E-Paper December 08, 2012

SC dissolves Suddle Commission STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—The Supreme Court on Friday dissolved the Dr Shoaib Suddle judicial commission which had been tasked to investigate allegations of a Rs342 million business deal between Arsalan Iftikhar, son of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, and property tycoon Malik

Riaz.

The commission was dissolved by the two-judge bench of the apex court during a hearing of the Arsalan Iftikhar case.

The bench reportedly said that the court had taken a notice on the issue when the judiciary was dragged into the matter but since that had not been proven, the commission was no longer needed.

The bench further said that the findings of the Shoaib Suddle commission should be made public.

During the hearing, the counsel for Riaz, Zahid Bokhari, said that the matter was between two individuals and did not involve corruption from the national exchequer.

Bokhari moreover re-

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Judges appointment

Larger bench to hear presidential reference

Pakistani Taliban recruiting via Facebook PESHAWAR—The Pakistani Taliban has set up a page on Facebook to recruit enthusiasts to write for a quarterly magazine and to edit video, a spokesman confirmed Friday.

The Umar Media TTP page, which has more than 270 likes, appears to have been created in September and has just a handful of messages written in English.

“Umar Media is proud to announce online jobs opportunities, says the first post on the networking website, written on October 25.

“Job description is video

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SC reprimands NAB for not arresting ex-Ogra chief ISLAMABAD—The Supreme Court on Friday reprimanded officers from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over the failure to arrest former Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) chairman Tauqir Sadiq.

A two-judge bench of the apex court, led by Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja, heard the case.

Deputy Prosecutor General NAB Fauzi Zafar requested the court to issue directives to the police to cooperate with the NAB in arresting Sadiq, as the bureau did not have a force of its own.

Continued on Page 7

NAB to probe 6 Balochistan ministers

STAFF REPORTER MAILSI: President PML-N Muhammad Nawaz Sharif addressing a public meeting on Friday.

Nawaz: PML-N to emerge victorious in elections Pakistan in grip of crises M AILSI —Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif said Friday that Pakistan was in the grip of crises but it would once again be steered towards the path of prosperity.

During a rally in Mailsi, Nawaz said there was no gas or electricity in the country yet consumers would receive bills without any hesitation. He said that homes, factories, shopping centres, tubewells are deprived

of electricity but undue burden of heavy and hectic bills in being imposed on poor farmers.

He though that the PML-N would be successful in the upcoming elections. “The by-elections were a trailer, the movie is yet to come.”

Nawaz added that corruption in Pakistan had reached into the billions and the country had accumulated more debt in the last four years when compared with the sixty years prior to that.

Appeals of GHQ attack convicts rejected STAFF REPORTER RAWALPINDI—A military court has rejected appeals of all the convicts involved in GHQ terror attack.

According to report, the military appellate court upheld the verdict of a military court, which earlier handed down death penalty to Aqeel aka Dr Usman, a key accused of the terror attack that also led to killing

of a brigadier. The court had also awarded 25-year jail term to two accused Usman Khaliq and Majid while 10-year imprisonment to three others accused Imran Siddique, Adnan and Tahir Shafique in the same case.

A group of militants had stormed General Headquarters of the Pakistan Army on October 10, 2009. Army commandos killed nine of the attackers while Dr Usman was arrested.

US to help Pakistan in acquiring LNG

ISLAMABAD—The US Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs AmSTAFF REPORTER QUETTA—Director General bassador Carlos Pascual was in Islamabad on Friday as head of National Accountability the US delegation at the fourth Bureau (NAB) Balochistan U.S.-Pakistan Energy Working Major (Retd) Burhan Ali has said that there were complaints Group meeting.

Secretary of Water and about some provincial ministers embroiling in corruption.

He said that the NAB had launched investigation against six ministers for their alleged involvement in corruption.

It has also been learned that the anti-corruption body has sought details regarding MUZAFFAR ALI the recruitments in government departments during the LAHORE—Expressing its inlast four years. ability to convict President Asif The DG said that eviAli Zardari for contempt of dences of misappropriations court over holding of dual ofwere found into the recruitfices, the Lahore High Court ment process for the excise (LHC) on Friday observed that department, adding that although the court could convict investigations have also been anyone for committing conlaunched to probe recruitments tempt of court, the fact remained in the department of industry. that the president enjoyed immunity under Article 248 (2) of the constitution.

However, during the hearing, the LHC chief justice Umar Ata Bandial said even if Presi-

Power Nargis Sethi and Secretary of Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr. Waqar Masood Khan co-chaired the annual Energy Working Group meeting.

The Energy Working Group meeting is part of an ongoing bilateral dialogue to help ad-

Continued on Page 7

Nawaz Sharif said that he is sure by the grace of Allah that he would win forthcoming general elections.

He said that national institutions like the PIA and Pakistan Railways have been destroyed due to corruption and poor management.

About situation in Balochistan, he said the people there are patriotic and problems cannot be resolved through the use of force.—INP

Indian BSF firing injures three Pakistanis FAISAL KHAWER BUTT S IALKOT — Three civilians were injured due to unprovoked firing of Indian Border Security Force at Shakargarh Sector of Sialkot Working Boundary on Friday.

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SA rejects KBD as risk to ‘very unity of Pakistan’ ISMAIL DILAWAR KARACHI—The Sindh Assembly on Friday rejected the Lahore High Court’s verdict in favour of the construction of disputed Kalabagh Dam (KBD).

The provincial lawmakers termed the anti-Sindh project with one voice as detrimental to

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Dual office case

President enjoys immunity: LHC dent Asif Ali Zardari was not an- sel, A K Dogar, stated that the swerable to anyone, he was High Courts and the Supreme bound to comply with court’s Court could convict an offender for committing conjudicial orders.

The bench, headed by Jus- tempt of court. Dogar questice Bandial, heard the petition. tioned the concept of presidenOther members of the bench in- tial immunity and asked what clude Justice Nasir Saeed may have happened if the Sheikh, Justice Sheikh Najmul president was to murder someHassan, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and one.

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah.

The petitioner said that if Subsequently, the bench ad- the president was not conjourned the hearing to Decem- victed and sentenced for comber 10 and directed the counsels mitting contempt of court, the to continue their arguments on concept of an independent judiciary would cease to exist. presidential immunity.

Moreover, the petitioner’s coun- Continued on Page 7

ISLAMABAD—A five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has been formed to hear the presidential reference, seeking opinion of the country’s top court over the apLONDON—A nurse caring for pointment of judges in the suthe Duchess of Cambridge who perior judiciary, on Friday.

The bench headed by Justice Continued on Page 7

Royal prank call nurse found dead

Khilji Arif Hussain would start hearing of the reference, filed by the government under Article 86 of the Constitution, seeking Supreme Court opinion over the role of Judicial Commission and Parliamentary Committee in the appointment of judges.

The president on Thursday had signed the reference containing 13 questions, which was

filed in the apex court here on Friday.

The reference was filed to obtain advice of the Supreme Court under Article 186 of the Constitution, inter alia, with regard to the appointment of chief justice of the Islamabad High Court as well as confirmation of the additional judges of the

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SC dissolves Suddle Commission

President to attend girls’ right of education event in Paris

From Page 1 quested the bench to stop the commission’s proceedings so that whichever party wanted to take whatever legal recourse, they may approach the concerned avenues in that regard.

Speaking to media representatives later, Bokhari said justice had prevailed, adding that, his client had been raising objections over the legality of the commission from day one.

The counsel said his client’s objections on the commission’s report had been noted by the court. Bokhari added that the Shoaib Suddle commission had no authority to investigate the funds of Bahria Town.

The commission’s preliminary report, which was shared with the media on Thursday, said that Arsalan had admitted before the commission that he had availed two of the three foreign visits alleged by Riaz in a graft case being heard in the Supreme Court.

Arsalan admitted that he had received ‘favours’ from Riaz, his friend or his son-inlaw, but the report did not answer why he had accepted these and nor did it explain the businessman’s claim that he had ‘favoured’ Arsalan in order to get court cases settled in his favour.

Earlier on Aug 30, a twojudge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Jawwad S. Khwaja, appointed Federal Tax Ombudsman Dr Mohammad Shoaib Suddle as a one man-commission to investigate allegations of a Rs342 million business deal between Arsalan Iftikhar, son of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, and property tycoon Malik Riaz.

The commission had been directed to complete the task in a month’s time.

Indian BSF From Page 1 Among the injured persons two belonged to border area village Tanda and one was from village Tarapur.

The BSF used light weapons in the firing. Pakistani Chenab Rangers fitfully answered in order to silent the enemy guns.

SC reprimands From Page 1 Zafar added that the investigation officer could also submit a statement before the bench on the issue of Sadiq’s arrest.

Justice Khawaja remarked that out of Rs 82 billion, the NAB had recovered only Rs 30 billion.

He also directed the bureau to submit a written reply to the bench on the amount recovered.

P ARIS —President Asif Ali able and adaptable to their spe- nent personalities, the media and Zardari would attend an event ‘Stand up for Malala; girls’ right of education’ jointly organized

by UNESCO and Pakistan embassy in Paris.

According to media reports, President Asif Ali Zardari, along with Federal Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Education and Chairperson BISP Farzana Raja, will attend the event to demonstrate Pakistan’s commitment towards education for girls.

President will hold a brief meeting with DG UNESCO Iriva Bokova. Zardari will also meet President Hollande to discuss bilateral issues during his three days visit.

Within the framework of Education for All (EFA), the overall goal of this event is to RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani presiding over the 155th Corps Commanders’ Confer- advocate and promote girls’ right to education, encompassence at General Headquarters. ing all levels and all aspects of education, so that education becomes available and accessible to all girls, while being accept-

SA rejects KBD as risk to ‘very unity of Pakistan’

Pakistani Taliban

From Page 1

editing, translations, sharing, uploading, downloading and collection of required data,” it says, giving an email address and asking readers to “plz spread it.

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan confirmed to AFP by telephone on Friday that the faction was “temporarily” using the page “to fulfil its requirements” before launching its own website.

US-based organisation SITE Intelligence Group says the TTP uses Facebook as “a recruitment centre”.

“Through its official media arm, Umar Media, the TTP has taken to Facebook to recruit contributors for their media work and the group’s forthcoming publication ‘Ayah-E-Khilafat’ (Sign of the Caliphate),” it said in a statement.

The TTP Facebook page describes the publication as its “official quarterly magazine” and asks writers to submit articles “on (a) topic of your choice”, or on jihadi current affairs, history, Islamic movements or the plight of Muslims.—AFP

the “very unity of Pakistan”. and emotional, visibly, the People’s Party lawmakers, however, failed to show their representational strength in the house Thursday where neither Leader of the House Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah nor PPP’s parliamentary party leader Pir Mazharul Haq was present in the house at the time of the “historic” resolution’s passage.

Of the total 89 PPP legislators only 47 were counted as present in the house when the resolution was adopted minutes before Speaker Nisar Khuhro prorogued the session. The MQM lawmakers present were 23 of the total 47. In terms of number, the opposition benches were also barren as only 10 of the 27-member opposition could turn up to the Sindh legislature was opining on the most-condemned KBD. Given the current heated political climate Friday’s proceedings were marred by intermittent but full-throated verbal clashes between the PPP led treasury and PML-F-led opposition members. The two sides at least thrice put the house into a noisy pandemonium by pointing fingers at each other for their past “wrongdoings”.

“Don’t go into the history, or we would not be able to maintain unity (against KBD),” Khuhro warned the two divides of the house.

However, the 168-member PPP-dominated house was unanimous in adopting the four resolutions tabled Thursday by Dr Sikandar Mandhro and Imran Nazir Leghari of the PPP, Khalid Ahmed of the MQM and Jam Madad Ali Khan of the PML-F.

All the four resolutions passed called upon the federal and provincial governments to vehemently oppose the controversial project at all levels to bury this “dead horse” once and for all.

“This Assembly… expresses its feelings of aversion to the sources that disrespect the status of this august House ignoring the importance of many unanimously passed previous resolutions against the dam,” read the one moved by PPP’s Dr Mandhro.

“This House condemns the decision of the Lahore high court and the supporting statmnet by the Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif in favour of construction of Kalabagh Dam,” said the resolution tabled by Imran Legahri, also of PPP. The KBD, the document said, was “detrimental to the very unity of Pakistan with the most dangerous repercussions on Sindh province”.

The resolution that came from the MQM said: “This House resolves that any attempt to revive the proposal from any quarter shall be resisted and rejected outright by the province and the people of Sindh.”

The opposition led by the Functional League dubbed the construction of KBD as a “dead issue” saying: “Raising of this issue by any forum at this stage is nothing but creating disturbance amongst the masses”.

The members from two divides delivered hard-hitting speeches against the dam blasting mostly the Punjab province and Sharifs brothers for hatch-

ing judicial conspiracies against the already water-scarce Sindh.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan was also appealed to take a suo motu notice of the LHC decree which, Amnullah Mehsud of ANP and other lawmakers said, would pit the provinces against each other.

The speeches, however, were marred by the noisy blamegame intermittently taking place between the PPP and PMNL-F legislators. The house echoes with ear-splitting noise at least thrice when lawmakers from the two sides accused the other side of having tacitly supported the anti-Sindh dam sometime and somewhere in the past.

“The opposition leader (of PPP) in Punjab Assembly had supported a resolution in favor of Kalabagh dam, is not it double standard,” questioned Jam Madad Ali of PML-F. PPP ministers Murad Ali Shah, Sharjeel Memon and Zahid Bhurgary came up with counter allegations mostly bringing the opposition lawmakers on their feet. Others who spoke included Law Minister Ayaz Soomro, Humera Alwani, Heer Ismail Soho, Sussui Palijo, Imdad Patafi and Anwar Meher.

Also, the house said yes to a PPP-backed resolution calling upon the government to declare the slain PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto “a symbol of democracy and freedom” for her glorious struggle and sacrifices for the restoration of democracy in the county.The house also approved a report of the Public Accounts Committee regarding draft paras for the fiscal years 06, 07 and 08.

PTI finalizes Royal prank call nurse found dead Page 1 dreds of patients. party polls was duped by two deejays pre- dead at theFrom “She will be greatly scene.” tending to be the Queen and The death is not being missed,” Glenarthur’s statement Charles has committed treated as suspicious at this time, read. strategy Prince suicide, officials said Friday.

LAHORE—Strategy for intra party elections has been finalized while PTI Town Committees would be constituted to mobilize the workers at union council level.

This was decided in a a special meeting of Pakistan Tehrike-Insaaf presided by Central Leader Abdul Aleem Khan..— Online

The nurse, Jacintha Saldanha, was found at an address near King Edward VII Hospital.

“Police were called at approximately 9:35 a.m. Friday morning to a report of a woman found unconscious,” a Scotland Yard spokesman said. “London Ambulance Service attended and the woman was pronounced

the spokesman said.

“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Jacintha Saldanha,” the Royal Family said in a statement. “Their Royal Highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha’s family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time.”

Saldanha had worked at the hospital for four years, according to hospital officials.

“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies at this time are with her family and friends,” read a statement by the hospital’s chief executive, John Lofthouse. “Everyone is shocked by the loss of a much loved and valued colleague.”

Lord Glenarthur, chairman of the hospital, characterized Saldanha as a “first-class” nurse who diligently cared for hun-

Two Australian radio personalities from 2Day FM —Mel Greig and Michael Christian — pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles tricked the woman into giving an update on the condition of Kate Middleton, 30, who was being treated for morning sickness.

St. James’s Palace announced Monday that the Duchess of Cambridge — formerly Middleton — had a severe form of morning sickness and was being treated at a London hospital with Prince William at her side.

The couple’s first child will be third in line to the throne — behind William and his father, Prince Charles — leapfrogging the gregarious Prince Harry and possibly setting up the first scenario in which a female heir could benefit from new gender rules about succession.—AP

From Page 1

Larger bench to hear presidential reference From Page 1 Islamabad High Court.

On November 22, a case pertaining to extension in the tenure of two additional judges of the Islamabad High Court had taken a new turn before the Supreme Court after the Attorney General of Pakistan Irfan Qadir had informed it (SC) that the government wanted to file a presidential reference over the issue.

Questioning the composition of judicial commission on the judges’ appointments, he had sought two-week time from the Supreme Court for filing the presidential reference, citing the need for seeking legal opinion on all issues related to appointments of the IHC judges.

On October 22, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan had recommended the permanent appointment of IHC’s additional judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui and a six-month extension in the tenure of IHC’s additional judge Noorul Haq N Qureshi.

On November 6, the Parliamentary Committee for Appointment of Superior Courts judges had also endorsed the recommendations of the Judicial Commission.

The Law Ministry, however, had not issued a notification for extension in the tenure of these two judges and the matter was still pending before the Supreme Court for adjudication. The Supreme Court would start hearing the reference on Monday.

LHC CJ for promoting tax culture STAFF REPORTER LAHORE—Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, Mr. Justice Umar Ata Bandial has said that taxes provide a boost to the national economy. Therefore, it was need of the hour to promote tax culture and Tax Bar should also shoulder its responsibility in collection of taxes meant for progress and prosperity in the country, he added.

Hon‘ble Chief Justice was speaking at a function arranged by the Lahore Tax Bar Association. He underlined the need for strengthening the tax collecting departments. A credible and viable Tax system can usher an era of development. It was responsibility of the state to facilitate the

business community and promote confidence among them for enhancing the business activities.

Hon’ble Chief Justice called upon the elite of the society to come forward in paying taxes and have a pride in getting National Tax Numbers. Black coats should set an example in this regard and become a role model for other segments of the society. He wished an atmosphere where taxpayers feel protected. Chief Justice said that if the laws are not enforced evenly the society becomes uncivilized.

Referring to the National Judicial Policy Making Committee meeting, Hon’ble Chief Justice said that there were 60,000 old cases in the Punjab as compared to the 10,000 to 12,000 in other

provinces and it was due to shortage of judges. Chief Justice said that we are filling this gap with more work in the courts. It was a pride that Judiciary in the Province has responded with immense conviction and devotion to duty and has tripled the conviction rate. We have not opted for number game by enhancing disposal rate but delivering good and comprehensive judgments.

Judiciary was not meant only to decide individual difference but leading to rule of law. In this regard Chief Justice also cited cases of Balochistan and Karachi by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Good governance was basic right of the people and the advocates community was playing their vital role, Chief Justice added.

cific needs and circumstances.

This unique and joint effort of Government of Pakistan and UNESCO is expected to become a beacon of light for 61 million children across the world, most of which are girls, who aspire to go to school.

The objectives of this advocacy event are to sensitise the international community about the importance of girl’s education and special challenges and obstacles relating to girls education.

Pakistan and UNESCO would sign a MoU to establish Malala Fund to promote girls education during President visit.

Pakistan will provide seed money for the establishment of this fund.

Representatives of governments, UN partners, international and bilateral organizations, foundations, donors, the private sector, civil society, academics, religious leaders, emi-

other stakeholders would expectedly attend the noble event.

High level International figures would participate in this advocacy event, including JeamMarc Aryalt, the Prime Minister of France, Gordon Brown UN Special Envoy for Global Education and former Prime Minister of UK, Tarja Helnon former President of Finland, Michelle Bachelet Executive Director UN women education and Former President of Chile, Sheikh Abdullah Foreign Minister of UAE, Liela Zerrougui Under Secretary General and Special Representative of UN Secretary General for children and Armed Conflict, Dr.Abdulaziz Othoman Altwaiijri Director General ISESCO, Maria Arnholm State Secretary to Minister for Gender Equality and Deputy Minister for Education and Baroness Saeeda Warsi.—Online

President enjoys immunity: LHC From Page 1 Dogar further argued that crimes are carried out under “personal capacity” and that they did not have anything to do with the position a person holds.

Responding to which, the bench stated that although the head of state was not answerable to anyone, the president was still bound to respect and follow judicial orders.

Justice Bandial said the country would be peaceful and would prosper when people would abide by the Constitution.

Violating the Constitution would adversely affect all sections of national life.

However, as the bench resumed proceedings, Advocate Sajjad struggled to get the

court’s permission to continue his arguments on the maintainability issue, as he has already started arguments on the constitutional immunity enjoyed by president during the last hearing on Thursday.

The bench had sought arguments as to whether Article 248(2) of the Constitution bans entertaining a contempt of court petition against the president.

On September 5, the bench had issued a fresh notice to President Asif Ali Zardari through his principal secretary and had sought a reply to the petition pleading contempt proceedings against him for not abiding the court’s order to relinquish his politi-

US to help Pakistan in acquiring LNG From Page 1 dress Pakistan’s energy sector challenges, including power generation, fuel, gas, and reform priorities.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the three officials announced that the United States government will fund an international consultancy to assist Pakistan in acquiring liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Secretary of Water and Power highlighted the need for an improved and sustained governance structure as a key element for a sustainable power sector and the steps taken so far.

Special Envoy Pascual welcomed Pakistani government’s commitment to the reform process, improving governance, improving the financial viability and efficiency of the power sector and energy sector in general, and attracting private sector investment in energy production and distribution. The Secretary of Water and Power expressed her appreciation for U.S. assistance under the power distribution improvement project and the energy efficiency programs.

Special Envoy Pascual also welcomed Pakistan’s adoption of the 2012 Petroleum Exploration & Production Policy, noting that it that has the potential to spur investment in exploration throughout Pakistan. Secretary Khan pointed out the imminent Pakistani oil and gas delegation meetings in Houston and London to promote the auction of licenses for 60 blocks (or exploration zones).

“Today, the United States government and the Government of Pakistan launched a new initiative to help Pakistan acquire liquefied natural gas more efficiently,” said Ambassador Pascual at the working group, “This initiative shows the United States and Pakistan working together on concrete actions to relieve Pakistan’s chronic shortage of electricity.

It will accelerate the liquefied natural gas procurement process and offer a cheaper alternative to Pakistan’s current fuel oil imports.”

The LNG consultancy, which will commence work before the end of the year, will assist Pakistan in the terms and assessment of liquefied natural gas supply and delivery from international suppliers.

The effort will speed the procurement process, saving the government the expense of fuel oil imports that are currently used to generate much of the nation’s electricity. The consultancy will also provide market analysis and technical assistance to the government’s implementer of LNG imports.

The United States and Pakistan together are carrying out

large-scale energy projects, that will add 900 megawatts of capacity to the power grid by the end of next year — enough to supply electricity to an estimated 2 million households..— Online

cal office.

The petition that had been filed by Munir Ahmad through lawyers A K Dogar and Azhar Siddique had accused President Zardari of indulging in political activities in the presidency.

The petitioner had also contended that the use of Presidency for political activities was illegal and tantamount to committing contempt of the court’s orders issued on May 12 last year.

He had also requested the court to issue a show-cause notice to the president and punish him under Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003, read with Article 204 of the Constitution.

Govt set to uplift underprivileged classes SHARAFAT KAZMI ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that the present democratic government has introduced liberal and investment-friendly policies to attract foreign investment.

He expressed these views while talking to Mr Fan Yun Jun, Chief Executive Officer of Zong, who called on him at PM House on Friday.

Mr. Jun appreciated the Telecom Policy being pursued by the present government which has spurred healthy competition among the leading cellular companies. He further said that Pakistan telecom sector has great potential and Zong intended to expand the reach of its operations inPakistan.

The Prime Minister said that the government greatly valued Zong’s contribution to Pakistan’s development and economic progress. The Prime Minister re-

ANP for construction of small dams STAFF REPORTER P ESHAWAR —The provincial secretary of Awami National Party (ANP) Malik Ghulam Mustafa Friday called for construction of small dams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of the country to address the energy crisis.

He said the federal government will have to concentrate on small dams to irrigate the barren lands as well as for the power generation, adding that Kalabagh dam is a controversial issue and the three provinces have already rejected it.

He said the recent decision of the Punjab High Court on Kalabagh dam issue was tantamount to bulldoze the resolutions of the three provincial assemblies of the country which had already rejected it in their unanimous resolutions.

He said the country is already facing challenges like terrorism, extremism and other issues and it could not afford any controversial issue like Kalabagh dam at this stage.

Malik Ghulam Mustafa said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has prepared and is implementing different projects of generating 2100 mega watt electricity, adding that the centre should also pay attention to small dams.

He said that the countries like China, India are fulfilling their energy demand by constructing various small dams.

iterated the commitment and resolve of his government of taking every possible measure to provide maximum security and protection to the foreign investors. ***** Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that the government is committed to improve the standard of living of the people especially under-developed areas so that they can be brought at par with the developed areas of the country.

Talking to a delegation from Haripur led by MNA Sardar Muhammad Mushtaq Khan in Islamabad today‚ he said that development work can be doubly beneficial with peoples’ participation.

He urged PPP workers to encourage community participation so that not only the right projects can be identified but also its ownership by the people will ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf with members of delegation from District Haripur at Prime Minisensure the success and utility of ter House.

CM approves 49 new police posts for Batagram District STAFF REPORTER

Four power towers blown up in Kohlu

the police force was 486 which is insufficient to meet the growing need of the population and curbing crime in the district, said an official release here on Friday.

The new posts approved are DSP (BPS-17) one, Inspectors (BPS 16) three, Sub Inspectors (BPS 14 ) five, Assistant sub In-

(BPS-5) twenty and two each of Cook, Naib Qasid, and Sweeper (BPS-1). The increase in police strength in Batagram would help control law and order situation in the district. Meanwhile the Chief Minister also approved Rs.14 million for DREP-III and IV in District Tank.

EU delegation briefed on KP prosecution service STAFF REPORTER P E S H AWA R —The Director General Prosecution Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mohammad Arif Khattak on Friday gave a comprehensive presentation on introduction and working of Prosecution Service to the visiting delegation of European Union. All administrative, fi-

Rain, snowfall at hills predicted

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf appreciated the performance of the incumbent Assembly as historic legislations were passed during the last five years.

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Faisal Karim Kundi called on the Prime Minister on Friday and discussed matters relating to legislative business in the Assembly.

The Deputy Speaker apprised the Prime Minister of the legislative business which would be taken up by the National Assembly during the forthcoming session starting December 10, 2012.

The Deputy Speaker also discussed with the Prime Minister issues related to the welfare of National Assembly members.

The Prime Minister assured that every possible measure will be taken to facilitate the legislators so that the legislative business of the House runs smoothly.

PPP to complete tenure

SUKKUR—PPP MPA Nasarullah Baloch on Friday said that PakiThe Multan Met office has I SLAMABAD —Pakistan Meteofrom January 2013. Batagram spector (BPS-9) five, Junior QUETTA—Unknown men blew stan People’s Party (PPP) govwas raised to the level of District Clerk (BPS -7) one, Head Con- up four electricity towers by deto- rological Department (PMD) on forecast cold and dry weather ernment is going to successfully Friday forecast scattered rain with chances of mist in the morn-

P ESHAWAR —Chief Minister in 1993 and the total strength of stable (BPS 7) eight, Constable nating explosive material in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amir Haider Khan Hoti has approved 49 posts in police department for District Batagram of Hazara Division to meet the law and order situation in effective manner in the district.

The new posts would be made part of the district police

the projects. The Prime Minister said that the peoples’ government has allocated record amount of funds for development projects across the country without any political discrimination because it considers serving the people of Pakistan a sacred duty.

The Prime Minister said that the development work carried out by the government has been initiated with the objective that they should make a difference in the lives of the people of Pakistan‚ for the better.

The delegation apprised the Prime Minister about the issues pertaining to the district and requested for development projects for the improvement of infrastructure and provision of health facilities like hospitals and colleges. The Prime Minister assured that all possible assistance and support would be extended to the people to raise their standards of living. *****

nancial, legal, monitoring and evaluation, references and research issues were highlighted during the presentation focusing strong prosecution aimed to achieve maximum results on conviction ratio, said a press release here.

Close and well coordination amongst investigating police, prosecution and judiciary also

came under discussion. Training for prosecutors was also demanded in order to improve their working capabilities on modern scientific lines.

The delegation took keen interest in the presentation and ensured all possible technical assistance and training facilities for achieving high conviction ratio.

Woman shot dead OUR CORRESPONDENT M ANDI B AHAUDDIN —Unknown persons armed with fire weapons entered house of Nazir Ahmed in a suburban village Kot Baluch and opened indiscriminate fire and as a result Maqsood Bibi wife of Nazir Ahmed died on the spot.

Police moved the dead body to DHQ Hospital and after autopsy handed over to her heirs.

Sadar police registered FIR and further investigation is in FAISALABAD: Commissioner Tahir Hussain lit candles during an anti-corruption week progress. seminar.

Kohlu area, said Levies sources.

The sabotage act caused suspension of electricity supply to the area. The Levies Force registered a case. It was reported earlier that unidentified people set on fire a girls school in mineral-rich Chagai District of Balochistan.

According to Levies sources, the incident occurred in the area of Afghan refugees camp in Killi Rehmatullah. They also said that the unidentified people, using kerosene oil, set the boundary of the school on fire, resultantly some rooms and its boundary were burnt.

“The fire broke out and engulfed three rooms and veranda of the school building, damaging the things present in the rooms,” Levies officials said. They added that the area where girls’ school was torched is close to the Pakistani area bordering Afghanistan and Iran.

They further said that local people informed the Levies Force that reached the site and filed initial report of the incident. Meanwhile, official sources in the district administration told APP that a report of the incident has been dispatched to the Quetta Division commissioner.

They said that it was first of its type of the incident that a girls’ school was set on fire by unidentified men. The Levies Force has constituted teams to trace the suspects. Meanwhile, in Sarbala village of Kabal, two schools were torched by suspected militants. According to local sources, the girls and boys primary schools were burnt late Saturday night. The doors, mats, and windows in both the schools were burnt.

“I received an emergency call at 12:30 last night from the watchman of our school that some unidentified people have torched both schools. Luckily, the locals saw the fire and rushed to the spot and put out the blaze,” Abdul Samad, a teacher in the boys school, told The Express Tribune.

ing a man and his two sons, were killed while a woman was injured in two seprate accidents here on Friday.

SHO Mumtazabad police station Rizwan Ahmad said Afzal with his wife Ijaz Begum and two sons- Usman and Ghulam Mursaleen- was going to Shujabad to attend a marriage ceremony on a motorcycle when a speeding truck hit them.

Resultantly, Afzal, Usman, and Ghulam Mursaleen died at the spot while Ijaz Begum sustained injuries and was shifted to

dent, Amjad of Mouza Bakhar Bhir was hit to death. Earlier, a man was crushed to death by a rashly driven truck in the limits of Shah Shamas police station on Thursday.

According to police, Ahmad was crossing the road at Hassan Sawali chowk when a speeding truck coming from opposite direction ran over him.

As a result, he died on the spot while the driver managed to escape from the scene.

Police have took the truck into custody and started investi-

Alamgir holds overloading responsible for roads destruction I SLAMABAD —Minister for Motorway Police (NH&MP) Centers (police posts) are being esCommunications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan on Friday said that overloading caused destruction of national highways and termed it great loss for national economy.

He said that no overloading would be allowed on motorways and highways and ordered Inspector General of Motorway Police to devise an action plan to combat overloading.

He passed these remarks while chairing a high level meeting here at National Highways and Motorway Police Headquarters.

The meeting was attended by IG National Highways and

Zafar Abbas Lak, Shahid Yar Khan DIG Headquarters, AIG Log Abbas Ahsan, AIG (Estab) Ashfaq Khan and other senior officers of NH&MP and Ministry.

The Minister also issued directives to Motorway Police to initiate a welfare plan for the professional drivers and IG NH&MP asked in his briefing that all professional drivers are inducted in EOBI system by NH&MP and good professional drivers who have not met with an accident would be awarded financially by NH&MP at country level every year. The IG said that 76 Help

tablished at N-5 from Karachi to Peshawar with a cost of 600 million rupees which would facilitate the road users in any type of distress at N-5. The Minister while appreciating the project ordered to establish first Help Center at Gujar Khan which would start working at the end of this month. The IGP also informed that PEMRA has issued FM radio license to NH&MP which would start its airing next month. The Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan would inaugurate the FM Radio of NH&MP on 1st January 2013. —APP

ing for the city and its suburbs during the next 24 hours.

On Friday, the maximum and minimum temperatures were recorded as 26.2 and 9.3 degrees centigrade, respectively. Humid-

ity was recorded 82 per cent at 8am and 31 per cent at 5 pm. The Quetta Met Office has forecast cloudy weather for Quetta and its surrounding areas for next 24 hours. Minimum temperature on Thursday was recorded as -1 degree centigrade and maximum as 9 degree centigrade in the provincial capital. The lowest minimum temperature was recorded in Kalat as -3 degree centigrade.—APP

complete its five years term due to effective and comprehensive policies.

Addressing an event here,he said that despite several challenges including terrorism, floods, economic recession and others, the PPP government took pragmatic measures and put the country on the path of development and prosperity.

He said the PPP-led government took wise decisions to curb terrorism and other social evils from the society and also address poor people problems,issues of unemployment and energy crisis.

It also provided jobs to thousands of people besides regularizing the services of hundreds of thousands of contract employees.

He said PPP is committed to eradicate poverty and unemployment from the country.The government is utilizing resources to develop backward areas.—APP

CM highlights govt’s achievements G ILGIT —Governor GilgitBaltistan Syed Pir Karam Ali Shah on Friday addressed the ongoing session of GilgitBaltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA) in which he highlighted the achievements of the Pakistan People’s Party government.

