Canadian Pakistani Times
Thursday
Aug 08, 2013
Volume 1, 71
Pakistan warns of more rain after flood deaths hit at least 45 KARACHI: Pakistani disaster relief officials issued fresh flood warnings Sunday after the death toll from heavy monsoon rains rose to at least 45 and waters paralysed parts of the largest city Karachi.
Flash floods caused by monsoon downpours have inundated some main roads in the sprawling port city and swept away homes in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, the death toll in Chitral is seven, with 60 homes damaged and 120 partially damaged. Deputy Commissioner Chitral, Shoaib Jadoon said that the power to Upper Chitral was disconnected and Boni Reshun, Mastuj, Garam Chasma have been the worst hit. Deputy Commissioner Peshawar, Zaheer Islam confirmed that four people were killed in the city.
Cooked food was being provided to the At least 45 people have been killed in the affected people and dewatering machines floods over the weekend. were installed to pump out water from houses on Charsadda Road and other flood Officials in Karachi said at least 19 had hit areas. died in the city to add to 20 dead in the northwest and six in the southwestern provFive people were confirmed dead in Tank, ince of Balochistan. while 30 homes were left damaged in Ali Khel and 14 in Darakai. Doctor Semi Jamali at the Jinnah Hospital in Karachi told AFP that most of the deaths Four people lost their lives in Central occurred due to electrocution or collapsing Kurram, two in Khyber Agency, and one in roofs and walls. Lakki Marwat. Army engineers helped relief efforts in The National Disaster Management Au- Karachi on Sunday where roads and streets thority warned that more thunderstorms and were flooded and the city was practically heavy rains were expected on Monday across paralysed, an AFP reporter said. the country and some rivers may flood. Authorities in the city of 18 million peo-
ple, which contributes 42 per cent of Pakistan's GDP, said it would take more than two days to clear up after the water flooded markets, buildings and houses and blocked roads. Hundreds of cars were seen halfsubmerged after poor sewerage and drainage systems choked due to garbage. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sent three of his cabinet ministers to inspect damage in flood-hit areas. Pakistan has suffered devastating monsoon floods for the last three years, including the worst in its history in 2010 when catastrophic inundations killed almost 1,800 people and affected 21 million.
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Aug 08, 2013
Weekly Fortune: by Kiran Pandey Rai (kiranpandeyrai@gmail.com) 8Th AUGUST –14th AUGUST ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ARIES (21 Mar- 20 Apr) This week will start with a good note. Atmosphere of home as well as workplace is very peaceful. But in the mid of the week , some of you may feel some unexpected circumstances around , to face .which will be dealt by you very wisely. It will be better to avoid any new venture during this week. Drive safely. Lucky Days : Thursday and Friday ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
TAURUS (21Apr- 21 May) The time to be alert at your office while dealing any issue , keep a check on your words very strictly. Expenditure will not be in your control. Every adverse situation will be recovered by your late realization of your own fault . Sudden official tour may come on your way which may give you enthusiasm to work . Lucky Days : Friday and Saturday ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
GEMINI (22 May- 21 June) Avoid social gatherings as much as you can. Any decision ,related to finance needs re-evaluation. Some changes at workplace can be expected. Over commanding attitude may cause a dispute between you and your partner. String of love seems vibrate after a good long time. Still decision making regarding your love life may be a herculean task for you. Overall a good week ahead. Lucky Days : Thursday and Sunday ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CANCER (22 June- 22 July) In the beginning of the week , you will feel melancholic. Use your tact to command your sub ordinate. Make your people comfortable otherwise your aggressiveness may tarnish your image at your work place. Disturbed atmosphere at home can be felt at the end of the week. Lucky Days : Friday and Tuesday ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LEO (23 July- 22 Aug) This week may prove a new inning for most of you in an unexplored area of your personality. Work pressure may drain out your tolerance. Multiple sources of income and opportunity are on your way , moreover recognition among your people will be more and more. Electronic gazettes need special care to handle for you this week. Lucky Days : Friday and Saturday ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VIRGO (23 Aug- 23 Sept) You would like to spend your time with family . You can emotionally inclined to someone. Monetary gain is on the card . Your confidant outlook steals many hearts which most of you will enjoy. Youngsters may enjoy partying wildly. Expenditure can be beyond your pocket which you won‟t mind. Lucky Days : Saturday and Sunday ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LIBRA ( 24 Sept-23 Oct). Try to focus more on your work. Some reward may be added in your kitty. You need to refresh your schedule to save you from more exhaustion. Even demand of family members for being with you may also give you strength to rejuvenate further. Some illegitimate association is strong in the chart. Draw a line between your public image and personal pleasure. Lucky Days : Thursday and Friday ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SCORPIO (24 Oct-22Nov) Plan some outing with family . Irrespective of the quality of the worldly pleasure, think more towards inner connection with family members in this outing. Someone can peep into your life and will dare to awake your romantic feeling hidden inside. Lucky Days : Thursday and Friday ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SAGITTARIUS (23 Nov-2 1 Dec) Promotion or salary can be increased but let your seniors approach you first. Slowly you will get pace as well as confidence. But at the same time you can‟t avoid the apathy at your office created by your short tempered attitude .Some of you would try your hand in regaining your creative skill and slowly your work will be recognized. Overall a lukewarm week. Lucky Days : Sunday and Monday ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CAPRICORN (22 Dec-20 Jan) . A good help may come on your way to enlighten you ahead. Some professional offer from any foreign land can be seen on card , still lack of internal happiness can be felt. You will try your spouse to dance on your tune which can be a disturbing element at your home. Still it won‟t be a big disagreement between both you. Matter will be sorted out soon. Lucky Days : Thursday and Tuesday ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
AQUARIUS (21 Jan-19 Feb) Health seems disturbed during this week. But you will overcome that easily by the end of the week.Money will never be a problem .Even you can expect profit in business as well as service easily than earlier, you are exerting your full energy in your work which results you gaining money from everywhere. Lucky Days : Saturday and Sunday ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PISCES (20 Feb-20 Mar) Professionally you are doing good.But check your tongue before speaking anything in the matter of family, as this can be a spoiler of the aura around. You are enjoying your romantic life at full. Gain from your business will be credited later. Lucky Days : Thursday and Monday
Province Building Long-Term Equity Partnership with First Nations Ontario is creating up to 100 new construction jobs in Northern Ontario while renewing its commitment to clean, renewable electricity with the New Post Creek hydroelectric project. Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and its partner, Coral Rapids Power, a wholly owned company of the Taykwa Tagamou Nation (TTN), are moving forward to develop approximately 25 megawatts (MW) of renewable hydroelectric power through the construction of a generating station on New Post Creek near its outlet to the Abitibi River. The New Post Creek project builds on the expertise and capacity developed in recent Northern Ontario hydroelectric projects, such as the Lower Mattagami project. The new project will include construction of a generating station, a dam and powerhouse. Associated activities will include improvements to existing access roads, establishment of a construction site and installation of a transmission line. This project supports Ontario's goal to facilitate the participation of First Nation and Métis communities in renewable energy and transmission projects while building strong communities, powered by clean, reliable energy.
