Ep10sept2015

Back to the basics?

Situationer M Ziauddin

O

N THE face of it, one would like to believe, it does not serve the strategic interests of Pakistan to heat up the Line of Control (LoC) and sustain it for months together while it is engaged internally in what is called an existential war of its own against terrorism with its focus entirely on the Western border lands.

But by the same token, one would also like to believe that it would hardly seem to serve the strategic interests of India to bring to boil what is called a nuclear flashpoint and invite international attention to an issue which New Delhi insists is its own internal matter or at best a bilateral problem between India and Pakistan.

So, if it does not serve the strategic interests of either Pakistan or India to provoke and sustain for almost 11 months the devastating skirmish across the LoC which has lately taken a toll of civilian lives on the working boundary, whose interests does it serve at all and why the two countries do not find it in their respective interests to diffuse the situation before it becomes strategically disastrous for both?

Could it be that it got started by an accident but the huge mistrust that exists between the two neighbours is making it impossible for the political leadership on either side to take the initiative by ordering silencing of guns on its side first and then seeking a dialogue with the other party to reach a peaceful resolution of the immediate causes of hostilities?

This mistrust that has existed between the two countries since independence is perhaps the single most reason why despite being physically so close India and Pakistan have re-

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Huge Russian military planes land in Syria WASHINGTON—At least three Russian military transport planes have landed in Syria in recent days, US officials said Tuesday, as Washington worries about the sort of assistance Moscow is providing to Damascus.

The aircraft have landed at the airport in Latakia on Syria’s Mediterranean coast over the past several days, US officials told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Two of the aircraft were giant Antonov-124 Condor planes and a third was a passenger flight, one of the officials said.

The Russians have installed modular housing units — enough for “hundreds” of people — at the airport, as

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Switching over from English to Urdu

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Traders must be filers ................................................

Germany opens its arms for refugees

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Pakistan to maintain full-spectrum deterrence capability LIAQAT TOOR I SLAMABAD —Pakistan is determined to maintain full-spectrum deterrence capability in line with the dictates of ‘credible minimum deterrence’ in order to dissuade all forms of aggression and adhere to a policy of avoiding an arms race.

This resolve was reiterated in a meeting of National Command Authority chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held at Joint Staff Headquarters in Chaklala.

The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Advisor to the PM on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Rashad Mahmood and three services chiefs.

The Prime Minister was given a comprehensive briefing by the Director General Strategic Plans Division Lt-Gen Mazhar Jamil, who said that a security force of 30,000 is protecting the nuclear arsenal.

Te Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that these weapons are ‘not against any one”.

The meeting was held to discuss matters pertaining to national security and defence.

He expressed satisfaction over the security and safety of nuclear weapons and observed that an efficient nuclear control and command

6 more pro-govt militia men bodies found STAFF REPORTER P ESHAWA R —The bulletriddled bodies of six antiTaliban militia fighters were discovered on Wednesday in Qamar Khel of Khyber district bordering Afghanistan, officials said, taking the number of tribesmen found executed by militants this week to 11.

Around 20 members of the pro-government Tauheedul Islam (TuI) militia were captured by the Taliban affiliated Lashkar-e-Islam group on Friday, who dumped five bodies in the Qamar Khel area of Khyber district on Monday. The bodies of six more militiamen were found in the same area on Wednesday.

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3 militants held near border STAFF REPORTER Q UETTA —Security forces foiled a major terror bid, seizing a huge cache of explosive material and weapons from the custody of suspected militants near the Pak-Afghan border on Wednesday.

Three suspected militants were arrested during the raid and 3,800 kilogrammes of explosive material, ten mortar shells and hundreds of submachine gun rounds were recovered, security sources said.

Security forces also seized two vehicles in the operation

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system is in place.

The NCA stated that Pakistan as a responsible nuclear state will remain actively engaged with the international community on nuclear stability and security issues, and expressed satisfaction on Pakistan’s enhanced outreach with the multilateral export control regimes.

Pakistan shares the goals of non-proliferation and is committed to play its due role as a mainstream partner in the global non-proliferation regimes, reiterated the NCA. The NCA meeting also renewed Pakistan’s interest in the membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group, as the country possesses the requisite credentials for full access to civil nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, particularly to meet its energy shortages.

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Major-Gen Asim Bajwa said that the sacrifices made during Operation Zarb-iAzb and the success of the operation were also acknowledged during the NCA meeting.

He said the NCA reiterated national resolve to maintain full-spectrum deterrence capability in line with the dictates of ‘credible minimum deterrence’ in order to dissuade all forms of aggression and adhere to a policy of avoiding an arms race.

He said Pakistan sought peace and strategic stability in South Asia as a cornerstone of its policy, and considered conflict resolution a means to achieve this goal.

Target killings in Karachi

TV reporter, 2 ASWJ activists shot dead IRFAN ALIGI KARACHI—Panic gripped the journalist fraternity here after terrorists killed TV reporter and two ASWJ activists.

TV reporter Aftab Alam was shot dead in Sector 11-C of North Karachi.

Pillion-rider terrorists waited for their target Alam and spotted him when he stepped out of his home to pick his children from school. Terrorists repeatedly fired shots on Alam, who was moving in his car. The bullet that hit his head proved fatal and he died on the spot.

Alam worked for various media houses but was jobless for past half and a year.

Sindh home minister Sohail Ahmed Siyal while tak-

ing the notice of the incident sought a report from Sindh Police Chief Ghulam Haider Jamali and directed him to arrest the killers at the earliest.

Just 24 hours before Alam was killed, terrorists had attacked a digital satellite news gathering - or DSNG - of a local news channel in which satellite engineer Arshad Ali Jaffri was shot dead and driver was wounded. The incident occurred on Tuesday night in Bahadurabad.

The Rangers have taken a serious notice of these killings and decided to make concerted efforts for the arrest of perpetrators of these heinous acts.

“Nexus between some groups trying to malign the operation

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Pak Rangers team in Delhi for talks with India’s BSF OBSERVER REPORT ISLAMABAD—A 16-member delegation of Pakistan Rangers, headed by Rangers (Punjab) Director General Maj Gen Umar Farooq Barki, arrived in New Delhi Wednesday for routine annual talks with Border Security Force officials.

The delegation comprises officials from Pakistan Rangers (Punjab and Sindh), Ministry of Interior, Survey of Pakistan and the Anti-Narcotics Force.

BSF Director-General

Devendra Kumar Pathak will represent India at the meeting, which will last for four days (Sept 9-12).

A Rangers spokesman told media that the Rangers-BSF talks are held alternatively in

Picture on Back Page India and Pakistan.

The spokesman said both border guarding forces will discuss professional matters in relation to border management.

In order to avoid losses of

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Probe into ‘army rights abuse’ in IHK sought SRINAGAR—Two human rights groups for 1,080 extrajudicial killings, 172 dis- prominent rights activist who took part in Indian-controlled Kashmir will ask New Delhi and the United Nations to investigate more than 1,000 alleged cases of abuse by the army after failing to secure justice in the courts, they said Wednesday.

Top military and police officials are among hundreds named as having committed crimes during the ongoing conflict, according to the report by the Parents of Disappeared Persons and the International People’s Tribunal for Indianadministered Kashmir.

Military personnel were responsible

appearances and numerous cases of torture and sexual assault in the disputed region, the report, titled “Structures of Violence: The Indian State in Jammu and Kashmir,” said.

Evidence by the rights groups gathered over four years includes hundreds of on-the-record testimonies from witnesses and victims, scrutiny of official records under right-to-information laws as well as lengthy litigation.

“This report will be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council as well as the government of India,” Khurram Pervez, a

in the investigation, said.

The NGOs say all remedies available within the Indian justice system have been exhausted, and named 972 alleged perpetrators it says have gone unpunished.

Kartik Murukutla, an author of the report and a lawyer who has sat on a UN tribunal for Rwanda, said government forces received “institutional impunity.”

An army spokesman said he had not seen the report and had no comment, while the local government had no im-

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The Syrian migrant and his child, who were carrying several bags, fell on the ground after Hungarian camerawoman Laszlo, working for N1TV, tripped them on the border between Hungary and Serbia.

Outrage over Hungarian camerawoman who kicked migrants

Countrywide strike against withholding tax STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Traders’ organizations observed B UDAPEST —Footage of a strike across the country against imposition of Hungarian camerawoman shown tripping and kicking migrants as they fled police near Hungary´s border has sparked global outrage.

A “Wall of Shame” page on Facebook featuring pictures, videos and commentaries linked to the incident involving journalist Petra Laszlo had gathered nearly 16,000 likes by Wednesday afternoon.

“You are a disgrace to your profession,” one user wrote.

Two small Hungarian opposition parties filed a criminal complaint against Laszlo shortly after the footage began circulating on social media late on Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear whether police would launch a probe.

The incident occurred as hundreds of migrants broke through a police line at a collection point close to the Serbian border where thousands have been crossing each day for the past month.

Laszlo was caught on film as she appeared to deliberately trip a man sprinting with a child in his arms, and kick another running child near the border town of Roszke.

It later emerged that the camerawoman, who was fired over the incident, had worked for N1TV, an Internet-based TV station close to Hungary´s far-right Jobbik party.

“These are shocking images. You´re part of a news agency. With your hand you´re shooting and with your leg you´re hurting someone else,” said Aniko Bakonyi of human rights group Hungarian Helsinki Committee.

The video showed Laszlo

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0.6 per cent withholding tax on banking transactions of over Rs.50,000 for non-filers of income tax returns on Wednesday.

The call for strike was given by All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajiran. All he All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajiran factions had announced to make the strike successful as markets in almost all major cities remained shut.

In Karachi, Jodiya Bazar, which is the main market of wholesalers, medicine market, old city area, Bolton Market, Regal, Jama Cloth, and other busy commercial areas remained closed on the call of All Karachi Tajir Ittehad. In Punjab, the markets in Lahore, Rawalpindi and other major cities remained closed.

In Peshawar, the traders remained divided over the closure as many traders’ bodies disowned the strike. Resultantly many commercial areas in the city remained open. However; Peshawar’s Sadar market was open.

The traders organizations have threatened to observe another strike on Oct 7, if their demand was not met. Their representatives also call for Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s

resignation.

The government had imposed a 0.6 per cent withholding tax on all kinds of transactions above Rs 50,000 however, after demonstrations against the act, tax was reduced to 0.3 per cent until September 30.

The tax will be increased to 0.6 per cent for those who do not comply with the new regulation. Traders are striking against the announcement in Karachi and other cities.

Almost all markets in Sukkur including Sarafa Bazaar, Shahi Bazaar, March Bazaar, Nishtar Road, Cloth market, Shikarpur Road, Racecourse Road, Dhak Road and others were closed down. On the other hand, traders in Dera Ismail Khan rejected union’s appeal to observe shutterdown strike as markets were open in different parts of the city.

The Federal Board of Revenue has summoned past two-month records of traders who made transactions above Rs 50,000. The record will be helpful in identifing tax filers and evaders.

The record will also identify culprits, if any, who resorted to money laundering or other crimes. Earlier, the union had written a letter to Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif to intervene the matter and bridge gap between the government and traders.

Justice Jamali takes oath as new CJP today Justice Jawwad S Khawaja retires ISLAMABAD—Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Jawwad S Khawaja retired from his post on Wednesday after attaining superannuation.

Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali will take oath as the new Chief Justice of Pakistan today.

President Mamnoon Hussain will administer the oath at a ceremony at Aiwane-Sadr.

A full court reference in

honor of the outgoing Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Jawwad S Khawaja was held at the Supreme Court in Islamabad.

The reference was attended by the judges of the apex court.

In his remarks on the occasion, the outgoing Chief Justice called for urgent steps to ensure speedy and inexpensive

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Sessions Judges appointment

LHC declines ECP request MUZAFFAR ALI LAHORE—The Election Commission of Pakistan requested the Lahore High Court, Lahore, to appoint District & Sessions Judges and Additional District & Sessions Judges as Election Tribunals for disposal of Election Petitions under the Punjab Local (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2013.

The request was examined and it was found that there was no provision in the relevant law Continued on Page 7

Sacrifices in Zarb-e-Azb will not go waste: Hamza

KP govt proactive to eradicate polio P ESHAWAR — Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information and Higher Education Mushtaq Ahmad Ghanni Wednesday said the provincial government is proactive in combating against the menace of polio and the “Sihat Ka Insaf” has been a right and timely response to the problem of polio. He said this in a seminar on Polio eradication during his visit to University of Malakand.

The Minister said that the provincial government pursues an aggressive anti-polio agenda and to make it more successive.

Mushtaq Ghani said the provincial government was fully committed to bring positive change in all sector.—APP

Saira meets US Security Advisor ISLAMABAD— Minister for State for National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, Saira Afzal Tarar on Wednesday held a meeting with US Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA) Avril Haines at the White House.

She was accompanied by Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States Jalil Abbas Jilani , says a press release received here to day from Washington DC. Both sides discussed Pak-US bilateral cooperation in the health sector and agreed on deepening and broadening the relationship in this important area. Saira Afzal Tarar apprised Deputy NSA Haines that health was being accorded high priority wand was on the main components of the peoplecentric polices of government of Pakistan.—APP

Implementation of Women Protection Act L AHORE— Ombudswoman Dr. Farkhanda Waseem Afzal has said that it is binding upon all government and semi-government departments of Punjab to implement the Women Protection Act 2010. She expressed these views while presiding over a meeting. She said that act 2010 is applicable to all government, semigovernment, government and private hospitals, collages, universities and factories. Narrating the details of the act, Farkhanda Waseem Afzal said that it is compulsory for all government and semi-government departments to constitute an inquiry committee in which there must be a woman member.—APP

STAFF REPORTER L AHORE : Central leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, MNA has said that the challenge of terrorism is being effectively dealt with and the sacrifices of Pak Army and other national institutions in operation Zarb-e-Azab will not go waste. He said that a new era is being ushered in the country and the government will be able to overcome load-shedding and other issues by the end of 2017.

He said that the project of economic corridor will bring about economic prosperity in Pakistan and other countries will desire its support. He said that Pakistan wants dialogue with India on equal level and without compromising on national dignity and honour. Hamza Shehbaz Sharif further said that those who were asking Pakistan to ‘do more’ are now standing shoulder to shoulder with the country, which is a great achievement of the present leadership. He said that increase in foreign investment espe-

cially support of China in important sectors augurs well.

Hamza Shehbaz was addressing inaugural ceremony of Self-Employment Scheme with the cooperation of Zakat and Ushr Department and TEVTA, here today. Provincial Ministers Malik Nadeem Kamran, Zakiya Shahnawaz and Ch. Muhammad Shafiq, Senator Saood Majeed, Dr. Amjad Saqib, Parliamentary Secretary Rana Muhammad Arshad, Secretaries concerned, students as well as people benefitting from Self-Employment Scheme were present on the occasion.

Hamza Shehbaz said that politicians should remember that people will hold them accountable in 2018 elections and the next mandate will be given only to those who can deliver.

He made an appeal to the young generation to study and work hard for taking up their future responsibilities.

Hamza Shehbaz said that extraordinary situation demands extraordinary measures and this is what is being done under the leadership of Prime Minis-

ter Muhammad Nawaz Sahrif.

He said that this fact has been openly acknowledged by Washington Post in its analysis. He said that PMLN leadership is not worried about elections but is striving for strengthening of Pakistan. Hamza Shehbaz further said that despite thorough investigation by NAB during Musharraf era, no corruption case came to fore against Sharif family.

Hamza Shehbaz described Self-Employment Scheme a revolutionary step of the government and also distributed cheques as well as congratulated the people benefiting from this programme.

He announced 25 to 33 percent increase in the salaries of contract employees of Zakat & Ushr Department. Provincial Minister for Zakat & Ushr Malik Nadeem Kamran while speaking on the occasion said that self-employment scheme is being launched with the distribution of 50 thousand rupees each to 205 persons in the first phase and this programme will be extended to nine districts of the province.

M. M Alam going on mission in 1965 War.

September 10, 1965

News Highlights

LAHORE: Central leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, MNA distributing cheques during inauguration ceremony of Self-Employment Scheme.

New net metering policy to bridge energy supply-demand gap K ARACHI —NEPRA has given its long awaited approval on net-metering regulations to encourage consumers to set up their own Photo-voltaic (PV) plants. Net metering is a prevalent phenomenon in the developed nations, as they make use of solar energy to power a substantial portion of their day-to-day domestic and industrial operations. Net-metering is advantageous for the country, as it shall help accelerate deployment of renewable energy infrastructure and ease the energy crisis.

Netmetering applies the concept of reverse metering that allows users to sell surplus energy to the grid at an agreed upon tariff rate; the consumer hence is billed for the net electricity used. The net metering mechanism is a brilliant concept to bring down carbon emissions and average cost of electricity. Pakistan is located in a region with ample sun and wind energy that makes it suitable to use renewable energy technologies.

“To evade the looming energy crisis, it is imperative that all alternate resources are

very well embedded in the energy plan. Netmetering is a wonderful idea that can help the government bridge its energy supplydemand gap and allow consumers to get uninterrupted electricity and gain energy credits. ” said Inam ur Rahman, CEO, Reon Energy Limited. Reon is the renewable energy division of Dawood Hercules Limited - the single largest energy provider in Pakistan’s private sector and envisions bringing energy to all in Pakistan. Reon Energy Limited is applying for 20 connections under the new net-metering policy.

Using the net metering concept, energy users typically reduce a portion of the conventional electricity they buy from the utility. Homeowners, businesses, schools and other public agencies can all partake in the net metering process. Net metering is the cornerstone policy for creating sustainable renewable energy markets, and has driven almost 100 percent of all rooftop solar deployment in the United States over the last three decades.—NNI

KP IGP suspends cops P ESHAWAR —The Inspector General of Police, Nasir Khan Durrani Wednesday suspended a DSP and an Inspector on charges of violating rules and procedures and receiving illegal gratification in an abduction case. Spokesman of KP police said that a complaint was preferred to the IGP alleging that the former SHO PS Sheikh Maltoon Inspector Bashir Dad now DSP Akora Khattak and Inspector Asif Sharif former SHO PS Badaber kept one Shakir in illegal custody and later on booked him in a minor case after receiving illegal gratification.

Taking cognizance of the application of the complainant, the IGP directed an inquiry into the matter. The inquiry officer found the two officials guilty of violating rules and charges of corruption.—APP

 Pakistan Army advances into India : Enemy pushed beyond borders: PAF holds sway: Pakistan army pushed the Indian troops beyond the international boundary on all the three fronts with a decisive blow at Wagah. It has tactical gains to its credit and the fighting now goes on in enemy’s territory. PAF maintained full control of the air and heavily bombed Indian air bases in Pathankot and Jodhpur , damaged the runways and other military installations. High-flying Indian bombers continued their savagery by raiding civilian areas in Sargodha , Peshawar and Karachi.

Enemy Losses: Pakistan forces have fully consolidated their positions and are  continually subjecting the retreating enemy troops, who have suffered heavy causalities and telling loss in arms and equipment, including 35 tanks.

Anti-Shastri rallies in East Punjab: The peace –loving people in over a half  dozen cities in East Punjab staged demonstrations against Prime Minister Shastri for creqating panic in the country by launching war against Pakistan.

All Pakistani visitors in India arrested: The Shastri government has ordered  arrest of all Pakistani nationals who are on a visit to India on valid documents.  Thant meets Ayub and Bhutto: United Nations Secretary General U Thant had talks with President Ayub Khan and Foreign Minister Z A Bhutto over the issue of immediate cease fire.

People resolve to crush enemy: Representatives of all sections of people in  the country continued to express grim resolve of the nation to wipe out the enemy and to render all –out sacrifices for the defence of their country under the leadership of President Ayub Khan.

Lahore people courageous: Oral impresses foreign newsmen: Foreign corre spondents visiting Lahore were taken aback to see that there was not the slightest feeling of unrest or commotion among the people in spite of repated air raid sirens and fierce fighting .  Friends pledge full support: Within three days of Indian aggression against Pakistan, he leaders of the four friendly nations – China, Turkey , Iran and Indonesia – have declared their support for this country in equivocal terms.

Indians shell area in Rangpur Dist. :The Indian Army fired on the Rangpur  Dist of East Pakistan intermittently for four hours.

Saudi Arabia warns India against aggression: Saudi Arabia has asked India  to ‘ willingly accept’ the principle of self-determination and allow this right to the people of Kashmir , if In-dians desire to maintain lasting friendship with the Arabs.  India outright aggressor- Chinese Premier: The Chinese Prime Minister , Mr. Chou En-lai condemned India as the ‘outright aggressor’ in the conflict with Pakistan , the New China News agency reported.

Peking warning to Delhi: Official circles in London alarmed: Peking’s stern warn ing to India that China can not but pays serious attention to India’s expansionist actions against its neighbors has set off an alarm bell in official and political circles in London.

India asked to withdraw : China denounces Delhi’s adventure: The Chinese  vice Premier and Foreign Minister Chen Yi denounced the adventure of the Indian leaders in attack-ing Pakistan . He said India should halt its attacks on Pakistan and withdraw its troops.  New emerging nations must help Pakistan- Subandrio: the first Deputy PM & Foreign Minister Dr. Subandrio of Indonesia said that nations belonging to ‘ new emerging forces’ should extend aid to Pakistan struggle to face the Indian aggression.

Pakistan a target of unjustified attack- Ismet Inonu: Mr Ismet Inonu , Turkey’s  leader of opposition said his party believes that Pakistan was the target of an unjustified aggression.

War not going well for India: UK press on Chavan’s lies: Correspondent of  daily ‘ Gaurdian ‘ said ‘ War is not going well for India and no bright communiqué about further ad-vances . Many politicians and a considerable sector of public opinion are disappointed by Chavan’s account of military operations which he gave to Parliament.’

Indian lies and Pakistani truth- ‘Guardian’: Pakistan is telling its people and  world truth about war operations , while India is relying on lies and false propaganda.

Nawaz cool neutralises Zardari’s threatening posture SALAHUDDIN HAIDER

I

N A latest and somewhat surprise development Rangers freed MQM leader Qamar Mansoor after 90 days detention but a subsequent decision to relieve him of party’s responsibilities was mind-boggling. Bad health apparently seems the reason, but if there is more than that in it, then the party owes an explanation to its followers.

Argument that this was done at Prime Minister’s behest looks illogical at the very face of it. Whether Nawaz had spoken to Genral Raheel Sharif about the deteriorating political situation in Sindh, is hard to believe. Even to say that he would argue MQM’s case with him, hardly holds ground.

It is true at the same time that the PML(N) leader may have appeared worried by the threatening posture of

PPP counterpart Asif Zardari who chose to strike the iron when it was really hot.

Resignations from parliament and the provincial assembly of the southern province gained new dimension after Zardari issued a statement from Dubai, launching a vituperative attack on the premier. He literally called him “coward’ for “escaping to Saudi Arabia at the dead of night” some 15 years ago.

That was hitting below the belt.

Political rivalries should not cross boundaries. The game needs to be played under set norms, and well defined rules of civility and humility.

That was conveniently ignored by the PPP co-chairperson when he crossed that limit, not just by renouncing the 8-year old treaty, called “charter of democracy”, but also accusing Nawaz of betraying him when the former needed sympathies of the latter, more than ever before.

A war of words had earlier followed between MQM supremo Altaf

Hussain and the PPP leader, sitting in London and Dubai, which some critics label as some kind of self-exile.

The premier, known for his calm and composed style of working, waited for almost three days, before expressing sorrow over utterances which he thought was totally unnecessary.

Just hours before his statement from Dubai, his son, Bilawal had set a policy guideline for the party, reversing her mother’s emphasis on “reconciliation” with an entirely new set of rules, called “confrontation and resistance”. But Bilawal is an inexperienced, still not very matured in politics, and often behaves as novice. Anything could be expected from him any time.

Insiders report that his hard hitting philosophy was instantly disapproved from Dubai by the father, and although after Rato Dero meeting of party workers in Sindh, he lodged himself in the Punjab, but has strangely kept quiet. Perhaps he has been asked to exercise restraint.

The strong worded attack on

Nawaz by Zardari, had fueled rumours, and even former interior minister, Rehman Malik, who is also a close aide to the PPP chief, spoke of resignations from the parliament. His remarks could never be dismissed lightly because of he being his master ’s voice. But such analyses never really could be taken seriously. Resignations would have meant dissolution of Sindh Assembly, and rendering PPP powerless, which is against its way of working.

Pundits, aware of Zardari psyche knew that that a person who has avoided being in the country after an uncalled for attack on the army, was a smart tactician, knew the art of politics, and would hate to take the war to extremes. Somewhere in the middle of the road he would compromise with the situation, which he did.

However, resignation feelers by Rehman Malik was a clever move, prompted obviously by Zardari, The motive was not difficult to understand.

The PPP leader may well be wanting

to know Nawaz Sharif’s reaction to a situation which had all the ingredients to turn explosive on slightest pretext.

Sindh is a sensitive province. It is the economic capital of the country.

Karachi alone feeds the centre of 67 percent of revenue to a cash-strapped economy. MQM resignations has already posed a difficult situation for the party in power. If PPP too resorts to a similar action, and if that prompts a similar response from Tehrik-iInsaaf of Imran Khan, it would mean a snap elections, which Nawaz or his party would never like to face.

However, Raheel Sharif made himself abundantly clear when he re-asserted his oft-repeated stance that not only terrorists, but their financers and sympathizers too were clearly on his hit list. Within less than 24 hours of that policy statement, came the announcement that federal government will now go for audit of seminaries’ funds, and that all financial transactions to these religious schools, will

now be routed via banks.

This was a clear message from the army, whose chief Raheel,and Director General ISI, Lt-General Rizwan Akhtar were present at the meeting convened by the premier in Islamabad. Neither of the two would allow any leniency in their strategy to clean the mess created by terrorists, and criminals.

The arrest of Zardari right hand, and former petroleum minister Dr Asim, his grilling by the Rangers during remand, taken from anti-terrorist court, was a clear indication of army’ dedication to deal sternly with all those involved in abetting or aiding terrorist, criminals, and corrupt elements.

Anti- corruption campaign is part of the National Action Plan. A list is also appears ready for action against those involved in minting money through illegal means. A couple of people have fled the country. Will the authorities be able to bring them back, is the main question now.

Tributes paid to martyrs of Army Public School HYDERABAD —In continua-

QUETTA: A view of closed market during shutter down strike against the imposition of withholding tax on all types of banking transactions.

Modi govt promoting terrorism in Balochistan H YDERABAD —A 2-day international conference on “Pak-China strategic partnership and its regional implications” concluded on Tuesday with consensus that India was an immense threat to regional peace and the Modi government was encouraging terrorism in the Balochistan.

The conference was organized by Area Study Centre University of Sindh.

Prominent scholar Dr. Rasool Bux Raees said that Indian prime minister Narendra Modi was involved in burning and killing thousands of people in Indian Gujrat that led to refusal of visa to him once by the United States of America.

About Pak-China relations, the speakers of the conference said that integrating with the expanding global economy China would spur economic growth in Pakistan. The government has handed over the operations of Gwadar Port to China for more investment into its infrastructural developments to realize the objectives of Pakistan-China Economic Corridor, a historic development that would change the trade, market and communication structure of the region, they added.

Pak-South African agri ties strengthened

Dr Rasool Bux Raees emphasized upon the Pakistani youth to learn Chinese language in a bid to get job opportunities in the international job market across world as Chinese had a big investment in various countries.

“Only those can get jobs in China and in multi-national companies working under Chinese in other countries, who are cognizant with English and Chinese languages,” he added.

“In today’s world one must understand partnerships with reference to trade, energy corridors, future growth prospects and economics integration patterns of the larger central and south

Asian regions,” he added. Scholar Dr. Sarfraz Khan said Sino-Pakistan relations stood out as one of the few enduring friendships that had withstood with test of time and shifting geo-strategic conditions.

“Their strong convergence in security interests has led to a multi-faceted strategic relationship which is reflected in a strong show of support for each other ’s positions across a wide spectrum of bilateral, regional and international issues,” he maintained. He highlighted the regional dimensions, in particular the relevance of India to Sino-Pak relations and

peace building and rehabilitation process of Afghanistan by realizing the fact that peace and development in the region were mostly connected with the stability and peace in Afghanistan.

Scholar Dr. Nazir Hussain said there were challenges for the completion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), including terrorism. Moreover, India’s unease and covert actions to sabotage the project added further challenges to the project. However, with the political resolve by both Sino-Pak and guarantees by Pakistani Army to safeguard the Chinese workers working on various projects under CPEC.—APP

Women to be facilitated in PK-93 polls STAFF REPORTER PESHAWAR—The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister, Muzzafar Said Advocate said that an opportunity as well as facilities would be provided to women voters for casting their constitutional right to vote in the PK-93, Wari, Upper Dir-III, by-election. He was addressing to a public gathering in Wari, in Upper Dir, organized in connection with Jamaate-Islami (JI)’s election campaign in the PK-93 by-election. He said that the tri-

patriot alliance of JI, PTI and QWP will win the by-election on Sept 15 easily.

District Nazim of Upper Dir, Sahibzada Fasih Ullah, MPA, Muhammad Ali Kohistani, FormerMPA, Malak Behram Khan, PTI’s Sajjad Fayyaz and others were also present at the occasion. The finance minister said that the Chief Minister (CM)Parvez Khattak and Amir-eJamaat-e-Islami, Siraj Ul Haq, was coming to Wari and will address to a big gathering in Wari. The minister said

that the alliance of the PTI and JI was on bases of principles. And the decision of an alliance in PK-93’s by-election was done after consultation of the PTI’s provincial leadership with Imran Khan. Mr Muzzafar said that the PTI and JI were the riders of the same boat.

