e-paper pakistantoday 01st july, 2012

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Rs 22.00 Vol iii no 6 18 pages Lahore edition

Sunday, 1 July, 2012 Shaban 10, 1433

LAHORE StaFF report

S a first formal denial to comply with the Supreme Court which issued orders that Swiss authorities be moved to open graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf Saturday said that it was the constitution that hindered writing of the Swiss letter.

Talking to columnists and editors at the Governor House, Ashraf said, “We will not let our first class president to capitulate to a third class magistrate, as the constitution stands against it.”

The premier, regarding immunity of the president, said that presidents all over the world enjoy immunity. “The parliament may debate on the matter of presidential immunity,” he responded.

Rounding off his reply over the issue, Ashraf asserted that the government’s stance over the Swiss letter will be made public on July 12, “but one thing is for sure that President Zardari enjoys immunity until he is in office.”

The PM said that uncertainty prevailing in the country was harmful to the institutions and undue importance given to a single issue might be detrimental to democracy.

“The institutions should work within their

a

wOuld have wRitten tO the swiss, but...

PM says ‘will nOt let fiRst class PResident suRRendeR tO thiRd class MagistRate’ says centRe hesitant abOut sending in aRMy tO ResOlve PROvincial issues

constitutional ambit and let the people decide about the future of the democratically elected government since it is they who matter,” he said.

The PM said that uncertainty had been damaging

the political system and the opposition should not forget that Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, in their meetings, had resolved to avoid leg pulling for political gains. Ashraf said the government believes in the supremacy of the constitution and law. He said if all institutions in the country worked within their ambit, there would be no problem in the country.

Ashraf said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) wrote the history with blood and blood would once again be given if needed in future.

Regarding the law and order situation in Karachi, he said that after the NFC award all provinces had been granted powers to maintain law and order.

The joys of election year LAHORE MuhaMMad azaM

With many calling it a bid to regain popularity among the masses ahead of the elections, the government slashed petroleum prices by up to Rs 6.44 per litre and CNG prices by Rs 4.59 per kg on Saturday.

A notification issued by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) said petrol price had been reduced by Rs 5.02 per litre, High Octane Blended Component (HOBC) by Rs 6.44 per litre, High Speed Diesel (HSD) Rs 2.48, Light Diesel Oil (LDO) by Rs 2.86, while the price of kerosene oil was cut by Rs 2.54 a litre.

Following the announcement, petrol would now be sold for Rs 84.49 per litre, HOBC for Rs 106.88 per litre, High Speed Diesel at Rs 97.21 per litre, Light Diesel Oil for Rs 83.71 per litre, while new price of kerosene oil would fall to Rs 86.25 per litre.

The new prices would be effective from July 1 (today) following the new mechanism of fortnightly review of prices.

Moreover, price of CNG per kilogramme was slashed by Rs 4.59 for Region 1 and by Rs 4.20 for Region 2. The new price of CNG in Region 1, including Potohar Region, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan would be Rs 77.36 per kg, a 7.7 percent reduction, while

CNG would cost Rs 70.63 per kg, an 8.3 percent reduction, in Region 2 that includes Punjab and Sindh.

The government has provided sufficient relief to domestic consumers with a cut in prices of between 18.7 percent and 51.7 percent, while gas price for the industry, power sector, WAPDA and KESC have been increased.

CNG tariff for a hundred units has been slashed from Rs 122.95 to Rs 100, for 200 units, it has been reduced from Rs 245.89 to Rs 200, while it has fallen from Rs 1,015 to Rs 500 for 300 units. The CNG price for the cement sector has been increased by 0.8 percent, while gas price for the fertilizer sector has remained unchanged. OGRA claims that the twin reduction in POL prices in a month came after oil prices fell to $5 a barrel in international market, however, people on the streets were not convinced.

Continued on page 04

Now it was the responsibility of the provinces to take care of the law and order.

The prime minister said that the federal government was hesitant about sending in the army to resolve provincial issues for fear that such measures may turn out to be the “wrong cure” to remedy the situation. He said that the army was patriotic and it was rendering enormous sacrifices for the country and had played front role in natural calamities.

“The federal government will be willing to help the government of Sindh if they ask for it,” he said.

While taking about the severe energy shortfall and load shedding, Ashraf said, “The electricity crisis is the first priority.”

About the Kalabagh Dam, the PM said the project could only be undertaken after national consensus, adding that the government had initiated other power generation projects like Diamir-Bhasha Dam, Boonji Dam as well as run of the river projects to meet energy needs. Ashraf said the rental power projects (RPPs) were not properly understood, acknowledging he could not accurately clarify his statements regarding the energy crisis in the country.

“The statement given in December 2009 regarding the end to load shedding still hounds me,” he said.

Continued on page 04

On the road to repair WASHINGTON Special correSpondent

POL prices slashed by up to Rs 6.44 per litre CNG prices cut by Rs 4.59 per kg

Signaling that Pakistan-US relations could be on the road to repair in the days ahead, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta on Saturday said the two sides were working in good faith to try to resolve the issue over restoration of NATO supply routes into the landlocked Afghanistan. At a Pentagon briefing, Panetta also said Pakistan had been a victim of terror. His measured remarks represent a ratcheting down from rhetorical criticism of Pakistan’s inaction against Afghan Haqqani militants, who allegedly use the Tribal Areas for cross-border attacks on American targets in Afghanistan.

Continued on page 04

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02 News

Sunday, 1 July, 2012

newS

ppp responsible for economic crisis in country: nawaz

Today’s

lahore

cartoon

public patience runs out, army steps in

Quick Look

Story on Page 05

Story on Page 06

Page 11

ANF gets search warrants to arrest fugitive Ali Musa Gilani

FAISALABAD: Patients and their relatives await medical care as the Young Doctors Association continued with their strike on Saturday. online

ISLAMABAD StaFF report

gilani cOMes Out swinging LAHORE uMair aziz

AFTER his sacking by the Supreme Court, former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani hadn’t spoken much. In his first public appearance since Gilani left the plush PM’s House in Islamabad, at a seminar here on Saturday, he came out swinging, reciting a ghazal every simile and every metaphor of which seemed to reflect his innermost feelings at his removal from office – and more importantly the verdict that ‘got’ him. Hum to gawah hain ke ghalat tha likha gya, Kya faisla huwa tha aur kya likha gya (We are

witness, wrong was whatever the verdict was/All wrong, this judgment) was just the beginning.

The ghazal, by a poet who has chosen to remain unidentified, is not really immaculate in terms of its craft, but aptly communicated what he wished to, to the audience of the day-long twin-session SAFMA seminar on a much talked about national issue, “Clash of Institutions and Sustainability of Democracy”. Gilani read the ghazal at the end of his keynote address, with the Maqtaa, the last verse, as provocative as the other four: Yeh kaisi munsifi thee ke munsif ke samnay, Jhuti shahadaton ko bhi sacha likha gaya (Dispensation of justice from a judge/who accepts fake witnesses as true!). Gilani said, he preferred taking the hemlock like Socrates so that people may not lose respect for the judiciary.

“History and the people will give their own verdict on the Supreme Court decision [which got him

disqualified] because some people had distributed sweets even when former Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged but history proved them wrong,” said Gilani, adding, his commitment to his leader late Benazir Bhutto was to restore the Constitution of 1973, which was achieved under his watch.

“If a politician thinks that his party can rule on his own, he is mistaken.

Such a sizable parliament can only sustain through coalition and reconciliation, without which no government will survive. And without political stability, there would be no economic stability,” said Gilani. In each of the two sessions, across the board amongst the speakers the view was: the rule of law and adherence to the Constitution should be supreme, that democracy is essential, consensus should be built on the nomination of an election commissioner, the interim set up should take not more than 90 days and whichever regime comes to power in the next elections should be given a chance to form the government. Ahsan Iqbal, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNA, said he has 400 percent belief in the supremacy of parliament, but all institutions are vying for power, and that included judiciary, media and parliament

and it was for the government to define this new role for the parliament with “consensus”. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Waseem Akhtar said the direction the country was heading could “derail” democracy and the country. “Altaf Bhai has categorically said that institutions should not transgress their bounds.

“Those who ask us to resign should resign from the Punjab government. “If the political parties have waited for four and a half years, they should wait for another seven months as well,” said Akhtar.

“With regards to the disqualification of the prime minister, all stakeholders in the country have reacted to the verdict keeping in view their own interests. However, international jurists have termed the action a ‘judicial coup,” said Pakistan Today Editor Arif Nizami.

He also requested the lawyers “not to ban entry of lawyers in bar rooms on the basis of their clients, as even war prisoners are given a counsel”.

Ahsan Wayne of the Awami National Party said we are headed towards “judicial dictatorship”, which may lead to anarchy.

Prominent amongst the speakers included educationist Dr Muhammad Waseem, journalist Khaled Ahmed, TV anchorperson Iftikhar Ahmed and lawyer Hamid Khan.

The Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) on Saturday obtained search warrants for the arrest of former prime minister’s son Ali Musa Gilani over his alleged involvement in the Rs 7 billion Ephedrine drug scam.

Earlier on June 21, an Anti-Narcotics Court issued the arrest warrants for Ali Musa, but he managed to dodge the ANF investigators and has been evading arrest so far. After failing to arrest the high-profile accused, ANF Deputy Director Abid Zulfiqar, who is investigating the ephedrine case, turned to the court of a special magistrate in Rawalpindi and sought the fugitive’s search warrants. Special Magistrate Shafqatullah Khan, after hearing the ANF’s arguments for speedy completion for the mega corruption scandal, issued Ali Musa’s search warrants. The warrants have enabled the investigators to carry out raids anywhere in the country at any time to arrest the accused. “Now we have the search warrants. We have the right and authority to conduct raids anywhere to arrest Ali Musa Gilani. We hope to arrest him in a few days,” an ANF official said, requesting anonymity. On June 21, an ANF court had issued the arrest warrants for Ali Musa Gilani and senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Makhdoom Shahabuddin in the ephedrine case.

However, a day after the warrants were issued, Shahabuddin acquired a prearrest bail from Peshawar High Court. Ali Musa also moved an application in the court of an additional session judge in Rawalpindi, seeking cancellation of his arrest warrants; however, the court rejected his plea. Sources in the ANF told Pakistan Today that Shahabuddin, after getting the pre-arrest bail, has been in contact with the ANF investigators and is cooperating with them.

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Sunday, 1 July, 2012

artS & entertainment

buSineSS

SPortS

Katie holmes finds tom cruise is ‘Mission: impossible’ thirty love, apple

News 03 editorial

pakistan revel

on appointing the cec: Some progress?

comment humayun Gauhar says; The morphing Leviathan: It’s a mad, mad world

Saad rasool says; Doctor, heal thyself: Promotions over patients?

Story on Page 13

Story on Page 18

Story on Page 14

I was lured into spying by BSF inspector: Surjeet NEWS DESk Surjeet Singh, the Indian spy who was recently released from a Pakistani jail, has claimed that he was lured into spying by a BSF inspector in 1968, according to the Hindustan Times. Talking to reporters in Phidde, Indian Punjab on Saturday, he said he had accepted the offer and visited Pakistan 80-85 times to bring vital information.

Singh said he also managed to get a fake identity card under the

name Anwar when he was on the spying job in Pakistan, the paper said. He said he had made three friends who were clerks in a Pakistan Army office. Surjeet was arrested in February 1982 by the Pakistan Army. He accused the Indian government of ignoring him and his family, despite him “sacrificing” his life for the country by working as an intelligence agent and gathering vital information for Indian authorities.

“It is unfortunate that despite

being aware of all the facts, the Indian government did not bother about me or my family when I was languishing in a jail in Pakistan,” he said. Union Home Secretary Raj Kumar Singh on Friday said it was “completely wrong” to say that Surjeet was sent by Indian intelligence agencies for espionage in Pakistan.

To a question, Surjeet said there were 20 other Indian Punjab-based prisoners lodged in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail. Of them, 10 had become mentally “disturbed”, he said.

articles on Page 14

dr arsalan’s ‘threats’ won’t deter nab, says fasih bukhari g

ISLAMABAD: Family photographer of the Bhuttos, Agha Feroze shows a historical picture of Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Agha Feroze says that he has brought 2,000 exclusive pictures of the Bhutto family from Sindh but so far no leader of the PPP has shown interest in arranging an exhibition for him in the capital. online

nab chairman says Jit formed to probe bahriagate

ISLAMABAD

N nO fuRy liKe a Red flagging?

Kashmala jiyala scORned criticises

A shoe for sindh’s lAw minister

reproductive health bill ONLINE iSlaMabad

hyderAbAd: A Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) jiyala on Saturday was expelled from the Hyderabad Circuit House after he took off his shoe and attempted it to hurl it at the Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro during his speech. The PPP’s disgruntled activist Imran said that he was trying to protest the fact that the party was not fulfilling its promises. Imran shouted at the minister that he was jobless and the party had done nothing to provide him with a job. He also complained that the PPP didn’t help the people adequately during the flash floods in the province. INP

Secretary Information Pakistan Muslim League and Member National Assembly Kashmala Tariq while opposing Atia Enayatullah’s Bill on Reproductive Health said that it was not in conformity with Islamic laws. In a press statement issued Saturday, MNA Kashmala Tariq said the Bill which was seeking to facilitate reproductive health and promote reproductive health rights had a lot of problematic areas which needed to be deliberated upon since we live in an Islamic Republic and all the laws must be

in conformity with Islam, Quran, Sunnah and Constitution.

She expressed concerns that that bill might be pursuant of foreign agendas some members of NGOs were hard-pushing it to bypass the set procedure.

She said that such things that might be in contravention of Islamic injunctions should be sent to the Council of Islamic Ideology and every party’s opinion should be sought. She said that by using the title of “reproductive health” as a camouflage, they should not try to obfuscate the real purpose of the bill from the general public which included dealing with the sensitive issue of abortion.

StaFF report

ATIONAL Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Admiral (r) Fasih Bukhari on Saturday said that the investigation into Dr Arsalan Iftikhar’s case would be made transparent as the NAB had no “specific agenda”. Addressing a press conference, Bukhari also told the media about a letter written to them by Arsalan’s counsel which he claimed was “an effort to influence the proceedings of the case”.

“The notice bears threatening language attempting to hamper proceedings. This constitutes offence under the law and this aspect will also be looked into. NAB considers the contents of the notice not only threatening but an attempt to intervene in the official working of the organisation. As JIT is in the process of complying with the orders of the SC, the ‘notice’ by Mr Arsalan Iftikhar is tantamount to the contempt of court as well,” he added. “I have constituted the joint investigation team (JIT), headed by DG Financial Crimes, NAB. The team comprises of members from police, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and NAB. Services of legal, financial and forensic experts can be hired by the team if needed. The NAB is conducting the investigation into the matter to comply with the orders of the Honourable Supreme Court (SC),”said Bukhari.

He emphasised that the investigations into the case would be “impartial, transparent, purely on merit and strictly under the laws of the land” as NAB had no specific agenda. He said the team would also visit London while laying focus on the point that the investigation may take some time.

Asked how he could remain impartial in probe against Dr Arsalan when Malik Riaz had played a key role in his appointment, the NAB chief said, “It doesn’t matter if I know Malik Riaz or Nawaz Sharif, the investigation will be unbiased.”

He also added that he had never taken any money from Malik Riaz. The NAB chief explained about the composition and terms of reference (ToR) of the JIT constituted to investigate the matter. He said the court had ordered the federal government to activate the state machinery to investigate the case and punish the culprits. “Pursuant to the directives of the SC, the office of the Attorney General asked NAB to conduct in-depth investigation by constituting a team comprising upon the officials of NAB, FIA and police”.