The session was presided over by Speaker GBLA Wazir Baig while Chief Minister Syed Pir Karam Ali Shah and opposition leader Haji Janbaz Khan also addressed the house.

The Governor said that political reforms did not end after

the assassination of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed who served the area and introduced many reforms. He spoke very well of the former and present Prime Minister and Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira and said they paid special attention and promulgated Empowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009.

He said the area enjoys complete political set up and he was honored to address the assembly.

Shah said extensive development has taken place in political, economic and administrative

fields. The Governor enumerated various steps undertaken by the government and said the provincial government had also done a marvelous job.

He stressed on the need to tap natural resources of the region to improve the living standard of the people.

He said despite financial crunch, the present government provided jobs to the people and set up new organizations. He said service structure lacked rules which were formulated and implemented.—APP

BISP eradicating public deprivation

M ULTAN —Director General BISP Punjab Shahid Aslam Mohar said on Friday that under the programme they were following a transparent policy of helping the poor across the country.

After cheques distribution ceremony here at Regional Directorate Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), among 42 women across the gation. Bike snatchers kill man south Punjab in connection with in Quetta: A man was killed by the first instalment of Rs unknown armed bike snatchers at 150,000 each under Waseela-eSatellite town area of the metropolis on Friday.

According to police, the victim identified as Maqsood Ahmad was on his way home on motorcycle when armed men intercepted him. They opened fire on him when he resisted bid of snatching his motorbike.

As a result,he received multiple bullet wounds and died on the spot. The body was handed over to the heirs after completion of legal formalities.—APP

Four killed in road accidents MULTAN—Four people, includ- a local hospital. In another acci-

with snowfall over the hills at Malakand, Hazara divisions, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, Isolated rain is also expected in Quetta, Zhob, Peshawar, Kohat, Sargodha, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala divisions during next 24 hours.

According to Met office synoptic situation/outlook: a western disturbance is affecting upper parts of the country & likely to persist for next 24 hours. Mostly partly cloudy weather conditions is expected in most parts of the Punjab, however rain would occur at isolated places of Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Sargodha divisions during next 24 hours.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rain is expected at scattered places of Malakand, Hazara divisions while at isolated places of Peshawar and Kohat divisions during next 24 hours. Mainly dry weather is expected in most parts of the Sindh during next 24 hours.

Haq programme, he said that chairperson BISP Farzana Raja had devised various programmes for eradicating sense of deprivation among the poor masses.

Aslam Mohar said a 10-day training was also given to the deserving women to their selected businesses included cattle form, handicraft and carpet making.

He also gave business tips to beneficiaries and said that they

would have to return the cursory loan within 15 years.

On this occasion, Divisional Director BISP Zulfikar Haider Bhutta, Assistant Director Nasira Batool, Divisional Director DG Khan, Syed Lutfullah Bukhari and others were also present.

He said that it was a good omen that 23 students had got employments in different organizations who received training from COTHM.—APP

PSEA rejects Private Regulatory Authority Bill PESHAWAR—President All Pri-

vate Schools Executive Association, Aqeel Razzaq on Friday rejected the Private Regulatory Authority Bill which would be tabled in the next scheduled session of the provincial assembly.

President All Pakistan Private Schools Executive Association Aqeel Razaq said that the bill was a means creating a gateway for bureaucratic interference in education matters. Aqeel said that 25,000 private schools would remain close from today (Saturday) to protest the Private Regulatory Authority.

According to president Private Schools Executive Association, the bill would make it compulsory for private schools operators to consult the provincial education department for induction and termination of teachers.

He said that the Bill would become an impediment in the way of investment in private education sector, adding that the MULTAN: BISP Director General Punjab, Shahid Aslam upcoming legislation also threatMahaar distributing first installment 1.5 lac cheque to de- ens the existence of private schools in operation.—INP serving people of Waseela-e-Haq at Gulgasht.

NAVTEC geared up to macro-level of mutation fee. On filing a writ and central offices of their re- suitable candidate for PP-116. Aman Ullah Lak Advocate, petition against revenue officials spective parties like shuttle to After considering many aspir- Iftikhar Warraich, Ijaz Gondal, human resource dev

Rs 7m misappropriated money recovered from officials SHER GONDAL

Condolence

HYDERABAD—The Sindh Minister for Cul- MANDI BAHAUDDIN—Assis- by a citizen, Lahore High Court, seek favour of parties top lead- ants, the meeting resolved that Akram Advocate, Suhail Sindhu ture Department Sassui Palejo and Secretary Culture Department Abdul Aziz Uqaili have expressed deep sorrow and grief over the sad demise of Allah Bachayo Khoso, a legendry alghozo nawaz, who died here last night after a protracted illness. A press release issued here Friday said. It is reported earlier that Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf visited the residence of Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi Thursday evening and expressed his heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of his father Fazal Karim Kundi, ex-MNA. The Prime Minister remained there for some time and offered Fateha for the departed soul. He prayed to Almighty Allah to shower His blessings upon the deceased soul and give fortitude to the members of the bereaved family to bear the immense loss. Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister, Rahim Dad Khan on Thursday expressed grief and sorrow over the demise of the brother of Director Information, Shoaib-ud- Din. Rahim Dad expressed sympathies with Director Information and prayed Allah Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace. He also prayed for granting courage to the bereaved family members to bear the loss with fortitude. POA condoles over death of journalist’s father: Punjab Olympic Association(POA) has condoled over the death of senior sports journalist’s father Zahid Maqsood on Friday here.

POA President Syed Shahid Ali Shah and Secretary Idris Haider Khawaja, expressed their sympathies with the family. They offered fateha and prayed for peace to the departed soul and courage to the bereaved family to bear the loss with fortitude.—APP

Polio eradication meeting Q UETTA —Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani directed to lodge cases against parents who do not cooperate with the teams to administer polio vaccine to their children during the anti-polio campaign to be kicked off from December 10. He issued the directive while presiding over a meeting held here that reviewed arrangements of anti-polio drive in the provincial capital and other districts. The Chief Minister directed to take concrete measures to eradicate polio disease as P-2 polio virus had been reported in some areas of Pishin and Qila Abdullah districts. He said that the government would use all available resources to eradicate the fatal disease from the province. ANP delegation calls on Raisani: A delegation of the Awami National Party (ANP) called on Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani at CM Secretariat here. The ANP Balochistan president Orangzaib Kasi led the delegation while ANP minister Zamaruk Khan Achakzai was also present. The delegation reposing their confidence in the leadership of the CM asked him to direct the authorities concerned for early completion of the uplift projects executed in pashtun belt of the province. Besides discussing overall political situation, projects launched for the wellbeing of the public, they shared matters pertaining to mutual interests. CM delivers Rs 0.5 mln cheque to Balochistan student: Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani handed over a checque of Rs 5 million to Balochistan student Rafiullah Kakar for winning Rhodes scholarship. Raifullah, a student from Qila Abdullah district of Balochistan won Rhodes scholarship 2012 in which only 80 students are selected for the scholarship from 23 countries every year. In Pakistan 188 students applied and out of them Rafiullah was selected. Chief Minister Balochistan in recognition of his achievement and earning good name not only for the province but also for the country, gave away cheque of Rs 0.5 million at CM Secretariat. —APP

Advance health care facilities ISLAMABAD—Minister for Capital Administration and Development (CAAD) Nazar Muhammad Gondal said that the government had planned to expand advanced health care facilities to the tertiary health care units. Addressing a ceremony on the completion of fourth year of Bone Marrow Transplant Centre at Children Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), jointly organized

by PIMS and Cure2Children Foundation here, the minister said that attention was given to the primary and secondary tiers of the health sector. He said that the government had adopted a focused approach by identifying key strategies for the health sector, which had the potential to bring about a major improvement in the delivery of health care and the overall health status of the people in the country. Gondal said that the government had an overall national vision for the health sector based on “Health for All” approach. He added that health sector investment was being viewed a part of the government Poverty Alleviation Plan Priority. He said that the country was embarking upon the concept of public private partnership to facilitate the people at large. Bone Marrow Transplant Unit is an example of public private partnership, he added. He said that the PIMS had added another feather to its cap by successfully running the first bone marrow transplant programme in any public sector hospital. He appreciated the PIMS medical team for giving imparting better patient care. He said that the PIMS, a premier health institute, was at the forefront of medical research enabling the clinicians to impart up to date medical treatment at par with the developed world. He said the PIMS and the Cure2Children Foundation, by providing free services of bone marrow transplant, were serving the ailing humanity. He thanked the Italian Ambassador for the grant for the Bone Marrow Transplant programme through Pakistan Italian Debt for Development Swap Agreement.—APP

Gwadar water shortage ISLAMABAD—The Sub-committee of Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs asked the Planning Commission of Pakistan to resolve the issue of water shortage in Gwadar. Speaking in a meeting of the committee, held with Sardar Fateh Muhammad Hassani in the chair, Senator Kalsoom Parveen said that there was water shortage in Gwadar as none of the projects launched by the government, had so far been completed. Member Planning Commission Lt. Gen (retd) Shahid Niaz said that the the desalination project, which was launched in 2008 at the cost of Rs.1.1 billion, would be completed this year. Senator Hamayun Khan Mandokhel said that supply of water from the Mirani Dam to Gwadar could only solve the shortage problem. Secretary Planning and Development Muhammad Javed Malik said that the sewerage and drainage system in Gwadar was needed to be improved. Mohayyuddin Marri of the Planning Commission informed the committee that the Business Plan for Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) was launched in 2004 at the cost of Rs 25 billion. Rs 6 billion of the total amount had been spent on building schools, hospitals and roads.

The committee also directed the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) to submit reports about the development work in Balochistan.

Gwadar’s water issue is to be resolved soon as a few water-related projects are expected to be completed soon, said Sohail-ur-Rehman, deputy commissioner of Gwadar. “A major breakthrough took place on November 9 during the prime minister’s special meeting with the Balochistan Cabinet at Gwadar,” he said. “The Mirani dam project was approved to connect it to Gwadar in order to avert the prevailing water crisis.” The project’s estimated cost is Rs4.5 billion for the provision of water supply to the people of Gwadar, he added. In view of project funding, the prime minister has announced that 50 percent funds would be provided by the federal government, while the rest would be provided by the provincial government. “The estimated timeframe for project completion is almost two years,” he said.—APP

tant Director Anti-Corruption Establishment Aamer Marth has said that investigation against 230 revenue officials including Patwaris has been completed and Rs 7 million recovered from them were deposited in government treasury.

Talking to newsmen he said the offence of corruption and misappropriation of government mutation fee has been established in the investigation. He said their challan would be submitted to criminal court for trial.

It may be mentioned that revenue officials looted public and misappropriated Rs 800 million

Lahore, ordered inquiry that was conducted by a special team.

Some of the accused had left the country after disposing of their immoveable properties they purchased with looted money.

Some were arrested while some promised to deposit amount they had misappropriated. A number of them is still working as Patwaris.

Tough cold war has been started among the local leaders of political parties to get tickets forNA and PA seats to contest upcoming elections. Persons aspiring for candidature are running between their home towns

ership. Persons desiring to contest elections believe that candidates holding tickets of mainstream parties surely have more chances to win the seats.

On the other hand voters think that candidates should be nominated on their recommendation. Members of civil society say that candidates should be honest and competent and party’s top leadership should consider general public opinion about their general reputation and competency. In this respect a meeting was arranged by members of civil society here at District Complex to consider

Hassan Aslam was the most suitable candidate for contesting election.

Muniba Gondal Advocate, who is a social worker and promoter of women’s basic rights, said that Hassan is young and highly qualified. He is already working as General Secretary PPP and his performance is good. Being son of a farmer he knows problems and difficulties of people of the area, and if elected would work for betterment of the people.

More than thirty members participated in the meeting.

Prominent among them were

Lambardar, Ex-Sessions Judge Muhammad Hussain Maken and Bashir Butt Advocate.

A man was crushed to death under train on friday. One Bashir Ahmed boarded Rohi Express to go to home. He has to disembark the train at Railway Station Pind Makko where the train does not stop. When the train was passing Pind Makko Station, Bashir jumped down from the train and fell under the running train. As result he was crushed to death at the spot. After completing legal formalities Railway Police handed over the dead body to his heirs.

MULTAN—National Vocational and Technical Education Commission (NAVTEC) is finalizing a mega project to help country’s 45 million youth contribute actively to the national economic growth.

Chairman Navtec, Mumtaz Akhtar Kahiloon told media here Thursday that country’s present economic scenario can improve only by way of active youth participation in line with the marketoriented trends and that the development of only a few thousand skilled workers would hardly bring about significant change. —APP

SI gunned down, man dies in police custody KASUR—A youngman was tor- was dispatched to his native town tured to death in police custody

by SHO Phoolnagar Atta Mustafa here on Friday.

According to details,SHO Phoolnagar Ata Mustafa arrested Muhammad Asif, Muhammad Mumtaz and Muhammad Ashfaq on the suspicion of theft. During investigation he brutally tortured them, as a result Muhammad Asif died in custody.

DPO Kasur ordered to register a case against the alleged SHO and five other officials under section 302 CrPc. Pishin: Unknown armed men on Friday shot at and killed Sub-Inspector (SI) outside the Sub-Jail Pishin, police said.

Manzoor Hussain,SI of Police died instantly when gunmen riding bike opened fire at him near the gate of Sub-Jail Pishin.

The dead body of deceased CHAMAN: A large number of people participating in an anti-polio walk led by Deputy Commissioner Bashir Ahmed after the medico-legal formalities Bangulzai and DHO Dr Abdul Ghaffar Baloch to create awareness about polio.

‘Over 1million unregistered Afghans still in Pakistan’

Man killed as tractor hits motorcycle BASHIR AHMAD RAHMANI HAFIZABAD—A middle-aged

PML-N protests LPG price hike STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister ghans refugees in Pakistan live UNHCR have a compilation of man was killed on the spot while MULTAN—The Pakistan Musfor States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Engineer Shaukat Ullah said that over one million un-registered Afghan refugees living in Pakistan.

Addressing here at the office of UNHCR in the ceremony of Population Profiling Verification and Response (PPVR) survey of Afghans in Pakistan 2011.

The minister said that presently some 1.66 million registered Afghans residing in Pakistan, 37% of the population lives in refugee villages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 69, Balochistan 10, and Punjab 1, while 63% live in urban and rural areas.

The majority of the Afghan refugees come from five provinces in Afghanistan- Nangarhar, Kabul, Kunduz, logar and Paktya. 37% of registered Af-

in 80 refugee villages of which 79 are located along the borders with Afghanistan in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, he added.

Shaukat said that 63% live in rural and urban areas. The Representative of UNHCR Neill Wright, informed that total of 3.80 Million individuals have repatriated to Afghanistan between 2002 and 2012. PPVR is a comprehensive household survey that was carried out to assess the needs of the Afghan refugees in Pakistan, The survey commenced in September 2010 and by the end of December 2011, over 130,000 household had been interviewed

by PPVR teams. The findings of the survey were made by public on November 28, 2012. The Government of Pakistan and

BB death anniversary arrangements reviewed STAFF REPORTER LARKANA—The Commissioner Larkana Dr. Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo presided over a high level meeting at Circuit House Larkana Friday to review the arrangement to observe 5th death anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto at Garhi Khuda Bux and President House Naudero on December 27.

The Commissioner directed the district administration that the people across the country will participate in Larkana,so that all arrangements of basic needs wa-

ter, electricity, health provision and communication should be ensured at Garhi Khuda Bux and Naudero, he said.

He directed the National Highway Authorities (NHA) to complete the road communication and development works before the anniversary.

He said that the ongoing work on roads from Larkana to Moen Jo Daro, Larkana to Kamber-Shahdadkot, Saeedu Dero, Garhi Khuda Bux and Waggan road from Karachi should be completed in stipulated time.

comprehensive household information on a significant number of Afghan households living in camps, urban and rural areas in Pakistan.

The data contains information on demographic and social characteristics that include sex, age, martial status, religion, language, ethnic group, disability, population information such fertility and mortality, housing types, household asset indicating the wealth index, basic health, education that includes disparities between sexes, enrolment, mobility capturing intention to return to Afghanistan, livihood remittances, economic activities including labour force participation, protection and security needs and water and sanitation.—APP

his friend seriously injured when a recklessly driven tractor trolley hit their bike near Kot Ishaq, 15 kilometres from here Friday.

Muhammad Mansha alongwith his friend Muhammad Yaqoob of Bairiwala village was on way to Kot Ishaq when a speeding Tractor Trolley hit his bike No. HZK-2590, resultantly Muhammad Mansha died on the spot while Yaqoob was removed to DHQ Hospital in critical condition. The police have registered a case and are investigating. ***** International Working Women Day will be observed in Hafizabad and Pindi Bhattian Tehsil today (Saturday).

STAFF REPORTER PESHAWAR—Dr Amer Azhar General Secretary Teaching Association Khyber Medical College (KMC) has expressed the confidence that the KPK government would take necessary steps to protect the college from politicization and chaos by appointing the Principal for the college on merit.

He said that Principal is traditionally selected amongst senior most staff of the Khyber Medical College on Seniority GUJJAR KHAN: First Lady, Begum Nusrat Pervez unveiling plaque on occasion of stone cum fitness basis. laying ceremony of NICON University. Raja Khurram Pervez is also present.

IUB seminar highlights causes, steps to end graft B AHAWALPUR —Prof

Dr Muhammad Mukhtar, ViceChancellor, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, has underlined the need of joint efforts to root out corruption from the society.

He said first of they all have to notice the causes of corruption which had badly affected our social set-up as currently Pakistan is at 33 position in corruption among 221 countries of the world and we have to make special arrangements to eradicate this social ill for better set-up.

Addressing a seminar here at IUB he remarked that a good sign was that collectively we were among good nations and on

7th number in the world for charity causes so it means we could easily overcome the root causes of the corruption to make country a corruption free and welfare state for the better future of the young generation and country.

The Seminar was arranged by the Anti-Corruption Establishment, Bahawalpur to develop awareness among public about corruption and its causes.

The Divisional Commissioner, Bahawalpur, Muhammad Khan Khichi in his address on the occasion condemned the causes of promoting corruption and underlined the need to launch crusade against corruption and corrupt ones as the wrong trends of lavish life style were the main cause of corruption which should be controlled and the corrupt ones

lim League (N) organized a protest demonstration against LPG price hike after Jumma prayers.

The protest was led by Hamza Shahbaz Lodhi and Ittehad rickshaw union president Sheikh Nadeem. They said LPG producers were earning huge profit by increasing prices. It is a pity that an LPG cylinder for domestic use is available at Rs 1,300, they said.

SSGC urged for spreading awareness about safe use of gas in winter season: The Citizens Action Committee (CAC) Quetta has expressed deep concern over increasing incidents of deaths caused by gas suffocation in the provincial capital and

urged the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to create awareness among the consumers about safe use of the facility in winter season.

The CAC, in a statement on Thursday, described the number of deaths caused by gas suffocation in the city as alarming. It is the beginning of the winter and such incidents can rise if the SSGC does not launch a campaign to educate consumers, particularly those living in the slums areas, about precautionary measures for using gas heaters at night time, it added.

The committee said poor gas appliances and low gas pressure also posed hazards to the consumers and suggested for taking appropriate measures in this regard.

Appointment of KMC Principal sought on merit

Crusade against corruption stressed B K TAHIR

Kabir wala in Dera Ghazi Khan.

It may be mentioned here that Sub Inspector Mujahid Hussain was shot dead by armed men in Nov last in Pishin. Further investigation was underway.

Arifwala: ASI killed in firing; An Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) was gunned down by two unidentified persons here on Friday.

Meanwhile, the police and Bomb Disposable squad Friday foiling an attempt of terrorist attack, defused seven kilogram bomb planted near Oskai peace check post.

The police officials said that remote control bomb was prepared locally, as the explosive material was packed in a bucket, concealed in a sack and planted near peace check post. Police have registered a case and handed the body over to victim’s family.—APP

should be taken to task according to the rules and law. He disclosed that all the revenue record would be computerized within a year in the area which was a good move by the Punjab government to control corruption.

The Director, Anti-Corruption Establishment, Bahawalpur, Jehanzeb Awan, SSP, Investigations, Bahawalpur, Gohar Mushtaq Bhutta, SP, Investigations, Azhar Gujjar, President, BCCI, Atif Aziz, M.D, Cholistan Development Authority, Javed Mehmood, President, Anjumane-Tajraan, Syed Israr Hussain Shah, eminent social and political figure of the area, Malik Habibullah Bhutta, Head of the Psychology department, IUB, Prof. Dr. Masood Nadeem and the Incharge, IUB Dramatic Club

and Director, IUB Alumni, Prof.

Dr. Abdul Wajid Khan also addressed on the occasion and highlighted the root causes of corruption and presented proposals to eradicate this social ill.

They remarked that parents and teachers could play an active role to guide their children in right direction for better and fair life so they had to concentrate more on their character building and teach them to pass simple life and follow the teachings of Islam and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) for successful and progressive as well as peaceful life and we had to adopt fairways for earning and if we started to use speak truth, surely we could overcome corruption which had ruined the whole social set-up.

Students Facilitation Centre at UoP STAFF REPORTER PESHAWAR—Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr Qibla Ayaz said here on Friday that University of Peshawar (UoP) would establish students’ facilitation desk at the office of Controller Examination.

Addressing the officers, Vice

Chancellor said that the Desk would ensure imparting of information and provision of all the relevant documents to visitors and those appearing in exams.

He emphasized the need for taking more steps towards patronizing more linkages with Universities of the world.

PPP needs to correct corruption perception

MEDIA WATCH

Challenges for Morsi

H

EADS of the nation are down over declaration of the Transpar ency International that Pakistan is one of the most corrupt coun tries of the world but regrettably those supposed to take lead in rectifying the situation are unable to digest the truth as they are trying to prove the findings wrong. PPP leader and Chairman Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Nadeem Afzal Chan, who is always in the forefront to defend both right and wrong of the party, has claimed that the report of TI is based on twisted facts.

The statement of PAC Chairman is unfortunate as who knows better than the most relevant body overseeing irregularities and misdeeds about the level of corruption in the country but sadly he has chosen to close his eyes towards the reality, which sends dismal signals about prospects of any improvement in the situation in the existing set up. In the 2012 report of the TI, Pakistan ranked ten point higher on the list of most corrupt nations where corruption worth 7 billion rupee was going on daily, meaning thereby total looted money of Rs. 12,600 billion during tenure of the present Government but PAC Chairman is solacing himself and the nation by telling that the Committee has recovered ‘ millions’. The findings of TI are no exaggeration as similar assessments were made even by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as well as FBR. Corruption has been there since long but it surpassed all limits during tenure of the incumbent regime when the society is believed to be infested with kickbacks, commissions, kidnappings for ransom and land grabbing. Sharp decline in foreign direct investment during the last four years speaks volumes about nature of the problem as besides security and other concerns, the prospective investors were harassed by those whose thirst for palm-greasing never ends. The society is bleeding but regrettably the existing mechanism to check corrupt practices has become lethargic and the Government effectively blocked all attempts to provide a strong legislative framework and an independent and neutral body to stem the rot.

Mere hollow rebuttals would not work and it is time the Government takes tangible measures to stop the hemorrhage.

Degree-less PIA pilots S

ECRETARY Defence and PIA Chairman Asif Yasin Malik made star tling disclosures before the Special Committee of the National Assembly about what is happening in the national carrier. He revealed that pilots with fake degrees flew PIA planes and four of them have been sacked. He also admitted that still fake degree holders were working on high posts in PIA. This is just one aspect of the situation that has brought havoc to the otherwise profit-earning and high flying organization. One wonders how come degree-less personnel were inducted even as pilot, a job that requires handling of sensitive and latest technology and demands highest standards of knowledge, expertise, professionalism and experience.

This also partly speaks about frequent accidents that have become a stigma for PIA, impacting upon its reputation and finances. It is known to all that PIA has been stuffed with all sorts of people just on political considerations and that is why aircraft-to-employee ratio in the corporation is highest in the world. Then most of those inducted on political basis lack required qualifications and skills but they are sitting in various wings and pocketing huge salaries and fringe benefits. It is because of inefficiency, mismanagement and corruption that have turned PIA into a loss incurring entity, which is indebted by Rs 152 billion and is seeking emergency grant of Rs 25 billion. It was the height of mismanagement that PIA, which usually earned huge profits out of Hajj operation, reported incurred losses last year on this account as well. PIA was once jewel of Pakistan and professionals from this organization helped other brotherly and friendly countries like Saudi Arabia and UAE establish their national carriers that have become shining examples in the aviation sector. PIA can restore its glory as there is no reason why should it earn losses when other airlines operating to and from Pakistan are witnessing a boom but for that to happen we will have to jettison the burden of inefficient, plug corruption and take decisions purely on merit and commercial considerations.

Olson may help stop drones A

S drone strikes continued unabated with latest one killing four in North Waziristan Agency early Thursday, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf took up the issue with the US Ambassador Richard Olson, telling him that these were counter-productive and that there was need to find some alternative means to eliminate terrorists.

The concern expressed by the PM is reflective of the national consensus on the issue as drone attacks are considered to be crude trampling of the country’s sovereignty. Besides, these also result into huge collateral damage that fuels both anti-Americanism and extremism but so far Pakistani argument has fell on deaf ears. We hope that the new envoy would himself assess the moods and reaction of the Pakistani people as well as negative impact of the drone strategy on Pakistan-US relations and help persuade his Government to bring about a change in the policy.

Pakistan has already offered workable proposals for the purpose including transfer of drone technology so that Pakistani forces could use it themselves where needed or identification of the terrorist targets followed by action by its own forces. We are sure that Mr Olson, who has the background and capacity as well as confidence of White House, would take up the issue in right perspective with his leadership back home. His predecessor Cameron Munter carved out a positive image not only in Pakistan but in the entire region for pursuing an approach that was seen as advancing genuine US interests and we are sure Olson too can render service to the US by playing a proactive role in this regard.

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Enabling resolution of Kashmir issue been well received

by India. The initiative has been taken to begin a consultative process between the political leadership of Pakistan Mohammad Jamil and pro-moveEmail: mjamil1938@hotmail.com ment leaders of Indian Occupied Kashmir, to prepare groundwork leading to the peaceful resolun 2004, India and Pakistan ini tion of Kashmir issue. Kashmir tiated the composite dialogue watchers and experts believe that with a view to removing the de- such visits by the Hurriyat leaders cades-old mistrust through confi- would suit India and Pakistan, as dence-building measures (CBMs), APHC could act as “facilitator” in and to resolve all the disputes in- deciding things which are in line cluding the core issue of Kashmir. with aspirations of the people of Unfortunately, the dialogue was Kashmir. Some Indian media stalled due to Mumbai attacks on hawks and hardliners, who want to 26th November 2008. After a long derail the peace initiative, adopt rehiatus of four years, the recent straint and over-cautious attitude toovertures from both the sides are wards upcoming trip of Hurriyat reflective of the realization that leaders. At this point in time when peace is indispensable condition to both sides radiate an aura of optithe prosperity in the region, and mism, Indian Prime Minister of course, the disputes between Manmohan Singh has declined the two countries need to be re- President Zardari’s invitation to visit solved. The dialogue process will Pakistan stating “there should be connot only narrow down the differ- ducive atmosphere for his visit”.

Anyhow, New Delhi and ences on Sir Creek, but also work out amicably the comprehensive Islamabad had announced on Februresolution regarding demilitariza- ary 10 that they would resume comtion of Siachen glacier. From a prehensive peace talks which were Kashmiri perspective, the leaders suspended after Mumbai episode. of both India and Pakistan should Experts say that a great majority of be encouraged to continue with the Indian populace want peace to pregood-will initiatives/confidence vail so that the pace of economic building measures they started growth and resulting prosperity consome time ago, which could be a tinues. But some segments of Indian stepping stone towards a sustainable media have started a negative campaign against the visit of APHC leadand lasting peace in the region.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister ers branding them as “separatists”.

Hina Rabbani Khar’s invitation to Some hawks from India do not want 8 members of the executive coun- improvement of relations between cil of the All Parties Hurriyat Con- Pakistan and APHC leaders. Experts ference (APHC) to visit Pakistan opine that India may once again show from 15 to 22 December 2012 has her intransigence in facilitating travel

News & Views

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documents because (i) some elements from India are not sincere towards resolution of Kashmir issue through consultative process (ii) They do not want Kashmiri leadership to visit Pakistan and meet Pakistani political leadership (iii) They want to jeopardize the consultative process initiated

by Pakistan (iv) They are aiming at creating division within the promovement camp by allowing only few leaders to visit Pakistan.

Pakistan has the still same old stand on Kashmir, and is committed to extend diplomatic and political support to the people of Kashmir. Pakistan sincerely wants the Kashmir issue should be resolved as per the wishes of Kashmiri people and as provided in the UN resolutions that bestowed the right to Kashmiris to decide joining India or Pakistan through the plebiscite under the aegis of the UN. The US and Britain often express concern over the looming threat of war between two nuclear states - India and Pakistan. Former prime minister Gordon Brown had been candid in his statement during his premiership that the solution of the Kashmir issue was vital for world stability, which was indeed encouraging. But he should have taken the initiative and persuade international community to help resolve the dispute, as it was unfinished part of the partition of the subcontinent. President Obama has many a time expressed his desire that the dispute between India and Pakistan should be resolved but short of playing an active role in resolving the dispute.

Pakistan has many a time urged the international community at the United Nations to persuade India to end its repression in Kashmir so as to pave the way for settling the decades-old dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions. The human rights of the Kashmiri people must be respected, and their voices heard to create an enabling environment for a

peaceful solution of the longstanding Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Of course, India has recently shown its willingness to improve relations with Pakistan by lifting the ban on foreign investment from Pakistan, showcasing goodwill to achieve ultimate goal of establishing goodneighborly relations with Pakistan.

The decision, on its face value appears to have its merits as Pakistani citizens or any entity incorporated in Pakistan will be able to make investments in India in fields other than defence, space and atomic energy.

India claims to have taken a positive initiative to build trust and confidence between the two states with a view to finding a way forward to address conflicting issues and resolve disputes such as Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek and water disputes.

In the past, India’s stance was to first promote trade and take confidence building measures that would help resolve the outstanding disputes.

On the other hand Pakistan wanted to see tangible progress in the resolution of disputes including the core issue of Kashmir before giving India the status of most-favored nation.

With gestures from both sides, there has been an unprecedented development. Today in Pakistan, the government, the opposition and establishment are on the same page, and they want to give peace a chance. There is a window of opportunity, which should not be wasted by India. Pakistani media has been supportive of such moves, but Indian media has yet to play a positive role in creating enabling environment for resolving disputes and for everlasting peace in the region. Though narratives of both governments on the issues/disputes are at variance, yet both countries could reduce their defence-spending and allocate more for social sector to improve the lives of teeming millions.

—The writer is Lahore-based senior journalist.

Strategising Pak-US partnership stated that, “recognizing the enduring security requirements on both sides the AfghanistanRana Athar Javed of Pakistan border, the Email: ma_javed@hotmail.com two delegations agreed to cooperate on a prioritized set of Pakistan’s defence requirements which here are times when it is pos will follow-on consultations on sesible to negotiate directly with curity assistance. the US and confine Pakistan’s The United States and Pakistan concerns over declining professional also discussed the importance of the and institutional relationship beyond Coalition Support Fund and security maintaining the historical ad hoc assistance programs, and agreed to strategic arrangements. The continue consultations on the way for21stround of the two-day summit of ward.” With this type of dispatch, the Pak-US Defence Consultative DCG agreed on continuing American Group (DCG) illustrates a positive support to Pakistan under Coalition– impression. After the settlement, it the DCG remains an invaluable fois proper for the US to adopt a strat- rum to discuss strategic defence egy of adhering to permanent na- policy issues and exchange views on tional security interests of Pakistan. shared security concerns, and comThe principal of sovereignty and mitted to continue working together legal norms put forward in the post- to implement a framework for deSalala and against the illegal drone fence cooperation based on areas of campaign symbolizes that prioritiz- convergence between the US and Paing Pakistan’s defence & security kistani interests to promote peace and requirements would eventually be stability in the region.” Since both contributing to dissipate controver- countries tremblingly face the brutal sial provisions of Pak-US dialogues, threat of fragmentation in Afghaniespecially in terms of sanction re- stan and by extension to other regime and International law. Thus, gional economic powers. proving that the US/NATO should One assessment is that such realize that the states “under threat” situation can be prevented if the from militancy and foreign infiltra- US policies shift to a footing of tion would never risk its sovereignty “maximum equality”, which no at any cost. It was essentially coun- longer desire Pakistan to just terproductive to impose harsh eco- “obey” the orders of a powerful nomic/military sanctions and not friend. For the most part, Pakistan awarding concessions as an appli- never seek to replace the US as cation to defeat terrorism and ex- strategic partner, but a stable and tremism and thereby chance to sta- democratic Pakistan needs foreign bilize Afghanistan. The DCG meet- investments and access to the US ing of December 3-4, 2012jointly market, rather than threats and

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plans to modify the territorial map of South Asia. Strategizing PakUS partnership therefore will not only help defeating terrorism and extremism, but will also supply crucial and timely material support to the Pakistani people.

