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Strong parliament will lead to strong institutions: PM
Pakistan’s ‘Lamha’ ‘Tumour’ of Israel will bags two awards at soon be destroyed, says New York Film Festival Iran’s Ahmadinejad
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rs 15.00 Vol iii no 53 19 pages Lahore edition
Shias targeted again, this time in Karachi
saturday, 18 august, 2012 ramadan 29, 1433
US BOOTS ON GROUND
One killed, 25 injured as bus carrying Shia students to rally targeted near Safari Park
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KARACHI Agencies
A bus carrying Shia Muslims to a rally was bombed at a busy crossing of Karachi on Friday, killing at least one person and injuring about 25 others. The incident occurred close to Safari Park on the main University Road of the country’s financial capital as the bus carrying the Shias was on way to MA Jinnah Road to participate in a Youm-e-Quds rally. The rally was being organized to express solidarity with Palestinians and to demonstrate against Thursday’s cold-blooded killings of Shias in Kohistan. “A low-intensity bomb planted near a bus stand in Gulistan-e-Jauhar neighborhood exploded and hit a car and a bus,” senior police official Shahid Hayat told a foreign news agency. “The bomb killed a man in the car and injured 11 others, most of whom were bus passengers,” Hayat said. The injured were moved to Jinnah Hospital where doctors said a majority were in critical condition. Most of the passengers were said to be students of Imamia Students Organization (ISO) and were headed to the Youm-e-Quds rally, which was to begin at Numaish Chowrangi and conclude at Tibet Centre. The bomb partially destroyed the bus, however a Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) sub-station located outside Safari Park was badly damaged in the explosion. Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah ordered an inquiry and sought a report from the Sindh IGP at the earliest. Upon hearing the news, participants of the Youm-e-Quds rally protested against the incident, saying proper security had not been provided to the participants despite bus routes being known to the authorities. The DIG East confirmed the explosion was caused by a bomb planted near the KESC substation, dispelling earlier claims that the blast was a result of a CNG cylinder explosion. Karachi Commissioner Roshan Ali Sheikh said the blast was the result of a planted device. The Bomb Disposal Squad said around two kilograms of explosives were used in the bomb.
picture | page 04 gB shuts down against BaBusar massacre | page 04
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ISLAMABAD
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shAiq hussAin
rmy chief General Ashfaq Kayani has ruled out any joint military operation with the US forces in North Waziristan, saying any offensive in the tribal region, if carried out, would be Pakistan’s own decision and not a result of external pressure. General Kayani said the joint operation with US forces was unacceptable to the people and the armed forces of Pakistan and hence it had always been a clearly stated red line. He was talking to General James N Mattis, Commander US CENTCOM, who called on him on Thursday night. Both sides discussed matters of mutual interest at length. “The COAS categorically dispelled the speculative reporting in US media, regarding understanding given to General John Allen, Commander ISAF about Pakistan Army’s readiness to launch joint operations in North Waziristan Agency (NWA),” said an ISPR statement issued on Friday. “The COAS clarified Pakistan’s position by referring to Secretary Clinton’s statement of July 3, 2012, in which she talked of coordinated actions against terrorists who threaten Pakistan and the region,” it said. General Kayani said, “It is important to distinguish between ‘coordinated action’ and ‘joint operation’. ‘Coordinated action’ implies that Pakistan Army and ISAF conduct operation on respective sides of Pak-Afghan border. For such actions, intelligence sharing is the mainstay of mutual cooperation. continued on page 04
Army chief says ‘coordinated action’ with US should not be mistaken with ‘joint operation’ Says operation in North Waziristan will not be conducted under any foreign pressure
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02 News cArTOOn
newS
Today’s
The pride of swat
infOTAinmenT shape of the eyes determine your fate!
Quick Look
On Page 16
Story on Page 05
Indian model ‘receiving threatening calls’ by umpire’s ‘friend’
Story on Page 11
India irked by OIC mentioning J&K as a country NEWS DESK
Indian model Leena Kapoor has alleged that she is getting threatening calls to withdraw the case against Pakistani cricket umpire Asad Rauf. Earlier this week, Leena had claimed that Rauf, who is married and is father of two kids, was in a relationship with her and had promised to marry her. However, he has now backed off and refused to have any more interaction with her. “Since Tuesday, I received at least 12 calls from two different numbers of Mumbai and Delhi. The unknown person threatened to bump me off if I don’t stop pursuing the case. The person claims to be Rauf’s friend,” Leena claimed, adding that she has informed police about the threats and filed a report. “Police will soon launch an inquiry and will call Asad to India for further interrogations,” she said. neWs DesK
Security forces kill 8 militants, injure 4 in Orakzai ORAKZAI: At least eight militants were killed and four were injured in clashes with security forces in Manmuzai area of Orakzai on Friday. Per details, the clashes occurred when insurgents ambushed the security forces during a routine search in Mulbar, Mor City Zara tehsil. Two security forces’ personnel, Ikram and Rasheed, also sustained injuries during the operation. They were later taken to CMH hospital. Meanwhile, the security forces conducted a door-to-door search operation in Goundi Kalay, Mala Patti and in Koronchi areas and recovered a large cache weapons and explosive materials. OnLine
Second air man dies after audacious base assault ISLAMABAD: A second air man died of injuries sustained in an audacious Taliban assault on a key air base, raising the overall death toll from the attack to 11, the military said Friday. Heavily armed militants dressed in fatigues and wearing suicide vests stormed the base on Thursday, sparking heavy clashes that killed one security official and nine attackers at PAF Base Minhas in the northwestern town of Kamra. Air Force spokesman Tariq Mahmood told AFP that a second air man had died in hospital on Friday morning as a result of injuries from the assault. The Pakistani Taliban claimed what was the worst attack on a military base for more than a year, reviving concerns about the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. AFP
Saturday, 18 August, 2012
India has strongly reacted to Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)’s mention of Jammu and Kashmir as a country, terming it as “unacceptable”, according to Indian media reports. “We note that there is an erroneous and factually incorrect mention about an integral part of India by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in its communique issued at its Fourth Extraordinary Summit held in Makkah on August 14-15, 2012. “This is wrong, unacceptable and we reject it,” official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Syed Akbaruddin said. He was replying to India’s position on OIC’s reference to Jammu and Kashmir in its meet in Makkah. Under the heading of ‘Solidarity With Other Member States’, Final Communique at OIC Summit, said “The Summit affirms its solidarity and full support for Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan and Jammu and Kashmir, Iraq, Yemen, Ivory Coast, the Union of Comoros and the Republic of Turkish-Cyprus in addressing the challenges facing these countries.” In the past also, the grouping has been referring to Kashmir as “occupied territory”, which has never gone down well with New Delhi.
NEW DELHI: Supporters of India’s right-wing Shiv Sena Party shout anti-Pakistan slogans during a demonstration against alleged discrimination and violence against minority Hindus. The protest coincided with a visit of over 200 Pakistani Hindu pilgrims to India, with local reports saying that some pilgrims felt unsafe in their home country and would prefer to ‘settle in India for good’. AFP
SC orders govt to pay lady health workers’ salaries by midnight ISLAMABAD APP
The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the government to deliver the delayed salaries of lady health workers to their residences by midnight. A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heard the case pertaining to the non-payment of salaries to health workers. During the hearing, the deputy attorney general told the court that the amount of salaries for the third quarter of the year had been deposited in the accounts of the provincial governments. In response, the chief justice said that the government had only fulfilled its responsibilities by depositing the amount, and had not done anyone a favor. The chief justice ordered the deputy attorney general that the health workers’ salaries should be delivered to their residences by midnight, before Sat-
urday. Responding to the orders, the deputy attorney general said that it might be difficult to deposit the salaries in the accounts concerned, as officials had been working until late on Thursday. Upon which, the chief justice directed the deputy attorney general to read out Article 9 of the constitution to the relevant officials. Article 9, which covers the security of a person, states: “No person shall be deprived of life or liberty save in accordance with law.” During the hearing, petitioner Bushra Arain requested the court to send to jail those responsible for the non-payment of the health workers’ salaries. Lady Health Workers have been protesting for months against the non-payment of their salaries and against the government’s failure to regularize their services across the country. They had demanded that 130,400 members of the LHW program be regularized, and their salaries paid.
Two killed in Quetta violence QUETTA shAhZADA ZuLFiqAR
Two men were killed and another two were injured in separate incidents of violence in Quetta and Surab on Friday. In Quetta, unidentified armed men opened indiscriminate fire inside a shop on Sariab Road and fled. One man, Noor Khan was killed on the spot and another two, Kamisa Khan and Darshan Kumar, were injured. Police rushed to the scene and took the deceased and injured to the hospital. Meanwhile, a man was killed in Surab area of Kalat district. Levies officials said Allah Bakhsh was going to Surab from Gidar when unidentified armed men shot and killed him. Local administration took his body to hospital for autopsy and started searching for the attackers.
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News 03 ArTS & enTerTAinmenT
fOreign newS
SPOrTS
i am not sure about marriage
Russia convicts Pussy Riot protest punks
shoaib looks to coach bowlers
ediTOriAl After the attack…: Not our war?
cOmmenT Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad says; On the caretaker setup: The electoral machinery is still on a learning curve…
Kunwar Khuldune shahid says; Milk bottles and corner plots: Analogizing an awkward India-Iran relationship.
Story on Page 09
Story on Page 12
Story on Page 20
Articles on Page 14
PM announces military flights for Shias after Thursday’s massacre ISLAMABAD
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Agencies
FTER a series of sectarian massacres on one of Pakistan’s most important roads, the federal government has been forced to lay on military flights for Shias travelling to and from the country’s capital. The decision to allocate C-130 Hercules transport planes for the use of civilians travelling between Islamabad and Gilgit follows the killing on Thursday of 25 Shias. In the third such incident on the road in six months, the victims were pulled off a bus some 100 miles north of Islamabad by armed men, lined up and shot. Local officials said the up to a dozen people wearing army uniforms had stopped the bus before mounting their attack. “After checking their papers, they opened fire and at least 25 people are re-
IHC dismisses petition against PTCL VSS Scheme ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has rejected a plea against the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) 2012 launched recently by PTCL for its employees. According to details, some outsiders had filed an application in the IHC to stop the proceedings of VSS offered by PTCL to its employees, taking the plea that the scheme was not voluntary in nature. The court, however, rejected their application after hearing all the arguments and evidences. Syed Mazhar Hussain, SEVP (HR) PTCL, told reporters: “To stay afloat in the intensely competitive environment of telecom industry in Pakistan, we have to ensure that our employees’ skills set are in sync with the evolving business requirements and changing industry dynamics. With the changing scenario, the business processes are changing and many jobs have become outmoded because of technological obsolescence.” nni
ported to have been killed,” said Khalid Omarzai, administration chief of Mansehra district. The Prime Minister’s Office said the flights were a temporary measure as the country heads towards the Islamic holiday of Eidul Fitr. “Normally people would travel by roads but because of the situation people are no long prepared to use it,” a spokesman for Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, the prime minister, said. The road is critical for connecting Gilgit-Baltistan, the mountainous province that borders China, with the rest of the country. With stunning scenery and access to some of the world’s highest mountains, it was once popular with international tourists travelling the Karakoram Highway. But Gilgit and its surrounding area have been repeatedly hit by appalling sectarian violence. In February 18 Shias were forced off a bus travelling to Gilgit and killed. And
Ban Ki-moon condemns sectarian attack in Gilgit UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned a deadly sectarian attack in north-western Pakistan on Thursday, which reportedly left more than 20 people dead. According to media reports, armed men ambushed three buses near the city of Gilgit on Thursday, forced passengers off the vehicles and shot 22 Shia Muslims. Some reports note that Pakistani Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for the attack. The SecretaryGeneral expressed his outrage over such deliberate attacks on people and extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Pakistan. Agencies in April nine travellers were shot dead in a town 60 miles from the city. Many analysts have criticised the Pakistani government for not doing enough to suppress anti-Shia groups.
The government and military are often reluctant to launch crackdowns in the Sunni-majority country, in which radical groups enjoy mainstream support from the public.
inmates get special remission in sentences on eid ISLAMABAD nni
On the advice of the prime minister, President Asif Ali Zardari has granted special remission in sentences to the convicts of various categories on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. A special remission of 90 days has been granted to the prisoners convicted for life imprisonment except those convicted for heinous crimes including murder, espionage and anti-state activities, sectarianism, fornication, robbery, kidnapping/abduction and terrorist acts. Special remission for 45 days granted to all other convicts except the condemned prisoners and also except those convicted of heinous crimes. The above special remissions will be admissible provided that the convicts have undergone two-thirds of their substantive sentence of imprisonment. The total remission to male prisoners who are 65 years of age or above, and the female prisoners who are 60 years of age or above, who have undergone at least one-third of their substantive sentence of imprisonment, except those involved in culpable homicide and those involved in terrorist acts, as defined in the anti-terrorism (second amendment) Ordinance 1999, (No. XIII of 1999).
New special courts in Kohat, Lakki Marwat ready to try terrorism suspects PESHAWAR shAmim shAhiD
The construction of court rooms in the Internment Centers at Lakki Marwat and Kohat has been completed, and the trial of suspected militants would started very soon, officials told Pakistan Today. A highly-placed official in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government told Pakistan Today that the construction of special courts rooms at Lakki Marwat and Kohat had been completed. The special courts rooms work under the civil administration in the two districts. He said that the KP government, through its Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department, was currently in touch with the Peshawar High Court for the appointment of judges under Anti-Terrorist Act. The ap-
pointed judges would try the militants arrested on terrorism-related charges in the newly-built court rooms. According to official sources, around 1,800 people, who were arrested on charges of terrorism, are detained in various cells across the KP province. A majority of these people were arrested from Swat and other districts of Malakand, and various tribal agencies. The government has recently announced to set up interim centers to examine the charges of the arrested suspects. So far, 194 of the arrested alleged militants have been shifted to Lakki Marwat Internment Center. No one has been shifted to Kohat Internment Center, while a majority of other suspects detained in cells in Swat, Peshawar and other main cities and towns of the province.
The official said that soon after the appointment and posting of judges, the internment centers would start operations in Swat, Lakki Marwat and Kohat. In Swat, a number of Anti-Terrorist Courts are functioning since early 2010. But the officials say that more special courts were required for early disposals of cases. The special courts in Lakki Marwat and Kohat will try suspected militants from both the settled and tribal areas of KP. In Swat and other districts of Malakand division, the security forces arrested more than 2,000 suspected militants. Another 1,000 suspects were arrested from the rest of the province. Several arrested suspects have already been released, as nothing illegal and unlawful could be proved against them.
Saturday, 18 August, 2012
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04 News US BOOTS ON GROUND continued from page 01
Contrarily, a ‘joint operation’ implies that the two forces are physically employed jointly on either side of the border.” The army chief said a joint operation in that sense was unacceptable to the people and armed forces of Pakistan. He clearly reiterated Pakistan’s oft repeated perspective: “We might, if necessary, undertake operations in NWA, in the timeframe of our choosing and determined only by our political and military requirements,” according to statement. “It will never be a result of any outside pressure. Pakistan’s national interest continues to be the prime consideration for any decision in this regard,” General Kayani said. Both sides expressed satisfaction over the level of cooperation between the two militaries and resolved to continue it to further improve relations between the two countries. The US has been pushing Pakistan for months to launch an offensive in North Waziristan against the “Haqqani network”, which the US officials claim is based there, but Islamabad has been resisting the American pressure on grounds that its military is overstretched due to involvement in antiterrorism activities in the Tribal Areas. According to a security official, who sought anonymity, General Kayani observed that statements by US officials about North Waziristan operation would not help the ongoing efforts by Islamabad and Washington to improve their relations and bring them back to the right track. He said both sides discussed ways how to improve border coordination between the Pakistan Army and ISAFled NATO troops in Afghanistan against the militants on both sides of Afghan border. A US embassy statement said Gen James Mattis left Islamabad on Friday morning after a series of meetings with senior Pakistani commanders and officials, including General Kayani and Defense Secretary Lt Gen (r) Asif Yasin Malik. During his meetings with senior Pakistani military officials, Mattis discussed a “wide range of common security issues, (including) militant network activities and measures to improve cross-border cooperation”. Mattis reaffirmed the importance of the US-Pakistani security relationship—not only to the ongoing operations in Afghanistan, but to regional stability as well. The US and Pakistani military officials agreed to meet periodically to further common objectives on cross-border cooperation and regional security.