He said that the JIT would determine whether it was a case of collusion between two private individuals or a case of extortion by any of the accused. “The team will look into all the relevant transactions, money trail, investments, commercial dealings, business profiles, relevant meetings and if required details of communications between those associated, in any manner, with the case,” he maintained. Responding to a question, the chairman NAB said that the JIT would largely depend on documentary evidence; therefore, the question of favour or disfavour to anyone didn’t arise.

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04 News

Sunday, 6 may, 2012

World powers agree on Syria deal GENEVA

lahore: concerned citizens of pakistan (ccp) protesting at the liberty roundabout on Saturday against lawlessness and targeted killing of Shias in Quetta. STaFF PhoTo

the joyS oF election year Continued fRom page 1 A majority of the population called the decision an election stunt by the incumbent government and an attempt to salvage lost pride. Asked about the CNG price cut, a motorist at a filling station said it was the only thing the government could do in the current circumstances to appease the raging masses.

“They have failed to restore order, failed in securing people’s life and property, commodity prices are going through the roof, there is a shortage of almost everything useful and they have even taxed listening to the radio on a cell phone. I am surprised they even bothered lowering the POL/CNG prices, whatever the reason for their global fall was,” he said. “I don’t think they have managed to secure my vote,” he added with a grin. A motorcyclist, Ahmed, at a petrol station said the POL price cut was not a good sign. “With such a drastic cut now, people must get ready for a shocker of a raise in POL prices once the elections are over,” he said. “God help us.” “At last they [rulers] have done something positive,” Shahnaz Waseem, a female commuter said. “I hope it translates into lower prices of everything else as well, as everyone attributes the general rising price level to costly fuel.”

W

aFp

ORLD powers on Saturday agreed to a plan for a transition in Syria that could include current regime members, but envoy Kofi Annan doubted if Syrians would pick leaders “with blood on their hands”.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made it clear that Washington did not see any role for President Bashar al-Assad in the new regime, even though there was no explicit call for him to cede power. “Assad will still have to go. He will never pass the mutual consent test,” said Clinton.

While Annan did not name names and said it was up to the Syrians to decide who they want in a unity government, he added, “I would doubt that Syrians... would select people with blood on their hands to lead them.”

The deal came despite initial pessimism from participants about the prospects of the

Kofi annan doubts if Syrians will pick leaders ‘with blood on their hands’ g

Geneva talks due to deep divisions between the West and China and Russia on the future of Assad.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said following the meeting that Moscow had convinced other parties to accept that the transition would be decided by Syrians and that no party should be excluded from the process.

“How exactly the work on a transition to a new stage is conducted will be decided by the Syrians themselves,” he said. “There are no demands to exclude from this process any one group. This aspect had been present in many of our partners’ proposals. We have convinced them that this is unacceptable,” Lavrov said.

A long-time Syria ally, Russia is loathe to cast Assad aside, even as relations between Moscow and Damascus have cooled. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also stressed that “outsiders cannot make

decisions for the Syrian people”. As divisions threatened to scupper talks earlier Saturday, Annan had warned at the opening of the meeting that history “will judge us all harshly” if world powers failed to bridge their gaps on how to end the bloodshed in Syria and chart a transition.

A failure to unite also raised the spectre that the conflict that has claimed 15,800 lives over 16 months in the strategic Middle East country could spill over to the region and expose the world to fresh threats, said the former UN chief.

“History is a sombre judge – and it will judge us all harshly if we prove incapable of taking the right path today,” Annan told the five permanent Security Council members – the United States, Russia, Britain, China and France — as well as regional powers Qatar, Turkey, Kuwait and Iraq.

Kenyan army June 30 was a hunts kidnappers of four foreign second longer The planet’s timekeepers aid workers added an extra second to the NAIROBI aFp

Kenyan security forces on Saturday scoured border regions with war-torn Somalia in the hunt for armed kidnappers who seized four foreign aid workers from Dadaab, the world’s largest refugee camp. The two men and two women who work with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), come from Canada, Norway, Pakistan and the Philippines. A Kenyan driver was killed and two others were wounded during Friday’s attack. “The search is intensifying and more security forces have been sent to make every effort possible but, so far, no one has been recovered,” Kenyan army spokesman Cyrus Oguna told AFP. Aerial searches were ongoing using both military helicopters and aircraft, while vehicles and troops on foot searched the remote scrubland either side of the porous border with Somalia. Kenya, which invaded southern Somalia in October to attack Al-Qaeda linked Islamist insurgents, has troops some 120 kilometres (75 miles) deep into Somalia. However, the forces control only pockets of the vast territory. While many fear the gunmen and their hostages crossed swiftly into Somalia — only some 100 kilometres from Dadaab — Oguna said he was still hopeful they remained inside Kenya. “We are thinking that they are in Kenya, we are making every effort that we can, and we are hopeful of a positive outcome,” he added.

The aid workers’ vehicle, which the gunmen stole after killing the driver, was found abandoned a few hours after the attack. Similar abductions in the past have seen the gunmen disappear into the bush to evade capture.

clock at midnight universal time Saturday night. The socalled leap second was needed to synchronise the world’s official atomic clocks, said John Lowe, who heads the time and frequency services group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The reason?

Earth is spinning just a bit slowly. The time it takes Earth to rotate on its axis — which is the definition of a day — is now about two milliseconds longer than it was 100 years ago, said Geoff Chester, spokesman at the US Naval Observatory, in an interview with the Associated Press. Over the course of a year, that adds up to nearly three-quarters of a second. News DesK

ON the rOAD tO repAir Continued fRom page 1 “There continue to be discussions in this area. We continue to have a line of communication with Pakistanis to try to see if we can take steps to reopen the GLOCs (ground lines of communication). The good news is that there continue to be those discussions,” he said.

At the same time, he acknowledged that “there are still some tough issues (between the two countries) to… resolve”. “But I think the important thing right now is that both sides, in good faith, keep working to see if we can resolve this,” he added, appearing jointly with US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Martin Dempsey.

The US defence secretary noted that the Pakistani officials understood Washington’s concern over cross-border attacks by the Haqqani militants. He referred to this week’s meeting between US top commander in Afghanistan, General John Allen and Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Kayani, emphasising that the US and Pakistan should work together to curb cross-border activities of the Haqqani militants.

“After all, they too have been the victim of terrorism.

They lost 17 Pakistanis on a patrol to the TTP. And so everyday they too are the victims of terrorism. So we have a common enemy. It would make sense if we could work together to confront that common enemy,” he said.

Panetta’s restrained comments appeared to be an attempt to give diplomacy a chance to work between the two nations. He angered Pakistanis on recent visits to Kabul and New Delhi by using some blistering language to express Washington’s dissatisfaction with Islamabad’s counterterrorism performance.

In Kabul, he went on to say that the US was reaching limits of its patience with Pakistan’s lack of action against the Haqqani network, which US says, targets American forces deployed in Afghanistan.

Officials in both Islamabad and Washington have adopted

a conciliatory tone, in a break with their previous hardened articulations. In the last couple of days, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has said restoration of NATO supply routes would be in Pakistan’s interests while the military described this week’s talks between General Allen and General Kayani as constructive.

Pakistan Today reported on Friday that the two sides were working on a package deal which would address Islamabad’s longstanding concerns on drone strikes in the Tribal Areas and allow the relations to move forward.

For the United States, reopening of the supply routes remains a priority as it has been paying an additional $100 million a month to fly and transport supplies into Afghanistan via a much longer northern route.

Islamabad, meanwhile, has been demanding a US apology over the Salala incident to help revive relations between the two countries, which worked closely in the last 10 years to get rid of several al Qaeda-linked militants.

But relations staggered from one crisis to another last year, with the discovery of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad and the subsequent unilateral American raid that took out the al Qaeda chief causing a significant downslide in bilateral ties.

In addition to lingering mutual frustrations on some counterterrorism issues, the two countries are trying to secure their interests in politically charged environments as both US President Barack Obama and President Asif Zardari’ government face elections

storm batters washington, would have written to the Swiss but... leaves 1.5m without power Continued fRom page 1 WASHINGTON aGencieS

More than 1.5 million homes and businesses across Maryland and Virginia lost power Friday night as one of the most powerful and punishing storms in months swept across the Washington region.

Two deaths were reported in the Springfield area of Fairfax County. A falling tree struck a car at Old Keene Mill Road and Bauer Drive, killing the male driver, said Officer Don Gotthardt, a Fairfax County police spokesman.

A 90-year-old woman, who was sleeping, was killed after a tree fell on her house. In addition, a park police officer was injured by a falling tree and an 18-year-old man was struck by a power line.

The ferocity of the storm appeared to reflect the inten-

sity of the daytime heat that set records across the region, as the mercury at Reagan National Airport rose to 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

As the storm raced eastward, fuelled by heat and humidity, wind gusts were estimated as high as 80 mph. Lightning flashed, winds rose to tornadic levels, and rain and hail pelted one spot after another, striking many areas. Early Saturday, Pepco reported more than 400,000 homes and businesses were without electricity in its service area, which includes Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and the District of Columbia. The largest number of outages was reported in Montgomery. Dominion Virginia Power gave a figure of 750,000, which included customers throughout Virginia.

Regarding the cooperation of PML-N in the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), the PM said he was sure to have a positive response from the PML-N leadership. The CEC should be a consensus candidate, who would go by the book, he added.

The premier urged all the political parties to shun off their differences and work together for strengthening the country.

He said on its part the PPP was committed to avoid politics of confrontation. The group of senior editors with whom the PM had an interaction included Saleem Bukhari‚ Mujeebur Rehman Shami‚ Arif Nizami‚ Zia Shahid‚ PJ Mir and others.

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Sunday, 1 July, 2012

PPP responsible for economic crisis in country: nawaz lAhore: PML-N President Nawaz Sharif on Saturday said the country was facing acute economic crises due to mass corruption and wrong policies of the PPP government. Talking to former federal minister of the PML-Q, Ali Nawaz Mehr at his residence on Saturday, Nawaz criticised the PPP and its partners, saying they responsible for the current deteriorating situation in the country. He claimed the PML-N had an experienced team of experts and professionals that could help Pakistan get out of the difficulties. He said he could not forget the love and affectionate welcome accorded to him during visit to Sindh. Both sides exchanged views on the overall political scenario in the country. During the meeting, the overall political situation in the country came under review. Sources said Mehr supported the policies of Nawaz. They said he was also likely to join the PML-N very soon. Senior PML-N leader Imdad Chandio and others were also present. ageNcIeS

Pakistan demands more details on Abu Jundal g

mumbai case trial adjourned till July 14

ISLAMABAD aGencieS

I

FaiSalabad: a marriage registrar and the father of a 10-year-old girl in police custody after they forced the young girl to marry a 32-year-old man on Saturday.

Jc recommends extension for four Phc judges

Victim widow threatens self immolation if Sarabjit released

ISLAMABAD

SANGLA HILL

inp

online

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan on Saturday recommended one-year extension in the services of four additional judges of the Peshawar High Court (PHC).

A meeting of the commission was held in this regard at the Supreme Court building. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry chaired the meeting, which was attended by the members of the commission from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, attorney general and Law Minister Farooq Naek.The commission proposed four new judges for the PHC, namely Asadullah Chamkani, Rohul Amin, Irshad Qaisar and Shahjahan Akhund.It recommended the appointment of Shahjahan Khanzada and Mrs Irshad Qaisar as additional judges of the PHC, and proposed oneyear extension in the service of Justice Khalid Mehmood, Justice Nisar Hussain, Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth and Justice Qaisar Rasheed.According to sources, the commission deliberated on nine names and later finalised four names for the PHC.Following the commission’s approval, these names would be sent to a parliamentary committee and later to the president of Pakistan for approval.

The widow of one of the victims of train blast near Sangla Hill in 1990, which was carried out by Indian spy Sarabjit Singh, has made it clear upon President Asif Ali Zardari and the government that she would commit self immolation in front of the President House if the killer was released. Talking to reporters on Saturday, Shamim Bibi, widow of Mirza Tufail who was among the 14 victims of the terror attacks by Sarabjit Singh, said she and her five daughters were mourning the death of Mirza Tufail for the last 22 years, and the only consolation to them could come in form of the killer’s hanging. She said Indian actor Salman Khan, who had shown sympathy with the family of Sarabjit Singh, should also feel the agony of victim families. She said she would never pardon the Indian spy and would commit self immolation if he was released. Bibi said her family wanted to see the Indian spy hanged in public.

Zardari, Altaf discuss political situation, future cooperation LONDON aGencieS

President Asif Ali Zardari held a meeting with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain here on Friday night.

During the meeting, they discussed the current political and security situation in Karachi, and matters regarding the ruling coalition. Zardari thanked Altaf for the support extended by the MQM to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for the

election of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf. Sources said the two leaders spent considerable time on discussing the Karachi situation, and agreed to strictly deal with the criminals irrespective of their affiliation with any political party. The two politicians also discussed possible cooperation for the next general elections.

Meanwhile, Zardari also met Mohammed Burhanuddin, leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community, and enquired about his health.

Zardari also invited him to visit Pakistan.

NTERIOR Minister Rehman Malik has called on India to provide more details about the 26/11 key handler Abu Jundal, saying criminals using “fake” passports could not be Pakistanis.

“Pakistan expects to receive a copy of the statement of (Jundal). I expect to have original passport claimed to have been allegedly given by (Pakistan),” Malik wrote in a message posted on Twitter late on Friday night. Indian authorities have said Ansari alias Abu Jundal – who is an Indian citizen – had travelled to Saudi Arabia on a Pakistani passport.

In recent interactions with the media, Malik has questioned whether the passport used by Ansari was genuine. In another message posted on Twitter, Malik noted that “India had claimed earlier that (Jundal) had a Pakistani passport”, adding criminals using “fake” passports “cannot be Pakistani”. In yet another message, Malik said Pakistan “will continue to fully cooperate with India in the investigation of Mumbai terrorist attacks. Pak and India need to identify their real enemy.”

He said the two countries “need to know their real common enemy”. He also raised questions about Pakistan-American terror suspect David Headley, asking “who funded him to produce movies of locations” in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, in yet another delay in the trial of seven Pakistani suspects charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks, the matter has been adjourned until July 14 when the court will take up an application filed by Lashkar-eTayyaba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.

Chaudhry Habibur Rehman, who was recently appointed judge of the Rawalpindibased anti-terrorism court no 1, began hearing the case on Saturday. He said arguments by Lakhvi’s lawyer on the application will be heard at the next hearing. The Lashkar-eTayyaba operations commander has filed an application asking the court not to make the report of the Judicial Commission part of the proceedings as it has “no legal value”. The eight-member commission, which included prosecutors and defence lawyers, visited Mumbai earlier this year and interviewed a judge, a senior police officer and two doctors who conducted the autopsies of the terrorists involved in the attacks and their victims.

Defence lawyers have contended that the commission’s report has no legal value as the panel did not have the right to cross-examine witnesses in India. Lakhvi’s lawyer Khwaja Haris Ahmed has said the commission’s visit to India was an exercise in futility. The anti-terrorism court no 1 is conducting the trial of those charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks and hearings are held behind closed doors at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi due to security reasons.

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Sunday, 1 July, 2012

Patients protest against the doctors’ stubbornness, ask govt to cancel their degrees

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Punjab govt successfully secures 150 Army doctors, vows not to give in to doctors’ pressure

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Doctors remain unmoved LAHORE

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StaFF report

ICK of the ‘stubborn’ attitude of the young doctors, the patients and their relatives held a protest demonstration against the treatment that was being meted out to them while to meet the shortage of doctors, Punjab government has successfully sought the Army’s help and will be provided with 150 doctors.

