Canadian Pakistani Times The PM has left but not his brother
Thursday
March28, 2013
Volume 1, 51
Bilawal leaves Pakistan, not to lead PPP election campaign
Raja Pervez Ashraf addressing the ISLAMABAD: The government and the prime minister have gone home but Raja Pervez Ashraf’s brother continues hanging on to the executive’s coat tails. This was evident on Monday when he brought the news to the protesting non-teaching staff that the Ministry
of
Capital
Administration
and
Development (CAD) had issued a notification for their time-scale promotion. In fact, he handed over the notification to the employees. It is an open secret in the capital that Raja Imran Ashraf, brother of former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, is hoping to contest the coming elections on the PPP ticket. No wonder then the opposition is very critical of the manner in which Imran
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (L), son of assassinated former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, sits next to his father, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, during the fifth anniversary of his mother’s death, at the Bhutto family mausoleum in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, near Larkana December December 27, 2012.—Reuters/File Photo
Ashraf, who held no position in the government, is acting as if he is an official. The local leaders of the PML-N termed his move on Monday an attempt to gain an edge in the upcoming elections. “PML-N leader Tariq Fazal Choudhry visited the sit-ins three times and spent hours in the ministry of finance for the issuance of the notification but now it was handed over to the employees by the
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will not be leading the party’s election campaign as party officials confirmed his departure for Dubai on Tuesday, days before the party launches its official campaignon April 4.
personal secretary to Mr Chaudhry. “I cannot
The news comes amid reports that he left after an argument with his father,
understand in which capacity Mr Ashraf had
President Asif Ali Zardari.
brother of the former PM,” said Ali Khan, the
distributed the notification. Though the PPP government has gone, it seems the bureaucracy is still following the instructions of the PPP leaders,” he said. He added: “Everyone knows that the credit to get the notification issued goes to the PML-N leader.” On the other hand, the non-teaching staff in 465 educational institutions seemed happy as they finally got the notification, which will benefit over 5,000 employees from Basic Pay Scale 1 to 15. The Secretariat police registered a case against the employees and two leaders of the nonteaching staff — Mohammad Bilal and Sardar Sidique — were arrested. Abdul Rauf, the senior vice-president
of
the
non-teaching
staff
association, told Dawn that only one out of their three demands had been accepted. “However, Joint Education Adviser Rafique Tahir has assured us that after the completion of the interim government CAD will try to resolve the other issues. “We have decided to postpone our strike because our major demand has been met. Now every employee will get promotion after every five years and those who have been working for the last 15 years in the same scale will get three promotions simultaneously,” he said. Saddaqat Abbasi, the chairman of the association, said the non-teaching staff would resume work from Tuesday. “But still we demand that education allowance and 20 per cent increase in salary should be given to the employees,” he said. —Ikram Junaidi
However, Latif Khosa, recently elected secretary general of the PPP, told the Press Trust of India that “Bilawal may not attend election rallies due to security concerns and is likely to address gatherings on telephone or via video-conferencing.” PPP spokesman Qamar Zaman Kaira too confirmed Bilawal would not partake in rallies because he was facing an extraordinary amount of threats. According to the report by the Press Trust of India though, the PPP chairman had a quarrel with President Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur over the party’s stance on several importance issues including militancy, sectarianism and the awarding of party tickets for the upcoming general elections. Sources told the news agency that Bilawal had an issue in particular with PPP’s weak reaction to the Malala Yousufzai shooting and the bomb attacks on the Shia
community in Karachi and Quetta. In addition, Bilawal is concerned with the PPP’s handling of the ‘youth factor’, keeping in mind that Pakistan Tehrik -i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s strong
The PPP is to launch its election campaign on April 4 in Garhi Khuda Buksh. “Bilawal had been projected as the PPP’s star campaigner as the president cannot participate in the campaign due to
point is his popularity with Pakistan’s youth.
pressure from the courts,” a PPP leader said.
Bilawal was also angered by Talpur’s decision to not hand over party tickets to candidates in Sindh whom he favoured, a source told the Press Trust of India. “Last month, Bilawal had recommended the names of some 200 PPP workers and asked former Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah to give them jobs but Talpur had intervened, causing bad blood between them,” according to the
“Without Bilawal, the PPP cannot touch the emotions of the people, especially the hard core PPP workers,” added the PPP leader, speaking on the condition of
source. When he discussed the issue with his father, the president allegedly sided with his sister. “When Zardari told him that he would be handed over the command of the party after he is groomed politically, Bilawal got upset and left for Dubai,” a source said. Tensions rose so high that reportedly, at one point, Bilawal said: “If I had to vote, even I wouldn’t vote for the PPP.” The departure of the PPP’s chairman has caused some trouble within the party, which has been counting on him to appeal to voters as a member of the Bhutto progeny.