Saturday, 18 August, 2012
With Assange inside, UK police guard Ecuador embassy LONDON AFP
Julian Assange was holed up in Ecuador’s London embassy on Friday with police guarding its exits after Britain warned that the diplomatic standoff over the WikiLeaks founder could go on for years. Ecuador granted asylum on Thursday to Assange — whose website enraged the United States by publishing a vast cache of confidential government files — but Britain has vowed not to grant him safe passage out of the country. British Foreign Secretary William Hague said his government was obliged under its own laws to extradite the Australian national to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over alleged sex crimes. “No one, least of all the government of Ecuador, should be in any doubt
that we are determined to carry out our legal obligation to see Mr Assange extradited to Sweden,” Hague told a press conference on Thursday. He admitted that the stalemate could continue for months or even years. Some 20 British police were stationed outside the embassy early Friday, ready to arrest 41-year-old Assange if he leaves the building. WikiLeaks condemned the continued police presence as “intimidation tactics”. A handful of supporters of the former computer hacker camped overnight outside the embassy in London’s plush Knightsbridge district in a bid to “guard” Assange against any potential attempt to arrest him. “We’ll stay here as long as we have to,” 26-year-old protester Baba Gena told AFP. Assange has not left the embassy since June 19, when he walked in and claimed asylum.
WikiLeaks said on Twitter that he would give a statement in front of the embassy on Sunday, though it did not specify whether this would involve leaving the building and, if so, how he would do so without being arrested. Under normal diplomatic procedures, embassies are considered the territory of the countries they represent and cannot be entered without permission. Britain has angered Ecuador by suggesting it could invoke a domestic law allowing it to breach the usual rules and go in to arrest Assange. This would challenge a fundamental principle of the diplomatic system, and the threat has left Britain in unchartered legal waters. WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson told AFP the move would “risk upsetting diplomatic relations all over the world”. “Hopefully, we will see the decision resolved in a civilised
manner,” he added. A Foreign Office spokesman said Friday that Britain was “committed to working with the Ecuadorans to solve this matter amicably”. He added: “We will not be commenting on our meetings or contact with them.” Ecuador has called a meeting of foreign ministers from the South American regional bloc UNASUR on Sunday, while the Organization of American States is to decide Friday whether to call a meeting of its foreign ministers. “Nobody is going to scare us,” Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa said on his Twitter account, minutes before the decision to grant asylum was announced. Ecuadoran Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said his government granted asylum after Britain, Sweden and the United States refused to provide guarantees that Assange would not be passed on from Sweden to the US.
KARAchi: A view of the bus which was targeted by a bomb near safari Park on Friday. InP
four women among 6 injured in unprovoked firing by indian army on loc SIALKOT inP
The Indian Army once again opened unprovoked firing on Friday morning at Chaprar sector on the Line of Control (LoC) between Pakistan and India near Sialkot. Six persons, including four women, were injured Thursday night in firing and shelling by the Indian troops. Sources said the Indian army opened unprovoked firing on Friday morning at Vhaprar sector, Sialkot; however it stopped after Pakistan Rangers retaliated. On Thursday night, Indian security forces opened unprovoked firing at Sarakpur village, adjacent to Chaprar sector of Sialkot district. The shooting and shelling continued for about an hour, injuring six persons, including four women. The injured have been admitted to Civil Hospital for necessary treatment.
Brahimi to succeed Annan in Syria UNITED NATIONS Agencies
Lakhdar Brahimi, a former Algerian foreign minister and longtime UN diplomat known as a strong-willed, independent broker, has agreed to succeed former Secretary-General Kofi Annan as peace envoy to Syria, the United Nations said Friday. Brahimi, who served as a UN envoy in Afghanistan and Iraq, formally accepted the post and will resume efforts for a diplomatic solution to Syria’s crisis, said Eduardo del Buey, deputy spokesman for Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. “The violence and the suffering in Syria must come to an end,” del Buey said. “The
Secretary-General appreciates Brahimi’s willingness to bring his considerable talents and experience to this crucial task for which he will need, and rightly expects, the strong, clear and unified support of the international community, including the Security Council.” Annan announced earlier this month that he would resign on Aug. 31 as joint UNArab League envoy to Syria, after failing to broker a cease-fire as the country descended into civil war. The UN says at least 18,000 people have been killed since March 2011. In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Brahimi was a “capable and seasoned diplomat.” He said the US was awaiting more information about Brahimi’s mandate from the United Nations.
KIDNAPPED QUETTA MEDIC HOME AFTER 17 DAYS QUETTA sTAFF RePORT
Dr Ghulam Rasool, the surgeon who was kidnapped over two weeks ago, safely reached home on Friday evening. Rasool, who worked at the Balochistan Medical Complex (BMC), was kidnapped 17 days ago from Brewery Road. Rasool’s family
members confirmed his return, but avoided giving details. Doctors in Quetta have been on strike since Rasool’s abduction. They had been boycotting work at the Outpatient Departments, and on Thursday threatened to include emergency wards in the strike if the government failed to recover their abducted colleague in the next 48 hours.
Saudi Arabia, mideast to celebrate eid on Sunday clerics in north waziristan claim seeing the new moon, celebrating eid today
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LAHORE sTAFF RePORT
Saudi authorities announced on Friday that the Shawaal moon could not be sighted, and Eid-ul-Fitr would be celebrated on Sunday. Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates also announced to celebrate Eid on Sunday, following the sighting of the new moon that will mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Meanwhile, the management of Central Mosque in London has also announced to observe Eid on Sunday. Pakistani authorities will assemble today (Saturday) to search Shawaal moon, but the Meteorological Department said that cloudy weather in the country would restrict the chances of moon sighting on Saturday, and Eid was likely to fall on Monday with the sighting of the moon on Sunday. However, religious clerics in North Waziristan Agency announced to celebrate Eidul Fitr today (Saturday), even before Saudi Arabia that started fasting in Ramadan a day earlier, a private television channel reported Friday. In this regard, a special meeting headed by Qari Muhammad Roman was held in a mosque at Miran Shah where participants received evidence from Miran Shah, Mirali and Haider Khail of Shawal moon’s sighting. Following the meeting, the clerics announced to celebrate Eidul Fitr today Saturday.
india tries to quell exodus of migrants fearing attack gilgit-Baltistan NEW DELHI
shuts down against Babusar Shia massacre
GILGIT: A complete strike was observed in Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday over the massacre of Shia passengers near Babusar Top. The strike was called by the Shia Ulema Council against the cold-blooded murder. On Thursday, unidentified gunmen intercepted four buses near the Babusar Pass in Mansehra, pulled off the passengers, separated 25 Shias after checking their identity cards, and shot them to death. Shops and business centers, as well as government and private offices remained closed due to the strike. The Shia Ulema Council also staged a protest after Friday prayers in various cities, including Gilgit. Meanwhile, the bodies of 18 victims of Babusar tragedy have been transported to Chilas after necessary processes, including post mortem and legal proceedings. The body of Tahir, another victim of Babusar terrorism has been shifted to Gujjar Khan. A joint inquiry team of the federal government, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will probe the incident. InP
AFP
India’s prime minister said Friday that the unity of the country was at stake as thousands of migrants from the northeast continued to flee Bangalore and other cities after anonymous threats. Extra trains were put on for the second night in a row to accommodate panicked students and workers leaving the south and returning to their homes in the northeastern state of Assam. The exodus has been sparked by threats sent via mobile phones and the Internet that Assamese people would be attacked by Muslims after the end of the holy month of Ramadan next week in reprisal for recent ethnic violence. Bulk text messages were on Friday temporarily banned to try to halt the spread of threats and incendiary rumours. Three weeks of clashes in remote Assam between members of the Bodo tribal community and Muslims have claimed 80 lives and displaced more than 400,000 people. “What is at stake is the unity and integrity of our country. What is at stake is communal harmony,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told parliament.
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05 School teacher cons villagers MARDAN sTAFF RePORT
Mardan police has registered a case against a teacher, her husband, family members and friends on a report saying that they used illegal methods to fraud the people of Katlang police precinct and deprive them of their gold ornaments and millions of rupees in cash, local sources and police said. A retired army Subedar, Rozi Shah of Kati Garhi, registered a complaint with the police alleging that Rihab, a teacher at Madrasa Shama-ul-Binnat, with the connivance of her husband Aqil Mohammad received several tolas of gold ornaments and cash from him, were using delaying tactics and not giving him back what rightfully was his. Rozi Shah alleged that in this whole plot, Rihab’s father Mohammad Ayuab, grandmother Khanzadagi, and Lal Mohammad son of Gul Mohammad and his wife Sakina, Yousaf son of Mohabat Shah and his wife Rangmala, Mohammad Iqbal son of Khan Mohammad and his wife Razia, and Ibrar son of Ayuab Khan, all residents of Kati Ghari, were also involved and part of the team that conned them. He further said that it was not just him but many others as well who were thus deprived of their life’s worth savings. Other victims of this crime include Wazir Zaman, Kabil Khan, Sharafat Ali, Karim Gul, Javeed Akhtar, Kamran Shah. Sources say that the mentioned teacher had earlier distributed goodwill packages among the poor and thus managed to create credibility and trust among them. But later on, the teacher along with other family members started collecting gold ornaments and cash from the people, promising to give them, and in some cases actually giving them, interest between 10,000 rupees to 30,000 rupees. Later on, she stopped paying interest to the people. But when the people started demanding their gold ornaments and cash back, the teacher and her other cohorts started using delaying tactics. The elders of the area also settled the issue between both parties but the teacher still failed to return what she owed to the people, sources added. Police has registered first information report (FIR) against the accused under section 406, 506 and 420 of the Pakistan Penal Code, has arrested the accused and started its investigation.
PeshAWAR: People block Dalazak Road on Friday during a demonstration against prolonged electricity outages. InP
NATO brands Mullah Omar’s Eid message ‘insane’ KABUL
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AFP
HE Taliban’s reclusive leader Mullah Omar has issued a bellicose Eid statement swiftly denounced by the commander of NATO troops in Afghanistan Friday as a message of hate from a deranged man. The rare statement by the Islamic militants’ one-eyed leader claims victories on the battlefield against NATO and defends as tactical the Taliban’s initial contacts, now suspended, with the United States. General John Allen pilloried the statement as “an unmistakable message of death, hate and hopelessness for the Afghan people” on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Calling Omar a “deranged man” using “insane language”, Allen scoffs at his call on Taliban militants to avoid killing civilians,
pointing to the deaths of dozens of civilians in a series of suicide and bomb attacks this week. “Either Omar is lying, or his henchmen are not listening to him, but it is clear that innocent Afghan civilians are paying the price for his corrupt leadership,” Allen said in a statement. In an apparent move to allay fears among some Taliban factions, Omar said in his seven-page statement that initial talks with the United States “had not meant submission or abandoning our goals”. Instead they had been aimed at initiating an exchange of prisoners, opening a political office and to “reach our goals”, he said, noting that the Taliban had suspended the talks earlier this year. He called the “so-called transition”, under which NATO is handing increasing responsibility for the war to Afghan security forces ahead of the exit of some 130,000 foreign troops by the end of 2014, a sign of defeat. And Omar, said by the Afghan govern-
THE PRIDE OF SWAT g g
Education is the key to eliminate extremism: Malala Yousafzai Swat is a land of the peaceful people: Dr Taj Muhammad Khan
SWAT hAROOn siRAJ
The name of Swat Valley has been attached with terrorism and militancy for the past few years. Foreigners mostly, though erroneously, think that all the people in Swat are terrorists, or supporters of Taliban. The reality could not be any further from this. When Taliban had a strong hold of Swat, some four years back, and Pakistan Army launched an aggressive military operation against them, the locals were displaced in their own country. They left
their homes looking for safe havens as the war made Swat a no-go and non residential area. Some of the people though believe that the people of Swat supported terrorists and had links with them and this caused the operation not to be a full blown success. But this perception is also wrong. The shining examples of three outstanding personalities from this area prove this misplaced perception totally wrong. They are: Malala Yousafzai, nominee of the International Peace Award and the winner of the first Na-
tional Peace Award; Dr Lal Noor Afridi, Principal Saidu Medical College (SMC) also the Chief Executive of the Saidu Group of Teaching Hospitals (SGTH); and Prof Dr Taj Muhammad Khan, MS SGTH for their splendid jobs in their respective fields during the anarchy in Swat. The government of Pakistan acknowledging their services conferred on them with civil awards Tamgha-iShuja’at on the occasion of the Independence Day, 14th August, 2012, for which the investiture ceremony will take place on the coming Pakistan Day, 23rd March, 2012.
ment to be based in neighbouring Pakistan, warned the war would continue after their departure. “The Afghan people will wage jihad (holy war) against the foreign invasion until complete independence of the country, though the invasion may ensconce itself in the garb of peace-keeping forces or strategic cooperation,” he said. The United States has signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with the government of President Hamid Karzai pledging support after the departure of combat troops and is expected to leave a residual force behind. The Taliban has always refused to negotiate directly with Karzai’s government, labelling it a puppet of Washington, and Omar dismissed it in his statement as “corrupt, collapsing and ill”. But, he said in his message, which mixed belligerence with promises of future “unity and harmony”, the Taliban “will make efforts to reach an understanding with the Afghan factions in due time following (the)
pull-out of the invaders”. On the war itself, Omar claimed that the “unique distinction” of this year’s summer offensive by the Taliban was that it had reached all areas of the country and forced NATO and Afghan government into defensive positions. NATO has acknowledged a spike in attacks this summer over the same period last year. Omar also claimed that a spate of greenon-blue attacks, in which Afghan forces turn their weapons against NATO personnel, was the result of Taliban infiltrating local security units. NATO says most of the incidents, in which 39 foreign soldiers have been killed this year, are motivated by cultural differences between troops and plays down the role of Taliban infiltration. The Taliban, led by Omar, were in power from 1996 until being ousted by a US-led invasion in 2001 for harbouring Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington.
The 14-year-old, the pride and daughter of Swat, Malala Yousafzai has proved that the people of Swat are peace loving people. She has not only been awarded nationally but she also nominated for the first International Peace Award. The government of Pakistan awarded Malala Yousafzai the first National Peace Award on her efforts for female education in Swat during the Taliban era. Talking exclusively to Pakistan Today, Malala Yousafzai, the youth icon, has said that she felt very happy and proud on being given that award. The award was not for only for me but also for the whole people of Swat, especially the young female students, she added. “This is indeed a confidence booster and Inshallah I will be working for the betterment of women education and would raise voice for their rights at every forum,” she said. Answering a question Malala said that only education could steer the country out of the worst economic conditions. “Education is the only key to eliminate extremism and bring Pakistan to a place worth feeling proud,” Malala said. She thanked President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari for conferring on her the ‘Tamgha-i-Shuja’at’. Principal Saidu Medical College and the Chief Executive of the Saidu Group of Teaching Hospitals Prof Dr Taj Muhammad Khan while talking to Pakistan Today said that the glory not only belonged to him but to all the people of Swat, especially doctors for their efforts and sacrifices they rendered in order to restore peace in the region.
“Now I will work even harder to make Saidu Medical College one of the best medical colleges in Pakistan and will not leave any stone unturned for the betterment of Saidu Group of Teaching Hospitals,” he added. He further said that his aim was to provide best and quality education to the students. He said that he would build quality education system in Swat very soon. He said that he would raise the standard of education so high that students from across the country would apply there to get their medicine degree. He thanked health sectary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who with the help of secretary provincial government approved basic facilities and grants for the medical college. Dr Taj Muhammad Khan worked very hard as the principal of the college which has brought the college among the top 3 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that through media he would like to congratulate the people of Swat on this historic achievement. Sharing his future vision he said that he was working on a dental college for Swat. The case was submitted to the higher authorities and hoped that after the construction of SMC all the problems would be sort out. Dr Lal Noor Afridi while talking to this correspondent said that it’s a great honor for him and Swat. “We are dedicated and hard working in our duties and Inshallah Allah will bless us with more rewards,” he said. The people of Swat have expressed immense happiness over the three nominations for ‘Tamgha-i-Shuja’at’.
Saturday, 18 August, 2012
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Saturday, 18 August, 2012
FIQAH-E-HANFI
GrAve Alert!
