The Frontier Post E-Paper 26 March, 2015

THURSDAY, march 26, 2015

A POST OF HOPE Ronaldo faces possible sanction for ‘Clasico’ celebration

Pretty Woman originally faced sad ending: Julia

No US soldier will leave Afghanistan this year: Obama

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Lahore Edition

Altaf bhai’s end is PM says he is serious about near, says Imran

serving people... this time

Nawaz says he inherited poor law and order, extremism and terrorism Says he is working hard to resolve energy issue Lauds Ishaq Dar for reviving the economy

KARACHI: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said the government was taking its job very seriously and working 24/7 to serve the country.

Addressing an award ceremony at the Karachi Stock Exchange, Nawaz said Operation Zarb-e-Azb was going on successfully and the network and hideouts of the terrorists have been eliminated. He regretted that previous governments did not take action against terrorism. The prime minister said the Karachi operation was being undertaken with consensus following meeting of all parties and said today the situation has considerably improved.

Prime minister has no time for MQM

KARACHI: A delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi

Movement (MQM) was not given time to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who is on a oneday visit to the city. MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari told reporters that the MQM’s Rabita Committee did not receive an encouraging response from the prime minister when a meeting was requested. “The MQM Rabita Committee expressed the desire for a meeting with the prime minister. Since we have been at the assembly no encouraging response has been received,” Sabzwari said. The MQM leader also spoke of criticism against his party on traditional and social media. –Online

SC disqualifies PML-N minister for holding 2 CNICs ISLAMABADL: The Supreme Court on

Wednesday disqualified Punjab Prisons Minister Chaudhry Abdul Waheed Arain for holding two computerised national identity cards (CNICs). The court termed it a sheer violation of Articles 62 and 63 of the constitution. A three-member bench, led by Justice Saqib Nisar, and comprising Justice Azmat Saeed and Justice Musheer Alam, resumed hearing of the petition filed by Abdul Waheed Arain against Election Tribunal's decision over his disqualification for holding two CNICs. The bench dismissed the provincial minister's appeal and maintained the tribunal's order. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Rana Abdul Jabbar had moved the petition in June 2013 before the ET, alleging that Arain had concealed the facts before the returning officer.

The petition had stated that Arain was using two CNICs – one for official documents and parliamentary affairs and the other for paperwork regarding his property, bank accounts and business deals. The ET had disqualified Arain on February 5. In 2013 general elections, PML-N candidate Arain had got 33,030 votes and his competitor PTI leader Rana Abdul Jabbar got 28,826 votes from PP-192 Multan. –APP

He said incidents of kidnapping for ransom, extortion, target killing have drastically reduced.

He said the people of Karachi too have noted the marked improvement in situation and said the Sindh government was moving hand in hand with the federal government in efforts to bring peace to Karachi.

The event was also attended by Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and KSE Chairman Munir Kamal.

Nawaz dwelt at length about the challenges the PML-N government inherited when it came to power as the law and order situation was poor, extremism and terrorism were on the nerves of the people and the terrorists had targeted places of worship, markets, children and schools.

He lauded Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for his key role in reviving the economy. He said the PML-N government was strictly adhering to its manifesto and fulfilling all promises made to the masses.

The PM said the overall economic situation in the country has revived with painstaking work. He mentioned the hard work being put in for resolving the issue of energy shortage in the country and said a broadbased programme was being pursued, including power generation from coal, solar and wind, besides long-term projects on hydro generation.

He lauded Dar for his role in reviving the economy, which today was stable and improving. The PM said the government was today pursuing a 20-point agenda that was being implemented across the country and vowed that the operation would continue till the elimination of last terrorist. He recalled the smooth and

MIRPUR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

(PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on flayed Muttahida Wednesday Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain, saying the latter’s days are numbered.

“Like every Pharaoh, Altaf’s time has come too,” Imran said while addressing a rally in Mirpur ahead of byelection in the city.

The PTI chief claimed that people attend MQM’s rallies and listen to Altaf’s speech quietly out of fear for their lives.

He pledged that his government would introduce in Azad Kashmir a Switzerland-like local government system after coming to power.

“We will bring in a local government system which is being practiced in Switzerland and other Scandinavian countries. We are setting up the same system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” Kaptaan said.

Criticising the PML-N and PPP governments, he said that both the parties have badly politicised the police department, adding that his party would depoliticize Azad Kashmir police if his party got a chance to form a government in the region.

amicable handing over of power following the 2013 general election and said all decisions were being taken with consensus and taking all stakeholders on board.

He said the operation in Karachi was against the criminals and not against any political party. He said armed gangs, mafia, sectarian and other criminal outfits have no place in Karachi. He said work was also on to provide cheap electricity to the end users so that the cost of production declines and industrial and agri- RAWALPINDI: Pakistan made sincere culture products are available at cheap rates for in- efforts to help stabilise Afghan govcreased exports. —Agencies ernment and facilitate peace process in Afghanistan, Defence Secretary Lt General (r) Muhammad Alam Khattak said.

He was talking to US Deputy Commander for CENTCOM, Vice Admiral Mark Fox along with Lt. General AnKARACHI: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on thony Rock, Chief of ODRP, who called Wednesday met Sindh Rangers Director General on him here on Wednesday.

(DG) Major General Bilal Akbar and Karachi The visiting delegation comprising Corps Commander Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar. DurControl Officer, ODRP and Executive ing the meeting at Pakistan Air Force's Faisal Base, Officer Representative of US Embassy the premier was also briefed on the ongoing tarfrom American side while senior offigeted operation in the metropolis. The DG cials from Pakistan side also attended Rangers and Karachi Corps Commander also the meeting. He said Pakistan and briefed the premier on the city's law and order sitUSA have a history of bilateral relauation. The premier was also apprised over the tions which have evolved on principles ongoing targeted operation in the metropolis and of mutual respect,shared common inthe investigation carried out after the recent raid terest and understanding of each othand arrests at Nine Zero. Sindh Chief Minister er's perspective.

Qaim Ali Shah was also present. –Online The secretary told the visiting deputy

“We will depoliticize the police as we did in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the PTI chief said.

A judicial commission is being formed to probe alleged election rigging, he said, adding that it would result in “Go Nawaz Go”.

Imran announced that he would hold next public rally in Karachi. – FP Monitoring

‘Pakistan sincere in Afghan peace process’

—meets Karachi corps commander and Rangers DG

commander that Pakistan played a stabilising role in drawdown of forces from Afghanistan.

"We are the fulcrum of security for South Asia. Our importance in this regard needs to be understood for stability and security of the region as it is linked to stability of Pakistan." he said.

Vice Admiral Mark Fox said he is fully cognizant of sacrifices rendered by Pakistan Army and its people in continuing war on terror and expressed condolences on the sad incident of Peshawar school attack.He also acknowledged the continued commitment of Pakistan towards peace.

The meeting was significant in wake of current scenario and ended with the hope that USA realizes logistic and financial support in wake of continued efforts to save problem of terrorism faced

by Pakistan. –APP

Lakhvi’s detention

IHC summons interior secretary and Okara DCO UMAR HASHMI ISLAMABAD : The Islamabad High

Court (IHC) on Wednesday summoned the interior secretary and Okara district coordination officer (DCO) regarding a petition against Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi’s detention.

According to details, Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi held hearing of the petition against Lakhvi, who according to India was the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks.

Lakhvi’s counsel Rizwan Abbasi said that detention of his client was contempt of court. He urged the court to pursue legal action against the interior secretary and Okara DCO in this regard.

The court ordered the two to appear in person in the next hearing on April 4.

The court also ordered both of them to submit their replies.

Separately, an anti-terrorism court adjourned the hearing in the trial of seven men accused in the Mumbai attacks case until April 1. “The proceedings of the case could not be held today after the ATC Islamabad was informed that the record of the case had been still with the IHC in connection with the government’s plea against Lakhvi’s bail,” prosecution chief Chaudhry Azhar told media after the hearing.

“We had requested the court to ensure provision of the record to the trial court

in next Wednesday’s hearing,” he said.

Over the past two months, at least five hearings have been adjourned without proceedings because of this reason. The trial has been underway since 2009.

The IHC will take up government’s plea for cancellation of bail to Lakhvi on Thursday.

The Punjab government on March 14 detained Lakhvi for 30 days under the Maintenance of Public Order, before he could be released by Adiala Jail authorities on the IHC’s order. On December 18, the trial court granted bail to Lakhvi but he was detained the very next day under the MPO. However, the IHC suspended Lakhvi’s detention on “weak legal ground”. Just before he was to be released from the jail, Lakhvi was arrested on charges of kidnapping an Afghan national in 2009. He has got bail in the kidnapping case.

Later, the government challenged the IHC’s order in the Supreme Court, which suspended its decision. The 55-year-old Lakhvi again challenged his detention and got relief from the court on March 13.

Lakhvi is among the seven persons charged with planning and helping carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail are Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid.

KABUL: Security forces on Wednesday gather around a destroyed vehicle following a suicide bombing that killed six people and injured 31 others. –Xinhua

Top LI terrorist among 31 killed in Khyber

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Army on Wednesday killed as many as 31 terrorists in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement read.

The statement added that two ammunition depots were also destroyed.

Local sources said a spokesman of the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-eIslam (LI) Salahuddin Ayubi was among those killed.

At least eight terrorists were killed in a separate operation in Aurakzai Agency, according to security sources.

Security forces targeted the militants after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Sabak area of Aurakzai Agency. A security official embraced martyrdom during the operation.

Earlier, Shakir Sipah, a driver of the LI chief Mangal Bagh, was killed in a drone attack on Tuesday along with eight oth-

ers in Nazyan district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.

Terrorist hideouts have been frequently pounded by Pakistan's security forces in Tirah Valley. The strikes are part of Operation Khyber One and Khyber Two, launched by security forces and aimed at targeting militants in Khyber Agency, particularly the Tirah Valley of Bara which borders Nazyan province of Afghanistan. –FP Monitoring

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1,634 TDP FAMILIES RETURN HOME

ISLAMABAD: A large number of temporarily displaced persons (TDPs), amounting to 1,634, of South Waziristan Agency (SWA) have returned to their homes during one phase of the resettling campaign initiated by the government. According to media reports, the political administration said that the return of TDPs to SWA would be completed by the end of the ongoing month. Meanwhile, the process of rehabilitation of these families is in full swing and these families are being provided cash assistance, six-month ration and free transport to return to their homes. —APP

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THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 2015

MAN DROWNS IN BARAWAL RIVER

UPPER DIR: A labourer drowned in River Barawal on Wednesday while trying to swim across, carrying a heavy bale of goods. Mohammad Shafiq, a resident of Barawal Bandi, was swept away by the River Barawal water when he tried to cross the river with a big bale on his back. He worked as a labourer in the local market. His body was found after hectic effort by volunteers from Falah-e-Insaniyat, a charity organisation, who shifted it to Rural Health Centre at Barawal. Later, the members of the bereaved family received it. —Syed Maaz Jan

NA passes Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amend) Act The Act will allow regulation of disciplinary proceedings in cases of professional misconduct

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Wednesday passed the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amendment) Act 2014 unanimously that will allow the regulation of disciplinary proceedings and expeditious disposal of complaints in cases of professional misconduct.

The above mentioned bill was moved

by Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada on behalf of Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Pervaiz Rashid.

According to objects and reasons the Pakistan Bar Council has proposed amendments in sections 41 and 54 of the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973 (XXXV of 1973) to further regulate the disciplinary proceedings in the cases of grave professional misconduct and to prescribe the period for expeditious disposal of complaints.

NA unanimously passes Credit Bureaus Bill 2015: The National Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed the Credit Bureaus Bill 2015 aiming to stabilise the financial system and contribute to sustainable economic growth in the country.

The Bill was moved by Parliamentary Secretary for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatisation Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan.

According to the statement of objects and reasons, credit bureaus throughout

BRIEF

the world have eminence and impact on financial decisions. Lending and investment assessments by financial institutions, particularly by banks, are crucial elements for healthy credit culture in the country.

Credit bureaus provide information for objective examination of credit standing of the borrowers.

In Pakistan, a couple of private credit bureaus started their functions without any legal framework or regulatory requirements. This raised concerns for the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) especially due to sensitivity of banking information being maintained by these bureaus.

The proposed law provided comprehensive legal and regulatory framework for incorporation and functioning of credit bureaus in Pakistan. The law will also provide a platform for accuracy in risk prediction. This would create rapid business benefits including increased array of credit products, improved collection rates, reduced net bad debts and low operating costs.

A new clause III has been substituted as Licence..., "No person shall commence or carry on business of or function as a credit bureau without obtaining a licence from the State Bank of Pakistan in the manner prescribed by regulations."

Three-pronged policy being pursued to eradicate corruption, NA

Only sincere leaders can end crisis, says Dr Waleed

Govt ponders over legal options to reopen Shahid Hamid murder case

ADNAN SAEED

SALEEM BUKHARI

KHANEWAL: The nation could not

ISLAMABAD: The federal govern-

ment is trying to look for legal options to reopen the Shahid Hamid murder case for which the Interior Ministry officials are establishing contacts with the murdered man’s widow, sources confided to The Frontier Post on Wednesday. The sources said Shahid Hamid’s widow Begum Shehnaz Hamid had returned to Pakistan from London just a few days before the death-row convict Saulat Mirza made the video statement about MQM’s chief Altaf Hussain. It was learnt that murdered driver Ashraf Brohi’s widow was also being contacted in this connection. “The interior secretary had met with the prime minister’s special adviser Ashtar Ausaf in this regard and their meeting continued for two hours,” the Interior Ministry sources told this scribe.

CA&DD officials visit girls’ school STAFF REPORT ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division (CA&DD) Barrister Usman Ibrahim visited Islamabad Model School and College for Girls, located in G6/1-4, Islamabad on Wednesday. Members of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, senior media personalities and members of School Management Committee (SMC) also accompanied the minister of state. The visit was made on the request of residents of G-6.

Gujranwala Press Club election held OUR CORRESPONDENT GUJRANWALA: The press club elections were held on Wednesday at Sultan Fort in which Mirza Faisal Nafees was declared president without any competition no other candidate faced him. The other office bearers are Sahibzada Shah Muhammad , Shehzad Azam Mirza, Rana Atiq ur Rehman and Muhammad Amjad Ansari.

told: Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage, Law, Justice and Human Rights Pervaiz Rashid on Wednesday said a three pronged strategy of awareness, prevention and enforcement was being pursued to eradicate corruption from the country.

Replying to the question of legislators in National Assembly during question hour, he said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been successful not only in bringing the culprits to book but also recovered billions of plundered money. He said NAB has recovered Rs 3,880.47 million and completed 869 inquiries, 201 investigations since June 2013 while 237 references have been filed in various courts.

He also said the NAB also set up prevention committees in order to develop doable recommendations for eradication of corruption. The minister further said the authority is also engaged with different government and non-governmental organisations to fight against this menace. Corruption in the country has been reduced significantly in a period of only one year as country's ranking amongst corrupt countries has fallen from 127 to 126, he added. Referring to the recent report of Transparency International, Information Minister Rashid said that corruption in the country has been effectively tackled in the past few years. —APP

reach its destination despite lapse of 68 years and we are standing at the point from where we had started our journey, said Dr Waleed Iqbal, the son of retired chief justice Dr Javed Iqbal addressing a meeting at the office of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf managed by Rao Intizar.

He pinpointed that main reasons behind our deterioration are corruption and lack of accountability.

Both of them simultaneously have grown up in the society without any check.

He added that decisions have their importance in the history of the nations: good decisions lead to progress and prosperity but short-sightedness leads to deterioration and destruction. Unluckily, we are in the phase of depression and collapse.

“History records that founding fathers of the nation Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Nawabzada Liaquet Ali khan were men of character. First martyred of the nation had a property of great worth in India but when he migrated to Pakistan, he did not allot any home for himself and whenever he was said to have a home for himself; he denied to do so.

Dr Waleed also said that there were only Rs 1200 and some things of humble worth in his custody at the time of his martyrdom. In the leadership of Imran Khan, the PTI has same the vision and mission. So we will develop a nation of ours in ac-

cordance with the vision of our great leaders. We know the youth of our country has all the talent to realise the dream of our forefathers, said honourable guest. He claimed that the PTI would deliver justice for all and relentless system of the accountability in the society. “We are the nation that has every potential to lead the world. Only sincere leadership requires hitting the target”, concluded Dr Waleed.

‘Equality between men and women to ensure peace’: Sectarianism and terrorism are curses and we should play our role to uproot them for consolidation of pure democratic system which is the real guarantor of human rights and civil liberties, said Masroor Ahmad Khan while representing a delegation of Hyderabad Sindh Civil Society Network during his official visit to Khanewal.

Khanewal Civil Society Network arranged a special party in the honour of their guests. Syeda Amber Naqvi, member of delegation, said that without economic prosperity and equality between male and female we can’t see peace in our society.

Jacob Francis, director of BAITHAK Development Society, said that concept of minority and majority is big hurdle in development of our society .Shahzad Francis , Syed Karrar Haider Shah , Syed Basit Tirmizi , Rashid Rahmani , Nadim Najid , Muhammad Aamir , Ms Rozina , Tariq Mehboob , Ishaq Rehmat , Allah Ditta, Amin Warsi and Hasnain Zaidi also participated.

ABBOTTABAD: Patients and their attendants face handships as they sit on the ground waiting for their turn to undergo medical tests outside Pathology Lab of District Headquarters Hospital. —Online

CPEC-Pakistan's Vision 2025 to ensure peace and prosperity, says Ahsan ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal has said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Pakistan's Vision 2025 seeks to position itself from a lower middle income country to high middle income country by achieving the target per capita GDP of $4200.

"In order to achieve this goal and create employment opportunities for new entrants into the labour force, it aims to target a growth rate of 8 per cent between 2018 and 2025 with single digit inflation", he said while addressing the think tank of China at Pak-China Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) on CPEC in Beijing on Wednesday.

According to a message received here from China on Wednesday, the minister who is currently visiting the country said that the vision had other macroeconomic targets as well.

He said "Vision 2025 sought to increase exports from the present $25 billion to $150 billion, tax-GDP ratio to 1618 per cent, investment rate in the range of 22-25 per cent of GDP through domestic saving of 18-21 per cent and foreign saving of 3-4 per cent of GDP in the long run".

“Year 2015 has been termed "by us as the Year of Friendly Exchanges between China and Pakistan and this year of the sheep will also stand and prove to be a year of promise and prosperity for deepening cooperation between our two brotherly countries China and Pakistan" he added.

Highlighting the CPEC, he said that the corridor was a fusion of multiple developments in the global, regional, bilateral and domestic contexts. The ultimate objective is peace, prosperity and well be-

ing of the people of the two countries, the region and the world, he remarked.

The minister said the global economic landscape had been changed dramatically. The main drivers of this change has been technology, trade liberalization, freer capital movements, advances in communication and transportation infrastructure and creation of cross border supply chains, he added.

The centre of gravity of the world economy, he said has shifted east with the emerging economies growing at a much faster pace than the developed economies. He said their share of GDP doubled in the last 50 years or so. In the last decade 70 per cent of global growth is ascribed to the emerging economies.

These shifts, he said find reflection in changes in global governance and responsibilities that arise from these shifts.

"The integration of the global economy has enveloped all areas of trade, service and movement of capital. Regional cooperation agreements have proliferated and strengthened in recent times to capture this change especially in the global economic landscape", he remarked.

The minister said that regional and sub regional economic integration as a means to bolster growth, investment and trade in countries had a long chequered history. However, recent history of regional economic integration has had some unmistakeable successes.

"In fact this has been one of the major successful developments after the Second World War. The regional integration in Europe brought success in terms of regional growth, economic development, investment & trade and more importantly fostered peace in the region", he added.

The interest in regional integration in

Asia, he said has taken root more slowly but recent developments have intensified interest in Asian regional economic integration. First, he said is being projected that the Asia and Pacific region's share in world GDP between 2010 and 2050 would rise from nearly 28 to more than 52 per cent, with China accounting for 20 per cent and India for 16 per cent both neighbouring Pakistan-in manufacturing China is already producing 25 per cent of global manufacturing output.

Second, he said complementary to the first is the faster economic growth in the region and its intra regional trade than the rest of the world-trends that are likely to continue- Asia today is already producing 46.5 percent of global manufacturing output.

Third, he said the imbalance in world trade is creating an environment for greater domestic and regional investment by trade surplus countries, which are countries in Asia, providing an opportunity to relatively slower growing and investment deficit countries to attract FDI and raise their growth levels.

Fourth, he said the region includes both energy importing and energy exporting countries and thus providing room for cross border trade in energy products; fifth, regional economic integration increases efficiencies in production especially in products with value chains spread across the region because of proximity and thus reduced connectivity costs.

Sixth, he said that after the recent economic and financial crises in the west there has been strengthening of the belief that Asian economic integration would make for more resilient economies to external shocks- a belief earlier fostered during the 1998-99 crises.

NAB to net PPP’s top men, ministers and bureaucrats SALEEM BUKHARI ISLAMABAD: Thirty-six references have been prepared against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) top leaders, ministers and bureaucrats, sources told The Frontier Post on Wednesday. The sources said final touches were being given to the references against close friends of PPP’s top leader. Most of them are linked to corruption in the past regime, while two references are against members of the Punjab and Sindh cabinets.

According to the sources, the references related to illegal occupation of government land, money-laundering and corruption. It was learnt that the summary would soon be sent to the prime minister for approval, following which the National Ac-

countability Bureau (NAB) will initiate further proceedings.

Ayyan trapped in false case by Custom officials: Some reservations concerning arrest of model Ayyan Ali have surfaced amid pressure mounted on the jail authorities for her release, sources told The Frontier Post on Wednesday.

“The model is not involved in money laundering and the Custom’s officials had trapped Ayyan Ali in a fake case,” the sources said. They said it was a matter of surprise that the Customs Department’s officials had booked the model in a money laundering case, which may have been done by the federal investigation agency (FIA).

“The Customs Department officials might have done that on pressure put by some politician or a bureaucrat,” the sources said.

Germany disapproves death penalty in Pakistan ISLAMABAD: German Ambassador Dr Cyril Jean Nunn on Wednesday said his country’s government and parliament criticized the death penalty in Pakistan.

Addressing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs he however made his remarks diplomatically lenient by saying with smile, “We would try to fight within our parliament in favour of Pakistan, trying to convince it”.

He also referred the covenants Pakistan has signed in its recent history including International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Giving his input on Pak-Germany ties, the ambassador said that his country, which is now one of the major players in EU, supported Pakistan position for GSP Plus.

He praised Pakistan role in war against terrorism, adding that the German people are well aware of the situation in Pakistan and the sacrifices it made in face of terror.

He said that especially after attack in Peshawar killing School children, and targeting churches the focus of Germany is on Pakistan. “Pakistan war is German war,” he said. He narrated that after attack on the school he visited the injured in the hospital.

Jean Nunn said ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan is very important for making the region safe.

He also lauded Pakistan’s balance approach in the region and expressed his concerns over Pak-India relations urging them to move forward. “Our interest is to have a strong Pakistan as its

important role in the region can never be overlooked, it’s an important key player in the region,” he said.

He said that for the last two years he is in Pakistan but he was working in German Foreign Services since 1988 and the region is not new for him.

“Some time I recall the time when I travelled by car from Iran to Islamabad, then Pakistan was very safe.

But now!”

The ambassador stressed that Malala is very popular in Germany and represent resilience of Pakistan.

He briefed the committee on the historical ties between the two countries; he started from Allama Iqbal days in Germany and mentioned a lot of factors since 1904 that contributed to the present relations between the two

countries.

He said that A German Parliamentarian delegation would soon visit Pakistan. Parliaments of the two countries enjoy good relations, he said.

On trade, he said that Pakistan is among few countries of the world that is carrying out surplus trade with Germany.

The ambassador said that Germany is providing education to 10,000 Pakistani students and would further expand cooperation. He also said that Germany is taking part in various projects in FATA, KP and other areas for development. “Not only these but ours military to military relations are also going on with positive interaction”, he said that Pakistani and German military officers benefits from

each other institutions.

Members of the committee asked questions and floated ideas for further improvement. Mehmood Khan Achakzai pointed out that Afghanistan and Pakistan are facing trust deficit and Germany can play an important role for minimizing the gape in the regional interest. He also said that the US, EU, China, and Iran, Pakistan can make the region safe if work in coordination.

Some of the members focused on their constituencies where development projects are needed.

The meeting chaired by Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari was attended by MNAs, Rana Muhammad Afzal, Naeema Kishwar Khan, Syed Asghar Ali Shah, and others.

NATIONAL

THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 2015

BRIEF Former minister’s brother accused of extorting money M. AKRAM KHAN FARIDI SHEIKHUPURA: Jawad Ahmed

Tamana, a worker of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), complained to police on Wednesday that Malik Ishtiaq Awan, younger brother of former senior minister Malik Mushtaq Awan, had extorted money from him for getting him a job in the Sui Gas Department. In his complaint lodged with district police officer (DPO) Sheikhupura, Jawad said Ishtiaq Awan had refused to return thousands of rupees he had received several months ago for the purpose of getting him a job.

Murder cases against former nazim’s son and brother OUR CORRESPONDENT SHEIKHUPURA: Police have registered a case against a former district nazim’s son, brother, nephew and two others for allegedly killing a young man and a passer-by, opening indiscriminate fire in Village Khan Pur a few days ago. Accused Imran Dogar, Mushtaq Dogar and Ishtiaq Dogar, the son, brother and nephew of late former district nazim Malik Rehmat Dogar along with two men had gunned down Mushtaq and a passer-by in Village Khan Pur. The accused had an old enmity over some political issue with the victim’s family.

Journalist Mirza Azeem dies TAUSEEF IQBAL KAASHMIRI GUJRANWAL: Senior journalist Mirza Muhammad Azeem died of a heart attack in Gujranwala last day. He met his tragic end when he was busy in the reporting for a news paper in the district courts. According to sources, he fell down on the ground suddenly and was brought to the District Headquarter (DHQ) for first aid but unluckily could not survive. His funeral prayer was offered at Siddiq e Akbar graveyard where a large number of journalists and civil society members including Hafiz Shahid Munir , Sajjad Dar , Umer Sheraz , Hafiz Iftikhar , Rana Hafeez, Rafeeq Mughal , Muhammad Faisal ,Shahid Butt, Imran Mani , Sardar Zishan , Rizwan Khan , Asad Habib ,And Tauseef Iqbal Kaashmiri participated and prayed for the departed soul.

