The Frontier Post E-Paper 20 March, 2015

FRIDAY, march 20, 2015

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Vol.XXX No.256

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Lahore Edition

Sharifs pondering to push Afghans out of Punjab AMIR SOHAIL LAHORE: In the wake of National

Action Plan (NAP), Punjab, a province that has been the fortress of the Sharifs for more than two decades, has decided to take the immovable properties back from the Afghan settlers.

The refugees came to Pakistan during the Russia-Afghanistan war.

Sources in the Punjab government informed The Frontier Post that the provincial authority wrote a letter to the Revenue Department, seeking property record registered in the name of Afghan nationals settled in Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan and DG Khan.

After the attack on Army Public School Peshawar, the federal and provincial governments unanimously agreed under NAP to send the Afghan nationals back to their homeland.

Sources said that the Punjab government would compensate the Afghan nationals who possessed the property in Punjab region.

They also said the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) issued illegal CNICs and travel documents to the Afghan nationals for bribes worth Rs 0.8 million to 1.5 million per document.

UK chief calls on Gen Raheel

The laws enforcers have strong evidence about the connections between illegally registered Afghan nationals and bigwig of politico-religious parties.

Sources added that a top cleric of the country’s largest politico-religious party, who always remains the part of federal and provincial legislative bodies, allegedly received millions of rupees from an Afghan billionaire for the political campaign in 2008 polls.

A thorough investigation conducted by The Frontier Post revealed that the government has set up around 125 camps for registration of Afghan refugees and the registration of 3.6 million refugees has been completed.

It has also been revealed that more than 2 million refugees are living in Pakistan while more than 0.7 million have succeeded in getting their CNICs. According to sources, under NAP, special refugees camps have been set up in all provinces; 27 in Sindh; 17 in Punjab; 34 in Balochistan; 25 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir; seven in FATA; seven in Islamabad and four in Gilgit Baltistan.

The registration and scrutiny of more than 3.6 refugees have been finalised while the inspection of another 1 million would be started soon.

Another source said around 60,000

One wrong turn...

HAIDER JAVED SYED LAHORE: The country’s top sensitive

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff Gener-

al Raheel Sharif met United Kingdom Chief of General Staff General Nicholas Carter on Thursday. “During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, including regional security situation and measures to further enhance defence cooperation between both the countries were discussed,” according to Inter Services Public Relations. The chief of general staff was given a detailed briefing on the operational and training aspects of the Pakistan Army. On arrival at the General Headquarters, a smartly turned out contingent of the Pakistan Army presented guard of honour to the dignitary. —Online

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MANZOOR ALI

t is said that Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf Secretary-General Jehangir Khan Tareen has more information than the chief minister on the happenings of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The provincial ministers and relevant secretaries brief Tareen on their progress, get directions through teleconferences from him and are cheered in case of good performance or jeered by him in case of failure.

It is common that the chief minister comes to know the changes regarding the provincial setup or projects from his cabinet ministers.

In some cases even the chief minister has to justify his actions to Jehangir Tareen on working of the provincial government.

This kind of remote-controlled governance makes people’s representative meaningless and irrelevant and also causes hurdles in timely actions. This makes the provincial government unresponsive to the people’s demands.

The ministers are elected by the people of province, but they feel answerable to the central leadership instead of their voters. The KP

Afghan refugees have taken shelter in Attock; 70,000 in Rawalpindi; 27,000 in Chakwal; 35,000 in Mianwali; 18,000 in Multan; 7,000 in Sahiwal; 5,000 in Sialkot, 3,000 in Sheikhupura, 1000 in Okara; 8,000 in Bahawalpur; 8000 in DG Khan; 4000 in Rahim Yar Khan and 14,000 in Faisalabad.

According to a survey, more than 1 million refugees are living in Punjab, another 1 million in Sindh. It is worthy of note that Karachi has been divided into three zones where 0.3 million refugees are living.

It also has been verified that different cities of Balochistan, including Quetta, Pishin and Chaghai, also have become safe havens for refugees.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is providing shelter to more than 1 million Afghans. The refugees are living in Peshawar, Nowshera, Haripur, Kohat, Mansehra, Swabi, Hangu and Mardan.

More than 0.2 million refugees are living in Islamabad.

Punjab Afghan Refugees Commissioner Riaz Chaudhry told The Frontier Post that they have been ordered to collect data on Afghan nationals settled in Pakistan, adding, “To ensure transparency the biometric system has been introduced to verify the identity of Afghan nationals resided in Pakistan.”

agencies are gathering details about MQM chief Altaf Hussain, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Haider Abbas Rizvi and Babar Ghauri in the light of info gathered from Amir Khan, Faisal alias Mota and Shafique.

Source told The Frontier Post that the agencies were collecting information about the cases registered against these MQM leaders in 1988, 1992 and 1999 in Hyderabad and Karachi. Law enforcers are also collecting data about the convicted MQM workers who were released under the National Reconciliation Order (NRO) in the Musharraf’s regime.

A source said that such cases were more than 8,000. He added that intelligence agencies were collecting the criminal record of the party workers who were released during 2003 and 2007. The source said further that the agencies had gathered information that

as many as 300 prisoners were released on the orders of Governor Ishratul Ibad. Hundreds of freed convicts were illegally transported to South Africa, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Canada and many European countries on fake identities and passports. He said that such workers are more than 1,300.

He added that Faisal alias Mota made important revelations about a thunder squad being operated by the MQM. The squad, said to be involved in target killing of 11 people, was jointly headed by Umair Siddiqui, Haider Abbas Rizvi and Babar Ghauri. The law enforcers are also tightening noose around the MQM office-bearers who used to provide safe havens to criminals in Sindh’s cities Sukkur, Nawabshah Kahirpur and southern Punjab’s cities Multan, Khanewal and Muzaffargarh. The sources said the state institutions were likely to take NADRA’s help in locating those who provided fake documents to the MQM workers to flee the country.

C M Y K

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Thursday called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at Prime Minister’s House. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was also present. —Online

PPP postpones coalescing with MQM KARACHI : The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is not going to form a coalition with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in Sindh at least for now, a private TV channel reported.

Sources privy to the Bilawal House matters disclosed that a top level meeting chaired by Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari came to the conclusion that it would be in the best interest of the party to let a PPP-MQM alliance wait until the dust settles.

Later, Zardari telephoned Sindh Governor Dr Isharatul Ibad, and gave him the news, the sources added.

On Thursday the authorities stayed the execution of a political activist convicted of murder, as a video of him emerged claiming he had acted on the orders of his party chief. —FP Monitoring

Sindh governor ‘going nowhere’ KARACHI: Sindh Governor, Dr. Ishratul

Ibad Khan has denied media reports about his resignation, a private TV channel reported.

Sources in MQM said, “The governor is going nowhere. He’s working as usual.” Sources in the Governor’s House say everything is normal there.

Meanwhile, in a statement the Governor House said he never exercised his influence for provision of any sort of relief or concession to any culprit or convict. To media reports, he said there was absolutely no truth in the allegations and the governor has never compromised his personal integrity and the sacred responsibility reposed to him as governor of the province. —FP Monitoring

Nawaz has no ‘magic wand’ to resolve issues ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said longstanding issues of past several years could not be fixed through a magic wand.

He also said the government was facing big challenges and was tackling these through effective policies.

Talking to Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz lawmakers from Faisalabad Division at the PM’s House, he said there was no justification to keep illegal weapons.

About the operation against terrorists and miscreants in Karachi,

Accountability has begun with Altaf bhai: Rasheed LAHORE: Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Thursday said accountability has began with Altaf Hussain, the next turn will be of those who supported the Nine Zero operation. Talking to media, he said ongoing year was very significant for politics and in the next 3 months change would be evident in the country.

The sit-in which will take place in Lahore will be for the judicial commission and to probe the rigging of general election held at NA 122 Lahore, said AML chief. The politics of the country has changed significantly after the raid at the MQM secretariat. The AML supremo said it seems that the Pakistan Army has started accountability process from behind the scene. The parties that supported the Nine Zero Raid are next target for accountability. –Online

PTI’s failed style of governance provincial government is being run like a corporate entity.

Statistics are being sent back and forth, reasoning on teleconference, ministers and secretaries trying to impress Jehangir Tareen; all this becomes an obstacle conveying feelings of the locales of KP. It is not being realized that governance cannot be executed like a profit and loss organisation.

The people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have a strong realisation that they made a big mistake by electing a cricketer to lead their province. They have a feeling that governance of a province is far more a complicated process than leading a cricket team or running a hospital. Imran Khan may have been a great cricketer, but he has no understanding of how a government operates and that running a government is beyond his capabilities. A general view is developed that the PTI-led government is directionless because it is being run through directives in the teleconferences from the PTI head office which have no relevance to the ground re-

alities. DMG officers are being inducted in police and ill-reputed officers are still running the show in the provincial ministries.

On top of this and in a brazen contrast to the claims of the chief minister, corruption is as rampant in the government offices as before.

Of course, the people voted for Imran Khan with a confidence that the former cricketer was a man of words and if he said that education will be taken as first priority that will be so. If he declared that education emergency will be imposed to educate the children of the poor, it will become a reality. When he said that an education cadre will be created to meet the needs of province, the people of KP believed him. The PTI chief had the same boasts for health.

But no improvement has been seen.

The promises of local government also became false.

Two years down the road, education from primary level to higher levels have not improved a bit.

Officers of the provincial government still make surprise visits to

various government schools and order action against the teachers regularly absent from their duties. People have realised that their visits are only for the public consumption.

Rude doctors in government hospitals do not cooperate with patients without money or connections and if they are treated, they are not provided with the medicine.

CM Pervez Khattak runs three chief minister houses like Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif and who has as many family members in different houses of parliament, had changed quite a few parties before joining the PTI. He was inducted as the chief minister for having some experience in PTI’s team of young ministers. This gives a feeling that he has a close connection with the central leadership of the party that ensures his political existence. When he talks, it gives an impression that KP is a corruption-free province where children from all the classes are going to a school, the students are getting a quality education in public institutes, everyone is living a healthy life, there is a com-

the PM said peace and stability of the country's commercial hub was in the interest of all.

He said the Karachi operation was launched after taking all political parties into confidence.

He said situation in Karachi had considerably improved since the start of the operation and incidents of kidnapping for ransom, extortion and target killing had reduced.

"We must make ourselves stronger.

I wish to resolve major challenges faced by the country before the next general elections," he said. –APP

fortable transport system until the remotest town in KP, no one is unemployed, everyone is breathing clean air and drinking clean water. But when you talk to the people, they feel embarrassed as they think they were carried away by Imran Khan’s rhetoric in voting for his candidates. The only change in governance brought by the PTI is that people have stopped dreaming of a change now; at least not until the current PTI government completes its tenure.

People, mostly youngster of this province consider the PTI chief and fellow leaders visionless and with new bag deception. The poor still sell their household goods to buy medicine for their loved ones being treated in a public hospital. The only change brought in “patwari system” is that now the land mafia has to swear to God that they didn’t bribe.

Nobody can dare question a patwari as government officials are the beneficiaries of that bribe. Nobody is checking on the properties that patwaris are buying and getting richer every moment.

Imran Khan has been saying that roads and bridges don’t make a nation. Perhaps true, they do need some bridges and roads for progress. Nevertheless, the provincial government has taken this slogan and determined for not putting a brick upon another so they are not held of going against the declaration of their leader. The traffic problems, lack of supply of clean water and absence of proper sanitation are plaguing the provincial capital, Peshawar. Nevertheless, no action is taken to lay new pipelines to replace the leaking and rusty fresh water lines. No plan to replace the aging sanitation. Main roads are clogged with traffic and the waiting time for travellers has increased, but no effort is made to broaden old roads or build new ones. The PTI is rather making nation, instead of creating an infrastructure for them. KP people are at a loss as what to do. Imran Khan has still not come out of the shock of losing the general elections and not becoming the prime minister. He still wants to topple Nawaz government and to become the country’s premier, immediately. He does not have time for welfare of the people of the province who bestowed their confidence in him and his party.

NATIONAL

A2

PML-N LEADER GUNNED DOWN IN PESHAWAR

PESHAWAR: A district leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was gunned down in Khan Mast Colony Peshawar on Wednesday. According to reports, unidentified armed men opened indiscriminate firing on Haji Sardar Khan in the jurisdiction of Yakatoot Police Station, thus killing him on the spot. Khan was the district president of PML-N and an important political player in his respective area. According to police and rescue officials, the incident took place in Peshawar’s Yakatoot area where unidentified motorcycle riders opened fire on Haji Sardar soon after he left his home. —Online

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has decided to scale down electricity tariff

by Rs 2.08 per unit. Per details, NEPRA officials said, “The decision has been taken for reduction in the tariff of electricity and recommendation has been made for slashing power tariff by Rs 2.08 per unit. Power distribution companies had requested NEPRA that cost of production of electricity has witnessed a fall in the month of January in the wake of fall in the cost of furnace oil. —Online

9 more hanged in Punjab

Ban on brandishing arms, unauthorised number plates PESHAWAR: District administra-

tion has imposed a ban under section 144 on brandishing arms, use of tinted glass and carrying unauthorised number plates on vehicles, said an official statement, here on Wednesday. Deputy Commissioner Peshawar has also banned the sale of tinted glasses within limits of the city. The ban has been imposed for a period of one month forthwith and violators would be prosecuted under Section 188 Criminal Procedure Code. —APP

ISLAMABAD: The seniority list

issued by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has irked many senior officers after which they have decided to approach the Supreme Court (SC) against CDA for overlooking them in the ranking list. Sources said that blue-eyed employees have been given preference in the seniority list while names of many senior officers, who have been working in different directorates of the civic agency for more than eight years, have not been taken into account, thus annoying the ‘deserving officers’. The sources said that the senior officers, who have been disregarded in the seniority list, have decided to file a joint petition in the SC to seek justice against the alleged discrimination on the part of the CDA management. —Online

Five killed, 47 injured in Burewala bus accident BUREWALA: At least five persons were killed while 47 sustained injuries as a speedy bus overturned on Lydon Road near Burewala in Wednesday's wee hours.

On getting information, rescue teams reached the spot immediately and shifted the injured and bodies to the District Headquarters (DHQ) hospital Burewala whereas all the medical staff was sought after declaring emergency in the hospital, PTV news reported. According to rescue sources, the bus, carrying pilgrims from Manga Mandi, overturned near Dewan Sahib as the driver tried to take a sharp turn while speeding. According to police, the accident took place after the driver could not control the bus while moving at full throttle over a road turn, leaving five passengers dead and 26 others wounded. The illfated bus was en route to shrine of Sakhi Sarwar from Chhanga Manga. According to hospital sources,the casualties belong to a single family. —APP

Rabbani pledges to make Senate vibrant ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate

Mian Raza Rabbani on Wednesday pledged to make the Upper House of Parliament exemplary and a more vibrant institution.

Addressing the employees of Senate, he said, “Cooperation of the employees will be required to make the Senate of Pakistan exemplary and more vibrant institution.” He said the Senate was the symbol of federation and all available resources would be utilized to make people-friendly policies for benefit of the common man across the country.

Strengthening the Senate, he said, would ensure a strong federation and advised the employees to perform their duties with more devotion and dedication. He assured the employees that their problems would be solved at priority and the culture of favouritism and nepotism would be ended. All administrative decisions would be taken in accordance with the rules and regulations, and the principle of merit would be upheld at every cost, he assured. –APP

THURSDAY

MARCH 19, 2015

NEPRA DECIDES TO CUT ELECTRICITY RATE BY RS 2.08 PER UNIT

BRIEF

CDA officers to approach court in seniority list row

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ISLAMABAD: NGO workers stage a demonstration against the death penalty outside Islamabad Press Club. —Online

Plan finalised for security of judges, lawyers and clients RAWALPINDI: A new 31-point security plan has been evolved to provide fool proof security to judges, clients, lawyers and judicial staff of Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench.

The plan has been approved and signed by additional registrar high court, capital police officer Rawalpindi and district management which would be implemented at the cost of Rs 31.9 million.

It is important to mention here that the new security plan has finalised in consultation with Chief Justice Khawaja Imtiaz, Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar and secretary bar Faisal Butt.

Bullet proof vehicles and escorts have been provided to all judges of the bench and as many as 150 close circuit cameras would be installed in and around the court for security purpose.

In addition, an eight feet high boundary wall would be erected around sensitive points of the LHC Rawalpindi bench along with barbed wire, hydraulic road blockers, 10 walkthrough gates, 30 wireless sets, five explosive detectors, one base station, sound system in courts, security alarms system inside the court room and search lights around the court premises.

Moreover, the plan also included the installation of four screening rooms, 20 inches LCD for monitoring control room and cameras, anti-fire system, and emergency outlets.

Meanwhile, sniffer dogs and searching mirrors would be provided to the security force deployed at the courthouse while 61 additional police personnel and two Rangers vehicles would also be deployed per the plan. Interior ministry has said that the decision has been taken to introduce biometric system to prevent terrorists from entering the court in a lawyer’s disguise. —Online

50pc orphans in IHK suffer from depression ISLAMABAD: The orphanages of Kashmir valley are becoming `boiling pots' of stress as around 50 per cent of child inmates suffer from psychological morbidity, in Indian Held Kashmir.

Of the hundreds of children in Kashmir valley who have lost parents to conflict and illness, 50 per cent of them are experiencing various psychological disorders and psychological disturbances following the loss, Kashmir Media Service reported.

A study on the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among children in registered orphanages, undertaken by a local medical practitioner, found that 50.52 per cent of all orphans between 618 years suffer from several psychiatric disorders; and other psychological and emotional problems not amounting to psychiatric disorders.

The study was conducted with nearly 348 children. The participants were drawn from different parts of Kashmir

Health worker killed in attack on polio team in Bajaur PESHAWAR: Unidentified gunmen attacked a polio team on Wednesday in Bajaur Agency's Nawagai tehsil, killing one worker and leaving another injured.

Assistant Political Agent (APA) Nawagai Fayaz Ali Sherpao said unknown gunmen fired shots at the polio workers, identified as Ruhullah and Arifullah, as they were administering polio drops to children in the Kamangara area of Nawagai tehsil near the PakistanAfghanistan border.

As a result, Ruhullah died on the spot while Arifullah received injuries, Sherpao informed. The injured worker was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The attack on the polio team has come just a day after a polio team in Mansehra was attacked. Two lady health workers and a policeman were killed in Tuesday's

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QAISAR ABBAS

akistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif "had been waiting for his guest for 15 minutes and at one point walked a few feet across the white stripe known as Line Zero and into India, where a brass band was playing jubilantly and folk dancers whirled in the shady lane. Colorful bunting was strung on both sides of the crossing station. The roadways were a burst of color with newly planted flowers and freshly painted stripes. Red carpets had been unfurled. Indian and Pakistani flags flew side by side."

It was a congenial environment when India's Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of India crossed the border into the neighboring Pakistan to meet his counterpart, Sharif, and sign the Lahore Declaration on nuclear governance.

Since Vajpayee's visit, however, there

who are living in different registered orphanages of Srinagar. Among the kids, medical illnesses are emerging as the most common forming 65 per cent of the total parental deaths followed by accidents (17 per cent) and fire-arm related deaths (16 per cent). As per a study done

by Dr Syed Karar Hussain, the concept of orphanage has been an alien to our culture and probably crept in Kashmir with the rapid rise in conflict related deaths during the early 90s. —APP

FAISALABAD: The day Pakistan lifted complete moratorium on capital punishment, the pace of awarding death penalties has gone into an overdrive as nine more death row prisoners have been executed in the province on Wednesday morning. The sentence of three prisoners has been stayed.

Two death row inmates, namely Shaukat and Muhammed Shabbir, have been executed at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi at daybreak on Wednesday. Both the inmates were booked in a murder case when they killed a man due to personal enmity.

Meantime, the hanging of another prisoner, named Qadeer Ahmed, has been put on hold as the two sides struck conciliatory settlement.

Similarly, Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail saw a convicted murderer, Tahir Bashir, meet his ultimate end at the gallows amidst stringent security around the prison premises. Tahir killed a man, named Arshad Ali, over a petty issue in Sabzazaar area of Lahore. Additional Sessions judge had therefore awarded him death penalty in April 2002.

Meanwhile, two murderers, named Zakir Hussain and Ghulam Muhammad, have also been sent to the gallows in Jhang’s district jail on Wednesday morning. Zakir Hussain was booked in a murder case after killing a man over a dispute in 1998, while Ghulam Muhammed took the life of a close relative in 2000.

Moreover, a convict Asad Khan, who was made death cell inmate after killing three people, including a woman in Khushab over a marriage dispute in 2002, was hanged till death in Attock jail.

In Faisalabad, Saeed and Shafaat were given death sentence at the gallows of Faisalabad’s Central Jail in the small hours of Wednesday morning. The duo had gunned down two brothers in Nankana Sahib.

However, a third death row inmate Ahsan Ilyas’s execution has been withheld after his family submitted a settlement deal. It should be mentioned here that Ahsan had killed a policeman in Tandlianwala.

In addition, a convicted killer, Ahmed Nawaz of Chakrala, was executed in Mianwali’s Central Jail on Wednesday for killing a man in 1998.

In the meantime, death sentence of Mandi Bahauddin’s Azhar Abbas has been withheld for the time being.

Saulat Mirza to be send to gallows today: Saulat Mirza, the former MQM worker who was convicted for the killings of then Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) Chief Shahid Hamid, his guard and driver in 1998, will be hanged today (Thursday) at 5:30am in keeping with the order of the court.

He was arrested in 1999 during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government.

On Tuesday, Supreme Court dismissed a second review petition filed by the condemned prisoner against his sentence that was handed down to him by an antiterrorism court in May 1999 for a triple homicide. In April 2014, he was transferred to Machh jail death cell after his mercy plea was rejected by Sindh High Court and President of Pakistan.

After eight years, Mirza will be the first prisoner executed at Machh jail since the announcement of the National Action Plan (NAP) in the aftermath of the deadly attack on a Peshawar school last year. Mirza has been smoking more than 100 cigarettes a day since he received news of his death warrant, jail warden Luqman said, adding that the convict was passing sleepless nights and continuously asking about his relatives.

A rope measuring nearly 10 feet has been prepared for the hanging of the murderer, who stands at a height of 5 feet, 9 inches. Less than 24 hours to his execution, under prison rules Mirza is being body-searched three times a day so authorities can determine that he does possess any object he could use to harm himself. Security has been beefed up in anticipation of the first hanging at the jail in eight years. All roads leading to Mach Jail have been blocked, and barbed wire has been mounted at entry and exit points. Frontier Crops (FC) personnel are patrolling the jail around the clock. Being sent to the nightmarish jail cells of Machh is said to be the worst form of punishment reserved for hardened criminals – or those that need to be taught a lesson.

The last prisoner to be hanged in Machh Jail was identified as Muhammad Amin from the Buleda area of Balochistan, on October 27, 2007. —Online

Another Karachi school comes under grenade attack

KARACHI: Terrorists hurled a hand grenade at a private school in Karachi’s North Nazimabad area. However, no one was reported to be injured in the attack.

According to details, two unknown miscreants on a motorcycle threw a hand grenade outside the private school before making their escape from the scene of the incident. A loud blast created panic among students and the school staff immediately called the police.

Frightened parents also rushed to the school after hearing about the attack to take their children to the safety of their homes. Reports said the attackers also threw a threatening pamphlet outside the school building before fleeing the area. Police and Rangers personnel arrived at the school and called bomb disposal squad to examine the scene of the grenade blast.

It was the second attack on a private school in the provinattack in Mansehra. cial metropolis in two months. Last month, miscreants The polio team in Mansehra was vac- hurled a hand grenade at a private education institution locinating children on the second day of a cated in Karachi's Gulshan-i-Iqbal Block 7 area. The blast three-day anti-polio drive in the district caused panic among area residents. Fortunately, no loss of life when they were attacked. —Online or property was reported after the incident. —Online

India and Pakistan's elusive peace

have been several armed skirmishes between the two countries, and they are still suspicious of each other's intensions, although there have been some attempts to revive the peace-building efforts.

Peace between the two neighbors was on everyone's mind again on May 26, 2014, when Sharif, of the Pakistan Muslim League N (PML N) back in power after a period out of office, attended the swearing in ceremony of another prime minister of the same Bharatya Janata Party (BJP) as Vajpayee, this time Narendra Modi.

To the contrary, however, the secretarial level negotiations were stalled by Modi when the Pakistani High Commissioner in New Delhi had a meeting with some political leaders from Kashmir, the disputed territory between the two nations since 1947. Modi has recently resumed negotiations, sending his secretary of Foreign Affairs to Islamabad

with no solid outcomes.

With this weary past, would both political parties, who started the peace process in 1999, be able to succeed this time? A quick historical review of peace talks between the two countries from 1999 to 2015 will be helpful to comprehend complexities of the issue.

Soon after the Lahore Declaration, the then military chief of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf launched a covert attack inside the Indian-held Kashmir.

The attack on Kargil not only ended in an embarrassing withdrawal of Pakistani fighters after a large number of casualties on both sides, it also evaporated the aura of goodwill between the two countries, which were back on the familiar path of brinkmanship on both sides of the border.

Nonetheless, the more important casualty was the democratically elected government of Sharif, who was ousted in

a military coup by the same military chief who spearheaded the Kargil misadventure. Musharraf, however, picked up the pieces again to resolve the most important issue of Kashmir. Both nations were close to resolving the issue when Musharraf went to India in July 2001 to sign a supposedly landmark "Agra Agreement" with Vajpayee; it was never signed and he came back empty handed.

Vajpayee came to Pakistan in January 2004 to attend the the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation conference and met prime minister Zafarullah Jamali. In November the same year, Pakistan's next-but-one prime minister, Shoukat Aziz, met his counterpart Manmohan Singh in India to revive the Kashmir issue - with no luck.

Ongoing negotiations were derailed when another political party, the Indian National Congress, came to power in India despite the fact that Pakistan's pres-

ident Pervez Musharraf visited India in April 2005 and had a meeting with the new leader there, prime minister Manmohan Singh. When Musharraf was ousted by the lawyers' movement, the Pakistan People's Party came to power in Pakistan and the new prime minister, Yousef Raza Gilani, visited India as part of the cricket diplomacy to watch the World Cup final. Later president Zardari also made a one-day visit and met Manmohan in April 2012. After the BJP last year won the general election with a strong mandate and formed a government, hopes were high for a revived peace effort, but unfortunately hardly anyone knows when and how they can achieve this lofty goal. Let's see if the two leaders in India and Pakistan, who have both come to power with strong mandates, will be able to change the course of history and start a meaningful peacebuilding process between the two nations.

NATIONAL

THURSDAY

MARCH 19, 2015

BRIEF

A3 Mardan college teachers demand raise in salaries

DCO orders action against dengue rule violators

BAKHT MUHAMMAD KHAN MARDAN: Members of the Pakhtunkhwa College Teachers Association (PCTA) demonstrated to press for their demands outside Mardan Press Club on Wednesday.

The teachers of Government Postgraduate College Mardan demanded a “one-step upgrade and cut in income tax”, shouting slogans. Professor Mairaj Khan, Chairman Department of English, led the demonstration joined by Amjad Ali, District President PCTA and Sartaj Safi.

Addressing the participants of the protest rally, Prof. Mairaj Khan recalled that former prime minister of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz had assured the one-step upgrade for college teachers back in October 2005, which he said was approved by the Senate Standing Committee “but the previous rulers did nothing practically in this connection even after 10 years.”

MUHAMMAD ARIF DOGAR FAISALABAD: District Coordina-

tion Officer (DCO) Noorul Amin Mengal Wednesday has ordered to register cases against the people who were violating Anti Dengue Act and not taking precautionary and preventive measure to avoid the fatal disease.

Presiding over a meeting to review the anti dengue campaign, the DCO directed that the surveillance for dengue prevention should carried out regularly and special cleanliness campaign should be made result-oriented and all graveyards, public parks, plant nurseries and other possible dengue larva sites should be cleared as the current season was conducive for dengue breeding. He directed the concerned officers to ensure regular checking of tyre shops, junkyards and other places so that all chances of dengue breeding could be eradicated.

Sunni Ittehad Council chairman, 90 others booked

HYDERABAD: The Pakistan Nursing Association holds a protest outside Hyderabad Press Club to demand better salaries and service structure. —Online

National Assembly session discusses drought in country

OUR CORRESPONDENT

STAFF REPORT

FAISALABAD: Civil Lines police

ISLAMABAD: The third sitting of the

have registered a case against Chairman Sunni Ittehad Council, Sahibzada Hamad Raza, and 99 other activists charged with demonstration against government and use of loud-speaker.