DENGUE ALIVE AMONG THE DEAD Dengue larvae found in Miani Sahib g Lahore DCO says citizens can visit graves of their loved ones without any fear on Eid as extensive healthcare arrangements being made
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ITY government officials on Friday found a large number of dengue larvae in Miani Sahib graveyard and destroyed it as District Coordination Officer Noorul Amin Mengal said the anti-dengue campaign was continuing in all towns of the city and town municipal administrations were taking measures to eradicate the dengue larvae. Additional District Collector Nadir Chattha, along with Samanabad Town officials, said they had found a large number of dengue larvae in Miani Sahib Graveyard and destroyed it. The number of dengue patients in the province has increased to at least seven in the last couple of days despite the Punjab government’s claims of remaining “alert and making all kinds of arrangements to cope with a possible outbreak of dengue in the province”. Meanwhile, DCO Mengal said all graveyards of the city would be clean and made water-free within two days. “Citizens can visit the graves of their kith and kin without any fear on the day of Eid,” he said. He said that anti-dengue activity was also carried out in Aziz Bhatti Town where the town TMO, along with employees of the Health Department and volunteers of civil defense, visited various graveyards in union councils No, 55, 58, 59, 60, 61, 45, 48, 43 and 41, and checked the arrangements. Separately, a survey of graveyards falling in the jurisdiction of Data Gunj Bakhsh Town was conducted. Standing water in graveyards of Shadman, Muhammad Hus-
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Robberies galore! MONITORING DESK Incidents of robberies have increased by 25 percent in different areas of the city compared to the previous year, City 42 reported. According to the report, a burglary took place in Garden Town at Barkat Market, where two robbers took Rs 30,000 in cash and other valuables from a citizen forcibly at gunpoint and escaped. In another incident, a robbery took place in a house in Faisal Town C-Block, where three robbers forced their way into a house and stole jewellery, thousands of rupees in cash and other valuables. One burglar was apprehended while two managed to escape. Separately, two robbers stopped a citizen named Javaid while he was going to his house, and took Rs 50,000 in cash and his mobile phone at gunpoint. At the FCC underpass, two armed motorcyclists waylaid Ahmed Fayyaz and Usman Farooq. The criminals took off with their mobile phones and money. In Defence FF Sector, four robbers took away Rs 3 million in cash and jewellery worth hundreds of thousands from the house of Mian Ellahi. Meanwhile, Garden Town police nabbed a gang of robbers and recovered cash, mobile phones as well as illegal weapons from their possession. During the preliminary interrogation, the gangsters confessed to nine incidents of burglary in various parts of the city. A special police team led by the SPO Garden Town arrested Ikramul Haq alias Kamoo and his two accomplices, Shahbaz and Imran.
Services of four D&SJs placed at the disposal of Punjab govt, Center LAHORE sain Shah Jamal Road, Sanda, Gulshan-eRavi D-Block and Mominpura was removed by the town administrations. The DCO Lahore said water pots had been removed from these graveyards. TMO Gulberg Town Faisal Shahzad visited the ICC paint factory and where fogging spray was conducted at factory limits. He also directed the factory administration to carry out all cleanliness arrangements. Despite these arrangements, five to seven cases of dengue, including that of a Chinese citizen who had arrived in Lahore via Bangladesh, have been reported across the province so far. Meanwhile, the Punjab Health Department has issued an intensive emergency plan that wou8ld work round the clock to fa-
LAHORE sTAFF RePORT At least five electricity grid stations were shut down on Friday, causing around 50 feeders across the city to trip and leaving several areas of the city in complete darkness. The problem in the grid stations erupted at 9am on Friday, leaving several areas falling in LESCO’s Salamat Pura sub division without electricity. The areas affected by the problem included Shalimar I&II, Bogeywal, Batapur and Chah Miran. Power had not been restored to these areas until night by the time this report was filed. The weather in the city remained extremely humid on Friday and insiders said extra load on the power system might have forced the grid stations to shut down. The power breakdown forced the people out of their homes in protest. They lamented the government’s apathy towards the citizens as they shouted slogans against the rulers. Prior to the holy month of Ramadan, the government had promised the nation that there would be no load shedding in Ramadan during at least Sehr and Iftar times, however, with the Ramadan seeing its last days, the promise remains to be fulfilled. There have been massive protests against continued load shedding in Ramadan across the country throughout the holy month, but the power supply situation has not seen any improvement. A couple of days ago, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf chaired a cabinet meeting in which he came down hard on bureaucracy for failing to ensure continued power supply. He gave a stern warning to officials to improve the situation and asked for a report immediately after Eid.
cilitate people during Eid holidays. According to a spokesman of the provincial Health Department, instructions had been given in this regard to heads of hospitals, the health services DG, the health services director, health EDOs, and the superintendents of hospitals in the district headquarters and tehsil headquarters. The health secretary ordered a complete health cover, including medical, surgical and emergency care services to people during the holidays of Eidul Fitr. He said the crisis management plan to counter any situation should be made and the availability of vaccines, injections, ambulances as well as blood donors’ list must be ensured.
Agencies
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday placed services of four district and sessions judges (D&SJs) at the disposal of federal and provincial governments for further posting. According to an LHC notification, the service of D&SJ/OSD, LHC Shabbir Hussain has been placed at the disposal of the Punjab government for further posting as Presiding Officer, Punjab Labour Court-VIII, Bhawalpur. The service of D&SJ/OSD, LHC Khawaja Hassan has been placed at the disposal of Punjab government for his posting as Presiding Officer, District Consumer Court, Lahore. The service of D&SJ /OSD, LHC Malik Azhar-ul-Haq has been placed at the disposal of the federal government for his posting as Judge, Accountability Court-IV, Lahore. The service of D&SJ/OSD, LHC Maqsood Ahmad has been placed at the disposal of the Punjab Government for his posting as Presiding Officer, Punjab Labour Court-III, Lahore.
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Lahore 07 CCP protests against Shia killings in Kohistan LAHORE
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ONCERNED Citizens Society of Pakistan (CCP) on Friday condemned targeted killings of Shia passengers aboard a bus and held a protest at Liberty Chowk against the tragedy. In a statement, CCP said that these attacks cause harm to national assets and the solidarity of Pakistan. Furthermore, CCP called for the government to apprehend the culprits responsible for the attacks and to provide justice. CCP also extended condolences to the bereaved families. CCP said that the attack on the Kamra airbase could have been avoided if the authorities had paid heed to warning signs, and added that the Shia killings were also a massive security failure, the blame of which can only be placed on selfish leaders and bureaucrats, who use large security escorts for their own protection and leave the citizens at the mercy of terrorists. Furthermore, CCP said that setting up Inquiry Commissions after such occurrences can only prove beneficial if their findings are made public within one week and remedial steps are taken immediately. CCP said that the public is still awaiting the reports of Abbottabad commission, Mehran Base attack commission and many other such inquiries. CCP said that on the occasion of Eid, every citizen is entitled to peaceful celebrations and urged the leadership to stand together so that safety of the citizens can be ensured.
Pakistan heading Caretaker govt to be formed towards anarchy: JI with consensus: governor LAHORE
LAHORE
sTAFF RePORT
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Syed Munawar Hasan on Friday said that the country is heading towards anarchy due to the negative mindsets of the rulers and that anti-state elements are gaining strength. Addressing a large congregation of Jumatul Wida at Mansoora mosque, he said that there seems to be no government in the country as lawlessness, robberies and murders are on the rise and no action has been taken to curb them. Condemning the target killing of the passengers of the Gilgit bound bus, the JI chief said that after Balochsitan, such incidents had also spread to other parts of the country while the leaders remain ignorant of these problems. Munawar Hasan added that as long as the rulers take orders from the United States, Kashmir and Palestine would never be liberated and Muslim world will continue to live in turmoil. He warned against public outrage if any military operation against the Haqqani network and in North Waziristan was announced by the military. He said that in order to avoid incidents like Kamra airbase tragedy, the government would have to drop out of the US War on Terror, permanently stop NATO supplies and adopt an independent foreign policy. Munawar Hasan lauded the speech of the army chief of staff a few days ago and said that it indicated that the army chief was aware of the delicate situation in the country. He expressed disappointment that despite this knowledge, the army was sitting in agreement with the US over the War on Terror. He added that the Kamra airbase attack proved that the institutions meant for national security were not secure themselves. He stressed that US War on Terror had caused incalculable harm to the nation and is endangering the sovereignty of the country. Referring to rising inflation and terrorism, the JI chief said that President Zardari and price hike went together. Similarly, he added that target killings and extortion would continue as long as Zardari was in power.
APP
Punjab Governer Latif Khan Khosa said at an iftar dinner at the Governor House on Friday that the caretaker government will be formed with a consensus. While addressing an iftar dinner organized in the honor of PPP workers and leaders, he said that the Election Commission would form caretaker government if politicians failed to do so. He alleged that the opponents had made fake votes in the previous elections, but even then the PPP had won those elections. Khosa said that the PPP-led gov-
HRCP demands explanation on sectarian killings in Kohistan LAHORE sTAFF RePORT
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Friday condemned Thursday’s killing of 25 Shia Muslims pulled out of buses headed for Gilgit Baltistan, as well as target killing of three Shias in Quetta and demanded that the authorities explain why the killers roamed free and how the government planned to ensure security for the citizens targeted because of their religious belief. In a press statement, HRCP said
OnLine
Sports Board Punjab (SBP) on Friday announced that it provided all the necessary information to 34 districts of the province for holding the first phase of Punjab Youth and Sports Festival on August 26. Director General SBP Usman Anwar said that as many as seven sports disciplines will be contested among sports and youth development councils at neighborhood and village level besides two events for general public. The sports events to be contested
are arm wrestling in three categories, athletics in eight events, badminton, billiard, cricket (tape ball), tug of war and volleyball. The general public events are Naat Khanni and Qirat. “The main objective of starting the festival at council and village level is to ensure mass participation of public and youth in these events to create a new culture of sports in the province,” he said. He said cash prizes will be given to the notable performers to encourage the youth to take up sports on regular basis to contribute in the building of a healthy society. The last date for registration is August 24.
that it was appalling that terrorists have once again succeeded in targeting Shia Muslims without facing any difficulties. The Commission likened Thursday’s attack to a similar one carried out in Kohistan in February. The latter had caused people to switch to Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad route instead of the Karakoram Highway. Furthermore, HRCP expressed concern over the suffering of Hazara Shia community in Quetta and said that such target killings are no longer an anomaly in Pakistan. HRCP also stressed that the tar-
LAHORE sTAFF RePORT
Two sanitary workers were killed due to suffocation on Friday while cleaning a gutter and another person needed to be hospitalized. According to details, two sanitary workers were cleaning a sewer in Nishtar Colony. When a third person waiting outside did not hear from them for a long time, he climbed down to check why his colleagues had gone missing. After only several feet, however, he too fell unconscious because of the presence of poisonous gas. A WASA employee present at the scene informed rescue personnel who rushed to the scene and pulled out the affected persons and shifted them to General Hospital. The deceased, Heera Masih and Danish Masih, were brothers. Amanat Masih, the sanitation worker who fell unconscious, is undergoing treatment. The WASA managing director has given cheques of Rs 200,000 each to the families of the deceased and also promised employment to one member of each family.
currency notes being sold illegally outside State Bank MONITORING DESK
explAin yourSelf
FIRST PHASE OF PUNJAB YOUTH AND SPORTS FESTIVAL ON 26TH LAHORE
ernment had shut all secret doors and empowered people in the real form by passing the 19th and the 20th amendments. The governor added that the parliament was the mother of all institutions and was the real representative of the masses, adding that it would complete its tenure and the power transition would be carried out in a transparent manner.
Sewer gas claims two lives
get killings in Quetta had only been possible because of government’s negligence and its inability to capture and punish the culprits of earlier target killings in Quetta and Kohistan. HRCP said that the killings had obviously been the work of anti-state elements in Pakistan but if the government fails to capture and punish these culprits, it would only serve to destroy the country, giving the terrorists exactly what they want. Furthermore, HRCP pointed out that the attack on Kamra airbase only showed that Taliban is no one’s friend.
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Black marketing of new currency notes was witnessed out the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for Eid on Friday, City42 reported. According to the channel, new currency notes were being sold at State Bank of Pakistan. Interestingly, SBP has strictly banned the selling of new currency notes in the open market. The dealers are making huge profits on the currency notes of two, five, ten and hundred rupees, it said. Citizens said that the banks were not providing new currency notes which forced them to buy them from the open market.
Punjab CnG stations to remain open from August 17 to 22 LAHORE inP
All Pakistan CNG Association Chairman Ghayas Piracha on Friday announced that CNG stations across Punjab will remain open from August 17 to 22. In a statement, Piracha that the decision was taken while keeping in view Eid-ul-Fitr. He also hailed government for providing relief to the masses on Eid-ul-Fitr.
Time
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LAhORe: 11-year-old sanam seeks alms in rain outside masjid Wazir Khan on Friday. MURTAZA ALI
‘FASTING CAN HELP PROTECT AGAINST BRAIN DISEASES’ LAHORE
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CCORDING to a research conducted by some US scientists, fasting for regular periods could help protect the brain against degenerative illnesses. Researchers at the National Institute on Ageing in Baltimore said they had found evidence which showed that the periods of stopping virtually all food intake for one or two days a week could protect the brain against some of the worst effects of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other ailments, The Guardian Health News Reported. “Reducing your calorie intake could help your brain, but doing so by cutting your intake of food is not likely to be the best method of triggering this protection,” the report said. It is likely to be better to go on intermittent bouts of fasting, in which you eat hardly anything at all, and then have periods when you
eat as much as you want,” said Professor Mark Mattson, head of the institute’s laboratory of neurosciences. Cutting daily food intake to around 500 calories which amounts to little more than a few vegetables and some tea for two days out of seven had clear beneficial effects in their studies, claimed Mattson, who is also professor of neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in
100 GHAZAlS of MAulAnA ruMi
Baltimore. Scientists have known for some time that a low-calorie diet is a recipe for longer life. The link between reductions in energy intake and the boosting of cell growth in the brain might seem an unlikely one, but Mattson insisted that there were sound evolutionary reasons for believing it to be the case. “When resources became scarce, our ancestors would have had to scrounge for food,” said
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Mattson. “Those whose brains responded best who remembered where promising sources could be found or recalled how to avoid predators would have been the ones who got the food. Thus a mechanism linking periods of starvation to neural growth would have evolved.” This model has been worked out using studies of fasting on humans and the resulting impact on their general health - even sufferers from asthma have shown benefits, said Mattson - and from experiments on the impact on the brains of animals affected by the rodent equivalent of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Now Mattson’s team is preparing to study the impacts of fasting on the brain by using MRI scans and other techniques. If this final link can be established, Mattson said, a person could then optimize his or her brain function by subjecting themselves to bouts of “intermittent energy restriction”. In other words, they could cut their food intake to a bare minimum for two days a week, while indulging for the other five.
CAlliGrApHy & ArABiC ClASSeS
cOllegeS / uniVerSiTieS PunjAB uniVerSiTY kinnAird cOllege Queen mArY cOllege gOVT. cOllege uniVerSiTY umT lumS ueT lcwu SuPeriOr cOllege Saturday, 18 August, 2012
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Foreign News 09 Syria fighting flares anew as UN ends mission ALEPPO
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OVERNMENT troops pounded rebel bastions in Aleppo and other parts of Syria on Friday and fierce fighting was reported in Damascus, a day after the UN called time on its observer mission. The country was also bracing for demonstrations after the main Muslim weekly prayers, events that have often triggered violence during an increasingly barbaric conflict that is now in its 18th month and shows no signs of abating. The UN announced its decision on Thursday, with the international community still deeply at odds over how to end the bloodshed and also deal with the embattled regime of President Bashar al-
Assad. Russia has called a meeting in New York Friday of UN ambassadors from the so-called Geneva action group on Syria but it was not clear whether Western governments — still angry at Moscow and Beijing for their vetoes of the UN resolutions — would attend. The mission is ending less than three weeks after Kofi Annan announced his resignation as envoy for Syria, complaining that divisions among world powers and the increasing militarisation of the conflict had hindered his peace plan. UN chief Ban Ki-moon, who has called for a continued “flexible” UN presence in Syria, is still negotiating with former Algerian foreign minister Lakhdar Brahimi to take over from Annan, diplomats and officials said.