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Aug 08, 2013
MPP Jagmeet Singh hosted Iftar dinner for the Muslim community during the month of Ramdhan first of its kind hosted by any MPP large number of families participated and marked it a positive approach as Canada after all is built on multiculturalism. A great evening a a healthy exchange of views followed after the dinner. Way to go MPP = Jagmeet you sure have our support on this one
Australian PM Rudd calls national election for Sept 7
CANBERRA: Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called a general election on Sunday for September 7, six weeks after he toppled former leader Julia Gillard in a party-room vote, ending a turbulent three years in power for the minority Labor government.
He announced the election date in an email to supporters. Rudd, who was dumped by his centre-left party in June 2010, has generated a spike in public support since he returned but conservative opposition leader Tony Ab-
bott is still favorite to win power. Rudd's Labor government could fall with the loss of just one of the 150 seats in parliament. His government currently holds 71 seats,
the opposition 72, with one Green and six independent cross benchers. Abbott's opposition has promised to scrap a 30 per cent tax on coal and iron ore mine profits, and scrap a A$24.15/tone carbon tax, if he wins power.
04
Aug 08, 2013
Celebrating Two-Year Countdown to the 2015 Parapan American Games Ontario to Host Largest Ever Parapan Am Games Ontario is celebrating the two-year countdown to the 2015 Parapan American Games. The province is proud to be host to the largest ever Parapan Am Games, attracting 1,500 athletes from 28 countries to compete in 15 sports -- with all events being qualifiers for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. For the first time in Parapan American Games
history, wheelchair rugby will be part of the competitions.
in the region over the next two years and will benefit many communities by:
During the Games, athletes will be accommodated in the CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletes' Village, which will include approximately 270 accessible units.
Creating 15,000 jobs and an additional 5,200 jobs, as part of the construction and operation of the CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletes' Village Attracting 250,000 tourists to the province, showcasing Ontario as a great place to visit and do business
The 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games will be one of the largest economic drivers
Providing up to 20,000 volunteers with customer service, hands-on Games operations and health and safety training Supporting an accessible, memorable and successful 2015 Parapan American Games is part of the Ontario government's plan to showcase the province, while creating a fair and prosperous society.
Blast at football stadium kills seven in Lyari
KARACHI: A bomb blast in Karachi early on Wednesday killed seven people and wounded 26 others, police said.
that was parked outside the stadium, killing seven people, many of them teenage boys,” police official Tariq Dharejo told AFP.
The blast took place in the impoverished Lyari neighborhood of the city after a football match.
Dharejo says the bomb went off near the vehicle of a provincial minister, Javed Nagori, who was leaving after witnessing a late night match between two local teams in Lyari, where football is very popular. Nagori escaped unharmed, and the dead included
“The bomb was planted on a motorbike
spectators and local residents. Moreover, he said that the bomb was a remote-controlled device. Local lawmaker Sania Naz from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) also confirmed the blast and put the death toll at 11.
She said those killed were aged from six to 15 years old. The injured and bodies were shifted to the city's Civil Hospital and Jinnah Hospital. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan condemned the blast and also instructed the authorities to provide best medical facilities to the injured.
Blast inside Karachi-bound Shalimar Express kills toddler Three of the injured were in critical condition.
had also been directed to increase security of trains in light of the information.
Mohammad Hussain, medical superintendent in main Toba Tek Singh hospital told news agency AFP that a child, aged two and a half years, had succumbed to his injuries in hospital. Shehzad Asif, district police chief confirmed the death.
Speaking to media representatives in Lahore, Federal Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said the management of Shalimar Express had received calls pertaining to extortion and that Inspector General Punjab Police had been informed in this regard.
The train, which had begun its journey from Lahore, was crossing a railway station around 1 pm when the explosion took place inside a bogie in its economy class.
He added that 14 people had been injured in the explosion and three of the wounded were in critical condition.
Following the blast, the train was brought to a halt and rescue teams shifted the injured to hospitals in Faisalabad and Toba Tek Singh where emergency was imposed as soon as news of the explosion came. Police and Pakistan Railways personnel arrived at the scene to inspect the area and investigate the incident. TV footage showed the explosion had damaged the roof of the carriage but not forced the train off the rails, suggesting a relatively low-intensity blast.
Contrary to reports, there is no information of any deaths in the explosion so far, the minister said. Rafique moreover said an investigation had been launched into the attack, calling it “an act of terrorism.” KARACHI: Fourteen people were reported injured in an explosion that took place Pakistan is battling a homegrown insurinside a bogie of the Karachi-bound Shalimar Express near Punjab province's Toba gency and faces near-daily bombings and Tek Singh district on Monday. shootings in the troubled northwest, but attacks on the railway are relatively rare. Farah Masood, a senior government offi- jured. On the other hand, the Interior Miniscial in Lahore, confirmed to AFP that a lo- try has claimed that railway authorities had A bomb near the waiting lounge for the cally-made explosive device was used in the been alerted with intelligence pertaining to luxury Lahore-Karachi Business Express explosion and that 14 people had been in- a possible terrorist threat. The authorities train last year killed two people.