Six MEPCO men sacked for ‘corruption’ IFTIKHARUL HASSAN MULTAN: Multan Electricity Power Company (MEPCO) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mazhar Ali Abbasi has terminated the services of six employees, including three senior officers, for corruption and negligence of duties.

The dismissed MEPCO officials were caught over bungling in the recovery matter and for theft of official goods at the Bahawalpur, Mian Channu, Arifwala, Qabula and Kot Chattha sub-divisions.

Those dismissed are Rafique Abid, Hafiz Abdul Malik, Shafqat Hussain, Shahbaz Ahmed, Muhammad Sadiq and Muhammad Younas.

Policeman shot at by robbers dies OUR CORRESPONDENT KASUR: A sub inspector shot and

injured at the hands of robbers succumbed to his injuries, on Wednesday. Reports say that a few days back, SI Naseer Ahmed and ASI Abbad Ali, both appointed at Faisalabad district, had arrived Kasur in connection with the investigation of a case. When they reached near Mia Kay Morr, in the limits of Pattoki police station, six unidentified robbers wearing police uniform, intercepted the police officials. When the robbers tried to snatch valuables, the police officials put up resistance. Meanwhile, one of the robbers shot at and injured SI Ahmed and managed their escape.

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Pak-Russia ties to be strengthened, says Russian Ambassador MOHAMMAD RIAZ MAYAR MARDAN: Russian Ambassador to Pak-

istan Mr Alexy Dedov on Wednesday said Pakistan was a culturally rich country and very important because of its geographic location adding that his country is looking into collaboration with Pakistan in various sectors, such as economics, trade, energy, textile, architecture, sports, culture and is looking for new avenues to further strengthen the bilateral relations, he added.

He expressed these views while addressing a debate title ‘Pakistan-Russia Relations New Prospects and Challenges’ arranged at Abdul Wali Khan University Garden campus. Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Ihsan Ali, PTI lawmaker Zahid Durrani, Chairman Department of Journalism & Mass Communication Shiraz Paracha and faculty members of various departments were also present on the occasion. The ambassador along with his delegation was warmly received at the university, where he spoke to large gathering of academicians, students and guests. Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Ihsan Ali in his welcome speech shed light on Takht Bhai, Mardan’s historical background that was once a great centre of Bhudism and Gandhara civilization. He informed the audience that the people of this area were developed long before Europe and America and Pashtuns are famous for their hospitality and rich culture but unfortunately their positive image is not portrayed in the national and international media. He briefed the honourable ambassador on Abdul Wali Khan’s university’s making of progress by leaps and bound. A university that took start from a scratch has nine thousand students and has given birth to the three new universities.

About 137 of its faculty are PhD holders of which majority got their PhDs from abroad. He applauded the ambassador for his courage and making a visit to university which he called a rare phenomenon in the history of the province.

Alexy Dedov in his speech told the par-

ticipants that his country had always seen Pakistan as an important country and a key player in the world politics.

‘The Russian people are aware of the Pakistan’s rich culture and literature and the work of Faiz Ahmad Faiz, a renowned poet has already been translated into Russian language. The Russian people also know about the great poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal and Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah’ he added. The ambassador gave a detailed lecture on Russian’s foreign policy and talked about the contemporary world issues, such as Syria and Afghanistan. He said that Russia was positive role in the seeking of solutions to the issue of terrorism. He said that terrorism was not an issue of a single nationality; rather an international phenomenon where people from all nationalities and involved. He said that his country was striving hard for the peaceful settlements of disputes in Middle East and Afghanistan and is actively collaborating with United Nations. The ambassador also answered the questions of participants. Responding to a question about the economic corridor, he said that he had known through media that there is a dispute going on between KP and the central government over the route, but he hoped both will reach a consensus.

Answering a question of a participant about Pak India Relations, the ambassador said that his government welcomes the dialogue process and initiatives taken by both countries for peace and stability. A session of Pakistani graduates from Russia was also held after the lecture in the meeting room of central library where the participants had a detailed discussion with Alexy Dedov.

They informed the ambassador that his government should offer more scholarships to Pakistani students and provide more opportunities of cultural exchange. The ambassador thanked the organizers and the university administration for organizing such an important event. Alexy Dedov also visited several departments of the university.

BANNU: Javed Mehsud speaks to reporters after conducting a search operation at FR Bannu against the local drug mafia. —FP Photo

IIUI celebrates World Water Day

Youth must play role to conserve water, says expert from Belgium UMAR HASHMI ISLAMABAD: The youth must come forward with potential beyond political, geographical or cultural boundaries to save water for next generations, President World Youth Parliament for Water Bart Devis from Belgium told the participants of a seminar organised

by Department of Environment Sciences at International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) on World Water Day on Wednesday.

An awareness walk was also organised to celebrate the day.

Bart Devis raised some important challenges and issues regarding availability of water, its quality, purification

and the supply of drinking water to people around the world. “The youth must build pressure on the authorities to make a national water policy for saving water to meet challenges.”

Dr Muhammad Irfan, chairman Department of Environment Sciences of IIUI, said water is the blood of our economy because Pakistan is an agricultural country. Pakistan, he continued, has the third largest population of youth who have great potential. “Youth are the custodian of water resources and are a source of development for the nation.”

Dr Irfan asked students to create awareness among people to use water sparingly and judiciously to fulfil their responsibilities well.

Three notorious robbers killed in police encounter

MINGORA: Lawyers, journalist and

politicians in Swat demanded the government to empower the women and dismantle the gender discrimination from the society to ensure equality.

It was demanded by local lawyers and statesmen in a forum under the theme “Land disputes and its solution”, organized by CARAVAN and funded by Asia Foundation here on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Sher Mohammad khan, a renowned lawyer, said women were persistently being deprived of their legal share in inheritance and are sidelined in other matters concerning with them as well.

“The man dominated society is solely responsible for violation women rights,” he said.

Referring to the cases of land disputes in the courts he said, unfair treatment and low wages by the land owners to the farmers in Khyber Pkhtunkhwa (KP) province was a common issue and has worsen the situation. “As many as hundreds of cases about land disputes are pending in every court of the KP province,” he

said, adding that the courts were unable to rapidly decide these cases due to complex nature of disputes and complication in the judicial system.

Hayat Khan, a counsellor at CARAVAN, a NGO, said lawmakers of the country had done nothing so far to cope with curses, the aftermaths in the land disputes. “People are fed up with the issues of land disputes and the legislators have turned deaf years to them,” he lamented.

Meanwhile, several other participants including local journalists and politicians highlighted the issue of land dispute and demanded the authorities to address the issue by proper legislation in the Constitution.

Earthquake jolts Malakand Division: An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale jolted parts of Malakand Division on Wednesday.

According to the meteorological department, the epicentre of the quake was at the Afghan-Tajik border. The depth of the tremors was recorded 32 Kilometres which were felt in Swat, Buner, Shangla, Upper and Lower Dir, Chitral and other parts of the division. No loss of life or property has been reported so far.

Khanewal DPO Jahanzeb Nazeer talks to reporters after police killed wanted robbers in an encounter on Wednesday.

OUR CORRESPONDENT KHANEWAL: Three gangsters belonging

to an inter-district gang, involved into over 150 cases of murder, theft, robbery and other crimes have been killed in police encounter neat Mian Channu.

These criminals were also wanted by the police of five districts including Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Toba Tek Singh, Vehari and Khanewal. This was disclosed by the DPO Khanewal Jahanzeb Nazeer through a press release issued from the DPO office. According to DPO Khanewal that a criminal gang was active in Khanewal district since long, and people of the area were feeling insecure due to the criminal activities of these heinous criminals. He further disclosed that DSP Mian Channu was assigned the task to bust these criminals. In this regard, police informers were also active in the area, and the police received information that the members of this gang were

available in the area on Mian Channu and after committing robbery they were moving towards Iqbal Nagar.

Police raiding party of Mian Channu led by DSP Tahir Majeed chased them, and when these dacoits reached Chak no.10/14-L Iqbal Nagar, police also reached at there. When the offenders found the police raiding party, they started direct firing at police party.

However, in cross firing, all three got serious injuries, and expired before reaching the Rescue 1122. Later, they were identified as Mansab s/o Riaz Lohri r/o 28/14-L, Bahawal Sher Alias Nasri s/o Sajawal Lohri r/o 20/14-L and Allah Bakhsh alias Bakhshi s/o Lal r/o chak no.28/14-L. From the site, police has also recovered weapons like, Kalashnikov, repeater, pistols and bullets. All these criminals were involved in more than 150 cases of heinous crimes in various districts. DPO has appreciated the police raiding party of Mian Channu for this achievement.

Woman urges PHC to reject son’s killers’ plea OUR CORRESPONDENT MARDAN: A poor woman hailing from

Galyara village here on Wednesday demanded the Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice to reject the appeal of her young son’s killers who were punished by a local court.

Speaking to a news conference Rasheeda Bibi wife of Ghani ur Rehman, said Rohullah, Ameer and Khushrang, residents of Yar Hussain, were friends of her deceased son Wali ur Rehman. On 27 January 2012 they took away his son, they killed him at Motor-way near Jahangira and snatched his van. Lahore (Swabi) police registered the case. The police arrested Ameer from the spot and later the other two accused were also arrested. She added that police recovered the weapon used in the incident and also recovered the van from the accused. She added that Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Lahore (Swabi) Manzoor Qadar on 13 May 2014 award-

ed death sentence to the accused. She added that now accused submitted appeal in Peshawar High Court (PHC).

She added that she was a poor woman and her husband was ill and laying on bad. She added that she sold her house to pursue his son case and now living in a rent house. She added that she has

TIUP demands compensation for families of 2 lynched men OUR CORRESPONDENT

Land disputes cause of concern for Mingora residents

BY SEHZAD KHAN

Member of the International Water Secretariat Raza Ali, Founder-Member of Pakistan Youth Parliament for Water Wasif Bashir, and the faculty members and students attended the seminar and also took part in the walk.

Bart Devis later met with IIUI Vice President (Academics) Dr Muhammad Bashir Khan.

Dr Khan said there is a dire need to raise awareness about water issues, challenges and problems. “Irrespective of the region, we live in everybody should take his/her responsibility to save water and raise voice for it. Our youth has great potential to lead the nation towards sustainable development and prosperity.”

no money to pursue her son case in the high court. He demanded the Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court to reject the appeal of the accused and restored the punishment awarded by local court. Her brother Guk Ghawas and nephew Ayin Khan were also present on the occasion.

Three killed in separate incidents: Three people were killed in separate incidents of firing and road accident in the district On Wednesday.

According to Takhatbhai police station Asif, a resident of Jalala, along with another person entered the house of Sherdad located at Habib Gul Killay and allegedly over a minor quarrel opened firing and killed his son Abid. Police registered case. In another case of road accident registered on the report of Ghulam Qadar resident of Pump Koroona at the same police station. He told police that a speedy car driven by Gul Mohammad hit his nephew Saed Umar 8 years old. As a result he died on the spot. Police registered case. In another incident of traffic registered on the report of Subhan ud Din resident of Gujjar Ghari at City police station, he told police that a speedy car hit his father, Alaud Din near TB Hospital. As a result he died on the spot. Police have registered the case.

KASUR: Tanzeem Ittehad-e-Umat Pakistan (TIUP) has demanded the government to give 5 million rupees and 10 acres of agricultural land to the bereaved family of the victims of Youhanabad lynched after the terrorist blasts.

A delegation of TIUP headed by Muhammad Ziaul Haq Naqshbandi visited the house of Hafiz Muhammad Naeem in Mustafabad Kasur, on Wednesday. The delegation offered Fateha for the departed souls and condoled with the family of Naeem. They said that like the Kot Radha Kishan incident in which a Christian couple was burnt alive following blasphemy charges, the families of Youhanabad lynched victims ought to be given 5 million rupees in cash and 10 acres of land to the family of each victim.

Maseeha Millat Party chairman arrested

STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Officials of an agency includ-

ing four police officials in uniform on arrested Maseeha Millat Party chairman Aslam Sahotra and Media Coordinator from 48 Quarter near Sitar Market Islamabad Wednesday.

According to details, Maseeha Millat Party was going to light candles in memory of those who were killed in Youhna Abad incident and for the announcement of strategy against the arrest of Christians outside of Islamabad Press Club. A press release said that arrest of Maseeha Millate Party chairman and other Christians is the incompetency and failure of the government.

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THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 2015

CM ORDERS IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF FARMERS

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered immediate release of farmers, taken into custody for creating hurdles in flow of traffic in front of Lahore Press Club. —APP

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CREATION OF NEW KNOWLEDGE A MUST FOR RESPECTABLE SURVIVAL: PU VC LAHORE: Punjab University (PU) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran has said that the world is a battlefield and if we want to survive with respect, we will have to create new knowledge. He was addressing the inaugural session of 10th biennial conference on “Microbes for Future Endeavors” on Wednesday at PU. —Staff Report

Govt orders regularisation of employees

NASIR BUTT

LAHORE: The Punjab government has

ordered regularisation of all contractual employees working in public sector department of the province, said a circular on Wednesday.

Punjab Finance department issued guidelines to all departments concerned for the regularisation of contract employees in public sector departments. The communiqué sent to Inspector General of Police, Provincial Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, District Coordination Officers(DCOs), Heads of all Autonomous bodies and all government departments functioning under Punjab government said that provincial government is taking this vital decision and all the departments must comply with the given guidelines.

It was stated in the circular that all the vacancies in autonomous departments shown at the time of recruitment and also for which budget was allocated for three consecutive years should be considered as permanent posts. The circular reveals that with this policy decision the contract system will be eliminated in the province completely. However, it was clarified that this policy will not be applicable in the case of daily wage employees.

It was also stated in the circular that S&GA department of the Punjab government issued regularisation policy for the contract employees in autonomous bodies on Feb. 28, 2012 and then subsequent amendments from time to time. The circular added that according to the policy for the regularisation of contract employees was existence of permanent post in the relevant department.

Protesting farmers arrested, released STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Pakitan Kisan Itehad chairman and other farmers were arrested and released outside of the Lahore Press Club when they tried to block the road while demanding for their rights on Wednesday.

Pakistan Kisan Itehad chairman Muhammad Anwer speaking in a press conference at the Lahore Press Club said that they would continue their protest against the government till the acceptance of their demands. He said that this year government should make promise with the farmers that it will buy the wheat from farmers at reasonable rates. He said that there is no GST on agri-inputs in other countries and therefore GST on agri-inputs in Pakistan should be removed.

He said that around four hundred farmers have been arrested by police, adding the government should stop this action. He further said that Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif had promised with the Kisan Itehad that cases and FIRs against farmers would be taken back but two years have passed but the Punjab government has not taken back the cases.

Talking to the media, Pakistan Kisan Itehad chairman said that Wapda is involved in over-billing, which was killing poor farmers who could not pay these huge amounts. After the press

conference Pakistan Kisan Itehad chairman and other farmers were arrested when they tried to block the road outside the Lahore Press Club.

Separately, opposition political parties have come up with a strong supporting stance for Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) as Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) senior central leader Ch Parvez Elahi and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf backed Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mahmood Ur Rashid in very strong words condemning unjustified baton-charge on unarmed farmers, torture and arrest in different cases here on Tuesday.

Both opposition parties’ top leaders said that if the Punjab government continued this biased attitude with the farmer community, the PML-Q and PTI will be forced to come out on the roads to protest against antifarmer policies of provincial rulers.

They pledged to raise voice in favour of farmers at all platforms including the assemblies.

Opposition leader in Punjab Mian Mahmood Ur Rashid criticizing the Punjab government said that if they would not end the policy of imposing decisions through force the nation would bury their politics forever. He said unjust policies towards the farmer community would weaken the country economically.

Police arrest farmers during a protest in front of the Lahore Press Club. —Mohsin Raza

35 profiteers held, 96 shopkeepers challaned STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Price control magistrates

conducted massive raids on 809 shops in different city areas to check the quality and rates of edible items and imposed Rs 143,600 fine on 96 shopkeepers on Tuesday.

As many as 35 profiteers were arrested and 17 were sent to jail after on-spot hearing, while cases against 18 shopkeepers involved in overcharging were registered with various police stations in the district government Lahore drive against profiteers.

On the direction of District Coordination Officer Lahore, Captain M Usman, Price Control Magistrates remained active and continued with the pledge to provide relief to consumers. DCO Lahore issued orders that magistrates should remain in markets and if any shopkeeper tried to overcharge citizens and found involved in overcharging, strict action should be taken against him.

Usman said that no negligence on the part of CDGL staff would be tolerated in performing the duties.

Hailstorm of elections

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MANZOOR ALI

efore I give my views on why suddenly advertisements regarding the achievements of the Nawaz government have started to appear in the print and electronic media; why it is being stressed that the prices of necessary items of daily use have gone down; why the prime minister has claimed that ten thousand megawatts will be added to the total current electricity generation; why is Nawaz suddenly taking credit for the Karachi operation and why is he saying the terrorists attacks which have simmered down will totally end in the near future; let me tell you of what happened between girls.

‘There are no signs of hailstorm coming,’ said the girl who was going on a long journey with her friend

‘Then why are packing your skin coat, a heavy large shawl and a hood for the journey,’ asked the friend.

‘Just in case,’ replied the girl.

‘Well I am not going to burden myself with a heavy coat, a heavy hood and heavy large and a hood for such a doubtful happening as ‘just in case,’ said the friend So the girl carried her heavy coat, the shawl and the hood all the way while her friend made fun of the girl.

But just before the journey ended there was a heavy hailstorm and the friend had not brought the coat, shawl and hood had a blue and bruised face and swollen bumps on her head being hit by the hailstones. Now it was the girl who was making fun of her friend while refusing to share her coat, shawl and hood with her.

Now for the recent publicity of Nawaz government’s achievements: Politics is all about being ready for the unexpected. Politicians and political parties are also as cruel to each as the two girls were to each other. The don’t miss a chance to ridicule and humiliate each other even when they are considered friends and they don’t share with each other when hard times befall on any one of them.

Nawaz Sharif was once said to be the most ruthless of politicians; now he is considered the shrewdest. It means now he cares more about the negative impact of his inappropriate actions on the voters. Now he sugarcoats his

‘Education reforms yielding positive results’ LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Law, Excise & Taxation and Finance, Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman has said that private educational institutions are playing a pivotal role in providing quality education and government highly appreciates the services of private sector for the enhancement of literacy rate.

Talking to a delegation of Pakistan Private Schools Management Association, Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman said that the budget allocated for education Rs.274 billion which is 26.25 percent of total expenditures.

He said that Punjab School Reforms Roadmap is yielding positive results for the uplift of education sector and enrollment of every child of the province will be ensured by the end of 2018.

He said that improvement of higher education is the priority of government and Rs.14.5 billion has been provided for developmental work of the higher education. He said that new targets have been set under Punjab School Reforms Roadmap and the 18-point new roadmap will have to be implemented in letter and spirit for achieving all these targets till 2018.

Mujtaba said that provision of the education is constitutional obligation of the government, but government cannot do this duty single handedly, and requires the support of private sector in this regard. It is encouraging that Private Schools are providing standardized education and presence of quality school is a healthy sign for the education system of the country.

He said that scholarships of 12 billion rupees are being provided to

more than 50 thousand students within the country and abroad from Endowment fund and students of private education institutions are also benefiting from this fund.

He said that government considers private schools active partner in the struggle of promotion of education in the country and Rs.7.50 billion to the Punjab Education Foundation for grant to the private schools as 15 lakh students are getting education in private schools.

Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman said that Punjab government is pursuing a comprehensive policy for the promotion & up-gradation of school education and Rs. 8 billion have been provided for the provision of missing facilities in all schools in the province.

He said that Rs. 3.63 billion has been provided for the distribution of free of cost textbooks to the students.

He said that IT labs had been set up in more than 5000 high schools and 515 middle schools. He said that Rs.2.40 billion has been provided for provision of non-formal basic education to 20 lakh illiterate people.

Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman informed that 3068 primary and middle schools had been upgraded at a cost of Rs.13005 million during the last six years.

He said that the government has finished all reserve seats of self-finance in professional colleges and only talented students are being getting admission on merit. He said that talented girl and boy students are being given laptops while the male and female students obtaining first position in all the boards are sent abroad on tour to the prestigious universities of the world. —FP Monitoring

Six more death row prisoners executed LAHORE: Authorities hanged another

six death row convicts on Wednesday, bringing the number of executions to 54 since an unofficial moratorium on capital punishment was lifted in December. Prisoner Ayub was executed in Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore. He was sentenced to death by a court in Sheikhupura. Death row inmate Ghulam Yaseen was hanged in New Central Jail in Bahawalpur. The convict who belonged to Chani Goth area was handed death penalty by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) for murdering a woman in 2002.

Another prisoner Shahbaz was executed in the central jail for murdering a person in 1998. Meanwhile, prisoner Jaffar Khan’s executed was deferred for several days on the complainant’s request.

In Mianwali Cnetral Jail, death row convict Muhammad Khan, who was involved in a murder in 2001, was sent to the gallows.

Moreover, prisoner Habdar Shah’s execution was stopped after heirs of the victim pardoned him. Another two prisoners including Abdul Razzaq Chohan and Jalil alias Jalal Morijo were hanged in Sukkur Central Jail.

Jalal had killed his relative Haroon Morijo over an old enmity in Padidan town of Naushahro Feroze district in 1997. He was awarded death sentence by the additional session judge in 2000.

Second prisoner Abdul Razzaq was sentenced to death by the additional session judge in Sukkur for slaughtering 7th grade student Aftab Mirani in Bachal Shah Miyani area in 2000. —Online

actions. Also he is now better prepared for eventualities.

He is sure there is hardly any probability that the report of the Judicial Commission to be created to probe the irregularities in the elections of 2013 will come up with the conclusion that rigging which took place could have changed the results in a big way and that he has to resign from the post of prime minister. So are almost all the leaders of PML-N as sure. But Nawaz is preparing for the ‘just in case’ situation and he doesn’t want to be caught unprepared in case hailstones start falling at the sudden end of his term.

He is creating a situation in which if conditions demand reelection, the voters can say that Nawaz Sharif had corrected the direction of the country’s economy, terrorism was slowing down, power generation projects were in full swing and the people were getting some respite in the shape of falling prices. He wants the voter to vote with this state of mind.

So if you are a top politician, political worker or just voter; beware, you are being brainwashed into thinking that everything is honky dory. And I am not saying this lightly. In case the proposed judicial comes up with the result that no major organized rigging took place in the elections, all these advertisements and all the above rhetoric will cease. manzoorila@yahoo.com LAHORE: People at a function organized by Khana Farang Iran to celebrate Nauroz. —FP Monitoring

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Scholars issue fatwa in favour of polio drive

LAHORE: The Ulema Mashaikh Council

Pakistan, a representative organisation of religious scholars, issued a fatwa on Tuesday in favour of immunization drive especially polio eradication efforts in Pakistan.

Ulema Mashaikh Council Pakistan, Chairman Allama Hussain Ahmed Saeedi, stated in a letter written to Director General Health Services Punjab Dr. Zahid Pervaiz: “The Ulema Mashaikh Council Pakistan appreciates and endorses the announcement by the Prime Minister on making Pakistan a polio free country.”

In the written fatwa sent to the DG Health Services Punjab, Allama Saeedi further stated: “After necessary consultations with scholars from all major sects both within the country and abroad, and in light of the information collected from health experts, we came round to the conclusion that all vaccines provided in Pakistan including polio are of the same quality and standard as in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Iran, Egypt and the rest of the world. The polio vaccine is halal and does not contain any harmful in-

gredients. All parents must provide immunization cover to their children especially polio drops.”

Allama Hussain Ahmed Saeedi had also held a meeting with the health officials in February and tabled his queries on vaccine supply, its distribution mechanism and the global progress on this front. The fatwa urged every Pakistani especially religious figures to support and cooperate with the volunteers and staff working for the cause in realizing the larger vision of making Pakistan polio free.

The council also offered to volunteer its services to the government efforts.

Dr Zahid Pervaiz welcomed the fatwa and expressed his gratitude to the Council. He said that Pakistan will be able to overcome all the complex challenges, polio being one of them, with integrated ef- Women at a floral exhibition in Alhamra. —Mohsin Raza forts of all stakeholders including religious figures. Director EPI Dr. Munir Ahmed applauded the council for the fatwa. He said migrant populations posed a challenge in Punjab and the fatwa would be greatly helpful in addressing the problem in areas where the council is influential. —FP Monitoring

‘Patients to get medicines at beds instead of going to pharmacy’

Sketches of suicide bombers released

106 held for Youhana Abad protests

LAHORE: Lahore police Wednesday

released sketches of suicide bombers that attacked two churches in Youhana Abad area of Lahore.

According to local media reports, the police have prepared the sketches of both the suicide bombers with the help of eye witnesses. Faces of both suicide bombers were unable to recognize as bodies of bombers thoroughly destroyed. As per the sketches, both suicide bombers were aged from 22-25 whereas one of them had a light beard. Officials said that the purpose of making sketches is to

identify terrorists for further investigation that could possibly lead to terrorists’ support network.

The Lahore police with the help of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) identified and arrested 106 suspects believed to be involved in the protests that erupted after the deadly Youhanabad church bombings.

Those arrested are currently being investigated by the police to determine their role in the protests. Videos of the protests and fingerprints from various sites were used to identify people using Nadra's database. —Online

ECP issues code of conduct for LG polls in Cantt areas STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued the code of conduct applicable to the candidates of the board of cantonment election and ordered strict implementation of the procedure, on Wednesday.

