. Prosecutors say Gilberto Valle made the remark in an online chat in february with an unidentified man. They read the transcript during Valle's bail hearing Tuesday in Manhattan federal court. Valle was quoted as saying that while Thanksgiving was still a long way off, he was getting a plan in motion to abduct a woman for the meal. His lawyer has said the alleged plot was pure fantasy. The judge on Tuesday denied bail, calling Valle's behaviour “depraved, bizarre, aberrational.” He set the trial for Jan. 22. Valle has pleaded not guilty. neWS DeSK

Friday, 23 November, 2012

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friday, 23 november, 2012

Nadal back training after knee injury Page 18

Clarke doubles up to put OZs in charge ADELAIDE

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ICHAEL Clarke blasted his second double-century in consecutive innings to drive Australia to a mammoth first-day total of 4825 in the second test on Thursday as South Africa's ailing pace attack was brought to its knees. Captain Clarke blasted 39 fours and a six in a sparkling unbeaten 224 at Adelaide Oval to demoralise the Proteas after they lost paceman Vernon Philander before play started with a back injury and Jacques Kallis with a suspected hamstring injury after lunch.

Dale Steyn, the world's topranked test bowler, took himself off after tea with another suspected hamstring strain, leaving the tourists at the mercy of a withering barrage from Clarke and fellow centurions David Warner and Mike Hussey. "We just made 480 in a day, now I'm trying to work out what we've got to do tomorrow to set up this game to have a crack at winning," Clarke told reporters after becoming the first player to score four double-centuries in a calendar year. "It's a very good wicket... So there's a long way to go in this game before anybody wins but certainly for us, we need to really focused on tomorrow morning and continuing this momentum and making as many runs as we can in this first innings."

Steyn returned to the field and bowled Hussey with the last ball of the day but the horse had already bolted as Clarke and the rugged 37year-old combined for a 272-run stand in bright sunshine. That followed a thrilling 155-run partnership between Clarke and Warner after the hosts had slumped to 55-3 with Kallis striking twice in the morning to skittle the top order. However, when Kallis went off injured, the pair hit out after lunch as South Africa captain Graeme Smith rested Steyn and threw spinner Imran Tahir to the wolves. Clarke and Warner plundered

auStRaLia fiRSt inninGS D. Warner c Smith b Morkel 119 e. Cowan c & b Kallis 10 0 R. Quiney c Smith b Morkel 4 R. ponting b Kallis 224 M. Clarke not out 103 M. Hussey b Steyn 22 extras (lb-10, w-1 nb-11) 482 total (for five wickets, 86.5 overs) fall of wickets: 1-43 2-44 3-55 4-210 5-482 Still to bat: M. Wade, p. Siddle, b. Hilfenhaus, J. pattinson, n. Lyon. bowling: Steyn 17.1-1-62-1, Morkel 22-5-128-2, Kallis 3.3-1-192, Kleinveldt 16.1-2-70-0 (nb-6, w-1), tahir 21-0-159-0 (nb-5), Du plessis 7-0-34-0 South africa: Graeme Smith (capt), alviro petersen, Hashim amla, Jacques Kallis, ab de Villiers, Jacques Rudolph, faf du plessis, Rory Kleinveldt, Dale Steyn, imran tahir, Morne Morkel. australia won the toss and chose to bat third test: WaCa, perth nov. 30-Dec. 4

CLaRKe'S battinG LiSt of auStRaLia Captain MiCHaeL Clarke's test innings in 2012 after he scored 224 (not out) in the second test against South africa at adelaide oval on thursday.

Venue 1St inninGS 2nD inninGS oppoSition -india Sydney 329* -india perth 18 210 37 india adelaide 6 West indies bridgetown 73 15 West indies port of Spain 45 24 25 West indies Roseau -South africa brisbane 259* 224* -South africa adelaide totaL RunS in 2012: 1265+ battinG aVeRaGe foR 2012: 140.56 *not out

ADElAiDE: Another day, another Michael Clarke double-century.

108 runs in less than an hour after lunch, with the latter lofting a six over bowler Tahir's head and then stroking a sublime cover drive for four on the next delivery to bring up his third test century. Having had his place in the test side questioned after an indifferent run of form, an ecstatic Warner bounded down the wicket and punched the air in delight as the fans squeezed into the half of the ground not under renovation roared.

The belligerent 26-year-old opener was eventually caught behind for 119 off the bowling of paceman Morne Morkel, having blasted 16 fours and four sixes, but Australia were in control at 210-4. Clarke, in white-hot form following an unbeaten 259 in the drawn first test in Brisbane, barely missed a step as he combined with Hussey after tea to drive Australia to their highest

Kirsten defends sA’s battered attack

ADELAIDE: South Africa coach Gary Kirsten defended his team's preparations after his pace brigade was laid low by injury in the second test on Thursday, leaving his back-up bowlers at the mercy of a voracious Michael Clarke and the Australian batsmen. South Africa lost paceman Vernon Philander to a back strain prior to the match, and suffered a hammer blow after Jacques Kallis went off with a hamstring injury after capturing two wickets before lunch. Steyn returned to the field after taking himself off after tea to be treated for a leg strain but the tourists finished the day bruised and demoralised as Australia racked up a mammoth first-day total of 482-5 at the Adelaide Oval. The team went fishing during a four-day layoff after the drawn first test in Brisbane before training for four days in the lead-up to the second and Kirsten said that was enough preparation for his bowlers. "first of all, we had four great days of prep leading into this game but it's always a thing that will come up. "Often when we're home for a test series we send players home and they come back two days ahead to prepare. "There's no exact science to it. You can always find a way to criticise in some department. "Every team goes through injuries at some point in time. I don't think we're unique to that. The fact that it happened on one day, I certainly don't have the answers to that. It was unfortunate." Steyn, who captured the last wicket of the day by bowling Mike Hussey for 103, was not badly injured, Kirsten said, but Philander's availability for the third and final test remained a doubt, while Kallis would be unable to bowl again in Adelaide. aGenCieS

