e-paper pakistantoday 30th may, 2012

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Non-elected politicians can’t take parliament hostage: Gilani PAGE | 05

Rs 15.00 Vol ii no 333 22 pages

52 days on, Pakistan declares buried troops dead

Pentagon cautious after Gen Dempsey’s remarks on Pakistani aid cut

PAGE | 22

PAGE |04

Lahore edition

Wednesday, 30 May, 2012 Rajab 8, 1433

Govt decides it’s time to restore writ in Balochistan Kaira says COAS told high-level meeting that FC would work under govt’s directions and remain in its legal ambit

Outlay of federal budget finalised at Rs 2.975tr

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STAFF RePoRT

ollowING the Supreme Court’s warning to impose emergency in the violencehit Balochistan province, a high-level meeting has decided to put the Frontier Corps (FC) under the control of the chief minister while announcing to delegate no other role to the military outfit besides the maintenance of law and order.

“The FC will have no anti-smuggling role in Balochistan. However, the Balochistan chief minister will determine FC’s role to provide security to the people travelling across the province,” Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira told reporters after Tuesday’s meeting, which reviewed the security situation in the province and the issue of missing persons. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Kaira said the provincial government would be asked to hold dialogue with the politicians and Baloch nationalist groups.

He said the meeting discussed a sixdimensional plan on Balochistan, besides deliberating upon the missing persons’ issue. He said the meeting made a detailed review of the situation, including its operational, developmental, administrative, legal, political and financial aspects.

Kaira said a six-member steering committee had also been formed to hold meetings on a weekly basis, and submit report on its recommendations to the prime minister. He said the committee would include

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani chairs a high-level meeting on Balochistan on Tuesday. six members – three each from the federal and Balochistan governments.

The minister said the meeting decided to restore the government’s writ in Balochistan, besides ensuring action against anyone found involved in human rights violations. He said the prime minister also vowed to implement his “policy of DRA” (dialogue, rule of law and autonomy) in the province. Kaira said that all stakeholders were unanimous in their resolve to improve the situation in Balochistan, and the government’s writ would be restored under a phased process.

“Under the plan, law and order would be restored in urban areas in the first phase, and Quetta city would be termed

as a model city,” Kaira said, adding that the prime minister expressed his resolve to give political ownership to the decisions taken by the meeting.

He said that Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani also believed that military option was not a durable solution, and dialogue was the only way to resolve conflicts. The minister said the CoAS had made it clear that Pakistan Army and FC would work under the directions of the government and would remain in their ambits. He said that General Kayani told the meeting that actions taken by the army were aimed at defending the integrity of the country, and that the military would continue to play its role

in the future. He assured that the army and FC would remain within their legal role, and no excesses would be allowed.

“General Kayani also asked the federal and provincial governments to provide funds for scholarships to the Baloch youth who were studying at cadet colleges and military schools in Kohlu and Sui,” he added.

He said the prime minister also directed the law minister to improve terrorism-related laws to counter the menace of terrorism. He said the army chief assured provision of foolproof security to local and foreign companies for discovery of minerals in Balochistan.

Continued on page 04

Government misses all economic targets Monitoring Desk None of the economic targets set by the government have been achieved by the government, a private TV channel reported on Tuesday, citing Pakistan Economic Survey 2011-12.

According to Geo News, Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh would officially release the survey on

May 31, and present a copy to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday before its release.

The channel, claiming to have acquired a copy of the survey, said the report mentions that all the growth targets of agriculture, industry and services sectors have been missed. The economic growth remained at 3.7 percent despite a set target of 4.2 percent. The overall deficit stood at Rs 8.94 trillion which was Rs

7.71 trillion in FY 2011-12. Rs 47 billion were spent on external debt financing this year as compared to Rs 33 billion during July-March last year.

The trade deficit of the country surged exponentially, the survey said. It said imports had escalated to $37 billion against the total exports of $19 billion.

The budget for FY 2012-13 would be presented on June 1 before the National Assembly.

isLAMABAD AMeR SIAL

The government has finalized an outlay of Rs 2.975 trillion for the federal budget for the next fiscal year with a tax collection target of Rs 2.338 trillion, including generating Rs 85 billion more in revenue through broadening of the tax base and administrative measures.

An official source said the government would continue fiscal consolidation efforts in the next fiscal year. The government has finalized a fiscal deficit target of five percent of the GDP or Rs 1.2 trillion.

The provinces will be asked to create budget surplus of Rs 112 billion to help the federal government contain fiscal deficit at the projected level. The target for the non-tax revenue is increased from the initially proposed target of Rs 562 billion to Rs 737 billion.

About the increase in salary and pension of civil servants, the source said an increase of 25 percent and 30 percent was proposed but the final decision would be made by the federal cabinet. Provinces will be getting 18 percent more share from the federal taxes, as the Centre had estimated transfer of Rs 1.427 trillion in the next fiscal year against the projection of Rs 1.245 trillion in the current fiscal year. Debt servicing and debt repayment are estimated at Rs 933 billion in the next fiscal year.

About the federal Public Sector Development Program, he said Rs 360 billion had been allocated and Rs 100 billion would be spent on development projects outside the PSDP making a total of Rs 460 billion for the next fiscal year.

The source said the subsidies for the next fiscal year had been estimated to increase from the current fiscal year target of Rs 120 billion to Rs 150 billion. The main subsidy is kept for the power sector while Rs 20 billion will be given in fertilizer subsidy due to the shortage of natural gas. Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) allocation is set at Rs 60 billion and new initiatives would be taken for poverty reduction. The grants to provinces and special areas have been set at Rs 60 billion. About the tariff rationalization plan, he said it would be part of the three year trade policy 2012-15 along with the national import regime policy, which was still being discussed.

Govt continues to jack up tariff but gives no power g

NEPRA raises tariff by Rs 1.97 per unit; violent protests rage across country isLAMABAD AGeNCIeS

As citizens’ anger continues to boil over persistent power outages amid scorching temperatures, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Tuesday increased the tariff of electricity, for the second time in a week, by Rs 1.97 per unit.

NEPRA approved the revision of the tariff for the month of April per the monthly fuel price adjustment. The official notification of the revised tariff will be issued soon, sources said.

After the tariff raise, the additional amount of April’s bill would be collected from the consumers in November. The re-

vised tariff notification will be applicable to all the electric supply companies, except the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC). on the other hand, angry people again took to the streets as the power situation worsened on Tuesday. People in lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and other major cities, are facing power outages of up to 17 hours a day, while those in rural areas are without electricity for 21-22 hours a day.

Sources said the generation of electricity stood at 10,300Mw, while the demand was 16,665Mw. They said the shortfall had increased due to inadequate supply of oil to power houses.

Residents in several cities also faced a severe shortage of water, as water pumps

could not be operated without electricity.

Irked by hours-long power outages amid scorching heat, people across the country took out processions against load shedding. Protesters in Kotli took to the streets, cursing authorities for load shedding of up to 20 hours.

The protesters blocked the road near Shaheed Chowk and surrounded a grid station. Residents of Multan also came out on to roads with batons and staged a protest against load shedding. The protesters turned violent and burnt tyres to block roads, besides pelting stones and sticks on police and other vehicles.

Continued on page 04

FAISALABAD: Protesters block the main airport road during a demonstration against load shedding. INP

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02 News Today’s

wednesday, 30 May, 2012

lAhORE

NEwS

Raja Riaz says billions embezzled in govt-funded projects

SC grants 4 weeks to Awan for testimony

Story on Page 07

Story on Page 06

CARTOON

Quick Look

Two students commit suicide over rude teachers, bad grades ABBotABAD/KArAcHI: Two students on Tuesday committed suicide on Tuesday, with one blaming the unacceptable behavior of his teachers the reason for ending his own life. Mobin, a 13-year-old student at one of Abbotabad’s private boarding schools, wrote in his diary that his teachers’ unacceptable behavior had forced him to return home and hang himself. According to Cantt DSP Raja Suboor, the statements of Mobin’s former teachers, students, as well as the hostel’s wardens had been recorded. Mobin’s former teacher Sohrab Jadoon told police that the young boy was unhappy with hostel life. Meanwhile, a student depressed with bad grades ended his life in Karachi’s Paposh Nagar area on Tuesday. AGeNCIeS

CNG rates may go up by Rs 15 per kg ISLAMABAD: Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) rates may go up

by Rs 15 per kg as the Ministry of Petroleum has got approval from the law Division to impose surcharge on five sectors, including CNG, a private TV reported on Tuesday. The law Division had rejected a summary by the Petroleum Ministry yesterday.

According to sources, the ministry convinced the division to approve the summary and once the surcharge is imposed, CNG rate can increase by Rs 15 per kg. The ministry has now sent the summary of the surcharge to the Finance Ministry. NNI

15 militants killed in Orakzai, Khyber agencies PeSHAWAr: Fifteen militants were reportedly killed and three insurgent hideouts were destroyed in action by security forces in orakzai and Khyber agencies on Tuesday.

According to a private TV channel, 10 militants were killed when fighter jets pounded suspected insurgent hideouts in orakzai’s Mamozai, Jandarkhel and Samaa Bazaar areas. The bombardment destroyed three suspected militant hideouts.

Security sources said over 92 percent of orakzai had been cleared of militants in the ongoing operation in the region. In another attack by airforce jets, five suspected militants were killed in Khyber Agency’s Tirah valley area. The number of casualties from the reported action could not be independently verified. NNI

SC wants notification on human organs transplant issued within 6 weeks ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed all provincial governments and the Capital Administration and Development Islamabad (CADD), to issue a notification within six weeks regarding transplantation of human organs and tissues. A two-member DV bench of Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain issued direction on the human rights case, after law officers from the four provincial governments and official of CADD apprised it that they had done legislation and would require six-week time to issue notification in this regard. During the course of the proceedings, Muneer A Malik, counsel for petitioners, apprised the bench that after devolution of the Health Ministry and its auxiliary departments to the provinces, the four governments and the CADD had failed to exercise their powers of lawmaking. Dr Aslam Khaki, counsel for the Society for Transplant Surgeon and Physicians, requested the bench for involvement of physicians in the exercise. INP

Another petition seeking PM’s disqualification submitted in SC

Page 13

ISLAMABAD: A view of the bushfire that broke out on Margalla Hills on Tuesday.

ISLAMABAD: Another petition was submitted in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, seeking disqualification of convicted Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani from his office. A citizen, Muhammad Akthar Naqvi, submitted the petition in the apex court against Gilani, and stated that the prime minister was not implementing the verdict of the apex court. The petitioner said that the Supreme Court convicted the PM and according to the law and constitution of the country, a convicted person could not hold any government office. He requested the court to declare the premier disqualified from holding the office, vacate the PM’s House. The petitioner said the court should stop the prime minister from availing privileges, including official protocol, adding that the court should order the interior secretary and the government to put Gilani’s name on Exit Control list (ECl). The petitioner made the federation, cabinet division, prime minister, speaker of the National Assembly and chief election commissioner as respondents.

PM cALLS on PreSIDent, DIScuSSeS PoLItIcAL SItuAtIon, FeDerAL BuDget: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani called on President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency on Tuesday. Current political situation, law and order situation and the forthcoming budget session of parliament was discussed in the meeting. The president also briefed the prime minister about his visit to Chicago to attend NATo Summit. Sources said the president asked Gilani to provide maximum relief to the common man in the coming budget and find a permanent solution to the electricity crisis. He said suggestions of the allied parties should also be given due consideration in the next year’s budget.

Zardari also told the prime minister that the PPP firmly stood behind him in difficult times. AGeNCIeS

Cleric who issued killing decree in Kohistan arrested, released on bail PesHAWAr SAjjAD ALI

A local court on Tuesday released a cleric who allegedly issued fatwa for killing four women and two men for “staining the honor” of their families.

He was released after submitting surety bonds of Rs 50,000.

Police had arrested Maulana Azad and his brother Mohammad on Tuesday from Palis village of Peech Bela union council of Kohistan, after he allegedly issued decree of honor killing of four women and two brothers for violating tribal culture by singing and dancing together at a wedding.

The jirga had declared them fornicators after the wedding videotape came to the surface, which showed the six people dancing together.

The ceremony had taken place more than two months ago in Bando Baidar village.

The district police came into action after news channels broke the news on Monday.

Police had claimed that they had detained eight people from the women’s tribe and they had give written guarantees that the women would not be harmed. on Tuesday, police also arrested the cleric and presented him in a local court, which released him after submission of surety bonds.

However Kohistan District Coordination officer Aqal Badshah rejected the police statement, telling reporters that it was a concocted and fabricated story.

They said the women in question were living normal life and there was no threat to their life.

“No jirga was held to decide the fate of women and two brothers and it seems some-

one is conspiring against the people of Kohistan. we would foil such conspiracies,” he said.

The local cleric, who allegedly issued the fatwa, said he issued no decree.

“I swear on Holy Quran that I have not issued any fatwa and have not seen the video, only heard about it. As for as the jirga and decree regarding killing of four women and two brothers is concerned, it is merely a baseless and concocted story to defame clerics,” Maulana Azad said.

Meanwhile, a jirga of Islahi Committee of ulema was held at Puttan with former MPA Maulana Dildar and condemned what they called a conspiracy against ulema and people of Kohistan.

After the jirga, Dildar told reporters that the ulema of Kohistan would not allow conspirators to destroy the peaceful environment of Kohistan.

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wednesday, 30 May, 2012

fOREiGN NEwS

ARTS & ENTERTAiNMENT

SPORTS

Suu Kyi leaves Myanmar for first trip abroad in 24 years

Lady Gaga apologises for cancelled Indonesia concert

PHF fines eight players participated in WSH

News 03 COMMENT Increasing US pressure

Zardari had nothing to offer at Chicago.

The bomb We need to learn to be strong without the bomb.

Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi says: Who will rule Pakistan?: Pakistan is becoming a dysfunctional state.

Dr james j Zogby says: Otherising Obama: The hate-machine works ever so deviously.

Zubair Torwali says: Defect by design: The Daral Khawr Project’s disputed feasibility.

Story on Page 15

Story on Page 18

Story on Page 18

Articles on Page 12-13

Punjab not included

Centre, provinces agree to allocate 2% development budget for new schemes isLAMABAD

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ITH the exception of Punjab, the federal and provincial governments have agreed in a meeting of National Economic Council (NEC) to allocate only 2 percent of their development budget for new development schemes in the next financial year staring from July 1, 2012, sources disclosed on Tuesday.

Sources said the remaining 98 percent would be allocated to complete the ongoing projects, as emphasis would be given on the completion of ongoing priority projects. “New unapproved projects would be discouraged in the next fiscal year because they may cause a thin spread of resource allocation, resulting in time and cost overrun,” sources said.

During the meeting, the government of Punjab was a staunch opponent to this proposal, while the three remaining provinces – Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – were in its favour. The NEC has already approved an annual plan for the next fiscal year 2012-13 with the total development outlay of Rs 873 billion, which include a budget for Federal Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) of Rs 360 billion and a provincial development outlay of Rs 513 billion. The meeting also ensured that foreign assistance was not

Bhoja Air Pakistan says enough proof operations to nail lakhvi for 26/11: report suspended neW DeLHi AGeNCIeS

Quoting sources in the Indian Home Ministry, Times of India has reported that Pakistan has acknowledged that there is enough evidence to prosecute Zakiur Rehman lakhvi for his involvement in the Mumbai terrorist attacks.

The paper said Pakistani officials admitted during last week’s home secretary-level talks with India that investigation conducted by the FIA had established lakhvi’s direct involvement in 26/11.

It reported that the Pakistani officials told Indian Home Secretary RK Singh that the evidence against lakhvi – largely related to his role in organising money and logistics, including the boat and inflatable dingy for the gang that ravaged Mumbai – was strong enough to secure his conviction in court.

“Pakistan told India about the development at the FIA’s end during the home secretary-level talks between the two countries in Islamabad last week,” the paper quoted an official privy to the details of talks between the two home secretaries as saying.

Indian officials termed it a “significant admission”, stressing Pakistani authorities would be required to produce the evidence in the court trying lakhvi and six others, including lashkar commanders Zarar Shah and Abu Al Qama, who all are in jail.

The development marks a validation of the evidence that India gathered against lakhvi, Shah, Qama and others and can give satisfaction to the investigators, who saw Pakistan cussedly shrugging off their findings as flimsy.

It should also leave them intrigued because

they maintain that the evidence about lakhvi’s role contained in the several Indian dossiers submitted to Pakistan had been so foolproof that it could have easily been corroborated even by the neighbourhood cop long ago.

As it coincides with the pressure from the US for action against Hafiz Saeed, wary Indian officials wonder whether the new stance on lakhvi’s culpability is meant to isolate the lashkar chief from his junior jihadis and to strengthen Pakistan’s case that lack of evidence was the only reason why it was not acting against the Muridke-based Hafiz Saeed.

Significantly, Pakistani officials bluntly told their Indian counterparts that the demand for action against Saeed was based on what Interior Minister Rehman Malik called “hearsay”. They did not relent when the Indian side pointed out that in his confessional statement, Ajmal Kasab had spoken about Saeed’s role in motivating the 26/11 attackers.

Though the government, on India’s insistence, agreed to put before the court new details on Saeed’s involvement, it maintained that the FIA could not find anything against him.

Islamabad also gave an assurance to India that it would consider positively the request for release of Sarabjit Singh, a condemned Indian prisoner currently lodged in Kot lakhpat Jail in lahore. The assurance was given when Indian Home Secretary RK Singh called on Malik in Islamabad last week.

“I have requested the Pakistan interior minister and my counterpart (Interior Secretary KM Siddiq Akbar) to release Sarabjit Singh.

They have assured me that they will consider our request positively,” Singh said while briefing reporters about his visit to Islamabad.

kArACHi AFP

Pakistan on Tuesday suspended flights of a private airline, a little over a month after one of its passenger planes crashed near Islamabad, killing all 127 people on board.

Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority said the airline had been reduced to just one aircraft, below the minimum requirement, after one of its remaining two planes developed a fault.

The defence ministry ordered a halt to operations. “Bhoja Air’s operations have been suspended until it acquires at least three aircraft for domestic operations,” CAA spokesman Pervez George told AFP. Nobody from the airline was immediately available to comment. A Bhoja Air Boeing 737 came down in fields near Islamabad on April 20 killing all 127 people on board.

In July 2010 an Airbus jet operated by Airblue crashed into the Margalla hills overlooking Islamabad while coming in to land after a flight from Karachi, killing 152 people in the worst air disaster ever on Pakistani soil.

underestimated. In the total proposed PSDP, the size of foreign assistance was estimated at Rs 100 billion.

The NEC approved growth targets of 4.3 percent as envisaged in the Annual Plan 2012-13 under the growth strategy. The targets would be achieved through improvements in productivity and competitiveness‚ reforms in the markets‚ promotion of cities as regional clusters‚ improvements in connectivity‚ and reforms in civil service. The meeting was informed that no reduction in current year’s 2011-12 PSDP size was made to help restore GDP growth. while reviewing the annual plan for the current year and the proposed annual plan for the next year‚ the NEC was informed that the performance of the economy during the current fiscal year was “satisfactory”. The GDP growth was expected to be 3.7 percent against 3 percent achieved during the last year. The water sector would get an allocation of Rs 44,128 million, defence Rs 4,416 million, the National Highways Authority (NHA) Rs 48,000 million, Atomic Energy Commission Rs 36,915 million, Finance Division Rs 8,627.3 million, Railways Rs 20,867 million, Planning Commission Rs 25,811.3 million, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Rs 14,509 million, Kashmir Affairs Rs 19,973 million, States and Frontier Regions Rs 15,000 million, and for special programmes Rs 27 billion would be allocated in the next financial year.

KP CM directs tight security for Dr Afridi PesHAWAr STAFF RePoRT

Taking serious notice of intelligence reports confirming threats to life of Dr Shakil Afridi in Peshawar Central Jail, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti on Tuesday directed the home and tribal affairs department to fulfill its responsibilities in this respect.

Highly-placed sources said various secret agencies had confirmed threats to the life of Dr Shakil Afridi. He is being guarded by two unarmed security guards, per jail manual.

The secret agencies said more than 3,000 prisoners were imprisoned in Peshawar Jail and a majority was charged with involvement in terrorist acts and militancy.

The jail is also house to militants from banned Tehreek-e-Taliban and Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariate-Muhammadi (TNSM).