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Aug 08, 2013
SPORTS ‘New’ Anwar Ali ready to break into Test side It was a typically hot day in Karachi in 2006. Pakistan’s fielders were made to sweat as Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni smashed the ball all around the National Stadium, giving India an easy eight-wicket win and wrapping up the series 4-1. Pakistan cricket‟s many critics poured out of the stadium in dismay, talking about how India had finally tipped the balance of power, how Mohammad Sami and Rao Iftikhar were a lesson in mediocrity as Pakistan‟s fast bowling legacy slowly approached death. The future looked grim. However, once the stands were empty and the crowds outside, a calming whisper silenced Pakistan‟s moaning fans. Suddenly, the words “9 for 6” were on everyone‟s lips and Anwar Ali, unknown only seconds earlier, was „trending‟ around the National Stadium. In a matter of moments, Pakistan fans were transported to Colombo, Sri Lanka, and, as an audaciously nippy Anwar destroyed India‟s batting line-up, the future looked bright, the legacy would continue. For this truly was the battle of the future, India v Pakistan for the U19 World Cup title. “We didn‟t really know the players then, but now they‟ve become world famous, (Cheteshwar) Pujara, (Rohit) Sharma, (Ravindra) Jadeja, were all against us,” Anwar said, speaking to Dawn.com. ―It was the best moment of my career.‖ Anwar was named man of the match for his 5-35 and Pakistan won the tournament in a stunning come-from-behind win. Although his father never really appreciated him giving time to the game, Anwar played “a lot” of cricket at the school level, then club level, where he turned up with several other players, now on the fringes of the national team, for the Pakistan Cricket Club. It was after playing zonal cricket for Karachi, though, that he was spotted and brought into the U19 camp. He “gained success at every level” and is a product of the system put in place, coming through the ranks from his native Karachi. “As a child, I always looked at Imran Khan,” but in more recent times, “I‟ve been inspired by Brett Lee, Shoaib Akhtar, and
Umar Gul. Fast bowling was a hobby for me. And Imran and Umar also bowled inswing in the beginning of their careers, I looked at them and was successful at junior levels.” In 2006, when the video of his wickets went viral on YouTube, the natural talent was there for all to see. Anwar himself said that through his younger years a lack of coaching benefitted his action: “My natural swing is inswing. When I began cricket no one told me how, but when I would throw the ball it would naturally come in. I then had to work on the ideal length to bowl inswing, that is what I worked on in the nets.” However naturally talented the teenager appeared then, he ultimately failed to make the quick step-up to international cricket that was expected. Now at the age of 25, he‟s had his big moments, like a match winning 8-16 in the fourth innings against State Bank in 2011, but is known as a consistent first-class cricketer who has often been picked for Pakistan tours but deemed not good enough to make the final cut. This has not affected his attitude though, and his ultimate goal is to don the whites for Pakistan. “It‟s every player's dream to become a
Test cricketer, and mine too. Of course, I love T20 with big crowds, sixes, fours, quick wickets, it‟s where I made my first appearance for Pakistan. But my favourite format remains Test cricket.” Anwar is keen to learn from his more experienced teammates and live up to the hype that surrounded his earlier career. But he has also realised that he can no longer be a one-trick pony. Hence, the extra hours in the nets that are dedicated to batting and with a first-class average of 19.66, perhaps the young man can fill the role of a genuine allrounder that Pakistan is so dearly missing. “It brings me happiness to share the ball with Aizaz (Cheema) and Shoaib Malik while playing for PIA, they‟ve had great runs in the Pakistan team and it‟s very helpful to learn from them. As for my own ambitions, this season I‟ve worked extra hard, and I want to tell my fans that all my effort is going into making them see a different, a new Anwar Ali from now on.” Anwar, who played for runners up PIA in the recently concluded Ramazan T20 Cup, also believes he and many others like him have suffered due to a stoppage of international cricket in Pakistan since 2009.
“It‟s important that PCB brings international cricket back to Pakistan. That will attract crowds, rebuild interest, and give a boost to the entire domestic circuit. Having our own PCB-run league that could attract international players would help us a lot, we‟d get to share dressing rooms with the world‟s stars and our domestic cricketers can learn a lot.” Anwar may never be the legend some expected him to be because, at 25, his best moment wasn‟t still expected to be the memory from the U19s. For the selectors, it certainly begs the question why they would keep selecting a „talented‟ player for tours but not pick him in the playing XI. For now, Anwar‟s focus is clear though, and the kind of work that he is putting in with both bat and ball, perhaps, a repeat of Colombo 2006, may just be around the corner. West Indies: CH Gayle, J Charles†, DM Bravo, MN Samuels, LMP Simmons, DJ Bravo*, KA Pollard, DJG Sammy, KAJ Roach, SP Narine, JO Holder
Pakistan to play Afghanistan in T20 The two sides will meet on Dec 8 in Sharjah, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman said. “Giving Afghanistan an international match is our contribution towards the development of the game in the neighbouring country,” the spokesman said. The match is part of an agreement between the two countries in March under which the PCB will help Afghanistan improve its cricket infrastructure and team standard. Afghanistan qualified for the last two World Twenty20 tournaments in 2010 and 2012 but lost all their matches. The Sharjah match will be their first against any top teams outside the International Cricket Council events. Afghanistan Cricket Board chief executive Mohammad Murad expressed delight at the latest opportunity for his team. “We are excited by the opportunity to play against a full (ICC) member nation,” Murad said in Kabul.
LAHORE: Pakistan on Monday announced it will play Afghanistan in a Twenty20 International later this year to help the development of cricket in the war-ravaged nation.
“Win or lose, the experience gained by our players will be absolutely invaluable.”Full members are entitled to play Test matches while Afghanistan is an associate ICC member.
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Aug 08, 2013
Bollywood courts controversy with Sri Lankan war film
MUMBAI: Bollywood is foraying into controversial terrain with new spy thriller, ―Madras Cafe", whose depiction of rebels in the Sri Lankan civil war has raised concerns among India's large Tamil population. The movie, which opens in India this month, features John Abraham as an Indian secret agent shortly after peacekeeping troops sent by New Delhi to Sri Lanka were forced to withdraw in 1990 following a three-year battle with separatist Tamil rebels.