According to details, candidates would not express any opinion which was against the solidarity of Pakistan and armed forces of the country and candidates would follow the orders issued by the ECP. All candidates would avoid taking part in the activities in violation of election commission rules. No supporter

LAHORE

would pressurise an opposing candidate to take back his/her nomination papers and no fund would be accepted from any person, from announcement of election schedule to the conclusion of polling. Candidates would avoid hate speeches against fellow candidates, keep away from false advertising and avoid unnecessary criticism of candidates. No use of transport for voters by candidates on polling day except relatives would be allowed, opposition by candidates with respect to other candidates in matters pertaining to religion or personality and no issuance of advertisements from government expenses in media would be acceptable.

STAFF REPORT LAHORE: The General Hospital admin-

istration has decided to provide medicines to patients at their beds instead of going to pharmacy.

The decision was taken in a meeting Wednesday with Principal Post Graduate Medical Institute and Lahore General Hospital Prof Anjum Habib Vohra in the chair. According to new policy, the concerned in- charge head nurse would write down the details of medicine required by the patient in the indent book duly verified by senior registrar. The availability report about the medicine

must have to be signed by the pharmacist or administrative doctor which would be followed by delivery of medicine at patient’s bed by concerned head nurse after receiving it personally.

According to new policy, medicine would not be directly handed over to the patients or their attendants instead hospital staff would perform this duty. The left over medicine would be returned to the store. At the end of the shift the record of issued medicine would also be given to next shift having verified by Additional Medical Superintendent.

Prof. Anjum Habib Vohra told the meeting that in order to improve med-

PBTA registers 15 blood banks out of 1000 STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Punjab Blood Transfusion

Authority (PBTA) registered only 15 blood banks of the province while only 100 out of 2000 blood banks deposited fee on Wednesday.

PBTA appointed two more blood transfusion inspectors for Lahore to monitor the blood banks in the city.

PBTA was established to regularise and monitor blood banks in the province as there were hundreds of complaints against public and private sector blood banks. PBTA started working with only two rooms and four people as staff and was promised by the health department to provide the best facilities and sufficient budget but did not fulfil their promises.

PBTA appointed two more blood transfusion inspectors Dr Shariq Ali and Dr Zubair Jafar who would work under command of the headquarter. There are a total 14 blood transfusion inspectors including one Executive District Officer (EDO) health, 10 drug inspectors and three blood transfusion inspectors in PBTA headquarter.

There are more than 2000 blood banks all over the Punjab working without any information and authority but PBTA has only 450 blood bank’s data.

Health department wrote a letter to all EDOs and health executives in the district to collect data about all blood banks either they were working in private or in public sector hospitals, but unfortunately PBTA failed to register more than 2000 banks .Sources told The Frontier Post that PBTA has compiled data of 450 banks and only 100 banks deposited fee for registration while only 15 got blood bank licence including Lahore Services Hospital, Sheikh Zayed Hospital Lahore, Children Hospital Lahore, INMOL Lahore, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, District Headquarter Hospital Faisalabad, Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi, DHQ Hospital Rawalpinidi, Benzir Bhatto Hospital Rawalpindi, Hussaini Blood Bank, Sundas Foundation, Fatmeed Foundation and Shoukat Khanum Carncer Hospital Lahore.

Punjab Health Department has authorised EDO’s, District Health Officers, Deputy District Health Officers, Drug Inspectors in all districts and Pathologists working in teaching hospitals to conduct raids at blood banks in their relevant areas and compile data for those blood banks for PBTA. According to PBTA officials, the criteria to issue licence for blood banks was against Rs 5,500 for one year.

Hope Day at INMOL STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Patient

Welfare Society Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology (PWSI) organized ‘Hope Day’ for new and old cancer patients at INMOL Hospital.

Director INMOL Dr. Abu Baker

Shahid, inaugurated the event and was attended by People of different fields, students, doctors, nurses and patients.

Purpose of the ‘hope day’ was to share experiences of patients who had recovered from different cancers with new patients. Lot of patients around Punjab attended the event especially children.

CS wants early disposal of pension cases

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Secretary Khizar

Hayat Gondal has directed all departments to ensure early disposal of pension cases and departmental inquiries.

He was presiding over a meeting of Administrative Secretaries Committee at his office on Wednesday.

The meeting discussed dengue control measures, local government elections, recruitment against the disabled quota, tree plantation campaign and implementation of law to protect women’s share in inheritance.

The chief secretary ordered all departments to extend full cooperation to Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission for resolving problems of Pakistanis living abroad.

He said that overseas Pakistanis are an asset for the country; their problems should be resolved on priority basis.

THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 2015

He issued instructions to departments to fully participate in the tree plantation campaign. He directed that a detailed transition plan regarding local governments be presented in next meeting.

The secretary Local Government and Community Development told the meeting that boundaries of the local governments have been notified under the Punjab Local Government Act, 2013. He said that information about demarcation of the local governments, maps, population and number of union councils and wards has been provided to Election Commission of Pakistan. He said that delimitation of union councils and wards has been started by the Election Commission.

He said that Sanitation Week will be observed under the aegis of Local Gov-

ernment and Community Development Department from April 6. He said that a control room has been set up in the office of DG Local Government for dengue control. Special teams have also been formed for monitoring of dengue, he maintained.

The health secretary said that nine suspected dengue cases were reported during the current year but no patient has been confirmed with dengue in Punjab so far. He said that all the heads of regional Dengue Experts Advisory Group (DEAG) and EDOs have been asked to start training of medical, nursing as well as allied health professionals involved in dengue patients management.

The meeting was briefed that job quota for disabled persons was increased from two to three percent, ban

on recruitment was lifted for them in December 2014 and so far provincial departments have advertised recruitment to 114 posts under disabled quota.

The meeting was also briefed on issuance of direct show-cause notice to the accused under PEEDA Act, online publication of substantive and delegated/subordinate legislation, speedy disposal of court cases, Punjab Strategic Coordination Board, progress regarding disposal of delayed pension cases and issuance of retirement notification.

Those among present were: Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commissioner, secretaries of different departments including Law, Finance, Education, Information, Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, Social Welfare, and Special Education. —FP Monitoring

icine delivery system, packing and wrappers of used medicine must have to be deposited to the duty pharmacist so as to enable him check and monitor the record. This packing material could not be spoiled without entering it in the record, Principal made it clear to the participants of the meeting. He said that in case some hospital medicine is recovered from any department without record, a stern action would be taken against the responsible. He said that DMS and duty pharmacists would be duty bound to implement this policy in letter and spirit and a strict action would be taken against the violators.

PIBT committed to economic growth STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Punjab Board of Investment & Trade (PIBT) Chairman, Abdul Basit has pledged to make Punjab, a hub of economic activity and said that investment in Punjab would be promoted through well planned strategy, on Wednesday.

He said that all stake holders would be taken on board to get their important feedback. “There is a need to promote economic vitality by strengthening private sectors as internal dynamism has faded away due to acute energy shortage, deteriorating law and order and political instability.”

WAPDA to submit PC-I of Tarbela extension project to ministry STAFF REPORT LAHORE: In a significant development towards implementation of the 1410MW Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project, the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has decided to submit PC-I of the project amounting to US$ 795.8 million to the Ministry of Water and Power for approval of the Planning Commission.

This decision was made in the authority’s meeting held here on Wednesday at WAPDA House. The meeting, presided over by the Chairman Zafar Mahmood, was attended by the Member (Water) Muhammad Shoaib Iqbal, Member (Power) Badrul Munir Murtiza, Member (Finance) Anwar-ul-Haq and Secretary WAPDA Syed Khalid Akhlaq Gilani. Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project authorities and representatives of the consultants were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, a detailed presentation was made on the PC-I of the project in the meeting by the General Manager (Tarbela Dam Project) Iqbal Masood Siddiqui. The Authority had a detailed discussion on the cost estimations quoted in the PC-I with a view to ensure that the cost is accurate and in accordance with the relevant parameters. It was noted that revision of PC-I of the projects ressults in escalation of the cost, and delays their scheduled-completion.

Salman wants epilepsy medicines in all hospitals STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Adviser to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Kh Salman Rafique said that medicines used for the treatment of epilepsy would be included in the essential drugs list of DHQ and THQ hospitals according to the recommendations of health experts.

Addressing a seminar at Mayo Hospital to observe World Epilepsy Day, Wednesday, the adviser said that government is focusing on upgradation of primary and secondary healthcare institutions, while presence of doctors and availability of medicines is being ensured to provide best treatment facilities to the patients. Implementation of health roadmap is on fast track for this purpose.

DG Health Dr Zahid Pervaiz, Prof Naeem Kasuri, Prof Nasrullah, Prof Fareed Ahmed, Prof Athar Javed and MS Dr Amjad Shehzad also addressed the seminar.

Prof Nasrullah said that epilepsy has an old history and great personalities like Aristotle, Alexander, Isaac Newton suffered from this disease. He said that prominent cricketer Jonty Rhodes was also a patient of epilepsy. He said that various prominent personalities of Pakistan are also patient of epilepsy.

Prof Nasrullah disclosed that two million people in Pakistan are suffering from epilepsy and majority of these patients belong to rural areas. He said that epilepsy is a curable disease and the medicines used for its treatment are lowprice but our society has various superstitious believes about this problem and instead of consulting doctor, they go to the so-called spiritual healers which is cruelty to the patient.

He said that there is a dire need of creating awareness in the masses about diseases. Prof Fareed Ahmed said that

though the medicines of epilepsy are inexpensive but due to low profit ratio, pharmaceutical companies do not take interest in manufacturing these medicines and only costly medicines are available in the market.

He said that 40 percent patients of epilepsy have to use medicines throughout their life. He proposed that like India, government should arrange production of these medicines for government hospitals with generic names as it would discourage pilferage from government hospitals besides low-price medicines would be available for the patients. He stressed the need of establishing epilepsy centers in Punjab. Dr Zahid said that government would include epilepsy in the list of Non-Communicable Disease Control Programme.

MS Dr. Amjad announced to establish epilepsy clinic in Mayo Hospital.

Kh Salman said that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is striving hard to introduce revolutionary reforms in health sector for the provision of best healthcare facilities and during the next four months there would be a visible change in the primary and secondary healthcare system.

He said that plan has been chalked out to fill the vacant posts of specialist doctors at DHQ and THQ hospitals for which a very attractive pay package has been prepared which would be announced by Chief Minister himself.

Salman said that by end of June 2015 the number of BHUs working 24 hours would be enhanced from 150 to 700 under 24/7 programme which would also helpful to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

He said that government would be provided better working conditions and attractive pay package to the doctors so that they could serve the people with dedication and professional zeal.

THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 2015

BRIEF Security agent dies near Pak-Afghan border PARACHINAR: A security agent lost his life in a land mine explosion in Shabak, area of Lower Kurram Agency near Pak-Afghan border, on Wednesday. According to sources the security agent was driver of a water tanker.

While supplying water to the check posts near Pak-Afghan border in Shabak, his vehicle ran over an anti-tank mine that exploded. As a result, the vehicle got completely destroyed and the driver lost his life instantly. After the incident, the forces rounded up the area and a search operation was launched. Heavy artillery was used to bomb the hideouts of terrorists that resulted in 16 casualties including their commander. —Online

FATA/SINDH/BALOCHISTAN Afghan immigrants face problems after security situation in the province

Miscreants blow up gas pipeline in Dera Bugti DERA BUGTI: An 8-inch-diameter

pipeline in Pir Sohri was blown up on Wednesday by unknown miscreants disrupting the gas supply to Pir Kho Plant from Kunwan number 15. According to sources, unidentified militants targeted the pipeline by planting explosives, which blasted with a loud noise. Security forces have geared up the investigation process to find the suspects.

Moreover, Sui northern gas pipeline officials dispatched the rescue teams to the affected area to restore gas supply as early as possible. —FP Monitoring

ATC acquits two accused in Hamza murder case KARACIH: An anti-terrorism court

(ATC) in Karachi on Wednesday released two accused Abid Hussain and Naveed Ahmed due to lack of evidence, in Hamza murder case. After hearing arguments of the lawyers, ATC judge in court no three ordered release of the accused under section 497 of Criminal Procedure Code. The teenage victim, a student of O-levels, was killed by Aman Rehman, the guard of his schoolmate Shoaib Naveed, after an altercation between the two teenagers outside a restaurant in Darakhshan area of DHA on April 27, 2013. The court has ordered witnesses to appear in the next hearing on April 6. —Online

2 suspects killed, 7 arrested in encounter KARACHI: Karachi police killed two suspects near Gunna Mandi on Super Highway and arrested seven members of a banned outfit on Wednesday, while one police personnel died and four others including a policeman were injured from firing in various areas of Karachi. According to police, arms were recovered from the two suspects killed in the encounter. The dead suspects were involved in serious crimes. Police arrested seven members of a banned outfit during a search operation in Shah Lateef Town. A policeman injured from firimg in Ibrahim Haideri area died during treatment while another policeman was injured from firing near Water Pump area. A man was injured from firing on a car in Shah Faisal Colony while one Hanif was injured from firing, trying to resist a robbery attempt near PIDC Bridge. A suspect was arrested in injured condition after police encounter in Awami Colony.

Police arrested a suspect in Taimuria area and recovered a pistol, cash and motorcycle from his possession. —FP Monitoring

Christians to celebrate Easter on April 5 HYDERABAD: Christians across

the world and in Hyderabad would be celebrating Easter with great religious fervour and enthusiasm on April 5, 2015.

Easter is the culmination of the 40-day Lent, a time of fasting, giving alms, repenting and spiritual renewal. —APP

NAZEER AHMAD KHADIM SWABI: A large number of Afghans took

refuge in Swabi during the AfghanRussian war that lasted for more than a decade and forced 2.5 million people to take refuge in various cities of Pakistan.

Due to Pakistan’s moral support to Afghans, the then governments did not bother to make the necessary arrangements for their registration, but after 9/11 incident and subsequent war on terror in the region, the government started collecting data of all foreigners in the country. There are a

large number of unregistered Afghans living in Swabi but their exact number is yet to be determined as no statistics are available with district administration. Majority of Afghan families live a miserable life in Gohati Camp, Dagi, Yar Hussain, Shahder, Ganguder and Karkani areas, where they rely on wood cutting and breeding honey bees and sheep.

The nomadic lifestyle of Afghans is a concern for the locals, and their frequent movement across the border is making it difficult for the local administration to keep their records. Similarly,

Khairpur bus crash leaves 13 dead, 20 injured KHAIRPUR: At least thirteen people

were killed and 20 others injured when a bus collided with a truck in Khairpur district, on Wednesday morning.

The accident happened on Mehran Highway near Khairpur district, 450 kilometres (300 miles) north of Karachi.

Rescue teams arrived at the scene and shifted the bodies and injured to Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences and other hospitals in Khairpur.

As per initial details, the speeding truck loaded with fruits lost control and rammed into a bus coming from opposite direction. Deputy Commissioner Munawar Ali Mithani reported that the incident occurred due to over-speeding.

Further investigation is underway.

Pakistan has an appalling record of fatal traffic accidents due to poor roads,

badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving. Crashes killing dozens of people are not uncommon. The recovery equipment available to Pakistani emergency services is often basic, and when crashes happen away from major towns, rescue efforts can take some time, reducing injured passengers chances of survival.

In November 2014, more than 50 people were killed when a bus collided head-on with the truck near Khairpur district. The bus was carrying passengers from northwestern Swat valley to Karachi. In April last year, a bus smashed into a tractor-trailer in a highspeed collision in Sindh, killing 42 people, while in March a horrific crash between two buses and a petrol tanker left 35 dead, with many burned alive when the fuel ignited. —FP Monitoring

Six terrorists killed in gunbattle: FC spokesperson QUETTA: Six suspected terrorists were

killed and several others injured in a gunbattle in the Mashkay area of Awaran district, according to a Frontier Corps (FC) spokesman, on Wednesday. A paramilitary soldier also lost his life in the clash.

The spokesperson said that acting on information about the presence of militants in the area, FC undertook a search operation which led to the exchange of fire. “Six terrorists and one FC personnel were killed,” he said. He added that the militants were involved in attacking convoys of security forces and killing innocent people. They also kidnapped people for ransom. FC recovered arms and ammunition and communication devices from the militants’ hideout.

According to the FC spokesman, eight members of the banned Balochistan

Republican Army and their leader Shekh alias Chala Resh surrendered in the presence of Commandant of Mawand Rifles Col Masroor-ur-Rehman and tribal elders, including Khan Mohammad Masori. The terrorists also handed over their weapons.

Contaminated water causing diseases: Rasheed: Chief Executive Officer of a non-governmental organisation, Taraqi Foundation, Amjad Rasheed said that drinking of contaminated water had been causing diseases among the people, on Wednesday.

He expressed his concern over declining water level in Quetta. “Quetta will have to face several serious problems in future if immediate steps including construction of check dams were not taken to improve underground water level in the provincial capital,” he said. —FP Monitoring

their subscription of cellular service of companies in Afghanistan is another big challenge for the security agencies to keep a regular watch.

Mr. Gul Muhammad, a resident of Gohati camp told Frontier Post (FP) that he is living along with his family in this camp since the last thirty five years and feels like at home. He said that we have done our registration as per the requirement of Government of Pakistan and many of my family members’ registration cards are yet to be prepared by NADRA. “Gul Muhammad is like my elder

brother and I want to keep this friendship forever, but I have heard that the government is planning to break our friendship and send Afghans home” Saeed Ahmad, a Pakistani citizen from Dagai village told FP. The Afghans in the region were being looked at as suspects by the police in the area and there free movement had become difficult; he added. It is the need of the hour to collect the data of large number of unregistered Afghan refugees in Swabi, but at the same time they should be treated with kindness and not make them feel discriminated.

B3

LI spokesperson among 30 killed in Khyber blitz: ISPR KHYBER AGENCY: At least 30 suspected militants including spokesman of the banned Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) terrorist organisation, Salahuddin Ayubi, were killed in airstrikes conducted by Pakistan military jets on Wednesday in Tirah Valley of Khyber tribal region, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The statement added that two ammunition depots were also destroyed in the strikes. At least eight suspected militants were killed in a separate military operation in Orakzai tribal region, according to security sources.

Security forces targeted the militants after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Sabak area of Orakzai tribal. One security person also lost his life during the operation.

The latest development came a day after Shakir Sipah, driver of the LI chief Mangal Bagh, was killed in the drone attack on Tuesday along with eight others in Nazyan district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, near the Pak-Afghan border in Khyber Agency. Terrorist hideouts have been frequently pounded by Pakistan's security forces in Tirah Valley area of Khyber region.

The strikes are part of Operation 'Khyber One' and 'Khyber Two', launched by security forces and aimed at targeting terrorists in Khyber Agency, particularly the Tirah Valley of Bara which borders Nazyan province of Afghanistan. These operations were launched in North Waziristan Agency, against terrorists.

According to ISPR, the operations has been continuing successfully in the area and the security forces would continue their efforts till the area would be free of terrorists. —FP Monitoring

Town employees stage protest against non-payment of salaries MANSOOR PIRZADA GHOTKI: A large number of town employees staged a sit-in outside Town Committee office in Daharki against nonpayment of salaries, on Wednesday.

Talking to the media, protestors Siraj Waso, Munir Ahmed and Muhammad Ali said that newly appointed town officer Ghulam Yaseen Abbasi had not issued the salaries for many employees and also deducted an amount from issued salaries without any reason, whereas the monthly installment of the salaries from the government of Sindh was completely issued.

One of the employees, seeking anonymity, said that previous town officers had also practiced similar acts of corruption and after embezzling government funds got themselves transferred to other districts and it seemed that the incumbent town officer would repeat the same practice.

The protestors threatened that if their salaries were not released soon, they would start a protest movement and stop working. According to reliable sources, Sindh local government department issues a monthly installment of Rs 10.5 million for salaries and pension to Town Committee Daharki but town administration deducts the salaries of employees each month. The sources further added that the complete salaries were only issued to those who possessed po-

litical influence in the area but the poor and needy remained deprived of salaries each month.

13 killed, 25 injured in road accident: Hussain: At least 13 people were killed and 25 sustained serious injuries in a road accident, after a passenger bus collided with a truck near Setharja city of Khairpur district, Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) Fida Hussain said, on Wednesday.

The bus was on its way to Karachi from Multan and collided with a truck near Setharja. An eye witness said that due to

over-speeding, the bus driver lost control and collided with a truck that was approaching from the opposite direction.

However, some people said that the accident took place due to the dilapidated condition of the road.

Emergency was declared in several local hospitals as the injured were shifted to Gambat, Khairpur and Thari Meerwah hospitals, for emergency treatment. In a statement, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of lives in the unfortunate accident.

IDPs repatriation process extended HAMZA MEHSUD SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: Assistant Political Agent (APA), Nawab

Safi said on Wednesday that the internally displaced persons (IDPs) repatriation process has been extended to April 10, where 5400 families are likely to return home.

While talking to media, the APO said the process has been

extended to give relief to the victims of Operation Rah-eNijat. Safi said that more than 6500 individuals have been repatriated to their homeland since March 16. Earlier it was decided that the process will be completed by April 4.

The repatriation process is limited to two tehsils, namely Sarwakai and Sararogha. The IDPs of another three tehsils; Tiarza, Ladha and Makeen are still waiting.

Alif Ailan oganises seminar to increase education awareness IMTIAZ GORAR LARKANA: The Alif Ailan Larkana chapter organized a seminar on ‘Annual education budget in Sindh’ at Qaud e Awam Engineering University Larkana campus to increase education awareness in Sindh, on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, regional co-ordinator Alif Ailan Larkana Junaid Dahar said that despite of spending 145 billion on education sector; 6 mil-

lion children out of 12 million were deprived of basic education rights, in Larkana. He further said that education department spent 120 billion out of 145 billion on salaries, utilising only 5pc on the development of educational facilities. Moreover, 24,000 schools in Sindh were deprived of basic facilities.

He further informed that 300 schools of Larkana district were deprived of electricity facility, 200 had

no access to safe drinking water and other basic facilities like toilets and added that World Bank had provided Rs 800 million School Specific Budget (SSB) for improvement of Sindh schools’ conditions but due to inefficiency of officials concerned, the budget was not utilized in several districts including Larkana.

He said that objective of arranging the workshop was to create awareness amongst the masses to enrol their

children in schools since quality education is the right of every child. Dahar said that several government schools were visited by Alif Ailan and lack of proper facilities was observed and several thousand boys and girls below the age of 5 years were deprived of basic education which was in violation of article 25 A (right to education). State should provide free and compulsory education to all children in the age bracket of five to

sixteen, he said.

Dahar said that education was significant to establish peace and rule of law in society. Regional co-ordinator Alif Ailan said that it was the combined responsibility of every individual of the civil society to strive for quality education, in order to achieve Millennium Development Goal. Senior Teacher Nazir Hussain Mirani, Esa Memon among others also addressed, on the occasion.

B4

BRIEF

Iran offers condolences over German jet crash TEHRAN: Iran has extended its

condolences to the German government and nation over a deadly plane crash that left dozens of people dead. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday expressed deep sorrow over the tragic event, and offered Tehran’s deepest sympathy to the families of the victims. Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham also extended Iran’s condolences to Germany and the families of those hit by the aviation disaster.

Earlier on Tuesday, an Airbus A320 passenger aircraft crashed in the southern French Alps, killing all 150 people on board.

According to official reports, the plane was traveling between the Spanish coastal city of Barcelona and the German city of Dusseldorf when it came down between Barcelonnette and Digne in southern France.

Germanwings, an affiliate of German airline Lufthansa based in Cologne, owned the aircraft, the reports added. A few hours after the incident, the head of Germanwings said there were 144 passengers and six crew on the aircraft. —FP Monitoring

Tuberculosis kills 12,000 Afghans annually, MoPH KABUL: Every year around

12,000 Afghans lose their lives to tuberculosis, the majority of which are women, according to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). The Minister of Public Health, Ferozuddin Feroz, spoke at an event marking World Tuberculosis Day, an annual event recognized internationally as an opportunity to call attention to the ongoing fight against tuberculosis, particularly in the developing world. Feroz said on Tuesday that annually 58,000 Afghans are diagnosed with the disease, of which 12,000 to 13,000 of them are females.

"Tuberculoses is an infectious disease that can be transferred from one patient to another, but, fortunately it is treatable, and is usually caused due to poverty, lack of food and vitamins," Feroz said. "Every year, World Tuberculoses Day is recognized, but only in words. This year, it will be different than other years, while celebrating the day, we commit to work for the reduction of the disease." The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that Afghanistan has one of the highest fatality rates in the world when it comes to tuberculosis. The WHO and the Afghan MoPH have said they are committed to jointly working to reduce tuberculosis rates in Afghanistan. —FP Monitoring

Roshan among top 10 companies

AFGHANISTAN/IRAN No US soldier will leave Afghanistan this year: Obama

KABUL/WASHINGTON: The U.S. Presi-

dent Barack Obama has assured that no American soldier would leave Afghanistan until the end of 2015, believing Afghanistan is still a dangerous country.

In a joint press conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday at White House, Obama stressed the need for continued support of Afghan forces, but warned that the insurgents would continue their attacks on civilians.

"President Ghani has requested some flexibility on our draw down timelines.

I've consulted with General Campbell in Afghanistan and my national security team and I've decided we will maintain our current posture of 9800 troops through the end of this year," Obama told the reporters after holding a meeting with Ghani on Tuesday afternoon.

Praising the capability of Afghan forces, Obama stated that the Afghan forces were better equipped than the Taliban and Haqqani network. He also noted that since the U.S. had been engaged in drawdown, the casualties of American soldiers had also decreased.

"Casualties have come down precipitously as we've engaged in the draw down," Obama said. "It's been over 90 days since two Americans were killed in Afghanistan. That has occurred precisely because we are not in a combat role." Praising the U.S. sacrifices for

Gas explosion claims 2 lives HERAT: Two persons have been killed in a

gas cylinder explosion in Herat city. Doctor Aziz-u-Rahman says that the explosion took place in a bakery last night and both persons killed are the workers of the same bakery. —FP Monitoring

Afghanistan, Ghani welcomed his American counterpart's decision of keeping their soldiers in the country.