According to the FIR, Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman, leaders and workers used derogatory remarks against the ruling party and shouted objectionable slogans against the government. Those booked in this case include Sahibzada Hamad Raza, Chairman, Malik Bakhsh Elahi, Afzal Qadri, Dr.Danish, Munir Ahmad Noorani, Abid and 90 others.

‘Development linked to knowledge-based economy’

National Assembly’s 20th session was marked by low attendance of lawmakers – with 40 legislators (12%) present at the start and 36 (11%) at the time of adjournment.

The quorum was visibly lacking at various stages of the sitting. However, it was not pointed out by any of the members.

The House took up a calling attention notice (CAN) regarding shortage of water likely to cause drought in the country while another CAN about privatization of number of profit earning government entities was not taken up.

Focus on latest research, KP minister urges doctors

FAISALABAD: Director British

Council Punjab, Kevin McLaven has said that UK and Pakistani educational sector ties will pave the way for development with knowledge based economy. Talking to University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, he said that the British Council fosters dialogue and international partnerships between higher education institutions and organisations and help students who want to study abroad. He said that the British Council is working with a wide range of educational institutes in Pakistan through projects, events, courses and workshops.

Rabid dog attacks and injures 11 in Dir SYED MAAZ JAN UPPER DIR: At least 11 people, including five children and six men, were bitten by a stray rabid dog in Dir town here on Wednesday, hospital sources said. Sources said that all the injured persons were residents of Dir town. The injured persons were first taken to District Headquarter (DHQ) hospital for vaccinations but were later shifted to Timergara as the required vaccine was not available at the DHQ hospital.

According to a patient, named Abidur Rehman, a rabid dog attacked him when he was going to his house and caused multiple injuries on his body.

PESHAWAR: Doctors must keep them-

selves abreast of the latest developments and research to be able to serve ailing humanity in a more professional manner, taking it as a really sacred profession, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Minister for Finance Muzaffar Syed told participants at the oath-taking of the Grand Doctors Alliance at Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) here on Wednesday.

Muzaffar Syed asked the doctors present at the ceremony to focus on the latest medical trends so they can treat patients with devotion and sincerity. “Competent persons are attached to this profession, and health experts in the province are skilled and hard-working and praiseworthy for the services they render,” he remarked.

Referring to the LRH contribution, the finance minister admitted that the hospital staff had a fairly large number of patients to be treated and there was almost an emergency-like situation facing the doctors. He advised the doctors to maintain discipline to further improve services. He hoped the newly elected members of the association would strive to resolve problems of their community for the betterment of the under-treatment. “Doctors must avoid undemocratic methods to press for their problems because it was extremely harmful.”

Muzaffar Syed assured the doctors that the government would take concrete steps to resolve their problems in a pragmatic and rational way. The minister asked Dr Sharif, the medical superintended (MS), to improve the hospital’s working.

Dr Rizwan, president of the Association, demanded a new hostel for doctors and a flyover at the hospital premises. He also demanded that the government increase the amount of stipends to ensure a better structure for doctors.

Speaker chaired the sitting for 39 minutes, Deputy Speaker for 34 minutes while the rest of the proceedings were presided over by a member of panel of chairpersons.

Whereas, The Prime Minister did not attend the sitting, while the Opposition Leader was present for 64 minutes.

Forty members (12%) were present at the start and 36 (11%) at the end of the sitting. As many as 116 lawmakers (34%) were present at one point of the sitting.

The parliamentary leaders of PkMAP, ANP, JI, BNP and PML-Z were present.

Five out of 10 minority members attended the sitting. Six members applied for leave.

The House took up a calling attention notice (CAN) sponsored by a PML-N female lawmaker regarding shortage of water likely to cause drought in the country. Eleven out of 43 starred questions appearing on Orders of the Day were taken up and responded to by the relevant ministry. In addition, the legislators raised 11 supplementary questions during the sitting.

Thirteen points of order consumed 50 minutes (41%) of the proceedings’ time. ‘Orders of the Day’ was available to the legislators, observers and others. Information on members’ attendance was not available to the observers and the public.

‘Pak-Afghan relations to strengthen with time’ OUR CORRESPONDENT

IHSAN DAWAR MUHAMMAD ARIF DOGAR

The House did not consider the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Bill, 2014 despite being on the agenda. Similarly, two motions under Rule 259 to debate the recent petrol crisis and problems being faced by the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were also not taken up.

The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting, while the Opposition Leader was present for 64 minutes.

According to the report of Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) The National Assembly met for two hours and three minutes on Wednesday. The sitting started at 11:17 hours against the scheduled time of 11:00 hours. The

PESHAWAR: The Regional Institute of Policy Research and Training Peshawar in collaboration with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade on Wednesday arranged here a regional seminar on “trade, commerce and improved relations between Afghanistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”.

Besides others, KP Board of Investment Chairman Senator Mohsin Aziz, Provincial Minister Muhammad Atif, Afghan Ambassador Janaan Musazai, Regional Institute for Policy Research Chairman Khalid Aziz and Afghan Consul General attended the seminar. The purpose of seminar was to visualize the opportunities available as perceived by the people of the region, who were involved in various capacities, including trade, transport, commerce and trade in fruits, vegetables, livestock and understanding the difficulties of Afghans re-

ceiving medical treatment in Peshawar hospitals, bottlenecks in transit trade, preventing safe-havens and ensuring better border control, but easing visa regime, grievances addressal refugees concerns etc.

Addressing the seminar, Provincial Minister Muhammad Atif said the root cause of issues regarding relationship between two brethren countries was to left our issues in others hand. He made it clear that being a nation we must have to decide that we would not be used more by the hands of others and we would solve our problems ourselves.

On this occasion, Senator Mohsin Aziz also highlighted the importance of economic cooperation and investment between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan and said relationship between them were being strengthening and we were in process in resolving issues regarding investment and trade. He said they will ensure to use the energy of people of both the regions effective-

ly that will be built on crowd-sourcing for its participatory inputs, based on efforts by volunteers, particularly the youth of KP and Afghanistan.

Ambassador of Afghanistan Janaan Musazai while highlighting the road map of future cooperation said, confidence between both the countries has been restored and people have attached great expectations with these relations. The trade and economic relations between Afghanistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were need of the hour; however, both the Islamic countries were facing same problems and difficulties in this regard which can easily be redressed with the joint and sincere efforts. Moreover, he stated that both the governments were establishing economic relations on war footing basis. The seminar also suggested that medical visa should be provided to Afghan patients and a medical desk should also be established at Torkham border to meet the problems faced by the Afghan’s patients.

‘Culprits of Youhanabad incident PLYC calls to be given exemplary sentence’ Lahore church MANSAB ALI BHATTI KASUR: The individuals involved into

burning of two innocent people just on the basis of personal suspicion at Youhanabad should be given exemplary punishment and this incident is really the worst form of barbarism.

This was stated by chairman Pakistan Ulema Council Tahir Ashrafi during his visit to the house of Muhammad Naeem, one of the two victims burnt alive in the aftermath of Youhanabad bombing incident.

He condemned the incident and demanded from the CM Punjab to personally visit the bereaved families of both Muslim and Christian community to

console them. He further said that every citizen was facing terrorism and the country was in a state of war. The numerical strength of the terrorism victims amongst the Muslims is far higher than the victims of the terror activities belonging to other faiths, he added.

He also said that the actual culprits involved in terrorism should be traced out with the help of videos and other sources and the case be tried in the military courts. He said the government ought to tackle the case on the same footing as it took the Kot Radha Kishan case. He said the culprits should be given an exemplary punishment irrespective of religion as everyone is equal in the eyes of law.

attacks barbaric

ADNAN SAEED KHANEWAL: Pakistan Lions Youth Council (PLYC), an organisation implementing HRF III project for the promotion of REAT (Right of Expression, Association, Assembly and Thought) in the context of minority rights, called a meeting of staff working with the project and reporters in connection with the Youhanabad church bombing incident.

Participants said that the attack on church in Youhanabad was a barbaric act that has completely shocked the Pakistani nation.

526 degrees awarded at UAF convocation OUR CORRESPONDENT FAISALABAD: Fourth Convocation of The University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) was held at Amin Campus of the University where Chairman Board of Governors Mian Muhammad Hanif awarded degrees to graduates of the University, while the nominee of Governor Punjab and Vice Chancellor University of Health Sciences (UHS) Lahore, Major General (r) Professor

Dr Muhammad Aslam awarded degrees to graduates of University Medical and Dental College.

Mian Muhammad Rashid, Vice Chairman Board of Governors, TUF, Professor Dr Naveed Akhtar Malik, VC Virtual University and Professor Dr Noureen Aziz Qureshi VC Government College for Women University Faisalabad were also present.

Addressing the audience, Mian Muhammad Hanif congratulated the

graduates and said that The University of Faisalabad was the dream of his father, the first Chairman Haji Muhammad Saleem (Late). The objective of this institution is to help the common man to have access to higher education.

He expressed that the UAF will continue to render its services to achieve the objectives of quality and professional education in the country. He also told the University has recently launched educational radio channel

TUFIANS FM 96.6.

Dr Muhammad Aslam, VC, UHS also appreciated the academic achievements of the University and congratulated the graduates of UMDC, with the hope that they would utilise their professional skills and knowledge for providing health care services to the common man.

Professor Dr Abdul Majeed, Rector of the University briefed about the performance of the Institution. He said that

the University is imparting professional education in different disciplines including health sciences, engineering and technology, management studies, arts and social sciences. Towards the end of the ceremony, 526 graduates of The University of Faisalabad and University Medical & Dental College were awarded degrees. Graduates were also awarded medals for their excellent performance in academic as well as co curricular activities.

Child murdered after ‘rape’ M. TAUSEEF KHAN KAASHMIRI GUJRANWALA: A minor boy who was

missing from his home since Tuesday night was found murdered on Wednesday while his heirs and peoples of area blocked road at Nawab chowk By-pass after placing the body on road and demanded the immediate arrest of the accused.

10-year-old Ali Faizan, son of one Muhammad Naeem of Chiraq Nager locality, was missing from his home since Tuesday night his heirs searched him everywhere and announced in various mosques by loud speakers about his missing but he could not be traced.

Polio team attacked in Kamoki: A polio workers team was roughed up and injured by two brothers in Moman pura, a locality of Kamoki on Wednesday.

Polio workers, Muhammad Jamil, Perveen and Iftikhar Ahmad, were administering polio drops to children. When they knocked the door of accused Ijaz Ahmad he allegedly attacked polio team and injured them with help of his brother Imtiaz Ahmad. He also stripped them and destroyed the polio vaccine.

Hospital approved for Khialee: Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Shareef has approved a 60-bed tehseel head quarter hospital in Khialee Gujranwala.

MPA Ch Iqbal Gujar said that the THQ contains 7 Acer land , 60 various posts will be created in this hospital. While 32 residences also there in THQ. Edo health Saeedullah khan said that it is the very first THQ in the city Gujranwala. It will be helpful for the people of Gujranwala.

LAHORE

www.thefrontierpost.pk

FRIDAY

MARCH 20, 2015

JI ASKS GOVT TO SACK SINDH GOVERNOR

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‘IMRAN SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO CONDITION OF KP POLICE’

LAHORE: Deputy Secretary General of the Jamaat e Islami, Dr Farid Ahmed Piracha, has said that the confessional statement of Saulat Mirza was not only an eye opener for the rulers. He in a media communiqué on Thursday said that the rulers protecting killers in spite of the Supreme Court verdicts whereas the JIT report and statements of Ajmal Pahari and Rizwan Qureshi, Baladia Town tragedy and the target killings in the port city for the last fifteen years all indicated a political party was responsible for the killing. Dr Farid Piracha said it was the responsibility of the federal government to remove Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad in view of the allegations. —Staff Report

LAHORE: Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri has said that Punjab Police rendered innumerable sacrifices against terrorism. He said that Imran Khan should think before talking against Punjab Police. Commenting upon tweet of Imran Khan, Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri said that Imran Khan has been using rude language against police officers during sit-in. Instead of criticising others, Imran Khan should pay attention to the miserable condition of KPK police, he added. Meanwhile, commenting upon the interview of Ch Pervaiz Elahi, Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri said that Pervaiz Elahi is doing false politics in the name of farmers. —APP

Motor transfer affairs

E&T officials use delaying tactics to mint money

NASIR BUTT

LAHORE: Hundreds of vehicle trans-

fer and duplicate document cases are pending with the Motor Registration Branch of Punjab Excise and Taxation (E&T) Department at Faridkot House because of the staff’s carefree attitude in dealing with vehicle transfers and issuing duplicate documents, The Frontier Post learnt on Thursday.

Department sources said the backlog has been building with every passing day, so much so that now officials turn back vehicle owners by raising minor or baseless objections and let matters linger so that vehicle owners are either compelled ‘consult’ an official the transfer or similar job done or must entrust the ‘hard task’ to an agent.

During a survey of the Motor Registration Branch of the Excise and Taxation Office at Faridkot House here Thursday, this scribe witnessed that agent mafia is dominating in the whole branch and their jobs done without any difficulty and delay. During the survey, this scribe discussed the issue with vehicle owners who came there for the transfer of their vehicles or issuance of duplicate documents.

They said that owing to apathy of the higher authorities, the vehicle owners are stranded from pillar to pole and in a transfer case several weeks consumed. One Nadeem Khan who came there for the transfer of his loader pick up lamenting over the indifferent attitude of E&T authorities said that he was coming to the office for the last three weeks and every time, afresh objection arise and the MTC referred the case to Inspector who refuse to deal with removal of the objections. He alleged that many agents and persons having understanding with the concerned staffers go through the whole process without any lid. Another complainant Muhammad Idres who was there for transfer of his Mehran car leased from a bank said that it has become a routine that only agents are accommodated and owners of vehicles who dare to accomplish the task of transfer or obtaining duplicate documents of their vehicle forced to take regular trips of the E&T department until they beg mercy and consult any agent for the job.

The Motor Registration branch official on the condition of anonymity told this scribe that allegedly MTC Mehtab, Gulbaz, Shukran, Nadeem,

Khalid Basher clerk, and Inspector Riaz Cheema have most of the pending cases and are not willing to dispose of the cases until they have been gratified. He further claimed that the objections like difference in thumb impression or impression given on the required documents are not clear.

Bring the vehicle for the transfer and physical checking would be done.

And when the vehicle owner comes through agents on their pole, all bindings come to an end. Regarding the rate of the tasks, he said it varies from case to case and objection cases can be settled after the gratification of Rs 1500 to Rs 2000.

Another staffer in the Motor Registration branch told this scribe that Inspector Malik Tahir who has been given the authority to issue old transfer deeds, issuing the deeds at Rs 1500 instead of official rate of Rs 300. A vehicle owner Nadeem Hashmi alleged that no one is taking action against the rule of corruption mafia in Moor Registration branch. The vehicle owners have asked the Secretary Excise and Taxation to intervene into the affairs of Farid Kot House office affairs and affix responsibility of delay of transfer cases and irregularities.

When contacted Motor Branch Director Sohail Ashraf he was not available for comments. However, his staff officer Inspector Riaz in response to the question regarding pending cases and corruption being committed by his subordinate staff, said that as such there are no cases pending in Motor Registration branch and if there are some hurdles, then these must be owing to deficiencies in the documents of vehicle owners and the Motor Registration branch has to comply with all legal formalities. To another question about mess in the branch under his control, he said that motor registration authority is there and it has to decide about such policy matters.

He said taking stern action against negligence and delaying tactics to delay cases, Director MRA suspended two inspectors Nizam Din and Nazir Bhatti last week.

He, however, said that they are vigilant in this regard and trying to curtail agent mafia role. He said that his doors are open for all complainants and every one can complain about the E&T staffers’ negligence or misbehave, unfortunately people are reluctant to do so and prefer to accomplish their job through agent mafia.

The Canal Road looks beautiful, decorated in connection with the spring festival in Lahore. — Photo by Mohsin Raza

‘Govt improving punishment procedure’ LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Rana Sanaullah Thursday said the Punjab government would implement declaration points agreed in the joint meeting of leaders of several religious and political parties.

He was talking to media after a joint meeting of leaders of several parties organized by Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) under the chair of PUC Chairman Moulana Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi at a hotel over the current scenario after the twin blasts and lynching of the two boys.

He said that justice should be provided to the victims against those culprits who had taken law in hands as law was equal for every one so that journey of national solidarity could be made successful. Lauding the organisation of the conference by the PUC, Rana said that such activities should also be arranged by the leaders of other religions.

To a question, he said punishment procedure was weak but it would be improved in the upcoming days and establishment of military courts was part of it. –APP

86pc ‘potable’ water not safe to drink STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Laboratory tests have proved

that 86 per cent potable water available for the inhabitants of Punjab province is not safe for the human use.

It was disclosed by Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) leader Mian Kamran Saif on Thursday. He claimed that potable water available for the masses in Punjab is harmful for the human body

under the World Health Organisation(WHO) aided programme and this report exposed the negligence on the part of provincial government.

Criticising Punjab government’s slackness towards provision of basic necessities of life to masses, he said that it is the basic right of masses to have clean water but government is only giving priority to the wealthy and influential people.

Otherwise, laymen are even deprived of

potable water and other facilities. He said that laboratory tests have proved that children are suffering from diseases like hepatitis, diarrhea and other infections owing to use of unhygienic water.

He criticized poor administration as most of the water filtration plants in the province especially in rural areas are out of order while ratio of arsenic in the potable water is increasing due to poor sanitation system.

Women protest against health ministry officials on The Mall. — Photo by Mohsin Raza

LESCO reluctant to take action against influential defaulters

IMRAN SHAH

Electricity consumers falling in list of defaulters are reluctant to pay their dues to Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) as industrialists are still enjoying nepotism and undue favour of the LESCO, The Frontier Post has learnt.

LESCO is charging detection to consumers falling in list of discrepancy and recovering the fines from them but those having good approach are not paying dues to the company and sought electricity connections on other names.

Officials, privy to LESCO, revealed that there were thousands of consumers who had not paid dues still are using electricity as they are not much worried like other consumers paying fines to the company.

LAHORE:

They told that influential have good access to high ups as Xens and SDOs have closed their eyes due to which rich people are still using electricity despite they are falling in list of defaulters.

The officials said that data of big rich defaulter consumers could be collected by the LESCO for disconnecting the connections which they have sought on other names.

They said influential are using electricity at liberty even their connections were disconnected as lower staff know about the matter but they are unable to take action against the defaulters because they have not been ordered by their officers to disconnect the supply of electricity of such influential people.

Sources disclosed that lists of the defaulter industrialists were maintained at division level but no action is being taken against the influential. They said

Traders busy raking in the cash as FIA and Customs clash SAIF ULLAH CHEEMA LAHORE: Despite institutional clash

between the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Customs regarding jurisdiction, traders are yet busy in collecting money out of their noncustom luggage in different markets of the city.

After the raid by FIA in city’s renowned markets, Customs officials wrote a letter to FIA that they don’t have any jurisdiction to conduct a raid in markets against non-customs luggage.

FIA officials replied and wrote them that they can conduct raid any place where illegal activity would be occurred but custom official wrote letter to Interior Ministry and Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) about the clarification of jurisdiction meanwhile FIA also wrote to Interior Minister about its jurisdiction and proved that they are right to conduct this raid.

Interior Ministry and FBR did not reply for the letter, meanwhile, customs decided to contact High Court to solve and elaborate the jurisdiction of both departments in this matter.

The institutional clash started when FIA conducted a raid on plaza situated at Brandth Road where they found non-custom luggage worth Rs. 50 million and took cigarettes, unstitched cloths and other items into custody and arrested two men belonging to Quetta.

FIA Assistant Director (AD) Mian Asif Ali not only registered case against relevant shop owner but also suggested that strong actions should be taken against Customs official who did not

bother to stop them while they were shifting non-custom luggage from Quetta to Lahore.

Few weeks back, FIA also conducted raid in Garhi Shahu area where they took imported animal feed raw material which was shifted from Karachi. A case was also registered in this regard and it was suggested that to take strict action against Customs officers not only in Lahore but also in Karachi and total 84 notices were issued to officials appointed in Karachi Customs.

Despite issuance notices to custom official, no one bother to reply those notices and Custom department fully back its officers but FIA did not tool any action and stopped his officers not to conduct any raid relevant to Customs.

Sources in different markets disclosed that more than one billion non-custom luggage is still available in Lahore’s market especially in Abid Market Mozang, Brandth Road, Liberty, Shah alam Market, Akbar Chowk, Azam Cloth Market and many others. It is also revealed that more than 90 percent renowned stores are also involved in selling non-custom items as they just buy 20 percent from importer and rest is purchased from non-custom dealers.

FIA (AD) Mian Asif Ali, who conducted most of the raid in the city to and caused based of jurisdiction issue told The Frontier Post that we stopped raids in the city due to customs contacted to the court and still jurisdiction issue needs to be solved. He said that FIA will conduct raid where illegal activities would be took place.

that LESCO was unable to recover dues in millions from many industrialists as well for years, which is a heavy loss to the company so far.

The officials said that industrialist had been using political sources for avoiding the payment of dues to the company and therefore so far no big action has been taken against them for the recovery.

They said that no directives and orders have been issued to Xens and SDOs for the recovery of dues from industrialists and check them as where from they have been supplied electricity despite falling in lists of defaulters.

When contacted the spokesman of the LESCO to know his comment on the story, he said that lists of industrialist defaulters had been maintained at Division levels and actions for recovery of dues are being taken against the influential.

OPCP resolves 30 complaints in 20 days: Afzaal Bhatti LAHORE: Overseas Pakistanis Commis-

sion Punjab (OPCP) is utilising all available resources for addressing and resolving the complaints of overseas Pakistanis. 81 complaints have been registered with the Commission by overseas Pakistanis in the last 20 days, 30 of which have been resolved while action would be taken on 50 complaints, Commissioner OPCP Afzaal Bhatti while presiding over a meeting, said.

He said that steps are being taken with the cooperation of Federal Overseas Ministry for allowing those Pakistanis, whose Identity Cards have expired, to visit Pakistan for renewal of Identity Cards without any difficulty and ensuring presence of NADRA and passport officials in Pakistani embassies abroad. He told that 31 complaints relate to police while remaining 50 to Revenue and other departments. Afzaal Bhatti said that OPCP had issued instructions that all departments were bound to immediately remove complaints of overseas Pakistanis and send a report to the Commission within 15 days. He said that legal action would be taken against officers of the departments creating unnecessary delay. He told that after receipt of application, all action is monitored through a modern information technology system and the complainant is resolved within one month.

Afzaal Bhatti said that overseas Pakistanis can get their complaints registered on web portal via e-mail from any part of the world to check the status of their complaints. He told that administrations of all districts of the province are linked with OPCP through this modern system and the commission directly monitors the complaints of overseas Pakistanis belonging to any district within the country. —FP Monitoring

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Terrorists have no religion: CM

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shah-

baz Sharif has said that terrorists have no religion, creed and colour and they are enemies of the state.

He was discussing several issues including Youhana Abad incidents with Federal Railway Minister Kh Saad Rafiq on Thursday.

Shahbaz said terrorists have no affiliation with any race, religion or cast. Terrorist are just the enemies of Pakistan, who want to divide Pakistan people into various sectarian groups.

The CM further said Pakistan nation has united to fight against terrorism, but it is critical time for which general public should fully support government’s steps in the war.

We will not rest until terrorism is eliminated adding that noose has been tightened around terrorists and their supporters and they would not be spared.

The incident of Youhana Abad was also discussed in the meeting and it was agreed that perpetrators behind this crime would be bought to justice.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that Punjab government ensured successful conduct of National Horse & Cattle Show and thereby highlighted the culture of various regions of the country in a beautiful manner.

He said that an atmosphere of national solidarity and brotherhood was promoted through National Horse & Cattle Show. He said that the organising committee which worked day and

night for the success of the event deserves all credit. The chief minister expressed these views at a function held in honour of the members of the organising committee of National Horse & Cattle Show in Model Town.

The chief minister lauded the efforts of the members of the organising committee towards making excellent arrangements for National Horse & Cattle Show and said that the event has provided best recreational facilities to the masses. He said that the people also showed extraordinary interest in National Horse & Cattle Show and their active participation in the event was commendable. He said that the colours of the culture of Punjab as well as different parts of the country were fully reflected in the event.

The chief minister further said that through revival of National Horse & Cattle Show, Punjab government also promoted sports activities in the province and such events will continue to be held in future as well. He further said that such healthy and positive activities are essential for curbing the trends of extremism in the society. Director General Punjab Rangers Maj-Gen Khan Tahir Javed Khan, Member National Assembly Pervaiz Malik, Member Provincial Assembly Mian Marghoob Ahmad, Chief Secretary, Inspector General Police, Additional Chief Secretary, Secretary Local Government, senior officers of concerned departments and institutions as well as administrative officers were present.

Pervaiz slams govt’s agriculture policies LAHORE: Pakistan

Muslim League (PML) senior central leader and former Deputy Prime Minister Ch Parvez Elahi emphasised upon the government to stop economic murder of the farmers saying that rulers should not snatch meals from mouths of their children, while addressing a press conference, on Thursday.

“During our government in Punjab we had provided revolutionary facilities to the farmers including cheap electricity, fertilizer, seed, loans and tax exemption which were abolished by Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, their enmity with the farmers was never-ending and now wheat crisis was surfacing and the farmers will not get full price for wheat, adding that the power rate for agriculture in Punjab was greater than other provinces,” Elahi said.

Ch Parvez Elahi convened to express solidarity with the farmers along with Senior Vice-President Muhammad Basharat Raja, Provincial General Secretary Ch Zaheeruddin Khan, Provincial Information Secretary Mian Imran Masood, Mian Munir, Shaikh Umar Hayat, Mian Abdul Sattar and other leaders said that anti-farmers measures of

Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif had become intolerable for the past seven years, further stating that due to historical facilities given during their tenure, agriculture growth rate in Punjab was 3pc and was currently dropped to 1pc with agriculture forming the back bone of the economy of the province of Punjab.

The party leaders added that under a well-conceived plan, potato, tomatoes and vegetables were being imported from India compromising the local market.

Prices of fertilizer and agriculture medicines had been increased enormously and provision of loan for tractors had also been stopped and laboratories established by us for preparation of new seed had also been closed down, hence, no new rice seed has been introduced after 2002 and production cost of rice per acre was Rs 80, 000 whereas income was only Rs 40, 000 and cotton income was Rs 2, 200 and cost of production was Rs 3, 000.

Last year the government had promised to procure 3 million tons of wheat but had secured only 2 million tons even though wheat was lying in the warehouses. —FP Monitoring

LAHORE

Law-bending turns victims into criminals SHAHPER HASSAN LAHORE: Yet in another case of power abuse the victims became criminals and suffered at the hands of law, reminding us once again how our system is manipulated by those who have political connections at the upper level and have deep penetration within the law enforcement.

On Wednesday evening two guys were beaten up brutally by at least 12 to 14 people, as those armed with clubs stopped beating the victims only when they got assured they were half dead, this scribe is the eye witness to the brutality that took place in Lala Zar commercial market, Raiwind Road.

With multiple deep wounds on their faces and bodies, the story did not end there. After beating them up, in an utter show of organised crime the beaters,

O

MANZOOR ALI

ne of the many misconceptions we suffer in our collective life is the face saving syndrome. We think that raising voice against evil in our national life will make the world aware of the evil in us. We are also under the false impression that other nations did not have had their fair share of wrongdoers.

Whenever something bad happens, there are many among us who urge the nation to push the dirt under the rug.

“It will make us look bad in the world,” they tell us. That the people of the rest of the world will say, “Look, how bad, greedy and immoral the people or the leaders of Pakistan are!”

Of course, most of those shouting the loudest are the ones who have vested in-

headed by Syed Abbas Shah, one “Rao saab” and one “pir saab”, themselves called the police while threatening the guys they had tortured to their heart’s content that they would show them how powerful they are at the police station, as if law meant nothing for them.

After the cops arrived at the scene of crime, they clearly sided with the party that already had been boasting about their high connections.

At the police station, Chung area, they dictated the FIR and ensured that Penal Code Sections are used in a way that would make the case complicated and completely in their favour. In the application whatever they mentioned was a lie, and whatever actually they themselves did, they blamed it on the victims, Conain Hassan and his friend Tauqeer Subhani.