anonymity. Meanwhile, former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani tried to downplay Bilawal’s departure for Dubai, saying there were no tensions between Bilawal, his father and his aunt. “In our families, our children give immense respect to their elders,” Gilani told the news agency. Hasham Riaz, Bilawal’s chief of staff, said Bilawal had gone to Dubai for “routine business”. He said the reports of tensions between Bilawal and President Zardari were “mere rumours”. Asked if Bilawal would come back to Pakistan, Riaz said: “Of course.” Meanwhile, a source told Dawn.com that Bilawal, who turns 25 this September and will be of eligible age to contest elections by the time of the byelections, has decided not to take part in even the by-polls.
02
March 28, 2013
Two giant pandas a five year old female, Er Shun,& a four year-old male, Da Mao are expected to arrived at Toronto Zoo this week. We welcome them to Canada.
he admits that these days he does not ride in the thick of the action, instead shouting advice from the fringes. “Now I’m a farmer and a trainer for other people,” he said. “During buzkashi, I’ve seen men breaking their legs, their arms, their head. I’m seen people and horses dying on the field, but I have never been afraid.” For Haji Saleh Mohammad, 65, who owns some of the best horses competing in Friday’s game, buzkashi – which was banned under the 1996-2001 hardline Taliban regime – is the ultimate test of the Afghan male.
MAZAR-I-SHARIF: A scrum of 150 horse riders fighting over a headless carcass
competitor who hails from a famous family of players, told AFP. “For example, this big
might look chaotic, but Afghan “buzkashi” players insist their sport demands skill and guile as well as brute force.
horse does things that other horses can’t do,” he said as he stood where the horses are prepared before the game. “When we grab the carcass, he knows what to do.”
At the biggest tournament of the season, held in Mazar-i-Sharif to celebrate the Afghan New Year, riders explained that the best horses understand the rules of the game and enjoy the excitement despite all the dangers.
“But he’s so big that he can’t be used to pick up the carcass from the ground.
despite rivals trying to push them to the ground. “When I was born, my father took me home on a horse,” said Hootkhil. “I married the daughter of a chapendaz (buzkashi rider). I have 15 children and my five boys want to become chapendaz too.”
The action is fast and furious as riders wrestle over the dead calf, trying to grab it and then charge across the dusty pitch, swerve around a pole and drop the animal into a chalk circle. Players often hold their whips between their teeth, or use them to hit other competitors as much as their horses. The area of play is flexible and spectators flee as they try to avoid getting caught up in the fray. The game in Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday, the climax of the buzkashi calendar, was set against a backdrop of the snowpeaked Hindu Kush mountains on one side and a huge bakery built during the Soviet occupation of the 1980s. “There are a lot of techniques to buzkashi,” Mirwais Hootkhil, a veteran
“When I look at my horse for just five minutes, it is worth one million dollars.” he said. “It’s a very tough out there and you need skills.” “This sport is a religion. As a man, you need to have a rifle, a horse and a woman. The last of those three things I would get rid of is my horse.” The New Year game in Mazar-iSharif attracted thousands of spectators despite fears of insurgent attack after a suicide bomber killed several people at a game in Kunduz province earlier this month. Players compete for individual as well as team glory, and the overall winner, after scoring five times, was Najibullah, a huge 24-year-old man in a fur hat who is paid to play by a wealthy general during the November-to-April season. Najibullah’s hard-fought victory had required raw aggression, horsemanship and a fierce competitive instinct, but he said the game itself was a symbol of peace and
So we pick up the carcass with a smaller horse, and we give it to the person who’s riding this one.” Buzkhasi players certainly have to be talented horsemen, as they stay balanced at high speeds and must remain onboard
“It’s a great sport for us. I’m from a family of chapendaz. It’s a great honour for me.”Hootkhil, who is coy about his age, retains the film star looks of his youth, but buzkashi takes its toll.” The little finger of his right hand is badly twisted after many breaks, and
harmony in a nation decimated by decades of war. “I’m happy. I’m proud but not overwhelmed. I don’t show off,” he said. “If we can play buzkashi, it shows that there’s some peace in the country”. —Photos and text by AFP
03
March 28, 2013
Glimpses of the 11th Annual Fundraising Gala Dinner to celebrate Pakistani Resolution Day (23rd March 1947) & in support of Markham Stouffville Hospital, West Park Health Centre & Yellow Brink House was held on 22nd March 2013 in Markham, a superbly arranged event organized by Mr Khalid Usman & Canadians of Pakistani Origin in Ontario. A very well attended event as well with over 750 guests in attendance where over $100,000.00 was raised for local charities.
