Ep03feb2015

Three dacoits lynched by mob in Faisalabad OUR CORRESPONDENT FAISALABAD—Three

robbers were lynched by an angry mob in Faisalabad after they injured three citizens during a robbery bid on Monday.

According to police, armed robbers barged into a shop and started looting.

They also opened fire and injured three men over resistance.

Hearing the gunshots, the neighbouring shopkeepers and other people rushed to the spot and overpowered the robbers. The angry mob severely beat the robbers and refused to hand them over to the police.

After they were severely beaten by the mob the robbers were handed over to police but the three accused were being shifted to the hospital when they succumbed to their injuries.

Obama proposes $3.99tr budget WASHINGTON—President

Barack Obama on Monday proposed a $3.99 trillion budget for fiscal year 2016 that sets up a battle with Republicans over programs to boost the middle class that are funded by higher taxes on corporations and wealthy Americans.

The budget foresees a $474 billion deficit, which is 2.5 percent of U.S. gross domestic product. It projects deficits stabilizing at that rate over a 10-year period, senior administration officials said.

Obama’s budget fleshes out proposals from his State of the Union address and helps highlight Democratic priorities for the last quarter of his presidency and the beginning of the 2016 presidential campaign.

But it is as much a political document as a fiscal road map and would require approval from the Republican-controlled Congress to go into effect.

“Our hope is that by laying out ... a clear economic vision centered around the middle class and economic

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NATO air strike kills 12 insurgents KABUL—At least 8 armed

Taliban including 4 Pakistani insurgents were killed and 6 others including 3 Pakistani rebels were wounded during NATO’s air strike in Nuristan province on Sunday night.

According to the reports, the insurgents were busy on organizing and designing of terrorist activities in their hideout, which were targeted

by NATO air strike and lost their lives.

According to another report, 4 armed rebels were killed and 2 others wounded following clashes among Taliban militants and Afghan military forces in Nangarhar province yesterday.

The clashes took place in Haska Mina district of the province, while armed Taliban attacked on ANA convoy.

A commander of Afghan National Army (ANA) said in the clashes 4 armed militants were killed and 2 others were wounded.—INP

India’s aggressive foreign policy

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Planet earth becoming dangerous place ................................................

Shikarpur Imambargah attackers remain untraced

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ALCM cruise missile Ra’ad tested successfully

Pakistan Day parade to be held after seven years ISLAMABAD —A joint military parade of Pakistan’s armed forces will take place on Pakistan Day, 23rd March after a gap of seven years.

The parade will be organised by joint staff headquarters in Rawalpindi, which oversees the three armed forces of Pakistan.

The venue for the parade is yet to be finalised, with the two vast compounds short listed as potential sites.

The last military parade took place on March 23, 2008 during the tenure of Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf as a civilian president.

Furthermore, Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the Pakistan Day parade as chief guest.

Strategic standoff capability on land and sea achieved President, PM congratulate scientists SARWAR AWAN RAWALPINDI —Pakistan on Monday conducted a successful flight test of the indigenously developed Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) ‘Ra’ad’, with a range of 350 kilometres, enabling Pakistan to achieve ‘strategic standoff capability’ on land and at sea.

“Cruise Technology” is extremely complex and has been developed by only a few countries in the world. The state of the art Ra’ad Cruise Missile with stealth capabilities is a low altitude, terrain hugging missile with high maneuverability; can deliver nuclear and conventional warheads with pin point accuracy, says a press release issued by ISPR. Director General Strategic Plans Division, Lt-Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat, congratulating the scientists and engineers on achieving yet another milestone of historic significance,

termed it a major step towards strengthening Pakistan’s full spectrum credible minimum deterrence capability.

Pakistan’s strategic pursuits are aimed at achieving strategic stability in the region, he said.

He appreciated the technical prowess, dedication and commitment of scientists who contributed whole-heartedly to make this launch a success.

He showed his full confidence over operational preparedness of strategic forces including employment and deployment concepts, refinement and training of all ranks in operational and technical domains.

The successful launch has been commended by President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who have congratulated the scientists and engineers on their outstanding achievement.

The accuracy of the missile is reported to be comparable to Babur cruise missile.

Sindh Govt to create ATF with 1000 personnel Forwards 57 cases for military courts IRFAN ALIGI K ARACHI —Sindh Apex Committee (SAC) has decided to create special anti-terror force (ATF) to fight terrorists.

The proposed ATF’s personnel would be trained by Pakistan Army. Initially the number ATF personnel will be one thousand The SAC meeting was held at Sindh Chief Minister (CM) House Monday with the CM in chair. Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan, Inspector General of Police, Sindh Ghulam Haider Jamali, Pakistan Rangers Sindh Director General Maj. Gen. Bilal Akbar and

Karachi Corps Commander attended the meeting.

The meeting discussed law and order scenario and took crucial decisions regarding maintenance of peace and tranquility.

The meeting discussed measures for the security of sensitive places while continuing with the ongoing targeted operation without discrimination and measures for the prevention of Shikarpur-like tragedy.

The meeting decided to forward 57 cases of terrorism to the federal government for onward handing over to the military courts.

Talks with IMF in Dubai Dar leads Pakistan team MIAN ARSHAD I SLAMABAD —Pakistan has started policy level talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Dubai for the provision of $550 million as 6th tranche of loan under the Extended Funds Facility (EFF) program. Under this program IMF provides assistance in support of comprehensive programs that include policies of the scope and character required to correct structural im-

balances over an extended period Pakistan entered an extended fund facility (EFF) program with IMF on September 4, 2013. EFF Pakistan program is a 36-month extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for SDR 4.393 billion (US$6.64 billion, 425 percent of quota).

First tranche of SDR 360 million ($544.5 million, 34.8 percent of quota) became

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UNKNOWN DESTINATION: Pakistan conducted a successful Flight Test of the indigenously developed Air Launched Cruise Missile ‘Ra’ad’ on Monday.

Musharraf, Pagara to form new political alliance OBSERVER REPORT KARACHI—The former President of Pakistan General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf and Pir Pagara on Monday decided to form a new political alliance in Sindh. Leaders of different parties will be invited to join this alliance.

According to the sources, contact with leaders of Pakistan People’s Party will also be hastened. Pakistan Muslim League-N’s those leaders who have been angered or have expressed reservations will also be invited to join the alliance.

Musharraf and Pir Pagara will also meet leaders of Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Sources say that Pir PAgara and Musharraf will be joint heads of the alliance. The new alliance might be named as Pakistan Muslim League.

US commander, COAS discuss troops coord along Pak-Afghan border STAFF REPORTER RAWALPINDI—The head of

foreign forces stationed in Afghanistan on Monday met Army Chief General Raheel Sharif to review the current security situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement that General John F Campbell, commander Resolute Support Mission and United States Forces in Afghanistan, called on the Army chief at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest and regional security with particular emphasis on coordination along Pak-Afghan border were discussed,” the statement added.

The visit is part of the regu-

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KSE-100 resumes journey of growth Gains 232 points amid brisk activity AMANULLAH KHAN KARACHI—KSE-100 as predicted by Pakistan Observer in the last report, has resumed the journey of growth with a gain of 232 points amid brisk trading of over 327 million shares on Monday.

In fact the Pakistan market clocked 8% MoM return, thus emerging as the best performing FM and third best performing global equity market, amid a number of key positive triggers. Index in fact retested its

all time high with high volumes and closed in green while the growing volume of trading was

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China offers to host Afghan govt-Taliban talks: Sartaj ISLAMABAD—Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs ad-

viser, Sartaj Aziz, has said China has offered to host peace talks between the Afghan gov’t and the Taliban.

“But the decision will be made only by the Afghan government. Pakistan is also raedy to play the role of a facilitator in the Afghan peace process,” he said.

He urged the Afghan Taliban to join political process and take part in the next elections.

Mr Aziz said in an interview that the Taliban cannot capture Afghanistan by force and that they would also be dangerous if they tried to militarily control the country.

“I think there is no possibility of the Taliban rule in Afghanistan again and Pakistan wants they should be politically onboard. Taliban should take part in next elections,” the adviser said in an interview with Channel 24 TV channel aired Sunday night.

He said Pakistan is ready to facilitate peace dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban but Kabul will have to take the initiative as the process is Afghan-led.

“The first stage of reconciliation is that let the negotiations start first. Let theme first identify those people (Taliban) who are ready to talk.

Our only advantage is that we know who their leaders are so we can advise them that you can talk to those people who represent leadership of the Taliban,” the Pakistani adviser said.

“Once the process starts and serious negotiations begin our facility will be available but the Afghans will decide if they want to talk. It is up-to the Afghan gov’t how they want to onboard them (Taliban), what package they plan to offer?”

Asked if Pakistan will hand over the Taliban leaders to Afghanistan, Sartaj Aziz said

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Imran demands NA speaker’s suspension I S L A M A B A D —Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf should form two tasks force to look into giv(PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) retired Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan on Monday demanded that National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq be suspended till investigation into the alleged rigging in the NA-122 constituency was complete.

PTI chairman also provided CEC with evidence of rigging stating that Election Tribunal had to pass the verdict pertaining to rigging in NA-122 in a four-month stipulated period, but has failed to do so, while the case has now been dragged for two years.

Imran told reporters after the meeting that his party has also requested that the CEC

ing overseas Pakistanis a right to vote as well as the possibility to introduce an electronic voting system for the next general elections.

The meeting took place two days after an election tribunal in Lahore turned down Imran’s plea for action against an inquiry commission that inspected the record of election in NA-122. The PTI chief had sought re-inspection of the records of certain polling stations in the constituency.

Disposing application, tribunal member Kazim Ali Malik had said that at this stage it was premature for the PTI leader to seek re-inspection. The tribunal has set February

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Another Delhi church ransacked NEW DELHI—Unidentified persons ransacked a Christian church in Delhi on Monday morning in what the church calls a case of vandalism.

The incident happened at the Saint Alphonsa church in south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj in the early hours of Monday morning. Two prayer materials, the monstrance and the ciborium ,which are held sacred by believers, were stolen along with a DVD player, but other valuables were left untouched.

This is the fifth such attack on a Christian church in Delhi in recent months and comes just a few days ahead of Delhi elections.

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PR rejects Imran’s claims over ballot papers STAFF REPORTER I SLAMABAD —Information

Minister Pervaiz Rashid has said Imran Khan kept people mentally conf u s e d throughout the period of his protests in Islamabad and played politics for two years on fake ballot papers. Talk-

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Essential goods; prices register decrease due to cut in fuel prices

Sharjeel rubbishes suggestion for emergency in Sindh

I SLAMABAD —The prices of the When asked to comment, a shop- Pasham Khan, a small trader said welfare of people and everything tory. A shopkeeper at Sitara market KARACHI —Sindh Minister sensitive installations. “We keeper said that the prices of veg- that the government has won the would now be available at cheap said that the price reduction is not essential commodities especially fruit, vegetable, pulses, poultry and edible oil have registered a substantial decrease after reduction in prices of petroleum products by the federal government.

A survey of different markets conducted by APP here on Monday revealed that the reduction in petroleum products had resulted in significant cut in the prices of kitchen items.

The general public, commuters, businessmen, traders, farmers and transporters hailed the reduction in prices of various petroleum products saying that it will bring about relief for the people who were upset with the increasing trend of prices of essential commodities.

Arms dealers arrested

etable have been slashed. Now, prices of tomatoes have been reduced from Rs 60 per kg to Rs 50 per kg, Kaddu from Rs 60 per kg to Rs 50 per kg and Shimla mirch from Rs 80 to Rs 50 per kg.

Another shopkeeper informed that in the next few days, the prices of kitchen items and other essential commodities will witness further decrease as the transportation expenses have been cut down due to decrease in the fuel prices.

A buyer Muhammad Amir said that the he bought sugar on Rs 58 per kg as it was earlier on Rs 62 per kg. The prices of chicken and wheat flour also witnessed reduction due to cut in the fuel prices.

hearts of the people by reducing prices of petroleum products.

A businessman, Malak Akhtar appreciated the government steps taken to provide relief to the masses through reducing the price of petroleum products.

He said that reduction in petroleum prices would help provide relief to the common man. He said that reduction in petroleum products would also have impact on commodities of daily use. Another businessman, Kashif Abbasi said that with reduction in oil prices, transport fares would decrease all over the country.

He said that the government had taken a marvelous step for the

prices.

“The democratic government’s step will leave a positive impact on the national economy,” said a senior citizen Rab Nawaz. He said that the cost of import products would also come down.

A shopkeeper Muhammad Kashif said that people would have a better purchasing power due to direct and indirect effects of the cut in petroleum prices.

Engineer, Zia ur Rehman said the credit for the decision to lower prices went to Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif as a significant decrease in the price of petroleum products had been witnessed for the first time in the his-

in their hand but it is the responsibility of the manufacturers to supply various commodities on the reduce rates. Muhammad Aayan, a school student lauded the reduction in the transport fares but complained that the transporters are yet not ready to reduce the prices.

He demanded that the transport authorities should take strict action against the transporters over charging the people despite notification of reduction in the prices.

The government has issued direction for reducing prices of essential items in proportion to the decrease in the rates of petroleum products while transport fares reduced by the transporters.—APP

India’s rigid attitude hurdle in curbing terror

would prove to be a year of L AHORE —Federal Minis- of Kashmir according to the race in the region.

M ULTAN —Regional Police ter for Defence Production, resolutions of United NaHe said that India could Mega projects which would Officer (RPO) Amjid Javed Saleemi said that police has arrested six arms dealers and recovered huge cache of arms including 27807 bullets from their possession.

Regional Police Officer Amjid Javeed Saleemi said on Monday that Khanewal police arrested four suspacious persons from Jahanian.

During investigation, the arrested outlaws informed that they were arm-dealers and used to sell arms in different cities. They informed that they used to bring arms and ammunition from tribal areas.—APP

Science and Technology Rana Tanvir Hussain has said the nation will express solidarity with Kashmiri people on Kashmir Day being observed on February 5 across the country.

Talking to media at a compensation cheques distribution ceremony among the flood victims in a village near Ferozwala, district Sheikhupura, he said that Indian rigid attitude was main hurdle in the way of rooting out terrorism in the region.

He demanded India to fulfil its promises of right to plebescite to the people

tions and wishes of the people of Kashmir.

He said that ethical, diplomatic and political support of Kashmiri people would be continued till the freedom of Kashmir.

Rana Tanvir said Pakistan owns the best and latest missile system and nuclear technology of the world and it had ability to retaliate in a befitting manner to any aggression. He said that there was no threat to Pakistan from Nuclear Civil agreement between United States and India, however, such kind of agreement would spur arms

not become permanent member of the UN Security Council despite the support of the US. He urged the leadership of India to play its role according to the agenda of SAARC countries for durable peace in South Asia.

The minister said that Pakistan wanted relationship with India on equal bases but the same should not be construed as weakness of Pakistan. He said Pakistan was struggling against terrorism and Pak Army and Nation were on the same page in this cause. He said that 2015

open new era of development and prosperity.

The minister said the government was taking solid steps to tranfer benefits of decrease in petroleum products to the masses and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had directed the provincial governments for this purpose.

He said foreign hand could not be ignored in the incident of Shikarpur incident. He said Pakistan was ready to play its role with the cooperation of India and Afghanistan for curbing terrorism in the region. —APP

ANF arrests 11 drug smugglers, recovers narcotics ISLAMABAD—The Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) has recovered 254.72 kg charas, 700 grams heroin and 2.4 kg opium, arresting 11 drugs smugglers including two Afghan national.

ANF conducted nine operations in various cities including Rawalpindi, Attock, Haripur, Faisalabad, Khanewal, Peshawar and Karachi, said a press release.

During operations 4 vehicles also seized during the operations. Most of the recovered drugs were being smuggled for local consumption. —APP

for Information, Sharjeel Inaam Memon here on Monday said imposition of emergency in the province can be no solution to the current situation as the entire nation is united against terrorists.

Talking to media prior to commencement of provincial assembly session, he said all agencies of the country are equally engaged in quelling unscrupulous elements and for early restoration of law and order situation.

Citing Shikarpur incident as a national tragedy, the provincial minister for information said the entire country has been engulfed into terrorism related activities.

Terrorists are trying to play havoc and attempt to take minutest of the opportunities without any consideration towards sanctity of the sites and age or gender or status of their targets, said Sharjeel Inaam Memon.

“It is because of these harsh facts that stringent measures are being adopted to contain the situation including provision for military courts across the country,” he said.

To a query, the Sindh Minister said that previously law enforcers were engaged in providing security cover to the Namazis offering prayers at mosques now there is need to keep vigil on educational institutions besides other

have arrived to the point when the need to support our forces has grown all the more

as fight against terrorism is a national cause,” said the minister. Sindh Minister for Information said MQM’s demand for imposition of emergency in the province holds no relevance as our forces, rangers and army are jointly handling the situation. He also dispelled the impression that there were no doctors or needed facilities did not exist at the hospitals in Shikarpur causing difficulties for the victims of the tragedy.

“On the contrary Sindh Health Minister immediately contacted the concerned officials and declared emergency at all government hospitals in Shikarpur, Sukkur and Larkana,” Sharjeel Memon said.

“As a matter of fact 17 senior doctors and surgeons are still attending patients at the Shikarpur Civil Hospital,” he added.—APP

Saad asks PTI to clarify its stance on terrorism

APS students leave on ‘healing trip’ to China

MUZAFFAR ALI LAHORE—Minister for Rail-

ways Khawaja Saad Rafique on Monday asked Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) to clarify its position whether it was supporting the war against terrorism or it was behind Taliban.

Talking to journalists after the inaugural ceremony of PR power vans at Cantt railway station, he said that the PTI leader Advocate Hamid Khan was petitioner in the case of military courts, whereas, the PTI Chairman Imran Khan had supported the idea of military courts in the All Parties Conference.

He said that the PTI chairman should direct Hamid Khan to withdraw petition from the court or expel him from the party on violation of party stance and end the policy of hypocrisy.

The minister said that the decision of setting up military courts had been taken with consensus of all political and religious parties to eliminate terrorism from Pakistan so legislation on the issue should not be made controversial by raising questions on it.

He said that the core issue of Pakistan was terrorism, adding that prosperity could

Daska in grip of crimes STAFF REPORTER DASKA—The Daska city is in

the grip of fresh crime wave while the people are feeling insecure due to the rising dacoities Girls kidnaping and thefts in the city areas. Meanwhile five women including two young girls were forcibly kidnapped in separate incidents in Daska during the last five days.

The residents of the areas have alleged that the Daska city police have miserably failed to protect the lives and properties of the people, besides their failure to trace the culprits involved in heinous crimes.They said Daska police remain busy performing special political duties, leaving the innocent people at the mercy of the criminals. Outlaws remained active and took away a car, a motorcycle, gold ornaments and other valuables worth lakhs of rupees in different strikes in Daska.

In Daska city, five unknown armed dacoits looted gold ornaments, cash, electronics and other valuables worth of Rs. 35 Lakh during a broad day light from the house of Lady Doctor Ibtesam Umer Reportedly, the accused stormed into the house located at few yards away from the buildings of CIA and Rescue 15 Daska on College Road, made hostage all the family members including women and children at gunpoint and fled away after looting.

Malik Ishaq’s case moved to ATC in Multan LAHORE—An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore has transferred the case against Malik Ishaq, leader of banned militant organisation Lashkare-Jhangvi (LeJ), to an ATC in Multan on the orders of the Lahore High Court (LHC).

During the ATC hearing, the case against Ishaq’s alleged spreading of religious dissent was transferred to an anti-terrorism court in Multan on the orders of Lahore High Court. Ishaq’s case was moved to an ATC in Multan due to his status as a highprofile terrorist. Ishaq cannot be presented in court in Lahore as he is detained in Multan. The hearing of the case will commence from Feb 14 in Multan.

He was also previously arrested over charges relating to hate-speech and inciting violence. Having faced charges relating to killing of more than 100 people, most of them Shia Muslims, and the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in March 2009, Ishaq has spent around 15 years in Pakistani jails.

Punjab government has filed a case against Ishaq, who is currently incarcerated in Multan, of advocating and preaching religious violence.—INP

PESHAWAR—A group of students and teachers who survived a Taliban attack at Army Public School Peshawar left Monday for a trip to China aimed at healing the mental scars of their ordeal. According to reports, ten students and two teachers who escaped the bloodshed have been sent on a 10-day trip to help them recover.

“The basic aim of the visit is to divert the attention of the survivors from the nightmare,” sources said.

An official at the Army Public School said more survivors will be sent in coming days to other countries”.

The officials said the decision was taken after psychiatrists suggested that survivors need long-term therapy and mental health counselling.

Meanwhile, The Shuhada Forum, comprising victim families of Army Public School (APS) tragedy Monday asked Imran Khan to quit provincial government of Khyber Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique inspecting Power Vans at Cantt Railways Station, Lahore. only come in Pakistan after curbing the menace of terrorism.

The PR had to face a loss of Rs 37 billion owing to damage He said that privatization of Pakistan Railways was not under to the PR assets in reaction to the assassination of former consideration and there was no need to privatize it at all as Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, but now it was Railways was on the track to success and its deficit was gradually covering the deficit, he said. Describing the availlowering day by day. ability of power vans, he said that ten out of 40 latest power He said that no worker would be sacked from the depart- vans had become functional with the cooperation of China ment; however, few officers and workers had been removed and the remaining would be inducted in the system by mid from the jobs on corruption charges. “Manpower of PR will April. He said that issue of electricity in trains would be be rationalized for its betterment,” he said. sorted out by coming summer season.

JI for early return of IDPs

PESHAWAR —Central General Secretary of

Jamat Islami, Liaqat Baloch urged the government to make a policy for the return and resettlement of Internal Displaced People (IDPs) keeping in view their sacrifices for the country and the nation.

Addressing a press conference here at Markaz Jamat Islami after a meeting with the elders of FATA, Liaqat Baloch said that millions of FATA people had been displaced from their native areas and living miserable life.

He said that education of their children and financial issues were adding woes to their worries and need immediate attention of the government, adding that Local Bodies elections should also be held in FATA to empower the tribal people.

Condemning APS and Shikar Pur incidents, he said the two incidents were barbaric and inhuman acts of terrorism. Referring to Madrassas, he said that if the government is concerned about registration of any Mudrassa then it should confirm the facts from Wifaqul Madaris Pakistan.

Regarding Kashmir day, he said Kashmir is integral part of Pakistan, and rallies would be carried out on the day to express solidarity with Kashmiris.

Commenting of USA President Barak Obamaâ•™s visit to India, he said the imperialist forces do not want to see prosperity and political stability in the region, adding the Obamaâ•™s visit would further aggravate the security situation in the region.—APP

Governor assents Sindh Condominium Act-2014 STAFF REPORTER K ARACHI —Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat Ul

Ebad Khan has assented the Sindh Condominium Act- 2014. The Act shall be enforced with immediate effect and shall extend to the whole of the province of Sindh except to the cantonment areas and the projects of National Security declared by the Federal Government.

According to details, the Act is aimed at regulating the services, amenities, façade, parking and common areas in public sale projects by the residents, union or society of the project through the registered maintenance companies in the province of Sindh and to provide for matters ancillary thereto that the maintenance of the project for one year after obtaining completion certificate from Authority shall be the responsibility of the builder through registered maintenance company which may charge appropriate maintenance fee from the allottees as prescribed.

The lessee shall be authorized to collect one year maintenance fee from the sub-lessee in advance before handing over possession of the unit to the sub-lessee. The balance of maintenance amount collected by the builder shall be handed over to the maintenance company or to the resident cooperative maintenance society through

crossed cheque. The maintenance period shall start from the day of approval of completion certificate of the building and the allottees are informed in writing through registered post or courier service to take over the possession.

The builder shall provide lift fitness certificate to the resident cooperative maintenance society or management company along with signed contract for maintenance of lift, for one year at the time of handing over the project. In case the builder or his designated management intends to maintain, manage the building and shopping mall, shall have to form a maintenance management company duly registered with the authority; provided that the priority to maintain the building shall be given to maintenance company owned by the builder.

The maintenance of the services and amenities at a public sale projects shall be the responsibility of the registered maintenance companies through allottee who shall form a cooperative society under the Voluntary social Welfare Agencies (registration and Control) Ordinance, 1961 for the maintenance of the project. The society shall be an organization no for profit, to promote harmony and a sense of belonging among allottees of the project and has a separate legal entity from its members and has the right to sue in this capacity.

Secy Health visits hospitals to enquire after blast victims SUKKUR—Provincial Secretary for Health Sindh, Iftikhar Shalwani accompanied by Commissioner Sukkur Muhammad Abbas Baloch visited Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical Teaching Hospital and Hira Medical Centre here on Monday to inquire after the welfare of Shikarpur bomb blast victims and reviewed treatment facilities being provided to them.

On this occasion, Secretary Health directed authorities to provide all possible facilities and medicines to the wounded and added that no negligence in this regard will be tolerated.

Secretary Health Shalwani also paid surprise visit at Anwar Paracha Hospital Sukkur and Taluka Hospital Rohri and showed displeasure over lack of facilities, absence of doctors and having no proper cleanliness at the hospitals. During the visit of Government Anwar Paracha Hospital, he noticed and showed great astonishment that there was not a single patient under the admission at the hospital.

He expressed his concern over the matter and said that inquiry would be made into the matter and action taken against the doctors and the officers responsible. However, during his visit at Taluka Hospital Rohri, some patients and their relatives complained to the Secretary regarding lack of facilities and absence of doctors at the hospital. The patients and their relatives complained the Secretary regarding non provision of medicines to the patients and told him that doctors of the Rohri Hospital .—APP

Pakhtunkhwa for not helping inquiry of the tragedy despite passage of several weeks.

Addressing a press conference here, the affected mothers said that Pakistan Tehrike-Insaf leader Imran Khan had promised to hold inquiry within 16-days of the carnage but the provincial government has yet to take any decision, they deplored.

“Why Imran Khan not holding sit-in for their children,” they questioned and asked Imran Khan to quit the KP government on failure of his government in the province.

They demanded holding of judicial inquiry into the incident and called for exposing the perpetrators of the incident.

The Shuhada Forum gave 48-hour deadline to the provincial government to order judicial inquiry into the incident otherwise they would hold sit-in, they warned.

The affected families demanded award of highest military award to martyred children and privileges to affected families. — APP

More rains likely I SLAMABAD —Upper Sindh day. Rain with snow over cities and northern areas of Pakistan received light and heavy rain on Monday as Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast more downpour in the country.

The PMD says widespread rain with snowfall over the hills is expected in Islamabad, upper/central Punjab (Sargodha, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sahiwal divisions), Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, while at scattered places in KP (Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu, D I Khan divisions) and at isolated places in Balochistan (Kalat, Quetta, Zhob, Sibi, Nasirabad, Makran divisions), South Punjab (Multan, Bahawalpur, D.G Khan divisions), Upper Sindh (Sukkur, Larkana divisions) during the next 24 hours.

It said the wet spell is likely to continue till Tues-

hills is occurred at scattered places in KP (Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu divisions),

STRAFF REPORTER

WAH CANTT—POF admin-

Islamabad, upper Punjab (Sargodha, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sahiwal divisions), Kashmir and GilgitBaltistan, while at isolated places in Kalat, Quetta, Multan, Sukkur and Larkana divisions.

Rainfall during last 24 hrs in mm: Rainfall: (mm): Pattan=24, Parachinar=20, B a l a k o t = 1 6 , Muzaffarabad=15, Rawalakot=14, Dir=13, Garhi Dupatta=12, Murree=9, Kakul=8, Kotli=8, Malamjaba=8, Kalam=5 and Islamabad Z.P=3.—NNI

Thandiani road blocked due to heavy snowfall ABDUL KHALIQ QURESHI thrice. One Naheed Khan told on mobile that no electricity A B B O T T A B A D — H e a v y supply was found since last snowfall was continuing since last night on mountainous series of Hazara including Northern areas, the layer of snow was observed so far over and above one feet reports received from hill tops says Monday.