According to official sources, the chief minister contacted Home and Tribal Affairs Secretary Mohammad Azam Khan and directed him to ensure safety and security of Dr Afridi.

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04 News

wednesday, 30 May, 2012

US rebukes Indian military’s violence in Kashmir WAsHington

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NNI

HE United States has castigated the Indian government for extrajudicial killings, torture, rape and disappearances by Indian troops in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir and north-eastern Indian states.

The US State Department, in an annual document released by State Secretary Hillary Clinton in washington, said that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act still remained in effect, which provided the Indian troops immunity from prosecution for acts committed by them.

The document also referred to the Public Safety Act, saying that under this act the authorities could detain a person without charge or judicial review for as long as two years. The

document maintained that the family members were not allowed access to the detainees in jails. The police, the document added, routinely employed arbitrary detention and denied detainees’ access to lawyers.

Meanwhile, a complete shutdown would be observed in the occupied Kashmir on wednesday as a mark of reverence for the two Kashmiri women who were abducted, molested and subsequently killed by men in uniform in Shopian three years ago on May 30.

The call for strike was given by veteran Kashmiri freedom movement leader Syed Ali Gilani and senior APHC leader Shabbir Ahmad Shah.

Senior APHC leader Abbas Ansari, while addressing a function on the golden jubilee of the Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen in Sringar, said the Kashmiris were determined to con-

tinue their struggle to achieve their right to selfdetermination.

The Association of the Parents of the Disappeared Persons held a special meeting of prayers at its office in Srinagar on Tuesday to mark the International week of the Disappeared, commenced from the previous day. The participants of the meeting urged religious scholars to hold special prayers for the disappeared persons and their families on Friday.

Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, the executive director of the Kashmiri American Council, speaking at a reception at Royal Banquette Hall, Brooklyn in New York, voiced his continuing belief that India and Pakistan alone could not resolve the 65-year-old Kashmir conflict. He called for inclusion of genuine Kashmiri leadership in all negotiations on the dispute.

NEPRA raises tariff Continued fRoM page 1 Angry citizens staged a sit-in on the Kabirwala Bypass on lahore Road, which resulted in blockade of roads leading to lahore, Jhang, Shorkot, Faisalabad and Sargodha.

Protests against load shedding were also held in

Khanewal, Faisalabad, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Jhang, Sargodha and Rawalpindi.

The crisis was worsened by a new spell of severe hot and dry weather.

The Meteorological Department said the fresh heat

wave would persist for three to four days. Most of the areas in Sindh and Punjab sizzled on Tuesday as the mercury surged to 47 degree Celsius in Shikarpur, 47 in larkana, 46 in Nawabshah, 45 in Noshehroferoz and 43 degree Celsius in Sukkur.

Pentagon cautious after Gen Dempsey’s remarks on Pakistani aid cut WAsHington SPeCIAL CoRReSPoNDeNT

The US Department of Defense on Tuesday appeared to distance itself from reports that characterized top military officer General Martin Dempsey’s comments in an interview as backing Congressional moves to cut some aid for Pakistan.

A Pentagon spokesman said Gen Dempsey, who is chairman Joint Chiefs Staff, expressed concern on many issues in US-Pakistan relations but the top military officer had also been clear in stressing the need to repair the strained ties.

The spokesman said at a press briefing that he would need to take a look at precisely what Gen Dempsey said in the interview, but differed with the characterization that Gen Dempsey supported a Senate panel’s move to cut aid for Pakistan over treatment of Dr

Khosa asks Shahbaz to hold local govt polls immediately LAHore: Punjab Governor latif Khosa has asked Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to immediately announce local government elections so that powers could be delegated to the lower level. “Provincial governments are bound under Article 104-A of the constitution to hold lG elections as well as provide justice to common man at the doorstep,” he said while addressing the launching ceremony of Social Audit Report 2011-12 of local governments by Aurat Publication and Information Service Foundation at a local hotel here on Tuesday. APP

Shakil Afridi.

“I’d have to go back and take a look at precisely what he said. I’m not sure that’s accurately characterizing what General Dempsey said,” Press Secretary George little said.

He was asked whether Dempsey’s views in support of Congressional move to trim Pakistan aid, following sentencing of Dr Shakil Afridi,

were his personal views or they reflected Pentagon’s position on the issue.

Media reports quoting Gen Dempsey said he supported Congressional move towards aid cut, following tensions on different issues, including sentencing of Dr Afridi.

“I think…choices should result in consequences. And I think the Senate acted appropriately,” Dempsey was quoted as saying on NBC news channel.

Dr Afridi reportedly worked for the CIA to trace osama bin laden, before the al Qaeda chief was killed last year in an American raid on his hideout in Abbottabad. The doctor was sentenced to 33 years in imprisonment by a tribal Pakistani court last week.

Pressed on the Pentagon’s position on Congressional moves towards curtailing aid

for Pakistan, the press secretary said he would not comment on pending legislations, but said the US was very concerned over the issue of imprisoned doctor.

He reiterated that washington believed Dr Afridi did not work against Pakistan but only helped the US against al Qaeda.

“I am not going to comment on discussions that are ongoing in the US Congress at this point. That is a matter for Congress (to weigh) and I would not offer a position of the Department at this time.”

“Again, I am not going to parse what Gen Dempsey said.

I think he was very clear in his interview, expressing concern about various issues related to the Pakistani relationship. He has also said at various points in his public comments that we believe that we need to work through these issues with the Pakistanis.

NATO claims killing senior al Qaeda militant in Afghanistan kABUL AFP

NATo said Tuesday that AlQaeda’s second in command in Afghanistan had been killed in an air strike near the Pakistani border.

The US-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan said Saudi-born Sakhr al-Taifi, also known as Mushtaq and Nasim, commanded foreign fighters and directed attacks on NATo and Afghan troops.

It described him as AlQaeda’s “second highest

leader in Afghanistan”, saying he frequently travelled between Afghanistan and Pakistan, “carrying out commands from senior AlQaeda leadership”.

He also supplied weapons and equipment to insurgents, and managed the transport of insurgent fighters into Afghanistan, the military said.

NATo said he was killed in an air strike on Sunday with “one additional AlQaeda terrorist in watahpur district, Kunar province” which borders Pakistan.

The United States announced last year that it would focus military operations in Afghanistan towards the eastern provinces, which border Pakistan’s lawless tribal belt where US officials say Taliban and Al-Qaedalinked militants have sanctuary.

NATo forces are in Afghanistan helping the western-backed government fight a bloody, Taliban-led insurgency following the USled invasion shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.

Balochistan

Continued fRoM page 1

“In future no emergency or marshal law will be imposed in any part of the country,” the minister said, adding that all stakeholders had been brought on the same page on Balochistan issue. He said that the quota for Baloch youth in the military would also be completed this year, while 300 people would also be inducted in the levies force. He said the Balochistan youth would be given more jobs in the federal government.

Sindh PA body to advertise Nisar’s summons kArACHi AGeNCIeS

The Privilege Committee of the Sindh Assembly has decided to publish an advertisement in the newspapers to summon National Assembly opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. The committee on Tuesday decided that it would take a decision against the PMl-N leader if he fails to appear before it. Sindh law Minister Ayaz Soomro called the opposition leader an “absconder”, saying the committee could hand down six month sentence to him.

The committee initiated proceedings against Nisar for what it described “ridiculing the Sindhi culture” and “passing remarks” against Sindhi cap and Ajrak.

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wednesday, 30 May, 2012

News 05

Non-elected politicians can’t take parliament hostage: Gilani isLAMABAD

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NNI

RIME Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Tuesday said he did not take PMl-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s threats seriously, as politicians who were not elected representatives could not take the parliament hostage.

Speaking to reporters, he said Nawaz remained the prime minister of the country twice but did nothing.

Gilani said parliament should complete its five-year term.

“The system, not the prime minister is important,” he said, adding that Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif were not concerned about the system as both were not parliamentarians.

The prime minister criticized the attitude of the PMl-N and PTI in national politics.

He said the nation should not suffer

due to the infighting between the PMlN and PTI and should move forward.

Gilani said Nawaz and Imran did understand the sanctity and importance of the House.

The prime minister said the nation was fully aware of the performance of Pakistan Muslim league-N. He said the PPP had not come to power through the back door and the parliament should complete its mandated term for the betterment of democracy and the system.

To a question‚ Gilani said the government would ensure free‚ fair and transparent elections in the country and this would be the first democratic government that would smoothly transfer power to the next government.

To another question‚ the prime minister said efforts would be made to give relief to the masses in the upcoming budget.

About the restoration of NATo sup-

ply line‚ he said the decision would be taken in the best national interest and following the conclusion of dialogue with the United States.

Inaugurating Pakistan’s first on-grid solar power generation system earlier‚ the prime minister said Pakistan was blessed with immense natural resources and these would be fully utilized to overcome the energy shortages.

He said the government is alive to the problems of the people on the account of energy shortages and exploring indigenous resources, including hydel and renewable energy, to overcome the problem once and for all.

Gilani pointed out that the identified potential of power generation from wind was about 43‚000Mw‚ whereas for solar‚ it was more than 100‚000Mw. Emphasizing upon energy conservation‚ Gilani said electricity should not be used as a luxury but to fulfill optimal requirements.

Country’s sovereignty at stake due to corrupt rulers: Nawaz LAHore AGeNCIeS

Pakistan Muslim league (PMl-N) chief Nawaz Sharif said on Tuesday that incompetent and corrupt rulers had put the sovereignty of the country at stake. Talking to reporters after a meeting with party delegations from Sindh and Punjab, Nawaz said that due to poor policies, mismanagement and massive corruption, national institutions were at the verge of collapse. He said that uncontrolled inflation, poverty, unemployment and power crisis had forced people to commit suicides. Nawaz said that Karachi, the industrial hub and base of the country’s economy, was in the hands of extortionists, target killers and land grabbers who do not care for government and laws enforcement agencies which were busy in politicking over the issue. The PMl-N chief called for joint efforts to pull the country out of the prevailing crises. He said that all sections of the society should move forward to rid the country of corrupt leadership and protect the future of the coming generations.

No leader or political party could alone resolve the ongoing problems in the country, and all stakeholders should join hands for national cause, he added. The PMl-N chief said that corruption was at the root of power crisis and other ills confronting the country, adding that his party would rid the country of all evils after coming into power. The PMl-N delegation from Sindh was led by former state minister Capt (r) Haleem Saddiqui, while the delegation from Punjab was represented by PMl-N lahore President Pervaiz Malik and MNA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.

SC is the final arbiter and protector of constitution: CJP LonDon NNI

The Supreme Court acts as the final arbiter and protector of constitution’s norms‚ while the future of Pakistan is linked to democracy, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said.

He was addressing a conference arranged by the International Council of Jurists (ICJ) on the subject of rule of law in london, where he was also presented the International Jurists’ Award 2012. The CJP urged adherence to the principles of rule of law and the protection of fundamental human rights everywhere in the world. He said the judicial system had a special role to play in securing basic human and fundamental rights to citizens. The CJP told the audience that the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan made specific provisions for the protection of fundamental rights of the people.

QUeTTA: A shutter-down strike was observed in the city in support of the protesting teachers on Tuesday. ONLINE

i do not have British citizenship: Malik

35 MNAs own no ornaments

LonDon

isLAMABAD

oNLINe

APP

Interior Minister Rehman Malik has reiterated that he does not have British citizenship. Addressing a ceremony of the UK Pakistan Chamber of Commerce in london, Malik said even though he was not a British national, he would take all possible steps for Pakistanis settled overseas, adding that a special cell would be formed for them. He said there was a discrepancy in the law regarding dual citizenship and he would move court against it. Talking about the country’s situation, the interior minister said security and investment went hand in hand and “we are doing everything to provide investors a secure environment”. Malik said the role of the overseas Pakistanis in development of Pakistan could not be negated. He said Taliban were being provided weapons by anti-state elements. “we have broken the backbone of terrorists and now only a handful remains… we are continuing action against them.”

Despite the fact the an election for the National Assembly seat variably costs Rs 1 million to 10 million each, 35 members of the lower House claim that they are so poor that they do not own any ornaments – gold or silver.

Many have stated in the details of assets and liabilities that the column for ornaments did not need to be filled, while others simply ignored it, although numerous among them have valuables worth millions of rupees, but no gold or silver ornaments or jewelry in their name or in the names of their spouses and dependents. Some have stated that the ornaments were “with the wife, gifted at wedding, inherited”, and in a few cases “purchased”. In numerous cases, the members did not even bother to mention anything in the column specified for jewelry - some have written “not applicable” while a few have

stated “nil”.

Details released by the Election Commission of Pakistan in gazette notification of the assets details, showed that around 20 MPs and their families were blessed enough to own more than 200 tolas of gold or jewelry each. There are 39 MPs who own more than 100 tolas of gold or other ornaments, 28 have 10 tolas or less.

Seeing the facts revealed by these MPs with their signatures and stamps in the details of assets and liabilities, one simply thinks for a moment that even some big names in the House, with a couple holding key posts, either had no jewelry or did not bother to mention it. The 35 MPs, who stated not to own any ornaments include figures like Ayaz Amir, Raja Safdar, Raja Asad, Sumera Malik, Sheikh Rohail Asghar, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, who says that the ornaments were owned by his wife, Ghulam Farid Kathia, Mahmood Hayat Khan, Khawaja Sheraz Mahmood, Awais leghari, Jamshed Dasti, Muazzam

Jatoi, omar Sohail Zia Butt, Abdul Ghafoor Chaudhry, Mehreen Anwar Raja, Bushra Gohar, Shahnaz Sheikh and some others. Members who owned less than 10 tolas of gold included Munir orakzai, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Pervez Malik, Rasheed Akbar Khan, Qayyum Jatoi, Afzal Sindhu, Gul Muhammad Jakhrani, Arbab Zakaullah, Tahira Aurengzeb, Khlida Mansoor, Tasneem Siddiqui, Palwasha Khan, Shakeela Khanam Rasheed, Kathu Mal Jeevan, Maulana Muhammad Qasim, Mufti Ajmal Khan and Muhammad Nawaz Khan. Cautiously calculated cumulative figure shows that except 35 members of the 342, the remaining have ornaments including gold, silver and diamond measuring approximately 19,000 tolas (224 Kg), valued at almost Rs 1 billion.

The asset details even include those who own 200, 300, 400, 500 and even 700 tolas of gold. Among them are a couple of federal ministers and members from both the PMl-N and mem-

bers of the coalition parties.

It is also revealed in the details of assets and liabilities issued by the ECP that leader of the opposition Nisar Ali Khan only stated the value of ornaments at Rs 150,000, which were in the name of his spouse.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani leaves no ambiguity to mention details of his assets and liabilities. Many others from the government and the opposition also came out with clear statistics to mention their assets and liabilities.

The most vocal member, Hanif Abbasi did not mention the weight and value of the jewelry as he had stated that it was received in dowry.

Similarly, Raja Muhammad Safdar crossed all the columns except filling those related to owning a vehicle and cash.

Muhammad Safdar also did not bother to give fresh details as he stated in all columns “no change from the statement of assets and liabilities submitted last year”.

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SC grants 4 weeks to Awan for testimony

isLAMABAD oNLINe

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted four weeks to Babar Awan for his testimony in contempt of court case. A two-member SC bench comprising of Justice Athar Saeed and Justice Ejaz Afzal heard the case. As a prosecutor, Attorney General Irfan Qadir presented a CD of Awan’s press conference as evidence and said if the SC wanted to record his statement on the matter, he was ready to do that. The SC then recorded the prosecutor’s statement. objecting to the evidence and the statement of the prosecutor, Awan said he would inform the court about reasons of his objection later. “If the objection is made over any evidence then according to law, the person who objected is bound to record his statement immediately and Senator Babar Awan has to record his objection immediately,” Justice Afzal said. Then Awan recorded his objection and said his press conference was not against the SC therefore he had objected over the CD being presented as evidence. He said he would continue to respect courts as a lawyer. “I had rendered an unconditional apology but court refused to accept it, I request the SC to not prosecute me as US authorities did Dr Afia Siddiqui because I am cooperating with the court,” Awan said.

Justice Afzal said, “Your trial is very different from Dr Afia Siddiqui’s and you will be provided full chance to defend yourself.” Awan then asked the SC to grant him eight weeks to accumulate evidence to be presented before the court. But the SC granted four weeks to Awan and adjourned the hearing until June 27.

ISLAMABAD: Women participate in a Loya jirga at the Convention Centre on Tuesday. INP

Jirga mulls ways to bring peace to KP PesHAWAr

I

SHAMIM SHAHID

N a bid to find a consensus way out of the ongoing violence, terrorism and militancy on their soil, a representative twoday national jirga of Pashtuns commenced at Nishtar Hall Peshawar on Tuesday.

Beside others, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti was the main speaker at the inaugural session.

The “National Pukhtoon Jirga” is being hosted by leading nationalist politician Mohammad Afzal Khan, commonly known as Khan lala, with the support of the Awami National Party.

Beside leading intellectuals, writers, tribal chieftains, civil society organization representatives and lawyers, the jirga was also attended by leaders and office bearers of the PPP, PMl-N, PMl-Q, JUI-F and Pakistan Mazdoor Kissan Party.

At the onset of the two-day jirga, Mohammad Afzal Khan highlighted its objectives, which was “nothing else than getting rid of violence and destruction on Pukhtoon’s soil from the last three decades”.

He said, “So far, three million Pashtuns both from Pakistan and Afghanistan have been killed in such violence and suffered a losses of billions of rupees.”

“In fact, it s neither an Islamic nor territorial issue, but it is an issue of hu-

manity, on such grounds all of us need to join hands for its resolution,” Khan lala remarked. welcoming participants to the jirga on behalf of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, Chief Minister Hoti said that it was a good omen when all Pashtun elders irrespective of their political identity and affiliation assembled with a view to discuss the existing situation.

He said Pashtuns were not responsible either for the invasion of Afghanistan by the former Soviet Union or US. He said Pakistan and Afghanistan were not only neighbors but its people were linked with each others in relations. on such grounds, the chief minister said unless peace returned to Afghanistan, no one could ensure peace in Pakistan.

He said all foreigners must leave the region as their presence was the root cause of violence, bloodshed and destruction going on in the region from the last three decades.

Beside Hoti and Mohammad Afzal Khan, the inaugural session was also addressed by PMl-N Provincial Secretary General Rahmat Salam Khattak, Maulana Fazal Ali Haqqani of the JUI F, Afzal Khamoosh of Mazdoor Kissan Party, Mukhtar Bacha of National Party, Dr Said Alam Mehsud, Intekhab Khan Chamkani of PMl-Q and Shahab Khattak of the Pakistan Awami Party addressed the jirga.

The conference is likely to be concluded with a declaration asking all foreigners, particularly the US-led allies and al Qaeda to leave the region.

DR SHAKIL AFRIDI CALLED CORRUPT, WOMANISER isLAMABAD ReUTeRS

The doctor who helped the CIA find osama bin laden faced accusations of corruption and other wrongdoing long before he was captured by intelligence agents and then jailed for 33 years for treason.

In interviews over the weekend, several current and former officials described the doctor, Shakil Afridi, as a hard-drinking womaniser who had faced accusations of sexual assault, harassment and stealing. They said his main obsession was making easy money.

According to a 2002 Pakistan health department document seen by Reuters, Afridi was deemed to be corrupt and unreliable and unfit for government service.

US officials have hailed Afridi, aged in his 40s, as a hero for helping pinpoint bin laden’s location in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad where the al Qaeda leader was killed in May last year in a raid by US Navy SEAls. officially Pakistan has said nothing about Afridi except that the court’s decision to sentence him should be respected. But the fresh accusations about Afridi’s character, coupled with his imprisonment, will almost certainly lead to further strain on already tense bilateral ties.

Pakistani officials’ attempts to cast doubt on Afridi’s character will likely

be viewed in some quarters as retaliation for his work with the Americans, despite the disclosures in the 2002 Pakistani document.

US officials on Monday called the accusations character assassination. In washington, one senior official said the US government was unaware of any questionable behaviour by Afridi.

“Available information showed Afridi was a respected member of the Pakistani healthcare community,” said the senior official. “we are aware of ef-

forts, put in place since Dr Afridi’s arrest, to denigrate his character.”