They mentioned in the application

that the victims brought clubs and iron rods to fight with them, further that they broke the windows of their office. Whereas it was them who used the clubs, started the fight, broke the cell phones of the guys they had made their target.

They kept calling their men who on arrival further tortured the already wounded persons. Despite people trying to tell them that they were doing wrong and that the matter could have been solved amicably they kept threatening around while hurling abuses that they have high level connections.

The scribe remained with the victims all day just to observe how the justice system works. It’s so unfortunate that we have many flaws in our justice system and the police culture is still backward and takes political pressure and thus works for people who can manipulate them either with

power pressure or with money.

This scribe noticed at the police station that the cops there worked under pressure from the other party, that was making them to beat the victims up once again, using people in uniform at the police station for show of power and mental satisfaction. Though the police officials present there refused to carry out their orders, the victims’ side of the story was hardly heard.

Syed Abbas Shah, the motivator of the brutality, threatened this scribe that he did not care if someone reveals the incident or it’s published in any newspaper.

The fight broke out after exchange of hot words and abuses between them and both accuse each other of being drunk.

The victims, Conain Hassan and Tauqeer Subhani, have been given life threats by the party. It is to be seen what shape this case will take in the coming days.

LWMC begins cleanliness campaign STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Lahore Waste Management

Children enjoy looking at passers-by outside their house in Delhi Gate. —Photo by Zubair Mahfooz

Art competition STAFF REPORT LAHORE: The Media Foundation (TMF) held five-day ‘Art for Peace’ painting competition for students at Alhamra Art Gallery on Thursday.

The competition aims at encouraging and showcase talent of young artists from schools, colleges and universities of Lahore to promote peace and tolerance.

The exhibition was divided into two categories, senior and junior. In the senior category, Kinnaird College, Home Economics College, University of Punjab, Himayat-e-Islam Khawateen College, COMSATS, Lahore College for Women University, Hajvery University, Beaconhouse National University, MAO College, Hamza Foundation and College of Ittefaq Hospital participated.

In the junior category, Allied School, The Message School, Sanwyk Grammar School, The Lahore Lyceum, Institute of Disadvantaged Children Lahore, Government Kinnaird High School, Gung Mehal (school for deaf) Boy Lahore, Government Higher Secondary School, Green Land High School, Roshni Model High School and The Spirit School participated.

Scandals are good when discovered terests in avoiding investigating of wrongdoings. They have some benefits in concealing the facts. They tell us that we will lose face among the comity of nations.

Then there are those who think in earnest that the publicity of crimes our leaders and high officials in government will give us a bad name as a country: the last category of people is the innocent or the naïve ones so let us ignore them.

But those who shout the loudest when a national scandal comes to light and want us to hush it are the same people who cite examples of the impeachment proceedings of former US presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton and cite these as examples of democracy at work and how even such mighty individuals as sitting presidents of the United States have to bow before the majesty of the law.

What is funny that the people of the United States of America were also not bothered about what the world thinks of America or its democracy when their presidents were going through the impeachment process?

What they cared about was to find the truth and let their congress decide if their presidents were guilty of any wrongdoing.

Currently, the Nawaz government’s LNG deal with Qatar worth billions of dollars is one such instance which many want us to hush. If you keep objecting to everything the government does, it will lose credibility and no for-

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eign country will deal with us, they say.

These people have no objection that the government bring in the open on the parliament floor and give the particulars.

In this instance, they are not worried about the norms, nay necessities of democracy. Transparency, it seem, is the word they have never heard. They don’t want us to know or they don’t care if we don’t know the rate at which LNG will be supplied to us. They don’t care if we know that there is any flexibility in the mechanism for fixing of prices. We would like to know if in case the prices go down, we will be charged less.

Of course, these are the same people who did not care and told us not scratch for clues if the US drone attacks on our land were allowed by Musharraf government.

The truth, however, is that when nations put their leaders and other influential individuals on trial, this sets a precedent and becomes a proof that, these nations are aware of the problem of corruption and are doing something about it. Such impression gives confidence to foreign investors and governments and they begin to believe that if somebody there tries to pressure them illegally, they will have recourse to legal process. So my view is that we should forget the faulty perception of ‘face saving’ and rather be happy when scandals pop up and our law enforcers earnestly try to bring the corrupt before the courts.

Salman wants hospitals completed on time STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Adviser to Chief Minister

Punjab on Health, Kh Salman Rafique has said that provision of better medical treatment facilities to the masses is the mission of present government.

Chairing a meeting on Thursday in the Civil Secretariat to review the progress of construction work of various small hospitals in Lahore, he said that after functioning of various under construction small hospitals in Lahore work load on the tertiary hospitals will be reduced and medical treatment facilities would be available to the people at their doorsteps.

Additional Secretary Development Mahmood Hassan, Director General Health Dr Zahid Pervaiz, Chief Planning Officer Abdul Haq Bhatti, EDO Lahore, Dr Zulfiqar Ali, District Officer Health Dr. Saeed and the officers of C&W, Finance and other departments attended the meeting. It was informed that the building of 130 bed hospital in Mian Mir has been completed whereas SNE for the recruitment of the staff has been sent to Finance Department.

Moreover, procurement process for medical equipment is also started for which financial bid has also been opened and external development works of the hospital building is underway. Salman directed that the remaining civil work and other requirements like Sui-gas connection etc. should immediately be completed and for this purposes the senior officers of the concerned departments also be persuaded.

The meeting was informed that 20 bed hospital in Ghazi Abad Aziz Bhatti Town is also under construction and the building of the same hospital has also been completed while SNE for the staff recruitment has been approved and the purchase process for medical equipments has also been started and financial bid was also opened. Similarly, a THQ level 60-bed hospital in “Lidher” is also being constructed, its building has been completed and external development work is underway. It was in-

formed that SNE for the recruitment of the staff has also been sent to the government, and So far 121.575 million rupees have been spent on this project.

Moreover, another 60-bed hospital in Sabzazar is also being constructed on which 194.123 million rupees have been spent.

Additional Secretary Development further informed that a 60-bed hospital in Raiwind is also being constructed on which 156.872 million rupees have been spent while government has further released Rs.150 million for this project.

He said that the structure of the hospital building has been completed.

Similarly, in the thickly populated area of Samnabad 25-bed hospital is also being established, the construction work of the hospital is in final shape on which 75.879 million rupees have been spent whereas government has further released Rs.80 million to complete this hospital.

He informed that the procurement process of medical equipment has also been started. Kh. Salman Rafique said that these health projects are being completed from the provincial Annual Development Propgramme (ADP).

He directed the officers to accelerate the construction / completion work of the said health projects. He directed that instead of corresponding among the departments, officers should adopt pro-active approach and take personal interest in completion of these projects.

He said that utility connections like gas, electricity etc. should be completed on priority basis. Salman directed Additional Secretary Development to personally monitor these projects for in time completion.

Salman said that these small hospitals in the Lahore would provide health facilities to the people in their nearby which would not only reduce the work load on the teaching hospitals of the city but it will also reduce the problems of the citizen to carry their patients from far flung areas to the main city hospitals.

Company (LWMC) has started operation in metropolis on Thursday in order to improve the state of cleanliness and give city a neater and cleaner look.

Operation was comprising of scraping of roads and mechanized washing of city’s major pedestrian bridges, underpasses, pavements and other furnishers. Scraping of roads will continue till tapping Feroze Pur Road, Canal Road, Allama Iqbal Road, Temple Road, Empress Road, McLeod Road and Queens Road.

Meanwhile, some 60 pedestrian bridges including underpasses, pavements and other furnishers have also been mechanically washed by Turkish companies Albayrak and Ozpak. Operation of Mechanical washing was carried out in mid night keeping in view the commuter’s convenience. LWMC Special Squad will ensure scheduled scraping of roads to rehabilitate their original beauty.

According to LWMC spokesperson Jamil Khawar, “We are putting our best efforts to provide citizens a healthy and neat environment by taking multiple measures and these efforts require a positive contribution from people to bear fruits by controlling littering habit”.

Passing out parade at Rangers school STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Passing out parade of basic

Commando Course of Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) was held at Rangers Battle School Lahore here on Thursday.

Commander Lahore Corps Lieutenant General Naveed Zaman was the chief guest. He reviewed the parade, took the salute and witnesses a demonstration on agility and combat capability of newly trained personnel.

Speaking on the occasion, the Corps Commander Said that the history of Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) was replete with examples of audacity and courage. He extolled their state of morale and standard of physical fitness and urged them to maintain the lofty traditions of professionalism and dedication as set forth by their valiant predecessors. He emphasized that in the light of impending challenges to our security in the prevailing environment, continuous operational preparedness was necessary.

Art Exhibition at PGC starts STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Two-day Punjab Group of

Colleges (PGC)Annual Art Exhibition 2015 kicked off by at Alhamra Art Gallery Lahore on Thursday.

As many as 130 art works of different students were hung on the walls including oil painting, calligraphy painting, Sketches, Dry Leaf Art and Still Photography. While students have used Oil, marker, pencil and charcoal medium in art work to convey their expressions.

A large number of students and their parents and administration of college has visited the exhibition. College of Art and Design, University of the Punjab Principle Dr Shahida Manzoor has inaugurated the Two-day art exhibition and admired the work of students.

Fine and Arts teacher of the college Imrana Shuja has appreciated the participation of students in the exhibition specially boys who have participated with in full swing.

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BRIEF FC arrests key militant in Balochistan BALOCHISTAN: The Frontier Corps (FC) in an ongoing operation arrested a key militant and seized automatic weapons from his possession, on Thursday.

According to the FC spokesperson, “The key terrorist arrested was involved in several attacks on security forces.14 militants have been arrested during the ongoing operation, in the past two days.” The arrested terrorists have been shifted to an unidentified location for interrogation. —Online

FATA/SINDH/BALOCHISTAN

New Turkish Consulate to open War-torn FATA in Karachi: Turkish envoy villages long

for stability

11 security officials injured in IED blast KHYBER AGENCY: At least 11

security personnel were injured on Thursday when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in Mangrosa area of Khyber Agency. A security official said that the security personnel were performing routine patrolling duties when their vehicle hit the IED. The injured were subsequently airlifted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Peshawar where 3 of them are said to be in serious condition. —Online

‘Karachi operation not against any party’ KARACHI: Commerce Minister,

Khurram Dastgir Khan has urged political parties particularly MQM, PPP and ANP to work for achieving permanent peace and progress in Karachi, saying that the operation was not targeted against any political party, on Thursday. He said that Karachi operation is continuing without discrimination to flush out criminals and maintain peace in the city. He said MQM or any other party should avoid the blame game and support the operation so that criminals and target killers are eliminated from Karachi. —FP Monitoring

Fine imposed on local shopkeepers OUR CORRESPONDENT GHOTKI: Assistant Commissioner Daharki Saleemullah Odho, Special Magistrate Mukhtiarkar Ashraf Pitafi and Inspector market committee Rasool Bux Soomro, visited a local market and imposed Rs8000 fine on eleven shopkeepers, including butchers, for selling stale meat and absence of the regulated price list of goods in their shops, on Thursday. Further, Assistant Commissioner ordered the town committee officials to remove illegal encroachment.

CEC dismisses plea to halt Senate election ISLAMABAD: The Chief Election

Commissioner (CEC) Sardar Raza Khan rejected the petition seeking adjournment of holding of Senate Election 2015 in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), on Thursday.

According to the details, Khan held hearing of the petition submitted by former senator Abbas Khan Afridi to halt the holding of elections in FATA. The CEC reprimanded the petitioner’s counsel and said that the government and the ministers have made a mockery of the elections.

The petitioner said that the presidential ordinance is unconstitutional. The CEC said that the petition does not declare a second party and ordered the petitioner’s counsel to advise his client to declare a second party and then hearing would be held next week. —FP Monitoring

KU bombers sentenced to 14 years jail term KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court in Karachi sentenced two men accused of involvement in a 2010 bomb attack at Karachi University to 14 years imprisonment, on Thursday. —Online

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KARACHI: New Turkish Consulate would be ready in the next three years, improving the consulate's services including the capacity to issue more visas, Turkish Consul General (CG) in Karachi said, on Thursday.

Turkey will also establish its Consulate in Lahore soon, he informed, speaking at the Turkish Airlines’ (TA) annual travel agencies awards and gala dinner on Saturday, which was attended by

several travel agencies including Bukhari travels, Polani travels and Sheerazi travels. He said Turkey is 17th economy of the world and that we will get more share of the world market in future. The Consul General praised hospitality of Pakistanis during his stay in Karachi and he liked Pakistani food.

Turkish Airlines’ General Manager in Karachi, Fatih Atacan Temel said that during 2014, the airlines witnessed 100pc

FC ordered to remove barricades in 15 days QUETTA: On the request of Deputy Attorney General (DAG), a division bench of the Balochistan High Court granted 15 days to the Frontier Corps to remove hurdles placed on a track of a road near its headquarters to complete construction of its main gate, on Thursday.

The DAG said one track of Whyte Road had been blocked by the FC for security reasons, but would be re-opened after the construction work was over. He said a portion of the median of the said road would be removed so that traffic could be diverted to other track. Advocate Hadi Shakeel Ahmed said there were numerous barricades and zigzag hurdles on the road and the FC personnel deployed there did not allow unobstructed movement of people.The DAG said he would contact the authorities concerned for removal of obstacles.

The bench comprising Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel and Justice Muhammad Ejaz Swati, hearing a petition by Talat Waheed, withdrew a May 20, 2013 order in view of an undertaking by the chief executive officer of the Quetta Cantonment Board and ordered de-sealing of shops on Samungli Road.

A police official submitted a report stating that one side of Gulistan Road near the police head office had been opened and remaining hurdles in the front of Po-

lice Lines had been removed. The hearing was adjourned till March 28.

RENT: During the hearing of another petition, a bench comprising Chief Justice Muhammad Noor Meskanzai and Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar allowed the enhancement of rent by lessees of the Quetta Metropolitan Corporation property from Rs200 to up to Rs45, 000 per month.

In pursuance of an order issued on March 9, lessees Ubaidullah Achakzai, Yahya Nasar, Irfan Rind, Naseer Ahmed and Dawood Kasi were present and the record of the corporation showed that they were paying Rs200 as rent.

Deputy Mayor Younus Baloch and the lessees agreed after consultation that the rent would be increased. Mr Achakzai and Mr Nasar will pay Rs45,000, Mr Ahmed Rs40,000, Mr Rind Rs20,000 and Mr Kasi Rs10,000 per month.

The local government secretary said fresh leases would be issued in accordance with rules. The court said it had been informed that a builder was required to reserve the basement of a building for public parking but some builders with collusion and connivance of the corporation staff had converted the spaces into warehouses. It ordered the official in charge of the anti-encroachment cell to demolish all such warehouses. The hearing was adjourned till March 25. —FP Monitoring

increase in sales. Marketing Representative of TA in Pakistan, Umar Khan, said that it was the best airline in Europe with respect to international destinations.

The TA has planned to increase its destinations with purchase of new aircraft in 2015. Earlier, a movie about Turkish airline's services was screened. Later, the awards were distributed among the travel agents, as trading partners, for their excellent performance. —Online

Drone strike kills Hakimullah's aide PESHAWAR: A close aide of former

GHUNDI ABDALKHEL: The villages were only eight kilometers from Peshawar, the capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It had three marble factories that produced world-class marble tiles provided to the rest of the country. It had no clean drinking water though, Juma Khan said, on Thursady.

Juma Khan, 20, who works in a nearby marble factory, said he doesn’t mind that the people of Ghuni Abdalkhel have no clean water to drink. What he wants is a proper job that would help him earn enough money to feed his children.

“I work at least 10 hours in the factory and the owner pays me only Rs 300 per day”, said Juma Khan. “It is inhuman for factory laborers working long hours with blades and heavy marble stones in the factory. The authorities are not interested in developing the village despite the three large marble industries here.

The government can try and improve the lot of the residents here, most of whom are factory workers, by asking the owners to increase the salaries and provide other facilities.”

The Constitution of Pakistan contains a number of provisions related to labor rights and the country’s labor laws spell out obligatory terms and conditions for employment of labor to protect their rights. However, both the Constitution and the labour laws do not apply to the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) along the Pakistan- Afghanistan border where village Ghundi Abdalkhel is. FATA has a special status under the Pakistani Constitution. It is ruled through a set of discriminatory laws – Frontier Crimes Regulations or FCR – dating back to the Raj when the British wanted to counter the opposition of the tribesmen to their rule.

FCR states that three basic rights – right to appeal to change a conviction in any court, the right to legal representation and the right to present evidence in the court – are not applicable to the people of FATA. A parallel administrative system, therefore, doesn’t allow FATA people access to the legal and rights framework that citizens in the rest of Pakistan enjoys. The factory labor said benefits of the marble factories go to owners who have no interest in the welfare of the village or its people. They asked for schools for boys and girls in the village so education could give them a better future.

“I don’t want my children to turn into daily wage earners like me,” said Juma Khan. “I want my son to become a doctor and my daughter to be a teacher.” Despite the three marble factories producing marble tiles of international quality, the villagers have no access to clean drinking water. Adjacent to the Regi Model Town, a posh under resi-

Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Chief Hakimullah Mehsud, Khawrey Mehsud, was killed in a drone strike near the PakAfghan border, on Thursday.

According to TTP spokesman Muhammad Khorasani, Khawrey Mehsud was killed in a drone attack in Kurram Agency near the Pak-Afghan border on March 18.

Two other militants were also killed in the drone attack. Khawrey Mehsud was a close aide of former TTP supremo Hakimullah and was said to have taken part in terrorist activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Kurram Agency is one of the most sensitive tribal areas as it borders three Afghan provinces and at one point was one of the key routes for militant movement across the border.

The region was claimed by the military to have been cleared of insurgents during an operation a couple of years ago, however, militants still carry out sectarian attacks and also target security forces occasionally. Kurram tribal agency is adjacent to North Waziristan region where the operation Zarb-i-Azb is in progress against Taliban and other insurgent groups. Drone attacks are widely unpopular across Pakistan and according to survey conducted in June last year, 66 percent of the country's citizens oppose the strikes. —FP Monitoring QUETTA: “Razia Khanam lived in Marriabad, the town at the foot of Koh-emurdar, the hill whose shape was often compared to a woman in repose. Mariabad was a warren of narrow streets, with stairs up and down the hill. The streets were clean, strikingly cleaner than the rest of Quetta,”according to local sources, on Thursday. provincial government had not convened a single meeting of Like many residents of Mariabad and the committee to address the issues, to date.

Hazara Town, where mainly ethnic HazHe reiterated that their campaign was not against the Sindh ara people live and who have lost dead government but rather against the menace of terrorism, still ones in sectarian killings in recent several banned outfits are operative and existence of militant months and years, Razia too lost a famcamps in Shikarpur were on the rise, yet no action had been ily member, her son Bilal Ahmad, 21. taken against militant organizations and its terrorists.

“My son was a private security guard He also criticized the federal government, saying that it at a local general store and his earning, showed a lack of interest in provincial matters and Prime though meager, helped the family get Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister did not both- by,” said Khanam. On January 10, er to offer condolence to the heirs of martyred. On the oc- 2013, her son Ahmad came home afcasion Chairman SAC announced that if the government did ter a day at job. Khanum was maknot implement on the agreement, both SAC and MWM ing her dinner when they heard the would start provincial-wide protests resulting in Long explosion. A bomb had ripped March, on 26 March 2015. through a snooker club on Alamdar

No relief for women victims of sectarian violence

Sindh govt fails to implement Accord to curb extremism: SAC IMTIAZ GORAR LARKANA: Chairman Shuhda Action Committee (SAC)

Shikarpur and Secretary General, Majlis-e-Wahdat-eMuslimeen (MWM) Allama Maqsood Ali Domki, said that Sindh government has failed to implement the 22 points accord signed between the government and SAC, on 19 February, to take action against the activities of banned outfits, while speaking with journalists during a press conference held at Larkana Press Club, on Thursday.

He was accompanied by local MWM leaders Tariq Badvi, Shahid Shah and Ghulam Shabir Naqvi.

Domki said that after the long march from Shikarpur to Karachi, Sindh government had inked the agreement, to uproot the terrorist networks in Shikarpur, adding that the

dential colony in Peshawar currently under construction, the villagers still use fire-wood to bake break.There is no health facility, schooling, water, sanitation and job opportunities in government departments for them to earn livelihood for their families, villagers said.

Ghundi’s reputation as a village producing quality marble tiles sits incongruously with its history as place torn apart by waves of militancy during the last decade.

Most of the infrastructure in Ghundi had been damaged in militancy-related incidents. Those who could afford have left the village. Only the poor were staying.

“We have no option but to live here, risking our lives,” said Juma Khan. The villagers live in fear of being attacked by unidentified gunmen who have claimed at least two hundred civilian lives in the decade-long militancy. “It is not enough to conduct search and military operations to fight terrorism in his area,” said Juma Khan. “The authorities must address the people’s sense of deprivation and grievances.” Mustaqeem Khan Afridi, a student, said that the village comprised of 1,400 families with a total of 7,000 people. He said due to growing population and militancy, life in the village had become hard.

While it was difficult for a male reporter to speak to women, Wasim Jan, a resident of Ghundi said that the women fetched water from three kilometers away for domestic use. He said: “Our women do a risky job going out in such a hostile environment.” Wazir Gul, 55, said Pakhtuns could not afford that other people see his wife out of the home but some time problems compel them to do so. Muslim Afridi, 17, suggested that if the government resolved the problem of frequent and long power-cuts, they could perhaps grow seasonal crops like wheat and rice.

“To overcome problems stemming from militancy, we need attention from the government and humanitarian organizations,” said Afridi. Saqib Ali Khan, a mobile software engineer, said the government should create jobs in education, health and technical education departments to employ youth of the areas exposed to militancy. He said only marble factories are not enough to eliminate poverty from his village. “One should start several parallel projects to benefit local people,” he said. Saleem Afridi, a retired soldier said he spent rupees 2.6 million on building a house but he was forced to leave the area due to violence and find a safer place elsewhere that he cannot reveal to media because he fought on the side of the government. “I served the government for 24 years and now I request the government to help me,” said Afridi. —FP Monitoring

Road, an area populated by Hazaras.

Ahmad immediately left to rescue the bomb victims. He never came back. Within ten minutes of the first bombing, a second bomb exploded at the same site after people had been drawn to the first explosion for rescue work. More than 100 people died in the two attacks in Quetta city that day.

For Khanam, losing her son also meant losing a bread winner for the family. Seven years ago, she got divorced, her husband Raza leaving her with the kids. Young Ahmad found a job as a security guard to support his mother, a younger brother and two sisters. Khanam now lives in a rented house with her children. “I have to pay six thousands rupees every month for this two room house,” she looked around the house. “After losing Ahmad, life is difficult for me and my family.” —FP Monitoring

PTI demands removal of Sindh governor

KARACHI: In the wake of startling reve-

lations by Saulat Mirza, an MQM worker on death row, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has demanded of the government to immediately remove Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan and to put the name of MQM leader Baber Ghouri on Exit Control List (ECL).

It is to be mentioned here that earlier reports said MQM leaders Babar Ghauri, Haider Abbas Rizvi, Wasi Jaleel,

Khalid Maqbool, Waseem Akhtar, Amir Khan and Saif Abbas would be put on ECL in a bid to stop them from fleeing abroad to evade legal action.

Saulat Mirza, in a video statement aired on private TV channel hours before his scheduled execution which was subsequently deferred, hurled startling allegations on Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and its top leadership.

Mirza said he was an MQM worker and received direct orders from MQM

leader Babar Ghauri to assassinate the then KESC MD Shahid Hamid.

“I along with three others accomplices was summoned at Babar Ghauri’s house where I took Altaf Hussain’s orders via telephone. Altaf Hussain would usually pass on instructions through Babar Ghauri,” alleged Saulat Mirza.

Mirza said workers like him were used as “tissue papers” by MQM, and were disposed off when there was no use left for the party. “Other workers should

take a lesson from my ending. Criminals in the party would get protection under Governor Sindh,” he claimed.

Saulat said that workers in the MQM who gained popularity among the public are eventually sidelined. Mustafa Kamal was humiliated and then kicked out because he had grown popular and Azeem Tariq was murdered for the same reason on Altaf’s order,” Mirza said.

“I have no vested interest in making these allegations at this hour. I just

want to leave a message for those who wish to join, or are part of political organisations, to learn from my mistakes,” said the death-row inmate.

Mirza was found guilty of murdering the then managing director (MD) of Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC), now K-electric, Malik Shahid Hamid, his driver Ashraf Brohi, and his guard Khan Akbar outside Hamid’s residence in DHA on July 5, 1997. —FP Monitoring

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BRIEF

TEHRAN: An Iranian woman celebrates Chaharshanbeh Souri Festival. —FP Monitoring

Iran, US kick off 5th day of nuclear talks LAUSANNE: Iran and the United States have kicked off the fifth day of intensive talks in the Swiss city of Lausanne in an attempt to bridge differences on the outstanding issues pertaining to Tehran’s nuclear program.

The talks on Thursday are led by Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State John Kerry. Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi, Zarif’s deputies, Abbas Araqchi and Majid Takht-e Ravanchi, special assistant to Iran's president, Hossein Fereydoun, US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman and European Union Deputy Foreign Policy Chief Helga Schmid are also present during the fifth day of nuclear talks. —FP Monitoring

Clerics turn down opposition to Nawroz celebrations KABUL: A number of religious

scholars have strongly turned down oppositions to the Nawroz, new solar year, celebrations, calling it only a spring festival which they believe is not against Islam.

In a gathering held on peace and solidarity on Wednesday in Kabul, the participants declared that any opposition to Nawroz celebrations was meaningless.

These statements were expressed as a result of growing rumors in the past few years that celebrating Nawroz is against Islam. "Nawroz is the first day of solar year and the revival of nature," said Mawlavi Atta-ulRahman Salim. —FP Monitoring

Political prisoner’s father threatens self-immolation

TEHRAN: Ahmad Ronaghi

Maleki, the father of jailed Iranian blogger Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, has threatened to set himself on fire in front of the prosecutor's office in Tehran if the authorities refuse to release his son for necessary medical care. Hossein Ronaghi Maleki was once again recalled to prison on March 1. —FP Monitoring

AFGHANISTAN/IRAN Rabbani, HPC brief Wolesi Jirga on peace process

KABUL: The peace process is still in its early stages and opportunities for direct talks are being arranged, Minister of Foreign Affairs Salahuddin Rabbani and High Peace Council (HPC) representatives told lawmakers in Parliament on Wednesday.

The appearance by Afghanistan's top diplomat and members of the HPC in the House of Representatives was the result of demands made by legislators to be briefed on progress in peace talks with the Taliban. Although they were forecasted to begin in early March, no official negotiations have happened between the Afghan government and Taliban leaders just yet, and many around the country have accused leaders in Kabul of being opaque and exclusionary in their handling of the process.

With more MPs present than most working days in Parliament, the chamber provided a question and answer period for those with inquires and opinions to voice about the peace talks.

"Who are you talking to, given that the Taliban are not united?" asked MP Abdul Qader Zazay.

Predictably, questions were raised about Pakistan's intentions and whether or not Islamabad can be trusted as a genuine partner for peace.

"Are you sure Pakistan will be honest this time?" MP Nahid Farid asked.

"What privileges have you given to England and Pakistan to start peace talks?" MP Sherwali Wardak asked.

The questioning session lasted for

Plot disrupting Nauroz celebrations foiled KABUL: The National Directorate of Security (NDS)—Afghanistan’s intelligence agency—has foiled terrorist plot aimed to disrupt the Nawroz or New Year celebration in Kabul.

As the Nauroz is looming, the security is also tightening in the country, especially in capital Kabul where terrorist usually try to disrupt the celebration.

NDS on Thursday issued a statement – two days before Nauroz—stating that they have recovered eight rockets which were made ready to be fired at Kabul during the celebration of Nauroz.

According to the statement the rockets were recovered from the jurisdiction of Khak-i-Jabar District.

The statement adds that the rockets were later defused.Nauroz is to be celebrated on 21 March in Kabul and all over the country. —FP Monitoring

over an hour, with all the MPs trying to tease out unshared details about the talks. Some MPs left the session without even getting answers to their questions.

"The opportunity for peace has been provided, and we are still in the beginning of work," Minister Rabbani said. "At the moment, the talks have not started yet, and under no conditions will the achievements of the past be compromised."