“We have been coming to the hospitals for the past 12 days. There are no doctors and the heat is unbearable. We have to pay the fare too. We will not tolerate this injustice,” said Shamshad bibi at the Mayo Hospital Outdoor Patients Department.

The patients said that the government had failed to tackle the issue as the doctors were still on strike.

Protests were held in front of medical superintendent offices in several public hospitals and the patients raised slogans against the government and the doctors.

They said the doctors, who are considered ‘Massiah’ for the poor people, had left the patients untreated for their personal interests. Nowhere in the world doctors leave patients for their own interests, they added.

They demanded the government cancel the degrees of the doctors, as they were not sincere with their profession.

Paramedics of teaching hospitals said outdoor patients were being examined in emergency. Irshad Ahmed, father of a patient, Tayyaba, said doctors at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital misbehaved with them when they showed them a “chief minister’s free medical treatment directive.”

Public Patience

RunS ouT, ARmy STePS In

Meanwhile on Saturday, the Punjab government reached a dramatic decision to sack all the doctors on strike. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif came up with the idea of asking the Army for help. The Army has announced that it will give 150 of its doctors to the provincial government.

The Army doctors, who will work in public hospitals, will perform their duties starting Sunday.

The Army doctors will not bear the responsibility of the operational matters and that would be dealt with by the provincial government.

The government is also considering canceling the licenses of the striking doc-

tors. It has been learnt that the government has decided not to bow to the striking doctors’ demands. yoUnG doCtors remAin UnmoVed: Meanwhile the Young Doctors’ Association said no matter what the government does, the strike would continue till their demands were not met.

The doctors have demanded an improvement in the service structure after their salaries were raised last year. They have also demanded their recruitment directly into Basic Pay Scale (BPS-18) besides facilities including house, telephone, five advance increments, two special allowances

for professors – teaching allowance and health professional allowance – both equal to their running basic salary.

They also demanded soft loans for cars for BPS-18 doctors, 1,000cc cars with petrol and driver for BPS-20 and 1,300cc vehicles for all doctors in BPS-21 with driver and petrol.

“The entire country is financially troubled.

We know that the doctors are making money in their private clinics also. We do not have enough

money to pay for the doctors’ greed,” Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister for Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said, adding “Where do we get the additional Rs17 billion from?”

Earlier on Thursday, the Punjab government had also invoked the Essential Services Act of 1958 for Health Department employees.

Under the act, the doctors are bound to be present at the place of duty and any violation is considered a crime.

454 BRAND NEW FEMALE MEDICAL OFFICERS HIRED LAHORE StaFF report

Punjab government has appointed 454 medical officers in various hospitals of Punjab, the spokesperson for Punjab Health Department said on Saturday.

The spokesperson said the women

Dictator Shahbaz should loosen his pockets, says Raja Riaz lAhore: Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Raja Riaz Ahmed has said that imposition of Section 144 and jail threats to doctors of the province reveals the dictatorial approach of Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif.

Talking to reporters outside Governor House on Saturday, Raja Riaz said that Shahbaz should avoid stubbornness against the protesting doctors.

“Doctors and medical staff are asset of the province so the CM should bow down to their will,” he said, adding that dialogue was the best way to resolve the issue.

He said that it was the constitutional right of every countryman to raise voice for his/her rights and there was no justification for use of force to suppress their voice.

He blamed that the provincial government used various institutions to defame the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the federal government but the conspiracies proved counterproductive.

Raja Riaz also demanded for early decision of the case regarding dual offices of Shahbaz Sharif and Asghar Khan case. StaFF report

Punjab govt needs to take courses in management: PTI lAhore: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Central Information Secretary Shafqat Mahmood said Punjab is observing the results of the provincial government’s paralysis in decision-making that has led to a stalemate between the government and the young doctors.

In a statement issued on Saturday, he said the provincial government had completely mishandled the situation, resulting in the strike entering its second week with no end in sight.

The mismanagement of the government has affected both the patients who lie in wait for medical assistance and the doctors.

The abject misery of the patients who require the doctors’ assistance is heartrending, said Shafqat.

He added that the present stand-off needs to be addressed and decisions made to end this conflict so that the public can be provided medical care otherwise the onus will clearly be on the Punjab government. StaFF report

medical officers have been selected through Public Service Commission and the posting plan of these female medical officers has been uploaded at the website of Health Department.

The spokesperson advised the successful medical officers to report to the medical superintendents of their respective hospitals by July 2.

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Sunday, 1 July, 2012

Lahore 07 People are tired of shady Shahbaz: Pervez lAhore: Deputy Prime Minister Pervez Elahi has said that the people are fed up with dirty politics and false allegations of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. He was talking to different delegations that had come to his residence to felicitate him on assuming the office of deputy prime minister On the occasion Elahi said he was in contact with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf regarding the energy and gas crisis and solving the people’s problems and difficulties. He said main objective behind Pakistan Muslim League joining the government was to get the people’s problems solved on priority basis in shortest possible time. StaFF report

don’t MeSS With a WoMan, or her biKe: a woman rides a scotty oblivious to all the stares she is getting on the Mall on Saturday. MURTaZa aLI

Shootout

at the courtS LAHORE StaFF report

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prisoner was killed in judicial lockup (bakhshi khana) of the city’s session court when another accused opened gunfire at him while the attacker was shot dead by the police in the encounter that ensued, officials said on Saturday. According to police, two prisoners who came to appear before Lahore Session Court exchanged hot words in the court premises where an accused Azam opened gunfire killing the other prisoner Shafqat. Later on, gun-wielding Azam stepped inside court building. Finding him-

self trapped in police cordon, he opened reckless fire. On this, police killed him in the ensued encounter. The attacking prisoner was jailed in Sahiwal and brought to Lahore for court appearance.

Transport Dept decreases 9th Green media awards next month inter-city fares LAHORE app

The Punjab Transport Department has revised its fares after the recent reduction in fuel prices.

It has revised the fares for stage carriages, (non-AC) and public service vehicles (PSVs) on inter-city routes.

According to a spokesman of the department, the maximum fares that can now be charged are Rs 1 per passenger per kilometre for vehicles that run on petrol whereas the fare is 87 paisas for vehicles on CNG.

lAhore: The National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH) will hold the 9th Green Media Awards2012 distribution ceremony next month to acknowledge the media persons’ role in the dissemination of information, creation of awareness and for highlighting critical issues.

NFEH President Naeem Qureshi said on Saturday the Annual Environment Excellence Awards were instituted eight years ago and had elicited a very enthusiastic response from the industry and service organisations, adding that these awards have become a benchmark for the standards that need to be followed.

Qureshi stated that NFEH is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation established on June 5, 1999 with the prime object to facilitate, promote and help create environmental, healthcare and educational awareness among masses in general, and youth and children in particular.

The media persons, who had highlighted particular issues of environment during the last year, could submit their nominations for the Green Media Award till July 5, he said. app

JI chief dares govt to open NATO supply g

-and to face the consequences LAHORE StaFF report

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Munawar Hasan has said that the statement of Foreign Affairs secretary is against Pakistan’s autonomy, security and integrity.

Earlier, the secretary foreign affairs said the reopening of NATO supply line was in favour of Pakistan itself.

He said the US many on occasions had categorically said she would not apologise for Salala Check Post attack and continue drone attacks.

He expressed these views while talking to various public delegations here at Mansoora on Saturday.

He recalled that parliament had placed conditions on the resuming of the NATO supply including apology from the US and stoppage of drone attacks. However, the US has already kicked these terms.

He said the time to seek apology from the US had passed. “Now the issue is of national interests, execution of Parliament’s resolutions and its respect,” he added.

Hasan advised the secretary that he should not worry about pull out of US and its allied forces. The foreign affairs secretary said if the NATO supply was not restored it would be difficult for the US to draw its forces from Afghanistan. “Pulling out of Afghanistan is not Pakistans’ concern,” he said.

He warned that if the NATO supply was reopened the terror activities would increase in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

He said the US had imposed a war on Pakistan and Afghanistan under the grab of War on Terror. “Accordingly, the US has become an enemy of Pakistan so the NATO supply should not be restored at any cost,” he added.

He said Pakistan had sacrificed much more than any other but the US had waged an unannounced against Pakistan on the name of War on Terror.

He held the US responsible for all kind of crises Pakistan was facing and said it wanted to get control of Pakistan’s nuclear program.

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A sapling gifted to a visiting Indian by a gardener in 2003 has now turned into a full-fledged 15-foot tree

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NEWS DESk

line drawn a couple of kilometres from Ludhiana may have defined borders and changed the world for most people. But on either side there are some things that have become vestiges of another time, another place. TOI traces a few of these legacies of Partition in the city that trigger memories on India’s side of the border.

A tiny sapling of love planted around nine years ago at a garden in SBS Nagar has now turned into a 15-foot tree, standing as true testimony of a strong bond between Ludhiana and Lahore.

Brought from Lahore in 2003 on the assurance from president of Punjab Sahit Akademi Gurbhajan Singh Gill , of F Block in Shaeed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Ludhiana, that it would never be allowed to dry or wither, gabh has become the prized possession of its owner who sees it every day at his backyard.

Though barbed wires and skewed political relations come between those living in India and Pakistan, Gill feels the soil and air here that is nurturing the tree has proved that nothing can severe roots by history.

“I had gone to Government College Lahore to attend world Punjabi conference in 2003. At the college my car stopped under a unique tree with red leaves that fascinated me. Everyone went inside for the lecture but I was glued to the tree and lost in my own world,” said Gill. He continued that an aged gardener approached me and asked why I was looking with curiosity towards the tree.

He was apprehensive and thought that there could be some problem with his work. I hugged him and asked about that tree and requested him to give me some seeds of that tree,” added Gill.

However, after giving the lecture, when Gill went to his car he found a small earthen pot with a gabh

sapling near it. The gardener went running to him and also handed a polythene bag with few seeds of that plant. “When I asked him how much it cost the gardener had tears in his eyes and replied that it was ‘mohabbat da boota’ and I should only promise to take care of it,” said Gill about how the plant, now famous as ‘friendship tree’ in Ludhiana, came to him.

Gill said the tree has helped forge new friendships across the border.

“My new Pakistani friends call me often and inquire about the tree.

This tree has also motivated me to compile Punjabi poems in the form of a book and translate it into Shahmukhi,” he added.

Gill’s neighbour Ravinder Bhathal said the Gabh tree looks particularly pleasant in the summer. ‘‘It’s not like other trees around here. Gill’s emotional attachment to it adds to its importance,’’ he said. diffiCUlt JoUrney of ‘mohAbbAt dA bootA’ from lAhore: The journey of ‘mohabbat da boota’ from Lahore to Ludhiana was not easy. Gill was first discouraged by friends and later stopped by custom officials at Attari-Wagah border on the Pakistan side from taking the sapling but he did not relent. “When we returned to Hotel Shahtaz in Lahore, members of our delegation started making fun of me. They said people carry expensive gifts back home and I was carrying a dirty plant. They suggested me to keep distance from them because it could dirty them too. I was also not sure how to transport it,” said Gill.

But, he was not going to give up easy so he tore a piece of cloth from his turban and made a makeshift handle to lift the earthen pot. And when Pakistani customs officials stopped him to confiscate the plant he spent a long time patiently convincing them that he could not return without the plant.

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Sunday, 1 July, 2012

Foreign News 09

Annan warns ‘history will judge’ failure on Syrian conflict

LONDON: Residents protest on Saturday against government plans to station surfaceto-air missiles on the roof of their rented flats in the Fred Wigg Tower in Leytonstone, east London, near London’s Olympic Park. Lawyers for the residents, launched legal action on June 28, saying proposals to deploy the missiles on the block of more than 100 local-authority owned flats is a breach of tenants’ human rights.

Britain’s Ministry of Defense is considering deploying the weapons across six sites in the capital during the Games to help combat any possible airborne terror threats to the Olympic Games.

GENEVA aFp

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NTERNATIONAL envoy Kofi Annan warned divided world powers Saturday that history “will judge us all harshly” if no deal was struck to end the bloodshed in Syria and chart a transition. As the West pointed to persistent opposition from Beijing and Moscow to a transition deal, Annan told a meeting in Geneva that the world would be partly responsible for further deaths if it failed to agree on a roadmap. “It is the Syrian people who will be the greatest victims, and their deaths will be the consequence of not only the acts of killers on the ground but also your inability to bridge the divisions between you,” he said. “History is a sombre judge — and it will judge us all harshly if we prove incapable of taking the right path today,” he said. Annan had convened the meeting of foreign ministers from the five permanent Security Council states, the United States, Russia, Britain, China and France, as well as regional powers Qatar, Turkey, Kuwait and Iraq, while conspicuously leaving out Iran and Saudi Arabia. A key sticking point in the talks was Annan’s proposal on how a power transition could be organised in Syria, where violence has claimed 15,800 lives since March last year. Moscow and Beijing were against Annan’s proposal envisaging a handover to an interim team that excludes those “whose continued presence and participation would undermine the credibility of the transition and jeopardise stability and reconciliation”.

The wording appears to imply that Syrian President Bashar alAssad would have to relinquish his grip on power for the idea to succeed, a proposal backed by the West.

Russia insists that Assad’s fate “must be decided within the framework of a Syrian dialogue by the Syrian people themselves.” British Foreign Secretary William Hague headed into the meeting, saying it “remains very difficult” to bridge the gap and that “I don’t know if this will be possible.” A senior US official also said Saturday’s bid to find a political end to the war in Syria “remain challenging” and a deal may prove elusive.

AFp

Islamists destroy Timbuktu religious treasures BAMAkO aFp

Hardline Islamists occupying northern Mali went on the rampage in Timbuktu on Saturday, destroying ancient tombs of Muslim saints and threatening to wipe out every religious shrine in the fabled city. The onslaught by armed militants from the fundamentalist Ansar Dine group was launched just two days after UNESCO named the city an endangered world heritage site because of the unrest in the vast desert north of Mali. “They have raped Timbuktu today. It is a crime,” said a source close to a local imam in the town known as the “City of 333 Saints”.

Witnesses said the Islamists had destroyed the ancient tomb of one revered Muslim figure after encircling a cemetery in the north of the Timbuktu, and were on the attack against another in the east.

“This is tragic news for us all,” Alissandra Cummins, chair of UNESCO’s executive committee, said in a statement to AFP in Russia, where the body is meeting this week, describing the attacks as

“wanton damage”. “I appeal to all those engaged in the conflict in Timbuktu to exercise their responsibility.” Ansar Dine, one of the hardline Islamist groups which seized control of the vast desert north of Mali in the chaotic aftermath of a March coup in Bamako, said no site would be safe in Timbuktu. “Ansar Dine will today destroy every mausoleum in the city. All of them, without exception,” spokesman Sanda Ould Boumama told AFP through an interpreter from the city.