04
March 28, 2013
Are the days of ‘Maula Bux’ numbered? - Zofeen Ebrahim KARACHI: No more contorting the child’s body into a ‘murgha’, no whipping from the frightening cane, notoriously known as the Maula Bux, and no verbal lashing. Children will, it is hoped, no longer be humiliated in class. “They may not know it, but Malaika and Zohab have saved thousands of Pakistani children from the clutches of sadistic teachers who believe in the adage that you spoiled the child if you spared the rod,” says Shehzad Roy. Roy, a Pakistani singer, was speaking in the wake of a bill to ban corporal punishment which was passed in the National Assembly early last week. “Malaika, studying in a private school in Lahore, was just five when her teacher threw a pen at her because she was unable to get the child’s attention during roll call. It went straight into her right eye and damaged her cornea and led to detachment of the retina,” Liaqat Ali, Malaika’s father, tells Dawn.com, adding: “She lost her sight forever”. Zohab’s hearing became impaired after his teacher boxed him in the ear for indiscipline, thereby damaging his eardrum. Today it seems the government, which had so far been soft-peddling the issue, has finally made up its mind that physical punishment is no remedy for a recalcitrant child. Soon after Malaika and Zohab’s stories were shown on Roy’s television programme Chal Parha, already a runway hit, the Punjab Assembly adopted a resolution for the repeal of Section 89 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which allows guardians to punish children in good faith ‘for their benefit’. The Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies then followed suit. At the same time, Pakistan Muslim League- Q’s legislator Dr Attiya Inayatullah’s bill, which calls for criminalising corporal punishment was unanimously passed by the National Assembly. The bill had been tabled back in 2010 and had gone through “three years of rigorous labour”.
becomes a law (after it is passed in Senate) it will apply “to the whole country,” she said. Roy is jubilant that the first step, at least, has been taken. “No one wants to be cruel to children, but sometimes we lose perspective. My idea was to show a mirror to the adults so that they can see for themselves what kind of hurt physical or verbal punishment can impose on a child,” he said. In the bargain, his highly publicised show probably helped push through the bill which had been tabled in the NA three years ago. The bill has declared any form of corporal punishment of children in academic institutions illegal. Individuals involved in the acts will be sentenced to one year in prison, Rs 50,000 fine or both. In addition, Inayatullah also moved a resolution which will be transmitted from the recently dissolved 13th assembly to the 14th one: The resolution urges “them to pass legislation whereby any individual, community or an institution which prevents a girl from going to school will be considered as committing a crime”. Interestingly, education departments had banned corporal punishment in government schools since the mid 1990s. Directives were issued to all governmentrun schools but unfortunately, the teachers were either never made aware of these orders or they were never taken seriously. Ironically, the earlier code of conduct found in government schools allowed teachers to use various forms of punishment, including resorting to humiliation, to discipline a child. The bill calls for scrapping that and gives alternatives to discipline an unruly child. While there are no nation-wide studies to show the exact percentage of children dropping out of schools due to beatings or being humiliated in school, Rashid Aziz of the Islamabad-based Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), said corporal punishment contributes significantly to the high dropout rate of children from the education system in Pakistan.
Talking to Dawn.com, Inayatullah termed the bill’s passage “historic”. Once it
Inayatullah, meanwhile, estimated
that of the “40 percent of children that drop out of school in Pakistan, almost 30 percent do so for fear of being physically beaten”. But it’s not just the beatings in school alone; studies also show that a major reason why children run away from home is to get away from the regular beatings they receive at home. While childhood abuse isn’t the only factor contributing to a violenceplagued society, Dr Asha Bedar, a Karachi-based psychologist, conceded that a child who is regularly beaten or given verbal lashings both at home and in school, would grow up to resolve differences in a similar manner. “Yes, child abuse does affect how children resolve conflicts later in life. And that [physical abuse] could certainly be a significant factor in the violence in our society,” she told Dawn.com.
place for the aggrieved party to take legal recourse, but added, these became useful only if a “child is seriously hurt” like in the case of Malaika, whose father took her school to court. “We need schools … where teachers are trained and sensitised to the damage that corporal punishment does. Shehzad’s programme will certainly bring more awareness but will it stop the punishment? I am not sure,” says Zubeida. What’s been done so far SPARC, for one, has been doing exactly that in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2009. It has developed manuals to sensitise teachers and school administrations about child rights, about this particular problem and to build the capacity of teachers to providing alternatives to corporal punishment. These manuals provide training on class room management, positive disciplining and alternatives to such punishment.