He said that their alliance would be remained forever. He said the JI was taking part in the election on bases of its performance, adding that the former MPA, Malak Behram Khan had done lots of developmental work in PK-93.

tion of Defense Day of Pakistan celebrations, the Institute of Biomedical Technology LUMHS Jamshoro arranged a programme to pay tributes to the martyrs of Army Public School Peshawar. Addressing the event here on Wednesday, the Vice Chancellor LUMHS Prof.

Noshad A. Shaikh praised the security forces for doing a wonderful job against terrorism and corruption.

The funds generated by this programme will be used to build a school in the memory of the children of Army Public School incident.

Prof. Noshad A. Shaikh said the nations turn such tragedies into their strength and go on fighting with greater zeal and more courageous determination. “Today we stand committed to root out this menace of terrorism from our land once for all.—APP

Gas filling shops threat to residents SHAFFAAT MALIK

Dera Bugti DC awarded 3-year rigorous imprisonment Q U E T TA —Accountability Court Quetta has awarded three years rigorous imprisonment to Deputy Commissioner Dera Bugti, Asadullah Kakar while Food Grain Supervisor, PRC, Quetta Ghulam Sarwar was convicted to five years and imposed Rs 8,79,38,000 fine.

Accused had caused huge loss to the national exchequer by misappropriating as many as 51,293 bags of wheat from the PRC Center Sariab Quetta.

Upon complaints, NAB Balochistan raided at PRC Center, Quetta and found that over 51,000 bags of wheat were missing. Subsequently, inquiry was conducted and in later stage it was converted into investigation. During the investigation, thousands of wheat bags were found missing.

With subsequent evidence, NAB filed reference with the Accountability Court.

The accused Assadullah Kakar initially deliberately withheld record and provided a forged document with intent to conceal misappropriation of thousands of bags of the government wheat by Ghulam Sarwar and Taj Mohammad Sarpara.

Accountability Court Judge Quetta, Abdul Majeed Nasar while announcing the verdict, awarded three years rigorous imprisonment to DC Dera Bugti for offence of fabricating false evidence.

The other accused, Ghalam Sarwar, Food Grain Supervisor at the PRC Center Sariab Godown Quetta was sentenced five year rigorous imprisonment and fined 8,79,38000. Search was being conducted for the arrest of Proclaimed offenders namely Taj Mohammad Sarpara, Ex-Incharge PRC Center Quetta, Asghar Ali, Assistant Director PRC Center Turbat.—APP

Hot, humid weather to continue

TALAGANG—Dozens of ille- I SLAMABAD —Mainly hot Sarghodha, Faisalabad divigal gas filling shops, operating in the area, are a constant threat to the properties and lives of the residents. Locals have expressed concern over rising business of illegal filling and storage of gas cylinders in residential areas in Talagang. A few months earlier, an announcement was made to launch operation against them but no practical measures have been initiated to curb this business.

and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country during next 24 hours. Met office said weak seasonal low lies over North Baluchistan and its adjoining areas continental air will prevail over most parts of the country.

Weather remained hot and dry in most parts during last 24 hours however rain-thunderstorm occurred at isolated places of

sions, upper FATA and Kashmir. Rainfall recorded during last 24 hours was

Parachinar 30 mm, Sarghodha 24 mm, Rawalakot 06 mm and Joharabad 01 mm.—APP

Seminar on Modern trends in commercial explosives concludes

Great nations fight against attackers with full strength SHER GONDAL MANDI BAHAUDDIN—A graceful ceremony marking the 50 years of Defense Day was held here at Major Qaiser Mahmood Shaheed Higher Secondary School Dhoke Kasib, a suburban village of Mandi Bahauddin in the honor of Shuhada of armed forces. The ceremony was attended by relatives of martyrs from the area, students and teaching staff. Major (R) Sher Gondal was the chief guest. Veterans of September 1965 and 71 Wars Capt Lal Khan, Subedar Gulam Ali Dhoter and Nk Mukhtar Virk were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Sher Gondal paid homage to martyrs and Ghazis who fought and sacrificed thier lives for defence of the country. He praised the whole nation for demonstrating complete unity and backing armed forces during wars. He said 6 September refreshes our memories of exemplary national spirit and enthusiasm which raised morale of officers

and jawans to fight enemy with velour and unprecedented courage to foil nefarious designs of the enemy for conquering our land.

Capt Lal Khan in his speech gave eye witness account of events of his unit in 1965 and 1971 wars and thrilled the students who raised slogans of Allah o Akbar, Pakistan Zindabad and Armed forces Zindabad. Sub Ghulam Ali, who was with infantry unit during 1971 War in the then East Pakistan narrating war events, said led fighting patrols in enemy area and with the grace of Allah always returned to unit with success.

Meanwhile, the students delivered speeches on 1965 war and paid tributes to M M Alam, Aziz Bhutti and others. They said M M Alam and Aziz Bbutti were national heroes and the nation would always feel proud of their bravery and soldierly performance.

Earlier Principal Ch Abdul Aziz Gujar in his introductory speech said wars are stories of bravery and valour

of soldiers mixed with miseries as well.

However, he said when existence of a nation is threatened great nations fought against the attacker and aggressors with full strength to defeat his attempt. He said in September War the enemy violated our borders and entered stealthily to occupy Lahore and Sialkot. Our officers and jawans rose to the occasion and fought them back with exemplary courage using tactics and weapons with skills. He said four sons of Dhoke Kasib Major Qaiser Mahmood Sahi, Capt Abdul Qadeer Warraich, Subedar Muhammad Inayat and Sep Imran Naseer laid down their lives in fighting against terrorism.

He said he could proudly say that he was serving in village of Shaheeds and institution that carries name of Maj Qaiser Shaheed. He urged the students to work hard and follow steps of Shaheeds who sacrificed their lives for the sake of integrity and prosperity of the country.

F A I S A L A B A D —South Africa High Commissioner to Pakistan Mpendulo Jele on Tuesday said that Pakistan and South African ties have been strengthened especially in the field of education and agriculture which would help to learn from each other ’s experiences.

He was talking to University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan while Deputy High Commissioner Mike Bassan was also present in the meeting. High Commissioner Mpendulo Jele also discussed the avenue of kicking off student exchanges programme between UAF and the universities of his country that will further strengthen the mutual ties.

He said that his counISLAMABAD—Pakistan Amtry was the major exporter bassador to Turkey Sohail of mango, adding the colMahmood underlined the laboration with Pakistan in role of municipalities in efmangoes would help Pakifective delivery of basic serstan to increase the provices to the people as part ductivity. UAF Vice Chanof the development process. cellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad He was talking to Mayor of Khan said that UAF was Ke’ren Municipality of Anrunning many research and kara, Mustafa Ak who visacademic exchange ited the Embassy of Pakiprogramme with different stan, said a message reinstitutes across the globe. ceived here from Ankara on He said that the stuWednesday. dents exchange programe Ambassador Mahmood with South Africa would appreciated the pro-active help strengthen the ties. He role of Mayor Ak and consaid that agriculture is the gratulated him on the sucbackbone of our country cessful organization of Interand the UAF was taking all national Ramazan festival in tangible steps to ensure PESHAWAR: A man analysing the age of sacrificial animal for Eid-ul-Azha at Kala which the Embassy of Pakifood security.—APP stan had setup.—APP Mandi on Wednesday.

Effective role of municipalities highlighted

WAH CANTT: Participants of 2-day seminar with Chief Executive WNG. Brig Shiraz Ullah organized by Wah Nobel Group of Companies.

WAH CANTT—A 2-day seminar on “Mod- Executive Wah Nobel, Brig (R) Shiraz Ullah ern Trends in Commercial Explosives” organized by Wah Nobel Group of Companies at Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) Wah Cantt concluded here Wednesday.

The seminar was arranged for the officials of Frontier Works Organization (FWO) to impart them knowledge about modern techniques in the use of commercial explosives & accessories.

Speaking on the occasion the Chief

remarked it was imperative to adopt new technologies and to learn and implement modern techniques regarding use of commercial explosive.

He added that this seminar would be useful for the officials of FWO as they are engaged in mega projects in the country.

He distributed certificates among the participants of seminar in the concluding ceremony of seminar.—APP

64,000 kids to be given anti-polio drops RAFIULLAH MANDOKHAIL Z HOB —Deputy Commissioner Nazar Muhammad Khetran chaired District Polio Eradication Committee (DPEC) meeting ahead of National Immunization Days (NIDs) at circuit house here on Wednesday.

District Health Officer Dr. Muzafar Shah, Assistant Commissioner Ali Ejaz, Assistant Commissioner Sheikh Asmatullah Mandokhail, DSP Hidayat Marri, Nonstop Officer Dr. Ameen, EPI Coordinator Dr. Zain-ud-Din, Communication Officer UNICEF Abdul Samad Hariphal, representatives of PPHI , Education department, Social Welfare, Food department, Irrigation, B&R, Forest, Local Government,

Population and Environment department attended the meeting. NIDs will be commenced from Sep 14th which would be continued till Sep 16th, 2015 to ensure that each and every child below five years of age is vaccinated against polio disease.

Dr. Zain-ud-Din and Dr. Ameen while briefing on outline plan of polio campaign, said that the Health department has a target of 64000 children for administering anti-polio drops besides vitamin-A in 21 Union councils of the district. Total 138 mobile teams have been constituted, 41 special centers, 3 transit and one border points have been established in the district to administer polio drops to children in every nook and corner of the dis-

trict. Health official said.

Addressing on the occasion DC Khetran said that “Under an effective security plan Levies personnel would be deployed at sensitive transit points and would escort polio teams in sensitive areas including Murgha Kibzai.” He said. DC also urged UC Monitoring Officers in particular while officials of the line departments in general to make all out efforts for eradication of polio from the district.

“The educated segments of the society should play their role and should coordinate with the mobile teams to vaccinate children, adding that notables, media persons and religious scholars should sensitize the parents about the crippling nature of the disease.

Switching over from English to Urdu

MEDIA WATCH

China’s voice in the global opera

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HE Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday again ordered the con cerned authorities to immediately enforce Urdu as official language at the government offices. Announcing the reserved judgement in the case regarding enforcement of Urdu as official language, the Chief Justice directed the authorities to do so at earliest. He also ordered that there should be no delay in implementation of Article 251 of the Constitution.

Urdu remained neglected since 1947 but it was particularly so after promulgation of 1973 Constitution, which envisaged steps for use of Urdu as official language within 15 years of enforcement of the Constitution, which effectively meant that it should have been done by 1988. All governments since 1973 were in violation of the Constitution in this regard and this is reflective of the unfortunate tendency of implementing the Constitution selectively and as per wishes of the rulers. The credit, therefore, goes to the Supreme Court for making the Government realize its Constitutional obligation and delivering a clear cut verdict in this regard. It is hoped that the incumbent as well as coming governments would carry out directions of the apex court in letter and spirit and move towards effective enforcement of Urdu as official language. To begin with, we would recommend that the business of the public dealing departments and agencies should be exclusively in Urdu and there should be no exception in this regard. This is because transaction of official business in Urdu would bring transparency in governance as actions of the authorities concerned would be fully understood and watched by the people. Similarly, people too will have a sense of participation in governance. We also expect that our President and the Prime Minister, like leaders of other proud nations, would use Urdu during their interactions with foreign heads of the state and governments, and in their speeches on foreign lands. There can also be no two opinions that English has become a global language of communication and also the language of science and technology, therefore, it should also continue to receive due attention so that our coming generations do not lag behind others.

Traders must be filers D

ESPITE numerous meetings between leaders of the trading commu nity and the government officials and assurances by the Government side, businessmen are apparently not satisfied over the issue of withholding tax on bank transactions above fifty thousand rupees and are continuing with their strategy of observing strikes and protests to pressurize the authorities concerned to withdraw the decision. Some leaders of traders also threatened that they would hold no more talks with the Government and instead go for shutter downs.

The withholding tax on each and every banking transaction would have been ‘cruel’, as believed by some sections of the business community, if it was imposed across the board, as in that case it would have amounted to discourage people to use formal banking channels for their business transactions. However, the Government showed flexibility and made it repeatedly clear that it would be imposed only on those who have no national tax number i.e. non-filers. This being so one cannot understand as to why the businessmen, majority of whom are earning millions in a month, are reluctant to file tax returns. Nowhere in the world such huge incomes go untaxed but here most of the members of the business community are not willing to contribute to the national kitty despite availing all benefits and facilities offered by the Government. If a junior level government official files income tax return and pays income tax then why not those who earn thousands in a day? Everyone should understand that a new Pakistan is in making where there is no room or tolerance for corruption and tax evaders. How the government can run its business and execute mega projects if those having capacity to pay are not willing to contribute their share?

The country cannot be run solely on borrowed money and now lenders too are asking questions as to why we are not making our own wealthy class to pay. We hope that our politicians would also go by the national economic interests and try to make all well to do people to pay their share in development rather than supporting the tax-evaders.

Germany opens its arms for refugees W

HILE the UN refugee agency, UNHCR has estimated that 850,000 people are expected to cross the Mediterranean seeking refuge in Europe this year and next, a very encouraging statement has come out from Germany that it would be able to take about half a million refugees a year for the coming few years. Amid an unprecedented influx of refugees from the Middle East and Africa, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Deputy Sigmar Gabriel told German Public television that his country could surely deal with something like 500,000 refugees a year.

It is a fact that Germany has opened its arms for the refugees and earned respect for service to humanity as people in distress headed for Europe to escape civil wars and poverty in their countries. At a time when no country in Europe was ready to allow them on their soil and a vast majority travelling in over crowded boats were stuck up in Greece, Italy and Hungary, it was German Chancellor Angela Merkel who stood up to support the desperate refugees. Her humane stance on immigration should be a lesson for other European countries who are not ready to take a small share of the exhausted and hungry displaced people. Merkel wants to keep Germany and Europe open, to welcome legitimate asylum seekers in common humanity, while doing her very best to stop abuse and keep the movement to manageable proportions. Thus Germany, which is no doubt an economic power, has given an example to Europe and some Muslim countries that are reluctant to assist or provide temporary shelter to the hapless. As the most powerful leader, Mrs Merkel’s approach to Europe’s migrant crisis is remarkably realistic and humanitarian. As throngs of Africans and Arabs turn Italian and Greek islands, and eastern European railway stations, into refugee camps, and are found dead in Austrian lorries, and on shores, the Chancellor has taken a brave stand and is receiving appreciation from people across the world. She has denounced xenophobes, signalled Germany’s readiness to take more Syrian refugees and set out a European solution to a politically explosive problem. We believe that in this era, the world needs shining and courageous leaders like Angela Merkel, who cares for the suffering humanity.

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The spirit of 1965 great élan and spirit forced the Indians to retreat in a number of places. Sept 6 changed the Ikram Sehgal many dynamics of the war, units and Email:ikram.sehgal@smswppl.com formations were re-located haphazardly by GHQ to meet the developing threat.

Sialkot witnessed the largest tank AUNCHING the unmitigated disaster that was “Operation battle since World War 2. An Indian Gibraltar” in 1965 it was crimi- Armoured Division, reinforced with nal negligence not to anticipate a far an additional armoured brigade, failed wider Indian response than the con- to break through our thinly defended flict only being restricted to Kashmir. lines astride Chawinda. Our 1 Even though after Rann of Kutch in Armoured Division’s thrust across the May, formations like 7 Div, etc had BRB in the Khem Karan sector at moved out of their peacetime loca- Nathuwala siphon near Kasur came to tions, our military hierarchy were grief when one of the tanks slipped lulled into believing that only a “lim- and the bridge built by our combat ited” war across the Ceasefire Line engineers was damaged. With our (CFL) would take place, they failed armour outrunning our logistics, bereft of ammunition, fuel and reinto prepare for an all-out war.

Once “Operation Grand Slam” forcements they could not maintain was set in motion to relieve Indian the momentum. We were successful reaction in strength in Kashmir, full capturing large swaths of territory in scale retaliation across the interna- the Chor desert, this mostly due to tional border should have been a fore- the aggressive initiative of some galgone conclusion. Under command of lant infantry units.

The ferocity and professionalism GOC 12 Div, units of 7 Div crossed the River Tawi and captured Chamb with which a vastly outnumbered PAF and Jaurian before 5 Sep. The planned pressed home their attacks on Indian change of command from 12 Div to airfields with great effectiveness was GOC 7 Div once across the Tawi had truly amazing, individual bravery seen been decided earlier, unfortunately an at its best. Within 48 hours the PAF was inexplicable delay allowed the Indi- dominating the skies. The small Pakians time to reinforce their positions stan Navy also went into the offensive, defending the vital bridge at Akhnoor. striking at Dwarka in a bold and brilFifty years on it still is a surprise liant raid, over the 17 days they sank a how on Sep 6, 1965 the Indians al- number of Indian naval vessels.

Why the Indians did not opt to inmost managed total surprise in their all-out ground offensive aimed at cap- vade our eastern wing in strength in turing Lahore and by-passing Sialkot 1965 defies belief. Comprising only cutting the GT Road astride four infantry brigades in East Pakistan, Gujranwala. The planning was bril- some moron had thought up “the deliant, however the Indians under-es- fence of the east lies in the west”, 14 timated the fierce resistance by the Division was left isolated to fend for rank and file of the Pakistan Army. itself. Indian air attacks ceased after On the contrary despite facing over- our lone but gallant Airforce squadwhelming numbers, within days lo- ron based at Dacca went into action. cal counter-attacks delivered with Perfunctory artillery exchanges and

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small patrol actions continued till well after the Ceasefire till the Tashkent Declaration in early Jan 1966.

It is said that “Allah” and the three A’s, “Airforce, Artillery and Armour”, saved Pakistan in 1965. It was also the tenacity and courage of young officers (YOs) and other ranks in infantry that held off concerted Indian attacks along the line. Had it not been for poor bloody infantryman (PBI) the Indians would have broken through in many places. Not having geographical depth, a breakthrough at only one place would have meant a real setback for Pakistan. 50 years later we have the tactical nuclear weapons to offset the overwhelming numerical and material superiorly of the Indian Armed Forces.

Our poor generalship was offset by the failure of Indian YOs and other ranks to implement a good plan. As the war went on the Indian generals panicked despite our indulging in adhoc arrangements, which unfortunately still persists today, resulting in organised confusion. To cope with crisis in the Lahore and Sialkot sectors units were rushed up and down the GT Road. Circumstances kept many of these “GT Road warriors” from taking actual part in battle for no fault of theirs. Unfortunately those who have never seen combat sometimes develop a complex and tend to regale the ladies with their “wartime exploits”.

One cannot claim being a direct witness to 1965, I spent the 17 days of the 1965 in the confines of the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA).

While 32nd and 33rd PMA Long Courses graduated with a full ceremonial PMA parade at Kakul with PAF air cover on Sept 11. Trucked out immediately to join their units fighting in the field, cadets of 34th, 35th and 36th PMA stood by the roadside cheering the YOs going into battle, weeping at the same

time for being kept from joining them. Among those who graduated, dozens embraced “Shahadat” in the 12 days leading to the Ceasefire on Sep 23.

Narandra Modi has played an exemplary role unifying Pakistan.

Hellbent on adventurism the Indians seem to be conditioning their public to a possible war. Given their proliferating domestic problems, this may come sooner than later. One cannot forget PM Shastri in mid-August 1965 had openly threatened us with a war “at a time and place of their choosing,” we failed to read his intentions. Indian COAS Gen Dalbir Singh has promised Pakistan a “short, limited” war. Unlike in 1965 we must take the Indians seriously and be prepared this time. Nobody wants war but if a madman is determined to inflict it on us then they must understand the ultimate sacrifice we are willing to pay but the level of pain we will inflict with both conventional and non-conventional means. Are the Indians prepared to lose the economic gains they have made to satisfy the ego and basic prejudices of a religiously-inspired political bigot?

Public response can be orchestrated but for emotional highs there has to be substance and spontaneity.

With our Armed Forces successfully fighting the religious and political militants, and now turning to accountability across the board, the spirit of 1965 has been invoked in our masses not seen for five decades. Independence Day on Aug 14, 2015 was exhilarating for the soul. By consistent sacrifice over the past few years and by letting their guns do the talking for them, the khakis have revived the spirit of 1965 of 50 years ago.

— The writer, retired army officer, is a leading defence and security analyst.

Humanity marching under razor wires Dr Mahboob A Khwaja Email:kmaboob@yahoo.com

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NTERNATIONAL institutions of peace and security are fraught with indifference and incapacity to deal with the emerging humanitarian crises. What led to the making of Two World Wars is happening again to repeat the history. Humanity is victimized and its freedom is barbed wired to seek help. With marked difference, refugees are often identified as “economic migrant” as if Europeans were glittering gold mines of the 21st century economic prosperity. The EU has policies and practices but not for the Arab-Muslim refugees to come to Europe. Nobody dares to face pertinent reality ahead of the global political changes.

Mostly Muslims and highly cultured and civilised people dragged at gunpoint out of their ancestral homes into the nowhere.

The world political governance is systematic and conducive if there were not Muslims or Arabs refugees.

Hungarian leadership made it known “they don’t want Muslim refugees” to crossover its borders onward to the EU countries. French spokesman described the Hungarian border razor wires “not even suitable for animals.”

Hungarian leaders blame Germany for enticing the Arab refugees to march through the barbed wires.

Conscientious of the humanitarian saga, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is the only leader to envisage a peaceful place for the war torn refugees from the Middle East.

Out of the coaxed stubborn and boxed global politics, Angela Merkel certainly made Germany look abroad and remarkably above the European pride and prejudices towards Islam and Muslims. There

are numbers and people in search of compassionate mankind. Do the States and leaders have human conscience? Or is it an abstract entity of the philosophical paper-based dry ink substance?

West Europeans lack unity and vision to deal with such large unwanted and colored humanity wanting to live amongst them as if they were the role model for the rest of peaceful mankind. The EU members are one with diversity of nationalism, cultures and varied civilizations. West Europeans do have unity of the minds but it is focused on competitive security, militarization and animosity factors if some would challenge the EU security and cultural homogeneity in a fast changing global theatre.

Ostensibly, some EU leaders are taking the back seat on the current crisis of unthinkable humanitarian proportion and not necessarily within their perceptions and means to tackle.

They don’t have to and is not their national priority. Is it an exclusively West Europeans states and people’s responsibility to deal with the ArabMuslim refugee crisis? What about the affluent and prosperous oil-exporting Arab-Muslim countries? How come they are not coming forward to even talk and say anything rational about this humanitarian tragedy of their own making?

Why have the war and killings and forcible displacement of people gone so long for 12 years in Iraq and Afghanistan and five years in Syria? Are they living in a floating utopian bubble not to imagine the consequences of their wrong thinking, wrong actions and wrong outcomes? What good do the Arabs have if they cannot settle few millions of oppressed and war-torn displaced refugees? How come it is always the Christian world – the Western nations demonstrating humanitarian compassion and generosity to wel-

come strange and unknown refugees?

Glaring examples of human compassion and reception for incoming refugees are witnessed at Munich railway station by common German citizens, and so are thousands of Austrian, Serbians, Hungarian and Swedish common people and elsewhere in Europe. Pope Francis asked all the Catholic followers to take at least one refugee family into their homes and heart.

The Arab leaders exhibit dead-conscience towards their own fellow Arabs in distress and pains. To oust one egoistic and authoritarian Bashar al Assad, millions and millions are charcoaled daily by cluster bombs and chemical weapons prohibited by the so called Geneva Conventions and the spectator like UN. Man-made conflicts have disoriented and dehumanised the entire Arab region lacking optimism for sustainable future. More unthinkable conflicts originating from the Arab world are becoming thinkable menace to peaceful future-making. Those democratically chosen and self-styled leaders talking of global peace and harmony but in reality are selling weapons of mass destruction and continue to terrorize the global humanity. None seem to have any imagination for human unity and peacemaking. All man-made problems are resolvable by people of knowledge, proactive vision, integrity and discipline.

The Arab leaders are engaged in tribal warfare enflamed by the US and Europeans to market their obsolete weapons. None of the Arab conflicts make any sense when Islam sought Unity of Faith. Arab people are the net victims everywhere, be it in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Libya, North Africa or elsewhere. What is the workable remedy?

How could the global systems of governance of the few could be challenged and changed by the global agi-

tating masses? There is not a single institution across the Arab world to analyse political crisis and to workout peaceful measures for political change, normalization and enhancement of dialogue for conflict management. All abnormal developments are becoming normal occurrence of human affairs as large parts of the Arab-Muslim world are entangled in foreign-generated conflicts and sectarian warfare. Often political blame game is preferred than facing the reality. At times, Western leaders blame Russia and China for the prolonged warfare in Syria and Iraq. Did the Western leaders workout and implemented any useful plan to restore peace and human dignity in the Arab world?

One major factor encouraging the global superpowers to go freely and unchallenged out of their own hemisphere to far fetched lands and commit massacres and destroy human habitats, is the obvious corrupt system of global peace and security operated by the UN. It is nothing more than a debating club overwhelmed by the few – the five obsolete global powers at the UN Security Council to claim legitimacy to rule the nations of the world. The UN Secretary General relies on issuing paper-based statement and does not have the moral and intellectual capacity to foresee beyond the obvious and make his presence in situations of unusual societal conflicts and peacemaking endeavours. The UN Organisation is in a desperate need of new thinking, reformation and perhaps a New Organisations for the future.

— The writer specialises in global security, peace and conflict resolution, and comparative Western-Islamic cultures and civilisations.

ATER this month, Chinese leader Xi Jinping will visit President Obama at the White House. The summit between the world’s two largest economies will come soon after a showy parade in Beijing that put China’s military might on full display. It also comes as Mr. Xi prepares to take the helm next year of the Group of Twenty, a club of wealthy nations that is fast becoming influential in setting the world’s agenda. These events are signs of China emerging as a global leader and not one merely trying to become the paramount power in Asia. Its Navy now plies American waters. Its currency is used in more countries. Its Confucius Institutes teach the Chinese language in many countries. And China bestows generous loans on countries that respect its rising stature and sell it raw materials.

These are also signs that China has moved beyond the Mao Zedong view that “power comes from the barrel of a gun.” Indeed, Xi is even moving beyond the advice of Mao’s successor, Deng Xiaoping, that the Chinese people “hide your strength, bide your time, never take the lead.” Xi portrays China’s role as peaceful but insists on “a new type of international system.” Yet he has not been very specific on China’s preferred style of leadership. Does he see a great nation’s authority resting on its material and military resources?

Or does the source of a nation’s power lie in setting a moral example with shared values that attract other nations to trust it as a stable and collaborative ally?

There are many who are sceptical that China can become a leader. “The answer is no; it’s not willing or able to play a serious global leadership role,” says Michael Thawley, head of Australia’s office of the prime minister. With China’s once-booming economy now on the skids, such sceptics are growing louder. By its sheer size as home to a quarter of humanity, China will necessarily be a leader someday. Yet it must operate in a world now tightly knit by economics, the Internet, and global rules established for decades. The old notion of leadership as domineering must be set aside – as the United States learned after letting loose the turmoil in Iraq and Libya. Last year, Mr. Obama defined his preferred leadership style as “empowering partners,” with the US serving as a “hub of alliances.”

For two decades, top officials of the US and China have held strategic dialogues to lay the building blocks for a global partnership. This listening exercise has yielded a few agreements, such as steps to slow climate change. The talks are not an attempt to balance the power of two countries but to define the global public goods – and not just material goods. For the US, those goods are a rules-based system that honours the dignity and worth of the individual, and where governments must answer to their citizens. With its one-party rule and crackdown on dissent, China prefers a different set of virtues, defined not by the people but by the unelected and secretive elect of the Communist Party. China’s chairman Xi speaks of “the China Dream” and the party ensuring security and prosperity for the people.

Xi should use the US-China summit and his coming G20 leadership to explain the values that China wants to use in helping to manage the world’s challenges, such as cybercrime, refugee flows, balanced economic growth, non-state militancy, and a need for more technological innovation. In the 21st century, the “international system” rests not on the exercise of brute force by particular nations but on shared ideals. It may now be China’s time to reveal its ideals and see if it can reshape the global order.

— The Christian Science Monitor

Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison.

Henry D Thoreau —US writer

Refugees and western values spite all their high flying values and ideals they have been talkabout for years Europe was Ali Ashraf Khan ing and is not ready to welcome Email:balti1551@gmail.com refugees and to share whatever they have with them. Governments are reluctant to obey by HILE Pakistan is celebrat the rules and regulations which they ing Defence Day and oth have put into place themselves and erwise trying to deal with the ugly face of racism and problems at home we should not for- Islamophobia is racing its head. get to watch what is going on in the The wave of refugees has hit Eurest of the world, mainly in the West rope hard and came all together unexand specifically in Europe – the place pected. But that is only a sign that so many of us would like to go to and European politicians are not thinking stay if feasible. Western Democracy when they give in to US pressure and is our role model as are the values they wage war on so many countries. It was claim; human rights, equality, quite foreseeable that the destabilizachildren’s rights, equal rights for tion of the near and middle East would women. But it seems that the propa- result in refugees. And that they would ganda of the wonderful and demo- reach Europe and stand in front of EU cratic system of the West is now door. US has no such problem, they showing it’s true colour: it is propa- are not concerned and at a secure disganda and it has been before. Day by tance. Until today when you read Gerday we are watching ever new waves man, British or other European media of refugees desperately trying to or hear the politicians talk about refureach to ‘Promised Land’ of Europe gees you hardly ever hear that they and of Germany especially, the place would acknowledge their own guilt in where there is security, there is a job the situation; it’s not clever and it for all and where anybody can make would disturb voters. his or her living freely.