The recent settlement between the US and Pakistan conceded more than the mistrust by which both countries felt the need of appreciation, and deemed it unnecessary to slide into deep and permanent hostility. However, there are groups and ideologues charged with warning policy makers in the US, who consistently construct synthetic threats emanating from nuclear accidents/ Taliban controlling the Pakistani state and Balkanization of Pakistan.

The presentations of such dangerous scenarios are justly infamous because gradually they are also being employed as psychological methods by negotiators. Providing implicit or explicit support to such rumors, media ploughs, diplomatic intentions, legal and military operations are fully against the array of challenges that both the US and Pakistan are facing.

From its creation in 1947, Pakistan has been the primary target of economic, political and military threats from the forces grew out both from domestic and international networks of vested groups. Over the next two decades, it is crucial that the US and Western powers must help Pakistan in enhancing its economic, energy, defence and security capacities as the emerging new alliances are not limiting their strategic partners to the traditional regions.

Also, conducting a foreign policy under the shadow of extreme economic crisis bitterly betrays the

sense of equality and national identity character. As far as intelligence sharing arrangement goes, finding a better & balanced system of exchange is increasingly becoming the only option to turn around the fears of terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan and in the wider world. The intelligence professionals seemed to agree upon that too much hostility and anti-sharing behavior could risk terrorists and “bad guys” slipping out into tiny groups, an assessment that evidently would affect the value of information.

There is also the need of a “new strategy” with the proposition that “before” the US/NATO withdrawal in 2014, every opportunity that enables both Pakistan and Afghanistan to work together must be encouraged and supported by the US. In retrospect to negotiation with Taliban and upgrading Afghan military/security forces, drafting Pakistan’s expertise would open up new channel of communication and trust between the two brotherly neighbors. Furthermore, apparently dismissive of calls for technological modernization of Pak-military’s weaponry systems, the prevailing optimism can be realized if the US benefit itself by offering to share modern military weapons and education with Pakistani professionals. It would be a leading act of building bridges between the future cadres of army officers and soldiers of both allay countries, which in turn would prevent the nourishment of antiAmerican sentiments in Pakistan’s civil & military institutions.

—The author is a Denmark-based National Security Expert and Defence Analyst.

egardless of where Egyptians stand politically, all of them will be depressed to see tanks back on the streets of Cairo. The polarization between Muslim Brotherhood supporters of President Muhammad Morsi and diverse opposition forces is hugely dangerous, and, if people do not realize it yet, the army’s tanks are evidence of the risk the country is running, by being so divided. The generals did not relinquish their half-century of political dominance because they wanted to. They went because they had run out of options. However, any wise political commentator should surely be cautioning, that for many of the Egyptian military, their retreat from politics is seen as a tactical withdrawal. At the moment, at the behest of the Morsi administration, they can play the role of reluctant referee, in what the military establishment will be hoping, will be rising political conflict. If and when the troubles tip over into anarchy, maybe with a little covert help from military intelligence, then there will be widespread despair at the chaos and violence, and however reluctantly, the army may be welcomed back, since it alone will be capable of restoring order.

If that happens, Egypt’s old inefficient regime will have returned, with a new top commander assuming the country’s leadership, on what of course, he will promise will only be a temporary basis, in defense of the revolution. Indeed there are grounds for suspecting that the military may be quietly encouraging opposition protest against the new constitution. A close analysis of the text of this new document and its predecessor, shows that there is very little of substantive difference between them. It is an honorable document that guarantees the rights of women and of Egypt’s sizable Christian minority and is not, as opponents declare, the template for a oneparty Muslim Brotherhood state.

Unfortunately President Morsi, who played his cards brilliantly in levering the military out of the new political process, seriously lost his touch last month, when he arrogated to himself sweeping powers, which could neither be challenged by Parliament nor the judiciary. This move was simply too much like that of the old regime. Indeed, some have argued that Morsi gave himself even more power than Hosni Mubarak.

The president then compounded his political error by having agreement on the new constitution rushed through and insisting that the referendum on its provisions would go ahead on Dec. 15. His statement that the “doors of dialogue” on the constitution, “remain open” is deeply unconvincing, given the absurdly short timeline. Those opposition members who have genuine concerns over the document, will rightly believe that any adjustments after a vote in favor in just nine days time, is highly unlikely.

The alternative is continued violence and confrontation, stirred up by extremists on both sides, which will make the essential political dialogue even harder to restart. Morsi promised a middle way and a government for all his people. It is not entirely his fault that opposition demonstrators have been lured back onto the streets and into the re-occupation of the now iconic Tahrir Square. However, only he now has the ability to defuse the tensions and get people to return to their homes.

For sure he and his party, the Muslim Brotherhood and its political allies won a convincing electoral mandate. But that mandate carried with it, as he seemed at first to recognize, a responsibility to bring all Egyptians with him into the new political dispensation. His enemies, not least in the military, were ready from the start, to exploit any mistake or weakness, and mount just the sort of demonstrations that we are now seeing.

Meanwhile his supporters, very reasonably, see their electoral victory being challenged on the streets, and after initial reluctance, are now prepared in their turn, to confront opposition demonstrations. So far, Egypt’s new president is not delivering the sort of political leadership that is required so urgently. The danger is that unless he gets a grip, and acts decisively to defuse the rising tensions, even if the new constitution is approved on Dec. 15, he will find himself the leader of a state in long-term turmoil, with the military quietly awaiting the right moment to intervene and restore the old order.—Arab News Poverty and oysters always seem to go together.

Charles Dickens —British novelist

Pak ordeals to be over Immediately after partition of the Column from Dallas British India; Pakistan was beset with refugees’ problem and the settlement of Saeed Qureshi the incoming immiEmail: qureshisa2003@yahoo.com grants from the territories that became part of India. This country fell into the akistan has remained in the hands of the nasty bureaucrats who throe of a perennial multi-fac were averse to making a constitution eted crisis. But let us not de- and embarking Pakistan upon a spair about its destiny and a glorious democratic course. The intriguing future ahead. Pakistan a nascent state politicians, whose predominant lot has remained caught in myriad prob- came from the feudal classes, hilems ever since it came into being on jacked the political power and until August 14, 1947. These problems are this day are overt or covert power both internal and external. A new na- brokers and wielders.

With the feudal culture still ramtion under an inept and self-seeking leadership remained lost and dis- pant and dominant, the democracy tracted from its course of moving for- seems to be tainted and hijacked. ward to progress, prosperity, and sta- The perennial Kashmir issue has bility. Pakistan’s dilemma is that its given ascendancy to the armed leadership that created and struggled forces as the savior of the nation alfor Pakistan did not live long enough though it was during the military to set the parameters that could have rules that Pakistan suffered ruinous transformed it into a vibrant and vi- setbacks. As is commonly known, able state. In the modern times, Pa- the first military ruler Gen (how kistan and India’s emergence as two could he become Field Marshall) independent States is a unique phe- Ayub Khan deprived Pakistan of nomenon that has few parallels in the three rivers, lending a devastating history. Both the sub-continental blow to Pakistan’s agricultural based states were the result of a sustained economy. Yahya Khan truncated movement for independence kept in Pakistan. Gen Ziaul buried a demohigh gear by Muslim and Hindu lead- cratic government, hanged an elected ers. For a variety of undeniable fac- prime minster, promoted religious extors and divergent dynamics, these tremism and sectarian animus, and two communities could not opt to live turned Pakistan into a mercenary hatchet man of the foreign imperialtogether in one united state.

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ism. Finally, Gen Musharraf played havoc with the constitution of Pakistan. He consolidated his power by manipulating with self-preserving amendments in the constitution and pushing Pakistan further into the lap of foreign hegemonic designs and reinforcing Pakistan’s mercenary role.

Now this is history. With the popular elections in February 2008, Pakistan has been set on a new democratic path after almost ten years of one-man rule, and 32 years of cumulative military domination of Pakistan. Despite the ferocious and unrelenting insurgency and frequent suicide bombing, Pakistan is doing well with the rest of the world and at home. The religious based militancy that is apace for a decade or so would have challenged the authority of state at some juncture. The thorns of sectarian and ethnic bad blood that Gen Zia had sown have been growing into full-scale stature.

Pakistan could not have saved itself from the fanaticism of the religious militants after their victory in Afghanistan. Logically they would have come home with more victories with a view to establishing an Islamic orthodox system (caliphate) of government in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. I doubt if Pakistan or Afghanistan governments or societies could hold their advance and check their unrelenting sway as was later witnessed in Swat and northern valleys. It is here that the American and NATO forces’ presence in this region, to curb and weaken these merciless brigands, looks useful. Therefore, in a way the

military might of NATO and of the United States to browbeat religious frenzy and militancy has been a kind of blessing in disguise for Pakistan.

Eventually the occupation forces will have to leave Afghanistan. So primarily, it would be both Pakistan and Afghanistan that would benefit from the weakening and bludgeoning of Taliban and Al-Qaida who could have turned this region into a hell engaging Pakistan army into a perpetual conflict. If there are people, who believe that Taliban would revive Islamic glory and pristine caliphate are morons and so to speak, living in fools’ paradise. If Taliban turn Pakistan into another Swat and Kabul, would we call it a genuine Islamic government?

Notwithstanding the personal objectionable character or the villainous volition of the individuals in power in Pakistan, the fact cannot be ignored that it is essentially an elected government. Still it is a democratic dispensation that is subject to some semblance of accountability and censure as exercised by media and judiciary.

Gradually and imperceptibly the economy is showing resilience and revival, howsoever feeble and slow it may be. There is some kind of accountability although the executive has not moved fast to address the law and order and similar grave issues.

—The writer is a senior journalist and a former diplomat.

Quake-hit areas regain colours Shahid Hussain

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ature has blessed Pakistan’s northern areas and Kashmir valley with striking landscapes, snow dressed peaks, inspiring mountain passes, shining glaciers, beautiful meadows, lush-green valleys, roaring rivers, eye catching lakes, wonderful waterfalls, thick forests and flowers of unbelievable colors and fragrance. All these combine and make the north of Pakistan, a real paradise on earth.

In the lives of the nations, there come certain moments, when these beauties turn pale and come such disappointed situations that even many big nations lose hopes. But great nations face these awful moments with great courage and wisdom. We find such an example in Pakistani nation when in the unfortunate morning of October 8, 2005, at 8:52 a.m. the fury of the nature shook the calmness of the north of Pakistan and AJ&K and brought anguish and woes to the lives of over 3.5 million people. The earthquake of 7.6 magnitude at Richter

scale caused the loss of about 73338 precious lives, while 128500 wounded, 53000 seriously injured and about 500000 families badly affected. This deadly earthquake also dipped all the essential facilities and infrastructure to dust and debris.

About 600000 houses were destroyed. Educational institutions just disappeared from the scene. Roads and communication ways were totally damaged.

The government and the people of Pakistan as well as the international community responded in an unprecedented manner to this tragic calamity and rushed to the affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and AJ&K. The relief activity began, right after the rescue efforts, wherein the government and people of Pakistan, humanitarian organizations and international community participated enthusiastically to restore the life in the affected areas. In a mere six months time, the relentless efforts of the Pakistani nation and international community matured in the successful completion of relief and recovery phase that was followed by reconstruction and rehabilitation activities.

To take up the mammoth task of reconstruction and rehabilitation in earthquake affected areas spread over 30,000 square kilometers of nine districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and AJ&K, the Government of Pakistan established the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) on October 24, 2005. The staff of ERRA comprises a hybrid of civil servants, armed forces personnel and international consultants.

ERRA’s prime task is to strategize and approve projects together with the provision of funds to undertake the reconstruction and rehabilitation works.

ERRA’s mission at the time of establishment was to “Convert this Adversity into an Opportunity” by reconstructing the lost and destroyed facilities, while following highest standards of reconstruction and rehabilitation with the obligation to “Build Back Better”.Due to untiring efforts by the whole nation of Pakistan and especially ERRA, today the slogan of “Build Back Better” has come true.

During my recent visit to some of the districts of AJ&K, I was surprised to

see that it is now difficult to find a sign of such a big and deadly devastation, which even frightened the whole world. The life is now in full swing. There are schools and universities of international standard everywhere. The communication and other infrastructure have been built better than before. There is remarkable development in the fields like rural housing sector, urban development, public infrastructure, health, education, water and sanitation, roads and transportation, telecommunication, livelihood rehabilitation, social protection and environment. The projects, which could not be completed yet, are in progress with special emphasis on quality and standard.

It can truly be said that the colors are back and are in full swing in earthquake affected areas of Northern Pakistan and AJ&K. We must pray that in case of any future untoward incident, May Allah Almighty give us the strength, courage and wisdom to face the challenges, which He bestowed us during the tragedy of 2005 (Amin) Pakistan Zindabad…

Views From Abroad

Growing political crisis in Egypt Hassan Barari

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aring any acceptable solution to the growing political crisis in Egypt, the situation may descend into violence and instability.

Anti-Morsi protesters clashed with the president’s supporters near the presidential palace. In fact, Egypt witnesses the worst crisis since the president took office some six months ago.

Morsi is in real trouble. His opponents accused him of creating a kind of autocracy by granting himself extraordinary power and by imposing a constitution that does not represent the aspirations of a wide range of the Egyptian society.

So far President Morsi has proven that he does not buckle under pressure. He is confident that his supporters can protect him and that the proposed constitution can pass in the referendum. But, this is hardly wise!

In politics, it is not a matter of a majority versus minority. If anything, the Egyptian state needs societal understandings that transcend the issue of a majority ruling over a minority. The president and his movement will be

better off if they look for compromises with their opponents rather than imposing their will on the rest.

Averting a showdown is possible but not easy. The president can retract his decree, agree to revise the constitution and defer the referendum.

The president is yet to understand that the revolution is not over. The transition should be in an inclusive manner and as a result of a dialogue.

Unfortunately, the president and his Islamist supporters think that it is their golden opportunity to reorganize the Egyptian politics in their favor. They forget however that the Egyptians rose against tyranny and dictatorship and will not tolerate a new dictatorship. And yet, the crisis is deeper than what many think. It has to do with the absence of an acceptable framework of democratic values that glues Egyptians together.

Mursi’s controversial moves came as a function of a lack of trust in his opponents.

Put differently, President Mursi acted preemptively. Shadi Hamid, director of research at Brookings Doha Center said, “Islamist distrust of the other side, justified or not, is what led Mursi to issue his Nov. 22

decree, people close to him insist.

The Brotherhood saw an existential threat on the horizon: Looming in the near future were court rulings that would dissolve both the Constituent Assembly and the upper house of Parliament. Brotherhood and FJP officials told me that they knew from sympathetic judges that rulings revoking Mursi’s Aug. 12 decree, which established civilian control of the military, and even possibly annulling the presidential election law, were in the cards. Another prominent Brotherhood member, who has privately been critical of Mursi’s presidency, went so far as to suggest to me that, if the president didn’t act preemptively now, the closing of Brotherhood offices could be next in a new campaign of repression, followed by the dissolution of the group itself.”

Some even argue that the nonIslamist’s antipathy toward the president and his dominant movement is not justified. The Muslim Brotherhood is adopting a version of politics that is different from the past and indeed more moderate. The program of the movement is way different from the past as well. In Shadi Hamid’s

words, “The Brotherhood took steps to smooth over the hard edges of its political program during the next two decades, culminating in its 2005 electoral platform — the centerpiece of the group’s effort to rebrand itself and offer a vision for political and institutional reform. Democracy, rather than shariah, was the new call-to-arms.”

That said, the president and the Freedom and Justice Party made a key flip-flops. Their understanding of democracy is not complete.

They think that they have the backing of the majority of people and that they can decide any step they want to take in a democratic way.

Apparently, they failed to see that democracy is not only voting or having more supporters and more voters. It is about a broad societal understanding. Sadly, what is taking place in Egypt is a sort of polarization that threatens the stability of the country as a whole. It remains to be seen however how the president is going to tackle the growing political crisis. But short of meeting the rest of political force half way, the crisis is most likely to snowball.—The CG News

The English, we don’t know..!

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ery often I get letters from readers asking me about how to develop a writing style or how to write better English, ah well, here’s something for all of us who think we have mastered this language, here’s the English we know little about: Did you know the most commonly used letter in the

alphabet is ‘E.’ Did you know the least used letter in the alphabet is ‘Q.’ Did you know skiing is the only word with double ‘I.’ Did you know dreamt is the only word that ends in ‘MT.’ Did you know there are only 4 words in the English language which end in ‘dous’ (they are: hazardous, horrendous, stupendous and tremendous).

Did you know the oldest word in the English language is ‘town.’

Did you know ‘Bookkeeper’ and ‘bookkeeping’ are the only 2 words in the English language with three consecutive double letters. Did you know the word ‘Strengths’ is the long-

est word in the English language with just one vowel. Did you know the dot on top of the letter ‘i’ is called a tittle?

Did you know the past tense for the English word ‘dare’ is ‘durst.’ Did you know the word ‘testify’ derived from a time when men were required to swear on their testicles? Did you know the first English dictionary was written in 1755. Did you know the word old English word ‘juke’ meaning dancing lends its name to the Juke Box. Did you know 1 out of every 8 letters written is an ‘e.’ Did you know the longest one syllable word in the English language is ‘screeched.’

Did you know all pilots on international flights identify themselves in English regardless of their country of origin? Did you know the expression to ‘knuckle down’ originated from playing marbles (players used to put their knuckles to the ground for their best shots).

Did you know the word ‘almost’ is the longest in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order. Did you know the most commonly used word in English conversation is ‘I.’Quite a lot of English we know little about, right?

—Email: bobsbanter@gmail.com

Voice of the People Bill for senior citizens ZAHEER AHMED

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t is heartening to note that the United Nations Population Fund and HelpAge International are trying to focus the media’s attention on the bill for the rights of senior citizens, which has been lying pending in parliament since 2007. Pakistan is perhaps the only country where senior citizens of above 60 years of age are hardly offered any concessions or facilities when it comes to travelling, healthcare or entertainment. The government recently introduced the idea of a smart card scheme for pensioners, but it is yet to be implemented. The position on the ground is that senior citizens, especially those who belong to the lower strata, are offered no privileges. They have to wait in long queues. As against this, in developed countries, senior citizens are given special treatment and consideration everywhere. They are given concession cards for travelling by air, road or trains. I have myself availed these concessions during my visits abroad. There are separate queues for senior citizens so that they do not have to wait for a long time. In Pakistan, the population of senior citizens is almost 12 percent of the total population. It is high time the government passed the bill. Similarly, the recent judgement of the Supreme Court on restoring full pension to retired senior citizens should also be implemented.

—Islamabad

IESCO performs better HARIS WALEED Public dealing and customer care of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) have improved a lot in recent days. The behaviour of dealing staff is much better than before regarding redressal of consumer’s complaints. We all know that customers are real asset of any company and providing them with better facilities is prime duty of the Company. IESCO have a large number of customers and better services are being provided to them by the IESCO as compared to other distribution companies throughout Pakistan.

As a trader from Commercial Market, I appreciated that IESCO staff receive phone calls promptly and try to handle the issue on merit to entire satisfaction of the consumers.” Its management has provided necessary instruments and good office environment in all customer services offices and complaint offices which, previously used to be in shabby condition. A Customer can after get duplicate bill, make instalment and extend due date of bill etc from these customer services Centres.

It is also a welcome development that to redress the complaints of entire region, a Central Complaint and Monitoring Cell at IESCO Head office is also providing essential services to the consumers round the clock. On receipt of a complaint, the staff respond quickly to redress it by giving instructions to the concerned IESCO office quickly. It is also learnt that IESCO has mobile service too which visits various areas as per schedule to redress consumer’s billing problems.

—Rawalpindi

sort of problem for china. But on the other side US also knows the fact that she is not able to justly solve the Kashmir issue, instead she is pushing Pakistan to bury the Kashmir cause and build India Pakistan block which can be used against China.

Now Pakistan has been an important chess man for US to take refreshment in central Asia by stabilizing Afghanistan after American messed up the country and also helping US agenda of making India sole power in the region especially against China.

Unfortunately the current leader ship is unable to see the country’s strategic vigour and think that Pakistan is so frail that we cannot even defend ourselves. Only a sincere and visionary leadership can use our strategic strength to optimum effect and make China a strategic alley to counter US and India’s combined threat.

—Via email

Birthday celebration at Taj M RAFIQUE ZAKARIA Our Interior Minister Rehman Malik has expressed his desire with Indian government to celebrate his 61st birthday with his spouse Saeeda Rehman in one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal on 12th December 2012.

According to media reports, Rehman Malik will be in India from 11 to 13 December. My advance sympathies are with the people of Agra.

Possibilties are, that cell phones might be blocked on the day Rehman Malik visits Agra if he feels slightest threat to his life. It will not be out of place to mention here that besides Taj Mahal, Agra city is equally famous for having largest mental hospital!

—Karachi

Indian atrocities in Kashmir Pakistan serving A K US interest NZA

SYED HASSAM AHMED US Secretary State Hilary Clinton stated in November 2011, “As the war in Iraq winds down and America begins to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan, the United States stands at a pivot point. In the next 10 years, we need to be smart and systematic about where we invest time and energy, so that we put ourselves in the best position to sustain our leadership, secure our interests, and advance our values. One of the most important tasks of American statecraft over the next decade will therefore be to lock in a substantially increased investment — diplomatic, economic, strategic, and otherwise — in the Asia-Pacific region”. This US is shifting attention from Iraq and Afghanistan towards containing China’s growing assertiveness in Asia pacific.

It is clear, in Afghanistan the presence of US foot hold is to disturb China’s western trade, and energy routes. India and Japan a customary rivals and enemy of China can play a great role. America has already established seven well known military bases to pressurize China, like South Korea, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, Guam and now Australia. In order to assert more pressure on China, US is strengthening china’s neighbours, Obama had an important meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at ASIAN in Indonesia, and Hillary Clinton made an unexpected tour of Myanmar, which is sharing very long border with China.

US also see relation with India to pursue her policy to restrict China.

After last year’s visit of US secretary state to Pakistan, efforts to normalize relationship between India and Pakistan has been noticed. Government of Pakistan suddenly gave India a status of MFN (Most Favorite Nation) an astonishing step in the context when Pakistan accuses India for insurgency in FATA and in Balochistan.

America wants India to become economic and military power in the region. But the presence of most powerful rival at the western border, Pakistan always unrest India and in this scenario India can’t even think to counter or even create any

ANWAL

Recently, ‘ Citizens’ Council for Justice (CCJ)’ released a report stating that the Indian army and other government agencies have been brutalizing Kashmiri people while subjecting them to torture, enforced disappearance, killing, destruction of property and molestation of women.

The report has been prepared with the assistance of International Peoples’ Tribunal for Human Rights and Justice in Kashmir and Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society. To crush the Kashmiri Liberation movement, India has employed various techniques including black laws. Public Safety Act (PSA), Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act 1990 (TADA) and Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1990, (AFSPA) are enforced in Kashmir despite the fact that they contravene the Indian Constitution and international law.

These laws violate the basic human rights such as right to life, the right to liberty and security of the person and the right to remedy. These atrocities are true reflection of Indian policy of condoning human rights violations by its security forces in occupied Kashmir.

—Rawalpindi

Unlucky genius M ATIF MAHMOOD MAJOKA Alfred Nobel stipulated that no distinction of race or colour will determine who received of his generosity.

On this occasion, let me say this to those, whom God has given His Bounty. Let us strive to provide equal opportunities to all so that they can engage in the creation of Physics and science for the benefit of all mankind.Abdus Salam’s speech at the Nobel Banquet, December 10, 1979. Above is an excerpt from Dr Abdus Salam’s speech which he delivered at Stockholm about thirty three years ago on the occasion of Noble prize distribution ceremony.

The spirit of the message is nothing but what Quran has emphasised in hundreds of its verses, the universal spirit of equality and justice. Salam who dreamed a world without prejudice could not get fairness for himself. Mortality of man is still a standing truth. Humans live and die but not all of them. One would raise eye-

brows as to how man can defy death.

Some people live and always live through their extraordinary work and contribution towards the good of mankind. Dr Abdu Salam was one such soul. He was lucky and unlucky the same time.

Lucky that God created him with amazing mental abilities and drove him towards unprecedented destiny.

If you look at his life it seems as if he was chosen by nature to be what he turned out to be. A man who hailed from a lower middle class family for whom joining Indian Railway could be a dream come true, scaled heights very few could ever do in the entire history of mankind, yet was an unlucky fellow. Isn’t it intriguing to use the word unlucky for someone who has left indelible marks on the face of human knowledge, hold your breath, I would say he was unlucky because he belonged to a community with controversial religious beliefs, because he was born to a poor man, because the country he opted to be a citizen of, showed more concern to his inherited religious beliefs than his intelligence.

He was unlucky because he kept his faith in science and decided to sow the seeds of knowledge in the infertile soil of Muslim world. He was unlucky that he studied Physics and Mathematics to excel in, had he learnt bigotry and sycophancy, he would have had millions of lovers and followers in his country. He tried to establish Science University, if he had endeavoured to find a “Mudarsa” instead, he would have enjoyed the title of “Hazrat” at least. He definitely made wrong choices; therefore, he is no one in the land of pure. God made him lucky but he made himself unlucky by making wrong decisions in life. Sorry to unlucky genius.

—Melbourne, Australia

Political party or cults RASHID ORAKZAI Any individual who chooses to enter politics, especially those who head political parties should be open to public scrutiny and have tolerance to face critical analysis of their assets, their extravagant lifestyle, tax records, their commitment to Pakistan viz a viz dual nationality status, financial and business records etc.

When men or women, who seek elected public office, or hold political party office, giving them clout in decision and policy making, than their private lives, weaknesses, and sources of earning should be open to public scrutiny and media exposure, because men who decide the fate of people should be above board. Cults or hereditary rights to seek political roles are adverse to democratic norms, because these roles are only conducive to feudal mindsets. Political cults lead to violence, murder and threats of intimidation to exert their influence.

Party workers who do not tolerate criticism of their leaders have become cult disciples, which has no role in democratic politics. Political morality, democratic ethics and culture of tolerance have become victims of these cult-like groupings that thrive on corruption, land grabbing, human traffic, drug scams, weapon smuggling and usurpation of state assets. Individuals like Asif Zardari, Nawaz Shariff, Imran Khan, Shujaat, Bilawal, Hamza, Moonis Elahi, Pervaiz Elahi, Yusaf Raza Gillani, Pir Pagara, Altaf Hussain, Afzandyar Wali etc who have chosen to play a role in national or provincial politics should be subjected to strict public scrutiny and given exemplary severe punishments if found abusing their powers for personal benefits and conflict of interest. Paid public servants must also be subjected to similar scrutiny and accountability.

—US

READERS are requested to type their letters legibly with double spacing and only on one side of the paper.

—Editor Email:editorial@pakobserver.net

Kasab and politics of the death penalty PRAFUL BIDWAI

B

Y secretly hanging Ajmal Kasab for the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, the Indian government committed a Constitutional impropriety and virtually ensured that the masterminds behind the attacks wouldn’t be brought to justice.

Kasab’s execution exposes the crassness of “the hangman’s justice” and should trigger a demand for the abolition of the death penalty. The Constitutional impropriety les in a failure of due process — to inform Kasab of his right to seek a judicial review of the rejection of his mercy petition by India’s President Pranab Mukherjee on November 5.

While communicating the decision to Kasab one week later, the government should have told him that the rejection doesn’t close all legal avenues; he could still move the Supreme Court to review it.

This was Kasab’s right under the Constitution’s right-to-life Article 21, which applies to foreign nationals too. The Supreme Court has the power to review and even reverse the president’s rejection of mercy petitions, based on the home ministry’s recommendation, if the rejection is based on bias and incomplete consideration of evidence, or is otherwise wrongful. The Court explicitly clarified this in the Kehar Singh verdict (1989) on Indira Gandhi’s assassination. It held the courts have the power to examine the material on the basis of which the rejection is decided. The president’s pardoning power is totally different from the judiciary’s power of review. But both institutions are

sider his decision. The review right has been used many times by convicted people or their relations e.g. three men sentenced for Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, by Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, convicted for a 1993 terror attack in Delhi, and even by rapist-murderer Dhananjoy Chatterjee, the last person to hang

it was conducted for extraneous reasons on the eve of Parliament’s winter session, when the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) is in the dock over scandals and unpopular policies.

The hanging took the wind out of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) strident cam-

before Kasab, in 2004.

In Kasab’s case, the Indian state followed due process through the trial and right until he made his mercy petition to the president.

paign claiming the UPA lacks the courage to act against terrorists. The BJP cites the case of Afzal Guru, convicted for the Parliament House attack of December 2001. It also put

Pune, whose timing would be decided by the state of Thackeray’s health. The fallback plan was to hang Kasab in the Mumbai jail where he was lodged in contravention of Maharashtra’s practice of hanging convicts only in Pune or Nagpur.

This speaks of the political executive’s deviousness and venality and sets a terrible precedent. Tomorrow, the UPA may hang Afzal Guru just before the next election for political reasons. There’s a huge difference between Kasab and Guru. Kasab’s gunning down of innocent people was televised in real time and watched by millions. Guru didn’t kill directly, nor was he so charged. Explosives were allegedly recovered from his hideout later. Accused of conspiracy, he was tried under the highly controversial, now-repealed Prevention of Terrorism Act, which allows confession before a police officer as evidence.

It can be persuasively claimed that Guru’s guilt wasn’t established beyond doubt on strict judicial criteria. Yet the court order upholding his conviction said the Parliament attack “has shaken the entire nation” and society’s “collective conscience” will be satisfied if “capital punishment is awarded” to him. Given the secrecy, it wouldn’t be uncharitable to conclude that the government didn’t weigh the merits of summarily hanging Kasab vis-?-vis using his testimony in the trial in Pakistan of seven men led by Laskar-e-Taiba commander Zakiur-Rehman Lakhvi for the Mumbai attacks.

Kasab was a rare asset one of the few foreign terrorists caught alive in India. Yet, very little solid evidence based on his interrogation was provided to the Pakistani trial court.

Nor was Kasab produced there. Under Paki-

The time has come to abolish the death penalty, as more than two-thirds of the world’s nations have done. No state has the moral right to take anybody’s life. Capital punishment is inhuman, cruel and degrading, and is disproportionately awarded to the poor and underprivileged everywhere.

It doesn’t deter killing and heinous crimes. In the US, for instance, death-penalty states have a much higher rate of murder than non-penalty states.

It’s just a crass act of revenge, which legitimises senseless violence while undermining human solidarity. fallible.

India’s Constitution provides checks and balances against this. If the judiciary fails, the president has the power to correct it. If the president’s exercise of this power is questionable, the judiciary can ask him to recon-

But it faltered at the very last stage. President Mukherjee failed to disclose his reasons for rejecting the petition and lost an opportunity to promote transparency and the rule of law. The suddenness and secrecy surrounding Kasab’s execution raises suspicions that

out of the limelight the aftermath of Bal Thackeray’s death. And it gave the Congress a macho image in competing with the BJP. According to The Indian Express, Maharashtra’s prison authorities had made elaborate preparations for hanging Kasab in

stani and Indian criminal procedures, Kasab’s confessional statement won’t count as evidence without his cross-examination. When a Pakistani judicial commission visited India in February, it recorded the statements of the magistrate before whom Kasab made his con-

fession, and the police officer who interrogated him. But it wasn’t allowed to cross-examine them, leave alone Kasab.

Kasab’s elimination makes it unlikely that the Mumbai attacks’ plotters/handlers will be convicted. Two among their battery of lawyers, Shahbaz Rajput and Khwaja Haris Ahmed, say that the defence “case just got stronger;” Kasab’s statements now “have no legal value”.

Just imagine a different scenario, with Kasab’s cross-examination.

He would have identified the men who inspired, trained, guided, and commanded the 10 young men sent to attack Mumbai, including Lakhvi and Abu Jundal. If televised to international audiences, this would have impelled Pakistan to move faster on the trial and bring the attacks’ plotters to justice.

This was not to be. The trial will probably soon lose its momentum. Pakistani courts have handed out just two convictions in terrorism cases in 15 years. In the first, the accused was eventually set free. In the second case, the judge who sentenced the killer of Salman Taseer fled Pakistan and hasn’t been heard of since. Kasab’s execution will stoke mutual suspicions and set back the objective of achieving a breakthrough in India-Pakistan relations.

If Sarabjeet Singh, convicted for terrorist attacks in Pakistan, is executed, relations will be further embittered.

Many innocent people have been executed because of inadequate legal representation, judicial misjudgment, false testimony or police prejudice and sloppiness. Such prejudice recently became starkly evident in India in the Lajpatnagar blasts case, leading to acquittals. In the US alone, more than 130 people were released from the death row since 1973 because they were proved innocent. In India, 14 former Supreme Court and High Court judges have asked President Mukherjee to commute the death sentences of 13 people, based on the Supreme Court’s own admission that some of these were rendered per incuriam (out of error or ignorance). Such commutation must become the first step towards abolition.

We cannot play with human life in a sordidly inhuman manner. The writer is an eminent Indian columnist.

—Courtesy : Daily Star

The Big Fight in Doha is Over Climate Finance India’s Battle for Freedom in Cyberspace STEPHEN LEAHY

T

HE Green Climate Fund was launched at the 2011 UN Cli mate Change Conference held in Durban, South Africa.