Another US official said: “It’s nothing short of puzzling that Pakistani officials would disparage someone who helped in the hunt for bin laden, a terrorist who had Pakistani blood on his hands.”

The Afridi family’s lawyer declined to be drawn on the controversy. “I cannot comment on any past allegations against him,” Raza Safi told Reuters.

Afridi ran a vaccination campaign in Abbottabad and used cheek swabs to try to gather DNA from bin laden’s children, said one former Pakistani security official familiar with the case.

Accompanied by three health workers, he went to bin laden’s house and told his wives that a vaccination programme was underway in the area, said the former security official.

“A woman went in (to the house) and said ‘bring the children out, the doctor is waiting and he will give them the drops’,” the former official said.

“That’s when he used the swabs.”

It was unclear whether the CIA used the swabs to determine if the children were bin laden’s. A DNA test can prove close blood relations and US authorities could have matched the samples with profiles it had collected from several of bin laden’s relatives.

InADVertentLY conFIrMeD: In washington, another senior US official with knowledge of Afridi’s work for the CIA said the doctor’s vaccination

efforts had also enabled him to gather intelligence on bin laden’s couriers who visited the house.

“Dr Afridi was inadvertently able to confirm something we already suspected - that bin laden’s couriers practised extraordinary operational security,” the official said. “was that a key to the raid? No. was it important? Absolutely.”

A former Pakistani security official said Afridi was also in contact with militant groups and treated Taliban fighters who were wounded in battle with the Pakistani military.

“Keeping in view his extreme lust for money, I am ashamed to even call him a doctor. He is a corrupt, unreliable and low category officer,” said a March 2002 provincial health department report on Afridi’s performance and conduct.

The document described Afridi as unreliable, cruel and inhumane and gave him the lowest job performance scores in most categories. It went on to say: “If his overall character as a doctor is taken into account I would recommend and feel that he is not at all fit for government service or any position where money is involved.” cHArActerLeSS: Tariq Hayat, formerly the highest government official in the Khyber tribal region, said he knew Afridi when the doctor worked at a hospital there and was a senior medical officer.

Hayat said he met him twice to question him over allegations that he had sexually assaulted a nurse at his hospital and had stolen its electrocardiograph machines for his private practice.

“I made him stand ... I told him you are a characterless person, you have no principles,” said Hayat, adding he had Afridi fired and expelled him from Khyber. “I said ‘you are a thief, doctor’.”

A senior health official who said he saw a record of the case said a nurse had complained about sexual harassment to the regional health director.

That account was confirmed by a senior police official who investigated Afridi.

“A number of nurses had complained about him, that he had behaved inappropriately with them,” said the police official, adding that Afridi was also accused of stealing material sent by international aid agencies and selling it.

These accounts could not be independently verified.

Afridi’s brother Jamil described the treason charges as baseless and said the doctor was being made a scapegoat.

“If my brother had done something wrong, he had a valid U.S. visa. He could have fled the country,” he said, adding that the family had received no offers of help from the U.S. government.

He did not respond to questions about the charges of corruption and harassment.

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Raja Riaz says billions embezzled in govt-funded projects LAHore APP

P

UNJAB Assembly opposition leader Raja Riaz Ahmed urged the Punjab government on Tuesday to present a people-friendly budget for the next year and that if he failed to do so, they would not allow the chief minister to enter the CM’s House. Addressing a news conference at the as-

Asfan Yar Bhandara joins PMl-N LAHore oNLINe

Renowned Businessman and Parsi community head Asfan Yar Bhandara joined the Pakistan Muslim leagueNawaz (PMl-N) on Monday.

The announcement was made during his meeting with PMl-N Chief Nawaz Sharif in the Jati Umrah.

The PMl-N chief welcomed the decision taken by Asfan Yar Bhandara and praised the efforts rendered by the Bhandara family in the fields of politics, economic and education.

During the meeting, Nawaz Sharif said at a time when the country is facing its worst finical crisis and a majority of investors are leaving the country due to the unfavourable economic conditions, Bhandara’s inclusion in the PMl-N proved that he was confident about the future of the country.

Bhandara said the PMl-N is working for the development of the country under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, adding that the PMl-N is following the ideology, which was given by the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

He stated that the PMl-N will provide fundamental rights to the nation without any discrimination.

It is pertinent to mention that Asfan Yar Bhandara’s father, MP Bhandara was twice elected as an MNA and he also served the nation as a federal minister.

sembly cafeteria, he said an appreciable raise should be made in the salaries of government employees which should also be in accordance with the increase in salaries approved by the federal government in its upcoming budget. He said it was a pity that the Punjab budget was around the corner and the chief minister was looking for an appropriate legislator to deliver the budget speech. He said the Punjab budget had been given final touches but neither the opposition nor the cabinet had been taken into confidence for its preparation.

Raja Riaz said the provincial affairs were being run on a dictatorial pattern and were an example of bad governance being set in the province.

He said the PPP will never compromise on people’s interests.

He added that the billions of rupees received by the Punjab government under the NFC award were being doled out to favourites.

Riaz alleged that billions of rupees were being embezzled in the Aashiana housing project, adding that the Danish school project was a complete fraud. In response to a question, the opposition leader said the Sharif brothers were criticising the federal government for the energy crisis when they were not able to add even a single megawatt to the national system during the last four years. “leading politically motivated demonstrations against load shedding is unethical and unfortunate,” Riaz added. He said whenever a conspiracy was hatched against the PPP government, the PMl-N was always part of it.

Nawaz Sharif never paid any tax: PTI LAHore NNI

A spokesman of PMl-N has tried to hide the real truth regarding taxes paid

by Nawaz Sharif during the period 2005 to 2007, accruing to a press statement issued by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf here on Monday.

The fact is that during this period when he was in exile he paid zero tax.

Apart from evidence available with the Federal Board of Revenue, this is borne out by the nomination papers filed by Sharif in May 2008 for NA 123 lahore VI. Answering question No 10 relating to the taxes paid by the applicant during the last three years, the answer given by Nawaz Sharif was “nil”. This was the period when Sharif had assets in Pakistan that were not shut down but were giving income. According to the laws of Pakistan every citizen who has local income, irrespective where he or she resides, is required to file an income tax return and pay taxes. only Sharif was in exile but not his assets. Therefore, he had to file a return and pay his share of income tax, the statement added. The documents signed by him in 2008 indicating that he never paid any taxes in 2005/6/7 are available with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. It is instructive that as soon as Sharif returned, he paid Rs 2 million as tax in 2009/10 and Rs 2.5 million in 2010/11. This tax was paid on income accrued from his shares in Chaudry Sugar Mills.

The same mill was also giving him dividends in the years he was in exile but no tax was paid. Tax evasion by the Sharifs is not an issue which has come under scrutiny for the first time as Nawaz Sharif has been convicted in a tax evasion case in 1999 by the lahore High Court. It was revealed that Sharif had failed to pay federal tax on a civilian helicopter owned by him which was worth US $ 1 million at that time. Another trick often resorted to by PMl-N spokespersons is that when talking about taxes paid by the Sharif brothers, they often include sales tax and other taxes paid by their industries. This is another attempt at hiding the truth.

aPtMa concerned over excessive load shedding g

Demands implementation of decision on exemption to textile industry LAHore

S

o N LI Ne

PoKESMAN for All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has expressed concern over load shedding up to 10 to 12 hours a day, causing serious production, export and job cuts in the textile industry.

He said the textile mills situated in DISCos, including Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCo), lahore Electric Supply Company (lESCo), Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCo) and Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCo) are being hit hard by unannounced load shedding for long durations.

The APTMA spokesman said the government had withdrawn exemption granted to the textile industry from

load shedding on independent feeders and temporarily announced a fourhour load shedding a day during highdemand period.

The industry is being forced for one week to face load shedding like domestic consumers for long durations of 10-12 hours a day.

He alleged DISCos were intentionally violating the decision of the energy conference chaired by the prime minister and blaming the NTDC for long spells of power outages.

The NTDC officials, on the other hand, are of the view that they cannot avoid power supply to a specific area after keeping the grid station of that area functional.

The spokesman said that a textile mill can only be viable if it is operational for 24/7 and 365 days a year. otherwise, he said, it becomes unvi-

able to sustain production, if there are power breakdowns for 8 to 10 hours a day.

He said similar submissions were made to President Asif Ali Zardari by the APTMA chairman at a recentlyheld meeting in Karachi, who directed the Ministry for water and Power to ensure exemption to the textile industry from load shedding. This arrangement could last for a few weeks only and the duration has been increased to six hours.

He has urged the government to act immediately and grant exemption to the textile industry from load shedding or at least restrict it to the announced four-hour mandatory load shedding until full exemption is ensured. He said it is irony that the prime users have neither gas nor electricity to run their industry.

LAHoRe: Nasser Ahmed Bhutta, Abbas Gilani, Wali Khan, Babar Murtaza and Babar Waheed attend a seminar held by PML-N lawyers to observe Youm-e-Takbeer. ONLINE

Residential plots earmarked for special people

LAHore APP

Punjab Chief Minister’s Advisor Begum Zakiya Shahnawaz said on Tuesday that the government will allot plots to special people in all the residential schemes set to be launched in the next fiscal year and that a huge amount will be allocated for the purpose in the budget.

Speaking at her office, she said disabled people were an integral part of society and deserved to be provided with every facility.

She stated that the Social welfare Department had already launched a number of projects for their rehabilitation. “on the instruction issued by the chief minister, the department is working on mega projects, including the allotment of plots in residential schemes across the province,” she added.

Zakiya added that the services of foreign trained experts were being hired to train physically challenged people so that they could live a normal life.

She added that the Special Education Ministry was opening free health centres for the disabled.

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wEAThER uPDATES

43 °C high 0C 27 low

Sunny

ThuRSDAY 44°C i 28°C

fRiDAY

SATuRDAY

43°C i 28°C

42°C i 28°C

PRAYER TiMiNGS fajr Sunrise 03:24 04:59

zuhr 12:00

Asr 15:40

Maghrib 19:00

isha 20:36

CiTY DiRECTORY EMERGENCY hElP RESCuE EDhi CONTROl MOTORwAY POliCE POliCE GOVERNOR’S hOuSE ChiEf MiNiSTER’S hOuSE fiRE BRiGADE BOMB DiSPOSAl MCl COMPlAiNTS lAhORE wASTE DiSPOSAl

1122 115 130 15 99200081-7 99203226 16 99212111 99211022-29 1139

hOSPiTAlS MiD CiTY 37573382-3 SERViCES 99203402-11 MAYO 99211100-9 GENERAl 35810892-8 ShEiKh zAiD 35865731 SiR GANGA RAM 99200572 uCh 35763573-5 iTTEfAq 35881981-85 CMh 366996168-72 ShOuKAT KhANuM 35945100 JiNNAh 111-809-809 ADil (DEfENCE) 36667275 ChilDREN’S 99230901-3 DEfENCE NATiONAl hOSPiTAl 111-17-18-19

BlOOD BANK fATMiD iSlAMiC AlliANCE

35210834-8 37588649/37535435

COMPlAiNT wAPDA Sui GAS

111-000-118 1199

RAilwAYS CiTY STATiON (ENquiRY) RESERVATiON RAilwAY POliCE

117 99201772 1333

AiRPORT fliGhT ENquiRY PiA RESERVATiON

114 111-786-786

LAHoRe: Citizens gather on Davis Road in support of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. MuRTAzA ALI

PDMA bracing against the rain Authority to conduct vulnerability survey, collect information about buildings that can be used in case of floods LAHore

P

STAFF RePoRT

RoVINCIAl Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Mujahid Sherdil has said the PDMA is responsible for immediate response to any emergency or disaster and that the authority has chalked out a plan to collect the information required to assess the vulnerability of the communities directly exposed to the risk of flooding.

DG Mujahid Sherdil was presiding over a meeting in this regard on Tuesday.

He stated that the PDMA will conduct a detailed study of thousands of settlements located in a 10-kilometer band parallel to all major rivers in the nine vulnerable districts of Punjab.

A detailed survey has been planned and all settlements have been marked on the map with the help of the Geographic Information System.

The PDMA DG added that an Androidbased data entry application has been developed to help conduct the socio-economic and vulnerability assessment of the residents of different villages.

Sherdil said the District Disaster Risk Management Coordinators (DDRMCs) will be responsible for the completion of the comprehensive survey and would be assisted by the district administrations.

He added that the PDMA will mobilise its team of DDRMCs based at nine districts in Punjab to collect the data and information utilising smart phone in the villages marked by the GIS team. The DDRMCs will also be able to use the smart phones to take geotagged pictures of the important infrastructure in each village.

The DDRMCs will identify the important infrastructure in each village to create a database of buildings and structures that can be utilised to provide shelter or any medical aid to people displaced from other areas, he added.

Along with the information about build-

file photo ings and governmental structures, the DDRMCs will also collect information on the number of people residing in the settlements, the number of people that might require extra care in case of evacuation, the number of households, disabled and elderly people and a variety of other issues such as the availability and status of schools, dispensaries, ware-

100 GHaZalS oF Maulana RuMi

houses, police check posts and other facilities.

The data collected through this comprehensive survey will be superimposed on the topographical layout of the districts. The locals residing in those settlements are usually aware of the vulnerable embankments and can be a good source of information related to risky areas, he concluded.

YoGa and Meditation claSSeS

dance FactoRY - ladieS

COllEGES / uNiVERSiTiES PuNJAB uNiVERSiTY KiNNAiRD COllEGE quEEN MARY COllEGE GOVT. COllEGE uNiVERSiTY uMT luMS uET lCwu SuPERiOR COllEGE

99231257 99203781-4 36362942 111-000-010 35212801-10 35608000 36288666 99203072 111-000-078

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wednesday, 30 May, 2012

SPARC raises awareness about violence against children through puppet show

LAHore

A

STAFF RePoRT

puppet and theatre show was organised under the theme, ‘Violence against Children’ by the Society for the Protection of the

Rights of the Child (SPARC), in collaboration with Godh and Sahil at the Jillani Park.

Children from various schools participated in the performances to create awareness about issues like child trafficking, the plight of street children, domestic child labour and

early marriages.

A large number of people from all walks of life attended the event.

According to a press release issued

by SPARC, incidences of kidnapping for ransom, early marriages, murders and sexual abuse are taking their toll in the province of Punjab.

The responsibility for ensuring collective and individual safety and security lies on the state, which seems to be a silent spectator, exhibiting very little concern over the increasing violence against children, as well as the killing of innocent children.

The increasing violence and oppression of the weakest and most vulnerable members of our society requires immediate and effective measures at many levels, the statement said, adding that it was equally important to promote non-violent values through public education and awareness.

SPARC Regional Manager Sajjad Cheema said collective and collaborative efforts always have strength and that the government can be compelled to fulfill its international obligation regarding the United Nations conventions on the rights of the child.

Lahore 09

uS breaks ground at $6m women’s hostel at FCC LAHore STAFF RePoRT

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Dr Andrew Sisson and US Consul General Nina Fite led the groundbreaking ceremony at the new USAID-funded women’s Hostel at the Forman Christian College (FCC) on Tuesday. Dr Sisson operated an excavator for breaking the ground on this $6 million (543,600,000 Rs) construction project. By providing a secure all-female on-campus residence, the United States is supporting and encouraging women from across Pakistan to pursue higher education.

“The United States Government is fully committed to supporting and strengthening education in Pakistan, particularly closing the gender gap in higher education,” remarked Dr Sisson. He added, “Education is one of the most important means of empowering women with the knowledge, skills, and self-confidence necessary to participate fully in society.”

FCC Rector-designate Dr James

Tyre shops asked to take measures against dengue LAHore APP

Chairman Dengue Control Committee Nishtar Town, MNA Naseer Ahmed Bhutta on Tuesday asked the tyre shop owners to take precautionary measures as prescribed by the government to avoid dengue growth.

“Strict action will be taken against those running old tyre shops and not complying

with government instructions,” he said.

He also said that in view of the dengue outbreak witnessed last year, the district administration was much conscious and adopting every possible measure to keep a check on dengue.

He said the old tyre shops were the breeding grounds for mosquitoes, considering which various teams had been formed to raid those shops.

Education govt’s top priority: Mujtaba LAHore APP

Punjab Education Minister Mujtaba Shujaur-Rehman said on Tuesday that education is a priority for the provincial government.

Talking to a delegation of students and dignitaries, Rehman said acting on the directions issued by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, a 40-member delegation of position-holding students will visit Turkey, Germany and England in June on a 4-week tour on which Rs 4.5 million will be spent.

He stated that Rs 1 billion was being distributed as a stipend among female students from remote areas to encourage them to get an education.

Mujtaba added that the government has step-up an endowment fund with Rs 8 billion

to award scholarships for higher studies to deserving students. He said that 2.5 million students were receiving computer education every year in the province through the IT promotion programme initiated by the Punjab CM. He added that as a result of the education-friendly policies of the present government the literacy rate has risen from 58 percent to 62 percent in four years.

Rehman said the Punjab government has provided a sum of Rs 10 billion to promote school education in the marginalised strata and that 1.5 million deserving students in 36 districts will benefit during the current year.

He said Rs 46 billion will be spent on the school education sector to elevate it up to international standards. The government has recruited 36,000 school teachers and 30,000 subject specialists purely on merit, he added.

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Tebbe praised the women’s hostel project saying, “The new women’s hostel will further help FC College recruit nationally and provide a secure environment for female students that meets the cultural standards of Pakistan.” other speakers at the event included female student representatives from Sukkur and Chitral, who expressed their appreciation for the project. The students said it will go a long way towards empowering women from all across Pakistan.

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10 Lahore

wednesday, 30 May, 2012

Ji chief slates Gilani’s statement on Silala attack LAHore STAFF RePoRT

Ameer Jamaat e Islami, Pakistan Syed Munawar Hasan on Tuesday strongly reacted to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s statement that a US apology on Silala attack won’t bring our soldiers back and said only an illiterate and insensitive man could utter such words.

“Yousuf Raza Gilani’s statement in this respect is an open invitation to the lawbreakers and terrorists to create chaos in the country and refuse to accept the rule of the constitution and the law”, he said.

The JI Ameer said that if PM’s argument was to be accepted, all the murderers, terrorists and saboteurs lying in jails should be set free as their imprisonment won’t bring back their victims nor would their being in the jails benefit the aggrieved families in any way. Besides, he said, this reasoning suggested that all the law courts and law enforcing agencies should be disbanded as they were simply useless.

Syed Munawar Hasan said that after the NA speaker’s ruling in his favour, Mr. Gilani was acting in a manner as if out of control and was issuing statements which made no sense at all.

He said that in a recent interview given to a foreign news agency, Mr Gilani had the audacity to say that all those who wanted to leave the country were free to do so.

lhC unseals three lESCO grid stations LAHore: The lahore High Court (lHC) on Tuesday ordered unsealing three grid stations of lahore Electric Supply Company (lESCo) which were sealed over non-payment of property tax. Justice Ayesha A Malik passed the order on a petition filed by lESCo against the Punjab Excise Department for sealing three grid stations. Earlier, lESCo’s counsel arguing before the court submitted that the excise department had sealed three grid stations in Baghbanpura, Riwaz Garden and on Sheikhupura Road over non-payment of property tax. APP

world Environment day on June 5 LAHore: The world Environment Day will be observed actively in the provincial metropolis on June 5, as several programmes have been chalked out by NGos and the Punjab Environment Protection Department. EPD sources said various events will be held from June 1 till 5th. The programmes include seminars, walks, exhibitions and poetry competitions-all designed to encourage people from all walks of life to participate in the events. The world Environment Day (wED) is aimed at boosting awareness about the environment and concerned issues and continues to seek political attention and public action for the collective cause. APP

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wednesday, 30 May, 2012

Editor’s mail 11

My education, my language This is in response to the article “My education, my language” which was published on 18 April, 2012. I strongly agree with the writer that education acquired in early years has to be in one’s first language.

The reasons behind receiving education in the first language is that in early years the class room setting needs to be friendly and comfortable, and if the language used in the classroom is not familiar to the child consequently a child might feel uncomfortable and often lose confidence and eventually it would affect the child holistically.