first-day total in decades. The 31-yearold skipper brought up his first hundred with a cut to the backward point boundary off Tahir, having survived an appeal for caught behind when on 73 off the bowling of paceman Rory Kleinveldt that umpire Billy Bowden gave not out. South Africa referred the decision but it was turned down after a video review, the second declined for the innings, leaving the visitors with no more referrals. As shadows crept across the ground, Clarke began a renewed assault before stumps and charged to his 200th run with a single flicked off his pads to spark a standing ovation from a roaring crowd. The crowd was back on their feet one ball later as Hussey slogged over midwicket for six to bring up his 17th test century and second in succession after registering a ton in Brisbane.

clarke keen to cash in at SA’s expense ADELAIDE: Michael Clarke propelled his extraordinary year to new heights on Thursday, his second double century in consecutive innings against South Africa charged by his desire to "cash in" during the good times, the Australia captain told reporters. Clarke's unbeaten 224, which drove Australia to a mammoth firstday total of 482 for five in the second test, followed his 259 not out in the drawn first test in Brisbane and made him the first player to grab four double-tons in a calendar year. aGenCieS

PCB security delegation changes schedule of visit to india LAHORE aGenCieS

The three members security delegation of Pakistan Cricket Board has changed the schedule of its visit to India to review security arrangements ahead of Pakistan team's tour next month.

The delegation was scheduled to leave here on Thursday but its visit has been postponed for few days owing to Youme-Ashura ,said a spokesman of PCB. “Now the delegation will leave early next week,” he added.

The delegation comprising , head of PCB security and vigilance, Ahsan Sadiq, manager international cricket, PCB, Usman Wahla and security manager of Pak cricket team, Wasim Ahmad will be visiting various venues where Pak team will be playing matches against the Indian tea during its visit starting from December 22.

U19 National women Cricket from 28th LAHORE aGenCieS

The national U19 women cricket championship will be played from November 28 at Lahore Country club Muridke.

“Twelve Regional U-19 teams divided in two groups will be participating in the event,” said a spokesman of PCB here on Thursday.

Pool A comprises Islamabad, Hyderabad, Abbottabad, Karachi, Multan and faisalabad while Peshawar.

Sialkot, Lahore Rawalpindi, Quetta and Bahawalpur are in the Pool B. The tournament will end on December 13.

Samuels ton helps Windies edge towards B’desh total KHULnA aGenCieS

Marlon Samuels struck his fifth test century to move the West Indies towards Bangladesh's first innings total at the close of the second day's play in the second test on Thursday.

The West Indies had earlier lost openers Kieran Powell (13) to pace bowler Rubel Hossain when the left-hander gave a catch to Shakib Al Hasan at deep square leg then Chris Gayle (25) was quickly removed by off-spinner Sohag Gazi.

Wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim smartly caught Gayle when he tried to sweep Gazi but he could only manage an inside edge to leave the West Indies 43-2.

However Samuels and Bravo kept Bangladesh at bay in the remaining hours, batting with ease on a pitch which did not offer any significant turn to the local spinners.

Samuels, quiet in the tourists' first test win in Dhaka, completed his century with a four off Shakib then raised his bat to acknowledge his teammates' applause.

Earlier West Indies needed a little over five overs to end the first innings of Bangladesh, who added 22 to be all out for 387.

Darren Sammy took a catch off his own bowling to dismiss Mahmudullah for 76 and end Bangladesh's record ninth wicket stand at 184.

Mahmudullah and Abul Hasan fell just 12 runs short of the world record of 195, held by South Africa's Mark Boucher and Pat Symcox against Pakistan at Johannesburg in 1998.

Abul, unbeaten on 100 overnight which had made him only the second

SCoReboaRD banGLaDeSH fiRSt inninGS (oVeRniGHt 365-8) tamin iqbal b Sammy 32 nazimuddin c powell b edwards 4 Shahriar nafees c Ramdin b Sammy 26 naeem islam b edwards 16 Shakib al Hasan c Ramdin b edwards 17 Mushfiqur Rahim c Ramdin b edwards 38 nasir Hossain c edwards b permaul 52 Mahmudullah c&b Sammy 76 Sohag Gazi lbw b edwards 0 abul Hasan c Sammy b edwards 113 Rubel Hossain not out 5 extras (b-4 lb-3 nb-1) 8 total (all out; 91.1 overs) 387 fall of wickets: 1-5 2-64 3-77 4-93 5-98 6-185 7-193 8-193 9-377 bowling: edwards 18.1-2-90-6 (1nb), best 10-3-31-0, Sammy 234-74-3, narine 19-0-91-0, permaul 19-2-79-1, Samuels 2-0-15-0 WeSt inDieS fiRSt inninGS C.Gayle c Rahim b Gazi 25 K.powell c Shakib b Rubel 13 D.bravo not out 85 M.Samuels not out 109 extras (lb-3 w-1 nb-5) 9 total (two wickets; 82 overs) 241 fall of wickets: 1-37 2-43 to bat: S.Chanderpaul, D.Ramdin, D.Sammy (captain), V.permaul, S.narine, t.best, f.edwards bowling (to date): Sohag Gazi 20-3-67-1, abul Hasan 14-0-56-0 (w-1 nb-3), Rubel Hossain 14-5-31-1 (nb-2), naeem islam 1-0-3-0, Shakib al Hasan 26-8-56-0, Mahmudullah 7-0-25-0 bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat West indies lead the two-match series 1-0

debutant to score a century batting at number 10, missed another record when he was caught by Sammy off fidel Edwards for 113.