More than 23,000 people have died since the revolt against Assad’s ironfisted rule broke out in March 2011, according to activists, while the UN puts the toll at around 17,000. On Friday, the army clashed with rebels near the main military airport in Damascus and shelled southern parts of the capital as well as areas of the commercial hub of Aleppo and the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. At least 24 people were killed, after 180 people lost their lives across the country on Thursday, according to the Observatory, which has a network of activists on the ground. It also reported that the bodies of 65 unidentified people were found in Qatana, a town southwest of Damascus,
for greater aid access, warned the situation for Syrians was deteriorating, with the number of people in need possibly as high as 2.5 million. Residents of conflict zones are facing increasingly precarious situations, with shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies reported, while the number of Syrians who have fled to neighbouring countries is at least 160,000. But Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem accused Arab states of failing to give even one dollar to help the humanitarian situation and instead sending in arms for the rebels. As the two sides become more entrenched in Syria, there are fears the conflict could spread further afield, after mass kidnappings in Lebanon in retaliation for events across the border.
without providing any further details. It is impossible to independently verify the tolls. Assad has already been abandoned by prime minister Riad Hijab and general Manaf Tlass, his childhood friend and the son of a close aide of Assad’s father and predecessor as president Hafez. Adding to the pressure, the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation on Thursday suspended Syria after a similar move by the Arab League last year, saying it can no longer accept a regime that “massacres its people.” Syria rejected the OIC decision as part of a conspiracy it says is being waged against it with Western support by regional rivals led by Saudi Arabia. UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos, who visited Damascus this week to push
Russia convicts Pussy Riot protest punks
MOSCOW AFP
A Moscow court on Friday found guilty three young members of a feminist punk band who captured global attention by defying the Russian authorities and ridiculing President Vladimir Putin in a church. Judge Marina Syrova said the three Pussy Riot protest band members had displayed a “clear disrespect toward society” by staging their February 21 “Punk Prayer” performance inside Russia’s most important church. “Tolokonnikova, Alyokhina and Samutsevich committed hooliganism — in other words, a grave violation of public order,” she told the packed court room as the defendants exchanged a few quick glances and shook their heads. “The court finds them quilty. The court reached this decision based on testimony of the defendants themselves and other evidence.” Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich — two of them mothers and none older than 30 — looked wan as they stood inside a glass cage to hear the outcome of Russia’s highest profile trial in years.
Some supporters inside the courtroom bowed their heads as they awaited the sentence for “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” to be delivered later Friday. The prosecution is seeking three years of corrective labour in the toughest facility available for first time female offenders. The judge opened the hearing with dozens of passionate band and Orthodox Church followers being held apart by riot police and Western diplomats jostling with reporters for a spot inside the courtoom. Witnesses saw several Pussy Riot supporters — the radical leftist leader Sergei Udaltsov among them — being taken away into waiting vans by police. “Let Pussy Riot and all their supporters burn in hell,” one church supporter screamed amid the tumult. The once-unheralded band members have already been held in pre-trial detention for five months despite international protests about their treatment by Putin’s team. The three have asked the faithful to forgive them for causing offence but vigorously defended their view that Russia had made little progress in the 12 years of Putin’s domination from the worst of its totalitarian days.
LOnDOn: A police officer talks to supporters of all-girl punk band ‘Pussy Riot’ during a protest near the Russian embassy on Friday. AFP
‘Tumour’ of Israel will soon be destroyed: Ahmadinejad TEHRAN AFP
Israel is a “cancerous tumour” that will soon be finished off, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday told demonstrators holding an annual protest against the existence of the Jewish state. “The Zionist regime and the Zionists are a cancerous tumour. Even if one cell of them is left in one inch of (Palestinian) land, in the future this story (of Israel’s existence) will repeat,” he said in a speech in Tehran marking Iran’s Quds Day that was broadcast on state television. “The nations of the region will soon finish off the usurper Zionists in the
Palestinian land.... A new Middle East will definitely be formed. With the grace of God and help of the nations, in the new Middle East there will be no trace of the Americans and Zionists,” he said. The diatribe took place amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran over Tehran’s disputed nuclear programme. The Jewish state has in recent weeks intensified its threats to possibly bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities to prevent it having the capability to produce atomic weapons. Iran, which is suffering under severe Western sanctions, denies its nuclear programme is anything but peaceful. Its mil-
36 dead in clash at S. African platinum mine MARIKANA AFP
TOKYO: People shout slogans as they hold banners during an anti-nuclear power rally in front of parliament on Friday. AFP
Dozens of people were killed after South African police opened fire on hundreds of workers on a wildcat strike at a platinum mine, in the deadliest day of protest since apartheid. Police gave a toll of 30 and rising, while the powerful National Union of Mineworkers said 36 had died in clashes at the Marikana mine broadcast repeatedly on national television. A force of mostly black officers in bulletproof vests, some on horseback, fired at a crowd of black workers armed with spears, clubs and machetes, with some gunfire heard from the workers’ camp as well. Police said
the workers were advancing on them with guns and machetes. “The police were directing (unrolling) the barbed wire ... when people had guns, and people were advancing as I say, with their pangas (machetes) and everything else including firearms,” police minister Nathi Mthethwa said, putting the death toll at more than 30. “A lot of people were injured and the number keeps on going up,” he told local radio. “This was not supposed to happen, and we have always emphasised this thing that we have laws in this country which allows people to apply for strike, for marching, for demonstration, and we still think people should not ignore the pillars of the land,” he said, his voice cracking.
itary has warned it will destroy Israel if it attacks. “They (the Israelis) know very well they don’t have the ability” to successfully attack Iran, foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency. “If they make a mistake, our nation’s reaction will lead to the end of the Zionist regime,” he said. State television showed crowds marching under blazing sunshine in Tehran and other Iranian cities to mark Quds Days, whose name, derived from Arabic, designates the city of Jerusalem, the disputed future capital of both the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Germany allows domestic military ops, ending taboo KARLSRUHE: Germany’s top court ruled Friday that the military may conduct combat operations within the country’s borders in case of a terror attack of “catastrophic proportions”, ending a post-war taboo. The Federal Constitutional Court said the Bundeswehr armed forces could deploy under strict conditions in case of an assault in Germany with the potential for scores of casualties. The deployment of troops in Germany is only acceptable in “states of emergency of catastrophic proportions,” the judges ruled, but never “in reaction to the threat posed by demonstrating crowds”. The use of combat weapons is only acceptable “as a last resort” and must be approved by the federal government, not simply delegated to the defence minister. AFP
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10 Comment Enough with the apologism
Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami
Time to set the narrative in black and white
Arif Nizami Editor Lahore – Ph: 042-36298305-10 Fax: 042-36298302 Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 Fax: 021-35381208 Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287414-6 Fax: 051-2287417 Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk
dastardly how is this not our war?
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o attack people for their religious beliefs in thoroughly indefensible; to target those who have no means to defend themselves is also cowardly. The killings of over 20 Shia commuters on way to Astor by sectarian terrorists was thus a dastardly act. This was by no means the first of its kind though. It is the third incident where passengers traveling to Gilgit-Baltistan have been taken out of buses, their ID cards checked and those with names common among the Shia community made to stand in a line and gunned down. Sunni Muslims have not been treated any better by another variety of militants either. Mosques have been attacked and those offering prayers bombed or gunned down indiscriminately. Shrines all over the country have been targeted during festivals leading to innumerable killings. The incidents expose the hollowness of the politicians who maintain that militancy is caused by the US presence in Afghanistan or by Pakistan supporting America’s war against extremism. Pakistani Shias, like members of their sect in Iran, are known for their anti-US stance and have opposed the US global ambitions. And how can the sentiment against the US occupation lead to attacks on mosques and some of the most revered shrines in Pakistan? Such is the level of prejudice on the part of the militants’ apologists that Munawwar Hasan continues to accuse foreign powers to be the masterminds of the attack in Kamra despite the TTP spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan owning and praising the terrorist act. The position taken by the PTI chief and Ch Nisar is no less illogical. The incident has brought bad name to the country. UN chief Ban Ki-moon has expressed ‘outrage’ over such deliberate attacks of people for their religious beliefs. That Pakistanis belonging to all sects want to live peacefully was indicated by the decision taken by four prominent religious parties to join hands against sectarianism in Gilgit-Baltistan. The mischief is confined to a handful of militants who are keen to establish a world caliphate at the expense of the integrity of Pakistan, Afghanistan and other Muslim countries. The communal terrorists are an integral part of the TTP. They use tribal areas like North Waziristan as safe havens for training and shelter. Many in Pakistan would readily agree with Gen Kayani’s observation that the fight against extremism and terrorism is our own war and that any doubt about it will lead to division and civil war. One has to realize that once Nato troops are out of Afghanistan, Pakistan would find it hard to get rid of the threat posed by extremism. It is time Pakistan devoted itself whole heartedly to the eradication of the militant menace.
candid corner By Raoof Hasan
By Arif Nizami
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he audacious raid on Kamra Air Base and execution of 25 Shias in Kohistan –all within a day- clearly shows that the Taliban are on the rampage. The TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) has taken responsibility for the unfortunate incidents. The modus operandi in both cases was somewhat similar with the terrorists disguising themselves as military personnel. The unarmed Shias felled by the Taliban as part of their ethnic cleansing campaign were sitting ducks. At Kamra, however, the terrorists received stiff resistance. The Taliban spokesmen have termed both incidents as an act of revenge for killing of their leadership by the US and Pakistani security forces. The attacks were no surprise as there was intelligence reports that the terrorists were bracing to attack our military installations. Obviously it is mad terror, fuelled by a fanatical ideology to foist a xenophobic totalitarian regime in the name of Sharia. Sadly, the apologists for such elements (which are many) declare time and again that Pakistan is paying this heavy price for “fighting America’s war”. If the Pakistani state boots out the American and starts talking to the TTP, somehow terrorism will just go away, they contend. According to Imran Khan, the militants have gone berserk because they apprehend the action against them in N Waziristan. According to the PTI chief, as a result of if the military acts against the Taliban in N Waziristan, they will go on the rampage with disastrous consequences for the country. It is another matter that the Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani has ruled out a joint US-Pakistan putsch. However, he has not discounted the possibility of a unilateral attack by Pakistani forces, if need be. According to Imran, the attacks on Shias
could not be the work of any Muslim. If they are not Muslims, who are they? Not only Imran but also most apologists for the Taliban proffer this twisted logic. The TTP has never hidden its anti-Shia agenda. And this is not the first incident of ethnic cleansing of the Shias at the hands of the Taliban. Outrage expressed by the UN Secretary General on the plight of the Shias in Pakistan further tarnishes the country’s image on this count. Imran is not the only apologist for the Taliban. Many abound amongst our political and military elite. Naturally, a fairly large swath of public opinion also subscribes to the naive thinking that terrorism in the country is a phenomenon directly in proportion to the Pakistan’s support for the US. Admittedly, as per most surveys, the US’s approval rating in Pakistan is one of the lowest. And, of course, it is good politics to blame the government’s policies for rampant terrorism in the country. Is it not time that the politicians engage in a more informed narrative to tackle the hydra-headed monster? The situation is far more complex than we are willing to admit. Is it as simple as booting the Americans out, severing our connection with them and talk to the terrorists to bring peace? If it was so, it could be done without delay. But what happened during the interval when Pakistan stopped NATO supplies. Did terrorism or rampant killing of Shias stop? Of course, the answer is in the negative. Imran Khan has vowed to go to Waziristan to protest. But despite his cynical and ill-advised move to garner the fundamentalist vote, he has been badly snubbed by the TTP as a liberal who is an infidel by virtue of his belief in democracy like other secular politicians in Pakistan. In fact, the TTP expressing its obvious distaste for democracy and democratic institution is averse to virtually all-political parties including religious parties that contest elections. According to some reports, they are somewhat sympathetic to Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman. But even he has not been immune to assassination attempts by the Taliban. Imran Khan honeymooning with Sheikh Rashid, the maverick politician, addressed his rally on the eve of Independence Day. Symbolically speaking, what better day the great Khan could have chosen to break bread with a person who openly espouses the cause of the most retrogressive brand of fundamentalism in the country? Sheikh Rashid, a cardholder member of
the obscurantist Defense of Pakistan Council (DPC), chose the occasion to declare his intention of forging an alliance of right wing parties. The PTI chief preferred not to comment on the Sheikh’s proposal in his subsequent speech. But here lies the rub. Our politicians should make up their mind about the kind of Pakistan they envisage. Paying lip service to Iqbal and Jinnah but, in practice, lending support to those very elements that do not believe in any of the niceties for which the country was created is the worst kind of hypocrisy and opportunism. Interestingly enough the Jamaat-e-Islami, whose founder Mualana Abu Ala Maudoodi never hid his opposition to the creation of Pakistan, is now spelling out what should Jinnah’s Pakistan be. Imran Khan who has no dearth of pro-JI activists amongst his motley crowd visited Mansoora the other day to express solidarity with its amir, Munawwar Hassan. There is nothing new about Nawaz Sharif flirting with the religious. At the back of the mind of the PML-N policymakers runs the same apprehension that unless they are able to cultivate the right-wing/anti-PPP vote, they will lose the elections. Is it not time to catch the bull by the horns? The existential threat to Jinnah’s Pakistan is from those who want to destroy everything through the barrel of a gun. Whether we want a system based upon narrow and selfserving interpretation of Sharia or a Pakistan based upon the Quaid’s pluralistic ideology should be sorted out. Similarly, whether the so-called war on terror is our war or that of America must be determined. There is no use fretting about the military’s flawed strategic paradigm when civilians themselves are not on the same page. It is time that the narrative is set before going all out against those who are threatening the country’s very existence. There have been a lot of wild allegations in the foreign media that the Taliban are after Pakistan’s nuclear assets. It has been officially clarified the our nuclear assets are safe and the Taliban are nowhere near them On the other hand, there are apprehensions that the US wants to take over our nuclear assets. These are all serious issues that need to be discussed amongst our political elite. Perhaps a serious effort should be made to evolve a consensus within and outside the parliament on such matters vital for the future of the country. The writer is Editor, Pakistan Today
The terrorist phenomenon The two-pronged strategy having failed, there is need for changing course
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he terrorist attack on Kamra Air Force Base is a poignant reminder of the presence of the network of extremists in our midst. After assaults on the GHQ and the Mehran Naval Base, the attack on this premier air base not only reflects the vulnerability of the security establishment in the face of the continuing terrorist incursions, it also underlines the need to revisit the strategy that has been followed in dealing with this criminal network. Add to this the sectarian holocausts being enacted on a daily basis and you have the picture of a state that is fast liquidating. The butchering of twenty-five Shias who were dragged out of a bus headed for Gilgit, identified and executed in cold-blood is a gruesome reminder of the ethnic divisions in our society. Of the many theories prevalent in Pakistan for tackling the terrorist phenomenon, one is based on the flawed premise of sifting the ‘good’ terrorists from the ‘bad’ terrorists. In addition to this being naive and counter-productive, it is simply an excuse for harboring and protecting the evil among us as there are no good or bad brands of terrorism. They are all the same who can be aptly described as a species that indulge in killing the innocent and the
Saturday, 18 August, 2012
hapless people to cater to their blood-lust and their indiscriminate indoctrinations in hate. Policies formulated in this mould have landed the country in an unadulterated mess both internally, in dealing with this marauding band of criminals that does not distinguish a friend from a foe and, externally, for being perceived as espousing the culture of extremism and protecting some outfits that promote bloodshed locally and throughout the world. This has been the core reason for Pakistan’s dismal failure in eliminating the curse of extremism from its midst and its growing alienation at the international level. Will this massive humiliating assault on Kamra impact the policies that Pakistan has followed in its elusive hope of finding a solution to the debilitating phenomenon? There have been reports in the media that Pakistan has ‘agreed’ to launch an operation in North Waziristan in collaboration with the US principally to target the Haqqani network that it has been incessantly accused of protecting as its ‘extended arm’. If that were to happen, Pakistan will have to brace for an extended battle field and bloodshed with possible frustrating results. In the short run, the operation would provoke a bloody counter-assault
mostly in the shape of terrorist attacks inside its territory targeting innocent civilians and, in the long run, particularly in the event that this operation does not move to swift and clinical results, further exposing its vulnerability in the face of an enemy that, besides its indoctrination in hate, has many a protecting hand. So, what are the best options that Pakistan has in the current environment to both safeguard its own interests and also to cater to the growing international demand for action in eliminating the terrorist bases along its border with Afghanistan? Let’s first eliminate what Pakistan cannot afford to do any longer. It cannot continue the current policy with regard to dealing with the terrorist phenomenon both because the strategy has failed to achieve the desired results and because it has led to alienation at the international level which has now started impacting its economic programs. The World Bank and Asian Development Bank’s insistence on prior permission from India for providing finances for the construction of Bhasha Dam is only the tip of the iceberg. Much more is in the offing if Pakistan persists in its refusal to move against the perceived terrorist outfit/s.