However, she was quick to add that not every child who is physically or verbally abused grows up to be violent. “But there is strong evidence to suggest
“It’s quite simple,” says Muhammad Imtiaz, national manager at SPARC. “When
the likelihood increases.”
we did the baseline survey back in 2009 we found that almost 85 percent of the times the
A long way to go
child was being beaten up to ‘discipline him’, rather than for academic reasons. So we
Many people familiar with Pakistan’s school system, however, were sceptical about the passage od the bill. “Bills will get passed, but does that mean anything?” asks Sami Mustafa, a Karachi-based educationist, adding: “Have they thought about how they will implement it?” “Malaika, studying in a private school in Lahore, was just five when her teacher threw a pen at her because she was unable to get the child’s attention during roll call. It went straight into her right eye and damaged her cornea and led to detachment of the retina,” Liaqat Ali, Malaika’s father, tells Dawn.com, adding: “She lost her sight forever”. According to Mustafa, even if the ‘Maula Bux’ and ‘Murgha’ tactics are eliminated in schools, how will it be ensured that teachers do not use other tactics to humiliate and degrade the child? Senior journalist, Zubeida Mustafa, said there are already laws in
showed the teachers an alternative, like giving the child more responsibility instead of lashing out at him, throwing him out of the class or beating him.” Imtiaz said the teachers came back with a positive response and said the alternatives worked like magic and they didn’t have to resort to harsher methods. SPARC has completed this training in 75 schools in five of 24 of KP’s districts (where there are over 10,000 government schools and 21,000 teachers). They will be working in three more districts and have built up the capacity of almost 5,500 teachers, which probably is just a drop in the ocean. Imtiaz points out: “It is not possible for us to cover the entire province; we don’t have the resources. Our aim is to show a model to the education department so that they can then train the teachers.” Plan Pakistan, which supports Punjab Education Foundation’s 2,000 schools has already adopted their model.
05
March 28, 2013
SPORTS
OKD Field Hockey Club won the Field Hockey Ontario indoor Junior Championship
March 23-24- Waterloo, ON- Field Hockey Ontario hosted their Junior Championship Tournament at RIM Park Stadium in Waterloo. The OKD (Ontario Khalsa Darbar) Field Hockey Club U-18 boys team were the winners of the gold medal by beating all three teams who they played against in this tournament. The three teams who were defeated were CFHCC, Nepean (Ottawa) and Mississauga. The main thing here to note is that the three teams whom OKD beat, had players playing for them who are in the U-17 squad for the
Canadian team. CFHCC has three players in the U-17 Canada team and six players who are getting scholarships from FHO (Field Hockey of Ontario). They sadly fell to third position in the tournament. Similarly, the Nepean (Ottawa) team also had three players from the U-17 Canada team and five players who are getting scholarships from FHO who were also beaten very badly by the OKD team in the final match.
OKD’s strength is the fact that they have the best head coach, Ehsan Ali, who had committed to the club. Ehsan Ali has coached Team Canada for years, has also helped the players of OKD to learn and develop the skills needed to play exceptionally well and win. Sean Pereira is another coach who has played for the Indian National team has also brought much added value towards the development of the OKD team to help position them for this historic win. The
Ontario
Khalsa
Darbar
(Dixie
Gurdwara ) Committee is commended for their great efforts to build this strong hockey club which led to their great win. The OKD Field Hockey club is hosting a medal ceremony on April 6, 2012 from 5-6pm at the Dixie Gurdwara to honour the gold medal winning U-18 boys team and also to recognize the other teams at the end of their season. All are welcome. To register for the summer season, please visit www.okdfieldhockeyclub.com or call Gurjinder Singh at 416 731 1602.
06
March 28, 2013
Best-selling horror writer Herbert dies aged 69 Agencies
The grand master of horror, James Herbert, had written 23 best-selling novels. —Photo (File) AP
LONDON: British author James Herbert, best known for penning classic horror novel “The Rats”, has died aged 69, his publisher said Wednesday. Pan Macmillan, confirmed that the
He wrote 23 novels – the last of which, “Ash”, was released last week – that were published in 34 languages and sold more than 54 million copies worldwide during a writing career which spanned nearly 40 years.
best-selling writer, who was honoured by
Four of his novels were made into
the Queen in 2010, had died at his home in
films: “The Survivor”, “Fluke”, “Haunted”
Sussex,
and “The Rats”, whose silver screen title
southeast
England,
early
Wednesday.
was “Deadly Eyes”.
No cause of death was given. Editor Jeremy Trevathan called him “one of the keystone authors in a genre that had its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s” and “one of the giants of popular fiction in the 20th Century”. His breakthrough 1974 book “The Rats” imagined a London terrorised by mutant, flesh-eating rodents and its first
Herbert, who designed his own book covers, was awarded the OBE in 2010, the same year he was made the Grand Master of Horror by the World of Horror Convention. “
It’s a true testament to his writing
and his enduring creativity that his books continued to be huge bestsellers right up until his death,” Trevathan added.
printing of 100,000 copies sold out in three
“He has the rare distinction that his
weeks, paving the way for Herbert to
novels were considered classics of the genre
become Britain’s leading writer of horror.
within his lifetime,” he said.