The conflict in Sri Lanka, which cost up to 100,000 lives, erupted in 1983 between government forces and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who were fighting for an independent state for ethnic Tamils. Both sides are accused of human rights atrocities.
Director Shoojit Sircar describes “Madras Cafe”, shot in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala, as a “hardcore political film which examines conspiracies, espionage, how information is coded, decoded and passed through”.
In 1987, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi sent a peace-keeping force in a bid to end the conflict but the intervention failed.
India has a large and politically active Tamil population in its south and South Indian activists have already raised concerns over the movie's depiction of the rebels in the bloody conflict. But Sircar insists the movie, set in the early 1990s, “does not take sides. “The bigger message is that in a civil war, civilians suffer the most,” he told AFP. While the film's main character is fictitious, Sircar said he had “used real references, portrayed rebel groups, revolutionary freedom fighters, Indian Peace Keeping Forces (and) shown how India got involved and the chaos”.
The move was met with criticism at home while straining relationships between the two neighbours, and when Gandhi was assassinated in 1991, the LTTE were the prime suspects. Sircar remains tight-lipped over whether Gandhi's killing is tackled directly in the movie, saying “how it ends and moves is the surprise of the film”. Although the assassination changed the course of Indian history, few of the country's movies have looked at Gandhi's death, the Tamil Tigers or the Sri Lankan conflict. Tamil-language drama “Kutrapathrikai” (Chargesheet), based on Gandhi's killing and the civil war, was blocked by the censors for its political overtones and only released 13 years later
in 2007 with several cuts.
according to Indian media reports.
The acclaimed 1999 Tamil film, “The Terrorist”, was inspired by the assassination, while the 2002 drama “Kannathil Muthamittal” (A Peck on the Cheek), directed by Mani Ratnam, focused on a girl searching for her parents amid the Sri Lankan conflict and won various awards.
“We would like to see the film before its release,” filmmaker Sebastian Seeman, who heads the group, told Indo-Asian News Service, saying they would let the film pass “if we don't find any scene in the film objectionable”.
Often preferring more light-hearted fare, Hindi-language Bollywood films that venture into geopolitics tend to focus on cross-border conflicts with Pakistan and the disputed region of Kashmir. But Sircar, whose past films include the unconventional 2012 comedy hit “Vicky Donor” about sperm donation, said he wanted to place the spy operation against a different setting. “I did not want the usual India-Pakistan backdrop,” he said. “I had been following this civilian crisis for a long time and integrated it into the main story.”
“Madras Cafe” star Abraham told AFP he plans to attend a press conference in Tamil Nadu to calm any controversy over the movie, saying: “I am sure once they see the film they will be happy. “It is great cinema and we have taken great care not to hurt anyone's feelings. But the backdrop of the film is true incidents and real life situations which we can't shy away from,” he said. It would not be the first film to be banned in Tamil Nadu.
Although the movie has passed India's censor board, the film may still face hurdles in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
Another spy thriller, “Vishwaroopam”, was forced out of cinemas in January after Muslim groups complained they were portrayed in a negative light, prompting director Kamal Haasan to threaten to go into exile.
Activist group Naam Tamilar (We Tamils) has asked the state government to stop the film's release, unhappy that the trailer depicted the LTTE as “terrorists”,
The matter, which renewed fears about freedom of artistic expression in India, was resolved when controversial scenes were muted.
50 years on, Pakistan part of the Oscars once more HOLLYWOOD: After hiatus of about 50 years, Pakistan will once again dance at the Oscars.
stani cinema is having a revival of sorts, giving selectors a wide variety of movies to choose from.
Although the committee has not yet chosen the film, Pakistan will be submitting an entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category.
Historically, Pakistan has sent only two films to the Academy since the category was created in 1956, Akhtar J. Kardar‟s “Jago hua savera” in 1959 and Khawaja Khurshid Anwar‟s “Ghunghat” in 1963.
Each country is allowed one submission and can decide how that film can be chosen. The deadline for submitting foreignlanguage film submissions to the Academy this year is September 30, 2013. The committee to choose the film is independent from the government even though will be approving the selection. The committee is chaired by Emmy and Academy award winning documentary filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and includes Mehreen Jabbar (veteran of the industry, with a prolific career as Director/Producer of gritty, hard-hitting films for Pakistani Television), Mohsin Hamid (author of the novels Moth Smoke, The Reluctant Funda-
British-Pakistani Hammad Khan, known for his debut feature “Slackistan” was banned in Pakistan spoke to the Variety, a weekly entertainment-trade magazine.
mentalist, and How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia), Rahat Kazmi (Pakistani actor, talk-show anchor, professional speaker and academician), Akifa Mian (writer, director and assistant professor of Film at Beaconhouse National University), Framji Minwalla (professor at IBA whose research and teaching interests include Performance history, visual and cultural studies, film stud-
ies, media and communications and all forms of theory) and Samina Peerzada (film actress and director who has appeared in numerous films and television serials). Pakistan has submitted 2 films to the Academy since its inception, with the last submission dating back to 1963. With 21 releases in the year so far, Paki-
“Pakistan has not officially submitted any films for the Academy Awards consideration in 50 years because the state has never taken film seriously, neither as a cultural art form nor as a valuable communal experience,” he said. “In all those years, Pakistan has been so preoccupied with coups, wars and religion that cinema has only been reduced to low entertainment by the powersthat-be. It is, of course, monumentally idiotic to ignore the power of cinema in the development of any nation‟s narrative.”