However, the intermittent rain was continuing in Abbottabad since last night had spreaded severity of chill due to which no one could dare to face such harden weather situation even for a while. The muddy road does not allow pedestrians to walk frequently, though the traffic was smoothly found playing on main Silk Route since morning to late at night despite slippery roads condition.

Galyat area hill tops known as Nathiagali, Thandian, Meera Jani, Chhangla Gali, and Beran Gali including surrounding parts of the entire region is being received constant snowfall

POF Admn well aware of its responsibilities

night in the area, sans pitch darkness nothing has been found and observed so far.

In addition, shortage of edibles due to landslidings has also been stopped entirely due to which the entire residents of such localities are facing hardships. But nothing is being done to address the sufferings of residents despite roaring earnest requests and appeals before the present KP government.

The entire Thandiani road leading to surrounding parts of Galyat was blockaded due to heavy snowfall since various days, therefore, the entire area men were found cut off from rest of the areas.

Most of the families were unable to buy their daily use commodities from their nearby shops due to thick layer of snow had crippled their lives to traverse even a step forward.

istration is well aware of its social responsibilities and always helped the countrymen on the eve of each natural calamity took place in the country.

Keeping in view the miserable condition of Thar affectees, Lt Gen Muhammad Ahsan Mahmood, HI(M) Chairman POF Board directed to set up two relief camp in Wah Cantt. for collection of donations for these affectees.

POF administration dispatched 223 bags of edible items valuing one million for Thar affectees while each bag contained 15 kg flour, 10 kg Rice, 3 kg Sugar, ½ kg Tea Lipton, ½ kg Milk Powder, 5 liter Cooking Oil & mineral water. The value of each relief bag comes into Rs.4450/-.

These relief goods have been handed over to 18 Div. S&T Unit by Karachi office of POF for onward dispatch to Thar affectees.

Illegal gateway exchange raided ISLAMABAD—Pakistan Tele-

communication Authority (PTA) in its ongoing efforts to control grey trafficking has unearthed an illegal gateway exchange at Wazirabad.

According to details, a successful raid against the grey operator was carried out along with FIA team at Village Abu Al Fateh Wali, Wazirabad. An illegal exchange comprising of 4 VoIP Gateways, 8 Ports, Switches, SIMs, 2 Desktop Computers and 2 Modems were confiscated.

The successful raids against the grey operators were made possible because of continuous monitoring, commitment and persistent efforts by PTA in curbing the menace of grey traffic thus curtailing the loss to the national exchequer because of grey traffickers in the country.—Online

Punjab government symbol of good governance D

ANUSHA RAMZI

URING the tenures of Chief Min ister Shahbaz Sharif, Punjab gov ernment has been a symbol of good governance, which is acknowledged by all and sundry. It would not be wrong to say that PML-N got the mandate in 2013 elections because of his sterling performance in the largest province of the country. He is living up to those traditions, as Punjab government, under his guidance, has taken the lead in implementation of Plan of Action to eliminate terrorism. Addressing the ceremony with regard to passing out of the first batch of Counter-Terrorism Force, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz sharif said: “It is not only an important day for Punjab, but it is of great importance in the history of the country…Political and administrative team have worked in unison for giving a practical shape to the vision of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, which was presented in July 2013”.

Within a month after assuming his office, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had invited all the stakeholders, including leaders of political parties, heads of security agencies and members of civil so-

ciety, to reach a consensus on Counter- to fight terrorism. Muhammad Shahbaz Terrorism Strategy. It was imperative, as Sharif, being the Chief Minister of the largradicalism and extremism posed an exis- est province, with population of more tential threat to Pakistani society and than the three provinces put together, has state, and terrorists had been‘ attacking, great responsibility, as overcoming probwhenever and wherever they wanted. Un- lems faced by the jobless people, means fortunately, comprehensive and vithat half of the brant counter-terrorism, anti extremcountry’s popuism and counter radicalism stratelation has been gies were lacking, and there were well-served. In grey areas and ambiguities in the fact, other provpolicies. It was because of these facinces should tors, plus lack of will, on the part of emulate the previous governments that they had Punjab governfailed to evolve consensus on forment. Fighting mulating such policy. However, all terrorism and exsegments of society support PM’s tremism in all its sincere efforts to fight the menace forms and maniof terrorism and bring peace in the festations is an country. arduous task, Present government is fighting and innovative the terrorists militarily and also and extraordivows to address the problems faced nary measures by the people in socio-economic Punjab Chief Minister Mian have to be taken and development fronts. Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. to fight this Counterterrorism campaigns now scourge. span the spectrum of latest trends in warIn his speech, the Chief Minister said fare technology, from deploying highly that terrorism has caused huge loss to equipped special operations forces to the country and the national economy. preparing comprehensive plan of action He said that worst kind of terrorism inci-

dent happened in the history of the world on December 16, 2014 at the school of Peshawar, where terrorists killed the innocent children.

He said that the entire nation, from Peshawar to Karachi, has united against terrorism due to this horrible incident and an exemplary demonstration of unity and consensus is unprecedented in the history. He said that this menace will be eliminated through strong commitment of the nation, and Pakistan will be made an Islamic Welfare State, in the real sense, as envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal.

Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that the brave Army of the Pakistan has achieved remarkable successes in operation “Zarb-e-Azb”, and a new history is being written in the war against terrorism. He expressed the hope that Pakistan will win the war against terrorism and there will be a durable peace in the country.

He reiterated that the government will not rest till giving a crushing defeat to the terrorists. He said there are many examples in the comity of nations when the nation, political and military leadership became united against the challenge of

terrorism, and they won the war. He said that the entire nation, including political and military leadership, is united against terrorism, and will achieve success against the enemies of peace.

Of course, terrorists continue to improve their techniques and strategies in addition to using the tactics of their orthodox predecessors: setting off bombs in public places, assassinating officials, kidnapping individuals to demand political concessions or ransom payments.

Internet and social media can play a vital role in reducing the incidence of terrorism, checking growing increase in radicalism and controlling extremism in the society. But, at the same time, militant organizations also use them for radicalization, recruitment and raising funds. Al Qaeda and ISIS have used these facilities in Europe to mobilize the people for their war in Iraq and Syria, and thousands of jihadis from Europe have reached Middle East.

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has rightly said that the War Against Terrorism is the war of survival for our coming generations. He said that this is the war of Pakistan and now Pakistan is facing a decisive moment.

India’s aggressive foreign policy

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NDIA seems to be following an aggressive diplomatic campaign to promote its foreign policy agenda of extracting maximum possible benefits from big powers in different spheres of life. After successful visit of US President Barack Obama, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is planning to visit China in May this year. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was in Baijing on Sunday, on a three day visit, to prepare grounds for the visit of the Prime Minister.

The plan to visit China is reflective of India’s proactive diplomacy and is apparently aimed at neutralizing negative impact of Obama’s visit on Sino-India relations. According to both Indian and world media reports, Modi and Obama, during their talks mostly discussed China and the former was reported to have spoken the language that pleased Washington. The two discussed plans and signed agreement that are seen as part of the strategy to contain growing Chinese influence. In this backdrop, the proposed visit of Narendra Modi to China is a clever move to keep the giant neighbour in good mood despite moves to undermine its long term interests. This aggressive approach of India in foreign relations is in sharp contrast to the sheepish mentality that prevails in our foreign policy corridors. The kind of environment that Pakistan found itself in ever since independence required pursuance of a highly balanced and neutral foreign policy to safeguard our national interests. However, from the very beginning, we kept all our eggs in one basket and therefore, inflicted harm on the country. Thanks to the architect of Pak-China friendship – late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto – that today Pakistan has a dependable, all-weather friendship. However, Baboos in the Foreign Office still lack the vision to steer the country’s policies in a dynamic manner and are victims of same old sluggishness and inaction. We are not reciprocating Chinese gesture with the same enthusiasm and have totally failed to maintain cordial ties with Russian Federation. We hope that our leadership and those at the helm of affairs at the Foreign Office would demonstrate vision and courage to pursue a truly nationalist foreign policy.

Planet earth becoming dangerous place

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IOLENCE and terrorism has increased tremendously as almost daily instances of terrorism take place in different parts of the globe. Luckily, in Pakistan, the threat is receding due to consensus and firm decision of the national political and military leadership to address the challenge squarely.

Terrorist sanctuaries have been dismantled and they are now on the run.

Previously, the phenomenon of terrorism and extremism, wrongly or rightly, was being associated with this region, but now terrorists and extremists are having field day everywhere in the world. Sunday is usually considered to be a lean day in every respect but on February 1 (Sunday) a number of terrorist incidents took place in different corners of the globe.

Nigerian troops repelled extremists who attacked from four fronts on Maiduguri, the biggest city in northeast of the country. In a separate attack, a suspected Boko Haram suicide bober killed himself and eight others in neighbouring Yobe state. Two US defence contractors were shot at in Saudi Arabia, second such attack in recent months. There were also several casualties in clashes between Islamic State militants and Iraqi forces while two Japanese nationals were beheaded by radicals in Syria, causing pain and anguish among peace loving people of Japan. All this shows that the world is becoming a dangerous place to live in because of a variety of factors mainly injustice, inequality and use of force by powerful states against weaker nations. Palestinians are being killed and maimed almost daily by Israeli forces while Americans have bombed Iraq and Afghanistan to stone age for questionable reasons. Kashmiris have also lost about one hundred thousand souls in their quest for right to self-determination. The brutal use of force in different countries and regions has so far failed to produce any positive result and instead the problem of terrorism and extremism has compounded. The UN was supposed to work for global peace but it has not been able to perform its duties as per the spirit of its charter and expectations of the majority of the world community. Therefore, leaders should join hands to discuss why the world is becoming a dangerous place and how to restore much-needed peace.

Shikarpur Imambargah attackers remain untraced

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INCE the tragedy of Shikarpur Imambargah, there are no clues with the police which may lead to the arrest of the attackers. Cosmetic statements are being made by the government circles that every effort was being made to trace the perpetrators of the Friday bombing, yet it is astonishing that those behind the heinous act are still at large despite passage of four days.

Though the Provincial government announced compensation for the victims’ families and the Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah himself visited the city to have an on the spot assessment of the security arrangements, but the people would not be satisfied with routine visits and assurances. After the mega city of Karachi, terrorists have spread in the interior of Sindh and there is danger of more attacks in retaliation to action against the anti-state elements in North Waziristan and raids in other parts of the country. As a matter of routine, high security is provided to places of worships including Mosques and Imambargahs particularly on Fridays and other special occasions to prevent any untoward incident but it appears that the police did not pay any attention to the dangers in Shikarpur.

It is an admitted fact that our police gets active once an incident takes place and this tendency encourages the stonehearted people to carry out such dastardly acts without any challenge. The real problem is that security personnel are deployed at the time of prayers but the terrorists plant the explosives when the target area is almost empty. In this age of modern technology like CCTV cameras and mobile phone tracking system, people involved in the attacks could be identified and nabbed. There should also be realization among the security agencies that enemy agents are well entrenched in Balochistan and Sindh and they are involved in attacks on religious places to pave the ground for sectarian divide. Therefore, we would emphasise that the Shikarpur incident should be made a test case, intelligence gathering be strengthened and those behind the incident be arrested without loss of any more time to satisfy the enraged people.

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Boehner’s Netanyahu ploy runs onto rocks

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Fears over Indo-US nuclear deal about N-deal; on March 2, 2006 in New Delhi, George W. Bush and Manmohan Singh had signed a Civil Nuclear Agreement, Mohammad Jamil Cooperation following an initiation Email: mjamil1938@hotmail.com during the July 2005 summit in Washington between the two leaders NDIA-US nuclear deal signed over civilian nuclear cooperation.

by George W. Bush and ap The US had been pressing India proved by the Congress in 2009 to move on the deal before the end of had given rise to asymmetry in President George W. Bush’s tenure, South Asia. Pakistan had every rea- warning the pact may not survive in son to be upset, because by refusing its current form under the next adminto ink similar deal with Pakistan - istration. The implementation of agreean old strategic ally that was inter- ment had earlier hit the snag after the twined with the US and the West in US Congressional vote in December various pacts since 1950, felt be- 2006 requiring of India to pledge not trayed. President Barack Obama has to conduct any more nuclear test and committed to give state guarantee not to use spent nuclear fuel from the to India on behalf of American plants the country would receive from Nuclear Suppliers with regard to li- the US. Anyhow, by concluding a ability in case of nuclear-related ac- nuclear deal with India the Bush adcident. Anyhow, the way the US has ministration had allowed business and treated a friend that stood by its al- political interests to trump up the nalies for about half-a-century, is de- tional security interests of the United plorable. Responding to Pakistan’s States. Besides, creating asymmetry in concerns over US-India nuclear South Asia, the US-India nuclear trade deal, the US State Department legislation had granted India the benspokesperson Jen Psaki said: “It has efits of being a member of the nuclear strong relationship with each of non-proliferation treaty without requirthem. These relationships are strong; ing it to meet all of the responsibilities they are vital to our strategic inter- expected of responsible states. ests, and they stand at their own”.

It has to be mentioned that India This statement is rhetoric, as Pa- remained outside the international kistan has given all the sacrifices in nuclear mainstream since it misused the war on terror but India has been Canadian and US peaceful nuclear rewarded in the form of N-deal. In assistance to conduct its 1974 nuclear fact, foundation for strategic relation- bomb test, refused to sign the nuclear ship with India was laid by the then Non-proliferation Treaty, and conpresident Bill Clinton during his visit ducted additional nuclear tests in to India in March 2000, and blos- 1998. India had been cut off from somed during George W. Bush era. most US civilian nuclear assistance Pakistan had expressed concerns over since 1978 because of these violaIndo-US nuclear cooperation deal, tions. It was felt that India’s willingwhen it had been approved by the ness to open some nuclear reactors Congress and became a law after for international inspection in return President Bush signed it. Some facts for the deal was not enough, as the

News & Views

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agreement allowed it to keep its extensive and secret nuclear weapons and materials production complex off-limits. By adopting the nuclear bill, Congress had disregarded the provisions that would have required commitments from India to restrain its production of nuclear weapons and nuclear bomb material.

The legislation also overlooked the US obligation to uphold UN Security Council Resolution 1172 of June 1998, which called upon India and Pakistan to join the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, stop nuclear weapons deployments, and halt the production of nuclear bomb material.

In a recent visit to India, US President Barack Obama stated that he supported India’s candidature for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council. Disregarding the international covenants to advance its foreign policy objectives could result in a new arms race in Asia, which is already home of four nuclear powers. Former US president Bush had also expressed similar sentiments to appease India, but the fact remains that US cannot influence majority of the countries to vote for India to make it permanent member of the UNSC. In the past, the US had advocated a “criteria-based approach under which potential members must be supremely well qualified, based on factors such as: economic size, population, military capacity, commitment to democracy and human rights, financial contributions to the UN, contributions to UN peacekeeping, and record on counterterrorism and nonproliferation”. The position taken by the US reinforced its desire to see India as permanent member of the UNSC because otherwise it should have incorporated conditions of showing respect for and implementing UNSC resolutions. Pakistan on Thursday said India does not qualify

to become a full member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), given its record of violations of UN resolutions, particularly pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir.

Having that said, Germany, Japan, Brazil and India have been lobbying to get permanent membership of the Security Council with veto power. In various meetings, Pakistan had taken the position that non-permanent members’ representation be increased and be given to several other regions, which would help democratize the UN. The world is aware of the fact that Israel and India have ignominious record of showing utter disregard to the UN and its resolutions, apart from violation of human rights. Pakistan and other South Asian countries would not feel comfortable to see India - a hegemonic state and an aspirant of a regional and world power - be provided an opportunity to further its interests and designs.

There is a general perception that prospects of world peace could be further obscured if the veto power was given to the new permanent members of the Security Council, as the misuse of the veto power in the past by the permanent members was the reason for the Security Council’s inability to maintain international peace. The glaring example was the use of veto-power on various resolutions on Kashmir and Palestine by former Soviet Russia and the US. During the Cold War era, veto power was used for advancing interests of the super-power to detriment of a nation like Pakistan. The resolutions passed by the Security Council could not be implemented because super powers were not serious enough, either due to India’s size and population or their whims and fancies.

—The writer is Lahore-based senior journalist.

Inequality: Past will devour future Dr Haroon M Buttar Email:haroonbuttar@gmail.com.

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FTER Mr. Obama’s last State of the Union address the inequality debate reached a crescendo in the developed world. In his address Mr. Obama described the rising inequality as“the rising challenge of our time”. In a report about the concentration of wealth in few hands - released ahead of this year’s meeting of billionaires and politicians at Davos - the antipoverty charityOxfamstruck the same chord. The report warned that- on current trends-the wealth accumulated by the one percent of the richest would be more than half of the world’s wealth. The richest one percent had seen their share of global wealth increased from 44 percent in 2009 to 48 percent in 2014, the report said. These numbers exhibits that the concentration of wealth in few hands is quite simply staggering and the wealth gap between the richest and the rest is widening rapidly.

This focus on the inequality is largely the result of the louder chord struck against inequality by the rock star fame French economist Thomas Piketty. His dense, well-researched academic tome Capital in the Twenty-First Century put the menace of inequality back on the politicians and academicians agenda.

Before Piketty’s book the debate about the inequality was almost in whispers in the corridors of power and the ivory towers of academia.

Piketty’s academic work struck the chord with the situation in the real world, which generated the resonant frequencies.In his book Piketty track the concentration of income

and wealth deep into the past for the USA, Europe and some developing countries such as India, Argentine and Indonesia.After his analysis he purported that there is a fundamental logical contradiction in capitalism with potentially terrifying consequences for wealth accumulation and inequality. His central premise is that when the rate of return on capital ‘r’ exceeds the economic growth rate‘g’i.e. r>g,this leads to the concentration of wealth in few hands and inequality goes up.

The prescription provided by the Piketty to tame the Frankenstein of inequality is the redistribution of wealth by adopting the radical policies to tax the rich.He proposed a global progressive wealth tax wherethe rate of tax rises with the level of wealth. Along with progressive taxation its also vital for the governments to make the efforts to induce the forces of convergence through the diffusion of knowledge and investment in the policies and programs for enhancing the skills of the individuals. He argued that becauseof the political and social nature of inequalityit’s the function of the political governments to solve this problem and cannot be left alone to the forces of market.

Pikkety relied heavily on the data from the developed countries; however, the underlying concepts are highly relevant for the developing countries like Pakistan. For instance,Pikkety’s proposition that inequality rises when the rate of return on capital exceeds the economic growth rate is painfully true in the context of Pakistan. We are witnessing this trend of concentration of wealth in one percent (in the form of big industrialist, industrialist-feudal and big land-owner)from the 1960s tothe present day. For the better un-

derstanding of the relationship between the rate of return on capital and inequality,in the context of Pakistan, the declaration of the assets by the Prime Minister Mr. Nawaz Sharif provides a good example. According to his statementsof assets and liabilities submitted to the parliament taken on their face value without casting any doubt on Mr. Sharif’s truthfulness about the disclosure- Mr. Sharif’s assets recorded an astounding increase during the last few years.

In 2011, the net worth of Mr. Sharif’s assets was Rs. 95.6million,in 2012, the net value of Mr. Sharif’s assets raised to Rs. 261.6 million, in 2013 assets ballooned to Rs. 1.82 billion and in 2014, the total value of assets in his own name and that of his wife had jumped to 2.36 billion.Last year his investment in the Sugar Mills increased 600 percent while the remittances he received from his son also increased. Do the labor wages saw the same upward trend in Pakistan?

This shows that capital is unequally distributed than labor income.

Mr. Sharif’s statement of assets and liabilities clearly indicates that most of his wealth is inherited. This phenomenal increase in inheritance wealth happens when the rate of return on capital greatly exceeds the rate of economic growth and Piketty put it succinctly that in such situation“the past tends to devour the future”. This means that society inevitably tends to be dominated by the inherited wealth.

The regressive tax policies and the declaration of only small part of income by the rich for tax purposes are other factors, which give boost to the forces of divergence and inequality.

Similarly, inefficient tax machinery, low contribution of manufacturing sector towards creating employment and the businesses based on the ex-

ploitation of labor and natural resources are the major contributing factors for the domination of forces of divergence which consequently raised inequality. On the other hand, the factors, which are important for the domination of the forces of convergence, are not on the radar of Pakistan’s public policymakers. The efficient wealth distribution system requires efficient tax machinery, educated and skilled human beings and a socio-economic system which provides a ladder for the upward social mobility.

The problem of inequality in Pakistan is more dreadful than the developed world because the solution is in the hands of the problem creators. In the developed world political and economic elite is at least physically separated which, required a lot of political and financial bargaining before the politicians make the policies which serve the interests of the economic elite instead of the society as a whole.

However, unfortunately in Pakistan economic and political elite is physically and virtually clubbed in the same souls. Inherited politics leads to the increase in inherited wealth concentrated in few hands.

It’s the time for our policymakers, politicians and social thinkers to promote the forces of convergence in order to restructure the current political and social structures which are hindering the distribution of wealth and upward social mobility. Otherwise, it will be too late and as Piketty put it beautifully “the past will continue to devour the future”.

— The author is an Assistant Professor in the YBU Business School, Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara.

HEN House Speaker John Boehner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cooked up a plan to bypass the White House and have Netanyahu address Congress, both men surely thought they had pulled off a coup. For Netanyahu, the speech offered a high-profile chance to push his top objective: derailing negotiations to arrest Iran’s nuclear weapons programme, which he’s convinced will produce a deal that leaves Israel vulnerable. The timing of the speech, two weeks before Israeli elections, could also give Netanyahu a political boost.

For Boehner, the yield was similar. By breaking long-standing protocol, he upstaged President Obama on the day after his State of the Union Address and served notice that the new Republican Congress would carve its own path, even in foreign policy, where national unity is most important. The move also pleased political contributors and hard-liners in Congress who share Netanyahu’s misgivings. Less than two weeks later, however, the manoeuvre is looking less like a masterstroke than a singularly destructive unforced error. A backlash is underway in Israel, where a number of critics, including Netanyahu’s former ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, are worried that by politicising the issue, Netanyahu and Boehner are jeopardizing long-standing bipartisan support for Israel. That’s troubling, but the consequences for the US are potentially worse. In a scant few days, Boehner’s invitation — worked out with Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer, who was once a Republican political operative — has politicised the US-Israeli relationship in a new way, marked by political sniping in both countries. Last week, the Democratic minority leaders in Congress, both long-time supporters of Israel, politely cautioned Netanyahu that he is making a mistake. Indeed. He risks swapping an alliance between nations for an alliance between his Likud Party and the GOP. Even if the ploy succeeds in torpedoing the arms negotiations, it would be a costly win, raising troubling questions about the degree of control Netanyahu has over decisions that could cost American lives.

There is no more sensitive task — or a more hazardous one — than trying to keep nuclear weapons out of Iran’s hands. Throughout the talks, the six nations negotiating with Iran have shown remarkable unity. It would be a shame if all that effort was lost because of political gamesmanship here or in Israel. Politics, as they used to say, should end at the water’s edge. — USA Today

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Act against Boko Haram

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HE latest news reports from Nigeria on Sunday show that Boko Haram has the ability to strike at targets anywhere within the northern reaches of the country and spread its murderous campaign of terror into neighbouring countries.

The group launched an all-out assault on Maiduguri, sparking running battles and emphasising the need for a common front against the group.

At a meeting of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa at the weekend, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the decision of the AU to join forces to stop Boko Haram — a move that’s timely, badly needed and one that shows that there is no place on the continent for such an evil group. What’s encouraging is that the AU has pledged to set up a multinational joint task force to coordinate efforts against the terrorists. Already, Boko Haram is responsible for creating more than a million internally displaced people in the region and its kidnapping and killings have generated a wave of fear unprecedented in decades.

What’s more worrying is that the Nigerian government has failed to organise a cohesive campaign against the group, and its troops are either incapable or inclined to end the threat. With elections due in Nigeria, there should be but one item on the agenda for voters — electing a powerful leader who can finally end the terrorist group, destroy its leadership, restore harmony and free the hostages enslaved by the terrorists. And who will work close with the AU to achieve that. — Gulf News

Home is where the heart is.

—Proverb

Shadows shroud Pakistan Shanghai block as pivot. Minimize Chinese influence in post US withdrawal in Afghanistan.

Tariq Khalil A proactive India will just do that.

Email:tariqkhalil21@gmail.com Similarly Russia must be checked reasserting it influence in Afghanistan and at the same T is no more a secret that TTP is time Pakistan must not be allowed to acting as foot soldiers of RAW. drift towards Russia and a weak govAjit Kumar Doval, the National ernment serves that purpose. Further Security Advisor of the Prime Minis- economically dependent Pakistan is ter of India latest talk in a seminar di- easily controllable through IMF and lating his thought how to buy the so World Bank and at the same time its called Taliban’s by paying more than rulers are vulnerable with their perothers specially Government of Pa- sonal assets in USA and the West. The kistan has exposed the penetration of second dimension is India. Beside its RAW in Pakistan. It is a well known desire to be a regional power, India fact RAW has support of NDS and wants to be a power beyond region. also Mossad. Kao , the first head of US tilt toward India has offered her a RAW had admitted in his memoires golden opportunity to achieve global that first visit on taking over as RAW ambitions, to dither Pakistan, remove Head was to Mossad in 1968 and dis- the stumbling block in its way and corcuss cooperation between the two rect the mistake of partition. Today agencies against common enemy, Pa- Doval is true successor of Kao. The kistan. The result, RAWs had a spec- game plan is the same, chess board is tacular success in erstwhile East Pa- the same and the target is the same. kistan in a short period of three years. Pakistan’s internal political situation The present Geo Political scenario is is in a shambles. In the pursuit of much more complex and threatening power and money our politicians by for Pakistan. Reportedly Cold Start and large are blind to emerging dandoctrine is revived, beside Logistic gers. There are few who understand build up, a fast pace reorganizing and the complexities of the Geo Politics. raising is in progress of rapid movIndia in the last ten years sucing battle formations. Forth genera- ceeded to up the spectre of terrorism tion self propelled guns placed on to its optimum limits and Peshawar wheels for quick deployment is in school massacre is the recent venture hand .Reportedly 500 wheel based in which RAW involvement is proved.

155 SP guns are being acquired from Indian politicians like Ramsawami Serbia and another over a 1000 to be openly declare Muslims has no space locally built/assembled. in India .Muslims in India and PakiUS withdrawal from Afghanistan stan be divided on sect, ethnic and is going to be complete by the end of nationalist lines. Pit civil against mili2015. USA desires a greater role for tary, weaken the Judiciary and create India in post withdrawal scenario. social disorder. To some extent they Even UN Secretary Gen recently ex- are successful. US presidents visit has pressed greater role for India in Af- come about at a most appropriate time. ghanistan, as part of larger Global They will exploit US desire to strateagenda of USA and the West. They gically engage India .They will like to like India to emerge as a power and a isolate Pakistan diplomatically as was plank of their Foreign policy to con- done by Indra Ghandi in tain China. Let us examine the narra- 1970s.Fortunately Pak Army’s resolve tive of US policy in the context of , success in Swat, North Waziristan , Global scenario. From US strategic and actions elsewhere initiated has view on one side India be helped to greatly upset their plans. Surprisingly emerge as regional power in the larger there is a ray of hope, as the nation context to contain China and its grow- has woken up from slumber, specially ing interest out side China , to create a the new generation is united and has new economic block of Asian and forced the Government to prioritise the south Asian countries, make like threat and tackle internal threat of ter-

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rorism first, and examine its Defence Policy especially when Indian strategic planning is becoming evident, specially the new strategic postulation by Raja Raman and some of the prominent planners to call the bluff on Pakistan’s nuclear capability. Quick surgical intervention, capture strategic area, without crossing the red line of nuclear response and force Pakistan to negotiate peace on their terms, a la 1971 situation. For that Pakistan Diplomatic Isolation And Internal Chaos is necessary.