The politicians and the citizens of That has been the idea so far. But Europe by failing to deal with the refunow we can see on our TV screens gees also show that they do not think and read in the media that all is not so the values of human rights, and well over there also. The flood of refu- children’s rights and so on apply to gees has taken the European govern- refugees. Especially the Eastern Euments unprepared and by surprise. De- ropean countries are worried that the

W

influx of refugees would upset their culture, many are afraid of Muslims and in Sweden halal meat was forbidden to sell because the administration thought people become Muslims by eating halal meat. On the contrary Capitalism is flourishing by marketing a new brand of investment banking is to attract entire Muslim worlds saving into their Islamic banking schemes, while the fact remains that there is no concept of banking or Islamic banking as interest / usury given any name is forbidden in Islam as Haram. What a contradiction in western values and character that Islamic banking is dear and acceptable but Muslim refugees driven out of their homeland because of Western misadventure are considered a threat to their social fabric.

Pakistan is also a worst victim of US and NATO misadventure in Afghanistan, the plot of 9/11 was launched to colonize oil, gas and natural resources of Muslim countries, attack on Afghanistan and Iraq is part of their strategy. Pakistan had no choice than to welcome over 3 million refugees from Afghanistan majority of who are still in Pakistan even after 2 decade because they were facilitated

by Pakistan rulers by providing refugee status and Pakistani travel documents, establishing refugee camps, free ration etc., but these refugees captured sizeable share in trading, indus-

try and transport services without paying any taxes to government which created a disequilibrium against the Pakistani businessman who had to pay taxes in same field.

The govt remained complacent due to Western pressure and promoted them to the extent that all sorts of terrorist, drug trafficking and gun running became free for all that has destroyed the peace and progress in Pakistan leading to complete economic stagflation thanks to Afghan Jihad or so-called war against terror and their promoters in Pakistan, people are bleeding through the nose while leaders have filled their personal coffers with billions and trillions and made their safe heavens abroad.

The chess game has now changed and India has been discovered as new strategic partner by US and they want Pakistan to accept Indian hegemony in this region, work at the whims and caprices of India in future development in Afghanistan and India has launched offensive against the CPEC, which Pakistan can not compromise so it is time to take decision and change our foreign policy pragmatically to suit and to protect Pakistani interest first by joining hands with emerging China, Iran and Russia for transforming the warm water dream into reality.

—The writer is a senior columnist based in Karachi.

Munter’s mantra Junaid Ghazi Email:jayaka127@gmail.com

T

HAT the current politico-eco nomic system is geared to serve and further enrich the elite of Pakistan is stating the obvious. Naturally, the beneficiaries of the statusquo work over-time to preserve and protect it. They make alliances and collations for mutual benefit. The privileges of the status quo to all elitist sections of the society continue uninterrupted, irrespective of who amongst them occupies the political office. Diagnosis of the ills of Pakistan was recently highlighted by a former US ambassador to Pakistan.

Speaking a fortnight in Karachi, Cameron Munter said, “Certain political and business interests do not want Pakistan to progress because they benefit if the country remains stagnant”.

Mr Munter undoubtedly had thorough exposure to the Pakistani governance system and his statement merits due credence. However, it is interesting that he has only referred to a segment of business and political leaders who are benefiting from the continuing stagnation in Pakistan. Leaving aside which segment of business

and political leaders he had in mind, it will be interesting to ask which part of business and political leadership he excluded. The gut feeling is that Mr. Munter was just being polite and extra cautious. The fact is that he plainly meant the entire Pakistani elite of all shades and descriptions.

The working of our political system and its very edifice is fundamentally erroneous. The system does not allow common man’s access to high office within a political party or government. The political parties are extensions of the persons or families of political leaders. The money involved in contesting elections is unthinkable for a common man. Ironically, a political party which had all the ingredients of a middle class movement, turned to terror early in its life and has since become a fascist mafia. Recent rise of another political party has been dealt severe blows by the confusion of its own leadership.

Three military take-overs did their part in further weakening the political system. Net result, naturally, is that the political system remains hostage to the elitist sections of the society with a musical–chair competition amongst them. As far business goes, there are virtually “free-

lunches” for all those with whom the political leaders are comfortable or vice versa. It is only in this land of the pure that an investment bank was sold for Rs,1000/- while another was bought with money borrowed from the same ! Sugar mafia, cement mafia, chicken mafia, oil mafia and stock exchange mafias are rampant. Tax exemptions and concessions allowed to businesses in Pakistan under various slogans of incentives to the local industry and industrial zones etc have been continuing since ages. There is a demonstrated lack of political will to enforce and collect due taxes from the rich classes. There is heavy reliance on ever increasing indirect taxes which actually hit the poor segments of the society. Recent enhancement of rate of sales tax on POL products to generate more revenues illustrates this.

The powerful sections of the society just don’t pay taxes.

In the given scenario, the above unholy alliance of business and political leaders is ruling the country ever since its inception. During military regimes, both these segments have a field day as the hapless dictator is in search of allies to sustain his government. Another interesting aspect is the modus-operandi adopted by the business and political elite. Playing to the

galleries is the favourite method. They create smoke screens like Nizam-eSalat, Nizam-e-Mustafa, Nusawat-eMuhammadi and social justice. Recent examples are Roti project and The Educated Punjab. Behind all this, loot and plunder of the national exchequer continues unabated. Dictated by political expediency and greed, a host of high visibility projects were launched like Islamabad Metro and Multan Metro etc. These have little relevance to the actual problems of the common man. Catchy terms such as projects with “early harvest” have been coined to justify pumping of public money in these projects. Hefty kick backs reportedly find their way into the accounts of the political leaders and their front men. All this is at the cost of most crucial investment in education and basic health.

Time has come for the business and political leaders to realize that they must respond to the national aspirations. Let’s hope the Pakistani elite comes to terms with the reality that the free lunches are over and that the country cannot remain stagnant. Army leadership has shown unequivocal resolve to stay away from politics and to help in re-establishing rule of law.

— The writer is freelance columnist based in Islamabad.

View From Abroad

Muslims excluded from Burma polls Philip Sherwell

F

OR a people who languished in isolation from the world during a half century of military rule, the Burmese election campaign that kicked off on Tuesday marks the launch of an unprecedented experiment in ballot box democracy. But even as billboards were unveiled, brochures distributed and the first campaign speeches delivered, for one significant proportion of the population the experience is proving hollow.

For among some 6,200 candidates running for office for 92 parties, it seems certain that there will be not a single candidate from the Muslim population, the second largest religious grouping in the predominantly Buddhist country. In the ethnic troubled Rakhine region, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have been denied the right even to cast ballots after being forced to return their government identity cards.

Across the rest of the country, where there are long-established Is-

lamic communities, no Muslim candidate has been chosen by party chiefs at a time when radical Buddhist nationalists are fomenting anti-Muslim sentiments. A landmark election campaign has begun in Burma, but there are no Muslim candidates on the ballot paper and Rohingya Muslims have been struck from voting lists. That exclusion is most striking in the National League of Democracy led by Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace laureate who spent 15 years under house arrest for her advocacy for free speech.

Her party, which is the overwhelming favourite to win the elections, is fielding some 1,150 candidates at national and local level. But it has found no place for long-time Muslim members, including former political prisoners, who put themselves forwards as parliamentary hopefuls.

Muslims in Burma – also known as Myanmar – make up at least five per cent of 51-million population and have a long history of involvement in public life. But they have faced increasing discrimination since a militarydominated semi-civilian government replaced a junta in 2011. Extremist monks led anti-Muslim protests which

in 2012 turned into pogroms of Rohingyas in Rakhine state. The Rohinhyas are particularly reviled even by moderate Buddhists and are widely viewed as illegal “Bengali” interlopers because of their roots in Bangladesh, although many families have lived in Burma for generations.

The anti-Rohingya sentiment has spilled into a broader ostracisation of Muslims across the country. The NLD’s failure to field a single Muslim candidate is an attempt to appease hardline Buddhists, said Ko Ni, a Muslim lawyer and party member.

U Shwe Maung, a sitting MP with the ruling pro-military party, has found himself the centre of the controversy after he was not just barred from running for office again but stripped of the right even to vote under new rules.

The election commission decreed that he was ineligible to take part in the elections on the grounds that he allegedly could not prove that his parents were citizens at the time of their births.

Mr Shwe Maung, a Rohingya, said the claim was ridiculous, noting that he had delivered a long paper trail of evidence and that his father had served a senior police officer. “The

commission rejected my appeal without taking even 10 seconds to check my documents,” the MP said. “While they were hearing my case, I requested they look up my documents but they said there was no need to check.” An estimated 500,000 Rohingya voters have been wiped from voter lists, despite many having participated in previous polls before this “free and fair election”.

Ms Suu Kyi has come under fire from long-time supporters abroad, including fellow Nobel laureates such as the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, for not speaking out.

But her aides privately insist that there was nothing to be gained by playing into claims by Buddhist radicals that the NLD is already “soft” on Muslims. The NLD leader noted the historic moment in a video messaged posted on party’s Facebook page on Tuesday morning to mark start of the campaign. For many Burmese Muslims, who have seen Ms Suu Kyi and her fellow politicians place pragmatism over principle, the prospect of participating in a “free and fair election” had already passed.

— Courtesy: The Telegraph

Enjoy your fishing..!

I

sat at a board meeting of a trust built up single handedly by an individual who is now in his late seventies. “Sir,” I ask, “have you started grooming a successor?”

“Ssshhh!” says the secretary of the board looking daggers at me.

“Don’t raise such an issue!” whispers another member angrily.

“Why not?” I ask. “Because it’s

not auspicious to do so! It’s bad luck!” “How’s it bad luck?” I whisper back furiously. “It’s like wanting him to die!” “No!” I nearly shout, “it’s about wanting the company to live on. This trust should be bigger than the individual, and it is important that he who has brought us so far grooms someone to take his place!”

“What is it Bob?” asks the aged individual peering at me. “Nothing sir!” says the secretary quickly and the vice president and all the other members of the board nod quickly.

“Then I will pass on to the next mat-

ter!” He passes on to the next matter and a few months later he passes on to the next world, I go sometime later to see his widow.

“How’s the trust doing Bob?” she asks me. “Awful!” I say. “I knew it would!” she says, “even my husband used to say, ‘after I’m gone they’ll realize my worth!” “Is that why he never appointed a successor, never groomed anyone?”

I ask angrily, “so people would miss him after he is dead and gone?”

An incident I love to remember is that of a young man in his twenties chairing a meeting I had attended, “Where’s

dad?” I asked surprised not to see the old man at the meeting.

“Fishing!” “And I guess he’s carrying his mobile so you can confirm whatever decision we arrive at?” “No” said the young man, “dad taught me everything, so he could enjoy his fishing!” And to all of you who cling to post, whether that of being chairman or head of the house, the fishing is more enjoyable when you know someone you’ve trained well is in charge, especially if you’re doing your fishing somewhere in the great beyond..!

—Email:bobsbanter@gmail.com

Voice of the People Corruption continues unchecked HASHIM ABRO It’s an open secret that corruption in all its forms and manifestation is rampant in the public sector as well as in our society. Our past successive and present government have all failed to stem the corruption and nepotism in the society. However, the KP government has made some progress in combating official corruption. Indeed, our society is corrupted to the core.

Bribes continue unchecked. Honest and upright officers, although very rare but wherever they are working, keep silent regarding the corruption because they know that no action would be taken against corrupt officers/officials. If mistakenly some legal or departmental action is taken against any corrupt officer then after a few months he/she would be reinstated with all emoluments. Time and tide calls that corrupt officials be weeded out to save the society and the State.’

—Islamabad

Defence Day celebrations WARDA AAMIR Defence Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm through out the country. A variety of different air shows were held than previous years since it was the golden jubilee of 65’s war Such a remarkable day marked with national zeal and reverence.

I believe that after closely observing the day how we celebrated and paid our warm tributes to the martyrs of 65, India would never want to make mistake of going to war with Pakistan.

—Via email

India’s recent statement MADIHA ATHER HASHMI The Chief of Army Staff of India has stated that India should be ready for short wars. It is nothing but another example of playing to the galleries.

India knows it cannot afford a war of any magnitude with Pakistan.

They know the consequences for them will be catastrophic. Nothing more than a move to employ pressure tactics. None of this will benefit India. Pakistan will never back out from its principled stand on the Kashmir dispute.

—Via email

Ethnicity and nepotism HASHIM ABRO Ethnicity, tribalism, regionalisms and nepotism form the sole criteria in the appointment against several key positions in the government sector. The ruling elite, at all levels, use ethnicity and nepotism as the main criteria to appoint their own what we proverbially call “blued eyed boys”, into these positions.

Foreign postings in any capacity, done by different Ministries and Divisions, are a classic example where, more or less, all are appointed into position on the basis of ethnicity and nepotism. It becomes almost impossible for such a person to see anything wrong in also using the same criteria to distribute public resources or dispense public services to the public. “Pakistan First”, never ever remains the key objective, policy or principle of such appointees. One must visit any Embassy or High Commission of Pakistan abroad to learn about the reality but who cares in this corrupted to the core society?

—Islamabad

Sham democracy JAVAID BASHIR We are witnessing sham democracy in our beloved country. The show is on and the political actors are showing their skills. No one is applauding this sick dramatization of third rate political plot. Its weaknesses are so obvious that it shames its director.

The principles of participatory democracy have been flouted and exploited every day. There are many glaring examples of this shameful drama full of absurdities. It has shamed us all. We become unwilling participants who are affected with this charade. The political idiots parade before us on the stage.

The sanctity of the political processes is deprecated, distorted and defaced beyond recognition. Who suffers? - the masses (180 million of them) and the nation. There is no difference in asses and camels. The political gamble of the Government in not accepting the resignations of MQM members of the Assemblies has not cut the mustard with the people.

Who are they fooling? The speaker of the National Assembly made the mockery of legal and Constitutional

Food served in capital SHABBIR AHMAD

P

unjab Food Authority and the concerned officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have taken action against food vendors and slaughterhouses. They have arrested dozens of people involved in selling of unhygienic food items but there has been no such action in the Federal capital so far. The level of hygiene is negligible in the outlets of a large number of fast food points and pakora, samosa vendors. One can notice the poor hygienic conditions in these places from a distance. Most of the restaurants although keep a tidy outward look but the place where they cook food and the ingredients they use for cooking is substandard and unhygienic. The quality of meat is also questionable in most of the places. It is ironic that all of these places offering food are located in the major markets but the concerned authorities have not bothered themselves to take action against these people. Authorities in the Federal capital must be more vigilant than those in Provinces but in our country it is the opposite case. It is the duty of Federal government and the local administration of Islamabad to ensure the provision of healthy and hygienic food to the residents of this city.

—Via email process. Do we have to give him lessons on these subjects? He has acted as a recalcitrant mule. And then there was rigging matter which was stretched to limit costing billions of rupees. Still the members of the Election Commission have not resigned.

Conflicting reports are circulated on these issues. Whom and what should the people believe? I sometime wonder, is there any one sane to act in a democratic fashion to restore order?

Does it make any sense that Mr. Money Launderer persists with Sharif’ line? It is no time to bargain on Karachi Operation to bring back MQM members in an illegal manner to the Assemblies. Once the resignation has been tendered willingly and accepted by the Speaker in his chamber, it makes no sense to pursue this matter.

It will be futile exercise to bring the dead horse back to life on ventilators.

Stop playing Ping Pong in the middle of a serious war. We look forward to the General ‘s final act and the axe to end this sham drama.

—Karachi

Social media verdict SHADAB SHAREEF Social media has the power to make someone hero or criminal. Various serious and controversial issues get highlighted in the social media through diversity of opinions, pictures and videos. The pictures and videos shared by the social activist, many a time, become a threat to the targeted person’s life, privacy and future.

Innocent people, even having been just accused of or charged for or apprehended by the a law enforcement agency, consider as criminal only because it is highlighted by someone’s personal opinion on a social media outlet. The uploading of such pictures and videos develop hatred in the public and spoils the related person’s life and respect. It’s been a social duty of the general public to respect other’s privacy.

If someone’s personal opinion regards them criminal, it doesn’t mean that they really are. Give them a chance to resume their life; if they are proved innocent by the court. The authorities of the social forum and the government need to formulate certain guidelines to cater to the issue of one’s privacy and protect the individuals against the social verdicts emanating from personal opinions.

—Islamabad

Mental health in Pakistan TASSAWAR ALI Mental health is not a priority of any regime and has always been the most neglected field in Pakistan. Pakistan is a disaster-prone country; many disasters occur through natural and man made sources. Every disaster brings physical and mental suffering. Our institutions and organizations always work to fill all of the physical demands of disasters and leave blank the space for mental health.

The mental health crises are very deep-rooted and chronic in this country, where 15-20% of the population is suffering from mild-to-moderate psychological illness, and most of the sufferers are women. Women in Pakistan mostly face domestic violence; thus, they are suffering different psychological disorders. There are limited number of psychiatrists and clinical psychologists; we calculate one psychiatrist for more than 10,000 people.

There is not a single mental health care provider in the rural areas of Pakistan, where 60% of population is living.

Most of the patients go to traditional faith healers and visit different quacks. There is a serious shortage of mental health professionals in Pakistan and a lack of awareness at all levels. Globally, it is now realized that poor mental health leads to abuses of human rights and discrimination in society. Now economists have also realised that poor mental health is the main reason for a poor growth rate, and it leads to poor decision-making in all sectors. Mental health is not only

a health issue; it links with country’s economic development, healthy political leadership and an organised social order. Good mental health enables peoples and societies to realize their potentials and increase their choices to live healthy, wealthy, and mentally stable lives.

This is an unfortunate fact that, in Pakistan, constant poverty, ongoing stresses, and jobless markets and continuing stressful conditions are major factors for increasing mental illness.

On the other hand, our political parties have no political will and no thinking about prioritising mental health through legislation and implementation. All political parties’ manifestos are without mental health agendas. The government should create space for the international community and provide facilitation for working on this mental health situation.

—Via email

Contentment of a vendor WARDA AAMIR We often see road vendors selling merchandise which includes balloons, cotton candies, soft toys etc.

They’re not only aged men but women, youngsters and even kids, trying hard to distribute happiness among citizens in order to earn some money, which is not a very significant amount. It brings me grief to see that people who sell a balloon to a kid to make them smile fails to fulfil the needs of their own children.

Our government, very generously, in every year’s budget announces the minimum wage of labourers. Currently the minimum wage of unskilled workers is 12,000 per month. But these poor vendors live below the line of poverty, earning no more than 5000 per month.

They’re also mistreated by the respectable class of our society when they road side sell their goods. According to the law of the country, they are legally as equal citizens as we are and deserve the same facilities and rights. Moreover, in order to progress we need to end the discriminating behaviour and start looking beyond the wall of categorization based on level of earning.

—Via email

Losing our identity JAVERIA NADEEM Who are we? What are our souls meant to be? What is our base to be called Pakistanis? We all say “We are Pakistani” without any hesitation with attitude of being respectful in other’s eyes. The base of us being a Pakistani is Two Nation Theory, which our leaders made for us on the bases of different religion, cultures, thoughts that Indians and Muslims can’t be together.

In no ways they can be mixed up again.

That time Muhammad Ali Jinnah called “Awakening of Muslims”. So what we are doing now?

What we all want to do? to mix up again? to go to sleep again? Yes this is what we are doing, absorbing their cultures, following their ideals, wanting to be like them, trying to be mix up again and thinking this all is good for us. But this is not for which our leaders made Pakistan. They made it for us to establish our own identity, to follow Islam, to give respect to all, to give space to others to follow their own religion. So it’s our duty that if we have to call out ourselves as a Pakistani, then we should work for Pakistan and respect Two Nation Theory.

—Via email

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

—Editor Email:editorial@pakobserver.net

Elizabeth II becomes Britain’s longest-reigning monarch LONDON—Westminster Abbey’s bells which is why she has been keen to con-

The calculation of her time on the throne is based on when he passed away, which is estimated at around 1:00 am on February 6, 1952 — an hour after he was seen for the last time at his bedroom win-

age.

“She has been on the throne so long, will peal, a flotilla will sail down the River vey business as usual and no fuss,” the it’s difficult to conceive of the country Thames and a gun salute will ring out on source explained. without her,” said Judith Rowbotham, The official photograph, taken by Wednesday as Queen Elizabeth II bevisiting research fellow at Plymouth Unicomes the longest-serving monarch in Mary McCartney, son of Beatles star Paul, British history.

The queen herself is set to inaugurate a railway line in Scotland and host a private dinner at Balmoral Castle to mark the day she overtakes her great-great grandmother queen Victoria’s record.

It is not known where exactly she will be at 1630 GMT, the best estimate from royal officials for the time at which the monarch, who has become synonymous with Britain itself, reaches the landmark.

At that moment, the 89-yearold monarch will have served 23,226 days, 16 hours and roughly 30 minutes on the throne — over 63 years.

Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to lead tributes in parliament to a figure best known internationally for her stoicism in the face of a slew of royal scandals, as well as for her colourful outfits.

“Her Majesty has been a rock of stability in a world of constant change,” Cameron said in a statement. “It is only right that today we should celebrate her extraordinary record, as well as the grace and dignity with which she serves Queen Elizabeth II, pictured with Prince Philip, on Wednesday becomes the longest serving monarch in British history. our country.”

The queen may deliver a speech for the occasion, according to shows the queen sat at her desk working dow at Sandringham House in eastern versity. She has also steered the monarchy through some of its rockiest recent England. media reports, although a royal source has through a red box of state papers.

Elizabeth became queen upon the The queen presided over a gradual patches, including the collapse of three said she wants to keep the occasion lowkey because of the memories it evokes. death of her father George VI, Britain’s decline in Britain’s global influence as of her children’s marriages and public “While she acknowledges it as an his- king during World War II, whose youth- many of its former colonies became in- anger at her reaction to the death of printoric moment, it’s also for her not a mo- ful stutter inspired the Oscar-winning film dependent, as well as a sharp rise in liv- cess Diana in 1997, which some saw as ing standards and the advent of the digital cold.—AFP ment she would personally celebrate, “The King’s Speech”.

China to deepen anti-graft cooperation with France

Defence shortfalls that hit Indian army’s morale

P ARIS —Senior Communist

HORTFALLS in armed forces impede operational capaci ties of the army and batters its morale, says a new study.

In a report presented to parliament in mid August, the Standing Committee on Defence hauled up the defence ministry for shortfalls in the armed forces. It rapped them for deficiencies in both operational capabilities as well as the basics that enable a soldier to function and perform his primary duties.

The shortfalls in operational capabilities have existed for some time, and earlier governments must share the blame. This was mainly due to their dilly-dallying on procurement and the desperate desire of the then defence minister to project a clean image. However, what is alarming is the increasing shortfall in essential equipment needed for day to day functioning.

The Standing Committee on Defence headed by retired Major General B.C Khanduri, a former minister in the Indian government, in its report tabled in parliament and available online expressed grave reservations on the shortfalls and subsequent actions taken by the ministry. Some of the major deficiencies of items needed for dayto-day functioning include bullet proof jackets and head gear, night vision devices, weapon sights, high altitude equipment, ankle boots, mosquito nets etc. The deficiencies are staggering – from 100,000 to up to 1.3 million pieces.

The fact that the ministry has let the figures rise so high is in itself questionable. There are meant to be sufficient reserves of all equipment to cater for war and war-like situations, as well as for normal wastages. Therefore as stores move forward to the troops, additional procurements make up the deficiency. In the existing system scientific forecasting based on estimated expenditures is done well in advance and all are aware of the rising shortfalls. The ministry through its various factories and boards handles procurements.

Underlining the crisis are latest directives from the government which has curtailed local purchasing powers of the military, especially in procurement of clothing, equipment, medical stores, repair and maintenance of buildings and assets. These purchasing powers had always existed to enable urgent procurements whenever there was a delay in central supply. The latest directions are that all procurements need to be processed through the representatives of the ministry of defence (finance branch), called the Integrated Financial Advisors (IFA) at each level. Interestingly, the IFA has the responsibility of checking, vetting and clearing all procurement plans and contracts without even a basic knowledge of matters military and an understanding of the reasons for such procurement.

While the ministry may be convinced that this could be a better way to establish bureaucratic and financial control over the military, it would only add to operational shortfalls and increase deficiencies.

By creating an additional link in the chain for procurement of stores and equipment, the government has added a time penalty of almost six months on procurement at the local level. With central supplies not flowing and local supplies being delayed, the soldier in the field does not get what he needs for his daily requirement. This then begins to affect morale and operational capability.

Operational capability has two connotations. The first is at the national level, which means procurement of equipment to ensure operational readiness. The second is at the local level, where local commanders know what shortfalls exist in basic stores and obtain these from the market using the allocated funds. This is also essential in maintaining morale of the troops as what does not come from central sources but affects troops the most is procured locally.

With the latest directions from the ministry, the impact at the grassroots level would be much more. Supply of clothing, which each soldier should get at regular intervals, has fallen to a trickle or stopped. The army is forced to restrict the issue and use of essential life-saving equipment like bullet-proof jackets and head gear to the barest minimum in peace locations. Spare parts for vehicles normally procured on an as-required basis are delayed, leading to a reduced fleet availability.

Similar effect is also being felt on the maintenance and repair of the habitat for troops and their families. The new procedures have delayed local procurement immensely. The army lives and fights on morale, therefore this has to always be high.

Those who proposed and pushed for this new directive must wake up and face facts. Before commencing any new system and implementing it, it is essential to study and understand ground realities, the ability of an organisation to absorb changes and its implications. Ideally the system should have come into place once the shortfalls were made up, hence reducing the dependency on local purchases. In this modern technological age a change should usher in efficiency and not delay or stonewall an existing system. It is, in simple terms, a case of ‘penny wise pound foolish’. The comments given by the Standing Committee on Defence are very relevant. The latest directions have only compounded the shortfalls and delays in procurement.

Party of China (CPC) official Zhao Hongzhu has said that China is willing to deepen practical cooperation in fighting corruption with France, with focus on the fugitive hunt.

Zhao, deputy head of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), made the remarks during a fiveday visit in France set to be concluded Wednesday.

Zhao has held individual meetings with First Secretary of the French Socialist Party Jean-Christophe Cambadlelis, French Minister of Justice Christiane Taubira, and President of the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life Jean-Louis Nadal.

He briefed French officials about the situation of China’s anti-corruption fight, vowing the CPC and China’s “zero-tolerance” for corruption.

Zhao, who is also a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, said China is ready to further cooperation on hunting fugitives and recovering of illegal proceedings under the extradition treaty between the two countries.

During the meetings, the French side praised China’s anti-corruption efforts and expressed willingness to cooperate with China in the regard.

The visit also saw that Zhao visited the headquarters of Interpol and exchanged views with Jurgen Stock, Secretary-General of Interpol on international anti-corruption cooperation and fugitive hunt. —Xinhua

Amal Clooney meets Maldives’ World community jailed ex-leader before hearing speaks positively of MAAFUSHI, MALDIVES—International human rights lawyer Amal Clooney Wednesday met the jailed former president of the

Nasheed, the Maldives’ first democratically elected leader, was ousted in 2012 for ordering the arrest of a judge. He is a

Abdullah Yameen’s government failed to follow due process and that the case against Nasheed was politically motivated.

Clooney, lawyer of former Maldives president Nasheed, waits at Maafushi Prison to meet Nasheed, in Kaafu Atoll, in the Maldives.

Clooney, who is married to Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, serving a 13-year jail term after actor George Clooney, traveled who was convicted of terrorism a rapid trial in March.

The United Nations, the to a prison on Maafushi Island in a case that has drawn international criticism, a day before United States, and human rights where Nasheed was taken on groups have said President Aug. 23 from house arrest. She a key High Court hearing.

was checked by two prison officials before the 90-minute discussion with Nasheed.

“Well, President Nasheed is in a remarkably good spirits,” Clooney said soon after the meeting. “He wanted me to convey to the people of the Maldives that they should remain hopeful that things will improve and that he is pleased that I will be attending meetings with him on behalf of the government.”

The meeting came a day before a High Court hearing on an appeal by the Prosecutor General’s office, which had found some procedural irregularities, to review Nasheed’s legal case.

Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhusin told Reuters that a High Court decision to review the case would help Nasheed to appeal against his sentence.

U.N. rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein last week called on Yameen’s government to release Nasheed. He also called for a review of criminal cases against several hundred of Nasheed’s party supporters who have been arrested in protests since May in the Maldives.— Reuters

Xi’s V-Day speech

BEIJING—The international community has lauded Chinese President Xi Jinping’s speech at the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII. “In the interest of peace, we need to foster a keen sense of a global community of shared future,” said the Chinese president in the speech.

The remark has received positive responses from overseas media and experts on international relations, who believed China had developed a new conception of foreign diplomacy as embodied by Xi’s speech.

The conception of “global community of shared future” mentioned by Xi has hit the essence of all aspirations for safeguarding world peace, said Abayas Abylayuly, a researcher on international relations at the Kazakh Humanities and Law University.

Faced with nontraditional security challenges and terrorist threats, temporary peace for a single country is not reliable, said Abylayuly.

Only a common security shared by the whole world could ensure a long-lasting peace, said the expert.

China’s pursuit for a “global community of shared future” serves as an example for major powers and it will also bring benefits to smaller nations, said Sykhoun Bounvilay, General Secretary of Lao-China Friendship Association.