That conclusively limits the palette of options that Pakistan has before it. In the past, it has also tried to link its operation against the Haqqani network with an increased role in the post-US Afghanistan which has not quite worked primarily because of the trust-deficit between the two countries. Reduced to a position of weakness over a period of time, particularly after its sevenmonth suspension of relations in the aftermath of the Salala attack, it would be extremely difficult for Pakistan to win any outlandish concessions from the US as the core strategy of withdrawal has already been finalised and the pawns that are going to play a role put in place. India has been assigned the responsibility of spearheading an Afghanistan that will not have the benefit of the US and, later, the NATO forces to protect it from the combined attacks of the Taliban and other outfits that have remained opposed to the US and the Karzai regime. There will have to be a very powerful rationale to convince the Americans to alter this policy. That brings us to another critical question: whether or not the US may want India to play a role after its withdrawal from Afghanistan, would the latter get embroiled in this dirty game knowing full well
that once it gets sucked in, it would be difficult to pull out? That provides a window of opportunity for the Pakistani strategists. They should play on the Indian vulnerability in the prospect of operating in a mostly hostile environment. India is on the brink of taking off as a world power and a setback at this stage, economic or military, will put it back by years. India should be made to see the impossibility of the challenge before it and the likelihood of negative fallout and its horrific aftermath. Notwithstanding any pressure or otherwise, Pakistan should seriously contemplate an operation in the restive tribal areas for its own security. Continuing with the ‘fightsome-protect-some’ strategy will further damage Pakistan as it would deplete its internal security options and increase its alienation at the international front, thus bedeviling its economic woes. These terrorists have not been Pakistan’s friends in the past and they never will be in the future. To top it, Pakistan doesn’t have the wherewithal to survive in isolation. The writer is a political analyst and a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. He can be reached at raoofhasan@hotmail.com
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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.
The environment suffers Sindh suffers from several environmental problems and challenges including air pollution, potable water contamination, domestic and industrial waste, marine pollution, municipal & industrial solid waste, hospital waste, industrial hazardous waste, noise pollution, land pollution, desertification, deforestation, agrochemicals, degradation of biodiversity, depletion of farming lands, sea intrusion, risks of oil spills at ports, exotic animals and birds being endangered etc. These environmental problems province are, indeed, human-induced and created by rapid population growth and unplanned urbanization and influx of illegal immigrants – estimated to be more than 9 million in the province. Shockingly, so far nothing has been done to address these environmental problems and challenges being faced which have put the health, economy, environment and lives at stake. The provincial environment department and its Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seem to be in a deep slumber. The federal and provincial government, the global community, and the INGOs must redouble all efforts aimed at overcoming the severe ecological challenges as inaction could be disastrous HASHIM AbRO Islamabad
And now, kamra… The Kamra incident leaves behind multiple questions unanswered. One, how did this heavy equipment and ammunition reach Kamra? Two, what extra emergency steps were being taken by PAF to protect its installation when a clear threat was already there? Three, where were the soldiers who were supposed to fight back the terrorists? Kamra is supposed to be one of the most sensitive installations of our armed forces. As usual, an inquiry commission will sit, investigate, and then become controversial and it will finally be shelved. If this is the state of negligence at our sensitive installations, then we should invite our enemies to come and cook parathas in our kitchens. It is a crime to say something derogatory against the armed forces; hence what can I say? AMJAD H MIRZA Lahore
compromising security Pakistan faces threats from terrorism and cannot afford not to plug lapses and loopholes created by years of negligence and false sense of security. A series of attacks on high value security targets such as GHQ, Mehran Base and now Kamra Base expose serious gaps in security. Emergence of residential cum commercial construction on periphery of these sensitive locations is an act which has proved disastrous for our national security. Those who gave permission to allow marriage halls to be built within the sensitive zone of Mehran Base have to share responsibility for this security breach which resulted in loss of four aircraft, radars, hangars and lives of many officers. The very purpose of creation of cantonments is nullified when instead of housing our soldiers
and compounds for training and storage of ammunition etc, it is used for civilian accommodation and other public use. This area given by state for national security has fallen prey to real estate hunger of the top military brass. The fact that sterile zone which is essential for safety of these vital national security instalments was allowed to be violated by Cantonment Boards and high command of our sensitive organizations, only proves that commercial gains of few greedy individuals have compromised security concerns. When these vital national security installations were built, they were located far away from residential areas and public access was restricted. However, the military takeovers by Zia and Musharraf gave prominence to so called welfare projects which have ended
The menace of sectarianism Four buses were ambushed while going from Rawalpindi to Gilgit Baltistan; passengers were asked to pull out their CNICs and 25 Shias were killed cold blood. This attack was similar to the one in Harban area of Kohistan in February 2012 when 20 Shias were killed. The Hazara Shia community has for long been the target of a militant group. Why have the intelligence agencies failed to nab those responsible for such dastardly acts and why are the security forces not eliminating those militant groups which want to conduct a sectarian cleansing by executing members of the Shia community and create anarchy in the country? Is it not the prime responsibility of the government to protect the lives and property of every citizen?
Army overstaying its welcome? If you’re ever in Lahore and happen to enter Cantt, you are bound to get stopped at various check points by men of the Pakistan army. Most cars are allowed through, while some are asked to stop for checking. A few questions are asked, NICs produced, and you’re off on your merry way, proud that the army is so affable. Now if we change the location, and instead of Lahore Cantt, you try to enter say, Swat, my hometown, the welcome is slightly different. If you’re one of the many local citizens of Swat who don’t have a flashy car or a Lahore/Islamabad number plate, you are less likely to be afforded such niceties. There are various army checkposts on painfully short distances from each other, where the soldiers pick you out based on your appearance. (You’re in public transport so you’re
up making security of our sensitive military establishments a very difficult task to manage. If the security establishment allows residential housing societies to be built around the periphery of our civil and military airports, bases and headquarters, it poses a threat to our national security. Even our civilian airports at Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar etc located within cantonment areas have seen the construction of residences, marriage halls, clubs and commercial food warehouses around them which has resulted in having these airports declared dangerous by ICAO and IFALPA because of increase in threat of birds hits to aircraft in take off and approach phase. MALIK TARIQ ALI Lahore
whiteLies D By ess Aich
o we have another Cotecna in the offing? Recently, a decision had been made to install tracking devices on all the trucks plying the roads of the republic. The move is motivated ostensibly by the desire to curb the illegal activities where the trucks are used. Now though this is a good idea, it is even better news for those tasked with rigging the vehicles with these devices. A well connected company now has it made with this mega contract. After all, folks, these are a lot of trucks we are talking about.
Attacks on Shias are nothing new and yet the state and the security establishment has failed to take any notable action against them. Rather they have intensified with the advent of the Taliban and increased militancy and extremism in the country. The Shia community has been pushed to the walls. How long can the Shia community remain defenseless? Pakistan does not belong to a few thousand extremists and every citizen has the right to live in accordance to his own faith. It is not acceptable in a civilized world for one sect to enforce its ideology on the other sects. It is time that those in positions of authority seriously consider how to prevent such anarchy and root out the menace of sectarianism and fundamentalism. Otherwise, Pakistan will not be able to survive for long. S T HUSSAIN Lahore
premier club of the country whose members include the likes of former president Musharraf and former prime minister Shaukat Aziz was in a bit of a fix the other day. Several lakhs of rupees were missing from the club. Upon the involvement of the police, the money was finally recovered from an unlikely spot – the club's kitchen. The matter has been hushed up because, seriously, the kitchen?
less likely to be well-connected or have a lot of money, hence I will proceed to insult you.) I would like to say that this isn’t the norm, that these are just a few instances and our military men are proud citizens of Pakistan; but then I wouldn’t have the face of that soldier who pulled me out of the bus because I was ‘smiling too much’ imprinted in my head. Instances like this are not rare. And this bitterness is shared quite widely. When the army came to Swat in 2008, finally after two half-hearted previous operations, the people of Swat were happy. But they have over-stayed their welcome. This, even though it is not the military’s own fault, has led to an eventual effacement in the pro-army sentiment. The army has been given the job of the local police. I cannot over-emphasise the role this has played in this turn of events. You are stopped at least twice whenever travelling from one village to the other (a distance of ten minutes) by men who have no idea if
the village I’m from even exists. Drivers are slapped in front of everyone if the soldier thinks he’s being sassy. Worse are the allegations that army officers are actually being paid off by the timber mafia. It doesn’t matter if these allegations are true or not, it matters that the people believe it. The people of KhyberPakhtunkhwa are not the simpletons that the urbanites of Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi stereotype them as. Every man on the street is well-versed in the ‘great game’ theory, and what’s worse is that they firmly believe that they are smack in the middle of it, with the Pakistan army being one of the major players. The towns of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are not colonies and their populations not your subjects. The army is doing its job but it can do its job while respecting the locals. TAIMOUR KHAN Karachi
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Saturday, 18 August, 2012
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12 Film being made on mysterious life and death of Divya Bharti
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Film titled Love behind the border, reportedly based on the life of famous actress Divya bharti who ruled the roost in the 90s, is being made. Casting for the protagonist is still being finalised but what is known to us is that greece actress tatiana tsapikidou has been pencilled in to play the role of Divya’s costume designer neeta Lulla. a source said, “During Divya’s last moments, her designer, neeta, and her husband producer Sajid nadiadwala were a constant by her side. the makers felt that tatiana is perfect for the role of neeta. actor Vije bhatia will play Sajid. “ the source also adds, “the film is not to sensationalise the loss of a good actress, but it is just to pay a tribute to her.” neWs DesK
Gaga’s bodyguard smacks down fan
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hinking about rushing Lady gaga next time you see her? You might want to watch this first. While appearing in Romania for a show, mother monster was walking through her hotel when an excited fan made the mistake of hurling himself to the singer for an autograph. and just like that, he was taken to the floor by her bodyguard. a usually calm gaga was admiring the fans, waving and saying hello, but flinched back when she saw a man lunge at her with a pad and pen. Sure, his intentions might have been innocent, but his approach was all wrong. it didn’t take long for her bodyguard to get him on the ground and subsequently, kicked out of the hotel cOuRTesY TOi
Amitabh Bachan was in awe of Daku Man Singh
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mitabh bachchan has bravely fought many dacoits in his films, but there was one who the megastar was in awe of in real life Daku man Singh. “in my younger days, we were in awe of daku man Singh, whose escapades and adventures were common conversation in and around every possible gathering,” amitabh wrote on his blog. “as kids we would imagine the size and the massiveness of this person, and were made fearful of his sudden presence, if we did not go to bed at appointed hour or fussed about finishing our meals, or to be back home in time before dark,” he added. Recalling the fear, that people used to go through, the 69-year-old wrote: “in the summer months of allahabad, when the sun would set and the lawn used to be watered to cool the ground, the family would sit out in the evenings, and as night came upon us, the elders would ask us to go to the house and put the lights on in the rooms.” “For us, it used to be a moment of extreme trauma, because even though the house was not more than 50 feet away from where we were sitting, the fear of the dark as you walked in, was numbing. We felt almost as though man Singh would suddenly appear from behind one of the doors or grab us as we strode back to where the elders were sitting!” he added. Singh was among the dreaded dacoits of Chambal region and had 1,112 robberies and 185 murders to his credit between 1939 and 1955. he was shot dead in an encounter in 1955. neWs DesK
Saturday, 18 August, 2012
jessica Biel poses for photographers at the uk premiere of Total recall
Chris Brown wishes Rihanna would stop talking about the beating incident C h r i s Brown is baffled by Rihanna’s desire to keep talking about the brutal assault on the eve of the Grammys three years ago, that led to Brown pleading guilty to a felony battery charge. “Chris is just confused about Rihanna’s decision to bring up the past again and again — this time in an interview with Oprah,” a source told Radar. “Rihanna
pakistani film bags two awards at new york film festival
Pakistani film Lamha (Seedlings) bagged two awards at the New York City International Film Festival (NYCIFF), which concluded early Friday. Lamha won the Best Feature Film award and its leading lady Aamina Sheikh won the Best Actress in Leading Role award in a late-night ceremony at the Angelika Film Centre in New York, NY. The film was nominated in five other categories, including Best Actor in Leading Role (Mohib Mirza), Best Actor in Supporting Role (Gohar Rasheed), Best Score, Best Original Screenplay (Summer Nicks) and Best Director (Mansoor Mujahid). Lamha weaves through the life of a young couple Maliha (Sheikh) and Raza (Mirza) and those affected by their deep struggle to reconnect after the loss of their only child in a tragic accident. The film’s premier at the festival, on August 10, was a sold out affair at the Tribeca Cinema. nEwS DESk
has previously given wide ranging interviews about the beating to Diane Sawyer and several print magazines. Chris just doesn’t think it’s productive or relevant to rehash the events since essentially nothing new is being revealed in the interview Rihanna has done with Oprah. Chris doesn’t begrudge Rihanna at all for talking about it but he thinks that in order for them to both move forward and not be defined by that one night, it would be better to stop bringing it up.” As previously reported, Rihanna admits in her upcoming interview on Oprah’s Next Chapter that she felt “protective” over Brown and was more concerned with his well-being than her own in
the wake of the 2009 incident. “It was embarrassing, it was humiliating,” the sobbing Umbrella singer told Oprah about the fallout. “I lost my best friend — everything I knew switched — switched in a night and I couldn’t control that … it’s not easy for me to interpret — it’s not easy to interpret on camera with the world watching.” “Rihanna and Chris have spoken since she did her interview with Oprah,” the insider reveals. “They have a very complicated and intense relationship even though Chris has a girlfriend. The fact is, Chris and Rihanna just can’t stay away from each other. There is a lot of love there — it’s definitely not a healthy situation for either one of them.”