Secondly, this strongly neglects the essence of development appropriate for the children at the age of 3 to 5, which means it culturally appropriates the children who are still in the phase of learning their primary language. As Bowman (1989) points out, "learning a primary

The martyrs of Siachen

language is a developmental milestone for young children and is, therefore, a developmentally appropriate' educational objective." Similarly, when the child has to study English language which isn’t in the part of their daily environment, it’s like a hurdle for the young mind. The primary language of children is often used when they are socialized in their home and community as well. The experiences the child gets in early years constructs his personality. A difference in school and home culture affects the child’s holistic development and this should be tackled and dealt quickly. Moreover we should preserve our heritage and cultural languages are a part of our identity.

The article enlightens us that there are some organizations which are working for this purpose continuously. The Ministry of Education in Pakistan is kindly requested to enforce certain poli-

cies that should be strictly followed. Policies such as the medium of interaction should be bilingual in early year setting.

Secondly, the child should have the liberty to express himself in either language. Thirdly the children going through formal assessment should have the liberty to use either of the languages they are comfortable in.

For instance, English language is not common especially in the northern-western province then this is inappropriate medium for the child coming from a social background where English is not spoken at all. large number of children in different schools in our country is forced to study in English. The language which is not understood by them is meaningless and in this case no learning takes place, because children are not familiar with the vocabulary as well. The National Curriculum says that our objec-

tive of education is to make children sophisticated which will be helpful to the country and themselves in future.

No doubt the value of English as an international language remains important, but then it isn’t developmentally appropriate for the early learners. Children should be given more exposure to the English language until they are able to express themselves easily in this language. when the mode of teaching is English which is opposite to a child’s environment makes him/her feel disconnected in the classroom which affects his social domain which makes it more difficult in communicating with peers. This affects his emotional domain as the child is not able to express and understand himself and also lacks confidence and which may also affect his morale.

FATIMA KADHIM Karachi

Democracy sans justice Pakistan’s Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, while addressing a ceremony in london on May 27, 2012 said, “The weakest democracy is better than martial law.” This is a public statement of the honourable chief justice, and we may have our views on this. well, according to our chief justice, the democracy even weak or defective is preferable to any other form of government.

There cannot be any denying of this fact. But the question is, if democracy of any form or type can work without any slightest of semblance of any kind of justice, as is the case in present day Pakistan? Can the honourable chief justice deny the fact that, in Pakistan, in addition to many things failing in judicial system, the approaches and attitudes of judges at every level are not dictatorial?

Can he deny that, the judges here give more emphasis on formats and formalities than on disseminating justice to common man and the justice seekers? Can he deny that, here in Pakistan, people are deprived of any kind of justice; and justice system here is weakest of the weak, not because of lack of administrative and judicial lacunae in justice system, but to a great extent because of attitude of judges, who so far as a common man is concerned is not answerable to any one? In such a situation, the “weakest democracy” may be better than any other thing, but cannot respond to general public’s need for a long time.

In martial law, there may be no law.

In martial law, there may not be any constitution. And who else is in need of constitution which is open to at least 18 crore types of interpretations and misinterpretations? who else needs such a constitution, so least about constitutional rules, when general public cannot get food, clothe, education, justice, and any sort of basic/fundamental rights to live on peacefully? If the country seeks anarchy in the name of “weakest democracy”, then may Allah save us all!

Ameen.

SYED SAYEF HUSSAIN Karachi

The army has declared all those trapped below thousands of tons of snow at Giyari as martyrs. Hit by an avalanche 52 days back, the entire nation had been praying for the safe return of the 139 soldiers who had been guarding the most highest and dangerous area on the Siachen Glacier.

It is not the first incident when the armed forces has lost its courageous men, but has certainly been the biggest in a long time. The distressed families who were, despite all odds, harbouring the faint hope of a miracle may receive the news with a heavy heart, but it will help them move forward. The memories of their loved ones will certainly remain with them forever in the form of the courageous tales of sacrifices that they made for the love of their country. It will remain with us for centuries to listen to with pride and emulate.

Martyrdom is a state that many may dream of but very few manage to attain, for they are the few lucky ones who the lord Himself says, that they can never be called as dead.

They are the real heroes of this nation for they have braved every difficulty, pain and anguish and finally embraced martyrdom. Every Pakistani would surely be feeling the grief of and praying for the families that these martyrs have left behind. May Allah bless them with courage and strength to move forward!

Amen.

LUBNA UMAR Islamabad

lack of health facilities

election year 2013 is election year in Pakistan; it’s time to judge the political forces per their performance in last five years. But none of the political parties has any tangible thing to be proud of – corruption, lawlessness, terrorism, ethnic and sectarian rifts, lack of basic amenities/utilities, consistent decline in the standard of living – you name any bad norm, that’ the way of life in Pakistan. Then how to attract the masses; some people have decided to encourage further divisions of this already fractured nation for their short term gains. First came the demand for Hazara province to be carved out of KP, then movement for a separate Seraiki province hit the headlines; so far both the new provinces movements have been comparatively peaceful, limited to speeches, rallies and TV talk shows.

However, recent wall chalking and rallies in Karachi for a Mohajir province (or Southern Sindh province) has not been welcomed by the other ethnic groups living in Sindh. This has made the day for normally obscured Sindhi nationalist parties, who are dead against division of Sindh, to be back in the lime light. These nationalist parties have vowed to forcibly stop any proposed division of the province. All those people who are voicing for a Mohajir province need to understand that such a demand is a non-starter say the least. Urdu-speaking commu-

nity is not limited to Karachi and Hyderabad only; a large number of ordinary people of this community are living in interior Sindh.

Any division or even demand for division would lead to bloodbath all across the province. last week’ firing on a Karachi rally followed by killing of bus passengers in Nawabshah shall open the eyes of tho se opportunists who think they can garner more votes by putting up a demand for a Mohajir province.

Those who are on the forefront of this demand can’t fulfill the legal requirements as placed by the constitution for new provinces, then why to create hatred and rift among the communities living in Sindh.

Instead they shall be more vocal to demand reasonable financial and administrative powers for city governments. This is the only way to serve their constituencies, not by misguiding the youngsters for a mirage which can’t be achieved. They shall realize that still hundreds of thousands of Urdu-speaking people are still living in refugees camps in Bangladesh; a gift from hatred and rift which broke the Pakistan in 1971. we don’t want to repeat the same mistake.

MASOOD KHAN Jubail, Saudi Arabia

The government has allocated only a small share for health care in the budget.

It is neglected just like education and all the good things that lead to development and progress of people. Basic health facilities are not within the reach of a poor man, he can’t afford doctors’ fee and medicines.

Government hospitals lack resources as well as proper doctors. Hospitals where doctors are present, they are helpless due to absence of proper resources to treat their patients. Those who can’t afford private doctors wait for death to ease their suffering. Most of the health care facilities in such areas are provided

by NGo-run hospitals and clinics.

According to a report, Pakistan is ranked lowest in education and health among the nuclear powers. The birth rate and death rate are higher than usual. The government has clearly no interest in welfare of its people; that is why they are deprived of basic facilities that the state is required to provide them. The government should take serious measures to improve health facilities in rural areas as well as in cities.

ERUM ZEHRA Karachi 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 may be edited for length and clarity.

It would be appreciated if letters were addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively.

The zen of Marvi

By Zeba Ansari

T

he Mohajir Sooba Tehreek was not a player in Pakistan’s political game until the beginning of this year. Almost out of nowhere, we started to see wall chalkings demanding a separate province for Mohajirs. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement denied any alliances with this new voice of the Mohajirs, but with the approval from the provincial assemblies of the various provinces in Punjab, KPK and Balochistan, the Mohajirs of Sindh sat up and paid attention to this new revolution, which was spreading like wildfire.

In May 2012, this idea took the form of a legitimate tehreek (movement) when it was endorsed in a press conference in New York.

Among the noted names who

called the press conference were past members of the National Assembly, ex-ministers, an ex-MPA of Sindh Assembly and a retired deputy mayor of Karachi. They presented their case to the members of the press and voiced their frustration. Their point was that since MQM was not paying serious attention to the voice of the people of Sindh in this matter, they were willing to break away and support the effort for a South Sindh Province.

Constitutionally, the power to put forth the resolution for the division of a province into smaller units lies with the provincial government. This was proven when leaders like Taj Mohammad langah and Farooq Ahmad Khan successfully presented the cases for the Seraiki and Bahawalpur provinces. They had the support of the PMl(N) and the proposition was carried through the Provincial

Assembly and then the National Assembly, with the full support of the Constitution. why are the rules different for Sindh? why does the concept of the South Sindh province stick in peoples sides, like a thorn? on May 22nd, Marvi Memon wrote an article in which she talks about how the Muhajireen were embraced when they emigrated from India. She goes on about how the Sindhis opened their doors and accepted these displaced people into their hearts and homes and made them feel welcome. According to her, everyone in Sindh is Sindhi, and as such, there is no Mohajir nation. She seems not to believe that an ethnicity such as Mohajirs exists. To her, everyone who talks about South Sindh is a traitor; meanwhile, the separatist element, which has been very vocal about carving a new country out of Pakistan, has not been able to attract

her righteous indignation.

After this article was published, she proceeded to participate in a “peace” rally with Uzair Baloch and his Peoples Amn Committee. A rally that affirmed its commitment to peace with a healthy demonstration of firepower – the trademark of PAC. There are many things wrong with this scenario. Isn’t Uzair Baloch a wanted man with actual reward money on his head? How is he leading a publicised rally in the middle of a city in broad daylight?

Isn’t Peoples Amn Committee a banned outfit? what is Marvi Memon doing with wanted criminals and banned political parties? what is her agenda? And finally, what kind of people pack an arsenal of grenades and assorted firearms before participating in a rally for peace?

Marvi left PMl(Q) because of “corrupt and incompetent treasury

benches” – her words, not mine – and later joined PMl(N), where she is officially known as his Special Envoy to the Pakistani Public.

She joined in with PAC, under the blessings of PMl(N), for a “peaceful” rally which has left 12 dead and 29 injured. The amazing thing is that while the shots were being fired and the grenades were being tossed, Marvi kept on tweeting and posting pictures. She was probably the only person who was at peace during the whole violent event.

Does this mean that PMl(N) has formed alliances with banned outfits and wanted criminals? The fact that they have formed this partnership against the South Sindh province, when they had no opposition to the formation of other provinces, boggles my mind.

The divide of Pakistan, on administrative basis, is the need of the changing demographics. It will

make for a stronger country and a more democratic division of power. PMl(N) is a major player in the politics of Pakistan. They have a duty to uphold proper form and protocol. And yet they have taken the low road to satisfy a personal agenda.

The formation of a separate province in Southern Sindh is a matter for the Sindh Provincial Assembly. It is the need of the people and the people of Sindh have a strong case for it. A part of the population of Sindh is already on record for demanding separation from the government of Pakistan.

So it goes to reason that a consolidated Sindh is not working in the present scheme of things. You cannot lead if your first thoughts are for yourself and not for the greater good.

The writer can be reached at ansari.zeba@gmail.com

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12 Comment increasing uS pressure It’s all parleys and delays

B

y delaying to convene the joint meeting of the parliament to debate the reopening of the Nato supply route, the government hoped to convey its sense of hurt to washington. So did the army when it delayed the visit by top US generals for discussion with their Pakistani counterparts on the issue. The postponement of the ISI chief’s visit to US and two more drone attacks in North waziristan indicate that washington thinks it is now its turn to pressurise Islamabad. while one had hoped that Pakistan’s participation in Nato’s Chicago summit would lead to an improvement in bilateral relation, what has happened is the reverse. washington thought that it was providing Islamabad a face saving by inviting President Zardari to the Nato summit without preconditions. obama had hoped that by the time Zardari reached washington, concrete progress would have been made on the contentious issue of opening the Nato supply routes. As discussions between the two teams in Islamabad over the modalities continued without any concrete progress, Zardari had nothing to offer at Chicago. He demanded instead an apology and an end to drone strikes as required by Parliament. This led obama to ignore Zardari at the summit. A blunt Clinton went a step ahead by chiding the Pakistani President for what she considered lack of leadership displaying itself in a failure to forge national unity and exercise the political will to open the Nato routes.

Islamabad, thus, failed to make use of an opportunity offered at Chicago. Interestingly, the hawks in Pakistan are willing to forgo the demand for an apology and would settle for some sort of association with the drone attacks instead of total cessation. They, however, remain adamant on extracting super high fees on the Nato transport called price gouge by Panetta. one wonders if this was destined to be the end of the super patriotism displayed after the Salala incident. would it not be more realistic if Pakistan initiated an operation in North waziristan in return for an end to drone attacks which it simply does not have to capacity to stop? what has to be done should be done without looking miserable, and on time.

The bomb It won’t fill our stomachs

I

t’s strange that we should be playing politics on something that happened not one or two years but fourteen years ago; but then again that’s what politics has become in the republic – selective memory, selective arguments. Pakistan detonated nuclear devices some fourteen years ago but we haven’t really come to terms with its after-effects. True that this milestone can be seen through different lenses, it should not be used as a tool in political machinations in our beloved land.

Incidentally, Mian Nawaz Sharif, while taking the credit for nuclear detonations, has claimed that the incumbent government has compromised the country’s sovereignty in incidents like the Abbottabad raid. Again an example of selective amnesia. If such raids violate our sovereignty, terrorists like osama bin laden have been violating it for longer than we would like to accept. Sovereignty isn’t an abstract idea that is open to varying interpretations. It is pretty much textbook stuff. what we, however, lack in its implementation is commitment from our leaders, security and defence stakeholders. No number of bombs can protect us if we become weak from the inside, if there are rifts between people, if there are fissures in national unity and integrity. we need to learn to be strong without the bomb.

A case can be made about whether, or not, we needed this deterrence in the first place. Has it made any difference to the defence of the state? Has it helped the public in any way except for perhaps providing rhetoric to be used by hawkish elements at powerful positions, and rally them together around a cause so meticulously yet erroneously fabricated? It is not through weapons that a country becomes stronger; it is in promoting the prosperity and unity of its people that a country finds its real strength and conviction. Maybe it would have been better if successive governments, after we became a member of the elite nuclear armed club, had expended their energies more on actual development rather than bragging about having an arsenal capable of ending millions of lives at a time, and the one that is growing at a rate faster than our GDP. we need to set our priorities right.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

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

wednesday, 30 May, 2012

Who will rule Pakistan?

Dysfunction, apparently

T

he decision of the Speaker of the National Assembly on May 24 that the judgment of the Supreme Court does not create the basis for disqualification of the prime minister has saved him from being disqualified as the member of the National Assembly. However, given the ongoing confrontation between the major political parties the PMl(N) has decided to challenge the speaker’s ruling in the Supreme Court. This will reopen the disqualification case against the prime minister, giving an opportunity to the Supreme Court to be more categorical in disqualifying him, causing the collapse of the federal cabinet.

The Supreme Court has the power to interpret the constitution. It may succeed against the civilian government in narrow legal and constitutional sense. However, the current federal government has a decisive edge in the political domain. As the federal coalition created by President Asif Ali Zardari remains intact, the disqualification of the prime minister, if the Supreme Court decides to do that, would not shift the locus of power. The PPP-led coalition can

By Dr Hasan Askari rizvi bring forward another leader of their choice as the prime minister who will carry on with the legacy of Yousaf Raza Gilani.

The legal experts are debating the merits and demerits of the Supreme Court judgment and what the Court can do after the ruling of the Speaker of the National Assembly. This debates fits into the existing political polarisation. As a matter of fact, the political fallout of the judgment has accentuated political divisions.

The PPP and its allies and supporters are unhappy over the judgment and think that the Supreme Court could not insist on writing a letter to the Swiss authorities because of the presidential immunity laid down in Article 248 (2) of the Constitution. Had the Supreme Court not been protected by the contempt of court law, this criticism would have been sharper than what we read and hear now-a-days.

The opposition parties and others are projecting themselves as the champions of independent judiciary and that the judgment of the Supreme Court should be implemented fully, implying that Prime Minister Gilani is automat-

ically disqualified and that he could not stay on as the prime minister.

The legal community is also divided on the same line. what matters most is the political agenda. As it is not possible for the opposition, especially the PMlN, to remove the federal government through a vote-of-no-confidence in the National Assembly because it does not have the required parliamentary support, it views the Supreme Court’s judicial activism as an opportunity to pursue its political agenda. If the Army removes the Gilani-Zardari government, the opposition will be willing to welcome it provided such a removal opens the way for their assumption of power within a couple of months. If they realize that any removal of government by the judiciary or the military results in denial of power to them for the next couple of years they will oppose such a change.

The federal government led by Yousaf Raza Gilani has so far managed to survive different pressures from the military, superior judiciary and the opposition since october-November 2011. It was in November-December 2011 that some political analysts talked about the collapse of the federal government in weeks because in their view either the Supreme Court’s pressure would cause the collapse of the federal government or the military would do that or both would join to get rid of the prime minister.

A civil-military confrontation broke out on the memo issue, and by the end of December, the Supreme Court appointed a special commission to inquire into the memo issue. when in January 2012 the defence secretary, a retired lt-General, was removed by the Prime Minister, many analysts thought that the federal government had reached the end of the road and that the military would knock it out. This did not happen.

The federal coalition was able to take part in the Senate elections in March and the PPP and its allies improved their position in the upper house. Now, only one item of the federal government’s current agenda is left, that is, the national budget, that will be presented in the first week of June. Though the PMl(N) will bitterly oppose it, the federal government will have no serious problem in getting the budget approved because the ruling coalition is expected to stick together.

Any move by the opposition to challenge the decision of the speaker in the High Court or the Supreme Court is not going to be settled before the approval of the national budget because the federal government will contest such a move in the court of law. once the budget is approved, the federal government can review the situation to decide the timing of the next general elections, i.e. before the end of this year or in the second quarter of 2013. once the general elections are announced the constitutional battle may continue as an academic exercise but it will lose political significance.

The most serious challenge for the federal coalition is not the threat of disqualification of the prime minister but the faltering economy and growing internal disorder. The new budget is likely to run into serious problems within six months if the government is unable to obtain international financial support that depends on reopening of NATo supply line though Pakistan.

The military authorities appear to be in favour of resuming the supply of NATo goods through Pakistan.

But, the civilian government and the military lack the courage to say this in categorical terms because their own policies strengthened antiAmericanism and pro-Taliban sentiments in Pakistan to such an extent that both have become hostage to their own policies. Economic crisis is coupled with increased internal disorder and violence that is now spreading to the areas that were generally stable.

The PPP should hold the general elections not later than December, that is, before the economy starts unravelling. The opposition may be happy that the problems of the federal government are increasing. what the government and the opposition do not realise that the current polarisation, faltering economy and growing internal insecurity are pushing the country towards internal chaos.

Pakistan is becoming a dysfunctional state. A large part of its territory will be ruled by competing local power brokers, gun wielders and chaos rather than by a civilian government or a government that meets the criterion set up by the military or the Supreme Court.

The writer is an independent political and defence analyst.

Foreign Press

Egyptians make history, once again the Hindu

E

gypt's 51 million voters have made history by voting in their country's first-ever free and open presidential election. They have also proved almost all commentators wrong in the choices they made.

The Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi, standing on the ticket of the Freedom and Justice Party, has 25.3 per cent of the first-round vote to 24.9 for Ahmed Shafik, standing as an independent candidate.

Final figures will not be known before May 29, and the runoff will be held on June 16 and 17.

None of the 12 candidates emerged as a clear preelection leader, but the surprises include the leftNasserist independent Hamdeen Sabbahi, who took approximately 20 per cent on a strong social-justice platform. The candidates with higher campaign profiles, such as Amr Moussa, former secretary general of the Arab league, or the ex-Brotherhood independent Islamist, Abdul Moneim Aboul Fotouh, made little impression in the poll itself.

It is highly significant that neither of the two frontrunners has been harmed by their antecedents. The Brotherhood chose the uncharismatic Morsi only when the Higher Presidential Electoral Commission disqualified its first choice, Khairat al-Shater, for an unresolved criminal conviction. For his part, Mr Shafik, a former fighter pilot and long-term civil aviation minis-

ter in the Hosni Mubarak dictatorship, was also Prime Minister for a month before Mr Mubarak was ousted by the Tahrir Square revolution.

Mr Morsi has benefited from the Brotherhood's huge party machine and its supporters' deep social conservatism, and Mr Shafik from political conservatism among those who staff major institutions like the military, the civil service, the judiciary, and the police. They could well see him as Egypt's best defence against the Islamism, however moderate it is said to be, of the Brotherhood, and against the uncertainties embodied by the urban and tech-savvy younger generation whose courage precipitated the end of the dictatorship 15 months ago.