The fund is still empty although it is due to begin dispensing money in 2013 to help developing countries cope with climate change. Rich industrialized countries have failed to deliver on their financial pledges, and the issue is expected to be back on the table during the last few remaining days of the 2012 UN Climate Change Conference in Doha. Rich countries are withholding pledges to fund the Green Climate Fund to see what concessions they can get from developing countries. The outcome of the conference will not be successful if industrialized countries do not put their geopolitical interests aside.

The new Green Climate Fund to help developing countries cope with climate change may one day have a bigger budget than the World Bank. At the moment, however, the Fund is empty.

No financial pledges have been made even though the Fund is supposed to begin dispensing money in 2013. “Finance is at the heart of negotiations here,” said Oxfam International climate change policy advisor Tim Gore on the sidelines of the UN climate change negotiations at the 18th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 18), taking place in the capital of Qatar until Dec. 7.

“The issue has come to a head in Doha. Developing countries are bitter and saying rich industrialised countries are once again failing to deliver on their promises,” Gore told Tierramérica. “The NGO community is calling on the COP president to convene a special roundtable on finance next week during the high-level segment,” he said.

Without that call by COP president Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah of Qatar, many ministers will arrive next week without the authority to do anything on finance. “I doubt the meeting will be successful without this,” added Gore. In 2009, at COP 15 in Copenhagen, “developing countries bought into the sales pitch” by industrialised countries that they would get financial help beginning

in 2013 and ramping up to 100 billion dollars a year in new and additional funding by 2020, said Gore.

In exchange for getting this Green

“We don’t even get documents in advance. That makes it very difficult for us to participate,” Kanti said at a COP 18 side event. “Many board members are unaware of indigenous issues.” Strong safeguards will also need to be combined with monitoring and verification and a “grievance” mechanism accessible to local people should a Green Climate Fund-financed project be having a negative impact, said Nira Amerasinghe of the Centre for International Environmental Law. Climate Fund – officially adopted at the following COP, in Cancún – they signed on to the Copenhagen Accord, a U.S.-backed voluntary emission reduction agreement. This was a big compromise. Not only did developing countries want a legally binding agreement, they wanted larger

emission reduction commitments from industrialised nations and they wanted a lot more money to help them cope with the impacts of climate change, said Gore.

To bridge the gap between 2010 and 2012, developed countries also agreed to a “Fast Start Finance” programme of 30 billion dollars. But not all of that promised money has been delivered, and most of it was in the form of loans, not grants. Moreover, much of the money was not new or additional, but came out of development aid, said Nithika Mwenda of the Pan African Climate Justice Alli-

SIMON SHUSTER

H

ance.

Tracking a country’s actual contribution to Fast Start Finance and where the money has come from is

AS Vladimir Putin lost control of his “corruption crackdown”? Over the past month, a surreal new element has come to dominate Russia’s nightly news. At times it feels like some sort of hybrid reality show, as if the Kremlin’s propaganda men have started splicing episodes of MTV Cribs with episodes of COPS. The entrancing new genre was born from the purge that President Vladimir Putin launched in October the first anti-corruption campaign he has ever attempted and it has made for excellent television. Viewers have been treated to commando raids on posh apartments, seized boxes of diamonds and gold, stacks of bribe money being fed by police into counting machines that look about ready to burst. Perhaps most satisfying of all, for the millions of workaday Russians watching at home, has been the sight of once-mighty bureaucrats groveling for sympathy, clemency, or bail.

That schadenfreude is part of the point.

Purges are meant to be popular.

extremely complex, Mwenda said in a press conference. The Green Climate Fund must have clear reporting and verification measures along with a forum to independently oversee this, he said.

Should the promised billions for the Fund materialise, this might sim-

ply be more bad news for the world’s indigenous peoples if the money goes into massive tree plantations or mega-dams that end up displacing local communities, said Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, an indigenous representative from the Philippines. “We will be in big trouble if the money goes into the wrong projects,” TauliCorpuz told Tierramérica.

The Green Climate Fund is creating environmental and social safeguards intended to prevent this.

However, the involvement of indigenous peoples and civil society is limited. —Courtesy: IPS

MANDAKINI DEVASHER SURIE

T

HE arrest of two young women over Facebook com ments has renewed a much needed debate over internet censorship. India’s online community has been buzzing since the arrest of two young women by the Mumbai police last month for posting comments on Facebook criticizing the city’s shutdown following the death of veteran Shiv Sena leader, Bal Thackeray. The arrests of Shaheen Dhada and Renu Srinivasan sparked public outrage across the country, and drew criticism from civil society, media, and the government. Telecom Minister Kabil Sibal described the arrests as “unfortunate,” and renowned Indian personalities, such as author Shobha De, anti-corruption activist turned politician, Arvind Kejriwal, and others, expressed their dismay on Twitter.

Faced with mounting public ire, the Mumbai police eventually suspended the officers who made the arrests and dropped the case against Dhada and Srinivasan. The arrests triggered a vigorous public debate that rages today about the right to freedom of speech and expression, and the extent to which the government can or should regulate the internet.

India is the fastest growing internet market among the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) nations, according to a recent study

by Assocham and ComScore, expand-

penetration deepens across the country. From a small user base of 8 million in 2010, Facebook today has 50 million subscribers in India, with the number growing each day. Indians are generating a growing volume of user content as they like, post, tag, tweet, and blog online. Some of this content has the Indian government worried.

As I wrote in an earlier post to In Asia, India’s government has dramatically increased its oversight and surveil-

According to Google’s latest Transparency Report, between January and June 2012, Indian authorities also sought web user details in as many as 2,319 cases and requested the removal of 596 items from various internet platforms, a more than 100% jump over the previous six months.

The items related primarily to issues of privacy and security (374), defamation (120), and religious offences (75). The argument for internet regu-

lance of the internet and social media platforms over the last two years. In April 2011, it adopted a new set of IT rules requiring websites and service

lation or censorship in India has mostly been framed in the context of ensuring national security and secular harmony. Efforts at regulation increased in the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and subsequent tightening of national security.

While some see these arguments as justified given India’s experience with terrorism and history of ethnic and religious tension, many civil society and internet activists feel that the government’s attempts at regulation go too far, infringing on peoples’ right to free speech and expression.

In recent months, there has been a spate of arrests across the country for content posted by users on social networking sites. In West Bengal, a chemistry professor was arrested for sharing an unflattering cartoon of Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee and other political figures online. In Tamil Nadu, businessman Ravi Srinivasan was arrested for a tweet criticizing the son of Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.

—Courtesy: Diplomat

Lawyers and internet activists have argued that the law is vague in defining terms such as “offensive” and “menacing” and needs to be amended. Last week, a young student in Delhi filed a public interest litigation case in the Supreme Court arguing that Section 66A is unconstitutional and infringes on the right to freedom of speech and expression enshrined in Article 19 of the Constitution. ing annually at the rate of 41 percent, with approximately 125 million internet users currently.

Nearly 75 percent of these users are between the ages of 15 and 34, making India’s online community one of the youngest in the world. While internet penetration is still low (less than 10 percent of the population), social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are becoming increasingly popular as mobile phone

providers to respond to netizen requests to remove content deemed “blasphemous,” “disparaging,” or “hateful” within 36 hours of the complaint being filed. Later in the year, the government filed cases against 21 companies, including internet giants like Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo, and Google, demanding the removal of objectionable and inflammatory material and the “pre-screening” of user content.

Off with Their Heads But six weeks into this one, its initiator has found himself in the bind of his career. By allowing state TV to cover all the gory details of the bureaucratic bloodletting, Putin’s government seems to have only reminded Rus-

vate concert by Jennifer Lopez. Judging by the latest polls, such tales of profligacy have begun to reflect badly on the entire government Putin included. But satisfying the public’s piqued desire for justice is hardly an

Club, a forum of Russia experts that meets with Putin once a year. “He is too dependent on the boyars [feudal lords] to go chopping off their heads, but that is what the people are now demanding.” Putin announced the

The tsar looked the other way. For the most part, this system held under the Soviet Union, and the only major effort to dislodge it helped precipitate the empire’s collapse. In the late 1980s, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev oversaw the so-called Cotton Case, which exposed a syndicate of senior Communist Party officials who had pilfered millions of dollars from the state. Two of them were executed and dozens jailed; but rather than restore faith in the Soviet system, the scandal helped expose to the public just how rotten it truly was. sians just how shameless and pervasive corruption has become. In one case, police claim to have found an obscure military bureaucrat, Alexander Yelkin, in possession of around $9 million in cash and four Breguet watches. Had he not been arrested on Nov. 16, he was reportedlyplanning to celebrate his birthday the following night with a pri-

option at this point. Bureaucrats at every level are already spooked by the spate of arrests, and if the lifestyle to which they have become accustomed becomes threatened, they could start to turn on Putin. And that raises the risk of a palace coup.

“He has to strike a very delicate balance,” says Alexander Rahr, a member of the Valdai

new anti-corruption campaign at the most recent Valdai Club meeting on Oct. 25. At the time, no one took it very seriously. Over the past decade, corruption in Russia has grown to the levels of a third-world kleptocracy , and hardly a month goes by without some senior official promising a crackdown. But this time it seems Putin was serious, or at least

more serious than usual.

The day of the Valdai Club meeting, police had raided a handful of homes and offices linked to Defense Ministry officials accused of stealing about $100 million in state assets. When the cops arrived at the apartment of Evgenia Vasilieva, the comely young director of the ministry’s property department, they were surprised to find Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov there. (One of the more entertaining sidebars of the scandal has involved the harem of beautiful women Serdyukov had placed in positions of extraordinary power. The Russian press has dubbed them “the Amazons,” and before resigning last month, one of them, a 31year-old aspiring poet named Marina Chubkina was in charge of maintaining some of Russia’s chemical and nuclear weapons facilities.) During the raid on Vasilieva’s apartment, police found several valuable paintings by the 19thcentury masters Ilya Repin and Ivan Shishkin that belonged to the ministry’s museum. Now under house arrest pending investigation for large-scale fraud, Vasilieva, 31, denies any wrongdoing.—Courtesy: Foreign Policy

SC dissolves Suddle Commission

President to attend girls’ right of education event in Paris

From Page 1 quested the bench to stop the commission’s proceedings so that whichever party wanted to take whatever legal recourse, they may approach the concerned avenues in that regard.

Speaking to media representatives later, Bokhari said justice had prevailed, adding that, his client had been raising objections over the legality of the commission from day one.

The counsel said his client’s objections on the commission’s report had been noted by the court. Bokhari added that the Shoaib Suddle commission had no authority to investigate the funds of Bahria Town.

The commission’s preliminary report, which was shared with the media on Thursday, said that Arsalan had admitted before the commission that he had availed two of the three foreign visits alleged by Riaz in a graft case being heard in the Supreme Court.

Arsalan admitted that he had received ‘favours’ from Riaz, his friend or his son-inlaw, but the report did not answer why he had accepted these and nor did it explain the businessman’s claim that he had ‘favoured’ Arsalan in order to get court cases settled in his favour.

Earlier on Aug 30, a twojudge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Jawwad S. Khwaja, appointed Federal Tax Ombudsman Dr Mohammad Shoaib Suddle as a one man-commission to investigate allegations of a Rs342 million business deal between Arsalan Iftikhar, son of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, and property tycoon Malik Riaz.

The commission had been directed to complete the task in a month’s time.

Indian BSF From Page 1 Among the injured persons two belonged to border area village Tanda and one was from village Tarapur.

The BSF used light weapons in the firing. Pakistani Chenab Rangers fitfully answered in order to silent the enemy guns.

SC reprimands From Page 1 Zafar added that the investigation officer could also submit a statement before the bench on the issue of Sadiq’s arrest.

Justice Khawaja remarked that out of Rs 82 billion, the NAB had recovered only Rs 30 billion.

He also directed the bureau to submit a written reply to the bench on the amount recovered.

P ARIS —President Asif Ali able and adaptable to their spe- nent personalities, the media and Zardari would attend an event ‘Stand up for Malala; girls’ right of education’ jointly organized

by UNESCO and Pakistan embassy in Paris.

According to media reports, President Asif Ali Zardari, along with Federal Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Education and Chairperson BISP Farzana Raja, will attend the event to demonstrate Pakistan’s commitment towards education for girls.

President will hold a brief meeting with DG UNESCO Iriva Bokova. Zardari will also meet President Hollande to discuss bilateral issues during his three days visit.

Within the framework of Education for All (EFA), the overall goal of this event is to RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani presiding over the 155th Corps Commanders’ Confer- advocate and promote girls’ right to education, encompassence at General Headquarters. ing all levels and all aspects of education, so that education becomes available and accessible to all girls, while being accept-

SA rejects KBD as risk to ‘very unity of Pakistan’

Pakistani Taliban

From Page 1

editing, translations, sharing, uploading, downloading and collection of required data,” it says, giving an email address and asking readers to “plz spread it.

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan confirmed to AFP by telephone on Friday that the faction was “temporarily” using the page “to fulfil its requirements” before launching its own website.

US-based organisation SITE Intelligence Group says the TTP uses Facebook as “a recruitment centre”.

“Through its official media arm, Umar Media, the TTP has taken to Facebook to recruit contributors for their media work and the group’s forthcoming publication ‘Ayah-E-Khilafat’ (Sign of the Caliphate),” it said in a statement.

The TTP Facebook page describes the publication as its “official quarterly magazine” and asks writers to submit articles “on (a) topic of your choice”, or on jihadi current affairs, history, Islamic movements or the plight of Muslims.—AFP

the “very unity of Pakistan”. and emotional, visibly, the People’s Party lawmakers, however, failed to show their representational strength in the house Thursday where neither Leader of the House Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah nor PPP’s parliamentary party leader Pir Mazharul Haq was present in the house at the time of the “historic” resolution’s passage.

Of the total 89 PPP legislators only 47 were counted as present in the house when the resolution was adopted minutes before Speaker Nisar Khuhro prorogued the session. The MQM lawmakers present were 23 of the total 47. In terms of number, the opposition benches were also barren as only 10 of the 27-member opposition could turn up to the Sindh legislature was opining on the most-condemned KBD. Given the current heated political climate Friday’s proceedings were marred by intermittent but full-throated verbal clashes between the PPP led treasury and PML-F-led opposition members. The two sides at least thrice put the house into a noisy pandemonium by pointing fingers at each other for their past “wrongdoings”.

“Don’t go into the history, or we would not be able to maintain unity (against KBD),” Khuhro warned the two divides of the house.

However, the 168-member PPP-dominated house was unanimous in adopting the four resolutions tabled Thursday by Dr Sikandar Mandhro and Imran Nazir Leghari of the PPP, Khalid Ahmed of the MQM and Jam Madad Ali Khan of the PML-F.

All the four resolutions passed called upon the federal and provincial governments to vehemently oppose the controversial project at all levels to bury this “dead horse” once and for all.

“This Assembly… expresses its feelings of aversion to the sources that disrespect the status of this august House ignoring the importance of many unanimously passed previous resolutions against the dam,” read the one moved by PPP’s Dr Mandhro.

“This House condemns the decision of the Lahore high court and the supporting statmnet by the Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif in favour of construction of Kalabagh Dam,” said the resolution tabled by Imran Legahri, also of PPP. The KBD, the document said, was “detrimental to the very unity of Pakistan with the most dangerous repercussions on Sindh province”.

The resolution that came from the MQM said: “This House resolves that any attempt to revive the proposal from any quarter shall be resisted and rejected outright by the province and the people of Sindh.”

The opposition led by the Functional League dubbed the construction of KBD as a “dead issue” saying: “Raising of this issue by any forum at this stage is nothing but creating disturbance amongst the masses”.

The members from two divides delivered hard-hitting speeches against the dam blasting mostly the Punjab province and Sharifs brothers for hatch-

ing judicial conspiracies against the already water-scarce Sindh.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan was also appealed to take a suo motu notice of the LHC decree which, Amnullah Mehsud of ANP and other lawmakers said, would pit the provinces against each other.

The speeches, however, were marred by the noisy blamegame intermittently taking place between the PPP and PMNL-F legislators. The house echoes with ear-splitting noise at least thrice when lawmakers from the two sides accused the other side of having tacitly supported the anti-Sindh dam sometime and somewhere in the past.

“The opposition leader (of PPP) in Punjab Assembly had supported a resolution in favor of Kalabagh dam, is not it double standard,” questioned Jam Madad Ali of PML-F. PPP ministers Murad Ali Shah, Sharjeel Memon and Zahid Bhurgary came up with counter allegations mostly bringing the opposition lawmakers on their feet. Others who spoke included Law Minister Ayaz Soomro, Humera Alwani, Heer Ismail Soho, Sussui Palijo, Imdad Patafi and Anwar Meher.

Also, the house said yes to a PPP-backed resolution calling upon the government to declare the slain PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto “a symbol of democracy and freedom” for her glorious struggle and sacrifices for the restoration of democracy in the county.The house also approved a report of the Public Accounts Committee regarding draft paras for the fiscal years 06, 07 and 08.

PTI finalizes Royal prank call nurse found dead Page 1 dreds of patients. party polls was duped by two deejays pre- dead at theFrom “She will be greatly scene.” tending to be the Queen and The death is not being missed,” Glenarthur’s statement Charles has committed treated as suspicious at this time, read. strategy Prince suicide, officials said Friday.

LAHORE—Strategy for intra party elections has been finalized while PTI Town Committees would be constituted to mobilize the workers at union council level.

This was decided in a a special meeting of Pakistan Tehrike-Insaaf presided by Central Leader Abdul Aleem Khan..— Online

The nurse, Jacintha Saldanha, was found at an address near King Edward VII Hospital.

“Police were called at approximately 9:35 a.m. Friday morning to a report of a woman found unconscious,” a Scotland Yard spokesman said. “London Ambulance Service attended and the woman was pronounced

the spokesman said.

“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Jacintha Saldanha,” the Royal Family said in a statement. “Their Royal Highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha’s family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time.”

Saldanha had worked at the hospital for four years, according to hospital officials.

“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies at this time are with her family and friends,” read a statement by the hospital’s chief executive, John Lofthouse. “Everyone is shocked by the loss of a much loved and valued colleague.”

Lord Glenarthur, chairman of the hospital, characterized Saldanha as a “first-class” nurse who diligently cared for hun-

Two Australian radio personalities from 2Day FM —Mel Greig and Michael Christian — pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles tricked the woman into giving an update on the condition of Kate Middleton, 30, who was being treated for morning sickness.

St. James’s Palace announced Monday that the Duchess of Cambridge — formerly Middleton — had a severe form of morning sickness and was being treated at a London hospital with Prince William at her side.

The couple’s first child will be third in line to the throne — behind William and his father, Prince Charles — leapfrogging the gregarious Prince Harry and possibly setting up the first scenario in which a female heir could benefit from new gender rules about succession.—AP

From Page 1

Larger bench to hear presidential reference From Page 1 Islamabad High Court.

On November 22, a case pertaining to extension in the tenure of two additional judges of the Islamabad High Court had taken a new turn before the Supreme Court after the Attorney General of Pakistan Irfan Qadir had informed it (SC) that the government wanted to file a presidential reference over the issue.

Questioning the composition of judicial commission on the judges’ appointments, he had sought two-week time from the Supreme Court for filing the presidential reference, citing the need for seeking legal opinion on all issues related to appointments of the IHC judges.

On October 22, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan had recommended the permanent appointment of IHC’s additional judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui and a six-month extension in the tenure of IHC’s additional judge Noorul Haq N Qureshi.

On November 6, the Parliamentary Committee for Appointment of Superior Courts judges had also endorsed the recommendations of the Judicial Commission.

The Law Ministry, however, had not issued a notification for extension in the tenure of these two judges and the matter was still pending before the Supreme Court for adjudication. The Supreme Court would start hearing the reference on Monday.

LHC CJ for promoting tax culture STAFF REPORTER LAHORE—Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, Mr. Justice Umar Ata Bandial has said that taxes provide a boost to the national economy. Therefore, it was need of the hour to promote tax culture and Tax Bar should also shoulder its responsibility in collection of taxes meant for progress and prosperity in the country, he added.

Hon‘ble Chief Justice was speaking at a function arranged by the Lahore Tax Bar Association. He underlined the need for strengthening the tax collecting departments. A credible and viable Tax system can usher an era of development. It was responsibility of the state to facilitate the

business community and promote confidence among them for enhancing the business activities.

Hon’ble Chief Justice called upon the elite of the society to come forward in paying taxes and have a pride in getting National Tax Numbers. Black coats should set an example in this regard and become a role model for other segments of the society. He wished an atmosphere where taxpayers feel protected. Chief Justice said that if the laws are not enforced evenly the society becomes uncivilized.

Referring to the National Judicial Policy Making Committee meeting, Hon’ble Chief Justice said that there were 60,000 old cases in the Punjab as compared to the 10,000 to 12,000 in other

provinces and it was due to shortage of judges. Chief Justice said that we are filling this gap with more work in the courts. It was a pride that Judiciary in the Province has responded with immense conviction and devotion to duty and has tripled the conviction rate. We have not opted for number game by enhancing disposal rate but delivering good and comprehensive judgments.

Judiciary was not meant only to decide individual difference but leading to rule of law. In this regard Chief Justice also cited cases of Balochistan and Karachi by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Good governance was basic right of the people and the advocates community was playing their vital role, Chief Justice added.

cific needs and circumstances.

This unique and joint effort of Government of Pakistan and UNESCO is expected to become a beacon of light for 61 million children across the world, most of which are girls, who aspire to go to school.

The objectives of this advocacy event are to sensitise the international community about the importance of girl’s education and special challenges and obstacles relating to girls education.

Pakistan and UNESCO would sign a MoU to establish Malala Fund to promote girls education during President visit.

Pakistan will provide seed money for the establishment of this fund.

Representatives of governments, UN partners, international and bilateral organizations, foundations, donors, the private sector, civil society, academics, religious leaders, emi-

other stakeholders would expectedly attend the noble event.

High level International figures would participate in this advocacy event, including JeamMarc Aryalt, the Prime Minister of France, Gordon Brown UN Special Envoy for Global Education and former Prime Minister of UK, Tarja Helnon former President of Finland, Michelle Bachelet Executive Director UN women education and Former President of Chile, Sheikh Abdullah Foreign Minister of UAE, Liela Zerrougui Under Secretary General and Special Representative of UN Secretary General for children and Armed Conflict, Dr.Abdulaziz Othoman Altwaiijri Director General ISESCO, Maria Arnholm State Secretary to Minister for Gender Equality and Deputy Minister for Education and Baroness Saeeda Warsi.—Online

President enjoys immunity: LHC From Page 1 Dogar further argued that crimes are carried out under “personal capacity” and that they did not have anything to do with the position a person holds.

Responding to which, the bench stated that although the head of state was not answerable to anyone, the president was still bound to respect and follow judicial orders.

Justice Bandial said the country would be peaceful and would prosper when people would abide by the Constitution.

Violating the Constitution would adversely affect all sections of national life.

However, as the bench resumed proceedings, Advocate Sajjad struggled to get the

court’s permission to continue his arguments on the maintainability issue, as he has already started arguments on the constitutional immunity enjoyed by president during the last hearing on Thursday.

The bench had sought arguments as to whether Article 248(2) of the Constitution bans entertaining a contempt of court petition against the president.

On September 5, the bench had issued a fresh notice to President Asif Ali Zardari through his principal secretary and had sought a reply to the petition pleading contempt proceedings against him for not abiding the court’s order to relinquish his politi-

US to help Pakistan in acquiring LNG From Page 1 dress Pakistan’s energy sector challenges, including power generation, fuel, gas, and reform priorities.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the three officials announced that the United States government will fund an international consultancy to assist Pakistan in acquiring liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Secretary of Water and Power highlighted the need for an improved and sustained governance structure as a key element for a sustainable power sector and the steps taken so far.

Special Envoy Pascual welcomed Pakistani government’s commitment to the reform process, improving governance, improving the financial viability and efficiency of the power sector and energy sector in general, and attracting private sector investment in energy production and distribution. The Secretary of Water and Power expressed her appreciation for U.S. assistance under the power distribution improvement project and the energy efficiency programs.

Special Envoy Pascual also welcomed Pakistan’s adoption of the 2012 Petroleum Exploration & Production Policy, noting that it that has the potential to spur investment in exploration throughout Pakistan. Secretary Khan pointed out the imminent Pakistani oil and gas delegation meetings in Houston and London to promote the auction of licenses for 60 blocks (or exploration zones).

“Today, the United States government and the Government of Pakistan launched a new initiative to help Pakistan acquire liquefied natural gas more efficiently,” said Ambassador Pascual at the working group, “This initiative shows the United States and Pakistan working together on concrete actions to relieve Pakistan’s chronic shortage of electricity.

It will accelerate the liquefied natural gas procurement process and offer a cheaper alternative to Pakistan’s current fuel oil imports.”

The LNG consultancy, which will commence work before the end of the year, will assist Pakistan in the terms and assessment of liquefied natural gas supply and delivery from international suppliers.

The effort will speed the procurement process, saving the government the expense of fuel oil imports that are currently used to generate much of the nation’s electricity. The consultancy will also provide market analysis and technical assistance to the government’s implementer of LNG imports.

The United States and Pakistan together are carrying out

large-scale energy projects, that will add 900 megawatts of capacity to the power grid by the end of next year — enough to supply electricity to an estimated 2 million households..— Online

cal office.

The petition that had been filed by Munir Ahmad through lawyers A K Dogar and Azhar Siddique had accused President Zardari of indulging in political activities in the presidency.

The petitioner had also contended that the use of Presidency for political activities was illegal and tantamount to committing contempt of the court’s orders issued on May 12 last year.

He had also requested the court to issue a show-cause notice to the president and punish him under Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003, read with Article 204 of the Constitution.

Transparency’s report baseless, pack of lies: Kaira DUBAI—Minister for Informa- a global phenomenon. However, eliminate corruption.

Railways Mazdoor Ittehad protest Muzaffar Ali LAHORE—Railways Mazdoor Ittehad on Friday staged a protest in favour of their demands and threatened the railways authorities of observe complete wheel jam strike across the country if their demands were not met within minimum time span. Despite the assurance of the federal government, the railways authorities were not complying with the federal government’s orders of paying them in hard cash instead of cheques in wake of their salaries. They said it was also decided in principle that the railways workers’ scale would also be upgraded with another facilitation of providing them salaries during holidays. The railways workers stopped the railway engines in engine shades, thus, causing undue delays in departure of railways trains from Lahore Railways Stations.

3 brothers get life terms KHAIRPUR—The additional district and session judge Khairpur Naveed Hussain Kolachi sentenced life imprisonment and imposed fine of Rs one lac upon three real brother including Bahadur Mari, Bego Mari and Shah Baig Mari on charges of killing a villager Akram Phulpoto. In default of payment of fine the accused will remain six months more in jail. They were found guilty of killing Akram Phulpoto near Sim nalley in the jurisdiction of Ahmedpur police on August 9, 2007 over old enmity between Phulpoto and Mari community. —INP

Abbottabad Commission report I SLAMABAD —The judicial commission investigating the events surrounding Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden’s killing during May 2, 2011 raid conducted by US Navy SEALs in Abbottabad has finalised its 700-page report. The commission will submit the report to the government this month. As per details, the report has been compiled in the light of 300 witnesses. Also, 3,000 documents have been made part of the report, in which, statements of high civil, military officials and bin Laden’s family members were included. In a statement, Osama bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad compound was also confirmed. —INP

No prosperity sans strength of character: PU VC Staff Reporter LAHORE—Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran has said that knowledge was power and no nation could be educated without strength of character. He said that the Muslims were being facing all challenges due to avoid promotion of education. He was expressing these views in a seminar on “Character Building of Youth for Future Leadership” in connection with the Anti-Corruption Week being observed from December 3 to 9, at Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) here on Friday. Special Assistant to Chief Minister Zaeem Qadri, Dean Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Director ISCS Prof Dr Zakria Zakir DIG Punjab Police Naveed Elahi were also present.

tion and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira Friday said that the Transparency International report on corruption in Pakistan was fabricated, baseless and pack of lies that showed volume of corruption even more than country’s annual budget.

In a statement issued here, he said the report had depicted daily corruption of Rs 7 billion with its annual volume of Rs 25.20 trillion in the country, which was the strongest evidence to prove its irrationality and falseness.

He observed that Transparency International had modified its method this year and that the current score was incomparable NEW DELHI: The parliamentary delegation from Pakistan meeting with the Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh. with that of previous year. Likewise, the comparison between Pakistan’s 33rd rank with 42nd of previous year was illogical.

Kaira said no country maintained same score during previous years as out of total 176 countries, around two-third countries obtained below 50 score manifestNEW DELHI—Chairman Sen- ing that increase in corruption was ate Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari Friday conveyed the greetings of the Pakistani leadANKARA—Turkish President with efficient operation and reduc- support for a peaceful and last- ership and people to the Indian Abdullah Gul has said there is a tion in its duration, the cargo train ing solution of the Cyprus issue. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Senators thanked President Singh. great deal of awareness about the can play an important role in augKashmir issue in Turkey and com- menting trade links between the Gul for his strong support and He said that the democratic friendship with Pakistan. They government in Pakistan attached UNITED N ATIONS—A fivemended Pakistan for its positive two countries and beyond.

Referring to the forthcoming informed that the long-lasting high priority to creating a stable member parliamentary delegastand on the problem.

He was talking to a four mem- 7th trilateral Afghanistan-Paki- special relations of Pakistan and and prosperous neighborhood tion of Pakistan led by Senator ber Pakistan’s parliamentary del- stan-Turkey summit being held in Turkey enjoy all the support and a national consensus existed Sabir Ali Baloch, Deputy Chairegation led by Haji Muhammad Ankara, President Gul said he is across the political divide. on improving relations with In- man Senate, who is visiting New York to participate in the 2012 Haji Adeel also showed dia.

Adeel here on Thursday. Other looking forward to meet President Zardari.

He said that he was fully gratitude for Turkey’s solidarity members of the delegation inThe Chairman Senate said Parliamentary Hearing at the cluded Senator Syed Muzafar aware with Pakistan’s difficulties and assistance during natural di- that the destinies of the two UN General Assembly, on the Hussain Shah, Senator Maulana arising out of instability in Af- sasters in Pakistan. He said Pa- countries were entwined and the side-line met Inter-Parliament Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Senator ghanistan and the three countries kistan and Turkey are two impor- two countries have to work to- Union (IPU) Secretary General, Sehar Kamran and Mr. Amjad are working through trilateral tant Muslim countries and can gether for mutual progress, pros- Mr. Anders B. Johnsson. In the Pervez, Secretary of the Commit- process to bring peace, stability play a critical role for resolution perity and peace as well as of meeting both side agrees to enand development in Afghanistan. of outstanding disputes like the entire region. He said that hance cooperation between the tee.

President Gul said that the Cyprus, Kashmir and Palestine being the representative of the IPU and Pakistan’s Parliament.

President Gul said Kashmir They also discussed the visit of Senate Parliamentary del- through concerted and united people, the parliaments of the issue was a product of the unjust international system and ex- egation is very important and efforts of the Islamic world. two countries had the responsi- agenda and format of the HearThe visiting delegation also bility to work towards the im- ing. Mr. Anders B. Johnsson, pressed the hope that the dialogue meaningful for further enhancing between the leadership of Pakistan the existing extra-ordinary good met with Speaker of Turkish provement of bilateral relations. the IPU Secretary General, exand India would lead to an ami- relations between Pakistan and Grand National Assembly Welcoming the Chairman pressed his desire to visit PaTurkey.

He said both the coun(TGNA) Mr. Cemil Çiçek.

Mr. cable solution.

Senate and his delegation, Prime kistan in the second half of On bilateral economic and tries have traditions of support- Cemil Çiçek said such an ex- Minister stated that closer rela- 2013.

Other members of the delcommercial relations, President ing each other at international change of parliamentary del- tion between the parliaments egation included Senator fora on various issues.

Referring egations will help boost our reGul said that the two countries are was necessary for strengthening working on multiple tracks to to the visit of the delegation to lations and shall help in evolv- bilateral relations and this visit Muhammad Mohsin Khan boost trade and investment links. Turkish Republic of Northern ing joint strategies to tackle would make a significant con- Leghari, Senator Eng. Malik Rashid Ahmed Khan, Senator Mentioning ‘Gul train’ he said Cyprus, he thanked them for the common issues.—INP tribution in this regard.

He said that India and Paki- Mukhtiar Ahmad Dharmah and stan were neighbors with shared MNA Arif Aziz Sheikh.

Meanwhile Parliamentarcivilization, history and culture.

Welcoming the resumption of ians across the globe are attenddialogue process, Prime Minis- ing a two-day Inter-Parliamenter said that India would like to tary Union (IPU) annual ParliaW ASHINGTON—The United we will position them to be able see a strong, stable and prosper- mentary Hearing to discuss the States is shifting warships into to do that.” ous Pakistan and was happy to STAFF REPORTER Pyongyang says the launch see democracy flourish over position to track and possibly I SLAMABAD —US Senior defend against a planned North aims to put a satellite into space. there.—Online Deputy Special Representative Korean rocket launch while urg- The United States and many for Afghanistan and Pakistan ing Pyongyang to cancel its sec- other countries view it as a test David Pearce held meetings in ond such attempt this year, the of a long-range, nuclear-capable Islamabad on Friday with Paki- head of the U.S. Pacific Com- ballistic missile that would violate U.N. resolutions and further stani officials to continue discus- mand said on Thursday.