"The flexibility that has been provided for 2015 will be used to accelerate reforms to ensure that the Afghan security forces are much better led, equipped, trained and are focused on their fundamental mission," Ghani said. "I am pleased to say that the departure of 120,000 international troops

the first visit of Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah to the United States since the formation of National Unity Government (NUG). Earlier in a meeting with U.S. State Secretary John Kerry and Defense Secretary Ashton Carter at Camp David, the Afghan leaders were promised funding of all 352,000 Afghan forces, and another aid of $800 million to unity government's reform agenda. —FP Monitoring

7 killed, 36 injured in suicide attack KABUL: A suicide bomber riding in a

corolla vehicle carried out a heavy explosion in Kabul city this afternoon leaving heavy casualties behind.

Hospital sources confirm that at least seven persons have been killed and 36 others wounded in the explosion. It is still

unknown as whom the possible target of the suicide attacker was but the explosion has taken place in a key place of Kabul city. The headquarters of the 2nd police district, Ministry of Finance and other governmental organizations are located in the area. Presidential palace is

also not very far to the blast site.

Following the explosion security forces arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area. Several vehicles were also seen damaged by the explosion at the site. No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the explosion. —FP Monitoring

Protests continue over woman’s murder KABUL: Once again hundreds of citizens staged protests in the capital Kabul over the killing of Farkhunda, demanding the government to prosecute the perpetrators in public.

This time held near the Supreme Court of Afghanistan, the protestors again chanted anti-police slogans and called on the punishment of those policemen who neglected brutal killing of the 27-year-old woman. Farkhunda was severely beaten to death, burnt and thrown into muddy Kabul River by a mob in the presence of police last week on Thursday after a Mullah accused her of burning Holy Quran, an accusation strongly rejected by the investigation teams.

She was killed in the presence of a number of policemen who were quietly watching the scene, something that has provoked the anger of citizens, human rights organizations and the civil society groups. "We will not sit quiet until the government doesn't prosecute killers of Farkhunda," a protestor said.

A number of public figures, former government officials and the members of civil society groups also took part in the protests. "We all have come here to ask from the Supreme Court and government to Afghanistan to bring the perpetrators to justice," former presidential spokesman Wahid Omar said. But some other protestors criticized the religious scholars for not delivering the real teachings of Islam to the citizens.

However, the security agencies have rejected the accusation against her as baseless, saying there was no evidence found that she had set Quran on fire .

The police have arrested 18 suspects including policemen in connection to Farkhunda's killing. Her parents also strongly refuted the allegations against her, saying Farkhunda was herself a teacher of Quran and she could not commit such a crime. —FP Monitoring

List of 16 new cabinet Twenty-nine insurgents killed in operations nominees sent to parliament KABUL: The House of Representatives

received the list of 16 new cabinet nominees on Monday, after President Ashraf Ghani squeezed in the last minute announcement that he would form a complete government just before departing for the United States for his official visit last week.

According to lawmakers in Parliament, the educational and other background documents associated with the nominees have not yet been submitted.

Their higher education degrees and citizenship documentation are likely to be put under the microscope once they are received, as falsified degrees and dual-citizenship have typically been the achilles heel of cabinet nominees in the past.

"The list of cabinet nominees has been provided, but today we will discuss it and there is a chance that they might be included in the agenda for Saturday and be officially introduced," Second Deputy Muhammad Nazeer Ahmadzai said on Tuesday. For the most part, lawmakers have responded positively toward the list of nominees, which will provide the last appointments needed to fill the remaining gaps in the national unity government. President Ghani and Chief

Executive Abdullah Abdullah had been under growing pressure to name the remainder of their cabinet as soon as possible, with over six months passed since they took office.

Meanwhile, Khalil Ahmad Shaheedzada, the Deputy Chairman of Religious, Cultural and Higher Education, has said that the review of the nominees will begin once their qualifying and background documents are ready. "We are waiting for their education documents and ID cards to be submitted to us, so that we can start our work," Shaheedzada said. The Office of the State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs is responsible for gathering the documents.

Muhammad Nabi Farahi, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, says the documents will be ready for the lawmakers to review as soon as Wednesday. "Starting tomorrow, everything will be done from our end," Farhi said. "We have completed some of the educational documents today, and will end our work today and will send it tomorrow." Nevertheless, the remaining gaps in the national unity government's cabinet, even with the 16 new nominations, continue to frustrate many. —FP Monitoring

KABUL: At least 29 insurgents were killed and 21 others injured during a series of coordinated operations over the past 24 hours by the Afghan National Army (ANA), said the Ministry of Defense (MoD) in a statement on Wednesday.

The operations were conducted in Daikundi, Ghazni and Parwan provinces, it said, adding one insurgent was detained during the operations.

"During the same 24 hour period, the Afghan National Army discovered and defused mines and also seized a quantity of

arms and ammunitions." The MoD statement declared that the operations were aimed to clear a number of unsafe areas from the militants. At least three ANA soldiers were also killed in the counter attacks by the armed insurgents, according to MoD officials. —FP Monitoring

Man beheaded, daughters injured

KABUL: Fast Company, one of the

leading business magazines in the world, recently released its annual Top 50 and Top 10 ranking of the Most Innovative Companies worldwide for various business and innovation categories in which Roshan Telecommunication Company from Afghanistan was ranked number 7 at the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in “Social Good”. Fast Company recognized Roshan for its ethical business practices and work on social and economic development across Afghanistan.

The Top 10 Most Innovative Companies list usually includes very prominent international corporations, including tech giants such as Apple and Google. This is the first time that an Afghan company has been included in Fast Company’s ranking, bringing prestige and honor to Afghanistan and especially to the country’s telecom industry. —FP Monitoring

has not brought about the security gap or the collapse that was often anticipated." Ghani expressed that the new U.S. mission of training, advising and assisting afghan forces was "a vital part of their collective interest and collective endeavors."

The US-Afghan relations, which were strained during former President Hamid Karzai's presidency, are now said to have been improved following

THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 2015

HELMAND: Unknown gunmen have decapitated a man and sliced his two daughters' necks that were seriously injured in southern Helmand.

The incident took place late Tuesday night in provincial capital of Lashkargah when armed men cut off the head of Mohammad Ibrahim who was a shopkeeper, his son Arif said.

"It was midnight when three unknown men broke into our house and beheaded my father with knife," Arif said. "After killing my father, they entered my sisters' room and attacked their necks with knives."

The provincial security authorities confirmed the incident, saying the police had started search operation to arrest the suspects. "We confirm Ibrahim's death but his daughters were not harmed," deputy acting governor of Helmand told press. "We are trying to arrest the perpetrators." However, the motive behind the incident is unclear so far. But Ibrahim's neighbours claimed that after the incident occurred, they called the police but they didn't receive any response from police. Ibrahim's son and relatives strongly denounced the incident and demanded to bring the murderers to justice. —FP Monitoring

MoF reports seven percent shortfall in revenue collection

KABUL: Despite the national unity government's previous assertions of redoubled efforts to better collect and manage public revenue streams, in the first three months of this fiscal year, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) reported rates falling seven percent behind - or two billion AFN short of its original projections.

However, ministry officials have maintained their optimism that progress in the mining and agricultural sectors will allow the government to compensate for

the early lag later on in the year.

"The negative impacts of the year 1393 can still be seen on the revenues of the current year," MoF spokesman Abdul Qader Jeelani told TOLOnews on Tuesday. "We are trying to meet the remaining goal using agricultural products and mine extraction to increase our revenues."

Jeelani added that the public revenue stream seen in the first three months this year was still significantly more than what was seen in the same peri-

od last year, which bodes well for its overall trajectory.

On the other hand, a number of independent analysts have raised doubts about the accuracy of the MoF's seven percent figure. Some say given the extent of the economic downturn experienced over the past year and the high level of corruption around the country, particularly among revenue sources like customs offices, the gap between reality and the government's ambitious projections is likely much bigger.

"Considering the unsuitable economic conditions and presence of corruption in the government administrations in Afghanistan, an overall seven percent decrease is not correct," economist Aziz Atefi told press.

"This reduction is more than what the officials from the Ministry of Finance have said," he added.

The Ministry of Finance set an initial goal of 133 billion Afghanis in domestic revenue during the first three months of the new fiscal year, but was only able to

gather 100 billion Afghanis. The shortfall reportedly compelled the ministry to request 530 million in emergency aid from the international community.

Despite ongoing concerns about corruption in the Afghan customs offices, especially after controversies surrounding widespread graft in the Herat customs office last year, MoF officials maintain that they were able to reach their goal of 11.8 billion Afghanis in revenue from customs in the first three months of the fiscal year. —FP Monitoring

SPORTS

www.thefrontierpost.pk

THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 2015

WAHAB RIAZ INVITES CRICKET LEGEND LARA TO PAKISTAN LAHORE: Pakistan’s ace fast bowler Wahab Riaz on Tuesday invited the batting legend Brian Charles Lara to visit Pakistan after the latter expressed the wish in the media in meeting the former. In a message on micro blogging website Twitter, Riaz said he was proud and honoured that legend Lara wanted to meet him and that it would be a privilege for him to host the former West Indian batsman. Lara had tweeted during the quarterfinal between Pakistan and Australia, saying he enjoyed the spell of fast bowler Riaz. —Staff Report

C1

SHC DISMISSES LIFE BAN PETITION AGAINST AAMIR KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday dismissed a legal petition seeking a life ban on fast bowler Mohammad Aamir, just weeks after he returned to domestic cricket following a spot-fixing suspension.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) gave permission for the left-armer to return early to domestic cricket from his five-year ban over the infamous spot-fixing episode in 2010. A petition was filed in the SHC in February calling for the 22-year-old to be banned for life to stop him damaging the image of Pakistan and cricket. But the court threw out the application after the petitioner repeatedly failed to show up for hearings. —Agencies

Australia take on India in 2nd semi-final today

C M Y K

Two big guns, one big prize!

SYDNEY: On Tuesday it was the hardluck teams from past World Cups; on Thursday it is the powerhouses.

Neither New Zealand nor South Africa had ever made a World Cup decider despite playing in nine semi-finals between them; Australia and India have collectively reached nine World Cup finals. It will soon become 10. The only question is which team will take on New Zealand on the last Sunday in March. Some people collect souvenir spoons when they go travelling, for a while Australia picked up cups in much the same way. They got one in Calcutta, one in London, one in Johannesburg, one in Bridgetown. It is quite a collection.

India picked up their first in London, and waited 28 years to add another in Mumbai. They are the defending champions at this tournament; Australia were for the past three campaigns. These are teams that expect success.

It is no great surprise to see Australia at the semi-final stage. It is a home tournament. They are the No.1-ranked side in the world. They entered the campaign fresh from victory in a tri-series. In some ways it is not surprising to see India there either, for they have the experience in such big tournaments, and their batting line-up is full of talent. But in that same tri-series they

Rohit Sharma hones his fielding skills during a practice session at Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.—FP Monitoring failed to win a match, and their turnaround has been absolute. Unlike Australia, they are as yet undefeated.

Shikhar Dhawan has two hundreds in this World Cup, Virat Kohli has one, Rohit Sharma has one, Suresh Raina has one. The question was always going to be whether they had the fast bowlers to succeed in these conditions. Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma have collectively answered that in the affirmative. And on the Sydney surface, their spinners will play key roles.

Australia's batting has been perhaps a little less emphatic, with David Warner, Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Finch each having scored one century. They have taken until now to settle on a line-up and a batting order, but they look sturdier for Steven Smith's presence at No. 3. With the ball, though, much depends on how much swing Mitchell Starc can extract.

Australia enter this match as favourites, but that is only down to the home conditions. Only once in 13 completed ODIs have Australia lost to India at the SCG. That was seven years

ago. It is more than three years since they have lost a one-day international to anyone at the SCG. But as Tuesday's game in Auckland showed, it's all about who can stand up in the heat of a World Cup knockout. Who will be this game's Grant Elliott?

In the spotlight: Who would most people have tipped as Australia's leading run-scorer in this tournament?

Aaron Finch? David Warner? Steven Smith? Well, after the quarter-final stage the holder of that title is Glenn Maxwell with 301 runs. It's quite an effort for a man who started the summer at No. 8 in the one-day side, and struggling for form and confidence. But Maxwell's work in the middle order during this tournament has been key to Australia's success. The Big Show has shown he is capable of the Big Innings - his 102 against Sri Lanka in Sydney, for example. Some of the shots he played against Pakistan in Adelaide could barely be called cricket strokes, but they're working for him.

It took him most of the tournament to get going, but when Rohit Sharma finally did, it was worth the wait. His 137 off 126 balls in the quarter-final against Bangladesh sealed India's place in the final four. And his recent form against Australia is pretty handy as well. In his only ODI innings against Australia this summer he made 138, and his previous innings against them was 209 in Ban-

Michael Clarke and Shane Warne talk during a practice session at Sydney Cricket Ground 0n Wednesday. —FP Monitoring galore in November 2013. Australia know there are plenty of match-winners in India's batting line-up, and stopping Rohit is their first task.

Team news: The hosts are expected to name an unchanged team from the one that defeated Pakistan in Adelaide.

Pat Cummins for Josh Hazlewood is the only possible change, though this would be harsh on the taker of four wickets in the quarter-final. India have a very settled eleven, and are unlikely to change anything.

Pitch and weather: Already used for

the quarter-final between South Africa and Sri Lanka and at the end of a long season, the surface for the match will be more to India's liking than Australia's.

Heavy rolling of a strip that sports very little live grass is geared at making it as hard and bouncy as possible, but it is unlikely to offer the sort of steep bounce and lateral movement Australia's pacemen are seeking. The possibility of spin is more intriguing, as of all spinners only the legbreaks of Imran Tahir have deviated significantly all tournament. The weather forecast is fine. —Agencies

We have to improve our basic structure: Misbah Watson inspires kids to ‘dream big’ at STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Misbahul Haq, Pakistan's recently retired ODI captain, believes the PCB will have a "challenge" selecting a new leader for the country's limited-overs team. Misbah admitted that his ODI side was rarely ever stable, and that the players had never been "able to match the level" of cricket played by the top teams. For the first time in nearly two years, Misbah appeared relaxed in a press conference. He was outspoken and very frank in his replies to journalists - a rarity during his time as captain. Misbah was in Lahore at the PCB headquarters along with team manager Naved Akram Cheema to meet the board's chairman Shaharyar Khan following Pakistan's quarter-final exit at the World Cup. "My one-day career is over and I have played my innings," Misbah said. "Now the responsibility lies with the youngsters to take Pakistan cricket forward. It indeed will be a challenge for the PCB to pick a new ODI captain. It's unfortunate for Pakistan that we are not able to match the level of the top teams around the world for many reasons. Our batting and our fielding is just not there. We have to improve our basic structure. We played the quarterfinals and the credit for that goes to our bowlers who compensated our batting lapses. In batting and fielding, we need a lot of improvement. You can't compare Pakistan's batting line-up with other teams. In most of the matches when I got out early, we couldn't play the entire 50 overs. When you are under pressure, you tend not to take too many risks and the strike rate goes down. We had an inexperienced batting line-up. When you get a set platform, you try your best to give at least a run a ball. We can say as a batting unit we are not yet matured and don't know how to play a big innings. It's

a problem of our batting line-up and we need to look at it in future. Maybe if the batsmen get some exposure of international cricket, they get better.

But obviously, it was our problem in the World Cup." For the first time since 2011, the PCB is in a dilemma with regards to the next ODI captain as there is no automatic choice to lead the team for their tour of Bangladesh next month. While the board holds the ultimate power to name the next captain, Misbah said he had voiced his suggestions and observations to the PCB. He added that the next leader should be allowed to have a say in team selection. "Our policy is that the selection committee has full and final authority. The captain gives his suggestions, but he doesn't have the authority. I feel the captain and coach should both have authority as well as some responsibility in the selection committee."

When questioned about his team selections during the World Cup, particularly his persistence with Shahid Afridi, Misbah said the allrounder was an "irreplaceable" member of Pakistan. "Afridi was in good form. We didn't have any replacement at No. 7 so obviously we played him," Misbah said. "He is he only genuine allrounder in the team and we were struggling with the bowling line-up as we didn't have fourth full bowler when we were played with six batsmen.

So we had keep in him the line-up as a back-up for our batting. And you have to bank on a player who is a powerhouse. No doubt, he didn't perform (as expected), but throughout the tournament his batting form was good." Misbah, 40, led Pakistan in 87 matches, winning 45 and losing 39. In a 13-year ODI career which included three different stints with the team, Misbah scored 5122 runs from 162 ODIs. His average of 44.82 as captain is also the best for any Pakistan player to have led the side in at least 10 matches.

ICC and Room to Read book launch ‘Hurt’ Misbah hits back at critics STAFF REPORT LAHORE: Misbahul Haq has hit back at all the local TV critics, including former players, who he felt had been showing a lack of support to Pakistan throughout the World Cup. Throughout his career as captain, Misbah has been on the receiving end of fierce criticism, and was recently described as being "selfish" and "cowardly" on Pakistani television following the team's loss to India, forcing him to launch a resolute defense.

"It hurts when it comes from senior players who played with us, they did not learn any morality in any form or from any institute. They use such words that the whole world could have been shocked listening to them. When everyone is praising Pakistan, they are still standing on their one-point agenda: The batting has flopped because of Misbah, or the bowling has flopped but let's put the blame on Misbah.

It's not because of one man. I didn't attack the Sri Lankan team nor have I finished international cricket in Pakistan," Misbah sarcastically quipped.

"It's such problems that we have to face it. It's not right to put the blame on me. I wasn't in the team in 2007 or 2003.

Somebody should ask them why the team made early exits then. They should give solutions for Pakistan and should think before speaking on television. These people are neither supporting Pakistan nor the team. It's a big loss. There should be some criteria to let someone sit on television. It should be not like if someone is not getting any job, he should be allowed to come on television."

SYDNEY (Agencies): Australian star all-rounder Shane Watson is a force to be reckoned with on the cricket pitch, but on Wednesday he was seen championing the cause of education for children.

Watson has been named the star in a children’s book that has been published by Room to Read, a global non-profit organisation that promotes literacy and gender equality in education across Asian and African countries together with the International Cricket Council (ICC). The book will be published in Bangla, with an initial print-run of 2,500 copies and distributed to schools across Bangladesh and will be available for reprint in future years for additional schools. This children’s title, entitled Dream Big, is about a young boy, Ratul, who dreams about meeting his hero Shane after seeing him on television. The book inspires children to Dream Big and recognises that great things are possible with perseverance.

“Reading is an important tool in a child’s overall development, I encourage children to read more and develop an all-round personality. My message to children worldwide is to Dream Big and never stop chasing your dream. Big dreams can lead to bigger things in life and this is what this book strives to do”, Watson commented at the book’s launch in the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Room to Read Chief Development Officer, Dr. Geetha Murali commented, “The partnership with ICC has been about giving children the opportunity to let their love of cricket inspire their love of reading, and Dream Big reinforces that connection. This is the story of a young child’s biggest dream coming true. I hope that children reading it will have their imaginations captured by the storyline and vivid illustrations. I am sure that they will discover their love of reading as they turn the pages.”

ICC and Room to Read have been working together since ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and have focused on motivating children across Asia and Africa to pursue their right to a quality education.

The partnership has involved numerous activities including Room to Read Ambassadors Shane Watson, Angelo Matthews and Virat Kohli meet-

ing beneficiaries from Room to Read programmes and promoting the importance of reading and education. The organisations aim to foster awareness for the importance of education and leave a positive impact of cricket on local communities.

Commenting on the occasion, ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said, “It is indeed rewarding to be able to champion this worthy cause, alongside Room to Read. Our cricketing stars are great examples of individuals who have made the best of what life has to offer, often in challenging circumstances and against all odds.

We congratulate Shane Watson on his efforts in supporting this cause, inspiring young children to achieve the best in their lives”.

Since 2000, Room to Read has published more than 1,150 titles for young children. Each book is developed by local authors and illustrators and reflects a commitment to ensuring that children enjoy learning. The books created are culturally relevant and age-appropriate, so the content can immediately resonate with the children and help develop their reading skills and habit. Room to Read has expanded its programmes into 10 countries and has worked with more than 17,000 partner schools. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organisations and governments to develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, Room to Read is on its way to reaching 10 million children through its programmes by the end of 2015.

Proteas will have to wait for four more years

W

Graeme Smith

hen it was clear that Australia were about to defeat New Zealand in the 2003 rugby union World Cup semi-final, then Australian scrum-half, George Gregan, was caught on camera mouthing the words “four more years” to his All Black counterpart, Byron Kelleher. That semifinal defeat would condemn New Zealand to at least a 20 year wait for their second World Cup trophy. It eventually did come but only in 2011, 24 years after their first title. Today the Proteas left Eden Park knowing that they would have to wait another four years to lift their first World Cup trophy.

Grant Elliot was capped by South Africa at representative level in the late nineties and scored a magnificent double-hundred for South Africa Under-19s against England Under-19s in a Youth Test at Newlands. He took a leap of faith to continue his career in New Zealand in his early twenties which was validated when he was capped by his adopted country in all three formats of the game.

By his own admission his international career has been chequered but one constant throughout his career has been that of his temperament. It was this quality that earned him selection in the World Cup squad ahead of the more talented but more temperamental, Jimmy Neesham. Credit must go to the New Zealand selectors for making the hard decision and opting for temperament ahead of talent. Today he

played the innings that will define his career on the biggest stage possible.

There have been comparisons between this match with the 1999 World Cup semi-final between South Africa and Australia due to the fluctuating nature of the game. The 1999 semi-final is widely regarded as the greatest One-Day International ever played and this fixture definitely pushed it close.

I felt South Africa constructed their innings superbly given the loss of the early two wickets and taking the rain into account. Du Plessis and Rossouw showed great composure in rebuilding the innings and providing the necessary platform for de Villiers and Miller. The Proteas would have been content with getting to 281 in 43 overs and would have backed themselves to defend 298 in the same amount of overs. There has been much debate as to the effect that the

rain had on the Proteas innings. I believe that it definitely halted the momentum of the innings which played into the hands of the Black Caps by allowing them to regroup. They would have backed themselves to score at a minimum of ten to the over for the final twelve overs if given the chance and would have believed a score in the region of 340 was well within their grasp. Even though New Zealand had to score at almost seven to the over they would have felt more comfortable having to maintain this rate across 43 overs as opposed to 50 overs. This in turn meant that the start McCullum gave the hosts was much harder to pull back due to the reduced nature of the innings.

In my previous column I said how important it was that the Proteas back deep into their innings so to exploit the New Zealand fifth bowler. The rain robbed

them of this opportunity to a certain extent as the fifth bowler only has to complete eight overs. The rain also created a wet outfield which altered the composition of the ball by making it a lot softer when the Proteas bowled. It was clear that the bowlers were battling with this. The elements are part and parcel of the game of cricket and the side which adapts the quickest to them usually comes out on top. At the 1999 World Cup when Australia were in a precarious position and faced with having to win all their remaining games to progress to the semi-finals, Steve Waugh spoke about the importance of taking every half chance that presented itself.

In a tight game with so much at stake neither team is going to put in a flawless performance but the Proteas missed the half chances today that counted and it ultimately cost them. Most telling-

ly they seemed to deviate from their preplanned bowling strategy to McCullum by bowling poor lengths which allowed him to dictate the pace of the game. This in turn allowed for the middle-order to play themselves in as opposed to having to chase the game from the outset.

We could further scrutinize the selection of Philander ahead of Abbott, the two missed run-outs and the miscommunication between Berhardien and Duminy but ultimately New Zealand were the better team on the day and have been the better team in the tournament thus far. I experienced three losses in World Cup knockout games and know that the hurt will be present for some time but the team will bounce back. New Zealand finally won a World Cup semi-final and deservedly so. Seventh time is a charm.

I wish them all the best in the final on Sunday.

C M Y K

SPORTS

C2 Pakistan tennis star Aqeel receives Pride of Performance award STAFF REPORT KARACHI: Receiving the Pride of Perform-

ance Award during one’s playing days is akin to a dream come true, according to recipient Aqeel Khan. Pakistan’s topranked tennis player Aqeel has been the strength for the national team throughout his career, which spans over two decades. He has played the most Davis Cup ties (43) for Pakistan, and on Wednesday , he said he felt that his hard work has finally received recognised. “I had always heard about the March 23 ceremonies, but this was the first time I attended it,” Aqeel said. “When my name was announced at the Governor House on Tuesday, I went up to take the shield and that was the moment I realised what a huge honour it is.”

The 35-year-old said he was the youngest sportsperson to receive the award at the ceremony, with the other recipients being two former hockey players from Sindh. “Most players receive this award either posthumously or after they retire, I’m happy that I got it while I’m still playing,” he said. Aqeel said he has seen many ups and downs during his tennis career and struggled to make a living from a relatively unpopular sport in the country. “There are good times as well as bad patches, but the Almighty saw me through and moral support from my friends and family helped a lot,” he said. According to Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) secretary Khalid Rehmani, Aqeel’s award will also motivate the upcoming players in the national circuit.

“We are all very happy, because Aqeel really deserved the award,” said Rehmani.

All Malaysian athletes to have dope test before SEA Games KUALA LUMPUR: All Malaysian athletes

taking part in Southeast Asian Games in June will have undergone a doping test before arriving in Singapore, the country's sports minister said.

Malaysia has been rocked by high-profile doping cases in recent months with the country's most famous athlete, former badminton number one Lee Chong Wei, provisionally suspended after he failed a test at the world championships in August. Tai Cheau Xuen became the first Malaysian Asian Games gold medallist to fail a drugs test after the Wushu exponent tested positive for sibutramine and was kicked out of the multi-sport event after failing with an appeal in October.

"I have ordered the Malaysian AntiDoping Agency (ADAMAS) to conduct doping tests on every athlete going to the SEA Games," Khairy Jamaluddin was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency on Tuesday.