I AM NOT SURE ABOUT MARRIAGE Mila Kunis has admitted that she is not keen on tying the knot in the near future. The 29-year-old actress has also revealed that the most important thing about a relationship is the bond between two people. “I would love to find ‘The One’ but I’m not sure about marriage. I see no need,” Contactmusic quoted her as telling ‘more!’ magazine. “I’ll be with somebody because I want to, not because a piece of paper tells me I have to. That said, if the love of my life thinks it’s important, then fine, I’ll get married,” she said. The actress insisted that although she would be happy to marry if her partner was keen, she doesn’t see the point in making “sacrifices” for a significant other and has met far too many men with commitment issues. “You have to may compromises, but I don’t believe you have to make sacrifices for love,” the actress said. “I’ve met plenty of guys with Peter Pan syndrome, where they don’t want to grow up,” she added. nEwS DESk
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13 Longoria admires Jolie for charity work
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NO SHOW FOR EK THA TIGER IN PAKISTAN T STAff REPORT
Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry go to court for custody hearing
HE members of censor board decided to ban the screening of the movie of Ek Tha Tiger after a screening held at the Cineplex theatre at Rawalpindi. More than 25 to 30 members were present during the screening of the movie of Ek Tha Tiger on Thursday afternoon. The
members watched the movie between 3pm to 6pm and after which a final decision was taken by the authorities that the film cannot be screened in the Pakistan theatres. Sheikh Amjad Rasheed, IMGC global entertainment pvt limited (the distributor of the film in Pakistan) says, “The movie has been banned in Pakistan. People in Pakistan were eagerly waiting to watch the
movie during the Eid. There were more than 28 theatres blocked to screen the movie. The censor board official took the final decision on Thursday evening after watching the movie. The saga of Ek Tha Tiger’s release in Pakistan has been controversial. When the news of Ek Tha Tiger getting banned in Pakistan hit the headlines several weeks ago, there were rumors that the film had, in fact, not been banned. PEMRA authorities had denied the existence of a letter stating the movie had been banned from screening in Pakistan. The director of the movie also tweeted that he had received no such letter from PEMRA and the story of Ek Tha Tiger’s ban in Pakistan was apparently over. But when the excitement of the movie reached its peak, just before Eid holidays (when the movie was set for release) Pakistan’s censor board banned the screening of the movie from Pakistani theaters because of a negative portrayal of the controversial ISI in the film. nEwS DESk
preity shows who’s macaulay culkin steps out amidst heroin the boss on film set addiction rumours
No big surprise, Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry are choosing to play this one close to the vest. The exes, in family court Thursday for a custody hearing, were given the choice of whether or not to allow the media inside the courtroom—and they were at least on the same page about not wanting an audience. Before reporters were shooed out, Aubry’s attorney requested that the proceedings be ordered sealed to everyone not directly involved with the case, including Berry’s personal attorney of 20 years. Her family lawyer, Stephen Kolody, argued that her longtime counsel be allowed to stay. But while what went on behind tightly closed doors today is officially under wraps, Berry had previously petitioned for permission to move to France, where fiancé Olivier Martinez is from, with her and Aubry’s 4year-old daughter, Nahla. The Oscar winner had stated that the U.S. was no longer safe for her and Nahla, noting that the paparazzi were increasingly intrusive and claiming she had been the target of death threats. Aubry’s camp has remained relatively mum on the subject of the move, but E! News has learned that 17 days have been blocked off on the schedule for a trial and witnesses will be called—so obviously there’s stuff to talk about. nEwS DESk
TOI catches the actress as she cracks the whip while filming Ishkq In Paris at a suburban pub Preity Zinta’s comeback venture and also her maiden production, Ishkq In Paris has been shot entirely in France. But for the last song sequence, the makers chose to come home to Mumbai. On the sets in a suburban nightspot, Preity looked completely in charge when we entered. She was energetic, chirpy and gave her shots in a few takes. In fact, she even did her own makeup at times. But being hands-on has its drawbacks. For example, after seeing one shot on the monitor, we heard the actress yelling, “Why are you guys doing all experiments on my song?” Director Prem Soni had an answer ready. The same however, could not be said about the others in the team. Sample this: While enacting a particularly seductive dance sequence, Preity lost her cool. The actress was uncomfortable and demanded, “People who are not required, please leave the room. I need my space.” And the people vanished before you could say ‘poof!’ After all, the producer had to look after the best interests of her film. Interestingly, the song was supposed to be shot in Paris. “It’s a wild party in France where everyone is having fun,” we were told. Perhaps the several foreign dancers - some dressed as angels and some as the devil, made sure the pub had an international feel to it. “Welcome to my set,” Preity being the gracious host, invited us for a chat and explained, “Today, I have all the money in the world. But I don’t have time to party.” About the film that she had cowritten along with Soni, she said. CoURTESy ToI
Macaulay Culkin—who has been lying low ever since heroin-addiction rumours surfaced—stepped out Wednesday looking, er, colorful in NYC, but nevertheless, healthier than before. A stoic-faced Culkin donned a crisp stripped shirt, black shades and ripped jeans spackled with colorful paint as he smoked a cigarette and picked up supplies from a 7-Eleven store. 30-yearold star decided to dress in painter’s pants for the occasion. The former child star has been keeping a very low profile after reports surfaced alleging that Culkin is in the middle of a serious heroin and prescription drug problem. nEwS DESk
CtReSS eva Longoria says she admires angelina Jolie for the humanitarian work she does as a Un special envoy and the charitable acts she and fiance brad Pitt carry out. Longoria says Jolie is an inspiration to her and many others. “i admire angelina. She does the work. She’s not just a spokesperson, she is a hard worker and she gets it done. She is authentically tied to the causes she cares about and she knows so much. She is so knowledgeable of the world situation, so everything i am an advocate for,” contactmusic.com quoted Longoria as saying. the 37-year-old Longoria has her own charity organisation, the eva Longoria Foundation, which aims to help impoverished Latina women and kids. Longoria insists it is important for her to give back to her own community. “the eva Longoria Foundation raises funds primarily for Latina women and children. i will be having a global gift gala to raise money in marbella. neWs DesK
When Shilpa cries, I know I’m right: Raj Kundra
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aJ kundra says that he takes Shilpa’s advice on his tV show, SFL Challengers. “i always take the CD (of the episodes) home and ask her to watch it and tell me what she thinks of it. When i see her crying at any point, i know i have got it right (laughs). a lot of times, she tells me, ‘Put this, remove that.’ and since she has been a part of a reality show (big brother), there’s no one better than her to give inputs,” he says. cOuRTesY hT
Sunjay dutt off to Paris with family Of late, he has been caught up with backto-back shoots of biggies such as Agneepath, Son of Sardaar, Zilla Ghaziabad and Sher. As a result, Sanjay Dutt hasn’t had much time for himself and his family. But now, we hear he’s gone off to Paris for a much-needed break with wife Maanyata and kids, Shahraan and Iqra. “Baba hadn’t taken a break for some time, so when he got a few days off from the shoot of Sher, he decided to utilise them by taking off discreetly for Paris. Once he returns (in about ten days), he will immediately get back to shoot Sher. The film wasn’t easy to shoot considering they are using real locations in Rajasthan, where it’s very hot,” says an industry insider. nEwS DESk
Avengers sequel in 2015?
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he sequel to this year’s blockbuster film, the avengers, is expected to hit the big screen in may 2015. Director Joss Whedon — who will write and helm the sequel — is believed to have already developed a template for the storyline, reported contactmusic. “marvel has a very set agenda of what they want to do, they are already kind of ahead of the game on the sequel because they’ve got the guy that did it before, doing it again, and something tells me Joss already has the template for the film,” a source said. a number of cast members won’t be available to shoot the movie as they will be filming their own stand alone motion pictures. actor Robert Downey Jr is to reprise his titular role in iron man 3 next year, actor Chris evans will return as the lead character in Captain america: the Winter Soldier in 2014 and actor Chris hemsworth is to star in thor: the Dark World next year. neWs DesK
Saturday, 18 August, 2012
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Infotainment 14
Dog survives porcupine attack
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NOW what, folks? We’ve really got to do something about these porcupines. They’re getting out of hand. To clarify, it seems to be one porcupine in particular who’s causing havoc over in Oklahoma - having left a second dog needing emergency medical attention just three days after a similar attack. Poor cross-breed Shiloh needed 500 quills removed from her face, legs and paws at the Animal Emergency Center in Norman, following her unfortunate encounter with the antisocial porcupine. neWs DesK
Shape of the eyes determine your fate! J
OHN F. Kennedy. Marilyn Monroe. James Dean. These icons share more than an untimely fate. According to a Japanese author and macrobiotic diet guru George Ohsawa, they shared the same kind of eyes—”sanpaku” eyes. Because of that, Ohsawa implied, they met similar fates and died early deaths. Literally, “sanpaku-gan”n translates to “three whites eyes”. It refers to how the human eye can be divided up (see above for examples). As website Tofugu points out, sanpaku is when you can see three whites: one both sides and one either above or below the iris. In his 1965 work You Are All Sanpaku, Ohsawa explained the concept: In a healthy newborn child, the lower edge of the iris-the sphere of color at the center of the eye-rests below the lower eyelid like a rising sun. The eye has two white areas on either side of the iris. In the eyes of a dead man, the iris turns up into the skull. If it is visible at all it has three white sides. Sanpaku. As a man becomes old or ill, as he approaches deathwhether he be seven years old or seventy-the
colored portion of the eye-the iris-rises to disclose white between the lower lid and the iris. Sanpaku, Ohsawa continued, would mean that something in the person’s entire being was out of balance. Being out of balance meant the individual was, according to the author, “sick, unhappy, insane, what the West has come to call ‘accident prone.’” Continuing, Oshawa added, “The condition of sanpaku is a warning, a sign from nature, that one’s life is threatened by an early and tragic end...” Oshawa pointed to individuals with sanpaku eyes that ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to Abraham Lincoln—which, of course, implies that their untimely deaths had nothing to do with radicals upset about, oh, the Civil War or the Civil Rights Movement. Oshawa’s answer was a macrobiotic diet, which some individuals might find healthy. But the leaps Oshawa made were pseudo-science. And by his rationale, people who followed that diet would be less likely to be sick, unhappy, or even “accident prone”. Inadvertently or not, the whole thing trivializes these wellknown people’s lives—and their deaths. And by Oshawa’s logic, John Lennon, who ate a
macrobiotic diet and even mentioned sanpaku on his Mind Games album, should never have been “accident prone”. But let’s say you buy into this superstition: If you have a white above your iris, that means that you are possibly a danger to the outside world and unable to control your emotions. If you have a white below your iris, that means the outside world could be a danger to you. If you do have sanpaku eyes, don’t take much stock in these superstitions. As with most superstitions, this isn’t hard science. It’s not even soft science! The other issue is what exactly sanpaku means, if anything, in its native Japan. Because while a Japanese writer helped popularize the notion of sanpaku eyes in the West, it doesn’t seem to be much of a superstition in Japan—especially compared to other Japanese superstitions, such as people’s blood types. There is a notion, however, that people with sanpaku eyes are apparently likely to commit crimes or are insane. That, or they’re simply pissed off (which is how sanpaku eyes pop up in anime). And, yes, there are even those who say sanpaku eyes are “cute”. neWs DesK
Bill Clinton meets Bill Clinton
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N 1998, then U.S. president Bill Clinton met a baby who was named after him in a village in Uganda. Now, fourteen years later, the former president was reunited with his “Ugandan son.” According to the Clinton Foundation’s website, the baby was named Bill Clinton because he was born in the same month the American head of state first arrived in the African nation. The Ugandan newspaper the Daily Monitor reports that the two Bill Clintons met in Entebbe, Uganda last Friday. The teen, whose full name is Master Bill Clinton Kaligani, was airlifted to Entebbe and sat down with Clinton for lunch. According to AllAfrica.com, Kaligani had to miss an exam to make the meeting but the boy was thrilled to meet the man who has made such an impact on his life. “[Clinton] was very happy to see the boy. He asked him what he wants and the boy informed him he wants to become a doctor. He promised to look after his ‘son’
in every way,” Betty Namugosa, the teenager’s mother, said. “I feel good. He told me he also wanted me to be a doctor, that I should work hard and pass in my studies,” Kaligani said, according to the Daily Monitor. The Innovations For Poverty Action blog explains that Clinton was in Uganda to
support an effort to “eliminate diarrheal deaths among Ugandan children.” The Clinton Health Access Initiative, which the former president founded in 2002, is working with the Ugandan Ministry of Health to help increase access to effective treatments for diarrhea. neWs DesK
Jeremy Clarkson insults Britain over the death of his dog
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EREMY Clarkson branded Britain a nation of ‘utter b*****ds’ after Twitter trolls mocked him over the death of his dog. Jeremy Clarkson has never been known to hold his tongue, but now he has insulted everyone in Britain branding the whole country ‘complete and utter b*stards.’ Clarkson went on to say that Brits invented torture and slavery and sent the White Russians to be slaughtered by Stalin. “Outwardly, we hated communist Russia; inwardly, it’s what 95 per cent of the country wants,” he said. Writing in Top Gear magazine, Clarkson made the comments after claiming he was he was inundated with abuse and jokes when he tweeted about the death of his black Labrador Whoopi. Clarkson, wrote: “A few moments ago, my dog died, and, as an experiment, I announced the fact on Twitter. neWs DesK
Man swerves to avoid hitting moose, hits bear instead
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Norwegian driver who swerved his car on a rural road to avoid running into a moose hit a bear instead, authorities said on Thursday. The driver spotted the moose on a country road near Hanestad, 225 kilometers north of Oslo, around midnight on Wednesday, and tried to go around the animal, not realizing that a bear was also nearby. “The driver had lost a bit of speed as he tried to avoid the moose before hitting the bear,” said Svein Erik Bjorke of the local wildlife authority, who was out in the forest searching for the wounded animal. “We are currently tracking the bear and we have found traces of blood indicating internal injuries,” he said. The driver escaped uninjured while his car suffered some damage. Norway’s rugged mountains are sparsely populated and full of wildlife. The country, nearly the size of Germany but home to just five million people, has around 100,000 moose and 150 brown bears, authorities said. neWs DesK
Saturday, 18 August, 2012
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saturday, 18 August, 2012
nadal not worried if ranking plummets Page 17
Shoaib looks to coach bowlers LAHORE
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sTAFF RePORT
ONTROVERSIAL former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has shown hi desire to become the bowling coach of the national team. Pakistan have been looking for a bowling coach since appointing Australian Dav Whatmore as head coach in March, with former Essex paceman Ian Pont the leading contender. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) set up a three-man committee to find a suitable candidate but so far nothing has been finalised. "I am ready to be the bowling coach for Pakistan," Akhtar, 37, told reporters. "If the PCB contacts me then I will offer my services," Akhtar was reported to have said. The paceman, whose career was plagued by fitness and discipline problems, retired from cricket after the World Cup last year and has since been involved in business. He took 178 wickets in 46 Tests and 247 in 163 one-day internationals. "It's an honour to serve the country and it can be done by helping the upcoming bowlers. It will give me a chance to pay back what the country has given me," said Akhtar. Pakistan face Australia in a limitedovers series in the United Arab Emirates from August 28, with three one-day internationals and three Twenty20s. Akhtar said Pakistan will miss fast bowler Umar Gul, not selected for the ODIs. "Both Gul and Brett Lee will be missed in the series," said Akhtar. "But it will be a good series and bowlers will play a key role in the series." Lee, considered as quick as Akhtar, retired from international cricket last month.
Mooney T20 blow for Ireland DUBLIN AFP
All-rounder John Mooney has been ruled out of Ireland's squad for next month's World Twenty20 due to a fractured finger which could sideline him for twelve weeks. "It's disappointing for both John (Mooney) and the team," coach Phil Simmons said as he announced his 15man squad on Friday. "He's suffered two finger injuries and this latest one won't heal in time for the start of the tournament. "He's been a major part of the team for the last three or four years and it's disappointing we have to go without him. "This will give others an opportunity to push for his place and stake a claim. We have guys who can come in and fill the spot and if selected can hopefully fill the role of John Mooney." Fast bowler Boyd Rankin has been selected despite revealing he would retire from Irish duty after the tournament to focus on his England ambitions. Rankin, who has recently returned from a foot injury with county side Warwickshire, turned down new deals
whatmore upbeat before world T20 LAHORE sTAFF RePORT
Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore was upbeat Friday about his side's chances at the World Twenty20, welcoming the opportunity for his players to prepare in the Sri Lankan league. Nearly all Pakistan's players selected for the September 18 to October 7 tournament in Sri Lanka feature in this month's Sri Lankan Premier League (SLPL). Whatmore, 58, who was appointed in March and coached Sri Lanka to their 1996 World Cup title, said his players will get good practice in the venues where the World Twenty20 will be held. "There is an opportunity for some of the boys to participate in the SLPL and it's a good thing and I have no problem with it," Whatmore told reporters at the National Cricket Academy. "At least they are playing on ground and in the similar conditions and in those two grounds where we are going to play our matches," said Whatmore of the event where Pakistan is placed in Group D with Bangladesh and New Zealand. "There are a few other (countries) doing the same thing and they are getting good practice." Pakistan takes on Australia this month and next in a limited overs series in the United Arab Emirates, comprising three one-day matches and three Twenty20s. "We will do our best to perform in the conditions, which are close to the conditions in Pakistan, but certainly it won't be in Pakistan. "The selectors have given us a group of players who are competitive enough to give us the right results and win the games." The first one-day match will be played in Sharjah on August 28.
The next two matches will be in Abu Dhabi on August 31 and Sharjah on September 3. The three Twenty20 matches will be played in Dubai on September 5, 7 and 10. Whatmore said Pakistan can do well in the World Twenty20. "Every team has started taking this form of the game more seriously... we have a good team for this format," said Whatmore. Pakistan were runners-up in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007, won the 2009 event held in England and finished semi-finalists in 2010 in the West Indies. The coach said all teams have good squads but warned "it's a volatile form of game".
SPB dispatches Youth, Sports festival information to all districts LAHORE sTAFF RePORT
ferdinand fined over ‘choc ice’ tweet LONDON: The Football Association on Friday fined Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand £45,000 for improper conduct over comments he made on Twitter relating to the John Terry racism trial. Chelsea captain Terry was found not guilty last month of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, Rio's brother, during a Premier League game on Oct 23 last year, although he is also now contesting a FA charge over the same incident. During the trial, Ferdinand appeared to endorse a tweet by another user of the micro-blogging website which described Chelsea defender Ashley Cole, who gave evidence on behalf of Terry in the trial.” AFP
The Sports Board Punjab has provided all the necessary information to 34 districts of the province for holding the first phase of Punjab Youth and Sports Festival after Eid on August 26. As many as seven sports disciplines will be contested among sports and youth development councils at neighbourhood and village level besides two events for general public. “The competitions will be held between 55000 sports and youth development councils and these competitions will be organize on knock out basis. The sports events to be contested are arm wrestling in three categories, athletics in eight events, badminton, billiard, cricket (tape ball), tug of war and volleyball. The general public events are Naat Khanni and Qirat. The last date for registration is August 24 and the com-
petition will end on September six, said Usman Anwar, Director General, SBP here on Friday. “The prime objective of starting the festival at council and village level is to ensure mass participation of public and youth in these events to create a new culture of sports in the province,” he said. He said cash prizes will be given to the notable performers to encourage the youth to take up sports on regular basis to contribute in the building of a healthy society. “All the districts administration have been furnished with the necessary information including festival posters, leaflets and registration forms and allied material to conduct the council and village level events in a smooth manner,” said Usman Anwar. He disclosed that Guinness World Records are the official partners of the SBP to watch the attempts for creating worlds records in various events during the festival.