He went on to publish 23 novels and sold 54 million copies worldwide.
He is survived by his wife, Eileen, and three daughters Kerry, Emma and Casey.
07
March 28, 2013
Napa performing arts festival 2013 premises, despite him being a wanted criminal. He returns to the headquarters to collect his things and dispose of criminal records he considers petty, sort of like Robin Hood. Due to a series of events involving him intercepting a phone call from a judge who wishes to investigate the alleged suicide from before, whose identity Jaali naturally decides to assume. From there on it’s an unfolding of events how they happened according to witness and police testimony. While cross examining the other police officers (Hammad Khan and Farhad Alam) who were also in charge of the alleged terrorists’ interrogation, it comes to light that maybe something sinister was taking place. On a scale much grander than first conceived.
KARACHI:News wise Pakistan is one of the best places to get yourself a story. The reason being that, despite paddling around in fountainhead of tales of the overly dramatic and sensational, no one can tell a story as colourfully as us. Such is the case with Lau Tau Qatal Nama
Mera. Adapted from Dario Fo’s Accidental
The catalyst of the play is Shahjehan
Death of an Anarchist, this Urdu play starts off with two stout Pakistani police officers,
Narejo, who plays a character simply named Maniac in Fo’s original and Jaali
played by Sayyid Hammad Sartaj and Faraz Chhotani who begin by giving us some
in Farhan Alam Siddiqui’s adaptation. He is a shape shifting, Aladin-esque rogue
background on the infamy of their headquarters. Not long ago, a man
who has been apprehended eleven times previously under the guise of different
suspected of a terrorist act, allegedly
professions. With his wit and gift of manipulation he can disorient the officers
jumped to his death from the fourth floor.
enough for them to beg him to leave the
Shahjehan Narejo plays his character with energy, exuberance and is exceedingly engaging throughout. There were some technical slip ups with the phone ringing even after it had been picked up on stage, but on the whole the set and lighting were far too minimalist to leave a wide enough margin for faux pas. There are some bits of the play that delighted the audience considerably but the dialogue delivery could have been more animated and heartfelt. Overall it’s an apt play to lay bare how the nation feels in general about being lied to by those with who possess authority but have little sense to deserve it. Text by Mehar Khursheed/Dawn.com
08
March 28, 2013
Hong Kong court rejects landmark residency bid by maids
Eman Villanueva (centre L), spokesperson for the labor rights group Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, addresses the media after a decision was handed down in a domestic helper permanent residency legal case, outside of the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong on March 25, 2013. Hong Kong’s top court ruled that foreign maids were not eligible to seek permanent residency in a legal battle that has split the city. Foreigners can apply to settle in Hong Kong after seven years of uninterrupted residency, gaining access to voting rights and the right to live in the city without a work visa. Maids were specifically excluded. – AFP Photo HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s top court on Monday threw out a landmark case that would have given hundreds of thousands of foreign maids the right to seek permanent residency, ending a legal battle that split the city.
five who has lived in Hong Kong since
ruling would swamp the cramped city’s
one guaranteed day off a week, but rights
1986.
population of seven million.
groups say they face discrimination and a
In rejecting the bid to give maids the same residency rights as other foreigners, the Court of Final Appeal ruled that there was no need to refer the case to Beijing for a final say, which would have sparked new controversy. Authorities in semi-autonomous Hong Kong had suggested enlisting the advice of the Chinese central government on the immigration question, sparking warnings that they were jeopardising the territory’s
cherished
judicial
independence. In the event, the top court drew a line under the matter by rejecting the twoyear legal battle brought by Filipina maid Evangeline Banao Vallejos, a mother of
lack of legal protection from abusive
“With the court’s ruling today, it
“The FDH (foreign domestic
gave its judicial seal to unfair treatment
helper) is obliged to return to the
and
foreign
country of origin at the end of the
The Vallejos’s case threw new light
domestic workers in Hong Kong,” Eman
contract, and is told from the outset that
on Hong Kong’s often uneasy relationship
Villanueva, spokesman for the Asian
admission is not for the purposes of
with authorities in mainland China and the
Migrants’ Coordinating Body, said outside.
settlement and that dependents cannot
full extent of the territory’s autonomy under
be brought to reside in Hong Kong,” the
its mini-constitution, known as the Basic
appeals
Law.
the
social
exclusion
of
Vallejos won a High Court ruling in 2011 granting her the right to request permanent residency status, which most
court
said
in
a
written
judgement.
employers.