The Ansar Dine spokesman suggested Saturday’s action was in retaliation for the UNESCO decision to put the World Heritage site, a cradle of Islamic learning founded in the fifth century, on its endangered list on Thursday “God is unique. All of this is haram (or forbidden in Islam). We are all Muslims. UNESCO is what?” he said, declaring that Ansar Dine — which wants to impose sharia law in the region — was acting “in the name of God.” Witnesses in Timbuktu said the gangs had destroyed the mausoleum of a saint whose 15th century tomb was already desecrated in May by mem-

bers of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb, another of the groups in control in the north. “As I am speaking to you, Islamists from Ansar Dine have destroyed the mausoleum of saint Sidi Mahmoud,” one witness told AFP.“They are now in the process of destroying the mausoleum (of Sidi Moctar),” added a local journalist. “They have said they will destroy everything.” UNESCO said its decision to place both the town and the nearby Tomb of Askia in Gao on its List of World Heritage in Danger “aims to raise cooperation and support for the sites threatened by the armed conflict in the region.” Mali has been gripped by chaos since disgruntled troops swarmed the capital Bamako in the south in March and ousted the elected president of what had been seen as one of Africa’s model democracies. Islamic and tribal Tuareg groups seized on the power vacuum push government forces out of northern Mali, an area the size of France and Belgium, including Timbuktu and the cities of Gao and Kidal.

4 afghan children killed by unexploded weaponry kANDAHAR aFp

Four children have been killed and one wounded in southern Afghanistan when unexploded weaponry they were playing with blew up, an official said Saturday. The children aged between six and ten found the “unexploded ordnance” in Pajwayi district of volatile Kandahar province on Friday and brought it home, provincial spokesman Jawed Faisal told AFP. “They were playing with the unexploded ordnance at home when it exploded, killing four of them” he said, adding the injured child was taken to hospital and was in good condition. Blasts caused by unexploded weaponry left in Afghanistan from three decades of war have caused the deaths and injuries of many children and adults in the country. According to a recent UN report, child casualties from Afghan conflicts rose by over a quarter last year with an average of nearly five children killed or injured every day in 2011. Tens of thousands of Afghan children are forced by poverty to work on the streets and collect metal scraps to sell and support their families.

They often fall prey to Taliban bombings, as well as other violence and abuse.

qaeda mines kill over 70 in yemen SANAA aFp

WASHINGTON aFp

If WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange ever ends up in a US courtroom, prosecutors could face an uphill struggle trying to convict him, given America’s legal safeguards for publishers, analysts say. Citing fears of prosecution in the United States, Assange remained holed up at Ecuador’s embassy in London on Saturday, defying a British police order to turn himself in for extradition to Sweden. Assange faces sexual assault allegations in Sweden but has refused to set foot there, saying he runs the risk of extradition to the United States, which he insists is intent on charging him with espionage or other serious crimes for releasing troves of once-secret files to the public.Assange’s lawyers and

supporters say his concerns are justified and not driven by paranoia. They cite tough statements from senior US officials, interrogations of Assange’s colleagues and a grand jury investigation that has reportedly questioned associates of Bradley Manning, the soldier accused of passing hundreds of classified documents to WikiLeaks. “The grand jury is a serious business,” said Michael Ratner, a human rights lawyer advising Assange. referring to the discussions to determine whether a criminal indictment will be issued. Some with links to Assange have reportedly faced questioning when trying to travel outside the United States and federal authorities at one point demanded Twitter open the accounts of WikiLeaks figures.

“They’re all over this case,” Ratner told AFP. The US Justice Department will not comment on the

grand jury probe and says it has no role in the extradition proceedings in London. But spokesman Dean Boyd said: “There continues to be an investigation into the WikiLeaks matter.” Some US lawmakers and commentators have called for Assange to be charged with espionage or for conspiracy to obtain secret documents, arguing that he intended to sabotage America’s foreign policy and endangered lives by revealing the identities of informants. Charging Assange under the Espionage Act — a vaguely worded World War I-era law — would be a difficult challenge, as it requires the government to show the accused intended to harm the US government or aid a foreign power, analysts said. Without knowing the evidence held by US investigators, it’s difficult to predict how the government will pursue Assange’s case, said Charles Stimson, a former federal prosecutor.

More than 50 civilians and 23 military personnel have been killed by mines sown

by Al-Qaeda since the militants were chased out of areas of south Yemen on June 13, the defence ministry reported on Saturday. “More than 50 citizens have been killed by mines planted by the terrorists before they fled Zinjibar, Jaar and other localities” in Abyan province, ministry website 26sept.net reported, citing the province’s deputy governor. The website quoted Colonel Said Ali Meshaal, head of a demining unit, as saying mines in Abyan had also claimed the lives of 23 soldiers, among them two officers. On June 23, local officials had put the death toll from mine blasts at 35. The deputy governor, Ahmed Ghaleb al-Rahwi, was quoted as saying that demining had allowed “60 to 70 percent of those displaced from Jaar and its suburbs to return home,” adding that electricity and water supplies had been restored.

However, he cautioned against a rapid return to Zinjibar, the provincial capital, from where 100,000 residents had fled to the port city of Aden, until “the thousands of mines placed there have been defused.”

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10 Comment Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Sunday, 1 July, 2012

The morphing Leviathan it’s a mad, mad world

Arif Nizami Editor Lahore – Ph: 042-36298305-10 Fax: 042-36298302 Karachi – Ph: 021-34330811-3 Fax: 021-34330900 Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287414-6 Fax: 051-2287417 Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

on appointing the cec Some progress?

W

ith the induction of the new PM, the chances of the resumption of working relations between the PPP and PML(N) have suddenly brightened up. The two parties which were hitherto on a collision course have agreed to initiate talks. While one cautiously welcomes the positive vibes emanating from both sides, it remains to be seen if the traditional rivals can reach some of the most needed accords before the elections are announced. Raja Pervez Ashraf hopes that that the elections would be held this year. It is therefore of utmost importance that the two parties settle the issues of the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and setting up of a neutral caretaker setup at the earliest. Keeping in view the polarisation between the PPP, PML(N) and Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf and the claims by each one of enjoying enough electoral support to form the next government, things could take a nasty turn if there was a perception of elections having been stolen.

The appointment of the CEC is the first important move to ensure free and fair elections. While other four members of the commission have already been appointed in accordance with the law, the post of the CEC, vacant since March, remains to be filled. Talks broke down between the PPP and PML(N) on the issue in the wake of the SC verdict against Gilani. With the PML(N) questioning the legality of his continuing to hold the portfolio of the chief executive, working relations between the two parties broke down. Henceforth Gilani was not accorded even the formal welcome when he came to Lahore. The positive gesture by Punjab government which sent two of its ministers to receive Raja Pervez Ashraf at the airport indicates a thaw in ties.

According to Article 213(2A), the PM and the leader of the opposition play the crucial role in the selection of the CEC. The PPP, however, is reportedly in favour of a consensus candidate commanding the support of all political parties. The issue must not however be allowed to become a roadblock.

The role of the Election Commission begins mainly after the date for the elections is announced. There are complaints however which the government alone address. For this there is a need for a caretaker setup considered widely to be impartial.

Once the issue of the new CEC is resolved, the two parties have to reach an agreement on the caretaker setup. It would be ideal if a consensus could be evolved between the three major parties on the matter. In case this fails to happen, the issue should be resolved in accordance with the 20th Amendment.

By Humayun Gauhar

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ot so long ago, I likened global societal change to a Leviathan convulsing and morphing, shedding its outdated skin to grow a new one. We are in the throes of such change.

Global power is shifting from west back to east again while everywhere in between is getting trammeled by the Leviathan’s convulsing tail. This trammeling catalyses local internal convulsions and changes, as witness what is happening in virtually every country to varying degrees. The Leviathan convulses and so does the world. It is a global philosophical, political, economic and societal meltdown.

Once holy cows like ‘Free Market Capitalism’ are under threat, as are the holy cows protecting capitalism’s spawn, the iniquitous status quo, like electoral and legal systems, executive power, the media and the military. They won’t disappear but they will have to adapt and change. Simultaneously, the Leviathan is crafting new societal mores, new political constructs and new economic dispensations. Modern doctrines and philosophies emerge and replace old ones, like the concept of divine right of kings gave way to people’s temporal sovereignty. It’s early days yet, but it seems that in the new dispensation temporal sovereignty is devolving on specialisation that we call technocracy, a new word for meritocracy. How merit is to be determined remains to be seen, but if markets become the determinant then we are in for more greed-driven troubles.

Sure the morphing process is painful for people and societies, but for the student of history it is a wondrous sight to behold. In the pain of the Leviathan’s convulsions desperate people imagine different nostrums, looking for messiahs to take them out of their mental, physical and emotional pain. Unable to see the big

picture, they bank on one inevitably fallible man, not realising that these false messiahs are actually the Leviathan’s agents produced by its convulsions. They help it morph: they cannot stop or divert the big shift. Such people – and they are in the majority – end up in tears when the fallibility of their false messiahs is inevitably exposed and they are shown to be gods of clay. Still, it is natural for humans to hanker nostalgically for “the good old days” that never return. New days arrive and people and societies have to adjust and adapt and make the most of them.

Wondrous is the seeming madness of countries trying to fight the Leviathan’s convulsions and morphing, the inevitable change driven by historical forces, by societies and systems gone out of date and adapting and modernising. So far, China is the only country that seems to escape this madness of fighting the dialectic, and for good reason. Apart from having crafted a native dialectic-based ideology of its own, it is the centre of where global power is shifting.

Currently, the United States of America is the sole head honcho. It is at the heart of the Leviathan, the most important chromosome in its genetic programming.

It seems to have gone mad, committing suicide and taking the world with it, because it cannot help but fight change for it is programmed to do so, as other head honchos did before it. This fight is important because it is the fuel that drives and accelerates the Leviathan. America cannot meekly submit to unavoidable, certain change for no society is programmed to do so, be it a honcho or its underlings.

The US is still trapped in its militaryindustrial complex syndrome to drive its economy, not realising that while it worked in the past the world has moved on. First, in 1971, the global economy was trapped in the dollar when Nixon dropped the gold standard and placed inordinate strain on the dollar as a reserve currency based on nothing but assurances. Then, the US economy and thereby the global economy were pocketed by Wall Street bankers and financiers with the advent of Reagan in 1980. Wars no longer drive the military-industrial complex that used to be the engine of the US economy, which is the engine of the world economy. To the contrary, they increase indebtedness that is now irredeemable.

The dollar would be dead but for China propping it up in its self-interest because America owes it trillions. The day the Chinese realise that their money will never be

returned, they will either go for debt-equity swaps in a receding economy or simply drop it and launch a new global reserve currency backed by the Yuan and by the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

The incredible knowledge bank of the US is limited to science and technology and incapable of understanding and adapting to inevitable global power shifts in a dynamic world. The cosmos are not static; neither is the world. It’s going to be interesting to watch. In any case, knowledge alone is not enough if it is misapplied and misused to destroy other peoples. The Soviet Union could not save itself despite its awesome military machine. In fact, it was its occupation of Afghanistan that shook awake the Leviathan; America’s abandonment of Afghan and Muslim freedom fighters turned them into terrorists that led to 9/11. America’s destruction and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq got the Leviathan convulsing rapidly. Worse is to come before the Leviathan stops because America and its allies won’t stop.

They are too human to learn simple lessons, that Muslim anger was cooked in the boiling cauldron of injustices.

If the crash of 2008 didn’t convince you, recent events should. The Euro is dying. It could take the European Dream with it or at the very least revert it to a common market again. A European fiscal and monetary union seems a pipedream, despite the tinkering in last Friday’s summit. Euro’s failure actually symbolizes Germany’s third failure to establish its hegemony over Europe: the first two were military; this third was economic. The criminality and incompetence of American, British and European banks is being exposed daily. Why, they were even in cahoots with the Bank of England to engineer LIBOR, the base rate. Wouldn’t you say that’s the same as spot fixing in cricket? Or worse?

Now do they seem any less mad than we do? Or more? Don’t get misled by their creature comforts and cold statistics of education and per capita incomes and the like. These things go very fast. If they were so good why are they in the thick of the dung heap today?

The hackneyed saying is correct, which is probably why it is hackneyed: “Those whom the gods would destroy they first make mad.”

ment service under the ministry of health.

Let me reemphasize: chosen to do so! What might be the reasons behind this choice are irrelevant. But as a result of this choice, the government doctor is assigned a bureaucratic grade, gets a government salary irrespective of how many patients he/she treats, is promoted from time to time and retires with a pension. In essence, this doctor wears two hats – a government servant, and a doctor – and therefore has double the responsibility (to the government and to his/her profession). And having been employed a government servant, this doctor is assigned the critical responsibility of treating (poor) patients in rural parts of Pakistan, or in the government hospitals in urban centres (where the poorest of our society go in search of affordable medical treatment).

Sadly, this government doctor has, for a while now, been unhappy with the salary scale and service structure. And to address these grievances, this doctor has decided to take to the streets, leaving the patients at the stretcher in the meanwhile.

From a purely legal perspective, this doctor is in violation of his/her responsibilities as a government employee. Government service entails following all lawful directions of the government. More specifically, to the extent of doctors, nurses, emergency work personnel and law enforcement, The Punjab Essential Services Act, 1958

mandates that these professionals will not “disobey any lawful order given in the course of such employment, or attempt to persuade any person to disobey any such order”. The spectrum of penalties includes dismissal from service, fine, and even imprisonment.

Given the fact that these doctors chose to join government service, they cannot be allowed to fall outside the fold of law in terms of their employment.

Perhaps more important, however, is the moral obligation at stake here. The requirements of Hippocratic Oath, even if one has never cared to read it, seep through the medical profession. How can an individual deny saving the life of an elderly woman on a hospital bed, on the pretext that the structure of his/her job should be ‘improved’ before an ounce of morphine is prescribed?

Where is a moral argument in contesting the speed of one’s promotion in the job (which is all that is at stake here, since the salaries have already been increased) at the cost of letting a child suffer from pneumonia? And if this the deprecated state of an individual’s morality and compassion, how can such an individual be trusted with a stethoscope or a surgeon’s knife?

The writer is a political analyst.

He can be contacted at humayun.gauhar786@gmail.com

Doctor, heal thyself promotions over patients?

By Saad Rasool

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riting somewhere in the late 5th Century BC, Hippocrates (widely regarded as the father of modern medicine) penned down an oath in Ionic Greek. Known, forever after as the Hippocratic Oath, it is a pledge that every doctor takes to practice medicine ethically, honestly, and (most importantly) to never turn away a patient without treatment or advice.

In Pakistan, however, the young doctors who are protesting in the streets, leaving the sick at the mercy of… well, no one… clearly did not take this oath. Or even if they did, they mistook the Hippocratic Oath for ‘Hypocritical oath’ instead.

The facts, in case you haven’t been following, are rather sad: this is the third time,

in the recent past, that the young doctors across Punjab have announced a strike and boycotted hospitals. Initially, their contention was to have an increase in their salaries (fair enough). The provincial government, faced with the anguish of the patients (who are their constituents) acceded to the demands of Young Doctors Association (YDA). As a result, whereas the monthly salary of a common BS-17 grade official is Rs 30,000 per months, the salary of a BS-17 grade doctor was increased by 100% to Rs 60,000. While this is not comparable to the salary standards in the West, but for a cashstrapped country this increase was significant (to say the least). And with it, the government and the people, asserted their belief in the importance of the education, talent and service that the doctors render in an ailing society. However, the YDA’s demands did not stop here. This time the protest involves the more esoteric demand of reforming and restructuring the service cadre of government doctors. And having tasted success as a result of their earlier protests, these young doctors seem confident in their belief that if they could just prolong the strike for long enough, causing enough inconvenience (and loss of life) to the patients, the government and the people will have no choice but to surrender to their demands once again.

What a way to hold a gun to soci-

ety’s head.

To give perspective to this issue, it needs to be understood that doctors in Pakistan can be broadly bifurcated into two categories: government doctors, and private practitioners. While there is some overlap among doctors who are government employees during the day and run their own private practice in the evenings, for the most part, this bifurcation is a useful tool to assess the problem at hand.