For Pakistan, there is a strong need to revisit all its Foreign, Defence, Internal and Economic polices. The governance is improved and that mean a multi dimensional approach is required. Similarly no concrete action is visible on action plan except continued army operations against terrorists. Image building internationally will not come about unless roots of terrorism are eliminated. It will require political resolve. The interest of the country must come first. Economically strong, politically stable, free from spectre of terrorism, strong civil bureaucracy free from political meddling, merit supremacy along with electoral reforms will usher country in a direction which will increase relevance automatically internationally.

The third dimension is relation with Afghanistan. Both the country and people have bonds dating back to over a thousand years. This relationship is imbedded in the lives of our people even when we are not on friendly terms. Indian penetration through RAW has its negative impact in the form of increased terrorism. This can be offset with deft handling of Afghanistan’s concerns. Pakistan’s involvement in their internal political affairs must cease. Pakistan must not be involved in power struggle if it erupt, in post US period. Pakistan involvement with Afghan Talban has outlived its utility. Pakistan should remain neutral. To the concentration of India, new Government under Ashraf Ghani has already set the ball rolling, follow up actions on both side has improved the possibility to all embracing friendship on the basis of mutual benefits for both the countries. Notwithstanding that, there are still ele-

ments on both side who to grind their own axe will not hesitate spoil all this, beside India has many friends in Afghanistan, including USA who see a role for India in Afghanistan as part of their global strategy. Pakistan must be on the watch.

The geo strategic scenario in the region is changing fast and also globally. A new cold war is in the offing. Pakistan remains an important strategic bridge between South Asia, in the west CIS and extending up to Russia, and Middle east and beyond.

Its strong nuclear capability, emerging youth and strong committed army is an encouraging assurance for the future of Pakistan. To meet these multiple threats there is no choice but to improve internal governance, which unfortunately is not likely in the confines of present system of Government. It must be reformed but how. It needs to be pondered at every forum. The stakes are very high and time is slipping. Transformation is also required to bring the nation in the ambit of discipline. Lack of discipline is visible in every walk of life. For that we go back to our Islamic values, and follow Hazrat Umar (RA) approach, force of law must be brought down heavily on every one without distinction. Many a western scholars have pointed out, justice and observance of law they have learnt from Islam otherwise they were a barbarian society.

And let us accept our generation has messed up the things and time has come to amend, that, the younger generation is not even aware of the circumstances which led to creation of Pakistan. They are not aware of the Hindu mentality. Between 1917 and 1946 every effort was made to stay together. Hindu politicians were not prepared to give any space to Muslims in post British India. Fortunately Prime Minister Modi and RSS doing the job and Pakistani youth are getting aware of Hindu mentality. Muslims in India, to live in India, has to Indianise themselves and must shed their Muslim identity: that is the manifesto of BJP. —The author, a retired Brigadier, is anti-terrorism expert and decorated war veteran.

View From Abroad

New phase in India-US ties Harsh V Pant

J

UST a year back, the world’s two biggest democracies were on a collision course over the Khobragade affair. Today, thanks to deft diplomacy by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team, Washington and Delhi are well on their way now to chart a new course in their bilateral ties. When Modi had visited the United States in September, his critics wanted to discredit him by asking where the substance was. They argued that Modi’s visit was about style, that the optics overpowered the real issues that were bedeviling the relationship. When Modi invited Obama as the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations, the critics came back arguing that what was the point of inviting Obama who had become a lame-duck president with the defeat of the Democrats in the November midterm elections.

But what Modi and Obama have been able to accomplish now underscores once again how far ahead Modi is of his critics. It also shows the remarkable ability of Modi to understand how modern-day politics and diplomacy work. It was the optics of his visit to the US last September that convinced Washington about Modi’s ability to deliver. The Obama administration recognized that, after years of disappointment from Manmohan Singh, they were now getting an interlocutor in Modi

who understood how important it was to get the US-India relationship right and he was ready to deliver with his immense cache of political capital.

So even though Obama’s foreign policy agenda has been crowded, he managed to galvanize the American bureaucracy to give one more chance to India before the end of his term.

And that bet seems to be paying off.

What is equally important is how the anti-Americanism of the Indian political class is also now a thing of the past. Even when the National Democratic Alliance government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee was trying to structure a partnership with the U.S. and the United Progressive Alliance under Singh was trying to take that forward, the anti-Western hypocrisy of the Indian establishment was jarringly evident.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s old guard led the charge to make the passage of the civil nuclear deal difficult and then worked to bring in a liability law that did so much damage to Indian interests. The Indian left, right and centre all colluded in this charade. Washington was needed when it came to Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China, but swords would be out if any Indian leader dared to make a case that a strong partnership was in the interest of India. All in the name of good old-fashioned nonalignment, Singh’s efforts to operationalize the nuclear deal were scuttled by his own party more than by the opposition. Modi has put an end to that nonsense. His bear hug of

Obama is a reflection of the reality that only a minority in India have been able to time and again articulate: There are no real substantive issues dividing the two countries. For sure, there are differences but they are on tactics. And it is this realization that made Modi and Obama take the plunge this week and sort out issues ranging from the nuclear deal to defence cooperation.

The nuclear deal had been held up for six years amid concerns over the liability for any nuclear accident.

With Obama using his executive powers to roll back the condition that US authorities be allowed to monitor use of nuclear material purchased

by India from third-party countries, and the US agreeing to India’s proposal to build a risk-management insurance pool of 1,500 crore rupees (roughly $24 million) to provide cover to suppliers who shunned the civil nuclear agreement because it made them liable to pay compensation in the event of a nuclear accident, a great leap forward has been made. Bilateral defence cooperation has also been energized with the two states agreeing to extend the Defence Cooperation Agreement and identifying four projects under the Defence Technology Trade Initiative (DTTI) for joint production and development and exploring cooperation for jet engines and aircraft carrier systems.

There is an attempt now to make the DTTI more operational so that it becomes result-oriented. So far, since

its institutionalisation in 2012, no major projects have emerged. And now certain projects have been clearly outlined on which work will begin. This is a major step forward and also very ambitious with the talk of working groups on aircraft carrier and jet engine technologies.

Where the two leaders are now looking at the US-India relationship through the prism of the strategic changes in the larger Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region, what has been striking is how marginal Pakistan has become in the relationship. The P-word was not mentioned even once in the two leaders’ joint press conference. In their joint statement they reiterated their call for Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai to justice even as they reaffirmed the need for joint and concerted efforts to disrupt entities such as Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-eMohammad, D Company and the Haqqani Network. There is much to look forward to as India-US relations move to another level now. A confident new India is shedding the diffidence of the past in its dealings with America. And that can only be a good thing for the two nations. The writer teaches in the Defence Studies Department at King’s College London. He is also an adjunct fellow with the Wadhwani Chair in US-India Policy Studies at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Washington.

— Courtesy: The Japan Times

Old is still gold

I

N the complex where I hap pen to stay, we had for many years the same security service, made up of old watchmen. They’d been with us for years, had got used to the vagaries of the residents, their temper tantrums, their kind moments, had watched the children grow up, seen many of the people move from scooters to cars and from cars to better cars, they knew the dogs in the complex and the dogs knew them and wagged their tails and even pranced about when these watchmen came by.

But slowly the residents in my complex started noticing that these same men who had entered service

when they were young and sprightly, were not so anymore. Sometimes when they forgot to dye their hair, and pulled off their caps, it was noticed they had a head of grey. Very often when my neighbours came back from a foreign trip and expected the poor watchmen to carry their luggage up the stairs, they found the same men huffing and panting.

And so they started saying: “Change the watchmen!” “They can’t run!” “They can hardly walk!” “If a robber comes, they’ll be useless!”

One fine day, after such a meeting that the residents had gathered together for, these watchmen found they would have to leave in a month.

I saw their faces and found myself looking the other way when I passed the gate. It seemed even the dogs in the colony knew their friends would soon be leaving and for quite awhile,

very often in the middle of the night I heard them howling, as if wishing their old friends goodbye.

And the new men came. They came in their smart uniforms, their new peak caps, and freshly ironed ties!

They walked up and down and waved their sticks, and the dogs barked at them, barked after them, and barked through the day and through the night at these new recruits. One fellow was found fast asleep at night while he was supposed to guard the gate, another watched with vacant stare while thieves stole a stepladder belonging to a nursing home and most found they couldn’t identify who resided in the complex and who didn’t.

“Where are the old watchmen?” asked one resident who for many years had shamelessly called them old and ancient. “Get them back!” said another. “Where are they?” I asked. I

Voice of the People Health terrorism MARRIA QIBTIA, S NAGRA

Media has played a commendable role in illuminating the issue of meat that is being sold rampantly across the country by heartless butchers who have sold their very conscience. These butchers have not only been selling the meat of haram animals under the facade of mutton and beef but also have sold the meat of dead halal animals which can pose serious health problems to the buyers.

When arrested and interrogated, these butchers without the least bit of resentment were abrupt in their wrong justification that being poor they were right in earning a living by resorting to such means.

Their duplicity was exposed when in an answer to a question whether they would want to serve the same meat to their families and children, they concluded that they could not do so in their wildest imaginations and contrarily consumed vegetables which were affordable in this era of price hike.

The attitude of these butchers is simply a manifestation of the weak moral fabric of our society.

What we want for others is not something that we want for ourselves. These butchers have been arrested and imprisoned but what about loads of others who are indulged in the same business but are cleverly masking their ill practices?

It seems as if we have taken the lead in health terrorism as well as such ill practices are not witnessed anywhere else in the world .The government must not ignore this issue as this cannot be curbed by simply arresting and imprisoning the culprits. Precedents whenever set do play a pivotal role in serving as a deterrent and this is what the government needs to do at the current hour by awarding exemplary punishment to individuals involved in this gruesome business. A law regarding health terrorism must be passed through which those affecting the health of the general populace by selling rotten items must be awarded severe punishment , as this will serve as a strong deterrent for such conscienceless individuals who are weakening our basis and affecting our generations.

—Lahore

Don’t spoil their future JESICA JAVED

Children are meant to learn, not to earn. Child labour is the most common problem in our country. Childhood is the most precious time of anybody’s life but these little labourers fail to enjoy this time. It’s really very heart breaking to see small children working in houses, stalls, factories. They watch other children going to school with great desire. They too have a right to dream, to get education.

The reason of child labour is poverty, the poor parents of these innocent children can’t afford the school fees, secondly they are illiterate they don’t know the importance of education but we all are educated, we know the importance of education so why we become illiterate by doing the same thing with innocent children. Can we imagine our own children working on tea stalls or houses? Definitely not!! Then why other children? Only because they are not our own children? We don’t have any relation with them? Children are the future of our country. There is no reason, there is no excuse.

We should all unite together to stop this nonsense act. Against child labour we must fight.

—Via email

Animal welfare in limelight ZOVIA FAROOQ

found them one day as I drove past the housing complexes down the road, I stopped the car and got out, “You found a job?” I asked.

“At double the salary sir!” “We never knew that our experience was valuable!” “The people love us here!” I drove away happy and sad.

Sad for ourselves that in our haste to replace old people we had got rid of experienced hands and happy for them that in their being forced to venture out they had found that they were useful and needed and had got a raise and benefits beyond their wildest dreams. I remembered their fears and apprehensions, and knew that if they hadn’t been thrown out they would never have known the old saying, that ‘old is gold’. Sometimes we old need to be thrown out to realize we’re still gold..!

—Email:bobsbanter@gmail.com

Animal are living sensitive creatures with the capacity to feel pain.

As such they should be treated with utmost care and respect. It’s the least they deserve. obviously the condition the animal working on the hobbit movie were living in, were substandard and dangerous, if injury and deaths occurred !

The disclaimer “no animal was harmed in the making of this film’ has become a standard phrase of popular culture. So accustomed are we to seeing it among films’ closing credits and so material has it become, that it is startling to realize it is a recent innovation.

Just over few decades ago, Hollywood was casually ignoring any concerns about animal cruelty. One of the Hollywood movie, a water buffalo was slaughtered with a machete. Such instances were not particularly unusual in the history of film making. Perhaps 100 horses

Shikarpur Imambargah attack ARSALAN THAHIM

T

he blast of ferocious and the deadliest attack in my city’s Imambargah was heard by me during Friday sermon. Dozens of casualties took place and over fifty people severely injured. But more deaths took place due to shaggy picture of lessened emergency services. There were no ambulance services available and city’s civil hospital was almost without staff at the one hour span of time of the attack. Only credit goes to local indigenous people and auto rickshaw drivers who left no stone unturned to carry the wounded people towards hospital. Being a main district hospital which covers the four taulkas of the district has no facilities or specialist doctors to treat the patients, primarily in emergency time. Due to such dilapidated conditions of the city, many blood flowing bodies were shifted to Sukkur and Larkana hospitals in which many ended their life battle on way to destined hospitals. As an eye witness, I request the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and all concerned authorities to take some decisive actions, so that such incidents be avoided in future.

—Shikarpur were, for example, killed during the making of the original Ben Hur in customary, this was justified on the grounds of artistic merit.

But the outcry that greeted Heaven’s Gate indicated this excuse would no longer suffice in a society increasingly opposed to animal maltreatment. It also ensured there would be international attention fairly or not when Sir Peter Jackson was accused of stumbling into the same territory during the filming of the hobbit. The reaction of Sir Peter to claims by animal wranglers that up to 27 animals died during the shooting of the trilogy spoke volumes of his awareness of, and sensitivity to, the new environment.

This was not even a case where it was alleged that animals had suffered during filming, rather it was claimed they had been kept at a farm filled with bluffs, sink holds and other death traps.

Duck-shooting, for example is already in the sights of activists, so too, are rodeos and grey hound racing. Such is the accelerating pace of change in popular attitudes to animal welfare that it is reasonable to ask what others practices may not survive the next decades.

Let’s hope future movie productions, where animal are used, it will be compulsory (through regulation) to employ animal welfare inspectors to make sure this never become an issue again.

—Via email

Well done SSP, Hyderabad ASFANDBHUTTO BHUTTO

We, the inhabitants of Hyderabad city, particularly the people of Qasimabad, are very grateful to the Mr. Irfan Baloch (Senior superintendent of police), who with his dedicated and persistent efforts, has controlled the rampant crimes such as kidnapping for ransom, extortion, gambling, drug-peddling, mugging, targeted killing etc. Prior to the posting of Irfan Baluch as SSP, the law and order situation was really precarious and there was utmost unrest and chaos in the city, but with the taking over the charge of the office of SSP by Irfan Baloch, visible control on crimes has been witnessed and the people are heaving a sigh of relief..

His dedication to work, diligence and sagacity in resolving the intricate problems really are the key factors that contribute in the performance of Police under him. Earlier, the criminals were roaming freely under the special patronage of feudal lords and some black sheep in the government and the police force, it is he (Irfan Baloch) who has countered their influence and perished their malicious agendas. Now, we the indigenous of Hyderabad city, can hang out with our friends and families safely and peacefully without any fear of being robbed. We hope such initiatives for launching crack-downs against the perpetrators will be lasted till the elimination of last criminal in the region.

—Hyderabad

Internet for education IFTIKHAR GUL

My kids study at a local private sector school. Recently the school has introduced computers in classrooms for all grades. While I appreciate the step taken towards improving learning experience, it also reminds me of my times in school. But disturbing was the sudden realization that majority of schools, both private and state-run, are still far behind. The steep difference in learning experience and quality of education translates into unequal distribution of opportunities to children.

Education continues to remain an underserved national responsibility of Pakistan. Some 7 million to 10.5 million children are out of school in Pakistan. Majority of those attending school are not learning in a satisfactory manner. What is most

discomforting is the fact that despite availability of technological services like broadband internet, the true potential for learning and education is not being tapped.

It was good to see a national company like PTCL addressing the educational emergency facing Pakistan by coming up with an e-learning programme to provide better educational opportunities to students. Other companies in the field should also follow suit by offering tailored e-learning solutions. I see kids on internet every so often and I wish to see them use such facilities to receive quality education.

—Rawalpindi

Peace needed in Badin JABBAR HABIBANI

Badin, a coastal district of Sindh, has remained a peaceful place of country through decades. Unfortunately like whole country, this part of sindh is being thrown in lawlessness for political interests. This district has remained stronghold of PPP and most of the times, all constituencies belong to this party. At present all elected MNAs and MPAs are from PPP. It is very sad to say that due to internal rifts of PPP’s leadership they have imposed inefficient and characterless officers on public; government offices are of no use for public, there is no control on district officers to come in their offices on time and address the public issues.

Since the beginning of New Year, crime has spread like virus in whole district. Two murders, many robberies from shops and homes, snatching of valuables on roads, motorbikes from towns and few car lifting incidents are the main examples. It is a humble appeal from the people of Badin to Prime Minister, Chief Minister Sindh, IG Sindh and elected representatives of district to restore peace in district and bring vibrant and honest officers to curb crime and bring prosperity in area.

—Badin Sindh

Ch Sarwar’s resignation JAVAID BASHIR

Ch. Sarwar was requested to come from United Kingdom to serve as Governor of the largest Provunce of the country. He has an illustrious career in Britain’s politics. He is an honest, bold and straight forward man. He is not afraid of speaking his mind. He was misfit with the incumbent rulers, who have different approach to politics than Mr. Sarwar’s style.

He believes in no nonsense politics and is a maverick politician. He could not fit in with Pak politics. He could not act like a henchman or a Yes-man. The rumours of his resignation were circulating since last year, but now he has finally tendered the resignation. Conflicting reports have been circulated about his resignation. One report says, he voluntarily resigned, while the other says that he was forced to resign. It is a non issue, who did what. The result would remain the same.

Ch. Sarwar has a lucrative business in U.K. and would perhaps go back to attend his business there.

Governor Sindh, also a person with good qualities of head and heart, should follow the suit, before it becomes too late. Good luck to him.

—Via email

DISCLAIMER THE articles, columns and letters are published on these pages in good faith. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.

—Editor Email:editorial@pakobserver.net

Working with global community only way to fight terrorism: Abe T OKYO —Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday he wanted to debate the possibility of Japan’s military rescuing Japanese citizens abroad, a day after Islamic State militants said they had beheaded a Japanese journalist.

The militants said on Sunday they had beheaded Kenji Goto, a veteran war reporter, after international efforts to secure his release through a prisoner swap failed. They killed another Japanese hostage, Haruna Yukawa, a week before. Abe reiterated his denunciation of the militants and said Japan was firmly committed to fulfilling its responsibility as a member of the global community in fighting terrorism and that it needed to be able to protect its citizens.

“Preserving the safety of Japanese nationals is the responsibility of the government, and I am the person who holds the most responsibility,” Abe told a parliamentary committee, adding that he wanted to discuss a framework for rescuing Japanese in danger. In a show of defiance on Sunday, Abe vowed to boost Japan’s humanitarian aid to the Middle East. The hardline Islamist group, which controls large parts of Syria and Iraq, released a video purporting to show the beheading of Goto, 47, who was captured in late October.

The video was released a week after footage was issued appearing to show the beheaded body of Yukawa, who the militants seized in August after he went to Syria to launch a security company.

The killings are fanning calls for Japan’s long-constrained military to be allowed to conduct overseas rescue missions as part of Abe’s push for a more muscular security posture.

Abe told a parliamentary panel that Japan, whose military has long been constrained by the post-World War Two pacifist constitution, could not take part in U.S.-led air strikes on Islamic State, nor would it provide logistical support.

Scope for the military to mount

rescue missions is limited by law but the government already plans to submit revisions to parliament to ease restrictions.

Even some advocates of changes to make rescues possible, however, say Japan’s military faces difficulty in acquiring the capacity to conduct such missions. Critics say sending troops overseas would just increase the risk. An internal briefing paper for top government officials, seen by Reuters last week, said cases like Islamic State crisis did not meet proposed conditions for Japan to send troops to join allies in combat.

It dodged the question of whether planned legal changes would allow rescue missions in such cases, but a Japanese defense official said it would not.

Abe’s government had put high priority on saving Goto, who was captured when he went to Syria to try to seek Yukawa’s release.

An Islamic State video was released on Jan. 20 appearing to show both Japanese men and threatening to kill them unless the group received $200 million in ransom. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, speaking to reporters on Monday, shrugged off speculation that Japan was ready to pay a ransom, adding that the government had no intention of negotiating with the militants. Goto’s wife, Rinko, who had appealed for his release, said she and the rest of the family were devastated.

“I remain extremely proud of my husband, who reported the plight of people in conflict areas like Iraq, Somalia and Syria,” she said in a statement posted on the Rory Peck Trust, a Londonbased organization supporting freelance journalists.

“It was his passion to highlight the effects on ordinary people, especially through the eyes of children, and to inform the rest of us of the tragedies of war.” An opinion poll by Kyodo news agency on Jan. 25, just after Yukawa was killed, found 61 percent of respondents supportive of the government’s response.-— Reuters

Egypt confirms death sentences for 183 men over police killings

CAIRO—An Egyptian court on Monday confirmed death sentences against 183 men convicted of killing 13 policemen in a town near Cairo in August 2013.

In December the court had issued its preliminary verdict against 188 defendants in a mass trial, of which two were acquitted on Monday while one, a minor, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Charges against the remaining two were dropped after the court discovered that they were dead. Monday’s verdict came after the initial sentences were sent to the grand mufti, the government’s official interpreter of Islamic law, for ratification. The accused, of whom 143 are behind bars,

were found guilty of taking part in an August 14, 2013 attack on a police station in Kerdassa, a village on the outskirts of Cairo, in which 13 policemen were killed.

The attack took place on the same day security forces violently dismantled two massive protest camps supporting ousted president Mohamed Morsi in Cairo, killing hundreds of protesters in clashes. Since the army deposed Morsi on July 3, 2103, at least 1,400 people have been killed in a police crackdown on protests. Hundreds were sentenced to death in swift mass trials which the United Nations says were “unprecedented in recent history”.—AFP

Rebels agree to cease-fire in South Sudan

Tough times for Arab world

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA—President more details need to be agreed upon before Africa’s newest nation and one of its poor-

HE beginning of the year 2015, apparently, doesn’t have any signs of contentment or quiet days ahead. Indeed, Janu ary was a sad month for the world, beginning with the horrific attack on Charlie Hebdo newspaper in Paris on January 7.

A few days later, the Arab world lost King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who was one of its wise leaders. The grief continues with the volatile situation in many Arab lands, including Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Libya and Egypt. The latter witnessed violent events that claimed the lives of tens of people on the fourth anniversary of the 25th of January Revolution.

Despite the sad beginning, can the year 2015 carry with it in coming days any signs of possibility that Arab countries might experience calmness in all places that are currently filled with instabilities? The answer to such a question cannot rely solely on a needed victory by the international alliance against militant organisations that exist in many Arab countries and want to stretch to European states as well, but we need to look closely as well at the political and economic scene that shook the region, especially after the fall of oil prices that lost more than 50 per cent of its value, in addition to many hard challenges facing the Arab world amid inability to reach a true reconciliation.

From a security perspective, the ongoing war with militant organisations in the region doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon, especially with Yemen’s internal conflicts over power, and Daesh’s announcement that their militants will attack neighbouring countries from Libya to achieve their dream of establishing a ‘Caliphate’.

Moreover, the way major powers of the world are treating the dangers of terrorism in Syria and Libya shows that they are not yet convinced their countries might soon get caught in the crossfire or be affected in any way by it to the extent that requires a decisive action to eradicate these militant organisations, or they have undeclared interests in the continuation of conflicts in the Arab world. That’s why the Gulf Cooperation Council States and Egypt will take over the biggest share of responsibility in fighting the risks of these militant organisations and prevent them from expanding to the rest of the countries in the region.

There is no doubt that such a responsibility will reflect on plans for economic and social development in the Arab countries. As for the political situation, the effort spent by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait to reach reconciliation between Cairo and Doha is crucial to guarantee a united Arab nation in the face of many dangers.

All the mentioned problems and dangers require a serious initiative from the various Arab organisations like the Arab League or the Gulf Cooperation Council, and to place the matter as a high priority during this year’s agenda, starting from the Arab Summit next month.

The current year, despite its sad beginning, might be considered a decisive year regarding the future of the Arab region.

Whether it will be an evidence of the ability of the Arab states to unite visions and actions against all dangers, or it will be a new beginning to a period of draining efforts and wealth from the Arabs and leave the region as an arena for conflicts and instabilities?

Most countries around the world create ?scenarios for what the global map would look like in a period extending to 50 years, but the Arab countries still lack that. So, will this year be the beginning of future planning for the Arab world?

Courtesy: Khaleej Times

Salva Kiir of South Sudan and the rebel commander Riek Machar signed another cease-fire agreement on Monday, edging them closer to a final deal to end a 15month conflict that has ravaged the new country, mediators said. African diplomatic sources said the agreement, which was not immediately made public, sets out how the two leaders would share power once they formed an interim government.

It proposes that Mr. Kiir would remain president while Mr. Machar would become vice president, the sources said.

The warring sides also agreed to abide by a cease-fire deal that was signed in January 2013, but which has been frequently violated. The rebels, however, said many

the deal could be labeled a “power sharing” agreement. After signing the deal, Mr. Machar said the two sides would hold more discussions on the functions of the provisional government. Women and their children walking near a truck carrying government troops in the Tabit village in the north Darfur region of Sudan. The United Nations estimates that the conflict in the region has killed about 300,000 people and displaced two million.Sudan and Rebels in Darfur Region Begin Peace TalksNOV. 23, 2014 Few other details were revealed after frantic late-night talks. Regional diplomats had warned the warring sides that failure to come up with a new accord could lead to sanctions. The conflict in South Sudan,

est, erupted in December 2013 and has rumbled on since then despite several commitments by both sides to halt the violence.

More than 10,000 people have been killed, 1.5 million people have been driven from their homes, and many in the oil-producing nation of about 11 million people are struggling to find enough food to eat.

Seyoum Mesfin, the chief mediator, said the two leaders had agreed to resume talks on Feb. 20. The two sides must have a transitional government in place by July, when Mr. Kiir’s presidential term runs out.

Human rights groups have said both factions are responsible for ethnic killings and other abuses, driving the nation to the brink of famine.—NT

Egypt beefs up security after Sinai terrorist attacks .

The West’s baloney about China-Africa cooperation NAIROBI—In recent years, the West has conjured up fantastic theories like “neocolonialism”, “China is exploiting Africa’s resources,” etc., effectively throwing mud at China over its win-win cooperation with Africa.

These theories, however, have increasingly become unpopular as China and Africa have constantly expanded cooperation in terms of scope and content over the years to focus on building up Africa’s ability to sustain its own development and creating a win-win scenario.

At the just concluded African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital, the world witnessed the birth of a “century document” detailing China-Africa cooperation on infrastructure projects across the African continent. Spanning nearly half a century and covering the entire African continent, this memorandum of understanding (MOU) has elevated China’s win-win relationship with Africa to a new height.

While African leaders embraced the blueprint designed to improve Africa’s infrastructure, which has long been stifling economic growth, some Western media were obviously not happy about it. Floating terms like “concrete diplomacy”, “neocolonialism”, etc, they opted to be a jeal-

ousy kind who loathed being sidelined and conspired to drive a wedge between two partners who do not fear to work up a sweat for better future.

“When the West labels Chinese aid and infrastructural projects in Africa as neocolonial, it is a question of sour grapes,” said Professor Munene Macharia, lecturer of international relations with Kenya-based United States International University.