Another five runs would have seen Abul overtake Englishman Walter Read's best score by a number 10 of 117 against Australia at the Oval in 1884 but Edwards, with figures of 6-90 and his third sixwicket test haul in 55 matches, preserved the record.

Marlon Samuels scored his third test century in 2012.

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Sports 16

Broad fitness doubt for test

Ashes dates announced SYDnEY

MUMBAI

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England vice-captain Stuart Broad missed training in Mumbai on Thursday and is a doubt for friday's second Test with India.

Broad injured his heel in a warm-up match but played in the first Test, which England lost by nine wickets. The 26-year-old's absence on Thursday is not thought to be related to that injury, an England spokesman describing him as being "under the weather". fellow pace bowler Steven finn has been ruled out with a thigh strain. All three England seam bowlers struggled on the flat surface in the Ahmedabad Test, Broad failing to take a wicket as India posted 5218 declared in the first innings. Many observers felt Monty Panesar should have been selected as a second frontline spinner, as India's slow left-arm bowler Pragyan Ojha was the most successful bowler in the match with nine wickets.

Broad being sidelined would present an opportunity for Panesar, who made his debut in India six years ago and has taken 142 wickets in 42 Tests.

The 30-year-old Sussex bowler has not played for England since the Galle Test in March. Surrey's Stuart Meaker, who was called into the squad as cover and took four wickets in the final warm-up match against Haryana, plus Durham's Graham Onions, are other seam bowling options should the selectors persist with three quicker bowlers. England also need to find a replacement for batsman Ian Bell, who will miss the match as he has returned home to spend time with his new baby son.

Rodgers grateful for Reds patience LIVERPOOL aGenCieS

Champions League winners Chelsea sit a good eight places above Liverpool in the Premier League table, but it was Roberto Di Matteo who was shown the exit by Blues owner Roman Abravmoich after the team slumped to a 3-0 defeat against Juventus recently. Rodgers admitted that the Reds were not a team that could afford to find themselves in the bottom half, but he was confident the club's owners would support him in his vision to take Liverpool forward.

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NGLAND'S second successive Ashes series next winter will begin in Brisbane on November 21. Cricket Australia released the dates for the five-Test portion of the 2013-14 tour, which also contains five one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches and begins just weeks after Australia depart England.

England have three tour matches, the first of which is against a Western Australia XI in Perth beginning on October 31, before the first Test and a fourth in between the first and second Tests. further Tests will take place at the Adelaide Oval, the WACA, the Melbourne Cricket Ground - the traditional

Boxing Day game - and the Sydney Cricket Ground, finishing on January 7.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said: "We are delighted to be able to confirm the Ashes fixtures so far in advance of the Series.

It means fans will be able to plan their trips around the country to follow all the action.

"I am sure there will be a lot of fans from the UK who will want to make the trip over and we look forward to hosting them here."

England are facing the same opposition in back-to-back series - at home next summer and away in the winter - to prevent a quick turnaround between the Ashes and the World Cup, which takes place in Australia in early 2015.

The dates of the limited-overs fixtures have not yet been announced.

india look to maintain winning run MUMBAI aGenCieS

India will look to maintain their stranglehold over England when the second Test begins in Mumbai on friday. Already 1-0 up in what has been touted as the 'revenge series', another victory for Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men will ensure that England's quest for their first series win on Indian soil in 27 years will continue.

It will also keep India on track for a whitewash and avenge the 4-0 defeat they suffered during their last tour to England. India totally outplayed England in the opening game of the four-match series on a dusty bowl at Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad, except for a fightback by captain Alastair Cook and wicketkeeper Matt Prior that kept them afloat till the final day after the home side took a huge 330-run first innings lead. Barring Cook and Prior, who scored 176 and 91 in England's second innings in Ahmedabad, the other visiting batsmen looked all at sea against the Indian bowling attack led by left-arm spinner, Pragyan Ojha, who emerged with a nine-wicket haul.

The match at Wankhede Stadium, starting friday, would also be significant with Virender Sehwag set to become only the ninth Indian player to feature in 100 Tests. The form of the dashing opener, who hit a run-a-ball 117 in India's massive first innings, would be crucial again to the outcome of the second match. India, however, may miss the services of pacer Umesh Yadav who picked up a lower back injury while trying to get some extra pace and bounce on unresponsive Motera track during the first match.

Yadav's injury has brought Ishant Sharma into the picture as a possible replacement. Yadav had given the home side important breakthroughs - including the wickets of Ian Bell and Samit Patel off successive balls in England's second innings in the first Test

RDM still passionate MuNICH: Roberto Di Matteo has spoken of his pride at being Chelsea manager just hours after he was sacked by the Barclays Premier League club.

Di Matteo lost his job in the wake of Tuesday's 3-0 Champions League defeat to Juventus in Turin.

The Italian was replaced by former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez who has been appointed as interim first-team manager until the end of the season. Di Matteo spent eight months in charge at Stamford Bridge winning both the fA Cup and for the first time in the club's history, the Champions League.

"It was an honour for me to be appointed manager of a club that I loved playing for and one that is so close to my heart," he said in a statement issued by the League Managers Association. aGenCieS

lAHORE Home Child is held by owner Shaheeb Butt, after the horse left all the favourite horses bhind to win in the lahore Race Club activity.

and it will be a blow for the home side if he is declared unfit. Zaheer Khan, who used the old ball craftily in tightening the screws on England on an unresponsive pitch at Ahmedabad, will spearhead the attack.

The gangling Sharma, who has recovered from his viral infection that laid him low in the first Test, would be his likely new-ball support if Yadav is ruled out, leaving the latter's cover Ashok Dinda in the reserves.