While there have been repeated
foreigners can seek after seven years’
The ruling means that maids will
stay but which is denied to the city’s
continue to be specifically excluded
perceived
300,000 foreign domestic helpers.
from eligibility to settle in Hong Kong,
southern city’s own government stands
which would give them access to voting
accused of undermining its autonomy by
rights and the right to live in the former
seeking Beijing’s adjudication.
Labour rights activists had hailed the ruling as a big step for equal rights for maids, who are a backbone of society in
British colony without a work visa.
outcries from the Hong Kong public against mainland
interference,
the
That was the case regarding a long
richer Asian economies and a financial
Mark Daly, a lawyer for Vallejos,
-running legal question about children of
lifeline to their home nations, notably the
said his client was “speechless but
Hong Kong permanent residents from
Philippines and Indonesia.
calmly resigned and said ‘no problem’”.
mainland China, which like the foreign
But the Court of Final Appeal
Hong
Kong’s
foreign
maids
sided with an appeal lodged by the Hong
receive a minimum wage of HK$3,920
Kong government, which warned that the
(US$505) a month and benefits such as
maids case had created anxiety over the potential strain on the city.
09
March 28, 2013
Statement By Minister Of Finance On 2013 Federal Budget We are pleased to see federal action being
funding, to achieve results for both
of
these investments to support provincial
taken in this budget to close corporate tax
employers and those looking to upgrade
Finance, released the following statement
priorities- like public transit, roads and
loopholes, and address the underground
their skills and find work.
on the 2013 Federal Budget:
bridges, highways and wastewater - and do so
economy.
Today
Charles
Sousa,
Minister
"Today we were looking for action on four key areas of importance to the people of Ontario - the closing of corporate tax loopholes, combating the underground economy,
skills
and
training
and
infrastructure. We are happy to see the federal government has taken action on each of these areas of priority to the people of Ontario. However, we have some concerns about the way in which some of this action is proposed to be taken. There are elements in this budget particularly in the area of skills and training - that appear to remove much of the flexibility we need to adapt federal funding to meet the specific needs of the Ontario economy and labour market. Because of changes in the structure of our economy, cooperation and a strong partnership between our governments are more important now than ever. Integrity of the Tax System
Employment Ontario has helped
While these actions are important to
in a way that is smart and strategic, and
more than 290,000 Ontarians access
provide value-for-money to citizens.
ensuring everyone is paying their fair share
training
2012.
We are also pleased that the federal budget
so both orders of government can fund vital
Employment Ontario also connected more
has made a commitment to continue investing
public services, more opportunities to
than 90,000 employers with the qualified
in affordable housing. While we will continue
collaborate exist, and we need to continue to
employees they needed.
to look for a longer-term commitment from
work together to continue to enhance the
Today's budget suggests that the federal
the federal government to affordable housing,
integrity and fairness of our tax system.
government thinks it is better placed to
this is an important step forward.
and
find
work
in
design programs that meet the needs of Labour Market We also called on the federal
Ontario's workers. We believe Ontario has the best understanding of the labour
Moving Forward We look forward to working with the
government to renew funding for labour
market requirements in this province, and
federal government in the coming months to
market transfers that are going to expire.
how best to meet them.
ensure flexibility in these programs.
We are concerned that the conditions on a
Overall, the federal government has today
large portion of the renewed funding to
Infrastructure and Affordable Housing
deliver the new Canada Job Grant could
Ontario is pleased that the federal
force the Province to divert existing
government is committing to continued
However, the federal government
resources
investments in infrastructure through its
needs to provide greater flexibility to
groups, to this new federally-designed
new Building Canada Plan.
provinces that are in the best position to
program.
Today's Budget shows that the federal
determine provincial needs.
that
serve
under-represented
made some progress in moving Ontario forward.
After all, we have always said we
government is prepared to provide the
The people of Ontario expect all
need maximum flexibility to respond to the
financial investment needed to fulfill this
orders of government to work together to
specific labour market needs of the Ontario
role
create good jobs, build strong, healthy
economy.
commitment.
through
a
long-term
funding
Ontario already invests significant
The Province expects the federal
resources, supported by existing federal
government to allow provinces to use
communities
and
protect
vital
public
services."
Poachers kill rare rhinos in India’s remote northeast
In this photograph taken on March 23, 2013, an Indian forest official walks past a dead rhino that was killed by poachers in Nagon. A gang of poachers killed a rare one-horned rhino at a wildlife park in northeast India, taking to 15 the number of beasts slaughtered this year, an official said on March 24, 2013. - AFP File Photo GUWAHATI: A gang of poachers killed a rare onehorned rhino at a wildlife park in northeast India, taking to 15 the number of such beasts slaughtered this year, an official said on Sunday.