Bernama said only 30 percent of Malaysian athletes had been previously tested before going to a major sports event. Malaysia sent more than 500 athletes to the last Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar in 2013. The 28th SEA Games will take place from June 516 with athletes from the 11 nations that make up Southeast Asia taking part in an eclectic mix of 36 sports including athletics, billiards, sepak takraw and swimming. —Agencies

THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 2015

Hard for Halep to think of top spot while Serena rules TENNIS MIAMI: World number three Simona

KEY BISCAYNE: Kurumi Nara hits a forehand against Ajla Tomljanovic (not pictured) on day one of the Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Centre on Tuesday. Nara won 6-4, 6-3. —FP Monitoring

South Africa’s comedy of errors is no laughing matter CRICKET

SYDNEY: Another Cricket World Cup semi-final but another failure to get to the final has left many South Africa fans questioning what their side must do to reach one-day international cricket's showpiece match. Tuesday's dramatic four-wicket defeat by New Zealand in a rain-affected clash at Auckland's Eden Park was the fourth time the Proteas had made it to the last four and the fourth time they hadn't reached the final.

In 1992 they were undone by the unfairness of the rain rule then in force which left them needing an impossible 22 off one ball to beat England, while in 2007 they were swept aside by Australia.

However, Tuesday's clash had echoes of South Africa's 1999 tie with Australia a result that saw the Australians into the final on superior net run-rate in that the Proteas squandered chances to win the game. But this time around a selection decision may have hampered South Africa even before the match started.

Fast bowler Kyle Abbott, who took an excellent one for 27 off a tight six overs

during the quarter-final victory over Sri Lanka, was dropped to make way for Vernon Philander who missed several matches including the last eight clash this World Cup with a hamstring injury.

Philander's first over was savaged for 14 runs by New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum and he was taken out of the attack, with none of his eight overs on Tuesday producing a wicket. "You've got an in form bowler (Abbott) who's got bounce and he's got pace and has bowled so well in the last couple of days. You've got to be so brave to change that bowling line-up," former South Africa spinner Pat Symcox told local radio.

Dale Steyn is widely acknowledged as the best fast bowler of his generation, his Test average of just over 22 runs per wicket placing him among cricket's all-time greats. But a return off 11 wickets in eight matches at this World Cup was modest for a man of his class and on Tuesday his 8.5 overs cost an expensive 76 runs. Steyn also needed lengthy treatment for a leg problem during the final over, and this was a further setback for a South Africa side who throughout the tournament,

had to 'fiddle' 10 overs from a fifth bowler - reviving a longstanding criticism they had been excessively cautious in selecting an extra batsman rather than an additional bowler.

The Proteas may well have made a 350-plus score had not rain intervened, but a total of 281 for five, which left New Zealand needing a revised 298 in 43 overs, looked enough when the Black Caps were 149 for four. Yet it was from then on that the worth of England 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward's oft-repeated phrase of 'TCUP' (Thinking Clearly Under Pressure) became apparent, with captain AB de Villiers fumbling a run-out of Corey Anderson and Grant Elliott benefitting from another failed run out attempt and a dropped catch. Anderson (58) helped Elliott add 103 for the fifth wicket before the South African-born Elliott, raising his game, completed a matchwinning 84 not out. "I didn't take that (run-out chance) unfortunately, but yes if you want to see it that way that I cost us then I'll gladly take it," said a distraught De Villiers. —Agencies

Halep says it is hard to imagine reaching the top of the world rankings as long as Serena Williams is playing the game but believes she has what it takes to win a Grand Slam. The Romanian arrives in Florida for this week's Miami Open off the biggest success in her career with a victory over Jelena Jankovic in the final of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells on Sunday. The win was the third of the year for the 23-year-old following victories at Shenzhen and Dubai and while she is firmly entrenched as number three, behind Williams and Maria Sharapova, she says getting to top spot may be a step too far.

“When Serena is number one, it’s hard to think of being number one," Halep told reporters on Tuesday. "But still I have confidence that I can win more titles and reach a higher ranking." The Miami Open has almost become the personal property of the Williams sisters, who live in nearby Palm Beach Garden and have won the event 10 times, Serena lifting the title on seven occasions and Venus three.

Still, Halep, who has never ventured past the third round in Miami, doesn’t believe that Williams is unbeatable.

“She (Serena) is very strong, she is a great champion, she has been up there for many years. She knows how to manage every situation," praised Halep.

"I admire her a lot and learnt many things from her. "After the first match at Indian Wells I told my coach that I really wanted to play her in the semifinals but it didn’t happen because of her injury. “I really want to meet her many times, because I become stronger after I play her,” she added.

Halep has her eyes on becoming the first Romanian woman since her manager, Virginia Ruzici, French Open winner in 1978, to secure a grand slam title. “I can say I feel ready because I just won a premier tournament which is almost like a grand slam," said Halep. "But still I am very far and I just want to be very focused. “My dream is to win a grand slam, I don’t know if it will happen in this life. But I just want to work hard every day to reach a (major) title,”

she said. Halep’s climb up the rankings has attracted little fanfare but she laughs at the idea that she is a ‘rising star’ in the game. “I’m not young," smiled the 24year-old Romanian. "I am already older, I am used to being in the top, I have a year there, I have experience and feel ready to play with everyone at every tournament." —Agencies

Murray hopeful Bjorkman can complement coach Mauresmo MIAMI: Andy Murray is hopeful that Swede Jonas Bjorkman will share a similar philosophy with his coach Amelie Mauresmo when he joins his team on a trial basis, the Scotsman said on Tuesday. Bjorkman, a former world number four who retired from professional tennis in 2008, will join Murray's coaching set-up sometime after he finishes his involvement in a Swedish television dance show. "I don't think he has a huge ego so I wouldn't envisage that being a huge problem," Murray told reporters at the Miami Open, where he is the third seed. "They have spoken to each other a number of times on the phone, both have said to me that it went very well, they both like each other and know each other from their playing days, which is good. "But obviously until we spend a bit of time together it would be tough to know for sure." Murray, beaten in this year's Australian Open final by Novak Djokovic, was keen to add some depth to his support crew given Mauresmo's busy schedule. World number five Murray, twice a Grand Slam champion, trimmed his entourage at the end of last season with hitting partner Dani Vallverdu jettisoned. Murray said he often chatted with Bjorkman at tournaments and feels the former Wimbledon and US Open semifinalist who also excelled as a doubles specialist with nine Grand Slam titles has plenty to offer. —Reuters

Ronaldo faces possible sanction for ‘Clasico’ celebration FOOTBALL MADRID: Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo could be sanctioned for his goal celebration when he netted the equaliser in Sunday's La Liga 'Clasico' at Barcelona, the president of Spain's professional soccer league (LFP) said.

Ronaldo, not for the first time when he has scored at the Nou Camp, appeared to be urging the Barca fans to calm down when he struck to make it 1-1 in the 31st minute. The Portugal captain, regularly the subject of abuse himself, has gained a reputation for winding up opposing fans and was widely criticised when he tore off

his shirt to celebrate his successful penalty in last season's Champions League final victory over Atletico Madrid.

"We have to be careful with provocative gestures by a player when he scores a goal or with any other provocation or conduct that could incite violence among spectators," LFP president Javier Tebas told reporters on Tuesday. "It must be sanctioned, from a fine up to a suspension," he added. "We will look into it." Following the death of a Deportivo La Coruna fan in fighting before a La Liga game in November, Spain's soccer authorities are seeking to crack down on any action by players or supporters that may be construed as provocative. —Agencies

Athletics

Bolt to return to USA for New York race in June NEW YORK: Olympic champion and

SHANGHAI: Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China compete during the Pairs Short Program session in ISU World Figure Skating Championships at Crown Indoor Stadium, Oriental Sports Centre on Wednesday. Sui Wenjing and Han Cong took their new season best score of short program with 71.63 points. —FP Monitoring

world record holder Usain Bolt will make his first appearance in the United States in five years when he competes in the Adidas Grand Prix Diamond League meeting in New York City on June 13, organizers said on Wednesday. The Jamaican sprinter set his first 100 meters world record at the meeting in 2008 when he clocked 9.72 seconds. His only other appearance in the US since then was to anchor a Jamaican 4x100 meters team at the 2010 Penn Relays. “No one could ever forget their first world record, and I will never forget the crowd in New York that night,” Bolt said in a statement. “They had to wait for an hour during a thunderstorm delay before our race, and I don’t think a single person left the stadium. They deserved a great performance, and I’m glad I was able to give it to them. I’m looking forward to running in New York again.”

Organizers did not announce whether Bolt would run over 100 or 200 meters in the meeting at New York's Icahn Stadium.

He holds the world record in both, having run 9.58 seconds in the 100 and 19.19 in the 200 in 2009. Bolt, who won Olympic gold in both sprints and the 4x100 relay in the Beijing and London Games, will begin his 2015 sprint season with 100 meters in Rio on April 19. —Agencies

VANCOUVER: Winnipeg Jets forward Michael Frolik (67) skates with the puck as Vancouver Canucks goaltender Eddie Lack (31) and forward Linden Vey (7) defend during the second period at Rogers Arena on Tuesday. —FP Monitoring

The gloves are off between Renault and Red Bull FORMULA ONE LONDON : Renault F1 managing direc-

tor Cyril Abiteboul posted a picture of a pair of boxing gloves on Twitter as he packed for Sunday's 'round two' of the Formula One season in Malaysia and he may need them. The French manufacturer and former world champions Red Bull have been increasingly uneasy partners since the introduction last year of the V6 turbo hybrid power units. Mercedes, dominant last year, romped to another one-two in the Australian opener on March 15 and Red Bull's patience is running low.

The tensions had been ratcheted up already before Melbourne when Red Bull designer Adrian Newey suggested there was "no obvious light at the end of the tunnel and all sorts of failings" with the engine. "It's one thing where you're not competitive but you can see your way out of it," he told the Daily Mail, before a race that saw Red Bull's Russian Daniil Kvyat fail to start when his gearbox failed on the way to the grid. "It's another when you're not

competitive and your partner doesn't seem to be willing to deal with you."

His team principal Christian Horner said in Australia that the engine was "undriveable" and accused Renault of making "a retrograde step". "They're obviously in a bit of a mess at the moment," he added. Abiteboul hit back this week, telling France's Auto Hebdo magazine that Newey was charming and brilliant but had spent a lifetime criticizing engine partners and was too old to change his ways.

In a Renault preview of Sunday's race at Sepang, Abiteboul recognized Renault had fallen short but called for teamwork. "We need to work together to understand our issues, both within the Power Unit and the chassis," said the Frenchman, who will appear with Horner in what should be a lively Friday news conference. "Our figures have shown that the lap time deficit between Red Bull and Mercedes in Melbourne was equally split between drivability issues, engine performance and chassis performance. —Agencies

Messi gets all-clear after tests on bruising from ‘Clasico’ MADRID: Lionel Messi can continue

training with Argentina's national squad in the United States after tests showed he had not picked up an injury after taking a knock during the 'Clasico' victory over Real Madrid, Barcelona said Tuesday.

The Spanish club said in a statement that Messi went for a check-up in a private clinic in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, but that "no injury was found." Messi has only sustained a bruise to his right foot and can continue to train. Argentina plays El Salvador on Saturday at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, and faces Ecuador three days later at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Barcelona beat Madrid 2-1 in the Spanish league at the Camp Nou on Sunday, stretching its lead to four points with 10 rounds to go. Argentina and Ecuador are preparing for the Copa America next June and El Salvador for the CONCACAF GOLD Cup the following month. —Agencies

www.thefrontierpost.pk

THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 2015

CENTRAL ASIA

SENIOR KYRGYZ OFFICIAL ARRESTED OVER ALLEGED BRIBE BISHKEK: A senior official at the Kyrgyz Prosecutor-General's Office has been arrested on suspicion of accepting a bribe. Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security (UKMK) said on March 25 that the chief of the prosecutor-general's investigative directorate had been caught red-handed accepting a $100,000 bribe in his office from a businessman. The official was identified only by his initials, A.K. The UKMK said the businessman, who was not named, told its anti-corruption directorate on March 19 that the official was demanding $200,000 in exchange for dropping charges against him. The official was arrested and placed in the UKMK's detention center in the Central Asian nation's capital, Bishkek. –FP Monitoring

UZBEK BORDER GUARDS SIGHTED ON TURKMEN-AFGHAN BORDER ASHGABAT: Turkmenistan might be seeking foreign help to protect its border with Afghanistan, where its troops suffered casualties last year, Khronika Turkmenistan (KhT) reported. Afghan villagers living near the Turkmen border have seen Uzbek border troops on the other side, KhT reported, adding that Turkmenistan continues to deploy more of its own military units along the sensitive border. Other sources had not confirmed the Uzbeks' deployment, Fergana News reported. Turkmen authorities March 5-7 sent a unit from Esenguly to protect Tagtabazar village, near the frontier, KhT reported. Turkmenistan stepped up border security in 2014 after the Afghan Taliban killed six Turkmen border guards in two ambushes, one in February and one in May. –FP Monitoring

EU to revive gas pipeline project from Turkmenistan ASHGABAT : The European Union is seeking to revive a gas pipeline project from Turkmenistan to Europe and involve European energy companies, an EU diplomat in Turkmenistan said.

The Crimea crisis has added urgency to the EU's search for gas from sources other than Russia, which supplies around a third of Europe's gas needs. Denis Daniilidis told Reuters that Maros Sefcovic, the EU's head of energy union, was going to visit Turkmenistan in coming months to restart talks about the TransCaspian pipeline.

The project, which is meant to bring gas from Turkmenistan to Europe across the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan and Turkey, has been stuck for years due to political, ecological and financial uncertainties. "In the course of talks with our Turkmen partners, we came to the point when we had to figure out how we would structure the involvement of EU companies willing to buy Turkmen gas for the European market," he said.

While he did not provide other details, Turkmen officials said earlier this month that "active" negotiations were under way to supply Europe with between 10 and 30 billion cubic metres of gas per year. Last year, Turkmenistan and Turkey signed a framework agreement to supply gas to the proposed Trans-Anatolian natural gas pipeline project (TANAP), which will off take gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz II field in the Caspian Sea. To connect to TANAP, Turkmenistan needs to build its own link under the Caspian Sea, a disputed area between Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, TASHIKENT: Dancers perform at Nouruz festival celebration in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Nouruz is a traditional festival which celebrates the coming of spring. —Xinhua Iran and Azerbaijan. — Reuters

IS banned in Kyrgyzstan, designated as terror group BISHKEK: Kyrgyzstan has designated

the Islamic State (IS) group as a terrorist organization, and banned its activity in the republic, the Kyrgyz intelligence agency, the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) has announced.

"The national security agencies and the prosecutor-general's office have, within the framework of guarding against and preventing extremism and terrorism,

on the basis of materials collected, implemented a suit in the court system to recognize the IS organization as a terrorist and extremist [group]," the GKNB said in a statement.

The GNKB said that, by decree of the Oktyabrsky District Court in Bishkek, all activities of the Islamic State group in Kyrgyzstan are prohibited. The statement said that the Oktyabrsky court had ruled on February 13 to recognize IS as a ter-

rorist and extremist group.

On March 5, the Osh district prosecutor's office filed a request with the Osh City Court to rule that a number of organizations, including the IS group, are terrorist groups. The list filed with the Osh court includes groups in which Central Asian militants are known to be fighting. They are Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate, Jabhat Al-Nusra, the ethnic Uzbek groups Katibat Imam Al-Bukhari and

Kyrgyzstan stops Tajiks from joining ISIS BISHKEK: Kyrgyz authorities say they have prevented several Tajik nationals from joining Islamist militants in Syria. Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security (UKMK) said on March 25 that three Tajik citizens, who had children with them, were stopped by Kyrgyz security officials in the southern city of Osh on March 22. It said the Tajiks told Kyrgyz authorities that they planned to travel from Osh to Istanbul, Turkey, then cross into Syria to fight alongside Islamist militants battling government forces. The security committee said the Tajiks said an unidentified man had invited them to Syria via the Internet. It said the detainees were returned to Tajikistan after questioning. Authorities in the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan have said that hundreds of Central Asians are fighting alongside Islamic State and other militants in Syria. –FP Monitoring

Jannat Oshiklari, and the IS group.

The Katibat Imam Bukhari pledged allegiance to Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar in November 2014, while Jannat Oshiklari (also known as Tawhid Wal Jihod) is an independent faction. Both fight alongside Jabhat Al-Nusra in Aleppo province, though they are not formally part of that group. According to the Interfax news agency, the Osh prosecutor's office said it had found that the four groups listed in the request to the court "are involved in the recruitment of Kyrgyz citizens and the transfer of recruits to the Syria-Iraq zone for participation in hostilities in the ranks of terrorist organizations, so that later they can return home and conduct illegal activities here."

It is notable that two of the non-IS groups on the Osh prosecutor's list -Tawhid Wal Jihod and Katibat Imam Bukhari -- are comprised mainly of eth-

nic Uzbeks, while Jabhat Al-Nusra has a Russian-speaking faction that is led by an ethnic Uzbek. The GKNB this month claimed that the majority of Kyrgyz nationals fighting in Syria are ethnic Uzbeks.

The announcement by the GNKB that it was prohibiting IS activity came as the Kyrgyz intelligence agency also announced that a group of three Tajik citizens had been arrested in an airport in Osh on March 22 as they tried to travel to Syria to join IS militants. The three Tajiks were attempting to fly to Istanbul in Turkey and were accompanied by young children, according to the GKNB, as reported by Interfax. "By their own admission, they were recruited by an individual in the Syria-Iraq zone and who invited them via a social network to join the ranks of the Islamic State [group]," the GKNB said. –RFE/RL

No military solution to Eurasia economic woes continue Ukraine conflict: German FM

BRATISLAVA: The crisis in eastern

Ukraine doesn't, and moreover can't, have a military solution, announced German Foreign Affairs Minister at a press conference.

Frank-Walter Steamier made the announcement after attending a meeting of foreign affairs ministers of Visegrad Four countries, which consist of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, in the Slovak capital. "While not perfect, the recent agreement struck in Minsk Vis-a- Vis Ukraine is an opportunity for further progress," said Steinmaier, urging compliance with the ceasefire and delivering on political tasks contained in the Minsk agreement.

Fellow officials present at the meeting in Bratislava voiced their appreciation for

O

Germany's role in seeking a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.

"A path to peace in Ukraine doesn't lead through lists of sanctions, but through peace talks; by which I don't mean to question the EU's moves, however. A peaceful resolution of the conflict is a priority for us, which means full support for Germany's and France's efforts for a full implementation of the agreements from Minsk," said Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak. Czech Foreign Affairs Minister, Lubomir Zaoralek, pointed to a number of challenges still lying ahead for the EU vis-a-vis Ukraine. His Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto stressed that only a peaceful resolution was acceptable.—Xinhua

MOSCOW: The economic crisis in Russia and former Soviet bloc nations is growing. It’s getting serious enough that the leaders of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia met together to map out a strategy for addressing their currency devaluation, the lower cost for energy, and run-away inflation. Eurasia economic woes continue to have wide-reaching impact.

According Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev following their Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) meeting, “Our economy in 2015 requires a detailed discussion of our cooperation.”

He says, “It will be a year of great challenges and risks” for the EEU. The currency crisis hit a few months ago with the Russian ruble. Joel Griffith of Slavic Gospel Association says while interest rates and inflation have sky-

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rocketed, one thing is missing. “We have not yet seen bankruptcies take places there, shrinkage in industrial production, or mass unemployment.

And how much of that is because of the government propping up certain things is a really good question.”

Interestingly, the EEU is getting ready to expand further. Armenia is now a member, and Kyrgyzstan is gearing up to join. Is this a new Soviet-Unionstyle situation? Griffith has some concerns.

“What impact will this have on the churches–our brothers and sisters that we’re serving over there? How is this going to impact their families? And, of course, [how will this impact] the ability of the churches to be able to travel, to evangelize, and get the Gospel out?”

The economic issues are compound-

ing the refugee crisis in Ukraine, which SGA is also involved in. Griffith says these colossal problems aren’t all bad news. He says many are beginning to ask questions. “They’re really struggling to try to make sense of it all, and they begin to wrestle with these eternal questions: ‘Why is this happening? What’s my future going to be?’ And that creates such an open door for the churches to come in with the eternal hope of the Gospel.”

While many have labelled evangelical Christianity cult-like behaviour, Griffith says the church is changing that. “When they’re able to provide a parcel of food, and people are actually able to get to know these believers on a one-to-one basis, all of a sudden they’re finding out the stories they’ve heard for so many years aren’t true.” –FP Monitoring

Uzbekistan expels International Labour Rights consultant TASHKENT : Uzbekistan has reportedly arrested and deported an international labour rights expert who was looking into labour practices in the Central Asian country. A release from the Cotton Campaign advocacy group said a consultant for the firm Just Solutions Network Ltd., Andre Mrost, was investigating use of child labour in Uzbekistan's cotton harvesting. His presence in Uzbekistan was one of the conditions the World Bank insisted upon in order to free up loans for Uzbekistan's agricultural sector, it said. The statement quoted Mrost as saying "three men in black" and three policemen approached him on March 19, demanded his passport and took him to a police station. Mrost said he was interrogated, first by a representative from Uzbekistan's Labour Ministry, then by police, and finally by representatives of the national security service.

Mrost said he was forced to sign a document he could not understand, since it was written in Uzbek, and then escorted to the airport where passport control stamped his passport with an order prohibiting his re-entry. –FP Monitoring

Fresh violence in East Ukraine leaves 3 dead KIEV: At least three people have been killed in a latest wave of violence in eastern Ukraine, authorities said. One Ukrainian serviceman was killed and eight wounded in attacks by anti-government militants who used mortars, small arms and tanks, Andriy Lysenko, a Ukrainian military spokesman told reporters. The rebel offensive continued over the past day along the entire frontline except some areas in Lugansk region, Lysenko said, noting that the intensity of shelling has slightly dropped overnight. Meanwhile, the rebels blamed government troops for shelling on populated areas of insurgent-controlled cities and leaving casualties. A 10-year-old girl was killed as a result of shelling in Donetsk, while a 14-year-old boy died during an attack on Gorlovka, said the selfstyled defense ministry of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk Republic".

The recent upsurge in violence follows three days in which no deaths were reported in the conflict that broke out in Ukraine's east in April last year and killed over 6,000 people. —Xinhua

EU criticizes Azerbaijan BRUSSELS: The European Union sharply criticized Azerbaijan's government in a report issued on March 25, saying there was a "regression in the democratic transition process and with regard to human rights and fundamental freedoms" in the South Caucasus nation in 2014.

The negative assessment came in as the European Commission approved European Neighbourhood reports highlighting progress and shortcomings made last year in the countries east and south of the EU -- several of them on Russia's fringes. The report on Ukraine said reform was conducted in the "very difficult" context of economic troubles and armed conflict with Russian-backed rebels in the east.

It said the human rights situation in eastern Ukraine and Russian-annexed Crimea worsened "drastically" in 2014.–FP Monitoring

Polish tourist in Soviet Union—an Interview with Juliusz Strachota

AGHA IQRAR HAROON

ur meeting was an interesting “happening”. Juliusz Strachota was staying in the same hotel in Samarkand where I stayed during my last visit to Uzbekistan. I did not know him though we had been meeting in breakfast hall for the last four days before the night we started knowing each other personally. He was introduced by manager of the hotel because manager knew I am a travel writer and I am keen to meet people of different social backgrounds.

Juliusz is well-published Polish writer and his over 120 short stories had been published in 1,000 plus newspapers and

magazines of Poland. Born on 20 April 1979, he is author of 6 collections of short stories including bestsellers like “Dream worth having cigarettes” and “Shadow of the block Miron Białoszewski” (English titles of his Polish short stories). He belongs to a family of writers and journalists. His father was also a journalist before his retirement. His stories and reports are published in different top newspapers of Poland including "Lampa", "Time of Culture", "Politics" and "Gazeta Wyborcza".

Strachota is considered by critics as a late heir of Białoszewski who has a cult status among Polish writers. He told me that his typical hero (character) is a lone-

ly person and struggling against demon and finding help from people from the “other world” ---the world we cannot see but we can feel if we believe in this other world. He said he was obsessed with Saska Kepa in Warsaw, where Bialoszewski lived. He honestly accepts that his work is influenced by many classic Polish writers while his critiques believe he is a combination of Etgar Keret, Raymond Carver and Bialoszewski. I asked him why he had been travelling into Uzbekistan? In response to my question, he narrated a fascinating aspect of his childhood.

He said that he found a black and white book in the library of his father that was about experiences of a Polish traveller

of Soviet Union era and this small book fascinated him whole of his life.

“I was 10 or 11 year old when I found a black and white travelogue without photos and even its printing was very bad and the title of that travelogue was “Polish tourist in Soviet Union”. This travelogue was all about journeys of a writer to different cities of former Soviet Union including Kiev, Moscow, Tbilisi, Baku, Samarkand and Dushanbe. Since then, I wished to see all these cities because I was so fascinated by stories I read about these cities that I had been travelling in my dreams to these spots. Now only Dushanbe is left and I have seen all of these wonderful destinations”, he concluded.

Agha Iqrar Haroon and Juliusz Strachota

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ENTERTAINMENT

THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 2015

Pretty Woman originally faced sad ending: Julia

Fawad Khan set to star in Karan’s ‘Kapoor and Sons’ Roberts has HOLLYWOOD: Julia stunned fans of her hit romantic comedy Pretty Woman by revealing her prostitute character was originally set for a sad ending after turning to drugs.

The actress recently reunited with castmates Richard Gere, Hector Elizondo and Laura San Giacomo and director Garry Marshall to reminisce about the movie on the 25th anniversary of its release, and during the TV chat, which aired on US breakfast show Today, she admitted her character, Vivian, wasn't destined for a happy ending when she first signed on for the project, about a wealthy businessman who falls in love with a prostitute.

She claims the 1990 film was previously titled 3000, in reference to the money Gere's character, Edward, paid Vivian, explaining, "At the end of the original script, Richard's character threw my character out of the car, threw the money on top of her and drove away and

the credits rolled."

The ending was tweaked once Disney studio bosses took control of the film and recruited Marshall as director, but Gere wasn't so sure the role of Edward was for him, because he thought the character lacked depth. He says, "There was just nothing. The joke was it was a suit. You could put a suit on a goat and put it out there, and it would work."

He agreed to meet with Roberts to see if they had any chemistry, and he was so taken by the actress, he agreed to sign on after she begged him to take the job.