With regards to private doctors, the issue is rather straightforward. A person who, having gone through the long and rigorous process of becoming a doctor, may choose to practice medicine in his/her individual capacity, or become associated with a non-governmental clinic or hospital. The equation: patients, out of their own choice, come to see this doctor and the doctor in turn is free charge whatever fee he/she chooses. It is simple demand and supply.

There is no cadre of promotions (except the increase in fee), and no structure of the job (except for hard work). This doctor is not out on the streets protesting because it is a waste of time. Every minute that this doctor is not in the clinic is a rupee wasted in real terms.

The problem rests squarely in the sphere of government doctors. These are individuals who (also having gone through the same rigorous process as the private-practice doctors) have chosen to join govern-

The writer is a lawyer based in Lahore.

He has a Masters in Constitutional Law from Harvard Law School. He can be reached at: saad@post.harvard.edu

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Sunday, 1 July, 2012

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.

Peccavi The people of Sindh are, indeed, unfortunate because what they are witnessing in their home province during this democratic dispensation in the country is nothing short of ruinous. It is no wonder they have a spineless chief executive and street urchins at the helm of affairs. Corruption has become the creed of our current rulers in the province and organised crime has become the order of the day in the province.

The upper Sindh districts including my home district t Larkano, and other districts such as Kashmor/ Kandh Kot, Jacobabad and Ghotki have become breeding grounds for hardened criminals.

It is reported that the local political leadership, pirs and local police station constables on duty are partners in crime.

The brazenness of our provincial rulers who obviously are well aware of this pervasive crime and corruption (and those that are partners in it) pains me a lot. Is this revenge of feudal lords and provincial bureaucracy from the democracy loving people of the province? If so, then, it is the ‘best revenge’ indeed.

HASHIM ABRO Islamabad

the caretaker The PM has approached the PML(N) leadership for consultation on the appointment of new election commission.

PML(N) welcomed the PM’s move. Although it is good gesture by the new PM, but there is a need of national consensus in this regard. The PM should consult all stakeholders and evolve a consensus policy before taking such decisions. The PM can resolve the ongoing political crisis by taking all politicians in confidence. Similarly, a neutral caretaker setup is a key issue and needs to be settled with amicably. Resolving the ongoing issues is the wish of everyone.

TARIQ HUSAIN KHAN Karachi

Comment 11

Falling down bridges...

Within moments of an overhead bridge collapsing near Harbanspura on Lahore Ring Road, an MNA from PML(N) (famous for claiming to win prize bonds worth Rs 25 million almost every year) came out in defence of the contractor by stating that failure was on part of the truck driver, who is no longer alive to defend himself. The CM Punjab who has a relatively cleaner record of good governance than that in other provinces of federation, should ensure that a transparent investigation be conducted to restore his credibility, which has been eroded by this MNA. What is the stake of this MNA and how does he come up with such an assessment? Was he there on the scene as a witness? Is the MNA involved in the construction busi-

the Pm’s full plate On June 19, one Pakistani PM was removed in a contempt of court case.

June 22 another PM took oath presuming that courts would let the democratic system run. But that was wishful thinking. While he was busy forming his cabinet, he received the orders from the Supreme Court, June 27, to write a letter to Swiss authorities or face the same consequences as the previously dismissed PM. I was just wondering what should be his priorities: should he not looking into the consequences of Abu Jandal’ confessions regarding 26/11 Mumbai attacks; should he not take up the recent Taliban attacks from Kunar province with Afghan authorities; post the Kayani-Allen’ positive meeting, should he not focus on the restoration of Nato supplies, should he not give his attention to the unabated killing and ethnic cleansing of Hazara people in Quetta and the lawlessness, target killings and extortion in Sindh’ urban centres? What about shortage of fuel, gas and power hitting the industry and public life? What about preparations to face another heavy monsoon rainy season?

Or should he spend the next ten days working with the Attorney General, lawyers and counsels to prepare his case.

MASOOD KHAN Saudi Arabia

on butt's rebuttal Salman Butt, the former captain of Pakistan cricket team, after being released from an English jail has reached Pakistan and is now trying to prove his innocence in the entire spot-fixing saga.

He is holding a series of press conferences in addition to appearing on talk shows of different television channels and

ness directly or indirectly? If bridges constructed on highways are to collapse upon collision with a truck, than such bridges cannot be declared safe and surely there was a deficiency in either design or quality of construction.

Accidents, earthquake shocks and floods are part of routine load stresses that bridges, over head by-pass roads and walkway bridges are designed to withstand. If properly constructed and designed, bridges survive for over 50 years and more.

Bridge such as the one near Fortress Stadium Lahore or the one on Main Sharah-e-Faisal near Karachi Airport are living proofs of longevity. We have witnessed bridges collapsing in Karachi

trying to justify his actions and telling the nation that he had nothing to do with the no-balls. He should know that actions speak louder than words and the public is not a pack of fools. He was not alone in the spot fixing case and the investigations process was reasonably long where all three of them failed to prove their innocence. All the three Pakistani stars were finally convicted and jailed. The point is why only these three were involved and not the other players? Salman says that Mazhar Majeed was merely his agent and it is customary for all players to have agents to get them sponsorship deals and commercial benefits. Even if true, this is no excuse.

Being captain, he should have been extra careful in selecting his agent and then making deals with him. Given Mazhar Majeed’s shady reputation, why did Salman Butt choose to mingle with him at all let alone pick him as his agent?

As the famous saying goes, "An acid test of a person's integrity is to judge his conduct during money dealings".

Moreover, where there is smoke, there must be fire. The video clips that were released show Mazhar Majeed with bagfuls of money and a jacket full of money being worn by Wahab Riaz and other such fishy activities. Why was all this gimmickry going on? And that too with members of the Pakistan cricket team? We don’t see such things happening to any other European or Asian teams.

Our players are frequently caught for their misdemeanours and indiscretions.

It shows poor control of the team by the managers and other officials who accompany the team.

I recommend strict disciplinary action should also be taken against all the officials who accompanied Salman Butt, Aamir and Asif. These officials should be permanently debarred to go abroad with

within months and weeks of completion and no meaningful investigation ever being conducted nor the guilty being punished.

They are not supposed to be fragile ornaments. This investigation must be free from bureaucratic or political interference especially when an elected representative is found to be overzealous in bailing out a contractor under investigation. It is time that public development work be given on contract more transparently and this company, even if it is the NLC, be delisted from the approved list of contractors, in the interest of public safety and safeguarding tax payer’s funded projects.

MALIK TARIQ ALI Lahore

the teams rather they should be dismissed from service as well. In days of late Air Martial Nur Khan, no such thing ever happened.

We need professional chairmen, managers and other office holders and not political appointees or non professionals if we want the state of our cricketing affairs to improve.

MUHAMMAD AZHAR KHWAJA Lahore

clean cheat On June 26, a written test for the post of Grade 17 officer was held in Sindh University in which was taken by a few shortlisted candidates. Strangely, the additional registrar of the university suddenly appeared and asked one of the candidates to sit in the last row and he in front of everybody gave him some papers that were obviously the answers of the questions being asked in the test. Some candidates objected on this but to in vain.

Strangely, the result was declared in the haste on the same evening and only the said person who had been favoured was declared successful whereas all the other candidates were given very low marks.

I request the higher authorities in Sindh government to cancel the said test and order an impartial inquiry into the matter.

MOHAMMAD KHAN SIAL Karachi

black coats or black sheep?

There are two parts of the judiciary: the bench and the bar. The former’s main job is to dispense fair and impartial justice while the lawyers ha to argue their cases in the courts in order to help court arrive at a just conclusion. For this they charge a

fee from their clients and are bound to be present on every date of hearing and discharge there professional duties. They ought to be more concerned about the interest of their clients. But after restoration of judiciary, the legal fraternity which struggled for its restoration seems to have gone off track.

They have forgotten that they fought for the rule of law. Instead, the young lawyers are neglectful of their real duties and perceive themselves to be a force of the judiciary every time there is some judicial crisis or a standoff between the government and judiciary.

Their behaviour with lower court judges, with police, prosecution and media men is most objectionable. Every time lawyers brawl with a judge, they take the law into their own hands, come out of the courts sloganeering, protesting against the presiding officer and demanding his transfer. A few days ago, such an incident occurred in Lahore.

The Bar declared a boycott of the courts across the country. On that day, around fifteen thousand cases were to be heard in Punjab Courts. In these cases, parties with their witnesses attended courts only to get another date. Such antics will only promote more corruption in the lower courts.

Can anyone realise the difficulties the people and common litigants due to such strikes? Because of the rowdysim of lawyers, people are losing confidence in the judiciary.

A pertinent question arises here: where should victims of members of the bar go to seek relief? The Honourable Chief Justice should give direction to the bars to avoid boycotting courts because there are other sophisticated ways of protests. This is ripe for suo moto notice, if ever anything was.

RAJA SHAFAATULLAH Islamabad

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Sunday, 1 July, 2012

in liMelight

ahsan Khan-On the way to stardom

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HSAN Khan, the charming and talented Pakistani actor has recently won PTV viewers’ Choice Award for ‘Tera Pyar Nahi Bhoolay’. The young actor has proved himself over a short span of time and he has also been nominated for Lux Style Awards 2011. Ahsan started his career from Sangeeta’s movie ‘Nikkah’ and made his way to success at the small screen.

Ahsan has shown his determination to create a difference in society through his acting. These days, Ahsan is busy doing a romantic-Sufi Pakistani film that is directed by Shahzad Rafique.

He is trying his acting skills again in Lollywood movies when most of the artists have left the industry due to its downfall. Ahsan believes in making things better with hard work and determination and this is the reason he is venturing into movies again. He is also doing a project with Yousaf Sallahuddin that is known as ‘Heer Ranjha’ and will be aired soon on PTV. neWS deSK

KARLOvy vARy: Helen Mirren signs autographs before the press conference during the 47th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. aFp

KARLOvy vARy: US actress and model Aimee Mullins arrives at the opening of the 47th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. aFp

Parineeti chopra dropped from Ranbir starrer

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OLL out the red carpet and welcome Ranbir Kapoor’s new (on-screen) girl. For Abhinav Kashyap’s Besharm, the makers have zeroed in on Indo-Australian actor-dancer Pallavi Sharda.

Apparently, Parineeti Chopra was also in the running, but things didn’t work out. “Pallavi has been confirmed for ‘Besharm’. As for Parineeti, she had auditioned for the part, but the makers weren’t convinced. Later, when they came across Pallavi, they unanimously agreed that she fit the role perfectly. She signed the contract a few days ago,” says an insider close to the production house.

Pallavi has been seen in small roles in films like ‘Love Breakups Zindagi’ (2011), ‘Dus Tola’ (2010) and ‘My Name Is Khan’ (2010). “This is her big break. Besides the makers, Ranbir also feels that Pallavi fits the bill,” says the insider, adding that the film’s shooting starts around October-November.

Interestingly, Mahesh Bhatt’s daughter Alia (who makes her debut in Karan Johar’s Student of The Year) and Sonakshi Sinha’s name were also doing the rounds for the role. aGencieS

MuMBAI: Abhay Deol poses as he arrives for the unveiling of ‘The Pure Concept’ 2012, a luxury home decoration collection. aFp

MuMBAI: Sonam Kapoor poses as she arrives for the unveiling of ‘The Pure Concept’ 2012, a luxury home decoration collection. aFp

MuMBAI: Jiah Khan poses as she arrives for the unveiling of ‘The Pure Concept’ 2012, a luxury home decoration collection. aFp

beyonce and jay-Z go head-to-head LOS ANGELES aGencieS

beatles in the running for best thing about britain title

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DeLe, The Beatles and Susan Boyle are among the stars competing to be named Great Britain’s ‘top cultural offering’ in a new poll.

Queen elizabeth II, One Direction, the Harry Potter books and Dusty Springfield have also been shortlisted in the ‘Greats of Great Britain’ survey, which aims to find the public’s favourite performers, sites, food and attractions, reported Daily Star. Individuals with the highest numbers of votes will have the opportunity to perform live at the ‘Great exhibition’ event later this year. And the competition is stiff - the British sarcasm, fish and chips, pubs, the BBC, William Shakespeare, the Union Jack and a cup of tea have all been nominated as the best thing about Britain. aGencieS

The 2012 BET Awards has already labeled itself as “too big to miss,” but the network’s annual event might have just gotten a tad bit bigger. With a simple tweet from wardrobe team member Manuel Mendez, fans are buzzing about a suspected appearance by Beyonce at Sunday’s show. Manuel wrote: “What would the hottest chick in the game wear at #BETAwards? The hive is working working!! #Behive you wont be disappointed.” While there has been no official confirmation, it would only be fitting that the ‘Love on Top’ singer attend. Beyonce follows behind Kanye West with six nominations that include Best Female R&B Artist and Video of the Year. Beyonce will battle her husband for video of the year at the BET Awards, and now both performers are confirmed to

attend. Beyonce is the second most nominated act. She’s up for six awards. Jay-Z is nominated for five.

Kanye West leads the pack with seven. Two of West and Jay-Z’s collaborative songs are up for video of the year. Beyonce is also nominated twice in the category. The final nominee is Usher. Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Usher, Yolanda Adams, Jamie Foxx, Brandy, Melanie Fiona, Laz Alonso, Tyler Perry, a special tribute to Whitney Houston by Cissy Houston and more are set to perform. And Whitney Houston’s mother is part of a tribute for the late superstar that will include other singers. Jamie Foxx, Quentin Tarantino and Tyler Perry will present awards. Samuel L Jackson will host the show.

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13 biographies for the summer soul Here are a few Hollywood movies based on real-life people and incidents to catch up on this summer: neWS deSK ‘Schindler’s List’ (1993) - Starring Liam Neeson, this movie is based on the life of Oskar Schindler of Poland and how persecution of the Jewish workforce by the Nazis affects him. The movie won seven Academy Awards out of the 12 it was nominated for.

‘Erin Brockovich’ (2000) - With the breathtakinglybeautiful actress Julia Roberts, this movie focuses on how a single mother brings down a power company.

‘The Fighter’ (2010)-Based on the life of boxer Micky Wa rd, Christian Bale an d Mark Wahlberg’s impressive performances wo n the movie two Oscars.

‘Into The Wild’ (2007) - A mustwatch movie for youngsters, the movie is about the journey of a good student, who abandons everything he has to live in the wilderness.

‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ (2006) - Will Sm ith impeccable portr ayal of Chris Gardne r and his life-changing professional endeavour is on e movie that will tru ly move you.

‘Girl, Interrupted’ (1999) - Based on a writer’s account of her 18month stay in a mental hospital, this is a movie of strong performances.

‘The Social Network’ (201 0) The amazing sto ry of Facebook fou nder Mark Zuckerberg and the birth of the social networkin g website with Jess e eisenberg is one movie you shou ld not miss.

‘The Last King Of Scotland’ (2006) - Based on the true life events of brutal Ugandan dictato r Idi Amin and his merciless killings is a must-watch for all movie buffs.

adele announces she’s expecting first child

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UMOUR has it that Adele is going to be a mom. The Grammy-winning singer announced Friday that she is expecting her first child with boyfriend Simon Konecki. “I’m delighted to announce that Simon and I are expecting our first child together,” the singer, 24, wrote on her website. “I wanted you to hear the news direct from me, obviously we’re over the moon and very excited but please respect our privacy at this precious time.” The British songstress made her relationship public in January when she was photographed out with Konecki, 38, in London. Konecki, the CeO of Drop4Drop charity and divorced father, then accompanied Adele to the Grammy Awards in February, where the singer nabbed six trophies for her album ‘21’. The ‘Rolling in the Deep’ singer sparked engagement rumours later that month when she was spotted wearing a yellow diamond on her engagement finger at the BRIT awards. Though she eventually denied the engagement rumours, Adele expressed her desire to have children. “I really want to be a mum,” she told People, adding that her goal was to have three sons by the age of 30. “I better start getting on with it!” aGencieS

‘Chaplin’ (1992) - The story of the legendary comic actor/filmmaker Charlie Chaplin and his troubled life as portrayed

by Robert Downey Jr makes this film a must-see.

cyrus and hemsworth married?

‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ (2008) - The story of love, hatred, revenge and power as two sisters fight for the love of King Henry VIII. Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman along with eric Bana make this movie a favourite in historical films.

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Katie hOlMes finds tOM cRuise is

USTRALIAN actor Liam Hemsworth set tongues wagging after he accidentally let slip that he and his fiancée singer Miley Cyrus are married.

Hemsworth was being honoured at the Australian Film Awards and benefit dinner in Los Angeles when the 22-year-old said they are married, before quickly correcting himself, reports contactmusic.com. “I was fortunate enough to get called back in and read with my now fiancée, who I recently got engaged to and we read together and fell in love and now we’re married. We’re not married yet, but we will be,” said Hemsworth. The representatives of the couple denied reports that they have exchanged wedding vows.

They’ve also dismissed rumours suggesting Cyrus and Hemsworth were planning to wed quietly this weekend. The couple had announced their engagement in early June. aGencieS

‘MissiOn: iMPOssible’ LOS ANGELES reuterS

Actress Katie Holmes has filed for divorce from her superstar husband Tom Cruise, ending a six-year marriage that produced one daughter and captivated celebrity watchers worldwide.

Holmes filed papers in New York City, citing irreconcilable differences and seeking sole custody of the couple’s six-yearold daughter Suri in a move that came “out of the blue” for the ‘Mission: Impossible’ actor, said one source with knowledge of the situation. The source said Cruise is out of the country filming a movie in Iceland and the filing came as a surprise. The actor’s spokeswoman issued a brief statement, saying: “Kate has filed for divorce and Tom is deeply saddened and is concentrating on his three children. Please allow

them their privacy to work this out.” No further comment was made. Earlier on Friday, People magazine quoted Holmes’ attorney Jonathan Wolfe as

calling it “a personal and private matter for Katie and her family…

Katie’s primary concern remains, as it always has been, her daughter’s best interest.” The

couple’s marriage, which began at an elaborate, Italian castle wedding in November 2006, has been closely followed by the celebrity press ever since the pair, dubbed TomKat, began dating in 2005. At the time, Holmes, now 33, was a rising star and Hollywood ingénue who found fame on TV’s ‘Dawson’s Creek’ and earned her acting chops in independent films such as ‘Pieces of April’. Cruise, 16 years her senior, was among Hollywood’s highest paid stars who enjoyed a string of box office blockbusters in action flicks ranging from 1986’s ‘Top Gun’ to his ‘Mission: Impossible’ movies that began in 1996 and continue today. Cruise, a practitioner of Scientology, was previously married to actress Mimi Rogers and actress Nicole Kidman, with whom he has two children. Holmes’ marriage to Cruise was her first.

jennifer lopez tops list of perfume makers

S

INGeR Jennifer Lopez has topped a list of making the most profitable range of perfumes, earning $80 million out of it. The singer banked the amount from her range of 18 perfumes that she released in the past 10 years, reports contactmusic.com. The 42-year-old defeated actress Sarah Jessica Parker and singer Madonna. Singer Britney Spears` range which includes ‘Believe’ and ‘Fantasy’ was the fourth largest selling range. Singer Avril Lavigne came fifth, reports online beauty products retailer escentual.com. The company’s founder Rakesh Aggarwal said Lopez’s role as judge in ‘America Idol’ helped her raise the sales. neWS deSK

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Sunday, 1 july, 2012

rosol’s dream wimbledon ends, Kvitova strolls on Page 17

Pakistan revel hafeez, azhar, taufeeq punish Sl for failed gamble

COLOMBO aFp

M

OHAMMAD H a f e e z roared back to form with a career-best 172 not out as Pakistan made Sri Lanka pay for a failed gamble in the second Test in Colombo on Saturday.

Pakistan, trailing 1-0 in the threematch series, took advantage of Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene’s surprise decision to field first on a good batting track at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

Hafeez led the Pakistani charge w i t h h i s

Hafeez makes highest Test score S.perVez QaiSer Mohammed Hafeez recorded his highest ever score in Test cricket by making an unbeaten 172 off 281 balls with 18 fours and one six on the opening day of the second Test match against Sri Lanka at Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo on Saturday (June 30).

It was the second highest score by a Pakistani batsman on the opening day of the Test match after Aamir Sohail’s 205 against England at Manchester on July 2,1991.

Mohammed Hafeez’s previous highest was 143 in 353 minutes off 237 balls with 14 fours against Bangaldesh at Chittagong in 2011-12.

This is Pakistani opener’s maiden century against Sri Lanka in nine innings of five Test matches and fifth overall in 53 innings of 28 Test matches.

The right hand opening batsman’s previous highest against the Islanders was 75 in 158 minutes off 127 balls with eight fours and one six at Abu Dhabi in 2011-12.

There was neither juice in the pitch nor brittleness in the visitors’ batting as Pakistan went on to score over 300 runs in the first innings of a Test for the first time since January 2007. The last time Pakistan scored over 300 in the first innings of a Test match was 313 in 96.5 overs against South Africa at Centurion in January 2007.

Mohammed Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar opened the innings of Pakistan. This was the 17th straight Test they are opening in, easily a Pakistan record. They have responded with five century stands, another record for Pakistan, and today’s was their sixth half-century association.

The undefeated 256-run stand between Mohammed Hafeez and Azhar Ali is the highest second wicket stand for Pakistan against Sri Lanka and third highest overall after Zaheer Abbas and Mushtaq Mohammed’s 291-run stand against England at Birmingham in 1971 and 262-run partnership between Ijaz Ahmed and Saeed Anwar against New Zealand at Rawalpindi in 1996-97.

Highest score on the opening day of the test for Pakistan Score batsman oppoenent Venue date 205 aamir Sohail england manchester 02-07-1991 172* m hafeez Sri lanka colombo 39-06-2012 166 K abadullah australia Karach 24-10-1964 163 J miandad nz lahore 09-10-1976 159* inzamam nz lahore 01-05-2000

fifth Test century — and the first after 10 innings — as the tourists moved to a commanding 334 for one by stumps on the opening day.

The Pakistan vice-captain has put on 256 runs for the unbroken second wicket with Azhar Ali (92 not out) after sharing an opening stand of 78 with Taufeeq Umar (65).

It was the first time since making 379-4 against India in Faisalabad in 2006 that Pakistan scored over 300 runs on the first day of a Test match.

The century helped Hafeez overcome the disappointment of losing the first Test in Galle by 209 runs, where he led Pakistan in the absence of the banned Misbah-ul Haq. The allrounder had b e e n under pressure to retain his place in the Test side after a barren run of 10 innings since making his previous best of 143 against Bangladesh in Chittagong last year.

But Hafeez answered his critics in style, smashing 18 boundaries and a six off Suraj Randiv that sailed over the mid-wicket fence.

Azhar was content to play second fiddle at the other end, scoring just six fours, as the second-wicket pair laid the foundation for a big first innings total.

Azhar will resume on Monday needing just eight runs to complete his third Test century.

Hafeez earned a lucky break just before tea when he was caught down the leg-side by wicket-

keeper Prasanna Jayawardene, but television replays confirmed Angelo Mathews had sent down a no-ball.

When Hafeez was on 171, umpire Simon Taufel turned down Rangana Herath’s confident appeal for a catch at the wicket even as television replays indicated the ball may have gone off the bat.

Hafeez took time to settle down, making only 20 till lunch, before opening out after the break with attractive strokeplay on both sides of the wicket.

He had scored only 12 when Taufeeq raced to his 14th Test half-century in the 18th over with two successive boundaries off Mathews.

Taufeeq fell just when he had mastered the Sri Lankan attack, edging an intended cut off Mathews to the wicket-keeper.

Hafeez began the post-lunch session by sweeping Herath for two fours to bring up Pakistan’s 100 and then drove Nuwan Kulasekara to the point fence to reach his eighth half-century.

Misbah returned to lead Pakistan after missing the Galle Test due to a one-match ban for slow over-rates. Middle-order batsman Mohammad Ayub was dropped to accommodate the skipper.

But the tourists were without frontline seamer Umar Gul, who was ruled out with an ankle injury.

He was replaced by fast bowler Aizaz Cheema.

Sri Lanka retained the same side that won the first Test to take the lead in the three-match series.

Scoreboard paKiStan 1St inninGS: Mohammad hafeez not out 172 65 taufeeq umar c p. jayawardene b Mathews azhar ali not out 92 5 extras: (lb3, nb2) total (for one wicket, 90 overs) 334 Fall of wicket: 1-78 (taufeeq). bowling: Kulasekara 20-4-60-0, Mathews 12-1-45-1 (nb1), pradeep 13-3-52-0 (nb1), randiv 20-0-83-0, herath 24-3-82-0, dilshan 1-0-9-0. toss: Sri lanka umpires: ian Gould (enG) and Simon taufel (auS) tV umpire: ruchira palliyaguruge (Sri) Match referee: david boon (auS)

India’s Sudhindra gets life ban for spot-fixing NEW DELHI aFp

India’s uncapped fast bowler T. P. Sudhindra has been handed a life ban for spot-fixing in a local match, the country’s cricket chiefs announced on Saturday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also punished four other domestic players, with Shalabh Srivastava banned for five years, and Mohnish Mishra, Abhinav Bali and Amit Yadav each for one year.

“The disciplinary committee held Sudhindra guilty of actually receiving a consideration to spot-fix in a domestic cricket match, and hence imposed an exemplary penalty on him,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale said in a statement.

The BCCI last month suspended the players from all cricket after a sting operation by a local TV channel during this season’s Indian Premier League (IPL) highlighted alleged fixing and corruption in domestic matches.

The inquiry was carried out by former police officer Ravi Sawani, who had previously served on the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.

“Sudhindra has been debarred for life, from playing any cricket matches conducted or authorised by the ICC (International Cricket Council) or BCCI, or any affiliated unit of the BCCI,” Jagdale said in the statement. Hindi-language India TV last month showed Sudhindra, of IPL’s team Deccan Chargers, allegedly agreeing to bowl pre-arranged no-balls in a local amateur match. Kings XI Punjab player Srivastava was reportedly heard boasting he could do the same in the IPL. The channel reported it had taped seamer Srivastava telling its reporters he could deliver a no-ball in the IPL for one million rupees (about $18,500).

“Srivastava was held guilty of agreeing to fix a match and negotiate terms for the same, even though no actual matchfixing or spot fixing took place,” said Jagdale.

“He has been debarred for a period of five years.”

Mishra, Bali and Yadav were found guilty of bringing “the game into disrepute”. “The three players, through loose talk and unsubstantiated bragging, brought the game into disrepute, and hence, have been held guilty of the lesser offence,” said Jagdale. “They have been debarred for a period

PCB in search of commissioner for Premier League LAHORE StaFF report

of one year.”

There was no immediate comment from the players. The five are all first-class players, but have yet to break into international cricket. The IPL, which began in 2008 as a highoctane mix of glamour, entertainment, rich purses for players and the excitement of slam-bang T20 cricket, has endured a difficult ride over the past four years.

The tournament, which features world stars playing for rich franchise owners, is also being investigated by government agencies for alleged fraud and foreign exchange violations. Its founder Lalit Modi, who was suspended from the league in 2010, is holed up in London facing Indian government and BCCI charges of misappropriation of funds.

Three Pakistan players — Test captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif — plus their agent Mazhar Majeed were last year found guilty of spot-fixing during the 2010 Lord’s Test against England and jailed.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has advertised for the post of commissioner for its proposed Pakistan T20 Premier League to be held later this year. A senior PCB official confirmed that the board had placed an advertisement inviting applications from interested and qualified candidates. “We have invited applications for the commissioner of the PPL who will be responsible for monitoring and managing the league,” the official said. He said the board had done a lot of homework on the proposed league which it plans to hold in NovemberDecember this year. “The time slot we see best to launch the league is at the end of the year because in this period the national team is also free of international commitments and players of some other countries would also be available,” the official said. Reports said that Sarwar Salman Butt, who had also served as managing director of the PCB’s Champions Trophy secretariat in 2008, is likely to be appointed as the commissioner of the PPL. “Sarwar Butt is a strong candidate and is also backed by board officials,” the official said. “He has the required background in managing a event of this magnitude as he has served in senior positions in international banks as well.” The PCB has been bolstered in its bid to launch the PPL after signing an exchange agreement with the Sri Lanka Cricket under which both countries will make their players available for each other’s T20 leagues. Pakistan has also spoken to the Bangladesh Cricket Board about signing a similar exchange programme and sources said they are also trying to convince the BCCI to have some Indian presence and backing in the PPL. “The PCB has got offers to buy the franchises and for sponsorship from abroad and that has encouraged them a lot,” the official said.

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Sunday, 1 July, 2012

PCB rejects Salman’s innocence claims LAHORE

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StaFF report

AKISTAN cricket chief Zaka Ashraf Saturday rejected spot-fixing convict Salman Butt’s claims of innocence, saying the former captain was just expressing his personal views.

The 27-year-old ex-Pakistan captain, found guilty in a spot-fixing scandal that rocked the sport, Friday called for an open trial in his home country, saying justice was not done in the case leading to his ban and jail time.

“Whatever denial Butt is giving now, it is his personal view,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ashraf said at Lahore airport after returning from the International Cricket Council annual conference in Kuala Lumpur.

“Butt was convicted in a UK court so the matter was related to the UK.” The cricketer was found guilty by both the game’s governing body and a British court of receiving money in return for orchestrating deliberate no-balls during the Lord’s Test against England in 2010.

The bowlers Mohammed Aamer and Mohammad Asif were also charged relating to deliberate no-balls they bowled but that were allegedly contrived by Butt in association with agent Mazhar Majeed, also sentenced to 32 months in jail.

The deal was organised by Majeed and an undercover reporter for the now defunct News of the World, in a sting operation which exposed corruption in in-

Pakistan expect healthy earning from series against Australia lAhore: The Pakistan Cricket Board is expecting a profit of around Rs. 450 million from its ‘home’ series against Australia that is likely to be organised in the United Arab Emirates. Although the Australians have expressed reservations over playing a series of three one-dayers and three Twenty20 matches in the warm months of August-September and are pushing for six T20s, a PCB official said profits can be netted if the series includes both formats. “We have started work on a series of ODIs and T20 matches even though the ICC at its meeting in Kuala Lumpur gave approval for having a six match T20 series,” the official said. He said that initial estimates suggest that the series likely to be held immediately after Ramazan will earn the board approximately Rs. 649 million. Expenditures for the Australian series have been estimated at around Rs. 187 million if it is held in the United Arab Emirates. StaFF report

Pak cricketer seeks asylum in Oz sydney: Pakistani cricketer Fawad Ahmed, who now plays in Australia, has said he was threatened by religious extremists back home for playing and coaching the sport he loves. Ahmed lived in Swabi, a city of about one million people in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghanistan border. He graduated from Peshawar University with a master``s degree in international relations and political science. Ahmed, 30, is seeking asylum in Australia, awaiting a decision on his claim for protection. “I got death threats from them. They say I am promoting a Western culture and bringing kids out of their homes for recreational activity and if you continue this it might be really difficult for you,” he said. “I quit coaching, but I got [picked] for [firstclass] cricket and the matches were all around Pakistan. aGencieS

Sports 15

banned Kaneria unlikely to play in Pakistan KArAChi: former test bowler danish Kaneria is unlikely to be allowed to resume his career in Pakistan after being banned for life by the england and wales Cricket board, the Pakistan board (PCb) said on saturday. Kaneria was banned for life from any involvement in cricket under the jurisdiction of the eCb earlier this month after being found guilty of corruption while playing for county side essex. “we have an obligation to the iCC anti-corruption code which states clearly that member countries must also implement decisions relating to corruption against any player in their jurisdictions,” PCb chief operating officer, subhan Ahmed said. the international Cricket Council at its executive board meeting urged all member countries for a worldwide ban on Kaneria. “it is highly unlikely he will be allowed to play now even if he appeals the decision,” Ahmed said.