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Aug 08, 2013
Priyanka Chopra targets stereotypes in Hollywood
LOS ANGELES: Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has a higher mission than just making it in Hollywood: she wants to break down stereotypes of Indians in Tinsel town's eyes and maybe make things easier for her compatriots who live in the United States. Cast member Priyanka Chopra poses during a photocall to promote the movie ''Don - The King is back'' at the 62nd Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin February 10, 2012. Here's her first lesson: "We don't travel on elephants, there aren't any snake charmers on the side of the road, everybody doesn't talk like Apu from 'The Simpsons,'" the actress says, with a bit of a laugh. Chopra, 31, is one of the biggest stars to emerge in Indian film in recent years, alongside Bollywood heavyweights Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan, with big budget franchises such as "Krrish" and "Don." She has also won plaudits for taking on unconventional roles, most recently playing an autistic woman in 2012's "Barfi!" But in her latest role as an eye-catching animated racing airplane in Disney's global adventure "Planes," Chopra said she is hoping to cross the boundaries of Bollywood to Hollywood. "This is a very global movie. You have characters from all across the world, and I think for kids, it's great to understand that there's so many different kinds of culture and people out there," the actress told
Reuters on Thursday. Chopra first rose to fame in 2000, winning the Miss World beauty pageant and transitioning into Bollywood film. But the journey has not come easily for the actress, who said she had to learn the ropes of acting. "I was 17 years old, I didn't know anything. I just went with my gut and I wanted to take a chance," she said, adding "I've made so many mistakes along the way." Chopra is currently in production on a biopic about Indian Olympic boxing champion Mary Kom, and learning to box herself, Chopra said the role was "the most difficult film I've ever done." "Mary is a national icon. She's a five-time world champion, a mother of three kids, an Olympic medalist and she has an incredible story," the actress said. "The challenge was that I have to learn a completely new sport
and play a living, breathing person," she added. Chopra, who was born and raised in India and also spent a few years living in the United States in her teens, has conquered the ranks of Bollywood, but cracking into Hollywood has presented its own challenges. "There is a very big stereotype with Indian actors, and you get only Indian parts. There is a stereotype that there's a certain accent and there's a certain vibe and how is that cool. I felt a lot of that and I really want to be able to change that, for people to be proud of their roots," the actress said. Pop Album, Top Producer Chopra's step into Hollywood coincides with her foray into pop music, releasing her first single, "Exotic", featuring rapper Pitbull from her upcoming yet-to-be-titled album.
The album is being overseen by renowned pop music producer RedOne, who has worked with Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj and Jennifer Lopez, and is expected in early 2014. It will feature more collaborations with other artists, although Chopra said it was too early to reveal any names. "My album is like me - eclectic in my taste." said Chopra. "I like a little bit of everything, so my album has ballad, mid tempos, pop, a little rap, EDM...a little bit of everything." With her music and film career expanding outside of Bollywood, Chopra said she was now in a position to change common misconceptions that people may have about India. "It was really hard for me when I went to school in America, and I don't want that to happen to any more kids or people who come from my part of the world. So if I can do something to change that perception, I'd be happy," she said.
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Aug 08, 2013
Indian FM hints at continuing engagement with Pakistan
NEW DELHI: Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid on Wednesday said the government of India did not want to create a situation ―detrimental and destructive for India’s security and peace‖. He was speaking to the Press Trust of India news agency a day after five Indian soldiers were killed in an attack on the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border dividing the region of Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
Sushma Swaraj, another of the BJP's leaders, told a stormy session of parliament that the defence minister had given Pakistan a “clean chit” for not holding the Pakistani army directly responsible for the attack.
Pakistan has denied any part in the incident, but India has lodged an official protest with Islamabad for what is one of the worst losses of life for the Indian army since a 2003 truce agreement.
Regarding engaging with Pakistan, Khurshid said India did not “want to throw the baby out with the bath water”.
The picturesque Himalayan territory of Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan by the UN-monitored LoC but is claimed in full by both countries.
Indian and Pakistani commanders spoke by hotline and discussed the incident Wednesday, a Pakistani military source told AFP.
However, the Indian government's response has provoked fury among its opponents, with a senior member of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, L. K. Advani, telling lawmakers Wednesday “this is no time for talks”.
While Indian military sources said Tuesday Pakistani troops were behind the attack, Defence Minister A. K. Antony would only say in a statement the same day that it was carried out by men wearing Pakistani uniforms.
The Pakistani foreign ministry said Islamabad wanted a strengthening of existing channels to stop “such ill-founded reports” in the future.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called a cross-party meeting for Wednesday night in an effort to win the opposition's support ahead of a widely-predicted meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif next month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Indian media reports said. But analysts say New Delhi would now be tempted to postpone such a meeting until more progress was made to improve the security situation along the LoC. India and Pakistan have fought three wars, two over the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir.
Averting terror bid, police defuse three bombs in Bannu
BANNU: Police in Bannu defused three police rushed to the sites along with a bomb low-intensity bombs planted in different disposal squad and defused all three bombs. areas in the limits of the city’s Miryan police station on Wednesday foiling a terrorThe bombs had been planted at a school, ist attack. at the Hujra of Sardar Yusuf Khan and by a roadside. On a tip off that unidentified men had planted bombs at three locations in the city, Had the bombs gone off, they would
have brought massive loss of life and property, police said.
kilometers southwest of Peshawar, capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Moreover, an investigation was initiated into the matter.
The town has also witnessed a number of attacks and was the scene of a massive jail break in April 2012 during which 384 prisoners escaped from the Bannu central prison.
The northwestern town of Bannu, which stands at the gateway to Waziristan, is 150
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Aug 08, 2013
Almond Tart
1 1/2 cubes butter (melted)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon pure almond extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Blend all ingredients and pour into spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and powdered sugar and serve.
Further improvements to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Ottawa, Ontario, August 7, 2013 —The Honorable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development, today announced reforms to strengthen and improve the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). As announced in Economic Action Plan 2013, the Government of Canada has now implemented a user fee for employers applying for labour market opinions along with new language and advertising requirements for the TFWP. “Our Government’s number one priority remains jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity. These additional reforms help ensure that Canadians are first in line for available jobs,” said Minister Kenney. “They also ensure that taxpayers no longer pay the cost of processing employer applications for temporary foreign workers.” “Qualified Canadians, including new Canadians, should have first crack at available jobs,” said the Honorable Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and
Immigration. “These new measures demonstrate that our Government is committed to ensuring the Temporary Foreign Worker Program functions as intended.” The following reforms are now in effect, as of July 31, 2013: A new $275 processing fee for each temporary foreign worker position that an employer requests through a Labour Market Opinion (LMO). This ensures that the cost to process employer LMO applications is no longer paid for by Canadian taxpayers. In 2012, 60 percent of positive LMOs did not lead to a work permit being issued to a temporary foreign worker. This means that Canadian taxpayers’ dollars were being spent to process applications that were never used, rather could have been used on useful initiatives. With the implementation of a fee, employers will be less likely to apply for TFW positions they may not fill, helping ensure taxpayer resources are not wasted.