Admiral Samuel Locklear, destabilize the Korean Peninsula. sions regarding how the United States and Pakistan can work who commands U.S. forces in The North Korean launch attempt together to identify their shared the Asia-Pacific region, said war- in April failed.

Locklear said the reposi- ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister interests and act on them jointly. ships were being moved to the Ambassador Pearce’s visit best locations to track the rocket tioned U.S. ships would help an- Raja Pervez Ashraf has appointed Jam Muhammad Yousaf builds on the many recent US- during its launch and flight, swer a series of questions.

“If they do violate the Secu- as the Federal Minister for Pakistan bilateral engagements, which North Korea has set for such as the recent meetings be- sometime between December 10 rity Council and launch a missile, Privatization. what kind is it? What is it about?

He has previously served as tween Secretary of State Hillary and 22.

The United States is watch- Where does it go? Who does it the Chief Minister of Clinton and Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar in Washing- ing preparations for the launch threaten? Where do the parts of Balochistan province 2002ton and Brussels, the Econom- “very closely,” he told a Penta- it ... that don’t go where they want 2007.

Mir Jam Mohammad ics and Finance Working Group, gon news conference. He said it to go, where do they go? And the Defence Consultative Group U.S. warships were being moved what are the consequences of Yousaf was born in 1954 at Lasbela.He belongs to the faand the Energy Working Group. to monitor the rocket, as they that?” he said.

The admiral said his main mous Jam faimily of Lasbela.

“I am delighted to be in were when Pyongyang attempted concern was reassuring U.S. al- He is the Ex Chief Minister of a similar launch in April.

Pakistan,” said Pearce.

“It should seem logical that lies that the United States was Balochistan and Federal Minis“Over the last few months there have been a number of sig- we’ll move them around so we effectively monitoring the ter for Water and Power‚ Railnificant high-level US -Pakistan have the best situational aware- situation.“We believe it is still ways and senior Minister of contradictory to the U.N. Secu- Balochistan.Previously he has bilateral engagements. We have ness,” he said.

“To the degree that those rity Council resolutions ... be- held positions as MNA and MPA made real progress on issues critical to the interests of both ships are capable of participating cause of the nature of the type in the National and Balochistan Provincial Assembly. —NNI in ballistic missile defense, then of missile —Reuters of our nations,” he said.

Gul stresses Kashmir awareness in Turkey

Bokhari conveys greetings of Pak people to Singh

Pak MPs team meets Turkish President

US official for Af-Pak holds talks

IPU-Pakistan agree to enhance cooperation

US warships cruising north to monitor Pyanyong rocket launch

Jam Yousaf made minister for privatization

Egypt Opp spurns talks offer CAIRO—The Egyptian National to divide the people to two par- defend its rights and freedoms.

Salvation Front, a new opposition coalition formed recently with liberals and leftists, refused a suggestion for dialogue by President Mohamed Morsi, Ahram online reported Friday.

The front said in a statement that the speech delivered by Morsi late Thursday did not meet the whole Egyptians’ aspirations.

“The president’s speech was surprising because it denied all the realities that the whole world saw on the TV channels, which proved that all the violent attacks against the peaceful protestors before the presidential palace Wednesday were incited by the Muslim Brotherhood leaders,” the statement said. “The president’s speech was intended

ties, his supporters whom he described as protecting the legitimacy, and the opponents whom he described as getting out of the legitimacy,” the front said in its a statement. “Based on the above, the front refuses the dialogue suggested by the president, because it lacks the principles of the serious negotiations by ignoring the front’s basic demands, which are cancelling the latest constitutional declaration, and cancelling the constitution referendum scheduled for Dec. 15,” the statement added. The front stressed the necessity of opening investigations over the recent violence triggered Wednesday before the presidential palace, noting that it will continue using all the legal ways to

Morsi delivered a longwaited speech Thursday night, denouncing recent bloody clashes outside the presidential palace and inviting all opposition forces to meet Saturday afternoon at the palace for a dialogue over the solution to the ongoing crisis. Morsi added that in case the draft constitution is disapproved in the Dec. 15 referendum, he will call for the formation of a new constituent assembly. The president noted that he was willing to give up, if necessary, Article 6 of the constitutional declaration, which gives him the right to take “any required measures” to protect the country, after the intended dialogue with the political forces.

He reaffirmed that the con-

more corruption in South Asian states was more worrisome as Nepal stood at 139 in the list of most corrupt countries, but South Asian states of Bangladesh and Afghanistan followed it depicting that the whole region was crippled with corruption. He said the situation needed to be addressed through civil society, media, business community and the government using different techniques.

The Information Minister said even the countries located at the heart of the Euro Zone have been showing dismal progress in Consumer Price Index. He observed that the world’s top 85 multinational companies do not show their tax invoices on their corporate website.

Kaira said at parliamentary level, Public Accounts Committee was actively working and for the first time in country’s history, Opposition Leader in National Assembly was appointed as its chairman that manifests government’s commitment to

stitutional declaration was only meant to protect the country and to accomplish the new constitution.On Nov. 22, Morsi issued a new constitutional declaration which rules that all laws, decrees and constitutional declarations issued by the president since he came into office on June 30 are final and unchallengeable by anybody, which triggered a nationwide wave of protests and demonstrations.

Protesters did not calm down even though Morsi later promised that the declaration was only temporary and would be withdrawn as soon as the draft constitution was approved by Egyptians in the upcoming referendum, which was later slated for Dec. 15. —Xinhua

role of parliaments in conflict prevention, reconciliation and peace building. 180 parliamentarians, high-level UN officials, experts are attending this important event.

A five-member Parliamentary delegation from Pakistan led by Deputy Chairman Senate, Senator Sabir Ali Baloch is participating in this year’s Hearing.

Inter-Parliament Union (IPU) President Abdelwahad Radi, President of UN General Assembly, Vuc Jeremi? and UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Elliason opened the event. in the first session, leader of the delegation, senator Sabir Ali Baloch underlined the need for a comprehensive and system wide approach at all stages of conflict cycle comprising preconflict situation – conflict stage/actual violence, post-conflict, transient recovery and, relapse of conflict.

He told the participants that a dispassionate analysis of a conflict situation was essential before employing the tools of mediation and preventive diplomacy. —INP

He said the PAC had recovered Rs 180 billion indiscriminately that was also lauded by the Transparency International as it had helped reduce corruption, but now through this report, the TI was negating its own stance.

He said at federal level, National Accountability Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency were working while Anti-Corruption Departments were performing at provincial levels, which have also recovered embezzled amounts and acted against the responsible people.

Qamar Zaman Kaira said judiciary and media were functioning independently in the country and the courts had also taken suo motu notices on the basis of media reports, several of those have been disposed of and plenty of others were subjudice.

“It is a fact that graph of corruption has come down owing to efficient performance of NAB and FIA as well as court cases,” he commented.—APP

Blast in Quetta injures five STAFF REPORTER QUETTA—An explosion ripped through Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province on Friday evening, injuring at least five people.

According to some initial reports by the police, the blast took place at Quetta’s Jan Mohammad Road when explosive material planted outside a shop, blew up. Five people were injured with one in critical condition, police said. The exact nature of the blast could not be ascertained.

Gen Austin picked to head Centcom W ASHINGTON —Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, the last U.S. commander in Iraq, has been tapped to lead the U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East and the Afghan war, the Pentagon announced Thursday.

Austin, 59, who is now serving as the vice chief of staff of the Army, will oversee the drawdown of American troops in Afghanistan.—INP

ception.

Unused pills raise issue of disposal and risks B RAND name drug makers and their ge neric counterparts rarely find themselves on the same side of an issue, but now they are making an exception. They have teamed up to fight a local law in California, the first in the nation, that makes them responsible for running — and paying for — a program that would allow consumers to turn in unused medicines for proper disposal.

United Pharmacy in Berkeley, Calif., already has a bin on site to dispose of expired drugs.

Such so-called drug takeback programs are gaining in popularity because of a growing realization that those leftover pills in your medicine cabinet are a potential threat to public health and the environment.

Small children might accidentally swallow them and teenagers will experiment with them, advocates of the laws say. Prescription drug abusers can, and are, breaking into homes in search of them.

Unused pills are sometimes flushed down the toilet, so pharmaceuticals are now polluting waterways and even drinking water. One study found the antidepressant Prozac in the brains of fish.

Most such take-back programs are run by local or other government agencies. But increasingly there are calls to make the pharmaceutical industry pay.

“We feel the industry that profits from the sales of these products should have the financial responsibility for proper management and disposal,” said Miriam Gordon, California director of Clean Water Action, an advocacy

Increased urban population creating problems CITY REPORTER

group.

In July, Alameda County, Calif., which includes Oakland and Berkeley, became the first locality to enact such a requirement. Drug companies have to submit plans for accomplishing it by July 1, 2013.

But the industry plans to file a lawsuit in United States District Court in Oakland on Friday, hoping to have the law struck down. The suit is being filed by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA, which represents brand-name drug companies, the Generic Pharmaceutical Association and the Biotechnology Industry Organization.

James M. Spears, general counsel of PhRMA, said the Alameda ordinance violated the Constitution in that a local government was interfering with interstate commerce, a right reserved for Congress.

“They are telling a company in New Jersey that you have to come in and design and implement and pay for a municipal service in California,” he said in an interview.

“This program is one where the cost is shifted to companies and individuals who are not located in Alameda County and who won’t be served by it.”

Mr. Spears, who is known as Mit, said that the program would cost millions of dollars a year to run and that pharmaceutical companies were “not in the waste disposal business.”

He said it would be best left to sanitation departments and law enforcement agencies, which must be involved if narcotics, like pain pills, were to be transported.

Mountain Festival to be held in Capital STAFF REPORTER

I S L A M A B A D —To mark the RAWALPINDI—While address- International Mountain Day ing the monthly Ijlas of Shura Hamdard former Naval Chief Admiral Iftekhar Ahmad Serohi and other participents said that one of the main reason of our problems is high rate of increase in our urban population and it is due to the lack of basic facilities like health, education etc.

If our governments plan properly, provide basic facilities and built factories in rural areas our social, economical problems will decrease and our country will develop.

We need to set a limit of our urban population to bring down problems ratio. Mrs. Sadia Rashid president Hamdard Foundation preside the Ijlas and in her address she said that our urban population increase due to the urbanization in the search of basic facilities and earn their living.

The idea of launching new cities after setting a limit of population in a city is from our Prophet we need to follow his teachings for the success.

and create awareness about the importance of mountains to life, a 3-day festival would be held in capital city, starting from Dec. 10 at National Art Gallery.

“The festival aims to encourage the idea of ‘working together’ for mainstreaming the climate change threats, for conservation of biological diversity to bring different stakeholders and youth together for the larger and lasting impact” said Munir Ahmed informing about the objectives of the festival.

Ahmed, the Festival Director and the Director DEVCOMPakistan, added that festival n also “intends to showcase the culture and livelihood and ecosystem services of our mountains.”

The festival is being jointly organized by the Development Communications Network (DEVCOM-Pakistan), Ev-K2 CNR, the SEED project of the governments of Pakistan and

Italy, ICIMOD and Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA).

Several mountain communities would be taking part in the exhibition that would be inaugurated by the renowned mountaineer Nazir Sabir and Mir Shahjehan Kethran, Managing Director Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC).

The world’s mountains encompass some of the most spectacular landscapes, a wide variety of ecosystems, a great diversity of species, and distinctive human communities.

It is heartening to note that five out of world’s fourteen 8000 meter peaks are in Pakistan. Out of 100 highest peaks in the world about 50 peaks are in Pakistan.

The United Nations General Assembly has designated 11 December, from 2003 onward, as International Mountain Day and it is observed every year with a different theme relevant to sustainable mountain development.

RAWALPINDI: Nursery students walking on the ramp during a function at City School, Satellite Town.

RIS teacher gains int’l acclaim CITY REPORTER I SLAMABAD—Roots International Schools has gained international recognition due to the innovative efforts of Ms. Munazza Riaz, Science Teaher at Roots Junior School, 77-A, Satellite Town. She participated in the Microsoft ITF (Innovative Teachers Forum) and represented Pakistan as well as Roots International School at the Global Forum held in Prague, Czech Republic.

This forum was held from 28th November 2012 – 1st December 2012. Ms. Munazza Riaz made RIS proud by securing the first position in the “Teacher as an Innovator and Change Agent” category.

The main aim of the forum was to gauge the effective use of IT by teachers and incorporation of these skills in their teaching methods.

CEO Roots International Schools Mr. Walid Mushtaq has been a staunch supporter of introducing ICT in the curriculum to ensure the best education to the students of Roots.

He also appreciated the efforts done by Ms. Munnaza and urged others to follow suit.

Policy finalized

Protecting the rights of senior citizens SANA JAMAL ISLAMABAD—For the well-being of senior citizens of Pakistan, the government has taken a major step by devising the policy on Rights of senior citizens.

The draft of Senior Citizens Welfare Bill 2012 was presented at the consultation session where Capital Administration and Development authority finalized and assured to present Senior Citizen Bill in Parliament soon.

The stakeholders who played the major role in formulating the policy and organized the consultation workshop are: National Council of Social Welfare (M/o

Capital Administration and Development Authority), HelpAge International and Pakistan National Centre on Ageing.

“Present government is concerned on protection of rights of senior citizens and will extend all its support for legislation on Senior citizens rights as the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan guarantees equal rights for all citizens” said Abdul Latif Laghari, Additional Secretary, M/o Capital Administration & Development.

Participants at the meeting highlighted the problems faced by senior citizens including poverty, discrimination, health, food &

nutrition, and social protection.

Ms. Ajeeba Aslam, Country Director, HelpAge International, requested that Government of Pakistan should submit the draft policy and bill for approval of the cabinet and parliament as soon.

Ch. Abdul Ghafoor, Secretary General, Pakistan National Center on Ageing, explained the background of the legislation and policy for the welfare of senior citizens. Zammurud Khan, Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, assured all possible cooperation in the accomplish- I SLAMABAD —Employees of ment of noble task for the wel- Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research fare of senior citizens.

(PCSIR), a sub-ordinate institution of Ministry of Science and Technology, could not get salaries of November due to shortthe administrative affairs of age of funds.

According to sources, the HEC. Mr. Qamar Zaman appre- PCSIR did not get grant from ciated the initiatives taken the Ministry of Finance, thus

by HEC during the last 10 2,500 employees of the instituyears. “Good performance of tion did not get their salaries for HEC management and em- the month of November as well ployees is evident from the as the increase in the salaries achievements that higher edu- from July. Moreover, 1,700 pencation sector has made over sioners of the PCSIR have also the last decade,” he said.— been deprived of pensions for last two months.—INP NNI

PCSIR employees deprived of salaries

HEC’s autonomy not under threat I SLAMABAD —Mr. Qamar Zaman Ch. presided over the meeting of Higher Education Commission’s senior management as Executive Director on Friday. The meeting was attended by all the divisional heads of HEC. Speaking on the occasion, he categorically denied the rumor that HEC’s autonomy is under threat. “Let me assure you that

HEC will continue to work as an independent entity, the current set-up is transitional and a new Executive Director will be appointed following the prescribed procedure.”

The Executive Director said that HEC is only linked to the Ministry for parliamentary business and governmental interaction, and the latter has nothing to do with

Qatar National Day

Pak-Qatar strategic relations to give fillip to regional peace Pakistan is looking confidently to meet its energy needs; Doha came to rescue victims of earthquake and floods: Sayar Abdul Rahman Al-Mawdah: Raja Parvez Ashraf added exuberance to jam-packed celebrations LIAQAT TOOR

Q

ATAR, an important country and one of the biggest growing economies of Arab world maintains strategic relations with Pakistan based on mutual trust and respect.

The high level exchanges in the recent past, particularly visits of top political leadership of Pakistan to Qatar gave tremendous fillip to economic and political relations.

The touch of Islamic brotherhood, geographical proximity and mutual interests have given depth to such ties which are growing with the passage of time as energystarved Pakistan is confidently looking towards Doha for its energy needs, particularly supply of liquefied gas.

The relations have assumed such an importance that when the ambassador of Qatar Sayar Abdul Rahman AlMawdah threw a gala function to celebrate anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani , the Founder of the state of Qatar,

to the rule of the country, high kistan graced the occasion in a evening. profile personalities from Pa- local hotel on Thursday Prime

Parvez Ashraf, PML (Q) Raja leader Ch. Shujaat Hussain, Mushahid Hussain, Dr. Asim Hussain, Adviser to Prime Minister on Petroleum, a large number of members of diplomatic corps including ambassador of the United States Richard Olson thronged the grand show. Parliamentarians, businessmen, ex-diplomats, ex-militarymen and ex-civil servants were also shared the joys with the ambassador of Qatar and his team on the occasion.

The gala picked up after the national anthems of both the countries were played and cake cutting ceremony was held which was jointly performed by the Prime Minister, envoy of Qatar and other diplomats and politicians.

The gathering was entertained with the cultural show ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf, Ambassador of Qatar Sayar Abdul of Qatar on the two screens Rahman Al-Mawdah, President PML (Q) Chaudhry Shujat Hussain, President AJK Sardar which were also beaming the Yaqoob, Ambassador of UAE Eisa Abdullah Al Basha Al-Nuaimi and Ambassador of Iraq Dr socio-economic development Rushdi Al-Ani cutting the cake on the anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Jassim bin of Qatar.

Mohamed bin Thani the founder of the State of Qatar, to the Rule of the Country, at a local A corner of the hall was hotel.—PO photo by Sultan Bashir Minister

allocated to showcase the traditional culture of Qatar.

The guests were treated with warm hospitality of the hosts as traditional food was also served to the participants.

The ambassador of Qatar has vigo r o u s l y worked for brining both the countries closer to each other. He is also an instrument to help Pakistanis in hours of need.

The recent agreement between gas companies of both the countries will pave the way of more cooperation in energy sector. Pakistan is eager to import liquefied gas from Qatar.

A large number of Pakistanis are in Qatar. Pakistan has been a traditional source of manpower supply to Qatar.

The ties between Islamabad and Doha have grown to new heights which will give fillip to regional peace.

Safeguard My Childhood: Stop Girl Child Marriage I S L A M A B A D —Safeguard key chains were dissemi- erment and emancipation, that we should spread this we may be able to stop cru- tunity to them to play an ef- society and to bring it out Zohr

06:20 01:30 03:45 07:00

December 8 MONTHLY meeting of the Association of Business, Professional and Agricultural Women and the Anjuman-e-Rifah, at the Pearl Continental Hotel, The Mall, Rawalpindi, 10:30 am. ***** OPENING session of the International Surgery Conference titled ‘New Innovations and Multidisciplinary Approach in Surgery’, organised by the Society of Surgeons of Pakistan (Rawalpindi-Islamabad Chapter), at Serena Hotel, Khayaban-e-Suhrwardy, Islamabad, 3:30 am-5 pm.

December 13 SPECIAL Plenary and Closing Plenary of SDPI’s Fifteenth Sustainable Development Conference will be held at Best Western Hotel, 6, Islamabad Club Road, 12 noon-5 pm.

My Childhood: Stop Girl Child Marriage”, with this message the campaign to address the harmful practice of girl child marriage was jointly launched at Preston University by ActionAid Pakistan, Plan International and Ideas for Life Trust as part of 16 days of activism on eliminating violence against women.

The event focused on sensitizing youth about the issue by involving them into live painting, poetry writing and music. Specially designed book marks, pocket calendars, and doll

nated among the youth. For this campaign the organizers projected doll as the mascot which symbolizes childhood.

Youth from NCA were mobilized and they creatively portrayed the issue as a negative customary practice through their creative art work.

The youth expressed their views and concerns about the practice of girl child marriage in variety of mediums. The consistent message is how marriage at an early age damages a girl child in terms of her health; educational opportunities, empow-

and how it reinforces gendered nature of poverty.

Faheem Ullah a student from Preston University shared that when the girls are married early in childhood; their lives are totally destroyed as she will not be able to manage the family responsibilities.

Abdul Rehman mentioned, ‘I am against early girl’s marriage, because it is harm practice for the girls both physically and mentally and at such an earlier age girls can’t bear responsibility of starting a new family. Usman Nazaar, a BBA student expressed his views

Presence of poliovirus in nullahs of Pindi verified CITY REPORTER RAWALPINDI—World Health Organisation (WHO) has verified the presence of poliovirus in the nullahs of Rawalpindi, specifically in the sewerage water of the Pakhtun settlements.

According to sources, the WHO sent samples of sewerage and nullah water of Rawalpindi to laboratory for testing and the test confirmed that poliovirus was present in the water.

The district administration and WHO seems helpless in eradicating polio vi-

rus from the country.

The district administration officials said that the residents of the Pakhtun settlements did not cooperate with the anti-polio teams and did not allow them to administer polio drops to their children.

This time, in the upcoming polio campaign, the district admin has devised a special strategy for the Pakhtun population and deployed women in the anti-polio teams who know Pushto.

Moreover, extra doses were also administered to the children in the high risk zone including the areas with ma-

jority Pukhtun population.

Union council 1 to 10 are the areas of Pakhtun majority.

When contacted, DCO Rawalpindi, Saqib Zafar said that the registration of the Pakhtun children revealed that total 20,000 children were residing in the Pakhtun areas, while total number of children in high risk area was 91,000.

He further said that antipolio teams would now be deployed on 13 points instead of six points on the entry points of Rawalpindi. The city would soon be made polio free, the DCO added.

Continuing MINIATURE paintings exhibition titled ‘The King must die’ by Asif Ahmed, at Tanzara Gallery, House No 14, Street 12, Sector F7/2, Islamabad, continuing up to December 8 11:30 am to 6:30 pm.

Winter brings new cuisines to markets

Campaign against sale of stolen petrol ISLAMABAD—CIA Police has launched operation against the elements involved in selling petrol and diesel stolen from vehicles of government departments.

These elements purchase the petrol and diesel from the corrupt government employees particularly drivers community and sell out it at cheaper rate causing heavy loss to the national exchequer.

A police squad led by DSP Zubair Sheikh has commenced the drive under the directives of IG Baniamin.

The squad has arrested 9 persons and registered cases against 6 persons so far besides recovering stolen petrol and diesel worth Rs 300000.

Sohail Afsar, Muhammad Riaz and Nasim Khan have been arrested under a case registered with Sabzi Mandi police, Ehsan Ullah in a case with Golra Police, Babar Hussain, Tariq Habib and Babar Sultan with Sohala police and Rizwan Abbas and Irfan Mushtaq with Tarnol police.

SP CIA has directed the special squad to continue operation.—Online

ISLAMABAD: A large number of motorcyclists crossing the road near Zero Point instead of using u-turn to adopt shortcut which may cause any mishap.

NADRA providing support enabling citizens’ enfranchisement ISLAMABAD—National Data- creasing the number of cen- by the Parliament NADRA base and Registration Authority (NADRA) is enabling and facilitating citizens’ enfranchisement through various measures and initiatives undertaken by the authority.

This was said by NADRA’s Chairman Tariq Malik while welcoming a delegation of senators led by Senator Ishaq Dar to the NADRA Headquarters in Islamabad. The senators were invited by NADRA Chairman to a briefing on the citizens’ registration and electoral rolls preparation process.Since 2002, NADRA has registered over 92.9 million Pakistanis and issued them Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs), covering 96% of the adult population. Possession of a valid CNIC is essential for many services and facilities in Pakistan, including the right to vote.

In order to facilitate the citizens of Pakistan with this crucial document NADRA has made the process of obtaining an CNIC convenient, easy and affordable by in-

ters and coverage, making the first card free-of-cost, and special initiatives for registration of women, minorities and third-gender.

NADRA has issued 29.0 million free CNICs since 24th June 2008.

Currently there are 486 National Registration Centers, 254 Mobile Registration Vans (MRVs) and 70 Manpacks and Motorcycle Units reaching out to the remotest parts of the country.

NADRA has worked closely with other government departments and NGOs to encourage female registration and has designated Friday as a womenonly registration day at all NADRA centers. Such initiatives have doubled female registration in the past 4 years.

Chairman NADRA has also reached out to all political parties and NADRA is providing MRVs to all areas of Pakistan at the request of their elected local representative.

Upon directions issued

assisted the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with the preparation of the electoral rolls. NADRA cleansed the legacy data of 81.2 million of unverified and deceased voters.

NADRA assisted the ECP in preparation of the Draft, Preliminary and Final Electoral Rolls by verifying over80 million CNICs, digitizingover 17.1 million forms, printing 15.1 million pages during the various stages of the voter lists and augmenting 3.6 million additional votes in the ECP data.

Chairman NADRA has requested the citizens of Pakistan to verify their vote through by sending their CNIC number to 8300. Over 10 million people have already verified their vote through this service making this the largest SMS-based vote verification in the world.

Changes in the vote can be made by contacting the local ECP office and filling out a simple form.—INP

ISLAMABAD: Rubina Qaimkhani, MNA, speaks during a seminar on “Anti Women Practices, Impact of Recent Legislation for Women Protection and Role of Media” organized by South Asian Women in Media, at SAFMA. Tasneem Siddiqi, Samar Minullah and Humera Masihuddin are also seen in the picture.—PO photo by Sultan Bashir

elty against girl child marriage.

Earlier Fazal Elahi, Senior Director Media and PR and Publications from Preston University said that girl child marriage is indeed a major issue that severely confronts the Pakistani society today.

It is an undeniable fact that early marriage caused severe physical and emotional challenges, to the nascent girls who fall victims to this evil.

Justice demands that girls should also be married when they attain the age of 18. Not only this, they have in fact also provided equal oppor-

fective role in national development.

While talking to youth, Sadaf Raza, the Gender Resource Person from Ideas for Life Trust said that this message needs to be carried to the masses, and youth can play a very important role in sensitizing people around them; they have the moral and message.

The representative from ActionAid Pakistan Zohra Bano, Women’s Rights Coordinator said; “being youth as agents of change can play a pivotal role as catalysts and change makers to elevate

from the shackles of harmful traditional practices which violate to consider women and girls as human beings”.

The three partners, ActionAid Pakistan, Plan International and Ideas for Life Trust have planned further events in other public and private Universities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The activities will culminate into a final event, which will be a policy dialogue with the youth, government representatives and civil society organizations in Islamabad.—NNI

Polio campaign in Pindi from Dec 17 R AWALPINDI —Three day new Polio campaign would kick off in the district from 17th December in which more than 0.6m children under the age of 5 would be vaccinated.

In order to save the country from the crippling disease, the new campaign of polio would start in Rawalpindi from 17 and would end on 19. 1397 mobile teams would participate in the polio campaign.

In view of this, 85 teams would perform duty at airport, railway stations bus terminals and public parks and 258 health facilitate centres has been established in this regard.

EDO Health Zafar Iqbal Gondal announced polio campaign in his meeting and further said that it is our national duty to eradicate the polio from roots and prosperous Pakistan polio free country.

Meanwhile, DO health Khalid Randhawa said that 30 Mobiles Teams of health center would perform duty at transport terminals during day and night who would immunize polio drops to under age children of passengers, tourists respectively.— Online

Pak-Iran to enhance cultural ties

I SLAMABAD —With a sharp fall in temperature, people in the capital have started enjoying winter foods like chicken corn soup, doodh jalebi, gajar halwa, Kashmiri tea, coffee, fried fish and boiled eggs at various restaurants, stalls in markets and sweet shops.

A number of vendors have set up makeshift stalls in F6 (Super Market); F7 (Jinnah Super and Raana Market); F8, F10, F11 and G6 (Aabpara and Melody Market); G7 (Sitara Market); G8 Markaz; G9 (Karachi Company); G10 and G11 Markaz respectively.Hot drinks like tea and coffee, and fried food like fish, fries, pakoras, samosas and vegetable rolls are also in high demand, as they are considered an integral part of suppers.Vendors said the prices of everything were soaring, so they had also increased the prices of their products.— Online

message to the rural areas and the Govt should take steps to stop this practice.

Sabia Khan Wazir said that there are girls who give girls in wani, which is illegal; laws should be implemented in Pakistan against girl child marriages. Raina from Psychology department suggested that this activity can be stopped through education this may have serious consequences, so it needs to be stopped as it is harmful to their well being. Kehkeshan and Ghazal Jalali were of the view; we would like to have a community like this so that

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik chairing a high level meeting to review problems related to issuance of passports in Islamabad. Secretary Interior and DG Passports are also seen in the picture.

Students to visit US in Jan for one semester study I SLAMABAD —US Ambassador Richard Olson welcomed 300 alumni of the Global Undergraduate exchange program (Global Ugrad) to the first-ever alumni reunion on Friday.

The Global Ugrad program sends students from non-elite backgrounds from all regions of Pakistan to the United States to study for one semester at a U.S. university.

During the reunion, participants discussed their experiences in the United States and used what they learned to create service projects in their hometowns in Pakistan.

At the end of the reunion, they will practice their commitment to community service by cleaning up a trail in the Margalla Hills, in collaboration with the Capital Development Authority.

“There are so many impressive young people in

Pakistan. Each of you is a talented representative of this nation’s bright future,” said Ambassador Olson. “To think that my country has had some role in advancing your education and helping your nation’s prospects makes me very proud of our cooperation – and of you.”

Since 2010, the U.S. Embassy has sent 400 Pakistani university students from non-elite backgrounds to the United States for one semester of undergraduate study.

One hundred more students will depart in January. During their time in the United States, Global UGrad students gain the skills to implement long-term civic and economic changes in their communities. The students undergo leadership training, training in their field of study, and participate in community service projects.—INP

Rising Students Festival on December 19 I SLAMABAD —The Islami Jamiat Students would organize Rising Pakistan Students Festival at Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad on December 19.

In view of this, thousand students of different Colleges and universities of the twin cities would take part in this festival.

Debate, Software project, poetry competition, documentary making and several other contests would be held in this festival while the contestants who clinched position would also get prices in this regard.

Meanwhile, the honourable personalities of the different countries Dr Qadeer Khan, Syed Munawar Hassan, Journalist, Religious personalities and Ambassadors would be the chief Guest of this competition.—Online

I SLAMABAD —Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Samsam Ali Bukhari has urged the need for increasing cultural exchanges between Pakistan and Iran.

Addressing a function at Radio Pakistan, he suggested that Persian should be included as a subject in the Pakistani universities and Urdu in the syllabus of the Iranian universities.

He said that the present government, particularly President Asif Ali Zardari, is making serious efforts for promotion of relations between Pakistan and Iran.

Speaking on the occasion, Special Assistant to the Iranian Foreign Minister and spokesperson of Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ramin Mehman Parast said there is need to further consolidate relations between Pakistan and Iran. He appreciated efforts of Radio Pakistan for strengthening cultural relations between the two countries. Earlier, a Mehfil-e Qawwali was arranged in honour of Mehman Parast and other members of his delegation cur- RAWALPINDI: People burn tyres to block the road during a protest against low gas rently visiting Pakistan.—INP pressure at Dhoke Ratta Amral.

Several protesters injured in police action in Srinagar

Malik, Shabbir, Waza, other IHK leaders arrested SRINAGAR—n Srinagar, several people were injured when Indian police resorted to brute force against a peaceful procession at Lal Chowk, today. The procession was led by the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik, against the sentencing of two Kashmiri youth to life imprisonment by a TADA Court in Jammu.

The police arrested liberation leaders and activists including Muhammad Yasin Malik, Bashmir Ahmed Butt and Javed Ahmed Mir on the occasion.The police personnel also thrashed a Doctor, Sundar Nath Khanna, after barging into his clinic at Maisuma, and vandalizing the equipment. Clashes be-

JKLF pays tributes to Kashmiri martyrs SRINAGAR—The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) has paid rich tributes to Kashmiri martyrs including Ghulam Hassan Butt, Yawar Khan and Abdul Rashid.A JKLF delegation including Bashir Ahmad Butt, Manzoor Mustafa, Mohammad Siddeeq Shah, Mir Sirajuddin, Bashir Kashmiri, Gulzar Pahalwan and Abdul Rashid visited Wagur Budgam and paid homage to the martyrs.

Meanwhile, the JKLF has expressed grief and sorrow over the demise of Agha Syed Baqar Shah Rizwi. The deceased was father-in-law of JKLF leader in Dooru, Islamabad, Syed Muzafar Rizwi.—KMS

Draconian PSA slapped on Mushtaq-ul-Islam for 5th time

tween protesters and the police personnel were going on in Lal Chowk, Maisuma and Budshah Chwk areas till last reports came in.

Talking to media men before his arrest, Muhammad Yasin Malik said that through such tactics India would never succeed in suppressing the Kashmiris’ just liberation struggle. He deplored that New Delhi was using the life imprisonment as a tool to terrorise the Kashmiri youth. Liberation leader, Showkat Ahmed Bakhshi led a similar procession in Batamaloo area of Srinagar against the sentencing of the youth by the TADA court.

The Indian police took into custody the All Parties

Hurriyet Conference leaders and activists including Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza and Muhammad Yousuf Naqash, today, from different areas of Pulwama to prevent them from addressing public gatherings. The occupation authorities continued to place the veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani, under house arrest disallowing him to offer Juma prayers.

The APHC spokesman in a statement in Srinagar expressed serious concern over rising human rights violations by Indian troops and police across the territory. He urged India to hold talks with Pakistan and genuine Kashmiri leadership to settle the Kashmir dispute, once

for all.

