KHI 29-03-2012_Layout 1 3/29/2012 3:35 AM Page 3
Thursday, 29 March, 2012
foreIgn newS
ArTS & enTerTAInMenT
Tibetan who set self ablaze in delhi dies
Teen sensation Justin Bieber sued over phone prank England set out on historic chase
SPorTS
News 03 coMMenT A tough decision: On the opening of the supply routes.
Mayhem in Karachi: One incident is more than enough.
Nazir Naji says: Why attack Pakistan?: When the US has so many other options.
Imran husain says: Stars no more: The Talent-starved Team Pakistan.
harris Bin Munawar says: The past that wasn’t: Before Pakistan makes the cultural choice of going back to the glory of its mythical past, it must remember that that past never existed.
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Story on Page 14
Story on Page 18
Articles on Page 12-13
An uphill task for new PIA MD LAhore
T
IMRAN AdNAN
HE newly appointed Pakistan International Airline (PIA) Managing Director Rao Qamar Suleman will have to face a tough time at the cash-strapped national flag carrier. He will have to do a lot of restructuring to streamline operations as almost ten grounded aircraft are still queued for maintenance, Pakistan Today learnt on wednesday. PIA sources said the PIA MD would have to reassess the capability and capacity of the airline’s higher management, as merit had been violated in most appointments by the previous management for obvious reasons. Sources said as many as ten aircrafts, including one Boeing 747, one B-777ER, five Airbus A310s, two B-737s and one ATR 42-500 were grounded for scheduled maintenance, while A310 AP-BEC had been grounded since october 24, 2011. They said 14 engines needed overhauling, but PIA did not have any plan how it would make its fleet fully operational. The previous management signed an agreement of $700 million credit facility with Dubaibased company Transworld, but the airline could not make this deal operational, even top man has been changed, they underlined. Sources said an Airbus A310 (AP-BGN) was grounded since November last year as its parts and en-
gine had been installed in other aircraft to get them ready for flights. Airbus A310 (AP-BGN) was waiting for both Check-A and some spares as well as shake down inspection. The engine of a Boeing 737 (AP-BFT) had completed its life, while to keep it in operation it was replaced with other grounded aircraft as PIA had no new engine for this aircraft, they added. The sources said the national flag carrier’s management had been planning to purchase new aircraft despite its surging loss of over Rs 100 billion. “Any sane management should first use its resources efficiently and then opt for new purchasing, but despite the huge losses illogical decisions are being made at the highest level,” a former PIA official said. He pointed out that engineering department that was being criticised for all such inefficiencies was the same that helped Emirates, Qatar and some other foreign airlines to develop their state-of-the-art engineering facilities. Highlighting the mismanagement in national flag carrier, another unnamed official disclosed that a damaged engine uplifting contract was awarded to a transportation company at the cost of approximately $33,000, which was scheduled to start arriving in Karachi this week. However, for reasons best known to the PIA management, this low cost alternative was replaced with a chartered flight from Amman to Karachi, which would cost $140,000, as quoted by Rayyan Air.
15 new polio cases surface in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PESHAWAR: Around 15 new polio cases have been reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Tribal Areas in the first three months of the year. According to sources, there was possibility of polio spread among children due to presence of children in IDPs camps. They said that as a precautionary measure, movement of children outside the camps was restricted. According to medical experts, children up to 15 years could become victim of polio. The number of children up to age of five was 100,000 while 25,000 aged between 5 to 15 and living in the camps. world Health organisation (wHo) and other international organisations had expressed concern over rising number of polio cases in Pakistan in general and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA in particular. INP
woman SP dies in car accident LAhore STAFF REPORT
A woman SP Investigation of Vehari died and her driver was critically injured when her official car overturned at Manga Mandi bypass in the Manga Mandi Police precincts on wednesday. The victim was identified as Muqaddas Asmi, a resident of 291-Garden Town. SP Saddar Division Khurram Shoaib Jaanbaaz said that Muqaddas was heading towards Vehari on her official vehicle which was driven by her driver Pervaiz. As they reached near Manga Mandi bypass, the vehicle overturned due to negligence of the driver and speeding. Local residents informed police after which heavy police contingents, including senior policeman, reached the spot and rushed Muqaddas and her driver to a nearby hospital where doctor pronounced Muqaddas as dead while her driver was in a critical condition. COPS HELD: The Ichchra Police arrested two constables along with a stolen motorcycle, lifted by unidentified robbers from Millat Park Police precincts a couple of days ago. on wednesday, owner of the motorbike, saw two cops riding on his bike near Ichchra Area over which he informed police, which arrested the two cops who were later identified as waqas and Khalid, posted in the Ichchra Police Station. Locals nabbed the two constables and handed them over to police along with the motorcycle. Top cops of Ichra Police only ordered an inquiry into the matter. COP INJURED: A constable of Special Branch was injured by unidentified men near the railway station. The cop was identified as Constable Muhammad Irshad, a resident of Gulberg. According to details, Irshad was passing from railway station area when some unidentified men attacked him and badly injured him a sharp-edged weapon and fled.
Altaf blasts Sindhi nationalists
LoNDoN/KArAChI NNI
MQM chief Altaf Hussain said on wednesday that so-called Sindhi nationalists are busy in spreading hatred against Urdu speakers under a well-planned strategy. In a statement, the MQM chief demanded of authorities to stop nationalists from issuing provoking statements against Urdu speakers. He also appealed to Urdu speakers to show restraint. Altaf said that the MQM always pursued the policy of reconciliation. The MQM chief warned that those who were spreading hatred against Urdu speakers should be aware that they were living in the 21st Century.