China’s “Belt and Road” initiative has been part of its efforts to build such a shared future, said Bounvilay. Xi’s speech shows China’s determination to continue on the road of peaceful development, which is positive to all peace-loving peoples across the world, said Eng King Sia, assistant editor-in-chief of Oriental Daily News based in Malaysia.

The conception of “global community of shared future,” which transcends race, border and ideology, manifests China’s pursuit for world peace to the benefit of all humanity, said an editorial of Chinese Biz News, a Chinese-language newspaper in the United States.—Xinhua

How to solve Europe’s refugee crisis MICHAEL BIRNBAUM

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MID the largest refugee crisis in Eu rope since the Balkan Wars of the 1990s, a tide of thousands of asylumseekers is reaching the continent’s shores faster than they can be accommodated.

So far, the European Union’s 28 nations have been unable to agree on a solution. Ahead of a European Commission proposal Wednesday for a system to spread asylum-seekers across all E.U. countries, here are a few of the options Europe is considering: 1) Doing nothing. Europe tried to make a plan to share out refugees earlier in the summer.

At the time, they were talking about only 40,000 people. But that failed after many countries, especially in eastern and central Europe, bridled at being required to take in a set number of refugees. Now the proposal is expected to be triple that – amid deep doubts about nations’ ability to come to an agreement. Few, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. Each European leader answers to his or her own electorate, which sometimes makes broad E.U. deals very difficult. The status quo is good for countries that don’t like refugees and under current E.U. rules can deport asylum-seekers back to the first E.U. country they entered. That’s almost always Greece, Italy or Hungary, which are buckling under the influx. “If Europe fails on the question of refugees, then it won’t be the Europe we wished for,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has thrown open her nation’s doors to asylum-seekers. She warned that without a Europe-wide plan, individual nations might need to reimpose border controls, a major blow to European unity. And with some nations far more generous to refugees than others, human smugglers will prosper, ferrying asylum-seekers to

Germany and Sweden, with potentially tragic consequences. 2) Quotas. This is what European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will propose Wednesday. He’ll suggest relocating 120,000 asylum-seekers from the front-line nations of Greece, Italy and Hungary and spreading them across Europe, according to European accounts of the draft plans. Together, Germany, France and Spain would take more than half of them, according to a rough draft published by Spain’s El Pais newspaper. The remainder would be spread across the rest of Europe.

It would help reduce the burden on those three European nations that are on the edges of the European Union and have buckled under the weight of the more than 400,000 asylum-seekers who have arrived so far this year. And though the proposal would fall far short of the numbers needed to address the full scale of the problem, it would still set up a system that could later be expanded.

Nations that have resisted hosting refugees, such as Slovakia, may be able to send money instead as a compromise measure.

“Considering the current politics, it is the most pragmatic idea on the table right now,” said Elizabeth Collett, the director of the Brussels-based Migration Policy Institute Europe. It’s a drop in the bucket. Germany plans to take in 800,000 asylum-seekers this year, and says it’s ready for 500,000 a year for the next several years. Facing those numbers, the E.U. plan simply doesn’t do enough. And there are many thorny questions to work out: What happens when an asylum-seeker who has family in France gets assigned to Lithuania instead? In a Europe without borders, how would policymakers ensure the refugees stay put? And what happens to asylum-seekers who arrive beyond the quotas? Do they pile up in refugee camps on Europe’s edges, or do they simply

keep pushing through to Western Europe?

And many nations, especially in Eastern and Central Europe, are opposed to quotas. “I do not consider them any real solution to the migration crisis,” Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said Monday, according to the Czech News Agency. 3) Military action against the smugglers who bring help refugees get to Europe. Britain and others have been pushing for U.N. Security Council authorization to deploy navies to board and intercept the flimsy boats that set sail across the Mediterranean from Libya and Egypt to Europe’s shores. The boats, operated by human smugglers, are dangerous, frequently sinking during the passage. More than 2,700 migrants have died this year.

The plan would discourage the smugglers, who often have ties to organized crime and profit tremendously from the some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. Fewer boats crossing the Mediterranean would reduce the immediate crisis for Europe and might discourage some of the economic migrants coming illegally from Africa and South Asia. And a stepped-up naval presence in the Mediterranean might make search-and-rescue operations more successful when smugglers’ ships capsize. Stopping smugglers doesn’t address the root causes of the refugee crisis. It just displaces the burden to other countries. And in some ways, these plans are a solution to yesterday’s problem.

Over the course of this year, the bulk of migrant traffic to Europe has shifted westward to the Balkans: asylum-seekers make a short sea hop from Turkey to nearby Greek islands, then travel to Western Europe overland through Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary. The naval plans wouldn’t do anything about that at all.

4) Resettling refugees directly from camps surrounding Syria, and from Syria. Remember

“Schindler’s List?” Or the U.S. efforts to resettle refugees from Vietnam in the 1970s? This would be the 21st-century equivalent, more or less: E.U. diplomats handing out visas on the ground in the countries where more than 4 million Syrian refugees have settled. This is arguably the most humane option, since it would make an end-run around smugglers. Refugees could simply get on a plane from Turkey, Lebanon or Jordan and fly straight to Europe, saving the danger of a smuggled, overland trip that sometimes costs up to $10,000. It’s what British Prime Minister David Cameron suggested Monday when he said Britain would take in 20,000 Syrian refugees directly from the Middle Eastern camps over the next five years.

“We want to encourage people not to make that dangerous crossing in the first place,” Cameron said. Realistically, there’s little political support in Europe to do this on a scale that would actually relieve pressure on the camps. Cameron’s commitment over the next five years is equivalent to what Germany took in this weekend alone.

And it’s not clear that handing out visas in the region would stop the separate overland flow to Europe. That’s because the most vulnerable refugees typically jump to the front of the line for resettlement schemes such as the British one. The asylum-seekers currently coming to Europe by land are the ones with the resources to pay a sometimes hefty price to smugglers.

“When you are facing a humanitarian disaster, when you are facing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when you say, ‘I think we can resettle 25 people,’ people would just laugh in your face,” said Elspeth Guild, a migration specialist at the Brussels-based Center for European Policy Studies.

—Courtesy: Washington Post

HARSHA KAKAR

S

—Courtesy: ANN [The writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army]

Japanese leaders should open their eyes to history ZHOU YONGSHENG

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LTHOUGH it refused to send a representative to Beijing to attend the events to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory of Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-45), Japan has been issuing some weird statements. On September 3, the day China held the commemorative events, Japan’s top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said: “China should not excessively focus on its unfortunate past history, but show its intention to tackle common issues facing the international community with a view to the future”. Likewise, he urged UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to “take a neutral position on events that focus mostly on the past” before the world leader landed in Beijing. Republic of Korea President Park Geun-hye, too, was targeted by Japan’s rightwing newspaper Sankei Shimbun for joining Ban in China.

To a certain extent, it is strangely “impressive” of Tokyo to pass such groundless comments. Founded in 1945, during the later stage of World War II, to establish peace and the postwar world order, the UN is an “impartial, multilateral” body rather than a “neutral” one, as Ban made it clear on Sept 4. Besides, the UN Charter says regional powers can take effective measures to contain a former defeated nation should it seek remilitarisation. Japan’s wild accusations against Ban and misinterpretation of the UN’s impartiality are not only baseless but also naïve. The deliberate misreading has a lot to do with the fact that Japan is yet to break free of its militaristic past.

Some Japanese right-wingers still believe that the war Japan waged before and during WWII was not aggression, but a necessary response to the intrusive policies and acts of the United States, the United Kingdom, China and the Netherlands. In their eyes, the “righteous” war was about liberating Asian people from Western colonialism, not about colonising them instead. That explains why some right-leaning Japanese leaders such as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tend to criticise countries that seek to unveil Japan’s militaristic past and colonial aggression, or even commemorate the victory in WWII. Their refusal to face up to Japan’s sordid past makes them defenders of militarism. No wonder, they cannot understand the irony in their arguments when they claim to be leaders of a country that respects liberty, democracy and the rule of law. This self-deceit of the Abe administration will pose a grave challenge to the next Japanese governments, for they will find it more difficult to make a clean break with Japan’s militaristic past and remove its infamous tag as a brutal colonial power. Japan’s modern image might be seriously tarnished if the government fails to settle the historical issue, especially when a solution is within easy reach.

—Courtesy: CD [The author is a professor of Japan studies at China Foreign Affairs University]

CM: Sincere efforts afoot to overcome energy crisis From Back Page sit-in politics, it will be highly unfortunate and cruelty with the poor people.

Replying to another question, the Chief Minister said that the image of the government is strong, that is why, foreign exchange reserves have increased to more than 18 billion dollars. He said that China has given historic economic package of 43 billion dollars, inflation rate has decreased, construction work on Lahore orange line metro train has been started and this is the project of 150 billion rupees.

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif presented facts and figures about 100 megawatt solar project set up in Quaid-eAzam Solar Park Bahawalpur during press conference. He also answered to the questions of journalists in a comprehensive manner. The

From Page 1

Chief Minster terming the sit-in politics of last year as a hindrance in the development of the country said that if anyone tried to create hurdles in the journey of light through sit-in politics, it will be a cruelty and excess to the people of the country and the nation will never pardon the elite.

Shahbaz Sharif appealed to the media in the name of Pakistan to make positive criticism instead of criticism for the sake of criticism and we will accept it openly and take guidance.

The Chief Minister on a number of occasions appreciated sincere efforts being made by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and added that Prime Minister is providing guidance regarding energy projects.

Justice Jamali takes oath From Page 1 justice to the people. He urged all state institutions, judges and lawyers to fulfill their responsibilities in this regard.

Chief Justice designate Anwar Zaheer Jamali lauded the services of Justice Jawwad S Khawaja for rule of law in the country.

Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali hails from noble religious family of Hazrat Qutub Jamalud-Din Ahmed Hansvi, the disciple and Khalifa of Baba Farid-ud-Din Shakar Gunj.

His parents migrated in the year 1947 from Jaipur, India. Justice Jamali was born on 31st December 1951 in Hyderabad.

He completed the Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce and the Bachelor’s Degree in Law from University of Sindh in the years 1971 and

6 more pro-govt militia men From Page 1 hand-written notes by Lashkare-Islam from near the dead bodies claiming the killings,” an official said.

LHC declines ECP request From Page 1 or the rules for the High Court to appoint Judicial Officers as Election Tribunals for the mentioned purpose. The Hon’ble Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, therefore, declined the request of Election Commission of Pakistan.

Pak Rangers team in Delhi for talks with India’s BSF From Page 1 innocent civilian lives and property, the delegation will discuss issues pertaining to ceasefire violations, smuggling and the safe return of inadvertent border crossers, the spokesman said.

Independent observers rate this interaction highly significant against the backdrop of the recent heavy exchange of artillery fire.

Outrage over Hungarian camerawoman

1973 respectively; enrolled at Sindh Bar Council as an Advocate of Lower Court in 1975, admitted and enrolled as an Advocate of High Court in 1977; admitted and enrolled as an Advocate of Supreme Court in 1987; practiced at Hyderabad (Sindh) mainly on civil and constitutional side.

Mr. Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali was elevated as Judge of High Court of Sindh in May, 1998.

He was among the judges who refused to take fresh oath under the Provisional Constitution Order in 2007. He was reappointed as Judge and Chief Justice High Court of Sindh on 27th August 2008 and was elevated as Judge of Supreme Court in August 2009.—INP

Huge Russian From Page 1 well as portable air traffic control equipment, the official noted.

“All of this seems to be suggesting that Russia is planning to do some sort of forward air-operating hub out of this airfield,” the official said.

Washington has expressed concern following reports suggesting Moscow may be boosting military support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and had sent a military advance team to the war-torn country.

“Our concern would be that any effort to bolster the Assad regime right now would potentially be destabilizing,” Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said Tuesday.

Syria has denied reports of increased military activity by Russian troops on its soil.

US Secretary of State John Kerry called his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov over the weekend to warn of the dangers of stoking a conflict which has already cost nearly 250,000 lives.

Russia rejects the charge, insisting that any deliveries are in keeping with its traditional links to long-time ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Bulgaria has refused permission for Russian aircraft to enter its airspace, and Greece said Tuesday that Washington had asked it to also deny Russian overflights.—AFP

Pakistani doctor From Back Page attorney Brett Beatty has said.

However, Chaudhry told agents that he moved up to the girl’s row to give passengers in his section more room. According to the complaint, the 57-year-old said he may have inadvertently touched the girl’s arm when he asked her to close the window shade.

The girl’s parents had sued Chaudhry and American Airlines following the incident. The girl, aged between 12 to 16 years, was travelling alone on an American Airlines flight when Chaudhry allegedly inappropriately touched her.

Chaudhry was arrested after the July flight on charges, including engaging in sexual contact with a victim between the ages of 12 and 16.

The lawsuit alleges that Chaudhry moved to an empty seat beside the girl, who reported being woken up by the inappropriate touching. The girl alerted a flight attendant when Chaudhry left to use the restroom.—AP

was “only kicking foreigners, no-one else, including a child who was clearly an asylumseeker,” Bakonyi added.

“Since she´s been working as a cameraperson there, she clearly knew who she was kicking. It was not by accident, there is no mistake in that.”

In an earlier statement, N1TV said it had fired Laszlo “with immediate effect” because she had “behaved in an unacceptable way.” “We consider the matter closed,” the statement read. Laszlo herself has not yet reacted publicly to the storm.—AP

TV reporter From Page 1 will be made public and stern action will be initiated against these elements, who are killing media men for their ulterior motives,” Ranges official said.

Meanwhile, 2 Ahl-e-Sunnat Wa Jamaat (ASWJ) supporters were shot dead in North Karachi within the limits of Khawaja Ajmair Nagri police station.

They opened indiscriminate fire at a bakery in the area, killing its owner, Imran and an employee, Waqas on the spot.

3 militants held From Page 1 conducted in the Loi Bund area of Qila Saifullah near the PakAfghan border.

The suspected terrorists had entered Pakistan from Afghanistan and were trying to smuggle these weapons into Quetta and other areas of the province in order to carry out terrorist attacks.

Earlier in August, Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan chief Major General Sher Afgan had accused Indian and Afghan intelligence agencies of involvement in the prevailing unrest in the Balochistan province.

He said spy agencies of the two countries were behind subversive activities to disrupt peace in the province. “However, our forces with the support of the masses foiled the designs of the enemies.”

Plan (NAP) geo-tagging of 3,662 madressas has been completed in Sindh, of which 2,122 are in Karachi and 1,548 in Hyderabad, a meeting held to review the implementation of NAP was told on Wednesday.

The meeting was held at CM House with Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah in chair. It was further apprised that this information gathering process is currently in progress and would be completed soon.

The provincial home secretary Mukhtiar Ahmed Soomro, while giving presentation to the chief minister, said “out of 9,590 seminaries 6,503

are yet to be registered”. However, in the unregistered seminaries 517,695 students are enrolled, he added.

He said that geo-tagging of seminaries is being carried out, so far 2,122 madressas have been geo-tagged in Karachi and 1,548 in Hyderabad. “This would help us to see exact location of seminaries,” he claimed. IG Sindh Ghulam Hyder Jamali told the chief minister that 167 seminaries were sealed under different allegations while search was carried out is 21 seminaries in Karachi, Hyderabad and Badin over suspicion of illegal activi-

“In few seminaries hate material was recovered against which cases have been registered accordingly.” The chief minister thanked the Ulema of different schools of thought for their cooperation in getting their seminaries registered.

“All the concerned religious scholars should be taken on board while registering their seminaries or searching the suspicious ones,” Qaim directed the provincial IG and home secretary. Talking about the registration and repatriation of Afghan refugees, the home secretary said that 92,646 Afghan nationals are registered in Sindh.

“Around 650 families and 3,021 individuals were voluntary repatriated by Ministry of SAFRON since 2015,” said Soomro and added that 35,278 Afghans were repatriated from Sindh till August 2015. He said that 720 cases were registered against illegal Afghan nationals while 2,100 illegal Afghan nationals were arrested, 1,309 nominated 953 under judicial custody, 356 bailed out and 222 illegal Afghan repatriated by IG Jails. Soomro said that out of 458 condemned prisoners 18 have been executed. “Their 395 appeals are pending in Sindh High Court and one in Federal Shariat court, 53 in Supreme Court, five mercy petitions are pending with the president while Sindh High Court has stayed four black warrants.

Giving details of armed militia, the home secretary said 61 banned religious

From Page 1 mained miles apart politically, socially and economically.

And this mistrust is likely to escalate manifold in India following Pakistan’s request the other day to UN Security Council members to take notice of the escalating incidents of firing by Indian troops across the LoC and the working boundary in which large numbers of civilians have been killed and injured.

In a letter addressed to the council’s president, Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of Russia, Pakistan’s permanent representative in the UN Dr Maleeha Lodhi on Saturday called on the world body to press India to abide by the 2003 ceasefire agreement.

This letter follows Dr Lodhi’s sustained efforts over the last several week to invite the attention of UN’s Department of Political Affairs and Peacekeeping Operations to what she described as India’s provocative actions deliberately targeting the civilian population calling for the UN Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to investigate the violations.

Dr Lodhi also informed the UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson of India’s rejection of dialogue by setting preconditions for the first-ever official talk

between the national security advisors of the two countries, which led to the cancellation of the meeting and that earlier India had cancelled the foreign secretary-level talks last year in similar fashion.

On the face of it, this was seemingly the only option left to Pakistan as India for whatever reason had kept refusing, in Pakistan’s opinion, to stop firing across the LoC and violating the working boundary causing civilian casualties on our side.

Dr Lodhi’s timing seems to be impeccable as the UN General Assembly would soon be in session and most world leaders including the Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers would be in New York for the session.

The Indian general public, therefore, would not be unjustified into believing that the firing across the LoC was provoked and sustained by Pakistan for the very purpose of making a case against India at the World body at the appropriate time.

Indeed, Pakistan seems fully prepared to make the ‘right’ kind of noise at the right international forum in order to put in the immediate focus of the world leaders the ‘unwanted developments’ in a region known as nuclear flashpoint.

Perhaps this move, Pakistan hopes, would make the world leaders who count

SALIM AHMED LAHORE—Punjab Health Department has prepared a comprehensive policy for Hospital Waste Management and committees for this purpose have been notified at divisional, district and hospital level. The pilot project of Hospital Waste Management has successfully completed in

organisations have been identified. “Around 1,155 terrorists/ crimnals have been killed, including 164 leaders of Al-Qaeda and TTP and 130 of Lyari gangwar between Septmber 2013 to September 2015,” he said and added that 63,055 terrorists/criminals were arrested, including 879 terrorists of AlQaeda and TTP and 67 of Lyari Gang war. Talking about disposal of accused handed over by Rangers in heinous offences during operation till August 31, 2015, Jamali said that 495 have been arrested of which challan were presented against 489 while six are under investigation, two have been convicted and four acquitted. He added that 462 are currently in jails and 21 have been bailed out.

The IG also briefed the chief minister about the latest weapons and ammunition provided by army chief General Raheel Sharif to the Sindh police and also said that the army chief has further assured to equip each and every police station with latest equipment and gadgets. The chief minister said that it was due the personal interest of General Raheel that the operation against terrorists has produced tangible results. “It would be nice of him if he takes necessary measures to equip our police stations with modern equipments,” said Jamali. The chief minister after presiding over the review meeting left for Islamabad to attend the NAP meeting to be presided by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

to bring the right kind of pressure on India to resume dialogue with Pakistan on all outstanding issues impinging on their bilateral relations including Kashmir.

We have gone through this exercise a number of times in the past. And every time the Indians have agreed to talk to Pakistan at the behest of international community, the negotiations have only petered into a stalemate within days with no progress made on any of the bilateral issues.

What our establishment has continued to refuse to understand is India has no intention of conceding on the negotiating table what we have time and again failed to wrench from it in the battlefield.

And today India has developed into an entity sought after by most of the major world players because of what it has become economically making it impossible for these major powers to even think of forcing it to do what it does not want to do.

So, the best option for the establishment, under the circumstances, is to stop interfering with what is best done by the civilian leadership and let it try its hand at settling our bilateral disputes with India without being forced to follow the institution’s confused guidelines to the letter.

Probe into ‘army rights abuse’ From Page 1 mediate response.

India and Pakistan both administer divided Kashmir in part but claim it in full, a constant source of tension between the nuclear-armed rivals.

An emergency law in force in the region since 1990 grants security forces wide powers to raid homes and kill on suspicion of illegal actions, and forbids them from being tried in civilian courts.

But rights activists say the civilian victims of abuses by soldiers often struggle to bring complaints to the military courts, which are reserved for internal disciplinary hearings, leaving them with limited legal recourse.

However on Monday six Indian soldiers were sentenced to life in prison after a military trial found them guilty of abducting and killing three civilians in 2010 during a gun battle near the border with Pakistan.

MQM sacks Qamar From Back Page against him.“He has been asked to appear before investigators whenever summoned,” he said.

A day ago, the MQM’s legal aid committee had moved an application contending that the party was sceptical about Mansoor’s whereabouts as he was allegedly not present in his detention cell. The plea was however turned down due to technical reasons.

Mansoor’s detention period was to expire on October 21.

Qamar Mansoor and Rabita Committee incharge Kaiful Warah were detained by the paramilitary force in a pre-dawn raid on the party’s Nine-Zero headquarters on July 17.

Meanwhile, Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Wednesday sacked Qamar Mansoor from all the organizational responsibilities owing to his “mental and physical condition”.

According to a statement issued here, the decision was taken in a joint meeting of the MQM’s Karachi and London coordination committees.

The statement said “the coordination committees unanimously decided to relieve Qamar Mansoor owing to reservations expressed by him in a chat with the committee after being released by the Rangers”. It directed the party workers not to establish contact with Mansoor on organizational matters as per his will.

Health Deptt prepares comprehensive policy for Hospital Waste Management

Geo-tagging of 3,662 madaris completed in Sindh, CM told KARACHI—National Action have been registered and 2,920 ties.

Back to the basics?

Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Burewala District Layyah and THQ Hospital Wazirabad, District Gujranwala and the plan is being scaled up upto 15 districts in 2nd phase.

It was stated by Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Raffique while addressing a seminar on Environmental Health and Medical Waste Management, jointly organized by the Health Department, Policy and Strategic Planning Unit (PSPU) and World Bank at a local hotel here Wednesday.

Besides, Secretary Health Jawwad Raffique Malik, Director General Health Dr. Zahid Pervaiz, representative of World Bank Dr. Javed, In-

Charge Chief Minister Health Roadmap Programme Aizaz Akhtar, Director PSPU Ali Bahadur Qazi, DG Environment Javed Iqbal, EDOs and Medical Superintendents of the hospitals of selected districts attended the seminar.

Representative of World Bank Dr. Javed said that environmental pollution and polluted water is the basic cause of diseases and an ailing bread-earning person cannot run the family’s expenditures which is an economic loss. He said that Hospital Waste is also a hazard for environmental health. He said that hospital waste also creates hurdles in economic activities.

Crackdown on beggars MUZAFFAR ALI LAHORE—Distinct administration on Wednesday has launched a crackdown against beggars in Lahore.

During crackdown, as many as 29 beggars including two women and four eunuchs were taken into custody during operation in the areas of Mall Road, Anarkali, Ravi Road, Lari Bus Stand, Canal Road, Sadar, Mazung, Gulberg, Main Market, Akbar Chowk, Kot Lakhpat, College Road and Ghazi Road.

The14 captured beggars have been shifted to Raiwind Home and Edhi Home.

Hillary threatens military action if Iran breaks deal WASHINGTON— Hillary Rodham Clinton is- billions of dollars in relief from international

Godil thanks nation Staff Reporter KARACHI— Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Rashid Godil, who was being treated for multiple bullet wounds after coming under attack by unidentified motorcycle riders last month, on Wednesday said that he was grateful to the nation for praying for his recovery. In a video message, he said the whole country prayed for his quick recovery, adding that nothing wrong could have happened to him as he has his mother’s blessings with him.

“I thank all Pakistanis who prayed for my life and health, I am grateful to them and believe that the Saviour is more potent than the destroyer,” said the injured MQM MNA.

No talks with US outside nuclear deal TEHRAN, Iran—Iran’s supreme leader said Wednesday that Tehran will not expand talks with the United States beyond the international negotiations over its nuclear program and predicted that Israel would not exist in 25 years. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s statements underscored his lingering distrust of the United States and hostility toward Israel as the U.S. Congress prepares to vote on the landmark nuclear agreement reached with Tehran in July. U.S. President Barack Obama appears to have secured enough support from Democrats to prevent the Republican-led Congress from derailing the deal, but Khamenei’s latest remarks were likely to be seized upon by critics of the agreement as proof that Iran cannot be trusted.—AP

British Muslim school governor banned LONDON—A British Muslim school governor has been banned from having any involvement with schools after being accused of ‘undermining British values’. Tahir Alam, former chair of governors at Park View Educational Trust in Birmingham, was banned by the British Department for Education (DfE) owing to his engagement in conduct “aimed at undermining the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths or beliefs,” according to Hardip Begol, director of assessment, curriculum, qualifications and accountability at DfE.—AP

LAHORE: Major General Umar Farooq Burki, Director General Pakistan Rangers was presented with a bouquet of flowers by Indian Border Security Force after he crossed Wagah Border for Bi-Annual talks with BSF on Wednesday.

Pakistan pleads world to redress refugees woes OBSERVER REPORT NEW YORK—While describing the global refugee crisis as a humanitarian catastrophe in which the suffering of children was unprecedented, Lodhi said that the post-2015 agenda of the UN seeks to end extreme poverty, promote prosperity and well-being for the people, besides protecting environment for ourselves and future generations.

Speaking as President of the UNICEF’s Executive Board in its second regular session Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, made an impassioned plea to the world community to live up to its responsibility to address refugees problems. She said, the global refugee crisis was the “most horrific”.

She described this as a humanitarian catastrophe in which the suffering of children was unprecedented. She recalled that just last week the harrowing and heart breaking image of a three year old toddler lying dead on a beach after his parents’ desperate flight from conflict had reverberated across the world.

This, she added, should shake the international community’s collective conscience and prompt urgent action.

Describing UNICEF’s Executive Board Session as momentous, Ambassador Lodhi said that this was taking place on the cusp of a historic milestone: the adoption of the United Nations post-2015 development agenda at the Sustainable Development Summit later this month. She said that the Post-2015 agenda, with its 17 sustainable development goals and 169 targets for

the year 2030, seeks to end extreme poverty, equitably promote prosperity and well-being for the world’s peoples, and protect the environment for ourselves and future generations. “It is the most ambitious human endeavor of its kind, transformative in its goals and in its envisaged implementation”, she added.

Ambassador Lodhi told delegates this was “our chance to make history.”

The post-2015 agenda proves to the world once again that “we, in the United Nations do more than talk.” She asserted that in crafting the post-2015 agenda member states had set aside their differences to reach consensus on a shared vision of human progress – for themselves and future generations. And “we have proven that we are ready to take decisive, collaborative action to make that vision a reality.”

Dr Lodhi recalled that it been said many times before that the poor will always be with us. But she said that for the first time in history this assumption is being challenged. It is being challenged through the SDGs and post-2015 agenda. This new agenda, she said, would require changing old ways of doing business and embracing innovation.

“It will require reaching every child, especially the most disadvantaged and vulnerable”, she added.

Ambassador Lodhi noted with concern that too many emergencies were grossly under funded and pressed for urgent attention. She said that funding of UNICEF was not keeping pace with the demands placed on the organization by burgeoning emergencies.

International moot on countering violence

Daesh poses threat to Afghanistan, region: Mosazai ZUBAIR QURESHI I SLAMABAD —Afghan Ambassador Janan Mosazai while addressing a seminar here on Wednesday cautioned that Daish is going to pose a major threat to the regional peace as Tehreeke-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) elements are joining it in large numbers.

“Having suffered so much at the hands of terrorist groups, Afghan nationals fear another decade of turbulence,” he said.

Afghan envoy was addressing the first session of a 2-day international seminar on “Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan.”

Speaking about Afghanistan’s response to the problem Mr Mosazai said Afghanistan’s fight against terrorism was not only for its own security, but for peace and prosperity of the entire region.

He underscored the need for regional cooperation to counter growing threat of terrorism and extremist violence. He regretted that the states in the region have not still agreed on the basic principles that could form the basis of cooperation.

“We have to keep asking ourselves the questions having suffered so much at the hands of terrorists groups are we ready to suffer from another group for a further decade. If the answer is NO, we then need to rethink our policies and strategies and move towards state to state cooperation.”

He further asked for closing down of centers of propagation of extremist views.

The two-day International Seminar on

‘Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan’ is organized by Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) in collaboration with German foundation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung for discussing and sharing experiences about countering this menace.

The seminar also aims at exploring the way forward, whereby different countries could work together to defeat this problem by building upon what has already been done.

Speakers on the first day of the event that featured presentations by foreign envoys, national experts, political leaders, and so academicians called for cooperation among states both at the level of the government and society.

They addressed the issues of violent extremism which is a legal and political challenge; international perspectives and response strategies; and above all Pakistan’s own experience of fighting the problem.

President CPGS Senator Sehar Kamran, while opening the seminar said, violent extremism was one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century, which transcended borders.

German Ambassador Ina Lepel said Germany considered Daesh and its support networks as the most dangerous threat to global security.

“Germany follows a holistic, approach with a strong focus on prevention.

Programmes offered by federal, state and local authorities focus on, but are not limited to, youth and women,” she said adding improving the overall conditions for the Muslim communities and thus the reduction of grievances is an integral part of Germany’s strategy.

CM: Sincere efforts afoot to overcome energy crisis STAFF REPORTER LAHORE—Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan Muslim League-N government led by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has worked round the clock on energy projects during last two years.