Senior APHC leader, Agha Syed Hassan AlMoosvi, addressing a gathering in Badgam deplored that the Indian authorities were not providing travel documents to Hurriyet leaders Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Maulana Abbas Ansari, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza and Musaddiq Aadil for their visit to Pakistan. Another APHC leader, Zafar Akbar Butt, in his address to a Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid Barzullah-Baghat in Srinagar said that the sentencing of life imprisonment to Dr Muhammad Qasim Fakhtoo, Javed Khan, Nazir Ahmad Sheikh and Showkat Ahmad MIRPUR: AJK Prime Minister Chaudhary Abdul Majeed distributing prizes among the students.

Khan had exposed India’s cruel face.—KMS

Geelani concerned over Indian SC’s verdict on Amarnath road S RINAGAR —The veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani has termed directives of the Indian Supreme Court to the authorities for broadening passage to Amarnath Yatra as disappointing and said that the Indian government was hatching a big conspiracy by using judiciary.

Syed Ali Gilani addressing media men in Srinagar said that it was a matter of concern that the yatra was being given a communal colour by India to give practical shape to its evil designs. He said that the authorities wanted to change the demography of Kashmir and Amarnath Shrine Board

was being used as a launching pad.

Referring to the Supreme Court ruling on the killing of pilgrims during Amarnath Yatra, the veteran leader questioned that if the apex court was concerned about death of yatris, then why it was silent over killing of innocent people in the occupied territory and why it was not taking suo moto notice of human rights violations taking place in Kashmir?

“Kashmir is not any Muslim-Hindu issue but a fight between oppressor and the oppressed. The authorities are trying to give it a different colour and portray it as a conflict between Hindus

and Muslims. By doing so they are trying to deceive the international community,” he maintained.

Syed Ali Gilani said that the Kashmiris were not against Amarnath yatra.

“We want affairs of the yatra be handled by the local people, who have been delivering the services for last 150 years,” he maintained.

He also issued a pamphlet suggesting four-point proposal including handing of yatra’s management to Kashmiri Pandits, restricting yatra period to 15 days, limiting number of yatris and suspending plans for broadening and concretization of Amarnath road.—KMS

Guru immediate release urged

S RINAGAR —Terming the award of the life imprisonment to Dr Qasim, Afzal Guru, Javed Khan and other Kashmiri detainees as ‘Illegal and State sponsored Terrorism’ Muslim Khwateen Markaz (MKM), a women’s pro-freedom group aligned to Hurriyat (G) has demanded stopping of this ‘illegal practice’ and ‘immediate release’.

Holding the detainee’s photographs in a symbolic protest at Press Enclave Srinagar, MKM blamed GoI for ‘exploiting’ the judiciary.

“This is barbarism and injustice with the people of the valley. They are being implicated in false cases and made to rot in jails. It should be stopped or otherwise it could have serious consequences,” said Chairperson MKM Anjum Zamrooda Habib.

Calling Guru, Qasim and others as ‘Heroes’ of Kashmir the protestors said that they have fought for the people of the valley. “They should be released. This is nothing more than the political vengeance,” said the protestors amid sloganeering.—NNI

SRINAGAR—The authorities have once again slapped black law Public Safety Act (PSA) on the illegally detained senior liberation leader, Mushtaq-ulIslam.Mushtaq-ul-Islam has been booked under the PSA for the fifth time in six months. The authorities ordered to lodge the detained leader at the district jail Udhampur.

Mushtaq-ul-Islam was recently shifted from a MUZAFFARABAD: AJK Minister for AKLAS and Irrigation, Raja Faisal Mumtaz S RINAGAR —Jammu and Jammu jail to Central Jail Rathore talking to District Havalli PSF President Anees Sherazi.

Kashmir State Human Rights Srinagar.—KMS Commission has issued a notice to the deputy commissioners of Poonch and Rajouri to file before the next date of hearing their final report on the unmarked graves in their respective districts.

SRINAGAR —Reacting to the general, N C Asthana, who, needed to kill them because The direction was isstatement of “non-local” according to a statement in they cannot protect them- sued by a division bench S RINAGAR —A report re- Jammu and Kashmir director- August, had said the resolve selves from the wrath of the of the Commission comprisleased on Friday said that general of police, Ashok of Kashmiri people could nei- nation with charged senti- ing retired Justice Javed the Indian state has Prasad, in which he had ther be broken by force nor ments towards them. His Kavoosa and Justice Rafiq authorised its armed forces dared the United Jihad through elections. Mean- statement was misrepre- Fida on a petition filed by Syed while, clarifying the UJC sented,” the spokesman several human rights activto carry out with impunity Council chief, every kind of operation with- Sallahudin, to come to this stand on Panchayat elec- added. On the panchs and ists, including Advocate out adherence to estab- side of the border and issue tions, the spokesman said sarpanchs taking part in the Parvez Imroz, Angana threats, UJC Thursday said the members of village bod- just-concluded Legislative Chatterjee, Gautam lished laws and norms.

The report was issued by “it will take less than a mo- ies would have to be ac- Council elections, the UJC Navlakha, Zahir-ud-din said the and Khurram Parvez, seekInternational Peoples’ Tribu- ment for the Hizb chief to countable in the people’s spokesman panchayat members would ing investigation into the nal on Human Rights and decide shifting from one part court.

“A section of the media have to be accountable for existence of unmarked Justice and Association of of Kashmir to the other, if graves to bring forth the Parents of Disappeared Per- need arises.” “For military had distorted the statement their anti-movement role.

“Despite earnest appeals truth lying buried in them. sons at a press conference reasons, the UJC chief is of Syed Sallahudin. He had where he is. If the situation said that Indian ministers from pro-freedom leaders and Pertinently, hundreds in Srinagar.

The report pointed out requires him to shift to the and authorities were misus- militant leadership, the of unmarked graves have that in a majority of cases the battlefield, he will not delay ing panches and sarpanches panchayat members took part been discovered in various crimes were not noted or in- it even by a moment. The for their cheap objectives in the polls in large numbers parts of Kashmir. The acvestigated at all. The judi- Hizb chief doesn’t need chal- and to hoodwink interna- strengthened the Indian pro- tivists had sought investiciary, the report added, had lenges from Indian officers,” tional opinion. People of paganda, wittingly or unwit- gation into similar graves rendered itself subservient UJC spokesman, Syed Kashmir, including the pro- tingly. They will have to be found in the border disSadaqat Husain, said in a freedom people, were accountable for such anti- tricts of Jammu region on to the State.

The report emphasised statement, adding “the state- against it. So, in the larger movement and enemy-like the same pattern as those that institutional culture of ment of the DGP is laughable interest of the people, they acts at any point in time,” he in Kashmir. They have moral, political and juridi- as he is issuing such state- (PRs) should resign,” the said. “We’re are committed stated that 2,717 persons and ready to take the move- were buried in 90 gravecal impunity had resulted ment under the cover of eight spokesman said.

“The UJC chief had said ment to its logical conclusion. yards in Poonch district in enforced disappearance lakh troops in the state.” panches and No one will be allowed to sell while 1,127 persons were He asked the DGP to that of an estimated 8000 persons in the occupied terri- benefit from the experiences sarpanches can die any- out sacrifices of martyrs,” he lying in 118 graveyards in of former CRPF inspector- where and no weapon was added.—KNS / KMN Rajouri district. —NNI tory.—KMS

SHRC seeks report on unmarked graves in Poonch, Rajouri

Indian armed forces operating with impunity

S RINAGAR —Nestled in a valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range, Kashmir is an idyllic and culturally rich region, a cradle of Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist religious relics and architectural sites.

But a decades-long conflict has overshadowed the region’s heritage and produced a new generation of Kashmiris who are ignorant of the unique history and culture of their land.

A recent survey by the New Delhi-based Indian Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), based on extensive interviews

Salahuddin to shift to battlefield when required: UJC

with a sample population of 1,600 people, combined with broad field research, found a significant “cultural disconnect” in 98 percent of the youth polled.

“We are most concerned about the fact that the majority of the respondents were unaware about the rich cultural heritage of Kashmir,” Saleem Beig, who heads INTACH in Jammu and Kashmir, told IPS. This cultural isolation was evident in the number of youth engaged in any kind of community service (only two percent of respondents), the number of residents seeking to leave their homes in the

Youth disappearances

ITBP furnishes details of 7 persons SRINAGAR—Indian paramili- tioned at Pantha Chowk in tary Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has furnished particulars of seven of its men including an officer of IG rank wanted by police for their involvement in the disappearance of a Kashmiri youth from Kokagund Verinag in Islamabad district of occupied Kashmir, 11 years ago.The particulars were furnished by the counsel of ITBP, B A Zargar, before a division bench of the High Court comprising Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar during the hearing of the contempt petition filed by the family of the victim, Muhammad Ashraf Koka, son of Ghulam Hassan Koka.

Advocate Zargar produced a faxed statement by the Commandant of 10 Battalion to 21st Battalion sta-

Life sentence exposes India’s cruel face S RINAGAR —APHC leader to Dr Qasim Fakhtoo, and the Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement, Zafar Akbar Butt, has expressed serious concern over the TADA Court’s decision of life imprisonment to two Kashmiri youth, Nazir Ahmad Sheikh and Showkat Ahmad Khan, terming its a cruel act.Zafar Akbar Butt while addressing a Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid BarzullahBaghat in Srinagar said that the life imprisonment

knowledge about the significance of the River Jhelum, the largest river in Kashmir.

“River Jhelum has tremendous economic, cultural and religious significance. Until very recently it used to be the only means of transporting goods and it has religious significance for Kashmiri non-Muslims (Kashmiri Pandits). But for most of the respondents, it was just a river flowing nearby,” Beig added.

And despite widespread international awareness

about increasing pollution levels in the Jhelum, 70 percent of the residents who live on its banks said they had not noticed “any change” in the water body. “A majority of the respondents could not even describe what cultural heritage was and felt that they should be educated about it by the media and local government,” according to the survey, which also found that 91 percent of inhabitants view cultural heritage as the practice of traditional crafts like carpet weav-

Javed Khan, Nazir Ahmad Sheikh and Showkat Ahmad Khan had exposed the India’s cruel face.

He said that the Government of India with the help of its puppet regime in occupied Kashmir had adopted barbarism and injustice with the people of Kashmir. However, he added that such brute policies of New Delhi would not deter the Kashmiris from pursuing their cause of freedom.—KMS

SRINAGAR—In an executive meeting consulted by All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) under the chairmanship of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the Hurriyat expressed serious concern over the communal tensions that took place in old city, Srinagar and urged people to observe unity and brotherhood.

In a statement issued to Global News Service, Hurriyat in the meeting unanimously appealed the ShiaSunni community to observe unity and mutual harmony and desist from any such tactic that may hinder religious as well as the ongoing freedom cause and said it would organize a peace march on December 5 in old city to be led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

“In the meeting it was held that the people of Kashmir are known for their moderate behaviour and brotherhood and it is due to some miscreants that such incidents took place,” the statement said adding “some proIndian politicians are creating the present unpleasant turmoil and trying to grab opportunity to make vote bank politics over the issue”.

During the march Hurriyat will visit all the affected places and clear the misconceptions created by some vested interests and reiterated its appeal to people to part in the said peace march to make it a success and foil the sinister designs of the miscreants and those quarters which are always bent upon to create wedge and misunderstanding between the Shia and Sunni Muslims, the statement further added. —NNI

US-based Pakistani expatriates drive against ‘Hepatitis C’ in AJK A.H RAO M IRPUR (AJK)—USAbased seasoned overseas Pakistani and Kashmiri medical experts and physicians forum ‘APPNA” have launched an extensive drive across Azad Jammu & Kashmir to discourage and wipe out the life-threatening disease of Hepatitis C. “The drive has been launched under the auspices of USAbased Pakistani doctors – forum ‘APPNA’ – the Association of Physicians of Pakistan Descent of North America, through raising awareness among the masses about the drastic effects of the fatal disease and the preventive measures to be saved from it”, disclosed Dr. Muhammad Yousaf Khalid and Lady Dr. Gul Nasreen, the Country-representatives of the forum in

Conflict kills Kashmir culture historic ‘old city’ due to a lack of civic infrastructure (30 percent) and ignorance about the many world-renowned religious and architectural sites in the region – a group of school children who were taken on a ‘heritage tour’ as part of INTACH’s research could only name, at most, two of Kashmir’s heritage sites and were unable to identify places like the Jamia Masjid and theHazratbal shrine.

According to Beig, the respondents had very little

Srinagar. The 10 Battalion responsible for the youth’s arrest has already moved out of the Kashmir Valley.

The Commandant of 10 Battalion furnished details of seven personnel required for identification parade by the police. They are Inder Singh Negi, then commandant and presently IG Northern FTR, Dehradun Himachal Pradesh, PS Gunjiyal (posted in Arunachal Prdaesh), Hukum Singh (Leh), Ajeet Kumar (Chandigarh), R S Rana (Dehradun) and Pratab Singh, who has died on August 4, 2004.

After hearing advocate Zargar, the court directed that the officers shown in the faxed statement should appear before the police on December 13.—KMS

APHC appeals people to observe unity

ing, shawl making, papier m?ch?, embroidery and woodcarving.

Experts like Bashir Ahmad Dabla, a leading sociologist and professor at Kashmir University, have blamed this worrying trend on the ravages of conflict, which has its roots in the 1947 partition of India. As India concretised its independence from the British Raj, the Muslim-dominated areas of Kashmir were absorbed by the newly established state of Pakistan.

AJK. Elaborating the salient features of the drive at a news conference here late Thursday against the dangerous impacts of ‘Hepatitis C’ for the human health and the precautionary measures to avert its symptoms, Dr. Yousaf Khalid Dr. Gul Nasreen, the specialists of family medicines, warned that since this lifethreatening disease was rapidly spreading in Pakistan including Azad Jammu Kashmir, it was the high time for the impending patients to be alert and vigilant of its lifethreatening symptoms as soon as they feel facing the same by adopting immediate preventive measures.

“Although a lot of symptoms of the Hepatitis C prevail, yet these symptoms do not emerge among certain human beings who later become the victim of this fatal

disease”, Dr. Khalid pointed out while elaborating the drastic-effects of the disease. He continued that tiredness, pains in stomach, mussels and joints, fever, vomiting and lack of hunger were the general symptoms of Hepatitis C. He said that the immediate use of proper medicines and complete treatment through the qualified medical expert and physician could lead to get rid of the disease.

He also strongly suggested the regular checking of blood by every person from the qualified and registered labs. proper medicines and complete treatment through the qualified medical expert and physician could lead to get rid of the disease. He also strongly suggested the regular checking of blood by every person from the qualified and registered labs.

Meanwhile a United Nations resolution gave the remaining population the option of either joining Hindudominated India, Muslimmajority Pakistan or becoming independent – but Kashmiris have never been allowed to exercise the third option. As a result, Pakistan took control over about a third of modern Kashmir, leaving the rest to Indian military and political administration.

Generations of Kashmiris have challenged this arrangement and demanded independence from both countries. A ‘pro-freedom’ uprising in 1989 signalled the beginning of an armed insur-

gency that continues to simmer. Government agencies and a host of non-governmental organisations that have monitored the situation closely over the years have put the death toll of the conflict at well over 50,000.

The struggle for freedom has usurped interest or the ability to participate in cultural and social life. Between 1989 and 2004, young people between the ages of 20 and 35 flocked to the resistance movement, taking up arms in lieu of pursuing higher education, professional development or any kind of hobbies or social activity.—NNI

KSE 100 inches closer to 17,000 points Staff Reporter KARACHI—Stocks hit a record high in intraday trading for the fourth straight session on Friday, but settled lower as traders booked profits to close out the week. The Karachi Stock Exchange’s (KSE) benchmark 100-share index surged as high as 16,903.46 in intraday trading. It closed at 16,807.91 points, down 0.10 per cent or 16.64 points. The index has hit record highs in eight of the last nine sessions, and was up more than 25 per cent since mid-June. Lotte Pak rose 11.32 per cent, or 0.83 rupee, to 8.16 per share, while Azgard Nine was up 2.07 per cent, or 0.18 rupees, to 8.88 per share. Maple Leaf Cement fell 6.93 per cent, or one rupee, to 13.43 per share. In the currency market, the Pakistani rupee weakened to 96.70/96.76 against the dollar, compared to Thursday’s 96.54/ 96.59, ahead of scheduled government debt and oil payments, dealers said.

Overnight rates in the money market eased to 9 per cent from 10 per cent on Thursday.

Reservations over MNF Staff Reporter KARACHI—Though the Ministry of Commerce and other concerned authorities claim that the decision of granting MFN status to India has been made with due deliberations and after holding meetings with all concerned sectors, the reservations of agriculture sector especially growers over the trade normalization process remain unaddressed. The growers are scared about the tariff structure and non-tariff barriers as technical hindrance to compete the neighbouring country. They however are confident about the quality and standard of agricultural products. According to a fresh study/report, made available by TDAP, in general, Pakistan’s applied tariffs on agricultural products are lower than India. Islamabad’s average tariff rate works out to 20 percent whereas in India it is 33 percent. In addition, India also levies education cess of 3 percent on these products.

Pakistan however, allows import of several agriculture products between 0 to 5 percent duties where India is competitive such as vegetables.

SBP injects Rs 547,250m Staff Reporter KARACHI—State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Friday injected Rs 547,250 million into the market for one week through its reverse repo open market operation in Government of Pakistan Market Treasury Bills and Pakistan Investment Bonds. The bids offered were of Rs 550,750 million and the rate of return is 9.01 percent.

A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.

— Ralph Lauren

Robin L. Raphel visits KESC

KESC moves on coal fired power projects AMANULLAH KHAN KARACHI—The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) currently engaged with many large scale infrastructure projects, such as coal conversion, new coal fired power projects, LNG import and biogas power plant, that KESC is pursuing in line with its longterm vision.

This was informed to United States’ Senior Advisor for Pakistan, Robin L. Raphel when she visited KESC Head Office along with the US Consul General in Karachi, Michael Dodman and other members of the US diplomatic team today.

KESC’s CEO, Tabish

Gauhar, appreciated Mrs. Raphel for her keen interest in KESC’s matters. He briefed the US delegation on the progress that KESC, under the present management team, has made during the last three and a half years.

The delegation was informed that the team has managed to invest an unprecedented amount of one billion US dollars in various development projects including 1000 MWs of new generation capacity, significant enhancement in the transmission and distribution infrastructures and many other projects of strategic importance.

He further outlined how these initiatives have significantly im-

proved the end user service.

The delegation was also informed that over the last few years KESC has established strong commercial ties with US origin firms and the value of these relationships is in excess of USD 860 million with the potential to grow significantly in future.

Mrs. Raphel showed a deep understanding of the present energy situation in Pakistan and CEO Zong Fan Yun Jun called on Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf. Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority informed the KESC team that Farooq Awan is also present. the US government is very keen to help Pakistan in resolving the prevalent energy crisis. She also assured KESC of her full cooperation and stressed the need for an ongoing dialogue as a means STAFF REPORTER to foster future collaborations.

CEO Zong calls on PM

Trading engine at ISE becomes operational TARIQ KHATTAK ISLAMABAD—The new trading software of ISE called Islamabad Electronic trading system (IEES) became operational today. This new state of the art software will provide multi-faceted facilities to both investors trading through the brokerage houses of ISE as well as to the brokers. This advance version of the trading software will also provide online, mobile and SMS trading abilities to the investors and clients of the ISE brokers.

This will also provide portfolio management facilities, back office operations, risk management operations, orders routing, data services, direct market access and

KMC inks MoU with FPCCI STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—Knowledge is the most important production factor in building up society and improvements of the labor force this was stated by Haji Fazal Kadir Khan Sherani, President, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry

many other facilities at multiple portals.

It is to be mentioned here with deep appreciation and gratitude that this advanced trading facility development was made possible only with untiring efforts of the ISE IT staff, TRT committee and MD Islamabad Stock Exchange. Mr. Qaiser Mushtaq deserves a special mention being a member at the time and an IT specialist; he spent countless hours to see the development of this state of the art system. Without his dedicated efforts this might not have been possible at this short notice. Dr Iftikhar Ahmed who chaired the TRT Committee

during the development of this IEES system did a fantastic job keeping the whole team focused and fought tirelessly to remove any hurdles in the development of IEES and hardware procurement.

Special mentioned is to be made of the Chief Manager IT, Farhan Malik and the TRT Secretary, Miss Fozia Irum as they went beyond the call of the duty and worked extra hours tirelessly to make this immense project a success. Mian Ayyaz Afzal MD/CEO worked day and night to see through the successful development of this software and its implementation.

PTCL holds annual sales conference STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) held its day long annual sales conference 2012 today at a local hotel here in Islamabad.

Senior Executive Vice President (SEVP) Commercial PTCL, Naveed Saeed and Senior Executive Vice President (SEVP) Human Resources PTCL, Syed Mazhar Hussain led the conference by sharing valuable insights and holding brainstorming sessions, focusing on improving the processes and methodologies determining the customer experience.

“Our people empower our business by conceiving ideas, sharing insights, and working together to create solutions with a single minded focus i.e. boosting our customers confidence for the offered products and services”, said Senior Executive Vice President Commercial PTCL, Naveed Saeed, while chairing the conference. “Innovative thinking and out of the box business ideas are vital to remain competitive in the ever changing telecom industry”, he added further.

Themed “It matters not how far your goal is, but how far you are ready to go”, the conference

ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that the present democratic government has introduced liberal and investment-friendly policies to attract foreign investment.

He expressed these views while talking to Mr Fan Yun Jun, Chief Executive Officer of Zong, who called on him at PM House here on Friday.

Jun appreciated the Telecom Policy being pursued by the present government which has spurred healthy competition among the leading cellular companies. He further said that Pakistan telecom sector has great potential and Zong intended to expand the reach of its operations in Pakistan.

The Prime Minister said that the government greatly valued Zong’s contribution to Pakistan’s development and economic progress.

The Prime Minister reiterated the commitment and resolve of his government of taking every possible measure to provide maximum security and protection to the foreign investors.

Rs 765.302m allocated for agri varsity SALIM AHMED

LAHORE—The Punjab government has approved the scheme while signing MoU with of agriculture sector with an esKarachi Municipal Corporation timated cost of Rs. 765.302 milon Establishment of a centrally lion for “Establishment of Sub located “Centre of Vocational Campus of University of AgriExcellence Karachi” (CoVEK). culture, Faisalabad at Chak No. MoU signing ceremony held 427/EB. Burewala, District which Administrator, KMC, Mr. Vehari”.

Muhammad Hussain Syed Five development schemes of various sectors of the Continued on Page 14 Continued on Page 14 economy were also approved worth Rs. 2175.729 million in the 22nd meeting of Provincial Development working Party of current financial year 2012-13 presided over by the Punjab Planning and Development Board Chairman, Javaid Aslam.

Secretary Planning & Development Punjab Bushra Aman, members of the Planning & Development Board and other senior representatives of the relevant Provincial Departments also attended the meeting.

The approved development schemes included: Development & Restoration of Archaeological Sites from Taxila to Swat at the cost of Rs.150.299 million, PTCL’s SEVP Naveed Saeed and SEVP, HR Syed Mazhar Hussain chairing PTCL annual Development of Park and sales conference along with EVP Contact Centers Junaid Azeem, EVP Wireless Omer Khalid Completion of Basements for and EVP Customer Care, Kamran Malik.

Continued on Page 14 Picture on Page 14

Textile body rejects proposed raise in gas price STAFF REPORTER

FAISALABAD —The leaders of textile associations have rejected the proposed raise in gas prices by 9.87 percent and termed it an unwise move, as it would further increase the cost of doing business, hit industrial production, affect exports and would be detrimental to the national economy as well as industry.

Commenting over the gas prices, Asghar Ali, Chairman and Muhammad Asif, Vice Chairman Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) said that Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority’s (Ogra)decision would badly affect the industry as it was

already facing immense problems.

Jacking up gas prices would further paralyse the industries, which were already struggling for survival due to energy crisis, liquidity crunch, and other challenges confronting them, they said. They further said that government should cut the number of taxes on gas, as fuel is the engine of growth. If the fuel is heavily taxed then the entire economy would suffer and the same is happening in Pakistan as the repeated increases in gas prices had ruined the industrial and economic activities.

To keep the economic cycle well on track, the government would have to shelve the decision to increase gas prices, they

demanded. Because of high cost of doing business in Pakistan, a large number of industrial units had already shifted their operations to other countries and the recent decision would force more industrialists to follow the suit, they maintained.

Gas prices for industrial sector in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were lower than Pakistan.

In Pakistan, gas prices were higher of Rs 235 per unit from Bangladesh and Rs 165 from Sri Lanka.

Asghar Ali was of the view that textile sector was already facing severe loadshedding of gas resulting in decline in textile exports. Gas supply to industrial sector has been reduced by 329 percent in last four years.

Efficiency required to overcome energy challenges: Asim STAFF REPORTER I SLAMABAD —Dr. Asim Hussain Advisor to the Prime Minister on Petroleum and Natural Resources has said that Pakistan needs to improve efficiency in utilization of natural resources and wastage needs to be controlled. He said this while meeting Ambassador / Special Envoy for International Energy Affairs of USA Carlos Pascual today in Islamabad.

Advisor on Petroleum welcomed US interest in helping Pakistan to resolve problems

faced by the Energy sector. Dr. Asim Hussain informed the US Special Envoy regarding policy initiatives taken by the Government of Pakistan for promoting investment in oil and Gas sector. He emphasized upon cooperation in areas including efficiency improvement, reduction in gas losses & wastage, human resources’ capacity building, and studies for structural reforms at organizations working in the oil and gas sector.

Carlos Pascual said that US realizes the Energy needs

of Pakistan and in this regard USAID is providing technical assistance for various energy sector projects. He stated that the synergy between Petroleum and Power sector is important. He apprised that US Government intends to help Pakistan in LNG import project by offering consultancy services.

The US Special Envoy for International Energy Affairs is leading a delegation for the 4th Pakistan-US Energy Working Group meeting being held in Islamabad today.

Transporters strike halts urea supplies OBSERVER REPORT KARACHI—The days-long ongoing strike of the goods transporters has halted the supplies of thousands of tons of urea from the fertilizer plants located in this port city, said the industry sources.

They said the dealers and farmers in the upcountry were desperately waiting for the DAP urea as the haulers’ strike has entered its fifth day.

Worst hit among the urea plants was the Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Limited (FFBL) which during the last five days of strike saw over 25,000 tons of its DAP urea supplies not transported to the farmers.

“If supplies of DAP are not restored immediately the sowing of wheat crop may be delayed and affected in major parts of the country, as the application of Phosphates is highly recommended at the time of sowing,” said the officials at FFBL. This, they claimed, was in addition to the fact that some political elements were also harassing the truckers in transit at Hyderabad Toll Plaza on “clumsy grounds”.

According to the officials, the intervention of higher authorities was needed to resolve the issue immediately in the best interest of the country.

They said the Fauji Fertilizer, being the only urea and

DAP production plant situated in the outskirts of Karachi, was unable to transport it’s DAP and urea for the farmers across Pakistan. “This has created the shortage of DAP in upper parts of the country,” they said.

On the other hand, the industry sources said the situation might result in a huge loss to the agriculture sector and the government’s wheat sowing target may also be adversely affected.

“Pakistan being an agriculture economy cannot afford such situations,” said the sources adding that the indefinite strike by goods transporters had also badly affected the imports and exports from and to Pakistan.

Strategy to combat unemployment through manpower export, remittances RASHID AHMED MUGHAL

I

T is now an established fact that human resource constitutes a major pillar of development of any country. Those who have invested in the human capital have reaped the benefits of rapid development, affluence, reduction in poverty which is considered to be the biggest challenge as declared by United Nations. Countries which have provided training to their working class have succeeded in reducing poverty to a great extent and thus improved the living standard of

their nationals.

The globalization has created a huge opportunity for qualified, trained and technical workers as they are in great demand in almost every continent.

Doctors, engineers, pharmacists, nurses, construction workers, urban planners and environmentalists are needed by every country, notwithstanding the global financial crisis.

In addition, there is persistent dearth of Business and Banking professionals in financial capitals of the world like USA, UK, Singapore and Dubai. In the coming days, this dearth is going to increase further rather than decrease for two

simple reasons: globalization of trade and commerce and doing away with trade barriers and need for qualified and trained work force to develop infrastructure for massive projects which some of the countries with extra cash have embarked upon.

They have and will need in future hundreds of thousands of qualified and trained workers to cater to their needs. Thus the scope of export of Manpower is far from over. The role the expatriate workers play in the development of a country is set to increase significantly as the remittance they send to their home countries, now recognized to be

the single major source of contribution in its GDP is constantly increasing. The world Bank, the IMF, the UNCTAD and OECD have realized and accepted the fact that remittances have played a major role in the development of manpower exporting countries and improved the living standard of its people thereby reducing poverty. The table below will give an idea of flow of remittances world wide and its contribution towards GDP growth.

It is note worthy that countries which have embarked upon providing world class training facilities to their work force have succeeded in capturing a

major chunk of the available opportunities where as country like Pakistan has suffered because of negligence or will on the part of concerned departments/ministries, in the past.

The fact becomes evident from the number of workers sent abroad by manpower exporting countries during the last 10 years.

While Manpower Export occupies central and important place in the over all planning of a country(e.g Phillipines, Bangla Desh, Sri Lanka) it has yet to get importance it deserves in our country as it has not yet been even given a status of a Ministry. The subject

of training has been relegated to a secondary importance and there is no proper strategy or policy to increase manpower export and remittances which are the life line of the country and reached US.$11Billion in 2011.The Labour Attaches posted abroad whose job is to procure maximum jobs for our nationals are mostly un-trained and with absolutely no back ground in the labour migration area, mostly being relatives of the people who matter. Their performance is more than evident from the manpower export figures of Pakistan which have shown dismal growth over the past three years as

compared to other Manpower exporting countries.

Another important fact which confirms increased Labour Migration in the days to come is the low birth rate in the western countries and massive shortages of skilled Manpower which is almost certain to hit them. Countries which do their homework in advance and prepare for this opportunity will certainly reap the benefits of the situation. Thus the government needs to acts fast in controlling the damage done so far and devise wellthought out strategy to enhance flow of manpower export and do proper planning

for enhancing flow of remittances, so important for the country in these days of global economic crisis and turbulent times. While percentage wise the flow of remittances to India, Phillipines and Bangladesh has increased by 25%-28%,in case of Pakistan it has barely touched 17%-18% which shows that all is not well with our existing system and planning.

—The write is former Director, Emigration & Protector of Emigrants, Consultant, International Labour Organisation and International Organisation for Migration

Pakistan seeks investment from Hungary

KCCI to hold single country exhibition in Budapest AMANULLAH KHAN K ARACHI —Ambassador of Hungary to Pakistan H.E. Istvan Szabo has said that Pakistan and Hungary had good political relations however, the bilateral trade volume was not according to the existing trade potential.

He asked the cooperation of KCCI to organize Single Country Exhibition of Hungary in Pakistan. He said that he may invite the attention of Budapest Chamber of Commerce to sign MoU with KCCI. He informed that Schengen visa for businesspersons can be applied through Hungarian Embassy in Islamabad, however, businesspersons after visiting Hungary can also visit Schengen states. He said that MOL was the

wi-tribe announces winners of Pakistan Developers Challenge 2012

biggest Hungarian company in Pakistan engaged in oil which was catering 11 percent needs of Pakistan.

He said that Hungary can export to Pakistan agro-based products, halal food products, machinery, healthcare products, medical diagnostic machinery, water treatment plants, desalination plants, cell phones, security equipments, electrical appliances etc. whereas Pakistan can export to Hungary textiles, garments, cotton, cotton yarn, auto parts, sports and surgical goods etc.

Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s President Muhammad Haroon Agar urged Ambassador of Hungary to invite Hungarian investors to invest in Pakistan. Exchanging

views with the Hungarian Ambassador to Pakistan H.E. Istvan Szabo he highlighted the real and true potential of Pakistan with all its strengths.

He asserted upon the need to develop trade with the European Union countries and raised strong voice for market access to Pakistan in the EU markets.

He informed that Ambassador of European Union Delegation to Pakistan in association with KCCI is organizing a EU Pakistan Trade Dialogue: “Opportunities for Growth”.

To enhance Pakistan and Hungary bilateral trade he also proposed to sign MoU with Budapest Chamber of Commerce to facilitate the private sector of two countries. He was of the view that Hungarian com-

pany “MOL” can further enhance its business in oil and gas sector as it was enjoying successful business in Pakistan since last many years. Pakistan has a very liberal investment policy with agreements of investment protection, he told. He also Hungarian Exhibitors through Ambassador to participate in KCCI annual “MyKarachi, Oasis of Harmony” Exhibition scheduled to be held in July 2013 which is a showcase and B2B & B2C platform wherein local and foreign exhibitors participate. He assured the Karachi Chamber’s best support and cooperation for matchmaking with their Pakistan counterparts, particularly KCCI members with Hungarian businesspersons.

FPCCI, radio stations owners join hands to create awareness

STAFF REPORTER

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Entrants to witribe Pakistan Developers Challenge 2012(PDC2012) got their moment to shine after wi-tribe announced the winners of 17 award categories. In partnership with education and technology industry giants Punjab IT Board (PITB), Higher Education Commission (HEC), Microsoft, Intel, Pakistan Software House Association (P@SHA) and Dell Inc, entrants were offered the chance to contest in and win prizes in 17 categories, ranging from cash awards, internships and job opportunities.