Addressing concerns raised about

Afghan civil servants celebrate CPPA completion KABUL: The first group of 15 Afghan civil servants completed the Certificate Programme in Policy Analysis (CPPA) course offered through a partnership between University of Central Asia (UCA) and the Ministry of Finance of Afghanistan.

The University of Central Asia’s Institute of Public Policy and Administration (UCA IPPA) marked the achievements of the first Afghan graduates of its Certificate Programme in Policy Analysis (CPPA) at a ceremony at the Ministry of Finance in Kabul on 18 March 2015.

UCA was established in 2000 by a treaty between the Governments of Kazakistan, Kyrqyz Republic, Tajikistan and His Highness the Aga Khan to promote the social and economic development of Central Asia, particularly its mountain societies.

UCA Director General, Dr Bohdan Krawchenko, said “CPPA offers a rigorous learning experience, bringing together expert instructors and civil servants to study concepts and methods in policy analysis to advance evidencebased policy making.”

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The course was offered through a partnership between UCA and the Ministry of Finance fo Afghanistan.

“We are pleased to have been able to offer the course to Afghan civil servants in partnership with the Afghan Ministry of Finance,” Dr Krawchenko added.

The ceremony was also attended by Mr Abdul Razak Vahidi, Deputy Minister for Administration and Mr Musa Kamawi, Director of Human Resources of the Ministry of Finance of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; Mrs Nurjehan Mawani, Diplomatic Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN); representatives of embassies and international organizations; government officials; academics; business community; civil society and media.

Deputy Minister Vahidi congratulated graduates and highlighted this programme as valuable capacity building of government civil servants in policy analysis. He thanked the UCA administration and the Aga Khan Development Network for facilitating this opportunity to Afghanistan. —FP Monitoring

ANSF kills 11 insurgents KABUL: At least 11 insurgents were killed and six others injured during a series of coordinated operations over the past 24 hours by the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said in a statement on Thursday.

The operations were conducted in Kunar, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Logar, Ghazni, Herat, Farah and Helmand provinces, the statement added.

Four other insurgents were detained during the operations, according to MoI. "During the same 24 hour period, the Afghan National Police discovered and defused two mines and also seized a quantity of arms and ammunitions," the statement noted. —FP Monitoring

the role Pakistan would play in the talks, HPC Deputy Din Muhammad said the Afghan government would need to move forward smartly. "We don't have any other way but peace, and if we act smartly, and use the given advice, I don't think there will be a concern," he said.

One of the major worries among lawmakers and civil society groups when it comes to the peace negotiations is the role of women. A major fear is that gains in women's empowerment

over the past decade might be sacrificed in order to appease the Taliban. "We want women to have a place in the peace talks, and we want a peace process that we don't have to pay in ransom," MP Shukria Barekzai said.

HPC Secretariat Chairman Massom Stanekzai assured that women would be involved in the negotiations. "The real talks will not be hidden, and the plan is to choose a group of elite women in the framework of the main talks," he said. —FP Monitoring

Uruzgan police chief killed in suicide attack KABUL: The provincial police chief for central

Uruzgan province of Afghanistan was killed following the suicide attack in capital Kabul late on Wednesday night. Gen. Matiullah Khan was one of the prominent security officials who was serving as provincial police chief for Uruzgan since 2011. A spokesmn for the Taliban group, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, claimed responibility behind the attack. The incident took place around 8:15 pm local time in Qala-e-Ali Mardan area in the sixth police district of Kabul city. Earlier reports suggested that the suicide bomber was looking to target a religious place where Shi’ite Muslims are gathering for religious affairs.

The spokesman for the Ministry of Interior Sediq Sediq confirmed the incident said two people were killed following the attack. —FP Monitoring

‘Taliban can be taken in govt fold’

BALKH: Atta Mohammad Noor, the acting governor of northern Balkh province and an ex-Jihadi commander who has also fought against Taliban, says he does not have issues if Taliban are included in the government.

While talking to reporters in Mazari-Sharif, provincial capital of Balkh, Atta Mohammad Noor said that if including Taliban in the government can bring peace to the country, he will welcome the deal. He says he will not have issues if Taliban are given two or three ministries.

Although, the leaders of the National Unity Government have not acted to the reports of Pakistani media that Taliban want 30 percent share in the government but President Mohammad Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah reiterate that they will not take a decision that is not in the best interest of Afghanistan.

The leaders of the national unity government have promised that the first priority in their government is to bring peace to the country.

Last month Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah said that peace talks with Taliban will start soon. —FP Monitoring

NISOC plans to produce 3 mbpd of oil TEHRAN: National Iranian South Oil Company plans to produce 3 million barrels of oil per day in the year to start March 21, 2015.

Bijan Ali-Pour, the NISOC managing director, said the Western sanctions on Iran have provided an opportunity to further develop the industry, IRNA reported.

In the year to mid-March 2014, the NISOC signed two contracts worth $312.5 million with two domestic companies for the production of spare parts for the oil industry, he noted.

"Currently, 5,600 spare parts are under production by domestic companies, of which 2,500 have been delivered to the NISOC." He said earlier, Iran used to import the spare parts.

"At the beginning, domestic spare parts were not of high quality. At present, all of them are manufactured in

Khuzestan province."

Following the directive of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Oil Ministry has expanded efforts in joint oilfields, he underlined.

Also, Hamid Deris, an NISOC director, said in March 2014, the com-

pany produced 2.93 mbpd which grew by 312,000 bpd. He noted by February 19, 2015, the NISOC managed to achieve 104 percent of the production target set by the National Iranian Oil Company. Deris also said NISOC has drilled 40 wells in Azadegan Oilfield. —FP Monitoring

UN to fund Iran anti-drug programme despite execution of offenders TEHRAN: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime criticised for planning new five-year aid deal with Tehran, which continues to use death penalty for narcotics offences.

The UN anti-drug agency is finalising a multimillion-dollar funding package, including European money, for Iran’s counter-narcotics trafficking programmes, despite the country’s high execution rate of drug offenders.

Iranian authorities have hanged at least two people a day this year for drug offences, according to the human rights group Reprieve, which works for the abolition of death penalty.

Ahmed Shaheed, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, also warned this week that the Islamic republic continues to execute more people per capita than any country. At

least 753 people were hanged last year in Iran, of whom more than half were drug offenders.

Reprieve and a number of other organisations have repeatedly urged the UN Office on drugs and Crime (UNODC) to stop funding Iran’s anti-narcotics campaign until Tehran ends its use of capital punishment for drug-related offences.

But despite their concerns, the UNODC is agreeing a new five-year deal with Iranian officials. Reprieve says its research shows that millions of dollars of support to Iran can be directly linked to the arrest and execution of thousands of people, including children. Iran has a notorious record of juvenile executions.

“Iran has hanged more than a hundred so-called drug offenders this

year, and the UN has responded by praising the efficiency of the Iranian drug police and lining them up a generous five-year funding deal,” said Maya Foa, strategic director of Reprieve’s death penalty team.

The UNODC seems to be isolated and out of step with other UN agencies Danny Kushlick, Transform Drug Policy Foundation “The lion’s share of this funding is set to come from European governments, who continue to condemn the death penalty while funding drug raids where those caught are hanged from cranes in public,” she said. “This is a costly and untenable hypocrisy, and the time has come for European countries to make their counter-narcotics assistance strictly conditional on the states which receive it abolishing the

death penalty for drug offences.”

The UNODC confirmed to the Guardian that it was finalising a country partnership programme with Iran.

The agency, however, refused to reveal which countries were contributing to the upcoming aid package.

“The funding is provided for two distinct areas,” said David Dadge of the UNODC. “The first is that we are strengthening the capacities to interdict the illicit drugs but the country partnership programme also has a very strong social component. The focus is on prevention and treatment and that’s got the support of numerous NGOs as well.”

Faced with human rights concerns, an increasing number of European countries have stopped funding the Iranian campaign, including the UK, Denmark and Ireland. France and

Norway continue to fund, Reprieve said, but it was not clear if other countries that have previously given money, such as Italy, Norway and Belgium, were part of the new deal.

Iran is a neighbour to Afghanistan, a leading producer and supplier of the world’s drugs, and faces big challenges at home with a young population susceptible to a variety of cheap and abundant addictive drugs. Critics, however, say Iran’s use of death penalty in this regard has done little, if anything, to address the issue.

Reprieve, which has monitored Iran’s anti-drugs behaviour closely, said a 15year-old Afghan boy, identified as Jannat Mir, was hanged in 2014 for allegedly moving heroin across the border from Afghanistan to Iran.

During the period the Afghan na-

tional was in Iranian custody, the UNODC was co-funding a $5.4m (£3.6m) project that included providing Iran with training to officers and drug detection dogs and vehicles, Reprieve said.

Danny Kushlick from the UK-based Transform Drug Policy Foundation said the application of the death penalty is the result of the policy of the global drug war that, he added, serves to dehumanise all those involved in the trade and use of prohibited drugs.

“The UNODC seems to be isolated and out of step with other UN agencies,” he said. “It is the responsibility of all member states to reassert the UN principles of security, development and human rights as the foundation of all programmes emerging from the UN.” —FP Monitoring

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www.thefrontierpost.pk

FRIDAY

MARCH 20, 2015

MISBAH NOT READY FOR FINAL FAREWELL ADELAIDE: Defiant Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq refuses to accept that Friday’s (today) World Cup quarter-final against Australia could be his last one-day international. “Obviously this World Cup and my career are still not over,” said Misbah. The 40-year-old has already announced his intention to retire from one-day cricket after the World Cup as has star all-rounder Shahid Afridi. “We would really like to go further in this tournament and will try our best to win tomorrow’s match and that’s what the desire and dream is, so let’s see.” —AFP

Third quarterfinal at Adelaide today

Surging Pakistan prepare for dominant Australia

ADELIADE : Contentious-selection rid-

dled, injury-ravaged, have Pakistan limped to this quarter-final, or have they surged? Through their campaign, they have delivered to their fans that characteristic mix of infuriation and ecstasy. Against West Indies, Pakistan could not catch.

Against South Africa, Pakistan caught fire. So they have oscillated through the tournament, invoking cornered tiger comparisons, even though 23 years later, they are playing a vastly different game, with a vastly different team, under a vastly different leader.

Misbah-ul-Haq's reading of the pulse of an opposition innings and the mood of his bowlers has underpinned Pakistan's latest spurt of form, but their performances have rallied around the efforts of two other men. Sarfraz Ahmed, whose batting technique deemed too flawed for opening by his own coach right before he was picked in that role, has brought dynamism to the top of the innings. In his panache, opportunism, and ungainly wicket celebrations, cricket has its latest quintessential Pakistan scrapper.

Wahab Riaz, meanwhile, has been the bowlers' inspiration, intimidating with bounce and slicing through top orders with pace. It appears Pakistan will sorely miss Mohammad Irfan, but then their bowling stocks have been shown to run staggeringly deep before.

The hosts, characteristically for them too, have never strayed far from the high standards they set on the first day of this World Cup, against England.

Mitchell Starc's yorkers and Glenn Maxwell's reality-warping knocks have struck fear into opposition dressing rooms. But to even get to Maxwell,

bowlers have to remove the likes of David Warner, Steven Smith and Michael Clarke first.

Australia are, no doubt, better drilled, better rounded, and better placed to win this match. But as New Zealand have shown, they can be exposed too.

The way Australia's tournament has gone, it is difficult to see them dropping their intensity, or buckling under the pressure of a knockout match, and Pakistan will know they must find something truly special to make the semi-finals.

In the spotlight: Aside from four wickets in the demolition of Afghanistan in Perth, Mitchell Johnson has been a sidelight of the Australia attack, as Starc has reaped wickets and plaudits. Australia's uneven schedule has not helped his rhythm - there were, at one stage, two weeks between outings. But as the tournament heats up now, Johnson feels his bowling is too. "I just feel like I'm starting to click

now," he said on Tuesday. If both he and Starc hit their stride, Pakistan's top order may need to dig deep.

Between Irfan's awkward bounce and Wahab's speed, Rahat Ali's swing and control have gone somewhat unappreciated. In the four matches he's played so far in the World Cup, Rahat has been the first-change provider of economy he has not traveled at more than five an over yet. But he has also picked up at least one wicket in each outing, and had three against South Africa. In a tournament where middle-overs wickets have shaped matches, Rahat's tight, testing spells could be telling.

Teams news: Australia appear very settled. The only conundrum for the selectors appears to be whether Josh Hazlewood should play over Pat Cummins.

The warm-up match in Adelaide gave Cummins 3 for 30, however, and he had also taken three wickets against Scotland, so he appears the frontrunner. As the pitch prepared for this match appears tinged with green, seamer Ehsan Adil is more likely to replace Mohammad Irfan than legspinner Yasir Shah. The Pakistan top order is unlikely to change.

Squads: Australia (probable): 1 Aaron Finch, 2 David Warner, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 Shane Watson, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 James Faulkner, 9 Mitchell Johnson, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Pat Cummins/Josh Hazlewood Pakistan (probable): 1 Ahmed Shehzad, 2 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 3 Haris Sohail, 4 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt.), 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Sohaib Maqsood, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Wahab Riaz, 9 Sohail Khan, 10 Rahat Ali, 11 Ehsan Adil/Yasir Shah. –Agencies

Favourites don't always win, says Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq ADELAIDE: Pakistan captain Mis-

bahul Haq fired the first salvo ahead of his team's World Cup quarter-final match in Adelaide on Friday, saying Australia will be favourites - but that favourites don't always win.

The odds are in favour of fourtime champions and co-hosts Australia, but Pakistan's unpredictable nature and four consecutive wins after a poor start to the tournament make them threatening opponents. "They (Australia) are favourites but there is no hard-and-fast rule that favourites are always going to win the match," said Misbah on Thursday. "It's which team performs better on the day, takes their chances and have some luck, they can really defeat any team," he added. "We are positive and hopeful. I think we've got a bowling line-up which can go through any (batting) line-up."

Misbah insisted his side were not daunted by playing Australia, saying teams that wanted to win the World Cup had to expect to face major opposition. "When you have a goal of winning the World Cup, you have to beat any team on the way," said Misbah, who admitted a Pakistan win on Friday would be regarded as an upset.

"Australia is tough in home conditions," said Misbah of an Australian side who have only lost once to Pakistan in their last ten home matches.

Pakistan's most recent win against Australia in Australia came in Perth in 2005 and they have lost their last seven one-day internationals away to the Aussies. "Every-

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ENGLAND WERE WRONG TO SACK ME: COOK LONDON: Alastair Cook has claimed that the ECB's decision to relieve him of the England captaincy a matter of weeks before the World Cup has been proved wrong in hindsight and described the players as looking "shellshocked" during a disastrous campaign that ended at the group stage. Cook was sacked in December, amid worsening results and after going more than two years without an ODI hundred. He said that England appeared to lack for leadership after heavy defeats against in their World Cup games that set them on the road to an early exit. —Agencies

Responsible Rohit sees off Bangladesh threat

Indian fielders celebrate with MS Dhoni after he dismissing Bangladesh’s Soumya Sarkar during the 2nd World Cup quarter-final at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday. —FP Monitoring MELBOURNE: Bangladesh did a pretty

good impersonation of Rafael Nadal for the first 30 overs of the quarterfinal, defending everything with intensity and precision, but when the moment came to hit that winner which sets Nadal apart from other defensive players, Bangladesh kept defending and paid the price. Rohit Sharma kept absorbing the pressure in a largely subdued innings, but exploded in the end to go from 60 off 80 to 137 off 126, helping India score the second-highest score in a World Cup knockout match here on Thursday.

Bangladesh showed they were no pushovers with bowling and fielding that put India under pressure, but the wheels came off towards the end with possibly everything, including the umpiring, going India's way. Suresh Raina played his part by stinging Bangladesh in a concentrated attack of 65 off 57, and Ravindra Jadeja made sure the momentum continued with a 23 off 10 in the end, taking India to a total that required high-risk batting from Bangladesh. Tamim Iqbal came out swinging, but the chase was too difficult to sustain against an in-form Indian bowling attack, which has claimed all 70 wickets on offer so far. This was MS Dhoni's 100th win as captain, and 11th on the trot in World Cups.

That the eventual margin of victory was huge should not take anything away from the significance of the umpiring blunder. India had only just started to look threatening with 41 runs in 4.3 overs of the batting Powerplay

SCOREBOARD INDIA INNINGS RG Sharma b Taskin Ahmed ..................137 S Dhawan st Mushfiqur b Shakib ..........30 V Kohli c Mushfiqur b Rubel ......................3 AM Rahane c Shakib b Taskin ................19 SK Raina c Mushfiqur b Mortaza............65 MS Dhoni c Nasir b Taskin ........................6 RA Jadeja not out......................................23 R Ashwin not out ........................................3 Did not bat: Mohammed Shami, MM Sharma, UT Yadav EXTRAS (B 4, LB 7, W 3, NB 2) ................16 TOTAL (6 wickets; 50 overs)................302 FALL OF WICKETS: 1-75, 2-79, 3-115, 4-237, 5-273, 6-296 BOWLING Mashrafe Mortaza ......................10-0-69-1 Taskin Ahmed..............................10-0-69-3 Nasir Hossain ................................9-0-35-0 Mahmudullah ..................................1-0-4-0 Rubel Hossain ..............................10-0-56-1 Shakib Al Hasan ..........................10-0-58-1 BANGLADESH INNINGS Tamim Iqbal c Dhoni b Yadav ................25 Imrul Kayes run out ....................................5 Soumya Sarkar c Dhoni b Shami............29 Mahmudullah c Dhawan b Shami ..........21

when Rohit hit a full toss straight down one is calling them favourites deep midwicket's throat. This was the and if any other team beat them time when for a split second Bangladesh then it's called an upset, so for us thought they could work at wresting if we can do that then it's very back the control, but to their horror they good for Pakistan cricket as well," saw square-leg umpire Aleem Dar had said Misbah, who said his squad called a no-ball. were in upbeat mood after a run Replays showed Rohit had met the of wins that included a victory ball waist-high well in front of his norover highly-fancied South Africa mal stance, and the ball was on its way "I think four straight wins gives down. Not only was it not a no-ball, it you a lot of confidence as a playwas inconsistent that the on-field uming unit, the mindset is good pire made such a hurried call when exand the momentum is with us treme caution has been the norm. and this is the best time to play Nine out of 10 times in modern crickagainst such a good team because we are also in a good frame of mind," said Misbah.

The Adelaide Oval is familiar territory for Pakistan, who lost their World Cup opener to defending champions India at the South Australia ground before defeating Ireland there in the pool phase. "When you are playing more games at a certain venue you tend to adopt the conditions well," said Misbah. "You know the dimensions well, you are used to that atmosphere and that can help you," said Misbah. The skipper said it was important his side did not take a backward step against Australia. "Australia play aggressive cricket and if you want to be up against them, you also need to play good aggressive cricket."

Misbah admitted losing giant paceman Mohammad Irfan to a tournament-ending hip injury had been a big loss.

"Obviously he is a different kind of bowler and his loss is big, but you have to manage things and you can't say that if he is out, we can't play. "We have other good bowlers, the kind of bowlers who can put Australia un- Indian fans showed up in big numbers at the Adelaide Oval during the Bangladesh v India 2nd quarter-final on Thursday. —FP Monitoring der pressure." –AFP

Shakib Al Hasan c Shami b Jadeja ........10 Mushfiqur Rahim c Dhoni b Yadav ........27 Sabbir Rahman c Shami b Yadav ..........30 Nasir Hossain c Ashwin b Jadeja............35 Mashrafe Mortaza c Dhoni b Sharma ......1 Rubel Hossain c Ashwin b Yadav ............0 Taskin Ahmed not out................................0 EXTRAS (B 1, LB 1, W 8) ............................10 TOTAL (all out; 45 overs) ......................193 FALL OF WICKETS: 1-33, 2-33, 3-73, 4-90, 5104, 6-139, 7-189, 8-192, 9-193, 10-193 BOWLING UT Yadav ..........................................9-1-31-4 Mohammed Shami ........................8-1-37-2 MM Sharma ....................................7-0-36-1 R Ashwin........................................10-1-30-0 SK Raina ..........................................3-1-15-0 RA Jadeja........................................8-0-42-2 Toss: India, who chose to bat Series: India advanced Player of the match: RG Sharma (India) Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and IJ Gould (England) TV umpire: SJ Davis Match referee: RS Mahanama (Sri Lanka)

et, Rohit would have been given out after replays; this just happened to be that other occasion.

Rohit was 90 off 101 when he was reprieved. India were 196 in the 40th over. Bangladesh were looking at Dhoni and Jadeja, who have not been in the best hitting form, for the last 10 overs. Instead, they had to contend with some exquisite stroke-play from Rohit. The mayhem in the end all added up to nearly double the 35-over score of 155 for 3. Rohit's three sixes took him to the joint-fifth-highest score at MCG, his average of 83.75 the best among those who have scored over 250 runs at the venue, where the final will be played. He also became only the third visiting batsman to score two hundreds at the ground.

Tamim Iqbal made a low-percentage start, which was too good to last. It didn't, ending to an edge to Umesh Yadav.

A panicked run-out followed. Asking rate rose. Disciplined bowling meant Bangladesh had to take risks every time they tried to score faster. Wickets fell almost every time they did so.

Dhoni took a diving catch to where a first slip would have been. Dhawan took one at the boundary after stepping over the rope and coming back to control the ball. Everything went for India once Rohit and Raina began to attack Bangladesh. Now they are headed to play the winner of the match between Australia and Pakistan. —Agencies

South Africa performance mirrored their belief

A

Graeme Smith

B de Villiers came out in the pre-match press conference and assured South Africa that the Proteas would be up for the game and they were determined to win it he was right. Not only did they managed the victory, but they ran out and delivered their most convincing performance of the tournament thus far.

Leading up to the game, the Sri Lankans focussed on the negative aspects surrounding the South Africa’s

previous World Cup fortunes. On the contrary, AB and his side concentrated on their strengths, knowing that if the performance mirrored the belief, there would be only one winner.

The tone was set early on in the game. It took just 10 balls for Kyle Abbott to make the first breakthrough. A sharp grab by Quinton de Kock, albeit taken at the second attempt, was just the start the Proteas were looking for. A huge confidence boost for Quinny himself and this showed throughout the game.

The intensity was there for all to see.

Right from the outset, the Proteas looked determined to get the win. Having lost the toss, it was up to the bowlers to take charge and set the tempo for the

day. They did just that, with Dale Steyn and Kyle Abbott both getting the ball to move around a bit. This will be a massive positive for the players as all the talk in the press had revolved around how South Africa often struggle to chase targets. Getting off on the right foot would thus be crucial to settling the nerves and providing them with a platform from which they could dominate.

Not resting on his laurels, de Villiers kept the pressure on the Sri Lankans.

Cleverly, he brought JP Duminy into the attack in the 14th over and with Kumar Sangakkara struggling to get going, JP was able to rush through four overs quickly and cheaply.

Duminy was ably supported by player of the match, Imran Tahir, who has

arguably been our best bowler Down Under. He got rid of Lahiru Thirimanne and then bamboozled Mahela Jayawardene, dismissing him for the fourth time in just as many innings. On that note and with the departure of Sri Lanka from the tournament, we say goodbye to two greats of the one day game. Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakara have been the backbone of the Sri Lanka middle-order for years.

The pair have combined for 36 century run partnerships and both sit close to the top of total run scorers in ODI’s.

Amassing over 26,000 runs between them, they will surely be regarded as two of the world’s best batsmen and have provided fans all over the world with many great memories. Even the

sky managed to shed a tear for Sangakkara, as the heavens opened briefly following his dismissal.

The Proteas never let up as they continued to pile the pressure on the Lankans, eventually bundling them out for 133. By Angelo Mathews’ own admission, this was never going to be enough. After getting into early trouble, they had tried to target 250 to give their bowlers something to defend. It wasn’t to be, however, as Quinton de Kock, supported by Amla and Faf du Plessis knocked off the runs in just 18 overs.

It was a welcome return to form for the young wicketkeeper-batsman who had been struggling of late. The selectors have stuck with him and justifiably so. The knock will give him the world of

confidence which he will hopefully take into the semis against either New Zealand or the West Indies. Team selection has been a point of contention this tournament but I feel that going with seven batsmen is the right balance for the team. With this, JP understands that he will need to bowl full 10 overs. This mindset will benefit him tremendously and will give him the confidence to perform. He proved that today with his hat-trick and figures of three for 29 in nine overs. AB was tactically superb today. His fielding positions, bowling changes and player management were all on point. His belief in the team is unerring and I have no doubt that he is relishing in the responsibility. Onto Auckland we go.

SPORTS

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Djokovic, Federer advance in straight sets at Indian Wells TENNIS

INDIAN WELLS: World No. 1 Novak

Djokovic took another step towards defending his Indian Wells title with a hard-fought 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) win over American John Isner. Djokovic has struggled in the past with the 6-foot-10 (2.08m) Isner's bombing serve on the hardcourts of the California desert.

But the reigning Australian Open champ got the best of his opponent in the key tiebreaker on Wednesday.

"John has one of the best serves in the game," Djokovic said. "It was difficult to hang in there mentally. "He had chances in the second set but I managed to get through in straight sets."

Djokovic booked a quarter-final clash with 35th-ranked Bernard Tomic of Australia.

Tomic eliminated fellow Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. In 2012, Isner upset Djokovic 7-6 (9/7), 36, 7-6 (7/5) in the semis, a defeat Djokovic avenged last year by beating Isner 7-5, 6-7 (2/7), 6-1 to reach the final.

Djokovic now has a 6-2 advantage in career meetings, with nine of the sets going into tiebreakers. Isner has won six of those, so Djokovic felt fortunate to

squeak through this time. "With his size and his serve he can beat anyone so I am very pleased with the victory which for me is very big," Djokovic said.

Djokovic hammered seven aces and saved both break points he faced in the one hour, 31 minute match.

Four-time Indian Wells winner Roger Federer needed just 69 minutes to oust American Jack Sock 6-3, 6-2. "The first set was really good tennis," Federer said.

"I played well throughout and was able to serve better than Jack today." In the quarter-finals, the Swiss second seed will face ninth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych, a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 winner over compatriot Lukas Rosol. "The opponents are getting tougher as you get into the back end of the tournament," Federer said.

Federer and Berdych have met 18 times with the Swiss holding a 12-6 lead.

World number three Rafael Nadal rolled over France's Gilles Simon 6-2, 64. The left-handed Spaniard hammered four aces and broke Simon five times to set up a meeting with hard-hitting Milos Raonic of Canada. "I played a solid match against a tough opponent who has good tactics," Nadal said. "I only had two bad games with my serve." Raonic hammered a 241 km/h (150 mph) serve en

Odesnik banned 15 years for 2nd doping violation TENNIS

LONDON: American

tennis player Wayne Odesnik was banned Wednesday for 15 years after a second doping violation, a sanction that essentially ends his career and was widely applauded by several top players. The International Tennis Federation said the 29-year-old Odesnik tested positive for several banned substances, including steroids, during tests in December and January. The ban was back-dated to Jan. 30 and will run until Jan. 29, 2030. "Players and athletes should know if they cheat, they get caught," second-ranked Roger Federer said from California. "I'm all for a clean sport, and that's why you've got to catch those guys who don't do the things they are supposed to be doing."

Odesnik was first sanctioned in 2010 for the possession of human growth hormone. Odesnik was off the ATP Tour from April 2010 to August 2011 after pleading guilty in Australia to importing HGH. He denied using the drug, and repeatedly said he never tested positive.

"Obviously when that happens twice, you don't deserve to be on the tour," thirdranked Rafael Nadal said. The ITF originally banned him for two years, but cut the penalty in half, saying he cooperated with investigators. Andy Murray and

other players later criticized Odesnik, wondering aloud in what way the American might have cooperated with doping authorities. "Bye bye Wayne... Good riddance," Murray, a two-time Grand Slam champion, tweeted Wednesday.

Murray was asked about Odesnik's latest penalty after his fourth-round match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. "After what happened the last time, whatever story you believe, the one that was given, I don't believe at all," he said. "I think it's good for tennis to get him off the tour and away from the tour because we don't want that being part of the tour." Murray said he believes Odesnik's positive tests in December and January should be treated as separate offenses. "He clearly was taking something and trying to get an advantage," Murray said. "He's been linked to a number of people that have been involved in doping presently and in the past and surrounded himself with those people, so I can't say I'm surprised. To have three separate issues is ridiculous. It's good that he's off the tour now."