India are also likely to retain R Ashwin, though he gave away over 100 runs while getting tail-end batsman Graeme Swann in England's second innings to add to his three-wicket haul in the first, and keep his off-spin rival Harbhajan Singh again in the reserves. The Indian batting clicked in telling fashion with Sehwag rattling the England attack with a run-a-ball 117, his first in more than two years. Cheteshwar Pujara would also look to continue from where he left in Ahmedabad where he hit an unbeaten 206 in a team score of 521 for 8 declared. Senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar, who was honoured last evening (Wednesday) by the cricket board for his incredible achievement of scoring a 100 international hundreds, strangely has hit only one Test ton at his home ground -- 148 as captain against Sri Lanka in 1997. The 39-year-old cricketer, who is in the twilight of his glorious career, would be eager to score his second century here as this could well be his final chance to achieve the feat before he retires. He had missed out on the chance to score his landmark 100th ton by six runs in front of his adoring home city fans during the thrilling last-ball draw against the West Indies last November. The Wankhede track appeared to have an even coat of grass two days before the match but is expected to sport a different hue on the morning of the game. Skipper Dhoni had given a clarion call for a turning track from day one after his spinners Ojha and Ashwin bowled 55 and 43 overs on the low and slow Motera track as England made over 400 runs in the second innings.

‘Real should have beaten City’ MADRID aGenCieS

The Premier League champions needed a win to have any hope of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League, but their game against Real Madrid got off to the worst possible start when Karim Benzema's strike put Mourinho's team in the lead. However, Los Blancos failed to extend their advantage despite dominating in possession, and Roberto Mancini's men equalized from the penalty spot after Alvaro Arbeloa was sent off for hauling down Sergio Aguero. Speaking to uefa.com after the game, Mourinho bemoaned his team's inability to convert the chances they created in the first period. "I think we should have won.

We had plenty of chances to score the second goal, and if we had done that in the first half the game would have been over, but we did not score and they had a reaction. Then they had a penalty, and we had a man sent off. In those conditions we had to go for the point which would get us through," he revealed. "At 1-1, with 10 v 11 City had thousands of attacking options, Tevez, Nasri, Aguero, Dzeko. They had limitless options. We just had 10 men.

But we man-

aged to hold on. We resisted. We knew how to control the game. The main thing is we qualified.

Mission accomplished. We just played to draw the game and we carried out our objective."

Group D's other fixture saw Borussia Dortmund ease past Ajax 4-1, allowing the Bundesliga champions to finish top of the pile ahead of Real, but the Los Blancos boss had a reason to be pleased with his team's second place finish.

HARt DISAppOINtED BY CItY EuRO ExIt: Joe Hart said Manchester City only had themselves to blame as their Champions League hopes came to an end with a 1-1 draw at home to Real Madrid. Karim Benzema struck the opening goal for the Spanish champions and Real should have had more in a devastating spell but City grew in confidence as the match wore on and Sergio Aguero levelled from the spot after Alvaro Arbeloa was sent off for a second yellow card. City poured forward in search of a winner against their 10-man opposition in the closing stages but it was not to be and the result leaves the Barclays Premier League champions with just three points in Group D and unable to progress.

"We're very disappointed. We've had a few opportunities in this group when we could have done a lot better," England goalkeeper Hart told Sky Sports 2.

aSHeS SeRieS 2013-14 Brisbane, November 21-25, 2013: Australia v England Adelaide, December 5-9: Australia v England perth, December 13-17: Australia v England Melbourne, December 26-30: Australia v England Sydney, January friday 3-7, 2014: Australia v England

touR MatCHeS perth, October 31-November 2: WA XI v England Hobart, November 6-9: Australia A v England Sydney, November 13-16: NSW XI v England Canberra, November 29-30: Chairman's XI v England

tottenham fans injured in clashes in Rome ROME aGenCieS

A Tottenham Hotspur supporter has been seriously injured and several hurt in clashes with rival fans in Rome. Spurs are due to play Lazio in the Italian capital at 18:00 GMT in a Europa League match. The Spurs fan was stabbed at the Drunken Ship bar in the Campo de' fiori district and is understood to have suffered a serious injury to an artery. The bar's owner said some 40 men wearing helmets and with faces covered attacked the English supporters. The Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera said at least seven Spurs fans, aged between 20 and 60, had been injured and taken to San Camillo Hospital, Holy Spirit Hospital and fatebenefratelli. Rome police said five were British, one was from California and one from Bangladesh.

Arsenal need to top group: wilshere LIVERPOOL aGenCieS

Jack Wilshere was under no illusions that Arsenal need to improve if they are to make an impression on the Champions League.

Second-half goals for the 20-year-old - his first in almost two years and Lukas Podolski made sure of at least second place in Group B after leaders Schalke beat Olympiacos. The Gunners must now win in Athens in a fortnight to stand any chance of finishing top and so head into the last 16 as one of the seeds.

Wilshere knows they have to get better and told Sky Sports 4: "We started off sloppy.

But we've still got one game left. We need to finish top. "The first half was hard - we were sloppy, we gave ball away and weren't ourselves so needed to come and get an early goal." He added: "We have to step it up. "Tonight wasn't good enough, especially in the first half. "We've got to play the best teams to win it so it doesn't matter who we get." Wilshere ran to embrace the Arsenal physio after scoring and of his own recovery, he said: "It (fitness) will come I've never been injured before so I can't tell you how long it will take." Podolski echoed Wilshere's sentiments about the performance, saying: "In the first half we lost a lot of balls. "The first goal from Jack was good for us. "We were after three points and we are very happy about this." Gunners coach Arsene Wenger also refused to consider winning the competition, telling Sky Sports News: "We don't worry too much about that. "When you are in this competition you just want to get into the next round.