He said sincere efforts being made for the implementation of power projects by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif are unprecedented in the history of the country.

He said that a conspiracy was hatched in the form of a sit-in last year to undermine the efforts of the government in this regard but the time has passed now and progress is being made on power projects with a new spirit and determination.

He said that government has three priorities including unity of political and military leadership at the national level in the war against terrorism, implementation of power projects for resolving energy crisis and strengthening of national economy.

He said a section of the media has misreported the facts about one hundred megawatt project in Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park which is providing electricity to national grid for the last five months The Chief Minister was addressing a press conference, here Wednesday.

Shahbaz Sharif said we do not need any appreciation but the efforts being made under the guidance of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif will continue.

He said that 3600 megawatt gas-based energy projects will be set up in Punjab, of which, two projects of 1200 megawatt will be set up by federal government while Punjab government will set up a project of 1200 megawatt from its own resources.

Replying to a question, the Chief Minister said that Prime Minister held a meeting the other day regarding Nandipur Power Project and took timely decisions. He said that whatever happened with this project it was before we came into power, Supreme Court has taken its notice.

He said that the machinery of this project remained lying at Karachi Port for three years in previous tenure due to Babar Awan and this project was buried and ruthless plundering was committed in this project.

He said that work is continuing on 1320 megawatt coal based power project in Sahiwal and if anyone again tried to revive

Continued on Page 7

sued a hardline warning to Iran on Wednesday that as president she would “not hesitate” to take military action to stop the country from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Casting herself as a key player in talks that led to the landmark agreement to control Iran’s nuclear program, Clinton praised the accord as part of a larger Middle East strategy even as she stressed that it is not a step toward normalizing relations. We should anticipate that Iran will test the next president,” she told a Washington think-tank. “They’ll want to see how far they can bend the rules.”

The Democratic presidential contender and former secretary of state said: “That won’t work if I’m in the White House. I’ll hold the line against Iranian noncompliance.”

She coupled her remarks about the Iran deal with a call to convene an emergency gathering at the United Nations to tackle the crisis of Syrian and other refugees flooding Europe. She said the crisis is a “global responsibility,” the U.S. should lead the effort and countries at the conference could pledge to accept migrants or donate aid money.

Clinton spoke as Congress prepared to open debate Wednesday on the deal. Democrats have clinched the votes needed to block passage of a disapproval resolution against the accord, a win for the White House against united Republican opposition.

But much of the responsibility for enacting the agreement will fall on the next administration, making the issue likely to linger in the presidential campaign.

The deal would require Iran to limit its nuclear program for at least a decade in exchange for

sanctions. Republicans are seizing on opposition to the deal among much of Congress and many American Jews to criticize Clinton, frequently casting the agreement as a plank of an “Obama-Clinton foreign policy.” A new Pew survey released on Tuesday found that just 21 percent of Americans approved of the deal — a 12-point drop since mid-July.

In her remarks, Clinton attempted to reassure skeptics by threatening serious penalties for violations, including possible military action. She offered strong support for Israel, whose leaders strongly oppose the agreement, promising that if elected she would invite the country’s prime minister to the White House during her first month in office.

The Iranians and the world need to understand that we will act decisively if we need to,” she said. “As president, I will take whatever actions are necessary to protect the United States and its allies.”—AP

Couple, 2 children murdered, bodies set on fire IRFAN ALIGI KARACHI—In a tragic incident here a married couple and their two young children were found dead with their throats slit with sharp tool. The family was stabbed to death with a sharp tool and their throats were slit.

Later the house was set ablaze.

A minor, who was injured, survived.

Among the dead were Qari Tariq Khan 45, his wife, Samina 40, son Saad 15 and daughter Romesa 13. Hammad

8 survived with serious injuries.Their neighbourers said that the family hailed from Dera Ismail Khan and was living in a small rented house for last two-and-a-half years.

Qari’s uncle Abdul Ghafoor owns the house, who lives upstairs. The incident occurred on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Initial postmortem report suggested that Tariq’s body was completely burnt while bodies of his wife and children were burnt partially.

MQM sacks Qamar after released by Rangers Freed on ‘humanitarian grounds’ STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—The Rangers on Wednesday released Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Qamar Mansoor after 49 days from what was to be a 90-day preventive detention.

The Rangers released Mansoor on “humanitarian grounds” as the initial investigation concerning him had concluded, a Rangers law officer said.

Officials at Anti-Terrorism Court-II confirmed the receipt of an intimation report from the Rangers informing the court of his release from their custody.

“During his 49-day detention, he was allowed to meet with his ailing mother,” the Rangers law officer said.

Although Mansoor has been released, the law official said the MQM leader had not been cleared of the charges

Continued on Page 7

Sayaf warns Pak to stop plots against Afghanistan K ABUL —Abdul Rab Rasul Sayaf, a prominent Jihadi leader warned Pakistan to stop plots against Afghanistan and if it continues he will mobilize the Afghan nation.

“If Pakistan plots continues we will ask the government to mobilize the people; otherwise, we will mobilize the Afghan nation and will take actions,” He urged the National Unity Government leaders to an-

nounce the date of parliamentary elections as soon as possible and call for Loya Jirga (National Assembly) to make a decision if they could not announce the election date. Sayaf also asked the government to bring reforms in the government, saying: “we want the NUG leaders to avoid actions to against Mujahedin; if the government fails to bring reforms I fear the government may fall down’.—INP

Molestation of girl

Pakistani doctor pleads not guilty CHICAGO—A Pakistani physician pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to allegations that he inappropriately touched a young girl in July while the two were seated together on an American Airlines flight.

The arraignment comes days after the girl’s parents filed a federal lawsuit in Des Moines, suing Chaudhry and American Airlines. Beatty said the airline should have done more to protect the girl, including putting her in a seat where she could be easily monitored.

The doctor is free on $100,000 bail. Among the conditions of his release is that he cannot fly, so he drove the 16 hours from Oklahoma to Chicago for Tuesday’s arraignment.

The girl had sent text messages to her mother explaining that a man had inappropriately touched her. “I want to get away,” one text said. A few seconds later, she added, “Mommy, I’m scared.” The mother fainted when she got her daughter’s texts, family Continued on Page 7

PAF training aircraft crashes ISLAMABAD—An F-7 training aircraft of the Pakistan Airforce (PAF) on Wednesday crashed near Mastung area of Balochistan province, pilot remained unhurt.

According to PAF spokesperson, the F-7 aircraft was on regular training flight when it the plane was crashed and no loss of life was reported, as the pilot was able to safely evacuate from the aircraft, which was destroyed in the crash.

The PAF spokesman said that an inquiry board has been formed to find out the reasons for the accident.—INP

Green tea component upsets cancer cell metabolism

A

NEW study reveals how an active component of green tea disrupts the metabolism of cancer cells in pancreatic cancer, offering an explanation for its effect on reducing risk of cancer and slowing its progression. The researchers believe the discovery signals a new approach to studying cancer prevention.

Reported in the journal Metabolomics, the study explores the effect of epigallocatechin gallate or “EGCG,” an active biological agent of green tea. It shows that EGCG changes the metabolism of pancreatic cancer cells by suppressing the expression of lactate dehydrogenase A or LDHA, a critical enzyme in cancer metabolism.

Metabolism is all the chemical reactions that occur in cells - such as extracting and using energy - that keep them alive, growing and multiplying. These cells can be normal, and they can also be cancerous. Numerous studies have previously suggested green tea and its extracts may provide suitable treatments for cancer, as well as other diseases.

For example, one published in 2012 suggested that drinking green tea may lower risk of digestive system cancers in women while another found EGCG delivered intravenously directly to tumors made two-thirds of them shrink or disappear within one month.

But, until this latest study, from Dr.

Wai-Nang Lee of the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) and colleagues, it has not been clear how green tea and its extracts work to reduce the risk of cancer or slow growth of cancer cells.

The researchers found that EGCG an active biological agent of green tea - disrupts metabolic flux in cancer cells in a similar way to oxamate, a known inhibitor of LDHA. Using state-of-the-art metabolic profiling techniques, Dr. Lee and colleagues found EGCG disrupts the rate of turnover of molecules - known as “flux” - through a metabolic pathway in pancreatic cancer cells.

They found EGCG disrupts metabolic flux in cancer cells in a similar way to oxamate, a known inhibitor of LDHA. They concluded that both EGCG and oxamate reduced the risk of cancer by suppressing the activity of LDHA, which in turn disrupts metabolic functions in cancer cells.

The study is significant because there is a widely held belief among scientists that to treat cancer you have to use molecular mechanisms. Now there is a new possibility - change the metabolic system, as Dr. Lee comments: “By explaining how green tea’s active component could prevent cancer, this study will open the door to a whole new area of cancer research and help us understand how other foods can prevent cancer or slow the growth of cancerous cells.”

Crackdown on Savour Foods, Sufi Restaurant, Habibi and Chai Khana

People’s friendly outlets found serving ‘unfriendly’ food ZUBAIR QURESHI ISLAMABAD—District Administration in its ongoing anti-adulteration drive netted some big fish of the food business including people’s ‘friendly’ Savour Foods, Sufi Restaurant, Habibi, Chai Khana and a few others.

The news of crackdown on the erstwhile hygienic and affordable restaurant in the Blue Area (best known for its pulawo kabab) spread like wild fire as the restaurant catered thousands of the customers and families daily with its mouthwatering chicken, rice, kabab and other items.

Additional Deputy Commissioner along with AC city, food inspectors and police officials raided the 3-storey restaurants and inspected its kitchen, store rooms, godowns and dining halls. The inspection team found the quality and hygienic standards of the

USAID delegation meets Tariq Fatemi

restaurant below the mark and ordered its immediate closure. Likewise, axe also fell on the restaurants in F-6, F-7, F-10 and I-8 sectors where elites of the city go for dining.

The ‘delayed awakening’ by the district administration is widely hailed by the residents though they have to change the plan of dining out for the upcoming weekend as these eatery points would be either sealed or would close down their business after paying heavy fines.

On September 9 alone, 51 inspections were carried out by the district administration under its ‘anti-adulteration’ campaign. A total fine of Rs144,000 was charged from these food outlets.

Around 37 caterers were arrested while 17 premises were sealed.” The staff working in kitchen of the most of these restaurants was ignorant of

health precautions nor were they medically examined periodically which is a prerequisite,” said a member of the raiding team.

We have summoned the health certificates of all kitchen staff employed not only by the Savour Foods but other restaurants too, he further said.

In connection with the crackdown district anti-adulteration team also raided a food-packing factory in Golra and ordered it to be sealed as well, after officials found the food to be substandard.

It may be mentioned here that since Monday this week, the district inspection team has come into action as pressure is mounting on the government to find out what is being brought, cooked and served at the mushroom restaurants of the city.

Dirty kitchen, unhygienic food

and environment, poor health standards of the staff, substandard food items being served to the customers are a common factor in almost all the catering houses, food restaurants and outlets.

District Administration in Islamabad has ordered to seal ‘Savour Foods’ in Blue Area after officials found their kitchen to be operating under unhygienic conditions and presence of substandard food items. The credit for food consciousness goes to one and only Ayesha Mumtaz Director of the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) who is known as “Gabbar Singh” for the sellers of unhygienic food in the province. News of Ayesha Mumtaz-led operations residents of Islamabad called for a similar operation in Islamabad as one could see issues of hygiene and food quality in the local food restaurants.

All-out efforts being made in pushing polio virus towards finish line

STAFF REPORTER I S L A M A B A D — U S A I D ’s

Acting Assistant to the Administrator for Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs, Larry Sampler called on Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Syed Tariq Fatemi here on Wednesday.

The meeting focused on the broad areas of cooperation between Pakistan and the US as well as USAID’s ongoing projects in Pakistan, a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction at the current state of Pakistan-US relations and appreciated the USAID’s role in investing in the social sector in Pakistan that has a direct impact on the lives of the people.

Tariq Fatemi briefed the USAID’s delegation regarding the government’s new policy framework towards the International Non- Governmental Organizations (INGOs) operating in Pakistan.

He underscored that this new policy will contribute Ladies participating in function to celebrate 67th Anniversary of founding of the Demo- towards enhancing the cratic People’s Republic of Korea at a local hotel.—DNA INGO’s efficiency and transparency in their work.

NGOs, social workers and media persons LIAQAT TOOR shared celebrations with Ambassador Kim I SLAMABAD —Amidst the waning tension Thae Sop who exchanged greetings with in Korean peninsula, the Embassy of Demo- everybody present in the gathering.

Pakistan and North Korea began its cratic People’s Republic of Korea hosted a show to celebrate 67th Founding Anniver- warm relationships in 1970s.

On Tuesday, Seoul and Pyongyang sary of its country in a local hotel.

Diplomats including Chinese ambassa- agreed to hold reunions of families sepador Sun Weidong, representatives of rated by the Korean War.

DPRK National Day

Waning tension in Korean peninsula

ITP FM Radio 3rd annual awards ceremony ISLAMABAD—Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) FM Radio 92.4, 3rd annual awards distribution ceremony held here at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA).

Federal Minister for Information Broadcasting and National Heritage Parvaiz Rashid was the chief guest on the occasion. The awards distribution ceremony was also attended by Inspector General of Police Tahir Alam Khan, SSP Traffic Malik Matlob Ahmed, Station Director FM 92.4

Eid shopping getting momentum ISLAMABAD—Only two weeks left in Eidul Azha, rush in markets started getting momentum especially on garments and shoes shops for completing their shopping to celebrate the forth coming festival. Rush at shops is comparatively much less as compare to Eid Fitr as priority of people is to get a suitable sacrificial animal but children have no compromise on their demand for looking trendy, unique and

Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio addressing Civil Society Leaders Forum to support immunization and polio eradication. in creating an enabling environment spoke on the ground realities being STAFF REPORTER for polio workers to perform their tasks faced by the communities and sugI SLAMABAD —Senator Ayesha Raza and build a positive perception in the gested means to enhance awareness Farooq, Prime Minister’s Focal Person society for Routine Immunization ser- and demand for the immunization seron Polio Wednesday said Pakistan vices. Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, vices in the country.

Earlier the Chairman Board, MEPolio Program has gained a lot and all- presented the efforts of the governout efforts are being made in pushing ment undertaken to curb the polio DIATIONS Wajih Akhtar set the context and objectives of the National the poliovirus towards the finish line. menace.

Commenting on the Mandatory Child health Consortium. He said the She said in a forum organized by Mediations Pakistan to extend the Immunization Bill tabled by her in the basic objective of the consortium is commitment to support Immunization Senate of Pakistan, she said under the to enhance the awareness on the rouand Polio Eradication initiative in the oversight of the Prime Minister it is an tine immunization and polio among country. Leading civil society repre- effort to improve the current state of communities and society at large to create an enabling environment for sentatives and activists were also immunization.

She said it is our collective respon- vaccinators to perform their job and present.

Leaders from different shades of sibility as a society to protect our chil- to manage perception of target groups lives agreed to form a National Child dren and we owe a healthy life to our making them more receptive towards Health Consortium to raise their voice future generation. The participants, immunization services.

stylish among their friends, relatives and peer.

Garments shops seen over crowded with children of all age groups who came with cherished faces trying to grab every attractive dress or shoes of their choice in their custody.

Girls also visited jewelry, cosmetic shops finding matching accessaries with their costumes to give a perfect look while women seen more interested in cutlery and grocery.—APP

Aisha Jamil, senior officials of ITP,staffer of FM 92.4 and large number of people from different walks of life. The presenters, co presenters and technical staff who achieved awards for their best shows include Marvi, Chacha Jani, Umar Hayat, Quratul Ayen, Zebi Pyare, Hanan Rafey, Sajjad Ahmed, Adeel Khan, Inayatullah Kharoti, Dr. Sajjad Ahmed, Maryem, Humma and Rizwan Bashir.

Inspector General Police Tahir Alam Khan, addressing the ceremony,

said that this is the first FM Radio project iniatied by Police for creating awareness among the people regarding traffic rules.

Appreciating the volunteers working in FM 92.4, he said the project is being operating without any budget and contributing a lot in creating awareness among the road users.

He congratulated the award winners and expressed resolve that ITP would serve the people with more dedication and commitment.— APP

Migratory birds to be provided full protection: Dr Anees I S L A M A B A D —Recentlyconstituted Wildlife Management Board would take all necessary steps to provide full protection to migratory birds visiting Rawal Lake every winter against illegal hunting. While talking to APP Dr Aneesur Rehman,Chairman Wildlife Management Board said that the board has been constituted recently and it would make all out efforts to protect the birds and fish from illegal hunting.

He said that the Wildlife Management Board would provide a boat and

other necessary equipment to the staff deputed to protect wildlife at the Rawal Lake.

“If the government provides necessary funds for purchase of equipment,not a single shot would be fired and not a single bird would be killed in the coming winter season”,said Dr Anees.

He said that he organized a joint meeting of the concerned officials of Islamabad Capital Territory ,Capital Development Authority and Small Dams Organization in this regard and a very positive response has come from

all the departments.

Hammad Kiani of Himalayan Wildlife Foundation told APP that the Indus flyway is one of the seven routes around the globe birds use to escape severe weather conditions, and feed and breed in some cases.

He said that the migratory birds from Siberia start arriving in October and November and stay here till March. He said that migratory birds escape harsh cold in Russia and China and travel more than 4,500 kilometers to enter Pakistan from the north and following the

mighty Indus River all the way down to the south, stopping at more than 300 water bodies and wetlands dotting

the land.

To a question he said that cranes, ducks-mallards, common pochards, com-

mon teal, northern pintail, northern shoveler, cormorant, snipes, stints, plovers, gulls and score of other birds fly to Pakistan every winter.

He said that besides other issues,hunting around the Rawal Lake is a bigger concern for the ecolologists.

Ecologists and environmentalists are of the opinion that the number of migratory birds visiting the lake is dwindling every passing year due to water quality,habitat destruction,forest decline and indiscriminate hunting,he said.

According to an official in the Capital Development Authority’s Environment Wing, hunting was strictly prohibited but there are cases every winter when the migratory birds around the lake are hunted, mostly before the sunrise. He said most of the species of the migratory birds coming into or flying over Pakistan during the winter months are listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cities) with other endangered species in Pakistan.

The wetland biologists

were of the view that there is a need to take effective measures to maintain attraction of migratory birds, especially for Rawal Lake, which was once one of the attractive destinations for them.

There are a number of people, including foreigners, who love watching birds at Rawal Lake and many of them opined that the fast declining natural environment due to cutting of trees has made this water reservoir a less attractive destination for migratory birds.—APP

Fajar Zohr Asr

05:00 01:30 05:30

Meghrab at Sunset Isha 08:45 Brothers in Islam establish regular prayers & charity

September 10

Conference A two day national conference on “Building Knowledge Based Economy in Pakistan: Learning from Best Practices” will be organised by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute with support of the Hanns Seidel Foundation Islamabad, at Shamadan Hall of Islamabad Serena Hotel, on Thursday at 9:15 am. ****

Seminar SEMINAR on “Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan” will be organised by the Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies in collaboration with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung at Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services, F-5/2, on Thursday at 9:30 am. ****

Youth Policies

AIOU, MCB sign MoU to facilitate tutors, resource persons STAFF REPORTER I SLAMABAD—Allama Iqbal Open University signed Memorandum of Understanding with Muslim Commercial Bank to facilitate its hundred thousand tutors and resource persons across the country.

The bank will issue Lite cards to tutors and resource persons associated with the University to receive their payment of remuneration instantly anywhere in the country. The signing ceremony was held on Wednesday in the Council Hall of University in which senior officials from both sides were present.

The MOU was signed by the Registrar AIOU Dr. Naeem Qureshi and Business Head of MCB Bank Farhan Baig.

Addressing on the occasion Vice Chancellor AIOU Dr. Shahid Siddiqui said the memorandum between two organizations is a pivotal milestone in the history of University that will strengthen tutorial network of University all over the country.

He said the University has a nationwide network of regional campuses to educate

more than a million students where local teaching faculty is hired as tutors and resource persons.

He said the existing practice of payment of remuneration through cheques is prone to causing delay in the payment.

The VC said the adoption of the latest banking system and the payment through ATM will facilitate more than a hundred thousand tutors and resource persons in their hometowns.

He said the University will extend this kind of facility to retired employees to receive their pension who face logistic problems to come to University every month to collect their pension. He further said the University will continue to adopt modern Registrar AIOU Dr. Naeem Qureshi and Business Head of MCB Farhan Baig signing MoU.—DNA technologies to strengthen its system and facilitate students and teachers.

It is important to mention that the Lite card for the AIOU tutors and resource persons will be internationally acceptable for any kind of payment and fund transfer. Its users will be able to use it electronically through their mobile phone application all over the world.

Saeed, Shahzad Azhar, Rasheed Amin, STAFF REPORTER Fakhira Batool, Aslam Saghir, Riffat R AWALPINDI —In order to pay homage Waheed, Hassan Zaidi, Kaleem Ehsan Butt, STAFF REPORTER and tribute to the martyrs of 1965 war, a Khurram Khaleeq, Asghar Abid, Naseemmushaira was held on Wednesday at e-Sahar, Rasheed Saqi, Shoib Hameesh, I SLAMABAD —The Nazriya Rawalpindi Arts Council (RAC) in collabo- Abdul Qadir Taban, Aftab Zia, Wafa Pakistan Council (NPC) has ration with literary society Sukhanwar in Chishti, Khawar Ejaz, Anjum Khaleeq, and arranged Quran Khawani for connection with the Defence Day celebra- Syed Arif.

Air Marshal (r) Masood Akhtar adthe departed soul of the fa- tions.

Renowned poet Syed Arif presided over dressing on the occasion described the role ther of the nation, Quaid-iAzam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the mushaira while Air Marshal (r) Masood of Pakistan armed forces for making the deat his 67th death anniversary Akhtar was the chief guest and famous poet fence of the country impregnable.

Resident Director RAC Waqar Ahmed Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad at Faisal Mosque on 11th Sep Khawar Ejaz was guest of honor, said s thanked all the participants. People from Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed (Friday) soon after Asr Prayer. news release.

President Sukhanwar Aftab Zia an- different segments of society including sciAmbassadors of many condolence over the death of wife of SenaMuslim countries besides a chored the mushaira. The poets who par- entist Sarfraz Minhas, Director Panah Dr tor Raja Zafar Ul Haq. The Prime Minister prayed for eternal large number of citizens of ticipated, Naveed Alvi, Muhammad Azam, Abdul Qayyum, Sqd Ld Ghulam Abbas, peace of the departed soul and commiser- twin cities will participate in Muhammad Din Hassan, Farhana Ali, Saeed Colonel Ammer, Ex-Chairman PAL Abdul ated with the bereaved family, a PM office Quran Khawani to be fol- Anwar, Fareed Zahid, Gul-e-Nazik, Allah Hameed, Tanvir Nusrat of Ahbab-e-Pakistan lowed by collective dua. Pir Dad Siddique, Hamid Shah, Zakir Mehmood and Colonel Bakhtiar of thinkers forum atstatement said.—APP Naqib-ur-Rehman, Sajjada Zakir,Ahmed Zahoor, Arshad Malik, Bushra tended the mushaira.

Nasheen, Aastana-e-Aalia, Eidgah Sharif, Rawalpindi will lead the collective dua.

Wife of Leader of House in Senate passes away

Roundtable Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) is organizing a roundtable titled “Pak-India Relations: Modi’ Government’s Approach and Pakistan’s Response” on September 15, at 3:00 pm at Institute of Policy Studies 1, St # 8, F-6/3, Islamabad. Air Cdre (Retd) Khalid Iqbal, Member IPS National Academic Council (NAC) will moderate the session.

Sacrificial animals market

CDA to hold auction today ISLAMABAD—The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Wednesday said that auction for a temporary cattle market in Islamabad area will now be held on September 10, 2015.

The market for sacrificial animals was to be set up near Sang Jani from Zil Hajj 01 to Zil Hajj 13, but now the venue of cattle market would be changed as the contractors were not satisfied with market at Sang Jani, a muncipal administration official Mehboob Ahmed told.—APP

Rich tributes paid to martyrs of 1965 war

PM condoles death I SLAMABAD —The spouse of Leader of House in the Senater Raja Zafar-ul Haq passed away last night after protected illness.

She was admitted in Shifa International Hospital. She was mother of Member Punjab Assembly Raja Muhammad Ali and Raja Aamir Azeem.

A National Forum on Provincial Youth Policies is being organised by the Bargad Organisation for Youth Development in collaboration with the Young Parliamentarians Forum and the United Nations Population Fund at Margala Hotel, Kashmir Highway, on September 10 from 9:30 am to 4pm.

September 15

Quran Khawani on death anniversary of Quaid at Faisal Masjid

Student tops college in intermediate exams STAFF REPORTER R AWALPINDI —Asmatullah Khan, a promising student of the Govt Hashmat Ali Islamia Degree College has secured first position in the intermediate exams (FA) with 850 marks.

Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani and Deputy Chairman Senate, Maulana Abdul The boy has topped the Ghafoor Haideri offering “Fateha” for the departed soul of the wife of Senator Raja college in the inter exams.

Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq, Leader of House in the Senate.

While talking to Pakistan Observer, Asmat said he intended to get admission in the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) as it is a prestigious institution of the country. He attributed his success to the college teachers, principal and his parents who guided him to achieve and make recommendations for speedy and MIAN ARSHAD the desired goal. timely implementation of the projects. The I S L A M A B A D —The National Assembly, Committee may also make recommendations Wednesday, has approved the constitu- for improvements that may result in cost and tion of a 22 member parliamentary commit- time reduction as well as provision of better tee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor services to the public. The Committee will also (CPEC). The Acting Speaker Murtaza endeavor to promote consensus and support Javed Abbasi has approved the Constitu- for CPEC in the federation. The Committee tion of Parliamentary Committee on China- will present its periodical report the both the Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Houses of the (Parliament). The Committee I S L A M A B A D — T h e NA Secretariat issued a notification in this has been authorized to make rules to regulate Islamabad Capital Territory regard. The Parliamentary Committee has its procedure.

(ICT) Administration has The Parliamentary Committee comprises established a six members been constituted in pursuance of motions adopted by the National Assembly on June of MNAs; Lt. Gen. ® Abdul Qadir Baloch, committee to ensure quality 24, and the Senate on July 10, 2015 and in Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, Sardar Awais of food items at control rates consultation with the Chairman Senate and Ahmed Khan Leghari, Dr. Ibadullah, in federal capital.

Isphanyar M. Bhandara, Aijaz Hussain Leaders of the Parliamentary Parties.

The members will take The Committee has been mandated over- Jakhrani, Asad Umar, Khalid Maqbool action against those insight of CPEC Projects to ensure implementa- Siddiqui, Akram Khan Durrani, Ghous Bux volved in selling sick anition of consensus reached at the APC meet- Khan Mahar, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, mals and overcharging. The ing held on 28th May, 2015. The Committee Syed Ghazi Gulab Jamal, Amir Haider Khan administration has also notiwill monitor the implementation of the projects and Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, fied two telephone Nos. 9108084 and 1819, to redress public complaints.—APP

Parliamentary Committee on CPEC constituted

Body established to check quality of food items

RCB to undertake 48 development schemes worth Rs 128 million

R AWALPINDI —The Rawalpindi Canton- nance of buildings and rubbish bins would ment Board (RCB) would undertake 48 development schemes in all the 10 wards of the cantonment at a cost of Rs. 128 million, during the current fiscal year.

Official sources revealed Wednesday, the Board has approved the development plan for general uplift of the cantonment for the current financial year. Required tenders have been invited through the press for the execution of the development plan, the sources said.

As per approval given by the RCB Board, five schemes of repair and mainte-

be undertaken at a cost of Rs 20 million while 16 other schemes in all the ten wards for roads and streets repair and maintenance would be carried out at a cost of Rs 45 million.

About 10 schemes of water supply would be carried out in each ward of RCB at total cost of Rs 40 million while on the uplift and construction of sewerage and drainage system Rs 20 million would be spent in the ten wards. For the supply of material to six schemes, the RCB would spend Rs 3 million. —APP

1500 teachers put on anti-dengue campaign duty Parents strongly resent R AWALPINDI —Without paying any attention to falling standard of education in government run educational institutions, the Punjab government has withdrawn 1500 teachers from primary, middle and high schools and placed on duty in antiDengue campaign in Rawalpindi district.

According to reports, the education department has directed the Heads of government and semi government schools in Rawalpindi and Cantonment areas of Rawalpindi to ensure cleanliness to prevent the disease in the city.

They have also been asked to arrange Walks in respective areas to raise awareness against the disease. To make the awareness campaign a success, monitoring teams officials reach schools early in the morning to discuss strategy thus wasting several hours of the builders of

the younger generation.

Parents of students have expressed their strong resentment over deployment of teachers on anti Dengue campaign duty and said as a result their children return home without any classes or home work.

They pointed out that they are unable to pay the high fees of private schools otherwise they would have preferred to shift their children where the education standard is somewhat better than government schools. They said that the number of students is falling in government run schools because of lack of interest on the part of the teachers on the one hand and on the other by placement of teachers on different types of duties like dengue campaign, census and election thus wasting the precious time of their children. —INP

A view of shutter down strike in Karachi Company following call of traders union to protest against withholding tax A view of Outdoor Patient Departments of Govt Hospital during strike by doctors for restoration of health risk allowance. on Wednesday.—DNA

Shah, Khan, Agha join Hurriyat (G) SRINAGAR—Freedom party chief Shabir Shah, National Front chairman Nayeem Khan and Anjuma-e-Shar-eShian president Agha Hassan have joined Hurriyat Conference led by octogenarian Syed Ali Geelani. Sources told media that after the deliberations of many weeks the trio have finally decided to join the conglomerate.