Kaneria, who has played 61 tests and taken 261 wickets for Pakistan, has said he is innocent and will appeal the life ban. the 31year-old was found guilty by the eCb of encouraging or attempting to encourage essex team mate mervyn westfield to underperform in a match in 2009. Kaneria was named in a london court in february as a go-between in a spot-fixing scandal that resulted in westfield going to jail for four months. three other Pakistani players, former captain salman butt, mohammad Asif and mohammad Amir were jailed last year for their part in a separate spot-fixing scandal during the fourth test against england at lords in 2010. the trio were also given minimum five-year bans by the iCC. reuterS

ternational cricket.

“If the chief justice of Pakistan’s Supreme Court decides to take up the matter it is up to him, but the PCB has no link and no role in all this,” said Ashraf, who took over in October, a month before the players were sentenced.

Butt was the last of the three players released from prison last week after serving less than a quarter of his 30-month sentence.

All three players were banned for a minimum of five years by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The trio has a right to appeal against the ICC ruling, and while Aamer, who pleaded guilty during the trial, has decided not to appeal, Butt and Asif have hinted they may challenge the bans.

The 27-year-old exPakistan captain, found guilty in a spot-fixing scandal that rocked the sport, Friday called for an open trial in his home country, saying justice was not done in the case leading to his ban and jail time.

“If the chief justice of Pakistan’s Supreme Court decides to take up the matter it is up to him, but the PCB has no link and no role in all this,” said Ashraf, who took over in October, a month before the players were sentenced.

U19 aSIa cUP PReVIew: INDIa V PakISTaN

A cracker of a clash LAHORE StaFF report

Pakistan is in all readiness to take on India when the two powerhouses clash in the final of the 2012 Asian Cricket Council Under-19s Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

And India will be fully aware of the task that lies ahead of them when they take on their unbeaten arch rivals. India’s only loss came against Pakistan where the team fell short by an excruciating run.

Pakistan however have enjoyed a successful tournament given their win margins. Convincing clobbering of the opposition makes them favourites entering the summit clash against the defending champions. While India’s batting has struggled, the bowling has been refreshingly up and about rescuing the team on more than one occasion. Left-arm spinner Vikas Sharma has particularly stood out with his performances.

And with Sandeep Sharma

and Mohsin Sayyed added to the mix, Pakistan would be far from complacent against the commendable attack.

As for the batting, India will be wary of crumbling against the Pakistani attack. With barely any runs under his belt, skipper Unmukt Chand came out on top in the semifinal with a gutsy knock to lead the team to their third consecutive final. All in all, this one promises to be a cracker of a clash.

Expect fireworks.

Spain, italy face final reckoning S Pervez Qaiser Spain and Italy will face each other in the final match of the Euro 2012 to be held at Olympic Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine on Sunday (July 1). This match will start at 11.45 hours (PST) The two Mediterranean countries will face each other a second time during this European Championship.

Spain tied Italy and defeated Ireland and Croatia in its group matches before defeating France in the quarterfinals and Portugal (on penalties) in the semifinals.

Italy tied Spain and Croatia and defeated Ireland in its group matches. Italy defeated England in the quarterfinals (on penalties) before defeating a stunned Germany in the semifinals. Spain are in their fourth European Championship final while Italy are in the showpiece for the third time. Spain defeated Soviet Union 2-1 at Madrid in 1964 while lost to France at Paris in 1984. They beat Germany 1-0 at Vienna in 2008. Italy defeated Yugoslavia 2-0 in reply after first final ended 1-1 at Rome in 1968 while Frace defeated Italy 1-2 at Rotterdam eight years ago.

Italy may have a great team, but the possibility of Spain pulling a third consecutive victory in a row is great.

It will be the fourth time a European Cup final takes place between teams who met earlier in the tournament. It happened in 1988 (Netherlands-Soviet Union), 1996 (GermanyCzech Republic) and 2004 (Greece-Portugal).

Italy and Spain are facing each other for the 31st time in their history. The Italians hold the advantage with 10 wins to Spain’s eight. 12 draws complete the picture. Italy scored 39 and conceded 30 goals in these matches. Italy are unbeaten against Spain at major tournaments (penalties shoot-outs excluded), with three wins and four draws.

Nevertheless, Spain managed to qualify in their last encounter in knockout games, it was at the quarter-finals of 2008 European Cup, 0-0 after 120 minutes, 4-2 after penalties. In World Cup and European Championship fi-

sPAin V itAly : heAd to heAd: internAtionAl mAtChes: Played: 30 Italy won: 10 Spain won: 8 Drawn: 12 Goals for Italy: 39 Goals for Spain: 30 eUroPeAn CUP mAtChes: Played: 4 Italy won: 1 Spain won: Drawn: 3 Goals for Italy: 2 Goals for Spain: 1 nals matches, Italy have won three and draw four in seven match against Spain – three of those draws and one win coming in the continental competition.

Cesare Prandelli has faced Spain twice as Italy headcoach and has never lost. Italy beat them in a friendly match 2-1 on August 10 2011,before drawing in their opening game of European Cup 1-1, Spain haven’t conceded a single goal in their last 900 minutes of action in major tournament knockout games, a streak which started in the quarter finals of 2008 European Cup. Spain are the second European side to reach the final of three consecutive major tournaments, after West Germany, European Cup 1972, World Cup 19 74 and European Cup 1976. Spain could become the first team in history to successfully defend their European Championship title. They would also become the first European side to win three consecutive major tournaments.

Dar honoured for becoming only seventh umpire to stand in 150 ODIs

LAHORE StaFF report

Aleem Dar of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires was yesterday honoured for becoming only the seventh umpire in the history of the sport to officiate in 150 ODIs when he took the field for the five-ODI series opener between England and Australia at Lord’s on Friday. To mark the achievement, Javagal Srinath of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match referees presented a memento to the umpire at the post-match presentation ceremony.

The 44-year-old, who won the David Shepherd Trophy for the third successive year by winning the ICC Umpire of the Year award at the LG ICC Awards in London in 2011, made his umpiring debut in February 2000 when he umpired in an ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Gujranwala. After being promoted to the elite panel in 2002, he officiated in his first Test between Bangladesh and England in Dhaka in October 2003. Aleem has supervised the finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and 2011, and also umpired in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003. Besides 150 ODIs, Aleem has also stood in 74 Tests which makes him the sixth most experienced official on the circuit. Reflecting on his achievement, Aleem said: “I am honoured and humbled to join the exclusive 150-ODI club which includes some of the most respected gentlemen in this noble profession.

To get to the landmark at the home of cricket in a match featuring the oldest opponents in the sport makes this occasion more memorable. Most appearances by umpires (as of 30 June 2012): Umpire Rudi Koertzen Steve Bucknor Daryl Harper David Shepherd Simon Taufel Billy Bowden Aleem Dar

span 1992-2010 1989-2009 1994-2011 1983-2005 1999- to date 1995- to date 2000- to date

odis 209 181 174 172 172 170 150

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Sunday, 1 July, 2012

Italy bid to topple Spain as

european kings mario balotelli

Fernando torreS kIEV

E

aFp

URO 2012 reaches its climax in Sunday’s final in Kiev, when defending champions Spain will bid to hold off an Italy side who have steadily eased into form in trademark fashion.

Having beaten strongly fancied Germany 2-1 in Thursday’s second semi-final in Warsaw, 1968 title-winners Italy will contest a Euro final for the first time since their extra-time loss to France in 2000.

Reigning world and European champions Spain are seeking to become the first team in history to win three consecutive major titles, but they required a penalty shoot-out to edge Portugal in the last four in Donetsk.

Despite dominating possession, as they did in the 2-0 quarter-final success over France, Spain laboured in attack against the Portuguese and have started to face accusations that their ‘tika-taka’ style has become sterile.

Italy, in contrast, have confounded low pretournament expectations to eliminate first Eng-

watch it Live TEN SPORTS 2nd Test: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 09:30AM

STAR SPORTS Wimbledon Tennis 04:00PM

Unheralded Felibert leads in Arkansas roGers: Venezuela rookie Veronica Felibert fired a career-best six-under 65 to seize a one-shot lead after the opening round of the LPGA Tour’s NW Arkansas Championship on Friday.

Felibert got into the tournament as a second alternate after she missed the cut in her three previous events. This is just her fifth official start on the Tour.

“I think I was hitting the ball pretty good,” said Felibert. “I remember just missing one green, just chipping once and just hitting fairways and greens.

“I’ve been working really hard on my putter. I just switched a week ago, so this will be my second week with the putter. I don’t know, I’m feeling pretty confident and I would say that was what made the difference.” She had seven birdies and needed only 27 putts Friday at the Pinnacle Country Club course. Her previous best round was a second round 71 at the Mobile Bay Classic two months ago. aFp

land and then Germany, and they have not been beaten by Spain over 90 minutes in a competitive match since the 1920 Olympics.

Italy’s preparations for the tournament having been clouded by the Calcioscommesse match-fixing affair, the Azzurri could be poised to triumph in the face of adversity once again.

Their World Cup successes in both 1982 and 2006 were prefaced by match-fixing scandals, but coach Cesare Prandelli has cooled talk of omens by insisting that his side will be the underdogs at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium.

“We are looking for Spain’s weak points and we’ll be working on that, but it won’t be easy,” said Prandelli, whose side beat Spain 2-1 in a friendly in August last year. “They are world and European champions.”

Spain and Italy drew 1-1 in their opening Group C game — Cesc Fabregas cancelling out Antonio di Natale’s opener — and it will be the fourth time that two teams who have met in their first game resume hostilities in the final.

The last occasion was at Euro 2004, when Greece twice upset hosts Portugal.

Italy successfully stifled Spain three weeks ago in Gdansk, as Prandelli opted for a 3-5-2

formation that afforded his defenders extra room to manoeuvre against Spain’s fluid front three.

Fabregas was used as a ‘false nine’ in that game, but Spain coach Vicente del Bosque appears to have doubts over who is the best player to spearhead his attack.

Fernando Torres played up front in the 40 win over Ireland and the 1-0 defeat of Croatia, while Alvaro Negredo started in the 0-0 draw with Portugal but was replaced by Fabregas early in the second half.

One striker brimming with confidence is Italy’s Mario Balotelli, who came of age in the semi-final against Germany with a confidently taken first-half brace.

The controversy-prone 21-year-old provided one of the images of the tournament by embracing his adoptive mother in the crowd after the final whistle, and he will enter Sunday’s game as the tournament’s joint-top scorer with three goals.

“Balotelli is a great player,” said Fabregas.

“He showed that (on Thursday) by scoring two superb goals in a semi-final against a very strong team like Germany.”

Platini rides to defence of ‘boring’ Spain KieV: UEFA president Michel Platini has defended Euro 2012 finalists Spain against accusations that their famous ‘tiki-taka’ possession-based approach has become boring.

Spain can become the first team in history to win three consecutive major international tournaments by beating Italy in Sunday’s final in Kiev, but they have been criticised for the quality of their football. Swashbuckling champions at Euro 2008, La Roja have presented a more pragmatic face at Euro 2012, and needed penalties to edge Portugal in the semi-finals. But Platini, who knows what it takes to win a European Championship, having inspired France to victory on home soil in 1984, says Spain should be congratulated for the evolution in their style. “I don’t agree at all that Spain are boring,” he said on Saturday. “They’ve got to the final this time with a different style, based on tactical intelligence and technical ability. “They complete a huge number of passes, although now it’s mainly in midfield, as opposed to in the final third. aFp

Lochte looks good in semis, adrian wins 100 free OMAHA aFp

Ryan Lochte came out on top in another semi-final tussle with Michael Phelps Friday at the US Olympic swimming trials as he set himself up for a tilt at a 200m backstroke-medley double. Lochte settled for bronze in the 200m medley at the Beijing Olympics behind Phelps and Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh, then eclipsed Phelps — and his own world record — at the World Championships in Shanghai last year. He signalled his intentions for the final with a victory over Phelps in the first semi-final in 1min 55.51sec — the fastest time in the world this year. Phelps was second, and second-fastest overall into the final, in 1:56.66. The clash was part of a busy night for Lochte, who led the way into the final of the 200m backstroke in 1:55.73. “I knew he kind of took off, so I was like I probably should save something for tomorrow,” Phelps said. “I kind of shut it down once the race was kind of over.” So far this week, Phelps and Lochte are 1-1 in finals as the trials offered a glimpse of a rivalry that will be on display at the London Aquatics Centre. As always, the duel between the superstars drew the spotlight on a night when three finals decided six spots on the team for London.

blake beats bolt in 9.75sec at Jamaican olympic trials kINGSTON aFp

Yohan Blake served notice he will be ready to challenge for the Olympic 100m title, upstaging world record holder Usain Bolt to win in 9.75 seconds at the Jamaican Olympic Athletic Trials.

Just one month before the start of the London Games, Blake became the fourth-fastest man ever in the event as he ran a personal best and the fastest time in the world this year with a legal wind of +1.1 m/sec. “Coach (Glen) Mills told me I can do it and I believed,” said an elated Blake after Friday’s victory. “The Olympics is the focus right now.”

Bolt, the reigning Olympic champion, was second in 9.86 seconds after a poor start and Asafa Powell snatched the third and final Olympic spot with a time of 9.88 seconds in a star-studded final. “He’s a class runner without a doubt and I have said it over the years that he is one of the best.

So for me it’s just one of those things,” Bolt said of Blake.

Blake was not the only 100m hero Friday at the National Stadium as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce clocked a world leading 10.70 seconds to beat Veronica Campbell-Brown

(10.82) and Kerron Stewart (10.94). “This is the first hurdle and I crossed it and I am just looking forward to the Olympics,” Fraser-Pryce said. Bolt said he was distracted in the blocks and it affected his start. “In the finals Nesta

(Carter) moved beside me and when the gun went I was not focussed,” Bolt said. “It is kinda hard to run down people like Asafa and Blake with his top end speed. But for me to get left in the blocks like that is really bad.

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Sunday, 1 July, 2012

Sports 17

rosol’s dream Wimbledon ends, Kvitova strolls on LONDON

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WIMBLEDON: Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova celebrates her third round women’s singles victory over uS player varvara Lepchenko during the Wimbledon Championships. AFP

Shvedova’s historic Golden Set helps sink errani london: Yaroslava Shvedova completed the first Golden Set in Grand Slam history as the Kazakh wildcard won all 24 points and conceded none in a 6-0 first set whitewash en route to defeating French Open runner-up Sara Errani in the Wimbledon third round on Saturday. hvedova, the world number 65, hit 14 winners and took just 15 minutes to demolish Italian 10th seed Errani in an incredible first set on Court Three. The 24year-old, the Wimbledon doubles champion in 2010 and twice a French Open quarterfinalist, couldn’t dominate quite so emphatically in the second set. aFp

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UKAS Rosol, the shock Wimbledon conqueror of Rafael Nadal, returned to familiar anonymity on Saturday when Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber sent him crashing out in the third round.