Gere recalls, "We're getting to know each other. We're flirty-flirty, nicenice... And (Marshall) calls up and is kind of like, 'How's it going?'"

It was then that Roberts handed him the plea on a sticky note: "She turns it around and she pushes it to me, and it said, 'Please say yes!'. It was so sweet, and I said (to Marshall), 'I just said yes.' –FP Monitoring

Will Ferrell gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame LOS ANGELES: Comedian Will Ferrell has been joined by former Saturday Night Live star Molly Shannon and Step Brothers co-star John C Reilly to celebrate his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The Anchorman star thanked his family and fans profusely before attempting to suddenly leave the ceremony. "You guys have allowed me to do what I love which is rare and a very special thing so thank you for that. It goes without saying that I feel so fortunate and yet I can't accept this award," he joked.

"So just cover it up for someone else.

No I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I should just walk away though right? Yeah, no okay."

Molly Shannon gave a speech on behalf of former Saturday Night Live cast members and told the story about when she first met Ferrell while she was waitressing at a baker shop off of Melrose.

Shortly after that both Shannon and Ferrell were invited to work on SNL. "We all feel the same way. We all could not be happier for Will's monumental success because it couldn't happen to a nicer person," said Shannon. "Will (Ferrell) is exactly the same today as the day that I met him. So I just want to say, 'God bless Hollywood and God bless Will Ferrell.'" John C Reilly joked that in the far future folks won't have a clue why Ferrell has a star on the street. "Maybe someday in 50 years, who knows people will look down on the sidewalk and say the things that we say today about some of these people." asked Reilly.

"Why did he get a star on Hollywood Boulevard? But I hope not, I hope not because this man is deserving of all the praise we give him today. Sorry kids." It was a family affair for the Ferrell household. Ferrell attended the ceremony

MUMBAI: Finally a breath of relief — our very own royal heartthrob Fawad Khan is all set to appear in Karan Johar’s upcoming film Kapoor and Sons. The director-producer announced the cast on Twitter. Ever since Fawad Khan bagged his Filmfare award for Best Debut in Khoobsurat, the media's been abuzz with rumours about his numerous ‘signed’ projects. With Johar's tweet speculation was put to rest, and news is confirmed about Fawad’s presence in the film. Directed by Shakun Batra, the film will see Aaliya Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra from Johar’s previous film Student of the Year alongside veteran actor Rishi Kapoor. Kapoor and Sons is said to be 'a modern family film with love triangle embedded in it.’ –FP Monitoring

Benedict to read poem at Richard III reburial

LONDON: Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch will

read a new work penned by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy during this week's Richard III reburial at Leicester Cathedral in England.

The actor, who will play the king in an upcoming BBC drama, is one of Richard's distant cousins, according to Leicester University scholars. Duffy admits she's thrilled the British star has been selected to read her poem, titled Richard, and she's excited to be part of a major historical event, stating, "It is a privilege to be involved, in a small way, in this unique event and to have seen the style and grace with which the city of Leicester has made history alive." The remains of Richard, the last English king to die in battle, were discovered under a car park in 2012. –FP Monitoring

Cooper in talks to direct ‘A Star is Born’ LOS ANGELES: Bradley Cooper is in

with his mother, wife and three sons.

Ferrell was particularly proud his sons' sharp suits. "You guys look like a million bucks, you really do.

Do you want to step up and take a little tour around? Show people off your suits? Take a little lap," Ferrell said to his kids from the podium.

Ferrell received the 2,547th star on Hollywood Boulevard. "It's nice to have success of course, but to still maintain a family life through the whole thing," said Ferrell.

"We've really been able to strike a balance between how intense the movie work can be but then my wife and I are a real partnership in terms of raising our kids and so that's the kind of thing that I am most proud of. It's great and it's great to have this but it's also great to have a beautiful family." –FP Monitoring

negotiations to take over the remake of A Star is Born, which pal Clint Eastwood has been trying to get off the ground for almost four years.

The project, in which Eastwood was hoping to cast Beyonce as his leading lady, will mark the American Sniper star's directorial debut should he sign on.

It's the remake of a 1937 movie musical, which featured Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. Eastwood was all set to start shooting the film when Beyonce fell pregnant and the director turned his attention to another movie musical, Jersey Boys.

Asked about the state of A Star is Born during a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Eastwood said, "I talked about that (movie) for a while with Warner Brothers' people and we're still playing with that idea. But the problem at the beginning (was) they were more infatuated with just the idea of the casting. –FP Monitoring

JSFS floating catwalk a major success NEW YORK: Jessica Minh transformed

the Hudson River in New York into the world’s newest catwalk on 19 March 2015. The highly anticipated 100 metre floating catwalk presented fashion and New York, as we know it, in a new light.

Pushing the visual envelopes, Jessica had guests seated facing the multifaceted glass window of Bateaux New York while the boat is cruised and models walked in front of them as if they were walking on water. Thanks to the panoramic view from the giant glass boat, New York’s famous skyline and its architectural masterpieces such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and One World Trade Center, became the natural backdrop for the iconic catwalk.

The show presented a combination of haute couture, high end ready-to-wear, and luxury accessory collections from four continents. The exclusively selected de-

Returning to Jessica Minh Anh’s iconic catwalk is Indian celebrity designer Shilpa Reddy, who reinvents cultural embellishments and embroideries on her impeccable cuts and clean structures. . –FP Monitoring

HOLLYWOOD: As the film’s star and producer, it’s understandable why Diesel would be quick to politick for the latest sequel to the Fast & Furious series, a franchise that has undoubtedly been a financial success for both he and Universal Pictures, but Diesel waved the checkered flag altogether on Tuesday.

“Universal is going to have the biggest movie in history with this movie,” Diesel said during an interview with Variety. “It will probably win best picture at the Oscars, unless the Oscars don’t want to be relevant ever.” According to Variety, Diesel then took a breath, before reiterating. –FP Monitoring

Jenifer calls out Belinda's lie?

NEW YORK: Was Belinda just caught up in a lie? Best of all, did J.Lo call her out on one of her fibs? Jenifer Lopez was in Mexico this week promoting her new clothing line in collaboration with Coppel. During the press conference the Bronx beauty was asked about her collaboration with Mexican singer Belinda. "She has not approached me, I don't know anything about that," Lopez said. "Maybe it's a rumour that started somewhere, but it doesn't make sense, there's nothing about that." Did we just read that correctly?

Did the "Booty" hitmaker just say Belinda has never approached her?

That completely contradicts what the "Boba Niña Nice" singer said a couple months back.

“I can’t say anything about this project yet, because they reached me, so nothing has yet been set in stone. We’re just talking,” Belinda said back in August 2014. She was very specific saying that it was Lopez's camp that reached out to her for a possible collab. We all thought

Kangana deserved a win: Priyanka MUMBAI: Former Miss World Priyan-

signers embraced tradition, yet experimented with innovative techniques of modern designs. Jessica Minh Anh’s catwalks are more than just a fashion presentation, as “they combine art, architecture, culture, and fashion”.

FF7 will win Oscars best Picture, claims Vin Diesel

ka Chopra said she was happy she lost out to Kangana Ranaut for the National Award for Best Actress.

Apparently, Priyanka is not a sore loser. The Gunday star, who is busy these days shooting in the United States for her upcoming show titled Quantico, expressed her views on Twitter.

The actress stated that she didn’t particularly like losing (who does, anyway?) but stated that she was happy if anyone outshone her, it was none other than her contemporary Kangana Ranaut. Kangana recently bagged the National Award for Best Actress for her role in the critically acclaimed film Queen. –FP Monitoring

J.Lo wanted to reach new horizons working with Belinda who is a major Latin pop star. Now that we look back and read her revelations, we are completely confused.

Why would Jennifer approach Belin-

da? It would make sense if it was the other way around. The only explanation we have is that maybe the "Chameleons" star said that to make herself more important and have us expect the release of her next album. –FP Monitoring

Williams to perform at Monaco prince's July bash MONACO: British pop star Robbie

Williams will be the star turn at a July concert in Monaco to fete Prince Albert II's decade on the throne, the palace announced on Monday.

The 12 July event will also feature performers Lemar and Justin Caldwell in an exclusive event for the some 37 000 residents of the world's second smallest state behind the Vatican. Monaco consists of less than 2km² of rocky territory carved out of France's Mediterranean coast that has only 8 000 nationals.

The prince and his wife Princess Charlene will meet their citizens on 11 July for a cocktail party. Albert is the product of a fairytale marriage between Prince Rainier and the US movie star Grace Kelly. —AFP

BUSINESS

www.thefrontierpost.pk

THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 2015

two toBaCCo researCH stations

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) has established two research stations with a model tobacco farm in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two sub-research stations in Punjab to enhance production and improve quality of tobacco. These stations have been established in Mardan, Mansehra and one tobacco model farm at Buner while, two sub-research stations have been setup in Kunjah and Okara. Commerce Division sources on Wednesday said in addition, PTB has acquired land for Tobacco Research Station. —APP

D1

CHina welComes Countries to join asian investment Bank ISLAMABAD: All countries are welcomed to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), China's Vice Finance Minister Shi Yaobin said Wednesday. "The AIIB is an open and inclusive multilateral development bank. China welcomes all countries to join and make contributions to the infrastructure improvement in Asia," Shi said, responding to a question on whether China communicated with the United States or Japan during the preparation for AIIB, Xinhua reported. "However, China will respect their decision whether or when to join," he said. —APP

China to invest in PIA to improve airline

ISLAMABAD: A number of leading Chinese firms have shown their interest to invest in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to improve facilities for the passengers and increase the number of flights to connect Pakistan with all over the world.

Pakistan just need some improvement in its transportation facilities, reservation system, airport facilities and technical know-how to get more destinations and enhance number of passengers through PIA, said Qiao Song Managing Director of a leading Chinese company Sibol China Limited while talking to APP here on Wednesday.

He is in Pakistan to look into prospects of joint venture with PIA by Chinese firms. He said Pakistan is situated at a very important geographical area and PIA can take full advantage from this geographical situation to link the world. Qiao Song said PIA could also linked to about ten cities of China and these flights could go further to other destinations taking the advantage of close and strong ties of Pakistan and China.

He said presently there are only three destinations which are being connected between Pakistan and China while these flights can be extended to ten cities to cater more business for PIA. He said ticketing and reservation system of PIA need to be improved so that it can be accessed from any where in the world for booking and checking the status of their booking.

Regrading problem of Union in PIA, he said, union is not a problem for improving the PIA facilities as workers' union always very important segment of the organization and helpful in implementing the policies of the administration. Chairman Sibol China Limited Yang Shu while giving his opinion said there are many Chinese companies already working in Pakistan and due to strong bilateral relations, there are very bight chances that more Chinese firms could come here to invest in various sectors especially in airline industry. He said some Chinese companies have already doing business

and interacting with leading airline manufacturing companies including Boeing Company therefore, they can use their experience for transfer of technology to the staff of PIA. Yang Shu said maintenance of the aircraft and addition of new aircraft are very important and many Chinese firms are ready to help, assist and provide financial assistance to Pakistan in this regard. Chairman Global Industrial Solution Mian Zia, who had been doing business in China for last 25 years very successfully and motivating the new Chinese companies to invest and do business in Pakistan, while talking to APP said there are wide scope for joint venture with many Chinese companies in different areas.

He said aviation industry of Pakistan need some assistance, technical help and modern training to improve its standard equal to the world and Chinese Company Sibol China Limited is ready to invest in this sector.

He said joint training programme with the cooperation from international standard institutions, the present workers of the PIA would be made more productive and useful segments for the airline to make it more progressive, energetic and profit making institution. Mian Zia said a group of experienced aviation industrial experts from China backed by world leading financial institutions, original equipments manufactured with business focus on new merging economic regions are interested to invest in Pakistan. "We seeking new aviation related business opportunities in the region where we find strong local partner and government support together to build new global aviation net work to better serve the region and the world where we can see the market demands," he added. He said taking advantage of the unique geographic position of Pakistan, it can be build a high efficient, reliable, low cost, better coverage and environmentally friendly air, ocean and ground transportation hub, including airports, seaports and ground transportation network to connect the region with the world. —APP

Australia helps PSM achieve production target KARACHI: MV Trans Pacific carrying 55,000 Metric ton of Metallurgical Coal from Australia arrived at Pakistan Steel Mills Jetty, Bin Qasim. It will help in achieving the production target of 77 per cent in April, 2015 which is the breakeven point, said PSM spokesman, Shazim Akhter in a statement on Wednesday.

It is pertinent to mention here that with the help of bailout package of Rs 18.5 billion by Government of Pakistan, the PSM management has maintained continuous supply of raw material, and the production level is showing an upward trend.

In April 2014, production had fallen to 1.4 per cent of capacity. In international parlance such an industrial plant is called Dead Level Industrial Unit. With the help of recent government support

average production for the month of March remained 50 per cent of 1.1 Million tons per annum.

The PSM management thanked the Government of Pakistan, especially Ministries of Industries and Production, Privatisation Commission, Ministry of Finance, related organisations and forums for their positive role in the revival of Steel Mills. The imposition of 12.5% Regulatory Duty (RD) on Hot Rolled Products by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) is a good omen which will help Pakistan Steel to move towards self-reliance.

Besides, the CEO and management congratulated the employees without whose efforts and prayers the much awaited revival of PSM could not have been possible. the statement further said. —APP

LAHORE: Students of GC Postgraduate College for Women Shadbagh pose with Lahore Stock Exchange officials during a visit to the LSE. —FP Monitoring

Govt ensuring implementation of reforms: Dar KARACHI: Federal minister for Finance

Ishaq Dar Wednesday said with concerted efforts by the government, led

by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's economy has achieved position of stability.

"Pakistan of today is far better than the Pakistan as of May 2013", Dar said while addressing an award ceremony here at Karachi Stock Exchange to recognize the 25 best performing companies, during 2010-2013.

He said the previous governments also announced reforms but the element of effective implementation was missing.

"We have not only introduced reforms but also ensured implementation- results are positive", he maintained. He said the government wanted to take the country from a stable economic position to the league of emerging economies and Karachi stock exchange was a good example of brisk business activity.

He said today the country's foreign exchange reserves stand at US $16.13 billion and next target was to achieve $17 billion mark. "Despite tremendous pressures on the Government since it came into power,untiring efforts have enabled us to achieve GDP growth of 4.1% last year and we are on target of achieving 5.1% GDP growth in the current fiscal year", he added.

He went on to highlight the macro economic performance of the government saying "We also have completed six successful reviews under the International Monetary Fund's Extended Fund Facility". He said IMF has appreciated Pakistan's economic performance and acknowledged our reforms. Referring to a recent article of a US based news agency Bloomberg, the finance minister said the article gave the latest view about Pakistan's economy saying "Corporate Earnings are soaring, stocks have surged and the currency is among the world's top performer." —APP

Falling exports riles textile millers MUHAMMAD ARIF DOGAR FAISALABAD: Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) has expressed grave concern over 12.9 percent drop in exports in last month and demanded of the Government to take immediate remedial measure to arrest this short fall.

Talking to newsmen here on Wednesday, Sohail Pasha, Chairman and Rizwan Riaz Saigal, Vice Chairman of the Association said that textile exports also witnessed 2.91 percent decline in February 2015 over the same month of the previous fiscal year and 9.96 percent drop over previous month.

Giving details, they said that country exported textile goods worth USD 1.087 billion in February as against exports of USD 1.119 billion in same month of previous year and USD 1.207 billion in previous month of January showing a hectic decline of 2.91% and 9.96% respectively. Export of value added items also witnessed negative growth as cotton cloth down by 15.47%, bed wear 4.82% and towels 8.34% compared to same month of previous fiscal. These may not sound like big numbers, but if the trend keeps up it could spell some amount of trouble for the economy, especially considering that the trade deficit is continuing to widen, they said and added that drop in textile exports is clear indication of the fact that textile industry,

particularly the Punjab-based, is unable to tap its potential in accordance with its capacity.

Pin pointing the prime reasons behind export decline, Sohail Pasha explained that high cost of doing business and lack of competitive edge with regional rivals including unprecedented energy constrains and unavailability of funds are badly hurting the textile export growth. Value added textile export sector is already facing severe global competition as regional countries are providing lot of subsidies and incentives to its textile export sector to remain competitive in international market. Quoting the example of gas prices, he said that gas price in Pakistan is 6.27 dollars per mmbtu; which is at the higher edge than all competitors.

Per mmbtu gas price in Bangladesh is 1.91 dollar, in India is 4.20 dollar and in Sri Lanka is 3.66 dollar. Recently, in a bid to give stiff competition to Pakistan, Indiahas flexed its muscles by proposing huge subsidies to its textile exporters. Terming lack of funds another hurdle in export growth, he said there is a capital blockage for textile exporters as their major capital remain stuck up in refund cycle, causing a major dent to textile exporters. Vice Chairman Rizwan Riaz Saigal was of the view that now is the time that the repair has to be made otherwise decline in exports would put irreparable loss to economy. —FP Monitoring

LNG to be provided on less rate: Abbasi

Gold import declines 91.63% in July-February

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday said that price of LNG are still being negotiated in the relevant forums while the government assures that rate of LNG would be less in the country than whole Asia. Answering a question in the National Assembly regarding import of LNG and its price, the minister said that credit goes to the PML-N government that import of LNG has been possible, adding that government is fully responsible to provide relief to the consumers. He said that terms and conditions on sale and purchase of LNG including its price are being negotiated with Qatar Gas and has not been finalized yet. All aspects would be considered, he added. He said that it has been decided in the agreement that issues related to LNG deal would not be discussed openly before it finalization, while briefing on the issue can be given in camera, adding that a parliamentary committee to work out LNG rates and its import may also be set up. He said the first ship carrying sixty thousand tons LNG would arrive at Port Qasim on March 31, it will contribute two billion cubic feet of Gas in the system. It will save 300 million dollars to the power sector, he added. He said after hectic efforts the government has developed a world class LNG terminal in a short span of 11 months. He added that it has also been decided that any third party or consumer can import LNG and can use it freely. Answering a question regarding comparison of rates the minister said that LNG import rates differ in every country, the big importers of LNG in Asia are Japan, India, Korea and China. —APP

ISLAMABAD: The gold imports during the first eight months of current fiscal year 2014-15 plunged 91.63 percent as against the same period of last year.

According to data revealed by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), during the period under review, 354 kilogram of yellow metal worth of US $14.476 million was imported as compared to the import of 4,177 kg valuing $172.950 million during July-February 2013-14.

The overall imports of metal group, however registered an increase of 25.65 percent during the first eight months of the year 201415 against the same period of last year.

The metal imports in to the country during the period under review were recorded at $2.361 billion against imports of $1.879 billion during same period of last year. Imports of iron and steel scrap registered increase of 43.05 percent during the period as compared to that of last year.

Iron and steel scrap imports into the country were recorded at $665.358 million during current fiscal year against the imports of $465.109 million last year.

The imports of iron and steel also increased by 45.9 percent by going up from $788.986 million last year to $41.151 billion this year whereas the imports of aluminum wrought and worked also increased by 15.33 percent by going up from $78.177 million to $90.1611 million.

The imports of all other metal and articles were recorded at $440.551 million during the period under review against the imports of $374.34 million during same period of last year posting a growth of 17.69 percent. —APP

Govt facing sustainable growth rate challenge SHEHRYAR MALIK ISLAMABAD: One of the foremost challenges for the current N League government is to eradicate economic imbalances and streamline steady, yet effective monetary & fiscal policies that could sustain future impulses, especially hike in oil prices.

Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) government, being gifted by the steep downfall in the international crude oil prices, is seeming to be successful in their mission to achieve a sustainable growth rate, accompanied by low inflation. As per the market analysts and experts, Pakistan’s economy is expected to stabilize and make a gradual effective recovery from stagflation, whereas growth seems to be picking up, driven by services and manufacturing sector injections to the national exchequer.

According to a study published by The World Bank on the current economic scenarios of Middle Ease & particularly South-Asia, “Pakistan Country Partnership Strategy 2015-19, in the medium term and under a baseline scenario that mainly assumes compliance with the three-year extended fund facility (EFF), growth is expected to climb gradually. The fiscal deficit (excluding grants) is projected to decline to 4.4 percent of GDP by 201718. The cornerstone is an expected improvement in tax revenue by about three percentage points of GDP and reduction of current expenditures by about two percentage points of GDP, mainly due to lower electricity subsidies. Total public debt (including IMF obligations) is projected to fall to around 58 percent of GDP by 2017-18.”, the report explained.

It is worthwhile to mention here that Pakistan’s economy has faced alike situ-

ation before in PPP Government where the economy was seeming to be on the verge of recovery, but that all lasted short, owing mainly to the massive floods, law & order situations and some issues funds management. The situation that has arose lately may very well be short-lived, as any delay by the concerned authorities majorly in undertaking tax reforms, in non-materializing non tax revenues into pillars of economic sustainability, or in reducing power subsidies poses risks to this outlook. “In this turnabout of events, a recalibration of monetary policy supported by a relatively stable or declining international commodity prices are expected to help reduce inflationary pressures and gradually bring average inflation down to around 7 percent by 201718”, an official of Finance Ministry remarked. As per the market analysts and various research papers published by

economic institutes, structural bottlenecks in agricultural production, floods like those in 2010, or even worst! or any adverse international commodity price shock pose a threat of a return to higher inflation. Strong remittances and recovery of private sector credit are also projected to support consumption, whereas a strong foundation of Foreign Direct investment, owing to the success of Military Operations in the Tribal Areas may also contribute to a sustainable growth for Pakistan Economy.

The IMF forecasts Pakistan's economy to expand 4.3 per cent this year, compared with the five-year average of 3.6 per cent. Pakistan's benchmark stock index has risen more than 60 per cent in the period. "Owing to recent foreign exchange inflows and lower oil prices, external sector outflows continue to improve," the central bank said in the statement. "The

trend moderation in inflation is broadbased with food and non-food inflations receding."

With the Global crude oil prices facing a downward trend, it could trade between $35 to $40 a barrel by the end of the second-quarter of 2015, according to one of the world's leading oil experts. “Prices could even dip beyond those levels for a brief period.” warned Fereidun Fesharaki, chairman of FACTS Global Energy (FGE). It is pertinent to note here that the outlook could get worse if the US and Iran reach a nuclear deal. Being a former energy advisor to Iran, Fesharaki believes that there is an 80% chance of the deal going through before the 31 March deadline, which could see a further $5 drop in oil prices. These events may very well witness reflection through the Pakistan Economy in a year or two if other related matter do not adversely affect the economy.

EDITORIAL

D2

THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 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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The accountability bill hoax

ormer Minister in Gilani, Shaukat Aziz and Zafarullah Jamali governments and currently a PML-N MNA Raza Hayat Hiraj has introduced a bill ‘Holder of Public Exchequer (Accountability) Bill’ in the National Assembly as a private member. The bill is now referred to the relevant committee.

Without commenting on the content of the said bill, though it contain both useful and not so useful suggestions on the subject of accountability, the fact is that such bills to pass need the firm backing of the government of the day, otherwise, there is no chance of such proposed laws coming for vote on the House floor. If the PML-N were serious in bringing such a bill, it would have tabled it through the relevant minister. As such the nation should not hold its breath and neither expect that the accountability process of those with authority of spending from the public treasury will begin anytime soon, at least, not in the Nawaz government. The PML-N when it was in opposition during the last PPP government had made too much noise regarding an accountability law.

Daily the PML-N leaders used to issue statements regarding the unwillingness of the PPP government to agree on a meaningful bill which could really hold accountability of those in government offices.

The PPP government, on its part, shamelessly wanted a watered down bill and asked for introduction of clauses in the proposed law which banned any investigation or legal action against MNAs, senators and MPAs after five years of the instance of misappropriation, misuse or outright corruption in expenditure of public funds. The PPP also wanted that the investigating agencies should not have the authority to ask legislatures and bureaucrats from where they got their wealth which did not tally with their known sources of income.

It meant that corruption not investigated during the tenure an MP or a minister, provided he or she did the financially illegal act in the beginning of his or her tenure, was given legal cover. Secondly, it is a standard rule that all governments asks it citizens to give account of their assets and earnings. The act however was declared as could-be-instrument for starting a witch hunt against opposition MPs by the government of the day. Of course, both the demands of the then PPP government were only to protect its legislatives and the bureaucrats who were share holders in their corruption. The PML-N, on the other hand, had made a big issue out of it and rightly claimed that the PPP in fact did not want a genuine accountability bill. But all the passion for righteousness seems to have left the PML-N after it assumed power in the centre. It is now the PML-N government with huge majority in the National Assembly and it can cobble up majority on the issue in the Senate, as the PPP does not have a majority in the upper house. The PML-N can now pass the bill from the lower house on its own, and in case the majority of Senators vote against the bill, they and their parties will stand exposed. Politically, it will be a good ploy to trap those against such a bill and dub them corrupt and supporters of corruption. The PPP government prior to the current Nawaz setup did not just delay but killed the bill, in the name of consensus, upon which the relevant committee of the National Assembly had spent hundreds of hours in deliberations. Now the PML-N as a government party is not even mentioning such a bill but rather allowing its MNA to submit it as a private member’s bill. Perhaps in this way it wants the people to believe that it still believes in such a law. The people, however, will not be fooled; neither, were they fooled by the PPP government’s rhetoric. To have accountability of powerful politicians and bureaucrats, we need watertight laws and an independent government department that is not dependent for funds on the finance ministry and also does not have to ask permission from the interior minister or the prime minister to start investigations or file a case against an individual no matter how highly placed. It is hard to hope the Nawaz government will let that happen.

T

Need of the hour a stimulant plan

he economy of Pakistan is moving forward, but at a snail’s pace and a stimulant plan is necessary to improve the situation. Originally, the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform had set the Gross Domestic Product growth target at 5.1 percent for the year 2014-15 but had to revise it to 4.5 percent mainly because of energy crisis and the poor law and order. Several impediments and predicaments had also propped up in the way of growth in agriculture and industrial sectors. The growth target was set at 4.1 percent in fiscal year 201314 that also proved to be hardly achievable. According to newspaper reports, the assumptions about the economic situation were placed before a meeting of the Monetary and Fiscal Policies Coordination Board with Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar in the chair.