They said that the three leaders reached the residence of Geelani early Wednesday and a joint press conference is expected in the afternoon. Shah, Khan and Agha were part of Hurriyat Conference (M) however after certain differences they left the amalgam led by chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.—RK SRINAGAR: Well known Kashmiri leaders Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Shabbir Ahmed Shah and Agha Hassan on Wednesday joined Hurriyet (G).

AJK NEWS

Continued detention of Hurriyet leaders condemned SYED ALI RAZA MUZAFFARABAD—A meeting of parliamentary committee of ruling party of AJK,PPP, was held in Prime Minister House here on Wednesday presided over by premier Ch. Abdul Majeed.

The meeting strongly condemned the illegal detention of Hurriyat leaders, arbitrary arrest of Kashmiri youth and desecration of holy places by Indian forces in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and showed heartiest sympathy to the Kashmiri people.

The meeting also strongly condemned the unprovoked Indian firing on LoC and prayed “Fateha” prayer for the martyrs of line of control. An effective strategy was also made in the meeting for the provision of facilities to the masses at their door step.

The meeting also lauded the role of Pakistan Army Chief Journal Raheel Shareef on his bold stance over Kashmir Issue. The meeting paid tributes to Pakistan army on countless successes in operation Zarb-eAzab and prayed Fateha pryer for the martyrs of operation. The meeting also paid

tribute to government of Pakistan and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Shareef on giving preference to Kashmir Cause in talks with India. Addressing the meeting the premier lauded Army Chief General Raheel Sharif for adopting clear and bold stance on Kashmir.

He said Army Chief’s statement on Kashmir has boosted the morale of the Kashmiri people struggling for their right to self-determination. He further said that the Kashmiri nation fully stands with the Pak Armed forces for defending the frontiers of the motherland. He said that India could not suppress the indigenous Kashmir freedom movement by its nefarious designs and expressed the hope that a time will come in near future when Kashmiris will see the dawn of freedom of their motherland.

New chairman varsity statistics deptt MUZAFFARABAD—Prof. Dr. Kamran Abbas has been appointed as a chairman

of statistics department in University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir here on Wednesday. According to the details, Dr Kamran joined AJK varsity in 2006 as a lecturer.

He did his P.H.D degree in 2014 from china. Dr Kamran is including as most instinctual and quality research teachers of AJK Varsity. On the occasion of joining, the faculty members of statistics department Syed Masroor Naqvi, Atif Abbasi and others and students of the department welcomed their new chairman with zeal and zest.

Tributes were also paid to the services of former chairman Azhar Saleem on the occasion. Social and political circles of capital city Muzaffarabad also showed a satisfactory behavior over appointment of Dr Kamran. While talking to media, social figures of capital city Ishfaq Abbasi, Jawad Naqvi, Mohsin Nazeer, Sajjad Mughal and others said that Dr Kamran is the right person of chairman ship. They hoped that Dr Kamran will do his best for the progress of the department and provision of quality education.

AJK has great horticulture potential: Ashfaq OUR CORRESPONDENT MUZAFFARABAD—Kazi Ashfaq Ahmed, ex-Director General, Agriculture, Livestock and Daily Development, AJK government, has said that there was tremendous potential of developing horticulture in Azad Kashmir. The traditional ways of farming need to be replaced with modern mechanized agriculture with enhanced fruit preservation capacity. High quality apple is the major fruit crop of AJK besides

livestock rearing, sheep and goat, poultry, dairy farming, treatment of animals, vaccination and husbandy, he said addressing a farewell party given to him by his institutional friends here on Wednesday. Kazi Ashfaq has rendered a meritorious service and has had many professional training within and outside of Pakistan at his credit including 25 inservice trainings courses, NIPA and three abroad in the Neatherlands and Canada. Other speakers paid him rich tributes for his unblemished service and for the promotion of agriculture in Azad Kashmir.

Militant turned cops escape with service rifles DODA, JAMMU—Two mili-

Public sector employees protest for their demands in Srinagar on Wednesday.

tant turned cops Wednesday fled with the service rifles and some arms and ammunition in Doda district of Jammu Division. A police official told CNS that Reyaz Ahmed and Gul Muhammad both residents of Doda district managed to escape with an INSAS and AK 47 rifles. “The duo also managed to take some AK 47 magazines along with them,” the police official said.

“Both Reyaz and Gul were Hizb militants before joining police department and they presently were serving as SPO’s,” he said.—KW

Teen dies of gunshot RAJAURI, JAMMU—A teenage boy was found dead Wednesday with a bullet wound in Dhanwan village of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

The boy, identified as Akhil Chandan, son of Kamal Kishore, was rushed to the district hospital with a bullet injury on chest.However, doctors declared him dead on arrival.

It was not immediately known who killed the boy.—RK

Kashmir issue resolution to solve other problems: Basit SRINAGAR —Pakistani High Commissioner in New Delhi Abdul Basit has said that solution of Kashmir issue will itself solve many problems between Pakistan and India.

In an interaction with journalists on a TV programme, he said that India and Pakistan should strive to solve their basic differences whereas both the countries would have been living in peace if the Jammu and Kashmir dispute had not existed.

On a question regarding the extradition of Dawood Ibrahim, Basit replied that India itself is not clear in this matter as they changed their stance now and then.

When asked about the economy of Pakistan, the High Commissioner stated that issues in India have yet not resolved with mil-

lions of people living below the poverty line.

Basit also said that talks regarding hot pursuit and strategic strikes are made in India which is entirely inappropriate.

Meanwhile, Indian Police arrested Kashmiri trade union and freedom fighters after they called a daylong strike to protest a lack of help given by the Indian government to victims of the worst flooding seen in the region in more than a century.

The strike was a success despite the arrests, a sign of growing disappointment in Indian held Kashmir at relief efforts after Prime Minister Narendra Modi was initially praised for his swift response to the floods that killed more than 300 people and devastated half a million homes.—RK

Kashmiri leaders laud Pak stand on Kashmir SRINAGAR —Welcoming the statement of Pakistan Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharief whereby “he said that Kashmir issue should be resolved though UN resolution, APHC (G) leaders Mohammad Yousuf Naqash, Hakeem Abdul Rashid, Bilal Sidiqi and Syed Bashir Ahmad Andrabi in a joint statement issued today said that only implementation of UN resolutions will “guarantee” a peaceful solution to Kashmir issue and peace in South Asian region.

The leaders said, “Indian leadership should shun language of aggression and pon-

der over the real issues and voices of conscience should step in to urge India to shun rigidity and resolve Kashmir issue in its historical perspective and meaningful talks with Pakistan and Kashmiri people.”

The leaders “applauded” Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir saying no meaningful talks are possible without involvement of Kashmiris. “The fact of the matter is that without Kashmir as central agenda and involvement of Kashmiris no dialogue will neither move forward nor serve any purpose,” they said.—RK

Modi’s reckless defiance to solve Kashmir dispute threatens peace: Lord Nazir CHICAGO—“Tripartite negotiations between the leaders of All Parties Hurriyat confer- between India and Pakistan have yielded no Governments of India, Pakistan and Kashmiri leadership is the only way to resolve the outstanding dispute of Jammu & Kashmir,” said Lord Nazir Ahmed, Member, British House of Lords during the 52nd Annual Convention of Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) on the subject of, ‘Kashmir: A Case of Steadfastness.’

Lord Nazir said that prime minister Modi’s reckless defiance to resolve the Kashmir dispute is a threat to the regional peace and stability.

And the international community should be deeply concerned regarding Indian Chief of Army, Dalbir Singh’s threats of ‘a limited War’ with Pakistan . Two nuclear countries could spark off a regional war that will affect the entire world. He warned that BJP supported by Shiv Sinna and RSS are implementing their desire of ‘Hindutva’ and the international community should take notice of that.

Lord Nazir elaborated the continued massive human rights atrocities and the brutalities committed by Indian army in Occupied Kashmir for the last 25 years. The shelling of Indian army on the Working Boundary in Pakistan and Line of Control (LoC) has caused many civilian casualties which is a breach of international law. He appealed the United States administration to help end these atrocities in Kashmir; and persuade both India and Pakistan to explore a mechanism so that the people of Jammu & Kashmir can exercise their right of self-determination. “I want to see free distribution of pens and computers, and not guns and grenades,” Lord added.

Lord Nazir said that India and Pakistan cannot talk about Kashmir and at the same time exclude the Kashmiri leadership from these talks. The people of Kashmir are the important party to the dispute. He said that Kashmiri diaspora will play an important role to pave the way for creating a conducive atmosphere for the dialogue that can lead us to a durable and lasting settlement of the Kashmir dispute. Lord Nazir called upon Government of India to issue the passports to

ence to enable them to attend the forthcoming ‘Million-Man- March’ on October 25, 2015 in New York City. Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary General, World Kashmir Awareness said because both India and Pakistan, being nuclear weapon states directly

agreements. The missing element is the inclusion of the Kashmiri leadership in the talks with the support of the United States.

Fai said that some discerning observers perceive a growing awareness in the Indian middle class that the persistence of the Kash-

confronting each other, this dispute is potentially the most dangerous in the world. It should, therefore, be a major interest of the U.S. to prevent this dispute from exploding into a conflict which can be catastrophic for a large proportion of the human race. Fai dismissed the mantra repeated by Shushma Swaraj, the foreign minister of India that Kashmir was an integral part of India. Fai explained that Kashmir is recognized - under international law and by the United States - as a disputed territory. He quoted President Obama who said on November 8, 2010, that Kashmir was the long-standing dispute.

Fai explained that India repeats too often to resolve the Kashmir dispute through bilateral talks with Pakistan. The experience of sixty-nine years testifies that bilateral talks

mir problem weakens India by diminishing its stature among the great powers.

From Jai Prakash Narain, “We profess democracy but rule by force in Kashmir,” to Vir Sanghvi “ Let the Kashmiris determine their own destiny,” to Swaminathan Aiyar “Let Kashmiris decide the outcome, not the politicians and armies of India and Pakistan,” to Arundhati Roy “Kashmir has never been an integral part of India,” to Justice V. M. Tarkunde, “A grant of plebiscite to the people of the Kashmir Valley is the obvious solution,” to Ashok Mitra, “The issue in Kashmir is neither communal nor religious,” to Ved Bhasin, “Independent Kashmir would become a bridge between India and Pakistan,” are few examples to ponder upon.—Email

View from Srinagar

A year after Kashmir deluge SHUJAAT BUKHARI

A

year after the devastating floods hit Kashmir, there is hardly any recovery both at the psychological and reha bilitation level. On Monday entire Kashmir shut against the government apathy and people also paid tributes to those who lost their lives. They also celebrated the collective valour and compassion exhibited during those tested times, when the government had completely failed and had no address. It is a different issue that the then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also happens to be working president of National Conference, donated blood on the occasion and also supported the strike call given by traders community. Separatist organizations too had supported the call. This is Kashmir’s irony that when you are in power, you don’t deliver and when you are out you cry hoarse.

While Kashmir has shown exemplary resilience in standing up again, there are many lessons, which the deluge had thrown up for us. But we have the tendency to ignore them and move on. We are emotional people and get fooled as well. September floods had come after a century and the magnitude of this tragedy was huge. It was not a normal Kashmir that had to face this wrath of rain and water. Kashmir has suffered a lot since 1990. That perhaps was the reason that steely resolve came to the fore while dealing with this crisis as well. As the youth of Kashmir showed the way how this catastrophe can be dealt without any resources at the hand, it is undoubtedly the testing time that have faced in the shape of repression in two decades.

A year has passed and there is hardly any serious effort visible to rehabilitate the people who lost almost everything.

Many families are still living in tin sheds. While people recall the horrific experiences of the flood, they are also reminded of the false promises made by Government of India regarding their rehabilitation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared Kashmir Floods a “national-level disaster”, envisaging liberal financial assistance to the state government for the relief and rehabilitation of the victims. However, even as a year has passed, New Delhi continues to drag its feet on the promised rehabilitation package. The reluctance of Modi government has not gone down well with hapless Kashmiris.

Successive governments at New Delhi have repeatedly failed people of Kashmir, manifested by the deep-rooted alienation in the valley. We have been hearing a lot about the need to address this trust-deficit. Extending monetary assistance in the hour of the need is something the people cannot be deprived of.

There are instances when the cyclones and other such calamities hit other parts of India, the funding is not an issue. In case of Kashmir it has only pushed the people to the wall by being indifferent to their problems.

Failure of the central government to release the rehabilitation package was preceded by the failure of the state government to avert the disaster in the first place. Infact, people had started blaming the government immediately. The state administration had failed miserably. It was found napping as Jhelum waters surged ferociously and unleashed wrath in large parts of Kashmir. The widespread damage caused by the floods brought to light the absence of a proper disaster management mecha-

nism. Though it is not possible to avert all the natural disasters, there is a scope for minimizing the damage.

As the NC-led government failed to give first aid to people, the PDP-led government did no wonders. While it is ruling in coalition with BJP, which is also in power at centre, its failure to get a decent package cannot be condoned. The Agenda of Alliance on which both parties came into power seems to have been sent to dustbin. Either the Modi government is deliberate in making the state government to fail or it is the incompetence of latter to not to do anything tangible. Answer lies with both of them.

The reactionary approach of successive governments has meant that the state is not well prepared to deal with the disasters. A comprehensive strategy should be in place to face any exigency in a coordinated manner. The professional response to preparedness, prediction and prevention of disasters is all the more important a place like Kashmir which is vulnerable to natural calamities like earthquakes, floods, snow-storms, landslides and cloud-bursts. A fool-proof mechanism of rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the disaster affected people needs to be put in place. At least, the administration needs to be in a mode of alertness around the year.

It needs to strengthen the operational functionaries at all levels and enhance capacity building. Even after a year has passed the state government is yet to begin the basic work on preventing such calamities. Desilting of Jhelum and other water bodies must have been the first task of any government after such a devastating flood. But we hear that tenders have been issued. Same is the case of drainage system, which remains choked. If such small level tasks are not taken in hand how can

we expect the major project called Rehabilitation! Anger of traders community, which they registered by calling for a strike, was justified.

However, putting the onus on the government is not really the most useful way to think about a tragedy of the scale of 2014 floods. After all, the river (Jhelum) had held for decades with occasional and manageable problems that did not cause much destruction. Why did it fail so colossally in September 2014? What made Valley so vulnerable to flooding? What were the other factors, which snowballed to the size and ferocity of Kashmir floods? Apart from the official negligence, the public apathy towards the environment is a major factor for natural disasters.

From encroachments to unabated pollution and subsequent shrinking of water bodies, people are guilty in so many ways.

Unless we stop fiddling with nature for vested interests, it will always hit back; its ferocity only increasing with time. It is important to underline the responsibility of people who need to be cautious while even thinking of encroaching upon such vital areas. Civil society should also play its role in sensitizing the people about the dangers that loom large in wake of this selfish attitude.

One can hope that New Delhi too comes out of the slumber and treat the people who suffered in floods as humans. It must be kept in mind that Jammu and Kashmir is not a pampered but a discriminated state as far as the liberal funding is concerned.

—Courtesy: Rising Kashmir

Feedback at shujaat7867@gmail.com

Senate body echoes in favour of textile industry

LSE gains 15.04 points LAHORE—The Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE) here Wednesday witnessed bullish trend by gaining 15.04 points as the LSE Index-25 opened with 5633.06 points and closed at 5648.10 points. The market’s overall situation also corresponded to an upward trend as it remained at 676,700 shares to close against previous turnover of 547,200 shares, showing an upward move of 129,500 shares. While, out of the total 83 active scrips 17 moved up, 8 shed values and 58 remained equal. The top three Major Gainers of the day were Hascol Petroleum Limited, Orix Leasing Pakistan Limited and United Bank Limited by recording increase in their per share value by Rs 7.16, Rs 2.02 and Rs 1.25 respectively. Sui Southern Gas Company Limited, Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited and Bank AlHabib Limited lost their per share value by Rs 1.85, Rs 0.95 and Rs 0.31 respectively.—APP

Advisory for farmers FAISALABAD—Farmers should use the latest technologies by adopting September cultivation of approved sugarcane varieties to get bumper crop. A spokesman of the Agriculture Department told here on Wednesday that approved varieties have most resistance against various diseases besides giving high quality yield. He said the agriculture department had approved 18 sugarcane varieties for their cultivation in Punjab province. Among these varieties include CP-77-400, HSF-240, CP43-33, CP-72-2086, CPF237, HSF-242, CPF-243, SPF-245, CPF-246, CPF247, SPF-234, etc. He said CP-77-400, CP-72-2086, CP-43-33, CPF-237, HSF240, HSF-242, CPF-243 were the best varieties for September cultivation in Punjab. The varieties become ready for harvest early and give more yield than the varieties being cultivated in November or October. —APP

Meezan Bank wins award Staff Reporter KARACHI—The joint committee of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) and Institute of Cost & Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMAP) has awarded Meezan Bank’s Annual Report 2014 the prize of being the 3rd Best Corporate Report in the Banking sector. Mr. Shabbir Hamza Khandwala - CFO, Meezan Bank, received the award for Meezan Bank at a ceremony held in Karachi. The objective of the Awards is to give recognition to excellence in corporate reporting in order to promote accountability and transparency through timely, informative, factual and readerfriendly Annual Reports for all stake holders of an organization.

MIAN ARSHAD ISLAMABAD—After having a detailed brief-

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar presiding a meeting regarding arrangements for next session of Pak-US economic group.

COAS decision to continue operation against terror welcomed STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD —The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), an apex body, Wednesday hailed the decision of Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif for continuation of the operation till the complete elimination of terrorism from the country. Expressing complete solidarity with armed forces successfully fighting against terrorists and militants,President FPCCI Muhammad Adress while talking to media said the entire business community was fully supporting the armed forces for crushing terrorists. “We are proud of our armed forces and will continue to extend cooperation for successful operation against militants”, he said.

He said that nefarious designs of antiPakistan elements would be foiled and the country with the grace of Allah Almighty would ever survive well. He lauded the services of armed forces personnel who sacrificed their lives while fighting with terrorists. Vice President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chairman United Business Group and veteran trade leader, Iftikhar Ali Malik said that it was

high time that the nation as well as all political parties must boost the morale of armed forces and Pakistan Rangers for eliminating terrorists from the country. “In the prevailing critical situation, we should stand united as a nation to brave internal and external challenges”, he said.

He lauded that Chief of the Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif had expressed determination to lead the fight against terrorism in partnership with other law enforcement agencies and in line with the constitution. Iftikhar Ali Malik said that political stability coupled with better law and order, and laced with durable peace was pre-requisite for strengthening of national economy.

Federation VPs Hameed Akhtar Chadda, Haji Sultan Ahmad, Mian Farid Akram, General Secretary UBG Zubair Tufail, Chairman FPCCI committee on Diplomatic Affairs Malik Sohail Hussain, LCCI former SVP Meher Kashif Younis, All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association senior leader Pervez Lala others endorsed the aforementioned views. They said that they would not allow anyone to play with the destiny of the nation and the business community would fight against militancy.

KSE-100 gains 356 points to close in green AMANULLAH KHAN KARACHI —KSE-100 seems to have come out of the depression as it kept its bullish trend on the second consecutive day with a gain of 356 points to close in green at 33,830 levels here on Wednesday. Besides

strong support by the impressive financial performance of the corproate sector, the policy rate which is to be announced by the State Bank of Pakistan for next two months on September 12, 2015 is bound to have its impact on the stock market trends.

The policy rate is likely to remain un-

changed as there is no good reason for increasing the policy rate special when inflation rate is at historic low and world wide reduction in commodity prices including POL products which always affects the general prices. Meanwhile, the international oil prices rallied to US$46.38/barrel on Tuesday and held onto gains as positive data from Germany boosted equity markets in Europe and the US. Asian markets continued the trend, with Japan up by a staggering 7.7%. It is interesting to note that most of the economies are not in favor of reducing the oil out put to give a boost to oil prices which indicates that the current trend of oil prices will prevail in rest of 2015.

On the home front the market volumes remain depressed at 195 million shares while Dewan Cement continued to be the top performer in terms of volume with a trade of 13 million shares while Dewan Motor and TRG were the second and third volume eladers with 11.42 million and 10.77 million shares respectively.

—Reid Hoffman

STAFF REPORTER K ARACHI —Lucky Cement Ltd has reported net profit of Rs 12.43 billion for the year ended June 30th, 2015, which is 9.6% higher, compared to last year. Consequently, earnings per share (EPS) for the year increased to Rs. 38.44 compared to Rs 35.08 reported last year, said a press release of the company. “The company has also declared the final dividend of Rs. 9 per share for the financial year ended June 30, 2015”.

The company’s net sales revenue improved by 3.9% to Rs. 44.76 billion compared to Rs. 43.08 billion reported last year. The increase in net sales revenue was attributable mainly to increase in volume.

The local sales volume of the company during the year registered a growth of 7% with 4.42 million tons compared to 4.13 million tons reported last year, whereas export sales volume registered a decline of 4.5% with 2.37 million tons compared to 2.48 million tons reported last year.

Allied Bank donates Rs.10m to PIC STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—Allied Bank has donated Rs.10 million to Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) Lahore for the expansion of its emergency block, which would enhance its present capacity from 14 beds to 100 beds. In a simple ceremony held at PIC, Mr. Tahir Yaqoob Bhatti, Chief Commercial Banking Group, Allied Bank, presented the donation cheque to Prof. Dr. Nadeem Hayat Malik, Chief Executive, PIC alongside Aamir Fayyaz Sheikh, Trustee, Friends of PIC. On this occasion, Aamir Fayyaz Sheikh thanked Allied Bank for their generous contribution towards a vital project, which would help treat the ever-increasing load of heart patients free of cost, with care and facilities comparable to any private sector hospital. Tahir Yaqoob Bhatti, Chief Commercial Banking Group, Allied Bank.

Pakistan getting rapid technological growth: Anusha STAFF REPORTER I S L A M A B A D —A delegation of Microsoft led by GM Microsoft North Africa, East Mediterranean and Pakistan (NEPA), Ms Seila Serhan called on the Minister of State for IT Ms. Anusha Rahman in her office today and discussed various issues of mutual interest related to the development of IT sector in Pakistan. Chairman PTA Syed Ismail Shah and Member HR/IT Tahir Mushtaq were also present in the meeting.

Ms. Seila Serhan while apprising the Minister regarding her company’s strategy on the region stated that Microsoft believes in introduction of Microsoft technologies and trainings to transform social

sector delivery, foster local innovation and develop HR capacities. While appreciating the positive role of current government for introducing latest technologies, she said Microsoft wishes to work with Government of Pakistan in rolling out specialized programs covering diverse areas.

Anusha Rahman shared with the delegates that Pakistan is rapidly progressing in technological arena. Pakistan is first country in the SAARC, which has initiated and implemented successfully “e-office filing system”. It speaks of our determination and commitment towards achieving our government’s vision of “Accelerated digitization” for socio economic development and to expand knowledge based economy.

SECP to organize investor education seminars I SLAMABAD —The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and Riphah International University Islamabad have signed on Wednesday a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish cooperation to conduct investor education seminars for students. This is part of SECP’s investor education program launched under the brand name Jamapunji. Akif Saeed, Commissioner, Securities Markets Division, and Engineer Rafatullah Khan, Registrar, Riphah International University, signed the MOU. Under the MoU, the SECP will be holding regular seminars at Riphah International University on a continuing basis to educate students about the basics of savings, financial planning, investing and capital markets. Students will also learn about the Jamapunji web portal.—APP

ISLAMABAD: General Manager Microsoft Ms. Seila Serhan called on Minister of State for IT Ms. Anusha Rahman.

SMEDA CEO ties economic development with SME growth STAFF REPORTER

One of the challenges in networking is everybody thinks it’s making cold calls to strangers. Actually, it’s the people who already have strong trust relationships with you, who know you’re dedicated, smart, a team player, who can help you.

Lucky Cement reports Rs 12.43b profit

ing on grievances of All Pakistan Textile Association, the Senate Standing Committee on Textile Industry, Wednesday, proposed an umbrella organization to address the issues of Textile Industry. The Senate panel also discussed in detail the serious crisis engulfing the textile industry of Pakistan and has asked the government to liquidate the pending refunds to the textile exporters as early as possible. The committee met here with Senator Mohsin Aziz in the chair and asked Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to release the sales tax and customs refunds pending for over last three years and had piled up to more than one hundred billion.

The committee expressed concern over absence of a minister to look after the affairs of the ministry. The committee was given a detailed and all-encompassing briefing by Chairman Council of All Pakistan Textile Association, Zubair Motiwala which stated that high cost of doing business is the main cause of the serious crisis in the industry. The members were told that due

to intermittent raise in the prices of raw materials, production inputs and utility tariffs, cost of doing business in Pakistan has escalated enormously rendering our exports uncompetitive in international market.

In his briefing, he said that an enabling environment and competitive structure needs to be provided to the textile industry of Pakistan to cater the dying industry, which is at least growth level in the region. He said that textile industries of other countries in the region are growing fast because their governments support. The committee said that cotton crop sales are about to begin and government should address the textile exporters’ concerns immediately, otherwise the farmer of Pakistan would suffer terribly.

The committee also discussed a public petition pertaining to an appeal of Pakistan Textile Industry Exporters Association to allow zero rating sales tax facility on export oriented textile chain and restoration of SRO 1125(1) 2011 to its original status declaring textile sector as truly zero rated. The committee members unanimously agreed to bring back the zero rate mechanism and tax on local consumption.

LAHORE —Economic Development of the developed nations is based upon the growth of SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) sector, which can be the only way to achieve economic prosperity also in Pakistan and the SME development agenda should be on top priority at all levels of economy.

Talking to APP here Wednesday, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) Chief Executive Officer Muhammad Alamgir Chaudhry said that present government’s manifesto aimed at vigorous industrialization through SME development, as the SME sector was a proven engine of growth for employment.

The SME sector is, in fact, the backbone of economy in Pakistan with 3.2 million SMEs in the formal sector and presence of innumerable SMEs in the informal sector, he said, adding that 65 percentof the total SMEs in Pakistan are situated

in Punjab, 18 percent in Sindh, 14 percent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, two percent in Baluchistan and 0.6 percent in Islamabad. He mentioned that over 40 percent of Pakistan’s total GDP; USD 240 billion, comes from the SME sector alone.

Similarly, 46.46 percent of the total exports and surprisingly 80 percent of the total employments are being contributed by SME sector in the country. To a question, he said the SMEs create high number of jobs with lowest investment for instance, the cost of job creation in a garment unit of about 200 workers, being an SME based subsector of the textile sector, is approximately Rs 70,000 per job, whereas, the cost of per job in the Spinning Unit, being a large industry of the Textile sector is about Rs 1.1 million.

The CEO said that government, taking cognizance of the SME development, created Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) in October 1998, which has been evolv-

ing multiple initiatives including sector development strategies, business development services, common facility centers, training and handholding of the SMEs. The five-year SME Development Plan chalked out by SMEDA last year has attracted government attention because of presenting a number of initiatives for job creation through development strategies of 13 potential sectors, he maintained.

The plan is targeted to generate 10 million new jobs by establishing 270,000 new SMEs to be resulted into an increase of about $ 120 billion in GDP and an addition of national exports worth US$ 36 million in next five years, he said. He claimed that SMEDA, despite being a government organization, had given optimal results in SME development and has so far entertained 91,311 walk-ins at RBCs apart from developing 170 pre-feasibility studies of various sectors, 285 tailor-made business plans and 2,335 training programmes held with 100,0290 total

participants in 75 cities of the country.

SMEDA services and projects have mobilized a total investment of about Rs.28 billion up till now. To another question, he said that the world economies were making heavy investments on their SME development institutions so as to provide conducive environment to their SMEs for rapid and sustainable growth. For instance, the per capita investment to be made by Japan, Korea and Brazil on their SME development institutions is US $ 78.52, US $ 70.12 and US $ 7.24 per SME respectively.

Similarly, Turkey is investing on its SMEDA US $ 0.53 per SME and India is spending 0.09 US dollar per SME on its SME development department. As compared to the given facts, SMEDA, in Pakistan is currently operating with just 95 employees out of the 195 approved head count and the per capita investment to be made by government, which is USD 0.01 only.

Currency

Selling

Buying

USA

104.20

104.00

UK

160.44

160.13

Euro

116.39

116.16

Canada

79.02

78.87

Switzerland

106.34

106.13

Australia

73.47

73.33

Sweden

12.37

12.35

Japan

0.8660

0.8644

Norway

12.64

12.62

Singapore

73.71

73.57

Denmark

15.60

15.57

Saudi Arabia 27.78

27.73

Hong Kong

13.44

13.42

China

16.35

16.32

Kuwait

344.78

344.11

Malaysia

24.08

24.03

Newzealand

66.49

66.36

Qatar

28.62

28.56

UAE

28.37

28.32

Kr Won

0.0875

0.0873

Thailand

2.892

2.886

PCAA defends new aviation policy KARACHI—New Aviation Policy 2015 aims at creating local job opportunities, boosts, exports and revenue generation for bringing Pakistan at par with international aviation standards. Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) will earn revenue either in shape of annual fee structure or through appropriate quality partnership models.

The Policy envisages that Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models would also be followed to improve revenue streams and quality of service. The airport’s terminal side may be outsourced to worldclass operators of international standing through transparent and competitive bidding. For this outsourcing appropriate consultants will be hired to ensure efficient and professional management of the landside of airports.