N Korea Olympics squad returns to heroes’ welcome SEOUL AFP
from Ireland in a bid to fulfil his desire to play Test cricket. Will Porterfield will captain the squad that includes Tim Murtagh, Max Sorensen and Stuart Thompson - all of whom have been named to play in a major competition for the first time. Ireland will open their Group B campaign against West Indies in Colombo on September 19 before meeting Australia - who reached the final two years ago - in their second and final group game five days later. Ireland squad: William Porterfield (captain), Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Trent Johnston, Nigel Jones, Ed Joyce, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien, Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling, Max Sorensen, Stuart Thompson, Andrew White, Gary Wilson.
North Korea's Olympics squad has returned home to a heroes' welcome, with cheering crowds lining the streets and the cabinet hosting a celebration banquet, according to the official news agency. The North won four gold medals and two bronze at the London Games, finishing 20th in the table in the country's best result since Barcelona in 1992, and its athletes have credited the ruling dynasty for their strong performance. After an enthusiastic welcome at the airport Thursday, the squad took a bus tour of the capital and "were warmly welcomed by Pyongyangites from all walks of life", the news agency said late Thursday. Prime Minister Choe Yong-Rim and other top officials later presided over a banquet for the sports stars. The gold medallists had glorified "the great era of Kim Jong-Un", Vice-Premier Kim Yong-Jin said in a speech. Weightlifting victor Kim Un-Guk reiterated his determination to win more golds to "be true to the behests of leader Kim Jong-Il and live up to the profound love and trust shown by Marshal Kim Jong-Un", the agency said.
PYOngYAng: The north korean athletes from the london Olympic games carrying a bouquet to statues of kim il-Sung and kim jong-il at mansudaeas after they returned home. AFP
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16 Sports Pettersen primed to defend her Pumpkin patch PORTLAND AFP
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T doesn't take long for Norway's Suzann Pettersen to get the positive vibes going at the LPGA Tour's Safeway Classic. The defending champ overcame a nine-stroke deficit with a seven-under 64 to defeat South Korea's Choi Na-yeon on the first hole of a playoff on the Pumpkin Ridge golf course last year. It was the eighth career title for Pettersen and it came on a course she seems to easily find her comfort zone on. "It kind of feels like being back at home," Pettersen said Thursday. "Ever since they moved from Columbia Edgewater, I've done a little better. It's one of those tracks where you can really get it going." Players in the 54-hole tournament tee off on Friday. This is the fourth year at Pumpkin Ridge after 18 at the nearby Columbia Egdewater course. Pettersen tied for second at Pumpkin Ridge in 2009 and tied for fourth in 2010. World number two Stacy Lewis, of the United States, likes the layout and says the par-fives will be key. "You can really make a move there," said Lewis, a two-time winner this year. Lewis is trying to close the gap on top-ranked Tai-
MEDELLĂ?N: The London 2012 Olympic Games Colombian medalists (L to R) Caterine Ibarguen, silver in women's triple Jump, Mariana Pajon, gold in women's BMX and Carlos Mario Oquendo, bronze in Men's BMX, wave to fans from atop a firefighters truck, in a street. AFP
wanese star Yani Tseng, who has been stuck in a slump lately after winning three tournaments early in the season. "Yani won so many times last year (seven). It would take a year like Yani had last year to catch her," Lewis said. "I know I'm getting closer, but she hasn't been in a slump for a long time." Tseng missed the cut last week at the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic. In her four starts before that, she tied for 59th in the LPGA Championship, missed the cut in the NW Arkansas Championship, tied for 50th in the US Women's Open, and missed the cut at the Evian Masters. "I try everything I can," Tseng said. "I'm working hard. I just work on location. This week, I feel very good, I feel like the old Yani is getting close and I feel like I need to get started on what I'm here for. "This is a sport I love and there is no way I can be more appreciative than anyone else. I feel that I have a lot of advantage this week and I can do it. Just enjoy more than anybody on the course this week." South Korea's Ryu So-yeon is coming off a victory Sunday in the Toledo Classic, where she shot a fourth round nineunder 62.
Contador makes steep comeback from drugs ban MADRID AFP
Cleared to ride again after a two-year doping ban he blamed on a contaminated steak, Alberto Contador launches his big comeback Saturday in a mountainous Tour of Spain. He has kept his silence for months since the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport handed down a two-year ban to the Tour de France winner on February 6. But now he seems more determined than ever. Contador has stuck to his story: the trace of banned substance clenbuterol detected in his urine at the 2010 Tour de France came from a contaminated steak he ate on the eve of the test. The 29-year-old two-time Tour de France winner -- he was stripped of the third win in 2010 along his Tour of Italy title of 2011 -- believes it is time to turn a new page. Only in the past few days has Contador spoken of his feelings during the doping suspension. "These have been long months of suspension when I did not always want to go out and train," he said in an interview with reporters at his home in Pinto, just south of Madrid. "People's affection helped me. I have tried to alternate my training routes around different parts of Spain, I have checked out the stages of the tour so that I am not always at home in the same area," he said. Beyond
that, he won't comment. The injustice that Contador says he has suffered will now serve only as a spur to expand his collection of trophies. And the 2012 Tour of Spain could be the first morsel of a comeback feast for the Saxo-Bank cyclist. The race, which Contador won in 2008, the only time he has previously taken part, looks to be well within his grasp. The cyclist is even more favoured because the route this year is especially mountainous -- the type of terrain he enjoys. For the first time, one of three summit finishes in the Asturias region will be Cuitu Negru, a peak with some inclines at more than 20 percent, and this has not gone unnoticed by Contador. Two obstacles lie the path of his comeback. One of those pitfalls is Britain's Chris Froome, of Team Sky, who came second in the Tour de France behind winning teammate Bradley Wiggins and was also an impressive second in the last Tour of Spain. Contador takes the threat seriously. "Froome already showed last year that he could have won if they had let him. That motivates me and for that reason the Tour will be special and will be remembered for a long time." And the English cyclist is not the only rival to the "Pistolero": Contador's compatriot Alejandro Valverde, with Movistar, and Dutchman Bauke Mollema, with Rabobank, could also give him a tough run.
Tseng, choi to do battle again in malaysia KUALA LUMPUR AFP
Taiwanese world number one Yani Tseng and South Korea's Choi Na-Yeon will return for October's Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia, where Choi edged out Tseng in a thriller last year, organisers said. Besides Tseng and the world number four Choi, top players Cristie Kerr and Paula Creamer of the United States have also committed to the $1.9 million tournament on October 11-14 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. Last year it went down to the wire, with Choi holding off the hard-charging Tseng, who shot a six-under 65 in the final round, equalling the course record. "I'm looking forward to getting back to the KLGCC. I finished one shot behind Na-Yeon last year after a pretty tense fourth round so will see what I can do this year," Tseng said in a statement released by the organisers. Tseng, who was in dominant form last year, has cooled somewhat in 2012 but has still won three LPGA events this year, while Choi bagged the US Women's Open title in July.
mASOn: golfer rory mcilroy of northern ireland watches on during the match between Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of russia and caroline wozniacki of denmark. AFP
navarro signs for Cofidis PARIS AFP
lAhOre: Owner Shaheen Butt holds great Adla after an upset win ahead of Anwaar Prince and harris Prince, whcih was favourite in the lahore race club race. STAFF PHoTo
Saturday, 18 August, 2012
Spanish rider Daniel Navarro, a former teammate of Alberto Contador on the Saxo Bank team, has signed for the 2013 and 2014 seasons with Cofidis, the French team confirmed on Friday. The 29-year-old rode with former Tour de France and Tour of Spain winner Contador, who has just returned from a two-year doping ban, on both the Astana and Saxo Bank teams after starting his career with Spanish outfit Liberty Seguros. This season Navarro finished third on both the Tour de l'Ain, and Tour of the Mediterranean races.
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Sports 17 Huge welcome in Colombia for Olympic medallists BOGOTA Agencies
OLOMBIA gave a huge welcome to its eight athletes who won medals at the London Olympic Games. The main streets of this capital were decorated with Colombian flags and people stopped their daily activities to cheer and applaud the athletes, who waved to the crowds from a fire engine and proudly displayed their medals. President Juan Manuel Santos awaited the medallists accompanied by top representatives from the government and the Colombian sports world. The athletes entered the square in front of the presidential palace, where they were received by resounding applause from those on hand and while a video played their medal-winning performances over and over on a large screen. "What you did is a landmark that divides the history of sport in our country in two," Santos said. Cyclist Mariana Pajon proudly displayed her gold medal in BMX, the second gold in Colombia's history, after the one won by Maria Isabel Urrutia in Sydney in 2000 in weightlifting. Silver medalists Catherine Ibarguen (triple jump) and weightlifter Oscar Figueroa were also on hand, but Rigobeto Uran, who also won a silver in cycling was absent participating in the Tour of Spain. Jackeline Renteria won a bronze in wrestling, along with Oscar
Spanish tennis ace Rafael Nadal, who pulled out of the US Open due to injury, said Friday his sole focus now was on getting back to full fitness again and not worrying about his world ranking. The world number three on Wednesday withdrew from the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the season, which starts in New York on August 27, because of his continuing battle with knee tendinitis. "Now I'm not bothered if
I'm third or fourth in the ATP. The most important thing is to be physically fit," said Nadal. "I've missed too many important tournaments to continue taking risks. I'll return when my knee is better. "I'm saddened not to be able to compete in the US Open because it's a tournament in which I've always felt great support but I can't take risks." Nadal won a record seventh French Open title in June but he crashed out in the second round at Wimbledon in a shock upset against Czech Lukas Rosol.
SPORTS CENTRE 07:30PM
nadal should be fit for davis cup semi-final: coach AFP
cOlOmBiA: The london 2012 Olympic games colombian gold medalist in the women's BmX event mariana Pajon, waves to fans from atop a firefighters truck, in a street. AFP Munoz in taekwondo, Yury Alvear in judo and Carlos Oquendo in BMX. "We had hoped for, in our happiest thoughts, for four, five or even six medals, and you, with your talent and enthusiasm, surpassed all our calculations. Eight Olympic medals!" Santos said. "Therefore, we've become an Olympic power in our region, occupying fourth place on the medal list of Latin America and the Caribbean, exceeded only by Cuba, Jamaica and Brazil," the president said.
nadal not worried if ranking plummets AFP
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Shortly after the 26-yearold pulled out of the Olympics and subsequently withdrew from ATP Tour events in Toronto and Cincinnati. The tennis ace's coach and uncle said on Thursday that Nadal should be ready for the Davis Cup semi-final between Spain and the United States next month. "It was the right decision. This pause will further prolong his career and, possibly, he will have no more problems in the future," Toni Nadal told Spanish radio, adding the goal is to work for a "full recovery".
Rafael Nadal, who pulled out of the US Open due to injury, should be ready for the Davis Cup semi-final between Spain and the United States next month, the tennis ace's coach and uncle said Thursday. The Spaniard withdrew on Wednesday from the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the season, which starts in New York on August 27, because of his continuing battle with knee tendinitis. "It was the right decision. This pause will further prolong his career and, possibly, he will have no more problems in the future," Toni Nadal told Spanish radio, adding the goal is to work for a "full recovery". Nadal, the world number three, won a record seventh French Open title in June but he crashed out in the second round at Wimbledon in a shock upset against Czech Lukas Rosol. Shortly after the 26-year-old pulled out of the London Olympics because of the longstanding problem with his knees and subsequently withdrew from ATP Tour events in Toronto and Cincinnati. But Toni Nadal said he was confident that his nephew would be ready to take part in the September 14-16 Davis Cup semi-final between Spain and the United States in the northern Spanish city of Gijon. "There is a month to go and we hope that he will be fine, if not technically, at least physically," he said. "After Wimbledon we decided to rest a few days and then work on strengthening his quadriceps but it was difficult. "We eventually managed to boost a bit of his strength but at the end of the training sessions he continued to feel discomfort and his recovery was not enough to face such a hard competition as the US Open. "Now we are training normally, but it is not the same as competing four hours a day during a tournament," the coach added. Meanwhile, Carlos Moya, a former world number one and 1998 French Open winner, believes compatriot Nadal will come back a stronger, better player. "Rafa is going to come back for sure and he's going to be stronger than he was before," Moya told www.atpchampionstour.com. "Of course I am worried - he's been out since the second round of Wimbledon, but now he's resting and having physio. Maybe if he had come back now he would have hurt the knee even more. Now he is very calm, he takes his time. "Mentally he is such a great player and for sure he's going to give everything. He will be 100 percent again and we will see him lifting another Grand Slam trophy. I feel sure of that."
Murray out in Cincinnati, Federer cruises CINCINNATI AFP
Olympic champion Andy Murray was sent crashing out of the Cincinnati Masters on Thursday, falling 64, 6-4 to French lucky loser Jeremy Chardy. Britain's Murray won a match in Toronto last week before quitting with a knee injury but had looked impressive in his opener here against American Sam Querrey. But the 25-year-old Murray was distinctly under-cooked against Chardy and his 16th unforced error of the second set sent the Frenchman into the last eight. "This was like my second or third match in the hard court. I played well yesterday; didn't play so well today," said Murray. "Sometimes I've won tournaments in the buildup (to a major) and it hasn't helped me. That doesn't normally have that much bearing. But I would have liked to have done a bit better this week," he said,
with the US Open on the horizon. Four-time champion and top seed Roger Federer turned in another flawless performance, schooling Australian teenager Bernard Tomic 6-2, 6-4 with 27 winners. "Overall I'm happy. But it's hard to judge my game in these quick conditions," said Federer, the Olympic silver medallist, who however admitted that his serve was "a bit off." "It was a good performance, I'm playing as well as I want to right now," said the Swiss great. Second seed Novak Djokovic barely broke a sweat against Nikolay Davydenko, who was nursing a shoulder injury
and only lasted 30 minutes before quitting after Djokovic took the first set, 6-0. Davydenko had 10 unforced errors and eight double-faults. "This is not the way to win a match, it was clear that he was struggling physically," Djokovic said. "I just hope he will be fit for the US Open." Canadian Milos Raonic upset fifth seed Tomas Berdych with 20 aces in a 6-4, 26, 6-2 win. Olympic bronze medallist Juan Martin del Potro, w h o missed 2010 due to right wrist surgery, had troubles with his left wrist, but pushed through the pain to notch
a 7-6 (7/2), 2-6, 6-1 win over Serbia's Viktor Troicki. Tenth seed Mardy Fish continued to perform well on his home cement courts, beating Czech Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-3 with seven aces and 23 winners. Fish will next play Federer. Recent exertions in winning Wimbledon and Olympic gold caught up with Serena Williams, but the fatigued second seed nevertheless stumbled through into the WTA quarters. The 30-year-old defeated Urszula Radwanska 6-4, 6-3. "I was tired out there," said Williams. "I just told myself to try to move my feet a bit, get through this match and go get some rest." Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska beat American Sloane Stephens 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, while US Open titleholder Samantha Stosur beat Elena Makarova 6-1, 6-3. Former Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, the fourth seed, advanced over China's Peng Shuai, 62, 6-2.
mASOn: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of russia hits a backhand agaisnt caroline wozniacki of denmark during day six of the western & Southern Open. AFP
Saturday, 18 August, 2012
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Messi, Ronaldo back as La Liga begins MADRID
immediately. Madrid have also changed very little a team that brought to an end Guardiola's three consecutive titles with a record 100 points and 121 goals. Ronaldo will be backed once again by Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain to provide the firepower for Jose Mourinho's team. Valencia, however, ended last season third for the third successive year and will provide a severe test in Madrid's opening defence of the title. New coach Mauricio Pellegrino will be able to choose from four new signings, including Mexican Andres Guardado and former Madrid midfielder Fernando Gago. Forward Roberto Soldado, the highest-scoring Spaniard with 17 goals last season, should shake off a niggling injury in time.