The PDC2012 Grand Prize of Rs. 100,000 has been awarded to Muhammad Rizwan ul Haq for the Al Quran Audio, while the recipient of the most number of entries category prize is AllamaIqbal Open University, also winning Rs. 100,000.

Launched in April 2012 on wi-tribe Bazaar, PDC 2012 is the largest application development platform in Pakistan, providing opportunities to anyone with a passion for app development, be it students, graduates, aspiring developers or professionals. wi-tribe Bazaar is Pakistan’s first Buy and Sell software portal that further strengthens wi-tribe’s promise to remain an industry leader that is constantly looking for innovative opportunities to bridge the gap between technology and consumers. Under the wi-tribe Bazaar platform, the PDC 2012 contest aimed to bring together Pakistan’s greatest young developer minds to jointly create and monetize proprietary local PC and Mobile software applications.

ISLAMABAD—The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and Pakistan Association of Independent Radio Stations (PAIRS) on Friday joined hands to create awareness and positive attitude among masses and business community.

The decision took place in a meeting between Vice President FPCCI Mirza Abdul Rehman and President PAIRS Sheikh Waseem Ahmed.

Chairman Coordination FPCCI Atif Ikram Sheikh and office bearers of PAIRS including Joseph J Dial, Sheikh Zahid Iqbal, Kamran Khawaja and Wajih Akhtar of InterMedia were also present on the occasion.

Speaking at the occasion, Mirza Abdul Rehman said that FM radio is a very effective tool which can help transform society. He asked the radio station

ISLAMABAD: VP FPCCI speaking to owners of FM radio stations. Atif Ikram Sheikh and Joseph J Dial are also seen in the picture. owners to engage masses to ensure positive tendencies in different communities.

He said that even the best technology will ultimately fail if no one wants to use it, therefore government, business community and companies should promote radio business in their own interest. Chairman Coordination FPCCI Atif Ikram Sheikh

LCCI Chief asks govt to focus on IT knowledge SALIM AHMED LAHORE—The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh has urged the government to focus on Information Technology based knowledge as maximum utilization of human potential is necessary to make Pakistan a developed country.

While addressing the participants of “LCCI Web Graphic Skill Course with SEO” here at the LCCI on Friday, Irfan said, “Right out of the gate of their Alma Mater, our students face altogether new challenges, therefore, they must be equipped well to cope with these challenges and for the purpose the educational institute ions must continue to review and upgrade their curricula.”

He said curriculum needs to be designed in proper consultation with the private sector that has both the ability and capacity to guide the educationists in right direction. He said that in today’s world the Information Technology is of utmost importance. In the job market the people having knowledge of computers are given preference over those who are without it, he added.

He said that the only objective behind starting computer courses at LCCI is to equip members of this chamber with latest business technologies so that they could be able to go global.

The LCCI Senior Vice President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said in the knowledge race in the 21st century and rapid globalization, the quality of information technology based higher education needs to be enhanced to bring it at par with international standards for the sake of progress and prosperity.

also spoke on the occasion. He said that recent radio boom is an unprecedented which is changing the life of the country in ways that few could have envisioned.

Unlike newspapers and TV channels, radio delivers immeAMANULLAH KHAN diate information allowing listeners to be a part of it the mo- KARACHI—PIA management ment it occurred. has decided to commence flights between Quetta and Kandahar in Afghanistan from December 25 , 2012 on the occasion of the 136th birth anniversary of the father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

Quetta and Kandahar are There is dire need to aware mutual cooperation and coordithriving commercial towns and the IT sector of Pakistan about nation. their basic IP Rights and their The Chairman was also of it was a long standing demand registration process, IPO is tak- the view that healthy economy of the business community of ing concrete initiatives to in- is need of time to meet the both cities to have commercial crease awareness campaigns growing challenges of the flights between the two. Iniabout IP Rights and their im- country. IPO is initiating vari- tially two flights will operate pacts on national economy. ous projects to strengthen law weekly on the Karachi-QuettaHe also urged the delegation enforcement agencies so that Kandahar-Quetta-Karachi secto join hands with IPO to bring implementation of IP laws may tor on every Tuesday and change in the society through be ensured and action may be Thursday using the ATR airincreasing awareness about IP taken against those elements craft.

The launch of these flights Rights. that are evolved in piracy and will enable PIA to expand its Afridi underlined that IT counterfeiting. network in Afghanistan. Cursector of Pakistan has huge poThe delegation expressed tential to bring drastic changes deep concern over the pirated rently PIA is only flying to through great inventions how- stuff present in the markets. Kabul. These flights will also ever, few elements are damag- They expressed all possible co- help connect people in South ing our economy through bring- operation to promote awareness of Afghanistan to rest of ing pirated goods in the markets. campaigns about IP. They also world through the gateway of He said that counterfeiting lauded the role of IPO for ca- Quetta. and piracy are major threats pacity building of law enforcewhich can be countered through ment agencies.

From Page 13 was attended by PTCL’s countrywide sales management teams comprising consumer sales, direct and indirect sales, corporate sales, contact centers, one-stop shops, wire-line and wireless departments.

Senior officials from the company’s Commercial, Human Resource and Marketing departments as well as General Managers from different Regions also attended the conference.

Comprising of various interactive and creative sessions, the conference gave the opportunity Fareed Ullah Jan, Business Head Samsung and his team hold- to the participants for knowling Samsung Galaxy Note II. edge sharing.

PIA ready to fly for Kandhar

IP owners should protect their rights through registration STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—Chairman Intel-

lectual Property Organization (IPO) of Pakistan Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi Friday said that information technology is the fastest growing sector playing significant role in knowledge- based economy.

Talking to a delegation of IT industry, he said IPO encourages IT sector for investment in the areas of research and development so that technological advancements may occur.

He said IP is an affective tool for the development and the IP owners should come forward and register their IP Rights to L ONDON —European shares ensure their protection and to traded fractionally higher early bring revolution in their specialon Friday, consolidating 18- ized fields. month highs, as a worsening economic outlook for Europe tempered some optimism about U.S. budget negotiations.

From Page 13 Sentiment was underpinned car Parking at Doongi Ground, by signs the White House and M.M. Alam Road, Lahore at the Republicans had resumed pri- cost of Rs. 290.500 million, vate talks on delaying a January Widening/Improvement of “fiscal cliff” of scheduled tax Mitha Tiwana Adhi Kot Road rises and spending cuts, which length 33.00 km in District could stall the world’s largest Khushab at the cost of Rs. economy.

294.154 million, Construction The FTSEurofirst 300 index of Mujahid Dam District of top European shares traded Rawalpindi (amended) at the 0.2 percent higher at 1,133.95 cost of Rs. 721.516 million and points, extending a 7 percent Construction of Mohra Shera rally since mid-November on Dam District Rawalpindi expectations the fiscal cliff will (Amended) at the cost Rs. be avoided.—APP 719.260 million.

European shares slightly higher

Rs 765.302m

PTCL

Southeast Asia’s strength keeps Asia growth on track: ADB STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—The surging economies of Southeast Asia have been a bright spot in developing Asia’s otherwise subdued 2012 growth performance, but the broader region should still pick up steam in 2013, says a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report.

The latest Asian Development Outlook Supplement, released on Friday, says developing Asia will post growth of 6.0% in 2012 and 6.6% in 2013, 0.1% percentage point lower than anticipated by ADB in October.

Robust private consumption in Southeast Asia and a mild economic recovery in China nearly balance out the weaknesses in India’s economy.

The report warns that ongoing sluggishness and uncertainty in Europe and the United States mean that risks to the forecasts remain firmly on the downside.

“Enduring debt problems and economic weakness in Europe and the looming fiscal cliff in the United States remain very real threats to developing Asia next year,” said ADB Chief Economist Changyong Rhee.

Rhee added that at the same time there are highly encourag-

ing signs from Southeast Asia and recent data from PRC confirms a bottoming out of the economy, with industrial output rebounding to a five-month high in October.”

Malaysia and the Philippines outstripped expectations, with strong third quarter performance boosting ASEAN-5 growth forecasts from 5.6% to 5.9%. Third quarter expansion in the Philippines was a stellar 7.1%, more than double the rate from the same period a year earlier.

This performance and the recovery in China—supported by a turnaround in industrial production and retail sales and

solid fixed investment—are helping to offset weakness in other East Asian economies, including Hong Kong, China; the Republic of Korea; and Taipei,China. India’s economy remains sluggish, with sliding industrial production and declining exports.

Growth in Central Asia is also soft, pulled down by difficulties in its two largest economies—Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. Pacific economies, led by resource- rich Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste, are continuing to benefit from infrastructure rollouts which should support growth of 6% in 2012, but the

expansion will moderate in 2013, the report says.

Inflation remains broadly benign across most of the region as a result of price declines in some food commodities, including soybean and palm oil.

Inflationary pressures remain a concern in South Asia, however, with the subregion expected to post an annual inflation rate of 8.3% in 2012.

An expected spike in meat prices, lower output of grains, and higher global demand will see inflation for developing Asia tick up to 4.2% in 2013, from a revised rate of 4.0% in 2012.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan chairing a meeting at Motorway Police Headquarters which was also attended by IG NH&MP Zafar Abbas Lak and other senior officers.

TUSDEC arranges training for trainers STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—Adding further to its distinctive experiential base in skill enhancement, TSUDEC (Technology Upgradation and Skill Development Company) in collaboration with the British Council Pakistan arranged training workshops to train the primary school teacher both from the public and private schools.

According to a company spokesperson, the two workshops have been arranged at TUSDEC- NIDA (National Institute of Design and Analysis) Peshawar centre where total 52 instructors have been imparted the skills of online teaching.

The workshops were pro-

gramed in a way to cover two subsequent levels of the training and were organized on an interval of two days in the month of November. The seasoned trainers of British Council apprised the trainees about the essence and practice of online teaching.

The trainees were brought to rehearse various methods and techniques of classroom instruction through internet. Pakistan has got through an aggregate of 31 Million internet users where the ciphers are accelerating each day due to the fast-paced growth of telecommunication industry.

With this mounting reach to the internet connections, it is wise to utilize this surge to enable diverse educational opportunities for the masses.

According to the Program Manger(PM) at TUSDEC NIDA Peshawar centre, the absolutely outfitted and technologically equipped classrooms of NIDA made an immaculate local for the trainings of online schooling.

The workshops also imparted the ‘ cascading process’ to the teachers in order to enable them to pass on the their acquired skills to their peer teachers in their respective areas.

The PM (Program Manager) at NIDA centre also shared that the institute is penetrative in its planning to organize further workshops and training programs in order to enable multiple educational opportunities for the area masses.

KMC From Page 13 signed MoU on behalf of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.

Centre of Vocational Excellence Karachi” (CoVEK) will serve as the focal point for the development of Trainers for the promotion of long term and sustainable Vocational Training Culture.

During the visit of Administrator KMC under FPCCI delegation, entered into an MOU with the Istanbul Metropolitan MuLAHORE: Chairperson TEVTA Arif Saeed and CEO, Akzo nicipality (IMM) Turkey on 18th Nobel Pakistan Jehanzeb Khan are exchanging documents June, 2012 at Istanbul to improve the Vocational. after signing MoU.

Development of gasfields can meet growing national demands exploration of 20 million cubic feet per day (MCFD) is a good achievement and would ease up gas crisis in the country.

They said that according to OGDC country has reserves of natural gas to the tune of 23 trillion cubic feet per day and the government should speed up exploration due to the ongoing energy crisis and rescue dying industries.

They said that the new gas field would enhance supply of gas into existing network up to two to four billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) and the gas crisis could be overcome.

They pointed out that OGDC has already planned to drill 37 wells in coming fiscal.

Meanwhile, they strongly rejected the increase in gas prices to the tune of 9.8 per cent as proposed by OGRA. They said that industry is already in deep crisis due to skyrocketing oil and gas prices and power shortage while cost of industrial inputs is becoming unbearable and any further increase would be extremely detrimental to the country’s economy.

“Not only gas but any raise in input cost would mean more shut downs in the industrial sector resulting in massive unemployment which is already going beyond the control of the government”, Zubair Chhaya warned.

Saving consumers from cartels demanded

Etihad Airways launches Etihad Wi-Fly connectivity

AMANULLAH KHAN KARACHI—The trade and industry has expressed its gratification over slow development of discovered gasfields and exploration of huge reserves of natural gas in Suleman Gas Field located in District Khairpur.

The Patron In-Chief, Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), Chairman Mohammad Zubair Chhaya, President All Karachi Industrial Alliance, Mian Zahid Hussain and Vice Chairmen, Najmul Arfeen and Niaz Ahmed while welcoming the OGDCL explorative activities that were gone slow in the recent past, said that

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—The speakers at a seminar demanded strict measures to protect consumers from the cartels. They also demanded independence of regulators, effective enforcement and monitoring mechanism, awareness raising and healthy business practices.

The speakers were discussing at a seminar on ‘Adverse Impact of Cartels on the Poor’ organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) to contribute into international efforts to celebrate 5th of December as ‘World Competition Day’. The culture of competition is quite weak in many countries

and consumers have limited understanding about the harmful effects of cartels. Thus, the World Competition Day allows a scope for greater discussions and dissemination of the beneficial effects of competition on the average consumer – either directly or indirectly. In effect, it is expected to result in greater public understanding and support on the need to crack down cartels.

Chairing the proceedings Dr Vaqar Ahmed, Head-Economic Growth Unit, SDPI maintained that consumer as a constituent has always been ignored in public policy discourse and economic growth agenda in Pakistan.

STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—Etihad Airways to-

day launched its new “Etihad Wi-Fly” inflight Internet and mobile connectivity service, powered by the Panasonic Avionics Global Communications Suite.

The airline’s first aircraft equipped with Panasonic’s communications technology, an Airbus A330-200, took flight today for Brussels, offering highspeed broadband Internet connectivity as well as data and mobile phone services.

The A330-200 will be used for long-haul destinations across Etihad Airways’ network, such as Brussels, Dublin, Manchester, Munich, Frankfurt and Milan.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “’Etihad Wi-Fly’ is a result of the 10year, US$1 billion agreement we signed with Panasonic Avionics in November 2011. We continue to invest in our product and consider ways to offer our guests the most engaging President FPCCI presenting shield to Administrator KMC and dynamic inflight entertainment options.

Muhammad Hussain Syed. (Story on Page 13)

Emboldened Hamas leader ends exile, visits Gaza Chavez back from Cuba

exiled leader regained the ini- standing in the region, win“There is a new mood G AZA —Hamas leader rally on Saturday that has strike last month.

Israel tried and failed to tiative in the November war, ning it the support of many that allows us to achieve recCARACAS—Venezuela’s President Hugo Khaled Meshaal arrived in been billed as both a com-

Chavez made a theatrical return from Cuba on Friday after medical treatment, walking and joking in a first public appearance for three weeks that quashed rumours he may have been at death’s door. “I’m happy and enthused to be back again,” Chavez said after flying in overnight to the delight of supporters. “So, where’s the party?”

Chavez joked, in festive mood as he chatted with ministers after walking unaided down the steps from his plane at the international airport outside Caracas. The 58-year-old socialist leader has had three cancer operations in Cuba since mid-2011 and returned to Havana ten days ago to receive “hyperbaric oxygenation” - a treatment normally used to alleviate bone decay from radiation therapy. But speculation was rife he may have suffered a recurrence of the disease. One local journalist said he was confined to a wheelchair. Earlier this year, Chavez declared himself “completely cured” and went on to comfortably win re-election in October. Amid a barrage of rumours, officials had maintained his latest trip to Cuba was just a scheduled follow-up to the radiation therapy he underwent in the first half of 2012. Supporters celebrated the return of the man who has dominated the South American OPEC nation since he first won election in 1998. “Chavez is back and has shown up all the rumour-mongers, necrophiliacs, gossips and ill-thinkers.—Reuters

the Gaza Strip on Friday, ending 45 years of exile from Palestinian land with a visit that underscored the Islamist group’s growing confidence following a recent conflict with Israel. Palestinian members of the al-Qassam brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, ride in pickup trucks as they await the arrival of Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

After passing through the Egyptian border crossing, Meshaal knelt on the ground to offer a prayer of thanks and was then greeted by dozens of officials from an array of competing Palestinian factions lined up to meet him in warm December sun.

Meshaal will spend barely 48 hours in the coastal enclave and attend a mass

memoration of the 25th anniversary of the founding of Hamas and a “victory” celebration following the November fighting.

“All Palestinians will eventually return to their homeland. Khaled Meshaal is returning after a victory,” said veteran Hamas strategist Mahmoud Al-Zahar. The 56year-old Meshaal left the nearby West Bank as a young boy in 1967 and, before Friday, had never set foot in the largely isolated Gaza, which has been governed by Hamas since a brief, 2007 civil war against its Fatah secular rivals. Later on Friday, he is expected to visit the home of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, who was assassinated by Israel in 2004, as well as that of Ahmed AlJaabari, the group’s military commander killed in an Israeli

kill Meshaal himself in 1997 in a botched Mossad mission in Jordan. Although there was no indication he might be targeted again, Hamas laid on massive security for his arrival, with heavily armed men, some wearing black masks, patrolling the border area.

Meshaal ran Hamas from exile in Damascus from 2004 until January this year when he quit the Syrian capital because of Iranian-backed President Bashar al-Assad’s war against Sunni Muslim rebels. He now divides his time between Qatar and Cairo.

His abrupt departure from Syria initially weakened his position within Hamas: ties with Damascus and Tehran had made him important, but with those links damaged or broken, rivals based within Gaza had started to assert their authority. However, the

working closely with Egypt to secure the truce, and although he says he plans to stand down soon few here expect him to carry through on his pledge.

The highlight of his visit will be an open-air rally on Saturday, which Hamas will use to proclaim victory in its eight-day conflagration with Israel that killed some 170 Palestinians and six Israelis.

It ended with an Egyptianbrokered ceasefire. A large stage has been set up in Gaza city, complete with a huge model of the homemade M75 rocket that was fired at both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in last month’s war.

Israel says its air strikes not only killed Jaabari, but also severely depleted Hamas’s weapons stockpile.

However, the fighting clearly boosted Hamas’s political

Hillary visits Belfast Northern Ireland on Friday to lend her support to the British province’s fragile peace, the frailty of which was underlined by overnight rioting on the eve of her visit and the seizure of a bomb. Making one of her last foreign trips as U.S. Secretary of State, she visits a province transformed by the 1998 peace agreement that her husband helped bring about in what was regarded as one of the greatest successes of his presidency. But Northern Ireland remains riven by sectarian tensions and she arrives in a week that has seen three riots, the seizure of a bomb over 100 kilometres (62 miles) outside Belfast, and the arrest of four militant nationalists.

The latest riot erupted on Thursday night when a policeman was injured after protesters hurled missiles to vent their anger against nationalist councillors who voted to remove the British flag atop Belfast City Hall. Two people were arrested and four vehicles damaged. Militant nationalists also shot dead a prison officer last month. However, Clinton’s visit, during which politicians from both sides of the political divide will brief her on the peace process, will be a reminder of the huge popularity of her family in Ireland, a potential asset in attracting the Irish-American vote if Hillary decided to run for the U.S. presidency in 2016.

The province has suffered one of the world’s worst property market crashes and its leaders are hoping for the kind of U.S. foreign investment that has transformed the rest of Ireland.—Reuters

L JUBLJANA —Slovenia believes it can save its troubled banks and avoid a bailout even if it does not enforce a law to set up a bad bank, but acknowledges it would have to seek help next year if that plan fails, its finance minister said on Thursday. The introduction of a law to set up a bad bank to allow Slovenia’s banks to transfer non-performing loans to a state company has been stalled by a trade union demand for a referendum. “There are several options of solving the problem (of bad loans) which we will consider ... but we believe the law is the most efficient and the fastest solution. I hope we’ll solve the situation in the banks fast enough to avoid a bailout,” Finance Minister Janez Sustersic told Reuters in an interview. “If not, we would have to ask for help ... which could happen in the middle of the next year.” The amount of bad loans held by local banks, mostly state-owned, has been rising steadily since the economy plummeted in 2009. Non-performing loans reached 6.7 billion euros (5.4 billion pounds) at the end of September, equalling 19 percent of GDP. Sustersic said he expected the Constitutional Court to rule by the end of this year to reject a trade union’s demand for a referendum on a “bad bank” and enable the enforcement of the law. The trade union for the chemical, non-metal and rubber industries is demanding the referendum, claiming the law would lead to the swift and non-transparent sale of state banks.—AP

Ukraine to name PM soon K IEV —Ukrainian

President Viktor Yanukovich has promised to name his choice of new prime minister by Sunday and to nominate someone whose first big task will be to try to broker a new loan deal with the International Monetary Fund. Ukraine also faces the prospect of repaying its foreign creditors $9.1 billion in 2013, up from $6.5 billion this year. The 2013 sum includes $6.4 billion owed to the IMF and Ukraine has said it hopes to refinance that debt. Yanukovich accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Mykola Azarov’s government on Monday, a move that was widely expected after a parliamentary election on October 28. He has not indicated who he wants as his next prime minister but has not ruled out re-appointing Azarov, a long-time ally and government veteran who is now acting prime minister. But his resistance to pressure from the IMF to raise household gas prices - a move that would be unpopular but which the Fund sees as essential to control the budget deficit - prompted it to suspend payments under a stand-by program in early 2011. The principal lender to the cashstrapped former Soviet republic, the IMF on Thursday raised eyebrows after it put back to late January a visit to Ukraine for talks over a possible new loan arrangement. The mission had originally been due to arrive on Friday. The Fund’s local representative, Max Alier, said it had made the decision at the request of the Ukrainian authorities in view of possible government changes.—Reuters

Renewed talks on US ‘fiscal cliff’ WASHINGTON—With little to show after a month of posturing, the White House and Republicans in Congress dropped hints on Friday that they had resumed low-level private talks on breaking the stalemate over the “fiscal cliff” but refused to divulge details. A day after a phone conversation between President Barack Obama and John Boehner, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, appeared to kick-start communications, both sides used similar language to describe the state of negotiations but imposed a media blackout on developments. A Quinnipiac University survey found respondents trust Obama and Democrats more than Republicans on the cliff talks by a wide margin - 53 percent to 36 percent.The debt ceiling issue - the same one that provoked a showdown in 2011 that led to a downgrading of the U.S. credit rating - has become a centrepiece of the fiscal cliff debate, thanks in part to Obama’s insistence that Congress give him enhanced power to increase the debt limit, which needs to be raised again in the next few months.—Reuters

onciliation,” Meshaal told Reuters in an interview last Friday from Qatar, where he has set up home since leaving Syria earlier this year.

Hamas leaders have said in recent years the movement could live peacefully alongside Israel if it wins a state on all Palestinian land occupied

by Israel in 1967, although the Islamist group’s 1988 founding charter calls for the destruction of Israel and for recovering all of British mandate Palestine.

Various Hamas officials have at times indicated a willingness to negotiate a truce, possibly decades long, with Israel. But Hamas continues to say that it will not recognise the Jewish state officially, and it is viewed as a terror group by Israel and most Western governments.—Reuters

Philippines typhoon deaths reach beyond 500

BELFAST—Hillary Clinton will travel to

Slovenia still hopes to avoid bailout: FM

regional powers, such as Qatar, Turkey and Egypt, who dispatched senior delegations to Gaza in a rare and public display of solidarity.

The Arab Spring revolts of the last two years have brought friends of Hamas to power across the Arab world, above all Egypt’s new President Mohamed Mursi, whose long-banned Muslim Brotherhood is spiritual mentor to Hamas. Saturday’s rally is not being held on the exact date of Hamas’s founding, but on the 25th anniversary of the start of the first Palestinian uprising, or intifada, against Israel.

That is being seen as an overture to other factions and a hint of a new willingness to seek reconciliation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who controls the West Bank.

Palestinian members of the al-Qassam brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, ride in pickup trucks to recover Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal in Rafah in the southern Gaza.

Strong quake hits off Japan near Fukushima

Russia, US talk on Syria, events worsen on ground

prefecture on Japan’s scale of one to seven, meaning there might be some damage to roads and houses that are less quake resistant.

The scale measures the amount of shaking and in that sense gives a better idea of possible damage than the magnitude. The quake registered a 4 in Tokyo The onemeter tsunami hit at Ishinomaki, in Miyagi, at the centre of the devastation from the March 2011 disaster. All Miyagi trains halted operations and Sendai airport, which was flooded by the tsunami last year, closed its runway.

Five people in the prefecture were slightly injured. “I was in the centre of the city the very moment the earthquake struck. I immediately jumped into the car and started running away towards the mountains. I’m still hiding inside the car,” said Ishinomaki resident Chikako Iwai. “...I have the radio on and they say the cars are still stuck in the traffic. I’m planning to stay here for the next couple of hours.” There are vast areas of Ishinomaki that still have not been cleaned up since last year’s tsunami.

war met head to head on Thursday, with signs emerging that Russia might curb its support for President Bashar al-Assad and Washington saying events were gathering speed on the ground.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Dublin on the sidelines of a security conference, at a time when rebel advances have brought the 20-month war to the doorstep of the capital Damascus.

“Events on the ground in Syria are accelerating, and we see that in many different ways,” Clinton said before the meeting. “The pressure against the regime in and around Damascus seems to be increasing.” Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N. mediator who convened the meeting, said the two sides had not made any breakthroughs, but would seek a “creative” solution to their impasse.—Reuters

D UBLIN —The two superT OKYO —A strong quake sured a “lower 5” in Miyagi Many houses lie in ruins, full powers divided by Syria’s civil centered off northeastern Japan shook buildings as far away as Tokyo on Friday and triggered a one-meter tsunami in an area devastated by last year’s Fukushima disaster, but there were no reports of deaths or serious damage.

The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.3, the U.S. Geological Survey said, and thousands of coastal residents were ordered to evacuate to higher ground, but the tsunami warning was lifted two hours after the tremor struck.

The March 2011 earthquake and following tsunami killed nearly 20,000 people and triggered the world’s worst nuclear crisis in 25 years when the FukushimaDaiichi nuclear plant was destroyed, leaking radiation into the sea and air. Workers at the plant were ordered to move to safety after Friday’s quake. Tokyo Electric Power Co, the operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant, reported no irregularities at its nuclear plants.

All but two of Japan’s 50 nuclear reactors have been idled since the Fukushima disaster as the government reviews safety. The quake mea-

of rubble. Workers by the shore still sort through thousands of cars that were swamped and destroyed. The cars are piled up and being taken apart for parts and scrap.

Narita airport outside Tokyo was back in action after a brief closure for safety checks. There were small tsunamis, measuring in the centimeters, elsewhere near the epicenter. Last year’s quake, which measured 9.0, triggered fuel-rod meltdowns at Fukushima, causing radiation leakage, contamination of food and water and mass evacuations. Much of the area is still deserted.

The government declared in December that the disaster was under control. “Citizens are now escaping to designated evacuation centers and moving to places on higher ground,” office worker Naoki Ara said in Soma, 30 km (18 miles) from the FukushimaDaiichi plant. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda cancelled campaigning in Tokyo ahead of a December 16 election and was on his way back to his office, but there was no immediate plan to hold a special cabinet meeting.—Reuters

US senators to vote on probe of CIA tortures W ASHINGTON —The U.S. Senate intelligence committee plans to vote next week on whether to approve findings of a nearly 6,000-page summary of its long-running investigation into contentious counter-terrorism practices, including “enhanced interrogation techniques,” used by the CIA during the George W. Bush administration.

But the report remains classified and it is unclear whether committee Republicans, who have largely boycotted the investigation, will endorse it. This leaves it unclear whether a version of the document will ever be made public.

Part of the committee’s investigation was to evaluate whether enhanced interrogation methods, which included stress techniques that

human rights activists and many U.S. politicians condemned as torture, were effective in producing useful intelligence. Reuters reported earlier this year that the threeyear-long investigation was expected to find little evidence that the interrogations, which included the use on a few high-level suspects of a simulated drowning technique known as “waterboarding,” produced breakthroughs.

Committee officials examined millions of pages of records charting the treatment of detainees handled by a CIA program that also included a network of secret prisons and the “rendition” kidnappings- of suspects to third countries where they often were subjected to harsh treatment by local authorities.

Senator Dianne

Feinstein, the California Democrat who heads the committees, confirmed in an email that while the panel would vote on the report next week, it would not be made public then.

“The Intelligence Committee’s 3-year review of the CIA’s detention and enhanced interrogation technique program (2002-2009) will not be released next week.

The committee is, however, scheduled to vote to approve the report,” she said.

Feinstein added: “The report is nearly 6,000 pages.

It is comprehensive, it is strictly factual, and it is the most definitive review of this CIA program to be conducted. Any decision on declassification and release of any portion of the report will be decided by committee members at a later time.”—AP

N EW B ATAAN —Rescuers were digging through mud and debris Friday to retrieve more bodies strewn across a farming valley in the southern Philippines by a powerful typhoon. The death toll from the storm has surpassed 500, with more than 400 people missing. More than 310,000 people have lost their homes since Typhoon Bopha struck Tuesday and are crowded inside evacuation centers or staying with their relatives, relying on food and emergency supplies being rushed in by government agencies and aid groups. “I want to know how this tragedy happened and how to prevent a repeat,” President Benigno Aquino III said during a visit to New Bataan town, the ground zero of the disaster, where ferocious winds and rains lashed the area.

Officials have confirmed 252 dead in Compostela Valley, including New Bataan, and 216 in nearby Davao Oriental province. Nearly 40 others died elsewhere and more than 400 are still missing, about two-thirds in New Bataan alone. Aquino told New Bataan residents gathered in the middle of toppled coconut trees and roofless houses that he was bent on seeking answers in order to improve their conditions and minimize casualties when natural disasters occur. Fatal storms and typhoons

Muslim Brotherhood Cairo offices set afire

C AIRO —The Muslim Brotherhood’s main office in the Egyptian capital and an office used by the Islamist group in a suburb south of Cairo were set on fire late on Thursday, Brotherhood officials and state media said.

Egypt has been in turmoil since President Mohamed Mursi issued a decree on November 22 awarding himself wide powers. On Wednesday night, seven people were killed in clashes around the presidential palace before security forces stopped the fighting.

The Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) said on its Facebook page that the headquarters in the Mukattam district had been JUBA—South Sudan dropped attacked in “a terrorist agits case against an American gression” by thugs. The citizen who it had held on kidnap charges but whose wife said was a victim of an extortion attempt by security agents, a U.S. official said on Friday. Elton Mark McCabe was arrested in October, ac- SEOUL—North Korea’s new cused of plotting to kidnap an young leader is using an imIndian businessman for a $5 minent rocket launch to bolmillion ransom. His Iraqi busi- ster his prestige internally ness partner Mohammed and crack down on dissent Oglah was also detained. amid signs the transition of “We can confirm that the power is not going as High Court of Central smoothly as planned, a top Equatoria State dismissed the South Korean official said on case against Mr. Elton Friday.

McCabe and Mr. Mohammed The isolated North is to Oglah,” Oliver Mains, spokes- launch a rocket carrying man for the U.S. embassy in what it says is a satellite bethe capital Juba, told Reuters tween December 10-22 in a by email. Both men had de- move that has been connied the charges, and demned by the United McCabe’s wife said he had States, South Korea and Jabeen beaten by security pan as they believe it is deagents trying to extort signed to test technology $100,000 for his release. for a long-range missile caSouth Sudan’s security pable of delivering a nuclear forces have not publicly com- warhead. mented on McCabe’s case, Kim Jong-un took power and officials were not immedi- in December 2011 after the ately available to comment on death of his father and initial Friday. —Reuters signs that he was willing to

South Sudan drops kidnap charges against US citizen

blowing from the Pacific are common in the Philippines, but most of them hit northern and central areas, and southern Mindanao Island is usually spared.

“We are going to look at what really happened. There are allegations of illegal mining, there are allegations of the force of nature,” said Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, who traveled with Aquino.

“We will find out why there are homes in these geohazard locations.” Roxas said rescue dogs will be brought to help search for survivors, although only bodies were found Friday.

Government geological hazard maps show that the farming town of New Bataan, population 45,000, was built in 1968 in an area classified as “highly susceptible to flooding and landslides.”

Most of the casualties were killed in the valley surrounded by steep hills and crisscrossed by rivers.

Flooding was so widespread here that places people thought were safe, including two emergency shelters, became among the deadliest.

Poverty is widespread in the Philippines, and the disaster highlights the risks that some take in living in dangerous areas in the hope of feeding their families. “It’s not only an environmental issue, it’s also a poverty issue,” Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said.—AP

state news agency said the office used by the FJP was set ablaze in the suburb of Maadi. Another office was broken into near the city centre, it said.

Brotherhood officials blamed police for failing to prevent the violence. “There was an intensive presence of security forces in front of the Brotherhood’s main headquarters in Mukattam, yet no one intervened to stop the protesters from burning it down,” FJP’s Facebook page quoted the Brotherhood’s spokesman Mahmoud Ghozlan as saying. Mursi invited in a live televised address, political groups, judges and others to meet on Saturday for a national dialogue but demonstrators and activists refused.—Reuters

N Korean leader cracks down on dissent open the economy have given way to fears of a crackdown. Kim himself warned of the danger of “rebellious elements” in North Korean society last month and recently met the country’s top law enforcement officials.