Despite the international trend where airports are privately owned like Far East, Europe and America, which are privately owned, developed and operated by joint ventures of local and foreign companies, the airports in Pakistan would always be government owned and still remain the property of the government. Except those which are privately developed like Sialkot International Airport (SIAL). Even India has followed exactly the same pattern with all its international airports developed and operated by local and foreign companies including Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai.

New National Aviation Policy is developed in line with global and regional trends. All the relevant stakeholders were taken onboard as this policy seeks to facilitate passengers/ shippers offer low prices and helps to create local jobs.—PR

Oil prices drift lower L ONDON —Oil edged lower Wednesday in muted deals as dealers digested poor Chinese trade data and looked ahead to the weekly US stockpiles report, analysts said.

Brent North Sea crude for October slid six cents to $49.46 per barrel in London late morning deals.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in October fell 22 cents to $45.72 a barrel. WTI prices had also dipped on Tuesday in subdued trade following Monday’s closure of the New York Mercantile Exchange for the Labor Day holiday.

“We are seeing trading volumes for oil futures down a third than on average. The market seems to have shrugged off the weak Chinese trade data and is now looking beyond that for cues,” Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at IG Markets in Sydney, told AFP. “We might see some movement ... depending on how the US stockpile numbers turn out,” he said.—AFP

CPEC first phase to be completed by Dec 2017: Ahsan I SLAMABAD —Minister for Planning Development and Reforms, Professor Ahsan Iqbal Wednesday said that first phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) comprising the energy projects would be completed by December 2017. “These early harvest projects being completed under the CPEC will bring a rapid change in socioeconomic scenario of the country,” he made these remarks while addressing an interactive session on CPEC organized by Planning Commission of Pakistan in collaboration with Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies. The minister said that Chinese companies were burning midnight oil for timely completion of energy generation projects to generate about 10,000 MW electricity.

These companies were also working on the improvement of the transmission and distribution lines, which were currently unable to bear the load, and adding no significant planning and work had been carried out to replace transmission lines for the last many years. The minister said that these companies were also working on the gas pipelines to provide cheap resources for electricity generations besides work were also under progress in many hydel power generation’s projects and coal based power plants.

About 6,600 MW coal based power plants would be installed at Thar to tap the huge coal reserves of the area and make the area as power capital of the country, he added.

The CPEC would bring a massive change in the lives of the malnourished population of Thar area besides starting economic activities to improve quality of life, he remarked.

Ahsan Iqbal said that under the CPEC, Western routes are being developed to bring underdeveloped areas of Balochistan at par the developed areas.

He said peace, stability and social harmony were vital for economic development adding that positive things were happening as peace restored in the tribal areas. He said terrorist incidents were decreasing day by day since the launch of military operation Zarb-e-Azb, which had brought a significant change in Karachi’s law and order situation and economic affairs adding that soon “we will reach to our final destination”. Speaking on the occasion, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Sun Weidong said that his country attaches great significance to socio-economic relations with Pakistan and added, Chinese President XI Jinping had termed China-Pakistan as iron brothers.

He said that CPEC was like an engine of growth and development for the both countries and it had complete support of the people and political forces of both sides.

Besides, political relations between the countries, trade and economic relations were also strengthened due to the projects, which had full consensus and support of the people of two countries. The Ambassador said that leadership of both countries had given a clear roadmap and framework for regional integration through CPEC, which would benefit over three billion people of the region. He informed that 21st century was a century of globalisation and no country could survive alone adding that CPEC was a pilot project for the globalisation.—APP

Car financing reviving up sales volume in Pakistan AMANULLAH KHAN KARACHI—Based on the micro and macroeconomic indicators, political stability, and increase in foreign investment in Pakistan, a market of nearly 200 million people, the economy is predicted to further stabilize.

Auto demand in the country will rise following the expected income per capita increase. Given the right environment and low car financing rates, the car financing industry in Pakistan will continue to grow. “Car Financing is an integral part of the Auto Industry and the recent trend is giving a positive outlook to both consumer financing and automobile Industry.

We see more and more people asking us about lease and financing options and it’s very healthy to see financial institutions come up with new offerings”, commented Raja Murad Khan, Managing Director of Carmudi Pakistan. Carmudi’s report on “Car Financing in Pakistan”provides a look into current and future state of the flourishing car financing market and how consumer attitudes towards credit have transformed in recent years. The findings in this report are based on studies by governmental institutions and authorities and interviews with financial institutions, car dealers, and banking experts throughout Pakistan.

The IMF stated that Pakistan made “significant progress” by fulfilling targets under

its $6.6 billion loan program. The country’s economy is on a high with low crude oil prices and $14 million in remittances from 6 million workers abroad. Following a 4.1% expansion during the last fiscal year, the IMF predicted a 4.5% growth in the economy starting July 1st of this year that was mainly driven by increased domestic demand in car sales and construction of 20% and 5% respectively.

Based on a 2014 study conducted by Nielsen,78% of respondents in Pakistan plan to buy a new or used car in the next two years.

Results from the report also showed that 89% of Pakistani respondents plan to upgrade their vehicles when they are financially sound. Car sales in Pakistan peaked in FY2012, reaching over 157,000 units, and are beginning to increase once again along with the rise of consumer lending amidst the healing economy.

Due to the rapid decline in international oil and commodity prices, auto demand in Pakistan has gone up and has had a trickledown effect on car financing demand in the country. Between July 2014 to March 2015, consumer financing saw a growth of 6.4% (Rs. 16 billion), down from 9.8% (Rs 21.5 billion) in the same period of the previous year. Due to high demand for new car models and amended regulations permitting banks to provide financing for vehicles older than nine years old, auto loans posted a 20% increase, up from 17.8% the year before.

KPOGCL, ROSGEO Russia sign MoU I SLAMABAD —Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Company Ltd. KPOGCL and a joint stock company JGC ROSGEO from Moscow, the Russian Federation signed here Wednesday an MOU to cooperate in oil and gas Exploration and Production in Pakistan. The MOU was signed by Raziuddin Razi CEO KPOGCL and Roman S. Panov, CEO ROSGEO in the presence of Dr Anastasia S. Afanasyeva, General Director, ROSGEO, said a statement issued by the company. The Agreement envisaged longterm cooperation between KPOGCL and ROSGEO to perform various Oil and Gas Exploration and Production activities.

KPOGCL and ROSGEO agreed to promote the establishment and development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the above areas. The parties will develop cooperation on the key priority areas including increase of the economic potential of Pakistan through the identification of new hydrocarbon fields, efficient use of the natural resources of Pakistan, ensuring environmental protection and sustainability and carrying out of geological surveys within the territory of Pakistan, using the modern technologies and methods.

The JSC “Rosgeologia” will be responsible for the technical Planning and Execution, Rigs, Recorders, etc., whereas KPOGCL will be responsible for Security, logistics and transportation, gensets, earth moving equipment, cranes, tractors, camp facilities, local support manning, communication, local clearances, permits, licenses, business development etc. The cooperation of the Parties under this MoU may be implemented that the parties will take all actions and measures which are necessary for the materialization of the present MoU, for the purpose, the Parties will establish a permanent working group which will identify, study and evaluate specific projects of mutual interest, for every specific project, which the Parties deem of mutual interest.

The Parties will establish the appropriate scheme of cooperation, whether a legal entity or otherwise; the parties will consider the possibility to establish a joint company that will undertake the execution of the totality of this MOU, the Parties shall cooperate exclusively with each other concerning the subject matter of the present MoU.—APP

JCR-VIS assigns ‘A/A-2’ entity rating to Linde Pakistan KARACHI —JCR-VIS Credit Rating Com- solution provider in Pakistan, supporting pany Ltd. (JCR- VIS) has assigned entity rating of ‘A/A-2’ (Single A/A-Two) to Linde Pakistan Limited. The outlook on the assigned rating is ‘stable’, a statement said.

The rating assigned to Linde derive strength from the sponsor profile of The BOC Group Limited (BOC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Linde Group AG, Germany (Linde AG rated A+/A-1 by Standard and Poor’s and A2/P-1 by Mooday’s). Linde AG is one of the largest gas producing and engineering companies in the world. The group is present in more than 100 countries and operates through 600 affiliates. The functioning of the company reflects strong integration at the group level with audit and IT functions overseen directly by group level resources. Policy framework at Linde is also aligned with the group. Linde has implemented a strong information technology infrastructure with a centralised database providing real time access to each production facility. This allows structured information for management decision making and reduces turnaround time.

Linde is the leading industrial gases

the needs of industries and hospitals through its vast portfolio of atmospheric, specialty and medical gases along with hard tools for cutting and welding. Customer profile of the industry varies from oil and gas, petrochemicals, chemicals, power, mining, medicine, pharmaceuticals, food, fertilizer companies etc. In recent years, market prices have remained under pressure on account of excess supply and increased competition, slightly declining gross margins. Sales also remained marginalised despite increasing volumetric turn over and plant utilisation / loadings. For improving its margins, Linde has invested in production facilities to improve efficiencies, revamped its customer profile and rationalised its product line.

Debt profile of Linde comprises a mix of short and long-term debt, with the former acquired on a need basis for working capital financing. Leverage indicators remained within manageable limits. At current debt levels, debt servicing coverage remains comfortable with the company projecting further improvement in the same.—APP

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Prof. Ahsan Iqbal briefing to members of Civil Society in Pakistan on challenges and opportunities of ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor.

Low-cost LNG handy to shrink energy crisis ISLAMABAD —Receding oil prices and oversupply has hit the LNG market where buyer has become the decision maker therefore Pakistan can use to opportunity to settle energy crisis, a business leader said Wednesday. Many countries and multinationals have shelved LNG project while many have been delayed due to the negative outlook, said Patron Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders Shahid Rasheed Butt.

He said that Australia is worst it where 200 billion have been invested in the LNG projects while US LNG industry is also facing the heat as it can only become profitable when oil is traded at 75 dollar a barrel, which is not likely in a decade.

Shahid Rasheed Butt said that a price war seems on the horizon in which Qatar will emerge as winner as it is not only producing 31 percent of the global supply but its production cost is lowest in the world. Despite slump, the LNG supply which is 245 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) will be increased to 297 MTPA by 2017. Projects producing 100 MTPA have been completed recently while other 600 MTPA projects are under consideration.—PR

ICBC-PIEDMC committee to launch new industrial projects

Federal Minsiter for Industries & Production Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi in a group photo after meeting with Ekrem Demirtas, Chairman of Executive Board Izmir Chamber of Commerce.

MD/COO, OGDCL Zahid Mir shaking hands with Roman Panov CEO, JSC Rosgeologia after signing MoU.

L AHORE —A six-member committee constituted during a meeting held between Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and ICBC Chairman Mr Jiang Jianqing, has started working to launch new industrial projects in Pakistan particularly in Punjab.

Punjab Industrial Estates Development and Management Company (PIEDMC) Chairman S.M. Tanveer told media here Wednesday that the committee comprised three members from the ICBC (International and Commercial Bank of China) and three from Punjab including Punjab Planning and Development Department Chairman Irfan Ilahi, the PIEDMC Head Naveed Mushtaq Gill and PIEDMC Board Member Shahid Hassan Sheikh.

He said, the ICBC will assist in facilitating potential well-reputed Chinese industrialists in the Quaid-eAzam Apparel Park (QAAP) on Motorway-2 near Sheikhupura interchange as a pilot project. S.M. Tanveer said that Punjab Chief Minister during his recent visit to China has established massive contacts to bring investment in public and private sectors in Punjab and the entire country in the light of an agreement inked at Murree in April this year. According to this agreement, he added, the largest Chinese bank with reserves of more than three trillion dollars will provide technical.—APP

Muhammad Bilal Sheikh, President & CEO Sindh Bank presenting a cheque of Rs. 5 million to Professor Adeeb-Ul-Hassan Rizvi at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation.

Heavy taxes on imported fuel hurting economy: PBIF ISLAMABAD—Increased taxes on imported cent of the local market putting survival of fuel continue to hurt common man and economy while depriving masses from benefit of receding oil prices in the international market, a business leader said on Wednesday. The high prices of fuel at home has become a great incentive for smugglers who are thriving on low prices of motor fuel and gas in Iran and Afghanistan while border arrangements have failed to deter them, said President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF) and former provincial minister Mian Zahid Hussain.

He said that around fifteen to twenty percent petrol consumed in Pakistan is said to be smuggled from neighbouring countries, which is not only hurting revenues but also motorists due to rampant adulteration. Similarly, the smuggling of LPG continue to increase grabbing almost 30 per-

local producers at stake. Mian Zahid Hussain said that involvement of big fish and collusion among smugglers and terrorists cannot be ruled out.

He said that third upward revision in petroleum taxes since December proves the incompetence of export and other institutions, which has left government with no option to boost revenue. The situation has forced government to impose additional tax on bank transactions, which has resulted in non-compliance hitting businesses, banking and revenues, he observed. The veteran business leader said that nobility should be brought into the tax net to finance war on terror, which is in final phase requiring around two trillion rupees. Taxing aristocracy has become imperative to improve relations between government and taxpayers.—PR

National Twenty-20 Tournament

Nasir takes Rams to victory, Sialkot beat Hyderabad by 4 runs SPORTS REPORTER R AWALPINDI —Nasir Jamshed’s unbeaten 62 helped Rawalpindi Rams to seal a victory over Bahawalpur Region by 7 wickets in the match of National Twenty-20 Tournament played at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi.

Jamshed smashed eight 4s and a six on just 36 balls and was also declared Player of the Match while Naveed Malik assisted Jamshed scoring 51 runs on 43 balls including four 4s and four 6s.

It seemed hard for the Bahawalpur bowlers to bag wickets but Kamran Hussain, Zahir Siddiqi and Faisal Mubashir however got lucky to take one wicket each for 14, 26 and 10, respectively.

Earlier in the match Bahawalpur won the toss and had put their batsmen to test where they piled up a total of 125 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 20 overs.

Aamer Ijaz (33), Shahan Akram (15), Zahir Siddiqi (15 not out), Mohammad Yasir (12) and Waqas Khan (11) were the main scorers.

Rawalpindi’s Mohammad Amir stunned Bahawalpur batsmen with his superb bowling grabbing 3 wick-

ets for 23 runs in 4 overs. Hammad Azam also attained 2 wickets for 22 runs in 4 overs. Sialkot Region beat Hyderabad Region by four runs on Wednesday in the match of National Twenty-20 Tournament here at the Diamond Ground. Hyderabad won the toss and invited Sialkot to bat first where they scored 163 runs losing seven wickets in 20 overs. Bilal Asif (53), Shoaib Malik (52) and Haris Sohail (25) batted well. For Hyderabad, Babar Khan and Noman Ali took two wickets each for 20 and 33 runs, respectively. In reply, Hyderabad Region scored 159 runs for nine in 20 overs. Shoaib Laghari (29) and Azeem Ghumman (23) were the main batters. For Sialkot, Bilal Asif and Ammad Butt attained three wickets each for 11 and 50 runs respectively. Summarized Score: Sialkot Region: 163-7 in 20 overs (Bilal Asif 53, 7x4s, 1x6, 38 balls, Shoaib Malik 52, 4x4s, 3x6s, 28 balls, Haris Sohail 25, 1x4, 1x6, 15 balls, Babar Khan 2-20, Noman Ali 2-33). Hyderabad Region: 159-9 in 20 overs (Shoaib Laghari 29, 2x4s, 1x6, 22 balls, Azeem Ghumman 23, 2x4s, 25 balls, Bilal Asif 3-11, Ammad Butt 3-50).

Khalid Usman’s five-wicket haul

helped Abbottabad seize victory over Lahore Whites by 83 runs in the match of National Twenty-20 Tournament at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

With his five-wicket haul for 26 in 4 overs, Usman produced the best bowling for Abbottabad and was also declared player of the match.

Lahore Whites won the toss and invited Abbottabad to bat.

Abbottabad’s batsmen splendidly proved their merit and piled up a total of 198 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 20 overs.

Yasir Hameed hitting nine 4s and two 6s scored 67 runs on 43 balls while Younis Khan (61), Sajjad Ali (38 not out) batted well.

For Lahore Whites, Muhammad Irfan, Mustafa Iqbal and Hussain Talat grabbed 1 wicket each for 32, 30 and 19 runs, respectively.

In reply, Lahore Whites lost all wickets in 16 overs making only 115 runs.

Muhammad Hafeez (31), Saad Nasim (19) and Ahmed Shehzad (16) were the main scorers.

For Abbottabad, Junaid Khan and Yasir Shah bagged 2 wickets each for 19 and 22 runs, respectively.

National Senior Women Judo from today

Pakistan to meet England in ICRC Int’l T20 final

ICCI honours Pakistan’s Special Olympics squad MIAN ARSHAD

I S L A M A B A D — P a k i s t a n ISLAMABAD—Islamabad Chamber of Com-

P ESHAWAR —The 7th edition of the National Senior Women Judo Championship under the aegis of Punjab Judo Association in collaboration with Pakistan Judo Federation is going to organize from October 10, 2015 at Sports Gymnasium, National Hockey Stadium, Lahore.

This was stated by Secretary Pakistan Judo Federation Masood Ahmad while talking to APP here on Wednesday. He said besides organizing 3rd Junior and 2nd Inter-Provincial Women Judo Championship at same venue from October 8-12, 2015 for the promotion of Women Judo in Pakistan.

He said, the 2nd InterProvincial Women Judo Championship will be held from October 8-9. The aim of this Championship is to encourage the women of all provinces of Pakistan wherein women Judo teams from the provinces and different departments from all over the Country would take part.

He said through such Championships is to search out new talent from entire country. He said affiliated units of Pakistan Judo Federation comprising Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, FATA, Islamabad, AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pak Army, WAPDA, Railways, Police, Navy, HEC will vie for the top honor. WAPDA will defend his title, he said.

He said all arrangements in this connection have already been completed. With holding of the these event means providing ample opportunities to the female players to come and show their skills besides availing competitive exposures.

Masood Ahmad also lauded Col. Rana Shujaat Ali for his efforts in the promotion of Judo in across the province.—APP

RAWALPINDI: Khalid Usman was awarded Man of the Match for his five-wicket haul during Abbottabad Region vs Lahore Region Whites, Haier Mobile T-20 Cup, Group B match on Wednesday.

RAWALPINDI: A view of cricket match during Haier Q8 T-20 Cup between Karachi Region and Bahawalpur teams played at Murgazar Cricket Ground.

Zahid advises Amir to bowl as much as he can I SLAMABAD —Former pacer Muhammad Zahid has advised Muhammad Amir to go out on the field and bowl as much as he can.

Zahid said Amir had suffered the consequences of his mistakes, adding that Amir was a great talent back in 2010 and should have no problem in regaining that status when he starts playing international cricket.

“The period away from the game gave Amir’s body a break, but one that probably saved him from injuries which would have come from a high workload,” Pakpassion.net quoted him as saying.

Zahid said Amir is now returning to cricket as a mature human being and his body is also better equipped to handle the pressures of international cricket.

“My advice to Amir will be to go out and bowl as much as he can and work on regaining his form. Once he starts playing good cricket, all other matters will move aside,” he said.

Zahid said it will be interesting to see what happens when Amir does play FirstClass cricket. “Forget how his teammates may or may not feel about him but I am more concerned about the reaction of the paying public to seeing Amir on a cricket

pitch again,” he said.

Zahid said our home crowds may forget and forgive him as they love their heroes and tend to have short memories when it comes to famous people. “What I worry about is the type of reception he will get when he plays international cricket say for example in England,” he said.

Speaking about Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt, Zahid said the situation is slightly different in their case. “Age is not on Asif ’s side. He is, as per official records, thirty-two now but we really don’t know how old he really is,” he said.

Zahid said to make a comeback at this age will take some doing. “As with Amir, his skills are not the issue but his match fitness will certainly be an important factor. Asif may not have an easy pass as Amir would have to the national team as most people feel Amir was very young when he made that mistake,” he said.

Zahid said similarly for Salman Butt, he will find it very difficult to make room for himself as an opener in a team where we have developed a few opening options. “I really don’t see him making a comeback in the national team,” he said.— APP

disable team will take on England in the final of ICRC International T20 Tournament on Thursday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Pakistan captain Hasnain Alam in a statement on Wednesday said his team was in high spirits and eager to win the final encounter.

“I request entire Pakistani nation to pray our success. I assure that we will put in every effort to return home victorious.”

He said Pakistan team underwent an intensive training session at Sher-eBangla National Cricket Stadium under head coach Zafar Iqbal.

“Our players did a lot of physical training. They focused on improving their batting, bowling and fielding skills.”—APP

Potohar Football Tournament tomorrow I SLAMABAD —Pothar Football Tournament will begin on Friday here at the T&T Football Ground.

Organizer of the tournament, Syed Sharafat Hussain Bukhari told APP in all 32 teams of Islamabad will take part in the event and have been divided into eight pools.

The inaugural match of the tournament will be played between Haidry Club and Bolan Club.

The tournament will be played under the supervision of the Islamabad Football Association on knockout basis.—APP

merce and Industry organized a ceremony in honour of Pakistan’s Special Olympics squad that won 35 medals in Olympics 2015 concluded recently in Loss Angeles, USA. Mehfooz Elahi, Head of Pakistan’s Special Olympics squad and former President ICCI, Arshad Javed, National Director Sports, Special Olympics, Saeed Ahmed Bhatti Coach Special Basket Ball team and a large number of special players and their parents attended the ceremony on Wednesday.

Speaking at the occasion, President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Muzzamil Hussain Sabri said that in these circumstances, winning 35 medals for the country was a great achievement of Pakistan’s Special Olympics squad and added that the whole nation was proud of their performance.

He urged that government should pay special attention to these players, provide them financial patronage, arrange more grounds for them and consider allocating special quota in jobs for them so that they could play more effective role in society.

He assured that ICCI would cooperate with these players so they could secure more achievements in sports for the country.

National Director Sports, Special Olympics, Arshad Javed said Pakistan Sports Board provided accommodation and facilities for training of special players.

Pakistan win two silvers in weightlifting at Samoa ISLAMABAD —Another Weightlifter Abdur Rehman clinched a silver medal for Pakistan in the 77Kg category of the 5th Commonwealth Youth Games at Samoa.

According to Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWLF) Vice President Rashid Malik who is also the chief-de-mission of the Pakistan contingent at the Games, Rehman had a great challenge of the weightlifters from Cameron, Scotland and the host Samoa to reach the medal table.

Rehaman performed at his best by lifting 106 Kg in Snatch, 136 Kg in Clean+Jerk with a total of 242 Kg, which was good enough for Silver Medal for Pakistan.

This is the second biggest victory of Rehman. Earlier in January this year he won

a gold medal at Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships held at Doha, Qatar in January, and raised National flag at Asian Championships after 39 Years.

In total Pakistan has won two silver medals at the Commonwealth Youth Games.

All these two are from weightlifting.

Earlier Pakistani weightlifter Talha Talib clinched a silver medal in Youth Games.

Talha bagged the silver medal in the 55kg weight category of the mega event. In Tennis, Pakistan’s Muzammil Murtaza lost the quarter final.

Mian Muhammad Aslam, President Pakistan Weightlifting Federation and Chairman Punjab Weightlifting Association, Hafiz Suleman Butt have congratulated Rehman on winning the silver medal.—APP

Brazil thrash United States in International Friendly FOXBOROUGH (United States)—Barcelona

FOXBORO: Neymar No.10 of Brazil scores a goal during an international friendly against the United States at Gillette Stadium.

He sought patronization of the government for the players who have potential to achieve more successes for the country.

He said more volunteers should come forward and help in training and development of special players.

Head of Pakistan’s Special Olympics squad Mehfooz Elahi said special players have achieved more medals for the country as compared with the normal Olympics squads of Pakistan.

He said these playes need jobs to become more productive citizens of the country and business community should cooperate and encourage them.

Saeed Ahmed Bhatti, Coach of Special Basket Ball team said total 179 countries participated in World Special Olympics 2015 and winning 35 medals in competition with them was a great achievement of Pakistani squad.

He said there was lot of misperception about Pakistan in foreign world, but these playes played great role in improving Pakistan’s image by achieving phenomenal results in Special Olympics 2015.

Senior Vice President M. Shakeel Munir and Vice President ICCI, M. Ashfaq Hussain Chatha, also congratulated the Pakistan’s Special Olympics squad and assured that businessmen would contribute for their better development.

The parents of the players demanded from public and private sectors to provide jobs to these players so that they could become self-sufficient and feel more confident.

superstar Neymar scored twice as Brazil thrashed the United States 4-1 to equal the Americans’ heaviest margin of defeat under manager Jurgen Klinsmann in a friendly international here Tuesday.

The USA, looking for an encouraging display as they prepare for a crucial Confederations Cup play-off against Mexico next month, were run ragged as Brazil turned on the style at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

The scoreline matched the worst ever suffered by the Americans under Klinsmann, who were beaten 4-1 by Brazil in 2012 and 4-1

by Ireland in 2014.

Brazil, who face a daunting opening to their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign away to Chile next month, were always in control. Veteran striker Hulk and youngster Rafinha scored the five-time world champion’s other goals.

Substitute Danny Williams scored a late consolation for the Americans, lashing home a 30-yard screamer in the 90th minute.

The South Americans dominated a onesided first half, threatening to run riot against an experimental United States formation featuring Alejandro Bedoya playing in an unfamiliar defensive midfield role.

The Brazilians swept forward confidently and did not have long to wait until their early superiority was rewarded with the first goal.

Chelsea star Willian burst clear of two American defenders down the right flank and curled a looping cross beyond US keeper Brad Guzan.

As the Aston Villa goalkeeper dithered, the ball rebounded off the inside of the upright and fell kindly to Hulk, who cut back towards goal to wrong-foot defender DeAndre Yedlin to bludgeon home for 1-0.

The USA’s lone attack of the first half came shortly afterwards when Yedlin, the Tottenham player currently on loan at Sunderland, surged down the flank and crossed for Jozy Altidore, whose shot on the run was blocked.

Klinsmann acknowledged the Bedoya experiment had left the Americans exposed and swiftly replaced him with Williams on 36 minutes.

Yet Brazil almost doubled their lead three minutes before the break when Marcelo thumped a ferocious angled shot towards the top corner that Guzan did well to parry away.

Dunga brought Neymar on at half-time and the Barcelona superstar, who will be suspended for the Selecao’s clash with Chile next month, made an instant impact.—AFP

Gambling becomes addiction No.1 for football stars M ANCHESTER

(United Kingdom)—Gambling has overtaken the demon drink as the main risk for cash-rich footballers, according to former England captain Tony Adams who battled alcoholism before becoming a saviour for players fighting addiction.

Adams, who founded the Sporting Chance clinic having come through his own drink hell, told how old professionals led him to the pub after training but modern-day stars fall for huge bets and the internet.

More than 70 percent of footballers, rugby players and stars from other sports who go through Sporting Chance are in the grip of gambling, according to the Arsenal legend who has found solace as football director for Azerbaijan side Gabala.—AFP

Rooney breaks England scoring record LO

— Wa y n e Rooney became England’s all-time leading goalscorer after netting his 50th international goal in a historic 2-0 victory over Switz e r land at Wembley i n Euro 2016 qualifying o n Tuesday.

With England having already qualified for next year’s tournament, the stage was set for their captain to surpass Bobby Charlton’s mark of 49, which he had equalled in Saturday’s 6-0 win in San Marino. After substitute Harry Kane broke the deadlock, the moment duly arrived in the 84th minute, Rooney crashing a penalty into Yann Sommer’s top-right corner and being rewarded with a standing ovation that left him wiping away tears.—AFP N D O N

Azarenka sorry for fellow concussion victim Bouchard NEW

Y ORK —Victoria Azarenka, who once suffered a frightening oncourt collapse through concussion, sympathised with Eugenie Bouchard on Monday after the Canadian suffered a tournament-ending head injury at the US Open. Azarenka was forced out of the Australian Open in Melbourne in 2010 when she collapsed during a match. At first, it w a s thought the incident w a s caused by the Australian summer’s notorio u s searing temperatures. But it emerged the collapse was due to a concussion suffered when she hit her head in the gym earlier in the day.—AFP

Bad boy Kyrgios left out of Australia Davis Cup team L ONDON —Tennis ‘bad boy’ Nick Kyrgios has been left out of his country’s Davis Cup semifinal against Britain in Glasgow next week to focus on his “personal and professional” development, captain Wally Masur said on Tuesday. The 20year-old, accused of not trying during a match a t Wimbledon t h i s y e a r a n d handed a 28d a y s u s pended ban by the ATP after making lewd suggestions about the girlfriend of opponent Stanislas Wawrinka during a match in Montreal last month, is his country’s secondranked player at number 37 in the world. Bernard Tomic, who also has a chequered disciplinary record, Lleyton Hewitt, Sam Groth and teenager Thanasi Kokkinakis will make up Wally Masur ’s team. “After some good healthy discussion with Nick and his team we have agreed on a plan to help him develop all aspects of his game and ensure a long and successful future in the sport,” Masur said in a statement.—Agencies

3rd ODI: Taylor, spinners deliver big England win OLD TRAFFORD—England clawed their referral.

game, it is 242.

Still, when England were 205 for 2 with 17 overs to go, it seemed a score of something approaching 350 was possible. But Australia’s new-look attack bowled with impressive control and maturity and England managed only 100 runs for the loss of six wickets in the final 18 overs of their innings.

The ball became much more difficult to time as it aged.

Perhaps for that reason, the most fluent batting in either innings came from the opening batsmen, Jason Roy and Aaron Finch. At one stage Roy, mixing touch and power in a manner that speaks volumes for his development as a batsman, took a jadedlooking Mitchell Starc for four boundaries in five balls.