The notoriety of the West’s colonization in Africa, which lasted for hundreds of years dating back to the 15th century, is well-known to the world. Even today, Western powers, in particular those in western Europe separated from Africa only by the Mediterranean, cannot break out of a mentality to see Africa as their “backyard”. Long gone is the history of enslavement in Africa. But the ills of onesided economic structure and backward infrastructure, left behind by Western colonizers, are not easily remedied. Today, Africa remains the only continent that has not realized industrialization. Its weak status in the global economy had roots in the colonial past.

Nowadays, natural resources like oil, gas and minerals in many African countries are in fact controlled by West-

ern powers, who have taken advantage of their dominant role in the global economic and trade order. On the other hand, Africa has gained little as it has long been treated by the West as a material supplier and market to dump industrial products.

“The West is not happy that China is assisting Africa to overcome one of its biggest challenges that is faces today,” said Macharia. “The West has been in Africa for a long time but has never made development of Africa’s infrastructure as a priority.” “The Western nations only develop infrastructure in Africa that helped to ship Africa’s resources to the West,” said Dr. Gerishon Ikiara, lecturer of international economics with University of Nairobi, and ex-Permanent Secretary with Kenya’s Ministry of Transport and Communications.

The West’s defamation will not eclipse China’s honesty and sincerity with African brothers. In a vivid description of the vision of cooperation with Africa, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that the phoenix will come if the nest is built and that teaching one to fish is better than giving him a fish..—Xinhua

Renzi still living on borrowed time HUGO DIXON

M

ATTEO Renzi’s position has been strengthened by Italy’s presidential election. The prime minister persuaded the electoral college, made up mainly of parliamentarians, to choose Sergio Mattarella – against the wishes of Silvio Berlusconi, the media magnate, former prime minister and up to now Renzi’s quasi-partner.

The weekend’s success probably allows Renzi to accelerate reforms of the economy, the political system and the judiciary. He mustn’t waste the chance, as Italy is living on borrowed time. Since seizing power last year, Renzi, leader of the centre-left Democrats, has been relying on an uneasy pact with Berlusconi, the much-diminished leader of the centre-right Forza Italia. The two are not in a formal coalition, but Berlusconi has supported Renzi on many key issues.

The Italian prime minister has needed his rival’s support partly because he does not have enough votes in the Senate, the country’s upper house, to push through an essential constitutional reform – the removal of the Senate’s power to bring down governments.

That change is important because in the current system it is hard to govern the country without elaborate deals. Renzi also needed Berlusconi’s help because many parliamentarians from his own are more left wing than he is. The centrist premier could not rely on

them to support various reforms, especially those that aim to liberalise the economy.

The government’s alliance with Berlusconi has infuriated left-wing parliamentarians, who view it as a pact with the devil – partly because Berlusconi beat them in three elections and partly because of his poor ethics, including a tax fraud conviction.

Renzi’s nomination of Mattarella as president, a largely ceremonial post, simultaneously united his own party and divided Berlusconi’s. In the process, he reinforced his authority.

Although Mattarella is a centre-left politician, he has kudos with the Democrats’ left wing because he resigned from a government in 1990 after it passed legislation favourable to Berlusconi’s media interests. That principled stand also explains why the media tycoon didn’t want him.

Berlusconi seems to have hoped Renzi would fail to secure Mattarella’s election because enough dissident Democrats would object in Saturday’s secret ballot. In the end, however, the Democrats united. Even worse for the ageing tycoon, many of his own parliamentarians supported Mattarella. They are frustrated because Berlusconi appears to be more interested in sorting out his own legal and business problems than in providing a dynamic vision which could bring the centre-right back into power.

There is one potential blemish on Renzi’s victory. He still needs Berlusconi to push

through legislation, especially to finalise the Senate reform. If the pact between the two men is irreparably damaged, the premier could yet rue his Machiavellian manoeuvres. But Renzi still appears to have Berlusconi over a barrel. The prime minister can both damage his quasi-ally’s media interests and help him with his legal problems. The older man also seems in thrall to the premier, seeing him as his political heir – a charismatic figure who will do whatever it takes to secure power.

So how will Renzi use his strengthened authority? The government promises to accelerate reform with new measures to improve the country’s weak educational system and inefficient civil service. It also says it will focus more on implementing existing reforms and will complete the constitutional measures.

Mattarella’s election should help Renzi improve the civil justice system. Currently, long drawn out court processes deter investment.

As a former judge, the new president may be able to coax his erstwhile colleagues into dropping some of their objections to the proposed changes.

Renzi’s track record on reform has been mixed. In his first months as premier, he was criticised for announcing plans but doing little to implement them. He ignored many recommendations of a review on how to rein in public spending, because they might give him political problems. Renzi also gave low-income voters a cash giveaway, a move that looked like a thinly disguised bribe. And his

eye-catching reform of the labour market was diluted: it didn’t apply to either existing contracts or the public sector.

After years of stagnation and recession, Italy’s GDP should increase again this year.

But that won’t owe much to the government’s own efforts. The European Central Bank’s quantitative easing programme, which will involve purchasing huge amounts of government bonds, has already boosted Italian export potential by driving down the value of the euro and cutting the state’s interest bill on its vast debt.

The plunge in the oil price has also been a boon for the Italian economy. But this boost will be only temporary. It is vital that Renzi uses the breathing space to press on with reform to address Italy’s three big economic ills: high unemployment, virtually no growth and government debt that is nearly 140 percent of GDP. With the ECB spraying so much liquidity into the market, bond investors are currently not concerned about any of this.

But there are risks on the horizon: in the short run, the possibility that Greece will blow up, which might raise doubts about Italy; and longer term, the possibility that the rest of the euro zone recovers and interest rates rise while Italy is stuck with a stagnant economy, which could make its debt-load unsustainable. Renzi’s big victory gives him a big opportunity. He must not waste it.

Courtesy: By Reuters

DR AHMED MOKHTAR

T

Britain bids adieu to stable politics PHILIP STEPHENS

E

VEN as Britain toys with the idea of loosening its ties to Europe, British politics looks set to become, well, more European. The proud British boast has long been that, whatever else might be said about the Sceptered Isle, it was a beacon of political stability. Others were forever held hostage to the incertitude and grubby dealmaking of coalitions; Britain’s twoparty system guaranteed decisive single-party rule.

No longer. The coming general election is shaping up as a contest not so much about who will win, but about which of the main contenders will lose less badly. Last September’s independence referendum left Scotland’s place in the four-nation union of the United Kingdom far from certain. Westminister politicians often joke about Belgium’s enduring struggle to hold itself together. The grins now look a little wan.

When David Cameron formed his Conservative-led coalition with Nick Clegg’s Liberal Democrats in 2010, received opinion said that this was an interim arrangement. It was, after all, the first such peacetime deal since the 1930s. Business as usual would resume in 2015. The latest polls show the Conservatives and Labour neck and neck. More significantly, both are struggling to secure much above 30 per cent. For the old duopoly to function as intended, one needs to be a closer to 40 per cent.

The safest pre-election bet is that the surge in support for smaller parties — from the UK Independence party on the antiimmigrant right to the nationalists in Scotland and the Greens on the anarchic left — will result in another hung parliament.

Whether it is Cameron or Labour’s Ed Miliband, the next prime minister is likely to lead an unstable government. The election of 2015 may be followed by that of 2016.

It is tempting to blame the voters’ temporising on the party leaders. Cameron looks the prime ministerial part, but he has always been light on convictions. Once a centrist Tory moderniser, he now chases Ukip rightward.

Miliband’s platform mimics that of Francois Hollande, the French president, in 2012. It assumes (wrongly) that the financial crash broke the capitalist mould. The Brits are small “c” conservatives. Much as they recoil from the slash-andburn approach to the state of Cameron’s newly-ideological Tories, they have limited enthusiasm for socialism in one country.

So the rising support for smaller parties is scarcely surprising. Yet Cameron and Miliband shoulder only half the blame. The cyclical happenstances of falling living standards and a particularly weak generation of leaders has merged with deeper secular trends.

The voters’ tribal loyalties — white collars voted Tory, blue collars backed Labour — have been fraying for decades. Cameron’s party once boasted 2 million members.

Membership is now closer to 100,000 with an average age of something more than 65. The Conservatives have all but disappeared in northern England’s great cities. Outside London, Labour is barely represented in the prosperous south.

The march of the Scottish National party has left the Tories with only one Westminster MP in Scotland. Now the nationalists are storming the citadels of the Scottish Labour party.

It is possible that, come polling day, voters will swing more decisively in favour of one of the two main parties.

Miliband looks the more vulnerable. But a small majority for either party would scarcely alter the basic picture.

The forces behind the fractures and fragmentation of British politics reach beyond disenchantment with austerity or understandable lack of faith in today’s leaders. The bonds of the union have weakened, a generation of voters has grown up without any particular party allegiance, and distrust of elites has turned two-party into continental style five-party politics. Before Britain decides it might be a good idea to wave goodbye to the EU, it would do well to learn how the Europeans handle it.

Courtesy: Financial Times

Obama proposes $3.99tr budget From Page 1 growth, that we’ll be able to have a productive conversation (with Republicans) and make progress over the course of the year,” an administration official said on Sunday, previewing the budget’s release.

Republicans have said they see room for compromise in areas such as tax reform and infrastructure, but many of Obama’s programs, which were rolled out in the weeks before the budget’s release, have landed with a thud.

“When ... he devotes his time and energy to talking about the new tax-andspend policies that progressives like and Republicans universally oppose, he signals to Congress that he is once again looking to argue rather than to legislate,” said Keith Hennessey, a former economic adviser to Republican President George W. Bush.

Democrats, however, viewed the budget as a statement of their priorities and a chance to demonstrate they represent the party that champions middle-income Americans. “(It) affords him an opportunity to contrast his vision of helping the middle class with the Republican Congress’ ap-

proach of exacerbating inequality, ignoring the middle class and making the burdens of those who want to enter it even greater,” said Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress, which has close ties to the White House.

The budget achieves some $1.8 trillion in deficit reduction over the next 10 years, officials said, through healthcare, tax and immigration reform, but the forecast assumes Republican support for Obama’s programs, which is unlikely.

Republicans have blocked immigration reform legislation in the House of Representatives, for example, and the budget assumes passage of such a bill.

The administration foresees a continuation of the decline in unemployment, forecasting a rate of 5.4 percent in 2015. The rate currently stands at 5.6 percent.

It also proposes a new infrastructure bank, a 6 percent increase in research and development, and a controversial consolidation of U.S. government agencies.

Obama has previously proposed combin-

STAFF REPORTER ing trade agencies, but the proposal fizzled.

The budget sets aside $14 billion to strengthen U.S. cybersecurity defenses after a spate of high-profile hackings.

It calls for a one-time, 14 percent tax on an estimated $2.1 trillion in profits piled up abroad by companies such as General Electric and Microsoft , while imposing a 19 percent tax on U.S. companies’ future foreign earnings.

It proposes a 7 percent rise in U.S. domestic and military spending, ending “sequester” caps with reforms to crop insurance programs and closing tax loopholes such as one on “carried interest.” Those moves would help fund investments in infrastructure and education.

The budget would also reform rules governing trust funds and raise the capital gains and dividend rates to 28 percent from the current top rates of 23.8 percent.

In foreign policy, the budget funds efforts to defeat Islamic State militants and support NATO and European allies against Russian aggression, the White House said.—Reuters

Talks with IMF in Dubai From Page 1 available on September 6 2013, and the remainder will be evenly phased thereafter subject to quarterly reviews. The IMF had provided almost $3.2 billion to Pakistan under existing EFF arrangement but this money was largely used for paying back the previous loans obtained by Pakistan during the tenure of PPP government.

A well placed source at Finance Ministry, Monday, told Pakistan Observer that Finance Ministry Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar had arrived in Dubai to head Pakistan team at the Pak-IMF talks for the release of next tranche of $ 550 million. A team of officials from Ministry of Finance, Water and Power and Petroleum had reached Dubai ahead of Finance Minister for necessary preparations and undertak-

ing preliminaries.

The source added that initial talks at the technical level have already been held while the policy level talks would continue for the next three days. The head of IMF Review Mission, Jaffrey Frank and Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar would hold a joint press conference after conclusion of the talks giving details about proceedings of the parleys. Dar had earlier stated that Pakistan had met the criteria set by the IMF for the 6th tranche.

The source said that macroeconomic imbalances and longstanding structural impediments to growth had prevented full realization of Pakistan’s potential. “Therefore problems in the energy sector, security concerns, and a difficult investment climate have combined with adverse

shocks to undermine economic performance in the past decade” the source added saying that as a result, GDP growth had only averaged 3 percent over the past few years, well below what was needed to provide jobs for the rising labour force and to reduce poverty.

Moreover, domestic deficit financing crowded out private sector borrowing and contributed to inflation. Private sector credit became negative in real terms, while monetary aggregates continue to be driven mainly by the government’s financing needs. “The key objectives of the authorities’ program are to address short-term vulnerabilities and boost inclusive growth through macroeconomic stabilization and structural reforms over the course of the program” the source added.

China offers to host From Page 1 “Pakistan cannot deliver Taliban to the Afghan government as they never listen to us fully but we can facilitate in a way that we can advise them as it is Afghanled process.”

BORDER SECURITY: Sartaj Aziz said Pakistan has improved border management with Afghanistan and now both have also started coordinating security operations on their side of the border.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have nearly 2500 kilometers porous border and militants

always take advantage of the loose control.

Both countries had long been complaining that militants cross the other side of one country launch offensive along the border.

“If we launch operation against the militants on any of our border region, Afghanistan will take measures to ensure that reinforcements should not reach from its side of the border,” Sartaj Aziz said.

“We have developed multiple mechanisms that there will be regular interaction on local military level, higher military level, intelligence level, national se-

curity level and political level,” he went on to say.

There had been many military exchanges over the past few months that had never been taken place in years and a high level Afghan border forces delegation just wrapped up visit to Pakistan.

“I think if the border is destabilized, then the groups like the Islamic State will also be looking for a space. If we ensure the border is peaceful then they will not find any space,” the Pakistani adviser said.—NNI

Shahbaz for benefiting people from cut in POL prices SALIM AHMED L A H O R E —Punjab Chief

Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that the benefits of record decrease in the prices of petroleum products should be directly transferred to the masses and con-

cerned Ministers and departments should play an active role in this regard.

He said that there should not be any complaint of nonavailability of petroleum products at any petrol pump of Lahore and other cities of Punjab.

KAP, University of Lahore sign MoU

He said that indiscriminate action should be taken against petrol pump owners involved in overcharging.

He was addressing a meeting of Price Control Committee through video link at Civil Secretariat on Monday. The Chief Minister said

that interest of people is of utmost importance.

He said that provision of relief and basic amenities to the citizens is the agenda of Pakistan Muslim League-N government and maximum resources are being utilized for this purpose.

Shahbaz Sharif said that government has made substantial reduction in the prices of petroleum products for the fourth time and he will personally monitor the steps taken to transfer the benefits of this decrease to the masses.

He said that every effort should be made for ensuring that people should fully benefit from these publicfriendly steps of the government. He directed that reduction in transport fares in proportion to the decrease in the prices of petroleum products should be ensured.

He said that Air conditioners transport fares should also be reduced while prices of essential items should be decreased as well for benefiting the common man. He said that solid results should be witnessed in the wake of decrease in the prices of petroleum products and said that no excuse will be acceptable.

The Chief Minister expressed displeasure over the failure of some departments in taking necessary steps for providing relief to the masses and warned the concerned authorities that no negligence or laxity will be tolerated.

Provincial Ministers Ch. Muhammad Shafiq, Bilal Yasin, Member National Assembly Muhammad Afzal Khokhar, Members Provincial Assembly Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Waheed Gull, Chief Secretary, Inspector General Police, secretaries of concerned departments and senior officers attended the meeting through video link.

KARACHI —The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) and University of Lahore (UoL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday. The MOU was signed by Yaqoob Suttar, President ICAP and Dr. Muhammad Saleem Shuja , Rector UoL at University of Lahore new Campus in the presence of Chairman UOL, Awais Raoof, VC UOL, Dr. MH Qazi, Vice President and Chairman ETCOM ICAP, Muhammad Maqbool and other officials.

As a result of this collaboration, the graduates of BS (Hons) and Bcom ( Hons) from UoL will have an opportunity to pur-

KSE-100 From Page 1 the tell-tale gesture of bullishness in the coming sessions during the week.

The volume leader of the day was Jahangir Siddiqi & Company with a trading of over 28 million shares while Pakistan Bulk Terminal and KElectric were second and third volume leaders with 22 and 20 million shares respectively.

Another Delhi From Page 1 church and saw the main door broken down. The police control room was immediately informed after which a police team led by Inspector Virendra Jain, SHO of the Vasant Kunj police station, rushed to the spot.

Parish priest Vincent Salvatore was quoted by NDTV as saying it was a clear case of desecration and not theft as the materials stolen were mostly used for prayer.

Others spokespersons for the church urged the police not to see it as a mere case of burglary.

“This is a clear case of desecration, and goes much beyond theft.. Police shouldn’t treat it merely as a case of theft,”said John Dayal, spokesperson for the United Christian Forum for Human Rights.

The church is named after Saint Alphonsa, the first person of Indian origin to be canonised by Vatican in 2008.

In earlier cases, a Catholic church was vandalised by two unidentified men in west Delhi’s Vikaspuri on January 14, weeks after the ministry of home affairs ordered Delhi Police to install CCTV cameras inside and around all religious places.—INP

US commander, COAS discuss From Page 1 lar exchanges between the foreign forces stationed in neighbouring Afghanistan and Pakistani military authorities.

Pakistani security agencies have shared evidence both with Afghanistan and US about the linkage between the sanctuaries of Tehreek-e-Taliban in Kunar and Nuristan and Peshawar massacre.

sue highly recognized Chartered Accountancy qualification. Under the MOU, these graduates will be able to avail exemptions from eight papers of the CA examinations.

Similarly ICAP students who have cleared the respective ICAP subjects will be able to avail exemptions in the mapped subjects of B.Com (Hons) and BS (Hons) Accounting & Finance at UoL. President ICAP, Yaqoob Suttar while expressing his views to the audience said that the collaboration would increase the outreach of the partnering institutions and will serve as an endeavor to offer dynamic routes of achievement to our brilliant youth’. He stated that work-integrated learning will provide a

PR rejects Imran’s From Page 1 ing to newsmen here he clarified that ballot papers were in fact published only in security printing press, thus rejected claims of Mr. Khan.

“Imran Khan can only contest Senate polls from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” said the minister.

Rashid claimed that Khan could not win in other provinces as he does not trust on his party candidates.

The minister said that the same court Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Imran Khan had earlier expressed his confidence in, he was now against it after losing, and in the same manner the Election Commission that he had lost hope in earlier, he was now putting his absolute faith in.

Responding to the statements made earlier by the PTI chief, the minister said that Imran Khan was being completely irrational and that all those who are being trusted by

LAHORE—Provincial Minis-

ter for Excise & Taxation and Finance Mujtaba Shuja-urRehman has said that terrorism and unemployment can be wiped out through promotion of quality education. He said that there is a need to utilize national resources equitably for setting up of a peaceful society and economic prosperity of the masses whereas problems like corruption, safarish and unemployment can be controlled through good governance and transparency.

Addressing the delegations of youth, Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman said that Rs. 274 billion will be spent on education sector during the current fiscal year which is 26.25 percent of the total budget of the province. He maintained that our country of 190 million people has a vibrant economy, and our population under 20 is in majority and this makes South Asia as the only large economic area that shall not face a decline in the number of people entering the labor force for the next 50 years, whereas, future is ours.

He said that Punjab government considers education as a tool to development and a record funds have been pro-

him at the moment should realise that they will be his next targets.

Rashid went on to say that Khan claims that rigging took place in the whole country except for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Regarding Imran Khan’s constant change of opinions and faith in others, the minister said that in a statement in the past Khan had claimed that the assemblies were fraudulent and not Senate. He went on to say that, however, now Khan alleged that even the Senate is a sham.

Rashid further said that it was not entirely the PTI chief’s fault since he had no knowledge of anything and that his advisors should be caught who are trying to make a mockery of their chief.

The minister also questioned that according to what law was PTI demanding that National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq should resign from his post.

Pakistan Day parade From Page 1 Both China and Pakistan are working out details of the Chinese president’s visit through diplomatic channels.

Chinese authorities have been assured about maximum security during Jinping’s upcoming visit.

Contingents of the Pakistan army, navy and air force are expected to arrive in Islamabad soon for parade rehearsals, with stringent security measures in place.

Last year, the military parade was cancelled for the sixth time in a row due to security reasons.

The decision to resume the military parade after seven years appears to be a manifestation of the military’s show of strength in the wake of the shocking attack on the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar last year, which left 150 people dead, including 132 schoolchildren.

Army chief General Raheel Sharif has

vowed to continue the fight against militants until they are completely eliminated from the country, with heightened military offensives in North Waziristan, where operation Zarbi-Azb is already under way to flush out local and foreign militants.

In Pakistan, the March 23 is venerated because it is likened to a national holiday, with some military processions that honour the day.

However, the day’s true greatness is more universal as it demonstrates the ideology of the independence movement; justice for the masses through constitutional measures ranging from electoral safeguards to guaranteed representation in state institutions.

It was this day that the Muslim League declared its demand for a separate homeland to safeguard the sanctity of the rights of the 30 million Muslims in British India.—INP

Imran demands NA From Page 1 7 as the next date for hearing.

Imran Khan had alleged that the commission had not followed its terms of reference and that it had committed breach of trust by giving statements to media.

Retired sessions judge Ghulam Hussain Awan was appointed by the tribunal to inspect the record. The result of the election remained unchanged after the process.

After an audit of a number of polling stations in NA-122 constituency, both the ruling PML-N and the PTI have been making contradictory claims.

Imran Khan said that one task force should be dedicated to derive ways that would grant overseas Pakistani’s their due

Quality education can help wipe terrorism: Mujtaba STAFF REPORTER

‘vibrant experience to all graduates, who will be well equipped to make a positive contribution towards business, economic and financial sector of the country.’

Dr. Muhammad Saleem Shuja, Rector UoL speaking on the occasion said that ICAP and UOL relationship will lead to an increase in the number of CAs and will bring us at par with countries with welldeveloped accounting structures. To help increase our economic development we need to produce more professional accountants who can implement good governance, financial efficiency, professional values and ethics in all corporate and public sector decision making.”

vided for school and higher education. He said that Rs. 2.40 billion has been provided for non formal basic education to 20 lakh illiterate persons.

Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman that Punjab government has recruited 140000 educators last tenure and more educators will be recruited within few months to accomplish the target of 100% literacy rate in the province. He commended the vision of Mian Shahbaz Sharif for launching free distribution schemes of laptops and solar lamps to appreciate the brilliant students. This will also help to reduce the dropout rate in the schools of far flung areas of the province. He further revealed that DFID has given assent to provide a grant in aid to the tune of Rs.351 million to construct 15000 additional class rooms, one additional class room for each public sector school having deficient facilities.

Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman said that financial grant is being provided for up-gradation of higher education especially to the institutions of women ,whereas, new women universities are also being established in Bahawalpur, Multan, Sialkot and Faisalabad for enhancing ratio of higher education among women.

right to vote and the other to bring electronic voting system to counter rigging in future.

He said that Election Commission holds the authority to conduct day to day hearing in case the decision gets delayed. The ECP also holds the power to suspend the person against which the petition has been lodged (Speaker National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq), until the final judgment, he added.

He further said that the results were due in February; any delay thereof would entice them to take to the streets again.

Imran Khan was accompanied by PTI senior leaders Arif Alvi, Jahangir Tareen and Naeemul Haque, and former law minister Babar Awan.—Sabah

Azizabadi new in-charge of MQM Rabitta Committee OBSERVER REPORT

IS claims beheading of Iraqi security personnel

L O N D O N — M u t t a h i d a B A G H D A D —The Islamic

China opposed to Obama, Lama meet B EIJING —

China warned the United States on Monday that it was opposed to any country meeting the Dalai Lama “in any manner” after the White House said U.S. President Barack Obama would attend an event with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader whom Beijing brands a separatist. The White House said last week that Obama would deliver remarks at a Feb. 5 prayer breakfast in Washington about the importance of religious freedom. The Dalai Lama is due to attend.

“China is opposed to any nation or government using the Tibet issue to interfere in China’s domestic affairs, and opposed to any country’s leader meeting with the Dalai Lama in any manner,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a daily news briefing.—AP

Israel PM criticises Lebanon UN force

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticised the UN force in Lebanon just days after a Spanish peacekeeper was killed by what Madrid said was Israeli fire. In a telephone call with UN chief Ban Ki-moon late on Sunday, Netanyahu charged that the UN force was failing to report on what Israel alleges is largescale movement of weapons into south Lebanon by the Shiite militant group Hezbollah.

He also complained that a UN Security Council resolution, which created and expanded the number and mission of the UN force after Israel’s bloody 2006 war with Hezbollah, had not been implemented.—AFP

Maliki denies seeking comeback B AGHDAD —

Iraq’s former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Monday denied he is seeking a political comeback, despite frequent appearances in local media and a recent high-profile visit to influential neighboring Iran.

Al-Maliki, who stepped aside last year after being widely blamed for the Islamic State group’s takeover of a third of Iraq, told The Associated Press he has no intention of returning to the office he held for eight years unless the people desire it.—AP

RAWALPINDI: Gen. John. F Campbell, Commander Resolute Support Mission and United States Forces in Afghanistan, called on Chief of Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif at GHQ.

West must be ready for long standoff with Russia: NATO official

Scores of Indian prisoners escape

N EW D ELHI —Scores of OSLO—The West must be ready for a long Union and NATO quickly went back to inmates staged a mass business as usual with Moscow.

standoff with Russia over Ukraine and not quickly resume normal ties as it did after the 2008 Georgian war, a top NATO official said on Monday.

“Our strategy has to be one of patience and consistency. Russia expects us to give up the sanctions and go back to business as usual, without changing its own conduct,” Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow said in a speech to the Leangkollen foreign policy conference in Oslo.

“That is basically what we did after the war in Georgia in 2008. But this time around, having chosen our course, we must stick to it,” Vershbow, NATO’s number two civilian official and a former U.S. ambassador to Moscow, said.

Russia and Georgia fought a war in 2008 over the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The war severely damaged relations between Moscow and the West, but drew no direct sanctions, and the European

Just three months after the Georgian war, the EU relaunched talks with Russia on a partnership pact, and seven months after the war NATO resumed formal ties with Moscow. Vershbow said NATO did not seek confrontation with Russia and was not looking for regime change.

“What we do want is for Moscow to change its behavior ... and to return to the spirit of cooperation ... This may be a long time coming, and will call for strategic patience, but I don’t think we have any alternative,” he said.

Following Moscow’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region last March and what NATO says is the direct involvement of Russian troops in supporting separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine, the West’s response has been tougher.

The EU and the United States have imposed economic sanctions on Russia, and NATO has suspended all practical cooperation with Moscow.—Reuters

Fazl threatens to hold nation-wide protest ISLAMABAD—Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal’s schools and mosques is part of an interna(JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazal-Ur-Rehman on Monday reminded the government that if JUIF’s reservations about the 21st Amendment were not addressed, a nationwide protest will be held. He expressed these views during a media briefing held after attending a meeting of Majlis-e-Shura.

According to the details, the JUI-F chief stated that the 21st Amendment was becoming a source of protection for terrorism. He said that a protest will be held in Islamabad if the government does not do away with the discriminatory clauses in the amendment.