The official said that Kim, believed to turn 30 next year, had ordered modern equipment for his riot police from another country and had also had them trained to handle possible civil disturbances. “We know that North Korea is sending riot police for training to another country and they are importing a lot of equipment for the riot police,” he said.

He declined to name the country and said that there had been no signs that Seoul could see of unrest in North Korea.—Reuters

India vs England Third Test

England batsmen tighten grip on game K OLKATA —The feeling of from Ishant that struck the tion, the carrom ball, for gressive threat provided by helplessness that enveloped much of India’s horrendous tours of England and Australia descended again on MS Dhoni’s side on the third day at Eden Gardens, as two of the most bloody-minded batsmen in world cricket, Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott, set about grinding down toothless bowling in the morning.

After lunch, India managed to dismiss both of them, but that didn’t alter England’s dominance of the match as Kevin Pietersen and the lower order stacked up some quick runs to stretch the lead towards a comfortable 200.

The moment typifying India’s ineptness was

bat handle - the batsmen weren’t tested much by the quicks as they wiped out the deficit.

India’s spinners turned in a much-improved effort after Thursday’s disappointing show, bowling accurately with the old ball in the first hour before getting some bounce and turn with the shiny one. In the second session, they got some help from the pitch as well, spinning the ball past the outside edge several times, and asking questions of the well-set Cook and Trott.

Nothing took the shine off Cook’s golden tour, though, as he completed 26 hours of batting in the series, the longest day for

four, and walking out of the crease before driving.

When England’s tailenders were out in the middle practising their batting during the lunch break, one wondered why they bothered, given how bleak India’s chances of prising apart the Cook-Trott combination looked. The stand finally came to an end on 173 when Pragyan Ojha managed to get a flat delivery to spin away and take Trott’s outside edge to Dhoni.

Trott fell 13 short of a hundred, but Cook seemed set for a double, given his massive powers of concentration, and unquenchable thirst for runs. However,

KOLKATA: Kevin Pietersen acknowledges his half-century during 3rd Test.

Ishant Sharma putting down an absolute dolly off his own bowling when Cook was on 156. A rare Cook mistake sent the ball looping towards Ishant at waist height and at slow pace, but Ishant contrived to fluff that chance, the ball missing his palm and hitting the wrist. Ishant was left scratching his head in disappointment, while MS Dhoni maintained his famously expressionless demeanour.

Neither the old ball nor the new one swung, and though there was some uneven bounce - Cook was once surprised by a lifter

India’s bowlers. As usual there was no extravagance from him; he patiently blocked or left countless deliveries, before cashing in on those that were over pitched or on his pads.

Trott had missed out in the first two Tests, but not this time. He was cautious early in the morning, but soon helped himself to the gifts offered by India’s bowlers, especially Zaheer Khan and Ishant. Zaheer gave him several deliveries on the pads to put away, while Ishant bowled plenty short and wide. Before long, Trott was calmly dispatching R Ashwin’s varia-

Cook too fell short of the milestone, run-out on 190 after a brain-fade. After Pietersen clipped a ball to square leg, Cook took a few strides before turning back.

The ball went to India’s best fielder, Virat Kohli, who scored a direct hit after Cook jumped back and lifted his bat to avoid the throw.

Cook hadn’t grounded his bat, so there was no question of him escaping on account of evasive action, and he was run-out for the first time in his Test career.

Though India had removed both of England’s accumulators, they still had to deal with the more ag-

Pietersen. The Barmy Army, which had boisterously cheered the dogged-but-effective scoring of Cook and Trott, was treated to some flamboyant shots from Pietersen, who nonchalantly whipped balls from outside off to the legside boundary. With less than 10 minutes to tea, he launched Ojha for a straight six, and began the final session with three successive boundaries.

He was toying with the attack, dispatching the ball where he liked and galloped to yet another half-century.

However, he missed a sweep soon after was trapped lbw for 54. Even that didn’t lead to a slowdown as Samit Patel capitalised on a tiring attack, and crashed a brisk 33. His chance of making it into a sizeable innings ended when he nicked a catch to slip, where Virender Sehwag juggled before holding on.

On what was a depressing day for India fans, one of the most disappointing phases was the hour before stumps. After Samit Patel was dismissed, India needed just one more wicket to get into England’s bonafide tailenders. Instead, Matt Prior and Graeme Swann pummelled 56 runs in the final 13 overs, the highlight of which was a majestic pull for six by Prior off Ishant.

India have not lost two home Tests in a row since early 2000, a streak that looks set to come to an end over the next couple of days, unless their faltering batting order finds someone to replicate Cook’s marathon efforts of this series.—AFP

PESHAWAR: Students taking part in High Jump during 36th Inter-Varsity Athletics Championship 2012 at Qayyum Sports Complex organized by Sarhad University.

Watson to bat at Ponting’s number four spot in Test S YDNEY —Shane

Watson said Friday he will be given the first chance to fill the vacancy in Australia’s batting order left by Ricky Ponting’s

retirement and bat at number four in next week’s first Test against Sri Lanka.

Recalled Phillip Hughes is expected to bat at first drop India 1st innings: ........ 3 1 6 in a re-jigged Australian top order for the Hobart Test, England 1st innings: Cook run out (Kohli) .. 190 starting next Friday.

On the same day skipper Compton lbw b Ojha ..... 57 Trott c Dhoni b Ojha .... 87 Michael Clarke, speaking to Pietersen lbw b Ashwin 54 reporters in Sydney, sugIR Bell c Dhoni b Sharma 5 gested the Test batting linePatel c Sehwag b Ojha .. 33 up was still undecided, viceMJ Prior not out ............ 40 captain Watson confirmed in GP Swann not out ......... 21 Brisbane that he would drop Extras: (b 13, lb 4, nb 5) 22 down one spot to number To bat MS Panesar, JM four in the Australian order. “(Coach) Mickey Arthur Anderson, ST Finn Fall of wickets 1-165 , 2-338 talked to me at the end of the , 3-359 , 4-395 , 5-420, 6-453 last Test to say the way it was Bowling: ........... O-M-R-W looking, they were going to Z Khan ................ 29-6-82-0 move me down to four,” I Sharma .............. 29-8-78-1 Watson told reporters.

“It’s taken me a few days R Ashwin .......... 52-9-183-1 PP Ojha ........... 50-10-140-3 to get my head around that, Yuvraj Singh .......... 3-1-9-0 but it means I can bowl a few more overs.

“In the last Test match, I know Michael (Clarke) in the second innings was a bit hesitant to bowl me a few times towards the latter part of their innings, just to give me the chance to be as fresh as I could going into bat.

“The ultimate is to be able to contribute with both bat and ball throughout the whole Test match and not be held back.

“Batting at four will give me that extra time to freshen up.”—AFP

Champions Trophy

Pakistan to face Holland today MELBOURNE—Pakistan will face Holland in the semi-final of the Hockey Champions Trophy today (Saturday).

The semi-final will start at 7:30 AM (PST) while India will play Australia in the second semi-final at 10:00 AM (PST).

During the tournament Pakistan has won two matches, while Holland remains undefeated.

Former Olympian and Pakistan Hockey team coach Hanif Khan says the team is in rhythm and PakiDUBAI: Cindy Lacrosse from U.S. plays a ball on the 16th hole during the third round of Dubai Ladies Masters golf stan can easily defeat Holtournament on Friday. land.—Agencies

UoB clinch Inter-Varsity Hockey Championship title P ESHAWAR —University of Bahawalpur (UoB) clinched the trophy after defeating University of Central Punjab by 5-4 in the thrilling final of the HEC Inter-University Men Hockey Championship on Friday.

Professor Dr. Qibla Ayuz was the chief guest at the presentation ceremony.

Director Sports University of Peshawar Bahre Karam, former international hockey player Tanveer Ahmad, Muhammad Mobeen and Secretary Pakistan Sports Writers Federation Amjad Aziz Malik and large number of spectators were also present on this occasion. Before the start of the match the two teams were introduced to him.

The match was started on fast tempo and University of Bahawalpur took the lead through Sikander on the field attempt in the 12th minute.

It was fine move made by the right winger and after dodging three defenders in a row he sent in a beautiful cross to the center forward Sikander who slammed in the goal without any mistake.

After taking the lead, Bahawalpur put in more pressure with some fine combine moves were also witnessed.

University of Bahawalpur after taking the lead got three easy goal scoring chances but the University of Central Punjab goal-keeper Sajjad Khan thwarted all that attempts.

University of Bahawalpur

was leading by 1-0 at halftime. After the resumption of the second session University of Central Punjab forwards kept up pressure to level the tally and soon they were succeeded when fullback Monib sounded the board with a perfect forceful hit from the top of the circle, thus leveling the tally 1-1.

After 1-1 both the teams made some incisive rallies of attacks but they were failed to score any goal and thus the match was ended in a 1-1 draw.

To get result of the match both were awarded five each penalty stroke on which for University of Bahawalpur Usman Khan saved two attempts by piloting the team to victory.—APP

Rizwan Jr potential candidate for ‘Young Player of the Year’ award I S L A M A B A D — P a k i s t a n ’s Muhammad Rizwan Junior has made the cut to get his name included in the final list of International Hockey Federation (FIH) Young Player of the Year award.

The FIH will announce its men’s 2012 Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year on Saturday, at the Champions Trophy in Melbourne, Australia. After receiving input from the teams participating at the Champions Trophy and Champions Challenge in Argentina, the potential field of candidates has been trimmed down to five per category. Rizwan’s recent

performance has enabled him to get included in the list of Young Player of the Year.

A midfield player, Rizwan was born on November 25, 1994 and was part of Pakistan squad for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, UK. It was a packed international calendar for the top men’s teams with the Olympic preparation events, the London 2012 Games and naturally the Champions Trophy here in Melbourne.

For the first time, the Young Player of the Year is open to players under the age of 21, instead of the previous U23 cutoff. The women’s

Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year will be announced in early 2013. The Coach of the Year for both men and women will also be announced at that time. Following is the list of players: Player of the Year: Jamie Dwyer (Australia), Moritz F•rste (Germany), Tobias Hauke (Germany), Robert van der Horst (Netherlands), Sardar Singh (India).

Young Player of the Year: Florian Fuchs (Germany), Simon Gougnard (Belgium), Harry Martin (England), Gonzalo Peillat (Argentina), Muhammad Rizwan Junior (Pakistan).—APP

Viv Richards’ suggestion of recognising Kerry Packer matches not acceptable, say cricket statisticians BIPIN DANI OBSERVER CORRESPONDENT M UMBAI —The game’s statisticians don’t agree to Viv Richards’ suggestion of recognising players’ performance of the World Series Cricket (WSC).

Former Windies captain believes that the runs and wickets from the World Series Cricket era should be counted in players’ overall records. ‘’I’m a little bit pissed off with the people who organise the stats, because that was some of the hardest cricket ever played,’’ Richards said in Melbourne on Thursday. The ICC has not yet been convinced.

“I don’t think the authorities will ever legitimise matches which were not played under the aegis of the sport’s governing bodies. I am more perturbed by the exclusion of the England vs Rest of the World

matches which were arranged to fill the gap left by the cancellation of the South African tour following the D’Oliveira affair - at the time these were designated as Test matches but this was later rescinded”, the USbased cricket statistician, Dave Wilson has said.

“All those who have basic knowledge of compiling records will never take into consideration the figures of the W S C, firstly because it was not organised by the I C C. It was was organised by an private individual. All teams were a mixture of players from this or that country, and was not played among the individual contries”, India’s renowned statistician, Sudhir Vaidya believes.

“As governing body of the game, It’s ICC that decides about granting the official status to matches. We, the statisticians, have to follow ICC’s decisions even if we have the reasons to be-

lieve that they are totally illogical and defy ICC’s own guidelines at times”, India’s other statistician, Rajneesh Gupta said.

The 1970 England v ROW (Rest of the World) series matches were first given the official status and performances were included in the players’ career records. However, they were termed unofficial later and the reason given was that they were not the contests between nations. Similar logic was used for not granting official status to WSC games. However, in 2005 ICC gave official status to Australia v ICC World XI ‘Super Test’, even though it was also not a contest between nations.

“It will be better if Viv Richards direct his ire towards the ICC and not towards people who organise the stats. We are in no way responsible for this mess”, Gupta added.

Unused pills raise issue of disposal and risks

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RAND name drug makers and their generic counterparts rarely find themselves on the same side of an issue, but now they are making an exception. They have teamed up to fight a local law in California, the first in the nation, that makes them responsible for running — and paying for — a program that would allow consumers to turn in unused medicines for proper disposal.

United Pharmacy in Berkeley, Calif., already has a bin on site to dispose of expired drugs.

Such so-called drug take-back programs are gaining in popularity because of a growing realization that those leftover pills in your medicine cabinet are a potential threat to public health and the environment.

Small children might accidentally swallow them and teenagers will experiment with them, advocates of the laws say. Prescription drug abusers can, and are, breaking into homes in search of them. Unused pills are sometimes flushed down the toilet, so pharmaceuticals are now polluting waterways and even drinking water. One study found the antidepressant Prozac in the brains of fish.

Most such take-back programs are run by local or other government agencies. But increasingly there are calls to make the pharmaceutical industry pay.

“We feel the industry that profits from the sales of these products should have the

financial responsibility for proper management and disposal,” said Miriam Gordon, California director of Clean Water Action, an advocacy group.

In July, Alameda County, Calif., which includes Oakland and Berkeley, became the first locality to enact such a requirement. Drug companies have to submit plans for accomplishing it by July 1, 2013.

But the industry plans to file a lawsuit in United States District Court in Oakland on Friday, hoping to have the law struck down. The suit is being filed by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA, which represents brandname drug companies, the Generic Pharmaceutical Association and the Biotechnology Industry Organization.

James M. Spears, general counsel of PhRMA, said the Alameda ordinance violated the Constitution in that a local government was interfering with interstate commerce, a right reserved for Congress. “They are telling a company in New Jersey that you have to come in and design and implement and pay for a municipal service in California,” he said in an interview.

“This program is one where the cost is shifted to companies and individuals who are not located in Alameda County and who won’t be served by it.”

Mr. Spears, who is known as Mit, said that the program would cost millions of dollars a year to run and that pharmaceutical companies were “not in the waste disposal business.”

KARACHI: Vice Chancellor Ziauddin University Prof Dr. Pirzada Qasim inaugurating Art Exhibition of Aliya Faizi. Mirza Ishtiaq Baig, Aliya Faizi and others are also seen in the picture.—PO photo

Four killed in fresh city violence CITY REPORTER K ARACHI —At least four persons lost their lives in Karachi on Friday with three body bags found in Garden area and a man gunned down in Manghopir in fresh incident of killings.

According to police sources, the bodies were dumped on the back seat of a rickshaw that was parked in Garden area. The bodies were packed in gunny sacks and had fresh wounds, depicting that all three were murdered few hours ago. The bodies were transferred to the hospital for medico-legal formalities and to ascertain their identities, sources added.

A man was gunned down in New Mianwali neighborhood in Manghopir, police said. The deceased was iden-

tified as Sarmast, whose body was brought to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

Also, two people — Khalid and Zubair — were injured in a firing incident in Korangi-5. Meanwhile, the Rangers personnel conducted late night targeted operation in Khokharapar area of Malir and detained four suspects during search.

Police arrested two armed men after shootout in Quaidabad. The arrested men belong to a drug gang, police sources said. The men were wanted to police in theft, robbery, attempt to murder, drugs and other cases, sources said. The accused opened fire over the police party during the raid, policemen countered the attack and arrested two accused Shahzad and Wajid with three motorcycles and weapons.

Rangers arrest alleged criminals K ARACHI —Pakistan Rangers has taken into custody several suspects from the Khokhrapar area of Karachi, while local police also held two important criminals that belonged to a group of dacoits.

According to media reports, the arrested criminals are alleged to be involved in more than 100 cases of murder, extortion, robbery, and looting certain factories. It has been said that the arrested dacoits belong to a banned outfit and also indulged in gang-war.

Meanwhile, police raided Gulshan Bonair area of Quaidabad, and held two criminals, who have been identified as Shahzad, commonly known as Naanga, and Muhammad Wajid. The two were backed by some political parties, and used to supply arms for them. —Online KARACHI: Opposition Member Nusrat Sehr Abbasi protesting during the proceedings of Sindh Assembly session.

Farooq Sattar visits Int’l Book Fair KARACHI—Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistani’s Dr Farooq Sattar visited here the 8th Karachi International Book Fair at Karachi Expo Centre on Friday. Dr. Farooq, who is also the Deputy Convener of the Rabita Committee of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) went to the stall of the Literature Committee of the MQM, where books on the political struggle of MQM Chief Altaf Hussain and the party literature were displayed.

According to a statement issued by the MQM here, former MNA Tayyab Hussain was also accompanying Dr Sattar. Speaking on the occasion Dr Sattar commended the efforts of Pakistan Publishers and Book Sellers Association. He said that such positive steps would help in drawing the attention of young generation to bookreading.

The stall of the MQM Literature Committee of the MQM drew a large number of visitors who showed keen interest in the party literature.—APP

Baldia factory fire like incidents prevention

Action Plan to be launched soon: Sec STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—The Government of Sindh jointly with stakeholders has developed a consensus for action plan to prevent Baldia Factory Fire like incidents in future. Almost 300 representatives of employers, workers, government officials, international buyers, civil society, academia, and media deliberated in a day long consultation in Karachi and provided key recommendations for the Plan of Action on Safety and Health at Workplace. The workshop was organized by Sindh Labour Department, Employers Federation of Pakistan (EFP), and Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) and the ILO. A “Statement of Commitment” was also agreed and signed by Sindh Labour Department, EFP and PWF to jointly work and promote

Computer training course for KMC staff

Public diploma K —Senior Director In- tion Technology Department Technology of had been held in which Office course for formation Karachi Metropolitan Corpora- Automation, Web Designing, (KMC) Masood Alam has Advance Excel and Internet Shuhada wards tion said computer courses for em- Training included.

ARACHI

beneficial

During the two month

ous KMC departments improved. He said this while addressing a certificate distribution ceremony of 48th office automation course held in KMC computer training center, said a statement issued by the KMC on Thursday evening.

On this occasion the commencement of 49th computer training course for KMC employees was announced. Director Computer Training Fakhar-ud-din and other officers were also present in the ceremony.

Masood Alam said that letters to concerned departments for the employees who had appeared in computer training would be sent to know their current performance after the course. He said that computer training courses for employees under KMC Informa-

of employees were enhanced according to modern age.These courses under KMC were being arranged free of cost. KMC departments, administrations of 18 towns, Sindh Building Control Authority, Water and Sewerage Board and other departments participated in these courses.

Director Computer Training Fakhar-ud-din informed that 49th course was being started this month whereas more courses including Advance Excel, Web Designing, Graphics and Internet would be held soon. The purpose of these courses was to enhance the capabilities of employees according to modern needs.

Later, Director Information and Technology Masood Alam distributed certificates among participants. —APP

ployees

were

KARACHI—The Sindh police through which progress of vari- course the mental capabilities

would soon initiate various diploma courses on the basis of self-employment for the children of the Shaheed police personnel. A statement here on Friday said that these courses would be on the basis of selfemployment and would be in refrigeration,electrician and civil works etc.

It said that the IGP, Sindh, Fayyaz Ahmed leghari, chairing a meeting here has asked the AIG Welfare to prepare recommendations regarding allocation of seats for admission to the children of Shaheed police personnel, at the cadet colleges.

The IGP directed that special attention be paid towards the health and medical facilities to the heirs of the Shaheed police personnel.—APP

Pak scientist picked for ‘Star in Global Health’ AMANULLAH KHAN K A R A C H I —Toronto – Grand Challenges Canada has selected Pakistani scientist Mishal Khan for its Stars in Global Health Program. Funded by the Government of Canada, the program selects and supports the brightest scientists and innovators. For the first time close to $6 million has been awarded to 51 leading scientists

from 18 low and middle income countries.

Khan, who holds a doctorate from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a first class degree from the University of Cambridge, has been chosen from among 250 global applicants.

“This is the largest pipeline of bold ideas in global health from innovators in the developing world, and shows unequivocally that

poor countries can be rich in ideas about how to improve the health of their people,” says Dr. Peter A. Singer, CEO of Grand Challenges Canada.

“Grand Challenges Canada is proud to support these extraordinary innovators because they will make a difference to so many lives.”

Khan will work with the Pakistan National Forum on Women’s Health to evaluate an innovative safe birth

tool developed by Dr. Shershah Syed and his colleagues. The low cost tool, which assists mothers that have difficulty during childbirth, could prevent millions of maternal and newborn injuries and deaths.

“To make sustainable improvements in health and development it is essential to develop local solutions” said Dr Fahad Qazi from the Research Alliance for Advocacy and Development

which will be conducting independent monitoring and evaluation of the project.

Expressing her commitment to addressing inequalities in health Khan said “Women living in poor communities are more likely to require healthcare but less likely to get it. Therefore we must find solutions that can reach needy populations and prevent illnesses from occurring.”

health and safety at work.

Secretary Labour Arif Elahi announced that the Labour Department will launch the Action Plan by end of January 2013.

ILO Country Director Mr. Francesco d’Ovidio said that ILO will provide all technical facilities to the Sindh Labour Department for development and implementation of Plan of Action to promote safety and health at workplace. He said it was unfortunate that many workers lost their lives in single preventable accidents of factory fire. He passionately appealed to the stakeholders to come together and help prevent such accidents in future.

Ms. Ingrid Christensen, ILO’s technical expert on occupational safety and health said that factory fires are preventable if right systems, training and

response mechanisms are put in place. She made technical suggestions for the workshop participants to deliberate for the improvement of Labour inspection System, establishing an occupational safety and health at work place, and strengthening the work insurance schemes to help protect workers.

Brother Zahoor Awan General Secretary Pakistan Workers Federation, while appreciating the efforts of the Sindh Labour Department and ILO, demanded that workers must be registered and should not be considered as machines or tools. Zaki Ahmed, Acting President of Employers Federation of Pakistan also suggested that employers should be made aware of safety related legislations and implication of non-compliance.

Polio drive from Dec 17 KARACHI—Deputy Commissioner Karachi East Samiuddin Siddiqui has said on Friday that the polio eradication campaign will start from December 17. He said a function will be arranged on December 11, at 12 noon at Government Girls High School Sachal Goth, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Karachi East in which the schools children will be selected as “Polio Champions”.—APP

Severe morning sickness ‘may be marker of preterm births‘

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ORNING sickness might be an in dicator of more serious later-preg nancy complications, including preterm delivery, in some women, researchers say.In the study, women who reported nausea and vomiting in pregnancy that interfered with their ability to live normally were 23 percent more likely to deliver their baby before 34 weeks, and 31 percent more likely to have high blood pressure or preeclampsia, compared with women who said their morning sickness did not substantially affected their lives.

Women with life-affecting morning sickness were also about twice as likely to have low weight gain during pregnancy.

The findings underscore the importance of recognizing morning sickness and managing it, said study researcher Dr. Gary Stanziano, of Alere Health, a company that produces health care products and offers a program to treat morning sickness.“This should not be a condition that’s taken lightly,” Fox News quoted Stanziano as saying.

About 50 to 60 percent of pregnant women experience some type of morning sickness during pregnancy, Stanziano said. About 1 percent have a severe, persistent form known as hyperemesis gravidarum, which can lead to malnutrition.

While the immediate effects on

mothers are easy to observe, few studies have investigated the impact of nausea and vomiting on the later stages of pregnancy, and delivery.

Stanziano and colleagues analyzed information from 81,486 women enrolled in an Alere maternity education program who delivered between 2004 and 2011. After delivery, the women were asked whether they had experienced nausea and vomiting during their pregnancy that affected their ability to do their job or their daily activities.

About 5,200 women, or 6.4 percent of those surveyed, reported nausea and vomiting that affected their quality of life. About 1,800 women of these said they did not require any interventions, while about 3,300 required hydration or pharmacological treatments.

Of those who said the nausea and vomiting affected their quality of life, 23 percent had low weight gain for their pregnancy, compared with 13.7 percent of women who did not have such sickness.

In addition, about 10 percent of those who got sick had infants who were small for their gestational age when they were born, compared with 8.4 percent of those who didn“t have nausea and vomiting.

Researchers aren’t sure why women with severe morning sickness saw these effects but poor nutrition and too little weight gain in pregnancy may contribute to the risk, Stanziano said.

Railways Mazdoor Ittehad stages protest MUZAFFAR ALI LAHORE—Railways Mazdoor Ittehad on Friday staged a protest in favour of their demands and threatened the railways authorities of observe complete wheel jam strike across the country if their demands were not met within minimum time span.

Despite the assurance of the federal government, the railways authorities were not complying with the federal government’s orders of paying them in hard cash instead of cheques in wake of their salaries. They said it was also decided in principle that the railways workers’ scale would also be upgraded with another facilitation of providing them salaries during holidays.

The railways workers stopped the railway engines LAHORE: Activists of Railways Mazdoor Ittehad chanting slogans in favour of their demands during a protest at in engine shades, thus, caus- Local Engine Shed. ing undue delays in departure of railways trains from Lahore Railways Stations.

They were chanting slogans against the authorities and threatened to observe complete wheel jam strike if their demands were not met.

PML-N professional wing to be fully activated: Shahbaz

No nation can prosper sans strength of character: PU VC STAFF REPORTER L AHORE —Punjab Univer-

LAHORE: A delegation from PPP Minority Wing Punjab led by Yunus Bhatti, President Punjab called on Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan and President PPP Punjab Mian Manzoor Ahmad Watto.

LHC CJ for promoting tax culture STAFF REPORTER L AHORE —Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, Mr. Justice Umar Ata Bandial has said that taxes provide a boost to the national economy. Therefore, it was need of the hour to promote tax culture and Tax Bar should also shoulder its responsibility in collection of taxes meant for progress and prosperity in the country, he added.

Hon‘ble Chief Justice was speaking at a function arranged by the Lahore Tax Bar Association. He underlined the need for strengthening the tax collecting departments. A credible and viable Tax system can usher an era of development. It was responsibility of the state to facilitate the business community and promote confidence among them for enhancing the business activities.

Hon’ble Chief Justice called upon the elite of the

society to come forward in paying taxes and have a pride in getting National Tax Numbers. Black coats should set an example in this regard and become a role model for other segments of the society. He wished an atmosphere where taxpayers feel protected.

Chief Justice said that if the laws are not enforced evenly the society becomes uncivilized.

Referring to the National Judicial Policy Making Committee meeting, Hon’ble Chief Justice said that there were 60,000 old cases in the Punjab as compared to the 10,000 to 12,000 in other provinces and it was due to shortage of judges. Chief Justice said that we are filling this gap with more work in the courts. It was a pride that Judiciary in the Province has responded with immense conviction and devotion to duty and has tripled the conviction rate. We have not opted for number game

by enhancing disposal rate but delivering good and comprehensive judgments. Judiciary was not meant only to decide individual difference but leading to rule of law. In this regard Chief Justice also cited cases of Balochistan and Karachi by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Good governance was basic right of the people and the advocates community was playing their vital role, Chief Justice added.

On a demand of funds, Chief Justice informed that in last June, Lahore High Court saved money and equally distributed amongst tehsil and district bar associations throughout the Punjab for establishment of libraries and purchasing books. Lahore Tax Bar will also get its share in future.

Patron of Tax Bar Zia Haider Rizvi, President LTBA Zahid Attiq, Zulfiqar Khan President Pakistan Tax Bar and Mohammad Naeem also spoke on the occasion.

sity Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran has said that knowledge was power and no nation could be educated without strength of character.

He said that the Muslims were being facing all challenges due to avoid promotion of education.

He was expressing these views in a seminar on “Character Building of Youth for Future Leadership” in connection with the Anti-Corruption Week being observed from December 3 to 9, at Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) here on Friday.

While Special Assistant to Chief Minister Zaeem Qadri, Dean Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Director ISCS Prof Dr Zakria Zakir DIG Punjab Police Naveed Elahi, faculty members and a large number of students were also present on the occasion.

Dr Mujahid Kamran said that the Muslims had been divided on the definition of characteristics and they should think about their beliefs. He said the Muslims had not realized that the over 700 verses of Holy Quran, which is 1/8th of the Holy Book, stressed to focus on the mysteries of the universe.

He said that an Australian Jewish scientist Gideon Polya had written in his book “Body Count”, published in 2007, that there had been 1.3 billion avoidable deaths during the period 1950-2005 of which 600 million were Muslims and if we considered deaths during last ten years it would reach almost 700 million. He said that high aim with sincerity and continuous process was important to character building.

PTI finalizes party polls strategy LAHORE—Strategy for intra Nasrullah Moghal, Mansha to act upon the vision of party elections has been finalized while PTI Town Committees would be constituted to mobilize the workers at union council level.

This was decided in a a special meeting of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf presided by Central Leader Abdul Aleem Khan.

This meeting was attended by Hammad Azhar, Sardar Kamal Umer, Haamed Meraj, Jamshaid Cheema, Shoaib Siddiqui, Nosheen Hamed, Talat Naqvi,

Sindhu, Nazir Chohan, Ameen Zaki, Rana Zameer Dayal, Shaheena Asad and Mrs. Neelam Shah.

Addressing the meeting, Abdul Aleem Khan said that intra party elections of PTI has set new trend in the political and democratic history and other parties would have to follow it. He said that such steps would help to end the politics of kinship in the country. Youth and women alongwith every patriotic Pakistani would play their role

Imran, Abdul Aleem added.

Other speakers said that the Unity Convention of PTI has mobilized the party workers all over the Punjab and now they would participate with more zeal in the PTI elections.

They lauded the efforts of Abdul Aleem Khan to unite and mobilize Tehrik-eInsaaf and announced to fully support. In the meeting participants offered fateha for the father of Nasir Shahid Lodhi, a PTI leader.—Online

SALIM AHMED L A H O R E —Punjab

Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that more than half of our population consists of women who are playing their active role in education, health, engineering, banking and other sectors.

He said that empowering women could put country on the road to progress and prosperity. He said that Punjab government has taken concrete measures for the development of women.

He said that the professional wing of PML-N will be fully activated and professional men and women would be included in this wing.

He was presiding over a meeting with regard to professional wing of Pakistan Muslim League-N(PML-N) in Lahore. General Secretary PML-N Punjab Raja Ashfaq Sawar, Muslim League leader Kamal Ahmed and

PEF gives education vouchers to brick-kiln children STAFF REPORTER L AHORE—The Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) has extended its education voucher scheme (EVS) to the children of brick-kiln workers. This project is aimed to provide the facility of gratis education to maximum number of hapless children. 200 vouchers have already been distributed in Lahore’s Jallo Morr area in the first phase.

Chairman Punjab Education Foundation, Raja Anwar stated this during his meeting with a group of brick-kiln workers at Jallo Morr on Friday. PEF-Director (EVS) Ms. Maleeha Batool and other officers were also present on the occasion.

Raja Anwar congratulated the brick-kiln workers for sending their children to schools and said that it will help to save them from the cruelties of child labor. He said that PEF will provide monthly fee and text books, so they will not be burdened in any way. The beauty of EVS is the facility to choose a school of choice, he maintained. He said that EVS is also very helpful for girls by arranging their education in nearby schools as they couldn’t go to far off areas for education due to lack of resources.

On the occasion, brickkiln families thanked the PEF for arranging the facility of free education for their children and said it will help to root out illiteracy in their families. Earlier, PEF-Director EVS briefed the Chairman about various facets of the scheme.

professional women associated with various sectors attended the meeting.

Mehwish Malik and Saira Iftikhar gave briefing regarding professional wing.

Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz said that a prosperous and independent Pakistan is our aim and we will definitely achieve this goal under the leadership of Mian Nawaz Sharif. He said that PML-N has a visionary leadership which is fully capable of strengthening the country.

The Chief Minister said that PML-N has solid policies for the development and prosperity of the people and the party will execute these policies after getting success in coming elections.

He said that the targets of development cannot be achieved without promotion of education, health, agriculture, energy and information technology, that is why Punjab government has

made improvement of these sectors its top priority. He said that a comprehensive strategy has been evolved for the improvement of education, health, agriculture and other social sectors.

Shahbaz Sharif said that professional wing will be fully activated in the party and a committee comprising politicians would be constituted for this purpose, which will submit its proposals and recommendations.

Professional women who participated in the meeting while paying rich tributes to Shahbaz Sharif on the welfare steps taken by the Punjab government said that holding of youth festival and distribution of laptops on merit among the youth are important steps which will not only provide an opportunity to the youth for polishing their abilities but the spirit of competition will also be created among them.

Bid to smuggle 10kg heroin foiled STAFF REPORTER

L A H O R E —The

security forces at Allama Iqbal International Airport on Friday held two passengers with ten kilograms of heroin in their luggage.

According to Airport Security Force (ASF), ten kilograms of heroin was seized from two passengers at Lahore Airport.

One of the accused Mohammad Asghar, resident of Gujarat, was traveling to Doha via foreign airline and was detained with seven kilograms of heroine.

The other passenger Mohammad Muzammil Yousuf, who was traveling to Bahrain, was found with 2.25 Kg of heroin.

Both the passengers had hidden the drugs in their hand-carry.

The security forces seized the heroin and handed over the accused to ANF for investigation.