Czech world 100 Rosol had caused one of the greatest upsets in the history of the sport when he beat world number two Nadal in five sets in the second round under the Centre Court roof on Thursday.

But out on Court 12, normal service was resumed as German 27th seed Kohlschreiber, who had also beaten Nadal on grass at Halle two weeks ago, eased to a 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) victory and a first appearance in the fourth round.

Kohlschreiber, who claimed victory on a fourth match point, will tackle American qualifier Brian Baker for a place in the quarter-finals. Baker’s fairytale return hit a new high when he enjoyed a 6-4, 4-6, 61, 6-3 victory over France’s Benoit Paire.

Baker lost six years of his career to an assortment of injuries that left him needing five different operations on a hernia, left and right hips and right elbow.

The 27-year-old, who started the year ranked 458, will rise to at least 78 after his performances at Wimbledon. “It’s been unreal,” said Baker, who took a job as a college tennis coach to maintain his feel for the sport during his lengthy lay-off. “On court I still have nerves when you know what’s on the table and what you have accomplished. It’s crazy what’s been going on.” Defending women’s champion Petra Kvitova wasted little time moving into fourth round as the Czech took just 53 minutes to crush America’s Varvara Lepchenko 6-1, 6-0.

Kvitova has yet to drop a set in defence of the title she won with a shock triumph against Maria Sharapova and Lepchenko, ranked 53rd, had no answer to the world number four’s power. The 22-year-old, who has lost just 13 games in her three matches, blasted 15 winners and forced the out-classed Lepchenko to make 38 errors in a brutal demolition on Court One. Kvitova, seeded fourth, will play former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone for a place in the quarter-finals.

“I’m feeling better with every match I play here. The third round today was much better than the first round,” Kvitova said.

“I’m so happy that I played well and I’m glad that I made so few unforced errors.”

Serena survives scare from Zheng london aFp

Four-time champion Serena Williams held off a gutsy challenge from China’s Zheng Jie for a 6-7 (7/5), 6-2, 9-7 win on Centre Court to propel her into the fourth round at Wimbledon. The Chinese 25th seed provided the American with a serious examination over nearly two and a half hours but Williams showed she has lost none of her gritty determination as she finally made the breakthrough in the third set. “It was good to win that. I needed a tough match like that and she’s always playing me incredibly well,” said the sixth seed. “We always have unbelievable matches together. I thought I definitely want to go out with a bang. “I’m just fighting everything and playing hard. She’s playing unbelievable on grass so I’m just doing the best I can.” Williams faces Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan for a place in the quarter-finals after the wildcard knocked out 10th seed Sara Errani of Italy, the French Open runner-up, 6-0, 6-4, taking every point in the first set. Zheng hadn’t been past the Wimbledon second round since becoming the first wildcard to reach the semi-finals at the All England Club four years ago.

The 28-year-old, who was beaten by Williams on that occasion, was making only her second appearance in the last 32 of a Grand Slam since 2010. Williams opened the serving and comfortably took the first game to love but Zheng responded in kind, showing she was prepared to match her trophy-laden opponent. The Chinese was 40-0 up in the sixth game when, with the sun in her eyes, she served into her own half of the court, the ball bouncing over the net like a ping-pong serve. But she recovered to take the game. Both players were holding serve in style, with just five points conceded in the first eight games. Zheng was left serving to stay in the set at 6-5 down and was pegged back to deuce.

However, she won the game with an aggressive charge to the net. In the tie-break, Zheng got 5-2 up but Williams levelled matters. The American then hit the net to give Zheng set point and then shot wide to concede the set. Williams dominated the second set, which went with serve until she broke in the fifth game, taking it when Zheng hit the net.

Stepping it up a gear, Williams won the next game to love and then broke to love and served for the set without conceding. The Chinese had three break points in the fourth game of a pulsating final set but some Williams aces and Zheng errors took it to 2-2. Once it got to 5-6 and beyond, the pressure was always on Williams to hold her serve.

Williams had a break point on a deuce at 7-7 when Zheng shot long and then won the game when the Chinese sent a shot ballooning skywards. Serving for the match, the American was not found wanting.

Zheng held off the first match point with an excellent return of serve and survived the second when Williams overhit. But the Chinese could hold out no more, leaving Williams looking somewhat relieved.

Kazakh wildcard Yaroslava Shvedova defeated Italian 10th seed and French Open runner-up Sara Errani 6-0, 6-4 to reach the last 16 for the first time. Shvedova also made history by winning all 24 points in the opener to achieve a rare Golden Set. Former world number one

WiMbledon: uS player Serena Williams warms up in her white jacket during her third round match. aFP

Ana Ivanovic, the 14th seed, reached the last 16, coming from behind to clinch a 36, 6-3, 6-4 win against Germany’s Julia Goerges. Ivanovic will play second seed Victoria Azarenka or Slovakian qualifier Jana Cepelova for a place in the quarter-finals. Also going through was Austria’s

Tamira Paszek, the first round conqueror of former number one Caroline Wozniacki.

Paszek enjoyed a 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 win over Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer and will face either Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic or Italian 21st seed Roberta Vinci for a place in the quarter-finals.

Fireworks at the championships at Wimbledon

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FROM ALI AkBAR

OR a while it looked like open season on the top three seeds. Just as Wimbledon was still echoing from the exploits of Lukas Rosol and his defeat of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic found himself one set down against Czech veteran Radek Stepanek. But then Djokovic found the range on his passing shots and it was business as usual. It was then Roger Federer’s turn, facing Julien Benneteau, the 29th ranked Frenchman. The two have known each other since they were 12-year olds playing in France, but you wouldn’t have known it as Julien attacked Roger with an array of aces and groundstroke winners that made Federer look flatfooted.

Soon it was one set to love to Benneteau and the second set followed a similar pattern with Federer under pressure. Federer fought his way to two set points but could not convert.

Bennetteau took the set in the tie break.

Suddenly alarm bells were ringing. Roger Federer was on the ropes and was primed for an upset against an opponent who was giving nothing away. But Roger fought back, taking the third set with two breaks and the battle was joined in the fourth. At four games to five, Federer was down 15-30 and a couple of his shots were close to going out. Again in

the tie break, Bennetteau was within two points of winning but never could reach match point as Federer scraped through the fourth. The fifth was all Federer as Bennetteau cramped badly.

This win could be good for Federer as he has escaped a tough situation and his mental toughness has received a work out. He might.

Also feel that he is destined for another crown after this escape. But Djokovic awaits in the semi finals and it would take a Herculean effort for Roger to get by him should he, as expected, get by Xavier Malisse and Michael youzhney.The bottom half of the men’s singles is wide open with the departure of Nadal. Two players who would be looking to seize the opportunity would be Andy Murray and Joe Phillipe Tsonga. Neither has ever won a Grand Slam and would dearly love to make inroads here. Juan Martin Del Potro has won one and looking to do well here. Grass is not his best surface, but the sheer weight and power of his game should see him through to the quarters for a meeting with Murray. The most interesting quarter is the bottom one where Tsonga and Phillip Kohlschreiber are seeded to meet, with the departure of Nadal.

Kohlschreiber brought Lukas Rosol crashing down to earth with a clinical display of serving and returning. Rosol tried to emulate his heroics of two nights ago, but the conditions were different. The wind was blowing and his early ball tactics were

missing, where, against Nadal, under the covered roof, everything was going in.

The human interest story of the day is that of Brian Baker, an American player who was kept out of the game for seven years because of injuries and surgeries. Baker, in his first year after his recovery, has reached the last sixteen and will play Kohlschreiber for a place in the quarters. In a surprise result in the men’s doubles, Jonathan Marray and Fredrick Nielsen defeated Ivo Karlovic and Frank Moser in straight sets and will next play Aisam Qureshi and Jean-Julien Rojer for a place in the quarterfinals. Aisam and Rojer have been combining well with Aisam going for his shots and Rojer being the steadying influence. They have gotten past the first two rounds with something to spare. Should they get by Marray and Nielsen, they will play the winner of Cerretani-vasselin and MarreroSeppi. This is well within their capabilities and should they play the big points well and have luck on their side, they would most likely face the Bryans in the semifinals. Aisam and Rojer have a recent win over the Bryans, but at Wimbledon and in the best of five sets format, the Bryans would be the decided favourites. But then, a few points here or there and anything could happen.

The team to look out for is the current Australian Open champions, Stepanek/Paes.

They have formed a formidable partnership and would be the team to beat in the top half,

with the loss of the top seeds Mirnyi and Nestor. But the doubles match of the tournament, should both teams get there, would be the quarterfinal between PaesStepanek and Bhupathi-Bopanna. With the background of the Olympic entries scandal, this match could provide some real fireworks and not just with the tennis.

In the mixed doubles, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza have crashed out, losing to Paul Hanley and Kudryavtseva in straight sets. The Indians had won the French Open earlier this month but were outplayed here.

Sania, meanwhile, has aimed a broadside in the continuing row over Olympic entries with the Indian Tennis Federation. Sania has been entered with Leander Paes in the Olympic event whereas she is the French Open champion with Bhupathi. With Bhupathi and Paes at daggers drawn, Sania felt aggrieved at being cast with a player other than her regular partner. She accused the AITA of being racist and of using her as a pawn in the ongoing row. Things are getting ugly here and the AITA is besieged by the controversy.

Aisam Qureshi and Andrea Hlavackova have a bye in the first round of the mixed doubles.

They will play the winners of the FlemingHsieh/Sa Rodionova match. Aisam and Andrea have done well at the majors without really setting the world on fire. They are in a tough half and would do well to reach the later stages.

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Sunday, 1 July, 2012

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natO blockade costing us an extra $2.1 billion: report WASHINGTON Special correSpondent

Corruption eating away

Rs 6-8b eveRy day ISLAMABAD tayyab huSSain

ATIONAL Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Fasih Bukhari on Saturday said that due to unabated corruption, the national treasury was facing losses of worth 6-8 billion rupees per day.

The NAB chairman said that the bureau’s job was to recover the ‘stolen’ money, not prosecute. He however added that if anyone was found guilty, they would be prosecuted.

He also made an effort to portray the NAB as unbiased, stating that no political cases would be opened against PML-N leadership for the time being as the country had already entered the election year.

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NAB chief also made an effort to take credit of the NAB’s achievements made under General Musharraf’s era and claimed that the NAB had recovered Rs 235 billion from the corrupt till date.

“However, let me admit that this is not enough,” he said, adding that the government had given approval for recruiting 300 new investigators for the ‘under-staffed’ NAB. He also made an effort to distance the NAB from the government-judiciary confrontation and said that the investigation into Dr Iftikhar’s case was being made on the orders of the apex court.

Responding to a query about opening of money laundering case against Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz chief Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Bukhari stated that NAB was reviewing the references put forward by Rehman Malik against Sharif brothers. However,

he made it clear that the NAB would not open any political case for the time being as the country had already entered an election year.

Bukhari said that even though the Sharif brothers’ case could yield three billion rupees and the Swiss letter case some six billion rupees, but it was the case of former Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) chairman, Tauqeer Sadiq, that could retrieve some 55 billion rupees to the treasury. He told media that a warrant would be issued for Tauqeer Sadiq’s arrest.

Referring to the rental power project case, Bukhari expressed ignorance about Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf’s name being put on the Exit Control List by the FIA, even though he admitted to the fact that the Raja Pervaiz was interrogated for three hours by the NAB before he assumed charge as prime minister.

Morsi sworn in as Egypt’s first Islamist president CAIRO aFp

Mohamed Morsi took the oath of office on Saturday to become Egypt’s first Islamist president and its first elected head of state since Hosni Mubarak’s overthrow last year.

The ceremony took place in the constitutional court rather than parliament, the result of an ongoing tussle with the military that took charge after Mubarak’s overthrow and insists on retaining broad powers now. “I swear by the Almighty God to sincerely preserve the republican order and to respect the constitution and law, and completely care for the people’s interest,” he said at the ceremony at the court.

Morsi had wanted to take the oath before parliament, but the military has disbanded the Islamist-dominated House following a court order.

In an address at Cairo University following his swearing-in, Morsi

thanked the military for seeing through the presidential elections but pointedly mentioned the “elected parliament” several times. hint: “The elected institutions will return to fulfilling their roles. And the great military will devote itself to the task of protecting the country,” he told his audience, which included the military’s leader, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi. He then set out some of his international and domestic objectives, saying he would be a “servant of the people” in a “democratic, modern and constitutional state”.

PAlestiniAns: Internationally, he said Egypt would back the Palestinians and called for an end to the bloodshed in Syria. “I announce from here that Egypt, its people and presidential institution stand with the Palestinian people until they regain all their rights,” he said. “We support the Syrian people. We want the bloodshed to stop,” he added.

He repeated that Egypt would respect its international treaties, in an allusion to its 1979 peace accord with Israel. “We carry a message of peace to the world, accompanied and preceded by a message of right and justice.”

Morsi, who resigned from the Muslim Brotherhood after winning the election this month, had spoken out forcefully in support of Palestinians during his campaign. The Brotherhood is vehemently opposed to Syrian president Bashar al-Asad and supports the uprising against him. But as president, Morsi is not expected to radically change his country’s foreign policy, especially towards Israel, in which the military is expected to exercise its clout.

In a Friday speech before tens of thousands of supporters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the epicentre of the revolt that ousted Mubarak, he said he would insist on retaining all the presidency’s powers.

Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore.

Editor: Arif Nizami

Pakistan’s months-long blockade of NATO supply routes through its ports and roads into Afghanistan is incurring the US Defence Department more than $2.1 billion in extra transportation costs to move supplies and equipment in and out of the country, Defense News reported on Saturday.

The stunning revelation of the exorbitant cost comes as the Pentagon continues to negotiate with Islamabad to regain access to the supply routes, the weekly publication reported on its website.

Islamabad closed the ground lines of communication in reaction to a cross-border US airstrike on Salala border posts that resulted in deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers on November 26, 2011.

Since then the US and NATO allies have been transporting supplies to the landlocked Afghanistan through a much longer and expensive Northern Distribution Network, that covers a series of roads through Russia and Central Asia states.

This month, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta told the Senate Appropriations Committee that the closure of the Pakistani routes was costing the US military about an extra $100 million per month.

On Friday, he said the United States and Pakistan continued to work in good faith towards restoration of key Pakistani routes, although some tough issues remain to be resolved.

The new transportation-related costs were disclosed in a Pentagon budget document – called the omnibus reprogramming request – sent to Congress on Friday.

In the document, which is traditionally sent to lawmakers at the end of each June, DoD asks for permission to shift already appropriated money within its own accounts.

According to the Defence News report, the army asked Congress to shift $1.7 billion due to “shortfalls that resulted from increased fuel costs and continued closure of the Pakistan Ground Lines of Communication”, the document states.

The other, that is the most expensive transport option, is to airlift supplies and equipment into Afghanistan.

The Defence News report said the Air Force has requested the transfer of $369.2 million of airlift, “partially due to the closure of the Pakistan Ground Lines of Communication and the need for additional theater express support”, the document states.

This increased airlift requirement in Afghanistan has taken its toll on the Boeing C-17. The Pentagon has asked Congress to shift $136.9 million to repair 21 C-17 engines, “due to increased wear and accelerated parts damage”, the document states.

The funding transfer request for supply transport is only part of the $7.9 billion reprogramming action, the report said.