English and French are the only languages that can be identified as a job requirement in advertisements and LMO applications by employers intending to hire temporary foreign workers. Exceptions will be made in rare and specialized circumstances only when the employer can demonstrate that another language is essential for the job, such as for a tour guide or translator. Employers will now need to make greater efforts to hire Canadians before they will be eligible to apply to hire temporary foreign workers. New advertising requirements essentially double the length and reach of employers’ advertising efforts which will increase Canadians’ awareness of available jobs. Additional questions have been added to all LMO applications to ensure that the TFWP is not used to facilitate the outsourcing of Canadian jobs. It is important to note that these reforms do not apply to on-farm primary agriculture occupations, such as those under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and the Agricultural Stream.
These improvements to the TFWP are in addition to changes announced in April. Further changes are under development as part of the ongoing reform of the TFWP. These include increasing the Government’s authority to revoke work permits and suspend, revoke and refuse to process LMOs, and ensuring employers who rely on temporary foreign workers have a firm plan in place to transition to a Canadian workforce. “The reforms announced today and in recent months further strengthen the integrity of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and ensure that more employers hire Canadians before hiring temporary foreign workers,” said Minister Kenney. “These improvements help ensure the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is only used as intended—to fill acute skills shortages on a temporary basis.” Going forward, the Government of Canada will consider additional reforms to better balance employers’ requirements with the needs of Canadian workers.
Indian govt under fire over handling of LoC incident “The government must admit that the Pakistan army is responsible for this incident,” she said. Diplomatic tightrope Antony stood by his statement and said as defence minister he had an obligation to be careful not to repeat information that had not been verified. But rowdy lawmakers did not accept his explanation and continued to disrupt proceedings until parliament was adjourned. Antony's cautious statement appeared to reflect a reluctance by the Indian government, at least for now, to let the border incident damage efforts to restart the peace talks. But with elections due by next May, there are questions over whether Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government can pursue dialogue with Pakistan without being painted as weak by the opposition. NEW DELHI: India's parliament was paralysed on Wednesday as opposition lawmakers angrily protested over the government's response to an ambush in which five soldiers were shot dead on the de facto border with Pakistan in the disputed region of Kashmir. The uproar, for the second day in a row, derailed the government's legislative agenda and raised question marks over whether it will be able to drive through long-pending economic reforms during the short session, which ends on August 30.
The talks, frozen after a border clash in January, had been expected to resume this month. While Antony stopped short of blaming the Pakistan army for the latest attack, his ministry later issued a strongly worded statement directly accusing Pakistani soldiers of taking part in the ambush. Army officers, speaking on condition of anonymity, made similar accusations even as Pakistan strongly denied any involvement.
Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony told parliament on Tuesday that a group of about 20 heavily armed militants accompanied by “persons dressed in Pakistan Army uniforms” had ambushed an army patrol earlier that day near the 740 kilometres Line of Control (LoC) in the Himalayan region.
The defense ministry statement and army officers said the attack had been carried out by Pakistan's Border Action Team.
It was one of the worst such attacks since the two rivals signed a truce in 2003 and it cast a pall over planned talks by top Pakistani and Indian bureaucrats on disputed territorial and water issues.
But, in a sign that India's army and politicians were not singing from the same hymn sheet, the ministry later retracted its statement and said Antony's account represented the official record of what had happened on
The unit includes members of Pakistan's commando Special Services Group and irregular forces the army officers said.
the border. India is under pressure from the United States to ratchet down tensions with Pakistan to stabilise the region as foreign forces prepare to withdraw from Afghanistan. Both US Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry have visited New Delhi in recent weeks to discuss Afghanistan, where India and Pakistan are vying for influence. Opposition lawmakers chanting “Apologies! apologies!” demanded that the Indian government explain the contradiction between the two statements and accused Antony of misleading the nation about Pakistan's role in the attack. “The defence ministry held Pakistani army fully responsible for the incident. But the defence minister gave a clean sheet to the Pakistan army and completely absolved them,” Sushma Swaraj, a leader of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), told parliament.
The BJP has repeatedly accused Singh of being soft on Pakistan and China, whose troops are also accused of border incursions. Political heat over the killing of two Indian soldiers in a clash in Kashmir in January forced Singh to suspend the peace talks. In the intervening months, diplomats and officials from both countries have been quietly working to relaunch them. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said he wants to ease mistrust between the two countries. Two Pakistani soldiers were wounded in an exchange of fire with Indian troops on Tuesday, officials on both sides said Wednesday. A Pakistani military official blamed “unprovoked Indian firing” and said senior army commanders on both sides had spoken over a hotline. A senior Indian army officer in northern Kashmir said Pakistani forces had opened fire first.
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Aug 08, 2013
Recent rains in Pakistan
Recent rains in Pakistan‟s two leading provinces i.e. Punjab & Sindh have left too many questions.
the same governments and the same chief ministers so for a change they both can‟t put the blame on any previous government.
But will anyone for a change take any sort of responsibility? The answer as usual is, we all highly doubt as this miracle never ever has happened before so why now. The real fact of the matter is that all government related departments would rather choose to play the oldest and easiest trick in the book and i.e. the “blame game”.
Now the interesting part beings and that again is how they would manage to hoodwink all and sweep the dirt under the rug – (as has been done many a time before). Integrity and leadership of Pakistan these two words have seldom rhymed for sure no example of this can be given keeping the recent past in mind.
As the maxim goes that charity begins at home but Pakistani leadership in general has rephrased this and their vision has been “charity is begged and brought to you own home and faithful”.
This rain disaster episode would soon be forgotten and before we all know it will be business as usual.
In all fairness I hardly see any light at the end of the tunnel, as things have gone from bad to worse and the graph is rising.