The news reports suggest that the first half of fiscal year 2014-15 painted a mixed picture of the economy with regard to the achievements of the set targets. According to experts, it is the first time the government is able to control inflation at a certain point which was predictably going out of its control during the first quarter of 2014-15. However, a tight monetary policy coupled with low oil prices in the international market led to contain inflation at a certain level. The food inflation remained up to 3 percent due to limited impact of floods on perishable items. The agriculture sector also experienced structural blockages, slowing the commodity production and dipping the prices for Kharif crop. On another note, the sugarcane farmers reduced the area of cultivation due to lower income last year. They lost interest in the cultivation of sugar-cane which caused a decline in its production.

The lower sugar prices in the local market also led to create a controversy over the sugarcane prices. Experts believe the falling prices could adversely affect production rate for the next season due to cut in growers’ profitability. Moreover, hostile weather conditions also affected production of various crops during December 2014.

A sudden change in oil prices on the international level has shed positive impact on every economy of the world with certain exceptions. The falling oil prices lowered the cost of production, but some developing economies could not reap full benefits of it and have failed to exploit the situation to maximize the production and gain profit. Hence, low or average production means low tax collection for the government and low funds for development programmes. Experts believe that the large scale manufacturing units could not fully exploit the situation because of energy crisis, a weak international and domestic demand of finished products and security threats. The business climate is weak and international investors are shy of visiting this country despite liberal government policies. If monster of terrorism is contained as the army has launched a befitting operation against terrorists in various troubled areas of the country, and energy crisis is resolved, there is a hope that foreign investment will make a way out into the country. As it is earlier mentioned, the country needs a stimulant plan to boost economy and attract direct foreign investment. The government will also have to adopt an economic model either of Malaysian or Chinese. Both the models are suitable for Pakistan. Unless the government officials stop playing meetings and come up with solid suggestions, the lot of this nation will not change. The government will also have to look into the reasons why Pakistani investors are establishing their businesses in Bangladesh, Kenya, Dubai, Britain and even the United States. Investors, whether they are local or foreigners, need tax relief and better investment climate. The government will have to fulfill all the conditions if it wants to change the lot of this nation.

T

alking of bonds, there are two things that come to my mind readily. One is James Bond and the other is Samad Bond. Please rest assured neither of them is fragile. On the contrary they are both very strong.

The real difference between them is that James Bond breaks, whereas Samad Bond puts Humpty Dumpty together again. Talking about Bond, James Bond, I don’t mean to point to the physical breaking acts that he performs, like breaking the glass floor on which he stood or how he breaks bones. It is the nature of his work that interests me. See the end result of his “data gathering” is to break the backbone of others’ economy, strategy or resolve.

The Samad Bond on the other hand, helps people mend the broken links. Although it is a sure remedy, but alas, it is an inanimate object and can be of no use, unless someone would be willing to give mending a chance.

There is another bond, which James Bond often breaks. That is the bond between the nations or states. International relations or bonds take a long time in making, but they are always so fragile.

For example we can look at US-Pak relations. These relations took decades upon decades of building, but it took a very little to break them. From the American point of view they complained that the Pakistani James Bond HQ, provided wrong information to their James Bond HQ. So the lack of trust resulted in bitter diplomatic and sometimes not very diplomatic brawls. Pakistan has its own point of view. Our state apparatus complains that following the American invasion of Afghanistan, they brought in India and harnessed Indian interests in Afghanistan and side-lined Pakistan as an important actor, in the settlement of the Afghan matter. And Pakistan claims that India is using Afghanistan to weaken Pakistan’s territorial integrity by supporting the insurgency in Baluchistan.

That being said, I had the pleasure of meeting a delegation of Indian journalists and social activists in Lahore a couple of days ago. It really was a pleasure meeting such nice, polite and broadminded people from the neighbouring country, which is so close to Lahore, yet so far away. Our Indian guests also realized the disadvantages of territorial

W

Fragile bonds

has shown that we are not vicinity, but political disinterested in India’s territance. They told us about, torial disintegration. how it took more than two But on the other hand months for them to get there are very strong visas to Pakistan and how proves of someone from they did not know when or Afghanistan supplying even if at all they would weapons to insurgents in come to Pakistan. Such Baluchistan and FATA. was their condition, proLet us not kid ourselves, vided that they were jourinto thinking that either nalists and activists. I was the Afghan government wondering what a comKhalid Minhas mon citizen of Pakistan khalidminhas@yahoo.com or the Taliban are in any condition to act against and India would have to go through if he/she would like to see Pakistan so bluntly. We did support the Afghan people during Soviet invasion Amritsar or Lahore.

Our guests told us how they and oth- and we did also support Taliban. But Iner activists and organizations were try- dian elements in Afghanistan, especialing to achieve some success in amend- ly in places like Kandahar, seem to be a ing the situation, but in vain. I think that more likely source of support to insurthe civil society can only do as much as gents.

We are left with the Kashmir Issue identify the problems and nothing more.

Because I don’t see the situation chang- again. Alright I can admit that the future ing in any manner unless the govern- of Kashmir, is an issue. But if this is the ments and policy makers would change only reason of disagreement, then our citizens should not have problems in their approach.

In India and Pakistan issues are cre- traveling across the border and Pakistani ated and resolved by certain entities and and Indian businesses should not have unless those entities, would start to any problem doing business.

For example there is an unresolved terthink otherwise, there will be no change.

And as far as the said entities are con- ritorial issue over the, Kuril Islands, cerned they would not like to resolve any- between Japan and Russia. This is a very thing, because their budget allocations acute issue, because Russia has occudepend heavily on conflicts and bad pational rights, whereas Japan has historic claims and just like India and Pakrelations.

Since we do agree that all is not well be- istan this is the only unresolvable issue tween India and Pakistan, we should first between these countries. But this does identify the issues, before we can elim- not stop Russia from selling hundredsof-millions of dollars, worth of LNG to inate or resolve them.

When we talk about the issues, every- Japan. This does not stop Japan from one readily names the Kashmir. Same selling its automobiles to Russia. And bewas the response of our guests from In- lieve me Russian and Japanese citizens dia. Let us get into detail and make sure have no problem travelling to each oththat Kashmir is in fact the only issue be- er’s countries, because of the Kuril Islands. tween the neighbours?

UK and Argentina fought a war over At the time of partition, the two infant states did inherit a host of territorial is- the Falkland Islands. But the British citsues.We had the issue of Hyderabad- izens can travel to Argentina and vice Deccan for example. But if I am not versa. There are rear examples if any one wrong Pakistan retracted its claim in ac- Argentinean citizen waiting for two cordance with UN mediation terms a months to get a British visa.

I can give you many other examples, long time ago.

For example there were some talks but that will not resolve the Kashmir Isabout Pakistani backing of the Khalistan sue. The Kashmir Issue can only be removement in Punjab. But I remember solved if Pakistan and India would have that one of our earlier interior federal a positive will. If Kashmir is the only reaminister went to India and handed over son, for me not being able to cross over the files with lists of known to us mem- to Amritsar for dinner, then let’s try to bers of the Akali Dal. So I think Pakistan find solutions to this problem.

But if we cannot resolve this issue, let us not postpone everything till that moment. Let us do what Japan and Russia have done. Let us keep the issue open, but keep everything else, like trade and cultural and social relations, above and beyond the unresolvable issue.

If my memory does not play tricks on me, Mian Nawaz Sharif has always talked about good economic relations with India. Even this time around, he kept his stance, although invoking a lot of criticism at home. But unfortunately I don’t see any reciprocal gestures. Do I need to remind you of the pre and postelection statements regarding Pakistan, by the now Indian Prime Minster, Mr.Modhi? It always takes two to start a fight and it always takes two to end it!

India is heavily spending on weapons every year. Last year India was responsible for 15% of global arms deals. It is billions upon billions of dollars that India is spending on stockpiling arms. Although same amounts can be spent on improvement of law enforcement, which might help curb the rate of crimes against women in India.

The question is, who is India gathering these arms against? Pakistan? If so then it is a futile exercise, because Pakistan is also spending on missiles instead of power generation. So my friends we should know that good wishes have no effect unless the policy makers could be forced into taking positive steps towards better relations. All the attempts by the civil society will bear no fruit, because visa-free travel is less important than the budget allocation for certain influential entities in both countries.

As I said before, it was a pleasure meeting our Indian friends, but alas, this was no more than a social call. We can meet each other. We can exchange views, but most importantly if we want things to change, we need to force our policymakers to stop sacrificing people’s interests for the satisfaction of bigger and bigger budget allocations for certain monstrous entities. If it is so important to spend money, let us not spend on aircraft carriers and nuclear plants. Let us spend a little more on hospitals, drainage and administration of justice.

Don’t crush people under your armoured vehicles of budget allocation. Set us free so that we can walk across the border to share our joys.

Regrets for doing the right thing

BY WESLEY PRUDEN

e can add senators to bread, toilet paper and milk on the list of panic items when the snow flies. Fortunately, the snow won’t fly again in Washington until next year if we’re lucky, but the senators are still here.

Everyone is familiar with the panic in the nation’s capital when there’s a snowflake in the weather forecast.

Panic! Fright! Stampede! Schools close, the government shuts down and within minutes there’s not a loaf of bread, quart of milk or roll of toilet paper left on a supermarket shelf. No one is safe on The din that

matters most is the growing chorus of those who see clearly what President Obama is up to. He’s not so much concerned with what’s in the agreement that he’s offering to the mullahs, but about getting a deal, any deal, to put a shine on his legacy, which so far ain’t much.

John Bolton, the former US ambassador to the United Nations, calls the deal — as it has leaked in dribs and drabs — “an unprecedented act of surrender” because it would only interrupt, but not stop, Iran’s pursuit of an Islamic bomb. “This deal is fundamentally flawed,” he says. “There really is no deal I’d trust Iran with.

It is a regime determined to have nu-

clear weapons and this deal will give it to them.”

He has more: “The president coddles the Iranian ayatollah and attacks his own countrymen and our closest allies over this deal. The danger we hope to avoid is now imminent. This is just one example of how the president doesn’t care about America’s national security.”

The president has brought it on himself. Only yesterday he declared, with calculated emphasis and a bit of bravado, that Iran would never be allowed to develop and build a nuclear weapon. Now he promises some sort of Rube Goldberg scheme to “manage” an Iranian bomb, but only for 10

years. Republican politicians as a breed are slow to learn. When they do the right thing the slightest criticism provokes them to tug a forelock, lapse into the apology mode, and imagine that respectful cowering will make liberal censure and reproof go away. It never does.

Some senators do understand this. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, a freshman senator (and Iraq war veteran) who wrote the infamous letter, has neither regretted for what the letter says nor for who it was addressed to. “I’ll always stand against what I believe is wrong and dangerous for America.”

—Courtesy Washington Times

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OPINION

THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 2015

Look before leaping

Controlling air pollution

G

SUMERA GHAFOOR

lobal warming and air pollution are related problems linked by the combustion of fossil fuels. The burning of coal, oil, and natural gas produces not only greenhouse gases, but also a range of harmful air pollutants, including ozone, airborne particulates, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides.

Diseases of the heart or blood vessels, or cardiovascular disease, and in particular coronary heart disease (harm to the heart resulting from an insufficient supply of oxygenated blood) are leading causes of death.

Prevention of these killers has traditionally focused on controlling hypertension, cholesterol levels, and smoking and making healthy choices in regard to diet, exercise, and avoiding second-hand smoke. However, accumulating evidence indicates that air pollutants contribute to serious, even fatal damage to the cardiovascular system – and air pollution is a factor that you can’t control just through healthy lifestyle. Fatal Harm Harmful air pollutants lead to cardiovascular diseases such as artery blockages leading to heart attacks (arterial occlusion) and death of heart tissue due to oxygen deprivation, leading to permanent heart damage (infarct formation).

The mechanisms by which air pollution causes cardiovascular disease are thought to be the same as those responsible for respiratory disease: pulmonary inflammation and oxidative stress. The human brain is susceptible to grave harm from air pollution. Air pollutants can trigger strokes. They can also affect brain development and reduce human intelligence. Air pollutants and Stroke When harmful air pollutants lead to inflammation and artery blockages in the arteries that nourish the brain, they can lead to stroke. Stroke is an important cause of incapacitation and of death. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can severely harm the brain and the developing nervous system. Human exposure to mercury occurs as a result of air pollution from natural sources, such as volcanoes, but also from man-made sources like coal-fired power plants, cement kilns and industrial boilers. These sources emit mercury into the atmosphere, where it remains until it is carried back to the earth by the rain. When mercury enters lakes and streams, bacteria convert it to methylmercury, a chemical form that accumulates in the tissues of fish and animals and moves up the food chain.

Humans are exposed primarily through fish consumption, with large tuna, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish having the highest methylmercury concentrations.Lead is a wellknown toxic substance. Lead poisoning is particularly harmful during early childhood because children absorb lead from the gastrointestinal tract more readily than adults, and lead in the blood of children circulates into the brain more frequently.When we breathe in dirty air, we bring air pollutants deep into our lungs, so it’s no surprise that air pollution causes serious damage to the respiratory tract. Air pollution exposure can trigger new cases of asthma, exacerbate (worsen) a previously-existing respiratory illness, and provoke development or progression of chronic illnesses including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and emphysema. Air pollutants also negatively and significantly harm lung development, creating an additional risk factor for developing lung diseases later in life.Lung cancer killer in both men and women, is often (and accurately) associated with smoking tobacco.

While that’s true, there are multiple other risk factors for developing lung cancer, including air pollution. Particulate matter and ozone in particular may affect mortality due to lung cancer. Future food production is highly vulnerable to both climate change and air pollution with implications for global food security. Climate change adaptation and ozone regulation have been identified as important strategies to safeguard food production, but little is known about how climate and ozone pollution interact to affect agriculture, nor the relative effectiveness of these two strategies for different crops and regions. Here we present an integrated analysis of the individual and combined effects of 2000–2050 climate change and ozone trends on the production of four major crops (wheat, rice, maize and soybean) worldwide based on historical observations and model projections, specifically accounting for ozone–temperature co-variation.

The projections exclude the effect of rising CO2, which has complex and potentially offsetting impacts on global food supply. We show that warming reduces global crop production by >10% by 2050 with a potential to substantially worsen global malnutrition in all scenarios considered.

Ozone trends either exacerbate or offset a substantial fraction of climate impacts depending on the scenario, suggesting the importance of air quality management in agricultural planning. Furthermore, we find that depending on region some crops are primarily sensitive to either ozone (for example, wheat) or heat (for example, maize) alone, providing a measure of relative benefits of climate adaptation versus ozone regulation for food security in different.

Accumulating evidence indicates that air pollutants contribute to serious, even fatal damage to the cardiovascular system such as artery blockages leading to heart attacks and death of heart tissue due to oxygen deprivation, leading to permanent heart damage

I

THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

can think of many good reasons to go ahead with the nuclear deal with Iran, and I can think of just as many reasons not to.

So, if you’re confused, let me see if I can confuse you even more.

The proposed deal to lift sanctions on Iran — in return for curbs on its bomb-making capabilities so that it would take at least a year for Tehran to make a weapon — has to be judged in its own right. I will be looking closely at the quality of the verification regime and the specificity of what happens if Iran cheats. But the deal also has to be judged in terms of how it fits with wider American strategic goals in the region, because a U.S.-Iran deal would be an earthquake that touches every corner of the Middle East. Not enough attention is being paid to the regional implications — particularly what happens if we strengthen Iran at a time when large parts of the Sunni Arab world are in meltdown.

The Obama team’s best argument for doing this deal with Iran is that, in time, it could be “transformational.” That is, the ending of sanctions could open Iran to the world and bring in enough fresh air — Iran has been deliberately isolated since 1979 by its ayatollahs and Revolutionary Guard Corps — to gradually move Iran from being a revolutionary state to a normal one, and one less inclined to threaten Israel. If one assumes that Iran already has the know-how and tools to build a nuclear weapon, changing the character of its regime is the only way it becomes less threatening.

The challenge to this argument, explains Karim Sadjadpour, a Middle East specialist at the Carnegie Endowment, is that while the Obama team wants to believe this deal could be “transformational,” Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, “sees

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it as transactional” — Iran plugs its nose, does the deal, regains its strength and doubles-down on its longstanding revolutionary principles. But, then again, you never know. What starts out as transactional can end up being transformational in ways that no one can prevent or predict.

A second argument is that Iran is a real country and civilization, with competitive (if restricted) elections, educated women and a powerful military. Patching up the U.S.-Iran relationship could enable America to

ISIS. There were no Iranians involved in 9/11.

Then again, it was Iranian agents who made the most lethal improvised explosives in Iraq that killed many American troops there. And it was Iran that encouraged its Iraqi Shiite allies to reject any extended U.S. military presence in Iraq and to also overplay their hand in stripping power from Iraqi Sunnis, which is what helped to produce the ISIS counterreaction.

“In the fight against ISIS, Iran is both the arsonist and the fire

Iran is a real country and civilization, with competitive (if restricted) elections, educated women and a powerful military. Patching up the U.S.-Iran relationship could enable America to better manage and balance the Sunni Arab Taliban in Afghanistan, and counterbalance the Sunni jihadists, like those in the Islamic State, or ISIS, now controlling chunks of Iraq and Syria

better manage and balance the Sunni Arab Taliban in Afghanistan, and counterbalance the Sunni jihadists, like those in the Islamic State, or ISIS, now controlling chunks of Iraq and Syria. The United States has relied heavily on Saudi Arabia, ever since Iran’s 1979 revolution, and while the Saudi ruling family and elites are aligned with America, there is a Saudi Wahhabi hard core that has funded the spread of the most puritanical, anti-pluralistic, antiwomen form of Islam that has changed the character of Arab Islam and helped to foster mutations like

brigade,” added Sadjadpour. To Saudi Arabia, he added, the rise of ISIS is attributable to the repression of Sunnis in Syria and Iraq by Iran and its Shiite clients. To Tehran, the rise of ISIS is attributable to the financial and ideological support of Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies.

Friedman glosses over, at least to some degree, our failure to administer to the problems in the Middle East correctly. But overall, he's...

In truth, the deal does not need to be very good at all to be a good deal for the U.S. After all, we have proof that sanctions will not stop...

I can think of only one reason why Iran would want a nuclear weapon.

It isn't to threaten Israel which has its own deterrent (shhh!) In...

And they are both right, which is why America’s interests lie not with either the Saudis or the Iranian ideologues winning, but rather with balancing the two against each other until they get exhausted enough to stop prosecuting their ancient ShiiteSunni, Persian-Arab feud.

Then again, if this nuclear deal with Iran is finalized, and sanctions lifted, much more Iranian oil will hit the global market, suppressing prices and benefiting global consumers.

Then again, Iran would have billions of dollars more to spend on cyberwarfare, long-range ballistic missiles and projecting power across the Arab world, where its proxies already dominate four Arab capitals: Beirut, Baghdad, Damascus and Sana.

But, given the disarray in Yemen, Iraq and Syria, do we really care if Iran tries to play policeman there and is embroiled in endless struggles with Sunni militias? For 10 years, it was America that was overstretched across Iraq and Afghanistan. Now it will be Iran’s turn. I feel terrible for the people who have to live in these places, and we certainly should use American air power to help prevent the chaos from spreading to islands of decency like Jordan, Lebanon and Kurdistan in Iraq. But managing the decline of the Arab state system is not a problem we should own. We’ve amply proved that we don’t know how.

So before you make up your mind on the Iran deal, ask how it affects Israel, the country most threatened by Iran. But also ask how it fits into a wider U.S. strategy aimed at quelling tensions in the Middle East with the least U.S. involvement necessary and the lowest oil prices possible.

—Courtesy: New York Times

An ugly double standard for Israel

LAWRENCE J. HAAS

resident Barack Obama’s vow to reassess U.S.-Israeli relations after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign remarks about a Palestinian state showcases his badly skewed views of Israel, its conflict with the Palestinians, its Arab neighbors and the true sources of regional instability.

“We take him at his word,” Obama said of Netanyahu’s promise, which he walked back after his electoral victory, that a Palestinian state won’t come to pass on his watch, “and so that’s why we’ve got to evaluate what other options are available to make sure that we don’t see a chaotic situation in the region.”

Never has one sentence, which comes from Obama’s interview, last week with the Huffington Post, highlighted so clearly the ugly double standard to which the president subjects Israel as compared to its neighbors. After all, Netanyahu’s demagoguery over the Palestinian issue, which was designed to fire up his conservative base, derives from a political system whose core feature is unmatched in the region: democracy. No other regional government is democratic. Neither is the Palestinian Authority that governs the West Bank, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Ab-

bas refusing to cede power six years after his term expired in 2009.

Moreover, Obama himself is no novice in the art of demagoguery – especially on the Middle East. His efforts to paint lawmakers who want stronger sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program as warmongers have drawn sharp public rebukes from, among others, House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer.

If Obama takes Netanyahu “at his [election-driven] word,” one can’t help wonder why he’s so willing to ignore the far more explosive words of Iran’s leaders, none of them driven by electoral motives.

“Of course, yes, death to America,” Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech on Saturday to mark the Persian new year, echoing the crowd chants. He accused the United States of using “bullying tactics” in its negotiations to resolve the Iran nuclear issue. (Nor, in case anyone in the White House cares, should we forget that Khamenei continues to call for Israel’s annihilation.)

In pursuing a nuclear agreement with Iran, Obama has made clear that he hopes for new U.S.-Iranian cooperation to address issues of regional conflict. In essence, he sees the Islamic Republic as a potential regional partner with which the United States can share both out-

looks and interests. With that in mind, one can’t help wonder why Obama wasn’t shaken by Khamenei’s comments of late February, in which he praised martyrdom and, in doing so, drew a sharp contrast with Western culture. “It is vital,” he proclaimed, “to keep the martyrs’ names and the culture of martyrdom alive. This is one of the country’s basic needs. The culture of martyrdom is a culture of self-sacrifice for the sake of long-term goals – goals shared by the entire nation and by all mankind. This culture is precisely the opposite of Western individualist culture, that measures everything according to individual and material considerations.”

As noted above, Obama says that Washington will weigh its options in light of Netanyahu’s comments “to make sure that we don’t see a chaotic situation in the region.” That reflects the president’s thinking, as shared by Secretary of State John Kerry and many others in the U.S. foreign policy establishment, that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict drives regional turmoil by angering the Arab street.

That, in light of the region’s current firestorms, such top officials still believe such nonsense is frightening.

For one thing, Israeli-Palestinian “chaos” ensues from time to time not be-

B757 before taking over loss making Continental Airlines in 1994 with stocks slashed to $2 and by 1997 they had risen to $50, missed this brilliant idea which is not mentioned in his book From Worse to First, now recommended for student of Harvard.

Alphonse his counterparts in Pakistan hardly pay any income tax, run private armed militias killing thousands, openly indulge in occupation of state and private lands through threats and intimidation, living lifestyle of rich and famous, and nobody dares to challenge them. As for tax payment, in a rare instance when Judicial Commission appointed by Supreme Court of Pakistan found one of leading dons involved in tax evasion of almost Rs120 billion, the State and FBR chose to look other way.

Almost every other day, thousands of Pakistanis’ lifelong savings are vandalised by Ponzi schemes and launching of housing schemes within country and in the Gulf. So powerful are these mafia dons that a model carrying half a million dollars caught at Islamabad Airport by Customs was put in judicial remand where she is enjoying VIP protocol and privileges. The model was allegedly on her 42nd such trip in the past two years and was only caught after the entire Customs and FIA shift deputed at Islamabad Airport was changed by the Interior Minister after protests and complaints by the UK government following a video put up on YouTube by a Pakistani origin British national who was demanded 10 pounds as fee for not checking his baggage.

cause the two sides haven’t resolved their dispute but because the Jew-hating terrorist group, Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, ignites war by launching rockets into Israel, tunneling beneath its land and killing or kidnapping its soldiers.

For another, such Israeli-Palestinian chaos dwarfs the chaos on a host of fronts that have not the remotest tie to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – Syria’s civil war, which has left nearly 200,000 slaughtered and paved the way for the Islamic State group; Yemen’s continuing takeover by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, which has made a shambles of U.S. anti-terrorism efforts in the region; or the attacks of Iran-backed Shiite militias in Iraq through which Tehran is extending its influence across that country. Obama waited two days before calling Netanyahu to congratulate him, and U.S. officials are signaling that the administration might start abandoning Israel on anti-Israel resolutions at the United Nations.

Asked whether Obama is letting his feelings about Netanyahu get in the way of “important policy issues,” Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain said, “I am convinced of it because, either that or he is delusional.” It could be both.

—Courtesy: U.S. News

LETTERS TO EDITOR

Please send your letters to editor@thefrontierpost.pk

Catastrophe of floods Floods don’t kill people by drowning only, they also kill people by destroying crops, they kill people by spreading disease, they kill people by washing away homes, cattle and livelihood, and money as villagers rarely have bank accounts, leaving them with nothing to survive on.

These are not disasters that will last a few days or weeks until the ground dries up. For many it will last for years. As far as the eye can see, the land is pure mud, with pathetic sprouts of green revealing the ruined crops. How can they start again with absolutely nothing?

People are bathing in streams and then drinking the same water further down. This is the cruelty of the floods – water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink.

But the minute there is any talk of building dams which alone can control these recurring floods, the landlords sitting in the assemblies veto any such move because their precious acres will come under water.

B A Malik in his book ‘Save Water Save Pakistan’ tells us that: Total number of people displaced will be 34,500 in KP as against 48,500 in Punjab. Total area submerged in KP would

be 3,000 acres, as against 24,500 acres in Punjab. Of this the irrigated area in KP will be only 100 acres against 2,900 acres in Punjab. In any case the above submergence will only be when the reservoir is at maximum capacity for only 3-4 weeks per year.

On the other hand, 3,000 acres and 5,000 acres of mostly prime land was taken up by Mardan SCARP and the Pindi/Peshawar Motorway respectively without any protest from anywhere.