Rehman stated that the protest will be spread throughout the country if government does not pacify their reservations. Fazal-ur-Rehman stated that steps taken against religious

tional agenda. He said JUI-F was against sectarianism. Rehman also stated that JUI-F strongly condemns the Shikarpur incident.

The JUI-F chief expressed solidarity with the struggles of Kashmir’s people. He announced that nationwide rallies will be organized on 5th of February in this regard.

Fazlur Rehman said that that his party would fully take part in the upcoming Senate’s elections.

He said that JUI-F would make full use of its vote bank during the elections. He lamented that government, despite all its efforts, failed to address the enduring energy crisis. “Our reservations regarding 21th Constitutional Amendment remain intact. This is a discriminatory law,” he said. —NNI

MQM for emergency in Sindh STAFF REPORTER K ARACHI —Muttahida Quami Movement

(MQM) MPA Khawaja Izharul Hassan on Monday said that the security situation in Sindh is deteriorating and MQM is the only party that has consistently raised its voice against the Taliban.

While addressing the media, the MQM MPA said that emergency should be declared with immediate effect in the province and that the Sindh government should

reach out for help from the armed forces to maintain law and order.

While mentioning that MQM would submit a resolution in assembly today condemning the Shikarpur tragedy, he went on to say that it was MQM Chief Altaf Hussain who warned everyone about the presence of the Taliban in the province. Khawaja Izharul Hassan further said that a province wide operation against terrorists and their facilitators is needed without delay.

breakout from an Indian young offenders detention centre Monday by tying bedsheets together and then scaling down the walls of the three-storey building, police said.

A total of 91 inmates, including several convicted murderers, managed to flee the facility in Meerut overnight, although 35 have since been recaptured, said the city’s superintendent of police Om Prakash.

“They removed an iron grille from a window at the back of the building while police were guarding the front,” Prakash told AFP from Meerut in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

“This was done so professionally that no one got a whiff,” Prakash added.

Those still on the run included inmates convicted of crimes such as murder, rape, theft and banditry, Prakash added. All are aged under 18.

Police say the break-out was staged some time between 1:00am and 3:00am and the alarm was only raised when officers who were patrolling near the centre spotted some of the fugitives trying to flag down public transport.

Inmates from the same centre beat a policeman to death in December after he objected to their lewd behaviour with a woman during a court trial.—AFP

COAS summons commanders meeting today RAWALPINDI—Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has summoned a meeting of the corps commanders today at the General Headquarters to discuss the overall security situation in the country.

In a statement, ISPR said that professional matters relating to security would be discussed in the meeting. —NNI

Obama rejects notion of religious war with Islam W ASHINGTON —President

Barack Obama has spurned the notion of the counterterrorism fight being a “religious war” with Islam, underscoring that an overwhelming majority of Muslims rejects violent ideology and wants peace and prosperity like other communities around the world.

Obama told CNN in an interview aired Sunday that it is an element in the Muslim communities that interprets Islam in a “nihilistic, violent and almost Medieval” way and does damage in a

lot of countries with violence.

He also saw the Middle East and South Asia as grounds zero in terms of winning back hearts and minds of young people.“It is absolutely true that I reject a notion that somehow that creates a religious war because the overwhelming majority of Muslims reject that interpretation of Islam. They don’t even recognize it as being Islam,” the U.S. president said.He was responding to criticism by some Republicans who want him to label the fight against terror as the fight against radical

Islam.

“I think for us to be successful in fighting this scourge, it is very important for us to align ourselves with the 99.9 percent of Muslims who are looking for the same things we are looking for” order, peace, prosperity,” Obama noted. “But I think we do ourselves a disservice in this fight, if we are not taking into account the fact that the overwhelming majority of Muslims reject this ideology,” he added in the interview aired in CNN’s GPS program.—APP

Quami Movement on Monday appointed party’s senior leader Mustafa Azizabadi as in-charge of its Coordination Committee.

According to details, a joint meeting of MQM London and Karachi Coordination Committees was held to discuss reorganization in the party. According to the decisions, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Dr Nusrat Shaukat and Aamir Khan have been made as the joint in-charges of the Coordination Committee, while Qamar Mansoor and Arshad Hussain will be working as the members of party’s decision making body.

Other party leaders Kanwar Naved Jamil and Abdul Haseeb were also inducted in party’s Coordination Committee. MQM chief Altaf Hussain has endorsed the decisions of the Rabitta Committee.

Sindh 5-8pc cut in transport fares K ARACHI —Sindh government has announced five to eight per cent cut in fares of intercity public transport.

This has been stated by the Provincial Minister for Transport and Mass Transit Mumtaz Hussain Jakhrani in Karachi.

He directed the Secretary Transport to ensure transferring benefits of the recent reduction in petroleum products to the people.—Online

State group beheaded an Iraqi police officer and two soldiers, the latest in a long series of atrocities committed by the jihadists, according to pictures posted online Sunday.

In one photo, a blindfolded man said to be a police lieutenant colonel kneels in a street in front of a row of gunmen.

A masked militant is then shown beheading the victim with a machete, after which his severed head is placed atop his body and the machete driven into his back.

Another photo shows an overweight masked militant apparently struggling to behead a man identified as a captured Iraqi soldier.

A second soldier was beheaded at the same location, according to another photo of the scene.

The authenticity of the photos could not be independently confirmed.

IS spearheaded a sweeping militant offensive in June that overran large areas north and west of Baghdad, and also holds significant territory in neighbouring Syria.

The brutal militant group has killed thousands of people in both countries, some of them in highly-choreographed videotaped sequences in which the victims are beheaded.

Iraqi security forces, backed by Kurdish troops, Shiite militias, Sunni tribesmen and a US-led campaign of air strikes, have managed to regain some ground from IS. But the jihadists still control significant territory, including three major cities. —AFP

Added fructose driving the rise in diabetics

C

ONSUMPTION of foods and beverages containing added sugars, particularly added fructose, is a major factor behind the dramatic rise in type 2 diabetes, contends a study. Worldwide, approximately one in ten adults has type 2 diabetes, with the number of individuals afflicted by the disease across the globe more than doubling from 153 million in 1980 to 347 million in 2008, the study noted.

“At current levels, added-sugar consumption, and added-fructose consumption in particularly, are fueling a worsening epidemic of type 2 diabetes,” said lead author James DiNicolantonio, a cardiovascular research scientist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in the US. For the study, researchers examined animal experiments and human studies. Data from recent trials suggest that replacing glucose-only starch with fructose-containing table sugar (sucrose) results in significant adverse metabolic effects. “The totality of the evidence is compelling to suggest that added sugar, and especially added fructose (usually in the form of highfructose corn syrup and table sugar), are a serious and growing public health problem,” the authors noted.

While fructose is found naturally in some whole foods like fruits and vegetables, consuming these foods poses no problem for human health, they pointed out. Indeed, consuming fruits and vegetables is likely protective against diabetes and broader cardiometabolic dysfunction, the authors explained. Dietary guidelines should be modified

to encourage individuals to replace processed foods, laden with added sugars and fructose, with whole foods like fruits and vegetables, they proposed.

Meanwhile, an analysis conducted by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) found that If new hypertension guidelines are followed sincerely, it could help us significantly prevent deaths owing to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) each year without increasing overall health care costs. “Our findings clearly show that it would be worthwhile to significantly increase spending on office visits, home blood pressure monitoring and interventions to improve treatment adherence,” said lead author Andrew E. Moran, the Herbert Irving Assistant Professor of Medicine at CUMC. “In fact, we could double treatment and monitoring spending for some patients - namely those with severe hypertension and still break even,” he added. In the new guidelines released by the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, stage 1 hypertension is defined as a systolic BP of 140-159 mm Hg or a diastolic BP of 90-99 mm Hg. Stage 2 or severe hypertension is a systolic BP of 160 mm Hg or higher or a diastolic BP of 100 mm Hg or higher.

The 2014 guidelines are less aggressive for some patients, shifting treatment targets to higher blood pressures. Fewer patients need treatment under the new guidelines, but according to Moran “even with the more relaxed goals, an estimated 44 per cent of adults with hypertension, or 28 million people, still do not have their blood pressure adequately controlled”.

Pakistan’s wetlands support wide spectrum of global biodiversity: Maroof CITY REPORTER ISLAMABAD—Capital Devel-

opment Authority (CDA) Chairman Maroof Afzal said Monday that Pakistan’s wetlands support a wide spectrum of globally important biodiversity that merits support from the international community to ensure its sustainable conservation.

Chairman CDA expressed these remarks during a ceremony held in connection to World Wetlands Day here at Lake View Park. During the ceremony Chairman inaugurated the events which were particularly organized for this day including awareness walk and cleanliness drive. Highlighting the importance of wetlands for conservation and preservation of the natural environment the Chairman said that Wetlands were a rich source of maintaining natural ecology.

The Chairman said that water complaints have been reduced and water management wing is working round the Chairman CDA Maroof Afzal leading cleanliness drive in connection with World Wetlands Day at Lake View Park orgaclock for the redresal of com- nized by Environment Wing of CDA in collaboration with WWF. plaints. He said that he has diPeople from every walk of life, cerned to ensure preservation of fresh rected the concerned to take effective nance of off-road tankers will help reschool/ college students, children, en- water reservoirs and wetlands, which measures to address complaints and to duce water complains.

The event was organized for the vironmentalists, and members of civil provide source of living to hundreds of repair water supply lines on war footWetlands Day awareness to seek the society participated in the ceremony. families and offer habitats to wildlife ing. attention of the people all over the counNature conservationists, commuand marine species. The ceremony Maroof Afzal said that the addition of private water tankers in the CDA try to highlight the importance of wet- nity activists, government officials and Programme was jointly organised by the media persons urged the authorities con- CDA and World Wildlife Fund (WWF). water tankers fleet and repair mainte- lands and need of their conservation.

Turkey condemns Shikarpur terrorist attack OBSERVER REPORT ISLAMABAD—Turkey has

Senator Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq, Leader of the House in the Senate exchanging views with Norwegian Ambassador to Pakistan Leif H. Larson.

Pakistan, Norway relations improving

PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER ISLAMABAD—Leader of the House in the Senate, Senator Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq, Monday, said that Pakistan highly valued ever improving relations with Norway.

These relations can be further strengthened with economic coordination. Senator Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq has said this during a meeting with Mr. Leif H. Larsen, Ambassador of the Royal Norway in Parliament House Islamabad.

During the meeting matters relating to the regional situation specially Pakistan India relations, Kashmir Issue, Afghanistan and the issue of terrorism also came under discussion. Sena-

Colour fiesta competition ISLAMABAD—City Nursery School G-10 organized a colour fiesta competition here on Monday among students to apprise them with the importance of colour and introduce a spirit of healthy competition. Students of play group, kindergarten, nursery, class one and two took part in the contest and decorated their class rooms on the themes assigned to them.

The themes included black and White, Purple, Yellow, Red, Blue, Green, Pink, Brown, Silver and Golden and Rainbow.

According to judges decision, Silver and Golden theme on which project was given to class Kinder Garden (T) secured first position in which children made a space ship with a youngest astronaut in it. Children, dressed in silver attires, shower snow flakes with cuttings of sliver crap paper and made a treasure with trivial stuff covered with golden paper and paint, showed an outstanding presentation to their class room with the help of their class teacher.—APP

tor Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq said that Pakistan strongly believes in peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue in accordance with the United Nation Security Council resolutions and in lines with the aspirations of Kashmiri people.

Leif H. Larsen, Ambassador of the Royal Norway appreciated the remarks of Senator Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq and recognized Pakistan efforts in war against terrorism.

He said that Norway is keen to have friendly relation with Pakistan and interested to have investment in Pakistan. He thanked the Senator Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq for worm welcome and hoped that these friendly relations will increase in Future.

strongly condemned recent terrorist blast targeting imambargah in Shikarpur of Sindh Province during Juma prayer.

According to a message from Ankara, a Turkish Foreign Affairs spokesman said, Turkey strongly condemns this heinous attack targeting peace, stability and well being of Pakistan and on this tragedy, we express once again our strong feelings of solidarity with the friendly and brotherly government and people of Pakistan.

The Turkish government spokesman said: “We seek Allah’s mercy upon those who lost their lives in the attack. Our condolences to their families and we wish the injured speedy recovery”.

Majority of public schools lacks IT lab facility

Art, craft and jewellery exhibition attracts islooites ISLAMABAD—The fine minia-

ture paintings by Komal Shahid

I SLAMABAD —Majority of the educational and students can learn basics at the stage but Khan, skillfully crafted ceram-

institutions working under Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) are yet to acquire computer lab facility and staff in this era of Information Technology.

IT is a compulsory subject from Grade VI to VIII for the students of the FDE’ run institutions however, out of total of 392 schools, around 150 have IT labs or staff.

Amir Masood, an IT teacher said “IT Labs are direly needed in these institutions to make the students capable to excel and compete other students of private institutions.”

He said, the educational institutions in federal capital should be made an example for others by ensuring all the facilities.

“It is the boom of computer technology

unfortunately lack of labs at majority of the government run institutions results in irreparable loss to the students”, Shagufta Shahid, a mother of three children said.

Parents are forced to arrange tuition and well equipped computers at homes so that their children can compete with the students of private institutions and get outstanding marks in board examinations, she added.

According to an official of FDE, the efforts are underway to establish more IT labs in the educational institutions.

He said PC-4 of the Computer Lab Programme has been forwarded to the Planning Commission for approval and more labs would be established at middle level after its approval.—APP

ics by Shahid Waheed and artistic jewellery by Jamila Shahid here on Monday at Nomad art gallery attracted the art lovers of islooites.

The artist Komal, graduated in miniature painting from the Rawalpindi campus of National College of Arts, while commenting about her current exhibition said, My work reflects my realization of the insufficiency or complete absence of peoples’ unified resistance against exploitation and manipulation, continually propagating lack of self-consciousness.—APP

Pak-China to celebrate 2015 as Year of Friendly Exchanges: Ambassador

ISLAMABAD—China and Pakistan will arrange series of activities this year to promote cultural exchanges and understanding between the two countries, said Chinese ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong.

The two countries are celebrating the 2015 China-Pakistan Year of Friendly Exchanges. According to the China Radio International (CRI), the year will witness a series of activities, laying special focus on strengthening people-to people contacts.

In a interview to CRI, the ambassador, said China and Pakistan have long been dedicated to promoting all-round bilateral relations in political exchange, trade and investment, security, among other fields.

The two countries are exploring ways and means to elevate the all-weather strategic partnership, bringing it to a new height.

In this connection, they are all out efforts to realize the Chinese Dream and the Pakistani “Asian Tiger Dream” by forging a “community of destiny”.

A grand reception was held in Beijing last week, marking its official commencement at first one of a series of activities which the two friendly countries plan to celebrate jointly throughout the year.

The event was graced by Vice President of China Li Yaunchao from Chinese side whereas Speaker of National Assembly of Pakistan Sardar Ayaz Sadiq led the delegation of Parliamentarians from Pakistan, who especially attended inauguration of celebrations of the Friendly Exchanges Year.—INP

Visitors looking at art pieces displayed in the exhibition “Miniatures” by Komal Shahid Khan at Nomad Gallary.—PO photo by Sultan Bashir

Millennials win Intel Science Award CITY REPORTER ISLAMABAD—Intel Pakistan concluded its National Science Competition by announcing the winners at Islamabad Sir Syed Memorial Complex here on Monday. The winners are to represent Pakistan at the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2015, to be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in May 2015.

Millennials Urooba Fatima and Hadia Fatima IGCSE students of Roots Millennium Schools’ Flagship

Millennium Campus I-9/3, Islamabad received special recognition for their group project work. The proud Millennials received an award from the Society of Vitro Biology for “Outstanding Achievement in Creativity and Ability in Vitro Biology”; a memento and award from the Shaukat Khanum Hospital and Research Centre; and the Best of Category Award in Medicinal and Health Science Disease Diagnosis and Treatment / Pathology from Intel.

The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, spon-

sored by Intel since 1997 is the world’s largest international precollege science competition, providing an annual forum for more than 1,800 high school students from about 70 countries, regions, and territories to showcase their independent research as they compete for over US $5 million annually. The National Science Fair showcased more than 94 science projects submitted by 197 young scientists from all four provinces after rigorous competition at district and provincial levels.

Winners of the National

Science Fair have qualified to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair, showcasing their talent on an international platform for over $5 million in prizes and scholarships.

Director Schools and Outreach Mrs. Sabina Zakir was present on this auspicious occasion and carried a message of the Chief Executive Roots Millennium Schools Chaudhry Faisal Mushtaq TI, that “Roots Millennium Schools is beyond education and schooling, it is changing the national education para-

digm and landscape through its award winning curriculum, beyond the classroom teaching and learning initiatives, teacher training programs, qualification, results, achievements, thus promoting social change and community re-engineering.

As we are moving towards growth and development it gives me immense satisfaction that we are proudly celebrating our distinctions and accomplishments earned through the dedication and hard work of students, faculty members and the support of parents.”

Pakistan requires outside the box approach of knowledge partnership for overcoming challenges Fajar Zohr Asr

06:25 01:30 04:00

Meghrab at Sunset Isha 07:15 Brothers in Islam establish regular prayers & charity

February 3

Symposium A two-day Symposium on “Curriculum Development in Higher Education” will begin at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Islamabad.

FUI declares result of first professional MBBS CITY REPORTER I SLAMABAD —The Foundation University has declared the result of First Professional MBBS (Annual) Examinations 2014. Out of 148 candidates who appeared in the said examination, 130 were declared successful with a pass percentage of 87.84 %.

Miss. ShaherBano, Roll No. 5438 of the Foundation University Medical College, got first position in the examination securing 379 out of 500 marks. The University has directed the unsuccessful candidates to submit the admission forms within 15 days from the date of declaration of result. The result may also be seen on FUI website www.fui.edu.pk.

Rs 11 stop-to-stop public transport fare fixed in Rawalpindi R AWA L P I N D I —Secretary Rawalpindi Transport Authority (RTA) has issued new public transport fare announcing stop to stop fare at Rs11 and maximum fare Rs 29.

New public transport fares have been announced for 40 urban and inter districts routes. New fare schedule has come into force with immediate effect.

As per new fare schedule, fare in respect of first stage upto 4 kilomter has been reduced from Rs 12 to 11, second stage upto 8 kilometer from Rs 14 to 13, 3rd stage upto 14 kilometer from Rs 19 to 17, 4th stage from 14 KM to 22 KM from Rs 22 to 20, 5th stage from 22 to 30 kilometer from Rs 27 to Rs 24, 6th stage from 30 KM above from Rs 32 to Rs 29.

On inter district route fare has been reduced from 84 paisas KM to 79 paisas and on hilly routes from paisas 93 to paisas 87 per KM. Secretary RTA Owais Manzoor Tarar said that 5 squads have been set up to stop overcharging of fares and monitor implementation of new fares. —Online

CITY REPORTER ISLAMABAD —Renowned Defence Analyst and Chairperson South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) University Dr. Maria Sultan has said that today Pakistan faces enormous challenges as we stand at the threshold of the 21st Century with baggage of 19th Century, adding that global security has transformed tremendously with changes in research, technology and inter-state relations and ever changing dynamics of security itself. She was addressing the launching ceremony of SASSI University, here on Monday.

Dr. Maria Sultan, while introducing the SASSI University, expressed her gratitude to the President of Pakistan for providing the patron-ship to the University, and the Defence Minister of Pakistan, and the SASSI advisory board as well for their unconditional support to the University.

“We are happy to announce that SASSI University is a premier institute of higher learning which is geared to provide the nation a response capability to deal with growing challenges, adding that it is only through knowledge that we can bring Pakistan forward and out of these challenges.” She addressed the ceremony. The courses offered at the SASSI University on National Security, Peace Studies, Media Sciences, Counter-terrorism and Intelligence Studies are just few courses designed to enable the nation and the next generation to meet the paradoxes with knowledge, Dr. Maria informed.

Dr. Maria, while lauding the active support of Chairperson SASSI University Dr. Maria Sultan with Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong after the launching cerCapital Development Authority (CDA), empha- emony of SASSI University.

Police should not fear drone strike in registering murder case: IHC STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—Islamabad High Court (IHC) has summoned IG Islamabad police Tahir Alam Khan on February, 9 in contempt of court case against SHO secretariat police Islamabad for not registering murder case of 2 persons killed in drone attack in the area of Mir Ali at South Waziristan in 2009 .

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui has remarked “ murder case can be registered any where. People sitting in Islamabad are operating every thing from here. Police should not fear from registering case as there will be no drone attack on your police station.

Ali South Waziristan drone strike case came up for hearing before IHC Monday. Mirza Shahzad Akbar counsel for the petitioner Karim Khan, Nawaz Bhatti police officer police station secretariat and legal counsel Abdul Rauf appeared in the court.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui inquired from Nawaz Bhatti ASI of police station secretariat “ as to why he has not registered murder case of people killed in drone strike so far as per high court’s orders while SHO secretariat police had admitted in the court that murder case of those killed in drone

strike can be registered.

ASI police station secretariat told the court commissioner Islamabad had written a letter to FATA secretariat in drone attack case as per court’s orders saying that murder case of two persons killed in drone stroke be registered. On the other hand FATA secretariat said in reply that operation was in progress in South Waziristan area so far therefore, no proceedings could be initiated in this case. When situation normalizes then the case will be registered.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui remarked “ you people should act upon law of the country. You people should not need fear from any one. The law of the land is clear and action should be taken as per this law.

This should not be said that situation is not normal. This is matter of a Pakistani citizen. He can get register murder case wherever he wills. There is no limit of one district or other district.

He further observed “ Certain persons sitting in Islamabad are running different operating systems from here. Murder case can be registered under high court orders.

The hearing of the case was adjourned till February, 9.

Allied hospitals fleecing poor patients in laboratories tests

R AWALPINDI —Allied Punjab government this agency that he gave Rs 600 fee to labohospital in Rawalpindi are fleecing and looting poor patients under the pretext of laboratory tests while the federal government hospitals in Islamabad are providing free facilities of laboratory tests.

While the Punjab government says it is providing free medical facilities to patients in all government run hospitals in Rawalpindi including Benazir Bhutto, Holy Family and District headquarters hospitals but these hospitals are not providing free laboratory tests facilities to poor patients.

Talking to INP, various patients said that they are giving heavy amounts in the case of their medical tests to laboratory in Benazir Bhutto Hospital of Rawalpindi for diagnosing their diseases on doctors advises.

As the fee of medical tests in all Allied Hospitals of Rawalpindi laboratories are equal to private laboratories for medical tests, hospitals authorities are looting poor patients.

A patient Ibrar Khan coming in BB hospital from Dhamial village of Rawalpindi told

sized that security today is understood to be an expanded concept ranging from human security to traditional security.

“Pakistan has faced challenges which have been unprecedented both in terms of the nature, scale and degree of conflict and threats faced.” She expressed. In addition, she said that the fourteen years of global war against terror has placed Pakistan at the center of the international transitions in security where supra individuals, organized crime, networks and terrorism have dominated the security discourse.

With this at the center of the new global and regional reality it is extremely important that Pakistan remains cognizant of the emerging trends in security at the global and regional level but also creates a sustained national response based on research, innovation and a grass roots approach, she said.

Dr. Maria was of the view that Pakistan requires an outside the box approach for the changing environments and to prepare Pakistan for the challenges. “The nation and the country await a new beginning and this can only be ensured if knowledge is our partner hence the journey of SASSI University to equip Pakistan with knowledge research and innovation through studies and higher learning.”

She concluded, while thanking the participants for their support to SASSI towards this national initiative to achieve its goals in practical terms.

Condolence reference for King Abdullah held at IIU

Prof. Dr. Masoom Yasinzai, Rector, IIUI, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Yousif Al-Draiweesh, President IIUI, Deans and Directors attending condolence reference for the late King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. varsity pray for the eternal peace of de- people and Muslim Ummah. He told that STAFF REPORTER parted soul” said Dr. Masoom Yasinzai. King Abdullah always advised to his minISLAMABAD—About 500 non-Muslims He told that IIUI organized funeral prayer isters and advisors to keep Pakistani naembraced Islam after witnessing a simple, in absentia for late Saudi King and con- tion near to their heart and added that swift funeral of Saudi Arabia’s King dolence reference was also held earlier King Abdullah always provided coopAbdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud, said for King Abdullah while an IIUI delega- eration to Pakistan in hard times.

Dr. Al-Draiweesh maintained that evPresident International Islamic University tion also went to Saudi embassy in Islamabad (IIUI) Dr. Ahmed Yousif Al- Islamabad and condoled to Ambassador eryone is equal in front of God and simple Jassim M Al-Khalidi. funeral of King Abdullah impressed many Draiweesh Monday.

Rector IIUI said that purpose of people while 500 non-Muslims embraced This he told in a condolence reference held for King Abdullah bin Abdul today’s reference is to convey the grief Islam after observing this simplicity which Aziz at new campus of International Is- and pain of IIUI to the Saudi nation is core attribute of Islam. He also prayed lamic University Islamabad. It was at- through President IIUI Dr. Ahmed Yousif for King Salman Abdullah that May Altended by the Rector IIUI Dr. Masoom Al-Draiweesh. He also hoped that in the lah give him strength to serve Muslim Yasinzai, President IIUI Dr. Ahmed Yousif rule of King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Ummah as his ancestors did. He also Al-Draiweesh, Vice Presidents, DGs, Dean Saud, relations between Pakistani and hoped that King Salman would play vital Saudi universities would further role in bringing back the splendor of and Directors.

Muslim Ummah.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. strengthen.

President IIUI, in his address on the At the end, Dr. Al-Draiweesh prayed Masoom Yasinzai pay tribute to the late Saudi King and said IIUI stands with the occasion said that Muslim Ummah has for the eternal peace of the departed soul Saudi nation in this moment of grief. “All lost devoted and well- wishing leader and and also prayed for the prosperity and the officers, employees and students of his demise is an irreparable loss for Saudi peace of Ummah.

ratory for his hepatitis test on the advise of the doctor and explained that for the first time he took this test in a private medical laboratory at the same amount, adding there is not difference between medical tests in private and Punjab government laboratories fees.

A large number of patients have registered their complaints to concerned authorities and health department about the unbearable charges and requested them to provide free medical test facilities in all government allied hospital but those requests remained in vain.

Meanwhile federal government hospitals including Polyclinic and PIMS are providing free of cost medical tests facilities in laboratories to all patients, even those patients who belong to other provinces. People have requested Punjab chief minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif to take notice in this regard STAFF REPORTER and direct concerned authorities to provide free medical test facilities in laboratories of ISLAMABAD—Supreme Court (SC) has Rawalpindi Allied Hospitals.—INP admitted for hearing Sadiq Ali Memon petition who was deseated from NA-237 Thatha for holding dual nationality and has issued notice to Attorney General (AG) and others concerned. SC has sought assistance from AG on the point that the disqualification period will last how long in respect of the person who is disqualified in dual nationality case and later foregoes dual citizenship. If this disqualification will apply to the then elec-

Dual nationality holder not entitled to contest elections: Justice Dost tion or will stay for ever.

Justice Anwar Zahir Jamali has remarked “ There is no time frame laid down in the constitution or law in respect of disqualification of dual nationality holders. Justice Dost Muhammad has remarked “ dual national holder is not entitled to contest election. A 3-member bench of SC presided over by Justice Anwar Zahid Jamali took up the case for hearing Monday.

The court ruled “ there is no time limit determined in the constitution with regard to disqualification of dual nation-

ality holder. Therefore it should be told this disqualification would stay how long.

Rashid A Rizvi counsel for Sadiq Ali Memon took the plea in the court that his client had abandoned his Canadian citizenship before contesting the election Despite it he was deseated. We can see there is no provision in the law for the time frame of disqualification of any person even he abandons dual nationality. Due to it his client is facing problems and he has to stay away from his constituency.