“Two rhinos have been killed in two days and it is a matter of concern for all of us,” a park ranger told AFP by telephone,
prices in some Asian countries. The main market for the horn is China where it is used for making medicine and jewelry
of 3,300. The species fell to near extinction in the early 1990s and is currently listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for
requesting not to be named since the state government has gagged officials from
while in Vietnam many believe the horn has cancer curing and aphrodisiac
Conservation of Nature, one notch away from “endangered”.
speaking to the media.
qualities.
Heavily-armed poachers fired at the
“Poachers used AK-47 and 303 rifles to shoot dead the rhino. We have
At least 21 rhinos were killed last year by poachers in Kaziranga, about 200
rhino late Saturday inside Assam state’s Kaziranga National Park and its horn was
recovered empty cartridges from the site of the incident,” the official said.
kilometres (120 miles) from Assam’s main city Guwahati.
gouged out, just a day after another giant pachyderm was killed, a wildlife official
Kaziranga has fought a sustained
A 2012 census in the park put the
battle against rhino poachers who kill the animals for their horns, which fetch huge
number of the rhinos at 2,290 out of a global one-horned rhinoceros population
said.
The opposition parties have hit out against the state government for failing to combat rampant poaching. “Poaching has been going on and the government is unable to check it. We see a definite nexus between forest officials and poachers,” Sarbananda Sonowal, a local leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, told AFP.
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March 28, 2013 The Honourable Bal Gosal Bramalea-Gore-Malton Minister of State (Sport)
Media Release Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister Bal Gosal Welcomes Giant Pandas to Canada March 25, 2013- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Hon. Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport) and MP for Bramalea-Gore-Malton, was pleased to join the Honourable Prime Minister Stephen Harper, for the arrival of the two Giant Pandas, Da Mao, a four year old male, and Er Shun, a five year old female at the Toronto Pearson International Airport. The two pandas will be staying in Canada for the next 10 years and will be splitting their time between the Toronto Zoo, which will host them first, and the Calgary Zoo. The pandas will spend five years in each zoo. The arrival of the Pandas to Canada builds on a conservation partnership agreement between Canada and China, signed during the Prime Minister’s last trip to China in 2012. “Having Er Shun and Da Mao here in Canada will have far reaching effects, as it will help strengthen the ties between Canada-China. Their presence in Canada will remind us of the strong relationship between our countries.” said Minister Gosal, “the pandas will delight the many Canadians who will visit the zoos to see them and will provide a great opportunity to educate our youth on wildlife conservation”. Giant pandas are unique to China and serve as unofficial national mascots. They are seen as symbols of peace, friendship and good fortune. Office of the Hon. Bal Gosal, P.C., M.P. Minister of State (Sport) Bramalea—Gore—Malton Bal.gosal@parl.gc.ca Tel.: 613-992-9105
Holi (Hindi: होली, Nepali: होली) is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus as a festival of colours. It is primarily observed in India and Nepal. It is also observed by the minority Hindus in Bangladesh and Pakistan as well in countries
with large Indic diaspora populations following Hinduism, such as Suriname, Malaysia, Guyana, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, the United States, Mauritius, and Fiji. Holi is also known as Phagwah
(Assamese: ফাকুৱা), Festival of Colours, or Doḷajātra (Oriya: ଦ ୋଳଯୋତ୍ରୋ) in Odisha, and as Dol Jatra (Bengali: দ ালযাত্রা) or Basantotsav ("spring festival") (Bengali: বসন্তাৎসব) in West Bengal and Assam. Holi is of particular significance
in the Braj region, which includes locations traditionally connected to the Lord Krishna: Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandagaon, and Barsana, which become tourist destinations during the season of Holi. Holi in 2013 will fall on 27th of March.
March 28, 2013
11
US cedes full control of Bagram to Afghan forces KABUL: Afghanistan on Monday took full control of the Bagram military prison from the United States, healing one running sore in their testy relationship as US-led forces wind down more than a decade of war.