Are we going to hold the whole country hostage to these 3,000 acres? What about the many thousands of acres that the new dams will irrigate?

ENGR KHURSHID ANWER LAHORE

Adviser on aviation It takes a genius to come up with fantastic idea to turn around an airline — technically insolvent, overstaffed, its revenues pilfered and more than half its fleet grounded – with a solution that lies in changing uniforms of its stewardesses, stewards etc. One hopes this initiative and brilliance of aviation czar is followed suit by Punjab Police, Sindh Police, Customs and Excise, NHA, FIA etc by announcing change in uniform for their operational staff to

improve their otherwise dismal performance.

PML-N choice of Shujaat Azeem as Special Assistant/Advisor on Aviation, who has served as pilot of former Lebanese PM apart from running a private ground handling agency and partnership in a construction company, has been at the helm of both PIA and CAA ever since the departure of former Chief Justice. Under his helm PIA losses continue to rise, its performance dismal, indiscipline almost peak, human resources going from bad to worse and cronyism continuing to have a toll on PIA. Employees hired with fake degrees during 2007 to 2012, declared bogus by HEC not only continue to be on payroll but promoted thereafter and sent on foreign postings, in violation of PIA rules, based on lame excuse that they have stay orders which PIA deliberately fails to vacate because of connivance and politics of reconciliation between PPP and PMLN. Perhaps Gordon Bethune, a graduate from Abilene Christian University, having done Advanced Management Course from Harvard School of Business, a licensed Airframe and Power Plant engineer and a CPL with type ratings, who served as VP and GM Boeing Company Customer Services Division and later Renton Division responsible for production of B737 and

ALI MALIK TARIQ LAHORE

Foul in all systems Pakistan’s Al Capone during the past two decades in real estate, corruption, construction, human trafficking, kickbacks, tax evasion, organized crime, extortion, and massive flight of capital, have become stronger and wealthier, evading judicial prosecution through political maneuvering and services of leading lawyers, apart from affiliation with political elite and members of paid establishment. As compared to them, Alphonse Gabriel Capone attained notoriety during Prohibition era in Chicago heading Chicago Outfit, a city which his mafia ruled for seven years, ending in 1931 at the age of 33 when he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for tax evasion after an investigation launched by IRS special unit headed by Frank Wilson.

In 1927 US Supreme Court had ruled that all income, earned through legal or illegal means such as bootlegging etc, had to be declared. As compared to Chicago’s

Logjam over KBD

It appears in the background of mutual embrace of govt with the opposition there are ominous forebodings. Both the leaders of the govt and opposition i.e., Mian Sahib and Zardari sahib failed to break the logjam over KBD in their repeated tenures which proved that they had ample chance to make only new amendments in their own interest but could not make a valiant offer singlemindedly to forge a consensus on KBD which has led to the brewing storm over water and power shortages that bedevil the economy of the country. They have been tried and found wanting. We have been forced to import 1,000 MW of power from Iran as reported recently while the 70,000 MW of hydel potential lies dormant and unexploited. While all kinds of agreements and compromises are made to strength the common unholy nexus between the govt and the opposition, there is least concern shown to store water and generate affordable power for the people. Promises are made to remove load shedding by 2017 but the cost of such power is never told as importing power would not be economical for the common man who has been thrown in the gutter while the rulers amass wealth MALIK TARIQ ALI at the cost of millions of poor people.

LAHORE

DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI LAHORE

BUSINESS

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THURSDAY

MARCH 26, 2015

Australia ready to join China-led bank

BEIJING: Australia is "well and truly" disposed to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Wednesday, but wants to know how much power Beijing would hold in the institution before a formal decision.

Fairfax Media citing government sources, reported the federal cabinet has approvedAustralia signing a "memorandum of understanding" on joining the AIIB. Australia, South Korea and Japan are the notable regional absentees from the bank, which the United States had warned against. Despite Washington's misgivings, U.S. allies Britain,France, Germany and Italy announced this month they would join the bank, leading the Obama administration to reassess its stance.

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that China had proposed to forgo veto power at the AIIB to attract more countries to join the new bank.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday that each country's stake in the AIIB would decrease as new member countries are brought into the organization. She dismissed the notion that Beijing sought - or gave up - veto power as an "impossible proposition". The AIIB

has been seen as a significant and possibly historic setback to U.S. efforts to extend its influence in the Asia Pacific region to balance China's growing financial clout and assertiveness.

Although Australia is a vital part of Washington's strategic "pivot" toward Asia, it is close to joining as well.

"We are certainly well and truly disposed to joining something which is in fact a genuinely multilateral institution with transparent governance, clear accountability and with major decisions made by the board," Abbott told reporters. "That is really the fundamental thing for us, would major decisions be made by the board and is it going to be a multilateral institution rather than one that is controlled by any one country," he said at a news conference in Canberra. Japan, however, is cautious about joining while South Korea has said it is yet to decide. Tokyo "does not need to sign in" on joining the bank unless China lays out clear rules on when and what conditions it will provide loans, Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Tuesday.

Japan is hesitant to join out of concern over China-led lending practices, Tokyo's relations with Washington and the AIIB's potential rivalry with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Manilabased multilateral institution dominat-

European shares dip LONDON: European shares dipped on

Wednesday but held near multi-year highs and the euro rose against the dollar after a survey showed the German business climate improving.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 share index fell 0.2 percent to 1601.50 points, still close to last week's 7 1/2-year high. German business morale, as measured by the Ifo index, rose for the fifth successive month to its highest since July 2014. "The macro newsflow in Europe is quite positive, but after such a rally the market needs to catch its breath. At this point a pause is needed, while the medium-term trend remains very positive," IG France chief market analyst Alexandre Baradez said.

French luxury goods maker Hermes (HRMS.PA) was among the biggest losers, down 1.7 percent, after it reported a 7 percent rise in full-year operating profit but said foreign exchange rates cut its margin. Earlier, Asian shares stalled.

MSCI's main gauge of Asia-Pacific stocks outside Japan.MIAPJ0000PUS edged up 0.1 percent.

Tokyo's Nikkei index rose 0.2 percent to 19,746.20 points, just below a 15-year high closing level of 19,754.36 hit on Monday. Chinese stocks fell, breaking an 11-day winning streak as banks dragged major indexes lower. The CSI300 index of the largest listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen fell 0.8 percent. The euro rose 0.2 percent to $1.0945, head-

ing back towards Tuesday's peak of $1.1029 reached on upbeat euro zone data. The dollar index .DXY, which measures the U.S. currency against a basket of its peers, slipped 0.2 percent to 97.041 but stayed above Tuesday's two-week low of 96.378. The index has fallen about 4 percent from a near 12year high hit in mid March since the Federal Reserve took a dovish tone on when it might raise interest rates, prompting many analysts to push back expectations of the first Fed hike since 2006 to September from June. The yen was steady at 119.64 to the dollar. In fixed income markets, German 10-year government bond yields DE10YT=TWEB fell 2.3 basis points to 0.215 percent.

Brent crude oil LCOc1 held steady at $55.14 a barrel, having fallen earlier on mounting evidence that China's strategic oil reserves may be nearly full and with U.S. investors also ballooning. China has been taking advantage of cheap oil to build up its reserves, but a senior Chinese oil trading executive said on Wednesday existing capacity was reaching its limits. "Although the market should already have expected that the demand from China's (reserves) would not last forever, it is hard to predict when this time would come. So now that it has happened, the markets are just factoring this in," said Daniel Ang, investment analyst at Singapore-based brokerage Phillip Futures. —FP Monitoring

Airbus sells further 15pc stake in Dassault Aviation

LONDON: Airbus Group said it is selling a further 15 percent stake in business and fighter jet maker Dassault Aviation as it continues to unwind its 16-year-old link to its defense market rival. The move will see Airbus' stake drop to around 27 percent from 42 percent, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

Dassault Aviation, which has asked Euronext to suspend trading in its shares, said it will take part in the placement by purchasing a maximum of 5 percent of its share capital at a maximum price of 980 euros a share. Airbus already cut its stake from 46.3 percent to 42.1 percent in November, saying then that it would make its "best efforts" to sell up to a further 10 percent of Dassault Aviation by June 30, 2015, in one or more placements. —FP Monitoring

ed by Japan and the United States. But ADB chief Takehiko Nakao said his institution could cooperate with the AIIB and co-finance projects if standards for loans were met.

"When it is formally established, co-financing would be a major way of complementing ... We'd like to proceed with co-financing" and other ways of cooperation, Nakao, a former Japanese vice finance minister for international affairs, told a news conference in Tokyo.

By custom, the ADB is headed by a former senior official from the Bank of Japan or the country's finance ministry. The World Bank has also said it is discussing cooperation with the AIIB. Abbott said he has discussed the matter with U.S. President Barack Obama and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and would continue talking to them.

Speaking to the Australia China Business Council, Treasurer Joe Hockey said it was important to secure the country's best interest in a well governed bank that will work to promote greater infrastructure and growth in the region. "If well designed, the AIIB could play a key role in helping to address the region's acute infrastructure needs. In order to do this we will need a strong and well governed AIIB," he said. —FP Monitoring

Brent slides, US crude holds flat on resilient dollar

LONDON: Brent crude oil fell as the

dollar regained its footing against the euro and fears of global oversupply persisted, while U.S. crude was buoyed by strong domestic economic data.

The fall in Brent came after the dollar reversed early losses to rise 0.24 percent against the euro, making dollarpriced commodities more expensive in the euro zone. Brent futures for May delivery LCOc1 settled at $55.11 per barrel, down 81 cents. U.S. crudeoil rose 6 cents to settle at $47.51 CLc1.

The U.S. Commerce Department announced that new home sales jumped 7.8 percent to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 539,000 units last month, the highest since February 2008. Financial information services firm Markit said its U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to its highest since October.

"Today it seems as if the market's been catching its breath after reaching its six-year lows last week," Tradition Energy senior analyst Gene McGillian said. "The positive economic reports have helped." U.S. crude stocks, already at their highest in at least 80 years, were forecast to have risen for an 11th record-breaking week, an expanded Reuters survey showed Tuesday.

An analyst survey ahead of weekly inventory reports from industry and government yielded a forecast for a crude stock build of 5.1 million barrels last week. In the week to March 13, US crude stocks rose nearly three times as much as expected, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data.

Late on Tuesday, the industry group American Petroleum Institute (API) released data showing U.S. crude stocks rose 4.8 million barrels last week, with gasoline and distillate inventories falling. [API/S] The U.S. Energy Information Administration's inventory report is due at 10:30 a.m. EDT on Wednesday. —FP Monitoring

A woman dressed in the traditional Huichol costume poses during Tianguis Turistico, a tourism promoting event, in the city of Acapulco, State of Guerrero, Mexico. —FP Monitoring

Top US CEOs reaped billions from stock gains in recent years NEW YORK: CEOs at large U.S. companies collectively realized at least $6 billion more in compensation than initially estimated in annual disclosures in the five years after the financial crisis first hit, according to a Reuters analysis. The reason for the windfall: the soaring value of their stock awards.

About 300 CEOs who served throughout the 2009-2013 period at S&P 500 companies together realized about $22 billion in compensation in the form of pay, bonuses and share and option grants, or an average of $73 million each, figures provided by executive compensation data firm Equilar show.

That compares to about $16 billion initially reported in annual company summary compensation tables, which include estimates for the value of stock grants based on the price of shares at the time of awards.

The comparison does not include pensions and perks such as country club memberships and use of corporate jets for private use. The study also excludes rewards reaped by other top executives, such as chief financial officers and chief operating officers, and compensation for CEOs who did not serve the full five years.

Further gains in share prices in 2014 and so far this year will only have increased the gap between the annual disclosures and the amount actually derived from the awards, with the full

picture for last year only becoming clear over the next couple of months. The S&P 500’s total return, including dividends, was 166 percent from the end of 2008 through Monday of this week, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices.

The impact of the stock market gains on executive pay illustrated in the study will strengthen concerns about how much of an impact the U.S. Federal Reserve’s easy money policies have had on income inequality. Critics say that by raising the value of assets, such as stocks, the Fed's stimulus has helped those who are already wealthy even as median household income declined 4 percent between 2009-2013.

The bull market also has some investors re-evaluating how they judge compensation plans. In some cases, they say CEOs may be benefiting greatly from a rising tide even when their performance might be weak. ”You’re seeing overpayment, or outsized payments, for what is market performance or mediocre performance,” said Aeisha Mastagni, an investment officer for the $191 billion California State Teachers’ Retirement System, who helps oversee its votes on executive pay proposals at company annual meetings.

“Directors can’t ignore the issue of pay inequality or rising executive pay.”

However, more companies are disclosing their realized pay figures and some are eager to defend the super-

charged rewards if shareholders have also benefited. Some of the highest paid executives also often appear in top CEO lists compiled by investors and others because they have run companies so successfully that their share prices have gone through the roof. An example is John Martin, the CEO of drug maker Gilead Sciences Inc, who has become the best compensated executive of a major U.S. company since the crisis, when factoring in stock and options.

He realized $400.6 million in total compensation from 2009 to 2013, according to the Reuters analysis of the nearly 300 CEOs tracked by Equilar.

That is poised to top $600 million by this summer, mostly because of additional exercises of stock options. Their value has surged well beyond the estimates in annual disclosures.

Gilead had estimated Martin's compensation totaled only $75 million over the five years from 2009 to 2013. But Gilead's shares have climbed nearly 300 percent since the end of 2008 while net income almost quadrupled to $12.1 billion in 2014, fueled by sales of its hepatitis C drug Sovaldi. The company declined to comment for this story.

The second highest-paid CEO over the period was Starbucks Corp's Howard Schultz who realized $366 million, or more than three times the $97 million reported in summary compensation tables. —FP Monitoring

Silicon Valley gender trial enters final stages NEW YORK: Dollar signs rather than dis-

Activists from various NGOs spread a giant cloth during a rally to call for the draft bill on the protection of domestic workers in Jakarta. —FP Monitoring

crimination drove a former partner at venture-capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers to file her gender discrimination suit, a lawyer for the firm told jurors in the high-profile trial.

"The complaints of Ellen Pao were made for only one purpose,” said Lynne Hermle, a lawyer for Kleiner Perkins, in her closing arguments in San Francisco Superior Court. “A huge payout for Team Ellen." But Pao’s lawyer, Alan Exelrod, told a different version of events in the case, which has become a cultural touchstone in Silicon Valley and beyond.

"They ran Kleiner Perkins like a boys' club," Exelrod said of firm leaders, whom he blamed for creating an environment that worked against women.

Originally filed in 2012, the lawsuit has unfolded as the technology industry tries to come to grips with its low numbers of women, especially at senior levels. Increasingly, technology companies are debating how much their culture, rather than the paucity of women trained in science and technology, is to blame. Jurors are being asked to decide whether Kleiner discriminated against Pao and failed to

prevent discrimination against her based on gender, and whether it retaliated against her by not promoting her and subsequently firing her. The case has laid bare the personnel matters of the firm that backed Google and Amazon, painting it as a quarrelsome pressure cooker where a former male partner used business trips as opportunities to make advances to female colleagues. Evidence that will factor into jurors' decision ranges from whether women were maliciously excluded from events such as an all-male dinner hosted by Vice President Al Gore, a Kleiner partner, to the criteria used in promotions. Pao’s lawyers say that characteristics that helped men, such as competitiveness, hurt female partners, whereas Kleiner’s lawyers say all partners were judged equally on merit.

While Pao’s lawyers say some women were promoted rapidly only after Pao started complaining, Kleiner’s lawyers say the firm decided on the promotions months earlier. Pao, now interim chief executive at social-news service Reddit, claims her standing at Kleiner crumbled after she ended a brief affair with partner Ajit Nazre. —FP Monitoring

THURSDAY

www.thefrontierpost.pk

MARCH 26, 2015

BRIEF

Saulat Mirza being moved to Adiala Jail

‘Shining India’ books Andrabi for celebrating Pakistan Day

SALEEM BUKHARI ISLAMABAD: Death-row

prisoner Saulat Mirza will be moved to Adiala Jail to get his statement recorded under Section 164, The Frontier Post learnt on Wednesday.

An Interior Ministry source said that Mirza would be shifted to Adiala Jail to get his statement recorded about the murder of former Karachi Electric Supply Company managing director Shahid Hamid’s murder case. Mirza is presently in Mach jail Balochistan and arrangements for his shifting are underway.

ISLAMABAD: The Indian police

have registered an FIR against Dukhtaran-e-Millat Chairwoman Aasiya Andrabi, for celebrating Pakistan Day on March 23 and unfurling Pakistani national flag in Srinagar. The FIR, which has been lodged at Nawhatta Police Station in Srinagar, accuses the Dukhtaran-eMillat Chief of unlawful activities,KMS reported. –APP

Petition seeks ban on MQM

‘Only tripartite talks can resolve Kashmir issue’

ISLAMABAD: A second petition

has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking ban on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). The petitioner, Tariq Asad, a lawyer in the Supreme Court, contended that after recovery of lethal arms and ammunition form the MQM’s headquarters Nine Zero it has become mandatory to not only impose a ban on the organisation but also to initiate legal proceedings against it. –Online

Asif wants action against parties with militant wings

ISLAMABAD: Water and Power Minister Khawaja Asif has called for action against political and religious parties having militant wings. While talking to media persons outside Parliament House on Wednesday, he said that the state was carrying out operation against terrorists irrespective of their affiliation and connections. The minister said that some people were using religion to propagate and promote their personal interest, which will not be tolerated. –Online

Karachi operation not against political parties: Shah

ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah on Wednesday said the Karachi operation is not against any political party. He said this while talking to media in the Parliament House. He said the operation has been carried out against all political parties. If there is any militant wing in the MQM then it should abolish it, disassociate it from the criminals and continue pure political activities. “We are opposed to push MQM to the wall,” he added. –Online

ISLAMABAD: Hurriyet leader Shabbir

HALTERN: Students on Wednesday mourn in front of their school in western Germany. Sixteen schoolchildren and two teachers were among the 150 victims that died in the Germanwings plane crash. –Xinhua

Saudi Arabia moves arms to border with chaos-stricken Yemen

SANAA: Saudi Arabia is deploying a significant task force to the border with neighbouring Yemen, where Houthi Shia rebels allegedly forced the president to leave the country. President Hadi has been asking the UN to approve the use of foreign forces in Yemen.

The situation in Yemen remains murky, with Houthi militants claiming capture of the southern seaport of Aden, President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s stronghold. The fighters say the city of Aden is now under their control and they're arresting the president's supporters there.

The rebels claim Hadi has fled the country, and announced $100,000 reward for Hadi's capture, Lebanesebased Al-Manar TV reported, citing the rebels' representatives. While two of the president's aides have said he remains in Aden and has no intention of leaving the country, later reports claim

he has left Yemen. Hadi is now traveling by sea to the neighboring country of Djibouti, Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh's secretary told.

Local residents informed that Houthi fighters have overrun Al-Anad airbase and entered Aden, arresting the defense minister. Elements of the Yemeni army who have sided with the rebel fighters have seized control of the Aden international airport, according to Al Mayadeen TV. The airport was closed with flights canceled for security reasons and the worsening situation in the city.

The objective of the Saudi Arabian troops remains uncertain and even the US, Riyadh’s major ally, is not sure what the House of Saud has on its mind regarding the long-lasting political turmoil of its southern neighbor.

A US source described that the concentration of Saudi troops as “significant” made a guess that Riyadh might be getting ready to strike the Houthis if they at-

tempt to seize the residence of Yemen’s legitimate president. It cannot be excluded that Saudi Arabia might use its Air Force to strike rebels near Aden.

Hadi has been seeking support from the United Nations Security Council for military action against Houthi militias by “willing countries”, an international news agency reports. The president wants the UNSC to adopt a resolution authorizing “willing countries that wish to help Yemen to provide immediate support for the legitimate authority by all means and measures to protect Yemen and deter the Houthi aggression”.

A brief war between Houthis and Riyadh resulted in deaths of about 200 Saudis four years ago.

Sunni Saudi Arabia believes that Shiite Houthi rebels are supported by Riyadh’s arch-enemy Iran. The kingdom’s richest oil deposits are in the Eastern Province bordering Yemen and inhabited by Shiites. Given that the

Hollande, Merkel, Rajoy arrive to meet grieving families

Pakistan, US to conduct military exercise in October

WASHINGTON: The US central

command has said that United States and Pakistan will conduct a joint military exercises expected to start in October this year, US media reported on Wednesday.

According to reports, the two countries have more than 100 engagements and exercises planned. It will focus on a broad spectrum of military components, including air, land, sea and special operations. Both countries will include seminars and other forums covering a range of topics that includes counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, civil-military cooperation and intelligence during the exercises. –Online

SEYNE-LES-ALPES

French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy arrived Wednesday afternoon at Vernet in southern France, where they are expected to meet some families of the victims arrived also this afternoon.

An Airbus A320 of German budget airline Germanwings with 150 people on-

board crashed Tuesday in southern France en route from Barcelona to Duesseldorf. According to Le Figaro, the first families already arrived in Digne-lesBains, where they were received by the prefecture. At Digne-les-Bains and Seyne-les-Alpes (Alpes-de-HauteProvence), the medico-psychological emergency cells were set up for them and two chapels were installed in Seyne-lesAlpes and Vernet.

Also in Vernet, a large tent was set up to host a memorial ceremony in the afternoon. Germanwings CEO Thomas Winkelmann confirmed Wednesday at a press conference that 72 Germans and 35 Spanish citizens were onboard the crashed aircraft, according to information updated till 11:00 local time (1000 GMT).

However, Spanish government reported Wednesday at least 49 Spanish citizens were killed in the crash. –Xinhua

Russia opposes US sanctions against Venezuela BOGOTA: Russian Foreign Minister

Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday he opposed sanctions against Venezuela that were imposed last week by the United States.

President Barack Obama rubbed many governments in the region the wrong way by declaring Venezuela an "extraordinary threat to the national security" of the United States.

Lavrov, speaking during a visit to Colombia as part of a tour of Latin America, said Venezuela had to resolve its problems by itself "without outside interference."

The new US sanctions threaten to tarnish the goodwill Obama fostered in the region by moving to end Washington's five-decade isolation of Cuba.

Obama imposed the new sanctions

on seven senior Venezuelan officials accused of rights abuses and an opposition crackdown.

Venezuela' in turn has responded by recalling its envoy to Washington and lashing out at the "imperialist elite."

Lavrov hailed the position of the South American bloc UNASUR, which is opposed to the decree signed by Obama.

UNASUR, which includes Colombia and 11 other countries, is calling for the removal of the US sanctions against senior Venezuelan officials accused of human rights violations during antigovernment rallies that rocked Venezuela from February to May of 2014. Dozens of people died.

Lavrov has visited Cuba prior to his stop in Colombia and will move on next to Nicaragua and Guatemala. –Agencies

Ahmad Shah on Wednesday said that settlement of the Kashmir dispute was possible through tripartite dialogue in line with the relevant UN resolutions.

Shah in a statement issued in Srinagar, said that as per the UN resolutions, the people of Jammu and Kashmir were the prime party to the Kashmir dispute.

"It is the United Nations itself that made the people of Kashmir the prime party to the dispute and the UN resolutions provide a strong base to our cause," KMS reported.

He said that the UN, European Union, the US, China and other world powers had played an important role in granting the right to self-determination to the people of South Sudan and East Timor.

He said that the same role was expected from these bodies and countries by the people of Jammu and Kashmir who were struggling to achieve this birthright for the past over six decades.

Meanwhile, Shah paid glowing tributes to Jaleel Andrabi, Ishfaq Majeed Wani and Dr Abdul Ahad Guru on their martyrdom anniversaries. He said that the unparalleled sacrifices rendered by the Kashmiris would not go in vain. –APP

power in Saudi Arabia’s neighbor Iraq is also in the hands of Shiites, Sunni Riyadh could find itself between rock and a hard place and in a state of proxy war with Tehran. The porous 1,800km border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, used by local tribes for illegal trade and contraband, has always been a headache for Riyadh. In 2004, Saudi Arabia even initiated construction of the so-called ‘Saudi–Yemen barrier’ with control towers and electronic detection equipment.

Although the multi-billion project was only partially implemented, talks about construction’s renewal reappeared on many occasions and came up with a bang after Houthi rebels’ success in seizing power in Yemen.

In August 2014, Houthi rebels swept down from their stronghold in the mountains, demanding economic and political reforms. In September they seized key state installations in the cap- BOGOTA: US soldiers and military conital, Sanaa. –PFP tractors sexually abused at least 54 children in Colombia between 2003 and 2007, according to a recently released historic document on the country’s conflict. The suspects have allegedly not been prosecuted due to immunity clauses in bilateral agreements.

The 800-page independent historic report was commissioned by the ColomANKARA: Two Turkish caricaturists bian government and rebel group FARC have been fined for insulting Presi- to establish the causes and violence agdent Tayyip Erdogan after a court gravators of the 50-year-long conflict ruled that one of their cartoons they are negotiating to end.

The document is to help negotiators implied he was gay, local media said determine who is responsible for the on Wednesday.

Bahadir Baruter and Ozer Aydo- more than 7 million victims of the gan were prosecuted for an illustration armed conflict between leftist rebels on the front page of satirical magazine and the state while they are negotiatPenguen last August in which an of- ing peace.

In his report, the historian cited one ficial greeted Erdogan while apparently making a circle with his thumb 2004 case in the central Colombian town of Melgar where 53 underage girls and forefinger.

Prosecutors launched the indictment were sexually abused by nearby staafter a citizen complained that the tioned military contractors “who morehand signal, commonly used in Turkey over filmed [the abuse] and sold the films to insult homosexuals, was against the as pornographic material.”

One case that has called most attention country’s moral values.

Lawyers representing Erdogan then in Colombian media was that of a 12got involved in the case, demanding that year-old who in 2007 was raped by a US the court punish the cartoonists for “in- Army sergeant and a former US military sulting a public official,” Hurriyet news- officer who was working in Melgar as a military contractor. –PFP paper reported. —FP Monitoring

US soldiers sexually abused 54 Colombian girls: report

Cartoonists fined for suggesting Erdogan is gay

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