At last year's US Open, Odesnik earned a wild card but lost to eventual finalist Kei Nishikori in the first round. It was the first time he played in the tournament's main draw since 2009, shortly before his first ban. This year, he lost in qualifying ahead of the Australian Open. —Agencies

route to a 6-3, 6-2 straight set win over Tommy Robredo of Spain.

Tough task for Raonic: Raonic is in his second straight quarterfinal but he will have his work cut out for him because he has never beaten Nadal in five career meetings. Raonic said Nadal can be an intimidating figure to play against. "Rafa really puts it out there to be noticed by his opponents and to bring himself up, as well," Raonic said. "The last time I played him, I managed to do a better job than the previous few times, so I think I have a reference base."

Fourth seeded Andy Murray, trying to rebound from a subpar 2014, defeated Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-3 in the fourth round. "It was a tricky match," said the 27-year-old Scot.

"He's played well this year, had a few good tournaments. "He's a tough guy to play against. Very unorthodox style.

He has a very, very good backhand cross court. Hits it very low over the net, very flat," added Murray, whose 496th career match win equalled Tim Henman's mark for the most in the Open Era by a British man. Murray next faces Spain's Feliciano Lopez who upset fifth seed Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-4, 7-6 (7/2). —Agencies

Simona Halep first woman into semi-finals

Serena Williams returns a shot during her match against Timea Bacsinszky in the BNP Paribas open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Wednesday.

INDIAN WELLS: World number three Simona Halep turned up the aggression and rallied for a 5-7 6-1 6-1 victory over Carla Suarez Navarro to claim the first women's semi-finals berth at

the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday.

The Romanian overcame a blistering start by 12th seed Suarez Navarro at Indian Wells to move a step closer to what would be her biggest tournament

USA tennis struggles to attract new players MARK LAMPORT-STOKES RANCHO MIRAGE: An ageing core of

recreational players and plunging sales of entry-level rackets are the biggest concerns facing tennis in the United States, according to experts.

Though the US tennis economy grew by 3 percent last year compared to 2013, based on data compiled by the Tennis Industry Association (TIA), much still needs to be done to lure the 18-35 age group to the sport. "One and a half million fewer people bought entry-level rackets in 2014 than they did in 2008, and that's staggering," TIA president Greg Mason said state in his state of the industry update at the annual Tennis Summit.

"Are they buying them used? Maybe.

But to me 1.5 million fewer rackets is a very concerning stat."

Mason, who with his TIA colleagues

organized the two-day Tennis Summit held at the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa, told Reuters the slowdown entry-level racket sales was one of three major concerns he had for the health of the sport. "If entry-level racket sales are down, it means fewer people are coming into the game, and that's a big concern," said Mason.

"Secondly, as we look at the average player, they're getting older so we need to make sure that we do more to attract younger people. "And third, we also want to bring people into the business of the game at a younger age so that we have fresh ideas, fresh approaches. Those are three biggest things we need to address."

Mason felt the United States Tennis Association (USTA) was already doing a good job at trying to lure younger people into tennis with the organization of pilot programs across the coun-

try targeted at the 18-35 age group.

USTA chairman, CEO and president Katrina Adams, who won 20 doubles titles on the WTA Tour, agreed that millennials were a big concern for the growth of the game but took great comfort from the number of under-10 players taking to the sport.

"We do have pretty good growth in our 10 and under population," Adams told Reuters. "It's really the teenagers that we are trying to keep in the sport because they have interests in other sports or they are just couch potatoes.

"That's why we are trying to make the sport as exciting as possible with shorter courts and red, orange and green balls for the kids. "So then if they are introduced to tennis, they're going to have a lot more enjoyment playing it and hopefully they can really elevate and stay with it."

Adam, who also works as an analyst

ORLANDO: Tiger Woods needs to regain

his early career confidence if he is to find his way back to the pinnacle of golf, US legend Arnold Palmer said Wednesday, a few weeks ahead of the Masters where Woods hopes to stage his return to the game. Speaking on the eve of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, Palmer said 14-time major champion Woods needs practice to rebuild that confidence. Palmer said he supported Woods' decision to take a break from competition, even though that means Woods won't be teeing it up this week at Bay Hill, where he has won eight times.

Woods took himself out of competition last month to improve his game, and time is running out for a return to form before the Masters next month. Palmer said he appreciated the fact that Woods called him to explain why he wouldn't be there. "First of all, he said, 'Arnold, you know, I can't think of anything that I'd

rather do than be there to play' and then he explained that he didn't feel like his game was ready," Palmer said on Wednesday of his brief talk with Woods.

"He really wanted to work on it and get it ready to play and I don't blame him. I think if I were in his position I would probably have said somewhat similar things. " ... He simply said that he just couldn't present himself ready to play when he isn't, and he's going to work on his game and get through it." Palmer said he "didn't say much of anything" during the call, but the seven-time major champion was asked what advice he would offer Woods.

"There's only one thing I can say and that's practice, and confidence," Palmer said. "He has to regain the confidence he had when he was starting out and that was what made him what he is. And that's the way he'll get it back. "And this is an opinion that I haven't even given to anybody, and that is he should do what he thinks he should do with his game. I think he should find a coach that he has confidence in and go work on his game." —Agencies

TEHRAN (Xinhua): Players of Iran's Naft Tehran FC celebrate scoring during their AFC Champions League Group B football match against Saudi Arabia's Al Shabab at Azadi Stadium on Thursday. Naft Tehran FC won 2-1. —FP Monitoring

Formula One

Fernando Alonso back at work and preparing for Malaysia LONDON: McLaren's Fernando Alonso put in a day's work

in the team's Formula One simulator on Wednesday ahead of his expected return to the racetrack in Malaysia next week after his crash in pre-season testing. The Spaniard told his followers on Twitter that it had been a "great day" at the Woking factory while McLaren said the double world champion had focused on operational work and practising qualifying and race procedures.

Alonso missed last weekend's season-opening Australian Grand Prix, his first race back with McLaren after leaving Ferrari, on doctors' orders after crashing and suffering concussion in Barcelona at the end of Feb-

ruary. He must still satisfy the governing International Automobile Federation that he is fit to race but expects to be driving again at Sepang and has posted photographs of himself swimming and working out. McLaren made a dismal start to the season and their new partnership with Honda, Jenson Button and stand-in Kevin Magnussen qualifying on the back row of the grid in Melbourne. Magnussen did not even make it to the grid on Sunday after his car's engine blew while Button, the last driver to win a race for McLaren back in 2012, finished 11th and last after being lapped twice by world champion Lewis Hamilton. —Agencies

Barcelona beat Manchester City 1-0 to enter Champions League quarters FOOTBALL

LONDON: Lionel Messi helped Barcelona to a convincing 1-0 win over Manchester City on Wednesday that only goalkeeper Joe Hart prevented from becoming a rout, as the Spanish hosts reached the Champions League quarter-finals for a record eighth consecutive season.

Faced with the daunting task of overturning a 2-1 first-leg loss, Manuel Pellegrini's City needed an inspired showing from Hart just to avoid a thrashing as Messi and Neymar ran amok at Camp Nou. A superb pass by Messi for Ivan Rakitic allowed the midfielder to score in the 31st-minute of a lopsided first half that saw Neymar and Luis Suarez hit the woodwork for the home side, while a rattled City racked up four bookings to one shot on goal.

City's only chance of a lifeline came with

a penalty in the 78th minute, but Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved Sergio Aguero's spot-kick. "It was a great game," Messi said. "We are confident, important things are head for us.

I'm enjoying this moment just like the rest of the team." City have now lost to Barcelona at this stage of the competition for two years in a row, and are still waiting to make their first appearance in the final eight of Europe's top-tier tournament.

"I don't feel it as a failure, I feel it as a disappointment," Pellegrini said. "It's frustrating. But Barcelona is the better team."

The contest also highlighted the gulf that has opened up between Spanish and English football at the highest level of club football. With Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid also through, Spain now has three teams in the quarterfinals for a third season in a row. By contrast, after having a quarterfinalist each year from 1997-2012,

for Tennis Channel, has pinpointed the Hispanic community in the United States as a potential game changer in the sport's future growth. "It's the fastest growing population in America and if we don't really latch on to that culture, bring them into the game, our numbers will decline in 20-30 years," said Adam. Adams is greatly encouraged, though, by what she sees at the highest level in US tennis, especially on the WTA Tour. "There's a lot of electricity about our young players coming up ... Madison Keyes is emerging, Sloane Stephens seems to be back on track, and there's also Taylor Townsend and Christina McHale," said Adams.

"Obviously at the top you've got Serena and Venus (Williams), so that shows that the diversity in the sport is really high here in America with these kids emerging and having a great stride. I think the sport is growing."

New Zealand downplay South Africa win at Cricket World Cup

Arnold Palmer says confidence key for Tiger Woods GOLF

title. "I'm looking forward to maybe playing the No. 1 in the world again now," said Halep, who will face the winner of the later quarter-final between top-ranked Serena Williams and 27th seed Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland. Suarez Navarro could do no wrong in the opening stages of the match, sweeping the first four games to go up 4-0. But Halep clawed back to 4-4, and then 5-5, before the Spaniard regrouped and unleashed a huge forehand winner to claim the first set.

From then on, Halep dominated. "She was opening the court pretty well with the angles, and it's really tough to play and hit the balls from wide in the court, so I knew I had to start playing more aggressively and hit more into the court," Halep said in her on-court interview. "I just tried to relax my body and my mind, fight for every point and play my best." Halep, whose two biggest career titles to date are Premier 5-level wins in Doha last year and Dubai this year, finished the match in style, blasting a big ace for her 28th winner. —Agencies

England has none for a second time in three seasons. Juventus also advanced on Wednesday after winning 3-0 at Borussia Dortmund and 5-1 on aggregate in the night's other game. City's sloppy start almost cost them dearly.

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola took his seat just in time to see his former team nearly open the scoring when Dani Alves recovered the ball from Vincent Kompany inside City's area. His pass found Neymar, but the Brazilian's shot hit one post and squirmed along the goal-line before turning past the other upright. While City's showed early jitters, Barcelona displayed their usual flair and Messi drew the first of 10 saves made

by Hart. "We should have won by a greater margin," Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said. "We had countless chances, something which is not normal in a game with this level of tension. We

didn't finish them off because we had a spectacular Hart in front of us."

City quickly found themselves in the predicament that the only way they could slow down Messi- who dribbled through at least three City player's legs before halftime- and Neymar was by bringing them down. That meant Fernandinho, Aleksandar Kolarov, and David Silva were all booked for fouling the duo by the halfhour mark, and Samir Nasri would further hamstring his side by kicking Neymar after Rakitic put Barcelona in front. "When Messi had the ball, there was complete chaos on the pitch," Pellegrini said.

Barcelona's goal was, fittingly, a choral affair. Jordi Alba started a counterattack, Neymar used a smart move to lure in right back Bacary Sagna, and Messi drew the deserved attention of three defenders before lobbing a pass over the top to the unmarked Rakitic. Rakitic

used his chest to control Messi's cross before lobbing the ball over Hart and into the far side of the net. Luis Suarez, the scorer of both Barcelona's goals in the first match, was the quiet member of Barcelona's attacking trio until he hit the post one minute before halftime.

City improved with winger Jesus Navas on for Nasri in the second half, but a side that needed two goals to force added time could only cling to Hart. While counterpart Ter Stegen smothered Aguero's spot kick after Gerard Pique had fouled him, Hart had a superb second half that included denying Messi on three clear scoring chances as well as blocking back a pair of Neymar strikes. Barcelona will now turn their focus to Sunday's game against Real Madrid, when Luis Enrique's team will look to protect their one-point lead over their fierce rivals at the top of the Spanish standings. —Agencies

WELLINGTON: New Zealand allrounder Grant Elliott said they had paid little notice to South Africa's overwhelming victory against Sri Lanka as they prepared for their own World Cup quarter-final against the West Indies. The winner of the New Zealand-West Indies clash in Wellington on Saturday will play South Africa in the semi-finals in Auckland next Tuesday.

The Proteas were in imperious form as they crushed Sri Lanka by nine wickets in the first quarter-final on Wednesday, but South Africa-born Elliott insisted he hardly noticed.

"I didn't watch too much. I saw it was quite a convincing win from them," he said of South Africa's dominant display at the Sydney Cricket Ground. "We'll concentrate on this game (against the West Indies) and if we do get to the semi-final then we'll have a look at their team and scout them accordingly." Elliott, born in Johannesburg, said his South African heritage would have no bearing on how he would feel if New Zealand played the Proteas in the semi-finals. "I'll just approach it as I would any other game," said Elliott, who played provincial cricket in South Africa before emigrating to New Zealand in 2001. "Our squad is here to try and win the World Cup as is every other team," he said before repeating that the Black Caps' focus was on the West Indies.

"It's a strong West Indies team and a crunch game. Everyone has got their match-winners so it's about scouting this team and going about our business in exactly the same way as we've approached every other game." Elliott, who will celebrate his 36th birthday on Saturday, is in the New Zealand side as a bowler. But Elliott revealed that if he was called up into the attack, it meant New Zealand were struggling in the field. "Generally, if I am bowling we are not doing too well as a unit and we need a breakthrough," he said. "But if we continue the way Trent (Boult), Timmy (Southee) and Dan (Vettori) have gone about the business I shouldn't need to bowl too many (overs)."

Boult, Southee and Vettori are among the leading wicket-takers in the tournament.

While New Zealand sailed through pool play unbeaten, the West Indies scraped into the quarter-finals on a superior run-rate to Ireland after finishing with three wins and three losses in Pool B. But Elliott said there was more to preparing for a knockout match than comparing previous history and he added the West Indies had shown they have match-winners other than hard-hitting batsman Chris Gayle. "Darren Sammy is someone who brings a lot of experience to the table, they've got Marlon Samuels as well who can be quite destructive. Andre Russell has shown with bat and ball he can be quite an exciting player." —AFP

www.thefrontierpost.pk

FRIDAY

MARCH 20, 2015

CENTRAL ASIA LUKASHENKO ARRIVES IN ASTANA

ASTANA: Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has arrived in Astana, BelTA has learned. On 19-20 March the head of state pays a working visit to Kazakhstan. In Astana he will meet with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, take part in the trilateral meeting of presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia. The heads of state will discuss current trade and economic challenges in the operation of the Eurasian Economic Union. The presidents are also expected to discuss several items on the international agenda that concern the interests of the three countries. –FP Monitoring

TAJIK-KAZAKH INTER-GOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION TAKES PLACE DUSHANBE: According to Tajikistan’s State Committee on Investments and State-owned Property Management, the meeting focused on bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan in sectors like agriculture, energy, transportation, industry, tourism, and sports. The meeting participants also discussed issues related to mutual settlement of debts between companies and economic entities of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. The two-day event is chaired by Qodiri Qosim, the Chairman of the State Committee on Investments and State-owned Property Management of Tajikistan and Talgat Akhsambiyev, the Kazakh Deputy Minister of Energy. –FP Monitoring

Putin orders infrastructure development in Crimea MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has passed special orders to develop tourism in Crimea and Sevastopol as major financial and social tool to broad base economy of the region.

He passed these orders while chairing the meeting on socioeconomic development in Crimea and Sevastopol in Moscow in connection with first anniversary of joining of Crimea to Russian; the event that is called as “annexation of Crimea” by European Union and United States. He was of the view that Crimea needed to stimulate business activities in industry, agriculture, tourism and other sectors, support small and medium-sized businesses, create new jobs, and provide employment and income growth.

He indicated that Crimea in past (Under Ukraine rule) left behind in infrastructure development, health and education services and this region must be given priority in all developmental projects. “The most important challenge is developing infrastructure, including energy, housing and utilities, and transport.

And I would like to ask you to report about progress in the work on a key in-

Azerbaijan is NATO’s valued partner: Romania BAKU: Romania, which has been the second country in the world to recognize Azerbaijan's independence, considers that Azerbaijan is a very important and highly valued partner of the North-Atlantic alliance.

Romanian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Daniel Christian Ciobanu made the remarks on March 19 during the conference entitled “NATO-Azerbaijan relations: perspectives for cooperation in the aftermath of NATO 2014 Wales summit” in Baku. He said relations between NATO and Azerbaijan are developing strongly and they have strategic value.

“The political dialogue covers a wide range of issues. NATO and Azerbaijan actively cooperate on democratic, institutional and defense reforms, and have developed practical cooperation in many other areas,” the ambassador noted.

Ciobanu said NATO is assisting Azerbaijan with training and modernization of its armed forces, noting that Azerbaijan’s participation in the Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan represents a proof of practical cooperation with NATO and serious commitment of the Government of Azerbaijan toward security in the region.

The ambassador also recalled that from 1999 to 2008, troops from Azerbaijan were part of the NATO-led operation in Kosovo (KFOR).

“Romania considers that the fourth cycle of Individual Partnership Action plan opens large opportunities for further development of relations between NATO and Azerbaijan. Close cooperation of Azerbaijan with the Alliance is beneficial to the stability and security of the Wider Black Sea – Caspian Sea area, encouraging also fast development of energy projects and joint initiatives among countries sharing similar tasks and objectives, As a NATO and EU member, Romania is determined to further promote and actively support Azerbaijan’s efforts to enhance its relations with the European and Euro-Atlantic institutions,” the ambassador completed. –FP Monitoring

frastructure project: the Kerch bridge crossing”, he added.

“The socioeconomic issues most on people’s minds right now are rising prices, high unemployment, low wages, poor roads, development of towns and villages, the housing problem, and affordable, quality service in the housing and utilities sector, education and healthcare”, Putin observed. While giving guidelines to his team for development in Crimea and Sevastopol regions, Russian President said that service providing structure must be on top priority because it ensured instant jobs for youth in economy.

“We need to stimulate business activities in industry, agriculture, tourism and other sectors, support small and medium-sized businesses, create new jobs, and provide employment and income growth. Priorities should also be given to culture, education, and science development. It is imperative to bring medical services and mass sports infrastructure to a new, higher level. Our demographic programmes, measures to promote healthy lifestyles, families, and protection of motherhood and childhood, should work in Crimea as effec-

tively and efficiently as possible. I repeat, right now, it is important to shift focus to challenges of comprehensive, sustainable improvement throughout the entire region”, he concluded.

It may be mentioned that Crimea is a popular tourism destination historically due to its beaches, mountains and Swallows Nest. During the Soviet era, the Mediterranean-like beach became the ideal holiday retreat for Russian monarchs and ordinary workers alike. Since Ukrainian independence, the area has continued to lure Russians, Ukrainians, and even a growing number of Westerners looking for quiet, beach-side rest and relaxation. Crimea boasts an impressive range of vistas, from mountain ranges and limestone plateaus to volcanic formations and pebbly Black Sea beaches.

However, strong ruble and throbbing Russian economy during the last one decade lured Russians to forget Crimean beaches and visited world hot destinations like Dubai, Turkey, Europe and Goa in India. Now situation has changed in the favour of Crimea after tumbling Russian economy.

One of the largest travel and tourism

digital publication Eturbo News (eturbonews.com) indicates in its recent article that imposition of sanctions over Russia played a greater rule for fall of outbound tourism in Russia and Turkey is the only country that is still hosting Russians rather with an increase of +9.7%, compared to other countries because Turkey does not impose sanctions against Russia. Eturbonews.com furthered said Russian are shy to visit other destinations due to economical meltdown or bad feelings towards those countries that are directly or indirectly involved in imposing sanctions over Russian. Other destinations that suffered the greatest declines over the last year (Mar 2014 – Feb 2015) were: North Europe (-50.1%), Northeast Asia (-32.2%), Western Europe (-27.5%), and Southeast Asia (-24.7%). This whole scenario has actually benefited Crimea that has again become hot destination for Russians and Simferopol, the capital of Crimea, saw a tremendous growth in Russian visitors, 178.5% up on the past year. This was largely due to the Russian Government special vacation support given to public workers and their families for visits to Simferopol. —Dispatch News Desk

Fear of fight between Ukraine and Eastern region mounts DONBAS/ KIEV: Residents of Donbas

are scare and are expecting a new wave of fight as Ukraine adopted a bill while drifting from Minsk Agreement--- that provided a weak but operative ceasefire in war beaten eastern regions.

Kiev has granted "special status" to "people's republics" proclaimed by the separatists with a clause that status shall be allowed after conducting elections in the region by the Ukraine government that is in glare contradiction of Kiev commitment in Minsk Agreement.

Situation has created deep fears among the residents of eastern Ukraine that war will again start soon because separatists shall not respect Minsk Agreement after this latest development.

Ukraine Parliament passed a law on Tuesday evening to provide special status “after conducting elections” while Minsk Agreement is clear to that elections shall be conducted by neutral party and special status will be announced before elections. Verkhova Rada (Ukraine Parliament) also adopted a resolution which declared Donetsk and Lugansk republic as "temporarily occupied territories" and supported the decision to appeal to the UN to put in Donbass peacekeepers. This resolution is again a violation of Minsk Agreement that asked to resolve crises by offering political and financial packages to separatists.

“These acts of Ukraine push us for rapprochement with Moscow, and the tranKFAED Deputy Director-General Hes- stitutes and two republican hospitals in sition of the Republic to the Russian ruTashkent, Samarkand, and Andijan ble could happen very soon”, said the ham Al-Waqayan, it added.

The signing ceremony was attended by cities, it mentioned. It also includes head of DNR Zakharchenko of Donbass.

KFAED Regional Manager for Central preparation works at the facilities, train- His statement is a threat to Ukraine that Asia and European Countries Yousef Al- ing of specialised doctors and technical separatists can announce their federaBader and Third Secretary at the Kuwaiti staff as part of the supplier's contract, and tion with Russia as of Crimea instead of Embassy in Uzbekistan Ambassador the consultancy services for preparation their former decision to stay with Abdulaziz Al-Zafiri, it noted. The proj- detailed specification of equipment and Ukraine with more administrative powect aims to support the social develop- supervision of installation, it said. Upon ers.

“Special status granted by Ukraine ment in Uzbekistan, and to enhance the the signature of the agreement, this quality and efficiency of the medical loan will be the 7th one extended by the Verkhovna Rada is unaccepted for sepservices provided in the medical insti- KFAED to Uzbekistan, considering that aratists as well as for Russia. Kiev is tutes and republican hospitals, it point- the Fund had already extended six loans pushed by United States to drift from to Uzbekistan, totaling about KD 31.9 Minsk Agreement and new law will not ed out.

The project consists of supplying and million (equivalent to about USD 106 be acceptable for rebels as well as for installation of modern medical equip- million) to finance projects in various Russia and can bring a new wave of fight in eastern Ukraine”, claim political obment and accessories to five medical in- sectors. –FP Monitoring

KFAED, Uzbekistan ink $22 million loan agreement

KUWAIT: A loan agreement was signed

on Thursday in Tashkent between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) whereby the latter will extend a loan of KD 6.5 million (equivalent to about USD 22 million).

The loan will be used in financing the equipping clinics of medical higher schools and republican clinical hospitals with modern medical equipment project, said a statement by the KFAED on Thursday. The loan agreement was signed by Uzbekistan's First Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance Rustam Sadikovich Azimov and

C3

servers in Kiev.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, said the law adopted by Ukraine Parliament was a "sharp departure from the Minsk agreements" because it tied "special status" to elections in which the self-declared rebel leaders would not take part. Separatist leaders called adopted law “completely contradict the Minsk agreements". Alexei Karyakin, a spokesman for rebels called this act as an attempt of Kiev for "new bloodshed."

Local authorities will have expanded powers - will be able to appoint the heads of the local prosecutor's office and the courts, to create groups of "people's militia" of the locals. There are 85 local areas in the list for special status. Kiev will retain the territory of which the militia seized the end of September, including the Donetsk airport Debaltseve. The law will work in full force only after early elections in the Donbass, and before that to the east of Ukraine should withdraw all illegal armed formations, mercenaries and military equipment, and the border is to go under the total control of Kiev - the document says.

According to the authorities of self-proclaimed republics, it is contrary to the Minsk Agreement and delayed the moment lift the economic blockade of Donbas, as well as a direct dialogue between the parties. Verkhova Rada (Ukraine Parliament) also adopted a resolution which Donetsk and Lugansk republic declared "temporarily occupied territories" and supported the decision to appeal to the UN to put in Donbass peacekeepers while DNR has opposed this idea of Un Peacekeeping forces in DNR areas. “The pro-Western leadership bulldozed the law through parliament to show its good faith to the West - whose financial and political backing it needs to prevent Ukraine breaking up - even at the risk of shaking the consensus in the assembly”, claim political observers while the team of President Poroshenko believes that was the best possible law parliament could adopt.

–Dispatch News Desk

Tajik, Kazakh to boost bilateral economic ties DUSHANBE: The 12th session of Tajik-

MOSCOW: Pro-Kremlin activists take part in a rally and a concert commemorating anniversary of the annexation of Crimea —FP Monitoring

Kazakh intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation is being held at the National Library of Tajikistan in Dushanbe today. Co-chaired by Qosim Qodir, Chairman of the State Committee on Investments and State-owned Property Management of Tajikistan and Talgat Akhsambiyev, Deputy Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan, the session has brought together representatives of relevant ministries and agencies as well as business communities of the two countries to discuss state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. The meeting focused on bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan in sectors like agriculture, energy, transportation, industry, tourism, and sports. A two-way trade between Tajikistan and Kazakhstan last year reportedly valued at more than 700 U.S. dollars, which was 23 percent more than in 2013. This consisted of Tajikistan’s exports to Kazakhstan estimated at 181 million U.S. dollars and Tajikistan’s imports.–FP Monitoring

Baku hosts conference on ‘Azerbaijan-NATO’ relations

BAKU: The conference entitled “NATO-

Azerbaijan relations: perspectives for cooperation in the aftermath of NATO 2014 Wales summit” was held on Baku on March 19. The conference was organized by the Human Rights Institute of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and the Embassy of Romania in Azerbaijan, which serves as NATO Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan.

Addressing the event, Aytan Mustafayeva, the director of the Human Rights Institute, said Azerbaijan and NATO had done serious work in Afghanistan and in the fight against cyber crime. Romanian Ambassador to

Azerbaijan Daniel Christian Ciobanu, in his speech, said that Romania, which has been the second country in the world to recognize Azerbaijan's independence, considers that Azerbaijan is a very important and highly valued partner of the North-Atlantic alliance.

“The Ambassador also noted that relations between NATO and Azerbaijan are developing strongly and they have strategic value,” the ambassador noted.

Steffen Elgersma, the high-ranking official from the NATO Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, said Azerbaijan’s contribution to the operations in Afghanistan is one of the key aspects of

NATO-Azerbaijan relations. “Another aspect of cooperation includes the reform in the defense field. Compliance of Azerbaijani authorities with NATO standards, improvement of education is the priority in this regard. Energy security and preventing cyber attacks are new aspects in NATO-Azerbaijan relations.

These relations are carried out on the basis of mutual choice,” he said.

William Lahue, NATO Liaison officer for the Caucasus said that a NATO training-assessment center to be created in Georgia can open up new cooperation opportunities for Azerbaijan as well: “The other issue within the Sub-

stantial Support Package is the establishment of the institute of defense. Its function and topics of trainings are under discussion.

This will create new opportunities for the prospects of cooperation between Georgian and Azerbaijani armed forces.

Azerbaijan will send military to take part in the exercises there.” Noting that his country hosted the latest NATO summit, British Ambassador Irfan Siddiq listed the key outcomes of the summit. He said that the sides should work toward the fulfilment of the objectives by the next summit to be held in Warsaw in 2016. –FP Monitoring

C4 CHIT CHAT

Kate shares birthday tribute to Russell NEW YORK: Goldie Hawn and Kurt

Russell have been together for more than 30 years. But as Hawn's daughter, Kate Hudson made adorably clear in a birthday message to Russell Tuesday, he's also been by the side of Hawn's kids for all those years. Here's how Hudson, 35, captioned this Instagram photo in honour of her father figure's 64th birthday: "Today in our family we not only celebrate St Patricks Day but the birthday of our Pa! Happy Birthday to the most dependable, strong, authentic, loving and fun Dad! I love you!