Friday, 23 November, 2012

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17 Sports Els, Daly sign up for indonesian Masters

Paul lawrie plays to a second-place finish in DP world tour Championship.

nIAgA aGenCieS

Major champions Ernie Els and big-hitting John Daly have confirmed their participation in the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters in 2013. Els, the reigning British Open champion and Daly, a two-time Major winner, will headline the event alongside the talented Asian Tour stars at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club from May 2 to 5, 2013. PT Bank CIMB Niaga Tbk (CIMB Niaga) was excited to continue their title sponsorship for the second year and emphasized their commitment to develop the game of golf in Indonesia. "I am delighted that the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters 2013 will once again welcome some of the world's best golfers. Ernie Els and John Daly are not only legends in golf but are also very popular and I am sure their presence will further enhance our country's premier tournament. We are committed to developing golf in Indonesia and strongly believe that this event serves as a great platform for junior, amateur and professional golfers to aspire to," said Arwin Rasyid, President Director of CIMB Niaga. Els, also known as "Big Easy", has won more than 60 professional tournaments around the world, including seven World Match Play titles and four Major victories. He captured his second British Open title at Royal Lytham and St Annes in July. "Everyone who knows me knows that I love playing in Asia and I am excited about returning to Indonesia. I thoroughly enjoyed playing in Bali many years back and I am sure playing in Jakarta at Royale Jakarta will be as good an experience for me. My game is coming into form and I look forward to contending in the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters 2013", said the South African. fan favourite Daly is one of the most colourful and charismatic players. His "grip it and rip it" style of play will be put to test at the majestic Royale Jakarta Golf Club. "I always enjoy playing on new courses. Indonesia and Royale Jakarta Golf Club have a great reputation for golf so I am looking forward to my first trip there in May next year. I am also looking forward to playing against some of the best golfers from the Asian Tour as well as my old friend Ernie Els who is a great guy. It will be a great week and hopefully I can put up a show for the fans," said Daly. A total of 156 players will compete in the US$750,000 event, with 120 from the Asian Tour and 20 from the PGA Indonesia (Professional Golfers Association of Indonesia). There will also be four invites going to the Amateur Golf Association of Indonesia (PGI), with one spot up for grabs to the winner of the event's Amateur golf league which runs from January to March, 2013.

workshop Lawrie seeks more Dubai inspiration after a great 2012 wins Railways volleyball title DUBAI

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Paul Lawrie credits a second-place finish in last year's DP World Tour Championship in Dubai as the springboard to his golfing renaissance. And the 43-year-old from Aberdeen is determined to build on a great 12 months by improving further. "This week last year was the start of getting back up there," he said on the eve of this year's event in Dubai. "To nearly win a tournament of this quality with the field we had was a huge boost for my confidence."

Lawrie finished last year's endof-season showpiece, featuring the top 60 players in Europe, two

strokes behind Spaniard Alvaro Quiros - who posted a winning tally of 19 under par. The 1999 Open winner had been struggling, breaking a near-nine year trophy drought to win the Andalucian Open in March 2011.

And, following his good display in Dubai, Lawrie was a model of consistency in 2012 - going on to record nine top-10 finishes, including victories at the Qatar Masters and the Johnnie Walker Championship in Scotland.

"It was just a snowball effect at the start of the year," he told BBC Scotland. "Every week I played, I seemed to be in contention to win.

"I had been working hard on my short game, especially with the put-

ter, and I could see things slowly happening." Lawrie's excellent form earned him a place at the Ryder Cup after a 13-year absence. And he played his part in Europe's unlikely comeback victory over the United States in September, trouncing Brandt Snedeker during the dramatic final-day singles.

"It's been good, but you don't want to get carried away and you want to keep going," he added. "I want to make next year even better.

I don't want to put too much importance on this year.

"I was 18th in the order of merit in 2011 and I'm currently 10th, so it's an improvement and, if I can do better again next year, it's an even bigger step forward.

LAHORE aGenCieS

Workshop division won the title of Pakistan Railways inter division volleyball championship title beating Lahore 3-0 in the final here on Thursday at Mughalpura institute ground.

Workshop enjoyed all time supremacy in the match to post a straight set 2520, 25-22, 25-18 victory.

Peshawar Division obtained the third place.

Member Executive committee of Punjab Olympics Association, Asif Iqbal was the chief guest on the occasion and gave away the prizes.

Indian golfers at Royal Palm to revive friendship LAHORE aGenCieS

lAHORE: the india Golfers at Royal Palm before their tee off.

Friday, 23 November, 2012

The visiting senior golfers from Delhi are here in Lahore to play golf and also revive friendships and in some cases pay a visit to the ancestral places of their elders.

Playing golf and contesting under the banner of Delhi Explorers this eight member golf team played golf at the majestic Royal Palm Golf Course yesterday and included Admiral S. Jain, Vice Admiral S. C. Chopra, Air Marshall D. S. Sabhiki, R. M. Kaul of Air India, Ashok Malik, businessman, Mona Primlani, Mukta Malhotra(lady golfer) and Capt M. S. Kohli, the leader of Delhi Explorers.

During the golf playing round at Royal Palm they matched wits and golfing abilities with a few seasoned golfers of Lahore and they included Khalid Amir Khan, a former ambassdor, Col(r)Rao Qamar, Tariq Jamil, Brig(r)Javed Sheikh and Dr Tariq Malik.

The Indians were accurate off the tees and found

the excellent fairways to their liking and really enjoyed their shot making. The only lady golfer amongst them Mukta Malhotra is certainly an accomplished golfer and has won many tournaments in India and yesterday appeared to be the best one, in fine trim and a smooth golf swing.

"I am really amazed at the hospitality of our Pakistani hosts, of course not that we expected anything less", said Mukta, a businesswoman who has a thriving clothing business in Delhi. 'I normally practise at the prestigious DLf Golf Course in Delhi and love every moment of it and would love and would be honored if the lady golfers from Pakistan could visit us".