But batting at the other end appeared far less straightforward. Alex Hales, timing the ball sweetly enough but unable to pierce the field, managed 9 from 31 balls before clipping to midwicket and when Roy was lured down the pitch and drawn into a miscued drive, it seemed England’s momentum would falter.

After a torrid start against the hostile Pat Cummins, Morgan helped Taylor add 119 in 18 overs and provide the platform for England’s total. While OLD TRAFFORD: Ben Stokes struggled before slogging a catch during England vs he looked uncomfortable against Cummins’ short ball Australia, 3rd ODI day-night match. the bowler was clocked at alBut, while he never threatened to most 96 mph - he eventually found someon a dry surface, claiming 5 for 73 between them in 20 overs. Moeen Ali fin- score at a run a ball and never threat- thing approaching fluency.—AFP ished with career-best ODI figures while ened to be pretty, he Adil Rashid has never bowled better in manoeuvred the an England shirt.It was England’s first ball well, scampered win in eight ODIs against Australia and 47 singles and, only their second in 13. It means the even when his col- England innings: Australia innings: sides go to Headingley with the series leagues failed and Roy c Maxwell b Agar .. 63 Burns c Morgan b Finn .. 9 the innings fal- Hales c Marsh b Cummins 9 Finch c Woakes b Rashid53 poised at 2-1 with two to play.

There are, as ever, some caveats. It tered, kept his head Taylor c Agar b Starc .. 101 Smith c Finn b Rashid .. 25 was an important toss that England and ensured his Morgan c Starc Bailey c Stokes b Ali ..... 25 won, with the pitch turning consider- side posted a com- b Maxwell ....................... 62 Maxwell c Bairstow b Ali 17 petitive total.

It ably by the end, while Australia were Stokes c Finch b Maxwell 14 Marsh b Plunkett .......... 13 missing seven of the XI that played in was, for its un- Bairstow run out ........... 17 Wade b Finn .................. 42 the World Cup final a few months ago ruffled calm, its ma- MM Ali b Cummins ........ 1 Agar c Roy b Plunkett .... 5 and are very much a team in transition. turity and its judge- Plunkett run out .............. 1 Starc c Bairstow b Ali ..... 1 almost Woakes not out ............. 14 Cummins b Plunkett ........ 5 But, with a couple of obvious additions ment, - David Warner and James Faulkner in Jonathan Trott- Rashid not out ................. 1 Pattinson not out ............ 2 particular - it may not be far from the esque.

Extras: (b 1, lb 5, w 11) .. 17 Extras: (lb 3, w 7) ........... 10 And, if the to- Total: (8 wickets) ......... 300 Total: (all out) .............. 207 side that represents them in the 2019 tal was a little less World Cup. Both these teams are in a Fall of wickets: 1-52, 2-86, Fall of wickets: 1-33, 2-75, than seemed prob- 3-205, 4-231, 5-271, 6-273, 7- 3-106, 4-128, 5-141, 6-154, 7redevelopment phase.

Australia will also reflect that they able at one stage, it 279, 8-291 165, 8-167, 9-172, 10had opportunities to bowl England out still required a Bowling: ........... O-M-R-W 207Bowling: ..... O-M-R-W far more cheaply. Eoin Morgan was record run chase. Starc .................... 10-0-79-1 Finn ....................... 8-1-43-2 missed - a relatively simple stumping The highest suc- Pattinson .............. 6-1-36-0 Woakes ................. 4-0-22-0 chance to Matthew Wade off the im- cessful chase in an Agar ...................... 9-0-45-1 Plunkett .............. 10-0-60-3 pressive debutant Ashton Agar - when ODI at Old Trafford Cummins ............. 10-1-50-2 Rashid ................. 10-1-41-2 he had 15 and Taylor would have been is 285, but that was Maxwell .............. 10-0-56-2 MM Ali ............... 10-1-32-3 given out leg before off Glenn Maxwell in a 55-over a side Marsh ................... 5-0-28-0 Stokes ..................... 2-0-6-0 for 41 had Australia utilised their DRS game. In a 50-over way back into the ODI series against Australia with a 93-run victory at Old Trafford.

A maiden international century from Man of the Match James Taylor provided the bedrock of England’s total of 300, before their spinners went to work

It was, in some ways, a slightly oldfashioned performance from England.

Taylor, demonstrating the leadership qualities that saw him promoted to the vice-captaincy for this game, faced 47 dot balls in his innings and only managed one boundary in his first 50 runs.

Djokovic to face Cilic for US Open final spot N E W Y ORK —Novak Djokovic de- Lopez, playing in his first US Open Lopez managed just five points on the

feated Feliciano Lopez 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 7- quarter-final after 55 consecutive Djokovic serve in the 25-minute opener 6 (7/2) to reach the US Open semi-fi- Grand Slam appearances, was and was broken twice.

But Lopez, one of four men over nals, a 21st last-four spot in his last 22 shellshocked in the first set. In front Grand Slams. The top seed and 2011 of a subdued Arthur Ashe Stadium 30 to make the last-eight, rallied in the champion, playing in his 26th con- which had thinned out after the Serena second set, breaking in the second secutive quarter-final at the majors, Williams-Venus Williams blockbuster, game on his way to a 4-1 lead.—AFP claimed his 55th match win in New York.

Djokovic, this year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon champion, also enjoyed his fifth win in five meetings against Lopez and will take a staggering 13-0 career record over defending champion Marin Cilic into their Friday semi-final.

Cilic reached the semi-finals with a 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 win over France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

“Feliciano is one of those rare players who serves and volleys on first and second serves,” said 28-year-old Djokovic after winnning a ninth successive quarter-final in New York.

“He has a big serve. I played a bad game in the second game of the second set and it was gone.

“The fourth set was anyone’s. He had some break points while I had to wait until the tiebreak to get a look.

“I played it well and I am happy to get through in four.”

Djokovic had been pushed to four sets by Lopez’s Spanish compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut in the NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic reacts after beating Feliciano Lopez in the quarter-final previous round.

But the 33-year-old of US Open.

Miandad cautions ICC on calls to dump toss in Test cricket I SLAMABAD —Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad on Wednesday advised International Cricket Council (ICC) to move with caution before paying any consideration to calls to rid Test cricket of the toss.

“Instead of dumping the century-old tradition of toss, the ICC should focus on removing faults which have turned test cricket to a mediocre level. I fear abandoning the toss will further disturb Test cricket,” he told media persons.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting and West Indies great Michael Holding have recently called cricket chiefs to redeem Test cricket of the toss. Ponting during the recent Ashes series in England has suggested that the away side should choose who bats first in order to counteract any advantage the hosts may gain from preparing a pitch that suits them best.

Steve Waugh, another former Australian captain also expressed same sentiment and backed the idea of abandoning the toss for giving advantage to a touring team.

But Javed Miandad believed that discarding toss may cause serious setback to Test cricket, which he said had already

lost attraction after the influx of T20 cricket.

“Toss is good for cricket. It gives way to a lot of discussion on television and radio.

Everyone remains attached and curious from the time when the coin is in the air till a captain wins and takes a decision to elect to bat or otherwise.”

He said that winning or losing the toss could also impact preparations of a home side so it is equal for the two playing teams and therefore there was no logic to abandon it.

Miandad said proposals to dump toss were being floated after Australia suffered defeat in the recently concluded Ashes series in England adding that the loss of toss was not the main cause of their (Australia’s) failure, rather their batsmen failed to adapt to English conditions that cost them dearly. “They played as if they were in Down Under. Their batting technique was flawed and they played against the merit. The toss cannot be blamed for their disappointing performance.”

He was of the view that quality Test players were vanishing from all cricket playing nations adding that like past cricketers the modern players should have the calibre to perform in all conditions. “Test cricket means putting players to test in some tough conditions. I believe the test of a player begins when he is made to play in alien conditions. A quality batsman or bowler can perform everywhere; whether he is at home or away.”

He said the ICC had clear rules about standard of pitches and asked the world’s cricket governing body to form a permanent committee for examining quality of Test pitches around the world. “The task of the committee should be to assess whether a wicket is playable or not. The committee should have clear cut directions to ensure standard pitches everywhere.”

However; the former captain said that he would have no objection if ICC tries to do any experiment about abandon the toss. “I don’t mind if the authorities concerned try do an experiment. But I believe this is not going to happen as several countries, including India will oppose any such move,” he added.—APP

Australian keeper Haddin retires SYDNEY—Tenacious Australian wicketkeeper ing the retirement of Adam Gilchrist.

Only three Australian wicket-keepers and batsman Brad Haddin announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednes- played more Tests than Haddin: Ian Healy (119), Adam Gilchrist (96) and Rod Marsh (96). day after a stellar career.

And his 270 dismissals as a wicketkeeper Vice-captain of the Test team for much of the last two years, the 37-year-old will con- sit behind only Gilchrist (416), Healy (395) and tinue to play only Twenty20 cricket for the Marsh (355) for Australia.—AFP Sydney Sixers.

“I came to the realisation after Lord’s,” Haddin said.

“I’ve had a privileged run, but I lost the hunger on the Ashes Tour. “It was an easy decision to retire.”

Haddin controversially lost his place on Australia’s England tour after performing below his usual high standards in the opening game and returned home last month for family reasons.

He praised new skipper Steve Smith as a “great leader”.

“I think Australian cricket is in good stead,” he told a press conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Haddin played 66 Tests SYDNEY: Brad Haddin with his family at the SCG on the but had to wait until he was 30 day he announced his retirement from international to win his first Test cap follow- cricket on Wednesday.

Hong Kong Sixes called off for the second year in succession Bipin Dani OBSERVER CORRESPONDENT SANGLI (Maharashtra)—The Hong Kong Cricket Sixes tournament which is being played every year at the Kowloon Cricket Club (Hong Kong) is being called off for the second successive year. This was revealed by Dr John Cribbin, the Deputy Director (Academic Services).

Speaking exclusively over his mobile from Hong-Kong, he says, “the event, which has always been well supported by ICC and many of the Full Members of ICC, provides a wonderful showcase for our sport and brings many leading players to Hong Kong. To be mounted successfully the event needs a major sponsor and this has proved difficult to secure in the past two years. Regrettably therefore we concluded in late July, as we had not been able to sign up a major sponsor, that we would again have to defer the event”.

“The Hong Kong Cricket Association (HKCA) sees the HK Cricket Sixes as a significant part of its strategy for the development of the sport in Hong Kong, particularly its primary commitment to widen participation by Chinese people in cricket”.

“We are, however, confident that we will be able to put arrangements in place for 2016. In May this year we appointed our first CEO, Mr. Tim Cutler, and one of his priorities is to seek more commercial sponsorship to underpin our efforts in

developing the game. This will build on our strong roots, our national team’s success in having both ODI and T20i status (we will be competing in the T20 World Cup in India next year), our commitment to increasing participation in the sport by both Chinese men and women as well as youths, and our showcase international event, the HK Cricket Sixes”, he further added.

“The Sixes format can also play a role in development while its shorter duration can provide an exciting event - we recently hosted a successful (though weather affected) ‘Sixes4Nepal’ event involving some of the Nepal National Team as well as our own leading players to fundraise for the earthquake recovery in Nepal”.

Consider for Olympics “We also believe that the Sixes format could be considered for the Olympics and hope the emerging debate on the potential for cricket in the Olympics may take this into account. In our plans for 2016 we hope we may widen the participation to include some leading Associate countries, particularly from the region, who may play in a pre-event qualifier to join the main event. We have, of course, for a number of year involved the China National Mens and Womens teams in guest appearances at the event”.

“All in all therefore we see a bright future for the event and are optimistic that we will see it return successfully in 2016”, Cribbin concluded.

Green tea component upsets cancer cell metabolism

A

NEW study reveals how an active com ponent of green tea disrupts the metabo lism of cancer cells in pancreatic cancer, offering an explanation for its effect on reducing risk of cancer and slowing its progression. The researchers believe the discovery signals a new approach to studying cancer prevention.

Reported in the journal Metabolomics, the study explores the effect of epigallocatechin gallate or “EGCG,” an active biological agent of green tea. It shows that EGCG changes the metabolism of pancreatic cancer cells by suppressing the expression of lactate dehydrogenise A or LDHA, a critical enzyme in cancer metabolism.

Metabolism is all the chemical reactions that occur in cells such as extracting and using energy - that keep them alive, growing and multiplying. These cells can be normal, and they can also be cancerous. Numerous studies have previously suggested green tea and its extracts may provide suitable treatments for cancer, as well as other diseases.

For example, one published in 2012 suggested that drinking green tea may lower risk of digestive system cancers in women while another found EGCG delivered intravenously directly to tumours made two-thirds of them shrink or disappear within one month.

But, until this latest study, from Dr. Wai-Nang Lee of the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) and colleagues, it has not been clear how green tea and its extracts work to reduce the risk of cancer or slow growth of cancer

cells.

The researchers found that EGCG - an active biological agent of green tea - disrupts metabolic flux in cancer cells in a similar way to oxamate, a known inhibitor of LDHA. Using state-of-the-art metabolic profiling techniques, Dr. Lee and colleagues found EGCG disrupts the rate of turnover of molecules - known as “flux” - through a metabolic pathway in pancreatic cancer cells.

They found EGCG disrupts metabolic flux in cancer cells in a similar way to oxamate, a known inhibitor of LDHA. They concluded that both EGCG and oxamate reduced the risk of cancer by suppressing the activity of LDHA, which in turn disrupts metabolic functions in cancer cells. The study is significant because there is a widely held belief among scientists that to treat cancer you have to use molecular mechanisms. Now there is a new possibility - change the metabolic system, as Dr. Lee comments: “By explaining how green tea’s active component could prevent cancer, this study will open the door to a whole new area of cancer research and help us understand how other foods can prevent cancer or slow the growth of cancerous cells.” He says the discovery also means we can look at metabolism in an entirely new way: “It is no longer a case of glucose goes in and energy comes out. Now we understand how cancer cell metabolism can be disrupted, and we can examine how we can use this knowledge to try to alter the course of cancer or prevent cancer.”

Sindh Governor and Chancellor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan awarding honorary doctorate degree to spiritual leader of Bohra Community Syedna Mufadal Saifuddin during special convocation of Karachi University at Governor House.—APP

Anti-riot squad, anti-dacoit operation force being raised CITY REPORTER KARACHI—Anti-Riot Squad and Anti-Dacoit Operation Force are being raised from within the present strength of the Sindh Reserve Police (SRP).

These would be equipped with the latest weapons and arms and ammunition.

This was informed at a briefing when the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh, Ghulam Hyder Jamali, visited the SRP Headquarters and SRP Base 11 on Wednesday.

The DIG SRP, Asif Ejaz Shaikh, in a briefing further informed that a comprehensive training programme has also been chalked out for these personnel.

He said that more than 200 personnel of SRP are continued to be deployed for patrolling on the highways along with the officials of the district police.

Of the present strength of SPR consisting of 5,756, some 396 personnel are performing security duties with the Karachi police.

As many as 395 officials of the Quick Response Force are also at the disposal of the Karachi police.

In addition, 1,090 personnel are performing duty with district police in other districts of the province. Some 571 personnel are deployed at important and sensitive locations.

The IGP undertook a detailed visit to the SRP offices and buildings. He agreed in principle regarding recommendation for an increase in the salary of the SRP personnel.

Increase in school fee, an anti-state activity: PPP MPAs STAFF REPORTER

Members of Karachi Union of Journalists protesting against killing of two senior journalists on Wednesday.—DNA

1002 dengue patients reported in 9 months in Sindh: Dahar STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—Sindh health minister Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar has said that since January 2015 to September 2015, the number of dengue virus affected patients is 1002, out of which 3 patients have died.

This he said in a statement issued here on Wednesday.

He said that since August 31 to September 6, 155 patients in Karachi, 3 patients in Hyderabad, 3 patients in Lahore and one patient in Ghotki were diagnosed as affected with den-

KARACHI—Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MPAs Erum Khalid, Rubina Qaimkhani and Shaheena Balouch while expressing grave concern on extrahigh school fees said the increase was tantamount to anti-state activity and hence they urged upon the government to take immediate action against the private school management.

They said it is the national obligation of the government to impose a check and balance on private school management and in this regard the gov-

gue fever.

Due to effective measures taken by Sindh health department with the collaboration of other departments and stakeholders the decrease has been witnessed in the patients of dengue and health department Sindh has provided better facilities of treatment for the patients of Dengue.

Besides this Dengue Prevention and Control Program Sindh Program Manager Dr Masood Solangi has told that awareness drive against dengue virus is in full swing and now drive is going on in Hyderabad and other districts of Sindh.

ernment should either imposes a code of conduct or take the schools in state’s custody and hand them over to NGOs that have good reputation to run them.

In a statement issued from the PPP Media Cell Sindh, the PPP MPAs said the menace of child labour and children’s deprivation of attending to schools for acquiring contemporary education is only because of private schools that have made the education a business and abide by any rules and regulations.

They said the high school fee issue is the basic problem with the country, which has promoted the extremism and the culture of seminaries as the poor

parents prefer to send their children to the seminaries where not only religious education is free but other facilities such as accommodation, boarding and food facilities are also free of cost.

They said the reasons behind escalating trend of extremism has many aspects of which the high school fee might be on top and hence the government should add this issue in the national action plan and initiate audit of private schools income and receipts of funds. Those found involved in financial irregularities should also be dealt with stern hand under anti-terror laws as terror facilitators.

Attack on TV reporters conspiracy for suppressing freedom of expression STAFF REPORTER K ARACHI —Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Parliamentary Leader in the Senate of Pakistan and PPP Media Cell Sindh in-charge Senator Saeed Ghani, PPP Karachi Division President, General Secretary Nadeem Bhutto, Secretary information and Deputy Secretary Information Manzoor Abbas have serenely condemned the killings of professional TV

reporters.

In a statement issued from the PPP Media Cell Sindh, they said that journalism was a respectable and sensitive profession while the workers and reporters in media only portray the true picture of the happenings in the society and they do not have any personal grudge against any segment of the society.

However, they are being targeted for no reason except that the terrorists want

to suppress the freedom of expression and to blame the democratic system for failing to protect them, they said adding that no stone should be left unturned to apprehend and take the killers to the task.

They said that the attack on GEO TV DSNG and killings of GEO and Samaa TV reporters is a serious crime and highly condemnable. They prayed for the departed souls and for early recovery of the Injured.

Trade unionists call for implementation workplace safety mechanisms STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—The rulers have not learnt any lesson from the tragic factory fire incident of Ali Enterprises in Baldia Karachi and even today after the passage of three years majority of workplaces and factories lack safety and health mechanisms for their workers, while the promises made to the heirs of factory fire victims are still to be fulfilled.

Labour leaders of National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) and Association of the affectees of Baldia Tragedy said this in a jointly given press conference in connection with the third anniversary of Baldia factory fire incident.

They said on Sep 11, 2012 a huge fire caught the Ali Enterprises in Baldia area of Karachi which is the biggest fire incident in the industrial history in the country. This tragic incident took place due to inadequate

safety measure and violation of labour laws, and resultantly 259 workers were martyred and later a woman worker Nadia died in hospital and hence the death toll reached 260. However, hundreds of other workers were injured. This tragedy is the proof itself of inhuman treatment meted out to workers in our factories and workplaces.

They said sadly after the incident no step was taken at the government level to improve the working conditions of these industries and workplaces despite many tall claims at the government level. Today more 90 percent factories are unregistered, and working illegally.

Despite the decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan the infamous contract system of labour is fully there, forcing millions of workers to toil on paltry wages like modern day slaves. In violation of labour laws, workers are not given appointment letters at the time of their recruitment. They

are also not being registered with social security and pension institutions. An evil nexus of corrupt government officials and factory is behind this scam.

However, innocent workers are bearing the brunt. The system of labour inspection that is a key to get the labour laws implemented is deliberately put in limbo.

The government instead of improving labour inspection system has left workers at the mercy of factory owners and private institutions that issue ISO certificates. The factory owners using these certificates as alternate to labour laws have turned their factories and workplaces into death traps for labours.

They said many famous international brands and companies are earning billions of dollars annually by getting manufactured their goods in Pakistan on cheap labour, but they are avoiding to implement the accepted labour standard in these factories and workplaces.

Shops and markets were closed as traders observed strike against withholding tax on Wednesday.—DNA

Green tea component upsets cancer cell metabolism

A

NEW study reveals how an active com ponent of green tea disrupts the metabo lism of cancer cells in pancreatic cancer, offering an explanation for its effect on reducing risk of cancer and slowing its progression. The researchers believe the discovery signals a new approach to studying cancer prevention.

Reported in the journal Metabolomics, the study explores the effect of epigallocatechin gallate or “EGCG,” an active biological agent of green tea. It shows that EGCG changes the metabolism of pancreatic cancer cells by suppressing the expression of lactate dehydrogenise A or LDHA, a critical enzyme in cancer metabolism.

Metabolism is all the chemical reactions that occur in cells such as extracting and using energy - that keep them alive, growing and multiplying. These cells can be normal, and they can also be cancerous. Numerous studies have previously suggested green tea and its extracts may provide suitable treatments for cancer, as well as other diseases.

For example, one published in 2012 suggested that drinking green tea may lower risk of digestive system cancers in women while another found EGCG delivered intravenously directly to tumours made two-thirds of them shrink or disappear within one month.

But, until this latest study, from Dr. Wai-Nang Lee of the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) and colleagues, it has not been clear how green tea and its extracts work to reduce the risk of cancer or slow growth of cancer

cells.

The researchers found that EGCG - an active biological agent of green tea - disrupts metabolic flux in cancer cells in a similar way to oxamate, a known inhibitor of LDHA. Using state-of-the-art metabolic profiling techniques, Dr. Lee and colleagues found EGCG disrupts the rate of turnover of molecules - known as “flux” - through a metabolic pathway in pancreatic cancer cells.

They found EGCG disrupts metabolic flux in cancer cells in a similar way to oxamate, a known inhibitor of LDHA. They concluded that both EGCG and oxamate reduced the risk of cancer by suppressing the activity of LDHA, which in turn disrupts metabolic functions in cancer cells. The study is significant because there is a widely held belief among scientists that to treat cancer you have to use molecular mechanisms. Now there is a new possibility - change the metabolic system, as Dr. Lee comments: “By explaining how green tea’s active component could prevent cancer, this study will open the door to a whole new area of cancer research and help us understand how other foods can prevent cancer or slow the growth of cancerous cells.” He says the discovery also means we can look at metabolism in an entirely new way: “It is no longer a case of glucose goes in and energy comes out. Now we understand how cancer cell metabolism can be disrupted, and we can examine how we can use this knowledge to try to alter the course of cancer or prevent cancer.”

Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Khan Hasham Bin Saddique offering dua at Yadghar-e-Shuhada at Pakistan Navy War College, Lahore

China shows interest in energy, infrastructure projects SALIM AHMED LAHORE—China Pakistan Economic Corridor has opened new arenas of development and international investment in Pakistan as a number of foreign companies including China have expressed their interest in projects of energy, infrastructure, development, construction, agriculture, research and industrial sectors.

Chinese company Shan Dong Yabite technology has shown interest to invest in development of solar power projects in Punjab comprising 500

megawatt energy. A high level delegation led by Chairman Yong Lu of Shan Dong Yabaite technology met Provincial Minister for Labour & HR Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, here Wednesday.

Energy Coordinator for CM Punjab Nadeem Aslam Chaudhary, Member Public Private Partnership Cell P&D Agha Waqar Haider, Additional Secretary Energy Shakeel Ahmad, Director PBIT Saleem Sohail, DG Labour Muhammad Saleem Hussain, Director Labour Hasnat Javed and other concerned officers were present in the meeting.

Matters of bilateral interest particularly mutual cooperation among Punjab and China in energy, infrastructure, livestock, dairy development and other sectors came under discussion in the meeting.

The Minister said that China has extended great cooperation to eliminate energy crisis in Pakistan and is also completing mega power projects of Punjab province as well. He said that China and Pakistan are at one page in regional and international affairs as well as cooperation in development sector.

Chinese companies, under public-

private partnership are investing in Punjab as atmosphere is favourable for foreign investment due to facilities, incentives and foolproof security provided by Punjab government to the investors particularly to Chinese engineers, experts and workers who are engaged in completion of mega projects in Punjab.

Chairman Yong Lu expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Punjab for providing opportunities of huge investment and hoped that both the governments would benefit from the opportunities to promote this cooperation.

Entire nation has to face challenges with determination: Begum Zakia STAFF REPORTER LAHORE—Provincial Minister A view of closed market during shutter down strike to protest against imposition of withholding tax on all types of banking transactions.—INP

District administration launches crackdown on beggars MUZAFFAR ALI LAHORE—Distinct administration on Wednesday has launched a crackdown against beggars in Lahore.

During crackdown, as many as 29 beggars including two women and four eunuchs were taken into custody during operation in the areas of Mall Road, Anarkali, Ravi Road, Lari Bus Stand, Canal Road, Sadar, Mazung, Gulberg, Main Market, Akbar Chowk, Kot Lakhpat, Col-

for Population Welfare Begum Zakia Shahnawaz has said that the entire nation has to face the challenges like poverty, health and education with full determi-

lege Road and Ghazi Road.

The14 captured beggars have been shifted to Raiwind Home and Edhi Home.

However, a massive number of beggars are still roaming in the city including at traffic signals seeking charity from the motorists.

It is worth mentioning that the beggars disappear from the scene whenever an operation is launched against the menace.

They shift to other places for some time and then return to their old stations of begging.

Health deptt prepares comprehensive policy for Hospital Waste Management SALIM AHMED LAHORE—Punjab Health Department has prepared a comprehensive policy for Hospital Waste Management and committees for this purpose have been notified at divisional, district and hospital level. The pilot project of Hospital Waste Management has successfully completed in Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Burewala District Layyah and THQ Hospital Wazirabad, District Gujranwala and the plan is being scaled up upto 15 districts in 2nd phase.

It was stated by Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Raffique while addressing a seminar on Environmental Health and Medical Waste Management, jointly organized by the Health Department, Policy and Strategic Planning Unit (PSPU) and World Bank at a local hotel here Wednesday.

Besides, Secretary Health Jawwad Raffique Malik, Director General Health Dr. Zahid Pervaiz, representative of World

Bank Dr. Javed, In-Charge Chief Minister Health Roadmap Programme Aizaz Akhtar, Director PSPU Ali Bahadur Qazi, DG Environment Javed Iqbal, EDOs and Medical Superintendents of the hospitals of selected districts attended the seminar.

Representative of World Bank Dr. Javed said that environmental pollution and polluted water is the basic cause of diseases and an ailing bread-earning person cannot run the family’s expenditures which is an economic loss. He said that Hospital Waste is also a hazard for environmental health. He said that hospital waste also creates hurdles in economic activities.

The Medical Superintendents of THQ hospitals Wazirabad and Burewala shared their experiences of Hospital Waste Management Pilot Programme in their hospitals. Secretary Health Jawwad Raffique Malik stressed the need of training and capacity building of the staff.

He directed that Information Technol-

ogy should be adopted in Data Collection of hospital waste and manual entries in the registers should be converted into computerized database. He directed that a software with the help of PITB also be prepared for digitalisation of hospital waste management’s data. He observed that strict monitoring is essential to check the pilferage and theft of hospital waste.

Secretary Health further said proper training should be imparted to the staff for segregation of hospital waste so that it could be properly identified as municipal waste, infectious waste and hazardous hospital waste. He disclosed that Health Department is going to start work on a huge project of Hospital Waste Management with the collaboration of Lahore Waste Management Company.

Khawaja Salman Raffique said that incinerators of average 80Kg per day burning capacity have been provided to 24 districts including Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.

nation.

She said this while addressing a seminar held under the aegis of AWAZ Foundation Pakistan, here Wednesday. Zakia Shahnawaz said that education is the fundamental right of every child which has to be provided him not only in primary but every level.

She said that the increase in the population is the major problem of the country, therefore, government is solving it at grassroot level. She said that NGOs and civil society have also played their positive and active role in this regard. The Provincial Minister stressed upon improving the performance of all institutions.

She said that schools, hospitals and roads have become crowded due to increasing population.

Zakia Shahnawaz said that government is monitoring the increasing population and android system has been evolved for this purpose. She said that we have to solve this problem within our own resources.

She stressed upon the need of a considerable time period in the birth of children. She said that Islam is a way of life which provides us guidance. She said that government has set up 17 adolescence centres which are providing information to the people.

She stressed upon the social empowerment of women.

Election Commission should stop acting as PML-N B-team, says Sarwar MUZAFFAR ALI L AHORE —Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Punjab organizer Chaudhary Mohammad Sarwar said the Election Commission should stop acting as PMLN’s B team. He said the PTI would launch a province-wide protest against the Election Commission, if it did not take measures to foil the PML-N’s rigging plans.

Chaudhary Sarwar expressed these

views on Wednesday during his address at the opening of election office of NA-122 and PP-147 by-election candidates Abdul Aleem Khan and Shoaib Siddiqui in Garhi Shahu, said the local bodies’ elections without the deployment of Army and Rangers would be “selection” instead of election.

Chaudhary Sarwar said that there were no rifts among the party ranks and all were united under the leadership of Imran Khan.Chaudhary Sarwar said the Election

Commission was not taking any notice of the PML-N’s rigging plans and actions despite clear-cut reservations expressed by all opposition parties.

He said the Election Commission was losing its credibility and becoming B team of the ruling party. He said the PTI had severally approached the Election Commission but its failure to take notice would compel the party to come out on roads and protest.

Activists of Young Doctors Association protesting in favour of their demands on Wednesday.—INP