This is a man who made his family his number one priority his whole life. Never missed a school play, a soccer game, a hockey game, a dance recital and the list goes on and on. –FP Monitoring

Romance rumours swirl around Nick and Jessica HOLLYWOOD: One Jersey grocery shopping trip plus two thigh-skimming boots divided by one Maybelline model and one Nick Cannon equals love -- at least according to the New York Post's summation of details surrounding Cannon's weekend. On Saturday, the "America's Got Talent" host was apparently seen at a Garden State A&P with model Jessica White (left), who was clad in "thigh high boots and a short white dress." She later wore the same outfit to Cannon's DJ gig at the Borgata in Atlantic City that night. The New York Post claims that Cannon and White and keeping their alleged romance under wraps until his divorce from Mariah Carey has been finalized … in spite of the fact that on Tuesday, Cannon told "Extra" point blank, "I'm not dating anyone." –FP Monitoring

Pharrell joins UN on International Happy Day NEW YORK: Know what would really make Pharrell happy? That's the message he's touting in a collaboration with the United Nations Foundation to promote March 20's International Day of Happiness, Rolling Stone reports. As part of his campaign to educate fans about what's happening in our environment, he's calling for 1 billion signatures to a Live Earth petition that asks leaders around the world to draft an accord to prevent further climate change before the U.N.'s conference on climate change in Paris this fall. In the meantime, a "Global Happy Party" invites music fans and budding environmental activists to submit their photos for use in an animated gif tuned to Pharrell's song "Happy." –FP Monitoring

ENTERTAINMENT

Lauren to play ISI agent in ‘Welcome to Karachi’ MUMBAI: Any Body Can Dance star has been signed on to appear in upcoming Bollywood film Welcome to Karachi.

The professional dancer has officially replaced Nargis Fakhri to star in Welcome to Karachi. According to the actress herself, she will portray the role of a ‘badass’ Pakistani ISI agent. After confirming her role, Gottlieb disclosed that the role reminded her of earlier days when her father would roam around their house in New York with a gun. Here’s what she had to say.

“I’m really excited about my bad-ass character, who’s a Pakistani ISI agent.

The role reminded me of my New York days when my father would walk around the house carrying a gun. It’s an action film and you’ll see me doing a lot of stunts,” she stated.”

Welcome to Karachi is a satirical movie based on supposedly two Pakistanis who get lost in Karachi without their passports. Ultimately, they are kidnapped by the Taliban. Arshad Warsi and Jackky Bhagnani will feature in the movie as the two stranded Pakistanis.

Initially actor Irfan Khan was to star beside Warsi but then Bhagnani replaced him. Coupled with the fun filled comic acting of Arshad Warsi, the film

does indeed have the potential to become a resounding success.

Lauren Gottlieb did acknowledge the fact that whereas she had finally seemed to be making a name for herself in Bollywood, it seemed that Hollywood filmmakers had forgotten about her.

“Most of the online content is blocked there, so even if I want my friends to watch a few videos of my work, it’s not possible.

The American producers probably think I’ve fallen off the globe,” she said. This is the first time the Dancing with the Stars performer will be seen in an action role. –FP Monitoring

Madonna criticizes Dolce, Gabbana on controversial comments LOS ANGELES: Madonna, the famous

‘Dukhtar’ to release in UK

LONDON: Highly acclaimed Pakistani film Dukhtar is ready for UK release. Afia

Nathaniel’s highly acclaimed road trip thriller Dukhtar, an exhilarating story of a mother and her 10-year-old daughter on the run to disrupt plans of the child’s proposed marriage to a powerful tribal elder, is releasing across the UK from this month. The film released in Pakistan last year and has continued to successfully screen at film festivals around the world where it has bagged a handful of accolades. Dukhtar was also nominated for an Oscar consideration in the category of ‘Foreign Language Film’ at the 87th Academy Awards. Inspired by a true story and offering stunning visuals not to be missed, Dukhtar will be screened in the UK from this week. Dukhtar stars Samiya Mumtaz, Mohib Mirza, Saleha Aref, Asif Khan, Ajab Gul, Adnan Shah Tipu, Abdullah Jan, Samina Ahmad, Omair Rana and Zeeshan Shafaff. –FP Monitoring

Silence growing between Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes

NEW YORK: There is nothing but radio

silence between Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes these days, according to a new report. TMZ is reporting that the former couple wants "nothing to do with each other" and that they don't speak to one another, not even about their 8year-old daughter Suri. There is "no desire on either Tom or Katie's part to mend fences," the website said, claiming there is a lot of bad blood between them. The former couple, who divorced in 2012, reportedly has no co-

‘Rebel Heart’ singer, spoke out against the famed designers, posting a Dolce and Gabbana campaign photo of her and a baby sitting atop her on Instagram.

Madonna criticized the designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana over their controversial IVF comments.

Earlier Elton John also claimed that he would boycott the fashion label. The 56year-old actress posted a Dolce & Gabbana 2010 campaign photo which showed her and a baby sitting atop her, on Instagram on March 18, Wednesday.

The actress alongside the photo wrote, “All babies contain a soul however they come to this earth and their families.

There is nothing synthetic about a soul!!

So how can we dismiss IVF and surrogacy? Every soul comes to us to teach us a lesson”.

She wrote that God has his hand on everything and who are we humans to

Peter Facinelli engaged with Jaimie Alexander NEW YORK : Do you hear that? Its wed-

ding bells for Peter Facinelli and Jaimie Alexander! The duo may have been at the centre of engagement rumours last year; however the actor's rep confirms that Facinelli and Alexander are now (really) engaged!

Facinelli has been smitten with his former Nurse Jackie co-star since they began dating back in 2013.

The pretty pair recently enjoyed some quality time together in New York City, and shared the adorable PDA pics with fans via social media. Alexander posted a snapshot of the two sneaking a smooch at the top of the Empire State Building and wrote, "Top of the world with my love”. In fact, it turns out the Twilight star popped the question to Alexander on top of the Empire State Building on Monday, according to People, who first reported the engagement. Another photo of Facinelli and his ladylove, tweeted by the Empire State Building account, shows Jaimie rocking a ring on that finger—but it's not the diamond sparkler you're expecting. It's actually an elephant ring that was given to her by Facinelli, which she flaunted on a separate IG post earlier this week. –FP Monitoring

parenting discussions and everything regarding Suri is handled through intermediaries. Although Tom hasn't seen Suri in months because he's currently shooting "Mission Impossible 5" in London, he is still involved in her life, just not as much as Katie reportedly wants him to be. The silence between the two of them is a stark contrast to how vocal they were in marriage and in dating (you know, when Tom jumped on Oprah's couch to profess his love for Katie in 2005). –FP Monitoring

NEW YORK: Having worked with her on "Equals," Nicholas Hoult has become a devout Kristen Stewart fan. "I don't want to give away too much about the film. But [Kristen's] a real artist and someone who's incredibly talented and great at like you know, improvising and taking lines and developing them and just working the story out," he told Entertainment Tonight Canada (via Just Jared) at SXSW this week. "I can't talk highly enough of her." –FP Monitoring

think man does anything of his own.

Dolce and Gabbana addressed the controversy in an interview with CNN. Gabbana said, “I support the entire world. Maybe chose the wrong words.

I think in a different way from Domenico, I believe in vitro for ex-

impression of London’s Covent Garden in March as the Dub Fest street theatre and comedy festival comes to town. The famous pedestrian square in London becomes a daily theatre space for jugglers, acrobats and clowns, as crowds of shoppers stop to watch. Dub Fest, which last year drew more than half a million people, takes over the Al Ghurair Centre for ten days, welcoming more than 30 international performers.

On the bill for 2015 is Doctor Bucketman, a drummer whose drum kit is made of pots, pans, and buckets. Victor Rubilar shows off his football freestyle tricks; there’s madcap dancing from Spandy Andy; while Checkerboard Guy juggles with axes and machetes.

New this year is a circus workshop for children in whom performers teach skills such as tightrope walking, trapeze work, and unicycle riding. The workshop runs Sunday to Thursday from

3pm to 9pm, and 2pm to 9pm at the weekend.

Sikka Art Fair returns to the Al Fahidi historical neighbourhood for its fifth edition, with a string of stimulating displays for young and old. Wander among alleys and wind towers, and step

inside any of the restored villas that have been transformed into open studios by the Artists In Residence Dubai programme or occupied by a multitude of local creative organisations.

As well as art, the fair welcomes musicians, so expect a few live perform-

ample”. IVF comments of the designers were seen as an attack on same-sex families. Gabbana on this said that they love gay couples, and even love gay adoption. Gabbana said that Domenico has just expressed a point of view.–FP Monitoring

Saad Haroon sends love to Conan O'Brien

KARACHI: Looks like there's no stop-

ping Pakistan's Saad Haroon from getting global acclaim for being a rib-tickler!

The stand-up comedian was the runner up of Laugh Factory's Funniest Person in the World competition recently and now, one of his notorious comic videos has made its way to the late night talk show, Conan, hosted by Conan O' Brien (Go figure!).

The video, titled 'Pakistan loves Conan O'Brien' shows a group of men, enjoying tea at a local dhaba and watching Conan on the television. While watching the show, they are shown laughing and dancing in a silly manner to show how Conan is appreciated by many in Pakistan as well. Haroon has always been a fan of the late night show host. He posted the following picture on his official Facebook page last year, calling O'Brien his "hero": Saad Haroon is the brains behind Pakistan's first improvisional comedy troupe called Blackfish.

He is also the creator of the popular video sketch called 'Burka Woman' and has performed internationally as well.

Many fans took to twitter to congratulate Haroon for yet another achievement. –FP Monitoring

Ranbir gets mushy with Anushka

MUMBAI: The theatrical trailer of Anurag Kashyap's 'Bombay Velvet' is out. Based on Gyan Prakash's book 'Mumbai Fables', 'Bombay Velvet' was set in early 1960's. Ranbir Kapoor (as Johnny Balraj) and Anushka Sharma (as Rosie) add mystery and flavour to the just released trailer with their soft-hard, good-bad, sweetseductive chemistry.

Ranbir Kapoor plays a street fighter who turns into a tycoon in the movie and Anushka Sharma plays a nightclub jazz singer at a club and Ranbir's love interest. The screenplay is jointly written by Anurag Kashyap, Karan Johar and Vikramaditya Motwane. The film also features Karan Johar, Kay Kay Menon and Vivaan Shah in a crucial role. The film gets its name from the fictitious night club Anushka works in. The film will be release in theatres on 15th May. –FP Monitoring

Dubai ready to brace three big street festivals

DUBAI: Dubai does a pretty good

Kristen is a real artist: Nicholas Hoult

FRIDAY

MARCH 20, 2015

ances too. Plus, there are plans for poetry readings, film screenings and other entertainment in the evenings. For children, the fair will host interactive arts workshops, and there are interesting culture walks taking place during the day.

The fifth edition of the Dubai Marina Street Festival will see the Mall and surrounding area transformed into a stage for acrobats, street entertainers, singers, dancers and all manner of performers. The likes of New Zealand, Australia, USA, UK, Spain and Chile are all represented across the arts.

Among those capturing your attention will be diabolo juggler, magic illusionist and physical comedian Vinyl Burns, award-winning New York trio BExtreme, and La Bella Tour old-school circus acts. There will also be ladder balancing, juggling, oddball stunts, and improvised clowning. One highlight will be the appearance of ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ semi-finalist act, Faces of Disco. –FP Monitoring

Blake Lively learns to fix motorcycles NEW YORK: This

cupcake-baking, home-centric new mama doesn't exactly look like the grease monkey type, but Blake Lively is learning to fix motorcycles. Asked how she likes to relieve stress, lively told O magazine's April issue (via People) that grabbing a wrench is among her quick-fixes for anxiety: "I'll knit or cook – or work on a motorcycle, a skill my husband is teaching me. One of my latest projects was painting nature-inspired throw pillows." Aw, how Martha Stewart meets "Sons of Anarchy." –FP Monitoring

BUSINESS

www.thefrontierpost.pk

FRIDAY

MARCH 20, 2015

fCCi MEMbERs inviTED TO PARTiCiPATE in MEDiCOnEx

FAISALABAD: Members of Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) have been invited to participate in Mediconex fair scheduled to be held at Cairo (Egypt) from April 18-20. This international fair is one of the leading events in Egypt and North Africa for healthcare professionals. Arab-African conferences and exhibitions are regularly being organized in this event and it will be 8th event in the row. It will attract 560 exhibitors from 30 countries including USA, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Denmark, Netherland, Sweden, Ireland, Switzerland, Turkey, New Zealand, Korea, China and Japan, told a spokesman of the FCCI here Thursday. —APP

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PARC, CDA ink MOU TO PRODUCE hOnEy fROM MARgAllA hills ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aiming at producing high quality honey from Margalla hills. The MoU was signed by Secretary PARC, Muhammad Tariq and Member Administration CDA, Amer Ali Ahmed here. The MoU will facilitate production of branded honey from Margalla hills and queens from apis mellifera colonies besides building capacity of Margalla community in beekeeping and developing network of hone producers. —APP

HEC, Microsoft launch NEM system

KARACHI: Fishermen return after catching fish in Karachi. —Online

Govt utilizing resources for development of province: Minister

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Mineral Development, Coordinator and Focal Person of Mega Projects, Zia Ullah Afridi has said that the government was utilizing resources to make the province a progressive, peaceful and role model for other provinces to follow.

Talking to a delegation of party activists here Thursday, the minister reiterated commitment to ensure better delivery to masses and said that government believes in practical work rather making political statement.

Highlighting, reforms initiatives taken by the government, he stated we would serve a common man irrespective of its political affiliation.

He said that supremacy of justice, rule of law and real democratic values would be ensured for national development through comprehensive policies. —APP

Rehabilitation, beautification work of Capital's roads begins

ISLAMABAD: As the work on Metro

Bus Service project is nearing its completion, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has also started rehabilitation, upgradation and beautification work of the roads, markets and green belts across the Federal Capital.

"We have directed our Machine Pool Organization to repair the affected roads and markets at the earliest to facilitate the citizens," a CDA spokesman told APP. He said the rehabilitation Margalla Avenue, which was most used as major alternative artery during work on Islamabad section of Metro Bus Project had started on Saturday. "Other affected roads are also being rehabilitated simultaneously," he said adding that the civic body was utilizing its own resources to complete the mainteKARACHI: Karachi Stock Exchange nance work of the affected roads. He (KSE) 100 index closed lower on Thursday having 31451.62 points with a negative change of 73.36 and volume of 66,602,260 shares.

High and Low were 31607.81 and 31395.07 respectively. Total volume traded in the market was 107,539,120 shares with 328 total traded companies KARACHI: Chief Secretary of Sindh, out of which 146 were up 156 were Mohammad Siddiq Memon has directdown and 26 were unchanged. Con- ed the Sindh Solid Waste Management struction and Materials (Cement) were Board (SSWB) to expedite pace of its the top traded sector with total traded work and ensure timely completion of volume of 16,450,400 shares. It was fol- the assignments. lowed by Household Goods with a total Presiding over a meeting of SSWMB oftraded volume of 15,865,500 shares. ficials here Thursday, he said schemes of The three top traded companies were power generation through recycling of solMapleLeafCement XD with a volume of id waste on modern lines needed to be 6,070,500 and price per share of 51.86 materialized and consequently put into (1.24), Engro Corp with a volume operation without any further delay.

4,431,300 of price per share of 274.12 Managing Director SSWMB, Roshan (5.79), Fauji Cement XD with a volume Shaikh, in a detailed presentation on the 3,584,000 of price per share of 29.36 occasion, informed the Chief Secretary (0.34). The top three advancers were that his organization has already started Murree Brewery with price per share with the first phase of the concerned work 989.95 (31.11), Pak Tobacco with price at Karachi, Nawabshah and Hyderabad. per share of 775.00 (15.52) and Roshan Shaikh also mentioned that SSMithchellsFruitXD share of 489.45 WMB was established under an act in (15.16). —FP Monitoring 2013 and is a Scientifically Integrated

KSE close of day

said that it was decided during a recent meeting held at CDA headquarter that rehabilitation work on all major roads and streets of Islamabad would be started without delay in order to facilitate the general public and in the first phase main arteries of Islamabad would be repaired. The Authority has also decided to upgrade the different 'marakiz' and class three shopping centres of Islamabad and for this purpose amenities, including street lights, repair and maintenance and upgradation of footpaths, roads and other facilities and infrastructure in the markets would be ensured.

In order to make Capital city more beautiful and attractive, the CDA has also decided to beautify all entry points, median strips and green belts along the major avenues with colourful flowering plants and fascinating landscaping. —APP

Sindh CS asks SSWMB to expedite pace of projects project focused on generation of electricity, gas and other sources of energy.

The power generation, he said is being achieved through scientific recycling for which sanitary engineered land fill site is in process of being developed. The project, he said is also meant to strengthen health and environment related issues consequent to inappropriate disposal of garbage and mishandling of pollution.

The SSWMB Managing Director said work is also underway to ensure foolproof handling and disposal of hospital based waste alongwith hazardous industrial discharge. Mentioning that necessary assessment and relevant study related to the project has already been started, Roshan Shaikh said solid waste induced power generation scheme would be initiated in Karachi some time between October to November this year. —APP

Meeting reviews progress on current year ADP schemes PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information and Higher Education, Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani has directed his both departments for accelerating pace of work on the development schemes of the current year and achievement of the desire results within the stipulated time period.

He issued these directives while presiding over separate meetings regarding progress on annual development schemes of the departments of Information and Higher Education for the current financial year.

The provincial minister said that delay and negligence in projects of public interest intolerable and directed for joint efforts to the timely completion of development schemes to accomplish the desired targets.

In briefing on progress on development schemes in Higher Education, the provincial minister was told that work on 24 schemes of the financial year 2014-15 is continued in the province, which included the establishment of public libraries, new colleges and auditoriums in different districts of the province while 50 per cent targets have been achieved so far.

Similarly, regarding development schemes in Information Department, the minister was told that construction work on Regional Information Office in Swat had reached to final phase. Furthermore, work on the construction of hall in Haripur Press Club is also in progress and the required results would be achieved within the due time period.

Speaking on the occasion, the provincial minister expressed satisfaction over the progress made on annual development schemes by both departments so far. However, he directed the achievement of 100 per cent results regarding these projects by the end of the current financial year. He also directed the Communication and Works (C&W) and consultants for accelerating the pace of their work. —APP

ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Microsoft have collaborated to create an online portal "National Event Management System (NEMS)", developed by Xelleration Pakistan for academic activities of higher education institutions.

The purpose-built and enriched online portal will enable HEC to effectively manage over 3000 events, organized by universities and HEC under a countrywide Education-Alliance between Microsoft and HEC. Based on Microsoft Office 365 (Share Point Online), this portal will also facilitate and inform the potential participants and attendees about the events as scheduled and published.

A launching ceremony was held at HEC Secretariat, Islamabad in which the National Event Management System was inaugurated by Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman HEC with the launch of portal available at http://pern-public.sharepoint.com.

Harb Bou-Harb, Public Sector Director of Microsoft- NEPA region was also present on the occasion. The event was also attended by Dr. Mansoor Akbar Kundi, Executive Director HEC, Anwar Amjad, Director General (IT) HEC, Abid Zaidi, Country Enterprise and Partner Group Director Microsoft Pakistan and Jibran Jamshad, Enterprise Technology Strategist, Microsoft Pakistan.

The pioneering facility will be offered to more than 157 universities and campuses, facilitating over one million students, faculty members and staff across the country. HEC being facilitator of the higher education sector will now be able to closely view and strategize education planning based on the audience feedback extracted from this portal.

The portal offers user registration, attendance, and self-service scheduling of various activities for diversified events and also solves the problems highlighted in the feedback received from the participants.

The administration teams at universities can use this comprehensive facility to manage events, manage facilities/ resources and reserve rooms for the events. A special feature will enable them to invite attendees for an event, or help them in self-enrolment.

The portal also offers publishing and sharing the events on Social Media.

Post-event feedback collection from users through an automated mechanism and subsequently extracted from the portal. One click view of graphs and charts, representing the number of events, are amongst the main features of this portal, which can be compiled according to various disciplines or subjects, e.g. engineering events, Medical events, etc. Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed appreciated HEC's IT Division lead by Anwar Amjad and Microsoft team for another important initiative for students, faculty members and researchers. He said that HEC will continue to play its key role in facilitating and strengthening the institutions of higher learning in Pakistan. National Event Management System has been designed to effectively resolve the operational challenges and enhancing productivity of hundreds of events in diversified discipline, organized by and for HEIs across Pakistan. Harb Bou-Harb said, "It is a matter of pride for Microsoft to facilitate creation of this sophisticated online facility, which will go a long way in streamlining insightful events, conducted and managed by HEC annually. —APP

50pc uplift work done on under ADP 2014-15 in KP PESHAWAR: The provincial department of Higher Education has completed 50 per cent work on 24 developmental schemes initiated under Annual Development Program (ADP) 2014-15.

This was informed in a meeting held here with Minister for Higher Education and Information Mushtaq Ghani in the chair to review pace of work on development projects initiated by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Higher Education and Information departments. The development projects included construc-

tion of public libraries, new colleges and auditoriums in different parts of the province. The projects initiated by provincial information department included construction of Regional Information Office in Swat and hall of Hari Pur Press Club.

The Minister directed the concerned departments to expedite the development work and ensure completion within stipulated time, adding that these projects are meant for public interest and any undue delay would not be tolerated in this regard. —APP

Strategy developed to achieve 50m mobile accounts in five years

ISLAMABAD: A strategy has been developed to achieve a manifold surge in mobile-wallets (m-wallet) to over 50 million in next five years. The Branchless Banking (BB) remains an effective channel to expand outreach of unbanked and under-banked people. At present around 5 million customers hold m-walletsto avail host of services including fund transfer, utilitybills payments, domestic remittances, mobile top-ups,loan repayment and saving account features. As per State Bank of Pakistan's data, the monthly volume of branchless banking transactions is 24 million, valuing Rs. 125 billion. Four more banks have recently joined the BB system. Both regulators - Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and SBP were working in close coordination to develop regulatory framework that supports growth in the mobile banking sector. The 3G/4G spectrum has revolutionised the lifestyle in Pakistan and playing an important role in socio- economic development. The mobile broadband subscribers have reached 14 million mark since its launch few months ago and is expanding on an average by one million new subscribers every month. —APP

Revaluating WAPDA assets ISLAMABAD: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has decided to revaluate its assets under present market rates and offer part of what is expected to be an increase to the general public. The obvious objective of this decision is to generate resources that are sorely required to finance large hydel infrastructure projects that, according to recent reports, are being held hostage to a rise in the budgeted current expenditure attributable to the ongoing military operations against terrorism. Thus, on the one hand, revaluating assets would enable Wapda to access the higher commercial funding, though private commercial banks maintain that they are overexposed to the power sector, but also enable the entity to issue bonds that could be sold to the general public.

Such a decision is in line with the Wapda Act that empowers the entity to seek resources from (i) in-

ternal cash generation; (ii) grants made by the government; (iii) loans obtained from the government; (iv) sale proceeds of bonds issued under the authority of the government; (v) loans obtained from financial institutions; (vi) foreign loans obtained from the World Bank, etc; and (vii) all other sums received by the Authority. Wapda's internal cash generation remains severely limited mainly because its income is limited to sale of hydel electricity and water at heavily subsidised rates while a cashstrapped federal government has been compelled to slash budgeted hydel projects' disbursements that has included funds for ongoing mega hydel projects. At the same time it is relevant to note that multilaterals and bilaterals have increasingly withdrawn funding for mega hydel energy projects throughout the world premised on their environment and resettlement policies. An example is the withdrawal of the earlier commitment by the

Asian Development Bank for the 12 billion dollar Diamer-Bhasha dam in 2012. That essentially places pressure on revenue generation on Wapda itself, which is the reason behind the decision of the Authority to re-evaluate its assets.

Wapda floated seven issues starting in 1987-88 with the last one issued in 1995 at a rate of 5 percent (four issues were at 10 percent - in 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994) with the final one maturing in 2005 and there was never any hint of a default. But this period was before Wapda's bifurcation in 2007 with Wapda since left with responsibility for only hydel and water sector projects. Be that as it may, the Wapda bonds were highly successful at the time and represented a positive way to boost the stock market as well as develop a secondary bond market. Analysts also correctly maintain that with the increasingly tight money laundering rules throughout the world black money could be

channeled into infrastructure development through the offer of bonds by Wapda with certain guarantees as to the source of funds.

On 14th September, 2005 a presentation was made during the first Islamic banking and money market conference on Debut Local Currency Sukuk issue for Wapda whereby 600 million dollars were proposed as the principal amount, with a maturity date of 2010 at 6-month Libor plus 220 basis points and highway land (motorway) was the underlying asset.

The last consolidated balance sheet uploaded on Wapda website is at June 30, 2013, and therefore none has been uploaded since the PML-N government took over control on 6th June, 2013. Interestingly enough the balance sheet shows more capital works (in progress and completed) for the water wing at 342.7 billion rupees as opposed to the water wing (52.4 billion

rupees). If current assets are included the situation is reversed with total current assets of the water wing at 5.7 billion rupees and power wing's 139 billion rupees.

Total current liabilities of the water wing were 4.2 billion rupees while that of the power wing was 39 billion rupees with non-current liabilities estimated at 23.6 billion rupees and 87 billion rupees respectively. The balance sheet notes current maturity of loans and bonds at 6.57 billion rupees under the power wing and it is unclear whether the proposed sukuk was issued and maturity deferred. One would hope that the federal government urges Wapda to update its website and place the consolidated balance sheet for 2014 for general public's perusal - a factor that would strengthen the perception of transparency in the Authority, which is a critical factor in luring investors. —FP Monitoring

EDITORIAL

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MARCH 20, 2015

Editor-in-Chief & Chief Executive | REHMAT SHAH AFRIDI Resident Editor | RIFAT ALAM Managing Editor | MAJ. (R) JAVED IQBAL Email: thefrontierpost1@outlook.com — rehmatshahafridi@outlook.com Tel: +92 42-36300931-4 Printed and published by Rehmat Shah Afridi at Maidan Press, 10-Queen’s Road Lahore

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Party over for Altaf?

ondemned to die on the gallows Saulat Mirza had his wish. He wanted the execution of his death sentence delayed so he could make amends for the wrongs he had done. His execution has been put off by seventy-two hours. A joint investigation team is to fully investigate the damning statements he has given with regard to MQM’s leadership role in the many target killings in Karachi.

Mirza in his statement from his death cell has accused Altaf Hussein and other prominent MQM leaders of ordering and being involved in other ways in the target killings in Karachi. Regardless what are the legal implications of Mirza’s accusations, the political damage to the party is irrevocable or so it may seem on the surface. And more so once the people of Karachi come to realize that MQM militia has disabled, many witnesses and aggrieved parents, siblings, widows and orphans may come forward to demand justice against the murderers of their dear ones who were allegedly killed by MQM’s militia. If that happened it might political demise of MQM. But it is not just Mirza’s allegations that agonize Altaf, there are strong indications that Islamabad is ready to grant British investigators access to the two witnesses currently incarcerated in the capital. Both these men are said to hold vital information about the murder of Dr Imran Farooq in London. There are strong suspicions regarding MQM Chief’s involvement in the murder There is another news that the foreign insurance company, which was ready to pay huge amount as compensation to the heirs of over two hundred and fifty workers who died in the Baldia Town tragedy, is about to file a case in London against Altaf Hussein that the fire in the factory which caused the death of so many was not unintended; rather, MQM workers willfully put the place in flames.

People who are knowledgeable about political prowess of MQM, say that the Karachi based party had lost its mass appeal decades ago, it was getting its candidates elected by show of force, intimidating not just the voters but of officials of Election Commission as well; by registering fake voters and by eliminating from the voter list those who were suspected of not in favour of MQM candidates. In the Karachi constituencies where MQM candidates had won overwhelmingly, many voters had complained that their votes were cast by somebody else. It is said the appeals of MQM to the people of Karachi to participate in the party’s organized events were not appeals at all rather, orders and those he did not obey these had to face serious consequences: hence the hugely participated demonstrations.

Mirza has offered to give names of MQM workers who had allegedly committed heinous crimes on the orders of MQM leadership but were later left to their fate and they had to flee to foreign countries to save their skins. The man from his death cell says there could are workers who would be ready to become approvers and spill the beans regarding the patronage that Altaf Hussein and his party gave to criminals and criminality.

It is somewhat surprising that Saulat Mirza, who was on death row, had the facilities to record an on-camera statement and could release to the TV channels. It may not sit well with the courts that no other condemned man or woman had been given such access to media. But even then, these technicalities should not be an excuse to not punish the criminals. The focus should not be as to what are the intentions of those who are bringing such harmful evidence against MQM and its leaders and workers but rather if the allegations are true.