Another lady from India Usha Malik wife of Ashok Malik stated that a vist to Royal Palm is going to be a memorable one and "I can only say that the golf course is a beauty".

As regards the leader of the delegation Capt(r)M. S. Kohli, he is nationally known in India for his mountaineering expeditions and was the first one to conquer the Himalyas in 1971.

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Sports 18

Brisbane field excites Serena, Sharapova

watch it Live ESPN Sports Center 07:30PM

Olympic 100m bottle throw: Ashley Gill-webb faces trial LOnDOn aGenCieS

BRISBAnE

gelique Kerber, Sara Errani, Petra Kvitova, Sam Stosur and Caroline Wozniacki.

Azarenka said: "I am very proud to have ended the year as world number one and I am excited to start my 2013 campaign in Brisbane. I know I will get some tough matches against the world's best there, which is perfect preparation leading into the Australian Open."

Tournament director Cameron Pearson described the event's field as its strongest ever.

He said: "The women's field is spectacular, it's the strongest ever seen in Queensland.

"We have the current world number one, three former world number one players plus five Grand

aGenCieS

t

Arriens takes over German Davis Cup team BERLIn aGenCieS

Little-known Carsten Arriens was appointed Germany's Davis Cup chief after his predecessor Patrik Kuehnen quit late last month, the country's tennis federation (DTB) said on Thursday.

Arriens, who won one tour title and reached a career high ranking of 109 in 1993, has been tasked with turning the fortunes of the three-times winners around. Their last victory stretches back 19 years ago.

"With this quick decision Carsten Arriens will get the necessary time to prepare for his new task and the match against Argentina," said DTB Vice President and former pro Carl-Uwe Steeb.

Kuehnen had been locked in a public spat for months with world number 19 and German number one Philipp Kohlschreiber, who has ruled out a return for the team's first tie in 2013 against Argentina in february.

HE new WTA season will begin with eight of the world's top 10 competing in a star-studded field in Brisbane. The Brisbane International is the opening event of the 2013 campaign and it will be headed by world number one Victoria Azarenka.

Her name was on the full entry list unveiled on Wednesday. The 2012 Australian Open winner joins fellow Grand Slam champions Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams, who had already confirmed their participation, in the line-up. Other members of the top 10 heading to Melbourne are An-

Slam winners, and between them they have won 22 major titles. "In a battle between the top three, Victoria and Maria will be especially motivated to turn the tables on Serena, who dominated their matches in 2012, and this should make for some electrifying tennis."

The full field for men's tournament has yet to be confirmed but British star Andy Murray has already committed to competing. The tournament gets under way on December 30. Meanwhile, the ASB Classic, which begins a day later, has also revealed its field with former Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and 2010 Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva committing to the Auckland event.

A man accused of throwing a bottle at the start of the men's Olympic 100m final will stand trial next year. Ashley Gill-Webb, of South Milford, North Yorkshire, was arrested after the incident in the London Olympic Stadium in August. He has pleaded not guilty to two public order offences. District Judge Jacqueline Comyns, at Thames Magistrates' Court, granted him conditional bail. He is due to appear for trial on 3 January.

The court heard he had been receiving psychiatric treatment at Bootham Park Hospital in York after being sectioned under the Mental Health Act, but was released on 7 September. At a hearing on 6 August, he denied using threatening words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress under Section 4A of the Public Order Act. Mr Gill-Webb has now also pleaded not guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress, under Section 5 of the Public Order Act. The conditions of his bail are that he stays at his home address in South Milford or Bootham Park Hospital.

His trial is set to take place at Stratford Magistrates' Court in east London.

After the incident a Dutch judo champion hit a man she had seen throwing a bottle on to the track. Edith Bosch, 32, who won a bronze medal in the 70kg category, said she had hit him on the back with the flat of her hand and the incident had made her miss the race. A London 2012 spokesman said at the time: "The incident had no impact on the competitors or the event." However, US sprinter Justin Gatlin, who took bronze in the race, said the bottle had been a "little distraction".

He added: "I didn't know what it was, but when you're in those blocks, and the whole stadium's quiet, you can hear a pin drop."

Nadal back training after knee injury LOnDOn aGenCieS

Rafael Nadal says he is "getting better" after starting training as part of his recovery from a knee injury. Nadal has not played a competitive match since losing to Czech Lukas Rosol in the second round of Wimbledon. He wrote on his facebook page: "My first tennis practice after all these weeks.

Getting better and hope to continue with the positive trend."

The 26-year-old is aiming to be fit for the Australian Open in January and has started practising on a hard court. Nadal, ranked fourth in the world, has struggled with knee problems in the past and was unable to defend his Wimbledon title in 2009 because of tendonitis. The Spaniard missed the Olympics and the US Open after revealing he had a partial tear in

his patella tendon.

JOSH MAY REtIRE IN SuMMER: Great Britain's number two tennis player Josh Goodall is considering retiring from the sport next

summer because of financial concerns. Goodall, 27, is ranked at 232 in the world, a massive 229 places lower than number one Briton Andy Murray. Goodall's career earnings are

£258,969, which is dwarfed by Murray's career haul of £15.6m. Murray earned £333,000 from his first two tournaments of 2012.

His prize money has averaged around £30,000 for the last eight years. "If I don't see myself getting closer to the top 150 by next summer I will take a look at what I want to get out of this," Goodall said. "I'm 27 and I've got bills to pay."

Goodall, who mainly plays on the Challenger and future tours, has improved his ranking by more than 200 places since last summer and filled in for Murray in the Davis Cup match against Belgium in April. His income is increased by the Lawn Tennis Association's bonus scheme.

The system is geared towards keeping players in the game longer and gives them extra money based on their performance.