With dozens dead including kids and many more homeless - Who you think is responsible? The answer from Pakistan‟s government point is view would be “Anybody else but the government itself”.
Unlike the west there never has been any accountability ever in any government department of Pakistan.
Bottom line all is well till the elite does not get affected. Pakistan Zindabad-(Long live Pakistan).
Interestingly both these province have
Army deployed at Peshawar, Haripur jails PESHAWAR: Amid security threats of militant attacks, Army troops were deployed on Tuesday at Central Jail Peshawar, which holds Dr Shakil Afridi and other high profile Taliban inmates, and Haripur jail. The military sources confirmed that the troops took over the jail security on the request of the civil administration . The source added that the deployment would not be for a long period and that the troops would be present at the prisons only to strengthen the security cordon. Official sources said that the army would also take over the security of the central Jail Haripur for which the intelligence agencies have also issued a threat warning following the recent jailbreak in DI Khan. Other sources said that though security warning was issued for all the jails in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province but Central Jail Peshawar could be the prime target as Dr Shakil Afridi who was convicted of assisting Moreover the founder chief of the outthe Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in lawed Tehrik Nifaz Sharia-i-Muhammadi obtaining DNA samples of Osama Bin Laden (TNSM), Mualana Sufi Mohammad, the forthrough a fake vaccination campaign was mer Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan, and a also held in the said prison.
number of other key commanders belinging to the Swat and Bajaur chapter of the Taliban are also jailed in the Peshawar Central Prison. The KPK government has already
allocated Rs198.200 million for strengthening the Jail secuirty across the province and deployment of army troops is an added support to the security cordon.
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Aug 08, 2013
India lodges 'strong protest' with Pakistan over Kashmir attack NEW DELHI: India lodged a diplomatic protest Tuesday with Pakistan over an attack on an army post in the disputed Kashmir region in which five of its soldiers were killed, Defense Minister A. K. Antony said. “The government of India has lodged a strong protest with the government of Pakistan through diplomatic channels,” Antony told lawmakers. “The attack was carried out by 20 heavily-armed terrorists, along with persons in Pakistani army uniform,” he added. To lodge its protest over the soldiers‟ killing, India summoned Pakistan's deputy envoy to New Delhi, an Indian government source said. The development came hours after India accused Pakistani troops of involvement in the killing. The attack on a post in Poonch came just as India and Pakistan were preparing to resume peace talks broken off since January when tensions rose following the beheading of an Indian soldier in a border clash, also in Poonch. “The Pakistan deputy high commissioner was called a short while ago and a strong protest was lodged by the government over the incident at the LoC,” the source said, referring to the Line of Control dividing Kashmir. Pakistan has denied any involvement in the incident. The five were killed late Monday at an outpost some 200 kilometers south of Srinagar, Indian officials said. The picturesque Himalayan territory of Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan by a UN-monitored de facto border known as the Line of Control (LOC), but is claimed in full by both countries. “Pakistani troops simply attacked the Indian post, violating the ceasefire, and they killed five of our soldiers,” a senior army official in Indian-administered Kashmir told AFP on condition of anonymity. Another Indian army official in Kashmir said only one soldier had escaped with his life in the ambush of an army patrol. “This was a patrol party of six soldiers. We have had fatalities and one has survived the ambush,” he said. The Pakistan army however denied re-
sponsibility. “No Pakistani troops either crossed into India nor carried out any unprovoked firing. The Indian allegations are totally baseless,” a Pakistani military spokesman told AFP in Islamabad. The Foreign Office also rejected allegations of Pakistan‟s involvement as “baseless and unfounded”, saying the country‟s was committed to its ceasefire promises and wanted to resume peace talks with India soon. “Our military authorities have confirmed that there had been no exchange of fire that could have resulted in such an incident,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “These are baseless and unfounded allegations.” “Pakistan is committed to a constructive, sustained and result-oriented process of engagement with India and looks forward to an early resumption of the dialogue process.” Hopes of progress in the beleaguered peace process have risen in recent weeks but Omar Abdullah, the state's chief minister, said the attack would undermine efforts at rapprochement. “Was briefed early this morning about news that 5 of our soldiers had been killed
on the LOC. My heartfelt condolences to their next of kin,” Abdullah tweeted. India and Pakistan have fought three wars since their independence from Britain in 1947, two of them over Kashmir. A deadly flare-up along the LoC border in January brought low-level peace talks to a halt which had only just resumed after a three-year hiatus sparked by the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people. However, the election of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in May's polls has fuelled expectations of a rapprochement. Sujatha Singh, India's new foreign secretary, said last Thursday that India would be “picking up the threads” of peace talks with the new Pakistani government. Singh however said that any dialogue with Islamabad “presupposes an environment free of violence and of terror”. Speaking on the same day, Sharif reiterated his desire to boost ties with India and included Kashmir on a list of issues that had to be tackled. “We will boost trade, we will boost business and will boost investment with India,” the premier told reporters in Karachi.
“We will also try our best to solve all longstanding issues with India, including Kashmir.” While there was no immediate comment from the Indian government about the diplomatic impact of Monday's incident, the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said talks could not take place in such an environment. “Pakistan has killed our soldiers today and this is becoming a routine. They are very aggressive...why are we holding talks with such country?” Yashwant Sinha, one of the BJP's leaders, told lawmakers. “It is time we give a powerful reply. Our army is not weak. We should not ignore this deadly incident.” Indian analysts said the attack would undermine New Delhi's trust in the new Sharif government in Islamabad. “This incident will have a serious impact on the relations between India and Pakistan, said Lalit Mansingh, a former foreign secretary. “It shows that maybe the Pakistani leadership is not fully on board to hold talks.”