It could be that Saulat Mirza’s execution is extended further, for months, to enable him to give statements in court and to allow defense lawyers to cross examine him. This is a legal point. His statement can be recorded before a magistrate prior to court proceedings in the new cases resulting from his damning allegations. But in that case, the defense lawyers will have the plea they did not have the chance to cross examine and find loopholes in Mirza’s allegations. So many allegations and such adverse publicity in the days ahead, it seems the party for Altaf Hussein is over.

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No sympathies, only justice

ong ago ‘irony’ was taught to the literature students. Teachers defined two types of irony; verbal irony and dramatic irony. While teaching literature it was usually quoted that dramatic irony is like, in Romeo and Juliet when the characters think that Juliet is dead but the audience knows she’s only been knocked out by a sleeping position. The core of verbal irony was taught to be the sarcasm. The definition and usage of verbal irony is not important to remember. What is important to remember is some people are being killed in a province in the name of faith; youth of a certain class is doing some more interesting things like eating fried food, stargazing and riding jet skis. Politicians have their own way to express the sarcasm that they have for the people oppressed class and marginalised communities. Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that the whole nation is grieved over the Yuhanabad tragedy. He said that enemies of peace have made a futile attempt to divide the nation through the heinous act of terrorism. He said that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, government and the entire nation have deep sympathies with the Christian community over this worst incident and fully share the grief of the Christian brethren. He said that terrorists have no religion and are enemies of Pakistan and it people and want to destroy its peace and harmony in the country.

People wonder what made chief minister state that people of Punjab didn’t celebrate Youhanabad incident with fireworks! The bombers are enemies of peace and they have made a futile effort to divide the nation!! Off course, the bombers are meant to bomb and blast. But is the government of Punjab playing its role to build and bind and if they have any such intention, have they selected the right person for this effort. Why people of any class, creed or religion should consider Rana Sanaullah, non controversial enough for talks, when the talks are about the issue of terrorism in Punjab! Adding to that Chief Minister has shown deep sympathies with the Christian community.

What a great gesture! Brauv, Nawaz Sharif showed the same gesture when Shanti Nagar was burn into ashes, but the culprits kept walking the streets of Khanewal. The same gesture was shown when the people were massacred in Gojra, but the question of justice has never been the subject of the talks, starting from the Shanti Nagar incident till recent Youhanabad bombings.

Shahbaz Sharif said that the Christian community played an active role during Pakistan movement and is also making positive efforts for the progress and development of the country. He said that the role of Christian community in education, health, defence and other sectors has been commendable. This calls for another question. Why did he feel to pay this distinction to the Christian community and why the Christian clerics accepted a distinction, which in practice is a divide; a clear discrimination. This endorses that bombers did fail to create a divide in the nation, but this enforces that Shahbaz and Rana Sanaullah Khan have fare chances to succeed in creating another divide in the nation. Attackers bombed, but one can smell the hatred in the words of Shehbaz Sharif. Punjab government must realize that people from all faiths or simply without any faith have the same rights to be protected from terrorists and such thoughts.

O

nce W. E. B. Du Bois said:“What do nations care about the cost of war, if by spending a few hundred millions in steel and gunpowder they can gain a thousand millions in diamonds and cocoa?” Du Bois was an American sociologist from the 19th century. He was prominent for his social rights movements and very accurate sayings.

His abovementioned quote is very actual even today in the 21st century. The only change that we have to make is in the end part of it. Nations don’t fight any more for cocoa. They fight for black gold, smelly gas and consumers. You might agree with me, when I talk about Oil & Gas, but saying that nations go to war for consumers, sounds a little farfetched. But if you would observe it a little more closely, you will understand that nations today are made of consumers and then in-turn nations are the consumers. There are people and nations in the world, which thrive on producing food and industrial products of human need. But there are nations, which pride on making instruments of destruction.

Weapons sales is not a modern era phenomenon. Since ancient times people have been fighting each other for various gains and all those fights required weapons. Of course, the type and scale of weapons and their effect has changed over the centuries.

In ancient Egyptian and then Roman empires blacksmiths enjoyed a very special place in the society, because only they could make the weapons, which included daggers, spears, swords, body armour, metallic shoes, various metallic projectiles etc. Sometimes the weapon makers would shift loyalties, because of various reasons and would go to foreign kingdoms. The reasons of such emigration included the inability of the kingdom, where they lived, to place orders for weapons. And astonishingly enough the peaceful nations have always been the greatest enemies for weapon makers.

A Hungarian weapons expert made the famous huge cannons, which gave the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, the winning edge over the Byzantine Emperor of Constantinople. Historical records show that the said Hungarian cannon maker initially went to the Byzantine authorities and presented his idea of the weapon of dominance.

But to his great regret and to the Constan-

P

BY BARNETT R. RUBIN

resident Ashraf Ghani is taking a risk, most leaders would shun. He is proposing to improve Afghanistan’s contentious relations with Pakistan in the hope of paving the way towards both peace with the Taliban and regional economic cooperation. Much of the Afghan public is sceptical, because Pakistan has long treated Afghanistan like a client state. Ghani will need to show results fast. The US govt should support him when he comes to Washington on an official visit next week.

For the US, the stakes are greater than whether President Obama can extract American troops by the end of his term without destabilizing Afghanistan.

Ghani is hoping the Pakistani government will respond to his efforts by curtailing the military capacity of the Afghan Taliban, whose leaders have

Open arms…

ing to do with increased tinople’s bad-luck, the emAmerican arms sales. Of pire was not rich enough to course ISIS (ISIL) has nothfund his cannons. Today the ing to do with escalation of sitweapons have changed. We uation and increased need no longer consider knife a for arms. According to the dangerous weapon. But the aforementioned report,5 out purpose and requirement for of top-10 arms importers in weapons has not changed. the world include India, ChiThe other thing that has na, Pakistan, South Korea changed is the infrastrucKhalid Minhas and Singapore. The just ture of weapons produckhalidminhas@yahoo.com mentioned countries buy tion. It is no more an individual’s ballgame. Now we have giant cor- their arms from USA and Russia. India and porations, which design, develop and pro- Pakistan buy from both. India is the biggest duce weapons of colossal potential for de- arms buyer in Asia accounting for 15% of all struction and then we have the nations arms purchases made around the globe.

I will not connect this increase in sales of standing behind those corporations. The only thing that has not changed is that the arms to South Asian countries with the peaceful nations are still the biggest enemies heightened tensions between Pakistan and India. Between Pakistan and Afghanistan. for the military industrial complex.

A Sweden based Institute, SIPRI (Stock- I will not also associate it with the increase holm International Peace Research Insti- in insurgency in Baluchistan. It probably has tute), published a report on 16 March nothing to do with rise in terrorism in Pak2015, about the dynamics of weapons trade istan. The South Asian countries are just around the globe in the five years from 2010 buying and developing arms for collection to 2014. The report showed comparative purposes. It is something like a competition data calculating changes in various pa- among brothers: if you have a Ferrari, I will rameters of change in the global market of also buy a Lamborghini, even if we never mass destruction. Most of the comparisons race. But the most important fact is that who are made between the periods of 2005- is benefiting from this race? The super car buying brothers or Ferrari and Lam2009 and 2010-2014.

According to the said report, global arms borghini?

Before moving on, I would like to mensales rose by a staggering 16 percent in the last five years. For a comparison, in the same tion one very strange major arms buyer in 5 year period the best GDP growth rate post- Asia. The country in question is Singapore. ed by any nation was a little above 6 percent. This tiny island nation buys 3% of all arms In the last 5 years our dear Americans have sold globally. I have not been to Singapore emerged as the leaders in arms exports, in- but I can tell you that if Singapore would buy creasing their global market share by 23 per- 5000 tanks and will park them in Singacent. The greatest increase in arms imports pore, they will probably have no place for was by the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Coun- the people of Singapore to live.Who is Sincil) states. Their weapons imports went up gapore arming against? They are so small by 71 percent in the last 5 years. The GCC that neighbouring countries like Malaysia states include Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Sau- and Indonesia would not even burp after di Arabia, Oman and Qatar. Now I don’t swallowing Singapore.

Now we come to another interesting want to prejudice your approach, but please do you remember the 5 year period during part of the SIPRI report. During the period of 2005-2009, European arms purwhich the ARAB SPRING broke out?

Was it not the period during 2010-2014, chases went down by 36%. But following the when the Qatari rulers felt a crunch on their developments in Ukraine many or I can throne? Was it not during 2010-2014, even say all of the smaller European states, when Bandar bin Abbas of Saudi Arabia especially the ones, which border with contacted Pakistan to help them reach Russia have tremendously increased the volBeijing, because they had felt their kingdom ume of their shopping list. Now when they go to the global, predominantly US, arms jolting under their feet?

And of course the Syrian conflict has noth- superstore, they don’t just want to look for

small conventional weapons. Their lists include air defence systems, missiles and what not. German arms exports fell by 43% in the period between 2005-2009, but in 2014 it received scores of large weapons orders from Middle Eastern countries. I know, we are not so stupid to believe in the obvious.

We like to complicate things. But looking at the SIPRI report I have a hard time discarding the obvious: Arab Spring was nothing more than a weapons sales campaign.

The turmoil in the Middle East is to drain petro-dollars in exchange for arms. The Syrian conflict is not against Assad, but in favour of Lockheed. ISIS is not a Muslim group, but a bunch of models for the advertisement of American, German and Russian weapons and the conflict in Ukraine is meant to stimulate the European economy, so that the passive Europeans, especially Eastern Europeans, would spend more on their shopping of death and destruction. Pakistan is a fertile ground for experimentation. Pakistan is surrounded by hostile nations and Pakistan has an established reputation as a volatile, failing nation.

So ethnic civil conflicts, sectarian violence and separatism will always make Pakistan more volatile. When the neighbouring countries will get a sense of nuclear armed Pakistan falling apart, they will enrich their arsenals to face the threat of Somalia type of disintegration in Pakistan. On the other hand, when the neighbouring countries will pile up weapons against Pakistan, we will also be forced to spend our money on missiles, tanks and drones instead of producing electricity, making schools and equipping hospitals.

This is a vicious circle. People are frustrated because of lack of facilities and opportunities, which the state must provide them. This frustration makes it easy to trigger civil conflicts. These civil conflicts make us a vulnerable state. Once we are shaky enough to threaten our neighbours by falling apart, the above mentioned cycle of arms piling starts again.

So we have to break the vicious circle and stop being consumers of death and destruction. We have to stop letting Americans fooling us into buying their weapons.

It is not our fault that they are not capable of making anything else. So let them find some new customers. We have had enough of it!

Ghani’s Gambit sought refuge in Pakistan, and pressing them into entering negotiations with the Afghan government and eventually giving up their armed struggle.

The objective is to make the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan more open and more secure and then help “connect South Asia to Central Asia,” as Ghani put it during his first trip to Pakistan last fall.

“Alone we can strive,” he said, addressing a group of Afghan and Pakistani business leaders, “Together we will thrive, and let’s thrive together.”

Afghanistan and Pakistan have been at odds over borders and other issues since the creation of Pakistan in 1947.

But Ghani’s recent overtures try to address some of Pakistan’s concerns.

He has suspended a request by the Afghan govt to purchase heavy arms from India, of which Pakistan has long been wary. He has sent Afghan cadets to study at the Pakistani military academy. He has offered Pakistan

unprecedented cooperation on military and intelligence matters. Ghani has also offered Pakistani investors generous access to Afghanistan, including free industrial zones. In November, the Afghan and Pakistani government agreed to a detailed list of proposals to promote trade, including the opening of 15 new crossing points along their shared border, even though Afghanistan has long disputed its legitimacy.

To support this new growth strategy, Beijing is encouraging ethnic Chinese workers and professionals to resettle in western China. This has created tensions between the government and the indigenous Muslim Uighur population in Xinjiang, and generated interethnic clashes and terrorist incidents.

Uighur militants have gone to fight in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria, and the Chinese government has grown increasingly concerned that militancy in Afghanistan threatens its internal se-

curity. The US government must further strengthen Mr. Ghani’s negotiating position. For example, it could transfer to the Afghan government the Afghan detainees still held at Guantánamo.

Mr. Ghani has asked the Chinese and US governments to cooperate on Afghanistan, and they have started to do so through embryonic joint assistance programs and increased diplomatic coordination. Washington should do more still, including publicly committing to take account of China’s plans in the region as it develops its own regional infrastructure project, the New Silk Road initiative, to better connect Afghanistan to Central Asia, Pakistan and India. Ghani’s recent diplomatic overtures toward the Taliban, Pakistan and China are a chance for Washington finally to engage with Afghanistan not just as a source of threats, but also as a land of opportunities. —Courtesy New York Times

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OPINION

FRIDAY

MARCH 20, 2015

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A farewell to arms control treaties

BY CLIFFORD D. MAY

hilosopher-comedian Lily Tomlin used to say, “No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up.” Has that ever been truer than it is in Washington right now?

Last week, we learned that the deal the Obama administration has been attempting to negotiate with the Islamic Republic of Iran will not be “legally binding.”

“We’re not negotiating a legally binding plan,” Secretary of State John Kerry told a congressional hearing. “We’re negotiating a plan that will have a capacity for enforcement.”

What’s the point of “plan” that would not legally bind Iran’s rulers — a plan that would not obligate the world’s leading sponsors of terrorism to stop building nuclear weapons they clearly intend to utilize in what they call a jihad against their neighbors, America and the West? If those rulers would not be bound by the “plan,” how would it include a “capacity for enforcement”? What is a “capacity” for enforcement anyway?

State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters: “We’re talking about how specifically pieces would be agreed to between the parties . If we get to the point where we have a framework, where we have an agreement, I’m sure we will have a discussion about how things will be implemented.”

Got it? I doubt it. Cynical as I’m becoming, I’m convinced the administration is purposefully muddying the waters. I think President Obama and the small circle around him believe these issues are for them to understand and for the rest of us to attempt to figure out. So let’s give it a go, shall we?

The White House has no intention of seeking congressional “advice and consent” on whatever deal may be worked out between the P5 plus 1 (the United States and the four other permanent member of the United Nations Security Council — France, Britain, Russia, China, plus Germany) and Iran’s theocrats. Despite the unprecedented strategic significance of this arms control deal, it will not be called a treaty (which would require approval by two-thirds of the Senate). It will be called something else: a “plan” or a “framework” or “an executive agreement.”

But — and here’s the bigger news — Mr. Obama is apparently considering having the U.N. Security Council enshrine the deal — which could make it “binding” under international law.

In other words, Mr. Obama may believe he can render irrelevant both Congress (the elected representatives closest to the people) and the U.S. Constitution, while granting to the U.N. the authority to obligate the US government, including future presidents.

“It would not surprise me if this has been the plan all along,” wrote Harvard law professor Jack Goldsmith on Lawfareblog.com, where he described the “mechanism” Mr. Obama may utilize to “handcuff” both Congress and future presidents.

This would, of course, represent a historic surrender of American sovereignty to the “international community” — but that’s exactly what proponents of “transnational progressivism,” also known as “global governance,” have long advocated.

The White House and its supporters can be expected to respond to critics by saying there are no preferable options — indeed, that the only alternative is a shooting war with Iran. You’ll recall that was the response after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in his address to Congress, called for a better deal than the one currently being negotiated.

But imagine this: a deal that would require Iran to verifiably “suspend all enrichment-related activities” and “not undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons”; a deal that would provide such “access and cooperation” as the International Atomic Energy Agency requests to resolve its continuing concerns about Iran’s research on nuclear-weapons design; a deal that would ban the supply of nuclear-related materials and technology to Iran and freeze the assets of individuals and companies involved in Iran’s nuclear and missile programs; a deal that would maintains sanctions until Iran complies with those requirements.

Actually, you don’t need to imagine such a deal. It already exists. It’s the essence of the UN Security Council resolutions already passed on Iran.

Would replacing them with the deal now taking shape represent an improvement? For America and its allies, by no means. For Iran’s rulers, absolutely. As my colleague, legal scholar David Rivkin, put it in an analysis that appeared Monday in The National Interest, Mr. Obama’s approach will “make the Security Council Iran’s powerful international protector, buttressing its ambitions as a regional hegemon and inducing Sunni Arab states to propitiate Tehran.

True, Iran’s rulers may agree to the new deal whereas they have not agreed to the U.N. resolutions — another way of saying they have been blatantly violating international law. But Tehran agreeing is hardly the same as Tehran complying. On the contrary, the Islamic Republic has a long history of deception and mendacity.

The White House will argue: If Iran does not curb its nuclear weapons program as agreed for the amount of time agreed we can always re-impose — “snap back” — sanctions. Highly improbable: Once the sanctions architecture collapses, it will be virtually impossible to reconstruct. The White House also may argue: Military options remain on the table — if not for this president (that’s long been obvious) — then for the next.

This is how, not for the first time in modern history, an attempt to appease the enemies of free nations coupled with an emphasis on achieving peace in the short run makes war on a grand scale more likely in the notso-distant future. I say that not as a cynic but as a realist — one who grows increasingly pessimistic day by day. —Courtesy Washington Times

I

Looking for a binding force

t’s difficult to imagine the style of polling in a society raised on the basis of religious divide. However, All India Muslim League, Indian National Congress and British a Viceroy were the actors who acted in the greatest play of that era. The classes that took part in said polling are still prominent and dominant as they were six decades ago. This play concluded in two major independent states on the surface of earth. One of that states established a religion for itself though having a religion or not was the prerogative of the citizens of that state. The state religion further created a divide and a series of sectarian violence started in 1953 in Lahore against a revivalist sect of the same religion. Lahore as well as the rest of Punjab, eventually quelled by the Pakistan Army who declared three months of martial law as a beginning. That was 6th March of that year. Two people were killed by police prior to martial law and casualties "admitted by the military" caused in " causing disturbances in Lahore" were eleven killed and 49 wounded. No one knew that future of Pakistan was being written on the streets of Lahore.

Maudidi of Jamat e Islami, Maulana Abdul Sattar Khan Niazi, Mian Mumtaz Daultan; none of them had a vision that they are seeding a horrendous killing for their races to come.

On 19 June 1953, the Governor of the Punjab promulgated Ordinance III of 1953 which, with certain amendments suggested by Muhammad Munir and Malik Rustam Kayani, became the Punjab Disturbances (Public Inquiry) Act, 1953, Punjab Act II of 1954, directing the setting up of a

R

D3

Court for holding a public inquiry into the disturbances. In exercise of the powers given by subsection (1) of section 3 of the Ordinance, the Governor appointed Muhammad Munir and Malik Rustam Kayani members of the Court of Inquiry with the direction to make an inquiry into the disturbances in accordance with the terms to look into the circumstances leading to the declaration of Martial Law in Lahore on 6 March 1953, the responsibility for the disturbances and the adequacy or otherwise of the measures taken by the Provincial civil authorities to prevent, and subsequently to deal with, the disturbances. The court of inquiry commenced the inquiry on 1 July 1953 and held 117 sittings of which 92 were devoted to the hearing and recording of evidence.

The evidence was concluded on 23 January 1954 and arguments in the case lasted from 1 to 28 February 1954. Five weeks were taken by the court of inquiry to formulate their conclusions and in writing the report. The report stated that "If there is one thing which has been conclusively demonstrated in this inquiry, it is that provided you can persuade the masses to believe that something they are asked to do is religiously right or enjoined by religion, you can set them to any course of action, regardless of all considerations of discipline, loyalty, decency, morality or civic sense."

It hinted "at the undesirability of the confluence of religion and state in Pak-

istan even for the purpose of binding its disparate ethnic elements together.” However, according to an Islamist professor, Anis Ahmed the report has been "condemned by the ulama" (Islamic scholars), "as a biased work."

That was the past. Now, Amnesty’s annual reported that killings remained “particularly prevalent in parts of the northwest and the city of Karachi”. It said, “The anti Shia armed group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility for a series of assassinations and other attacks on the Shia Muslim population, particularly in the province of Baluchistan and the cities of Karachi and Lahore.

Amnesty said that at least eight journalists were killed across Pakistan during the year in direct response to their work, marking the country out as “one of the most dangerous in the world for the media profession. Several journalists associated with the outlet received daily threats and harassment by unidentified individuals by phone and in person”. Amnesty noted that religious minorities continued to face laws and practices that resulted in their discrimination and persecution.

“Dozens of ethnic Hazaras were killed in attacks in Quetta and other parts of Baluchistan; the armed group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility for many of these, saying they were because the Hazaras were Shia Muslims. Members of the Sikh religious community staged several

protests throughout the year against killings, abductions and attacks on their places of worship in different parts of the country. Abuse connected with the blasphemy laws occurred regularly during the year as demonstrated in several high profile cases,” the report said mentioning the killing of renowned human rights lawyer Rashid Rehman in the city of Multan.

This reinforces the vision for a state envisaged by the ruling class back in 1950’s. Now the political progeny of that class sympathizes with the terror victims and during their sympathies use the words of distinction, which actually are the words of discrimination.

The clerics, suitably supported by the politicians are like boys with toys.

They believe in destroying everything that they play with. Most of the non government organizations are giving priority to their corporate affairs.

Some political parties, who swank to be liberal, are gloves in hands with the “suitable supporters” of the terrorists in the name of reconciliation. This calls for a solution. Does the solution lie in the vows for solidarity? Perhaps, that will be insufficient.

The things need to be examined on proper scio-political grounds. The class question should be raised by each having a platform because a certain class is killing a certain class. Perhaps, Pakistan needs a political party which could support the people from working class versus the political parties who divide the people in the name of religions and sects. Perhaps, a party could be a solution; a reason to build and bind; a reason to perpetuate love where everyone is speaking ugly words of hatred.

Faith, the most vulnerable social institution

eligion is rightly regarded to be one of the most primitive, most sacred and most influential social institutions of the world since the known history of human life on the face of the earth. However, the institution could equally be viewed as the most exploited and subjugated social institution, which has traditionally been being distorted and misrepresented for centuries by diversified groups and communities across the globe for the safeguarding of their vested individual, political, social and economic interests actually. In other terms, the communities have promoted and projected the prejudice, hatred, and injustices at a massive scale in the sacred name of religion. Consequently, fabrics of the institution of religion have consecutively and frequently been being defamed, damaged, smashed and humiliated in response to its carrying out sacred mission of teaching and preaching the noble principles of universal love, benevolence, compassion and sacrifice to the entire humanity without discrimination.

The pale pages of world history are replete with the harrowing incidents, where the groups and communities rebuked, tortured, agonised and even slaughtered their opponents ‘in the name of religion.’ History depicts how the followers and companions of the holy prophets were humiliated and tormented by their rivals. The details of appalling trials the companions of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Christ and Muhammad (peace be upon them all) had to undergo could be found in the pages of Scriptures and history as well, where one

mit to the political authorand the only commonality ities of her area. In the same could be stated to be the way, the Catholics and victims’ denial from subProtestants exercised conmitting to the ways emulatdemnable atrocities on one ed by the stonehearted ananother just for obtaining tagonists of their era. political and purported reCenturies passed, seasons ligious domination over witnessed revolutionary aleach other. The orthodox terations, and the technoRussian, British and Otlogical advancements obMujtaba Haider Zaidi toman Empires waged served tremendous trans(mzaidi@yandex.ru) wars against one another formations in every geographical zone of the globe; nevertheless, by making claims and presenting themthe unflinching and unabated lust for ob- selves as the custodians of the Christian taining domination over the fellow hu- and Muslim interests respectively. The mans could not observe any decline al- Israelites and Arabs have been at dagtogether since the Palaeolithic and Ne- gered drawn for the last century by deolithic eras attributed to the primitive hu- claring their interests as the struggle for mans. The Greek gods and goddesses, as the uplift of their respective faiths.

The cruelties and atrocities the Holy per the records of Greek mythology, also agonised, incarcerated and slaughtered Prophet (peace be upon him), his noble their rivals just because of their refusal family and devout companions had to to deify these deities. Similarly, the undergo are the part of history, where the Spartans inflicted a long, weary and influential and powerful social class unending war on the Trojans while would not let the members of poor strawearing the cloak attributed to the tum to enjoy the rights to be observed on deities’ true followers in order to justi- the principles of humanity, justice and fy their invasion to get the exceptional equality. As a result, they were pelted beauty Helena back from Paris of Troy. with stones, and thorns and garbage, and The Jews faced humiliation and per- even were forced to leave the city of secution at the hands of their political ri- Makkah provided they did not adopt the vals, though later the same tradition was religious ideology had been prevalent also adopted by the Jewish community amongst the infidels of Makkah.

The same tradition found its way in in the wake of their obtaining power, pelf and prestigious place in different areas various regions of the world, where the of the globe. The Jews and pagans com- powerful communities always attemptmitted heinous crimes and atrocities ed to impose and enforce the political against the Christians at various time and religious ideology of their choice on eras; St. Perpetua of Africa (modern day others through the (mis)use of power by Tunisia) was thrown before the hungry thwarting their opponents in one way or beasts just because of her refusing to sub- the other. Identical with rest of the

world, our beloved motherland Pakistan also looks undergoing the terrorism and bloodshed because of the miscreants’ attempts for obtaining domination. The ruthless terrorists, wearing the cloak of faith, have been exercising throbbing violence, mayhem and bloodshed in Pakistan, for the last several years, with the false claim of attempting to introduce Islamic political system of their choice in the country. Consequently, the terrorists aim at introducing the ‘Islamic system’ in a country over 96% population of which already adheres to the same faith.

No one could deny the explicit reality that Islam is the faith of peace, where the Holy Scripture and sayings of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) manifestly reiterate benevolence, tolerance, endurance and peace to be universally observed while entering into interaction with every human being without having any discrimination or prejudice with regards to class, caste, clan, community, faith, region, religion, gender or socioeconomic status altogether. Hence, the merciless terrorists are explicitly involved into the crime of massacring the humans on the one side, and defaming the religion of peace on the other.

It is the moral obligation of the religious scholars to disown and defy the terrorists, without declaring them as their angry brothers. Since Islam explicitly condemns the words and acts that could hurt the others both mentally and physically, the elements declaring the terrorists as their brothers appear to be more challenging and detrimental for the peace and solidarity of Pakistan.

based construction company, blacklisted by their government went on rampage in Pakistan, collecting billions for luxury apartments giving full page advertisements when State Bank regulations prohibit such transfers of money through proper banking channels.

This is a country where property tycoons gift billions to ruling elite in exchange for freedom to vandalise and plunder law abiding citizens of their lifelong savings and land.

Successive governments, both civil and military, have allowed Karachi to be hostage to criminal mafia making it most dangerous city of Asia. So lucrative was criminal economy that terrorists based in Afghanistan chose to move in there for their share of larger pie.

Finally after over two decades of brutalisation by extortion collectors, who had no hesitation to torch alive over 289 labourers in Baldia Karachi for refusal by factory owners to pay extortion money, has the state decided to crack down and restore writ of law.

or launch its own satellite to date.

Space technology is now considered as fourth dimension of warfare and Pakistan’s dependence on space applications and information is likely to increase for exploration of mineral resources and environmental processes.

However, Pakistan lags far behind many other South Asian countries, particularly India, in the space race.

Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, SUPARCO, took a good start in 1961 and began to move forward but couldn’t maintain developments. Economic challenges, poor governance and serious global sanctions that SUPARCO suffered from account for diminutive progress in space research field. The only significant advancements made

by SUPARCO are in development of military missiles.

In such state of affairs the only ray of hope, for us, is SUPARCO’S 2040 Space Programme, to emerge as a space faring nation.

an estate agent who is charging Rs20,000 for a form. Where did he get the forms from?

Last week, before the scheme was launched, I contacted another estate agency which is charging Rs8,000 for a form. The matter needs to be clarified by the authorities concerned.

form of various incurable diseases even in the next generation off springs therefore an evacuation plan is necessary in case of incident. It is hoped that the Pakistan atomic energy commission and Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency would have considered the following factors before alAHMED SHAKIL RAZI lowing the construction.

Space technology

Fazaia housing scheme

centre has opened their business in front of my home in the residential area of University Town. The business is using electricity, gas and water as residential connection. Their heavy usage had created problems in the electricity supply (low voltage) while it also destroyed our street.

Similarly the students and parents that are picked and dropped from the business create problems for local residents by blocking the road, or creating too much noise and even destroying our private property.

Even the people working or studying in these commercial offices face problems with limited facilities, difficulty in travelling to the location and complaints from local residents. The business owners face constant harassment from police and local body representatives.