The liberal or left-liberal vote may have been split between Mr Sabbahi and Mr Moussa, and the younger democrats are the biggest losers in this election, because the greatest impact of the conservatives' firstround win will probably be shown in the new constitution, which is yet to be written and will either reflect the dominance of Islamist MPs in the alreadyelected parliament or reveal tensions between them and Mr Shafik. Irrespective of the eventual outcome, however, the whole election remains a triumph for the hundreds of thousands of young people who started the Egyptian revolution in February 2011.

Democracy is not a one-shot game and their continued engagement and vigilance are essential for its success.

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wednesday, 30 May, 2012

Comment 13

Otherising Obama Defect by design The hate-machine works ever so deviously

Washington Watch

By Dr James J Zogby

R

epublican presidential challenger, Mitt Romney was given credit last week for refusing to endorse a proposed ad campaign that sought to link President Barack obama with the controversial sermons delivered by his former pastor Jeremiah wright.

In doing so, Romney appeared to be demonstrating the same streak of decency that wouldn't allow him to join in with the silly "birther" cabal, or the "Islamophobic" hysteria when these tendencies were all in vogue.

So far, so good. But before pinning any medals on Mitt Romney, it is important to note some worrisome signs indicating that he and his campaign may have opted for a more subtle approach to establishing the "otherness" of Barack obama.

The more ham-fisted approach was used in 2008 by then vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. It was both divisive and a failure. Beautifully catalogued by radio and TV personality, Bill Press, in his new book, "The Obama Hate Machine", the GoP and their media echo chamber engaged in a multi-pronged assault against obama in an effort to paint him as “radical,” “foreign,” and “different than the rest of us.” He was “Muslim,” “associated with terrorists,” “of foreign birth;” a “Black militant,” “not a loyal American,” or a “Marxist” – all of which Press termed “the othering of candidate obama.”

Republicans failed to defeat Barack obama in 2008.

But their efforts did leave a deep residual mistrust of the President. For example, recent polls show that an average of 40 percent of Republican voters in Southern states do not believe that obama was born in the United States (and is, therefore, ineligible to be president) and more than a quarter of all Republicans still believe that obama is a Muslim.

There was more subtle approach to establishing the "otherness" of obama and it had its roots in the 2008 Democratic primary. A memo prepared back then by Hillary Clinton's campaign manager, Mark Penn, pointed out the "diverse multicultural background" of her opponent, suggesting that “it exposes a very strong weakness for him – his roots to basic American values and culture are at best limited. I cannot imagine Americans electing a president...who is not at his centre fundamentally American in his thinking and values.”

Based on this assessment, Penn then asked "how we could give some life to this contrast without turning negative?" And he answered his question with the following advice: “Every speech should contain the line you were born in the middle of America...and talk about the...deeply American values you grew up with...let's explicitly own 'American' in our programs, the speeches, and values. He doesn't. Make this a new American Century, etc...let's add flag symbols to the backgrounds.” while candidate Clinton rejected this approach, her surrogates, at times, did not. In any case, this Penn memo proposing a more subtle othering of obama appears now to have been picked up by team-Romney in 2012.

Earlier this week, I received a mass fundraising mailer from the Romney campaign. It included a glossy full colour photo of the candidate in wrinkled jeans and wind-breaker, standing in front of a weathered barn emblazoned with a massive American flag. Under

the photo was written: "James, Thank you for believing in America as much as I do...this is a moment that demands we return to our basic values and core principles.

Mitt Romney" The fundraising letter that accompanied the photo featured, on just its first page, in only 15 lines of text, the words "America" and "American" 10 times. The letter began: “I believe in America...I believe in the American Dream. And I believe in American strength".

And continued: “This election is a battle for the soul of America.” It concluded by asserting that this campaign is “to reclaim America for the people.” while only a touch more subtle than the rejected "paint him with the Jeremiah wright is a radical brush", the net effect of this Romney mailing is the same. In case you missed the point: Mitt Romney is the "real" American; he is the one who believes in "American values"; and he alone is fighting for the "soul of America".

And the subtext of the message, in case you missed that: obama is different; he's not like "us"; his ideas are foreign; and he and his supporters believe in values that are unAmerican.

So while claiming to be the higher road, this GoP approach invites the same conclusion and opens the door to same bigotry that has for four years now tarnished our national discourse.

This election can be about many things. It can be about approaches to job-creation, or philosophies of governance, or character, or even qualities of leadership. But in a time of great national stress, faced, as we are, with a struggling economy and an unsettling and rapidly changing world, what this election debate should not be about are subtle or not so subtle digs calling into question the "patriotism" or "otherness" of the incumbent.

The writer is President of the Arab-American Institute.

The Daral Khawr Project’s disputed feasibility

By Zubair torwali

o

n April 30 this year, the Chief Minister of KhyberPakhtunkhwa, Amir Haider Khan Hoti, kicked off his government’s 10 year hydroelectricity plan by inaugurating the Daral Khwar Hydropower Project in Bahrain, Swat. while the announced 10 year hydro-energy plan deserves to be praised, there is also a need to also take into account the impact the projects are likely to have on the lives, environment and economy of the communities where these projects are to be constructed. There is much advocacy in the world to go green; Hydropower generation is deemed to be one of the the best initiatives in this respect. But the threats posed by constructing these projects cannot be ignored. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the potential for hydel energy generation mostly lies in Swat-Kohistan, Chitral and Indus Kohistan — the regions where ethnic minorities have been dwelling since centuries. These mountainous regions are amongst the least developed in Pakistan despite being blessed with abundant natural resources and tourist attractions. It is perhaps because the areas are not well represented in the political setup.

If one were to conduct costbenefit analysis of the proposed projects in the government’s plan, for most of them, the harms would not outweigh the benefits. But one project amongst these could potentially have disastrous effects on a community of over 25,000 people. The Daral Khawr Hydropower Project has been designed by the government’s body Sarhad Hydel Development organization (SHYDo). The project will be situated in Bahrain, Swat and will supposedly produce 36.6 megawatts of electricity. But it’s not that sim-

ple and emphasis is on the word supposedly. The feasibility report states that 3 of the turbines will be closed for three months in the winter while only one will be on for 4 months as water in the Daral River falls during these months.

Thus, the average production will be closer to 19 megawatt (not accounting for other technical losses). Paying over 7 billion for just 19 megawatt is too much; and this is not to mention that there will be the additional detriment to agriculture, domestic use of water, the environment and tourism in the region. over 25,000 people will thus be affected.

The Daral River flows from the glaciers up in the elevated hills and it dissects the valley and the twon of Bahrain. Here it meets the mighty Swat River and makes a beautiful confluence with foggy waterfalls refreshing the atmosphere around. Up in the valley beyond the town, it feeds the arable lands via 12 water channels; it also provides water for domestic consumption in the town and cleans the air.

The current plan under the power project designed by the SHYDo is to divert the Daral River, at a point in the Daral River valley 6 km from the town of Bahrain, into a 3 km pressure tunnel in the western hill and to have it fall on the proposed power plant to be built on the main BahrainMingora road away from Bahrain.

Thus, the town will lose the river and its water and consequently get barren lands, fewer tourists and many diseases. Even the meaning of the name of Bahrain will be lost as it’s named after the two rivers.

The Daral Khwar Hydropower Project was to be initially funded by the Asian Development Bank but it dropped it from its portfolio in mid-2011 after commissioning a fact finding mission on the project due to the concerns and reservations of the local community.

The affected community has never demanded a halting of the project; they merely want a slight change in the current design so as to ensure that the water of the river fall into it at a point behind the town of Bahrain. Twice in the past two years, the community has sent complaint letters to the provincial Environment Protec-

tion Agency and the people are still waiting for a reply. Similar letters were also sent to the chief minister and the concerned cabinet members but to no avail. when in a meeting early this year, the chief minister approved the project and scheduled his inauguration visit, the people of Bahrain decided to use their democratic right of protest. However, prior to the CM’s visit on April 30, a number of meetings were organised by the MPA of PK-85 and the district administration but they resulted in nothing but false promises. when these placatory tactics did not work, the ‘divide and rule’ formula was tried – with a measure of success. Those who are the beneficiaries of the project (the ones whose lands would be acquired for the construction of the weir, penstock and the site road) were brought forth against the end users of the water of the Daral River. old community feuds were rekindled and, consequently, the linguistic minority was further divided into clans and factions. This was deliberately done by certain members of the administration.

Even the army was involved to quieten the agitated people. All this was done to make the CM’s visit a success but a complete shutter down strike was observed in Bahrain on the day; the honourable chief minister might have noticed.

Due to the apathy of the provincial administration despite the successive tabling of letters with the Chief Minister, this nonPashtun linguistic minority has felt further neglected and their sense of deprivation has deepened. The affected community does not demand huge dividends from the project. All they want is the Daral River and its water. The change in the current design is quite feasible. The SHYDo is not the last word on the design and feasibility of the project. A third independent party should be brought in to adjudge the feasibility for a change in the current design as per the wishes of the people of Bahrain. How dear the people of the mountains hold their water and the ecology of their land is unfortunately beyond the comprehension of those who rule them.

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wednesday, 30 May, 2012

Music takes centre stage

SOCIETY

KARACHI: Nokia Pakistan announced the global launch of a new phone from Pakistan for the first time. PR

as MTV plans ‘irreverent’ movie awards Los AngeLes ReUTeRS

HERE will be a new star at MTV Movie Awards, and it’s name is music. Electronic dance music will take centre stage at the show that organisers promise will feature more melodies than ever and spotlight how songs and film work together to enhance the movie going experience.

French DJ Martin Solveig, best known for his 2011 in-

T

ternational dance hit ‘Hello’, will spin mash-ups of music from movies throughout the show, including scores from ‘Jaws’, ‘Star wars’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’. Rockers The Black Keys are scheduled to perform, as are fun and hiphop singer wiz Khalifa.

The MTV Movie Awards get underway on Sunday, June 3, with British comedian Russell Brand as the host. The programme is known for showcasing Hollywood summer blockbusters and being

irreverent and lighthearted with ‘honours’ given in categories such as best on-screen dirtbag.

This year, fantasy ‘The Hunger Games’ and comedy ‘Bridesmaids’ will battle for the most awards as each landed eight nominations. Joining those two films in the hunt for best movie are civil-rights drama ‘The Help’, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2’ and ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1’. The 2012 MTV Movie Awards will bring together the biggest names in entertainment for what’s sure to be an irreverent night. Kristen Stewart, Emma Stone and Chris Hemsworth are among the stars who will be on hand to present Golden Popcorn statuettes. And as if all of that isn’t enough, the awards will also see the unveiling of exclusive footage from the summer’s most anticipated film, ‘The Dark Knight Rises’.

Saulo Passos and Adeel Hashmi

Saulo Passos and Calin Turcanu

Madonna the maleficent: singer covers ‘reductive’ ‘Born This Way’ LonDon AGeNCIeS

Madonna recently covered lady Gaga’s ‘Born This way.’ Perhaps it’s because Madge hasn’t been in the spotlight much since her album, MDNA, topped the Billboard charts (and suffered a subsequent nosedive in sales), but she recently went out of her way to once again remind everyone that she is, in fact, older than lady Gaga. The queen of pop was performing ‘Express Yourself’ at a rehearsal when she suddenly trotted out a cover of ‘Born This way’. of course, the two tracks blended seam-

Love in the air for Ranbir,

Deepika?

lessly. Though she stayed mum on Gaga’s song for some time after its release, Madge eventually said she felt the single was “reductive” and undoubtedly influenced by her earlier work. The whole affair had an air of condescension, as if Madonna was wielding the cover like Jay-Z did when he silenced Noel Gallagher and other critics by performing ‘wonderwall’. (The oasis singer had taken great umbrage at the fact that a rapper had been chosen to headline the festival.) was Madonna rubbing some salt in Gaga’s wound, or was she merely winking at the controversy while celebrating the younger performer?

MUMBAI: former lovers Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone seem to have become the new Bffs of B-Town. The ex-lovers are shooting for Ayan Mukherji’s ‘Yeh Jawaani hai Diwani’ in udaipur and are reportedly spending almost all of their time together on sets as well as off the set. A source said, "Both stars are shooting romantic scenes at historical places and both are very much close to each other on the sets and after shooting hours. Ranbir prefers to spend most of his evenings with Deepika.” The month-long schedule was extended by another week as the couple had to go to Delhi to attend Virendra Sehwag’s party.

So, the schedule which was to finish on May 22, will now finish only in the last week of May. Sources have also revealed that the couple is inseparable these days. The duo boarded the same flight to attend Karan Johar’s birthday bash and also came back together the next day together. while the two have gone all out and expressing joy on their new found friendship, sources close to them suggest that romance is in the offing. Those who have seen the rushes of the film suggest that the chemistry between the two crackling. So, what’s the status, guys? AGeNCIeS

Adeel Hashmi

Sri Devi, Rani and

Kareena to clash in September MUMBAI: Coming September will be an all heroines month as three beautiful Bollywood actresses will have their films scheduled in the same month. Kareena Kapoor's ‘heroine’ will be a solo release. The film is about a successful actress whose career is in a bad phase. Madhhur Bhandarkar's film earlier starred Aishwarya in the title role. ‘English Vinglish’ is Sridevi's comeback film after a 14year sabbatical. in it Sridevi plays a housewife, who enrols for an English speaking course in

order to please her husband and family.

‘English Vinglish’ releases on September 21.

The film is going to be a big attraction for her fans. Apart from that Rani Mukerji's ‘Aiyya’ releases in the same month. The film is a quirky love story with the backdrop of a west-South cultural clash. Rani Mukherjee is starring opposite Malayalam actor Prithviraj.

Needless to say September will be ruled by three hot actresses. let's see who strikes gold at the box office. AGeNCIeS

NeW DeLHI: After playing a bulky looking villian Kancha Cheena in ‘Agneepath’, Sanjay Dutt gets a makeover for his Soham Shah’s next directorial venture which examines underworld in the Pink City and Sanjay will play a 1970s Gujarat-based don. The yet-to-be-titled film is already being shot in Jaipur and a grand set has been erected - it has a massive mine with tunnels, chimneys and trains to give it a look of 1970s era and to make sure it is in sync with Sanjay’s role. Director Soham Shah of ‘Kaal’ and ‘luck’ fame said: "The character has a lot of power, and i wish to portray Sanjay Dutt on the lines of his esteemed father Sunil Dutt saab. i wouldn’t have made this film if Sanjay wouldn’t have done it as only someone like him can carry this kind of character.” its shooting is expected to finish in 50 days, while its songs will be shot in the country’s entertainment capital Mumbai. Other actors in the movie, expected to release in December this year, include Vivek Oberoi, Paresh Rawal and actress humaima Mallick, best remembered for Pakistani film ‘Bol’. AGeNCIeS

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15

Lady Gaga apologises for cancelled Indonesia concert JAkArtA CBS

ADY Gaga told fans she was ‘devastated’ over having to cancel her sold-out show in Indonesia following threats by religious hardliners, who called her a ‘devil worshipper’. “we had to cancel the concert in Indonesia,” she tweeted on Sunday. “I'm so very sorry to the fans and just as devastated as you if not more. You are everything to me.” "I will try to put together something special for you," she added. "My love for Indonesia has only grown. #GagaSendsloveToJakarta and all its people." In another tweet, the 26-year-old pop star wrote, "There is nothing Holy about

L

Arif Shafiq, GM Nokia, Pakistan

Lohan chased down

over $ 40,000

tanning bill LoS AngeLeS: Troubled star lindsay lohan, who owes USD 40,000 to a tanning salon, is being chased down for not paying up the huge sum yet. Nine months ago, the troubled actress was ordered by a judge in Nevada to pay Tanning Vegas - run by entrepreneur lorit Simon - what was owed.

Now the company is trying to get the case moved to California so they can cite her assets and force her to pay up, according to TMZ. lindsay racked up the huge bill between 2007 to 2009 when she was a client of the company. This is the latest in a long line of legal disputes for the 25-year-old actress, who was recently reported to have paid off a member of staff at the Betty Ford rehab clinic who is she is accused of being violent towards. Dawn Holland sued lindsay following the incident where she was apparently opposed to taking a breathalyser test. However, the case was closed for an undisclosed amount. lindsay is current trying to resurrect her acting career and will next star as Dame Elizabeth Taylor in lifetime movie ‘liz and Dick’ alongside ‘True Blood’s Grant Bowler in the role of Richard Burton. AGeNCIeS

Sanjay goes

Gauri turns

lean and mean

dictator in

for new film

hatred." Religious groups in Indonesia said the singer's sexy clothes and provocative dance moves would corrupt youth. They vowed to turn out at the airport by the thousands if lady Gaga arrived. others said they bought tickets so they could wreak havoc from inside the 52,000-seat stadium in the capital, Jakarta. Police responded by denying the necessary permits over concerns about security. Then, after public outcry, they said they'd reconsider but only if lady Gaga agreed to tone down her act. Instead, she pulled the plug on what was supposed to be the biggest stop on her Asian tour. Michael Rusli, head of concert promoter Big Daddy, promised fans full refunds. But that provided little consolation to Gaga’s fans.

Icarusinc launches

LoS AngeLeS: Demi Moore has denied reports of reconciliation with her estranged husband Ashton Kutcher, saying her tweets have been taken out of context. The 49-year-old has denied reports through her tweets. "You have to laugh at the media’s need to twist and take tweets out of context so they can create fictitious stories to sell to the public. Nice bit of wisdom passed on to me, ‘the faster you find what’s funny about something, the better it is," she wrote on her Twitter page. Recently Moore and Kutcher attended a birthday bash. The Hollywood couple split last year after six years of marriage amid allegations that Kutcher cheated on her. legal proceedings have not yet started. AGeNCIeS

‘Mud House and the Golden Doll’ neWs Desk ‘Mud House and the Golden Doll’ was screened at the Pakistan National Council of Arts, while the media company chosen for this event was Icarus Incorporated the only international PR firm currently operating in Pakistan. For far too long the film industry of Pakistan has been dominated by a few individuals churning out predictable films plagued by overacting. However the premiere of Islamabad’s first feature film has already started creating waves amongst philanthropists.

Based on the Iranian style of filmmaking it dares to challenge convention and features a plot based on true events. Unlike traditional documentary type films, ‘Mud House and the Golden Doll’ gently touches upon taboo topics that are sadly far too common in everyday Pakistan. The film revolves around the life of a dumb homeless man (known as a malang) and a

Westlife farewell young girl; their budding relationship and the neurosis of society. The film’s director, who incidentally also plays the homeless man, is Hamza Abassi, a veteran theatre actor and first time filmmaker. The role of the young girl’s mother is played by Fauziah Mehmood, Marketing Manager at the Saif Group.

Tajwar Raza plays the role

SRK-Priyanka

relationship MUMBAI: Shah Rukh, the King had a nice time wooing ‘friend’ Priyanka. And then came the blow from his wife. Shah Rukh’s alleged affair with Priyanka was a patch that the former and his wife Gauri can hardly ever get over. Or so the incidents that have happened ever since speculations of the affair went rife have proved. At Karan Johar’s recent birthday bash, people were keen on seeing whether Priyanka would turn up or not. And after midnight, Piggy Chops dropped by, dressed in a bronze and black gown, looking splendid as always. King Khan, meanwhile, was busy enjoying the party with wife Gauri by his side. it had earlier

Moore denies reconciliation with Kutcher

come to the fore that Karan Johar had dropped Priyanka’s name from the list of invitees on his birthday, however, with farhan Akhtar playing peacemaker, the filmmaker reconsidered his decision. Mrs Khan had laid some ground rules down before Shah Rukh and Priyanka. The rules included respecting a certain line as far as social get-togethers are concerned, and she had reportedly placed some strict tenets on the two acting together, too. So for now, the obedient husband will not be seen anywhere away from his wife. Once ‘close friends’ Shah Rukh and Priyanka are being tutored in social decorum by Gauri, it seems. AGeNCIeS

of Sonya (the young village girl) and TV actress, Mehwish Hayat Khan, will be seen playing the grown up Sonya. The movie screening was held specifically for the media and the audience was left in awe at the realism of the movie.

The commercial launch of the movie is expected in the next one month at 3d cinemas in Pakistan.