Security high alert in Islamabad to remain till Eid, says IGP ISLAMABAD: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Sikandar Hyat on Tuesday said that security in the federal capital is on high alert and it would be maintained through Eid holidays also. Speaking to media representatives after an Iftar dinner, the IGP said that security alerts were received a few days back, after which security was put on high alert. The security forces had scoured the Margalla hills surrounding the capital and sent additional units to protect key installations amid tightened security across the country on Monday. Security was beefed up on the heels of intelligence reports citing potential militant attacks on key installations including headquarters of Pakistan Navy, Airforce and the Parliament House. The IGP said that shopping and other activities related to the Muslim festival are at peak therefore high security would be maintained till Eid-ul-Fitr, expected to fall either on Friday or Saturday. Hyat urged the people, which are travelling to their hometowns to celebrate Eid with their dear ones, to inform Islamabad police before their departure due to security reasons. Regarding checking at police posts, he said that strength would be added there for effective checking and to avoid inconvenience to people especially road users.
To a question about the suspension of Station House Officers of Islamabad police stations, the IGP said they would not be
given same nature of assignment in future. He said there is no political pressure for
their induction on same post and every decision would be made on merit.
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Aug 08, 2013
Falling prey to ‘Halal’ investments ISLAMABAD: ―I was blinded by the false promises made by friends who had invested money in Modaraba (an Islamic investment system) for I was made to believe that by doing so, I would be following the path of the Prophet (PBUH).‖ This was how Mohammad Ejaz, who runs a local restaurant in Saddar Rawalpindi, explains who he ended up investing in an illegal investment venture operated by Mufti Ehsanullah of Rawalpindi. By investing Rs500,000 in the „Islamic‟ venture, Ejaz hoped to reap the benefits of both worlds with a single transaction. However, soon after he made his investment in the beginning of this year, he found out that the National Accountability Bureau was investigating the investment venture. Within months, the venture was found to be illegal and shut down. Ejaz also found that many such ventures existed across the country in which people invested money with clergy, thinking it to be Islamic and interest-free only to find out later that these ventures were illegal and perhaps even shady operations. Background conversations with NAB officials and others have revealed that these ventures are basically operated by a network of clergy, which ensured the faithful of the spiritual benefits and hefty returns (for example Ejaz was promised Rs8,000 per month on every Rs100,000 deposited) and though investors were provided documentation verifying their „investment‟, the transactions were illegal and the investors had little idea about where the money was being invested and in what sort of businesses. But people were lured in because the clergy promised a lucrative deal that was devoid of interest and other „impurities‟ which they argued were present if the money was kept in banks or invested in regular companies. The investors were assured that the profits would also be reaped from Halal sources. Like other investors, Mr Ejaz was attracted by the holy talk especially as the people who headed these people were Muftis (in hierarchy of Sunni Islam, a Mufti is highly educated cleric). The main contact between the investors and muftis were the directors of the companies, who were operating the venture. These directors tended to be active preachers. This made interaction with potential investors easier. The director through whom Mohammad Ejaz invested the money was a local preacher in Rawalpindi who operated out of a small office at Choor Chowk, Rawalpindi. All this came to light when NAB started to look into Mufti Ehsan, the head of the
venture Ejaz had invested into. Codenamed the „Mufti Scandal‟ within NAB, the Bureau nabbed the Mufti behind the operation and imprisoned him for two months after which he offered to pay Rs450 million in exchange for his freedom. Another Rs100 million are still to be recovered and Ehsan‟s name has been placed at the Exit Control List (ECL). In order to reclaim their investments, some 85 investors, including Mr Ejaz, had filed a written application with the NAB about a month ago. However, not all investors in these illegal ventures were as lucky. When this scandal came to light, another similar venture, run by Mufti Osama, fell apart because its operators ran away fearing investigation. Those who had invested in it have now lost their money. According to NAB officials, Mufti Osama, the operator of this illegal Modarba business, escaped to United Arab Emirates (UAE) along with the investors‟ money. He belongs to Southern Punjab and is said to be linked to Lal Masjid (Red Mosque). However, the Lal Masjid management denies this. Furthermore, a NAB official said Mufti Khalid, the partner of Mufti Osama who lured people to invest in the Islamic business, was also close to the Lal Masjid. Originally from Fatehjang, the cleric holds sway over major seminaries in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, he added. The building of the Mosque has now posted a message stating that they had nothing to do with such investment schemes. Maulana Abdul Aziz has regularly denied any links with such Islamic investment schemes.
How the scandal came to light The bureau took up the case in March this year after queries were made by several depositors regarding the legality of such investments, and a formal complaint was registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). The vast majority of these depositors are not only educated but also relatively well off businessmen – some of them had invested up to Rs10 million. “We were driven by a combination of religious fervor and greed. We fell for the catchy slogans of the clergies,” Mr Ejaz said. The investments by the depositors had been acknowledged by Mufti Ehsan in written form, as he stamped and signed the deposit forms. At the moment, NAB is scrutinising their documents after which they may get their original investment back from the Rs550 million that Mufti Ehsan paid up. In the letter to NAB, the SECP stated that seven companies were involved in the illegal business, but none of these were registered with the government and their accounts had not been verified by any certified auditor. “We were concerned about the illegal deposits made by the general public, and as such operations are prone to fraud, they needed to be closed down,” said a senior official of the SECP. He said the episode started when certain people asked the State bank and the SECP whether or not the micro-investment programmes initiated by the clerics were registered. “They wanted to know whether in-
vestments in such schemes were legal or not,” the official said. However, subsequent investigations by the NAB revealed that the ventures were illegal and the companies were not even registered. Mufti Ehsan was the operator of Spadix Pharma Company and Fayyazi Group of Industries according to the documents with NAB. However, Spadix Pharma is not operational while other factories of the Fayyazi Group, such as one factory in Gujranwala for producing sanitary ware, were nonfunctional. Mufti Ehsan told NAB that the depositors‟ money had been invested in various profit-making businesses abroad, including trade of gemstones in Thailand and Honk Kong, and the investments were done without employing any banking channels. However, NAB has not bothered to verify his claims about his overseas businesses or look into Ehsan‟s claims of transferring money out of the country without using legal banking channels. Similarly, a NAB official said Mufti Ehsan also transferred money to Dubai on behalf of clients for a commission. The NAB however failed to forward this case of illegal money transfer to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) even though Ehsan had acknowledged his involvement. “The clergy have declared almost everything, including banking, taxation, business laws and even departments, un-Islamic or based on western principles,” said a NAB official, adding that such propaganda was hurting the economy.