Therefore the PTI is kindly requested to created special commercial areas through re-zoning or new development that can cater to all the requirements of road connection, car park, security, commercial utility supply etc for the commercial businesses. This will help free up the residential areas and also reduce security risk. It will also greatly improve provincial government revenue.

LETTERS TO EDITOR

Please send your letters to editor@thefrontierpost.pk

Irrespective of political leadership

Years of failure by state and its paid establishment to protect lives, property and basic rights of citizens on issues of public interest resulted in widening distrust and disconnect between rulers and ruled, leading to rise in incidents of mob violence and acts of vigilance such as brutal killing and burning of two men suspected of being involved in acts of terrorism by angry residents of Youhanabad in Lahore.

The writ of law must be established and criminals, irrespective of their political, bureaucratic or religious affiliations, must be punished failing which chaos and anarchy threaten our survival.

Institutionalised corruption and patronisation of criminals by security agencies in connivance with inept political godfathers have driven ordinary citizens to desperation and taking laws in their hand. This has been happening for decades now, starting from Co-opIMTIAZ SHAH KHAN TAJ ALI QAISAR eratives and Samad Dadabhoy Scam, LAHORE LAHORE and now powerful land grabbing mafia which has penetrated corridors of power depriving ordinary law abiding citizens of their hard earned life savings in dubious schemes such as 1989 CDA E12 Balloting and the most recent DHA Pakistan, in spite of being a nuTHIS refers to the Fazaia housing Valley Islamabad. Such is callous disre- clear power, has limited space capa- scheme’s application forms being sold on gard for public welfare that a Dubai bilities and has not been able to build the black market. On March 17 I rang up

KARACHI

SIDRA ALAM KARACHI

Karachi Nuclear Commerical area plants Recently construction of a 1000 MW production capacity nuclear power plant has started in Karachi, near hawks bay shore, with the Chinese assistance. The reactor plant cost $4 billion and will take seven years to start generating electricity for the metropolis residents. Setting up nuclear plants will pull up Pakistan from acute energy crisis; however, in the design and construction of reactors, great care is needed to be taken to cover every contingency. Escape of radioactive material into the atmosphere, dispersion of high level wastes in air and water, and loss of coolant can be catastrophic. Moreover the location should be away from populated areas and geologically stable, should not be earthquake prone. Above all, effects of exposure to radiation shows up in the

Peshawar, one of the oldest city of the region, was moved to its current location by the Mughals from its previous location, Charsadda, many years ago to help the city expand and grow.

But after so many years once again Peshawar is stuck due to bad planning.

The city is suffering from a severe shortage of commercial land. Schools, offices, shops, restaurants, hospitals, tuition centers, hostels, guesthouses and countless other commercial businesses have opened up in residential areas across Peshawar.

These commercial entities cause revenue loss to the government in the form of missing taxes and damage to infrastructure. While at the same time these business create security problems and headaches for residents living near the business.

For example, a tuition and teaching

ENGR SARFRAZ KHAN BASEER PESHAWAR

BUSINESS

D4

FRIDAY

MARCH 20, 2015

Oil falls to $55 as Kuwait comments refocus on oversupply

WASHINGTON: Brent crude oil fell back to $55 a barrel on Thursday after Kuwait said OPEC had no choice but to keep production steady, refocusing the market on global oversupply as the dollar recovered from sharp losses in the previous session.

Brent had rallied by more than $2 a barrel on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve indicated it would raise U.S. interest rates slower than previously thought, overshadowing data showing U.S. crude stocks at a record level.

The dollar fell by its most in six years after the comments from the Fed, boosting oil and metals priced in the greenback as they became cheaper for holders of other currencies. But on Thursday, the dollar snapped back by more than 1 percent.

Brent for May delivery was down 98 cents at $54.93 a barrel by 1134 GMT, having hit a low for the session of $54.87 and after rising almost 4.5 percent on Wednesday. Brent fell from highs above $115 last June to near $45 in January.

U.S. crude for April delivery fell by $1.65 or more than 3 percent to $43.01 a barrel, after hitting $42.91, close to a six-year low. Its discount to Brent stood just below $10 a barrel.

Kuwait's oil minister said on Thursday he was concerned by the 50 percent drop in oil prices since June because of its impact on the Gulf Arab state's budget, but said OPEC had no choice but to keep output steady.

"We don’t want to lose our share in the market," Ali al-Omair told reporters. The Organi-

zation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries decided in November to maintain production levels even if it meant lower prices, as the group feared fast-growing U.S. shale output threatened its position.

While higher-cost U.S. production is expected eventually to be slowed by the drop in price, so far output has continued to rise, boosting crude inventories to their highestever level. U.S. crude stocks rose by a further 9.6 million barrels last week, data from the En-

ergy Information Administration showed, while stocks at the U.S. benchmark contract's delivery point in Cushing, Oklahoma hit the highest on record. A pushback in the timing of U.S. interest rate increases could give oil producers more breathing space for financing, Daniel Ang, an analyst at Phillip Futures, said in a note. "Oil producers (will be) able to expand their businesses or even tide across this period of low prices with cheaper financing," Ang wrote. —FP Monitoring

US current account trade deficit widens to $113.5 billion WASHINGTON: The

deficit in the largest measure of U.S. trade widened in the October-December quarter to the biggest imbalance in more than two years as exports of goods fell at a faster pace than imports.

The Commerce Department said Thursday that the deficit in the current account increased to $113.5 billion, an increase of 14.7 percent from a third quarter deficit of $98.9 billion.

For the entire year, the current account deficit rose 2.6 percent to $410.6 billion. It was the largest annual deficit since 2012.

A widening trade deficit contributed to the slowdown in overall economic growth in the fourth quarter and is expected to be a drag on growth in 2015 as the stronger dollar makes American products less competitive on overseas markets.

The current account is the broadest measure of trade. It covers not only goods and services but also investment flows. The fourth quarter deficit was the largest since the second quarter of 2012. The latest deficit amounted to a level equal to 2.6 percent of the total economy, up from 2.2 percent in the third quarter.

The rise in the goods deficit reflected a 1.2 percent drop in goods exports to $410.1 billion. The decline was led by drops in exports of U.S. petroleum and autos. Imports of goods were also down but by a smaller 0.1 percent to $595.3 billion. The import

decline reflected lower petroleum imports. The drop in exports and imports of petroleum reflected big decreases in energy prices. A widening trade deficit was a drag on the economy in the final three months of the year, subtracting 1.1 percentage point from growth, helping to slow overall growth, as measured by the gross domestic product to just 2.2 percent, down from growth at a 5 percent rate in the July-September quarter.

Economists say the trade gap will widen further in 2015 as a rising value of the dollar cuts into foreign sales

by American producers. The stronger dollar makes U.S. products more expensive in foreign markets.

The overall economy, however, is expected to do better this year as strong employment growth boosts incomes and consumer spending.

On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve kept a key interest rate unchanged near a record low of zero, where it has been for the past six years. However, the Fed modified its policy statement by no longer saying it planned to be "patient" in deciding when to raise interest rates. But Fed Chair Janet Yellen BRUSSELS: Danmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schimidt (L), European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (C) and Greenland's Prime Minister Kim told reporters that just because the Fed Kielsen attand a signing ceremony of Joint Declaration of the three parties at EU headquarters in Brussels, Beglium, for continuing and further strengthening had dropped the word "patient" did not their relations and cooperation. —FP Monitoring mean the central bank would now become "impatient." The Fed did say it did not expect to raise rates at its next meeting in April but many economists believe the first rate hike could come as early as the Fed's June meeting. —FP Monitoring NEW YORK: Scrawled on Starbucks cups, For Yahoo, based in Sunnyvale, the words “Race Together” were MIAMI: Yahoo! Inc. is shutting down Beijing but the office has served as a intended to stimulate conversations its office in China, a move that will research and development center.” California, the exit closes a chapter Yahoo is looking for new ways to on a sometimes difficult history in about race relations in America, begin- eliminate 200 to 300 jobs, accordning just days before the company’s ing to a person with knowledge of trim expenses as it comes under China. Executives came under critipressure from investors, such as cism from human-rights activists annual shareholders meeting on the matter.

Wednesday. But the coffee company’s The Web portal, which has been Starboard Value LP, who have called and U.S. lawmakers after the comduring which the government sur- campaign has instead unleashed wide- consolidating offices and trimming for cost-saving measures. Chief Ex- pany turned over information to the veyed employers for the March non- spread vitriol and derision. staff around the world, told employ- ecutive Officer Marissa Mayer said in Chinese government on journalist farm payrolls report.

The company effort, which began this ees based in Beijing that it will close January the company has focused on Shi Tao, who was later sentenced to The four-week moving average of week, lit up social media, drawing criti- the site, Yahoo said in a statement on efficiency by keeping its employee 10 years in prison. Yahoo sold its Chiclaims rose 21,750 between the Feb- cism and skepticism. The attacks grew so Wednesday. Yahoo had about 12,500 numbers little changed even as it in- nese operations to Alibaba Group ruary and March survey periods, hostile that Corey duBrowa, the senior workers worldwide at the end of vested in products and made acqui- Holding Ltd. in 2005.

Last month, Yahoo cut about 1 per suggesting payrolls could ease a bit vice president for global communications 2014. While the company didn’t say sitions that added staff at the portal, from last month's lofty level. at Starbucks, temporarily deleted his how many would be affected in Chi- whose revenue growth has stalled cent of its workforce, or about 125 people, including editorial staff in The economy added 295,000 jobs Twitter account on Monday. “Last night na, it employed 200 to 300 people since 2008. in February, with the jobless rate I felt personally attacked in a cascade of there, said the person, who asked not “An R&D facility like this is a huge Canada. The company also closed its falling to a more than 6-1/2-year negativity,” Mr. duBrowa wrote in a post to be named because the number is- cost, and for a company as weak as office in Amman, Jordan, and elimlow of 5.5 percent. February marked on Medium on Tuesday.

Yahoo is now, it doesn’t make sense,” inated about 400 positions at its n’t being disclosed publicly. the 12th straight month that emThe fury and confusion boiled down to We are constantly making changes said Shaun Rein, managing director site in Bangalore, India, in recent ployment gains have been above a simple question: What was Starbucks to align resources, and to foster bet- of China Market Research in Shang- months. Yahoo shares have gained 13 200,000, the longest such run since thinking? ter collaboration and innovation hai. “Yahoo doesn’t have significance per cent in the past year, buoyed in 1994. The Federal Reserve on Reactions have ranged from video par- across our business,” Yahoo said in in China. Yahoo can’t really recruit part by the company’s stake of about Wednesday maintained its upbeat odies of customer interactions with baris- the statement. “We currently do not top people and Chinese firms are not 15 per cent in Alibaba, China’s largest e-commerce company. In January, view of the labor market, and sig- tas to some hostile online attacks aimed offer local product experiences in going to advertise on Yahoo.”

Mayer unveiled plans for Yahoo to naled it was nearing an interest rate at corporate executives. Many have pointspin off its Alibaba holdings, which increase by dropping the reference to ed out that the company’s leadership is are valued at more than $32-billion. being "patient" from its so-called predominantly white, while many of its So far, Yahoo is keeping its $8-bilforward guidance. baristas are members of minorities. Othlion stake in Yahoo Japan Corp.

Despite the weather-related volatil- ers pleaded for a more traditional relaThe closing of the China office ity in claims, job growth appears to tionship with the businesses they pawasn’t related to any government have been little affected by the frigid tronize. Gwen Ifill, the co-anchor of “PBS concerns, said the person familiar conditions which chilled retail sales NewsHour,” wrote in a tweet on Tuesday: with the plan. The move was reportand home building last month. “Honest to God, if you start to engage me ed earlier by the South China MornThursday's claims report showed the in a race conversation before I’ve had my ing Post. number of people still receiving ben- morning coffee, it will not end well.” At the Yahoo’s move is the latest in a seefits after an initial week of aid fell Wednesday gathering in Seattle, Howard ries of retrenchments by U.S. tech11,000 to 2.42 million in the week D. Schultz, the chief executive of Starbucks, nology companies operating in Chiended March 7. —FP Monitoring addressed the nascent public relations na. Last month, gamemaker Zynga campaign accompanied by the stagecraft Inc. said it will close its Beijing office, of African-American guest speakers like terminating 71 employees. the Academy Award winner Common and Microsoft Corp. said in December ending with Jennifer Hudson’s rousing it was shutting phone factories in Beirendition of “Hallelujah” at the close of the jing and Dongguan as part of a conpresentation. “Race is an unorthodox and solidation of its Asia manufacturing even uncomfortable topic for an annual hour. Furthermore, the proposal man- meeting,” he acknowledged. “Where in Vietnam. —FP Monitoring dates Target to adopt and implement others see costs, risks, excuses and hopedata security measures such as ap- lessness, we see and create pathways of pointing a chief information security opportunity — that is the role and reofficer. sponsibility of a for-profit, public comCBS News highlighted that a court pany.” —FP Monitoring hearing on the proposed document is scheduled for Thursday in Minnesota.

“We are pleased to see the process moving forward and look forward to its COLOMBO: Sri Lanka said Thursday it had traced more than a billion dollars ZURICH: The Swiss National Bank resolution,” Reuters quoted Target in public funds allegedly stolen by members of the former regime to a bank opposes more exceptions to negative spokeswoman Molly Snyder. interest rates on some cash deposits BERLIN: Thousands of international in Dubai, and that the total amount taken could be as much as $10 billion.

The data breach in 2013 affected as travelers have been left stranded as Rajitha Senaratne, a spokesman for the new government, said investigators despite protests from pension funds many as 40 million credit cards. Ac- a strike by Lufthansa pilots was had traced $1.06 billion to the National Bank of Dubai, although he did not re- and others, SNB Chairman Thomas cording to estimates, personal infor- extended to long-haul flights. Ger- veal who held the accounts. Former president Mahinda Rajapakse and his im- Jordan told a news conference on mation such as email addresses and many’s largest airline had to cancel mediate family are accused of siphoning large sums of money from the pub- Thursday. He said allowing more phones numbers of over 110 million 84 of 153 of its long-haul flights on lic coffers during his decade in power, which ended when he lost January elec- investors to skirt the measure would people were compromised in the 19- Thursday, affecting 18,000 passen- tions. "We have information that one withdrawal of $600 million and a sec- make it less effective, adding excepday period from November 27 to De- gers, the dpa news agency reported. ond withdrawal of $200 million had been made after the election (on Janu- tions to the -0.75 percent levy -- to cember 15. The total number of claims Already, some 80,000 passengers ary 8) and shifted to a safer location," Senaratne told reporters. He said the make franc investments less attracis expected to be lower because many were affected in the first day of the government had learned that up $10 billion in public funds had been been stolen tive -- should be reduced. Jordan also numbers include duplications. strike Wednesday when some 750 and taken out of the country. Sri Lanka's anti-graft body has already slapped said Switzerland had to accept lower The retailer is facing a number of short- and medium-haul flights overseas travel bans on the former central bank governor Nivard Cabraal and inflation in the short term and lawsuits over the incident which ex- were canceled. Similar disruptions Sajin Vass Gunawardena, a key Rajapakse aide, pending a corruption inves- declined to comment on whether the posed huge troves of personal infor- were expected for Friday. —FP Mon- tigation. The new government has set up a special police unit to investigate large- central bank was intervening to curb mation. —FP Monitoring scale financial fraud. —FP Monitoring the franc's strength. —FP Monitoring itoring

Starbucks initiative on race relations draws attacks online

Yahoo said to cut 300 jobs as part of China office close

US weekly jobless claims rise less than expected

NEW YORK: The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose only modestly last week, indicating the labor market remained on solid footing despite slowing economic growth.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 292,000 for the week ended March 14, the Labor Department said on Thursday.

Claims for the prior week were revised to show 1,000 more applications received than previously reported.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims rising to 292,000 last week. A Labor Department analyst said there was nothing unusual in the state-level data.

Claims have bounced around for much of the winter as harsh weather either depressed or boosted filings.

But through the volatility, the trend remained consistent with a strengthening jobs market.

The four-week moving average of claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, rose 2,250 to 304,750 last week.

The claims data covered the period

Target Corp agrees to pay $10m in settlement for 2013 data breach Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) has agreed to the terms of a proposed settlement which mandates the retailer to pay $10 million in damages to victims of a 2013 data breach, as per the court documents filed in Minnesota.

The settlement, which currently is awaiting court approval, could entitle each victim of the data breach to up to $10,000 in damages. Target is expected to deposit the settlement amount into an "interest bearing escrow account."

The court documents indicate that if all goes well and the hearing on the case results in a court approval, the company has plans to process and settle claims online through a dedicated website. Those affected by the breach will be asked to provide reasonable documentation proving their loss which occurred due to the incident, including up to two hours of loss time for each type of loss documented.

The lost time will be valued at $10 per LONDON:

Lufthansa cancels flights in strike

Sri Lanka traces stolen public funds to Dubai

SNB's Jordan opposes more exceptions to negative Swiss rates

FRIDAY

www.thefrontierpost.pk

MARCH 20, 2015

Peace talks between Afghan govt and Taliban

BRIEF

Afghan govt ready to give 6 provinces to Taliban

Tribunal resumes recount in 7 polling stations of NA-125 LAHORE: The election tribunal on Thursday has resumed the recounting of votes of the remaining as many as seven polling stations of the constituency NA-125. According to the details, the tribunal had chosen ten polling stations randomly to recount the votes in the rigging case in General Elections 2013. On March 18, the tribunal reviewed the records of three polling stations while the remaining seven are being inspected today. The judges of the case are themselves recounting the votes. The tribunal resolved to complete the inspection within two days. Later on, the tribunal will present its report over the matter. —Online

Interior Ministry warns terrorists can strike on 23rd ISLAMABAD: The Interior Min-

istry has warned that terrorists could strike at any part of the country on March 23 to disrupt Pakistan Day celebrations. On the basis of intelligence report, the Interior Ministry has dispatched a letter to all the provinces cautioning that terrorists could resort to disruptive activities by carrying explosives or explosive devices in ambulances, motorcycles, rickshaws or any other vehicle. The letter has said that some groups may uses ambulances, stuffed with bodies or injured persons, as a ploy to make it to the target area. —Online

Bilawal to attend Bhutto’s anniversary in London

ISLAMABAD: After remaining aloof for some time, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has reportedly agreed to make it to the limelight in London on April 4 to mark the death anniversary of PPP founding leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Bilawal, who is also the chairman of PPP, had almost detached himself from the dayto-day affairs of the party after developing differences with his father. Sources said that the perceived misunderstanding between Bilawal and his father have been sorted out and now the young leader has been tasked to make arrangements to lead the party in London on Bhutto’s death anniversary. —Online

Decision yet to be made on new IB chief ISLAMABAD: With only a few

weeks left in the retirement of Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director General Aftab Sultan, the Prime Minister’s House and the Establishment Division have failed to pick up a new name for the coveted position. Sources said that the current IB chief will retire in the first week of April, but the PM House and the Establishment Division have so far failed to propose a name for the important position. The sources said that Sultan’s performance has remained impeccable since when he assumed responsibilities and his staff could only desire for extension in his term. —Online

IHSAN DAWAR

BEIJING: Arken Imirbaki, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress, on Thursday met Fazalur Rehman, head of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, at the Great Hall of the People. —Xinhua

China, Japan hold first security talks in 4 years TOKYO: China and Japan held their first high-level security talks in four years here on Thursday, following recent tensions over territorial and historical issues.

The meeting in Tokyo among officials comes ahead of trilateral talks with South Korea on Saturday.

The last round of talks was in 2011, before ties worsened over a row over islands in the East China Sea. China also claims Japan has failed to adequately atone for aggression in World War Two. But Chinese media reports say relations are slowly improving and at the top of the meeting's agenda is the establishment of a maritime communication hotline.

There have been fears that a clash - accidental or otherwise - between Chinese

and Japanese paramilitary vessels patrolling waters around the disputed islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, could trigger a conflict.

Japan's deputy foreign minister told reporters that both sides hoped to "especially discuss intentions and thoughts behind each other's defence policy."

His counterpart, China's Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jianchao, said that China hoped that the two countries "would develop a mind to face history squarely and look into the future".

Thursday's meeting is seen as a continuation of work to improve ties in recent months.

In November, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in Beijing, where

Ailing health delayed Mirza’s execution: Nisar ISLAMABAD: Clarifying the reason for the stay in the execution of death-row convicts, Saulat Mirza and Shafqat Hussain, who were scheduled to be hanged early on Thursday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar said their executions have been halted for 72 hours owing to different reasons.

“We have put on hold Saulat Mirza’s execution for 72 hours owing to health concerns,” Nisar apprised the National Assembly on Thursday.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, Nisar skirted around the issue of the convict’s heavy allegations from his death cell, but added that Mirza was involved in other heinous murders along with that of former KESC MD Shahid Hamid.

Nisar said he wanted to take the house into confidence regarding his meeting with British High Commissioner as well as the staying of executions of Saulat Mirza and Shafqat Hussain.

“Another case came before us [after Shafqat Hussain] regarding a convict, who was not well enough to be hanged,” he said, referring to Mirza. “So for different cases, for different reasons we stayed both the executions for 72 hours.

This decision was taken late last night.”

Nisar also said that while no documentary evidence has been given to him that confirms Shaqat’s status as a juvenile, the government issued a stay on his execution due to the questions being raised on Pakistan’s justice system.

“We have moved pillar and post to assess whether the age quoted in jail records and before the courts till 2012 are correct or not,” he said.

“This is not my responsibility. It is the responsibility of the accused, the affected party. But I did my best. Till last night, no proof came before me. But because a question is being raised on our justice system, on the advice of the prime minister and interior ministry, the president issued the notification.”

He reiterated that a decision will be taken within 36 hours, and that there is no DNA evidence that can determine Shafqat’s age at the time of the crime.

“We contacted NADRA in Azad Jammu and Kashmir where he hails from but there is no evidence to prove he was juvenile at the time of conviction,” Nisar added. Referring to his speech in the National Assembly two days ago, Nisar upheld he had stated they will halt his execution if evidence was brought forward proving his age. “But there is no evidence and we have stayed it for 72 hours.”

On his meeting with British High Commissioner Phillip Barton, he said that the Dr Imran Farooq murder case came under discussion, but that the issue should not be politicised. “We have made no official request to the British government,” he said.

The minister said it is responsibility of the Pakistan government that to provide, whatever proofs it has, to bring the killers of Dr Imran Farooq justice. —Online

world media captured the two leaders frostily shaking hands.

The two sides agreed then to set up a maritime crisis mechanism.

Besides territorial concerns, China has also taken issue with Japan's defence policy changes under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Japan has defended its reinterpretation of its pacifist constitution to allow it to use force to defend allies under attack, which it calls "collective self-defence".

China in turn has previously accused Japan of "remilitarising". China, along with South Korea, has also accused Japan of whitewashing wartime atrocities in schoolbooks and raised objections when ministers, including Mr Abe, visited the controversial Yasukuni shrine which honours Japan's war dead as well as war criminals. –Online

Musharraf advises Altaf to change party’s bad image KARACHI: Former president Pervez

Musharraf has urged MQM chief Altaf Hussain to take steps to improve the tainted image of his party, which has often been associated with violence, killing and extortion.

In an interview, he said that no political party should be allowed to possess weapons and ammunitions, which remain the domain of security institutions.

The former president said that the ongoing tug-of war between the MQM and security agencies was not in the interest of the country.

To a question, he said that martial law was no solution to the current problems but a change of government was the need of the hour. “The army should not impose martial law but change should now come through the Supreme Court, which should revoke the 2013 elections and form an interim government for fresh polls,” he said.

“Everyone says the 2013 elections were rigged and the Election Commission also accepts this.”

Answering another question, Musharraf said party leaders were acting like dictators and they could deprive anybody of their membership of the assembly. He said the country’s issues were not being solved and the graph of the government’s performance was falling.

To a question about the ‘third power’ in the country, he said the PML-N and the PPP have ruled four times each and have destroyed the country. —Online

US likely to delay closure of two Afghan bases

KABUL: The US military bases in

Kandahar and Jalalabad are likely to remain open beyond the end of 2015, a senior US official said, as Washington considers slowing its military pull-out from Afghanistan to help the new government fight the Taliban, British media reported on Thursday.

The anticipated policy reversal reflects the US embrace of Afghanistan's new and more cooperative president, Ashraf Ghani, and a desire to avoid the kind of collapse of local security forces that occurred in Iraq after the US pullout there.

It coincides with new efforts backed by Pakistan and China for peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Washington has welcomed

greater engagement by China, which has helped create a diplomatic opening for reconciliation.

The US official said conditions had changed since May when President Barack Obama declared that by the end of 2015 the US force would be roughly halved from the current total of about 10,000 and would operate only from bases in Kabul and Bagram.

The White House had no immediate comment on the possibility of maintaining the Kandahar and Jalalabad bases into next year.

Obama is expected to decide in the next few days whether to slow the pace of the US troop withdrawal, possibly by next week when Ghani and Afghan chief executive Abdullah Abdullah travel to Washington. —Online

PESHAWAR: The Afghan government has reportedly agreed to hand over charge of six provinces in eastern and southern Afghanistan to the Taliban leadership if the proposed peace talks succeed, sources said on Thursday.

They said that four provinces in the eastern and two provinces in southern Afghanistan would be given to Taliban.

“They would take over charges as governors of the poposed provinces after the peace talks get success,” said the sources adding that it will take place immediately after the talks.

It was also reported that Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Gardez provinces in eastern and Qandahar and Kunar provinces would go to the Taliban in the southern Afghanistan.

Sources also confirmed that Salahuddin Rabbani, son of former Afghan president Burhanudin Rabbani, is reportedly given the task to woo the Taliban leadership inside and outside Afghanistan.

“He has completed talks with the Taliban leaders residing in Gulf countries

about a month ago and is now busy in contacting the Taliban leaders inside the country,” sources added.

It was also reported that Mullah Biradar, Mullah Abdul Wali, Rehmatullah Akazai and Maulvi Haleem Khan Taniwal might be the future governors from Taliban side if the talk bear fruit.

Sources added that Salahuddin Rabbani was also in close contact with Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and receiving regular instructions about the proposed peace talks.

Confirming the contacts, a Kabulbased analyst said, “We have no statement as such from either Taliban side or Afghan government,” adding that it would be premature to the conclusion.

It is to be mentioned here that according to the reports pouring in from across the border say the peace talks between Taliban and Afghan government would probably take place at the end of this month or the start of the next month.

The Afghan government has also categorically claimed to have close contacts with Taliban leaders regarding peace talks to end the decades-long uncertain situation in the war-torn country.

UK HC leaves for London after meeting Nisar ISLAMABAD: UK High Commissioner

Philip Barton has reportedly left for London, a day after discussing issues regarding MQM chief Altaf Hussain and progress in Dr Imran Farooq murder case with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in Islamabad, a private TV channel reported on Thursday.

Sources said the UK high commissioner’s departure for London was not scheduled. The British High Commission in Islamabad also confirmed that Barton has left for London today.

In a brief statement before National Assembly today, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan informed the house that UK High

Commissioner met with him and a number of issues were discussed including the statement of Altaf Hussain and Dr Imran Farooq murder case.

He, however, said the Pakistan government has sent no formal request to the British government about recent statement of Altaf Hussain about armed forces and Rangers.

"However, foreign media released news that the government had requested formally. This perception is not right.

No formal request has been forwarded to UK government by the time I am speaking before the House. However, the matter of statement and cooperation in murder of Dr Imran Farooq had come under discussion," he added. —Online

‘Resumption of death penalty not to affect trade with EU’ STAFF REPORT ISLAMABAD: Lifting of a six-year-old moratorium on the death penalty would not impact a lucrative trade deal with the European Union, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasneem Aslam said on Thursday during her weekly press briefing.

Responding to the European Union’s concerns on capital punishment, she said that it is not a violation of international human rights law. “Pakistan has its own constitution and legal system which contains death penalty within the parametres of international laws,” Tasneem said.

“It is a question of domestic law and legislation and we are engaged with

European Union. We have told them clearly our perspective”, and “It is the fundamental right of the State to protect the lives of its people”, she added.

“According to Article 6 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights every human being has the right to live and that this right should be protected by law. The actions that Pakistan is taking are in pursuance to this article in order to protect the lives of the people,” Tasneem Aslam upheld. She said Pakistan is engaged with the European Union and clarified its perspective on the matter.

Tasneem mentioned that the EU also understands Pakistan’s position under which it has removed the moratorium on death sentence.

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