Ricky Hatton comeback: Hagler shows Hitman the way LOnDOn aGenCieS

Marvin Hagler is one of the lucky ones.

Hung up the gloves, said goodbye to the ring, embarked on a life more ordinary.

Comfortable, ostensibly happy, plenty of interests, could do without boxing - although boxing, a watery imitation of the rich, bloody spectacle it was in his day, could do with Hagler now. "I found that there is another life after boxing," Hagler tells BBC Sport. "I'm doing films, television, commentating. Stuff that keeps me busy and keeps my mind off the love of

my life, which is boxing. "I didn't have to return to the game just for the money or anything like that. I'd done the homework beforehand. I got ready for the day, prepared myself, so that when I retired I didn't have to go back. But even if you do what I did, boxing will always stay in your blood and that's probably why Ricky Hatton is back."

tHe 5 GReateSt CoMebaCKS SuGaR Ray RobinSon: the former welterweight and middleweight world champion retired after losing to light-heavyweight king Joe Maxim in June 1952; returned January 1955; reclaimed the world middleweight crown from

Carl 'Bobo' Olson in May 1956. eDeR JofRe: Brazil's former bantamweight world champion retired after losing a rematch to new title-holder Fighting Harada in May 1966; returned August 1969; won world featherweight crown from Jose legra in May 1973.

MuHaMMaD aLi: Banned and stripped of his world heavyweight crown after refusing to be drafted into the US military, following his defeat of Zora Folley in March 1967; returned October 1970; reclaimed the world heavyweight crown from George Foreman in October 1974.

SuGaR Ray LeonaRD: the former welterweight world champion retired for a second time because of an eye injury after beating Kevin Howard in May 1984; returned in April 1987, claiming the world middleweight crown

from Marvin Hagler in his first fight back.

GeoRGe foReMan: lost the world heavyweight crown to Ali in 1974 and retired after a defeat by Jimmy Young in 1977; returned March 1987; reclaimed a portion of the world heavyweight title with a KO defeat of Michael Moorer in November 1994.

Hagler had a more compelling reason than most to come back. the undisputed world middleweight champion for seven years in the 1980s, he lost his crown to Sugar Ray leonard in 1987.

Hagler accused the judges of giving the title to leonard, he accused leonard of fighting like a girl. Some writers agreed with him, some didn't. leonard retired rather than fight Hagler again. three years later, leonard, back on the comeback trail himself, offered Hagler the rematch he

so desperately wanted. Only he didn't want it, not any more. "A while ago, yeah, i wanted him so bad," said Hagler at the time. "But i'm over that. i like me now. i love me. i think i'm a very nice guy carrying myself well." Here's Hatton, sweating like a pig in his gym in Hyde. All set for his comeback, against vyacheslav Senchenko in Manchester on Saturday. Different era, same dilemma. Hatton didn't like himself, didn't love himself. For a time before he came out of retirement, he wasn't a very nice guy carrying himself well. "if you saw what went on between the four walls of mine and my girlfriend Jennifer's house, how bad it got, it was unthinkable," Hatton, who struggled with depression and substance abuse after being knocked out in two rounds by Manny Pacquiao in 2009, tells BBC Sport.

Friday, 23 November, 2012

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thursday, 22 November, 2012

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US, West wants a weak Pakistan, says Iran’s Ahmadinejad ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

peSHaWaR: a bomb Disposal Squad personnel looks at smoke rising from a blast after an ieD was found and then defused. ONLINE

Two more policemen killed as govt scrambles over security Two would-be suicide bombers arrested in Lahore, shoot-on-site orders issued in Punjab during Ashura g Pillion riding banned on 9th, 10th Muharram g Bombs defused in Karachi, Peshawar, explosives-laden truck captured in Quetta g

LAHORE/PESHAWAR/QUEttA Staff RepoRt

ESPITE stringent security measures put in place, militants managed to sneak into provincial capital Peshawar on Thursday, killing two policemen in the city’s Badhabher area, just as the federal and provincial governments ran amok to find a way to deal with the spiralling violence.

Peshawar and the rest of the country has been put on high alert due to Muharram processions and following tragic attacks on two imam bargahs in Karachi and Rawalpindi on Wednesday. In Thursday’s attacks, officials said militants riding a car opened indiscriminate fire on police personnel manning a checkpost in Speen Qabar Badhabher, in the outskirts of Peshawar at noon. As a result, constables Rahman Wali and Shamsur Rahman were killed on the spot.

As security during Muharram becomes a continuously widening problem for the federal as well as provincial governments, authorities on Thursday ran from pillar to post to mitigate terror risks in the remaining days of Muharram mourning, with the Punjab government

D

even issuing shoot-on-sight orders for terrorists. The Crime Investigation Agency of the Punjab Police on Thursday announced they had arrested two wouldbe suicide bombers from Anarkali Bazaar in Lahore after tracing a suspicious telephone call from Miranshah.

Police said the two men had four suicide vests on them and each had about eight kilogrammes of explosives attached to it.

Officials added the two terrorists planned to join a procession on the 8th of Muharram to carry out the bombing, adding that they were between 20 and 22 years of age. The Punjab government also announced a complete ban on pillion riding for the 9th and 10th of Muharram across the province.

Outlining security measures during Ashura, Punjab DIG Operations said terrorists could strike Lahore during the coming days of mourning, adding that they could opt for indiscriminate firing, bomb blasts or suicide attacks. He said participants of the main procession would be checked at four separate points, adding that renewed instructions were issued following Wednesday’s blasts in Karachi and Rawalpindi. The DIG said all routes of the processions would be monitored through security cameras.