MUMBAI: Ever since Katrina Kaif signed on Yash Raj films ‘Dhoom 3’, the actress is known to be working extra hard on her hot bod. And apparently, this newfound passion of Kat has found a fan in Salman Khan. Sallu is so impressed with Kat’s exercise regime that he thinks she can be his new fitness mentor. The couple is shooting for Kabir Khan’s ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ and they have been having loads of fun together. while Sallu’s been helping Kat to attain that envious figure for ‘Dhoom 3’, Katrina has been keeping an eye on Salman and making sure that he doesn’t push himself too much, to avoid undue strain ever since his surgery. “Katrina really takes her workout and fitness regime very seriously. And she’s so into her training these days and at her fittest best that Salman joked about taking fitness tips from her,” a source shared. “Katrina is concerned about Salman and she keeps asking him to take care,” added the source. According to a unit member, this is what prompts Salman to joke further. “Salman has been ribbing Katrina about being the hottest fitness instructor of sorts,” reveals a source from the sets. The two are in Thailand shooting for ‘Ek Tha Tiger’. AGeNCIeS

concert to be shown in cinemas LonDon: The farewell concert by Irish pop band westlife is to be screened live to cinemas in the UK and Ireland and across Europe. The group, who announced last october they were splitting after 14 years, are set to bow out with a final concert at Dublin's Croke Park on 23 June. The band, whose 14 UK number ones include 1999 hit ‘Flying without wings’, have sold more than 44 million records worldwide. organisers said tickets for the 23 June concert sold out in minutes, leading them to schedule another date at the Dublin venue on 22 June. "It is bound to be a hugely emotional night and we expect to have tears in our eyes for nearly every song," the group said in a statement.

The fact that the show will be beamed to our fans in cinemas around the world only adds to our excitement." AGeNCIeS

Meet Salman’s hottest fitness instructor - Katrina

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16 Foreign News

wednesday,30 May, 2012

Turkish court remands six retired generals over 1997 coup AnkArA AFP

A Turkish court remanded six retired generals Tuesday as part of a widening probe into the 1997 bloodless coup that toppled the country’s first Islamist-led government, news agency Anatolie said.

Among the detained officers was general Ilhan Kilic, the former secretary-general of the National Council of Security, a civilianmilitary organ that until recent years played a key role in Turkish politics.

Former air force chief Ahmet Corekci and the head of land forces Hikmet Koksal were also ordered detained pending their trial, Anatolie said. Two of the six generals remanded by the Ankara court on Tuesday were already behind bars for their alleged involvement in another coup attempt in 2003 to overthrow the current government. Tuesday’s detentions marked the fifth wave of arrests related to the 1997 coup in recent months. About 40 former officials are already in provisional detention pending their trial. They have been accused of “attempts to overthrow the government or to partially or completely prevent its action,” the prosecutor’s office said. The 1997 coup is often qualified as “postmodern” as the officers toppled the government without having to use their troops or replacing the civilian administration with the military. A parade of tanks outside Ankara and an ultimatum addressed to Turkey’s first Islamist head of government, Necmettin Erbakan, at the time were all it took to overthrow his government without violence. The army, which sees itself as the guarantor of Turkey’s secular principles, overthrew three earlier administrations in 1960, 1971 and 1980.

Bangladeshi journalists in terrifying machete attack DHAkA AFP

Nine journalists were wounded when a gang of men wielding machetes stormed Bangladesh’s best-known online media outlet and began slashing staff, police and witnesses said Tuesday. At least 15 attackers burst into the offices of bdnews24.com late on Monday in northern Dhaka, leaving three people seriously wounded and prompting fresh protests about violence against the media in the deeply impoverished country.

“They broke open our office door and started yelling at us. Moments later they started hacking some of our colleagues in the office’s ground floor,” said senior reporter Abdur Rahim Harmachhi, who was slightly injured in the attack. “Blood was all over the news-floor and in the staircase. Some of us hid on the upperfloor... The attack lasted several minutes, but for 40 minutes we could not take the injured to clinic as the gang was waiting downstairs,” he said. Annie wahid, wife of injured journalist Salahuddin wahid, told AFP that her husband had been slashed on the thigh.

jALALABAD: An Afghan policeman examines the remains of a car in which five suspected suicide attackers were travelling and which allegedly exploded before they reached their target on Tuesday. AFP

Suu Kyi leaves Myanmar for first trip abroad in 24 years YAngon AFP

Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi headed to Thailand Tuesday for her first trip abroad in more than two decades, ending an era of isolation and cementing her arrival on the global stage.

The former political prisoner, who won a seat in parliament in historic April by-elections, is expected to meet the Thai prime minister, attend the world Economic Forum on East Asia and meet Myanmar communities during several days in the country.

Speaking to AFP at Yangon International Airport before her departure at around 8:00 pm (1330 GMT), Suu Kyi said she “didn’t feel anything special” about the landmark foreign trip. “It’s a part of my job. I’m going to stay for four or five days... I will visit one refugee camp,” she added, without providing further details.

Suu Kyi, who spent 15 of the past 22 years under house arrest, will emerge

into a world transformed — the skyscrapers and frenetic activity of Bangkok presenting a stark contrast to her home city of Yangon, with its crumbling architecture and frequent power outages.

She is due to arrive in Bangkok around 1440 GMT, where she will be met by international media.

Speaking in Yangon after her departure, Tin oo, spokesman for her National league for Democracy party, said it was up to Thailand to guarantee her security.

The Nobel laureate’s plan to leave Myanmar for the first time since 1988 comes as dramatic changes sweep the country, after decades of outright military rule ended last year.

Suu Kyi, fearful that she would never be allowed to return, had refused to travel abroad in the past,

even when the former junta denied her dying husband a visa to visit her from Britain.

New cyber ‘superweapon’ targets Iran MosCoW AFP

A Russian computer firm has discovered a new computer virus with unprecedented destructive potential that chiefly targets Iran and could be used as a “cyberweapon” by the west and Israel.

Kaspersky lab, one of the world’s biggest producers of anti-virus software, said its experts discovered the virus — known as Flame — during an investigation prompted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Iran appears to have been the main target of the attack and the announcement comes just a month after the Islamic Republic said it halted the spread of a data-deleting virus targeting com-

puter servers in its oil sector.

Kaspersky said the virus was several times larger than the Stuxnet worm that was discovered in 2010 and targeted the Iranian nuclear programme, reportedly at the behest of western or Israeli security agencies. It said the main task of Flame is cyber espionage, meaning it steals information from infected machines including documents, screenshots and even audio recordings. It then sends the data to servers all over the world. Flame is “actively being used as a cyberweapon attacking entities in several countries,” Kaspersky said in a statement late on Monday. Flame is “one of the most advanced and complete attacktoolkits ever discovered.”

“The complexity and functionality of the newly discovered malicious pro-

gramme exceed those of all other cyber menaces known to date,” it added.

The origin of the Stuxnet worm has never been made clear but suspicion has fallen on the United States and Israel which both accuse Iran of seeking to build an atomic weapon. The chief security expert at Kaspersky, Alexander Gostev, said that Iran was the country by far the worst affected by Flame followed by Israel/Palestinian Territories, Sudan, Syria and lebanon. “The geography of the targets and also the complexity of the threat leaves no doubt about it being a nation state that sponsored the research that went into it,” he said in an analysis article.

He said that the aim of the virus was clearly to “collect information” on the operations of states in the Middle East such

as Iran, lebanon and Syria.

However, like Stuxnet and another previous superworm Duqu, “its authors remain unknown”, he said.

“Flame is not designed to steal money from bank accounts. It is also different from rather simple hack tools and malware used by the hacktivists,” he added. without giving any indication that Israeli spy agency Mossad could be involved in Flame, Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Yaalon said such cyberweapons were an important part of the arsenal of Iran’s enemies.

“For anyone who sees the Iranian threat as significant, it is reasonable that he would take different steps, including these, in order to hobble it,” he told army radio.

Sudan, South prepare for talks amid fresh bombing claims ADDis ABABA AFP

Sudan and South Sudan prepared Tuesday for their first direct talks since deadly border fighting last month took them back to the brink of war, even as the South accused its arch-foe of fresh air raids. “Today as we speak they bombed us,” South Sudan’s top negotiator Pagan Amum told reporters in the Ethiopian capital, where teams from both sides have flown to restart African Unionled talks, expected to open late Tuesday. Amum said Sudanese war planes bombed border areas in three Southern states — Unity, western and Northern Bahr el Ghazal — in the fourth day of reported attacks that Khartoum has dismissed as lies and were not immediately possible to verify independently. However, Amum said the South would still take part in the talks, which were stalled by heavy clashes last month, the worst fighting since the South won independence last July. “we are attending no matter what,” he said.

The UN Security Council earlier this month ordered both sides to cease fighting and return to talks or face possible sanctions. Khartoum has in turn accused the South of alleged cross-border incursions, which it said broke the UN order to halt hostilities. Sources close to the talks said Khartoum’s delegation arrived in the Ethiopian capital on Tuesday morning. Khartoum, in an apparent peace gesture, has promised to end a year-long occupation of the contested Abyei region, a lebanonsized area whose ownership is a key issue for Juba and Khartoum.

Troops were due to pull out on Tuesday. Sudanese troops stormed the region in May 2011, forcing some 110,000 people to flee southwards, where the majority remains in impoverished camps.

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wednesday, 30 May, 2012

Foreign News 17 Egypt islamist candidate seeks to reassure women and Copts CAiro AFP

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood presidential candidate Mohammed Mursi sought on Tuesday to reassure women and Coptic Christians, who fear a conservative Islamist could threaten their freedoms. “our Christian brothers, let’s be clear, are national partners and have full rights like Muslims,” said Mursi in a press conference. Copts “will participate in a presidential institution” said Mursi, who is to face ex-prime minister Ahmed Shafiq in a presidential runoff on June 16 and 17. The Muslim Brotherhood is opposed to a woman or a Christian being president, but the movement’s political arm the Freedom and Justice Party says it does not. Egypt’s Christians, who make up about 10 percent of the 82 million population, complain of discrimination and have repeatedly been the target of attacks. Mursi also promised to “respect women’s right to work in all areas, to choose the way they dress”, saying there would be “no imposition on women to wear the veil.”

CAVeZZo: A view of the damage caused by an earthquake on Tuesday. As many as 10 people were reported killed when a strong earthquake rocked northeastern Italy. AFP

12 dead in Italy as second quake hits sAn FeLiCe sUL PAnAro AFP

A strong earthquake rocked northeastern Italy on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people, just days after another quake in the same region wrought death and destruction. The Emilia Romagna region confirmed a dozen people had perished as another tremor of above 5.3 magnitude hit the area at a depth of just one kilometre, sparking widespread panic among residents fearful for their lives.

The local Gazzetta di Modena newspaper said 13 people had been killed. “I have to leave the building, we’re being hit by a long, powerful tremor. I have to get out,” a civil protection agency spokesman in Mantua told AFP. Authorities said the region was struck between 1056 GMT and 1101 GMT by three tremors of between 5.1 and over 5.3 magnitude, following a 5.8 magnitude quake just after 0700 GMT when people were heading into work. “Everything’s collapsed, it’s chaos, buildings across the town are down,” a fireman in the tiny town of Cavezzo told Corriere della Sera newspaper. The first quake struck about 60 kilometres (40 miles) east of Parma, according to the Geographical Institute of Modena, and sent panicked residents rushing into the streets in quake-struck cities including Pisa and Venice. Tuesday’s quakes followed a 6.0 magnitude quake in the industrial northeast on May 20 which killed six people and left thousands in makeshift tent dwellings, with many homes and historic buildings reduced to rubble. “Everything was shaking, we ran out into the streets. The roads are now blocked by people trying to flee the centre in case there’s an aftershock,” Corriere della Sera reporter Elvira Serra said from the small town of Cento.

Annan warns Syria of grave concern, West pulls envoys BeirUt

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EACE envoy Kofi Annan expressed “grave concern” to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday and western nations threw out its envoys to protest against a massacre of 108 civilians, many of them children, in the town of Houla.

France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain and Australia said they were expelling the Syrian envoys from their capitals in a move that was coordinated with the United States and underlined Assad’s diplomatic isolation.

The killings in Houla drew a chorus of powerful condemnation from around the world, with the United Nations saying entire families had been shot dead in their homes. “Bashar al-Assad is the murderer of his people,” French Foreign Minister laurent Fabius told le Monde. “He must relinquish power.

The sooner the better.” His Australian counterpart Bob Carr said: “This massacre of more than 100 men, women and children in Houla was a hideous and brutal crime.”

Assad’s government late on Monday denied having anything to do with the deaths, or even having heavy weapons in the area. western countries

Peace plan depends on ‘end of terrorism’: assad BeIrut: The success of Kofi Annan’s six-point peace plan depends on “the end of terrorism,” Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told the UN-Arab league envoy on Tuesday, state television reported. “The success of the Annan plan depends on the end of terrorist acts and those who support them and the smuggling of weapons,” Assad was quoted as saying. States that “harbour and arm terrorist groups” should comply with the Annan plan, Assad added as he met with the envoy in Damascus, after 108 people were massacred at the weekend in what human rights groups accused the regime of carrying out. Damascus has denied responsibility for the Houla massacre, blaming foreign-funded “terrorist groups” instead. Annan arrived on Monday for talks with Assad, the opposition and representatives of civil society. In his meeting with Assad on Tuesday, Annan conveyed “the grave concern of the international community about the violence in Syria, including in particular the recent events in Houla,” his office said. “He conveyed in frank terms his view to President Assad that the six-point plan cannot succeed without bold steps to stop the violence and release detainees, and stressed the importance of full implementation of the plan.” AFP that have called for Assad to step down were hoping that the Houla killings would tip global opinion, notably that of Syria’s main protector Russia, towards more effective action against Damascus.

Annan drew up a peace plan backed by the United Nations and the Arab league to steer a way out of the 14-month-old uprising against Assad.

But six weeks after it was agreed by Damascus and the rebels, the bloodshed has barely slowed.

Annan told Assad of the “grave

concern of the international community about the violence in Syria, including in particular the recent events in Houla”, his spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said in a statement after two hours of talks in Damascus.

“He conveyed in frank terms his view to President Assad that the sixpoint plan cannot succeed without bold steps to stop the violence and release detainees, and stressed the importance of full implementation of the plan.”

Kremlin berates ‘undiplomatic’ uS envoy MosCoW AFP

A top Kremlin official told the United States ambassador to Moscow to behave more diplomatically on Tuesday as the envoy was slapped down over a controversial speech to Russian students.

President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov told reporters that Michael McFaul should not disrupt efforts by the two countries’ leaders to improve relations, accusing him of instead sowing “discord”. “I was an ambassador in the US for almost 10 years,” Ushakov said. “The principle that I followed, it’s quite simple and is followed by practically all ambassadors: they should defend the interests of their country positively.” “The leadership of both countries is aiming for constructive mutual work, and... ambassadors should act in the same spirit and not bring discord into the work of their own leadership.” “one should not try to be undiplomatic, but try to be diplomatic,” Ushakov said. “This will help him.”

500 ‘witches’ lynched every year in Tanzania: rights group AruSHA: Some 3,000 people suspected of witchcraft, mainly old women, were lynched in Tanzania from 2005 to 2011, a leading local rights group said Tuesday. “Between 2005 and 2011 around 3,000 people were lynched by frightened neighbours who thought they were witches,” the legal and Human Rights Centre (lHRC) said in a report. “on average 500 people... particularly old women with red eyes, are killed every year in Tanzania because they are suspected of being witches,” the report said. AFP

u-turns leave British govt in a spin LonDon AFP

Britain’s government has made a series of U-turns in a day on plans ranging from secret trials to a tax on pasties, in what it called a sign of heeding critics but opponents labelled a shambles.

The moves, announced while parliament was in recess, also attracted claims they were timed to avoid the embarrassment of being challenged by lawmakers as the embattled Conservative-led coali-

tion fights to regain momentum.

The finance ministry said late Monday it would scale back plans to extend the VAT sales tax of 20 percent to hot takeaway food and static holiday caravans — a cash-raising scheme that tapped into wider discontent. The two taxes had become symbolic of a perceived attack on the working classes. “we’ve listened to the case that was put to us,” treasury minister David Gauke told the BBC. “what we’ve managed to do is improve the test so those bakers who pro-

duce a Cornish pasty or hot sausage roll and let it cool over the course of the day, they are not going to face VAT.” Gauke’s counterpart in the opposition labour party, Chris leslie, said: “what a chaotic way to run a country. How on earth can you have a budget process that unravels in a day when you’ve got this kind of shambolic business?” Snacks kept in a heated environment until sale will still be subject to the tax, while static caravans are to be taxed at a new 5.0 percent rate.

The Treasury said the adjustments re-

sponded to feedback while “still making sure we meet the objective of clearer and more consistent system”. The annual budget released in March earned public ire for giving the wealthy a tax break while cutting public services, and marked the start of what enemies of the coalition labelled an “omnishambles” — a reference to farcical political sitcom “The Thick of It”.

Economic figures released in April showed Britain had slumped back into recession in late 2011 and local elections on May 3 proved a bloodbath for the coali-

tion’s Conservative and liberal Democrat parties. Reports circulated of strains in the two-year-old alliance led by Prime Minister David Cameron, Britain’s first coalition government since world war II. And plans to allow secret proceedings in civil courts so that evidence from intelligence agencies could be heard also provoked an outcry after the government billed itself as a defender of transparency and civil liberties. Justice minister Ken Clarke said Tuesday that these plans too would be watered down.

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Sharapova, Kvitova lead women's advance Page 20

PHF fines eight players participated in WSH LAHore

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HE Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Tuesday put a huge penalty on the players who participated in illegal $2 million world Series Hockey (wSH).

“The PHF has imposed a Rs 1 million penalty each on Shakeel Abbasi and Rehan Butt while the remaining players has been asked to pay Rs 250,000 fine as a punishment to the federation,” an official of the PHF said The players also have a chance to appeal against the penalty within seven day to Qasim Zia, president of PHF. Apart from Rehan and Shakeel, seasoned campaigner Zeeshan Ashraf, Mudassar Ali, Tariq Aziz, midfielder Adnan Maqsood, half back waseem Ahmad, Pakistan’s most capped player and dragflicker Syed Imran warsi had participated in wSH. wSH is a lucrative league organised by the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and Nimbus Sports. IHF is not affiliated to the FIH and the world body recog-

England ready to rest strike bowlers

nises Hockey India (HI) as the national federation for Hockey in India.

The six players including Mudassar Ali Khan, Adnan Maqsood, wasim Ahmed, Zeeshan Ashraf, Imran warsi and Tariq Aziz have been handed out a fine of Rs 250000 each.

He said the decision has been taken to enforce discipline. The punished players participated in wSH which was declared an illegal and unsanctioned hockey event by games ruling body, the international hockey federation.

The committee headed by Vice President, PHF, wasay Jalil and Rana Farooq, Saghir Ahmad and Saeed Khan as its members heard the point of view of the players in their personal hearing, barring, Mudassar, Adnan and Imran.

Mudassar did not appear before the committee while Adnan and Imran also stayed away as they were playing league in Russia.

The punished players have been given a week time to appear against the decision. The Committee demanded from the players their original contract/documents with the NIMBUS and record of first payment received. All of

England are considering ignoring the old adage of 'never change a winning side' in a bid to ensure their leading bowlers remain fit for a packed programme of international cricket.

The hosts took an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-match Test series against the west Indies courtesy of a crushing ninewicket win, achieved with more than a day to spare, at Trent Bridge here on Monday.

There is just over a week until the third Test gets underway at Edgbaston on June 7 and normally England would be reluctant to make changes on grounds of squad rotation at such an early stage of their home international season.

England's usual policy when resting players has been to give them time off in one-day series rather than Tests.

But they could change tack with a crowded fixture schedule on the horizon. once this Test campaign is over, there is a one-day series against the west Indies before Australia visit for a purely limited overs campaign ahead of a full tour, featuring Tests and one-dayers, by South Africa. later this year England defend their world Twenty20 title in Sri lanka before playing four Tests in India. "we'll definitely think about changes," said captain Andrew Strauss, after top-scoring in both of England's innings at Trent Bridge, where he made 141 -- his second hundred in as many Tests -- and 45. "we've always viewed resting and rotating as something you have to do on a case-bycase basis so we'll speak to the seamers, see how they're feeling and see how we're looking for the rest of the summer.