Bagram was due to be turned over to Afghan forces on March 9, but the transfer was postponed at the last minute after Karzai indicated that “innocent” prisoners held there would be released. In September, the US gave Afghan authorities control over more than 3,000 detainees at Bagram, once dubbed the
huge stumbling block before they get onto a long list of other issues to sort out – and time is of the essence.” Karzai, who leaves office next year, has also long been chafing at the activities of US special forces and at civilian casualties. He recently triggered outrage by accusing the US of colluding with the
Karzai is due to step down at elections next year, 13 years after he came to power with US backing when the hardline Taliban regime was ousted in the aftermath of the Sept 11 attacks of 2001. The military and political calendars are lending added urgency to the search for a negoti at ed settl ement to resol ve
This March 23, 2011, file photo shows Afghan detainees through a wire mesh fence inside the Parwan detention facility near Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan. Saturday, March 23, 2013, the Pentagon said the US has reached an agreement with the Afghanistan government to transfer the facility to Afghan control. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke with Afghan President Hamid Karzai Saturday as officials finalised the agreement after days of intense negotiations. – AP File Photo President Hamid Karzai had made the fate of the detention centre north of Kabul part of his ill-tempered push to regain sovereignty over key matters from the Americans, ahead of next year’s pullout of foreign combat troops. The US was long concerned that a total handover to Afghanistan’s weak and corruption-prone security forces would allow suspected Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants housed at Bagram to return to the battlefield. But US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel clinched an agreement with Karzai in a telephone call on Saturday, the Pentagon said, and the handover ceremony took place on Monday. “This ceremony highlights an increasingly confident, capable and sovereign Afghanistan,” General Joseph Dunford, the commander of the international coalition in Afghanistan, said in a statement.
Guantanamo Bay of Afghanistan because some inmates are detained without trial or knowledge of any charges. But the Americans continued to guard 50 foreigners not covered by the agreement, as well as hundreds of Afghans arrested since a transfer deal was first signed in March 2012. Their extended control sparked angry outbursts from Karzai and a warning from Afghanistan’s top Islamic body that the US military was coming to be seen as an “occupation” force as it battles a longrunning Taliban insurgency. “US control of Bagram was a rallying cry for the Taliban and an important issue for much of the Afghan public,” Kate Clark of the Afghanistan Analysts’ Network said. “This looks like a victory for Karzai as he has got what he wanted. Bagram was a
Taliban to justify the presence of foreign troops. Last week he won a limited agreement for Afghan forces to take charge of one district of Wardak province, a key front of the insurgency pitting insurgents against the US -led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf). The agreement made no mention of Karzai’s demand for US special forces to withdraw entirely from Wardak, and ISAF said that it was “business as usual” for its troops in the rest of the flashpoint province. Afghan army and police are gradually taking on responsibility for battling the Taliban insurgency as most of the 100,000 foreign troops prepare to exit by the end of next year under a timetable laid down by US President Barack Obama.
Afghanistan’s decades of conflict. Karzai plans to visit Qatar “within weeks” to discuss the proposed opening of a Taliban office in the Gulf emirate as a prelude to possible peace talks, the Afghan foreign ministry said Sunday. Until earlier this year, Karzai rejected the idea of a Taliban office in Qatar because of fears that his government would be frozen out of any deal between the US and the militants. The Taliban have refused to negotiate directly with Karzai and the foreign ministry stressed that it would only start negotiations if the militants “break all relations with AlQaeda and give up terrorism”.
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March 28, 2013
US spy agencies more pessimistic on Afghan war
“We assess that the Taliban-led insurgency has diminished in some areas of Afghanistan but remains resilient and capable of challenging US and international goals,” according to the report. — Photo by Reuters WASHINGTON: After 12 long years of war in Afghanistan the best US intelligence can say is that a reslient Taliban is “diminished in some areas,” spy agencies said Tuesday in a notably pessimistic report. The US military habitually issues positive assessments of its progress in pushing back the Taliban and building up Afghan forces, but an annual report to Congress from the intelligence community was downbeat. The agencies warned that the Afghan economy is headed for a downturn when Western aid declines after most Nato
troops leave next year, while battlefield progress is tentative and fragile in areas due
Progress in security was “especially fragile” in areas where large
to be handed to Afghan forces.
numbers of US-led forces were deployed as part of a troop surge in 2010. Those areas are now being handed over to
“We assess that the Taliban-led insurgency has diminished in some areas of Afghanistan but remains resilient and capable of challenging US and international goals,” according to the report. The assessment was presented by National Intelligence Director James Clapper at a Senate hearing Tuesday. According to the document, the Taliban’s leadership continues to shelter in cross-border sanctuaries in Pakistan, “which allows them to provide strategic guidance to the insurgency without fear for their safety.”
Afghan government army and police. The intelligence assessment contrasted with upbeat statements often put out by the Pentagon and its field commanders, which have touted major progress and painted the Taliban as severely damaged and divided. The report to Congress said Afghan security forces had proven capable of safeguarding major cities and key roads near “government-controlled
areas.” But the Afghan air force, which is trying to build up a fleet of helicopters and small aircraft, has made little headway. The report played down Al Qaeda’s influence, saying the group had only limited reach and that it was mainly seeking propaganda victories rather than having a genuine impact on the battlefield. Afghanistan’s economy, which has grown steadily in recent years, is expected to slow after 2014, the report said, when international funds will begin tapering off after Nato forces pull out.