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HE Spanish league season kicks-off this weekend with Barcelona star Lionel Messi insisting it is not just a battle between himself and Cristiano Ronaldo. "With Cristiano I have absolutely no problem. All that is said about us is to do with the press who want us to have our own personal battle but I have never competed with him or fought him," said the 25 year-old current holder of the FIFA Ballon d'Or. "I just try to do my job in the best way possible to win trophies for my national team and Barcelona", he continued after scoring in Argentina's 31 win over Germany on Wednesday night. The two players were neck-and-neck in the goalscoring charts last season, with the Argentinian hitting 50 in the league compared to Ronaldo's 46, with an incredible 73 in all competitions for Messi and 60 for the Madrid star. Madrid finished the season nine points clear of a Barca side that still managed to lift 4 titles in what was to be Pep Guardiola's last season of a hugely successful time for the Catalans. The two giants kick-off the new campaign on Sunday with home games against Valencia and Real Sociedad, with one eye on their two-legged Span-
Scharner banished from Austria squad VIENNA
This WeeKenD's mATches: ish Super Cup encounter over the next two weeks. The first-leg is in the Camp Nou next Thursday before the return game in Madrid 6 days later. Barca begin a new era under Tito Vilanova, Pep Guardiola's assistant for four seasons, with virtually the same squad as last term. Spain left-back Jordi Alba is until now the only arrival from Valencia but more may follow. Barca's Brazilian defender Adriano has seen little change so far under the new coach. "Training is the same as we had with
Pep and the philosophy is the same, there won't be too many changes," he said. "Those who think this league is only about two sides are wrong, there are always surprise teams, we have to keep up our own high standards and win what we could not win last season." Carles Puyol is available for Sunday after a knee injury that kept him out of Euro 2012 and David Villa is almost back from the fractured tibia that saw him sit out most of last season, but he is not expected to be pushed into action
United offer too good to refuse, says Van Persie MANCHESTER AFP
AFP
Hamburg's Austrian defensive midfielder Paul Scharner has been banished from the national side after a disagreement with national coach Marcel Koller, the Austrian Football Federation (OFB) announced on Friday. "The OFB management, in their meeting on August 16, unanimously backed Marcel Koller's decision in the Scharner affair," the OFB said in a statement. "As a result, the management have decided that the player Paul Scharner will no longer be called up to the national side, irrespective of the coach." The day before their friendly clash against Turkey on August 15, Koller let Scharner know that he would not be starting the game and that he could not guarantee him a place in the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign. As a result the 40-times capped player decided to walk away from the squad just hours before the friendly kicked off.
SATURDAy Celta Vigo v Malaga (1700 GMT), Sevilla v Getafe (1900 GMT), Mallorca v Espanyol (2100 GMT) SUNDAy Real Madrid v Valencia (1700 GMT), Athletic Bilbao v Betis (1700 GMT), Barcelona v Real Sociedad (1900 GMT), Levante v Atletico Madrid (2100 GMT) MONDAy Deportivo v Osasuna (1700 GMT), Rayo Vallecano v Granada (1900 GMT), Zaragoza v Valladolid (2100 GMT)
Robin van Persie completed his controversial transfer to Manchester United insisting there are no hard feelings with his former club Arsenal and revealing that his inner child convinced him to move to Old Trafford. The Dutch international is expected to make his United debut in the season opener with Everton on Monday after the formalities were finalised over his reported £24 million ($37 million, 30.6 million euro) transfer from Arsene Wenger's side. Van Persie admitted that it was a hard decision to leave North London after eight successful years but that, ultimately, United's was the proverbial offer he could not refuse. "I always listen in these situations, when you have to make a hard decision in your life, to the little boy inside me," said van Persie after signing a four-year contract at Old Trafford. "What does he want? That boy was screaming for Man United. "Let me make one thing clear,
from my side, definitely - and, I think, Arsenal's side as well - there are no hard feelings. There were just certain elements which are vital for me and we had a different view. That's life. Noone is angry at me, I'm not angry at them. "This is just a big challenge for
me. I made it clear before that my views on certain elements were not similar to Arsenal's but that's life. Sometimes you disagree on things and I'm here now and I'm looking forward to a big challenge in my football life; the biggest challenge so far."
maradona junior set to join Argentine club BUENOS AIRES AFP
The Italian-born son of Diego Maradona is set to follow in the footsteps of his father by playing club football in Argentina. Diego Armando Sinagra Maradona, also known as Diego Junior, will sign for fourth-tier club El Porvenir, from the town of Gerli near the capital Buenos Aires, according to coach Luis Ventura. Ventura, who is also a journalist, revealed the news on Twitter, saying: "I have in my hand the passport of Diego Armando Maradona and the permit to transfer his Italian registration...the future of Diego Junior is in Gerliiii." Playing down comparisons with his legendary father, Diego Junior told the Argentine sports daily Ole: "I love Argentine football and to play there is something I've wished to do. "If I were like my father I would be playing for the best teams in the world. I feel like I am a good player and I hope I can demonstrate that in Argentina." Ole reported that the 25-year-old, who had been playing with Italian lower league side Quarto, will arrive in Argentina next Wednesday, with his wages being paid for by a third party. "The club is not paying a cent, but this could generate interest and income," added Ventura. Diego Junior, who was born while his father was playing for Napoli, came close to joining Scottish lower-league club Clyde when aged 16 in 2003.
POA congratulates kPk Sports minister LAHORE sTAFF RePORT
van persie sale a ‘massive gamble’, admits Wenger LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger on Friday admitted that his decision to allow Robin van Persie to join Manchester United was a "massive gamble" that could damage his side's hopes of a successful season. Van Persie joined United in a £24 million ($37 million, 30.6 million euro) switch after Wenger decided it was not worth battling to keep the Dutch striker at the Emirates Stadium against his will. Wenger said he could have made him see out the final year of his contract and was aware the loss of an inspirational figure who scored 37 goals in all competitions last season was a major blow, as the club seeks to end a seven-year trophy drought. But the Frenchman felt it was a gamble worth taking because he wants to have a fully committed team going into the new Premier League campaign, which starts with a home game against Sunderland on Saturday. "The reality is when the player doesn't want to stay you have two ways: you either force him to stay or you accept the reality and you let him go. I have chosen the second solution," Wenger told a news conference. AFP
President, Pakistan Olympic Association, Lt Gen (retd) Syed Arif Hasan has congratulated, Syed Aqil Shah, Vice President, POA who is also the Sports Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on receiving award of Sitare-i-Imtiaz conferred on him by the President on the occasion of Independence Day. “Aqil is a noted personality in sports and he has done a lot for the cause of sports in the country and his role in national Olympic committee “,said, POA Chief in a statement here on Friday. The entire Olympic family is proud of you for getting a unique honour and we are confident that you will continue your endeavor for the betterment of sports in the country he added.
England collapse in Pietersen’s absence LONDON AFP
England were 208 for five in reply to South Africa's first innings 309, a deficit of 101 runs, at stumps on the second day of the third Test at Lord's on Friday. Jonathan Bairstow was 72 not out and Matt Prior 22 not out. South Africa lead the three-match series 1-0 and only need to avoid defeat at Lord's to replace England as the world's topranked Test side. Earlier at tea, South Africa completed a good morning's work when Morne Morkel bowled England captain Andrew Strauss off the last ball before lunch on the second day of the third Test at Lord's on Friday. Strauss, playing his 100th Test and 50th as skipper, was clean bowled between bat and pad on his Middlesex home ground by fast bowler Morkel to leave England 29 for one in reply to South Africa's first innings 309. Alastair Cook was six not out. Earlier, Vernon Philander's maiden Test fifty helped South Africa further frustrate England with the bat. The tourists collapsed to 54 for four after winning the toss on Thursday's first day but, by stumps, had rallied to 262 for seven thanks to several useful efforts by their lower order. Philander's 61, the the innings' joint top score along with that of JP Duminy, then saw South Africa -- 1-0 up in this threematch series and needing only to avoid de-
scORebOARD sOuTh AFRicA 1sT innings (OveRnighT: 262-7) g. smith c Prior b Anderson 14 A. Petersen c Prior b Finn 22 h. Amla b Finn 13 J. Kallis c Prior b Finn 3 Ab de villiers c cook b Anderson 27 J. Rudolph b swann 42 JP Duminy c Prior b Anderson 61 v. Philander st Prior b swann 61 D. steyn c swann b broad 26 m. morkel c Prior b Finn 25 imran Tahir not out 2 extras (b7, lb5, w1) 13 Total (all out, 101.2 overs, 443 mins) 309 Fall of wickets: 1-22 (smith) 2-49 (Petersen), 3-50 (Amla), 4-54 (Kallis), 5-105 (De villiers), 6-163 (Rudolph), 7-235 (Duminy), 8270 (steyn), 9-307 (morkel), 10-309 (Philander) bowling: Anderson 29-5-76-3; broad 24-4-69-1; Finn 18-2-75-4 (1w); swann 24.2-6-63-2; Trott 6-1-14-0
feat to replace England at the top of the world Test rankings -- past the benchmark total of 300. It was nowhere near the 637 for two declared they made in their innings victory in the first Test across London at The Oval but far more than looked likely when Middlesex fast bowler Steven Finn was running through their top order on Thursday. Finn finished with figures of four for 75 from 18 overs. South Africa resumed Friday with No 8 Philander 46 not out and Dale Steyn 21 not out. However, Steyn added just five more runs to his overnight score before edging Stuart Broad to Graeme Swann at second slip. Philander, though, completed a
engLAnD 1sT innings A. strauss b morkel 20 A. cook c Kallis b steyn 7 J. Trott lbw b steyn 8 iR bell c Petersen b Philander 58 JWA Taylor c smith b morkel 10 Jm bairstow not out 72 mJ Prior not out 22 eXTRAs (lb 6, w 1, nb 4) 11 TOTAL (5 wickets; 72 overs) 208 To bat gP swann, scJ broad, Jm Anderson, sT Finn Fall of wickets 1-29 (strauss, 10.4 ov), 2-38 (Trott, 13.5 ov), 3-39 (cook, 15.2 ov), 4-54 (Taylor, 23.2 ov),5-178 (bell, 61.5 ov) bowling: m morkel 19-5-53-2, vD Philander 16-8-30-1, DW steyn 16-3-48-2, Jh Kallis 9-2-26-0, imran Tahir 12-3-45-0 match position: england are 215 runs behind south Africa with six first innings wickets standing. Toss: south Africa, umpires: simon Taufel (Aus) and Kumar Dharmasena (sRi), Tv umpire: Rod Tucker (Aus), match referee: Jeff crowe (nZL)
75-ball fifty, including five fours, having already surpassed his previous Test best of 29 against New Zealand at Wellington in March. Morkel, having made 25 and helped Philander add 37 for the ninth wicket, was out when he nicked a wide delivery from Finn and wicket-keeper Matt Prior, diving to his left, held a low, one-handed catch. Duminy had said he and Philander were the "engine room" of the team if the toporder failed and both men made "tough" runs. Philander's more than three hours of resistance ended when he was last man out, stumped slogging at off-spinner Swann to give Prior his sixth dismissal of the innings.
lOndOn: england's jonathan Bairstow watches his shot while South Africa's dale Steyn bowls during the second day of the third international Test match at lord's. AFP
Saturday, 18 August, 2012
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Saturday, 18 August, 2012
Nisar opposes composition of NA commission on provinces ISLAMABAD
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Agencies
EADER of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has expressed reservations over the formation of a commission by the National Assembly speaker for the creation of two provinces in Punjab without consultation with the opposition. Talking to a group of reporters at the Punjab House on Friday, Nisar demanded that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) should be given fifty percent representation in the commission and put forward six demands, including new provinces in Hazara and FATA. Nisar said the ruling party was not interested in creation of new provinces but was only using it as an election stunt to give some hope to the
sinking PPP boat. He said the formation of the commission by the NA speaker at the asking of the government would not be helpful and instead make the process more difficult. He termed it a negative political move by the PPP aimed at hoodwinking the people of South Punjab and Bahawalpur. Nisar regretted that the NA speaker had once again become part of the government’s game and double standards. The leader of the opposition said only last week they received a verbal message seeking two names from the opposition for the commission. They were in the process of bringing the issue in the party and to get details of terms of reference from the Assembly Secretariat when the NA speaker, while sitting in the United States, announced the formation of the commission. Nisar pointed out that if the commission was to carve out two
provinces from Punjab only, then it was an attempt to turn the majority party in the province into minority. He also questioned the inclusion of Farooq Sattar, Haji Adeel and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri in the commission if the matter related to Punjab only. He questioned if the commission was to report on new provinces in the country, why was there no mentioning of FATA and Hazara provinces in the relevant notification. He said the PML-N was in favor of Bahawalpur and South Punjab provinces, but at the same time the demand for Hazara and FATA provinces should also be given due consideration. Nisar pointed out that the people of Hazara had given their life for a new province. To a question, he said the PMLN was not in favor of the division of Sindh and was well aware of the conspiracy in this connection.
Strong parliament will lead to strong institutions: pM ISLAMABAD APP
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said Friday that democracy is the best way to govern any country and a strong parliament will lead to strong institutions. “The survival of this country only lies in democracy, free and fair elections and in respecting the aspirations of the people,” PM Ashraf remarked. Addressing a ceremony for the Benazir Income Support Program here Friday, PM Ashraf said that democracy was the solution to all problems. He added that the situation in the country could only be improved if the parliament and democracy were strengthened. He further said the people’s court would decide on what was right or wrong and this would be done via the ballot box. He reiterated that the PPP would take all necessary measures to ensure that the elections were free and fair. He said the decision of the future government will only be made by the people through their votes. PM Ashraf said that election of the Chief Election Commissioner with consensus was the first step towards the holding of free elections and that the other phases will also be completed with the same spirit and intent. He said nobody should have any confusion or concerns on the matter. Turning to the different initiatives launched by Benazir Income Support Pro-
NICL CASE
fiA’s interim report does not impress SC ISLAMABAD Agencies
The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday rejected the interim report presented by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director legal in the National Insurance Company Ltd (NICL) case. A three-member bench of the SC headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heard the NICL case on Friday. During the proceedings, FIA Director Legal Azam Khan presented another interim report which was rejected by the bench after it ex-
gram (BISP), the PM said that programs like Waseela Haq, Waseela-e-Sehat and insurance schemes have been launched to help the oppressed segments of the society stand on their own feet. He said the program launched in the name of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto has become a model for the entire world as it is providing financial assistance to the deserving people irrespective of their party affiliation. He expressed confidence that the future governments will continue with this program for the betterment of the poor families. He said that six million people were currently benefiting from this program and it would be further expanded after the completion of a poverty survey. Under the banner of BISP, an education program is also being launched with the financial assistance of the UK for the education of three million poor children. The PM also stated that almost half of the population of Balochistan is benefiting from various schemes of the Benazir Income Support Program. He said the future of the country was tied to that province. PM Ashraf said around one hundred thousand families were benefiting from this program. Later, the PM distributed checks of one hundred and fifty thousand rupees among women selected under the Waseela Rozgar Program. He also distributed debit cards and life insurance certificates among various participants.
pressed its dissatisfaction. The court asked him why recoveries were not being made in Lahore and who was the in-charge of FIA there. Azam Khan apprised the bench that Waqar Haider was the FIA director in Lahore. Upon this, the chief justice questioned if it was Waqar Haider who stopped Zafar Qureshi from appearing before the bench on court’s directives. The CJ said Waqar Haider was facing contempt of court charges. The chief justice expressed anger over FIA’s performance and warned the officials to become serious about the case. “It seems as if influential people are being protected,” he remarked. On Thursday, the court directed the FIA Director Legal to submit a written reply about the recoveries. Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said in his remarks that it was also the duty of the court to recover the embezzled money. He said Waqar Haider would do nothing, and it was obvious why he would not do anything. Justice Jawwad S Khawaja said some influential person was protecting those responsible. Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore.
Editor: Arif Nizami
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Two uS troops killed in latest ‘green-on-blue’ attacks KABUL AFP
Two Afghan security personnel opened fire on Western colleagues Friday, killing two US soldiers and causing a number of other casualties in two separate attacks, the military said. US concern is mounting of the unprecedented number of such “green-onblue” attacks, which have now killed 39 international troops in 29 such incidents so far this year, according to NATO figures. Friday’s attacks will further erode trust between foreign troops and the Afghans they work with, a week after six American troops were killed in a single day by their local colleagues. The two Americans were killed in western Farah province, NATO’s US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said. “A member of the Afghan Local Police turned his weapon against two USFOR-A service members. The attacker was shot and killed.” Just hours later, ISAF confirmed that “a number” of foreign and Afghan soldiers were shot and wounded by an Afghan soldier in the southern province of Kandahar.