"It's always a balance to strike because primarily you want to win every Test you play: that's the starting point. "we'll have a conversation about it in the coming days." England have made great play of the strength of their seam bowling resources and in Steven Finn and Graham onions, yet to feature in the series despite being included in 13-man squads, they have two proven performers.

"It's a difficult situation and I certainly wouldn't want to nail my colours to the mast one way or the other," said Strauss.

to play in any national or international event. According to PHF Constitution, the players have the right to appeal to President PHF within seven days from date of issue of this letter.

IPL winner Wasim hopes for Indo-Pak thaw kArACHi AFP

nottingHAM AFP

them provided the required record except Imran warsi being out of country.

The players face one year ban in case they fail to give the fine money and in that circumstances they will not be able

Famed paceman wasim Akram was upbeat Tuesday about growing signs that India and Pakistan are to resume cricketing ties, nearly four years after they were suspended following the 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf is in India negotiating a revival of matches after watching the Indian Premier league (IPl) final. India has also allowed the Sialkot Stallions to take part in october's Champions league, the first such participation by a Pakistani team since 2008. wasim, who as bowling coach helped Kolkata Knight Riders win their maiden IPl title on Sunday, said there were signs of a thaw. "I acted as an ambassador for Pakistan as everyone knows me and during my stay I have seen that people want Indo-Pak cricket to start and for me the invitation for Sialkot is the first step," wasim told AFP. Pakistani players featured in the inaugural IPl in 2008 and Sialkot was due to participate in the first Champions league the

same year, until the Mumbai attacks saw cricket ties suspended. wasim, 45, expressed his hope that the doors to the IPl will open for Pakistani cricketers next year.

"Pakistani players Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Umar Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez are popular in India and Indian fans have realised they can add to the charm of the league," said wasim, who played 104 Tests and 352 one-day internationals for Pakistan. wasim added that India not playing Pakistan was a great setback for the millions of spectators in both countries.

"I am a great advocate of Indo-Pak cricket and I hope all the issues between the two countries are solved so that millions of fans are not deprived of such entertaining cricket," said wasim, who led Pakistan on the tour of India in 1999.

Turning to Pakistan's imminent tour to Sri lanka, wasim said: "Pakistan has done well in the past year and although it will be tough playing Sri lanka on their home grounds I am sure this Pakistan team will do well." Pakistan plays two Twenty20, five one-days and three Tests on the tour of Sri lanka, with the first Twenty20 taking place in Hambantota on Friday.

Pak rugby upbeat ahead of match in 5-nation tournament LAHore STAFF RePoRT

Pakistan rugby team captain Arslan Zahid expressed the optimism of producing a good result against arch rivals India in a match of 5-Nation Division three tournament on wednesday in Kula lumpur. “we are fully prepared for a challenging task and all the team members are in good shape to take on Indian challenge in a decent way “, said Arslan in a message made available here.

He termed Pak-India “a big match“ of the tournament which has its significance as both the teams will be aiming to qualify for the next round of the event. Arslan said the players had now ample training in Kula lumpur and are used to the playing conditions and the weather which is tough “ weather is not a big worry as we had training in hot and scorching heat at home “,he said. Pak teams Irish coach Justin Fitz Patrick believes that Pak players are capable of producing fine results in the event . “ I hope that team will put up its best for its quest to beat India and players must be aiming high in tomorrow’s match.“In the inaugural match of day, Guam will play Indonesia.

Gibson pleads for patience from windies public nottingHAM AFP

west Indies coach ottis Gibson urged Caribbean cricket fans to keep faith with his youthful side after their latest defeat, admitting criticism from "your own people" was tough to take. The west Indies lost the second Test against England, and with it the three-match series, after going down by nine wickets with more than a day left at Trent Bridge here on Monday. Before this match, former west Indies fast bowler Michael Holding said Gibson needed "to understand that the west Indies cricket team is not a boot camp and how to manmanage". Holding, now a respected cricket broadcaster, also questioned the place in the team of captain Darren Sammy, saying: "west Indies cannot afford to carry anyone while they are struggling in Test matches."

This defeat left west Indies with a record of just two wins in their last 33 Tests and was the end of a previously unbeaten run in first-class cricket at Trent Bridge going back to 1906 that spanned 22 matches, including eight Tests.

Kolkata erupts as IPL heroes return home koLkAtA AFP

Police used bamboo sticks to beat back huge crowds thronging the streets of Kolkata on Tuesday as the city's victorious Indian Premier league (IPl) team received a raucous welcome home.

Gautam Gambhir, captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, led celebrations as the players took an open-top bus tour through a sea of frenzied fans to the team's home ground at the Eden Gardens stadium.

Crowd barriers were pushed aside and streams of people broke through police cordons, as officers struggled to prevent the stadium from becoming dangerously congested for the free-entry

event. officials said 60,000 people were in the packed venue, with another 30,000 locked outside.

The Knight Riders' victory on Sunday was their first success in the IPl, an annual Twenty20 tournament which pulls in huge audiences across India with its blend of hard-hitting cricket and Bollywood-style entertainment.

"It was a dream victory. They have made us proud," said Partha Tripathi, 50, a manager at the United Commercial Bank who took the day off work to enjoy the party.

"I want to be a witness to the epic celebration that the team deserves," he said as he lined up to enter Eden Gardens.

Mamata Banerjee, the chief

minister of west Bengal state, of which Kolkata is the capital, met the players and posed with the golden IPl trophy that the team won with just two balls to spare in the final.

Shah Rukh Khan, leading Bollywood actor and the enthusiastic co-owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders, added celebrity glamour to the occasion as confetti was fired into the air. "we have been waiting for this day so long," he told crowds.

"Thank you Kolkata. Thank you west Bengal on behalf of every member of the team. only Kolkata will rule."

Accompanied by loud music and dancing, the team completed a lap of honour in the stadium to complete the celebrations.

Kolkata: Shah Rukh Khan, owner of iPl cricket team Kolkata Knight Riders, holds up the iPl Twenty20 champion's trophy during celebrations in front of the writers Building in Kolkata. AFP

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late hazard incurs champagne penalty - report BrUsseLs AFP

Eden Hazard has been fined for missing the team bus taking Belgium's footballers to training and will have to repay his colleagues in champagne, Belgian media reported on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old lille playmaker, who announced on Monday that he would be joining Champions league winners Chelsea, missed the departure after arriving late in the hotel lobby, the Belga news agency said.

He eventually arrived on time at the training ground where the Red Devils are preparing for a Euro 2012 warm-up match against England at wembley on Saturday, but was told by coach Marc wilmots that he would have to pay them back in bubbly.

Hazard has been under pressure to reveal where he is going this summer, after his performances for the ligue 1 side attracted the interest of a number of English Premier league clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.

But the young star has said that for contractual reasons, he will only talk about his transfer to the london club on their television channel, sparking criticism in the Belgian media. wilmots has said that Hazard would not be making any comment about his transfer in the coming days.

According to reports, Chelsea paid between 36 million to 40 million euros (29 millino pounds, $45.5 million) to secure his services and he will be paid some 550,000 euros a month.

Belgium failed to qualify for the European championships in Poland and Ukraine. England have been drawn in Group D against France, Sweden and Ukraine.

Galekovic the hero as Adelaide reach quarters

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Pakistan ready for Sri Lanka, says Hafeez CoLoMBo

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AKISTAN are hoping to build on their impressive record over the past year when they take the field during the full tour of Sri lanka starting later this week.

"The task here is to win, but the longer goal is to take Pakistan high up in the rankings in all three formats," Pakistan coach Dav whatmore said at the series launch in Colombo on Monday night.

"It's a simple statement, but it requires a lot of work," he said ahead of the seven-week tour which comprises three Tests, five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 games.

The Pakistanis have come a long way since the spot-fixing scandal in England in 2010 led to unprecedented jail terms for Test captain Salman Butt and premier fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer.

The talented but often unpredictable national team have shown consistent winning form over the last 12 months despite being unable to play at home due to security concerns since an attack on the Sri lankan team in lahore in 2009.

Pakistan have won seven of their last nine Test matches, including a 3-0 whitewash of top-ranked England in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year.

Their record in limited-overs cricket has been equally impressive, winning 16 of their last 22 one-day games, topped by the Asia Cup title triumph in Bangladesh in March. The two Twenty20 games

in southern Hambantota on Friday and Sunday provide both teams with a useful build-up for the world Twenty20 tournament to be held in Sri lanka in September-october.

The Sri lankans have had an inconsistent year in which they managed just two wins in 14 Tests with six defeats, and lost 21 of their last 35 one-day internationals. Sri lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene praised Pakistan's recent record and saw a good challenge ahead for his home team.

"If you take their performances in the last six months, they have performed really well in all three formats," he said. "To play them in our conditions is a good challenge."

Australian whatmore, a former Sri lankan coach who guided Arjuna Ranatunga's men to the world Cup title in 1996, said Pakistan were ready for what would be a tough tour on the field.

"Although Pakistan is unable to play any international matches at home due to the security concerns, they managed to practice together before coming to Sri lanka," the coach said. "we had a pretty decent two-week camp before we came here." whatmore insisted his insider's knowledge of Sri lankan cricket would not give Pakistan any advantage.

"It was a long time ago when I finished with Sri lanka and a lot of water has passed under the bridge," he said. "I maintain some friendships which are always good but the task here is to win."

Pakistan's new Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez said victory over Sri lanka in all three formats in the United Arab Emirates last year had boosted his team's morale. "we all know Sri lanka are always good on their own soil, but we have had good success against them in the UAE," said Hafeez, who will be vicecaptain to Misbah-ul-Haq in the Tests and the one-dayers.

Sri lanka's chairman of selectors, Ashantha de Mel, said his team needed to be wary of Pakistan's leading spinners Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman, who will play a key role in the Test and one-day series.

"It is the Pakistani spinners we need to be careful of," he said.

"Ajmal and Rehman are of a different class compared to our spinners. only Rangana Herath comes anywhere close to them."

AeLAiDe AFP

Goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic was the hero as Australia's Adelaide United reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions league with a dogged 1-0 win over Japan's Nagoya Grampus in Adelaide on Tuesday.

Galekovic made three stunning saves to protect the Reds' lead after defender Jon McKain scrambled the ball over the line in the 41st minute.

Adelaide, who were beaten in the 2008 finals by Gamba osaka, will now have a two-leg quarter-final in September with the last eight draw to be made next month.

Galekovic was the toast of Adelaide when he brilliantly kept out a header from Nagoya's Australian international striker Josh Kennedy in the 33rd minute.

He then pulled off another fabulous onehanded save to prevent Takahiro Masukawa from scoring on 63 minutes and tipped a blazing volley from substitute Mu Kanazaki over the bar 12 minutes later.

"The gods were shining on us tonight big-time," Reds' coach John Kosmina said. "we rode our luck a little bit and we weren't on our game but we got out of it what we put in."

He added: "These guys have worked their butts off the last couple of months and they got some reward tonight for it."

Nagoya, two-time J-league champions, will be cursing their lack of finishing.

"They played a great game, they kept their tactics well and had good shape and it paid off," Kennedy said. "our finishing cost us, we had five or six really good chances in front of goal and of course if you don't score those goals it's impossible to win."

Adelaide had a couple of late chances to kill off the game with Dutch substitute Sergio van Dijk hitting the bar with a rasping volley and midfielder Fabian Barbiero blazing over the bar from inside the box.

KABul: Disabled Afghan cricketers pray in a circle after participating in a regional cricket tournament. four regional teams are taking part in the tournament for the disabled, where players will be selected for the national cricket team for forthcoming matches in Pakistan. AFP

Court grants stay against Gaddafi stadium wall demolition LAHore STAFF RePoRT

The lahore High Court on Tuesday granted a stay order against demolishing a protective wall being built outside the main entrance of the Gaddafi stadium.

Justice Abaidur Rehman on a petition field by Pakistan Cricket Board’s lawyer, Taffazal Rizvi granted the temporary injunction who prayed to the court that Town Municipal officer, Gulberg demolished the outer wall being built for the safety and protection. The court has fixed June 5 for further hearing.

Runners complete gruelling Everest marathon kAtHMAnDU AFP

More than 150 hardy competitors braved the rarified air and bonechilling temperatures of Mount Everest on Tuesday to take part in the world's highest marathon, organisers said.

The Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon is part of annual celebrations marking the first conquest of the 8,848-metre (29,029-foot) summit on May 29, 1953, by Sir Edmund Hillary and his sherpa Tenzing Norgay.

The race starts every year at 7:00 am in Gorak Shep, close to Everest Base Camp at an altitude of 5,356 metres, and finishes around 2,000 metres lower in the town of Namche Bazaar.

The atmosphere at base camp contains only half as much oxygen as at sea level, meaning runners find themselves gasping for breath even on the slightest incline along 26.2 miles (42 kilometres) of narrow, rocky mountain paths. organisers describe the route, which passes through Buddhist monasteries, monuments and over suspension bridges, as "probably the most adventurous trail run in the world".

The temperature at the start on Tuesday hovered around freezing. "we had 93 foreigners and 62 Nepali runners. This year was our tenth anniversary and when we started we only had two foreigners," organiser Shikhar Pandey told AFP by telephone from the finish line.

"The race is a pioneer for adventure tourism in Nepal and it's a new thing.

Nepal is such a beautiful country and now more and more people are into trail running and we have really tapped into that market."

The winner was Phurba Tamang, a Nepalese runner who completed the race in three hours, 41 minutes and 31 seconds -- just 11 seconds slower than his winning time two years ago.

Euro 2012 organisers hit back over racism fears WArsAW AFP

Euro 2012 organisers on Tuesday hit back at claims that Poland and Ukraine were unsafe for travelling football fans, amid fears from competing nations, current and former players about far-right racism and violence. Both Poland and Ukraine said the claims, made in a BBC television documentary aired this week and in travel advice issued by foreign governments, did not give the true picture of the joint hosts of European football's premier tournament.

Former England captain Sol Campbell, who is black, warned fans to "stay home, watch it on TV... don't even risk it" after viewing footage of football fans in Poland and Ukraine making Nazi salutes and taunting black players with monkey chants.

The programme also uncovered antiSemitism and a serious assault on a group of Asian students. In Poland, organisers Pl.2012 said the warnings were "unjust" and had "nothing to do with reality", adding that instances of xenophobia and racism in stadiums were "a problem specific to the whole of Europe and not only to ".

They went on to invite former Tottenham Hotspur defender Campbell to Poland to see for himself. "Get to know us as we really are," they added.

In neighbouring Ukraine, Euro 2012 organising committee chief Markiyan lubyivskyi told reporters that Campbell was entitled to his own view and was sure it was not reflected widely in England.

"But we are hurt by it and fail to see what the point of these comments really is.

I do not think it is dangerous for people of

different ethnicity to come to Ukraine," he added. Ukraine is already facing a potential boycott by top European Union leaders over the alleged mistreatment of the opposition leader and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who is in jail on what critics say are trumped-up corruption charges. lubyivskyi said media reporting the tournament should take a more balanced approach. "I call on all media to declare a moratorium on negative information about the Euro. I would like to say that 80 to 90 percent of this information is false," he added.

Campbell's warning came after the families of two black England players -Alex oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo walcott -- said they would not risk going to Ukraine to watch England's matches following public warnings from the British

government.

"Although the vast majority of visitors experience no difficulties, foreign nationals have been the victims of violent crime in Kiev and other major cities," a Foreign office statement in a fans' guide to the tournament read. "In some cases, attacks have been racially motivated. Travellers of Asian or Afro-Caribbean descent and individuals belonging to religious minorities should take extra care."

The foreign ministries of Denmark and France have also issued similar warnings to fans about the risk of racist attacks. In an apparent bid to pre-empt football-related violence, police in Poland on Monday arrested 42 people -- including prominent members of football hooligan gangs -- suspected of being involved in drug trafficking and extortion.

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wAPDA clinch National Karate title LAHore STAFF RePoRT

wapda secured the first place in the 21st National Karate Championship 2012 that concluded at Peshawar’s lala Rafiq Arena, Qayyum Stadium. wapda bagged 9 Gold, 1 Silver and got 205 points while Army stood second position with 1 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze medal and 90 points.

Sindh fetched third position with 2 silver, 6 bronze medals, and 80 points.

The teams from all the affiliated units of Pakistan Karate Federation i.e. Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan, KPK, Islamabad, FATA, Army, Railways, wAPDA and Police participated in the championship. Asia Gold Medalist Saadi Abbas of wAPDA won 2 Gold Medals in 67 Kg and Team Kumite. South Asian Gold Medalists Muhammad Ramzan, Baz Muhammad and Muhammad Kashif of wAPDA also won 2 Gold Medals each in their weight categories and team kumite.

Bashir Ahmed Balour, Minister of Khyber Pakhtukhuwa was the chief guest at the closing / prize distribution ceremony of the championship.

fATA clubs scrutiny LAHore STAFF RePoRT

The scrutiny of Mohmand Agency will be carried out from June 5 to 7 at Arbab Niaz Stadium Peshawar and the Scrutiny Committee of the PCB will headed by Abdul Jaleel Khan who will at as chairman of the committee.

Syed Muzamil Ali Shah is the member of the committee. Pre-scrutiny briefing will be held on June 5 at 4:00 pm at Arbab Niaz Stadium Peshawar. The clubs who have forwarded their performance report to PCB are required to attend the briefing session. list of Clubs of Mohmand Agency with president name: Rising Mohmand Club Mohmand Agency, Hanif Ullah, Mohmand Green Club Mohmand Agency, Ismail Khan, Mainisa Club Mohmand Agency, Hasan Khan, Mohmand Club Mohmand Agency, Haleem Zai Club Mohmand Agency, Nabi Gul, Mohmand Club Mohmand Agency, Masal Khan, Pendiali Stars Cricket Club, Nazir Sher, Yousaf Cricket Club, Fakhr-e-Alam, Mohamand Mill Cricket Club, Jalil Khan, Mian Cricket Club, Haider Khan, Pagul Cricket Club, Hafizullah, Sultan Abad Cricket Club, Zia wali Shah, Khawajawas cricket Club, Bairot Khan, Painthers Cricket Club, Sajid Khan, Mohamand Knight Riders Cricket Club, Aurang Zab.

Seven-title chasing Nadal ready for action PAris AFP

Rafael Nadal gets his bid for an historic seventh French open title under way on Tuesday when he faces Italy's Simone Bolelli on Philippe Chatrier Court. Second seeded Nadal, who equalled Bjorn Borg's record of six Roland Garros titles last year, takes a 45-1 career record in Paris into the match. Nadal has defeated the world 111 Italian in both of their career meetings. Ten-times a Grand Slam title winner, Nadal, 25, has a remarkable CV at the French open which has yielded six trophies in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011. His only blip, a 2009 fourth round loss to Robin Soderling, came at a time when he was plagued by the acute knee problems which have often threatened to overwhelm him.

This season, Nadal has, once again, been surpreme on clay and arrives in Paris boasting a 16-1 record on the surface. But the Spaniard is keen to play down talk of a seventh French open.

"I have much more than I ever dreamed," said Nadal. "I am coming here every year with the motivation to play well. But I am not going to be more motivated because I have six and I can win seven."

ADElAiDE: Nagoya's Markus Tulio Tananka (R) dribbles the ball around Adelaide united's Cassio during their AfC Champions league game. AFP

Sharapova, Kvitova lead women’s advance PAris

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AFP

HREE former women's grand slam champions and a young British hope reached the French open second round Tuesday as Rafael Nadal, seeking a record seventh men's crown, made his entrance.

Maria Sharapova whipped Romania's Alexandra Cadantu 6-0, 6-0 in just 48 minutes as the Russian second seed, seeking to lift the only major she has never won, cruised towards a meeting with Japan's Ayumi Morita.

Morita defeated Polona Hercog of Slovenia 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Clad in black, and seeking her third claycourt title of the season, Sharapova over-powered her 74th-ranked rival who was facing a top ten opponent for the first time in a career which stalled in 2008 amid financial problems. on Tuesday, the outclassed Romanian failed to hit a single winner. "of course I'm really happy with the way my preparation has been coming into this tournament," beamed Sharapova, claycourt winner at Stuttgart and Rome this season as well as twice a semi-finalist here.