His orders came as the security apparatus across the country salvaged some pride by claiming to have defused several bombs and IEDs at various places. A bid of terror was thwarted on Thursday when the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) defused a remote-controlled bomb near an imam bargah in Karachi’s Orangi Town. Police said the explosives weighed five kilogrammes.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Peshawar Police was informed about two high-intensity bombs having been planted under the recently-constructed Arbab Sikandar Khan bridge on GT Road. Police parties rushed to the area and cordoned off the site, after which experts of the Bomb Disposal Squad managed to defuse the bombs.

The Peshawar Police had also recovered a huge quantity of explosives from a pick-up truck late on Wednesday. Security forces in Khyber Agency also foiled attempts of blowing up trucks or containers loaded with supplies for NATO troops by defusing high-intensity improvised explosive devices (IED’s) in Jamrud tehsil. In Balochistan, the frontier Corps claimed it had captured a truck loaded with a huge quantity of locally made bombs and other explosive material.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday said that United States and some western countries do not want to see a strong and prosperous Pakistan Addressing a news conference at the Iranian Embassy in Islamabad, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Iran has some solid information that United States and some of the western powers want to weaken Pakistan. Terming the D-8 conference a positive move, he said the world is heading towards a major change and soon these dark days will be over.

“We have to create a new world based upon the principles of freedom, justice, understanding and mutual respect,” he said.

Defending the rockets fired by Hamas on Israel during the recent conflict in Gaza, Iranian President said that self defence is the basic right of every nation.

“A Zionist regime on the lands of Palestinians is the basic cause of this conflict. This Zionist state was created to destabilize the region,” he said. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad maintained that Zionists are naturally coward and criminal minded.

“They still have not responded to the questions being raised regarding the Holocaust,” he said. He further said that ‘these cowards were defeated by Hezbollah and Hamas’. He said that the issue of Palestine could have easily been resolved by holding free and fair polls. Answering a question, he said that a possible Israeli attack on Iran was not possible at the time-being because Israel is waiting for the right time to harm Iran. “And this is not that time,” he added.

“Israel very well knows that Iran does

not believe in aggression, but we will defend our soil and knock them out if we need to,” he added. Regarding the IranPakistan (IP) gas pipeline, Iranian President confirmed that the part of the IP gas project in Iran was under rapid progress and near completion. “As per the agreement we expect Pakistan to complete their part of the work soon,” he said. He also disclosed that Iran and other Muslim countries have offered financial assistance to Pakistan for the completion of the project. He said that US pressure against IP Gas project would not affect the venture and their interference in the issue would prove to be useless.

Iranian President warned the US to bring an end to their meddling in the issues of other countries. “The US has very long hands and a very long tongue, and keeps poking its nose into the affairs of every country,” he said. “Iran wants this project to be completed by 2014 and that is how it will be,” he added with determination. He said that Iran is providing electricity to Pakistan and revealed that another accord has been inked under which a further 1000 mega watts of power will be supplied to Pakistan, he said.

Regarding sectarianism in Pakistan, the Iranian leader said that colonial powers are behind the promotion of sectarianism among Muslims. “However, the Muslims should stay united because their God is the same,” he further added. “The Holy Prophet (S) fought 70 battles in which only 400 lives were lost. Our Prophet (S) never believed in the killing of innocent human beings.

Had the Holy Prophet (S) lived in this age, he would never have had permitted sectarianism,” he said.

SC returns Aslam Beg’s review petition ISLAMABAD inp

The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday returned with objections the petition filed by former army chief Mirza Aslam Beg against the verdict in the Asghar Khan case.

The former army chief filed a petition on Wednesday with the apex court to review its ruling in the Asghar Khan case regarding political funding by the spy agency of the country in the run up to 1990 elections. The court turned down Beg’s petition with objections that the number of actual parties of the case had been increased and

that the change of counsel was not requested in a proper manner.

The objection said the review petition was submitted by Ali Zafar advocate instead of the actual counsel Akram Sheikh. The court also objected to quality of the affidavit and the annexed documents. Beg said in his petition that he was not offered a fair chance to defend himself before the bench; hence, he should be heard at length again. The former army chief stressed, “Whatever I did was at the behest of the supreme commander.

And, in case of non-compliance, the disciplinary action might have ensued against him.”

IHC judges case: AGP refuses to give arguments on holiday says court should have followed federal govt’s orders of observing public holiday g

ISLAMABAD onLine

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday resumed hearing in a case regarding appointment of judges at the Islamabad High Court (IHC), but Attorney General Irfan Qadir refused to give arguments, questioning why the bench

resumed hearing on a public holiday.

As the hearing in the case resumed, Qadir did not appear before the bench, but the court ordered the attorney general to appear in court.

Later, Qadir arrived in the court but refused to give arguments, saying hearing on a public holiday was a unique example. To this, Justice Arif

Khilji said a local holiday did mean a nationwide holiday, adding that there were clear instructions from the chief justice that the Supreme Court would function even on public holidays in cases of important issues. The federal government had announced a local holiday in Islamabad because of the D8 Summit being held in the capital.

Upon arriving at the Supreme Court, Qadir told reporters that the Supreme Court, which was located in the Red Zone, should have followed the federal government’s de-

cision of holiday.

He said it was against the narrative that the apex court was working despite an official holiday in Islamabad.

Qadir said he had come to the court after watching news reports. To a query, the attorney general said the question regarding the issuance of notification for the appointment of judges at the Islamabad High Court should be asked from the president, not him. Meanwhile, the Islamabad Bar approved a resolution condemning the delay by the government in

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

Editor: Arif Nizami

appointing judges at the Islamabad High Court.

Two judges of the IHC stopped working on Wednesday after the expiry of their respective tenures. The retirement of Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi and Justice Shaukat Aziz raised apprehensions about the smooth functioning of the court, as the federal government has so far not issued a notification on their extension despite recommendations by the Judicial Commission and the parliamentary committee on judges’ appointment.