Body of 60-year-old woman found

ISLAMABAD—A body of a 60 year old mortem. In the past week, 3 dead bod- 24 year old waiter was also found Jaswoman has been recovered in the area of Shakarparian within the ambit of Aabpara police station.

The dead body of 60 year woman was shifted to hospital for post

ies have been recovered from near the red zone.

In the areas of G-6/2, a dead body of young boy was found that is not identified up till now. Dead body of a

I S L A M A B A D —The sectors of I-10

The residents walking pass the areas also face lots of difficulty, because of stalls and push carts that are placed on footpaths.

With no proper arrangements for parking of cars and garbage, markets

mine garden.

Aabpara police station has started further investigation on matter, but no traces have been found up till now.—Online

I-10, Karachi Company becoming hubs of encroachments, pollution

Custodian of Eidgah Shareef Pir Muhammad Naqeeb-ur-Rehman leading funeral prayers of his father-in-law Muhammad Abdullah Jan Pathan.

and Karachi company are becoming hubs of encroachments and pollution while the Capital Development Authority has become a silent spectator.

are dumps of garbage and diseases.

The citizens demanded that Islamabad administration should take action against lawbreakers because it is also destroying the beautification of Islamabad.—Online

Kashmiris to observe Solidarity Day on February 5 SYED ALI RAZA NAQVI MUZAFFARABAD—Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed says Kashmir Solidarity Day will be observed with great enthusiasm on February 5. Talking to various public delegations that called on him in Muzaffarabad on Monday he appealed to Kashmiris to observe this day with formidable unanimity. The Day is being observed by Kashmiris across the globe to show to the world on February 5 that they are a nation.

He lauded that all the past governments of Pakistan fully supported the cause of Kashmiris by expressing complete solidarity with them and did not make any compromise on it. The Prime Minister reiterated that Kashmir is jugular vein to Pakistan and the direction of all its rivers is towards Pakistan that cultivates the country’s lands. He observed Pakistan was facing many

challenges today including international conspiracies against it. Lauding the role of armed forces of the country on defending geographical and ideological fronts and said army achieved significant successes against terrorism also.

The Premier remarked that the entire nation stands like a rock with the armed forces in uprooting the menace of terrorism. Chaudhry Abdul Majeed said that spring tree plantation drive has been named after Peshawar and Kashmiri martyrs and urged the people of all shades of life to take active part in planting saplings. Condemning the Shikarpur bomb explosion the Prime Minister said terrorists could not dampen the spirit of the nation through such cowardly acts. and extend good facilities to the patients. Dr. Shabbir Ahmed Dar, Dr. Chaudhry Rasheed, Dr. Saleem Abbasi, and Dr. Naeem, Nasir Mughal and others paid tributes to the service of Dr. Qurban.

Teenage Wamiq remembered on 5th martyrdom anniversary

SRINAGAR—In occupied Kashmir, braving roaming free thus denying justice to victim famicold, the father of martyred teenage boy, Wamiq Farooq has demanded action against the killers of his son.

Wamiq Farooq, a class 7th student, was killed after being hit by a police tear-gas shell outside Gani Memorial Stadium at Rajouri Kadal in Srinagar on January 31, 2010.Farooq Ahmad Wani addressing a seminar organized by a local NGO to commemorate the fifth death anniversary of Wamiq Farooq at Eidgah martyrs’ graveyard in Srinagar said, “The then Omar Abdullah administration is responsible for the 120 innocent killings. The new dispensation should bring to book the perpetrators of the 120 innocent killings during the 2010 unrest.”

Wani said, “Despite passing of five years, the cops involved in the 2010 killings are still

lies.”

“Wamiq was one of the brilliant students at school and was given best student award posthumously,” Farooq said while recalling his best days.

Speaking on the occasion, Muhammad Ashraf Matoo, father of Tufail who was also killed during 2010 summer unrest said, “Omar Abdullah himself acknowledged that his party has paid heavy price for 2010 killings and Afzal Guru hanging.”

Hurriyet leaders who were present at the seminar paid rich tributes to the departed soul.

A delegation of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front comprising Noor Muhammad Kalwal, Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri and other party activists organized a special prayer meeting for Wamiq Farooq at martyrs’ graveyard.—KMS

JAMMU—In occupied Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement (JKPM), a constituent of APHC, has said that several media houses in India are fomenting hatred against the leadership of the disputed territory by launching a revengeful campaign.

APHC leader and Senior Vice Chairman of JKPM, Mir Shahid Saleem, in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the media channels were spewing venom against the veteran Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani and other Hurriyet leaders and were inciting people of India against them. He said that it was the direct result of the provocation that members of RSS and other Hindu communal outfits were out to

assault and harm the common Kashmiris across India. He said the recent attacks against the Kashmiri students and traders were simply the result of media provocation during the past several days.

The APHC leader said that some Indian media houses claiming to be taking the moral high grounds were actually playing a criminal role of inciting the whole India against the Kashmiris. He said that the way some media representatives invaded Syed Ali Gilani’s residence at Malviya Nagar, New Delhi, a few days back despite the ailing leader refused to talk to them was a glaring example of unethical media practice.—KMS

Indian media houses promoting hatred against Kashmiris: JKPM

MUZAFFARABAD: Author Aisha Masood presenting her book ‘Kashmir 2014’ to the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir, Chaudhary Abdul Majid.

Lawyers’ delegation meets AJK President ISLAMABAD—A delegation of Lawyers Club from occupied Kashmir met the President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Sardar Yaqoob Khan at Kashmir House in Islamabad today.

The delegation comprised Advocate Babar Qadri, Bashir Ahmad Butt and Hurriyet leader, Engineer Mushtaq Mehmood. The delegation apprised the AJK President of the current political situation of the territory and also briefed him about the human rights violations by the Indian troops.

The delegates told him that the people of Kashmir were rendering unprecedented sacrifices for securing their right to selfdetermination and would never compromise on their fundamental rights including the inalienable right to self-determination.

The President assured the delegation that the AJK government and people would continue to highlight the Kashmir dispute and massive violations of human rights in the occupied territory by Indian forces at international level.—KMS

KOTLI: Chief Secretary, Azad Kashmir, Abid Ali inspecting Sansa Hospital.

Sangh Parivar has settled outsiders in Jammu, admits Lubha JAMMU—In occupied Kashmir, Lubha Ram

Gandhi, head of an organisation campaigning for grant of citizenship rights to non-Kashmiris in Jammu, has admitted that Sangh parivar has settled outsiders in the territory. Lubha Ram Gandhi, in a media interview in Jammu said that the aim of bringing outsiders was to make demographic changes.

Lubha Ram Gandhi, who is a Hindu refugee came to the territory in 1947, considers Hindu extremist leaders, championing his cause, as his friends, yet when it comes to settlement of Hindus coming from inside India in Jammu, he opposes the move. Most of the people settled at the behest of the RSS—Biharis, Punjabis, Bangladeshis and Myanmarese—have fraudulently managed to secure State Subject Certificate and settled in newly-built residential clusters such as Nanak Nagar, Bhagwati Nagar, Gorakh Nagar, Gandhi said.

“Political parties need voters, so they settle these people here,” he said. “Look, Jammu was a small city. Beyond Tawi river there was no residential settlement. But in the aftermath of the Operation Bluestar in Punjab, Hindus were allowed to settle here and granted citizenship rights as well,” he revealed. Gandhi said affluent outsiders buy their way into the state subject status. “Former Congress legislator Raman Bhalla is an outsider,” he said. “Jain Bazar jewelers are outsiders but managed to get state subject certificates,” he said. When asked whether he has any documentary evidence to prove this, he said he doesn’t have any “but anyone can tell you this is a fact”.

“Sangh parivar has settled wrong people in the state with the aim of making demographic changes in the garb of fighting for our cause,” said Gandhi, who settled in Vijaypur, about 28km from Jammu during 1947.—KMS

No power can force freedom zealots into submission

S RINAGAR —In occupied Kashmir, Patron of Jammu and Kashmir Mahaz-e-Azadi, Mohammad Azam Inqilabi has said that no power on earth can intimidate and browbeat Kashmiri freedom zealots who are drawing inspiration from the great Kashmiri martyrs including Maqbool Butt and Muhammad Afzal Guru.

Mohammad Azam Inqilabi in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the sacrifices of Kashmiri martyrs would not be allowed go waste. He said that the people of Kashmir would continue their struggle till its logical conclusion.

He also made a mention of the sacrifices of Mirwaiz Farooq, Khawaja. Abdul Ghani Lone, Jaleel Andrabi, Sheikh Abdul Aziz, S. Hameed, Dr. Qazi Nisar, Dr. G.Q. Wani and Maulana Shoukat Shah and other martyrs of the Kashmir cause. He said that the Indian former premier Jawaharlal speaking the BJP’s language. Baig isn’t an Is- Nehru, during his sojourn in lamic scholar who can issue fatwas. He may Kashmir in 1947.—KMS know law the best but can’t issue Islamic fatwas,” Akbar said. He said Baig should recall that Kashmir has its own constitution according to which no outsider is allowed to settle or become a permanent resident or voter.

He said that Baig was appeasing BJP and RSS. “He is a part of the conspiracy to destroy the existing social fabric of Jammu and Kashmir. The aim of this conspiracy is to change the S R I N A G A R —Fresh snowdemography of Kashmir and destroy its Mus- fall closed the SrinagarJammu highway, today. The lim-majority status,” he said.

Dukhtarane-Millat Chairperson, Syeda Aasiya Srinagar-Jammu highway Andrabi and APHC leader Javed Ahmad Mir said has been closed because of Baig’s statement has proved that PDP was subordi- more than three-feet deep nate branch of RSS. They asked the Kashmiris to snow on the highway in remain vigilant to these nefarious designs and stand Bannihal and Batote sectors, up against the settlement of outsiders in Kashmir. weather office said. “ClearReacting strongly to PDP leader’s remarks, ance operations will start afthe National Conference General Secretary, Ali ter the snowfall stops,” a seMuhammad Saghar said no non-state subject can nior official of the traffic become a permanent resident in Jammu and department told reporters Kashmir and that NC would oppose any such here. Continuing snowfall move, tooth and nail. He said that the remarks also resulted in poor visibil“reflect how low this party has stooped on this ity and air traffic to and serious issue.” A civil society group, Kashmir from the Kashmir valley Center for Social and Development Studies was disrupted on Monday. termed the statement as provocative and decep- The local weather office has tive. “By juggling about the issue from various forecast moderate snowfall perspectives, he cannot obfuscate the contours in the plains and heavy in of the issue and confuse people of Kashmir,” the higher reaches of Kashmir.—KMS the KCSDS said.—KMS

Muzaffar Baig appeasing RSS & BJP

Remarks on non-Kashmiris denounced across the board SRINAGAR—In occupied Kashmir, Hurriyet

leaders, pro-India Kashmiri parties and civil society members have slammed Peoples Democratic Party leader, Muzaffar Hussain Baig for his remarks about settlement of non-Kashmiris in the territory.

The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik while addressing a gathering in Srinagar said, “Baig’s remarks are meant to appease his RSS masters to get the ministry.” Malik termed the statement of Baig as a “glaring example of his Kashmir enmity.”

“Today Baig is telling us to find a middle path for non-Kashmiris. He is the person who during his tenure made conspiracies and amended the law pertaining to Kashmiri women who marry outside and thus weakened the territory’s subject law,” Malik said. “To get power and ministry in Indian government, Baig actually has draped himself in RSS colors and, like in the past, he has started working on antiKashmir agenda,” Malik said.

The forum led by the veteran Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani has said that Muzaffar Hussain Baig has literally bowed down before the BJP for greed of power. The spokesman for forum, Ayaz Akbar in a media interview in Srinagar said, if NC’s founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah sold Kashmir for power, Peoples Democratic Party seemed to have traded honor and dignity of the territory.

“The PDP has entered into a sell out and is

Snowfall closes Srinagar-Jammu highway

Behind Obama’s ‘historic’ visit to India to witness republican parade!

DR. ABDUL RUFF

A

MERICAN presidents do not visit third world countries to enjoy funs. They do so only for gaining economic and strategic benefits from the host countries. Obviously, US president Obama with a characteristic innocent look, came to New Delhi to Indian PM Modi’s firm hugs with large entourage consisting of economic and military ministries, among others. .

Clearly, it is not just the BJP government but also the former rulers Congress party is also behind the “historic” visit of Obama. Of late, many Indians, especially enjoying life abroad seem to think that USA make it its foreign policy goal to make India great and worse, and awful that Obama has come to India in order to strengthen Indian dreams. .

Similarly, many Kashmiri leaders who fight to get Kashmir from Indian occupation and hand over to Pakistan for its control also thought Obama was coming to India to secure freedom for Kashmiris so that they can happily hand over Kashmir to Islamabad and suffer along with other Pakistanis without dignity. Fantasies always are interesting so long as they don’t hurt us. Indian cor-

porate lords are in fact too happy about the Obama’s arrival with a big team to get money sumptuous from India. And they are ready to transfer cash to USA as before. After all, the financial lords in India know too well how to mint money in the name of India shine. With Obama around, Indian capitalists are bold enough to openly negotiate economic deals to benefit greatly.

BJP and PM are too happy because their cleaver moves yielded fruits for the Indian multinationals and big business houses. US sanctions on companies in third countries, ease of doing business and intellectual property rights were among a dozen issues that figured at the India-US business forum known as IUCEO Forum where US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were also present.

Indian corporate lords raised issues related to bilateral ease of doing business, electronic cluster development and smart cities, innovation and skill development, issues plaguing the business relationship between the two nations. Parekh, they said, also spoke on visa restrictions, the issue of Indian firms attracting US sanctions for investing in third countries like Russia and Iran, etc.. Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) talked about In-

dia-US not having a free-trade agreement (FTA) hampering import of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

India is seeking long term assured supply of natural gas from the US at competitive prices to meet its energy needs but Washington bars sale of LNG to nations with which it does not have FTA. In the open discussion that followed, industrial magnets that in fact control Indian government and parliament like Birla and Mahindra group and Ambani spoke on challenges faced by Indian companies investing in the US as well as on defence and single window clearance and Indo-US collaboration in solar power. ICICI chief executive talked about the American tax evasion law, FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act) as well as other banking issues.

Director General of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has said that US President Obama’s visit as the Chief Guest at Republic Day signifies an inflection point in the US-India bilateral relationship and that enhanced cooperation is possible in areas such as defense, infrastructure, high technology, education, and energy US interest in New Delhi is to get Indian territories for NATO operations and coordinate the US operations it undertakes in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Bush Jr had

failed to achieve that goal after the Sept-11 hoax and chose Pakistan for the dirty job. Now Washington ‘s hard core strategist might feel the Modi government could oblige USA because of Obama’s historic v trip without linking with Pakistan this time. . .

After inviting and coercing democrat Obama to visit to view the republican parade in New Delhi, India is too proud, rather boastful that President Obama got the rare distinction as the first U.S. president to attend the Republic Day celebrations and is also the first U.S. president to visit the country twice while in office. . The issue of operationalising the bilateral landmark civil nuclear deal and cooperation in multiple sectors between India and US were understood to have figured as Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh former Prime Minister with similar innocent look as that of Obama, met US President Barrack Obama in New Delhi.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and former Commerce Minister Anand Sharma were also part of Congress delegation that met Obama and his wife Michelle at ITC Maurya Hotel where they are staying. Indian leaders underlined the importance of “inclusive and sustainable growth”

for a society like India where larger number of people is still under the margin of subsistence and talked about “human face” of reforms. Singh also underlined the need for “closer economic partnership” between the two countries. The meeting of the Congress delegation with Obama was “very positive” and the two sides discussed a wide range of issues for cooperation in bilateral, regional and international arena.

A wide range of strategic affair issues came up for discussion including that of the threat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria and the two sides shared their assessments and concerns during the meeting.

Congress party claims Obama acknowledged the contribution of the previous UPA government, headed by Singh, in the signing of the Indo-US nuclear deal.

India and the US had yesterday broken the 7year-old logjam in operationalising their landmark civil nuclear deal besides deciding to jointly produce military hardware including advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Obama. Email: abdulruff@gmail.com Print Version. —Courtesy: KW

ISE-10 index witnesses bullish trend

I SLAMABAD —The Islamabad Stock Exchange here on Monday witnessed bullish trend as the ISE10 index was up by 65.39 points and closed at 4025.83 points. A total of 149,900 shares were traded, which were up by 19,000 shares than previous day’s trading of 168,900 shares. Out of 156 companies, share prices of 84 companies recorded increase while share prices of 78 companies registered decrease. Only one company remained stable in today’s trading.

The share price of Sapphire Fibres increased by Rs.25.69 per share while the share prices of Sanofi Aventis decreased by Rs.21.75 per share. Lotte Chemical, Lafrage Pakistan Cements and Fauji Cement remained the top trading companies in Monday trading with 5,000, 4,500 and 3,000 shares respectively.— APP

Port Qasim shipping activity

KARACHI —Four ships

C.V Posen, M.T Super Forte, M.T Atlantic Miracle and M.T Arietis carrying containers, 12,000 tonnes Palm oil, 10,452 tonnes Chemicals and 69,944 tonnes Furnace oil were arranged berthing at Qasim International Container Terminal, Liquid Cargo Terminal, Engro Vopak Terminal and Fotco Oil Terminal respectively at Port Qasim (PQ) during last 24 hours. Meanwhile two more ships with Containers and Diesel oil also arrived at outer anchorage of PQ during the same period last 24 hours. Berth occupancy remained at the Port at twenty nine percent on Sunday, where four ships namely C.V Posen, M.T Super Forte, M.T Atlantic Miracle and M.T Arietis are currently occupying berths to load/ offload Containers, Palm oil, Chemicals and Furnace oil respectively during last 24 hours.—APP

Chinese firm to produce solarpowered cars

B EIJING —Hanergy Holding Group Ltd., the world’s largest thin-film solar power company, will launch as many as five models of solarpowered cars in October, its chairman announced on Monday. Hanergy is cooperating with three overseas and two domestic partners on the vehicles, board chairman Li Hejun told a press conference. Hanergy announced in late January that it had acquired Alta Devices, an American competitor, with charging stations for Tesla in Beijing and Shanghai. The new models will have a range of 80 to 100 km once fully charged, he said.— INP

Abbasi asks companies to World Bank Country Director meets Shahbaz monitor fuel supply SALIM AHMED

STAFF REPORTER I SLAMABAD —The Ministry of Petroleum Monday said

there is no shortage of Premier Motor Gasoline (PMG) in some areas of Punjab and said all marketing companies have been directed to closely monitor the situation.

In view of the price reductions in Petroleum products, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources already issued necessary instructions to all Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to top up their respective depots and move the PMG, HSD and other petroleum products to entire country on war footing basis, a ministry statement said.

Instructions have also been issued to Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan to ensure smooth supplies of petroleum products at retail outlets in their territorial jurisdiction to avoid any kind of shortage, overcharging and discomfort to general public/ consumer.

Giving details of the of the oil stock, the ministry said as of the 1st Feb 2015, the country stocks of PMG were 117,000 Metric Tons sufficient to meet the requirement of

PTCL concludes youth development internship program STAFF REPORTER I SLAMABAD —Pakistan Telecommunica-

tion Company Limited (PTCL) landmark project of developing the youth through its Triple-E Program continues for the 3rd consecutive year. Batch 2 of the program was concluded successfully, where over 400 graduates from all across the country benefited.

The Triple-E Program provides a yearlong opportunity to fresh graduates for learning and development through handson training, live projects, job rotations, exposure to a fast-paced corporate culture and cutting-edge information and communication technologies. The program enables Enrichment, Encouragement and Evolution through a highly structured learning and engagement system implemented and improved every year, so that young graduates can compete in today’s highly competitive job environment confidently and professionally.

The program is one of the most successful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the country. Recently PTCL held closing ceremonies for the second batch of Triple-E graduates in all major cities of the country. Syed Mazhar Hussain, Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) PTCL, while speaking at the occasion said, “PTCL firmly believes in the capacity build-

ing of youth and play an active role in accelerating the economic progress of the country. This program shall empower Pakistani youth to seek better and brighter future for themselves.”

“We are also creating an alumni network for all the graduating batches of Triple-E, so that we stay connected with them, to see them growing in their careers and share updates about PTCL’s business operations, culture and matching job opportunities for them emerging in the future,” added Mazhar Hussain. This year’s training included 198 learning sessions comprising of functional and soft skill trainings, nearly 600 individual live projects, more than 200 job rotations as well as regular feedback and career counseling sessions.

Owing to the high quality of talent groomed, PTCL has already offered a healthy percentage of the top performers an opportunity to work as full-time employees with PTCL. So far nearly 200 interns have secured employment during and after the completion of their internship tenure.

The third batch of Triple-E interns has also been selected from thousands of applications received and interviews undertaken across the country. The initiative reflects PTCL’s commitment towards corporate responsibility initiatives and vision of developing the youth.

—Mark Skousen

Ebad nominates signatory for WB STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—Sindh Governor

Dr Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan has nominated Zaheer Hyder Shah, Secretary Sindh Irrigation Department as authorized signatory on behalf of Sindh Government for signing of the Financing and Project Agreements for the World Bank Additional Financing for Sindh Water Sector Improvement Phase-I Project. According to details the revised PC-I of Sindh Water Sector Improvement Phase-I Project (WSIPI) was approved by ECNEC on 18-04-2014. The ECNEC approved Rs. 28840 million as IDA credit. The World Bank has already provided US$ 150.2 million for the original PCI of the project whereas agreed to provide additional financing of 138 million US dollars as additional financing.

The project development objective (PDO) is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of irrigation water distribution in the three Area Water Boards (AWBs) of Ghotki, Nara and Left Bank.

ISLAMABAD: Syed Mazhar Hussain, PTCL Chief Human Resource Office along with second batch of interns at the concluding ceremony of PTCL Triple-E One-year paid internship programme.

L AHORE —Country Direc-

tor of the World Bank in Pakistan Rachid Benmessaoud met Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif here on Monday.

culture, irrigation and education sectors. He said that Punjab government led by Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is speedily implementing various development programmes in the province.

LAHORE: Country Head of World Bank in Pakistan Rachid Benmessaoud called on Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Provincial Minister for Ongoing projects in various saved through austerity sectors including energy policy are also being spent Finance Mujtaba Shuja ur with the cooperation of on the welfare of the people. Rehman, Member Provincial World Bank were discussed The Country Director of Assembly Ayesha Ghaus World Bank in Pakistan Pasha, Chief Secretary, in the meeting.

Speaking on the occa- Rachid Benmessaoud said Chairman Planning & Develsion, the Chief Minister com- that the World Bank will con- opment, Secretary Finance mended the cooperation of tinue its cooperation in en- and concerned officers were World Bank in energy, edu- ergy projects as well as agri- present on the occasion.

Traders term continuous POL prices squeeze as historic relief to masses STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—Federal government has ensured

provision of a historic economic relief to the people especially the poor, by reducing petroleum products’ prices up to 40 percent during last six months. These views were expressed

by All Pakistan Transporters Federation (APTF) Secretary General Malik Waseem Khokhhar, Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Ejaz A. Mumtaz, Lahore Township Industries Association (LTIA) Chairman Zaheer Bhutt and Former Lahore Stock Exchage (LSE) Chairman Asim Zaffar in separate interviews with APP here Monday.

APTF Secretary General Malik Waseem Khokhhar told APP that with the reduction of POL prices in the international market, the govenment had passed this relief to the masses and the transporters also decreased the fares for various routes. He also hailed the Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Federal Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for passing this economic relief to the masses especially the poor segments of the society.

Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Ejaz A. Mumtaz also termed the 40 percent cut in petroleum prices during last six months, as a good omen for economic growth of the country.

He said that cut in goods transport fares would ensure relief to the industry, while low price of furnace oil would help reduce the industrial input cost and help the industry grow thus creating more employment opportunities. The reduction in inflation rate would alleviate poverty and raise the GDP growth rate, he added. While, Lahore Township Industries Association (LTIA) Chairman Zaheer Bhutt told APP that despite having difficult economic situation

and multiple challenges, the PML-N government had been fulfilling its commitment of providing relief to the general public and all sectors of economy. At present, the POL prices were higher in other countries than Pakistan, he said, adding that low oil prices would definitely benefit the industy with increased trade and production activity.

Former Lahore Stock Exchage (LSE) Chairman Asim Zaffar was of the view that decrease oil prices would equally increase the performance and profit of the industrial and trade sector and this ideal situation would ultimately jack up the stock market. The survey revealed that edible items’ prices cut by 7 to 25 percent, while various income classes including that of earning Rs 6000 to 10000 per month got relief of reduction in 11 percent in dearness, of Rs 10000 to Rs 20000 by 9 percent, of Rs 20000 to Rs 30000 by 7 percent and of Rs 30000 by 5 percent.

On August 1, 2014, the petroleum prices were fixed per litre as Petrol Rs 110.97, Hi-speed Diesel Rs 109.34, light-speed diesel Rs 93.27, karosene oil 97.05, while on February 1, 2015, these prices came as low level as Petrol Rs 70.29, Hi-speed Diesel Rs 57.94, light-speed diesel Rs 80.61 and karosene oil Rs 61.44. Up till now, the consumers got relief in per litre price of petrol Rs 40.68, Hi-speed diesel Rs 28.73, light-speed diesel Rs 35.33 and karrocinse oil Rs 35.61, similarly, the reduced POL prices also help brought down the urban transport fares by 10 to 15 percent, inter-city transport fares by 8 to 12 percent and goods transport fares by 10 to 14 percent. The low oil prices also cut the high prices of edible items including 20kg wheat-flour bag prices downs from Rs 780 to 760, and per kg price chiken meat from Rs 240 to 160, sugar from Rs 67 to Rs 55, rice from Rs 90 to Rs 70, potato from Rs 40 to Rs 20, and onion from Rs 35 to Rs 25.

Pharmaceutical industry urges govt to avert drug crisis SALIM AHMED

The reality is that business and investment spending are the true leading indicators of the economy and the stock market. If you want to know where the stock market is headed, forget about consumer spending and retail sales figures. Look to business spending, price inflation, interest rates, and productivity gains.

the country for nine (09) days.

Out of the total country stocks, 50000 Metric tons were available in upcountry including Punjab to meet the demand and also about same quantity is in transit from Karachi to upcountry. On the instructions of Ministry of Petroleum, all OMCs remained open on Sunday, 1st Feb 2015 for ensuring swift supply of PMG and other petroleum products to the retail outlets.

Further OMCs were also advised to ensure minimum 5000 Liters stocks at the retail outlets, all the time, the statement said. The entire situation has been monitored by Ministry of Petroleum and the District Administrations.

All OMCs have planned to import 350000 Metric Tons of PMG in 11 vessels during February 2015 to meet the demand. Local refineries will also produce 130000 Metric Tons during the current month to meet the surge in the demand. The actual sale of PMG on 1st Feb 2015 was around 33000 Metric Tons, against the normal sales of 12500 Metric Tons. Out of the total sale of 33000 Metric Tons, in Punjab Province 21000 Metric Tons was supplied and the balance was in the rest of the country.

The sale of HSD (Diesel) remained at 46000 Metric Tons against the normal sale of 20000 Metric Tons.

HSD imports of 210000 Metric Tons have also been arranged during February 2015. The situation is being monitored round the clock, 7 days a week to ensure smooth supply of the PMG, HSD and other petroleum products to avoid any discomfort to the general public, the Petroleum Ministry said.

cation, health, agriculture, irrigation and other sectors of social development. He said that the programmes for the provision of best services and relief to the masses are continuing successfully in Punjab while the funds

L A H O R E —Pharma Bureau, representative body of Research based Multinational Pharmaceutical Companies, has urged the government, Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, and State Minister Saira Afzal Tarar to avert a potential drug crisis by formulating a committee to review the draft ‘Drug Pricing Policy.’