"I feel like with every year I have improved and I enjoy it much more," said the 25-year-old, beaten in the last four by li Na on her last Roland Garros appearance. wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the fourth-seeded Czech, thrashed Australia's Ashleigh Barty 6-1, 6-2 in 54 minutes to join Sharapova in the next

PARiS: Russia's Maria Sharapova celebrates after winning against Romania's Alexandra Cadantu during their women's Singles 1st Round match of the french Open. AFP round where she meets Urszula Radwanska of Poland.

Also marching on was 2010 champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy, seeded 14, who defeated Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-3, 6-1.

Schiavone, 31 and last year's beaten finalist, advanced to a meeting with either Yanina wickmayer of Belgium or Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria after ousting Date-Krumm - a decade her elder, who could not stay the pace after breaking serve in the opening game on a sparsely-populated but sunny Philippe Chatrier show court.

Guernsey-born Briton Heather watson, who managed to reach the second round on her debut last year, thereby entering the top 100, got off to

a flier against Russian Elena Vesnina, romping through her opening set before staying her ground to win 6-2, 6-4 to earn a match-up against Germany's 25th seed Julia Goerges. watson said she has grown immensely as a player since a first nervous second round showing here last season and feels happy on the clay, despite her hardcourt tennis upbringing in Florida.

"I absolutely love the courts - they really suit my game. I enjoy playing long points," said watson, who added she had been working hard on the power and accuracy of her serve.

"I've got nothing to lose," she added of facing Georges, who broke into the world top 20 last season and who made round three here 12 months ago.

fabulous Baker boy leads charge of walking wounded PAris AFP

Five operations in three years; three years to recover; off tour since 2005.

Unheralded American Brian Baker is shaping up as the French open miracle man. The 27-year-old won his first and only Grand Slam match way back at the US open in 2005 when, playing on a wildcard, he defeated former French open champion Gaston Gaudio.

That was until late Monday night when he beat Belgian veteran Xavier Malisse on his much postponed French open debut.

It was a memorable victory coming after a forgettable six-year period which saw Baker undergo left hip surgery, a hernia operation, another left hip procedure, right hip surgery and an elbow operation. After three years of recuperation, Baker returned to the Challenger Tour in the middle of last year to launch his late shot at glory.

"It's definitely been a fun, cool ride," said world 141 Baker, who is playing on a wildcard in Paris.

"It's something I didn't envision a couple of months ago or a year ago. But in the last couple of weeks my game has come together and I am feeling a lot healthier."

Baker, the runner-up in the boy's tournament at Roland Garros in 2003, has looked liked he had never been away in recent weeks, making a shock run to the Nice claycourt final last week where he was defeated by Spain's Nicolas Almagro. "I never really had that one moment when I thought I would throw in the towel. But you have to be realistic when you have had so many surgeries. You maybe have to see what there is outside tennis," he said.

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David keeps chasing elusive Olympic dream PenAng

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AFP

IX-TIME world champion Nicol David has owned women's squash for years and would be a safe bet to bring home Malaysia's first olympic gold if she could compete in the coming london Games.

But David, 28, is arguably the most dominant athlete who will be denied that chance as her sport remains an olympic outsider, frustrating her dreams of some day mounting the medal podium.

"It is so heart-breaking when you know this sport has so much to offer and we have got everything it takes to be an olympic sport," she told AFP. "It is probably the most all-round sport you can find. To be in the game and not see it (in the olympics) is so sad."

A Malaysian national heroine, the lightning-quick David has won virtually every title squash has to offer. She is in her seventh year as women's world number one, and has dominated like few athletes have in any sport. with nothing left to prove on the court, David has made squash's inclusion in the Games a special crusade.

In 2009 she requested the International olympic Committee accept squash for 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, after an earlier

bid for london failed.

But the IoC instead picked golf and rugby -- former olympic sports during the early 1900s -- for reinstatement at Rio, leaving 2020 as David's likely last chance for a medal. She will be in her late thirties then, but in an interview at the Nicol David International Squash Centre, a facility in her hometown Penang renamed in her honour two years ago, David vowed to stay fit for 2020.

"I would trade my six world titles for an olympic gold medal," David said. "I can't believe I won six world titles... but to actually have one olympic (gold) medal, it will be great," she added, flashing the wide, girl-next-door smile that has helped make her a media darling in Malaysia.

The high-speed racquet game is played worldwide and is an official sport at international meets like the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. The world Squash Federation has thrown its support behind David's olympic battle, ramping up efforts in recent years to spur global awareness and growth of the sport.

"The players want it and squash enthusiasts all over the world are desperate to see the sport included in the olympic Games," world Squash Federation Chief Executive Andrew Shelley said in April.

David first picked up a squash racquet at the age of five. or at least, she tried to -- the wooden racquet was too long for

her and dragged along the ground, she said.A friend's father stepped in, replacing the shaft with lighter aluminium, making the racquet shorter, and launching the career of one of the sport's all-time greats.

Standing 1.63 metres (5 feet 3 inches) tall, David has turned her modest stature into an asset, as she is able to run down low balls that are difficult for her taller European rivals to reach.

In November, David was at her devastating best when she beat England's Jenny Duncalf in just 29 minutes in Rotterdam to become the first six-time women's world champion.

That came a day after her induction to the squash hall of fame in the Dutch city -- the first active player so honoured.

But the olympic crusade has been less satisfying.

The modest David called her presentations to the IoC for the london and then Rio Games "nerve-wracking" and admitted being near tears when they failed. But the battle goes on. David travels to promote squash internationally when not competing, and in June she will visit Malawi and Namibia to raise awareness of squash.

The interview over, David took to the court for a workout, ripping the ball at the walls but always in control, her eyes on gold. "we are not going to give up. we still want to push for 2020," she said.

Tokyo sees best chance in 2020 tokYo AFP

'Asia's major' hit by sponsor pull-out singAPore AFP

Singapore open organisers searched for a new backer Tuesday after title sponsor Barclays pulled out, raising questions about the future of a tournament billed as "Asia's major". officials said this November's US$6 million tournament, which is one of the region's richest golf events, was not in doubt after the British bank decided not to extend its current contract. "The Barclays Singapore open will go ahead this year as scheduled," said a spokesman for the Asian Tour, which co-sanctions the Singapore open along with the European Tour.

But with no sponsor lined up for next year, golf fans will be mindful of 2002, 2003 and 2004 when the Singapore open, which dates back to 1961, fell off the calendar due to a lack of corporate backing.

No reason was given for Barclays' decision to end its seven-year association with the Singapore tournament, which made it Asia's most lucrative national open and the region's fourth-richest event this year.

Media and analysts speculated the move was linked to a renewed problems among European economies and fears the banking system could again come under severe pressure. "we are not impervious to global events and there are already signs of a slowdown in the shipping sector," said Mizuho Bank economist Vishnu Varathan told Singapore's Today newspaper. "Companies are generally going to be more prudent with their money and will be more selective and a lot less lavish in their spending."

But the Singapore open has also been hit by falling attendances, not helped by its notorious rain delays and the move to split the large, 200-player field between two courses at Sentosa Golf Club. It has also struggled to attract superstar players in Asia's increasingly crowded golf calendar, which this year includes four events worth $6 million or more, including the Singapore open, in the space of just three weeks.

Tokyo has its best chance to host the Summer olympics in 2020 and will face a long wait to bid for the Games again if it loses out, Japanese olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda said Tuesday.

"If we ever miss this chance, we feel it will be quite difficult for Tokyo or Japan to invite the olympics for a while," Takeda, also president of Tokyo's bid committee, told reporters after unveiling a new logo for its 2020 olympic bid. The International olympic Committee last week said Tokyo, Madrid and Istanbul had made the final shortlist of 2020 candidates, eliminating Doha and Baku. Tokyo, which hosted the 1964 Summer Games, lost out to Rio de Janeiro in the bid for the 2016 Summer Games.

Takeda said, judging from the rotation of venues among continents, "The United States, which is the biggest contributor to the olympic movement, is fully expected to enter the (2024) race." Atlanta hosted the 1996 Summer olympics and Salt lake City the 2002 winter Games.

South Africa will also bid to become the first African country to host the olympics, he said, adding that Paris, which hosted the Summer Games in 1924, is raring to host another edition 100 years later in 2024. "with these countries competing, I believe we will fight in a way quite different from this time," Takeda said.

Tokyo's outspoken governor Shintaro Ishihara, meanwhile, said the city's "conceited" and "extravagant" citizens were to blame for the low level of public support for the 2020 bid which he is spearheading. An International olympic Committee technical report showed Tokyo's bid garnered a public support rate of just 47 percent, against 73 for Istanbul and 78 for Madrid.

"Tokyo citizens are extravagant and used to taking everything for granted," Ishihara said when asked why people lacked enthusiasm for the Games. "They are full of conceit and now think just about themselves. They have become a species quite different from the rest of the Japanese," he told the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan. Takeda, however, said he believed Japan had an underlying enthusiasm for the olympics. "once the olympics starts, many people in Japan watch television.

Their viewing hours are unrivalled in the world," he said.

watch it Live ESPN Sportscentre 07:30PM

Match-fixing claim rejected by world body tokYo AFP

Volleyball's world governing body has rejected claims by Thailand that Japan's women threw their olympic qualifying match against Serbia at the weekend.

Thailand had complained after Japan's full-set loss to Serbia denied them a first ever berth in olympic women's volleyball on the final day of the eight-nation qualifying tournament in Tokyo on Sunday.

Jizhong wei, president of Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), said in a statement issued on Monday: "The FIVB has investigated the allegation of match fixing.

"The conclusion of the FIVB control committee in place is that there is no evidence to prove the existence of match fixing," he said.

"The reports received from the national federations of Japan and Serbia told us the same. Some witnesses in attendance at the match gave the same judgement."

Despite their own loss, Japan won a ticket to the london Games.

The tournament had been arranged to decide the final four of 12 women's volleyball spots in london, with the top-three finishers and the best Asian side among the rest bagging their spot. "we have submitted a DVD and a report to the FIVB," a spokeswomen for the Japan Volleyball Association told AFP. "The allegation is unfounded. As a matter of course, Japan wanted to win this match.

The defeat has not given Japan any advantage in the olympics," she said.

Had Japan beaten Serbia, Thailand would have also won a ticket to london along with Japan.

But, in this case, Japan would have been placed in a tough group in london alongside defending champions Brazil, the world number-one United States, Asian champions China and European powerhouse Turkey.

Thai media had claimed Japan threw the final match to avoid that particularly tough draw. Japan and Thailand finished level on 12 points with four wins and three losses each. But Japan had a better set ratio -sets won divided by sets lost -- and finished fourth in the table with Thailand fifth.

Malaysia fears for medal chances KuALA LuMPur: Malaysia's olympics boss has said medal chances are slim in london now that star badminton player lee Chong wei is injured, and that the country needs to do more to develop young talent. Malaysia's chances for a first ever gold medal suffered a blow last week when badminton world number one lee suffered a ligament tear in his right ankle at the Thomas Cup in wuhan, China. lee will receive injections of his own stem-cells into the damaged ankle in an effort to get him fit in time for the olympics, and he has vowed to train "every body part apart from my injured ankle" while he recovers, which could take six weeks. olympic Council of Malaysia (oCM) president Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja'afar was quoted by the New Straits Times Tuesday as saying that national sports associations had failed to nurture young talent. He said: "we need to be looking much more seriously at junior development programmes right from schools. AFP

lAhORE: uMT chess team which won the hEC inter-varsity Chess Championship 2011-12. STAFF PhOTO

Rooney Faisalabad crowned Zong United champions LAHore STAFF RePoRT

lAhORE: Rooney united faisalabad team with the officials of zong after winning the united Kickoff football Tournament. STAFF PhOTO

After an exhilarating 90 minutes of soccer, Rooney United Faisalabad won over Carrick United Karachi to be crowned Zong United Kickoff Football Tournament champions. The final score of the match was 0-0, with the fiercely-contested match heading into sudden death to determine the eventual winner. Players of both teams have successfully qualified to participate in a 5 day training program at Manchester United’s state-of-the-art Soccer School in Abu Dhabi.

Both sides demonstrated a good, clean game, with not a single booking made during the entire match. There were equal shots on goal from both ends, with neither team yielding possession of the

ball for long periods of time. After 60 minutes of football, with no change on the scoreboard, the match went into overtime and still failed to produce a result. when the match finally went into sudden death, a momentary lapse in concentration by the Carrick United goalkeeper provided Rooney United the fitting victory. The 2 months long knock-out tournament was participated by 128 teams.

Usman Ishaq, ZoNG Executive Director Commercial announced that besides the selected players, all the 16 players of the Carrick United Karachi team will also join the Rooney United team in Abu Dhabi.

Feng Tuixian, CFo ZoNG said: “I would like to offer my heartiest congratulations to both Carrick United Karachi and Rooney United Faisalabad to making it to the final of the Zong tournament.”

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Balochistan admin suggests 29 points for peace isLAMABAD

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STAFF RePoRT

HE civil administration of Balochistan has proposed 29 recommendations (both short and long term) to provincial and federal governments to bring peace and appease the disgruntled elements in the restive province.

The civil establishment of Balochistan in its proposed set of recommendations has asked the governments (federal and provincial) to announce general amnesty for the misguided persons who lay down arms and initiate meaningful dialogue process with the influential political leadership and political mainstream.

In its report, the Balochistan Home De-

partment also stressed for the recovery of missing persons to ensure peace in the province. It recommended the government that the civil administration and law enforcement agencies (lEAs) should be de-politicised. The department further recommended the government to continue giving subsidy on electricity to tube wells as well as provide jobs under quota as ensured in the Aghaz-eHuqooq-e-Balochistan package.

The department also sought to establish the announced medical colleges at Khuzdar and loralai. The top civil officers of the province have also demanded specialised equipments for lEAs and more arms and ammunition. “Better and effective coordination, sharing of intelligence between the lEAs and intelligence agencies for timely exchange of information about

miscreants and terrorist elements is also a need of the hour,” says the report, further asking the government to take measures to break the nexus of rebel groups with foreign forces. “The nexus between the antistate actors and external elements needs to be broken,” the report said.

The home department also sought funding for Turbat and loralai Universities. “A proper framework for inter-provincial coordination should be made in order to enhance sharing of timely information with each other and stringent/frequent and regular exchange of information be shared by provincial CIDs. Special Branch of Police, should have more proactive interface with intelligence agencies (ISI, MI, IB),” the report added.

It recommended the government to in-

troduce incentives/cash rewards for good policing to boost the morale of the police and levies, in addition to providing adequate SS Fund to provincial CIDs for agent handling and gathering of intelligence for countering terrorism.

The home department further advised the government to rationalise the strength of levies Force, its resources, and capacity building according to its area of responsibility, besides appointing intelligence officers and assistant intelligence officers in the levies Force. It recommended 100 percent enhancement in the budget of deputy commissioners, and timely release of the SS Funds of the Home Department, commissioners, DCs and their counterpart police officers.

For long- term measures, the department suggested that the economic activi-

ties should be boosted up with special emphasis on Gawadar Port, Kachhi Canal, and water and mineral projects.

It further recommended induction of provincial civil servants in the federal bureaucracy against their due/violated quota to the government. Emphasising on the need of political mainstreaming, the department asked the government for special development package for communication, health, education, agriculture, livestock, fisheries and mineral sectors.

The department urged to modernise and update the professional capabilities of lEAs (Police and levies). It suggested that police, levies and FC, should evolve a fiveyear plan to enhance the capacity of their respective force, to make it a composite force in order to cope up with future challenges.

China reassures support for Pakistan’s territorial integrity zardari urges fast-track implementation of Pak-China projects, establishment of trans-border economic zones g

isLAMABAD AGeNCIeS

MANILA: Protesters march to the Senate building carrying anti-Corona banners during the impeachment trial of Philippines’s top judge Renato Corana at the Senate building on Tuesday. Philippine senators found the country’s top judge guilty of corruption, paving the way for him to be sacked in the biggest win of President Benigno Aquino’s anti-graft crusade. AFP

52 days on, Pakistan declares buried troops dead isLAMABAD AFP

Pakistan on Tuesday declared dead 140 people buried alive by a huge avalanche in a disputed part of the Himalayas more than seven weeks ago.

A huge wall of snow crashed into the remote Siachen Glacier base high in the mountains in disputed Kashmir in the early hours of April 7, smothering an area of one square kilometre. only three bodies have so far been recovered from the remote glacier, dubbed the world’s highest battleground, despite desperate rescue efforts assisted by foreign teams, including from the United States. The military said that given the improbability of recovering anyone alive, and after consulting religious leaders, “it has been decided to declare the remaining brave soldiers as ‘shuhada’ (martyrs)” to try to reduce the families’ suffering. “This is being done with mixed feelings of pride, grief and above all unflinching resolve to continue all out efforts to recover the bodies of all shuhada,” the military said in a statement posted on its website. Rescuers have dug tunnels into the mass of snow and ice that hit the battalion headquarters of the 6th Northern light Infantry to try to recover the bodies of 129 soldiers and 11 civilians at the Gayari camp.

The site is 4,000 metres (13,000 feet) up in the mountains, just below the glacier where Pakistani and Indian troops have faced off since the 1980s.

Kashmir has been the cause of two wars between India and Pakistan and the nuclear-armed rivals fought over Siachen in 1987, though guns on the glacier have largely fallen silent since a peace process began in 2004.

Pakistan tests short-range N-capable missile

isLAMABAD AGeNCIeS

Pakistan on Tuesday successfully test fired a short-range multi-tube ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

The Hatf IX (NASR) has a range of only 60 kilometres and can carry conventional warheads, the military said.

“This quick response system addresses the need to deter evolving threats, specially at shorter ranges,” it said in a statement.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the test was witnessed by Director General Strategic Plans Division lieutenant General

President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday met visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, emphasizing the need to fast track implementation of Pak-China projects in the areas of energy, mining, infrastructure, IT, communication and agricultural for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

Zardari also proposed the establishment of trans-border economic zones for shared development and prosperity of Gilgit-Baltistan and western regions of China and for setting up an umbrella corporation in the energy sector called “Pakistan-China Power Corporation” which should include specialists and entities from all the fields.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi was accompanied by Ambassador liu Jian, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Director Sun weidong, wang wenbin, Zhang Jianmin and other senior officials.

The Pakistani side included Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Hina Rabbani Khar, Khalil Ahmed, Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, Ambassador to China Masood Khan and president’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar.

Babar said the president thanked the Chinese government and its leadership for their unswerving and continued support to Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and multifaceted assistance in hours of need.

He said Pakistani people highly valued their

(r) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, NESCoM Chairman Irfan Burney, Commander of the Army Strategic Forces Command lieutenant General Tariq Nadeem Gilani, senior officers from the strategic forces, and scientists and engineers of strategic organisations.

Kidwai, while terming the NASR missile as a weapon of peace, said that the test was a major development which would consolidate Pakistan’s deterrence capability at all levels of the threat spectrum, thereby ensuring peace in the region. It was the third time Pakistan has test fired a ballistic missile since arch-rival India last month launched its new long-range Agni V, capable of hitting targets anywhere in China.

Published by Arif Nizami for Nawa Media Corporation (Pvt) Ltd at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore.

Editor: Arif Nizami

relations with China and were eager to learn from the Chinese experience of growth and development. He said Pakistan was keen to translate its traditional equation with China into economic terms and attached great importance to enhancing economic and trade linkages with China.

Expressing satisfaction with the increased bilateral trade, the president remarked that there was still a great margin which could be explored for further enhancing the trade volume.

He said China may send frequent purchase missions to Pakistan to help reduce the current trade imbalance. Terming the conclusion of bilateral currency swap agreement a major development between the two countries, the president said ICBC’s decision to open its branches in Pakistan was another positive development to enhance trade and investment. He expressed the hope that National Bank of Pakistan would also be able to open its branches in China soon.

Zardari said Pakistan was passing through a challenging phase in the energy sector and greatly appreciated Chinese assistance and investment in the energy sector. He said there was a need to focus on increasing rail, road and air connectivity in order to promote people-topeople contacts. Discussing regional situation, Zardari said Pakistan as an important player and China as a source of regional stability had a great role to play in promoting regional stability and development.

He said that trilateral dialogue recently initiated by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, China and Afghanistan offered new opportunities for enhancing mutual cooperation.