‘We would like the committee to ensure that the policy incorporates the predictability, transparency, quality, and product availability to encourage investments into quality manufacturing, incentivizes exports, and also prevents unscrupulous/unregistered sector from flooding market with fake and substandard products,’ Shahab Rizvi, Chairman and Arshad Saeed Khan Co Chairman Pharma Bureau stated.

Lack of a functioning regulatory environment conforming to international standards, which leads to a failure to articulate a policy whereby prices are adjusted in a predictable and transparent man-

ner has been the main impediment to the growth of the pharmaceutical industry, they said.

They added that the draft Drug Pricing Policy does not reflect the numerous discussions held between the industry and the government over the past eight years. ‘We have expressed our serious reservations on this draft to the government,’ they added. The proposed cut of 45% in drug prices (which have not been increased for last 13 years) will not only render their production unviable but will also result in influx of smuggled fake and spurious drugs, they opined.

They said the present form of the policy if approved would result in severe shortages of essential and life-saving medicines (insulins, anti-cancer drugs, TB, anti-epileptic, vaccines, polio, antibiotics, cardiovasculars, paracetamol, etc.) Moreover, it would deprive the patients of Pakistan from the benefits of the latest researches as no further introduction of new therapies would be possible and quality products will be replaced by sub-stan-

dard/fake medicines, they said.

They added, drugs will be cheaper for the rich and more expensive for the poor and threat to the continuation of patient access programs under which thousands of poor critically ill patients are provided with the latest life-saving therapies for free. ‘We believe that if the government introduces a transparent market oriented pricing policy for the pharmaceutical industry, it would create the stability and predictability necessary to stimulate investment and growth in this important sector,’ reasoned CoChairman PB. Similarly, they added, a transparent and predictable regulatory environment would inevitably lead to the improvement in quality of medicines, access to new therapies at affordable prices and alleviation of essential drugs shortage. The correct stimulus would also enable the Pharma Industry to tap into the huge export potential for this sector, as witnessed by other countries in the region, and in order to achieve this, the industry needs a new policy with a transparent mechanism

to adjust prices, benchmarked with other regional countries with similar incomes/standards of living, they added.

‘Such policy would safeguard the interest of both investors and consumers because in the context of 600 plus local companies, an individual cost-plus based approach is not practical and could give rise to transparency and public/media concerns.

A comparative benchmarking based pricing mechanism may also be more defensible in the public eye,’ they added. Arshad was of the view that Pakistan’s ability to evolve a predictable and transparent investment environment for the pharmaceutical sector will be in the long-term interest of the public and the country. ‘By implementing a policy competitively aligned with other countries in the region and also aligned with World Health Organization guidelines, the country can benefit significantly in terms of Foreign Direct Investment, exports, job creation, provision of affordable quality medicines and other vital economic benefits,’ reasoned Co-Chairman PB.

Currency

Selling

Buying

Conducive law & order situation imperative for business activities

USA

101.00

100.80

UK

152.29

151.99

STAFF REPORTER

Euro

114.23

114.00

Canada

79.30

79.14

KARACHI—Chief Executive TDAP S.M. Muneer said Prime

Switzerland

109.09

108.87

Australia

78.51

78.36

Sweden

12.22

12.20

Japan

0.8574

0.8557

Norway

12.22

13.05

Singapore

74.56

74.42

Denmark

13.07

15.31

Saudi Arabia 26.87

26.82

Hong Kong

13.03

13.00

Kuwait

342.15

341.47

Malaysia

27.82

27.76

Newzealand

73.39

73.24

Qatar

27.73

27.68

UAE

27.50

27.44

Kr Won

0.0916

0.0914

Thailand

3.092

3.085

Intel Pakistan concludes National Science Competition STAFF REPORTER I SLAMABAD —Intel Pakistan concluded it’s National Science Competition by announcing the winners at Sir Syed Memorial Complex, Islamabad. The winners will represent Pakistan at the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2015, to be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in May 2015. The event was graced by Mr. Qaiser Majeed Malik, Additional Secretary CA&DD as chief guest.

Individual projects winners are; Habab Idress from Dewan Dayaram Jethmal Sindh Government Science college Karachi, Shadad Rasool, Buriro Pak Turk International Schools and Colleges Kahairpur and Muhammad Ahsan Nawaz, Government Higher Secondary School, Vehari. Group projects winners are; Amir Hussain Khan, Ali Ahmed Karim, Kiran Karim, Aga Khan Higher Secondary School, Karimabad, Karachi.

Aurangzeb Ahmed, Tohami Bin Shafiq, Syed Ali Ahsen Muhammad Jafry Beaconhouse School System, Lahore.

The Intel National Science Fair 2014-15 held in collaboration with Pakistan Science Foundation and Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, supported by Habib Bank limited and Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre showcased more than 94 science projects submitted by 197 young scientists from all four provinces after rigorous competition at district and provincial levels. Winners of the National Science Fair have qualified to compete in the International Science & Engineering Fair, showcasing their talent on an international platform for over $5 million in prizes and scholarships.

“The huge number of students who have qualified for the National Science Fair and the ones who’ve further secured a position in the International Science& Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are proof that Pakistan is home to incredible talent. One of the core outcomes of education is to produce productive citizens and role models for future, which we can only achieve by enabling students in becoming acquainted with and excelling in technology,” said Naveed Siraj, Country Manager, Intel Pakistan. “Pakistani students receive international recognition and gain valuable exposure through this platform, while at the same time showing the real potential for Pakistan around the world. I would like to thank all the students who have participated in the Science Fairs at all the qualifying levels, and wish the winning teams the best of luck in Pittsburgh.”

Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif is taking special interest for controlling law & order situation of Pakistan particularly Karachi. Karachi is an economic hub of Pakistan where conducive law and order situation is imperative for business activities. He stated this at reception hosted by Chairman Afeef Group Rashid Ahmed Siddiqui in honour of President FPCCI Mian Muhammed Adress, SVP Abdul Rahim Janu, Vice Presidents Ikram Rajput, Waseem Vohra and Shenawaz Ishtiaq. On the occation President All Karachi Industrial Alliance Mian Zahid Hussain, S.M. Naseer, Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan, Mumtaz Shaikh, Ikhtiar Baig, Sardar Yasin Malik and Afeef Rashid has spoke and Abdul Sami Khan Yahya Polani, Jawed Ali Ghouri, Zubair Chhaya, Gulzar Firoz, Muneer Sultan, Mehtab uddin Cahwla and others were present.

S.M. Muneer said that arrangements have been made for the Expo Pakistan by TDAP and almost 93% stalls have been booked. Whereas this year genuine buyers were invited instead of relatives as done in the past, so that goods made in Pakistan would be presented before buy-

Pak, IFC sign coop framework agreement MIAN ARSHAD

ers. The President of FPCCI Mian Muhammed Adress said that the working on presenting budget proposal has been undertaken with full force. He further said soon a delegation of FPCCI will meet Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif to apprise him the difficulties being faced by business community and put proposals for increase of business and trade activities.

Mian Zahid Hussain said due to democratic reforms in FPCCI the decision is taking much time to mature. He further said that the success in FPCCI is due to leadership of S.M. Muneer and his teamwork. S.M. Naseer said that we have to work hard for the cause of trade and industry.

Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan said that United Business Group is now a voice of Pakistan and it is imperative to revive the FPCCI by working on the constitution of UBG. The Senior Vice President Abdul Rahim Janu said that it is first time that stalls for the exhibition were allocated through ballet and we are also finding ways for enhancing the income of FPCCI. The President of KATI & Chairman Afeef Group Rashid Ahmed Siddiqui said that Federation would play its due role under the new leadership and the business community has the high hopes that FPCCI would promote trade and business activities.

ISLAMABAD: Dr Mubarik Ahmed, Director General (SARC) PARC & DG DPP Karachi, Waheed Ahmad, Chairman (R&D) PFVA and Dr. Babar Bajwa, Regional Director Pakistan CAB International signing MoU. Dr Iftikhar Ahmad, Chairman PARC, Dr. M. Azeem Khan, DG NARC, Dr. Shahid Masood, Member (Plant Science) PARC and other senior officers of the organizations seen in the picture.

PARC inks MoU with CABI, PFVA to control Papaya Mealy bug

I SLAMABAD —Pakistan Agricultural Re- Laboratory at the SARC-Karachi.

I S L A M A B A D — S e c r e t a r y search Council (PARC) Monday signed a The CABI, SARC-PARC and PFVA will Economic Affairs’ Division (EAD), Mohammad Saleem Sethi and Regional Manager & Head, International Finance Corporation (IFC) Muneer Ferozie, Monday, signed Framework agreement setting out principles for cooperation between the Pakistan and IFC for provision of advisory services. Under the agreement, the IFC, in two phases respectively would provide assistance on project preparation including feasibility reviews and project tendering covering aspects of prequalification, marketing to potential investors, bidding and signing of the PPP contracts, asset sale and share sale/purchase agreements with successful bidders.

The agreement would help GoP departments to carry out the smooth privatization transactions and the IFC would contribute by mobilizing grant funds to cover the cost of external consultations for project implementation. It may be mentioned that World Bank has agreed in the Country Partnership Strategy (2015 – 2019) to assist the Govt of Pakistan in its PPP (public private partnership) and Privatization programmes.

The GoP, in conjunction with the relevant departments aims to increase private sector investment and participation in the infrastructure and social sectors in the form of PPPs and other similar instruments. IFC accordingly would, for each PPP and/or privatization transaction selected for implementation under this Agreement, provide advisory assistance.

Memorandum of Understanding with CAB International (CABI) and All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) Karachi.

The PARC through its regional center Southern-zone Agricultural Research Center (SARC) at University of Karachi signed the MoU here at National Agricultural Research Center (NARC) Islamabad.

Under this MoU, CAB International will provide funding through the USDA funded project to work on the control of Papaya Mealy bug and Apple Mites and Codling Moth in Pakistan. The SARC and PFVA will be the main collaborators in the project while CABI will build capacity of SARC and PFVA members and will also initiate research and development program to control mealy bug which will be a key step towards reducing pests’ risks for horticulture industry in Pakistan. The SARC will also be supported by up-grading a Biological Control

continue to develop and implement such projects in collaborative manner to benefit the horticultural export industry of Pakistan, according to PARC press statement. The PFVA will be main beneficiary of the MoU as the industry cannot withstand as resilient business entity without a solid Research and Development (R&D) base. Being the InterGovernment Agency, CABI and the PARC will continue to support such development activities in the future as well, to steer horticultural export industry development.

Dr. Mubarik Ahmed, Director General (SARC) PARC & DG DPP Karachi, Waheed Ahmad, Chairman (R&D) PFVA and Dr. KARACHI: President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Iftikhar Ahmed Babar Bajwa, Regional Director Pakistan Vohra presenting KCCI’s crest to Ambassador of Nepal, Bharat Raj Paudyal, during CAB International signed the MoU whereas his visit to KCCI. Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad, Chairman PARC, Dr. M. Azeem Khan, DG NARC, Dr. Shahid Masood, Member (Plant Sciences) PARC and other senior officers of the organizations witnessed the ceremony.—APP

P&G promotes professional leadership among youngsters STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—The P&G CEO Challenge went

live in more than 7 countries, providing students international exposure and a true insight into how a multinational company like P&G operates. The initiative is born from P&G’s ‘promote-from-within’ approach to leadership development, which focuses on recruiting the best talent and investing in their development. P&G’s commitment to developing future leaders is well renowned - Chief Executive Magazine has named P&G the best overall company for leadership development in its list of “Best Companies for Leaders” for 3 consecutive years.

P&G, the maker of world-renowned products such as Pampers, Always, Safeguard, Ariel, Head & Shoulders and Pantene, provided students from universities across Pakistan an exciting opportunity to test their entrepreneurial skills in a regional case study competition titled “P&G CEO Challenge” In line with the same spirit, the P&G

CEO Challenge aims at developing and grooming university students by providing substantial leadership opportunities for them early on, before they embark on their professional journey. The P&G CEO Challenge saw a large number of applications with more than 700 teams registering from over 20 universities across Pakistan. The competition was divided into five phases and followed an elimination process in which teams were provided a case specific to P&G brands. Each brand case focused on the different functional elements of managing business on the brand. The top 5 teams participated in phase 3, competing for the opportunity to represent Pakistan in the cluster round against university teams from the Middle East region. The teams were required to brainstorm and present innovative solutions to the business problems specific to their case with the winning team from Pakistan emerging from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).

PESHAWAR: Chairman All Pakistan Flour Association KP, Naeem Butt chairing the meeting of executive body at provincial Head Office.

Huawei Consumer Business Group announces financial results, crosses $10b mark L AHORE —Huawei Consumer Business Group (BG) the respondents in those countries. According to IPSOS, Monday announced its 2014 financial performance. Total sales revenue increased 30% year-on-year to USD 12.2 billion, crossing the 10 billion mark for the first time.

Shipment grew by 7.8% to a total of 138 million devices in 2014, including 75 million smartphones, representing a year-on-year increase of 45%. “Our strategy of focusing on premium mid- to high- end products has borne fruit, with 2014 resulting in significant achievements in a number of areas including product R&D, brand awareness, channel development and growth in market share which further consolidated our number three position in the global smartphone market. The global influence of our brand has continued to grow, and Huawei has become the first mainland Chinese company to successfully enter Interbrand’s Top 100 Global Brands of 2014 list,” said Mr. Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer BG. One of the most notable achievements of 2014 is the shipment contribution of mid- to high- end smartphones which rose to 18%. Huawei P7, one of Huawei Consumer BG’s premium flagship products, achieved global shipment of four million units only six months after it was launched in Paris in May while Huawei Mate7 has been overwhelmingly well-received among business executives in all markets and shipped over two million units only three months since its launch in September last year.

Also of note is a significant growth in revenue contribution from open channels (including E-commerce), which accounted for 41% of the total revenue. As of the end of 2014, Huawei Consumer BG has established 630 Huawei branded shops, these factors have contributed to the enhancement of the online and offline retail shopping experience for consumers. The growing popularity of our mid- to high- end smartphones among consumers has been enhanced by internet marketing initiatives, enabling Huawei’s brand awareness to continue its expansion around the globe.

A recent consumer survey report from IPSOS, which covered 32 countries, found that Huawei’s brand awareness rose from 52% in 2013 to 65% in 2014, meaning that the Huawei brand is recognized by nearly two thirds of

Huawei’s Net Promoter Score (consumers who had recommended Huawei handsets to others) reached 43%, placing it among the top three brands in the report. Huawei is also among the top three brands in terms of Brand Momentum which reflect Huawei’s success in improving its brand experience for consumers and further strengthen the brand’s competitive edge on the global stage.

The Honor brand unveiled by Huawei last year also delivered solid performance in 2014. Shipment of Honor devices reached 20 million units, with Honor 3C series shipping more than eight million units, Honor 3X series over four million units and Honor 6 over three million units.

By the end of 2014, the Honor brand had established a presence in more than 60 countries and regions around the world. Huawei Consumer BG has been focusing on mid- to high- end premium devices since 2012. From Huawei P1 to P7 in the P series, from Huawei Mate to Mate7 in the Mate7 series, from Honor 6 to Honor 6 Plus, all of the flagship devices of Huawei Consumer BG aim to differentiate themselves with the extraordinary user experience brought to consumers by Huawei’s core competency. P series redefines smartphone design and offers superb cameras; Mate series stands out by its large screen and strong battery life; Honor products provide consumers outstanding connectivity, quality and strong battery life.

Mr. Shao Yang, the Vice-President of Marketing, Huawei Consumer BG said, “The dual-Huawei and Honor brand strategy has proven to be highly successful, creating synergies which have resulted in raising brand awareness and market share of the Huawei Consumer BG as a whole. The Huawei brand has consolidated its leading position in mid- to high- end smartphone market while the Honor brand has established itself as a bold and popular brand among digital native consumers.” 2015 will be a year of strategic deployment for Huawei Consumer BG, in which Huawei Consumer BG will leverage the opportunities in Internet, the Internet of Things and car networking to achieve breakthroughs in various business areas including products, brand, marketing, channel, retail and e-commerce.—NNI

KARACHI: Journalist are in queue for turn to verify their mobile sim card owner data outside a customer care stall at Press Club.—PO photo by Sultan Chaki

Dr. Zeelaf Munir, Chairperson, Executive Management Board of English Biscuit Manufacturers (Pvt) Ltd with Agha Khan University Hospital’s senior management team at the inaugural ceremony of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Petition seeking life ban for Amir admitted in SHC KARACHI—The Sindh High Court on

Monday admitted a petition calling for

the imposition of a life time ban on paceman Mohammad Amir, who was cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Jan 29 to play domestic cricket.

48 players vying for honours KARACHI—The main round

of the Champion Hunt Initiative Programme for Squash (CHIPS) begins at the PN Roshan KhanJahangir Khan squash complex on Monday with 48 players vying for honours in three categories — under13, under-15 and under-17.

Forty two players have earned the nod directly while the remaining six have come through one-day qualifiers that took place on Sunday.

The players who have have qualified include Mujtaba Gadit and M. Rafi Khan (under-13), Aun Abbas and M. Hammad (under-15) and Saad Abdullah and Abdul Malik (under-17).—APP

Gujrat-Jhelum Blue beat Sialkot Yellow to win cricket tourney SPORTS REPORTER

In his petition, citizen Rana Faizul Hasan said that players who had brought disgrace to the nation should not be allowed to play the sport.

He added that the International Cricket Council and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had allowed Amir to participate in domestic matches, paving his way for a return to international cricket.

The petition names the Government of Pakistan, chairman PCB and Mohammad Amir as respondents.

A division bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar will hear the petition, with the next hearing fixed for February 16.

The court also issued notices to the Government of Pakistan through the federal law secretary, PCB chairman Shahryar Khan and Mohammad Amir to submit their responses by the next hearing of the case.

Former captain Salman Butt, bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were banned for spot-fixing during the Pakistan team’s tour of England in 2010. The spot-fix-

Pak Gymkhana, Bright CC enter QF of Omar Associates Trophy

Ski Federation revises schedule for winter games SPORTS REPORTER

Govt to provide modern sports facilities to people: Mashhood SALIM AHMED

LAHORE—Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad

Shahbaz Sharif has constituted a coordina-

K ARACHI —Pak Gymkhana and Bright Farzand Khan 24, Kamran Khan 20, Abdul ISLAMABAD—The Ski Fed- tion committee headed by Senior Member Cricket Club advanced in the quarterfinals of Omar Associates Trophy KCCA ZoneIV Colour Kit Cricket Tournament after easy victories the other day.

Mehtab Hussain smashed a superb 74 with nine boundaries as Pakistan Gymkhana overwhelmed Punjab CC by 53 runs at Steel Town Gymkhana Ground.

At Bright Gymkhana Ground, Bright CC thrashed Falcon Sports by 125 runs.Mir Bukhtiar Ali who scored 53 was named man of the match.

Summarised scores: Pak Gymkhana bt Punjab CC by 53 runs. Pak Gymkhana 247 all out in 35 overs (Mehtab Hussain 74, Waleed Ahmed 43, Anwar Khan 28, Ikhtiar Shah 4/47) Modern Gymkhana 164 all out in 29.3 overs (Sajid Ali 44, Adeel Ahmed 32, Zafar Iqbal 3/35, Kamran Khan 2/8, Shahid Nadeem 2/32) Bright CC bt Falcon CC by 125 runs. Bright CC 215-9 in 35 overs (Mir Bakhtiar 53, M Tufail 40, Abdul Rehman 29,

Rehman 3/14, Sajjad Ahmed 2/9, Mehtabuddin 2/12).

Meanwhile, the four days Pakistan Inter University Zone H Cricket Championship 2015 hosted by the University of Sindh in collaboration with Higher Education Commission Islamabad kicked off at the PCB Sindh University Ground Jamshoro on Monday.

Vice Chancellor Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslam Ukeli inaugurated the championship in which a total of seven teams including University of Sindh, Sindh Agriculture University Tando jam, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro , Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro, Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur, Isra University Hyderabad and Quaid Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology Nawabshah are taking part.—APP

Formula One: Vettel fastest on Ferrari bow JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA (Spain)—Four- return to McLaren. time world champions Sebastian Vettel sent

S IALKOT —In connections an early season warning to double world

with the centennial celebrations of the Lions Club (1917-2017), a limited over tape-ball cricket tournament was held under the auspices of the Eden Lions Club and Emirates Air Lines in Garrison Park Sialkot. In the final match of the tournament Gujrat-Jehlum Blue beat Sialkot Yellow by 9 wickets.

The team of Islamabad Green stood third in the competition. Abdul Waheed Rabbani, Malik Furqan and Raja Aleem were declared as the best batsman, best bowler and fielder of the tournament respectively.

The chief guests District Governors Lions Club Dr Ahmed Shafi, Ch Shafqat Khawar and ex-President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Sh Abdul Majeed gave away first, second and third position prizes to Jawad Ali, Arif Khawar Butt and Dr Idrees, the captains of Islamabad, Sialkot and Gujrat-Jehlum and other prominent performers.

ing took place during the fourth test at Lord’s.

The trio, who also served jail sentences in the United Kingdom, were given minimum five year bans by the anti-corruption tribunal of the ICC but while the ban for Butt and Amir ends in August 2015, the former also has been given a two-year suspended sentence.

Amir was allowed to return to domestic cricket earlier than the stipulated, since under the ICC’s revised anti-corruption code a banned player can apply to ICC’s Anti Corruption and Security Unit Chairman (ACSU) to allow him to resume playing domestic cricket before the end of his ban.

An ICC statement said the ACSU Chairman was satisfied that Amir had cooperated with the unit by fully disclosing his part in the matters that led to his disqualification, admitting ISLAMABAD: NAB has joined hands with Pakistan hockey team to pledge against corruption displaying NAB’s his guilt, showing remorse and coop- official message “Say No To Corruption”. erating with the Unit’s ongoing investigations and by recording messages for the ACSU education sessions.”—APP

champions Mercedes by clocking the fastest time on his first day of testing with Ferrari in Jerez on Sunday.

The German was the first man out on the track, even sending a message by overtaking Nico Rosberg in the pit lane on the way out for his first lap in the SF15T Ferrari.

It wasn’t until well into the afternoon that he surpassed Rosberg on the track, though, as he posted a best time of 1min 22.690secs during his 60 laps.

Vettel’s positive opening day was in stark contrast to his disastrous test in Jerez during a troubled final season with Red Bull last year when he lodged just 11 laps over two days.

It was also a good day for Sauber as Markus Ericsson was surprisingly also faster than Rosberg.

However, the Mercedes engines were still dominant when it came to time out on the track as Rosberg racked up 157 laps and last season’s surprise package Valteri Bottas completed 73.

The biggest strugglers on the opening day of the four-day session in southern Spain were McLaren as their new Hondapowered MP4-30 could only manage six laps.

It was particularly disappointing for the huge numbers of Spanish fans who had turned out to see Fernando Alonso on his

The two-time world champion was also

eration of Pakistan (SKF) has announced the revised Winter Games 2015 schedule.

The federation had last week announced cancellation of some winter ski competitions and postponing the others.

According to the new programme issued here on Monday, the training camp for men ski competitions will commence on Tuesday at Gilgit-Gilgit Baltistan’s Naltar Ski slope.

All he ski associations and clubs, including Civil Aviation Authority Pakistan, Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy and GilgitBaltistan Scouts have reached at Naltar, said a spokesman of the Ski Federation.

He said the opening ceremony of men ski competitions would be held on February 7.

He said the most prestigious and big events of the winter games such as the National Ski Championship and the Shah Khan Ski Cup would be held on February 15.

More than two dozen ski associations of all the provinces, Armed forces, GilgitBaltistan and Islamabad CAA, Gilgit-Baltistan scouts and teams will chip in the events.

Lyallpur National Tchoukball C’ship for Women begins F AISALABAD —The way off the pace during his brief stint on the track, trailing over 18 seconds behind the time set by Vettel.

Red Bull faired significantly better than 12 months ago as Daniel Ricciardo went fourth fastest in registering 35 laps.

The test in Jerez will be followed by two more in Barcelona later this month ahead of the new season, which starts in Melbourne on 15 March.—AFP

SIALKOT: Eden Lion and Emirates airline One Day Tournament winner Gujrat Jhelum Blue Captain receiving Award from chief guest.

2nd Lyallpur National Tchoukball Championship for Women kicked off at Sports Complex, University of Agriculture Faisalabad on Monday.

Eight teams from Lahore, DG Khan, Bannu, Bhawalpur, Mirpur Khas, Hyaiderabad, Faisalabad White and Faisalabad Colors are taking part in the championship.

DCO Faisalabad Noorul Amin Mengal inaugurated the event.

Speaking on the occaison, he said that Faisalabad was a fertile sports district which had provided international players of cricket, football, Hockey, Handball and Snooker to the nation.

He announced cash prize of Rs 100,000 for first position, Rs 50,000 for runner up and Rs 30,000 for third position.

In the inaugural ceremony, students from Junior and Laboratory Girls Higher Secondary School performed all folks of the country, showing the colors of traditional culture.

MPA Dr Najma Afzal Khan, Ex-MPA Khawaja Muhammad Islam, Prof Dr Khalil ur Rehman Principal Officer Schools UAF, Basit Shakeel Hashmi President Pakistan Tchoukball Federation, Emmanuel Asad Secretary General PTBF, Mrs. Nasira Kafeel President, PTBF Ladies Wing, and Tariq Nazir DO Sports Faisalabad were also present.—APP

Board of Revenue regarding shifting of General Bus Stand Badami Bagh Lahore to Shahdara and restoration of cricket ground, gymnasium and wrestling arena besides other sports facilities in Iqbal Park Lahore.

Secretary Transport Punjab, Secretary Sports Punjab and Secretary Industry will be members of this committee. The committee will submit final recommendations to Punjab Chief Minister.

This was stated by Provincial Minister for Sports & Education Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan while presiding over a meeting to review restoration of playgrounds affected due to Azadi Flyover and other development projects at Iqbal Park (Minto Park) Lahore today. Secretary Sports, Tourism & Youth Affairs Punjab Muhammad Khan Khitchi, Director General Sports Punjab Usman Anwar, Director General PHA Mian Shakil Ahmed, General Manager (TEVTA) Akhtar Bharwana, Deputy Secretary Transport Sohail Khawaja and concerned officers of City District Government Lahore attended the meeting.

Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan said that the development of playgrounds and construction of infrastructure for providing modern sports facilities to the people of walled city and surrounding areas at Iqbal Park Lahore is of great importance.

He appreciated that the General Bus Terminal Badami Bagh consisting of 282 kanal land and auto workshop adjacent to it are being shifted. He said that Punjab government has decided to set up new general bus terminal at 303 kanal land at Shahdara Mor. He said that besides 282 kanal land of old bus terminal, 56 kanal land owned by Punjab Sports Board after shifting of vegetable market Lahore to alternate place and 252 kanal land retrieved in the second phase will be given to Sports Board Punjab so that modern facilities of international standard of various sports could be provided to the people.

The meeting decided that one technical institute out of three technical institutions own by TEVTA situated other site of Ravi Road will be shifted to Faisalabad while the remaining two institutions continue to work there whereas besides constructing Vehicle Examination & Certification Center, Chand Memorial Cricket Ground comprising 36 kanal will be equipped with modern facilities.

FAISALABAD: A view of first match of 2nd Lyallpur National Tchoukball Championship for Women 2015 played between Bannu and Mirpur Khas teams at Sports Complex of University of Agriculture.

Golf: Teenager Ko becomes youngest world No.1 O CALA

(Florida)—Seventeen-year-old one-stroke lead and was disappointed not Lydia Ko of New Zealand became the to win the tournament, saying she hadn’t youngest golfer to hold top spot in the thought about her ranking. “I didn’t really world rankings by tying for second place know what I needed to do to get in that at the LPGA season-opening Coates Golf position.

All I was focused on was trying to play my Championship in Ocala, Florida.

American Tiger Woods was previously best out here today,” she said. “So it’s a the youngest golfer to become world num- huge honour to be in that ranking. “I’m ber one when he did it in 1997 at 21, while just going to just focus on my golf, not Shin Ji-yai held the women’s record after think about the rankings. The rankings always comes after the results.”—APP reaching top spot in 2010 aged 22.

The Korean-born Ko, led by as many as four strokes in the final round but slipped behind after a double-bogey six at the 17th hole as she finished one shot behind winner and good friend Choi Na-yeon of South Korea, who fired a 68.

Still, it good enough to lift her ahead of Inbee Park of South Korea in the rankings.

“It’s amazing,” said Ko, who also ended the 2014 season by winning the CME Titleholders event in November and a $1 million prize for claiming the season-long points race.

Ko, who as a 15-year-old amateur in 2012 became the youngest ever winner on the tour, shot a one-under-par 71 for 15-under 273 to share second with American Jessica Korda and Jang Ha-na of South Korea at the Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club.

OCALA: Na Yeon Choi of South Korea poses with the winThe precocious Ko be- ners trophy following her victory at the Coates Golf Chamgan the final round with a pionship at the Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club.

Australia to enter World Cup in top spot in ODI rankings D UBAI —Australia will enter ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen and Steven Finn (11 wickets for 235 in five Cricket World Cup 2015 in pole position in the latest ICC ODI Team Rankings which were released on Monday following its 112-run tri-series final victory over England in Perth on Sunday.

“Australia’s victory means that it currently holds a six-point advantage over second-placed India, who also featured in the series, and the reigning ICC Cricket World Cup champion is a point clear of South Africa who lies a further point behind on 113 points,” said a an International Cricket Council news release issued on Monday.

With a number of ODI series concluding in recent days, the second and final match between New Zealand and Pakistan is set to be played on Tuesday, with the Black Caps holding a 10 lead following its seven-wicket win in Wellington on Saturday.

A victory for sixth-placed New Zealand would see it reduce England’s lead to two points, while a win for seventh-placed Pakistan would level the series 1-1 and reduce the gap on the Black Caps to three points.The 14 competing teams will then complete their final ICC Cricket World Cup warm-up fixtures ahead of the beginning of the tournament on February 14.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Glenn Maxwell has moved up 19 places to a career high 17th position in the ICC

Vela to undergo meniscus operation MADRID —Real

Sociedad boss David Moyes has received a huge blow with the news that top scorer Carlos

Vela faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a torn internal meniscus.

The Mexican had to be substituted early in Sociedad’s 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid on Saturday and is expected to miss at least the next six weeks.

“During the game in Madrid he suffered a twisted right knee,” the club said in a statement on their website.

“Once clinical examinations and scans had taken place, the existence of an internal meniscus tear was found. “After consulting specialists to evaluate the best course of action, we have decided on surgery.” The Basques have only managed nine goals in 10 league games since Moyes took charge in November, of which Vela has scored five.—AFP

is the highest mover in the top 20 after scoring 152 runs in five matches, while James Faulkner (up 14 places to a career high 21st) is just two ratings points behind South Africa’s Faf du Plessis in 20th place.

England’s Ian Bell, who was the highest runs scorer in the series (247 runs) has also vaulted 13 places to 25th. South Africa’s AB de Villiers remains in top spot, 24 points clear of his team-mate Hashim Amla.

There were also positive progressions for Black Caps batsman Luke Ronchi (up 33 places to a career high 27th), who could feature in Tuesday’s ODI in Napier, and England’s James Taylor (up 53 places to 86th).

In the ICC Players Rankings for ODI Bowlers, England’s James Anderson has moved up two places to fourth spot after taking seven wickets in the tri-series, at an average of just under 20.

Australia’s Mitchell Starc, who was the top wicket-taker in the series (12 wickets for 196 in five matches) has moved up five places to seventh, while England’s top wicket-taker,

matches), has progressed 14 places to 12th. Moeen Ali has also progressed his rankings by 41 places to 56th after taking seven wickets for 200 in the series.

Other recent significant movers include West Indies bowler Jason Holder (up 18 places to a career high 41st) and New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult (up 56 places to a career high 61st).

Meanwhile, in the ICC ODI Player Rankings for ODI All-rounders, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan has regained the number one ranking after moving up two places, 10 points clear of Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews in second place.

To find out exactly how forthcoming series will affect the Rankings Table, please click here. The ODI and T20I Rankings tables, unlike the Test Rankings Table, are updated after every match.—AFP

ICC ODI Team Rankings

RankTeam ......................... Rating 1 ...... Australia ......................... 120 2 ...... India ................................. 114 3 ...... South Africa ................... 113 4 ...... Sri Lanka ......................... 109 5 ...... England ........................... 104 6 ...... New Zealand .................. 101 7 ...... Pakistan ............................. 96 8 ...... West Indies ....................... 94 9 ...... Bangladesh ....................... 75 10 .... Zimbabwe .......................... 53 11 .... Afghanistan ...................... 41 12 .... Ireland ................................ 34

GLASGOW: Celtic midfielder James Forrest (centre) vies for the ball with Ian Black and Darren McGregor of Rangers during the semi-final match of Scottish League Cup.

Celtic cruise past rivals Rangers to League Cup final Michael Clarke ‘ready to play under Smith’s captaincy’

G LASGOW —Celtic cruised into the as Rangers failed to test ‘keeper Craig manner of the goals his side conceded.

S Y D N E Y —Australian skipper Michael

Clarke, battling to regain fitness from hamstring surgery and chronic back pain, said Monday he would be prepared to play under the captaincy of young gun Steve Smith.

Amid reports that the team prefers the standskipper who has had a sensational summer at the crease ahead of the World Cup, Clarke insisted his relationship with his teammates was exceptional.

And asked on Triple M radio if he would play under Smith’s leadership, the 33-year-old replied: “Most definitely I would.” Clarke said he had already been in Smith’s position himself.

“I feel for Smithy because I sat in his shoes when a lot of the media were calling for [former captain] Ricky Ponting [to go].

“It’s certainly not personal between Smithy and I. We’ve been friends for a long time and we’ll continue to be. The people that sit above both him and I will make their decisions,” Clarke said.

“Whatever they feel are the best 11 players, they will pick that 11. Whoever they feel is the best captain for the team then they’ll pick that.”

Clarke did his best to bat away reports on Fairfax media that the players prefer the laid-back Smith, who is eight years his junior. “I’d like to know where it’s coming from,” he said.

“It’s obviously disappointing because I haven’t been around the team ...for the last seven weeks now I’ve been away from the group.

“I feel like my relationship with Cricket Australia, especially my team-

Scottish League Cup final with a comfortable 2-0 victory over rivals Rangers in the first Old Firm derby in nearly three years.

It wasn’t the record rout that many mates, is exceptional. I speak to all my predicted before the match, but it was teammates regularly.” an entirely uneven contest with the Clarke was forced to bow out after Scottish Premiership leaders lauding it over their city rivals to claim victory in the 400th competitive outing of one of the world’s fiercest rivalries.

Leigh Griffiths headed home the opener after just 10 minutes and Kris Commons, one of four Celtic players in the starting 11 who had featured in the fixture previously, rifled home a second in the 31st minute as the Hoops threatened to run riot.

The Celtic supporters smelt blood but their side failed to go for the jugular as they seemed content to play within themselves in the second half

the first Test against India in December with the serious hamstring injury, and Smith filled in as captain for the three remaining Tests.

Smith last week capped a remarkable season by sweeping the main awards at the annual Allan Border Medal ceremony, including Australian player of the year.

Cricket Australia has given Clarke until Australia’s second pool match against Bangladesh on February 21 to prove his fitness for the World Cup. He hit 51 for his local Western Suburbs team on Saturday in his first comeback game, including two fours and a six, and said medical staff considered his recovery was ahead of schedule.

Clarke is now set to play for a Cricket Australia XI in a practice one-dayer against Bangladesh in Brisbane on Thursday.—AFP

Three rivals take on Blatter for FIFA presidency L A U S A N N E — F o o t b a l l ’s

world governing body FIFA announced on Monday that four candidates are bidding to become its president, including long-time incumbent Sepp Blatter.

The three others who have thrown their hat into the ring are Asian Football Confederation vice-president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan, former Portugal international Luis Figo and Dutch football chief Michael van Praag. After that the FIFA executive committee will meet in Zurich on May 29 and decide if Blatter will get a fifth term as president or bring in a new man.—AFP

Three of ICC’s top 10 bowlers face suspension T

HREE of the world’s top 10 ODI bowlers face suspension from bowling over illegal action, says data released by the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) on one-day international (ODI) rankings, Currently at the top spot, Pakistan’s ace spinner Saeed Ajmal was suspended from bowling by the ICC on September 9. Not only his ‘doosra’, Ajmal’s off-spinner was also declared to be illegal.

An independent ICC analysis revealed that all of the Ajmal’s deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations.

The 37-year-old off-spinner is undergoing remedial work on his bowling action and vows to make a comeback to the international arena.

Sunil Narine of West Indies, the second best bowler in the world in ICC’s ODI ranking, was reported twice for a suspect action during the last year’s Champions League T20 and was later barred from bowling.

The off-spinner has also withdrawn his name from the West Indies World Cup squad, saying

he needed more time to work on his remodeled action.

Narine has undergone intense remedial work on his action and preliminary tests have shown

him bowling all his deliveries under the 15 degrees flexion allowance now.

Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez takes the eight spot on the list and faces a similar bar from bowling as that of Sunil Narine.

Hafeez’s arm both around and over the wicket exceeded the limit of 15 degrees. Over the wicket, Hafeez turned his arm at angles measuring from 16 to 18 degrees while around the wicket it ranged between 12 and 19 degrees.

Hafeez has also failed to clear two unofficial bio-mechanics tests conducted to assess the legality of his bowling action.

ICC’s crackdown on bowlers, especially spinners, was not received well by many experts of the game.

Former West Indies captain and batting icon Viv Richards believed the ICC’s crackdown on bowlers with suspect actions has come at the wrong time and it should have been done a while ago.

“In my opinion such action should have been taken some time ago and on a wider basis because these guys have been there for quite some time,” Richards had said.

Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood had also questioned the timing of the decision when the ICC had referred Ajmal for a suspect bowling action.

“It’s not fair when they say he’s not bowling with a legal action ... He’s been playing cricket for so long, so why now?” Mahmood had said.

Gordon.

Celtic will now face Dundee United in the final on March 15 while Rangers, who are still plagued by financial problems and boardroom battles, will refocus their attention on trying to catch Hearts in the race for the Scottish Championship.

“I think 2-0 was a fair result,” Celtic manager Ronny Deila said.

“In the first half we had four chances and we scored two which was okay. The second half we didn’t have many but they didn’t have a shot on target either.

“It was a very good day. There was an unbelievable atmosphere in the stadium and the players were unbelievably focussed and performed very well so I’m proud of the boys.”

Rangers caretaker manager Kenny McDowall was disappointed with the

“We were set up to try and keep it tight early on in the game so to lose a goal like that threw a spanner in the works and unsettled people,” McDowall said.

“It made the first half sticky and difficult. I thought we did far better in the second half but just couldn’t get the goal to make it interesting.”

The match at Hampden was the first meeting of the Old Firm since April 2012 with Rangers subsequently forced to start life again in the country’s bottom tier following liquidation in June 2012.

The match, which was televised live in 54 countries around the world, had been keenly anticipated by supporters of both clubs but the atmosphere around the stadium prior to kick-off was strangely subdued, as if the fans had forgotten what to do in the absence of the fixture.—AFP

Junaid out of Cricket WC K ARACHI —Pakistan’s left-arm fast and Mohammad Hafeez and the injured bowler Junaid Khan was ruled out of the upcoming World Cup after failing to pass his fitness test, he said Monday.

Junaid suffered a hamstring injury in his right leg after he slipped and fell while bowling during the third day of the national training camp at the Gaddafi Stadium before Pakistan’s departure for New Zealand.

“Junaid appeared in a fitness test and was not found fit enough to play the World Cup,” a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman said.

Junaid was one of the senior bowlers in Pakistan’s pace attack, which includes Moham-mad Irfan, Wahab Riaz, and upand-coming Ehsan Adil.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t pass the fitness test. But perhaps this was God’s will. My prayers are with the Pakistan team,” Junaid tweeted.

The development comes as a big blow to Pakistan who are already without the services of the suspended Saeed Ajmal

Umar Gul for the World Cup. Bilawal Bhatti, who replaced Junaid for Pakistan’s two-match s e r i e s against N e w Zealand, is expected to fill his place in the World Cup squad as well.

Shoaib Malik, Sohail Tanvir and Azhar Ali, meanwhile, have been been put on stand-by by the touring committee and there is a possibility that Pakistan don’t opt for a like-for-like replacement.—APP

Imran Khan’s second cancer hospital to be ready by year-end Bipin Dani OBSERVER CORRESPONDENT M UMBAI —In 1992 Imran retired after winning the World Cup and went on to build the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Lahore. He appealed to his World Cup winning team-mates and Pakistani fans to donate for the noble cause.

23-years later the former Pakistan captain is all set to open a new hospital in Peshawar, according to Dr. Faisal Sultan, the CEO at the hospital.

Speaking exclusively over his mobile from Lahore, the CEO says, “the hospital building is being under construction and is hoped to be ready by this year end”.

“Imran’s second hospital will be more equipped with the latest equipments”, he

added.

“I am not sure whether Imran would be in Melbourne on March 29, but yes, if Pakistan team reaches to the World Cup final, the possibility can’t be ruled out”.

“Imran Khan has appealed to the donors to fill his pocket with Rs. 1 billion needed for the completion of the hospital and has received good response all over the world”, Dr. Sultan further added.

The first Cancer Hospital in Pakistan was Imran Khan’s dream when his mother Shaukat Khanum died of cancer in 1985 for the lack of facilities in his country.

Imran Khan’s cousins, Javed Burki and Majid Khan have also played for the country. The Pakistani present captain Misbah ul Haq, like Imran, is a Niazi and that two are related.

Added fructose driving the Terror attack in Sindh part of international rise in diabetics, study finds conspiracy: Manzoor

C

ONSUMPTION of foods and bev erages containing added sugars, particularly added fructose, is a major factor behind the dramatic rise in type 2 diabetes, contends a study. Worldwide, approximately one in ten adults has type 2 diabetes, with the number of individuals afflicted by the disease across the globe more than doubling from 153 million in 1980 to 347 million in 2008, the study noted.

“At current levels, added-sugar consumption, and added-fructose consumption in particularly, are fueling a worsening epidemic of type 2 diabetes,” said lead author James DiNicolantonio, a cardiovascular research scientist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in the US. For the study, researchers examined animal experiments and human studies.

Data from recent trials suggest that replacing glucose-only starch with fructose-containing table sugar (sucrose) results in significant adverse metabolic effects. “The totality of the evidence is compelling to suggest that added sugar, and especially added fructose (usually in the form of high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar), are a serious and growing public health problem,” the authors noted.

While fructose is found naturally in some whole foods like fruits and veg-

ICAP, UoL sign MoU KARACHI—The Institute of

Chartered Accountants of Pa-

etables, consuming these foods poses no problem for human health, they pointed out. Indeed, consuming fruits and vegetables is likely protective against diabetes and broader cardiometabolic dysfunction, the authors explained. Dietary guidelines should be modified to encourage individuals to replace processed foods, laden with added sugars and fructose, with whole foods like fruits and vegetables, they proposed.

Meanwhile, an analysis conducted by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) found that If new hypertension guidelines are followed sincerely, it could help us significantly prevent deaths owing to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) each year without increasing overall health care costs.

“Our findings clearly show that it would be worthwhile to significantly increase spending on office visits, home blood pressure monitoring and interventions to improve treatment adherence,” said lead author Andrew E. Moran, the Herbert Irving Assistant Professor of Medicine at CUMC. “In fact, we could double treatment and monitoring spending for some patients - namely those with severe hypertension - and still break even,” he added. In the new guidelines released by the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, stage 1 hypertension is defined as a systolic BP of 140-159 mm Hg or a diastolic BP of 90-99 mm Hg.

kistan and University of Lahore signed a MoU on Monday. The MOU was signed by Yaqoob Suttar, ICAP and Dr. Muhammad

Saleem Shuja, UoL at University of Lahore new Campus in the presence of Chairman UOL, Awais Raoof and other officials.—INP

IRFAN ALIGI KARACHI —The gangs of

criminals and terrorist had increased their efforts to keep the Sindh provincial government to lag in the race of development, which was a planned conspiracy of enemies of Pakistan. It was on record that when the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was in power, the non-state actors and enemies of the country joined hands together to fail the PPP’s government by creating crises one after another but the PPP had always foiled their plans and continued to serve the masses.

PPP Karachi Division Deputy Information Secretary Manzoor Abbas said this Monday. He said the PPP Sindh government had invited investors from across the globe to invest in mega projects that would aim at taking the province and the country to the apex of progress. In this regard, the PPP Sindh government had signed many memorandum of understandings (MoU) with many interna-

tional firms but at the same time the enemies of the province, country and the people accelerated their activities for sabotaging onward plans of progress and development.

The suicide blast in Shikarpur was one of the recent proof of the fact that the terrorist had simply wreaked havoc on the innocent people of a particular sect with the intention to cause to confront two religious sects in armed clash.

However, PPP Sindh government and the people of the province had foiled that conspiracy with unity.

He said the association of Pakistan with China in country’s development had proposed an economic corridor in which Sindh was not included while the fact was that Sindh was the only province that contributed around 70 percent to the national exchequer while the province also had natural ports and had major oil and gas reserves.

Coal reserves in Tharparkar were a major part of that rich resources of energy.

Daughters of Naseer Ahmad, who was arrested during raid of Rangers on 20th January, weep during a protest demonstration to demand his release on Monday.

Doctors boycott OPDs in protest against target killings K ARACHI —Doctors

in Karachi boycotted outdoor patient departments (OPDs) in all private and government hospitals in protest against increasing incidents target killings and extortion in the mega city on Monday.

The protest call was given by Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) which was backed by various organizations.

PMA Secretary Dr

Saqib Ansari vowed that doctors will protest every second day until their demands are met. During protest, doctors will only attend admitted patients and emergency units, he said.

As per details, 17 doctors were gunned down in 2014 in various areas of the metropolis whereas four doctors have been murdered this year. Reportedly, many of the doctors are receiving

Autonomous Organizations and Private sector. ILO is collaborating with EFP (Employers’ Federation of Pakistan).

The event will attend larger numbers from industry, elite

and officials includes ILO’s Director Mr. Francesco d’ Ovdio will also attend the event along with President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Summit on of sexual harassment at workplace STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—Employers’ Fed-

eration of Pakistan is to hold one day an awareness summit on the “Act of sexual Ha-

rassment at Workplace – 2010” on 4th February, 2015 at Islamabad Hotel. Justice (R) Yasmeen Abbassi is to Chair the program. The law is applicable on all Government

life threats from extortionists.—INP

Added fructose driving the rise in diabetics, study finds

C

ONSUMPTION of foods and bev erages containing added sugars, particularly added fructose, is a major factor behind the dramatic rise in type 2 diabetes, contends a study. Worldwide, approximately one in ten adults has type 2 diabetes, with the number of individuals afflicted by the disease across the globe more than doubling from 153 million in 1980 to 347 million in 2008, the study noted.

“At current levels, added-sugar consumption, and added-fructose consumption in particularly, are fueling a worsening epidemic of type 2 diabetes,” said lead author James DiNicolantonio, a cardiovascular research scientist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in the US. For the study, researchers examined animal experiments and human studies.

Data from recent trials suggest that replacing glucose-only starch with fructose-containing table sugar (sucrose) results in significant adverse metabolic effects. “The totality of the evidence is compelling to suggest that added sugar, and especially added fructose (usually in the form of high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar), are a serious and growing public health problem,” the authors noted.

While fructose is found naturally in some whole foods like fruits and veg-

etables, consuming these foods poses no problem for human health, they pointed out. Indeed, consuming fruits and vegetables is likely protective against diabetes and broader cardiometabolic dysfunction, the authors explained. Dietary guidelines should be modified to encourage individuals to replace processed foods, laden with added sugars and fructose, with whole foods like fruits and vegetables, they proposed.

Meanwhile, an analysis conducted by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) found that If new hypertension guidelines are followed sincerely, it could help us significantly prevent deaths owing to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) each year without increasing overall health care costs. “Our findings clearly show that it would be worthwhile to significantly increase spending on office visits, home blood pressure monitoring and interventions to improve treatment adherence,” said lead author Andrew E. Moran, the Herbert Irving Assistant Professor of Medicine at CUMC. “In fact, we could double treatment and monitoring spending for some patients - namely those with severe hypertension - and still break even,” he added.

In the new guidelines released by the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, stage 1 hypertension is defined as a systolic BP of 140-159 mm Hg or a diastolic BP of 90-99 mm Hg.

Traffic on the move in city during rain on Monday morning.

Shahbaz for benefiting people from cut in PoL prices SALIM AHMED L AHORE —Punjab

Residents of Gulistan Colony holding a demonstration to press on their demands.

LWMC removes 1300 tons waste along railway lines across city MUZAFFAR ALI L AHORE —Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) removed more than 1300 tons of solid waste from the areas adjacent along the railway lines from Kot Lakhpat to Shahdra. Operation was backed by a team of 250 workers and a fleet of heavy machinery including loaders, dumpers, excavators etc. Operation lasted for two weeks under the direct command of MD LWMC Khalid Majeed and Senior Manager Operations Suhail Anwar Malik.

Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that the benefits of record decrease in the prices of petroleum products should be directly transferred to the masses and concerned Ministers and departments should play an active role in this regard.

He said that there should not be any complaint of nonavailability of petroleum products at any petrol pump of Lahore and other cities of Punjab. He said that indiscriminate action should be taken against petrol pump owners involved in overcharging.

Awareness Campaign was also held at Qainchi railway crossing which was consisted of walk in the area, setting up of camps, public briefing and distribution of pamphlets. Campaign was led by Head of Communication Department Jamil Khawar and Senior Manager Operations Suhail Anwar Malik and it was attended by LWMC officials, local residents and representatives of market committee offices. Initiative to cleanup railway lines has been appreciated by citizens with commitment to maintain cleanliness in future together.

LHC bars Punjab govt from cancelling Minhajul Quran’s registration STAFF REPORTER L AHORE —The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday stopped Punjab government from cancelling the registration of Minhajul Quran International.

LHC’s Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan heard

the case. The defense lawyer was of the view that the provincial government issued a notice regarding cancellation of Minhajul Quran‘s registration, alleging that funds of the organization were utilized in last year‘s anti-government protests led by Pakistan Awami

He was addressing a meeting of Price Control Committee through video link at Civil Secretariat on Monday. The Chief Minister said that interest of people is of utmost importance. He said that provision of relief and basic amenities to the citizens is the agenda of Pakistan Muslim LeagueN government and maximum resources are being utilized for this purpose.

Shahbaz Sharif said that government has made sub-

stantial reduction in the prices of petroleum products for the fourth time and he will personally monitor the steps taken to transfer the benefits of this decrease to the masses. He said that every effort should be made for ensuring that people should fully benefit from these public-friendly steps of the government. He directed that reduction in transport fares in proportion to the decrease in the prices of petroleum products should be ensured.

He said that AC transport fares should also be reduced while prices of essential items should be decreased as well for benefiting the common man. He said that solid results should be witnessed in the wake of decrease in the prices of petroleum products and said that no excuse will be acceptable. The Chief Minister expressed displeasure over the failure of some departments in taking necessary steps for providing relief to the

masses and warned the concerned authorities that no negligence or laxity will be tolerated.

Provincial Ministers Ch. Muhammad Shafiq, Bilal Yasin, Member National Assembly Muhammad Afzal Khokhar, Members Provincial Assembly Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Waheed Gull, Chief Secretary, Inspector General Police, secretaries of concerned departments and senior officers attended the meeting through video link.

Quality education can help wipe terrorism: Mujtaba

STAFF REPORTER L A H O R E —Provincial Minister for

Excise & Taxation and Finance Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman has said that terrorism and unemployment can be wiped out through promotion of quality education. He said that there is a need to utilize national resources equitably for setting up of a peaceful society and economic prosperity of the masses whereas problems like corruption, safarish and unemployment can be controlled through good governance and transparency.

Addressing the delegations of youth, Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman said that Rs. 274 billion will be spent on education sector during the current fiscal year which is 26.25 percent of the total budget of the province. He maintained that our country of 190 million people has a vibrant economy, and our population under 20 is in majority and this makes

South Asia as the only large economic area that shall not face a decline in the number of people entering the labor force for the next 50 years, whereas, future is ours. He said that Punjab government considers education as a tool to development and a record funds have been provided for school and higher education. He said that Rs. 2.40 billion has been provided for non formal basic education to 20 lakh illiterate persons.

Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman that Punjab government has recruited 140000 educators last tenure and more educators will be recruited within few months to accomplish the target of 100% literacy rate in the province. He commended the vision of Mian Shahbaz Sharif for launching free distribution schemes of laptops and solar lamps to appreciate the brilliant students. This will also help to reduce the dropout rate

in the schools of far flung areas of the province. He further revealed that DFID has given assent to provide a grant in aid to the tune of Rs.351 million to construct 15000 additional class rooms, one additional class room for each public sector school having deficient facilities.

Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman said that financial grant is being provided for up-gradation of higher education especially to the institutions of women ,whereas, new women universities are also being established in Bahawalpur, Multan, Sialkot and Faisalabad for enhancing ratio of higher education among women.

He said that 101 new colleges were constructed while missing facilities were provided to 96 colleges during the last six years. He told that establishment of 82 new colleges have been planned while missing facilities will be provided in 68 colleges with a cost of Rs. 1470 million.

Tehreek(PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri.

The lawyer prayed to court that registration cannot be cancelled on the basis of such allegations. After hearing the arguments, Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan issued a notice to the Punjab government and summoned reply within 15 days.

TEVTA introducing new course under GPATI STAFF REPORTER L AHORE —After successful launch of Electrical Technician, Machinist, Customer Service Officer, Sales Officer/Assistant courses, TEVTA with the collaboration of GIZ will introduce a new course of Welding, Fabrication and Pipe works. Under Germany Pakistan Training Initiative (GPATI), this two years course is being launched at Government Apprentices Training Centre, College Road, Township and classes will start on 20th February, 2015. It was stated by Chairperson TEVTA Irfan Qaiser Shaikh while addressing a

meeting here yesterday at TEVTA Secretariat. Chief Operating Officer Jawad Ahmed Qureshi, General Manager (Operations) Hamid Ghani Anjum, Director Apprenticeship Training Waheed Asghar and other officers were also present at this occasion.

Irfan Qaiser Shaikh said that the aim of launching this course is to produce the employable and skilled workforce to meet the demands of relevant industry. The key features of the program include approval by the trade testing board, supervision of experienced Instructors, opportunity of on-job training in national and

multinational companies and monthly stipend during On-Job Training.

General Manager Operations while narrating the admission criteria said that the admission forms are available now from the institute as well as on TEVTA website. 25 trainees would be admitted. The entry qualification for the said course is matriculation. The last date of application is February 07, 2015. The candidates will be shortlisted up to February 10, 2015. The partner companies shall select the candidates on February 16-17, 2015 and class shall start on the said date.

Policemen showing the satellite phones and other items recovered in a raid as the bookies have started their business ahead of Cricket World Cup.